《Advent of the Three Calamities》


 Chapter 1: Prologue [1]

    <h4>Chapter 1: Prologue [1]</h4>


    Emotions.


    A strong feeling (reaction) deriving from one''s circumstances, mood, or rtionship with others.


    I never fully understood them.


    They weren''t foreign to me¡ªAnger, Sadness, Fear, Guilt...¡ªI''ve experienced them all. Plenty of times before.


    As humans, we were inherently designed to feel them.


    ...But merely experiencing them didn''t equate to understanding them.


    [Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to make it quick.]


    A certain voice hung in the air. It was gentle, yet carried a gravity that drew my attention.


    Twockluster gray eyes seemed fixed on me.


    Or... felt like it. I knew that it wasn''t possible since the one talking was inside the TV screen.


    However, as I gazed into those eyes, I had a sudden thought¡ª''Why does it feel like they''re looking right at me?''


    "Pftt."


    I shook my head.


    Stupid.


    [This is thest step, right? ...Thest step before my hell is finally over?]


    He stood solitary, amidst the wreckage. Thendscapey strewn with debris and shattered structures. The world around him seemed to have halted, frozen in a moment in time.


    In that instant, the dullness in his gaze faltered, and what appeared to rece it was something akin to... anguish.


    Grief?


    [...Hah]


    The man clutched his shirt, slowly wrinkling it as his lips slowly curled into a hazy smile.


    [I''ll do it.]


    His head lowered to meet another gaze.


    [...]


    With ck hair, this person knelt on the ground with their back faced against the screen, gazing up at the gray-eyed man. No words escaped their lips; they simply stared.


    Perhaps he wanted to say something, but couldn''t. After all, arge gaping wound was present on his back.


    [Ah, yes... I shouldn''t drag this out.]


    The gray-eyed man lifted his hand, unveiling the cold gleam of a sword. Hisckluster gray eyes quivered ever so slightly as the de descended down in one fluid motion.


    <i>SHIIING¡ª! </i>


    [I''ve waited far too long for this.]


    The screen turned ck.


    "Umm... So what do you think?"


    I heard a familiar voice call out to me, and I lowered my gaze.


    "Not bad, I guess."


    While I inherited more from our father, it was evident that he had drawn more from our mother. His auburn locks cascaded gracefully to his forehead, and his green eyes gazed back at me.


    This kid, who was my only remaining family, was my brother; Noel Rowe.


    "Not bad? Just that...?"


    "What do you want me to say?"


    I wasn''t much of a gamer. In fact, I never had the time to y games. There were things that I needed to prioritize in my life and never had the time to spend on leisure.


    It shouldn''te as a surprise that I found the game uninteresting.


    "I mean... You can lie."


    "And why would I do that?"


    "Because it''s my favorite game."


    "Right..."


    What sort of reasoning was this?


    I blinked slowly before reaching for my drink.


    "You know... I think it''s best if you don''t drink."


    "I don''t care."


    Taking hold of the ss cup, I felt its coarse texture beneath my fingers before slowly bringing it towards my lips.


    As the ss drew nearer, my attention fixated on the brownish liquid it contained. It was whiskey, a choice that seemed fitting for the moment.


    As I cast my gaze downward, my reflection stared back at me, giving me a glimpse of the person I had be.


    Hollow eyes, a vanishing mane of hair, protruding cheekbones¡ªmy visage had be something I wasn''t able to recognize.


    Even my hand quivered as I clutched the cup.


    <i>''I''ve had better days...'' </i>


    I smiled bitterly to myself.


    Stage IV Lung Cancer.


    Not a pretty disease.


    I still remember to this day the numerous emotions I felt during the day I received the news. I was just 24 years old. How was it possible for me to get cancer? But there was no denying what was inside me.


    So...


    I just epted it.


    eptance didn''te quickly. At first, I fought. I changed my diet and underwent Chemotherapy. But my life became miserable from that point on.


    All my savings started to drain, and each day seemed more hollow than the other.


    That was when I epted my situation and just stopped everything.


    Okay, fine. I''m dying.


    Still.


    <i>*Sip* </i>


    Why make what remained of my life a torture?


    I might as well enjoy what remained of it. Even if it made my life shorter.


    "B..itter."


    My chest burned and my hand trembled.


    Despite that, I kept a firm grip on the ss and continued to sip on it. Every breath I took wasced with pain, yet the pain at the back of my throat held a strangelyforting allure.


    So I focused my attention on it.


    Relished it.


    "...Brother, are you really just going to drink like that?"


    Noel''s worried voice reached my ears.


    But despite his worry, I continued to drink.


    "Let me... be."


    I closed my eyes and savored the pain at the back of my throat.


    Only this way could I forget about the other pain that was constantly invading my body.


    <i>*Sip* </i>


    It hurt.


    I felt so tired. I could barely move. And I felt so useless.


    But...


    "Haaa..."


    I feltfortable.


    Yes.


    This is how it should be.


    "Cou...gh."


    I was caught off-guard. I wasn''t able to hold it. My chest pounded fiercely, and my hand visibly shook. It took every little bit of my willpower to not drop my ss.


    "Brother!"


    "I''m... Cough! F-fine."


    I opened my eyes to see Noel staring at me with a worried look.


    My vision shook, and my hand almost gave out, but I held it in.


    Staring back at him, I only felt guilt. He was only 16 years old. Our parents had died a long time ago, and I was his remaining family.


    ...I didn''t want to leave him alone, but what choice did I have?


    If I chose to stay longer, with what money was he going to survive?


    In a way, stopping Chemotherapy wasn''t just because I didn''t want to prolong my suffering. It was also a way for me to leave him something before I left.


    Rather than leaving him in debt and dying, I''d rather die and leave him with something to lean on.


    It was my duty.


    My duty as his brother.


    <i>Drip. Drip. </i>


    Tears streamed down his face as he gazed at me. The incessant buzzing in my head made it difficult to discern his words, but it appeared he was trying to call an ambnce.


    I stopped him and shook my head before pointing toward the TV.


    "Tell me... Tell me about the game."


    "Game?"


    Seeing his reaction, I managed to force a smile.


    "Yea-h. Tell me why it''s your favorite game?"


    He wouldn''t stop talking about it.


    "That..."


    He looked unsure of what to say, but after ncing at me once more, he wiped his tears and started to recount everything.


    "The game is called Rise of the Three Cmities, and the main character is called Leon. He''s an orphan and the story starts at Haven. An institute, or more like an Academy where cadets are trained for the future of the Nurs Ancifa Empire. One of the four great empires..."


    To be honest, I was only able to make out a couple of words. After a certain time, all I could see was his mouth moving, but I just nodded along.


    For the sake of it. I had to pretend to be fine.


    So just...


    <i>''Let me die faster.''</i>


    Time seemed to flow endlessly and before I knew it, Noel was standing by the door of the apartment.


    "Brother, I''m going to go grab some Lunch. I''ll bring you your favorite."


    That... I could hear.


    And just as his hand grasped the door, his feet came to a sudden stop.


    "I''ll see you soon... okay?"


    "Okay."


    I answered back, albeit weakly.


    "Good."


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    The door closed and silence filtered across the room.


    "..."


    For some unknown reason, the silence brought a smile to my face.


    My eyes slowly closed, and I relished in the silence.


    "Cough! ...Cou..gh!"


    Yet that tranquility proved fleeting as I was seized by uncontroble coughing. When I reopened my eyes and gazed down, I caught sight of my hands which were stained in blood.


    My blood.


    "Sh...it."


    A clink resonated in the air.


    The cup in my grasp had finally tumbled to the ground, and the world began to whirl around me.


    <i>''Looks like I can''t maintain the facade any longer.''</i>


    Whiskey spilled onto the floor, and my chest throbbed intensely with pain.


    I had managed to hold back before, but such a thing was no longer possible as all energy drained from my body and I leaned back on my chair.


    <i>''It''s good that he didn''t see me in this state.''</i>


    Sometimes, one suffers in silence not out of embarrassment, but out of necessity.


    How could I allow my brother to see this?


    "Ha.. Aha..."


    I felt my chest tremble as something pierced right at my heart. It wasn''t the same pain that I was ustomed to, but a different pain.


    Anger.


    Regret.


    Sorrow.


    Sadness.


    Emotions.


    That''s what the pain was.


    I felt them vividly.


    I could tell them apart.


    I was familiar with each and every one of them.


    But I didn''t understand them.


    ...And with thesest thoughts, my eyelids gradually closed.


    "Ah..."


    That''s when I took myst breath.


    Or so I thought.

 Chapter 2: Julien D. Evenus [1]

    <h4>Chapter 2: Julien D. Evenus [1]</h4>


    <i>''Uh... I''m still alive?''</i>


    There was no way. But... I was starting to doubt it. That was despite feeling certain that I had drawn myst breath.


    It was the only logical conclusion I could make as I found myself standing on the remains of a city.


    My sinuses clogged up as a result of the smoke that lingered in the air, and I heard a low, steady ringing in my head at the same time. Sort of like the buzz of a mosquito, but a lot more annoying than that.


    With all of that taken into ount, I was certain that there was something wrong with the situation. I felt there, yet not at the same time.


    If that made any sense?


    Must be some sort of hallucination one experiences before death.


    It had to be.


    I was more convinced of this when I found myself standing amidst the ruins of a city unknown to me, confused by the peculiar architecture of the buildings. They appeared to belong to a distinct era, unlike anything familiar to my own.


    How weird.


    The entire situation was weird and I had trouble wrapping my head around it.


    Despite my eagerness in wanting to find out more about what was happening to me and what the city around me was, I couldn''t.


    I was stuck where I was.


    Or more like, I was trapped.


    I could see, smell, hear, taste, and touch just fine. It was just that, I had no control over my body. I felt as though I were a marite, manipted by an external force.


    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>


    My focus was captured by a distant rumble, prompting my head to turn toward the source of the sound. A voice unknown to me emerged, flowing from my lips.


    "It''s about time... I thought they''d be slower."


    There was something about the voice. It sounded unnatural. Almost robotic in my ears, but I couldn''t quite tell.


    Just what is happening?


    I was flustered, but what else could I do? There was no way out for me, and all I could do was just observe.


    <i>BOOOM¡ª! </i>


    A distant building disintegrated, and from within its ruins emerged a particr figure.


    Our eyes met, and I instantly sensed an overwhelming weight pressing down on my body, stifling me.


    "I... finally found you!"


    A screeching voice reverberated through the air and the sky turned a scarlet color.


    The pressure that bore down on me increased, and she soon appeared before my very eyes.


    She was... breathtaking.


    More so than anyone I''d ever seen in my life, making me further question the validity of what I was seeing.


    Adorned with flowing, fiery red locks cascading down her back, her hair danced in the sunlight, disying hues of crimson, copper, and gold, as if mes had been artfully woven into the fibers of her hair.


    But it was her eyes that truly caught my attention. Gleaming like golden orbs, they possess a depth and brilliance that seemed to reflect the distant sun.


    <i>''Just what is happening? ...and why is she looking at me like that?''</i>


    She seemed eerily familiar, yet at the same time wasn''t. I more or less knew that I had seen her before, but I couldn''t quite picture when.


    "Is that all you have to say to me?"


    Her gaze contained a little something. I couldn''t quite understand what it was... perhaps longing? Disappointment? I wasn''t too sure.


    "H¡ª"


    My mouth had just parted open when all of a sudden, the sky which had previously dyed red, turned a purplish hue, and lightning began to crackle down from the sky.


    <i>Cracka! Cracka!</i>


    It tore at everything beneath, destroying the buildings and infrastructures with an unstoppable might.


    In a matter of moments, the clouds ruptured, unveiling the silhouette of a woman. Her vibrant purple hair swayed gracefully through the expanse of the sky, while her piercing gaze, brimming with an overwhelming sense of animosity, fixated upon me.


    <i>Cracka! Cracka!</i>


    The sky continued to be ravaged by relentless lightning, intensifying the pressure that oppressed every inch of my being. The force was so formidable that my legs nearly buckled beneath me.


    Yet, inexplicably, the individual I was presently "possessing" disyed unwavering stubbornness. My bones cracked, and I was having a hard time breathing under the extreme pressure.


    Yet.


    As if what I was experiencing meant nothing.


    I remained standing where I was.


    "So... you''re finally here too."


    His voice carried through the air, reaching the woman with lustrous, purple hair suspended in mid-air.


    The lightning surrounding her crackled with increased intensity, while her gaze seethed with amplified hatred. However, she remained immobile, as if she couldn''t move at all.


    That was when I felt my lips curl, and the world underwent another change.


    From Red to Purple... to ck.


    Abruptly, darkness engulfed my sight, causing the distant city to vanish entirely. The sky dissipated, and everything in my surroundings vanished, leaving only the two women ahead of me.


    Emerging from the depths of the inky abyss, a figure took shape in the distance. Her eyes, a vivid shade of crimson, radiated with an intense luminosity that pierced through the darkness, unveiling a cascade of snowy white hair flowing down her shoulders.


    She too...


    Looked at me with nothing but hatred.


    Ah... I get it now.


    Her appearance was what it took to make me understand.


    Understand why they felt so familiar to me before.


    <i>''They''re the same girls from the game that my brother showed me before.''</i>


    Just before my death. There was one game my brother continued to talk about. ''Rise of the Three Cmities.''


    I didn''t know much about the game as I never got the chance to y it, but it was something my brother was enthusiastic about.


    He wouldn''t stop talking about it...


    The pieces of the puzzle fell into ce as soon as all three appeared before me, triggering a recollection of the game''s cover. Although I had only glimpsed it briefly without giving it much thought, it took me a moment to jog my memory.


    But now, I was certain.


    The three women who stood in front of me... ring at me with such hatred that made my heart palpitate, were the same Three Cmities that belonged to the game my brother showed me just before my death.


    Or what I thought was my death. Was I still dead? I wasn''t too sure anymore.


    They were most likely the older version of the girls on the background of the cover.


    Contrary to their youthful portrayal on the cover, the women before me appeared considerably older.


    Their gazes deviated greatly from the yful depiction on the cover, radiating an unrelenting aura of bloodlust that seemed to want to eat me alive.


    "How long has it been since we''vest been together?"


    My mouth parted. This time, I could hear the voice more clearly. It sounded oddly calm despite the situation he was in.


    None of the girls spoke. They just stared at me with the same expressions on their faces.


    My lips curled further.


    "I like those expressions."


    My hand reached forward all of a sudden and a ck chalice materialized, seemingly out of thin air,nding securely in my grasp. Enclosed within its confines, a peculiar ck liquid resided.


    <i>Rumble¡ª! Rumble¡ª!</i>


    The appearance of the chalice seemed to have triggered something as the world suddenly started to quake fiercely.


    The girls'' expressions changed dramatically and the pressure that bore on me intensified.


    Yet, despite it all. ''I'' remained where I was.


    "S-stop!"


    "Fuck, stop this bastard!"


    Strings of curses flew my way, but the only response was a slight raise of the cup.


    "Nooo!"


    As the chalice approached my lips, a fleeting moment allowed me to steal a nce at my own visage, mirrored within the depths of the dark liquid residing inside.


    Handsome.


    Was all I could think of as I stared at the man reflected within the liquid of the chalice.


    <i>''Is this me?'' </i>


    There was an air of confidence and allure that emanated from him that perfectly matched the disposition he disyed.


    His intense, hazel eyes held a mesmerizing depth, shimmering under the ckness of the liquid, matching his lustrous ck hair. The strong, chiseled features of his face were entuated by a well-defined jawline and a perfectly proportioned nose.


    Never in my life had I ever seen anyone this handsome.


    <i>''Ha, I really must be dead...'' </i>


    <i>Rumble¡ª! Rumble¡ª!</i>


    The world around me seemed topletely crumble. Before I knew it, the three girls were already upon me. Coming from all sides.


    Their power sent shivers down my spine.


    But despite it all. ''I'' remained where I was, feeling a slight curl at the end of my lips as the chalice drew to my mouth and I took a sip.


    <i>''It''s bitter.''</i>


    Pfttt¡ª!


    At that very moment, as the initial sip of liquid touched my lips, a searing agony tore through me.


    I felt something drip from the side of my mouth as my head slowly lowered. It was there that I caught a glimpse of arge sword.


    It passed right through my chest.


    Drip... Drip...


    Red stained the top of the sword as it dripped from the corner of my mouth.


    Slowly, my head turned, and it was there that I caught a glimpse of two dull grey eyes staring back at me.


    "Right. I forgot about you."


    The words came wlessly out of my mouth. As if nothing had happened. But I knew. I knew better than anyone that he was merely on hisst straw.


    Yet.


    I remained standing. Proudly. In front of everyone.


    <i>Gulp¡ª!</i>


    And with a gulp, the world around me turned dark.


    The next moment I woke up, I found arge screen floating before my very eyes.


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    Level :17 [Tier 1 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª[16%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    Profession : Magician


    ¦é Type : Elemental [Curse]


    ¦é Type : Mind [Emotive]


    Spells :


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Anger


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Sadness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Fear


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Happiness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Disgust


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Surprise


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Chains of kantria


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Hands ofMdy


    Skills :


    [Innate] - Foresight


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª

 Chapter 3: Julien D. Evenus [2]

    <h4>Chapter 3: Julien D. Evenus [2]</h4>


    <i>''It hurts...!'' </i>


    The vision shattered, leaving behind a raw, unrelenting pain that refused to leave. It felt as if someone had punched at my chest over and over again.


    No...


    It felt more like someone had stabbed right through my chest.


    "Ukhh!"


    A light groan escaped my lips as I tried to move my body.


    <i>''...Wait?''</i>


    My eyes red open and light immediately entered my sight.


    <i>"I''m... alive?" </i>


    My voice came out hoarse.


    But without a doubt, it was my voice. Albeit unfamiliar.


    As my eyes absorbed the light, the world around me seemed hazy. I swallowed my saliva.


    "This..."


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    Level :17 [Tier 1 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª[16%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    Profession : Magician


    ¦é Type : Elemental [Curse]


    ¦é Type : Mind [Emotive]


    Spells :


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Anger


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Sadness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Fear


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Happiness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Disgust


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Surprise


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Chains of kantria


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Hands of mdy


    Skills :


    [Innate] - Foresight


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    Something floated in front of me. I only caught a small glimpse of it. By the time I blinked, it was gone.


    "Ukh."


    My head continued to throb.


    How am I still alive...?


    It didn''t make sense.


    Thest memories I could recall were thest moments before my passing.


    The exchange with my brother, the lingering scent in the room, and the bittersweet, yet smoky taste of the whiskying down my throat.


    "How is this possible...?"


    As my vision cleared up, I tried to make out my surroundings.


    It was an unfamiliar setting.


    Nothing like I''d ever seen before.


    My initial focus was drawn to therge desk right before me. It loomedrge, dominating the space with its gleaming, well-polished wooden top.


    Strangely, there appeared to be nothing resting atop the desk except for a vintage, antique nightmp, which emitted a soft, subdued glow, casting an eerie light across the room.


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    "...!"


    A sudden noise jolted me from behind, and my body tensed. The back of my hair stood on end, and I flicked my head to look behind me.


    Expecting the worst, my legs tensed as I readied to move out of my spot, but...


    "...No one?"


    I frowned.


    There was nothing behind me except for a tall wooden bookshelf, adorned with a diverse array of books in various sizes and colors. Beneath it was a small book that seemed to have fallen to the ground.


    It must''ve been the source of the noise.


    "Looks like I¡ªUkh...!"


    A sudden pain jolted me out of my thoughts. It pounded fiercely at my chest, and whatever words I was about to utter stopped.


    "Akkh...!"


    The pain was intense.


    More than anything I had ever felt before. Every part of me shook, and my muscles started to spasm.


    "Ha... Akh...! What the...!"


    It was at that moment that I atstid eyes on the sword jutting out from within my chest.


    My entire body tensed as I felt every inch of my mind freeze at the sight that bore before my very eyes.


    "H... how?!"


    As if the scene from before reyed in my mind a sword appeared. It slowly wed its way up from my back and into my body.


    Horrified, I could only watch as the sword drew deeper into my body and pierced right through my chest.


    I wanted to scream. Cling to something. Run.


    But...


    My body was frozen. I could only watch as the sword pierced through me, and pain invaded every inch of my body.


    Blood trickled down my pristine white shirt, delicately drawing webs on my forearm before staining the wooden floor beneath, forming a muted puddle that gradually spread.


    <i>Drip. Drip. </i>


    Like the repetitive tick of a clock, the blood persistently trickled down to the ground.


    The sight turned my stomach, and I could feel the color draining from my face.


    It was the first time I had ever witnessed something so gruesome.


    "Haa... aha..."


    My breath started to feel heavy and my vision started to blur once more.


    But before I knew it, the pain stopped. I didn''t know when. I had longst track of time.


    I extended my hand towards my back, where I could feel the hilt of the sword.


    My fingers brushed against the soft leather grip that encased it, and for a moment, I contemted pulling the sword out. But then, slowly, I withdrew my hand.


    Despite the pain and the situation, I remained rational.


    Yanking the de from my chest would probably kill me. I knew that much.


    "H-haa..."


    My chest trembled as I took another break. As if I had swallowedva, my chest burned with each breath.


    <i>Drip. Drip. </i>


    And blood continued to drip down from my chest.


    When I finally found my voice again, I managed a soft mumble,


    "Is... this what hell feels like?"


    I wanted tough then and there.


    Because.


    "I-t feels like shit."


    But pain. I was used to pain. Every part of me hurt, but...pared to what I had been through the past few years, it was manageable.


    I could take this much.


    <i>Sizzle~! </i>


    I believed it was over, but suddenly, a faint sizzling sound caught my attention. At that moment, a searing pain shot through my right forearm.


    The pain was just as unbearable as the pain from before. It was entirely focused on my forearm.


    But.


    "..."


    I kept my mouth shut and stared at my forearm.


    Pain I could deal with.


    It wasn''t anything new.


    What grabbed my attention was the faint glow that formed on my forearm. On the spot where the pain was radiating.


    Gradually, my eyebrows furrowed, and the glow on my forearm subsided.


    "...A tatoo?"


    A four-leaved clover was deeply etched on my forearm.


    It looked like a cheap tattoo. It was all in ck, and besides the soft glow that was slowly subsiding, there seemed nothing special about it.


    The more I stared at it the more I felt like there was nothing special to it.


    Uh...?


    That was until all four leaves lit up with a strange white glow.


    Stunned, I felt my eyes widen, and just before I could do anything, the world around me froze. I lost control of myself. I could no longer move, and everything around me gradually lost its color.


    From the pool of blood beneath me, as though time were unwinding itself, the blood began to defy gravity, trickling upward and returning into my body.


    "...Uh."


    Yet again, I was shocked. But I could do nothing.


    I was stuck in ce.


    All I could do was watch as time seemed to reverse.


    The borate blood patterns woven on my forearm began to shift and retract, seamlessly returning to my chest. Simultaneously, the sword that had prated my chest initiated a simr backward motion, gradually withdrawing from my chest.


    I struggled toe to terms with what I was seeing and all sorts of thoughts shed my mind, but...


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    They all shattered when I heard the nking sound of the sword behind me.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    The world regained its color, and I felt my breath again.


    "What...?"


    Everything around me was back to normal. From the book that fell from the bookshelf to the floor which was no longer stained in blood.


    I remained seated where I was. Confused and dazed. It took me a moment to recover my bearings, and when I did, the first thing I did was stare at the sword that was lying on the floor.


    There was something about it that felt unsettling to me.


    It was as if there was a certain connection that linked between it and me. One that I couldn''t exin.


    Just as I was about to move to pick it up...


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    The door to the room opened.


    "Young master."


    A cold and even voice echoed within the confines of the room. It was a familiar voice. One which I vaguely remembered hearing before.


    When I turned my head, my hair stood on end.


    What...


    Two dull gray eyes stared back at me.


    For a moment, my thoughts stopped. Why is he here? Who is he...? And where am I?


    The man from the vision.


    The man from the game.


    And the man who killed me in the vision.


    "They''ve called your name. It''s your turn to take the test."


    Why was he standing before me?


    And why did it feel so real?


    "Ah."


    I''ve finally lost it, haven''t I?


    I wanted tough but found myself unable to.


    "Young master?"


    As if my actions seemed weird, he tilted his head.


    "Are you okay...? Your face looks a little pale."


    He took a step to approach me but I raised my hand to stop him. Recollections of thest memory kept reying in my mind over and over again. As if it was a tape on repeat.


    I had so many questions I wanted to ask him but kept my mouth shut.


    My instincts, or more like, brain, was telling me that it wasn''t a good idea.


    "Young master...?"


    And just as my name was called out again and he was about to approach me, I helped myself up from the chair.


    "Lead the way."

 Chapter 4: Julien D. Evenus [3]

    <h4>Chapter 4: Julien D. Evenus [3]</h4>


    Lead the way... To where?


    The echo of my footsteps rang in my ears as I followed the man from the vision from behind.


    He seemed younger than the vision, and was it just me, or did he look pale?


    Still.


    Thinking back to my actions, I had acted purely out of instinct.


    I knew nothing about the situation. Nor who the man in front of me was. No, not quite... I had an idea. One that I refused to believe.


    However...


    If there was something clear to me, it was that whoever the man in front of me was, he could kill me at a moment''s notice.


    One wrong move and I was dead.


    "Master has asked that you manage to pass the examination. In case of failure, he is prepared to exonerate you from the family."


    His cold and even tone resounded across the empty corridor as he moved ahead of me.


    I remained silent throughout the entire time.


    "It''s important that you pass the examination. I can''t stress that enough. For my sake as well."


    "..."


    Examination?


    What examination?


    I strained my ears and listened attentively. Every piece of information was vital for me.


    "That said, I don''t believe a situation like that will happen. You''re more than capable of passing the examination. At the very least, you shouldn''t be worse than themoners who only had one year of practice."


    He continued to speak along the way. As I listened to his words, my eyes couldn''t help but trace toward my surroundings.


    What sort of ce is this?


    The corridor seemed vast. Large windows lit up the corridors with purple curtains draped around them. It gave off a medieval vibe.


    But there was no way, right? How could it...


    "...We''re here, young master."


    I had no time to adjust myself to my surroundings before I found myself standing in front of arge wooden door.


    My feet came to a halt and he pushed the door open to reveal arge hall where hundreds of people stood. They all lined up in an orderly manner, facing another door at the very end of the hall.


    "You are...?"


    A woman with short ck hair and sses approached me. She held a clipboard in her hand and scanned me up and down.


    My heart grew tense at her appearance.


    I thought back on her question, ''You are?'' and found myself unable to answer.


    I''d like to know that as well.


    "..."


    Even so, I kept myposure. We stood like that for a couple of seconds before her eyes fell on my chest where realization finally hit her.


    "Ah, you must be from the Evenus Barony."


    She nced at her clipboard.


    "Julien Dacre Evenus. I see you."


    Julien Dacre Evenus?


    Tapping the board, she smiled.


    "Please follow me. I''ll lead you to the examiners."


    I secretly sighed in relief before ncing back for a brief moment. My eyes met his for a moment and he nodded. I looked away and followed thedy.


    She seemed to be leading me toward therge door in the distance. I could feel the gazes of those around me as I moved. However, I paid them no mind.


    Not because I didn''t want to, but because I couldn''t spare them the thought.


    The closer I was to the door the faster my heart started to beat.


    The only thing I knew was that I had to take an examination. What sort of examination, I didn''t know.


    My palms felt sweaty and my legs felt like lead.


    Each step felt heavier than thest.


    The only reason I followed along was purely because the situation forced me to.


    It felt like I had to move.


    But what now?


    What was I supposed to do now?


    "We''re here. Please don''t be too nervous. They won''t bite."


    The woman graciously opened the door, unveiling the expanse of a generously decorated room. Elegant paintings adorned the walls, nking the space alongside pristine white pirs.


    What grabbed my attention was therge wooden desk that sat in the middle of the room where four individuals sat. In front of them was a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a strange uniform and stood upright in front of the four individuals.


    I felt a terrifying pressureing from the four of them, and amongst them, a woman with long flowing ck hair grabbed my attention.


    She seemed the center of the four people, not just because of her looks, but because of the aura she gave off.


    She had something beyond her beauty... Something I couldn''t quite exin.


    Just what sort of...?


    "You must be Julien."


    Her lips curled slightly as she nced at the papers before her. Looking away, she pointed ahead.


    "You must be here for the examination. Please make your way toward the center."


    "..."


    I had no choice but to follow along.


    It only became more evident to me that there was something wrong with the people in front of me when I closed in on them. I couldn''t quite describe it... but just standing close to them felt extremely pressuring.


    As if boulders were being pressed against my back.


    Even so, I held onto myposure and kept my face firm.


    But that onlysted a second before I felt my right forearm sting. What''s going on? When I looked down, I realized that one of the four leaves from the tattoo had lit up.


    Why was it...


    As if bewitched, my body moved on its own and my finger hovered over it. I was surprised by the sudden development, but before I could snap out of it, my finger went down.


    And.


    I pressed it.


    .


    .


    .


    "...Huh?"


    The world turned pitch ck.


    All my senses seemed to disappear. Silence pervaded over the pitch-ck space with nothing in sight. It felt as if I was levitating in an endless and lonely space.


    It felt suffocating.


    I was stuck in ce, floating in this endless darkness that seemed to stretch endlessly. My consciousness was blurry, but I was aware of everything that was happening around me.


    Was everything I previously saw another vision?


    Is this what death feels like?


    ...It felt lonely.


    And cold.


    <i>''Ah.''</i>


    The sensation didn''t carry on for long. All of a sudden, a current ran through my body, jolting my consciousness awake.


    When I came to, I realized I could finally move my body again.


    Even so.


    My surroundings were still dark.


    <i>''Hello?''</i>


    I tried to speak, but my mouth refused to open.


    "..."


    I held onto myposure and pushed away the anxiety and fear that was creeping up on my mind. I didn''t let the darkness eat away at my sanity.


    Not yet.


    <i>''Hm?'' </i>


    Just as I regained myposure, I spotted a bright light in the distance. A light...? It grew brighter by the second, its glow basking me in warmth.


    It feltfortable.


    To the extent that I found my eyes slowly closing in rxation.


    <i>''...Uh?'' </i>


    When I opened them again, I was stunned by the sight before me and I held my breath.


    <i>''A wheel?'' </i>


    Six colors, and six words.


    ?| Red - Anger


    ?| Purple - Fear


    ?| Blue - Sadness


    ?| Green - Surprise


    ?| Orange - Love


    ?| Yellow - Joy


    A long red arrow pointed upward, currently resting on the color red.


    Anger.


    <i>''What is this...?'' </i>


    The six basic human emotions? I remember studying this back in psychology ss, but why...


    <i>Trrrrr¡ª! </i>


    "...!"


    The wheel began to spin on its own.


    <i>''...What''s going on?!'' </i>


    The colors alternated between red, purple, blue, green, orange, and yellow... They spun and spun and spun.


    A deep sense of unease held me rooted. My eyes were fixed on the red arrow that remained firm.


    The wheel continued to spin, and the colors continued to alternate. Gradually, the wheel lost its momentum before finally stopping.


    <i>''Purple.''</i>


    Fear.


    Now what? My palms were sweaty, and the deep sense of unease that gripped my body seemed even more prominent.


    <i>Swoosh¡ª! </i>


    <i></i>And I was right to feel that way.


    All of a sudden, the ground beneath me quaked. I almost lost my footing, and just as I regained it, I was shocked to see buildings sprouting from the ground beneath.


    "What...? Uh?!"


    I held my mouth.


    "I can speak again?"


    No, not just that... I looked around me. I was surrounded by buildings. No, not quite. They seemed to be ruins. The architecture reminded me of the one from the vision, but they were covered in vines and moss.


    I couldn''t quite get a good grasp of it since it was dark outside. However, from the corner of my eyes, I could make out faint figures in the distance.


    Shadows?


    <i>Swoosh¡ª! </i>


    A shiver ran through me as the cold wind caressed my skin. I grew tense, feeling a sensation that was akin to the gentle touch of two fingers slowly crawling their way up my arm.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    I felt my breath grow heavy, and as I tried to swallow, I found myself unable to. Something had gripped my throat. Something imaginary.


    It prevented me from swallowing.


    "H-hah."


    My chest trembled.


    <i>''There''s nothing in front of me...'' </i>


    So why...?


    Why did I feel so scared?


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    I gripped my shirt, slowly wrinkling it in the process. There, I could feel the beat of my heart.


    It was fast.


    <i>Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! </i>


    And loud.


    "Ha..."


    My breath followed its rhythm.


    It went faster.


    And faster.


    faster....


    "Haa... Haa.. Ha..."


    I was hyperventting.


    My palms were sweaty and sweat trickled down the side of my face.


    Fear had gripped me.


    It was slowly consuming me.


    I could feel it.


    But why?


    <i>''...I need to run. Get away from here.''</i>


    My legs started to move. All thoughts disappeared and I just ran. Faster. And faster. And faster...


    Soon, I found myself sprinting forward. I ran as if my life depended on it. I didn''t know why I was acting like this, but if there was something I knew it was that I needed to run.


    Get as far away as possible.


    "Ukh..!"


    I stumbled several times, scraping my knees in the process, but each time, I''d pick myself back up again and continue to run. I ignored the burning sensation that came with each breath that I took.


    The only thought I had in my mind was that I needed to run.


    I needed to get away from the shadows.


    "Haaa... Haaa.... Haaa..."


    I''d look back from time to time, catching sight of them each time. The distance between us remained constant. Are they not running out of breath as well? ...I can''t keep this up for long.


    The pain that gripped my lungs intensified. It was as if I was breathing fire.


    But I had to hold on.


    Not yet.


    Not...


    <i>Bang¡ª! </i>


    My face came smashing against a hard surface.


    "Uakh...!"


    Ignoring the pain, I looked up.


    "No, I...."


    A shadow appeared. Its appearance remained a mystery to me. It wobbled in front of me, staring down at me as if I were some sort of prey.


    "Ah... Don''t..."


    The sense of fear that gripped me intensified.


    It was almost suffocating.


    "I... I..."


    The words refused to leave my mouth.


    And then.


    "Uekh!"


    The shadow reached out for my throat, gripping it tightly. My eyes bulged, and I felt my body grow limp.


    Ah, no... I''m going to die. I''m going to die. I''ll die...!


    The feeling of helplessness under its grip, the steady thump of my heart, the weakness, and the gripping fear¡ªall of it was etched deeply into my mind during thosest moments.


    What I was experiencing...


    It was real.


    And then.


    <i>Cr Crack¡ª! </i>


    I felt my neck snap and the world turned dark again.


    Only for a brightness to suddenly engulf me.


    "Examinee? Examinee?"


    "Ah...?"


    I slowly raised my head. Four figures sat not far from where I was standing. They all stared at me with frowns while a young man with blonde hair stood not far from me.


    <i>''Isn''t this...?'' </i>


    Slowly lowering my head, I stared at my right forearm where the tattoo was. It no longer hurt, and it wasn''t glowing anymore.


    But.


    My arm was trembling.


    The emotions I felt before... They continued to linger over me. I couldn''t get rid of the sensation. It felt suffocating.


    I needed an outlet.


    An outlet to let everything out.


    "Examinee? Is everything alright? We don''t have all day."


    One of the people seated in front of me, a bulky man with a red beard raised his eyebrow, pointing at the young man in front of me.


    "...Show as what you''ve got."


    "Ah."


    My feet moved on their own.


    As if I had finally found what I needed, I moved toward the young man in front of me. He was staring back at me with a frown. As if he was trying to say, ''What is he doing?''


    But I didn''t care.


    I paid him no mind and continued forward.


    Before I knew it, I was standing before him. Just as his mouth opened to say something, my hands reached out for his head, grasping both sides solidly. My hands were still shaking but I kept a firm grip on his head.


    His expression changed.


    "You, what are you...!"


    But I didn''t care.


    Feeling the sides of his face, my mouth parted open as I softly mumbled,


    "Fear."


    My mind nked from then on.


    I lost myself in the moment.


    When I came to, I was standing in the same spot I was before. My hands were no longer shaking, and my mind seemed calmer.


    Or so I thought.


    "H-help...! Haa.. Haa...!"


    When I looked down, I was stunned to see the young man from before on the ground. His face was pale, and he held his head with both hands while mumbling things like, ''Ah... I''m sorry...! Ah...''


    As our eyes met, his expression distorted and his pupils dted.


    "Ahhh...! N-no...!"


    He hastily moved back.


    What is going on...


    "Ah."


    A small screen appeared in front of me.


    That was when I understood.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 10%


    I did this.

 Chapter 5: Julien D. Evenus [4]

    <h4>Chapter 5: Julien D. Evenus [4]</h4>


    Expectations were minimal before his entrance.


    Behind their desk, the four examiners conversed with each other, reviewing the files of the examinees.


    "The overall talent level is lower thanst year. It''s rather disappointing if I''m being honest. At this rate, the other institutes within the empire will catch up to us."


    The man with the red beard mumbled¡ªHerman Chambers, a High-Wizard, and a man known for his discernible eye for talent. As such, he was put in a position of recruitment for the uing year at the Haven Institute.


    Just by visualizing the flow of manaing from an examinee''s body, he could more or less tell if they were talented or not.


    From the thickness, and its purity... He''d be able to discern the overall level of the examinee before they even performed.


    "Please bring the next examinee."


    Compared tost year, the talents were severelycking.


    But.


    "We''ve found a couple of little monsters, haven''t we?"


    There were a few exceptions.


    And those few exceptions were far above the norm.


    "...I guess you''re right."


    Herman crossed his arms and leaned back on the chair. From the corner of his eyes, he nced at the woman sitting beside him.


    She adorned herself in formal attire, exuding a near-perfect aura. Her captivating presence left a profound impact on those around her. The wlessbination of appearance and clothing made her stand out from the rest.


    Delh V. Rosemberg.


    There were no imperfections or voids in her, to the extent that she appeared to embody perfection itself.


    Elegance seamlessly permeated her every action, word, and facial expression, defining her entire being.


    She was an unreachable being to many.


    Apprentice at 18.


    Master-Mage at 19.


    High-Wizard at 21.


    Arch-Wizard at 24.


    And one of the Empire''s Seven Monarchs at 27.


    Many foresaw her as the future of the Empire, destined to fill a position that had remained vacant for centuries¡ªthe most formidable mage among them all.


    The Zenith.


    <i>''How can someone like her work here...?''</i>


    Such a question stumped many, Herman included, but whenever someone asked, all she''d return was an empty smile.


    She wasn''t a woman of many emotions, but when she did show emotions...


    One''d feel chills.


    "...Our next examinee should be from a Barony."


    Her crisp and clean tone rang in the room. Itcked substance and yet seemed to pressure at the same time.


    "Julien Dacre Evenus."


    She mumbled a name, almost chewing on it as her eyes lingered over the document in front of her.


    "Talent. Elemental and... Emotive."


    "Emotive?"


    Herman raised his brow and picked up the document in front of him. <i>''Indeed, he has talent in the emotive field...''</i> His expectations diminished.


    It wasn''t that he hated Emotive Mages, or looked down on them.


    But.


    "It''s tough."


    Muttering with crossed arms and a dismissive shake of her head, Cathrine Riley Graham, a middle-aged woman with long flowing brown hair, expressed her thoughts.


    "An emotive Mage deals with the maniption of emotion. It''s not a rare talent, but..."


    Pursing her lips, she halted mid-sentence, allowing for another voice toplete the sentence for her.


    "...One might lose themselves if they immerse themselves too much into the study of emotions."


    "That''s right."


    The Emotive field was a dangerous field. To study emotions... Understand them. One had to immerse themselves in them.


    Immerse yourself too much... and you might end up losing sight of yourself.


    "I''ve seen my fair share of talented ones lose their minds trying to further their path. It''s unfortunate. Really unfortunate..."


    "Well, at least he''s talented in the Elemental field. Curse Magic? Not a bad field."


    There were no bad elements.


    Only bad people.


    Closely examining the paper in front of him, the door to the room opened. A young man in histe teens entered.


    "You must be Julien."


    Delh spoke, her crisp and clean voice ringing throughout the room.


    His appearance grabbed the attention of all present.


    <i>''He''s handsome, but... disappointing." </i>


    Herman''s first impression of Julien was one of disappointment.


    <i>''His mana flow is irregr. The density is light and he doesn''t seem to have control over it.'' </i>


    Was he really a noble? As if he wasn''t the only one who thought this, Catherine mumbled,


    "Seems like this one is a bit of a bust. Disappointing considering that he''s a noble."


    Herbert Newberman, sitting on Herman''s right, shared simr thoughts with her.


    "His mana flow is all over the ce. At first nce, he doesn''t seem to know how to properly utilize mana. What a rough batch..."


    In the mind of the examiners, Julien seemed to havee in vain. His performance was going to be one that they''d need to erase from their minds.


    But if there was one thing to take note of, it was his demeanor.


    The way he carried himself... His expressionless face, and calm even steps...


    It seemed to exude boundless confidence.


    An overconfident idiot?


    <i>''Well, whatever. Let''s get this over with. I''ve seen worse.''</i><i></i>


    Herman nudged the young man that stood in front of them.


    "Jason, go test him."


    He was a first-year, or more like second-year now... cadet. He wasn''t exactly the most talented cadet, but to test new examinees he was good enough.


    "Yes, sir."


    Jason began to move, but just as he had taken a step forward, his face changed.


    So did that of all the examiners.


    "What is he doing?"


    "...Is he checking his pulse?"


    "What sort of nonsense is this?"


    With a nk expression and finger pressed against his forearm, Julien stared ahead. He seemed out of it.


    His face was nk.


    Like that of an empty sheet of paper.


    "What is this guy doing...?"


    "Examinee? Examinee?"


    Herman called out for him several times until he snapped out of it.


    "Ah...?"


    "Examinee? Is everything alright? We don''t have all day."


    He irritably pointed at Jason.


    "...Show as what you''ve got."


    Just as Herman pointed at Jason, a sudden change urred with Julien. His pupils dted. His face paled, and his arms began to tremble.


    His sudden change took everyone aback.


    Julien''s eyes trembled, darting around hastily with an air of desperation. He seemed to transform all of a sudden, aplete difference from how he previously was.


    His shoulders shrunk and his breathing quickened.


    "Haa... Haaa... Haaa..."


    Everyone could feel the rhythm of his breath.


    It was getting faster with each breath.


    He seemed to be the embodiment of a certain emotion.


    What emotion...?


    Ah.


    It soon became clear to everyone.


    <strong>''Fear.''</strong>


    He had started to embody fear.


    Herman felt a chill run down his body.


    Not just him, but the other examiners too.


    "You, what are you...!"


    Julien walked up to Jason. Perhaps taken aback by the situation, he wasn''t able to react on time. Julien''s hands came pressing against his skull, squeezing almost.


    And,


    "Ahhhhhh...!!!!"


    A scream shook the room.


    It pierced through it and reverberated loudly in the ears of everyone present.


    Suddenly, everyone in the room was motionless, not just Herman, Herbert, and Catherine, but Delh too.


    The impact of Julien''s action was just that powerful.


    With one single action, he left everyone in the room frozen.


    "Ah...! No! Ahhhhh...! I don''t want to die, no!!!"


    It was intense, and one could vividly feel the fear that Jason was feeling.


    Goosebumps.


    Herman felt goosebumps.


    "Ahhh...!"


    <i>Thump!</i>


    Jason fell liplessly to the floor.


    Shaking uncontrobly, he clutched his head while writhing on the floor. Saliva spilled from his mouth.


    "H...Help...!"


    Despite his cries, none of the examiners moved.


    All eyes were fixed on the young man that stood before them.


    What was in front of them was the embodiment of someone who threaded a path hardly anyone took.


    Recalling, Herman mumbled out loud,


    "For one to understand an emotion one must experience it."


    To disy such fear, one must experience it. Everyone in the room was well-versed and knew this much.


    They had traveled all over the continent and met many Emotive Mages. From there, they learned of the harshness that one who threads such a path must endure.


    To experience fear, one must relentlessly chase after it.


    Many failed in their paths, dying in the middle of training, or simply not being able to understand the emotion.


    And yet,


    "What sort of gruesome training did he undergo to disy such emotion?"


    Julien was able to do what many couldn''t. He was far from perfection, but to be able to do this at such an age...


    <i>''Just how harsh has he been on himself?'' </i>


    Herman''s evaluation of Julien underwent a drastic change.


    <i>''Not only is he able to perfectly portray fear, but he also seems to have mastered the state of immersion.'' </i>


    A state many Emotive Mages chased after. A state where one could separate reality and immersion.


    Was that why he checked his pulse beforehand?


    To check his condition before immersion?


    <i>''A monster.''</i>


    He was a total monster.


    "If I may ask..."


    Catherine was the first to truly break the silence that took hold of the room, briefly ncing at the trembling Jason on the ground before settling her gaze over to Julien.


    "What sort of training did you do to be able to do this? And is it only limited to fear?"


    "..."


    Her question was met with silence as Julien stood still.


    He then lowered his head and shook his head.


    "Ah."


    <i>''Was it so bad that he doesn''t want to talk about it?'' </i>


    The judges felt their expressions harden.


    And finally, Delh, who had been quiet the entire time, with her gaze seemingly never detaching from Juline, opened her mouth to speak,


    "You''re dismissed. We''ll let you know your results after we''ve evaluated all the examinees."


    Julien nodded his head and calmly walked out of the room. It was as if he hadn''t done anything worth praising over.


    When he left, Herman and the others looked at her.


    "Why did you let him go like that? We were still busy ex¡ª"


    "Take a look at the floor."


    "Ah."


    And that was when everyone finally realized.


    "Ah...! Pl-please help me... Ah..."


    "He''s in no state to continue with the examination. Tell someone to rece him and send him to the infirmary. For now, we''ll take a break."


    "But...!"


    "I know what you want to say."


    Delh raised her hand to stop the other examiners from speaking.


    "You want to know more about him, right?"


    When Herman and the others nodded, Delh turned to look at the door where Julien had left.


    Her gaze told a thousand words.


    Herman could tell.


    Like the rest of them, her interest had been piqued.


    Without a doubt, she wanted to know what everyone in the room wanted to know.


    A question none of them dared to ask.


    To what extent had he immersed himself?


    ***


    Everything was a blur to me.


    From the moment I poured out everything to what unfolded next, my mind felt shrouded in a perpetual fog.


    I couldn''t think straight.


    "What sort of training did you do to be able to do this? And is it only limited to fear?"


    My sole focus was getting out of here.


    I could feel it from deep within me. I still hadn''t let it all out. It was lingering within my mind, slowly creeping its way up.


    <i>''I need to leave...'' </i>


    So, then,


    "You''re dismissed. We''ll let you know your results after we''ve evaluated all the examinees."


    When the chance presented itself, I spared no time and left. Coming out, I felt the stares of everyone in the hall fall on me, but yet again, I could pay them no mind.


    <i>''I need to find somewhere safe... A bathroom, or room. I can''t...!'' </i>


    My steps faltered momentarily. I felt something rising from my stomach. Swallowing back, I forced myself forward.


    "Move."


    I pushed everyone in front of me away and continued forward.


    "Hey...!"


    I didn''t care about their protests.


    A bathroom... A room... Something...


    I continued to walk. I didn''t care to look where I was. I only stopped when I found a room. ncing around, I entered.


    It was a small room.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    And most importantly.


    Empty.


    "Blergh...!"


    The contents I so desperately held back came out all at once. My vision fogged, and I hunched over.


    My stomach clenched with pain as I could feel the sweat on my forehead.


    "Ha-h..."


    I clenched my shirt, feeling the beat of my heart in the process.


    It was fast.


    Really fast...


    I took deep breaths to calm myself down.


    To calm my beating heart, but...


    It wouldn''t stop.


    "Ah... Ah...!"


    The fear that had gripped me moments before hade back to haunt me again.


    I couldn''t stop shaking.


    It was as if something had possessed me.


    "Akh...!"


    I could feel it.


    Clearer than ever.


    I...


    Was being consumed.

 Chapter 6: Julien D. Evenus [5]

    <h4>Chapter 6: Julien D. Evenus [5]</h4>


    What does it feel like to be consumed by fear?


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    Small, shallow, and repetitive breathsing out of the mouth.


    <i>Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! </i>


    A rising heartbeat that drummed in the mind.


    A trembling body.


    Sweaty palms.


    Shit¡ª


    It felt like shit.


    "H-hah."


    Regardless of what I tried, the trembling wouldn''t stop.


    I tried to take deep breaths but struggled, asionally inhaling too deeply and choking on my saliva.


    "...Akh."


    It was a pathetic sight.


    I knew it.


    But.


    "...H-hah."


    I couldn''t stop it.


    It was slowly consuming every part of me.


    Creeping toward the deepest parts of my mind.


    I was able to hold onto myposure up until this point. But now that I was alone... I was struggling.


    I couldn''t stop the shaking and the feeling that was taking every part of me.


    <i>''Let this stop... Let this stop...''</i>


    At this point.


    Death didn''t seem too bad.


    But.


    "Kh...!"


    I grit my teeth.


    "No."


    Such pathetic death...


    Not again.


    And not when I still didn''t know what was going on. I wanted to know at least that much. Who was I...? And why was I here?


    Dying in such a moment was thest thing I wanted.


    Therefore.


    "Khhh...!"


    I continued to grit my teeth and endured the fear that was taking hostage of my mind.


    <i>Riiip¡ª¡ª! </i>


    My hands were fiercely clenching at my shirt as my legs wiggled on the ground.


    For some reason, my body would reflexively avoid the puke on the ground during my struggle.


    The thought of touching the puke seemed more repulsive than the fear that was clouding my mind.


    It was as if it was ingrained in my body.


    "Just... let this pass..."


    The situation seemed helpless but... I could slowly feel it. The sensation was dying away. Slowly, but surely I knew I could regain sight of myself.


    I just had to...


    "Kh... Endure."


    I bit my shirt and pulled at my hair.


    "Khak!"


    That was when I noticed something.


    "The pain..."


    The pain appeared to take away from the fear I was experiencing.


    "Ukh...!!"


    I took advantage of that and bit on my forearm.


    The sensation of my teeth digging into my skin eased many of my symptoms, and despite the intense pain, it helped me finally achieve a sense of calm.


    Pain.


    Pain I could deal with.


    "Huuu..."


    For the first time, I was able to take a deep breath.


    My hands were still trembling but my mind was clear.


    I nced down at my arm, observing the intricate red patterns weaving across it, converging at the tip of my finger before eventually trailing down toward the ground.


    <i>Drip. Drip. </i>


    Red stained the ground.


    Ignoring it, I continued to take deep and even breaths. Slowly, I was regaining control over my body.


    Enough to be able to stand up.


    I wasn''t sure how long had passed when I was finally able to be myself again.


    But it didn''t matter.


    Right now, all I wanted to do was figure out my situation.


    "Where is this ce...?"


    Walking around the room, I traced my finger over a wooden desk.


    It felt real to the touch.


    Although I already knew, I did it to make sure.


    None of this felt real to me.


    "A medieval style setting, strange powers and visions, a grey-eyed man..."


    The pieces started to put themselves in my head and a conclusion drew up in my mind. One that I struggled toe to terms with.


    I was in the game, wasn''t I?


    <i>''Rise of the Three Cmities.''</i>


    There wasn''t much that I knew about since I''d never yed it before, but from what I was told by my brother, it was a very popr game.


    "Why?"


    For what reason was I here?


    And.


    I turned to face the nearest window. It was dark outside so it was hard to see outside, but my focus was elsewhere.


    Toward my reflection.


    With deep hazel eyes, ck hair, and a chiseled jawline, he appeared to epitomize perfection solely through his looks. I raised my hands to touch my face.


    "This is me...?"


    I found it hard to believe, but as I pinched my cheek, the reality seemed undeniable.


    "Crazy... This is crazy."


    Even though this seemed to be my reality, I still found it hard to believe.


    Creaaaaak¡ª


    My head flicked.


    "..."


    "..."


    A familiar figure stood by the door. He stood motionless, staring at me with his cold grey eyes.


    "Not feeling so well?"


    His tone seemed calm but all I felt was chills.


    <i>Step¡ª</i>


    The wooden floor creaked under his step.


    A strange tension lingered over the room as he stepped forward.


    His eyes briefly paused on the puke on the ground then settling back to me.


    <i>Step¡ª</i>


    He took another step.


    Inching closer to where I was.


    His every movement and action felt suffocating. As if he was dragging me deeper and deeper into the water.


    I thought about running but realized it was futile.


    There was no running from this man.


    And...


    I didn''t feel like running.


    <i>Step¡ª</i>


    He stood in front of me.


    His eyes were intense. Closely reminding me of the ones he had in the vision. When his sword pierced me.


    What did he...?


    <i>SHIIIING¡ª! </i>


    My neck felt cold.


    It all happened so fast that I had no time to react.


    His mouth parted slightly,


    "You, who are you?"


    "..."


    My neck stung as the de sunk slightly into my skin.


    A wet trail traced down my neck.


    "You''re not him. Who are you?"


    He seemed sure of himself. As if he was certain that I wasn''t the person whom this body belonged to.


    And he was right.


    I wasn''t.


    Strangely, staring at the sharp tip of the sword that was pointed at me, I didn''t feel a thing.


    Would you look at that?


    After all that fear, when the time came for me to feel fear, I didn''t feel it.


    It seemed to pale inparison with what I''d experienced back in the examination room.


    I cocked my head slightly.


    "What makes you think that?"


    My voice came out much calmer than I thought it''de out in such a situation.


    His lips pulled upwards.


    "He wouldn''t have reacted the way that you did had he been in a simr position."


    Is that so?


    "How would he have reacted?"


    "By cursing me."


    I thought back to the vision.


    He didn''t strike me to be that type of guy.


    I still tried.


    "Get your fucking hands off of me."


    "No, not quite. Still missing something."


    "As in?"


    "Try, ''get your fucking hands off of me dirty bastard''. That''s how he''d reply."


    "I see."


    Quite informative.


    I gripped the de that was attached to my neck and tried to pull it away. Through my gritted teeth, I spat,


    "Get your fucking hands off of me dirty bastard!"


    "Better."


    Unfortunately, the de wouldn''t budge.


    Was the difference in our strength that vast?


    "Don''t bother. I''m a knight. Our strength difference is not something that you can bridge with that body of yours."


    "I see."


    I let go and stared at my hand.


    It was bleeding.


    Still, it helped me calm down even more.


    My heart was no longer beating as fast as it was before, and my mind felt a lot clearer.


    "..."


    "..."


    We stood face to face with each other, neither one of us speaking.


    He was the first one to break the silence.


    "I heard an interesting rumor."


    I stood still and listened to his words.


    There was nothing I could do at the moment.


    The powers I disyed before, I knew nothing about them nor how to use them. I had been trying the entire time.


    Right now.


    I was just a normal human.


    "An amazing examinee appeared. From the rumors, he stunned all the judges in his performance. So much that they had to pause the selection process."


    He looked at me with a meaningful look.


    "That was you, wasn''t it?"


    Ah.


    It then finally dawned on me.


    The reason why I was still alive up to this point and why he still hadn''t killed me yet.


    He was...


    I nced at his hand. The one holding the sword.


    ...Wary of me.


    "I wonder."


    I kept things short, slowly pulling my lips into a smirk.


    "And what would you do with that information?"


    The grip of his sword tightened, and the de dug deeper into my neck.


    I suppressed the pain and forced myself to not react.


    "I hate to say this, but this..."


    I lightly tapped the de on my neck.


    "...It isn''t scaring me."


    Fear was the least of my worries.


    "..."


    His eyes grew more intense.


    <i>''Ah, right there.''</i>


    He was faltering.


    I raised my right hand.


    It was stained red as blood dripped down onto my forearm. It was quite the sight. Also why I chose this hand.


    "All I did was touch him."


    "..."


    "I didn''t expect him to react the way that he did."


    It''s true.


    I really didn''t.


    "I wonder."


    I looked at the man in front of me and brought my hand to a close.


    "...How would you react if I tried that on you?"


    ***


    The man that stood before him was not the young master he knew. His demeanor, his actions, and most importantly...


    His calmness.


    Leon was sure of it.


    ...He was not Julien D. Evenus.


    Having spent enough time with him, he was certain of it. He had first noticed the change before the examination.


    He seemed strangely silent.


    Something unfitting considering how he normally was.


    <i>''He''s probably nervous...'' </i>


    Leon brushed it off, thinking about how he had probably been nervous about his examination.


    But.


    "Why is the examination on hold?"


    "I''m not quite sure, but I saw someone being brought out from the examination room on a stretcher. Apparently, it was done by one of the examinees."


    "Ah? There''s someone like that...?"


    "Yeah, I caught a glimpse of him too. He was really handsome. ck hair, hazel eyes..."


    The sudden rumors made it impossible for him to no longer think about it.


    He didn''t hesitate to look for him.


    And...


    "That was you, wasn''t it?"


    Feeling the edge of his de press Julien''s neck, he tightened his grasp of the sword.


    <i>''There''s no way they''re the same person.'' </i>


    He was sure of it now.


    He wasn''t the young master he knew.


    What made him especially wary was hisck of reaction. Faced with the prospect of his sword slicing down at his neck, he appeared unperturbed.


    The hazel eyes he seemed so familiar with suddenly felt different.


    As if he was looking at the cold shell of the young master he knew.


    "I wonder."


    His lips pulled into a smirk. Taunting him, almost.


    Mocking him.


    "And what would you do with that information?"


    Leon further tightened his grasp of the sword and dug the sword deeper into Julien''s neck.


    It was a threat.


    <i>''No reaction...?''</i>


    One that didn''t seem to be effective.


    He was merely standing there.


    And yet...


    Yet...


    He felt so intimidating.


    Why was that?


    "I hate to say this, but this..."


    With light movements, he tapped the tip of his de.


    "...It isn''t scaring me."


    "..."


    Leon remained silent, the muscles of his body tensing.


    Then...


    <i>Drip. Drip. </i>


    Julien raised his blood-soaked hand.


    "All I did was touch him."


    He voiced out in a low tone.


    His words seemed to describe the situation. Probably what had happened back at the examination room.


    But.


    "I didn''t expect him to react the way that he did."


    To Leon.


    His words.


    "I wonder."


    Seemed more like a...


    "...How would you react if I tried that on you?"


    Warning.

 Chapter 7: Black Star [1]

    <h4>Chapter 7: ck Star [1]</h4>


    The tension in the room felt stifling.


    His eyes felt intense. As if they could swallow me whole at any second.


    Devour me.


    But.


    I never looked away.


    I continued to stare back at him. I knew I couldn''t look away. Looking away meant showing weakness. I couldn''t do that.


    Not when I knew he''d kill me for it.


    <i>Drip... Drip... Drip... </i>


    Blood continued to drip down on the ground. Softly disrupting the silence that seemed eager to envelop the room.


    Then,


    "What is your goal?"


    He asked me a question.


    One that I couldn''t find the answer to.


    Goal... What is my goal...


    I''d like to know that as well.


    Suddenly thrust into this situation, I was still struggling toe to terms with everything that had happened to me.


    Why was I here...? Who was the one responsible for all of this? And why me?


    For now, my goal was to find,


    "Answers."


    Reasoning behind my situation.


    And what the end goal of all of this was.


    "What I want is answers."


    I repeated. Sort of as an affirmation for myself. A goal was important. It was so that I wouldn''t fall astray in the future.


    "Answers?"


    His brows knit and the pressure that bore down on my neck alleviated. He seemed to be in deep thought, and when he looked back at me, he asked,


    "What sort of answers are you looking for?"


    "Who am I?"


    "Hm...?"


    "Where am I? Who are you? What is this ce? Why am I here? What was the goal in putting me here?"


    I threw one question after another. His expression gradually changed with each question, and before I knew it, the sword was no longer at my neck.


    For the first time, his eyes didn''t seem that intense.


    "You didn''t possess his body by choice?"


    So body possession was possible?


    "No."


    I shook my head.


    "I''m just as clueless as you are in regards to this matter."


    I wouldn''t be having such a hard time if I knew.


    "..."


    He stood quietly, perhaps contemting my words.


    <i>Step¡ª </i>


    In the meantime, I walked toward the nearest chair and sat down. I felt lightheaded. With all the blood loss and puking, I was in no state to stand.


    I had just taken a seat when something shed in my vision.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 0.5%


    A familiar notification.


    I felt likeughing and my lips gently pulled up. What sort of joke was this?


    The room grew tense again.


    Turning my head, the same two grey eyes were staring back at me. He seemed strangely stiff.


    "I won''t bite."


    "...How do I know you''re not lying?"


    Lying?


    I rested my cheek on my propped-up fist.


    "Beats me."


    And shrugged. I really couldn''t do anything if he didn''t believe me.


    Had I been in his position, I too wouldn''t have believed myself. Not only was I unaware of how things worked in this world, but the blood loss was making it hard for me to keep a clear mind.


    But even so, under such circumstances, staring at the man in front of me, I understood something.


    "You already know I''m not lying."


    Somehow.


    Someway... I had a feeling he already knew I wasn''t lying. How? The expression he was making.


    It was rather easy to read.


    "..."


    Hisck of words served as a silent confirmation to me.


    There was something he wasn''t telling me.


    But I didn''t push for an answer.


    "Haaa..."


    I couldn''t afford to.


    Keeping myself level-headed was starting to prove difficult.


    "What now? What are you going to do?"


    Hearing his voice, I lowered my head to stare at him.


    "...I don''t know."


    I wasn''t in a state to contemte.


    Plus, I knew too little of the world. I needed to know more before making a decision. Haste made waste...


    "I see."


    He seemed satisfied with that answer.


    Once again, the room fell silent. I took that moment to close my eyes and rest. But just as I closed them, I heard his voice again.


    "Julien was arrogant. Not very talented. And someone who hatedmoners with every ounce of his being..."


    Is that so...?


    Sounded like an amazing guy.


    "The way you act is too different. When the moment arrives for you to encounter someone connected to the previous Julien, the fact that you''re not him will easily be exposed. It wasn''t hard for me. How hard would it be for others?"


    I figured that much.


    "But..."


    He dragged on his sentence, enough to capture my attention.


    But?


    "I can help you."


    His tone lowered.


    "Let me use you."


    And I opened my eyes.


    Our gazes met.


    "In exchange, I''ll let you use me."


    ***


    The Haven Institute, better known as [Haven], was the most prestigious and renowned ''Academy'' in the Empire.


    As such, the admissions were extremely challenging. Fitting for an institute of such renown.


    With such a reputation, there was no social segregation betweenmoners and nobles. There was, however, a consensus amongst the staff.


    And that was thatmoners were not equal to nobles.


    But it wasn''t for silly reasons such as the purity of their bloodline or background. It had to do more with the Empire''sw.


    Commoners were only allowed to practice mana from the age of 17.


    To maintain their authority within the empire, the royal family¡ªThe Megrail Family¡ªstrictly forbade themon people from practicing mana until they hit a certain age.


    The same was true for nobles as well.


    In contrast to themoners, individuals of nobility were permitted to practice mana at a younger age. However, there existed an age restriction that varied based on their noble status.


    Only the direct lineage of the Megrail Family was allowed to practice mana since birth.


    It was therefore normal for those of the Megrail lineage to rank first whenever a descendant entered Haven.


    And yet,


    "You''re saying there''s someone better fit for the top rank. Not just one, but two?"


    <i>Flip¡ª</i>


    A ck glove delicately turned a page. The motion, though simple, conveyed an oddly graceful fluidity.


    "This will be a first for our institute. For a lower-end noble to be elected as the ck Star. I wonder if there''s ever been such a precedent in the past. And not just one candidate like that, but to have two of them..."


    The ck Star.


    A title given to the top entrant of each Academic year.


    Without failure, each of them ultimately evolved into an influential figure within the Empire.


    It was an important position.


    "...It has to be done."


    A crisp voice replied.


    The tone sounded strangely calm. As if the one who spoke was dealing with a trivial matter.


    But it wasn''t such a trivial matter.


    At least, As didn''t think so.


    "It''ll certainly bring forth a lot of headaches. Not just for me, but to him as well..."


    The position didn''t just symbolize status.


    It also served as an index.


    Someone that the cadets had to look up to and strive to be.


    A goal.


    As Megrail sighed as he removed his sses, unveiling his yellow eyes¡ªa distinctive symbol of his direct lineage with the Megrail family.


    "If he can''t handle the pressure thates with being the ck Star, I''m afraid..."


    "That won''t be necessary."


    [Julien Dacre Evenus]


    [Leon Rowan Ellert]


    Delh nced at the two profiles in front of her. She thought back to what had happened back in the examination room.


    <i>Tap¡ª</i>


    Her finger slid over to one of the profiles.


    "He''s not someone that will feel pressure from something as trivial as that."


    She was sure of it.


    After all.


    She had seen him in person.


    <i>Slide¡ª</i>


    And she pushed his profile forward.


    "The ck Star."


    [Julien Dacre Evenus]


    "It can only be him."


    ***


    <i>Shaa¡ª</i>


    Cold water trickled down from above, each droplet stinging upon contact with my skin.


    My heart raced wildly, yet I remained motionless beneath the frigid stream. I clung to myposure, letting the sensation engulf me as I let my body be consumed by the cold.


    Beneath the showerhead, an unusual tranquility befell me, my mind emptying.


    In that brief moment, I savored a small taste of freedom, however fleeting it may have been.


    My neck and forearm stung.


    But under the cold of the water, the pain seemed meaningless.


    <i>Click¡ª!</i>


    The fleeting sense of freedom disappeared as soon as the shower came to an end, and the weight of reality crashed back down upon me.


    "Use me..."


    It had only been an hour since I parted ways with him, and yet, it felt as if it was just a few moments ago since we had that conversation.


    "I wonder if I made the right choice."


    I studied the reflection before me.


    Every aspect appeared meticulously crafted, from facial symmetry to eye depth and jawline definition. It was wless.


    Yet, I loathed it.


    "Emmet Rowe."


    I muttered aloud for myself to hear, my hands silently grasping the edges of the sink.


    "Twenty-four years old. Male. Salesman. Brother, and Patient at the San Burrough''s Hospital."


    That was my real name, my real identity, and who I was.


    I couldn''t forget this.


    "I mustn''t forget this."


    This world wasn''t mine, nor was this body. Both were foreign to me. This world didn''t belong to me, just as I didn''t belong to it.


    I needed an answer.


    A reason to keep on this facade.


    And for that...


    <i>Shaa¡ª!</i>


    I turned on the sink, calmly washing my face as the water dripped from my hair.


    "I''ll do anything."

 Chapter 8: Black Star [2]

    <h4>Chapter 8: ck Star [2]</h4>


    "¡ª¡ªThe match has concluded! The victor is Aoife Kell Megrail."


    <i>Wooo¡ª¡ª! </i>


    The crowd erupted in cheers. Their cheers rained down on the tform where an expressionless figure stood.


    She held the spotlight, captivating all with her presence.


    Cascading down her back, her red hairplemented the most striking feature¡ªher yellow pupils.


    ...Aoife Kell Megrail.


    The future ck Star, and one of the most promising new entrants at Haven.


    Faced with the cheers, Aoife simply disregarded them and stared down at her opponent, Jordana. A promising knight of the family.


    "... Disappointing."


    Her cold voice descended on the young girl, passing down her evaluation of her.


    Jordana lowered her head in shame.


    "I apologize."


    "Don''t be."


    Aoife extended her hand, which Jordana took.


    "This was the expected oue."


    "I tried my best, but it seems like even I am not your opponent. I''m afraid that with your current strength, you won''t find a single opponent in your age group. Not even in Haven."


    "..."


    Aoife had no words of rebuttal.


    It was the hard truth of the matter.


    Her talent, coupled with the gap in years she had to practice made her someone who was on a level that the regr cadets couldn''t reach.


    That was what she believed, and everyone else believed.


    So then,


    ¡ºLetter of Admission¡»


    <i>We congratte Cadet Aoife Kell Megrail for their admission to the Haven Institute. </i>


    <i>We are proud and delighted to have you join us in our program. </i>


    <i>It is with great honor that we invite you to join us. </i>


    ¡ö [Cadet Rank : 3]


    ¡ºLetter of Admission¡»


    "Third rank?"


    What sort of situation was this?


    "...Is there a mistake?"


    When she confronted her cousin about it, As, his response to her was a clear-cut,


    "No."


    Casually flipping through the pages of the book in his hand, he didn''t even spare her a nce.


    "There are two cadets that we deemed to be more talented than you."


    "More talented? Then... me?"


    For the first time in a considerable while, Aoife''sposed expression faltered. She opened her mouth, but the words refused to leave it.


    As though something was stuck, all she could do was move her mouth.


    That was until,


    "Julien Dacre Evenus."


    She received a name.


    One that she deeply engraved in her mind.


    "He''s the ck Star."


    And.


    "The one we deem to be more fitting of the role than you."


    ***


    "....Speech, huh."


    I looked at the letter in front of me. It was given to me this morning by a member of the Haven Institute staff.


    It went on to say: "Congrattions on your admission to Haven. We''re proud to announce your entry to the institute..."


    It was a long letter.


    But the key important points were,


    "ck Star, and speech."


    A week had passed since the examination had taken ce. I was now a lot more knowledgeable about my situation.


    Therefore,


    ".....Hah."


    I knew exactly what ''The ck Star'' symbolized.


    It symbolized excellence and perfection. A goal for the other cadets to follow. All of which I wasn''t.


    I extended my hand and a faint purple magic circle formed.


    <i>Tzz¡ª¡ª</i>


    It shattered within seconds of me activating it.


    "Still nothing..."


    There was magic in this world. That was a fact I was made aware of quite early on. And apparently, I was talented at curse magic.


    Julien that was.


    Me...?


    "Seems like you''ve still not figured out how to properly use mana."


    I continued to stare at my hand and ignored the voice that reached me from the end of the room.


    I concentrated all my attention on my hand.


    A warm current flushed from the center of my abdomen. One that I guided until the very tips of my fingers.


    In my mind, a vivid image took shape, and peculiar runes hung in the air, gradually arranging themselves within the purple circle that hovered above my fingertips.


    Almost...


    Sweat formed on my forehead.


    It trickled down my nose.


    Stopping at the tip.


    The runes set themselves within the circle. A faint glow surfaced on its edges.


    <i>Yes... A little more... </i>


    I was close.


    I could feel it.


    I was...


    <i>Tzz¡ª¡ª</i>


    "Ah."


    The circle shattered.


    All the progress disappeared in an instant.


    ?| [Hands of mdy] EXP + 0.01%


    It wasn''t an unexpected oue. It had been like this for the entire week.


    But.


    "...It''s frustrating."


    Trying over and over and over again, with little to no progression.


    I thought that with enough time and practice, I''d see some improvement, but in the week that I started practicing, the only result I received was failure.


    Drip...


    Something wet trickled down from my nose.


    I used my sleeve to wipe it. Only for it to be stained in red.


    That was when I realized.


    "Blood..."


    "You''re overworking yourself."


    Finally, I looked up. There, standing by the entrance of the door to my room was Leon. His grey eyes were as intense as ever.


    "You''re trying to learn curse magic, right? So that you wouldn''t look suspicious when the timees."


    "...Right."


    No, not really.


    It was part of the reason. But it was mainly because learning any other magic would prove to be too hard of a task for me.


    The current me that was.


    "Here you go.


    Leon walked up to me to hand me a piece of paper.


    "This is the speech I prepared for you. You won''t have to worry about practicing it because it''s pretty straightforward. Plus... Nobody will suspect a thing if you say it exactly as it''s written."


    "I see."


    I reached out to take it when he pulled back. I was taken aback.


    "...What are you doing?"


    "On second thought, I''ll give it to youter."


    "Hm?"


    He pointed at my nose.


    "Clean yourself up. You''re in no state to think about the speech."


    "Ah."


    Right.


    I reached for the nearest tissue to clean up my nose. It was still leaking blood. As expected, I had been practicing a little too hard.


    Leon stood quietly beside me.


    Closely observing me.


    That was until,


    "I''ll take my leave. We''ll meet before the speech."


    He decided to leave.


    "Wait. The speech...!"


    He left before I had the chance to ask him for the paper.


    "...Shit."


    I stuffed a tissue up my nose.


    "He''s still wary of me."


    In the week I spent with Leon, he always seemed on edge around me. I knew exactly why he was like that, and I took full advantage of it.


    "I don''t have much time."


    But I knew that I couldn''t keep the facade for much longer.


    It wouldn''t take too long for him to understand that he could kill me with a thought. That was why I was so desperate for progression.


    Only through power would I be able to keep myself alive.


    "...I should go."


    I checked my watch.


    It was almost time for me to give my speech. It wasn''t as though I was nervous. I was far from it.


    But.


    "What then...?"


    My goal was to find answers. And despite a week having passed, the only thing I managed to gain was even more questions.


    This was indeed the world of ''Rise of the Three Cmities''.


    Although I had never yed the game, the situation became clear to me after experiencing the world for the past week.


    In the week, I continuously thought about leaving this ce.


    The vision that preceded my arrival here depicted me getting killed by a long de, with three women in pursuit.


    Was the vision the Julien of the future, or was it me of the future...?


    Even if it was, how long did I have before Leon killed me?


    "...Regardless of the oue, it seems like every move I make leads to my death."


    For such a future, wasn''t the appropriate answer to just run away? Leave this ce. Surely, I''d be able to live a good life if I did.


    "...As if."


    The thought of not knowing why I was here seemed to eat at me more than my desire to live.


    I guess, having already died once, I ced less importance on my life than the truth.


    "That''s not all..."


    My eyes wandered back to my arm.


    Turning it, a four-leaved clover entered my sight.


    "..."


    One of the leaves lit up.


    A feeling of dread welled up within the depths of my mind as my gaze remained fixed on the leaf. It was the same leaf fromst time.


    It reminded me of the time during the examination.


    The leaf was the reason why I was able to be the ck Star.


    I still didn''t know what it did.


    By the time I woke up the next day, it had lit up again. I hadn''t touched it since. The lingering aftereffects of the situation were still affecting me. Was my mind even capable of withstanding such intense emotions again...?


    I wasn''t quite sure.


    But if there was one thing that I knew...


    "Emotions."


    Anger, sadness, joy, love, surprise, fear...


    "...I won''t be consumed."


    <i>Rustle¡ª¡ª</i>


    I donned a ck zer and ck leather gloves to hide the wounds on my hands. Making sure that it all fit, I proceeded to head out of the door.


    <i>Not now, not ever. </i>

 Chapter 9: Black Star [3]

    <h4>Chapter 9: ck Star [3]</h4>


    <i>Rustle¡ª¡ª! </i>


    A fluttering of the clothes.


    "Haa..."


    The small wisps of water vapor swirling in the air before vanishing.


    And the cold chill that pressed against the cheeks early in the morning.


    Indeed, this was real.


    I was once again reminded of that.


    ".....Took you long enough."


    Waiting for me outside the residence was Leon. d in a matching zer, a sword at his hip, he casually brushed his hair.


    "We''ll bete if we don''t hurry."


    "Right."


    The two of us walked on the empty streets.


    <i>Tak¡ª¡ª </i>


    The gentle click of our heels echoed in the air.


    He walked by my side, maintaining a respectable distance. That was his duty as Julien''s designated knight.


    The city we were in was called Lens.


    It was the nearest city to Haven and our temporary residence. Currently, being early in the morning, there weren''t many people outside.


    The cobblestone streets were empty.


    It was just the two of us.


    "We''re here."


    We didn''t walk far. Our destination was merely a few minutes away from the residence, located near the city center. Unlike the streets, this ce was packed with people.


    Leon handed me a small paper.


    "Here''s your ticket."


    "Thanks."


    One that I took.


    Rather than a knight, secretary seemed more fitting for him.


    "Wow."


    I stopped in my tracks to stare ahead.


    I was still having a hard time getting used to the sight before me.


    A means of transportation unfitting for a world like this. One that seemed to function even better than the lotives in the modern age.


    "...This really is a game."


    "Hm? Did you say something?"


    "Nothing."


    I boarded the train, making my way toward my cabin. [A-25] <i>Ah... Right here.</i> It was rather spacious and had a wide window for me to look at.


    From there, I could see the scenery outside. The lush trees, the tall mountains in the distance, and the orange glow that dyed the sky.


    ...It felt peaceful.


    "How is it? Is it to your satisfaction young master?"


    Leon''s voice brought me back. I turned to nce at him.


    "You can drop the act when it''s just us."


    The whole ''young master'' thing felt rather ufortable. I wasn''t Julien. He didn''t have to call me that.


    "I''d rather not."


    "Suit yourself."


    But he seemed insistent on calling me that.


    I wasn''t going to force him.


    There were other things that I needed to pay more attention to.


    Like,


    <i>How would Julien conduct himself if he were to give a speech? </i>


    The speech.


    As Leon said. I needed to act closely as the previous Julien acted. In this world, possessing someone else''s body wasn''t merely a fantasy.


    Many were capable of such a feat. Some for looks, and others for longevity reasons.


    Unless I acted like Julien, then there was a chance someone might find out.


    I couldn''t allow that to happen.


    "Here''s the speech."


    Thankfully, I wasn''tpletely unprepared. Having discussed it with Leon, he already had a speech prepared for me.


    ".....Ah, thanks."


    I opened the paper to see the speech. A quick scan and I didn''t see anything wrong with it. In fact, it was quite short.


    <i>Is this good enough...? </i>


    "I could''ve prepared the speech by myself."


    Things would''ve probably been easier for me if that was the case.


    "Maybe."


    Maybe...?


    "I just didn''t want to take any risks."


    "Then couldn''t I have just shown you my speech while you helped me correct along the way?"


    "That would''ve taken longer."


    "..."


    I chose to leave the subject there. It didn''t seem like my words were getting through to him.


    <i>He doesn''t trust me at all. </i>


    Noted.


    I shifted my attention back to the speech. It wasn''t long and also wasn''t hard to memorize. I could learn this.


    While I immersed myself in the speech, the train started to move.


    The pistons roared and the train picked up speed.


    I naturally turned my head to look at the window.


    Unknowingly, the paper in my hand wrinkled.


    <i>Rustle¡ª¡ª</i>


    Finally.


    I was walking into the devil''s den.


    ***


    Haven, Leoni Hall.


    His presence grabbed the eyes of all in attendance.


    An exquisite appearance that stood out from the rest. d in clothing that highlighted his lean and muscr physique, his appearance imprinted itself in the minds of all present.


    He strode with measured steps, reaching the center of the podium.


    "The ck Star."


    Julien Dacre Evenus.


    "...He''s here."


    A fact Aoife was made aware of the moment his name was called out.


    Her gaze traced over his body. His every action, movement, expression... she marked them in her mind, making sure to miss nothing.


    He was the one who took the title away from her. Someone her cousin and the institute''s board seemed enamored with.


    And the one that stood above her.


    ¡¸It''s a pleasure to be standing here amongst all of you.¡¹


    His tone felt rather t.


    Itcked any highs and lows, sounding rather indifferent.


    ¡¸It is with great honor that I find myself in this position.¡¹


    As if he didn''t mean the words that he was saying.


    That was what Aoife thought at first. However, all of a sudden Julien''s gaze shifted.


    ¡¸Many of you stand at the very peak of the Empire. Proud sons of heaven...¡¹


    It turned sharp.


    ¡¸Everywhere you go, people will praise you. Call you the elites of the Empire.¡¹


    Like that of a sharpened de.


    ¡¸Someone that should be worshiped.¡¹


    Stabbing right at those present in the hall.


    ¡¸But...¡¹


    He suddenly paused, and just faintly, Aoife noticed a change. His lips... They were pulled into a smile.


    ¡¸Remember.¡¹


    And as his gaze swept the hall,


    He slowly muttered,


    ¡¸I stand above you.¡¹


    The entire hall fell into a state of silence.


    Aoife''s expression underwent a small change.


    "What is he....."


    She looked around her. All the cadets wore simr expressions. One of utter shock which soon morphed into anger.


    The previously quiet hall started to heat up.


    "What did he just say...?"


    "Who is this arrogant bastard?"


    "Did he just say that?"


    Aoife took in the sight around her. The disorder and chaos that was slowly taking shape. The flustered and shocked looks of the professors. The angered looks of the cadets.


    .....And the stoic, yet arrogant look of the ck Star who stood at the center of it all.


    "This isn''t right."


    The ck Star was supposed to be a leading figure.


    Someone the other cadets looked up to.


    And yet,


    Aoife tore her gaze away from the chaos happening around her and closed her eyes.


    "As expected..."


    Her fists slowly started to clench.


    "Julien Dacre Evenus."


    He wasn''t fit to be the ck Star.


    ***


    The weight of over a hundred eyes weighed heavily on me. My every action seemed to be closely scrutinized.


    From the way I walked, the way I looked, and the way I spoke.


    All of it was assessed.


    But even so, I didn''t feel nervous. I had been a salesman in my past life. Things like this weren''t a problem for me.


    I tapped on the small ball in front of me.


    "It''s a pleasure to be standing here amongst all of you."


    It appeared to be a microphone. My voice echoed throughout the hall, reaching the ears of all present.


    The gazes were now truly on me.


    "Many of you stand at the very peak of the Empire. Proud sons of heaven..."


    I kept my tone t.


    "Everywhere you go, people will praise you. Call you an elite of the Empire."


    This was simply because Leon suggested me to. He was the one who came up with the speech after all.


    "Someone that should be worshiped."


    But that wasn''t the reason why I followed the speech.


    "But..."


    The main reason why I followed it was because,


    "Remember."


    I liked it.


    "I stand above you."


    I almostughed after saying that line. Taking in the expressions of all those in the hall, I almost regretted not having a phone.


    It wasn''t a pretty sight.


    Amidst the res of disgust, hatred, and scorn directed towards me, I chose to stand my ground next to the podium, taking in everything that was directed my way.


    Leon''s reasoning behind the speech was that he believed this was what the previous Julien would''ve said.


    I didn''t doubt it.


    But that wasn''t the reason why I went through with it. If I wanted to, I could''ve said something different.


    But I didn''t.


    "What sort of joke is this?"


    All of a sudden, one of the cadets stood up from their seat and shouted,


    "Are you seriously supposed to be the ck Star? I refuse to believe someone like you can be our top ranker! I request a duel!"


    Ah, yes.


    This was what I wanted.


    A cliche scenario.


    "Me too!"


    "Julien Dacre Evenus. I request a duel...!"


    What came after the first was the second, and then the third...


    "Fight me!"


    The entire hall became heated with several cadets standing up and challenging me on the spot.


    While some appeared to be influenced by a few instigators, a significant number seemed genuinely eager to fight me.


    <i>''Yeah, this is it.''</i>


    It was the effect that I desired to achieve.


    My time was limited.


    I needed to get stronger. And for that, I needed a target on my back.


    Pressure.


    Afortable environment wouldn''t shape me into a stronger individual. What I craved was pressure, and the best way to intensify the pressure on myself was to provoke every first-year in attendance.


    <i>''It was bound to happen anyways...''</i>


    I wasn''t naive enough to think nobody would challenge me the moment I entered the institute.


    It was bound to happen.


    I only hurried that process.


    <i>''Only this way can I force myself to improve faster...''</i>


    I could already feel the weight of my actions on my shoulders. It weighed heavily on them, but it was necessary.


    Growth can only be achieved through struggle.


    And what better way to make myself struggle than this?


    <i>''That''s right.'' </i>


    This had to be done.


    For the sake of my growth.


    "I''ll do anything."

 Chapter 10: Black Star [4]

    <h4>Chapter 10: ck Star [4]</h4>


    It felt like I was standing on the cliff''s edge, my feet inches from the abyss that stood behind me.


    Ready to swallow me the moment I moved.


    That was how I''d describe my current situation.


    One that I brought myself in.


    <i>''Yeah, this is it...'' </i>


    I stared at my hands. They were trembling slightly.


    I was ying with fire.


    A deadly fire.


    But what could I do? There was no way back for me.


    I had already set my bed.


    What were the chances of meing on top if any of the people in front of me challenged me?


    Realistically speaking, close to zero.


    I could hardly evoke or control my magic, and my knowledge of the fundamentals was close to zero.


    Yet, despite all that, I did what I did.


    It felt almost thrilling.


    "Hah..."


    <i>Crazy... This is fucking crazy... I think I''ve lost it. </i>


    But of course, it wasn''t as though I did this out of impulse.


    I knew that the institute wouldn''t allow first-years to challenge each other just yet. It was something I learned through Leon and my research.


    Still, my time was limited.


    It wouldn''t be long before everyone came at me.


    My back was against the cliff.


    I could only step forward from this moment forth. Stepping back meant the end of me.


    Desperation was slowly creeping up on me.


    I could feel it.


    There was no backup n.


    But,


    <i>''It has to be this way.....'' </i>


    I sought desperation.


    Desperation pushed people to their limit.


    To points where they''d normally not go toward.


    I was now in such a ce.


    "...You''ve created quite the stir."


    Leon appeared. He walked toward me with an air of casualness. The speech had ended up causing a stir, forcing me to leave early.


    He was probably justing out of it.


    "You''re the one who made the speech. Why does it seem like you''re surprised?"


    "I didn''t think you''d go through with it."


    "...And why is that?"


    So he was expecting me to say something else...?


    "No..."


    He pursed his lips and shook his head.


    "It''s nothing."


    "Hm?"


    What was up with this guy?


    Closely looking at him, his expression seemed unusually stiff. As if he was holding himself back.


    "Are you okay?"


    He really didn''t look so good.


    I inched closer to get a better look, but...


    "..."


    He took a step back.


    "Let''s keep things cordial."


    Cordial? What is this guy on about?


    "No, no..."


    I shook my head and moved closer. Something felt off... I couldn''t quite exin it.


    That''s when I finally noticed it.


    <i>This fucker. </i>


    I pressed my hand against his shoulder to stop him from moving and tilted my head to get a better look at his face. He was looking away from me.


    Why was that...?


    "You''re trying not tough, aren''t you?"


    "..."


    "No way?"


    This motherfucker.


    "You find the situation amusing?"


    "...No."


    "Hah. Then why are you looking away?"


    "..."


    I raised my brow. His shoulders were slightly trembling.


    "...Kh"


    Kh?


    "You..."


    "Julien."


    I stopped and turned my head. The trembling on my hand stopped, and my expression stiffened.


    "You''ve changed a lot."


    A voice reached my ears.


    She stopped a few meters ahead of me.


    Her appearance was amongst some of the best I''ve ever seen. Long flowing purple hair and crystal blue eyes. An image ovepped with hers.


    One that was filled with nothing but hatred toward myself.


    "...It''s been a while."


    Evelyn J. Verlice. This body''s childhood friend, and someone who knew Julien extremely well.


    I hadn''t spent the past week doing anything outside of practicing magic.


    To make sure everything flowed smoothly, I had Leon provide me with details on all important characters rted to Julien and their rtionship with him.


    It was why I knew who she was.


    "I see that you''ve be the ck Star."


    An emptypliment. Her tone was cold andcked any form of praise. She was also not looking at me.


    Her eyes... They seemed to be glued to my hand.


    The one grasping Leon''s shoulder.


    She softly whispered,


    "Maybe you haven''t changed, after all."


    Her tone wasced with disappointment.


    "..."


    Only that I had no idea what she was talking about.


    I only pretended to understand her, and her expression pained.


    "When will you stop...?"


    She couldn''t meet my gaze at all.


    The disappointment seemed to be too much for her to handle.


    In a situation like this, the only way I could respond was,


    "Stop what?"


    "...Yeah, right."


    She smiled weakly.


    It was as if she expected such an answer from me.


    "I waited for you. I really did. Even when you changed, I waited. I thought you''de back to how you normally were, but...."


    Stopping herself, she shook her head.


    Softly, she mumbled in a voice that I could barely hear, <i>''It''s not worth it. There''s no point.'' </i>


    "..."


    I thought she''d give up from that point, but yet again, her eyes fell on my hand.


    And then toward Leon.


    "Why do you let him treat you like this?"


    "..."


    Leon stood quietly. He seemed to be chewing on his words, seemingly thinking about how to respond.


    She spoke before he could,


    "I know you''re loyal to the family, but why let yourself be treated like this? You''re better than thi¡ª"


    "It''s none of that."


    Leon cut her off mid-sentence.


    Her expression froze.


    "He wasn''t doing anything to me."


    "Ah."


    She stepped back and made an incredulous look. She seemed even more disappointed.


    "...Do you take me for some sort of fool? I saw all of it."


    Saw all of it?


    I couldn''t help but speak out.


    "What did you see?"


    I struggled to understand what she was trying to say.


    "Seriously...?"


    Her expression seemed scornful.


    "It was obvious what you were trying to do. How many times do you think I''ve seen the same scene in the past? You were using him as your test dummy, as usual."


    Test dummy?


    I looked at Leon who looked back at me. His expression didn''t say much, but his subtle nod told me all that I needed to know.


    Ah.


    So that''s how it is.


    I was just about to speak, when all of a sudden, Leon spoke.


    ".....It isn''t the case this time."


    Her eyes widened.


    "You''re still defending him? Even after-"


    "He told me a joke."


    Uh?


    Both me and Evelyn were taken aback.


    A joke?


    I looked at Leon who looked back at me.<i> What is this guy on about? </i>


    Though his expression seemed indifferent, his eyes seemed to say, ''Roll with it.''


    Roll with it...?


    "...A joke?"


    I felt Evelyn''s gaze on me. She was staring at me with a face of utter disappointment.


    I didn''t understand why she was looking at me like that, but I felt like I needed to y along.


    So,


    "Yeah, I did."


    I went along with it.


    "..."


    All it brought was silence from her. One that she broke shortly after.


    ".....Do I look that easy to you?"


    I felt my skin crawl all of a sudden. If before she looked at me in disappointment, she was now looking at me with scorn.


    "I''m seriously asking. Do you take me for a joke?"


    ".....No."


    "Hah."


    Her expression was ovee with distraught.


    I don''t know why, but I felt like I needed to do something.


    So I did,


    "Why don''t they y poker in the jungle?"


    Evelyn seemed to have been about to say something when her mouth closed.


    "...."


    I used to chance to say,


    "Too many cheetahs."


    Regret came quickly.


    "..."


    My face burned, but I kept it from changing. On the outside, it was as if I had said something trivial.


    But.


    Evelyn didn''t seem to think of it the same way. After a brief moment of silence, she managed to force a weak smile.


    ".....I guess you truly do think of me as a joke."


    Turning to look at Leon, she bowed her head. Then, without looking back she left.


    Her back seemed rather frail when I looked at it.


    ***


    At first, they were slow.


    Tak, tak.


    The sound of her steps as her heels tapped against the marble floor.


    Tak, tak, tak.


    But they soon hurried.


    Her head was lowered the entire time. She could see her expression through the polished floor of the campus hall.


    "Hah..."


    The burning in her chest didn''t seem to ease no matter how long she walked. Her vision blurred and her lips stung.


    "B-bastard."


    Her feet eventually came to a stop.


    A person stood in front of her.


    "....Are you okay?"


    It was her knight, Natasha. Standing tall, her tinum hair and crystal eyes made her stand out from the rest. Nobles had a unique perk when joining the institute. They were allowed to bring a personal attendant.


    In Evelyn''s case, she was able to bring Natasha with her. It was a precaution the noble houses took considering the political importance each child held within their houses.


    The Verlice family was one of the five Viscount families within the Empire. They naturally were able to provide her with a powerful knight as her escort.


    "Was it him?"


    And as her knight, she was naturally aware of her circumstances.


    "..."


    Evelyn''s silence told many things.


    Natasha''s grip on her sword tightened.


    "So it was..."


    Julien Dacre Evenus.


    A name tingled the tip of her tongue.


    His rtionship with Evelyn was hard to describe. At one point, the two were close. Almost inseparable.


    But things changed after a certain point.


    His personality changed, and his lust for power started to disy. He changed, and his spiral started to affect Evelyn who could do nothing but watch.


    It eventually ended with her cutting ties with him.


    That was five years ago.


    "....You know, I thought he could''ve changed."


    Evelyn let out a strainedugh.


    "I was naive, wasn''t I...? In the end, it''s always like this... H-hah."


    Her chest trembled.


    So did her lips.


    "Disappointment after another."


    Her lips were tucked under her teeth.


    "...In the end, I was made fun of by him."


    She looked up to face Natasha. Unlike before, her eyes seemed a little clearer but they were still a little misty.


    Natasha''s grip on her sword tightened.


    <i>That bastard... </i>


    "Do you know what he said to me?"


    Natasha shook her head.


    "....Why don''t they y poker in the jungle?"


    "Yes?"


    Natasha blinked, unable to understand what was going on. Poker? Jungle...?


    But Evelyn continued.


    "Too many cheetahs."


    "..."


    Evelyn''s shoulders trembled as she lowered her head. Natasha''s expression changed all of a sudden.


    "Young misss...?"


    Fearing the worst, she approached her.


    "Are yo-"


    But stopped herself halfway.


    That was because,


    "Uht."


    Uth...?


    "Young miss...?"


    Holding her mouth, a strained sound escaped Evelyn''s lips. Natasha was taken aback. <i>What''s going on...?</i> And just before she could do anything, Evelyn''s shoulders trembled even more.


    "Young...?"


    "....Kaht."


    Khat...?


    Another sound came out of her mouth.


    Natasha felt her stomach drop.


    "What-"


    Her hand reached out for her, when...


    "Puchi...!"


    Evelyn''s cheek''s deted and augh escaped her lips.


    "Hehe-he"


    Even herugh seemed strained. She looked up at Natasha, tears rolling down her eyes.


    "I do-n''t even know what is happening to me..."


    A sharp pain pierced her chest as she continued tough.


    Her hand reached to her shirt and clenched it.


    "W-why am I like this...? Hehe... The joke is bad so why..."


    She looked helplessly at Natasha. The tears continued to roll down her eyes, and the pain in her chest intensified.


    "He... Hehe, why can''t I stopughing...?"

 Chapter 11: Vision [1]

    <h4>Chapter 11: Vision [1]</h4>


    "This is where you''ll be living for the duration of your stay."


    Today was the inauguration day. Besides the speech, we were introduced to our dorm rooms.


    Because of my situation, I was introduced to the dorms before the others. As such, I was separated from Leon.


    It was a good thing.


    Thinking back at his expression my face nearly crumbled.


    "Here''s the key. You''ll need it to ess your dorm."


    I stood silently to observe the building.


    The Rondeo Building. With over ten floors, it looked rather grand.


    It was indeed a building fitting the top ranker.


    "Cadet Julien?"


    I finally took note of the ck card near me.


    ".....Thank you."


    It seemed nothing fancy.


    Just a in old metallic card.


    "If you need anything else from me, please feel free to inform me."


    "I will."


    As I entered the building, I climbed the stairs and headed to thest floor. That was where my room was.


    Being the number one rank did have its perks.


    "This should be it."


    A tall wooden door met my sight.


    I didn''t hesitate to swipe my card, unlocking the door to the room.


    "....Wow."


    It wasn''t as though I didn''t expect it, but...


    "It''s big."


    The ce was grand. A lot bigger than I could''ve possibly imagined. Sizable windows adorned the space at one end, granting me a view of the huge garden below.


    Sofas and an array of decorations throughout the roomplemented the room.


    On any normal asion, I would''ve taken my time to explore the ce more.


    Unfortunately, I wasn''t someone who could afford to waste time.


    "Haah..."


    I sat down on the ground.


    And went ahead with my training. My mind was tired, and so was my body. Even so, I had no choice but to push away the fatigue and train.


    I was the one who pushed myself to this point.


    I had to own up to my choices.


    <i>Tzz¡ª¡ª</i>


    I failed on the first try.


    "Again...."


    But I didn''t lose hope.


    I had no choice but to continue.


    Once again, this was what I had done to myself.


    The current spell I was practicing was called [Hands of Mdy]. It was an elemental spell that belonged to the Curse element.


    Being a beginner-type spell, its difficulty wasn''t very high.


    From what Leon told me, spells were ssified into five different ranks¡ªbeginner, intermediate, advanced, superior, and perfected.


    What set the spells apart was the number of runes each spell contained.


    [Hands of Mdy], being a beginner-type spell, only had twelve runes.


    My goal was to connect each rune before fully forming a magic circle.


    Which I have yet to achieve.


    So long as I managed to connect all twelve andplete the circle, the spell would activate, and I''d be able to summon the spell whenever I wanted.


    The key point was that I had toplete the circle before using it.


    <i>Tzz¡ª¡ª</i>


    But things weren''t going very smoothly.


    "Another failure...."


    I had managed to connect four of the twelve runes.


    I didn''t lose hope.


    "Again."


    Mana flowed out from my abdomen. Like a warm current, I slowly guided it toward the tip of my fingers, where the faint form of a circle appeared.


    That was the first step.


    Now the runes.


    Rune one.


    Rune two...


    Rune three...


    Rune five...


    Rune s...


    "Ah."


    <i>Tzz¡ª¡ª</i>


    It shattered again.


    I felt frustrated, but I didn''t give up.


    There was obvious improvement.


    So I continued.


    "More, just a little..."


    As if I were in a trance, my mind worked in overdrive, and runes connected one after another.


    The sight left a strange feeling on my body.


    It made me crave more.


    "Yeah, yeah...!"


    I felt my skin crawl at the sight of the runes lighting up in front of me.


    One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight...


    I was so excited that I didn''t even notice that something wet was trickling down my nostrils.


    All I thought about at the moment was...


    "A little....! Come on!"


    The runes.


    "Just a little..."


    I could feel it.


    So long as I kept going, I could achieve it.


    My state of mind was perfect. This was a chance that I was sure I couldn''t give up on.


    I had to try now.


    "More...!""


    Before I lost the sensation...


    I had to continue.


    I could finally summon my first spell.


    So long as I...


    I...


    "Ukeh."


    A weird sound escaped my lips, and I realized something.


    How could this be...?


    .....I can''t breathe.


    The air just wouldn''t enter my body.


    "...Hup."


    No matter how hard I tried, my mouth wouldn''t open. As if I had forgotten how I couldn''t even use my nose.


    My head felt lightheaded all of a sudden.


    The world in front of me started to shift.


    In my mind, I knew the reasoning behind this situation.


    I stared at the magic circle that bnced at the tip of my fingers.


    There were ten runes.


    Two more to go.


    I could do it...


    Yeah.


    "Ukh...!"


    I pushed myself.


    <i>Drip...! Drip...! </i>


    Something ran down from both the holes in my nose.


    It stained the polished floor in red.


    But I chose to ignore it.


    I couldn''t afford to pause.


    My situation didn''t allow me to.


    It came as a result of my actions.


    I had to own up to them.


    "Uakh...!"


    My mind started to crave oxygen.


    The sensation became more and more pronounced.


    I felt a weird tingle in my chest.


    My toes wiggled.


    So did my left arm. Almost as if on impulse.


    I couldn''t breathe.


    My mind desperately told me to let go.


    Let the circle shatter.


    Breathe.


    But.


    "Ukgh...!"


    I couldn''t.


    Not when I was this close.


    No...!


    Not yet!


    So... Close!


    The tenth rune lit up.


    I could feel it.


    I was almost there.


    "M-more...!"


    My voice came out hoarse.


    But I was close.


    So close.


    Eleven runes.


    Yes....!


    I was...


    <i>Tzz¡ª¡ª</i>


    Ah.


    <i>Thump!</i>


    Growing limp, my body gave up on me.


    "Uahp!"


    I felt my head smack against the floor.


    "Haaa... Haaaa.... Haaa..."


    And I heavily gulped for air.


    The consequences of my actions finally caught up to me.


    I lost control of my body.


    It trembled furiously on the ground.


    "Kh...! Kh! Kh! ...Akh!"


    The pain was overwhelming.


    But.


    "N-no..."


    All I could think of was my failure.


    I could deal with pain.


    But I couldn''t deal with my failure.


    I was so close.


    Just a few seconds away.


    "N... Huap... No..."


    The sense of desperation felt overwhelming.


    It was eating away at me.


    "N-no...! Ah."


    So much so that the moment I felt I could control my body again, I tried again.


    But.


    <i>Tzz¡ª¡ª</i>


    "N-no..."


    Four runes.


    How could this be...?


    "Again."


    <i>Tzz¡ª¡ª</i>


    The circle shattered again.


    Three runes.


    "Ah..."


    My body felt weak.


    Realization hit me.


    I had lost that state of mind.


    The chance for me to finally grasp the circle.


    I had failed.


    "H-hah."


    My chest trembled as my arm fell limp.


    I felt weak.


    My head was light, and the world was hazy.


    When it finally hit me, though...


    "Khh...!"


    I clenched my teeth tightly.


    Close...!


    I was so close!


    If only I hadsted just a few more seconds!


    Fuck!


    How could this body fail me at such an important moment!?


    Damn it!


    "Ahhhhhhh!"


    I screamed at the top of my lungs.


    The sense of frustration I felt wasn''t something I could contain.


    Bang!


    I smacked my fist against the floor.


    Bang!


    I did it again.


    "D-damn it....!"


    I felt so frustrated.


    It was there.


    Right in front of me.


    I was so close.


    I felt it.


    So,


    "Why...?"


    Why!!


    Why couldn''t I do it?!!!


    I felt like screaming again.


    But as I opened my mouth...


    "..."


    Nothing came out.


    That was when I realized.


    I had lost my voice.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    All that came out of my mouth were my heavy gasps for air.


    I closed my mouth shortly after.


    And made a resolve for myself.


    This wasn''t the end.


    Until my body broke apart, I was going to seed.


    I wasn''t going to let myself die an easy death.


    I wasn''t...


    "...?"


    I blinked.


    <i>''Where am I?''</i>


    I struggled toprehend my situation.


    All it took was a blink and the scenery around me changed.


    <i>''Wasn''t I just in my room...?'' </i>


    Trees surrounded me from all sides while the moon hovered in the sky.


    It was apletely different environment to my room.


    <i>''My body...!''</i>


    As if I had lost control of my body, it moved on its own.


    Sneakily moving around the trees. As if it was trying to hide from something. This continued for a while.


    All until,


    "Are you seriously the ck Star?"


    A cold voice reached my ears.


    My body trembled, and my feet came to a step. Slowly, my head turned, and a figure appeared.


    He wore a ck hood and hid his appearance.


    A strange sense of oppression came out of his body as he slowly approached me.


    What''s going on...?


    The situation confused me.


    This scene... Experience... It felt eerily familiar. It reminded me of my first vision right before I came to this world.


    Could this be?


    "You''re a lot weaker than I thought."


    The gap between us shrinked.


    I took a step back.


    "Heh."


    Though I couldn''t see, it felt as if he was smiling beneath his hood. The scene seemed to be amusing to him.


    ".....How low has Haven fallen for them to select someone as ipetent as you? Not only are you incapable of using any spells, but you even went ahead and challenged everyone with that puny arrogance of yours. It''s no wonder you lost your first duel."


    Uh?


    I lost the duel?


    Though I wasn''tpletely sure, I had a feeling this body... vision... belonged to a future version of myself. Not the previous Julien.


    Therefore...


    The news of me losing the duel hit me particrly hard.


    <i>''So in the end, I still lost...?" </i>


    It took me no longer than an hour for me to realize I was way in over my head when I challenged everyone.


    There was no way I could beat anyone with my current skills.


    A fool.


    An idiot.


    That was who I was.


    And yet...


    <i>''No, it''s simply because I didn''t do enough.''</i>


    I didn''t stop my resolve for one second.


    If I lost, then it meant I didn''t try hard enough.


    I wasn''t desperate enough.


    The pain I went through.


    It wasn''t enough.


    "In any case..."


    My attention shifted back to the hooded man.


    His hidden gaze fell on me, and I felt my entire body shiver. As if two hands had gripped my throat, I had a hard time breathing.


    A familiar sensation gripped my entire body.


    .....It was fear.


    "I should probably end this."


    He approached me with a leisurely step.


    Coming to a halt a few centimeters from me. His eyes locked on to me, and I felt my breath leave my body.


    ".....There are other more important people I need to take care of."


    The world turned ck shortly after.


    "Huaaaa....!"


    My eyes red open, and my body sat up.


    Sweat poured down from all over my body as I took deep and unsteady breaths.


    "I''m-m... Haaa .... back?"


    I was struggling to grasp my situation.


    Thousands of questions flooded my mind.


    What was that? Who was he...? And why did he kill me? Where did I die?


    And just as my head throbbed in pain as I tried to understand the vision, something appeared in front of me, and a weird sound came out of my mouth.


    ".....Ah."


    That was because,


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    Level :17 [Tier 1 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª[16%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    Profession : Magician


    ¦é Type : Elemental [Curse]


    ¦é Type : Mind [Emotive]


    Spells :


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Anger


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Sadness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Fear


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Happiness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Disgust


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Surprise


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Chains of kantria


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Hands of mdy


    Skills :


    [Innate] - Foresight


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    A weird screen floated in front of me.


    One that multiple other smaller ones apanied.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 0.01%


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 0.05%


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 0.04%


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 0.3%


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 0.01%

 Chapter 12: Vision [2]

    <h4>Chapter 12: Vision [2]</h4>


    "What is this...?"


    It was the first time I saw this screen. No, not quite... I think I remember catching a small glimpse of it before.


    When exactly?


    I couldn''t quite remember. Most probably the moment I came into this world. Back then, I had been so disoriented that I probably hadn''t noticed.


    But what gives?


    Why did it suddenly appear?


    "It sort of looks like a status s¡ªUh?"


    The screen disappeared all of a sudden.


    "What''s going on?"


    I leaned my head back.


    Why did the screen disappear? Was it because I spoke? Or... An idea floated in my mind and I opened my mouth to mumble,


    "Status."


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    Level :17 [Tier 1 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª[16%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    Profession : Magician


    ¦é Type : Elemental [Curse]


    ¦é Type : Mind [Emotive]


    Spells :


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Anger


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Sadness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Fear


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Happiness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Disgust


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Surprise


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Chains of kantria


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Hands of Mdy


    Skills :


    [Innate] - Foresight


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    "Ah."


    So there was a trigger.


    ''Status''


    I extended my hand forward in hopes of seeing if I could touch it, but as my hand neared the window, it simply phased through.


    ".....So I can''t touch it."


    That became apparent after a couple more tries.


    "Huu."


    I took a deep breath.


    My head was still light and I was still recovering from my training. Therefore, it was hard for me to remain focused.


    It took several deep breaths before I could finally concentrate again.


    Several things jumped out the moment Iid my eyes on the screen.


    "Exp...? Level 17. Tier 1 Magician?"


    As expected, this was simr to a game system. I wasn''t much of a gamer, but I understood the concept of levels and Exp.


    Magicians were divided in ten tiers.


    From what I knew, the ssification went as this;


    Tier 1-2 : Apprentice


    Tier 3-4 : Master-Mage


    Tier 5-6 : High-Wizard


    Tier 7-8 : Arch-Wizard


    Tier 9 : Monarch


    Tier 10 : Zenith


    "Level 17... So I''m Tier 1."


    That was an interesting piece of information. For one to test their Tier, they needed a special orb that Leon told me about it.


    For the past week I had been curious about my Tier.


    While I was aware through Leon that I had reached Tier 1. What I wasn''t aware of was the fact that,


    "I''m on the verge of Tier 2."


    Who would''ve thought...?


    Or was I?


    I felt my brows slowlye together into a knit.


    "I''m level seventeen and Tier 1. Is it safe to assume that my Tier changes with every ten levels?"


    It sounded logical, but...


    "I''ll need to observe."


    There was no proof of my judgment. For now, I decided to pay close attention to it. When the time came, I''d be able to know if my assumption was correct or not.


    My gaze shifted down.


    "Spell list..."


    I wasn''t surprised by the spells listed in front of me.


    [Hands of Mdy] was a spell I was already practicing. It was Leon who had told me about it.


    What I was surprised about, however, was what was written beneath it.


    "Ah..."


    Innate skill.


    Insight.


    "....That exins it."


    An answer to one of my questions had finally been answered.


    The reasoning behind the vision. It was all due to this skill. The thought made me frown, and several more questions arose in my mind.


    "Is there some sort of trigger to these visions? Can I activate it whenever I want?"


    I thought back to the vision I just had.


    <i>''....How low has Haven fallen for them to select someone as ipetent as you?''</i>


    <i>''Not only are you incapable of using any spells, but you even went ahead and challenged everyone with that puny arrogance of yours.''</i>


    <i>''It''s no wonder you lost your first duel.''</i>


    <i>''I should probably end this.'' </i>


    <i>''.....There are other more important people I need to take care of.'' </i>


    His cold voice echoed at the back of my mind.


    My hand unconsciously trembled at the thought. The sensation I felt back in the visions... I could still feel it vividly in my mind.


    It sent shivers down my spine.


    And.


    "I need to train."


    Reminded me yet again about my situation.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    I sat down on the ground and shifted my right hand forward.


    Closing my eyes, I channeled my mana.


    "....."


    I swallowed a mouthful of saliva.


    ".....Alright."


    I swallowed again.


    "Let''s start."


    But.


    "...Come."


    Nothing came out of my hand.


    I could feel the mana in my core.


    It was there.


    But...


    "I''ve got to do it."


    It just wouldn''t flow.


    "....Why?"


    My hand started to visibly tremble.


    So did my lips.


    "He-h... Come on... Come out."


    I thought back at what I did in the past.


    I tried to repeat it.


    Having done it hundreds of times over the past week, surely I could do it, right?


    But.


    "...It''s noting out."


    The mana simply refused to move along my body.


    "..."


    I knew the reason why.


    I just didn''t want to acknowledge it.


    "...Ce on. Just a little."


    I swallowed yet again.


    "No... N-no."


    My mind kept wandering back to moments ago.


    When I failed.


    And the pain that came after it.


    It reyed in my mind.


    Over.


    And over again.


    "...It''s nothing."


    As if it was a tape on rey.


    "H-hah."


    In the end.


    I was afraid.


    Afraid of my efforts going to waste like before.


    "What am I even doing this for...?"


    To the point where I started to question my own objectives.


    Why was I doing so much?


    Was it because I was just that desperate for answers? Was that the reason why I was pushing myself so hard?


    For answers?


    Was I really someone who would push themselves to this point just for answers?


    "....No."


    Howughable.


    Of course, it wasn''t.


    Deep down, I knew the answer. Why I was pushing myself so hard. Even if it was at the cost of my own sanity and body.


    "Go back."


    The words escaped from my lips.


    Almost as if they were in a whisper.


    "Brother."


    An image conjured in my mind.


    One of a young boy.


    Sixteen years old.


    And alone.


    "H-hah."


    What I wanted wasn''t an answer.


    It was a way back.


    I...


    "Kh...!"


    Mana flowed out from my core.


    My entire body shivered as a result. The world started to be a blur, and I could hardly make out what was real and what was fake.


    But that didn''t deter me from training.


    I had a goal in mind.


    One that I had to achieve.


    So even though I was afraid. My body hurt. And I was exhausted.


    "....Kh."


    I continued to push myself.


    I had no choice.


    I...


    Had to do it.


    ***


    <i>*Puff* </i>


    A plume of smoke floated in the air.


    Long flowing tinum hair, deep red eyes, curvaceous body. Kiera Mylne casually sat on the stairs of the Rondeo Dorms.


    It was a building only the top rankers were allowed to be in.


    She was one of them.


    That said,


    "Tsk."


    They didn''t allow one to smoke inside.


    She had no choice but to smoke outside.


    "...Fucking bullshit."


    It was an irritating thought. For such a grand and luxurious building... How could they not allow her to smoke?


    Like, seriously.


    What did she pay so much to attend this ce for?


    "Maybe if I was the ck Star...."


    She thought back to the ck Star. Julien of the Evenus Barony. Maybe he could smoke in his room?


    It was a thought that entertained her for a bit.


    At first nce, he seemed quite arrogant.


    Enough to infuriate practically every first-year cadet.


    But unlike the others, she wasn''t particrly interested in such meaningless squabbles.


    "Lol."


    Rather, she found him to be somewhat funny.


    "Fucking jokes."


    <i>*Puff* </i>


    The plume of smoke drifted in the air as she took another drag of the cigarette.


    Kiera, who was enjoying herself at the steps of the building, suddenly raised her head, catching a glimpse of an approaching figure.


    She was quick to flick the cigarette away.


    "...."


    There was a certain aura about the approaching figure that attracted the gazes of all those around. Her graceful movements exuded a sense of authority, flowing with sophistication and ease, concealing any hint of her ws.


    It was a figure she knew all too well. How could she not know her...?


    A woman of the Megrail family.


    The Princess of the Empire.


    Aoife Kell Megrail.


    "Tsk."


    Though she was in a ss of her own, Kiera couldn''t help but click her tongue. Her foot dragged over to where the cigarette was and she stepped on it.


    Twisting her foot slightly.


    Kiera looked down on her. As a noble of high lineage, she was well acquainted with Aoife. They had met many times in past events.


    She shone brightly wherever she went. Was always the spotlight.


    That didn''t bother Kiera much.


    ...Not until the day of hering to age ceremony and her talent was made known to Aoife and the royal family.


    As a result?


    She, who was supposed to have started her training at age fourteen, was forced to train at seventeen. The same age as low-end nobles.


    For what reason...?


    <i>''This bitch.'' </i>


    "Cadet."


    Aoife stopped in front of her. Her yellow eyes slowly sank down to meet Kiera''s gaze. Her expression didn''t say much.


    It was hard to read.


    There was nothing unusual about this. She had always been like this. A nk piece of paper with hardly any thoughts.


    And the thought irritated Kiera even more.


    "....What."


    "Can you move?"


    "Uh?"


    Kiera blinked and looked around. Then she realized. She was blocking the entrance.


    But...


    <i>''Is that all....?'' </i>


    No form of acknowledgment. A name? Just... Cadet? They had met several times in the past. Even made brief conversation. It wasplete disregard.


    "Cadet?"


    "Hehe."


    Kiera pursed her lips and smiled. It was a bright smile. One of the brightest she had ever disyed.


    And what followed after her smile was...


    "Fuck you."


    A middle finger.


    ***


    <i>Drip... Drip... </i>


    Sweat intermixed with my blood.


    My eyes stung.


    And my vision was blurred.


    A day had passed. It was now early in the morning.


    And...


    <i>Tzz¡ª¡ª</i>


    "....Failed."


    I was met with another failure.


    The result of my efforts was the connection of eight runes. A result that was far beneath my desired goal.


    "Huuu."


    Taking a deep breath, I thought about continuing again, when...


    <i>To Tok¡ª! </i>


    The door knocked.


    "Young master."


    And a familiar voice sounded.


    "...So it''s time."


    There could only be one reason for him to call me. The first day of the Academy was about to start.


    "I''min-Ukh...!"


    <i>Thump! </i>


    My legs gave out when I tried to stand up.


    Fortunately, I was able to stop myself from falling face t on the floor by grasping the side of the sofa.


    "Haaa... Haaa...."


    My breaths were heavy and my hands were unusually pale.


    It was obvious that my body was in poor condition.


    But...


    "Huuu."


    Taking another breath I forced myself into the shower. I stumbled several times in the process before finally making it to the valve where I turned on the cold water.


    <i>Shaaa¡ª! </i>


    My skin prickled at the cold.


    But at the same time, my mind regained some rity.


    Supporting myself with both hands on the wall, I let the water trickle down my back.


    One might think I''d be distressed with the results of my training.


    In some ways I was.


    But...


    "Almost."


    At the same time, I was also thrilled.


    It wasn''t fruitless.


    There was definitely a progression.


    "Haha."


    Iughed out in exasperation.


    It was going to take time, but I knew I could do it.


    I was that desperate.

 Chapter 13: The Weakest Black Star [1]

    <h4>Chapter 13: The Weakest ck Star [1]</h4>


    The campus wasrge. It took me about five minutes to get to the main building from the dorms.


    [Dorset Hall]


    That was where we were supposed to be.


    It was one of the seven halls of the institute and where first-year cadets attended their lessons.


    ".....What ss are we in?"


    The Hall wasrge.


    It was one big building with a pathway nked by vibrant flowers and trees that guided toward the entrance, where a row of statues stood in solemn formation.


    It overflowed with students.


    Most troublesome were the gazes they looked at me with. Some avoided me, while others seemed to be openly hostile.


    I was fine with that.


    It came as a result of my actions on the first day.


    "Our ss should be there."


    Leon pointed towards a certain door. At first nce, it didn''t seem all that impressive.


    But...


    "Why is there nobody going there?"


    Unlike the other ssrooms, which were open and filled with cadets passing through, this one seemed rather isted. As if people were avoiding it.


    "....Did you not read the manual?"


    "Manual...? Ah."


    I took a small leaflet from my pocket. I remember receiving it yesterday, but because my focus had been on my training, I forgot all about it.


    "This?"


    "Yeah."


    I scanned through the contents.


    In short.


    "We''rete."


    ".....That''s right."


    "And you didn''t tell me about it?"


    "I thought you were aware."


    "..."


    There were times when I just really wanted to strangle this guy.


    If not for the fact that he was helping me and that he was stronger, I''d already be at it.


    That said,


    <i>''I wonder what his end goal is...''</i>


    I was still not sure why he was helping me. He said something about it benefiting him.


    How so?


    <i>''As expected, I still can''t trust him.'' </i>


    The same was true for him to me.


    In a way, we weren''t that much different.


    Staring at the door to the ssroom, I sighed.


    I felt strangely nervous. It wasn''t so much because I was scared of people challenging me. I was fine with that. What I was nervous about was my abilities.


    They were not up to par at that moment.


    I was probably the weakest cadet present.


    "Huu."


    After secretly collecting my breath, I slowly and carefully approached the door.


    <i>Creaaak¡ª</i>


    The interior was sleek; long wooden desks lined up the sides, cascading up. They were all filled to the brim, with barely any empty spots.


    Immediately, all eyes fell on me.


    They were burdensome. But the most burdensome of them all was the one that belonged to the woman in front of me.


    Most likely, our instructor.


    "Cadets."


    Her crystal blue eyes shifted between Leon and me. She had short brown hair and seemed to be in her mid-forties.


    Alternating her gaze between the two of us she finally opened her mouth to say,


    "....You''rete."


    I was already aware.


    Things would''ve been easier if I just apologized, but I recalled Leon''s description of the previous Julien and answered tly,


    "That seems to be the case."


    "Seems to be the case...?"


    My answer left her exasperated as she made a face. I felt a little sorry for her, but I didn''t show it on the outside and kept my face stoic.


    She opened her mouth but closed it right after.


    "Just go. Take a seat."


    ".....Thank you."


    I did just that.


    Finding the nearest seat I could find, I sat down and took a breath.


    That was easier than I expected.


    She was probably a lenient teacher. Or so I thought.


    "You''rete! Get out of my ss!"


    Staring at the student who had just entered the ss and got kicked out, I opened my mouth to say something when I realized I couldn''t say anything.


    Why....?


    I looked to my left, where Leon sat. He looked at me and then shrugged.


    "Probably our looks."


    Oh.


    The lecture resumed.


    "Continuing from where I was... As you all are currently aware, magic is subdivided into three different categories. [Mind], [Elemental], and [Body]."


    The ssroom fell into silence.


    The instructor''s voice smoothly echoed throughout the ssroom.


    "Each category is further divided into subcategories. Take the [Mind] ssification as an example. With the [Emotive], [Telekinesis], [Spirit], and [Telepathy] it contains a total of four sub-categories. Or some like to say, ''paths''."


    I strained my ears to listen closely to the lecture. All information was vital. I needed to pay close attention to all that was being said.


    "....As is known, everyone can practice magic. If you can manipte mana, you have the qualifications to be a magician or knight. That of course, isn''t a problem for all of you present."


    She seemed to eye certain students; her gaze eventually falling on me.


    "Talent is merely a factor that indicates the rate of your improvement. It does not limit you in the practice of other paths."


    I took note of this piece of information in my mind.


    My talents currently lie in the [Curse] and [Emotive] subcategories.


    If it was possible for me to practice things outside of those two categories, then it was worth considering for the future.


    "Now, time for a question."


    The lecturer looked around the ssroom. I felt her gaze linger in my direction for a brief moment.


    What sort of...?


    She smiled.


    "Of all the categories, which do you deem to be the weakest?"


    The weakest?


    Murmurs filled the ssroom as the students discussed among themselves.


    Eventually, one of the cadets raised their hands. He stood out immediately with his tall height, blonde hair, and blue eyes.


    The fact that his appearance garnered the attention of many of the people present told me all that I needed to know about him.


    He was strong.


    Probably amongst the higher-ranked cadets.


    "Yes? Cadet Anders."


    Oh?


    I suddenly felt his gaze.


    As his mouth parted open, he answered slowly. As if he wanted me to hear his answer.


    "....Emotive."


    A clear provocation.


    Multiple eyes fell on me.


    "Emotive?"


    The instructor''s gaze fell on me for a moment. She seemed to have been influenced by the others in the ss.


    "What makes you think that''s the case?"


    "It''s the longest category to learn. Not only that, but you must be able to touch your opponent to influence their emotions. If they can''t touch you, they''re useless."


    "That''s not the case."


    With a shake of her head, the instructor corrected,


    "That''s merely on the basis that they are on the first level of mastery. At a higher stage, they can influence someone with mere words. Further down the path, and they can read emotions."


    I listened to her words carefully.


    The [Emotive] sub-category was still an enigma to me. Unlike with my [Curse] sub-category, I couldn''t practice it through repetition training.


    The only way for me to further the [Emotive] path was through the understanding of emotions. The more I understood, the more I improved.


    But that was easier said than done.


    <i>''Now that I think about it... She mentioned something about first-level mastery.'' </i>


    I was reminded of the notifications I received almost daily.


    The only regarding [Fear] and Exp.


    <i>''....So if I improve it, I''ll be able to influence people with words?'' </i>


    The thought excited me for some reason.


    Was there more to it?


    The Cadet continued,


    "That is indeed true, but it''s also true that it''s not easy to achieve. It may take a lot of years to get to a level where one can influence another''s emotions. To be able to influence them through words?"


    He scoffed.


    "...You will need to be as old as my father to be able to get there."


    "That''s not necessarily true."


    The instructor shook her head.


    "There are many cases where people achieve such a state at a young age. Keep in mind, that there are states above that. Being able to influence someone through words is still considered entry level."


    Entry level...?


    Influencing with words was just entry-level?


    I thought back to my powers. Ever since the examination, I had hardly touched the other field.


    It wasn''t because I didn''t like it.


    That was the furthest thing from the truth.


    The reality was that I was unsure whether I was capable of handling it. The after-effect fromst time left a scar in my mind.


    Like a mental block, it made me avoid it.


    I was just not ready.


    But...


    <i>''You''re telling me I merely scratched the surface of what''s possible?'' </i>


    "Cadet Julien."


    Feeling the instructor''s gaze, I turned to face her.


    "....As an Emotive Mage yourself, what do you think about Cadet Anders''s answer?"


    What did I think about it?


    He''s right.


    All his words made sense. From what I experienced, he was right in absolutely every way.


    The [Emotive] field was a path that would probably take someone ages to master.


    It epassed all the experiences of one''s life and molded them in the form of emotions. Unless someone constantly experiences all those emotions, they won''t be able to improve.


    In that regard, it was the weakest of all the other paths.


    But...


    I turned my wrist slightly.


    My eyes fell on the clover tattoo.


    Was that the same for me?


    "...."


    The ssroom fell silent.


    They all were seemingly awaiting my answer. ''What''s he going to say?'', ''How will he answer with?''


    Their faces all said the same thing.


    And I looked back to face the cadet.


    Anders was it?


    I found the corner of my lips lifting slightly.


    "....It''s bullshit."


    An answer flowed out of my mouth.


    "Weakest? There''s no such thing."


    I wasn''t just bullshitting at the moment.


    These were my true thoughts.


    "There''s only a weak person. No weak path."


    Just because the Emotive field was the hardest to progress in didn''t mean it was the weakest ss.


    From the start, the question was wrong.


    "You say that it takes a lot of time for an Emotive mage to be strong. On what basis do you say that?"


    "What basis?"


    The Cadet looked at me as if I were stupid.


    "It''smon sense. Take a look at all the strongest mages in the world. Our Empire has seven Monarchs. How many of them are from the Emotive field? None!"


    He pointed his finger at me.


    All of a sudden, he started talking about something different.


    Most probably what he wanted to say from the start.


    ".....Do you think none of us see it? Your mana flow is weak. You don''t even seem to be capable of properly controlling your mana. On good god, I don''t know why you''re ranked first."


    His words seemed to echo the thoughts of many of the people present in the ssroom, with many of them nodding along.


    I took in the sight.


    "My best guess is because of your achievements in the Emotive field. Even then, I doubt you''ll be able to do anything to me."


    When he finally said what he wanted to say, with a look of scorn, he added,


    "Simply put, you''re not fit for the role. You''re weak."


    Once again, the room fell into silence.


    All eyes were trained on me.


    "Haaa...."


    With all attention on me, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.


    <i>''....So they noticed.''</i>


    It wasn''t as though I didn''t expect it.


    Everyone must''ve noticed it during the first day. The fact that I was weak. That I wasn''t on the same level as them.


    I understood this even more clearly than they did.


    It was for this reason that I provoked everyone.


    Trained to the point of insanity.


    His words made sense, and there was nothing wrong with them.


    Still,


    "You''re wrong."


    My eyes were still closed, so I couldn''t see.


    All that I saw was darkness.


    In that darkness, I could feel my hand move towards my forearm. Where the four-leaved clover rested.


    I was a little hesitant at first, but then, I was reminded of my goal.


    That was when my mind became firm.


    Right.


    To achieve my goal, I need to make full use of all the advantages I have.


    Therefore...


    My finger pressed down on my forearm.


    <i>''...Nobody but me can be the ck Star.''</i>

 Chapter 14: The Weakest Black Star [2]

    <h4>Chapter 14: The Weakest ck Star [2]</h4>


    A familiar darkness embraced me.


    One that disappeared with the presence of a wheel.


    <i>Trrrrr¡ª! </i>


    It spun.


    The colors alternated with one another.


    The scene was familiar, and I waited with bathed breath. Yet again, I was reminded of the pain I underwent after the experience and nervousness started to creep in. What emotion was it going to stop on...?


    <i>''Don''t let it be fear.'' </i>


    Anything but that.


    The wheel eventually stopped, and my gaze fell on the long red arrow.


    <i>''Ah.'' </i>


    Blue.


    Sadness.


    The world quaked. My scenery slowly started to change, and my body sank in what seemed to be a... sofa?


    Uh?


    Gradually, an environment started to form.


    My chest felt heavy all of a sudden.


    "Huuu."


    Enough to make me want to take a deep breath.


    "....Why?"


    I licked my lips.


    They were dry.


    My mouth trembled.


    "W-why am I back here...?"


    Home.


    This ce I was all too familiar with.


    It was home.


    The ce I lived beforeing to this world.


    "H-hah."


    The pain in my chest intensified. One that was apanied by a sense of emptiness. I... missed this ce. I knew it was fake. A fabric of the skill I was using.


    ....That''s why it hurt.


    Because I knew it wasn''t real.


    "Shit."


    <i>Click¡ª</i>


    The door opened and a familiar figure entered.


    "Noel...?"


    "Yo, I''m back brother."


    He looked no different than Ist remembered. With his usual smile, he walked up to the desk set up in the living room.


    My fingers twisted.


    "I''ve got some takeaway. Kinda expensive, but worth it. Damn Chinese ce is so tasty~ ...I think I''m addicted."


    "Oh."


    The Chinese ce.


    Right.


    It was his favorite ce.


    He nced back and smirked.


    "Ay~ I got some for you as well. Don''t make such a face."


    "...."


    I opened my mouth but found myself unable to speak. The words just refused to leave my mouth.


    All of this...


    It felt so real.


    <i>''Could it be that all that I experienced was fake...?'' </i>


    Deep down, I knew that it didn''t make sense. The pain I felt. The frustration I felt. And everything that I experienced.


    Was that really fake?


    All of it?


    "Brother?"


    Noel turned around. His usual smile was there. Carrying the te, he walked in my direction before eventually stopping in front of me.


    "..."


    I studied his face closely.


    "Here."


    And I realized.


    "Eat well."


    He wasn''t looking at me.


    The te phased through my body, calmly resting on the sofa.


    ".....Make sure you eat well."


    He then calmly went back to the table and started eating, his back facing me.


    "Hah."


    My heart squeezed. The emotions I felt were wholly mine. It wasn''t likest time when they were injected into me.


    I felt a sharp pain like my heart was being stabbed. My breath caught, as if my air passages were being crushed...


    All because of the simple fact that,


    "...It''s good, right?"


    My brother''s shoulders were shaking.


    It was strange. In my mind, I knew this was fake. There''s no way my brother would act this way. But... was that really the case?


    Was what I was seeing truly fake? ...Or was this the reality of his life now?


    "Y-you''re enjoying your food?"


    He never looked back.


    It was as if he couldn''t look back.


    But I could see it.


    His shoulders... They were shaking. Even more than before.


    ".....Why?"


    I was running out of breath, and my vision blurred. A pain unlike any other invaded my body.


    Why did it have to be like this?


    <i>Rustle¡ª¡ª</i>


    A rustling caught my attention.


    "...!"


    If not for the fact that I was rooted on the spot, I would''ve stood up immediately.


    "Noel!"


    I shouted at the top of my lungs. Panic flooded every part of me as I tried to wrestle against the chains that kept me on the seat.


    But...


    My voice didn''t reach him.


    "Stop! Stop now!!! You can''t...!"


    "H-hah..."


    It couldn''t reach him.


    "....."


    Against his temple, Noel held a gun.


    "No, no, no, no, no..."


    What was this?


    What am I seeing?


    How did he...


    Ahhhh.


    "Heyyy!!!"


    It was as if a piece of my heart was being torn. Scraped off. My neck twisted, and the veins on my neck protruded.


    "What are you doing!?"


    Stop!


    Stop....!


    ".....I''m tired."


    Noel remained motionless.


    His voice seemed to be devoid of anything. As if he had lost track of himself.


    "No, don''t! I... Ah!"


    "Hey, brother..."


    Finally, he turned to look at me.


    That was when I stopped my struggles.


    <i>Drip... Drip... </i>


    His face was stained with tears. But the scariest part was his eyes... They were empty. Devoid of any of the usual spark he had.


    Ah, no...


    ".....Why did you leave me?"


    I knew he wasn''t addressing me. There was nobody in the room. It was just him. He was talking to himself.


    But...


    I feltpelled to respond.


    "I didn''t choose to leave."


    "Right, you had no choice."


    He answered in a manner that suggested he could hear me. But I knew he couldn''t.


    After all, he wasn''t looking at me.


    "It''s cold. Lonely. I have nobody. Our parents died. You were the only one left. Now that you''re gone... Nobody cares."


    "....Ah."


    My chest pounded.


    The pain seemed to strangle the words out of me.


    "I-I''m scared..."


    <i>Drip. </i>


    "I don''t know what to do... Why does everyone leave me...? What did I do? Am I the problem... Is that it?"


    No, that''s not...


    "Hehe..."


    A hollowugh escaped his lips.


    ".....I should just end it, right? That way... I won''t be alone anymore. At worst, I''ll be with darkness. It''s nothing different than now."


    "No!!"


    I finally snapped out of it.


    What reced the pain that entangled my heart was another emotion.


    Anger.


    I knew he couldn''t listen, but I still spoke.


    No, shouted.


    "You fucking idiot...!! I stopped everything so that you could live better."


    My chemotherapy.


    .....I stopped it because I wanted him to live a better life. He had enough savings to survive until he finished school. So... how could he just end it?


    Was my sacrifice for nothing!?


    No, no...!


    "Fuck!!! Stop!"


    ".....If you were here, you''d probably scold me. Tell me how much of a fucking idiot I am, right?"


    I lost my voice then.


    "Did I ask you to step chemo? Do you think I''ve ever cared about the money...?"


    No, that''s...


    "That was just an excuse from you wasn''t it?"


    "....What?"


    "You were scared."


    I felt myself lose my breath.


    ".....No."


    "You stopped chemo because you lost sight of yourself. You were afraid of spending your days meaninglessly, knowing that you had no future to look forward to. You chose the fastest way to leave. Leaving money for me... That was just an excuse you probably told yourself."


    "No, that''s..."


    ".....I know it. After all, I''m just like you now."


    That...


    I brought my hand toward my chest.


    It hurt.


    It hurt so much.


    The pain was taking over me.


    "Haaa.... Haaa...."


    My vision blurred, and every single breath was apanied by even more pain.


    Noel''s hand shook.


    "...Since you can run, I can too, right?"


    He looked at me.


    This time, it really felt like he could see me.


    "...."


    Tears, uninvited, welled up, and my mouth trembled. What was this? How could speaking hurt so much...?


    "You won''t mind if I join you, right?"


    "....No, no."


    My voice came out weak.


    I found that I could no longer shout. The energy drained from my body. This sense of helplessness...


    It slowly carved itself into my mind.


    So did the pain.


    "H-hah..."


    Noel smiled. In a way, his smile seemed liberating. But all I could feel was helplessness. I could feel myself breaking.


    The colors started to drain from the world.


    I could see the younger version of him, standing before me, asking me to buy him ice cream. It was just a couple of months after our parent''s death.


    It was just the two of us back then.


    He had only been ten back then. I remember that day clearly because... That was the day he regained his smile.


    I worked hard to keep it that way.


    To make it so that he wouldn''t stop smiling.


    So...


    Staring at the sight before me, I felt myself lose my breath.


    His smile. The one I promised to keep.


    It was gone.


    I took it away from him.


    "It... hurts."


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    <i></i>"....!"


    I flinched. My breath seemed to be caught in my throat as the gun fell from Noel''s hand. His eyes, which appeared to be devoid of any light, lowered.


    <i>Drip... Drip...</i>


    And tears continuously poured down from them.


    Biting his lips, he weakly leaned back.


    "I... I''m scared."


    He covered his face with both hands.


    "I don''t want to die."


    His shoulders trembled.


    "...But I don''t want to live."


    The world seemed to grow faint.


    "W-what do I do...?"


    Just before it all faded, his head turned to face my direction once more.


    "....Tell me, brother. What do I do?"


    That was thest time I heard his voice.


    Brightness engulfed my vision and I found myself in a familiar ce.


    All eyes were fixed on me.


    "H-hah..."


    But all I could feel was pain.


    My chest felt tight and heavy.


    Each breath felt heavier than thest.


    And my vision was blurry.


    It was at that point that I closed my eyes and saw a notification.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Sadness] EXP + 15%


    <i>''Level 2...?'' </i>


    At first, I was surprised, but then I understood.


    Unlike fear, I was familiar with sadness. It was all I ever knew in my previous life. It was no wonder my understanding of it was greater than fear or any other emotion.


    And with such thoughts, I opened my eyes.


    "...When was thest time that you cried?"


    Words flowed out of my mouth all of a sudden. They came out smoother than I thought.


    They were directed towards one person.


    "Uh...? What are¡ªHuh? Eh... Ah..."


    He stopped mid-sentence.


    A strange silence filled my surroundings.


    One that was broken by me as I stood up from my seat. Under the eyes of all present, I walked up the aisles before stopping in front of him.


    His focus wasn''t on me.


    "T-this... Wha-t is this...?"


    Flustered, he touched his cheeks.


    They were stained with tears.


    Gripping his shirt, he looked up at me.


    "W-what''s going on? What did you do?"


    I didn''t answer.


    Instead, I asked,


    "Did I touch you?"


    "Ah... H-ah."


    The tears streamed with even more force as his face paled.


    I clenched my teeth and raised my head. Recollections of the scene I witnessed reyed in my mind, threatening to force tears out of my eyes.


    But I held them in.


    I let the pain center towards my chest, where it had all umted.


    Instead, I directed my attention towards Anders.


    I opened my arms.


    "....You say I''m weak."


    Unfitting of my rank.


    "Here''s your chance. Hit me. "


    "Uekh... I..."


    With his hand on his chest, he only looked at me.


    I looked back at him.


    "So you can''t...?"


    I reached my hand forward to grasp his shoulder. He flinched at the touch but wasn''t able to free himself from it.


    "Tell me."


    He seemed to be in too much pain to answer.


    I could rte.


    My body was being eaten from the inside. The pain was unbearable, and every second I stood felt like torture.


    But I still held myself.


    I couldn''t show weakness.


    Not yet.


    I then recalled the words he threw at me before this; <i>''Even then, I doubt you''ll be able to do anything to me.''</i>


    That was when I asked,


    "....Am I doing something now?"


    He didn''t answer.


    Squeezing his shoulder, I murmured,


    "I thought so."

 Chapter 15: The Weakest Black Star [3]

    <h4>Chapter 15: The Weakest ck Star [3]</h4>


    <i>Drip. Drip. </i>


    Tears stained the floor.


    Their gentle drip echoing throughout the otherwise quiet room.


    Those tears...


    "Ah... I..."


    They weren''t my tears.


    "...Do you still think I''m weak?"


    Every word that came out of my mouth seemed to liberate me from the pain that was engulfing my chest.


    But it wasn''t enough.


    That''s why I squeezed his shoulder. It helped me alleviate the pain further while, at the same time, keeping me from falling. It was hard to remain standing.


    "Ukh... Ah... W-what did you do...?"


    Helplessness marred his features as he looked at me.


    I clenched my teeth. My eyes felt moist. The tears were trying their best to escape my eyes. But I didn''t let them.


    I kept my eyes fixed on him.


    "There''s only a weak person. No weak path."


    I repeated the same words I said before.


    His expression changed, and the tears continued to pour down his face. But... I could see anger interweaving with the sadness.


    "You, you..."


    His lips quivered.


    He struggled to make eye contact with me. That didn''tst for long and his jaw clenched tightly, and his expression twisted.


    Then...


    <i>Bang¡ª! </i>


    My face stung, and my head turned. His fist reached my cheek, pushing it to the side. Even so, even as my head turned, I didn''t look away. I kept my eyes on him.


    It hurt.


    But I was already being consumed by pain.


    This was nothingpared to what I was currently experiencing.


    It tickled.


    "...Am I weak?"


    I asked again.


    His eyes faltered, and the anger seemed to fade. A new emotion started to invade his mind.


    One that I was responsible for.


    Fear.


    The effect wasn''t as powerful as the first time I used it. Nor was it as strong as sadness, but under the current circumstances, it was enough.


    "H-hah."


    Anger was slowly being reced by fear.


    His lips quivered, and his fist lowered. Finally, he looked away from me.


    And that''s when I finally muttered,


    ".....Pathetic."


    ***


    "....."


    Coming out of the ssroom, Aoife stopped by the statue that stood at the front of the Dorset Hall. Towering over her, it was an imposing statue. One that every student who passed couldn''t help but notice.


    It was the statue of the first emperor.


    Dorset Gaius Megrail.


    Her ancestor and the first Zenith.


    Indeed, the blood of a Zenith flowed through her. A great honor that came with heavy responsibilities.


    It had been centuries since a Zenith had been born into their family.


    Their efforts at nurturing a Zenith had been in vain, and despite all their policies to keep others in check, the other houses were catching up.


    In particr...


    <i>''Delh Venice Rosemberg.''</i>


    A name stood out in her mind. She was the closest to the Zenith and the one with the power to end their reign.


    "...I won''t fail."


    To be the Zenith.


    Aoife was willing to do anything.


    It was her duty as a princess and her goal.


    "..."


    Students flowed out of the hall, with many of them ncing in her direction as they passed by. Ignoring them, she lowered her head to stare at her hand.


    It was trembling.


    Slightly.


    "Why?"


    Aoife''s only question was ''Why''.


    But at heart, she knew the reason for this.


    She shut her eyes, allowing her mind to delve deep as she rewound the events that had unfolded earlier.


    Anders Maddison.


    ...He was one of the cadets to look out for. Ranked within the top hundreds, he was a very talented individual, and someone Aoife kept in mind.


    He was a talented person she thought of recruiting for her faction.


    She was especially pleased by his boldness.


    "Simply put, you''re not fit for the role. You''re weak."


    His bold words back then echoed the thoughts of everyone present.


    The weakest ck Star.


    That was who Julien Dacre Evenus was.


    <i>''Weak.''</i>


    He was truly weak.


    To the point where one might wonder how he had managed to get himself into the position. It was a thought that consumed Aoife''s mind over the past week.


    How could someone as weak as him be the ck Star?


    She could recall his expression back then. Under the barrage of Anders''s words, he seemed calm. Unfazed, almost.


    It was as if he truly didn''t care.


    But was that the case...?


    Did he truly not care?


    At the time, when she saw him close his eyes, Aoife thought, ''He''s running away.'' His actions again made her ask the question,


    <i>''Just what is so special about him...?'' </i>


    His attitude was trash, his mana flow was weak, and he wasn''t of high noble birth.


    ".....Why?"


    She was confident that if the two of them were to fight one-on-one, she''d beat him with a simple flick of her finger.


    He was that weak in her eyes.


    The only one whom she truly deemed strong was not Julien, but his knight.


    Leon Rowan Ellert.


    He was ranked second, and unlike Julien, Aoife could see that he was strong. She couldn''t see herself beating him easily. If she wanted to beat him, she''d have to pull out every card she had.


    "....When was thest time that you cried?"


    Even now, she could remember his voice. The tone, the smoothness, and the fluidity of it. It wasn''t something she could forget.


    Never.


    "Uh...? What are¡ªHuh? Eh... Ah..."


    The way Ander''s face changed at his words, and tears flowed out of his eyes...


    She could also remember.


    The change was so abrupt that hardly anyone was able to react. Aoife was one of the few who was able to understand what had happened.


    By the time she did, however, Julien was already standing in front of him.


    "Did I touch you?"


    He didn''t.


    His every action seemed calcted. As if he were evoking a certain flow.


    First he evoked sadness.


    "...When was thest time that you cried?"


    Then, he evoked anger.


    "Here''s your chance. Hit me. "


    "You, you..."


    <i>Bang¡ª! </i>


    And then...


    ".....Pathetic."


    He evoked fear.


    "Huuu."


    Aoife opened her eyes.


    "The entire time, he was inplete control."


    It was an unmistakable fact.


    What made Emotive Mages so scary? It wasn''t their strength. Far from it. They were weak. Even the weakest mage could kill them.


    .....But that was only on the premise that they didn''t fall for their words.


    Through the exploitation of a single emotion, Emotive Mages could evoke and manipte other emotions. Though different, they were all intertwined together. And the more emotions am Emotive Mage could manipte, the stronger they were.


    Emotions were a weakness.


    It was something that Aoife understood all too well.


    Aoife''s fist slowly clenched.


    "He''s weak."


    That was undeniable.


    But...


    ".....He''s strong."


    Weak but strong.


    "Julien."


    A new name crawled its way up in her mind.


    It stood right alongside Delh''s.


    ***


    A familiar feeling.


    One that I had grown ustomed to.


    My legs were weak.


    "Haaa..."


    Each breath felt tiring.


    And the world felt empty.


    Colorless.


    It was just.... meaningless. There was nothing that excited me. Every one of my actions felt mundane. A chore.


    The tears that were threatening to spill from my eyes before were long gone.


    "....Tasteless."


    The food was tasteless too.


    It didn''t even look appetizing.


    I ced the spoon down and looked around me. I was sitting alone in the canteen. Several eyes were trained on me, sneaking nces whenever I wasn''t looking.


    I would''ve normally not minded.


    But...


    It perfectly reflected the reality of my situation.


    I was a stranger to this world. An outlier. A pebble drifting in the raging sea, doing its best to keep itself from sinking.


    The world...


    It was suffocating.


    <i>''I want to go back.''</i>


    <i></i>There was nothing more that I wanted.


    ....I was struggling. I truly was.


    Picking up the knife near me, I lightly traced my finger over its edge.


    "...."


    A red line formed on my finger.


    But.


    "...It doesn''t hurt."


    What if I cut it off...? Will it hurt then?


    Thoughts started to cloud my mind. They became more dangerous with each passing second. My mind was clear. I knew that my thoughts were stupid.


    But... My insides were empty.


    Just because my mind was clear, it didn''t mean I cared.


    Right now.


    I just wanted to feel something.


    Even if what I felt was pain. Something. I needed something. This emptiness that was consuming me... I wanted it to go away.


    "H-hah."


    My eyes continued to trace over the knife, just as my finger did.


    It seemed tempting.


    Just a little...? It''s not like this body is mine anyway...


    "Just..."


    I balled my hands into a fist and clenched my teeth. Every part of me tensed.


    <i>''I can''t.'' </i>


    Just like fear, sadness was consuming me. It was threatening to devour every part of me. An after-effect of the skill I used.


    But unlike fear, pain couldn''t save me.


    Right now.


    I wanted to feel pain.


    Something.


    "Hah."


    I took a deep breath and reminded myself of my goal.


    <i>''.....Noel.''</i>


    Right.


    There was someone waiting for me. He was struggling too. Perhaps even more. I didn''t care about myself, but I cared about him.


    For him.


    .....I could take on the pain.


    Taking a look around me, the noise finally entered my ears.


    I could hear again.


    Color also started to return.


    Alongside it was an intense pain. It squeezed tightly at my chest. Covering my eyes with both hands in a way that nobody noticed, I felt something wet brush against my finger.


    It took a while for me to realize what it was.


    Finally, my lips quivered.


    "S-hit."


    My tears.


    They had finally returned.


    ***


    As promised, there will be another chapter soon.

 Chapter 16: Mirror Dimension [1]

    <h4>Chapter 16: Mirror Dimension [1]</h4>


    Power over emotions.


    It was an interesting power.


    Sadness, anger, joy... In one way or another, they were all intertwined with one another. If exploited right, sadness could bring anger, anger could bring fear, and fear could bring joy...


    They were all connected, and thebinations were endless.


    But...


    "Can I keep my sanity?"


    The power came with a massive drawback.


    .....My sanity.


    It slowly ate at it.


    "Huuu."


    I took a deep breath to rx my mind.


    "Status."


    A familiar screen appeared in my vision. My gaze eventually fell on the spells that were listed.


    There was something that I was curious about.


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Anger


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Sadness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Fear


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Happiness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Disgust


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Surprise


    "..."


    I wordlessly raised my hand and reached for the window in front of me.


    "...Nothing."


    Yet again, my hand phased through the panel. It wasn''t a surprising result. I had tried a lot of methods but it didn''t seem to be possible to physically touch or.


    Or is it?


    I tried something different.


    Closing my eyes, I focused my attention on the area near my abdomen. Slowly, a warm current passed through me, which I guided toward my fingers.


    My hand experienced an odd tickling sensation, reminiscent of when my hand fell asleep¡ªparesthesia.


    Unbothered, I reached forward toward the panel. More specifically, toward the first spell.


    Anger.


    "...!"


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Anger


    ¦é Lvl. 1 [0%¡ª[13%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    A small bar appeared right beneath.


    "...Finally."


    A change urred, and I was able to get an idea of my current progress.


    I proceeded to tap on the other bars.


    Sadness ¡ª Lvl. 2 [23%]


    Fear ¡ª Lvl. 1 [37%]


    Happiness ¡ª Lvl. 1 [37%]


    Disgust ¡ª Lvl. 1 [37%]


    Surprise ¡ª Lvl. 1 [37%]


    "Interesting."


    The only spell that was level 2 was [Sadness]. The revtion didn''te as a surprise to me. I had already been aware of it.


    What I wasn''t aware of was its progress.


    23%...


    That was a lot more than I thought.


    "....So in the end, real-life experience does count in the progress. My real-life experience. Not Julien''s."


    The fact that I was already level 2 and that the other emotions also had a little progress served to affirm my thoughts.


    If that wasn''t enough proof;


    Hands of Mdy ¡ª Lvl. 1 [0%]


    Chains of kantria ¡ª Lvl. 1 [0%]


    "Haha..."


    Augh escaped my lips.


    How could it not?


    0%...


    Not even one percent. Simply zero...


    "I guess that proves it."


    The previous Julien was capable of using such spells. Though not brilliantly, he was capable. That was what Leon told me.


    Since it was at 0%, I was able to confirm my previous thought.


    My current progress.


    Be it Emotive, or Elemental.


    They were all mine. Not the previous Julien''s, but mine.


    "Huuu."


    I took a deep breath.


    Closing my eyes, I extended my hand forward. A small circle floated in the air in front of me and several runes started to light up.


    "Again."


    ***


    Located a five-minute walk from the Rondeo Dorms was a training facility called the [Karlson Hall].


    This facility, spanning 1000 square meters, housed an array of enchanting devices and exercise equipment for training purposes.


    Typically bustling with cadets, the hall was rtively empty. With it being the start of the year, the cadets were all busy socializing with one another.


    Socialization was important in the noble circle. It was, therefore, encouraged by the households to attend such gatherings.


    All with the exception of a few people.


    "So you''re here."


    An exception to all of this was Leon. He was drenched from head to toe, sword in hand. In front of him stood a dummy, its body cut in two.


    His movements came to a stop upon hearing the familiar voice behind him.


    "Evelyn? What brings you here?"


    "...I can''t train?"


    With a helpless shrug, she pointed toward the training dummies nearby. Seeing them, Leon made a look of understanding.


    "I see."


    He proceeded to wipe the sweat from his forehead.


    "...."


    An awkward silence followed suit.


    Evelyn made an exasperated face when she looked at him.


    "I''m not going to talk about him."


    "...Yes?"


    "I won''t ask so you don''t need to be so tense."


    "..."


    Was he that obvious...? For a moment, Leon struggled to answer.


    "I get it. You don''t want to talk about him. I also don''t want to talk about him. It doesn''t always have to be about him."


    "...Is that so."


    Leon''s shoulders rxed, and so did his expression.


    "How have you been?"


    Five years. That was how long the two hadn''t seen each other.


    The Evenus Household was one of the fastest-rising noble houses. Naturally, their circle was vast. The Verlice family was one of the families that they had gotten close to over the past years.


    There was a time when there were talks between the houses to have Evelyn and Julien engaged.


    That, however, fell through in the end.


    "Well... I''ve been good, I guess?"


    Evelyn shrugged and smiled wryly. Waving her hand, she pointed at the broken dummy.


    "Forget about me. I''m surprised that you managed to get the second seat. You''ve improved quite a lot. You could hardly hold the sword thest time I met you..."


    "I''ve train¡ªWhat''s with that look?"


    "So nd."


    Evelyn''s face scrunched up.


    "...I didn''t take you for such a nd guy."


    She then mimicked his expression, going all stony.


    "I''ve trained. Worked hard~"


    And flexed her muscles.


    Staring at the scene, Leon turned his head and covered his mouth with his fist.


    "...Kuhum. Sorry."


    "Please, the fact that you don''t even realize..."


    Evelyn''s face changed and she stopped mid-sentence. Covering her mouth, she leaned closer.


    "...What?"


    "What."


    Leon turned his head further.


    "Don''t tell me..."


    But Evely insisted.


    "You."


    Finally catching a glimpse of his face, her eyes widened.


    "You''re blushing, aren''t you? Holy shit, don''t tell me you don''t know that''s how you react?"


    "I..."


    "Fuuuuuckk..."


    ***


    ''Mirror dimension'' ¡ª A phenomenon that took over the continent of Aurora.


    There wasn''t much information regarding the Mirror Dimension. All that was known was that it expanded each year, slowly swallowing up the continent in the process.


    From there, existences known as ''Children of the Dark'' emerged into the continent.


    These entities of chaos shook the very foundation of humanity, swallowing up territories at a fast pace.


    The general situation was as such.


    At least, that was how I understood things.


    "Although the situation sounds dire, the Empire is still holding up well. In fact, we''ve managed to regain some of our territories as ofte. Which is why you need to memorize the monsters that are on the list. It''ll be useful for you for when you enter the Mirror Dimension."


    The ss I was attending was called ''Heritage Recollection and Monster Analysis.'' There were a lot of things to remember, from the history, monster types, ssifications, and so on...


    Looking at the long list of things that I needed to memorize I felt my head hurt a little.


    It reminded me of the times back when I was in school.


    That said, it didn''t seem like I was the only one struggling.


    Staring at the white-haired figure sitting a few rows ahead of me, I held myself back fromughing.


    With a "Unnng" she ruffled her hair, muttering things like, <i>''I''m fucked. Should I just sell myself? Fuck, no. Shit...'' </i>


    Just a lot of nonsense.


    At that moment, as if she could sense my gaze, her head turned and our eyes met. My expression stiffened at the sight of her, and an image shed in my mind.


    <i>''...It''s her.''</i>


    One of the girls from the vision.


    Before I could process the information, she tilted her head and mouthed, ''What are you looking at?''


    I thought about answering but decided against it when I felt the professor''s gaze pause on me.


    Clicking her tongue, she returned her attention to the front.


    The lecture continued from there.


    It only ended when another hour passed. By then, I was mentally drained.


    "We''ve only covered a portion of the sybus. We''ve still got a lot of things to go through. Please go back home and digest the information."


    As if he wasn''t satisfied, the lecturer added.


    "I''ll review what you''ve learned in the next lecture."


    A pained groan followed his exit as the white-haired girl gripped her head.


    "I''m fucked... I''m done. Shit. At this rate, I''ll fail... Do I have no choice but to sell myself?"


    She looked around before settling her gaze toward the nearest boy.


    "Oy."


    "...Hm?"


    "How much would you pay for me?"


    "Eh?"


    Flustered, the boy took a step back. She didn''t seem to mind and approached him. Her every action attracted the gaze of those around her. She was that pretty.


    Too bad she was crazy.


    Bat shit crazy.


    "How about this..."


    She leaned her elbow on his shoulder. Learning her head closer, she scratched her chin and nodded. As if she had just made a big decision.


    "You give me all your money, and in exchange, I''ll let you hold my hand. How about it?"


    "....Eh?"


    "Is that a no?"


    "..."


    "Tsk."


    She clicked her tongue and proceeded to her next target. It went on like this for a while before she left with a gloomy look.


    I thought about leaving, but the scene was rather entertaining. I wanted to know if anyone was willing to pay all their money just to hold her hand.


    That, and...


    The fact that I dreaded the next ss.


    [Dimension Diving]


    As the name suggested, it was a ss designated to emte the environment of the ''Mirror Dimension''. While it wasn''t the real deal, and the monsters were fake, it didn''t mean that it was impossible to get injured.


    Quite frankly.


    I didn''t want to go.


    My skills were not up to par.


    The only thing I could do was stay behind and watch.


    "Please gear yourself and put on your suits. We''ll be starting in the next half hour."


    A loud voice reminded me of the impending doom. Sighing to myself, I turned to look at Leon who had remained quiet the entire time. Turning his head to look at me, he raised his fist as if to say, ''Cheer up'' before packing up his staff and heading for the door.


    "Hey, wait. Why are you leaving?"


    "...Yes?"


    Leon stopped to look at me.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be my knight?"


    Wasn''t his entire job to protect me?


    "Oh."


    He nodded.


    "That''s right."


    "So..."


    "...Are you going to file aint?"


    "No."


    "Then..."


    He nodded his head and excused himself.


    "Ah."


    I held my hand over my forehead.


    Fuck.


    I really didn''t want to go.

 Chapter 17: Mirror Dimension [2]

    <h4>Chapter 17: Mirror Dimension [2]</h4>


    It was as if the air itself had cracked. Fragments, like that of a fractured mirror, lingered suspended in midair.


    A small crowd formed outside of the shattered space. There were over several hundred students, all of them huddled together in their cliques.


    The same couldn''t be said for me.


    Be it because they were avoiding me, or just didn''t like me, nobody appeared anywhere around me.


    .....I was the only one who was alone.


    "Mirror Dimension..."


    Not that I minded since my attention was on the cracked space in front of me.


    <i>''Yeah, I really don''t want to go.''</i>


    Everything about it felt ominous.


    Still, it wasn''t like I had a choice. Whether I liked it or not, I had to go. Perhaps I''ll be able to find answers here...


    While I was in the midst of my thoughts, the instructor, Amir Wallow, showed up.


    The surroundings went quiet.


    "Since everyone is gathered here, I''ll make things short. We will now be diving in groups of five. I''ll announce the list shortly."


    The noise that had previously taken hold of the space increased as the cadets grew restless.


    <i>''So we''re doing this in teams.'' </i>


    "It''ll be random so the bnce won''t be right. However, that shouldn''t matter since you aren''t being graded for this. It''s all about getting used to the environment for when you end up entering the more dangerous parts of the mirror dimension."


    He then proceeded to give a rundown of the team''spositions. A team generally wasposed of four to five members ¡ª two damage-dealers, one long-range, one tank, and one support.


    It generally alternated between one and two damage dealers per team.


    In that sense, I was assigned the support role.


    "It is up to you to decide the team leader. Be it the strongest person, or who you feel will be able to lead better... It''s up to you."


    The teams were announced shortly after.


    .


    .


    .


    ¡¸Team Seven¡¹


    ? : 1. Julien Evenus


    ? : 2. Rosanne Brighton


    ? : 3. Aoife Megrail


    ? : 4. James Milner


    ? : 5. Adan Whitelock


    "...Team Seven."


    A lot of unfamiliar names appeared on the list. There were over a thousand first years, and it was hard for me to remember everyone''s name.


    However, there was one name that stood out from the rest.


    Aoife Megrail.


    The Megrail name stood out immediately. It was the name of the ruling house and one of the women that appeared in my vision.


    Taking my eyes away from the board, I met her gaze. Her expression was hard to read, and briefly, I felt a certain coldness sh in her eyes. That went by really fast.


    She was the first one to approach me. Her red hair gracefully swung in the air as her beautiful lips parted open.


    "We''re on the same team."


    "...So it seems."


    My tone came out rather stiff. I wasn''t quite sure how to address her. With her being a princess, I had to be careful with my words.


    That was until she spoke again.


    "You''re weak."


    She spoke in a manner that left no room for debate.


    "...That''s why I will be the team leader."


    I didn''t answer and just stared at her. She looked back at me. Straight in the eyes. It was as if she was challenging me.


    Wanted me to refuse her.


    But...


    "Do as you see fit."


    All she did was do me a favor.


    I didn''t want to be the leader. I wasn''t fit to be one as well.


    As herposed expression began to reveal cracks under the impact of my actions, a smile tugged at my lips while I lowered my head.


    ".....Team Leader."


    *


    The air was dry.


    The world appeared monochromatic, enveloped in shades of gray, with the sole exception of the vivid red and orange tones emanating from the sun in the sky.


    I was running through a rocky field.


    The other team members were running ahead of me. Unlike me, they didn''t seem to be struggling.


    My stamina was starting to run low.


    Was this the difference between us...?


    "Let''s stop here."


    Thankfully, we stopped just as I couldn''t hold myposure. Halting, Aoife looked around before settling her gaze over arge rock.


    "Let''s take a small break for now. We''re almost near our destination."


    Taking advantage of the situation, I sat on the rock to catch my breath. There were a total of five people in the group, and as I sat down, none of the members approached me and huddled over to Aoife.


    <i>''Can''t me them... She''s a princess.'' </i>


    Had I been in their position, I too would''ve been like them.


    It was unfortunate that in the future, there was a chance she''d kill me. I needed to be careful around her.


    An appropriate distance was required.


    Still, from where I was, I could overhear their conversation.


    "Team Leader, where exactly are we going?"


    "...Gathering point. We should be able to meet with the other members there."


    "Ah, is that so."


    A woman with gold locks sighed in relief. Rosanne Brighton. With a long staff in hand, she was the long-ranged fighter of the team.


    An elemental user with dual attributes.


    Fire, and water.


    She looked around.


    "Things have been proceeding rather smoothly. We still haven''t seen many monsters yet. Is it because this is one of the safer areas?"


    "The point of this excursion is for us to familiarize ourselves with the environment. There shouldn''t be that many monsters."


    Standing at an imposing height of 2 meters, he towered over all of us. James Milner, the team''s tanker, replied.


    "Ah."


    "That''s right."


    Chewing on a jerky, Aoife nced around.


    ".....Still, keep your guard up. Always stay alert. Don''t let your guard down."


    "Got it."


    Nodding, Aoife finished the jerky and patted her hands.


    "Let''s go."


    We were back on the move.


    The terrain shifted, and trees emerged in my field of vision, their leafless branches stretching out and gradually surrounding us as we advanced.


    <i>Scrunch... Scrunch... </i>


    Our group was engulfed in silence, disrupted only by the steady rhythm of our footsteps resonating against the uneven ground nketed with ayer of damp, dposing leaves.


    Gradually, the light dimmed, and I sensed myself losing my sight. Wisps of fog clung to the gnarled trunks of the trees around us, making it hard for me to see.


    "....Continue."


    A sense of dread assaulted my mind as we marched forward.


    From eyesight to hearing... We were gradually losing sight of all our senses.


    "Haaa... Haaa...."


    My breath started to feel heavy.


    ...Was it because I was growing tired?


    A thought that apanied my mind as I continued forward.


    "Ukh...!"


    My head throbbed all of a sudden.


    The pain wasn''t intense. It came as fast as it left. By the time I regained my senses, the light started to return.


    <i>''What was that...?'' </i>


    Checking myself, I felt nothing strange with my body. Staring at my hands, I frowned but continued forward.


    My mind eventually rxed after a couple of minutes.


    "....I''m probably tired."


    Just as I felt my chest grow lighter.....


    <i>SHIIIING¡ª! </i>


    Something streaked through the air,ing at me from a nearby tree. It was so fast that I had no time to react.


    Before I even had the chance to gather my bearings, an intense pain flooded my chest.


    <i>Thump. </i>


    And I fell to my knees.


    "Pftt."


    Blood spilled from my mouth as I felt my head grow light.


    The world became a blur from there.


    "W-what..."


    I could hardly speak and the words refused to leave my mouth.


    The pain was hard to describe.


    It was intense, and my consciousness grew faint.


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    Thest thing I managed to see before I lost consciousness was a small creature diving from the front, right toward Aoife who just barely managed to react.


    "Sh-it..."


    And then the world grew dark.


    Or so I thought.


    "Uahp...!"


    As if oxygen had been removed from my lungs, I took a deep breath. My consciousness returned and rity returned.


    <i>Scrunch... Scrunch... </i>


    The familiar sound of my footsteps echoed through the ground, and as I looked ahead, familiar backs came into view.


    <i>''What just...'' </i>


    The memory of the situation was still vivid in my mind. Although my vision was hindered, the path was familiar.


    From the trees to our current location. It was all the same. Just in a couple of minutes, we should being out...


    Indeed, as I thought, lights started to return. A familiar view.


    Gradually, my feet started to slow down.


    Noticing my situation, the others stopped as well. With a frown, Aoife looked at me.


    "Are you tired?"


    I didn''t answer her.


    Scanning my surroundings, everything appeared to be the same as before. So much that it felt eery.


    "...Julien?"


    The positions of the trees, the cement of the rocks, and the sensation of the air¡ªevery detail rushed vividly back to my memory.


    It can''t be, right...?


    "Hey...!"


    I snapped out of it when tworge hands grasped my shoulders. A rough face inched close to mine.


    "Someone is talking to you, pay attention."


    "..."


    That was when I realized everyone was looking at me. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before opening my eyes again.


    "Let go."


    "You."


    Raising my hand, I was just about to grasp his shoulder when he let go and cursed.


    ".....Arrogant bastard."


    Ignoring him, I patted and adjusted my clothes. Feeling Aoife''s intense gaze, I feltpelled to say something.


    "There''s an ambush ahead."


    Maybe.


    I wasn''t too sure.


    "An ambush...?"


    Making a dumbfounded look, James''s mouth dropped.


    "Is that really the best excuse you cou¡ª"


    <i>Step¡ª</i>


    Ignoring him, I took a step forward.


    "Hey, you...!"


    <i>Step¡ª</i>


    And then another. Carefully counting each step, I closed my eyes and reyed the memory in my mind. Gradually, I arrived near the exact spot where the memory ended.


    I was just one step away.


    "..."


    My feet stopped.


    Just one step. As long as I took a step...


    "Are we seriously going to waste time waiting for him? He''s just trying to save himself from the embarrassment. If¡ª"


    <i>Step¡ª</i>


    I took that step.


    And...


    <i>SHIIIING¡ª! </i>


    Just as in the memory, the moment I took the step, the tree rustled and something fast streaked through the air. But unlikest time, I was prepared. Tilting my body ever so slightly, it passed right before me.


    With a ''thud,'' it came crashing toward the ground, revealing a glimpse of its features.


    "..."


    I didn''t pay much attention to it''s looks. Turning my attention toward my group, I nudged with my chin.


    "...Get rid of it."

 Chapter 18: Mirror Dimension [3]

    <h4>Chapter 18: Mirror Dimension [3]</h4>


    Foresight.


    The gift of glimpsing into the future¡ªa power I held. It was the third time now, and even now, I didn''t fully understand it.


    What triggered it...?


    Was it just random, or did it follow a set pattern?


    Questions flooded my mind.


    But I didn''t have long to ponder over them.


    <i>St¡ª! </i>


    Grabbing my attention, a ck substance sttered on the ground, presumingly from the monster that had just been killed.


    I didn''t care to look, though. The vision grabbed my thoughts as it reyed in my mind.


    Every detail, from the minutiae to the grand, was etched vividly in my memory.


    With a thought, I could recall everything that had happened. From the pain to the veryst moments when something dashed at the team leader.


    The memories were vivid in my mind, and as my gaze settled on a specific tree, my hand instinctively reached out, extending a finger to point at it.


    "That one."


    I was sure.


    The memories told me so.


    ".....Get rid of that one too."


    Another one was hiding in that tree.


    ***


    ''How did he know...?''


    Aoife looked at his back, her eyes falling on the creature on the ground.


    <i>''Rabbleflit'' </i>


    An ''infant'' ranked beast. Though the lowest of all sses, it was a beast that specialized in stealth and ambushes.


    They were both deaf and blind. They attacked based on nearby vibrations, limiting their range to a small area.


    Even so...


    Topensate for this evident w, their mastery over stealth was unparalleled.


    Unless one possessed proficiency in search magic or had extremely keen mana senses, detecting them was nearly impossible.


    Was Julien proficient in search magic...?


    She didn''t think so.


    So how?


    Mana sensitivity...?


    "It''s hiding on that tree over there."


    Aoife followed his finger. Again, she could see nothing.


    ".....Team Leader."


    Aoife looked back at him, immediately noticing his annoyed expression.


    "Yes?"


    "As far as I''m concerned, there''s another creature hiding over there. I''m not proficient in long-range magic. If you wouldn''t mind."


    "Right..."


    Aoife eyed the tree in the distance and flicked her finger. The tree shriveled up,pressing like a scrunched-up paper.


    It all happened so fast that the creature was unable to react.


    "Hieek...!"


    After a deafening screech, what followed was the creature''s shriveled-up body.


    "...."


    Aoife took a look at the creature before turning her head away.


    ''How ugly...''


    Just like Julien, she was talented in two fields.


    [Mind] and [Body].


    Unlike Julien, who was proficient in the Emotive field under the Mind ssification, she was more proficient in Telekinesis.


    With a single thought, she could manipte an inanimate object.


    "Yuck, it looks nasty."


    A different figure drew near, leaning forward as her golden locks cascaded over her face while she grimaced.


    "They really do look different than the textbooks, don''t they? Team Leader."


    It was...


    What was her name again?


    Aoife struggled to recall. Nheless, she nodded her head.


    ".....Yeah."


    That was when two other figures approached her. With bright smiles, they started to praise her.


    "You were amazing."


    "That was great. I can''t believe you''re so strong."


    It was a situation she had grown used to. Typically, she didn''t mind such ttery.


    But strangely, they felt rather annoying at the moment.


    ''...I didn''t do anything.''


    She found it odd.


    Since when did she mind such things?


    "..."


    At heart, she already knew the answer.


    Swallowing her pride, much to the surprise of the others, she moved toward a certain figure. He stood alone, his gaze lingering over the nearby trees.


    "..."


    She stopped when she was a few meters away from him.


    Taking note of her appearance, he nced at her.


    "What?"


    His tone was as t and rude as ever. However, she didn''t mind it.


    She knew he could take advantage of her cracks if she showed them.


    "....Thank you. The situation would''ve been difficult had you not warned us."


    "Ah."


    He extended his hand to brush his shoulders.


    "You''re right."


    "...?"


    Aoife found the entire situation somewhat funny. She somewhat expected such an answer from him.


    It seemed fitting.


    Could she be starting to get an idea of his character?


    "Can you continue doing it?"


    Aoife believed that moving forward, if they wanted no idents to ur, they needed his assistance.


    He had proven his abilities worked.


    Even as the other members showed clear signs of refusal, she ignored them. For this journey to go smoothly, she needed him.


    Pride was meaningless under such circumstances.


    She expected him to feel the same too, but as their gazes met, he shook his head.


    "No."


    Casually taking out a jerky, he bit into it and turned away.


    "...Even if I want to, I can''t."


    Staring at his back, Aoife''s expression didn''t change.


    Such response... It was fitting of him.


    But as expected.


    <i>''I really can''t stand him.'' </i>


    ***


    The Mirror Dimension was an expansive space devoid of any life.


    The amount of manpower used by the kingdom to keep the space from expanding was enormous.


    Thankfully, just as threatening as the Mirror Dimension was, it was also and filled with opportunities.


    ck Region Supply-Station.


    In front of a levitating panel adorned with a myriad of shifting images stood a gracefully poised woman with flowing ck hair.


    Delh''s gaze seemed fixed on a certain panel.


    ".....Could it be that he''s very perceptive to mana?"


    [Get rid of that one too.]


    The way he was able to detect Rabbleflit so effortlessly despite not specializing in such magic. The way he was able to avoid its ambush...


    It aroused curiosity.


    When one thought about it, what he did wasn''t all that impressive. Recognizing the mana flow of a creature was something that most mages were capable of doing after reaching a certain point.


    The key point, however, was ''certain point''.


    Tier 3 and above was the requirement.


    In other words, he was able to achieve something like that before even reaching Tier 3.


    "Fascinating."


    Truly.


    But that was all.


    It was just fascinating.


    Her lingering interest in him waned when she brought her attention to a specific paper.


    "...."


    It was a document detailing Julien''s background.


    The contents weren''t very thick. However, a certain page caught her attention. It was a close-up image of him.


    Her eyes slowly traced down toward his forearm, where a small ck tattoo appeared.


    It was an unremarkable tattoo. One that any other person could have.


    But...


    She was confident.


    After doing an intensive background check, she was sure of it.


    "....So you''ve finally shown yourselves."


    Delh gently closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The paper in her hand wrinkled under her grasp.


    "To think you''d even try to target this ce..."


    Finally, cracks appeared on her usuallyposed expression as her lips twisted up. A sneer marred her features.


    "How bold."


    She spat out, trying her best to suppress the raging storm that was boiling in her chest.


    Staring at the tattoo in the picture, her expression turned frosty.


    "How very bold..."


    ***


    "Looks like all the teams have gathered."


    There were no other hups on our journey to the designated spot. That was good because I still struggled to clear my mind of the vision.


    I still felt the lingering after-effects of my death. Thankfully, it happened fast... but the veryst moments were still deeply rooted in my mind.


    "What you guys currently experienced was merely a taste of the dimension. The deeper you venture, the harder things will be. Thankfully, our empire set up several safe stations located throughout. This one being one of them."


    Amir Wallow gave a long-winded statement. He gave us a short overview of our current location.


    Looking around, I had to hold myself from expressing my surprise.


    High walls constructed from sturdy rock enclosed the area, while tents were scattered throughout. In the distance, a fissured space marked the entrance and exit points where people came and went.


    It was a strange sight. One that I didn''t think I would get used to easily.


    "This is a rather small safe-station. There''s plenty deeper within the dimension, but you won''t get to experience those just yet. For now, enjoy yourselves here. We will return to the institute in an hour."


    The cadets all separated.


    Perhaps because everything seemed so new, everyone looked strangely excited as they scattered to check out the safe zone.


    I thought about checking the ce, too, but...


    "I''m tired."


    I felt strangely tired.


    My eyelids were growing heavier, and each step felt heavier than thest. It was to the point where I had no choice but to find a ce to sit.


    "Haa..."


    Taking a deep breath, I covered my face.


    What sort of situation was this?


    It wasn''t as though I did muching here. My group members did most of the killings while I watched from behind.


    The only time I acted was when...


    "Could it be that?"


    Was this the consequence of the ''insight'' ability?


    If that was the case, I was more than happy with it. Compared to the bacsh from ''immersion,'' this felt like nothing.


    "Haha.... shit, have I be too used to this?"


    Physical pain, tiredness, mental trauma... It felt like I had experienced a lot of things over the past week.


    "This is crazy. This i¡ªUkh!"


    Pain seized my body all of a sudden.


    It was so intense that I couldn''t even shout. Spit flew from my mouth as I lost control of my body.


    My vision blurred, and the world tilted.


    "...Ukh."


    ''Wh-what''s going on...?!''


    Clutching the side of the bench I upied with all my strength, my legs quivered.


    It was hard to describe the pain I was in.


    It seemed as if it aimed to consume my mind, stimting every corner of my consciousness before honing in on a particr point.


    A familiar spot.


    "...Ah."


    And as my gaze fell on the spot, I finally found my breath again.


    I didn''t know how to feel.


    Lowering my head, I stared at my forearm, where a small tattoo appeared.


    It was unlike how it was before.


    Something changed.


    "T-his...haa... of all things..."


    The second leaf of the tattoo.


    It had lit up.

 Chapter 19: Language [1]

    <h4>Chapter 19: Language [1]</h4>


    ...It was 12:45 AM.


    The stars hung in the sky, and an unusual quietness enveloped the surroundings. It felt strangely peaceful.


    "....."


    Taking a deep breath, I submerged my body in the bathtub.


    The water was cold but it helped to keep my mind clear.


    Ssh...


    The water sshed as I raised my arm out of the water. Focusing my attention on it, my eyes fell on the four-leaved clover.


    Two of the leaves were currently lit.


    The top and bottom.


    "...How strange."


    It was a mysterious tattoo. It had been with me ever since I appeared in this world. Even now, I struggled to understand what it did.


    What exactly was it? ...and what was the meaning behind it.


    "Four leaves, so... Four abilities?"


    It seemed logical.


    I had already experienced one.


    My mind shuddered thinking about the first ability. From what I gathered, every time I used the ability, it would take an entire day for it to recharge before I could use it again.


    That said...


    "It''s impossible."


    While the ability replenished within a day, my mind couldn''t recharge at the same pace.


    It was a dangerous ability.


    Every usage threatened to eat at my sanity.


    There was a reason I was so desperate to learn my other abilities. I didn''t want topletely rely on this ability.


    Of course, that didn''t mean I wasn''t prepared to use it.


    Every advantage was necessary.


    But...


    <i>''It''s best if I tread lightly.'' </i>


    Yeah.


    So that I wouldn''t lose sight of myself.


    I had to tread lightly.


    "Hoo..."


    I floated on the water, with only my neck and hand breaking the surface.


    Considering the after-effects of the first ability, the prospect of using the second one felt daunting.


    My eyes continued to linger over the tattoo.


    What was going to happen if I pressed on it...?


    Was the side-effect going to be greater? If so, will I be fine by the end of it?


    So many questions, and so few answers....


    "....Shall I try?"


    There was only one way to find out.


    Although the idea seemed daunting, my mind was firm. Something was weighing heavily on my mind, and it was eating me up from the inside.


    All I wanted was for it to stop.


    And for that...


    "I''ll do it."


    Even if it meant more pain.


    With such thoughts, I reached for the second leaf.


    "....."


    Silently I felt my finger touch my skin.


    It pressed on the area where the second leaf lit up and I closed my eyes in preparation for what was toe.


    But...


    ".....Nothing?"


    When I opened my eyes again, I noticed that everything was the same.


    There was no change.


    No, there was a change.


    "What''s this?"


    The second leaf.


    It had lost its light. It was now back to how it was before.


    "....."


    I silently stared at my hand for what felt like forever.


    Eventually, my head sank into the water.


    A part of me felt relieved, but another felt disappointed.


    Submerging myself deeper into the water, I let myself rx.


    In this strange silence.


    I felt at peace.


    ***


    The next day.


    sses were running as usual. First years weren''t allowed to select their own courses. Therefore, as I nced at the name of the lecture, I had to resist the urge to audibly groan.


    ".....Language study."


    As expected.


    Even in this world, these types of lectures were unavoidable.


    Thenguage that was used in this empire was called ''Lumoraic''. A modernnguage that was only a few centuries old.


    It was good that when I came to this world I was already able to speak, or else...


    "Let''s not think about it."


    I silently entered the ssroom.


    The ssroom was ratherrge. With over a hundred students, it had to be spacious.


    The moment I entered the ssroom, several gazes fell on me. Their gazes still felt burdensome, but I was slowly starting to get used to them.


    I looked around before eventually making my way toward where Leon was.


    It was strange.


    Before, he''d used to follow me everywhere. As if he was studying my every move.


    However, now... He didn''t seem to care as much.


    Still, he did save me a seat.


    So that''s that.


    I had just taken a seat when Leon nced at me and frowned.


    ".....You look quite tired."


    "Ah, yeah."


    I hardly sleptst night.


    "I''m still adjusting."


    "Oh. Take care of yourself."


    "...Yeah."


    The conversation ended there. He was a man of little words, and so was I. Our conversations usuallysted for this long.


    To an outsider, they probably sounded like an extremely stiff conversation. However, I liked it to be like this.


    It was the perfect distance.


    Not too close and not too far.


    It was exactly 8 o''clock when the professor in charge came in.


    "Looks like the ss is packed. It''s nice to see so many students eager to learn a newnguage."


    The professor was a middle-aged man adorned with a meticulously groomed mustache and gray hair. d in elegant attire, his demeanor exuded an unmistakable aura of grace.


    It was obvious at a nce that he was a high-end noble.


    "As many of you know, the mirror dimensions hold many mysteries. From resources to ancient scripts... There are a lot of hidden treasures within the dimension."


    There was a reason why the Empire had many supply stations constructed within the Dimension.


    It wasn''t just for the sake of stopping the expansion of the dimension. It was also for the sake of gathering resources. From the ruins of old civilizations to ores, and monsters... It held a lot of opportunity.


    "As one says. Knowledge is power. Within the ancient civilizations, there are many books detailing a lot of useful information regarding the expansion of the Mirror Dimension. By studying theirnguage, we''re empowering ourselves with the ability to understand their mistakes and technology."


    The professor seemed enthusiastic about the lecture.


    He went on to brag about the Empire''s achievement in this field and how they were ahead of the other Empires.


    But...


    I couldn''t feel the same excitement he felt.


    "....Huam."


    A light yawn escaped my mouth.


    It was a quiet one.


    To the extent that no one else seemed to notice.


    But it perfectly reflected my state of mind.


    I was tired, and the lecture was boring.


    Having barely slept the previous night, coupled with how interesting the lecture was, I found myself sumbing to drowsiness.


    I had to pinch myself several times to keep myself from falling asleep.


    But there was a slight problem.


    While I did try my best to hide my drowsiness, it wasn''t enough.


    <i> ¡ªCadet Julien, is my lecture boring you? </i>


    A shadow cast over the area I was in.


    Looking up, the professor was standing a few meters away from me.


    "...?"


    I scratched the side of my head.


    <i> ¡ªDid you manage to sleepst night? </i>


    I thought about an appropriate answer but,


    <i> ¡ªNo.</i>


    <i></i>I shook my head and came clean.


    <i> ¡ªI wasn''t able to sleep muchst night. </i>


    The professor''s expression stiffened all of a sudden.


    A smallmotion followed suit as multiple eyes fell on me.


    The situation took me aback.


    <i>''What''s going on...?''</i>


    And then, I heard a small voice behind me.


    ".....Was it just me or did his pronunciation sound even better than the professor''s?"


    Pronunciation...?


    I thought back on the conversation I had with the professor.


    All he did was ask whether his lecture was boring me.


    What was so strange ab-


    "Ah."


    That''s when I realized.


    <i>''This...'' </i>


    We were both speaking English.


    ***


    Thenguage ss ended after one hour.


    Evelyn walked with her head lowered, apanied by a young woman with short brown hair.


    "Ah~ My back hurts. I can''t believe we had to go through that."


    Theoretical sses always tended to be more boring than practical ones.


    "And the fact that we have to memorize the alphabet before the next ss is even worse. Kill me already...!"


    As Josephine grumbled, she suddenly recalled something and tilted her head.


    "Evelyn, didn''t you say you were acquainted with Julien?"


    "Uh, ah?"


    Evelyn snapped out of her thoughts at the mention of Julien''s name.


    "Did you say something?"


    "Geez~ Pay attention when I''m talking."


    Rubbing her forehead, Josephin repeated,


    "Didn''t you say you were acquainted with Julien?"


    "...Ah, yes."


    Julien. An image of a man appeared in her mind.


    It stuck there and refused to leave.


    "Was he always like that? I mean, not only is he the ck Star, but he also seems to be very proficient in English. Shee~"


    Josephine rubbed the sides of her arms.


    "Did you notice the professor''s expression when he was talking to him? For a moment, I found myself questioning who the real expert was. Did you not feel the same way?"


    "...."


    Evelyn remained silent at the question. She had been quietly biting her lips for a while now.


    Josephine tilted her head in confusion.


    Why is she so quiet?


    She usually wasn''t this quiet.


    "What''s wrong? Did you not feel the same?"


    "....."


    But yet again Evelyn remained quiet.


    Realizing that something was off, Josephine followed Evelyn''s line of sight.


    "Ah."


    That was when she saw a figure in the distance.


    He stood erect, his presence distinct from the others, and his strides measured and steady. His presence alone gathered the stares of those around him.


    Staring at him from the distance, Evelyn''s eyes narrowed.


    Julien. What happened in the five years she hadn''t seen him?


    Gradually, the distance between the two of them shrank.


    <i>Step¡ª</i>


    With one more step, he appeared in front of her.


    As he passed, their gazes met briefly.


    "...."


    She thought he''d continue forward, but...


    "...."


    His feet came to a stop just as he passed. Evelyn felt her shoulders grow tense at the fact. Turning around to face him, her eyes met with his.


    They were cold.


    Detached of any feelings. If before she could feel the emotions in his gaze, now... all she could feel was emptiness.


    Alienation.


    His words soon broke her thoughts.


    "Your lips."


    He pointed.


    ".....They''re bleeding."

 Chapter 20: Language [2]

    <h4>Chapter 20: Language [2]</h4>


    "I''m bleeding...?"


    Evelyn was taken aback. Of all the things she expected him to say, that was thest thing she could''ve imagined.


    She raised her hand to touch her lips.


    Feeling something wet trace over her finger, she looked down to see it stained in red.


    ''How did this...?''


    Evelyn had a hard timeing to terms with the situation.


    Just how hard had she been biting her lips?


    ".....Ah."


    Raising her head, her expression changed.


    He was no longer in front of her.


    Looking around, she caught a glimpse of his disappearing back. Even now, his back stood straight andposed.


    As fast as he appeared, he had left.


    "Haha..."


    Staring at the scene, Evelyn let out a bitterugh. Even now, she has a hard time understanding how to feel.


    Perhaps, this was for the best.


    Wiping her lips, she noticed Josephine looking at her with a dumbfounded expression.


    "What?"


    "...So you really did know him?"


    "Uh?"


    sping her hands, Josephine brought her head closer to hers. A strange smile marred her face as she leaned closer.


    "He''s pretty wealthy, isn''t he?"


    "Wealthy...?"


    Evelyn thought about it. Well, yeah. He did belong to an up-anding noble house. The Evenus household wasn''t one to be trifled with.


    So,


    "Yes."


    "He''s also handsome, right? Pretty intelligent, too..."


    "Hm?"


    Evelyn''s eyes narrowed.


    "Where are you going with this?"


    "....You think you can introduce me?"


    "Introduce?"


    Why?


    "...I think I''m in love~"


    What sort of fu¡ª


    ***


    The Institute boasted a massive library that spanned over several hundred square meters.


    With tens of thousands of books, it was the perfect ce for me to familiarise myself with the world and itsws.


    "English... English..."


    My current focus was the ''Languages'' section, or more specifically, the ''English'' section.


    I had been so drowsy that I hadn''t noticed it then, but that was definitely English. I was all too familiar with thenguage. There''s no way I wouldn''t recognize it.


    So...


    "How?"


    Was this part of the game setting?


    ".....That would make sense."


    But at the same time, it didn''t. If you were to create an entirely differentnguage and social hierarchy, what was the point of adding English?


    Some sort of easter egg?


    That too seemed usible.


    "This should be the ce."


    : [Language and literature]


    A bold sign was all it took for me to know where to go. Looking around, I scanned through the books before settling my gaze on a specific one. It was rather thick, and the cover felt extremely familiar.


    "As expected..."


    Taking the book, my hand glossed over the cover, and I took a deep breath.


    [English Vocabry]


    A book I would''ve never expected to see in this world.


    <i>Flip¡ª</i>


    Even the contents were the same.


    "..."


    I felt a mixture of different emotions staring at the book in front of me. In a sense, it reminded me a lot of home.


    Earth.


    There wasn''t a day that passed when I didn''t think about home.


    It was all I ever thought about.


    ...And while it was true that I had somewhat adapted to this world, I had no choice but to adapt to it.


    I would''ve been dead otherwise.


    "There''s a thesaurus as well..."


    Scrolling through the books on the shelves, a lot of familiar ones, such as the dictionary and thesaurus, appeared. There also appeared to be a lot of novels. From romance to fantasy...


    Grabbing a certain book, I opened to a random page to see what it was about, but...


    "His warm body slowly embraced her..."


    I closed it just as fast as I opened it.


    "Just what were the game developers thinking...?''"


    It was smut.


    Was this type of book even appropriate?


    But,


    "Something feels off."


    I couldn''t quite put my finger on it.


    But it all boiled down to a certain point. Or location.


    ".....Mirror Dimension."


    That was the ce where these books were found.


    What I wanted to know was... What else did they find, and where exactly did they find it?


    <i>Grip¡ª</i>


    Unknowingly, my grip on the book intensified.


    Though I wasn''t certain, I felt a little closer to an answer. At the very least, I now had a direction.


    But...


    "...Do I have no choice but to go?"


    The Mirror Dimension.


    It was an extremely dangerous ce. One where a single mistake could cost one''s life.


    However, as I thought about how these books came from such a ce, I had no choice but to go there to get an idea of what was happening to me.


    Even if it was dangerous.


    But before that...


    I looked around me and took note of the numerous books that surrounded me.


    "I should check out the other books."


    Perhaps I''d be able to find the answers to some of my questions.


    With how many books were present, I was bound to find something.


    "Whooo..."


    Putting the dictionary back, I headed deeper into the library.


    It was time for me to read.


    *


    The library was teeming with books on all sorts of topics.


    "How long...?"


    Before I knew it, the sky outside was dark. I had been so immersed in reading that I hadn''t noticed that a lot of time had passed.


    "It''s already past dinner time."


    The time said 10 p.m.


    By now, the canteen was already closed, and there was no way for me to get food.


    But I didn''t let that bother me.


    In the end, I learned a lot of things.


    From the history of the continent to how the Mirror Dimension worked.


    From my understanding, it was a fairlyplicated ce.


    While reading, what I grasped was merely rudimentary knowledge. The ce was extremely mysterious, and despite the time invested, my questions remained unanswered.


    I wasn''t disheartened, however.


    There were plenty of books for me to read. I was bound to find an answer sooner orter.


    "Huaam..."


    A yawn inexplicably escaped from my lips.


    My tiredness was starting to catch up to me. I had no choice but to call it quits for the day.


    "Let''s see..."


    I sorted out the books in front of me.


    A student could only be allowed to borrow a maximum of three books per semester. In front of me were sixteen different books.


    All of them interested me, and if not for the rule, I would''ve brought them all back with me.


    Even so, rules were rules, and in the end, I settled for the ones that I had already read.


    : [History of the Aurora Continent]


    : [The basics of Curse Magic]


    : [Runenguage and its distinctions]


    These were the books I deemed to be the most useful for me in the long term.


    I stood up and packed my stuff, cing the books I didn''t choose back to where they belonged.


    Thud.


    One of the books fell as I positioned them on the shelf.


    I reached out to grab it when...


    My hand paused.


    "..."


    There was a certain scent in the air that triggered my nose.


    "This smell..."


    It brought certain memories that I had buried deep within my mind. Unknowingly, my feet moved toward where the smell came from until I eventually neared a secluded area of the library.


    "....Ah."


    There, a person stood.


    A familiar face.


    Long, tinum hair cascaded down her back as she leaned on the table. Wedged in her fingers was a cigarette.


    "....."


    Unwanted memories started to resurface in my mind all of a sudden.


    So much so that I felt my breath grow heavy at the thought.


    I felt a strange tightness in my chest. It closely reminded me of the pain that had taken over my life during theter stages of it.


    Perhaps that was why...


    Without realizing it, I blurted out loud,


    "It smells like shit."


    At that, she furrowed her brows.


    <i>*Puff* </i>


    She took a long drag of the cigarette before blowing the smoke in my direction.


    "Tough luck."


    "...."


    I stood nkly.


    As the smoke drifted past me, unwanted memories clouded my mind once again.


    To the point where I unconsciously moved forward.


    "Oy."


    Flicking the cigarette away, she clicked her tongue and stood more alert.


    "...What the hell are you doing?"


    <i>Tik¡ª</i>


    The cigarette fell right in front of me, and my feet paused.


    As if bewitched, I focused my attention on the lingering orange glow at the tip as smoke drifted through the air.


    My hand unknowingly trembled.


    "...."


    Stomp...


    I raised my foot and stomped on it.


    The weight on my chest lightened, and I felt like I could breathe again.


    It was an impulsive action.


    One that I normally wouldn''t have taken.


    But,


    "Was that so hard to do?"


    The side effects of the spell were still lingering in my mind, and the cigarette served to trigger painful memories I tried to hold deep within my mind.


    It was something that I had trouble controlling.


    "Ah, shit."


    Ruffling her hair, her face crumbled.


    "I didn''t take you for such a fucker. Just like that bitch, you are the fucking same."


    That bitch?


    I never had the chance to figure out who she was referring to.


    By the time I focused my attention back on her, she was already gone.


    That was perhaps for the best.


    I wasn''t in the right state of mind at the moment.


    Especially since,


    ?| Lvl 2. [Sadness] EXP +0.01%


    ?| Lvl 1. [Anger] EXP + 0.03%


    Notifications continued to appear in my vision. However, despite their appearance, I couldn''t bring myself to focus on them.


    The only thing in my mind was the thing beneath my foot.


    Right.


    The cigarette.


    It was beneath my foot.


    If I just moved it...


    "....Gulp."


    I swallowed.


    The tip of my finger twitched, and I licked my lips.


    A strange anxiety overtook my mind.


    One that I was only able to calm down after taking a deep breath.


    "Hoooo..."


    Only then did I feel a little better.


    I shook my head and kept my foot firm.


    Doing everything possible from letting myself see it.


    "Haaa... Really."


    I took another deep breath.


    Even in this life...


    You still haunt me.

 Chapter 21: Extra-curricular Activities [1]

    <h4>Chapter 21: Extra-curricr Activities [1]</h4>


    Inhaling deeply, I recalled the burn.


    The familiar smell that wafted through the air.


    And the calmness that it brought me.


    I used to once hate the smell.


    But with time, I grew to love it.


    My mind emptied each time.


    It eased the pain, relieved the stress, and infused vibrancy into my otherwise colorless world.


    That was what smoking meant to me.


    But at the same time, it was what killed me.


    It gave me something but took everything away in exchange.


    Which was why, the sight of it made me lose myself.


    ".....How do I control it?"


    I nkly stared at the ceiling of my room.


    Acting on impulse like that...


    Losing control of myself and letting the emotions take over...


    I couldn''t let that continue.


    "I need to control myself."


    But how was I going to do that...? It was easier said than done. It wasn''t as if I could ban all cigarettes from this world to stop them from triggering my memories.


    ....It was also impossible for me to stop using this power.


    For my survival and goal...


    I needed to use them.


    "How troublesome."


    Truly.


    This wasn''t a problem I could find the solution easily. The realistic approach was for me to slowly grow ustomed to this power.


    But...


    "No time."


    The longer I waited, the more I exposed myself to danger.


    I had to sort this problem out now. I couldn''t leave it forter.


    That''s why,


    "...."


    Staring at my hands, an idea struck my mind. I felt my expression stiffen at the thought, but considering my situation, it seemed to be the most appropriate approach.


    "Hoooo..."


    I sat down on my chair and took a deep breath.


    <i>''To understand emotions, one must experience them.''</i>


    A few words stuck in my mind.


    It was a quote I saw often whenever I researched about Emotive Magic. Thinking about my recent progress, it was without a doubt true.


    But merely experiencing them, didn''t equate to fully understanding them.


    For that, it took time.


    One needs to continuously experience them before being able to fully understand them.


    Which was why,


    sping my forearm, I muttered.


    "Sadness."


    A familiar pain invaded my chest as it started to feel heavy.


    The world suddenly seemed to grow cold, and my eyes started to moisten. I bit my tongue and held the tears back.


    "Huuu..."


    I had to take calm and steady breaths each time.


    The pain made it hard for me to focus but I still held on.


    sping on the side of the wooden chair I sat on, I mumbled to myself,


    "...I need to remainposed."


    I couldn''t let the emotions take over my mind likest time.


    I needed to maintain myposure.


    My aim in all of this was to develop emotional resilience by deliberately subjecting myself to various emotions.


    Compared to the time when I just came out of ''immersion'', the emotions I was experiencing were milder.


    Mainly because my understanding of them wasn''t very strong.


    The only reason they had such a great effect the first two times was because of how concentrated my emotions were when I came out of the immersion.


    Even so...


    <i>Drip. </i>


    It wasn''t easy.


    Staring at the tear that stained my pants, I closed my eyes before muttering,


    "Anger."


    <i>Grip¡ª</i>


    My grip on the chair intensified and my chest started to rise.


    A new emotion took over thest and my face crumbled.


    "....Ah."


    The sudden shift in emotion made it hard for me to keep my mind clear.


    A fire brewed in my chest.


    My breath quickened. So did my pulse.


    "Kh..!"


    My jaw was clenched so tightly that it started to hurt.


    Even so, I kept myself rooted in my seat. Even as the world turned red and my vision narrowed.


    I kept myself rooted in my seat.


    My hands shook.


    But my thoughts remained clear.


    "C-control."


    I forced those words through my clenched teeth.


    R-right.


    ...I needed to control myself.


    I couldn''t let myself be controlled by my emotions again.


    "Never."


    ***


    Haven had ''Extra-curricr Activities''.


    In simpler terms: clubs. With the world being grim and the student reality harsh, clubs were set up as a way to ease the mental burden on students.


    "Swimming... Football... Exercise Club... Cooking..."


    There were a lot of clubs to choose from. From physical ones to nonphysical ones. The choices seemed endless.


    "Comedy club...?"


    My eyes lingered on ''Comedy Club'' for a few seconds too long. Enough to warrant Leon''s attention as he turned to nce my way.


    In order to remain consistent with the previous Julien, I had him help me select a course. It was a necessary step I needed to take to ensure my safety.


    "Are you considering it? To understand emotions better?"


    "Uh, yeah..."


    That was part of the reason, sure. But there was another reason why the club interested me. I kept thinking back at the joke I said a week ago. The Cheetah, one.


    It had bugged me for quite a while now.


    But was the joke bad?


    <i>''....I don''t think it was that bad.''</i>


    Or maybe there was a problem elsewhere? The delivery?


    But thinking about it, the ones I did tell the joke to always had stiff expressions. That girl and Leon...


    Tough crowd I guess.


    "That would make sense, but Julien wouldn''t go for something like that. You need to keep in mind that¡ª"


    "I think it was my delivery."


    Yeah, it had to be that.


    "..."


    Leon''s body stiffened on the spot.


    <i>''Ah, shit.'' </i>


    I raised my head to look at him. He looked at me with widened eyes and an expression that seemed to say ''Has he lost it...?''


    I felt a little offended by his gaze.


    "What?"


    Why was he looking at me like that...?


    He opened his mouth but closed it shortly after. He then turned around to face the opposite direction.


    "What are you¡ª"


    "Kht."


    Kht...?


    I stopped whatever I was doing and leaned my head to get a better look at him.


    Why is he...


    "Ah."


    An idea suddenly struck my mind.


    I took a good long minute to think before finally saying,


    "What do you call a fish with no eyes?"


    "...."


    Leon''s eyes widened. For a moment, I thought I saw ''fear'' sh in his eyes as his body flinched.


    I continued,


    "Fsh."


    "Uhk...!"


    His body flinched.


    And I continued,


    "What did the farmer who lost his rake say?"


    "...."


    "Where is my rake?"


    "....!"


    <i>Step¡ª</i>


    Without looking back, Leon moved forward. The entire time, his shoulders were trembling. Staring at him, I felt the need to continue and raised my voice.


    "What do you call a fly with no wings?"


    "..."


    "A walk."


    "....Kehut!"


    Holding his mouth, Leon sprinted forward.


    I chased after him.


    "What did the cow..."


    ***


    Krrr...


    The form expanded, gradually unveiling its massive, decaying jaws and spiky back. A potent surge of mana swept the surroundings as the figure increased in size.


    "Keep it quiet. We''re not too far off from the institute."


    Delh stood not far from the creature. Her gaze lingered over the creature who stared at her with deep apprehension.


    It''s growled at her before speaking.


    "...You think you can stop us? Your struggles are futile. Our preparations are almost done."


    "Hah."


    Delh''s expression changed. With augh, she looked at the creature mockingly.


    "You bastards are always the same. How many of your ''attacks'' and ''preparations'' have we thwarted over the years? Have you yet to learn your lesson?"


    "..."


    The beast growled.


    "You don¡ª"


    Delh''s voice,yered by two other simr ones, cut through the creature.


    "You can''t hide it from me."


    The creature shuddered.


    "Hide...?"


    "Your fear. I can see it from miles away."


    <i>Crunch... </i>


    The beast unknowingly took a step back as its body shuddered. An unknown emotion welled up from deep within its body, threatening to consume him.


    "Y-you....!"


    A red glow enveloped the beast''s eyes. It understood then that its emotions were being yed with.


    But it was already toote.


    In the moment the beast stepped back, its defeat was already set in stone.


    Delh''s expression returned to its usually indifferent one as she raised her hand.


    "Krrrrr¡ª!"


    The beast screamed, but it was futile.


    Within moments of her raising her hand, the space around the beastpressed, and the echoing sound of bones cracking filled the air.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    Just like that, a ''Terror'' ranked beast had died.


    <i>Udududuk¡ª! </i>


    But something strange happened the moment the beast died. ck foam escaped its lips and its figure shrank to reveal the silhouette of a figure.


    ...A human.


    <i>Crunch... Crunch... </i>


    Delh halted a few meters away from the body, her eyes coldly tracing it. Eventually, she bent down and turned its arm over.


    "...."


    A four-leaved clover appeared in her vision.


    "....As expected."


    She let go of the arm, and ambers floated in the sky as the body gradually disappeared from view.


    <i>Crackle...! </i>


    Her cold eyes remained fixed on the disappearing body.


    Gradually, her mouth parted open to mutter,


    "Inverted Sky."


    A figure appeared in her mind.


    One that she wholeheartedly preached to be the ck Star.


    A crack yet again formed on her expressionless face.


    "....I hope I''m wrong."

 Chapter 22: Extra-curricular Activities [2]

    <h4>Chapter 22: Extra-curricr Activities [2]</h4>


    It was Friday.


    Thest day of the week.


    Just like that, the first week at the institute was almost over. Today marked the second week of my transmigration.


    Time seemed to have flown by during those two weeks. I could still vividly recall everything that had happened on the first day as if it were yesterday.


    Quite frankly, I was tired.


    Both physically and mentally.


    But... I was slowly starting to adjust to this world. Slowly but surely, I was getting there.


    I just needed a little bit more time.


    "Here you go."


    "..."


    I nced at the letter that sat on my desk, and I looked up. It was thest lesson of the day, and I was just about to pack up when he suddenly showed up out of nowhere.


    "....What is this?"


    "An invitation."


    Leon answered tly. I thought about having him borate but chose otherwise and just opened the letter.


    I was bound to find out anyway.


    ===


    To : Julien of the Evenus Barony.


    <i>We extend our warmest greetings to your esteemed self and cordially invite you to join our exchange. </i>


    <i>Your presence is certain to elevate the grandeur of the asion, and we eagerly anticipate the pleasure of yourpany alongside fellow dignitaries and distinguished guests. The event promises an evening of refined conversation, exquisite cuisine, and cultural enrichment."</i>


    .


    .


    .


    I skimmed through the contents of the letter.


    "So, in short... A party?"


    "Sort of."


    Sort of...?


    "...And I have to attend?"


    I rubbed my forehead.


    I was already starting to feel a headache.


    "Yes."


    Leon nodded and added,


    "Everyone does."


    "...Ah."


    Fuck.


    Leon looked around before lowering his tone.


    "It''s best if you attend the ceremony. Create some connections. It will help you out in the long term."


    "..."


    Remaining quiet, I sorted through my thoughts.


    Indeed, he had a point. Connections were certainly important in this society. Not only to establish myself better as ''Julien'', but for the future when the time came for me to leave this ce.


    It would certainly make my life easier.


    With such thoughts, I looked up at Leon and slid the letter over.


    ".....Fine."


    ***


    The Haven campus wasrge.


    Spanning over argend, it boasted seven main halls¡ªLeoni Hall, Rondeo Hall, Dorset Hall, Birming Hall, Milnton Hall, Karlson Hall, and Rottingham Hall.


    Each Hall had its own distinct function.


    The Rondeo Hall was where the dorms were located. The Leoni Hall was where the auditorium was located, the Rottingham was where the professors were situated, and so on...


    Each hall served a distinct function, simplifying navigation for neers to the academy.


    Rottingham Hall.


    <i>Tak¡ª Tak¡ª¡ª! </i>


    The hall echoed with the soft click of her heels.


    Delh walked forward without as much as a single change in her expression.


    "Good afternoon, Chancellor."


    "It''s nice to see you Chancellor."


    Along the way, she''d get greeted by the staff that passed her. ncing at them, she''d return them a nod.


    This proceeded until she arrived at her office.


    <i>Creaaaak... </i>


    As the door opened, her feet came to a pause.


    "....."


    Her brows twitched at the sight that greeted her. Scratching the side of her head, she nimbly walked past the rows of documents that were scattered all over the floor before reaching her desk, where she sat down.


    Gradually, her gaze fell on several fresh documents that sat by her desk.


    They said;


    [Extra-curricr Activities First Year Cadet selection]


    ''Oh, there was that.''


    It was her job to review their applications.


    <i>Flip¡ª</i>


    Casually flipping through the pages, she stamped on several of the applicant''s submissions.


    <i>Tak. Tak¡ª</i>


    Her stamp raised and fell continuously.


    Until...


    "..."


    her eyes fell on a certain application. It was none other than Julien''s.


    "Comedy club...?"


    It was a fitting choice after a little bit of thought.


    It probably had to do with his powers.


    The stamp hovered over the application when...


    "Maybe not."


    She stopped herself.


    Though her assumptions about him had yet to be proven, she still didn''t feel reassured to leave him to his own devices.


    Therefore.....


    "Hold."


    She put the application on hold.


    "..."


    <i>Tak. Tak¡ª</i>


    For the next half hour, she sorted through the documents in front of her.


    By the time she was done, her head throbbed. Reaching out for her drawer, wrappers scattered on the ground when she opened it. Not minding it, she inserted her hand in and dug through the mess before finally finding what she wanted¡ªA chocte bar.


    The most peculiar part of the bar was the sticker that stuck on top of it.


    It said, ''Property of Delh''.


    Yeah, because this was her bar.


    She bit into the bar.


    "Haaa..."


    Only then did her expression rx, and so did her shoulders.


    Finally, she redirected her attention to her desk, where a crystal device sat. It was glowing faintly. Shoving the chocte into her mouth, she tapped on it.


    A voice echoed across the room shortly after.


    [...Delh]


    It was deep and filled with authority.


    Tossing the wrapper, Delh replied tly,


    "I took care of the problem."


    [What was it this time?]


    "Still manageable... Nothing much yet. A Terror Rank."


    [.....Terror Rank?]


    A certain gravity seized the room after Delh''s words.


    A specific ssification existed for those originating from the Mirror Dimension.


    It was one that the four Empires came to a consensus with.


    The ranks were as follows: Infant Rank, Junior Rank, Terror Rank, Destroyer Rank, and Primordial Rank.


    The fact that a ''Terror Rank'' beast had shown up near the premises of the Institute served as a deep reminder of how grave the situation was.


    [It seems like they''re bing bolder and bolder. When was thest time they sent someone this powerful?]


    "Maybe a couple of years ago? I''m not sure."


    As she spoke, Delh''s hand reached out for her drawer again, and she took out yet another chocte bar.


    "...But it wasn''t anything worth paying attention to."


    A Terror Rank was a monster that had the equivalent power of a High Wizard.


    Her trivialization of its power showed just how powerful she was.


    [Were there any other problems...?]


    Delh pondered before carefully saying,


    "...It seems like they''re nning something, but I''m not quite sure what. I''ve already raised the security of the institute, so we shouldn''t have any problems, but you might never know."


    [Yes... Make sure to keep alert. We''ve already stopped many attempts over the years, but you might never know when they will make a breakthrough.]


    "Understood."


    The call seemed to end on that note, and just as Delh nned to end it, she heard his voice again,


    [.....Oh, there should be a gathering tonight. Are you going to be attending?]


    "Gathering?"


    [Did you forget?]


    "..."


    [So you did...]


    "I didn''t."


    For some reason, Delh felt the need to deny it.


    Her pride wasn''t allowing her to admit that she had forgotten.


    Because...


    She really had forgotten.


    [Oh, that''s good. I''ll be seeing you there, then. I''ll be going now, and... clean your mouth.]


    "....Uh?"


    The call ended on that note.


    Stunned, Delh reached for her lips, where traces of the chocte remained.


    Her brows slowly knit together.


    "How did he know...?"


    ***


    It waste into the night when I reached the destination.


    Since it wasn''t far, we walked along the campus road to get to the ce.


    The venue sat at the Academy''s outskirts amidst a cluster of vis. The chosen gathering spot distinguished itself effortlessly.


    Towering over its neighbors, this particr vi not only boasted impressive size but also unted intricate decorations. Bright lights strategically ced entuated this further, setting it apart from the others.


    "We''re here."


    Having rehearsed the situation beforehand, Leon went ahead of me and handed over our letters to the butler in charge.


    He was a young man with ck hair, perhaps about my age.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, ck Star."


    The butler greeted me after a quick look at the invitation.


    His weing smile felt rather burdensome as he extended his hand toward the door of the vi, where he proceeded to open it.


    [The son of the third head of the Evenus Barony. A first-year cadet and the ck Star. Julien Dacre Evenus.]


    Having already been briefed beforehand by Leon, I wasn''t startled by the sudden announcement.


    I was, however, struggling to keep my faceposed.


    ''I know this is something nobles do... But does it really need to be this exaggerated?''


    There was also the issue regarding all the attendees who were now directing their attention toward me.


    "Please have a pleasant night."


    The butler added. As if he was trying to add salt to my wounds.


    "Huuuu..."


    Taking a deep breath, I proceeded forward toward the hall.


    I once again reminded myself of my identity.


    ''I''m Julien Dacre Evenus.''


    ''The ck Star and the number one ranked cadet in the first years.''


    ''When people look at me, they are the ones who grow nervous.''


    ''Not me.''


    And with such thoughts, I headed deeper into the venue.


    There were a lot of familiar faces as I moved forward. From members of my ss to some of the staff and professors I had met over the past week. There were also many unfamiliar faces. Some old and some young.


    But there was one person that stood out the most out of all of them.


    She seemed to be the center of attention.


    The one where the focus gravitated toward.


    Aoife K. Megrail.


    The Empire''s one and only princess.


    In a one-piece red dress that entuated her striking red hair, she stood out, her beauty eclipsing many of those present.


    Graceful movements and an elegant demeanor added to her image as she eloquently conversed with those engaging her in conversation.


    "..."


    Just as I noticed her, she noticed me. I thought nothing of it and prepared to look away when, all of a sudden, she smiled.


    Smiled...?


    I was momentarily taken aback.


    So did the many that were looking at her.


    By the time I regained my senses, she was standing in front of me. I felt the attention of all those present in the room.


    ...And just as I looked down to wonder what was happening, her glossy lips parted open, and her crisp voice gently reached my ears.


    "I''ve been waiting for you."


    She extended her hand.


    ".....Would you give me the honor?"


    <i>The fuc¡ª</i>

 Chapter 23: The one the world rejects [1]

    <h4>Chapter 23: The one the world rejects [1]</h4>


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Princess. There are a few matters I''d like to discuss."


    "Princess, it''s truly an honor to have you here. May we have a moment to speak...?"


    "Princess..."


    It was the same as usual. Nothing had changed. The lights shone brightest her way, with everyone seeking ways to approach her.


    Gatherings were burdensome to her.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t understand their importance... she did, but... they weren''t something she looked forward to. The weight of her role weighed heavily on her shoulders.


    "I''ll do that."


    Aoife lightly massaged her cheeks.


    They had grown stiff from the prolonged smiling.


    It was proper decorum for her to greet everyone with a smile. Outwardly, she had to maintain perfection; there could be no ws in her appearance.


    Like a thornless rose.


    "...I''ll most certainly find the timeter to discuss the matters with you."


    "Haha~ Is that so? Thank you so much."


    The man she was talking to was quite handsome in appearance. With short brown hair and deep green eyes, he stood out from the rest.


    Although he wasn''t from a notable household, his magic was strong. He would certainly make for a good connection.


    But...


    <i>''The smell.''</i>


    Aoife felt her nose scrunch up with each breath.


    His entire body was clouded with a thick plume of perfume. A very powerful one at that. The smell was so overbearing that Aoife had a hard time keeping her face straight.


    "....But is it possible to talk about it now?"


    Lines were slowly being crossed.


    "Unfortunately, I am busy."


    Aoife shook her head and made her rejection clear.


    "Haha, it won''t take long. Please hear me out."


    "I''m sorry."


    He insisted.


    "It really won''t take that much time. I insis¡ª"


    [The son of the third head of the Evenus Barony. A first-year cadet and the ck Star. Julien Dacre Evenus.]


    A certain name resounded across the hall and the noise inside the venue quieted down.


    Heads turned, and the doors swung open.


    Wearing a ck outfit clothing that perfectly entuated his appearance, his entrance captured the attention of everyone in the room.


    With chiseled features and calm and steady strides, he exuded an air of nobility. His dark, wavy hair framed his perfect features.


    The noble''s piercing gaze carried a maic allure, leaving an indelible impression on those who settled their gazes on him.


    "He''s here."


    "Isn''t that..."


    "That''s him, right?"


    Whispers spread across the hall as people talked about him.


    <i>''He''s here...''</i>


    Aoife''s expression remained unchanged as he entered.


    As expected, only his presence could garner the attention of all present. However, unlike her, nobody approached him.


    He too was a rose.


    But unlike her, he was filled with thorns. One that kept those away from him. He could only be admired, but not touched.


    A trait that made Aoife envious of him.


    But she wasn''t like the rest.


    <i>Tak¡ª¡ª! </i>


    Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she advanced. All eyes were on her as she moved forward.


    The distance between the two shrank.


    "..."


    And she was soon standing in front of him.


    There wasn''t much of a change in his expression. He simply stared at her. His gaze felt pressuring, almost intimidating.


    <i>''As expected of a rose filled with thorns.''</i>


    Just standing next to him felt daunting.


    That said...


    "I''ve been waiting for you."


    Aoife''s lips pulled up and she extended her hand.


    ".....Would you give me the honor?"


    Mere thorns weren''t anything Aoife was worried about.


    ***


    "...."


    Should I take the hand...?


    I looked at the outstretched hand. Feeling the gazes of all those around me, I lifted my gaze to look at Aoife.


    <i>''What is she thinking?'' </i>


    I struggled to understand the motive of her actions.


    Was there some sort of secret agenda, or was this some sort of whim? I doubted it to be thetter.


    <i>''....How troublesome.''</i>


    It wasn''t as if I could refuse her in front of so many people.


    Furthermore, even though I didn''t want to have anything to do with her due to the vision, I knew not to antagonize her.


    Perhaps the reason she killed me in the vision was because of the way I behaved.


    That wouldn''t do me any good.


    Distance was good, but not at the cost of them hating me in the process.


    "Hmm."


    Therefore...


    "...It would be my pleasure."


    I epted her offer and took her hand. Her expression subtly changed to one of surprise, but she was quick to hide it. With a thin smile, she lowered her head.


    "It''s settled, then."


    The two of us walked toward a more secluded area. Though there were still eyes on us, they were significantly less than before.


    None of them seemed keen on approaching us.


    I nced at her as she walked alongside me. Apparently understanding my gaze, she pursed her lips to reply,


    "I needed a little break."


    "Oh "


    I figured that much.


    But was that all to it?


    "That''s all."


    Her words seemed to rify that point.


    But I didn''t trust her.


    "...It must be tough being a princess."


    "Would''ve been tougher if I was the ck Star."


    "...."


    Was it just me, or did she sound salty?


    I raised my brow to look at her.


    She frowned,


    "I''m not."


    "....I didn''t say anything."


    "Your face says it all."


    Did it?


    I grabbed a nearby cup and slowly savored the drink. But, just as I took a sip of the drink, I felt my brows crease and my tongue shrivel up.


    "....."


    "That''s grape juice."


    "....I figured."


    I put the drink down.


    Did I hate grape juice...? No, not really. I didn''t mind it. However, there was something about the drink that my body rejected.


    "Sweet."


    It was sweet.


    Way too sweet for my tastes.


    "Sweet?"


    When Aoife tried the drink, her eyebrow rose. She looked at me with a gaze that seemed to say, ''What are you talking about?''


    I tilted my head.


    Does she not feel the same?


    "It''s too much."


    "....Uh. You are weird."


    Me?


    "Try this."


    She proceeded to hand me a small pastry.


    I looked at her weirdly.


    "Why?"


    "Try."


    She insisted. I thought about rejecting her, but seeing how insistent she was being, I decided to go along with it and took a small bite.


    It wouldn''t hurt anyway.


    "...."


    The moment I took a bite of the pastry, my lips pursed together and I momentarily forgot how to swallow.


    Regardless of how hard I tried, it just wouldn''t go down.


    What the...


    ".....As expected."


    Aoife''s lips pulled up in realization.


    "You can''t take sweets."


    I grabbed the nearest tissue and spat out the pastry. When I nced at Aoife, I noticed a subtle shift in her expression.


    It was as if she found something amusing.


    "....I guess you aren''t as perfect as you make yourself out to be."


    What does that even mean...


    And, why does she look so satisfied?


    "You..."


    My mouth had just parted open to say something when I realized that she was already gone. <i>''When did she...''</i> As I nced around, I found my eyes tracing her back.


    For some reason, staring at her back, her steps seemed lighter than usual.


    <i>''Crazy.''</i>


    "Hm?"


    A sudden tug of my clothes attracted my attention.


    I looked around but was left confused.


    Nothing.


    "Wh-ah."


    <i></i>I lowered my gaze and met two eyes.


    <i>Stare¡ª</i>


    "Uh...?"


    They stared at me with incredible intensity.


    But...


    "A child?"


    They belonged to a child. A little girl with long ck hair, andrge crystal eyes. Her appearance was extremely cute.


    <i>''....What is a child doing here?'' </i>


    Cuteness aside, I was confused.


    What was she doing here? Wasn''t this supposed to be a gathering of important people?


    Perhaps a child of a professor?


    <i>Stare¡ª</i>


    Her stare turned even more intense. It was as ifsers were shooting at me.


    "What...?"


    "..."


    The child didn''t reply and merely shifted her gaze.


    Following her line of sight, I realized.


    "Ah."


    I held up my hand. The one that was holding the pastry.


    "You want this?"


    <i>Nod. Nod. </i>


    Her head bobbed up and down as saliva drooped from the corner of her mouth. She was quick to wipe her lips.


    The sight was an amusing one.


    "Here."


    I handed her the pastry which she quickly took and shoved down her mouth.


    The sight left me momentarily stunned.


    What sort of situation was this...?


    That said, staring at her, my lips gently moved up.


    "Clean up your mouth first."


    Taking a tissue, I dabbed her mouth.


    "Here too."


    There were crumbs all over.


    "Just how are you eating...?"


    She reminded me of my brother a lot.


    "Ah..."


    I stopped when I realized what I was doing.


    She reminded me of him so much that I had acted out of impulse.


    "...."


    Thankfully, she didn''t seem to have minded as she continued to eat the pastries in peace. I sighed in relief and leaned back on the table.


    I didn''t know how to feel.


    I was once again reminded of the fact that my brother was no longer next to me.


    That there was a chance I could never see him again.


    A little part of me told me to move on and give up. To forget about my old life and move on.


    Such thoughts haunted me every day.


    But... I couldn''t. I just couldn''t. Throwing away my past meant rejecting the very existence of my brother... I couldn''t do it.


    Even if it meant I was chasing the impossible, I didn''t n on giving up.


    I lowered my head to stare at my hands.


    But.


    <i>''Why can''t I progress?'' </i>


    <i></i>Even though two weeks had gone by, and I had been practicing every day... I couldn''t grasp my other magic.


    It was as if it rejected me.


    Regardless of my struggles, I wasn''t able to make any progress.


    It was frustrating.


    "Haaaa..."


    I knew that I had to be patient.


    That I would one day get there. But... How long did I have to wait for that day toe? My days were running low, and the gravity of my situation was starting to sink in.


    I didn''t have long.


    That much was true.

 Chapter 24: The one the world rejects [2]

    <h4>Chapter 24: The one the world rejects [2]</h4>


    It was the fact that I knew that my time was limited that prevented me from enjoying the party.


    Seeing everyone converse and interact with one another, I felt a sense of estrangement.


    Alienation.


    As if I didn''t belong here.


    Nobody dared to approach me, and when I tried to interact with someone, they''d tactfully distance themselves away from me.


    Was I that intimidating...?


    No...


    <i>''I don''t belong here.''</i>


    <i></i>That much was starting to be clear to me.


    This very world...


    It was rejecting my existence.


    ...Or was it me that was rejecting it? I wasn''t quite sure.


    "Uhh..."


    In the time that I spent here fruitlessly trying to make connections, I could''ve spent training and learning my second ability.


    With such thoughts, I took a sip of water and headed for the exit.


    There was no longer a point in staying here.


    "Right..."


    Because I didn''t fit here.


    ***


    "What do you think about joining our household? I''m sure we can offer you better incentives than the ones offered by the Evenus household."


    "Firstly, we''d be willing to pay you more than they pay you. Not only that, but we''d also relieve you of your knightly duties and support you wholeheartedly."


    "If you wish to remain a knight, we may even promote you tomander. With a word, I can make that happen."


    Leon casually took a sip of his drink, something called ''Amorena'' and pursed his lips.


    <i>''.....Tastes like shit.'' </i>


    <i></i>Far too bitter for his tastes.


    "Do consider our offer. We can offer you a lot more than what the Evenus Household has offered you. You don''t have to worry about the consequences. We''ll be able to tal¡ª"


    "If you would excuse me."


    "Uh... hey!"


    cing the drink down, Leon turned around and left.


    He was starting to grow tired of hearing the offer over and over again.


    It wasn''t just that. The ce... Everything about it.


    It felt extremely stuffy.


    "....How many does that make?"


    A familiar voice reached him from behind. As he turned around, his eyes fell on the familiar figure and he tly replied.


    "Counting that... About nine."


    ".....A lot more than I thought."


    Evelyn scratched the side of her face. Wearing a formal white dress, decorated with purple jewelry and essories, her appearance attracted the gazes of many of the people attending.


    It was hard to stand out given that most of the cadets present looked good themselves, but only a few truly stood out amongst the masses.


    Evelyn was one of those few.


    "Probably not as many as the times you''ve got asked out."


    "Rubbing salt to my wounds?"


    Leon lightly shrugged.


    "You started it."


    "Right..."


    Evelyn nodded before her brows knit together. She then tactfully said,


    "Have you never considered their offer...? From what I know, they''re quite good. A lot better than what you''re currently receiving."


    "Perhaps..."


    "But?"


    "....I can''t leave."


    The Evenus Household.


    Leon''s thoughts regarding them were ratherplicated. They hadn''t exactly been the nicest to him.


    Only once he had started to disy his talent did their attitude towards him change. Before then... He was a servant.


    Someone that they were willing to discard with a thought.


    The wounds of his past were still vividly etched in his mind and not a day passed where he forgot. Even now... He was constantly reminded of those days.


    And it was with such thoughts that he ambiguously added,


    "....Not yet."


    "I see."


    As if she had expected such an answer, Evelyn nodded her head and no longer pursued the matter.


    She could tell it was a sensitive matter.


    "Hm?"


    Evelyn''s expression changed and her eyes stared off in the distance. Leon followed her line of sight and made a simr expression.


    Julien, the first son of the household in question, appeared at the end of the hall.


    He was also one of the few that stood out in appearance. His every movement and action attracted the eyes of those present.


    It was hard to not take note of him when he stood out that much.


    "He''s changed quite a bit..."


    Evelyn started to speak as her eyes traced his figure.


    "Though he carries himself in the same manner as in the past, there''s something different about him. Am I the only one that''s noticing these changes?"


    "...It''s been five years since you''vest seen him."


    Leon replied tly.


    "It''s normal for him to be different."


    "I guess you''re right, but..."


    Evelyn narrowed her eyes as her gaze continued to trace Julien''s figure.


    "....Wasn''t he usually the type of guy that enjoys attention? Why does it seem like he''s leaving?"


    "Leaving?"


    Leon''s face finally showed changes, and to his surprise, it was indeed as Evelyn pointed out.


    Julien, who had reached the entrance of the hall, was reaching out for his felt jacket.


    His actions aroused the attention of many of those attending.


    "What''s he doing?"


    "Did he forget something in his jacket...?"


    It couldn''t be helped.


    The event had only just begun, and he was already leaving.


    The expressions of many of the people present varied. But the consensus was that his decision made no sense.


    This was especially so for Leon who put his drink down.


    "...."


    "You''re leaving?"


    "....Yeah."


    He had no choice but to.


    It was his duty to keep Julien safe. Though he wasn''t sure why Julien was acting like this, he had no choice but to follow.


    Before leaving, he paused to stare at Evelyn.


    "I hope you enjoy the gathering."


    And with thosest words, he went ahead to follow Julien.


    As he left, Evelyn''s eyes traced his back.


    Putting her drink down, she mumbled,


    ".....Something''s off."


    ***


    "Huuu..."


    The breeze hit my face as I left the venue.


    I felt a sense of liberationing out of the building.


    The weight of the stares...


    The suffocating environment...


    It was all gone.


    I could finally breathe properly again.


    "Better."


    ".....Why did you leave so early?"


    An expected voice reached me from behind. I didn''t need to look to know who it was.


    "I felt like it was a waste of time."


    "Were you trying hard enough? I doubt you''re intimidating to the point where everyone avoids you."


    Was that the case...?


    I thought about it for a while before nodding.


    That was probably the case.


    "Maybe so."


    But...


    "This sort of thing... I''m not fit for it."


    My body and mind rejected it.


    "It felt too stuffy. I don''t think I could''ve stayed much longer."


    "Haaa..."


    For the first time since meeting him, I heard a long sighing from Leon. Stunned, I turned around to see him massaging his forehead.


    Eventually, as if resigned, he also loosened his clothes.


    "To be honest, I was feeling the same."


    Taken aback by his response, my brow raised.


    He was?


    "What?"


    "No, nothing..."


    I shook my head and turned to look away.


    "I''m just d we''re on the same page."


    I smiled and massaged my shoulders. Then, without looking back, I took the path back to Haven.


    The distance back wasn''t very far.


    Rather, it should''ve been a very short walk. The path was also nice. With no buildings in sight, it provided a great view.


    The entire time the two of us remained quiet as we observed the surroundings.


    There wasn''t much to say between us and all we could do was enjoy the surroundings.


    Everything was going smoothly, when...


    "..."


    My feet came to a stop.


    "Something''s wrong..."


    The path, which should''ve been a short one suddenly felt extremely long. What should''ve been a ten to five-minute walk extended longer than that.


    I had just turned around to address Leon when my body froze.


    "Hey, did yo¡ªUh?"


    My heart dropped and my heartbeat quickened.


    "....."


    I was alone.


    Leon was gone.


    When did this...?


    I could''ve sworn I had felt his presence just moments prior. So when did he...


    "Hooo..."


    I took a deep breath to calm my nerves which were steadily rising.


    Panic was starting to set in, but I was quick to push it down.


    "Good thing I trained myself for these situations..."


    Though I was still in the beginning stages, I didn''t let fear cloud my mind. Take control of my body.


    And just as I managed to calm myself down...


    <i>Blink¡ª</i>


    "...!"


    The world changed with a single blink.


    The familiar path disappeared, and recing it was a dense forest.


    Trees surrounded me from all sides while the moon hung in the sky.


    It was a familiar environment and my heartbeat, which I had barely managed to calm, started beating crazily.


    <i>Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! </i>


    It drummed powerfully in my mind, overtaking my thoughts.


    "This ce..."


    A familiar environment.


    One that I distinctly remembered even now that a week had passed.


    "Vision."


    Only one word escaped from my mouth, but it was all I needed to say to understand my situation.


    This ce, the trees, the moon that hung in the sky... It was all from the vision I had seenst week.


    "It can''t be..."


    A part of me wanted to refuse the situation. Deny that this was really happening, but...


    Staring at the familiar environment, I knew this was the reality.


    My reality.


    "Shit."


    A curse inexplicable escaped from my mouth as my heart drummed with even more force.


    It beat with such force that it made it hard to think.


    And the fear that I so tried to suppress once again started to take over my mind.


    My palms felt sweaty...


    My breath grew heavy...


    And my mind started to cloud.


    "....I have to go."


    But even in all of this, I was able to retain some rationality.


    I hadn''t suffered so much for nothing.


    <i>''Let''s think.'' </i>


    My memories of the event were still clear in my mind.


    All the details from then were still vividly etched in my mind.


    <i>''In the vision, I recall heading a certain direction...'' </i>


    It started with me running in a certain direction before meeting a hooded figure who then proceeded to kill me.


    I looked around and searched for all the details.


    Eventually, a direction became clear to me.


    "The hooded figure is that way."


    That much was clear.


    But what now...?


    Run?


    That seemed to be the only logical conclusion. I was still weak, and whoever was responsible for this was stronger than I was.


    Let alone the fact that I was still unable to use my other magic... the only magic I could actually use inbat.


    At this moment...


    I was useless.


    A walking target.


    "If only..."


    I clenched my jaw and stared at my hands. A deep sense of frustration welled up within me as I stared at them.


    But just as fast as it came, I pushed it down.


    Now was not the time.


    Processing all the information, I looked back in the direction of my memories and turned away.


    <i>Rustle¡ª</i>


    For now...


    This was my only option.


    ***


    Bonus chapter for hitting 800 PS! Thank you so much for the support!

 Chapter 25: The one the world rejects [3]

    <h4>Chapter 25: The one the world rejects [3]</h4>


    With my vision obscured by the darkness, all I could perceive were sounds.


    <i>Rustle¡ª</i>


    The sound of the bushes moving past me.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    The sound of my breath.


    <i>Crunch... Crunch...</i>


    The crunching sound of my feet stepping on the foliage beneath.


    How long had I been running for...?


    I had lost track by now.


    .....I had been running so much that my legs were starting to feel heavy and my lungs were on fire. Questions such as, ''Did I run far enough? Am I safe? Can I stop?'' repeatedly flooded my mind as I continued to move forward.


    My mind wavered in such moments


    <i>''Will the ending be the same as in the vision...? Am I destined to die?'' </i>


    "Haaa..."


    I took a deep breath and stopped.


    I wasn''t scared of death.


    Death was something I had already experienced.


    There was nothing scary about it.


    If anything, it felt liberating.


    But...


    "Not this way."


    This wasn''t how I wanted to die.


    Not just that... Just because I wasn''t scared of death didn''t mean that I looked forward to death.


    There were things that I wanted to do.


    Achieve.


    A person that I wanted to meet again.


    I couldn''t let myself die like that.


    And it was with such thoughts that I sat down on the ground.


    Running was no longer an option for me. It became quite clear to me after running for the past hour. All it did was waste my stamina.


    Sure, it perhaps bought me some time.


    But...


    For what exactly? Dy my death? Reinforcements...?


    What reinforcements?


    There was no point in uselessly clinging to some hope that was perhaps never going toe. The only person I could rely on at the moment was myself.


    To get out of here alive...


    I had no one else but myself to rely on.


    "Hoooo..."


    I took a deep breath and extended my hand forward.


    A familiar warmth coursed down from my abdominal area as a magic circle started to form.


    <i>''.....Please work.''</i>


    This was my only hope.


    ***


    "Where am I.....?"


    Leon looked around him and frowned.


    He appeared to be around a dense forest. Where exactly... he wasn''t sure. He had no time to make sure. Looking around, he called out.


    "Young Master?"


    But he received no response.


    As expected...


    He was alone.


    Leon''s expression turned grim at the thought. It wasn''t that he was worried about Julien. He was unsure of the depth of his strength.


    Was he stronger or weaker than him?


    .....Leon wasn''t exactly sure.


    But he had no time to ponder over this matter any longer. Sensing something, his expression changed and he lightly stomped his foot on the ground, pushing himself back.


    <i>BANG¡ª!</i>


    Just as his body moved, the spot which he had been standing on just moments prior, exploded.


    Pieces of debris flew in the air as a cloud of dust rose in the air, masking Leon''s sight.


    "Tsk."


    A rough voice echoed shortly after.


    As the cloud cleared, a hulking figure draped in arge ck hood emerged, casually holding an axe over their shoulder.


    "...You''re a lot more slippery than I thought."


    He began to say, the air trembling at the tone of his voice.


    Leon''s eyes narrowed as he slowly unsheathed the sword from his hips.


    <i>SHIIIIIING¡ª!</i>


    He looked around before saying,


    "Where is this? And who are you?"


    Rather than answering, the hooded figure massaged its chin.


    "I was told you were different. As expected... You really are different. I didn''t think you''d be thisposed in this situation."


    "...."


    Leon remained silent.


    He was carefully scoping out his surroundings. Areas where he could escape in case he couldn''t handle his opponent, advantages he could use, and so on...


    Nothing escaped his sight.


    "I see what you''re trying to do."


    Almost faintly, Leon caught what appeared to be a smile under the hood.


    "Commendable. Observing your surroundings to increase your advantages. Finding escape points in case you''re at a disadvantage... I can see what you''re trying to do. But..."


    <i>BANG¡ª!</i>


    Stomping his foot on the ground, the hooded figure disappeared from his spot, reappearing right in front of Leon in less than a second.


    Axe held with both hands, he whispered.


    "Just like the other guy... There''s no escape for the two of you..."


    <i>Swooosh¡ª </i>


    And he swung down.


    ***


    How long has it been...?


    One hour? Two hours? Three hours? A day?


    I had lost track of time.


    I hadn''t moved the entire time and kept my focus entirely on the magic circle in front of me.


    But...


    One rune.


    Two runes.


    Three runes...


    .


    .


    .


    Eight runes...


    Nine runes...


    Ten runes...


    Eleven runes...


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    "Kh...!"


    I still...


    Couldn''t...


    Make...


    Any...


    Progress.


    Even after all this time!!


    After doing everything that I possibly could...!


    "Shit... Why?! Why...!"


    Was I just being too hasty? Was that it...?


    <i>''From what I was told, simply learning to be able to use a spell shouldn''t take more than a few hours...''</i>


    So long as one was adept at it, they could learn it.


    It was what I had learned in the two weeks I had been in this world.


    So...?


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    "Why...?"


    Why was it that I still couldn''t learn it?


    Did I need more time?


    But I didn''t have time.


    This was the only thing I could do. My other power couldn''t be used to fight the person in the vision.


    There was nothing else I could do.


    This was my only option.


    "H-haaa..."


    My breath betrayed my exasperation as I nkly stared at the night sky.


    Was this my limit...?


    No, if I only had more time.


    Then... Then...


    "Kh..."


    I quietly called out for my status screen.


    Arge window appeared in my vision.


    ¦é Type : Elemental [Curse]


    Why...


    Why was it that I was able to grasp Emotive Magic so easily, and yet struggled to understand this magic?


    Was it because of my ability?


    ...Or was it because I wasn''t truly capable of understanding this magic?


    Yet again, I was reminded of one fact.


    I didn''t belong to the world.


    "Right... I''m just an existence that casually entered this ce."


    The reason why I was struggling so much...


    Why it was so hard for me to learn...


    It had nothing to do with talent.


    I...


    Was simply, not meant to have learned it.


    This world...


    I smiled bitterly.


    "...It''s rejecting me."


    Haha.


    It was aughable thought.


    But...


    Even if the world was rejecting me.


    I had no choice but to continue.


    "...Again."


    I stared at my hand and channeled the mana from my abdomen.


    A familiar warmth flooded my body.


    One rune...


    Two runes...


    Three runes...


    Five runes...


    .


    .


    .


    .


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    I tasted failure.


    Over.


    And over.


    And over again.


    <i>Drip... Drip... </i>


    Blood continuously dripped down from my nose as my eyes grew blurry.


    I was getting tired.


    Tired of the meaningless practice that held no progress.


    It had stopped at eleven runes.


    There was just one rune that I was missing before the magic circle wouldplete.


    But...


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    That step seemed an impossible one.


    It slowly started to sink in my mind.


    <i>''....This is meaningless.'' </i>


    "Right..."


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    "Why waste time..."


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    "Practicing something..."


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    "....That wields no progress?"


    I finally lowered my hand and closed my eyes.


    My mana reserves were almost empty and exhaustion had taken over my body.


    "In the end... I was just meaninglessly struggling."


    Chasing after something I wasn''t meant to achieve.


    If I had more time then...


    I''d have pursued things differently.


    But I had run out of time.


    "Cough...! Cough...!"


    My hands stained with my blood as a familiar fire raged up in my lungs.


    It became even clearer to me that my time was up.


    And as if to further confirm this, the nearby greenery rustled.


    <i>Rustle¡ª! </i>


    A hooded figure emerged from behind the bushes.


    "So that''s where you were. You really made it hard for me to find you. Thankfully, I was able to track you through your scent, or I really would''ve never been able to find you."


    His poise.


    His voice...


    They were all simr to the one in the vision.


    Finally, he stopped and stared at me.


    "...Uh?"


    A surprised sound escaped his lips as he stared at me.


    "Would you look at that? I knew you were weak from your mana signature, but I didn''t think you''d be this weak¡ª"


    "....Is that so?"


    With what little energy I had left, my voiceyered and I forced myself up, dashing away from the area.


    "Hoho? Was that your emotive magic?"


    The hooded''s figure calm voice echoed from behind.


    "Not bad... Not bad at all. My chest almost stung. Really... What an interesting power. It''s a good thing I came prepared."


    <i>Rustle¡ª</i>


    I ran through the forest, feeling the rough branches scrape against my skin.


    The underbrush wed at my legs, leaving stinging cuts all over.


    But I paid them no mind.


    One Rune...


    Two Runes...


    As I ran, I made sure to focus my attention on my hand.


    The runes were slowly piling up.


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    But even in such a situation, failure seemed inevitable.


    I gritted my teeth and continued running.


    The situation seemed hopeless.


    My Emotive Magic seemed to not affect him. I couldn''tprehend the other magic, and I was on myst breath.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    At some point, my leg wobbled.


    <i>Crash... </i>


    And I fell face-first against the ground.


    "Ukh...!"


    I scraped the ground in an attempt to help myself up.


    But..


    <i>Thud. </i>


    I couldn''t get up.


    Sweat poured down from the side of my face as my chest burned with even greater intensity than before.


    My lungs were on fire.


    "....Already tired?"


    The hooded man appeared behind me, seemingly confused by my situation.


    Just barely, I managed to turn my body to face him.


    "I thought you''d struggle more, ck Star. I did. In the end, the rumors about you were exaggerated. You¡ª"


    At some point, his voice had drowned out from my mind.


    My eyes wandered over my right forearm where a four-clover tattoo appeared.


    There was still something...


    I had been saving it up for this moment.


    It was myst hope.


    So...


    I extended my hand and pressed on it.


    Yet again.


    I had no choice but to rely on this ability.


    But...


    Would the results really change...?

 Chapter 26: The one the world rejects [4]

    <h4>Chapter 26: The one the world rejects [4]</h4>


    <i>Trrrrr¡ª</i>


    I held onto my knees and stared at the moving wheel.


    This was myst-ditch attempt at something. Although I knew that this was merely a fruitless attempt at trying to save my skin, there was nothing else I could do.


    I had exhausted all my options.


    This... was my only remaining option.


    It was a futile attempt at trying to do something.


    Even though the previous times bore fruit and helped me out in my situations, the case wasn''t the same this time.


    Emotions.


    They were a supplementary power.


    .....A tool used to help in certain situations.


    But...


    That''s it.


    By itself, they couldn''t help me in this situation.


    I was doomed.


    I knew it.


    ...And it was because of this that the sense of frustration that I felt further intensified.


    <i>''Damn it. If only...!'' </i>


    <i></i>The wheel stopped.


    Red.


    <i>''Anger.''</i>


    The world around me changed. It turned white.


    "Hm...?"


    I looked around me and frowned. Unlike the previous experiences where memories or environments appeared, the world remained like this.


    Completely white.


    "What¡ª"


    I lost control of my body.


    It wasn''t an unfamiliar experience as it had happened to me once before.


    I didn''t reject it.


    I let it guide me and my body slowly sat down on the ground.


    What...


    My hand moved forward and a warm current flooded out from my body, slowly gathering toward the tip of my fingers.


    A circle and set of runes hovered over my fingers.


    Ones I had grown used to seeing a lot.


    "This is..."


    One rune.


    Two runes.


    .


    .


    .


    Five runes...


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    The spell shattered at five.


    And it was at that moment that I regained control of my body. My chest tightened a little, but aside from that, I didn''t experience anything else.


    ".....What''s going on?"


    I looked around me.


    The world was stillpletely white.


    There were no changes around me and I was confused.


    However, thinking back at my actions after my body was taken over, an idea started to form.


    "Is it telling me to practice?"


    How did this represent anger?


    .....Or was it that my powers understood my situation?


    That I was fucked.


    Regardless...


    "Hoooo...."


    I took advantage of the situation and started to practice again.


    One after another, runes started to connect.


    Rune One¡ªRune Two¡ªRune Three¡ªRune Four¡ªRune Five¡ªRune Six¡ªRune Seven...


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    "....Fail."


    Nothing surprising.


    I had lost count of the many times I had failed by now.


    Looking around and seeing nothing changed, I knew that I was fine. Time stopped on the outside.


    I could still practice.


    Though I didn''t know how long I''d be here, I knew I needed to take advantage of the opportunity.


    "Hah, yeah... It''s fine."


    Though I told myself that, my lips were pursed together.


    Yeah...


    I can do it.


    "...Again."


    .


    Time passed.


    .


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    "Haha, it''s nothing big..."


    Iughed but my mind didn''t.


    My chest grew tighter all of a sudden.


    Six runes.


    My progress regressed.


    "...Let''s do it."


    .


    It continued to flow.


    .


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    "....Another failure."


    How many was it now...?


    Hundredth time? Okay... Reasonable.


    "H-huh."


    My chest trembled and my eyes narrowed.


    A weird sensation tangled my chest. It was light. Nothing that I couldn''t control. But it was growing.


    Steadily.


    What was it...?


    I pushed it down.


    I had no time to ponder over such a matter.


    "Again..."


    I had to keep practicing.


    "Right... Practice."


    .


    It never stopped.


    .


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    My chest felt tighter.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    My vision became narrower.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    My breathing quickened.


    The feeling I felt before...


    .


    .


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    It started to grow.


    .


    .


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    With each failure...


    .


    .


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    The feeling in my chest started to grow.


    And...


    .


    .


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    I finally realized what it was.


    .


    .


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    "Argghhh....!!!!"


    I clenched my fists and screamed at the world.


    Rage.


    ...The feeling that was slowly building up in my chest.


    It was rage.


    "Why!! Why!!!!! Why can''t I!!!!"


    I punched the floor repeatedly in my fit of rage.


    "F-fuck...!"


    <i>Bang!</i>


    "Fuuck!!!"


    <i>Bang! </i>


    "Why...!"


    <i>Bang! </i>


    "Can''t..."


    <i>Bang!</i>


    "...I do it!!!"


    <i>Bang! </i>


    "Haaa... Haaa... Haa..."


    My head felt light.


    All I could feel was a strange pulse in my head as my thoughts disappeared, and all I could think of was my repeated failures.


    "How many times is it now?!?? Why can''t I do it? What is wrong with me?!"


    I continued to scream at the sky as I felt my veins bulge from my neck.


    "Am I really that shit! Is that the fucking case...!"


    I couldn''t ept it.


    "Fuuuuuckkk!!!"


    I didn''t want to ept it.


    So...


    I continued.


    .


    .


    But.


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    Despite all my attempts, I continued to fail.


    And the more I failed...


    "Arghhhhh!!!"


    The angrier I got.


    "D-damn it...!!!!"


    I trashed my surroundings, screaming at the sky with all my might.


    <i>Bang...! </i>


    I punched my face.


    It seemed to relieve some of the frustration that I felt.


    So...


    Bang...! Bang...!


    I punched it again.


    "Kh!!"


    Faster.


    <i>Bang! </i>


    Stronger..!


    <i>Bang!! </i>


    And faster...!


    <i>Bang...! Bang...! </i>


    "M-motherfuck...! Akkkh!"


    I screamed again.


    "Ahhhhhh!"


    I let everything out.


    I knew that my current appearance was pathetic.


    That I... was pathetic.


    But.


    I was desperate. Failure meant death.


    I had no choice but to seed.


    Why couldn''t I just do it...?


    "Ha Ha... Why..."


    My eyes started to sting.


    The rage that had clouded my mind slowly started to subside, and Iy nkly on the ground.


    My entire body was in pieces and my mana reserves were empty.


    I was powerless.


    "....."


    Time passed again.


    One hour.


    Two hours.


    Three hours...


    And in such time, I remained motionless on the ground.


    <i>''...When is this going to end?'' </i>


    At some point, I started to wonder.


    How long was this immersion going tost for?


    It had neversted so long before...


    I closed my eyes and embraced the darkness. I was starting to get tired of white.


    When I opened my eyes again, a little more time had passed.


    I was still stuck in the white space.


    "Haaa..."


    My mind had recovered, and so did my mana.


    Sitting up straight, I extended my hand.


    "Again..."


    And tried again.


    .


    .


    Time flowed.


    A week passed like this.


    Or something like that. I had lost track of time.


    In the time, the only thing I did was practice. Hunger, thirst, and sleep weren''t a problem for me. I could practice for as long as I wanted.


    But...


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª! </i>


    Once again.


    I failed.


    "Ahhhhhh....!"


    I reached out for my head to pull my hair, but...


    There was nothing left.


    .....I had already ripped out all the hair on my head.


    "Dammnnnn it!!"


    Rage had already taken hold of me.


    But even that had its limit.


    "Haaa ... Haa..."


    In another week, I had lost my voice.


    "....."


    I slumped down on the ground and nkly stared at the white world.


    I was tired now.


    So tired that the anger that had taken control of me was slowly starting to subside.


    When will I get out?


    Wasn''t this enough...?


    For how much longer did I have to be here?


    I already understood anger.


    So...


    Let me out!


    Let me fucking out...!!!


    Now!!


    Please...!


    I....


    Can''t...


    <i>C-crak¡ª! </i>


    <i></i>As if the world had finally listened to my prayers, the space shattered and darkness overtook my vision once more.


    One that was broken by a sudden notification.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Anger] EXP + 23%


    "H-hah..."


    I felt the coarse texture of the ground beneath.


    The cold wind in the sky.


    And the faint earthy smell of the soil.


    I was back.


    Finally...


    "Hahahaha..."


    I started tough, unknowingly. A certain emotion boiled in my chest. It was a raging fire... A volcano that was on the verge of erupting.


    It threatened to take hold of my body.


    But...


    All I could do wasugh.


    "Cough... Haha..."


    Even as I coughed up blood, all I could do wasugh.


    So much time had passed, and yet...


    I still hadn''t managed to achieve sess.


    How could I notugh?


    It was pathetic.


    I was pathetic.


    "Haha-Uekh!"


    Then, something held me by the neck, and I felt my body lift from the ground.


    "....Have you lost it?"


    It was the hooded figure.


    "I was told not to kill you, but..."


    Though I couldn''t see, he appeared to be frowning under the hood. I didn''t care enough to wait for his next words.


    My chest was burning.


    I needed to let it out.


    My hands slowly raised. They neared for his arm. So long as I touch him I''ll be able to....


    "What are you doing...?"


    His eyes snapped down to stare at my hands.


    "....!!"


    <i>Bang¡ª! </i>


    "Akhh...!"


    I felt my back crack as I crashed against something hard. My mind buzzed, and my vision blurred.


    What happened...?


    I nced around me and noticed the pieces of trunk around me.


    ''Ah.''


    "Shit, I don''t know what to do."


    The hooded''s figure voice reached me from the front.


    Ruffling his head, he mumbled,


    "Should I just kill you? My orders were to keep you alive. Ugh, when will that bastard get here?"


    That bastard?


    There was someone else...?


    Haha.


    I wanted tough again. How fucked was this situation? Had it ever been possible for me to escape this situation?


    "Cough...! Cough...!"


    Blood spilled all over my pants as I coughed.


    I looked up at the hooded figure, reaching for every breath.


    "Stay put, will you?"


    He began to raise his hand, a purple magic circle floating in front of him.


    I widened my eyes and prepared to move my body, but the magic circle never pointed at me.


    The ground shuddered.


    <i>Tuck! </i>


    And several skeletal hands reached out from the ground.


    "What..."


    The sight stunned me.


    wing up from the ground, they slowly pulled themselves up to reveal the figures of several skeletons.


    "Necromancer...?"


    The hooded figure flicked his hand.


    The skeletons approached me from all sides.


    <i>KubKubKubKub. </i>


    "That should keep you from moving. Don''t even think about using your powers on them, unlike me, they don''t have feelings."


    "This..."


    I gritted my teeth and stared at the approaching skeletons.


    The pain that was invading my chest was growing with each second, and it was getting hard to sustain. But as he said... Skeletons had no feelings, and unless I touched him, there was no way for me to affect him.


    <i>''What do I do...?'' </i>


    I grabbed onto the tree trunk and forced myself up.


    My legs were shaky and my only support was the tree behind me.


    Without it, I''d still be on the floor.


    <i>KubKubKubKub. </i>


    The skeletons were now a few meters in front of me.


    It''s over.


    <i>''...I don''t want it to be over.'' </i>


    One more time.


    I moved my hand behind my back.


    A warm current flowed from my abdominal area.


    It was a familiar process.


    One that I had done countless amounts of time.


    Each time ending in failure.


    More!


    My mana drained.


    I started to perceive pain even more vividly. The pain from my broken back, the pain in my mouth and the taste of my blood, the fire raging in my lungs, and the boiling feelings that were spilling from my chest...


    I perceived everything.


    Vividly.


    And it was tearing my mind apart.


    But...


    <i>''Come...!'' </i>


    I endured that pain and added to it.


    If it meant sess...!


    Rune One¡ªRune Two¡ªRune Three¡ªRune Four¡ªRune Five¡ªRune Six¡ªRune Seven¡ªRune Eight¡ªRune Nine¡ªRune Ten¡ªRune Eleven.


    The runes were connecting.


    This was a step I had reached thousands of times before.


    I always failed here.


    A part of me was already expecting my inevitable failure.


    I thought it''d be like this even now.


    I really did.


    But then...


    <i>Click¡ª</i>


    "Ah."


    As if some shackles broke free, my mind cleared.


    The mana flowed without interruption. It didn''t stop and shatter like it usually did. As if a path had formed, the mana in my body flowed toward an end.


    This is...


    I could feel the mana bend and twist at the tip of my fingers.


    Purple points scattered around my vision.


    They were spread apart.


    But it felt like I could do something.


    As if I was entranced, I raised my hand which had turned wholly purple, and pointed in their direction.


    Tangible purple hands sprouted out from that point.


    "Uh?"


    They sped on the hooded figure''s clothes.


    But they shattered almost immediately.


    Still.


    "Ukh."


    It was enough.


    "What the..."


    The hooded figure fell on one knee.


    "W-What i..."


    "Kh..!"


    My body moved forward.


    I stumbled forward.


    Raising my hand, I nced around and tapped three other points around me.


    Hands sprouted again.


    Theytched onto the skeletons, halting their movements for a brief moment.


    But that was enough.


    I stumbled forward.


    Toward the hooded figure who had grown pale.


    [Hands of Mdy] ¡ª It wasn''t a powerful spell. However, when caught, one would experience hallucinations, nausea, and vertigo for a brief moment. The stronger one was, the less effective this was.


    It was because of this that I had to keep moving.


    As if bewitched, my steps hurried.


    But just as I neared him...


    <i>Thump! </i>


    My legs faltered and I stumbled forward.


    "Ukh...!"


    <i>''No, not yet... So close...'' </i>


    I reached my hand forward and grasped the soil.


    Purely out of desperation, I wed myself forward.


    Time seemed to flow slowly, but all of this had happened in a matter of seconds.


    I had to be fast.


    ''Almost.''


    His foot was close.


    So close to me...


    So long as I managed to touch it...


    It was only a few centimeters away...


    I was the closest yet, and yet... it felt the furthest I had ever been.


    It reminded me of a previous thought.


    <i>''The world rejects me.'' </i>


    My very existence didn''t belong to this world.


    I wasn''t meant to be here.


    ...But was that really the case?


    Did the world truly reject me?


    It didn''t.


    I was the one who rejected the world.


    The existence that was known as Julien.


    And everything that came with it.


    It wasn''t the world that rejected me.


    It was I who was rejecting it.


    And that made me understand... If I wanted to survive in this world, I needed to ept who I was.


    ept that I was no longer back on earth but in a different ce. One with different rules, and set of morals.


    I was no longer Emmet Rowe.


    I was now Julien Dacre Evenus.


    While I mustn''t forget my past, I also mustn''t forget my present.


    And with such thoughts.


    My hand...


    Ah¡ª


    It finally reached his foot.


    And I let everything out.


    ''Anger.''


    "Ahhhhhhh....!"


    A scream resounded. It echoed loudly in the sky as it pierced through everything.


    It was overwhelming.


    <i>Thump! </i>


    He fell on his back and held his head with both hands.


    "Ahhh! Ahhhhhh!"


    I could rte.


    After all... He was experiencing all the anger I had felt in the immersive state. All of it in a concentrated bundle.


    All at once.


    "Ahhhh! Ahhhhh!"


    He trashed on the ground, pulling at his hair with force.


    "....Ukh."


    I clung to the ground and pushed myself up.


    It wasn''t over yet.


    Reaching for the nearest rock, I stumbled forward, only stopping a few meters away from him.


    "Ahhhh! Ahhhhh!!!"


    My lips trembled, and I took a deep breath.


    I...


    "Kh. "


    My eyes closed and my hand raised.


    <i>Pfttt¡ª</i>


    "Ueht!"


    Blood sttered over me as I smashed down with the rock.


    My entire stomach churned at the sensation and unknowingly, my mouth parted open as something came out of my throat.


    "Bleergh!"


    It was puke.


    But...


    "Ukh... Haaa..."


    Taking a deep breath, I once again smashed down with the rock.


    <i>Pfttt¡ª</i>


    The sight upset my stomach further as everything flooded out of my stomach.


    "Bleergh!"


    In my mind...


    The thought of killing someone... and witnessing such a gruesome sight...


    <i>''No, he was going to kill me...''</i>


    I had no choice.


    Yes.


    I had to do this.


    <i>Pfttt¡ª</i>


    "Bleergh!"


    But even so...


    My stomach continued to betray my thoughts as I continued to bash the head with my hand.


    Blood continuously spilled all over me as I raised my hand and smashed it down.


    Over.


    And over.


    And over again.


    <i>Thud.</i>


    "Haaa... Haaa... Haaa..."


    I only stopped when my body could no longer move.


    Lying on the ground...


    I stared at my hands.


    "....."


    Even as I bled, and my bones were broken...


    "D-did it..."


    The only thing I thought about was the fact that I had seded.


    That I... hadn''t failed.


    After so much struggle. I had managed to seed.


    And that...


    Felt so liberating.


    It tore away at all the other thoughts that were clouding my mind.


    "Huuu..."


    Gradually my eyes closed and darkness overtook my vision.


    I was tired, and I still didn''t know what was going on.


    But...


    For the first time in a very long time.


    I...


    Felt joy.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Joy] EXP + 2%


    ***


    Oof, that was a very long chapter. And also a bonus for reaching another goal. Thank you so much again!

 Chapter 27: The one the world rejects [5]

    <h4>Chapter 27: The one the world rejects [5]</h4>


    <i>Rustle¡ª</i>


    The bushes swayed, and a figure emerged.


    It was a little girl with ck hair and deep eyes. Casually holding onto a pastry, she tossed it in her mouth and wiped her lips.


    Her eyes squinted slightly as she savored the sweet pastry.


    Num...


    Her form started to shift.


    Her height started to increase, and her expression started to mature.


    Gradually, the silhouette of an extremely charming woman began to unfold. Glossy ck hair, deep hazel eyes...


    "...."


    Delh nkly stared at the scene in front of her.


    It was a gruesome sight. One that would cause the normalest of people to feel sick.


    Lying beside a mushed-up body was none other than Julien.


    The ck Star.


    She recalled the scene she witnessed, and only a thought crossed her mind.


    ".....He''s weak."


    That he was weak.


    But...


    "His mind is not."


    It was strong.


    Very strong.


    "Not bad..."


    All of this had been a test.


    Such an attack... as if it could really happen when she was overseeing the institute.


    Evaluating the enemy, and judging that they weren''t strong, she allowed for them to do whatever they pleased, and let them teleport Julien and Leon out of the Academy. All she did was follow the mana trace from the spell to get to where they were.


    It wasn''t that far. Took her no time to get there and oversee the situation.


    In case they couldn''t handle them, she''d interfere.


    She had been prepared to interfere during Julien''s struggle, but...


    Yet again...


    He showed her why she had selected him as the ck Star. His anger... desperation... she could feel it from where she was.


    The image of his expression lingered in her mind even until now.


    To the point where she opened her lips to mutter,


    "Anger..."


    Her hands trembled, but it wasn''t much.


    Nothingpared to how he did it.


    Her expression showed signs of cracking as she faintly smiled.


    "....I guess he''s better than me."


    In the Emotive field, that was.


    It was a funny thought.


    It wasn''t as though she was talented in such a field. She could use emotive magic, but it wasn''t excellent.


    In a sense... she felt a sense of defeat.


    "....."


    Her gaze continued to linger over Julien. More specifically, toward his forearm, where a familiar tattoo rested.


    She wanted to see what he''d do in such a situation. Catch himcking... but he never faltered. His performance was wless.


    To the point where Delh started to question herself.


    <i>''....Am I wrong?'' </i>


    But clearly, the tattoo he had was the same...


    "...."


    Her delicate brows gently knit together.


    "What a headache."


    Flicking her hand, Julien''s body levitated upwards. Nudging her fingers, his body drifted towards her.


    Stopping just a few inches away, she brought her finger to his neck.


    ".....Nothing serious."


    His body wasn''t exactly in the best of shapes, but his heart was steady. There were no life-threatening injuries.


    He was at most tired.


    As for his broken bones and body...


    That much could be handled by the infirmary. It would take at most a couple of days for him to be fully healed.


    "Hm?"


    Sensing something, Delh''s head turned to face the distance. She felt a subtle mana traceing from there.


    That''s when she recalled.


    "Ah, right."


    There was someone else that was here.


    Her form gradually started to blend with the world alongside Julien''s. Before long, the two of them disappeared.


    "...."


    <i>Swoosh¡ª</i>


    Just as the two of them left, a change started to take ce in the surroundings.


    The broken trees in the distance started to repair, the body on the ground shattered in fragments, and everything returned to how it had been a few hours prior.


    <i>Rustle¡ª</i>


    The trees rustled under the breeze of the wind, and all traces of what had been disappeared.


    It was as if nothing had ever happened...


    ***


    Dark.


    My vision was dark.


    And it was cold.


    But that cold didn''tst for long.


    Something warm embraced my body. It felt nice.


    To the point where I wanted to bask in it for a little longer. But... I knew I couldn''t. Thisfort... It wasn''t something that I was meant to enjoy.


    My reality wasn''t asfortable as this.


    That much I knew.


    As if a switch had been flipped, my eyes opened, and light entered my vision.


    "W-where am I...?"


    That was the first thing I thought when I looked up.


    It was a white ceiling. One I wasn''t familiar with. My head shifted, and I managed to look down.


    I was lying in bed.


    The room I was in wasn''t anything big. With a wooden table opposite the bed and a metal cab, the room felt rathercking.


    It was nd.


    "...."


    The pungent smell of alcohol lingered in the air as my nose scrunched up. The sterile scent hinted at the fact that I was in some sort of medical center.


    But where exactly?


    "Ukh..."


    Just as I thought to check, my face stiffened.


    My entire body was in pain, and I could barely lift my head.


    But I also understood something...


    <i>''I am safe.'' </i>


    I didn''t know why I felt this way. The ce was unfamiliar, and yet... I didn''t feel like I was in any danger.


    Of course, even if I was in danger... I didn''t have the time to think about it.


    "Ukhg...!"


    Memories from before started to flood my mind, and my stomach churned.


    I hastily looked around before leaning over the bedside.


    And...


    "Blergh...!"


    Once again, I puked.


    "Blergh...!"


    It all came out at once. I wasn''t able to hold it and just flowed out from my stomach.


    "Blergh...!"


    My throat hurt and my eyes started to sting.


    I was also struggling to breathe as I barely had any time to catch my breath. It was just endless.


    The reality of the situation finally started to hit me...


    I had killed someone.


    "...Haa..."


    It wasn''t so much that I was distraught by that idea. He had been trying to kill me... I was merely defending myself.


    But...


    As I recalled the way that I killed him.


    The blood that spilled with each swing.


    The smell of it as it invaded my nostrils.


    The pieces of his brain that sttered...


    "Blergh...!"


    My stomach once again turned over, and I continued to puke.


    But this time...


    Nothing came out. I only made the sound, but nothing came out. I had emptied my entire stomach. There was nothing left for me to puke.


    "..."


    I wiped my lips and took deep and even breaths.


    I felt like utter shit.


    Every time I thought back to the memories, my mouth would gag. I wished I could forget all about that memory and just move on, but...


    <i>''I can''t forget.'' </i>


    I mustn''t forget.


    Like I said, it was time for me to ept the world.


    Who I now was... And the morals of this world. I had to ept them. I couldn''t stay as Emmet Rowe forever. I had to... be Julien Dacre Evenus.


    The world didn''t reject me.


    I rejected it.


    And it was time for me to ept it.


    From itsws to its morals... I needed to conform my way of thinking to it.


    Only this way would I be able to find what I wanted.


    Therefore, I closed my eyes and reyed the scene in my mind. Over and over again. I tried to recall all the details. From the sounds to the smells... all that I could think of.


    I tried to recall.


    "...Ukgh."


    My throat gagged each time, but I let my mind immerse in the memories.


    I knew that this wasn''t going to be enough.


    That it was going to take time for me to adjust to this sort of mentality, but... One had to start from somewhere.


    And this was my starting point.


    Creaaaaak...


    The door of the room creaked open as a figure draped in white robes entered. With tall blonde hair and green eyes, he scanned the room and sighed.


    "...I was wondering why there was so much sound."


    He flicked his hand once, and all the puke on the floor disappeared. So did the smell, which made me feel better.


    "Let''s start with the introduction. I''m Dr. Gabel Wright. I''m in charge of healing you."


    "...Oh."


    I lowered my eyes and sat back.


    "Am I at the institute?"


    "Oh? You''re aware?"


    "Mhm."


    It wasn''t that hard to figure out. I had been thinking about it for a bit, but was it really possible for something like this to happen under the watch of the institute that boasted itself to be the number one in the empire?


    No...


    That was most likely not the case.


    But... If that was the case, why did something like this happen? Were they just ipetent.. or was there more to it?


    ''Fucking game.''


    "The Chancellor personally brought you back here in the middle of the night. Nobody is aware that you''re here yet."


    Taking out a wooden pad, the doctor nced at it before continuing.


    "...Broken corbone, three fractured ribs, a punctured lung, spinal fracture... What sort of situation did you get yourself into?"


    "Haa.."


    I inwardlyughed. I wanted to know, too.


    In the end, I was going to be stuck here for a bit...


    Great.


    "Well..."


    Putting the clipboard down, he ruffled his hair.


    "The injuries aren''t anything serious or anything like that."


    "...?"


    "So you should be fine with leaving by tomorrow."


    "...??"


    "I''ll be leaving to check on my other patients. Rest for now. I''lle to check up on youter."


    He left just like that.


    "Ah..."


    nk¡ª


    The door closed and silence enveloped the room. I thought back to his words and found myself blinking twice...


    "Injuries aren''t anything serious...?"


    Broken corbone, three fractured ribs, a punctured lung, spinal fracture...


    "Should be fine to leave by tomorrow?"


    This...


    "Haha."


    I couldn''t help butugh.


    Although this was another world... It still left me stunned.


    "...Fucking ridiculous."


    "What is?"


    "No, it''s...!"


    I abruptly looked to my left, and my eyes widened.


    When did she...


    Leaning against the nearest table, her long, flowing ck hair draped down her shoulder as she cocked her head.


    Her appearance was so blinding that I struggled toprehend what was before me.


    "So...? What''s so ridiculous?"


    "...."


    Memories started to flood my mind, and I felt my face stiffen. It took me no time to figure out who the woman before me was.


    One of the seven Monarchs.


    The one who was closest to the Zenith.


    Delh V. Rosemberg.

 Chapter 28: Assistant [1]

    <h4>Chapter 28: Assistant [1]</h4>


    "What... I..."


    The words were stuck in my mouth. I had a hard time understanding the situation. No, not quite.


    An idea formed in my mind shortly after, and I was able to calm myself down.


    "You''re here regarding the incident."


    This much should''ve been obvious.


    Once my mind calmed down and I processed my situation, I got a picture of the situation.


    ".....Perhaps you want a report? My side of the story regarding the situation."


    The words flowed out of my mouth smoothly.


    I had been puking just moments prior, and my head was still throbbing, but even in such a state, I was able to think clearly.


    My pain had not been for nothing.


    "I can do that, but I''d like to know something in return."


    "....."


    Delh didn''t answer and just stared at me. With her arms crossed, she casually leaned her head back.


    I felt a shiver run down my body as her gaze swept my body. It felt intense, and the hair at the back of my neck rose.


    <i>''As expected of one of the strongest people... Just standing next to her feels pressuring.'' </i>


    I had already experienced this sensation before, during the examination, butpared to then, the pressure I was feeling was to a greater degree.


    It felt suffocating.


    And then,


    "....Alright."


    She blinked.


    The pressure that was covering me disappeared. Almost as if it had never been there.


    "Let''s do that. You ask me a question; I''ll ask one too."


    "..."


    I silently nodded my head.


    Then, musing over my thoughts, I opened my mouth and carefully said,


    ".....You were there, weren''t you? Watching everything."


    Even now, the idea that the institute wasn''t aware of this incident didn''t make sense. Surely, their security wasn''t that bad.


    For an incident like that to ur to someone as important as me.


    The ck Star.


    It just didn''t make sense.


    And it was with such thoughts that I was convinced of my theory.


    But that wasn''t all.


    "I overheard the doctor say, ''The Chancellor personally brought you back''. Since you were the one who brought me back, I have reason to believe that you were the one who was watching."


    I paused and mustered the courage to look into her eyes. They were deep. So deep that I felt like they could suck me in at any second.


    But swallowing my saliva, I finished,


    "...I''m right, aren''t I?"


    Silence plunged the room after I said my piece.


    Delh''s gaze continued to linger over me as if she was trying to gauge my inner feelings.


    Just when I thought she''d do something, her mouth opened.


    "It is said that when an Emotive Mage reaches thest stage in their path, the fifth stage ofpletion and the perfect path, they be capable of seeing emotions, not within them, but within others. In such cases, it bes almost impossible for someone to lie to them. Or hide how they feel..."


    I quietly listened to her words.


    While I didn''t understand where she was going with this, the piece of information surprised me.


    <i>''By the fifth stage...''</i>


    Did that equate to level five?


    Was this what she meant by the fifth stage?


    If so...


    <i>''Does that mean that if I reach level five, I''ll be able to tell whenever someone is experiencing said emotion...?''</i>


    That...


    It sounded rather useful.


    But still, what did that have to do with our conversation?


    Could it be...


    "....Are you perhaps implying that you can see my emotions?"


    "No."


    But she was quick to shake her head.


    "With regards to Emotive Magic, I''m inferior to you."


    <i>Ah¡ª</i>


    Was it just me, or did she look a little annoyed? Her expression hadn''t changed the entire time but her tone seemed to give off that impression.


    Still.


    "What does that have to do with my question?"


    "Nothing."


    The fuck¡ª


    "..."


    She looked back at me without as much of a change in her expression.


    I didn''t know how to feel about this. What kind of weird nonsense was this? Before I could say anything else, she spoke again.


    "Yes, I was watching you."


    The casualness at which she said those words left me a little stumped.


    She spoke in a manner that made it seem obvious.


    Well, it was...


    "And...?"


    "You did well."


    That...


    What was I even expecting? Still, it did answer one of my questions. I had never been in danger and would''ve probably interfered if the situation called for it.


    A test maybe?


    A little part of me felt annoyed by the thought, but another felt grateful.


    If it weren''t for the situation that ced me in a point of despair, I would''ve never been able to progress my magic.


    <i>''Ah, yes... My magic.'' </i>


    Suddenly recalling the fact that I had managed to progress my other magic, a sense of relief and joy washed over me.


    Finally...


    "My turn."


    "Hm?"


    Ah, right.


    She also had a question.


    I prepared myself to hear what sort of question she had for me. I, too, was curious. Was she just going to ask me about the situation? Or...


    "Your tattoo..."


    Uh¡ª


    "Could you show it to me?"


    "..."


    I sat stupefied, unable to process the situation. Out of all the things she could''ve asked, she had asked about the tattoo.


    Just what exactly...


    "....Are you not going to show it to me?"


    Her tone lowered, and my body shuddered. Looking into her eyes, I could only see an icy coldness, and I knew she was being serious.


    I remainedposed and showed her my arm.


    While I wasn''t sure about her goal, I, too, was curious about my tattoo.


    Perhaps... she''d be able to help me figure something out


    "Hmm."


    As she lowered her head to stare at that tattoo, her hair draped to the side, allowing me to get a better look at her face.


    My gaze didn''t linger for long, and I kept my expression firm.


    But...


    <i>''Wow.''</i>


    She was really something.


    I had a hard time thinking if she could even be measured by ''earth'' standards. She was simply something else.


    <i>''Get a grip.'' </i>


    I was quick to shake such thoughts from my mind. It was merely a fleeting admiration on my part.


    "....Inverted Sky."


    All of a sudden, her crisp voice reached my ears, and our eyes met. Her hand grasped my forearm.


    "Does that ring a bell?"


    Her grip tightened, almost to the point where it hurt. But I remained steady.


    "Inverted Sky?"


    I pondered over her words and eventually shook my head.


    "No."


    I had no clue. Was this the name of an organization? Someone''s title? Or the name of an object?


    I really had no idea.


    "..."


    Delh raised her head, and once again, our eyes met.


    My body froze.


    The deeper I stared into her eyes, the deeper I felt myself sink. An endless abyss seemed contained within those eyes, rendering me stuck on the spot.


    Her voiceyered as she spoke.


    "I''ll ask again. Have you heard of it before?"


    "....No."


    My answer remained the same.


    I really hadn''t heard of it before.


    It was when I felt my breath leave my body that she finally released her grip on my forearm, and everything returned to normal.


    Only then did I feel like I could finally breathe again.


    "You don''t seem to be lying."


    She cocked her head lightly, pinching her chin as she leaned back on the wooden table.


    "Strange, so strange..."


    <i>''What''s going on with her?''</i>


    Her behavior was really strange. While she certifiably carried herself as someone of importance, she also gave off a rather odd feeling.


    Like...


    <i>''Scary.''</i>


    I couldn''t quite put it into words.


    But she seemed to have two sides of her. A normal one, and one that felt extremely scary. Just recalling her eyes made me shudder.


    <i>''I wonder which side of her is the real one?''</i>


    "Are you thinking something weird?"


    I almost flinched but barely held myself back before shaking my head.


    "No."


    How did she know?


    "....."


    Her sharp gaze fell on me, and I felt my back shudder.


    Thankfully, it was only for a brief moment before she said,


    "Your extra-curricr activity. The Comedy Club..."


    "....Yes?"


    Why was she suddenly bringing it up?


    "I''ve put your application on hold."


    Hold?


    "Why?"


    "...."


    She didn''t answer immediately and stared at me. Her gaze didn''t feel as pressuring this time.


    Then...


    "You''re weak."


    She said something I was all too aware of.


    "The weakest ck Star. That''s what some people call you."


    "..."


    I pursed my lips.


    "....I was the one that nominated you as the ck Star."


    "..."


    "And my decision was the correct one."


    Surprised, I felt my eyes widen."


    "Instead of joining the Comedy Club, be my assistant."


    "....!"


    "I won''t be able to teach you much, and I won''t protect you, but whenever I''m free, you can ask me for advice. You''re talented in the Emotive field but untalented in the other."


    For the first time, her face showed signs of cracking.


    ".....That fifth state I told you about."


    Her lips gently pulled up.


    "I wonder if you can achieve it."


    Her figure gradually blurred, disappearing from my sight like a gust of wind. But not before leaving a few words behind.


    "Think about it."


    Like that, she was gone.


    "..."


    I stood nkly on the spot for a couple of seconds before finally snapping out of it.


    Did the one closest to the Zenith just ask me to be their assistant?


    "This is ridiculous..."


    The entire situation was.


    Her motive was rather obvious. For whatever reason, she wanted to observe me. It perhaps had something to do with the tattoo on my hand, but I wasn''t sure.


    For now, it seemed to be the most usible reason.


    <i>''Should I refuse the offer?'' </i>


    It was certainly a good offer.


    However, I also understood that it wasn''t one without its motives.


    But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how beneficial it was to me. To have someone as strong as her asionally give me tips on an area Icked... How many people would be jealous of that?


    She also wasn''t forcing me to be her assistant.


    It was an offer.


    Whether I took it or not was up to me.


    <i>Creeeaakk¡ª</i>


    The door of the room opened all of a sudden, and a familiar figure entered. With a cast over his arm, he didn''t look to be in the greatest of conditions.


    Right, he also must''ve...


    I was the first one to speak.


    "....I take it you didn''t have a great time."


    "I did not."


    He looked at me up and down.


    "....You seemed to have had a better time."


    "Ha, yes."


    My entire body felt like it was breaking. Every single movement hurt, and my mind was not in the best of shape.


    Leon casually looked around and tilted his head.


    "Was someone here?"


    I raised my brow.


    How could he tell?


    "The smell."


    "Ah."


    That made sense. I proceeded to recount my events with the Chancellor. I didn''t tell him everything and left a few things out. I still couldn''t trust him. But I told him about the general situation and her offer.


    His response after hearing all of it was...


    "You should take the offer."


    "You think?"


    "It''s a great opportunity for you. I wouldn''t reject it if I were you. It''s much better than..."


    He stopped his sentence there as I noticed his left brow twitch.


    I cocked my head.


    "Better than what?"


    "....Ehm."


    His eyes darted away from me, and he rigidly turned to face the door.


    "I have to go."


    "Why can''t a nose be twelve inches long?"


    He visibly flinched, and his expression changed.


    At that moment, I recalled Delh''s words.


    <i>''It is said that when an Emotive Mage reaches thest stage in their path, the fifth stage ofpletion and the perfect path, they be capable of seeing emotions.''</i>


    Staring at Leon, I could certainly see it.


    The emotion he was feeling.


    Fear.


    Had I already reached that stage?


    Hmm.


    Obviously not.


    But...


    "I-"


    Staring at Leon, I nodded my head.


    Poor soul.


    ".....Because then it''d be a foot."


    ***


    Bonus chap for hitting Power Stones goal! Save me...

 Chapter 29: Assistant [2]

    <h4>Chapter 29: Assistant [2]</h4>


    It was after two days that I was finally allowed out of the infirmary.


    Though I was released, my body was still in pain. I hurt all over, and every single movement made me flinch.


    "Huaaam...."


    I was also rather sleepy. The pain made it hard for me to sleep. I was the type of person that moved a lot during their sleep, so...


    ".....What a pain."


    The current time was 5:30 P.M.


    It was currently Monday, and the week had already started. Because it was already sote, I had pretty much skipped all the lessons that I was set to attend.


    It was a bit of a pity considering that I was alreadygging behindpared to the others, but what could I do?


    <i>''At least, I can use magic now...'' </i>


    This wasn''t exactly the most ideal situation for me.


    Thankfully, all hope wasn''t lost. The Extracurricr activities were set to start today. My choice was already set.


    I was going to ept Delh''s offer to be her ''assistant''.


    Whether her goal was to keep a close watch on me or something else, I didn''t care.


    If it was going to benefit me, then so be it.


    I...


    Will do anything to get stronger.


    ***


    "I''m d you decided to take my offer."


    Delh stood waiting for me at the entrance of the Rottingham Hall. I thought her appearance would attract the attention of all those around us, but...


    <i>''How weird.'' </i>


    Nobody was ncing our way. It was almost as if we didn''t exist.


    Why...


    That was when Delh''s voice reached my ears.


    "I''ve cast a spell that makes it hard for others to notice our presence."


    "Ah..."


    To think that there was such a spell.


    Impressive.


    "Come, follow me."


    <i>Tak¡ª</i>


    Her heels gently clicked against the marble floor as she walked into the hall. I followed her from behind.


    <i>''Wow...''</i>


    As we walked, I couldn''t help but admire the interior structure.


    The building had a square shape, featuring arge opening at the top for sunlight. In the middle of the hall, there was a spacious garden with neatly arranged flowers, trees, and benches. Adjacent to the garden, small pirs separated it from the corridor where we were walking.


    It was a breathtaking sight.


    One that I didn''t want to take my eyes away from.


    "It''s nice isn''t it?"


    Delh continued to lead me forward, her eyes never once looking at the garden to our left.


    "You might as well get used to it since you''ll be working with me from now on."


    "Right..."


    We continued to walk for a bit before going up a flight of stairs leading up to the second floor where we finally stopped in front of arge wooden door.


    "....."


    Delh stood in front of the door for a couple of seconds without saying a word. Just when I thought something was wrong, she twisted the door and opened it revealing her office space.


    I stopped dead in my tracks and looked up.


    "....."


    "....."


    We both stood at the entrance without saying a word.


    That was until I feltpelled to speak.


    "Quit... I''m allowed to quit, right?"


    "No."


    A t-out refusal.


    Expressionless, Delh surveyed her surroundings before making her way to her desk positioned at the room''s far end. The desk was situated right behind arge window that flooded the entire space with natural light.


    As she headed for her desk, Delh carefully walked around the stacks of papers and wrappers that littered the ground.


    How would I even begin to describe this ce...?


    A dump? A mess?


    It was...


    "I''m a very busy person."


    Delh went on to say.


    "....I don''t have time to clean up."


    She sat down on her desk and reached out for her drawer where even more wrappers spilled. As her hand dug into the drawer, her brows knit together before finally rxing as she took out a chocte bar.


    Unwrapping it, she tossed the wrapper to the side before cing the bar in her mouth.


    Her eyes squinted the moment the bar entered her mouth.


    But...


    All I could do was stare at the wrapper that fell to the ground.


    <i>''Don''t have time to clean up...?'' </i>


    What sort of nonsense...


    "What?"


    As if noticing my expression, Delh turned to look at me. I didn''t say anything and just stared at the wrapper on the ground.


    "Ah..."


    And then, as if realizing, her head turned.


    ".....Force of habit."


    At least she was honest...


    I honestly didn''t know how to feel about the situation. On one hand, I started to think that maybe I had fallen for a trap.


    That her goal in having me be her assistant was so that I could help her clean up. But I knew this was ridiculous.


    Someone of her stature could surely hire someone to clean up her mess.


    On the other hand, I was stumped.


    One of the Seven Monarchs.


    The one closest to the Zenith.


    ....Was this her real personality?


    This...


    I wasn''t sure how to feel.


    "So..."


    Delh''s voice reached my ears. I turned to look at her. Staring at me with an expression of utmost seriousness, she nced around. She didn''t say a word, but her meaning was clear.


    Only that...


    I pointed toward my mouth.


    "You''ve got..."


    ***


    There were over a hundred different extracurricr activities that were offered to the first-year cadets.


    Amongst them, the most popr were [Magic Theory and Expertise], and [Sword Unification and Mana Composition].


    Because the two clubs shared simr elements, today the sses were unified.


    A group of four stood at the end of the training room.


    "What happened to you? Why did you skip today''s lessons?"


    Each of them was dressed in robes, and their appearances and demenour attracted the attention of all those present. It couldn''t be helped. They were the top four rankers of the first year. Leon, Aoife, Evelyn, and Luxon.


    "Can''t you see from his hand that he got injured?"


    These were the words of Luxon, a young man with brown hair and deep blue eyes. He was ranked fifth amongst the first years, and just like Leon, he was a knight.


    "Uh, yeah... I noticed."


    Evelyn, who was staring at Leon''s hand, tilted her head.


    "How did yo¡ª"


    She stopped herself mid-sentence and her eyes opened.


    "Ah."


    There was someone else that had been missing today.


    Could it be...


    She looked at Leon who was nkly staring into the distance, his thoughts unknown.


    "It''s probably not what you''re thinking."


    Aoife, who had been quiet the entire time, finally spoke.


    "No. I¡ª"


    "If the two of them really fought, I don''t think the situation would be as quiet as this. The two of them would be in the disciplinary hall."


    "Right..."


    Fighting among cadets was prohibited. If cadets were caught fighting against each other, they''d be severely punished by the school board.


    Still, such rules couldn''t stop Evelyn from overthinking.


    <i>''But what if they fought without the institute knowing?''</i>


    Would the institute interfere then? ...And if they really had fought, who won between the two of them?


    "Never mind that..."


    Luxon switched up the conversation.


    "The situation is getting rather troublesome, right? ...I thought things would calm down after a while, but it seems like they''re hell-bent on pushing us down."


    "Right... It''s getting quite annoying."


    Factions were already starting to form between the first years. Primarily, it was themoners banding up together against the nobles. The situation wasn''t hard to handle, however, there were already a few conflicts between the lower-end nobles andmoners.


    The worst part of it all was that Aoife had indirectly be the face of the situation when she interfered with an emerging conflict where she ended up defending the lower-end nobles.


    Cooly looking into the distance, she said,


    "Two sides were fighting so I just stopped the fight. I interfered without knowing the situation. Because of it... I''m now dragged into this situation. I already warned them that I want no part in this, but they refuse to listen."


    While the Megrail name held a lot of weight, within the institute, it was a meaningless title.


    The only title that actually mattered was that of the ck Star. Such situations were notmon as the cadets usually banded with the ck Star.


    It was the ck Star''s role to stop such meaningless conflict.


    But things were different this year with the ck Star not caring at all about creating factions and banding the first years together.


    He was the primary reason why a situation like this had happened.


    Had she been the ck Star, then...


    Aoife quietly bit her lips and looked at Leon.


    "Do you think you can get him to do something?"


    Leon looked down and met Aoife''s eyes. He stared at her for a while before shaking his head.


    "No."


    A t-out refusal.


    "Even if you force him, he won''t do it. He hates these kinds of things."


    "Are you sure?"


    When Luxon asked, Leon nodded.


    "Very sure."


    "Shit."


    With a curse, Luxon ruffled his hair.


    "....Why did the institute choose someone like him to be the ck Star? If he can''t even fulfill his own role, then what''s the point in keeping him there? At the rate the situation is going, the first years will be split into different factions. That has never happened before. We''ll be theughingstock of the second and third years."


    At that, nobody answered. His words held some truth.


    With Julien not fulfilling his role as the ck Star, the first years were in a mess.


    At the rate they were going, the conflicts would get to the point where they would start interfering with everyone''s studies.


    The grim reality made Evelyn frown as she asked,


    "What do we do?"


    Aoife, who had been frowning the entire time, suddenly rxed her brows.


    "There''s one thing we can do."


    Everyone looked at her.


    But just as she spoke, Evelyn''s eyes widened. So did Luxon''s. A figure appeared in their sight.


    <i>Gulp¡ª </i>


    Evelyn felt a lump in her throat.


    With calm and even steps, he neared them.


    A perfect face.


    With an aura distinct from the others, and cold eyes befitting his visage, he seemed to be the center of attention wherever he went.


    And...


    Finally, his expression...


    It was extremely cold. Especially his eyes which shone like well-polished jewels.


    "During the mid-terms..."


    He stopped right behind Aoife who finished her sentence.


    "... I''ll take the title away from him."

 Chapter 30: Progression Analysis [1]

    <h4>Chapter 30: Progression Analysis [1]</h4>


    "....."


    Her face remained nk as she felt a presence behind her. Taking note of the change in expressions of Evelyn and Luxon, Aoife had an idea of what was going on.


    She coolly turned her head.


    "You''re here."


    He stood taller than her, her height just barely reaching his chin.


    <i>''He heard, didn''t he?'' </i>


    There was no way he hadn''t.


    "....I am."


    Indeed, hearing his confirmation, Aoife closed her eyes briefly. Then, collecting her thoughts, she spoke,


    "Did you hear what I said?"


    "I have."


    Julien continued to stare at her with his usual detached eyes.


    Aoife calmly stared into those eyes.


    <i>''Those arrogant eyes... I wonder how long you''ll be able to keep them like that?''</i>


    Regardless of whether he had heard her or not, she didn''t care. Her goal had always been to reach the top. Be the Zenith.


    The fact that she wasn''t ranked first in her year was already a huge blow to her ambition.


    It wasn''t something she had expected.


    And for there to be two people who stood above her...


    How could she ept something like this?


    Therefore...


    "The ck Star is not just a title. It is something thates with responsibility. The situation is as is because you aren''t doing your job."


    Aoife didn''t care if she came off as uptight, or annoying. There was a little truth in that. She was self-aware of that much.


    However, her words were the truth and the truth only.


    "It is your duty to make sure that all sides get along. Not me, but yours."


    "....."


    Aoife expected Julien to say something back, refute her words, and dismiss her in some way. Give her an excuse to openly challenge him.


    However...


    That never came.


    Julien''s expression eased and he took a step back. Without saying a single word, he turned around to nce into the distance. Where the other students were.


    "....What am I supposed to do?"


    Aoife''s brows raised in surprise.


    Her reaction was the mildest one. The one who had the greatest reaction was Evelyn who opened her eyes and looked at Julien with an expression that seemed as though she couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    No, she really couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    "I never asked to be the ck Star..."


    He started to speak while ncing into the distance. His hazel eyes shone under the light of the sun while his well-kept hair swayed lightly under the breeze.


    Aoife quietly listened to his words, her hands silently tensing. She was expecting him to look at her in disdain while saying something along the lines of, <i>''Do it yourself. Don''t bother me with these meaningless tasks.''</i>


    She could already envision the scene in her mind.


    "...But just because I didn''t ask to be the ck Star doesn''t mean that I don''t care for it. I have it, so I''d like to keep it."


    However, to her surprise, he did none of that.


    Rather, he did somethingpletely out of her expectations.


    "So..."


    Lowering his head slightly, he deeply looked at everyone present.


    ".....Tell me what I''m supposed to do when the timees."


    Following his words, he walked past them.


    Aoife stood dazed even as his scent faded away.


    "...."


    She just stood nkly on the spot.


    The same was true for the others.


    "Did he just..."


    Luxon was the first one to break the silence as his head turned to stare at the departing Julien.


    He turned to look at Leon.


    "Didn''t you say he wasn''t going to do it? Was that just a lie? "


    ".....No."


    Simrly confused, Leon''s head turned to stare at Julien''s back. Judging from his expression, he too seemed shocked by the situation.


    Even though the situation turned out for the better...


    <i>''I don''t like this.'' </i>


    <i>''Without meaning to, I got swept in his rhythm.'' </i>


    Aoife was annoyed. Her neck heated and her hands tingled.


    His mannerisms and the matter-of-fact tone he spoke with... It made it seem as though he was treating her as his servant.


    <i>''Why am I the one that is supposed to tell you?''</i>


    <i>''You said you wanted to keep your role but demand others to tell you how to do that role...''</i>


    <i></i>No, if you really wanted to do something, you''d already have done it by now. Just say a word or two... Show them your presence. Interfere personally. We shouldn''t be the ones to tell you what you''re supposed to do.


    I''m not your secretary.


    "What should we do? Should we gather the leaders of the factions to talk to him?"


    Luxon asked tactlessly. Aoife secretly clenched her teeth and kept her expression firm.


    ".....You figure that out amongst yourselves."


    She then went on to leave on her own.


    "Eh? Aoife...! Where are you going?"


    "...."


    <i>Tak¡ª</i>


    Aoife kept walking despite hearing her name getting called out repeatedly by Luxon.


    <i>''Howughable.''</i>


    The entire situation was.


    She wanted his help.


    ....And yet.


    When he offered his help, she found herself growing mad.


    Hypocrisy?


    Maybe...


    But it also became clear to Aoife.


    The entire reason she was acting this way.


    She had thought she had managed to bury such emotions¡ªweaknesses¡ªdeep within her mind, but...


    "...."


    She silently stared at her hand. It was trembling slightly.


    The reality of the situation hit her and her face cracked.


    "Heh..."


    Augh escaped.


    "...How ridiculous. Me of all people..."


    Indeed.


    She was jealous.


    ***


    It waste into the night, and I was back in my room.


    In this familiar environment, I sat down on the ground and stared at my hand. A beautiful purple magic circle hovered above the tips of my fingers.


    <i>Drip... Drip... </i>


    Even as sweat dripped from my head, I kept my gaze fixed on the circle in front of me.


    "I... really did it."


    I still couldn''t believe it.


    The reality that was disyed in front of me.


    I... could finally use my first true spell. Outside of Emotive Magic, this was my very first spell.


    <i>Ziiing¡ª</i>


    I gently lifted my hand up, inserting it into the magic circle which slowly moved down. Gradually, my hand started to change, turningpletely purple.


    Just likest time, purple spots started to appear in my vision.


    The furthest one was all the way toward the end of the living room. About fifteen meters away.


    "....Is that the limit of my range?"


    I moved back and the purple spot followed after.


    "Seems to be the case."


    I pushed my hand forward and lightly tapped on the spot.


    <i>Swoosh¡ª! </i>


    Tangible purple hands began to sprout from the ground. One... Two... Three... Four... There were a total of four. They rose from the ground and tried totch on to whatever was on top of them.


    This persisted for several seconds before the hands shattered.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    By the time the spell was done, I was on myst breath.


    My mana reserves were almost depleted. I had been at it for quite a while so it was only natural that I was tired.


    "Five..."


    That was the amount of times I could use the spell before running out of mana.


    My current limit.


    "Hooo..."


    Iy on the floor with my arms wide.


    I was tired.


    I was exhausted.


    I was on myst breath.


    But...


    "Haha..."


    I think...


    I was addicted.


    ***


    10:00 A.M. Karlson Hall.


    The Karlson Hall was where the training grounds were located. The facility was extremelyrge, with over a thousand square meters of space, it was massive.


    Today was an unusual ss.


    "Progression Analysis. Every quarter we will examine the cadet''s progression throughout the year. There will be three things measured in the test. First, mana quantity and quality. Second, physical fitness, andstly, mind endurance."


    The professor in charge, a tall woman with long blonde hair and green eyes, Olivia J. Kelson started to exin.


    "With the institute trying to ready you to enter the Mirror Dimension, it is important that we focus on all three aspects. Even if you are a mage, maintaining your body to a certain standard is necessary. In the chance that you find yourself in a situation where you can''t defeat your opponent and are forced to run, your physical stamina will be an important factor."


    She went on to talk about the importance of each testing point and how it would benefit us in the long term.


    I carefully listened to each one of her words and made sure to take notes in my mind.


    I was still a stranger to this world, and although what she was saying could be perceived as mon sense''. Not allmon sense applied to me.


    There were certain things that I was unaware of.


    "I will now divide you into three groups. There, you will follow your assigned assistant to take on the testing."


    Names started to get called out one by one. Alongside the names, she''d point toward a certain assistant.


    "Ravenscroft Luxon."


    "Dangrove Rose."


    "Ellert Leon."


    "Tiperl Josephine."


    "Megrail Aoife."


    "Mylne Kiera."


    "Verlic Evelyn."


    .


    .


    .


    "Evenus Julien."


    When my name was called out, there was a certain pause before the professor frowned and pointed toward arge bald man. He stood tall, towering over my figure, and his thick eyebrows were knit into a frown as he stared at me.


    For some reason, I felt the impression that he didn''t quite like me...


    Was it just me?


    <i>''Maybe.''</i>


    It could just be that he just looked intimidating.


    For now, under the watchful eyes of all the students and staff, I made my way toward my group. A couple of familiar faces entered my vision when I walked forward.


    More specifically a girl with long white hair and red eyes.


    I stared at her for a brief moment and as if she could sense my gaze, her head turned and our eyes met.


    Immediately, her face turned to one of displeasure. Loathing almost.


    <i>''...I guess she still remembers the incident from before.''</i>


    The one regarding the cigarette.


    Indeed, that was my fault. I shouldn''t have acted like that.


    "Hurry along, we don''t have all day to wait for you."


    A rough voice directed itself toward me. When I looked up, I saw the assistant professor ring at me from the distance.


    <i>Ah¡ª</i>


    This guy...


    He really did hate me after all.


    But why...?


    "...."


    Knowing about the possible agenda against me, I kept my mouth shut and joined the group.


    And as if I had some godly timing, the moment I joined the ground, the professor was done recounting all the names.


    "I''m done over here."


    She looked toward the assistant professors and announced.


    "You may begin with the tests. Group one, please head toward the physical test. Group two, head for the mana test, and group three... Please proceed to the mental test."


    We were group two which meant that our test was the mana test.


    A part of me already dreaded the test knowing that my performance was going to be awful, but at the same time... I couldn''t wait for the test.


    What other people cared about me or whatnot. That was meaningless to me. What I cared about the most was seeing my current level.


    Get a general idea of my overall level so that I could gauge the areas I needed to improve on.


    "Once everyone is done with the test, we''ll alternate sections. Off you go."


    These were thest words of the professor before we were led by our respective assistant professors toward our designated section.


    The space wasrge.


    About the size of a ssroom.


    In the space, arge magic circle was drawn on the ground where arge table sat and three orbs appeared.


    "This is the Mana Resonance Assessment."


    The rough voice of the assistant professor began to spread.


    "The test is simple. There are three orbs on the table. Each orb has its own distinctive function."


    He pointed toward the orbs.


    "The one on the left measures your mana quantity. The one in the middle measures your mana purity, and the one on the right measures your mana control. All you have to do is ce your hand over the orb and channel your mana. A grade will be given to you after the test has ended."


    Just as he said those words, his gaze fell on me.


    I knew at that moment exactly what was about to happen. And he proved me right as he pointed toward the orbs.


    "Julien..."


    He called out my name, almost chewing on it.


    "You''re first."


    ***


    Bonus chapter for Power Stone Goal. You guys are killing it¡ªme.

 Chapter 31: Progression Analysis [2]

    <h4>Chapter 31: Progression Analysis [2]</h4>


    I didn''t say anything and followed along with his words. I couldn''t care less about whether he was targeting me or not.


    .....All I cared about at the moment was my current progress and strength.


    Where did I currently stand?


    "We will gauge your score from a scale of zero to ten. The number will represent your approximate range within the Tiers."


    I didn''t quite understand but I maintained myposure and walked forward, stopping right in front of the orb.


    Hundreds of students stood behind me.


    Their gazes pierced my back. They felt pressuring.


    But...


    <i>''I couldn''t care less.''</i>


    I wasn''t going to do well.


    I knew that much.


    Even so... I still was nning on doing my best.


    The stares meant nothing to me. What I cared about was myself, and myself only.


    "You may start. Start with the first orb, the mana quantity measuring orb."


    "...."


    I nodded and ced my hand on the orb.


    The moment I did, the assistant professor''s rough voice echoed from behind.


    "Channel your mana into the orb."


    I did as I was told.


    Focusing my attention on my abdominal area, a familiar sensation coursed through my body, gathering toward my hand where it released and entered the orb.


    A white light unfolded before my very eyes as my mana started to drain from my body.


    I didn''t resist it and let it flow out of my body.


    <i>''It''s quite simple.''</i>


    All I did was channel my mana and direct it toward the orb.


    The rest was straightforward.


    This persisted for a few seconds before the light finally died down and the assistant professor''s voice echoed from behind.


    "Score value; 1.716. Average."


    Score value 1.716...? For some reason, the values felt familiar.


    Recovering my breath, I thought closely to where I had seen those numbers before, when...


    <i>Ah¡ª</i>


    Something struck me.


    <i>''Status''</i>


    A screen floated in front of me. My eyes immediately darted toward the top spot where I finally saw it.


    Level :17 [Tier 1 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª[16%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    <i>''Level 17 and 16%. Is that what it means by 1.716?'' </i>


    My thoughts were interrupted by the rough voice of the Assistant Professor.


    "You''re only 0.284 from reaching Tier 2."


    He then went on to point toward the other orb.


    "You can start the mana purity test."


    But I didn''t move immediately.


    I was busy musing over his words.


    <i>''Only 0.284 from reaching Tier 2... Does that mean that I''ll reach Tier 2 at Level 20?''</i>


    If that were the case, would Tier 3 be level 30? Every ten levels a Tier?


    Although I already had an idea about this, it was bing clearer to me that it was probably true.


    That said...


    I was still not 100% sure.


    I needed more time to observe the situation.


    "Cadet?"


    Hearing the Assistant Professor''s not-so-pleased voice, I quietly nodded and moved toward the second orb.


    "...."


    It looked the same as the first one and without needing anyone to tell me what to do, I ced my hand over the orb.


    Yet again, the orb shone and mana drained from my body.


    Thissted for several seconds before stopping.


    "...."


    A silence enveloped my surroundings before I finally turned my head to see the Assistant Professor staring at me with a frown.


    I raised my brow.


    <i>''....Something wrong?'' </i>


    "Mana Purity; Tainted."


    Tainted...?


    What sort of score was this? I took a look around me and saw the expressions of the cadets around me. Some were whispering amongst each other while looking at me. I couldn''t tell if they were making fun of me or not.


    It very well could be given my position and score.


    I epted such criticism without flinching.


    The Professor went on to exin.


    "Pristine, Pure, Refined, Standard, Tainted, Corrupted, and Void-touched."


    He looked at the other cadets while he exined this.


    "Mana purity is judged based on one''s ability to use mana. From speed, density, and elemental affinity. What we expect from you at the bare minimum is the Standard assessment."


    As his voice grew deep, the Assistant Professor finally turned to look at me.


    "While not rare, tainted do asionally show up. Our institute does our best to help such cadets out, but..."


    Finally, he disyed his disdain toward me for the first time.


    "I''m disappointed by the fact that our top cadet is one such cadet. Proceed toward the next orb."


    The disdain was evident from his tone.


    <i>''.....What''s this guy''s problem?'' </i>


    But even though he seemed to dislike me, he remained professional. Which was why I also remained quiet.


    That and because fighting him wouldn''t wield any positives for me.


    "...Was that really his score?"


    "You heard it, right?"


    The whispers of the other cadets became even more prevalent but I ignored them and focused my attention on his words.


    <i>''So my mana is tainted... That makes sense.'' </i>


    I had only been introduced to the concept of mana about two weeks ago.


    Such a score made sense.


    <i>''I am no genius.'' </i>


    My talent was average. That much became clear to me after learning the first spell. I wouldn''t have struggled so much had I been talented.


    But that didn''t deter me from continuing my path.


    I already knew it was a hard path.


    One that might not yield any result.


    But...


    I needed to cling to something. Regardless of how improbable it was, to retain my sanity, I needed to cling to my goal.


    Otherwise...


    <i>''I''ll lose sight of myself.''</i>


    I went on to move toward the next orb.


    "This test will be a little different. Once you channel your mana inside of the orb, your goal is to control the mana threads and disperse them. The speed at which you''re capable of doing this will determine your score."


    "...."


    Without looking back, I ced my hand on the orb. Unlike the previous times, the world around me turned dark.


    <i>''What''s this?'' </i>


    I was confused at first, but soon enough thousands of white threads appeared in the space in front of me.


    I reached forward with my hand and grasped one of the threads, gently moving it to the side.


    <i>''Ah.''</i>


    That was when I recalled the Assistant Professor''s words and understood.


    <i>''....I''m supposed to untangle this?'' </i>


    I stared at the jungled-up mess in front of me.


    Well, shit...


    ***


    "How long has it been...?"


    "Why is he still there?"


    "Did something go wrong?"


    Murmurs and whispers spread as all attention was focused on Julien who held his hand over the orb with his eyes closed. His back was straight, and his expression was calm.


    His poise retained its usual dignity even under the intense scrutiny of those around him.


    Eventually, his eyes came open to reveal his hazel pupils and he removed his hand from the orb.


    "The overall score is 0.4. You fail."


    The Assistant Professor''s voice ruthlessly came down as he announced the score. Almost instantly, the voices of the cadets became louder.


    "Failed?"


    "0.4? Isn''t that really low?"


    "Is he doing this on purpose, or is he actually so weak?"


    "Do you think I can beat him if I challenge him now?"


    Overhearing the discussion amongst the cadets, Kiera, shook her head and muttered,


    "....Idiots."


    There weren''t actually that many that were surprised by Julien''s evaluation. It had been pretty obvious from the start that he wasn''t very adept at using mana given his weak mana trace.


    That said...


    Those who knew didn''t fault him for it.


    <i>''He''s an Emotive Mage.''</i>


    One who wielded emotions. His proficiency over it was to a scary degree. Even now, Kiera could recall Julien''s expression during the first lesson when he was called out by one of the cadets.


    Who it was she didn''t know.


    Nor did she care.


    But it didn''t matter... She could still vividly recall what had happened afterward. The way he approached him, and how a single word from him made her skin crawl.


    In her mind, he was no human.


    <i>''A crazy bastard.''</i>


    To study emotions to such an extent at such an age...


    He could only be a crazy bastard.


    She was therefore aware that whatever result he received today wouldn''t reflect his true strength.


    Many of those present were also aware of this with only a few thinking otherwise.


    Arrogance, or stupidity?


    <i>''Maybe both.''</i>


    Either way, Kiera wasn''t nning on defending him.


    <i>''Fucking asshole.''</i>


    Her impression of him was of the lowest. The scene at the library kept reying in her mind as her expression crumbled.


    <i>''Just like that bitch... They''re all the fucking same.'' </i>


    Aoife K. Megrail.


    Just the mention of her name made her face heat up as her teeth silently clenched together. One day... One day... She repeated to herself while staring ahead.


    And then,


    "Kiera Mylne."


    Her name was called up.


    She didn''t hesitate to move forward. In her view, a certain person appeared. He was justing back from his examination.


    Under the whispers and murmurs of the cadets around, he seemed unfazed.


    <i>''Even though I know this isn''t your strength...''</i>


    Kiera kept walking, her gaze never leaving Julien''s.


    <i>''Even though I know this isn''t your focus...'' </i>


    The distance between the two of them shrank.


    <i>''Even though I know this probably won''t faze you...'' </i>


    Until she eventually passed him, catching a whiff of his scent in the process.


    <i>''I want you to know...'' </i>


    Her hand came pressing against the orb where a familiar scene started to rey, and a rough voice announced,


    "Score value; 2.504. Top rank."


    <i>''...I really do hold my grudges well.''</i>


    ***


    The physical exam was next.


    "This test will be used to measure your general physical fitness. I don''t expect mages to perform outstandingly, but I do expect a certain standard from you all. Training your physical body is just as important as training your mana. Just like the Professor said, your stamina is important for when you enter the Mirror Dimension."


    We were in arge field, aplete differencepared to the other examination. Our outfits were also different¡ªshirts and shorts.


    Our test was to...


    "Run."


    The Assistant Professor began to jog.


    "Don''t fall behind."


    His actions were so abrupt that everyone stared at his back with dumbfounded looks. Then, as if realizing what was going on, everyone started to follow along behind him.


    "Fuck, he should''ve warned us beforehand."


    "I''m still not warmed up yet."


    Even though the cadetsined, none of them showed any signs of exhaustion as we ran for five consecutiveps.


    Immediately, the top cadets began to distinguish themselves with a girl with tinum long hair and red eyes taking the lead.


    Even in the mana test, she was first...


    What monster.


    "...."


    I too was running with them.


    But...


    <i>''Fuck, I''m going to die.'' </i>


    I was secretly dying on the inside.


    This body...


    Although fit, it had some serious stamina problems.


    My lungs were on fire, my legs were twitching, and my breathing was starting to be rough.


    It felt as though I was being sucked out of all my energy, and by the time it was the seventhp, I had no choice but to stop.


    "Hue..."


    I forced myself to take slow breaths.


    Though tired, I still remained standing and kept my expression firm. I had a certain image that I had to maintain.


    It wasn''t something I could give up on.


    At least, ording to Leon.


    Therefore...


    Even as my lungs burned, and I was desperate for air...


    "Hue..."


    I took small and shallow breaths.


    My head felt light because of it, but I threw away all such feelings and focused on my recovery.


    "Hue..."


    Once I felt my breath return, I once again started running.


    The distance between me and the other cadets had be quiterge. There were a few that were close to me, but the vast majority were far ahead.


    I paid them no mind and focused on myself.


    <i>''My pace... My pace...''</i>


    I wasn''t like them, I knew that.


    My starting point was the lowest and it would probably take a long time to catch up to the top cadets... But even so...


    <i>''I''ll do it.''</i>


    I knew I would.


    Which was why I continued to go at my pace.


    Because this was my limit. And the slowest I''ll ever be.


    "Huuu..."


    There were no clouds in the sky. It was blue, and the sun basked me in a pleasant warmth.


    And in such an environment, I ran at my pace.

 Chapter 32: Progression Analysis [3]

    <h4>Chapter 32: Progression Analysis [3]</h4>


    "What do you think...? How are the results for this year?"


    Professor Kelson''s voice echoed as she stood by the end of the training ground with her three other assistant professors.


    The day was almost over, and so far each group had taken two of the three assessments they were supposed to take.


    They were at the moment all taking a break. Be it professors or students.


    "...From my group, several students stand out."


    One of the Assistant Professors, a young woman with short ck hairmented.


    She went on to say,


    "Evelyn from the Verlice family, and Luxon from the Ravenscroft family. They scored quite high on the Mana examination test, with 2.58 and 2.31 respectively. They''ve also scored quite highly on the Mental examination test, with a score of 2.01 and 2.11 respectively... Their results already surpass that of the top cadets ofst year''s batch."


    "Hmmm."


    Professor Kelson quietly nodded while listening to the report. Indeed, the results were quite frightening.


    For first-year cadets to reach a score above 2 was quite rare. That signified that the cadet was already in the Tier 2 range.


    Such feat was extremely rare and only asionally would the academy be blessed with such individuals.


    For two to appear...


    "I''d like to add to that."


    A tall man with long ck hair and a skinny frame disyed his clipboard.


    "Actually... It''s about my group."


    His expression was quite serious.


    "My group took part in the Physical and Mental examination. Two students stood out in my group as well. It''s just that..."


    He took a short pause while looking at the clipboard in his hand. Scratching the back of his head, his face scrunched up in what appeared to be disbelief.


    "I really can''t believe we had such monsters in our year... Leon Ellert. Physical examination score, 2.91. Mental examination score, 2.98. Aoife Megrail. Physical examination score, 2.87. Mental examination score, 3.01..."


    "...!"


    "Th-this...!"


    A still silence shrouded the space as Professor Kelson and the other assistants gaped at the results.


    It took a while before they could recollect themselves, and when they did, one of them asked again to make sure they hadn''t heard wrong.


    "....I didn''t hear wrongly, right? Did you just..."


    "Leon Ellert. Physical examination score, 2.91. Mental examination score, 2.98. Aoife Megrail. Physical examination score, 2.87. Mental examination score, 3.01..."


    The assistant professor repeated.


    Only when he repeated did it finally sink into the mind of those present as they looked at each other at aplete loss for words.


    "Monsters..."


    Breaking the silence was Professor Kelson who looked at the clipboard incredulously while repeating.


    "...We''ve got monsters this year."


    And then, her gaze finally fell on thest assistant professor.


    "What about you Gilbert? Any notable figures from your group?"


    "Yes."


    His deep voice quietly echoed out in the group.


    Taking out his clipboard, he frowned.


    ".....Only one though."


    Whether he spoke out of disappointment or not, nobody could be sure. His expression was hard to read.


    He began to announce,


    "Kiera Mylne. Mana examination test, 2.504. Physical examination test, 2.281."


    "Another monster..."


    "Wow."


    The other assistant professors seemed impressed by her performance. All but Professor Kelson who saw the crux of the problem.


    "The ck Star..."


    She began to speak,


    "Wasn''t he in your group? What was his result?"


    "That''s what I want to talk about..."


    Finally, a shift urred in Gilbert''s expression as it darkened.


    "Julien Evenus. Mana examination test, 1.716. Physical examination test, 1.189."


    Gilbert''s grip on the board tightened.


    "....He''s currently ranked amongst thest in my group in terms of average. An embarrassment."


    The utter disregard in his tone couldn''t be hidden. Although he tried his best to keep himself from disying such emotion, it was starting to be hard when confronted with such results.


    <i>''He is not fit to be the ck Star.'' </i>


    That was the only thought that ran through his mind.


    "Those are indeed quite low scores."


    The Professor couldn''t deny it. Her gaze turned toward the distance where a particr figure appeared. He easily stood out from the rest of the students. Just his appearance was enough to warrant that.


    But there was also the fact that he stood alone, with the cadets actively avoiding him.


    It was hard for her to not spot him under such circumstances.


    She rubbed her forehead.


    "For now, we can do nothing about this. Let''s proceed with the next examination. I''d like to go home early. Who knows, he might do a little better in the next examination."


    "...I doubt that."


    Gilbert went on to put his clipboard under his armpit and headed back for his group. Thest examination was the mental test. Of all the other examinations, it was the hardest one to score a high grade on.


    He doubted Julien could do well in such an examination given how miserably he had performed in the other examinations.


    As he walked, he shook his head.


    <i>''...Pathetic.'' </i>


    ***


    Word of Julien''s score started to spread amongst the first-year cadets. Many showed surprised looks while others didn''t seem as surprised.


    "Did you hear about Julien''s score...?"


    "I did."


    "Then..."


    "Nothing surprising."


    Leon stretched his muscles while secretly channeling the mana in his body. His next test was up. The mana examination one. He nned on doing well in that one too.


    "What''s up with your reaction? Why do you seem so unsurprised?"


    "Because I''m not."


    Taking a deep breath, Leon turned his head and looked at Evelyn. She was constantly alternating her head between him and Julien.


    "At this rate won''t he get in trouble? As his knight, won''t that affect you?"


    "Ah..."


    When she put it like that...


    "I''ll be fine."


    Thinking about it, there was no need for him to worry.


    "He''ll also be fine."


    "But..."


    "I wouldn''t be as rxed as you are."


    A voice suddenly interrupted. When Leon turned his head, he saw Aoife approaching their direction.


    Her gaze simrly fell on Julien who was standing by himself in the distance.


    "He managed to deter people from approaching him during the first lecture thanks to his performance. However, now that the results are out... How long do you think before someone challenges him?"


    "....I''m not sure."


    Leon truthfully answered.


    "....."


    Aoife nkly stared at Leon for a few seconds and shook her head while silently muttering in a low voice, ''Are you really his knight?'' before steading her expression again.


    "You''re forgetting that we currently need him. I won''t be able to take his title away until the Mid-terms. In that case, he needs to make sure he retains his image."


    "..."


    Leon quietly listened to Aoife speak as he kept his gaze locked on her. She seemed rather adamant about taking his spot when the mid-terms came.


    He couldn''t exactly put that against her.


    The title of the ''ck Star'' carried a lot of significance. Be it within the institute, and politically.


    ".....He''s still fine because of what he pulled during the first day and the fact that the institute wouldn''t grant someone the title without merit. However, at this rate, people will start forgetting this."


    Aoife frowned while gently brushing her red locks behind her ears.


    "There''s a high chance he won''t be able to perform well in hisst test. I suggest you prepare yourself for the after-effects. It won''t be big, but you''ll need to be ready for it."


    She paused and turned to look at Leon.


    ".....Because you''ll also be at the center of it. As his knight."


    ***


    After a short break, we were led toward a strange device that sat in the middle of the training grounds. From where I was, I could still see the other groups readying themselves for the uing examinations.


    In the end, my results ended up being subpar.


    The way some of the cadets looked at me changed as my results spread. While none of them still seemed keen on targeting me, I could feel some of the bolder cadets entertaining the idea.


    <i>''How troublesome.'' </i>


    It was indeed getting troublesome, but it was still manageable.


    I wasn''t afraid of getting challenged. In fact, I more than entertained the idea.


    But...


    <i>''I wonder if my current self is capable of even putting up a performance...?'' </i>


    The only thing I had was Emotive Magic and a single spell that I could hardly use. It was quite obvious to me that I would end up losing pathetically.


    Even so...


    A part of me really wanted to fight. Not because I didn''t care about losing, but because I knew it was the fastest way to grow.


    "The Mental Examination can be said to be the hardest test yet. It won''t be testing your mana or your physical abilities, but the firmness of your mind. To be able to withstand pain under critical situations, to be able to remainposed under serious situations..."


    The assistant professor began to introduce us to the examination.


    "This is one of the most important assessments you will face so make sure you try your best."


    He then proceeded to point at the device that stood behind him. At a nce, it seemed to be a regr chair.


    No, maybe it was...


    "The test is simple."


    The assistant professor took out a small metallic ck bracelet from his pocket.


    "This is the device that we will use for the examination. It overloads your sensory systems with all sorts of feelings. But primarily, it will give you pain. Your main job is to withstand the pain for as long as you can without screaming or passing out. The more time passes, the greater the pain."


    Searching around with his eyes, his gaze eventually fell on a particr figure. One with long white hair and red eyes.


    "Kiera, you will be the one to try it first."


    <i>''Haa... This...''</i>


    I wanted tough at the situation. The order until now had always been the same. Me first, then Kiera, and so on...


    The reason why he hadn''t called my name was fairly obvious.


    I wasn''t the only one who noticed. The other cadets noticed too as they threw second nces my way.


    I kept my expression firm while staring ahead.


    "Understood."


    Kiera walked up to the chair and sat down.


    "Put this one."


    Taking the bracelet, she put it on her wrist as ittched itself onto it. She didn''t seem at all nervous and leaned back on the chair.


    On the other hand, the assistant professor took out a small device from his pocket. A stopwatch of some sort, and pressed on the top end.


    "Let''s begin."


    "Ukh...!"


    Her body jolted immediately after the assistant professor''s voice fell. Her eyes shot open while the bracelet in her hand trembled.


    "Akh... ukh...!"


    Her struggle wasn''t as pronounced at first. However, with the passing of the seconds, her body started to tremble with more intensity.


    "Don''t scream. If you scream, you fail."


    The assistant professor''s cold voice served to remind her to keep herselfposed.


    "0.1"


    "0.2"


    "0.3"


    As well as recounting her score.


    "0.8"


    "0.9"


    "1.0"


    "Akh...!"


    The moment the count hit 1.0, the pain seemed to escte to a different level as Kiera''s body spasmed with even more force.


    Even so, she kept herself from screaming.


    The surroundings were quiet as all eyes were fixed on her.


    "1.7"


    "1.8"


    "1.9"


    "2.0"


    "...!"


    Her body jolted and her head smacked back. Her entire body spasmed, and for the briefest moment, she almost screamed.


    However...


    With some absurd level of willpower, she was able to keep herself from screaming.


    <i>Kata! Kata! Kata! </i>


    The chair rattled with force asnd her body continued to trash around.


    "2.1"


    "2.2"


    The count continued.


    Her legs yed in random directions.


    "Akh...! Ukh...!"


    Saliva spit out from her mouth as she clenched her teeth tightly and red ahead.


    "Ukh...!"


    "2.5"


    "2.6"


    "2.7"


    The count continued.


    Everyone stood in silence, staring at her with heavy expressions as she continued to trash around.


    She looked like she had lost her mind by this point, but the fact that she had yet to scream proved she had lost anything but her mind...


    She was still there.


    Hanging there.


    Withholding the pain. It was almost impressive.


    But that eventually came to an end...


    ".....Akhhhhhhhhhh!"


    Her scream ended up piercing through her silence as her body started to spasm uncontrobly.


    <i>Click¡ª! </i>


    A gentle click sounded that moment and her body finally rxed.


    Only when she fully calmed down and was capable of moving her body again did the assistant professor announce her result.


    "Kiera Mylne. Mental Examination score... 2.93."


    <i>Swoosh! </i>


    The expression of many of the students changed after hearing the score with many looking at her with traces of awe.


    I too was impressed by her score.


    Although I wasn''t sure how much it hurt, the way she was trashing about and her expression, it must''ve hurt a lot.


    "Next cadet."


    But things moved on rather quickly.


    Another cadet was called.


    "Jaylen Roshtelia."


    Yet again my name wasn''t called.


    A tall man with short ck hair moved forward and sat down on the chair.


    "You''ve seen the steps. Please put it on the device. I''ll start you shortly."


    He went on to score 1.81.


    Another name was called up next.


    Yet again it wasn''t mine.


    I stood patiently at the back, waiting for my name to be eventually called up.


    But that never happened.


    Not until...


    I was thest cadet standing.


    "Julien Evenus."


    Only then was my name called.


    "You''re up next."

 Chapter 33: Progression Analysis [4]

    <h4>Chapter 33: Progression Analysis [4]</h4>


    I calmly walked up toward the chair under the eyes of all the cadets.


    <i>''In the end, I ended up being thest.'' </i>


    I didn''t mind it. Rather, it helped me to more or less understand better how the test worked and understand what things wouldn''t work well. One such example would be tongue-biting.


    During the trial, one cadet ended up biting their tongue off while training to keep themselves from screaming.


    They ended up going to the infirmary.


    "Put on the bracelet. I''ll start when you''re ready."


    <i>Click¡ª</i>


    I felt my body tingle the moment the bracelet closed on my wrist.


    <i>''....How weird.'' </i>


    It felt rather heavy.


    "Hue."


    I took a small breath and looked toward the assistant professor. Even now, I still didn''t understand the reasoning behind his displeasure.


    However, such things were trivial to me.


    My thoughts quickly focused on the examination at hand.


    <i>''I wonder....''</i>


    I once again looked at the assistant professor and turned to look at the bracelet on me.


    <i>''....How much pain must I go through in my life before finally bing immune to it?''</i>


    I felt the corner of my lips pull up at the thought as I mouthed.


    "I''m ready."


    Was I even close to such a point?


    "I can start."


    *


    The pain started off as mild at first.


    It tickled my body. Almost as if a current of low-voltage electricity was coursing through my body. From the bottom of my feet, all the way up toward my head.


    The sensation coursed through every corner of my body.


    "0.1"


    The assistant professor''s voice echoed in the background.


    The pain intensified.


    But...


    <i>''Is this it...?'' </i>


    I looked around. Everyone was staring at me. Closely observing me as I sat down on the chair while the assistant professor announced the score.


    "0.2"


    There was still hardly any pain. This wasn''t pain. I was familiar with pain. It didn''t feel so weak.


    "0.3"


    The tingling intensified, but it was still tolerable.


    Ufortable would be the right word to describe the current situation.


    Yeah...


    Ufortable.


    "0.4"


    My chest felt a little tighter, but that was still tolerable.


    "0.5"


    "0.6"


    "0.7"


    Finally, I felt a familiar sensation. Pain. It was finally starting.


    It wasn''t intense just yet, but it was there. Lingering toward the deepest part of my mind, it was starting to w its way up into my mind.


    "...."


    The entire time my eyes had been open, taking in my surroundings without once closing them.


    I wanted to make sure I was conscious.


    "H-huh..."


    At some point, I realized...


    Breathing was bing more and more difficult.


    "0.8"


    "0.9"


    The higher the numbers, the harder it became for me to breathe.


    I still persisted.


    This much was...


    "1.0"


    "Ukh...!"


    A groan escaped my lips.


    The pain was sharp and different. Unlike before, when it felt like electricity was running through my body, the sensation changed. It was now more akin to me getting stabbed from all sorts of spots.


    "1.1"


    A stab in the chest.


    "Ukh!"


    "1.2"


    A stab in the arm.


    "...khhh!"


    "1.3"


    A stab in the leg.


    "....Kaugkh!"


    "1.4"


    The pain focused on a singr point and was less spread apart. Such pain was a lot harder on the mind than the previous one. Especially since it became sharper and stronger with each call.


    "1.5"


    "1.6"


    "Khak...!"


    The count continued, and with each count, the pain intensified. I thought I''d be able to tolerate it given how much pain I had been able to sustain throughout my entire life, but that had been a naive thought of mine.


    Pain...


    I was still not used to it.


    My lips trembled at the thought as I managed a mumble.


    "Kh... B-bullshit...!"


    ''So you''re telling me that after all this time, I''m still a ve to pain...?''


    "H-ha...!"


    "1.8"


    How could that be?


    "1.9"


    "Kh....!!!"


    How could that be....!!


    "2.0"


    ".....!!!!!"


    I almost faltered as I felt my body tremble and my arms shake unsteadily.


    The pain had changed yet again. It was no longer stabbing at me from every corner. It now felt as though I was being literally squeezed alive.


    As if a massive boulder was resting on my shoulders, gradually growing heavier with each passing second.


    But even in such a situation...


    I persisted.


    "2.1"


    "Ah¡ª!"


    I almost screamed then.


    I was close. So very close. But I held myself back.


    ''No, not yet...''


    2.1 was high. It sure was... but I expected more of myself.


    How could I be satisfied with such a score?


    Me...


    Who bragged about knowing pain?


    "2.2"


    Howparable was this to the pain I felt when my parents died?


    It was iparable. It was a different pain, but it was a pain that took the breath out of me and kept it that way for months.


    Each day... Knowing that they were gone, never to be seen again...


    The hollowness that it brought.


    "H-ha..."


    It stung my heart.


    <i>''It''s milder than that pain...!'' </i>


    So.... What reason was there for me to not be able to withstand such pain?


    What reason...!?


    "2.3"


    "Kh...!"


    What about whenpared to the pain I felt when I was told I was going to die early?


    That I had no future to look forward to? That I was supposed to just give up and live the rest of what remained of my life.


    Bullshit!


    Bullshit...!


    Bullshit....!!!


    How was thisparable to that....!


    Who the hell are you making fun of?!


    "2.4"


    ....And what about the pain I felt when I watched my little brother almost kill himself in the vision?


    "Kh...!"


    And the pain from my repetitive failure in trying to understand a single spell?


    How about that?!?


    Fucking bullshit!


    Bulshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit!


    <i>''Ahhh...!'' </i>


    Unknowingly, the world around me had long turned ck and the noise outside disappeared.


    It took me a while to realize, and when I did, I no longer screamed.


    There was no longer a need to.


    I wasn''t alone anymore.


    It was just me and the pain now.


    Right...


    Once more, it was just the two of us.


    Even in this life, it still haunts me.


    Yet, simultaneously, walks beside me.


    I yearn to rid myself of it, yet I can''t summon the strength to cast it aside.


    Why is that?


    It was a silly question when I thought about it.


    In the end, pain is the one that remains by my side, never truly leaving me.


    My one and onlypanion.


    Which is why..... I know I can''t get rid of it.


    <i>''Haha...'' </i>


    Such is my life.


    "Huaaa....!"


    Light returned to my eyes as I felt my head roll back.


    "Khh...! Kh...! Kaht!"


    My body started moving on its own and my arms yed around.


    <i>Kata! Kata! Kata! </i>


    Unknowingly, I had lost control of my body as it started to trash around on its own, the chair rattling widely at my movements.


    Amidst the chaos, I felt something trickle down my eyes as I locked gazes with the assistant professor who was staring at me with wide-open eyes.


    While I lost control of my body, I hadn''t lost control of my mind.


    Even as it yed and spasmed, not once did I take my eyes away from the assistant professor.


    Not once...


    "Kk...!"


    <i>''Why...?''</i>


    This persisted for several more seconds until my body eventually started to calm down.


    <i>Kata... Kata...</i>


    "...."


    Silence persisted over the surroundings as I continued to stare at the assistant professor.


    Something boiled in my chest as I stared at him.


    It threatened to spill at any second as my jaw clenched tightly and I tightly gripped the arms of the chair I was on.


    "....Why did you stop it?"


    To the point where I found myself gnawing at him.


    "The test..."


    I spat each word through my clenched teeth.


    "Why. did. you. stop. it."


    It was hard to describe the type of rage that I was currently feeling right now.


    It wasn''t one that was born out of frustration. It was different. A lot more vicious than that.


    Hatred...


    Yes, that was the right word.


    "W-why...?"


    Yet again... This man!


    My chest heaved.


    "You...!"


    "Stop it right there, cadet."


    A voice descended down on me, stopping me mid-sentence. A familiar figure walked in, her heels clicking against the ground as she walked to stand in front of me.


    Professor Kelson.


    "He-he stopped me...! He..."


    "I stopped you."


    The Professor cut in all of a sudden, shocking me as my mouth shut.


    She stopped me...?


    Bringing her hand forward, she touched my cheeks and pulled her hand back, showing me her finger.


    "....This is why I stopped you."


    Only then did I realize the severity of the situation.


    "Blood...?"


    "Your blood."


    "....Ah."


    What was bleeding?


    "Your eyes are bleeding. I had no choice but to stop the test. If I had kept it going on for longer, you might''ve gone permanently blind."


    ".....I see."


    So in the end... My body had failed me. If only...


    "You still don''t get the reality of the situation, do you?"


    When I heard the Professor''s voice again, I looked up and tilted my head. Only for me to hold my breath upon realizing something...


    Everyone.


    Be it those from my group, and those in the other groups.


    They were all staring at me.


    Unlike before, they all wore simr expressions to one another.


    The reason why became clear to me shortly after.


    "5.04"


    The Professor said in a low tone while staring deeply into my eyes.


    ".....That''s your final score."


    ***


    This is the first chapter of today. There will be another one at the usual time.

 Chapter 34: Progression Analysis [5]

    <h4>Chapter 34: Progression Analysis [5]</h4>


    "5.04? 5.04?! That''s impossible...."


    Evelyn stood with a nk face, gazing into the distance, uncertain of how to interpret the unfolding situation. Silence gripped the training grounds as every gaze fixated on the figure seated in the distance.


    His demeanor remained unwavering, just as impably poised as ever.


    Despite the creased clothes and disheveled hair, his expression retained the usual indifference it always carried.


    The blood trickling down his eyes seemed inconsequential to him as if it was never there to begin with.


    And so were the stares.


    ".....It''s possible apparently."


    It was Leon who brought Evelyn out of her thoughts. With a slight furrow of his brow, he tapped lightly against the sword at his hip.


    His expression was hard to read, but to Evelyn, who had known him for as long as she had, it was evident that he, too, had been taken aback by the unfolding events.


    <i>''He doesn''t like to show it, but he''s shaken as well...''</i>


    Why else would be tapping on the tip of his sword so much...?


    "He''s got a firm mind."


    Leon concluded after a while, and the tapping stopped.


    ".....A very firm mind."


    He repeated.


    In a manner that seemed to be more for him, than for her.


    Very firm mind...?


    Evelyn blinked, recalling the scene from before.


    It was nothing at first. Nobody had been curious about his result at first. Everyone was doing their thing. Focused on their uing examination.


    That was...


    Until a change began to take ce in the training ground.


    The noise that once filled the surroundings died down and what reced it was a strange silence.


    One that started to consume the surroundings bit by it, swallowing it whole by the next minute.


    At first, Evelyn was confused.


    But when she turned her head she understood.


    <i>''4.4'' </i>


    Even now...


    Recalling the professor''s gruff voice as the count went down, she felt herself lose her breath.


    4.4...


    Had she heard wrong? How was this possible...?


    But...


    <i>''4.5'' </i>


    The rough voice continued.


    It thundered in her ears, and the ears of all present.


    Most gripping was Julien''s steadfast figure as he sat in the middle of the chair. His back was firm, solidly ced on the chair as if nothing was happening.


    His eyes were closed and so were his lips.


    ....Hisposed expression seemed unfitting to the asion.


    It was to the point where one questioned whether he was truly undergoing the tough experience they had all gone through.


    <i>''Is the test faulty? Is something wrong with it...?'' </i>


    Seeing him like that, Evelyn couldn''t help but start doubting the situation. Even now she could still recall the spine tingling and terrifying sensation she felt during the test. Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine.


    And yet...


    Julien was taking double such pain without so much as flinching?


    No way...!


    Impossible.


    It was Impossi-


    <i>Drip... Drip...</i>


    Such thoughts stopped the moment she noticed two red streaks falling down his closed eyes.


    Even as his body remained unmoved, and his expression unwavering, his body was not. It was starting to betray him.


    She understood then...


    She hadn''t heard wrong...


    He truly...


    "Just what the hell happened in thest five years?"


    Evelyn''s gaze fell on Leon. Her eyes deeply stared into his as he turned his head to look away from her.


    "...."


    He didn''t say much, but his silence told her many things.


    In the end...


    Something did happen in the five years they hadn''t seen each other. Something terrifying enough to turn him like that.


    But what...?


    What happened?


    ***


    "We''ve only just recently parted ways, and you''re already back here..."


    The familiar doctor grumbled while he shone a light on my eyes. It was quite bright, and I reflexively tried to close my eyes.


    "Help me out here."


    After the examination, I was brought to the infirmary by Professor Kelson to get my eyes checked. I didn''t resist. I too was a little worried about my eyes. It wasn''t normal for someone to bleed from their eyes.


    "....Do you feel any pain?"


    "I don''t."


    It was strange. A weird sensation had taken hold of my body. I felt light all over. My entire body was numb, and be it pain, or the sense of touch... I had lost it all.


    <i>Smack¡ª! </i>


    A loud smack caught my attention. When I looked down, I noticed a red mark on my thigh and looked up.


    "Did you feel anything?"


    "....No."


    Did he just....


    "I see."


    The Doctor sighed and turned back to look at the Professor.


    "He''s fine, but he''s temporarily lost his sense of pain and touch. It shouldn''tst longer than a week, but things will be rather troublesome for him in the next week. I suggest he doesn''t do anything big in the next week for his own sake."


    He then proceeded to look at me in the eyes.


    ".....I''ll say this now because I don''t want to see you again over here. Don''t. do. anything. strenuous. in. the. next. week. got. it?"


    "I can''t train?"


    "No."


    "Then..."


    "What don''t you get about my orders? Don''t do anything that involves moderate to light exercise. It may seem like nothing, but you''ve lost your sense of pain. You won''t know when you''re overexerting your body when you train. This can very well get you killed if you''re not being careful."


    "...."


    At that, I had nothing to argue about.


    Thinking about how I usually trained, I knew that his words were the correct ones. There was a high chance that by the time I was done training, I''d also be done with this life.


    Still....


    Even though I knew all of this...


    I clenched my teeth.


    It was frustrating.


    While a week didn''t sound like much, it was a lot of time for me. When every single day meant so much to me, wasting seven meant losing a lot... I really couldn''t afford to miss out on so many days of training.


    But...


    "Huuu."


    I took a deep breath to calm myself down.


    <i>''Right, the situation is like this. I have no choice but to ept it and find a new way to grow.''</i>


    Even without training my body physically.


    Yeah, because...


    I had no choice. Rather than crying over my situation, I had to adapt to my current one.


    That''s the type of mentality that I needed to have.


    <i>''Adapt. I need to adapt.''</i><i></i>


    <i></i>One leg. No legs. No eyes. No senses. No arms.


    Regardless of my situation, I had to adapt.


    No excuses.


    There were none for me.


    Because...


    An excuse was nothing more than a self-imposed roadblock.


    I couldn''t allow that.


    Not me.


    "Did you understand my words?"


    Hearing the doctor''s words, I raised my head to meet his eyes. After a short while, I nodded my head.


    "Understood."


    ***


    [Julien Dacre Evenus] (ck Star)


    Family - Evenus Barony [First Born]


    Progression Analysis :


    ?Mana Examination ¡ª 1.716


    ?Physical Examination ¡ª 1.189


    ?Mental Examination ¡ª 5.04


    Delh nced at the results that were spread on her table. The once dirty room was now clean. At least... partially.


    <i>Num... </i>


    Chewing on a chocte bar, she tossed the wrapper on the ground. Just as she did, her hand froze and her eyes fell on the wrapper on the floor. Her expression cracked and her face crunched up.


    "....I''ll do itter."


    Her gaze fell on the paper in front of her.


    Yeah, this was more important...


    The numbers weren''t anything impressive at first nce. At least, not until the final value was shown.


    "5.04."


    Delh double-checked several times to make sure hadn''t received the wrong numbers.


    Eventually, once she was sure that they were indeed the right ones, she sat back on her chair without saying a word.


    <i>''....What happened?'' </i>


    To disy such numbers at such age and Tier... It was unheard of. Not here, nor in the other Empires.


    And yet...


    Here she was, staring at such unbelievable results.


    "Anger. Sadness. Fear."


    These were the emotions he had disyed so far. Each of them to an unbelievable degree.


    No, not quite.


    "Sadness."


    There was one that stood out from the rest.


    She hadn''t seen it herself, but she had heard of what he''d done with it.


    Unlike the other two, he was capable of harnessing such power with mere words. That alone suggested he had already reached the next stage for such emotion.


    "Eighteen, but shows such an unbelievable disy of emotions."


    It became clear the more Delh thought about it.


    There was more to Julien''s past. The one she hadn''t managed to unseal from her background checks.


    Something happened that she wasn''t aware of.


    .....Something that broke him to the point where pain seemed meaningless, and traumatic enough to allow him to such emotion to such degree.


    But what exactly...?


    The image of a certain tattoo kept reying in her mind over and over again.


    "I''m missing something..."


    Something extremely important.


    But what exactly?


    Her gaze continued to linger over the profile on the table until eventually, she closed her eyes, and opened them again, recing the cold gaze with a softer one.


    "...Right, he''s my assistant now."


    The truth of the matter...


    She was bound to find out sooner orter. Especially since he was now close to her.


    All she had to do was be patient.


    "One day..."


    Yeah, one day.

 Chapter 35: Smile [1]

    <h4>Chapter 35: Smile [1]</h4>


    News about Julien''s achievements at Haven quickly reached the Evenus household near Westernborn, one of the two regions under the Evenus Barony management.


    ".....This doesn''t make sense."


    Aldric M. Evenus muttered while staring at the files in front of him.


    It had been a while since he had heard the news of his son bing the ck Star, and even now, he had trouble believing the news.


    Was this really his son...?


    Though not ipetent, he was also not thispetent.


    And as he read through the new report, his brows further furrowed.


    "It''s not adding up."


    If it were not for the fact that Leon personally said that this was Julien, he would''ve believed there was something wrong with Julien.


    <i>To Tok¡ª</i>


    A figure entered after knocking. It was a young man with brown hair and hazel eyes. His expression was clean, and his face held perfect symmetries. By any right, he was a handsome man.


    "Father."


    He addressed politely as he entered.


    "....Linus."


    "Yes."


    Linus lowered his head in acknowledgment. He was the second son of the Evenus Household and the next one in line for the position.


    Unlike Julien, he had a warmer disposition and seemed more approachable.


    "Have you noticed anything strange with your brother before he left for the institute?"


    "...Hm? Brother? Did something happen?"


    "Check this out."


    Aldric slid the papers over his desk. Though confused, Linus walked toward the desk and checked out the papers.


    "This..."


    Gradually, his expression strained. He put the paper down and looked up.


    ".....Is this real?"


    "Yes."


    Aldric nodded.


    "I haven''t told you yet because I found it hard to believe myself. Leon has confirmed everything."


    "Ah, is that so..."


    Linus casually nced at the documents one more time before nodding.


    "If Leon said so, then there''s nothing to worry about."


    His expression seemed genuine. With a sigh, Aldric drummed his fingers over the wooden desk. Then, as he casually nced up at Linus who was staring at the documents with a strange intensity, he waved his hand.


    "You may go."


    "Hm...? Now?"


    Linus appeared surprised by the sudden dismissal.


    Aldric didn''t look up and sat down on his chair.


    "I just wanted to double-check on you. Since we agree, I''ll wait for Julien to return after the mid-terms to confirm."


    "Ah... I see."


    Though reluctant, Linus didn''t argue and nodded his head in understanding. Then, with a short bow, he left the room.


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    Arge corridor met Linus''s sight as he came out. It was wide but empty.


    <i>Tak. Tak. </i>


    The sound of his steps echoed rhythmically as he calmly headed toward his room which was located on the second floor of the Evenus estate.


    Upon entering his room, he closed the door behind him and headed toward his desk where he poured himself a drink.


    <i>Gulp. </i>


    The burn lingered in his throat as he relished the drink.


    The ss emptied and the pain at the back of his throat eased, cooling his head in the process. Taking a deep breath, he sat on his sofa while muttering a name.


    "...Julien."


    It was the name of his older brother.


    His grip on the ss tightened, and his expression distorted.


    "Have you finally decided to reveal your true self...?"


    An image floated in his mind.


    One of a specific individual. Staring down at him with a cold gaze while his house burned, and everyone he cared about died.


    "Fucking bastard..."


    He quietly spat through his teeth as his hold of the cup intensified.


    Others may not know, but he knew.


    His nightmares told him...


    Julien.


    His brother.


    He was a monster waiting to destroy everything they had.


    ***


    There weren''t many things that I could do now that I was injured. Training was apparently off the list, but I refused to believe there was no way for me to train without the assistance of my body.


    It was why I was now back in the library.


    "What kind of nonsense is this..."


    There were still many questions that I had regarding the English sections, and how the books were here. Presumingly, this world was a game. It wouldn''t be strange for there to be English in this world if that was the reason why English was present.


    However...


    <i>''What if this world isn''t a game...?''</i>


    Perhaps it was because everything felt so real, but there was something that nagged at the back of my mind. What if...? What if....?


    "Haaa..."


    My head throbbed at the idea.


    It was crazy thoughts, but my mind couldn''t help but wander there on the asion. Unfortunately, there was also something that became more clear to me the more I had these thoughts.


    And it was that...


    "I still know too little."


    The Mirror Dimension, this Empire, the other Empires, and its history. If I couldn''t train with my body, then there was no reason for me to waste time doing nothing but learning.


    <i>''I might just find the answers I wanted here... And also a way to train without straining my body.''</i>


    Which was exactly what I was doing.


    "Let''s see...."


    I looked around me, scanning all the books that were carefully lined up on the bookshelves. From magic theory to history, I picked up book after book.


    There were also several interesting ones from the English section that I took.


    By the time I was done, I had gathered over a dozen books.


    "...."


    Managing to find a very secluded area of the library, I set the books down and sat down on the chair.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    The books were quite thick and they numbered a lot, but...


    "I have to do this."


    Knowledge was important.


    Even though I was reluctant to do this, I had no choice but to.


    And with such thoughts, I began to open the first book.


    "Oh, right..."


    But just as I did, I recalled something and took out a pair of sses from my pocket. It was something the doctor had given me.


    The damage my eyes sustained was quite serious.


    To the point where I had no choice but to put up with wearing sses whenever I needed to read.


    "How odd..."


    They felt weird, finding myself squinting a couple of times. I wasn''t sure I''d ever get used to this, but since it was temporary, I ignored the difort and began reading.


    I had been through worse.


    <i>Flip¡ª</i>


    ***


    There were a few things that Aoife kept secret from the world. Hardly anyone knew this about her, and she never nned on anyone finding out about it.


    And that was...


    "Ba dum~ Ta tum~ Lla~"


    She liked to sing when there was no one around her.


    "Ba dum~ Ta tum~"


    Such was how she was when she didn''t have to pretend to be perfect. ws weren''t something that the Megrail family epted. At least, not on the outside.


    "Ba dam~"


    Her feet stopped and her gaze fell on the rows of books in front of her.


    She was currently in the library.


    It may have only been the second week of the institute, but for a top student like her, working outside of lessons was extremely important.


    How else would she be able to be the ck Star?


    Ever since entering the institute, it had always been her goal to snatch the position away from Julien. She was of royal descent, and the fact that she wasn''t first, despite all her advantages made her strive to work harder.


    She could ept there being more talented people than her.


    What she couldn''t ept was losing out to them when she had such clear advantages. It gave her a sour taste in her mouth.


    As if the world was telling her she wasn''t doing enough.


    That she... wasn''t enough.


    "Mhmmm~"


    There was also another thing that she really liked about the library.


    It was that there was hardly anyone that was there.


    She could sing freely without any problems. Well, to a moderate level. There was a chance that a cadet might be hiding somewhere, but she could just silence them if need be.


    "...."


    She scanned around and looked around the bookshelves.


    [Magic Theory]


    [Combat Theory]


    [English]


    She collected all sorts of books. There were many sses that she attended, and it was therefore important that she kept up with all of them.


    Aoife even went as far as taking some books for sses that would be taught from the next semester onward.


    She was that dedicated.


    "Hmm~"


    The pile was slowly starting to increase. One book, two books, three books...


    It didn''t matter how many books she had. Unlike the other cadets, she could check out as many as she wanted.


    After all, the Vice-Chancellor was her cousin.


    "Ta da~"


    All was going well.


    Aoife had never been in such a great mood. So much so that she even found herself hopping in a light dance.


    To! To!


    But that all stopped after a certain point.


    "...."


    Her steps ceased and her expression stiffened.


    A face she least wanted to see. He wore a set of unfamiliar dark-framed sses. Strangely, coupled with his dark zer, and undervest, it suited him. His hazel eyes beneath the sses held a peculiar allure,pelling one to gaze into them.


    Standing before her was thest person she wanted to see.


    "...."


    Her mouth opened, but no words came out.


    Seconds passed, and all she could do was open her mouth like a fool, trying to find an excuse, something... to justify her actions... to... to... but....


    "...."


    Nothing.


    Her mind was nk.


    <i>Flip¡ª</i>


    Her thoughts were rattled by the sound of a singr page being flipped. When she looked up, she saw Julien staring at his book with his usual indifferent expression.


    It was as if he wasn''t bothered at all by her antics.


    "Huuu..."


    Aoife wasn''t sure why, but she felt herself sigh in relief at the thought.


    <i>''Maybe he didn''t see...''</i>


    Yeah, that could be it.


    He must''ve missed it.


    Pursing her lips, she turned around and prepared to head back, when...


    "Singing..."


    "....!"


    Julien''s cold voice reached her ears, causing her to involuntarily flinch.


    "...Do it somewhere else next time. I almost lost my sight. I don''t n on losing my hearing."

 Chapter 36: Smile [2]

    <h4>Chapter 36: Smile [2]</h4>


    [Disimer : I feltpelled to write this after a few readers pointed this out. This chapter may contain some sensitive topics. I personally don''t think it''s sad, but I feel the need to put this here for those who are more sensitive.]


    Aoife felt a strange heat rise in her face as she rigidly stood with her back faced against him. It started to spread through every corner of her body.


    She felt her face was currently the same color as her hair.


    The thought made her face stiff.


    <i>Flip¡ª</i>


    "...."


    In the silence that took hold of the surroundings, Aoife pursed her lips.


    <i>''This bastard... Did he just...?'' </i>


    What reced the shame that she was feeling was another feeling. Anger. Yes, she was angry.


    Of all things...


    Her fists slowly clenched, and so did her teeth.


    "Huuu..."


    Taking a deep breath, she suppressed the rage that was boiling within her. She was afraid she''d do something stupid otherwise.


    Then....


    While still holding onto her books, she turned back to face him and headed toward the same desk he was on.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    And ced her books on his table.


    "...."


    He stared at her with a look that seemed to say, ''Have you lost it?'' but Aoife ignored it and proceeded to sit.


    And...


    "Ba Dum~ Ta~"


    She proceeded to sing.


    It was now his turn to flinch. Only that, Aoife felt her heart squeeze at his reaction. Her singing... It couldn''t be that bad, right?


    For some reason that hurt more than she thought.


    <i>''No, it''s him.''</i>


    Yeah, it had to be.


    She was a great singer.


    "Tu lum~"


    ".....What are you doing?"


    <i>Flip¡ª</i>


    It was her turn to ignore him. Casually looking at the book in front of her, she continued to hum.


    That was until his hand came pressing down against her book.


    She looked up.


    "What."


    "....Can you stop?"


    "Why? This is a public space."


    "I''d like to study, not lose my hearing."


    "I... you..."


    Aoife clenched her teeth while struggling to retort. She then whispered, "...It''s not that bad."


    "It is.


    His fast reply felt like a hammer to Aoife who found herself unable to retort back. Rage boiled within her, but she didn''t show it as she kept her face firm.


    "..."


    <i>''.....What am I even doing?''</i>


    Aoife was stumped. She wanted to leave, but couldn''t. Now that she sat down, she needed to sit there for at least five minutes before leaving.


    <i>''I was too impulsive.'' </i>


    Now, she had to pay the consequences of her actions.


    Or so she thought.


    Creaaak...


    Julien''s chair scraped as he stood up. Their eyes met for a brief moment before he scanned the books and selected a few.


    "....Are you leaving?"


    Aoife feltpelled to ask. If so, then she didn''t have to leave.


    But...


    "..."


    He didn''t reply to her. It was as if he wasn''t even listening to her. Aoife''s lips opened. For the first time in a while, she was unsure of what to do. She felt a strange sense of humiliation in this entire ordeal as her face flushed a further shade of red.


    Her gaze eventually fell on one of the many books he left on the table and she didn''t hesitate to take it.


    "Since that''s the case, you won''t mind me taking this, right?"


    <i>Tok Tok. </i>


    Julien''s calm footsteps echoed as he headed out for the library.


    His back had always been turned on her. The utter disregard he had for her grinding Aoife''s gears further, and just as she opened her mouth to say something again, he pointed at his ear.


    "....Can''t hear."


    ***


    It may have seemed like I was exaggerating, but I genuinely was hurting in my ears. What sort of singing was that...?


    It felt as though someone was scraping a window with their nails.


    Goosebumps.


    All I felt were goosebumps.


    <i>''It''s a bit of a pity for that book that I left, but I can''t focus with her here.'' </i>


    There was one book I really wanted to read but unfortunately couldn''t. Mainly because it was a waste of time and I couldn''t afford to waste time.


    Now then...


    <i>To Tok¡ª</i>


    I knocked on the familiar door.


    "Come in."


    A voice I was starting to grow familiar with answered, and I opened the door.


    "...."


    Only to stop at the entrance.


    "What?"


    I blinked. Then blinked again. Then turned around and prepared to head out.


    "You don''t have to clean this up. I''ll do it... Later."


    I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around. Ignoring all the wrappers and papers on the floor, I headed back into the office space.


    "...."


    Delh just stared at me with a nk look, but I ignored her. She also didn''t pursue the matter and continued.


    "How many spells do you know?"


    Spells?


    I counted in my head.


    If we counted the six basic emotions, there were only two.


    "Eight."


    "Eight? Hmm."


    Delh frowned.


    "I assume six of them are the six basic emotions, correct?"


    "Yes."


    With a quiet nod, she leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms. She then proceeded to ask,


    "How far have you learned?"


    "Both beginner. I have only unlocked one."


    Hands of Mdy was currently the only spell I could use at that moment. I still couldn''t use the other spell.


    There were five stages to a spell.


    Unlocking, which was the integration of a circle in the mind. Only when a circle connection was established with the mind would one be able to use the spell as wanted.


    It was usually the hardest part of learning a spell.


    The next five ranks were¡ªbeginner, intermediate, advanced, superior, and perfected.


    ".....Any intermediate?"


    "Yes. Sadness."


    Currently, only sadness was intermediate for me.


    It was the one I understood the best, and it was also the one that hurt the most.


    So...


    "Try it on me."


    I felt a little reluctant when she asked me. But I understood that this was important and took a deep breath.


    "Now....?"


    "Yes, I need to know the extent of your skills before helping you."


    "...."


    Briefly, I nced at my forearm before taking my gaze away from it.


    I needed to evoke sadness.


    The wheel couldn''t guarantee such emotion. And...


    <i>''I want to see how deep my powers are.''</i>


    Could they affect someone as powerful as her?


    "Huu."


    The thought boiled in my mind and I took another deep breath before closing my eyes. I let my mind sink into my thoughts.


    I was going to give it my all. Without the immersion. Without cheating. Just me, and my thoughts.


    And for me to do that...


    I needed to unseal memories I had kept hidden in my mind.


    "H-huu..."


    A certain pain pierced my heart. It stabbed at it like a sharp knife and I felt my chest tighten.


    An image conjured in my mind.


    My lips... They felt dry all of a sudden. My fingers felt restless, and my lungs started to heat with every breath.


    A familiar sensation.


    ....And a familiar smell.


    Earthy, pungent, with a touch of sweet notes.


    Haa... This was...


    <i>Tzzz¡ª</i>


    The sound it made with each drag.


    The calmness it brought.


    The taste in my lips.


    I recalled everything. To the little detail. As if it were yesterday.


    Even the conversation that came along with that feeling.


    <i>''....Why did you start smoking?'' </i>


    Who was it that asked me that question...? My mind was fuzzy. My surroundings were gray, and the figure''s face felt faint.


    I couldn''t recall much besides the conversation.


    But even now...


    I remembered my answer.


    <i>''There was a time when I wanted to get cancer.''</i>


    My cheeks twitched. It was as if the knife stuck in my heart twisted, forcing me to react.


    It started to feel suffocating.


    Like someone was strangling my neck. Squeezing as tightly as they could.


    I couldn''t recall the expression he made when I said those words. I wasn''t looking at him, then. He was an afterthought. The one I was speaking to was none other than myself.


    <i>''.....I smoked because I wanted cancer.'' </i>


    Each sentence pierced harder than the other.


    Harder.


    And deeper.


    <i>''So that my parents for once... would care about me.'' </i>


    Because...


    <i>''They never did.'' </i>


    It was sad.


    <i>''They died before that. They never...''</i>


    But it was the truth.


    <i>''...Got that chance, you know? The chance to pay attention to me as Iy on my deathbed. It''s funny right?''</i>


    "H-ha..."


    I could hardly breathe by this point.


    The weight on my chest seemed immense.


    I...


    My lips trembled.


    I persisted.


    <i>''The death of my parents... It never saddened me.''</i>


    I let the conversation flow.


    <i>''The only thing that saddened me was the fact that they couldn''t see me suffer. Pay attention to me once.''</i>


    I had been smiling then.


    The irony felt funny too much for me.


    "H-haa.."


    <i>''I regret it now, though. I don''t... want to die.'' </i>


    Their death made me regret my actions.


    I was eighteen then.


    <i>''I thought that if I stopped, my body would heal. I was young. I am young. And yet...''</i>


    <i></i>I was still smiling.


    <i>''...I ended up getting cancer after I stopped. After I found reason to care.''</i>


    And I am still smiling now.


    Because...


    That''s my life story.


    My pathetic life.


    I stopped then. I couldn''t take it anymore. My mind couldn''t take it. The memories... They felt too vivid... too real...


    Light returned to my eyes.


    Delh appeared before me, her expression as stoic as ever. How long had passed? Probably a second or less, but it felt like an eternity to me.


    Tears trickled down my eyes.


    I let them.


    And then, I spoke.


    ".....It''s strange. Emotions. I didn''t think they''d hurt so much."


    ***


    The silence felt stifling.


    "...."


    Delh stood by the window of her office. She stared down at the campus from above, quietly staring at the moving cadets.


    It had been ten minutes since Julien had left.


    Even now, she was thinking about him.


    About his ''sadness''.


    The expression he made after she had asked, his change in expression, the tears in his eyes, the power of his voice...


    Images of him¡ªthat moment¡ªcontinued to rey in her mind.


    She had asked out of curiosity. It was after hearing the reports about what he had done back in the ssroom that she feltpelled to test.


    Emotions were a scary tool.


    Regardless of strength, they could affect someone. Everyone had emotions. Some were just better at hiding them than others.


    "It''s still a bit raw."


    His mastery over his emotions...


    They weren''t very refined just yet. He still had some way to go. It was also why she hadn''t felt anything then.


    But it was also true she hardly felt anything normally.


    She had hoped that maybe, just maybe...


    He could help her feel something.


    It was a slim hope, but one she didn''t cling to for long. He was only eighteen. Her expectations weren''t that high to begin with.


    ".....Unfortunate."


    Truly.


    Delh turned around to focus back on her work. As her eyes fell on a document on her desk, she felt her eye itch.


    "...."


    It was an odd itch.


    An annoying one.


    Especially when...


    <i>Drip! </i>


    ....It ended up staining the paper beneath.

 Chapter 37: Smile [3]

    <h4>Chapter 37: Smile [3]</h4>


    "Ugh..."


    I rubbed my eyes. They were somewhat puffy now. I hadn''t expected my memories to affect me like that. Or maybe I did...


    Still...


    "Nothing."


    There had been no reaction from Delh when I used my skill. Even as I put everything in it, she remained expressionless and unfazed.


    It was a bit disappointing but understandable.


    She was the closest to the Zenith. For her to be unaffected by me didn''te to me as a surprise. Disappointing, but expected.


    <i>''I wonder when I will be able to affect someone like her...''</i>


    Emotions could affect anyone regardless of their tier and strength. That much I was aware of. Unfortunately, the stronger one was, the more powerful their mind was.


    It became a lot harder to affect the emotions of someone like that.


    And the fact that she seemed unguarded when I used my spell and was still unaffected spoke volumes of her mental resistance.


    "Haaa..."


    The reality of my situation became more ring to me.


    I still had a long way to go.


    *


    In the two weeks that I had been at the institute, I had never really paid any particr attention to my surroundings.


    It was with such thoughts that I looked at my surroundings for once. It was beautiful. The ce looked stunning with greenery everywhere and intricately designed buildings that seemed unfit for this ''setting''.


    Cadets walked around the campus talking with one another and enjoying their life.


    There was also a strange scene in the distance. A middle-aged man with a thick mustache and round sses sat by a stone stool, ying checkers alone.


    "What sort of..."


    Yes. He was alone, but...


    He still seemed to be having fun.


    .....I felt a little envious staring at the scene.


    Had my circumstances been a bit different, perhaps I would''ve enjoyed my time here more thoroughly, but...


    <i>''I can''t.'' </i>


    There were things that I needed to prioritize.


    I needed to remain consistent with my mindset.


    "Hm?"


    As I walked the campus, I suddenly paused. In the distance, a particr scene caught my attention. Four cadets were circling over a single person.


    <i>''It''s her...''</i>


    I recognized her in an instant.


    With her tinum long hair, sour expression, and red eyes, she easily stood out.


    It was one of the top-ranked cadets.


    Kiera Mylne.


    <i>''Why is she...?''</i>


    ***


    "Think about our offer. If you join us, we''ll be able to have more power over the first year. You''ll be able to do whatever you want... Even smoke."


    The offer seemed rather tempting.


    Smoking... Smoking...


    "Hmm."


    Yeah.


    "....I''ll have to decline."


    "Hm?"


    "What do you...?"


    Kiera rummaged through her pockets and took out a cigarette which she quickly lit up with her finger.


    <i>*Puff* </i>


    She then proceeded to blow the smoke toward the four people surrounding her.


    "Akh!"


    "What are you....!"


    Kiera smirked as she looked at their faces.


    "I can smoke regardless. The fuck do I care about joining a faction? It''s bothersome."


    They had been pestering for the past week or so. Something about joining their faction. Each time she refused them. However, their persistence never ceased. It was starting to get on her nerves.


    "If you have nothing else better to do, why don''t you do something more productive like breathing water? Trust me. You''ll do me a service."


    The faces of the four cadets surrounding her flushed. They seemed unsure of what to say which Kiera found hrious as she smacked her thigh.


    "Pfttt, you should take a look at your expressions. Fucking ridiculous."


    And proceeded tough to herself.


    "Kakaka."


    Only that... Herugh wasn''t the most pleasing to the ears. Eventually, though, the four cadets snapped out of it.


    A tall cadet with blonde hair cut in a bowl cut, and sunken cheeks stepped forward. He frowned while looking at Kiera.


    It was obvious from their bodynguage that they were all wary of her. It was probably why they hadn''t resorted to any violence or threats.


    ".....I''ll ask again, do you want to join our faction or not? It will be very beneficial for you in the long run. We''ll make you the Vice-Leader if you want to. Jackson is adamant about wanting you in our group. If you say the wo¡ª"


    <i>*Puff* </i>


    Smoke blew on his face, forcing him to halt mid-sentence.


    When he looked up, he saw a middle finger pointed at his face.


    "Kindly... Fuck off."


    "Ah..."


    The cadet opened his mouth and then closed it as his teeth ground together.


    "Do yo¡ª"


    "You there."


    A cold voice pierced through the surroundings as all heads turned.


    "Who...!"


    The expressions of all present stiffened at the sight of the figure headed their way. A mere nce into his eyespelled them to avert their gaze, finding the intensity within them too overwhelming.


    With his well-maintained uniform and intimidating expression, the four cadets struggled to keep themselvesposed.


    He was someone an enigma and someone nobody wanted to associate with.


    Tok.


    He stood tall in front of the cadet. His gaze lowered to meet his eyes.


    "....Are you the ones I''ve been hearing about?"


    Even his voice sounded intimidating.


    "Yes?"


    "That faction thing."


    "Ah..."


    The cadet secretly gulped. He found it hard to remainposed under Julien''s intense gaze.


    He was still able to force a small nod.


    "Yes."


    ".....I see."


    Julien calmly closed his eyes before muttering.


    "Your leader, or whoever is in charge..."


    "....!"


    All four cadets looked at Julien with wide-open eyes. He cared nothing for the gaze as he tly continued.


    "Get him to meet me tomorrow."


    His words...


    They seemed more like amand than a request.


    "I''ll talk with him tomorrow."


    It was as if they had no right to refuse. And it was the intensity at which he looked at them that made them unable to refute. Forcing them to quietly nod before leaving.


    "....."


    Only once they left did silence fall on the surroundings.


    Kiera, who had been watching the entire time, frowned and blew her smoke away.


    <i>*Puff* </i>


    "What was that for? Were you trying to help me or something?"


    Julien turned his head and their eyes met.


    <i>''It''s that expression again...''</i>


    The one filled with nothing but pity as he looked at her. Kiera silently clenched her teeth. Why are you looking at me like that...? Just as she was about to say something, he beat her to it.


    "I didn''t do it for you."


    Julien said, his voice sounding rather quiet.


    ".....I''m just taking responsibility for once. I''d rather handle it now than wait before it gets harder to handle."


    He nced at her once again, his eyes falling on the cigarette in her hand.


    Kiera frowned, expecting him to do something simr tost time.


    "What?"


    But....


    "Stop smoking."


    Much to her surprise, he didn''t pursue the matter and turned around to leave.


    ".....It isn''t good for you."


    His back slowly faded from her sight.


    Staring at it, Kiera looked at her hand where the cigarette was and mumbled,


    "You think I don''t know?"


    ***


    It was nighttime by the time Aoife was done with her outing at the library. She normally wouldn''t have spent such a long time there, but thinking back at the situation from before, she had no choice but to stay there.


    .....Had she left in her previous mood, she was afraid she''d kill someone by ident.


    The moon hung in the night sky, illuminating the world beneath.


    Lost in her thoughts, Aoife followed the path back to the dorm. It was a beautiful path.


    The cobblestone path was embraced by all sorts of flowers as a gentle breeze gracefully swept through the air.


    It felt strangely nice.


    "...."


    And then, a figure appeared in the distance. They seemed to be all sweaty, and haggard.


    "Leon...?"


    His identity became clear as he stopped under the light from ampost. How could it not when his appearance stood out so much?


    "Hm?"


    He turned his head, finally noticing her.


    "Aoife?"


    "....Are youing back from training?"


    "Ah, yes."


    Leon nodded his head. Then, lowering his head and focusing his gaze on the books in her hand, he tilted his head.


    "Library?"


    "Yes."


    "Sote?"


    "Could ask the same of you."


    "Right..."


    Leon scratched the side of his head. ncing at the books, he hesitantly asked.


    "Do you need help?"


    "No."


    A t-out refusal.


    "I can carry this much."


    They were only like, one... two... three.... eight books?


    "Oh."


    Though he didn''t show it with his face, he seemed a little doubtful. But he still relented and wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    Aoife quietly picked up her pace to catch up to him, when...


    "Oh."


    <i>Thud. </i>


    One of the books fell due to her carelessness. Or more like, she was just not paying attention. With her reflexes, she could''ve easily avoided such a situation.


    "I''ll get it."


    Leon offered to help and bent down to pick up the book.


    "An English book...?"


    "Uh? Ah, yes..."


    It was one of the books that Julien had left on his desk. She was curious about it. For him to be so good at English, surely there must''ve been reason. Therefore, after thinking about it, she decided to pick up that book.


    Though she didn''t particrly like him, she had to admit that he waspetent. Her goal was to be the best.


    Therefore, she needed to pick up things from the best.


    "Toughnguage."


    Leon casually nced at the cover of the book, his eyes squinting slightly as he tried to decipher the meaning of the title. Only for his entire body to freeze the next second.


    "Leon...?


    Noticing a change in his demeanor, Aoife cocked her head. What''s wrong with him?


    "....Where did you get this?"


    His voice came out even. Strangely so.


    "Where did I get this? I got it from the library..."


    "Oh. I see."


    He nodded calmly.


    Then, he handed it back to her.


    "Burn it."


    "....?"


    Was this a joke?


    Aoife thought so at first, but when she looked at his face, she couldn''t help but be taken aback.


    He seemed serious. Almost desperate.


    "Just..."


    His eyes trembled. He seemed shaken.


    The stupefied Aoife narrowed her eyes and carefully looked at Leon.


    <i>''What is....'' </i>


    ".....Don''t ever give this to Julien."


    "Yes?"


    Yet again, Aoife was taken aback.


    But I got it from him...


    "Never."


    He made sure to emphasize before excusing himself, leaving her standing dumbly. As he left, she ended up overhearing his mutters, ''Cursed book...''


    "What kind of situation is this...?"


    Aoife frowned and finally paid attention to the book. She hadn''t paid attention to the title before since she just took it for the sake of it, but now she was intrigued.


    Just what kind of book could get Leon so shaken up?


    Her eyes squinted as she tranted the title.


    "....!"


    Soon, the title became clear to her. And her expression changed.


    : | 145 Jokes that will have you rolling on the floor.


    It was a book about jokes.


    "What sort of¡ª"

 Chapter 38: Forest [1]

    <h4>Chapter 38: Forest [1]</h4>


    Did the nobles hate themoners?


    Not in particr. At least, the vast majority didn''t.


    As future lords of their territory, most nobles understood the importance ofmoners and how vital they were to their territory.


    In fact, most nobles tended to build good rtionships with talentedmoners.


    Everyone at Haven was talented.


    Some were less than others, but they were generally all very talented individuals. One needed to have a certain standard to get here after all.


    As such, for aspiring nobles, it was important to build good rtionships with them.


    At least...


    That was how it usually was.


    Unfortunately, things were different this year. Without someone to properly lead the first years, cadets with different agendas were allowed toe to power, shifting the overall situation.


    "What did you say...? He wants to talk to me?"


    A well-built young man, his blonde hair framing his jewel-like blue eyes, felt his brows furrow at the unexpected news.


    Clutching a cup filled with wine, he directed his gaze at the four figures standing before him, their heads slightly lowered.


    Anders Lewis Richmond.


    First heir of the Richmond family¡ªone of the four Marquess families¡ªand the current leader of the ''noble'' faction.


    "Why is he suddenly interfering?"


    His deep voice echoed in the quiet environment. His hold of the cup tightened as his expression scrunched up.


    A face appeared in his mind.


    He couldn''t forget that face. How could he forget...?


    His cold and overbearing gaze as he looked down on him. From the utter disregard and contempt within his gaze, and thest words he muttered to him.


    <i>''.....Pathetic.''</i>


    Anders''s grip on his ss tightened as his teeth gnashed.


    "Huuu."


    Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the rage that was barely about to slip out of him.


    Closing his eyes, he deeply pondered over the situation before asking,


    "Tomorrow... Isn''t it the survival guidance ss?"


    "That''s correct."


    One of the people in the room replied.


    "And he said he wants to talk to me tomorrow?"


    "That''s correct..."


    "..."


    Anders stood in silence for a brief moment.


    Then....


    Seemingly havinge up with a decision, he finally opened his eyes.


    "Alright."


    His eyes grew cold.


    "...If thats''s what he wants. I''ll talk to him tomorrow. Might as well."


    But...


    Unlikest time, he was prepared. How could he not be when all he could recall during those two weeks was the cold disdain his eyes bore when they looked down at him in ss?


    Inserting his hand in his pocket, he rummaged through it to remove a small ne.


    "....."


    Gently, his lips pulled into a thin smile as he stared at it.


    Things weren''t going to be the same this time....


    After all, his emotions couldn''t be tampered with anymore.


    ***


    It was early in the morning, and the sun was barely up. The morning breeze wafted through, adding a certain chill to the air.


    We stood at the edge of a towering forest where trees of various sizesprised the vast majority of thendscape. The forest¡ªHargrave Forest¡ªwas connected to the Institute and was considered safe by the instructor.


    "Line up quickly."


    The instructor, Candace Wace, positioned us in a long line before the forest.


    I stood at the very front.


    That was only natural since the order was assigned based on rank.


    As such, Leon stood behind me.


    He seemed a little odd today. Very odd. Especially since the first thing he had asked me this morning was if I had seen the book.


    What book...?


    "In the backpacks, you will find all the necessary equipment for the uing task. In total, it''llst for a day. Points will be earned based on the criteria given to you in the booklet."


    The ss was called [Basic Survival Guidline]. It was a ss that focused on the basics of survival. The objective of the ss was to limate the cadets to living in the challenging environments of the mirror dimension.


    From what I read, they were a lot worse than this.


    Given the nature of the course, a ''nonbat'' based one, I was judged to be eligible to attend this ss.


    "On that note, everyone please wee Professor Bucm."


    Professor Wance suddenly stopped to the side and introduced someone.


    The individual in question was a middle-aged man with graying dark hair and a mustache. What caught one''s attention the most were his distinctive circr gold-framed sses which seemed oddly fitting.


    Coupled with the wooden cane in his hand, he looked extremely refined.


    Why does he seem so familiar...?


    His appearance sparked something in my mind as I felt his figure to be vaguely familiar. But where exactly...?


    ".....Ah."


    Then I recalled.


    He was the one ying checkers by himself yesterday.


    <i>''So it was him...''</i>


    "I can''t believe it''s really him..."


    "Hm?"


    A noticeable change urred in the faces of the cadets behind me.


    "Holy crap, it''s Professor Bucm."


    "...Wow, it''s really him."


    "But I heard that he was still ill..."


    The way the students talked about him made him appear to be a very important person.


    "He''s a very important figure. One of the top professors in the Academy. Well... was."


    Thankfully, I had Leon with me as he gave me a brief rundown of the situation while he whispered near my ear.


    "Was...?"


    "Yeah, he sustained an injury a few years back. He hasn''t been the same since. His power dropped a lot too."


    "Ah."


    I looked back at that man who stood at the front. He seemed like an extremely warm person at first nce. Like a neighborhood uncle who everyone was friendly with.


    "Haha, it seems like everyone is already aware of my identity."


    Even hisugh was warm.


    "Please don''t worry about my appearance. I''m only here to observe several cadets. As you are all aware, the draft will being at the end of the year. I want to make sure that we select the best of the best."


    Draft...?


    A new term I was unfamiliar with entered my mind.


    I thought about asking Leon but chose against it given that he was currently speaking. I made a mental note in my mind.


    ".....So, while this is indeed just a regr ss, I''ll be here to monitor you guys and observe your performance. Don''t feel too concerned. This won''t be the only ss I''ll monitor, so please feel free to go at your own pace."


    He then went on to ramble about the same thing for the next few minutes before finishing.


    "I have taken enough of your time. Please go on your way to do your thing."


    <i>p. p. p¡ª¡ª! </i>


    The cadets began to p.


    I did too.


    He returned our ps with a slight bow as Professor Wace stepped ahead.


    "You''ve heard him. Don''t feel too pressured. There will be many chances for you to prove yourself."


    She proceeded to p her hands and I felt my body levitate all of a sudden.


    "Uh...? What''s go¡ª"


    <i>p¡ª! </i>


    "Have a nice trip~"


    Those were thest words I heard before the world turned dark.


    <i>Thud...! </i>


    Light only returned after I felt my feet touch against something hard, and even then, the light was just minimal.


    "....."


    When I looked around, I realized.


    I was in the middle of the forest. Alone.


    ***


    Right as the students were teleported, Professor Wace turned to address Process Bucm.


    "Has anyone caught your eye?"


    "....A few."


    The Professor replied with a thin smile. Leaning slightly on his cane, he stared into the forest as his eyes squinted.


    "Aoife, Leon, Kiera, Julien, Evelyn, Luxon, Anders... There''s a lot of interesting cadets."


    "There''s indeed quite a lot of talented individuals this year. More than the previous years."


    "Haha, yes. The draft is going to be quite difficult this year."


    "But isn''t that a good thing?"


    "Of course it is. The morepetition, the better the final candidates."


    "Indeed."


    Professor Wance nodded in understanding. The Draft was an important event for the Academy. It was an event that happened at the end of the year and only the top cadets were eligible for the honor.


    But even that was just the start.


    There were further steps down the line that the cadets needed to follow after bing eligible.


    And it was the ''scout''s'' job to make sure the selected members were good enough to pass such steps.


    Professor Bacm was one such scout.


    "...I guess it''s time for me to do my job."


    Lowering his head slightly, Professor Bucm smiled. Then, without turning back, he calmly headed toward the forest, his figure disappearing into its depths.


    "....."


    Candice remained standing where she was for several minutes. Her mind wandered back to the image of his back.


    Though he seemed warm and kind, all Candice could see was loneliness.


    It was to be expected given his situation.


    He had once been so brilliant, and yet...


    She pursed her lips and shook her head.


    "A pity. If only he didn''t... Haa..."


    ***


    It was dark and humid. My clothes clung to my skin, and the smell of my sweat permeated around. I was ufortable, but this much I could handle. There had been times in my previous life when I had been subjected to worse conditions at my job.


    <i>''Fucking bastards...''</i>


    The thought still irritated me to this day.


    In any case...


    I took out the guidebook from my bag and stared at its contents.


    : Find water source ¡ª 1P


    : Find food source ¡ª 1P


    : Create shelter ¡ª 4 P


    .


    .


    In short.


    "Survive for a day."


    With each objective achieved, one would earn points. The one who had the most points by the end would be ranked first. Because of my obvious disability, my results didn''t matter as much.


    That said, just because the results didn''t matter as much, it didn''t mean that I wasn''t nning on trying.


    "Hoooo..."


    Taking a deep breath, I dropped the backpack down and prepared to get my camp ready.


    I felt energized and ready.


    Although I wasn''t in top shape, it didn''t mean I couldn''t do this.


    Such was how I felt.


    But...


    <i>''Uh...?'' </i>


    Reality seemed to hate me.


    Just as I was about to get ready to start, the world turned ck. When light returned, I found myself back in the forest, but at an entirely different ce.


    nk....!


    Sparks flew in the air and the nearby vegetation shattered.


    <i>''What''s going on?''</i>


    My voice refused toe out of my mouth. As if it were trapped in my mind. And it was then that I understood what was happening.


    This familiar feeling...


    The vivid sensations but the weird strange of entrapment...


    <i>''Vision.''</i>


    I was experiencing another vision.


    <i>''Shit...'' </i>


    I wanted to curse. Of all times now...? No, when had it really had good timing? They always came randomly, and when I least expected them.


    I once again wanted to curse at my situation, but I knew I couldn''t.


    The vision, though random, always ended up pointing out important events.


    <i>''Perhaps, major or minor events from the game...''</i>


    I wasn''t aware since I had never yed the game. But that wasn''t currently important.


    <i>Booom¡ª¡ª! </i>


    Several trees shattered, their remains flying in all sorts of directions. A figure gradually appeared, lying down on the ground with a pained expression.


    "Ugh..."


    It was a familiar face.


    Long white hair, deep red eyes...


    <i>''Kiera?''</i>


    Was this vision about-


    "Kh...! Shit."


    Kiera forced herself up as blood dripped down from her mouth. Her expression almost seemed desperate. No, she really was...


    "H-how... Why...?"


    Her eyes widened as she suddenly screamed.


    "Wait...! No!!"


    <i>Booom¡ª¡ª! </i>


    Several more trees shattered as a huge explosion resounded. A gale rushed from the front as my ears rang.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    Something heavy fell right next to where I stood.


    I couldn''t see at first due to the dust, but when it all cleared...


    ''....!''


    I stood rigid on the spot.


    My heart tightened and my face stiffened. An array of different emotions coursed through my mind in that moment as I struggled to understand what I was seeing.


    <i>''This...''</i>


    I looked down at the familiar face.


    The supposed main character. The strongest first year, and my knight...


    <i>''...How?'' </i>


    His bodyy next to my feet.


    <i>''Dead.''</i>


    Completely devoid of any life.


    How...?

 Chapter 39: Forest [2]

    <h4>Chapter 39: Forest [2]</h4>


    Everything felt so vivid.


    From the dust in the air to the gentle breeze that wafted through.


    ....And in particr, the chill that enveloped my heart.


    It all felt so real that for a moment, just briefly... I thought I was standing there, reliving the moment, and that this wasn''t a vision.


    <i>''How...?''</i>


    I struggled toprehend the sight in front of me.


    How could Leon have died...? Wasn''t he supposed to be the main character of the game? Why would-


    I stopped my thoughts there.


    It became clear to me shortly after. The reason why he died, and in such a manner...


    It all became clear.


    <i>''It''s because of me.''</i>


    My existence had caused this. I was the one who created this situation. Originally, he was supposed to be the ck Star.


    The first ranker.


    My presence had taken that away from him and changed the course of how the game progressed.


    His death...


    It was all because I existed.


    <i>''....!''</i>


    But it wasn''t over.


    <i>Scrunch... Scrunch... </i>


    My head raised to stare into the distance. Toward the one responsible for all of this.


    <i>Ah¡ª</i>


    My heart tightened further.


    The figure responsible for all of this...


    <i>''....I can''t see it.'' </i>


    It was hazy. Almost obscured. The distance between us shrank, eventuallying to a step a few meters away from me.


    I felt my body stiffen at the sight of it.


    It felt as though he was looking at me. As if it knew that I was here. But...


    It wasn''t possible. And that proved to be the case when they lowered their head to stare at Leon.


    <i>Drip...! Drip...! </i>


    Red stained the ground as the shadow cast its gaze down.


    <i>''Blood....?'' </i>


    Ah...


    A realization hit me. Whoever the figure was, it hadn''te out unscathed from the conflict with Leon.


    "....."


    The silence that gripped the surrounding felt stifling.


    Kiera, who was a few meters away, stood in silence, staring at the scene with a look of despair as she tried to force herself up.


    "Ukh...!"


    But it was to no avail.


    Her legs were broken.


    Thest thing I heard before the vision shattered was...


    "Y-you of all people..."


    Everything grew dark again and I felt in control of my body again.


    "Huaaaa...!"


    I heavily gulped for air the moment I regained control of my body as I hunched over and leaned my hand on a nearby tree for support.


    "Haa... Haaa...."


    Sweat trickled down the side of my face as my breath left my body.


    <i>Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! </i>


    I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat in my mind as I tried to recover from the shock of the vision.


    "Haaa...."


    My head felt light and the world blurry.


    But in spite of that, I had no choice but to recover fast.


    "F... haaa... fucking shit."


    A curse slipped my mouth and I ruffled my head.


    <i>''Now of all the fucking times...''</i>


    Just what sort of situation was this...? Couldn''t I catch a break for once?


    "Huuu..."


    Though Iined, I was already rummaging through my backpack where I took a small red object.


    [Emergency use only]


    I stared at the device in my hand. It was something that all cadets were given. Although the area was safe, and most cadets were powerful, idents could happen. The device was supposed to be used in case such cases urred.


    That said...


    "....What kind of excuse am I going to use?"


    There were repercussions to using the device in case there was no emergency.


    I was afraid of such consequences, but...


    "Whatever."


    It wasn''t something I could think about at the moment. At worst, I could just say that my injuries were too much for me.


    With such thoughts, I pressed on the device.


    <i>Click¡ª</i>


    But...


    "...."


    Nothing happened.


    "What...?"


    <i>Click¡ª</i>


    I clicked again.


    But...


    Yet again, nothing happened.


    That''s when I realized. My device... It was broken.


    "This...."


    I felt my stomach drop at the realization. This couldn''t be a coincidence, right...?


    There was simply no way. At the very least, I refused to believe that to be the case. It certainly had something to do with the situation.


    But yet again...


    It brought a new question to my mind.


    "Why is the institute not aware of this?"


    Was this perhaps another one of their tests...?


    "No, it''s not."


    I could still recall Leon''s lifeless expression as he fell by my feet. Kiera''s shocked expression, and the intensity of the obscured figure in the vision.


    This...


    It wasn''t a test.


    This was real.


    "Fuck..."


    I could do nothing but curse. I was at a loss as to what to do. The figure was a lot stronger than me. To be able to kill Leon, a Tier 2 knight... It had to be at least Tier 3 in strength.


    The higher the tier, the faster, and more efficient they were with controlling mana and utilizing spells.


    I was merely at Tier 1.


    How was I supposed to do anything about the figure...?


    But...


    "Damn it."


    I clenched my teeth and grabbed my backpack.


    I had no choice but to do something.


    Leon couldn''t die.


    If he died...


    I was screwed.


    ***


    "...."


    A strange silence gripped the surroundings as Leon carefully scanned thendscape.


    There was something about the environment that felt...


    Unsettling.


    <i>SHIIIIING¡ª¡ª! </i>


    <i></i>He unsheathed his sword and narrowed his eyes. A grave expression marred his features.


    All humans were born with a [Innate] skill. Though the Academy didn''t require one to share what it was, a few cadets with lower talents tended to expose it in hopes of getting epted.


    Leon''s [Innate] skill was called [Instinct].


    It was an innate skill that granted him the ability to feel when things weren''t right.


    It was for this exact reason that he was sure that the current ''Julien'' was a fake, and that he hadn''t been lying about his circumstances back then.


    ....And it was also for this exact reason that he was hesitant about fighting him.


    His instincts...


    They told him to not fight him.


    That he wasn''t someone that he could easily take on.


    "Huuuu..."


    There were hardly any times when his instincts had been wrong. There were asions where they had been, but those times were rare and he always liked to y things safe. And it also wasn''t like it was active at all times.


    There were many times his instincts didn''t detect anything. But in the rare times that they did... He always made sure to be ready.


    Therefore...


    Scanning around once more, he secretly started to run the mana in his body.


    As a Tier 2 knight, his senses were rather sharp. Within moments, he felt every little detail of his surroundings.


    From the speed of the wind to the number of grass stalks around him.


    ".....!"


    It was also because of this that he was able to react in time, suddenly shifting his body by pivoting his foot and positioning the de in front of him.


    <i>Bang¡ª! </i>


    Sparks flew in the air as Leon felt his body skid several meters back before stopping.


    "Ukh...!"


    A groan inevitably escaped from his lips as he felt his chest cave slightly. The power of that strike...


    It wasn''t something he would''ve been able to take on unguarded.


    Whoever this enemy was...


    They were without a doubt stronger than him.


    <i>Scrunch... Scrunch... </i>


    Leon felt his body tense as the nearby bushes rustled and a figure gradually became clear for him to see.


    When the figure became clear, Leon''s eyes widened and his expression cracked.


    "It''s you...?"


    ***


    "What am I supposed to do...?"


    I was lost. I had no idea where to start. The forest was massive, and finding Leon was easier said than done.


    The only thing that I knew was the exact details of the location.


    I remembered almost every little detail about the space.


    But that was it...


    Where exactly it was, I wasn''t sure. Even the map in my hand was of no use.


    <i>''Crap...'' </i>


    By now he had most likely already met the enemy. For how long could hest? A minute? Two minutes? Ten minutes...?


    The idea ate at my mind as I continued forward. I had no choice but to move. Leon couldn''t die... His death would mean that the likelihood of me getting exposed as a ''fraud'' was almost guaranteed.


    What then...?


    Go into hiding and wait for the world to forget about me? Even if that was possible, that wasn''t what I wanted.


    I had a clear goal in mind.


    And Leon was the key piece to helping me achieve that goal.


    ....I couldn''t do without him.


    "He can''t die..."


    I reminded myself of the fact.


    He couldn''t die.


    "Haaa.... Haaa...."


    I had been running for a few minutes, when...


    <i>Rustle¡ª</i>


    The bushes near me rustled and a voice followed suit.


    "Found you."


    ***


    "Tsk....."


    Kiera clicked her tongue as she looked around. She was all by herself in the forest with no one in sight.


    Her hands tingled and she instinctively reached for her pocket.


    But they were empty.


    "...."


    Her heart started to beat faster.


    So did her breathing as her fingers twitched. A sense of emptiness spread across her chest as her left eye twitched.


    "Shit..."


    Why did people smoke....? Each person had their own answer to the question.


    Kiera''s answer was...


    <i>''It''s warm.''</i>


    Her lungs would heat up, her mind would rx, and she''d forget that she wasn''t alone for a moment.


    It was the gruesome reality of her life.


    She was alone.


    The people she called ''family'' only cared about prestige and honor. It was for this reason that despite being one herself, she hated nobles.


    She also hated the dark.


    It felt stifling.


    It was her curse. She didn''t even know why she was like it. It had been like this for as long as she could remember. But it had haunted her for as long as she could remember.


    It was for this reason that she smoked.


    To her...


    Smoking was her medicine.


    It brought warmth.


    <i>Ziiiip¡ª</i>


    Kiera unzipped her bag where she took out a pack of cigarettes.


    [Milton''s Rose]


    The familiar box, and the the familiar smell. Briefly, it eased the darkness that surrounded her.


    <i>*Puff* </i>


    An orange light flickered in the dark as Kiera took a drag of the cigarette.


    Her lungs burned with an all too familiar sensation, and her mind calmed down. But she soon frowned.


    "....Looks like I need to change the intensity."


    Cigarettes had different intensities. Mainly because superhumans that were capable of wielding mana had certain resistance to the chemicals in normal cigarettes.


    It was hence why the cigarettes that Kiera was using were specifically designed for superhumans.


    While normal cigarettes couldn''t harm them, these ones could....


    The higher the Tier she reached, the more intense the cigarette had to be for her to feel anything.


    It was also because of this that the damage from smoking couldn''t be healed.


    <i>*Puff* </i>


    But it wasn''t like she cared.


    Closing her eyes, she leaned against a nearby tree and savored the taste of the cigarette.


    Her mind rxed and all her worries disappeared.


    By the time she was done, her mind was clear. The dark didn''t seem as intimidating as it had been moments prior.


    Her body felt warm.


    "Let''s get this shit done."


    She tossed the pack back into her bag and took out the booklet for the task.


    <i>Flip¡ª! </i>


    She had just opened the first page when...


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!


    A resounding roar reverberated. At the same time, the ground beneath her quaked, and the nearby trees shattered.


    Her body''s equilibrium shifted, leaving her with no time to respond.


    "...Huh?"


    <i>Thump! </i>


    A figure skidded back, only stopping after impaling their sword against the ground.


    Kiera''s eyes widened at the sight of him.


    And her mouth opened to mumble,


    "Leon...?"

 Chapter 40: Forest [3]

    <h4>Chapter 40: Forest [3]</h4>


    <i></i>[There was a glitch in previous chapter. If you read it in the first 30 minutes of release, there''s a small scene missing just a bit before Kiera''s POV.]


    <i>Rustle</i><i></i><i>¡ª</i>


    The bushes rustled and a figure I vaguely felt was familiar appeared.


    <i>''Who is he...?'' </i>


    "You were looking for me?"


    A dry voice came out from my lips as I grew wary. He couldn''t be someone rted to the one in the vision?


    If that was the case...


    My body grew tense and I started to channel the mana inside of my body.


    "Didn''t you say you wanted to see me? I am here."


    "....?"


    Wanted to see me?


    I paused and thought about it. Then, as if recalling the events of yesterday, I realized.


    "You''re the leader of the noble faction?"


    Right, judging from his age, and the fact that he felt familiar, this made sense. Especially since I distinctly remembered asking his minion to tell him toe to me.


    "....How did you find me?"


    Weren''t we supposed to be stranded in the middle of a forest?


    For him to find me...


    I frowned and had a sudden thought. Just then, he appeared to want to say something as his mouth opened, but...


    "...I want to¡ª"


    I cut him off immediately and lightly tossed something in his direction.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    Itnded right beneath his feet, stopping him as he looked down.


    I took the chance to exin.


    "My emergency device doesn''t work. I believe yours doesn''t work as well. I think we''re under attack."


    "Under attack...?"


    He looked back at me, his eyes wearier than before.


    "...Are you trying to get my guard down or something."


    "No."


    Perhaps because time was running out and I couldn''t waste time, my voice came out rather harsh as I squinted my eyes at him.


    "That''s a needless effort on someone like you. Check your device."


    "...."


    His face scrunched up, but under my serious gaze, he eventually relented and opened his backpack, taking out a simr device from his it.


    He turned to look at me and seemed to want to say something, but after staring into my eyes, he thought otherwise and just pressed on the device.


    <i>Click¡ª</i>


    "...."


    As expected, his didn''t work either.


    "This..."


    Finally, his expression changed as he realized the gravity of the situation. But I didn''t have time to waste.


    Therefore, I carefully approached him, only stopping a few meters away from him.


    I looked down at him to meet his eyes.


    "...."


    I thought back on the situation and how he had managed to find me.


    It was only a guess, but maybe...


    "Help me find someone."


    He could help me find Leon''s location.


    ***


    Rustle, Rustle, Rustle¡ª


    <i>''Why am I even doing this...?'' </i>


    Anders continued to run, pushing the vegetation away. Fiddling with the ne on his neck, he looked behind him where a figure was casually following him.


    Even now...


    He seemed unfazed by the situation as he looked around with the same expression he always wore.


    It was as if he didn''t seem bothered by the entire situation. And yet, he was also the first one to notice.


    <i>''How did he know?''</i>


    Anders was curious. He turned his head slightly, when...


    "How far?"


    Julien''s voice reached his ears.


    Even the tone of his voice sounded annoying to his ears.


    He was thest person he thought he''d work with, but...


    <i>''....I have no choice." </i>


    The circumstances left him with no choice but to work with him. He didn''t trust him, but he trusted his abilities.


    After all...


    He had experienced them firsthand.


    "We should be getting closer."


    "Mhm."


    Julien acknowledged with a soft him, his attention once again on the surroundings. Anders pursed his lips and continued forward.


    His [Innate] ability¡ª[Predator''s Plight]¡ªgranted him with the ability to enhance his senses. Be it his eyesight, smell, and hearing. It was thanks to his ability that he had been able to find Julien easily.


    His original n had been to face him head-on. He thought about sneaking up on him, but that simply went against his morals.


    He was no coward, after all.


    As they moved forward, Anders suddenly grew curious.


    "....Can you tell me why you asked me to find Leon instead of the Professors? I''m sure they would be of more help than him."


    Julien looked ahead and their gazes met.


    Anders felt his body freeze under his gaze which seemed to look at him with a bit of contempt.


    <i>''This bastard...''</i>


    Anders clenched his fists at the sight.


    Julien''s voice reached his ears shortly after.


    "If the culprit is capable of disabling the emergency device, what makes you think they won''t interfere with the professors?"


    "Ah..."


    Julien''s answer left him at a loss for words.


    Indeed, when he put it like that...


    "Slow down."


    Julien''s voice reached him again from behind.


    This time, it felt a lot more intimidating.


    ".....I have an idea of where we are."


    ***


    <i>''If the culprit is capable of disabling the emergency device, what makes you think they won''t interfere with the professors?''</i>


    Yeah, no.


    That was total bullshit.


    While there was some truth to it, I had no idea whether the professors had been ''distracted'' or ''taken care of''. The only thing that I cared about was getting to Leon before it was toote.


    That being said...


    <i>''....If I can''t, I won''t.''</i><i></i>


    The idea behind saving Leon stemmed from the fact that I needed him. He was the main character of the game and my shield.


    What sort of consequences was his death going to bring to the game?


    That, I wasn''t sure and I had never really thought about it. However, on further thought, his death was sure to bring a lot of variables to my future.


    As of right now...


    Although we both didn''t trust each other, the two of us were allies.


    As an ally, it was my duty to help him out when needed. But that didn''t mean I''d have to throw my life away to help him.


    If the situation seemed impossible then...


    "Huuu"


    I closed my eyes.


    <i>''....Let''s see when I get there.'' </i>


    The current n was to interfere when most opportune. Given that at some point Leon managed to injure the enemy, an opening certainly existed.


    I nned on exploiting it.


    Opening my eyes again, I slowed down my pace.


    "Stop."


    Anders simrly stopped as he turned to look at me. I ced my finger on my lips before he could say anything and whispered.


    "Keep your voice down from this moment forth."


    "...?"


    He seemed confused as he looked around him and squinted. But after an internal debate, he relented and nodded.


    "....Fine."


    <i>''Now that I look at him, he seems quite reasonable...''</i>


    It took me no time to realize who he was. Back then, I had been so immersed in my emotions that I hadn''t paid proper attention to how he looked. However, his face was now clear to me and the situation was rather funny.


    Who''d have thought I''d end up working with the same person that I used to prove my worth in the middle of the lecture?


    <i>Scrunch... Scrunch... </i>


    I quietly led him forward. The surroundings were the same as I remembered. From the trees to the smell that lingered in the air.


    If there was one good thing about the visions, it was that I could remember every single detail with perfect memory...


    It was thanks to that that I was able to find the location rather quickly.


    "This is it."


    The exact same spot where Leon died.


    It was where I was currently standing.


    <i>''They aren''t here yet which means that I''m still early.''</i>


    I sighed in relief at the idea and looked around me. Only to see Anders looking at me in confusion. I could guess exactly what he was thinking from his expression.


    "Use your abilities. See if there''s anyone near us."


    "Uh...? Why-"


    "Do it."


    He frowned but nheless listened. Was he afraid of me, or were the circumstances making him act this way?


    In a way, I could see how he had be the leader of the nobles.


    "....!"


    His eyes quickly widened a few moments after he closed them and his gaze turned to look to the right where he pointed.


    "Over there..."


    I followed the direction of where he pointed as he continued, his voice trembling slightly.


    "There are multiple people. Arge conflict¡ªuh, wait!"


    Though he tried to stop me, I was already moving. The situation was still not bad. Since Leon could deal some damage to the opponent if I yed my cards right...


    "Uhm?"


    My eyebrow twitched as I felt a sharp pain in my arm. It hurt so much that I had to stop for a brief moment. What sort of... I turned my wrist over to see what was going on when my eyes shot up.


    "....!"


    <i>Ah¡ª</i>


    The second leaf.


    The one that I was unsure of what it did.


    It was shining brightly.


    ***


    <i>Bang¡ª¡ª¡ª! </i>


    "Uekh...!"


    Leon felt his back crash against a nearby tree as he felt himself lose his breath.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    Hended on the ground, only keeping himself from falling thanks to his sword which he used to support himself.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    With uneven breathing, he looked up. Even now, he struggled to understand. How...? How was it possible?


    "The fuck is this? Aren''t you supposed to be our Professor?"


    Kiera''s startled voice echoed from his left as she held her hand forward. A red magic circle floated at the tips of her fingers.


    <i>Swoosh! </i>


    mes surged from all around her, enveloping her entire body as amidst the inferno, her eyes, reminiscent of rubies, gleamed brightly, piercing through the raging ze surrounding her.


    Thrusting her hand forward, the mes enveloping her body twisted and coiled like a serpent before surging forward where a figure stood.


    Unfortunately...


    <i>¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª! </i>


    The mes, which had been raging with a lot of intensity, were quickly put out with a single swipe of a cane.


    Kier''s expression changed drastically at this, but before she could do anything...


    <i>Bang¡ª¡ª! </i>


    Her body was flung several meters back, crashing against the dirt as she skidded back several meters.


    "Uhk..."


    Her groaned reached Leon as he tightly held on the sword in his hand and stared ahead.


    Indeed. They were severely outssed. But how could they not be when their opponent was a Tier 3 opponent? Although the two of them were both Tier 2, their powers were still outstripped.


    It took more than two Tier 2 individuals to get rid of someone of that caliber.


    And to make matters worse, this was no regr opponent...


    <i>''Professor Bucm.''</i>


    Even now, Leon didn''t fully understand the situation. How could it be him? Was this a test, or was this real?


    At first, he thought it was, but his ''instincts'' told him otherwise.


    That was when it became clear to him.


    Professor Bucm. For whatever reason... He was trying to kill them.


    No, him.


    Why?


    Leon wasn''t sure, but...


    "Ukh."


    He didn''t have the time to care. Pressing his foot against the ground, he propelled his body forward.


    Within moments, he arrived a few inches away from the Professor''s body as he swung his de.


    It curved in the air and directly aimed at the Professor''s exposed neck.


    Everything was fluent. From the precision of his attack to its speed.


    However...


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    His sword bounced back the moment it came down and arge translucent sphere formed around the professor''s body. [Mana Sphere] an intermediate-ranked spell that provided a mage with great defense.


    It covered his entire body and flickered the moment it came into contact with Leon''s sword.


    But that was it.


    The force behind Leon''s sword wasn''t powerful enough to break it, leaving Leon exposed to a counterattack.


    <i>Swoosh! </i>


    Professor Bucm took advantage of that moment as his cane came shing down on Leon who just barely managed to avoid it by twisting his body in the air.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    Falling down, Leon pushed his body forward again and swung his sword.


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    But...


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    Regardless of...


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    What he did...


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    The shield surrounding the professor refused to budge.


    "Haaa.... Haaa...."


    Leon felt his breath grow heavy with each attempt. It wasn''t just him.


    <i>Swoosh! </i>


    A fire directed itself toward the Professor, but even that was of no use as it simply scattered the moment it touched it.


    "What kind of fucking shield is this?"


    Leon could hear Kiera''s curse from behind as she channeled another spell. Thinking about something, Leon bit his lips before bringing his body forward to sh at the shield.


    Professor Bucm prepared to receive Leon when his figure faded and disappeared.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    By the time Leon''s touched the ground, he was standing behind Kiera who looked startled by the sight of him.


    "Holy fuck! What are you doing? ...That scared the shit out of me."


    "Hold him back for me."


    A white glow formed over Leon''s sword. It''s aura intensifying by the second.


    "What?"


    Kiera was startled at first, but realizing what Leon was trying to do, she bit her lips and nodded.


    "Fuck... Whatever, do it."


    The mes around her body intensified and the temperature around them rose to an rming degree.


    They were so intense that the surrounding grass and trees started to catch fire.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    Kiera''s breath started to grow heavy, but gritting her teeth, she pushed her hand forward, and the fire around her split into several threads which all rushed toward the professor who frowned and shed with his cane.


    Unfortunately, as if they had a mind of their own, the threads diverged, encircling him before adhering to the ground and forming a cage


    "N-now...!"


    Kiera shouted as she looked behind her where a powerful glow appeared.


    An intense mana wave wafted through the air as Leon''s sword shone with a majestic light. He didn''t hesitate to move the moment she spoke.


    <i>Thump! </i>


    The ground caved as his body zoomed toward the professor.


    "Khuek...!"


    An intense pain invaded every part of his body as he rushed forward. His muscles were tearing apart, and his mana was running dangerously low.


    But...


    He had no choice.


    This was do or die.


    Bang!


    His foot pressed against the ground, stopping his body just as he neared the professor who appeared somewhat rmed.


    "Ukh!"


    Pain once again invaded Leon''s body as he felt the muscles of his core snap, but he still persisted.


    Using everything he had, he swung diagonally in an upward motion.


    <i>Booom¡ª¡ª¡ª! </i>


    His de shed against the professor''s shield as it flickered intensively. Unlike before, the flickering was even more pronounced, and just barely, Leon could see cracks form on its surface.


    But...


    That wasn''t enough.


    The shield was still standing.


    "Kh...!!!"


    He clenched his teeth with even more force as he pushed all the remaining mana in his body out and into the sword.


    <i>Cr-Crack...! </i>


    The cracks around the shield widened. But... It was still not enough.


    <i>''Not yet...!''</i>


    His lungs were on fire and every part of his body ached. Leon could hardly keep himself standing as he felt his knee buckle.


    But...


    "Kh...!"


    He had to persist.


    Not. Until. He. Reached. His. Goal.


    "Akh...!"


    His sword shone with even fiercer light. It blinded everything that was in sight. Power gushed out from it as the shield around the professor''s body creaked under intense stress.


    Rather quickly, the cracks started to widen and it was only a matter of time before the shield shattered.


    "Kh!"


    Leon kept pushing.


    He used everything that he had to attack in that moment.


    But the more he continued, the more he felt his heart drop...


    <i>''....It won''t be enough.''</i>


    It started to be clear to me.


    Even if the shield broke, the power behind the sword wouldn''t be enough. If things went on like this then...


    And then it happened.


    <i>Swoosh. </i>


    Purple hands sprouted from the ground beneath the professor. They came so abruptly that Professor Bucm wasn''t able to react on time and theytched onto his ankles.


    That was all it took...


    <i>Crash¡ª! </i>


    The shield shattered and Leon finally saw his sword sh down.


    <i>Pffttt! </i>


    Blood sttered in the air as he felt it make contact with the professor''s body.


    <i>nk. nk. </i>


    <i>Ah¡ª</i>


    Leon dropped to his knees as the sword scattered on the ground. A strange hung in the air as Leon felt the muscles of his body give up on him.


    "....Did I?"


    But..


    "....!"


    When he looked up to see, much to Leon''s horror, he could still see the Professor standing before him.


    Arge gaping wound appeared on his body, but his eyes still seemed alive. And they were.


    He didn''t even seem to care about what was going on around him. The Professor''s eyes were fixed on him. As if he was the only thing on his mind.


    His hand slowly raised and a magic circle formed.


    It was aimed directly at the incapacitated Leon who could do nothing but watch.


    No, this...


    "...."


    Just when Leon''s eyes despaired, a hand reached out and grasped the Professor by the shoulder.


    A pair of familiar hazel eyes met Leon''s gaze as a dry voice echoed in the air.


    ".....You did not."

 Chapter 41: Forest [4]

    <h4>Chapter 41: Forest [4]</h4>


    There was only one opening that I could exploit to attack. A moment when the enemy would be too preupied with Leon to bother with me.


    .....The chance came and I took it.


    I wasn''t ashamed of my actions. Reaping the rewards of another''s effort. I chose the easiest and least dangerous path.


    I was sure Leon wouldn''t mind me doing this.


    But...


    <i>''He''s still standing.''</i>


    It appeared as though the enemy was still standing.


    Was that strike not good enough?


    I didn''t hesitate to approach him from behind. A burning sensation coursed through my forearm, causing me to pause right behind him.


    In that brief instant, I glimpsed a miniature magic circle hovering at the tips of his fingers, directed towards Leon.


    "...."


    Even now, in such a state, he was...


    <i>''Why is he so desperate?'' </i>


    I pressed my hand against his shoulder, and the world turned dark shortly after.


    <i>''Uh...?'' </i>


    A medium-sized room.


    That was how the world appeared to me.


    <i>''What is going on?'' </i>


    My body floated as I looked around. It didn''t seem like a vision. I felt inplete control and while I couldn''t speak, I could look around and move just fine.


    "You''re finally awake."


    Then, I heard a voice.


    A woman sat by the bed where a man rested. There were three other people beside the man. Two boys and a girl. They appeared to be young, in their early teens.


    <i>''When did they get here?'' </i>


    "Who are you? Where am I?"


    A familiar face. He was younger, but it was without a doubt him.


    Professor Bucm.


    <i>''What is this...''</i>


    "Ah..."


    "Father."


    "Dad."


    Information entered my mind at that moment.


    A time when an incident urred and he sustained heavy injuries, forgetting all about his memories. He woke up to find that he was married and had three children. A famed wizard with several groundbreaking theses to his name.


    That was who he was and how the world knew him as.


    "Who are you people? Why are you looking at me like that? And why..."


    He squeezed his heart.


    Emotions I hadn''t expected flooded my mind. It was a familiar emotion and my heart squeezed briefly.


    "....Is my chest like this?"


    Familial love.


    Even as his memories faded, his emotions hadn''t. The unfamiliar people in front of him... He still cared deeply for them.


    It was hence why he was able to push through the confusion and live a normal life.


    Because he loved them.


    "Robert, eat this. Is it to your tastes?"


    "Dad, try it. It''s your favorite."


    "We made it for you."


    "Ah, yes..."


    Warmth.


    It felt warm.


    "That was us when we first met. It was a sunny day and you approached me all nervous..."


    But that warmth...


    How long could it trulyst?


    "That''s the photo we took when Natalie was born."


    "That''s Jason."


    The photos.


    They were familiar and yet unfamiliar. It warmed his heart to see but also brought emptiness. The person in the photo... It was him, and yet... he felt unfamiliar.


    Was this really him?


    "How long do you think it''ll take for him to recover his memories?"


    "It shouldn''t take too long. He suffered severe head trauma."


    The doctor casually said while looking through a series of documents.


    "It would take at most a year for him to get them back."


    "You hear that Robert?"


    His wife smiled at him.


    Relief was evident in her expression.


    "You''re going to get your memories back!"


    "...Yes."


    He smiled back at her.


    But his heart didn''t.


    <i>''....Is the previous me that much better?'' </i>


    His children thought so.


    "Dad, when are you going to get your memories back?"


    Everyday.


    "I miss you, dad."


    They''d ask the same question.


    "When can we have our dad back?"


    When was he going toe back?


    <i>''Am I not good enough?'' </i>


    Such thoughts ate at his mind every day. Why was it that he had forgotten his memories about them, but not his feelings?


    It wouldn''t have hurt so much if that was the case...


    And it was also because of such feelings that he''d pray to himself every day.


    ''I love them.''


    ''They don''t love me.''


    ''It''s because l love them that I must go.''


    ''Let me disappear.''


    ''Let hime back.''


    ''For them... You muste back.''


    "...."


    I stared nkly at the sight in front of me.


    <i>''What is this?'' </i>


    The feelings. Everything that he felt... They were so vivid in my mind. The pain, the love, and everything that went through his mind...


    I experienced it all.


    Gradually...


    It was starting to be unbearable.


    He carried on such pain every day.


    "Doctor? Are you sure everything is okay? It''s been a year, and he still..."


    "I''m just as stumped Madam Bucm."


    I was brought back by a certain conversation.


    "So when can I expect him to recover?"


    "....I''m not sure."


    The difficult expression of the doctor and the pained expression on his wife''s face.


    It ate away at his mind.


    ''I''m trying.''


    ''I really am...''


    ''....but he isn''ting back.''


    ''Why aren''t youing back!''


    It was like this every day.


    The more time passed the more it ate away at his soul.


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    The dinners were silent.


    And so was the once lively and vibrant house.


    "Sob.. Sob... Sob..."


    All except for the asional sobbing he''d hear as he roamed the otherwise empty mansion.


    The warmth...


    It was gone. It felt cold. And lonely.


    ''Come back....''


    ''I can''t do this anymore.''


    ''How long must I live like this?''


    His emotions were like a chain to him.


    ''It''s not my fault I''m different.''


    ''But I''m still him.''


    ''Just what was so much better about him than me?''


    They glued him down to this suffering.


    ''Why can''t I get rid of your past?''


    "...."


    The pain carried on.


    He aged, and so did his family.


    The same was true for the sense of estrangement.


    "Goodbye."


    "..."


    He was merely a man living in someone else''s body.


    He could see it in their eyes and the eyes of everyone else. Be it at work, or at home. All he received were looks of pity and estrangement.


    It was lonely.


    His life was.


    <i>Tak¡ª</i>


    The onlyfort he had was checkers.


    <i>Tak¡ª</i>


    Nobody yed with him, but...


    <i>Tak¡ª</i>


    That was fine. At least nobody judged him.


    Because...


    That was the only thing he had left.


    .


    .


    .


    "....."


    I looked around me. It was the same park at the Academy. Students walked around and a nice breeze wafted through.


    In the distance, a man yed checkers by himself.


    He was alone but satisfied.


    "How may I help you?"


    He turned his head to address me. His eyes were warm, and so was his mile.


    "...Do you have a question about something? I do have some free time."


    He ced the piece down.


    "It''s not like I have much else to do anyway."


    "..."


    I shook my head and sat down.


    "Oh?"


    "Teach me how to y."


    "....."


    The Professor looked at me. He suddenly seemed delighted.


    "You want to y? Do you know how to y?"


    "I don''t."


    "Hahaha."


    Even hisugh was warm.


    "Come, I''ll teach you."


    He started to teach me.


    "The pieces can only move diagonally."


    "Like this?"


    "Yeah."


    He continued to exin.


    "This is how you take pieces and how you..."


    He seemed rather passionate.


    I listened quietly and followed his instructions.


    Seemed pretty easy...


    "I think I got it. We can start."


    "Good. Good."


    <i>Tak, Tak, Tak¡ª</i>


    "You''ve lost."


    "...."


    I looked at the board and frowned.


    I didn''t evenst a few moves.


    What sort of...


    "Again."


    "Let''s do that."


    <i>Tak, Tak, Tak¡ª</i>


    Again, I lost.


    But...


    "Again."


    I didn''t give up.


    <i>Tak, Tak, Tak¡ª</i>


    "This... Are you cheating?"


    "Hoho, I''m just better."


    "That''s bullshit. Let''s go again. I''ll beat you this time."


    "Language."


    <i>Tak, Tak, Tak¡ª</i>


    The matches continued. Five, ten, twenty, fifty...


    I''d lose each time.


    The Professorughed with each victory. On the other hand, I got angrier.


    "You have to be cheating!"


    <i>Bang! </i>


    I mmed my hand against the table.


    I had long forgotten about my decorum.


    Right now... I wasn''t acting. I was being me. The real me. How long had that been?


    "Again...!"


    It felt liberating.


    To be me once again.


    In this world, I didn''t have to worry about getting caught and what the others thought about me. I could just be me.


    <i>Tak, Tak, Tak¡ª</i>


    I moved pieces around.


    "Nice move."


    "....It''s only natural."


    "But not good enough."


    <i>Tak¡ª</i>


    "...."


    Crafty old bastard.


    "Again."


    "Hoho."


    The losses continued, but strangely, they didn''t feel bad. Rather, each time I lost, I enjoyed the game more.


    Especially when I saw myselfsting further and further in the game.


    I found joy in my progress. Almost like the time when I learned the spell for the first time.


    Time flew by like this.


    "Ah! So close!"


    I continued to y.


    "I almost got you there!"


    And he continued to beat me.


    "Just you wait!"


    But...


    "There! Ah no!!"


    I was getting closer.


    "That''s i¡ªFuck! You damn bastard!"


    Until...


    <i>Tak¡ª</i>


    "..."


    My piece fell on the board and I looked up.


    There was a silence as we both looked at each other.


    Professor Bucm smiled with such rare warmth that made me realize what had happened.


    "I won..."


    After so many tries, I had finally won.


    I had been so immersed in the game that I hadn''t realized.


    "You did."


    The professor nodded. As he did, his figure gradually started to fade. But even in such a situation, he didn''t forget to smile as he lowered his head.


    "Even a fake like me..."


    He seemed happy.


    "...Is fun to be with, right?"


    He disappeared shortly after.


    I sat down on the bench for a long time.


    "...."


    Quietly staring at the board.


    In the end...


    All he wanted was to be acknowledged.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 7%


    Not for his past.


    But for his present.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Joy] EXP + 13%


    It was there that I understood.


    There was nothing scarier than loneliness.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Sadness] EXP + 4%


    On this day, Professor Bucm was arrested.


    Julien Dacre Evenus. Leon Rowan Ellert. Kiera Mylne. Anders Lewis Richmond.


    These were the names of the four cadets who took down the rogue professor.

 Chapter 42: The Inquisitor [1]

    <h4>Chapter 42: The Inquisitor [1]</h4>


    <i>nk, nk, nk¡ª! </i>


    Chains rattled as a haggard figure was dragged across a dark corridor. nked by two robust individuals, both wearing a simr uniform, he was ushered towards a moderately-sized room.


    Inside the room, a man with dark hair and deep brown eyes leaned by the wall.


    Wearing a long gray coat that reached his knees, he casually looked up.


    "You''re here."


    His dry voice echoed through the room as the two men halted, allowing the worn-out figure to copse onto the floor.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    "....Inquisitor Hallowe."


    The two saluted politely.


    "Uh, yeah."


    <i>Cli Click¡ª! </i>


    Lighting up a cigarette, he took a quiet drag while massaging his chin and looking down.


    "....Robert Bucm."


    He muttered a single name.


    "A renowned and well-respected Professor at the Haven Institute with over fifteen years of service. Quite a nice resume we have here, don''t we?"


    "...."


    Robert Bucm remained quiet on his knees, his head lowered to face the ground.


    The Inquisitor didn''t mind the silence and continued to speak.


    "Why did someone of your reputation stoop to the point they''d attack some children? I''m sure they can be quite annoying. I was once their age, but..."


    His eyes narrowed and he stepped closer.


    "....I don''t believe for one second someone of your stature would stoop to that level unless circumstances made you. Of course, this is just a hunch of mine."


    He lowered his body to stand at eye level with Robert who refused to meet his gaze.


    "....."


    "Not much of a talker...?"


    The Inquisitor smiled, and a sizzling sound echoed as he pressed the cigarette against the ground.


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª</i>


    "That''s fine by me."


    He pressed his hand against his face and a white glow enveloped his hand.


    ".....This might hurt a little."


    ***


    [At around 3 P.M. today, Professor Bucm, a renowned professor of the prestigious Haven Academy went rogue attacking one of the students. The reasoning behind his actions has yet to be determined but an investigation is ongoing.]


    One of the Haven staff in charge of the Institute''s ''public image''mented through a speaker. Several reporters stood a few feet before the podium, holding what seemed to be cameras.


    <i>Click. Click. Click. </i>


    Their shutters shed blinding my sight.


    <i>''I can''t believe they have cameras in this type of setting. They look a little old, but...''</i>


    I wanted to admire them more but the situation didn''t allow me.


    "Cadet! Cadet! Would you like to leave a statement?"


    "Cadet! Please let us know what happened. Why did he attack you? And how did you manage to defeat him "


    "Please leave a statement."


    Even in this world, reporters were annoying. Not that I knew given that I had never experienced it myself, but from what I had seen enough, it was probably the case.


    [The cadets will not be answering the questions now.]


    The reporter''s attempts at asking us questions were quickly shot down by the staff who went on to announce.


    [We''re here to award the four cadets standing before us for their achievements. Not only were they able to neutralize the threat, but they did so in such a manner that prevented other cadets from getting injured.]


    I sat at the center of the stage alongside Leon, Kiera, and Anders. We were all forced to be here to receive our ''medals'' for our exemry performance.


    It was something that the Academy was very adamant about.


    ".....What a pain."


    I thought I had muttered those words quietly, but Kiera managed to pick up my voice.


    "Tell me about it."


    I silently looked at her in surprise.


    "...."


    "What?"


    "....Nothing."


    "No, fuck. You can''t just say nothing when you look at me like that."


    "...."


    "Oy."


    "Stop. People are watching."


    Leon interrupted all of a sudden. Kiera was about to speak when she closed her mouth and grunted.


    "Fine."


    She shot me a re in the meantime. But I chose to ignore it. She was thinking too much. I thought the situation would end there when...


    "Thank you."


    I heard Leon''s soft voice from beside me. I was surprised for a brief moment but then closed my eyes and leaned back.


    Right.


    ".....I only saved you because I could."


    "I know."


    At least he knew.


    <i>''I wonder if it was the right decision.''</i>


    The decision to save him stemmed from the fact that he was the key person to help me achieve my goal. But at the same time...


    <i>''He''s the same person that kills me in the vision.''</i>


    Indeed, I had potentially saved my killer.


    <i>''Killers...''</i>


    Kiera was there too.


    "Heh."


    I found the situation funny. But at the same time, I didn''t think too much of it. The visions could change. They weren''t set in stone.


    Perhaps, in the near future, a situation such as that would indeed happen, but...


    <i>''I know it will happen.'' </i>


    Since I knew it, I could prepare for it.


    "Still, thank you."


    "Um."


    I quietly nodded before opening my eyes again. My gaze eventually fell on my forearm. More specifically, toward the second tattoo.


    It had stumped me for the past few days with no reaction whenever I pressed it. I thought that perhaps there was something wrong with it, but recalling the events ofst night, I now understood.


    <i>''.....It makes me relieve someone''s most private memories. Another emotion rted ability.''</i>


    Both my abilities were. No, rather than being abilities, they were more like a medium for me to improve in my understatement of emotions.


    "Haa..."


    The thought made me sigh.


    This was a direct path to insanity. I could feel it.


    "....?"


    Suddenly, a powerful presence appeared in the distance.


    "S-she''s here."


    <i>Click. Click. Click. </i>


    Finally, the shes were directed away from me for once.


    When I looked in the distance, a familiar figure appeared. As the Chancellor, it was her duty to assign to us our medals.


    Her flowing ck hair curved slightly, swaying with each step she took.


    Her extraordinary presence exuded regality that went beyond mere perception. With each step she took, a subtle ripple of magical energy, akin to a gentle breeze, flowed around her.


    Her innate power had ascended to a level beyond what I could imagine.


    "...."


    Looking around the room with her piercing eyes, Delh walked up to the stage.


    Without paying a single ounce of attention to the reporters, she gracefully made her way toward the podium. Someone then ran up to her and handed her a short list. She quickly nced at it before passing it back and nodding her head.


    [We will now begin the ceremony.]


    The announcer stated.


    [Our Chancellor will have the honor of providing the cadets with their medals.]


    It was pretty straightforward from there. Under the watchful eyes of the reporters and staff, I stood up and walked up to the podium.


    We had been instructed beforehand so we knew exactly what we needed to do. From what order to move, and what to say when receiving the award.


    I was the first to walk up.


    Delh stared at me with her usual nk look.


    ".....You did well. The Institute is grateful for what you''ve done."


    "Thank you."


    On closer look, she didn''t seem to be reallyfortable.


    I guess she wasn''tfortable with this type of thing.


    "Come closer, I will put the medal on you."


    "Oh."


    I did as I was told and leaned my head closer. In the moment when I leaned forward, I heard a soft whisper in my ear.


    Feeling her breath on my ear, I shuddered at first.


    Then, as I processed her words, my brow jumped up and I had to force myself from making any rash movement.


    <i>''Seriously...?''</i>


    ***


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    The doors of the cell closed and Inquisitor Hallowe came out. His rough steps echoed across the dark corridor as he took a drag from the freshly lit cigarette nestled between his lips.


    "....."


    Waiting for him at the end of the corridor was an older gentleman.


    Sporting a bald head and a thick graying mustache, the man stood erect, his slightly protruding belly. In spite of his physical features, he radiated an undeniable aura of authority as the Inquisitor''s pace slowed, and he lowered his head.


    "Warden."


    "....Have you found anything?"


    The Warden''s voice was rough and dry.


    <i>*Puff* </i>


    "I''ve got something."


    Hallowe nibbled on his cigarette before taking it out and letting the smoke linger on his lips.


    "His emotions. They were manipted."


    The warden''s brow raised.


    "An Emotive mage?"


    "Yeah, and a powerful one at that."


    The Inquisitor''s expression turned a little grim. What made Emotive Mages so dangerous? Was it their skill in battle that could disrupt an opponent''s flow...? Or was it their support during difficult situations?


    It was neither.


    The scariest part about Emotive Mages was that they could manipte just about anyone into doing something they''d normally not do.


    By exploiting a weakness and carefully pushing certain buttons...


    "He exploited Bucm''s past and situation and convinced him to do what he did. He most likely was told he''d get healed if he aplished his job or some nonsense like that. He still hasn''t talked, but that''s most likely the case since the traces still linger on his body."


    "....You didn''t hurt him did you?"


    "No. I''m not into that stuff."


    "I was just asking to make sure. Don''t want to deal with the annoying aftermath."


    The Warden then proceeded to frown.


    "What I''m more surprised about is the fact that this happened in Haven. Those guys..."


    Shaking his head, he chuckled.


    "...They were so busy preparing for outside threats that they didn''t take into ount internal ones. It''s the first time I''ve seen them make such a mistake."


    "Yeah..."


    Hallow agreed to some degree. To some extent, this incident was out of carelessness from the Institute. Because Professor Bucm had worked with them for so long, nobody thought he was mentally unstable.


    It was hence why his actions probably came as a massive surprise to them. While there were means to protect oneself against Emotive Mages, such means were rare and expensive. It wasn''t as if the Academy could afford have all cadets and professors to use them.


    That brought rise to several questions.


    Who was the Emotive Mage behind this, and... Why did he target the cadets? No, cadet.


    From the reports, it was clear that he had a specific target.


    Leon Ellert.


    "Um."


    He was a talented cadet in the report.


    But that was it...


    If the professor''s goal was to target talented students, he could''ve gone for Julien who was ranked above Leon.


    If their goal was Haven then Julien''s death would''ve been more impactful.


    <i>''Surely, there must be something else....''</i>


    "...What are you going to do now?"


    As his thoughts were broken by the Warden''s voice, Hallowe raised his head. Nibbling onto the cigarette, he thought about his words before answering.


    "I''ll be going to Haven."


    "Haven?"


    The Warden raised his brows in surprise.


    "Are you going to interrogate the cadets?"


    "....Something like that."


    But not exactly.


    Outside of Leon, there was one individual he was particrly interested in. During the investigation, he had shown Bucm four pictures. He had only reacted to one.


    <i>''Julien of the Evenus Barony and the ck Star.'' </i>


    It was funny.


    He too was an Emotive Mage. A very talented one at that.


    <i>''A connection...?'' </i>


    It seemed unlikely given the potency of the spell used on Bucm, but... He certainly knew something he didn''t. Bucm wouldn''t have reacted like that otherwise.


    It was an intriguing thought.


    One that teased his mind the more he dabbled on it.


    ''Looks like I have no choice.''


    To satisfy his curiosity...


    He had to go.


    <i>Flick¡ª</i>


    Hallowe flicked his cigarette away before lowering his head.


    "Thank you for sparing me the time. I found what I needed. I''ll be heading off now."


    ".....Alright, take care."


    "Will do."


    cing on his leather gloves, Hallowe lowered his head at the Warden before leaving.


    As his steps echoed across the spirling stairway, his thoughts couldn''t help but drift toward the situation.


    Julien.


    Leon.


    <i>''.....Is there truly no connection?'' </i>


    "I wonder."

 Chapter 43: The Inquisitor [2]

    <h4>Chapter 43: The Inquisitor [2]</h4>


    Returning to his dorm after the inauguration, Leon stood still in the silence.


    "..."


    His gaze was locked on the drawer by his bedside. With careful steps, he neared the drawer and opened it. Nestled inside the drawer was a small box.


    Taking out the box, he carefully ced his hand over the box where a white glow formed.


    <i>Click¡ª</i>


    Only then did it open to reveal its contents. Nestled deep within the box was a ck chalice.


    An old and antique one.


    The contents within the liquid were empty, but there was a strange allure about the chalice that captivated Leon''s sight.


    He could hear faint whispers in his mind as he looked at it.


    They felt disturbing, and his heart quaked.


    "..."


    His eyes closed and memories he had kept hidden resurfaced in his mind.


    A burning mansion.


    The desperate screams.


    The ominous, shadowy figures that pursued him relentlessly.


    ....And the cold, yet warm hand that reached out to him.


    "Huuuu."


    Leon drew in a deep breath, sealing the box within his grip. When he opened his eyes, an icy coldness spread across his face as he quietly mumbled,


    "They''ve found me."


    ***


    <i>Tak¡ª</i>


    I stared at the book dropped in front of me and looked up. Delh sat with her back against her chair. Staring at her, I felt my ear twitch. Recalling the moment when she whispered, ''Come to my office after this'' into my ear back at the inauguration ceremony still gave me chills.


    Thinking about it, I had the sudden urge to tickle my ear.


    <i>''Damn it.''</i>


    I forced those thoughts away and looked at the book.


    "....What is this?"


    "Your reward."


    Reward?


    I leaned forward to get a better look at the book. I noticed a small chocte bar beside the book, and I felt the back of my hair stand when my hand hovered over it.


    Thankfully, it disappeared the moment I picked up the book.


    "Mana Synthesis?"


    What a peculiar name.


    "Your biggest weakness right now is the fact that your mana reserves are low. You''re outstanding in everything but in your mana control and reserves. Although it isn''t much, this is a Blue-ranked manual. It should help you umte more mana and speed up your progress."


    Blue-ranked manual..?


    I was surprised a little surprised by the gift. There were many ways one could increase their strength and jump to the next Tier. One such method was through certain manuals that one could practice to increase their mana reserves which would help one push toward the next Tier.


    Manuals were ranked as follows; Green, Blue, Orange, Red, and ck.


    ck being the highest.


    The Academy provided each cadet with a Green-ranked manual at the start. Being a Barony, the one my family provided was also Green-ranked so it wasn''t much of a difference.


    Therefore, I was a little taken aback by the sudden gift.


    Not that I didn''t appreciate it since I didn''t hesitate to take it.


    "You''re still currently injured so I suggest you memorize the contents of the book before you start practicing. From what I''m seeing, ever since the start of the institute, there has been no progress in your tier. I believe this should help you in that matter."


    ".....Thank you."


    Indeed, I was still stuck in the same spot I had been from the start.


    In the two weeks I had been in the Academy, besides unlocking a spell, the only progress I had made was in the Emotive field.


    I had tried practicing the Green-ranked manual provided by the Institute upon entry, but I struggled to make much progress given that my prioritiesy elsewhere. Mainly, in the unlockment of my first [Curse] spell.


    But I knew things couldn''t go on like this.


    I was stillgging behind the other cadets. I needed to make more progress. At the current pace things were going, I wasn''t sure I''d be able to survive.


    ....I needed to pick up the pace.


    "Make sure you don''t lose it. I''m only lending the manual to you for now. Once you memorize it, I would need you to give it back to me. The Institute... Is rather strict about these kinds of things."


    "Understood."


    I quietly nodded my head before asking,


    "Is there anything else that you need me for?"


    "No."


    "Then..."


    "You can go."


    Delh dismissed me while unwrapping the chocte bar and eating it.


    I stood up from my seat and lowered my head slightly.


    "....Thank you."


    But just before I left, my feet came to a pause and I hesitated.


    "Julien...?"


    "I..."


    Whatever.


    Turning around, I pointed at my mouth.


    "Your mouth..."


    ***


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    Staring at Julien''s departing back, Delh felt her lips twitch as she wiped them with a tissue.


    She tossed the tissue to the side right after she was done.


    Then, she closed her eyes.


    <i>''Have I done the right thing...?'' </i>


    She was unsure. However, this was necessary. With time, it became clearer and clearer to her.


    Julien...


    Outside of the Emotive field, he wasn''t very talented. A gap would form between him and the current cadets at the current rate that he was progressing.


    He may have been able to stand out because of his strong mind and Emotive abilities, but how long could thatst?


    A month? Two months...?


    He didn''t have much time, and as someone who had personally vouched for his position, Delh feltpelled to interfere a little.


    A Blue-ranked manual wasn''t much to the Academy. However, it was an important asset.


    The manuals couldn''t be read as many times as one pleased. A certain mana flow was imbued into the book which would decrease with each read.


    It wasn''t an infinite resource.


    Unless someone wrote the manual again, it''d be gone forever. And the higher the rank of the book, the harder it was to create.


    It was for this reason that books that were ranked higher than Green were so sparse.


    Simply put, the demand for them was too high, and the supply was too low.


    "....."


    Drumming her fingers over her desk, Delh closed her eyes. Even now, her mind wandered back to the tattoo on his arm.


    The more she looked at him, the more confused she became.


    <i>''Is he an enemy, or an ally?'' </i>


    There were signs that pointed him to be an enemy and signs that said otherwise.


    Which one was the right sign?


    Chewing on her thoughts, Delh''s eyes slowly opened.


    ".....I''ll only help you out this much."


    ***


    When I returned to my dorm, the first thing I did was sit down and open the book.


    "I''m supposed to do this, right...?"


    I ced my hand over the book and channeled my mana over it.


    Swoosh.


    A pathway appeared in my mind. Seventeen channels, all leading toward the abdomen where my mana core was. The area where my mana gathered.


    <i>''That''s five more channels than before...''</i>


    I immediately put the manual into practice.


    As expected, this was a lot better.


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    The notifications appearing in front of me served to prove that.


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    For every five minutes that I followed the channels, a new notification would appear.


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    It went on like this for precisely one hour until I could no longer continue and stopped.


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    <i>Drip... Drip... </i>


    My clothes were soaked and my breathing was rough. Even so... I could feel myself progressing. It was unlike anything I had experienced before.


    I had managed to progress more in an hour than in the two weeks that I had been in this world.


    "A pity."


    I wanted to continue practicing, but recalling Delh''s words, I knew that I had to stop.


    Further than this and I was risking my life.


    "Haaa..."


    Iy on my back and stared at the ceiling of the room.


    ....I felt a little tired.


    It had been a little more than two weeks since I had been in this world, and so much had happened.


    It felt as though several months had passed when in reality, it was a lot less than that.


    My mind was exhausted and I wanted a little break from everything. However, I knew that it was impossible.


    Even now...


    I was blindly chasing a goal I had no clue about.


    The more time passed, the more confused I was. What exactly was I supposed to do? Did I just have to get stronger and slowly unravel the clues that wereid out?


    My path...


    It felt like a dark road with no end in sight.


    I was just going on a blind, hoping that things would turn out for the best.


    But that wasn''t good enough.


    I needed more.


    "But how...? How exac¡ªUh?"


    [The Rogue Professor: You have ovee the First Event.]


    A message flickered in my vision and I abruptly sat up.


    "What?"


    Another message flickered the next moment.


    [Leon has realized he has been found and that he doesn''t have a lot of time left.]


    ?| Game Progression EXP + 1%


    Game Progression : [0%-[1%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    ?| Character Progression EXP + 12%


    Exp : [0%¡ª¡ª[28%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    "What is this...?"


    A warm current suddenly invaded my body. Just briefly, I felt the mana inside of my body flow smoother and be thicker.


    The feeling was the same as the one from a few moments ago, but it was a lot thicker and more evident.


    I sat there dumbstruck by the sudden development.


    But if that wasn''t enough...


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated : Prevent the Cmities from awakening or dying.]


    Cmity 1 : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    Cmity 2 : Slumber


    : Progress - 2%


    Cmity 3 : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    Another window flickered in my vision and I felt my eyes widen.


    "This..."

 Chapter 44: Moving forward [1]

    <h4>Chapter 44: Moving forward [1]</h4>


    I sat frozen, staring at the window in front of me with wide-open eyes. I had a hard time trying to make sense of what was before me.


    What is this?


    The sudden situation. It made no sense.


    How could it suddenly...?


    "You have ovee the first event."


    My mouth unconsciously opened as I read the first notification.


    "Leon has realized he has been found and that he doesn''t have a lot of time left."


    I chewed on those words as I continued to stare at the notifications in front of me. I stood there for a couple of seconds before closing my eyes and taking a small breath.


    <i>''So the criteria to activate it was for the first ''event'' to be cleared...'' </i>


    Or at least, seemed to be. There were still that didn''t make sense to me but I had no time to think about those matters.


    There was something else that was more pressing.


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated : Prevent the Cmities from awakening or dying.]


    Cmity 1 : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    Cmity 2 : Slumber


    : Progress - 2%


    Cmity 3 : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    "This is..."


    The more I stared at it the more confused I became. But in the end, I understood something.


    "....I need to stop them from awakening or dying."


    Kiera, Aoife, and Evelyn.


    These were the Three Cmities. It was something that stuck with me ever since the memory of before my death.


    Why were they called Cmities I wasn''t sure, but...


    For whatever reason, I needed to stop them from ''awakening'' or dying. That was my main goal. I didn''t quite understand the reasoning behind the task, or whether it was something I could trust, but to get answers, I needed to follow the quest.


    Just what would happen when the gamepletion reached 100%?


    Would I get to finally go back home...?


    "What happens if I fail?"


    There wasn''t anything that indicated what would happen if I were to fail, but I could more or less guess.


    ¡¸Game Over.¡¹


    "Right."


    The situation became even more confusing, but...


    "I need to try it."


    I had to try it.


    For the first time since entering this world, I finally had something to cling to.


    A hope.


    The dark path that I was following finally didn''t seem as dark. I had finally found a path.


    Whether it would lead to nowhere, I had no idea.


    But...


    I had to follow it.


    This was mymitment.


    ***


    A few days passed since then. It was Friday, the end of the week.


    Things had cooled down after the incident with the professor. The Institute had kept a ''hushed'' stance on the situation, stopping all cadets from talking about it.


    That wasn''t the only thing that changed. Everyone, ranging from cadets to professors, was assigned to a psychiatrist.


    ¡¸Given the tragic circumstances, the institute has mandated that all personnel and cadets undergo mental health assessments to ensure a situation like this does not happen again.¡¹


    Such was the announcement of the Professor in charge of today''s lesson. His words instantly aroused a wave of groans with one in particr being louder than the others.


    "....This is bullshit."


    That rough and unfiltered voice... I didn''t need to turn around to know who it was.


    "Kiera Mylne."


    The Professor sternly spoke. He appeared to be quite tall, with short brown hair framing his face,plemented by thin-framed sses obscuring his green eyes. He was quite young, and his looks were on the good side.


    "....."


    He didn''t follow up from there, but the meaning behind his gaze was quite clear.


    <i>''Don''t swear.''</i>


    ".....Tsk."


    The ss continued from there.


    "Everyone please get on your stations."


    It was a peculiar ss.


    "This over here is how you cook the Mandrigol. First, you cut its stomach open and remove its lungs. When you remove the organs make sure you remove the gall dder."


    The name of the ss was ¡¸Culinary Guidance¡¹and it focused on teaching the cadets about the monsters in the mirror dimension and how to prepare them.


    "You must remove it as it is highly poisonous to us."


    Perhaps it was because I had been taking care of myself and my brother for as long as I could remember, I was able to follow the ss smoothly.


    <i>Tak, tak¡ª</i>


    The knife effortlessly sliced the stomach of the creature set in front of me.


    It was hard to describe. It appeared notably furry, with two of its eyes extending upwards from their sockets. Below, two long legs were aligned, and it appeared to have no eyes.


    In short, it didn''t look appetizing.


    "Make sure you don''t throw away the eyes. They''re packed with nutrients and can be dried for rationster on in your journey in the mirror dimension."


    But I still followed the Professor''s instructions to a ''T''.


    Guiding my knife around the eyes, I smoothly removed them from the creature and ced them in a nearby bucket.


    "When you cut, you must make sure to cut it into equal pieces..."


    <i> Tak, tak¡ª</i>


    It was weird, but I felt strangely at home.


    This wasn''t any harder than the things I had been cooking back at home when it was just me and my little brother.


    Slicing the pieces into equal portions, I looked around me to see that I was the only one that was capable of following along with the instructions.


    "Professor can you slow down..."


    "....I cut it too short. What do I do?"


    "Damn it."


    Even Aoife appeared to be struggling as her eyes were knit together tightly.


    "Okay, here''s the next step. Once you''re done cutting the Mandrigol into pieces, ce it in the pot in front of you and let it boil in the soup. It''s a very tough meat, so we must cook it on a low burn."


    The Professor then proceeded to ce the filets into arge pot in front of him. I also had one, and it had been put on simmer since the start of the lesson.


    I had already put the necessary ingredients beforehand so all that was left was...


    <i>Plo Plop¡ª! </i>


    Chucking the fillets into the pot.


    And...


    "Done."


    I patted my hands in satisfaction. I felt a strange sense of aplishment out of this.


    ".....Alright! It will take approximately until the end of the lesson for the meat to be tender. For those who are finished, please clean up your stations and wash up your dirty dishes."


    The Professor''s gaze wandered around before eventually falling on me.


    "Ah."


    That was when I understood.


    I was the only one that had managed to keep up.


    ***


    Simmer~


    Aoife stared at her pot and swallowed her saliva. The water bubbled, and the pieces of the Mandrigol floated at the top.


    It wasn''t the first time she had eaten the ''Mandrigol''.


    While not a rare delicacy, it was still an ''infant'' ranked beast. With several noticeable health benefits such as the cleansing of impurities, it was a staple food amongst the poption of the Empire.


    But...


    <i>Plo Plop¡ª! </i>


    <i>''I can eat this?'' </i>


    Aoife secretly swallowed. She had followed the instructions to perfection, so logically yes, but...


    "...."


    She closed the lid.


    <i>''Maybe not.'' </i>


    It didn''t look that appetizing.


    Aoife looked around her. All the cadets were still busy cutting the Mandrigol. Only a few were done with that part and were now cing the cuts inside of the pot.


    All with the exception of one.


    <i>''....It''s you again.'' </i>


    He was done a lot faster than them. Nine minutes faster to be exact. The gap between him and the rest was evident, and Aoife felt herself frowning at the thought.


    <i>''Why is he so good at everything..?'' </i>


    In the time that she had spent at the Academy, he had beaten her in almost everything besides the magic and physical score.


    There was a gap between them in that matter but...


    <i>''He''s an Emotive Mage.''</i>


    It made sense for him tog in such matters when he was so proficient in such a field. It was a frustrating thought, but he was...petent.


    The thought made herpetitive spirit re up.


    <i>''...He may have been faster, but that doesn''t mean it''s better." </i>


    Yeah.


    Speed wasn''t important. What was important was taste.


    "...."


    The image of the contents in her pot shed in her mind and her nk expression cracked.


    Aoife looked around. Julien was still away washing the dishes, and so was the Professor who went out to get a new supply of Mandrigol for the students who failed to cut it on the first try.


    A thought struck her.


    Just maybe...


    ".....Just a little taste."


    Right.


    She just wanted to check if had season properly.


    Making sure that there was no one paying attention to her, she carried a few trays with her and moved toward Julien''s desk.


    It was on the way to the cleaning station outside and just a few steps away from her station...


    She could y this out well.


    "...."


    Her steps stopped at the station. It was clean with the only thing left being the pot and the stove.


    Pursing her lips, she looked around before carefully opening the lid of the pot.


    <i>Plo Plop¡ª! </i>


    "....!"


    A nice aroma wafted through the moment she opened the lid and her brow twitched.


    "It can¡ª"


    "What are you doing?"


    A cold voice echoed from behind her and Aoife almost flinched. Thankfully, she was able to keep herselfposed and turned around.


    tinum long hair, deep red eyes, and a gaze that was filled with nothing but contempt.


    With a look that suggested she had caught a rat, Kiera smirked.


    ".....Are you trying to sabotage thepetition?"


    She didn''t even try to hide the disdain in her voice.


    "You haven''t changed, have you? You''re still the same. Whenever someone better than you appears, you try to put them down. Aren''t I right?"


    Aoife frowned.


    <i>''What is she on about?'' </i>


    She couldn''t understand what she was talking about. And perhaps noticing her confusion, Kiera suddenly smirked while shaking her head.


    ".....Fucking bitch. You never change."


    Aoife''s face turned cold.


    "What did you call me?"


    "A. Bitch."


    Kiera emphasized while leaning her head closer.


    "What? Is the sheltered Princess angry?"


    "...."


    A small crack appeared on Aoife''s nk expression.


    "You think I wouldn''t call you out on your shit? That I would just let you do whatever the fuck you wanted just because you''re the fucking princess?"


    The cracks on her face becamerger. Her well-maintained facade was slowly crumbling...


    "Still nothing?"


    Kiera''s eyes squinted as her smirk became more prominent.


    ".....Pathetic."


    Aoife clenched her teeth and her expression almost crumbled. However, with the little rationality she had left, she turned to look away from her and focused her attention back on the pot.


    "....."


    All of a sudden, she didn''t feel like tasting it anymore.


    She was just about to close the lid when a finger poked into the soup.


    "Oh? It''s not bad."


    Licking her lips, Kiera looked at Aoife before taking the salt and sprinkling it over the soup.


    "....!"


    Her eyes widened and she looked back.


    "It''s missing a little salt."


    ".....Stop it."


    Her hand reached for the salt, but Kiera deftly avoided her and continued to sprinkle it.


    "Or what?"


    "It''s not my soup."


    "So? I''m just helping a ssmate out."


    "Stop it."


    Aoife''s voice grew cold but that only served to encourage Kiera who doubled down on the salt.


    First the middle finger on the first day then this...


    Aoife found her patience running thin. Her mana flowed and Kiera''s hand stiffened.


    "You..."


    Unbothered by the look she was receiving, Aoife reached out for the salt when...


    "Kkh...!"


    Her ''Telekinesis'' shattered and Kiera''s hand swung in the air.


    "Fucking bitch. Who told you that you cou¡ª"


    <i>Plop¡ª! </i>


    Her words were broken by an abrupt ''plopping'' sound and the two of them stiffened on the spot.


    Especially Aoife who found her mouth opening at the sight.


    ".....Oh."


    A single word came out of her lips. When she looked up again, she found Kiera standing rigidly by her side.


    A cold voice followed a few seconds after.


    "....What are you doing here?"


    "I..."


    For a brief moment, Aoife panicked.


    "Your food... It was overflowing."


    "Overflowing?"


    Julien''s gazetched onto her and Aoife felt her mouth go dry. Eventually, though, he turned his gaze away and focused it on the pot.


    His nose wrinkled at the sight of the soup.


    Aoife''s face tightened.


    "Where is the salt?"


    His gaze wandered back to her and she almost flinched. Thankfully, she was quick-witted.


    "Kiera borrowed it."


    She pointed at Kiera and threw her under the bus. Feeling her finger, Kiera opened her eyes to rebuke but ultimately stopped and nodded.


    "You were done, so..."


    "Oh."


    The two simultaneously sighed in relief at that moment and Kiera red at Aoife who silently felt the corner of her lips pull.


    Throwing her under the bus like that... It felt strangely nice.


    "....Give it back to me when you''re done."


    "Will do."


    With a quiet nod, Julien shifted his attention back to the pot. What he didn''t notice was the sudden change in Aoife and Kiera''s expressions.


    "It should be ready."


    "....!"


    Especially when he picked up the spoon by his right.


    Unable to notice anything out of the ordinary, Julien lifted the spoon to reveal a thick viscous brown liquid.


    "Looks good."


    Aoife felt every part of her body grow tense. The same was true for Kiera whose entire face was twitching.


    And then, under the horrified eyes of the two of them...


    Julien brought the spoon to his mouth.


    "....Um!"


    His expression immediately shifted the moment the spoon touched his mouth and his head flicked their way. A strange tension lingered over the area they were in as his voice, colder than it usually was, asked,


    ".....Did you do something to the soup?"


    "No..."


    "No.


    The two of them shook their heads at the same time though their refusal sounded anything but convincing.


    Even so...


    "Is that so?"


    Strangely, Julien didn''t seem all that bothered.


    Putting the spoon down, he frowned. It was as if he was undecided about something.


    Then...


    Just when the two of them were fearing for the worst, they heard his soft mumble,


    "....Since when was I such a good cook?"

 Chapter 45: Moving forward [2]

    <h4>Chapter 45: Moving forward [2]</h4>


    It was a dilemma. Staring at the soup in front of me, I looked back at Aoife and Kiera, who seemed strangely stiff.


    <i>''Did they really do nothing to the soup....?''</i>


    I brought the spoon to my mouth and closed my eyes. My tonsils danced at the rich taste that invaded my tongue, and I found myself quietly nodding.


    It tasted phenomenal.


    To the point where I couldn''t help but mumble to myself.


    ".....Since when was I such a good cook?"


    While I didn''t think I was bad, I had never made something so good.


    Could it be because of the ingredients?


    Was that what it was?


    "Y-you think it''s really good...?"


    Kiera stuttered from the side, and I frowned. What''s wrong with her? Perhaps noticing my expression, she forced a smile and turned back.


    "Ah, anyway. Thanks for the salt."


    She proceeded to head back to her station. That was when I felt another gaze.


    "...."


    I turned to look at Aoife, who was staring back at me. Her expression was hard to read, but for a brief moment, I thought I saw ''disbelief'' in her gaze.


    What sort of...


    "...."


    Picking up her trays, she left without saying another word. I stared at her back for a brief moment before shrugging my shoulders.


    I really couldn''t understand her.


    Staring at her back for a brief moment, I turned my attention back to my pot and had another taste.


    "Hmm."


    I smacked my lips together and frowned.


    "....It''s good."


    But...


    "It''s missing something."


    What exactly? I thought for a moment beforeing to a conclusion.


    "It needs more salt."


    The taste was a little too mild. Possibly sweet. It needed a little bit more salt.


    I reached to my left, where the salt was, but I grasped nothing but air. I was confused at first, but then I remembered.


    "Ah, right."


    Kiera had taken the salt.


    I turned to look at her, and our eyes met. She raised her brow.


    "What?"


    ".....The salt."


    I pointed at the one she had on her desk.


    "...!"


    "Can I have i¡ª


    <i>nk, nk, nk¡ª! </i>


    I was interrupted by a loud noise. When I turned to look, I saw Aoife standing with all the trays on the floor. Her otherwise nk expression showed signs of breaking as her eyes widened.


    What...?


    She wasn''t the only one who was behaving oddly.


    Just as I turned my head, I heard Kiera''s low mutter.


    "...Lunatic."


    She was also looking at me with wide eyes.


    "Fucking lunatic."


    ***


    When I woke up, it was Saturday morning. In a daze, I remained on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I finally had a day to myself...


    It was hard to describe how I currently felt. The days had been so hectic that every single day felt like theysted a year.


    But today was different...


    There was nothing on my schedule today.


    Finally, I could take a much-needed break.


    Let''s take a shower.


    <i>Shaaa¡ª</i>


    I needed something to wake my groggy mind. The cold water was especially useful, as I felt refresheding out of the shower.


    There was nothing better than a cold shower in the morning to refresh my mind.


    "...."


    I looked at my wet body in the mirror.


    It was chiselled to perfection, and there seemed to be no scars or imperfections. My shoulders and biceps were quiterge, while my abdominal muscles were finely sculpted, and my thighs felt as solid as rock.


    I had always wanted this type of body in my previous life. I would always tell myself to go to the gym on a daily basis, but I would stop with some sort of nonsensical excuse. The longest I had eversted at the gym was two months.


    Seeing no progress in the mirror, I lost all motivation and just gave up.


    But things were different now.


    I touched my body.


    With how hard I was training at the moment, I could easily maintain this body. Not only that, but it could probably get even better in the future.


    "A pity it isn''t my real body."


    It was still hard for me to fully associate myself with this body. However, I was slowly getting there.


    Even so...


    "When I return, I''ll get my old body back..."


    I was merely rumbling at this point. The reality was that I wasn''t sure if I could go back or not. No sign pointed out to that fact.


    However...


    I had to cling to this idea. It was the only thing that kept me going. If I were to learn that I couldn''t go back, then...


    "...."


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.


    Opening them again, I leaned forward to stare at my reflection.


    ".....I will be going back."


    After drying my body, I went on to sit on the couch. Basking the sun''s glow, I mumbled,


    "Status."


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    Level :17 [Tier 1 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª¡ª[34%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    Profession : Magician


    ¦é Type : Elemental [Curse]


    ¦é Type : Mind [Emotive]


    Spells :


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Anger


    ¦é Intermediate type spell [Emotive] : Sadness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Fear


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Happiness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Disgust


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Surprise


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Chains of kantria


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Hands of Mdy


    Skills :


    [Innate] - Foresight


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    There was some progress, but it was still too slow. In the days that had passed since the ''quest'', I had only grown by about 6%. And this was taking into ount that I was now using a Blue-ranked [Mana Synthesis].


    "I need to find a way to get a better manual."


    From what I had learned, there were multiple ways one could get stronger. The first one was through the scriptures and manuals. The second one was through resources gathered from the mirror dimension, and thest was through the imntation of ''bones''.


    I was still unsure of how thest one worked, but from what I read, certain monsters in the Mirror Dimension had special bones that one could imnt in their bodies to gain skills.


    [Innate] skills.


    They had different grades, which mostly depended on the rank of the monster, and there were apparently a few in our ss who already had a bone imnted in them.


    ".....I''ll get there when the chancees."


    It was still a little too early for me.


    I was just nning to start training again when...


    <i>Wiiing¡ª</i>


    <i>Wiiing¡ª</i>


    Mymunication device, a small white orb, flickered. Confused, I turned it on and loaded the message.


    [Julien Evenus, Leon Ellert, Aoife Megrail... May the following cadets show up at the entrance of the Institute in an hour.]


    It was a message from the Institute board.


    "....."


    [Congrattions. You have all been selected for the uing Draft Selection inauguration. An instructor will guide the following students to the ceremony that will take ce in Lens. Kindly make yourself avable.]


    "....."


    I continued to stare at the message with a nk look before turning off the device and sitting down.


    I opened my mouth, but no words came out.


    "....."


    Eventually, I lowered my head and stayed silent.


    In the silence that took over the room, I closed my eyes and pursed my lips.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Sadness] EXP + 0.01%


    *


    When I came out of my room, I found Leon already waiting for me.


    "Oh."


    I didn''t even bother greeting him and just continued forward. I was in no mood for anything. But that seemed to be the case for him as well.


    In the silence, we walked towards the entrance of the Academy.


    When we reached the ce, ten people were already waiting for us at the entrance.


    ...With eleven names on the list, we were essentially thest to arrive.


    "You two are finally here."


    At the forefront stood someone I found somewhat familiar. With a thick, long red beard and a muscr physique, he was Professor Chambers, one of the examiners from my examination day and a High-Wizard.


    "Hurry up, you two. The train to Lens will depart in ten minutes. You will be held responsible if we miss the train."


    His rough voice echoed throughout as I picked up the pace, slightly...


    Honestly, I wouldn''t mind missing it.


    The Professor continued,


    "As many of you know, there will be a Draft at the end of the year. The six best cadets from each year will be chosen to represent the Institute at such an event. You all must take this seriously."


    Squinting his eyes, I felt his gaze pause on me.


    "The ten of you are the most promising cadets that we currently have in our first years. Some of the most promising we''ve had in decades, and it is therefore extremely important that you carry yourself in a manner fitting of your status."


    I then finally realized why he was looking at me. Taking a step closer, we were only a few steps away from each other. cing his hand on my shoulder, he looked at me seriously.


    "As the ck Star, you will be the center of all attention and the group''s leader. I need you to carry yourself as such. Is that understood?"


    "....."


    I stood in silence without saying a single word.


    "Cadet?"


    Only when he called me again did I raise my head. Closing my eyes, I silently cursed.


    <i>Fuck¡ª</i>


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated : Unmask the Fraud.]


    : Character Progression + 5%


    : Game Progression + 1%


    Failure


    : Cmity 3 + 5%

 Chapter 46: Taking it for myself [1]

    <h4>Chapter 46: Taking it for myself [1]</h4>


    It was just as the Professor was talking to me that it happened.


    <i>''Uh....?''</i>


    The world froze, and my vision turned dark. All of a sudden I lost control of my body.


    It was a sensation I was all too familiar with...


    <i>''Another vision?'' </i>


    The scenery shifted, enveloping me in the opulent embrace of a grand hall. Itsvish decor was blinding with all sorts of individuals present.


    Such grand hall was silent.


    It was as if the sound had been sucked out of the room.


    "....."


    All eyes seemed to be focused on a certain spot. Or more specifically, towards two people.


    ".....We''ve found it."


    A towering figure with slender facial contours, jet-ck hair, a long nose, and bushy eyebrows peered down at his palm, where a small orb, reminiscent in size of a ss pebble, rested.


    <i>''What''s that...?''</i>


    There was something about the pebble that seemed intriguing. It had a strange allure to it. Almost as if it was beckoning me to take it.


    But I had no time to dwell on it as the next set of events continued.


    "Why did you steal it?"


    The man''s voice thundered down towards the other individual, a woman adorned with cascading violet locks and piercing blue eyes. She returned his gaze with a frozen look.


    Her eyes trembled, and so did her body...


    "I..."


    He raised his hand to disy a ck purse.


    "This is yours isn''t it?"


    Evelyn''s expression remained locked in a state of disbelief, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly in a futile attempt to articte her words.


    "No, I..."


    "There''s no denying your crime."


    He coldly cut her off.


    "We''ve searched everyone and you were the only one that was found with this. Do you think you can talk your way out of this?"


    He didn''t seem interested in her ramblings. Coldly turning his gaze away from her, he looked toward the guard''s station nearby.


    "Take her in for questioning."


    "No, wait...!"


    The guardstched onto her arms from both sides.


    "This is a mistake...!"


    She tried to protest, but it was to no avail.


    "That''s not mine! I don''t know where it came from! This is a...."


    Under the scrutiny of all present, Evelyn was forcibly escorted by the guards out of the hall. Her eyes searched the entire hall, eventually falling on me.


    Me...?


    ''Help me...''


    Is what her gaze tried to imply.


    I stood rooted to my spot, transfixed by her desperate expression, unable to tear my gaze away.


    It sealed itself into my mind until the very end.


    When her figure finally disappeared.


    The vision ended there.


    "....."


    I stood in silence without saying a single word.


    "Cadet?"


    Only when I heard the sound of the Professor''s voice did I finally raise my head. A screen appeared shortly after.


    [ ¡ô Side Quest Activated: Unmask the Fraud.]


    : Character Progression + 5%


    : Game Progression + 1%


    Failure


    : Cmity 3 + 5%


    "Did you understand what I said?"


    The Professor''s voice started to sound irritated, and I quietly nodded my head. I couldn''t focus on him at the moment.


    The only thing that was in my mind was the vision.


    <i>''....So the quest is about exposing who the real thief is?''</i>


    Or was it to prevent Evelyn from finding herself in such a situation? Either way, I now knew who ''Cmity 3'' was. It was Evelyn.


    That only left me with Cmity 1 and Cmity 2.


    Who they were... I was still unsure yet. However, given time, I knew I''d be able to piece it all together.


    "Follow me in a single line. The train will be here shortly."


    I once again looked up and saw that the other cadets were moving along. I picked up my pace and followed them from behind.


    My gaze unconsciously trained toward a swaying set of purple hair not too far from me.


    I thought back to the expression she made back in the vision. The one that was filled with shock, and desperation.


    A thought ran down my mind at that moment.


    <i>''...Why did she look at me of all people for help in the vision?'' </i>


    ***


    The Draft.


    An Empire-wide event was broadcast and disyed all over. The Draft took ce every end of the year, selecting the top 60 cadets from all the major Academies within the Empire.


    There existed fifteen Guilds within the Empire. All associated with the Royal family, they were the only organizations besides the Academies that granted entrance to the Mirror Dimension.


    If one became affiliated with the Guild, they could enter the Mirror Dimension whenever they wanted.


    Thepetition among the Guilds was harsh, and each year, the cadets were intensively scrutinized to determine who would be the first pick of the draft.


    The benefits of bing the first-ranked pick were rather obvious for all. With sign-in bonuses that eclipsed those of the other picks, every cadet looked forward to bing the number one pick.


    "We have just passed Endson. We will be arriving at the station soon."


    Professor Chambers informed all of us.


    The City of ''Lens'' was incredibly rich, with many different districts in ce. Our current destination was ''Rudmon'', the mainmercial street of Lens.


    It was the richest district and where the ''House of Picks'' was located. An esteemed Auction House where the inauguration was going to take ce.


    Coming out of the train station, we strolled through the district, where magnificent streets lined with vendors on both sides greeted our eyes.


    The House of Picks was located by the river that cut through the city. It therefore took us about ten minutes to get there from the train station.


    A crowd had already formed at the entrance of the building. It was hard to see through the packed crowd, with reporters mingling among regr people. Thankfully, there was a separate area we could enter from.


    "Wee to the House of Picks."


    It was a middle-aged man with refined clothing that greeted us.


    "You must be the distinguished guests from Haven. We have already reserved a ce for you."


    He then proceeded to guide us toward a sizable room. I originally expected him to guide us toward the hall in the vision, but contrary to my expectations, we were guided toward a different ce.


    A private room of some sort.


    <i>''Wow.''</i>


    Coming into the room, I had to pause for a moment to admire the setting.


    At the forefront of the room, a grand window greeted my sight, below which stretched a substantial stage adorned with hundreds of seats now filling with attendees. All of whom were wearing formal clothing, unlike the rest of us.


    The scene below appeared chaotic unlike where we were.


    "The announcement will be made shortly."


    The butler proceeded to say from the entrance of the room.


    "Please feel free to enjoy yourselves in this room for now. Once the announcement is over, we will invite you all to the main ceremony where you can interact with the other guests."


    With a bow, he went on to talk with the Professor who had a few things to ask.


    Only then did the other cadets finally start speaking again.


    "Wow, this room looks awesome."


    "Can we take this food?"


    Despite most of the participants being sons of high nobles, they still seemed somewhat excited about the situation.


    Well, all besides a select few. Aoife, Kiera, and Leon were the exception as they immediately found a seat and sat down.


    I thought about finding a seat as well when...


    ".....Here."


    Someone handed me a ck book.


    "This is?"


    "It''s the shop list."


    Shop list?


    I blinked my eyes and looked to my right where a person stood. I had grown a little familiar with him. I didn''t remember at first, but I couldn''t forget about him after meeting him during the forest incident.


    Had it not been for him, I would''ve been unable to prevent the incident.


    Anders Lewis Richmond.


    Ever since that incident, his attitude toward me underwent aplete change.


    He no longer seemed confrontational; in fact, he appeared to be making an effort to foster a friendlier rtionship with me.


    I was put off at first, but seeing how his intentions weren''t malicious, I let him be.


    "As you probably know, the House of Picks is actually a famous auction house. Although there is no auction today, the shop is still open. If you''re interested in something, you can try buying it."


    "Ah..."


    I nodded slightly and opened the book.


    <i>''I wonder if there''s anything I can buy...''</i>


    I was somewhat intrigued.


    [Mana Association | Green] ¡ª 50,000 Rend.


    [Essence Awakenening | Green] ¡ª 70, 000 Rend.


    [Melton Mana Manual | Green] ¡ª 120, 000 Rend.


    <i>''Holy fuck.'' </i>


    My heart almost jumped at the sight of the prices.


    The currency within this world was called the Rend. If I had to make a conversion ratepared to my old world, then it''d probably be 1 Rend for one Dor...? The purchasing power seemed to be about the same.


    ....And just looking at the prices of the Green Ranked book, I knew that I had no business here.


    I may have been the son of a noble, but the amount of money that I had didn''t evene close to letting me purchase a Green-ranked book.


    What sort of corruption was this...?


    I immediately skimmed past the first few pages, but...


    <i>''100,000 Rend.... 1,000,000 Rend.... 17,000,000 Rend...''</i>


    The deeper I went, the more absurd the prices became. It was to the point where I was just scrolling through the book for the sake of wasting time.


    As if I could afford any of this stuff.


    That was until I found myself pausing toward a certain section.


    [Metryl Bone] ¡ª 4, 320, 000 Rend.


    A certain image captured my attention and my eyes widened.


    <i>''This is...''</i>


    It was only a picture, but the ovepped with the image in my mind. The one from the vision.


    <i>Ah¡ª</i>


    The more I looked at it, the more certain I felt...


    <i>''....It''s the item that was found in the vision.''</i>


    The one that caused all of themotion.


    "....."


    I blinked and took a seat.


    "Huu.."


    So it was a bone.


    I swallowed my saliva and stared at the image once more.


    ''So the item that she was framed with was this bone...''


    It looked nothing like a bone, but perhaps there was something that I was missing. Either way, I understood now.


    The reason why the situation seemed so serious.


    So then...


    "Why?"


    Why did my chest tingle at the sight of the item on the list?


    It wasn''t just that, my fingers... They were twitching.


    Thoughts I wasn''t supposed to have suddenly engulfed my mind. As I sat down on my seat seat, my foot started to tap against the ground.


    As I continued to stare at the listing, I silently swallowed.


    A thought crossed my mind.


    One that I wasn''t supposed to have.


    "This orb..."


    Can I take it for myself....?


    ***


    There will be two more chapterster.

 Chapter 47: Taking it for myself [2]

    <h4>Chapter 47: Taking it for myself [2]</h4>


    A tall man stood on the stage.


    His appearance grabbed the attention of all those presents.


    ¡ªLadies and gentlemen. Thank you very much foring to the inauguration of the 57th seventh draft.


    As he spoke, his voice boomed throughout the grand hall. It silenced all the noise within the venue.


    ¡ªIt''s with great pride that I stand before you as the announcer of today''s event....


    He went on with the introductions. Useless ramblings that went on for several minutes before the lights turned off. What followed after was silence as the noise ceased.


    ¡ªWe will now be introducing the fifteen Guilds.


    <i>Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! </i>


    Fifteen banners fell from the sides, all disying different intricate patterns and colors.


    Lights flickered, pointing toward each banner, disying their extravagance for all to see.


    They appeared finely crafted, adorned with intricate golden patterns, and fashioned from rare fabrics. The patterns and insignias appeared to be meticulously handcrafted, with each banner''s design particrly unique standing out in one way or another.


    On any normal asion, I would''ve been intrigued by the events.


    But....


    <i>''I can take it can I...?''</i>


    All I could think about was the quest. Or more specifically, the bone.


    Just how much stronger would I be if I were to take the bone?


    A human was only allowed to imnt five bodies into their body. Any more would be too dangerous.


    However, from what I had read, after the integration of the bone, one would find their strength increasing and be granted an [Innate] ability that used to belong to the soul of the deceased beast.


    ....It was an extremely enticing opportunity, and I knew that I couldn''t let it slip away from my grasp.


    Especially given my current strength. I was in desperate need of something like that.


    "But what about the quest...?"


    Would it allow it?


    The quest didn''t specify what I needed to do. In my mind, what the quest demanded from was to expose the fraud and prevent Evelyn from reaching the scenario from the vision.


    But...


    There was nothing in the quest that suggested I couldn''t take the bone.


    ...And it wasn''t as if the quest could control me. Whether I chose toplete the mission or not, I had full freedom of choice.


    Since that was the case...


    Why couldn''t I take the bone?


    <i>''I know who will have it. When she will have it. And how they find it.''</i>


    For what reason can I not find a way to take the bone for myself?


    The more I thought about it, the more I felt my chest prickle.


    Ah...


    This sensation.


    It threatened to consume my mind at any second. It was foreign at first, but it became clearer with the passing of time.


    Greed.


    Right, I was being greedy.


    I was coveting something that shouldn''t have been mine in the first ce.


    "Heh."


    For some reason, the thought made me want tough.


    I thought about all the implications that my actions would have on the innocent workers and staff of the auction house. It pricked at my consciousness, but at the same time, I knew that I couldn''t afford to be sentimental.


    <i>''Morality.'' </i>


    I needed to throw it away.


    I was no longer Emmet Rowe.


    Morality was no longer a thing for me. While I had a few lines that I couldn''t bring myself to cross, the rest... I had to throw them away.


    I had sworn I''d do anything to be stronger and achieve my goal.


    And....


    Taking the bone... Knowing that it was something I could do, and would be instrumental for my goal...


    I knew I had to do it.


    Right...


    Because in the end, I couldn''t afford to miss such a chance.


    For my sake.


    I had to be greedy.


    ***


    Ever since the start of the inauguration, Evelyn felt weird. It felt as though someone was watching her every movement. And yet, when she looked, all she saw was the empty space behind her.


    <i>''Is it just me...?'' </i>


    She looked to her left and then right. Once she was sure there was nothing wrong, she returned her gaze back to the front.


    Her eyebrows slowly came to a furrow.


    She could''ve sworn she had felt something. And she usually was never wrong about these things.


    Her senses were generally quite urate.


    "Strange..."


    "What is?"


    A dry voice reached her ears.


    "....!"


    Her eyes widened at the sound of the voice and her head flicked to her right where a familiar figure was sitting.


    "Julien?"


    What is he...?


    "Ha."


    Her shock hardlysted more than a couple of seconds before her face returned back to its normal icy one. It was a face she only disyed to those she deemed ''unfamiliar''.


    Indeed, the current Julien was someone she was unfamiliar with.


    "I was getting a weird feeling before. I thought someone was watching me, but I didn''t think it''d be you of all people."


    Things were starting to make sense to her now. The strange sensation... It was him wasn''t he?


    He was the one that was looking at her. Or at least, that was Evelyn thought to be the case.


    But then again, why would he even look at her now when he had hardly paid her any attention back at the Institute?


    She had liked the way things were so why the sudden change?


    Was she missing something?


    "...."


    Her thoughts were further reinforced by his silence, and she felt puzzled.


    "Is there something that you want to say?"


    "Um?"


    Julien raised his brow and the two of them looked at each other.


    Evelyn frowned.


    "You didn''te all the way here for nothing, right?"


    "...."


    He didn''t bother answering her as he seemed lost in his thoughts. Evelyn found herself growing annoyed by his antics.


    An image ovepped with his. It was a younger version of him. Unlike the current stoic expression he wore, he wore a look filled with nothing but disdain.


    ''Certainly, he''s different from the past, but....''


    Her mind was brought back to the memories of five years ago. It was a memory she could never forget. Regardless of how hard she tried, she couldn''t forget. Even now, she could distinctively remember everything.


    From the weather to the smells...


    Everything felt vivid to her.


    ....And it was exactly because it felt so vivid that she couldn''t find herself to see him differently.


    <i>''He''s the same. He may act differently, but inside... He''s the same.''</i>


    That''s right.


    She mustn''t be fooled by how he was currently behaving. Five years may have passed, but he had done that day...


    <i>''I won''t be fooled.''</i>


    At that moment, Evelyn caught sight of Julien. Leaning against the chair, his lips gently pulled into what seemed to be a smile. Her expression hardened.


    "What?"


    ".....It''s nothing."


    With a shake of his head, he gradually stood up.


    "I''ve already got what I wanted."


    ".....?"


    Evelyn felt lost staring at him. What sort of game was he ying? She was just about to speak when his voice suddenly cut in.


    "Enjoy your evening."


    ".....Ah."


    He left shortly after that, leaving Evelyn unable to utter a single thing back.


    In the end...


    She hadn''t figured out if he was truly the one that was looking at her.


    ***


    <i>''...She''s being targeted.''</i>


    That was the conclusion that I came up with after talking to her briefly. I first drew up that conclusion from how she was behaving. Noticing how she''d turn her head to look around from time to time, I knew that something was up.


    Would someone act like that unless they felt that something was off?


    I would''ve normally not bothered, but superhumans tended to be a lot more urate at judging these kinds of things.


    It was highly likely that she was truly being watched.


    ....It was also for this reason that I initiated a conversation with her.


    I needed to verify this conclusion. It was an important piece of information after all.


    The end result...


    <i>''I thought someone was watching me, but I didn''t think it''d be you of all people.''</i>


    She indeed felt like someone was watching her.


    While it was indeed true that I was also watching her, that had only been from the point where she had started to act suspiciously.


    Before that, I had been in my own thoughts. Thinking about the vision, and the quest. Only when I had digested everything did I turn my attention to her and notice her strange attitude.


    In any case, I was now certain of a few things.


    <i>''The culprit might be someone from this room, and he''s targeting her directly.''</i>


    I had been worried that in the vision she had merely been the ''culprit'' out of bad luck.


    That perhaps, whoever the thief was, made her the culprit simply because she was the easiest target to ce the me on.


    If such a scenario were to be true, then I wasn''t confident I could ''steal'' the item.


    Mainly because I couldn''t guarantee the fact that I could act exactly as the version of me had in the vision. There was a real chance that someone else would''ve been used as a target instead of Evelyn.


    All because of my actions in trying to interfere with the situation.


    Some sort of butterfly effect...


    But now that I was more or less sure that she was the intended target, I didn''t need to worry about the vision changing too drastically.


    The bone was going to be with her.


    ....And that was all the information that I needed to formte a n.


    What I needed to do next was wait.


    Wait for everything to begin.


    When that happens...


    <i>''I''ll take it all.''</i>


    Game progression, character progression, and bone...


    ".....I''ll take everything."


    Such was how big my greed was.


    ***


    Already writing the next chap. Will try my best to get it done soon. It''s a very big chap.

 Chapter 48: Taking it for myself [3]

    <h4>Chapter 48: Taking it for myself [3]</h4>


    <i>¡ªAnd with that, I will now be ending my speech. For any of you who are present, there will be an after-party that you may be able to attend.</i>


    The announcer''s voice boomed, signaling the end of the ceremony. Just before he ended things, he made a small announcement.


    <i>¡ªTo the cadets who are present, take this chance to get acquainted with yourpetitors as well as get a better understanding of the fifteen major Guilds. It will be a great opportunity for you in the long term. </i>


    It was on that note that he finally left the stage and the hall erupted into a wave of apuse.


    <i>p, p, p¡ª! </i>


    Evelyn joined in the pping, and just as Evelyn pped once, the chair beside her skidded back.


    "Uh, ah? What? What''s going on...?!"


    With visibly groggy eyes and messy hair, Kiera looked around in confusion. Then, seeing what everyone was doing, she joined in on the apuse.


    "Fucking amazing speech!"


    <i>p, p, p¡ª! </i>


    "...."


    Evelyn watched the scene at a loss for words.


    She had been sleeping, hadn''t she...?


    Kiera Mylne. Evelyn''s thoughts about her were rather conflicted. On the one hand, she was extremely talented. Rivaling her in almost every category. The only thing that set her off was her personality.


    Her words were crude, and she was too confronting. She treated everyone as though they were her enemy, and it was because of that that Evelyn found herself struggling to get along with her.


    A bit disappointing considering her talent.


    "Haa."


    With a long sigh, she leaned back on the chair.


    The watchful feeling had disappeared about halfway through the speech, and only then did she sigh in relief.


    <i>''So it really could''ve been him...''</i>


    Julien.


    It had only been a few minutes after he left that she stopped feeling that way. Was it a coincidence...? Or was he truly the one who was keeping an eye out for her?


    "Ma''am. The afterpart will be held in the main hall. If you would please..."


    Disrupting her thoughts was the butler who carefully passed on the same massaged to all of those present. He proceeded to hand her her purse back.


    "If you keep going ahead, you will be able to find the entrance of the hall. There will be colleagues waiting for you there."


    "....Thank you."


    Without thinking too much, she took the purse and proceeded to head out of the room and toward the main hall.


    It was as the butler said.


    All she had to do was keep going straight. With many of the guests heading the same way, it wasn''t hard for her to reach the hall which was already packed with guests.


    The grand hall bustled with activity as hundreds of guests mingled within. Butlers gracefully walked around, presenting silver traysden with drinks and snacks. Among them, cadets her age strolled about, engaging in superfluous conversations with their peers.


    The fake smiles, and fakeughs...


    Evelyn could see it from a nce. Being the daughter of a Viscount family, she was used to such scenes. it was something that she had grown ustomed to.


    But even so...


    "H-hu..."


    She felt her chest grow heavy. The very air around her felt suffocating, and breathing was starting to be difficult.


    ''It''s normal... I have to get used to this...''


    Her social anxiety was acting up again. Pinching her hand, she bit on her lips and once again took in the fake expressions of all those around her.


    It left a sour feeling in her heart.


    Especially when...


    "Hello, it''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m Kylian J. Marlin. It''s an honor to be acquainted with someone from Haven."


    She was no different than them.


    Putting on a smile, she returned the greeting.


    "The pleasure is mine."


    ***


    I closed my eyes and let the memories sink into my mind.


    The faces, the time, the silence... I recalled everything before opening my eyes again. What greeted my sight was the same environment as the vision.


    Things were slightly different as the events had yet to unfold, but everything was practically the same.


    <i>*Sip* </i>


    Taking a sip of my drink, I quietly watched my surroundings. It was hard to not stand out on such an asion, with multiple individuals trying to strike up a conversation with me.


    "Hell¡ª"


    "Busy."


    "Nice to¡ª"


    "No."


    I thought about engaging with them for a short moment but decided otherwise.


    Such fake pleasantries were meaningless to me.


    All I cared about was my greed. I needed to quench it. The idea of not being able to quench it seemed to eat at me.


    The bone...


    <i>''I have to have it.'' </i>


    I closed my eyes and took another sip.


    <i>''I''ve got 30 minutes left... The event in the vision ys at 8:03 P.M.'' </i>


    There was a massive clock by the wall. It was thanks to it that I was able to know the exact time the event was going to start.


    However, the vision started after the search. Meaning that the event started slightly before 8:03 P.M.


    In my estimate, taking into ount that everyone had to be checked, my estimate was ten minutes.


    The event...


    It was going to start in ten minutes.


    "Huu."


    I felt a strange sense of nervousness all of a sudden.


    I was taking a big risk. There was a chance that my actions would lead to me bing what became of Evelyn in the vision. A criminal.


    The thought made me realize.


    .....I was walking on thin ice.


    My heart quickened and my palms felt sweaty. Nervousness finally started to settle within me. However, I was quick to push it down.


    Since the moment that I had appeared in this world, I had been walking on thin ice.


    My situation was no different than it had always been.


    If anything, I had gotten better at walking in such a situation. My worries... They were meaningless.


    "...."


    I shifted my attention away from my drink and back into the hall. My eyes wandered around until they found a set of familiar purple hair.


    Surrounded by over three different people, she casually conversed with them.


    <i>"Does she have it, or not...?" </i>


    There was no way I could confirm this unless I directly checked her purse. But that in itself was a risk.


    What if she didn''t have it in the purse just yet?


    I checked the time.


    7:45 P.M.


    I started to move.


    Wherever I walked, I felt gazes directed my way. I let them be and continued forward.


    "I''m envious of your talent. Surely, you''ll be able to rank high in the draft at the end of the year. I hope that I too will reach a high rank."


    "When you be sessful, make sure you don''t forget me."


    "....I won''t."


    I only stopped when I found a familiar back. The conversation died, and all eyes fell on me.


    "Julien...?"


    Evelyn seemed especially shocked by my appearance. I nced at the people gathered around her before returning my attention.


    "I need to talk to you."


    As if I had said the most shocking thing, her eyes widened.


    "You..."


    "....."


    I continued to stare at her silently. Eventually, she pursed her lips and nodded her head. With a polite smile, she dismissed the cadets around her before following me toward a more secluded part of the hall.


    She was the first one to break the silence.


    "....I didn''t need saving."


    "Hm?"


    Saving?


    From what?


    She frowned and insisted.


    "Really."


    I became even more confused but nodded.


    "If you say so."


    I thought she would be satisfied with that, but it only deepened her frown.


    "You''re wrong. I really didn''t need you to save me. I could''ve handled the situation well..."


    I continued to nod along.


    "Sure."


    "You, you..."


    But it seemed it only irritated her further. Clenching her teeth, she looked around before leaning closer to whisper.


    <i>''I no longer have social anxiety. I''ve fixed that five years ago. I''m no longer the same person. Don''t misunderstand...'' </i>


    "Oh, okay."


    Social anxiety?


    That was a new piece of information to me.


    Still, seeing her so desperately trying to justify herself before me felt rather funny. For a moment, I almost lost myposure andughed.


    But as I reminded myself of the situation, I rposed myself and looked toward her purse.


    "Your purse. Care to open it up?"


    "I swear, I real¡ªUh?"


    She blinked several times. Then, as if processing my words, her expression crumbled. I stopped her before she could say anything.


    "You were right. Someone was watching you."


    "...!"


    Her expression changed.


    "Be subtle when opening your purse. It''s probably hidden somewhere, but it''s there."


    "What is...?"


    I didn''t answer and moved closer, using my back as some form of shield.


    "Be quick."


    "You, what¡ª"


    "Check."


    I cut her off again. Her expression changed yet again, but as if noticing the seriousness in my tone, she lowered her head and subtly opened her purse.


    ".....Fine."


    As she gritted her teeth, she added.


    "But if there''s really nothing, see what I''ll do to you."


    A strange silence took over our area as Evelyn rummaged through her purse. Seconds ticked, and she had continued to rummage through.


    I felt my chest heave with unease with each second that passed. Doubtful thoughts started to cross my mind.


    <i>''Is it really going to be there?''</i>


    <i>''....What if it''s not there?''</i>


    <i>''Was I too hasty? Should I have waited more...?'' </i>


    "Ah¡ª"


    Such thoughts were broken by a strange noise that came out of Evelyn''s mouth, when I looked down, I saw her holding a familiar orb.


    My mind immediately raced at the sight of it.


    <i>''It''s here...'' </i>


    It had really happened.


    "W-what... This..."


    With a clear look of shock and disbelief, Evelyn held the orb in her hand. Her expression was reminiscent of the one she had made in the vision. However, ignoring it, I reached out for her hand and snatched it.


    "Hey, you..."


    "Stay quiet if you don''t want things to blow over."


    "Wha..."


    I looked around me. There were a few gazes on me. Some from cadets, and some from older gentlemen. I made sure to memorize the faces of each and every one that was looking at me.


    Then, just as I was prepared to leave, a hand reached out to grab me by the arm and pulled me back.


    "I don''t know what''s going on, but it''s best if you had that over to the sta¡ª"


    "It''s already toote for that."


    I nudged my chin toward the distance. Several guards were already starting to show strange movements.


    "Ah."


    Her grip loosened from there.


    I thought she''d let go of me from that point, but just when I thought I could move, her grip once again tightened.


    "....About what I said before. I really don''t have social anxiety."


    "Oh."


    "You, why don''t you believe me?"


    "I believe you."


    Her expression contorted, but she eventually let me go. I silently shook my head before moving away from her.


    There was still one thing left that I needed to do.


    But I didn''t have much time left.


    The guards were already showing signs of movement, and with the bone on me, I knew that if I failed on my next step, I was done for.


    Therefore, I hurried my steps.


    Gradually, a figure appeared in the distance. He was talking with several people and held a rather lofty position.


    He stood tall with skinny facial contours, jet-ck hair, a long nose, and bushy eyebrows.


    A face that I couldn''t forget even if I wanted to.


    As his voice boomed down, forcing down judgment on Evelyn, I had a hard time forgetting his face.


    Sinceing to the decision to take the bone for myself, there was one part that I found particrly difficult to figure out.


    How exactly would I be able to sneak the bone out of the venue?


    With everyone being searched so thoroughly, how could it be possible for me to smuggle the bone out?


    It was then that I had a sudden thought.


    <i>''.....Is everyone really going to be searched?'' </i>


    Sure, he might be able to search every single person in the room, but in fact... there was one person he most likely wouldn''t search.


    Who exactly....?


    Himself.


    Right...


    Because he knew that he wasn''t the culprit.


    <i>''Haha.'' </i>


    It was a daring idea. One that made me want tough at how ridiculous it was. But staring at the guards that were slowly starting to walk his way, I grabbed the nearest drink to me and approached.


    I had just moved a few meters away from him, when...


    "Oh...!"


    <i>Ssh¡ª</i>


    I suddenly tripped, spilling the drink all over him.

 Chapter 49: Taking it for myself [4]

    <h4>Chapter 49: Taking it for myself [4]</h4>


    "Ah..."


    As I nced up, a pair of eyes met mine, their gaze bearing down on me. His ck zer was drenched, creating an eerie stillness in the surrounding space.


    My face felt rigid, and my mouth moved soundlessly before finally finding my voice.


    ".....I apologize. It was a mistake."


    I was quick to react.


    My initial action was to gently remove the drink from his grasp and set it down on the nearby table. Then, I retrieved a tissue and proceeded to delicately pat down his clothes.


    "....The ground was slippery, and¡ª"


    "It''s fine."


    He held out his hand to stop me and smiled. The tension that hung around the surroundings eased from that moment.


    Looking up to address the other present, he started to speak in a warmer tone.


    "It was an ident. There''s no need for you to worry. The jacket isn''t even that expensive."


    "Ah, but at least let me repay you."


    "It''s alright."


    "But¡ª"


    "This much is nothing. Please be at east. I''ve long heard of your reputation. Take it as a token of friendship from me."


    "Ah, but..."


    I insisted several times, but he refused me each time. In the end, I had no choice but to stop. I could more or less tell he was starting to grow annoyed by my responses.


    Thankfully, he had managed to recognize my identity and wasn''t overly harsh to me. Rather, he seemed keen on using the opportunity to build a connection with me.


    There were perks to being the ck Star.


    "Be more careful next time."


    "....I understand."


    I lowered my head to apologize again. Just as I did, the guards finally caught up to him and whispered something in his ear.


    His expression shifted immediately.


    Then...


    "If you''ll excuse me for a brief moment."


    Under my watchful eyes, he picked up his ss and tapped it with his finger.


    <i>Ting¡ª! Ting¡ª! </i>


    The noise managed to reach the ears of all present.


    The noise in the hall quieted down and all eyes fell on him.


    Clearing his throat, he smiled.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, there seems to have been an ident."


    His voice quietly traveled throughout the hall. With the same calming smile, he went on to exin the situation.


    "It''s with regret that I have to inform you that one of the prized items of the auction house has been stolen. The reports havee just now, and we still believe that the culprit is hiding amongst one of us."


    He went on to press his hand against his chest as his head lowered a little.


    "Therefore, I hope that with some understanding, you won''t mind if we search all the guests present. I humbly ask as the Head Chief of the Auction House."


    A strange silence followed shortly after before the entire hall erupted into noise.


    "A thief? If that''s the case then I don''t see why I should disagree. I''ve got nothing to hide."


    "Are you saying that you''re going to keep us here until everyone is searched?"


    "This... Is this even possible?"


    "I refuse to be searched!"


    The response was a mix of protests and agreements. But it was only after the members of the fifteen Guilds came up to voice out their support that the noise died down.


    "We agree with the search."


    "We''ve got nothing to hide. Please don''t mind us. Search as you want."


    <i>''....Has he bought them?'' </i>


    Seeing the strange looks he was giving to the representative members of the Guild, it seemed like a usible idea.


    Or at least... The Auction House and the Guilds were on extremely good terms.


    In any case, guards started to pour in from all entrances, blocking people from leaving.


    Shortly after, someone came to my side.


    "Please."


    The Head Chief concluded with another bow.


    "....Thank you for your understanding."


    ***


    The search continued for the next half hour. Despite the many protests from the guests, and members of the Academies, they went to deaf ears and the search continued.


    "....How is the situation?"


    Overlooking the situation, the Head Chief frowned. It was taking a lot longer than he expected...


    It couldn''t be that the thief had escaped...?


    But how was it possible? The moment the item had been stolen, all exits had been blocked and all the guests present had been kept.


    The likelihood that the thief had escaped was slim...


    "Head Chief, we still have found nothing. Most of the guests are showing signs of dissatisfaction. Especially those that have been cleared of suspicions. We''ve also searched the surroundings and found nothing."


    Frowning, the Head Chief massaged his chin.


    "How troublesome..."


    All guests had certain standings within the Empire. Their actions were the equivalent of offending such high-ss people.


    Thankfully, given their great rtionship with the fifteen Guilds, the situation had not turned out for the worst, but...


    For how long could he keep it like that?


    If things progressed at this rate, then there was a chance that he might end up offending several big shots at once.


    He had to hurry up. He didn''t have much time. Though the item stolen was expensive and would lead to substantial losses, it was something he could take given the circumstances.


    He''d much rather want to keep the guests happy than lose out on the money.


    Money could always be made. Connections...?


    That was much harder.


    But of course...


    If he could, he''d like to find the culprit. What sort of person would not care about catching the thief who had stolen from them?


    <i>''See what happens when I catch that bastard...'' </i>


    His grip on his drink tightened at the thought.


    However, if they still couldn''t find the culprit before the situation turned out like that, he would have no choice but to give up.


    "Just where could it be...?"


    The Head Chief felt his head throb, and his head turned to face a young man not so far from where he was. He currently was getting his body checked, but from how the guards were responding, he didn''t seem to be guilty.


    Even so, seeing his face, the Head Chief silently clicked his tongue.


    <i>''.....An idiot.''</i>


    Such was his evaluation of the Haven ck Star.


    Who would''ve thought he''d be such an idiot...? Recalling how his zer had been smeared with his drink, the Head Chief felt his lips twitch.


    The suit wasn''t cheap. He had only lied to maintain his image.


    It was in fact extremely expensive.


    If it weren''t for his position as the ck Star, then...


    "Um?"


    The Head Chief felt his hand suddenly pause and his expression changed.


    He looked around him. All guards were busily checking patting down and checking the items of all guests present.


    A sudden thought struck him then and he put the drink in his hand down.


    The way he looked at the cadet near him changed as he tried to recall the incident. Out of nowhere, he had suddenly tripped over and spilled his drink on him. Thereafter, he went on to try to dry his clothes...


    "Ah."


    Blinking his eyes, he almost found himselfughing.


    Right...


    Of course.


    Why didn''t he think about it? Of all the people present, who was the most likely person to not get checked?


    "Haha."


    Heughed out loud then. Turning his attention toward one of the nearest guards, he extended his hands.


    ".....Search me too."


    "Yes?"


    The guard seemed taken aback, but he didn''t mind. Nudging with his chin, the Head Chief''s gaze wandered back to the young man as his eyes narrowed.


    If his guesses were correct, then...


    He had found his culprit.


    ***


    <i>Pat, pat¡ª!</i>


    The search took quite a bit.


    Patting down our bodies and using a strange item while doing so, it felt as though every part of my body was being checked. Most likely, the device helped to detect through the human flesh. In the off-chance the thief swallowed the item then they''d be able to tell.


    "....."


    <i>Pat, pat¡ª!</i>


    My arms were pressed.


    <i>Pat, pat¡ª!</i>


    My legs were pressed.


    <i>Pat, pat¡ª!</i>


    My pockets were checked.


    I remained silent the entire time and kept my heart beating at a steady state.


    Especially when I felt a certain gaze directed toward me. I felt the back of my hair stand under such gaze.


    My palms were sweaty and I had a strange urge to fidget my hand.


    Even so, I kept myself from showing any noticeable reaction until the search was finally over.


    "It looks like you''re good to go. Nothing has been found on you."


    Only then did I finally step back. As I turned my head, I found myself locking eyes with another individual, causing a subtle tightening of my expression. He was looking at me with a gaze that seemed to say, ''I''ve got you...'' I wondered what he was on about at first, but after seeing that he was also getting searched, I understood.


    <i>Ah¡ª</i>


    I covered my mouth at that moment.


    "....."


    Swallowing my saliva, I forced myself to remainposed and stood still. My left hand twitched, and I wasn''t able to stop my fingers from fidgeting together.


    Such action was caught by his gaze as just faintly, the end of his lips curled.


    ".....You, there."


    Finally, he called out for me.


    "....."


    I didn''t respond immediately and pursed my lips.


    He nudged me with his finger.


    "Come here..."


    His voice came out dry andmanding.


    I swallowed before following his instructions and moved near him, only stopping at the opposite end of the table where a drink filled with ice appeared.


    I unconsciously reached out for it and he didn''t stop me.


    Rather, he seemed to enjoy my actions.


    "There''s no need to be nervous."


    His gaze wandered toward the guards that surrounded him as they were busily checking every part of his body.


    <i>Pat, pat¡ª!</i>


    They carried a simr procedure to the one mine, patting his body all over and paying special attention to the zer.


    I felt my expression stiffen further as my grip on the ss tightened.


    His voice once again reached me.


    ".....Do you want toe clean?"


    "...."


    I tilted my head and he leaned closer.


    "If youe clean now, the situation will end more nicely. I''m currently not using you because I have no evidence. However..."


    He suddenly smiled.


    "Even though you''re trying your best, I can see just how nervous you are. If you juste cle¡ª"


    "Chief."


    His sentence was abruptly cut off by one of the guards. As he looked to meet his gaze, his expression quickly changed the moment he spoke.


    "....There''s nothing. You''re also clear."


    "Uh...?"


    As if not expecting such an answer, his eyes widened and his expression crumbled. I stared at the scene from the opposite side of the table before lowering my head to stare at my drink.


    "Are you sure there''s nothing wrong? Did you check correctly...? I..."


    His voice faded in the background as I stared at the drink in my hand. Or more specifically, one of the ''ice cubes'' inside.


    It blended in so nicely...


    "..."


    I nkly stared at the cubes for a few more seconds before bringing the drink closer to my lips.


    <i>Gulp¡ª </i>


    Fucking idiot.

 Chapter 50: Taking it for myself [5]

    <h4>Chapter 50: Taking it for myself [5]</h4>


    I once used to be a salesman.


    "Uh? Nothing...? Are you sure there''s nothing?"


    Learning to be able to read, or predict the actions of individuals I knew nothing about was something that had been engraved in me since my work days.


    .....Our job consisted of doing whatever was possible to convince an unknown party to purchase the product that we were selling.


    All means to attract sales were considered usable in such an industry. Even if we ended up resorting to underhanded methods in the process.


    It was thanks to such an environment that I was able to more or less predict how one would react given certain circumstances.


    Who would''ve thought such a skill woulde in handy in a different world?


    "We''ve checked again, there is really nothing."


    "Check again."


    "Yes..."


    I watched as the Head Chief patted his zer and clothes in confusion.


    "...."


    I stared at the scene inplete silence while swallowing the bone down my throat. It hurt a little, but I kept my expression firm and prevented myself from showing anything on the outside.


    Having been cleared of all suspicion, I was now free to take the bone. I had been waiting for this opportunity from the start.


    Since the beginning...


    All of it had been flowing as I thought it would.


    The way he behaved and reacted... It was in line with how I envisioned he''d act. And it made sense.


    My actions...


    They followed a certain sequence that prompted one to act in such a way.


    What were the chances of me suddenly spilling the drink all over him before the guards suddenly came to alert him? Added to the fact that I was tapping his body in an attempt to ''dry'' his clothes, it made sense for him to grow suspicious.


    I wasn''t na?ve enough to think that the Head Chief would fall for such a simple trick. It would be a little too obvious.


    Which was why I never intended his zer to be my target.


    From the start, all of it was a cover up for my real target.


    <i>*Sip* </i>


    <i>''.....His drink.''</i>


    I swallowed and let the drink flow down my throat.


    The ''bone'' was the size of a small pebble, and while it wasn''tpletely transparent, it perfectly blended with the ice cubes within the red drink.


    Unless one paid close attention to it, they wouldn''t notice.


    ....And how would the Head Chief notice it when he was busy investigating the theft?


    Diverting all my attention towards the jacket, I was able to slip the bone into his drink. As I said before, there was no better target than the Head Chief.


    He may have had the guard check him after he recalled my actions, but unlike the other guests, where everything had been checked, from drinks to bodies, he only had his body checked.


    It made perfect sense when taking into ount that perhaps he hadn''t even noticed his drink had been taken away by him in that instant that I spilled the drink over him.


    Compared to how ''extravagant'' the ''tapping'' was in contrast to how I had taken the drink away from him, it was only natural that he didn''t take it into consideration.


    I had purposely diverted his attention away with my actions to make it slip his mind.


    Sort of like how most magicians trick their audience in shows.


    Only that, I was no magician.


    "Huuu..."


    I took a breath as I finally finished the drink in my hand and ced it down on the table again.


    Even now, as I stared at it, I could see it trembling. The nervousness had been real, and even now I could feel the beat of my heart drumming in my mind.


    In the end, while the n was far from perfect, things panned out as I expected them to.


    The bone. It was finally in my possession.


    My n had worked.


    But...


    <i>''It''s not over yet.''</i>


    As I said before, I wanted everything. From quest to bone. So far, I have only managed to achieve two of the three things that I wanted.


    There was one thing left for me to do.


    "Haa."


    I let out a small breath and closed my eyes.


    <i>''Unmask the fraud.'' </i>


    ***


    "You''re good to go. There is nothing on you."


    "....Thank you."


    Evelyn pursed her lips and took a step back. Her thoughts were in disarray, but she didn''t show it outwardly.


    All she could think of at the moment was Julien.


    <i>''Why...? Why did he do that?'' </i>


    For what reason did he go out of his way to help her? It made no sense to her. It couldn''t be because he still cared about her, right?


    Evelyn swallowed and pursed her lips.


    The idea seemed impossible, and she knew herself that it was impossible, and yet... Why did she continue to have such thoughts?


    It was obvious why.


    ....It was because that was what she''d liked to believe. That perhaps, he wasn''t the heartless monster that she had seen. That there was perhaps still something in his broken self.


    Something that could still be salvaged.


    "Evelyn?"


    Her thoughts were broken by a quiet voice. When she turned around, Leon appeared, standing beside her.


    He stood quietly with his gaze fixed on her.


    ".....Are you okay?"


    "...."


    Evelyn opened her mouth but found herself unable to say anything. She eventually lowered her head and nodded her head.


    <i>''I''m fine.''</i>


    Was what she was trying to imply with her actions.


    Her odd behaviour didn''t go unnoticed by Leon, who frowned at the sight of her and leaned his head forward.


    "What happened...?"


    "No, it''s¡ª"


    "What happened."


    He cut her off decisively, leaving her with no room to say anything else. It was at that moment that Evelyn realized she couldn''t fool him and bitterly smiled.


    "It''s Julien..."


    She spoke slowly, keeping her head down.


    "Do you think he can be saved?"


    "...."


    Her response was met with silence. When she looked up, she was surprised to see Leon staring at her with aplicated expression.


    Then, with a long sigh, he shook his head.


    "No."


    He decisively said. Almost too decisively.


    ".....He can no longer be saved."


    "Ah."


    Evelyn felt a little part of her tear. Especially when she noticed the strained expression on Leon''s face as he talked about him.


    "....It''s toote for that. The Julien you remember. That we remember. He''s no longer in this world."


    He paused before adding.


    "Think of him as a stranger."


    ***


    After another half hour psed and the guests'' patience wore thin, the Head Chief decided to halt the investigation.


    "It appears we''ve detained you all for too long. My apologies for the inconvenience. Regrettably, we couldn''t identify the culprit."


    He announced, maintaining his professional demeanour.


    With a slight bow, he went on to add,


    "As a token of apology, for all the guests that were inconvenienced by our actions, the auction will offer a 10% discount on any of the products avable from us."


    Only then did the people in the hall calm down. It had to be noted that a ten percent discount was arge sum of money given how expensive some of the items listed in the auction house were.


    Such a reward was enough to wash all pent-up resentment away.


    It was a small price the Head Chief was willing to pay in order to keep the people in the hall happy. A smile marred his features when he saw the pleased expressions of the guests, and only then did he finally allow for the guests to be escorted out of the premise.


    "Though the circumstances made the night sour, I hope you have all enjoyed yourselves. Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience."


    One by one, the guests started to move out in an orderly line.


    As the guests departed in an orderly procession, a man d in a butler uniform joined the line, then discreetly veered off into a dim corridor.


    <i>Tok Tok¡ª </i>


    His steps echoed throughout the otherwise quiet corridor as his calm expression changed.


    ".....Failed."


    The n had failed.


    The butler''s expression distorted at the thought. How could the n they had been working on for so long fail like that...?


    Everything had been flowing smoothly up until the veryst moment.


    While he wasn''t exactly sure about what had happened since he hadn''t managed to see it, he more or less had an idea.


    Julien Dacre Evenus.


    The ck Star.


    He had interfered with their ns. It could only have been him.


    <i>''....I have to report this.''</i>


    The situation was serious. How did he find out about the n? Why did he interfere? How much does he know...?


    <i>Tok Tok¡ª </i>


    Questions continued to flood the butler''s mind as he continued to move along the quiet corridor.


    The n...


    It was supposed to be perfect.


    For the ck Star to interfere in the matter suggested that there was a chance he knew something about them. And even if he didn''t and had acted out of impulse, which seemed improbably given their investigation of him and his rtionship with her... It was vital that he report the situation to the higher ups.


    They couldn''t allow for unknown variables to interfere with their ns.


    Not when they were so close to aplishing their goals.


    "Not y¡ªUh?"


    Mid-stride, the ground beneath him shifted abruptly, and unseen hands erupted from below, seizing his ankles in a tight grip.


    "Ukh...!


    In an instant, a wave of weakness swept through his body, causing his bnce to falter.


    "What..."


    <i>Tok¡ª</i>


    A single step shattered the silence as a dry voice cut in from behind him.


    "....Where do you think you''re going?"

 Chapter 51: Taking it for myself [6]

    <h4>Chapter 51: Taking it for myself [6]</h4>


    How was I so sure that he didn''t have any powers?


    The answer was obvious. No superhuman would work as a butler for an auction house, and given that we had all been checked just a few moments ago, had he been a superhuman, it would''ve surely been detected by the guards present.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    And as expected, my deductions proved correct when his body fell to the ground.


    "...."


    A strange silence enveloped the surroundings.


    Only then did I sigh in relief and approach. Of course, I made sure to keep my guard up. Who knew if this was an act or not?


    Thankfully, I didn''te to this situation blindly. If things went south, I still had a means to escape.


    That said...


    The aftermath of such action wasn''t something I was nning on dealing with.


    I had just taken a step forward when something flickered in my vision.


    "Um?"


    [Evelyn''s fate has been slightly altered. The assant was found dead in the corridor of the auction house. The future is changing.]


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated : Prevent the Cmities from awakening or dying.]


    Cmity 1 : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    Cmity 2 : Slumber


    : Progress - 2%


    Evelyn J. Verlice : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    My eyes widened at the sight of the third option.


    <i>''....It no longer says cmity 3.'' </i>


    It now had a specific name.


    Before I could process what was going on, my eyes flickered as another window appeared.


    ?| Game Progression EXP + 1%


    Game Progression : [0%-[2%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    ?| Character Progression EXP + 5%


    Exp : [0%¡ª¡ª[39%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    A familiar warm current ran through my body, and I felt my mana reserves increase. Although it wasn''t much, it was still something.


    However, despite the sudden increase in strength, I was anything but happy.


    Quite frankly, I wasn''t sure how to feel. While I was happy with the increase in strength, I was also apprehensive about it.


    While my body epted it, my mind rejected it.


    ....I still didn''t trust this ''system'' or whatever it was. What was its goal, and what did it want from me?


    I felt more satisfaction working for my own power than relying on this system for it.


    I felt more in control that way.


    As if I was controlling my own path rather than someone else doing that for me. At the very least, just as it could give me power, it could take it away from me. I didn''t want to be overly reliant on such a system.


    There was also another thing that bothered me.


    <i>''The assant was found dead in the corridor of the auction house.''</i>


    "..."


    I stood in silence, chewing on the words disyed in front of me, before casting my gaze downward to the butler''s lifeless body.


    He wasn''t moving at all.


    "Get up."


    I tried using Emotive magic, but even that aroused no reaction from him.


    "...Get up."


    Regardless of how many times I tried, it just wouldn''t budge.


    I clenched my teeth and took a deep breath. This was the second time that I had witnessed death in this life.


    It wasn''t as jarring as the first time, mainly because it wasn''t as gruesome.


    In a sense, I also felt a sense of relief in the way he died. He had most likely killed himself the moment that I had attacked, but regardless of how things were going to work out, I would''ve had no choice but to kill him.


    I knew that he knew about me.


    The only reason I was sure he had been the one to create this entire situation was because I had been eyeing Evelyn most of the time. The only person who could''ve imnted the bone into her purse was him.


    He was also one of the few faces I remembered starting at me back in the hall when I was talking to Evelyn.


    His death merely served to confirm the obvious.


    "Huuu."


    Taking a look around me, I took another deep breath and moved toward the ''corpse''. I closed my eyes and started to pat his body to see if he had anything on him.


    Any clues... Items... Or anything of the sort.


    However...


    "Nothing."


    Regardless of how much I looked, he had nothing on him. I searched all his pockets, and besides a few tissues, he had nothing on him.


    Absolutely nothing.


    "This..."


    I was unsure of how to feel.


    I was mainly disappointed. I thought I''d be able to find some clues regarding the situation, and some items that I could use, but when thinking about it, he wasn''t even a superhuman.


    Why would he have anything on him?


    Plus, we had all been checked beforehand, there was simply no way he''d have anything of value on him.


    "....."


    Once again, silence gripped my surroundings.


    I stared at the body in front of me for a few seconds before flipping it over.


    My hands twitched and I felt my knee shake a little. But... I ignored the weird sensations and brought my hand toward his throat.


    I felt his throat at my hands. It wasrge, and I felt my heart race. Adrenaline was coursing down my body, and my hands felt tingly.


    The next thing I knew, I was squeezing.


    "Kh..."


    I squeezed as tightly as I could.


    He was dead.


    The notifications suggested it. But...


    I didn''t trust it.


    I wanted to make sure that was the case.


    What if he was using some sort of ability to make himself look dead...?


    .....I couldn''t allow even the slightest chance of that happening.


    Therefore, even as my stomach churned and I felt disgusted by my actions, I increased my grip on his throat.


    "Kh."


    Despite doing the choking, it felt as if I was the one being choked.


    I felt suffocated and at some point, my hands started to tremble.


    But I persisted...


    In the silence, I continued to press my hands over his neck and squeezed with everything that I had.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    "Haaa... Haaa...."


    By the time that I stopped, my breathing was rough.


    I knew that I didn''t have much time left and that I needed to leave. Given the circumstances, there were bound to be peopleing soon. Thankfully, with everyone having moved toward the main hall after the incident, the area was still somewhat deserted.


    "Huuu..."


    Rposing myself, I stood up and fixed my clothes. The entire time I kept my eyes lingering on the corpse.


    If he wasn''t dead before, I was sure he was now.


    I imprinted the sight in my mind.


    "I killed him."


    I told myself that.


    It wasn''t going to be thest time I would kill someone.


    That much I knew, and understood.


    Which was why I burned the image and emotions I was currently feeling in my mind. Once again, I reminded myself of my new identity and situation.


    <i>p¡ª</i>


    I pped myself once in the face to remind myself of that fact.


    Only then did I calm down. I was just about to stand up when I noticed something and squinted my eyes. It was dark so I couldn''t see properly.


    But there was something that grabbed my attention.


    I slowly rolled up the butler''s sleeve to get a better look. When I did, my eyes widened and my heart, which had just steadied, jumped up.


    A familiar tattoo. One that I had.


    Four identical leaves.


    All in ck.


    "What is..."


    ***


    The journey back to Haven felt like a blur. None of the cadets spoke throughout the entire way back, and the Professor was busy handling reports and calls from the other Professor at the Academy to care about us.


    I was fine with such development.


    I was in no state to talk with anyone. The only thing in my mind was the image of the butler''s tattoo.


    Rolling up my sleeves, I stared at mine.


    It was identical in every way. Perhaps, the only difference between my tattoo and theirs was that mine was glowing. At least to me. From an outsider''s point of view, mine was also not glowing.


    I was the only one that could see the glowing.


    <i>''What is the meaning of this....?'' </i>


    A wave of questions flooded my mind. They just endlessly poured into my mind like the water from a broken dam.


    What was the meaning of the tattoo and why did the butler have it? Was it some twisted coincidence and the two did not corrte...?


    <i>''As if.'' </i>


    I wasn''t naive enough to think that.


    There was something more to it. I was sure.


    <i>''....But what exactly?'' </i>


    He had died before I could find any information. I had been so shocked by the development that I had only snapped out of it when I heard the sound of footstepsing from behind me.


    Only then did I wake up and hide the body away before joining back with the group.


    Thankfully, nobody asked about my whereabouts when I returned. I had only been gone for less than five minutes. It wasn''t suspicious enough to gather their interest.


    ....And in some way, most didn''t have the courage to ask. Most weren''t on good enough terms with me.


    I guess there were perks to being anti-social.


    Still...


    "...."


    I once again stared at my forearm.


    My thoughts kept wandering back toward the tattoo. Just what connection does it have with the one that I have?


    It felt as though I had finally found something. An idea to chase after. Only for me to find that the path was just as dark as the other ones that I had been following.


    <i>''Just how would I be ab¡ªAh.''</i>


    It was at that moment that I recalled something.


    A certain conversation I had a while back. In fact, there was someone else that knew about the tattoo. Or had asked me about it.


    I hadn''t thought much about it back then but...


    <i>''Delh.'' </i>


    .....She definitely knew something.


    What if...?

 Chapter 52: New Ability [1]

    <h4>Chapter 52: New Ability [1]</h4>


    <i>Tok Tok¡ª</i>


    Calm and even steps.


    They moved toward a small building where several people were gathered. All eyes fell on the dark robed man as he entered and took off his top-hat. Their expressions immediately shifted, and they all lowered their heads to address him respectfully.


    "Inquisitor Hallowe."


    "....Inquisitor."


    But he paid them no attention. His eyes fell on the naked corpse thaty in the middle of the table.


    A middle-aged man wearing formal attire stepped up to exin.


    "....We''ve found him like this after the guests were all let out. We believe it to have happened in less than five minutes after we let them out. We were only able to find the corpse after one of our staff went in to clear the rooms."


    He then went on to point toward the neck of the perpetrator.


    "If you look at his neck, we believe that he died from strangling."


    "....."


    Yet again, the Inquisitor remained silent. He inched closer to the naked corpse in front of him and ced his hand over its chest.


    "Inquisitor?"


    Just when the others were questioning his actions, he finally spoke.


    "He didn''t die due to suffocation."


    "Uh? But¡ª"


    He tilted his head and frowned.


    "I sense traces of curse magic. Faint, but I can sense them."


    "Ah."


    "But even that isn''t enough to kill him. They''re too faint. A low Tier mage."


    A picture of the scene reyed in the Inquisitor''s mind. It was a scene he more or less was certain of.


    He went on to open the eyes of the corpse before nodding.


    "This guy killed himself."


    "Killed himself?!"


    "What? But...!"


    His conclusion drew the shock of all those present, but as the Inquisitor''s eyes wandered to the forearm of the victim, his expression changed slightly.


    "Yes, he killed himself."


    He was even more sure of it now.


    The picture in his mind became clearer.


    "Curse magic was used to detain him. However, before he could get anything answered, this guy killed himself. The strangling is probably something that was done to make sure he was dead. Quite meticulous."


    A subtle praise. But that was all. He shifted his eyes away from the corpse and turned around.


    "Uh...? Inquisitor?"


    "My job is done here. I more or less understand what happened."


    "....But what about the thief?"


    "Thief?"


    The Inquisitor blinked. Then, recalling the information he received from ''Central'' he subtly smacked his forehead.


    "Right."


    He pointed at the corpse.


    "It''s probably him."


    Before the people present in the room could even say anything back, he put his hat back on and pulled the door open.


    "If you would excuse me. I have a ce to be."


    A ce he looked forward to visiting. An interesting ce.


    He stepped outside of the premises.


    Just before leaving, he left a fewst words.


    "Well... Probably?"


    ***


    It was the next day and I came out of the bathroom holding onto a familiar-looking orb.


    I set it down on the desk and sat on a chair where I took a book and opened it. For now, I decided to set aside the problem regarding the tattoo on my hand.


    While there was indeed a chance that Delh knew about my situation...


    "No, she probably knows."


    It made no sense for someone as powerful as her not to know about such an organization. It was probably why she had mentioned my tattoo back then.


    If I were to ask she''d probably be able to give me an answer, but...


    "Haha."


    I suddenlyughed.


    Leaning back on my chair, a few things made sense to me.


    "....So that''s why she made me her assistant."


    It wasn''t because I was weak or whatever excuse she had told me back then.


    Far from it.


    "She wants to monitor me."


    That much became clear to me after thinking about the situation. This tattoo I had... While there was a chance that I was wrong, I was inclined to believe that my deduction was correct.


    Now that brought rise to several more questions.


    How much did she know? What sort of organization was this? Did she think I was part of that organization? If so, is she my ally or enemy?


    "...How troublesome."


    My head throbbed the more I thought about the matter.


    The situation became even moreplicated. Another reason why I decided to hold off on meeting her.


    Until I knew what her stance was, I nned on taking my time to observe the situation.


    "Haa."


    I shifted my attention toward the book in my hand, [Bone ssification and their usage]. It was a book that was given to us as part of our course selection.


    That turned out for the best since borrowing from the library would''ve been problematic.


    Especially if someone came to investigate the Academy and found that right aftering back from the Auction the first thing I did was research bones.


    Talk about suspicious.


    <i>Flip¡ª</i>


    I flipped through the pages of the book and started to read. I knew the general information, but that wasn''t enough. I needed to know more.


    Which was what I did.


    [Introduction: Dimensional bones and their usages]


    There were three sections in the table of contents. Ranks and ssifications, usage and integration, and types.


    For the next hour or so I absorbed all the information in the book before finally summarizing all the information in my mind.


    "Hu."


    I took a pen and jotted everything down.


    : Ranks. Bones were ranked based on the rank of the originating monster. An infant rank monster produced an infant rank bone and so on. Primordial ranked monsters existed, but no such bone had ever been found. The greater the strength of the monster, the more powerful the ability.


    : Types. The human body could only ept a maximum of five bones and once integrated couldn''t be taken out. Any more and the body would break down. There were only seven types of bones that could be integrated into the human body: Skull Bone, Rib Bone, Ulna Bone, Femur Bone, Pelvis Bone, Vertebrae Bone, andstly Mandible Bone.


    "...."


    My pen stopped there and I shifted my attention toward the orb on my side.


    Lastly, integration.


    "This way, right?"


    I pinched the orb in between my fingers and channeled my mana into it. The orb glowed a white hue as the room turned bright all of a sudden.


    A magic circle floated in the air. Itsted several seconds before shattering.


    Then...


    <i>Thud! </i>


    A long ck bone fell onto the table with a dull ''thud''.


    "....No wonder it looked so small."


    In reality, it was merely a container for the actual bone which was about the size of my thigh.


    I carefully observed the bone in front of me and stepped back. There was a certain aura that radiated from it that made me feel ufortable. It made my face winch. Not only that, but the smell it gave out was also anything but pleasing.


    Still, after a careful look, I was able to understand what bone it was.


    "The right Ulna."


    The bone right beneath the forearm.


    ".....The rank also seems to be Junior Rank."


    The bone belonged to a Metryl which was typically known to be a Junior-ranked monster. Even if it wasn''t, the book stated that bones from Terror rank and up glowed and were extremely mana-dense.


    This one wasn''t so it was fair to assume it was a Junion Rank bone. Maybe Infant, but I doubted it was given the price.


    "For a Junior Rank bone to be this expensive..."


    Just how ludicrous were the prices for higher-ranked bones? The thought made me want to puke.


    I really needed to find a way to make more money.


    My progress would surely increase then.


    "Huu."


    I took a deep breath and reached out for the bone. The steps for integration were rather straightforward.


    ce the bone on the respective area and create a mana flow between the two.


    While I understood the principle behind the integration, I wasn''t exactly confident I could pull it off.


    I still tried nheless.


    I followed the usual steps. Focusing my attention on my core, a certain warmth invaded my body.


    I guided it toward the bone in my grasp.


    "Hm."


    I felt my brows furrow.


    There was a little resistance from the bone at first, but with the passing of seconds, it started to ept my mana.


    The first step that I needed to do was ''Assimtion''. In short, I needed to get the bone used to my mana. This was a necessary step before the ''Integration'' part.


    So I decided to be patient. This wasn''t going to be an easy step.


    "....."


    I was right.


    The ''Assimtion'' process was taking a little longer than I expected.


    However, as I nced at the clock, I smiled.


    It was Sunday.


    I had all the time in the world.


    In total, it took about thirty more minutes for me to finally be able to smoothly channel my mana into the bone.


    "...Hah."


    As soon as I reached that stage, I let out the breath I held in. It was now time for me to move toward the most important part.


    "Integration."


    This process was also not veryplicated. However, the book described this next stage as the hardest. Not because it was hard to do, but because of the pain one would experience during the integration.


    It was for this reason that the Institute tested one''s pain tolerance.


    Unless one reached a score of three, they wouldn''t allow any of the cadets to try to integrate with a bone without any assistance.


    But to me...


    That didn''t matter. Three, four, five, six... So long as my body didn''t fail me, it was nothing.


    Pain... It was something I could deal with.


    So.


    I didn''t hesitate with the next step.


    ".....!"


    The bone stuck to my forearm and an excruciating pain invaded my body.


    The pain was hard to describe.


    It felt as if the bones on my forearm had gotten crushed by arge boulder as it fell. The muscles twisted and squirmed as a result, and the bone attached itself to my skin.


    Creak...! Crack...!


    The sounds that came out of my forearm were all for me to hear.


    My lips trembled and my heart squirmed in pain.


    The pain was something that I could vividly feel in my mind.


    But.


    Even while getting baptized by this intense pain, I didn''t let out a single sound. I simply refused to yield to the pain.


    Pain.


    It meant a lot to me.


    Having experienced it so much, I knew all sorts of pains. And... screaming from this type of pain felt pathetic.


    <i>''There''s worse. This is nothing.''</i>


    So.


    "...."


    I stood in silence and watched as my forearm squirmed and spasmed.


    Creak...! Crack...!


    The sounds continued but nothing came out of my mouth. I wouldn''t let myself let anything out.


    Such pain continued for the next hour.


    The entire time I stood motionless and took in the pain.


    Memorized it.


    ....So that the next time I experienced something simr, I could tell myself, ''I withstood this, why can''t I withstand this?''


    ".....!"


    <i>Snap¡ª! </i>


    As I heard a loud snapping sound, a sense of weakness finally hit me.


    I stumbled several steps back before falling onto my chair.


    The world spun and the edges of my vision started to be dark. Gradually, the darkness spread, reaching down from all areas before finally taking away my sight.


    Even in such a state, I remained silent.


    "....."


    I felt my right arm twitch and something came out.


    I wasn''t sure what.


    I couldn''t see.


    It took several minutes for my vision to return.


    When it did, I stared around me.


    All I saw were...


    ".....Threads."

 Chapter 53: New Ability [2]

    <h4>Chapter 53: New Ability [2]</h4>


    They covered my surroundings, wrapping over the furniture and hanging suspended in the air.


    "....."


    I sat there dazed for several seconds before swallowing and lowering my head to look at my forearm.


    A slender white thread extended from the underside of my forearm, looping over my arm and dividing into five finer threads that wound around my fingers before darting out into the room.


    I had a hard time spotting the threads given how thin they were, but I could feel them. As though they were a part of my body, I knew exactly where each of them was.


    "This..."


    I hesitated to move from the spot.


    While I could feel every single thread in the room, I had no idea how to control them. Only when I closed my eyes did I get a better idea.


    ".....So it works like this."


    <i>Swoosh¡ª</i>


    The threads withdrew with a single thought from me.


    When I opened my eyes, the threads were no longer scattered around the room.


    In the end, it all depended on my mana control.


    "Hm."


    The thought made me frown.


    There was a simple reason for this. My mana control was awful.


    To prove this, I closed my eyes and channeled the mana in my body. Then, mimicking what I had done before, I felt my forearm tingle and a connection established.


    A single white thread appeared in my darkened vision as I kept my eyes closed. Like a snake, I tried to direct it forward, but that proved to be a more difficult task than I expected as it continued to veer toward the left.


    <i>Drip... Drip...</i>


    Sweat trickled down the side of my face the more I focused on my task, and just as the thread inched forward a couple of meters, I had no choice but to cut my mana connection and open my eyes.


    "Haaa..."


    I took a deep breath.


    Not only was it difficult to control, but it took a lot of mana too.


    I reached my hand forward and touched the thread that coiled around my fingers.


    "Hisss..."


    I drew a cold breath when I felt a sharp pain on my finger as a red line crossed down my finger.


    "Sharp."


    I suddenly grew excited.


    This was what I had been missing the entire time...


    A skill that couldplement my curse magic which leaned more toward the support side like Emotive Magic.


    Not only was this skill great for offense, but it was also extremely important for control.


    If utilized properly, then I was sure my strength would increase drastically. At the very least, I wouldn''t be so helpless.


    There was something else that I was curious about.


    "....Let me check my status."


    A familiar widow popped in front of me.


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    Level :18 [Tier 1 Magician]


    Exp : [0%-[3%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    My eyes immediately widened after staring at the first part.


    "My level increased?"


    I was no longer level 17, but level 18....?


    What an unexpected development. I more or less expected it given that I felt my mana grow. But my surprise didn''t end there. When I looked down, my eyes locked on thest section.


    Skills :


    [Innate] - Foresight


    [Innate] - Etherweave


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    "So it''s called Etherweave..."


    My new ability.


    I opened my mouth for a moment before closing it.


    .....Interesting.


    ***


    Evelyn sat serenely in the lobby of the Rondeo Dorm, surrounded by three figures whose mere presence drew the curiosity of passersby.


    They were none other than Josephine, Aoife, and Luxon.


    Within themon room, they were engrossed in their studies, preparing diligently for the uing exams in just a month''s time.


    But not all were here to study.


    "Did you guys hear? A person was found dead after the incident."


    Josephine, being the talker that she was, started the conversation off with some gossip regarding yesterday''s incident.


    Only that nobody seemed interested in what she was talking about.


    Fiddling with the pen in his hand, Luxon casually replied.


    "Uh, yeah. I heard about it."


    "....What''s with the lukewarm reaction? Weren''t you there yesterday? It was in the same ce you guys were in."


    "Ah, right."


    He still didn''t seem interested.


    That was until Josephine took out a paper and ced it on the table.


    "Look, it''s this guy. Did you see him yesterday?"


    "Right, I want to st¡ªuh?"


    Luxon stopped mid-sentence and his eyes widened.


    "Isn''t this..."


    His reaction prompted the others to look, and Aoife''s nk expression twitched slightly.


    Clearly, she too recognized the figure in the picture.


    The one who didn''t show any reaction was Evelyn who nkly stared at the article in front of her. She had actually seen the article beforehand. Therefore, it didn''te as a shock to her.


    However...


    "The apparent cause of death is a suicide, yet traces of curse magic have been detected on the body..."


    Her mind had been continuously haunted by one thought.


    <i>''.....He did it.''</i>


    Julien was the culprit.


    She was sure of it.


    It was a wild concussion that ate at her mind, but thinking about it, the butler was most likely the person who had nted the ''item'' in her purse.


    He was the one who wanted to screw her over.


    Even now, she didn''t understand why she had been targeted. Was it because they had a grudge against her family?


    "Evelyn."


    That could be a reason. Her family was rather influential and it made sense for people to target her.


    It was because of this that she had her knight apany her most of the time in the Academy.


    ....But even so.


    <i>''To go as far to kill him...''</i>


    Evelyn was once again reminded of the past. A past that she wanted to forget. However, the more she tried to forget, the more it seeped into her mind.


    Like a curse, it wouldn''t stop haunting her.


    "Evelyn."


    <i>''....It''s toote for that. The Julien you remember. That we remember. He''s no longer in this world.''</i>


    <i>''Think of him as a stranger.''</i>


    She reminded herself of Leon''s words.


    What exactly did he mean by these words....? Was he trying to say that the current Julien was someone different? Or that he had been consumed and fully turned into the monster they had seen?


    But if that was the case, why did he help her?


    Why-


    "Evelyn!"


    "Uh? Ah."


    Evelyn felt her head snap up as her name was called out. When she looked around, she noticed that all eyes were gathered on her.


    Josephine neared her as she asked,


    "Evelyn, are you okay? I''ve been calling you for thest minute."


    "Ah, no I''m fine."


    I''m not.


    "....I was just thinking about this question."


    She tapped her pen on the paper in front of her.


    "Oh, ah."


    Scratching the side of her face, Josephine''s face twitched as she was reminded of their situation and she sat back down on her seat.


    "Right... We''re here to study."


    Only then did she seem to recall the purpose behind their group and sighed.


    "Fine~"


    "...."


    Evelyn stared at her for a brief moment before pursing her lips and paying attention to the question in front of her.


    Though ''he'' continued to haunt her mind, she had no choice but to pretend to be fine. At least, she had to pretend to be fine in front of everyone.


    She thought she was doing a good job at it, but...


    What she didn''t notice was the sudden squint of Aoife''s eyes as she looked at her.


    Her yellow pupils flickered as she simrly lowered her head to focus on her paper.


    Scribble~


    In the newfound silence, the collective sound of their pens scratching their papers echoed throughout.


    ***


    A weekter.


    It was now the Monday of the next week. The week passed without any hups. Attending lectures, training, and even more training.


    Such had been my life for the past week.


    I was content with such a life. Sort of. My progress had started to stagnate, and I was once again reminded of myck of talent in the magic field.


    "This will be the second time that you will all explore the Mirror Dimension. For the past two weeks, we''ve been preparing you for your current trip. Unlikest time, we will allow you freedom of travel."


    We stood by a familiar crack.


    There was a certain tension that hung in the air as all the cadets waited patiently for the Professor to speak.


    I could feel the nervousness of some of the cadets beside me as they chewed on their nails.


    I couldn''t me them.


    We were currently headed into the deeper territory of the Mirror Dimension.


    Contrary to them, rather than being nervous, I was somewhat excited. I wanted to see the result of my training.


    To what extent had I improved over the past week?


    "Of course, when I say freedom of travel, there will still be a limit to how far you can go. The ck Region is your limit. Going further into other regions is prohibited. We will not be responsible for your safety if you wander deep into those regions."


    The Mirror Dimension was ssified into several regions which ranged from, ck, yellow, orange, and red.


    The ck Region stood as the safest domain, firmly under the Empire''s control, boasting numerous supply stations strategically dispersed across its territory.


    The Yellow Regiony southward from the ck Region, inhabited by numerous Terror-ranked monsters.


    Following the Yellow Region was the Orange Region, andstly, the Red Region, an infamous no man''snd.


    "You will be free to go in groups, or you may go alone. We suggest you go in groups, but if you don''t want to, it''s not a requirement. However, with that said, this isn''t going to be a simple walk in the park. There are things that you must achieve during your excursion."


    Ah, there it was.


    The expected catch.


    "Points will be assigned for each monster that is killed. Infant-ranked will count ten points. Junior-ranked will count a hundred, but... I don''t see how any of you are capable of defeating such a monster at your current level. Perhaps if you work together, but..."


    The Professor shrugged and ended things there. The meaning behind his words was clear.


    "Now then..."


    He called his hands and turned to face the crack.


    "Let''s head in. I expect great things from you all."


    I was just about to follow when I felt a hand press against my shoulder. When I turned around, I was surprised to see two gray eyes staring at me.


    "You...."


    His brows furrowed into a tight frown, his expression betraying his hesitation. But in the end, he managed to get his words out.


    And when he did, my brows jumped in surprise.


    "....Do you want to pair with me?"


    Uh?

 Chapter 54: Hunt [1]

    <h4>Chapter 54: Hunt [1]</h4>


    <i>"</i>.....You want to team up with me?"


    I was somewhat confused by the sudden proposal. Of all people, I didn''t expect Leon to be the one suggesting this.


    He was the one who usually avoided me when he could. Why the sudden change of heart?


    That was unless...


    "You need something from me?"


    "....."


    He remained silent but that was all I needed to hear.


    "No."


    Which was why I rejected him.


    I nned to make use of the time to practice my skills and train. I had no time for distractions.


    I thought that my message was clear, but just as I prepared to leave, Leon spoke.


    ".....It''ll be beneficial for you too."


    That''s when my steps paused.


    Beneficial for me too?


    Suddenly, I recalled something; <i>''The game is called Rise of the Three Cmities, and the main character is called Leon'' </i>


    They were my brother''s words before my death.


    <i>Ah¡ª</i>


    It then clicked to me.


    This person was the main character. He was the character that the world was centered around. It didn''t feel that way to me because I had been so focused on myself, but such was the reality of the situation.


    While his presence brought a lot of danger, it also brought a lot of opportunity.


    <i>''I may be taking this opportunity from other characters, but I don''t particrly care...''</i>


    To begin with, I didn''t know the plot of the game.


    Whether I changed the plot or not, I didn''t care.


    <i>''Hmm, but maybe I should...''</i>


    Would this affect the events that the quest window would disy? ....Or would the quests adjust to the situation?


    It was certainly something to think about, but it didn''t weigh heavily on my mind.


    If there was an opportunity, then I didn''t n on missing it. Even if it ended up screwing with whatever event that was going to happen in the future I wasn''t sure existed.


    So...


    I turned around to look at Leon.


    "I''ll listen. What sort of opportunity are you talking about....?"


    Whether it screwed with the future or not, I didn''t care.


    I didn''t live for the unknown future.


    I lived for the present.


    ***


    Leon stared at Julien''s back as it disappeared into the crack. Shortly after he left, a figure walked up from behind him.


    "....Did he ept?"


    It was none other than Aoife. Behind her were four other people. Of which, Leon only managed to recognize Evelyn and Luxon.


    "He said he wanted a few days to himself."


    "A day to himself?"


    Aoife frowned, but before she could say anything, Leon cut in.


    "I epted."


    "....Hm?"


    Aoife''s eyebrows jumped a little but they soon recovered.


    "Are you sure?"


    "...Sure."


    The conversation was supposed to end there, but a figure with long ck hair jumped in on the conversation.


    "Is it really a good idea to invite him?"


    Leon looked towards him.


    Wesley Montague. One of the top rankers within the year. He was ranked within the top 10 thest time Leon recalled.


    But as Leon stared at him, he felt himself grow ufortable.


    He couldn''t quite put it, but...


    <i>''I don''t like him.''</i>


    There was something about him that felt off to Leon.


    Still, considering that he had been chosen for the team, he pushed his feelings aside and asked,


    "Why do you think so?"


    "Don''t get me wrong. He is strong. However, he will be a burden to us. Monsters don''t have emotions and without emotions..."


    Wesley ended his sentence there but the meaning behind his words was clear for everyone to understand.


    Leon looked back to see the reaction of the other group members. Besides Aoife who seemed unsure, and Evelyn who seemed confused, they all shared the same opinion as Wesley.


    Leon sighed.


    Not because he didn''t understand where they wereing from, but because his ''instincts'' told him otherwise.


    That...


    If he didn''t bring him, he''d regret it.


    But how could he exin this to them? In the end, frowning, Leon looked at Wesley and answered.


    "....Whether he''ll be of use or not, we''ll seeter. For now, we will wait."


    ***


    <i>Swoosh¡ª! </i>


    "Ah... Tsk."


    I stood up and clicked my tongue.


    "...Another fail."


    Extending my hand, I withdrew the thread that extended from out of my forearm. I then sat in silence and stared at the distant creature running away from the area.


    It had been two hours since I had left the supply station at the Academy gate''s entrance.


    "I don''t have much time."


    My appointment with Leon was set for exactly three days, Zone [F].


    With our expeditionsting for about a week, three days was plenty of time for me to train and improve.


    The ck Region was split into 7 different zones which went from [A] to [G]. Each Zone contained a different environment and habitat.


    I was currently in Zone [A].


    The safest of all the seven zones.


    Such was my current limit. Besides my new ability and curse magic, I was practically defenseless against the monsters.


    I had no choice but to go to the safest zone.


    "Thankfully, I''m not as helpless now..."


    <i>Swoosh¡ª! </i>


    A thread coiled down from my forearm, slowly crawling toward the cracks of the rocky surface beneath. I used my mind to carefully guide the thread around the cracks and towards the distance where a furry creature stood.


    ''Aurorahemoth''


    Such was the name of the creature I was currently hunting.


    Despite its name, it was one of the weakest creatures found within the Mirror Dimension. With its tiny body and short limbs, it was essentially a standing target. It bore a resemnce to a rabbit but it was a lot more grotesque in appearance.


    With its mouth split into four sections, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that twisted within its gaping maw, it was anything but cute.


    And yet...


    <i>Swoosh¡ª! </i>


    ".....I missed."


    Regardless of how much I tried, just when the thread would reach a certain distance, it would detect it and hop away.


    "How troublesome."


    I wasn''t disheartened by the failure.


    Though I kept on failing, I was getting closer and closer to the creature with each attempt. That wasn''t all. I could feel my control over the thread to be smoother with each attempt.


    This was a great experience, but...


    "Still too slow."


    The rate of progress was nice, but I was still not satisfied.


    I sat down on a nearby rock and stared into the sky. It was gray, and a white sun hung in the distance. The air was dry, and there was hardly any vegetation around me.


    I closed my eyes and let my mana course through my body before agglomerating towards the tip of my fingers.


    Rune One¡ªRune Two¡ªRune Three¡ªRune Four¡ªRune Five¡ªRune Six¡ªRune Seven¡ªRune Eight¡ªRune Nine¡ªRune Ten¡ªRune Eleven....


    <i>Tzzz¡ª</i>


    A familiar sound.


    Opening my eyes, I pursed my lips.


    ".....That failed too."


    Nothing seemed to be going right for me. [Chains of kantria]. I was still struggling to unlock this spell.


    It was frustrating, but I had be numb to the sense of frustration.


    All I felt was frustration.


    "Hah."


    As a hollowugh escaped from my lips, I directed my attention toward the distance where another creature greeted my sight.


    I looked toward my arm and took a deep breath.


    Immediately, a thread coiled out of my forearm, coiling around my hand and splitting into five different threads.


    <i>Drip... </i>


    Sweat trickled down the side of my face the moment I split the threads.


    Apanying the pain was a sharp pain. Having to split my attention five different ways was quite exhausting.


    Ignoring my eyelid which was twitching, I guided the five threads towards the creature in the distance.


    The distance between the creature and the creature shrank.


    Ten meters...


    Nine meters...


    Eight meters....


    "Huu."


    Sweat continued to pour down from my face as my right eyelid twitched. The pain in my head intensified, and my jaw clicked.


    Even so, I persisted and separated the threads.


    "....."


    I forced myself to suffer in silence as the threads split.


    Biting my lips, I imprinted the sight ahead in my mind. Then, closing my eyes and letting darkness embrace my vision, I envisioned a path for the threads which were the only things that appeared in my darkened vision.


    Like snakes, they coiled around the ground and neared the creature.


    Seven meters...


    Six meters...


    Five meters...


    "Ah."


    I stopped right there and opened my eyes.


    The creature''s ears perked up as its head raised to look around. Clearly, it had detected something but couldn''t understand what.


    "Five meters..."


    That was my current limit.


    My finger twitched. One of the threads lunged forward. As if expecting such action, the creature jumped ahead.


    <i>Swoosh¡ª</i>


    But...


    "Hiek!"


    It was surrounded.


    "Kh."


    My hand clenched tightly, urging the threads into action as they surged towards the creature.


    This time, there was no avenue of escape. With every path blocked and suspended mid-air, the creature could only observe helplessly as the threads ensnared its body, coiling around its limbs.


    "....Hah."


    I watched from the distance as the pain in my mind intensified. However, I ignored the pain and smiled.


    "I did it."


    A wave of relief washed over me as my chest trembled.


    "Hieek¡ª!"


    The creature continued to trash in the distance as the threads coiled around it. I was just about to put it out of its misery when I frowned.


    "Hm."


    All of a sudden, I felt multiple pairs of eyes falling on me.


    When I turned around, I felt my body freeze. Tens of different pairs of eyes were staring at me. Their expressions were anything but friendly.


    I didn''t let myself fall into panic and took a deep breath.


    The Professor had warned beforehand that there was a likelihood of such a scenario urring. It was for this reason that I wasn''t panicked.


    Furthermore, Aurorahemoth''s weren''t known for their speed.


    <i>''I''ll probably be able to run away if I want to.'' </i>


    But...


    I clenched my teeth.


    For what reason did I need to run away? If I couldn''t even handle such weak creatures then how was I supposed to get stronger?


    I smacked the side of my head and took another deep breath.


    "Right, whatever..."


    "Hieek¡ª!"


    Clenching my hand, the creature in the distance split into ten different pieces.


    "Hm?"


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    The sudden notification that shed before my very eyes took me by surprise. However, taking note of the advancing creatures, I put it to the side and recalled the threads back to me.


    This was probably going to hurt, but...


    "Come."

 Chapter 55: Hunt [2]

    <h4>Chapter 55: Hunt [2]</h4>


    <i>Swoosh¡ª! </i>


    I stepped back to avoid an iing attack as my eyes fell on therge rows of teeth facing me. I silently gulped.


    .....Would I even be able to keep my head if they managed tond a hit?


    Probably. But it would certainly deal a lot of pain. And while I could withstand pain, I didn''t like pain.


    If possible, I wanted to avoid it.


    Therefore...


    "Ukh...!"


    I continued to avoid the iing attacks while focusing on the threadsing out of my arm. There were a total of three at the moment. I thought about making more, but my mind couldn''t keep up.


    There were too many things that I needed to focus on.


    My environment, the iing Aurorahemoth''s, and my mana reserves. My mind couldn''t keep up.


    Three threads were my limit.


    I continued like this until I couldn''t.


    "...."


    Gradually, my steps halted and I looked around me.


    "Hieeek¡ª! Hieeek¡ª!"


    I was surrounded from all sides. Stepping above the scattered rocks around me, their glowing eyes fiercely stared at me.


    My heart sped at the sight of them and I had a hard time keeping myself from panicking.


    ....But I had to stay calm.


    That much was necessary.


    "One... Two... Three... Fifteen..."


    Fifteen creatures surrounded me. The reality of the situation seemed even more grim than I had anticipated.


    For some reason, the creatures just stood and observed me. As if they were waiting for something.


    .....I didn''t know exactly what, but I didn''t let that affect my mind and introduced two more threads.


    Now that I didn''t need to move, I could split my attention toward creating two more.


    Quietly, they coiled around my fingers before descending towards the ground, permeating through the cracked earth and positioning themselves along the perimeter where the rocks were.


    It all happened quickly, about a second and a half...


    The threads had just started moving when I noticed a change.


    I hastily looked up only to feel my heart drop.


    "Oh..."


    All fifteen Aurorahemoths had their mouths open, theirrge teeth exposed for me to see.


    Ah¡ª


    I stopped and reflexively took a defensive stance.


    But...


    That proved to be futile on my end. With their mouths open, the Aurorahemoths''s bellies inted.


    I realized then what was happening then.


    But it was already toote.


    "Hieeeeeeeeek¡ª!"


    Their collective screech pierced through the surroundings, heading directly toward me as I stood helplessly in the middle of their screech.


    "....Ukh!"


    It came fast.


    Before I knew it, I was hit. I couldn''t describe the pain. It felt numbing and it came as fast as it left.


    ....But it took my hearing alongside it.


    <i>Tzzzzzzzz¡ª</i>


    A constant buzz echoed within my mind as my bnce shifted and I struggled to keep a footing on the ground.


    It was at that moment that I saw all the creatures make a move.


    As if their minds were connected, they all lunged at me from all sorts of angles. I tried to avoid them, but there were simply way too many of them.


    "Kh...!"


    A sudden, sharp pain jolted through my right leg. As I nced downwards, a deep wound met my sight.


    Ah...


    It took just a second for another one to appear. This time on my shoulder, and I stumbled forward.


    "....Ukh."


    Then another...


    "Urgh...!"


    And another...


    "Akh!"


    And another...


    "....."


    Wounds started to pile up on my body. My blood seeped onto the ground staining it red. I had long stopped screaming as the pain continued to umte.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    I fell on my knees as I hunched down.


    "....."


    I felt my jaw tremble from the pain. It wanted to open it. To scream at the pain that was currently invading every part of my body.


    But I didn''t let it.


    This much pain wasn''t worth screaming over.


    "....."


    I looked up.


    What met my sight was a set of razor-sharp teeth. It was headed straight for my face. That was when I knew I had to make a move.


    "....."


    Amidst the silence that took over my mind, I slowly clenched my hand.


    The threads that I had carefullyid all over the ground sprung up as they grew taut. A sea of blood littered my surroundings, sttering all over my face.


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    Notifications filled my vision as I cleared my face with my hand.


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    My hair and clothing were a mess as I moved my hand away and sttered the blood onto the ground.


    Too bad I couldn''t hear a thing.


    When it all calmed down, all I saw were limbs and blood scattered throughout.


    "....."


    I looked around me to make sure that there was nothing else around me before finally taking a deep breath and calming down.


    Extending my hand, I withdrew the threads that were connected across the scattered rocks.


    Only then did my mind feel clearer and the weight of the pain hit me.


    "H-hah..."


    It was bearable.


    At least... That was what I told myself.


    The truth was probably different, but it was something that I had to do. It was the only way I could''ve envisioned myself winning.


    While I could''ve used [Hands of Mdy], it wasn''t a great skill when facing against fifteen different opponents.


    By the time I incapacitated two to three Aurorahemoths, I''d already be out of mana.


    Such was why I had no choice but to use my body as bait.


    It hurt...


    "But it worked."


    Taking a deep breath, I reached out for my bag and took out several ointments which I ced over my wounds.


    Thankfully, they were merely superficial wounds.


    A little deep, but still manageable.


    "....They should heal in a couple of hours."


    Such was the magic of the ointments of this world.


    While I waited for my wounds to heal, I reflected on the fight I just had.


    It was pathetic.


    I was pathetic.


    This wasn''t the way that I wanted to win. I understood that I was still learning and that this was merely just the start, but...


    It didn''t stop me from feeling frustrated with myself.


    Simply put my control was still not there yet. Because of that, I needed to make sure my attacksnded in one hit.


    I couldn''t afford to just graze them.


    That woul-


    "Uh."


    I paused and blinked.


    A thought suddenly struck me.


    What if...?


    "...What if Ibine Etherweave with my spells? Emotive? Hands of Mdy?"


    The moment the thought entered my mind it didn''t leave it.


    It just remained there and continued to repeat itself.


    Over and over again.


    At that, I had no choice but to give in to my desires. I brought my hand forward where a thread slowly moved out from my forearm, coiling around my middle finger.


    A purple magic circle soon manifested over my hand.


    It hovered around it before shrinking down. Typically, it would trace a downward path, enveloping my entire hand and casting it in a purple hue. This time, however, I changed things up.


    I focused my intent away from my hand and toward the thread.


    The circle shrinked and moved down my finger.


    Sweat started to umte down the side of my face as I focused my attention on the circle hovering over my finger.


    It gradually inched closer down, reaching the tip of my finger.


    Then...


    "....!"


    My heart sped at the sight before me.


    It was hard to see given how thin the thread was, but it was gradually turning purple.


    My eyes widened at the sight.


    "Can it really..."


    I felt my heart beat faster than before. I felt a strange sense of excitement and nervously swallowed my saliva.


    The circle inched further down.


    It was now halfway down my finger. The thread turned purple for each part the circle passed.


    Even more sweat trickled down the side of my face as I maximized my focus.


    I was close...


    So very close.


    ....And just as the circle continued to move down, I suddenly frowned.


    The magic circle stopped.


    "No."


    I voluntarily shattered the circle.


    That was because I realized I was doing things wrong.


    "....."


    I stood there in silence to collect my breath and mana again. Then, I extended my hand forward and a magic circle again formed. Just likest time, it shrunk and hovered over my middle finger.


    This time, I didn''t let it move down.


    Rather...


    <i>Swoosh¡ª</i>


    I guided the thread out and into the magic circle.


    ".....As expected."


    The thread changed color and my mana expenditure significantly reduced. Not only that, but so did my amount of concentration.


    I stared at the purple thread before me.


    Now this...


    It was certainly something.


    ***


    The Mirror Dimension was vast. It covered a massive expanse ofnd, its size rivaling, if not surpassing, those of the entire Empire, which itself upied a substantial portion of the world.


    The ck Region was regarded as the smallest among all the regions. Considering the difficulty in conquering even a small portion of this dimension, its status as the smallest seemed only fitting.


    Typically, when entering the ck Region, most cadets jumped at the opportunity to go toward the more dangerous regions.


    Such was the best ce to train.


    However, there were a few who preferred to start in the lowest zone to get ustomed to the environment and monsters.


    <i>Swooosh¡ª! </i>


    "Ah, fucking hell...."


    Kiera was one such cadet.


    Staring at the numerous burning corpses in front of her, she pressed her finger against her ear. It was still ringing.


    "....Fuck, I can''t hear shit."


    No, she could, but it was just a constant ring.


    The more it continued, the more she got annoyed. Especially when she noticed two more headed her way.


    "Tsk... How much do these fuckers reproduce? They''re endless."


    A red magic circle hovered over her hand as the two creatures caught fire in the distance. They shrieked in pain, but Kiera had none of that.


    "...Agh, fuck. Is that how it is? Are you all so good at screaming because you mate so much?"


    Just when she thought she was done, another one appeared.


    Her eyes widened.


    "My word. They really can''t stop fucking..."


    In the end, after dispatching the creature, she decided to leave. The creatures, while easy, were hard to handle when in groups of more than five. She doubted anyone would have a hard time handling them en masse.


    Packing up her staff, she slung her bag over her shoulder and headed out toward the next region.


    The route wasn''t far. It was about an hour''s walk ording to the map.


    "...."


    She was halfway there when she suddenly paused.


    From the peripheral of her eyes, she caught something in the distance.


    Something felt off.


    No, it was off.


    Her head turned to face the distance and her expression finally changed.


    "What is..."


    Her eyes widened considerably and her bag fell on the floor.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    Off into the distance, she could see the mutted bodies of over several dozen Aurorahemoth''s. The same creatures she struggled to deal with just moments prior.


    "What sort of..."


    She jogged over to carefully analyze the situation. Her surprise increased as she noticed how cleanly they had been killed.


    A sword...? An arrow?


    For the cuts to be so clean...


    "Leon?"


    A name popped up in her mind.


    He appeared to be the only person capable of such a feat.


    Kiera meticulously examined the corpses in front of her. Just as she was looking around, her eyes froze on a specific area.


    "This..."


    A shoulder pad.


    It looked to have fallen off during the exchange and most likely belonged to the one responsible for all of this.


    Staring at it for a good minute, she quietly pocketed the pad.


    Her curiosity suddenly peaked.


    "....Who did this?"

 Chapter 56: Hunt [3]

    <h4>Chapter 56: Hunt [3]</h4>


    Three days passed in a blur.


    It was the day of the appointment and Leon and the other members were already waiting in Zone [F].


    "So this is the [F] zone?"


    Evelyn looked around with wide eyes. In their viewy a luminescent forest, emitting a deep blue glow that starkly contrasted with the dull grayness of the surrounding world. In a sense, it added to the ominousness of the area.


    Bordering next to the Yellow Region, it was the most dangerous Zone within the ck Region.


    Leon looked around before turning back to look at the others.


    "Be careful. Do not stray too far. I can sense multiple strong presences deep within."


    "Your senses are that sharp?"


    Aoife asked while she leaned on a nearby tree. She closed her eyes and tried to sense her surroundings, but after a while frowned and shook her head.


    ".....I can''t sense anything."


    "I''m a knight. That''s why."


    "I am too."


    Aoife didn''t seem to be satisfied with the answer but left it there.


    There was a fundamental difference between those that belonged to the [Body] category and those that belonged to the [Mind] and [Elemental] category.


    To be ssified as a knight, one had to belong to the [Body] category which focused on enhancing the human body.


    Aoife was proficient in both [Mind] and [Body]. However, unlike him, she focused most of her attention on [Telekinesis] which belonged to the [Mind] category.


    It was understandable that his senses were sharper than hers.


    After all, his only talentsy in the [Body] category.


    "Isn''t hete? How much longer are we supposed to wait for him?"


    A voice suddenly broke Leon out of his thoughts. When he looked back, Wesley, who was simrly leaning against a nearby tree, frowned.


    "It''s been an hour since we arrived here and he''s still not here. Are we sure he''sing?"


    Leon frowned but still answered.


    ".....He should being."


    "Uh, well, if you say so."


    Leon thought he''d leave it at that, but he suddenly continued.


    "You don''t think anything happened to him on the way?"


    "....."


    "I mean, he did go by himself. And like I said, he''s not very strong. It wouldn''t be out of the question."


    "...."


    "What if he got hurt and can''t make it? How much longer should we wait for?"


    <i>''He talks too much.'' </i>


    It was starting to be more and more apparent to Leon. This hadn''t been the first remark he had made toward Julien.


    For the past three days, he had been throwing random jabs at him.


    Nobody said a thing considering that they were a group and none of the group members had anything to say about him.


    But...


    It was starting to grow on Leon''s nerves.


    "You, c¡ª"


    <i>Rustle¡ª</i>


    A gentle rustle halted Leon mid-sentence as he turned his head in the direction of where the sound came from.


    Then, a figure slowly emerged from the other side of the trees.


    "This..."


    "Ah."


    The moment he appeared, the expressions of all those present changed. This was especially so for Wesley who couldn''t help but cover his mouth.


    "Pftt. "


    ***


    A weird mixture of expressions greeted my sight the moment I managed to clear the forest and arrive at the meeting area.


    I couldn''t me them.


    While I wasn''t injured, my clothes were a mess with tears all over the ce. Dry blood stained my attire, adding to the disarray.


    I had been so immersed in my training that I had almost forgotten about the meeting.


    Thankfully, I managed to make it in time.


    "Pftt."


    A certain sound caught my attention and when I looked up, I found someone staring at with me a look of mockery.


    <i>''Who is this guy?'' </i>


    With long ck hair, hazel eyes, and handsome features, he appeared somewhat familiar, but I couldn''t quite put it where.


    "You''re here."


    My attention shifted away when I noticed Leon approach me.


    He sported a small frown on his face but didn''t say anything about my clothing and started to brief me on the situation.


    "Near here there''s a Nyxfernal nest."


    I raised my brow.


    <i>''Nyxfernal nest?''</i>


    Having studied the books beforeing here, I was well learned on Nyxfernals. They were an underground creature that loved to dig tunnels. Highly toxic, and nimble with sharp ws, they were monsters that the Academy rmended avoiding.


    ....So why was he telling me this?


    "I''ve already scouted the area beforehand, and there''s only one Junior ranked one. The rest are infant ranked."


    "And?"


    "Within the nest, there is a handful of Lumicore Fungi."


    "Ah."


    "It may not be useful for you, but it can fetch a high price if you were to sell it on the market. If you help us, we will give you a share of the gains."


    "...."


    I didn''t answer immediately. Staring into Leon''s eyes for a brief moment, I proceeded to lower my head.


    Lumicore Fungi. I knew about them. They weren''t exactly useful for me. They were resources more fit for those who practiced the [Body] category.


    However, that didn''t mean they were worthless.


    No, rather, they were worth a lot of money. I wasn''t sure exactly how much, but each gram was worth at least multiple dozen Rend.


    I was in desperate need of money.


    To be stronger faster, I needed more resources. Money was the key to gaining ess to such resources.


    I had no other choice but to ept.


    And when my thoughts paused there, I looked up to Leon and nodded.


    "Alright. I''ll ept."


    Just briefly, I noticed Leon''s lips pull up slightly. But it left as fast as it came, and I had a hard time figuring out whether I had seen it wrongly or not.


    In the end, I let it be.


    "....Get ready. We will be leaving soon."


    *


    Located deep into the [F] Zone was a certain web of tunnels that one could enter from a few spots above.


    Somewhat familiar with the area, Leon guided us toward a dark cave that one couldn''t see the end of.


    "Is this the ce?"


    Luxon nced around with a frown.


    "Do we have some light? Or do you-"


    "There''s no need."


    Leon casually looked back before stepping in.


    "You''ll see once we reach deeper inside."


    "Uh..."


    His figure disappeared into the cave. Aoife followed right after him. Though confused, Luxon sighed and followed right after. I was just about to follow when someone turned to face me.


    He appeared friendly.


    "Make sure you stay behind me."


    "....?"


    "I have no idea why Leon wanted you toe, but..."


    He lowered his head to scan my body.


    "....I can protect you if you stay behind me. Since you seem to be struggling so much, I thought it''d be best if you stayed with me. I''m a sharpshooter so I''ve got great eyesight."


    What is this guy...


    "If you stay next to me you won''t get in the way of others and might even be able to contribute."


    Every word that he spat was spat with a friendly smile, and yet... All I felt was a strange sense of disgust.


    I was just about to respond to him when he turned around and entered the cave.


    "Just make sure you listen to me. It''ll do all of us good."


    "...."


    I stood in silence for a short moment before lowering my head to stare at my hand.


    Struggling? ....Might be able to contribute?


    This...


    "Hah."


    I almostughed.


    What sort of situation was this? I wasn''t even mad. I was just baffled. He couldn''t even hide his own dislike towards me.


    I shook my head.


    I had thought people would finally leave me alone after what I had done, but there were still a few who were not convinced.


    Most likely, he had some basis behind his confidence. Given that I could somewhat recognize him, he must''ve had some strength to back up his confidence.


    Still...


    "What a pain."


    Just when was it going to be enough?


    Scratching the side of my head, I entered the cave and embraced the darkness. I had just taken several steps when I stopped.


    The air was thick with the scent of earth and dampness, and the sound of dripping water echoed softly in the distance.


    "Hm?"


    However, off in the distance I took notice of a strange glow.


    I didn''t hesitate to follow the light and soon enough I was left shocked by the sight that greeted me. Covering the walls and ceiling of the cave was an unusual blue moss, emitting a soft glow that illuminated the entire cavern.


    <i>''Wow.'' </i>


    It looked like a scene straight out of a movie and I had to take a moment to observe the area.


    "Julien."


    I only looked away when I felt someone call my name. Looking up, I saw everyone looking at me. I briefly paused my gaze on the ck-haired kid before turning it back to Leon who pressed his hand against his mouth and nudged me forward.


    "We''re near the nest so be careful. If you¡ª"


    <i>BOOOM¡ª! </i>


    ".....!"


    The cavern shook all of a sudden. Unable to keep it steady, I lost my footing and fell against the ground.


    I was the only one that fell as almost everyone was able to keep their footing.


    "Hiek!"


    Someone else did fall on me as my vision was covered by a set of purple hair.


    The moment she fell on me, I felt her body turn rigid and our eyes met. I hardly reacted given that I knew that this was an ident, but she didn''t think so as her eyes darted all over the ce but me.


    Then, just as she was about to say something, I caught sight of a massive figure headed in our direction from the distance and I pushed her off of me.


    "....!"


    A tremendous pressure that made it hard to breathe emitted from the creature''s body as I tried to get my bearings.


    Just as I was about to move forward, a hand pushed me back.


    "Don''t interfere."


    "Get ready!"


    Leon''s voice reached me shortly after. With his glowing sword, he pushed his feet forward and dashed forward.


    His figure blurred forward as it headed toward the distant creature. Following him right behind was Aoife who was just a tad bit slower.


    The others also got into position as they readied themselves to face the creature.


    I was the only one who did nothing as I met a pair of hazel eyes.


    "We discussed it before, right? Stay with me so that we don''t interfere with them."


    "...."


    Just then, I deeply stared into his eyes. He met them back. As if he was trying to challenge me. However... that didn''tst for long.


    He soon started to grow ufortable with my gaze. So much that his eyes started to dart away from me.


    "...."


    I kept at it until he couldn''t bear it anymore and finally looked away.


    I knew then the reasoning behind his attitude.


    .....He was afraid of me.

 Chapter 57: Hunt [4]

    <h4>Chapter 57: Hunt [4]</h4>


    ....He was afraid of me?


    Was that the case....? I thought so at first, but surely that couldn''t be the only reason for his hatred and dislike towards me.


    There had to be something else.


    "....."


    Thinking things through I realized that I hadn''t exactly been the friendliest of people.


    I tended to mind my own business and avoided interacting with others. It was mainly so that my cover wouldn''t be blown but at the same time because I didn''t want to get attached to anyone.


    But still...


    For him to be afraid of me. There had to be a more concrete reason.


    <i>BOOOM¡ª! </i>


    The cave shook as Leon''s sword came into contact with Nyxfernal¡ªarge creature with a stout body and thick, fur-covered form. Its sharp ws gleamed under the light from the moss as its small, beady eyes fiercely red at us.


    "Kh....!"


    Uponing into contact with the Nyxfernal, Leon''s sword ricocheted back. Just as he was about to lose bnce, Aoife raised her hand and his body halted mid-air.


    "....Thanks."


    She followed up with another wave, stopping the beast''s ws from shing at him.


    <i>Kacha! </i>


    Lighting burst from out of nowhere,nding on the Nyxfernal thick fur. Evelyn, who stood by the side, held both hands forward as her uniform and hair fluttered.


    But...


    That too seemed like a futile attempt as Evelyn let out a small curse.


    "Shit."


    "Let me."


    A figure rushed the creature. His speed was fast, and within moments, he appeared right beneath the creature''s body. Two magic circles formed around his fists as he punched out with everything he had.


    But...


    <i>nk¡ª! </i>


    Even that seemed like a meaningless attempt as his fists stopped right after making contact with the creature''s underbelly.


    Luxon immediately panicked as he looked behind.


    "Shit, Aoife! Save me....!"


    Just as he said those words, the Nyxfernal''s body flexed and its tail swung right at Luxon who crossed his arms to brace for impact.


    Thankfully, Aoife was quick enough to react as she pulled him back just in time to avoid the attack.


    <i>Bang¡ª! </i>


    The cave shook even more fiercely as Luxon skidded several meters back.


    "Haa... Haaaa... Thanks."


    "Try again."


    With cold focus, Aoife lifted her palm and continued to support from behind. She wasn''t the only one supporting.


    Xiu!


    An arrow flew at fast speeds, hitting the tough fur of the Nyxfernal. Sparks flew, but nothing came out of it.


    Aoife frowned and turned her head slightly.


    "....Aim for its eyes."


    "Got it."


    He pulled the string of the bow back and prepared to attack again.


    "...."


    I stood quietly beside him. Until this moment, I remained standing without doing a single thing. I had no business interfering.


    I knew the extent of my skills. There wasn''t much I could do. At least, not yet.


    I closed my eyes and extended the threads towards the ground, splitting them in three. I looked around to locate the best area to set them up.


    <i>BOOOM¡ª! </i>


    I ignored the chaos around me and guided the threads carefully around the walls of the cave.


    My head twitched as I felt a sharp pain. However, I ignored the pain and continued to guide the threads around the walls of the cave.


    I was waiting for the right time to act.


    For...


    "Hm?"


    I felt a sudden vibration and opened my eyes.


    "What..."


    There was something odd about the vibration. It wasn''ting from the Nyxfernal in the distance. It wasing from somewhere else...


    "Beneath...?"


    I looked down.


    It was then that it happened.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!


    Something exploded from beneath me and the ground split. The area it covered was small, and it was right beneath where I stood.


    The footing I held disappeared, and my body jolted with a weird sensation as gravity started to pull me down from beneath.


    In that split second, I felt the world around me slow down.


    I managed to catch a glimpse of everything around me. From the changing expressions of Leon, Evelyn, Aoife, Luxon... to the look of panic on Wesley''s face as he fell alongside me.


    .....I caught all of it in my mind before everything turned dark.


    Thest thing I remembered was recalling the threads and creating new ones.


    ***


    "Julien..."


    It all happened so fast that nobody was able to react on time.


    <i>BOOOM¡ª¡ª! </i>


    All Leon felt was a subtle trembling of the ground behind. When he turned his head, he caught a glimpse of Julien.


    ....As usual, he seemed unperturbed. Even as the ground beneath him quaked, he stood with a frown. As if this had nothing to do with him.


    Or maybe things had happened too fast for him to react.


    Even so...


    His figure, alongside Wesley''s disappeared from their sight.


    "Ah."


    He could hardly make a sound before his ear detected an odd whistling noise heading right in his direction.


    Instinctively, he moved back and just barely managed to avoid the tail of the Nyxfernal.


    <i>Bang¡ª! </i>


    "Get a grip."


    A cold voice echoed beside him. When he looked, he saw Aoife staring at the monster with a tight frown.


    "I know you''re his knight, but you need to focus on the monster in front of us. We can look for themter. They should be f¡ªuh!"


    Her words halted and she raised both her hands.


    Leon looked at the creature which stopped mid-motion before nodding his head. She was right.


    There was no point in thinking about Julien. He was going to be fine.


    There was no way his instincts would lie to him.


    He...


    Was definitely fine.


    ***


    I opened my eyes. Darkness embraced my vision as my head throbbed. I hung suspended in the air as the threads kept me in ce.


    "Where am I....?"


    I looked up.


    There was hardly any light.


    It seemed like I had fallen into a deep hole.


    I closed my eyes and felt the threads. There were a total of two left. The other one had snapped. I focused on creating another one and safely nted it into a crack on the wall.


    "Hmm."


    I tried pulling myself up, but that seemed to be impossible given my current abilities.


    The threads were still fragile. It was already a miracle that I was safe.


    "....Looks like I have no choice but to go down."


    It was the only thing I could do.


    "Hah."


    In the darkness, I slowly and carefully extended the threads, guiding my body toward the bottom of the hole.


    I thought back on the situation and frowned.


    There was someone who had fallen with me. What had happened to him? Had he died...? Or was he still alive? I pursed my lips and continued to guide myself down until I eventually felt my feet touch a surface.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    The air felt damp and a still silence filled my surroundings. A strange tension lingered over my surroundings as I felt my muscles tense and my skin grow cold.


    "....."


    I took a quiet breath and took out my bag where I reached for my torch.


    ".....!"


    A pair of eyes immediately greeted my sight the moment I lit up the torch and my heart almost stopped. Thankfully, I was able to keep myselfposed.


    ....I was somewhat used to fear.


    "Took you long enough."


    A familiar voice reached my ears, and when I got a better look, I stood frozen by the sight that bore before me. The only thing I could recognize were his hazel eyes. Everything else was different.


    The contours of the face were distorted, with areas of puckered flesh. The color was uneven, ranging from red to mottled shades of brown and gray.


    What had...


    Happened to him?


    "You''re alive."


    That was all I managed to utter in the end.


    He smiled then.


    "What''s with your expression, phecda? Are you mad at how I told you to stick close to me? I had to do it. You didn''t pick up any of my messages. We''re supposed to start soon."


    ".....?"


    Phecda? Message? Start soon?


    I felt my blood grow cold and my fingers twitched.


    <i>''No, this...''</i>


    All of a sudden, an idea sprouted in my mind.


    "This isn''t the first time you''ve seen my face. But right, yeah..."


    His expression twisted slightly.


    "I guess you were disgusted by the way I looked. You made that pretty clear back then when you beat me up."


    A lot of things started to click in my mind all of a sudden. The reason for his fear, and his antagonism towards me.


    <i>''Ah, this...'' </i>


    "Why aren''t you speaking....? You were rather vocal back at the camp when you killed your way to the top. I''m supposed to be following your orders, but you went and outdid yourself didn''t you?"


    "....."


    His eerie smile stuck right close to me. His hazel eyes turned, and I felt the back of my neck tingle as my heart started to beat faster.


    Slowly my head lowered, and my eyes fell on his forearm.


    His clothes were ripped so I could see it well. However, much to my shock, I saw nothing. As if noticing my actions, he frowned and followed my line of sight.


    "What are you doing? Uh? Why are you..."


    He stopped and looked at me.


    His expression changed all of a sudden.


    But it was toote.


    In that split second, my threads were already at his throat. Before he could even react, I clenched my hand as a fountain of red sprayed on me.


    <i>Pfttt¡ª</i>


    The scent of iron lingered in the air as I felt my face grow wet.


    "Ukh."


    I took several steps back.


    My stomach churned and I hastily closed my eyes.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    "H-hah..."


    ....I had to do it.


    I repeated such thoughts in my mind. It hardly worked as my stomach continued to churn, but it didn''t stop me from repeating it.


    <i>''I had to do it.''</i>


    It was either me or him...


    That much I knew.


    My thoughts were further confirmed the moment I opened my eyes again and my gaze once again fell on his forearm. The once clean forearm suddenly changed as a ck clover appeared.


    "...."


    I knew then that my guesses had been right and I turned to stare at the tattoo on my arm.


    "What is the meaning of this...?"


    New pieces of information entered my mind.


    Pechda? Camp? What sort of situation was this...?


    I thought about keeping the conversation going to get more information, but I realized it was a stupid idea. I knew nothing about the organization. A simple slip-up and he would''ve noticed that I wasn''t Julien.


    What would happen to me then?


    I didn''t care to find out and acted swiftly. His guard was down, and his attention was away from his surroundings.


    All it took was a simple moment.


    ....While I didn''t expect him to be helpless against my attack, I was still ready for any counter he might''ve made. His death seemed surprising.


    Perhaps, he really didn''t think I would kill him.


    ''Is there some sort of harsh rule that forces members to not kill each other? Is that why his guard was so down?''


    If not for that, I didn''t think I would''ve been able to kill him so easily.


    Still, his death only brought more questions. There was also the fact that I had to deal with the aftermath of this.


    Thankfully, I was the only one aware of Etherwave. I could ce the me for his death on the monsters here. Perhaps even hide the traces of the threads...


    "...."


    My mind continued to spin in the silence as I forced myself to look at the headless body in front of me.


    I took a deep breath and looked at my forearm.


    Or more specifically, toward the second leaf.


    It was once again shining.


    <i>''He may not be alive, but there was a way for me to find more information...'' </i>


    I pursed my lips and quietly looked up. I didn''t want to do it. I hated the sensation that came with understanding another''s emotions. But... I had to do it.


    To get some clues... I had to do it.


    "I have to."


    I lowered my hand and ced it over his body.


    That''s when I pressed the leaf and my world darkened.


    ***


    Sorry for bad upload rate. I ended up scrapping this chapter 2 times before I got to this. There will be another one.

 Chapter 58: Hunt [5]

    <h4>Chapter 58: Hunt [5]</h4>


    Arge mansion.


    A familiar feeling washed over me. Yet again, I felt present, but at the same time not. I could see and move, but I wasn''t... ''here''.


    <i>''.....Will I be able to gain anything?'' </i>


    I looked around me.


    The ce was finely decorated with furniture and paintings all over. Clearly, whoever lived here was rather well off.


    I focused my attention on one of the paintings hanging by the wall.


    <i>''A family of four.'' </i>


    Two adults, and two kids. Two males and two females.


    <i>''....Are these the owners of the mansion?'' </i>


    "H-help...!"


    It was then that I heard it. A young voice. One that seemed to belong to a child.


    <i>Crackle¡ª!</i>


    "I-I can''t breathe..."


    mes engulfed the surroundings.


    "B-rother... I can''t breathe."


    Two children huddled by the corner of the room. They stared at the raging mes in fear.


    I felt a familiar sensation as information flooded my mind.


    A high-ss family. One that was highly respected within the Empire. The two children in the room were the sole heirs of the estate. One year older than the girl, the boy was the older brother.


    In these raging mes.


    "Mom and Dad wille..."


    His instincts took over and he protected the girl.


    "It hurts... It hurts..."


    The sister cowered in his arms.


    "Don''t worry, mom and dad areing... Just wait a little..."


    Though he said that, the boy didn''t seem sure. I felt every emotion he felt. He was primarily dominated by fear, but he did his best to keep himself from showing it.


    For the sake of his sister...


    "I''m going to protect you."


    He was prepared to push away his fears.


    <i>Crackle! </i>


    "Akhhh...!"


    But the mes continued to rage on.


    "It hurts...! B-brother."


    "Stay behind me."


    He covered her with his arms.


    The heat of the fire burned him.


    He was just eight years old, and yet...


    "Ukh."


    He understood his duty all too well.


    "...."


    I stared nkly at the scene in front of me.


    The scene hit harder than I thought it would. It reminded me a lot of myself. No, it was a perfect reflection of what I tried to be.


    But...


    <i>''I ran away from my duty.''</i>


    "Hah."


    My chest tumbled as it was pierced by an all too familiar pain.


    "Eli! Emily!"


    A voice broke me out of my thoughts.


    In the distance, a figure appeared. Her appearance was haggard and she seemed to be in distress.


    Crackle!


    The mes continued to burn.


    But amidst the mes, the faces of the two children lit up.


    <i>''She''s finally here.'' </i>


    Just in time.


    "Mommy!"


    The children hastily stood up to head to where their mother was.


    But....


    <i>Bang¡ª! </i>


    "Ahhhh!"


    The ceiling fell apart and the fire spread.


    "Eli! Emily....!!"


    The mother''s scream echoed within the sea of mes as the two children ducked down in fear.


    <i>''It hurts.'' </i>


    <i>''I don''t want to die.'' </i>


    <i>''Mommy.''</i>


    <i>''Daddy.''</i>


    <i>''Save us.''</i>


    Their voices entered my consciousness as they held their heads.


    <i>''....Please save me.''</i>


    <i>''Mom!'' </i>


    <i>''I''m scared.''</i>


    <i>''I''m so scared...''</i>


    The fire intensified and the walls burned. The crackling of the fire echoed. The roof copsed inwards. Embers scattered in all directions, and smoke covered everything.


    "Cough...! Cough....!"


    In the struggle, the pair of siblings held each other. As if they were the only thing left to rely on.


    <i>Bang! </i>


    <i>Bang! </i>


    The structure started to copse.


    All hope seemed to have been lost when.


    "Grab my hand!"


    A hand reached out from behind the mes. The faces of their mother appeared from behind.


    "Grab it!"


    "Mom!"


    "Mom...!"


    Hope ignited within the children''s minds as they reached for the outstretched hand.


    They both reached for it at the same time, but...


    Only one hand grasped the outstretched hand.


    The boy stared at his mother who was looking at him with open eyes. The arm pulled back and he felt his sister disappear.


    <i>Crackle! </i>


    Shortly after, the mes fully engulfed his vision, flooding his body with intense pain.


    But the only thing that the boy could think about was his mother.


    <i>''It hurts...''</i>


    <i>''Mom.''</i>


    <i>''....Where are you?'' </i>


    He waited for her.


    <i>''I''m here...''</i>


    <i>''Are youing back?''</i>


    <i>''Mom.''</i>


    For her hand to reach out for him again.


    But...


    It never did.


    Even as he felt his entire body burn.


    The hope.


    It still lingered, and I felt it.


    But it never came.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Anger] EXP + 3%


    Darkness took over from then. Only for it to be shattered shortly after as the heat that had been invading every part of the child''s body disappeared and he felt someone''s presence.


    <i>''Mommy...?'' </i>


    Had she finallye?


    A sense of relief washed over the child''s body as the darkness embraced his consciousness


    That sense of relief was short-lived, however.


    "Wake up."


    A voice brought the young boy back.


    It was a rough and detached voice. When his eyes opened again, the boy found himself inside arge cave.


    He wasn''t alone. There were several other children around him. All of them huddled together, scared.


    "Mom?"


    He called for his mother but she was nowhere to be seen.


    "Forget about all you''ve known. Your identity no longer matters. If you want freedom, then you''ve got to earn it."


    The man smiled. It was a smile that seemed warm to those looking. But it was also the same smile that forced the children to starvation.


    "Work harder."


    He was a total bastard.


    "You didn''t work enough. You won''t be eating today!"


    ''No... I''m hungry... I will work harder... Please... Just a little bit...''


    "Shut up!"


    <i>''Ahhhh¡ª!''</i>


    Even as the children''s cheeks sunk in due to the hunger, he didn''t care.


    ".....For the Inverted Sky! Pray!"


    A fanatic.


    "Not enough!"


    A lunatic who enjoyed torturing the little children.


    "You useless things! You won''t be of use at this rate!"


    Starving them.


    <i>''I am useless...'' </i>


    Brainwashing them.


    <i>''It hurts... It hurts... But it''s for the Inverted Sky.'' </i>


    <i>''I''m hungry...''</i>


    <i></i>That was who he was.


    <i>''....All is for the inverted sky.''</i>


    The children gradually forgot about the pain and hunger. Even as they passed out due to starvation and pain, the only thing they muttered was...


    "For the Inverted Sky."


    It was as if their lives were no longer important.


    I watched this happen over and over again. Thousands of children came and went. By the end, all that was left were mindless puppets who only believed in one thing.


    "Long live the Inverted Sky."


    Their identity had been stripped.


    So had their humanity.


    The only thing left was their voice.


    "H-hungry... H-hurts..."


    But even that was starting to fade.


    Only one child hadn''t lost his voice.


    "...."


    In the silence, I approached him.


    "Hurts... Hungry... Mom..."


    Even now, he clung to the past. To his mother who had left him in the mes.


    Gradually my steps stopped and he turned his head.


    A familiar burned visage. His eyes, though innocent, carried a certain rity to them as they looked at me.


    ".....You''re not Julien."


    I closed my eyes before nodding.


    "I am not."


    The child nodded his head as if understanding the situation.


    He looked around him.


    "These were memories I had long forgotten."


    "...."


    I listened in silence.


    "My memories of my family are rather fuzzy. How are they doing right now? Are they healthy? Is my sister okay? Do they still think about me...?"


    His face suddenly changed and I felt my jaw clench.


    "You saw my memories, right? How I got my face."


    The way he was looking at me...


    It made my skin crawl.


    "That hand..."


    His head tilted and I felt my breath stop.


    A variety of emotions flooded my chest all of a sudden.


    But primarily...


    "....Was it for me or my sister?"


    All I felt was anger.


    A strange suffocating feeling overtook me as my chest grew heavy.


    "You''ve seen her face. Who was the one she was trying to save?"


    His face remained stoic and unchanging, but his anger didn''t. It boiled even more ferociously.


    "Was it because she reached faster than me? Was that it? What would''ve happened had I reached for the hand first?"


    My chest felt like it was ripping apart as his eyes remained glued to me.


    "....Would she have taken my ce? Or would I still have been discarded?"


    He disappeared right then as the world turned dark.


    But even then, his face didn''t.


    It remained stuck in my mind. His voice whispering at the back of my mind.


    <i>''Who was she trying to save?''</i>


    <i>''Me?''</i>


    <i>''...Or her?'' </i>


    In the end...


    ?| Lvl 1. [Anger] EXP + 13%


    I was never able to answer his question.


    "...."


    But I had no time to dwell on the question. The moment I regained my vision, I was met with a dozen different eyes staring in my direction from the distance.


    I knew then that my path was blocked.


    But I didn''t care.


    I brought my hand forward where five threads slowly came out. A purple magic circle floated above as the threads changed color.


    Then...


    Staring at the iing creatures, I clenched my hand.


    <i>Swoosh¡ª! </i>


    ***


    "....Do you think they''re waiting for us down there?"


    Evelyn''s voice echoed through the empty tunnels, mingling with the sound of their footsteps as they rushed towards the hole up ahead.


    She was the furthest one back as Leon led the group from the front.


    His expression was hard to read. However, it was clear that he was concerned.


    "I don''t know."


    Leon shook his head.


    It had been just a minute since they had managed to defeat the Junior Ranked Nyxfernal.


    They held off on collecting the fungi and directly headed down the hole to search for Julien and Wesley.


    <i>Thud. Thud. </i>


    The moment they touched the ground, all they were met with was darkness. The air was moist, and a putrid smell lingered in the air.


    "Ugh..."


    "What is this smell?"


    The smell was so horrid that Evelyn had to cover her nose to prevent herself from gagging.


    Though she didn''t show it directly, Aoife also appeared to dislike it as her nose wrinkled.


    <i>Drip... Drip...! </i>


    There was a faint rippling sound in the distance that caught everyone''s attention. It shattered the silence that gripped the surroundings.


    Without hesitation, Leon reached out for his bag to take out his torch. He wanted to get a better look at his surroundings.


    ....And when the light finally shined, he froze.


    So did everybody else.


    "Ah..."


    Looking at the corpses that were littered on the floor, Leon''s head slowly raised to stare at the person sitting on top of them.


    Drenched from head to toe with blood, his figure twitched the moment light shined upon him.


    Then...


    His head slowly raised to stare at them and his hoarse voice echoed.


    "You''re here..."

 Chapter 59: Hunt [6]

    <h4>Chapter 59: Hunt [6]</h4>


    "Hey, why did you sto¡ª"


    Evelyn almost bumped into Leon''s body as she swiftly stepped to the left in time. She was just about toin when she found herself stopping at the sight that greeted her eyes.


    "Ah, this..."


    Aoife, Luxon, and the others followed shortly after.


    They too wore simr expressions.


    "You did this...?"


    The one who seemed to be in the most shock was Luxon who looked at the corpses littered on the ground in shock.


    While they weren''t exactly strong monsters, judging from the aura they gave off, there were still a lot of them. Even he felt that it would be difficult for all of them to handle these many of them at once. So for him to be able to do it all by himself...


    "How?"


    He found that hard to believe.


    But...


    Such was the reality of the situation as Julien calmly stood up from his spot to brush his clothes which were covered in blood.


    A strange silence gripped the surroundings as all eyes fell on him.


    That was until...


    "Ah...!"


    Evelyn''s shout brought everyone back.


    "What? What''s going on?"


    The first to react was Luxon who looked at her with a frown. She was looking toward the distance with wide-open eyes as she pointed toward a certain area.


    "T-that..."


    "Uh?"


    "....!"


    From there, everyone could see what she was pointing at, and their expressions shifted once more.


    "Wesely...?"


    A headless corpse. One that wore a distinctive uniform that could only belong to those who belonged to the Haven Institute.


    Almost immediately, all eyes fell on the figure that stood in the middle.


    He seemedpletely nonchnt about the situation. His eyes weren''t even on the corpse or them.


    It was his behavior that made all of them grow wary as a sudden thought crossed their minds.


    What if...?


    "Julien."


    Leon was the first to call him out. Of everyone present, he was the only one who didn''t jump to conclusions.


    "....What happened?"


    Finally, Julien''s head turned and their gazes met. As if he understood what he was talking about, he slowly answered.


    "He died."


    ".....I can see that."


    Leon slowly blinked.


    "How did he die? Did you...?"


    "No."


    Shaking his head, Julien pointed toward a certain direction. Following his line of sight, Leon''s eyes jumped up.


    It was there that he managed to catch a glimpse of a severed head. One that was badly burned.


    "I wasn''t the one who killed him. I''m not capable of doing that."


    "No, that makes no sense."


    Aoife cut the conversation short as she moved towards the severed head. She closely examined it before turning to look at Julien with a frown.


    "These scars... They''re obviously healed."


    "..."


    Julien calmly stared at her for a short moment before turning to look at the severed head. For the briefest of moments, Leon saw Julien''s face contort. However, he was quick to hide it.


    "Possibly. I didn''t have the time to check..."


    "Right."


    Aoife nced at the surroundings briefly before nodding. She didn''t seem too convinced but epted the exnation. Especially when considering how differently the monsters had been inpared to the corpse.


    He could''ve perhaps done that on purpose, but there was no denying the burned-up face before them.


    Julien...


    He wasn''t capable of doing such a thing.


    And with such thoughts, Aoife looked at Leon who looked back at her.


    "For now, let''s head back. We''ll report this to the institute. They''ll do the investigating."


    "Okay."


    Leon readily agreed and turned his attention away from Julien.


    The same was true for the others who looked anywhere but his direction.


    .....There was something about his current demeanor that threw them all off. His eyes especially.


    They were cold. Almost detached.


    But within them, they could feel a certain rage that they didn''t want to address.


    They felt...


    Maddening.


    ***


    "Pleasee with us. We will need to detain you until we manage to get a clear understanding of the situation."


    ".....I understand."


    The moment we returned from the cave and the situation was reported, I was immediately brought away by the Academy security.


    I didn''tin and obliged.


    "Please ce your hand over the orb."


    "Understood."


    "Test results... 1.897."


    "Mana Density... Tainted."


    As I continued to undergo testing, a familiar set of results appeared in front of me. This pattern persisted for several hours until I was finally led to a small room furnished with a wooden desk and chair.


    "Someone wille in shortly. Make yourselffortable in the meantime."


    "....."


    I sat down and closed my eyes.


    The lingering traces of the anger I had perceived from the vision began to fade, and I started to feel normal again.


    I was confident in my chances of making it out without any problems. I didn''t use curse magic when dealing with Wesley. Had I used it... There would''ve been a strong chance his death would''ve been linked to me.


    But...


    There wasn''t. I made sure that to be the case.


    It was likely that the Academy would attribute his death to one of the monsters.


    "Hah."


    But that wasn''t the only thing they''d be worried about.


    The fact that his true face had been revealed probably was what the Academy was investigating.


    ....They probably didn''t care about his death as much as his real identity.


    I couldn''t me them. After all, he had managed to sneak in right under their noses. It made me think deeply about the organization I was dealing with and their strength.


    Surely, an organization that could sneak in ''spies'' in such a prestigious institute had to be extremely powerful. Several times more than the Institute itself.


    <i>''The Inverted Sky.'' </i>


    Was what they called themselves. At least, from what I had managed to glimpse from the memories.


    They appeared to be a group of fanatics who kidnapped young children to brainwash them.


    Even now...


    Thinking about what I had seen, my stomach churned in disgust.


    <i>''Evil bastards...''</i>


    The memories of the vision remained glued to my mind. Constantly reminded of what I had seen, and just what atrocities they hadmitted.


    There were a lot of things that I had managed to learn from the vision. However, what bothered me the most was the fact that I... No, Julien was part of this very organization.


    And he wasn''t simply a small member.


    <i>''Phecda''</i>


    Such was the name I was referred to back in the cave.


    What did it mean, and what did it signify...?


    I wasn''t exactly sure, but... I knew that it meant a rather important position.


    "...."


    I sat in silence staring at the empty desk before me as I felt my back tense.


    <i>''They''re probably going toe for me soon.'' </i>


    Wesley and I were supposed to carry a mission.


    The fact that he had died and I was present was rather suspicious. However, I knew the moment that I was part of this organization that there was no point in trying too hard to make it seem as though it was an ident and that I wasn''t involved.


    They weren''t stupid.


    I was sure they knew I was in some way involved in his death.


    <i>Tap. Tap. Tap. </i>


    I drummed my fingers over the wooden desk.


    But...


    <i>''It''s not exactly a bad position.'' </i>


    This situation...


    I could make use of it.


    ***


    Within this area where the institute''s discipline was upheld, several school board members tasked with administering disciplinary measures for the cadets were present.


    The used sat on the other side of the "invisible ss," awaiting his judgment.


    He sat quietly behind a desk with a calm face.


    "Julien Dacre Evenus. The ck Star."


    The used name and title were read out to the members of the room.


    "How deeply is he involved in this matter?"


    The disciplinary elder, a rough man with a thick frame and bald head stood at the center of the formation.


    Besides him, a young man who appeared to still be a cadet held up a piece of paper as he spoke.


    "The results havee back negative. The likelihood of him being the culprit is unlikely. There are no traces of curse magic, and given how cleanly the head had been severed, it is also unlikely to be done by a magician. The biopsy suggests that it''s more likely a monster who did it."


    "Right..."


    The elder had also read the biopsy and after having observed the corpse, he also believed that to be the case.


    However...


    There was something off about the situation.


    Something simply didn''t add up.


    He eventually turned his head toward his right where a woman sat. She had been silent the entire time, and her attention had been on Julien from the start.


    "Chancellor."


    He called out to her.


    Only then did she turn her head to meet his gaze. The elder felt his breath leave his body the moment their gazes met, as an intense pressure bore down on him.


    Thankfully, as a high wizard, he was able to remainposed.


    Forcing those feelings down, he managed to ask.


    "What do you think about the situation....?"


    A strange silence filled the room shortly after he asked that question.


    With her gaze lingering over him for the briefest of moments, she turned her attention back to Julien who seemed to have felt their gazes as he lifted his head.


    Then, with a slight tug of her lips, she leaned her cheek on her propped-up fist.


    ".....I wonder."

 Chapter 60: A little closure [1]

    <h4>Chapter 60: A little closure [1]</h4>


    ".....Did you kill him?"


    A familiar woman sat on the opposite end of where I sat. Her presence felt suffocating, and her deep eyes seemed to lure me in the more I looked into them.


    "..."


    Even so, I kept calm. While pressuring, my mind was firm. The vision had messed up with my mind and the resentment I felt from Wesley was still present.


    The current me...


    Couldn''t be fazed by this much.


    "I didn''t."


    My voice came out rather dry.


    Delh''s nk face suddenly cracked as her lips gently pulled up. Then, amidst the silence, her finger pressed against the silence.


    <i>Tap¡ª</i>


    A subtle whistle sounded as the space between the two of us froze.


    "....Alright, you''re free to go."


    "Hm?"


    I thought nothing could faze the current me, but this was an unexpected development.


    "Are you surprised?"


    ".....I wouldn''t say I''m not."


    Surely, while I had hidden my traces quite well, there was still a reason to suspect me as the culprit. At the very least, there was reason to believe I knew something about Wesley''s death.


    She had even more reason to think so.


    Especially when I knew she had seen the tattoo on his arm and that his true face had been revealed.


    I thought she was going to mention it during our talk, but she didn''t. Rather, she didn''t even bring the topic up once and just let me go.


    Why?


    "There''s not enough evidence to assume you did anything. All of our tests suggest that it''s unlikely for you to have done it."


    "Then...?"


    "....We''re not unreasonable. Since it seems like it was an ident, we don''t have any right to detain you for any longer. You''re free to go."


    Just like that...?


    I stayed rooted in my seat for a few moments, attempting toprehend the situation. I gazed intently at her expression, which resembled that of a nk piece of paper, before gradually rising from my seat.


    ".....Okay."


    There were a lot of things that I wanted to ask, but decided otherwise.


    I knew she had some answers to some of the questions I had, but I chose to remain silent. It was still too risky. I didn''t have enough leverage for myself, and how would I even exin to her my situation?


    For what reason would she even believe me?


    It was with such thoughts that I stood up from my seat and bid her farewell.


    For now...


    I needed to thread carefully.


    It wasn''t the right time yet. I knew it was going toe soon.


    ***


    In the ensuing silence following Julien''s departure, Delh continued to fix her gaze on the door of the room.


    She could see the surprise etched on the faces of the school board members from the other side of the door as they closely stared at the leaving Julien. She didn''t me them. The choice to release him rested solely on her shoulders.


    But it wasn''t without any reason.


    Primarily, she knew that it would''ve been a wasted effort. If he did do it, there was no chance he was going toe clean.


    There was also not enough evidence to pin the me on him...


    Since that was the case, why hold him in for longer?


    Delh cared a lot for her time.


    Since it was just going to be a massive waste of time, she let him go. As if she was going to let those old bastards take her weekend again.


    "....."


    Delh kept those thoughts to herself.


    But outside of that, there was something else that intrigued her.


    ".....An internal conflict?"


    While she couldn''t prove Julien''s role in the cadet''s death, she was more or less certain that he had yed a part in it.


    And... if that was the case, then did that mean that there was some sort of internal conflict within the organization?


    Or maybe, he was someone who had betrayed the organization.


    "....."


    Delh couldn''t fathom why Julien had never bothered to conceal the tattoo on his arm. Despite the organization being known to only a select few important figures within the empire, she was certain that if anyone discovered the tattoo on his arm, he would have hell for it.


    The fact that he never intended to hide it was what aroused Delh''s curiosity the most.


    She felt like there were a lot of possibilities for such a situation. Perhaps there was an internal conflict between the groups within the Inverted Sky.


    ....Or perhaps he was a traitor.


    Maybe it was just a random tattoo he got and he had no part in all of this at all.


    Delh wasn''t exactly sure the exact reason, but...


    "....I''ll know soon."


    Of that she was sure.


    Regardless of what he did, his actions were sure to bring those from the Inverted Sky over to the Institute.


    All would be clear then. Whether he was with them or not, or a traitor... It would all be clear the moment they came.


    It was for this reason that she let go of him.


    Whether he was an enemy, she wasn''t so sure anymore.


    However...


    That didn''t matter anymore. She had to get ready now. They wereing, and while she didn''t know when or how she knew it was only a matter of time.


    "Finally..."


    Delh''s eyes shed coldly.


    "....I''ve got something."


    ***


    In light of the events that happened, I was given a day off.


    I took that chance to leave the Academy. I had a certain destination in mind. Taking the train from the Academy to Lens, I took a change and headed for ''Rosea''.


    Located two hours from Lens, Rosea was a much smaller town located near a sizable mountain range.


    The air was fresh and greenery covered the surroundings.


    I retraced my memories and walked along a small path. It was a ce I had never been before, but I knew exactly where I was and the path I was following.


    Soon enough, the remains of arge mansion appeared within my sight.


    ".....I''m here."


    I could still picture the mansion in my mind.


    It stood tall and grand, capturing the attention of all that passed.


    ....Such was how it was before the vision.


    Right before the mes came.


    "....."


    The silence that gripped the surroundings felt stifling, but I paid no attention to it.


    I just felt like I had to be here.


    It brought me a strange peace of mind. Especially towards the anger and rage that was gripping my chest.


    Even now...


    I was still under the effects of the vision.


    The anger that had been transmitted to me refused to leave.


    <i>Scrunch... Scrunch... </i>


    I stepped around the mansion and looked around. The entire structurey in ruins with charred spots all over the ce. Vegetation had already started to reim the remnants of what was once a grand and imposing mansion.


    Eventually, my steps halted.


    I stood before a headstone.


    [In loving memory of William Keh]


    "..."


    I gripped my chest.


    The anger that resided in my chest threatened to boil all over all of a sudden. A voice echoed within the depths of my mind.


    <i>''Which one was she trying to save...?'' </i>


    <i>''Me.''</i>


    <i>''....Or her?'' </i>


    <i>''Who?''</i>


    The voice continued to whisper within my mind as I had the sudden urge to break the headstone apart in front of me.


    Unknowingly, my jaw clenched tightly and so did my fists.


    <i>''Who?''</i>


    Even I was starting to question this.


    But it all stopped by a sudden voice.


    "Who... are you?"


    I turned my head to see a young girl with long ck hair standing not so far from where I was. Her appearance seemed vaguely familiar.


    "....What are you doing in front of my brother''s tomb?"


    Brother...


    I closed my eyes for a brief moment.


    <i>''Right, it''s her.'' </i>


    Eleonora Keh.


    William Keh''s sister and the little girl in the vision.


    I lowered my hat to hide my face.


    "I was just passing by when I saw this ce. It seems like an unfortunate event has happened here."


    "Yes. It''s been over a decade since."


    She walked up to the tombstone and sat down. Then, under my watch, she ced a rug over the stone and started cleaning it.


    The way she cleaned the stone seemed to be extremely thorough. As though she was treating an extremely precious object.


    I broke the silence between us.


    "You must really care about your brother."


    "....Uh?"


    Her movements stopped and she turned to look at me.


    I didn''t mind and continued.


    "How old was he?"


    She was hesitant at first, but ncing at the headstone in front of her, her eyes lowered and she answered.


    "...My brother was just eight then. I was six."


    "You must''ve forgotten about the incident then. So long has happened."


    I could hardly remember anything from back when I was six.


    "No."


    Unexpctantly, Eleonora did.


    "....I remember everything. I''ve never forgotten."


    Perhaps because the topic was brought up, she recalled the events in her mind.


    Her lips pursed, and her arms trembled slightly.


    "I... can never forget that day. It haunts me every day."


    She blinked rapidly to hide her tears.


    But I could see them from where I was.


    "It''s my fault... I-f I hadn''t started to fire... If Mother had taken his hand instead of mine..."


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she started to choke on her words.


    "I shou¡ª"


    "He never resented you."


    I cut her off dryly.


    "Ah...?"


    Her eyes widened.


    "What are y¡ª"


    "Not once."


    I stared at the headstone in front of me.


    He had never once resented his sister for taking the hand.


    ".....He was happy you were safe."


    He resented the idea of her going through something he had had he taken the hand.


    Not that she had taken the hand instead of him.


    "And he''s also happy that you still think about him."


    His mother may have abandoned him.


    But she hadn''t.


    The feelings that boiled within my chest started to ease.


    It no longer felt as suffocating.


    "W-why are you saying this...?"


    Eleonora choked on her words. Her eyes were red, and her hands were trembling. I could see that the events of the past had been eating at her every day as well.


    He wasn''t the only one.


    I smiled then.


    I didn''t need to pretend to be Julien. I could smile now.


    ".....I know because I felt what he felt. It''s part of my ability. I felt it in his soul right now."


    I didn''t mind lying a little.


    Because it was partly true.


    "H-hah..."


    The rug fell and she began to cover her eyes with both hands as tears finally streamed down her face.


    "B-brother... Ah..."


    Her sobs echoed quietly in the surroundings.


    I felt my lips quiver slightly and I looked up at the sky.


    <i>''Neither one resents each other for what happened.''</i>


    <i></i>They truly were...


    Siblings.


    "....."


    I had no obligation to do this. I didn''t feel responsible for his death. I had done what needed to be done to survive.


    But...


    I was also human.


    I needed to do this for myself.


    "T-thank you..."


    Suddenly, I heard a soft whisper.


    For some reason, it hit my feelings. I had a hard time grasping the meaning behind her words of gratitude, but I soon understood.


    For over a decade...


    She med herself for his death.


    Thinking that his death was because of her. That he resented her for it.


    ....And for someone to tell her the opposite. Even if it was a lie.


    "Haaa..."


    Staring at the sky, the weight that pressed down on my chest disappeared.


    What reced it was a lighter feeling.


    A warm and embracing one.


    I didn''t understand it well, but I let myself sink into the feeling.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Joy] EXP + 4%

 Chapter 61: A little closure [2]

    <h4>Chapter 61: A little closure [2]</h4>


    It was a quiet journey back to the Academy.


    I allowed myself to sink into my thoughts, gazing nkly at the shifting scenery outside the window of the moving train.


    Before I knew it, the sun had started to set and I was finally back at the Academy.


    I took in my surroundings before finally heading for the dorms.


    The walk wasn''t very long. About a five-minute walk. The surroundings were quiet, and I basked in the silence that surrounded me.


    It felt oddly peaceful.


    That was until...


    "....."


    I passed a certain figure and I found my steps pausing.


    I turned around and our eyes met. Long tinum hair, red eyes, and a face that one wouldn''t forget even if they tried.


    "What?"


    Kiera Mylne.


    She looked at me with her usual scowl.


    "Tsk."


    Then, with a click of her tongue, she tapped the cigarette in her hand against the ground.


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª</i>


    "Happy now?"


    ".....I didn''t say anything."


    I was starting to learn to not let such things bother me. While the smell that lingered in the air still made me feel nauseous, I was starting to learn to take it.


    I had no right to force someone to do something against their will.


    "Pftt."


    But Kiera didn''t seem to think the same way as me.


    "Your fucking expression says it all."


    "Does it...?"


    And here I thought I had kept my expression firm.


    "...Tsk."


    She clicked her tongue again and flicked the cigarette away.


    "Whatever, I don''t feel like smoking anymore. You''ve ruined the mood for that."


    "....."


    I didn''t say anything to that.


    All I did was pause for a second and suddenly she lost all interest in smoking.


    That was on her not me.


    "Oh, right."


    Kiera paused all of a sudden as she recalled something. Rummaging through the pocket of her skirt, she took out something and tossed it to me.


    "Here. I think this is yours."


    I caught it with one hand and looked at it.


    "What is this?"


    It appeared to be a torn shoulder pad.


    Was this...


    "It''s yours."


    It sounded like she was quite certain of it.


    "I saw you when you wereing back from the expedition. You were missing a shoulder pad. I found it in an area where a lot of monsters were killed. Gruesome shit."


    "....."


    I remained quiet and took my gaze away from the shoulder pad and back to her.


    "You know what''s crazy?"


    "....."


    "The injuries of the monsters I found coincide with that guy''s death. You know, that Weasel guy?"


    Weasel guy?


    "Wesley."


    "Ah, right. Yeah, that guy."


    She traced her thumb across her neck.


    "Clean as shit. Never seen anything quite like it. Well, I did. The wound looked eerily simr to the ones from the monsters I found the shoulder pad in"


    I knew then what she was trying to imply and I felt my muscles grow tense. Though I didn''t show it outwardly, Kiera still smiled. It was as if she could read my inner thoughts.


    I thought she was going to push things further from there, but surprisingly, she didn''t.


    "Whatever though. None of my business."


    Yawning, she stretched her body.


    "None of my fucking business. Was just saying."


    Then, as if the conversation had never happened, she left.


    "...."


    I stood in silence for a brief moment before staring at the shoulder pad in my hand. I thought this before, but she really was a...


    "Crazy bitch."


    ***


    <i>nk¡ª</i>


    Darkness engulfed the room as the door closed. Kiera blinked twice before reaching for the switch and turning the light on.


    The dark.


    She didn''t like the dark.


    The moment the light came on she felt her chest lighten.


    ".....Ah."


    She looked at her room. It was extremely clean. Contrary to her messy appearance, Kiera liked to keep things organized. If even the slightest thing was disorganized, she''d lose focus over everything and would think about it all day.


    It was something she was born with.


    "Uh..."


    She had just taken a step into her room when she noticed something.


    Fiddling with her pockets, she smacked her head.


    "Fuck."


    Without hesitation, she rushed towards one of the drawers in the room and opened it.


    <i>nk¡ª</i>


    But there was nothing inside.


    <i>nk¡ª</i>


    The same was true for the drawers beneath.


    <i>nk¡ª</i>


    They werepletely empty.


    "Fuuuuck."


    She...


    Had run out of cigarettes.


    And it was toote for her to get any because it wasn''t the weekend yet.


    "...."


    Kiera slumped down on her bed and nkly stared at the ceiling. She was fucked. Royally fucked. Cigarettes were like medicine to her... They were what kept her panic attacks from urring.


    Without them, she was...


    "Fuck, it''s all that bastard''s fault."


    No, it wasn''t.


    But she wanted to me someone. At the very least, it would make her feel better.


    "Haaa..."


    Julien Dacre Evenus. He was like a piece of wood. His expression was hard to read. She had been sure about her usations. That it was not an ident. He was the one who had killed Weasel.


    On the outside, he appeared to be a victim just like him, but Kiera was confident of her conjecture.


    "But who am I to care...?"


    It was none of her business to begin with.


    All nobles were like that. Rotten on the inside.


    She wasn''t one to rat out people like that. Especially since the evidence she gathered wasn''t going to hold up well.


    It was just...


    Interesting.


    "....He''s stronger than he lets out."


    Right, he was the ck Star. The number one ranked amongst the first years. However, it was a general consensus within the first years that he was weak outside of his Emotive skills.


    His progression analysis results proved that to be the case and a reason why there was doubt about his involvement in Weasel''s death.


    Kiera thought so too.


    But...


    As she recalled the images she''d witnessed back in the mirror dimension, she found herself smirking.


    "What a load of bullshit."


    The guy was a snake.


    There was more to what he let on than people thought. For what reason was he hiding his strength, she wasn''t sure.


    Nor did she particrly care.


    So long as he didn''t involve her in his bullshit she was going to not care.


    Still, it was an interesting thought.


    "Julien."


    Mumbling his name, Kiera closed her eyes.


    "....You owe me one."


    ***


    The next day.


    While Leon was waiting for the Professor toe.


    "How many funghi did we manage to collect?"


    "About seven."


    Evelyn and Aoife were busy discussing the splits of their finds.


    "Seven...? That would mean that there''s one in excess."


    "Hmmm. We would''ve been even if he..."


    Evelyn paused there, but the meaning behind her words was clear. Had Wesley still been alive, then all shares would''ve been equal.


    The only problem was that he wasn''t.


    Aoife, while staring at the mushrooms disyed on the table, suddenly turned her head and asked,


    "What do you think?"


    "I don''t know. I''ll think about itter."


    ss was about to start soon.


    "Right."


    Aoife frowned before nodding her head. Then, recalling something, she quietly asked,


    "There''s work experience next week. Have you selected which ce you want to go to?"


    "....I''m a knight."


    Leon answered tly.


    Of all the people present, he was the only one who didn''t need to attend the mandatory work experience that everyone had to attend.


    Why?


    Because he was already working.


    "Ah, right."


    Aoife turned her head to briefly stare at the front where a lonesome figure sat.


    As always, he was by himself. He was staring at the front with no particr expression.


    "Is it tough to be his knight?"


    The question attracted the attention of those around.


    They all seemed somewhat curious.


    Leon thought about the answer. Had it been before, he would''ve answered yes without a doubt, but the current Julien...


    "Yes."


    Right, the current Julien was different.


    However, the two of them still needed to keep their act.


    "Doesn''t surprise me."


    Aoife deliberately sighed.


    "Oh, looks like the ss is full~"


    A middle-ageddy entered the ssroom all of a sudden. She was tall, and despite her aging features, she still was quite beautiful.


    Professor Bridgette. In charge of today''s ss, [Understanding of Spells], the students favored her due to her bubbly personality.


    Arriving by the podium at the front, she set her files down and cleared her throat.


    "Before we start the lecture, I have an announcement that I want to make. Please pay attention."


    Her words seemed to have had an effect as the ss quieted down. She smiled as a result and continued.


    "As you may know, in a month the Guild Lantern Festival will begin."


    Leon''s eyes narrowed upon hearing the name of the event.


    His body slightly tensed as his gaze wandered to Aoife who was staring at the front with a straight face.


    <i>''Looks like there isn''t much time left.'' </i>


    Something big was going to happen on that day.


    And it was something that directly involved Aoife. He was sure of it.


    "A lot of important figures will being, and we must set a good impression on them."


    The Guild Lantern Festival was an academy-wide event that was hosted by the academy each year and invited all the top officials from the fifteen major guilds.


    They weren''t the only people that were set toe as celebrities and important figures were also set to attend.


    It was a ''must attend'' event that couldn''t be missed.


    "Outside of thebat analysis that will take ce, I''ve discussed it with the other departments and we''ve got several events that you can take part in for extra credits."


    The ssroom immediately became rowdy at that. In order to pass the first year, one had to umte a total of 110 credits.


    Each ss held different weights. For example, this ss held about 8 credits. And they could only be umted through passing the examinations.


    It was tough to collect credits.


    It was also for this reason that the eyes of the many people in the ss lit up at the mention of possible credits.


    Even Leon felt his back straighten.


    "The events are as follows."


    Unfurling a piece of paper, Professor Bridgette began to read.


    "Food preparation. Your job will be to host a stand and sell food that you produced."


    Leon shook his head.


    Wasn''t very interested.


    <i>Thump! </i>


    "Hm?"


    He turned his head to see Aoife sweating. She seemed to be ring in a particr direction. Following her line of sight, he was surprised to see her looking at Julien.


    "Hm?"


    Why...?


    "Next up is y. The Language department is looking for suitable people to carry out a y in English."


    He didn''t pay further attention as the professor continued to list the events.


    That too didn''t sound very interesting.


    Leon felt that his English was decent at best.


    "Next up is Parade. You can help out the seniors who are nning on...."


    "Cultural exchange. Create or bring some products of your hometown to share with..."


    "Children''s activities. There will be a lot of younger..."


    The list went on and the more Leon listened the more he shook his head.


    Parade? Didn''t care.


    Cultural Exchange? The Evenus Barony hardly had any cultural products.


    Children Activities? He already had a hard time dealing with Julien.


    There wasn''t anything that was suitable for him.


    He frowned.


    <i>''Should I just choose something easy...?'' </i>


    At this rate, it would be his only option.


    Or so he thought.


    "Talent activity. Disy your talent at the theater. From special talent, to even a stand-up routine...."


    From the corner of his eyes, Leon caught a glimpse of Julien''s figure.


    He had been rather calm the entire time while listening to the events. However, the moment the ''stand-up routine'' was mentioned, his body twitched.


    It was as if he was nning something.


    "....It can''t be."


    Leon unconsciously muttered those words out loud.


    "Leon?"


    Enough to warrant the attention of Evelyn who was close to him.


    But he didn''t care.


    No, he couldn''t care.


    "It''s an event that''s hosted by theedy club, but they didn''t specify who can participate. So long as you want to participate, you can sign up and..."


    Julien''s head raised again.


    "Oh, no..."


    Leon felt his body grow cold and the hair at the back of his neck stood.


    "If anybody is in¡ª"


    Bang¡ª!


    "Leon!?"


    Leon found himself standing abruptly.


    He could feel the gazes of everyone in the ssroom directed his way. But he didn''t care. He stared straight at the professor who tilted her head at him.


    "Theedian part..."


    Leon slowly started to say as his gaze lowered to meet Julien''s.


    Julien wore an expression that seemed to say, ''You? Aedian? What joke is this...?''


    Leon felt even more reassured about his decision as he firmly gripped the side of the desk and muttered through his clenched teeth.


    "...I''ll do it."


    For the sake of everyone present.


    "The stand-up. I''ll do it."

 Chapter 62 Spells [1]

    62 Spells [1]


    ''Has this guy lost it...?''


    Such were the thoughts of everyone in the ssroom as they stared at Leon who had abruptly stood up at the opportunity of bing the stand-up for the talent show. I shared simr thoughts with the others. ''This guy is biting more than he can chew.''


    Whatedian? He hardly even changed his expression. Furthermore, he always seemed to be against my jokes.


    With someone who had no sense of humor, how could he even be aedian?


    "Are there any objections?"


    The ss was quiet from that point. Nobody seemed to have any objections. Mainly because it was Leon who had volunteered. One could argue his voice held more weight than mine. On the other side of the ssroom, Professor Bridgette seemed shocked by Leon''s sudden decision to take part in the role.


    But she was quickly delighted.


    "If it''s you, then it would be amazing! With your reputation and look, the seats will be filled in no time."


    "¡­.Ah, yes."


    Leon nodded. Was it just me or did it seem somewhat awkward?


    ''Wait¡­?''


    A sudden thought crossed me and I felt my brows furrow.


    I turned to look at the professor who was mumbling to herself.


    "Yeah, this is great¡­ I''ll let the organizers know so that they can put it on the list¡­"


    "Professor."


    I interrupted her thoughts. All of a sudden I felt the eyes of all present directed towards me.


    "Julien? Is there something you''d like to add?"


    "Yes."


    I nodded and turned to look at Leon whose eyes started to widen slightly.


    "¡­..I''m just a little skeptical. Is he capable of making jokes? I would like to hear something fro¡ª"


    Snap¡ª


    I was interrupted by a small snapping sound. When I turned to look, I noticed that the pen in Leon''s hand had snapped in half.


    His expression remained the same. "Leon¡­?"


    When Professor Bridgette addressed him, his expression changed a little as he looked at his pen.


    "It snapped."


    "I can see that."


    "A mystery."


    The fuck is this guy on about?


    He was about to say something else when she cut him off.


    "But Julien has a point. Do you have anything to share? A small sample?"


    I added fuel to the fire.


    "I''d be willing to take his ce if he doesn''t wa¡ª"


    Snap¡ª!


    The pen snapped into smaller pieces.


    "I''ll do it."


    I held onto my stomach. It was cramping for some reason.


    "Kh."


    "That''s great."


    The Professor seemed even more excited. p¡ª! p¡ª! She pped twice to gather the attention of everyone in the ss. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "If everyone would quiet down for a second. I''d like us to hear a sample."


    The ssroom fell silent then. With all eyes on Leon, he stood rigidly on his spot.


    I too looked at him.


    I was curious. He seemed to always trash my jokes. How much better were his jokes to think that? "I¡­"


    He silently swallowed before looking around. Then, clenching his fists, he lowered his head to mumble something.


    "¡­do¡­ call¡­ fish¡­ eyes¡­"


    Given how low his voice was, it was hard to understand what he was trying to say.


    "I couldn''t quite catch that. What did you say?"


    "¡­.."


    I watched as Leon''s jaw tensed under the Professor''s words. Then, as if he has resigned himself to his fate, he spoke,


    "What do you call a fish with no eyes?"


    It couldn''t be¡­


    "¡­..fsh."


    "¡­."


    "¡­.."


    The entire ss was engulfed in a strange silence as the eyes of all those present widened.


    The way some people looked at Leon changed. Especially Professor Bridgette who seemed taken aback. Leon on the other hand tried his best to keep his expression straight. "Hmm."


    In the silence that ensued after he said his joke, I found myself frowning intensely. I felt a sudden sense of crisis. This guy...


    "¡­He stole my joke."


    What bullshit. It was one of my favorites too. "Ah, this..." Following the awkward silence that plunged the ssroom, Professor Bridgette forced a smile.


    "Well, it was a great attempt." Her words also seemed rather forced. "Ehm, so... I''ll talk to theedy club. We''ll.. ah, see how things will go from there. I''ll let you know then, okay?"


    "...Yes." Leon quietly nodded his head before sitting down. I took a moment to look around me. Everyone was staring at Leon withplicated expressions. It was as though they couldn''t believe he had actually done what he did. I was taken aback. ''Was the joke not good...?'' "Ah." And then I understood. Delivery. ".....He messed up his delivery." Snap¡ª! * The ss proceeded from there. For now, Professor Bridgette left the festival selection list by the podium saying something along the lines of, ''We''ll figure this outter... I''ll talk with the other departments. You cane fill it up whenever you want. Even after ss.'' Nobody brought up the situation since. The ss began. "Spells. What do we know about spells?" A hand raised immediately the moment the Professor asked the question. I didn''t need to turn to know who it was. "Aoife." Who else would it be but her? With ster grades in almost everything, she would''ve been the ck Star if not for me and Leon. "As we know, there are five stages to a spell. Beginner, intermediate, advanced, superior, and perfected." "Yes, and what else?" "The difference among spell categories lies in the number of runes each possesses. Beginner spellsprise twelve runes, while intermediate spells include eighteen. Advanced spells entail twenty-four runes. Superior spells contain thirty runes, and finally, perfected spells consist of precisely forty runes."


    I paid close attention to the words that were being said. Although I knew it, it was still important. "Correct." Professor Bridgette pped enthusiastically. "As expected of you Aoife. Well done." Just then, when I turned around, faintly, I saw the corner of Aoife''s lips pull up. She tried to hide it, but it was obvious that she was happy with the praise. It was kind of cute. "Now then..." The lecture continued. "Since everyone already knows the basics, I''ll ask a different question." Professor Bridgette looked around the ssroom. "Who here can tell me the requirements for learning an intermediate spell and up?" A hand raised up again. It was Aoife again. "....Aoife." "The requirement corresponds to your tier."


    She went on to give a detailed exnation. "An Apprentice is restricted to learning beginner-type spells due to their low mana capacity. A Master Mage can advance to learning Intermediate ranked spells. High wizards are eligible for advanced-ranked spells. Arch-Wizards have ess to superior ranked spells, while only a Monarch can harness a Perfected ranked spell."


    I frowned all of a sudden. There was something about her exnation that didn''t quite make sense to me. Her next words served to prove that. "It''s crucial not to waste too much time learning too many spells. After all, mastering even one spell requires a significant investment of time, and as you progress, the number of spells you''ll need to learn only increases." What sort of... I felt my brows furrow further. A lot of the information that was being said I knew. However, it wasn''t as though I knew everything. I had been learning a lot of stuff, but not everything. That was why I suddenly raised my hand. There was something that was bugging me. "Julien? Do you have a question?" ".....I do." Sorting out my thoughts, I suddenly asked. "Can spells be upgraded?" The thing was... I actually was already capable of using an intermediate-ranked spell. [Sadness]


    At tier 1, I was still an apprentice-ranked mage. To be a Master Mage I needed to reach Tier 3. Was it just because the Emotive Field was different? But then... Hands of Mdy ¡ª Lvl. 1 [18%]


    Chains of kantria ¡ª Lvl. 1 [0%] Why...? Why was there a Lvl. 1 written beside the two spells? No, all my spells...? Could it be... "Upgrade a spell?" My thoughts were broken by the Professor who tilted her head and looked at me strangely. She wasn''t the only one who looked at me like that. Half of the ss was. Some were frowning, while others were looking at me weirdly. I knew the answer then. But the Professor continued. "....It''s not possible. You can''t upgrade a spell from beginner to intermediate. As you know, spells have different sets of runes. All runes are connected and form a perfect bnce. Adding more would simply destroy the spell." "Ah." I unknowingly let out a strange sound. It suddenly struck me then. My spells... "I see, thank you." I could upgrade them. ''This..." I felt my heart race at the thought and all noise from my surroundings drowned out. ''I didn''t pay much attention to it because of everything else that I was learning, but my spells..... they can be upgraded. And I''m the only one that can do it...''


    What did that mean? Why me? And what would happen if the spells upgraded? Would they change to a fundamental level, or would they remain the same but stronger?


    The sadness spell went from only working when touching to working with just my voice.


    What would happen if it were upgraded further?


    "Huh." The thought suddenly made my breath feel heavier. I quietly called up the status window to look, and another thought suddenly crossed me. Would it be possible for me to learn intermediate-ranked spells as an Apprentice? If so... I silently gulped. p¡ª! p¡ª! It was the sudden sound of hands being pped that broke me out of my thoughts and I looked up. Professor Bridgette was smiling, looking at the clock on the right side of the ssroom. "We''ve got thirty minutes left to ss. I think that''s enough for me today. I''ll give you the remaining thirty minutes to practice your spells for yourself. I''ll be observing from here, and if you have any questions feel free to ask me." She went on to sort out several documents at the podium. I stared at her figure for a few seconds before lowering my head. There was still a spell I hadn''t unlocked.


    [Chains of kantria] I had been at it for the past month and failed each time. I could practice [Hands of Mdy] to push it to intermediate, but after thinking about it, I discarded the thought. That process was going to take time. On the other hand,I was almost able to unlock myst spell.


    I could feel it. "....."


    Taking a look at the time and Professor, I decided to immerse myself in my spell. It was time I finally learned this spell. *** It''s unfortunate that I have to go premium. This is a message for those who are considering buying priv. Please don''t. At least, not until the end of the month. There''s only 5 days left in the month, and I wouldn''t want you to waste your money.

 Chapter 63 Spells [2]

    63 Spells [2]


    The thirty minutes we had at our disposal flew by faster than I had anticipated.


    Tzzzz¡ª!


    Immersed in my practice, I barely heard the Professor''s words.


    "Would you look at that? The ss has ended. You may leave if you wish to. If there are any questions you can ask me. I''ll be here for a few more minutes." She went on to press her hand against the podium. "If you haven''t by now, please put your name on the list. I''ll leave it here for today. I''ll be here to collect it tomorrow morning."


    The ss became rowdy then, and it was only once I heard the noise that I fully realized it was the end of the ss. "Hua¡­ I''m so tired~"


    "Tell me about it. Good thing I don''t have anything after this. I think I''ll go eat something at the canteen."


    "Oh, I''ll join you."


    "Ah, right. Before we leave let''s sign up for the event." "Alright." I frowned and looked up.


    The conversations were disrupting my concentration. I sighed then and leaned back on the chair.


    I thought back on what I managed to aplish in ss.


    And¡­


    ''¡­..Not much progress.''


    I was still stuck at eleven runes. I hardly aplished anything in the thirty minutes that were given to me.


    Thest rune simply just refused to connect.


    Unlikest time though, I was able to learn to manage my frustration. The more well-learned I was about an emotion, the more I could control it.


    For this reason, I wasn''t disheartened. Having already experienced the intense frustration that came with failure, it took a lot more than this to get me frustrated. "Hmmm."


    I looked at my timetable.


    There was no other ss that I needed to attend.


    "Should I¡­.?"


    I looked around me. The noise in the ssroom was starting to quiet down. The ce was big, and I felt more refreshed staying here. Since I didn''t feel like going back, I decided to stay behind and practice more.


    As the ss started to empty, I felt the gazes of the other cadets on me as they left, probably wondering why I was still there. It felt a little disturbing, so I waited for all of them to leave before resuming my practice.


    Only then did I feel at peace and once again started to practice. Rune One¡ªRune Two¡ªRune Three¡­


    This time...


    "....I''m going to seed." ***


    In life, there were highs and lows that one experienced. It was something that came with age. The older one got, the higher the chances of them experiencing a low. Leon today experienced a low.


    "What the hell was that¡­?"


    Feeling Evelyn''s gaze, he found himself turning his head away from her. She was the only one who even bothered to stay back to talk to him. Everyone else just left. "Did you seriously think that was funny?" "Ah." Leon pursed his lips. How could he tell her that he had no jokes prepared and panicked? The only reason he had volunteered in the first ce was to stop Julien from joining. He hadn''t expected Julien to retaliate like that. "...." Leon frowned and found himself clenching his fists. If only he had been ready... He wouldn''t have used Julien''s joke had he been ready. Though¡­


    "Heh."


    He felt his stomach cramp a little recalling the face Julien made when he stood up to volunteer. The look of hurt and betrayal on his face¡­


    "Hehe."


    It made him chuckle unknowingly. All until he felt a certain gaze. It bore through his face and stung quite a lot. "You¡­"


    As expected. A horrified Evelyn met his gaze. Her face was pale, and she took several steps back. "Don''t tell¡­"


    "No."


    Leon cut her off and tried to exin himself. ''I wasughing at the face Julien made.''


    But stopped himself from speaking. How exactly could he say that...? Misunderstanding his inner struggle, Evelyn took another step back as realization dawned on her. "So you really didugh at Julien''s joke back then."


    "Uh...?" Evelyn''s face scrunched up. She seemed to want to say something but stopped and sighed.


    "Promise me something, Leon. Just¡­ don''t sign up for the stand-up. I don''t know why you want to do it, but you''re just not fit for it."


    Before he even had the chance to say anything, Evelyn left. The only thing he could remember as she left was the disappointment in her face as she looked at him.


    It... "Haaa..." At that moment, Leon raised his head to stare at the tall ceiling.


    There was only one thought that ran through his mind then.


    "¡­..I saved them."


    Yeah.


    He was a hero. ***


    Late into the evening.


    It was already dark outside and the training grounds were empty. Mostly.


    nk¡ª¡ª!


    Arge metallic noise resounded throughout the expansive grounds as arge ck box dropped on the ground with a loud sound.


    The surroundings shook slightly as it bounced on the hard ground. Drip...! Drip.


    The sound was apanied by the patter of sweat dropping and the sound of heavy breaths. "Haaa¡­ Haa..."


    Aoife stared at the box in front of her with a pale face.


    "Fifty kilograms¡­" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    That was her current limit. It was the heaviest her telekinesis powers could go up to. However, it was meaningless.


    While it was indeed the heaviest she could go, her control was not there.


    35kg was herfort weight. The weight where she could freely control the box. It wasn''t much, but as a borderline Master Mage, this was her limit.


    Any more and she would lose all control. That would mean she''d only be able to lift the item, but not move it. Drip! Drip¡­!


    Sweat continued to drip down her face as she brushed her hair away from her face. It was sticky from all the sweat.


    ".....I think it''s time." Aoife checked the time. It was 10 P.M, almost curfew time. ''Right, I need to fill in the form.''


    The one for the festival. Her original n was to do it after dinner, but she had been so immersed in her training that she forgot. "Hopefully, the list is still there."


    It should be.


    She was just about to clean up when her pocket vibrated. Frowning, she reached into it and took out a small orb. Her brows immediately jumped up and she hastily tapped onto the orb. An illusionary face appeared. A handsome man with short red hair and distinctive yellow eyes appeared. "Brother?" He was none other than her brother, Gael K. Megrail. Immediately, Aoife cleared her throat and fixed her hair. It was something she did unconsciously. "Is there a reason for why you''ve called me?" ¡ªIs there a reason for me to call my little sister?


    An all-familiar smile greeted her. Aoife attempted to smile back but found herself unable to.Especially when she noticed how pale his expression was.


    Her fists clenched. 21:20


    ¡ªHaha, I''m fine. What are you so worried about?


    He raised his right arm and flexed. ¡ªMy mana may be sealed, but my body isn''t. Look at this! All Aoife saw was a skinny arm. There was hardly any muscle.


    She forced a smile again. "Looks good..." ¡ªOh,e on. I can tell you''re lying.


    "I''m not." He cocked his head. ¡ªIt''s obvious.


    "It''s not. "


    Aoife insisted while trying to keep her face straight. ¡ªHaaa... What am I going to do with you? In the end, he resigned himself and sighed.


    ¡ªFine, you win. You weren''t lying.


    "Yes." Aoife finally found a small smile. However, it didn''tst for very long. Especially when she took note of his cheeks which had started to sunken. ''....Brother.'' She secretly bit her lips. He hadn''t always been like this. There had been a time when he was the center of attention. The crown prince and the next in line for the throne. If only... Her fists clenched tightly and an image appeared in her mind. With an arrogance that was fitting of someone of her talent, she stood before her father. ''Seal his mana.'' He, the Emperor of the Empire, could do nothing but helplessly stare at her. Her talent was too dazzling.


    The stronghold her family had was starting to shatter. A new power started to emerge and they could do nothing about it.


    ''Remember. I know my worth. If you want to keep me in this Empire then you''re better off meeting my demands. You can try eliminating me now, but I doubt you''ll be able to. When the timees, I''ll join another Empire.''


    Even now she could recall her arrogant voice as it echoed throughout the halls of the royal pce.


    ''I''m not being unreasonable. I just want to see howmitted you are in wanting to keep me. Suppress his mana just as you did to themoners. Do it for five years and you''ll have my loyalty.'' A figure stepped up. ''I''ll do it, father. Please let me do it.'' Aoife clenched her fists.


    She had only been fifteen then. Three years had passed since, and every day those memories haunted her.


    She remembered everything. From the helpless expression of her father to the resigned look of her brother who, despite being more talented than her, had no choice but to stop practicing mana for the next five years.


    Five years didn''t sound like much, however, for someone like her brother who had arge mana pool, sealing his mana was equivalent to crippling him. His body which was ustomed to the high mana started to fail him, resulting in his current condition. ¡ªCough...! Cough! "Brother!"


    Aoife''s face changed. ¡ªCough... I''m fine. Don''t worry. It''s just... the usual. However, seeing how adamant her brother was, she could only bite her lips and watch as he held a tissue next to his mouth. ¡ªAnyways... cough... I just wanted to see how you were doing at the institute. Seeing your current state, you must''ve been training. I guess I won''t take any more of your time. "Ah, no it''s fine." ¡ªJust do your thing. Call me whenever you need something. "...." ¡ªOh, and... He paused to look at her. Aoife met his gaze back. ¡ª....Don''t resent your father for the decision. It''s something I agreed to do as well. Aoife frowned.


    ¡ªJust focus on yourself and don''t think about revenge. She... isn''t someone you are capable of catching up to. "...." Aoife clenched her teeth tightly. She was just about to rebuke him when his face disappeared.


    ¡ªRemember my words. Make sure you eat well and don''t resent father too much! Thest thing Aoife saw was his smiling face. "...." Silence plunged her surroundings as she stood in the training grounds without saying a word. "Haaa..." In the end, all she could do was let out a long sigh. "....As if I can forgive him." her father...


    He was just as guilty as she was. That much was clear to her.

 Chapter 64 Work Experience [1]

    64 Work Experience [1]


    Cleaning up after herself, Aoife headed straight for the Dorset Hall. There were several activities that she had in mind for the festival, but in the end, she settled for the ''Guide'' position.


    Her job was rather simple.


    All she had to do was guide people around the Academy campuses. It was an important position. One that many coveted. With many important figures attending, the ''Guide'' was the role that enabled cadets to interact with them. Of course, Aoife didn''t need such a position given her background. However, it was also because of her background that she feltpelled to do this job. She was, after all, acquainted with most of the attending people. It wouldn''t hurt to choose it. "It should be this ssroom." Her feet stopped in front of a familiar door. The corridors were empty, and it was pretty dark. Reaching for the door, she opened it and prepared to enter when she stopped. "Mh?" Drip...! Drip...! A certain dripping sound caught her attention and when she looked inside to see where it wasing from, her eyes shot open. "Almost..." Off by the far end of the ssroom, a familiar figure sat. His back was straight, and his facial features could only be described as ''wless''. He was a man Aoife struggled to understand, as he rarely disyed any expressions.


    "....Again." Here he was, sitting in the middle of the ssroom, wearing a different expression than his usually stoic one. His focus was on his hand where a set of runes were floating in the air. They were slowly interconnecting with each other to form a circle. ''Is he trying to unlock a spell...?''


    That was what it seemed. But...


    "Why is he bleeding?" Unlocking a spell wasn''t that difficult. At the very least, it wouldn''t need someone to force themselves to the point of bleeding. As she counted the number of runes, she was also sure that it wasn''t an intermediate-ranked spell. ''He''s struggling with unlocking a beginner rank spell...?''


    Was that even possible? Tzzzzz¡ª! Aoife frowned after witnessing the circle shatter. Drip...! More blood dripped down from his nose. ''Is this the limit to his talent?'' It wasn''t as though she didn''t expect this, but it was somewhat disappointing given the many surprises he had given her. She thought he was going to stop there, but... "Again." He continued. "Uh? ....Is he crazy?" Aoife felt her eyes widen. Staring at his arms which were trembling, his pale face, and bleeding nose, Aoife forgot all about her goal and stood rooted behind the door. She started to grow curious all of a sudden. For how long was he going to keep this up? "Again..." Another circle shattered. Drip...! Drip...! More blood dripped down from his nose. His usually stoic expression was reced by one of pure focus and determination. It was as if he was apletely different person than how he normally showed himself. "Again." Regardless of how many times he failed, he''d wipe his nose and continue. It was as if he didn''t care at all about himself. Even as his entire body trembled, and his eyes turned bloodshot, he continued. The only thing he could mutter seemed to be, ''again''.


    "....Crazy. Lunatic." It was all Aoife could think about when staring at him. She couldn''t understand why he was putting himself through such trouble. And yet... Even though she thought all of that, she found herself unable to tear her gaze off of him. There was something about his current appearance that struck her deeply. "....." Time continued to pass. "Again. Failure became the norm, and blood continued to drip down his nose. Even so, Aoife continued to watch in silence as he tried each time.


    Even as he failed, he continued to try. "Again." Nothing changed. He still failed. And just as she thought he was going to fail again, something happened. ".....!" Bang¡ª


    Julien abruptly stood up. He stared at his hand where a magic circle formed. "I..." An expression she had never seen him make before. A smile she had never thought was possible. "Hahaha." Andugh that she never thought he was capable of making.


    Aoife stood dumbfounded in her spot.


    Taking in his expression, she unknowingly found herself mumbling something under her breath. "....So he can make a face like that too?" *** "I... did it...." I stared at thepleted circle resting on my hand. I couldn''t believe it... ....I had actually done it. "Hahaha." Iughed. I didn''t know why Iughed, but I just did.


    Drip...! Feeling my nose run again, I wiped the blood away and finally started to pack up. I looked around and saw that it waspletely dark outside. How long...? "Shit." I checked my watch and realized it was almost past curfew. I hastily packed up my stuff and dashed to the dorms. Even as I returned back to the dorm, I was still shaken by the sudden development. I hadn''t expected myself to seed. I had grown so used to failure that when sess dide, all I felt was bafflement. "...." I looked at my hand and a purple magic circle was slowly starting to form. The mana inside of my body started to drain at a rapid pace but I didn''t mind it as something was starting to form in my hand. nk. nk. nk. A peculiar metallic rattle resounded as purple chains began to materialize within the grasp of my hand.


    nk¡ª¡ª! The process took no longer than several seconds and by the time all was said and done, I found myself holding a long chain. "....." I stared at the chains with a frown. "How does this work?" I closed my eyes for a moment and followed the link that connected my mind to the chain. In the darkness of my vision, all I saw was a long purple line. It was bent in a ''¡É'' shape. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Hmm." Finding the connection, my brows twitched and my hand shook slightly. nk...! nk...! The chains started to move.


    At my will, they followed everything my mind told them to do. They could both lengthen and shorten at mymand. However, the mana consumption for such a move was rather high. Frowning, I settled for just the right length. About the size of my arm. I opened my eyes and stared at my arm where the chains were coiling. "....." I clenched my hand into a fist. The chains glowed a strange purple hue. I knew from the description of the spell that it had a simr effect to [Hands of Mdy] in the sense that it weakened an opponent upon contact. However, unlike [Hands of Mdy] it wasn''t a long-range skill. I slowly clenched my fist and stared at the chains coiling my arm. I started to think about all the possibilities that came with the skill when I suddenly felt lightheaded. "....Ah, right." The chain shattered and I sat down on my bed. "Huu." The mana expenditure was no joke. Just a few minutes and I was already low on mana. "I guess I''ll put it off for now." My mind was not in the right state of mind to figure the skill out. I nned on leaving it for tomorrow. There was something else that I needed to pay particr attention to at the moment.


    I reached out to grab a paper from the desk and stared at it. "Work Experience." Who would''ve thought I''d be looking for a job again? Work Experience. It was a mandatory event that we needed to take part in ording to the Professors. It was an event that was supposed tost for a week, and depending on our performance, credits would be awarded to us. ".....Looks like I have to do it." I needed as many credits as possible.


    My knowledge was rather ''primitive''pared to the other cadets. Coupled with the amount of time I spent each day training, I hardly had enough time to study. I tried my best, but...


    "It''s not enough." I was desperate for credits. ".....What should I choose?" The list wasn''t very long. About a single page with over thirty listings. I was just about to go through the list when the world around me froze. ''Uh?''


    I lost my voice and a familiar feeling gripped me. ''A vision....? All of a sudden?'' No, when did they ever have a good time? They always came randomly and when I least expected them to. I sighed and embraced the iing vision. "It was a disaster." An unfamiliar voice echoed, and my surroundings started to change. It was dark, and the air felt damp. ''A room...?'' Why would... "How many have managed to escape?" "Five in total. Two Extreme-risk, one High-risk, and two low-risk." Escaped? Five...? Extreme risk, high risk, low risk? The information, while scattered, did make sense in some way. My surroundings started to be clearer as I found myself inside an empty prison cell. It was just as I expected it. This was a prison. Two people stood by the cell looking around. Wearing simr uniforms, they were probably rather high-up in the prison system. "Haaa... This is a fucking mess. Central has been calling non-stop demanding some answers. The same is true for Haven." Haven...? Why would Haven... "Ten cadets died in the escape. They''re demanding answers. I don''t me them. They were here for work experience, and nothing should''ve happened considering our reputation, but..." The individual sighed again. "....What an embarrassment. Not only were we unable able to keep our prisoners in check, but we also got students involved in this mess." Students?


    ''Oh god.''


    Realization dawned on me and I felt chest my tighten. A quest wasing, wasn''t it? "How am I supposed to handle this mess? If only¡­"


    He was clearly distressed by the situation, but it wasn''t what I wanted to hear at the moment. I wanted to hear more. More information about the situation. I had a few leads at the moment. The event was set to happen in a week. During the work exchange. It was in a prison, and five inmates escaped. I knew the danger level of the inmates but didn''t know their identity. This...


    It wasn''t enough. I strained my ears to listen more. "Oh, right." With a sudden halt of his steps, one of the guards suddenly looked up. He seemed to have something to say. I strained to listen even more carefully. "One of the prisoners that escaped..." My heart dropped when I noticed a change in my surroundings. No, not yet! The surroundings began to darken, and the guard''s voice started to fade. In that moment, I knew the vision was about to end.


    But I hadn''t heard enough. Not yet! I used every little bit of willpower to strain my ears to listen. Just a little more... A little... "....Wasn''t he a Professor from Haven?" The vision ended there and I found myself back in my room. "Haaa... Haa..." My breath was heavy, and my head felt light. However, thinking back upon the vision, I found the corner of my lips gently pulled up.


    "...I heard it." Thest few words. I had managed to hear them. My vision flickered moments after and a notification appeared. [ ¡ô Side Quest Activated : Prison Escape.]


    : Character Progression + 21% : Game Progression + 3% Failure : Cmity 2 + 7%

 Chapter 65 Work Experience [2]

    65 Work Experience [2]


    I stared at the quest window in silence. 7%... "It''s higher thanst time." Not by much, but there was an increase. What did that mean? Why did the percentage increase? Did it signify that the event affected the second cmity more than the first event would''ve...? "Hm." I frowned and continued to stare at the quest window. [Prison Escape] The goal seemed pretty simple. Stop the prison escape. At least, that was what I thought. However, thinking about my previous quest, I knew that there was probably more to it. The quests... They revolved around the three cmities. "There might be more to it." For now, that was all I knew. It was for this reason that I didn''t do anything rash like tipping the prison about a possible prison break. Even if I did send it anonymously, I doubted they would truly believe my words. And even if they did believe me, who was to say that it was the end goal of the mission...? "I can''t act rashly." At least, not yet. "Hmm..." As I continued to stare at the quest window, a sudden thought broke my attention and I felt my brows jump. "Character progression twenty-three percent." That...


    I hastily looked at my current experience and felt my heart pause. Level :19 [Tier 1 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª[18%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    "This..." With the Blue ranked book and my increasing mastery over it, my rate of progress was about 5% a day. ''If I focus my entire attention on it I might be able to push it to 8 to 9 percent, but that would require I drop everything else and reduce the amount of time I sleep...'' "I''d be able to move to the next tier." The idea caused my heart to beat a little faster. It brought a strange sense of excitement. ording to what I had been told, leaping to the next tier was a monumental stride. My strength would undergo arge change. Not only would my mana capacity increase but so would my control and speed at which I could create the spells. "Haaa..." Thinking about the pains I would go through in theing week, I let out a long breath. I knew it was going to be a painful and boring week for me, but... "I have to do this." It was about time that I progressed to the next tier. I was tired of being stuck at tier 1.


    *** *Puff* Reflected between Kiera''s ruby-red pupils was the orange tip of her cigarette as she sat by the window to stare at the night sky. The moon shined bright, casting a whitend over thend beneath. It felt oddly peaceful. *Puff* Kiera basked in the sight, her red pupils flickering slightly as they fell on the piece of paper by her desk¡ª[Work Experience Selection Program]. There was a long list of possible jobs one could select for the program. Some were easy, and some were hard. It didn''t particrly matter to Kiera though. Since the start, she already had one in mind. ".....Redknap Penitentiary." Two words escaped her lips as she took another drag of the cigarette. As the bitter taste lingered on her tongue and the burn coursed down her throat, she exhaled slowly.


    "Haaa..." She chewed on those words. There was someone waiting for her there. Someone who she hated with every fiber of her being. Even Aoife didn''t stand a chance against her. Just the thought of her made her chest burn with intense hatred. "I''ll kill her." *Puff* With onest drag, Kiera flicked the cigarette away and exhaled, the smoke covering the view in front of her. "....." Her ruby-red eyes gleamed brightly beneath the veil of smoke that covered her face. A frigid coldy hidden beneath those beautiful eyes as she went on to mutter,


    ".....If it''s thest thing I''ll do." *** A week passed without any trouble. "Huaam." Yawning to myself, I stared at the experience bar in front of me. Level :19 [Tier 1 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª[79%]¡ª¡ª100%]


    I felt proud staring at the experience bar in front of me. Having dedicated every little hour that I had to achieve this, I cut down on my sleep and spell training. Though work experience was set tost a whole week, I didn''t think that I would be able to get much time to practice for myself. It was for this reason that I tried my best to get to this point. I didn''t want to take any risks. "Looks like everyone is here." The Professor in charge was someone I was unfamiliar with. He stood tall, with long brown hair framing a chiseled face, and a muscr physique. His hair was somewhat disheveled and he wore azy expression. He looked like someone who didn''t want to be here. No, maybe he really didn''t want to be here. Wearing the same uniform all professors wore, he scanned the group which consisted of about fifty cadets. ''There''s quite a lot.'' I looked around me to scan the faces of all those present. I was looking for either Kiera or Aoife. Whoever was set to be here had to be the second cmity. So who... ".....Eh." I paused to look ahead. Two figures stood out from the rest, and I felt my face stiffen slightly. Right, as if my life was supposed to be easy. Massaging my forehead, I sighed. "They''re both here." Leon too. He had been avoiding me for the entire week for some strange reason. I tried to talk to him several times, but he''d just silently stare at me before leaving. His attitude was confusing.


    So was his appearance here. ''No, not really.'' As the main character, it made sense for him to be present. But why were both Kiera and Aoife present...? There were so many other jobs that they could select, yet almost everyone chose to work at the prison. Was there something that I was missing, or was this just the power that Leon held? ''I guess I just have to be patient.'' I was bound to find the answer sooner orter. With such thought, I looked up at the Professor who had started to speak. "We will now be departing for the penitentiary. We''ve already discussed matters with them, and your role will involve assisting the guards in patrolling the perimeter. Due to safety concerns, you will only be assigned to guard the low-risk areas. Please ensure that you do not provoke any trouble during your time there."


    The Professor''s gaze turned stern. "Don''t be swayed by their words, and do your utmost to avoid interaction with the prisoners. You''re not dealing with ordinary individuals. You''re dealing with scum¡ªpeople who have forsaken their humanity."


    There was an obvious disgust in his tone as he spoke about the prisoners. A bad experience maybe? Or was it that he had been there so many times and seen many things to speak like that? I wasn''t quite sure. But I didn''t pay further attention to his words. My gaze continued to linger between Kiera and Aoife. Between the two of them...


    Who was the second cmity? Wooom¡ª! The gentle humming sound snapped me out of my thoughts, and I turned to see the Professor extending his hand to his right.


    The space in front of him folded, and a gate the same size as him appeared. ''Wait, could that be...?'' "I''ve set up a portal. You can enter from here and you will find yourself in front of the penitentiary. Please enter one at a time." I found my mouth parting slightly at the sight that bore before me. Such a thing was possible?


    No, it made sense for it to exist, but still... ''Can I do that in the future?'' It was a thought that stuck with me even as I lined up behind the other cadets and waited for my turn in line. In the meantime, I overheard the conversation between a few cadets ahead of me. "What do you think?" "I''m kind of scared, I won''t lie. Do you think we''ll get to see the high-security prisoners? There''s quite a few big names in there." "Hu... I''m getting shivers thinking about them." "Haha, what can happen? This is a maximum security prison. There''s no way they can escape." "...." The more I listened, the more I felt the urge to smack my forehead. What the hell was this conversation? Was it just some dialogue written in the script of the game to foreshadow what was set to happen? If so... I wasn''t sure how to feel. Surely, there were better ways, right? "Next." Before I knew it, it was almost my turn. I was just about to step forward when I noticed a figure standing beside the portal. She was staring at it with incredible focus. ''Aoife?'' I stepped near her and asked, ".....Are you not going in?" "Uh?" She looked at me before frowning. "I am." "Oh." I extended my hand. "You can go first." Suddenly, her frown deepened and she made a disgusted expression.


    "What? I don''t need your pity. I can go when I want to." "Uh?" The hell was her problem? 09:52


    "It can''t be that you''re too sca¡ª" "No." She cut me off before I could finish my sentence. I looked at her in surprise. "Really...?" "I said no." Aoife appeared adamant. I nodded. "Then you can go first." "Why should I?" "Because you were ahead of me in line." At that, a vein popped on Aoife''s temple. She stepped back to look at me. "....Like I said, I''ll go when I want to. I don''t need the likes of you to tell me what to do." Her eyes briefly nced at the portal where they shook. It was only slightly, but I caught it. Oh. She really was scared. But how...? Wasn''t she a Princess? Wasn''t something like this normal for her? "Go. Stop wasting everyone''s time." "Alright..." "Good." She appeared satisfied then. "It wasn''t so hard was it?" I was just about to step in when I stopped and frowned. "What?" "Hmm." I continued to stare at the portal with a frown.


    "There''s something..."


    "Something?" It was enough to warrant Aoife''s curiosity as she too looked at the portal. "What? Where¡ªUh!!?" As soon as she turned to gaze at the portal, I pushed her. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Hieek...!" She let out a shriek as her body lurched forward and vanished into the swirling vortex.


    "...." Looking at the Professor who pretended to not have seen a thing, I nodded at him and stepped in. For some reason...


    That felt satisfying.

 Chapter 66 Work Experience [3]

    66 Work Experience [3]


    There wasn''t much that I knew about the penitentiary. The location was undisclosed, and only a select few knew the exact coordinates of the ce. Some spected that it was located in the middle of an ind while others spected it was located inside a mountain range. There were a lot of rumors about the ce, but nobody knew the real location. Wooom¡ª


    I came out of the portal feeling a little wobbly. It felt as though my organs had flipped over. Thankfully, nothing came out of that and I was able to recover rather quickly.


    "....." I looked up to stare ahead. Before us arge wall loomed, stretching across several kilometers. At its forefront, imposing gates greeted our sight, nked by stationed guards.


    ''So this is the entrance of the penitentiary.''


    It was rather imposing. "Follow along... Follow along..." I never had the chance to properly admire them before the Professor''s lethargic voice brought me back. Scratching his head, his eyes drooped slightly. "Let''s get you all registered..." Scratching his hair, he just seemed tired of life. I couldn''t me him. I was feeling the same way. Especially when I felt a pair of eyes burning holes at the back of my head. I paused and looked back. "Get over it." "....." "It was an ident." "An ident?" Aoife, who was ring at me, clenched her teeth and finally spoke. "Do you really expect me to believe that?" "Sure you can. You tripped over your feet." At that, Aoife''s usual nk look showed signs of cracking. She appeared to be on the verge of losing it, but...


    Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her anger and left. "....." ''She''s definitely mad.''


    But... It was worth it. "By the way..." Her steps continued even as I spoke. "....If you''re scared, I can help you out agai-" "Uht!" She ended up tripping on her feet and losing bnce. Just barely, she managed to keep herself from falling face t and recovered rather quickly. Her head flicked back as she red at me. "I wasn''t scared." "Oh." Sure she wasn''t. "Okay." I nodded, ready to leave things be, when suddenly, I felt the back of my zer get pulled, and her face appeared inches away from mine. Like a wild animal, she bared her teeth at me.


    "I. was. not. scared." Her teeth didn''t open once as she spat those words out. "Not." Just then... n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Almost faintly, I felt the corners of my lips pull. ".....if you say so." "I say so." Her face inched closer. I nodded. "Sure." "I wasn''t." "Okay." "Good." "Perfect." "Excellent."


    Where was this conversation going? Perhaps realizing this too, Aoife finally let go and stepped back.


    "Good that you know." 09:53


    Then, acting as if nothing had happened, she proceeded to head into the penitentiary. Of course, she didn''t forget to add a few words before leaving. "....Remember, I wasn''t scared."


    I stared at her back for a short moment before shaking my head and following from behind. ''Sure you weren''t.'' That small incident aside, as soon as we passed through the gates, our bodies were subjected to aprehensive check. I was stripped down to my underwear and thoroughly searched by the guards who used a device that scanned my entire body. For obvious reasons, males and females were separated. The process was rather quick andsted less than several minutes. However, those short minutes felt like forever as I felt ufortable the entire time. "Has everyone been checked?" Another door greeted us the moment we stepped out of the checking room. After doing a head check, the professor began to give a final speech. "Behind me are the doors that lead to the lower security hall of the prison. It''s where you all will be staying and guarding the ce. Like I said before, try your best to minimize your contact with the inmates. They are not good people. Don''t fall for their sweet temptations." As he spoke, a guard stepped up and took out arge set of keys which he quickly inserted into the door. Click¡ª¡ª! It was sealed shut so I couldn''t see what was behind it, but seeing the tense expressions the guards were making, I knew it was going to be something I wouldn''t forget. "For your first day, you won''t need to do much." As the door was getting unlocked, the Professor continued to give us instructions. "All you have to do is get familiar with the ce. The current area is called the Manticore Residential Area. It''s where the Low-risk prisoners will be held. You are to not step outside of this zone." Click¡ª Click¡ª! "While you won''t be in danger if you step out of the zone, there is still a risk that something might happen. We will not be held responsible for your safety if you wander around in areas you aren''t supposed to be. Of course, we''ll try to stop you from leaving, but if you somehow can go out undetected, if anything happens to you, then it''s on you." The Professor''s eyes fell on each and every one of us before turning back to face the door which slowly started to open to reveal what was behind. "....Wee to Redknap Penitentiary." "Huuuuuuu¡ª¡ª!" As the door to the inmate''s residential area swung open, a torrent of shouts and jeers engulfed us like a tidal wave.


    "The rats are back!" "Hahahaha, you fuckers aren''t tired of seeing my face already?"


    "Look! There''s a bunch of kids behind them." "Hahahaha." Amidst the jeers and shouts, a palpable sense of intimidation settled in as the prisoners regarded us with eyes brimming with malice.


    It felt rather diforting. Especially when I started to be the subject of a few jeers. "Hahaha, look at that pretty boy!" "His face is stiff as a rock! Hahaha, he must be pissing his pants from fear." "Been a while since I''ve seen such beautiful girls. Come to me. I''ll let you have a great time. Kakaka." The ones who seemed the most ufortable were the girls who showed looks of disgust. Well, most of them...


    There was one exception. "Keke, look at these fuckers. They know a looker when they see one." "...."


    Kiera. She was... Enjoying this? "Haha, little miss, why don''t youe to my cell?" "Pftt, please. Take a look at yourself dickhead. You look like an oversized ball sack."


    "What did you call me?!" "Kakaka." Smacking her thigh, she started tough. "Holy shit! I didn''t think you could make yourself look ever worse than that, but here you are...! Kakaka." nk¡ª!


    "You bitch!" "...." I tried my best to ignore her, but she really was a...


    "Crazy bitch." Thankfully, the Professor intervened. ".....T-ah." Just then, she was about to click her tongue but stopped herself when realizing who she was talking to. I couldn''t help but find her expression amusing as her face scrunched up as a result. It looked like she had just eaten shit. Snap¡ª Snap¡ª Snapping his fingers to gather our attention, the Professor spoke. "You may disperse and start to familiarize yourselves with the surroundings. For now, your role won''t be anything big. If you see any of the inmates starting a fight, it''s your job to break it up. All of them have their mana sealed so it shouldn''t be a problem for you to deal with them." Or so he said. However, knowing what I knew, I didn''t let my guard down and made sure to be on full alert the entire time.


    "Alright, off you go. Wander around and familiarize yourself with the surroundings. If you have any problemse find me. I''ll be at the guard station." With azy wave of his hand, the Professor finally left. "He''s finally gone."


    "Hey, do you want to team up with me?" "Let''s go." From there, all the cadets went their own separate way. Most of them went in groups of four that they formed after the Professor''s absence. I was one of the only few who remained alone. Well, it was something that I had expected and desired. I looked around me. "For now, I need to get a better idea of my surroundings."


    I nned to meticulously learn all the details of my surroundings. While I didn''t know exactly where the escape was going to happen, every little bit of information helped. In fact, there was something that I needed to prioritize before that. There was a certain person that I wanted to meet. That I had to meet. "Heh." ''I wonder if he still remembers me.'' I wasn''t sure. Back then, all of it happened due to the skill. I was still not sure whether the time I spent with him was something that he remembered.


    Was the person I met his subconscious or just a manifestation of it? Something that the skill had created to mimic how he''d react? I wasn''t sure, but I was about to find out. However, if he truly did remember, then...


    "....It''ll turn everything around." After separating from the other cadets, Kiera walked around to monitor the area. It had been several hours since, and she was somewhat starting to get ustomed to the surroundings.


    As she scanned the surroundings, a voice echoed. "Look at you~" A whistle followed. "Come here and have some fun with me. I promise I don''t bite." It belonged to a skinny man with a buzz cut and sunken features. ".....Is that so?" Kiera smiled as she neared one of the prison cells where the inmate appeared. Holding onto the bars, he brought his face closer. "What do you say? I''m not bad, right?" "I wonder." Brushing her hair behind her ear, she leaned forward a little. "I''m curious about something though." "Oh?" The inmate looked down slightly. "Ask away. I''ll tell you anything. Hehehe." "How sweet of you~" The current Kiera seemed like a stark contrast to how she usually was. Normally, she would''ve insulted them back or thrown a middle finger, but such wasn''t the case at the moment. "So, I was just curious... You are like the small dogs here, aren''t you?" "Small dogs?" "Yeah, you know. The low-risk guys." The prisoners were separated into three ranks. They were ranked depending on the severity of the crimesmitted, and their general strength; Extreme-risk, High-risk, and Low-risk. "....Where are the really scary guys locked up?" The face of the prisoner changed at the inquiry. No longer did he seem as keen to talk to her as he was before. "Why are you asking about them?" He almost seemed wary. Kiera could even sense some lingering fear in his tone. ''As expected, he might know something...''


    She hadn''t selected him for no reason. Having talked with the other inmates, she more or less came to learn about the general hierarchy within the prison. The inmate before her was an ''informant''. He was someone who knew a lot, and the exact person that Kiera was looking for. "Dunno, I''m just curious. Heard a lot of stories about them beforeing here." ".....I see." He seemed to have bought that, but... "Sorry, can''t talk." "You can''t...?" "Well..." He nced at her, the meaning of his gaze clear. Kiera smiled and looked around her. Then, making sure nobody was looking, her hand shed forward and reached for the inmate''s shirt before she thrust it back and pulled him along. "Hey, wa...!" Bang¡ª! A loud banging sound echoed. Several gazes fell on her the moment the sound echoed, and she returned them with a re. "What are you looking at?" Only then did they look away and she returned her gaze to the inmate. She discussed it with the other guards, and so long as she had a proper reason, she could use some ''force'' against the inmates. So long as it wasn''t excessive... "Ukh... You!? What are you....!" Her head reached into the cell again and she once again pulled. Bang¡ª! "Akh...!" Drip... Drip! Blood started to drip down from the inmate''s nose as he looked up to Kiera. "Wh!" Bang¡ª! He was never able to get a word out as each time she''d trust his head towards the bars. Bang¡ª! It went on for several times before his expression contained nothing else but fear. "Huu... Hu..... Y-you..." Her cold gaze bore down on him as she looked at him from above. ".....Looking at me doesn''te cheap, you know? Time for me to collect my payment."

 Chapter 67 Work Experience [4]

    <h4>Chapter 67 Work Experience [4]</h4>


    ".....Nothing here."


    Leon nced around a few times before nodding and directing his gaze elsewhere. There was nothing out of the ordinary.


    He was taking his job seriously.


    Although he technically didn''t have to be here considering that he already had a job, he chose to participate.?Mainly because his ''instincts'' told him that something was going to happen here.


    What exactly, he wasn''t sure.


    That was why he was looking around and taking note of everything.


    It was so that he could detect the abnormality and stop it before it was toote.


    "What are you doing?"


    As he walked, a figure suddenly walked up to him. The inmates jeered and whistled at her appearance. Leon couldn''t me them.


    Her aura alone made her unique, and her appearance was hard to rival.


    "Here."


    Unaffected by all of this, Aoife handed him a small notebook.


    "The Professor asked me to hand this to you. If you find anything that you think the prison needs to work on, then you can write it on here."


    Surprised, Leon raised his brows.


    Aoife raised her other hand to show a simr notebook.


    "I''ve got one too."


    "...I see."


    Leon took the book and casually flipped over its contents.


    It was empty.


    "Is it going to be anonymous or do I have to write my name?"


    "Whatever you want. The Professor said that it doesn''t really matter."


    "Oh."


    If that was the case...


    He took out a pen and started to scribble a few things. A dumbfounded Aoife looked at him with wider eyes.


    "You''ve already gotints?"


    "Several."


    The prison was generally well run, but there were still things that it could improve on. Having observed for over the past few hours, he had already made a short list in his mind.


    "Overcrowded. The ce has far too many inmates. There are over five inmates per cell. A situation like this is bound to create problems in the future. The nutrition is also not up to par with the mealposition missing a lot of fiber and protein. Ideally, it would be best if..."


    He didn''t shy away and started to write all theints he had.


    Bang¡ª¡ª¡ª!


    He was suddenly distracted by a loud banging sound. When he raised his head, he saw Aoife looking in the same direction as where the noise came from.


    He followed her gaze.


    "....Ah."


    There, in the far distance, they spotted Kiera ring around at everyone who was looking in her direction. The two of them weren''t spared from her re as she had a gaze that seemed to say, ''What? Mind your fucking business.''


    "Crazy bitch."


    Aoife muttered in a voice audible enough for Leon to hear.


    Leon was taken aback.


    ''Did I hear, right...?''


    The usually quite and refined Aoife swore?


    ".....You don''t like her?"


    For quite a while, Leon noticed a strange tension between the Aoife and Kiera. Sparks flew whenever the two interacted with each other.


    "I don''t."


    Aoife''s words served to confirm this.


    Leon was curious but decided to keep his curiosity to himself. It was none of this business, and he wasn''t sure if his inquiry would annoy her.


    But much to his surprise, it was her who borated...


    "Do you know what the first thing she did to me when we met?"


    ".....No."


    How would he know?


    Aoife massaged her temples. From the frown on her face, it appeared that the memory was a rather unpleasant one.


    "She told me to fuck off and threw a middle finger at me."


    "Oh."


    That sounded oddly a lot like something Kiera would do...


    "So if you ask me whether I like her, the answer is no. I don''t like her. She''s crazy."


    Bang¡ª¡ª¡ª!


    "....."


    Leon found himself unable to refute her words. Staring into the distance, and seeing her beat up one of the inmates into a bloody pulp, he could only shake his head and ignore themotion.


    It wasn''t his job to stop her.


    He was about to go back to his job when his chest suddenly tightened.


    "....Um?"


    A familiar sensation washed over him, prompting his gaze to drift slowly towards the distance where a solitary cell came into view. His eyes settled on an inmate seated calmly in a chair, absorbed in reading a newspaper.


    With his legs crossed, and his calm poise, there seemed to be nothing strange about him, and yet...


    ".....Why."


    Why were his instincts telling him that something was wrong?


    All of a sudden, as if sensing the gaze, the inmate put the newspaper down and looked up.


    Their gazes met, and Leon felt the hair at the back of his neck stand.


    ''This...''


    Who was this guy?


    ***


    The residential hall was ratherrge. It took me several hours to walk the ce, and even then, I couldn''t find who I was looking for.


    "¡­.Is he not here?"


    I was told that he had been imprisoned here. Furthermore, the vision also said something along the lines of a former Haven Professor being one of the few people to have escaped.


    Was it perhaps not him and some other professor¡­?


    "Or is he locked up somewhere else?"


    I found myself frowning at the situation. It wasn''t supposed to be like this.


    "¡­..Just where¡ª"


    I stopped mid-sentence and turned to look back.


    Ah¡ª


    It was there that I finally spotted him. I peered beyond therge window at the end of the hallway, toward the outdoor area. A figure sat with their back turned, their hands moving in a familiar manner.


    Tak. Tak. Tak.


    Even though I couldn''t hear from my vantage point, observing his movements and posture sparked my imagination as I heard the sound of the pieces falling against the board, and I found myself involuntarily smiling.


    Even now¡­


    He hadn''t changed.


    I stepped out of the residential area and onto the outdoor area.


    Tak. Tak.


    The nearer I got, the more pronounced the sound became. It was a sound that I hadn''t heard in quite a while and felt rather nostalgic.


    I eventually stopped a few meters away from him and asked,


    "¡­.Can I y?"


    Surprised, Professor Bucm turned his head and our eyes met.


    It was at that moment that I finally found the answer to one of the questions I had been dying to know.


    "You remember, don''t you?"


    He sat there, his face frozen in what seemed to be shock and surprise.


    I sat down on the opposite end.


    Tak.


    And started to fix the board.


    "I haven''t yed since then, but I''m still confident in my ability to beat you."


    Even as I said those words, he didn''t react. At least not immediately.


    Eventually, he let out a soft smile and mumbled in a quiet tone,


    "¡­.So it wasn''t a dream."


    "What was?"


    I already knew what he was referring to, but I still chose to pretend like I didn''t know.


    Tak.


    "Let''s get started. I''ll make this a quick one."


    "Ah¡­"


    With a soft sigh, he shook his head and reached his hand forward.


    "You''ve gotten very bold after beating me once. Things won''t be as easy asst time."


    Tak.


    He went on to move his piece.


    "Your habits are the same."


    Tak. "So are yours."


    "What makes you think I''m not doing it on purpose?"


    "Same goes for me."


    We went on to bicker like that for the next few minutes. Eventually, the area around us became quiet.


    Strangely, the silence didn''t feel at all ufortable as we both focused on the game.


    Tak. Tak.


    Though it had been a while, I still remembered how to y, and was able to keep up with his moves. Just barely...


    This went on for the next few minutes until I eventually broke the silence.


    "Are you nning on escaping?"


    His hand froze halfway and his head flicked up. He looked at me with a look of genuine confusion.


    I didn''t lift my head and continued to stare at the board.


    Judging from his reaction, it was clear that he knew something.


    "I won''t stop you."


    That was the decision I hade up with for myself.


    "You can escape. I won''t do anything."


    "....."


    I couldn''t quite tell what reaction he was making since I wasn''t paying attention to him, but I was sure it was filled with surprise.


    For the past week, I had been debating over the situation in my mind.


    I was still uncertain of the goal of the mission, however, from what I knew, it was something rted to the second cmity.


    Things would surely be clearer to me with time.


    However, if possible, I wanted to let him go. Of course, it wasn''t because I felt pity for the Professor. I did to some extent, but not to the point where I''d help him escape the ce.


    .....I just needed someone on my side.


    "I can more or less tell why you did the things that you did. You were either promised a cure for your memory problems or threatened with your family..."


    Which one it was, I wasn''t sure.


    However, when I lifted my gaze to observe his reaction and saw his eyes quivering, I knew that I was right.


    I continued.


    "It would be unfair for me to stop you. I know exactly how it feels to lose someone important to you."


    Just slightly, my voiceyered.


    The Professor''s expression cracked and his arms started to tremble.


    I reached to hold it.


    "You must resent the people who did this to you, right?"


    The mana inside of my body started to drain. I kept my faceposed and continued to make contact with him.


    I felt a little disgusted with myself. Using my powers to manipte his weakness, but... it had to be done.


    For the sake of my goal.


    I had to do it.


    His expression started to distort and his fists started to clench. A fit of visible anger.


    I continued.


    ".....That''s why I won''t stop you. If possible, I want to help you."


    What was my end goal in all of this...?


    I realized quite a while ago that the organization that I was dealing with was a lot more dangerous than I thought.


    Even now, I was clueless about the extent of their powers, and given how they had managed to manipte a professor and seed in getting five inmates out of one of the top prisons in this world, I knew they were powerful.


    For this reason, I needed allies.


    People who could help me from the inside.


    Having seen all his memories, I knew exactly what type of person he was. What he cared about the most, and how desperate his situation was.


    It was for this reason that I believed he would make for the right person to use.


    I squeezed his hand and my mana drained further.


    I instilled even more anger within him.


    "I''m sure you have some resentment against the people that did this to you. That forced you to do things that went against your morals. I fully understand where you''reing from, and that''s why I want to help you."


    Finally, I let go of his hand and he lifted his gaze to meet my eyes.


    I smiled.


    "Let''s help each other."


    Please...


    "Tell me everything that you know about the situation. In return, I''ll offer you my help in taking revenge."


    Join me.

 Chapter 68 Work Experience [5]

    <h4>Chapter 68 Work Experience [5]</h4>


    "Akh¡­! G-get away from me¡­!"


    "That''s enough!"


    "Stop struggling...!"


    Kiera was eventually stopped by the stationed guards who held her back from both sides.


    "I''m not done yet¡­! Let go of me. I still haven''t beaten him enough!"


    However, she didn''t seem satisfied enough as her body continued to trash.


    "Hold her back!"


    "Akh!"


    "Let go...!"


    Despite her protests, the guards didn''t let go of her and eventually pulled her back from the inmate.


    Only then did Kiera finally calm down as she looked around with heavy breaths.


    "Im-Haa¡­. Haa¡­ fine¡­ I''m calm¡­ haaa¡­"


    The guards looked at each other for a brief moment before finally letting go of her.


    "Cadet. I understand you aren''t very pleased with their words, but please hold some restraint. There''s a limit to how much you can retaliate."


    "Haaa¡­ yes, yes¡­"


    At a nce, it didn''t seem as though she had gotten the message and the two guards looked at each other with bitter looks. In the end, warning her several more times, they finally left.


    Kiera waited until they werepletely gone before going on patrol again. This time, she could feel more eyes on her, all on high alert. They were clearly worried about the idea of her going on another rampage.


    However, much to their surprise, she remained tame.


    Perhaps it was because the jeers had gotten quieter due to her sudden outburst, or that she had taken the warnings to heart, she didn''tsh out and diligently did her job.


    This went on for several hours.


    "¡­.It''s time."


    It was only when she could no longer feel the gazes on her that she made her move.


    ncing around, she left her post.


    The residential area was split into four different areas; North, South, West, and East.


    Her current objective was the Northern area.


    ording to what she''d heard, that was where she needed to be.


    She silently pretended to patrol while moving toward the direction she wanted to be.


    Her steps eventually stopped in front of a small door. There was no one guarding the ce and for a very good reason at that.


    nk¡ª!


    It needed a certain key to unlock.


    One that Kiera managed to get from one of the guards who had reprimanded her just a few hours ago. Although a small part of her did indeed want to beat the inmate up for the way he looked at her, her true objective had been the key from the very start.


    "Huuuu¡­"


    Kiera took a deep breath. Finally, she was about to meet her. She hasn''te to this ce just for credits.


    There was something, someone, that she really needed to visit.


    A person whom she held quite dearly, but at the same time despised.


    Creaaaak¡­


    The door opened and she stepped in.


    Kiera was immediately greeted by a deafening silence and a long corridor. A stark contrast to the chaos that engulfed the main residential area.


    "¡­."


    There were hardly any guards around. She could see why. The cells were fully enclosed, leaving little room for observation except for small holes at the bottom and top.


    But even that¡­


    Wasn''t where she wanted to be. She needed to go further. Deeper into the corridor. At the far end where she''d see what she came in for.


    And so she did.


    To Tak¡ª


    Her steps quietly resounded throughout the long corridor, their gentle rhythm quietly echoing in her mind as she continued forward.


    She had to be careful.


    There were guards stationed somewhere around. She didn''t know exactly where they were, and how powerful they were, but they were here. Hiding somewhere and fully alert for any possible intrusion.


    But that didn''t matter to Kiera.


    Her eyes shed and her figure started to blend with the darkness. Gradually, her figure disappeared.


    There were sensors set up around the perimeter. However, they were all meaningless. With the key on her body, the sensors had a hard time keeping track of her.


    On the other hand, the guards that were present hardly felt her presence.


    It wasn''t because they were weak.


    Most of them were stronger than her, but her mastery over the [Darkness] attribute was not something that they could detect. Only the truly strong guards would be able to detect her presence, but she was sure they weren''t present at the moment.


    At least, not to where she was headed.


    Her steps eventually stopped. Arge cell appeared in front of her.


    She peered through the gap where she saw a figure slumped by the side of the wall. With her head lowered, her long blonde hair covered her face.


    Clenching her teeth, Kiera called out.


    "Maste-No, Rose."


    "....?"


    The head raised to reveal two gleaming red eyes. They blinked slowly, trying to make sense of where the voice came from before finally catching a glimpse of Kiera who stood on the other side.


    Immediately, a smile shed across her features.


    "Oh my, if it isn''t little Kiera?"


    Her head tilted to the side as she peered through the gap to meet Kiera''s gaze. There were hints of amusement in her expression as she looked at her.


    "You''ve grown into quite the splendid woman since thest time I saw you."


    All Kiera felt was disgust upon hearing the woman''s voice.


    It wasn''t just her voice that disgusted her.


    Her appearance, her poise, her hair, everything about her disgusted her¡­


    ".....You know why I''m here. Spit it out. Tell me why you did it."


    "Did it...?"


    She pretended to fall into thought before eventually knocking the side of her head.


    "Sorry, I really don''t know what you''re talking about~ Can you rify a little?"


    Kiera''s fist clenched tightly. She was the same as she had been in the past. Easygoing and bubbly. Never taking anything seriously.


    There was a time when Kiera used to like her for her personality.


    However, now...


    "You disgust me."


    All she could feel was disgust and loathing.


    "You think this is some sort of joke...? Is everything to you a joke? Was the death of my mother, your sister a joke?"


    Kiera venomously spat every word as she red at the figure ahead.


    Indeed, the woman before her was her aunt. Her master, and someone whom she had once regarded as the closest person in her life.


    She was also the very same person that killed her mother.


    Her very own blood sister.


    "Why?"


    It was all Kiera could ask.


    "Why did you do it...?"


    She wanted answers. She was desperate for answers.


    But....


    "Hmm, who knows~"


    All she received was the same nonchnt attitude of hers.


    It...


    Pissed her off.


    Right then and there, she almost banged on the door ahead. If not for the fact that she was worried she''d attract the attention of the guards behind her, she would''ve smashed it with everything she had.


    Rose''s mana was currently sealed. She was weaker than she was.


    All it would take would be a simple spell to end her, and yet...


    "Kh."


    The only thing Kiera could do was re at her from where she was.


    "What a cute expression."


    Rose licked her lips and finally moved her body, nearing the narrow gap that enabled the two of them to see each other.


    Kiera stood still and watched as she approached.


    Eventually, Rose stopped and Kiera got a good look at her face. It was no longer as pretty as it once was. With sunken cheeks and hollow eyes, it was clear that her time here hadn''t been good. It made her feel a little better.


    ''If only her face wasn''t so detestable...''


    Kiera could hardly stand the sight of her.


    ".....You''ve grown up so much."


    Frowning, Kiera was about to rebuke when she continued.


    "You''ve gotten prettier and stronger than thest time that I''ve seen you. I''m proud of what you''ve managed to achieve, but..."


    With a look of disappointment, she suddenly smiled.


    "You''re still as naive as ever."


    "What non¡ª"


    "Did you truly think you could''ve made it here with the level of your skill?"


    Kiera found herself losing her breath and her expression stiffened.


    "You''ve always been quite talented with the [Darkness] attributed, but that wouldn''t be enough to get here. Most of the guards here are about your strength, if not a little stronger, but..."


    Rose suddenly brought her face closer.


    "Do you really think they wouldn''t be able to have means to detect you? Hehehe."


    With a suddenugh, Rose''s gaze shifted away from Kiera who stood petrified as she felt the presence of a figure behind her.


    Tok¡ª


    A single footstep reverberated through the silent hall.


    Kiera felt her heartbeat quicken all of a sudden. A sense of crisis gripped her heart.


    Tok¡ª


    Another one followed shortly after.


    It seemed to be approaching their direction. Her gaze naturally fell on her master who stared ahead with a smile.


    Her stomach dropped and she got into a stance.


    Whatever wasing, she was ready to put up a fight.


    But...


    "....Uh?"


    Kiera''s eyes widened at the sight of the figure that appeared.


    Tall frame, curly ck hair, deep hazel eyes, and a face that one wouldn''t forget even if they wanted to. He appeared right before her, his cold gaze bearing down on her as his steps came to a halt.


    Dazed, Kiera looked at him.


    "¡­You."


    She was stunned.


    "What are you doing here?"


    And rmed.


    How could he be here? She had made sure to close the door the moment she had entered. It was therefore impossible for her to think he had followed her.


    There must''ve been another reason for his appearance.


    Kiera''s head turned and the expression her aunt wore deeply etched itself in her mind.


    "Yo-"


    And just before she could say anything, she caught a glimpse of a thin thread heading for the narrow gap of the cell.


    As Kiera''s eyes traced over the thread that headed for the cell, her eyes widened all of a sudden as she hastily turned her head to stare at her aunt whose face suddenly changed.


    "You, wait, what are¡ª"


    Thest thing Kiera caught was the frozen expression of her aunt as her neck severed off cleanly from her body.


    Pfttt¡ª


    Blood splurted all over, some of it making its way toward Kiera who stood frozen on the spot.


    Thud.


    The head fell and silence gripped the surroundings.


    Only for it to be broken by a sudden ring sound.


    Wooooooooooooo¡ª!


    The prison rm.


    It had rang.

 Chapter 69 Work Experience [6]

    <h4>Chapter 69 Work Experience [6]</h4>


    ¡ª¡ªA few minutes earlier.


    Leon stared at the inmate in the distance. Every part of his instincts warned him against the man as he felt his back grow cold.


    "¡­.."


    Nheless, he remained calm. If something was really up, then he couldn''t make any rash movements like warning the other guards.


    ''I should take a look.''


    Gradually, he moved towards the man.


    His steps eventually halted a few meters away from the inmate, who raised his head to meet his gaze.


    "Is there something that I can help you with?"


    The inmate smiled at Leon. The look on his face¡­ it was as if he was seeing something interesting.


    Leon didn''t reply and looked around the cell. It was spotless. Everything was in order, and there didn''t seem to be anything strange about the ce.


    And yet¡­


    ''Something''s wrong.''


    His instincts warned him of something.


    He paced around the room, lifting the pillows, the mattress, and the furniture as he searched.


    However, regardless of what he did, he found nothing. Even after he used his mana to check the ce, he found nothing.


    Just what¡­


    "You seem to be looking for something."


    A voice quietly reached him from behind.


    ".....You can ask me, and I''ll see if I can help you."


    Leon turned his head to gaze at the inmate, who remained calm throughout. In that moment, a sense of foreboding washed over him, and he thrust his fist forward.


    Bang¡ª¡ª!


    The surroundings shook as he felt his fist collide with another.


    "¡­.!"


    At that moment Leon finally understood what was wrong, and his expression cracked.


    "You¡­ Your mana isn''t restrained."


    His words were met with a smirk.


    "It''s toote."


    Thump! Thump!


    Muffled sounds echoed in the distance all of a sudden, and before Leon could react, the rms red to life.


    Woooooo¡ª!


    nk! nk! nk!


    What followed after was a loud metallic sound and the sound of the inmate''s voices.


    "Hahaha! What''s this? Why are my cuffs suddenly off?"


    "I can feel my body again¡­?!"


    "My restraints are gone!"


    Leon''s eyes widened all of a sudden and his head lowered to stare at the inmate.


    "You¡­"


    The inmate smirked.


    "It''s toote. You can''t stop the inevitable."


    ***


    Wooooo¡ª!


    The ring sound of the rm echoed throughout as I stared at the cell in front of me.


    Kiera stood a few feet from me, frozen in shock.


    "You, you¡­"


    Her words seemed lodged in her throat as she grappled to understand the reality of what was unfolding.


    I was also simrly surprised by her appearance here. I hadn''t expected her to be here, but considering a little obstruction on the way, I understood how she had made it here.


    The guards around the ce had their senses restrained, making it extremely easy to move around. Even if I were to shout right now, the guards wouldn''t notice.


    It was a chilling thought.


    Just what sort of organization was capable of such a feat?


    However, I didn''t dwell on this for long as my gaze fell on Kiera.


    ''She''s the second cmity¡­''


    It became clear to me at this moment.


    ''Then, that would mean Aoife was the first cmity.''


    Two pieces of the long puzzle finally stuck into ce.


    "Ah, this¡­ fuck¡­what have you¡­"


    A certain stutter broke my thoughts. I looked down to see Kiera looking at me with open eyes.


    "You..."


    "She''s a clone."


    "¡­.Ah, uh. Ah?"


    Kiera''s eyes snapped open, and a voice echoed right behind me


    "Oh? So you knew¡­?"


    I turned back and immediately raised my left hand.


    nk¡ª!


    Sparks flew as I felt the tip of a long de touch the tip of my nose.


    "Chains¡­?"


    With a look of surprise, her red eyes widened slightly as she voiced her surprise.


    ".....Is that your weapon, or a spell?"


    I didn''t say anything and distanced myself a little.


    Cra¡­ Crack¡ª!


    A subtle cracking sound emanated from the chains wrapped around my arm. The mana within my body drained, and they slowly began to repair themselves.


    Indeed, this was the method I hade up with to use my new spell [Chains of kantria].


    My greatest weakness was my defense. I pondered long and hard on how topensate for it, and this was the result.


    nk, nk¡ª!


    The chains moved, wrapping over my left fist as I slowly clenched it.


    I turned my head to look at Kiera who was still in a daze.


    "....Get your act together. She''s currently weakened."


    Having had her mana sealed for so long, her current strength was a far cry from what it usually was.


    There was no better time than to deal with her now.


    Especially for someone who had been locked here. I didn''t know the extent of her strength, but she was certainly powerful. A lot more powerful than the two of usbined.


    "The more time we waste, the more things are advantageous for her."


    "Ah, shit, fuck¡­"


    Only then did Kiera snap out of her daze.


    She went on to ruffle her hair.


    "Fuck."


    Her face was filled with doubt, but considering the situation, she put those thoughts aside and raised her hand where a red magic circle appeared.


    "Try to buy me time."


    She fell silent thereafter, but I sensed a tremendous surge of mana emanating from her. It became clear to me that she was preparing for arge spell.


    "Oh my~"


    The woman massaged her bruised wrist.


    "That''s quite a powerful spell that you''re preparing Ki. How about you go easier on me? I''m not in the best of shapes."


    Even now she didn''t seem to take the situation seriously.


    It wasn''t as though I didn''t understand. To her, we probably looked like amateurs. Still, her talk was meaningless.


    "Her trait is [Body], and she specializes in the sword. Be careful in short-rangebat. Keep a certain distance."


    Kiera''s voice reached me from behind.


    The mana around her surged further.


    "¡­.I can try."


    There was no guarantee. I could see that with each second that passed, her strength was increasing.


    I didn''t have much time.


    I quickly channeled my mana and pointed forward.


    [Hands of Mdy].


    Hands sprouted from the area beneath her.


    Swoosh¡ª! I somewhat anticipated her to dodge and had strategically ced several threads around to impede her movement. However, it proved futile as she deftly maneuvered around the threads.


    ''Fuck!''


    She appeared in front of me, her fist already near my face.


    I once again raised my left hand to block the iing attack, but¡­


    Booom¡ª¡ª!


    "Ukeh¡­.!"


    She altered the course of the fist mid-motion and directly hit me in the stomach.


    I almost had the urge to puke as I took several steps back and nced at Kiera who looked at me with a look that seemed to say ''The fuck are you doing?''


    This¡­


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Ducking down to evade an iing sword, I thrust my hand forward. A magic circle formed, and five purple threads burst out, hurtling directly toward her.


    The distance between us was very close, and I was confident that I''d at least graze her, but¡­


    Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! As if she had eyes at the back of her head, she moved around and dodged everything.


    "...This is bullshit."


    Her instincts and reaction time were no joke. And to add insult to injury, she was getting stronger and faster with each second.


    "You i-idiot... She can sense the mana trace from whatever that shit is."


    Hearing Kiera''s scolding, I felt my brows twitch. I wanted to tell her to switch roles with me, but considering that I didn''t have a final move like she did, I could only grunt at her.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    The distance between us shrank.


    I stared ahead and forced myself to remain calm.


    This was clearly not working. I needed a new way.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Her de thrust my way. The speed at which it was moving was extremely fast.


    ''Since she can sense my mana trace...''


    I gritted my teeth and recalled everything. The chains, and the threads.


    It all urred in less than a second, and at that moment, I sidestepped and brought both my hands diagonally.


    Sweat dripped down the side of my face as the de neared.


    It was only a few inches away.


    ....I could see it near my eyes.


    Almost...


    "Now!"


    A translucent purple chain materialized on both my hands and I pushed to my left.


    nk¡ª!


    Sparks flew and something grazed my check.


    I was pushed back several meters.


    "Ukh¡­"


    Feeling a sweet sensation at the back of my throat, I let out a groan.


    It was obvious that she hade out on top in the exchange and that I had clearly lost.


    However¡­


    "...I did it."


    I looked at the chains in my hand. Squeezing my hand, they shattered and I stared ahead where the woman was. She seemed surprised by the fact that I had managed to block her attack.


    "Yo¡ª"


    I didn''t let her talk. The more she talked and wasted time, the stronger she became.


    I was quick to move and swung my hand in her direction.


    nk. nk.


    Simultaneously, chains materialized in the midst of the motion, prompting her to dodge backward.


    "....Uh."


    The chains shattered before they could hit the ground.


    In the meantime, I twisted my torso and swung horizontally using my left hand.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Once again, the chains materialized mid-motion, furtherplicating her ability to gauge the distance and sense the mana trace.


    Once again, she was able to dodge the attack.


    I wasn''t disheartened.


    In fact¡­ I felt nothing but excitement.


    "This¡­"


    It was working.


    I had found something new.


    As the mana rapidly drained and my breath grew heavy, I found myself bing more ustomed to this new fighting style. Despite the strain, I grew more adept at manipting the chains, shattering and reappearing around my hands.


    Call.


    Recall.


    Call.


    Recall.


    There was ag between each set of actions, but it was bing smoother by the second.


    Finally, the distance was starting to create between us. Unlike before, it was starting to be harder for her to dodge. Even as her strength increased, so did my proficiency.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    I swung my hand again. She reacted before the chains appeared, ducking down, but¡­


    "Heh."


    I smiled and swung my other hand. It was a fake.


    nk¡ª!


    "Ukh!"


    Finally, I made contact with her, and sparks flew through the air as the chains connected with her sword.


    I wanted to celebrate but found myself unable to.


    "Haaaa¡­ Haaa¡­"


    I was heavily out of breath, and my mind was starting to be blurry. It was clear to me that I was running out of juice.


    I looked behind to stare at Kiera.


    "How long¡­?"


    She didn''t respond, instead staring at her hands where an impressive magic circle appeared. Even from where I stood, I could feel the formidable power emanating from it.


    That, however, proved to be a mistake as something shed next to me.


    It was headed straight for Kiera.


    "Shit¡­!"


    Reacting purely on instinct, I extended my right hand, conjuring five threads that swiftly enveloped the entire surrounding area.


    "Ukeh¡­!"


    A low grunt sounded as the threads snapped and I was pushed back. However, I just barely managed to halt whatever was attempting to pass me.


    "Move¡­!"


    I didn''t even have time to catch my breath before I heard Keira''s shout. Instinctively, I leaped to the side.


    I was d I did.


    Woooom¡ª!


    A powerful me surged forward, engulfing the entire corridor. A bright light covered everything as I felt the intense heat pressing against my back.


    "¡­"


    The pain was tolerable.


    It burned my entire back and legs, but it was manageable. I had been through worse.


    The mes continued to surge forward, persisting for several more seconds before finally dissipating.


    "Ah¡­."


    I raised my head after a few seconds.


    "That."


    It was powerful.


    Really powerful.


    Would I have survived if I hadn''t dodged in time? I was doubting my chances.


    "¡­.."


    The corridor was empty and a strange silence gripped our surroundings.


    "Did we do it¡­?"


    I heard Kiera''s voice from behind. It sounded tired and haggard.


    I pursed my lips.


    "¡­..I don''t know."


    I released a long breath and sat up, resting my arm over my knee. Calmly, I surveyed the corridor before muttering once more.


    "I don''t know."

 Chapter 70 Work Experience [7]

    <h4>Chapter 70 Work Experience [7]</h4>


    Woooom¡ª


    The sirens continued to re, and footsteps echoed in the distance. I remained seated and stared in the distance.


    "....I''m tired."


    I could hardly move my body.


    Out there, on the opposite side, the guards were probably fighting against the inmates who had escaped.


    I knew the n from Professor Bucm who had told me everything. At least, everything that he knew.


    Five other people were aware of the n. They all seemed to belong to the same organization.


    ....The one that I also seemed to be a part of.


    "You..."


    I snapped out of my thoughts after hearing a certain voice. However, I didn''t turn my head and continued to stare in the same direction.


    "....Howe you''re here?"


    In the end, that was all she managed to say.


    I almostughed then.


    "I''d like to ask you the same question."


    No, really.


    I was actually curious.


    "That''s none of your-"


    She stopped upon realizing her own hypocrisy. Her expression crumbled, and she eventually clicked her tongue.


    "My aunt. That was my aunt."


    "....I see."


    It finally made more sense to me.


    "....."


    "....."


    "....."


    "....So?"


    "So, what?"


    I turned to look at Kiera who had her mouth open. As if realizing something, she ended up muttering something along the lines of, ''Would you believe this fucker...''


    I could only hear because she wasn''t trying to hide her voice.


    "I only said, ''I''d like to ask you the same question''. Didn''t mean that I was nning on sharing after you shared."


    "You..."


    She raised her fist and leaned her body slightly. It looked like she wanted to hit me. However, I didn''t flinch and just stared at her.


    "What are you doing?"


    Her red eyes sparkled in the dark as she clenched her teeth.


    "....."


    That fist never reached me.


    With a long breath, she leaned back and cursed.


    "Fuck."


    I silently shook my head and simrly leaned back. My body still ached, and my mana was recovering very slowly.


    In the distance, I could still hear the muffled banging sounds. It seemed pretty intense out there.


    ".....You''re pretty strong."


    My thoughts were once again broken by Kiera''s voice.


    "Strong?"


    I looked at her and almost doubted her words.


    Did she really just call me strong...?


    I wanted tough. Strong? As if. I was currently still weak.


    The only reason I was even able to keep up with her aunt was because her mana had been sealed for so long that her body was still getting ustomed to life without restraints.


    I would''ve been killed with a flick of her finger had that not been the case.


    Still...


    "....Thanks."


    I received her words and didn''t deny them.


    Such was my persona.


    "Not a trace of humility, huh...? Well, I get it. Annoying as you are, you are pretty strong."


    Kiera ended up shrugging her shoulders.


    "So yeah..."


    She proceeded to scratch the side of her face.


    "....Uh, yeah."


    Scratch. Scratch.


    "Yup."


    Scratch¡ª


    "Right..."


    Repeating the same words, she struggled to get the words out of her mouth. Confused, I continued to stare at her when she ended up clicking her tongue.


    "Whatever, fuck. I just wanted to say thanks."


    "Thanks...?"


    I was taken aback.


    This was thest thing I had expected her to say.


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.


    "Killing that bit-my aunt...Thanks for helping me."


    "...."


    Even as she rified, I had a hard time getting the words out of me. I thought I had gotten an understanding of her character, but...


    Just what sort of situation was this?


    Suddenly thanking me out of nowhere... I honestly never expected it.


    ''Maybe, she''s the type that''s really upfront about her feelings.''


    The type that said what they thought. It made sense when I thought about it. However, I hardly knew her well enough to be sure.


    I was just about to say something when Kiera''s face scrunched up and she rubbed both sides of her arms.


    "Ah, shit... You''re making me cringe at my ownments. Ugh, fuck. Goosebumps. All I feel are goosebumps."


    With the help of the wall, she proceeded to stand up.


    "Whatever, I''m fucking leaving."


    Without looking back, her steps echoed throughout. The entire way, she continued to run her arms while muttering ''goosebumps'' over and over again.


    As her back gradually shrank from my view, I managed to hear a few more words from her.


    "Where''s my cigarette when I need it? Shit."


    I saw her smack her own head.


    "That was so fucking cringe. Ugh-!"


    "This..."


    I stared at the scene and unknowingly found myself smirking.


    It was funny.


    And in a way... It was cute as well.


    She was certainly a unique character.


    But...


    "....."


    I shifted my gaze to look up at the ceiling and gradually, I lost my smile. Would she really be thanking me if she knew the truth?


    "Haaa..."


    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.


    Her aunt... The person that she wanted to kill.


    She was still alive and kicking. I knew this because I was the one who helped her escape.


    "What a sick twist."


    .....The fact that she was her aunt was a sick twist I hadn''t expected.


    Had I known, then...


    "Heh."


    I suddenlyughed as realization hit me.


    "....I''d probably have done the same thing."


    Of that, I was sure.


    In the end, this was a necessary step that I needed to take.


    ''I wanted to only let the Professor escape, but that would indeed be a little too suspicious.''


    After hearing what he had to say, I knew that if he had been the only one to escape, then my chances of getting what I wanted would decrease drastically.


    Furthermore, given that he was no longer a professor at Haven, his value to the organization wasn''t very high.


    It was for this reason that I went along with his idea and saved Kiera''s aunt.


    Or more like...


    "Allowed him to save her."


    The figure that I had stopped with the threads was none other than the professor.


    It was merely an act.


    ....A way to make her think he was on their side.


    I wasn''t sure about the price my action would have in the future. Whether it would make Kiera turn against me, or whether the professor would end up backstabbing me, but...


    "It''s necessary."


    I was alone. I needed allies. People I could use to help me uncover the secrets of this organization.


    Exploiting the professor''s weakness, I managed to get him to my side. However, how much trust could I really put in him?


    The only thing I could rely on was his character.


    Was he the same person that I had seen in the vision? If so...


    "It''s worth the risk."


    They wereing for me. From the moment I had killed Wesley back in the Mirror Dimension, their appearance was inevitable.


    I knew that and for that reason, I had to get ready.


    Even if it meant deliberately failing.


    [Rose Keline, Kiera''s master and enemy has survived and managed two other convicts. The future is following the same trajectory.]


    An expected notification shed in my vision.


    It was followed up by another.


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated : Prevent the Cmities from awakening or dying.]


    Aoife K. Megrail 1 : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    Kiera Mylne 2 : Slumber


    : Progress - 2 % + 7% ---> 9%


    Evelyn J. Verlice : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    "....."


    I wordlessly stared at the window that appeared before me.


    Failure.


    My first failure.


    I felt my chest tighten staring at the +7%.


    It was a necessary loss that I was willing to take. I still knew nothing about what the situation entailed, and what would happen once the bars reached 100%.Most likely, it was going to be something bad for me.


    However...


    I was willing to take the risk and allow it to build up a little.In the end, I gained something more valuable with my decision.


    To build a solid foundation.


    I was willing to sacrifice short-term gains.


    ***


    In a remote forest.


    Woo¡ª Wooom¡ª!


    The air twisted and two figures suddenly appeared out of thin air. Stumbling forward, they managed to stop after a few steps.


    "Huuuu... Haa..."


    "This is....?"


    They were none other than Rose Keline and Robert Bucm. They could still feel the lingering heat from Kiera''s spell as they immediately channeled their mana to cool themselves down.


    Rose looked around in confusion. Then, as if realizing that they were no longer in the prison, she turned to look at Rober where she smiled.


    "It looks like you''ve saved me."


    Catching his breath, he managed to say,


    ".....I was only following the n."


    He nced at the shattered ss in his hand. It was a one-time use relic that enabled him to teleport outside of the prison.


    The organization had paid a massive price to get it into his hands.


    There was also another inmate who had received the same relic. Their job was simr to his, which was to help the greater-


    risk members to teleport out.


    It was already hard for the organization to get them to have ess to the relics. The difficulty of giving it to the higher-


    grade inmates was almost impossible.


    It was for this reason that the two of them had been given the relics.


    Their job was to escape with them.


    "Mhh~ Well, I should still thank you."


    Rose broke the silence that had suddenly gripped their area.


    Rubbing her wrists which were still bruised, her brows wrinkled slightly.


    "I won''t lie, I was having a rather tough time dealing with the two of them. Especially that boy. His fighting style... It was rather unique."


    Recalling the way the boy from before fought, and the emotionless expression he wore as he attacked her, Rose chuckled.


    "...An interesting one."


    Such was her evaluation of him.


    "A very interesting one."


    He definitely was.


    "But..."


    Rose looked around and tilted her head.


    "Are we the only ones here? Where are the others?"


    "I''m not certain."


    Robert looked around.


    Their relics were set to simr coordinates and therefore, theoretically, they should have already teleported here.


    .....From what he had been told, their job was supposedly easier than his.


    It was for this reason that Robert felt confused by the situation.


    ''Could something have gone wrong?''


    He hoped that was the case, but responded differently.


    "They might''ve been held back by something. I went straight to you the moment I could so I wasn''t able to see."


    "Hm~"


    The smile on Rose''s face widened. She seemed very pleased.


    "Indeed, your reputation precedes you as a distinguished professor. Your sense of priority ismendable. I consider myself lucky to have gotten you as my helper. I''ll make sure to tell the Directorate about your contributions. I''m sure they''ll reward you."


    ".....Thank you."


    Robert lowered his head to express his gratitude.


    "I''m grateful for your words."


    "Don''t be too excited. I''m only putting in my word. Whether you get anything out of this will depend on ''him''."


    "Who...?"


    Robert tilted his head in confusion.


    Rose''s smile suddenly faded.


    Then, as if two hands were squeezing at her throat, she managed to force out a few words.


    "....The one who walks among us."

 Chapter 71 Era of the Shattered World [1]

    <h4>Chapter 71 Era of the Shattered World [1]</h4>


    The main force within the Empire was the Royal Family.


    With power over the Knight''s Council and the Magic Tower, there was no other force that could rival their might.


    At least, individually.


    There was another organization within the Empire which was made up of the collective between all the noble houses. Entrusted with the Empire''s administrative matters, the Megrail family not only tolerated their presence but also extended their support to them.


    Central adopted a democratic approach, allowing the poption to determine the allocation of seats among the houses within the organization.


    Additionally, every four years, a new chairperson would be elected to assume control over the affairs.


    Central.


    ¡ª¡ªA meeting was taking ce.


    "What''s the situation?"


    A tall man with sharp eyes and long ck hair nced around the oval table where several important figures sat. His husky voice seemed unfitting for his small frame.


    He was a representative member of the Joltice House.


    A Viscount family.


    "¡­..Everything is contained. All inmates have been locked up. However, we''ve received reports of several losses within the penitentiary. Over a dozen guards have been killed, and several cadets from Haven have died. It also appears as if several inmates have escaped the facility. We''ve already sent the ''hounds'' to look for them."


    Responding to him was a middle-aged woman with sharp features and short hair. Representing the Verlice family, she was Johanna Verlice.


    The conversation continued from there.


    "Do you know who is responsible for all of this?"


    "Im not aware."


    Massaging his chin, another member present within the room interjected.


    "¡­..From the reports I''ve received the organization is called the Inverted Sky. We don''t know much about them, but it''s only recently that they''ve started to be active."


    "Does the Royal Family know?"


    "They know."


    "If so, why haven''t they done anything? It''s strange. They''re usually rather overbearing with stuff like this. Why are they suddenly so quiet?"


    "It''s because they can''t do anything about them."


    A crisp voice suddenly interjected and all members quiet down. Sitting at the end of the table was an enchanting woman with long ck hair and deep ck eyes. She was none other than Delh.


    The one closest to the Zenith.


    "The Inverted Sky is an organization that even the Royal Family has trouble dealing with."


    Her words brought a certain shock to the room.


    While she wasn''t exactly a member of Central, her family was. She took advantage of the sudden situation to make an appearance.


    "Even the Royal family...? Howe we''ve only heard about them now? How does that even make sense?"


    Delh stared at the members and held back her smirk.


    Witnessing such esteemed figures at the helm of the Empire appear so clueless, Delh couldn''t help but feel a certain sense of amusement about the situation.


    "We don''t know much about the Inverted Sky. However, if there''s one thing that I do know is that they are an organization that is much older than the Empire. They date back to the Era of the Shattered World."


    "....!"


    The looks of shock on the faces of the members were something that Delh took in with gusto.


    It had to be noted that the Era of the Shattered World urred several thousand years ago.


    To put that into perspective, the Empire wasn''t even half a millennium old.


    "You ask why the Megrail family hasn''t done a thing yet..."


    With cracks appearing on her usually stoic face, Delh suddenly smiled.


    ".....What other reason than fear is there? The Megrail family fears the Inverted Sky, and so should you."


    The temperature of the room dropped at her words.


    Despite the esteemed status of everyone in the room, a palpable sense of unease descended as Delh''s words reverberated, casting a shadow of oppression over the gathering.


    This was exactly what Delh wanted to achieve with her words.


    It was about time that the world was made aware of the organization that they were dealing with.


    They had been in the shadows for far too long.


    Now that they had started to show their fangs to the world, Delh nned on dragging them outpletely. Only then would she be able topletely get rid of them.


    "They are a m¡ª"


    "That''s enough."


    A deep voice cut Delh off. Frowning, Delh turned her head to stare at the man seated beside her.


    Meeting his eyes, her words remained stuck in her mouth and she turned her head away.


    "While my daughter''s words are indeed true, there''s no need to worry too much."


    Despite being in thete sixties, his appearance was wless. With two deep eyes that seemed to be able to suck in anything that looked into them, Orson Rosemberg, the current chair of Central, and Delh''s father spoke.


    "They may be strong, but the depth of their strength isn''t as deep as Delh is making them out to be. The one we should really be worried about is their leader."


    His voice contained a certain maism that attracted the attention of all those who were listening.


    "Their gender remains unknown, and among the members of the organization, they are referred to as ''The one who walks among us'',"


    Orson Rosemberg exined solemnly.


    "However, hardly anyone in the organization has ever seen how they look like or made contact with them."


    He paused then and looked up to take in the expressions of all members in the room.


    "There''s not much that we know about them. There are records dating back to the Era of the Shattered World. However, the records are inconsistent. I''ve yet to find anything concrete."


    Narrowing his eyes, he interlocked his hands.


    "However, if there''s one thing that I''m certain of is that..."


    He paused and took a small breath.


    ".....A human can''t possibly have survived for so long."


    His hands gradually tensed.


    "It''s impossible."


    ***


    Haven.


    In the end, the event proceeded as it did in the vision. There was no difference whatsoever.


    ¡ªndice Brow. Jordan Watson. Emile ck¡­


    Names began to flow forth, apanied by a somber atmosphere that enveloped the surroundings. Subtle cries echoed in the otherwise silent air as Herman Chambers solemnly recited the names of the fallen cadets.


    ¡ªThis is a sad day for all of us. They were bright cadets with a bright future ahead. It''s¡­


    I looked around me and took in the sight.


    A part of me felt responsible for this.Could I have saved them? Possibly.


    However, that was a hard if. There were certain things that I could''ve done to ensure that at least one person could''ve been saved.


    I knew that.


    However, I also knew that such action would bring risk and danger to me.


    .....I didn''t want people to die.


    However, I also knew that I wasn''t someone capable of helping everyone. It wasn''t my job to help everyone.


    That job belonged to someone else.


    "...."


    I turned to look in the distance where a figure stood. Even now, his appearance attracted the attention of all those around him.


    His face remained stoic and emotionless.


    However, seeing how tightly his fists were clenched, I knew he was probably ming himself for the situation.


    ''Right... It''s your job to feel guilty for their deaths.''


    I wasn''t allowed to have such feelings. I couldn''t allow myself to have such feelings. The world was ready to eat me at any mistake.


    I couldn''t be the hero.


    That was something that I couldn''t afford to be.


    I was just¡­


    A drifting pebble that was trying to stay afloat in this unfamiliar world.


    ***


    ".....I should get ready."


    Late into the night.


    It had been a few hours since the ceremony, and people were slowly starting to head back into their dorms to mourn the losses of their friends.


    I spent the time focusing on increasing my experience.


    Having failed the mission, I didn''t gain the required experience to rank up. The loss felt rather painful since it was going to set me back a week.


    However, it was a loss that I was willing to take.


    "Failure is already something I''m used to."


    Failing wasn''t important.


    Gaining something from the failure was the most important thing.


    ?| EXP + 0.03%


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    ?| EXP + 0.02%


    ?| EXP + 0.01%


    "Huuuu."


    I took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from my forehead.


    The progress was steady.


    "Fifteen left."


    I looked at the experience bar and sighed.


    I was currently at 85%.


    Fifteen didn''t sound like much, but when taking into ount that I needed to reduce my sleep and drop everything else to even get a chance to get there, it wasn''t something that I was keen on doing.


    "It''s just not enough."


    The Mana Synthesis book was too slow.


    Well, at least for what I currently desired. I knew from the lectures that the effects of the book would diminish the higher the tier I was.


    This meant that the moment I stepped into the next tier, things would progress even more slowly.


    It was already rather slow for me. The idea of my progress slowing down didn''t sit well with me.


    "....I need to get my hands on a better book."


    That much became clear to me.


    However, how could I do that...?


    I had little to no money, and I had never yed the game before. I didn''t know where the cheats were, or where to find the good books.


    The only thing I had were unreliable visions which I never knew when they would appear.


    "Haaa."


    The more I thought about the situation, the greater the headache I felt.


    I was just about to sigh again when all of a sudden, I felt a presence behind me and flicked my head.


    "....!"


    Immediately, I stood up and stepped back.


    "What''s the sudden asion?"


    It was none other than Delh who nonchntly looked around.


    I stood while holding my breath. My heart rocketed out of my chest, and I struggled to keep myselfposed.


    Several questions flooded my mind as I forced myself to remain calm.


    ''Why is she her? Did she find something out? Is she here because of what happened at the prison? What are....''


    As sweat dripped down from the side of my face and my muscles tensed, Delh continued to look around.


    Eventually, having seen enough, she stopped and looked back at me.


    I held my breath and waited for her to speak.


    Gradually, her voice reached me and she asked,


    "....Do you have any chocte?"


    Uh?

 Chapter 72 Era of the Shattered World [2]

    <h4>Chapter 72 Era of the Shattered World [2]</h4>


    72 Era of the Shattered World [2]


    Chocte...?


    Why in the world would I have chocte?


    I stared at Delh and shook my head.


    ".....I don''t."


    "I see."


    Delh nodded her head with her usual impassive expression. However, for some reason, I could tell she was disappointed.


    Call it intuition.


    "How may I help you?"


    I kept my cool and addressed her recently.


    Surely she didn''te here in the middle of the night to visit me for the sake of it.


    Looking around the room, Delh sat down on one of my sofas and made herselffortable.


    "....."


    I remained where I stood and quietly waited for her to say something. She eventually did speak, but the words that came out of her mouth stumped me.


    "It''s four times now."


    "Yes?"


    Four times...?


    What was that supposed to mean?


    She borated.


    "It''s four times now that you''ve found yourself in some sort of incident."


    Holding up her fingers, she started to recount.


    "Survival training, Auction, Mirror Dimension, and now this..."


    Delh raised her head to look at me.


    "Is it a coincidence?"


    "Ah."


    At that, I found the words that I had prepared in advance remain stuck in my mouth.


    It was true. Now that I thought about it, I had indeed been in all of the incidents. For the most part, it was because of the quests.


    But it was indeed rather suspicious.


    "...I am a very unlucky person."


    Even I was surprised by the bullshit that wasing out of my mouth.


    Well...


    To some extent, there was some truth to those words.


    I certainly wasn''t a very lucky person. At the very least, I didn''t think I was.


    "...."


    Delh just stared at me with her deep eyes. I knew she didn''t believe me. Eventually, her gaze lowered to stare at my right arm.


    "Show me your tattoo again."


    "...."


    I inwardly swallowed before obliging and rolling up my sleeve.


    "Oh?"


    It was to Delh''s surprise to see a cloth over the area around my forearm. Looking up, she meaningfully looked at me.


    "I don''t know how to hide it."


    And I truthfully answered.


    It started to be clear to me that the tattoo on my hand wasn''t something that I could randomly show off on a whim.


    The organization that I was dealing with was slowly starting to reveal its fangs and more and more people were bing aware of them. I didn''t know much about them, and regardless of how much I tried to find anything about them, all I''d see was a nk road with no end in sight.


    Nothing.


    There was simply nothing.


    It was for this reason that I chose to hide the tattoo.


    "I believe this is the best course of action considering that it might get misunderstood for something that it isn''t."


    I carefully looked at Delh when saying those words. I wanted to gauge her reaction orck thereof.


    She simply sat where she was with her legs crossed.


    It was hard to tell what she was thinking.


    "...."


    She was just staring at me. Her deep eyes peered deeply into me, trying to suck me in. The longer this went, the more ufortable I grew.


    Why isn''t she speaking? What is she trying to do...?


    In the silence that took over the room, her lips finally parted open.


    "I''ve asked you before, but does the words Inverted Sky mean anything to you?"


    Inverted Sky?


    I thought about it long and hard before shaking my head.


    "No."


    "Hmm."


    Delh silently nodded before standing up.


    ".....I can''t feel any liesing from you."


    Lies?


    She can detect lies?


    ''Uh, right... Evenst time she was like this.''


    Tak¡ª


    Delh ced a book on the table. I immediately felt my eyebrows raise at the sight of the book. Could it be...


    "Read this book. I''m not sure how much, but it''ll help you out in the future."


    "Help me?"


    I looked at the cover of the book. It waspletely nk and devoid of any illustration or font.


    "Don''t think too much. It''s amon book that you can find in the library."


    "Then..."


    "You''ll find it useful."


    I didn''t say anything from there. She seemed to want to help me, but at the same time, I wasn''t sure what her real intentions were.


    For now, I could only take her at face value and agree.


    Either way, it wasn''t going to hurt me. Whatever it was, it must have had some meaning to it. I nned on taking my time to closely examine the book.


    "Hm."


    I thought she''d leave things there, but all of a sudden, she said something else.


    "As you''ve already probably guessed, I''m keeping you close to me to observe you."


    Her words stunned me.


    Although I had already managed to guess. For her to be so upfront about it...


    ''She really...''


    Was someone I had a hard time figuring out.


    If that wasn''t shocking enough, all of a sudden, cracks formed on her face as her lips gently pulled up.


    "....I think I made the right decision."


    "What-"


    Before I even had a chance to say anything, her form scattered and she disappeared.


    Like the wind, she simply scattered away.


    "...."


    In the newfound silence that took over the room, I stood in a daze for a few seconds before eventually turning my gaze over to the book.


    I picked it up and ran my hand over the hardcover. It felt cold to the touch.


    Even now, I was still confused about her intentions. The more I thought about it, the more my head hurt.


    "Is she helping me, or using me?"


    I more or less knew the answer to that question, and I didn''t mind it. So long as it benefitted me in some way, then I didn''t mind getting used.


    In the end, I had to just stop thinking about it and I flipped to the first page.


    I was bound to find something from this book.


    Flip¡ª


    "...."


    Laying my eyes on the first page, I read out loud.


    "Era of the Shattered World."


    It was an interesting title, and it immediately gained my interest. I was just about to flip to the next page when all of a sudden something shed before my eyes.


    It was a simple notification.


    One that I knew was bound to happen.


    But even as it happened, I felt my shoulders grow heavy.


    ".....I guess it''s starting."


    [Synchronizing]


    Kiera Mylne : 2% ---> 9%


    The penalty of my decision.


    ***


    ¡ª¡ªA few minutes prior.


    "Ah, fuck... I forgot to buy them again."


    Smack¡ª


    Kiera smacked her forehead and let out a curse. Rummaging through her pockets and finding nothing, she clicked her tongue and kicked one of the pebbles along her path.


    Despite the darkness outside, the presence ofmps lining the path served to ward away her fear.


    The thought made Kiera chuckle.


    "It''s funny."


    Her traits were purely [Elemental] with her skills rooted in [fire] and [darkness]. Despite her aversion to the darkness, her power was inexorably linked to it.


    It was for this reason that she never used her other element.


    She simply had a hard time using it.


    But of course, that didn''t apply to the events of the day prior when she went to visit her aunt.


    Her anger had taken away the fear that she had towards the darkness.


    "Haaa."


    Kiera suddenly felt her mood lift at the thought of her aunt.


    Thinking about the death of that woman, Kiera felt like she was flying.


    "Finally, she''s dead."


    It sounded too good to be true. The woman who had haunted her for so long was finally dead. And to think, she was the one who ended up killing her...


    "...."


    Kiera felt an odd sense of relief.


    Even though she had sworn to be the one to do it, she didn''t think she''d have the opportunity to.


    "I can''t believe it."


    It still felt like a dream to her. A very nice dream.


    In any case, Kiera''s thoughts couldn''t help but drift towards a certain figure. Had it not been for him, then she would''ve most likely died, or even worse, been kidnapped.


    She hated to admit it, but...


    "I guess I owe him one...?"


    Tilting her head, she mumbled to herself.


    "Uh, no. Technically speaking he owes me one too."


    Right...?


    Kiera felt her face scrunch up and she ended up rubbing her head.


    "Ugh, fuck... This shit''s soplicated."


    Clearly, the values between their debts were quite different. He had saved her life, while she had... minded her own business?


    There was an obvious mismatch in the level of their debts.


    "But still. What was he doing here?"


    Setting the fact that he had helped her aside, why was he there? She had sneaked in because she wanted to meet her aunt.


    But what was the reason for his appearance?


    He was also very strong. While it was indeed true that her aunt had her mana sealed and was just waiting to recover her strength, he had managed to keep up with her.


    He was a far cry from how he was in ss. He was definitely hiding his real abilities and intentions.


    Of that she was sure.


    The question was why he was doing all of this. What was his motive behind his appearance back at the lockdown cells and why had he helped her?


    "Surely he ha¡ª"


    Kiera''s words stopped all of a sudden. Her vision blurred and her surroundings started to change.


    ''What... What the...!''


    A scorched smell lingered in the air.


    The ruins of a familiar city and the lightning that crackled in the air. An air of oppression gripped the surroundings.


    ''....What''s going on? Where is this ce?''


    Kiera found that she had also lost her voice.


    However, she didn''t need her voice to see what was going on. In particr, in the distance, she could see a figure.


    They stood at the center of it all, their figure blurred.


    Everything gravitated their way. As if the world revolved around them.


    ''What, why...''


    There was something else that shocked Kiera outside of the blurred figure.


    It was...


    ''Why am I feeling this way...?''


    The intense feelings that were invading every part of her body.


    All she could remember was feeling an intense hatred.A hatred that seemed to devour her entire body.


    And all of it was directed toward the blurred figure in the distance. For what reason, Kiera didn''t know.


    However...


    All she could think about at the moment was the hatred she felt towards the figure.


    It was intense, and Kiera had a hard time containing it.


    Suddenly, Kiera felt her mouth part open as a voice familiar with her own rang out.


    "You... You are the one who let her go... I trusted you, and yet...!"


    Kiera felt her teeth clench as her body moved on its own.


    Darkness started to spread over every inch of thend. It covered everything in its path, devouring all light from the world.


    "¡­.I''ll kill you for it!"


    The voice ended there as the world froze.


    Not long after, the world started to copse and Kiera found herself back in the park.


    "W-what...?"


    Kiera found that her voice was back.


    But that wasn''t enough to shake off her confusion.


    "Haaa... Haaa...."


    With heavy breaths, she looked around her.


    "What... Haa... the hell was... Haa... that?"

 Chapter 73 Era of the Shattered World [3]

    <h4>Chapter 73 Era of the Shattered World [3]</h4>


    There were three major known eras; The Era of Sovereign Ascendance, the Age of Umbral Dominion, and the Era of the Shattered World.


    "The age of the Sovereign Ascendance dictates the age of the emergence of the Four Empires. The Aetheria Empire, Verdant Empire, Aurora Empire, and the Nurs Ancifa Empire."


    I read the contents of the book out loud.


    "It marks a rtively recent epoch, spanning only around 700 years."


    So far, it was stuff that I was already somewhat aware of.


    "The Age of Umbral dictates the age of the Mirror Dimension expansion. Taking ce approximately two millennia ago, this era signified themencement of the struggle."


    Flip¡ª


    I skimmed through the pages and immersed myself in reading. The more I read, the more confused I became. In the end, this was a history book.


    It detailed everything about the past.


    "Let me guess, the Era of the Shattered World is when the Mirror Dimension appeared, right?"


    Flip¡ª


    "The oldest known era. Where the earliest records recount the shattering of the world and the emergence of a new dimension. This realm came to be known as the Mirror Dimension, where unimaginable creatures roamed its depths."


    I was indeed right.


    I continued to flip through the contents. The information was rather interesting. However, there was something that continued to bother me the more I read the book.


    It went to the point where I had to stop myself from reading.


    "...Is there nothing before the Age of the Shattered World?"


    The more I read, the more obvious it became that the oldest recording known was the ''Age of the Shattered World.''


    The book hinted at it with words such as, ''thest known record'', and so on.


    But...


    "What about before that?"


    Why wasn''t there anything about the age before the Age of the Shattered World?


    "Maybe there was nothing important...?"


    Even so, surely there should''ve been records of the civilization before.


    "I mean, Ancient Egypt was about five thousand years old... Maybe the people of this world weren''t capable enough?"


    I doubted that to be the case. But thinking about the technological level of this world, they were indeed a littleckingpared to Earth.


    That said, they did have magic.


    "....It might just be this book."


    It was worth checking out in the libraryter. I eventually closed the book and sighed.


    "Hmm."


    It was certainly interesting information, but I still struggled toprehend Delh''s intent behind showing me this.


    "What sort of connection is there between the organization and this book?"


    There didn''t seem to be any connection with it. In fact, it only left me with even more questions.


    Still, it wasn''t as if she had given the book to me for nothing. There had to be something important in the book.


    There was no way Delh would give it to me for no reason at all.


    It was for this exact reason that I opened the book again and immersed myself in reading. This time, I didn''t skim through the contents and made sure to memorize everything.


    As much as I hated learning history, for some reason, I found the information to be extremely interesting.


    Flip¡ª


    ***


    The next day. The sound of scribbling rang out in the ssroom. The preparations for the festival that was set to take ce in three weeks were already in full swing.


    Everyone was busy. Especially the cadets who not only had to get performance ready for the festival but at the same time prepare for the uing examinations.


    "Kill me!"


    Some of the cadets were already having a mental breakdown.


    Kiera to be precise.


    "....I want to die! Just stab me with a long sharp sword. Whatever it takes."


    From the way she was talking, it was obvious that she wasn''t very excited about the uing exams.


    I didn''t know exactly how good her grades were, but judging from her expression and words, they were probably not very good.


    "Slow, quick, I don''t care. Anything is better than this..."


    "Ey~ It''s not that hard. Just memorize the book. You''re so dumb."


    Next to her, Josephine shook her head with augh. Surprisingly, she was one of the more studious cadets. Not that I knew much about her.


    "What did you say?"


    "Hm? It''s not that hard?"


    "No, the part before that."


    "Memo¡ªUakh!"


    Josephine let out a strange sound as Kiera''s fist smacked against her head.


    "Bitch, don''t pretend like you didn''t say it."


    "Akh... My head. Fuck, I think I''m starting to understand how it feels to be like you..."


    "Uh?!"


    "Can the two of you stop?"


    It was Evelyn who put a stop between the two. Leon, who sat a few rows back also interjected.


    "The Professor is about toe."


    "Tsk."


    Only then did Kiera finally stopining and focus her attention back on the paper in front of her.


    I watched them interact from my seat before turning my attention away from them.


    Talking about the festival, I hadn''t signed up for anything. I thought about the stand-up, but I still needed to work on my delivery.


    It wasn''t quite there yet...


    There were so many activities to choose from that I struggled to pick any. In the end, I just left it nk.


    In case someone left their selection empty, then they would be directly assigned a role by the Academy. The same was true for cadets that didn''t make the cut in certain roles like ''Guide'' as there could only be so many people that could be selected for such roles.


    ''Actually, now that I think about it, I should be assigned a role today...''


    I was curious about what it was going to be.


    "Ah, it seems everyone is here."


    As perst time, a cheerful voice echoed across the ss as Professor Bridgette entered the ssroom. Sporting her trademark smile, she nced around the ssroom before taking out a small stack of papers.


    "I''ve received everyone''s files, and have sorted through them. I will now be reading the names of the activities you have been approved for."


    Taking one of the papers, she started to read.


    "Anders, you have applied for the Guide Role. After careful review, the board decided to approve your request."


    Raising her head, her gaze fell on two people


    "Josephine, the same goes with you. You will work alongside Anders to ensure that all the guests will be guided around the campus during the start."


    "Eh...?"


    Unable to contain her shock, Aoife raised her head and let out a strange sound.


    ''She must''ve applied for the role, I guess.''


    Seeing the shock in her eyes, it was clear that she had also applied for the Guide role. There were only two spots for it, and therefore, it was clear that she hadn''t been selected.


    The Professor went on to list the other approvals without offering her an exnation.


    I took in Aoife''s shocked expression and made sure to stamp it in my mind. It felt oddly satisfying.


    ''Uh, shit... This feeling again.''


    I looked away from her.


    Was there something wrong with me?


    "Next up, Kyle...."


    One name after another started to be recounted as more and more cadets started to get assigned roles. Some were happy to get their selected roles, while others were left disappointed.


    Strangely though, there was someone who seemed to be happy for no reason.


    "Haha, fuck yeah..."


    I felt her gaze burn the back of my head when the list for the cooking activity was listed. Her reaction came out of nowhere.


    ''Is she happy that she didn''t get selected or something...?''


    If so...


    Why did Aoife also look relieved?


    "For the stand-up. Unfortunately, none of the members of the ss made it."


    Bang¡ª!


    I was taken aback again. Turning around, I saw Leon hold his fist close to his face. Though his expression appeared nk, he seemed strangely happy.


    ".....Was he that embarrassedst time?"


    I was starting to feel sorry for him.


    "I think that''s all for those that made it."


    Putting the papers down, Professor Bridgette looked up again as her eyes scanned the ssroom.


    "For those that made the cut, congrattions. For those that haven''t, please don''t worry. We''ve already assigned you all roles in the theater club."


    Theater club?


    "Think of it as an honor. Haha, who knows? If you''re lucky, you might even get a chance to participate in the uing y. Everyone will be watching."


    While I was still confused by her words, she continued,


    "But don''t get your hopes up. The group that will be performing are all renowned actors. Your main job will be to tend to their needs and set up the stage for them. That being said, the Director has agreed to let the more outstanding cadets participate as extras. If you end up doing well, you might receive bonus credits."


    p¡ª p¡ª Professor Bridgette pped her hands twice and directed everyone''s attention towards the ckboard.


    "With that settled, let''s continue with the lecture."


    ***


    The ss went on for an hour. Once it was done, all cadets dispersed and headed toward their designated Activity.


    I looked at the slip in front of me and headed towards the Leoni Hall.


    That was where the y was going to be held.


    "A y, huh..."


    I didn''t know how to feel about the situation. From what I heard, the chances of us cadets getting selected for the y were almost slim to none.


    Not that I minded since I wasn''t interested in acting.


    I wasn''t a very good actor so it was only going to end up with me embarrassing myself.


    That meant that my job was just setting up the stage and props. That sounded easy enough.


    "I''ll take it."


    All I cared for were the credits.


    The Academy Campus wasrge. It took me about ten minutes to finally arrive at the destination, and when I entered the hall, I was surprised by the chaos that caught my sight.


    "Over here!"


    "Yup! ce that here!"


    "No, not that one!"


    "The lights are centered! Set it up properly."


    If there was one word I could use to describe the current situation, it''d be ''Chaotic''. With people talking over each other, and props being moved around everywhere, there was no semnce of order.


    "Ah, cadet!"


    The moment I came in, someone tugged my arm and I turned my head to meet the eyes of a young woman with blonde hair and green eyes.


    Judging from the clothes she was wearing, she didn''t seem to be a cadet. Perhaps an organizer?


    "Yes?"


    "Are you here for the theater activities?"


    I thought about it before nodding.


    ".....I am."


    "Okay, good!"


    The woman seemed delighted and I was suddenly dragged away by her. I wanted to ask her where she was bringing me, but just let her be.


    I soon came to regret that decision.


    ''What am I....''


    Standing at the center of the stage, I directed my gaze toward the four figures seated at the far end, below the stage.


    Holding onto a paper, I nced at it for a brief moment before looking up again.


    ".....You may begin."


    The fuck...?

 Chapter 74 Act [1]

    <h4>Chapter 74 Act [1]</h4>


    The ''Curtain Call Collective'' was a renowned association within the Empire.


    Continuously filling theaters with their performances, no one was unaware of them. They were celebrities amongst celebrities.


    Every year, they''d host a performance at the Haven Academy festival.


    With many important figures showing up, there was no greater ce to perform. It was for this reason that everything needed to be set up properly.


    "No, that''s not right! Put it to the right."


    "Yes! Like that... no! A little to the left, yup, shit you went too much to the left again...!"


    The organizer of the event was a middle-aged woman known as Olga. Not only was she the organizer of the event, but she was also the scriptwriter of the y.


    Her fame was about the same, if not greater, than the lead actors of the y.


    Throughout the Empire, there were only seven ys that were rated Five-Stars, which was the greatest and most honorable a y could receive.


    The criteria to receive such a rating was extremely difficult, making it a very prestigious and coveted rating.


    Olga had yet to receive her first Five-Star, however with several Four-Star ys under her name, she was set to be the next one to receive such a reward.


    Hertest y, ''The Wounds of the Moon'' was something she had been working on for the past several years. It was her masterpiece.


    For this reason, everything had to be perfect.


    "No! That''s not the right ce!"


    From the major details to the little details.


    Everything had to be perfect.


    "Madam Olga."


    "Yes, right there."


    "Madam Olga."


    "No, you''re-"


    "Madam Olga!"


    "Uh? Ah!"


    Startled, Olga turned to her left where a young woman with sses stood. Sporting an annoyed look, she nced around and sighed.


    "Madam, we''re about to audition for the extra roles in the y. Several cadets are waiting to audition."


    "Ah, right. I have to select one of them..."


    Olga''s expression crumbled. As a perfectionist, Olga hated nothing more than having to taint her y by granting permission to amateur actors and cadets into her y. Regardless of how small their role was, Olga hated the idea of having them in her y.


    If not for the fact that she was forced to do it, she would''vepletely rejected the idea.


    "...Fuck."


    Her distaste towards the situation reached a point where she ended up swearing.


    "I can''t believe I have to allow this."


    The performance was extremely important to her. It was because it was so important to her that she had trouble controlling herself.


    "Bring me to them..."


    Clenching her teeth, she headed for the main theater which was currently almostpletely empty. Waiting for her near the stage were three other people.


    "Ah, madame Olga, you''re here."


    "Madame."


    They were key members of the Curtain Call Collective, and judging from their expressions, it was obvious that they too felt the same way as her.


    Wearing a helpless smile, a middle-aged man with a protruding belly and thinning hair, handed her a paper.


    "We will hold an audition for the minor role of Azarias."


    "Azarias?"


    Olga frowned and almost swore again.


    A serial killer from an exiled noble who enjoyed killing people. With his bloodthirsty tendencies and hard-to-decipher intentions, he was the first ''antagonist'' of the y.


    A ''minor viin'' one could say.


    But...


    "I can''t agree to this."


    He was a key character. While he was indeed a minor viin, he was someone who propelled the main character towards the path that he embarked on.


    How could they let anyone take on such a role?


    "I can''t allow it."


    It was for this reason that Olga pped the paper on the table and shook her head.


    "You should all know the importance of this character. I won''t allow it even if you force me to."


    "Madam, but-"


    "No, buts! I won''t allow it. Even i-"


    ".....You have no choice but to allow it."


    A deep voice suddenly interjected, forcing Olga''s mouth shut. When she turned her head, she almost cursed.


    Standing a few meters from her was a tall andnky man with thick squared sses. Wearing an undervest without his zer, his deep dark eyes scanned the surroundings.


    "The rules are the rules. Since you have signed up for this, you have to go through it to the end."


    "But Azarias is..."


    "What other character then?"


    "That..."


    When Olga was unable to answer, the man coldly cut her down.


    "Since you can''t decide, be quiet and start the audition. You don''t have a lot of time. There''s a chance you might get lucky and find someone worth consideration."


    Find someone worth consideration?


    Olga almost scoffed at the statement. However, she didn''t let it show and merely clenched her teeth.


    ".....Fine."


    In the end, she relented.


    How could she even disagree?


    His name was Adonis, and he was the primary investor in the collective.


    None of the ys woulde to fruition without him. From the actors to the props. All was paid by him. Hismands were absolute, leaving her with no choice but to quietly ept the situation.


    ''Damn bastards.''


    Suppressing her fury, she sat down on her seat and looked up toward the stage where one of the attendees was waiting.


    Olga waved her hand to signal the start.


    "Send the first cadet in."


    "Yes!"


    Immediately, a cadet appeared on the stage. Sporting short blonde hair, and blue eyes, he appeared quite handsome.


    "Oh, he''s quite good-looking. The audience might like him."


    "He can make up hisck of skills with his looks."


    While the other judges were praising his looks, Olga wasn''t interested.


    The only thing she cared about was his acting skills.


    "I''m-"


    Olga cut the cadet off before he could say anything.


    "You have five minutes to get ready and study the script in your hands. Tell us when you''re ready to start."


    "Ah..."


    Flustered, the cadet immediately looked down at the paper and started to memorize his lines. Olga sat quietly and watched his practice. From the way he tried to change his expressions, to the tone of his voice.


    In the end, by the time it was time for him to perform, a minute into the performance she waved her hand.


    "Stop."


    "Uh...?"


    "You may leave."


    Uncaring for the cadet''s expression, she looked towards the assistant.


    "Send the next one."


    "Ah, yes...!"


    A vicious cycle started from there. A cadet would appear, only for them to be shut down a minute after their performance started.


    "Stop."


    "Next."


    "Send another one."


    "Is this a joke?"


    Olga didn''t care for the cadet''s feelings. Even as they tried their hardest, she rejected them the moment they made a mistake, or acted in a way that didn''t fit her image of the Azarias in her mind.


    Her actions didn''t go unnoticed by the other judges who simply shook their heads and let her be.


    "Get out."


    This persisted for several hours until the sun started showing signs of setting.


    ncing at her watch, Olga asked.


    "How many cadets left for the tryouts?"


    "Five left."


    "Ah."


    Rubbing her head, Olga suppressed her urge to swear and took a deep breath. Another five? Kill me already... Then, with a wave of her hand, she muttered,


    ".....Let the next one in."


    "Understood."


    Tak¡ª


    His appearance instantly grabbed the attention of all present.


    d in the standard attire worn by all cadets, his garments appeared to contour wlessly to his physique.


    Moving with deliberate and measured steps, he maintained a stoic expression, methodically surveying his surroundings with cool indifference.


    In the moment he appeared, the judges found themselves unable to tear their gaze away from him.


    ....All except for Olga who frowned.


    Staring at his wless appearance, Olga only felt disappointment. His face, expressions... It was as if she was looking at a nk piece of paper.


    There was simply, nothing...


    ''Another pretty face...?''


    The more she looked, the more disappointed she became.


    In the end, she leaned back on her seat and closed her eyes. Having seen her fair share of performances, a judgment had subconsciously formted in her mind.


    ''....Another bust.''


    With a wave of her hand, she recited the usual rules.


    "You have five minutes to look through the script. Once you''re done, please start acting. Don''t feel too pressured. It''s just a minor role."


    ***


    It all happened so quickly that I had a hard time understanding what was going on.


    I was standing in the middle of the stage with a script.


    "You have five minutes to look through the script. Once you''re done, please start acting. Don''t feel too pressured. It''s just a minor role."


    "...."


    I thought of refusing, but when I thought back at Professor Bridgete''s words, all thoughts of refusal disappeared.


    ''Even if I do end up embarrassing myself, it''s worth a shot.''


    Those extra credits... I certainly needed them.


    I wasn''t confident I''d be able to do well in the written andbat exams. Maybe I could, but there was nothing wrong with getting a safety.


    "The character you will be auditioning for is a minor viin for the novel."


    One of the ''judges'' said in a monotonous tone. From the moment I entered, her eyes never let me. However, there was a certain indifference in her gaze that felt ufortable.


    "His name is Azarias."


    Another judge started to speak. From the start, he seemed friendlier as he started to recount the scenario to me.


    I quietly listened without saying a word.


    "A once noble, now fallen, banished from his family for his psychotic nature. From youth, he relished in killing, finding increasing thrill with each life taken. I want you to encapste the rage and madness that he feels when killing his first human."


    I stood still for a moment and took in the information. ''Encapste the rage and madness that he feels when killing his first human.''


    Ah¡ª


    This scenario...


    ''It''s familiar.''


    To the point, it felt creepy.


    It reminded me an awful lot of the first time I had killed someone. I could still vividly remember the emotions I had felt back then.


    The state of madness I was in. The various expressions I had made. The smells, the sounds of everything around me... And the desperation that led me to that point.


    I could still remember everything as if it had been yesterday.


    To the point where I felt confident I could call forth those emotions again.


    "Do you understand the role?"


    The voice of the judge once again rang in my ears, prompting me to raise my head. In a softer tone, he continued,


    "Remember, this is just a minor role. You don''t have to feel too burdened. I understand you aren''t an actor. We won''t judge you too harshly."


    He smiled slightly.


    "You have five minutes. Please take that time to learn your lines and adapt to the emotions the character feels."


    ncing at the script, I shook my head.


    "There''s no need."


    "No need...?"


    The judges''s expressions changed as they looked at each other. The same was true for the woman who appeared indifferent from the start. In fact, the moment those words came out of my mouth, her sense of indifference appeared even more prominent.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes."


    I silently nodded.


    There were only a few lines in the script. There wasn''t much that I needed to memorize.


    The only thing that one would need time for was probably for the emotional adjustment, but...


    ''I already know it.''


    I had experienced it before.


    For this reason, I didn''t need the five minutes provided by the judges.


    "I can start now."


    I was ready to begin even now.


    Looking at each other, the judges signaled for me to start.


    "....Alright, you may begin."


    Taking in the expressions of all the judges, from indifference to slight interest, my mind sank into my memories as I closed my eyes.


    Gradually, I lost myself in those memories of the past, and when I opened my eyes again, the world was red.


    My face twitched, and my expression changed.


    So did the faces of the judges ahead as they witnessed me fall into madness.


    A madness I barely managed to retain as my mouth gradually opened and I recited the first line of the script.


    ".....The foundation of all masterpieces is a great start."

 Chapter 75 Act [2]

    <h4>Chapter 75 Act [2]</h4>


    His stoic expression showed cracks and his lips gently pulled up.


    At that moment, the atmosphere in the room changed. It was as if an entirely different person had appeared.


    Julien''s once cold and serious demeanor had vanished, reced by a deranged and mad persona.


    "W-what are you doing....!?"


    A random line was thrown by one of the judges. It was to signify the start of the scenario.


    "...."


    Julien lowered his head and gazed beneath.


    The image of a woman appeared in his mind. One thaty on the floor panicking. He soon reced her image with that of the man in the past.


    His first kill.


    ".....The foundation of all masterpieces is a great start."


    The words came smoothly out of his mouth. They came out evenly, and calmly. However, mixed with the calmness was a certain hint of madness. It was subtly hidden, only discernable by the subtle trembling of his voice towards certain words.


    It was such subtlety that brought Olga out of her indifference. She felt the hairs on her hand bristle upright as goosebumps ran down her body.


    ''The subtle textures of his expressions and tone...''


    For the first time in her long career, Olga felt ufortable. The more she looked, the more she found herself feeling like she was standing before Azarias.


    A psychopath who thirsted for the death of his victims.


    ''Just... Why am I feeling this way?''


    Olga wasn''t the only one who felt like this. It was the same for the other judges who shifted and adjusted their postures continuously.


    They too were ufortable by the man that stood at the center of the stage.


    And yet...


    None of them could take their eyes away from him.


    "All artists crave to create their own masterpieces. I''m no different."


    Julien scanned the room, his gaze lingering on the judges, his shifting expression revealing the growing madness in his eyes.


    His chest heaved up unevenly, and the sound of his breathing took over the air that was swallowed up by the silence that ensued.


    "I want to make a masterpiece. A piece that will be synonymous with my name."


    He continued to address the judges.


    His tone started to change, slowly bing tenser and more hoarse. Gradually, his smile became more intense.


    "....And so, the first brushstroke of this masterpiece shall be none other than your life itself."


    Tak¡ª


    The wood creaked under his steps as he moved forward.


    He appeared to head for the judges, his eyes never leaving them. Under his intense gaze, a cold chill went past their bodies.


    Their instincts told them to run.


    That they were currently dealing with a psychopath.


    However, their bodies refused to listen. They continued to stare as he took another step.


    Olga sat on her seat frozen. The theater had long disappeared from her vision. An environment had already started to form in her mind.


    A medium-sized room that belonged to a well-off-noble and was decorated neatly with all the right furniture.


    A figurey sprawled on the ground. Her expression was one filled with horror. She seemed to want to run, but her body refused to listen.


    All she could do was stare up towards the man who slowly bent over to grip her throat.


    The madness in his gaze intensified as his expressions underwent several changes.


    A fleeting smile of excitement would flicker, only to be swallowed by the engulfing madness that danced in his eyes. Rationality struggled to hold its ground amidst the tumultuous storm within him, as subtle hints of guilt seeped through the wincing of his features.


    Olga swallowed her saliva.


    "He..."


    Had wlessly captured the essence of the Azarias character she had penned.


    A low scream echoed. One that was quickly suppressed by a hand. The furniture scattered, and legs and arms yed in the air.


    But it was all futile.


    Under the madness. His madness. All she could do was watch with horrified eyes as her life slowly came to an end.


    A heart-wrenching scene.


    One that inevitably ended with death.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    Azarias''s heavy breaths echoed as he stared at his hand, feeling the mix of guilt, madness, and excitement after his first kill. It was perfectly embodied in that moment.


    The scene deeply carved itself into the minds of the four judges who remained silent the entire time.


    "....I''m done."


    A low and cool voice broke them out of their daze. The madness that lingered in his eyes, the sense of joy from the kill, and the guilt had all vanished.


    Once again, his expression returned to that of a nk piece of paper.


    The performance ended there.


    Olga and the other judges remained seated in their seats at a loss for words. The performance had left them all stunned.


    From the wide range of emotions he disyed to the expressions he made to mirror them...


    It was a wless performance. There was no denying it, and Olga found herself licking her parched lips.


    "What is your name?"


    She found herself asking for the name of the cadet.


    Tilting his head, the cadet turned his head to meet her gaze. Just as he entered, his expression hardly showed any changes. Taking her in for a brief moment, he eventually answered.


    "Julien."


    "Julien..."


    The name rolled well on her tongue.


    Standing up from her seat, she carefully made her way toward him, stopping only when she was a few feet away from him. Getting a closer look at him and liking what she was seeing, she eventually nodded her head.


    The more she looked at him, the more she felt like she was looking at Azarias.


    ''It''s as if he''s standing right before me... How can someone portray the essence of what I wanted so well? It''s gone beyond just copying the character. It''s as if he became the character itself...''


    If there was one problem that she had with the performance, it was that...


    ''It''s too short.''


    It almost felt like a pity for such a great character to only have a few scenes.


    The problem was that the script was already perfect as it was in her mind. There was no way she could extend his role, right...?


    "Hmm "


    Her brows furrowed as she once again turned to look at Julien.


    Slowly, she extended her hand towards him and said.


    "Congrattions on making the cut. I''ll sign your name up for the y. For now, I will take some time to make some adjustments to the script. I will send you the finalized version by tomorrow."


    ***


    "Pleasee this way. There are a lot of things that need moving."


    Aoife, Leon, Evelyn, and several other cadets were brought into the Leoni Hall where they were immediately put to work.


    Because their applications had been rejected, they had


    "Make sure you line the lights properly."


    "Cadet please be careful with that. It''s very expensive. You will be held liable for the damage."


    The situation was chaotic, but Aoife didn''t bother and followed the instructions diligently.


    ''....I didn''t get the role.''


    Her mind was still thinking about the role she failed to get.


    "How?"


    Realistically speaking, she was the most deserving of the role. Not only was she an extremely well-known figure given her family name, but she was also well-acquainted with most of the members attending.


    She knew their likes and dislikes.


    There was no one more perfect than her to tend to their needs.


    So why...?


    Why didn''t she get selected?


    However, Aoife wasn''t left discouraged for long. Looking around, she realized that this was another opportunity for her.


    ''If I can get into the y then I can get extra credits...''


    Her acting was quite good. Having participated in several ys in the past, she was somewhat confident in her skills.


    Furthermore, she was quite familiar with the members of the collective.


    If all went well, then there was a chance of her getting selected.


    Aoife was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn''t realize someone was standing in front of her.


    "Ah, careful!"


    A voice warned her in the distance, sounded like Evelyn''s, and before she knew it, she bumped into something hard.


    Bang¡ª!


    Despite her fast reflexes, Aoife was unable topletely avoid hitting whatever was in front of her and fell on her butt.


    "Uh..!"


    Thankfully, she was able to keep the items on her from hitting the ground.


    But that came at the expense of herself.


    ''....That hurt.''


    Feeling the pain on her butt, Aoife tried her best to not show it on her face. She prepared to raise her head to apologize, but when she did, her expression froze.


    A figure stood before her.


    Sporting the same unchanging expression of his, he looked down on her.


    Aoife half-expected him to say something along the lines of, ''What were you doing?'' or something like ''Whatch where you''re going'', but contrary to her expectations he, extended her hand towards her.


    "Uh...?"


    The sight was a shocking one for her.


    ''He''s trying to help me?''


    She almost couldn''t believe it.


    And yet, staring at the hand, the unbelievable sight was unfolding before her eyes.


    Still...


    "I can help myself up."


    Aoife rejected the offer and helped herself up. It wasn''t as though she didn''t appreciate the gesture, but she felt ufortable with the idea of touching another man''s hand.


    "...I appreciate the¡ª"


    "No. You''re misunderstanding my intentions."


    Her words were cut by his cool voice.


    Turning around, she saw him reach down for a piece of paper that had fallen down on the ground.


    Picking it up, he briefly nced at her.


    ".....I just wanted this."


    "Ah, uh..."


    Weird sounds came out of her mouth all of a sudden as her eyes lingered over the paper in his hand.


    "...Eh?"


    For the first time in her life, Aoife felt her face burn.

 Chapter 76 Advancing [1]

    <h4>Chapter 76 Advancing [1] </h4>


    "Huuu."


    I tossed the script on my desk and let out a long breath.


    The situation had spiraled in a direction I hadn''t expected it to move towards. In a way, it was a pleasant situation.


    Not only would it guarantee me extra credits, but it also wasn''t dangerous.


    "I think I''m starting to get tired of all the danger."


    I needed a little bit of a break from that.


    However, there was a slight problem.


    ".....I don''t know if I''ll be able to handle the other parts."


    The only reason I was able to do so well so far was because I resonated with the character, or to be precise, the scenario.


    All the emotions he felt in the script. Scene. I could perfectly resonate with them as I had experienced them before.


    It was also for that reason that I was able to put on such a performance.


    But...


    "That''s the extent of it."


    What would happen if I were to be put in a scenario I waspletely unfamiliar with? How was I going to replicate the scenario?


    I wasn''t very confident in my acting.


    "Ugh."


    My head throbbed the more I thought about the situation.


    In the end, I decided to leave things be.


    I was going to receive the script soon. When that happened, I''d be able to tell if I was screwed or not.


    "For now, I should focus on training."


    I checked my experience bar.


    "Ten percent."


    ....That was about two days of training. Following that, I''d finally be able to advance to the next tier.


    I couldn''t wait for that to happen.


    To the point where I immediately sat down on the ground and started to practice the manual.


    I made a vow then.


    Tomorrow or the day after...


    "I''m going to advance towards the next tier."


    ***


    Late into the night.


    Kiera stood in her usual spot, staring at the night sky from the window. Her gaze reflected the stars that shone brightly in the sky.


    "....What a mess."


    It had been a day since she had that strange vision, and for some reason, it had never left her mind.


    It was as if it refused to leave her thoughts.


    She tried to act like nothing had happened during ss today, but the images and emotions continued to haunt her until now.


    "The fuck is wrong with me?"


    It was already 1 A.M. and she was still up. She had tried to sleep, but the images and emotions continued to sh in her mind preventing her from doing so.


    Sitting by the window, her gaze continued to wander towards the outside.


    It was quiet outside. The faint glow emitted by themps softly illuminated the pathway below, while the grass and foliage gently swayed in the night breeze.


    As Kiera let herself sink into the sight beneath, her eyes caught a particr image reflected in the windowpane. It was a sight that made her brows furrow.


    ''How many times has it been Ki? Clean up after yourself!''


    ''Look at this mess!''


    ''Why do you never listen to me, Ki? Is it so hard to clean?''


    ''Wait until you grow old and have children in the future. I want to see how you tell them to clean.''


    "Ugh, fine... fine..."


    Taking her eyes away from the window, her gaze fell on a misced sock.


    Clicking her tongue Kiera got out of her spot and tossed it in one of the baskets for dirty clothes.


    Her eyes darted across the room, looking for anything that was out of ce.


    Only when she was certain that everything was in ce that she let out a sigh of relief.


    "Thank fuck."


    There was nothing that irritated her more than disorderliness in her room.


    It had to be perfect.


    Scanning the room one more time, Kiera eventually plopped back on her bed. Her ruby-red eyes nkly stared at the ceiling above.


    Her thoughts once again drifted towards the vision, and her expression couldn''t help but crumble.


    "Again..."


    For how long was this going to continue?


    It was starting to get annoying. No, it was already annoying. To the extent that she contemted doing something she typically avoided doing.


    "....Should I?"


    The memories and feelings resurfaced again.


    It was memories like these that propelled her to do something she abhorred.


    Closing her eyes, the world around her began to be engulfed in pitch darkness. It crept out from her body, enveloping the surrounding area.


    In the darkness that started to take over her surroundings, Kiera''s eyes shook. So did her body.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    Despite her best attempts at keeping her breath in check, Kiera was having a hard time keeping herself from keeping her breath even.


    With each passing second in the dark world, Kiera found herself increasingly unable to conceal the lingering traces of panic and fear that were slowly starting to grip her mind.


    Her palms started to feel sweaty, and her vision started to blur.


    ''Hold on... I need to hold on.''


    Kiera fiercely bit onto her lips. A metallic tang clung to her lips as she bit down with force. A sharp pain invaded her mind, but she kept a firm mind.


    ''I have to hold on...''


    More.


    Longer.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    With each passing second, the rhythm of her breath grew more strained,boring against her chest. Her vision blurred as beads of sweat multiplied upon her brow.


    Drip...! Drip.


    Despite that, Kiera continued to persist.


    ''More... Not now. Not yet....''


    The darkness...


    It was something that Kiera feared and despised. It brought terrible memories to her mind. Ones that she wanted nothing more than to forget.


    However, darkness was also a part of her power.


    Rejecting the dark was the same as rejecting half of her.


    "F-for the sake of finding more, I need to..."


    Her aunt was merely the start of her hunt. Even now, Kiera could vividly remember the past. An image conjured up in her mind. It was an image of a certain room. Her room.


    The room was destroyed and in chaos.


    Shattered ss littered the floor as the furniturey overturned, their contents spilled and scattered across the room.


    Drawers had hung open, their contents rifled through and discarded on the ground.


    The once-cozy atmosphere she called her room waspletely taken over by chaos and disorder.


    "....They were definitely looking for something."


    Of that, Kiera was sure.


    But that wasn''t the only thing she was sure of. She was also sure of the fact her aunt didn''t do this by herself. Someone or an organization had helped her achieve this.


    Kiera didn''t know anything about the organization. Regardless of how much research she put in and how deep she looked, her efforts brought her nothing.


    The reason why she visited her aunt was because she wanted answers.


    Answers to who the organization was and why they had done what they did. Of course, what woulde after was their destruction.


    Kiera''s mind was firm on that.


    Her life goal was to take revenge. At any cost, she nned on eradicating all members of such an organization.


    "Kh...!"


    It was for this reason that she pushed her fear aside and endured the darkness that surrounded her.


    It felt cold.


    ....And lonely.


    But even when she was under such stress, Kiera''s mind remained firm.


    ''More.''


    ***


    At the same time, in an unknown location within the Mirror Dimension.


    "You''re in luck. It looks like the higher-ups are quite happy with your performance."


    A tall woman with long flowing blonde hair and red eyes, Rose, addressed Robert with a smile.


    "You''re not half-bad for an ex-professor at one of the most prestigious academies in the Empire."


    She patted him on the shoulder.


    "Anyways, follow me, I''ve got a present for you."


    "A present?"


    Robert tilted his head in confusion.


    He was still trying to get ustomed to the new environment. Everything felt new to him, and the scale of the ce left him astounded.


    Looking around, it felt as if he had entered a new world.


    Arge dome that covered the entire space.


    Buildings that seemed to reach the tip of the dome.


    Moving boxes of metals, and colorful lights.


    The ce appeared like apletely different world.


    "You''ll get used to it."


    Rose reassured him while continuing to walk forward.


    "I too was like that the first time I came. Most probably, everyone was the same. None of us really know the origin of such technology and its ce beside our leader. It isn''t even a veryrge space. However, it certainly leaves an impact, doesn''t it?"


    "....Yes."


    Robert nodded absentmindedly.


    Everything felt so new and fresh to him. But at the same time, it also felt rather convoluted. The noise was quite intense.


    "The only one that probably knows the answer to all of this is our leader. He''s the one who created this space."


    "Leader?"


    "Mhm."


    Rose nodded and didn''t say anything else.


    Robert followed her quietly from behind until he was eventually led into one of the tall buildings. The door ''swooshed'' open, leaving the poor professor frightened as he moved back.


    "Hahaha."


    Roseughed upon seeing his reaction.


    "It won''t bite you. Come in."


    "....Ah."


    Swallowing his saliva, Robert nodded his head and followed along. ''Swoosh'' The doors closed behind him, but unlikest time, he didn''t have time to worry about the doors as his attention shifted elsewhere.


    With polished marble flooring and bright overhead lights, a multitude of people wearing various types of clothing lingered around the floor, engaging in conversation with each other.


    Once again, Robert was left at a loss for words, but yet again, Rose''s voice forced him out of it.


    "Follow along. The elevators are here."


    "Elevator...?"


    Ding¡ª!


    The wall split open, and Robert''s eyes widened.


    Rose stepped in and dragged him along.


    "Don''t ask too many questions, and just follow along. You''ll get used to what you''re seeing eventually."


    The doors to the elevator closed, and Robert felt a sinking sensation. The sensation frightened him, but he chose to remain quiet.


    "Oh, right."


    Recalling something, Rose rummaged through her pocket before taking out a small object and handing it to him.


    "What''s this...?"


    "It''s called a phone."


    Rose started to exin as Robert fiddled with the device.


    "It grants youmunication within the headquarters. It won''t work outside. I''m not too sure about the details, but it is what it is. You can use the device to call me or anyone that you may be acquainted with."


    "Yes...?"


    Blinking, Robert filled with the ''phone''. He had a hard time understanding its functions. He was prepared to ask Rose, but before he could do that, the elevator doors opened to reveal arge room where several people wearing white robes appeared.


    "Oy, Rick!"


    Rose called someone''s name.


    Eventually, one of the white-robed individuals appeared. Their features remained obscured by an unfamiliar cloth draped over their face, making it hard to tell what gender they were. Yet, based on the resonance and timbre of their voice, as well as the name Rose called them, they seemed to be male.


    Robert felt Rose''s gaze as she turned to look at him.


    "We''ve got a new one. Pass me a vial."


    "....A vial?"


    "Yeah."


    "Understood."


    With a nod, Rick left. He came back shortly after holding onto a small tube that contained a strange red liquid.


    Robert squinted his eyes to get a better look.


    "This is?"


    "For you."


    Rose handed it to him, leaving Robert in a state of surprise.


    "For me?"


    "Yes. It''s your reward."


    "Ah..."


    Looking at the liquid, Robert hesitantly asked,


    "But what exactly is it?"


    At this question, Rose shed a smile. It was an eerie smile that sent shivers down his spine.


    "....Would you believe me if I told you this was the blood of a god?"

 Chapter 77 Advancing [2]

    <h4>Chapter 77 Advancing [2]</h4>


    "The blood of a god...?"


    Robert stared at the vial with deep apprehension and a little bit of disgust. Seeing the look on his face, Roseughed.


    "Haha, I was joking. There''s no such thing as gods."


    Herugh sounded almost eerie.


    "....Well, at least not that I''m aware of."


    Robert quietly nodded his head and waited for her to continue. Picking the vial, Rose casually nced at it.


    Rather than exining, she asked a question.


    "What do you know about the age before the Era of the Shattered World?"


    It was a sudden question that Robert hadn''t expected.


    He stared at her for a moment before shaking his head.


    "I''m not quite well-versed in such matters. But from what I''ve read, our civilization wasn''t developed enough to create records of it."


    The Era of the Shattered World urred approximately three thousand years ago. It was the Era where the first recordings of the Mirror Dimension urred.


    That was as far as Robert knew.


    Was there perhaps more to it...?


    "I guess you wouldn''t know."


    Stroking her chin, Rose tilted the vial, allowing the liquid to move from one side to the other. The more Robert stared at it, the more ufortable he grew.


    It really did seem like blood...


    "I also don''t know very well. Only the big shots know the full story. The one thing I do know is that..."


    Rose slowly turned her head away from the vial to meet Robert''s gaze. Suddenly, as if two hands had gripped his throat, he found himself struggling to breathe.


    "....The Mirror Dimension is not a natural phenomenon. It was something that was created by what we call an ''unrecorded'' or in a sense, ''gods''."


    Unrecorded? God...?


    "The deeper you venture into the Mirror Dimension, the more things you end up finding. Our organization has existed since the Age of the Shattered World until now, and even now we still don''t know much about the Unrecorded. The only thing we managed to pick up is that there are seven of them."


    Tak¡ª


    Rose gently ced the vial on the table next to her.


    "Some texts suggest that there had been a fallout between the Unrecorded, leading up to a massive fight which resulted in the shattering of the known world, and hence the Mirror Dimension while other sources say it was the doing of one Unrecorded who had gone against the others to seek Immortality."


    "Immortality?"


    "Oh, yeah... We call them gods, but the unrecorded weren''t immortal. Well, all except for one."


    Frowning, Rose stroked her chine while mumbling, "I believe the first one to die was Oracleus? He died not much after he received his powers."


    Oracleus?


    She shrugged.


    "The fragments are scattered so the information is still not there yet, but we don''t really need to dwell too deeply into the ancient history."


    Rose went on to continue.


    "Our goal is to collect information and relics."


    "Relics?"


    Robert raised his brow.


    Relics were items that were imbued with mana and had special properties. They could be created by hand, or found in the mirror dimension.


    Rose nodded her head.


    "Four in particr: the Extractor of Containment, the Astral Mirror, the Oracle''s Eyes, and the Chalice of Collection. Our mission is to find and collect all four relics. Their importance is fundamental. They''ll be the key to achieving our goal."


    "Which is...?"


    Rose smiled and shook her head.


    "The full expansion of the Mirror Dimension."


    Robert''s eyes widened at the sudden revtion. Though he had somewhat guessed, it still came to him as a shock.


    Why? For what reason did they want the Mirror Dimension to fully expand? Before he had the chance to voice out his questions, Rose started speaking again.


    "We''ve yet to find any so far, but we''re getting there. We''ve managed to narrow it down to a certain location."


    Yet again, Robert was left shocked. A certain location came to his mind as he subconsciously mumbled,


    "Haven."


    ".....That''s correct."


    Rose smiled.


    "Their scent... They''re all there. All four artifacts are in Haven. Hidden somewhere or in someone''s possession."


    "Ah."


    Robert felt his body grow cold at the sudden revtion. The pieces finally started to piece together in his mind all of a sudden as he swallowed his saliva.


    "I''ve seen your files. The one you were assigned to kill... He had the scent of one of the artifacts. It''s a pity you weren''t able to kill him, but you don''t have to worry, there will be plenty of other opportunities."


    Fiddling with the vial, she handed it to him.


    "Drink this. It''s your reward."


    Hesitant, Robert reached out to grab the vial.


    "....Is this really blood?"


    "Hmm, who knows~"


    With a smirk, Rose''s heel clicked against the marble ground as she turned to head for the elevator doors again.


    "It could be or could not be. It doesn''t really matter. Just know this..."


    Her steps slowed briefly.


    "....The moment you drink that, your life expectancy will increase."


    ***


    The days continued to pass.


    It was now the weekend, and I was still stuck in my room. Today was an important day for me.


    Staring at the bar and seeing it at 99%, I knew that it was only a matter of minutes before I finally ranked up to the next tier.


    It was an exciting day.


    "Huuu."


    Taking a deep breath, I felt the mana inside of my body flow smoother and smoother. It was a weird sensation.


    One that felt rather addicting.


    Time continued to pass and the flow became smoother with each second that ticked. Not only that, but I could feel my mana core expand gradually as more and more mana started to seep into my body.


    "Hmmm."


    At some point, I started to frown.


    I felt weirdly bloated as more mana entered my body. It was as if I had eaten a full-course meal and then immediately headed to a buffet.


    It felt... Ufortable.


    But amidst the difort, I felt power surge through my body.


    That feeling...


    It blew all the difort out of the water as I persisted through it. Then... Amid my struggle, I felt something crack.


    Cr-Crack!


    It almost sounded as if a piece of ss had shattered. The sound was subtle and nearly imperceptible.


    However, I caught it.


    And it was from that moment that something within me changed.


    The flow of mana inside of my body became faster and smoother. The core expansion stopped, and my perception of my surroundings changed a little.


    It was an odd sensation.


    I extended my hand forward and scooped it.


    As expected, there was nothing, but...


    "It feels like I''m grabbing something "


    Was it the mana that lingered in the air? Or was it something else?


    My mind didn''t wander on those thoughts for much longer as I focused my attention on my hand where a magic circle started to form.


    nk. nk. nk.


    Chains formed, wrapping over my arm.


    "....It''s faster."


    To my pleasant surprise, the time it took for the chains to appear was faster than before. It wasn''t by much, but it was definitely noticeable.


    "Hahaha."


    Iughed then.


    It was a pleasant situation. Thinking about the fighting style that I had developed, this was certainly a massive boost for me.


    "....Would I have been able to win against her in my current state?"


    I thought back on the incident at the prison.


    Back then, I had been able to contain her with my abilities. Had I been in the same situation in the past, but with my current abilities, would I have been able to achieve more...?


    "There''s no use thinking about it."


    I eventually shook my head.


    There were no what-ifs and the goal had always been to let her escape. There was no use dwelling on hypothetical scenarios.


    "Finally..."


    A sense of relief washed over me all of a sudden as I leaned back and stared at the ceiling.


    "....I did it."


    I had ranked up.


    My chest felt light, and my lips pulled up. It was hard for me to contain my smile. I felt happy, and proud of myself.


    The struggles weren''t for nothing.


    "Huaam."


    Yawning, I squinted my eyes repeatedly. Having neglected my sleep to achieve such a result, I was starting to feel tired.


    I nced at the time. 1 P.M.


    "It''s still quite early."


    Although I did want to sleep, I had sses tomorrow and I didn''t want to mess up my sleeping schedule.


    For that reason, I decided to go out and take a walk.


    "Oh, right."


    I suddenly recalled something and a destination appeared in my mind. Without a second thought, I headed there.


    ***


    Since the nearest city to the Academy was located about two hours away, the academy established a shop where the cadets could purchase basic necessities and food.


    It was a famous spot with it being always full every weekday. The only times it was empty was the weekend when most cadets left the Academy to go to the city.


    Currently, Kiera was facing a problem.


    "What do you mean, you can''t sell me any more cigarettes?"


    She smacked her hand against the counter.


    "What sort of bullshit is this?"


    "I apologize, but that''s Academy policy."


    "Policy? What policy?!"


    Standing behind the counter was a middle-aged man with squared sses and ck hair. He stood stoically, unbothered by Kiera''s fit of anger.


    It was as if he had grown used to it.


    "I''ve received reports of you littering the buds all over the campus. Not only that, but you''ve purchased nearly all of the supplies thate each week. For those reasons, the Academy decided to put your rights of purchase on hold."


    "Ah!?"


    Kieara almost lunged over towards the other side of the counter. It was taking every bit of her willpower to stop herself from doing so.


    "I swear... You... This is nonsense...!"


    How could she ept this?


    Sure, yeah... She did throw away the buds everywhere, she did indeed always buy all the packs avable, but...


    "I can''t ept this."


    Smoking was like medicine to her.


    Without it, she''d be...


    "Fuck!"


    The thought of not being able to smoke was starting to get to her. Just as she was about to scream again, a cool and even voice echoed behind her.


    "If you''re not buying anything, step aside."


    "Which fuc-"


    Kiera''s words remained stuck in her throat the moment she turned around. Standing taller than her, Julien nced at her with his usually detached gaze.


    She stood still for a moment, staring at him without being able to say anything.


    Her thoughts continued to wander towards the time back in the prison. The time he had helped her.


    And...


    "Uh, wait!"


    He moved past her before she could realize it.


    "How may I help you?"


    The cashier greeted him with a smile.


    "Fuck, this... Ah, whatever."


    Kiera ended up letting it go. ''I guess I owe him and shit...''


    Julien''s gaze wandered around before settling to the right where the sweets were.


    Tak¡ª


    He picked up a chocte bar and ced it on the table.


    "Is that all? "


    Without answering, Julien reached out again and took another one.


    Tak.


    And another one.


    Tak.


    And another one.


    Tak. Tak. Tak.


    Gradually, chocte bars started to pile up on the counter as he continued to grab bar after bar.


    "The fuck..."


    Kiera stood behindpletely dumbfounded.


    Tak.


    "S-sir...?"


    Even the cashier was left dumbfounded by his actions. Just then, Kiera met Julien''s gaze as he ced thest chocte bar on the counter.


    As their eyes met, she managed to pick up his low mumble as he went on to say,


    "Bribe. I''m getting bribes."

 Chapter 78 For Growth [1]

    <h4>Chapter 78 For Growth [1]</h4>


    Tak. Tak. Tak¡ª!


    ''...Is this enough? Or should I add more?''


    It was a situation that left me stumped as I added more and more chocte bars to the counter. It was slowly starting to pile up into a small mountain.


    "C-cadet."


    My actions seemed to have startled the cashier who looked at me with a flustered look.


    I ignored it and ced another chocte bar on the counter.


    Tak.


    This was an investment.


    An investment for the future. Putting another chocte bar on the counter, I met Kiera''s gaze. Judging from her widened eyes, she too appeared to be at a loss for what I was doing.


    I didn''t feel like exining everything, so I just said a few words.


    "Bribe. I''m getting bribes."


    It wasn''t exactly a lie.


    These were indeed bribes. Or perhaps a means to build up favor?


    ''Well, whatever... It''s not like they''re expensive anyways.''


    It was about 0.5 Rend per bar. Doable.


    "....Tsk. Whatever, I''m leaving."


    "Hm?"


    I turned around to see Kiera turn around and leave. Wasn''t she going to buy something...?


    ''Is it because she doesn''t want to wait for me to buy everything?''


    That did make sense, but...


    "Whatever."


    Tak.


    Not my problem.


    I ced another chocte bar on the counter. The pile became bigger. But is it enough...? It was an interesting question. I closely examined the pile before me and shook my head.


    ''Not enough.''


    I was just about to ce another one when the cashier stopped me.


    "Cadet, that''s enough."


    He appeared quite flustered. Even more so than before.


    I stopped then and looked up.


    "Is there a problem?"


    "Ah, yes..."


    The cashier went on to exin.


    "....If you end up purchasing so much, we won''t have enough for the other cadets."


    "So?"


    How was that my problem?


    "It''s Academy policy. Like the cadet from before, if you buy too much, we might have to ban you from purchasing goods. Our store was established for the well-being of cadets, not profit."


    "Hm? Ban?"


    I thought back to the time when I had just arrived at the store. Kiera had indeed been arguing with the cashier over something.


    I didn''t expect it to be because of this.


    "Yes, you will be banned. She''s currently banned from buying any more cigarettes."


    He tried to exin as politely as possible, but his voice came out rather strent. As if he was warning me.


    I didn''t put particr thought into his words.


    My eyes wandered to the back where the cigarettes were.


    ''So she''s banned from buying them...''


    It would indeed do good for her to smoke less. Regardless of the world, it was bad for the body.


    There would definitely be benefits to her restriction...


    "If you''re willing to stop here, it will be 102 Rend."


    The cashier''s voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked up to him. From his expression, it was clear that I couldn''t buy any more bars.


    I looked at the pile in front of me and decided that it was enough.


    ''Worst case, I''ll buy more when the timees.''


    I rummaged through my pocket and took out my wallet. There, I took out a bill and a coin. Just as I was about to hand it over to the cashier, my hand stopped.


    "Cadet?"


    I pursed my lips and looked up slightly.


    Thinking about it for a good while, I clenched my teeth slightly and sighed.


    ".....There''s something else that I want to buy."


    Only this time.


    ***


    "Ugh..."


    Sitting outside the store, Kiera groaned.


    It was a shitty day.


    Fiddling with her pockets, she touched the empty cigarette box.


    "...I hate this fucking addiction."


    Rather than smoking out of pleasure, she smoked out of necessity. For that reason, the thought of not being able to smoke was already starting to trigger her symptoms, and she had smoked just an hour ago.


    "Damn, bullshit... It''s not that big of a deal. What''s wrong with me buying everything? Aren''t I giving you business? Plus, what about the cigarette butts? Don''t I pay the Academy enough to clean up after me?"


    Kiera''s rumblings went on for several minutes.


    It was good that no other cadets were around to see her. In her current mood, she was certain she''d beat any of those who would try to hit on her.


    It was a daily urrence.


    "Also, if we''re talking about someone buying too much of the same thing, that fucker got over a hundred chocte bars..."


    Amid her grumbling, Kiera thought back to Julien.


    He came into the store with his usually stoic expression and ended up with all the avable chocte bars.


    In fact, he was still adding more.


    It was a sight that left Kiera at a loss.


    "....Does he have some sort of chocte addiction?"


    Or was it sugar?


    "Whatever, I don''t care."


    Ruffling her hair, Kiera looked up towards the sky and grimaced.


    There were bigger problems she had to deal with. ncing at her hand, she could already see that it was starting to shake.


    "Can Ist a week...?"


    She already knew the answer at heart. The thought made her sigh, and her body limped back.


    Ding¡ª!


    The chime of the door rang and a figure walked out. Kiera briefly nced at him before shifting her attention back towards the sky.


    There was nothing that she needed to say to him.


    Or so she thought.


    "Here."


    "....Um?"


    Kiera raised her hand and caught something. When she looked down, her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her.


    "What the..."


    "I''m not getting you anymore. Make do with what you have."


    He left after parting those words.


    Kiera stared dumbly at his back. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly. There were many things that she wanted to say, but couldn''t find the words.


    ''Weren''t you the same guy who looked at me in disgust thest time I was smoking? Weren''t you the same guy who told me to stop?''


    Fiddling with the pack in her hand, Kiera gently nestled a cigarette in her mouth. She didn''t light it up and just savored the taste.


    Staring into the distance, her expression changed a little.


    The more she thought she knew about him, the moreyers she started to unravel. It was strange. He was strange.


    Nibbling on the cigarette, she mumbled,


    "Why are you...?"


    ***


    ''Did I make the right decision...?''


    I was a little conflicted about my actions. On one hand, I thought it was rather hypocritical of me given how I had acted before, but on the other, knowing the struggles that came with the addiction, I caved in and decided to help her out.


    Smoking was sort of like a therapy for most people.


    Some smoked for pleasure, while others smoked to forget or numb a certain pain.


    ....I didn''t know her circumstances, but for her to be smoking so much, rather than addiction, I felt that she was trying to ease something.


    In a way, I saw my past self in her.


    "It''ll be the only time I''ll do it."


    Think of it as a form of apology for how I had acted during the first time.


    "Haaa..."


    I took a deep breath and stared at the sky.


    With no clouds in the sky, it was a clear day. A sight I was starting to grow ustomed to.


    Holding onto the bag that was filled with bars, I put them in my zer and headed towards a certain destination.


    "Bribes..."


    Indeed, I hadn''t gone to buy all these bars for nothing.


    I had a goal in mind today.


    Though I wasn''t sure whether I''d be able to seed, I thought that it''d be worth a try.


    "The worst that can happen is her rejection."


    I could handle being rejected.


    At the very least, it meant that I tried.


    Making sure that the bars were safely secured with me, I took another breath and headed towards my destination.


    "For growth."


    I mumbled quietly to myself.


    "....This is all for growth."


    ***


    Deliah quietly sat on her seat. Ignoring the mess that had umted around her, her focus was on the paper in front of her.


    It was an invitation.


    [We would like to extend our invitation to you....]


    The invitation was for the Arcanum G. An annual festival that involved all top figures in the Empire. It was a big event that was set to take ce in three months time.


    There was just one problem with the invitation.


    ".....I don''t want to go."


    Thinking about all the gazes she''d receive, and all the people that she''d have to entertain, Delh''s mood plummeted.


    She''d much rather stay here and tend to the cadets.


    Even that was less of a hassle than the Arcanum G.


    To Tok¡ª


    All of a sudden, someone knocked on the door and Delh tore her gaze away from the letter. She didn''t need to see to tell who it was as her lips gently parted open to say,


    "Come in."


    "Excuse me."


    A figure walked in.


    Standing tall, and with impable features, it was none other than her little assistant.


    Julien Dacre Evenus.


    "....What''s with the sudden asion? I don''t remember calling you here."


    "No, it''s not that."


    Shaking his head, his steps stopped by the end of the desk. As his gaze bore down, Delh met his gaze and frowned.


    There was something odd about him today.


    He reached into his pocket and slowly took something out.


    Delilha''s eyes widened slightly.


    Tak.


    "A chocte bar...?"


    Her eyes fluttered slightly. Then, recalling the conversation she had not too long ago, she understood and reached for it.


    "You didn''t have to."


    "No."


    He stopped her before her hand could reach the bar.


    "Hm?"


    "....This isn''t for you."


    Julien''s cool voice made Delh frown.


    "Not for me? Then..."


    "Not yet."


    "....?"


    Tak.


    He ced another bar on the table and Delh licked her lips. She looked up to him. Just before she could say something, he cut her off.


    "I need help with something."


    "Ah."


    It was then that she understood.


    Her nose wrinkled.


    "....Are you trying to bribe me?"


    His eyes shifted away slightly.


    This guy...


    "I''m not someone that can be br¡ª"


    Tak.


    Delh swallowed.


    "It''s not going to wo¡ª"


    Tak.


    Just how many...


    "...."


    Tak.


    "I-"


    Tak.


    Delh swallowed.


    There were a total of five bars before her. Five bars...


    "Do you think I can''t buy them for my-"


    Tak.


    Her lips pursed.


    This guy...


    Delh shifted her gaze away from the bars and back to him. Her face remained in, with little to no changes.


    "What do you want?"


    However, her voice betrayed her upheaval of emotions.


    ".....I''ll listen first."


    Only then did he smile. Delh stared at his smile for a moment, her mind unable to process it. He looked... off? The smile. It didn''t look very natural.


    Why?


    "Faster."


    He tly said.


    ".....I want a faster way to get stronger."

 Chapter 79 For growth [2]

    <h4>Chapter 79 For growth [2]</h4>


    Despite having just ranked up, I wasn''t satisfied with my current rate of progression.


    The moment I reached Tier 2, I noticed that the rate of growth had started to stagnate. If I were to put all of my focus like before on the manual, I''d only be able to gain 3-4% a day. A vast difference from the 8-9% I used to receive.


    It made sense in a way, but the progress was too slow for me.


    And it was for this reason that I thought about asking Delh.


    Out of all the people I knew, she was the one person I thought would have an answer to my problems. She was the strongest.


    Surely, she knew of a way, right?


    Tak.


    It was for this reason that I invested a lot of my money in the chocte bars.


    Come, you are tempted, aren''t you?


    "....You want a way to get stronger, faster?"


    Her tone betrayed her confusion as her head tilted.


    I nodded.


    "My current rate of progress is too slow."


    "Slow?"


    She closed her eyes briefly. I lost control of my body the moment she did. It was as if I was floating in the air.


    The feeling was only fleeting, disappearing just as fast as it appeared.


    "Wh-"


    "You''ve reached Tier 2."


    Her voice cut through mine as her eyes opened.


    "Are you not satisfied with your progress? It''s in line with most of the more talented cadets."


    "No."


    It''d be a lie if I said I was. While it was indeed fast, when Ipared myself with the top cadets of the Academy, I was hardly scraping by.


    I couldn''t sustain the unreasonable training schedule that I was currently putting myself through.


    The gap between me and the others was getting wider and wider.


    If things were to progress at this rate, then I was sure I''d soon lose everything that I had.


    I needed more...


    "...."


    Delh didn''t say anything and just stared at me. She seemed to be in deep thought as her brows slightly furrowed.


    I waited patiently for her to speak.


    She was the only one I could think of for a solution. The other professors would just tell me to train harder or buy a better manual.


    They also gave me a list of several exercises that I needed to follow which I did.


    But it was still not enough.


    ".....You seem rather desperate for growth."


    The silence that gripped the room was broken by Delh''s words as she addressed me.


    I took note of her expression before pursing my lips.


    Desperate?


    I wanted tough. I had long gone past the point of desperation.


    "...."


    I didn''t answer, but it was as if she could read my expression.


    Gradually, her eyes shifted towards my right arm.


    "Does it perhaps have to do with what I told you?"


    "...."


    Yet again, I didn''t answer. It wasn''t as though I didn''t want to answer, but I just didn''t think it was wise just yet.


    ....I didn''t want my biggest secret to be revealed.


    That I wasn''t Julien, but someone else who had taken over his body.


    It was a secret that only one person knew, and I nned on nobody ever finding out. It was a dangerous secret. One that I couldn''t risk anyone finding out about.


    If I were to agree, then there was likely a chance that I might be forced to reveal that I wasn''t Julien.


    ''It also seems like she can tell if I lie or not.''


    For these reasons, I remained hesitant.


    "Alright."


    I thought she''d disagree due to my silence, but to my surprise, she ended up nodding her head and agreeing.


    "....You will?"


    "Meet me tomorrow at 10 P.M. near the forest at the entrance of the Academy."


    Delh provided me with a date and time.


    But before I had the chance to feel happy, she added.


    "I won''t be doing this for free. I need a favor for you. You''re free to agree or not. I won''t force you."


    A favor?


    I swallowed to myself before carefully asking,


    "What''s the favor?"


    "It''s nothing big, but before that..."


    Delh extended her hand.


    I tilted my head in confusion.


    "Yes?"


    What did she want?


    Following her line of sight, I had a sudden realization and I felt my lips twitch. Reaching out for my pocket, I asked.


    "How many?"


    "All of it."


    "...."


    ***


    nk¡ª


    Watching the door to her office close, Delh stared at the pile of bars in front of her.


    "....He."


    A weird sound escaped her lips as her mouth trembled. Hastily covering her mouth, she looked around.


    "Heh..."


    Her shoulders trembled.


    This went on for several seconds before she took a deep breath and calmed herself down.


    Trying her best to not look at the ''goods'' in front of her, she leaned back on her chair. Her thoughts drifted back to Julien.


    ''Greedy''


    Such were her thoughts at first.


    That he was being greedy. His rate of progression was staggering. She could tell from a quick scan of his body that it hadn''te easy. There were traces of exhaustion all over him, and a lot of his muscle fibers were torn.


    Were he to continue this way, he was inevitably going to die of exhaustion.


    It was for this reason that she decided to help him.


    "Perhaps, rather than greed, he''s being chased by something..."


    Something that he couldn''t run away from.


    Like...


    "The Inverted Sky."


    What if...? He had truly defected from them? Thinking about all the incidents he had been in, it really did seem like something was wrong.


    In all the incidents that he was involved, the organization appeared to have suffered some sort of loss.


    All besides one...


    "The Prison Incident."


    It was the only incident where the Inverted Sky managed to seed. It was for that reason that she ended up visiting him.


    She wanted to confirm some things.


    "Hmm."


    But he was truly a hard man to read.


    A nk piece of paper.


    ....Or at least, that was what she thought until just a few moments ago.


    For the first time, she saw something from him. The desperation he had for growth.


    Why was he so desperate?


    Delh was curious. There was clearly something that he didn''t want to say. She didn''t push for an answer.


    She didn''t think he''d be that naive.


    Her answers woulde with time. Of that she was sure.


    And for that reason, she agreed to help him.


    "....I feel like I made a loss."


    The favor she asked of him wasn''t anything big. She had only asked him to make it seem as though she wasn''t doing this for free.


    She had her own selfish agenda to fill by helping him.


    "It''s only fair."


    Delh leaned back on her chair and nkly stared at the ceiling.


    Her thoughts were broken by a sudden knocking sound and her body shot up from the chair and she lunged towards her desk where the piles of bars were.


    To Tok¡ª


    "Chancellor?"


    A woman walked in shortly after.


    "..."


    Only for her steps to stop at the sight that greeted her.


    Blinking twice, Jasmine, the Vice-Chancellor of the Academy, stared at the scene before her with some doubt. She hade here to report on the current situation of the festival


    Gazing at Delh who was hunched over her desk with a towering stack of bars before her, she questioned the current view before her.


    An illusion?


    Jasmine blinked once only for her to see the same scene.


    Pursing her lips, she quietly asked.


    "...Should Ie back?"


    ***


    The next day.


    At the training fields outside the lecture hall.


    "Today''s ss will be a bit different than usual. Each of you will be secretly assigned a cadet''s name and during ss, your job will be to closely examine their weaknesses and strengths."


    The Professor in charge of today''s ss was a tall and bulky man with a bald head. If there was one ss that I looked forward to the least then it was probably this one.


    [Physical training and For execution]


    It was a ss that was mainly dedicated to those who were adept in the [Body] ssification. However, just because it tended towards those who were more adept in the [Body] ssification, it didn''t mean that it wouldn''t be useful for the others.


    Everyone was capable of practicing the three paths.


    Those with talents were just capable of learning it faster.


    "Please pay attention."


    The Professor''s loud voice rumbled throughout the training area as he pointed towards a small hat that rested on the ground next to him.


    "If you look over to this hat over here, you''ll find the names of all your ssmates. I want you to line up in an orderly line to collect the name of the cadet you will be in charge of analyzing."


    A long and orderly line started to form while the Professor continued to speak.


    I silently moved towards the line and overhead a few cadets speaking. Mainly Josephine and the others.


    "Hm~ I wonder who I will get? Heh. If I get that bitch, I''ll make sure to give her a low score."


    "Bitch?"


    Aoife tilted her head.


    "Who else? Kiera of course."


    "Oh."


    She nodded as if she understood.


    "I can hear you."


    Too bad Kiera heard it all.


    "Hiii!"


    I ignored them and continued to pay attention to the Professor.


    "Remember. This is an anonymous task. The other party mustn''t find who you are. If I receive any indication that you''ve disclosed this information or they''ve discovered your identity, you will fail the task immediately and forfeit a credit."


    The banter and noise that surrounded the ce ceased. All of a sudden, everyone''s expression turned grim.


    To lose a credit over such a task...


    "That''s enough of me. Pick a name and we can start with the task."


    In an orderly manner, one cadet after another moved up to the hate near the professor and picked up a card. The moment the cadets looked at the cards, most of them showed a change in expression.


    Some were happy while others showed looks of despair.


    I couldn''t me them. Some cadets were simply better than others, and it was therefore hard to understand what they were doing.


    I quietly lined up from behind and waited for my turn.


    It didn''t take long and the moment I arrived by the hat, I reached out with my hand and picked up a card.


    "...."


    My expression didn''t change the moment that I picked the card.


    However, the same couldn''t be said about how I felt internally. Without looking back, I put the card in my pocket and left for the training area.


    In the distance, I caught a glimpse of a figure.


    He stood at the center with his sword already drawn. He began to execute a move.


    His movements appeared fluid, almost as if there was nog in them.


    ....My steps paused as I stared at the distant figure who appeared to have attracted the attention of all the nearby cadets.


    [Leon Ellert.]


    Why did it have to be him of all people?

 Chapter 80 For growth [3]

    <h4>Chapter 80 For growth [3]</h4>


    ''.....I can never get used to this sight.''


    I stood on my spot in awe of what I was seeing. It was hard to take my eyes off his movements. They were perfect. Almost like a work of art.


    As my knight, I had seen him train before.


    I had only caught glimpses of it, but each time, I''d be mesmerized by what I was seeing.


    ''As expected of the main character...''


    Good thing that his actions attracted the gazes of multiple cadets. If not, I would''ve feared my identity as his analyst would''ve been exposed.


    "Huu."


    Taking a small breath, I looked around me and settled my gaze on a training dummy off in the distance.


    "I should probably get to work as well."


    The point of today''s training was to disy our skills on the training dummies scattered around. Powered by magical circuits, they could move on their own and could dodge and counter-attack.


    They were the perfect puppets to practice on.


    I was just about to head to one when I stopped again. My gaze once again fell on Leon.


    Swoosh, Swoosh¡ª!


    The air whistled with each of his strikes. Leaning forward, the air tore and the sword cut through the air.


    It was an instantaneous movement. One that took less than a second.


    Picturing myself on the opposite end, the only thing that crossed my mind was,


    "....I''d die."


    There was no other oue. The speed and power of his strike was simply incredible. But that wasn''t what prompted me to look at him.


    For some reason, I couldn''t take my eyes away from his feet.


    Shifting with every movement, they followed a set pattern.


    ''Forward, left, forward, left, right, forward...''


    Swoosh¡ª!


    ''Forward, left, forward, left, right, forward...''


    Swoosh¡ª!


    The pattern was subtle, but it was definitely there. Engrossed in his movements, I didn''t notice that I was now the only one looking at Leon.


    I only noticed when Leon stopped and looked at me.


    Our gazes met and I looked around me.


    ''Ah.''


    Without changing my expression, I looked back at him for a short movement and asked,


    "Do you think it''s possible for me to be able to do your footwork?"


    "Footwork...?"


    He looked surprised by the question.


    "You want to know if you can do my footwork?"


    "Yes."


    I quietly nodded.


    Then, under his gaze, I started to mimic his movements. Forward, left, forward, left, right, and forward. My movements were rather awkward, but I didn''t bother and continued to do them.


    I didn''t know whether they''d be useful to me, but I felt like I was onto something.


    Performing the set of movements, I looked up once I was done.


    "...."


    Leon stood quietly with his brows slightly furrowed.


    "How was it?"


    He didn''t answer immediately. Sorting through his thoughts, he quietly said.


    "It''s rough."


    As expected...


    ".....I''ll show you one more time."


    "Hm?"


    "Make sure you watch carefully."


    The situation took me by surprise, but I didn''t waste it. I stood silently and stared ahead as Leon got into a stance.


    He took a step forward.


    I stared intently at his actions and deeply engraved every little detail. From the pivot of his foot to his breathing and hand movements.


    While my focus was on his feet, I knew that the little details in the other movements were also of importance. The same was true for the mana flow. However, that part was a lot harder to see and feel.


    Mainly because I couldn''t see the flow. The only indication was from his breathing and the faint glow that traced over his sword.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    His sword flowed forward. Carrying on with the momentum, he pivoted slightly and stepped to the left. The transition was extremely smooth. It hardly seemed as though he had moved at all.


    He continued.


    His heel shifted, and he once again took another stop.


    Forward.


    His momentum never ceased. During each movement, the sword would seamlessly follow his movements, carrying forward and striking at the air.


    Left again.


    I studied everything.


    I didn''t let anything slip from my mind.


    It felt as though I was close to grasping something. It made no sense. This was something that was specifically for [Body] type users, and yet...


    Swoosh¡ª!


    The air whistled and my hair scattered.


    "....I''m done."


    Before I knew it, Leon was standing with his sword sheathed. I stood in a daze for a few seconds before closing my eyes and nodding my head.


    "Thank you."


    Without saying anything else, I headed towards a more secluded area and closed my eyes.


    I traced Leon''s movements in my mind.


    From his leg movements to his breathing. I tried to mimic it but found myself having a hard time doing so.


    It took me a good minute to get the breathing correct.


    Only then did I open my eyes and step forward.


    "Forward, lef-"


    I stopped right on the second step.


    It was as if my legs had been glued down by massive weights. It simply refused to take that step.


    "Why...?"


    I stopped and pondered.


    Was there something with the movement? No, that was unlikely. I repeated the movement. This time without any mana.


    It flowed smoothly this time.


    "As expected, the problem is the mana flow."


    There was a specific mana flow that I needed to follow. One that only Leon was familiar with.


    "Hmm."


    This was a bit of a problem...


    ".....Looks like I''ll have to give up trying to copy him."


    I thought about asking him about the mana flow, but that was probably too much. Furthermore, it wasn''t necessary.


    I only wanted to partially mimic his steps, not his entire movement or whatever that was.


    He was a sword user, so it would be absurd for me to copy his movements in their entirety. What I needed knowledge of was the principle behind his movements.


    How would such movements benefit me?


    "Let''s settle with three steps first."


    I let the mana flow inside of my body and extended my hand.


    nk, nk, nk¡ª!


    Chains manifested in my hands, and I took a step forward. I swung my hand at the same time.


    Swoosh¡ª


    The air whistled.


    "Ukh...!"


    I was just about to follow that up with another movement when my arm tensed and I was knocked forward due to the momentum.


    nk!


    I dropped the chains on the ground as a result.


    "Haa..."


    I stuck out my tongue and took a breath.


    "I rushed."


    The chain on the ground scattered, reappearing on my hand again. Before repeating the movement, I closed my eyes and imagined the path of my feet.


    The same was true for the mana flow.


    "...."


    I didn''t know how long had passed but as I opened my eyes again, I took a step forward. My squads tensed, and I swung down with my right hand.


    Swoosh¡ª


    I followed a simr patternpared to my first try.


    However...


    "Scatter."


    The moment the chain was eye-level with my chest, I scattered it, and directly stepped to the left, following it up with another hand movement where a new chain appeared.


    "Haa..."


    My muscles screamed under the tension, however, I ignored the pain and continued the swing.


    CLANK!


    A loud nking sound resounded and I dropped on my ass.


    "Haaa... Haaa...."


    My breath was heavy and sweat trickled down the side of my face. Looking down, I stared at my hands. They were both blistered and bleeding. It felt as though I had just touched fire.


    "Haaa..."


    However, rather than minding it, I felt like smiling.


    "....I did it."


    It was still extremely raw, but I had found a way to further improve my new technique.


    Clenching my hands and feeling the pain, I let a few seconds adjust my mind to the newfound pain before standing up and getting into a stance.


    "Again."


    I nned on getting to at least three moves before testing it against one of the puppets.


    ''It''ll probably take me months topletely master or get the hang of, but...''


    It was definitely worth the practice.


    Of that, I was sure.


    ***


    "Hmm~ Who did you get? Come on, you can tell me. Pretty please...?"


    Josephine rested her chin over Evelyn''s shoulder as she continuously whispered in her ear.


    "Hey... I know you can hear me. Does my voice tickle?"


    "...."


    Despite her efforts, Evelyn continued to ignore her.


    Her attention was currently drawn towards the distance where a figure stood. With long flowing tinum hair and red eyes, she stood by herself in the distance.


    nk¡ª!


    Her weapon of choice was her fists. Or to be precise, her body?


    Deftly dodging the strikes of the dummy, Kiera appeared to be bored. Casually stepping to the side, she pped the dummy''s head.


    Faintly, Evelyn caught a glimpse of a smile on her face as she did so, but pretended to not have seen it.


    "Hmm, so she''s the one you''re analyzing?"


    Josephine''s voice once again made it to her ear. It tickled slightly, and Evelyn''s brows finally furrowed as she took her gaze away from Kiera.


    "Are you done?"


    Evelyn pushed Josephine''s face away.


    "What are you even doing here? Why aren''t you doing your job?"


    "Hmmm."


    Josephine''s shoulders slumped.


    "I tried, but he..."


    She sighed.


    "...He was so busy watching Leon that I ended up wasting ten minutes for nothing."


    "Hm?"


    Evelyn blinked.


    "Your partner is Julie-"


    "Hey!"


    Josephine hastily covered Evelyn''s mouth.


    "It''s supposed to be a secret!"


    ''But you just said mine...''


    Evelyn wanted to say, but couldn''t because her mouth was covered. Still, she got her message through her gaze.


    With a long and exaggerated sigh, Josephine waved her hand.


    "Alright, fine... fine..."


    And headed out.


    "....It''s not like I''ll see much."


    She ended up grumbling throughout the way.


    It was a known fact that Julien was weak. No, he was strong and weak... He was bipr.


    "No, that''s not how that works..."


    In any case.


    He wasn''t strong.


    "Where is he?"


    Looking around, Josephine squinted her eyes. Her body felt lifeless. She was feeling prettyzy. It took her a moment to spot his figure in the distance. He seemed to be in the middle of challenging one of the dummies.


    "Oh."


    Her eyes lit up a little.


    That was going to be interesting...


    "Will he lose?"


    It would be pretty funny to watch.


    With renowned vigor, Josephine headed towards a better area to get a better look. She had just arrived on her spot when he started.


    "Oh."


    Her eyes immediately focused on Julien.


    ''So handsome...''


    "Ehm."


    Clearing her throat, she put on a straight face.


    ''Right, right... I''m not here to admire his looks. I can do thatter.''


    In general, Josephine treated the entire situation lightheartedly. It was how she usually was. She never took anything seriously.


    Furthermore, with her father being a renowned knight working for the Megrail family, she was well-versed in these types of situations. After experiencing movements characteristic of [Body] type and weapon arts, she perceived everything around her as rather boring¡ªexcept for Leon, who stood out.


    His swordsmanship was rather unique.


    ''I wonder where he learned it from...?''


    It seemed just as advanced as her family''s one.


    Her thoughts continued like this for a few seconds, until...


    "Oh...?"


    Her face changed as her mouth hung open.


    nk, nk, nk¡ª


    It was fast. Almost seamless. There were a lot of wasted movements, but it was getting faster and faster.


    A shiver gradually ran down her spine...


    One that intensified by a loud metallic sound causing her to flinch.


    CLANK!


    The dummy was still intact, and the figure appeared to warn out. With blood dripping from his palms, and sweat endlessly pouring out from his face, it looked like a pathetic sight.


    However, to the only one watching, she found nothing pathetic about the sight.


    Especially after what had just seen.


    "This..."


    The situation left her stumped.


    "How am I going to judge this...?"


    What even was this?

 Chapter 81 For growth [4]

    <h4>Chapter 81 For growth [4]</h4>


    nk--!


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    I felt a lump in my throat as I heavily gasped for air. I felt lightheaded and my muscles were screaming from the strain.


    Even so, I felt satisfied.


    "It''s something..."


    I could see myself progressing. There was still a lot of work to do, and I was still far from reaching something concrete, but...


    "I''m getting there."


    I wasn''t sure when, but I knew it was bound to happen. But the question was,?"How do I progress from here...?"


    I had the concept down in my mind. What I wanted to achieve, and where to begin. However, what Icked was a fundamental understanding of the concept.


    How exactly was I supposed to improve this new technique that I had just started learning?


    Step--


    I stepped forward and let the mana flow around my body. Unlikest time, I didn''t call for the chains and simply moved my feet.


    Forward, and left...


    The entire time I simply focused on the mana flow. There was a certain mana flow that I needed to follow for this to work.


    For what reason was the mana flow necessary?


    The answer was simple. To reinforce the muscles and build up power. There was a massive difference between doing a regr punch and punching with a mana flow.


    In this case, the flow was necessary to smoothly transition the power of the action between each movement.


    Transitioning between each movement without a mana flow typically led to a loss in power and momentum. The mana flow was added to supplement such a w.


    "Hmm."


    I yet again stopped.


    "....Something isn''t quite right."


    Ignoring the pain that was currently gripping my hands, I thought back to the mana flow and movement. I felt like there was something missing from the entire action.


    The problem was that I couldn''t quite grasp the reasoning behind the feeling.


    "Is it the movement, or myself?"


    I wasn''t sure, but it felt as though something was missing from the entire movement.


    An extra step?


    "....Is it?"


    I tried and frowned. From the left to the right step. It flowed smoothly, but I felt like something was missing.


    ''The transition can be better...?''


    I ruffled my hair.


    "Am I being paranoid?"


    I tried again, but nothing changed. It was obvious that I wasn''t skilled enough to understand. I tried a couple of more times, but the result was the same.


    In the end, I could only give up.


    "....I''ll leave it at that for now."


    Such little detail was for the more skilled version of me. Right now, I was far from skilled enough to tell.


    ''I think the w exists, but I''m just too weak to tell... I''ll leave it at this for now.''


    Stretching my arms, I went ahead and started practicing again.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    I only stopped when I heard the professor''s voice echo from the distance.


    "Time''s up. Everyone, ce your report cards on the table over here. You may collect them after everyone has handed theirs in."


    I looked at my report card with a frown. Although I tried my best, I wasn''t sure if it was enough.


    The report cardprised four categories: observations, pros, weaknesses, and Conclusion.


    This task wasn''t just to help us learn about ourselves, but it was also to help us better understand how others practiced and learned.


    It was an exercise that benefitted all parties involved.


    I had a hard time filling the weaknesses area considering that it was an area that was outside of my expertise. Even so, thinking back to the movements that he had shown me, I could deduct a few things.


    ''Good thing I spent some time observing him....''


    I ced my report card on the table where all the other report cards were ced. There were quite a few.


    In the end, I was rather grateful for this training session. I was able to learn something due to it.


    ".....I guess I should start observing others as well."


    If I could learn something from Leon, then could I also learn something from the others?


    Quite frankly, I didn''t care about my pride. If it meant helping me grow stronger, I was prepared to ask those who disliked me for some advice.


    Pride was meaningless when one had a goal.


    "You may collect your report card."


    Once all the report cards were handed over, the Professor mixed them up a bit and ordered us to form a line to pick up our own cards.


    I sort of understood where he wasing from by making this an anonymous observation report.


    With everyone not knowing who their observer was, they could be as harsh and critical as possible.


    The harsher one was, the more critical they were of someone''s w. In a way, if a cadet took the criticism seriously, then there was a chance that they might be able to improve a lot.


    Such were my thoughts as I headed for the desk and picked up my card.


    "This one."


    [Julien Dacre Evenus - Observation Report]


    Picking up the card, I moved the side before carefully opening it.


    "As expected."


    It was harsh.


    [Observation :


    Julien appears to be practicing a new movement technique. From how rigid his movements are, I believe that this is the first time that he''s tried such a move. There are ring ws in almost everything he is doing...


    It went on a long rant about how I was doing a lot of unnecessary movements and that I was overreaching.


    Nothing I didn''t expect.


    [Pros :


    ¡ªInteresting concept.


    [Weaknesses :


    ¡ªUnstable control of mana.


    ¡ªPoor form andck of connection between movements.


    ¡ªLacks physical fitness to follow up on the movements.


    ¡ªA lot of wasted movements.


    [Conclusion :


    Maybe due to his experimentation with a new technique, his maniption of mana and physical form fell far below par. His actionscked fluidity, and the mana seemed disjointed in its flow. My rmendation is for him to prioritize refining his control. Once he hones his ability to concentrate on mana flow and prevents it from dispersing between actions, then...


    The note ended there.


    "Hm?"


    Then what?


    I flipped the paper over to check if there was more to it, but...


    "Nothing."


    What?


    I flipped the paper again, but regardless of where I looked, the note ended there. I frowned and stared intently at the report card. I thought about reporting it to the professor but chose against it.


    ".....Are they implying that when I fix this problem it''ll be something good?"


    That was perhaps what the pause implied. Either way, I knew what to do now.


    "Practice my mana flow and control."


    I noticed it too while I was practicing. I wasn''t quite able to get a grasp on what it was that was making it hard for me to connect the forms, but the report card made it clearer to me.


    "Huu."


    Taking a deep breath, I put the card away and looked into the distance.


    There, I caught a glimpse of Leon.


    Staring at the report card in his hand, he wore a frown.


    "Hah."


    I almostughed as I recalled what I had written. ''Does he think I''m spewing bullshit...?'' He could very well be. I wouldn''t me him.


    But I thought it was something that I needed to write.


    Perhaps there was some truth to what I had written...?


    "Maybe he''lle to thank meter, or maybe he''llpletely ignore it. "


    That was up to him to interpret.


    ***


    Leon looked at the report card in his hands and carefully read it. While he wasn''t sure who his analyst was, he had an idea.


    He was curious as to what he''d say.


    [Leon Ellert- Observation Report]


    [Observation :


    Leon practices a sophisticated technique characterized by a seamless flow and interconnected movements that focus on small movements and low mana exertion. It''s...


    The report was long and detailed. Leon was a little surprised by what he saw. However, it was just the standard talk.


    There was nothing new to him.


    [Pros :


    ¡ªSeamless transition.


    ¡ªWell practiced. It''s apparent that the cadet has practiced the move thousands of times in the past.


    [Weaknesses :


    ¡ªNone that I saw or am capable of seeing.


    Leon paused there.


    "....I can''t fault him there."


    The technique that he was practicing was called [The Dance of the Whirlwind]. Unlike mages who learned spells that were ranked from beginner to perfected, users who practiced the [Body] ssification learned ''Techniques'' or ''Arts''.


    They too had ranks to them. From one to five stars.


    And unlike spells, they also didn''t require a person to have a certain level of strength to practice them.


    [The Dance of the Whirlwind] was a secret art that he had managed to chance upon.


    The rank was unknown, but Leon was sure that it was high.


    It''d be odd if Julien saw any ws with his art.


    Not impossible, but also very unlikely.


    He continued to read the report.


    [Conclusion :


    There isn''t much to borate on. It appears impable in every aspect. It could be my limitations preventing me from identifying any ws or offering constructive feedback. However, I do notice a concealed issue within the movement


    ¡ªa segment appears to be absent in the progression from the left to the right step. While some attempts have been made to remedy it, there still seems to be someg...


    "Uh?"


    Leon''s eyes paused on thest remarks.


    His entire body shook.


    "w...? Left to right step?"


    He found a hard time trying to describe the current situation. It wasn''t because he was wrong, but because he was... right.


    "How did he know?"


    Leon recalled that he had only spent ten minutes observing him.


    Had he figured something out in the ten minutes that he had been observing him?


    ....Or was there something else?


    "How does this make sense?"


    Leon wasn''t shocked because he didn''t know about the w. He did in fact know about the w. The ''Art'' was iplete with a few missing pages. He had already done his best to mend it and cover it.


    That being said...


    "How did he figure it out?"


    It wasn''t something that was supposed to be figured out with just a few moments of observation.


    An idea suddenly struck Leon all of a sudden.


    "Does he...?"


    He stopped there and took a deep breath. He didn''t jump to conclusions immediately. However, he couldn''t stop himself from breathing more heavily.


    Perhaps...


    ***


    10 P.M.


    I reached the entrance of the Academy where all that greeted me was the vast forest that loomed around it. A figure stood waiting for me near it. Dressed in all ck, she seamlessly blended with the darkness.


    "Do you have it?"


    "I''ve got the goods."


    I took out a bar and handed it to her.


    She nodded in satisfaction.


    No, wait... Why does this feel so wrong?


    "Come with me. I''ll lead you to a ce."


    "Where ar-"


    Before I could finish speaking, she ced her hand over my shoulder and the scenery changed.


    Swoosh! Swoosh¡ª!


    The heavy sound of water falling echoed within my ears as arge waterfall appeared in my vision.


    "Where..."


    "This is where you''ll be training."


    Delh said in a t voice.


    I looked up at her unsure of what she was trying to imply. We were perched atop a modest hill overlooking a basin of water below. A waterfall cascaded into it, its steady rumble echoing all around us.


    "You said you wanted to grow fast, correct?"


    "....."


    I swallowed before nodding.


    Cracks disyed on her indifferent face as she pointed toward the waterfall.


    "There''s something beyond there. Beyond the waterfall. It''ll be what you''re looking for. However..."


    She paused and looked at me.


    A thin smile disyed on her face.


    "It''s going to push you to your limit. It might even be quite dangerous. Are you sure you want to do it? I''m not forcing you. The decision is up to you."


    "No, I''ll go."


    I didn''t hesitate with my answer. This much was obvious to me.


    Delh nodded.


    "Okay."


    And nudged toward the waterfall with her chin.


    "Go."


    I quietly nodded my head.


    Without hesitation, I jumped down the small cliff.


    Ssh¡ª!


    ....For growth.

 Chapter 82 For growth [5]

    <h4>Chapter 82 For growth [5]</h4>


    Ssh¡ª!


    I felt my body sink deeply into the cold water. At first, the cold took me aback, hitting me like a truck and taking my breath away.


    However, I slowly started to get ustomed to it.


    "Huaaa!"


    Emerging from the water, I took a deep breath.


    "Huuu... Huu.."


    It was extremely dark outside, and I could hardly see my surroundings. I felt an eerie sense of dread floating in the pond.


    The water was inky ck, and as I circled my hands and legs to keep me afloat, I felt a nagging feeling at the back of my mind.


    What if I''m not the only living being on this basin?


    The thought sent chills down my spine.


    Taking another deep breath, I threw those thoughts away. In hindsight, I was indeed a little hasty with my decision to jump down.


    How much could I truly trust Delh?


    ....But at the same time, I understood something. If she really wanted to get rid of me, she wouldn''t need to go through all this trouble.


    It was the only reason why I felt like she wasn''t lying to me.


    ''Go near the waterfall. Beyond it, you''ll find a cave. Go there.''


    Delh''s soft voice reached my ear from where I was. I looked around me to determine where her voice came from but realized it wasing from nowhere.


    It was...


    In my head?


    "....."


    There were so many things that I wanted to ask, but chose to remain silent and just followed her instructions.


    ''Waterfall, cave...''


    I repeated the same two words in my mind.


    While I had never yed that many games before, the waterfall cave scenario was still something that I knew about.


    It was a cliche scenario.


    Typically, however, one would find treasures beyond the cave.


    Wasn''t sure I''d find a treasure.


    Roar¡ª


    The roar of the waterfall became more pronounced the closer I got to it, drumming loudly inside of my mind as I tried my best to ignore the sound and move forward.


    It was loud and I struggled to move forward the current continued to drag me back.


    "Shit..."


    I found myself expending considerable energy attempting to navigate past the waterfall. My attempt to dive beneath it was short-lived,sting only a few seconds in the dark and chilling depths below.


    "Huaa...!"


    Coming out of the water, I took a deep breath.


    ".....This."


    How was I supposed to get past this?


    ''Go on. What are you waiting for?''


    Delh''s voice once again echoed in my head. I wanted to grumble, but decided against it and just pushed forward with all my might.


    There was no roundabout way of going about this. I had to get past it through sheer power and stamina.


    "Ukh...!"


    I eventually did manage to cross the waterfall, but it came at a cost...


    "Haaa... Haaa... Haaa...!"


    I copsed onto a small rocky tform, gasping for breath. Movement was difficult, and my body felt utterly drained, limp with exhaustion.


    My lungs were on fire and my entire body was cold. My soaking wet clothes made the situation even worse as it added to the cold.


    ''Probably should''ve stripped beforehand.''


    "Shit..."


    The worst part of the situation was that I knew this was merely the start.


    As expected, Delh''s words reached me shortly after.


    ''You don''t have much time. Once you''ve recovered, head into the cave.''


    "Uhhh."


    nkly staring up, and hearing the roar of the waterfall not so far from me, I forced myself up and?staggered into the cave.


    I was tired and almost out of breath.


    However, this meant nothing if it meant that I could get stronger.


    "I wonder what type of training this i-"


    I stopped the moment that I set foot in the cave.


    "Ah..."


    I didn''t know how to react. Looking ahead, my body shuddered. More than a dozen pairs of eyes red at me with unmistakable hostility.


    I felt my skin crawl.


    And then...


    ***


    Num. Num.


    Two slender, childlike legs wobbled precariously at the edge of a small cliff, while two, deep, inky eyes were fixated on the distant cascade of the waterfall.


    Num. Num.


    The small child-like figure was none other than Delh who savored the taste of the bar in her hands.


    It was sweet, crunchy, and...


    "Slurp."


    She wiped the corner of her lips.


    Just the thought was making her salivate.


    There was a reason why she liked to turn into a child. It was so that she could savor the bar better. With a smaller body, she could take more time eating it and enjoying it.


    "I''m smart like that."


    There was a strict restriction on her that prevented her from purchasing any chocte bars. It was something imposed on her because of an incident in the past. It was for this reason that the bars were extremely precious to her.


    More than any money in the world.


    Num. Num.


    Her legs continued to wobble.


    Beyond the waterfall, she could see a figure.


    He was currently struggling by himself fighting against a dozen or so monsters. The cave he was in was a famous training ground for cadets. With monsters belonging to the Mirror Dimension, it served to provide the cadets with real-life experience.


    Strictly speaking, the cadets were only allowed to enter the cave after the first half of the first year.


    However, considering how much he wanted to improve, she decided to let him be.


    Of course...


    She had a goal in mind with this.


    Observe his skills.


    "....Oh?"


    Her hands halted as she observed several slender threads extending from his arm. They wrapped around his arm, and scattered around the cave limiting the space avable for the monsters to approach him.


    Not only that...


    "He''s merged the skill with a spell. How intriguing..."


    It wasn''t a unique concept or anything like that. However, it was certainly not something that all cadets knew how to do.


    In this case, it also provided him with breathing space as the monsters didn''t directly pounce him from all sides.


    "Not bad."


    Such was her current evaluation.


    Not bad.


    "....."


    Another change unfolded as a chain materialized on his opposite hand.


    With one hand ensnaring the monsters with threads to impede their movements, he wielded the chains on his other hand adeptly, simultaneously defending andunching attacks.


    Shifting between attack and offense.


    What grabbed Delh''s attention was his footwork.


    It was... Raw. However, there was something to them. In a way, it appeared to be the key to his transition between his offense and defense.


    The more Delh watched, the more surprised she became.


    She fell silent, silently observing Julien in the distance.


    It was obvious that he had just learned this method given how rigid some of his movements were, but...


    What would happen were he to master everything?


    Just how much stronger would he be?


    Lost in her own thoughts, Delh didn''t realize that her grip over the bar had faltered.


    "Uh...?"


    By the time she realized, the bar had dropped from her grasp.


    "Ah, no...!"


    Delh reached out for it, but given her small stature, she was unable to grab it. Her little hands were simply useless.


    While there were advantages to her polymorph skill, there were also disadvantages.


    One such disadvantage was that her powers were reduced and it would take several seconds for her to change back.


    "....."


    In the silence that unfolded around her, Delh could only watch in despair as the bar dropped to the ground.


    Plop¡ª!


    "..."


    The bar sank deeply into the water, blending with the darkness surrounding it.


    With her ability, Delh could still see the bar.


    It was sinking.


    Deeper, and deeper into the basin.


    The sweet and savory bar. The rich, smooth texture that melted in her tongue. The satisfying snap that came with each bite...


    "Ah."


    Delh leaned back and nkly stared at the sky.


    Gaze : Sadness. I''ve mastered it.


    ***


    In a dark room belonging to the ''Curtain Call Collective'', a lone figure sat before a wooden desk that was dimly lit by a smallmp.


    The sound of her pen scratching against paper reverberated throughout the room, punctuating the intense seriousness etched onto her face.


    ".....Almost."


    A dozen different papers were scattered across the room.


    Olga found herself in a very dangerous situation. The script was ready. She had already handed it to the board of admission.


    However...


    "No, I have to."


    It was supposed to have already been perfect.


    However, as she recalled the performance of the cadet, she found herself unable to sleep.


    His performance...


    It was just that impactful. It perfectly captured the essence of Azarias. In fact, his performance added a depth that she herself hadn''t seen.


    "He''s only got three scenes..."


    It wasn''t enough.


    She craved to see more of his performance.


    "It might ruin everything, but I can''t help myself."


    The script was perfect in every way. She was confident she''d be able to receive her first five-star grade, but...


    "I need more."


    Of Azarias.


    Of the cadet who yed Azarias.


    All writers wanted to create masterpieces. Even if they were confident that what they had was already a masterpiece, if a chance to improve the script further presented itself, they''d jump at the opportunity.


    Olga was one such writer.


    *


    Olga who was obsessed with her script spent the entire night making adjustments to the script. Adding and removing scenes continuously.


    She was a perfectionist. Unless all scenes seamlessly flowed together, she wasn''t going to ept the scenes.


    Thus, ever since the practice, she spent the entire week holed up in her room trying to improve the script.


    *


    Exactly one week after holing herself up in her room, Olga stood up from her seat.


    "Done..."


    A full script appeared in front of her.


    It was at least a few pages thickerpared to the normal script. This meant that the y was going to run for longer than intended. That in itself was going to cause a little bit of trouble.


    "It''s worth it."


    The adjustments were perfect.


    Azarias who was supposed to be just a minor character suddenly had a bigger role to y. He was still a minor viin. However, he now had incredible depth.


    Not only that, but she hadn''t just changed his scenes.


    Olga had made minor changes to make the character more consistent with Julien.


    "Haha, this is..."


    Massaging her eyes, Olga pressed on the small orb beside her.


    "Rodney, I need a favor. I want you to call themittee over. I''d like to present a new script, and..."


    She paused for a short moment, tracing the new script over with her eyes.


    "...I''d like for themittee to grade the y during the festival."

 Chapter 83 Preparation for the festival [1]

    <h4>Chapter 83 Preparation for the festival [1]</h4>


    The week continued like that.


    Each night, at the same time, I''d go to the entrance of the Academy where I would be brought to the cave where...


    "Ukh."


    I suppressed a groan and wrapped my arm. Blood was leaking, staining the cloth in red.


    ".....How long do I have to do this for?"


    I looked around me. It was dark, but I could see the dozen or so corpses littered on the ground. A putrid smell lingered in the air, forcing me to wince at times.


    Despite the many hours I had spent in this ce, I could still not get used to the smell.


    It was that strong.


    "Huu."


    Taking a deep breath, I suppressed the pain and stood up. Looking at my watch, I sighed and extended my hand.


    Thin, almost untraceable threads spread out from my forearm, circling each finger before moving out the area around me. Hiding around the crevices, and rocks scattered throughout.


    It was hard to see in the darkness, but I was getting used to it.


    "Ten..."


    I started to count down.


    "Nine... Eight... Seven... Six... Five... Four..."


    For every ten minutes that passed a new set of monsters would appear.


    "Three..."


    This was the fifth horde of the day.


    "Two..."


    And, thest horde of the day.


    "One."


    Hieeeek¡ª! Hieeeek¡ª!


    A sight that I had started to grow ustomed to. Over several dozen figures appeared at the back of the cave. Their figures blended nicely with the darkness, making it hard to distinguish what they were.


    That... However, was of no importance.


    I sightly raised my right hand.


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    Light and rushed steps.


    ''Small...''


    The sound gave away the size of the creatures. Judging from the frequency and weight of them, they didn''t seem to be veryrge in size.


    "...."


    I waited.


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    The sound neared.


    They were only a few meters away from me. Their speed was starting to pick up. Even still, I did nothing. I waited quietly for them toe closer.


    nk. nk.


    Chains wrapped around my left hand as I brought it forward.


    The dim, purple glow surrounding my left arm offered a fleeting preview of the path ahead. There loomed a colossal jaw adorned with countless rows of teeth curving inward.


    "Ah... Fuck."


    nk¡ª!


    As soon as my eyesnded on the creature, sparks crackled through the air, illuminating its form for me to get a better look.


    Hieeeeek¡ª!


    It snapped at the chains with ferocity, prompting me to instinctively retreat several paces.


    Before I could even process the arrival of the first creature, another materialized, adding to the otherwise precarious situation.


    "Ukh...!"


    I just barely managed to shift my hand to get it to bite at the chains.


    nk¡ª!


    I was once again pushed back several meters.


    When I managed to stabilize myself, I used the few seconds I had to myself to get a proper look at the creatures.


    As expected.


    "A rat..."


    Fucking rats.


    Hie! Hieeek¡ª


    Their steps hurried and I knew that I was about to be surrounded. It wasn''t as though I didn''t want this to happen. In fact, I was waiting for it as I clenched my right hand.


    Puchi!


    Blood splurted everywhere as the beasts shrieked in pain and the threads that I hadid out burst out.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    I was immediately left out of breath the moment I called for the threads. However, I knew that I couldn''t stop.


    Not yet.


    "Kh..."


    I extended my left hand, causing the chains to scatter as I pushed away the two rats clinging to them.


    Hie! Hieeek¡ª


    Their red eyes red fiercely at me as they crouched on all fours, their fur bristling in warning.


    Amidst the chaos, the other rodents eithery lifeless or struggled to regain their footing.


    Grazed by the threads, the creatures, already weakened by the curse of [Hands of Mdy] intertwined with the threads, seemed to falter every time they tried to stand up.


    "Tsk..."


    Looking at my left hand and seeing the faint blood marks on it, I clicked my tongue.


    "....Still a lot of work to do."


    Stepping forward, I raised my right hand and called the chains forth as they hung on my grip.


    Sensing the impending danger, the two rodents lunged toward me with ferocity.


    Too bad I was faster.


    nk¡ª


    With a swift swing, Inded a solid blow on both of the rodents, staggering them momentarily.


    Without hesitation, I followed up with another strike as I smoothly transitioned the chains to my left hand, maintaining my fluid motion with careful flow and step.


    Hieeeekk!


    What came after the strike was one resounding shriek as afamiliar silence ensued shortly after as I took heavy breaths.


    "Haaaa... Haaa..."


    Thud.


    I fell on my knees and held onto my chest. My vision was blurry, and I could hardly focus.


    Despite that, I didn''t let my guard down and continued to look around at the monsters that were on the ground.


    None of them were moving and were either in pieces or lying motionless.


    Even so, I continued to stare at them.


    "...."


    The silence felt stifling and I swallowed.


    ''They''re all dead, right...?''


    They sure looked like they were.


    Hiek¡ª!


    But the reality was different from my thoughts. Out of nowhere, as if they had been injected with some weird drug, one of the rodents abruptly stood up and lunged at me with all their might.


    "...."


    I was prepared for such an asion.


    With a casual swipe of my hand, the rodent separated in two.


    Thud.


    "Haaaa..."


    Only then did I sigh in relief and rx.


    "....I''ve already learned my lesson once."


    I recalled the first day of my training. I remembered just how much I had suffered. These little fuckers... They were crafty.


    Extremely so.


    Had it not been for the fact that Delh was present, I feared I would''ve spent at least a few weeks in the infirmary.


    Drip...! Drip!


    Turning my head, I stared at my left arm which was bleeding from two points.


    "I thought I did good covering..."


    In the end, one of the monsters still managed to get a bite on me.


    It was a bit disappointing, butpared to the first time when I had suffered bites everywhere, I was doing considerably better.


    "Huuu."


    Slowly, I caught up with my breath.


    I was finally done for the day. I felt tired and every part of my body hurt.


    Leaning back on the hard ground, I nkly stared at the ceiling of the cave. It was dark, but I could faintly see it.


    Drip. Drip.


    Softly cascading from the overhanging rocks, water dripped in gentle touches, its calm rhythm punctuated by the distant rumble of the waterfall echoing in the background.


    I closed my eyes and let the sounds enter my mind.


    A picture formed and I basked in the sound.


    Just then, I let my mind sink in deeply into itself. For just a brief moment..


    I felt at peace.


    ***


    The next day.


    The preparations for the festival were in full swing. With only a week and a few days left, the campus was extremely busy.


    "Here you go. Make sure you practice this script. I''ve revised it to better fit you. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me."


    "....."


    I took the script without saying anything.


    Revised it to better fit me?


    What sort of...


    "You may already have an idea of who Azarias is or was in the script. The concept will remain the same. He''s a psychopath who thirsts for the death of his victims, however, there''s a twist."


    The woman, who went by the name of Olga...? Wasn''t quite sure, but I addressed her as ''writer'', and started to exin the plot and general idea behind the character that she had written.


    The more she started to exin, the more I was convinced.


    ''....I can''t do this.''


    It was already a miracle that I was capable of performing the first part of the script, but as I scrolled through the script, I had a hard time visualizing the emotions and expressions of the character.


    He was...


    A total psychopath. Someone who killed for the sake of killing.


    He thirsted for the thrill that came with the death of his victims.


    ''How am I supposed to y this?''


    As I scrolled through the script, attempting to envision myself embodying the character, I encountered a persistent barrier hindering my ability to fully immerse myself in the scene.


    Despite repeated attempts to visualize the scenario, I found myself unable to authentically inhabit the character''s persona or effectively convey the emotions and actions as written in the script.


    "Can you do it...?"


    Overhearing the writer''s words, I pursed my lips.


    Could I do it?


    The simple answer was, no. I couldn''t do it.


    However...


    Was I going to do it?


    That answer was obvious.


    "Yes."


    For the credits, I had to do it.


    "Great. I can''t wait to see your performance."


    ***


    Inside of the Leoni Hall.


    Things were hectic. With the festival date drawing nearer, the cadets and staff were busy handling all the important props and equipment up the stage.


    Given that today the cadets who were going to be extras in the y were going to be announced, there was an obvious air of excitement.


    ".....Yes, I''m done."


    One such cadet who was looking forward to the selection was none other than Aoife.


    She had applied a week ago when the auditions were on. Her role was that of an extra who was supposed to die at the start of the story.


    Her killer was supposedly a wannabe psychopath.


    It wasn''t an important role, but to get extra credits she was willing to take on the role.


    Her n to be a Guide had failed, and since she couldn''t do that, this was the next best thing.


    ''I have to get this role.''


    "Are you also waiting to hear your results, Aoife?"


    "Hm?"


    Aoife turned her head. A tall man with soft blonde hair and brow eyes appeared in her sight. He wore a soft smile as he addressed her.


    Judging from his uniform, he seemed to also be a cadet. A senior, probably.


    "Ah, yes."


    Aoife casually nodded her head without disying much interest.


    No, she had no interest. The only thing that was in her mind was the selection.


    ''I''ll get the role, right...?''


    She recalled the expressions that judges had at her performance.


    it was generally quite positive. At least, that was what she thought.


    "Haha, that''s nice. I''m also hoping to get a role. I want to be Azarias. It''s quite an interesting role. I think I''ll be able to y it quite perfectly."


    Besides her, the senior started to yap about himself and the role he selected.


    "In fact, I''m quite confident in getting the ro-"


    "If you would excuse me..."


    Without looking, Aoife started to distance herself from him. Along the way, she came up with a random excuse.


    "Someone is calling for me."


    Aoife left right after that, leaving the senior hanging.


    She had no time for meaningless talk that was just going to end up with her finding out he was approaching her with ulterior motives.


    Been there, done that.


    ***


    As Aoife left, the senior''s gaze lingered on her retreating figure, his expression gradually contorting with an emotion difficult to discern.


    His left eye twitched slightly, as a certain madness threatened to spill.


    "Oh, no. "


    He just barely held himself back as he scratched the side of his neck.


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.


    "....Not yet. Not yet."


    He quietly mumbled as he stared at the iing member of the collective. Presumingly the person that would announce the result of the roles.


    Massaging his face, a warm smile gradually returned to his face.


    It wasn''t yet time.


    He had to remain patient. He was bound to get the role. The same was true for her.


    Two contrasting roles, that marked the end of the start of their characters. Such were their roles.


    ....The stage was being set up.


    For he would perform the greatest act at the greatest change.


    An act to blow the minds of the audience.


    One that would forever be remembered by all.

 Chapter 84 Preparation for the festival [2]

    <h4>Chapter 84 Preparation for the festival [2]</h4>


    "Please be quiet. I will not be announcing the results of the assessment that we had. May the students who have been called up please step forward."


    A man d in dark green attire stood tall, his gaze fixed intently upon the paper before him. Adorned with thick, square-framed sses, his stern countenance exuded an air of authority as he started reading the papers.


    "For the role of Evangeline, the selected cadet will be Aria Parlia from the second year. Please step forward."


    A young woman with ck hair stepped forward. Her features were rather delicate, and while she wasn''t exactly the most attractive of women, she was above average.


    The moment her name got called up, her eyes sparkled and her body trembled.


    She seemed to be struggling to contain her excitement.


    Aoife stared at her with a t look. There was no hint of expression on her pretty features. She was quietly waiting for her name to be called up. Although she didn''t show it, she was actually quite nervous.


    She had rehearsed the script for countless hours and thought she had done a good job at it.


    They had only been given five minutes to learn the script and act. Had she been given more time, then she would''ve been able to put on a better performance.


    The thought of failing kept nagging at her mind.


    It felt suffocating.


    ''I can''t fail... Not again.''


    And then...


    "For the role of Emily, the daughter of the baker, the selected cadet will be..."


    Aoife took a deep breath, silently squeezing her palms which had unknowingly turned sweaty.


    "...Aoife Megrail. Please step forward."


    A huge sense of relief washed over her the moment that her name was called. If not for the fact that she had to keep her image up, she would''ve jumped and clenched her fist in front of everyone.


    Keeping her usual stoic expression, she nced around at the other cadets who were looking at her with hints of envy and jealousy, and she stepped forward.


    ''I did it...''


    Her fists clenched tightly.


    The organizer started to name the remaining cadets. One by one, Aoife saw cadets either suppress their joy or weep in sadness.


    Folding the paper, the organizer eventually, announced,


    "That''s it for the roles. For those that haven''t been called out, there''s always a next time, you can disp-"


    "Ah, excuse me."


    A voice cut the organizer''s. It sounded calm, but its underlying fluster did not escape Aoife''s notice.


    When she turned her head, her brows furrowed.


    ''It''s him...''


    The senior from before.


    He still wore a warm smile and appeared friendly. However, something was unsettling about his smile that made Aoife frown more deeply.


    He politely addressed the organizer.


    "I''ve yet to hear about the role for Azarias. I''ve applied, and I don''t think it has been called out yet so I think there''s been a mi-"


    "No, there''s no mistake."


    The organizer cooly cut him off.


    ncing at the cadets who had stepped forward, Aoife included, he went on to say,


    "The role of Azarias has already been taken. He was selected a week ago."


    "Eh...?"


    Finally, cracks started to appear on his calm face. He appeared to be quite flustered. It was as if he hadn''t expected such development.


    "Someone took the role?"


    "But weren''t the selections today? How could this be?"


    "Is there some sort of mistake?"


    ''Azarias''s role has already been taken?''


    He wasn''t the only one that was surprised by the situation. All the remaining cadets, Aoife included were confused.


    ''Who took the role?''


    Aoife was curious. He was supposed to be the one that killed her. They were bound to meet each other and work with one another.


    "That''s enough questions. You will get to meet himter today if he''s present. If not, you''ll eventually get to meet him."


    "But, then..."


    "That''s that."


    The organizer cut the senior off before settling his gaze over the Aoife and the rest. His tone softened a little.


    "Please follow me, I''ll lead you all to our writer who will start exining your roles."


    He turned around and left after that.


    Aoife didn''t hesitate to follow. Losing all interest in the senior whose face turnedpletely white.


    Her mind was somewhere else at the moment.


    She was curious.


    Just who was the one who was going to y the role of Azarias?


    ***


    Alexander Harrington, a second-year Senior ranked within the top hundreds, didn''t think things would turn out like this.


    The itch intensified, and he began scratching his neck.


    "This... A mistake... How...?"


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.


    As he scratched, a wet sensation began to creep along the side of his neck. He wanted to continue, but the wet sensation prevented him from scratching further.


    Dabbing his neck with his sleeve, staining it red, he continued.


    "I?thought I did good... Everything was perfect... How?"


    His sentences were incoherent, hardly making any sense.


    ¡ªYou weren''t able to get the role?


    "No, I wasn''t."


    Alexander started to disy some anger as he contacted ''them''. How could they lie to him? They promised him the role. What happened?


    What happened!!


    ¡ªThere will be a change of ns, then.


    "Change of ns?"


    Alexander had enough rationality within him to listen.


    "You are changing the ns?"


    ¡ªFind the one who took the role from you. Once you do, send us his information. We''ll take care of it for you.


    "You will...?"


    ¡ªYes.


    The voice tly said. A smile finally returned to Alexander. Ah, yes... They can do it. They''ll fix it. Good. Good.


    "I''ll find him."


    The itch stopped, and his expression returned to normal.


    He was no longer as panicked.


    "....I''ll find him immediately."


    ¡ªDo that.


    Alexander ended the transmission. He massaged his face, trying his best to fix his expression. Dabbing his neck with his sleeve, he made sure to clean up the blood as well.


    Taking out a mirror, he stared at himself.


    "Good."


    A warm smile, and a friendly expression.


    Such was his persona.


    "Yes, this will do."


    Fixing his clothes, he turned around.


    "Eh...?"


    He had just taken a few steps when a figure appeared not far from him. Immediately, he stood out. With tall and overbearing features, his appearance attracted the attention of all those around him.


    With his deep hazel eyes scanning the surroundings, he seemed to be looking for someone.


    His head turned left, and then right, and then...


    "....?"


    They locked onto him.


    Alexander was taken aback. The distance between the two shrank until he was eventually a few meters from him.


    "Yes?"


    Alexander addressed him with his usual smile while casually ncing at his zer.


    Distinguishing the year of a cadet was made easy by the stripes adorning their zers. A single stripe denoted a first-year cadet, while two stripes signified a second-year, and the pattern continued ordingly, offering a visual cue to their progression through the academy.


    The cadet had one stripe.


    He was his junior.


    "How may I help you, junior?"


    By addressing him as Junior, he quickly elevated his position to a higher status than his. He thought his ''junior'' would understand, but he didn''t as he stared at him without saying a word.


    "...."


    His intense hazel eyes scanned his body meticulously as if he was looking for something.


    The more he looked, the more Alexander grew ufortable. For a brief moment, his expression almost cracked and his hands trembled. Alexander found himself imagining himself strangling him.


    But he held himself back.


    He couldn''t show such a disy. At least, not yet. There were more important things that he needed to do.


    "Junior...?"


    Alexander called out again. This time, he made his voice sterner. As if he was trying to warn the junior before him.


    He seemed to have gotten his message across as the junior finally took his gaze away from him.


    Just when Alexander thought he was going to apologize, he asked something thatpletely took him aback.


    "Did you apply for the position?"


    "Position?"


    "Yes. For Azarias."


    "....."


    Alexander frowned. Suddenly, he found his lips be dry. It couldn''t be that...


    The Junior went on to apply.


    "I also applied."


    "....You, did?"


    "Yes."


    The Junior nodded.


    "A pity he was already selected."


    "Ah, a pity indeed..."


    "Then."


    Lowering his head, the junior excused himself.


    ".....I apologize for disturbing you."


    The apology finally came.


    "You would''ve made for a great Azarias."


    As the junior departed, his words hung in the air, leaving Alexender speechless.


    Despite the urge to speak up, he found himself at a loss for words, his mouth hanging open.


    All he could do was watch as the senior''s figure merged into the sea of cadets, gradually fading from view.


    For some reason...


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.


    The itch started again.


    ***


    ''....It''s probably him.''


    I wasn''t quite sure just yet. It all happened rather fast. I was overlooking the cadet selection for the iing roles, when...


    [ ¡ô Side Quest Activated : Final Act.]


    : Character Progression + 39%


    : Game Progression + 6%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1 + 12%


    A familiar notification popped up in my vision.


    "Ha."


    It wasn''t as if I wasn''t expecting it. No, rather I was expecting it to happen. Given how big of an event the festival was, I doubted nothing would''ve happened.


    Without a doubt, something was going to happen. I was proven right.


    ''It looks like the target is Aoife.''


    Cmity 1 was Aoife. That much became clear to me after the prison incident.


    "....She also got selected for the role in the y."


    The girl that I was supposed to kill. It was a funny thought. What sort of face was she going to make when she realized I was the one who was supposed to kill her?


    But that was outside of the point.


    No vision apanied the notification. However, I didn''t feel like I needed it this time.


    I knew that I couldn''t rely on the visions to appear all the time and that I had to figure things out myself sometimes.


    Good thing I did.


    ''I''ve already found my target.''


    Or at least, was more or less confident in my selection.


    The event was titled ''Final Act'' suggesting that it had something to do with the y. Aoife''s selection in the y further reaffirmed my thoughts.


    I put myself in the shoes of the organization.


    They were strong. Incredibly powerful. However, if they wanted to target Aoife during the y, the most realistic approach wouldn''t be through some mass attack during the y.


    Let alone the fact that all the big shots were going to be present, but even getting into the Academy was going to be hard.


    The only conclusion that I thought was feasible was through either an established guest or a performer.


    I wasn''t sure if they knew whether Aoife would be selected for the role, but if they knew, then... The most perfect candidate would be a performer.


    .....And if there was a character who fit the description the best, then it had to be Azarias.


    The character that I was ying.


    "Ha."


    It was all spective.


    There was no clear evidence for my thoughts. Or at least, not until I observed all the male candidates for the role and spotted a certain someone behaving differently from the others.


    It was for that reason that I approached him.


    As expected, it might be him.


    The more I thought about my interaction with him, the more convinced I was.


    "Not yet."


    Even so, I didn''t act just yet.


    Now was not the right time. Not only did I not know how strong he was, but we were in the Academy. It wasn''t as if I could do anything to him even if I wanted to.


    That would be stupid.


    Not only that but if something were to happen to him, then the people behind him could very well change their ns.


    Things would be unpredictable then.


    I didn''t like unpredictability. I liked for things to remain predictable. Only then would I have a certain sense of control over the situation.


    For now, I needed to maintain this status quo.


    At the very least, until I found an opening.

 Chapter 85 Preparation for the festival [3]

    <h4>Chapter 85 Preparation for the festival [3]</h4>


    Thursday. A few days before the festival.


    I sat on one of the benches around the campus, waiting for someone. I checked the time. It was just about 3 P.M.


    I couldn''t stay here for long. I had a ce to be in a few hours.


    Thankfully, I didn''t have to wait for long.


    He appeared not long after.


    "You came."


    Wearing the same academy uniform as I did, Leon greeted me with a t look.


    "Did you expect me to ignore your message?"


    "....."


    Hisck of reply was all that I needed to hear. So he did...


    "What do you see me as?"


    This time, I could see a reaction from him. Disgust? And... A little bit of fear?


    "What..."


    "No, stop."


    He held his hand in front of me.


    "Ie in peace."


    The fuck is this guy on about??In peace? In peace from what?


    "....I need your help."


    An unexpected set of words came out of his mouth and I frowned.


    "You want my help?"


    "Yes."


    He quietly nodded his head as he sat down on the opposite end of the bench. He was behaving quite strangely today.


    "What do you want me to help you with?"


    ".....You wrote this, right?"


    Extending his hand, he passed me a familiar piece of paper. I took a casual nce before understanding his intentions.


    "Wrong person to ask. I''m no-"


    "I''ll teach you."


    "Hm?"


    Surprised, I looked at him.


    Teach me?


    "Why would you....?"


    "I think you''re talented."


    "Talented?"


    I almostughed. This guy... He had really lost his mind. I was just about to stand up and leave when he held me down.


    "I''m serious."


    I took a good moment to stare at his face. I was really having a hard time taking him seriously, but looking at his expression which seemed absolutely serious, I had no choice but to sit back down.


    "So you think I''m talented?"


    "I do."


    "....."


    Perhaps because he had been with me since the start and had seen my progress, he thought that I was talented. But what did he know?


    He knew nothing about the struggles that I had to go through to just barely reach an eptable level.


    I was still levels behind this guy, and our gap was only widening.


    If there was one truly talented person, then it had to be him.


    I still decided to hear him out.


    "Let''s say that I''m talented. What does that have to do with you wanting to teach me?"


    "....."


    Leon pursed his lips and briefly looked down. Falling into his own thoughts, he only looked back after a short while.


    "I''ve reached a bottleneck."


    "Hm?"


    "It''s just like you said. I''ve been trying my best to fix the missing parts that are within the art that I''m practicing. I''ve spent the past two years trying to fix the problem. I thought I had done a good job at hiding the fact that the technique was iplete, but..."


    He paused there, but his meaning was clear.


    "You think I''ll be able to think of a way to fix it?"


    "...."


    He didn''t respond, but his expression yet again told me everything that I needed to know.


    Haa. This time, I really wanted tough. This guy has totally lost his marbles.


    "I''m not expecting you to pay me back or anything. I am willing to teach you the technique for free. If you can''t perfect it, then that''s fine too. I won''t me you for it."


    I massaged my forehead.


    My head was throbbing.


    Of all the people he could''ve asked, he asked me...


    ''This is stupid.''


    There had to be some sort of intention behind his actions. I refused to believe it was just because he thought I couldplete it.


    ".....Fine."


    Despite all the doubts that I had, I still epted the offer.


    It went without saying that I epted. It was simply an extremely advantageous deal for me.


    The only problem that I had with this offer was the fact that I truly didn''t understand where this guy wasing from.


    Could I truly trust him....?


    "...."


    I looked at his face.


    It looked stupid.


    As if perhaps sensing my thoughts, Leon frowned.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    I was taken aback.


    "What are you?"


    "...."


    ''So he really did read my mind."


    "Your face looks stupid."


    Oh, shit.


    I covered my mouth.


    "I wasn''t meant to say it out loud."


    My true thoughts had slipped.


    Leon blinked, and just faintly, his stoic expression cracked. I closely observed his expression. Was it going to crack...?


    The answer was no.


    With a sigh, he slowly got up from the chair.


    "I''ll slowly start teaching you the art when we have time. I''ll take my leave now."


    With a slight bow, he was prepared to leave. I looked at his back which was now facing me, before opening my mouth to say a name,


    "Alexander Harrington."


    His steps halted.


    I continued.


    ".....Pay attention to him."


    ***


    ''Alexander Harrington.''


    Even as he distanced himself from Julien, the name continued to ring in his mind. He had asked for rification, but all he was met with was a simple,''Keep an eye out for me.'' before he left.


    The name didn''t ring a bell, and regardless of how hard he tried, he couldn''t recall such a name.


    Still, he was nning on finding out.


    In any case, the talk went better than expected.


    ''He epted.''


    Quite honestly, Leon didn''t hold a lot of expectations in his attempt at trying to solve the puzzle that had been guing him for the past few years.


    However, he had grown to a point where he was starting to be desperate.


    To the point where he even thought of teaching Julien his technique so that he could help him find an answer.


    "Haa."


    Leon found himself nkly staring at the sky.


    The bottleneck.


    It had appeared the moment he reached Tier 3.


    The bottleneck wasn''t yet apparent. It was faint, but Leon could feel it.


    Were he to continue down this path, he was sure that by the time he reached Tier 5 and higher, his growth wouldpletely stagnate.


    The fact that Julien had managed to pick up the w within just a few hours of observation was enough for Leon to understand something.


    ''He''s talented.''


    Perhaps he himself hadn''t noticed, but Leon certainly saw it. If he were to train a little further, then...


    "It''s worth the shot."


    Plus, it wasn''t like he was going to teach him the entire thing.


    Just the movement art which was what he needed.


    But...


    Leon suddenly frowned as he thought back to something.


    The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became. He tried to ignore it, but the words would just continue to nag at the back of his mind.


    To the point where he found himself stopping a nearby cadet.


    "Hey, you..."


    "Uh, ah yeah? Me?"


    The cadet pointed at himself with a flustered look.


    "Yes."


    Leon nodded with a serious face.


    Then, pointing at himself, he asked,


    "...Does my face look stupid?"


    ***


    Today was the first day of practice.


    There were only a few days left before the festival was in full swing, and Aoife had spent thest couple of days seriously practicing her lines.


    There weren''t many. Just a couple, but she had to perfectly disy fear and terror in her expression.


    From the tremble of her eyes to the pitch of her voice.


    Everything had to be perfect.


    "Huuu."


    Setting the script down, Aoife took a deep breath.


    She was currently inside a small practice room by herself.


    Soon she was going to meet the man who was supposed to y Azarias. Today was the first time she was going to meet him. Not only that, but she was also going to meet the other actors in the y.


    Today was their first reading.


    An event where all the actors of the y would meet to familiarize themselves with each other.


    There was an undeniable excitement around the rookie actor.


    Rumors had it that he had been selected the moment that he had gone to the audition.


    With a godly level of acting, the writer chose him on the spot.


    ''I''m curious.''


    But at the same time, Aoife was also nervous.


    Would she even be able to keep up with such an actor?


    The mere thought of performing with someone like that made her nervous. If it somehow ended up ruining the y, then...


    "Let''s not think about it."


    Aoife became increasingly nervous the more she thought about it. Right, who knows, maybe I''ll be able to hold my own.


    Gradually, her mind started to calm down and she felt less stressed.


    "Alright."


    She pped her cheeks and stood proudly.


    "....I''ve got this."


    Collecting herself, she reached for the door and opened it.


    "Is everything ready?"


    "Do you have the script with you?"


    "Yes, I''ve got it right here. Please wait a moment. I''ll distribute them to the tables."


    Aoife was immediately greeted with chaos. The reading was set to take ce in several minutes, and the staff was busy getting everything ready for the actors and actresses who were going to take part in the y.


    The venue wasn''t particrly spacious, roughly half the size of the auditorium. Originally designated for storage purposes, its discreet location made it an ideal choice for hosting the reading, given the secretive nature of the script.


    Walking around, Aoife managed to catch a glimpse of several famous actors.


    As expected, there was a certain aura about them that stood out from the rest. You could tell at a nce that they were the best of the best.


    But it wasn''t as though her own aurackedpared to theirs.


    Rather, it shined just as brightly, instantly attracting the attention of the actors present.


    "Haha, if it isn''t our rising superstar."


    Aoife was greeted by a tall and strikingly handsome man who introduced himself as Darius Johns, the main lead of the y.


    He greeted her with arge smile.


    "Are you nervous? Haha, you don''t have to be. With me her-"


    Aoife was about to respond when she was pulled back.


    A crisp voice echoed right after.


    "Get your hands off of her. The gap between you two is toorge."


    "No, I-"


    "No!"


    Before Aoife knew it, she was surrounded by the main cast of the y.


    "Stay away from our little rookie, Darius."


    "Don''t you know who you''re talking to?"


    Everyone started to berate him, as he flusteredly looked around.


    "No, I was just trying to be friendly..."


    "Bullcrap!"


    "How are you holding up?"


    While this was going on, Aoife was greeted by a stunning woman, whose presence momentarily caught her off guard.


    "Have you memorized your lines? If you need help feel free to ask us."


    "Ah..."


    Despite her efforts to maintainposure, Aoife couldn''t help but feel a flutter of excitement at the sight of Odette Ripley, a renowned actress whose performances she had admired in countless recordings and ys.


    Aoife was a huge fan of her works, and seeing her in person almost made her squeal.


    "Odette, let her go. Can''t you see she''s ufortable with your touch?"


    "No, she isn''t."


    Odette turned to look at Aoife.


    "You aren''t, right?"


    "....No."


    "Ha, see?"


    "Tsk."


    There was an overall pleasant atmosphere around the ce. With all actors familiar with one another, the mood was serene.


    "Oh, right, do you know who''s the actor that forced that woman to change the script?"


    At Odette''s sudden question, the atmosphere changed a little.


    Aoife titled her head. The topic interested her as well.


    "I don''t know to be honest. That woman refuses to say anything. I''ve begged her so many times, but she just doesn''t budge at all."


    "Right, the same is true for me."


    "....But is he actually good? I mean, I get that he managed to get that woman to change the script, but could it have been some fluke?"


    "No, impossible. You know how that woman is. There''s no way she would do what she did unless she was confident."


    "Ah, yes... I guess. Well, we''ll see during the reading. Whether they are truly as good as they say."


    The conversation continued in that direction. Aoife listened quietly from the side, asionally adding her own thoughts on the matter.


    That was until someone announced,


    "The reading is about to start. May all the actors get seated."


    "Eh? Already?"


    "That''s fast."


    "Hm? But where is the rookie actor everyone is talking about?"


    "Ah, he''s here."


    As the assistant spoke, the door swung open, and a figure walked it. Almost everyone turned their face in the direction of the door.


    Aoife was one such person. She was curious. Just who was this super rookie?


    Only that...


    "No, it can''t be."


    Her expectations were shattered the moment he entered as she blinked several times to make sure she wasn''t seeing wrongly.


    Blinking again, and seeing the same figure standing before her with what seemed to be a slight curl of his lips, Aoife swallowed.


    "Oh, no..."


    The godly actor who had taken the show by storm. The person whom she had to try her best to keep up with, and the person that she was supposed to treat like a master...


    "Ah, no..."


    It was none other than Julien.

 Chapter 86 Preparation for the festival [4]

    <h4>Chapter 86 Preparation for the festival [4]</h4>


    He immediately grabbed the attention of the room with his presence. With looks that put even the best-looking actor to shame, he became the focal point of everyone''s gaze.


    Behind him, a familiar figure appeared.


    She was following him with gleaming eyes.


    "There''s no need to feel too pressured. Just act as you''ve donest time, and-Oh, it looks like everyone is here. Sorry for the dy, I was talking with him about something."


    It was none other than Olga who waved her hand at the actors sitting across the room.


    "Writer, it''s a pleasure to see you."


    "Hello."


    Snapping out of it, the actors went on to greet her.


    There was a certain respect in their voice as they talked to her. And rightfully so. Her name resounded throughout the entire Empire, and while all the actors present had a certain fame to their name, it was meaningless whenpared to Olga.


    "It''s nice to see you all again. I apologize in advance for the dy and change in script."


    "No worries, no worries¡­ it''s indeed better. I''m sure it''ll be a hit."


    Compliments began to flow effortlessly from the actor''s lips, each one morevish than thest, until inevitably, the spotlight of attention gradually shifted towards Julien.


    "Haha, are you the actor everyone is talking about?"


    Darius, true to his nature, was the first to approach Julien with his trademark warmth, extending a friendly greeting in his usual amiable manner.


    "You might know me, but I''m Darius."


    He held out his hand.


    But¡­


    "¡­."


    All he received in response was a nk stare. It was obvious from Julien''s gaze that he had no idea as to who he was.


    And he was right.


    Julien really didn''t know who the person in front of him was.


    ''Famous actor¡­? Who?''


    Most probably seemed to be the case. He was just about to hold his hand up to return the greeting when Olga intervened.


    "Enough with the greetings. Let''s just straight to the reading. I can''t wait."


    And thus, Julien was never able to return the greetings.


    Whispers started to spread.


    "Wow, did you see that? He totally ignored Darius."


    "That''s the godly actor that made her change the script?"


    "Well, he certainly has the looks for it."


    "¡­.But doesn''t he seem rather in? No, not his looks. But his expression. It''s as nk as a piece of paper."


    "From the way he was acting, it seems like he''s looking down on everyone."


    "No, that''s not the case..."


    Aoife muttered to herself from the side.


    "He''s just like that."


    It wasn''t a scene she was used to seeing. She could practically count the many times she had seen a simr scene over the past few months.


    ''¡­.Does this guy not care about anything else but himself?''


    As if sensing her gaze, he turned to look at her and their gazes met.


    ''What is¡­''


    For the briefest of moments, Aoife noticed a subtle curl at the corner of his lips.


    It disappeared as fast as it came, and the writer pped her hands to get everyone''s attention.


    "We will skip the introductions for now. Let''s start the reading."


    Soon, therge hall, which had be somewhat awkward due to Julien, was plunged into a state of silence.


    Flip¡ª


    Only for it to be shattered by the sound of pages turning. As heads turned in unison, all eyes fell upon Julien, who sat quietly, his gaze fixed on the script before him.


    Everyone wore a strange expression as they looked at him. He really¡­ didn''t care at all about what others thought of him.


    More whispers ensued.


    "Doesn''t he seem nervous? Like, he''s quite stiff. This isn''t a good sign."


    "Could just be his personality...?"


    "I''m not sure. I was looking forward to seeing the godly rookie that forced Olga to change the script, but maybe we won''t see it today?"


    "What happens if he sucks?"


    "....I doubt he will. And if he does, we can just go back to the old script."


    "Ah, I see."


    At this moment, while the actors were conversing with each other, Olga stood up and said,


    "Let''s begin. Act 1. The Bakery."


    The story was set in a simr time to their own, focusing on a young man raised in an orphanage who became ensnared in the intricate schemes of the royal family as a result of his job. A detective.


    But there was a secret he had. He had a special power. One that allowed him to retrace crime scenes to see what had happened.


    In the first scene, the main character ''Joseph'' yed by Darius visits a bakery.


    "Uh... This is where she worked, is that correct?"


    It was an introductory scene to the main character. It had to be said, that Darius was a great actor. The moment his scene started, he was able to quickly get into character.


    Outwardly, he had an air ofziness, yet an underlying seriousness underscored his demeanor, leaving no doubt about hismitment to solving the crime.


    Such was Joseph, the character he was ying.


    Darius was doing a great job at embodying such a character.


    "Yes, this is the bakery."


    Another actor, his assistant in the y,mented from the side.


    The scene continued.


    "Emily Stein."


    The assistant mused, his tone turning somber.


    "The owner''s daughter. ording to the details, she seems to have vanished sometime yesterday."


    "Ah, uh, yeah... I see."


    With a subtle nod, Darius surveyed the surroundings, idly tracing his finger along the surface of the wooden table they were seated at. With azy expression on his face, his actions were merely to make it look as though he was doing something.


    The assistant looked around before muttering,


    "There doesn''t seem to be anything wrong with the ce. The crime likely urred outside of the bakery. Should we..."


    "Give me a second."


    Darius closed his eyes, and..


    p¡ª!


    "End of Act 1."


    The scene cut.


    Supposedly, the scene was supposed to cut to a vision.


    Aoife observed from the side with admiration that she didn''t show.


    ''As expected, seeing them in person is something else...''


    She felt shivers.


    But apparently, she was the only one that felt this way. Olga, the writer of the y, frowned and addressed the assistant.


    "Ronan, did you read the script properly? Your lines were nd. I need you to be sterner just like in the script."


    Olga sighed.


    "The two of you are contrasting characters. One iszy, and the other one is stern. I don''t feel any of that from the lines. Change your tone. Make your voice deeper."


    ".....I apologize, I will do better."


    Olga then went on toment on a few other things that she disliked. Overall, even Darius wasn''t spared from criticism.


    This went on for several minutes until Olga sighed and set back down.


    "Next scene. Act 2. The vision."


    Her brows trembled, and her attention shifted towards Julien.


    It was Juliens'' first appearance.


    But not just his. Aoife''s as well.


    "This is the more detailed version of the scene from the tryouts. Please don''t feel too pressured. I just want to see how you''d do in this scene."


    Her attention soon turned to Aoife.


    "You..."


    Frowning, Olga seemed to want to say something, but decided against it and quietly said,


    ".....Just try to keep up."


    "Eh?"


    Stunned, Aoife didn''t know how to respond. Just try to keep up? What did that even mean? Slowly, her fists clenched together as she lowered her head to stare at her script.


    It was only a few pages long but it was filled with creases and notes.


    For the past week, she had dedicated countless hours to dissecting the role, sacrificing sleep and analyzing numerous ys in an effort to perfect her tone and expressions.


    Now, as she gazed at the script, its worn pages barely holding together, Aoife bit her lips and looked up.


    Herpetitive spirit ignited.


    ''Let''s see if I really need to keep up.''


    "Start."


    Compared to the first script, the scene was different. The urrences no longer urred in a room, but rather in the open.


    "Hah, man~"


    Aoife was the first one to speak. Her tone sounded light and crisp. The expressions of many of the actors present changed.


    They clearly did not expect her acting to be like that.


    "....I can''t believe this shop is closed as well."


    In the setting, Aoife, or Emily, was visiting the nearby shops to buy missing pieces for their malfunctioning mixer. It was a matter of utter importance since the bakery couldn''t run without the machinery.


    It waste into the night, and all shops were closed.


    In her desperation, Emily found a man in the streets for help.


    "Ah, excuse me! Do you perhaps know if any shops are still open where I can buy some parts for a broken mixer?"


    That man...


    Was none other than Azarias.


    With his head lowered, Julien slowly raised his head. He didn''t immediately turn into character. At first, his expression was nk.


    Aoife stared at it unblinkingly.


    Almost as if she was trying to challenge him.


    ''Come, show me... Show me what you''ve got...''


    All eyes were on Julien whose expression remained nk the entire time. Everyone wore simr expressions as they wandered about him and his acting. Was it really going to be as good as Olga suggested? Was it just a fluke? Overrated?


    The thoughts ran through their mind until they didn''t.


    "....."


    Finally, Julien''s expression changed and so did his aura. It was as if a different person had taken over.


    It indeed was.


    Right now, Julien was mixing a few characters in his mind. From the memories of William''s madness to the emotions he felt right after he first killed a person.


    He solely focused on those experiences and emotions.


    In doing so, his entire demenour changed and he became apletely different person. It was a chilling sight that took Aoife''s breath away.


    All of a sudden, the world around her seemed to have changed.


    No longer did it feel like she was in the reading room. As of right now, she truly felt like Emily.


    ".... You''re looking for a recement?"


    Julien''s voice came out dry. However, within the dryness of the voice was a smile. A gentle, and warm smile.


    Aoife felt a strange difort staring into that smile.


    It made her fidgety.


    Even so, she had to resist the urge to show it. In the y, Emily, desperate for the missing piece doesn''t notice such things.


    And so...


    "Yes, I am."


    "I know, yes... I know of a ce."


    "You do...?!"


    "Yes, please go straight. If you just keep going there, you can find it."


    "Thank you so much!"


    It was a short interaction. One that ended with her thanking the man before leaving.


    Aoife did her best to keep her tone even. Even so, just briefly, her voice trembled. Aoife half-expected the writer to call her out for it, but nobody said a thing.


    And how could they?


    ''Shivers... I''m feeling shivers... From the many expressions he manages to reveal through his eyes alone and subtle gestures, this is even better than what I sawst time.''


    Olga found herself once again doubting her own writing abilities. She felt as if she had still not done the character justice.


    The other actors were no exception.


    ''It''s no wonder he acted like that. He truly is... Scary.''


    ''How can anyone act like that? It feels like I''m being sucked right into the scene.''


    ''I''m getting shivers.''


    Julien lowered his head. He scanned the room that was filled with other actors. He was meant to stare just straight. Where Emily''s departing back was, but as if he wasn''t satisfied with that, he stared at everyone present.


    His eyes changed.


    Julien, no Azarias''s gaze turned intense. A smile slowly crept across his features and his body started to tremble. His eyes changed further, his pupils slowly dting.


    "Haaa... Haaa.."


    His breath echoed in rhythm, each exhale tinged with excitement.


    He was thrilled.


    Adrenaline surged through his veins, engulfing himpletely.


    "R-red..."


    He quietly mumbled.


    "....I want to see it."


    At this point, Aoife had long stopped acting. Staring at the warn-out script in her hand, she leaned back on her chair and nkly stared at Julien.


    "How?"


    How am I supposed topete with this?

 Chapter 87 Preparation for the festival [5]

    <h4>Chapter 87 Preparation for the festival [5]</h4>


    Aoife had a hard time adjusting to what she was seeing.


    "...."


    At first, she thought that the gap between them wouldn''t be at all that big. That maybe, the rumors about the ''godly actor'' were a bit of an exaggeration and it was all done for the publicity of the y.


    And yet...


    ''How am I supposed topete with this? And this is just a script reading...''


    Her grip on her script tightened.


    She felt a sense of frustration well up deep within her.


    Yet again, she...


    "This is..."


    Aoife wasn''t the only one that felt that way. Even the more senior actors felt at a loss for words with his performance. This was especially so for Odette and Darius who remained silent the entire time.


    The way they looked at him changed. It went from, ''Can he do it?'' to ''Can I keep up?'' They could only feel relief at the thought that there weren''t many scenes that he was in.


    But even so...


    They shuddered at what he had just shown them.


    ".....Ah, this is perfect."


    If there was one person that was excited by all of this, it was none other than Olga who resisted the urge to p.


    It felt as if she was standing before Azarias. Right before he let himself fall into his desires and madness.


    ....It was perfect.


    He was perfect.


    "...."


    "...."


    At some point, the entire reading room had turned quiet, all eyes focused on Julien who slowly closed his eyes and returned to his regr expression.


    He seamlessly exited his character, and that was when all eyes fell on Olga and understood something.


    So that''s why she changed the script...


    ***


    ''Huuu...''


    I took a silent breath and let the emotions wash away from my mind. Getting into that state of mind was rather tough. However, looking around and seeing the silent looks that everyone was giving me, I felt like I had done a decent job.


    "...."


    "...."


    The room was silent with everyone ncing at each other with weird expressions.


    It went on for long enough to make me frown.


    What happened?


    Was it possible that I had messed up somewhere?


    ".....That was great."


    Just as I started to doubt myself, the writer spoke as her voice shattered the silence that gripped the surroundings. I sighed in relief then.


    "Brilliant, yeah."


    "That was amazing."


    "Wow, I got shivers. You were amazing."


    Praise started to flow out of the mouths of all actors present. I took them in without much of a change in expression. Gradually, my gaze fell on a distant figure who was staring at her script with a deep frown.


    As if sensing my gaze, our eyes met and I raised my brow in a manner that suggested, ''Are you not going to praise me as well?''


    Her expression cracked, and her lips twitched.


    ''Oh, no.''


    I was doing it again.


    "Everyone, please be quiet."


    p¡ª!


    A p broke the atmosphere as the writer directed all attention towards herself.


    "Let''s save the praises forter. We still have a few scenes to go through. At this rate, we won''t be able to finish on time."


    Only then did the atmosphere finally calm down and the reading continued.


    "Act 3. End of the Vision."


    The script reading continued in its usual fashion. It had to be said that all people present were fantastic actors. It took everything that I had to stop myself from showing awe and amazement at what I was seeing.


    Especially the two main leading actors. Their acting... It was phenomenal. Even better than some of the best actors I had seen back on earth.


    ''....I wish he''d have seen this with me.''


    He would''ve probably been the first person to jump up from excitement.


    My brother Noel.


    "Act 7. A colorless world."


    Suddenly, an act was called up and all the attention focused on me again.


    ''Ah, yeah.''


    I looked at the script with a nk look. Act 7. That was Azarias''sst act. After all that had happened, Joseph, the main character finally takes him down, ending his serial rampaging.


    It was supposed to be an easy scene.


    But that hadpletely changed after the rewrite.


    ''Even now, I...''


    ".....Julien?"


    Hearing my name called up, I looked up. Everyone was staring at me. I could see the anticipation in their gazes as they looked at me. Their expressions... I could read them like an open book.


    ''What sort of acting is he going to show?'' ''I can''t wait to see him act this part.''


    ''I''m getting shivers just thinking about it.''


    They felt burdensome.


    But it was truly unfortunate. Staring at the script in front of me, I silently sighed and closed it before cing it on the desk.


    "I apologize."


    I silently stood up under everyone''s stunned expressions.


    "...I can''t do it."


    Not yet.


    ***


    In a remote area within the Academy Campus.


    "I''ve found his name."


    Alexander stood with amunication orb in his hand. News of Julien''s appearance as an extra and the ''godly actor'' that had persuaded the writer to change the script had started to spread.


    It was only for a brief moment given that the reading had only shortly ended, but finally, the identity of the mysterious ''cadet'' had been revealed.


    It was for this reason that Alexander had managed to find his identity.


    Otherwise, he would''ve had to spend a lot more time to find the identity. Given how secretive the collective had been about the new script, the identity of the cadet had been kept a secret until now.


    Julien Dacre Evenus.


    That was the name of the cadet who forced ''Olga'' to change the script.


    "Thief..."


    Silently muttering under his breath, Alexander connected themunication orb.


    A familiar voice reached out from it.


    ¡ªI''ve received the news.


    "Ah, yes... You must''ve."


    Indeed.


    "And?"


    Alexander listened with bathed breath. Were they going to do something about it? Perhaps kill him? But he was an important figure... Killing him would be a bit of trouble. He could do it if they allowed him.


    However...


    ¡ªWe are holding the operation for now.


    The answer he received was an unexpected one.


    "Uh?"


    Scratch.


    "That..."


    He found himself unable to utter a single word. They just refused to leave his lips.


    "I heard wrong?"


    Yes, it had to be that. Yes...


    Scratch. Scratch.


    ¡ªWe will be the ones to take care of the matter. For now, sit back and wait for me to contact you again.


    "Uh, but... Ah!"


    Themunication ended there.


    "No, this..."


    And the itching started.


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch¡ª!


    It just wouldn''t stop. Even as he felt blood drip down from the side of his neck, the itching didn''t stop. He continued to scratch, silently biting his lips in the process.


    "No, this... It makes no sense. How? What happened? Why?"


    Pacing around, Alexander bit onto his nail.


    Long gone was his warm appearance. What reced it was a twisted look filled with madness.


    "I can''t... I must... I need to perform. I need to. Have to."


    Gradually, his steps stopped.


    "....Yes, I don''t need to care."


    In the first ce, he had no desire to live. His only goal was to put on the best performance he possibly could. He cared nothing for them.


    What made them think they could stop him?


    "Stop me. Can''t."


    He made up his mind then.


    "I''ll perform."


    Whether they liked it or not, he was going to do it.


    That much was clear.


    Scratch, scraaach...


    Finally, the itch stopped and he took a deep breath. Taking out a small bottle, he ced it over his neck as his injuries started to heal at a rapid pace.


    Massaging his face, his expression returned to its normal one. Then, nonchntly looking around, he proceeded to leave the premises.


    Only that...


    Even as he left, he didn''t notice that presence that stood not far from him.


    Swoosh¡ª


    ***


    At the same time.


    "Huuu. Huuu...!"


    Taking deep breaths, I practiced the blue-ranked manual. The mana inside of my body started to expand at a constant pace. It was slower than before, but the progress was still there.


    I took deep and silent breaths while focusing on controlling my mana.


    Drip. Drip.


    Sweat gradually started to pour down from my body as I immersed myself in training. Or at least, for the first ten minutes of it.


    A nagging thought persisted at the back of my mind, preventing me from fully immersing myself in the experience.


    "....Haaa."


    My eyes opened and I took a deep breath.


    "I can''t focus."


    Turning my head, my eyes fell on the script that rested a few meters away from me. The events from before reyed in my mind.


    Having left the script reading early, I went back to my dorm and resumed my training.


    It was unfortunate, but I had no choice but to leave.


    Thest part of the script...


    I couldn''t do it.


    Regardless of how many times I tried to envision myself in that scenario, my mind would just nk out.


    I was simply... Not able to replicate what the character, Azarias felt during hisst moments. It was too much for me.


    I thought that in the week that I received the script, I''d be able to think of something, but nothing. My mind was just nk.


    The more I tried to immerse myself in the role, the harder it became for me to visualize myself in it.


    "How troublesome."


    "What is?"


    A voice suddenly echoed not far from where I was. Surprised, I turned my head to see Leon sitting on one of my sofas.


    As usual, he wore a stoic expression.


    "When did you get here?"


    "A few minutes ago."


    A few minutes ago?


    "Couldn''t you have knocked?"


    "I could''ve."


    "And...?"


    "I have a stupid face, so..."


    I raised my brow. So he was still hung up about that.


    I nodded.


    "That''s fair."


    "....."


    "What?"


    "....."


    Seeing that he was refusing to speak, I took a towel and wiped my forehead. I more or less understood why he was here.


    "You''ve been investigating him, haven''t you?"


    "...."


    "What did you find?"


    I sat on the opposite end of the sofa and leaned back. Despite hisck of words, I knew that he had something for me.


    I was proven right moments after as he finally opened his mouth to speak.


    "He''s nning on doing something during the y."


    "Figured that much."


    "....His target, it seems to be Aoife."


    "Oh."


    Knew that too.


    "You don''t seem to be that surprised?"


    I looked at him tly.


    "I could more or less tell."


    "I see."


    Leon nodded before suddenly adding,


    "He''s not working alone. I wasn''t able to hear much, but he was talking to someone with amunication device. I believe there''s someone behind him."


    "Oh."


    Yeah, knew that too.


    So far, there was nothing that surprised me. It more or less went the same way that I predicted it would.


    Or so I thought.


    "There was something odd about the situation. Even though I didn''t try to get near him for fear of getting exposed, I did manage to overhear a little bit of their conversation. Something about them taking matters into their own hands."


    "....Ah."


    Now that was a new piece of information. It took a few moments for me to understand what was going on.


    ''They''reing for me.''


    Why else would they suddenly change their ns?


    ".....What are you going to do?"


    At Leon''s question, I pondered for a moment before asking,


    "How strong is he? Or... How strong do you think he is?"


    Frowning slightly, Leon responded after a few seconds of thought.


    "He''s about my strength. Tier 3."


    "Do you think you''ll be able to handle him?"


    ".....Are you asking me to kill him."


    "No, not yet."


    As I had said before, killing him now wasn''t going to do us any good. Rather, it was probably going to put me in a difficult spot.


    "So?"


    Envisioning how things would y out, I shared my thoughts.


    "During the y. He''ll try something. His target will probably be me. His goal is probably to take over my position as Azarias. That''s the time when we can act."


    I said ''we'' because I wasn''t confident I''d be able to take care of him by myself. Thankfully, Leon seemed keen on helping on this matter as he quietly nodded his head.


    "That sounds reasonable. But what about the ones behind him? I''m sure they''ll try something. If that''s the case then-"


    "You don''t need to worry about that."


    I cut him off before he could continue.


    "I''ll take care of them."


    Of that I was confident.


    Because...


    They wereing for me.

 Chapter 88 Festival [1]

    <h4>Chapter 88 Festival [1]</h4>


    88 Festival [1]


    Aoife closed the door to her room. Her room was no different than usual. It was clean, with little to no decorations. It was just nd.


    "Huu."


    Taking a deep breath, she headed for her desk.


    If there was one ce that wasn''t clean and organized it''d be her desk. With all sorts of colored pens, pencils, and writing instruments, her desk was anything but clean.


    Tossing her script onto the desk, she sat down and opened the pages.


    For the past week, it had been her routine to spend at least a few hours trying to analyze the script.


    Today was supposed to be no different, but...


    "....How do I do this?"


    His image continued to appear in her mind, sapping away all motivation from her.


    The way he acted... From his facial expressions to demenour. It was overwhelming. To the point where she couldn''t even find a single w.


    And the fact that she was supposed to act with ''that'' only put more pressure on her.


    Her inability to keep up would be ring to those watching.


    Perhaps, they would even think that she didn''t put in any effort and that they had selected the wrong person.


    But...


    "That''s not true."


    Aoife bit her lips.


    The effort was there. But who was anyone to know? They only cared about what was in front of them and not what happened behind them.


    She understood this concept all too well.


    Therefore, she knew that despite her frustrations, she couldn''t rely on excuses.


    Flip¡ª


    The only thing she could do was put in more effort.


    To show them that she could keep up and that she wasn''t beingzy. For that reason, she needed to spend even more time trying to immerse herself in the role.


    Her image was important.


    She couldn''t let herself tarnish it due to not being able to perform as well as he did.


    Flip¡ª


    "I''ll do it."


    Regardless of how much it hurt her, she nned on perfectly mastering the character.


    For the remaining week until the start of the festival, Aoife only slept three hours a day.


    Drip! Drip!


    "....N-no, why are you doing this?"


    Even as her nose bled, she continued to flip through the script while looking at a nearby mirror to check her expressions.


    Her face was pale and her hair was a mess, but...


    "I-I... Help!"


    She never once gave up.


    And by the time it was time for the festival, Aoife''s acting underwent a tremendous transformation.


    ***


    The festival was a week-long event.


    With all sorts of attractions, it was an important event that was designed to showcase the Academy''s facilities, and their ability to train the elites of the empire.


    The main gate of the Academy was flooded with new faces, all of whom handed invitations that the security guards checked at the front.


    "Hi! Please follow me, I am Josephine, and I will be your guide for today''s orientation."


    At the front of the gate was the cheery Josephine who led a group of several important figures around the Academy campus.


    ''I guess they had a reason to choose her over Aoife.''


    Given how bright her cheerful personality was, she was well-


    received by the guests from the outside.


    Had Aoife been the one to guide them then...


    "Hah."


    I could already imagine just how stiff the atmosphere would''ve been.


    Looking at the time, 10 A.M. I decided to spend some time looking around at the Academy.


    The y wasn''t going to start until the third day, and while there indeed werebat exams and mid-terms in the following week, I thought about spending today to destress.


    At the rate I was currently pushing my body, it was starting to fail me. For that reason, I had no choice but to spend some time to rx.


    Well...


    Those were my initial thoughts. However, I knew that I was probably being followed.


    ''What a pain.''


    It was for this reason that I chose to remain outside in public. I didn''t know the identity of the person following me. Were they from the organization, or was it the senior?


    Either way, I kept my guard up.


    "....."


    That was until I found my steps halting and I turned to my right.


    "....."


    Our eyes met and she blinked her big eyes. Holding onto arge pastry, she looked around before nearing me.


    ".....You didn''t see anything."


    "I didn''t."


    Her eyes squinted, and I moved my hands over my mouth in a zipping motion.


    "My mouth is sealed."


    "....."


    From her gaze, I could tell that she didn''t seem to believe me, but who would I even tell? It wasn''t as if I had any friends to gossip with, and who would even believe me if I told them the chancellor was a pervert who enjoyed being a kid?


    ".....?"


    All of a sudden, Delh extended her hand in my direction.


    I was taken aback.


    "You want money? I don''t have any to give."


    "No."


    "If not money, then..."


    I patted my pockets and shook my head.


    "I don''t have any. They''re back in the dorm."


    "No."


    Yet again, Delh shook her head.


    I frowned and thought about what her actions could mean, but I was stumped. In the end, it was her that exined.


    "Your hand."


    "My hand...?"


    I blinked and looked at her hand. It finally clicked, and I leaned my head back.


    "You want me to hold your hand?"


    Nod.


    The hell...


    "It''ll make things easier for me. My current appearance is too suspicious, and since I can''t go in my normal form, I need someone to apany me."


    "....I see."


    It made sense if she put it that way.


    "But why me?"


    "Didn''t we have an agreement?"


    "Ah."


    We indeed had one. It was the price that I had to pay for her to train me. Sighing inwardly, I finally relented and grabbed her hand.


    She nodded happily and pointed towards the distance.


    "Let''s go there. I want to try that."


    "Ye-uhk!"


    I didn''t even have the time to agree before she suddenly dragged me. For such a little body, she certainly had a lot of strength.


    "We sell cotton candy! The finest cotton candy~!"


    The destination was none other than the cotton candy stand. The line was short, and waiting behind the counter was a rather buff man with a beard.


    "Ho, ho! Are you here for some cotton candy? For your little sister?"


    I looked down at Delh and felt my mouth twitch.


    Sister? How was I going to respond to this?


    "No."


    Delh shook her head and responded with a t voice. The problemy in the fact that despite her best attempts to sound mature, the polymorph effect distorted her voice, making it sound rather childlike.


    "I''m older than him."


    "Uh?"


    The shopkeeper blinked his eyes.


    On the other hand, Delh continued.


    "I''m his older sister."


    "...."


    "Oh..."


    I exchanged nces with the man and pursed my lips.


    "It''s as she said."


    "Ohhh."


    The shopkeeper winked at me as if he had understood something.


    No, she really was older...


    "Would you like some cotton candy? How many would you like?"


    I looked down to see Delh carefully counting with her little fingers. She seemed to be indecisive between two or three.


    "Three."


    She eventually settled for three.


    "Coming right up!"


    Despite his appearance, the man was an expert at this. Within moments, he had three sticks done as he handed them to us.


    "That will be ten Rend."


    "Oh."


    I looked down at Delh who looked back at me.


    "...."


    "...."


    Seriously?


    Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I reached out for my wallet and took out a single bill.


    "Here you go."


    "It was a pleasure serving you. Next~"


    "Let''s go."


    "Ugh!"


    Like that, I was once again dragged around by her.


    "Get me that."


    Gradually, my wallet started to drain.


    "That too."


    Whatever had sugar in it, she bought it.


    "I want to try that too."


    With my money.


    "I want-"


    "I''ve run out of money. "


    Looking at my empty wallet, I didn''t know whether to feel happy or sad. Maybe it was a mixture of both.


    Sad that I was broke, but happy that I no longer had to be dragged around by her.


    "Oh."


    Delh seemed a little disappointed by the development. In the end, throwing away a wrapper, she patted her hand.


    "....I''m satisfied."


    "I''m d you are."


    Was I finally going to be set free?


    Taking out a tissue to clean her hands, Delh casually nced behind as her expression flickered back to her usually frosty one. It was as if her entire demenour had changed.


    "You''ve been followed the entire time, do you know that?"


    "Hm?"


    Surprised by the sudden question, I lowered my head to meet her gaze.


    For a moment, I lost myself in her eyes as they stared back at me, threatening to suck me in at any second.


    Quickly recovering myself, I realized something.


    "Did you drag me around because you wanted to confirm this?"


    "No. I just wanted to eat."


    "I see."


    For some reason, it felt like she was half-lying. Perhaps it was a bit of both.


    In any case, I nodded my head.


    "Yes, I''m aware."


    There was no need for me to lie.


    "....Do you want me to help you?"


    "You''re willing to help?"


    It was a bit surprising to hear this. However, after thinking about it for a few seconds, I shook my head and rejected her offer.


    "....I''ll have to decline."


    Whether she was doing it to repay the favor for buying her the candy and stuff, I didn''t need her help. Sure, things would indeed be a lot easier were she take matters into her own hands, but that wasn''t what I needed.


    There was a certain goal I had in mind.


    Her interference would ruin what I had in mind.


    "....."


    Delh stared at me without saying anything. I couldn''t tell her thoughts at all, and the more time passed, the more ufortable her gaze became.


    Just as I was about to say something, her small lips parted open as she went on to ask,


    "I heard you''re going to perform at a y."


    "....Yes."


    "Is your role going to be big?"


    "No, it''s not."


    "Hmm."


    Delh seemed to have fallen into contemtion.


    Eventually, raising her head, she said,


    "I''ll be watching. Don''t disappoint."


    Her figure gradually blended with the background. Her actions were subtle, with hardly anyone around noticing her sudden disappearance.


    I was a little worried that the person observing me would notice something, but I didn''t think Delh would make things difficult for me like that.


    ''Perhaps there''s still an illusion next to me.''


    Who knew?


    Either way, I looked down at my watch.


    There were still a few hours before the first day of the festival ended. I had lost a few hours but still had some time to myself. For now, I nned on enjoying my day.


    "Popping balloon! Pop the balloons and you win a prize!"


    "Come here and eat the delicious food that we have!"


    "A one-in-a-million act! Come watch!"


    Hearing the pitchesing from the stalls, I decided to head to one that interested me.


    "A customer!"


    My stomach gurgled at the sight that was before me. It looked like a roasted pig, but at the same time didn''t. Perhaps a monster from the mirror dimension...


    Either way, it looked and smelled delicious.


    "Looks like you can''t resist the smell. Haha, here, I''ll prepare one for you. It''ll be 15 Rend."


    "Okay. "


    I swallowed before reaching out for my wallet. Since I was nning on enjoying a few hours to myself, it wouldn''t hurt to try it, right?


    Making up my mind, I opened my wallet and prepared to take out a few bills to pay.


    Only that...


    "...."


    I had no more money.


    "Here you go, sir~"

 Chapter 89 Festival [2]

    <h4>Chapter 89 Festival [2]</h4>


    There was a secret that hardly anyone knew about Evelyn.


    Not even her closest friends knew this about her.


    And that was...


    "Itcks vor, needs extra seasoning, and could use a few more minutes in the oven. I''d ssify it as mediocre, just barely meeting the mark. It''s alright for filling your stomach, but there are much better choices avable elsewhere."


    She was the Empire-renowned ''Iron Tongue'' a famed and mysterious food critic that judged the most famous restaurants and food stalls within the Empire.


    Every month, in the new issues of ''The Empire Daily'', one of the Empire''s most renowned magazines, a segment would be dedicated just to her critiques.


    Having done this for several years now, she had a cult following that religiously followed her every critique. Many restaurants and food stalls have been affected by her reviews, with several stores shutting down or others booming in business.


    In any case, with the festival ongoing, Evelyn decided to suit up and get to work.


    While it wasn''t much, she did receive a small sry each month for her reviews.


    "Next up..."


    Licking her lips, Evelyn finished the food in her grasp and took out her notepad.


    In there, she had a small list of restaurants and stalls that she had to check during the festival.


    [Moss''s Barbeque]


    Evelyn circled it with her pen.


    "I''ll go here next."


    With the decision made, she stood up from her bench and headed towards where the stall was located.


    The distance wasn''t far. It was about a five-minute walk.


    "Hm."


    When she arrived, she was surprised to see a familiar figure waiting at the back of the line.


    ''Kiera?''


    Evelyn almost panicked and lowered her hat. It was important that she kept her identity a secret.


    If her identity was found out, then a lot of her credibility would shatter. She couldn''t allow that to happen.


    Even so, as she lowered her hat, she couldn''t help but take a second nce at Kiera.


    The dazzling sunlight from the sun shone upon her tinum hair, making it shine like a well-polished gem.


    With her focus on her wallet, Kiera counted her bills, her expression contorting slightly as she looked up at the price board while muttering, ''What kind of ridiculous pricing is this? You might as well just rob me.''


    Words aside, her face¡ªher eyes and nose¡ªheld such beauty that onlookers couldn''t help but wonder if they''d ever see something simr again.


    It was a scene that Evelyn was all too familiar with.


    The same was true for her, but with her disguise, she didn''t have to worry about such a situation.


    Or so she thought.


    "What are you doing?"


    "....!"


    Raising her head, she spotted Kiera looking at her with a weird look.


    She silently swallowed.


    That''s right, she might just think my outfit is weird...


    "Evelyn?"


    "....!"


    Flinching slightly, Evelyn pretended to cough. But that didn''t work as Kiera''s voice once again rang.


    "What the hell are you doing?"


    "Ha, this..."


    Seeing that her identity had even been revealed, Evelyn sighed and took off her hat.


    "Yes..."


    She almost sounded resigned.


    No, she was resigned.


    "Uh, the fuck...? I knew it was you, but when I actually see it in person, I can''t stop the shivers."


    Kiera rubbed the side of her arms.


    "What the hell are you doing dressed like that?"


    "Uh? I, it''s nothing. It''s just¡­"


    With a twitch of her mouth, Evelyn nced around and exined.


    "It''s just that the stares bother me, so I wear this disguise."


    "That?"


    Kiera looked at her up and down. Then, as if giving up, she turned back to face the line.


    ".....I don''t judge."


    "Your actions don''t match your words."


    "Okay, I do. You look ridiculous."


    "...."


    Evelyn kept her mouth shut and just waited behind her. She had pretty much grown used to Kiera''s venomous tongue over the past few months. Something like this wasn''t going to phase her.


    Furthermore, she had a job to do.


    [Moss''s Barbeque] - A unique chain of pop-up barbeque stalls. With growing fame, it was one of Evelyn''s main targets of review.


    There were several criteria that she used to judge a pop-up store. One of the criteria was the speed at which the food was served and how efficient the service was.


    So far the line was quite fast.


    Within a couple of minutes, she was already almost at the front.


    ''Speed, I''ll give it eight out of ten.''


    By her standards, that was a great score.


    "Uh? Why the..."


    Just then, she heard Kiera''s stunned voice. Raising her head, her eyes widened.


    "....Ah?"


    Like Kiera, she couldn''t believe that sight before her.


    "Next up."


    Hearing the all too familiar dry and even voice, Evelyn blinked several times to make sure she wasn''t seeing things. Once she was sure that she wasn''t, her mouth dropped.


    "....What in the world?"


    Of all the people that she would''ve expected to serve her, Julien was thest person she thought of.


    Wearing an apron, and gloves, he served food with the same stoic expression he always wore.


    ''How can someone as prideful as him be doing something like this?''


    This wasn''t the Julien that she knew.


    Just what sort of...


    "Next."


    "Uh, ah? Kiera?"


    Feeling his gaze, Evelyn turned around and was shocked to see that she was the next up in line. No, clearly Kiera was supposed to be ahead of her, but where did she...


    "Are you not going to order something?"


    "Oh, no. I will."


    Seeing that she couldn''t find Kiera anywhere, Evelyn nced at the menu. There were many questions that she wanted to ask, like ''What are you doing here? Why are working here?'' and so on. However, she held herself back and just ordered.


    "I''ll take a ssic, please. With extra sauce."


    "Is that all?"


    "....Yes."


    "Okay."


    Taking a small breath, Evelyn waited as her order started to get prepared. She watched as Julien carefully scooped up the meat and ced it over a bun. His actions were fluid and looked rather elegant.


    It was odd, but for some reason, the food started to look even more appetizing.


    ''No, don''t let this fool you.''


    Evelyn was quick to snap out of such a state.


    She was a professional critic. She wasn''t going to let that affect her judgment. With a soft, ''Hoo'', Evelyn pped her cheeks and put on a serious face.


    Julien came shortly after with her order.


    "That will be fifteen Rend."


    "Here."


    Handing over the money, she received her order and left. Looking around, while holding onto the steaming hot food, she headed over towards a more secluded bench where she sat down.


    Looking around, she took out her notepad and started writing.


    "The aroma is enticing, and the overall disy is rather pleasing. While I''d rmend incorporating a bit more sauce, Moss''s Barbeque has certainly upheld its esteemed reputation thus far..."


    For some reason, she loved to narrate over herself while writing, but it had be a habit of hers and it was too troublesome to change it.


    "Alright, it''s time to try it."


    Sniffing the food, and feeling its powerful aroma, her mouth started to salivate.


    What a great smell.


    Licking her lips, she brought the bun near her mouth, and...


    Took a bite.


    "....Hmm."


    Her eyes immediately squinted with joy as the juices exploded in her mouth and an intense vor spread into her tongue.


    The more she chewed, the more the vor intensified.


    Stronger, and stronger, and...


    "....!"


    Hold on.


    Evelyn''s chewing slowed.


    Something wasn''t...


    "Umm."


    All of a sudden her lips twisted.


    "....Nn?!"


    And...


    "Pfttt!"


    The food flew out of her mouth shortly after.


    "Akh...!"


    Holding onto her throat, her eyes turned bloodshot as she held her throat with both hands.


    "S-salty! H...Help!"


    On the very same day, the ''Iron Tongue'' left a scathing review on the ''Empire Times''.


    [Moss''s Barbecue ] - I''ve never been to the sea, but I know now what it tastes like. Never again! The shop closed shortly after.


    ***


    The next two days of the Festival went by in a sh.


    Before I knew it, it was the day of the y. Staring at the script before me, I closed my eyes and tried to immerse myself in the role.


    I felt my face twitch and a series of emotions flooded my mind. From fear to anger, to sadness... I circted through all the emotions, but even as I tried my best to find the rightbination, I never felt satisfied.


    "....It''s not working."


    Opening my eyes, I stared at my reflection from the mirror positioned in front of me.


    I was currently dressed inmon clothing. A pair of brow pants, and a white shirt tucked underneath.


    I looked like a regr person.


    At least in this world.


    To Tok¡ª


    I heard a knocking from the entrance of the room and turned in the direction of the door.


    "Come in."


    "Ah, hello."


    The one who had entered was none other than the writer. She had a nervous expression on her face.


    "....How are you doing?"


    I could tell why she was worried.


    "I''m fine."


    "Then..."


    "It should be fine."


    Only then did her face lit up.


    "Really?"


    "....Yes."


    "Ah, that''s great."


    cing her hand on her chest, she let out a visible sigh of relief.


    "It''s not like I doubt you. Everyone has seen your skills, but... The way you abruptly left at the reading and how you haven''t shown up for the practices left the others a bit worried. But I know it''s because you''re trying to practice ''method acting''. For this reason, we allowed you to do what you wanted, but I was still pretty worried."


    "...."


    I just quietly listened to the side without saying anything.


    What Method Acting. I simply just couldn''t do it.


    I still let the misunderstanding go on. It wasn''t as if I could just tell her I couldn''t do it. At least, not thiste into the y.


    "Okay then, the y will start in a bit. I''ll leave you to it."


    With those words, she left the room and closed the door behind her.


    nk¡ª!


    "...."


    A strange silence gripped my surroundings as I stood still and turned to face the mirror.


    cing the tips of my fingers over the edges of my mouth, I lightly pushed them up into a smile.


    ".....Crazy."


    ***


    30 minutes before the y.


    Aoife stood in her room and looked at herself in the mirror.


    "Hi~"


    In one moment, her expression was calm and cheerful. It was a stark contrast to her usual self. Her smile was also extremely piercing.


    But in the next moment...


    "H-ha... W-why are you doing this to me?"


    Her face was pale, and her pupils shook. It was aplete change that took less than a couple of seconds.


    Staring at the mirror, all Aoife could see was a scared woman.


    Fear hadpletely overtaken her as her entire body trembled. From the little details of her expression to the coloring of her face.


    It was perfect.


    She was perfect.


    "....."


    Gradually, her face returned to normal.


    Her efforts had finally paid off. Although her role was small, she was confident that she wouldn''t be swallowed by his acting like before.


    That at the very least she''d be able to keep up against him.


    "Huu."


    Though she thought like that, she couldn''t help but be nervous. Aoife didn''t try to push the nervousness away.


    Rather, she tried to embrace it.


    The nervousness came from the fear of not being able to perform well.


    Her performance was a representation of fear. For that reason, she used the emotions she was currently feeling to further fuel her immersion.


    "I can do it."


    She had to do it.


    "...."


    Aoife retrieved some makeup and lightly dabbed it underneath her eyes, concealing the noticeable dark circles beneath.


    It had been a while since she had slept properly, but to her, it was worth it.


    Even if her role was small...


    ".....I''ll take over the stage."


    If that was thest thing she did.


    Because.


    She was Aoife K. Megrail.


    The Princess of the Empire, and her own harshest critic.

 Chapter 90 Play [1]

    <h4>Chapter 90 y [1]</h4>


    News of the newest y by the renowned writer Olga had already made waves throughout the Empire. After a lot of changes, the name of the y was finalized to; [The Enigma of Midnight Manor].


    At the back of the theater, Leon stood by as he watched all the seats slowly start to fill.


    "There''s so many people attending."


    There was a certain tension hanging at the back of the stage.


    Having worked for the past week to ensure that the project would flow well, all the staff and cadets were eagerly awaiting the final results of the y.


    Would their hard work pay off?


    "From what I''ve heard all the seats have been sold. That''s over two thousand seats. It''s crazy."


    "Oh my god! Look over there! That''s Jayce Milner from the ck Hound Guild!"


    "Ah! That''s ra from the Thorn Roses Guild!"


    "I see more! There''s so many big shots attending today...!"


    Most of the nervousness came from the important figures that were attending today''s y.


    ncing around, Leon could see that most of the important members of the major Guilds were present.


    Because of how many important figures were present, security was tight. Not that it was required since everyone present could defend themself.


    Unfortunately, what they didn''t know was the fact that while they could indeed defend themselves, the same wasn''t true for the cadets.


    Thankfully, it didn''t seem like anyone was a target.


    The only target as of right now was Julien who was getting ready to start the y.


    ''.....He''ll probably attack soon.''


    Most likely just after the second Act. While his target was Julien, his real goal was Aoife.


    For that reason, he was probably waiting for the right time to interfere.


    "I should get ready."


    Their target was rather strong. Leon didn''t think he''d be able to defeat him alone. However, with Julien, the situation might just turn out differently.


    Either way, he had a goal in mind in all of this.


    Turning his wrist, Leon checked his watch. Sensing that it was about time, he quietly left the premises.


    He had a ce to be.


    ***


    The noise at the theater was starting to quiet down as the y was set to start in the following minutes. Sat the very front were three individuals.


    "What do you think? Do you think this y will get a five-star?"


    "I''m not sure, but I have faith in Olga."


    "We''ll see about that."


    Dressed in formal attires, they were none other than the critics in charge of assessing the y.


    "I''ve heard that they have several immature cadets participating. I know that this is a criteria proposed by Haven, but to be so confident in having it judged today..."


    One of the judges shook his head.


    "I don''t know whether she''s bold, or just delusional."


    "Hah, who knows? I''ve heard that one of the performing actors is quite talented."


    "Again with that nonsense? You''ve been in the industry for as long as I have. You should know very well that it''s just standard bullshit to drive the publicity. I can bet you 100 Rend that he''s probably just above the mediocre threshold. Don''t get your hopes up."


    "If you put it like that..."


    Expectations were rather mixed. While on one hand, the judges believed that the y was going to be great, they didn''t have much faith in the ''super rookie'' that was spread all over the news.


    "Please disregard the fact that the performers are mere cadets when evaluating. If they happen to make mistakes, ensure to document them ordingly."


    This was a serious evaluation.


    They weren''t going to let the fact that rookies were ying affect their judgment.


    "....."


    Sat a few rows just above them, and overhearing the evaluation from the critics, Delh cocked her head slightly.


    Today she was in her usual form, and while seated down, she could feel the gazes of all those around her wander to her.


    "What do you think about what they said? Do you agree with them?"


    Seated next to her was a handsome man with well-polished features and green eyes. He was the current Vice-Leader of the [The Order of the Silver Seraphs], one of the fifteen major Guilds.


    He was about her age, and while he wasn''t as powerful as her, he was someone who was held in high esteem.


    Looking at him, Delh shook her head without saying anything.


    "Haha? So you think the performances of the rookies will be good?"


    "...."


    Delh didn''t say anything again.


    In all honesty, she didn''t know. Would Julien even be a great actor? Sure, he was an emotive mage, but disying emotions was different from influencing emotions...


    There was also Aoife.


    Was her acting going to be great? ncing to her side where a familiar yellow-eyed figure sat, she leaned back on her chair.


    As Megrail.


    It was rare for her to see him attend such gatherings. However, given that his niece Aoife was performing, perhaps he decided to take his time to watch.


    Delh wasn''t sure.


    He was a hard man to read.


    "Personally, I agree with them. We''re talking about some of the best actors in the entire Empire. How is it possible for mere cadets topete with them? I think they''ll be carried by-"


    His words ceased abruptly as the theater''s lights flickered off, plunging the surroundings into darkness.


    "It''s starting."


    "Quiet down."


    Swooosh¡ª¡ª!


    The curtains spread, and the stage lights flickered open, revealing the insides of a bakery.


    Tok¡ª


    A lone footfall shattered the silence enveloping the surroundings as a figure d in a brown jacket and top hat strode in.


    Following right behind him was a man wearing a gray undervest and squared-frame sses.


    Joseph and his assistant had made their appearance.


    [Huaam.]


    Yawning, Joseph, who Darius was ying looked around. His voice was crisp, and audible for all to hear.


    [Uh... This is where she worked, is that correct?]


    [Yes, this is the bakery.]


    There wasn''t much dialogue to start with, but the audience was already drawn by the start of the y. There was something about the acting, and the sullen atmosphere surrounding the bakery that made one wonder what exactly was happening.


    [Emily Stein.]


    Fixing his sses, the assistant unfurled a piece of paper from his breast pocket as he leaned his head back to get a better read.


    [The owner''s daughter. ording to the details, she seems to have vanished sometime yesterday.]


    [Ah, uh, yeah... I see.]


    With a subtle nod, Joseph surveyed the surroundings, idly tracing his finger along the surface of the bakery, staring at his finger in the process.


    With azy expression on his face, he ruffled his hair before his eyelids partially closed.


    [ce looks clean...]


    Perhaps used to the sight he was seeing, the assistant looked around before seriously muttering.


    [There doesn''t seem to be anything wrong with the ce. The crime likely urred outside of the bakery. Should we...]


    [Give me a second.]


    Covering his mouth and letting out another yawn, Joseph dragged one of the wooden chairs back and sat down.


    [.....Huu, I''m getting too old for this. Elbert, how about you survey the bakery for evidence while I take a na... Ehhh, recover my energy.]


    [....]


    Adjusting his sses, Elbert opened his mouth but held his words back and nodded. He went on the leave the stage, leaving Joseph the only one remaining.


    With his back facing the audience, he stared ahead.


    No one could truly make out his expression. It was hidden from all to see.


    [Emily Stein.]


    The only thing they could detect was his voice. A change urred in the audience when he spoke. There was a sudden change in tone, his voice no longer soundingzy, but extremely serious and hoarse.


    It served to build tension as the lights of the stage flickered and darkness enveloped the surroundings.


    Cli ¡ª!


    [Dissapeared yesterday.]


    In the darkness, Joseph''s voice continued to echo.


    [Baker''s daughter. Was looking for missing equipment.]


    His words, though soft, gently reached the ears of all the audience present as a strange tension suddenly gripped the surroundings.


    [What a problematic scenario.]


    Cli ¡ª!


    The light turned back on, and all audience held their breath at the sight that greeted them.


    Still sitting on the wooden chair with his back turned against theirs, the entire surroundings had changed. No longer was he in the bakery. He appeared to be in the middle of a long alleyway.


    But the most ring thing about the surroundings was that...


    "Gray."


    It was all gray.


    Delh found herself immersed in the y.


    But if that wasn''t all, standing right before Joseph was another man. With his back simrly facing the audience, he stood tall, staring at the end of the alleyway.


    There, a figure appeared.


    Wearing simple clothes and an apron, her beauty couldn''t be hidden as she instantly captured the attention of the audience.


    Her expression was one of helplessness as she moved forward, towards Joseph and the man that stood before him.


    For some reason, the audience found themselves frowning at the scene...


    ''No, you shouldn''t go to the man.''


    ''He''s dangerous.''


    Even though he had done nothing, and had just stood there the entire time, the audience felt a strange tensioning from him as Aoife moved to him.


    Unknowingly, Delh found herself leaning forward a bit.


    She wanted to get a better look at the scene.


    [Ah, excuse me! Do you perhaps know if any shops are still open where I can buy some parts for a broken mixer?]


    The moment she spoke, everyone held their breaths.


    For some reason, there was something about her voice and tone that made everyone forget about her looks. She truly seemed to have embodied her character.


    [....]


    The sound of heavy breathing echoed out as some of the audience members swallowed under the tension that gripped the auditorium as they all looked at the mysterious figure.


    Each second that ticked felt stifling. Almost as if someone was trying to reach for their throat and choke them.


    That was until he finally spoke.


    [.... You''re looking for a recement?]


    Despite not being able to see his face, just from the sound of his voice, the audience felt themselves holding their breaths.


    What sort of expression was he making? How did he look like? Does he kill her?


    With just a few words, he managed to bring forth many questions in the minds of the audience.


    The y continued.


    [Yes, I am.]


    Aoife naively nodded her head with a strange glint in her eyes. One that contained excitement and hope.


    Such an innocent sight...


    [I know, yes... I know of a ce.]


    It only served to add to the tension that the mysterious character brought.


    [You do...?!]


    [Yes, please go straight. If you just keep going there, you can find it.]


    [Thank you so much!]


    Facing the audience, Aoife crossed the man and Joseph before disappearing.


    [....]


    Yet again, silence gripped the surroundings as all eyes fell on the mysterious man. At the moment, everyone was wondering the same thing.


    What sort of expression was he making?


    They didn''t need to wait for long to find out. Gradually, he turned his head to face the audience, revealing his features.


    ".....!"


    Many held their breaths at the sight that greeted them. His appearance bordered perfection, with a visible jaw, and well-


    maintained hair. His hazel eyes shone with a strange intensity that drew the eyes of all present, creating a suffocating atmosphere.


    And yet...


    Despite his wless appearance, none of the audience members found it within them to admire it.


    With an unfocused gaze and lips that flickered from a smile to neutrality, several of the members of the audience felt their skin crawl.


    "....."


    If anything, his appearance added to the chill his gaze gave.


    [R-red...]


    He quietly mumbled as his head lowered to meet Joseph''s as he raised his head to meet his gaze.


    [....I want to see it.]


    Cli ¡ª!


    The surroundings turned dark.

 Chapter 91 Play [2]

    <h4>Chapter 91 y [2]</h4>


    Cli ¡ª!


    When the lights turned on, color returned to the stage as Joseph was again in the bakery.


    Compared to the previously oppressive atmosphere, the atmosphere was now a lot less suffocating.


    [....]


    Sitting in the same spot, Joseph remained quiet the entire time until he lowered his head to rub his face.


    [Face... What did his face look like?]


    There was one clear disadvantage to the visions.


    It was that he couldn''t remember the faces of the parties involved.


    [Damn it.]


    But it wasn''t without hope.


    [White shirt, brown pants, and undervest...]


    He could remember the clothes he had worn and the location of the incident.


    Coming down from the stairs was his assistant Elbert who pushed his sses back up.


    [I wasn''t able to find any evidence. The ce is clean. It''s unfortunate, but we might have to look somewhere else for clues.]


    His steps eventually stopped not far from where Joseph was.


    [What about you? Have you found anything...?]


    [....]


    [Detective?]


    [....Uh, ah right.]


    Joseph snapped out of his thoughts and looked back.


    [What did you say, again?]


    [Did you find anything?]


    [Oh, that.]


    He shook his head.


    [No, not really. I do have some ideas though. Troublesome, but... Haa, I need the money, so I have no choice.]


    Finally standing up from his seat, Joseph took a long and dragged out a breath before turning around and heading towards the exit.


    [Detective? What are we doing here? This is the fifth house that we''ve visited. How is this supposed to help us?]


    [Just wait.]


    The scenery changed. Coming out of the bakery, they appeared before arge wooden door and knocked.


    To Tok¡ª


    [How can I help you?]


    Greeting them at the door was a familiar figure. Instantly, the atmosphere around the theater turned tense. And yet... For some reason, that faded the moment they noticed the warm smile on the figure''s face.


    To the audience, he looked like a very friendly person. A vast difference from the person in the vision.


    The stark contrast made a few ufortable.


    ''Is that really him?''


    ''It can''t be the same person, right...? How does that even make sense?''


    Removing his hat, the detective introduced himself alongside his assistant.


    [Let me introduce myself. I''m Detective Joseph, and this man over here is my assistant.]


    He too greeted the man with a polite and warm smile.


    [A detective?]


    [Yes. I''m sorry, but could we ask you some questions?]


    [....But of course.]


    The man invited them in.


    But just before he let them in, he introduced himself.


    [Oh, before I forget. My name is Azarias. It''s a pleasure to meet you.]


    [Azarias? What a nice name.]


    [Thank you.]


    The scene once again shifted.


    They were now all sitting around a wooden table. On the table sat a small tray bearing three cups of warm tea.


    [I''m sorry for this. It''s all I can offer.]


    [Oh, there''s no problem.]


    Taking a sip of the tea, Joseph joked.


    [I can''t tell the difference between good tea and bad tea anyway. It all tasted like grass one.]


    In return, Azarias smiled.


    [I can''t say I''m any different.]


    The atmosphere was lighthearted and warm. It seemed to be a regr and friendly talk between two friends.


    That, however, took a more serious turn when Joseph started his investigation. Just slightly, his demenour shifted, bing a lot more serious.


    [I''ll start off by asking a simple question. Where were you yesterday night at around 10 P.M?]


    [At around 10 P.M?]


    Despite the sudden shift in Joseph''s demenour, Azarias didn''t seem to be phased as he started to seriously ponder.


    [Hmm, I''m not sure... I think I was at my store. If you don''t know, I''m the owner of a flower shop.]


    [A flower shop?]


    [Yes, I love to take flowers.]


    ncing around, Joseph did indeed notice that the ce was filled with flowers.


    [You seem to like roses.]


    [....I''ve been told that a lot. But it''s not really the roses that I like. There are several others that I like.]


    [Hmm, I see.]


    With a nod, Joseph went straight to business.


    Opening his coat, he took out a small portrait and ced it down on the table.


    [Emily Stein.]


    He tapped the portrait with his finger.


    [That''s the name of the girl that has been missing since yesterday. Have you perhaps seen her before?]


    [....]


    Azarias only stared at the photo for a couple of seconds, and yet... For some reason, the atmosphere felt suffocating. Even with his warm features and expression, there was something offsetting about him.


    Gradually, he picked up the picture and took a look at it.


    [I think I''ve seen her before, I''m not quite sure where.]


    [You have?]


    [Yeah, but I''m not quite sure where...]


    [It''s a small town. She worked at the bakery down the street. Perhaps that''s where you''ve seen her.]


    [Ah, that''s perhaps where.]


    Azarias smiled yet again, slowly cing the portrait down and shaking his head.


    [I''m sorry, but I wish I could help you out more. If there''s anything that I can do to help the investigation, I''d be more than willing to help.]


    [That would be appreciated.]


    Turning around and staring at the flowers, Joseph had a sudden thought as he voiced out.


    [That store of yours... You won''t mind if we visit it, right?]


    [My store?]


    Confused, Azarais tilted his head.


    Joseph continued, this time, his demenour was less serious than before as it returned to the friendly one from before.


    [I''ve been meaning to buy a few flowers for my wife. I might as well take advantage of the opportunity. I hope you don''t mind. Plus, I can do a small checkaround. If you''re innocent, I''m sure you won''t mind, right?]


    [Ah...]


    Azarias''s eyes flickered slightly. It was only brief, barely noticeable if one didn''t pay close attention. But...


    To the audience who was indeed paying attention, it was all seen.


    Unfortunately, nobody could tell whether Joseph had noticed or not as he happily smiled and received the keys to the shop from Azarais who didn''t follow him out.


    [Haha, I will being back shortly to return the keys. Please don''t run away.]


    Though he said that jokingly, Joseph ordered his assistant to stay on guard outside of the house.


    nk¡ª


    Once the door closed, Azarias was the only one remaining in the room.


    [.....]


    Silence gripped the surroundings as he stood by himself with a warm smile on his face. It was a smile that lit up the room.


    But gradually...


    The smile started to change vor.


    It slowly started to grow unsettling. Almost chilling.


    The lights started to dim, and right before the audience, the colors started to fade, gradually turning the entire world gray.


    But strangely enough, in the gray world, one color remained.


    It was the red from the roses.


    With Azarias standing in the middle, the curtains started to close, signaling the end of the first Act. In thest moments before the curtains fully engulfed Azarias, he opened his mouth to speak as a familiar cold and dry voice echoed out loud.


    [....I''ll see you soon.]


    The curtains fully closed then, and the theater turned dark.


    ....The first Act had ended.


    "Huuu."


    Aoife stood behind the stage and took a deep breath. The lights slowly turned on for the first intermission as the audience sat with their mouths closed, eyes still fixed towards the front.


    From their expression, it was clear that they were heavily invested in the y.


    "That''s good..."


    Aoife sighed in relief.


    It was clear that she didn''t disappoint with her performance.


    But even so...


    "...."


    Staring towards a certain man, who was currently heading towards his private room under everyone''s watch, Aoife lowered her head.


    It was still not enough.


    She...


    Was still not good enough.


    ''Just how much more do I need to do to keep up with him...?''


    She was honestly scared. Especially since their scene was about toe up. Aoife felt like she was in top form, but even that didn''t seem to be enough.


    ''More.''


    Her current form was good, but not good enough to keep up with him.


    She had to do more.


    Especially since ''he'' was watching her. Aoife couldn''t let herself be swallowed by Julien''s acting. With a soft ''huu'' Aoife massaged her cheeks and took out the script.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    "Ah...!"


    It was almost falling apart, as she had to try her best to prevent some of the pages from falling.


    Making sure that all the papers were in order, she focused her attention back on the script.


    Perfection.


    She would only stop at perfection.


    ***


    "Huh..."


    Coming back into my room, I sat down and took a deep breath. I was mentally exhausted, and my head hurt a little. Staring at the script, I flipped through the lines before putting on my makeup.


    Flip, flip, flip¡ª!


    The next scene was the scene where I would kill Aoife.


    It was another small shback scene.


    However, this scene held great importance as the y was still in its introductory phases. My role was to ''highlight'' Joseph''s ability.


    My death woulde not long after. Compared to the whole script, I didn''t have a lot of screen time. Even so, my role was important.


    I had to make sure to leave an impact on the audience.


    But...


    It was that part that stumped me.


    "I still can''t get a proper grasp on this."


    I tossed the script over the desk. It was annoying. Regardless of how hard I tried, I still struggled toe close to understanding the character.


    ....It was just impossible.


    Azarias was a total psychopath. Someone whose mind and emotions were hard to properly understand. For a brief moment, my gaze wandered towards the four-leaved clover tattoo on my forearm.


    If there was one method that could help, then...


    "No."


    I was quick to throw the idea away. The wheel was a gamble. I could very well end up with an emotion that would have theplete opposite effect.


    "Huu."


    If only I could get into Azarias''s mind...


    "Ha."


    I massaged my forehead.


    "What a troublesome situation."


    To Tok¡ª!


    "The y will start shortly. Please make your way into the stage."


    Hearing the organizer''s voice, I took a deep breath and adjusted my clothing.


    Making sure that everything was on point, I reached for the handle and opened the door.


    What greeted me was a long and narrow corridor.


    "Hm?"


    I looked around.


    Where was the organizer...? And why was it so dark?


    "....!"


    WOOOOM¡ª!


    Something streaked past my cheek. I was hardly able to react on time as I tilted my head just slightly to the right.


    Drip...! Drip.


    I felt a sharp pain by the side of my cheek and frowned.


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.


    From across the space, a subtle and repetitive scratching sound caught my attention as a figure stepped out from the darkness.


    "You dodged that?"


    His voice was hoarse, almost croaky as I remained silent.


    "...."


    I stared at him without saying a word. Slowly, his appearance became known to me, and I lowered my head.


    So you''re finally here...

 Chapter 92 Play [3]

    <h4>Chapter 92 y [3]</h4>


    "...."


    It wasn''t as though I didn''t expect this. No, rather... I knew it wasing.


    Although looking around and seeing that there was no one present, I found the situation to be rather odd.


    How did he manage to get everyone away from here?


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.


    The only sound that echoed was the weird and unsettling sound of his scratching.


    "You.... Ah, I need that role."


    He was breathing heavily and ufortably. With just a nce, I could see that he wasn''t in the right state of mind.


    ''A psychopath.''


    I remained calm.


    "You need the role?"


    And tried to buy as much time as possible.


    "The Azarias one?"


    "Ah, yes... That role. I have been waiting for this day for a very long time. An extremely long time..."


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch¡ª!


    "It bothers me, it bothers me... I controlled myself for so long. Long. Long. Long. Long. So much control! Ha! I lost my role! Because of you! All that effort! How could that be? Theremustbesomesortofmistake!!"


    I had a hard time understanding thest part of his sentence as he spat those words at a rapid speed.


    Perhaps because his anger was starting to rise, he started to lose his mind.


    "Ah! This is nonsense! HowcouldtheytellmetostopwhenIhavebeenwaitingforsolong!!!"


    The mana started to agglomerate in his direction at a rapid speed. So much that it was starting to feel suffocating.


    ''As expected, I can''t beat him with my current power...''


    He was simply too strong for the current me.


    Swooosh¡ª!


    His figure blurred, and he appeared right in front of me. I was fast to react, moving my left hand in front of me.


    CLANK¡ª!


    Arge metallic sound rang out as sparks flew and I took several steps back. My entire left hand felt numb as the chain scattered away.


    "Ukh..!"


    I felt a sweet sensation at the back of my throat I coughed several times.


    "Shit."


    The gap between us was quiterge, but it wasn''t as though it was impossible for me.


    Well, not that it mattered.


    I wasn''t alone.


    "Julien E¡ª"


    Before he could finish his words, something smacked him by the side of his face.


    ¡ª¡ª!


    With a powerful blow, he staggered forward. In that instant, I clenched my hand, and purple threads burst forth, entwining around his ankles and hands.


    His entire body started to spasm as his face paled and his features contorted.


    "Akh...! This!"


    A figure emerged from the spot behind him. With a quiet step, Leon looked at me with a frown.


    "Is this it?"


    "....For now."


    I still wasn''t sure if he had left something else for me.


    "I''ll take care of him. Go check around the stage."


    "....Got it."


    Leon disappeared shortly after. Only then did I shift my attention back to the senior.


    "Now then."


    What was I going to do with him?


    ***


    It was the start of the second Act.


    The audience was already sitting in their seats, waiting for it to start. Throughout the entire short break, none of the members of the audience said a word as they waited for the y to start again.


    They were all wondering the same thing; ''What did he mean by see you soon? Is there something in the shop?''


    The air was thick with anticipation.


    Standing backstage, Aoife took a deep breath.


    All the noise drowned out from her ears as she focused entirely on her role.


    "Ah.. aH, ah, Ah..."


    Massaging her throat, she tried her best to find the right tone and pitch. She spent the better part of the break doing so, and while she was busy doing this, she noticed a certain panic spread throughout the back.


    "Where is he...?"


    "I can''t find him."


    "I knocked on his room, but he''s gone."


    "What? How could this be? It can''t be that he left, right?"


    When she turned her head, she could see that all the staff was rushing around in panic.


    "What''s going on...?"


    Seeing how distressed they were, Aoife frowned. She was just about to ask what was going on when she picked up the conversation of a few actors beside her.


    "Do you think he ran away? Just like the reading room?"


    "Damn it. I knew it... Last time he left because he couldn''t do it. I guess the pressure got to him. But what do we do?"


    "Ah, this. I can''t believe this is happening now of all times."


    Familiar with the events of the reading room, Aoife understood the subject of their talk. Her frown deepened.


    ''He ran away? Julien...?''


    Aoife had a hard time believing this.


    Recalling the scene she had seen a while back when he had been practicing by himself in the ssroom and pushing himself to the point where his own body was failing him, Aoife didn''t think for one second that he was that type of person.


    She knew... because he was just like her.


    "Something must have happened."


    It was the only exnation.


    Cli ¡ª


    The lights of the theater turned dark, and the y resumed.


    "Huu."


    Aoife took a deep breath and headed towards the side of the stage. The next scene was her death scene.


    "Do something!"


    "Look around for him!"


    While everyone was still scrambling to find out where Julien was, she cleared her mind and removed all distracting thoughts.


    Whether he was going to show up or not, that didn''t matter to her right now.


    What she needed to do right now was focus on her role.


    [Is this the shop? It looks rather nice.]


    Darius''s voice echoed from the stage, as the y resumed. He was now standing in front of a small flower-shaped.


    He was by himself, and inserting the keys into the key socket, he slowly opened it, revealing the vast number of flowers within.


    [Hm?]


    To the surprise of the audience, and Joseph, the flowers.


    They were all...


    [Roses.]


    No, not quite.


    [Red.]


    It was an odd sight, one that left the audience in question once more.


    [I did think he liked roses, but who would''ve thought he''d like them so much that he''d have a whole shop of them?]


    With a bitterugh, Joseph walked around the shop. Just as he did in the bakery, he traced his finger across the furniture, seemingly looking for something.


    As he was doing this, a voice quietly whispered to Aoife.


    "Get ready, your part is about to start soon."


    "Understood."


    Aoife nodded with a serious expression.


    Looking around, she could see that the staff was still panicked. Julien... He was still not in sight.


    "Maam? What do we do...? At this rate...!"


    "Get someone else to do it. Ugh, ah!"


    It wasn''t umon for incidents to ur during a y. For that reason, '' extras'' were used to fill the role in case a situation arose.


    While they weren''t as good as the main actors, they still knew the lines and what to do.


    Staring back, Aoife saw a man wearing simr clothes to what Julien had worn getting ready.


    He was most likely going to be Julien''s recement.


    "....."


    For some reason, Aoife didn''t like the idea. Rather, she detested it as her fists slowly clenched tightly.


    ''I didn''t push myself to this point just to have someone else take over your role...''


    Besides doing it for herself, another reason why Aoife pushed herself to the point of exhaustion was so that she wouldn''t get swallowed by his acting.


    Aoife had to admit.


    He was far better than her in that aspect. It was for that reason that she pushed herself so much.


    ...And seeing that someone else was about to take over his role, Aoife felt as though half of her efforts had been for nothing.


    It was a frustrating feeling.


    One that she could only push down as she felt a gentle push on her back.


    "Go, it''s your turn."


    Nodding her head, Aoife took a deep breath and stepped to enter the stage.


    ***


    With his entire body weak, Alexander slowly opened his eyes.


    He couldn''t tell what had happened as it had happened all too fast. His body hung suspended in the air as he felt weak all over. When he looked around, he appeared to be in a storage room.


    Alexander had a hard time seeing. His mind was foggy, and his vision was blurry.


    "Haa... Where is this? What''s..."


    Because of how weak his body was, he could hardly get his words out.


    "Just in time."


    A figure gradually appeared in his vision.


    "I would''ve had to force you awake soon enough."


    "Uh... How...?"


    Coughing several times, Alexander slowly raised his head. He tried to free himself from the threads, but his body simply refused to listen to him as the energy was drainedpletely out of him.


    "I''ve been waiting for quite a while for you to act."


    With an indifferent gaze, he looked down at him.


    "Wha.... How!?"


    "It doesn''t matter how. Just know that I know you were watching me."


    "How did you...!"


    Alexander struggled to grasp the conversation he was having. How was it possible for him to know that he was watching him? Furthermore, how was it possible for him to know that he was nning on doing something...!?


    His face twitched as his neck itched. If only he could scratch it...


    Still, he managed to force augh.


    "Do you think this is over? There''s more co..."


    "I know."


    "....?"


    "There''s moreing, right? I know."


    "Ah..."


    The itchy feeling became more pronounced, forcing his face to twist.


    "That, how could you..."


    Who, in the world.


    "How!!!"


    Mustering the little energy that he had remaining in his body, Alexander viciously screamed. His voice cracked halfway through, showing just how desperate he was.


    "That''s not something for you to concern yourself."


    But the man before him seemedpletely unfazed.


    Just then, he took a step closer to him and lowered his body down. Their gazes met, and Alexander stopped screaming.


    "You''re a psychopath."


    Those were the words that came out of his mouth as he addressed him.


    ".....I y the role of a psychopath."


    "Whaat...?"


    A shadow cast over Alexander''s features as Julien''s hand drew near his face.


    "Let me see your world."


    ***


    Tok¡ª


    Under the bright lights that shone down, the sound of Aoife''s step echoed.


    Tak. Tak.


    The color started to fade from the surroundings, and alongside the color, the sound of her steps became more rushed.


    "Haa.... Haaa..."


    Her chest heaved up and down, and her hands tingled.


    Tak. Tak. Tak.


    It was quiet, and in the quiet world, a figure stood at its center. It was Joseph. He was looking right at her who was running in the alleyways.


    "Haaa... Haaa... Haaa..."


    It was really quiet on the stage. The only sound that Aoife could perceive was the rushed sounds of her steps and breath. It was a strange and ufortable feeling.


    Tak. Tak.


    It made her body feel weak and limp.


    While she knew that everyone was watching, slowly that feeling was starting to fade.


    Gradually, she was starting to immerse herself in the role.


    All the lights faded and emotions that she tried to force herself the entire week started to enter her.


    But...


    ''I''m still missing something.''


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    Aoife could tell she had entered a zone. An immersive zone that would make all actors envy her.


    But it wasn''t perfect.


    There was still something that she was missing.


    But what...?


    What could she be missing?


    And then, her steps stopped.


    "Oh, ah..."


    A wall appeared before her. Aoife''s expression cracked, and helplessness washed over her body. With a flick of her head, she nced behind, where darkness swallowed the other end of the alleyway.


    A figure stood in that darkness. It remained there, carefully observing her.


    Aoife squeezed her chest.


    "W-what do you want from me...!"


    Her voice came out hoarse, almost screeching. From the tone to the pitch. It was perfect. Almost wless.


    But...


    It was still not enough for her.


    Something was still missing in her performance.


    What was it?


    Tak.


    She heard a soft step. The shadow inched closer.


    "G-get away from me!"


    Gradually, the shadow''s appearance revealed itself, and Aoife held her breath.


    Standing tall, and with the same wless appearance of his, it was none other than Julien. He looked the same as he usually did, no...


    There was something different about the current him.


    It made Aoife''s chest grow heavy.


    "....."


    And took the words away from her. It was as if he had stolen her voice.


    It was then that Aoife finally understood what was missing from her y.


    Fear.


    It was real fear.


    "Haaa.... Haaa... Haa.."


    And staring at the all too familiar figure standing on the opposite end, Aoife swallowed. His eyes, hollow and devoid of any light, and yet filled with a certain madness, stared back at her, sending chills down her entire body.


    "Ah.."


    Finally, she felt it.


    "Gh...!"


    Fear.


    True fear.


    And her voice returned.


    "G-g.. Akh... Get away from... me!!"

 Chapter 93 A colorless world [1]

    <h4>Chapter 93 A colorless world [1]</h4>


    The scene took away the breath of the audience.


    From Aoife''s realistic portrait of a young and helpless female in a panic to the man who stood a few feet away from her.


    [Haaa... Haaa... No, p-lease...]


    Aoife''s voice sounded crisp and smooth. The subtle trembles in her tone, added to the subtle shaking of her body created an extremely realistic portrayal.


    Her acting was so immersive that the audience found themselves sitting upright.


    But while her acting was phenomenal, the man who stood before her was the true centerpiece of the y.


    Standing a few meters away from her, he gave off an oppressive feeling.


    Within the gray world, he alone sucked the eyes of all present.


    [.....]


    By just standing there, it felt as though the entire room was gripped under his hands, slowly squeezing down at their throats.


    Tok--


    The quiet sound of his footsteps shattered the silence that overtook the theater as some of the audience flinched.


    True was also for Aoife who stepped back, her back pressing against the wall behind her.


    [W-what are you doing....!?]


    Portraying helplessness, Aoife''s eyes shook.


    [.....]


    Yet, again, there was no reply.


    The only thing that the audience could see was the madness in his gaze.


    Tok--


    With each step that he took, the more tense the surroundings became.


    Tok--


    For some reason...


    Tok--


    With each step that he took...


    Tok--


    The audience felt their hearts speed up alongside it.


    [.....]


    He eventually stopped before Aoife who seemed to have lost her words. Fear hadpletely overtaken her.


    That was when Julien, no, Azarias finally opened his mouth to speak.


    [.....The foundation of all masterpieces is a great start.]


    Just like in the tryouts, his words flowed smoothly from his mouth, delivered with an even and calm tone.


    Yet, beneath the calmness lurked a hint of madness, subtly veiled but discernible in the slight tremor that apanied certain words.


    It sent chills down the spines of the audience.


    Aoife too felt the same way as she looked up at Azarias, feeling all hints of Julien disappearing from him. She truly was... standing before a psychopath.


    ''Ah, this...''


    The fact that she found it so hard to speak was perfect proof of this.


    He was simply...


    Overwhelming.


    [All artists crave to create their own masterpieces. I''m no different.]


    His face changed subtly as he looked around.


    He seemed to be talking to someone. Emily? The audience?


    [I want to make a masterpiece. A piece that will be synonymous with my name.]


    ...Or himself?


    Lowering his head, he stared at his hands.


    They were trembling. In the silence that took over after hisst words, he raised his head to stare at Aoife who suddenly lost her breath.


    How could...


    [....And so, the first brushstroke of this masterpiece shall be none other than your life itself.]


    For the first time since the start, his expression morphedpletely.


    His chest started to heave up rapidly, while the trembling of his hands became more pronounced.


    From where they were seated, the audience could tell exactly what he was feeling.


    "Excitement."


    Delh muttered unknowingly.


    Before she knew it, she too had be absorbed with the y. Usually, these types of things bored her. Who would''ve thought?


    ''It''s interesting...''


    Not only the acting but the storyline. Even now she didn''t understand the reasoning for why Azarias acted the way that he did.


    It was indeed clear that he was a psychopath, but even psychopaths had certain goals and motivations.


    She was sure that Azarais had his own reasoning for his actions.


    But what exactly was his motivation?


    Pleasure?


    [Akh...! Akh!]


    The expected death scene came soon enough.


    With both hands gripping Aoife''s throat, he squeezed down at her. Many of the audience members turned away from the sight that was before them.


    There wasn''t much noise, but the sight spoke volumes to what was happening.


    [Ukh ... Hel-p!]


    The struggle continued as Aoife swayed her hands and scratched Julien''s arms. Even then, her struggle was futile.


    [Kh! Akh!!]


    Gradually, her movements slowed down, and her face turned purple.


    The sight was heartbreaking. Especially when one saw the utter sense of helplessness her face had.


    Until...


    She limped over.


    [.....]


    Azarias remained still, his hands still gripping at her throat without saying a word.


    Finally, he let go of her.


    Thud.


    And she slumped to the ground.


    [Haaa.... Haa....]


    The sound of his rough breathing echoed throughout as he stood in silence, his head lowered to stare at the lifeless body.


    It became clear to the audience that his breathing wasn''t rough because he was tired, but because of something else...


    Madness.


    A clear-cut madness that was on the very urge to consume him.


    And then...


    nk. nk. nk.


    The rushed sounds of footsteps echoed. All of a sudden, several figures appeared on the other end of the alley.


    Four, five?


    Wearing armor, they appeared to be knights.


    At the exact moment they appeared, Julien''s head turned and he came face to face with them. No, he was smiling...? The corners of his lips gently pulled up, twitching slightly as he eventually let out a soft chuckle.


    [So, you''re here.]


    It was augh that contained both mockery and disdain. At that, the audience tilted their heads to question.


    ''He was expecting them?''


    ''....What''s going on? Why does it seem like he is already aware of the fact that they wereing?''


    All of a sudden, Azarias''s gaze turned hollow as the madness that was threatening to spill out started to really spill out from him.


    It was a sight that chilled the ears of the audience.


    Immediately, one of the knights lunged at him, swinging their sword down.


    nk--!


    The loud metallic sound echoed throughout as the de came into contact with the hard ground.


    ''What''s going on?''


    The audience was stunned by the loud sound of the sword. For a brief moment, they thought that he had swung for real.


    But in reality, the knight had truly swung for real.


    ''.....They''re starting.''


    The only one who wasn''t stunned was Julien who stared at the approaching knights with an indifferent gaze. Facing them, he could tell that there was something wrong with their gaze. Itcked any substance, seeming rather detached.


    ''They''vee for her.''


    It was obvious that their target was Aoife who was slumped on the ground behind.


    Shiiing¡ª!


    Unveiling a dagger he kept hidden, Julien faced the knights.


    As he did, a genuine smile spread across his lips. It wasn''t a fake smile. But one that came from deep within him.


    [Ha-]


    He pointed the dagger forward and whispered his lines.


    [....A supplementary piece to my masterpiece.]


    Thin, almost imperceptible threads sneaked out of his forearm, moving down on the ground and moving towards the knights.


    With their senses numbed due to whatever state they were in, Julien was able to get the threads to circle around their ankles and arms.


    The process took no longer than a couple of seconds and in no time, the knights rushed towards him.


    [Hahaha!]


    Augh escaped Julien''s lips as he took a step back and avoided an iing sh.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    He ducked and avoided the next.


    His movements were fluid, almost seamless as he evaded all the attacks with a certain grace.


    Staring at the scene, some of the members of the audience gripped tightly against the armrest of their chair. The choreography was spectacr, with the shes narrowly avoiding him each time.


    If only they knew that everything was currently being orchestrated by Julien.


    Pulling the threads at just the right moment, he was able to slightly alter the course of the attacks at the right moments, orchestrating everything as he saw fit.


    Such a scene was only caught by a few individuals in the audience as they frowned.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Dodging another attack, Julien''s lips trembled as he came face to face with one of the knights. He swung his dagger, and...


    Puchi!


    Blood sprayed out.


    Suddenly, a burst of red broke through the gray monotony, creating a stark contrast that teased the eyes of the audience.


    Staring at it, Azarias''s lips trembled even more. A strange wave of excitement was coursing down his mind. More... He wanted more. The madness that engulfed him started to consume him as his face twisted.


    Puchi! Puchi!


    [More....!]


    Red sshed across the gray world.


    In his madness, Azarias seemed to have lost himself as he continued to stab and sh. His expression twisted into one of inexplicable pleasure, reminiscent of a child gleefully ying with a new toy.


    sh. sh. sh¡ª!


    "This..."


    Unable to take the scene, some of the audience members covered their mouths and whispers started to follow.


    "He''s not actually killing them, right?"


    "It can''t be..."


    "But why does it feel so real?"


    The audience wasn''t the only one that thought this was real. The writers and organizers were seemingly lost in the performance.


    "This... Are you sure they''re acting?"


    "That."


    Olga looked at the stage in a trance. Although she felt that something was wrong with the scene, she couldn''t take her eyes away from Azarias.


    He was...


    "Perfect."


    The scene was...


    "Perfect."


    Everything was...


    "Perfect."


    There were no other words she could use to describe what she was seeing. To perfectly encapste the madness, as well as the ecstasy that he felt from his actions... It was just perfect.


    The only ones who knew that something was wrong were the more powerful individuals who frowned at the sight.


    "Is this some sort of new method of acting?"


    They could tell at a nce that the shes were real.


    Delh too could tell as she closely examined Julien. He appeared to be lost in his madness as he continued to manipte the knights with his threads.


    It wasn''t the first time that she had seen them, but seeing how he had used them to cleverly manipte the knights to move as he wished, Delh was impressed.


    What an interesting power...


    "....It should be fine."


    The only reason why nobody reacted was because none of his shes appeared lethal. Rather, they were all superficial.


    [Hahaha!]


    With each sh, he delved deeper into madness, losing himself further. The once-gray world gradually transformed, tainted by spreading red.


    It was an ufortable sight.


    Especially when...


    Thud. Thud. Thud.


    [Haa...]


    It became hard to tell whether he was acting or not.


    Standing still at the center of the alley, his head gradually lowered and the world froze.


    The entire time... Another person was present.


    It was none other than Joseph who had seen the entire scene from where he stood. Julien''s presence had been so overwhelming that almost everyone had forgotten about him.


    [.....]


    An unsettling, almost suffocating silence ensued shortly after.


    With his gaze directed toward Azarias, the detective''s hoarse voice broke the silence that gripped the frozen world.


    [...It was you.]


    Cli ¡ª


    The lights turned off shortly after.


    Itsted for a few seconds before they turned back on.


    When the lights returned, the scenery had changed. No longer was the world gray, and Azarias was long gone.


    Joseph was now back in the flower shop.


    The vision had ended.


    Standing in the middle of the flower shop, he remained silent for a few seconds.


    [Haa.]


    As he took a deep breath, his body trembled. It was clear to the audience that he had been affected by what he had seen.


    They simrly understood where he wasing from.


    What they had just seen...


    It was hard for anyone to swallow.


    But it wasn''t over yet. Now that he had found the culprit, he had to go.


    [....I have to go.]


    Although he said that, he didn''t move.


    It became clear to everyone that his body was refusing to move. Fear had taken over his mind.


    [I need to go.]


    Only when he repeated the same words over and over again did he finally exit the flower store, and trace his steps back to the familiar house.


    The moment he reached the door, he was surprised to see it already open.


    [Elbert.]


    He called out for his assistant but got no response back.


    Taking another deep breath, he stepped into the house. He needed to act calm. Azarias didn''t know that he knew he was the culprit.


    Or so he thought...


    [Ah...]


    Entering the house, Joseph''s steps stopped as his body froze.


    It wasn''t just him. The entire audience froze too as they stared at the man who stood by the center, a figure lying motionlessly beneath him.


    Casually rolling up his sleeves, Julien looked directly at Joseph, no, the audience, and smiled.


    [....You''re finally here.]


    The final act had begun.

 Chapter 94 A colorless world [2]

    <h4>Chapter 94 A colorless world [2]</h4>


    If there was one thing that I learned after entering Alexander''s mind, it was that everyone''s perception of reality was?different.


    It was a simple concept.


    Everyone perceived things differently.


    In society, individuals who shared simr perceptions were more likely to form connections and get along.


    But...


    There were outliers.


    People whose perception of reality was so different that they couldn''t fit it anywhere.


    Alexander was one such person. His world...


    It was boring.


    Completely devoid of anything. Usually, I''d be able to perceive the emotions of the person I used the skill against, but the moment I entered his mind, all I perceived was emptiness.


    It was a strange feeling.


    But at the same time dangerous. Addicting, almost. Once I saw just how peaceful a world without emotions was, I started to lose my sense of reality. I just wanted to bask in such a world for as long as possible.


    But...


    Such a peaceful world didn''t truly exist.


    It was merely a fake sense of tranquility. A world without emotions was a nd world.


    Alexander''s perception of emotions was much lower than a regr person''s. It was for that reason that he sought to feel them.


    It was to...


    Not feel so alone anymore.


    It was this fundamental understanding of his mind that made me immerse myself in the mind of Azarias.


    His story wasn''t much different from Alexander''s.


    He was a man who lived in a colorless world¡ªsomeone whose world was entirely painted in gray.


    .....It was hard for me to understand a world like that.


    But now I understood.


    Blinking my eyes, I looked around. Everything was gray, and monotone. The more I immersed myself in Alexander''s emotions, the more I realized just how nd his world was.


    I started to feel insignificant.


    But within that insignificance, I spotted something.


    ''Red.''


    A single rose that stood by the window of the room.


    It was red.


    And I could see it, starkly contrasting the monotonous world around me.


    "...."


    My lips trembled. I wanted to see more of it. I wanted to get rid of the gray that surrounded me.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    I felt my breathing quicken the moment the thought entered my mind.


    Looking around, I found a brush. I traced my finger over it, feeling its texture at my fingertips.


    I started to paint the walls.


    Stroke. Stroke¡ª


    My hands moved on their own. They danced across the gray walls, sshing the walls with the newfound color.


    It was a refreshing feeling.


    I didn''t feel so lonely anymore.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Joy] EXP + 0.2%


    Notifications appeared within my vision. I paid them no mind and basked myself in the feeling the red gave me.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    Red had different shades to it.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Joy] EXP + 0.05%


    From the textures to the shades, I wanted to see more.


    Stroke. Stroke¡ª


    As if possessed, I started to move around while painting the walls by myself. I was fast, I was fluent, and I was free...


    "Haa."


    But...


    That fleeting sense of joy didn''tst for very long as I stopped my hand.


    "....I need more."


    I had run out of red.


    Scratch. Scratch.


    My neck felt itchy all of a sudden. I felt myself grow frantic as if a part of me was being snatched off and thrown away.


    "No, no, no..."


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.


    I needed to finish this. I needed to feel alive again.


    I needed to...


    "Ah."


    Then I remembered.


    There was someone else here. Outside of the room. It was the detective''s assistant.


    "Right, that will do."


    The scratching stopped, and I headed for the door. In my hand, I held a dagger. One that I used the moment I opened the door.


    "Hey, ho-"


    Puchi!


    "Haaa..."


    My lips trembled at all the red that dyed my world. It felt orgasmic. And I wanted nothing more than to bask in such a feeling.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Joy] EXP + 0.05%


    Slowly but surely, I could feel it.


    I was slowly starting to lose myself to the pleasure.


    Stroke. Stroke¡ª


    My wrist flicked as the brush danced across the wall. With the concern of no longer needing to find more red, I focused all my attention on the masterpiece slowly unraveling before me.


    "Ah, yes!!"


    At that moment, I lost sight of myself.


    I... let Alexander take over a part of me, and just basked in the joy and excitement that I was feeling. It was such an addicting feeling.


    Joy.


    When was thest time I had felt so happy?


    I wanted more.


    Bask in it more. I just wanted to savor the happiness, even if it was fleeting.


    Stroke. Stroke¡ª


    That feeling inevitably came to an end when I painted thest stroke.


    "....."


    In the silence that took over my world, I looked up.


    I looked towards the masterpiece on the wall.


    It was perfect. In almost everything. But there was still something about it that felt like it was missing. I wasn''t sure what.


    An audience perhaps...?


    "Ah, that might be it."


    Thankfully, I didn''t have to wait for long for the audience toe.


    nk¡ª!


    The door opened and a familiar man entered the room. I looked at his stunned expression and a new wave of excitement washed over me.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Joy] EXP + 0.1%


    Yes, it''s probably that.


    He wasn''t the only one that I looked at.


    "Ah..."


    In his direction. Right behind him, I could see thousands of different faces. They were all staring at me.


    It was a sight to behold.


    Their expression. They were all so vivid, and real that I felt my legs tremble as my lips twisted up.


    "....You''re finally here."


    My audience.


    Wee to my world.


    ***


    The atmosphere in the theater was indescribable. Silence enveloped the space as everyone''s gaze remained fixed on the man standing at its center. With just his presence, he sucked the attention of all those watching.


    His lips twisted into a smirk, his expression filled with nothing but pleasure as he stared at them.


    It was sickening.


    "He''s a psychopath..."


    "He didn''t kill him for real right? This is acting, right?"


    None of the audience could find the right words to describe the scene they had just witnessed.


    It was brutal and hard to stomach.


    They looked around the room and held their stomachs. The once-gray world now bled red, saturating nearly every corner.


    [I... What have you done?]


    It was Joseph''s voice that broke the silence. Yet again, he had been forgotten by the audience who had been so absorbed by the man standing opposite him.


    Turning their attention towards Joseph, they could see his shoulders shaking.


    His gaze was directed towards his assistant whose eyes were closed.


    [You...]


    [Do you like what I''ve drawn?]


    Azarias''s voice trembled slightly as his eyes gazed at the audience. For some reason, it felt as though he was looking at every one individually.


    It sent shivers down the spines of some of the audience members, causing them to swallow nervously.


    [Y-you''re crazy. A monster.]


    Joseph''s words echoed the thoughts of all those watching.


    His voice was smooth, and the audience could see the emotions contained in his tone. From anger to sadness.


    It was all so vivid.


    If only they knew...


    Such were the true emotions Darius was feeling as he stared at the cadet before him. He was simply overwhelming.


    It was taking every ounce of his experience to keep up.


    [A monster]


    Azarias curiously tilted his head as he swapped his gaze between him and the painting on the wall.


    [Do you not like it? Is something missing?]


    [....]


    [Tell me.]


    Gradually, Azarais''s face started to twist.


    [Is something missing?! Tell me!]


    His powerful voice bellowed throughout the entire theater as some of the audience members flinched at the unexpected change.


    His desperation was made clear to the audience.


    Scratch. Scratch.


    [What is it missing? What? I''ve done it well. It''s good. There''s not-]


    Bang.


    Azarias''s voice stopped.


    Looking down, he stared at his clothes where a small hole appeared. Gradually, red started to stain his clothes.


    [Ah...]


    In the silence that suddenly took over, he looked up.


    Joseph met his gaze.


    His expression was twisted as his body trembled. Pointed at him was the barrel of a small gun.


    [...]


    With trembling lips, Joseph stared at Azarias. His expression contorted as his face showed nothing but hatred and disgust.


    Thud¡ª


    Azarias''s body fell shortly after.


    In the gray world, he stared nkly at the ceiling as red began to stain his shirt, pooling around him and seeping toward the wall where he had painted.


    Joseph''s figure faded out of frame as all that remained was Azarias and the painting on the wall.


    Gradually, the reding from his body connected with the wall.


    In thest moments, Azarias looked at the wall. His previously ecstatic expression changed.


    "....."


    What reced it was a nk look. It was as if his breath was being taken away from him.


    The audience held simr expressions as they stared at the painting on the wall.


    It was a rose.


    A thorny rose.


    One that slowly connected with Azarias whoy on the opposite end. The rose now had a stem, symbolizing his integration into the painting.


    It all clicked then.


    [S-so that''s what was missing...]


    There was something poetic about the rose that the audience had a hard time describing.


    Especially within the monochrome world. It stood out, and almost felt blinding, making one unable to take their gaze away from it.


    And then...


    Drip.


    As something dripped down the corner of Azarias''s eyes, his quiet voice still managed to reach the ears of all those present.


    [It''s... so beautiful.]


    In death, he basked in the only color that gave meaning to his life.


    It was...


    A masterpiece.


    His masterpiece.


    Cli ¡ª


    The lights turned off.


    A Colorless World.


    Such was the name of his final Act.

 Chapter 95 Phecda [1]

    <h4>Chapter 95 Phecda [1]</h4>


    ¡ª¡ªWhile Julien was performing. Before the final act.


    Backstage.


    nk¡ª!


    Sparks flew as a sword met against another. Swiftly twirling his sword against another''s, Leon twisted it down and brought his fist forward, hitting his opponent right in the face.


    Bang!


    "Ukh!"


    He followed up his attack with another.


    With a swift and decisive blow, his opponent fell down face t against the ground.


    Thump!


    "Huuu."


    Taking a deep breath, Leon looked around. There were a total of four people lying down on the ground unconscious.


    Wearing knight uniforms, they were part of the actors that were supposed to show up on stage. He had been waiting for them at the back, in an area where the staff couldn''t see.


    At the same time, he made sure to use as little mana as possible when fighting against his opponents.


    Given the powerful individuals sitting in the theater, he knew that his actions would alert them.


    For that reason, he held himself back to a certain degree. Thankfully, he was a knight and he could fight without mana.


    It was for that reason that he was able to suppress them.


    "Where are they?"


    "Where did they go?"


    In the distance, he could hear the frantic voices of the staff as they looked for the remaining members of the knight groups.


    "Weren''t they just here? What happened?"


    "Agh...!"


    In the end, they ended up sending the remaining knights to the stage where Julien was.


    ".....You should be able to take care of the rest."


    They weren''t particrly strong.


    At least, they shouldn''t prove to be much of a struggle for Julien.


    And he was proven right.


    "....."


    Coming out of the room after he made sure that they had all been properly taken care of, Leon headed backstage to stare at Julien''s performance.


    It was hard to describe.


    The brutality and madness of his gaze carved itself in his mind and the minds of all spectators.


    It was a chilling sight.


    One that closely reminded him of a certain past.


    Staring at the scene, a figure ovepped Julien''s and his lips pursed as he mumbled something inaudible.


    Cli nk¡ª


    The stage turned dark, and the scene ended.


    In the brief interlude, the background started to fade as the relic used to project the background shifted towards the next scene.


    ncing around, Leon headed towards where the bodiesy and ced a small salt over their nose, jolting them awake.


    "Uh!? Ah, what''s going..."


    As expected, the moment they were jolted awake, they acted as if they didn''t understand what was going on.


    "Akh, this...!"


    "Ah!"


    Their faces twisted as the pain from the stabs sunk in, and as Leon nced around to see the staff quickly clean the ''fake'' blood, he covered their mouths and beckoned them to follow him.


    "Follow me."


    Thankfully, because of Julien''s performance, none of the staff thought weirdly of their actions.


    They were all too busy setting up the next scene and attending Julien.


    In the meantime, they treated their ''shock'' as something that came with Julien''s overwhelming performance.


    Plus...


    Given the unapproachable aura that Leon was giving off, none dared to go near him.


    It was for this list of reasons that Leon was able to get them to follow him without anyone suspecting a thing. But even if they did, Leon didn''t particrly care.


    The higher-ups were most probably already aware of the fact that something had happened.


    It was for that reason that he didn''t put much effort into hiding the fact that something had gone wrong.


    The only reason he helped them out was because he needed to closely monitor them.


    In case they lost their minds again, he''d be ready to act before they''d be able to do anything.


    Looking back, and seeing that they were still confused, he nudged them with his chin.


    "Follow me, I''ll bring you to treat your wounds."


    ***


    Following Azarias''s death, the y continued.


    It turned out that Emily, the baker''s daughter was actually an illegitimate member of the royal family, and her death had caused several chains of events to start.


    It was a fact that Joseph came to learn toote as he was suddenly entangled in arge set of conspiracies.


    The story was filled with intricate twists and turns that would normally capture the audience''s attention.


    However...


    [You may persecute me as guilty, but here I stand, in all my glory, dering my innocence!]


    Nobody could truly focus on the y.


    In the back of their mind, the previous performance continued to rey within their mind. From his gaze to thest scene. All their minds could think of was about Azarias''sst act.


    To the point where the colors before them started to feel ufortable.


    They just... Seemed out of ce.


    This continued until the end of the y where it took several seconds for the audience to notice. What followed was a modest round of apuse.


    p. p. p¡ª


    As the ps went on and people snapped out from the performance, only then did the genuine ps burst forth and discussions began.


    "Wow..."


    "That was insane."


    Several of the audience members found themselves hugging their arms as they talked about the performance.


    It was thrilling and mesmerizing.


    From the plot twists to the storyline. Everything was perfect. But even then, a certain performance took it to the next level.


    "Chills. I still feel chills."


    It was Julien''s performance.


    He had taken over the minds of all the spectators.


    [Let''s wee our lead actor, Darius Johns who ys the role of Joseph.]


    Within the ps, a crisp voice echoed through. It was the voice of the organizer who started to introduce the actors.


    p. p. p¡ª


    Stepping up onto the stage, Darius was weed by a warm wave of apuse.


    "Amazing!"


    "Well done¡ª!"


    [Next up, let''s wee our lead actress, Odette Ripley who ys the role of Amelia Wilnie.]


    p. p. p¡ª


    "You were amazing!"


    "I love you, Odette!"


    "Your acting was phenomenal. I''ll continue to follow you until the end!"


    The ps continued as one actor after another entered the stage. One by one they entered the stage and bowed with smiles on their face.


    To the actors, such a scene was something that they had grown used to. However, to the cadets who had yed the ''extra'' roles, the scene felt overwhelming.


    Especially for Aoife who stepped up on stage and heard the thunderous apuse that was directed towards her.


    "Amazing!"


    "You were great!"


    "You killed it!"


    Taking in the praise, Aoife found herself struggling to keep herself from showing any emotion. Clenching her fists, she felt her heart prick with a certain emotion.


    All of a sudden, she thought back to all her efforts over the past week.


    How she had reduced her sleep, and the constant headaches she had to ignore just to perfect her role.


    Seeing the looks of the audience, Aoife felt that it was all worth it.


    That her efforts had been worth it.


    And then...


    [Next up, let''s wee our next actor. ying the role of Azarias, let''s wee Julien Evenus.]


    "...."


    The moment his name was called out, the ps stopped and the stage fell silent.


    Tok¡ª


    Shattering the silence was his calm step as Julien''s figure emerged from behind the stage.


    At that moment, all eyes fell on him.


    He was different from the man from before.


    The madness that he contained before was long gone, and what reced it was a stoic and detached look that seemed fitting to that of a high-ranking noble.


    The difference was to the point where the audience was starting to question whether they saw the same person.


    Within the silence, whispers started to spread.


    "Are they really the same person...?"


    "Why does he seem so different?"


    Such stark contrast in demenour threw a lot of the audience members off. All but a certain few who knew him.


    "...."


    Staring at him from her seat, Delh didn''t say anything.


    Gradually, her eyes closed and her lips pulled up.


    "Not bad."


    Truly.


    Not a bad performance.


    And in that moment, the ps returned.


    p! p! p¡ª!


    The audience erupted in apuse as they centered their attention on the calm man at the heart of the theater who took the apuse for granted.


    Almost as if he knew they belonged to him.


    "You were amazing!"


    "I can''t believe I''ve got to witness something like this!"


    One by one, the members of the audience stood up and the apuse intensified. At the center of it all, Julien looked around and lowered his head as if to express his gratitude.


    "Amazing!"


    "Great...!"


    The apuse was overwhelming, surpassing that which any other actor had received.


    "....Wow."


    Standing in the middle of the stage, Aoife looked at the audience. She could tell that the apuse was directed towards Julien.


    That all of this was because of him...


    And in that moment, staring at the man who was standing beside her, she raised her hand and followed the audience.


    p. p¡ª


    Because she too had been captured by his acting as the audience had.


    Even in her jealousy, Aoife had to admit.


    He was great.


    ***


    "Huuu."


    Coming back to my dressing room, I sat down exhausted and took a deep breath. Recalling the ps from the audience, I felt like smiling.


    It felt gratifying to see that so many people had appreciated my performance.


    It was unfortunate that I couldn''t quite enjoy the feeling for too long.


    "Ah...."


    I clenched my chest as I took another deep breath.


    It wasn''t as if I was exhausted, but the emotional toll that the skill had taken over my mind wasn''t something that I could get rid of quite easily.


    "Huh... Huh..."


    Even now, my chest trembled as I tried to rid myself of the ecstasy that I was feeling.


    It was hard, but I was still in control.


    Most of it was because I was able to run rampant on the stage.


    If not for that, my struggle would''ve been worse.


    In the midst of my recovery, my mind couldn''t help but wonder about the feelings that I was currently experiencing.


    "Joy... Joy... Ecstasy. Excitement."


    I found myself repeating the same words over and over again.


    "Joy... Ecstasy... Excitement."


    It felt as if I was on the verge of grasping something important about my powers. A breakthrough.


    "When I think about it, even though what I felt were ecstasy and excitement, my experience increased for ''joy''."


    What did that mean?


    What was joy? It wasn''t simply happiness. There was more to it, and it became apparent to me after reading Alexander''s mind.


    ''The same must be true for the other emotions.''


    There were six basic human emotions.


    Love, fear, anger, joy, sadness, surprise.


    However, when thinking carefully, there existed a further ssification.


    More fundamental ones that branched from the six main ones.


    "Anger, wrath, fury..."


    I found myself immersed in my thoughts as I suddenly felt a more concrete direction to head with my emotive magic.


    An idea suddenly entered my mind.


    "What if instead of making someone just sad, I can target something more concrete? Maybe like..."


    I paused before muttering,


    "....Guilt?"


    I opened my eyes wide at the realization.


    "Wait, this can work."


    If I were to delve more deeply into this, then I was sure I could further deepen the power of my Emotive Magic.


    "Yes, this can¡ª"


    To Tok¡ª


    Halting all thoughts, I turned to look at the door with a frown.


    Who could it be?


    I wasn''t expecting any guests.


    ''Perhaps, it''s Leon?''


    I had still not heard from him yet. Thest time I had seen him was just before thest act, right as he led the ''knights'' away from the stage.


    "Haaa."


    Either way, I stood up and opened the door, expecting a familiar set of gray eyes to greet me.


    "...."


    But contrary to my expectations, what greeted my sight was an unfamiliar pair of yellow eyes.


    My heart dropped.


    Looking up slightly, a calm voice echoed out.


    "....It''s nice to see that you''re doing fine, Phecda."

 Chapter 96 Phecda [2]

    <h4>Chapter 96 Phecda [2]</h4>


    I stood motionless without saying a single word. Looking at the man who stood before me, it felt as if all the hair on my body stood.


    He was...


    ''Very strong.''


    Too strong for me to imagine.


    Just standing before him felt suffocating.


    But it wasn''t his power that got me. No, it was his eyes.


    ''Megrail.''


    Yellow pupils...


    The symbolic trait of the members of the Megrail family. I knew well because of Aoife. Her eyes were also of the same color. In fact, taking a closer look, he appeared to look simr to her as well.


    But... for what reason was a member of the Megrail family, calling me Pechda? It couldn''t be that the organization had seeped its fangs into the royal family of the Empire...?


    "Are you not going to let me in?"


    "....."


    Staring at the warm smile of the man before me, I almost found myself losing sight of myself. Something was unsettling about him that I couldn''t exin.


    Snapping out of it, I took a step to the side without saying a single word.


    Either way, I needed to focus.


    It was important that I didn''t show anything that could give away the fact that I wasn''t Julien.


    "Thank you very much."


    Coming into the room, the man looked around casually before sitting on my seat and our gazes met.


    I stared at his intense yellow pupils.


    "It was a wonderful performance."


    He started off with apliment. One that I took with a nod.


    "Thank you."


    ".....Oh?"


    But it seemed like I had already made a mistake as he raised his brow.


    "You''re not very talkative today."


    I froze at his statement. It took every ounce of my willpower to stop my heart from beating faster. I was afraid he''d notice. Thankfully, I was quite adept at controlling my emotions.


    Looking around, I found a spare seat and sat down.


    Massaging my face, I mumbled,


    "The performance took a toll on me."


    "Ha..."


    With a subtle chuckle, the man nodded.


    "That''s understandable. You''ve always had a hard time controlling your emotions. It must''ve felt great to finally let go for once, right? I almost saw your old self in there."


    ".....Yes."


    Just faintly, I felt my heart skip a bit.


    I was walking on thin ice. Extremely thin ice. One wrong step, and I felt everything would shatter.


    But...


    Within the danger, there was also opportunity.


    ''So the real Julien acted like that...?''


    Information.


    It was a great opportunity for me to learn about the previous Julien and the organization that I was dealing with.


    But before that, I knew that I was far from the clear.


    And as expected, in the next moment, the atmosphere turned extremely oppressive as I lost my breath.


    "I''ve been wondering for quite a while, Phecda, but why is it that you''ve been acting on your own recently?"


    My entire body tensed at his question.


    "....From your interference with the professor to everything else that came after. You''ve been meddling a little too much, no?"


    While his voice came out calm, I could feel the underlying rage hidden within his words as the air felt even more suffocating.


    "...."


    For a brief moment, I struggled to speak.


    "Well?"


    It was hard to speak when it felt as though a massive boulder was resting over my chest.


    Gritting my teeth, I forced my head up to stare and meet his gaze.


    Finally, I spoke.


    "You should know why."


    The atmosphere froze then. With my head raised, I kept my focus on his intense yellow eyes that stared back at me with a certain coldness that made me shiver.


    Just as I noticed that his lips were about to part open to speak, I cut him off and continued.


    "She''s been watching my every movement. She suspects me. For that reason, I can''t contact anyone."


    "....."


    "I''ve helped when I could, but there''s a limit to how much I can do before my identity ispromised. For that reason, I chose to interfere. I''m trying to buy her trust."


    I knew this day was going toe. I had been preparing for it for quite a while now. It was for this reason that I was able to act rationally.


    I was merely following the script I had prepared in my mind.


    ".....But don''t get me wrong. I''ve helped when I was able to. You should be aware of what happened at the prison."


    I pointed towards myself.


    "I was the reason they were able to escape. I''m sure you of all people should be able to confirm this."


    It was true, and also a calcted risk that I had taken.


    From the moment that I realized that the previous Julien was part of the organization, I knew that something like this was bound toe.


    It was for this reason that I took the calcted risk of failing the quest mission.


    I knew that it was important to have allies within the organization. For that, I helped out the Professor. But that wasn''t the only reason. The other reason was because I knew that something like this wasing.


    I needed a sort of alibi to prove that I was still doing things to help the organization.


    It was a risk I was willing to take to make my story more believable. And I was starting to believe I had made the right choice.


    "....."


    "....."


    Seeing that the sense of oppression that was lingering in the room was disappearing, I knew that my story was working.


    I finished my speech with a question.


    "I did interfere in several missions, but the damage that I''ve caused is meaningless on the grand scope of things, am I not right?"


    "..."


    Yet again, he remained silent as his yellow pupils traced over my body.


    Silence gripped the room as I felt his gaze on me. Silently swallowing my saliva, I stared back at him without moving my gaze away.


    It felt suffocating, but I knew that I couldn''t look away.


    Not yet.


    The entire time, he remained silent, without saying a single word. From where I sat, I couldn''t tell what he was thinking or what he was feeling.


    He just had an air of detachment.


    But the silence didn''tst for long. Opening his mouth, he finally spoke again.


    "How is your rtionship with her?"


    The air instantly felt lighter and I secretly sighed in relief.


    ".....Shouldn''t you already know?"


    A smile finally spread across his features.


    "I know, but I still want to ask."


    ".....It''s nothing concrete just yet."


    The subject of the matter was none other than Delh.


    Given that the organization seemed to have eyes everywhere, I believed that they knew about how she had been keeping a close watch on me.


    I chose to use that to my advantage and make it seem as though I wasying low so that I wouldn''t be discovered while at the same time building a rtionship with her.


    It proved to be the right decision.


    "I can''t tell at all what she''s thinking. For now, it seems like she''s keeping me close to observe me. My movements are limited. You should understand why I am doing what I''m doing."


    "I know."


    "Then why did you send those knights after me?"


    "Ha..."


    With another smile, the man slowly stood up.


    "Call it a warning. I just wanted to see the extent of yourmitment to your new role."


    "....."


    I looked at him wordlessly.


    See the extent of mymitment to my new role?


    What did he mean by this?


    "There''s no need to be so displeased. I only used mild hypnosis on them. They shouldn''t have posed a threat to you, to begin with. On the bright side, it spiced up the y, didn''t it?"


    This bastard...


    "For now, keep doing what you''re doing. What you told me is more or less in line with what I''ve been suspecting. If you need any help, you can always reach out to me. Otherwise, I will find a new way to contact you. Report to me everything that you notice with her."


    Heading towards the door, the man turned around and our eyes met again. Though his smile appeared warm, all I felt were chills.


    "Keep up the good work, Phecda."


    nk¡ª!


    The room fell silent again after his departure.


    But even as he left, I remained tense. It felt as though I had years shaved off of my life at that moment.


    Our talk had onlysted for a few minutes, but it had felt like an eternity to me.


    "Huuu."


    It was only after a few more minutes had passed that I finally let out a long breath and let my body rx.


    "...Fucked."


    My situation was fucked.


    But...


    "Haha."


    Someway, somehow, I was able to bullshit my way through it.


    Even so, things were far from over. This was merely the start. I knew that much. Things were going to be a lot more problematic for me in the future.


    Despite that, I wasn''t afraid.


    Gradually, my strength was increasing, and so was my awareness of my situation.


    In the future, I nned to make full use of my circumstances to achieve my goals. It was for this reason that I needed to remain patient.


    My time wasing, and all I needed was a little bit more time.


    [The Final Act: You have ovee the event.]


    The expected notification finally came as my vision shed.


    [You were able to prevent Aoife from getting targeted during the y, stopping her from getting seriously injured.]


    ¡ö| Game Progression EXP + 6%


    Game Progression : [0%-[7%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    ¡ö| Character Progression EXP + 39%


    Exp : [0%¡ª[11%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    "Haa..."


    I closed my eyes and let the power seep into my body. A warm current flowed as the density of my mana increased.


    It was a familiar feeling. One that I was slowly starting to grow addicted to.


    I wanted to bask in the feeling for longer, but it didn''tst much longer as it soon stopped.


    When I opened my eyes again, I stared at my experience bar.


    "Level 22, 11%."


    Not bad at all.


    With all the training I had done over the past few weeks, I had seen arge increase in my strength.


    Not only that, but so was my proficiency in my emotions.


    Shortly after, a new notification shed.


    [Cmity Progress]


    Aoife K. Megrail 1 : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    Kiera Mylne 2 : Slumber


    : Progress - 9%


    Evelyn J. Verlice : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    I silently stared at the new notification for a few moments before waving my hand.


    "....Alright."


    I closed my eyes and leaned back on my chair. The exhaustion from everything finally started to take over as my consciousness started to blur.


    With everything done...


    I could finally rest.

 Chapter 97 Phecda [3]

    <h4>Chapter 97 Phecda [3]</h4>


    ".....Is this them?"


    Entering a certain room, Delh nced around before settling her gaze over the bodies sprawled on the floor. They weren''t dead, but judging from the bruises on their bodies, they were obviously passed out.


    "Did you detect anything?"


    "Yes."


    Standing up, a man with blonde hair and green eyes, Dr. Gabel Wright,zily rubbed his hair.


    "There''s no trace of any spell being used on them."


    Pinching his fingers together, which were currently covered by a blue glove, he rubbed them together.


    "I believe Xyron powder was used. It''s a rather weak hallucinat that can be used to turn people into mindless zombies for several hours."


    The Doctor looked up to meet Delh''s gaze.


    "....Of course, when I mean weak, I mean that it doesn''t affect those that have reached a certain strength. I''d say above Tier 3."


    Dr. Gabel went on the give Delh a more detailed description of what the drug did.


    In the end, his assessment was,


    "It''s good that it was taken care of before they could go out. Either way, this was no ident. That''s probably pretty obvious to you already. While I am unsure who, I don''t think their goal was grand. My best bet is that they were giving a warning, or testing something."


    Mumbling to himself while pinching his chin with his hand, he frowned.


    "....But I could just be overthinking. It''s just that I have a hard time thinking they''d try anything big when you take into ount that Xyron powder only turns them into mindless people who can hardly think for themselves. Even the weakest mage can take care of them."


    Standing by the side, Delh didn''t say anything and just listened to the doctor''s analysis.


    But if one paid close attention, they''d notice a slight curl at the end of her lips.


    ''Finally.''


    They had made a move.


    She had been waiting for quite a while now, and it proved to be the right gamble.


    The organization that she had been hunting for the past years, and had trouble looking for, had finally stepped away from their burrows. At the center of it all was a young cadet that she had taken as an assistant.


    While they were probably aware of the fact that she had their eyes on him, they were probably also nning on using him as a means to monitor her movements.


    Delh was fine with that.


    It was a game of patience, and Delh was confident in her patience.


    Whether she''d be able to get them to slip up, or she slipped up, Delh was willing to gamble.


    Because...


    She had that much confidence in her strength.


    "So as I was saying, we should take some time to properly investigate the situation. I believe that if news gets out that-"


    nk--


    Cutting the doctor''s words off, the door to the room opened and a figure walked in.


    Immediately, the atmosphere around the room changed. It wasn''t oppressive, but there was a certain air of regality and nobility that made one want to bow down before them.


    Turning her head, Delh made contact with the man.


    His yellow pupils immediately stood out to her as he returned her gaze with a smile.


    "I''m done on my end."


    Closing the door behind him, he walked in and scanned the room, briefly pausing his gaze on the four cadets on the floor.


    "Xyron Powder, am I right?"


    "Uh?"


    Stunned, the doctor looked at him. As chuckled in return.


    "The ones that did make it out to the stage also were affected by the powder."


    "They were...?"


    The sudden revtion stunned the doctor who blinked his eyes repeatedly.


    "Haha, yeah. You probably didn''t notice, but we all did during the y. I got several questions asking me whether something had happened. I had to tell them that it was all merely part of the act and a new way of ''method'' acting."


    ".....Is this true?"


    Turning his head, the doctor faced Delh who blinked her eyes once before nodding.


    "Yes."


    "Ah, this...!"


    "There''s no need to worry."


    As reassured in a calm tone.


    "They''re being taken care of by others. They are currently unaware of what happened to them. A talented cadet had noticed that something was off during the y, and had the cadets escorted away to keep an eye on them."


    "Is that so?"


    "Yes."


    Delh watched the entire exchange from the side.


    The entire time, her gaze wandered over to As. He was an enigma to her.


    As a member of the Megrail family, a very high-ranking member at that, one that couldpete for the throne, he chose to work at Haven.


    It was a choice that didn''t make sense.


    While it was also true that people thought the same way about her, she had also made her ambition rather clear.


    ''We don''t have much time.''


    The speed at which the Mirror Dimension was expanding was rapidly increasing each year, and Delh knew that it wouldn''t take long before the entire world was swallowed up.


    For this reason, she chose to work at Haven.


    With her strength, she wanted to help out and nurture the future generation.


    It was also because of her ambition that she stood on the opposite end of the Megrail family.


    Their tyrannicalws that stunted the growth of the younger generation were something that she wanted to be removed at all costs.


    For them to survive in the future...


    She had no choice but to oppose them.


    And for that very reason, Delh treated As with the utmost caution. Was he here to monitor her, or did he have another goal in being here?


    "Hm?"


    As if sensing her gaze, he turned his head and their gazes met.


    "Ah, right. You want to know about Julien, right? I had a talk with him like I told you before."


    "....."


    "He is doing fine. There are no injuries on him. He said he was a little startled by the situation, but hardly noticed it because he was so immersed in his role. Thinking about it, he did a wonderful job."


    "....."


    "In any case, you don''t have to worry about him. He doesn''t seem to be involved in this matter."


    ".....I see."


    Delh quietly nodded her head. Keeping her usualposure, she took onest nce at the bodies beneath before heading out of the room.


    She felt ufortable in As''s presence.


    Even though he was weaker than her, he gave off an unpleasant feeling.


    Passing by him, she heard a few parting words from him.


    "I heard he''s your assistant. Do take care of him. He''s quite talented."


    Those were thest words she heard before leaving.


    As she left, her lips gently opened as she quietly mumbled.


    "I know."


    ***


    The Festival was an event that hosted many attractions. In particr the y, and thebat experience by the cadets.


    Unfortunately, due to some circumstances, it was postponed by the Academy for the next month. While some of the guests were understandably annoyed, there was nothing they could do about it.


    ....And with that, the festival neared its end.


    "Haaa...."


    It was dark outside, and I sat on a bench. Leaning against it, I stared at the night sky. It was filled with stars, and the moon shone brightly.


    The sight was one that always took my breath.


    In thest moments of my life, the only thing that I remember seeing was the ceiling lights of the hospital room.


    The air I now breathed felt refreshing. A stark contrast?to the stifling one in the hospital room.


    Every day, I''d just take a few moments to appreciate what I once took for granted. It was weird, but losing everything made me understand just how important the little things were to me.


    "....A dumb thought."


    "What is?"


    A figure appeared beside me all of a sudden. When I turned my head, I saw Leon standing on the other end of the bench.


    With his hands in his pockets, he simrly stared at the moon.


    "I took care of the ones that were probably going to give you a hard time."


    "Oh."


    "...."


    "...."


    He turned his head.


    "A word of thanks?"


    I tilted my head.


    "Aren''t you my knight?"


    "I am."


    "Okay."


    "....."


    "What?"


    ".....I''m thinking of resigning."


    "What a pity. I''m not paying for your severance fee."


    "....."


    "....."


    None of us said another word as the surroundings were engulfed in silence. I thought it''d be like that until one of us spoke again, but strangely, the silence was shattered by Leon who covered his mouth with his hand.


    "Pftt."


    "....?"


    Was this guy...


    "Are youughing?"


    For some reason, just faintly, my lips pulled up into a smile.


    There was something about Leon holding hisugh back that felt contagious. Shaking my head, I looked up at the sky again.


    It was Leon who spoke first.


    "You''re differentpared to him."


    "I know."


    It became clear to me after myst talk.


    ".....You know what he told me thest time I told him I would quit?"


    "What did he say?"


    "Nothing, he just pped me."


    "..."


    Blinking, I looked back to Leon.


    "Should I have done that too?"


    "You can try."


    "Hmm..."


    I thought about it for a good second before shaking my head.


    "I''m not into that stuff."


    It''s definitely not because I was afraid he''d p back.


    Staring at me for a brief moment, Leon shook his head and leaned back on the bench. As his smile started to fade, he started to speak.


    "Do you miss it?"


    "Miss it....?"


    Miss what?


    "Home."


    "Ah..."


    Home... Right, I had one. Or did I?


    Thinking back, I never truly had a home. I wasn''t rich enough to be able to afford a proper one. I was only able to rent a small studio apartment while I paid for my brother''s education.


    The reality of the matter was that I had no home.


    But even so.


    "I do."


    Because my home was wherever my little brother was.


    "....Is that so?"


    I turned to look at Leon.


    "What about you?"


    It had been a while since I knew him, but in actuality, I hardly knew anything about him. Besides the fact that he was my knight, he was aplete enigma to me.


    I was a little curious.


    "Do you miss your home?"


    "...."


    At first, Leon didn''t say anything. I thought I had touched a sour spot, but just as I was about to speak again, he spoke over me.


    "I don''t remember."


    "....?"


    "I see it sometimes. When I sleep."


    "In your dreams?"


    "....Yes."


    Leon nodded his head.


    "My youngest memory is that of when I first joined the Evenus household when I was young. I think I was ten, or twelve. Been a while now."


    "Is that how you met Julien?"


    "Yes."


    Frowning, Leon continued,


    "He was a lot milder back then. He used to smile a lot and was quite talented. He was the pride of the family."


    "Then...?"


    Leon''s voice changed, lowering a bit.


    ".....He changed."


    Right. That much I expected.


    "It wasn''t a quick change. It happened gradually. Over the years. I told you before, but he used to smile a lot. At some point, he stopped smiling, and he turned into apletely different person."


    With a subtleugh, Leon shook his head.


    "....And just as I had started to get used to his new self, he changed again."


    Turning his head, our eyes met.


    "You came along."


    "Ah."


    Right, I did.


    I opened my mouth to reply but closed it a momentter. In the end, I didn''t really know how to reply to that.


    "Don''t worry."


    Eventually, Leon shook his head and stood up.


    "I''m not interested in trying to find a way to bring the old Julien back. He''s probably long gone. Maybe it''s good that way."


    Brushing his hair, he took onest nce in my direction.


    "I didn''t expect our conversation to spiral this way. Originally, I was just nning on telling you about the situation with the cadets that you took care of. In the end, I ended up rumbling about myself. I''ll leave now."


    He was just about to leave when his steps halted.


    From the tilt of his head, he appeared to be struggling to say his words until eventually, he lowered his head to mutter.


    "....It was a great performance."


    "Hm?"


    And then he truly left.


    Did he just...


    "Ha."


    Staring at his back which slowly started to fade from my view, I shook my head and looked up at the sky.


    It was at that moment that my chest prickled slightly. The emotions from the performance were still lingering in my mind.


    They weren''t as pronounced, but they were clearly there.


    "Emotions, huh."


    I think...


    I was slowly starting to understand them.


    ***


    Volume [1] - End


    A rather short volume, but it was the introductory volume for the story. To get an understanding of the characters, and the power system before the story can start flowing more smoothly.


    The next volume will be a little bit different.


    And no. I''m not taking a break.

 Chapter 98 Faceless man [1]

    <h4>Chapter 98 Faceless man [1]</h4>


    The festival came to an end.


    Haven''s educational department had its hands full with dealing with the aftermath of postponing the mid-term exams. With the Exams used as a means to assess cadets for the draft, their annoyance was understandable.


    Each year, the Guilds only had one chance to pick a new recruit. For that reason, they needed to pick the right one.


    A mistake could cost them their future for the next few years. Hence why it was important for them to gather as much information and data as possible before the draft began.


    In the end, however, despite their protests, Haven refused to budge and they remained firm with their decision.


    On another note, there was a certain piece of news that was starting to spread within the Empire.


    The Empire Daily ¡ª Breaking :


    [The Enigma of Midnight Manor] has risen to im the coveted 5-star rating as the Empire''stest sensation in the theater!


    In a stunning disy at Haven, the judges were left utterly mesmerized by the y. Brimming withplex plot twists and surprises, it held its audience spellbound throughout.


    However, if there was one standout performance, it undoubtedly belonged to the ck Star of Haven, Julien Dacre Evenus. A dark horse in the Jovinc award! Will he be able to make it?


    *


    "Huuu."


    Putting the newspaper down, I took a deep breath.


    "The Jovinc award..."


    I had been made aware of it just a few moments ago. Apparently, it was a very prestigious acting award. As the clips of the y started to spread, my voice started to spread, and all of a sudden, I had be a candidate to win the ''Best Supporting Actor'' award.


    It was rather burdensome.


    However, thinking about the money that I would receive from the award...


    ¡ªI also ce my vote on him. He was phenomenal. Some of the best acting that I''ve ever seen. Julien D. Evenus.


    I started to push the narrative.


    ''.....I need the money, so.''


    I ced my vote down and sent it to the post office.


    I was justing out of the post office when a figure appeared in front of me. The two of us stooped at the same time.


    "...."


    "...."


    For a brief moment, silence ensued.


    The first one to break the silence was Aoife who alternated her gaze between me and the post office.


    "Were you cing down your vote?"


    ".....Yes."


    "Oh."


    "....."


    I looked down at Aoife''s hand where a small letter was nestled. For some reason, she seemed to be fiddling with it. Perhaps she was embarrassed with her choice?


    "You''re also cing a vote?"


    "Uh, ah... Yes."


    Seeing how her eyes avoided me at all times, it was perhaps true that she was embarrassed by her choice.


    I was just about to leave when she asked,


    "....Who did you vote for?"


    My face twitched at her question. Keeping myselfposed, I looked straight into her eyes before saying,


    "You."


    "....Uh?!"


    As if not expecting such an answer, her eyes widened.


    "I felt like you did a good job. I can tell that you''ve put a lot of effort into your role. It was impressive."


    "Uh, ah..."


    Just slightly, her body trembled and her head lowered. I couldn''t see her expression, but I took that moment to leave.


    ''It''s not like I lied...''


    Well, the part where I voted for her was indeed a lie.


    But outside of that, her acting had truly been great. I could see that she had put a lot of effort into it.


    I didn''t want to take that away from her.


    ''.....I''ll vote for her next time.''


    If the opportunity presented itself.


    ***


    Even as Julien left, Aoife remained standing on the spot with her head lowered. Even now, she was struggling to understand what had happened.


    Recalling her previous conversation with him, Aoife found herself clenching her fists.


    "Me..."


    His words. They were a form of acknowledgment.


    Acknowledgment of her efforts. It made her body flush with heat. It had been a long time since she had felt like this. The joy of knowing that someone was acknowledging her efforts.


    Even if it came from the unlikeliest of people, no, perhaps it was because it was him that Aoife felt thepliment meant more.


    He was clearly better than her.


    He was the star of the show and someone who was probably going to win the award.


    For him to tell her that he had voted for her...


    "Haha."


    It was enough to make herugh. Especially when she looked at the letter in her hand.


    ¡ªI thought she was great. Captured my attention. I ce my vote on her. Aoife K. Megrail.


    Thinking about it now, it was shameless of her. For her to vote herself...


    "....I thought no one would vote for me."


    Given Julien''s performance, she thought she''d be without any votes.


    But who would''ve thought...?


    "Haa."


    Staring at the letter, Aoife let out a long sigh.


    It dawned on her how shameless her actions were. Aoife hated to admit it, but she had to be more mature about this.


    "He was great."


    Way better than her.


    And for that reason...


    Riiiip¡ª!


    Aoife ripped the letter apart.


    ".....It was immature of me."


    Moving toward a nearby table, she wrote a new letter. In it, she wrote.


    ¡ªThe only possible winner. Julien D. Evenus.


    Once she was done writing, she folded the paper and ced it in the letter which she then handed over to the post office.


    "Thank you for using our services."


    "....."


    Coming out of the post office, Aoife stared at the sky. She felt liberated. To her, the acknowledgment of her effort meant a lot more than a single vote. Especially since that vote came from herself.


    Thinking about her actions, she started to feel secondhand embarrassment.


    "....How shameless."


    For her to even think about voting for herself...


    Aoife shook her head.


    "Pathetic."


    ***


    The days passed like that.


    With the uing examinations, a serious atmosphere took over the Academy. The once bustling ce was now empty as the training grounds and library became full.


    It was to the point where they became overcrowded. Such ces started to be impossible to frequent.


    Thankfully, I studied at my dorms most of the time.


    In the next two weeks, I followed the same routine.


    Take lessons, study back at the dorm, train my spells, and train the blue-ranked book. My progress wasn''t anything fast. At least, notpared to how it had been in the past.


    However, it was certainly better than nothing.


    More than anything, I was just waiting to see what would happen once my spell reached the next level.


    Would they evolve? If so, how...?


    "Ugh."


    Stretching my body, I rubbed my haggard face and closed the book before me.


    "....Feels like I''m back at my job."


    There were so many things that I needed to memorize and understand. It was awful, but I had no choice but to do it.


    The mid-terms were important.


    Not only would failure mean expulsion, but the ranks would be re-adjusted. That meant that I could very well lose my position as the ck Star.


    I couldn''t allow that to happen.


    The position was very important. While so far it had yet to do much for me, I knew just how important the ''name'' was to the Guilds and outsider organizations.


    For that reason, I had no choice but to indulge myself in my studies and practice.


    "....."


    Standing up to stretch my body, I suddenly paused and looked towards the corner of the room.


    There, a ck box rested.


    Thinking about the box, I frowned. It had been a while since I had opened it. No, rather, I hadn''t touched it ever sinceing to Haven.


    Stepping forward, I headed for the box and bent down.


    Click¡ª!


    With a ''click'' the box unlocked and I pulled the lid upwards. Instantly, my gaze rested on the sword that rested within.


    ".....It''s been a while."


    Right, I still have the sword with me. The one that had punctured my chest the very first time that I came into this world.


    I still didn''t understand why that had happened, or for what reason the sword had been imbedded in me, but if there was one thing that I was sure about it was the fact that the sword was important.


    "....."


    Tracing my fingers over its body, I could tell just how sharp it was.


    "It''s a very high-quality sword."


    That much was true at first nce.


    cing my hand around the hilt of the sword, I tried to lift it, but...


    "....Hmm."


    It was heavy. Really heavy.


    "Ugh."


    It took both of my hands for me to be able to even lift the sword up.


    "What the hell..."


    I didn''t remember it to be so heavy.


    "Ugh."


    The more I tried to move with the sword, the more I found myself struggling. How can a sword be so heavy?


    In the end, unable to hold for any longer, my grip faltered and the sword ttered on the ground.


    nk. nk. nk.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    Catching my breath, I looked at the sword with a frown.


    How could anyone hold a sword that heavy?


    "Is this the difference between a mage and a knight?"


    If so, it became clear to me that the sword would be of no use to me. I sort of expected for this to happen so I wasn''t disheartened.


    "Hmmm."


    But a thought suddenly crossed my mind.


    "What if I injected mana into the sword?"


    What would happen then?


    I was quick to put my thoughts into action as I went on to grab the hilt of the sword and channeled my mana into it.


    "Ha...!"


    Almost instantly, the sword became lighter and I was able to lift it up. I had only done it to test it, but I hadn''t expected it to work.


    It was a pleasant surprise.


    "This is-"


    But the surprise was short-lived.


    Blink.


    With one blink, my surroundings changed. All of a sudden, I found myself standing on a rocky in.


    Thendscape stretched endlessly in shades of bleak gray, with jagged formations rising and falling like the frozen waves of a turbulent ocean surface.


    Above, the sun, though familiar, cast a hollow light, its shine muted by the heavy shroud of gloom that seemed to envelop everything.


    Stunned, I looked around.


    "What''s this...?"


    Blink.


    Blinking again, I found myself back in my room.


    And then...


    Blink.


    Back in the space.


    Something gripped my heart all of a sudden as it started to beat dramatically. Looking around without blinking, I secretly swallowed my saliva.


    "Wh-wha..."


    Swoosh¡ª


    The very fabric of the space around me started to twist as a hand slowly emerged from behind me, grasping my shoulder.


    ".....!"


    As my head flicked in that direction, my heart stopped.


    "Ah, this..."


    With a wide smile, it looked at me.


    As if the very fabric of space had wrapped around its face, I stared at the featureless creature.


    And...


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    I found the beat of my heart again.

 Chapter 99 Faceless man [2]

    <h4>Chapter 99 Faceless man [2]</h4>


    ".....What do we have here?"


    The voice reached the depths of my mind, sending shivers down my entire body. It was rough, almost gravelly. As if a broom was scraping broken ss.


    My skin crawled at the sound of it.


    Blink.


    The world around me changed again.


    I was back in my room.


    I kept my eyes firmly open. Something told me, no I knew that if I were to blink again, I''d be back in that world.


    ''....What was that?''


    I questioned myself, staring at my surroundings as I felt sweat drop down on the wooden floor beneath me.


    My pulse quickened, and my chest started to rise and fall rapidly.


    ....I felt my eyes burn.


    What was happening?!


    There were so many questions in my mind that I wanted the answer to. However, if there was one thing that I knew the answer to, then it was that whatever that faceless person was, it was dangerous.


    Extremel-


    "....!"


    My inner thought stopped the moment I noticed the fabric of the very space before me bend in the shape of a hand.


    Blink.


    The world changed again.


    "Haa..."


    All my instincts told me to run, and as I looked around thendscape before me, I felt a sense of helplessness as I realized.


    All I saw were endless jugged rocks and mountains.


    The air was cold and dry.


    ....There was nowhere for me to hide.


    As if it could read my thoughts, a voice tickled my ears, sending shivers down my entire spine.


    "There''s nowhere for you to hide."


    Blink.


    I blinked again, in hopes of getting away again, but...


    "That won''t anymore. I''ve temporarily locked the space around us."


    I remained in the world.


    Blink. Blink.


    Regardless of how hard I tried, I found myself unable to return back. Panic started to settle within my mind, but amidst the panic, I forced myself from showing any of it.


    I couldn''t allow fear to overtake my mind.


    "Hmm, your mind is rather resilient."


    The space before me folded, unveiling the faceless figure from before. Though I couldn''t see its true appearance, I could tell that whoever the figure was, it belonged to a man.


    Bedding the fabric of space as if it were a stic wrap, he walked around me, closely observing me. Or more like sensing me?


    It was hard to describe.


    ....From the way he moved, it didn''t really seem as though he could actually see me. It was more like he could sense my presence.


    Or was I overthinking things?


    Either way, I refrained from making any irrational movement.


    "You''re a cautious one, aren''t you?"


    "....!"


    The space next to me folded and a hand grasped onto my shoulder.


    When did he...?


    "Your heart is beating rather fast. Are you nervous?"


    I swallowed my saliva.


    "Oh? It''s beating even faster now... Did my words scare you?"


    "...."


    "There''s no need to be scared. I can''t truly harm you. We''re too far apart. The best I can do is seal the space for a few minutes. I just sensed a familiar smelling from you. An intriguing one."


    His gaze lowered towards the sword in my grasp where he leaned and sniffed slightly.


    "Haa... Yes, a familiar smell."


    In the blink of an eye, he was next to the sword, tracing his finger over its body.


    "It feels the same length, but..."


    With a sudden pause, the faceless man looked up.


    "....It''s been used. Hmm."


    As if understanding something, the faceless man smiled.


    "What an interesting thought."


    His words confused me, but even as they did, I remained silent. My instincts told me that the less I spoke, the better things were for me.


    But even then...


    "Hmmm."


    Appearing once again beside me, the hand went on to grasp my shoulder.


    "The Consortium."


    His voice echoed within the surroundings. Listening to the words he spoke, I remained quiet.


    In the off-chance that he could hear me, I didn''t want him to memorize my voice, or possibly reveal something I shouldn''t have.


    "...."


    "No? Doesn''t ring a bell?"


    Looking a little disappointed, he continued.


    "Hmm, then... Nocturne Order?"


    "...."


    Again, I kept my mouth shut.


    He continued.


    "Inverted Sky."


    "....!"


    All of a sudden, the atmosphere became oppressive.


    My thoughts froze but I refrained from making any movements or sounds.


    How did...


    Just as I thought he had picked up something, he went on to say a different name.


    "Stygian Cabal?"


    "....?"


    He didn''t notice anything?


    I was just about to sigh in relief when he let go of my shoulder and muttered,


    "You must be in the Nurs Ancifa Empire."


    My mind nked at that moment. It was as if all thoughts had been stripped away from my mind, preventing me from thinking at all.


    How...?


    How did he know?


    I had been quiet the entire time, so... How?


    ....I was able to hear the answer shortly after.


    "The Consortium, Nocturne Order, Inverted Sky, Stygian Cabal..."


    Listing the names again, he continued,


    "They''re the name of the organizations that I created."


    "....!"


    Yet again, my eyes widened.


    But if that wasn''t enough, the man continued.


    "Each organization lies within one of the Empires. To the world, they are different, but to me, they''re all the same. Why do you think I''ve named them differently?"


    I swallowed my words but knew the answer.


    ''Because it''s easier to figure out who is from who...''


    "Because it''s easier to figure out who is from who."


    As if he could read my thoughts, he muttered the same words I muttered in my mind. All I felt were chills as sweat unknowingly started to build up by the side of my face.


    The air felt suffocating, and I had to take each breath carefully.


    "....It would''ve been problematic had you not known the name. However, there''s still enough information for me to work with."


    Casually blinking away, he appeared before me, walking around leisurely as he started to speak.


    "The way we operate between each Empire is different. You see, we don''t want to feel too simr between each Empire, do we?"


    Pausing, he pinched his chin.


    "Making them think they''re all the same would defeat the entire point, wouldn''t it?"


    He flicked his head to face me.


    "Between the four Empires, we made sure that within two, everyone, be it themoners or high-ranking nobles knew about the organization."


    I was quick on the uptake there. I instantly understood what he was trying to say, but even so, I remained silent as I listened to his words.


    While I wasn''t exactly sure why he was saying all of this, I knew that he had a goal in all of this.


    For that very reason, I just listened and took in every word carefully.


    "Had you not known any, then you were merely likely going to be a citizen of one of the other two Empires. The ones where we made sure to keep the organization under wraps with only a few knowing."


    Suddenly, his empty smile widened.


    ".....You knew about the Inverted Sky. I felt it from the beat of your heart. That''s the name of the organization that resides within the Nurs Ancifa Empire. And the fact that you know means that you''re at least a noble. Hmm."


    Falling into thought, the faceless figure walked around. The entire time, he exuded a demenour of casualness.


    However, staring at him, I could only feel utter dread.


    My entire body shivered under his presence as notifications shed before my very eyes.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 0.1%


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 0.01%


    They just continued to sh before my eyes.


    Never before had I experienced such terror in my life. Not even when I had first used my powers.


    This was just...


    Overwhelming.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    A soft whisper tickled my ear again as he appeared right beside me. I felt my body twitch at his touch. But even as I tried to distance myself from him, I found that my body refused to budge, almost as if it was glued on the spot.


    "Hmm."


    He appeared in front of me again. This time, with his wrist raised in a way that made it seem as though he was checking his time.


    "Well, it looks like we''re running out of time."


    His head turned, and I met his empty face.


    "Just so you know, I can''t hear nor see you. I can only sense you. But you probably already figured that out."


    Lowering his wrist, he smiled yet again as he pointed toward the sword in my hand.


    "I''ll be needing that real soon. Keep it well. I''ll being for it soon."


    Blink.


    Blinking once, he appeared just a few centimeters away from me.


    "....Oh, and don''t think about running away."


    My entire body tensed at his appearance. And especially his smile.


    "You''ll never be able to escape me."


    Blink.


    The scenery changed again.


    This time, I was back in my dorm.


    "....."


    But even so, I held my breath back and looked around me. Touching the sofa, I made sure to check if everything was real.


    For some reason, even though I knew that it was, I still felt the need to check.


    I went on like this for ten minutes before sitting down on the sofa and setting the sword down.


    "....."


    I sat there without saying a single word.


    Looking down, I saw that my legs were still tensed. My jaw too... Every part of my body was tense. Even as I looked around me and saw that nobody was present, there was still this nagging feeling at the back of my mind that made me grow wary.


    Finally, I had found my voice.


    "What just happened?"


    It sounded unfamiliar to my mind as it came out hoarse.


    "Where was I...? And why did he tell me everything?"


    It made no sense. For what reason would he...


    "Ah."


    ....But it also clicked inside of my mind.


    The reason why he told me everything like that.


    I covered my mouth and felt chills run down my body.In the chance that I was to spill everything out, then...


    "He''ll have a concrete idea of who I am."


    It was a trap.


    A carefully interwoven trap that one wouldn''t be able to notice were they not paying extreme attention.


    And the sense of dread that I felt intensified.


    "This..."


    I leaned back and stared at the empty ceiling.


    All of a sudden, I felt the energy drain away from my body. ncing at the sword that rested beside me, I had the urge to suddenly throw it away.


    What if he could detect its presence and find it? What if...


    "Haa."


    I covered my eyes with my forearm.


    The feeling that the faceless man gave off... It was one of utter helplessness. It felt as if there was nothing that I could do to stop him.


    The fleeting sense of control that I had so desperately clung to in the past... It was utterly gone.


    In its ce was only helplessness.


    Just who in the world was he?

 Chapter 100 Team [1]

    <h4>Chapter 100 Team [1]</h4>


    "The Midterms will be starting next week. I do hope that everyone is prepared for them. During the first week, we''ll have your theoretical examination."


    Professor Bridgette''s voice echoed throughout the otherwise silent ssroom.


    "After that, we will be moving to thebat-rted examinations. I hope that all of you are ready for what is toe. There will be a lot of people, scouts included. They will be closely examining your performances."


    She was currently giving us a brief rundown of the uing exams.


    "It is important that you do your best during the examinations. Not only will you receive a new rank, but you will also have an evaluation given by the scouts who will use the information for the draft."


    It was just general knowledge. I more or less knew most of the information that was being given. But even then, I didn''t have it in me to pay attention to any of the words that she was saying.


    The only thing that was running through my mind were thoughts about the faceless man.


    Who was he?


    No... I already had an idea of who he was. The leader of the Inverted Sky. But... Not just that. He was also the leader of several other organizations that resided within the other Empires.


    The sheer idea of the power that he held sent shivers down my spine.


    Not only was his influence in this Empire but in the other Empires too. What sort of concept was this?


    I desperately wanted to do some research on the organizations that he had named, but I refrained from doing so.


    That... also felt like a trap.


    Knowing just how powerful the Inverted Sky was, I could tell that he had eyes and ears everywhere.


    One wrong move and I was likely going to expose myself.


    I needed to tread carefully.


    "Ah, this..."


    Yet again, this sense of helplessness...


    The worst part of this was that I knew what his target was.


    The sword.


    ''I shouldn''t have activated it.''


    It was the whole reason why he was able to detect me.


    Had I not...


    ''No, it was bound to happen.''


    One day, or another, I was going to do the same thing. It was something that was bound to happen. But...


    ''....If only I had done it a littleter.''


    I knew that it was toote for me to regret it. For now, the only thing I could do was find a way to buy as much time as possible.


    The only thing that he knew was the Empire I was from, and that I was a noble.


    I was still in the clear.


    What he didn''t know was the fact that I was part of that very organization.


    At least, on paper.


    That meant that I only had one true path to take.


    ''Have more control within the organization.''


    "Julien."


    "Hm?"


    Suddenly hearing my name getting called up, I raised my head. When I looked around, I found that everyone was staring at me.


    "...."


    I remained quiet and waited for the Professor to speak. I had been too immersed in my own thoughts. I had no idea what was happening.


    "Who are you going to choose?"


    "...."


    Choose?


    I blinked my eyes.


    I had to choose? Choose what?


    "Haa..."


    As if understanding that I wasn''t paying attention, Professor Bridgette sighed and shook her head.


    "Never mind, I will select your team members for you."


    "Uh?"


    Looking around the ssroom, the Professor''s gaze fell on several people.


    "Your team members will be, Anders, Kiera, Luxon, and Josephine."


    *


    It turns out that for the midterms, thebat sequence was divided into two parts. Team, and individual performance.


    ording to the Professor, cadets needed to know how to work well together.


    It was one of the traits that the Guild''s scouts looked forward to the most given that they sent extraction teams into the Mirror Dimension all the time.


    For that reason, a draft prospect needed to know how to work and lead in a team, outside of their individual power.


    To Guilds, powerful cadets were useless if they didn''t know how to work together with other members.


    At the training grounds.


    "Haaa..."


    "Stop it."


    "Haaa...."


    "I said stop it."


    "Haaaa-Hiek!! Stop! I''m sorry!"


    Ignoring Kiera and Josephine who were bickering with one another, a sight which had started to be the norm within the ssroom, I took a look at the other two cadets in my team.


    ''Anders and Luxon.''


    Both were ranked rather high.


    ....I knew Anders a little. Ever since the incident back in the forest, he had mellowed out a lot.


    Rather, you could say he was on friendlier terms with me.


    Even so, it wasn''t as if I was extremely familiar with him.


    The only one that I wasn''t very familiar with was Luxon. With brown hair and blue eyes, he was rather handsome. Last I recalled he was also ranked five, and a knight.


    A powerful team member.


    No, all of them were strong. I couldn''tin about the teamposition.


    "Uht!! H-help!"


    There was only one problem.


    "Are you dissatisfied with something?"


    Luxon didn''t seem to be satisfied with the current arrangement. He appeared to be the only one like that as he had been wearing a frown ever since we left the ssroom and came into the training area.


    Turning his head, he met my gaze.


    "....."


    Though he didn''t say anything, I could tell at a nce what his problem was.


    ''So it''s me.''


    Right...


    ".....I don''t like this."


    His deep voice echoed throughout. Though it wasn''t loud, it was enough to stop Kiera and Josephine by the side.


    "What''s going on?"


    Ignoring her, he continued.


    "Since this is a decision made by the Professor, I won''t argue. I''m just stating that I don''t like this arrangement."


    "...."


    As expected, I was right.


    It wasn''t as if I hadn''t expected such a scenario. In fact, I had thought that everyone on my team would be in disagreement with the current arrangement, but it was surprising to see that he was the only one who was displeased.


    "What do you want to do about it?"


    It was a simple question.


    One that wasn''t filled with any malice.


    But deep down, I already knew what he wanted. Still, he shook his head and turned his head.


    "Nothing. Since the arrangement is like this, I won''t argue."


    "Oh? You seem rather reasonable."


    It was surprising, but at the same time, it made sense. He was a high-ranking noble who had been trained to enter a Guild.


    While he had his pride, he knew the importance of teamwork.


    A rather impressive person.


    "....Do you want to spar?"


    It was for that reason that I offered to spar with him.


    "Uh?"


    "Hm?"


    Perhaps taken aback by my sudden proposition, everyone looked at me. I could also feel Kiera''s gaze from the side, butpared to Josephine''s and Luxon''s expressions, hers contained a different meaning.


    Ignoring it, I continued.


    "If you''re dissatisfied, then I have no problem sparring with you."


    I didn''t mind it to be honest.


    There was something that I wanted to test. It was something that I had discovered during the y and hadn''t had the chance to properly test it.


    A new ability perhaps.


    I wasn''t quite sure what to make of it just yet.


    But it was certainly an interesting idea...


    As if still stunned by the sudden proposition, Luxon''s gaze changed.


    "...You, are you being serious?"


    "Serious."


    Unbuttoning the buttons of my shirt, I slowly rolled my sleeves up and tossed my zer to the side.


    "....."


    Still stunned, he remained motionless on the opposite end.


    But I didn''t care and started to stretch my body.


    ''Rank five...''


    Though his rank was high, it was mainly due to the fact that Kiera wasn''t very good at academic studies. She was in fact stronger than him. The same was true for a few other cadets.


    In terms of rawbat power, he was within the tens.


    Even so...


    He was certainly strong.


    My strength had increased quite a lot over the past few months due to everything that had happened to me.


    I wanted to test the extent of my skills.


    .....and the new technique that I was trying to grasp.


    "Are you ready?"


    Once my sleeves were fully rolled up, I looked in his direction. He too had removed his zer and had rolled up his sleeve.


    In his hand was a wooden sword.


    When did he get that...?


    "How are we going to do this?"


    At his question, I looked at the space around me and massaged my shoulder.


    ".....It''s a light spar. Just enough to familiarize ourselves and to please you."


    "And the victor?"


    "Naturally he''ll be the leader."


    ".....Okay."


    Positioning himself in a stance, a thin veil of mana started to cover his body.


    "I''m ready."


    "....."


    Nodding quietly, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.


    "Huuu."


    ''Let''s see how this goes.''


    There was a high chance it could backfire, but I didn''t really care about that. I was more interested in knowing if it was possible.


    And thus...


    With my eyes closed, I immersed myself in a familiar set of emotions and memories.


    ***


    As Luxon and Julien stood on opposite ends, Kiera, Anders, and Josephine spectated from the side.


    "This is so exciting~"


    With her body leaning forward, Josephine alternated her gaze between Julien and Luxon.


    "As expected, nobody can beat Julien in that department..."


    "Uh?"


    Kiera looked at Josephine in confusion.


    What''s this bitch ranting on about?


    "But, hey."


    Josephine''s head turned to face hers.


    "Who do you think will win?"


    "....Who?"


    The obvious answer was Luxon, but...


    "I don''t know."


    Kiera didn''t feel so confident in him. It was strange, but she just didn''t see him winning against Julien.


    "Anders?"


    Turning her head, Kiera saw that Anders was also silent. Judging from his expression, he seemed to have simr thoughts to her.


    Would you look at this...


    Smirking slightly, Kiera reached out for her zer pocket and took out a small box. Retrieving one out, she was just about to light it up when she stopped herself.


    "...."


    Her gaze fixed on Julien who stood motionless with his eyes closed.


    Feeling her hand grow antsy, she had the urge to light the cigarette. However, despite her mind telling her to, her body refused to.


    "Tsk."


    In the end, clicking her tongue, she put the cigarette away.


    ''....Whatever.''


    "You, did you..."


    Her action seemed to have stunned Josephine who looked at her with widened eyes.


    For some reason, Josephine''s gaze annoyed her, and she pushed it away with her hand.


    "Go away."


    "But, you...!"


    "Fuck, stop. It''s starting."


    Indeed, the moment Kiera said those words, Julien opened his eyes. However, the moment he did, the atmosphere around himpletely changed.


    "What the..."


    Scratch. Scratch.


    A scratching sound echoed.


    All of a sudden, a familiar figure appeared in their vision.


    One that everyone present had witnessed once before. Be it live, or through recordings... Everyone was familiar with the figure that stood before them.


    Especially when staring into his eyes which contained a hidden madness.


    Opening her mouth, Kiera mumbled,


    "How does that make sense?"

 Chapter 101 Team [2]

    <h4>Chapter 101 Team [2]</h4>


    It was a thought that came to me the moment that I ended my performance.


    I could still vividly remember how I had almost lost myself in my performance. How I had almost lost myself to Alexander''s emotions.


    .....It was there that the thought came.


    ''Can I copy their experiences and fighting styles?''


    What if I were to immerse myself deeper into their characters? Not just their emotions, but their memories and fighting styles?


    Would that work?


    Staring at Luxon who stood on the opposite end, I closed my eyes and sank deeply into my thoughts.


    I immersed my mind deeper and started to reconstruct a few parts of what I had seen after using the skill.


    It was a backyard.


    The world was gray, and there was no sound around.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    A boy stood in the middle, waving his daggers. With careful steps and movements, he practiced against a dummy.


    Contrary to what one would expect, his movements and fighting style weren''t chaotic.


    Rather...


    It was refined and minimalistic.


    There wasn''t much that I could work with. I only had a few memories. However, given how boring his life was, most of them were just about his training.


    Just like Azarias...


    His world was a colorless one.


    Staring at his figure, I immersed myself in his image. I tried to picture myself in him.


    shing the daggers, swords, and fists, taking the little steps, and avoiding the dummy. I mimicked everything in my mind.


    Before I knew it, I was no longer watching, but I was the one doing the movements.


    ''sh¡ª!'' I ducked down and shed up. ''sh¡ª!'' I sidestepped and avoided the counterattack.


    ''sh¡ª!''


    The more this continued, the more I felt myself synchronize with the Alexander from my vision. From the way he moved his body, to the way he breathed. I copied it all.


    To the point where,


    I....


    Was slowly bing Alexander.


    "....."


    Opening my eyes, I felt a lot of my emotions numb down.


    Scratch. Scratch.


    My neck started to itch.


    The deeper I immersed myself in his emotions, the more I found myself picking up his traits.


    Alexander was a dagger user. Such was the weapon of his choice. That being said, he could also use other weapons.


    In my case...


    nk. nk.


    I still chose to stick to the chains and body.


    .....While the memories were clear in my mind, they weren''t enough for me topletely be him. It was good that way. Were I topletely lose myself in this deep sense of initiation that I was currently relieving, I wasn''t sure whether I''d be able to return to who I was.


    In fact, what I was doing was dangerous in itself.


    I couldn''t immerse too deeply into this. There was a very real risk of losing myself in the character.


    What would happen if I lost myself in character?


    What would be of me?


    "Are you ready?"


    Overhearing Luxon''s voice, my chest trembled.


    The world around me started to gradually lose all color. It was starting to be boring. No, it had already be boring.


    Scratch. Scratch.


    It was such a monotonous world that made me crave for something.


    For some color.


    Staring at him, I nodded my head.


    "I''m ready."


    Wooom¡ª!


    He appeared before me. In less than a few seconds, he had covered the distance that was between us.


    On any normal asion, I would''ve panicked a little.


    But, now...


    ''Boring.''


    I took a single step to the side, deftly avoiding the iing sh.


    "Uh?"


    Briefly, Luxon appeared stunned. I took in his expression. Seared it in my mind as my lips trembled slightly.


    Twisting my torso, I coiled the chain on my left hand and punched toward where I expected Luxon to be.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    As my fist drew near to his face, I felt my heart beat faster. Yes... Yes... Finally, something to break the monotonous shell that was my world.


    Just as I thought my attack was going to hit, he disappeared and reappeared right behind me.


    "....!"


    The chains in my hand snaked around my arm, deftly moving towards my shoulder where a wooded sword appeared.


    Bang!


    I felt an intense pain as the wooden sword smacked against my shoulder.


    "....."


    "....."


    Scratch. Scratch.


    I felt a wave of annoyance as our eyes met. Just in the nick of time, I had been able to protect my shoulder. But even so, I could tell that it was dislocated.


    Boring... So boring...


    Using my other hand, I stepped slightly and punched forward.


    Swoosh.


    That attack met nothing as Luxon appeared on the opening on the side of my body.


    How weird...


    As if I could tell what he was going to do next, I tilted my body slightly.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    The sword shed in an upward direction, narrowly avoiding my nose. It was close. Extremely close. About a few millimeters.


    Had I not been careful, I might''ve lost my nose.


    But I couldn''t care at all about myself.


    Rather, I found something peculiar.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    I ducked down.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Stepped to the left.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Stepped to the right.


    I could trace Luxon''s movements.


    Despite that, each time, I''d get hit. I felt pain engulf my mind, but I was used to pain. I didn''t let it affect me.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Marks started to appear on my clothes as I avoided them, but I was slowly starting to get a hang of it, getting better and better at dodging.


    Almost as if I was in a trance.


    No, rather than trance, it was more like I was starting to be able to predict them. In this monotonous world... Everything felt nd. And as I delved deeply into Alexander''s mind, I could see that Luxon''s movements were simr to his.


    Alexader''s life was boring. In his life, one of the few means of entertainment for him wasbat.


    There was nothing he enjoyed more than seeing his opponent defeated and basking in the audience''s praise.


    It was for that reason that he spent a major part of his life just training.


    So...


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Taking a slight step forward, I yet again avoided his attack.


    Ba... Thump!


    "Haa..."


    The more time passed, the more I started to grow ustomed to this new style.


    It was still raw, but it was working...


    I was gradually starting to mimic Alexander''s movements perfectly. To the point where I slowly started to lose sight of myself.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    ....And slowly, I indeed started to lose sight of myself.


    "More..."


    ***


    Luxon''s opinion of Julien was rather mixed. While he did believe that he was weak and that he didn''t deserve his rank, he also didn''t dismiss his Emotive abilities.


    They were in a league of their own.


    But that said...


    ''So long as he doesn''t touch me, I''m good.''


    As far as he knew, Julien was only capable of voice transmission for [Sadness]. If one was ready, then defending against it wasn''t impossible.


    In that case, the only thing that he truly needed to worry about was the distance between the two.


    He couldn''t allow Julien to touch him.


    And that...


    ''Shouldn''t be a problem.''


    Luxon was confident in his abilities. Just like Josephine, he had been trained in a knight''s family. He was extremely proficient in the sword. Besides those ''monsters,'' he was confident in handling everyone.


    He was that confident in his skills.


    Therefore...


    Swoosh¡ª!


    "Uh...?"


    Luxon was stunned when he noticed that his attacks were starting to miss.


    ''How is this...?''


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Even as he shed again, he was stunned to see that his attack graced the air.


    nting his foot forward, Luxon went for an upward diagonal sh. He was mid-way through his motion when he suddenly felt a small resistanceing from the bottom part of his sword.


    "Ukh...!"


    Exerting more force, he managed to push through the resistance, but the few seconds lost due to the resistance were enough for Julien''s foot tond on his stomach.


    ".....!"


    The blow hurt, but it wasn''t anything that he couldn''t handle as he took several steps back. As Luxon was about to reposition himself, the resistance returned.


    This time, it wastched onto his foot.


    ".....!"


    Yet again, his movements had been impeded.


    Another foot came at him. It wasn''t very fast, and Luxon was able to dodge it. Dodging wasn''t the problem. He could dodge all the attacks. They weren''t anything that put him in a difficult spot.


    The problem was the fact that he couldn''t gather any ''rhythm''.


    Before he could initiate any of his rehearsed sequences, they were consistently disrupted, throwing him off bnce and severely impeding his ability tounch an effective counterattack.


    Swoosh!


    It was an annoying situation since it put him in a passive spot.


    "Kh, damn it!"


    Gritting his teeth, he shed again.


    ***


    "Wow~ Luxon seems to be having a hard time."


    By the side, Josephine observed everything with open eyes. Blinking her eyes rapidly, she looked at Kiera.


    "I''m not seeing things, right? Julien is actually holding his own..."


    "....."


    Kiera didn''t answer.


    Her eyes were currently fixed on Julien''s form. At first, his movements were sloppy. At a nce, she could tell its faults and break them down.


    Had she been in Luxon''s position, she would''ve probably been able to deal with him in less than five bouts.


    But...


    Things started to change gradually.


    The madness that lingered within his eyes started to intensify, and his movements were beginning to be more refined.


    Not only that but upon closer inspection, she noticed a familiar set of threads moving around and shattering Luxon''s rhythm, preventing him from fully tapping into his skill.


    But it wasn''t that which sent chills down Kiera''s spine.


    No, it was the fact that the more the fight progressed, the fainter Julien''s image became in her mind. It was as if he was transforming into an entirely different person.


    From his movements to his expressions, Kiera was starting to see a different person...


    ''What the fuck.''


    It was a strange thought.


    One that she had a hard timeing to terms with.


    But...


    Bang!


    "Haaa-!"


    Seeing Julien''s lips tremble as his attack finally shattered Luxon''s attack, Kiera noticed that the madness within his gaze further intensified.


    The emotions he was feeling - Ecstasy, joy, excitement, she could see them in his expression as a genuine smile spread across his lips.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    He started a frenzy of attacks. Controlling the thin threads, he continued to shatter Luxon''s movements.


    With no other choice but to stay passive, Luxon could only cover his body with his arms.


    Bang...! Bang!


    The more Julien attacked, the more Kiera saw his emotions run rampant.


    At this very moment...


    "More."


    He wasn''t Julien. That person seemed to have been reced by another entity, taking over his body as he attacked the flustered Luxon who despite not losing, was slowly and steadily getting pushed back.


    Bang!


    As another one of Julien''s fistsnded on Luxon''s guard, Kiera stood up and appeared beside the two.


    "Stop."


    Kiera sped Julien''s fist.


    "...."


    "...."


    For a brief moment, Kiera thought he''d attack her as silence ensued between the two, but gradually, his eyes started to return to normal.


    Eventually, he calmed down and lowered his hand.


    Turning around, he picked up his zer and unrolled his sleeves. With his back turned, he asked,


    "I take it that the result is clear, no?"


    Kiera looked at Luxon who despite being unhurt was panting heavily. Turning to look towards the others, she closed her eyes before nodding.


    "Yes."


    ".....Good."


    With a small nod, he left the premises.


    Staring at his back, Kiera''s expression turnedplex.


    ''What in the world... was that?

 Chapter 102 Team [3]

    <h4>Chapter 102 Team [3]</h4>


    Shaa¡ª


    Feeling the cold water trickling down my face, I took a deep breath. Looking up, I stared at my reflection. A familiar visage met my gaze, but as I looked closer at my expression, I noticed the slight curl at the end of my lips.


    Though I smiled, I wasn''t actually smiling.


    .....My body was smiling in my stead. No, rather, Alexander was smiling for me.


    "Haaa..."


    I let out a long breath and turned off the tap. Massaging my face, my smile gradually faded.


    The same was true for the monotonous world around me as color started to return, and I felt my emotions be more pronounced.


    The world...


    It didn''t feel as boring anymore.


    "....."


    Staring at the all-too-familiar expression, I finally rxed.


    ''....It''s a dangerous ability.''


    I could still feel the lingering traces of Alexander lingering within the depths of my mind.


    If I wasn''t careful enough, then there was a chance that the Alexander in my memories would take over.


    "I can''t allow that."


    There was a goal that I needed to aplish.


    I couldn''t lose sight of who I was before I even achieved my goal.


    Even so...


    "It worked."


    For just a few minutes, I was able to be ''Alexander''. It was sloppy, and I needed to put more work into it, but during the fight, I had be him.


    It was for that reason that Luxon was thrown off during the fight.


    While I still wasn''t stronger than him, in this state, I could hold my own against him. Even hold him in a passive state.


    The more I thought about this new ability, the more my heart thumped.


    ".....So many possibilities."


    What if I were to memorize and mimic more than one style? Not just Alexander. What if I tried to assimte myself with more personalities...?


    What would happen then? Would I be able to call forth different types ofbat styles?


    Though my physical limitations constrained how much I could imitate, if I could switch between personalities, it would certainly throw off a lot of my opponents.


    If at one moment I was ''Alexander'' and the next switched to another personality, then it would make it impossible for my opponent to predict how I fought.


    "It''s an interesting idea."


    One that I sort of wanted to put to the test but had to stop myself from doing so.


    "....."


    My neck was starting to feel itchy, and my hand twitched at the sensation. I almost started to scratch my neck to get rid of the itch.


    Leaning forward, I grasped the sides of the sink.


    "It''s troublesome."


    The new ''technique'' sounded strong, but there were severe limitations to it.


    It involved letting myself be immersed in the emotions and memories of another person. In the process, I needed to make sure to not lose sight of myself.


    The more I immersed myself in them, the more I could copy and replicate their abilities, but at the same time, it also took a massive toll on me mentally.


    I couldn''t guarantee that I wouldn''t lose sight of myself within those memories and emotions.


    For that reason, I needed to be careful.


    My neck felt itchy all of a sudden.


    "....."


    I stared at my reflection and clenched my fist tightly.


    "Fuck off..."


    Alexander was starting to take over my mind once again. It was an exhausting situation. However, I resisted.


    I didn''t let ''Alexander'' take over who I was.


    Grasping tightly the corners of the sink, I brushed my wet hair to the side.


    "I''ll control you."


    Not just him, but whoever else I nned on assimting in my mind.


    I wasn''t going to let them take over my mind.


    That much, I was sure of.


    ***


    The days passed and the day of the Midterms neared.


    With the midterms being one of the main attractions of the Festival, it naturally attracted a lot of attention from the general public and big Guilds. But it wasn''t without reason.


    An announcement had been released by [Haven] a few days before the long-awaited midterms.


    - [Announcement] -


    In light of the dy with the midterms, the Haven facility has agreed with the other Academies within the Empire to open the midterms for all other Academies. This will now be a joint examination from students from all over.


    - [Announcement] -


    The news took over the Empire by storm as excitement boiled over the news.


    Within a few days of the announcement, the Academy campuses became packed with people. Fromrge sponsors to members of the fifteen Guilds. The Academy was filled with important figures.


    Of course, there were plenty of reporters.


    Cason Wance, a rather renowned reporter walked around the Academy campus to interview the Haven cadets.


    With their reputation, a lot of his audience was interested in listening to what they had to say.


    Currently, he was interviewing a young cadet who appeared to be in his first year.


    ¡ªHow do you feel about the uing midterms?


    ¡ªOh, I feel great. I think my team will perform well.


    ¡ªYou''re that confident?


    ¡ªWell, I wouldn''t say confident, but I trust in all the work I put in with them.


    ¡ªThat sounds amazing!


    The interview flowed smoothly.


    Whenever he asked a question, the cadet would respond with picture-perfect answers.


    ¡ªYou''re aware that the other Academies will being for the uing midterms. Do you fear them a little?


    ¡ªOh, yeah. Even though we at Haven are hailed as the strongest, the other Academies are not to be looked down upon. They are extremely powerful in their own right. We can''t let ourselves drown in our own arrogance.


    It was a picture-perfect interview.


    Humble, and confident. The interviewer nodded along as he interviewed the cadet.


    ¡ªThank you very much for the interview! I hope you and your team manage to achieve some sess in the midterms.


    ¡ªHaha, thank you very much.


    Wrapping up the interview, the cadet left and Cason looked at the recording in satisfaction. After a little editing, he could send the video directly to be broadcast around the Empire.


    Turning his head, Cason noticed his producer''s expression looked troubled.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "Hmm, well..."


    "What is it? Spit it out? Did I make a mistake in the interview?"


    "No, it''s not that."


    "Then...?"


    "It''s monotonous. nd. The people at Haven all seem to reply in the same manner. It''s rather boring, don''t you think?"


    "Oh."


    When he put it like that...


    Cason frowned.


    "What can I do? It''s all live, and it''s not like I can tell the cadets to start behaving irrationally."


    "No, I get that."


    "Then...?"


    "It''s whatever. Just keep doing your job. I''ll think of something."


    With these words, the producer left. Staring at his departing back, Cason scratched the side of his face.


    ".....nd."


    Staring at the recording device, he sighed.


    "It looks like I''ll have to do more interviews."


    In a sense, he agreed with the producer. The interviews were indeed a little nd when taking into ount that all of them were real.


    There was no ''spice''.


    "Hmm."


    All of a sudden, Cason''s eyes widened as he caught sight of a group in the distance. As if they were mas, they attracted the attention of all the people around them. Wherever they walked, heads would turn.


    Walking at the front, was a familiar-looking cadet.


    One that just recently had started to make waves. With an appearance that was hard to forget, Cason was sure it was him. Alongside him were four other cadets. Amongst them, one girl in particr stood out.


    With tinum long hair and red hair, her appearance didn''t lose out to Julien.


    Without even thinking, he appeared before them.


    "Hello, cadets. If you don''t mind, can I do a quick interview?"


    "An interview?"


    A head popped up. With widened eyes, she looked at him with excitement.


    "Of course! Of course!"


    Cason sighed in relief. He didn''t want to admit it, but he felt rather intimidated by Julien''s gaze. That was despite him not doing anything that would warrant such intimidation.


    "Keum."


    Clearing his throat, he turned on the recording device and started to interview. This time, unlike the previous attempts, he decided to hold the interview live.


    ¡ªHello, it''s nice to meet you. Please introduce yourselves. Are you a group?


    ¡ªOh, yes! We are. I''m Josephine.


    Stepping forward, Josephine introduced herself before pointing towards the others.


    ¡ªHe''s Julien, our team leader. He''s Anders, and he''s Luxon.


    ¡ªOh, I see. And...


    Cason pointed the recording device in the direction of the tinum-haired girl.


    ¡ªI think you skipped her.


    ¡ªNo, I didn''t.


    ¡ªUh?


    ¡ªYou can call her ''it''.


    Finally speaking, Kiera looked at her with a scowl.


    ¡ªDo you want to get hit?


    ¡ªMaybe, the violent gori? No differenc-hiek!


    Cason blinked as Kiera pped Josephine''s head.


    ''This is live...''


    With a forced smile, he tried to calm the girls down and focused his attention on Kiera.


    ¡ª....Hehe, friendly banter. Seems like the team chemistry is high.


    ¡ªThe fuck you on about?


    Kiera looked at him with an expression that seemed to say, ''Is this guy an idiot? Chemistry? What the hell is that...?''


    ¡ª....


    Cason felt his face stiffen. Suddenly, he started to regret a lot of things.


    ¡ªAh, well...


    And he quickly asked a question.


    ¡ªHow do you feel about the current format? A lot of Academies from the outside will being soon. Do you have any opinion on that?


    ¡ªWhat do I care? It''s a pain in the ass. If anything, they''re just going to be a bother. It''s not like they are any good to-hmmm!


    Kiera was stopped mid-way as Josephin appeared from behind as she went on to cover her mouth.


    ¡ªWhat are you doing?! This is getting recorded! Everyone will see you say this stuff!


    ¡ªHmm!


    ¡ªAk! You''re licking me!


    ¡ªThe fuck are you putting your hand over my mouth for?


    ¡ªCrap! You...!


    Quickly wiping her hand over her shirt, Josephine''s expression twisted as Kieraughed at her from the side. Staring at the scene, Cason felt his face twitch.


    ''This isn''t good.''


    This team...


    What the hell was this team?


    Feeling that the interview was going in the wrong direction, Cason looked around and finally settled his gaze on Julien.


    ''Ah, right... There''s him.''


    Despite how intimidating he looked, he appeared to be the most reasonable of the group. Cason decided to interview him.


    ¡ªWhat about you cadet Julien? What do you think about the recent news?


    ¡ª.....?


    As if not expecting to be interviewed, Julien looked down and tilted his head.


    ¡ªAbout?


    Cason cleared his throat and repeated.


    ¡ªAbout the Academy''s decision to open up to the other Academies for the uing examinations. Do you feel anything about that? There are quite a lot of powerful cadets in the other Academies. I''m sure you must''ve already heard of a few.


    Cason went on to list a few names


    ¡ªJohnathan Monroe. Karl Redhouse. Amelia Clementine... They''re all high-level prospects just like you. Do you feel anythingpeting with such cadets?


    ¡ª.....


    Julien''s expression didn''t change much despite the question.


    Initially, Cason thought he was mulling deeply over their names. Especially since he noticed his deep frown.


    ''Ah, judging from his expression, he seems to take them extremely seriously.''


    As expected. Even the ck Star of Haven has heard of their names...


    Julien''s mouth soon parted open and Cason moved the recording device closer to his face. There was nothing more exciting than high-caliber prospects talking about each other.


    This was sure to get the audience to pay attention and let them forget about the previous encounter.


    Such were his thoughts until he heard Julien''s words.


    ¡ª.....Who?


    At that moment, Cason froze.


    He recalled his producer''s words, and his mouth twitched.


    Because...


    He knew a storm had just started to brew.

 Chapter 103 Midterms [1]

    <h4>Chapter 103 Midterms [1]</h4>


    With the iing midterms, cadets were allowed to rent training grounds for a few hours each day. Although there were a lot of cadets, there were just enough for everyone to train without any issues.


    In one such training ground.


    "What are you doing?"


    Aoife halted her practice to turn around.


    Drip. Drip...!


    Her entire body was soaked in sweat as arge metallic block dropped on the area before her.


    Bang--!


    Frowning, she looked at her team members.


    Her eyes jumped a little when she noticed both Evelyn and Leon huddled next to the other team members, staring at the mana disy in their hands.


    It was a rather expensive device that allowed citizens to watch streams and recordings.


    Aoife also had one.


    She often used it to watch her performance back in the y.


    "We''re supposed to be training. What are you doing checki--"


    Aoife''s words halted mid-sentence. Stepping to the side, her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her.


    Appearing on the screen was a familiar group.


    [Ak! You''re licking me!]


    [The fuck are you putting your hand over my mouth for?]


    "....."


    Aoife''s mouth opened in an ''o'' shape as she watched the screen.


    But if that wasn''t enough...


    [Johnathan Monroe. Karl Redhouse. Amelia Clementine... They''re all high-level prospects just like you. Do you feel anythingpeting with such cadets?]


    [....Who?]


    Right then and there, Aoife almost smacked her forehead.


    "...."


    "...."


    She wasn''t the only one who felt that way.


    Raising his head, Leon looked around. His gaze met with Aoife''s and Evelyn''s. The two of them looked at him with the same expression and sighed almost simultaneously.


    "He''s done it..."


    "We''re fucked."


    "...."


    Indeed, they were spot on. The moment the clip was streamed, it immediately made waves and started to be shared everywhere. Knowing how the media worked, it took no time for titles to appear.


    [Who? A bold statement! Confidence or arrogance?]


    [The ck Star announces his utter disregard for the iing Academies.]


    Shortly after, a Q and A was released.


    It was from one of the cadets whom Julien had disregarded.


    Johnathan Monroe of Montel Institute.


    It went on as follows;


    Q : What do you think about Haven''s ck Star statement?


    A : Quite frankly, nothing. I''ve also never heard of him. My only target is Aoife, whom I believe is the true ck Star.


    Q : Are you saying that you don''t take him seriously?


    A : Who?


    Q : I see what you did there.


    The release of the Q and A sparked a new wave of conflict. To add fuel to the fire, the other two members joined in to release their own statements.


    A : There''s a rumor that he''s the weakest ck Star in Haven''s history. The standards seem to have fallen rather low.


    - Karl Redhouse of Rodnea Academy.


    A : Not interested. I have another target in mind.


    - Amelia Clementine of the Silver Wing Institute.


    Before the midterms could even start, sparks had already started to fly. Things were so heated that the topic became one of the most talked about throughout the Empire.


    Just when everyone thought things couldn''t get any more heated, a new interview was released.


    This time, it was with none other than Haven''s ck Star.


    Q : There''s a lot of buzz regarding what you said. Do you have anything to say to that?


    A : No.


    Q : Eh... Then, what do you have to say about what yourpetitors have said?


    A : Haven''t seen.


    Q : You haven''t?


    A : No.


    Q : Then... Do you have anything to say to the other Academies?


    A : No.


    Q : Should I repeat what they said...?


    A : Annoying.


    The interview ended there, but the buzz it created was even fiercer than before.


    All of a sudden, Julien had be one of the central figures of the midterms.


    With all attention focused on him, his performance in the midterms would be heavily scrutinized.


    Unconcerned with all of this, Julien practiced with his team.


    He was just about to spar with Anders when Kiera approached him.


    "Hey, do you seriously not care?"


    Stopping, Julien frowned.


    "About what?"


    "The interview thing, you know?"


    ".....no."


    "Oh."


    Kiera scratched the side of her face. It seemed like she wanted to ask something but was unsure of how to ask.


    "What?"


    "So, like..."


    "Do whatever you want."


    "Really?!"


    Kiera''s eyes lit up.


    Looking at her briefly, Julien turned his attention away from her. He wasn''t too bothered to figure out what she wanted. He just let her be. Wasn''t as though she wasn''t going to do it if he didn''t give her permission.


    "Yes."


    "....!"


    A new interview was released shortly after that.


    Q : With a lot of the fire on your team captain, your team is currently under a lot of pressure. Do you have anything to say to that?


    A : Yes.


    Q : What is it?


    A : Suck my ba-


    ***


    There were only three days left until the midterms.


    sses had already stopped a week before the midterms. With cadets from the other Academiesing into the Academy, the air was rather tense.


    All teams were getting ready for the uing evaluation. The same was true for my team as we all woke up early in the morning to train.


    3 am.


    "Fuck, kill me... Why are we doing this so early in the morning?"


    We would start the day with physical training. Running for ten kilometers for the first ten minutes, and then going to the weight rooms to train our bodies.


    Such was the n.


    5 am.


    nk--!


    "Come here! I''ll fuck you up!!"


    We would then move to the dummy area where we spent the next few hours sparring against them. Kiera appeared rather aggressive today.


    I didn''t pay much attention to her and just focused on the dummy in front of me.


    Time passed on like that.


    It was now 8 am.


    The team was now sitting at arge table where we all had our breakfast. Everyone seemed to be somewhat nervous about theing examinations. Especially when considering the scale of the entire event.


    "Are you not nervous?"


    Overhearing Josephine''s question, I turned to face her.


    ".....Nervous?"


    Was I nervous?


    I was extremely nervous. If I were to fail the examination then I would be in a lot of trouble. It wasn''t something that I could fail.


    It was for that reason that I pushed even more than before.


    Still, I couldn''t show that I was nervous. It wasn''t because I didn''t want to show weakness or something meaningless like that.


    It more had to do with the fact that as the leader, I couldn''t show them that I was nervous. A nervous leader wasn''t a good leader.


    So for that reason, I shook my head and replied.


    "No."


    "Wow~ Here I am, shivering every day."


    "You and your nonsense again..."


    Kiera grumbled by the side, scooping some of the cereal in her mouth.


    "All ywo fwuking do... much... iws twalk a lot of nwonsense... munch."


    "Ugh, speak after you swallow your food."


    Gulp.


    "I do whatever the fuck I want."


    "Yah, yah. I saw."


    "Kaka. What did you think of the interview? Did you see their reactions?"


    "It''s disgusting."


    "You say that, but the same applies to you."


    "That''s disgusting."


    "Enough you two. Stop trying to start a fight. After you''re done, let''s go to the training grounds. They''re going to announce the name of the event soon."


    In response to Luxon''s words, Kiera and Josephine quieted down and hurried to eat their breakfast. Unlike the two, I kept at my pace.


    While it was indeed true that the ''team event'' would be announced today, that would be in two hours.


    There was no need to rush.


    "Eat slowly. We''ll train more."


    "Uh?"


    "Ah? We''re training more...? What sort of..."


    I felt all eyes pause on me. I didn''t pay attention to the looks they were giving me. Cleaning my mouth, I stood up.


    "Team sparring. Let''s go."


    "....No way, we just came back from training."


    "What sort of...!"


    Ignoring their words, I headed out of the canteen and proceeded to head back towards the training grounds.


    There was no time to spare.


    Along the way, I sighed.


    "Come on, make it quick...."


    By now, I was just waiting for the quest window to pop up. Every day, I would wake up to check if I received a new notification.


    With how things usually flowed, it was bound to happen.


    I just hoped it''d show up early so that I could better prepare for it, but...


    "It''s noting."


    Regardless of how much I waited, the notification never came. There were only three days left now, and the more things were dyed, the more disadvantageous things would be for me.


    I was just waiting at this point.


    ''Either nothing happens and the entire event is a good one, or something will happen and the quest window is going to appear soon.''


    To be honest, I was leaning more towards thetter.


    After getting a better idea of the sheer size and power of the organization, all hopes of the Academy thwarting whatever schemes they had disappeared.


    While it was true that Delh was present, thinking about the faceless man, I quite frankly didn''t think she was as strong as him.


    Rather, I thought she was inferior to him.


    And not by a small margin.


    "Crazy."


    It was a crazy thought.


    For someone to be stronger than Delh...


    Just what was stopping him from conquering the entire world?


    "Haa."


    The more I thought about the faceless man, the more nervous I became. But even so, I had no choice but to look ahead.


    I still had time...


    Not much, but I had time.


    "¡ª!" Just as I took another step forward, the world around me froze and I lost control of my body.


    ''Ah, there it is...''


    A vision.


    ''As expected, some bullshit is about to happen.''


    The world around me started to shift and turn. Blinking twice, I found myself inside a small restaurant.


    Two unfamiliar people stood on the opposite end of the table. Their figures appeared to be quite hazy, making it hard for me to decipher their appearance.


    No, in fact, the entire vision appeared rather blurry.


    ''What''s going on?''


    It was the first time that I had experienced a vision like this. It was odd.


    "What do you think?"


    Even so, I had no choice but to pay close attention to the conversation. All information was vital.


    "....Well, I don''t know. The situation is messed up. There''s a lot of attention currently focused on Haven and the Chancellor."


    A lot of attention focused on Haven and the Chancellor?


    I perked up my ears to listen carefully.


    "It can''t be helped. After the incident during the midterms, there''s been a lot ofints. The Royal family is using the situation to take her down a notch."


    "Ugh, how annoying. It wasn''t even her fault."


    "Not her fault? She''s the one overseeing Haven. It''s her responsibility to look after these things."


    "Please. You know damn well it''s not her fault. She may be strong, but she isn''t omnipotent. If there''s anyone to me, then me the inspectors. This is all their fault, to begin with. Had they not been sozy...!"


    "Stop, you don''t know that."


    "But...!"


    The conversation started to get heated from that point. Straining my ears, I tried to pick up for any more words.


    ".....Oy."


    But before I knew it, I was back in the training grounds.


    Before me, Kiera stood.


    Sporting a frown, she looked at me.


    "What are you doing?"


    "...Nothing."


    I brushed her words away. However, from the corner of my eyes, I nced at the notification that popped up.


    My heart dropped.


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated : Midterms.]


    : Character Progression + 207%


    : Game Progression + 11%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1 + 15%


    : Cmity 2 + 15%


    : Cmity 3 + 15%


    ''....So the main storyline is starting.''


    The stakes suddenly increased dramatically, and so did the rewards. Silently clenching my teeth, I brushed the notification to the side and stared at my group.


    With heavy expressions, they all appeared to be stretching.


    I pursed my lips.


    "....About training."


    Everyone raised their heads to look at me. Even though I hadn''t said anything, Kiera''s expression suddenly changed.


    So did Josephine''s.


    "You wouldn''t dare...!"


    "No!"


    I didn''t care for their screams and curses.


    Stretching my arm, I muttered,


    "We''re doubling it."

 Chapter 104 Midterms [2]

    <h4>Chapter 104 Midterms [2]</h4>


    "Everything is ready. There shouldn''t be a problem."


    As Megrail casually sat on his chair while looking at the scenery outside. A small orb rested on the wooden table beside him.


    "If everything goes well, then we can push the narrative forward. Add a little bit more oil to the fire, and we''ll be able to get her out of the Academy."


    ¡ªThat''s good.


    A soft voice replied from the orb.


    It was unknown to anyone but As who the voice belonged to.


    ¡ªWhat about the kid? Did you let him in on the n?


    "Kid? Hm, you mean Phecda?"


    ¡ªHe''s quite a promising prospect. His talent evaluation has him as a potential ''Fiend Rank Prospect.''


    "Fiend, you say?"


    Leaning on his chair, As thought back to Phecda.


    Within the organization there were ranks. They went as follows; Discardable, Crazed, Fallen, Fiend, Low-seat, High-seat.


    The highest rank within the organization was the High-Seat, something of which he was a member of. It was the highest rank within the organization, with only the leader ranking higher.


    Below them were Low-seats, those that had the potential to be High-seats but weren''t quite there yet.


    Fiends came after.


    Strong members with a lot of potential, but easily controlled.


    Thinking about the conversation he had with Phecda not so long ago, As suddenly smiled.


    ".....I wonder about that."


    ¡ªYou wonder? Is there something wrong with Phecda?


    "No, nothing."


    As shook his head. He had only had a brief conversation with him. He wasn''t quite sure of whether he had a potential higher than his current ''fiend'' ranked potential.


    From what he saw, he had the makings of someone who could be a seat.


    ''Well, who knows...''


    The future was hard to predict. He needed to observe more beforeing to a proper conclusion.


    In any case, he remembered what the question was about, and answered.


    "I didn''t let him in on the n, but I''ll probably tell him that something is going to happen."


    ¡ªOh?


    There were no hints of surprise in the voice. It was as if they could tell exactly what As was thinking.


    ¡ªLet me guess. You want to see if he''s capable of stopping what we''ve done.


    "You know me well."


    Asughed as his finger drummed lightly against the wooden table beside him.


    "If we let him in on the n, and he tries to stop it to buy ''her'' trust, then it might look too unnatural. It might even make things look suspicious."


    ¡ªYou''re right.


    "If he can stop it, then there''s a chance he might earn her trust. If he fails, then our n seeds and we can push her out of the Academy. Both are tempting options."


    ¡ª....It looks like you''ve thought about all possible scenarios.


    "Hmm."


    Leaning his head back, As''s gaze drifted into a haze, his eyes losing their focus. It was as if he had been transported to another realm, detached from the present moment.


    Gradually, his eyes closed.


    "Haaa..."


    He let out a long breath.


    "All scenarios... I wonder about that."


    ***


    9:58 a.m.


    A few minutes before the announcement.


    "Haaa... Haaa... That''s it....! Haa... The announcement is... Haa... about toe. I can''t take it anymore."


    "Yes... Haa..."


    "No... More..."


    "Huuu."


    Taking a deep breath, I wiped the sweat from my body. My entire body was screaming with pain, and looking at the others who appeared to be utterly exhausted, I wiped my forehead.


    "I guess we can take a break."


    Thump. Thump...!


    Kiera and Josephine dropped to the ground at the same time.


    "Haa... I''m dying."


    "W-water."


    Perhaps because I had been training with incredible intensity ever since I had entered the Academy, I was used to the high-intensity training unlike everyone else who was showing signs of exhaustion. In particr, Kiera and Josephine were breathing hard as theyy t on the ground.


    The other two didn''t seem to be as tired.


    But I could tell from just a nce that they shared the same sentiments as the girls.


    I shrugged my shoulders.


    ''.....They''re supposed to be the elites of this world. This shouldn''t be too much for them.''


    I was still weaker than them. That much was clear to me. However, the gap which seemed insurmountable at the start was starting to shrink.


    It became clear to me why. Compared to them, I was putting an extra 3 to 5 hours into training. The extra hours were allowing me to close the gap between us.


    "Oh, the announcement is here!"


    Suddenly sitting up straight, Kiera took out a small orb.


    There, she started to read.


    [Midterm Announcement :


    ¡ªLabyrinth.


    Explore the artificialbyrinth with team members. Points will be awarded for each monster that is killed.


    At the end of thebyrinth, there will be a boss monster.


    Combat with other teams is allowed. The team with the most points will win.


    Announcement End]


    The awaited announcement regarding the midterms arrived just as anticipated.


    "Abyrinth...?"


    Everyone was staring at the orb in Kiera''s hand as it disyed a message above, almost like a hologram.


    ''What happens if I pass my hand through...?''


    Would it pass through the projection?


    "This is interesting."


    Kiera was the first one to voice out her thoughts.


    "So not only do we get to fight monsters, but we also get to fight other cadets?"


    "It seems like it."


    Luxon replied from the side.


    "If we defeat the other teams, all their points will be transferred to us."


    "Hehehe."


    Covering her mouth, Kiera started tough to herself while quietly mumbling things like, ''fucking bastards, I''ll show you that I wasn''t lying in the interview...''


    Josephine''s face scrunched up on the side.


    "It can''t be that..."


    "Kakaka."


    Briefly staring at them and then the announcement, I took my attention away from them and thought back to the vision. It had been nagging at the back of my mind for the past several hours.


    ''...As usual, there''s not much I can work with.''


    The only thing that I was able to pick up was that the bacsh from the entire situation was going to affect Delh.


    Perhaps, this was in fact the goal of the organization.


    It wouldn''te as a surprise to me if that were to be the case. I wasn''t exactly sure what their goal was, but given that I was here, there was something that the organization wanted from the Academy.


    If that was the case, then Delh was most likely their biggest obstacle.


    "Hmm."


    But what exactly were they nning?


    ''Should I just go ahead and ask?''


    This option wasn''t exactly out of the table. I didn''t want to, but it would clear up a lot of my troubles.


    ''Then again, if they wanted my assistance, I''m sure they would''ve told me something was up by now...''


    Still, it wasn''t as though I was without any clues.


    There was in fact one clue that I had managed to pick up from the conversation.


    ''If there''s anyone to me, then me the inspectors.''


    It wasn''t hard to piece out all the pieces from there. So long as I figured out who the inspectors were, and what their job was, then I figured that I would be able to figure everything out.


    "Hoo."


    Letting out a long breath, I stretched my arms a little.


    ''I guess I''ll start there.''


    But first...


    "Are you guys ready?"


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    Frowning, I stood up.


    "We''ve had enough rest. Let''s start again."


    But just as I stood up, I stopped and noticed that something was wrong with the others.


    Their expressions...


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    They looked like they were constipated.


    ***


    Haven Education Department.


    There was a conference held by the high-ranking members of Haven and the other Academies.


    There were ten people in total, consisting of Haven Chancellor Delh Rosemberg, Chancellor Joffrey Stein, Chancellor Merylin Parlias, and a few other notable figures belonging to the other renowned Academies within the Empire.


    In order to ensure that everything flowed smoothly, a meeting was taking ce.


    With that being said, the current focus was on the expected viewership of the event.


    "Thest time we held a simr event, we reached a viewership count of about 20 million active watchers. The annual draft receives about 100 million, so realistically speaking, we should be aiming for 20 million plus."


    The viewership was important. The midterms weren''t only about testing the cadets so that the Guilds had more information about them, but it was also a source of ie for the Academies.


    With people subscribing to the event, the Academies would receive a percentage of the profiting from the viewership.


    It costs a lot of money to run an Academy.


    For that reason, events such as these were regarded with high importance.


    "We''ve already marketed our sides quite well. Johnathan has a lot of pull in our region."


    "The same goes for our Karl. We''ve run a few promotional campaigns."


    "We say that our goal is 20 million, but I think we can aim higher. This year prospects are very promising."


    "Say, 30 million?"


    All in all, it was a fairly normal conversation.


    Sitting by the side, Delh watched all of this with an indifferent expression. The reality was that she felt sleepy.


    Hearing the other Academies brag about their cadets was something she wasn''t particrly interested in.


    That was until Joffrey Stein, Chancellor of Montel Institute spoke up.


    "There''s something that I''d like to address."


    The atmosphere turned quiet as his deep voice echoed out. With everyone''s attention focused on him, he tapped on his mana pad and disyed a certain interview.


    It was an interview that everyone was all too familiar with.


    ¡ªWith a lot of the fire on your team captain, your team is currently under a lot of pressure. Do you have anything to say to that?


    ¡ªYes.


    ¡ªWhat is it?


    ¡ªSuck my ba-


    His gaze turned towards Delh.


    "Haven needs to think of properly punishing their cadets. This type of conduct is embarrassing."


    Following his words, Delh frowned. Before she could say anything else, as if in agreement, several other members present spoke up.


    "Her behavior is indeed inappropriate."


    "....I agree. She must be punished."


    "We can''t encourage such behavior. It might impact the viewership rating of the event. We must do something about it before the citizens think that the cadets are some crude kids that can''t control their mouths."


    Words of criticism continued for a long time. Very obviously, the members of the other Academies weren''t pleased with the way a few of Haven''s cadets behaved during the interview.


    After quietly epting all the condemnations, Delh looked around the room.


    "....Is that what everybody thinks?"


    "Yes, we must punish her and release a statement condemning her actions. There''s a high chance we might lose viewership because of the interview. It''s best if we do something about it quickly."


    "I agree."


    "Same."


    It was the inevitable oue. Kiera had indeed gone a little overboard with the interview.


    The public bacsh was quite severe with several hatements directed towards her and her team.


    Had it been any other asion, Delh would''ve agreed with their requests.


    However...


    "No."


    Delh shook her head.


    ".....There''s no need to punish her. In fact, we should all be praising her."


    "Uh?"


    "What sort of..."


    "We were at 15 million before the interview."


    "....?"


    Sliding a paper across the table, her eyes traced the very top of it where it read;Current subscription count: 83 million.


    "We''re now at 83 million."


    The event.


    It had blown up.


    All of it thanks to one simple interview.

 Chapter 105 Midterms [3]

    <h4>Chapter 105 Midterms [3]</h4>


    "So I have to fill this first?"


    "Yes, please. After you fill the sheet you can collect the bracelets."


    "Okay..."


    Staring at the piece of paper in front of me, I took a pen and started to fill it. It was just basic stuff. Name, date of birth, and so on...


    Within a few minutes, I was done.


    Or so I thought.


    ".....Team name?"


    I paused to look at thest gap that I needed to fill. Team name. How was I supposed to fill this?


    Looking around me, I could see hundreds of different cadets roaming around the hall. There were a lot of unfamiliar faces. Meeting the gazes of a few, I noticed obvious hints of hostility.


    In particr, I noticed a few gazes in the distance staring at me with hints of mockery.


    They weren''t even trying to hide their disdain as they spoke in loud voices.


    "He''s weak."


    "This is the best that there is in Ha-"


    Just a lot of nonsense. I couldn''t be bothered to hear all of it. Kiera would''ve been perfect for such asions.


    With how she usually acted, she would''ve probably beaten them all on the spot.


    Currently, all team leaders for the uing event were called up to collect the rule book, and ''bracelets'' which were supposed to be handed to all team members.


    It was a low-ranked relic. A one-time use. In case a dangerous situation urred, the bracelet would shatter and the spell [Barrier] would evoke, protecting the cadet from suffering any meaningful injuries.


    Besides that, it also ryed the teams the overall scores of their team and the other teams.


    It was a must-have item.


    That said...


    "Is it possible for me toe back in ten minutes?"


    "Yes?"


    "I wasn''t told that I needed toe up with a team name. Can I talk it over with my team?"


    "Ah, no. Unfortunately, not. We need the documents signed quickly, and an announcement was made. I''m not sure how you weren''t aware of it."


    ".....Right."


    So they made an announcement...


    It was bullshit, but what could I do? Staring at the paper in front of me, I sighed before jotting down a team name.


    "He..."


    I decided to go with the most random name I could think of.


    It wasn''t going to matter anyway.


    "Here you go."


    Once I was done filling out the paper, I handed it to one of the assistants on-site who handed me five bracelets. They were rather heavy to the touch and were also rather thick.


    Just as I was about to put on my bracelet, one of the assistants stopped me and warned me.


    "The moment you put on the bracelet, you will feel a little bit of pain. Please don''t worry. It''s part of the procedure."


    "Hm?"


    Pain?


    Why would there be pain?


    "The bracelet does more than just protect you and disy your team points. It also measures your heart rate and mana capacity. If something is wrong, we''ll be quickly alerted. To do that, it''ll insert small needles into your skin."


    "Oh..."


    That made sense, but needles...


    "....."


    I stared at the device before putting it on.


    As expected, a pain dide, but it didn''t hurt as much as I thought it would. Rather, it felt more like a pinch.


    "Wow, you''re rather resilient. You''re the first cadet who didn''t as much as flinch. I''m impressed."


    "....Thank you."


    I wasn''t sure whether thepliment was real or not, but I still thanked him.


    I was just about to leave when I heard a soft whisper reach my ear.


    "There''s no problem with your bracelet."


    My steps stopped and I flicked my head to look back. However, the assistant from before had long disappeared from my sight.


    "Where did..."


    But it didn''t take long for me to understand what had happened.


    ''....It''s them.''


    The organization.


    Lowering my head, I stared at the bracelet again. For them to contact me now of all times...


    "How annoying."


    Especially since I already knew that there was something wrong with the bracelets. After a little investigation, the only possible inspectors that were mentioned in the visions were the ones who checked the bracelets before they were handed over to the cadets.


    It was obvious to me that whatever was going to happen, had something to do with the bracelets.


    They were the only things that the cadets were allowed to bring to the examination.


    "....What should I do?"


    It was a troublesome situation.


    The only message that I received was a simple, ''There''s no problem with your bracelet.''?What did this even mean?


    Don''t interfere? Interfere? Do whatever you want...?


    "Haaa..."


    I massaged my forehead.


    "Why wou-"


    Halting mid-sentence, I pursed my lips. I suddenly started to have an understanding of the situation.


    "So that''s how it is."


    I didn''t know how to react. No, rather. I felt like utter shit.


    ''In the end, they''re just treating me as a pawn.''


    It didn''t take much for me to piece the pieces together. By telling me this information, they were essentially giving me a chance to prevent whatever they were doing.


    It was almost as if they were treating this entire situation as if it was a game.


    Either way, they weren''t going to lose out.


    If I were to seed, then Delh would ''trust'' me more. If I were to fail, then their n was going to seed.


    Whatever I did, they would benefit.


    That feeling...


    ''It''s disgusting.''


    The feeling of being treated as a mere pawn. I had a hard time trying to stomach it. However, despite my apprehensions about it, I didn''t let my frustrations out.


    There was no need for me to show my disgust towards the situation.


    At the end of the day, I was also ying with both sides.


    "Haha."


    The irony of the situation made meugh.


    "Right, right..."


    Fiddling with the bracelets, I took a second look behind me before leaving the premises.


    ".....Guess I''ll continue to y along."


    ***


    Three days passed in a sh. It was now the day of the midterms.


    [Is everyone ready...?]


    The [Labyrinth Raid] was one of the most anticipated events in recent history within the Empire. The viewership, which had been expected to be within 20-30 million, surpassed that by arge margin, hitting numbers closely resembling that of the yearly draft.


    The media was naturally very interested in the event with recording devices set up all over Haven''s arena grounds.


    Within the tunnels that led to the main stage, the loud voice of the announcer echoed through.


    [....In a short moment, we will announce the participating teams'' names. Please show your support once theye out. For now, let''s wee the members of Montel Institute!]


    In the corner of the tunnel was a small disy that shed as Johnathan Monroe, the genius of Montel Institute proudly stood with his sword raised. Behind him were his other group members.


    "Wooo¡ª!"


    The cheers of the crowd reached the tunnels.


    "Wow, holy shit."


    Staring at the end of the tunnel where the crowd was, Kiera blinked her eyes rapidly. Feeling the thunderous atmosphere outside, she felt subtle goosebumps run down her body.


    ".....I can feel the ground quaking by how loud they are."


    Standing beside her, Josephine stood rigidly. Her face was entirely pale as she held onto the side of the wall to support herself.


    "R-r-re-all-y?"


    "What''s wrong with you?"


    "N-n-not-h-in-g. I''m f-f-ine."


    "Pussy."


    "Ah...."


    "Knock it off, Kiera. Can''t you see she''s nervous?"


    Unable to take it anymore, Luxon interfered. Instantly, Kiera''s face scrunched up as she looked up at him.


    ".....Then get her to calm down. In her current state, she''ll probably get knocked out by the wind."


    "That''s..."


    Luxon''s lips twitched.


    He couldn''t argue with that...


    "But still. You''re making the situation worse."


    "Ah, please."


    Kiera waved her hand dismissively before looking towards the end where a figure appeared. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, he appeared to be deep into his own thoughts.


    Kiera called out for him.


    "Oy."


    And he opened his eyes.


    "....."


    "What are you looking at me like that for?"


    She pointed towards Josephine who was now on her knees, nkly staring towards the ceiling while silently mumbling, ''I''m not nervous. You''re nervous. No, you.''


    Kiera''s eyes widened.


    "Crap, she''s fucking lost it."


    "...."


    Seeing that Julien was still silent, she frowned.


    "What? Say something."


    "Something."


    "Uh?"


    "I said something."


    "The f-Haa, shit."


    Covering her forehead, Kiera clicked her tongue. How useless could one get? She was just about to take matters into her own hands when she recalled something.


    "Oh, right. What''s our group name?"


    At that question, all heads flicked in Julien''s direction. Even Josephine''s head turned as she finally seemed to have recovered a little bit.


    The news about a sudden team name had left everyone stunned. Because that bast-guy, had forced them to train so hard for over the past week, they hadn''t seen the announcement about the need toe up with a team name.


    In the end, Julien was the one who had named their team. Three days had passed since then, and even now they still weren''t aware of what their team name was.


    "....."


    Feeling everyone''s gaze, Julien remained silent.


    "So...?"


    Only when Kiera urged him did he reply.


    "I didn''t put much thought in the name."


    "Okay, and...?"


    "That''s it."


    "Uh?"


    Kiera blinked. So did the others. Frowning, Luxon spoke in Kiera''s stead.


    "We''re about to get called up soon. Shouldn''t you tell us what the name is so that we won''t get confusedter?"


    "Confused?"


    Julien suddenly looked up. All of a sudden, the corner of his lips lifted and everyone''s expressions froze.


    They felt chills.


    "Did he just..."


    "Yeah."


    "What is...? He can smile?"


    "....."


    Unbothered by theirments, Julien moved away from the wall and stepped ahead, heading deeper into the tunnel.


    Just in time, the light that signaled for them to enter shed.


    As everyone stared at him in confusion, his even voice quietly reached their ears.


    "There''s no need to worry about getting confused."


    "....?"


    "What does that even mean?"


    "Hold up, wait!"


    Following him from behind, the five of them headed out of the tunnel. Along the way, Kiera would pester him for answers, but all she''d receive was the cold shoulder.


    From the outside, the cameras picked up their appearance, and the stadium roared with cheers.


    "Uwaaaah! Hooooo¡ª! Kiera!!"


    "Ahhhh! They''re here! Kill them!"


    "Boooo!"


    It was a mix of cheers and jeers. Nheless, their appearance sparked something within the crowd as the entire stadium shook.


    "Wow, shit!"


    "Ah...! I think I''m going to faint."


    Kiera flinched and Josephine almost tripped over her own feet. Thankfully, Anders supported her in the nick of time.


    "Woooo¡ª!"


    The crowd''s reception was drastically differentpared to the other teams that had already set foot into the stadium. It was a lot more heated.


    If not for the fact that a protective shield separated the crowd from the cadets, things would''ve been thrown at them.


    The recording devices picked all of this up as their faces appeared on the magical screens up above the arena grounds, and finally, the long-awaited announcement came.


    [Let''s wee the newest team....]


    With a short pause, the recording devices zoomed in to pick up the faces of the team.


    Staring up ahead, they seemed to be eager to hear their names. They were indeed eager.


    Just what was their team name going to be?


    With bated breaths, they waited for the announcement which came shortly after.


    [.....Julien and his sidekicks!]


    At that moment...


    Besides Julien, all the other members'' expressions twisted as their heads flicked towards him.


    "....."


    Staring back for a brief moment, his head turned and he acted as if nothing had happened.


    However, if one paid close attention, they''d notice a subtle tremble of his shoulders.


    "H-ho..."


    Noticing this, Kiera felt her chest tremble. Taking a step forward, she brought her hands forward.


    His neck. His thick and sturdy neck¡­ In Kiera''s eyes, it looked lonely.


    The others quickly widened their eyes.


    "Wait! Kiera...!"


    "No, stop!"


    "Not here!"


    "I''ll kill you!"

 Chapter 106 Labyrinth [1]

    <h4>Chapter 106 Labyrinth [1]</h4>


    "Uwaaa¡ª!"


    The moment Julien and his team entered the stadium, all eyes fell on them as the audience thunderously cheered or booed them. Their reception was vastly differentpared to the other teams who had already entered.


    "...He''s the ck Star?"


    "As expected, he''s not that strong."


    Karl Redhouse, a cadet with short red hair and eyes stood with his arms crossed. Standing on his spot, he casually observed the new entrants.


    His innate skill was [Aura Detection]. So long as the gap wasn''t that big, it granted him the ability to have a general idea of someone''s strength.


    Generally, in his field of view, he was able to see hues. The thicker, andrger the hue was, the stronger the individual was.


    "He''s decent."


    Such was his evaluation of Julien after using his skill on him.


    A purple hue surrounded his body. It was neither thick nor thin. Just average.


    ".....That chick with tinum hair is strong though."


    In fact, upon closer look, within his group, he had the weakest aura. All his other teammates had thicker aura than him.


    ''That said, I heard he''s an Emotive Mage.''


    His Aura Detection wasn''t able to assess Emotive Mages. But it wasn''t as though he was worried about that.


    To him, the one that stood out the most to him was the tinum-haired girl. She was certainly something...


    "What are they doing...?"


    A cold voice echoed from the side. Turning his head, Karl caught a glimpse of a young woman with short blue hair and subtly smirked.


    Amelia Clementine of the Silver Wing Institute. As expected, her aura was just asrge as the tinum-haired girl from Haven.


    Staring into the distance, her brows knit.


    "Are they fighting?"


    "They''re a bunch of clowns."


    Her voice was followed by an indifferent one from the side. Turning his head, Karl''s eyes paused on the ck-haired youth.


    Johnathan Monroe.


    "...."


    Immediately, Karl''s expression turned grim. It wasn''t because he had bad blood with him, but his aura... It was shocking.


    To the point where even Amelia''s seemed to be overwhelmed.


    ''A monster.''


    Such was Karl''s evaluation of Johnathan. Still, swallowing his words, he remained calm and turned his attention back towards the group in question.


    They were currently...


    "Uh?"


    Stunned, Karl blinked his eyes to make sure he wasn''t seeing wrong. Blinking again, and seeing the tinum-haired girl being held back by her other team members as their team leader stood still expressionlessly, Karl didn''t know how to react.


    "What the hell..."


    "I guess they weren''t aware that their team was going to be named as such."


    Overhearing Amelia''s words, realization finally dawned on Karl and heughed.


    "So that''s how it is..."


    Julien and his sidekicks. Looking at how the team was, he shook his head.


    "It doesn''t seem like we''ll need to worry much about them, then."


    Their overall strength was quite good, butpared to their teams, it wasgging by a little. With that being said, the main reason he didn''t see them as a threat was that they didn''t even seem to be able to work as a team.


    "They don''t have any chemistry."


    It was an observation that everyone agreed to. It was a little disappointing when he thought about it.


    After all that talk...


    [Next up, let''s wee the next team from Haven.]


    Yet again, the announcer''s voice echoed throughout the entire arena grounds.


    All heads turned towards a certain tunnel.


    ''The next Haven team.''


    To be honest, Karl had some expectations. The team leader for the next Haven team was supposed to be Aoife K. Megrail.


    In everyone''s eyes, she was the real ck Star. It was still a mystery to them how she had not be one.


    ''.....I wonder how strong her team is.''


    In Karl''s opinion, it was going to rival Johnathan''s.


    And then, their team name was called.


    [.....Please wee, Dream Catcher.]


    Booom!


    The surroundings shook as the audience roared with excitement.


    "Waaah¡ª"


    Aoife, as a member of the royal family, was an idol to most citizens. Despite some of the tyrannical rules implemented by the Megrail family, they were still extremely respected.


    Therefore, the moment she stepped out of the tunnels, to reveal her long flowing red hair, peerless beauty, and yellow pupils, the entire arena grounds quaked with excitement.


    "Aoife!!"


    "Wooooo¡ª!"


    "ck Star!"


    There were even chants about the ck Star mixed within. The sight was one to behold, but...


    "W-what is this...? H-how?"


    Karl found himself shuddering at the sight before him.


    Not one, not two, but three.


    Overwhelming their surroundings, Karl stared at the three massive auras off in the distance.


    In particr, he stared at the aura that came from a young man with ck hair and gray eyes. He was handsome, almost as much as Haven''s ck Star, but unlike him, his aura...


    "Ah, this..."


    It was overwhelming.


    Almost to the point where it felt suffocating.


    "How is this possible?"


    ***


    The moment Aoife''s team, which included Leon and Evelyn, entered the arena grounds, the entire surroundings shook with fervor. It was to the point where I had to cover my ears given how loud the noise was.


    From above, I could see the recording devices centered towards them.


    "Ah, shit¡ª!


    With how loud it was, I could barely hear Kiera as she covered her ears with both hands.


    Thankfully, this didn''tst for very long. Once the cheers ended, the announcer shared the rules of the match. It was something that we as a team had already gone over beforehand so it wasn''t anything new.


    In the end, after a few minutes of talk, we were all led towards separate tunnels.


    [Exams begin]


    And with the announcer''s words, the test began.


    Immediately, all teams entered their respective tunnel. We did so as well. But unlike the other teams, we weren''t in a rush.


    Tok¡ª


    The quiet sound of our footsteps echoed as we found ourselves in arge squared tunnel.?Walking at the front, thin threads moved out from my hand.


    They snaked forward, moving along the path.


    As we moved, a small device hovered around us. It was most likely the monitoring device for the audience and staff.


    Just as I took several steps forward, I heard Kiera''s voice from behind.


    "Oh, shit."


    Turning my head, I noticed that she was staring at her bracelet. Curious, I looked at mine too and understood why she was reacting like that.


    ¡ª [Team Score] ¡ª


    [Dream Catcher] - 110 Points


    [Swords of Fiest] - 85 Points


    [Crow''s Dance] - 66 Points


    .


    .


    [Julien and his sidekicks] - 0 Points


    ¡ª [Team Score] ¡ª


    "Eh? How are they so fast...?


    "I mean, it''s them, so..."


    Anders was the one who responded to Josephine''s question.


    "Uh, yeah but still... This is crazy..."


    The monsters within the Labyrinth were the same as the ones from the Mirror Dimension. Because of the general strength of the cadets, the monsters included in the dungeon ranked from Infant to Junior rank.


    An infant-ranked beast was equivalent to 5 points, while a Junior ranked was 100 points.


    "....Not even two minutes passed, and they''ve killed a Junior and two infants?"


    Josephine muttered with a baffled look.


    Staring at her watch, her face paled.


    "At this rate, we might not even rank within the top."


    "Fuck!"


    Cursing, Kiera looked at me.


    "Oy, you. Let''s pick up the pace."


    "No."


    "Uh?"


    "We go at the same pace."


    "But¡ª"


    "No."


    Kiera raised her hands again. It looked like she was eyeing my neck again. Without sparing her another nce, I borated.


    "We''ve already discussed this beforehand. There will be a boss at the center of the maze. It will count for 5000 points. I''d rather conserve my energy and face the boss monster than waste time fighting a bunch of weak monsters."


    This was something that we had already decided beforehand.


    They were probably taken aback by the strong start from the other teams. I couldn''t me them, but if we wanted to win, this was the best method.


    Furthermore...


    I nced at my bracelet.


    ''I''m sure things will be annoying further down the line.''


    It was for that reason that we couldn''t afford to waste any energy.


    At least, not yet.


    ***


    In another part of the maze.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Several figures shed quickly. Their speed was extremely fast, and wherever they passed, corpses would appear.


    Hieeek¡ª!


    A screech resounded upfront.


    "I''ve got it."


    Aoife pushed her hand forward, and arge snake floated in the air. Waving her hand, the snake sttered against the wall of the maze.


    A chime rang from the bracelet shortly after.


    [+10 Points]


    Swoosh¡ª


    The group didn''t stop.


    Kracka! Kracka!


    From lightning to sword shes. Wherever they went, all that would be left was devastation.


    [+10 Points] [+10 Points] [+10 Points]


    Chimes continued to ring constantly.


    They were simply unstoppable. Such seamless teamwork and coordination, left the spectators watching outside in a stupor.


    The team carried on like this for the next few hours.


    They didn''t have a direction. However, they didn''t need a direction.


    "Over here."


    Leon had his instincts. Whenever they encountered a fork road, he''d follow his instincts. It was thanks to this that the team didn''t encounter a single dead end.


    "....Let''s stop here for now."


    But even so, at some point, they did stop.


    "Hooo."


    Aoife took a deep breath and wiped some of the sweat on her forehead. While she wasn''t exactly tired, she was also not exactly energized.


    Looking around, she leaned against one of the walls.


    "Are you guys good?"


    "Haa... A little. Could be better."


    As a mage, Evelyn''s stamina was amongst the lowest within the group. For that reason, she had a harder time conserving her stamina.


    The two other members, Ronald, and Ain were also somewhat tired.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Catching up her breath, Evelyn turned her attention towards Leon who was staring at his bracelet with a frown.


    "What''s wrong...?"


    Staring at her watch, and seeing that they were first at 751 points, with over 90 points ahead of the second team, she was confused by Leon''s reaction.


    "What are you worried about?"


    ".....It''s nothing big."


    Though he said that, Evelyn could tell something was taking over his mind.


    When she turned her head, she also noticed Aoife staring at the watch with a frown. What''s up with these two?


    "Are you guys worried that Sword of Fiest will catch up with us?"


    "No."


    "No."


    The two replied almost at the same time.


    Stunned, Evelyn looked between the two of them. Leon looked away from his bracelet and replied.


    "I''m not worried about them."


    "Then...? Crow''s dance?"


    They were the team headed by Karl Redhouse. He was a strongpetitor, but Evelyn didn''t think he was as strong as Johnathan from Swords of Fiest.


    "Not that too."


    "Not them too...? Ice twist?"


    "No."


    "No?"


    Evelyn blinked and scrolled through the list. They were the top three teams and the ones closest to them. If it wasn''t them, then...


    "Ah."


    Evelyn finally realized and her eyes widened.


    "Them?"


    What sort of...? While she had to agree that Kiera and Luxon were strong, the others were not as strong. Julien was also somewhat strong, but not to the point where he''d worry someone like Leon and Aoife.


    "Julien and his sideki-"


    "Kh."


    A strange noise interrupted Evelyn.


    Pausing, she looked up. Aoife and Leon were staring at her expressionlessly. They were looking at her with the same stoic look they usually wore. Hmm. Could she have heard wrong?


    "Julien and h-"


    "Pft."


    Evelyn blinked.


    Staring at the two of them, her lips twitched. Especially when she noticed that their eyes were both bloodshot.


    What in the world...


    ".....Are you guys okay?"


    In response to her question, Leon took a deep breath and nodded.


    "Yes."


    Aoife did the same.


    "Oh."


    Evelyn casually nodded. Then, just as the two seemed to have gathered their bearings, she quickly spat.


    "Julien and his sidekicks."


    "Pfttt¡ª"

 Chapter 107 Labyrinth [2]

    <h4>Chapter 107 Labyrinth [2]</h4>


    The raid was set tost for approximately ten hours. It wasn''t a long time, but it also wasn''t a short time for these types of events. There were some events that would even run for more than a few weeks.


    This was a moderately small event.


    Even so, it was one that was packed with non-stop action.


    "Whaaa--!"


    "Go! Kill them!"


    "Ahhh!!"


    The crowd maintained the same energy as at the start. In fact, the fervor only seemed to have increased as the rankings were disyed for all to see.


    -- [Team Score] --


    [Dream Catcher] - 915 Points


    [Swords of Fiest] - 885 Points


    [Crow''s Dance] - 876 Points


    .


    .


    .


    -- [Team Score] --


    Since the start, the rankings remained the same. However, slowly but surely, the other teams were slowly starting to catch up with [Dream Catcher] who took a brief pose to rest.


    "Go!!"


    "Johnathan--! You''re only a few points away! You can do it!"


    Needless to say, the atmosphere was heated.


    Especially when they could see all the highlights disyed on therge projections up above. Because the broadcast wasn''t solely focused on one team, the attention would shift from team to team on multiple asions.


    Thanks to this, all that the spectators saw was endless action.


    "Uwaaa!"


    In one of the VIP boxes, several important figures sat, staring at individual projections. Unlike the crowd, they could nce at the individual performances of the teams.


    "It seems like this is going to be a close race."


    Chancellor Joffrey Stein said while massaging his thick beard. In front of him, the team [Sword of Fiest] was disyed.


    In particr, a figure stood out as he cleared most of the monsters by himself. It was none other than Johnathan, the pride of the Montel Institute.


    With a talent that Chancellor Joffrey Stein believed to surpass Aoife of Haven, he was confident in the chance of his Institute team reaching the first rank.


    Especially since they followed a heliocentric system, a system solely centered towards one outstanding figure, which was devised to perfectly maximize Johnathen''s qualities while covering for his inadequacies.


    ''...And people said Helio doesn''t work.''


    The Chancellor chuckled slightly.


    The scene before him was the perfect proof that it worked.


    "Well, the race is indeed close, but at the end of the day, it''ll all boil down to which team gets to the boss monster first and kills it."


    Interrupting his thoughts was Chancellor Merylin Parlias of Rodnea Academy. Leaning back on his chair, and observing her own projection, she brushed one of her golden locks behind her ear.


    "Right now it''s just a warm-up. What really matters at the end of the day is the boss monster. Whoever gets to it first will most likely win thepetition."


    ".....I''m not so sure about that."


    Chancellor Joffrey shook his head in disagreement.


    "While it is true that the boss monster will provide the most points, you forgot something."


    A smile spread across his lips.


    It was a disgusting smile that made Merylin frown.


    ".....Monsters aren''t the only way one can get points."


    "Ah..."


    Realization dawned on the Rodena Chancellor as her expression scrunched up.


    Indeed, monsters weren''t the only way to collect points. So long as a team defeated another, they''d be able to collect the other team''s overall points. The final boss was indeed not thest hurdle.


    Right after defeating the boss, the teams had to find an exit and escape thebyrinth before passing.


    Before that, it was all fair and game.


    "The boss is nice, but just because you can defeat doesn''t mean you''ll end up bing the victor."


    "....."


    At that, Merylin leaned back without saying a single word. The same was true for the other Chancellors as they stared at the screens with somber expressions.


    While everyone already knew this, to say it publically like this left a distaste in the mouths of many.


    "...."


    The only one who appeared unaffected by the entire conversation was Delh who stared stared at her projection. In fact, she hadn''t been listening at all.


    Her current focus was on the groups disyed before her.


    All of whom belonged to Haven.


    So far, they were all performing excellently. However, if Delh had to be honest, her attention was currently focused on two groups.


    [Dream Catcher] and [Julien and his sidekicks]. For some reason, staring at the second group name, Delh found herself raising her brow.


    ''....It rolls well on the tongue.''


    Still, that wasn''t the problem.


    Staring at the ranking board, Delh was unsure of what to make of things.


    [Julien and his sidekicks] - 105 Points.


    Lagging far behind the other Academies, they appeared to be on a leisurely stroll. At the corner of the projection, Delh could see the viewer count.


    At first, it had been at over 7 million viewers.


    It was now at 800 thousand.


    She could also see that the public sentiment was getting worse and worse as time went by. Not only the public but subtly ncing towards the other Chancellors, she could feel from their expressions that they also felt the same way as the public.


    It was embarrassing.


    However, Delh didn''t think the same. Staring at Julien from the screen, her gaze turned somewhat hazy.


    ''....Are they finally going to make a move?''


    ***


    "A monster ahea--"


    "Ahhh!"


    Booom--!


    A fire bloomed in the distance as a powerful shockwave swept the surroundings. My clothes and hair fluttered as a result of the aftershock of the explosion.


    "Th--"


    Booom--!?Booom--!


    Before I could say anything else, I was interrupted by more explosions as Kiera threw one spell after another.


    "Fucking die! Die!"


    Pursing my lips, I looked to the side and saw Josephine standing still with her mouth agape.


    "Wow, she''s totally lost it. Like, totally lost it."


    "...."


    "...."


    Quietly, the others nodded alongside herment.


    Indeed, staring at Kiera, I could see that she had totally lost it. I couldn''t me her. While we weren''t deadst, we weren''t anywhere near the top.


    For someone aspetitive as her, this was torture.


    "....Calm down."


    Moving next to her, I pressed my hand against her shoulder.


    "Wh-....!"


    Her expression immediately changed. Her face morphed from angry to sad to then angry again to then happy.


    "Fuck, shit!"


    A curse inevitably slipped out of her mouth as her face twisted to show all sorts of emotions.


    There were perks to being an Emotive Mage. One such perk was that I could manipte Kiera''s emotions to the point where she became confused about what she was feeling.


    At the same time, it raised a thought in my mind.


    ''I wonder... if I develop my ability more, will I be able to stop them from experiencing a certain emotion?''


    It was an interesting thought.


    Currently, the best that I could do was insert a new emotion into the one that they were already experiencing. In doing so, I put them in a state of confusion which in turn, makes them forget about whatever emotion they were experiencing.


    In this case, I mixed sadness and joy within Kiera''s emotions, eventually toning down whatever anger she had.


    While useful, it did take a bit of mana, and it didn''tpletely clear away her anger.


    What I wanted to know was whether I could directly remove an emotion from their mind for a brief moment of time.


    Fear, anger, sadness... If I could stop someone from experiencing such emotion for a brief moment, during critical moments, then it would prove to be an extremely useful skill.


    Even better, seal all my emotions for a brief moment of time.


    "Alright, stop. You can take your hand off of me."


    Looking at Kiera, and seeing that she had calmed down, I removed my hand from her shoulder.


    As I did, I noticed the others look at me with impressed looks.


    Especially Josephine who raised her thumbs up.


    "As expected of our team leader. You are useful after all."


    "....."


    Pretending to not have heard her words, I shifted my attention back toward the tunnels.


    Closing my eyes, I extended the threads forward. The mana inside of my body started to drain at a faster speed as they extended. However, I continued to do so.


    I wasn''t doing this without reason.


    Along the way, I''d be able to sense the monsters that were ahead. With that, we could prepare for the iing monsters which would put us at an advantage.


    ''There''s a total of ten...''


    "Hm?"


    I suddenly paused.


    I sensed something else.


    "Cadets?"


    I blinked my eyes and turned my head. All of a sudden, everyone''s eyes were fixed on me. Especially Kiera''s. They seemed to be salivating.


    .....If that was even possible.


    "A group?"


    "Yes."


    "....Then?"


    "They seem to be fighting monsters ahead. I''m not sure how many."


    "Ho."


    Kiera''s fingers twitched. Raising her head, she looked at me with an expression that seemed to say, ''We''re killing them, right?''


    Well, killing is a bit...


    "Are we?"


    ".....I guess so."


    While we were indeed going at our own pace, we did need points.


    I didn''t see why not.


    Thus.


    "They''re up ahead."


    "Good, let''s go."


    Thankfully, Kiera didn''t rush by herself and waited for us toe. Retrieving the thread, I led them toward where I hadst sensed the group.


    Tracing my memories, I hurried my footsteps while the others followed behind me. I wasn''t worried about any of us losing sight of each other as I had one of my threads circle everyone''s ankles.


    Of course, it was with their permission.


    As tiny as the threads were, they weren''t hard to detect if they were near.


    I hadn''t yet reached a level where I could do that.


    "....It''s near here."


    Coming to a stop, I brought my finger over my mouth. We were just by the corner, and with a turn, we''d be able to see the other cadets.


    ''If my estimates are correct, they should be fighting monsters.''


    And as expected...


    nk¡ª!


    In the distance, we could hear the loud sound of metal shing. Kiera''s expression lit up at the sound.


    Turning to look at me, I nodded my head and she immediately rushed forward.


    A magic circle had already formed in her hand as her feet slid across the ground and she brought her hand forward.


    "Die you fu-uh?"


    The moment she turned the corner, her expression faltered and her circle shattered.


    Noticing her expression, I instantly had a bad feeling and rushed to turn the tunnel.


    "Oh, god."


    "What...?"


    "Ah!"


    The expression of everyone present changed drastically. Perhaps because I somewhat expected for this to happen, my expression didn''t change.


    "....."


    Standing over the corpses of several cadets was a single hooded figure. In his grasp was a cadet who flung his arms widely.


    In hisst moments, our gazes met.


    His expression seemed to say, ''Help'', but...


    Crack¡ª


    His neck snapped before we could do anything.


    Tik.


    At the same time, the small recording device floating next to us fell on the floor, and the figure turned its head, its hollow gaze focusing on us.


    My body tensed under its gaze.


    The same was true for the others as they got intobat positions.


    "....."


    In the tense silence that suddenly overtook our surroundings, his gaze remained firmly locked on me.


    I didn''t flinch and stared back.


    At that moment, I realized something.


    ''He knows me.''


    No, Julien.

 Chapter 108 Labyrinth [3]

    <h4>Chapter 108 Labyrinth [3]</h4>


    "...."


    A strange silence suddenly took over the surroundings. Standing face to face with the hooded figure, neither side moved.


    ....Or more like, the hooded figure was too concentrated on me to make any moves.


    ''He knows me.''


    The more time passed, the more I was sure about it.


    Whoever was beneath the hood, knew the previous Julien. My fingers twitched at the thought.


    For some reason, I felt a different emotion rather than being scared. I wasn''t sure what that emotion was, but if there was something that I was clear of, it was the fact that I...


    I wanted to see his memories.


    Thud.


    The silence was shattered by the low ''thud'' of the now-deceased cadet''s body hitting the ground. From the side, Josephine flinched involuntarily at the sound.


    On the other hand, Kiera frowned.


    I couldn''t tell what she was thinking. With her gaze fixed on him, it seemed like she realized something.


    ".....Oy."


    And with such thought, she was the first one to speak.


    Her voice attracted the hooded figure''s attention as their head turned to face her. Lowering her head slightly, Kiera looked up.


    "Who are you?"


    It was an unexpected question. No, rather, it was a logical question, but from what her expression previously read, she seemed to be aware of something else.


    "....."


    Her question was met with silence.


    A magic circle flickered in her hand. It was directed towards the hooded figure.


    However, before she could even fully form her magic circle, he disappeared. Time seemed to slow down at that moment.


    Before the others could react, the figure reappeared before me.


    I didn''t react at all.


    But even so, as their hand grasped my shoulder, I felt my body lift up slightly. In thest few seconds, I watched as the others looked at me with widened eyes.


    ''Ah.''


    Then...


    The surroundings changed.


    ***


    It all happened so fast that Kiera hardly had any time to react.


    Her mind had been so preupied with thoughts of the hooded figure being connected with her aunt that she couldn''t react at all when the hooded figure disappeared before her very eyes.


    Shortly after, he reappeared right before Julien.


    "Wa-"


    In thosest moments, her eyes met with Julien''s.


    They...


    Felt oddly calm. Almost as if he had been expecting such a situation. However, Kiera wasn''t sure if what she had seen was true or not as he disappeared alongside the hooded figure shortly after.


    By the time she had moved, they were already gone.


    "....."


    In the silence that suddenly gripped the surroundings, Kiera''s mouth opened and closed repeatedly.


    She was unsure of what to say at the moment.


    "Ha, this..."


    Breaking her out of her thoughts was Josephine who was looking at her bracelet with a pale face.


    "What?"


    "T-that..."


    Frowning, Kiera was about to smack her in the head when Anders spoke for her.


    "The bracelet. It doesn''t work."


    "Mine too."


    Upon hearing Luxon''s confirmation, Kiera looked down at her bracelet and tried to activate it. However, besides the ranking, the emergency function wasn''t working.


    "Fuck."


    A curse slipped out of her mouth then.


    "W-what do we do?"


    Hearing Josephine''s panicked voice, Kiera didn''t answer immediately. For some reason, she recalled a conversation they had a few days ago.


    ''If anything happens to me, you take the lead.''


    Kiera didn''t think much of it back then. She thought that in the case he got injured, or the other teams got him, she''d be the next one to take the lead.


    It made sense since she was the strongest in the team.


    However, thinking back to the calm expression on his face during thosest moments, Kiera had another thought.


    ''What if... What if he expected something like this to happen?''


    It was a ridiculous thought.?One that made absolutely no sense.


    So... why?


    Why did such thoughts keep shing in her mind?


    "Ugh."


    Groaning, Kiera ruffled her hair. Fuck, now''s not the time to think about such things...! Looking around, Kiera''s eyes suddenly paused.


    "....."


    They were fixed on her ankle. There, she could still feel Julien''s thread. Her eyes widened all of a sudden, and she turned in the direction of where the thread was.


    Gritting her teeth, she shouted.


    "Fuck! Follow me...!"


    This guy...


    There was no way he didn''t know about this!


    ***


    ¡ª¡ªA few moments before the attack.


    "....."


    Delh was quietly staring at all the projections of the cadets before her. There were plenty of projections, but with her mind, she could focus on all of them at the same time.


    It was of no burden to her.


    For now, everything was proceeding smoothly.


    All the cadets were advancing at their own pace. Some faster than others.


    Even so, Delh didn''t particrly care about the speed. At the end of the day, what mattered was the final score, not the speed.


    The leading cadets were running through the maze fast because they wanted to get to the boss monster faster, but even that wasn''t a viable solution since it expanded a lot of energy. Only the elites of elites could follow such a reckless strategy.


    It was for that reason that Julien''s team took her interest the most.


    For them to go at such a pace... Surely, they had a n.


    "What the hell?!"


    "....."


    It was at that moment that Delh noticed the first irregrity.


    Lifting her head, she noticed one of the Chancellor''s frowning. Setting her sights on him, Delh recognized him immediately. He was the Chancellor of a medium-sized Academy.


    The Astell Institute.


    It was a respectable Academy.


    However, for some reason, he was currently making a small fuss.


    "What''s going on here? Why is this not working?"


    When she took a better look, Delh did indeed notice a peculiarity with his projection. It was all ck.


    Immediately, her brows trembled slightly.


    ''....It can''t be.''


    Closing her eyes, she spread her mana outwardly. Within a few short moments, they covered the entire stadium and seeped into the tunnels.


    However, she felt something block her attempt just as she did so.


    Immediately, her eyes opened up.


    "....."


    There was no trace of panic in her expression. Looking around, she slowly stood up from her seat and excused herself. Her actions attracted the attention of a few Chancellors, but that was about it.


    They were all too focused on their own cadets.


    "..."


    Moments aftering out of the room, her figure blurred and she arrived at the emergency entrance of the Labyrinth.


    Located outside of the arena, and in a more secluded area of the Academy, where only a couple of small storage buildings stood, it was established so that the participants could be evacuated in case of emergencies.


    The reason why she came here by herself was because she didn''t want to let the news out that something had happened.


    If the news were to spread, the audience would without a doubt start to panic which would cause quite a little bit of trouble. Concerning the other Chancellors, she couldn''t trust any of them.


    Delh preferred to act before anybody noticed anything.


    It was for that reason that she decided to operate by herself.Especially since she also had an idea as to who the ones involved were.


    ''It should be this one.''


    Stepping over a certain area, Delh waved her hand.


    Immediately, the ground fluctuated, revealing what appeared to be arge metallic trap door. Glowing in a multitude of colors were a set of runes.


    Delh was just about to enter when she heard a voiceing from behind.


    ".....I wouldn''t do that if I were you."


    Without saying a word, Delh turned her head.


    An unexpected figure appeared.


    "Aziel Kleber."


    One that Delh was somewhat familiar with. He was a known criminal within the Empire. Someone whom the royal family put a heavy bounty on.


    ''So he''s also a part of them...''


    It wasn''t as though she didn''t expect it.


    With a wave of her hand, the space around them fluctuated, and a dome covered their surroundings.


    ''Space separation''


    It was one of her spells¡ªa creation that enabled her to fashion a separate dimension, isting individuals within it.


    With this technique, she didn''t need to worry about anything getting destroyed or anyone finding out about their current exchange. To the outside world, it looked like nothing was happening.


    "Wow, you''re taking things rather seriously."


    Standing taller than her, and leaning against one of the walls, Aziel''s hazel eyes glowed mysteriously as he looked around.


    A thin smile spread across his lips.


    "Even so, I''m happy that the one closest to the Zenith recognizes me."


    "....How did you get here?"


    Delh wasn''t one to brag, but she was powerful. Her perception covered the entire Academy 24/7. Not only that, but the Academy also had several other powerful individuals whose perception was just as great as hers.


    Added to the many devices installed around the Academy, Delh found herself frowning.


    ''Something is not adding up.''


    There had been too many problems as ofte.


    Clearly, something wasn''t working within the Academy. A traitor, perhaps? ...And for them to be able to do something like this, they were without a doubt high up within the Academy.


    The thought made Delh''s frown deepen.


    ''Who?''


    In any case, Delh couldn''t dwell too deeply on the matter. She had a job to do at the moment, and sparing Aziel a single nce, she raised her hand.


    Kraka¡ª!


    The space around him folded, thenpressed, squeezing him into a pulp.


    It had all happened so fast that he hadn''t had any time to react.


    "....."


    Silence once again returned to the surroundings.


    Just as Delh was about to turn her attention back towards the entrance, a figure hovered in the air above her.


    Wearing a smile, he looked at her.


    "....You don''t seriously think I''d let myself be that close to you, do you? I''m not suicidal."


    Rubbing his neck, he chuckled before reappearing a few meters away from her.


    He looked to be in a good mood, nonchntly walking around as if he was enjoying the moment.


    "Besides a few, I don''t think there''s anyone in this world that can truly fight on equal terms with you. Sadly, I''m not one such individual either. However, my job is to stall for time, so-Uh?"


    His words stopped mid-way. All of a sudden, Delh''s eyes changed.


    As if ink had been injected into her eyes, they turned inky ck as the darkness spread to envelop the entire eye.


    A change began to sweep through the surroundings.


    Suddenly, the background began to fade away.


    The sun transformed into a stark white orb, casting a hollow light over thendscape. The surroundings shifted to shades of gray, and the ground began to sink beneath Aziel''s feet.


    From the depths, ck hands emerged, reaching out for him as he surveyed the grim scene with a solemn expression.


    No longer did her appear as nonchnt and happy as he did before.


    In fact, that expression was long gone. What reced it was one of fear and apprehension as he went on to hoarsely say,


    "Domain..."

 Chapter 109 Labyrinth [4]

    <h4>Chapter 109 Labyrinth [4]</h4>


    Before I knew it, my body was lifted and my scenery changed. This went on for several minutes until we eventually came to a stop.


    "Huff."


    I stumbled forward slightly.


    When all was said and done and I managed to recover my bearings, I looked up to see the hooded figure staring at me without saying a single word.


    "....."


    However, there was something about that gaze that felt familiar.


    ''....What do I do now?''


    I was in a bit of a slump at the moment. From the way he was looking at me, it seemed as though he knew me.


    Or more specifically, the previous Julien.


    The problem was...


    ''I have no idea what his rtionship with the previous Julien is.''


    Were they friends? Colleagues? Enemies...?


    Furthermore, if they knew each other, wouldn''t it be easy for him to tell that I wasn''t the real Julien? The more I thought about the situation, the tenser my body became.


    "....."


    In the silence that gripped the surroundings, I stood still while meeting the hooded figure''s gaze.


    That was until the figure brought its hands toward its hood and pulled it down.


    "Ah..."


    Immediately, my expression changed.


    "Professor."


    The one standing before me was none other than Professor Bucm. Wearing his trademark warm smile, he greeted me.


    "Phecda. It''s been a while."


    I blinked.


    Ah, right. That was indeed my name.


    Staring at hisplexion and seeing that he was doing well, I nodded slightly.


    "You''re looking a lot better since the prison. I take it you''ve been doing well since Ist saw you."


    "Haha, well. It''s a nice ce."


    "It is."


    I looked around and leaned my back against one of the walls.


    ''....So the one who he was familiar with was me, but not the previous Julien?''


    How odd. For a moment, I was convinced that the reason he looked at me like that was because he knew the previous Julien. Instead, it was me.


    It took me aback.


    Amid my thoughts, the Professor looked down at my ankles.


    "That?"


    "It''s nothing."


    I raised my arm to disy the threads.


    ".....My teammates wille here soon. I did it so that I don''t lose sight of them."


    "Ah."


    The professor nodded his head.


    Then, as if recalling something, he handed me a small map alongside a device.


    "This is?"


    "It''s a map of the dungeon. This device over here will tell you the general location of the other members within the Labyrinth. They will be represented in a red dot. On the other hand, the blue dots represent the cadets."


    Other members...?


    Although I somewhat expected the situation, it still left me slightly shaken. For them to have such a detailed map of the entire Labyrinth... Just how did they do it?


    The thoughtsted a few seconds before I was suddenly reminded of a certain figure.


    ''....No, rather, this makes sense.''


    As Megrail.


    I had done a little digging up after ourst meeting. It was there that I came to know of his identity.


    It was also that understanding that truly made me aware of how powerful the organization was.


    For them to have a potential contender for the crown and a high-ranking member of the Academy...


    ''It''s no wonder shit keeps happening.''


    To make matters worse, they not only operated within one empire but all four major ones. Their strength wasn''t something a simple Academy could contend with.


    The thought made me shudder.


    "...."


    Still, I took the map and device without hesitation.


    The device was rather small. It was about the size of a stopwatch, and in it, I could see red dots.


    ''It''s like a radar...''


    No, it was practically a radar.


    On the disy, there were two red dots. It was probably us.


    ''This will be useful.''


    Then, I turned my attention towards the map. Staring at it for a good moment, I found myself frowning after a bit.


    ''This is moreplicated than I expected.''


    While I had indeed thought that the Labyrinth was big, the map gave me a true view of just how big the Labyrinth was. It was massive.


    In fact, judging from where we were, I felt my lips twitch.


    ''We''re barely still at the entrance.''


    We were nowhere near close to the center of the Labyrinth.


    "Huu."


    Taking another quick skim of the map, I folded it and ced it in my pocket. I then turned to look at the Professor.


    "I''ve been wondering for a bit now. But how did you manage to get yourself involved in this mission?"


    Professor Bucm was a rather controversial figure within Haven. His appearance here wasn''t something I expected from him.


    Then again, if it was because he wanted to meet me again, it made sense.


    "....It wasn''t exactly hard. The mission was posted on the ''Mission Board'' and I just took it. Since I met the criteria, it all went smoothly from there."


    "I see."


    I nodded, pretending to have understood what his words meant. For now, I kept the words ''Mission Board'' in mind. It was a new piece of information.


    In any case, there was something that I was curious about.


    "If you don''t mind me asking, what''s the mission about?"


    "Oh, that."


    Pondering, the Professor began to exin.


    "We have several units moving around taking care of the lower-rank cadets. The boss monster is also affected. We''ve drugged it with some Orphion. It was originally, a medium-ranking Junior rank monster. With the drug, it should be just beneath the threshold of Terror rank. Not quite there yet."


    ".....Oh."


    I was only able to understand a small part of hisment.


    However, I could more or less understand what he was trying to imply.


    ''The lower-ranked cadets don''t gather much interest from the crowd. My best guess is that they want the higher-rank cadets to move toward the boss where they will all suffer critical injuries due to how powerful it is. At the same time, since most of the attention is on the higher-rank cadets, their suffering will be witnessed by the entire Empire which in turn can be used as a weapon to push Delh out.''


    It was a somewhat simple n. One that I could follow.


    But there were a few things that weren''t clear to me.


    "What about the Chancellors? How are you nning on dealing with them?"


    Last I recall, they were all incredibly powerful people. There was no way they''d notice that something was amiss.


    Especially Delh.


    Who could even stop her...?


    "I''m not entirely sure."


    The Professor replied with a helpless smile.


    "It''s information that''s beyond someone of my rank. Most likely, a few big shots have been sent to take care of them."


    ".....I see."


    That made sense.


    "Is that all?"


    "Yes."


    The Professor nodded.


    "I just came here to give you the files. Since we''re working together and all."


    "Ah, I see. Thank you very much."


    What a sweet guy. It was a good idea to work with him.


    "For now, I''llplete the mission. What will you do Phecda?"


    I thought for a moment before answering.


    "...I''ll probably interfere."


    "You will?"


    "Yes."


    I could just ignore the entire situation, but I didn''t want to fail the quest. I was still unsure of what the failure would bring, but the boost in stats was quite appealing to me.


    .....If I could do it, then why not?


    "Do you need me to do anything?"


    "No, that''s fine. It''s not ideal for you to move. We proceed as you nned in the prison."


    "Understood."


    With a nod, the Professor was just about to put his hood back on when I stopped him.


    I held up the thread and showed it to him.


    "If you don''t mind, is it okay if I attach this to your ankle?"


    Before he could ask why, I exined.


    "The radar doesn''t exactly tell me where you are. It only tells me the general location of every one. It would be better if I attach this to you."


    ".....I see."


    The Professor didn''t seem to be quite on board with the idea, but eventually, he sighed and agreed.


    "Sure. I''ll do it."


    "Thank you."


    With a flick of my hand, the thread moved down and attached to his ankle.


    Perhaps surprised by how quick the process was, he looked up.


    "That''s it?"


    "That''s it."


    What else was I supposed to do?


    "Alright, I''ll be leaving now."


    "....Yes."


    With a nod, Professor Bucm donned his hood back on and turned to head in the opposite direction.


    I stared at his back until it eventually disappeared from my sight.


    It was nice to see his face again.


    ***


    Within the quiet corridors of the Labyrinth, a hooded figure moved. It had been a few minutes since he had separated from Phecda, and after walking a few more steps, Giel stopped.


    ".....It''s sad I wasn''t able to get more information."


    Contrary to his previous voice, his voice changed, bing more hoarse.


    "At least, he seems to bemitted to his role."


    Beneath the hood, the face wiggled, morphing from what had previously been the Professor''s face to a new one.


    With two glowing red eyes and a youthful face, the figure massaged its mouth.


    "Umm, haa... Huu... Hee..."


    Gradually, he started to get ustomed to his normal voice as he went on to mutter.


    "....It''s always a pain to change my voice."


    Indeed, [Mimic] was a unique innate skill of his. It enabled him to change his voice and face as he wished. So long as he had a sample of them, it was no problem for him.


    In any case...


    "It was nice to see him again."


    Phecda.


    It was a familiar face.


    They weren''t close, but they knew each other.


    "He''s different from the past."


    He was a lot calmer thanpared to his past self. In fact, it was odd to see him like that.


    "I better report this. It seems like Phecda ismitted to following his role."


    It was no coincidence that he had appeared before Phecda and his team. In fact, he had been waiting for them from the very start.


    He had been assigned a goal beforehand.


    One, to give Phecda the necessary tools to carry on the mission. Secondly, to gauge his intentions and gain some information from him.


    Phecda''s change in behavior was rather noticeable.


    There were a few simrities to how he acted in the past, but he was also very different.


    Giel was able to confirm this upon meeting him.


    "I might need to observe more, but he is certainly different."


    The reason Giel had disguised himself as Professor Bucm was because he had been helped by Phecda to escape the prison.


    It was also to check if there was anything between the two.


    There were a few things that didn''t make sense in the prison escape. For one, Phecda shouldn''t have been aware of what was going on.


    Secondly, there were a few things that didn''t match up between the Professor''s statement, and the other escapee''s statements.


    There were a few discrepancies that he needed to check out.


    That being said, there was something peculiar that caught his attention during the conversation.


    "Proceed as nned in the prison?"


    It was an interesting piece of information. So was there really something between the two?


    "I wonder, could it be that the t¡ªUh?"


    Halfway through his sentence, Giel suddenly felt a difort.


    The world suddenly looked unbnced. Almost as if it was tilting. What came after that was a sudden wave of weakness.


    Thud!


    One that suddenly turned extremely painful as he fell to his knees.


    "W-what...?"


    Stunned, he looked towards the ground.


    There, his eyes widened as he noticed arge pool of blooding from his ankles. No, rather...


    "M-my foot...!"


    It was gone.


    Tok¡ª


    Just then, the faint sound of a footstep echoed in the distance.


    "It''s..."


    Giel''s eyes widened as a dark figure approached from the distance.


    Tok¡ª


    With another step, his figure became clear.


    "....You."


    Giel''s expression changed at the sight of the person ahead. Before he could say anything else, a hand reached out for his face.


    A cold voice followed after as Giel''s world turned dark.


    "....Like I said, it was nice seeing his face."

 Chapter 110 Labyrinth [5]

    <h4>Chapter 110 Labyrinth [5]</h4>


    "Huuu."


    I took a deep breath and stared at the figure beneath me. He was dead. I made sure he was.


    Killing... It was starting to be easier for me. It was still hard on the mind, but the more I did it, the more I was getting ustomed to it.


    I wasn''t sure whether this was a good thing or not.


    ''I''m slowly starting to lose sight of my old self...''


    Perhaps, I was. But it didn''t matter. People evolved based on circumstances, and this was how the circumstances had made me.


    ....I didn''t regret it.


    At the end of the day, people always change.


    There was nothing wrong with changing.


    "But who would''ve thought...?"


    I looked at the corpse beneath me. My chest itched a little and I ruffled my hair into a mess. The raw emotions that I felt were still lingering in my mind. It was hard to swallow, but I had already seen plenty before.


    It took me a couple of seconds to fully recover.


    Part of the speedy recovery was because another more important thought was guing my mind.


    "It seems like they''re taking notice of my strange actions."


    I thought that I had been able to clear most of the suspicion based on my talk with As, but it didn''t seem to be the case.


    There were still lingering doubts...


    ''Good thing that I was paying attention.''


    The real giveaway was the way that he called me.


    Phecda.


    It made no sense for the Professor to call me like that. But of course, it could also be because he came to learn of my identity. But even so... for him to call me such a name more than once?


    Something didn''t quite make sense.


    Even so, I pushed my doubts down and carried on with the conversation.


    My attention had been fixed on the map and the ''radar''. They were useful tools. Still, what was the most impressive about the entire situation was that he acted and sounded the same as the Professor Bucm that I knew.


    There was only one problem.


    ''We proceed as you nned in the prison''


    He had never nned anything. The fact that he acknowledged such a ''n'' was the greatest giveaway to me.


    With that, I was certain and proposed to attach the thread to his ankle.


    "....."


    I wasn''t sure about his strength.


    However, he was most likely stronger than me. In fact, there was also a high chance he was stronger than my entire groupbined.


    But even someone like him...


    Still fell by my hands.


    "....."


    Silently clenching my hands, I took out the ''radar'' and map.


    "So the red dots represent group members..."


    Just as I said those words, a red dot popped up on the radar. I stared at it for a good minute before setting it aside taking the cloak from Giel''s body and donning it on.


    Raising the hood, I took onest nce at the body before leaving.


    ".....It''s not your fault."


    Such were the words I said before I took a step forward.


    However, just as I did, I lowered my head to stare at the radar on me. More specifically, the red dot.


    "....."


    A thought suddenly entered my mind and I turned back to look at the corpse behind me.


    "That might work."


    *


    The Labyrinth wasrge. A lotrger than I previously thought. However, with the map, I was able to navigate it smoothly.


    As I moved, I stared at the thread behind me.


    ''....Should I detach it?''


    The thread''s range wasn''t infinite. Its length was equivalent to how much mana I had. Therefore, the greater the distance between me and the others, the more mana I expanded.


    It was a bit of a problem considering that there were things that I needed to do.


    "Whatever."


    In the end, I chose to keep it.


    I was bound to reunite with them one way or another.


    "Huff."


    My steps felt a little heavy, but I kept at it and took a deep breath.


    "Let''s see."


    ncing at the ''radar'' I came to a stop.


    Thump.


    Just ahead there was another red dot. Fiddling with it, I also saw that there was a small button at the side. While Giel hadn''t fully exined to me how the ''radar'' worked, I could tell this was some sort of signal that I could use to alert the nearby members.


    Looking around, I took a deep breath and evened out my breath.


    In the far distance, I was able to hear the loud ''nking'' sound of metal shing.


    ''As expected, it''s like he said. They''re targeting all the low-ranking cadets.''


    It was as Giel said to me.


    "Huuu."


    Taking another deep breath to calm my nerves, I lowered my head to stare at my forearm.


    Two leaves were glowing.


    Unlike the first clover leaf, the cooldown for the second was much lower.


    About one hour.


    That was enough.


    Clenching my hand, I pressed the button.


    ***


    "H-help...!"


    The piercing scream of a cadet reverberated through the narrow corridor of the Labyrinth. Following closely were hurried footsteps as two cadets, under attack, attempted to escape the chaos.


    Unfortunately, it was useless.


    Spurt¡ª!


    "Uaakh!"


    Blood gushed from the cadet''s body as she copsed limply to the floor, her eyes wide open in shock. Standing behind her, a hooded figure loomed ominously.


    The figure stared at her with utter disregard as its heads turned to look behind where onest cadet remained.


    "A-ha... Pl-ease...!"


    As the cadet pleaded, he continued to press onto his bracelet. He was most likely trying to activate the emergency button.


    But that was a futile effort.


    The bracelet... It wasn''t working.


    As the hooded figure drew nearer, the expression of the cadet changed. In hisst moments, he tried tounch an attack.


    nk¡ª!


    But it was deftly blocked by the hooded figure who merely raised his hand to block it.


    "N-no...!"


    In the end, all that the cadet could do was scream in despair as a hand reached out for his neck, snapping it in one go.


    Cra Crack¡ª


    Thump!


    "....."


    Silence once again returned to the surroundings.


    Staring at the corpses around it, the hooded figure lowered down his hood to reveal a youthful figure. With short brown hair and hazel eyes, he looked no older than the cadets around him.


    And he was indeed their age. Arian had been a member of the Inverted Sky since he was a child.


    Dealing with cadets of this level was of no trouble for him.


    ....Looking around, his expression was wholly indifferent.


    As if what he had done was merely something trivial.Bringing his bracelet next to his mouth, he muttered,


    "I''m done here."


    After that, he went on to take out the detection relic.


    He wanted to see if there were any other cadets around that he could target.


    "Hm?"


    When he did, he was surprised to see a red dot not far from where he was.


    "....Could it be Giel?"


    ording to what he knew, the closest one to him was Giel. Last he recalled, his mission was to talk with an undercover agent.


    "He."


    A smallugh escaped his lips.


    "....He sure has it easy."


    While it wasn''t hard to defeat the cadets, it was no easy work. Arian would much rather be the one to meet the undercover agent. But unfortunately, he wasn''t quite familiar with him, so Giel was sent.


    "I still don''t know why they put such importance on hi-"


    Beep!


    He was just about to finish his sentence when his eyes widened slightly. The signal had been used.


    "What''s going on...?"


    The signal was only used in emergencies.


    Giel, of all people, was having trouble?


    "Could it be that we have been betrayed?"


    Without a second thought, Arian rushed forward. He didn''t need to run very far, with his speed, it took no time to reach Giel. When he did, his eyes widened slightly and his steps paused.


    "What''s..."


    Laying down on the side of the wall was what appeared to be Giel''s body. Staring at the detection device, Arian saw that it wasing from the body a few feet away from him.


    "It can''t be...?"


    Looking shocked, he neared the body.


    Amongst the members that had joined, Giel was one of the strongest. It didn''t make sense for him to put on an emergency distress signal.


    "..."


    No, it didn''t.


    Gradually, Arin''s footsteps halted.


    Staring at the hooded figure, he raised his hand quickly as a magic circle formed. The process was fast. Within seconds, the circle fully formed, and the temperature around rose.


    "...."


    Immediately after, arge fire spread as it enveloped Giel''s bodypletely.


    Swoosh!


    The mes roared within the tunnel as they lit up the surroundings. Arian''s robes fluttered in the aftermath of the attack.


    "I don''t know how you managed to defeat Giel, or if you have at all, but there''s no way I''d fall to something like this."


    While it wasn''t obvious at a nce, Arian noticed a few discrepancies. But the biggest factor was the fact that he could notice curse magic from deep within Giel''s body. It was thin, almost imperceptible, but he could feel it.


    The mes persisted for several seconds before finally they disappeared.


    What remained were the charred remains of a body. A small smile tugged at the corner of Arian''s lips as he moved ahead.


    But just as he did, he stopped.


    ".....!"


    Looking around, his expression hardened.


    "W-what in the...?"


    Threads.


    The surroundings were covered in thin, threads. Almost every single space was covered with them.


    Most shocking was the fact that they had also made their way around his body.


    But how...?


    How was it possible? Was it because he had been too focused on the corpse that he didn''t notice?


    ....Or was it something else?


    "A-"


    Before he could do anything, the threads shrunk rapidly.


    "Hua!"


    With a shout, he tensed his body and the threads broke. His expression lit up.


    ''They''re weaker than...!''


    He wasn''t able to stay happy for long as his vision darkened shortly after.


    Spurt!


    And blood splurted everywhere.


    Tok. Tok. Tok.


    Gradually, footsteps echoed in the distance. A figure emerged. Coldly staring at the sight before him, Julien retrieved the threads and lowered his hand to ce it on top of the corpse.


    His indifferent voice echoed shortly afterward.


    "That''s two..."

 Chapter 111 Different but the same [1]

    <h4>Chapter 111 Different but the same [1]</h4>


    There were disadvantages to the threads.


    One such disadvantage was the fact that if one paid close enough attention, they''d be able to tell exactly where they were.


    This was especially true when Ibined [Hands of Mdy] with Etherweave. The moment Ibined the two, detecting the threads was almost a certainty. At the very least, to mages. Those that specialized in [Body] were less sensitive to the surrounding mana.


    For that reason, I came up with a better way to use them.


    "...."


    I stared at my hand.


    Four threads were hovering. In particr, my attention was on one thread where the very tip of it was purple.


    "....Distraction."


    Indeed, since it was easier to detect threads that were joined with [Hands of Mdy] I used one as a distraction while I connected the other threads around in the meantime.


    By the time he had realized that something was wrong, it was already toote.


    "....."


    Staring at the body lying beneath me, I closed my eyes for a brief moment.


    I savored the scene that I had witnessed.


    When I did, my entire body shook slightly. My chest felt itchy, and I started to ruffle my hair.


    "Haa...."


    When I opened my eyes again, the world around me changed a little.


    I couldn''t quite tell by how much, but it was certainly different. Even so, I couldn''t pay much attention to it.


    There were things that I needed to do.


    Staring at the relic in my possession, I once again took a nce at the thread connected to my feet before donning a new hood and delving deeper into the dungeon.


    Killing...


    My chest trembled slightly.


    "Ah."


    There was a lot of killing that I needed to do.


    ***


    ¡ª¡ªA few moments after the team [Julien and his sidekicks] met the hooded figure.


    The broadcast for the event was going smoothly. With everyone capable of watching the stream from home or in the stadium, the excitement was at an all-time high.


    Everything was going smoothly, until...


    "What''s going on?"


    Some of the viewers noticed that a certain broadcast was shut off.


    ".....Is it just me or I can''t follow [Julien and his sidekicks]?"


    While it was impossible for people to individually follow each cadet, since the only people who were granted such privilege were the Chancellors, there were a few exceptions.


    The exceptions were the teams that the broadcasters knew could pullrge numbers of viewers.


    One such team was [Julien and his sidekicks].


    Given what had happened beforehand with the interviews, a lot of interest was ced on them. For that reason, they were given a special channel that one could use to follow.


    While the broadcast wasn''t very interesting due to its slow pace, people still tuned in to watch.


    If it wasn''t for their skill, then it was for their banter.


    ¡ªHey, Kiera. Hey, Kiera... Kieraa~


    ¡ªFuck!!! Shut the fuck up for a second. I''m trying to concentrate over here.


    ¡ªNo, but... I''ve been wondering.


    ¡ªWhat?


    ¡ªDo you have balls?


    ¡ª....


    Especially between Josephine and Kiera who ended up bickering every few minutes. It was entertaining enough to keep the crowd interested.


    But...


    Fifteen minutes into their dive, their broadcast shut off.


    It was a peculiar situation.


    One that didn''t escape the sight of many viewers who started toin to both Haven and the broadcasting stations.


    "What''s going on? Why did the broadcast stop?"


    "It was just about to get interesting too!"


    "Is it because the viewers were declining? Ah! I was still watching!"


    [We''re experiencing technical difficulties, causing the broadcast to halt unexpectedly. Our team is actively investigating the issue to restore service. We appreciate your patience during this time.]


    Such was the response from the broadcasting station as they contacted Haven for some answers. Unfortunately, the only response they got was a t ''We don''t know''.


    In a well-decorated room.


    "....We''ve received anotherint. This time, it''s from another Chancellor."


    A tall and slender woman with long ck hair and sses approached the man seated behind his desk. He sported a ck glove as he nonchntly flipped through the pages of his book.


    Flip¡ª


    "...."


    For a brief moment, silence reigned over the room as the only sound that echoed was the sound of the pages flipped.


    But gradually, As lifted his head to reply.


    "Tell him we''re working on resolving the situation. Some of the recording devices are malfunctioning. I''m sure they''ll understand given that several are failing at the same time."


    "I already have. They are not satisfied with the response."


    "Then you can tell them toe to me personally if they have any problems."


    "....Understood."


    With a slight bow, the woman left the room.


    As fixed his gaze on the door for a few moments, then adjusted his glove before turning to the next page.


    Flip¡ª


    As he did, he casually spoke.


    "So there''s still no news about Phecda?"


    ¡ªNo.


    A voice responded from the orb ced beside him.


    "...."


    Without saying anything, As flipped over to the next page. As his eyes scanned the words on the book he was reading, he took his eyes away from it.


    "....So no news."


    While it was arranged for Phecda to meet with another member, the disturbance shouldn''t havested more than several minutes. The n was for him to resume the broadcast shortly after.


    It was for that reason he chose a rather powerful member. To get things done quickly.


    By now, his broadcast should''ve already been fixed.


    ....And yet, it wasn''t.


    "Something went wrong."


    But where...?


    Could it be possible that Phecda got rid of Giel?


    "No, that''s unlikely..."


    Phecda was strong, but Giel was stronger. That being said, it wasn''t exactly impossible.


    "Perhaps, he decided to not turn on the stream. Hmm, indeed. Since he now has the map and relic, he might not want to be tracked by the recording device. It might look suspicious in the eyes of the audience and her."


    That was a possible exnation for the situation.


    Of course, it was just one that As thought on the fly. Who knew what the real answer was?


    ".....Phecda aside, is everything proceeding smoothly?"


    ¡ªYes, for now, there are no irregrities. Delh has made her move. She''s currently being contained by the Seat below the Genesis.


    "Ah, Aziel."


    Within the Inverted Sky there were High-Seats and Low-


    Seats.


    Low-Seats were generally individuals who had the capabilities of bing a High-Seat. To be a High-Seat, one had to either defeat a High-Seat or be their disciple, eventually taking over their position.


    Aziel was the disciple of the Seat of Genesis.


    For that reason, his name within the organization was the ''Seat below the Genesis''.


    In As''s case, he was the Seat of Dawn.


    Unlike the Seat of Genesis, he had no disciple or someone he had decided to take over his mantle. There had yet to be someone who could catch his interest.


    That being said, no one was interested in taking over his seat through challenge. His power... It was just that dettering.


    Fip¡ª


    He flipped to the next page of his book.


    "....How long do you think he''ll be able to hold on? Even though it''s his specialty, Delh isn''t someone that he''ll be able to contain for long."


    ¡ªOur estimates are about five hours. Taking into ount the fact that she doesn''t want to escte the situation given therge number of audiences and guests, she''ll most likely hold back a little. Three hours have already passed. He should be nearing his limit.


    "Five hours? That''s better than I expected... I guess I can understand why he''s a potential High Seat. But even so, this is longer than I thought. Even I don''t have the confidence to hold that woman for that long."


    ¡ªThere''s no need to worry about that. The Seat below the Genisis isn''t the only one we have sent.


    "Oh, is that so...?"


    Well, that made a lot more sense.


    "Th-"


    ¡ªHm....?


    A sudden sound disrupted As''s words as he looked at the orb.


    "Is something wrong?"


    ¡ª.....Yes.


    The reply came after a few seconds.


    Just as Ats was about to ask what had happened, the voice beat him to it.


    ¡ªThere has been no movement from several members for the past few hours. Something happened.


    ***


    "Huu... Haaa..."


    Hours into their search for Julien, Kiera, Josephine, Luxon, and Anders were on theirst breaths as they turned another corner of the Labyrinth. For how long had they been running?


    "H-how long do we need to keep running for...?"


    "Ha, fuck. I don''t know...! I''m just following the fucking thread. Ah fuck!"


    Cursing out loud, Kiera wanted to smack Josephine in the head but found herself unable to do much more besides cursing.


    She was exhausted.


    It wasn''t just her, everyone was exhausted. They had been running for as long as they could remember, and just when she thought they were near to finding him, they would be disappointed to see that he was still nowhere in sight.


    ".....Conserve... Haa... energy bullshit."


    At the rate they were going, they probably wouldn''t have any energy to even touch the boss.


    "Bullshit...!"


    Though sheined a lot, Kiera continued to follow the thread.


    For some reason, she believed that Julien was waiting for them. It was a crazy thought. One that she beat herself up for the entire time.


    "Haa..."


    They had just turned a corner and were about to head deeper when all of a sudden, they stopped.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    A figure stood in the middle of the corridor.


    He was a familiar figure


    "You..."


    The figure that they had been chasing after since the very start.


    "F-finally..."


    Josephine eximed while leaning against the wall, exhausted.


    "You''re okay...?"


    "What happened... to you...?"


    As the other questioned, he remained still. In Kiera''s eyes, he seemed a little off. Setting aside the fact that he was by himself with no hooded figure in sight, his expression was also a little off.


    ''No, it''s not his expression.''


    It was his eyes.


    They kept flickering. And just subtly, Kiera could also see his expression changing.


    ''What sort of...''


    Kiera couldn''t exin it, but it was creepy. Staring at him, she felt every hair on her body stand.


    ''Why...?''


    Why did the scene feel so familiar?


    This wasn''t the first time she had seen him do something like this. In fact, this was the second time.


    And seeing it once again sent shivers down her spine.


    ''....Why does it look like he''s apletely different person?''


    From Kiera''s perspective, from his demeanor to his gaze and expressions, it seemed as though aplete stranger stood before her. One that was the furthest thing from the Julien she was aware of.


    Blinking, his expression changed again.


    So did his demenour.


    "....."


    Yet again, Kiera saw a different person.


    He blinked again.


    His expression changed again. And so did his demeanor.


    Three blinks, three people.


    "Crazy."


    No, creepy


    "Julien...?"


    This all eventually stopped until Josephine called out for him. Blinking again, he turned his head and Kiera met his gaze.


    Yet again, Kiera found herself unable to associate the Julien she knew with the one that stood in front of her.


    Before her stood a stranger she knew nothing about.


    However, that quickly changed after he blinked again, and his gaze returned to the one she was familiar with.


    ".....You guys are here."


    His voice came out rather hoarse.


    However, as if noticing this, he massaged his throat before looking into the distance.


    "We don''t have much time. We should go."


    "Uh...?"


    "What? What do you mean we should go?"


    At Josephine''s and Luxon''s stunned voices, Julien looked at them briefly before massaging his neck.


    "The boss. We''re near."

 Chapter 112 Different but the same [2]

    <h4>Chapter 112 Different but the same [2]</h4>


    I felt my face twitch slightly.


    It was an involuntary reaction. Something that I couldn''t control. Staring ahead, the world seemed a little bit blurry. It switched between rity and blurriness.


    .....I felt sick.


    And my head throbbed.


    Even so, I had to keep moving forward.


    "Boss monster? ....What do you mean we''re near? How do you know?"


    "I can feel it."


    No, that was a lie.


    I could just see it from the map. It was also for this very reason that I had led them here.


    "....Wait, what? You can feel it? What sort of nonsense is this?"


    I turned to look behind me.


    Standing just a few feet from me were my team members. They were all looking at me with incredulous looks. I couldn''t me them.


    I was just about to speak when Luxon interrupted.


    "Before any of that, can you exin what happened?"


    His deep voice echoed within the confines of the corridor of the Labyrinth.


    "You were suddenly dragged by a hooded figure and then all of a sudden we found you here, iming that you can feel the boss. How does this make sense? At least exin what''s going on?"


    His words were met with a wave of nods as Kiera and the rest seemed to be on the same page as him. I looked at them for a short moment before nodding my head.


    "....Fair."


    Looks like they didn''t buy it.


    Rummaging through my pocket, I took out a small map and came out clean.


    "I managed to get my hands on this."


    "Uh?"


    At first, everyone was confused by the map. However, shortly after, their expressions changed.


    "A map?"


    "Wait, hold on... Look at the lines."


    As if realizing what kind of map it was, their eyes widened. Pointing at it, Josephine stuttered slightly.


    "H-how did you get this?"


    Everyone raised their heads to stare at me. Taking in their expressions, I answered,


    "From the hooded figure."


    "....The fuck?"


    I raised my hand to show them my bracelet.


    "I''m not entirely sure about what''s happening. However, it seems like we''re currently under attack."


    I went on to press the emergency button on the bracelet. When nothing happened, everyone blinked. They then looked at me strangely.


    The first one to speak was Anders who stared at his bracelet with a frown.


    "We already knew. We tried using the bracelet the moment that you were taken. However, it didn''t work for any of us."


    "Ah."


    Right. That made sense.


    In any case,


    "I was able to get the map from the hooded figure."


    Yet again, everyone blinked.


    Staring at me with a frown, Luxon deeply said,


    "You were able to beat him?"


    Judging from his tone, he didn''t seem to particrly believe him.


    I couldn''t me him.


    ".....Don''t get me wrong, butst I recall, he was very powerful. How in the world did you manage to beat him."


    "I had help. I met a few cadets along the way."


    "Uh...?"


    Seeing the way Kiera was looking at me, it was obvious that she didn''t believe my story. I shrugged.


    "If the map is correct the boss is only a few corridors away. If you don''t believe me you can test it."


    Kiera''s eyes narrowed, and I stared back without saying a word.


    It was Josephine''s voice that broke the silence between the two of us.


    "We should try it."


    "....."


    Finally, Kiera took her eyes away from me and looked at the map. Then, staring at it for a few seconds, she clicked her tongue.


    "Alright, fine"


    "Uh, hey!"


    Snatching the map from Josephine, she held it in front of her and proceeded forward. As she passed me, she mumbled,


    ".....I still owe you, so."


    And proceeded to leave with that. Confused, I stared at her back.


    ''Owe? What did she owe me for....?''


    "Wait, Kiera! Wait for me!"


    The others were quick to follow her from behind. I could tell from their expressions that they had many questions in their minds, but chose to keep them to themselves. In all honesty, it was my fault.


    I was currently not in the right state of mind toe up with a usible excuse. Thankfully, they had left things here.


    Otherwise, I really wasn''t sure how to exin myself.


    Standing still, I stared at their backs for a short moment before taking out the radar. There, I could see a few blue dots.


    "The other teams are close."


    But they were still a little behind. We were first.


    Putting the relic back into my pockets, I slowly retrieved a small gray pill from my pocket.


    "....."


    It felt smooth to the touch. Almost like a pearl.


    Orphion.


    A powerful drug that served to boost the consumer''s power significantly. It was the drug that was supposed to be handed to the boss monster just before the cadets arrived at it. While the pill was powerful, it had strong side effects.


    For that reason, the pill was supposed to be handed to the beast just before the cadets arrived.


    That was the original n.


    "...."


    It was now in my possession.


    Raising my head slightly, I stared at the others before cing the pill in my mouth. I didn''t eat it quite just yet.


    ....I needed a proper audience for that.


    *


    Arge chamber sat in the middle of the Labyrinth. It was where the boss monster was located. Inside arge room with a tall ceiling, a gigantic mammoth-like creature with long tusks and tremendous pressure sat in the middle.


    With torches scattered around the room casting a dim light over the surroundings, the ce looked extremely eerie.


    Surrounding the hall were over a dozen different entrances.


    Coming out of one, Kiera whispered.


    "....Looks like you were right. We''re the first ones here. How should we proceed?"


    Staring at the monster''s head, I didn''t answer immediately.


    I could tell from just standing where I was that it was extremely powerful. Perhaps, it was even just as strong as Giel.


    Imagining its strength with the drug sent shivers down my spine.


    ''No wonder they were confident. There''s no way any cadet can deal with that monster if it took the drug.''


    It also made me understand just why the rewards of the quest were so good.


    Indeed, if I allowed the incident to happen, then I didn''t see how anyone woulde out of it unscathed.


    "Oy."


    In fact, a lot of cadets were probably going to die.


    "Oy!"


    "....?"


    Lowering my head, Kiera''s face appeared just a few inches away from mine.


    Staring into her deep red eyes, I was momentarily taken aback by her appearance. It went without saying that her looks were on another level.


    However, I was quick to push down such thoughts.


    "What?"


    ".....What do you mean what?"


    Kiera''s head flicked towards the beast.


    "I said, what''s the n? As much, as I hate it, you''re the team leader. Tell us exactly what we''re supposed to do."


    "....About that."


    I suddenly looked towards the distance.


    Towards one of the other entrances.


    "We''ll have to first think about how to deal with them."


    ***


    "We''re here."


    Spotting the center of the maze, Johnathan and his team rushed forward without caution.


    Their journey so far had been rather smooth, and staring at the leaderboard, he could see that they were a close second to the Haven team.


    ¡ª [Team Score] ¡ª


    [Dream Catcher] - 3915 Points


    [Swords of Fiest] - 3901 Points


    [Crow''s Dance] - 3871 Points


    .


    .


    .


    ¡ª [Team Score] ¡ª


    "Get ready to engage. If we defeat the boss, we''ll be able to cinch first ce."


    ording to Johnathan''s calctions, they were probably the first team to reach the boss. The fact that he couldn''t hear any fighting in the distance seemed to further fuel his hypothesis.


    ....But just as they neared the entrance of the middle area, Johnathan heard the soft sound of footstepsing from behind.


    Turning his head, his brows furrowed at the sight that greeted him.


    "...."


    "...."


    Neither side said a single word as they stared at each other. Instantly, heavy tension plunged the space as Johnathan''s gaze fell on Aoife, who stood indifferently.


    Just as the tension was reaching its breaking point, Aoife opened her mouth.


    "Now''s not the time to fight."


    Her voice was crisp, sounding rather pleasant to the ears.


    Staring in the distance, she walked ahead calmly.


    As she did, she passed Johnathan''s group without a single care in the world.


    In the briefest of moments, Johnathan was tempted to attack her exposed back, but just as the thought came, he felt a slight chill at the back of his neck and turned around.


    There, two gray eyes stared at him.


    ''....Who is he?''


    He appeared to be an unfamiliar face. No, rather, after a bit of thought, he remembered and his expression changed slightly.


    ''Right, there was someone else ranked higher than Aoife. It must be him.''


    It was interesting.


    Haven''s ranking system. The more Johnathan thought about it, the more wed it appeared to him.


    ''It''s almost as if they are making fun of everyone.''


    Ridiculous.


    Especially when taking into ount just how weak the current ck Star was.


    He was pathetically weak.


    How was someone that weak ahead of these two?


    Taking into ount just how powerful the two, no three... there was another powerful one. Johnathan suddenly spoke.


    ".....I have a proposition."


    His words immediately attracted the attention of all present as they looked at him.


    Taking note of their gazes, Aoife''s especially, he went on to say,


    "Let''s work together until we defeat the boss. It''s no use fighting here before getting to the boss. Since it seems like we''re the first two teams, if we work together, we can get rid of it fast before heading for the exit. We won''t have to go through the hassle of fighting against the other teams if we do this."


    His words were mixed with half-truths.


    While it was true that the faster they beat the boss, the less annoying things would be down the line, the real reason why he wanted to fight together was because he wanted to observe his opponents before fighting them.


    Currently, he wasn''t very confident in defeating them. Especially not when they had three people of simr strength to his with one just being a tad bit weaker.


    However...


    Things would be different if he had more information on them.


    So long as he knew about them...


    "Okay."


    Aoife''s voice broke him out of his thoughts. Lifting his head, he looked at her with a surprised look.


    "Just like that?"


    "Yes."


    "Oh."


    A surprising turn of events.


    Johnathan previously thought he''d have to do more to convince them, but it seemed like they were more reasonable than he thought.


    With that, the two groups headed for the main chamber together.


    Of course, the two groups were still wary of each other. For now, it was all just a verbal agreement. Who knew when the other side would backstab them?


    "....Huh?"


    They had just arrived at the main chamber when Aoife''s steps paused. Her expression hardened slightly.


    It was an expression of graveness.


    ''What''s going on?''


    Following her line of sight, Johnathan''s eyes jumped. Off in the distance, he caught sight of another group.


    They too had noticed their appearance.


    ''How could this be?''


    Stunned, Johnathan looked at the group.


    "Ah."


    But upon spotting a familiar figure, his worries were immediately swept.


    ''....So it''s him.''


    The ck Star. Lowering his head and staring at his bracelet, he looked at their points and almost chuckled.


    450 Points.


    A far cry from theirs.


    Still, it wasn''t as though Johnathanpletely disregarded them. As his expression fixed on the tinum-haired girl, he somewhat frowned.


    Kiera was it?


    She was someone to look out for. But even so, he could deal with her.


    "So-"


    He had just turned around to address the other group when he stopped. Suddenly, his expression changed when he noticed Leon staring ahead with a simr expression to Aoife.


    "What...?"


    Stunned, he looked to see that they were both staring at the ck star with grave expressions.


    Blinking, he couldn''t understand why they were looking at him like that. However, before he could say anything else, Leon spoke.


    "....As expected. He''s here."

 Chapter 113 Different but the same [3]

    <h4>Chapter 113 Different but the same [3]</h4>


    The recording devices picked up the entire exchange.


    On the projections avable to all citizens, and those above the arena grounds, three groups appeared from the sides of the main chamber.


    They all stood still while staring at each other.


    A tense atmosphere suddenly enshrouded the surroundings. Be it within the chamber, and outside.


    All spectators stared at the scene with bathed breaths.


    In the middle, a colossal figure resembling arge elephant appeared. It towered over everyone, restrained by heavy chains binding its legs, it remained at the center while all attention was directed towards it.


    What particrly captured onlookers'' attention was the creature''s partially decaying form, illuminated by a subtle purple glow emanating from its body and the surrounding torches.


    "It''s disgusting."


    "Uck...!"


    Just looking at the creature sent chills down the spine the audience''s spine. Even so, their eyes remained glued on the creature.


    "...."


    "...."


    "...."


    A strange silence suddenly took over the arena grounds as everyone''s attention fixed on the screen.


    They alternated between the three groups.


    [.....What are you nning on doing?]


    Johnathan''s voice shattered the silence that took over the surroundings. All eyes focused on him as he looked towards Aoife.


    Immediately, the audience became rowdy.


    "What do you mean what do you n on doing?"


    "Get rid of the third group before attacking that beast!"


    "They''re the weakest group! There''s no point in working together with them. Things will get too difficult for you both after you defeat the monster."


    [Stick to the n.]


    Aoife''s reply took the audience by surprise.


    "What?"


    "Stick to the n? But why...?"


    Frowning, Johnathan followed her line of sight.


    His expression carried hints of doubt.


    [What about them...?]


    [Knowing him, he won''t work with us. Hold them back.]


    [What? Let''s take care of them firs-]


    Johnathan''s voice was interrupted by Aoife''s gaze. The way she looked at him was as though she was looking at a fool.


    [.....Tell your team to keep an eye on them. If they make a move, you can try to stop them or have your team dy them.]


    [Dy? What are yo-]


    His words were cut off as Aoife extended her hands outwardly before squeezing them together.


    All of a sudden, the surroundings shook and the chains around the mammoth rattled. Its eyes, which had been closed the entire time red open to reveal its inky ck eyes that seemed to suck everything its gaze fell on.


    [Rumble Rumble¡ª]


    The surroundings shook yet again. This time, with even more ferocity. The creature slowly stood up raising its head proudly as it growled in the air.


    [Weeeeee¡ª!]


    Its growl echoed loudly, making some of the audience members flinch.


    A figure blurred above it all of a sudden, appearing just above it.


    It was so fast that the audience was barely able to see it. Thankfully, the broadcast was able to slow the projection down.


    "Wow...!"


    "Ah!"


    With a roar of excitement from the crowd, the projection gradually slowed, revealing two familiar gray eyes and a glowing sword. It was none other than Leon. With his looks, and rank within the Haven Academy, he was amongst the more popr male candidates amongst the masses.


    With a decisive swing, his de descended, cleaving down upon the enormous creature beneath him.


    [BANG¡ª!]


    The recording device shook slightly from the aftermath of the attack as shockwave swept the surroundings.


    Once the sound cleared everyone was stunned to see the creature to bepletely fine.


    "Whaaaa?"


    "So strong...!"


    "Wait, look!"


    As the confusion settled, amidst the collective belief that Leon''s attack had done nothing, a handful of attentive spectators caught sight of a small dent on the creature''s thick tusk.


    "There''s a dent...!"


    "Ah!"


    Simrly catching the dent, Leon took a deep breath and pressed his foot against the creature''s tusk as he stood on top of it.


    [BANG¡ª!]


    Leon''s attack was followed by another.


    And then another.


    [BANG¡ª!]


    The resounding echo reverberated throughout the arena grounds, enveloping the spectators in an immersive sensation that made it seem as though they were relieving the entire experience through the lenses of the participating cadets.


    Just as Leon was about to sh again, the creature let out a shrill cry and stomped the ground.


    [Weeeeee¡ª!]


    The chamber shook fiercely, and Leon was sent flying back.


    "Ah!"


    "No!!"


    Panic erupted among the audience as Leon''s figure was flung backward, hurtling towards the wall with rming speed. Yet, moments before impact, his body abruptly halted in mid-air.


    Before the audience could understand what had happened, Leon lowered his head to nce at Aoife whose face was twisted.


    [.....Go again.]


    And then, waving her hand, his body shot forward at rapid speeds.


    [Kracka! Kracka!]


    Bolts of lightning erupted from above, striking the creature''s body with incredible force, etching scorched marks upon its surface upon impact.


    [Hieeek¡ª!]


    The creature roared with pain as its trucks trashed around, sending a few cadets flying away in the process. Even Leon wasn''t spared as he was unfortunately unable to reach it as he skidded back several meters.


    [Haaa... Haa...]


    In the process, the audience could hear his rough breathing as he looked ahead at the creature with a solemn look.


    Then, gripping his sword, he whispered something to himself.


    His voice was just loud enough for the recording devices to pick up as his voice gently echoed within the confines of the arena grounds.


    [.....We''ve hardly scratched it.]


    And indeed, upon closer look, despite everything that had happened, the creature looked rtively fine.


    It was then that the audience understood the severity of the situation.


    This...


    ....Was this creature even possible to defeat?


    ***


    I stared at the scene in front of me with nothing but amazement. Leon, Aoife, Evelyn... They were all amazing.


    I could just stand where I was and admire their fights for hours on end.


    They were good.


    Brilliant.


    Amazing...


    There were no words that I could use to describe how amazing they were.


    But...


    I rolled the pill in my mouth. It had no taste and simply felt like a smooth pearl.


    Orphion. The drug was originally meant to be used on the mammoth-like creature in the distance. Ultimately, I took it. The pill had the effect of boosting one''s strength for a while. However, at the same time, it also had severe consequences.


    But...


    I was willing to face the consequences.


    For my future, I had to do it.


    "...."


    As the pill rolled around my mouth, my eyes focused on the recording devices in the distance. They were currently floating in the air, capturing the creature and everything around it.


    Me included.


    I stared at it and took a good long look at it.


    ''You''re watching, aren''t you?''


    I was talking to the audience.


    Perhaps, they weren''t. I wouldn''t me them if they weren''t looking at me.


    But that was fine.


    I was going to grab their attention soon.


    I had a tale to tell.


    One that involved ten people.


    Ten people that all looked different, spoke different, had different backgrounds, and yet, despite their differences, they were the same.


    It was a tale that I needed to tell.


    To the audience, and for myself.


    And with such thoughts, I bit the pill in my mouth.


    Cra Crack¡ª


    Instantly, I felt my body tremble slightly. It was as if a volcano had suddenly erupted inside of my body.


    It was hot.


    Drip...! Drip!


    Sweat dripped down from the side of my face.


    .....The change was subtle, but it was still picked up by Kiera and the others who looked at me in shock.


    "Julien?"


    "Uh? What..."


    Before they could say anything more, I stared at them and nodded silently. A silent sign of assurance. In the process, I tried to make it seem as though I was fine.


    However, I was anything but fine.


    The pain I was currently experiencing. It was hard to describe.


    But pain... I could handle pain.


    And it was with such thoughts that I took my first step forward.


    Tok¡ª


    That tale.


    It was time for me to tell it.


    ***


    Bang¡ª! Skidding a few meters back, Johnathan eventually came to a stop.


    "Ukh...!"


    His breath wasbored, and his mana was running rampant. Staring ahead and seeing Aoife''s group, he clenched his sword and pushed himself forward.


    nk¡ª


    His sword cleaved at the exact spot where Leon had hacked during his first strike. Exactly as his sword made contact with the tusk, Johnathan felt his entire hand go numb.


    However...


    Cr-Crack¡ª! His expression grew excited as he noticed fine miniature webs forming around the tusk.


    "A-almost...!"


    He was just about to follow up when the creature jerked, and Johnathan was thrown a few meters back.


    Bang!


    His back smashed against the wall, and he felt a sweet sensation at the back of his throat.


    "Cough! Cough...!"


    ''....This, it''s so strong ''


    He wasn''t the only one struggling. Staring ahead, Johnathan could see that thebined effort from the two teams was hardly doing anything to the creature. It was at that moment that they understood just how meaningless their n was.


    .....There was simply no way for them to get rid of the creature fast.


    ''Ah, at this rate, things will be more troublesome.''


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    Johnathan''s sword started to glow as he red at the mammoth.


    Looking around him, and seeing that everyone was struggling to deal with the creature, he was prepared to use one of his strongest moves when all of a sudden he felt a chilling down from behind him.


    ".....?"


    It wasn''t just him.


    The others felt it as well.


    Looking back, a peculiar figure stood. He stood still, his clothes fluttering slightly alongside his hair as he stared at the mammoth with cold eyes.


    "W-what are you doing...?"


    Johnathan''s voice came out hoarse. Having exhausted a lot of his mana, he could hardly speak properly.


    Johnathan was just about to tell him to get away so that he wouldn''t be a hindrance when he noticed his expression.


    It was flickering continuously.


    From the angle of his lips, the intensity of his gaze, and his expressions. They kept flickering into different intensities. Almost as if he was trying to replicate different people.


    "What in the..."


    Before Johnathan knew it, the glow around his sword had diminished.


    "...."


    Julien''s current appearance seemed to suck away the energy out of him.


    He didn''t understand it at first, but lowering his head, he stared at his hands.


    "Uh?"


    ....They were trembling.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    His breathing started to grow rapidly. When he looked up again, Julien''s expression had changed again. His eyes, they were empty. Devoid of any light.


    And then...


    "....!"


    Before Johnathan knew it, threads appeared to surround the ce. Covering every inch of the surroundings, everyone stopped.


    All eyes fell on him then.


    "Ah..."


    Johnathan stopped circting his mana as the sword in his hand stopped glowing.


    In that moment,realization finally dawned on him. The reason for Aoife''s words, and Haven''s rankings.


    "This..."


    Why he was ranked first.


    "....What is this?"


    It all finally made sense to him.

 Chapter 114 Different but the same [4]

    <h4>Chapter 114 Different but the same [4]</h4>


    "H-help... me. I''m scared.."


    Within a dark cave, a boy cried. He looked no older than eight, and he held his legs with both hands.


    "Waa...!"


    "Uha!"


    In the distance, he could hear the cries of the other children. Hugging his legs tightly, he hugged his body tightly.


    ''Where am I...?''


    ''What''s going on?''


    ''I''m scared.''


    Such was Leonard''s first memory at the Inverted Sky.


    From then on he was subjected to endless torture.


    "...I''m sorry..."


    He was beaten.


    "It... h-urts... It''s my fault... Don''t hit me."


    He was forced to repeat the same words each day.


    "For the inverted sky!"


    And he couldn''t remember the number of times he had starved.


    "I''m hungry."


    Everyday.


    "....Sorry "


    Life was hell.


    ''Ah... I can''t do this anymore... It hurts...''


    "Hic... Hic..."


    His cries echoed quietly as he wept to himself.


    "....H-here."


    That was when another child approached him.


    Holding onto a piece of bread, he handed it to Leonard. Raising his head, Leonard stared at the bread. He blinked, unable to understand what was going on.


    "F-or me?"


    "....Yes."


    That was when Leonard first met Giel.


    He was taller than the other children. He was also smarter. He''d give them his share of the food whenever someone was hungry.


    It didn''t take long for him to be the group leader.


    But even then...


    He could only help out so much. Even as he starved, and took beatings over the other children, the number of children within the group dwindled.


    What at first had been a group of over one hundred children slowly turned into a group of thirty.


    "I''m hungry..."


    "My stomach hurts."


    "It hurts... M-mom... I-want to go home."


    "Here."


    Giel continued to hand over his food. Even as his stomach roared in pain, and his arms were so thin you could see the bones, he gave his food to those who needed it the most.


    "H-here."


    Leonard followed after his example.


    But even then...


    The deaths continued.


    In the end, only ten managed to survive.


    "From this moment forth, you will be the Dragon Charred Unit."


    Giel, Arian, Jacob, Clyde, Laura, Johanna, Karl, Rowan, Evan, and Leonard. These were the names of the members.


    They were thest remaining survivors of the first trial.


    Having survived, they had now be full-fledged members of the Inverted Sky. Because of the shared trauma, they were close to each other.


    "Have mine..."


    "Take my towel."


    When one suffered, the other would sacrifice theirfort to help the other. It was like this that they carried forward.


    In his time with them, it was a certain conversation that struck deeply with Leonard.


    Sitting by a bonfire, he remembered asking,


    "Do you remember your families?"


    "No."


    ".....No."


    "I do not."


    As the mes from the fire reflected in the eyes of the children, one of them spoke.


    "I do."


    It was Laura. The second youngest of the group.


    With an expression he had never seen her make, she went on to say,


    "My mom. I think she had blonde hair and green eyes. I don''t remember much, but I remember that she was warm. Like this fire. But it doesn''t hurt like this one. I don''t know where she is."


    Looking up, she asked,


    "Do you think she still remembers me?"


    Crackle!


    The fire crackled as the members remained silent for a brief moment.


    Giel was the one who ended up answering as he threw a wooden stick to the fire.


    "....Maybe."


    To Leonard, Giel was an enigma. He was kind and helpful, but at the same time, ruthless when it was necessary.


    He was a person whom he found hard to understand.


    But at the same time... He was someone he looked up to.


    Just what were his true thoughts...?


    "I want to meet her."


    "You will."


    Another member said, staring at the fire.


    "Once we reach a higher rank we''ll get more freedom. By then, you should be able to meet your mother."


    "I will help you."


    "....Thank you."


    The group was united. They had to be. They had only each other left.


    That conversation became an irreceable memory to Leonard.


    From then on the group worked together. They followed a simr routine. They would wake up. Train. Eat. Receive missions. Return, and repeat.


    "Let''s keep going."


    ".....Just hang in there for a little longer."


    "Ugh, Laura, you aren''t a very good cook."


    "Then you cook!"


    "Ah, well... I''m kind ofzy."


    "Then shut up and eat."


    "Hey! That''s my bedsheet."


    "Whatever."


    "Here, have mine."


    "No, I want his."


    "Damn it!"


    "Hahaha."


    Their lives were slowly starting to get better. But... to Leonard, there was still something that he felt was missing about that life.


    He couldn''t quite exin it.


    .....Every time he would go out for a mission, he''d feel that something was missing.


    It only hit him in histest mission.


    They had fully grown up now. No longer were they children.


    Standing further back from the crowd, Leonard stared at the sea of people heading for the stadium when he mumbled,


    "....I envy them."


    The members turned their heads to stare at him. Unlike in the past, they were all different. No longer did they seem as hopeful as they once did.


    They looked like a shell of what they had in the past.


    After everything they had been through, it was hard for them to not lose their humanity. But even then, they were the only ones Leonard had left.


    "You envy them? Why?"


    Why...?


    Leonard looked at the crowd.


    ".....Look at them. All those people. They''re all here to watch them."


    "Them?"


    "The cadets."


    ".....Ah."


    A strange silence befell the group shortly after. As all members turned their heads to stare at the audience, Leonard asked,


    "What do you think it''s like?"


    He nudged at them with his chin.


    ".....The acknowledgment of one''s existence. How do you think it feels?"


    In a world where the only ones who knew about their existence were each other, how did it feel to be acknowledged?


    .


    .


    .


    I pondered over Leonard''s question for a very long time.


    Looking around me and seeing everyone looking at me, I felt the center of everyone''s attention. But even then. Even though I stood before them. I wasn''t really there.


    .....I was merely an abstract image of Julien Dacre Evenus.


    They were looking at me, but not the real me. In a way, the story resonated with me. It was hard to keep going when nobody truly looked at you.


    But...


    I didn''t need people to look at me.


    I was fine with what I had. There was a goal that I had in mind. One that I had to aplish regardless of how much it hurt.


    ....and it was exactly because of such thoughts that I was able to push away the current pain that I was experiencing.


    "Haa."


    The pain...


    It was eroding every part of my body. From my muscles to my internal organs. I could feel a boiling heat from deep within me.


    I could feel the pain swell with each second that passed. My stomach started to bloat, and I started to feel stiff.


    "....."


    The energy that was umting inside my core was threatening to take over my entire body.


    I needed to let go of it.


    Let it out.


    Looking around and seeing everyone desperately fighting against the mammoth, I took in their struggling expressions.


    It was obvious that they were having a hard time defeating the beast.


    It looked imposing from where I was.


    Powerful...


    Tok--


    I took my first step forward.


    As I did, I extended my hand. The one thing that limited me each time was theck of mana. However, things were different now. Mana. I had plenty of it. So much so that my body was starting to break down as a result of how much I had.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    As my breath grewbored, threads started to emerge from my forearm. One, two, three, four, five... ten.


    "More..."


    I could feel it.


    With the amount of mana I had, I could create more threads.


    I wanted to see it.


    Just how many threads could I create with the amount of energy that I had?


    "Twenty."


    No, I could do more...


    Even as my body started to heat up, I squeezed everything out of me.


    Shhh¡ª


    "....Thirty."


    Such were the number of threads that were currently enveloping my arm. Staring into the distance, I focused my attention on the recording device hovering in the air.


    I took a good look at it before closing my eyes.


    "Huu."


    I took a deep breath and sunk my consciousness within.


    ....There I could feel four other faint personalities trying to take over. However, I didn''t let them.


    Not yet.


    "...."


    "...."


    In the silence that took over my mind, I slowly opened my eyes again. When I did, I found the entire world before me covered in threads.


    "Haa..."


    Looking ahead, I could see everyone''s attention fixed on me.


    From the recording device to everyone else that was within the room. At that moment, they were all looking at me.


    I was the center of everyone''s attention.


    I...


    ....Was existing.


    ***


    Everything happened so fast that nobody knew how to react. In one moment, Aoife and Johnathan''s team were struggling, and in the next moment, they stopped. It wasn''t as though they wanted to stop.


    It was more like...


    ...They had to stop.


    [W-what is this?]


    [Threads?]


    Covering every inch of the chamber were threads. They surrounded the entire space without leaving anyone with any room to move.


    "What''s going on...?"


    "What the hell is this?"


    The unexpected change caught the audience off guard, prompting some to stand up for a better view of the projection above. However, just as they were trying to understand the situation, the recording device suddenly focused on a certain individual.


    "Ah..."


    He stood still at the center without saying a single word. He just stood there, and yet, the moment the recording device stopped on him, he seemed to suck the very air out of the surroundings.


    "It''s him..."


    "....What is he doing?"


    It was a figure that most people were already aware of.


    Having witnessed his y, they were all too familiar with him. He was a sort of celebrity.


    Back then, he had gripped the attention of the world with his acting. This time, he grabbed their attention for a different reason.


    "...How?"


    "The threads... They areing from him?"


    It was hard for the audience to make heads or tails of what was happening. Before his stream had turned off, everyone saw his group. It was nothing special.


    Due to technical errors, their stream shut off and everyone turned to look at the other groups that were possible to watch.


    Everyone had forgotten about them.


    Him.


    .....With how everyone had been performing, it wasn''t hard to forget about him.


    But...


    Staring at the very scene before them, the audience found themselves unable to tear their gazes away from him.


    If they could forget about him before, they couldn''t now.


    He was deeply etched in their minds.


    [Tok¡ª]


    The singr sound of his footstep echoed within the confines of the projection as he stepped forward.


    As he did, the other cadets remained still.


    It wasn''t because they were scared, but simply put, they couldn''t. The threads. Despite being so thin, they looked sturdy.


    [Weeee¡ª]


    The silence shattered as the mammoth emitted a thunderous growl, its piercing cry echoing through the air as it fixed its gaze upon Julien.


    Snap! Snap! Snap!


    As it moved, the threads snapped.


    "....!"


    "Ah!"


    The audience screamed as they watched this. It was a scene they were familiar with. Just moments prior, all the other cadets struggled to even put a dent in the creature''s body.


    The same could be said to be true for the threads which appeared to not affect the mammoth''s body.


    [....]


    Standing still, Julien started at the iing creature. He didn''t seem particrly bothered by the mammoth.


    Bringing his hand forward, he clenched his hand.


    The threadspressed into the mammoth who let out a shrill cry.


    [Weeee¡ª]


    Blood splurted everywhere.


    But even so, it continued to change forward.


    Snap! Snap! Snap!


    10 meters.


    [....]


    Julien remained still.


    8 meters.


    [Weeee¡ª]


    The creature neared yet again.


    Even so, Julien remained still. The audience watched this with bathed breath as they clenched their hands against the seats tightly.


    While he stood motionless, a certain voice floated in Julien''s mind as he stared at the iing mammoth.


    ''I''m tired.''


    It was the continuation of Leonard''s speech.


    ''And it''s not the type of tiredness that sleep can fix. I''m tired of not existing. Not knowing whether, besides you guys, a person out there even acknowledges my existence. You guys also feel it, don''t you? That we''re slowly fading away.''


    6 meters.


    It drew nearer to him. Its massive presence loomed over Julien as the audience looked at the scene with widened eyes and looks of horror.


    "Oh no!"


    "Ah!! Get away...!"


    But he didn''t. Julien remained standing where he was, his expression changing again as he took on a new persona.


    ''.....It feels empty. I feel empty. I don''t know why. I just feel this way. And it''s sucking me deeper and deeper each day that I keep on living.''


    4 meters.


    It was now practically in front of Julien.


    "Akh..!"


    Some of the audience wanted to close their eyes. They wanted to look away from the bloody scene that was inevitably going to happen.


    But...


    For some reason, everyone kept their eyes fixed on him. It was as if their eyes were glued on him, making them unable to tear their gazes away.


    ''So if you ask me why I''m envious, it''s because I don''t get to have the privilege of even knowing what''s it like to know I exist. I''m just a shadow. An endlessly drifting piece of nothing.''


    2 meters.


    [Weeee¡ª]


    The mammoth roared.


    Its body elevated from the ground as its foot drew near to him.


    ''....I am nothing.''


    And then...


    Thump!


    The mammoth fell t a few inches before Julien. Around it were over a dozen purple threads. The audience started at the scene in shock. The same was true for the cadets.


    As everyone wondered how it was possible? Julien turned his head to face the recording device.


    His expression appeared for all those to see.


    "....."


    A strange silence suddenly overtook the arena as everyone stopped speaking. As he looked, his eyes seemed to say,


    ''Are you seeing this...?''


    Seeing this? Who was he talking to?


    His face changed slightly. So did his eyes. All of a sudden, it appeared as though he was apletely different person.


    Julien''s eyes widened as he looked around him.


    ''They''re watching you.''


    Despite his strange behavior, the spectators couldn''t take their eyes away from him. Again, his expression changed.


    This time, he appeared different again.


    A new persona.


    ''.....All of you.''


    He didn''t seem to be addressing the crowd.


    But something else.


    ''Your existence...''


    He was speaking to the four entities within him. There were ten, but he could only enter the mind of four.


    Even so, Julien understood that despite their differences, they were the same.


    He had seen it through the four he managed to enter.


    Giel, Arian, Jacob, Clyde, Laura, Johanna, Karl, Rowan, Evan, and Leonard. These were the names of the young children.


    The Charred Dragon Unit.


    This was the tale of ten young people.


    It was a sad tale.


    A tale of ten people who the longer they existed, the less they felt like they existed. In the end, they all wanted the same thing.


    To have someone out there acknowledge the fact that they existed.


    And he put on this performance to let the world see them.


    ''The world sees it. I''ve shown them.''


    Staring into the recording device, he returned to his usual expression. His eyes looked down at the mammoth, and his lips parted slightly.


    ".....That you exist."


    Existed.


    Different, but the same.


    Such was the name of their tale.


    ***


    Sorry for the dy, very long chap.

 Chapter 115 Interesting [1]

    <h4>Chapter 115 Interesting [1]</h4>


    Swoosh¡ª


    "We''re almost there."


    Karl sprinted forward as his group followed him from behind. Turning his head, he stared at them and urged them to quicken their speed.


    ".....Onest push. We should be amongst the firsts."


    Though he said that, he didn''t believe that to be the case. They had wasted too much time trying to catch up with the leading teams.


    ''Monsters.''


    That was all Karl could think of as he looked at the scores on his bracelet. From the start until now, the top two groups had maintained a steady lead.


    It only had stopped recently.


    Most likely, there were already people fighting against the boss monster.


    ''That''s fine, they''ll be exhausted by the time we arrive. We can steal their kill after all parties are exhausted.''


    It was a feasible n.


    One that he nned on doing.


    Or at least, originally nned to do.


    "W-what is this...?"


    Standing by the entrance of the main chamber, Karl looked around with an open mouth. The same was true for his team members who looked around with simr stunned expressions.


    "....Threads."


    They covered the entire space.


    Was the boss monster some sort of spider? Such were Karl''s initial thoughts as he looked around and spotted a few familiar faces in the distance.


    "This..."


    From Johnathan and his team to Aoife,?and her members. Wearing simr grim expressions, they were all looking towards a specific direction.


    Towards a certain man.


    When Karl turned his head to trace where their gazes were directed towards, his eyes widened.


    "....Ah."


    Him...?


    His appearance alone stood out from the rest. Karl was familiar with him. Having scanned him before the examination began, Karl didn''t think too much of him.


    "Why is everyone-"


    And then he stopped.


    He realized. A massive creature rested not far from where Julien was. No, rather... It looked lifeless.


    All of a sudden, he recalled the expressions of the other groups.


    Slowly, the pieces started to piece together in his mind and his expression yet again changed.


    "B-but how...?"


    Unable to believe it, he used his skill. He distinctively remembered Julien''s aura to be average to above average.


    How cou-


    "Ah..."


    Blink.


    Blinking once, he made sure to check if he was seeing correctly.


    He didn''t, and as if the words were stuck in his mouth, Karl swallowed his saliva. A


    "Haaa..."


    All of a sudden, he found it hard to breathe.


    Despite Julien not meeting his gaze, it seemed as if invisible hands clenched tightly around his throat, suffocating him to the brink of breathlessness.


    Staring at him.


    Or more specifically the aura surrounding his body, he felt his throat grow dry.


    "....That."


    The aura surrounding his body.


    It was overwhelming.


    ***


    Absorbing one''s memories and emotions wasn''t easy.


    Not only did I have to deal with the aftermath of reliving their memories, but I also had to get rid of their lingering emotions.


    Were I not to do that, then they''d remain stuck within me, making it harder for me to absorb.


    It was for that reason that I had to do this.


    "....."


    But it wasn''t the only reason I did it.


    Regaining control of myself, I looked down at the creature beneath me. It was lying motionless, on itsst breath.


    Even so, it was still not dead.


    It had only been weakened due to my curse magic. And so, without thinking twice, I stared at its inky ck eyes before clenching my fist.


    Puchi!


    Blood sttered all over me.


    [+5000 Points]


    Shortly after that, my bracelet buzzed and I heard a low chime.


    "....."


    Keeping my gaze focused on the mammoth, I gradually raised my head to stare at the recording device and the other cadets.


    There was another reason that I needed an audience.


    ....I wanted the world to understand that I wasn''t the ck Star for no reason.


    I was at a point where I needed to appear stronger than I actually was. I was in a position where I couldn''t hide my strength. I had to do the opposite.


    And ncing around, I could tell I had done a very good job at that.


    So....


    Turning around, I looked at my group.


    Besides Kiera who was looking at me with a frown, they were staring at me with open mouths.


    "Y-you...? Since when were you capable of making such a move?"


    I ignored Josephine''s question and took a deep breath.


    "Let''s go."


    Passing them, I headed deep into the tunnel.


    As I walked, I never looked back. It wasn''t because I wanted to keep appearances up or anything of the sort.


    ....It was because my body was breaking down.


    The side effects of the pill were starting to show. The pain was starting to be unbearable. I needed to get out of here.


    Thankfully, I was sure that nobody woulde after me.


    I had made sure to put on a performance that deterred others from doing so.


    And I was right.


    [You have exited the Labyrinth; Team Julien and his sidekicks ]


    [Your Team Score is ¡ª 5670]


    [Rank 1]


    ***


    The surroundings were gray.


    In the distance, a white sun hung in the air. Hands crawled up from the ground, reaching out for the four individuals within the world.


    Bang!


    "Damn it...!"


    "I need a little help here!"


    The four attempted to resist, casting various spells and wielding their weapons to fend off the grasping hands reaching for them.


    But...


    "Ah, crap...!"


    It was a futile attempt.


    Regardless of what they did, the hands would regenerate and keeping back for them.


    "...."


    Not far from them, a figure stood.


    In front of her were two other figures. Aziel, and another individual of simr strength to his. He went by the name ''ck'' and was a Fiend-ranked member. A mindless soldier whose only purpose was to follow orders.


    With their weapons drawn, they attacked her.


    SHIIIING¡ª!


    But that was a futile attempt on their end. With a casual wave of her hand, the space before them folded and the direction of their attacks shifted away from her.


    "What...?!"


    Delh remained expressionless.


    ''How long has it been....?''


    She had lost count by now. At first, it was just one person. He was strong, but he wasn''t something that Delh couldn''t handle.


    However, at the exact moment she extracted her domain, five other figures appeared. They weren''t as strong as Aziel, but they were still rather strong. But it wasn''t their strength that bothered her. It was their utter disregard for their own life that made things difficult for her.


    With theirbined efforts, they were able to hold her at a stalemate.


    "Ha..."


    Seeing the look on Delh''s face, Aziel sneered.


    "It''s been several hours now. By now, all the cadets should''ve died or suffered serious injuries."


    "...."


    "How unfortunate. In the end, all of this is because you weren''t able to deal with us quickly. Watch what happens when the entire world sees their best cadets die at the hands of the boss."


    Aziel spoke in a tone that was filled with self-assurance. As if the result was predetermined.


    Throughout the entire exchange, he had been rather talkative. His mission was to stall for time. He wasn''t here to defeat Delh.


    She was simply not someone he could beat.


    Pointing his weapon at Delh, a long spear, his body erupted with a powerful wave of mana. The result of his action caused the nearby hands to shatter as the spear in his hand started to glow brighter.


    ".....Remember. When everything ends, you''ll be the focal point of the world. And not in a good way."


    Before long, the domain started to show signs of shaking as faint cracks appeared all over the world.


    This was all due to the influence of Aziel''s attack.


    As a lower seat, he was powerful. He was the same rank as Delh, Tier 9. Although he wasn''t as strong as her, he wasn''t a nobody.


    He was sure that his attack would at least do something to her.


    And then, taking onest look at Delh, he thrust his spear forward.


    "Go and greet the cadets you care so much about."


    SHIIIIING¡ª


    As if the thrust sucked the entire space around it, the surroundings spun alongside the spear.


    It was a devastating scene.


    One which was apanied by a gentle whistle that echoed in the air. Wherever the spear went, everything would shatter.


    Crack! Crack!


    "....."


    In response to the attack, Delh remained motionless.


    Her eyes, which had bepletely ck were fixed on the spear as its image was reflected in her eyes.


    Just as the spear was a few inches away from her, it stopped.


    "Uh....?"


    Aziel looked at her stunned.


    His muscles tensed as he tried to thrust it forward, but it was to no avail. The spear. It refused to budge.


    "....."


    Delh looked back at him with an empty look. Almost as if it was devoid of any life.


    Then...


    The world shrank.


    Shlup¡ª!


    Color flooded back into the world as the ckness receded from Delh''s eyes, and she found herself standing in a familiar environment.


    "....."


    Silence gripped the surroundings as she stood still.


    Extending her hand, a ck pearl appeared in her grasp. Within it, several figures appeared. Delh''s attention focused on one specific one. He was looking at her with a horrified gaze.


    Staring back, Delh tilted her head slightly before pressing her two fingers together.


    Cr Crack¡ª


    The pearl shattered in an instant.


    Rubbing her fingers to get rid of the lingering shards of the pearl, Delh turned around to face the entrance of the Labyrinth.


    Bringing her foot up, she stomped the ground once.


    A shattering sound akin to ss breaking echoed shortly after as an invisible film shattered under her step. Lowering her body, she opened the trapdoor that led to the Labyrinth. As she did, she extended her mana into the Labyrinth to see the current situation.


    But...


    "Hm?"


    Her movements stopped when she did.


    Blinking several times, she once again extended her mana around. Seeing that she got the same result as the first time, her eyes widened slightly.


    "....Nothing?"


    Delh had originally expected to see a desperate situation upon entering the Labyrinth, but much to her surprise, everything was perfect.


    Almost too perfect...


    "What happened?"


    To the point where she started to question whether something had truly happened or not.


    Frowning, Delh took out a small device from her pocket. It was a small cube the size of a small ball. Tapping on it, a small projection appeared.


    A figure appeared the moment she turned on the projection.


    "....."


    A figure she was all too familiar with.


    And...


    He appeared to have ranked first.


    Lowering her head to stare at the entrance, she looked back at the projection. Or more specifically, the cadet who appeared in it.


    ''Was it you...?"

 Chapter 116 Interesting [2]

    <h4>Chapter 116 Interesting [2]</h4>


    The moment Julien and his sidekicks came out of the Labyrinth, none of the spectators said a thing.


    They just stood in silence to stare at them.


    ....Or more specifically Julien.


    Yet again, he had pulled everyone''s attention. He stole the show once more. What he had done, the public remembered.


    It was that memorable.


    In one of the corners of the arena stands. A man leaned on his seat while staring at Julien beneath.


    He wore a brown top hat and brown coat.


    "....It was a nice performance."


    It was hard to tell who he was addressing. There was no one besides him.


    "He''s certainly a very powerful first year. But still, it''s surprising how he had managed to singlehandedly defeat the monster just by himself."


    The other cadets may have done a little by tiring it out, but at the end of the day, he was the one who had defeated the monster.


    "It''s crazy."


    Extending his hand, he removed his hat to reveal his dark hair and deep brown eyes. He was none other than the Inquisitor.


    Pinching his chin, he leaned back slightly.


    "....It''s almost as if he had taken something."


    Just as he said those words, Julien, the main star of the show excused himself. The Inquisitor''s eyes traced his back as he left.


    "Uahg."


    Closing his eyes for a short moment, he put his hat back on and stretched.


    "....Looks like it''s also time for me to go do my job."


    ***


    "Haaa...."


    I found it hard to breathe. Looking around, the world seemed to spin. I couldn''t see straight and I had trouble walking.


    Even so, I kept my expression firm and marched forward. I had long left the arena and my teammates.


    They didn''t stop me and let me go. They were probably surprised by my actions back in the chamber.


    It was good that way.


    "Haa... Haaa...."


    I didn''t know where I was going.


    I was just mindlessly wandering around the Academy campus.


    ''At this rate, I''ll die.''


    That much was bing obvious to me. My chest burned, and my legs were starting to give up on me.


    The excess mana that was lingering within my body was threatening to erupt at any second. I could already picture a scene where I''d explode into millions of pieces out of nowhere.


    ''....That''s not good.''


    As I walked, I could feel the gazes of the passerbies on me.


    Some stopped to whisper to each other, while others stared at me from the distance. I looked at them briefly before continuing forward.


    I was so out of it that I couldn''t tell if they were looking at me because they had seen my performance, or that I looked extremely sickly.


    ''....Where do I go?''


    To the infirmary?


    Yeah, no.


    If I were to do that, they would discover all about the drug that I had taken. The only reason that nobody suspected a thing was because before entering the Labyrinth, all cadets had been stripped and searched by the Academy inspectors.


    The only thing that we were allowed to bring was the bracelets. The Academy provided the weapons.


    The drug was something that nobody would think I''d be able to ess.


    For now, I was in the clear.


    .....But I knew that I was still not out of the danger zone.


    Were I to pass out here and sent to the infirmary, then it would instantly be clear that I had taken something. The Academy doctors weren''t that naive.


    ''I can''t allow for that to happen.''


    It would destroy everything that I tried so hard to build.


    "....."


    Gradually, my steps stopped.


    ''Do I have no choice...?''


    There was one ce that I had in mind. A ce that would resolve all my worries.


    I clenched my fists and covered my mouth.


    "Cough...!"


    Coughing, I felt something spew out from my mouth.


    Drip! Drip...!


    I didn''t need to look to understand what it was. Quickly wiping the blood away from my mouth, I closed my eyes and moved forward again.


    This time, I had a direction.


    ***


    "Hmmm."


    Inside As''s office ¡ª a vast office that overlooked the entire Academy from the top.


    "There have been twenty-seven reported deaths. All of them belong to cadets from lower-ranked Academies. We have yet to make the news public."


    Listening to his assistant''s voice, As remained seated with an impassive expression. Carefully managing his expression, he closed his eyes for a brief moment as his assistant continued,


    "Thanks to Julien and his sidekicks''s appearance towards the middle we were able to appease some of the protests regarding some of the cadet groups not appearing in the main projection screen."


    It was a general briefing about the situation.


    Every time the name ''Julien and his sidekicks'' was mentioned, As would find his brows twitching slightly. However, he was quick to grow used to it.


    The mid-terms had yet to end. However, the winner had already been decided. With an overwhelming point difference, they were ranked first.


    Given the amount of time that the other groups had left, it wasn''t impossible for them to get close to them, but they were probably too exhausted to do so.


    In the end, it was safe to assume that the team [Julien and his sidekicks] would end up cing first by the end of it all.


    The problem now was something else.


    "How should we reveal the news to the Chancellors of the other Academies? Julien and his sidekicks'' appearance calmed them down somewhat. In their minds they were probably thinking; If their recording device also stopped working and they appeared not long after, surely it suggested that it was nothing big."


    The assistant paused.


    "But..."


    "....We won''t be able to keep them calm for much longer."


    As finished the words for his assistant.


    "Eventually, we''ll have to tell them the truth about what happened."


    "Yes."


    Slowly opening his eyes to reveal his yellow pupils, he ced his hand over the wooden desk opposite him and drummed his fingers lightly.


    "Tell them toe visit me."


    "Yes?"


    "I will tell them the news personally."


    "Ah..."


    His assistant showed a look of surprise. However, quickly rposing, she nodded her head in understanding.


    "Understood."


    "....You may leave."


    "I will bring them back as you''ve ordered."


    With a gentle blow, she left the room, leaving As alone in his office. As she left, he remained seated in his chair.


    "....."


    The room plunged into a state of silence.In the silence, As lowered his head to stare at his drawer. He stared at it for a good minute before opening it and pulling out a pair of ck gloves, slipping them onto his hands.


    It was a sort of ritual that he had. For whenever he had to do something important.


    He had just put them on when the door knocked.


    To Tok¡ª


    "....That''s rather fast."


    Surprised, he opened his mouth to say,


    "Come in."


    nk¡ª


    The door opened, but the people he had expected toe didn''t appear. Instead, a young man with jet-ck hair and hazel eyes entered.


    Little needed to be said regarding his appearance; from the moment he arrived, he stood out distinctly. Yet, what truly stood out about him at the moment wasn''t his appearance, but the manaing out of his body.


    It was rather intense.


    "....Hm?"


    As''s head tilted slightly at the appearance of the youth.


    Phecda.


    He hadn''t expected him to be here.


    nk¡ª


    As Phecda opened the door and closed it behind him, he looked around the room for a brief moment before sitting down on the sofa opposite him.


    He made himselffortable before looking at As. That was when As noticed.


    His gaze.


    The way he looked at him.


    It was one of indifference. A stark contrast from the first time they had met. Back then, while his gaze was somewhat simr, he could feel the apprehension within him.


    And yet...


    ....That apprehension waspletely gone at this moment.


    "...."


    "...."


    The two stared at each other for a brief moment as the room stilled in the silence.


    Then, breaking the silence was Julien who covered his mouth with his hand.


    "Oh...?"


    Drip. Drip...!


    A red liquid seeped out from the narrow gap of his fingers.


    Even then, he never took his gaze away from As. Rather, his gaze intensified. It was as if he was telling him to keep looking.


    ".....I''ve done it."


    His voice came out hoarse.


    Despite that, his voice was clear enough for As to understand.


    "I''ve done my part."


    As nodded his head in acknowledgment.


    "I saw."


    How could he not have seen? He had stolen the show. There wasn''t anyone that hadn''t seen his performance.


    Most likely, everyone was still talking about it.


    So...


    Why would the star of the showe all the way to his office? Clearly, he had a motive in mind.


    ".....Are you here to apologize for what you''ve done?"


    It would make sense if he did.


    They had indeed spent a lot of resources trying to get this n to work. However, it had alle crashing down because of the young cadet in front of him.


    "It wasn''t easy to raise such a talented group."


    Phecda''s expression twitched slightly at the mention of the group. However, he was quick to recover as he shook his head.


    "No...?"


    As thought the reason was that, but unexpectedly, Phecda shook his head.


    "Then?"


    As wasn''t offended by that. Rather, he had somewhat encouraged him to do what he did. For that, he didn''t care at all for the apology.


    He was just curious about his answer.


    One that came shortly after.


    "No. I couldn''t care less about what you... think."


    "....?"


    Drip. Drip...!


    As the blood continued to drip down from the gaps of his fingers, Phecda''s lips suddenly started to close.


    "I only want one thing¡­"


    As they did, he managed to utter a fewst words.


    "Fucking... heal me."


    His arm limped down shortly after and blood started to spill from all his orifices. Despite that, he maintained his gaze fixed on As.


    "He''s out."


    Even as his eyes remained open, As could tell he had passed out.


    It was quite a sight to see.


    Drip. Drip. Drip.


    The blood trickled down on the ground in a rhythmical manner.


    Almost like the arm of a clock.


    "...."


    It shattered whatever silence was about to take over.


    Amidst all that, As''s mumblings overtook the repetitive sound of Phecda''s blood dripping.


    "I couldn''t care less about what you think...? Fucking heal me?"


    ....It wasn''t that Phecda''s words had offended him. Rather, he couldn''t care less about what he had said. It was more the tone in which he said those words.


    How could he describe it...?


    ''It''s as if he is certain I''ll help him.''


    Yes, it was that.


    .....It was a thought that made him want tough. Especially since he was right. Phecda was invaluable to them. His performance had not only solidified his spot as the Haven''s top ranker but at the same time, helped Delh out of a sticky situation.


    Would that lead to her trusting him more?


    As wasn''t sure. However, his action must''ve definitely made her confused.


    Whose side was he on? Hers or theirs...?


    "Haha."


    The thought made Asugh.


    Lowering his head, he took a good look at Phecda.


    ''The difference between a potential Fiend and Low Seat isn''t their strength but their ability to think for themselves.''


    Phecda was evaluated to be a potential Fiend.


    Looking at his state, and how he had gone to the extent of consuming the drug that was meant for the boss monster, As could see why he was evaluated as such.


    But at the same time, he could also see something else.


    Something more calcted...


    Again, Asughed.


    "....Interesting."

 Chapter 117 Interesting [3]

    <h4>Chapter 117 Interesting [3]</h4>


    The Evenus Household was unusually quiet. With servants running all over the ce to hold ceremonies for nearby noble houses, the estate was usually busy.


    Today, however, things were different.


    In a highly decorated room within the estate.?A man stood with his arms crossed while staring at the projection in front of him.


    "....."


    He stood in silence as he watched the scene in front of him rey over and over again.


    Whenever the scene would end, he would bring his hand forward and shift the video back so he could watch it again.


    It was a broadcast that had swept the entire Empire. Originally, Aldric wasn''t interested. There were many things that he needed to take care of.


    However, curiosity still got the better of him and he ended up getting a subscription for the event.


    Aldric was curious about something.


    His son, Julien.


    Had he really changed as the reports suggested?


    "....."


    In the end, he ended up witnessing something that he hadn''t expected to see.


    "....Was he hiding his abilities?"


    He watched as his son, Julien,pletely took over the entire event with his abilities. The two of them had a slight resemnce with each other, but staring at the figure in the middle of the projection, Aldric didn''t feel any of those familiarities he once used to feel.


    Rather, he looked foreign to him.


    Was this really his son?


    "Father."


    A figure appeared beside Aldric. It was Linus. His second child. He too was staring at the projection with a frown.


    "That''s Julien, isn''t it?"


    ".....Yes."


    "Has he always been this capable?"


    "...No."


    "Do you think it''s possible that he improved so much after joining Haven? No, even then, he is the ck Star. He''s been outstanding ever since his entrance, hasn''t he?"


    "He has..."


    Aldric turned his head to stare at his second son.


    Where was he getting with this?


    "....."


    Without saying anything, Linus turned his head and their gazes met. Just slightly, Aldric noticed something peculiar in his second''s son expression.


    However, he couldn''t quite tell what it was.


    "Do you think he''s been hiding something from us? No matter how you look at it, that seems to be the case."


    "....."


    At his words, Aldric remained silent.


    He couldn''t deny his son''s words. There was certainly something about Julien that didn''t make sense.


    "He must''ve had his reasons."


    "Which are?"


    ".....I don''t know."


    "Ha."


    Linus scoffed slightly. He found the situation ridiculous. Aldric on the other hand, remained silent while looking back at the projection.


    "You don''t have to worry about it too much."


    "Why?"


    Aldric didn''t respond immediately.


    Rather, he swiped his hand and reyed the video again. This time, he didn''t focus his attention on Julien but a figure at the back.


    With dull gray eyes, he stood motionless as Julien took the spotlight.


    Raising his hand, he pointed it towards the projection.


    "....Because of him."


    ***


    "So they''ve all died...?"


    In a quiet room outside of his office, As leaned against the wall as he talked to the air.


    "....Not even one survivor?"


    ¡ªNo.


    A soft voice replied to his left.


    "I see."


    As closed his eyes to absorb the information. One lower seat and several Fiend ranks had been sent to dy Delh. The goal had been to dy her for as long as possible, which should''ve been possible given the strength of the group.


    However, things took an unexpected turn.


    "How did she do it?"


    It had to be noted that the ones sent weren''t just random people that the organization had sent. They were extremely powerful people.


    Their loss was a pretty severe blow to them.


    ¡ªI am not entirely sure. However, from what I was able to gather, she used a domain.


    "A domain?"


    As frowned. A domain was something that anyone who reached Tier 5 would be able to create. It was usually something that most individuals would keep a secret since it was a sort of trump card.


    That being said...


    "...Have you gotten any information on what her domain does? I''m still struggling toprehend the situation."


    The fact that so many strong people had died was a big deal. Especially when it only took her four to five hours to do so.


    Was her domain really that powerful?


    ¡ªFrom what I''m gathering through the memory fragments of those who died, her domain is an entirely different world that absorbs the energy of anyone who is inside. I believe she''s capable of absorbing their energy and making it into her own.


    "Is that so...?"


    ¡ªSo far, yes. We''re still looking into it.


    "....."


    As frowned with a grim look.


    Although it was still not fully clear, if her power was really like that, then something became clear to him.


    "It seems like we need to re-evaluate her strength."


    Not only that, but...


    "If she''s capable of absorbing their energy and making it her own, then she''s also a lot more dangerous than we initially believed."


    ¡ªI agree.


    "Hmm."


    As''s frown deepened. The situation was a lot more serious than he had anticipated. He was just about to say something else when his brow lifted and he turned to look away.


    "Ah."


    He suddenly felt a movementing from his office and a smile finally appeared on his lips.


    "It seems like someone is about to wake up."


    ***


    I wasn''t sure for how long I was out for. All I could remember was seeing the world turn bright before darkness engulfed my consciousness.


    It was all a fog from there.


    "...."


    When I regained consciousness, I found that I was lying on the cold hard ground.


    It felt rather ufortable.


    "Ugh."


    Groaning, I rubbed my head. It was throbbing in pain, and the lighting from the top was stinging my eyes.


    My eyes squinted as I used my arm to cover my eyes.


    "Where am I...?"


    I was confused at first, but as I looked around, I realized exactly where I was.


    "Ah."


    And then I remembered exactly what had happened. For a brief moment, my body tensed. Where is he? Did he figure something out...? As I looked around tensely, I was relieved to see that I was the only one in the room.


    At the same time, the fact that I was still alive proved that everything went well.


    "Haaa..."


    I closed my eyes to feel my body.


    ''It''s a mess.''


    The mana flow in some ces was slower than others, and my core had shrunk slightly. However, besides all of that, it was safe to say that I was out of danger.


    No, rather...


    ''I think I''ve gotten stronger.''


    I wasn''t very conscious back then, but the moment that I defeated the mammoth, I remembered seeing a notification.


    The notification was apanied by something else.


    But I hadn''t been able to tell exactly what it was. Thankfully, I could check.


    ?| EXP + 67%


    As expected.


    It was a notification indicating my increase in experience for having defeated the mammoth.


    I hadn''t felt anything back then because of my circumstances, but now that I was out of danger, I could tell that I had gotten stronger.


    "....."


    Lowering my head, I squeezed my hand. My grip was rather weak and my reaction was slower than my brain input.


    "Doesn''t feel like I''ve gotten stronger at all..."


    Rather, it felt as if I had be disabled. Of course, I knew it was merely because I was still not in full health.


    ''Still, this is quite a lot of experience.''


    But it made sense considering the strength of the creature which was around Tier 4 to High Tier 3.


    But if that wasn''t all...


    [Midterms: You have ovee the event.]


    A new notification shed in my vision.


    It was apanied by another.


    [You were able to prevent a tragedy from urring in the midterms. Besides a few casualties, the midterms have proceeded smoothly.]


    ¡ö| Game Progression EXP + 11%


    Game Progression : [0%¡ª¡ª[18%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    "Aahhh..."


    A familiar sensation washed over me. It was one that I thought I was starting to get used to, but unlike the previous times, I could feel the energying into my body was far more thick and pure than the previous ones.


    My mana core started to expand rapidly and I felt my body surge with strength.


    The bar continued to rise before my very eyes. It continued like this until it eventually stopped at Level 25.


    ¡ö| Character Progression EXP + 207%


    Exp : [0%¡ª[23%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    "Haha."


    An unbelievable amount of progress. One that was supposed to take me months to achieve.


    ....And yet, I had managed to achieve it all in one single event.


    ''I''m starting to catch up with the top cadets.''


    While I wasn''t exactly sure about how strong they currently were, ounting for their rate of progress and the manuals they had, most of the top cadets were Tier 3 and above.


    ....And unlike them, I wasn''t as talented. If not for the quest, I would''ve probably still been stuck at Level 20. Perhaps, not even in Tier 2.


    It was the painful reality of my situation.


    But I wasn''t disheartened. Talent or no talent, I was going to work to the point where I became the best version of what I could ever be.


    ''That much I have to do.''


    [Cmity Progress]


    Aoife K. Megrail : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    Kiera Mylne : Slumber


    : Progress - 9%


    Evelyn J. Verlice : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    A new notification appeared. One that I easily dismissed as I struggled to help myself up.


    ''How long have I been out for?''


    ".....!"


    It was at that moment that I spotted a figure sitting down on the couch on the opposite end, and I froze.


    He was staring at me with an interested look.


    ''When did he get here...?!''


    I was so sure that I had been the only person in the room just a few moments ago.


    How was he here?


    "The more I look at you, the more interesting you be in my eyes."


    His gentle and clear voice echoed within the room. As his golden pupils stared at me, he cocked his head slightly.


    "I was just outside when I noticed something irregring from your body. I thought something had gone wrong and came to check on you, but..."


    He lowered his head to scan my body up and down.


    "Do you know how surprised I was to see your strength suddenly jump up out of nowhere?"


    As appeared just before me.


    Before I even had the chance to say anything, he went on to grasp my hand.


    I wanted to take it back, but as if I had lost all energy from my body, I found myself unable to resist.


    "....."


    I stared at him with bated breath.


    I could practically feel the beat of my heart drum loudly inside of my mind. Anxiety was starting to creep within me. Did he find something out? Is he...


    He eventually let go of my wrist before muttering,


    "....So interesting."


    Interesting?


    What did he find out?


    "You have an interesting constitution."


    "....?"


    "While your injuries are still present, you were able to absorb some of the medical properties of the pill. It''s because of that reason that you were able to be stronger. From what I can tell, you''re halfway into bing Tier 3. That''s a considerable jump. Not bad."


    The fuck is this guy...


    ''Ah.''


    Then I understood.


    ''....He''s misunderstanding the reason for why my strength increased.''


    He didn''t find anything about the ''quest'' or the fact that there was anything wrong with me. That I wasn''t the real Julien.


    I took the opportunity to roll with the misunderstanding.


    "Thank you."


    "Hmm, there''s no need to thank me for something you were born with. You can however thank me for saving you."


    "....."


    I remained quiet at that.


    "Oh?"


    His brow raised as he turned to look at me.


    "Not even a word of thanks? It seems like you''re taking my abilities for granted."


    "...."


    I again said nothing.


    However, as if understanding what I meant, he leaned back on his chair.


    "You were lucky."


    Raising his hand, he pulled his ck glove down while clenching his hand at the same time.


    "Orphion isn''t a drug that is designed for human consumption. It was originally designed for the boss monster in thebyrinth. The fact that you were able to withstand so much energy is itself a miracle."


    Closing his hand into a fist, the leather glove squeaked slightly as he turned his attention back to me.


    "....The only reason you were able to survive is because of me. Besides Delh, there aren''t many people that are capable of taking out that much energy from you. But I bet you knew that."


    He suddenly smiled.


    "Is that why you took the drug?"


    "....Yes."


    I nodded then.


    I wasn''t carrying on with the misunderstanding this time.


    It was the truth.


    The reason why I took the drug while knowing the consequences that woulde from taking it was because I was certain he would heal me.


    I knew my worth.


    .....And so, I used it.


    Them.


    "Ha."


    With a softugh, As covered his mouth with his curled index finger. He seemed to be trying to hide his smile.


    I just sat there in silence and waited for him to say something.


    Eventually, he did.


    ....And his next words stunned me.


    "It seems like we need to consider upgrading your potential within the organization."

 Chapter 118 Trip [1]

    <h4>Chapter 118 Trip [1]</h4>


    nk¡ª


    I was still in a daze as I came out of the office and walked past the corridor that led toward the exit of the building.


    As I walked, I could hear the rhythmical echo of my steps.


    They were soft, and yet, they powerfully rang within my mind.


    ''....Upgrade my potential?''


    It wasn''t as though I didn''t understand what he was trying to imply.


    After going through the memories of the few members of the Dragon Charred Unit, I was able to get a better idea of how things worked within the organization.


    It was unfortunate that they had never been in the main headquarters. Otherwise, I would''ve been able to go myself.


    There seemed to be a special requirement for one to be able to enter the main headquarters.


    Or maybe there wasn''t? It could just be that the group was too unimportant for the organization to have them enter the main headquarters.


    It was a bit of a pity considering that I wanted to see how it looked.


    Still...


    I thought back to As''s words.


    "Crazy "


    It was because I knew what his words meant that I thought the entire situation was crazy.


    ''What rank even am I...?''


    Nothing within the memories of the four members of the Dragon Charred Unit told me anything about what the previous Julien''s potential rank was. Was he nning on upgrading my potential to ''Fiend'' rank?


    There was still so much that I didn''t know.


    ".....I''ll need to figure things out better."


    "What do you need to figure out?"


    A soft voice reached me from the front and I stopped. Looking up, my brows jumped up slightly.


    "Chancellor?"


    Delh.


    She was standing before me. What was she doing here...? No, that was a stupid question. She most likely had some important business to attend to. This was after all where As and a few other important figures''s offices were.


    "....."


    As expected, Delh didn''t answer me and just stared at me.


    She didn''t need to say a thing for me to understand what her gaze meant.


    ''What are you doing here?''


    I pursed my lips for a brief moment before answering,


    "I was called here by the Vice-Chancellor."


    "As?"


    "Yes."


    "....."


    For a brief moment, her eyes turned inky as they stared straight into me. In that short moment, it felt as though I was being sucked right into her eyes.


    An unknown and deste world shed in my vision briefly before her figure reappeared before me.


    "What did you do?"


    ".....I answered his questions."


    I answered shortly after as I took a moment to adjust my mind.


    It wasn''t a lie. I was really answering his questions.


    "He was interrogating me regarding the incident that took ce in the Labyrinth."


    "....And?"


    "I am done. I was just about to go back to the dorms."


    "....."


    Yet again, Delh didn''t say a thing. She simply stared at me for a good moment before resuming her steps.


    As she passed me, she nced at me before mumbling,


    "Get some rest."


    Tak. Tak. Tak.


    The sound of her heels clicking against the corridor''s pavement echoed in the air. I stood still for a moment and stared at her departing back.


    For some reason...


    ....Her back looked extremely tired.


    ***


    That night, Aoife and Evelyn were justing back from the arena grounds. Overall, their group managed to rank second. It was a fairly good result. However, neither of the girls spoke while walking back to the dorms.


    They both seemed to be immersed in their own thoughts.


    ".....It''s strange."


    Perhaps not realizing it, Evelyn let her true thoughts out. Aoife''s steps paused and she turned to look at her


    "What is?"


    "Uh, ah?"


    Evelyn looked around stunned and her steps simrly paused. Then, as if realizing what she had done, she covered her mouth.


    "Ah."


    "...."


    Aoife stared at her for a brief moment. She could more or tell what she was thinking about.


    "Is it about Julien?"


    "....!"


    As expected. Evelyn''s reaction told her all that she needed to know. And it was her reaction that made her curious.


    "What do you mean by strange?"


    "Ah, no, it''s..."


    Evelyn fumbled over her words. However, under Aoife''s intense gaze, her face scrunched up and she eventually relented and shared her true thoughts.


    "Julien. He''s strange."


    "As in?"


    "He... He wasn''t that strong before."


    "....."


    "Like, he was okay. He was supposed to be okay. Every time I see him, he changes. I don''t know how to exin it."


    Evelyn tried to find the right words to articte herself. However, in the end, she could only look at Aoife with a helpless smile.


    It seemed a little sad too.


    "....I just don''t think he''s the Julien that I know. Whenever I see him, I see someonepletely different. Even when he changed I could tell slightly it was him, but now?"


    Evelyn shook her head and scoffed slightly.


    "Ha. I don''t know. I really don''t know."


    "...."


    "...."


    Noticing Evelyn''s expression, Aoife didn''t pursue the matter further. Rather, her words echoed deep within her mind. ''Someonepletely different? Every time I see him, he changes...?''


    Evelyn''s words lingered in her mind, nagging at her even after they parted ways and she returned to the room.


    Laying down on her bed, Aoife nkly stared at the ceiling.


    "Changes..."


    Muttering to herself, she closed her eyes. In the darkness that suddenly overtook her vision, a figure appeared.


    He stood in the middle of arge chamber, his appearance seeming to eclipse that of everyone around him with his cold expression. Threads covered the entire space, with a gigantic creature standing not far from where he was.


    It was the same scene from The Labyrinth.


    Even now, it had been deeply imprinted in her mind, making it impossible for her to forget.


    How could she forget?


    Aoife doubted anyone could forget that moment.


    ''Someonepletely different? Every time I see him, he changes.''


    Yet again, Evelyn''s words rang in her mind. They echoed over and over and over again. Almost like the buzz of a mosquito. One that she couldn''t kill regardless of what she did. Eventually, opening her eyes to reveal her golden pupils, Aoife sat up.


    Looking around, she reached out for hermunication device.


    "Ehwew."


    Taking a deep breath, Aoife fiddled with themunication device in her hands.


    She didn''t really know why she was doing this, but it was starting to be impossible for her to sleep.


    Therefore, pressing on themunication device, she started to speak.


    "Hey, uncle~"


    As she spoke, her voice came out rather coy. Were anyone to see her like this, they''d be stunned out of their minds.


    But her uncle was an exception.


    Besides her brother, he was the only person she respected.


    "....Is it possible for you to check something for me?"


    ***


    The next day.


    News of the incident had been kept hushed by the Academy. For some reason, the Academies involved didn''t utter a single thing about the missing cadets. In the end, the situation seemed to have been resolved by the higher-ups.


    The details of how they had done it were not something that I was keenly aware of. However, I could more or less imagine what had happened.


    ''He''s probably done something to them.''


    As.


    Not only was he powerful. He was also a member of the royal family. If he wanted to keep a situation quiet, then he had the capabilities and resources to do so.


    It was scary when one thought about it.


    That being said, I didn''t really understand why he had decided to cover up the matter when his goal had been to make this situation as big as possible. Did he think it was going to be a waste of time?


    Perhaps.


    "It''s unfortunate that the coboration with the other Academies has to be halted here. I''m not sure about what happened, but from what I''ve heard, the individual performance will be paused."


    Currently, I was sitting in the lecture room. Everyone was present. From time to time, I would get an asional nce, but I ignored it and kept my attention focused on Professor Bridgette.


    She was currently detailing us on the situation.


    "....I know that you are all disappointed by this. I am too."


    As she said this, I looked around. Eventually, my gaze fell on Kiera. She was wearing the biggest smile I had ever seen her wear in a long time. She almost seemed to be gloating. No, rather, she was gloating.


    I could more or less tell why she was like that.


    ''She hates studying.''


    It became obvious to me from the moment we became team members. Even though we weren''t meant to be a study group, there were times in between breaks that we took as a chance to study.


    Kiera was the only one that refused to do any of that. I could still picture the look of scorn she gave us back then.


    "...."


    No, I didn''t have to picture it.


    Turning my head, I could see Kiera looking at me with that same expression of the past. It was as if she was telling me, ''See? You should''ve listened to me and just rested.''


    That gaze was followed by a subtleugh.


    "On the bright side, however, I have great news for all of you!"


    The Professor''s bright words attracted my attention yet again. The same was true for the other cadets who all turned to look at her.


    "We will be going on a trip!"


    "...."


    "...."


    I blinked my eyes as the ssroom fell silent. Everyone was having a hard time understanding what was going on.


    Professor Bridgette went on to exin,


    "After all that hard work, it''s about time we all rx, no? While this excursion won''t exactly be a vacation, we will allow you all to take some time to visit the ce that we''re visiting. It''s a nice change of pace after all the time you''ve spent at the Academy."


    The sudden news took everyone by surprise. However, shortly after many of the cadets waved their fists in the air in celebration.


    I couldn''t me them. I too felt the same way.


    ....Well, maybe?


    Was there ever a thing like a break for me?


    ''I hope I don''t get a quest.''


    Although I hated to say it, I needed a break. Not only because of the injuries in my body which had yet to heal, but also because I needed time to adjust my mental state.


    Though I was able to keep myself from showing it on the outside, I was starting to pick up certain habits that weren''t mine.


    Like...


    Scratch. Scratch.


    ''Damn itchy.''


    The more time passed the more obvious it was bing to me that the other personalities that I had tried to integrate with me were starting to take over if even slightly.


    I needed time to focus on myself and separate my real self from the other personalities that were within my body.


    That being said, I knew that I had to discard a few.


    It was impossible for me to keep my sanity with the amount that I had. That was simply too much of a burden for my mind.


    I needed to let go of a few.


    ''I''ll find some time to do thatter.''


    Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Professor Bridgette pped her hands. p. p¡ª! In doing so, the ssroom once again quieted down.


    Sporting her trademark smile, the professor looked at us before taking out a sheet of paper from behind the podium.


    "That being said. Just because the individual examinations have been postponed, that doesn''t mean the written ones have. Please take out your equipment. The test will be-"


    Bang¡ª!


    A loud banging sound echoed from the distance before the Professor could even get her words out.


    It was followed by a high-pitched curse.


    "Fuck!!"


    This time, turning my head, it was my turn tough.


    "Ha."

 Chapter 119 Trip [2]

    <h4>Chapter 119 Trip [2]</h4>


    Scritch-scratch


    The sound of scribbling pencils rang out in the ssroom. In the otherwise quiet ssroom, the cadets were focused on the papers in front of them.


    Some were scratching their heads in confusion, while others were fully focused on the paper.


    I was too as I filled in the questions in front of me.


    Flip¡ª


    Flipping the page over, my eyes paused on the next question.


    [Describe the weakness of this monster]


    "....."


    I paused for a second and frowned. Not because the question was hard, but because it was a little too easy.


    ''Isn''t this the boss monster of the Labyrinth?''


    <<cial Behemoth>>


    Staring at the image in front of me, I didn''t know what to say. Was this on purpose? In the end, I answered with the only answer that I knew.


    ''The tusk.''


    That was the monster''s weakness. I had killed it using a different method, but that was the answer. If one would look back on the rey of the event, they''d notice that the tusk was the only area the cadets were targeting.


    This was the reason.


    ''....This is going well.''


    Flip¡ª


    Flipping over to the next page, I went on to answer the next few questions.


    There were no more freebies like the mammoth question, but they were all something that I was able to answer. In the end, all that studying I paid off.


    Before I knew it, time had passed and it was the end of the test.?Marking the end of the examination was the Professor''s voice.


    "That''s it for the examination. Please hand over what you have written."


    Several groanster, the papers were all ced over the podium where the Professor was.


    "....I''m done. I''m done."


    Along the way, a listless Kiera handed over her paper.


    This was probably hell for her.


    "Wow perfect! I will be grading this over the next few days. Hopefully, all of you have done well."


    Cheerfully stacking the papers together, she went on to speak about the trip.


    "Going back on the news of the trip. We will be departing next week so all of you pack the necessary equipment and things before we leave. We will be there for about a week, or maybe more. It will depend on how long it will take for us to clear the problem."


    Professor Bridgette went on to exin a few more details regarding the trip.


    The location of the trip was ''Ellnor''.


    It was a small town located on the outskirts of the Empire''s border with the Aetheria Empire. There were no notable conflicts between the two Empires. In fact, they could somewhat be considered to be on even terms.


    Standing at its center, the Nurs Ancifa Empire was surrounded by all three Empires.


    Because it was the strongest, it was usually viewed as a dangerous entity. It was for that reason that the Empire tried to maintain a form of ''rtionship'' with the Aetheria Empire.


    Ellnor was located near the border. Right next to arge ridge that separated the two Empires.


    Currently, there was a little problem in Ellnor.


    The Professor had yet to disclose what the problem was. However, given that we had been sent, it wasn''t anything that we shouldn''t be able to handle.


    ''.....Yeah, bullshit.''


    I could just tell that a problem was going toe up.


    Call it instincts.


    "In any case. Please make sure that you are all ready for the uing trip. Oh, and before I forget. Make sure you study for the second part of the examination which will be held a day before the trip."


    Professor Bridgette left shortly after that.


    "....."


    I sat in silence while the entire ssroom stared at the door with nk looks. The silence was shortly shattered by Kiera who slumped down on her chair with a lost look.


    ".....Second part? This was only the first part?"


    She went on to let out a hollowugh.


    "It''s me. I''m the problem."


    "At least you know."


    Next to her, Josephineughed. Kiera turned her head to re at her, but it wasn''t anything intimidating.


    "Next time. When you see us studying, how about you study?"


    "Ha... Shit."


    I packed my stuff while I shifted my attention away from them.


    As I packed up my stuff, a shadow cast over the area that I was in. Surprised, I looked up to see Kiera standing in front of me. When did she get here?


    Her face was currently twisted. Almost as if she was constipated.


    "What?"


    I frowned.


    She wasn''t here to fight me forughing at her, right?


    "You..."


    With a hoarse voice, Kiera fiddled with her fingers. It really did seem like she was struggling to speak.


    I waited for a good couple of seconds for her to speak.


    However, seeing that she was still not saying anything, I took my stuff with me and stood up. Only then did she react as she grabbed onto the sleeve of my shirt.


    "Wait."


    "What?"


    "That..."


    Kiera looked away.


    I frowned again. What''s up with her?


    Her next words came out in a whisper, but I was still able to understand them. It was because I understood them that I had a hard timeprehending the situation.


    "S...study... Help me."


    "...."


    So much that all I could do was stare at her with wide eyes.


    "What?"


    "...."


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "...."


    "Ah, fuck. Whatever. Fuck it. Treat it as if I didn''t as¡ª"


    "Why?"


    Kiera stopped to look at me. She roughly tied up her tinum hair behind her while letting go of my sleeve.


    ".....I don''t have anyone else to ask."


    I blinked.


    "What?"


    "You heard me already."


    "...."


    I once again fell into silence. Eventually, my eyes fell on Josephine in the distance, but just as I was about to suggest her, Kiera cut me off.


    "That idiot is dumber than me. And I can''t stand her."


    But you can stand me...?


    "I''m busy."


    In the end, I still rejected her.


    "Busy with what? You also have no friends."


    "....."


    I had no words to say to that. I wanted to refute her words, but as I opened my mouth to do it, I found myself at aplete loss for words.


    "See? You have no friends."


    ".....And you?"


    "I..."


    It was her turn to be at a loss for words. In the end, she changed the conversation again.


    "Whatever fuck. Just teach me."


    "What do I get in all of this...?"


    The next set of exams was in a week. Taking into ount that my body was injured and I couldn''t train, I could help her study.


    But it needed to be worth my time.


    ".....I''ll let you hold my hand?"


    Moving to the side, I prepared to leave when she pulled at my sleeve again.


    "No, wait...!"


    I stopped and looked back at her again. Her face twitched, and in the end, she mumbled,


    "Money? Is that okay with y-"


    "Meet me at six every morning at the dorm''s study area. I''ll help you out then. My fee is 100 Rend per hour. Don''t bete. I will charge every minute that you''rete."


    I left after saying my terms.


    Kiera stood stunned for several seconds before she screamed from behind.


    "Wait, hold on! This is a fucking robbery! Hey...!"


    ***


    ¡ªThere''s nothing strange about him.


    A familiar voice echoed from themunication device in Aoife''s hands.


    ¡ªHe seems to have changed a little when he was young but don''t we all change after we reach a certain age? You''ve certainly changed a lot once you reached your teens. Uagh... Just thinking about what I had to go through.


    Listening to his voice, her lips pulled into a slight pout. It was mainly because it was a voice message and she couldn''t answer back.


    ''....What change? I''m the same.''


    ¡ªThis is all I was able to find. I''m not sure why you''re interested in him, but this is all I could find for you. If you have anything else you want to ask me, you can juste visit me at the office. You know where to find me.


    The voice message ended there.


    "...."


    Aoife stood alone with a frown. She wasn''t satisfied with what she received from her uncle. In fact, Aoife was even more certain that something was up.


    "He''s not the type to answer like that."


    As. Her uncle. He was usually very thorough with his research.


    Thest time she had asked him to do something like this, he had given her a thorough file with all sorts of details.


    "It''s odd."


    But at the same time, she didn''t understand why her uncle of all people would lie to her.


    .....Was there some sort of secret that she wasn''t supposed to be aware of? Something that only a few members of the royal family knew?


    "Hmm."


    The more Aoife thought about it, the stranger she felt the situation was.


    "Aoife! Are youing? Next ss is about to start!"


    "Ah...!? Yes."


    In the end, however, she was unable to think further as someone called out for her. Quickly putting themunication device away, Aoife cleared her throat and followed.


    As she walked, her hand kept fiddling over themunication device.


    Something was up.


    But for now...


    Aoife took a deep breath.


    ''I''ll take things slowly.''


    ***


    It was early in the morning of the next day.


    "Huaam."


    Yawning, Kiera looked at the time. It was exactly 5:30 in the morning. Today was Saturday and so there were no lessons.


    It was supposed to be her day off, but...


    "Fuck."


    Regret had already made its way into Kiera''s mind.


    "What was I even on?"


    Ruffling her hair, Kiera dressed herself in casual clothes. Cotton white shirt, some jeans, and a white hat. This was how she usually dressed on weekends.


    Coming out of her room, she did onest check of the ce beforeing down to the ground floor.


    ''He said he''ll wait for me there...''


    Indeed, the moment Kiera came down, she saw him sitting by himself on one of the tables with several books open and a 00:30


    small pile of papers on his right. Judging from the empty cup of coffee on his side and the several books open, he appeared to have been here long before the arranged time.


    "Crazy bastard."


    The more time she spent with him, the more of a lunatic Julien appeared in her eyes.


    He was simply...


    Inhuman.


    If he wasn''t studying, he was training, and if he wasn''t training, he was studying. In Kiera''s mind, it was starting to make sense how someone like him was able to remain at the top.


    Even Leon and Aoife weren''t as crazy as him.


    "Oy, I''m here."


    Calling out for him, Kiera sat down on the seat opposite him.


    ".....What do I do?"


    As she asked, she ced the book she brought from her dorm onto the table; [Magic Theory]


    Flip¡ª


    Flipping it open, she paused on thest page she was on.


    "I-"


    "No."


    Kiera was stopped halfway through her sentence. Blinking, she looked up to meet Julien''s hazel eyes. Before she could say anything, he pointed at the piles of papers on his right.


    "You''re doing those."


    "...."


    Kiera closed her book without saying a word. She then stood up and turned around. Yeah, fuck that... But just as she was about to leave, Julien''s cold voice echoed from behind her.


    "You were the one who asked me to help you."


    "Uh, yeah but..."


    "Do you want to pass or not?"


    "...."


    Kiera''s face scrunched up. Pass... She wanted to pass. No, she had to pass. It was a requirement her father had set for her in other to stay. Were she not pass, then she''d have to quit the Academy.


    ''I can''t have that.''


    It wasn''t that she liked the Academy. However, it was less stifling than her home. There was no way she''d want to go back there.


    "Ugh."


    In the end, despite every part of her not wanting to be here, she sat back down.


    Taking a deep breath, she took one of the sheets. There were over a hundred of them.


    ''I''ll never be able to finish them...''


    As she groaned, her eyes paused on the first question.


    "Uh?"


    A strange sound came out of her mouth the moment she stared at the paper. Blinking several times to make sure she was seeing correctly, her head flicked up.


    Without hesitation, she went on to grab another paper.


    "This..."


    Her eyes widened yet again.


    Opening her mouth, Kiera found herself losing her words. But in the end, grabbing another sheet, she managed to say,


    "....Did you write all the questions yourself?"

 Chapter 120 Trip [3]

    <h4>Chapter 120 Trip [3]</h4>


    "....Ugh."


    Kiera groaned while staring at the paper in front of her. How much time had passed since she started? Staring at the clock, her expression twisted.


    Three hours...


    Kiera looked up with a hopeful look.


    "Can I take a break?"


    "No."


    ".....I''m going to die."


    Kiera sprawled over her desk and groaned. She felt lightheaded and her body felt limp. She didn''t feel like doing anything.


    Akh. How many problems have I solved already...?


    Too many. It was too many.


    No, but that wasn''t the problem. Frowning, Kiera raised her head and red at Julien.


    "Oy, at least teach me something! I''ve been spending all my time doing these damn questions. You''ve yet to teach me anything!"


    Kiera was starting to get pissed off. Throughout the entire three hours that she had spent here, she had yet to learn anything from him. All she did was solve the questions in front of her.


    ....He had done nothing to help her the entire time.


    "At least tell me how to solve this question. I''ve been stuck on it for the past thirty minutes."


    Kiera pushed the paper Julien''s way.


    The entire time he had been absorbed in reading his book. Finally, taking his eyes away from the book in his hands, he looked up at her. Their eyes met and he closed the book in his hands.


    Julien, who had been absorbed in his own studies, turned his attention to the question sheet.


    "Rune study?"


    ".....Yes. I don''t know how to do it."


    "I see."


    Julien nodded briefly before turning his attention towards the books scattered across the table. Carefully looking through them, he picked a book up and handed it to her.


    "The answer is in here."


    He then returned his attention back on his book.


    "....Uh?"


    Stunned, Kiera alternated her gaze between the book and him. What sort of nonsense...?


    "The fuck? Aren''t you supposed to teach me? I''m not paying so much money for you to tell me to look at a book. I can just-"


    "That''s not it."


    Flip¡ª


    Julien flipped to the next page of the book he was reading. Without taking his eyes away from it, he went on to exin.


    "I''m not here to teach you how to solve a problem."


    "Wh-"


    "I''m here to teach you how to study."


    "....?"


    Lifting his gaze, their eyes met.


    "I''m not here to coddle you."


    His tone lowered. So much so that Kiera suddenly found herself unconsciously sitting up straight. Wait, what the fuck?


    ".....I can teach you. I don''t have a problem with that. Teaching others is one of the best methods to learn."


    "Then...?"


    "What about you? What will you do when I no longer decide to teach you or you run out of money?"


    "I..."


    Kiera frowned. She didn''t really know how to answer. What will she do? Would she just hire another tutor, or just go back to her old ways?


    "I''m not here to teach you subjects. That''s the Professor''s job. I''m here to teach you how to take care of yourself for the future."


    Julien pressed his hand against the book and pushed it back.


    ".....I won''t always be here to teach you. You need to learn to be self-reliant. If you want to improve your grades you should first learn to do it without relying on others. People will only help you out so much. The one person who will never fail you is yourself. Rely on yourself."


    Kiera lowered her gaze to stare at the book in front of her. Doing so, her brows furrowed. She was just about to say something when she noticed his gaze.


    "....."


    The words that she was about to say never left her mouth. Eventually, she took the book and opened it.


    ".....What am I supposed to do now?"


    "You look for the answer."


    "Is that it? I can do that my-"


    "Discipline first. You need to learn to be disciplined. If I tell you the answer, you''ll eventually forget it. The same isn''t true if you figure it out yourself. You need to discipline yourself to find the answer without asking. Don''t look for azy way out."


    "Ugh."


    Groaning, Kiera proceeded to look for the answer.


    ''Fucking bastard. Just say that you don''t want to teach me... No need toe up with such a roundabout way of saying it.''


    "Ah, found it!"


    It took her several minutes but she eventually found the answer. Her eyes lit up and she quickly started to fill the answer sheet.


    Kiera felt a weird feeling of satisfaction as she answered the question.


    It was hard to describe, and her lips unconsciously pulled up. Trying her best to keep them even, she went on to the next question.


    Yet again it was aplicated question and she looked up at Julien.


    "What about this one? How do I¡ªAh."


    Halfway through her sentence she realized her mistake and covered her mouth.


    "Fuck, this..."


    Pursing her lips, she looked around and found the right book, [Body Studies], before proceeding to find the right answer. There were times when she wasn''t sure about the answer even with the aid of the book, and ended up writing whatever she could piece together with the information.


    Either way, Julien would just ignore her every attempt to talk to him.


    At some point, she stopped looking for him and just focused on her task at hand.


    "Ah, so it''s like this."


    "Ugh, fuck... My head hurts. I want to take a break."


    "Shit."


    "I want to die."


    "I''m dead."


    "...Oh, so it''s like this."


    Throughout the hours of the study session, Kiera would always let out an asionalint. However, despite that, she would always recover after swearing for a good minute.


    Time ticked and before anyone knew it, a few more hours passed.


    "...Uh?"


    Opening her eyes, Kiera looked around her.


    "The hell?"


    Looking around, she noticed that it was dark outside. Wiping the saliva from her mouth using her wrist, she blinked several times.


    "What time is it?"


    Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.


    "....Ah!"


    Her eyes widened when she looked at the clock.


    It was 10 P.M.


    Abruptly, Kiera stood up and raised her head.


    "Hey, shithead! Why didn''t you wake me u¡ªUh?"


    Kiera stopped and looked towards the empty seat in front of her. Realization soon dawned on her and she slumped back in her chair.


    "Ah, fuck. He left didn''t he?"


    Ruffling her hair, Kiera nkly stared at the ceiling.


    "...."


    She felt lightheaded and drained. She would much rather prefer his hellish training than this. Even so...


    "....I guess I did good."


    Kiera felt a certain sense of satisfaction from having gotten so much work done. Usually, she wouldn''t have done more than ten minutes'' worth of work. That would in turn make her feel like shit for an entire day.


    Things were different now.


    "I could get used to this feeling."


    It didn''t feel so bad.


    But...


    "....That fucker really went ahead and left without waking me up."


    It sort of pissed her off.


    "If that bastard charges me even a single extra Rend then¡ª


    Hm?"


    Pausing, Kiera''s gaze fell on the papers in front of her. She hadn''t noticed because it was dark, but waving her hand, a trail of mes manifested in the air illuminating the surroundings.


    "This..."


    Kiera''s eyes widened.


    Taking a closer look at the paper, her eyes paused on the numerous notes around it. There was also a mark written above each paper.


    <39/100>


    [You did better here. However, there are a lot of areas you can improve on. For example, for this question, the answer was the ''Alpha Rune'' rather than the ''Delta Rune''. Compared to the ''Delta Rune'' which speeds up the gathering of mana, the ''Alpha Rune'' slows it down so that the flow is smoother. For the spell [Fire Veil] the ''Alpha Rune'' is more appropriate as the spell would shatter if created too fast...]


    For every question that Kiera got wrong, she''d receive a long detailed exnation of what she did wrong and what the real answer was.


    "What in the..."


    Dropping the first paper, Kiera looked at the other papers.


    Flip. Flip. Flip¡ª


    Kiera quickly skimmed through the numerous papers. Her expression changed with each paper that she looked through.


    She couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    All the papers. They were the same. Filled with the same notes and corrections.


    Kiera had done a lot of questions today. There were at least more than a couple hundred.


    Counting all the ones she got wrong...


    "Fuuuuck."


    Kiera let out a slow curse.


    It was no wonder he didn''t wake her up. How long did it take him to do all of this?


    "This guy is crazy."


    Batshit crazy.


    Flip¡ª


    Flipping another one of the assignments, she noticed a note slipping from it.


    "....Uh?"


    Picking it up, Kiera noticed that there was something written on it.


    Curious, Kiera read what was written on it.


    [You owe me 700 Rend. I won''t count the time you were sleeping. Make sure you pay up. Come at the same time tomorrow.]


    The note ended there.


    It was short but the meaning was clear.


    "...."


    Staring at it with a nk look, Kiera''s lips pursed. Then, looking down at the documents and seeing all the notes written, she crumbled up the note in her hand.


    ".....This isn''t good for me."


    *


    From that day onward, Kiera showed up every morning at the exact same time. There was a noticeable difference in her attitudepared to the first time she came.


    While she did asionally grumble, it wasn''t as much as before.


    In fact, most of the time she would remain silent while solving the problems next to Julien. It was an odd sight.


    The two of them studying together.


    "I''m not seeing things wrong, right?"


    "Is this for real?"


    "Quickly pinch my face so that I-Akh!"


    Given how contrasting their personalities were, nobody expected such a development.


    Regardless, nobody dared to ask anything about it. Julien and Kiera weren''t exactly the easiest people to talk to.


    "....."


    "....."


    Despite what seemed to be a tense atmosphere around the two, the reality was that it was strangely peaceful.


    At least to Kiera who did nothing but focus on the questions.


    "Ah, so it''s like that..."


    It was an odd feeling for her. She couldn''t quite exin why she was like that. However, she had an idea of why.


    Looking up slightly, her eyes paused on the figure that sat opposite her.


    For the first time ever, she looked at him properly. From his neatly arranged hair and suit to his careful movements as he flipped over the pages.


    He appeared wless in everything that he did, but...


    ''His eyes.''


    Just faintly, Kiera could see the dark circles beneath his eyes.


    She pursed her lips at the sight as her head lowered to stare at the question sheet beneath her.


    The reason behind his dark circles was clear to her. It didn''t take a genius to understand. It was all because of her...


    If she didn''t...


    ''No, fuck.''


    Kiera snapped out of it.


    ''Right, I need to focus.''


    This wasn''t the time for her to feel guilty. She needed to focus on studying. Looking away from Julien, Kiera once again locked in and started to fill in the questions.


    With each passing day, the number of mistakes she''d make would decrease.


    [51/100]


    [67/100]


    [73/100]


    [81/100]


    Seeing the noticeable improvement in her score, Kiera felt a strange sensation. It was hard to describe, but it filled her chest up with a pleasant feeling.


    It felt addicting and she slowly started to look forward to the lessons. It was odd, but this was starting to be the reality of her life.


    That was until...


    "Everyone, the exam will be starting soon. You already know the rules so I won''t repeat them."


    The day of the exam finally came.


    Taking a deep breath, Kiera stared at the paper in front of her. For some reason, she was shaking.


    Holding her arm down she cursed to herself.


    ''T-the hell is wrong with you, stupid bitch? This isn''t the time to be nervous.''


    No, in the first ce, why did she even feel nervous? She had prepared so much for it. Realistically speaking, she was ready.


    So...


    Why?


    Why was she so nervous...?


    Gradually, her head turned and her eyes locked on a certain person. An idea urred to her and her expression twisted.


    ''No, no way.''


    Clenching her teeth, she looked away from him.


    Fuck that...


    It was a ridiculous idea.


    ''It''s not that.''


    Kiera stubbornly clung to her refusal. Amidst her struggle, the Professor''s voice echoed loudly.


    "You may begin! Best of luck!"


    Flip¡ª


    The ssroom was filled with the simultaneous sound of pages turning as the cadets flipped through their textbooks in unison. Kiera joined them, and as she turned a page, her expression froze.


    "Ha."


    A softugh unconsciously escaped her lips as she stared at the question in front of her.


    She didn''t know how to react.


    The question...


    ''I know it.''


    She had done it before.


    For the first time in a very long time, Kiera smiled.


    It was a genuine smile.


    And her pencil touched the paper.

 Chapter 121 Trip [4]

    <h4>Chapter 121 Trip [4]</h4>


    "That''s it. Pencils down!"


    The exam ran for exactly an hour. Hearing Professor Bridgette''s voice, I put my pencil down and rubbed my eyes.


    "Huaam."


    I unknowingly let out a yawn.


    I was quite frankly tired. But it was a different kind of tiredness from the usual tiredness. For the entire week, I hadn''t trained at all.


    Not because I didn''t want to but because I physically couldn''t.


    My body was still suffering from the consequences of having used the drug. I was still unsure of how long I was going to be like this.


    While it sucked, it was also a good thing in its own way.


    I had beaten up my body far too much over the past few months. It needed a well-deserved break.


    That being said...


    "Hmm."


    I pinched the middle of my brows.


    My head was hurting.


    I was mentally exhausted. Topensate for theck of training, I dedicated the entire week to studying. Not only that, but I also spent a major part of the time creating questions for Kiera.


    In a way, it also helped me out a lot.


    Staring at the question paper in front of me, I felt rather confident.


    ''I might even be able to get full marks.''


    It wasn''t exactly out of the question.


    ''.....I might not have slept much over the past week, but it ended up benefitting me a lot.''


    The questions that I created for Kiera weren''t some random questions that I copied from some exercise book. I had created each question myself. Before each question, I''d spend a decent amount of time studying the rted subject before writing it down.


    I only feltfortable writing it down once I was confident I could answer it without any difficulty.


    It was extremely tough on the mind but it ended up helping me big time.


    ....And it paid as well. It was a win-win situation for me.


    ''Talking about the exam, how did she do?''


    I was a little curious.


    She did after all pay me to learn.


    I had just turned my head to stare in her direction when my eyes locked on her figure. Leaning back on her chair, she looked at her nails with a casual look. Almost as if she was expecting something.


    The hell...


    "Kiera, how did you do?"


    That question was what she expected as she casually looked away from her nails to look at Josephine.


    She lightly shrugged her shoulders while opening her palm to get a better look at her nails.


    "Well, just the usual."


    "So like shit?"


    "Uh? No...?"


    Kiera blinked and her facade broke in an instant.


    "No?"


    Josephine tilted her head with a frown.


    "But isn''t your usual shit? Like, lowest of the ss type st-"


    "Ugh, fuck. Alright, stop."


    Kiera clicked her tongue and looked away. Drumming her hand over the table, her expression twisted. She looked rather grumpy.


    I could tell at a nce what she was thinking.


    I shook my head and almostughed. What a weird girl. I was just about to turn my head away when her head turned and I locked sight with her ruby-red eyes.


    Her expression changed slightly.


    Staring at her for a moment, I eventually mouthed.


    ''Good job.''


    Her brows jumped up slightly and her head turned. I shook my head yet again and covered my mouth.


    "Huam."


    Yeah, I really need to sleep.


    ***


    ".....I guess we havee to an agreement."


    A man stood up and extended his hand towards Delh.


    "It''s also perfect that I came at this time. I heard that the cadets are going on a trip. I hope you won''t mind if I join."


    "I don''t."


    Delh shook the man''s hand.


    "Great."


    With a happy smile, he lowered his head before putting his hat back on. Then, lowering his hat slightly, he excused himself and left the room.


    "Well then, I''ll be seeing you again."


    nk¡ª


    The door closed leaving Delh standing by herself. Staring in the direction of where the man had left, Delh closed her eyes and sighed.


    "Inquisitor Hallowe."


    Muttering to herself, she leaned to sit over her desk.


    Her current feelings were mixed. Inquisitor Hallowe was a man of reputation. He was amongst the best Inquisitors within the Empire. In a sense, he was an ''ally''.


    His nickname was ''The Hound''.


    So long as he had a target, he''d find it no matter what. It wasn''t just that, he was also extremely well-versed in finding clues and leads.


    He was that type of person.


    But there was one problem.


    ".....He works for Central."


    That meant that he was directly under her father''s orders. Delh didn''t feelfortable knowing that.


    Especially since she wasn''t sure about his motives.


    Was he here to monitor her, or was he here to carry on with his investigation?


    "....."


    Delh pinched her brows. Her head was starting to ache. However, she soon calmed down.


    "Right, he''s going on the trip."


    ....The one that the first-year cadets were meant to go to. In that case, at least for now, she didn''t need to worry about him monitoring her actions.


    Rather, perhaps she was overthinking and he had indeede on his own terms.


    "It might be that."


    She couldn''t guarantee it, but at the very least, for now, she didn''t have to worry about him.


    Turning around, she reached for her drawer.


    She needed something sweet at the moment. Something to take her mind off of the matter.


    But...


    "...."


    Opening her drawer, all she saw were wrappers.


    "....Ah."


    Blinking, she slumped over her chair and nkly stared at the ceiling.


    "What is life."


    ***


    The next day, 11:30 A.M. on a Tuesday.


    I arrived at the entrance of the Academy. I was among thest toe as most of the cadets were already present. They all appeared excited about the uing trip.


    Me? Not so much.


    ''.....Just get it over with.''


    The damn quest.


    I had been waiting for it for an entire week, and yet, it had still yet toe.


    "Haa..."


    It was tiring.


    "Everyone give me a second of your attention. I''d like to introduce you to someone."


    Professor Bridgette was the one in charge of escorting us towards the location. Standing next to her was a man with ck hair and hazel eyes. He appeared somewhat haggard with stubbles around his chin.


    His hair also appeared to be in a mess, but other than that his appearance was clean.


    "You may address him as Professor Hollowe. He will apany us on the trip."


    It was a rather short introduction. One that the cadets forgot shortly after as Professor Bridgette went on to say.


    "Once we arrive at the city you can take some time off for yourselves. But before that, you will be paired up in groups of two. The groups will be random."


    Professor Bridgette shed a small box.


    ".....Please line up in a single line."


    *


    Ellnor.


    Coming out of the portal, the first thing that hit me was the fresh air. The first breath felt almost overwhelming.


    Then, it was the scenery that took my breath away.


    ''Wow.''


    Large, towering mountains framed the horizon as a town appeared in my sight, enclosed by thick walls. With just one nce I was impressed by the sight before me. It looked like a scene straight from a fantasy book.


    I wanted to get a better look at it from up close.


    "Brrr~ It''s cold."


    Stepping out beside me, Josephine held onto her shoulders.


    "T-this... Why did no one tell me it was going to be this cold?"


    "F-fucking idiot. It literally said in t-the announcement."


    "O-oh, yeah? T-then why are you in s-short sleeves?"


    "I- I c-can take it."


    Kiera tried to maintain a poker face but she was miserably failing as her lips started to tremble. Coming out from behind them was Aoife who paused to look at the scene before turning away.


    Something told me she wasn''t even surprised by what she was seeing.


    ''Why is she carrying so many books with her?''


    In her hand were several books. Was she nning on studying?


    But exams were over...


    ''Whatever. None of my business.''


    Taking my eyes away from them, I looked to my right where a figure stood. Wearing arge coat that seemed to be way too big for him, Leon stared at me.


    "....."


    His coat was sorge that the only thing I could see was his gray eyes.


    Noticing my gaze, he asked,


    "....What?"


    "You look stupid."


    "....?"


    Leon cocked his head.


    "It said it was going to be cold."


    "And?"


    "So I came prepared."


    "Too prepared..."


    It wasn''t as though we couldn''t use the mana inside of our body to heat ourselves up. At the same time, our bodies were also a lot more resistant to the cold.


    He was simply being extra.


    "Everyone please look over here."


    Professor Bridgette waved at us with her hand.


    "Like we discussed beforehand. You can take your time to explore the city. However, you must make sure that you stay with your partner. Don''t separate."


    My partner was Leon. I was fine with such a pairing. He was the one person I was the mostfortable being with. Not only because he knew my secret, but also because I didn''t necessarily have to pretend to be someone else with him.


    "It''s still early in the morning. Let''s meet up for dinner which will be at around 8 P.M. I wish you all the best of fun enjoying your short break."


    Then, Professor Bridgette left alongside Professor Hollowe who smiled and nodded at all of us. For some reason, I felt his gaze pause on me for a bit longer.


    I thought I was imagining things, but thinking about it...


    ''Yeah, no way I am.''


    He was definitely looking at me.


    I sighed internally. Hopefully, it was because of a stupid reason such as because he was a fan of mine or something like that.


    Either way, I looked at Leon.


    "...."


    He stared back at me with a nk look.


    I spoke first.


    "So... What do you want to do?"


    I looked around me. The other groups were still around, most probably talking about their ns.


    "We have about eight to nine hours to kill. What do you want to do?"


    "...Up to you."


    "That..."


    I sighed and nodded my head.


    "Alright, let''s just get into the city first. We''ll decide what do toter."


    "....Okay."


    I looked ahead and a long road appeared. Briefly, I nced at the mountains in the distance. I could see snow at the top.


    The rockyndscapecked greenery, with smoke billowing from within the city walls, starkly contrasting against the barren backdrop, faintly illuminated by the glowing from the houses within the city.


    I had just taken a step when I felt a tug from behind me.


    "Hey."


    It was Leon.


    He appeared to be frowning behind hisrge coat.


    "What?"


    ".....I don''t look stupid."

 Chapter 122 Ellnor [1]

    <h4>Chapter 122 Ellnor [1]</h4>


    Arge gate stood before the walls of the city. As we approached, the gates parted, weing us into the heart of the city.


    A sprawling cobblestone road unfolded before us, lined with sturdy wooden houses and bustling stalls beneath them.


    "Get your fresh vegetables here! They''re fresh from Arkana! You won''t find fresher vegetables!"


    "Buy one get one free!"


    "Limited sale for today only!"


    The scene was filled with mor as the stall owners shouted on top of each other, trying their best to entice the crowd walking around the road.


    I was left stunned by the unexpected sight before me.


    ''....This is a lot more lively than I originally anticipated.''


    For a town located in the middle of nowhere, it sure seemed rather lively.


    "Wee to Ellnor."


    Guards dressed in light armor weed us into the city. As if expecting our appearance, we didn''t need to go through any checks and entered without problems.


    As Leon and I passed the guards, I took notice of the strange looks that they were giving Leon.


    He seemed to have noticed them too as he frowned.


    I nudged slightly with my chin.


    "See? They also think that you look stupid."


    "...."


    Without saying a word, Leon went on to take off his coat. The stares were starting to get to him. It was quite funny though. He seemed to be the type of guy to take anything literally.


    "Now then."


    I looked at the town in front of me and rubbed my stomach.


    ".....Should we get something to eat first?"


    *


    The town of Ellnor was a lot bigger than I originally anticipated.


    In fact, it seemed to have everything that one would want from a major city. Restaurants, cafes, hotels, theaters, and even casinos.


    "....Casinos?"


    That...


    I stopped to stare at therge building to my right. It was an eye-catching building. With the words [Casino] imprinted on the wooden board on top, a long line formed at the entrance of the building as several individuals stood by the entrance to check who entered.


    ''There''s casinos in this world?''


    The sight was something that I didn''t think I could ever get used to. It just simply didn''t make sense to me.


    How could...


    ''No, never mind. I''m not here to question the decision of the game developers.''


    This world. It wasn''t fully medieval in style. I had long noticed this. There were a lot of modern touches added here and there.


    ''It''s a mix of both, I guess.''


    Medieval and modern.


    ".....Do you want to go to the casino?"


    Hearing Leon''s voice from beside me, I shook my head.


    "No."


    "Then?"


    "I was just looking."


    "Oh."


    I tilted my head slightly to look at Leon. Why did it seem like he was disappointed?


    "You want to go?"


    "....."


    So he did.


    Well,


    "Maybeter. Let''s get some food first."


    "....Alright."


    Arge river crossed the middle of the town. With the watering down directly from the mountains above, it was extremely clear.


    Around that area were several restaurants and stores. Leon and I settled for whatever looked good. Neither one of us was a picky eater so it didn''t really matter.


    "I''ll take this."


    The dish that I ordered was [Ember Roast] a slow-cooked roast that came from the meat of an Ember, an infant-ranked monster. It apparently had the properties of helping the muscles of the body recover so I deemed it fit considering my situation.


    Once I was done ordering, I put the menu down and waited for Leon.


    But...


    "....Hmm."


    He seemed indecisive about what to choose.


    "There''s so much..."


    No, rather, overwhelmed seemed to be more fitting.


    What in the...


    "....This one looks nice too. Ah, no, but this one too."


    Leon went on to run his forehead.


    "What a dilemma."


    "...."


    This carried on for the next few minutes until I couldn''t stand it any longer and spoke up.


    "Are you ordering or not?"


    ".....Ah."


    Leon made a difficult face. Then, looking at the waiter who also appeared exhausted, he went on to point at the menu.


    "I want this."


    "Starfire Curry?"


    "Yes."


    "Und-"


    "And this."


    The waiter paused. Looking at the menu, his gaze fell on me.


    ".....Ember Roast? The same as him."


    "Yes, that too."


    "Under-"


    "And this."


    Leon cut the waiter again as he pointed at another dish.


    "....Wild dragonfish steak?"


    "Yes."


    "Ok-"


    "Also this."


    "..."


    "This one too. I want to try it."


    "How spicy is this one? If it isn''t too spicy, I''ll take this one too."


    I sat baffled staring at Leon as he pointed at the dishes on the menu. Just how much is he going to eat...? What in the world?


    "I''ll finish off with this."


    k¡ª


    Leon closed the menu with satisfaction. Just as he did, he frowned and opened it again, but as his eyes scanned the menu and he found nothing else, ''k¡ª'' he closed it again and nodded.


    "Yes, that will be it."


    "I-"


    The waiter appeared to want to say something but held himself back. I couldn''t me him. In the end, Leon had ordered every single dish on the menu. He ended up wasting so much time when he could''ve just said ''I want it all''.


    ''This guy..."


    Letting out a short sigh, I turned my head to stare at the scenery before me. It was stunning. From the tall mountains in the distance to the crystal clear river that passed through the middle of the town.


    It gave off apletely different vibe than the Academy.


    In a way, it was a nice change of pace.


    "You know..."


    Taking me out of my thoughts was Leon''s voice as I turned my head to meet his gaze. The way he was looking at me was strange.


    "What?"


    ".....You''ve changed."


    "Uh?"


    What nonsense...?


    "I don''t know. You just seem so different than the first time that I met you."


    "....In what way?"


    I didn''t feel like I had changed at all if I had to be honest. Was he perhaps talking about my strength?


    If so...


    "That-"


    "You were smiling."


    "...."


    I opened my eyes wide and touched my lips.


    ''I was smiling? When...?''


    "I don''t think I''ve ever seen you smile at all. It''s weird actually."


    He rubbed his arms and looked at me with an ufortable look.


    "....Goosebumps."


    "What? The fact that I smile?"


    "Yeah. It''s weird."


    "....."


    The fact that he agreed without even an ounce of hesitation was what took the words away from me.


    Me smiling. Was it really that weird?


    "Is it bad that I smiled?"


    Was this his way of telling me that I was losing sight of the facade that I was trying to keep?


    If so...


    "Don''t worry, I w-"


    "No, not really."


    "Hm?"


    I blinked yet again.


    "What do you mean, not really?"


    "It''s a good thing, I think."


    "You think?"


    I looked around before whispering.


    "Wasn''t the whole point of me doing the act so that I wouldn''t be found out by the others?"


    "....It was, yes."


    "Then?"


    "You didn''t look like a person that wanted to live."


    "....."


    Stunned, I looked at him. I opened my mouth, but the words that I tried to get out refused to leave. Regardless of how hard I tried, I couldn''t find the words to refute him.


    He continued,


    "I don''t know about your past. In fact, I don''t know much about you at all. The only thing that I can tell is that you''re trying to achieve something."


    "....."


    "But whatever you''re trying to do. It''s eating at you from the inside. Or at least, used to."


    "....."


    "You seem more at peacetely. I don''t know why. It''s just that..."


    Leon paused to look back. The waiter wasing with several dishes and a nice smell wafted through the air.


    Wiping the corner of his mouth, he turned to look at me slightly.


    ".....It doesn''t look like you want to die anymore."


    ***


    At the same time, in a different part of the town.


    "We have a situation."


    Kiera stared at Josephine with a serious look. Rubbing her head, she looked to be struggling.


    "What? What?"


    Josephine looked at Kiera with a worried look.


    "Tell me what''s wrong."


    "Ah, well..."


    Kiera eventually shook her head.


    "No, never mind. It''s nothing."


    "Nnng? Come. Just tell me. Now I''m curious."


    "I''m telling you, it''s nothing."


    "No, just tell me! You can''t just do that and act like nothing happened."


    "Haa, fuck. Whatever. You''re so fucking annoying."


    ring at Josephine, Kiera whispered something in her ear.


    "Eh...? Ah. So it''s just that?"


    "What do you mean just that?"


    "Well, it''s normal, you know... Ah geez~ I thought it was something serious."


    "Oy bitch, it is serious."


    "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go to the bathroom. I''ll wait for you here."


    "Are you for real?"


    "Yeah."


    ".....Thank you."


    Kiera muttered her words of thanks with a soft whisper. One that Josephine pretended to not have heard as she brought her hand near her ear.


    "What? I didn''t hear."


    "Fuck off."


    Flipping her off, Kiera walked in the direction of the bathroom.


    Gradually her back faded into the crowd, and as it did, so did her direction.


    "Hmm~"


    And she started to hum to herself.


    Turning to face the opposite direction, she headed toward arge building in the distance. One that said,


    ''Casino''


    "Hmmm~"


    Just like that, ''Kiera'' had vanished.


    ***


    On the outer walls of the town.


    "....How is the situation? Do you notice anything out of order?"


    "Not yet."


    Two knights stood at the top of the walls, carefully overlooking the outside of the town with grim looks. The knight''s captain, Sir Tristan ckwood, a Tier 3 Knigth, and a man in his mid-forties took out his pocket watch to look at the time.


    "It''s still early. We have time before the next wave."


    "H-hoo."


    The other knight let out a nervous breath.


    ".....What do you think? Do you think we can survive this one?"


    "I''m sure of that."


    Sir Tristan answered with a confident look. Turning his head, he looked towards the town beneath.


    It was currently bustling with activity. From where he stood, he could see the smiles and happy expressions of the citizens.


    But of course...


    ''They''re used to it.''


    Despite its outer appearance, the town was cursed. Behind their smiles was... a pain that only they could understand.


    Sir Tristan ckwood was one such person.


    He understood their pain all too well.


    ''I''ll being back soon. It''s a promise. Keep this for me.''


    Even now, he could still hear the sound of his sister''s voice as she ventured outside of the town''s walls.


    But...


    That had been thirty years ago. He had barely been eight back then. His sister... she didn''t keep her promise.


    "Huu."


    Taking a deep breath, he put the pocket watch away.


    The pocket watch. It was a gift from his sister. It was meant to have been a temporary gift to him. He was meant to use it to keep track of the time that she was away.


    To this day, he hadn''t stopped counting.


    For what reason was he so uselessly clinging to the idea of his sistering back?


    "Ha."


    The captainughed to himself.


    "Get the preparations ready. I''ll be leaving for a while."


    "Uh? You''re leaving? Where to?"


    Sir Tristan paused and looked back. Fiddling with the pocket watch in his pocket, he suddenly smiled.


    "To meet our reinforcements."

 Chapter 123 Ellnor [2]

    <h4>Chapter 123 Ellnor [2]</h4>


    Ding¡ª!


    A chime rang in the air as Aoife and Evelyn stepped out of the bookstore. The two of them had been paired up together.


    Coming out of the store, Aoife held onto several books. The pile was quite long, with Aoife having to hold the books with both hands.


    The two quietly walked around the town before finding a ce with a nice view to eat.


    "I''ll have this."


    "...."


    Unlike Aoife, Evelyn took her time to choose her dish. Her eyes turned unusually serious as she scanned the menu.


    Evelyn was taking so much time that Aoife feltpelled to say something.


    "Are you ordering anything?"


    "I am."


    "It''s been several minutes."


    "I know."


    ".....So?"


    "Quiet."


    Aoife was taken aback. This was the first time she had seen Evelyn act that way. In fact, taking a look at her now, she seemed like apletely different person.


    Even her aura appeared to be different.


    What in the...


    "I''ll have this one, please. I''d also like it for it to be apanied with some Givvon Wine."


    "....?"


    Aoife''s expression turned even stranger. Givvon Wine? What the hell was that? Even though Aoife was a noble, she had never heard of such a type of wine. It sounded fancy.


    Evelyn''s response was cold.


    "I take my food seriously."


    ".....I see."


    The atmosphere turned awkward. But not for long as Evelyn shifted the attention towards the book on the table.


    "Food aside, what did you get?"


    Aoife had spent quite a bit of time searching for the books. Evelyn hadn''t had the chance to check what she had bought.


    "Oh, right."


    Aoife flipped one of the books open.


    "Besides study materials, I also got some information about the town. Since we''re here on a mission, I thought it was appropriate to do so."


    "Oh?"


    Evelyn grew somewhat curious. Taking a sip of her water, she leaned back, brushing her purple hair behind her ear.


    "What did you find out?"


    "....Hmm."


    Aoife frowned. Skimming through the book, she paused after a short while. Looking around, she lowered her voice to whisper,


    "A necromancer."


    "Eh...?!"


    Evelyn had to hastily cover her mouth to prevent herself from shouting. Thankfully, no one noticed her outburst as she apologized to Aoife.


    "Sorry."


    "....It''s fine."


    Taking a breath to calm herself down, Evelyn whispered back,


    "Did you say a necromancer?"


    "Yes."


    Aoife nodded her head with a serious expression and flipped the book to a certain page.


    "ording to the book, a necromancer has been haunting this city for over thirty years. Several raid parties had been sent by the town to fight against the necromancer, but unfortunately, they ended up in defeat every time. It''s a powerful one."


    "Wait, did you say for over thirty years?"


    "Yes."


    Aoife grimly nodded.


    "....Thirty years."


    Evelyn stayed quiet for a short moment to digest the information. Then, once she did, she asked,


    "And they''ve never asked for help?"


    "No."


    Aoife shook her head.


    Despite being from the Megrail family, this was the first time she had heard of such a case. This either meant that the Megrail family ignored the situation, or the town had never asked for help from outsiders.


    Aoife was leaning more towards thetter.


    Especially since the Empire took Rogue Necromancers extremely seriously.


    Belonging to the [Curse] category, these beings possessed the ability to revive the dead and control them as ''puppets''. While individually not powerful, their powery in their ability to amass an army of these ''puppets'', rendering them a significant threat.


    Especially if they were given a lot of time to grow.


    ".....What is this?"


    Evelyn rubbed her forehead in shock.


    As a noble, she understood well just how powerful a necromancer was. For the town to not have reported such a dangerous entity for so long...


    "How strong is it now?"


    "I don''t know."


    Aoife shook her head and closed the book.


    "However, if the Academy sent us, it means that we can handle it."


    "You think?"


    ".....Yes."


    If the situation was serious, then her family would''ve already sent someone by now.


    "That''s a relief."


    Evelyn patted her chest in relief. Just then, her eyes paused on one of the other books on the table and her expression scrunched up slightly. Raising her head, she looked at Aoife weirdly.


    "Why do you have that?"


    "What?"


    Evelyn pointed at the book in question.


    "That."


    ".....Ah."


    Aoife covered the book with her hand.


    "I wanted to cross reference some things. I have a simr book in English so I wanted to use it as a reference for when I''m learning."


    "Oh."


    Evelyn wasn''t sure whether to believe her or not.


    <Fun Jokes that will make youugh all day>


    ".....How is that supposed to help? Don''t tell me you actuall-"


    "No."


    "Rea-"


    "No."


    In the end, Evelyn stopped caring. There was something else that was more important. Their food was here.


    "Here you go. Enjoy."


    Immediately, a nice smell wafted through the air and Evelyn smacked her lips.


    ''Aroma. Nine out of ten. It''s pleasing to the nose and isn''t overbearing. It cuddles you like a warm nket in winter.''


    Picking up the fork, Evelyn was just about to dig into her food when she paused.


    "Hu?"


    Not far from where they were, she spotted two figures. The two were walking together without saying a thing.


    It was an odd sight.


    As if noticing her reaction, Aoife turned her head


    "What... Ah."


    The moment her head turned and she took notice of the two, her head flicked back into ce. It was almost as if she was avoiding them.


    Wait, what?


    Confused, Evelyn looked at Aoife. However, before she could get any words out, a shadow cast over the area they were in. It was none other than Leon.


    "Leon?"


    "....Hello."


    Looking behind him, Evelyn noticed that Julien was there as well. Looking at the river, he appeared to be lost in his own thoughts. It was a weird sight.


    Turning her head, Aoife confronted Leon.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "....I was wondering if you found anything."


    "Hmm."


    Squinting her eyes, Aoife''s head briefly looked back and then she sighed. Opening one of the books, she started to recount everything that she had told Evelyn.


    It took no longer than ten minutes and by the time she was done, Leon was staring back at her with a frown.


    "A necromancer?"


    "Yes."


    ".....That''s troublesome."


    "It is. Especially since we don''t know how strong it is. However, judging from the initial scouts by the Academy, it doesn''t seem like something we can''t handle."


    "That''s tr-"


    Leon paused halfway through his sentence as his gaze fell on a certain book on the table. In a sh, his head flicked back to Julien and then to the book.


    His unusual actions attracted the curious looks of the girls.


    "What''s wrong with you? Is-"


    "This book."


    Leon pointed at it while lowering his voice.


    "Why do you have this?"


    His gray eyes stared deeply into Aoife''s. He almost seemed shaken.


    "Didn''t I tell you it''s cursed?"


    "....Uh? When? I just bought this¡ªhey what are you doing!"


    Ssh¡ª


    Aoife''s opened her eyes wide. By now, everyone''s attention was on Leon who seemed like a totally different person.


    "What the hell was that for?!"


    Leon didn''t appear all that bothered about Aoife''s anger. Rather, he seemed relieved. But not for long.


    Especially when he noticed Julien''s gaze directed towards that crystal clear water.


    His eyes seemed to be fixed on the cover of the book.


    ".....Oh, no."


    And for the first time in Evelyn''s life, she witnessed Leon''s expression crumble.


    ***


    Time passed. It was now time for dinner. The day had passed in a sh, and before I knew it, we had to return to the rendevous point which was located in the hotel we were staying in.


    It was arge building that stood out just as much as the casino.


    The walls were adorned with paintings depicting all sorts of images, while rich wooden ents, from polished oak furniture to finely carved beams, added warmth to the ambiance.


    "....It''s a pity that we weren''t able to go to the casino."


    "Um."


    Leon nodded in agreement as we entered the building.


    After the meeting with Aoife, we spent the better second half of our day looking into the situation.


    If I had one word to describe it then it''d be ''grim''.


    The situation was grim.


    While the ce looked joyful and happy on the outside, it was merely an outer facade.


    A facade that they had created just for us.


    "Akh!! She''s not here too?!"


    A sudden shout snapped me out of my thoughts. Looking towards where the sound came from, I noticed a haggard-


    looking Josephine by the entrance of the hotel.


    With sweat dripping down the corner of her face, she frantically looked around.


    "Oh, no... Oh, no..."


    Leon and I exchanged nces as we both grew serious.


    Don''t tell me...


    "What''s going on?"


    Aoife was the first one to step up.


    She too appeared equally serious. Probably, she also realized what we had found.


    And the fact that the professors weren''t here yet added to the tension.


    "Did something happen?"


    "Ah, this...! Aoife!"


    Josephine rubbed her hair in frustration and panic.


    "What?"


    The tension around the room elevated.


    So much so that one other cadet urged from the back.


    "Spit it out? What is it?"


    "It''s Kiera!"


    Josephine said exasperatedly.


    "Kiera? What about her?"


    "She... She went missing! I''ve been looking for her the entire day! She was meant to have gone to the bathroom, but she never came back. Oh no...! What if s-"


    Josephine stopped.


    Blinking her eyes, she turned her head. In the distance, a figure appeared. Josephine blinked yet again to make sure she wasn''t seeing things.


    When she was sure it was indeed Kiera, her expression changed.


    "Enng? ...Kiera?! Wait, why does she...? Nn?"


    "That''s...!"


    "...?"


    Everyone''s expressions changed the moment they looked in the same direction she was looking at.


    "What''s going... Ah."


    When I faced the direction they were looking at, I understood perfectly why their expressions were like that.


    "What is she doing?"


    No, more importantly.


    Why was she dressed like that?


    *Puff*


    "Yo~"


    Holding onto a big cigar, Kiera greeted all of us. Her nonchnt air mixed with the arrogant expression she was making stood out and people started to look her way.


    It wasn''t just her expression that stood out.


    "Where did you get that?"


    But the huge fur jacket that she was wearing as well. With ck stripes across and the fact that it draped all the way down to her legs, she stood out amongst the crowd.


    Coupled with a pair of sunsses and a cigar, she looked like a pimp.


    "Oh? You mean this?"


    Kiera pinched and pulled on the coat.


    *Puff*


    And took a drag of her cigar.


    Smoke lingered around her face for a couple of seconds.


    "Nothing much. Just gambling and shit~"


    "Gambling?"


    Josephine''s eyes widened.


    "Wait, what?! You went gambling?!"


    I stared at the scene speechlessly.


    Kiera nodded while putting her hand in her pocket.


    "No, for real. I went in there with all my money and..."


    She scratched the side of her face.


    "...I lost everything."


    "..."


    "But...!"


    She raised her finger. As if trying to justify that she had gambled all her money away.


    "I still managed to win myself this nice jacket! Made from real Belstron skin. Fucking awesome, right? Keke... Plus, I also got a free box of cigars. They''re of good quality. Want to try one?"


    "...."


    Josephine opened her mouth, but the word just refused to leave her.


    Misunderstanding her actions, Kiera stuffed a cigar in her mouth.


    "....Ukeh!"


    "There you go!"


    And lit it up with her finger.


    "Now take a big puff."


    "Cough...! Cough...! Akh! Why do my eyes burn?"


    "Kakakaka."


    pping her thigh, Kiera bent over and started tough.


    "Did you see the face you made?"


    ".....Akh!"


    From that point forward, everyone lost interest in what was happening. It was just the normal stuff.


    That was until...


    WHIIIII¡ª


    Therge ring sound of a horn echoed throughout the entire town.

 Chapter 124 The first wave [1]

    <h4>Chapter 124 The first wave [1]</h4>


    WHIII¡ª


    "What''s going on?"


    "What''s happening? What is this sound...?"


    The ring sound of the horn echoed throughout the air. It was loud, and as if a spell had been cast on the entire town, the atmosphere drastically changed.


    It suddenly became extremely tense.


    Cli ¡ª


    The lights went out everywhere, and the shops closed, leaving everything deserted in an instant.


    Just as we were wondering about what was going on, Professor Bridgette entered the reception with Professor Hollowe behind her. Aspared to her, who had a grim expression, he seemed more rxed.


    "Everyone, please calm down. There''s no need to be tense."


    Her calm voice seemed to have an effect on the cadets, gradually easing the previous spreading panic.


    ".....I will let you know more of what''s going onter. For now, please follow me. I would like for you to see what is happening for yourself."


    Professor Bridgette left shortly after that.


    We followed her from behind.


    Tak. Tak. Tak.


    The only sound echoing within the town was the sound of our footsteps as we walked across the now-deserted streets.


    It was a strange sight. Especially considering how different it was from the day.


    "....Wow, fuck."


    Even Kiera appeared to be creeped out as she rubbed her chin against her fur jacket.


    On the other hand, Leon walked beside me with the same look he always wore. ncing at him, I couldn''t tell whether he was concerned or not.


    But it didn''t matter.


    Soon, we approached the city walls. Over a hundred guards greeted us near the stairs that led to the top, with a tall man in his forties taking the lead.


    "You are here."


    He almost seemed relieved by our appearance as his stiff face rxed, slightly.


    I took a moment to take a good look at him. He wore light armor, and with blonde hair and blue eyes, he looked no different than a noble. With that said, despite his appearance, I couldn''t associate him with a noble.


    There was something about his demenour that was vastly different than that of a noble.


    He was more ''wild'', or better said, ''rough''.


    "Let me have a moment of your time."


    Even his voice was rough, with his tone sounding rather deep. Clearing his throat, his sharp blue eyes scanned us.


    ".....I''ve been told that you are the cream of the crop of our Empire."


    He started off with a very obvious statement.


    "My name is Tristan ckwood. I''m a Tier 3 knight and a proud citizen of Ellnor."


    Pausing, his blue eyes paused on several of us.


    I thought he was going to give us a stern lecture about us being young and reckless and all that, but I was wrong.


    "I understand that you look young, but I won''t judge you for it. In fact, I am proud to know that our Empire has young people like you in our midst."


    Rather, he started off byplimenting us.


    As his eyes scanned us, his expression turned extremely grim.


    "With that being said, this will be no easy mission. In fact, I don''t even know if I will be able to guarantee you your life. We have lost far too many people already. It''s because of our stubbornness that the situation reached this level. And for that, I am truly sorry."


    Bowing his head, he earnestly apologized.


    "...."


    "...."


    No one said a thing. I didn''t as well. Especially when I noticed the expressions of the other knights behind him.


    "W-we... have suffered far too many losses to count. Everyone here, be it me, or the knights that you see behind you. We have all lost someone dear to us. And all of it is our fault."


    They appeared to be pained. Some were even shaking.


    "For-"


    Growwllll¡ª!


    Just then, a loud growl echoed in the far distance, and the faces of the knights changed drastically.


    The same was true for the captain who hastily turned his head.


    "Oh, no..."


    Without saying another word, he rushed up the stairs of the walls.


    "Follow procedures quickly! Close the gates!"


    WHIIII¡ª WHIIII¡ª


    The horn sounded again, and the city gates began to close. Despite the suddenness of the situation, everything proceeded in an orderly manner, with all the knights following orders without a single problem.


    As I looked around, Professor Hollowe''s voice reached my ears.


    "Cadets, make your way up. Captain''s orders."


    Looking up, the Professor beckoned us with his hand. Exchanging nces with Leon for a brief moment, we climbed up the stairs of the wall.


    The walls stood about eight meters high and were constructed from solid stone. As I ascended to the top, the first thing that caught my eye was therge ballistae stationed there.


    With arrows stretching over several meters and pointed metal heads, they looked extremely intimidating.


    But that wasn''t what caught my attention.


    "Holy crap..."


    I stared off into the horizon. Arge cluster of...


    "What in the world is that...?"


    Humans? Skeletons? No... It was hard to describe. However, the only thing I could think of at the moment was.


    "Zombies."


    Arge cluster of zombies.


    Having overheard my mutter, Leon looked at me with a questionable look.


    "....Zombies?"


    "Yeah, zombies."


    "What is that?"


    "Uh? Ah, right."


    Realization hit me not long after.


    This wasn''t a term used in this world.


    I pointed at the monsters in the distance.


    "Well, whatever that is."


    Their movements were slow, with some of them wearing armor resembling that of the guards at the top.


    Staring at the numerous such creatures, I shuddered slightly. The scene looked straight out of a horror movie.


    The creepiest part was that many of their bodies were preserved due to the cold, leaving their skin blue as a result.


    Just as I locked eyes with one of the zombies in the distance, their mouths parted open as they began to shout.


    Growwllll¡ª!


    Their sound pierced through the air. Behind them, the sun was beginning to sink toward the horizon, casting the sky in a gentle veil of orange.


    With one scream, the zombies made themselves known.


    "Load the ballistae!"


    It took three knights to operate a ballista. But even that was a struggle as they let out strained "Guoo¡ª!" shouts as they loaded up the arrows.


    "Shoot!"


    Xiiu! Xiuuu!! Xiu!


    The air whistled as several enormous arrows shot forth, casting shadows on thend below. They streaked through the air and crashed into the hordes of zombies in the distance as a dust cloud formed.


    Booom¡ª!


    Like bowling pins, the zombies scattered and flew everywhere.


    "Oh!!"


    "It hit...!"


    The cadets threw their hands in the air in celebration the moment the arrow hit.


    "That was awesome!"


    However, looking around and taking in the grim expressions of the knights on the walls, I knew that things weren''t as simple as they seemed.


    And as expected.


    They weren''t.


    "Ah! They''re getting back up!"


    "What the...!"


    As if nothing had happened, the zombies regrouped from the ground and resumed their march forward. The creepiest part was when the zombies picked up their missing limbs and reattached them to themselves as if it were nothing.


    Growwllll¡ª!


    Directly support the authors on WebNovel!


    I felt goosebumps staring at the scene.


    This really did seem like a scene from a horror movie.


    "Reload the arrow! Reload the arrow! We need to hold them off until the sun rises again! They will leave right when the sunes back up! Reload the arrows...!"


    Apanying the captain''s shout, I heard a new piece of information.


    ''So the zombies onlye out at night, and they will stop during the day?''


    Now this...


    It really did sound like a game.


    "Don''t falter! Keep reloading! This is just the start! You already know the drill!"


    "Guooo¡ª!"


    The knights reloaded the arrows and prepared for the second round.


    Xiiu! Xiuuu!! Xiu!


    A simr scene from before urred. Enormous arrows shot forth from the ballistae, hurtling toward therge horde in the distance. Each arrow streaked through the air at incredible speeds before colliding directly with the horde.


    But even so...


    "Again!"


    None...


    "Again!"


    Of the arrows...


    "Again!"


    Did a thing!


    "Again!"


    Xiuuuu¡ª!


    With each arrow shot, the knights grew increasingly fatigued. I could vividly observe this from where I stood. Sweat dripped down their faces, and their hands shook as they carried each arrow to the ballistae.


    It was a tragic scene.


    However, as if they were on some sort of drug, they continued to load the ballistae without letting out a singleint.


    Thump!


    Even as some of them fell over due to tiredness.


    "Quickly rece him! Go! Go! Go!"


    It was a grim scene.


    One that made me realize just how gruesome each day had been for them.


    ''So they''ve been doing this every single day for thirty years...?''


    It made one wonder just why people still chose to remain in this town. It wasn''t as if the citizens couldn''t run away. It was possible. So...


    ''What is keeping them from leaving?"


    "Sir captain, let us do something."


    "At this rate, the soldiers won''t be able tost much longer."


    "Is there a better way of doing this? Do they not have any weakness?"


    Snapping out of my thoughts, I turned to look to my right.A small circle had formed around the captain who had to halt hismands to look back at them.


    It appeared as though some of the cadets could no longer take the scene they were seeing.


    "Let us help!"


    The captain dismissed them with a wave of his hand.


    "Later! Later! Your role willeter. As for weaknesses, they don''t have any."


    "They don''t?"


    I was the one who said that as Leon turned to look at me. Feeling his gaze, I sliced my neck with my hand.


    "Cutting their necks and stuff. That could work."


    It worked in the movies.


    "....?"


    Leon tilted his head and looked at me with a gaze that seemed to say, ''Are you stupid?''. No, rather, I think he was just about to say that when I stopped him.


    "You still look stupid."


    "...."


    He lowered his head with a frown.


    Most probably, he was thinking about aeback. I didn''t let him.


    "So cutting necks doesn''t work?"


    For a game, it sure didn''t respect the main rules of zombies.


    "What works then?"


    ".....Killing the one behind all of this."


    A voice interjected from behind us. When I turned to look, my gaze met with Aoife''s. As the wind blew, scattering her red hair all over her face, she went on to say,


    "So long as the necromancer is alive, the undead will be able to revive infinitely."


    Looking towards the hordes of zombies, Aoife frowned.


    "....And that''s the problem. Nobody knows where the necromancer is. It''s for that reason that they''ve been stuck in this stalemate for so long."


    "Ah."


    It all clicked then.


    "So the problem is finding the necromancer..."


    "Yes. From what I''ve managed to get, they''ve sent several search parties in hopes of finding it. Unfortunately, none ever came back, and those that did weren''t able to find a thing."


    "....I see."


    Moving toward the edge of the wall, I leaned slightly to get a good look at the zombies. Despite their slow speed and the barrage of arrows, they were steadily making progress, their numbers overwhelming.


    "....."


    barrage of arrows, they were steadily making progress, their As the cold wind pierced my skin, I had a sudden thought.


    Since it was possible for me to use the second leaf on people I killed...


    "Is it possible to use it on them...?"

 Chapter 125 The first wave [2]

    <h4>Chapter 125 The first wave [2]</h4>


    ''....Is it possible?''


    The idea seemed feasible. However, I wasn''t sure if I could actually do it.


    What if there was a limit to the second leaf? A limit that prevented me from using it on those who had died for far too long.


    What then...?


    Xiu! Xiu!


    The thunderous echoes of ballistae firing resonated in the distance as I stood atop the city walls, gazing down at the unfolding spectacle below.


    ''The goal of this expedition is to find the necromancer. So far, in the thirty years that the attacks have started, they hadn''t been able to find a single thing.''


    Was the necromancer that hard to find?


    ....Or was it simply because they were too weak?


    I turned my attention towards the knight''s captain.


    "Reload! Reload!"


    "Someone has fainted again! Rece them quickly! Reload!"


    He was barking out orders left and right as he ran around the entire walls. The organization amongst the knights was impable.


    However, looking at their exhausted and haggard expressions, I could tell that they were on theirst legs.


    They were weak. Far too weak.


    Even the knight captain was weak at only Tier 3. He was just about the same strength as us.


    In fact,


    I turned my head to look at Leon beside me.


    ''....This guy is probably stronger than the knight''s captain.''


    It was a bit of an odd realization.


    "What?"


    As if noticing my gaze, Leon flinched slightly. Yes, flinched.


    "Hm?"


    "...."


    He stepped away too. Realization soon dawned on me and I sighed.


    "I''m not going to call you stupid."


    There was a time and ce for such a thing.


    "You won''t?"


    "Yeah."


    I calmly nodded to reassure him.


    "Your face does that for me."


    "....."


    "Ah."


    I covered my mouth upon realizing what I had done. I was just about to apologize when...


    "They''reing! Second battalion move out!"


    The loud shout of the knight''s captain echoed throughout. Finally turning his attention towards us, he pointed towards the horde of zombies who had nearly reached the perimeter of the walls.


    "Cadets! Help out the second battalion! Please help us control and manage the undead!"


    Growwllll¡ª!


    "Wh, what...!? We''re fighting now?"


    The cadets were astonished by the suddenmand.


    At the same time, the gates beneath opened, and a group of over a hundred knights charged forward.


    "Fight!!"


    "Uwoooo¡ª!"


    nk¡ª


    Sparks instantly flew in the air the moment the two sides shed. What was most shocking was the fact that the zombies were able to keep themselves upright as their flesh remained intact.


    It was as if their skin was made out of metal.


    "The hell..."


    Besides me, Kiera watched the scene with astonishment.


    "What are these things even made out of? Not only are they immortal, but their skin is also as tough as metal. What kind of..."


    "Don''t worry about that now. Attack first."


    Aoife stood on top of the wall.


    As her red hair fluttered, she extended her hand forward.


    Her expression quickly distorted as she focused her attention on the horde of zombies beneath.


    "Ukh...!"


    A groan escaped her small lips as over a dozen zombies mped up together.


    "What the...?"


    "What''s going on? Ah!"


    The Knights, who had been in an intense fight with the zombies, halted for a brief moment as they noticed the zombies suddenly freezing on the spot and moving back.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Shortly after that, a figure jumped down from the wall.


    It was Leon.


    Thump!


    Softlynding on the ground, his sword glowed, illuminating the surroundings. Stomping his foot on the ground, he shed.


    SHIIIIING¡ª!


    His sword drew a beautiful arc in the air. At the same time that he shed, Aoifepressed her hands together, clumping up even more zombies together.


    And...


    Bang!


    The impact of his attack and the zombies resonated loudly in the air, the sound mimicking that of a bat hitting against hard steel.


    It resounded throughout the air and spread throughout.


    "Did it work?"


    "Look! It worked!"


    When all was said and done, over a hundred zombies scattered across the ground with their bodies cut in half.


    Just as everyone was about to rejoice, a shocking scene urred.


    "Ah...!"


    "They''re getting back up!"


    "What the hell is this...?!"


    Indeed, it was just as they said. Seconds after Leon''s attack, a purple glow basked over the zombies, forcing their bodies back together.


    Groooowl¡ª!


    Getting back up, they stood up and proceeded to head for the walls. It was as if Leon''s and Aoife''sbined effort had done nothing.


    "Fuck, even that didn''t work?"


    "Just how sturdy are these zombies?"


    Kiera and Josephine shouted from the walls with incredulous looks.


    Not far from them, the other cadets stared at the scene with a little apprehension. They were probably intimidated by what they had seen.


    One could say that Kiera''s personality was handy on these types of asions.


    ".....Get the fuck out! Let me try!"


    Jumping out of the wall, two orange magic circles floated on each of her palms. The mana condensed to her side as she pushed her hands forward.


    Swoooo¡ª!


    The world illuminated as brilliant mes shone. They spread throughout, engulfing the iing zombies like an avnche of fire.


    I stared at the mes that lit up the world for a brief moment.


    They were gorgeous.


    But even they had no effect in the end.


    "What the hell?!"


    This time, even Kiera was at a loss for words.


    Given the power of her mes, I also thought she''d at least do something, but in the end, the zombies appearedpletely unharmed, walking out of the mes at the same speed.


    "Get back! Get back!"


    Themander''s voice reached us from beside us. His face was pale, and sweat continuously dripped down his face as he ran around the walls giving orders.


    "Hold the undead back!"


    "Prevent them from entering the city! Stop them at all costs!"


    "Cadets! Conserve your mana! Just try your best to hold the undead back! Try to resist until the sunes up! There is no use going all out against them!"


    Stopping, he waved his hand.


    "Fire!!"


    Xiu! Xiu¡ª!


    The arrows shot forth.


    Thump!


    Alongside each arrow, a soldier would fall from exhaustion. They''d quickly be reced by another soldier who carried on their burden.


    "Fire!"


    Xiu! Xiu¡ª!


    I stared at the scene unblinkingly.


    "....Hey, what are you doing?!"


    Before I knew it, I was standing on top of the walls of the town. My body was still in terrible condition, and Aoife was tugging at my clothes from behind.


    "Are you going to try something too? Didn''t you hear the captain''s words? We need to contain them. Leon''s and my attacksbined had no effect. We sho-"


    "....No."


    I shook my head while staring at the zombies beneath. The number seemed endless. They stretched for as long as the eye could see, and they were all headed towards the town.


    For what reason?


    I wasn''t sure.


    But...


    "....."


    Extending my hand, a thread flew out. My core burned at the usage of mana, but I didn''t mind the pain and watched as one of the threads circled around one of the zombies''s necks.


    Making sure it was all secured, I pulled with my hand, flinging the zombie in my direction.


    "What are you doing...! Are you crazy!?"


    Aoife''s surprised voice echoed from beside me.


    I ignored it and opened up my palm.


    k¡ª!


    Closing my palm and grasping its neck, I stared at its hollow eyes and pale skin.


    Groowlll¡ª!


    It squirmed under my grasp. But I kept my grip form. Staring at it for a good moment, I activated the second leaf.


    My world turned dark.


    .


    .


    .


    The sun shone brightly.


    A group of four stood before the city walls. They stood tall, and towered over the surroundings.


    Before them was a young teen. He looked familiar.


    ''Where have I seen him...?''


    "Are you all ready?"


    Ah.


    It was his voice that gave it away. It was young, but it was also familiar.


    ''The captain.''


    The young teen in front was Captain Travis.


    ....So this was from decades ago.


    "We are ready!"


    They looked nervous, but they held conviction as they stared into the distance. A burly man pounded his chest.


    "Do not worry. We wille back and avenge our fallenrades."


    "That''s right!"


    They were young, and they were brave. The group of four seemed to be just a little bit older than the captain.


    "Travis. Make sure you stay here. We will be back before you know it. With your sister too. You don''t need to worry about our safety. We are the best knights in the vige. You know of our abilities."


    "...."


    The young boy nodded his head.


    "....Okay."


    He appeared to be hopeful.


    And with such thought, he brought his hand towards his forehead in a salute. His back stood straight.


    "Subjugation force number twenty-seven. I wish you all the best of luck!"


    The four saluted back.


    "Subjugation force number twenty-seven will be departing!"


    "Subjugation force number twenty-seven will be departing!"


    "Subjugation force number twenty-seven will be departing!"


    "Subjugation force number twenty-seven will be departing!"


    The quartet embarked on their journey, striding forward along the road. I trailed behind, content to observe their progress from a distance.


    "Let''s do this!"


    ".....Let''s avenge our predecessors. With our strength, we will defeat that darned necromancer."


    They were all smiles along the way. They, who had been stuck in their town for their entire life, were finally on an adventure.


    Along with the nervousness, was a strange sense of excitement.


    I watched themugh.


    I watched them struggle.


    I watched them help each other.


    And I watched them bask in the sceneries that their adventures brought them.


    "Amazing...!"


    "Wait until we return and tell Travis about our journey. He''ll be so jealous."


    Amidst the struggle was a joy that one couldn''t exin. But I felt it all as I followed them from behind.


    The journey was a long one. I didn''t know for how long they had walked. However, the scenes around all made up for it.


    From waterfalls to rivers to rocky surfaces.


    It was a breathtaking sight.


    Sights that I wasn''t able to enjoy for much longer as arge dome of purple appeared in the distance.


    "What''s this!?"


    "The necromancer!"


    Within the dome, a veiled figure stood. The moment Iid my eyes on it, I felt a sense of oppressioning from it.


    "Ah...!"


    "That!"


    But it wasn''t the necromancer''s appearance that startled the group of four.


    No, it was...


    "Mom!"


    "....D-dad! I see them again!"


    The numerous figures that stood in front of the necromancer. Each one of them, they were a figure that the group was familiar with.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Anger] EXP + 0.2%


    I felt their anger.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Sadness] EXP + 0.4%


    But I also felt their sadness.


    "Attack...!"


    The group of four charged. Their target was none other than the necromancer. With their weapons drawn, they attacked.


    "Ahhhh¡ª!" That was thest thing I saw before the world turned ck. That was when I understood.


    Their journey. The one that I had followed from behind.


    It hade to an end.


    "Julien!"


    When I snapped out of it, I found myself in a familiar environment.


    "What are you doing with that thing?! Have you lost it!"


    Aoife''s voice was still echoing from behind me.


    Groowlll¡ª! In my grasp, the zombie struggled. I stared at it again. This time, an image ovepped with the zombie in my grasp.


    It looked much younger and had a smile on its face.


    Groowlll¡ª! Opening up my palm, I let go of the zombie and flung it back into the distance.


    As I did, I stared at the numerous zombies that were approaching.


    "Thirty years."


    For thirty years, this town; Ellnor, had sent its best knights to fight against the necromancer.


    For thirty years, they failed.


    "...."


    Yes.


    These thousands of zombies in front of me.


    They were an umtion of the thirty years of fallen soldiers who had died trying to fight the necromancer.


    They...


    Were the brutal reality behind the smiles of the citizens.

 Chapter 126 Exploration [1]

    <h4>Chapter 126 Exploration [1]</h4>


    Thump!


    "Just a little longer! The sun is almost up!"


    Thump!


    "Don''t give up now! We''re almost there!"


    Thump!


    One by one, soldiers dropped down to the ground due to exhaustion.


    "Keep going! Just a little longer!"


    The captain''s voice continued to echo throughout. He appeared to be the most tired of them all, but by sheer willpower, he kept himself standing as he continued to bark orders.


    nk¡ª! nk¡ª!


    The knights below were also on theirst legs, struggling to contain the zombies.


    "Akh¡­!"


    And so were the cadets who, despite their strength, were also struggling.


    It made sense when considering the fact that the zombies were immortal.


    It also made one wonder how this town had managed to stay afloat with just one tier 3 knight.


    It was most probably their ballistae and organization.


    "One more minute!"


    I also helped out here and there. Using the threads, I contained and pushed many zombies back.


    I thought about keeping them separate, but the mana exertion was too much. In the end, the only thing I could do was push them back.


    ''¡­.If only I wasn''t injured.''


    I felt a stinging pain each time that I used my mana. While I didn''t mind the pain, I could notice it sharpening with each minute that I circted my mana.


    That wasn''t good.


    ''I''m at risk of worsening my injuries.''


    It was for that reason that I paced myself, unlike the others.


    SHIIIING¡ª!


    Especially Leon and Aoife, who were practically drenched in their own sweat.


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­"


    Standing beside me, I could hear just howbored Aoife''s breath was as she utilized her powers to create an invisible wall, blocking the zombies from advancing.


    It had to be said. Just the two alone were of great help.


    On the other hand¡­


    Woooom¡ª!


    "Fuck!!! Why is my fire not doing anything!!?"


    Keira''s performance was not great. It wasn''t because she wasn''t trying or anything like that.


    But it mostly came down to the fact that the zombies were fire-resistant. Whenever the mes swept, nothing would happen.


    Kracka! Kracka!


    Evelyn on the other hand was faring much better. Using her skills, she was able to contain quite a few zombies.


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­ D-do something¡­"


    "Hm?"


    Turning my head, I locked eyes with Aofie. Breathingboriously, she tiredly nudged at the zombies with her chin.


    "Y-you can do more than this¡­ D-"


    "There''s no need."


    I cut her off.


    "It''s time."


    "...U-h?"


    Staring at the horizon, the in began to be shrouded in a veil of orange, nketing over the region and the horde of zombies.


    The sun had started to set.


    And following its appearance the zombies''s movements started to slow down.


    "It''s over!"


    It was one of the soldiers who shouted that. And as if his words had an effect, all the zombies magically stopped moving.


    "It''s over¡­?"


    "Haaa¡­ haaaa¡­. We can finally rest now?"


    Everyone was exhausted. Be it the cadets, and the knights. Nobody could hardly lift up a finger.


    Even Leon, who usually seemed expressionless, showed a reaction as he stared at the frozen zombies.


    Wiping the sweat from the side of his face, he walked closer to one of the zombies to get a closer look.


    But just as he took a step, something happened.


    "Look¡ª!"


    All of a sudden, as a cadet pointed toward the zombies, I watched stupefied as a purple glow enveloped the zombiespletely. I felt a familiar sense of oppressioning from the purple veil as it covered the zombies.


    Before anyone could say or do a thing, the zombies faded.


    "What¡­!"


    "Did they just vanish?"


    Unsurprisingly, the cadets were astonished by the development.


    The same couldn''t be said for the soldiers who slumped down on the walls tired.


    "Treat the injured!"


    "Count the casualties!"


    The only one who didn''t rest was the captain, who hurriedly moved around to check on every single person on the wall.


    I stopped for a moment to stare at him.


    The image of his younger self ovepped with his current image.


    ''He''s no different than he is in my memories.''


    Always prioritizes others over himself.


    ¡­But for him to have been at this for so long.


    Just where did he get the willpower from?


    ''Is it from the constant deaths of hisrades? Or his drive to keep the people of this town safe?''


    The more I looked at him, the more curious I became.


    ''Should I use my ability on him?''


    My thoughts were stopped by the sudden appearance of the professors in the distance.


    "Hmm."


    They had unusually serious expressions.


    ''Now that I think about it, I haven''t seen them the entire time.''


    Where exactly had they gone?


    I didn''t need to wait for long to know the answer. Stopping before the Knight''s captain, Professor Hollowe was the first one to speak.


    "¡­We weren''t able to fully trace the mana surrounding the undead. We managed to get a wisp of it, but as of yet, we still haven''t locked onto it yet. We will need a few more days to fully lock into them."


    "Ah, I see."


    The captain nodded his head in understanding.


    ".....You can take your time. We''ve managed to hold on for so long. We have enough patience."


    Realization dawned on me as I overheard their conversation.


    ''So they were tracking the necromancer.''


    Indeed, all subjugation squads had died before returning to the town.


    They still didn''t know the location of it. But the same couldn''t be said for me.


    ''I know where it is.''


    I had seen it in my memories. In fact, I could even go right now.


    But¡­


    ''No, not yet.''


    I looked at my hands. They were shaking slightly. It was obvious that my body was still suffering from the after-effects of the drug.


    I would be of no use if I were to go there. In fact, I''d be putting myself in danger.


    Looking around, and seeing the exhausted looks on the cadets and the soldiers, I kept my mouth sealed.


    It wasn''t that I didn''t want to tell them where it was. Not that such an option was possible since I couldn''t just go up to them and say, ''Oh, I know where it is. Follow me.''


    I''d have to exin myself.


    ....And there was a real possibility of my ability getting exposed.


    I didn''t want that to happen.


    Not when the situation was still in control.


    Since that was the case, I nned on letting things flow for as long as possible.


    "Right, for at least until I can heal up."


    *


    I remained faithful to my words. For the next several days, I remained quiet and let the professors figure out the location of the necromancer.


    Every sunset, at the same time, zombies would appear from the horizon.


    Grooowlll¡ª!


    And every sunset, the knights, alongside the cadets, battled against the horde of iing zombies.


    "Fire!"


    Xiu! Xiu!


    "Open the gates! Cadets!"


    nk, nk¡ª


    The scene from the first day repeated. It would first start with the rain of arrows from the ballistae. Then, when the zombies reached a certain distance, the cadets and knights would charge forward to repel their attacks.


    This went on for several days, and by the time it was the fourth day, finally, the Professor managed to trace the mana locked onto the zombies.


    "I''ve gotten a trace!"


    A meeting took ce shortly after that.


    The meeting took ce in the knight''s headquarters. In a fairlyrge space, the knights and cadets gathered around arge dimly lit wooden table.


    ".....The location is quite far from here."


    Professor Hollowe was the one to speak. With his usualidback expression, he unfurled a map and ced it on the desk.


    "The journey will probably take one or two days. Even now, I am unsure of how the necromancer is capable of controlling so many undead from such a distance. We will only find out once we get there,"


    Professor Hollowe exined. Taking out a pen, he circled arge area over the map.


    "My detection skills tell me that the necromancer is over around this area."


    "Uh...?"


    Coming closer, the Knight''s Captain frowned.


    "That''s quite arge area. Not just two days, it might take you more. If you''re nning on going on an expedition and taking the cadets with you, then I''m not sure if we''ll be able tost much longer. The reason we''ve asked for reinforcements is because we can no longer hold on."


    "There''s no need to worry about that."


    Professor Hollowe reassured as he looked towards Professor Bridgette.


    "She, alongside several other cadets will remain here. On the other hand, I will go and check out the area alongside a few elite cadets."


    "That''s..."


    Before the Captain could say a thing, Professor Hollowe ced his palm over the map.


    "I''ve already made my decision. With Professor Bridgette here, you won''t have to worry about anything bad happening to the town."


    He wasn''t wrong there.


    Professor Bridgette was a Tier 4 mage. Besides Professor Hollowe, whose strength I didn''t know, she was by far the strongest.


    In fact, she alone could handle arge portion of the iing zombies.


    The reason why she and the Professor hadn''t intervened over the past few days was probably because they were trying to provide us with some real-life experience.


    At least, that was my guess.


    It became apparent to me when the two would intervene when certain cadets were ced in difficult spots. It made sense when one thought about it. We were the elites of the Empire. The loss of a single cadet was big.


    Other than that, the two were also busy tracking down the necromancer.


    "Now then. Regarding the teams. I''ve already made up a list of the cadets that I will bring with me."


    The air around the room changed as the Professor''s gaze swept the room. For a brief moment, his gaze paused on me.


    ''This is the second time.''


    I knew it from before, but he wanted something from me.


    What exactly...?


    "Julien Dacre Evenus."


    My name was called up expectantly.


    "Leon Ellert."


    And so were the rest of the members.


    "Aoife K. Megrail."


    It was the strongest cadets of the year. Or those that performed the best during the past few days.


    "Kiera Mylne."


    Even Kiera was called up. However, when thinking about it, she was of no use staying back and she probably knew it as she clicked her tongue.


    "Tsk."


    p, p¡ª pping twice, the Professor gathered our attention.


    ".....Those whose names I''ve called please get ready. We will be departing in an hour Please get ready.."


    "An hour?!"


    Kiera stood up in shock. Her face was still somewhat pale from thest wave.


    "We still haven''t slept. How is this-"


    "The time for sleep willeter. For now, get ready. It is currently daytime. We can''t leave when the undead wille back."


    "But¡ª"


    "That''s it. Meeting dismissed. If there is anything else we can talk about itter."


    Standing up, Professor Hollowe proceeded to leave the meeting room.


    "No, wait! I¡ª"


    Tracing his back with my eyes, I leaned back on my chair.


    "Haa..."


    Though I looked tired on the outside, my mind and body were fresh.


    Unlike the other cadets, I didn''t go all out. I rested my body and interfered asionally. Just enough to make it seem like I was doing something.


    I knew that something like this was going to happen.


    "Good thing I did."


    Lifting my head to stare at the ceiling of the room, memories shed in my mind. There were several. About nine.


    They were memories of nine different people who took the same journey.


    Sorting them out, I frowned.


    ''Something doesn''t make sense.''


    There was something about them that bothered me. However, I couldn''t quite find the reason for this.


    The memories...


    They always ended right as they attacked the necromancer. But there was something about the necromancer that didn''t make sense.


    But what exactly was it?


    I silently clenched and unclenched my fist.


    ".....I guess I''ll find out."

 Chapter 127 Exploration [2]

    <h4>Chapter 127 Exploration [2]</h4>


    The more I stayed in the town the more apparent it became to me that what I had previously seen was just a facade.


    Walking around the cobblestone streets to head for the main entrance of the town, I could feel the gloom on the people''s faces.


    It hadn''t been obvious before, but it was clear now.


    "¡­.."


    My steps halted as I spotted a figure in the distance.


    He was the captain. Currently taking care of the wounded, his face was pale as he ran around.


    "Someone get me some water! Heal him up!"


    Even now, he was still working.


    Despite his pale face and the fact that he was limping, he put it all to help those who were in need. It was a scene that would move anyone.


    But there was something about him that didn''t quite make sense to me. So much so that I found myself moving towards him.


    "What are the injuries? Any dead? Alright, good! It seems like the reinforcements have been of help."


    "Excuse me."


    "Uh?"


    Finally taking note of me, he paused.


    "You are¡­?"


    "I''m a cadet from Haven."


    "No, I know that."


    "Julien from the Evenus Barony."


    "¡­.Julien, okay."


    He nodded and looked around, taking a moment to wipe the sweat from his forehead.


    "Is there anything that I can do to help you?"


    "Yes, actually."


    "What?"


    "¡­..What''s the number of thest subjugation squad?"


    "Uh?"


    He looked taken aback by my sudden question.


    I exined to him.


    "I overheard some people saying something about subjugation squads. I presume they''re the squads that have been sent to fight against the necromancer. Im curious. How many have been sent so far."


    "¡­."


    The captain didn''t answer immediately. Rather, he made a difficult face. Almost pained.


    Eventually, lowering his head, he answered.


    "¡­.If we count your group, then it''d be subjugation squad number 255."


    "¡­."


    255¡­?


    I drew a cold breath.


    Just how many people did they send over?


    "The amount of people that we''ve sent. I''ve already lost count."


    He continued while I remained silent. I could hear the sadness in his voice as he spoke.


    "Everyone that you see here. They''ve all lost someone precious. We''re thest remaining people of the town."


    That sadness quickly shifted to anger as his fists clenched together tightly.


    "Every damn year, we have to watch as our poption dwindles and our best warriors die. Every damn year, I have to watch as the young recruits of the town are trained to be sent to their death!"


    "....."


    I stared at him without saying a single thing. I looked deeply into his expressions and the emotions he was letting out.


    At a nce, there didn''t seem to be anything wrong. Rather, I somewhat was starting to believe him.


    But there was something that kept nagging me at the back of my mind.


    "Why?"


    ".....Why?"


    He raised his face to meet my gaze.


    "You speak as though you care so much about the people. So why? Why haven''t you gone there yourself?"


    "....Ah."


    The captain''s expression froze, and his lips trembled.


    If before I could see anger and sadness, now I could see guilt. A lot of guilt.


    "T-that..."


    He didn''t even seem to be capable of formting his own sentences. It was as if something was eating at him.


    But what...?


    What exactly was that?


    If that wasn''t enough, there was something else that bothered me. Especially when I sorted through the memories I had looked through.


    "What about the first subjugation squad?"


    "....T-the first? What about them?"


    The captain''s reaction was all that I needed to know.


    "I''ve heard your sister participated in it."


    "Ah, yes..."


    "Were they also there to fight the necromancer? From what I-"


    "Captain! Captain! We need your help!"


    Unfortunately, my words were cut short by a shout in the distance. The captain, who was called, found this opportunity to excuse himself.


    "....I can''t thank you enough for your help. If you need any help, I''d be more than willing to offer it. But as you can see, I have to go now. If you would excuse me."


    Those were hisst words before he left.


    "....."


    I stood in silence, staring at his departing back. Within the memories, I had seen him grow up. From a young boy, to a teenager, to a young male, to the middle-aged man that he was now.


    Every time, he''d salute the subjugation squads as they left.


    ....And every time, he''d remain back in the town.


    It had been a long time since he had be the strongest person in the town. And yet, people who were weaker than him had still been sent.


    For what reason did he choose to remain here?


    ''Something doesn''t add up.''


    "What are you doing...?"


    A sudden voice jolted me out of my thoughts. When I turned my head, I met eyes with Aoife and the rest of the members who were set to depart for the exploration.


    "I was just talking to the captain."


    I answered, adjusting my backpack.


    While I still felt that there was something odd about the captain, I didn''t have anything to work with.


    ''Maybe, I''ll find something out when I get closer to the necromancer.''


    I was rather curious about it.


    ....Especially since it had something to do with [Curse] magic. Although it had only been in visions, I felt a strange sense offort in the purple dome that the necromancer was in.


    I wanted to go there to make sure that what I had felt was real.


    Perhaps...


    I''d be able to find something that would help me grow my strength there.


    ''Hopefully, I won''t have to learn necromancy.''


    I wasn''t really a fan of zombies.


    "Let''s go. The Professor is waiting for us at the entrance."


    "Alright."


    Nodding slightly, I followed the group from behind, walking alongside Leon who looked at me strangely.


    "Did you find anything?"


    "....Not quite."


    "Not quite?"


    "I don''t have much to work with. For now, I just find the captain suspicious."


    "Suspicious?"


    Leon frowned, turning his head to stare at the captain in the distance. As his eyes locked onto him, his brows gradually rose.


    "Hmm."


    "....What?"


    I looked at him in surprise.


    "Did you find something?"


    But how could that be? He had only just looked at him.


    "You''re not wrong."


    Leon eventually answered.


    ".....He is hiding something. Or more like, the events seem to be centered around him. No, rather, the entire town?"


    He cocked his head.


    "It''s difficult to tell. But he is hiding something."


    "What? How did..."


    "I''ve got good instincts."


    "...."


    What the hell is this guy on about...?


    Was this something that main characters were just born with?


    The worst part was that I couldn''t even ask him about it since he probably wouldn''t answer. So for that reason, I rubbed my forehead and asked,


    "How confident are you about your instincts?"


    "They''ve never failed me before."


    "....I see."


    I once again turned to look at the captain.


    ''So even Leon thinks that there''s something off about him and his story...''


    Since he felt like this, chances were that there was indeed something. However, despite knowing that, I decided to leave him alone and follow the group from behind.


    So far, I still didn''t have a lot of information.


    I couldn''t just confront him without reason. More than anything, I was more intrigued by the necromancer. Or the dome that was surrounding it.


    .....There was something about it that I felt resonated with me.


    "Is everyone here?"


    As our group arrived at the entrance, greeting us there was Professor Hollowe who rubbed his eyes.


    With arge backpack behind him, he blinked his eyes and did a short head count. Once he was sure that everyone was present, he turned around to face the town''s gates.


    "Since everyone is here, let''s prepare to depart. We don''t have much time."


    With light steps, he went ahead and crossed the gates.


    The others followed shortly after him.


    "....."


    I stood in silence for a short moment before taking a step forward and following them from behind.


    Thinking about therge purple dome that awaited us in the distance, I knew that it wasn''t going to be an easy trip.


    That being said,


    ''I''m surprised I still didn''t receive my quest window.''


    ***


    At the top of the town''s walls.


    A man stood solitary, staring at the departing group in the distance. Clenching onto the pocket watch and holding it closely to his chest, he repeatedly muttered the same words over and over again.


    "Sorry... Sorry... Sorry..."


    There was no one aside from him.


    ....And it was for this reason that he allowed the tears to stain his cheeks.


    Drip. Drip.


    "Sorry... I want to go... Sorry... But I have to keep my promise..."


    The man was none other than the Knight''s captain.


    Holding onto his pocket watch, he bent over with exhaustion.


    "I promised..."


    And then, mustering every little bit of strength he had left, he brought his hand towards his forehead in a salute.


    "Subjugation force two hundred and fifty-five. I wish you all the best of luck!"


    ***


    The journey was a quiet one.


    "...."


    "...."


    Besides Josephine and Kiera who would bicker from time to time, and Professor Hollowe, who would asionally talk, nobody said a word as we tracked forward.


    I preferred for it to be that way.


    Staring at the familiar environment, I couldn''t help but pause on certain asions. It wasn''t that I wanted to pause, but every time I would see a familiar spot, images would sh across my mind.


    ''....Do you think we''ll be able to make it back?''


    The images were followed by their conversations.


    ''We will. I''m sure of it. Even if we don''t, we should at least try something to help out those that wille in the future.''


    ''Woooow! I suddenly feel energized. That sleep sure did help! Haha, now that we don''t have to constantly fight the undead, we can feel energized again.''


    ''Let''s go.''


    I saw countless memories and countless people.


    Walking along the familiar path, their images would appear whenever I reached a familiar spot, reminding me of the history that this path had.


    ''Hehe! It''s my birthday today. I''m turning fifteen."


    ''Happy birthday! Let''s celebrate your birthday now. Once we return, we will make sure to celebrate it with everyone.''


    ''Hehe.''


    Wherever I walked, familiar faces would show up.


    I had never physically crossed this path before, but it felt as if I had crossed it several dozen times. All with different people.


    ''I''ve decided. When we get back, I''m going to propose to Emily!''


    ''Hahaha. You only have the guts to say this now because we''re on a journey. You were scared shitless thest time you even saw her.''


    ''Bah!''


    Fromughs to tears...


    I had seen and experienced them all.


    Immersed in the memories, I didn''t realize that it was already dark.


    "Let''s stop here for the day."


    What brought me out of the memories was the Professor''s voice as he came to a stop. Within the rocky region, we found ourselves in a t piece ofnd. The perfect ce to set up camp.


    "Let''s set up our tents and start a fire. We will resume our journey tomorrow morning. We aren''t far from the destination."


    I turned to look back in the direction of where we came from.


    ''They''re probably fighting against the horde by now, right?''


    Given the time, it made sense. I was sort of d that I joined the exploration group. This was especially true since it meant that I could rest even more.


    "Alright."


    Stretching my body, I started to help out the other cadets as we started to set up camp. Thankfully, the process wasn''t hard. Within ten minutes, the tents were set up and a fire lit up in the middle.


    On top of it was a pot where our food was cooking.


    Crackle! Crackle!


    A strange silence suddenly took over the group as all eyes fell on the fire burning in the middle.


    The silence, however, was broken by the Professor who stirred the pot with a spoon.


    "I keep a photo of my wife and my kids in my wallet."


    Everyone looked up at him as he stared at the fire.


    I did too.


    Suddenly, I felt like he was going to speak about himself to break the silence, but...


    "I use it as a reminder as to why I never have money."


    "...."


    "...."


    "...."


    "No? No one? ...And here I was trying to liven up the mood."


    Stirring the pot, Professor Hollowe muttered,


    "Tough crowd."


    The previous silence that took over the group returned. This time, it felt strangely tense as the expressions of all the cadets turned weird.


    This was especially so for Leon who looked at me.


    His face... It looked extremely strained.


    "He."


    Amidst the silence that took over the camp, I found myself covering my mouth.


    As all eyes fell on me, my chest trembled. Leon looked at me with widened eyes as he shook his head.


    It was as if he was saying, ''No, don''t...!''


    But it only made things worse.


    Clenching onto my shirt,


    "Hehe."


    I burst outughing.


    And the previous tension that lingered within me vanished.

 Chapter 128 Necromancer [1]

    <h4>Chapter 128 Necromancer [1]</h4>


    Sometimes, all it took was one mutual interest for people to hit it up with each other suddenly.


    "....The fuck am I witnessing?"


    "This..."


    "I''m not seeing things wrong, am I?"


    "...."


    It was the next day. The expedition group had resumed their walk towards the necromancer. However,pared to the previous day, things appeared to be different.


    "Hahahah! You''re good!"


    ".....Thank you."


    It was Julien and Professor Hollowe.


    Walking ahead of everyone, the two had been inseparable sincest night. But that wasn''t the most shocking thing.


    ''He canugh like that...?''


    Seeing the subtle smile on Julien''s face as he talked to the Professor, and recalling how he hadughed the previous night, Aoife had a hard time making heads of tails of the situation.


    It was as if she was seeing apletely different person.


    "...."


    Turning her head, Aoife''s gaze fell on Evelyn.


    She appeared to be the most shocked by the scene that was unfolding before their eyes.


    "How...?"


    And Aoife once again recalled the words she had told her not so long ago.


    ''He''s changed.''


    Julien certainly did seem like a different person than he usually appeared. It could just be that he found himselffortable with the new Professor.


    Perhaps she was overthinking. And she probably was.


    But...


    ''Why do I feel like something isn''t right?''


    Turning her head, her eyes paused on another figure. With long tinum hair and red eyes, her gaze was locked on Julien.


    It was hard to read her thoughts.


    However, the sight of her made Aoife frown.


    ''Right, I did hear rumors about the two of them spending time together. Could she know something...?''


    At first, Aoife thought that way, but the more she looked at it, the more unlikely this seemed.


    Just as she had taken another step forward, she hastily covered her mouth.


    "Achoo!"


    Aoife sneezed.


    Covering herself up, she pursed her lips.


    Looking up at the sky, she frowned.


    "Is it just me, or is it getting colder?"


    ***


    It was almost as if I had met a long-time friend. No, rather, I had never had a proper friend. Be it in this life, or my past life.


    It was hard to tell.


    However, for some reason, I felt extremelyfortable when talking to the Professor.


    ....It was weird.


    "I heard you were one of the cadets involved in the incident that happened in the forest?"


    That was until a certain event was brought up and my heart twitched. I didn''t show it on the outside and merely looked at the Professor who was looking towards the distance with a serene look.


    We weren''t far off from the destination.


    I could feel it.


    "....Are you perhaps referring to the incident with Professor Bucm?"


    "Yes."


    Professor Hollowe turned his head and our gazes met.


    "It was an unfortunate event. I was quite close with Robert."


    "You were...?"


    What bullshit.


    I had seen his memories. There was no such figure in his life.


    With that being said, I pretended to understand.


    He went on to borate.


    "....Well, you can say we knew each other? Acquaintances?"


    "Oh."


    I still didn''t believe it.


    Rather, I raised my guard up without showing it outwardly.


    "How was he?"


    I asked, pretending to be interested in the conversation.


    "He didn''t speak much. Always yed checkers by himself at the Academy campus and all. He was a peculiar fellow if those are the right words to describe him."


    "That does sound like him."


    It was no secret that the Professor spent most of his lunchtime ying checkers by himself.


    That much, everyone knew.


    "Hehe, yeah. He was quite known for it, wasn''t he?"


    ".....Yeah."


    Just as I thought he was going to continue the conversation, I was surprised to see him leave it there. It made me question whether I was being overly cautious or not.


    In the end, I still kept my guard up.


    That was until...


    "Achoo!"


    I heard a sneeze.


    Turning around, I noticed a few cadets, Aoife included covering themselves up.


    "It''s getting quite cold."


    ".....Y-yeah. I c-can barely feel my lips."


    I frowned at the sight. Cold? While it certainly was cold, it wasn''t nearly as bad as everyone was making it out to be.


    Something wasn''t quite...


    "We''re almost there."


    Professor Hollowe''s words brought me out of my thoughts. Just as he said those words, I felt a weird energy pulse spread throughout the area.


    "W-what the...!"


    It made my chest heavy, and my breathing became rougher. But outside of that, I was able to suppress the difort.


    "Cough! Cough!"


    "Ahk...!"


    To my shock, the same couldn''t be said for the others whose faces paled.


    "I-I can''t breathe!"


    "Huu...! Huu...!"


    ''What''s going on?''


    I looked around in confusion. Not only did the others seem to be dying, but there were several who dropped on the floor on one knee. Kiera and Evelyn in particr.


    Leon seemed to be faring better.


    "....This is troublesome."


    Professor Hollowe''s voice echoed from beside me. Raising his hand, a transparent dome covered the area around us.


    Almost instantly, everyone felt a sense of relief as everyone slumped to the ground.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    "W-what the hell was that?"


    "Huagh...!"


    I was curious too. Unlike them, I didn''t feel that much. Lowering my head to stare at my hands, I raised it back up to stare at Professor Hollowe. I was just about to ask him for an exnation when he beat me to it.


    "We''re currently in an elemental heavy region."


    Tracing his finger in the air, the Professor went on to say,


    "....The curse element appears to be the most predominant here. For those who specialize in elemental magic, you''ll find yourself struggling to breathe. It''s normal. You just need to adjust your body to the high density of curse mana in the air. You may also find that the affinity with your own element will decrease. This is a side effect of such an environment."


    His exnation wasn''t long, but I was able to understand it.


    Elemental heavy region...? This was a new term for me.


    Closing my eyes, I felt the mana in the air.


    "Ah."


    As expected. It was just as he said. It was thick in the [Curse] element. That said, curse element? It didn''t quite sound right. But I was no game developer.


    "For those that do specialize in curse magic..."


    Professor Hollowe turned to look at me.


    "You''ll find that it''s be much easier for you to circte your mana. Not only that, but it''s also faster and easier for you to create spells."


    It was as he said.


    With just a thought, I knew I could summon [Chains of kantria] and [Hands of Mdy] with little to no dy.


    I could also probably channel them for a longer period of time and much more efficiently. The best part of it all was that it didn''t hurt.


    I could hardly feel my injuries.


    "This..."


    It was great.


    How long had it been since I had felt like this?


    "All that aside,"


    The Professor''s expression turned grim.


    He stared into the distance with a frown.


    "....It looks like the situation is a lot more dangerous than I previously anticipated. I can feel that we''re very close to the source."


    And we were.


    Although such a scene never urred in my memories, I could more or less tell from thendscape that we were near.


    How many times had I been here in my memories?


    "We''ll take a moment to wait for you guys to adjust yourselves to the environment."


    The decision was as such.


    I had noints.


    Rather, I sat down on the ground and guided the mana inside of my body.


    There was something that I wanted to test.


    ''Since the curse element here is thick, what happens if I practice my spells...? Will it boost my progress?''


    I put that to the test.


    "Ah..."


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.1%


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.05%


    ?| Lvl. 1[Chains of kantria] EXP + 0.1%


    ?| Lvl. 1[Chains of kantria] EXP + 0.05%


    Notifications shed before my very eyes.


    Both spells started to increase in proficiency at visible speeds.


    I started to grow excited.


    What would happen once the spells reached the next level?


    Would they evolve...?


    If so, what would be of them?


    "....."


    I sat there in silence and basked in the environment.


    The visible improvement felt exhrating. But even then, I knew that I couldn''t enjoy such a sensation forever.


    "Seems like everyone is ready. Let''s head deeper."


    Rubbing my face, I stood up from the spot.


    ''¡­What a pity.''


    If possible, I would''ve preferred to stay a little longer.


    ''Maybe I''ll find a way of doing soter.''


    For now, there was something else that I wanted to figure out.


    "I will try my best to guarantee your safety. However, there may be circumstances where I may be unable to assist you. Since that''s the case, I hope you all get yourselves ready and react for the worst-case scenario."


    Everyone heeded the professor''s words, channeling their mana and drawing their weapons out.


    Only then did we proceed forward.


    Unlike before, our steps were slower and we were more careful.


    We were following the right direction, I could tell.


    In the mountainous area, we followed the only path forward, winding its way through the rugged terrain as jagged rock formations towered on either side.


    "....."


    A strange silence took hold of the group as we marched forward.


    Everyone could tell we were just a few meters away from the source of all trouble. It was for that reason that everyone remained quiet.


    And then...


    "Ah."


    A familiar purple-shaped dome appeared in the distance.


    It wasrge.


    Far bigger than what it was in the memories.


    "What is that¡­.?!"


    "Ukeh!!"


    "I-I can''t breathe."


    And the same was true for the sense of oppression that lingered in the air. It was a stark contrast to the one in the vision.


    So much so that the Professor was forced to take a step back, raising his left hand to shield us.


    "....Stay back."


    But it was toote.


    In the distance, within the sphere, over a thousand familiar figures entered our vision, their heads robotically turning to face our direction. Each one seemed to be fixated on our presence, their gazes piercing through the space between us with an unsettling intensity.


    "Uh?"


    "H-how are they here? Weren''t they..."


    But if that wasn''t bad enough.


    A cloaked figure, shrouded in darkness, stood in the middle. The moment its gaze fell on us, it felt as though my entire body had frozen in ce as if caught in the grip of an icy hand.


    The same was true for the others who stopped dead in their tracks.


    "Ah, this¡­"


    Professor Hollowe''s bitter voice echoed from beside us.


    "¡­..Who exactly did the scouting?"

 Chapter 129 Necromancer [2]

    <h4>Chapter 129 Necromancer [2]</h4>


    The air was tense.


    Feeling the necromancer''s gaze, it felt as though I was on pins and needles. My skin crawled, and my legs felt like lead.


    Breathing alone became hard.


    "Huff."


    It felt as though a heavy truck was weighing down on our chest.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    Thousands of eyes were locked onto us.


    "Hiek¡ª!"


    A screech came out of the necromancer''s mouth. It was hard to see its features, covered beneath the cloak, but the necromancer wasn''t tall. From where I stood, it appeared to be rather small in stature.


    About that of a young teen...?


    "Hiek¡ª!" "Hiek¡ª!"


    Screeches continued toe out of its mouth. Their sound resembling that of a strangled beast.


    "W-what the hell is it trying to say?"


    "Is it even saying anything?"


    The sounds were starting to get to the group.


    .....And just as it screeched yet again, Professor Hollowe stopped in his tracks as his eyes narrowed.


    "You''ve got to be shitting me."


    His words came as a wake-up call to me. Staring in the direction of where he was looking, I saw it too.


    "Ah."


    Faint cracks around the space near the necromancer.


    They hovered in the air, attached to the very fabric of space.


    "Mirror Crack."


    The words effortlessly came out of my mouth.


    It was one of the gates that led to the mirror dimension.


    "This..."


    How did the Mirror Dimension expand?


    The Mirror Dimension was a separate reality from the known world. However, its expansion and influence were real.


    From within the cracks, monsters would emerge. Like viruses, they woulde out and reign their influence over thend near the Mirror Crack, slowly turning it into the same environment as within the Mirror Dimension.


    By killing all the monsters, one could contain the Mirror Crack and stop it from letting the monsterse out of it to expand their influence over thend.


    A Mirror Crack needed constant surveince since there was no way to close it.


    In total, there were about twenty contained cracks within the Empire. One within the Academy, fifteen others with the Guild, and the rest with the Megrail family.


    And now...


    The twenty-first crack had appeared within the empire.


    ".....The situation is a lot more serious than anticipated. We will have to retreat for now."


    This was Professor Hollowe''s evaluation of the situation.


    It was an evaluation that I could agree with.


    "This isn''t something that mere cadets should be handling. We''ll have to get Central to take care of this ma¡ª"


    His words were cut short by a distant shriek.


    It came from the necromancer.


    Hieeek¡ª!


    Before I could even react, something shed above us as Professor Hollowe rapidly spun and brought his hand up.


    nk¡ª!


    The surroundings shook.


    "Hiek...!"


    And the Professor groaned as he retreated several steps back.


    A towering beast, resembling a wolf but twice its size, loomed over us. Its massive fangs dripped with saliva, and its piercing ck eyes bore into us, locking us in its fierce gaze.


    Drip...! Drip!


    The hair on the nape of my neck stood on edge.


    "Careful! This is no ordinary monster."


    The Professor''s words came out as a warning.


    ".....Remember when I said I might not be able to protect you?"


    With both hands positioned in front of him in a fighting stance, he grimly stared at the monster.


    "Now is that time!"


    Boom¡ª!


    His body shot forward like an arrow, appearing right before the creature in a sh.


    "Everyone move back!"


    At the same time as Aoife''s shout, the Professor''s fist shed against the wolve''s w.


    Bang!


    The space around us shook.


    "Uekh!"


    "....Akh!"


    Just the after-effect of the attack was enough to push us all back several meters.


    "This, fuck..."


    As everyone looked back, all eyes fell on the Professor who stood evenly with the beast.


    "This is absurd..."


    One of the cadets muttered, staring at the fight in the distance. Just from the mana pulses the two were emitting, the cadets could tell their strength.


    It was for that reason that everyone was shocked.


    "A terror rank?"


    ".....If that''s the case, does that mean Professor Hollow is at least Tier 5?"


    Evelyn questioned, staring at the Professor in the distance.


    "Wait, hold up."


    And as if realization suddenly dawned on her, she rigidly turned to face the necromancer.


    "Ah."


    Evelyn covered her mouth.


    "....This is ridiculous."


    Hieeeekkk¡ª!


    A powerful shriek escaped the necromancer''s mouth as it leaned in our direction.


    "Ah...!"


    "Move back quickly!"


    "Damn it!"


    Just as Aoife''s shout came, two shadows cast over the area we were in. The first one to react was Leon who pressed hard against the ground and shed upwards.


    nk! nk!


    His attack was quickly followed by Aoife who raised both her hands in the air.


    "Auakh!"


    Her face paled significantly as two smaller wolves appeared above us.


    "J-julien! Do something...!"


    Even without her saying it, I was already on it.


    Clenching my hand, eight threads burst out of my forearm andtched onto the wolves in the air. If there was a difference between these threads and the usual ones, it was that the purple glow was more prominent and darker.


    "Hm..."


    My face twitched slightly as threads moved forward.


    ''....It''s nothing.''


    But I brushed it off.


    Awoooo!


    The moment ittched onto the wolves, they howled as their bodies spasmed.


    "Fucking die...!"


    This was quickly followed up by Kiera who brought her hands forward and mes engulfed the entire surroundings.


    SHAAAH¡ª!


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    Thump Thump!


    Apanying her heavy breathing, two ck lumps dropped to the ground.


    "T-that wasn''t too hard."


    Kiera managed to mutter amidst her heavy breath. I was just about to tell her to stop talking when another shriek echoed and several more shadows cast over the area around us.


    "Uh...!"


    I was the first one to react this time.


    As if my body acted on its own, I raised my hand up and shot the threads up. One, two, three, four... I pushed myself to the limit, with ten threads that covered the space around us.


    But it wasn''t enough.


    Snap! Snap! Snap!


    "Ugh...!"


    I felt a sharp pain for every thread that snapped. The mana inside of my body started to drain rapidly, and before I knew it, I was on my knees.


    Thum!


    Drip! Drip...!


    Sweat poured down from the side of my face.


    "Ah, fuck..."


    Although I had originally thought I was fit enough to fight, it became clear just now that I was merely lying to myself.


    I was nowhere near fit enough to fight at the moment.


    "Huaaa!"


    The fact that my vision was blurry and my chest was hurting was perfect proof of that.


    "Oy, get up! What the hell are you doing?!"


    I felt something grab onto my shoulder amidst my blurred vision. Red, white... It was something of that nature.


    Kiera...?


    "Fuck, what''s wrong with you? Weren''t you supposed to be the strongest her¡ªAkh!"


    A nearby growl told me that another monster was near us.


    "I-i''m fine."


    "Oy."


    I pushed Kiera away and stood still.


    Looking around, the world appeared blurry and the sounds were hardly reaching my ears.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    The only thing I could hear was the sound of my own breathing.


    "Huff."


    It was getting rougher with each second that passed.


    ''Why is my body not responding?''


    Regardless of what I tried, it seemed as though my situation was getting worse. The pain also intensified, as if my insides were twisting together.


    With each blink, my vision would alternate between rity and blurriness.


    nk! nk¡ª!


    "Ah...!"


    From the wolves to the cadets. I could see the bitter struggle everyone was going through. Currently, I was the only one that was doing nothing.


    I lowered my head to stare at my hand.


    I tried to channel my mana, but all that did was twist my insides further.


    "W-what..."


    It was a despairing situation.


    One that was further solidified by a loud shriek in the distance.


    Hieek¡ª!


    It was the necromancer.


    All stopped at that moment. Be it the cadets, or the wolves.


    All eyes fell on the necromancer and the horde near it.


    "....."


    A strange silence enveloped the surroundings. One that was quickly broken by the sudden movement of the necromancer and its army as it started to move.


    Grrooowl¡ª!


    Growls apanied the necromancer''s screech as the zombies came alive.


    Thump!


    They stepped forward in unison, the ground shaking as a result.


    Thump!


    Then came the next step.


    Thump!


    And then the next one.


    The unified sound of their steps felt despairing as they drew nearer to us. And yet, despite the situation, I couldn''t take my eyes away from the necromancer who stood at the center of it all.


    Even as the zombies drew near, I fixed my gaze on the necromancer.


    "Run...!"


    "Retreat!"


    Cadets ran past me at that moment, their faces pale with fear.


    "Leave this! We can''t fight this!"


    The same was true for the Professor who ran turned back and ran in the opposite direction. At the same time, he tried to contain the Terror Rank wolf who for some reason, remained still and didn''t chase.


    Rather, it was looking at...


    "Oy! What are you doing...!"


    "Julien!"


    I was the only one that didn''t run.


    "What are you doing!"


    "Run...!"


    Thump!


    The zombies drew nearer to me.


    I wasn''t sure though. I wasn''t looking at them. Blinking my eyes, I stared at the group of people in the distance.


    They had only just noticed the fact that I was still standing where I was.


    "Julien...!"


    Their expressions.


    They were a mix of surprise and worry.


    Worry...?


    "Ha."


    I wanted tough then. What sort of nonsense.


    Thump!


    The tremors became more apparent. I could feel the zombies a few meters away from me. However, I wasn''t scared.


    "....."


    The sound of their steps drowned out the noise around.


    Soundlessly.


    I stared into the distance.


    Towards the other cadets and the Professor. They were all looking at me, probably saying something, but it was hard to hear.


    Not that it mattered.


    The zombies.


    They had surrounded me from all sides.


    ....It was toote for me.

 Chapter 130 Necromancer [3]

    <h4>Chapter 130 Necromancer [3]</h4>


    It all happened so fast that nobody even had the time to react.


    "Move! Move...!"


    "Fall back!"


    "Retreat...!"


    Seeing the iing waves of undead, the cadets had no choice but to retreat.


    The same was true for Leon who hastily moved back.


    SHIIING--!


    With his sword, he shed past everything that was in his way, helping some of the cadets along the way.


    Pfttt!


    "Let me help!"


    "Akh...!"


    They were a groupprised of fifteen cadets. The elites of Haven, and yet, they were all struggling so much.


    "Fall back!"


    All of a sudden, the Professor''s loud voice echoed in the distance.


    Just in time, Leon turned his head to stare in his direction.


    The Professor was running at full speed towards them. Behind him was the giant wolf. Its towering figure and pressure loomed over them from the distance. However, much to everyone''s relief, it wasn''t chasing the Professor.


    Rather, it was looking at the approaching hoard of the undead.


    "Retreat! Retreat--!"


    Though the Professor didn''t look like had suffered any serious injuries, seeing his disheveled state, one could see that he had spent a lot of energy.


    The fight wasn''t an easy one.


    Thump! Thump!


    The ground shook with each step the undead took.


    Everyone moved further away.


    "Ah, wait..."


    Everything was proceeding smoothly until someone stopped to stare into the distance.


    "There''s someone still there!"


    Their gaze was locked on a certain figure.


    "What are you doing?!"


    "Julien...!"


    Indeed, a single cadet stood motionless in the distance. He wasn''t far from the horde of undead. In fact, he was merely a few meters away from getting swallowed up by them.


    "Ah!"


    As if noticing Julien, the Professor, who had just managed to retreat to them, opened his eyes wide.


    "I''ll go ge--"


    Awoooo--!


    His words were cut short by the wolf''s owl. All of a sudden, the atmosphere changed again. The pressure that surrounded the space intensified.


    It became apparent that the wolf was about to attack again.


    The target? No one knew, but they had no time to dwell over such a matter. Especially when the pressure that surrounded them increased by the second.


    "Khh...!"


    So much so that Leon could not breathe for a short moment. The same was true for the other cadets.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    "Hua..!"


    "Damn it...!"


    It took Professor Hollowe''s spell to alleviate a lot of the pressure.


    But by the time he had done that, it was toote.


    The undead had reached Julien.


    "....."


    As if time had frozen, all eyes fell on him.


    He stood with the same collected gaze of his. Staring at everyone equally, he appearedpletely unbothered.


    Alone, he stood in the middle.


    And alone, he disappeared from their view.


    "Ah--!"


    Several cadets screamed horrified, unable to grasp the situation.


    "Shit!"


    Professor Hollowe was the one in most trouble. Alternating his gaze between the cadets behind him and Julien, he clenched his teeth.


    "....Crap!"


    He had made his choice.


    "Retreat!"


    "What?! Bu-"


    Some tried to protest, but he cut them short.


    "It''s toote! It''s either you or him! I can''t risk you all dying here."


    Once his mind was made, there was no changing it. Despite the protests, Professor Hollowe cast another spell and forced everyone to retreat.


    "Retreat! Retreat...!"


    It was chaos.


    Utter chaos.


    Nobody understood what was going on.


    Or at least, they refused to believe the reality of the situation.


    All besides one person.


    "Leon!"


    Leon lifted his head slightly. Fiddling with something in his hand, he ced it in his pocket before turning his attention back to the undead.


    Grooowll--!


    They growled in the air.


    "....."


    He stood in silence for a brief moment before turning away from them.


    "Go! Go!"


    In this chaos,


    He followed the others back.


    Not before muttering a fewst words,


    "....I''ll be waiting."


    ***


    I let my eyes stay closed for a moment, then opened them.


    Grooowll--!


    I was surrounded from all sides. The familiar-looking zombies, and the purple dome. It was all the same as before.


    "As expected..."


    I rubbed my chest and looked around.


    There was a small space around me. Not a single zombie was walking near me. Rather, they seemed to avoid me as they moved forward.


    "Why?"


    Why weren''t they attacking me?


    I extended my hand to touch one of the zombies.


    "....?"


    The moment I did, they turned their heads and cocked their heads. It was almost silly, but they didn''t do much after that.


    They continued to march forward.


    Awooo--!


    A certain muffled cry echoed in the distance. It most probably came from the wolf.


    ''....Now that I think about it, the wolf stopped attacking the moment the zombies started to move.''


    Was there a connection to this?


    Could it be that the zombies only reacted because of the wolves, and not us?


    "I wonder."


    It was an interesting thought.


    Awooo--!


    The wolf howled again, but this time, its cry was a lot further than before.


    ''Is it running away?''


    To where...? And why?


    The necromancer maybe?


    Thump! Thump!


    The zombies continued to move forward, the ground shaking at their unified steps. It was hard on the hearing since it was so loud, but they eventually stopped.


    Thump!


    "...."


    And silence returned.


    That was until...


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh--


    Their heads turned and all eyes locked on me. It was only for an instant, but I flinched.


    ''How creepy.''


    I felt like the protagonist of a horror movie.


    "Hm?"


    Sha¡ª!


    Amidst my thoughts, the zombies parted ways. With their gazes still lingering over me, they created a small path.


    I unconsciously took a deep breath.


    Because in the distance a figure appeared.


    They weren''t tall, and their features were covered by arge cloak.


    It was standing there surrounded by all zombies, locking eyes with me.


    I felt scared by it.


    But despite my fear,


    Tok¡ª


    I took the step that led to it.


    Fear was a meaningless emotion in this situation.


    What was the point of being scared when I was surrounded from all sides?


    "....."


    I only stopped when I was a few meters away from it.


    If I could faintly feel it before, I felt it even more now.


    ''How terrifying.''


    Just standing still proved to be a difficult task. The pressureing out from the necromancer''s body wasn''t something that I had ever felt before.


    Especially when I could tell that it was currently suppressed.


    "....."


    I quietly met its gaze.


    It just stood there without muttering a single sound.


    Carefully observing my every feature.


    ".....It''s cold here isn''t it?"


    I was the one to first break the silence.


    At my words, the necromancer raised its head to stare at me.


    I wasn''t even sure if it could understand my words.


    "The cloak helps you, doesn''t it?"


    It was just small talk. I wanted to see if I couldmunicate with it.


    "...."


    But it didn''t seem like I could.


    Rather, I must''ve annoyed it as the pressure around me intensified.


    "You''re grumpy, aren''t you?"


    But it didn''t really affect me as much as it did before.


    Was it because it meant no harm, or because I was getting used to the [Curse] thick environment?


    I wasn''t sure.


    "...."


    Either way, the necromancer didn''t react.


    All it did was continue to stare at me until it turned around. A path cleared for it as the zombies parted ways.


    Scrunch.


    It stepped forward, heading deep into the horde.


    "....."


    It said nothing but I understood what it wanted.


    ''Follow.''


    Was what it said.


    It wanted to show me something.


    Tak.


    I followed it without saying a word.


    The path was narrow and the zombies''s gazes continued to fall on me as I walked. I learned to ignore them, but as I walked past, I couldn''t help but see a few familiar figures.


    ''Hey, are you feeling okay?''


    Their voices echoed in my mind whenever I passed them.


    ''Wear this. It''s getting cold outside.''


    With each step that I took, a familiar figure entered my sight.


    ''We''re almost there.''


    It was almost as if they were still alive.


    ''It was nice to celebrate your birthday with us, wasn''t it?''


    The twelfth subjugation squad.


    The forty-fifth subjugation squad.


    The One-hundred and eleventh subjugation squad.


    The Fifty-sixth Subjugation Squad.


    The soldiers that had been sent to subjugate the very creature that I was following.


    They were all present.


    "....."


    The necromancer''s back shrank as it walked faster than me.


    Despite being surrounded by so many zombies, its backs looked rather lonely.


    Like a kid who had a lot of toys to y with but no one to share them with.


    "....."


    And then, the necromancer stopped.


    I did as well.


    "Ah."


    The sound inexplicably escaped from my lips as I looked up.


    Cracks appeared in the very fold of space before me. But that wasn''t what made me let out that sound.


    Rather, it was the enormous corpse that rested in the middle.


    It looked like a rock at first, but upon closer attention, rather than a rock, it was more like a...


    "Dragon."


    A rock dragon.


    Its figure towered over anything around it, and if not for the faint purple film covering its body, I wouldn''t mistaken it for a simple boulder.


    ''Purple film...''


    My eyes widened as I lowered my head to stare at the necromancer.


    "....So that''s what it is."


    A lot of the pieces within my mind started to piece themselves together.


    All the collection of memories that I had managed to collect flooded my mind as the information that I had gathered became clearer to me.


    There were still many questions that I had, but I understood something.


    "....."


    It was a sad realization.


    The powerful necromancer before me.


    The powerful ''monster'' that everyone wanted to subjugate.


    The focus of the town''s hatred.


    It had never been an enemy, to begin with.


    But rather, another unlucky soldier like them. A member of the first subjugation squad.


    "Haaa..."


    I couldn''t see the expression it was making from its turned back, but I could guess.


    For the first time, it spoke.


    "T-hirty years."


    It was a high-pitched voice.


    One that belonged to a woman.


    ".....H-here."


    Her words ended there.


    It had most probably reached its limit.


    But it didn''t matter to me. I didn''t need a voice to speak to someone.


    I took a step to approach the necromancer whose back was turned away from me.


    Tak.


    As if sensing my step, she turned to look at me.


    I held out my hand to it.


    Lowering my head in a sign of faith.


    "I know you may not understand me right now, but I have a request..."


    I wasn''t sure if what I was doing was the right thing.


    Whether what I had pieced together was the correct sequence of events. But I nheless tried.


    I raised my head and tried to peer through what was beneath the cloak.


    ".....Will you let me see your world."

 Chapter 131 Necromancer [4]

    <h4>Chapter 131 Necromancer [4]</h4>


    It was a cold day.


    Just like it usually was.


    Ellnor was a city located high above sea level. The cold weather was something that Aurelia was used to by now.


    "Here, wear this. It''s getting cold."


    She had a younger brother.


    He was about to turn ten in just a few months. Aurelia herself was only fourteen, but she was talented in the field of magic.


    It was her talent that allowed for her and her brother to survive in the treacherous conditions.


    The two of them had no parents. They had died in an ident a few years prior. It was up to the then twelve-year-old Aurelia to take care of her younger brother.


    "We''ve noticed a suspicious mana wave quite far from the town. We''re thinking of creating a small squad to check the situation out. Aurelia, you''re a mage. What do you say? Will you go? The pay will be good."


    "Me?"


    "Haha, yes. There''s no need to worry about your safety. You may be weak now, but the people you will go with are strong. Very strong. They are just missing a talented mage. I''m sure you''ll be able to help."


    "....I''ll go."


    There was no hesitation in her answer.


    Aurelia epted the deal without a shred of hesitation.


    "Hahaha, is this the young girl that will be joining us?"


    "Wee!"


    "Wow! You''re about the same age as my daughter. I wish she was as talented as you."


    The group consisted of four members: a mage, a tank named Grock, a beautiful elder sister who acted as support, and a charismatic young man serving as the damage dealer.


    Everyone was older than her but they weed her in warmly.


    "There''s no need to be shy."


    "We won''t bite. Well, Gork might. Hahaha."


    "Oy!"


    Aurelia felt a warmth that she had only felt with her brother.


    It was as if she had found her second family.


    The day for her departure eventually came, and a little boy stood near the gate of the town.


    "Good luck!"


    "....May youe back safe!"


    "Come back to us quickly!"


    Surrounding them were the citizens of the town, bidding them good luck and throwing flowers at them.


    Amidst the cheers, Aurelia faced her crying brother.


    "Hic... hic... S-siter."


    "I''ll being back soon."


    She caressed his head.


    "It''s a promise. Keep this for me."


    She handed him her pocket watch.


    It was one of thest things that she had to remember their parents. Aurelia thought it''d be a great idea to give it to him.


    "See this?"


    Aurelia pointed at the watch.


    "Make sure you keep track of the time, alright? Once I get back, I''ll let you scold me for beingte, alright?"


    "....O-okay."


    The young child quietly muttered while lowering his head and grasping onto the watch with both hands.


    "Good."


    Aurelia stood up satisfied, and turned around.


    There, three figures stood, they stood smiling while staring at her.


    "Are youing?"


    Gork said while crossing his arms. He looked like the older uncle she never had.


    "He looks just like you. Come on! Let''s do this quickly so that we can alle back to this quickly!"


    "Haha, yes."


    Ruffling her brother''s head once more, Aurelia returned their smiles.


    "Let''s go."


    Their journey began then.


    An adventure that Aurelia was going to enjoy until the very end.


    Would theye back?


    Yes.


    Aurelia was sure of it.


    .


    .


    .


    "How do you even kill this thing...?"


    I walked around the enormous boulder. It was huge. About the same height as the city walls.


    A purple film covered its outline, allowing me to perfectly see the head of the dragon. It looked just as one would expect.


    "Its strength is reduced quite a lot over the years."


    A voice entered my head


    I turned to see the necromancer, no, Aurelia standing next to it. Her voice was clear now. I could hear it perfectly.


    It sounded sweet.


    ".....It was very powerful."


    Three hooded figures appeared behind her.


    Their frames looked familiar.


    "We were able to suppress it until now. But that is our limit. We don''t have the power to kill it."


    "I see."


    I looked at the rock dragon once again.


    It wasn''t noticeable before, but now that I took a good look at it, I could see its frame gently moving up.


    Quite clearly, it was still alive.


    "How do you kill it then?"


    Was it simply not possible?


    Or was there a means to do it?


    "..."


    Aurelia remained silent.


    Then, turning her head, she looked at the three other people beside her. They turned to look at each other until Aurelia shook her head.


    "Cannot kill."


    "...Hmm."


    I contemted deeply.


    ''So it can''t be killed. That probably means that it''s too strong for them to kill it. But just how strong is it?''


    Looking at the creature, I didn''t feel a thing.


    The purple film was doing a good job of suppressing it.


    "Why did you not report this to the vige?"


    "....I cannot."


    "Is it because you need to contain it?"


    "Yes."


    Aurelia nodded slightly.


    "I see."


    So she couldn''t leave the area.


    The situation was starting to be clear to me. Or, at least, some parts of it. There were still several things that didn''t make sense.


    However, now was not the time to dwell on them.


    "If you were to leave now, how long would it take for the Dragon to awaken?"


    "....Eight hours."


    "Ah."


    That was hardly any time.


    Especially when it took days to get to the town.


    "That''s too little."


    If there was one thing that I was sure about, it was that the Empire was soon going to send some reinforcements.


    With the proper information about the necromancer, they were sure to send several powerful figures.


    However...


    I turned to look at the Rock Dragon.


    "They''ll all die."


    Me included.


    The moment Aurelia died, the Earth Dragon would awaken. And not only that but there was also a Terror Rank creature lurking outside.


    I needed to find a way to get this information to them before it was toote.


    There was only one problem.


    "How can I get the information to them?"


    It wasn''t as though I had amunication device with me.


    At the same time, it was also impossible for me to return. Who knew when the wolves might show up to assault me?


    I wouldn''t have been scared if the Professor was still with me.


    However, considering that Aurelia could only cover a certain area, I knew that there was a chance of me dying if I were to step out of her zone.


    The reality of my situation sank in.


    "....I''m stuck."


    And I had done this to myself.


    ''Do I just wait for the reinforcements to arrive so that I can tell them...?''


    But for how long would I have to wait for that to happen?


    "..."


    I stood in silence for a moment before shifting my attention to the purple film that was covering the Rock Dragon.


    An idea suddenly crossed my mind.


    "That..."


    I looked towards Aurelia.


    "If I were to cast the same spell as you have. Is it possible for me to dy the awakening of the Dragon?"


    ".....?"


    Waving my hand in the air and feeling the [Curse] element in the air, I showed her my hand. A magic circle started to form.


    Tzzz¡ª


    It shattered immediately after.


    However, that didn''t matter. I just wanted to show her that I could do it.


    I had seen it in her memories.


    "How long do you think we can dy the Rock Dragon''s awakening?"


    *


    The concept was simple. Although I was nowhere near as strong as Aurelia was, if I were to cast a simr spell on the Rock Dragon, then it would be possible for me to prolong the time that it stayed dormant.


    That way, I would be able to return and ry the information to the Empire which would immediately send adequate reinforcements.


    At the very least, before things became tooplicated.


    Once the Rock Dragon woke up from its slumber, it would without a doubt attack the nearest town, Ellnor.


    Sess or failure really depended on how things would y out from this point on.


    I faced Aurelia.


    "Do you think it''s possible?"


    "...."


    She remained still, staring at me from behind the cloak.


    "How...?"


    I could tell that she was taken aback by the fact that I could perform the same spell as her.


    But that wasn''t really it.


    I had yet to learn the spell. It would take me some time for me to fully learn it. And even then, would my strength be good enough to help at all?


    Aurelia wasn''t originally this strong.


    The ones who had put the beast to slumber were herrades.


    Thirty years had passed since then. Having spent so much time in this [Curse] filled area, she had grown powerful enough to keep the Rock Dragon dormant with her magic.


    In a way, she had probably mastered [Curse] magic.


    Would I be able to prolong the Rock Dragon''s dormancy if I learned the spell?


    No, I can.


    I looked around me.


    The environment was perfect. With the [Curse] element dominating the space, I knew that even if my proficiency over the spell was going to be weak, it would be boosted by the environment that I was in.


    And not only that.


    I once again stared at Necromancer. No, Aurelia.


    "..."


    She was still looking at me, demanding a sort of exnation for what I did.


    I could understand her confusion but now was not the time.


    Extending my hand, a magic circle floated. It wasn''t the spell that she had shown before, but rather, another one.


    [Hands of Mdy]


    The experience bar was currently at 55%.


    It was just 45% experience from reaching the next level.


    In hindsight, there was no need for me to learn that spell. Setting the fact that it was a spell tooplicated for the current me to learn, most curse magic had simr principles.


    To weaken.


    ''If I am to use Hands of Mdy on the Rock Dragon and manage to weaken it, I might be able to increase the time it takes for it to awaken.''


    I knew that it didn''t really make sense considering my strength.


    But what if I were to use the environment to my advantage and advance the spell to the next level?


    What would happen then?


    ".....It''s worth a try."


    Insanity.


    I was being totally insane for even thinking about it.


    But it was the only thing that I could do.


    "Huuu."


    Therefore, taking a deep breath, I stared at Aurelia and the three cloaked figures behind her.


    Despite having seen her memories, they stopped after a certain point. The current her was a lot more powerful than the past her.


    I didn''t know if she was going to ept me or if I was going to seed.


    But it was worth asking.


    "Soldiers from the Empire will soone to get rid of you. When that happens, the Rock Dragon will awaken and everyone will die. Most probably, the citizens of Ellnor as well. I want to stop that, so..."


    We had the same goal after all.


    "Please teach me everything that you know."


    "....."


    Let me reach the next level.

 Chapter 132 Sorrow and joy [1]

    <h4>Chapter 132 Sorrow and joy [1]</h4>


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    Her breathing was rough and her entire body shook.


    "D-did we do it...?"


    Aurelia felt like her voice was hardlying out.


    Looking at the enormous creature lying down in the distance, her breathing stopped. What should''ve been an easy expedition turned into a far more difficult one than they had anticipated.


    A monster of gigantic proportions showed up.


    It was powerful.


    To the point where it would leave one in despair.


    "G-guys?"


    Aurelia looked around her.


    Thend was scorched. Deep fissures marred the ground as debrisy strewn across the surface.


    "I-it''s dead, isn''t it?"


    Her eyes were locked on the gigantic creature. It was lying on the ground, with its eyes closed.


    ''I can''t breathe.''


    Just the creature''s presence felt suffocating.


    Her entire body was numb. Her breath was rough, and she felt pain everywhere.


    ".....It''s not dead."


    A familiar voice broke the silence.


    "Gork?"


    His entire body was covered in blood, and his face was pale.


    "W-we only managed to deal it some serious injuries. It''s still an infant after all, but we aren''t strong enough to prate its body. T-this is our limit."


    "Can''t...?"


    Aurelia blinked.


    "Cannot."


    Another voice echoed.


    It was from Daphne, the support of the group. Her face was also pale. Turning her head, she looked towards the front.


    She called out a name.


    "Liam..."


    He stood before the dragon, looking at it with nk eyes.


    "C-can''t. Can''t defeat it."


    His tone was t. Something that was so unlike him.


    "W-what do we do?"


    Aurelia was starting to panic.


    "At this rate once it wakes up then-no. I can''t."


    Thinking about her little brother, she forced herself forward.


    "Aurelia? What are you doing?!"


    Daphne stood before Aurelia and tried to stop her, but Aurelia remained stubborn. She couldn''t let the monster awaken again.


    Not when her brother was still in town.


    "Kill it. H-have to."


    "No, stop. We can''t..."


    "W-what do we do then?"


    "We..."


    Daphen''s words stopped then.


    "...."


    "...."


    "...."


    Silence took hold of the space.


    It was a silence that Aurelia broke yet again as she took another step towards the Dragon.


    This time, none of them stopped her.


    ".....The area is thick with the [Curse] element. That''s the element I specialize in."


    She raised her hand and ced it right on the Rock Dragon.


    "I know of a spell that can keep it sleeping, but..."


    "But?"


    "No, it''s nothing."


    Aurelia shook her head.


    There was no time to hesitate. If it was for the sake of her brother, and the people of Ellnor, then she was willing to do this.


    "We might not be able to return."


    Her hand glowed as a purple circle floated before her.


    ".....The moment I cast this spell, I won''t be able to return."


    "What...?"


    "What do you mean?"


    The group members sounded startled by her statement.


    Aurelia turned to look back at her other members. A smile finally graced her lips.


    "I''ll need someone to protect me. Will you do that for me?"


    The smile.


    It was the smile of someone who had made up their mind.


    A mix of sorrow and joy.


    .


    .


    .


    "You want me to teach you...?"


    I could feel the doubt in Aurelia''s voice as she looked at me.


    "Yes, please teach me."


    There was no better person to teach me how to control the [Curse] element than her. Even Haven didn''t have such a person. At the very least, not the first years.


    From the second year onwards, the Professors would change.


    For first years, the Professors were at around Tier 4 to Tier 5. Second year and up, they would be of higher tier.


    It made sense considering that the second and third-year cadets were stronger.


    "....."


    Aurelia remained silent at my request.


    She didn''t seem all too keen on teaching me.


    "Come on, Aurelia. What are you waiting for?"


    Gork spoke up, his tone sounding rather lively.


    ".....We''ve been here for far too long. I want to go back to see my family."


    "Same."


    "Yeah, I''m tired. It''s time we take advantage of this opportunity to go back. Don''t you miss your brother?"


    "B-brother..."


    Finally, the words came out of her mouth.


    She mumbled them repeatedly until her head raised and our eyes met.


    "How much time do you think before reinforcementse?"


    How much time...?


    "Eh."


    I frowned. I wasn''t quite sure.


    "It can be a couple of days, to maybe more? A week? Months?"


    I wouldn''t be surprised if they took months. The situation was delicate, but it was still within control.


    They weren''t aware of the Rock Dragon.


    In that case, they were probably discussing who to send to defeat Aurelia.


    "You don''t know?"


    ".....Not exactly."


    And that was a problem.


    Not knowing when the soldiers woulde was a big issue.?It meant that I needed to train with the thought that each second was thest.


    If the reinforcements were toe, I couldn''t guarantee I could stop them to exin the situation.


    ....It was possible that they would. However, I knew that the chance of something going wrong was possible.


    I wasn''t nning on sitting back and letting such a chance happen.


    ''There''s nothing wrong with being prepared.''


    Turning to face the Rock Dragon, I swallowed my saliva.


    ''I need to do this.''


    For my sake.


    "Sit down."


    Aurelia motioned me down with her hand.


    I did as she asked and sat down.


    "I take it you agree to teach me?"


    "....."


    She didn''t reply and stood behind me.


    "Channel your mana."


    "....."


    I did as she told me.


    In the moment that I did, I felt something cold. Almost chilling and touching my back.


    "Don''t look back. Focus on your mana."


    My face twitched slightly the moment I called forth my mana and the chilling sensation from my back disappeared.


    "You''re injured?"


    ".....Yes."


    "Why?"


    "I took something that I shouldn''t have."


    "....It''s a mess."


    "I know."


    I replied with a bitter smile.


    There was no denying the current state of my body. It had healed significantly, but not enough.


    I started to grow a little worried.


    "Would this effect-"


    "Yes,"


    Aurelia cut me off coldly and stepped back.


    "I cannot teach you."


    "....Uh?"


    I blinked and looked back.


    "What do you mea-"


    "It will break your body. You might die."


    "I might die if I don''t do anything."


    "The chances of that are less likely."


    "That..."


    I covered my forehead, letting out a frustrated breath.


    "Just let me be. It''s not lik-"


    "My decision is final."


    Her tone was final. With those words, she turned around and walked up to the Rock Dragon where she ced her hand.


    A powerful pulse swept the area.


    "Ukh...!"


    Groaning, I stood up and walked up to her.


    "I don''t understand."


    "....."


    "Aren''t you desperate to meet your brother? If you don''t let me do this and the soldiers attack before I can do anything, the rock dragon will awaken and once that happens you know what will happen to your br¡ªEukh!"


    I felt another powerful pulse, and my breathing momentarily stopped. Holding onto my throat, I fell on both knees.


    Thump!


    "Cough...! Cough!"


    And started coughing.


    "Mind your own business."


    "W-"


    "Leave it."


    Something cold grasped my shoulder. When I looked up, I realized that it was Gork.


    "She''s a stubborn one. Once her mind is made up, it''s hard to convince her otherwise."


    "Ah, I..."


    "Come rest with us."


    "....."


    Silently clenching my fists, I wordlessly stared at Aurelia before standing up and following Gork from behind.


    Sat on a couple of rocks were the other two members of the first subjugation squad.


    Liam, their damage dealer and leaderughed.


    "Hahaha, looks like you''re having it rough."


    "Oy, you..."


    Daphne yfully punched his shoulder.


    "Don''t tease him. You know damn well how frustrating Aurelia''s stubbornness is."


    "Uh, yeah "


    While the two conversed, I sat down on one of the rocks.


    I tried to sort out her memories. And yet, regardless of how hard I tried, I couldn''t find a single reason for her to reject my request.


    Why?


    ''She clearly wants to return to her brother. This is the best option. So what if I suffer some pain? I''m used to damn pain...''


    In fact, it was rather weird for her to say such words when she had turned so many of her people into zombies.


    It was fucking bullshit.


    "What are you thinking so deeply about...?"


    Breaking me out of my thoughts was Daphne''s voice. When I looked up at her, it almost felt as though she was smiling from beneath the hood.


    "You''re thinking about how unfair her decision is, right?"


    "....."


    "So you are..."


    Was she a mind reader or something?


    "Don''t worry."


    She reassured me.


    "She may be like this, but she''s a softie. She might not train you, but that doesn''t mean you should give up, right?"


    "....Hm?"


    Right.


    I lifted my head.


    ''Just because she isn''t willing to train me doesn''t mean that I should just give up on the idea.''


    I looked up towards the sky. The purple dome still surrounded the space, and the [Curse] element was running rampant.


    Recalling how fast I was progressing before, I snapped out of it.


    "You''re right."


    I looked towards the three with gratitude.


    "Huuu."


    Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes.


    Then.


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.1%


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.05%


    I started practicing.


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.2%


    Time seemed to flow at a different speed when one immersed oneself in something.


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.1%


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.05%


    The notifications kept pouring into my vision.


    I wasn''t sure how long had passed.


    Drip! Drip...!


    My vision was blurry, and I could hear the faint sound of my sweat hitting the ground.


    ''More.''


    I just focused on the [Curse] element that was coursing through the air. There was so much of it, and everything was flowing so smoothly.


    "Hm...!"


    From time to time, I''d let out a pained groan.


    It was sharp, and I could feel it worsen with every minute that I practiced.


    But I didn''t care.


    ''Again.''


    Pain was something I was so used to at this point. If anything, it served to remind me of the fact that I was still conscious.


    57%


    61%


    66%


    70%


    73%


    The experience bar continued to rise.


    Drip! Drip...!


    It was starting to get cold for some reason. It didn''t bother me at first. I was too immersed to care.


    I was in a strange state.


    It was as if the world around me had disappeared and it was just me in the middle.


    I felt naked, but at the same time, I felt in utter control of everything around me.


    It felt good.


    So much so that I wanted to continue to bask in it.


    Ah, This is good...


    This is very...


    Good...


    I...


    Swoosh!


    I abruptly lifted my head and snapped out of the state.


    "Uekh...!"


    As if my chest was on fire, I clenched onto my shirt and coughed repeatedly.


    "Cough! Cough...!"


    It burned.


    It hurt so much.


    I tried to look around, but I couldn''t see a thing. Everything was so blurry.


    ''Ah.''


    No, I did see something.


    A faint dark figure. It stood not far from where I was.


    Aurelia.


    Was she the one that brought me out of it?


    I mustered up a smile.


    "F-finally going to teach me?"


    "...."


    But all I received was silence.


    The next time I blinked, she was gone.


    "Haa..."


    So it wasn''t the case.


    "Wow, look at you."


    I heard faint voicesing from around me.


    "Is he dead?"


    "No, not yet. He''s been pushing himself quite hard."


    These guys...


    "Oh look! His eye twitched! He can probably hear us."


    "Hello~"


    Arge ck hand waved at me.


    "Hehe, you managed to get Aurelia to worry over you. That''s a big achievement in my book."


    A big achievement?


    "Well, you still failed to convince her."


    Ah, fuck.


    I...


    Was starting to really hate these guys.


    The world turned dark shortly after that.

 Chapter 133 Sorrow and joy [2]

    <h4>Chapter 133 Sorrow and joy [2]</h4>


    The cold never ceased throughout the year.


    Aurelia and the members of the first subjugation squad remained faithful to theirmitment, standing where they were and guarding the Dragon.


    "....Are you tired Aurelia? It''s been several months since we''ve been here. Isn''t it okay if you take a break?"


    Daphne looked around.


    "Reinforcements from the town should also get back here soon. When theye, we''ll be able to tell them of the situation."


    "....."


    Despite Daphne''s words, Aurelia''s attention remained fixed on the Dragon before her.


    The mana in her body was rapidly draining and her face was pale.?She was hungry and she was thirsty. Her body ached, and she was cold.


    Despite that, she kept her hand fixed on the Dragon.


    "M-must..."


    It was as if nothing else could distract her.


    "Ah! They''re here!"


    Or at least, until she felt a few presences in the distance and her head turned.


    Four silhouettes appeared in the distance. They looked familiar.


    "Ah¡ª!"


    She was just about to talk to them when Daphne screamed.


    Awooooo¡ª!


    And the cry of a wolf echoed in the air.


    Before any of them had any chance to react, several wolf-like creatures appeared, lunging towards the reinforcements that hade.


    "Ah, no...!"


    Aurelia screamed, but her voice reached nothing.


    "Ahh!"


    "H-help!"


    "Hellhounds! What are they doing here?!"


    Blood littered the earth as Aurelia stood paralyzed.


    "What are you doing Aurelia!?"


    Even despite her party members'' protests, she remained still.


    nk! nk¡ª!


    The sound of fighting echoed in the distance.


    One that eventually ended with the cry of the creature.


    "....."


    When all was said and done, silence reigned over the surroundings. One that was shattered by the voices of herrades.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    "W-where did those beastse from?"


    "Oh, no...!"


    Daphne rushed to aid the wounded, but it was already toote.


    "Please hold on. I-I will... Jackson. It''s me, Daphne. H-hold on."


    Despite her words, Jacksony on the ground with his eyes wide open. He wasn''t staring at her, but at Aurelia who looked back at him.


    He continued to stare at her until his veryst breath.


    "Jackson!!"


    Daphne''s cry of despair echoed throughout.


    "...."


    Aurelia continued to stand alone in silence.


    One that she inevitably broke with her own step.


    Scrunch.


    She came to a stop when she was near Jackson''s corpse. There were three other corpses around. Aurelia could recognize their faces. They had been at their farewell ceremony. Right before they departed for this journey.


    Jackson, Monica, ra, and Austin.


    Aurelia knew their names too.


    ".....What are you doing?"


    Disregarding Daphen''s voice, Aurelia bent down and ced her hand over Jackson''s corpse.


    A faint purple glow emitted from her body.


    [Corpse Control] - A beginner-type spell that allowed one to control corpses. Belonging to the [Curse] category, it wasn''t amon spell and was somewhat frowned upon. However, Aurelia was in possession of it.


    It was a spell that Aurelia hated with her guts.


    Loathed.


    The spell was after all the cause of her parent''s death. Her outstanding talent in the [Curse] field was what pushed her parents to acquire the spell.


    If not for the...


    Groooowl¡ª!


    Jackson''s eyes red open as a growl escaped its lips.


    "This...!"


    Daphen''s eyes widened, and her head snapped to face Aurelia.


    "Did you just...?"


    "Wait, what are you doing?"


    The others also showed signs of protest, but Aurelia ignored them yet again and moved on to the next corpse.


    Austina.


    He was about a few years older than her. A talented archer. Had he been given a bit of time, Aurelia was sure he would''ve been one of the strongest people in the town.


    Groooowl¡ª!


    Unfortunately, he too fell prey to her spell.


    "Aurelia, you shouldn''t be doing this. These are people that we know. We should¡ª"


    Groooowl¡ª!


    Despite what the others said, nothing could get through Aurelia as she continued to cast her spell over all the members of the reinforcement group.


    Groooowl¡ª!


    When all was said and done, four familiar figures stood before her.


    Aurelia could feel the looks of astonishment and disapproval from her friends. Just as they were about to say something, she cut them off.


    ".....They died."


    "Yes, but¡ª!"


    "More people wille."


    Aurelia continued to speak, her eyes slowly losing their luster.


    ".....This will happen again. We need to stop it."


    "But¡ª"


    "This is the only way."


    Aurelia turned around and moved back to the Dragon. As she walked, she looked for the hellhounds, but there was no sign of them.


    It was as if they had no interest in them.


    "I''ll kill them all..."


    She pledged to herself.


    Time passed.


    The next group came. This time, it wasn''t just one group. It was several. Aurelia could recognize each member.


    Awoooo¡ª!


    But the same scene from before urred.


    The Hellhounds attacked.


    "Ahhh....!"


    "H-help!"


    She, alongside her group members, tried to help, but it was no use.


    "Hic... Hic... H-how did this happen?"


    Yet again, everyone died.


    Groooowl¡ª!


    And more undead joined their group.


    It was a never-ending cycle. Every few months, or year, the town would send its best warriors to where she was, only for them to die at the hands of the wolves.


    Sometimes, they would be single groups, and sometimes, they would berge groups with hundreds of people.


    But each time they''de, they''d lose at the hands of the hellhounds.


    "No, stop...!"


    She screamed.


    "Don''te."


    But no one listened.


    "You can''t defeat them! Stop!"


    She cried.


    "Hic... Hic... C-call for help from the Empire."


    But no one heard.


    "Stop being so stubborn!"


    Each year, Aurelia would plead with them. But her words couldn''t reach them.


    "....."


    Gradually, she lost her voice.


    Grooowl¡ª


    "Kill the necromancer!"


    "I''ll kill you!"


    "You evil bastard...! If not for you my family would still be here! Fuck you!"


    Aurelia could feel it. The deep-seethed anger and thirst for revenge were already rooted in the citizen''s eyes, forcing members toe back each time even though the situation was hopeless for them.


    And...


    They were all directed towards her.


    "Wakey, wakey~"


    "....Um."


    An annoying voice woke me up from my slumber.


    My vision was clear once again.


    It was Gork.


    "Did you have enough rest...? You feeling better?"


    "..."


    I sat up and groaned.


    My body felt like shit and my head throbbed.


    Looking around, the sun was starting to set. Rubbing my neck, I was just about to stand when I paused.


    "....Uh?"


    "Hurr... Hurr..."


    I heard a roughughing from above. It was Gork.


    "It seems like you''ve finally noticed."


    Noticed?


    Noticed what?


    "Your body feels better, doesn''t it?"


    "....It does."


    Or more like, I felt more in control with the [Curse] element in the air. It was flowing a lot more smoothly.


    "Hurr... Hurr."


    Gorkughed again.


    Before he could exin, Liam, who was standing behind him, started speaking.


    "A certain someone helped you while you were asleep."


    "Helped me?"


    I looked around.


    Who?


    "Ah."


    And my eyes soon locked on a certain figure.


    "Her...?"


    I tilted my head.


    "But didn''t she say she wouldn''t help me?"


    "Hehe, she''s a softie."


    Daphne said from the side, ying with a wooden stick and drawing circles on the dirt. I looked at what she was drawing.


    It looked crude. It was a small house with two people.


    She continued to fiddle with the stick, adding trees, grass, and flowers. It looked like the drawing of a five-year-old.


    Of course, I didn''t tell her.


    ".....Even if she says she won''t teach you, it''s mainly because she doesn''t want you to die."


    "But-"


    "Die because of her."


    "....."


    Daphne raised her head and our gazes met.


    "Try feeling your body."


    "....."


    I did as I was told. Closing my eyes, I took a proper look at my body. When I did, my eyes shed open.


    "This..."


    Maybe I was still unconscious and I was dreaming, but checking my body, I found that a lot of my injuries were healed. There was still some damage, but it was a lot better than before. Especially when I had damaged my body trying to practice my spell.


    "She''s shy."


    That was all Gork needed to say for me to realize.


    Aurelia.


    Despite her cold response, she still wanted to help me.


    In a way, this was her own way of teaching me.


    Her way of acknowledging my efforts.


    "....."


    Staring at her back, I kept my mouth shut. There was no need for me to say anything. Even if I said it, she wouldn''t react.


    All I needed to do at the moment was train hard.


    ''Right, I need to train.''


    Time was limited.


    And each second mattered.


    "Huu."


    I had just taken a breath and gotten ready to start training when Daphne''s voice reached my ears.


    "Oh, it''s starting."


    Starting?


    "What is st-"


    I abruptly cut off my words as my eyes widened and I looked around me. Just as I spoke, the sun started to set and an extremely powerful pulse of energy swept the surroundings.


    Following the pulse, the zombies that were surrounding the five of us disappeared.


    It was a familiar scene.


    "Uh...?"


    I looked around in shock before settling my gaze over to Aurelia who still had her back turned against me.


    "Where did they go?"


    My voice didn''t seem to reach her as she remained quiet.


    It was Daphne who answered in her stead.


    "You already know the answer."


    "But-"


    ".....Focus on your training. You''re safe around us."


    "I..."


    "Don''t ask."


    There was still so much that I wanted to ask. However, I could see that it was going to be pointless.


    ''Maybe she''s doing it to stop the town''s knights froming here?''


    It made sense when I thought about it.


    Still...


    ''What if I give the zombies a message? Would they...''


    "No."


    I was quick to scratch such a thought.


    Besides the fact that I had no pen or paper, thinking about how the knights would attack the moment the zombies showed up, the message was probably going to get destroyed in an instant.


    Still, I raised my head.


    "What about me? Is it not possible to send me back with the zombies?"


    "Zombies?"


    Daphne cocked her head curiously.


    "....What are those?"


    "Ah, right.


    My lips twitched and I corrected myself.


    "Undead."


    "Zombies. I like that name."


    Daphne seemed to smile beneath the hood. It looked as though she was about to answer when Liam beat her to it.


    "It can only be done to the undead. Do you think we''d still be here if it was possible?"


    "Right..."


    That made sense.


    The little hope that I held shattered just like that.


    "Don''t worry."


    A hand pressed against my shoulder.


    "Just keep practicing. We have faith in you."


    Facing them, and seeing them, I eventually nodded my head.


    "Alright."


    Clenching and unclenching my fists, I let out a long breath and closed my eyes.


    ''I''m at 73%... I need 27% left. I can do it.''


    Yet again, I fully immersed myself in training.


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.2%


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.07%

 Chapter 134 Sorrow and joy [3]

    <h4>Chapter 134 Sorrow and joy [3]</h4>


    Ellnor.


    The day after. In the captains'' room.


    A visible gloom shrouded the space as several individuals sat alongside the table.


    "There''s a Mirror Crack, and a Terror rank Hellhound alongside a few lower ranked ones. That''s not ounting for the Necromancer whose strength appears to be around the same level if not stronger."


    Professor Hollowe was the one to speak.


    "I''ve already asked for reinforcements. The Empire will soon send a toon to our aid."


    His expression was extremely gloomy, and besides him and Professor Bridgette, no one else from Haven was present.


    The cadets had no business being here.


    ".....How long will the reinforcements take?"


    Captain Travis asked from his seat.


    "Will they send reinforcements immediately, or will they wait a while?"


    "I don''t know."


    Professor Hollowe answered with a frown.


    Central had only told him that they''d send some troops and high-ranking knights to deal with the situation.


    However, he wasn''t sure how long it would take for them toe.


    Especially since the situation was still manageable on their side. While high-ranking knights weren''t sparse, they were still highly sought after.


    It was hard to mobilize them quickly unless it was an emergency.


    "Tsk."


    The Professor clicked his tongue at the realization.


    Recalling the scene from the day prior, his eyes closed. Memories of the past resurfaced, and his eyes twitched.


    ''Again, I''ve failed.''


    "Professor Hollowe."


    A voice broke him out of his thoughts. It was none other than Professor Bridgette.


    "What should we do about the death of the cadet....?"


    "....."


    What sort of expression was he currently making?


    Hollowe asked him to himself, leaning back on his chair.


    They had already ryed the news of the cadet''s death to the Academy. Had it been any other cadet, the situation wouldn''t have been as troublesome.


    However, this was the ''ck Star''.


    The strongest first year within Haven. One of the Empire''s most promising geniuses.


    It was an extremely sensitive situation.


    Would the Academy send someone over to retrieve his body?


    ''But what if he''s not dead?''


    Professor Hollowe rubbed his forehead. He had seen him get swallowed up by the undead. There was no way he was able to survive.


    It was unrealistic.


    With such thoughts, he sighed.


    "For now, nothing."


    Gradually, Professor Hollowe found his voice.


    "I''ve already ryed everything to the Academy. What happens next, will be up to them."


    He helped himself up from his seat.


    Taking a moment to look around, he grimly nodded his head.


    "Meeting dismissed."


    ***


    At the same time. In another part of the town.


    Leon sat down and stared at the flowing river. The water was crystal clear, and the cold wind swept over, scattering his hair all over his face.


    "....."


    In the silence that surrounded him, the chair on the opposite end of his table scraped and a figure sat down.


    "What are you doing?"


    Leon turned to look in the direction of the figure.


    With long flowing purple hair, it was none other than Evelyn. Her gaze. It looked strange to him.


    "Do you..."


    So was her tone.


    It sounded like a mix of sorrow and confusion.


    ".... not feel anything from his death?"


    "His death?"


    Right.


    Julien was dead.


    Or at least, that was what everyone thought. He knew he wasn''t. Especially not after seeing his gaze at the end.


    Leon knew then that Julien had something nned.


    He was always like this. At the very least, the current version of Julien. He was someone who surprised him time and time again.


    It was for this reason that he wasn''t worried.


    Rather, he was curious.


    What exactly was he going to do...?


    ''I''ll y along for now.''


    ".....I don''t know how I''m feeling."


    "Haa."


    Evelyn sighed while leaning her head over the table and massaged her forehead.


    "I also don''t know. I really don''t know."


    She appeared lost.


    "Do I hate him? Or do I not hate him?"


    Rumbling to herself, she ruffled her hair.


    Eventually, she stopped and raised her head to face Leon.


    "What even is he?"


    "....?"


    "Every time I see him, he''s apletely different person. I know you told me he''s not the same Julien from the past, but I can''t get the image out of my mind. What the hell am I even supposed to do...?"


    Evelyn''s voice cracked at certain points but no tears came out of her eyes.


    In Leon''s eyes, he could tell that while her lingering feelings from childhood were still there, they had majorly faded.


    They weren''t romantic, but they were still there.


    It was for this reason that her gaze felt burdensome.


    Especially when she went on to ask,


    "Which version of Julien died?"


    "....."


    Which version?


    Leon didn''t know how to answer that.


    But since he said he was going to y along, he eventually gave her an answer.


    "The one that you don''t know."


    "The one that I don''t know...?"


    Evelyn blinked, tilting her head in confusion.


    "What does that eve-"


    "The current Julien is not the same Julien from your memories."


    "I know."


    Leon ced his hand over the table and stood up.


    "If you know then you should already know the answer."


    "Uh...?"


    Evelyn blinked again, seemingly unsure of how to react.


    Taking onest look at her, Leon answered.


    "Wiping away all previous memories of the Julien in your memories. What do you feel about the death of the Julien you met at the Academy? The ck Star."


    He tapped on the table once.


    "....That''s the Julien that died."


    Leon left shortly after that.


    "What...?"


    Evelyn sat there in silence for a long time. It appeared as though she was in deep thought. She wasn''t the only one.


    Not far from her, another figure sat.


    Having overhead the entire conversation, Kiera put her pencil down.


    "....."


    Before her were several books.


    Right, she was studying. Why was she even studying to begin with?


    And these questions.


    Why were they so fucking hard?


    "Fucking hell."


    Skrrtckk¡ª


    Scrunching up the paper before her, Kiera cursed and tossed it to the side.


    ".....So annoying."


    Studying was meant to be something she had started to like.


    And yet...


    Why was it so fucking annoying all of a sudden?


    "Damn it."


    ***


    "You''re awake again. How are you feeling?"


    "Like shit."


    I rubbed my eyes and sat up. My head throbbed, and just everything hurt. However, that sensation didn''tst for very long.


    ".....Um."


    Channeling my mana, I found that my injuries had healed yet again. Of course, they were still not fully healed, but I had worsened them during my training.


    My gaze unconsciously drifted towards the one in question.


    "Thank you."


    And words came out of my mouth.


    "...."


    They were met with silence as she kept her back facing my direction.


    I didn''t mind it.


    I had started to grow used to her quietness.


    "What a rudess."


    Daphne, who was sitting beside me, shook her head.


    "She used to be a lot more cheerful you know?"


    "Hurr... Hurr... She used to swing on my arms at times."


    "Right, right! I remember that. She was so cute."


    "Hurr. Hurr."


    "Aurelia? Do you want to swing on Gork''s arms again?"


    "....."


    "Hahaha."


    "Hurr. Hurr."


    "Aurelia? Do you want to swing on Gork''s arms again?"


    "Hurr. Hurr."


    While the twoughed, I helped myself up. My eyelids felt heavy, and I wanted nothing more than to sleep.


    But I had no time for that.


    I needed to continue to train.


    I needed to upgrade [Hands of Mdy]. I was close.


    ¡¸95%¡¹


    I was just missing 5%.


    I was close and yet it felt so far. Especially when the progress was starting to stagnate.


    "Haa."


    Right, whatever.


    I should be able to get it in the next session.


    Or the one after.


    "....."


    Yet again, I lost track of time.


    Time seemed to flow at a different speed as I just focused on absorbing the [Curse] element in the air and tried to understand it.


    A familiar pattern started to set.


    I''d first lose track of time.


    Drip!


    Then, the sweat woulde.


    As if the two had some form of agreement, pain woulde right after that.


    It stabbed right through my body. Like thousands of needles had punctured every part of my body.


    "Uhk...!"


    I''d withhold the pain for as long as I possibly could.


    My pain tolerance was high.


    And yet, even I had no choice but to sumb to it after a certain point.


    The world would turn dark, and I''d wake up again.


    "Wakey~ Wakey~ How are you feeling?"


    A familiar greeting.


    It had almost be a routine for me.


    "Like shit."


    Rubbing my eyes, I looked around me.


    The pain was gone again, and my body was healed. It was time to start again.


    I waved my hand to check on my progress.


    "...."


    Only to find myself pausing and blinking my eyes.


    ¡¸95%¡¹


    "Uh...?"


    I covered my mouth. For a moment, I felt likeughing.


    "Haha."


    No, I didugh.


    It just came out of my mouth without my permission.


    I blinked to make sure that I was seeing correctly.


    And yet...


    ¡¸95%¡¹


    The results remained the same.


    There was no change.


    I felt my lips tremble.


    ''Did I just waste a day...?''


    All that pain, and time. What was it for?


    I rubbed my head.


    ''No, now is not the time to panic.''


    Perhaps I had not been training hard enough.


    I looked around me. My gaze eventually paused on Aurelia. The entire time, her only focus was the Dragon.


    It was as if everything else mattered little to her.


    I opened my mouth but closed it again.


    ''Again.''


    I repeated the cycle once more.


    I had no choice but to.


    The only person I could rely on was myself.


    Closing my eyes, I went through the cycle once more.


    It would first start with the immersion.


    Then, the sweat.


    Pain atst.


    And then...


    ck.


    ¡¸95%¡¹


    "....."


    I nkly stared at the window with my back on the ground.


    "I don''t understand."


    Why...?


    Why had the progress halted?


    Was there something that I was missing? Clearly, this method had been working up to now. Why wasn''t it working anymore?


    "Why?"


    My eyes yet again unconsciously drifted towards Aurelia.


    I wanted to ask her but stopped myself again. I knew she wouldn''t answer me. This was something that I needed to find for myself.


    "....."


    But regardless of how hard I tried, my mind remained nk.


    I couldn''t think of anything.


    ''This isn''t something I can do.''


    The painful realization of my situation became clear to me.


    Raising my hand, I blocked the distant sun. It was shining brightly, and my eyes were starting to hurt.


    A shadow cast over my face as I did.


    Clenching my fist, my hand slowly turned purple.


    "..."


    Feeling the rough surface of the ground with my back, I turned my palm and looked at my hand. It was entirely purple due to [Hands of Mdy] being in effect.


    A simple touch and I''d be able to cast the spell on another person.


    A rather convenient skill when used alongside Etherweave.


    "I wonder how it feels."


    I had used it so many times on opponents, and yet, I still wasn''t sure how others felt when put under the spell.


    Would they just feel weak? ....Or was there more to it?


    "..."


    A sudden thought crossed my mind.


    Before I knew it, my hand was near my face.


    And then...


    I ced it over my face.


    "..."


    I couldn''t remember anything after that.

 Chapter 135 Sorrow and joy [4]

    <h4>Chapter 135 Sorrow and joy [4]</h4>


    Voom¡ª


    The space wobbled and a leg stepped out.


    Coming out of thin air were three figures. The very air changed the moment the three stepped out.


    Wearing thick metal armor with a golden lion insignia, they looked around.


    "Are we here...?"


    Captain Wesley Reijnder of the Hell-Lion Brigade asked.


    Looking around, he could feel the cold tickle his skin. With a thick mane of blonde hair, a mustache, and a bulky body, he was a perfect fit for the Brigade.


    "Brr, captain. It''s cold~"


    Behind him were the two other members of the Brigade.


    With short ck hair and blue eyes, Samantha had a distinctive mole at the bottom of her chin. At Tier 5, she was an important member of the Brigade.


    On the other hand, standing beside her, with long ck hair covering his face and a hunched back, Ray looked around while muttering to himself.


    ".....I''m tired. I want to go back. Why always me?"


    "Stopining."


    Samantha sighed.


    Ray was a rather unique member. He was hard to describe, but if Samantha had to put it in words, it''d be ''Extremely introverted''.


    If not for the fact that this mission involved a [Curse] heavy area, they wouldn''t have brought him with them.


    Brushing her hair, she looked towards the walls in the distance.


    "Umm, is that the town?"


    "It should be."


    The captain replied.


    Samantha nodded while her eyes fluttered with interest.


    "They said it''s a necromancer. I wonder how strong it is."


    "We''ve got peopleing."


    Just as the captain spoke, a few individuals showed up. Recognizing one of them, a smile crept on the captain''s face.


    "If it isn''t a familiar face. I didn''t expect to see you here, Inquisitor Hollowe."


    "You''re finally here."


    Brushing his hair back, Inquisitor Hollowe looked at the captain before him.


    "You guys came a lot faster than I thought."


    "Haha, well we had some free time, and given that it has something to do with a Mirror Crack, Central deemed this ce to be rather important."


    "That''s true."


    Turning his head to stare at the town, the Inquisitor nudged with his chin.


    "Let''s have a talk. There''s a lot that I need to fill you on."


    ***


    It first started with the weakness.


    My body grew limp and I lost control of it. nkly staring at the sky, I couldn''t move at all.


    It was as if I waspletely paralyzed.


    ''¡­.Is this it?''


    It didn''t seem to be that bad.


    At least, that was until my head started to ache. The world started to spin and my stomach churned.


    "¡­."


    Something started to build up in my stomach.


    With each minute that passed, the more it built up.


    And then¡­.


    "Blergh."


    It all came out of my mouth.


    "¡­!"


    But I was still paralyzed. All I could do was remain still on the ground as the puke flowed out of my mouth.


    "Ukh¡­!"


    There was so much of it that it started to suffocate me.


    ''I can''t breathe.''


    "Blergh."


    And if it wasn''t bad enough, the puke continued to flow out of my mouth.


    With my eyes wide open, Iy on the ground unable to do a single thing as my breath left my body,


    A weird, almost suffocating tingling permeated the depths of my mind as I tried to find some leeway to breathe.


    But¡­ it just never appeared.


    "¡­.!"


    I was running out of oxygen.


    The tingling sensation became more apparent as my body started to spasm on its own.


    ''Air¡­! I need air!''


    I internally screamed to myself, but my body refused to listen to me.


    Gurgle¡ª!


    The vomit continued to spill.


    My knees trembled, and my neck twitched.


    The world was starting to get dark.


    The tingling was as strong as ever, and it felt suffocating.


    But I could do nothing about it.


    I was slowly starting to lose sight of my own conciseness.


    And yet, there was an irony in all of this.


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.3%


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Hands of Mdy] EXP + 0.01%


    I had finally started to improve again...


    ''Haaa¡­''


    My world turned dark after that.


    "¡­."


    When I woke up again, the first thing that I noticed was therge notification in front of me.


    ¡¸97%¡¹


    It had worked.


    "Looks like someone has woken up again. How are you feeling?"


    "¡­."


    I didn''t answer as I usually did.


    Rather, I helped myself up and faced the ground on both knees. I lowered my head to stare at my hand.


    It was purple again.


    "H-Hu."


    My chest trembled with nervousness. I could see why. Recalling the pain that I had previously experienced, I felt hesitant.


    It was a different type of pain.


    A suffocating, and drowning one. I wasn''t ustomed to such pain.


    However, thinking about my current circumstances, I grit my teeth.


    "I have to do this."


    Turning my head, I nced towards a certain figure.


    .....I was sure I wouldn''t die.


    She was after all protecting me. Even if she didn''t show it, she cared.


    The only thing that I needed to handle was the pain.


    "Okay."


    I closed my eyes.


    Then, I brought my hand towards my face.


    Thump!


    I fell forward this time.


    Gurgle¡ª


    And I yet again started to choke on my own vomit.


    The tingling sensation returned, and the suffering continued. Despite that, amidst the torture, I focused my perception entirely on my experiences.


    From the paralysis of my body to the churning in my stomach, and the throbbing in my head.


    I focused all my attention on those feelings.


    I needed to properly understand how the spell worked to jump to the next level. What effects it brought to those that it hit, and how effective it was.


    I focused my attention on such thoughts.


    ''It hurts.''


    ''I can''t breathe.''


    ''I can''t focus.''


    ''My stomach hurts.''


    ''I''m hungry.''


    ''I''m thirsty.''


    The more I started to dissect the feelings, the more I started to understand the depths of the spell.


    Not only did the spell weaken someone, but it also made them experience all sorts of pain.


    It became clear to me the more I was under such a state.


    ''This sucks.''


    "....."


    When I woke up again, I immediately checked the progress bar.


    ¡¸99%¡¹


    I was almost there.


    I was just one experience away from leveling up [Hands of Mdy]. Ideally, I''d have to put myself under such torture again, but I didn''t.


    "....."


    I understood that there''d be no point in doing that.


    Rubbing my eyes, I checked my body. As expected, it was all healed up again. Daphne''s voice reached me from the side.


    "Hm? Are you not going to do the same thing this time?"


    ".....No."


    This time, I answered.


    "Oh? You''re finally talking to us again?"


    Daphne raised her voice as if shocked. I scratched the side of my face. The puke that had previously been around me had disappeared, and my clothes were clean.


    I looked towards her and lowered my head.


    "Thank you."


    "....It''s nothing. It''s nothing."


    She waved her hand at me.


    "What I did is nothingpared to Aurelia. If you want to thank someone, you should thank her."


    "Right."


    I nodded at her.


    There was no denying this. If not for Aurelia, I wouldn''t have gotten to this point.


    And at the same time, without her, I wouldn''t be able to progress to the next level.Taking a few steps in her direction, I only stopped when I was a few meters behind her.


    "....."


    She, like usual, was staring at the Rock Dragon.


    "I''m almost there."


    I started to speak.


    "I''ve hit the limit of what I can do by myself."


    Indeed,I had hit the limit.


    Although I was only missing one percent, I knew that I wouldn''t be able to cross the one percent regardless of how much time I had.


    "I don''t know how long it will take for the Empire''s reinforcements toe, but I am almost done reaching the next level. I don''t know how to reach the next level."


    "....."


    Not minding her silence, I lowered my head.


    "Please teach me."


    Yet again, I asked her to teach me.


    I knew that I didn''t have to ask her. Despite her ''coldness'' she had been teaching me diligently the entire time.


    Every time my body recovered from one of those sessions, I felt a certain energying from her. It guided me on the paths I needed to use and how to use my mana more efficiently.


    In fact, it felt as though my overall mana purity had improved.


    ''It was Tainted thest time I checked. I wonder what it is now...''


    Too bad I couldn''t check.


    ".....Why?"


    Yet again, Aurelia asked me why.


    I didn''t hesitate to reply.


    "Because I have to."


    "...You have to?"


    Aurelia''s body turned and I came face to face with her.


    Smiling, I replied,


    "I don''t want to die. I want to go back to Ellnor. Do you not want to go back as well?"


    "...."


    There was no reply but the answer was obvious.


    I sat down crossed my legs and ced my back against hers.


    "I''m ready whenever."


    I could tell that whatever I needed to do to get to the next level would lead to unbelievable pain.


    But I was ready for it.


    If it meant getting over everything and reaching the next level, I didn''t mind putting myself through this torture.


    "...Why do you do this to yourself?"


    Even Aurelia seemed confused by my perseverance.


    "I have seen you torture yourself to the point of death each time. You have no regard for your body at all. It''s as if you don''t even care about yourself. Why...? Why are you doing this?"


    "...."


    I didn''t reply immediately.


    Without looking back, I stared ahead. In the distance, I could see Daphne, Gork, and Liam together. Noticing my gaze, they waved their hands at me.


    I felt like smiling, but I didn''t.


    I couldn''t find it in me to smile.


    Still, when I thought about the situation, I pursed my lips.


    "....It''s for the same reason as you."


    "Me?"


    "I want to go back."


    Yes, I wanted to go back.


    But not to Ellnor.


    Somewhere else. Somewhere further away from here.


    A very far ce that I wasn''t sure I could go back to anymore. Still, it was worth a try.


    For that reason, I could take on this pain and put myself under such pain.


    "We are not that different."


    Aurelia said, her voice reaching my ears from behind.


    "That''s why I didn''t want to teach you."


    "I know..."


    A cold hand pressed against my back, and my body trembled. Yet again, I felt pain. It coursed through all corners of my body like moltenva.


    "....."


    I shouldered the pain in silence.


    "People like us will never be happy."


    In the silence, Aurelia''s voice continued to echo.


    ".....We keep chasing for things that even we know are probably not possible."


    I could hardly focus on her voice.


    The pain was making its way through every corner of my body.


    "And yet, despite knowing that we can''t stop ourselves."


    My shoulders trembled.


    My heart trembled.


    "We are cursed to be like this."


    An unspeakable pain captured my body. It weakened my entire body and once again, I grew limp. Automatically, my body limped forward but a hand stopped me.


    "Regardless of whether we like it or not. We still try to chase that meaningless goal of ours."


    It held me straight.


    "I hate it."


    Stopping me from falling over.


    "I hate you."


    And it kept me upright.


    "I hate you because I hate myself."


    Allowing me to get a better look into the distance.


    "....And for that, I can''t help but want to cheer for you."


    My vision changed.


    A notification shed.


    And in that moment, all the pain that I experienced disappeared.


    "Ah."


    My shoulders felt light, and so did my chest.


    All I felt was relief.


    Lvl 1. [Hands of Mdy] --> Lvl 2. [Grip of Pestilence]


    ''I did it.''

 Chapter 136 Sorrow and joy [5]

    <h4>Chapter 136 Sorrow and joy [5]</h4>


    It was hard to describe how I currently felt.


    But I didn''t need to describe it.


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Joy] EXP + 4%


    I could see what I was feeling.


    ".....I-I did it."


    Lvl 1. [Hands of Mdy] --> Lvl 2. [Grip of Pestilence]


    I had finally upgraded my spell to the next level.


    ''Grip of Pestilence''


    It was as I predicted.


    The name changed alongside the level increase. It was as if it had be apletely new spell. No, it had be an entirely new spell.


    One that shared simr principles to the old one.


    ".....It looks like you''ve seeded."


    Aurelia''s voice reached me from behind.


    "H-ha."


    Taking a deep breath, I pursed my lips before nodding.


    "I did."


    I truly had seeded.


    "Hahahaha."


    A familiarugh echoed in the distance as four figures showed up.


    "Have you seeded?"


    It was Gork.


    "Idiot, didn''t you literally hear him?"


    "Uh, yeah, but I just wanted to hear it from him."


    As usual, Gork and Daphne bantered together.


    I stared at them for a moment before taking a deep breath and standing up. My body still ached, but I could handle this much.


    "So...?"


    Liam alternated his gaze between the four of us, eventually settling his gaze over me and Aurelia.


    "What''s the n now?"


    "....."


    Silence took hold of the surroundings after the question.


    The answer was obvious, and I turned my body to stare at the enormous Rock Dragon. Even now, the pressureing from it was terrifying.


    There was a reason why I hadn''t moved closer to it throughout my entire time here.


    The pressure was simply too overwhelming for me to bear.


    "Are you ready?"


    I felt Aurelia''s gaze. With a nce, I could tell she was encouraging me in her own way.


    Meeting it, I nodded.


    "...Yes."


    Although I had juste out of an intense session, the adrenaline was still coursing through my mind. My mind felt clear, and all the details about the spell and what led to its creation were still fresh in my mind.


    If I were to take a break then I wasn''t sure I would be able to perform it as well.


    There was no better time than now.


    "Okay."


    Aurelia nodded her head and walked up to the Dragon.


    "....."


    I followed her after a moment of silence. Looking at the enormous creature before me, I felt a little nervous.


    This next step was going to be important.


    ''I''ll be able to go back after this.''


    To Ellnor, and where the others were. I was starting to miss the Academy and the town. This ce felt a little too suffocating for me.


    With such thoughts, I took my first step towards the Dragon.


    Tak.


    I didn''t feel much on my first step.


    Tak.


    I felt something on my second step.


    Tak.


    In the third step, my brows twitched. There was a certain pressure lingering in the air that felt ufortable.


    Tak.


    The fourth step...


    "....."


    Tak.


    The fifth step...


    "....."


    Tak.


    The sixth step...


    ".....Hm."


    The seventh step...


    "Ukh."


    I momentarily stopped.


    "Huuu."


    My entire body felt heavy. It was as if the gravity surrounding the space had doubled.


    "Haaa."


    I could feel my breath be heavier as a result. Still, I was merely a few steps away from the Dragon.


    I could do it.


    Drip...! Drip.


    Ignoring the sweat that had umted on my forehead, I took the next step forward. Yet again, the weight over me intensified. It felt as though a massive boulder was hanging over my shoulders.


    Pausing, I took onest breath and pushed forward.


    "....Ukh!"


    Groaning loudly, my leg felt like lead.


    It took every part of me to lift it from the ground and push myself forward.


    "Kh!"


    The world turned hazy for a moment.


    And then...


    Tak.


    I took the final step.


    "Huff... Huff..."


    Breathing heavily, I rested my hands over my knees. If before it felt as though a boulder was resting over my shoulder, it was now two to three boulders.


    ''Not sure that''s even possible.''


    It just felt like that.


    ".....Tell me when you''re ready."


    Aurelia spoke as she ced her hand over the Rock Dragon.


    I looked at her with bafflement.


    How could she even withstand such pressure...? Every second felt like hell to me, and yet, it didn''t seem to bother her one bit.


    ''.....I guess she''s used to it.''


    "I-I''m... haa... ready."


    Catching my breath, I took a short moment to stare at the Dragon.


    I was currently by its head.


    With a jaw lined with sharp teeth, its head was massive. Its eyes were shut tight, and its scales resembled hardened tes of rock. asionally, a wisp of steam would escape its nostrils as it breathed deeply in sleep.


    ''Fucking creepy.''


    Extending my hand forward, a magic circle floated and my hand turned purple.


    It was the same as in the past, however,pared to before, my hand was a deeper shade of purple.


    Strange runes appeared all over my hand.


    They were a further deeper shade of purple, and they pulsed as though they were alive.


    It was a strange sight.


    One that I couldn''t observe for long as I closed my eyes and ced my hand against the surface of the Rock Dragon.


    Right close to its eye.


    Tzzzz¡ª


    Apanying a sizzling sound, a sharp pain coursed through my hand making me flinch. It felt as though I had touched fire.


    "I''ll take care of most of the burden. Try your best to keep up with me."


    I nodded through the pain.


    ".....I-I will."


    I poured all the mana that I had into the Dragon.


    The process wasn''t very difficult. It wasn''t as though I was doing anything hard. I just needed to use my new skill on the Dragon.


    While it was true that the skill had gotten stronger, the main point was that I was inside of a [Curse] rich zone.


    This meant that my spell was going to be further enhanced.


    Coupled with Aurelia''s help...


    "Ugh...!"


    I groaned and my head flicked back.


    "Keep it steady."


    ".....Kh!"


    The rate at which my mana drained increased all of a sudden. It funneled out of my body at a rate that I couldn''t control and for a moment it felt as though I was going to get suckedpletely dry.


    "Resist."


    Voom¡ª


    A humming sound reverberated in the air.


    "A little longer."


    Aurelia''s voice continued to echo in the background.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    A trembling of the ground startled and I almost lost my footing.


    "S-shit."


    Thankfully, I was just able to keep myself from falling as I gripped onto one of the tes on the Dragon''s head.


    I was just about to sigh in relief when...


    "....!"


    All of a sudden, I felt my heart freeze.


    So did my blood.


    My expression froze shortly after.


    "Ah."


    Blinking once, I looked at my reflection.


    Right...


    My reflection.


    Gulp.


    I thought I had heard the sound of my own swallow. But I wasn''t sure. I had no time to think about that.


    "....."


    My mind grew nk.


    As if time had stopped, I stood still while staring right into the slit of the eye. It was looking right back at me.


    A towering pressure concentrated over me as my legs started to wobble.


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Fear] EXP + 0.5%


    ?| Lvl. 1 [Fear] EXP + 0.7%


    Notifications kept shing over my vision.


    I didn''t need to be reminded to know what I was currently feeling. The paralysis that I was currently experiencing was the best proof of that.


    "....."


    The more I stared into the eye, the more it felt as though it was sucking me in.


    It was a familiar sensation. One that I recalled feeling in the past before. It took a moment for me to recall.


    ''Ah, that''s right...''


    The only one to have ever made me feel this way was Delh.


    Her eyes...


    They too felt like this.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    As my surroundings shook, and the air hummed, I continued to keep my eye fixed on the eye.


    "....."


    My heart had long stopped beating and my back was drenched in sweat.


    Every hair on my body stood on end, and my breath slowly started to quicken.


    Time continued to stand at a standstill.


    I thought it''dst forever, but eventually, the eyelid came to a close and silence returned over the surroundings.


    "..."


    Despite it closing, I didn''t for once a second feel like it had.


    My mind still refused to listen to me.


    "We''re done."


    ".....!"


    It was a sudden tug at my shoulder that snapped me out of it.


    When I turned my head, I realized it was Aurelia.


    "D-did we...?"


    "Yes."


    She nodded.


    "We''re done. We... can go back."


    "Ah..."


    I took a deep breath.


    So it was finally over...


    "It''s not over yet."


    "Hm?"


    Coming to a stop, I looked at Aurelia. What did she mean by that...?


    I was just about to question her when I looked up.


    "Ah."


    Realization finally dawned on me.


    "My power has weakened. My presence can no longer deter the Hellhounds from attacking you. I also won''t be able to defend you."


    ".....I see."


    I could see that.


    Especially when we were currently surrounded from all sides.


    Standing in the middle of it all was a certain familiar Hellhound. The leader of the pack, and the one that had fought Professor Hollowe.


    It was staring right at me.


    The most terrifying part of all this was the fact that it wasn''t the only one that was staring at me. All of them were.


    "Hahaha."


    A distantugh echoed.


    It was none other than Gork who stretched his body.


    "What''s this? It''s just a bunch of dogs. There''s nothing to be worried about!"


    "Yeah, I agree."


    ".....We''ve been through much worse. Let''s just deal with them first."


    "Hahaha."


    I could feel the excitement in their voices as they stretched.


    Clearly, the prospect of returning back home excited them to no end.


    I almost smiled then.


    Having spent enough time with them over the past few days, I started to grow attached to them. They were quirky, but they were the reason I was able to remain sane despite all the pain I had experienced.


    They were the best people I could''ve asked for.


    "Can you hold out?"


    I asked, turning to look at Aurelia. She seemed a little weak at that moment, and I could understand why.


    It wasn''t easy to put the Rock Dragon under such a powerful spell. It must''ve taken a lot of her energy.


    The fact that the pressureing out of her body wasn''t anything I felt ufortable with was a testament to that.


    "....I can hold out."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes."


    I somehow didn''t believe her. However, thinking about how stubborn she was, I knew that I had no choice but to take her word for it.


    And thus...


    Shifting my attention toward the Hellhounds in the distance, I locked eyes with a particr one.


    It was standing further back from the leader.


    The already almost depleted mana depleted further as my hand turned a deep shade of purple.


    Then,


    "....."


    As I extended my hand, the air in front of the wolf shimmered, distorting into a purple appendage that reached out and seized the wolf by the neck.


    Awoooo¡ª


    Unlike [Hands of Mdy] the hand didn''t shatter at the simplest of touches.


    With a tight grip against the wolf''s neck, the hand mped down as the Hellhound howled into the air. In mere seconds, the Hellhound''s body began to convulse, foam forming at its mouth.


    The process took no longer than a couple of seconds, and before anyone could react...


    Thump!


    The wolf had copsed to the ground, convulsing violently as foam bubbled from its mouth.


    "..."


    A strange silence took over the ce as I stared at my hand.


    ''So this is the upgraded version of [Hands of Mdy].''


    "...Not bad."


    I looked up again, taking a moment to stare at the others beside me.


    Finally...


    It was time to return back.

 Chapter 137 The end of a long journey [1]

    <h4>Chapter 137 The end of a long journey [1]</h4>


    BANG¡ª!


    The surroundings shook as I took several steps back.


    "Ukh...!


    I felt a sharp pain in my chest as I clutched it to stop the bleeding.


    "Hur! Hur! Hur! It seems like you''re having a hard time, aren''t you!?"


    Gork''s loud voice reverberated throughout the grounds as heughed at my misfortune.


    "You can do more than that!"


    "Give him some ck!"


    On the other hand, Daphne appeared to be on my side.


    "He''s tired after everything that he did with Aurelia. Don''t be too hard on him!"


    "Tsk."


    Clicking his tongue, Gork charged at the Hellhounds.


    SHIIING¡ª!


    ".....Let me have my fun."


    Despite being surrounded from all sides, the atmosphere was rather lively. I stood at the center of it all as the Hellhounds attacked from all sides.


    Groooowl¡ª!


    Unlike before, the zombies were on my side, covering my back. It was a rather new experience and I couldn''t say I disliked it.


    "I can get used to this."


    "Pay attention."


    At the front of all this was Aurelia who utilized the zombies in a way that made it hard for the Hellhounds to reach me.


    It was an astonishing sight.


    Especially after she had used so much mana to seal the Rock Dragon temporarily.


    The fact that she was still able to fight so well was mind-blowing.


    Does she even run out of mana?


    "....Aren''t you tired?"


    "I am."


    "How are you able to continue?"


    "....."


    Aurelia didn''t answer immediately. After a short moment, she looked ahead and just faintly, I was able to catch a glimpse of her features beneath the hood.


    "I want to go back."


    Her gaze swept the surroundings.


    ".....That''s why I can continue."


    Swooosh¡ª!


    A thick pulse swept the surroundings following her words. A purple film covered the zombies on the ground, forcing their detached limbs back together.


    Groooowl¡ª!


    A familiar scene reyed in front of me as the zombies stood up once more and returned to block the Hellhounds.


    I stared at the scene in silence.


    It was cold. Just as it had been on the very first day that I hade to this ce.


    "Hahaha! What are you bastards even thinking of doing!? You aren''t getting past me!"


    And yet, despite the cold, I felt that the scene before me was anything but cold. I couldn''t see the expressions on their faces, but from their voices, I could see just how excited they were to go back.


    They almost sounded like little children.


    "Don''t be reckless! Don''t die before we manage to return!"


    "Won''t be a problem¡ªEuk!"


    "Idiot...!!"


    "Help!"


    Was it because I was also excited, or was it because I had already lost it? Seeing the scene in the distance, I felt the pain in my chest disappear.


    My body also felt lighter as I took a step forward.


    "Akh...! My leg! It''s got my leg!"


    "Stop! Don''t move....!"


    "You idiots!"


    Even Aurelia was starting to speak more as Gork was flung in the air by a Hellhound.


    "Nooo¡ª!"


    Seeing such a scene, Iughed.


    "Looks like I really need to step up. At this rate, we''ll be wiped out!"


    pping my cheeks, I threw all caution out of the wind and joined the fight.


    In the rocky grounds where the cold pierced.


    It didn''t feel so cold anymore.


    ***


    Ellnor.


    "You''re the strongest person in this town?"


    Captain Reijnder''s tone was deadpan. Lowering his head to stare at the middle-aged man before him, his eyes squinted.


    "You seem a little too weak to be a captain. What''s the deal with this?"


    "Ah, well..."


    Embarrassed, Captain Travis replied.


    "We used to be a lot stronger. Our strongest warriors of the past may not have been as strong as you, but we were definitely not weak."


    "Then...?"


    "Thirty years have passed since we started fighting the Necromancer. In that time, all our best warriors have died during the battle. I''m only the captain because there''s no one else that can take the mantle."


    "I see."


    Frowning, Captain Reijnder nodded.


    He had been briefed beforehand about the situation. ncing around, he sat down on one of the wooden chairs in the room.


    Crossing his legs, he ced his hand on the table.


    "So you''re saying that this situation has been going on for thirty years?"


    "Ah, yes."


    Captain Travis replied curtly.


    "Wow."


    Captain Reijnder looked at him in amazement.


    "You''re also telling me that for thirty years you''ve sent over so many people just to deal with a single necromancer? I''ve heard you''ve sent over two hundred and fifty-five squads in the time that psed. Is that true?"


    ".....Yes."


    Captain Travis replied with his head lowered.


    "A squadprises of four members. From the moment the second subjugation squad didn''te back, arge raid with over several dozen squads had been prepared."


    "Ah."


    Understanding dawned on Captain Reijnder who closed his eyes.


    "So you didn''t send 255 individual squads, but rather,rge raid teams thatprised several smaller squads."


    ".....For the most part, yes."


    "I see."


    Ta, ta, ta¡ª


    The captain''s fingers drummed over the wooden desk as silence reigned over the space. It felt rather oppressive. Especially since the two other members of his squad were standing behind him with straight faces.


    They two gave off an extremely intimidating pressure.


    Eventually, the drumming stopped and the captain''s eyes locked onto the town''s captain.


    "There''s a few things that I don''t understand. I need you to rify me on that."


    ".....Please ask."


    Captain Reijnder leaned forward as his expression turned extremely serious.


    "Exin to me why for thirty years you''ve allowed this to happen?"


    The more the captain learned about the situation, the more unbelievable he found the situation to be.


    For thirty years, this town had constantly sent over their best warriors to deal with the necromancer haunting them.


    For thirty years, they were defeated. And yet, for some reason, they kept sending their soldiers to their deaths...?


    What sort of nonsense was this?


    "This whole entire situation would''ve been resolved had you called the Empire for help. Tell me. For what reason did you allow for this to happen?"


    "....Ah."


    Captain Travis''s face turned pale at the question. Looking around, his lips quivered slightly. However, under Captain Reijnder''s oppressive gaze, he had no choice but to open his mouth.


    "T-the undead."


    "The what...?"


    "T-the undead. Th-ey... T-hey were all citizens of this town. Family."


    Trying his best to suppress the quivering in his voice, the captain continued.


    "I-imagine if your loved ones died and transformed into undead. Mindless puppets whose sole purpose is toe back to attack us?"


    His body trembled, as his fist clenched tightly and his face turned red.


    "How would that make you feel?"


    The more he spoke the louder his voice became.


    "To know that the ones you loved are being used to attack us...?"


    The stuttering had also stopped.


    "The seed of hatred and revenge has already corrupted the minds of all citizens. All they can think of is revenge! We have long known that what we''ve been doing is stupid, but we are reminded. Every. Single. Day. Of the their deaths."


    Bang!


    The captain''s fist came smacking against the wooden table.


    "It''s as if the necromancer is sending them to us every day in order to remind us of what it did to us. To show off its trophies...!"


    "....."


    As spit flew out of the small town''s captain''s face, Captain Reijnder remained quiet the entire time.


    He was starting to get a better picture of what was going on.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    And taking the opportunity when Captain Travis was out of breath, he calmly asked,


    "How many deaths have urred in the town when the undead attacked?"


    "Haa... Deaths?"


    Out of breath, Travis looked up.


    "None... Haa... yet."


    "None?"


    "The... haa... undead aren''t very strong... haa..."


    Swallowing, Travis caught up with his breath.


    "For now, we''ve been able to handle them daily. They are slow and aren''t very strong. However, they don''t die. For years, they''ve been trying to force their way into the Town. We''ve managed to hold them back for so long, but we can''t do it anymore."


    Lowering his head, Travis stared at his arm. It was trembling.


    "....We can''t hold on any longer. It''s for this reason that we''ve asked for help. B-because after thirty years, we..."


    He bit his lips.


    "W-e understand that all our efforts have been meaningless. We can''t get our revenge."


    His head lowered after that. To all those present, it was clear that he was unresigned by the decision. The anger within him had been clear for all those to see.


    Unfortunately, it was toote.


    Turning his head, Captain Reijnder turned to face a familiar face.


    "Inquisitor. Do you have anything to add to that?"


    "No, not much."


    Inquisitor Hollowe shook his head.


    "The area is dense with the [Curse] element. I presume it''sing from deep within the Mirror Crack rather than the necromancer, but you already know that."


    His gaze fell on one of the knights standing behind the Captain.


    He was just about to continue when he stopped.


    It wasn''t just him, but almost everyone in the room stopped.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª


    In unison, all heads flicked towards a certain direction.


    "This..."


    The eyes of all those present widened as they rushed out of the room and made a run for the city walls. It took them little to no time to reach the walls, and without hesitation, they ran past the city gates where their figures blurred, onlying to a stop a certain distance away.


    ".....!"


    "This...!"


    Their expression changed as their gazes swept the distance.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    In the distance, thousands of figures appeared. Their steps echoed in unison as they marched forward.


    At the helm, five figures led the march.


    One figure, in particr, stood out. His clothes were tattered, and he bore cuts all over his body. Engaged in conversation with those around him, he abruptly halted his steps and nced up as if sensing their presence.


    His hazel eyes met with the group''s and the army behind him stopped.


    "Ha..."


    A sound escaped Captain Reijnder''s mouth as he looked at the scene ahead.


    "Weren''t they supposed to only show up at night? What are they doing here...?"

 Chapter 138 The end of a long journey [2]

    <h4>Chapter 138 The end of a long journey [2]</h4>


    "Cough...! Cough!"


    My chest ached.


    Holding onto my mouth, blood dripped down from the gaps of my fingers.


    Every part of me ached.


    ".....It''s so beautiful."


    "The scenery. It has changed so much."


    I could hear the voices of the members of the first subjugation squad beside me. They were staring at the scenery with brilliant gazes.


    "Was that tree there before?"


    "No, it wasn''t."


    "And what about that rock?"


    "How would I know?"


    "This waterfall?"


    "It was."


    They just wouldn''t stop talking.


    I stared at them while holding onto my chest.


    "Cough...!"


    The fight had been a hard one. We didn''t manage to kill the Hellhounds, but that had never been our goal to begin with.


    We just wanted to get out of there.


    To...


    Get back home.


    "Onward to Ellnor...! Hahaha."


    Tud, Tud¡ª!


    The ground shook slightly. Turning around, I stared at the army of zombies following us from behind.


    "You couldn''t send them back...?"


    "No."


    Aurelia shook her head.


    "I don''t have enough mana."


    ".....That''s fair."


    She had been one of the most active in thest battle. It wasn''t easy to hold back the Terror Ranked Hellhound. It was in fact a miracle for her to have been able to hold on after thest spell.


    "What are you going to do once we go back?"


    "....."


    Aurelia didn''t answer immediately.


    In that brief moment of silence, I noticed that everyone was looking at her.


    Eventually, the words did leave her mouth.


    "I don''t know. I never really thought about it."


    "You didn''t...?"


    "I thought I''d be stuck here forever."


    Strangely, Aurelia''s steps seemed light as she walked.


    ".....I do have a little brother though. I wonder how he''s doing. I remember telling him to keep count of the amount of time I would be gone for. Is he still keeping count?"


    "Pftt, as if. He probably stopped counting a week in."


    Daphne ced her hand over Aurelia''s.


    "You''re such an adorable little thing. Even after so much time passed, you''re still the same."


    "Stop."


    Aurelia brushed Daphne''s hand away.


    "Hehe, look at this cutie~"


    Daphne ended up hugging Aurelia tightly as she struggled under her embrace.


    "Ugh...!"


    "Hahaha! Let me join!"


    "No!"


    "Akh!"


    "Hur. Hur."


    I stood to watch the scene with a smile. They looked like a family. A happy family of four.


    "What about you...?"


    And then, their attention turned to me.


    "What are you going to do?"


    ".....What am I going to do?"


    I wonder about that.


    "Probably go back to the Academy."


    Everyone besides Leon probably thought I was dead. But would they even care if I was dead...? I could still recall the faces of a few, but to what extent did they care?


    "Haha."


    I really didn''t know.


    "I also want to go back home."


    "Oh, right. You''re quite young yourself. I didn''t really take note of it considering our situation."


    Liam walked around me, closely patting my body in the process.


    "Wow, what muscles."


    "Did you say muscles...?"


    "Crap! Stop him! He''s going to¡ª"


    It was toote. Shoving Liam aside, Gork started patting my body all over.


    "Wow! They''re some developed muscles! I couldn''t tell before, but you have some talent."


    Smack¡ª!


    His thick hand smacked against my back, and I winced in pain.


    "Ukh!"


    "Hur! Hur! When youe to visit me, I''ll make sure to teach you how to develop your muscles further."


    "Stop it! Can''t you see he''s injured?"


    "Cough...!"


    Coughing, I red at Gork who awkwardly turned his head.


    "Uh, yeah."


    "Anyways~"


    Daphne turned to look at me.


    "You''re wee to visit us anytime."


    "Haha, yeah. Come visit us. Our journey is about to end, but that doesn''t mean that we shouldn''t see each other again."


    "There''s no need to be so reserved. We still haven''t taught you a thing. Only Aurelia had that pleasure."


    Seeing them look at me like that, I could only shake my head.


    "....Fine."


    I was nning on visiting regardless.


    "Come now! Our journey is almost over!"


    "Let''s go back...!"


    Punching the air, Gork and the rest rushed ahead.


    I stared at their back for a moment before shaking my head.


    These guys...


    They were such children.


    Our journey continued.


    The scenery continued to change.


    Sometimes we''d stop to observe it. I had seen the scenery before, but it had been with different people.


    "That''s another new thing."


    It was nice to see them enjoying the journey.


    ".....I wish this journeysts longer."


    Aurelia smiled beneath the hood as she spoke.


    "It''s so pretty..."


    The wind blew, and her hood fluttered.


    "Julien."


    My gaze met with hers.


    In that moment, I could see a change in her.


    For once, her cold facade seemed to melt ever so slightly.


    "It had been so long since I''d seen the outside world. I used to take it for granted, but..."


    The wind blew again.


    Her hood fluttered further.


    ".....I didn''t know it was so pretty."


    Right.


    I turned my head to stare in the direction of where she was looking at.


    ''It''s pretty indeed.''


    Rocky peaks jutted into the sky, casting long shadows over thendscape. Besides us, a small stream flowed gracefully, its clear waters winding through the valley.


    Trees flourished, their leaves rustling in the breeze.


    "....."


    Without a sound.


    I imprinted the sight into my mind.


    And then...


    Several figures appeared in the distance.


    They stared at me for a moment before rushing towards me.


    "J-Julien...?"


    The first one toe was Professor Hollowe. He seemed startled by my appearance. He probably didn''t think I was still alive.


    "Julien? Isn''t that the name of the cadet that died?"


    Another figure appeared.


    I didn''t know who he was, but I could more or less guess.


    "You didn''t die?"


    I opened my mouth, but no words came out.


    My lips were parched.


    How long had it been since I hadst drunk something?


    Before I could even say anything, a figure rushed from behind.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    I recognized him in an instant.


    It was Captain Travis.


    "You...!"


    His eyes seemed to be fixed on Aurelia. There seemed to be a deep seethed hatred in his eyes as he looked at her.


    That was when I finally found my voice again.


    "W-wait."


    All attention fell on me.


    Before I could say anything else, the wind blew again.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Aurelia''s hood fluttered again, finally falling back to reveal her features.


    ".....Ah!"


    Captain Travis''s face underwent a dramatic change in that moment.


    "S-sister...! H-how...!?"


    I could tell he had recognized her.


    I felt my head ache.


    Just as I was about to exin, he rushed towards me and grabbed me by the cor.


    "What happened?!"


    His voice was hoarse as he spat to my face.


    "Y-you, it''s you isn''t it?"


    His grip on my clothes tightened.


    "You''re the fucking necromancer, aren''t you? The one fucker who has been screwing with us for so long...! It-it''s you...!"


    "....."


    I didn''t reply.


    Logically speaking, his usations made no sense.


    I was still young. The necromancer had been haunting the town for thirty years. It was a stupid assumption to begin with.


    Even so...


    I couldn''t find the words to reply.


    And as if he knew too, his grip on my clothes wakened.


    ".....W-why is she here? Y-you disappeared and then came back. E-veryone thought you were dead, but exin to me this..."


    He pointed at Aurelia and the others.


    "Why are they all dead?!"


    "....."


    I took a moment to stare at him and the people behind him.


    They were all looking at me with the same skeptical gaze as he was.


    I couldn''t me them.


    Turning my head slightly, I fixed my gaze on the four other people who stood by my side. Without their hoods, I could see them clearly.


    Their faces were pale, and their eyes were closed.


    There was no trace of breath in them.


    They were dead.


    They had long been dead.


    "...."


    Overwhelmed, my chest trembled as I took in the sight. The memories of my time with them shed for a moment and I reached out, cing my hand atop the captain''s before finally finding my voice again.


    "My name is Julien Dacre Evenus."


    In the silence, I spoke. Not to Travis, but to the unfamiliar man that I presumed was from the Empire.


    "I''vee back with them to ry important information to the members of the Empire."


    "....."


    "These people over here are the members of the first subjugation squad."


    I introduced each member one by one.


    "Aurelia ckwood, Gork Staten, Liam Markken, and Daphne Richards."


    I spoke slowly.


    "They, the first subjugation squad, had been wiped out during their expedition with the exception of Aurelia ckwood who became the sole survivor. A Rock Dragon was found at the entrance of the Mirror Crack."


    "W-what...?"


    Directly support the authors on WebNovel!


    Captain Travis''s voice cracked as his grip on my clothes further loosened.


    I turned to look at him.


    "For thirty years, she kept the Dragon sealed. For thirty years, she..."


    I pursed my lips and looked behind me.


    "....Tried to bring the dead back to their families."


    "A-ah..."


    "And for thirty years, she had been scorned for it."


    The grip finallypletely loosened.


    I kept my gaze fixed on the Captain.


    "I-I ask you a favor."


    I clenched my teeth.


    It was starting to get hard for me to speak.


    A familiar pain washed over me. It wasn''t a physical one. Pursing my lips, I finally forced the words out.


    "...Please wee them back home. Their journey. I wish for it to finally end."


    .


    .


    .


    The cold pierced my skin.


    A familiar road met my sight. We were close to the town walls.


    "For how long did you know for?"


    Aurelia''s voice reached my ears.


    "About what?"


    "That we were dead."


    "...."


    How long had I known...?


    "From the start."


    ".....Is that so?"


    "Wow~ That''s so unfair."


    "Hur. Hur. Look at this guy. He''s been happily talking to himself the entire time."


    "....."


    Everyone''s voice continued to reach my ears.


    But the only one that I could focus on was Aurelia''s.


    ".....I''m sure everyone will be disgusted by what I did."


    Her voice.


    It was so clear.


    "I''ve been thinking."


    On the day that the raid failed, she knew the Rock Dragon would eventually attack the town.


    Too weak to seal it, she used her life force.


    That day,


    She died.


    "How could anyone ept us in the state that we are?"


    In thest moments before her death, she used [Corpse Control] on herself.


    With that, she was able to remain faintly conscious.


    "Had I been stronger, would all of this have been avoided?"


    That day,


    She lost her voice.


    "Would I have been able to warn them?"


    The Hellhounds never attacked her for a simple reason.


    They only attacked the living.


    But without her voice, she couldn''t stop the subjugation squads froming.


    In the end, everyone who came died.


    ".....Would things have been different then?"


    From the moment someone dies, their life force depletes.


    To keep the Dragon sealed, she used their life force.


    And with time, her strength increased.


    So did the number of people that died.


    "Would I have been able to send them all back to their families?"


    The attacks...


    They had never really been attacks.


    It had just been her attempt at trying to send the dead back to their family.


    "Hey, Julien."


    Aurelia''s voice grew faint.


    "Thank you."


    "....."


    "Talking to you. For the past few days, I felt like I was alive again. Even if I''m just a creation through of memories that you''ve seen."


    "....."


    "You didn''t hate me for being cold, right?"


    I shook my head.


    "No."


    "That''s good. I''m tired of being hated."


    ".....I will never hate you."


    A familiar set of walls appeared in the distance.


    They were tall, and grand.


    "It''s been so long..."


    Aurelia muttered faintly.


    "....Home."


    In the silence,


    We stepped through the gates.


    Thousands of eyes stopped on us as we entered. All of us.


    Standing on each side, they looked at us.


    The citizens of Ellnor.


    It was a scene that was reminiscent of one from a memory I had buried deep in my mind. The memory of the time when the first subjugation squad had been sent out.


    But in contrast to the warm atmosphere from back then, this one felt cold.


    At least, until...


    p¡ª


    Someone pped.


    p, p¡ª


    What followed the first p was a second, and before I knew it, the entire town had started to p.


    p, p, p¡ª


    Amidst the wee of the crowd, the cold that pierced the world seemed to have shattered.


    What reced it was afortable warmth.


    But our journey wasn''t over yet.


    There was still onest step.


    "Stop."


    Adorned in brand new clothes, Captain Travis stood in front of us. That was when we all stopped.


    "..."


    The pping stopped, and silence took over the ce.


    Without a sound, Captain Travis stared at Aurelia.


    Fiddling with the pocket watch in his hand, he took a deep breath.


    "15.598,467 minutes."


    His voice echoed loudly throughout the entire town.


    "That''s how long it took for you toe back. Not a day has passed where I didn''t count each minute. Like I promised, I didn''t leave. I stayed here to wait for your return..."


    Despite his best attempts, his voice eventually cracked.


    "....I-I stubbornly waited each day. Even as the years passed for your return. Despite everyone telling me that you had died, I knew you would return. I... I..."


    Drip. Drip.


    Tears started to fall down the side of his face.


    "M-my sister promised me. O-f course she''d return."


    Keeping his face straight, he tried his best to stop the tears from spilling.


    But that proved to be an impossible task.


    "I-t must''ve been so painful. To hold on for so long despite everyone hating you. A lot of time has passed, and we thought we had somewhat moved on, but..."


    Lifting his head, he looked around.


    He took in the expressions of the citizens as they looked at the familiar faces of the undead.


    "S-seeing everyone return, you''ve finally given all of us closure. A-and for that, thank you. As the town''s captain, I..."


    Forcing a smile, the Captain brought his arm to his forehead in a salute.


    Drip...! Drip.


    As his tears stained the ground, he stared at Aurelia.


    "S-sister no... Aurelia ckwood. As the Captain in charge of Ellnor, I wee you, and all the members of the subjugation squads back to Ellnor."


    Drip.


    "You can rest now. You''ve done your job."


    "....."


    In the silence that took over shortly after, I met gazes with Aurelia.


    Despite knowing that she was dead, for a brief moment, I thought I saw a smile on her face.


    Not just hers, but Gork''s, Daphne''s, and Liam''s.


    I didn''t say anything to them and just nodded my head.


    ''Go.''


    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!


    The zombies at the back were the first ones to fall.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    Gork, Daphne, and Liam followed shortly after that.


    Andstly...


    Thump!


    Aurelia fell to her knees.


    Without a sound, she stared into the distance.


    "I can rest now...?"


    Her voice yet again reached my ears.


    "You can."


    I replied with a smile.


    "Hehe, it''s a pity."


    "What is...?"


    "I-I wanted to enjoy the scenery for a bit longer, but..."


    She looked at her brother and all the citizens of the town.


    "....This is good too."


    The cold returned.


    It pierced at my skin.


    Aurelia took onest look at the town before finally falling over.


    Thump!


    That day.


    All members of the 255 subjugation squads returned.


    At the helm of it all was Aurelia who brought them all back.


    This was...


    The end of a long journey.


    Her journey.

 Chapter 139 The end of a long journey [3]

    <h4>Chapter 139 The end of a long journey [3]</h4>


    I stared at Aurelia and the others for a long time.


    At that moment, recollections of my time with them shed before my eyes.


    They may have not been alive.


    But to me, they were.


    ".....You came back."


    It was a familiar voice that broke me out of my memories. Before I knew it, Leon was standing beside me, simrly staring at the scene with his usually stoic face.


    "You were taking longer than I expected."


    He handed me something.


    It was a small pearl.


    "It pulsed not too long ago. That''s why I knew you were finally back."


    I grabbed the pearl.


    It was a relic that belonged to the Evenus Households. Its purpose was to detect the general location of those it had locked on. In this case, me. With Leon being my knight and all, it was something that he naturally had.


    If something were to happen to me, he''d be able to find me at any time.


    "..."


    I handed it back to him.


    "You waited until now to ''save'' me?"


    "I thought you''d be fine without my help. You also looked like someone who didn''t need help."


    "You thought wrong."


    ".....Did I?"


    Leon stared at the same scenery that I was looking at.


    The citizens had already surrounded the dead bodies, with many of them embracing the loved ones they once knew.


    I could hear their cries from where I stood.


    They echoed loudly in my mind. Especially when I noticed the people surrounding the members of the first subjugation squads. There were a couple of elderly people and a few young kids.


    "....Is this grandad?"


    "Grandma?"


    "Why do they look so young?"


    "So pretty..."


    For some strange reason, staring at the scene, I recalled a certain conversation that I had with Leon. One that I had not so long ago.


    "You''re right, I guess."


    ".....?"


    I felt Leon''s gaze from the side.


    "About what?"


    "What you said before to me. When we were sitting by the river."


    ''It doesn''t look like you want to die anymore.''


    The words echoed in my mind once more.


    ".....I think you''re right."


    "Think?"


    "Yeah. Think."


    I didn''t understand what he had meant back then, but now I did. Staring at Aurelia and the others, it became clear to me.


    Back then, the only reason I held on was because of my brother.


    Even now, I still held on because of him. My goal still hasn''t changed. I still wanted to go back home to him.


    But...


    "Death..."


    Perhaps, there was more to life than just my brother.


    ".....Yeah, I don''t really want to die."


    That much became clear to me right now.


    For once, I felt like life was worth living.


    *


    Things progressed quickly from there.


    The corpses were all moved away, and the town became quiet again. I felt the cadet''s eyes on me as I walked.


    They were clearly curious as to how I had managed to survive, but before any of them could question me, I was dragged away from the scene.


    "Tell me more about the situation."


    I was currently sitting in a small room with the unfamiliar man.


    He introduced himself as Captain Reijnder. Despite the pressure that wasing out of his body, I didn''t feel intimidated.


    Compared to Aurelia and the Rock Dragon, it was hardly anything.


    "....Apanying a Terror Rank Hellhound, there''s a Rock Dragon. I am not entirely sure about its strength, but it''s definitely stronger than the Hellhound."


    While the Rock Dragon was most probably also Terror Rank, it was after all a Dragon.


    I wasn''t very familiar with the concept of Dragons in this world, but it was safe to assume that they were a tier above regr monsters.


    "It is currently under a strong spell. However, the spell won''tst for long."


    In fact, it was already almost on the verge of breaking.


    "There isn''t much time. If reinforcements don''te, then..."


    I didn''t need to finish my sentence.


    My meaning was clear.


    "..."


    The silence that apanied my statement also served to indicate that the Captain could tell the gravity of the situation.


    "Is there anything else that I need to take note of?"


    "The area is saturated with the [Curse] element. It''s best if you bring someonepetent with [Curse] magic. It''ll be more beneficial when dealing with the Rock Dragon."


    One of the reasons why my spell was able to help Aurelia in sealing the Rock Dragon was because of how dense the surroundings were with the [Curse] element.


    If not for that, this would''ve never been possible.


    "Right, I am already aware of that."


    Captain Reijnder stood up from his seat.


    "...I''ll request the Empire to bring a few more curse specialists. It''ll make things less troublesome."


    Pressing his hand against the table, he deeply looked at me.


    "You did well."


    He said I did well...


    "If what you said is true, you potentially saved me, and my squad."


    "..."


    I sat quietly without saying a word.


    "The same is true for everyone within the town. You''ve saved everyone."


    "..."


    "Take a rest. You deserve it."


    The Captain smiled before turning around and heading for the door. Before he left, his steps paused and he looked at me.


    ".....It''s a pity you aren''t a knight."


    And then he left.


    "....."


    I sat there in silence unsure of what to do.


    "I saved everyone...?"


    Muttering to myself, Iughed.


    While true, I hadn''t done what I did with the intent of saving everyone.


    The only one that I cared to save was myself.


    But it turned out like this.


    "It''s funny."


    The misunderstanding.


    It was a funny misunderstanding.


    "Haa..."


    Rubbing my forehead, I stood up and left the room. The cold yet again pierced my skin. It didn''t really bother me.


    Rather, I was starting to grow used to it.


    ".....Are you done?"


    Coming out of the building, a certain someone greeted me at the entrance.


    "Professor Hollowe?"


    Leon was also next to him.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Nothing, I just wanted to check up on you."


    "You did?"


    How kind of him.


    I opened my arms and showed him my body.


    "As you can see, while I''m a bit battered up, I''m doing fine."


    "I see, that''s good."


    He looked relieved.


    It was strange, but I could more or less understand why he was acting this way.


    "You made the right decision."


    "...Yes?"


    He tilted his head in confusion.


    "To not save me. It was the right decision."


    "....!"


    I''d have done the same if I had been in his position.


    At the same time, it was also my fault. Back then, I had gambled with my own life. The citizens may not have noticed given that they wanted to stop the zombies from entering the town, but looking through the memories of each citizen, I realized something.


    The zombies.


    They never attacked anyone.


    They just mindlessly tried to force their way into the town. Even if the citizens noticed, what else could they have done besides stop them?


    That was why I didn''t react back then and allowed myself to be swallowed up by them.


    It was a gamble that ultimately paid off.


    Still, it was ultimately my decision and if I were to have died, it would''ve all been on me.


    "You had to prioritize the lives of the other cadets. I get it."


    "No, it''s¡ª"


    "There''s something I''m curious about, though."


    I cut him off before he could continue.


    He stopped to look at me.


    "...If I were to have died, would you have taken my body back?"


    "....."


    He stood in silence before nodding his head.


    "Yes. That much, I would''ve done for you."


    "I see."


    It was nice to know.


    Thinking about thest scene of the journey, I sort of realized why Aurelia stubbornly kept bringing the zombies back to this town.


    While it was true that everyone was dead, closure only came after the bodies returned.


    It was a meaningless act, and yet...


    It carried such importance to those that were affected.


    Although I wasn''t sure about who''d feel that way about me, perhaps, the parents of the previous Julien would''ve felt better seeing his body return to them.


    It was just some random thoughts that I had.


    Meaningless thoughts.


    "Although it doesn''t happen often, cadets die on asion. It is inevitable given the world we live in."


    "....."


    "Had your body not been in good condition, we would''ve cremated it before sending it back to your parents."


    Cremated?


    My finger twitched all of a sudden.


    As if sensing my reaction, Professor Hollowe cocked his head.


    "What is it?"


    "No, it''s nothing."


    I turned my head to look away.


    It was fucking stupid.


    "I see. I won''t push you to¡ª"


    "Urn it."


    I muttered quietly.


    "....Um?"


    Pursing my lips, I shook my head and looked away. But just as the Professor was about to speak again, I found myself cutting him off.


    "The cremation. Did I Urn it?"


    ".....!"


    As if realizing what had happened, the Professor''s eyes widened.


    Taking a step back, he pointed at me.


    His expression seemed to say, ''No you did not.''


    Looking back at him, I held onto my mouth. My shoulders were shaking, but I couldn''t help it. It was just... there.


    The chances were too good for me to pass.


    Or so I thought as I stopped smiling the moment the Professor''s expression turned extremely serious.


    "Oh."


    Briefly, I started to regret my actions.


    "You..."


    The look of disapproval from Professor Hollowe was clear to see.


    "....You should be ash-amed of yourself."


    "....!"


    It was my turn to step back.


    He simrly stepped back.


    He did not...


    "You''re good."


    ".....You''re still too young to deal with the likes of me."


    "So it seems..."


    Despite my appearance, I was technically twenty-four years old. I was proud of my jokes. But it became clear to me that there were mountains behind hills.


    I hated to admit it, but he got me.


    "Damn it."


    It pissed me off.


    I was just about to say something else when I paused.


    I felt my expression change.


    The hell...


    "....Hm?"


    As if noticing my strange reaction, Professor Hollowe turned his head. His eyes eventually fell on the same thing I was looking at, and his expression changed.


    ".....!"


    He couldn''t help it.


    Leaning against the outside wall of a building, Leon looked at the sky with a hollow expression. He looked no different than the zombies from before.


    His face was pale, and for a moment, I thought I saw his soul leave his body.


    "Hey! Hey! Are you okay...!?"


    Professor Hollowe shook his body, but it was no use.


    Leon waspletely unresponsive.


    "What''s going on¡ª"


    "He''s fine."


    "Fine? What do you mean fine? Can''t you see his eyes!? They''re so¡ª"


    "Hollowe?"


    ".....!"


    Professor Hollowe''s eyes widened as he let go of Leon.


    This time, it was his turn to look defeated.


    I was about to continue when a dripping sound caught my attention.


    Drip. Drip...!


    When I turned to look at the source, my eyes widened. So did the Professor''s as he hastily grabbed onto Leon''s shoulders and wiped the corner of his mouth with his handkerchief, staining it red.


    "Crap...! Hold on!"


    Hmm, okay.


    Maybe it was serious.

 Chapter 140 The end of the trip [1]

    <h4>Chapter 140 The end of the trip [1]</h4>


    The Empire was quick to act.


    With information about the Rock Dragon, coupled with the confirmation of the Mirror Crack, a new team was sent over in a matter of hours.


    The situation was no longer under control as it had been in the past due to the necromancer.


    Thus, the town of Ellnor weed new faces as an army of knights poured in from the entrance of the city walls.


    Beneath the sun''s re, their golden-ted armors gleamed brightly, presenting an imposing sight to onlookers.


    ".....Not bad."


    Sitting at the top of the castle walls, I breathed the fresh air while looking at the scene from above.


    The collective pressureing out of their bodies made me shudder.


    But if that wasn''t all, a new group emerged from behind. Wearing ck robes with purple stripes, they trailed behind the knights.


    "They should be members of the Magic Tower. Judging from the purple stripes, they should be [Curse] specialists?"


    While most cadets aspired to join a Guild through the draft, there were two other destinations that the cadets wanted to join.


    The Magic Tower, and the Knight''s Council.


    Under the direct control of the Megrail family, they only recruited those who had a certain level of strength and were amongst the very top in the Empire with regards to talent.


    ".....Sounds interesting."


    Either the Guilds or the Magic Tower.


    Such were my options for the future. I wasn''t limited to joining them after graduation. I could join right after the first year.


    For now, I was still unsure of which one to join.


    Not that it currently mattered to me.


    ''I need to get in touch with Aoifeter.''


    There was something that I needed to ask her. It wasn''t anything important. Just wanted to ask her about a certain book that I wanted to buy.


    "Haa."


    Taking my eyes away from them, I looked to my right side.


    "What?"


    "What? What...?"


    I rolled my eyes.


    "You''re the one that showed up out of nowhere."


    "So? I''m just enjoying the scenery."


    "....Okay.


    "Good."


    "...."


    "...."


    Silence returned to the surroundings and I leaned back slightly to take in the breeze. As my hair fluttered, a lock of silver hair fell on my face and I looked at Kiera.


    She looked back at me with a growl.


    "Bastard, what?"


    I brushed her hair away from my face.


    "Move away. Your hair is getting on my face."


    "It happens. It''s long and shit, you know?"


    "That''s why I''m telling you to move."


    "Tsk."


    Kiera clicked her tongue. With a slightly angry look, she aggressively ced her hand in her pocket and shoved something onto my chest.


    "Here."


    ".....?"


    I looked down in confusion. When I did, I blinked several times to make sure I was seeing correctly.


    Kiera''s voice came shortly after.


    "So, like..."


    "...."


    "That, shit you know?"


    "....?"


    "Ah, fuck. Whatever. I just owed you and stuff. I thought you had died and I felt shitty for not having paid you. Kind of felt like I robbed you and shit."


    "...."


    "What?"


    In the middle of her speech, she bit her lips.


    "Just wanted to make sure that the next time you die I won''t owe you shit."


    This girl...


    "I''ll take it."


    Holding back myugh, I put the money in my pocket.


    In the end, she did all of this because she felt bad she never had the chance to pay me for the tutoring lessons.


    ''Usually people are happy to not pay for stuff.''


    I guess she was different.


    "Thanks."


    "¡­.Sure."


    I thought she''d leave after that but she continued to stay. Meeting my line of sight, she pursed her lips and leaned forward to stare at the scenery beneath.


    "....."


    "There''s still a few things that I need you to teach me."


    "Teach you?"


    "Uh, yeah. It''s like¡ªUkeh!"


    Kiera let out a strange sound as my fist came smacking against her head.


    Holding onto the top of her head, she red at me.


    "The fuck was that for?!"


    ".....I said it before. Stop relying on me."


    "No, that¡ª"


    "You should already know how to study by now. You don''t need me."


    "....."


    Still ring at me, Kiera remained silent.


    "Kiera."


    "What...?"


    "Nothing."


    "Uh?"


    There was actually something that I wanted to ask but realized she probably wouldn''t know either. It was about the thing with Aoife but recalling her rtionship with her, I realized it was meaningless to ask.


    "What? Don''t leave me hanging like that?"


    "I said it''s nothing."


    "No, fuck... You can''t just say that after making me curious."


    "I just did."


    "Ah..."


    Her mouth closed to a pout.


    ''Fucking shit,'' muttering curses under her breath, she eventually let it go.


    "Whatever, I''m leaving."


    Waving her hand in dismissal, Kiera finally turned around to leave.


    I stared at her back for a brief moment before finally shifting my attention back to the scenery beneath. Or so I thought.


    "Oy."


    Hearing Kiera''s voice, I turned my head.


    "....."


    The words that I was about to say never left my mouth. How could they when I didn''t know how to react at what I was seeing. Standing a few meters away from me, Kiera held her middle finger in the air.


    "Take that you scum."


    ***


    Below.


    Near the entrance of Ellnor.


    "It''s nice to see you again, Princess."


    Aoife stared at the man kneeling before her and then the several dozen kneeling behind him. She had vague recollections of him, but that wasn''t important.


    ".....There''s no need for such formalities with me. Right now, I''m a cadet at the Haven Institute. Treat me as such."


    "I''m sorry but that''s a difficult quest for us."


    Aoife pursed her lips.


    While it was true that she was the Princess of the Empire and the people before her were her subordinates, Aoife felt their attitudes to be rather burdensome.


    Especially when she took note of the way the cadets around her were looking at her.


    It made her want to sigh.


    Still, holding herself back, she acknowledged their presence.


    "Alright. That''s fine, I guess."


    Her gaze swept over the dozen members of the Knight''s council and Magic Tower.


    Each and every one of the people present boasted incredible power, and with just a singlemand from hers, they''d move at hermand.


    While she did have the authority to issue them orders, it was only limited to her title.


    Perhaps, one day she''d be able to fullymand both the Magic Tower and the Knight''s council.


    "How are the preparations?"


    ".....We are ready to depart at any time. We''ve already sent several scouting teams in advance, and the reports are true. A Rock Dragon has been found."


    "I see."


    Aoife nodded her head slightly.


    Even though she was still stuck in Ellnor, she could more or less guess that the Empire was in a state of uproar.


    It had been a long time since a ''Dragon'' type species had appeared within the kingdom.


    They were extremely rare, and at the same time extremely fierce.


    But that wasn''t the reason why the Empire was in uproar. The reason why the Empire was probably in uproar was because there was a high likelihood that the Rock Dragon would have a transfusable bone.


    Unlike most creatures that had a small chance of containing a transfusable bone, ''Dragon'' type creatures had a greater chance of dropping such bones.


    Not only that, but the [Innate] ability they would grant to the user would also be in a league of its own.


    ....Anding from a Terror Rank creature, Aoife could already foresee the trouble that was destined toe in the future.


    ''I wonder what they''ll do with the bone.''


    In a way, the news was both a blessing and a disaster for the Empire.


    Terror Rank bones were extremely rare let alone one that belonged to a [Dragon] type creature.


    Whoever came into possession of such bone would most likely soar in the future.


    The other Empires were probably aware of that.


    The likelihood of them doing something in the future was rather high. Especially when considering that such events had urred in the past.


    As such, Aoife found the situation to be both a blessing and a disaster.


    Aoife could already feel the iing headache.


    And all of this was because of one person.


    "....."


    Raising her head, Aoife stared at the city walls above her. At that moment, her gaze paused on a certain person. Lazily leaning on top of the walls, his cold gaze swept the area beneath with no regard.


    He was someone that should''ve been dead and yet wasn''t.


    If not for him, none of this would''ve happened. Even now, she was curious as to how he had done it.


    For some strange reason, the more Aoife knew about him, the more mysterious he became to her.


    His skills, which she had previously thought were lower than hers, proved to be superior to hers.


    Not only that, but he was also able to survive an encounter with several Terror-rank creatures and a necromancer.


    It was ridiculous.


    He was ridiculous.


    "Haa..."


    And yet, letting out a long sigh, Aoife couldn''t help but be impressed.


    And that was also,


    ".....Ridiculous."


    ***


    That night.


    Leon returned to his room and immediately slumped over the wooden chair.


    "...."


    He sat there in silence.


    He liked the silence.


    Today, he hade dangerously close to his death. The memories of his childhood shed before his eyes in those moments.


    Such memories...


    "....Never again."


    What do I even do about it? Leon pondered about the situation. It had been manageable before, but things took a drastic turn at ''his'' arrival.


    "It''s as if there''s two of him."


    He was already having a hard time dealing with one. How was he going to deal with two of them...?


    It was impossible.


    Holding back his frustrations, Leon sighed and prepared to get to bed. It waste, and he was feeling extremely tired.


    In particr, his head ached.


    "....."


    He had just arrived at his bed when he frowned.


    There was something about it that didn''t seem quite right about it. By nature, Leon was a paranoid person.


    It had been something that he developed over the years of being hunted.


    For that reason, he noticed the slightly dispositioned cushions, and wrinkles that hadn''t been on his bed before he left.


    "....Someone''s been here."


    Leon deeply stared at his bed before his head flicked to look around. His eyes quickly scanned the room for anything else that seemed out of order, but it was all just as he remembered.


    The only difference was his bed.


    ''Did a cleaningdy stop by...?''


    It was a possibility. Yeah, it was...


    Swoosh¡ª


    With quick movements, Leon flicked the bedsheets up and gripped his sword. He was ready. He was prepared.


    ....Or so he thought.


    "H-ho."


    His entire body froze at the sight that greeted him.


    An innate fear he hadn''t experienced in a very long time took over his entire body as his expression crumbled.


    Ssh¡ª


    Just faintly, he could hear the sound of something sshing in the distance. But that didn''t make sense.


    There was no river nearby.


    "O-oh, no..."


    Leon took a step back.


    "C-cursed. I-I knew it... I-was right..."


    His entire hand was trembling.


    He just couldn''t understand how this was possible.


    Leon blinked to make sure he wasn''t seeing things. Unfortunately, the image didn''t change.


    "H-ha..."


    His chest trembled as a result.


    A book rested on his bed. It was wet, staining the sheets beneath it. But that wasn''t the problem.


    He recognized the book.


    How could he not when he distinctively remembered throwing it in the river.


    <Fun Jokes that will make youugh all day>


    With a pale face, he took several more steps back.


    "Cursed..."


    It really was cursed.

 Chapter 141 The end of the trip [2]

    <h4>Chapter 141 The end of the trip [2]</h4>


    The sun rose from the east, casting an orange light on the rocky terrain.


    Crunch...!


    The silence that took over the surroundings was broken by the single sound of a step.


    "We''re close."


    Captain Reijnder stopped and turned around. Behind him, several dozen knights neatly lined up. Their golden armor gleamed beneath the sun''s re, making them look all the more imposing.


    Standing in formation, they protected the magicians who stood at the back.


    "Captain, here is the report."


    Receiving a paper from one of the knight members, the captain read the contents before frowning.


    ".....We need to hurry."


    Handing the paper back, he beckoned the members with his hand.


    "The fight has already started. Let''s hurry."


    Indeed, just as the report stated. The moment they arrived at the destination, pulses of mana swept the surroundings as the heavy sound of metal shing reverberated through the air.


    nk, nk, nk--


    Members of the advanced squad were already fully engaged with the Hellhounds who attacked fiercely.


    Awooo--!


    Their howls pierced the air.


    "Foolish...!"


    Standing close to them, the Captain signaled with his hand and the knights behind him charged forward.


    The same was true for the members of the Magic Tower who cast all sorts of spells toward the Hellhounds.


    Awooo--! Awooo--!


    Their unexpected interference took the Hellhounds by surprise as they howled in the sky.


    But it was toote.


    Pfft--!


    Blood spilled into the air.


    It was a brutal scene. Even the Terror Ranked Hellhound wasn''t spared from the massacre. With over a dozen Tier 5 knights attacking together, its resistance was futile.


    In a matter of minutes, its body cleaved in half.


    Thump!


    "We are done."


    "....All Hellhounds have been cleared."


    Once all was said and done, the Knights and Magicians went on to report to the Captain who stood before arge boulder.


    His expression was grim.


    "This is a lot more difficult than I anticipated."


    Why am I shaking? The captain wondered, staring at his trembling hand. Supposedly, he shouldn''t be scared considering the squad he was with. Even so, the innate fear that the Dragon brought wasn''t something he could brush off.


    "....It makes one wonder how a single squad from such a small town was able to reduce it to such a state."


    In all honesty, the answer was obvious.


    The Rock Dragon had most likely still been in its infant stages back then. The Mirror Crack must''ve just formed, and the Dragon was still not fully limated to the new environment.


    Typically, the best time to deal with monstersing from the Mirror Crack was during their first appearance.


    The environment within the Mirror Dimension and the outside world was quite different.


    It took time for the creatures to get used to the new environment, making such a situation the most ideal for humans.


    "It''s a pity we only found it now."


    With thirty years having passed, although it had been sealed, its body was now most likely ustomed to the environment and it had reached full maturity.


    It was for that reason that the pressure felt overpowering.


    "Get the preparations done quickly!"


    There was not much time to waste.


    The only reason he had been standing still and waiting was because he alone had no chance of killing the Rock Dragon.


    It wasn''t its strength that was terrifying, no.


    What was truly terrifying about the creature was itsrge and almost imprable outeryer.


    .....He couldn''t defeat the Rock Dragon.


    It wasn''t his job to defeat it.


    He was only here to block it if anything were to happen.


    The same was true for the knights. Their job was to protect the magicians who were getting ready to cast arge spell.


    They were currently the only ones that were capable of subduing the Rock Dragon.


    "How lon--!!"


    The captain''s words fell short.


    Staring ahead, he caught sight of his own reflection.


    At that moment, his entire body shuddered and he brought his hand toward his broadsword.


    "Get ready...!"


    Rumble! Rumble!


    His words were apanied by a rumbling.


    The boulder shook, and so did the surroundings.


    "Akh...!"


    "Ah!"


    Fully focused on therge spell they were preparing to cast, many of the mages were caught off-guard, losing their footing in the process.


    "Protect the mages...!"


    The knights stood in formation.


    "It''s awakening! Raise your shields!"


    Captain Reijnder held his broadsword forward. A tremendous wave of mana poured out of his body.


    Rumble--!


    The ground continued to shake.


    In the chaos, rocks fell down therge boulder as something protruded out from its back.


    Swoosh, Swoosh--!


    Two distinctive shadows cast over the knights.


    The atmosphere surrounding the terrain changed.


    "Don''t panic! Stay in formation...! Protect the magicians!"


    Captain Reijnder continued to bark orders.


    In the meantime, the color around them started to fade.


    The world turned gray.


    And the captain felt his heart squeeze.


    The same was true for the knights who silently swallowed their saliva as they cranked their necks to look up.


    Swoosh, swoosh--!


    Lifting from the ground, a strong gale poured down on the knights.


    At that moment, the Captain looked up.


    His eyes locked onto the Dragon''s.


    And then...


    Roooooooar--!


    The Dragon roared.


    After thirty years.


    It had finally awakened.


    ***


    ----Moments prior.


    Ellnor.


    I stood amidst several graveyards, enveloped by greenery. With a light heart, I sank to the ground.


    "You''ve finally decided to visit us...?"


    "Hur. Hur. Took you long enough to visit us."


    "It was getting quite annoying staying with these three. Good thing you''vee."


    I could still hear the voices of Daphne, Gork, and Liam in the distance.


    Couldn''t help it considering that I was standing before their graves. They were well polished, and flowers filled the space beneath.


    There were many of them, and I could even see a few letters scattered.


    I was tempted to open them, but I held myself back.


    It was none of my business.


    Instead, I focused on their graves.


    "It''s not bad."


    Their graves.


    They were quite beautiful.


    "What do you think? Mine has more flowers than that big bastard."


    "¡­. It''s not apetition."


    "Stop."


    It was odd, but the three just wouldn''t stop talking. The funniest part was that they were just fruits of my own imagination.


    Not that it mattered.


    To me, they were alive.


    Within me.


    "Haaa¡­"


    I leaned back to stare at the sky. The sun hung brightly, casting its light on the graveyard beneath.


    Hundreds of graves encircled the space, each one belonging to a member of the subjugation squads. I knew the names of each and every one of them.


    In a way, it was because I knew everyone that I felt a little overwhelmed.


    "Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    ".....You going to keep ignoring us?"


    Drowning out the noise from the three, I leaned back and basked in the rare warmthing from the sun.


    ''¡­.Can''t say this was a bad trip.''


    I started to reminisce about my time here.


    In particr, I thought about my gains.


    While my tier may not have risen by much, my overall strength was far stronger than it had been in the past.


    Not only was I able to upgrade [Hands of Mdy] to [Grip of Pestilence] but I was also able to gain a lot of memories.


    Gork''s, Daphne''s, Liam''s, Aurelia''s and so on¡­


    I had lost count of the number of memories I had looked at.


    It had to be noted that every member of the subjugation squad had been amongst the strongest warriors within the town.


    In essence, I had over several dozen memories from them.


    That meant that I had a lot of untapped knowledge that could be useful further down the line.


    I still hadn''t gone through them and sorted them out, but if I were to, then I was confident I''d be able to further improve my strength.


    It didn''t end just there.


    While many memories were of no use to me, such as those that belonged to knights, they weren''t technically unusable.


    Well, to me they were.


    But that didn''t mean they were useless for others.


    What if I were to teach them to others? ¡­Or what if I could sell them?


    Would I even be able to do that...?


    Would it be disrespectful to them?


    "¡­.."


    I pondered for a moment before shaking my head.


    They were dead.


    What point was there to think about such a thing?


    Either way, teaching others the techniques I knew wasn''t exactly easy considering that I only had superficial knowledge about the techniques.


    But at the very least, it helped me understand how others fought.


    If I encountered someone with simr fighting styles, I''d know more about how they fought, making things easier for me.


    "Haa¡­"


    Letting out a long breath, I closed my eyes.


    Only for me to open them up again as I turned to look in the "¡­.Terrifying."


    Sensing the energying off from the distance, I shuddered.


    distance.


    "It has begun."


    The fight with the Rock Dragon.


    I could tell from a nce that it wasn''t a fight that I could''ve ever hoped to be able to participate in.


    Perhaps one day, but not the current me.


    "It''s a bit of a pity."


    I was thinking about the Dragon bone.


    It would''ve certainly helped me out a lot.


    Unfortunately, I had no way of killing the Dragon.


    The same was true for the Hellhounds.


    Still, I was satisfied with my gains.


    I only had four more bones that I could integrate within me.


    I needed to be careful with what I needed to add.


    Especially since I couldn''t remove a bone after integrating with it. Once I integrated with a bone, that was it. There were no takebacks.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Feeling the breeze, I ruffled my hair and stood up.


    It was time for me to return.


    Standing up, I looked towards the distance. There I could see Daphne and the others waving at me.


    "You''re leaving already?"


    This time, I nodded.


    "What?! You only just came!"


    "You didn''t even talk to us!"


    The three red at me and Iughed to myself.


    ".....Next time."


    "Tsk, whatever."


    "Don''t break your promise though. It gets quite lonely in here."


    "Sure."


    I smiled and in the next moment, they vanished from my sight.


    That was except for a single figure who stood in the distance.


    With short blonde hair and blue eyes, she sat on top of a ck tombstone. She looked young. About 14 years of age.


    With her legs dangling over the tombstone, she looked up.


    Meeting my gaze, she raised her hand and waved.


    In the next moment, she too disappeared.


    "¡­.."


    Just like that, I found myself standing in the graveyard by myself.


    I took in the sight before me and closed my eyes.


    Without looking back, I headed back into the town.


    This journey.


    ¡­..It had alsoe to an end for me.

 Chapter 142 The end of the trip [3]

    <h4>Chapter 142 The end of the trip [3]</h4>


    It was unfortunate, but I was never able to see the fight between the members of the Empire and the Rock Dragon.


    We were evacuated from the town shortly after the fight began and sent back to the Academy.


    The same was true for the town natives who were brought back to the Academy for temporary shelter.


    Everything moved by so fast that before I knew it, we were all back in the Academy.


    "It''s Sunday today. You just came back from a long trip. Take some time to cool off. sses will resume as usual tomorrow."


    Professor Bridgette''s voice echoed from the front.


    Her words were apanied by subtle groans. Couldn''t be helped, everyone was tired and nobody looked forward to resuming sses so fast.


    I was the same.


    "Oh, right."


    And then, as if recalling something, Professor Bridgette smacked her palm with her fist before smiling.


    It was a smile that gave one chills.


    "Your test results. They''lle out tomorrow."


    "....Hiek!"


    I heard a strange sound from the back.


    There was no need to look. I could more or less guess who had made the sound.


    "Well then."


    Professor Bridgette pped her hands.


    "Enjoy your day off!"


    She proceeded to leave shortly after that.


    The same was true for the other cadets. Sadly, I wasn''t one to have such privilege. Turning around, my eyes locked with Professor Hollowe''s.


    He had an unusually serious expression.


    "Get ready. They''re waiting."


    ".....Yes."


    Unlike the others, I didn''t get to rest.


    Understandable considering what had happened to me. The Academy wanted a rification of what had happened.


    It was for this reason that I was being singled out.


    "Let''s go."


    Professor Hollow had just turned to head in the direction of where we were supposed to go when I caught sight of a certain figure in the distance.


    With a pale face, the ring ck circles beneath his eyes especially stood out. In particr, I could hear his faint mutterings from where I was, ''cursed... knew it... book...''


    Just a bunch of nonsense.


    As if noticing the abnormality in him, the Professor stopped.


    "Looks like the situation is a lot more serious than anticipated."


    ".....Yeah."


    "What do you think happened?"


    "I wonder..."


    My lips twitched.


    "Maybe, he didn''t sleep."


    "Nightmares?"


    ".....Hmm, probably."


    "Isn''t he your knight? You don''t seem particrly worried."


    "No, I''m very worried."


    "Really...?"


    The Professor tilted his head to take a better look at me.


    After a few seconds, he leaned his head back.


    "I don''t see it."


    "I''ve been told I''ve got a very stoic face."


    "Huh, I guess."


    Taking another look at me, the Professor eventually shook his head.


    "Well, that''s fine. I''ll check up on himter. Let''s see if my worries are meaningless."


    "....Sure."


    Like that, the two of us left.


    ***


    "Huuu."


    It waste into the night, and I stood outside the interrogation Hall.


    The interrogation took more than a few hours. Facing the heads of the Academy, I could only ry to them everything that had happened in the time that I had ''died''.


    Of course, I omitted a lot of information considering that a lot of them had to do with my second ability.


    Nheless, I was able to get out of there without revealing too much.


    Even if they were skeptical, it wasn''t as though they could force information out of me.


    Especially since I ended up resolving the entire incident by myself.


    "Hmm, right."


    I paused for a moment.


    ".....Now that I think about it, I did resolve the entire situation by myself."


    At the very least, the necromancer part.


    "You did."


    A familiar voice sounded from behind me.


    When I turned to look, I found Delh standing a few meters away from me.


    "Chancellor?"


    Instinctively, I reached out for my pocket but stopped when I realized it was empty.


    "....."


    Feeling her gaze, I pursed my lips.


    "Just came back, so..."


    "....?"


    "...Got nothing on me."


    "Oh."


    Delh''s eye twitched.


    "I''m not here for that."


    Why do you look so disappointed then?


    "Anyways, I have a couple of things that I need to speak to you about."


    ".....A couple of things?"


    "Yes."


    "First thing."


    Delh waved her hand and handed me a letter.


    "This is?"


    "An invitation to an important event that will take ce in a month. You can check it outter and if you want toe, tell me."


    "Uh?"


    Before I could even voice my doubts, she continued.


    "Other than that, the results of the Jovinc Award will also be revealed soon. I''ve been asked to ry the information to you. You will soon receive an invitation for it."


    Jovinc Award...?


    It took me a couple of seconds to remember, and when I did, I smacked the palm of my hand.


    "Ah."


    It was the acting award.


    ''Good, I need some money.''


    The award was going to be a great opportunity.


    I didn''t vote for myself for no reason.


    Just as I thought that was it for the information, Delh spoke again,


    "There''s something else."


    "More...?"


    What else was there?


    "Although we haven''t discussed what exactly it is, we''re nning on rewarding you."


    "..."


    It took a moment for me to process her words, but when I did, I opened my eyes slightly.


    I wasn''t surprised by the news.


    Rather, I was hoping it would happen. I did after all do a lot of the work.


    "What sort of reward?"


    I made sure to contain my excitement as I spoke.


    "Undecided."


    "Can I decide?"


    "...It depends."


    "Hm?"


    Depends?


    Depend on what?


    "The Academy isn''t the only one that is considering rewarding you."


    I blinked for a moment before realizing,


    "The Megrail family?"


    ".....Correct."


    I closed my eyes for a brief moment.


    Right.


    Yet again, I wasn''t surprised.


    "It''ll either be like this,"


    Delh spoke again.


    "The Megrail family contributes individually. And if such a case urs, we''ll also reward you individually. Or, we both decide on a reward together. The decision hasn''t been made yet. A major reason we interrogated you today was to decide what option we''ll go with."


    "I see."


    That made sense.


    Realistically speaking, I was fine with either option.


    Either two rewards or one bigger reward. I was fine with either. Especially since I couldn''t choose.


    "....Is that all?"


    "Yes."


    "Hm."


    I nodded my head slightly.


    This was quite a pleasant piece of news.


    ''I wonder what type of reward they''ll give me.''


    A better manual? A bone? Money...?


    I''d be fine with either one of those three rewards. However, if I did have to choose, then it''d be money.


    After all, with the right amount of money, I could buy something simr to the first and second rewards of my own choosing.


    "I will update you more on the first two pieces of information that I told you."


    Delh''s voice broke me out of my thoughts. Looking up, she was staring back at me with her inky ck eyes.


    ''Again...''


    A familiar sensation washed over me the moment I looked into her eyes.


    The sensation...


    It was familiar to the one that I felt when meeting the Dragon''s eye.


    ''Is there a corrtion...?''


    It was odd, but for some reason, I didn''t feel disturbed by the sensation.


    Rather, it felt as though I could do something simr.


    ''Uh, maybe I''m going crazy.''


    Not yet, but given time, perhaps it was possible.


    My fingers twitched.


    I really wanted to ask her more about it, but before I knew it, her figure had already vanished from my sight.


    "Ah..."


    I hadn''t even noticed.


    Leaning my head back, I let out a long breath.


    Perhaps next time.


    There was no need for me to rush it.


    Especially since I was just going based on spection.


    ***


    The first thing that Kiera did upon returning back to her room was clean up her ce. Changing into a set of casual clothes, she started to polish every nook and cranny of her room.


    A week had passed since she had left her dorm and while it had been clean since thest time that she had left dust had started to umte.


    Kiera couldn''t stand such dust.


    So,


    Brush. Brush.


    Kiera started to clean.


    From the area beneath her bed to the corners of the room. She left nothing untouched and within an hour she was done.


    ".....Phew."


    Wiping her forehead, she looked around the room.


    It was sparkling.


    .....At least, in her mind.


    "Better."


    Only now did she feel satisfied and rxed.


    Going to her bed, she opened one of her drawers and paused. Locking eyes with the box resting there, her expression changed.


    "Fuck me."


    It had been a while since she hadst seen it.


    ...Been a while.


    "Crazy."


    This was an all-time record for her.


    For an entire week, she hadn''t had any cravings to smoke.


    It used to be a daily thing, but...


    "Haha. This is fucking nuts."


    Kiera had mixed feelings about this.


    Especially since the reason she stopped smoking was silly.


    "Sniff, sniff."


    Pinching her shirt up to her nose, she sniffed it.


    "Even the smell is gone."


    Kiera felt that she was almost unrecognizable.


    .....She was starting to change.


    "Haa..."


    Tossing the pack back into the drawer, Kiera dropped on her bed and nkly stared at the ceiling of the room.


    For a moment, she let herself drift into her own thoughts.


    "....."


    She remained like that until eventually, she pursed her lips.


    "I''ll get the results of my exams tomorrow."


    The grading system within Haven was rather simple.


    From F to A.


    Kiera''s grade bordered the E''s and D''s.


    Never in her life had she ever received anything above a C.


    Was tomorrow going to be the first time for her...?


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    For some reason, Kiera started to feel strangely nervous at the thought.


    She was confident of getting an E, perhaps even a D.


    However,


    ".....I don''t want that."


    It wasn''t even because she wanted to prove her own efforts.


    Rather, it was more because it would serve to further prove the fact that she was changing.


    Just maybe...


    "No, fuck."


    Kiera pped the sides of her cheeks.


    "Don''t get ahead of yourself bitch. There''s no guarantee that you did well."


    Flipping her body to the side, she tucked herself into bed and closed her eyes.


    ".....Right, there''s no need to get my hopes up."

 Chapter 143 Progression Analysis [1]

    <h4>Chapter 143 Progression Analysis [1]</h4>


    The next day.


    It was finally time for the results of the exams to be revealed.


    "Huu... Huu... Huu..."


    Kiera sat in her seat with her eyes closed. Though she was trying her best, she was unable to stop herself from breathing heavily.


    She was nervous.


    Very nervous.


    After all, she was going to see whether her efforts had paid off or not. The fact that failure would mean expulsion didn''t mean much to her.


    No, that was a lie.


    It did mean something.


    However, when taking into ount that this had been the very first time she had actually tried to do well in an exam, that concern seemed rather irrelevant to her.


    For once, she wanted her effort to be acknowledged.


    "Huuu..."


    "Can you stop?"


    "....Uh?"


    Kiera blinked and looked to the side.


    Josephine, sitting a few spaces to her right was ring at her.


    "What are you, in heat? I can''t focus when you''re breathing so heavily!"


    "....?"


    "Huu! Huu! Huu! The hell..."


    "....."


    For the first time in a very long time, Kiera didn''t know how to retort.


    In heat?


    When what she said did sink in, her expression crumbled.


    "Oy bit¡ª"


    "I will now be handing over your examination papers back."


    Kiera''s words were abruptly cut by Professor Bridgette''s. Her head flicked, and her back unconsciously straightened.


    "We had two written exams. I will be handing the papers to all of you at once. I''ve graded them all during the trip and double-checked. If you aren''t satisfied with your mark you cane talk to me and we''ll see if adjustments can be made."


    Professor Bridgette proceeded to hand over the papers one by one.


    A strange silence suddenly took over the ssroom as the cadets who received the papers immediately flipped over the pages to look at their scores.


    Some showed looks of despair while others showed looks of excitement.


    It was a bit of both.


    Flip, flip, flip¡ª


    The sound of the pages being flipped was agonizing to Kiera.


    Licking her lips, she rubbed her hands together. They had unknowingly be rather sweaty.


    And then,


    "Here you go."


    Her papers finally came.


    "....."


    Kiera sat still for a moment. Though the papers were right before her, for some reason her mind nked.


    It was just...


    "Ah, fuck."


    Kiera pinched her arm.


    ''.....Since when have I been such a pussy?''


    Right, it was just a fucking exam result. Or at least, Kiera kept repeating to herself before reaching out for the first paper and turning it over.


    Score : 17/63 [27%]


    Grade : E


    Her body froze and her hand trembled.


    For a brief moment, her mind nked. To the point where Josephine, who had already looked through her paper, managed to sneak a nce.


    "Wow. Damn."


    All it took was the sound of her voice to make her snap out of it.


    Blinking, Kiera massaged her mouth.


    ''Right, this is to be expected.''


    This wasn''t the paper that she had studied for.


    That one was,


    "....Uh?"


    Where was it?


    Looking around, Kiera started to panic. It was just in front of me, where in the world... And then, her face twisted.


    The paper. It was in none other than Josephine''s hands.


    "Oy, what are you..."


    She was just about to snatch it back when she noticed the expression on Josephine''s face. It was as if she had seen a ghost.


    "T-this... What, no? Eh?"


    "....?"


    The hell was this bitch...


    "What did you do?"


    Josephine''s gaze slowly traveled towards Kiera.


    ".....H-how much did you sell your hands for? Who in the right mind would even pay for that?"


    "Uh? What...? Give me that!"


    Kiera snapped the paper from Josephine''s hand.


    Then, lowering her gaze, she looked at the score.


    "Ah..."


    Kiera couldn''t quite tell what sort of expression she was currently making, but she could more or less guess.


    It was probably something simr to Josephine''s, but...


    ".....Hehe."


    Augh soon escaped her lips.


    As if some sort of spell had been cast over her, all her stress vanished in that moment. Her hands felt tingly, and so did her body.


    Biting her lips, she looked at the score again.


    And again...


    And again...


    Maybe, one more time?


    Score : 48/71 [68%]


    Grade : B


    "Hehe."


    For the first time in her life.


    Kiera felt like she had achieved something with her own merit.


    And,


    It felt great.


    ***


    Karlson Hall.


    I found myself in the familiar training grounds.


    The morning sses were over and it was now time for the afternoon sses. The results from the examination were one B and an A.


    A score that was below what I expected of myself.


    However, I wasn''t disheartened.


    ''It hasn''t been long since I''vee to this world. It''s already a miracle that I was able to get such grades.''


    No, rather than a miracle, it was more like the fruits of my own work.


    Right, I had worked for those results.


    "The first semester has already ended. It''s been several months since you all have taken your progression analysis. With the exams over, it is now time to check on your overall progress."


    Professor Olivia J. Kelson started to exin.


    "Everyone should already be familiar with the process. Given how we have already done this before, I don''t think there''s a need for me to introduce you to the examination, right?"


    Nobody said a thing. Clearly, everyone was already familiar with the process. The same was true for me. I mean, how could I forget? It was here that I bled from my eyes.


    "Perfect."


    The Professor pped her hands.


    "Since you are all familiar with the process. Let''s get started!"


    Pointing at the different stations, she went on to say,


    "The groups will be the same asst time. The assistant professor in charge of you will also be the same."


    My mouth twitched slightly.


    Great...


    "Off you go."


    Following her words, the cadets dispersed. I was the same and headed towards a burly man with thick eyebrows and a bald head.


    Gilbert was it?


    Whatever.


    Not worth remembering.


    Unlike thest time, he didn''t openly look at me with hostility. It was a lot more subdued thanst time.


    Nheless, I could still feel that it was there.


    "Gather around, cadets."


    I didn''t make a scene and just followed along.


    Doing a quick headcount he put the pad down and led us towards a familiar spot.


    "The order will be the same asst time. Our first test will be the mana test."


    Within a space norger than a ssroom, a sizable magic circle adorned the ground. Positioned above it, a desk held three distinctive orbs.


    "Since most of you are already familiar with the process, I won''t say much."


    He turned to look at me and I stepped up.


    "First test. Mana concentration test. ce your hand on the orb."


    All eyes fell on me then.


    "..."


    Without a sound, I followed his instructions and ced my hand on the orb. At the same time that I did, I channeled my mana into the orb.


    Mana started to drain from my body as a white glow spread out from the orb.


    It wasn''t quite blinding, but enough to make me squint.


    The process didn''t take very long.


    By the time I was done, I received my score.


    "Score value; 2.581."


    His words were met with a subtle silence.


    ".....Your previous score. 1.716. An improvement of 0.865."


    When I turned my head to look at him, I almost smiled. His expression. It looked like he had swallowed a bug.


    "Grade; Excellent."


    I felt likeughing but held myself back and moved on to the next orb.


    The mana purity orb.


    "..."


    Unlike the previous examination, I was rather nervous about this one.


    Mana purity wasn''t something that could be changed easily. It signified the degree to which the body converted the mana in the air into usable mana.


    The purer the mana, the more powerful and effective a spell was.


    ''My previous score was tainted. I wonder what mine is now.''


    "ce your hand on the orb."


    Having recovered from the previous score, the assistant professor nudged at the orb before me.


    I did as he asked and ced my hand on the orb.


    A familiar glow surfaced from the surface of the orb. Itsted no more than a couple of seconds before the assistant''s voice rang again.


    "Mana Purity; Standard."


    Standard...


    ''So it really did improve.''


    I had somewhat of a hunch from back in Ellnor. I had felt it from my mana flow, and the subtle increase in power of my spells despite not having ranked up in any other way.


    The real question was,


    "How?"


    The assistant professor''s voice broke me out of my thoughts.


    When I turned to look, he had an incredulous look on his face.


    ".....How did you manage to improve your purity and quantity at the same time?"


    He wasn''t the only one that was looking at me strangely. Almost all the other present cadets were giving me the same looks.


    I couldn''t me them.


    After all, it was hard to improve one''s mana purity while at the same time improving the quantity.


    "Did you eat some sort of medicine? Some¡ª"


    Ignoring him, I ced my hand on thest orb and channeled my mana.


    It was simply my own way of saying.


    Mind your own business.


    *


    The physical exam came after. Unlike the previous test, I hadn''t improved much in this aspect, but there were still improvements.


    Having integrated a bone in my body, it was only natural that my physical fitness increased by a few degrees.


    That was excluding the fact that I trained every single day.


    To me, such improvements were to be expected.


    ''.....I''m also not the only one that improved a lot.''


    "What a monster. I can''t believe he scored 3.671 on the physical score. Doesn''t that mean he''s close to reaching Tier 4? That''s on the level of our Professors..."


    "Aoife too. She scored 3.553 on the physical score. And that''s not even her forte. Evelyn and Kiera also improved significantly."


    "Why did we have to be in the same year as these monsters?"


    Such scores were to be expected from them.


    I wasn''t the only one that was training like crazy every day.


    Further onto that, with maybe the exception of Leon, the others had ess to far better resources than I had.


    There was no point inparing myself to them.


    "Julien."


    I only snapped out of my thoughts when my name was called up. Looking up, I headed forward and took a seat.


    nk¡ª


    A ck bracelet mped down on my wrist.


    It was time for thest test. The mental examination test. I could still recall the exact details of it.


    This was the one test I could never forget.


    I was just about to get myself mentally ready for the iing pain when a hand pressed against my shoulder.


    "Let me warn you."


    It was Professor Kelson.


    She was looking at me with a serious expression.


    ".....Moderate yourself, cadet. I don''t want you to go blind likest time. If something simr tost time happens, I''ll end the examinations and fail you on the spot."


    Her voice was firm.


    I could tell at a nce that she was being extremely serious.


    "Okay."


    But that was fine.


    ''My body should be able to hold out this time.''


    Previously, my body had been what set me back. Things were different now. I was sure it could hold out for longer.


    The real question was whether I could withstand the pain.


    Pain...


    Right, pain.


    I no longer carried a single pain.


    I closed my eyes and let the darkness take hold of my vision.


    Within the darkness, over a dozen figures appeared.


    Each figure carried a different pain.


    A pain that I experienced and was all too familiar with.


    From the pain of burning alive, to the pain of being tortured every day and brainwashed.


    Within me, I carried such pains.


    This test,


    I wasn''t the same asst time.


    "....."


    Opening my eyes, I realized that my surroundings were quiet.


    All eyes were on me.


    Be it the Professor''s and the cadets from the different areas


    At this moment, I was the center of attention.


    Fine.


    I''ll show you.


    Our pain.


    I looked at the Professor.


    "Start it."

 Chapter 144 Progression Analysis [2]

    <h4>Chapter 144 Progression Analysis [2]</h4>


    "That marks the end of your examination. I will hand over your scorester. For those that haven''t seen a massive jump in their scores, please don''t be disheartened. There will always be a next time."


    Hearing the assistant Professor''s words, a few cadets showed downcast expressions and nodded.


    The harsh reality of the matter was that not everyone was able to improve significantly.


    At least, whenpared to Leon, Aoife, and the others.


    Their progress was rather minimal.


    But if that wasn''t bad enough, those who saw the least amount in this round would be put on a watchlist.


    If the next progression analysis hardly saw any improvements, then they would, unfortunately, be held back a year or expelled from the Academy.


    The Academy poured a lot of resources into sustaining the cadets.


    The Academy was a harsh ce.


    Only the top of the top were allowed to stay.


    "You''ve improved a lot."


    Aoife said, standing with her arms crossed beside Leon.


    She was looking towards the assistant professor in charge of their group.


    "You too¡­"


    Leon replied curtly.


    He more or less was already aware of what his results were going to be.


    Hence why he wasn''t surprised.


    Aoife continued,


    "With your scores, you should be first overall."


    "¡­.I think so."


    "I see."


    Unlikest time, Aoife didn''t seem to be particrly hung up at the fact that she wasn''t first.


    While it was indeed true that he had ranked higher than her, the gap between the two of them hadn''t widened at all. In fact, Aoife appeared to have shrunk the gap.


    Especially the mental fortitude part.


    In that, she had managed to surpass him which was a bit of a surprise for him.


    Leon was just about to mention it when he noticed a change in the atmosphere.


    A strange silence suddenly took over the training grounds.


    Turning his head, Leon immediately understood the reasoning behind the silence.


    "¡­."


    ''So it''s that again.''


    Julien was about to take the mental fortitude examination.


    Everyone present could still vividly recall the previous time he had taken the examination.


    How could they not when he had created such a scene?


    It was still vividly imprinted in the minds of all those present.


    And looking around, Leon could see that he was right.


    As of right now.


    This very moment,


    All eyes were locked on Julien who had his eyes closed.


    Not a single soul said a word as they simply stared at him.


    Then,


    His eyes opened and his voice quietly echoed within the confines of the training grounds.


    "Start it."


    ***


    It was a familiar sensation.


    It tickled my body. Almost as if a current of low-voltage electricity was coursing through my body. From the bottom of my feet, all the way up to my head.


    The sensation ran through every corner of my body.


    "0.1"


    Just like before, the assistant professor quietly called out the pain level.


    The score was rather simple.


    It went from zero to ten. The higher the score, the more painful it was.


    Typically, mental scores were in line with, if not below the tier someone was in.


    Since I was tier 2, my pain tolerance was expected to be around 2.


    The higher-tiered a mage was, the more powerful their pain tolerance was.


    "0.2"


    The score increased.


    It hardly tickled.


    "0.3"


    Back then, it was at this point that I started feeling something.


    But,


    ''Nothing.''


    I felt nothing.


    "0.4"


    "0.5"


    "0.6"


    The numbers continued to increase.


    Even so, I still felt nothing.


    It was odd.


    Back then, I was sure that by this point I had felt something.


    "0.7"


    "0.8"


    The numbers continued to climb.


    Opening my eyes, I looked around me. Everyone was staring at me intently. It was weird.


    Why was everyone so concerned with my score?


    "0.9"


    "1.0"


    The assistant professor continued to call out the score.


    "1.1"


    Ah, there.


    I felt something there.


    My chest grew heavy, and my leg twitched.


    The difort had started.


    "1.2"


    "1.3"


    It had yet to reach the point of bing a pain, but it wasn''t anything pleasurable.


    "1.4"


    "1.5"


    "1.6"


    The numbers were continually getting called, and the sense of difort became more apparent.


    With that said, it was still difort.


    The pain had yet toe.


    "1.7"


    "1.8"


    "1.9"


    "2.0"


    By now, I could tell that the gazes at which everyone was staring at me had changed. It was as if they were looking at some sort of maniac.


    It couldn''t be helped.


    "2.1"


    "2.2"


    I had yet to feel any pain.


    The situation was so weird that Professor Kelson started to have some doubts herself.?She had been monitoring from the side the entire time to make sure that everything flowed smoothly.


    "Do you feel any pain?"


    ".....I don''t."


    I calmly replied while the assistant professor''s voice echoed in the background.


    "2.3"


    "You don''t?"


    She frowned, lowering her head to check the bracelet.


    "Could it be malfunctioning?"


    I wondered that too.


    Though I did feel something, it wasn''t anything like the previous time. It also made me question whether the bracelet was malfunctioning or not.


    "No, no problem."


    After a quick check, Professor Kelson moved away.


    The way she looked at me changed.


    "You really..."


    Her words ended there.


    "2.5"


    "2.6"


    "2.7"


    The count continued.


    By now, the assistant professor''s voice was the only thing that was echoing throughout the training space. Everyone was too busy staring at me with heavy expressions.


    "2.8"


    "2.9"


    "3.0"


    "....!"


    Finally, I felt something.


    My left arm twitched and so did my face. Looks of relief appeared on the faces of many of the cadets.


    "3.1"


    "3.2"


    The pain increase was rapid.


    In just a few seconds after the pain started, it intensified. It was so fast that for a moment, I almost let out a groan.


    "....."


    My entire body hurt at this point.


    A certain heat was covering every inch of my body, giving the illusion that I was currently on fire.


    "3.3"


    "3.4"


    With each count, the pain grew progressively worse.


    I clenched my teeth and gripped tightly onto the armrest of the chair.


    "Kh...!"


    Finally, I started making sounds.


    "3.5"


    The sensation of my flesh tearing apart consumed my thoughts as the fire seared through my skin. The pain was excruciating, stealing my breath and leaving me gasping for relief.


    "Huuu.. huu..."


    Taking deep breaths, I closed my eyes.


    ''Remember, remember....''


    I sank into my consciousness. It was dark, and it was empty. However, within that emptiness was a certain figure.


    A disfigured one.


    I walked towards it and ced my hand over its head.


    Memories flooded my mind.


    A young child. A sister. A burning mansion.


    The pain he felt.


    All of it, I relieved it.


    And...


    "3.6"


    "3.7"


    I was finally able to calm myself down.


    Compared to that pain, this was nothing.


    Hence,


    "3.8"


    "3.9"


    Even as the numbers increased, my body stopped shaking and I sat still.


    Unmoved.


    "4.0"


    The burning stopped.


    I felt a new pain this time.


    Suffocation.


    I was currently being suffocated.


    "Ukh...!"


    Though I couldn''t see, I could imagine my face turning entirely blue. Submerged beneath the depths of the oceon, I found it hard to breathe.


    "4.1"


    "4.2"


    The air vanished, and I felt a crushing weight over my chest.


    "4.3"


    Panic wed at my throat.


    I started to grow desperate for air.


    "4.4"


    My muscles strained, and my lungs burned with every attempt at breathing.


    "4.5"


    Gripping tightly onto the sides of the chair, my legs started to spasm.


    "Kh...!"


    My previous record was 5.04.


    I was extremely close to reaching such a score.


    I was close, but...


    ''Can I surpass it?''


    I thought I could''ve, but I was starting to doubt it.


    Right now, the pain was so intense that I could hardly keep myself from falling unconscious.


    Unlikest time when I had secluded myself into the depths of my mind, I was conscious of everything.


    I could hardly remember what had happened in the first attempt.


    Before I knew it, the score was that and my body started to fail. This time, my body wasn''t failing.


    There were no excuses for me.


    ''Should I just do the same thing asst time?''


    Turtle myself into my inner consciousness?


    That wasn''t hard for me to do.


    I was sure I''d be able to easily surpass my previous score were I to do that.


    But,


    ''No.''


    "Kh....!"


    That was the same as running away.


    That ce...


    It was a ce offort that I had created back when I had cancer and was suffering from pain every single day.


    It had been useful back then since I needed to run away from the pain.


    The same couldn''t be said for my current self.


    I didn''t need to run away from the pain.


    I needed to withstand it.


    My enemies weren''t going to let me enter that state offort.


    I could only endure.


    "5.0"


    "Huaaa...!"


    I caught my breath.


    For a split second, I could breathe again.


    Only for me to be unable to do so in the subsequent second.


    "Akh!"


    My entire body was hunched down.


    The gravity surrounding my space intensified.


    I could hardly keep my back straight.


    "5.1"


    "5.2"


    "5.3"


    nk! nk!


    My right hand slipped down from the chair and my body lurched down.


    "Akh...!"


    In that split second, I saw ck and I thought I had fallen unconscious.


    "N-no."


    But I was quick to stop myself.


    I bit my tongue and clenched my teeth.


    "N-not yet...!"


    "5.4"


    "5.5"


    "5.6"


    The numbers continued to rise and so did the gravity surrounding me.


    Although it was only imaginary, my entire body was starting to lean forward as a result. Before I knew it, my face was in myp.


    "H-huu... H-huuu..."


    I struggled to breathe.


    It felt suffocating.


    "5.7"


    "5.8"


    I knew I could let go as of right now.


    I had already surpassed my previous self.


    Nobody was going to say anything.


    That the previous score was a fluke or the like.


    "5.9"


    But I wasn''t doing this for them.


    I was doing this for myself.


    "6.0"


    I wasn''t trying to prove anything to anyone.


    I wasn''t withstanding the pain for some silly recognition.


    No.


    .....I just didn''t want to run away from it.


    "6.1"


    Since it was bound ite, I had to get used to it.


    "6.2"


    Pain grows when one doesn''t grow from it.


    I was trying to grow from the pain.


    And for that simple reason,


    "6.3"


    "6.4"


    "6.5"


    I allowed myself to experience it.


    I allowed myself to memorize it.


    .....And I allowed myself to embrace it.


    "Cough...! Cough."


    Coughing, I looked up. Towards the assistant professor who was still counting. Towards Professor Kelson who was looking at me with concern, and towards the other cadets.


    "..."


    I stopped coughing then.


    "6.6"


    Clenching tightly against the armrest of the chair, I pulled myself back up and straightened my back.


    "6.7"


    Looking around, I sat there without saying a single word.


    "6.8"


    Even as the numbers continued to rise, I remained quiet.


    "6.9"


    My back.


    "7.0"


    It remained firm.


    "7.1"


    "7.2"


    "7.3"


    "7.4"


    "7.5"


    "7.6"


    "7.7"


    "7.8"


    "7.9"


    "8.0"


    "8.1"


    "8.2"


    Till the very end.


    I remained unmoved.


    And then,


    ".....That''s enough."


    I finally ended it all.


    "....."


    The count stopped and the pain vanished.


    When I looked down, my entire body was trembling. In fact, I had lostplete control of my body.


    "Haa..."


    Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back.


    And then,


    "8.23"


    The assistant professor spoke.


    "...That''s your final score."

 Chapter 145 Progression Analysis [3]

    <h4>Chapter 145 Progression Analysis [3]</h4>


    "What the hell..."


    It was hard to describe the scene that was unfolding before their eyes. From the focus of everyone''s attention to the fact that the surroundings were eerily quiet.


    "....."


    "....."


    No one said a single word and focused on the cadet who sat by the chair with a stoic expression.


    His back was straight and so was his breathing.


    It was strange.


    From the way he was sitting, it didn''t seem like he was in any pain at all.


    "What sort of..."


    Olivia Kelson stood by the side with open eyes.


    She couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    "7.9"


    "8.0"


    The disbelief became more apparent with each word that came out of Gilbert.


    It was just...


    "....Unbelievable."


    Mental fortitude was an extremely important category. To be able to remain clear-headed under pain was extremely important during raids and fights. But not only that. Several known monsters had the ability to ''brainwash'' and ''manipte'' humans at will.


    A strong mental fortitude would prevent one from falling into such a skill.


    It was normal for mental fortitude to rise with time and strength. Generally, the stronger one was, the stronger their mind was.


    That was generally how it worked, and yet...


    "How...?"


    How was this even possible?


    "8.1"


    "8.2"


    The numbers continued to rise.


    ".....That''s enough."


    It was only after his voice echoed that the counting finally stopped.


    However,


    "8.23"


    The assistant professor spoke.


    "...That''s your final score."


    There was nothing Olivia could say about the score.


    8.23


    It was an absurd number.


    A number that was almost unheard of with only a few people capable of achieving such a feat.


    ''Unless someone has suffered an incredible amount of pain in the past, it''s almost impossible to achieve such a result.''


    No, rather.


    It was impossible for someone so young to have suffered through so much pain.


    Even if he were to have been afflicted by the worst of diseases, it still wouldn''t be enough to be able to help him achieve such a score.


    So,


    "How?"


    How was it possible for him to achieve such a score?


    The Professor wasn''t the only one who was baffled by the results.


    The ones who were most baffled by the results were none other than the cadets. They had, after all, gone through the same examinations just moments prior.


    They all understood just how painful the examination was.


    "Crazy bastard."


    Kiera grumbled under her breath while staring at her hand.


    It was shaking slightly.


    Her turn had yet toe, but just recalling the pain she had gone through the first time around, she found herself shaking.


    Back then, her score had been 2.93.


    It was a great score.


    Amongst the very top of the year.


    And yet, here she was, staring at the anomaly who scored a ridiculous 8.23.


    ".....Maniac."


    Such was the only word she could use to describe him.


    Kiera wasn''t the only one who had such an evaluation of him.


    Aoife shared a simr opinion to hers.


    But at the same time, her gaze couldn''t help but drift slightly towards the man on her right.


    "....."


    He had been standing quietly the entire time while staring at Julien who had an indifferent gaze. She had a hard time understanding his thoughts, but that wasn''t an issue for her.


    Shifting her attention elsewhere, her gaze locked onto Evelyn''s.


    Unlike Leon, her expression was like an open book.


    There was visible confusion etched on her face as she looked at Julien.


    It was intriguing.


    Especially since Aoife was still hung on the words that she had previously told to her.


    ''He''s different.''


    ...And not only that.


    For a cadet to be able to reach such a score at such an age...


    He was definitely hiding something.


    Of that, she was sure.


    It made her more intrigued.


    ***


    My hands felt like jelly.


    No, rather, my entire body was like jelly. It was hard for me to stand, and if not for the Professor''s help at the end, I would''ve been in trouble.


    "Are you alright...? Should I send you to the doctor?"


    ".....I''ll be alright."


    Shaking my head, I rejected the Professor''s good intentions and found an area to sit on.


    As I moved, all gazes fell in my direction.


    The looks the cadets were giving me. I was already familiar with them.


    "Haaa...."


    Sitting down, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.


    My mind was exhausted and I could hardly think. Despite that, I couldn''t help but feel excited at the score that I received.


    8.23


    It was significantly higher than I had anticipated.


    With my body sturdier than before, and the fact that I carried with me all sorts of pains from all sorts of people, I was able to achieve such a score.


    As of right now, that was my limit.


    I knew that if I were to push myself further than this then I would''ve been in big trouble.


    It was a satisfying result.


    One that didn''t leave me feeling like shit like the previous one.


    "That will be it for today''s Progress Analysis."


    Professor Kelson''s voice broke me out of my thoughts.


    Before I knew it, a few hours had passed and all the examinations were done.


    ".....You should all have received a score. Please make sure to train hard for the following one which is set at the end of the year. It''s just right before the Draft."


    Speaking, Professor Kelson made sure to emphasize thest part.


    There were certain criteria that a cadet needed to have in order to be eligible for the draft.


    One such criterion was a minimum score of 3.0 in either the physical or mana examination.


    I had yet to reach either, but I was confident that by the end of the year, I''d have my mana score at around 3.0.


    p, p¡ª pping twice, Professor Kelson gathered the attention of all cadets present before speaking again,


    "Do take what I said to heart. For now, this is the end of the ss. Since it is thest one of the day, you''re free to do whatever you want after this. Have a good day."


    And with that, the cadets proceeded to leave.


    Well, except me who remained seated on the ground.


    What else could I do....?


    I could hardly move.


    "Do you need a hand?"


    Thankfully, I had a knight for these types of stuff. Lifting my head, I reached out for the outstretched hand and helped myself up.


    "....."


    Once I was standing, I thought about taking a step forward, but I only stopped at the thought.


    As if they were made out of lead, my legs refused to budge.


    Taking note of this, Leon shook his head.


    "There was no need for you to go that hard. Just staying at the same score as before would''ve been as impressive."


    "...I guess so."


    But that wasn''t the point.


    I just wanted to test myself.


    "Still...."


    Leon scanned my body from top to bottom.


    "....Seeing the state that you''re in. I don''t think it was the right idea for you to push yourself to this extent. Next time try to moderate yourself."


    "I''ll try."


    "Don''t try. Actually do it. You might end up crippling yourself if you go too hard."


    "....."


    How long was he going to nag me for?


    "You understand that¡ª"


    "I''ve been wanting to say. I''ve got a new joke that I''ve been meaning to tell you. Do you want to hear it?"


    "..."


    "Is that a yes?"


    "...Why do you do this to me?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "I''m helping you out."


    "And? Aren''t you supposed to be my knight?"


    "I am."


    "Okay, good. Are you ready to hear it?"


    I cleared my throat.


    Just before I could get my words out, Leon spoke.


    "...What do you want from me?"


    I paused and looked at him.


    He looked like a defeated man.


    Such a look.


    Yes, this is how it''s supposed to be.


    "Stop speaking for a while. My head hurts."


    "On it."


    Leon pursed his lips and stopped speaking.


    Staring at his figure from the side, I finally felt a little sensation in my hand as I brought it to a close.


    ...I felt oddly powerful at the moment.


    With that, he helped me back to the dorms in silence.


    ***


    The next day.


    My body was still extremely sore from the mental examination, but I felt a lot better than before.


    "Huuam."


    Sitting in the ssroom, I yawned.


    The ssroom was unusually quiet today. Apparently, there was an important announcement. I was a little curious, but I was in no state to properly focus.


    "huaam."


    Especially when I couldn''t stop myself from yawning.


    I was too tired.


    "May I have your attention?"


    The Professor in charge of the announcement was...


    "Hm?"


    Professor Hollowe.


    I sat up slightly.


    In the meantime, Professor Hollowe ced a stack of papers on the podium before speaking.


    "Some of you may already know what''s going on, but I''ll say it for those that aren''t aware."


    His gaze swept the ssroom.


    "After witnessing impressive performances from several cadets during the mid-terms, the Guilds have reached out to us to coborate on a program tailored for these promising cadets."


    The faces of the many cadets in the ssroom changed.


    I couldn''t quite understand why they were reacting the way that they did, but I soon understood.


    "Remember, achieving a specific perimeter score and meeting draft eligibility criteria doesn''t automatically ensure selection by a Guild. Another crucial aspect influencing their decision is personal preference. This underscores the significance of this opportunity for each of you."


    The air grew tense at his words.


    ".....For that reason, when you enter the Guild for the experience, you must do your utmost to impress them. We''re talking about your future here. Don''t throw it away."


    Reaching out for the papers on the podium, Professor Hollowe waved them in the air.


    "I don''t need much from you. Once the lesson is over,e over to the podium and select which Guild you want to enter for the experience. There''s no guarantee that you will be able to enter your selected Guild, but it doesn''t hurt to give it a shit."


    With that, he ced the paper back on the podium.


    "Wait, don''t stand up just yet."


    The cadets had just started to head for the papers when Professor Hollowe raised his hand and stopped them.


    At that moment, I felt his gaze pause on me.


    ....Me?


    "Onest thing."


    And then, it paused on someone else.


    "Uh?"


    I was starting to get a bad feeling.


    "...There''s another request from the Guilds."


    All cadets stopped whatever they were doing and looked up.


    "Leon."


    Professor Hollowe called out his name.


    "Julien."


    And then mine.


    I swallowed my saliva.


    "They''ve specifically requested the top two cadets fight each other in a demonstration. They want to properly assess your skills."


    I turned my head and I met gazes with Leon.


    He also seemed shocked. But within the shock, there was something else...


    I then recalled what had happened the day prior.


    Ah.


    Fuck...

 Chapter 146 Beneath the moonlight [1]

    <h4>Chapter 146 Beneath the moonlight [1]</h4>


    My mind nked temporarily at the announcement.


    "The demonstration will be between the top two cadets of the year. It''ll be a fight that will demonstrate the general skill level of our top cadets and something that will be viewed by the top executives of the fifteen guilds."


    From how he spoke, he was making it seem as though it was something important. It probably was, but...


    ".....Is itpulsory?"


    I blurted out all of a sudden.


    The gazes of everyone in the ssroom fell on me.


    "Compulsory?"


    Professor Hollowe looked at me with a strange look. He seemed to be getting an idea of what I was about to say next.


    "Well, I wouldn''t say it''spulsory. Howev¡ª"


    "I forfeit."


    "....."


    The ssroom turned silent.


    Feeling everyone''s gazes, I shrugged. What? Did they really expect me to ept this absurd request?


    Firstly, I could fight Leon whenever I wanted. He was my knight.


    Secondly, I was still not up to par with him. Simply put, I didn''t have the confidence to beat him.


    Since I was also not gaining anything from this, I didn''t see the need to ept this.


    "Wait, Julien. Don''t act rashly. Let me finish speaking."


    "....."


    I leaned back in my seat and allowed him to speak.


    Nheless, my mind was pretty firm.


    I wasn''t going to ept the offer. And if they were to force me to take it, then I''d just forfeit.


    "Eh, so..."


    The Professor massaged his forehead. Most probably, he was feeling a headache. I did feel a little sorry for him, but I was currently feeling a greater headache.


    "...This is a great opportunity for you to enter a Guild''s good graces. Not only will it be beneficial for you in theing draft, but it will also help convince them to give you a great contract in your rookie year."


    "And?"


    "If you do this, you''ll be able to increase your draft stock which in turn will get you a better deal for the future. This is a lot of money we''re talking about."


    "I see..."


    Even more of a reason why I had to reject this offer.


    If I were to lose, which was extremely likely, my stock would drastically fall and the reputation that I had built up until now would crumble.


    All my hard work.


    Gone.


    Just like that.


    ''Fuck that.''


    "Still no."


    "....."


    Professor Hollowe stood in silence while staring at me. He seemed to be trying to gauge my real intention, but I didn''t budge.


    "I''ll ask again. Can you think about this carefully? There''s a chance you might get on the bad sides of the guilds and¡ª"


    "I''ll just join the Magic Tower, then."


    There was no rule that said that I needed to join a Guild.


    In fact, was it possible to create a Guild?


    ''Hmm, maybe not. Guilds exist, to begin with, because they have control over a Mirror Crack.''


    There weren''t many Mirror Cracks to begin with.


    If I wanted to create a Guild then I needed an unimed Mirror Crack, and...


    ''.....''


    My thoughts stopped there.


    It took several seconds for them toe back.


    When they did, I felt my heart race.


    Could it be possible...?


    "Alright, I won''t force you."


    Professor Hollowe''s voice broke me out of my thoughts.


    In the end, with a sigh, he turned his head to look at someone else.


    "Aoife, how about you?"


    Ranked third, Aoife was the next one in line.


    "...."


    She didn''t answer immediately. Rather, she turned her head to look at me. Her golden pupils locked onto me for the briefest of moments before looking away.


    "I''m also not interested."


    Her cold voice echoed within the ssroom.


    ".....Ask someone else."


    "You too...?"


    Professor Hollowe massaged his head again. It looked like he was seriously feeling the headache.


    Not that he didn''t understand Aoife''s choice.


    I could understand why too.


    .....She had nothing to gain from the demonstration. The Guilds. What did it matter to her? She was already familiar with most of the heads. Not only that, she was also from the Megrail family.


    She had ess to her own private Mirror Crack.


    Aoife had no need to impress them.


    "Evelyn?"


    ".....I can."


    Finally, someone agreed and the Professor finally rxed as he quietly murmured, ''Thank god,'' to himself.


    The selection ended there.


    Exhausted, the Professor looked around the ssroom before pointing at the papers.


    "Choose the Guild that you want to join for the experience and hand back the sheet by tomorrow. I''ll go and inform that facility about the matchup."


    Before leaving, he threw one nce in my direction before shaking his head.


    As he left, his back looked rather lonely. Like that of a man who says ''I''m home honey'' to a honey jar.


    I felt a little bad, but there was nothing for me to gain and so much to lose.


    That being said,


    ''.....Is it possible?''


    My mind couldn''t help but continue to wander back to the thought that I previously had.


    Realistically speaking, it wasn''t possible.


    I had a higher chance of receiving the dragon bone. Even so, my mind couldn''t help but lean towards that possibility.


    It was nuts.


    I was nuts.


    "Haaa...."


    Letting out a long breath, I leaned my head back.


    "...Doesn''t hurt to ask."


    ***


    ¡ªHow long will you stay there? It''s been over a week already, Inquisitor.


    "Uh, yeah, give me a second..."


    Moving a couple of files around therge table of his temporary office, Hollowe opened up a drawer and stuffed the documents in. Then, rxing his upper lip, a pencil fell on the desk with a small, ''Tack''.


    "You were saying....?"


    ¡ª.....


    There was a brief silence before the voice finally returned.


    ¡ªWhen are you returning? You''ve been at Haven for over a week. Your investigation shouldn''t take you so long. We need you here.


    "Ah, that..."


    Hollowe looked around before scratching the side of his face.


    With a bitter smile, he flicked the pencil on the table.


    "I think I might need more time."


    ¡ªMore time?


    "Yeah, I still need more time. There''s not much that I managed to find in the past week considering that I was out of the Academy, however, if you give me more time, I feel like I''ll be able to find something."


    ¡ª...How sure are you of that?


    The voice spoke after a brief moment of silence.


    Hollowe didn''t answer immediately.


    Instead, his gaze hovered over a small picture frame on his desk. Besides the smallmp that dimly lit the surroundings, it was the only piece of decoration on his desk.


    Staring at the picture, Hollowe''s eyes changed slightly.


    Then, recalling everything that he knew, he leaned back on his chair before answering.


    "About ny percent."


    ¡ªNy percent?


    "Ny percent."


    Hollowe tly repeated.


    ***


    ".....You want to talk about your reward?"


    "Yes."


    I sat on the opposite end of Delh. The moment ss ended, I headed for her office. Being her assistant, it took me no time for me to reach her office as no one obstructed my path.


    "Didn''t I say that we''re still discussing it?


    "I know."


    "Then...?"


    I rummaged through my pocket before sliding it over the desk.


    "..."


    Delh''s gaze alternated between ''it'' and me.


    "..."


    The silence continued.


    I slid it further closer to her.


    "..."


    She didn''t budge.


    The bar did.


    "..."


    And then,


    cing her hand over it, she leaned back on her chair.


    "Are you trying to bribe me?"


    Crinkle~


    "I wouldn''t dare."


    ".....It''s good that you... munch... know. I''m not someone that would... munch... be bribed so easily."


    "I understand."


    "To bribe... munch... someone like me, you''d need far more than... munch¡ª"


    I slid another one over.


    "....."


    Delh''s lips pursed.


    Crinkle~


    "...What do you want?"


    There we go.


    "It''s nothing much, to be honest."


    It was my turn to lean back on my chair. Well, in all honesty, there was no way I could bribe her.


    This was just me lightening up the mood before making my request.


    Staring at her, I hesitated for a moment before speaking,


    "Regarding the reward, is it possible for me to request something?"


    "Um?"


    Delh blinked her eyes and brought the bar away from her face.


    "You want to request something?"


    "Yes, is that possible?"


    "....."


    Her inky ck eyes locked on me and her back straightened. Putting the bar down, she dabbed her finger over the empty wrapper of the previous bar before subtly cing it in her mouth.


    "What do you want to request?"


    "Well..."


    I scratched the tip of my nose.


    I sort of already knew the answer to my request but I still asked.


    "The Mirror Crack in Ellnor. Can I have the rights over it?"


    "....."


    As expected. The moment I revealed my request, Delh''s eyes widened. It was the first time that I had seen such a reaction from her and it took a moment for me to snap out of it.


    When I did, her face still hadn''t changed.


    "You, do you have any idea how big your request is?"


    "...I do."


    While the Mirror Dimension was dangerous, it was also and filled with opportunities. The monsters inside. Not only did some drop bones which could go for an absurd amount of money, but their skin and regr bones also sold for a lot of money.


    Simply put, it was a gold mine.


    Further adding to that, the Mirror Crack needed to be contained.


    One needed enough strength to prevent it from expanding.


    In the short term, what I was asking was simply impossible. I understood that, but it wasn''t as though I didn''t think it through.


    "I''m not asking for it to be handed fully to me. I understand that it''s impossible given my current strength. However, I''d like the chance to be considered as one of the candidates for the Crack."


    Within the absurdity of my request, I didn''t feel like the possibility of my request being epted was zero.


    The reason for this was simple,


    ''As Megrail.''


    Such a person existed.


    ...What if I were to use him to get this opportunity?


    Perhaps, create an outpost of some sort for the Inverted Sky. Not only would that enable me to be closer to the organization, but it would also serve to help them monitor them better.


    As if realizing something, Delh remained quiet.


    "....."


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    Her slender fingers drummed over the wooden desk.


    Then, closing her eyes, she nodded her head.


    "You''ll most likely be rejected, but I''ll let them know."


    "...That''s all I ask for."


    I stood up from my seat and nodded.


    Then, cing another bar on the table under her gaze, I left the room.


    "Haaa..."


    The moment I did, I felt a huge weight lift over my shoulders.


    The chances of my request getting rejected were high, however, if I were to present my cards correctly, then the possibility wasn''t non-existent.


    ''I just need to convince him.''


    As.


    "Hmm, it''s already dark?"


    Coming out of the building, I looked at the sky. It was dark, and the moon hung in the sky, blessing the campus with its faint glow.


    The surroundings were quiet and serene. A rare urrence in the busy and loud campus streets.


    In such a calm environment, I headed back to the dorms.


    I was tired and needed to catch up on my sleep.


    "Huam. I''ll study a little before heading off to bed."


    At least one hour.


    It was always a good idea to study right before going to sleep since it was proven that studying before bed helped the brain learn new things.


    Nothing heavy, but mostly look through of lecture material.


    "....I wonder if she''s doing it."


    I had also taught Kiera to do this. She seemed pretty excited about her score.


    I had been watching.


    "Hm?"


    Just as I arrived at the dorms, I stopped and raised my head.


    A figure sat on the stairs that led to the building.


    Holding onto a wooden sword, I recognized the figure "....."


    immediately.


    It was Leon.


    ".....That duel you rejected. Want to have it privately?"

 Chapter 147 Beneath the moonlight [2]

    <h4>Chapter 147 Beneath the moonlight [2]</h4>


    After finishing his evening training, Leon headed back to the dorms. He had picked up quite the sweat. More so than usual.


    Leon wiped the sweat from his forehead and reached the dorms.


    ".....Coming from training?"


    But at the entrance of the dorms, a purple-haired girl greeted his sights. She seemed to be studying on one of themon room tables.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Can''t you see...?"


    Evelyn pointed at the books and notebook on her table.


    "I''m studying."


    "No, I saw that."


    He wasn''t blind.


    "Then why did you ask?"


    ".....You don''t usually study here."


    "Ah, I guess..."


    Evelyn brushed her hair behind her ear.


    "Did you know Kiera got a B on her score?"


    "Hm?"


    ".....So you don''t."


    Evelynughed.


    "She''s been bragging about it the entire day."


    "Oh."


    And...?


    What did that have to do with studying here?


    "Before the exam, I saw her study here the entire week. I wanted to see if it makes any difference."


    "....?"


    Leon cocked his head.


    Then, moving forward, his eyes paused on her exam paper.


    "Ah, wait...!"


    Evelyn tried to cover up her score, but it was toote. He had already seen it.


    "You also got a B?"


    "Uh, yeah..."


    Evelyn lowered her head.


    "....I tried hard, but this was the best that I got."


    Things started to click in Leon''s mind.


    "And so you wanted to study here because you thought it''d help you?"


    "Well, yeah..."


    "....."


    Leon didn''t know how to reply from then.


    He had also seen Kiera study here. However, there was a slight problem.


    She hadn''t been studying by herself.


    There was someone else with her.


    Leon just wasn''t sure whether to bring that up or not.


    "I know."


    But it didn''t seem like he had to.


    Evelyn could pretty much tell from the expression he was making.


    "...The reason why she got better is because of him, right?"


    Evelyn raised her head and their gazes met.


    Leon was just about to say something when she stopped him.


    "I get it. Not the same person. That much became clear to me after today''s ordeal."


    Closing her notebook and the books piled up on the table, Evelyn stood up.


    "If it were him from the past then he would''ve taken the challenge and forced you to give up in a way to make himself look good."


    "..."


    Leon didn''t say a thing because she was right.


    Had it been the previous Julien, that was exactly what was going to happen.


    He was that type of person.


    "But he didn''t do that. It''s obvious to me now that he''s changed. To the point where I find myself wanting to ask for his help too."


    "....?"


    "Not that it matters."


    She paused in front of him.


    "....I''m now the one that you need to fight during the demonstration."


    "Yes."


    "I''m going to prepare a lot."


    "Me too."


    "...I want to win."


    Leon remained quiet.


    He locked gazes with Evelyn for a few short seconds before finally, she turned away from him and left with her books.


    Leon stood in silence for a brief moment while staring at her back.


    Evelyn.


    She had always been ratherpetitive.


    He had lost count of the number of times she had challenged him in the past. He would always end up losing, but things were different now.


    Leon was sure he could beat her.


    But that was the problem...


    Although she was a good opponent, she wasn''t the person that he wanted to fight.


    His stupid jokes aside, Leon had caught glimpses of Julien''s true strength several times. His instincts also warned him about him.


    Not even Aoife gave him such a feeling.


    ''I want to fight him.''


    It turned out. Evelyn wasn''t the only one that waspetitive.


    Leon was prettypetitive himself.


    For that reason,ing out of the dorms, he sat by the staircase with his wooden sword. It was currently dark outside, the moon shining on thendscape beneath.


    Leon didn''t know for how long he sat there, but gradually, a figure appeared.


    It was a familiar figure.


    "...."


    One that eventually stopped not far from where he was.


    With sharp features that made it seem as though he was looking down on everyone he cast his gaze upon, Julien''s gaze locked onto his.


    As usual, his gaze was overbearing and Leon smiled at the thought.


    ''I really do want to fight him.''


    That stupid face of his.


    ".....That duel you rejected. Want to have it privately?"


    He wanted to beat it.


    ***


    ''Has this guy lost it¡­.?''


    I couldn''t for one second understand what was going on. Staring at Leon who stood on the opposite end with a sword in his hand, I felt my face twitch.


    "You want to duel with me?"


    "¡­.Yes."


    "Why?"


    "Why not?"


    Why not¡­?


    The hell was this guy thinking? There were over a thousand different reasons why.


    For one,


    "Because I don''t want to?"


    Was that a good enough excuse?


    "But I want to."


    "...."


    Seriously?


    "You''re my knight."


    "¡­..And it''s my duty to make sure that you''re strong enough to deal with potential threats when I can''t cover for you."


    What bullshit.


    "Here."


    Leon tossed me a small bracelet. It was rather heavy, and when I looked at him, he started to exin.


    "There''s a difference between our mana pools. Since that''s the case, I''ll restrict my mana to be of the same level as yours. Wouldn''t that make things fairer?"


    Fairer?


    Fairer my ass.


    The experience difference between the two of us was huge.


    Uh, no, wait¡­


    Thinking about it, I wasn''t exactly inexperienced.


    There were a dozen different memories within me. All belonging to different people who walked through different paths.


    But even then, they were all strong people who had their fair share of fights.


    If I were to include those then¡­


    "¡­Why do you want to fight me so badly?"


    "Is there a reason why I need a reason to want to fight you?"


    "Yes, actually."


    Who''d want to fight another person for no reason?


    "Fair."


    Leon shrugged, ying with the wooden sword in his hand.


    "¡­..I just want to see who is stronger between the two of us."


    "Is that all?"


    "That''s all."


    "¡­."


    I stood in silence while observing his expression. I wanted to see if he was just making a random excuse up, but seeing the graveness in his expression I could tell he wasn''t lying.


    He really did want to fight me for that simple reason.


    And what about me?


    Did I want to fight him¡­?


    ''It isn''t as though I don''t want to fight him.''


    Before, the only reason I rejected the offer was because it would potentially affect my draft stock.


    The chances of me losing against Leon were rather high. In fact, I didn''t think I could beat him at all.


    And yet¡­


    That didn''t mean I didn''t want to fight him.


    Truthfully, I also wanted to see the full extent of his powers.


    My powers too.


    Just how big was the difference between us?


    .....With everything that I had experienced, would I be able to fight him properly? Not just with my skills, but with the memories of the people within me?


    "Ah, fuck¡­"


    Ruffling my hair, I cursed.


    "Fine."


    Looking around, and I pointed in a certain direction.


    "Let''s go somewhere else. This isn''t the right ce for us to fight."


    We were right in front of the dorms.


    Our fight would wake everyone up. Furthermore, fights between cadets were prohibited unless it was in the training grounds which were currently closed.


    "¡­.."


    As if taken aback by the fact that I had epted the offer, Leon didn''t react immediately. Rather, he looked at me with an incredulous look.


    I nudged him with my hand.


    "Why are you acting like that? You''re the one that wanted to fight me. Let''s go. I don''t have all day."


    I really didn''t.


    Especially since I still needed to revise for an hour before going to bed.


    "¡­.Alright."


    In the end, Leon snapped out of it and followed me from behind.


    Catching up to me, he asked.


    "Where are we going to fight?"


    "Don''t worry about that."


    I answered tly.


    "¡­..I know of a good ce."


    That said, Delh wouldn''t mind me going there, right?


    ***


    Aoife''s schedule was rather packed. From her daily training to studying, she had a lot of things that she needed to do.


    With that being said, it was usually manageable.


    That was before, however.


    "The fliers are almost ready."


    "¡­..We have already done a survey. There aren''t any noticeablepetitors. You should be able to win."


    "We''re done on our side too."


    The elections for the student council were just a few months away.


    Aoife had been eyeing the position ever since joining the Academy. The position, while not as important as that of the ck Star, was also quite an important one.


    Since she couldn''t be the ck Star, she hoped she''d at least be able to join the student council and be its president.


    That way, she''d be able to influence a lot of the important decisions of the Academy.


    There were a lot of things that she was unsatisfied with.


    It was for this reason that she was busy.


    "Huaaam."


    Before she knew it, the night had alreadye and the Academy grounds were empty.


    Holding into arge stack of papers, Aoife was on her way back to the dorms when she heard a voiceing from the distance.


    ".....That duel you rejected. Want to have it privately?"


    Her steps paused.


    She felt that the voice was quite familiar.


    But just who did it belong to?


    "You want to duel with me?"


    "¡­.Yes."


    "Why?"


    "Why not?"


    Another familiar voice.


    ''What''s going on¡­?''


    Curious, Aoife kept her presence hidden and moved forward. It was then that she caught sight of two familiar figures.


    It was Julien and Leon.


    Why would the two of them...


    "¡­..I just want to see who is stronger between the two of us."


    Overhearing their conversation, her eyes widened.


    ''He wants to duel Julien¡­?''


    Was he perhaps not satisfied with his rejection before?


    Aoife half expected Julien to reject, but contrary to her expectations, Julien actually epted the offer.


    "¡­.!"


    Baffled, she could only look at him with wide eyes.


    He had actually epted?


    But wasn''t he the same guy who had rejected him in front of the entire ss? Why the sudden change in heart?


    Lost in her thoughts, Aoife didn''t realize that Leon and Julien had already started to leave.


    "¡­.."


    For a brief moment, Aoife didn''t know how to react. Standing behind a tree with a stack of papers in her hands, her eyes traced the backs of the two before shifting towards the papers and then back to the two of them.


    "¡­.."


    This went on for a couple of seconds, until..


    "Huu.."


    Aoife bit her lips.


    Putting the papers on the ground, she followed them from behind.


    ''I can''t miss this. I have to see it.''


    Her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

 Chapter 148 Beneath the moonlight [3]

    <h4>Chapter 148 Beneath the moonlight [3]</h4>


    The location that I chose was near the cave where I had previously trained. I still had ess to it, and used it now and then. The only problem that I had with the facility was that I''d return all battered up and bruised by the end.


    It usually made the days after aplete nightmare for me.


    ".....This isn''t a bad ce."


    Leon murmured while looking around.


    Surrounded by trees, the area was one of the few t spots within the forest outside of the Academy campus.


    Technically speaking we weren''t supposed to be here. In fact, we weren''t even supposed to be outside of the Academy campus.


    The only reason why we hadn''t got caught was because I had explicit permission from Delh to go out of the Academy walls. The guards in charge knew me which hence why they granted me leave.


    And since Leon was my knight it was also not a problem getting him out.


    Most likely though, they would notify Delh of the situation.


    I was fine with that.


    nk¡ª


    mping the bracelet on his wrist, Leon looked at me.


    I stared back before putting my own.


    nk¡ª


    "There''s three settings. Put it in the second setting. It should limit our mana to the same level."


    "Got it."


    Listening to his words, I did as he told me and adjusted the setting of the bracelet.


    It wasn''t hard. There was a small disy at the top, and all I had to do was turn the small wheel that was on the side.


    [II]


    Locking onto the second setting, the mana within my body started to drain.


    It wasn''t much but I felt a little ufortable.


    ".....Are you ready?"


    When I looked up, I noticed that Leon''s expression was rather pale.


    "Are you alright?"


    "I''ll be fine."


    He didn''t seem fine at all.


    "I''ll take your word for it, I guess."


    Bad condition or not, I was sure he''d still be able to hold well against me.


    "H-haa."


    Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. Though I didn''t show it, my hand was currently shaking. It would be a lie if I said that I wasn''t nervous.


    Leon.


    .....Besides being my knight, he was the true strongest cadet of the year.


    The main character of this world.


    He was someone that even Aoife would have a hard time defeating, let alone me. It''d be delusional to say I wasn''t nervous, but,


    I opened my eyes.


    ''I want to try.''


    .....I wanted to see just how far I had gotten over the past half a year in this world.


    "Are you ready?"


    "....."


    I didn''t answer immediately and channeled the mana inside of my body.


    nk, nk, nk¡ª


    Chains wrapped around my left arm.


    Then,


    Staring directly into Leon''s eyes, I nodded my head.


    "I am."


    "...I''ming."


    Leon''s voice faded into the night, his figure blurring away from the spot he had previously been standing on.


    In the next moment, he was right before me.


    I instinctively raised my left hand.


    nk¡ª


    Despite the fact that he was using a wooden sword, the moment the sword came into contact with the chains, a loud metallic sound reverberated through the air as I slid back several meters.


    "..."


    In the silence, I looked at my arm which was entirely numb.


    The pain that apanied the numbness was something else. Thankfully, pain was something I could deal with and I brushed it off just in time for Leon''s second attack.


    I raised my hand again.


    But as if the sword was a snake, it curled around my arm and directly aimed for my exposed torso.


    ".....!"


    In that brief moment, I caught sight of Leon''s face.


    His gaze...


    It was almost unrecognizable. He was usually stoic and hardly showed any emotions, but at this moment, there was something more to that gaze.


    It was cold.


    .....Chillingly cold, and,


    The wooden sword hit my torso.


    Bang!


    "...."


    I remained quiet.


    The pain was there. It was certainly there. I could feel it.


    My left eye twitched involuntarily as I met Leon''s gaze. Then, in that brief moment when our gazes met, I squeezed my right hand.


    Threads encircled the surroundings.


    They neared his neck, his arms, his legs, and almost every part of his body. Wherever I looked, there were threads.


    "..."


    His movements halted then.


    The two of us stood face-to-face with each other.


    Such a momentsted only for a brief moment before Leon''s body suddenly blurred, reappearing off into the distance.


    In the moment when his figure appeared again, I reached with my hand in his direction. The mana inside of my body drained rapidly and my hand turned purple.


    At the same time, a translucent purple hand materialized right beneath his chin.


    ".....!"


    His expression changed the moment the hand appeared.


    Still, he was quick to react.


    Bending back, he just narrowly missed the hand.


    "Tsk."


    I clicked my tongue.


    ''That was close.''


    Still, I didn''t stop. I knew that I needed to be aggressive.


    Without hesitation, I reached with my hand again.


    At the same time, I withdrew the threads.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Dodging again, Leon mmed his foot against the ground and pushed his body in my direction.


    Bang!


    It was as if the earth had exploded.


    In the instant his foot made contact with the ground, everything beneath it shattered, and he appeared right before me. I could hardly catch his movements, but I could more or less guess what he was trying to do.


    Bringing my hand forward, I managed to block his first attack.


    nk¡ª


    Sparks flew and I staggered back.


    "....Ukh."


    Before I even had the chance to catch my breath, he was on me again.


    nk, nk, nk¡ª!


    Leon was relentless with his attacks.


    Regardless of what I tried, he just wouldn''t give me any breathing room. To the point where I started to feel suffocated.


    But such a feeling...


    ''It''s simr to the mental examination one.''


    Could there be a corrtion?


    nk¡ª


    I was pushed further back.


    "Huaa...!"


    Halfway through my breath, Leon was already on me. With the wooden sword above his head, his muscles tensed. Instinctively, I brought my hand up to block.


    Bang¡ª!


    But I had clearly fallen for his trap as his foot smashed against my stomach, sending me flying back.


    ".....Ukeh!"


    A sound escaped my lips as I fell on my back.


    It came from me hurriedly taking in a breath. Leon''s relentless attacks had made it impossible for me to breathe.


    The sensation wasn''t one that I particrly enjoyed.


    And yet, it was also not the first time I had experienced such a sensation.


    Rather, I experienced it during the Progression Analysis.


    "....."


    Blinking my eyes, the world around me felt blurry.


    Moving my hand, I felt the coarse texture of the ground beneath me. It was rough, brittle, and...


    "Hu!"


    I quickly rolled to the side.


    Bang¡ª


    Dirt flew on my back as I pushed myself up from the ground.


    I then brought my knee in front of me and shielded myself from the iing strike.


    Swooosh¡ª


    "Ukh...!"


    The attack came.


    nk¡ª


    My entire body shook.


    I felt it within my bones.


    Ta...! Ta!


    Taking several steps back, I caught a glimpse of the deep imprints I left behind on the way.


    "Kh."


    My face twitched the moment I paused.


    ''I think I broke something.''


    Still, I could move it and without a second thought, I moved to the side and dodged his strike.


    Bang¡ª


    The tree behind me shattered in one single hit and I secretly swallowed to myself.


    ''I tanked that?''


    How was my body still in one piece?


    I took that moment to distance myself from him.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    By now, my breath was heavy.


    While I couldn''t see myself in the mirror, I knew that I was currently looking extremely pathetic.


    ''.....Good thing I rejected the Professor''s offer.''


    Had I epted the proposal, I was almost certain the oue would''ve been even worse than the current one.


    "Are you trying?"


    There were hints of disappointment in Leon''s voice.


    Looking up, he was standing where he previously was with a frown.


    ".....I''ve seen your strength. Why are you holding back?"


    Strength my ass.


    I was on drugs.


    "Are you going to take the fight seriously?"


    "....."


    Without making a sound, I closed my eyes.


    It became clear to me after the exchange I had with him that the gap in our skills was still quite noticeable.


    .....And that was fine.


    I didn''t for one second believe that I had a shot at beating him.


    That said, it wasn''t as though I had revealed all my cards just yet. There was also a certain trump card that I was hesitant to use.


    If possible, I didn''t want to use that move.


    "Huuu."


    Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes again.


    The world that I knew had turned gray. Looking around, everything felt dull to me.


    Leon was staring back at me with the same indifferent gaze of his.


    "....Are you ready?"


    Even his tone sounded indifferent.


    I wanted tough, but I couldn''t. I simply... was not me at the moment.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Without saying a word, I had already made a dash for him. Chains wrapped around my left hand.


    He raised his sword and swung downward diagonally.


    ".....!"


    I didn''t dodge.


    Bang!


    The hitnded exactly on my shoulder. My body shook, but I didn''t care. The only thing on my mind at the moment was Leon.


    I stared at his image before me and felt my lips curl.


    Without hesitation, I clenched my right hand and threads emerged from behind him, stopping his movements.


    Bang¡ª


    My fist hit him squarely in the cheek and he staggered back.


    For the first time, I had hit him.


    The damage didn''t appear to be much, but in that moment, something dripped down from his nose.


    It was, red...


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    My breath quickened. So did my heartbeat.


    More...


    That red.


    I wanted to see more of it.


    Within the colorless world, the only color staining it was red.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Without care, I charged at Leon.


    Bang, Bang¡ª!


    A familiar scene repeated.


    Dashing at Leon, he''d counter-attack and hit me all over. I''d disregard each and every one of his attacks, exchanging blow for blow with him.


    Through his footwork, he was able to mitigate the damage that his body sustained.


    Sometimes, he''d tilt his chin just enough to reduce the impact from my punch or sometimes even avoid the threads carefully set up around him.


    Not that it mattered to me.


    ''More, more...!''


    At this very moment.


    All I cared about was red.


    I wanted to see red.


    Bang, Bang, Bang¡ª!


    We continued to exchange blows. I ignored the pain, and just went wild. Such reckless fighting method clearly flustered Leon who started to look overwhelmed.


    "Hahaha."


    Iughed then.


    I felt like I was close.


    Close to seeing even more red.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    I continued to swing and charge forward.


    ''More...!''


    Leon took as step back.


    nk!


    And then another.


    nk...!


    And then another one.


    "Mo-Ukh...!"


    But that all came to a stop after a certain moment.


    Just as I had taken a step forward and was mid-swing, my body froze. It just stopped moving.


    "Uh....?"


    My arms sagged and I blinked.


    "What the, huh?"


    My body.


    It refused to listen to me.


    Regardless of how hard I tried, it just wouldn''t budge.


    And just as I tried again to move my body, something shed from my right side. Before I even had the chance to understand what it was, I was lying on the ground.


    The moon shone brightly from above and the left side of my face hurt like hell.


    ''....Ah, so it''se to this.''


    I looked up slightly to see Leon in the distance, supporting his body slightly on the nearby tree.


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    I could practically hear his breathing from where I was. I could also see the bruises and cuts all over his face.


    He clearly didn''t have an easy time.


    Still,pared to my injuries, they were probably nothing.


    The victor was clear for everyone to see.


    He had won.


    .....And I had lost.


    "....."


    This was the expected oue, and yet...


    ''Why do I feel so frustrated?''


    My left hand twitched.


    I could now move my arms, if ever so slightly.


    "H-huu..."


    Taking a deep breath, my chest trembled.


    I hurt all over, but that pain...


    It was nothingpared to the sense of frustration that I was currently feeling.


    ''I don''t want to lose.''


    It wasn''t as though I didn''t ept my loss.


    He was clearly better than me.


    Still, I didn''t want to lose.


    ''...Not when I''ve yet to do everything.''


    There was still something that I could do.


    It had been a while since thest time I had used it.


    The mental toll it would have on my mind wasn''t something I could deal with for a short period of time.


    In fact, it had taken me several months just to feel okay again.


    It wasn''t an experience that I wanted to relieve again.


    But...


    Rustle!


    Hearing the faint rustling sound, I bit my lip.


    Leon wasing over.


    Rustle!


    "....."


    His steps drew nearer.


    In that moment, I brought my left hand over my right where a tattoo rested.


    Rustle!


    ''....."


    He was just a few meters away from me.


    I could feel it.


    ....And when I raised my head, my eyes met with his.


    That was when our eyes locked.


    And just before he could say anything else, I pressed it.


    The first leaf.

 Chapter 149 Beneath the moonlight [4]

    <h4>Chapter 149 Beneath the moonlight [4]</h4>


    I stood in a familiar ck world.


    It had been a while since thest time I had used the first ability. Unlike the second ability which granted me the ability to feel and experience one''s emotions, the first ability subjected me to the selected emotion to the extreme.


    Because it made me experience an emotion to the extreme, I always felt hesitant to use it.


    Unlike the second ability, the mental toll it took on me wasn''t something that I could easily brush off.


    There had been times when I had acted out of character because of it.


    It was for that reason that I was hesitant to use it.


    ?| Red - Anger


    ?| Purple - Fear


    ?| Blue - Sadness


    ?| Green - Surprise


    ?| Orange - Love


    ?| Yellow - Joy


    The wheel appeared in front of me.


    Looking at it again, it felt rather daunting.


    ''.....Anything but love.''


    The goal in using the first ability was so that I would have a chance at beating Leon.


    Love wasn''t going to help me.


    I shuddered at the thought.


    Trrrr¡ª


    The wheel spun.


    I stood in silence while the colors alternated.


    I felt nervous staring at the wheel. I could more or less imagine the pain I''d have to go through but at the same time, I was looking forward to it.


    I had dyed this for too long.


    Trrrr¡ª


    In the darkened world, the wheel continued to spin.


    It spun and spun and spun.


    Until,


    It stopped.


    ?| Purple - Fear


    I blinked.


    ''Fear....?''


    Again?


    The world around me shifted.


    I was back in the forest outside of the Academy.


    Leon was standing in front of me.


    "Hm."


    I found my voice again.


    "...Did something go wrong?"


    Everything was the same as before. From the little details to everything else. It was the same as in my memories.


    No, wait...


    ''I can feel my body.''


    Realizing that I was standing and that my body was in top shape, I realized this was all an illusion.


    But why Leon?


    How was that going to induce fear over m¡ª


    Spurt¡ª


    I felt a sharp pain in my neck.


    The world turned upside down and I lost my voice.


    Tak.


    Thest thing I saw before the world turned dark were two leather shoes.


    ''Ah.''


    It was then that I realized what had happened.


    I had died.


    Darkness overtook my consciousnesses shortly after that. Only for light to return shortly after that.


    "....."


    Yet again, I was standing before Leon.


    I felt a sharp pain in my head. One that I was able to brush off rather quickly as I focused my attention on Leon.


    This time, I was able to catch a glimpse of his face. It was cold and almost emotionless. It felt extremely intimidating, and before I knew it, I had unknowingly taken a step back.


    ''This...''


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    The powerful beat of my heart drummed in my mind.


    It echoed louder and louder.


    The Leon in front of me. He looked so much like the Leon in the first vision I ever had.


    "Wh¡ª"


    Spurt¡ª


    Before I could even react, I felt a familiar pain beneath my neck.


    The world yet again flipped and darkness overtook my consciousness.


    "Haaa... Haaa...."


    The scene repeated.


    Breathing heavily, I looked at Leon.


    I was soaked in sweat.


    Leon yet again stood before me. His cold gaze bearing down on me.


    Lifting my head, I stared at him.


    "F-fuck...!"


    Clenching my teeth, I charged forward. Threads appeared all over the ce and I raised my left hand.


    But,


    Spurt¡ª


    Darkness yet again took over my consciousness.


    "Haaa... Haaa...!"


    Leon stood before me again.


    The sight of him sent chills down my spine. Recalling the amount of times that I died, I secretly swallowed my saliva.


    Despite knowing this was all an illusion, the deaths were real.


    I felt and experienced all of them.


    "Kh...!"


    Yet again, I charged forward.


    Unlikest time, I tried to dodge his attack, but...


    Spurt¡ª


    The result didn''t change.


    I hadn''t even made it a single step before the world flipped.


    ''...What do I do?''


    I looked around.


    My head felt light and my hands were trembling.


    The world around me felt sharp and I started to perceive the little things. From the raising of my hair?to the quickening of my breathing.


    Fear.


    It had started to take over my mind.


    ''I don''t want to die.''


    Even if it was fake.


    ''I don''t want to die.''


    "Huu."


    I stepped back while keeping my eyes fixed on Leon. I needed to think. Think of a solution to get out of this.


    I could still vividly recall the time when I had experienced ''anger''.


    Back then, I had lost track of the amount of time that I had been stuck within the imaginary world.


    I wasn''t sure for how long I''d be stuck in this world too.


    For that reason, I needed to think.


    Thi¡ª


    Spurt¡ª


    "Huaa...!"


    I was standing before Leon again.


    "Ah, this..."


    I had died again before I knew it.


    "Ukh...!"


    I held my head with both hands. It was quick, but the pain was still lingering within the depths of my mind.


    It just wouldn''t disappear.


    I was used to pain but this pain wouldn''t disappear.


    The more I died, the more it seemed to umte.


    "Haa.... Haa..."


    I felt helpless.


    "W-hat do I do?"


    It was such helplessness that added to the fear.


    Drip. Drip...!


    My entire body was soaked in sweat. My shirt was practically sticking to my body.


    Turning to look at Leon, my heart froze.


    "No, no..."


    An intense feeling built up within me.


    Before I knew it, I moved back and...


    Ran!


    "....I need to get away. Buy myself some t¡ª"


    Spurt¡ª


    The world turned dark again.


    "O-oh, no..."


    Yet again, I stood before Leon.


    "No, no, no, no... Ukh!"


    My head throbbed again.


    The pain from before returned. It was far more intense than it was before, and for a moment, I staggered.


    I was quick to brush the pain away.


    How could I not when I knew that I didn''t have much time?


    ''I need to think of something, I need to...''


    Looking up, my pupils dted and I stepped back.


    Fear had started to imprint itself within my mind. All I felt was fear whenever I looked at him. It felt agonizing, and the sound of my heart continued to drum loudly within my mind.


    It was so loud that I had a hard time thinking.


    It was then that I caught it.


    cing his hand over the hilt of his sword, I tensed my body.


    And then...


    Spurt¡ª


    The world tilted.


    Yet again, I had died.


    "....."


    Leon stood before me yet again.


    Ba... Thump! Ba.... Thump!


    The only sound within the surroundings was the heavy sound of my heartbeat.


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    I tried my best to suppress my breath but it was hard.


    Still, I remained rooted in my spot and stared at Leon. My entire body was shaking, and every part of me told me to run.


    Even so, I remained rooted where I was.


    And,


    Spurt¡ª


    Yet again, I died.


    ".....Ukh."


    I flinched at the pain that engulfed my mind. It was as though my entire skull was being split open.


    Even so,


    "....."


    Suppressing the pain, I stood firm with my gaze on Leon.


    The fear that I was currently experiencing.


    It was more prominent than ever before.


    "....."


    Despite every part of me telling me to run, I remained still.


    My lips trembled and so did my entire body.


    "Haaa..."


    Spurt¡ª


    The sound of my breath was thest thing I heard before the world turned dark.


    "....."


    Leon stood before me again.


    I remained still.


    At the same time, my face spasmed. The pain was starting to get harder and harder to contain.


    Spurt¡ª


    Yet again, I died.


    Spurt¡ª


    And again.


    Spurt¡ª


    And again.


    Spurt¡ª


    And again.


    .


    .


    .


    "Akh...!


    At some point, the pain in my head became unbearable.


    I screamed my heart out.


    But no one heard.


    Spurt¡ª


    .


    .


    .


    "H-how many times does this make?"


    My lips felt numb.


    Looking around, the world appeared hazy.


    I had started to lose track of the amount of times that I had died.


    Spurt¡ª


    It just wouldn''t stop.


    .


    .


    .


    It was just an endless cycle of death, fear, and pain.


    It was torture.


    "Akh...!"


    My screams filled the surroundings.


    Spurt¡ª


    And so did the sound of my death.


    .


    .


    The cycle continued to repeat.


    I had started to lose count of the amount of times that I died.


    ''Why do I do this to myself?''


    ''Just run.''


    ''Why aren''t you running?''


    ''It hurts...!''


    Voices echoed within my mind.


    I had long lost track of time.


    The only things I could feel were the fear and pain.


    Spurt¡ª


    Yet again, the world turned upside down.


    "....."


    Coming to, I made no sound.


    I just stood still and stared at Leon.


    The pain within my mind was hard to describe. It hurt to the point where I could hardly think.


    Still, it didn''tst long.


    When it did disappear, it was just me and Leon.


    Again.


    The two of us.


    He ced his hand towards the hilt of his sword and I closed my eyes.


    Spurt¡ª


    The inevitable came.


    So did the pain and the fear.


    But this time, there was something else that was starting to enter my mind.


    ''Numbness''


    Yes.


    I was starting to feel numb to everything.


    Spurt¡ª


    Death no longer scared me as much.


    "....."


    Rustle, rustle¡ª


    Standing before Leon, I perceived my surroundings better. A gentle breeze wafted through, and the trees rustled.


    "....."


    It was quiet and the beat of my heart finally steadied for once.


    In the silence that suddenly took over the surroundings, I stood before Leon. He stared back at me with the same gaze of his.


    It felt chilling to look at.


    .....But I had started to grow used to it.


    It didn''t scare me anymore.


    As if noticing this, Leon frowned.


    For the first time since appearing in this world, he showed a reaction.


    I didn''t do anything and just waited.


    Waited for him to make a move.


    Spurt¡ª


    He eventually did, and the world turned dark.


    When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was the moon.


    It shone brightly from above.


    My entire body was in pain and I could hardly feel it. Even so, whenpared to the pain I had previously experienced, this was nothing.


    Rustle!


    I raised my head.


    "....."


    My gaze fell on the set of grey eyes that were locked on me.


    In that moment, time seemed toe to a standstill.


    His figure ovepped with the one within the illusionary world and my body trembled. At the same time, something shed before my vision.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Fear] EXP + 17%


    It was a notification.


    One that was apanied by another.


    Lvl 1. [Fear] --> Lvl 2. [Fear]


    And then,


    I spoke.


    ".....When was thest time you were scared?"

 Chapter 150 Beneath the moonlight [5]

    <h4>Chapter 150 Beneath the moonlight [5]</h4>


    The very air chilled.


    ".....When was thest time you were scared?"


    Julien''s voiceyered, echoing in the air.


    Leon''s steps came to a sudden halt.


    In that moment, his body stopped listening to him. Sweat started to form in his palms and his breathing started to quicken.


    "Haa... haa..."


    It all happened so suddenly that Leon had a hard time understanding what had happened.


    Before he knew it, Julien had already helped himself back up.


    He struggled to do so, but he was still able to get up.


    Julien''s body was battered, and blood was leaking down from the cuts all over his face. He looked extremely frail.


    He looked like he''d topple over with just a touch.


    And yet,


    His body refused to move.


    ''Why?''


    "Looking at the way you look right now, perhaps you have."


    Julien''s voice was like a quiet whisper.


    It smoothly transmitted in the air before entering his mind.


    "Haa.... Haa..."


    Leon felt his breathing quicken yet again.


    ''What''s going on...?''


    He looked down to check his hand.


    It was trembling.


    "Ah."


    And then he realized.


    ''Emotive Magic.''


    Julien had finally started using Emotive Magic.


    Fear.


    "H-haha."


    Augh escaped his lips.


    So this was how his emotive magic felt.


    He had always been curious. Wondering just how immersive it was considering that it had enabled him to rank first within the year.


    He now knew.


    Gripping his shirt, he clenched his teeth.


    It felt suffocating.


    "Ha... Haa..."


    To the point where he almost stepped back.


    ".....It''s intriguing, right?"


    Julien''s voice continued to echo in the background.


    "It first starts with the sweats."


    He seemed to be describing his current situation.


    "Then, your heart starts to beat faster."


    For some reason, his words...


    "...Your breathing hurries to match that pace."


    They synchronized perfectly with everything that he started to feel.


    "The sound drums at your mind."


    It felt creepy.


    "Thump! Thump! Thump!"


    Leon swallowed his saliva.


    He was having a hard time keeping his head clear.


    "It goes something like that, right?"


    Before Leon knew it, Julien was already standing a few feet away from him.


    He was merely a step away from him.


    "....!"


    His entire body froze the moment he looked up to meet Julien''s gaze.


    Memories of the past reyed themselves and his body started to shake.


    A distant past that he wanted to forget.


    But that wasn''t all.


    Currently, the Julien that stood before him.


    .....He felt extremely pressuring


    To the point where Leon had a hard time meeting his gaze.


    "It''s annoying, right?"


    Julien''s head slowly reached for him.


    As if time had started to slow down, Leon stared at the hand which reached for his shoulder.


    Leon stared at the hand, frozen.


    His entire body simply refused to list him to him.


    The hand drew near.


    And then,


    "N-no..."


    Leon snapped out of it the moment the hand was about to touch him.


    Bang!


    Sinking his foot against the ground, he mustered every little bit of strength he had to push himself back.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Just narrowly, he managed to avoid his hand.


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    But it was close.


    Had he been a secondter then he was sure Julien''s hand would have reached him. He could only shudder at the thought of what would''ve happened had the hand touched him.


    "..."


    The surroundings turned quiet.


    Leon looked up and met Julien''s gaze as he stood quietly.


    The two eyed each other from their respective distance.


    Neither said a word.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    The only sound that Leon could hear was the sound of his heavy breath.


    The more he looked at Julien, the more intimidated he felt.


    It was steadily piling up with the seconds.


    Standing a few feet away from him felt like he was holding onto arge boulder over his shoulder. One that progressively grew heavier by the second.


    ''....I don''t have much time left.''


    That much was bing clear to him.


    There was no second that passed where he didn''t notice the worsening of his condition. From the sweat to the beat of his heart. All of them were getting worse.


    "Haa, this..."


    Quite frankly, he had been confused.


    Back at the mid-terms he had shown skills that were far superior than what he had shown now.


    Based on what Leon had managed to glimpse of Julien, he hadn''t been confident before the fight.


    He thought he''d lose.


    Or at least, put up a good fight.


    And yet...


    The fight turned out much different than he had anticipated.


    Yes, he had been flustered at times, but he had been in utter control throughout the entire exchange.


    It had been disappointing.


    ....But that was the past.


    ''Right, I keep forgetting...''


    Julien''s forte.


    It wasn''t his individual skills.


    No, rather.


    It was his emotive magic.


    "Are you not going to make a move?"


    Julien''s voice echoed again, and Leon''s head flicked up to stare at him.


    The back of his hair stood on end the moment their gazes met and his face showed signs of cracking.


    ''How am I going to handle this...?''


    He was stumped.


    The fear...


    It had taken over his mind and was making it hard for him to think clearly.


    Still, he had to do something.


    Staring at Julien, he could tell that he was injured. In fact, the only reason why he didn''t move was because he couldn''t move.


    ''Right... I can do this.''


    Clenching his teeth, Leon gripped onto the handle of the wooden sword.


    He had just taken a step forward when,


    ".....Uh?"


    He tripped onto something and stumbled forward.


    Thump!


    Before he knew it, he was on the ground on all fours.


    Turning his head back, he noticed a small thread on the area he had been in


    ''When did it...''


    "Ah..."


    A shadow cast over the area he was in.


    Leon looked up and his gray eyes met with Julien''s hazel eyes.


    At that moment, Leon opened his mouth but the words refused to leave it. The fight. He could still continue. He still had a few cards up his sleeve, but,


    "....."


    "....."


    Staring into Julien''s gaze, whatever resistance he had vanished.


    In the end, he let go of his sword.


    "Fine."


    And he tossed it to the side.


    "...You win."


    He had lost...


    Leon closed his eyes.


    ''It''s all on me.''


    In the end, the main reason for his loss was due to his negligence. He had been so focused on his skills that he had forgotten the one thing Julien was known for.


    His emotive magic.


    "Haaa..."


    He took a deep breath.


    Sitting down, he ced his hands over his knees.


    Overwhelming.


    That''s how he''d describe Julien''s emotive magic.


    Having felt it for the first time, he finally understood why people feared Emotive Mages. The craziest part was that this was most likely just the starting point for Julien.


    Leon could already envision how nightmarish Julien was going to be in the future once he developed his emotive abilities further.


    ''.....It''s frustrating.''


    Dealing with someone like that.


    "You lost."


    "I know."


    ".....I just wanted to remind you."


    Julien sat by his side.


    He too ced his hand over his knees.


    Taking a quick nce at him, Leon got a better look at his face. It was battered up and was bleeding everywhere.


    His face cracked, and before he knew it,


    "....Haha."


    Augh escaped his lips.


    Taken aback, Julien turned his head.


    "What?"


    "No, it''s..."


    Halting hisugh, Leon massaged his face before feeling the corner of his lips lift.


    Julien frowned.


    "....It''s what?"


    "Your face."


    "My face?"


    ".....It looks stupid."


    "....."


    A silence ensued after his words.


    Staring at Leon, Julien didn''t say a word. Perhaps because he was too tired to argue, he eventually shook his head and leaned back to stare at the moon.


    "Perhaps."


    He ended the conversation there.


    Rustle~


    The breeze wafted through, scattering Julien''s hair.


    Leon stared at him for a short moment before also leaning back to stare at the moon.


    ''It feels oddly calming.''


    Beneath the moonlight,


    The two enjoyed the brief moment of peace.


    In the end, Leon lost.


    But,


    Oddly enough,


    ''.....I''m not disappointed.''


    ***


    Not far from them, Aoife stood in silence.


    She had witnessed the entire fight from start to finish. With her abilities, it wasn''t hard to conceal her presence from them.


    Furthermore, with her family name, she had no trouble going out of the Academy.


    What could the guards do?


    At worst, they''d report the situation to her uncle.


    Not that she was scared.


    He knew about how much of a busybody she was.


    It was just who she was.


    Currently, she was at a loss for words.


    It was hard for her to describe what she had witnessed.


    "....."


    Just like Leon, she had expected Julien to fight with the skills that he had disyed several times in the past. In particr, the ones he had shown back in the mid-terms.


    And yet,


    He hadn''t done that.


    Rather, he almost appeared like apletely different person.


    It made Aoife question whether he truly was taking the fight seriously or not.


    There were changes here and there, but in the end, Leon was able to overpower him. Aoife had just been ready to leave when a change urred.


    ''.....When was thest time you were scared?''


    Even now, she could recall the words he had spoken.


    She may not have experienced it first hand, but taking note of the changes in Leon''s demenour, she knew that it was no joke.


    Emotive magic.


    Julien had finally used it.


    .....And it was overwhelming.


    Leon.


    The second person who had ranked above her. He lookedpletely powerless under Julien''s words.


    It was as if his body refused to listen to him.


    That was probably when the fight ended.


    There was not much else that happened. It was sort of one-


    sided. With ''fear''pletely taking over his mind, Leon had been unable to notice the thread ced beneath his foot, tripping over it.


    That was the moment that marked the end of the fight.


    In the end, Julien had won.


    "...."


    Pursing her lips, Aoife turned around and quietly left the scene.


    On the way back, Aoife''s thoughts continued to drift towards thest scene.


    In the end, the only thought in her mind was,


    ''Emotive Magic.''


    She needed to find a way to counter it.


    It was far too scary.


    ".....Aoife."


    She had just taken a step further when a warm voice called out for her.


    Her body froze.


    Rigidly turning her head, her eyes fell on the familiar figure. With his long blonde hair, piercing yellow eyes, and striking features, he looked like the sun himself.


    "Uncle."


    Aoife felt her left eye twitch.


    "So, like..."


    And she tried to make excuses.


    "I was just going out to take a brea¡ª"


    "I already know."


    As cut her off and Aoife lowered her head.


    "....."


    "You still haven''t changed. Regardless of how old you are, you''re still a busybody."


    "....I know."


    Aoife pouted.


    She didn''t like to be reminded of this.


    It was just that whenever something piqued her curiosity, she''d stop at nothing to relieve her curiosity.


    "It was a good fight, wasn''t it?"


    Hearing her uncle''s words, Aoife blinked.


    "....You saw?"


    "Oh, oops."


    As covered his mouth.


    "Ha."


    Aoife didn''t know how to react.


    No, she did.


    Hopping forward, she hugged his arm.


    "Uncle~"


    And started to act coy.


    It was the surefire way of getting him to calm down.


    "You also watched it? You''re just as guilty as I am. Forgive me for this one. Let''s just leave it at this, okay?"


    "Alright, stop. I''m not mad."


    And it worked.


    With a helpless look, he gave in.


    "I didn''t see a thing."


    "....Thank you!"


    Aoife happily hugged his arm.


    But what she didn''t notice was the subtle narrowing of his eyes as he gazed back towards where she hade from.


    In that brief moment, As''s lips curled as he mumbled,


    ".....Interesting."


    Once again, his interest had been aroused.


    Phecda.

 Chapter 151 Exhibition [1]

    <h4>Chapter 151 Exhibition [1]</h4>


    "Cough...!"


    Holding my mouth, I forced myself to lie on the sofa.


    "Fucking hurts..."


    Every part of me hurt.


    ".....Why do I even do this to myself?"


    While it was true that I could withstand pain, it didn''t mean that I was immune to it. It was ufortable.


    But still,


    "Ugh."


    There was something else that was taking over my mind.


    I stared at my hands.


    They were both trembling.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    My breathing was quick as well. The back of my hair stood, and from time to time, I''d look behind me to check if someone was there.


    That alone felt more annoying than the pain I was experiencing.


    There was a reason why I tended to not use the first leaf. The side effects of using such a skill were not something I looked forward to.


    "...Damn it."


    It was an annoying feeling.


    And yet, I knew that I couldn''t do without it.


    I had managed to rank up my [Fear] thanks to the skill. Unlike the second leaf, the first leaf produced far better results.


    But it came at a price.


    "H-huu..."


    Taking a deep breath, my chest trembled.


    Emotive magic.


    .....It was powerful. The fact that I was able to beat Leon showed just how powerful it was.


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t there yet.


    I wasn''t there yet.


    "I need to improve it."


    For now, [Fear] and [Sadness] were the only spells I could use to induce the emotions through my voice.


    The other spells weren''t quite there yet.


    From the fact that I needed to touch someone to use them, to the fact that they weren''t still powerful enough topletely break someone down.


    I needed to find time to improve those.


    Other than that, I wanted to get [Fear] and [Sadness] to the next level. I was curious as to what that would bring.


    "Perhaps affect more than one person?"


    Currently, I could only affect one person with my voice. It was good when facing one opponent, but when dealing with multiple it was useless.


    But what if I could directly influence a lot of people at the same time with just my voice?


    That would be pretty handy.


    "H-haa."


    But those were all thoughts forter.


    Right now, I was not in the right state of mind.


    Laying down on my sofa, I ced my forearm over my eyes and took a deep breath.


    My main priority right now was to not let myself be consumed.


    Consumed by fear.


    ***


    In a different room.


    Leon sat by his desk, cing ointment all around his wounds. There weren''t many. Rather, there was more on his face than anywhere else on his body.


    It was almost as if he had purposely only just targeted his face.


    "....."


    His left eye twitched.


    .....He recalled a certain memory.


    ''Your face looks stupid.''


    "Ugh."


    His face flinched as he felt a sharp pain in his rib area. Looking down, he spotted a massive bruise.


    He quickly dabbed some ointment over that area.


    Almost immediately after doing that, he felt better. It was probably going to take a few days to heal.


    Leon went on to do this for the next half hour.


    Once he was done, he sat in his room in silence.


    "....."


    His thoughts continued to drift away to the fight.


    ''I should''ve done that.''


    ''...I was careless.''


    ''How could I forget that.''


    ''I just wasn''t ready. If I had been ready...''


    ''I didn''t know he could do that.''


    A thousand different excuses floated in his mind.


    "Haa."


    At some point, Leon closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down.


    Losing...


    It wasn''t as though he had never lost before.


    Coming into the fight, he had expected the match to be difficult. Losing also seemed like a very real possibility.


    It was just that,


    "...I should''ve done better."


    For the majority of the fight, he was the one who had the upper hand.


    Though he wasn''t sure why Julien hadn''t used the same power he had demonstrated back in the mid-terms, Leon felt like he should''ve won that fight.


    .....All until he used his emotive magic.


    Even now that a while had passed, he couldn''t stop thinking about it.


    His hands... They were still shaking from the experience.


    Not just his hands.


    His entire body and mind remembered.


    It was hard to forget the suffocating feeling he felt during the fight. It felt almost as though he was slowly sinking into the depths of the ocean with no way up.


    Such feeling.


    It was hard to forget.


    "....."


    In the silence that took over the room, Leon closed his eyes.


    He was frustrated by himself.


    However, he also epted the result.


    At the end of the day, Julien was the ck Star.


    He had only proven why he was the ck Star.


    And,


    ".....He''s also the one I serve."


    ***


    The days flew by.


    It was the day of the demonstration between Evelyn and Leon.


    Their fight wasn''t going to be broadcast anywhere, but all the first years had been called to the arena grounds to witness their fight.


    The representatives of the major Guilds were also going to show up.


    There was some excitement about that.


    "Huaam."


    The sun was shining and it was pretty warm outside.


    It was a great day.


    "Huaam."


    Of course, it would''ve been greater had I been able to sleep.


    Hadn''t been able to do so for the past couple of days.


    ''.....I regret so much.''


    Every little thing bothered me in my sleep. The little sounds, and the asional breeze that would make my hair stand on end.


    It was clearly nothing, but under the influence of the first leaf, I started to get scared by the little things.


    Just like,


    "Ah, fuck, shit!"


    I flinched and moved back.


    "Where did this gremlin-looking midgete from?!"


    "....."


    Taken aback, a little child with ck hair looked at me with wide eyes.


    "Oh, it was you."


    I ced my hand over my chest and sighed.


    It was not good.


    ".....Gremlin-looking?"


    Delh blinked her eyes while looking at me.


    She was currently in her child form.


    Looking around, I sighed in relief when I noticed that nobody was around.


    It would''ve been troublesome if they saw me like that.


    "Why are you like this?"


    "....."


    Delh didn''t answer.


    With her head lowered, she continued to murmur, ''Gremlin-


    looking?''


    I scratched the side of my face.


    It wasn''t exactly my fault. She had appeared out of nowhere, and with my mind not in the right state of mind, the words just slipped out of me.


    Still, why was she in this form?


    "Are you nning on watching the fight like this?"


    Delh looked up.


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    ".....It''s too bothersome to go in my normal form. I don''t like the people from the Guilds."


    "Ah."


    That made sense, but...


    "Wouldn''t you be more noticeable this way?"


    "Why?"


    "....."


    I looked at her.


    Couldn''t it be more obvious?


    "It''s fine."


    Delh interlocked her hands behind her back. Then, turning around, she made her way into the arena.


    ".....Nobody will notice."


    ''No, they will.''


    I wanted to say such words but stopped myself. In the end, with a sigh, I followed her from behind and entered the arena grounds.


    The grounds were somewhat familiar.


    I had been here before.


    During the mid-terms. But unlike in the past, I was now standing in the audience area where I could overlook everything from above.


    It feltpletely different.


    "This is quite tall."


    What was especially interesting was the fact that the seating areas were about five to eight meters above the arena grounds.


    Holding onto the handrail and looking down, I felt slightly nauseous.


    Superpower or not, if I were to fall from this height, I''d turn into a pancake.


    "Who do you think is going to win?"


    "Why are you even asking? The answer is already obvious."


    "That''s true."


    Overlooking the arena grounds from above, I could hear the discussions from the cadets near me. All of them were talking about the fight and who they thought was going to win.


    There was a general consensus among them.


    ....And that was that Leon was going to win.


    I couldn''t argue with that.


    I also felt the same way. Having fought against him, I knew just how strong he was.


    Evelyn was also strong.


    However, she was a littleggingpared to him.


    ''I''d probably lose against her too.''


    That was unless I used the first leaf. Perhaps then I''d be able to win against her.


    It wasn''t worth it, though.


    "What are you doing?"


    Hearing Delh''s voice, I turned around. Sitting on one of the seats, she pointed at the seat next to hers. Almost as if she was telling me to sit down.


    "....."


    I did just that.


    For a moment, neither one of us said a word as we looked at the arena grounds beneath.


    Delh was the one to shatter the silence.


    "Who won?"


    "Hm?"


    I looked down to meet her gaze.


    Staring into her inky ck eyes, I almost lost myself in them.


    I was quick to snap out of it.


    "Between you and Leon. Who won the fight."


    "....."


    I felt my heart stop for a second.


    However, when I thought about it, I rxed.


    For her to know. I sort of expected it. There was no way she wouldn''t have known considering that she probably had every area of the academy under her grasp.


    "I won."


    I replied after a while.


    ".....The fight. I won it."


    It felt nice to say it.


    I knew that if the two of us were to fight again, I probably wouldn''t have won.


    But still.


    A win was a win.


    "I see."


    Delh didn''t seem to be surprised by the result.


    Or was she? I couldn''t tell. It was usually hard for me to read her emotions.


    I was just about to turn my attention back to the arena grounds when a figure walked by. With long tinum hair and ring red eyes, she stood out from the rest, attracting the gazes of all those that she passed.


    She had just walked by me when she paused.


    With a frown, she turned her head and our eyes met.


    Then, lowering her head, her gaze fell on Delh.


    And then back on me.


    "You''re a father?"


    "....."


    "....."


    I was at a loss for words.


    The same was true for Delh who looked at her with a nk look.


    "No, she''s not."


    ".....Kek, I know."


    Kiera bent down and pinched Delh''s cheek.


    "She cute though."


    I opened my eyes wide and hastily looked at Delh who was looking at Kiera with a nk look. To make matters worse, Kiera started to pinch her cheeks with both hands, pulling them apart and squeezing them back in.


    "Feels like I''m touching marshmallow. Holy crap."


    She pulled and squeezed.


    "What a cute child."


    Patting her head, and ruffling her hair into a mess, Kiera ced her hand in her pocket before tossing a small bar in Delh''s direction.


    "Eat it."


    After that, ncing at me, she left.


    I sat rigidly with my back straight. Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, I turned my head to look at Delh.


    Expecting the worst, I thought of ways to calm her down, when,


    "That girl..."


    Delh spoke, her eyes lingering over Kiera''s fading back.


    Crinckle~


    "....She''s a good girl."


    Munch.


    "....?"


    "Good girl."

 Chapter 152 Exhibition [2]

    <h4>Chapter 152 Exhibition [2]</h4>


    Crinckle~


    "Munch... Munch...."


    I sat in silence while Delh ate her bar beside me. From time to time, a few cadets would stop by to look at her before leaving.


    At first, it was fine, but it started to get worse as more cadets appeared.


    Enough to arouse a reaction from Delh who stopped eating.


    "I''m getting a lot of stares."


    ".....I told you so."


    "It''s fine."


    Delh replied nonchntly.


    Then, ncing at me, she replied,


    "I''ve got you, no?"


    "Me?"


    What does that even mean?


    ".....Take a look around."


    I did as she asked.


    That was when I realized it. The moment my head turned, so would the heads of all the other cadets around.


    ''This...''


    I didn''t know how to react.


    Was I that scary?


    "See? I don''t have to worry."


    Sticking her little fingers into the wrapper to grab all the crumbs, Delh dipped her finger in her mouth.


    I stared at the scene unsure of how to react.


    I wanted to judge her for it, but then again. I was also guilty of doing such a thing.


    "You alone are enough to stop them from approaching me."


    "....."


    I had no words to say.


    She was right. There was no denying her words.


    Just a single look and everyone would turn away from me.


    I wasn''t sure how to feel.


    "It''s starting."


    Just as Delh spoke, a voice echoed throughout the entire arena grounds.


    --Cadets, please take your seats. The exhibition fight will begin shortly. I repeat. Cadets, please find a seat. The exhibition fight will begin shortly.


    I exchanged nces with Delh who scrunched up the wrapper with her small fist.


    She didn''t say a word, but just looking at her, I could see that she was interested in the fight.


    I was as well.


    Having fought with Leon already, I more or less understood the extent of his strength. While I was sure that he had some cards he had left hidden, I didn''t think he''d use them here.


    "Huu."


    Taking a deep breath, I leaned back on my chair and crossed my arms.


    But who knew?


    Evelyn was a tough opponent.


    Perhaps, she was going to get Leon to show his hidden cards.


    It was just a thought.


    Still, I was curious.


    What would''ve happened if he had used them?


    ***


    The delegates of the fifteen Guilds were seated in a private area that enabled them to view the entire arena ground from where they were.


    It was a room that only the top VIPs were allowed to use.


    ".....Is the Chancellor perhaps noting?"


    Anky man with short ck hair and a long nose asked.


    He was one of the delegates of the ck Hound Guild. Currently, they were ranked fifth in the Guild rankings based on what they had achieved the previous year.


    "About that..."


    With a difficult face, one of the Academy elders, an old woman with white hair, bitterly smiled.


    "We are trying our best to find her. She might be doing an important task. It tends to happen from time to time."


    "It tends to happen?"


    The delegate looked at the elder with a frown.


    "Are you saying that your Chancellor has this little sense of responsibility? Shouldn''t she have already been aware of our presence? Why is sh--"


    "Shouldn''t I be enough?"


    A warm voice cut through the delegate''s.


    There was a certain maism to the voice that made all those in the run turn their heads.


    "Ah...!"


    "....!"


    Their expressions changed.


    "You Highness."


    "Your Royal Highness."


    All members in the room stood up and paid their greetings.


    The man standing before them was none other than As who returned their gestures with a warm smile.


    "There''s no need for such polite greetings. If that''s okay with you, I''m only here to make up for Delh''s absence."


    "....We wouldn''t dare refute!"


    "It is the greatest honor!"


    A stereotypical reaction. As took their actions with a calm smile.


    Brushing his hair to the side, he politely gestured with his hand.


    "I''m d that you all feel that way. Should we take a seat?"


    "Yes."


    ".....Hahaha."


    Dogs.


    As''s smile almost faltered.


    Their expressions. Their attitudes, and their looks. Almost all of it looked dull to As. If he wanted to he could just squeeze his hand, and...


    "Your Highness, I''ve been wondering about something."


    Breaking him out of his thoughts was the delegate of the ck Hound Guild.


    Sitting on the seat beside him, he wore a ttering smile.


    "....Do ask."


    "Haha, thank you. Thank you."


    He continued to put a subversive attitude.


    "I''ve just been wandering about the ck Star. Why did he not ept to be in the exhibition?"


    In the moment he asked the question, the room turned silent.


    Clearly, all the delegates were curious about the same thing.


    "The ck Star...?"


    As was of course well aware of the situation.


    He had already been informed about Julien''s rejection to participate in the exhibition match. In a way, he wasn''t surprised. He had only known him for a little bit of time, but Julien wasn''t the type of person who would do things just because others asked him to do it.


    ''.....It''s also why he can''t be ssified as Fiend.''


    He was a hard person to control.


    A double-edged sword, perhaps.


    .....One that strangely interested him. He had a certain charm that made it hard for As to dislike him.


    "Yes, the ck Star. Do you think he had some sort of reasoning for rejecting our request? Surely it''s not for the simple reason that he doesn''t want to, right? That would make no sense. He should be well aware of our influence, and--"


    "He''s not someone that needs to please you."


    As cut the delegate off.


    Stunned, the delegate threw all decorum out the window.


    "Pardon? What sort of¡ª"


    "It''s the opposite in fact."


    As turned his head to meet the delegate''s.


    For a brief moment, his yellow pupils shone, and the delegate''s face numbed. It was only for a split second.


    But it was just enough to stop the delegate from speaking.


    In that brief moment of silence that took over the room, As looked around the room before leaning back on his chair.


    "...It''s not him that needs to please you. It''s you who needs to please him."


    The same was probably true for Leon too.


    ***


    ¡ªThe two contestants will now be entering the arena.


    At the announcement, the surroundings turned quiet. There was a palpable tension in the air.


    It was strange.


    Especially since from the way everyone was talking, the fight''s winner was already decided.


    ''I guess it''s more from the fact that they want to see the underdog win.''


    Who didn''t like underdogs to win?


    ¡ªOn our left side, please wee Evelyn Ja Verlice!


    The arena gates from the left side opened and Evelyn entered. Appearing on the projections above, her closed-up image appeared for all to see.


    She was beautiful.


    To the point where many of the cadets around found themselves unable to tear their gazes away from her image.


    I also thought she was pretty.


    .....But I was practically immune to looks by now.


    Involuntarily, my gaze fell on the little girl beside me. In her full form, she outssed Evelyn in almost every way.


    As if sensing my gaze, Delh turned her head.


    "What?"


    ".....It''s nothing."


    I looked away from her.


    It was then Leon''s turn to be announced.


    ¡ªOn our right side, please wee Leon Rowan Ellert!


    Was there anything that I needed to say about his appearance?


    Just like Evelyn, the moment he entered, he attracted the gaze of the cadets. In particr, the female cadets who looked at the screen awestruck by his appearance.


    Thinking about it, there were quite a lot of good-looking people in the Academy.


    It mostly had to do with the fact that we were capable of handling mana which nurtured the body for the better.


    Of course, that didn''t mean that there weren''t ugly people.


    It was just that they were in the minority.


    ¡ªContestants, please get into positions.


    The arena grounds turned quiet once more.


    Standing on opposite ends, Leon and Evelyn stood face-to-


    face with each other. There was visible tension between the two at the moment.


    With his hand over the hilt of his sword, Leon got into position.


    On the other hand, the mana around Evelyn grew rampant.


    "...."


    "...."


    Just when everyone was wondering whether the fight would start or not, the announcer spoke.


    ¡ªStart!


    The first one to make her move was Evelyn who brought her hand forward, channeling two magic circles at a speed that I could only envy.


    Kracka¡ª! Kracka¡ª!


    The air crackled, and bolts of lightning shot in Leon''s direction.


    They moved at an impressive speed. By the time it took me to blink, they were already upon him.


    But Leon appeared unperturbed by the attack.


    With the same indifferent gaze of his, he stepped forward and unsheated his sword.


    And then,


    Swooosh¡ª


    He swung horizontally.


    In that moment, the lightning that was heading his way coiled around his sword before scattering toward the ground.


    Tzzz~


    Two ck marks appeared on the arena grounds and silence gripped over the surroundings.


    But the silence didn''tst for long.


    "Whoooooo¡ª!"


    The roar of the crowd followed shortly after that.


    They were so loud that for a brief moment, I had to cover my ears.


    "That was awesome!"


    "I told you Leon was going to beat her!"


    ".....It''s not over yet!"


    That simple exchange the two had pretty much dictated whose side the momentum was going to be on.


    Bang!


    Without hesitation, he pushed himself forward and appeared before a slightly flustered Evelyn.


    Swoosh¡ª


    His sword cleaved down from above.


    ''I''m getting shbacks.''


    The move he had currently performed was one that I had experienced firsthand.


    It wasn''t something I liked to remember.


    Certainly, I was also sure Evelyn would feel the same way by the end of the fight.


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ª


    The fight progressed.


    It pretty much started to pan out the way most people expected it to pan out.


    Kracka!


    Evelyn was certainly putting up a fight.


    She was doing a far better job than I had been. However, there was a clear gap in skills between her and Leon.


    From the way he could predict her movements, to the way he nullified every one of her attacks.


    It was simply one-sided.


    So much so that I started to drift into my own thoughts and no longer started paying attention to the fight.


    It therefore came to me as an utter shock when the result was announced.


    ¡ªWinner of the duel, Evelyn Ja Verlyce.


    ".....Uh?"


    I blinked and looked around me.


    The entire arena grounds were quiet with everyone sporting simrly stunned expressions.


    "This..."


    How?


    How was this possible?


    He had clearly been dominating the entire fight. How was it possible for him to lose?!


    Amidst my shock, Delh''s voice broke me out of my thoughts.


    "You did it."


    "Uh?"


    When I looked down, her deep ck eyes were already locked onto me.


    "I can feel it."


    Feel it...?


    What was she-


    Lifting her head slightly, Delh''s gaze returned to the projections. Narrowing her eyes, she quietly mumbled,


    ".....Fear. It''s consuming him."

 Chapter 153 Exhibition [3]

    <h4>Chapter 153 Exhibition [3]</h4>


    Leon was feeling especially good before the exhibition match.


    "Huu... Huu..."


    Taking deep and steady breaths, he stretched his body in the corridor that led to the main arena grounds.


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ª


    Casually swinging his sword, he could feel that he was in top-notch conditions.


    His mind was clear.


    ''.....I''ve more or less recovered from the injuries that I sustained from the fight with Julien.''


    Most of them had been superficial, but he had also fractured his ribs in his fight. That took a little longer to heal.


    "Alright."


    Leon jumped up lightly in the corridor.


    By his side, he could see a small projection that showed him what was going on in the middle of the arena.


    Currently, Evelyn''s name was called up.


    The gates on her side opened and she entered.


    "....."


    Taking a look at her, Leon could see the serious look on her face. They had already talked beforehand, and thus he knew just how seriously she was taking this fight.


    ".....Ha."


    Thinking about the conversation, Leonughed.


    She had been very serious in that conversation. Something about him not going easy on her just because they knew each other and that she was going to go all out against him.


    ''Not like I didn''t n on that.''


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ª


    Swinging his sword again and loosening his joints, he stretched his shoulders.


    Then,


    ¡ªOn our right side, please wee Leon Rowan Ellert!


    His name was called up.


    "I guess I''ve got to take this fight seriously too."


    He had already learned his lesson before.


    There was no way he was going to take it easy on Evelyn. He wasn''t going to give her any breathing room.


    "Wooooo¡ª"


    The roar of the crowd entered his ears the moment he passed by the tunnel and entered the arena grounds.


    Having been there for the mid-terms, he was already used to such an atmosphere. Rather, he thrived in it.


    Basking in the cheers of the crowd, he eventually stopped.


    Evelyn stood on the opposite end. With a grim look, the mana around her body started to visibly move.


    At any second, Leon felt like she could unleash a spell against him.


    ¡ªContestants, please get into positions.


    The announcer''s voice echoed and Leon pressed his hand against the hilt of his sword. At the same time, he got into the optimal position.


    His calfs tensed and silence reigned over the surroundings.


    At this moment, Evelyn was the only person that was standing before him.


    And then,


    ¡ªStart!


    The match began.


    Kracka¡ª! Kracka¡ª!


    The first one to move was Evelyn who summoned two spells in rapid session. She was so fast that Leon didn''t even have time to move.


    Before he knew it, the spells were already upon him.


    "...."


    He didn''t panic.


    Drawing his sword, the lightning bolts coiled around his sword, which he then directed towards the ground.


    Tzzzz~


    Two scorch marks appeared on the floor.


    Although they didn''t look like much, Leon knew that if he had been hit by them, he wouldn''t have been able to keep himself from remaining standing.


    Not that it mattered since he had handled it already.


    Bang!


    Like a spring, Leon released all the tension within his calves and his body lunged forward.


    Within seconds, he was already upon her.


    "....Ehp!"


    Evelyn let out a yelp of surprise.


    Taking a look at the flustered look on his face, Leon cleaved down from above.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Just narrowly, she was able to avoid his attack.


    Not that it mattered.


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ª!


    Leon didn''t n on leaving any breathing room for Evelyn.


    Kracka! Kracka!


    Despite her best attempts at trying to fight back, Leon was relentless. Whenever she tried to gain some distance, he''d always shorten it and swing his sword at her.


    It had to be said.


    Evelyn was really good and agile.


    Despite being so relentless in his attacks, she was still able to dodge most of his attacks. For a mage, she knew how to move her body well.


    For the ones that she wasn''t able to avoid, she''d use her hands which were covered in miniature bolts of lightning.


    Tzzzz~


    Each time his sword came into contact with her hand, it''d sizzle, leaving scorch marks on it.


    Swoosh!


    Leon didn''t mind it and continued to fight.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed. He had long lost count.


    Not that it mattered.


    Currently, he only had one goal.


    That was,


    Defeat Evelyn.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    "....Ukh!"


    An opening finally revealed itself. Stumbling back, Evelyn''s left side was left wide open for Leon to exploit.


    He had just taken a step forward when,


    His left leg suddenly felt heavy.


    "....!"


    Itpletely shattered his momentum, and Evelyn was able to gain some distance.


    "....."


    Leon stood in silence for a moment.


    ''What the hell was that...''


    Gritting his teeth, Leon looked at Evelyn and pursued.


    Swoosh!


    His sword once again came cleaving down on her.


    He had thought she''d dodge the attack, but rather, she didn''t. With bolts of lightning gathering around the palm of her hand, she reached out to touch his sword.


    A glow formed on Leon''s sword the moment she did that.


    The two sides were just about to make contact when,


    Ba.... Thump! Ba.... Thump!


    Leon felt the beat of his heart in his head and he pressed his foot against the ground, pushing himself back in the process and distancing himself from Evelyn who cleaved at the air.


    "...."


    Standing on the opposite end, Leon''s mouth opened but no words came out.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Suddenly, he felt his breath grow heavy.


    It was almost as though he was tired.


    .....And yet, he knew that was impossible.


    How could he get tired from this much?


    "What''s going on?"


    "Why did he move back?"


    He could also hear the voices of confusioning from the crowd. Unfortunately, he had no time to think about them.


    ''Something''s wrong.''


    There was something clearly wrong with him.


    He just didn''t know what it was.


    Kracka! Kracka!


    Two bolts of lightning shot in his direction. Leon''s pupils dted the moment he caught a glimpse of them, and just as he prepared to raise his sword to block them, he found himself unable to.


    "Uh?"


    His hands.


    They were both shaking.


    "What the¡ªUkh!"


    The lighting hit him squarely in the chest and he skidded back several meters back.


    "Ukh."


    His entire body started to spasm as a result of her attack.


    The pain was almost unbearable.


    Fortunately, it didn''tst for long and he was able to recover from it.


    "Haaa... Haaa...!"


    Looking up, he could see Evelyn gathering up another spell at a rapid speed, and instead of lunging at her, he distanced himself from her.


    "What are you doing!?"


    "What''s going on!?"


    "Why are you running away...!?"


    The insults of the crowd started to reach him from above.


    "I..."


    Leon didn''t know how to react.


    He agreed with them.


    And yet,


    Currently, his body wasn''t listening to him.


    "W-what..."


    Staring at Evelyn, he suddenly felt her image ovep with another and his entire body shuddered.


    He stood tall in the middle of the arena. Where Evelyn once had been.


    With two hazel eyes looking down on him, he stared at him indifferently.


    Just standing before him felt suffocating.


    "Huuu... huu... W-why?"


    Why was he here?


    He unknowingly took a step back.


    Something sinister seemed to have taken control of his mind. It made it hard for him to think clearly.


    Unknowingly, his eyes started to dart around the space.


    Almost in desperation.


    But why...?


    Kracka!


    Two bolts of lightning headed his way.


    Leon tried his best to avoid the attacks, but his mind wasn''t there. He could hardly think properly, and he pathetically jumped to the side, losing hold of the sword.


    nk, nk¡ª


    Bouncing against the ground, the sword eventually stooped.


    "Ah, t-this..."


    Leon tried to get to his feet, but he never had the chance.


    Evelyn had appeared before him.


    She had a strange look on her face. Still, reaching out with her hand, she pressed her hand against his back, and Leon screamed.


    "Akh...!"


    His entire body trembled and he eventually fell t on the ground.


    ¡ªWinner of the duel, Evelyn Ja Verlyce.


    The winner was announced, and the entire arena fell deathly silent.


    To the shock of everyone present.


    He had lost.


    ***


    "Fear?"


    I turned to look at Delh. It wasn''t as though I didn''t understand what her words implied, it was more like I just couldn''t understand how it was possible.


    A couple of days had passed since we had our fight.


    How was it possible that he was still influenced by it? And to the point where he''d lose?


    ".....Not many can see it, but I can."


    Delh started to speak while staring at Leon who was getting helped by Evelyn who looked just as confused as everyone around.


    She seemed to be saying something to him.


    Unfortunately, we couldn''t hear exactly what the two were saying.


    "At one point, he started to breathe heavier, his face turned pale, and his pupils dted. That''s a clear indication of fear. Since Evelyn is not an Emotive mage, there''s only one possible exnation."


    Delh looked at me.


    She didn''t need to say anything else but I understood.


    "This..."


    I sat back down in my seat and stared at my hands.


    In all honesty, I didn''t know how to feel.


    I didn''t feel bad about Leon losing. It shouldn''t really affect him too. He was clearly strong, and while he might encounter some mockery, that was all there was to it.


    He also didn''t really need to care about the Guilds since he was my knight.


    What I was surprised about was the extent to which my emotive magic had affected him.


    ''....Is this the true power of Emotive Magic?''


    I had always been hesitant to use such power.


    The main reason for this was that I was clearly not good enough at it.


    ''No, it''s not just that.''


    I also didn''t know how to properly utilize it.


    My main focus had been elsewhere and I had somewhat neglected it.


    The reason why Leon was in this state was because of the first leaf which was a concentration of the emotion that I had gone through.


    Still, at this very moment, I finally had a better idea of the extent to which Emotive Magic could affect someone.


    While I wasn''t there yet, I knew that I would be able to reach a simr level to what was currently being disyed.


    "It''s a pity."


    Delh murmured from the side


    When I turned to look at her, she had already stood up from the seat. The same was true for the other cadets. Since the match had ended there was nothing else to see.


    Passing by me, Delh quietly said,


    "....I also want to be good at Emotive Magic."

 Chapter 154 Exhibition [4]

    <h4>Chapter 154 Exhibition [4]</h4>


    ".....Huu."


    Laying down on a bench in the changing room, Leon let out a long breath. He felt mentally drained.


    It wasn''t so much from the loss but from the reason behind the loss.


    "It doesn''t even make sense."


    A couple of days had passed.


    How could it still be affecting him?


    nk--


    Just then, the room''s door came to an abrupt open and Evelyn came in. Leon flinched at the sight of her.


    "What are you doing? This is the male changing room."


    "....."


    She didn''t answer.


    Instead, she looked at him straight. Almost as if she was trying to see right through him.


    Eventually, she spoke.


    "Why?"


    It was a simple question.


    All Evelyn wanted at the moment was an exnation.


    "You''re better than this. Did you lose to me on purpose? I thought you were going to take the match seriously. Did you feel pity for me or something? Or is it--"


    "It''s not that."


    Leon cut her off while groaning.


    The aftereffects of the ''Fear'' spell were still lingering within him.


    For some reason, whenever he looked at her, all he''d see was Julien''s image. He kept ovepping with hers, and it was making it hard for him to keep his breathing stable.


    "Haa..."


    He had to take a deep breath to calm himself down somewhat.


    ''This is all an illusion.''


    Though he said that, he still struggled to keep himself from believing his own words.


    That was just how powerful Julien''s spell had been.


    "It''s not that? Then what is it? Why did you lose like that?"


    "...."


    Lowering his head slightly, Leon closed his eyes topose himself.


    Then, opening them back up again, he answered,


    ".....I had a fight with Julien."


    "Uh?"


    Evelyn''s expression froze.


    "You had a fight with Julien?"


    Her expression looked like that of someone who had a hard time figuring out what he had said.


    "Wait, what?"


    And then it hit her.


    Her eyes widened and she took a step back.


    "You had a fight with Julien!?"


    She repeated. This time, her tone was louder, and the shock in her expression was visible for Leon to see.


    Immediately, she moved closer to him.


    "Who won? What happened? Why did you suddenly fight? Are you saying that the reason that you lost to me is because of the fight with Julien? Was it yesterday that you fought with him?"


    Questions flowed out of her mouth one after another.


    The speed at which the words left her mouth was so fast that Leon had a hard time keeping up with them.


    "Which area did you get injured in? I knew that something was up. Did you get yourself checked by the Do--"


    "It happened a few days ago."


    Leon cut her off, trying his best to stop her before it was toote.


    He was already feeling a headache.


    This was a side of Evelyn that she rarely showed to the outside.


    Though she projected herself as someone ''aloof'' just like Aoife. Unlike her, it was merely a facade.


    Her real personality was that of someone who talked too much.


    ''Ugh.''


    Secretly groaning, Leon started to exin.


    "It was on the day that he refused to fight me. I was the one who initiated the fight and the two of us fought outside where nobody could see."


    "And...?"


    "And..."


    Leon pursed his lips before shaking his head.


    ".....I lost."


    What else could he say?


    He still felt bitter about it.


    "You lost?"


    Evelyn chewed over his words before sitting down next to him.


    "How did he beat you? Did he use the same skill that he disyed in the mid-terms or--"


    "No, not that."


    Leon cut her off again.


    He thought back at the fight from a couple of days ago and his body shuddered.


    Then, raising his trembling arm, he met Evelyn''s gaze.


    "He won using Emotive Magic."


    He slowly squeezed his arm.


    ".....As we speak, I''m still being consumed by it."


    ***


    With the fighting to an end, the cadets started to go out of the arena grounds. The same was true for me.


    "Munch... Munch..."


    Delh stood by my side eating her bar.


    It was a sight that I started to grow used to by now.


    No, rather,


    "Isn''t that your fifth one? Do you like the bars that much?"


    ".....Hm?"


    Delh stopped to look at me.


    Blinking her eyes, she alternated her gaze between me and the bar before narrowing her eyes and pulling the bar behind her back.


    "It''s finished."


    "...."


    Finished?


    Clearly, there was still more than half of the bar left.


    What sort of nonsense...


    "Ah."


    It took a moment for me to understand. When I did, I lost whatever words were about toe out. In the end, I rified myself to her.


    "I''m not after your bar."


    "....Oh, you should''ve said so."


    Her wariness disappeared and she started eating again.


    Munch. Munch.


    "...."


    I pursed my lips.


    "Why do you like them so much?"


    I had always been curious about this.


    Delh seemed to have an abnormal addiction to the candy bars. It was almost as though she couldn''t go without them.


    ''She also likes sugar, but there''s something about the bars...''


    I had tried ''bribing'' her with other means, but the bars were the ones that she truly couldn''t stop eating.


    ".....I just like them."


    Delh replied with a t tone.


    She wasn''t the type to say a lot of words. That much I understood from the amount of time that I had spent with her.


    "So you just like the bars?"


    "Yeah."


    "Then why can''t you buy them yourself? I''m sure you have a lot of money."


    "....."


    Delh didn''t reply immediately.


    Sporting a small frown, she looked at the bar in her hand. It was halfway eaten.


    "I have restrictions because I eat too many."


    ".....Ah."


    I did recall Kiera undergoing a simr restriction with her cigarettes.


    Could it be that they had also done the same thing with her?


    But that didn''t really make sense.


    She was the one beneath the Zenith. Who in the world could possibly control her to this point?


    As if she could read my mind, Delh spoke.


    "Orson Rosemberg."


    "Orson Rosember...?"


    The name. I knew. Of course, I knew. He was the head of Central and one of the most powerful people within the Empire.


    At the same time, he was also Delh''s father.


    If it was him, then...


    "Your father?"


    "He''s not my father."


    Delh tly rather quickly.


    Surprised, I looked down at her.


    "He''s not your father?"


    But I was sure he was...


    From all the information that I knew, he was Delh''s father.


    It was hard not to know this piece of information considering that it was written in all books and the ringst name she shared with him.


    "I''m adopted."


    "You''re adopted?"


    "Yes, when I was very young. I don''t remember the age."


    "I see."


    Things started to be clear now.


    "....I''m sorry to hear that."


    "For what?"


    "Your real parents. I thought they weren''t here since you said that you were ado¡ª"


    "They''re fine."


    "....Eh?"


    "Working."


    I thought about saying something else, but I stopped myself. It was pretty embarrassing of me to assume that her parents had died.


    ''....I did hear about it before, but it seems to be the case now that I see her.''


    There was a piece of information that I learned through the books that I read.


    Apparently, it was normal for noble families to take in talented children and adopt them from their parents in exchange for somepensation.


    That was what probably happened to Delh.


    "Here."


    Delh extended her hand in my direction.


    I looked at her in confusion.


    "We''re about to leave. I don''t want to get lost in the chaos."


    "Okay."


    I held her hand.


    In that moment when my hand came into contact with hers, I had a sudden thought. A very dangerous thought.


    So dangerous that I felt my entire body shudder and my heart beat faster.


    What if...


    ''What if I use my second leaf ability on her?''


    Would it even be possible?


    In terms of power and knowledge, Delh was in a ss of her own. What would happen if I were to use the second leaf on her?


    Would I be able to integrate her memories into my mind and learn from them?


    ''Ah, shit.''


    The moment the thought entered it just wouldn''t leave my mind.


    Greed had started to overtake my mind again.


    ''...This is fucking insane.''


    While I wasn''t sure about it, what if she was able to detect what I was doing?


    How would she react?


    Would she kill me?


    ''No, but there''s no better time than now.''


    When would I ever get a chance like this again?


    Regarding the consequences...


    I felt like I could deal with them. If I yed my cards right, I could appease her.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    I started to hear the beat of my heart in my head.


    It drummed loudly, making it hard for me to remain focused.


    ....It just continued to beat faster, and faster, and faster. To the point where it was all I could think of.


    ''Do it.''


    ''If you learn her memories, you''ll be able to get stronger.''


    ''Anything for power.''


    Voices started to enter my mind.


    They kept whispering in my mind, tempting me at every word.


    I lowered my head to look at Delh.


    "....."


    My body tensed.


    ''Do it.''


    ''Stop wasting time.''


    I licked my lips.


    This...


    My left hand moved to scratch my right hand.


    Before I knew it, I had already pressed the leaf-covered beneath the bandages I used to cover the tattoo.


    And then,


    "...."


    Nothing happened.


    I pressed it again.


    .....Yet again, nothing happened.


    ''Nothing?''


    I tried for onest time.


    Yet again, nothing.


    "Hooo."


    That was when my heart started to calm down and my body stopped producing adrenaline. I unknowingly sighed in relief.


    I guess I was more nervous than I thought.


    ''It didn''t work, huh?''


    It most likely had to do with our strength gap.


    14:12


    That was most likely the reasoning behind why the skill didn''t work.


    ''I guess I found the first restriction of the skill.''


    .....It didn''t work on those that were extremely strong.


    Well, at least Delh''s level.


    What about those beneath the Monarch rank? Would it work on them?


    It was a curious thought.


    Another thing,


    "...."


    Looking at Delh, and seeing her happily eat her bar as if nothing had happened, I had another question in my mind.


    ''Judging from her reaction, she didn''t feel anything. Is it possible that they don''t know?''


    No, they probably know.


    The only person I had used the skill on who was alive was Professor Bucm.


    He seemed to be pretty aware of the fact that I had gone through his memories. Since it failed, Delh probably didn''t know.


    That was my conclusion.


    ''Okay, I see.''


    I took mental notes of the information.


    At the same time, I reminded myself to experiment more with this skill. Since I was set on learning Emotive Magic better, this skill was extremely crucial.


    ".....You can let go."


    Delh''s voice brought me out of my thoughts.


    Looking down, I finally let go of her hand.


    "It wasn''t a bad match."


    Delh spoke while patting her hands.


    Then, ncing my way, she pinched her chin.


    "You have strong Emotive intensity but youck control."


    "....Yes?"


    "This semester you should have him as your Professor. I think you''ll like his sses."


    Yet again, I was confused.


    However, before I could voice out my confusion she had already disappeared.


    "What the hell..."


    Staring at the area where she had previously been, I didn''t know how to react.


    ''Lack of control? Emotive Magic has control? ¡­..And who was she referring to by Professor? We going to have Emotive lessons next semester?''


    There were many questions in my mind, and yet, no answer.


    Still,


    "...."


    I stared at my hand and unwrapped the bandages slightly to see the four-leaf clover.


    "As expected. It''s not glowing."


    The second leaf.


    That meant that the skill had been used.


    In that case, it really didn''t work.


    .....Or did it?


    "Ugh."


    I ruffled my hair and wrapped the bandages back.


    There was no use thinking about it.


    I was going to find out sooner thanter. Rather, there was something else that was bothering me.


    cing my hand in my pocket, I felt something light and took it out.


    "...."


    I stood in silence for a moment before lowering my head.


    Wrappers.


    Not one, but five.


    "This gremlin-looking midge¡ª"

 Chapter 155 The Order of the Silver Seraphs [1]

    <h4>Chapter 155 The Order of the Silver Seraphs [1]</h4>


    In Haven, a semester generallysted for about six months.


    At the end, the mid-terms would start and cadets would be assessed in three things. Theory, group work, and individual evaluations.


    The first two had already beenpleted but due to someplications that stemmed from the group examination, the individual evaluations had been held back.


    I wasn''t even sure they were going to do the individual examination.


    But it didn''t matter.


    It was safe to say that with the performances of the two examinations, I had managed to just barely clinch the top spot again.


    The Progressive Analysis evaluation served to help out a lot too.


    "New terms mean that you will now have new sses and new Professors."


    Standing before us was Professor Bridgette.


    She looked a little sad, but she didn''t show it too much.


    Today was thest day of her ss, and at the same time, it was also the day when it would be announced which Guild we would be going to for the exchange.


    Holding onto a sheet of paper, Professor Bridgette leaned her head back to get a better look at the writing.


    "So, uhm."


    Frowning, she paused.


    "Heh, I''ll be damned."


    Her words aroused the curiosity of the cadets around.


    Just as someone was about to ask what was going on, she ced the paper down and spoke,


    "I''ve got a list of the Guilds that you will all be a part of. However, it doesn''t seem like it will matter. You''ve all been called up for a rescue operation."


    A rescue operation...?


    I tilted my head in confusion.


    "There has been an incident in the Mirror Dimension. The Guilds have lost track of a joint group from the fifteen Guilds who were sent on a mission. They''re currently thinking of sending you and a few other Guild members for the rescue operation."


    Her words were immediately met with the uproar of the cadets around.


    "What?!"


    ".....In the Mirror Dimension?"


    "How does this make sense? Why are we the ones doing this?"


    I felt the same way as them.


    Wasn''t the exchange meant to get people to know the Guilds better? What was the point of sending us on a mission like this?


    Raising her hand to quiet the cadets down, Professor Bridgette went on to exin,


    "Please don''t worry. You can also say that this is going to be a test for you. In cooperation with the Academy, you shouldn''t be in any danger."


    Bullshit.


    I could already imagine that something was going to go wrong.


    It had also been a while since I received a quest. I was almost sure I was going to receive one soon enough.


    The thought was already making my head throb.


    "The Guilds will send powerful people alongside you. This is more to get you used to the Mirror Dimension and Guilds operations than for the rescue mission. You won''t necessarily have to do much. The only reason things are like this is because the situation came abruptly, and instead of canceling the whole exchange, they decided to have you all participate and witness how Guilds operate."


    Professor Bridgette lifted the paper up and waved it.


    ".....Before you leave you can check this paper to see which Guild has selected you. Once we enter the Mirror Dimension, you can go to the respective Guild who will brief you on the situation."


    It was hard to see what was written on the paper from where I was.


    Despite that, I was able to catch a glimpse of my name since it was at the very top.


    ''The Order of the Silver Seraphs.''


    I paused and sorted through my memories.


    In the end, the name finally rang a bell.


    ''So it''s them...''


    The number one Guild within the Empire.


    They were the ones that had chosen me.


    "As I said, since this will be a joint operation, once you go to your respective Guilds in the Safe Zone, you''ll be briefed on the situation before going on a joint mission with the other Guilds for the rescue. In the end, you will all still be together. Isn''t that nice?"


    Despite her best attempts at trying to lift the mood up with her words, none of the cadets really seemed to buy it.


    .....There was clear nervousness in the room.


    And it was understandable.


    After all, this was our first true excursion within the Mirror Dimension.


    *


    The lesson came to an end rather fast.


    With all thoughts on the uing mission, nobody was in the mood to talk.


    On the other hand, I was excited.


    Not for the mission, but for another reason.


    "The two parties have agreed to do a joint reward for you."


    It was finally time for me to receive my reward.


    Currently, I was sitting in the middle of a room with two people. Delh and As.


    Delh was representing the Academy while As was representing the Megrail family.


    I was surrounded by powerhouses.


    "We talked about what you wanted before, and we''ve ryed your request to them."


    And?


    "It was rejected."


    "...."


    Not like I didn''t expect it.


    Still, I was disappointed by the result.


    "The Mirror Crack is extremely valuable for the Empire. You are still far too young to have any rights to it."


    Listening to As''s exnation, I could only nod.


    He was right.


    I was indeed too young and too weak to have any rights to it. Probably, I was just being greedy.


    ".....But it''s not like it''s impossible for you to get the rights to one."


    My hopes were quickly revitalized by his words.


    "You mean...?"


    "Provide more contributions to the Empire, and show more promise and there''s a chance you might get selected. Currently, the Mirror Crack is being cleaned up by the members of the Empire. It will take a bit of time before it can be given away..."


    He stopped there, but the meaning was clear.


    ''You have a few years to meet the requirements.''


    And judging from the way he was looking at me, he also appeared to be on my side. It made sense.


    Considering that I was a member of the Inverted Sky, owning a Mirror Crack would be good for them too.


    "I understand."


    Nodding, I shifted my attention towards Delh.


    Sat in her seat in her usual form, she looked at me with an absentminded look. Then, as if realizing I was looking at her, she blinked and focused her gaze on me.


    "Dragon bone."


    "....!"


    It was just two words but it was enough to make my heart jump.


    But before I could get excited, she poured cold water over me.


    "I tried to get you that, but it was rejected."


    This...


    ''She did it on purpose, didn''t she?''


    Seeing the corner of her lips curl up slightly, I was more or less sure of my assumption.


    It was very subtle, but it was clear for me to see.


    This sugar addict...


    "...You''re too weak to handle a bone of such strength. The Empire and the Academy feel the same on that matter."


    Delh exined.


    I nodded.


    "I see."


    "If you had been Tier 4, then you might''ve had a chance at receiving it. The Dragon Bone is quite rare, and while we don''t know what abilities it contains, they will be strong."


    "....."


    "Don''t be disheartened."


    As interjected from the side.


    ".....Had you consumed the bone with your current abilities, your mind would''ve exploded."


    "Yes?"


    Mind exploded?


    "The higher the rank of a bone, the greater the will inside. If you don''t have strong mental resi¡ªHuh..."


    As suddenly stopped speaking. His brows soon creased into a frown.


    "Hold on."


    He mumbled under his breath.


    Delh seemed to be doing the same thing. Blinking his eyes, he turned to look at Delh who looked back at him.


    After a while, he asked.


    "What did he get for his mental examination?"


    "8.23."


    Delh replied in an instant.


    Almost as though she had the answer already memorized beforehand.


    As''s expression turned grim.


    "That high?"


    "Yes."


    His yellow pupils turned to face me.


    "If that''s the case then this is actually possible..."


    I felt ufortable under his gaze.


    For some strange reason, his gaze turned warmer and warmer with each time that I saw him.


    ".....It''s not like I''ve never heard of such a case before. For someone to have such high mental stabilitypared to their real skills."


    Pinching his chin, he fell into deep thought.


    Delh on the other hand kept her expression fixed on me. From the way she was looking at me, it was as though she had expected such an oue.


    "There''s never been a precedent where someone as young and of your tier got their hands to a Terror rank bone. It''s usually impossible, but if your mental strength is really that high, then it might actually work."


    As suddenly stood up from his seat and looked at me.


    "Let''s put this meeting on hold. We were originally nning on rewarding you with something else, but things are different now."


    He turned to look at Delh.


    "You''re of the same opinion, right?"


    ".....Yes."


    "Good."


    As turned to look at me.


    "You''re stillggingpared to your top peers. If not for your Emotive Magic, you''d probably be beneath them. I originally nned on helping you get closer to them with the reward, but things are different now."


    He paused to look at me with deep eyes.


    "Perhaps, we might be able to get you to catch up to them."


    Such were hisst words before he left the room.


    nk¡ª


    Silence enshrouded the room following his departure. Focusing my attention on Delh who leaned back on her chair, she tapped her finger over the armrest of the chair.


    The meaning behind her gaze was clear.


    ''Are you satisfied with your reward?''


    To such gaze, I could only nod.


    "Yes."


    ***


    The next day.


    After As left the room, I also left. I was told that he''d need some time to discuss if the matter was possible.


    Quite frankly, the idea of possibly receiving the Dragon Bone was exciting.


    However, I didn''t get too excited. There was no guarantee that I would receive it. Furthermore, that was the least of my worries right now.


    "Cadets, please line up."


    Standing before a familiar crack, I looked toward the instructor who stood by its side.


    "I''m sure you''ve all been informed about the situation. The moment you enter the Safe Zone, delegates from the fifteen Guilds will call your names up and you will follow them into their area where you will be briefed on the situation."


    Teleporting from the Academy to another area within the Empire which was surrounded by trees, I took a look around me to see that the trees around the Mirror Crack were noticeably hollower with many not having any leaves.


    The affected area was small, but it was clear enough for everyone to see.


    ".....Please be careful."


    All of a sudden, the instructor''s voice turned extremely serious.


    Almost fearful.


    "Unlike the area you''ve previously entered at the Academy, the area you will now be entering is not a joke. You must enter with firm minds, and..."


    He turned to look at the crack, his eyes shaking slightly.


    "....Don''t let the voices get to you."


    Voices?


    Everyone looked at the instructor in confusion.


    However, before they could voice out their questions, he nudged everyone into the portal.


    "Go in. You''ll understand what I mean when you enter."


    Frowning, some cadets looked at him before stepping into the crack.


    I stared at their fading backs before simrly stepping forward and entering the crack.


    ....And just as I stepped through it, the voices came.


    ''Kill me.''


    ''.....Kill me please.''


    They rang loudly in my mind.

 Chapter 156 The Order of the Silver Seraphs [2]

    <h4>Chapter 156 The Order of the Silver Seraphs [2]</h4>


    ''Kill me.''


    ''....It hurts. Help me.''


    ''It came from the sky. All of me hurts.''


    The voices made their way into my mind like quiet whispers, their sound reminiscent of the hiss of a snake.


    There was more than one, and they talked over each other.


    ''It... burns.''


    I felt my skin crawl at the sound.


    Thankfully, it didn''t affect me all too much.


    After a few seconds, I was able to drown out the voices in my head.


    I looked up.


    The air and ground were dry, while above, a gray sky loomed, punctuated by a distant glowing white orb.


    We stood near a wide rocky path, encircled by numerous guards. In the distance, the silhouette of a fortress emerged faintly into view.


    It was probably the supply station.


    ''It''s been a while since I''ve been here.''


    The Mirror Dimension.


    "My head...!"


    What snapped me out of my thoughts was the sudden shout that came from behind me.


    When I turned around, I was stunned by what I was seeing.


    "Akh!"


    "Ugh! W-what''s going on?!"


    "....It hurts!"


    Holding onto their heads, some of the cadets knelt on the ground while others directly stumbled forward. When I looked, I could see that even Leon, Kiera, Aoife, Evelyn, and all the top-ranking cadets were facing simr issues.


    ''What''s going on exactly...?''


    I was somewhat confused.


    While the voices were indeed annoying, that was all there was to it.


    I closed my eyes for a moment and allowed the voices to enter my mind once more.


    ''Save me...!''


    ''It hurts. I''m burning.''


    The moment I let my guard down, the voices crawled into my mind like the gentle whispers of a snap, ringing loudly within my mind. I tried to focus on what the voices were saying, but I wasn''t able to make much of it.


    ''It looks like they''re in pain...?''


    My brows creased, and just faintly, I felt a slight sense of difort.


    But that was all.


    The difort was just that.


    A difort.


    It wasn''t like with the other cadets who all appeared to be in deep pain.


    "Wee to the Mirror Dimension."


    A rough voice suddenly echoed. I pivoted to find a burly man, sporting a mustache and ck hair, stationed just a few meters ahead. d in lightweight armor, his furrowed brows and intense brown gaze fixed squarely upon us.


    "This right here is nothing like the area that you''ve encountered. We''re now in the deeper parts of the Mirror Dimension. The Yellow Region."


    He paused to let his words in.


    The cadets were still struggling, so many were struggling to understand him.


    But I understood his words.


    ''The Yellow Region, huh?''


    The zones within the Mirror Dimension ranged from ck, yellow, orange, and red with red being the most dangerous area.


    The Yellow Zone was the second easiest zone.


    Looking around, there was not much of a differencepared to the ck zone besides the voices.


    Would things be even more different in the higher zones?


    "The voices you hear in your head. We call them Mirror Tones. In certain areas, they be louder and more prevalent. They don''t harm you physically, but..."


    The burly looked around before pointing his finger to his temple.


    "They can fuck with your mind."


    His lips pulled into a smirk before he started tough.


    "There are two ways to mitigate the voices. One, you get used to them. Two..."


    Rummaging through his pocket, he pulled out a small ne.


    ".....You wear this."


    Dangling it before him, his gaze swept around before finally focusing on me. His expression changed slightly.


    "Hm? You seem to be doing fine."


    "...It''s a little annoying, but yes."


    "Huh..."


    Nodding slightly, his eyes narrowed.


    "If you can resist this much, then you must have strong mental resilience."


    He looked and sounded impressed.


    ".....Wait, now that I''m taking a closer look, you do look familiar."


    Inching closer, he pinched his chin before his eyes widened in realization.


    "Ah, I know who you are."


    A smirk gradually pulled on his face.


    He then proceeded to toss me the ne.


    "You might find this interesting, ck Star."


    I grabbed the ne and took a look at it.


    What was this guy on about?


    Looking down, the ne didn''t look like anything special. Made out of metal, it had a simple ck gem in the middle with nd borders. That was all.


    No fancy carvings or any of that sort of stuff.


    There was nothing impressive about this.


    It also didn''t weigh much. It felt rather light in my hand.


    "This is...?"


    "A relic that we use to deal with the voices."


    The man replied as he gently touched his mustache.


    "Oh."


    Looking at the expression he was making, I could guess that there was more to it.


    ".....It''s also the best counter for¡ª"


    "Emotive Mages."


    I finished the sentence for him.


    His face immediately twitched as I did so. He looked constipated. He probably expected me to act all surprised and stuff.


    It wasn''t so much that his expression gave it away, but it was more like it was easy to figure out.


    "Since you previously said it deals with the voices, which are corrted to mental stability, it''s safe to assume that it works to counter Emotive Magic, right?"


    It really did look like he was constipated now.


    "....."


    Ignoring him, I put on the ne and the moment I did, I felt a wave of relief wash over my body.


    The voices that were lingering at the back of my mind vanished just like that.


    ''Not bad.''


    .....But also not good.


    In a way, the ne suggested that there were devices that could be used to counter Emotive Magic. I needed to be careful of those.


    ''I wonder how effective they are.''


    They were probably effective to some extent.


    However, considering how people still feared Emotive Mages, it could be said that they couldn''t stop their emotions from being influenced fully.


    "Tsk."


    The man clicked his tongue before moving back.


    He seemed to have lost all interest in me. He then looked around before he started to help the other cadets by handing them the ne.


    "Wear this. If you wear this, you''ll be able to stop the voices."


    Some of the stronger cadets were able to walk up to him to receive the ne while others struggled to do so.


    In the end, it took over ten minutes to get everyone to wear the nes.


    By the time it was all said and done, we were lined up before the man.


    "Good, it looks like everyone is okay."


    Massaging his hands, his gaze fell on us.


    "Let me introduce myself. I''m Micheal Mond. Supply-Station A876''s Overseer. I''m here to give you a brief rundown of the situation before sending you off toward the supply station where you''ll find the ns in charge of taking care of you>"


    He went on to ramble for the next hour or so.


    ...He was talking so much that halfway through his speech I had started to get bored.


    In general, his words could be summarized as;


    "Don''t venture outside of the supply station. Terror-ranked monsters run rampant outside of the station walls."


    That seemed obvious.


    "The nes have to be swapped every day."


    Interesting.


    So there were drawbacks.


    "There are shops within the supply station. When there''s time, we can check them out. And that''s if we have permission from the Guilds we are in."


    Fuck that, I''m poor.


    "The rescue mission will start in two days."


    That was all, I think.


    There was a little more but it wasn''t anything important. Something about the bathrooms, and so on.


    "That''s enough from me, then."


    Micheal nodded his head in satisfaction. Then, taking onest look at us, he turned his body and led us into the supply station.


    "Follow me."


    I was just about to follow when someone tugged at my clothes.


    Turning around, two ruby-red eyes appeared a few inches away from my face. Behind her were a few figures I recognized. Namely, Josephine, Luxon, and Anders.


    My previous group.


    I nced at them for a moment before turning my attention back to Kiera who called for me.


    "Oy, you."


    ".....I have a name."


    "I know."


    "....."


    "What? Why do you look so pissy about it? Uh, no, never mind. That''s how you usually look."


    "Uh? What are you talking about?"


    Josephine interrupted all of a sudden.


    All eyes fell on her.


    "This bitch, what are you talking about?"


    Blinking her eyes, Josephine looked around.


    ".....What do you mean what am I talking about? What are you talking about?"


    "Uh? Make sense for once."


    "Ah...?"


    Josephine turned to look at Anders and Luxon before pointing at my face.


    "You two, tell me something. Does this face look like that of someone who is pissed?"


    "No."


    ".....No."


    The two shook their head in confusion.


    At that, Josephine turned to face Kiera.


    "See?"


    ".....See what?"


    Kiera frowned.


    Then, turning to face me, she cocked her head.


    "It''s obvious he''s pissy about it. Whenever he''s pissed his left brow twitched, and his nose wrinkles. It''s fucking obvious."


    "Eh?"


    ".....What? You guys didn''t notice?"


    "No, why wou¡ª"


    "Whenever he''s happy, it''s also obvious. First, he isn''t as blunt as he usually is. Secondly, his brows are usually raised a little higher than normal."


    "What...?"


    "You seriously didn''t notice that?"


    Kiera asked, looking at the others as though they were stupid.


    The only problem was,


    ''I do that...?''


    Even I didn''t know.


    ''....And here I thought I was doing a good job at keeping myself from showing any expressions.''


    Clearly, I wasn''t doing as good of a job as I thought I was doing.


    "Anyways."


    Kiera focused her attention back on me.


    "Did you not hear the guy?"


    I snapped out of it.


    "....About?"


    "After we''re done with the briefing from our Guilds, he said that if we want to travel the supply station we need to do so in groups of at least four. Since I don''t..."


    Kiera''s lip twitched. She looked to be struggling to finish her own sentence.


    "So, like... Heeh."


    I could more or less guess what she was trying to say.


    "I don''t... Um, I don¡ª"


    "Have any friends?"


    "Uhk!"


    Kiera''s expression crumbled.


    "I think we''ve already en¡ª"


    "Fine."


    I cut her off before she could go on a rant.


    Perhaps taken aback by my agreement, Kiera didn''t know how to react. I looked at the others before feeling the ends of my lips curl.


    "I don''t mind spending some time with my sidekicks."


    "...."


    "...."


    The expressions of everyone present changed.


    "H-ho."


    Especially Kiera who took a deep breath and smiled at me.


    It was a sweet smile.


    "....You''re funny."


    So she said.


    But for some reason, her eyes seemed fixed on my neck.


    I unconsciously brought my hand up to massage it.


    Her gaze...


    It felt ufortable.


    I nodded before turning away.


    "Thank you."


    For some reason, I didn''t feel safe.

 Chapter 157 The Order of the Silver Seraphs [3]

    <h4>Chapter 157 The Order of the Silver Seraphs [3]</h4>


    157 The Order of the Silver Seraphs [3]


    There were slight resemnces between Ellnor and the Supply Station. Enclosed byrge walls, the cityy hidden behind it.


    .....If it could even be considered a city.


    Unlike Ellnor, there was no real freedom to go out. There was also no greenery, and the general atmosphere felt gloomy.


    "It''s hot."


    It also felt rather stuffy.


    The air was dry, making it hard to breathe properly. It was also hot, and while it wasn''t scorching hot, it was the type of ''hot'' that would make one feel extremely ufortable.


    It felt rather suffocating.


    Especially since each breath was apanied by a slight pain at the back of the throat.


    I suddenly started to feel nauseous.


    That feeling...


    It reminded me of something that I despised.


    "....."


    I was just barely able to suppress myself by taking a deep breath.


    "Huuu."


    At the entrance of the supply station, there was no gate to be seen. Instead, the walls seemed to be constructed from a dense ck material.


    Taking a closer look, I was able to discern deep w marks and scratches etched across the surface. They covered the entire surface with some scratches being deeper than others.


    "Holy..."


    "Are those from the monsters?"


    The cadets were naturally curious.


    I was also curious.


    Stopping by the entrance of the supply station which was just a door, the burly man turned around and tapped onto the hard material of the walls.


    Tak!


    "The walls over here are made out of Kalmium. If you know what it is, then you must also know just how tough and dense it is."


    Kalmium.


    I had an idea of what it was.


    It was a type of ''concrete'' used in this world that was extremely durable and was even tougher than diamond due to the fact that it could absorb mana and use it to reinforce itself.


    From what I had learned, it wasn''t an easy material to create.


    It was also very expensive.


    ''...So you''re telling me they''re using such precious materials for the walls of a supply station?''


    And yet, it also looked like it could just barely keep up with the monsters lurking around.


    It made me wonder just what type of materials were used for the bigger supply stations.


    nk¡ª


    Unlocking the door that led to the supply station, two guards greeted us. They wore light armor and did a small check on every cadet that passed before we were led to a dark and narrow corridor which took us several minutes to cross.


    The fact that the corridor took several minutes showed just how thick the walls were.


    It also made me realize just how much money had been poured out just to build one supply station.


    The burly man eventually came to a stop in front of another door.


    "We''re here."


    He turned to face us.


    With his eyes scanning every cadet present, he made sure to give us one final rundown of the situation.


    "There are three zones within the supply station. The Sorrowvale Sector. That''s the area that you need to go to and where the Guild stations are located."


    "The Decaycore Sector. That''s where the leisure area is located. You''ll find restaurants, and shops there."


    "Andstly, the Ruinreach Zone. That''s where the armory and supplies are located."


    Pressing his hand against the door, he looked at us once again before finally opening the door, granting light to enter our eyes again.


    "Come in."


    My eyes squinted slightly.


    The sudden surge of light felt somewhat ufortable.


    "Ugh."


    To the point where I started to feel lightheaded. The sides of my cheeks started to tingle, and so did my ankles.


    The sensation didn''tst for long.


    It was very brief.


    "Huu."


    ''This environment...''


    Passing through the door, the sight that greeted me was one that I wasn''t quite sure how to describe.


    ''It''s definitely differentpared to the supply station located near the Academy.''


    ...Unlike the supply station at Haven, the supply station here looked like a proper town. However, what I was most surprised about was the infrastructure.


    It looked,


    "Gothic."


    Like a Victorian Era Britain.


    Worn cobblestone streets lined up the paths, with gasmps casting flickering shadows on cobblestone paths. Wooden benches lined up alongside the path, while the infrastructure stood tall with their spirals pointing towards the gray sky.


    The streets were far from empty with people wearing warn-


    out armors walking around and stopping to take a look at us.


    ''.....It looks simr to the Victorian Era, but not quite.''


    There were subtle differences, but they were a lot less subtlepared to the simrities.


    "This is where our paths will diverge."


    Micheal, the burly man, spoke. Staring at us before shifting his attention towards his pocketwatch, he went on to say,


    "You should already know what to do from this point forward. The Sorrowvale Sector is located at the heart of the supply station. Follow the path, and you''ll be able to find where you need to go. You won''t be able to miss the Guild posts even if you want to."


    That was thest thing he said before finally parting ways with us.


    The moment he left, the area around me became rowdy as the cadets started to talk with one another.


    I stood on the spot for a few seconds before turning my head and meeting Kiera''s gaze. I could more or less tell what she wanted and I nodded my head.


    "You find me after you''re done."


    "Why do I have to find you?"


    "Weren''t you the one who wanted to roam? I can also rest."


    "....Tsk, fine."


    She clicked back before leaving.


    The same was true for the other cadets who all eventually left.


    By the end, I was the only one left. No, not quite.


    There was still someone else.


    "What are you waiting for?"


    "You."


    There was still Leon.


    He was looking at me with aplicated look.


    ".....You know why I lost, right?"


    "I do."


    It was Delh who had made it clear to me.


    "....."


    Leon didn''t speak at first. But then, he pulled out the ne from beneath his shirt.


    "This is supposed to help with Emotive Mages."


    ".....That''s what we''ve been told."


    "Yeah, so..."


    Leon clenched the gem in his hand as his hand started to tremble.


    "It''s not working."


    He looked at me with a bitter look.


    "I''m still struggling to think straight. Every second I see shadows in the corner of my eyes, and I haven''t had a proper sleep since my fight with Evelyn. I thought things would get better, but they haven''t. What have you done to me?"


    "....."


    I didn''t really know how to respond to that.


    It wasn''t like I could tell him that what he was experiencing was merely a fraction of the fear I had experienced in the illusion where he had killed me over and over again.


    .....Just like him, I was also still affected by it.


    However, I was able to handle it a lot better than him because of my mental resistance which didn''t juste from me, but the many entities within me.


    All their experiences.


    Traumas...


    I had relieved many of them.


    For that reason, my mental strength was a lot stronger than it was before.


    "It''ll eventually get better."


    Those were the only words that I could tell him.


    I didn''t know how to remove the effects, and so he could only live with the fear. At least, for now.


    ".....Take it as a form of training."


    I was sure things were going to get better in the future.


    Leon stared at me before shaking his head.


    "What Guild selected you?"


    Leon asked, trying to shift the topic. He probably was trying to distract his mind from the fear.


    "The Order of the Silver Seraphs."


    "....."


    Leon frowned at the answer.


    Surprised by his reaction, I was just about to ask him what was going on when he beat me to it and spoke before me.


    "They''re not a bad Guild. They''ve ranked firstst year."


    "Yes, I''m aware."


    "They''re a Guild that values skill over anything else. I''ve also heard that they don''t tolerate any mistakes. You might be a cadet, but there''s a chance they might kick you out of the squad if you do something that ticks them off. Your best bet is to follow their orders appropriately."


    That sounded like a really strict Guild.


    But I was curious about something.


    "How do you know?"


    "Well..."


    Leon scratched the back of his head and made a difficult face.


    ".....I thought I was going to be selected by them so I did a lot of research."


    "Ah."


    I was starting to feel a little sorry.


    But as if he could read his mind, Leon waved his hand in front of me.


    "Don''t feel sorry for me."


    "Why?"


    "...I''m not on good terms with one of their senior members."


    "Eh?"


    This was the first time that I heard of this.


    "I had a small conflict with one of their sons."


    "No..."


    I started to get a bad feeling about this.


    Especially when I noticed a subtle smile creeping up on Leon''s face.


    ".....I ended up breaking a couple of their bones. It''s been a few months since it happened."


    He ced his hand over my shoulder and looked me straight in the eyes.


    I looked at him too.


    But for some reason, I felt that my face was about to crumble. Especially since it looked like he was enjoying this.


    "I''m sorry."


    He whispered slowly.


    ".....Since I''m your knight and all. You might get implicated."


    He didn''t look sorry at all.


    "I''m truly sorry for that."


    "I see."


    I covered my mouth as my eyes wandered to his neck.


    All of a sudden, I finally realized it.


    The reason for Kiera''s gaze.


    ''Ah, so this is why she was looking at my neck.''


    Indeed.


    It looked very strangleable.


    *


    My mood was at rock bottom.


    How could I be in a good mood after I heard Leon''s words?


    "This fucker..."


    He had purposely not told me until the end.


    It was out of spite.


    It had to be.


    "Stop!


    A loud voice stopped me in my tracks.


    Looking up, a young man with golden hair stood a few meters away from me. Behind him was arge towering silver building with intricate design which was unfitting of the gothic vibe surrounding the supply station.


    ".....Are you one of the cadets that is supposed to join the operation?"


    "Yes."


    "Do you have any identification?"


    "I do."


    I handed him a small piece of paper that I had received beforehand.


    Taking it, the guard checked it before stepping to the side and granting me entrance. I nced at him for a few seconds before finally stepping into the building.


    Coming into the building, I stopped for a second.


    It was,


    Neat.


    Extremely neat.


    In a predominantly white setting, my eyes were met by a red carpet stretching toward a marble desk. nking the area were nters, while the pirs in the hall disyed engravings of arge shield with two swords shing.


    Looking around, my gaze eventually fell on a few familiar figures.


    In particr, Luxon and Evelyn.


    ''As expected, she''s here.''


    It made sense considering that she had beaten Leon.


    They were currently talking to a young man wearing a simr silver armor to the guard station outside.


    As if noticing my presence, everyone turned to look at me.


    "Ah, you must be the final participant."


    The man greeted me with a warm smile.


    Short ck hair, deep green eyes, and a well-toned body... He looked amiable at a nce. And I thought so too.


    However, just as I was about to greet him, the world around me froze.


    ''Uh?''


    .....So did my voice and my body.


    Before I could understand what was going on, everything turned dark.


    And that was when I finally understood.


    I was experiencing a vision.

 Chapter 158 Tree of Ebonthorn [1]

    <h4>Chapter 158 Tree of Ebonthorn [1]</h4>


    The silence was absolute.


    "....."


    I heard nothing, not even a whisper of wind.


    The world was dark.


    I couldn''t see a thing.


    The world was silent and dark.


    No, I did hear something.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    It was the very sound of my heartbeat.


    .....It echoed in my ears, louder than ever.


    So did the sound of my breath.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Each breath felt amplified, almost intrusive.


    The stillness wrapped around me like a heavy nket.


    I felt disconnected from everything.


    ''What''s going on...?''


    My senses strained, seeking any hint of sound.


    The silence pressed down, making me hyper-aware of my own existence.


    From the beat of my heart to my very own thoughts.


    It felt incredibly eerie.


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    My breath continued to echo in the darkness.


    I couldn''t move my body at all.


    .....I was simply stuck in the darkness.


    But the darkness didn''tst for long.


    Gradually, I realized.


    It was dark because my eyelids were closed.


    Light immediately entered my eyes the moment my eyelids came to an open. It had all been done without my consent.


    Currently, I was in no control of my body.


    I was merely a spectator.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    I still felt everything that my body felt.


    Like the burning pain that came from the opening of the eyes, it took a moment for it to adjust. When it did, I felt my expression freeze.


    "H-haa.. Haaa.. Haa...."


    My breath grew heavier and faster.


    So did the beat of my heart.


    "Haaa...!"


    My body thrashed around, but it refused to move.


    It was stuck.


    ....Paralyzed.


    "Hueeekk!"


    And so was my voice.


    It just refused to leave. All that came out were suffocating sounds.


    But it wasn''t like it mattered.


    ''This...''


    Staring at the scene that was ahead of me, I didn''t know how to react.


    It was as if the very air had been sucked out of me.


    I could see the town.


    .....It was beneath me.


    Beneath me.


    ncing around, blood-red leaves appeared to surround the entire town.


    ''This...''


    That was when I came to a realization.


    I was in a tree.


    A massive tree that seemed to cover the entire town.


    ''When did it...?''


    "Huek!"


    I was glued to it in a ''T'' shape.


    .....I wasn''t the only one stuck to it. Looking around, I could see thousands of different people attached to the bark of the tree.


    However, unlike me, they seemed to have fused with it.


    Their bodies had long turned into the same ebony shade of the tree with their hands outstretched in desperation.


    Their legs were no longer visible, swallowed entirely by the sturdy trunk, while their torso emerged from the wood, contorted and twisted.


    I could see the look of terror and desperation on their mummified faces.


    One, two, three...


    There were too many to count.


    And...


    "Hueek!"


    The reasoning behind my situation became clear.


    "Hueeek!"


    I too was undergoing the same situation as them.


    "Hueeek!"


    My body violently thrashed.


    But it refused to move.


    "Hueeek!"


    It screamed.


    But no voice came out.


    "Haaa...! Haa...! Hueek!"


    The desperation was clear for me to feel.


    My body continued to fight in desperation. This went on for the next few minutes until it eventually ran out of energy.


    "Ukh...!"


    My head dropped, and a weird squelching sound echoed in my ears.


    Squench~


    A weird tickling sensation ran past every corner of my body, creeping up all the way to my cheeks.


    I felt my skin crawl at the sensation.


    It was as if a spider was walking over my face.


    "Hue..."


    I let out a low cry, but it was no use.


    Squech, squech¡ª


    The sound continued, and my body started to grow stiff to the point where it was impossible to move anymore.


    I was helpless.


    "H-hu."


    Desperation crept up from the deepest parts of me.


    The tickling sensation reached my ears, tingling the insides of them.


    From the corner of my eyes, I was able to catch a glimpse of several wooden tentacles that were making their way up my cheeks.


    Squech, squech.


    It tickled.


    .....And my body grew tense.


    Squech, squech.


    "....!"


    Wrapping around my face, they clung to my mouth and eyes, pulling them back.


    It started to hurt.


    "Hueek!"


    To the point where I found my voice again.


    At that point, I lost all control of my body.


    With widened eyes, thest thing that I caught a glimpse of was the town beneath and the thousands of people stuck in the massive tree.


    "Hueeemmm!!"


    The world turned dark shortly after that.


    "Cadet?"


    When I came to, I was greeted by the sight of multiple gazes directed at me.


    I shuddered at the sight of them.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Unknowingly, my breath had grown heavy and my back was drenched.


    I could hardly feel my legs.


    It was as if they were made out of jelly.


    Looking around, the world didn''t seem real.


    The noise was toned down, and everything appeared to be blurred.


    "Cadet!"


    It was a loud voice that broke me out of it.


    ".....Is there something up with you?"


    Blinking, I saw the man from before standing before me.


    He was probably the man in charge of our group.


    "I''m fine."


    I tried to y it cool, but I could hardly focus at all.


    I was still shuddering from the experience and a fear I had only felt from the time I had met the faceless man seemed to take hold of my body.


    "You''re fine? You don''t look fine."


    "It''s okay."


    ".....Hm."


    The man looked at me with his green eyes and I looked up to match his gaze.


    We stood like that for several seconds before he eventually relented.


    "Alright."


    He was the first one to give in.


    Turning around, he faced the other cadets who were all looking at me. Especially Evelyn. Her gaze seemed a little intense.


    I met her gaze for a moment before something shed before my eyes.


    A familiar window that I hadn''t seen in a while.


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated: Tree Of Ebonthorn.]


    : Character Progression + 401%


    : Game Progression + 13%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1 + 23%


    : Cmity 2 + 17%


    : Cmity 3 + 19%


    "H-haa, this..."


    The quest had finallye.


    Staring at the numbers, I swallowed.


    ''Character Progression 401%.''


    I was currently level 26.


    ....If I were toplete this quest, I''d be able to finally reach Tier 3.


    The idea felt exciting.


    But at the same time, recalling the vision, that excitement vanished. All I felt was a deep sense of helplessness.


    ''How am I even supposed to stop that...?''


    The only thing I knew about the situation was that a tree was going to sprout in the middle of the town, entrapping everyone within its bark.


    From the vision, it also looked like it was going to be my fate.


    "H-ho."


    Letting out a breath to calm myself down, my chest trembled.


    The lingering remnants of the emotions I felt in my vision started to disappear and rity started to return to my body.


    But even as that happened, the sense of despair never left me.


    Closing my eyes for a moment, I looked at the quest window again.


    ''Tree Of Ebonthorn''


    That right there was my clue.


    .....I needed to figure out what the tree was.


    But before that,


    "Please follow me. I will give you a rundown of the Guild."


    I needed toplete this first.


    ***


    "Your role within the rescue mission is just to carry the supplies. You are yet strong enough to actually be of help to any of us. The reason why we''ve chosen to bring you with us is so that you can get a firsthand look at how Guilds operate."


    Leon quietly stood while listening to the Guild delegate speak.


    ''Mystic Veil Order''


    Ranked top 8 in the Guilds, Leon was chosen by them.


    Because of his poor performance, his stock had fallen all the way down to the rank 8 Guild. It didn''t make much of a difference to him.


    He had never been nning on joining a Guild in the first ce.


    .....After all, he was already a knight who was serving under the Evenus household.


    There was no need for him to join a Guild.


    In fact, if he were to join a Guild, then it''d be a Guild that Julien joined.


    "For the next couple of days or so, I will be in charge of training you for the rescue mission. There are a lot of things that cadets need to learn beforeing out of the supply zone. The Mirror Dimension is a far crueler world than you think."


    Walking around, the delegate eventually led them towards arge room.


    Within the room were over a hundred skin-tight suits with a small opening in the middle.


    "You are safe now because we''re in the Supply Station and all the radiation has been taken care of in the nearby area. However..."


    The delegate looked around with a serious expression.


    ".....The same can''t be said for the other areas within the Mirror Dimension where the radiation is incredibly high. These suits right here are to help you protect against radiation. Before we go out on the rescue mission, you will all have to wear these."


    Squinting slightly, Leon looked at the suits.


    Extending his hand, he touched one of the suits. It was smooth to the touch, and the fabric looked extremely thin.


    ''It doesn''t lookfortable.''


    Rather, it looked extremely tight.


    He was just about to let go when his entire body tingled.


    "Hm?"


    It was a sensation that he had grown all too familiar with.


    His instincts.


    They were acting up.


    ....And.


    "Haa."


    The hair at the back of his neck stood.


    His expression crumbled as he lowered his head to look at his hand.


    Yet again, it was trembling.


    ''This again.''


    How long was it going to take for the fear to finally disappear?


    It had been almost a week since the fight with Julien, and yet, he was still suffering from the side effects of his Emotive skills.


    It left him helpless.


    Gripping onto the ne he was wearing, he sighed.


    ''.....Looks like I need to get a better version of this.''


    If only he knew where to get it.


    "Hm?"


    The back of his mind tingled again.


    Frowning, Leon noticed that his hands wouldn''t stop shaking.


    "What in the..."


    For a moment, it looked as though the side effects of Julien''s skill had started to worsen.


    But it was also at this moment that Leon noticed something.


    The fear...


    It wasn''ting from Julien''s Emotive skill.


    ....There was something else triggering it.


    But what exactly?


    What exactly could be triggering his instincts like this?


    "....."


    Leon''s head flicked around the room.


    Ignoring the delegate who was still talking, his gaze settled over a certain area of the room.


    The tingling at the back of his head intensified.


    ''There, it''sing from here.''


    Making sure to be subtle about it, Leon walked toward the area where he felt the sensation. At a nce, it was just a wardrobe filled with suits. However, walking closer to it, Leon came to a stop.


    "....."


    In silence, he lowered his head before pushing the suits to the side.


    It was then that he saw it.


    A root.


    .....A ck root sprouting up from beneath the ground.

 Chapter 159 Tree of Ebonthorn [2]

    <h4>Chapter 159 Tree of Ebonthorn [2]</h4>


    For the next hour or so, the delegate guided us around the Guild station. The insides of the building were rather impressive.


    With well-polished floors and neatly arranged furniture, it looked somewhat modern.


    Somewhat.


    It was mainly due to the minimalistic design that dominated the surroundings.


    Stopping inside arge white room, filled with countless wardrobes that were filled with the same-looking suits, the delegate turned to face us while pointing at them.


    "The suits right here are what you will be using for when you go out of the supply station. The radiation..."


    He went on to exin about them.


    From their usage, and the necessary steps that needed to be taken to wear them.


    Unfortunately, I was not able to focus on anything that he was saying, nor my surroundings.


    ''Tree of Ebonthorn.''


    Three words continuously rang in my mind.


    Over and over again.


    For some strange reason, I couldn''t stop thinking about them.


    "I believe I''ve said everything. If there are any questions that you have, you can ask me now."


    ".....I have a question."


    To the point where I found myself raising my hand at the end of the tour.


    "Oh? You''ve been rather quiet since the start. If you have anything to ask me, please feel free to do so."


    I swallowed before nodding.


    "...Is there a library by any chance?"


    "A library?"


    The delegate looked at me confused.


    I went on to exin,


    "I would like to do some research about the surrounding monsters, and my surroundings. It''s so that I can be more prepared for the rescue mission."


    "Ah."


    Realization finally dawned on the delegate who nodded his head.


    "Yes, there''s a library."


    Just as I was about to get my hopes up, he poured cold water over me.


    ".....But it''s only essible to Guild Members. While you are technically with us, you''re not considered a Guild Member. There''s a lot of sensitive information that we can''t share or have leaked."


    Though subtle about it, the meaning behind his words was clear.


    ''We don''t want to leak some of the information to the other Guilds.''


    "I see."


    It wasn''t as though I was disappointed.


    I somewhat expected it. Especially from the little things that I had managed to catch a glimpse of regarding the Guild.


    They were extremely uptight.


    "There''s no need to worry, though. All the information that you are seeking will be taught to you in theing days. From monsters to the surrounding areas. We will teach you everything."


    The man looked at me.


    "But if you''re looking for independent search, then there''s a library not far from here. You won''t find the most optimal information, but it''s still a very big library with a lot of information."


    "I understand. Thank you."


    I could only thank him and leave things there.


    Since there was no way for me to enter the library of the Guild, I could only opt to go to the public library.


    "Well, then..."


    pping, the man smiled.


    "It was a very nice tour. I hope that you all have learned a lot."


    It appeared as though it was time for the orientation to end.


    Good, it served well for me.


    "The raid trip is scheduled to be in a few days so in the meantime we will train you to be prepared for what is toe. The schedule will be handed to youter, and oh, right."


    Rummaging through his pocket, he took out several keys.


    "These are your residence keys. The rooms are already equipped with the necessary tools for an enjoyable stay."


    He smiled.


    "Enjoy your time off. T-T-his will be thest day of freedom before tra-ining b-egins."


    For some reason, his speech slurred by the end, but considering the environment we were in, I attributed it to it.


    There were a couple of times when I found it hard to focus in the past hour.


    It was as if my mind nked all of a sudden. It was only for quick and short bursts, but it was there.


    ''This damn environment...''


    "Alright, have fun. I''ll be seeing you tomorrow morning. Make sure to be there on time. W-we highly value discipline in our Guild."


    With those words, he left.


    Standing in the suitroom, the cadets all exchanged looks. I too looked around, meeting eyes with Evelyn who opened her mouth but closed it shortly after.


    From her mannerisms, it looked like she wanted to strike up a conversation with me.


    She really did seem to be trying.


    However,


    "See you."


    That was all she could muster up before leaving.


    Staring at her departing back, or more precisely, her waving purple hair, I didn''t know how to feel.


    I had been given a brief rundown of the situation from Leon.


    It wasn''t much, but it was enough.


    And in the end, I knew that she had lingering feelings about the previous Julien. She seemed pained every time she looked at me.


    Her gaze.


    It was somewhat burdensome.


    "Haa."


    Sighing slightly, I walked up to Luxon who appeared to be waiting for me at the entrance of the room.


    He greeted me with a nod before speaking,


    "Our orientation took quite a while. The others should already be at the reception."


    "Yeah."


    We had made an appointment beforehand.


    From what we had been told by the Professors, we needed to navigate in groups of four around the supply station.


    As expected,ing down to the reception room, they were all seated on the waiting room sofas.


    Of the three people who sat on the sofa, Kiera naturally stood out.


    With her long flowing silver hair and red eyes, it was hard to miss her. Sat with her arms crossed, she finally took note of our appearance and clicked her tongue.


    "Took you guys long enough."


    ".....Sorry, we''ve been held up by our delegate. He was very thorough with his exnations."


    So Luxon said.


    Unfortunately, I hadn''t paid much attention to know.


    "Well, fine."


    Kiera and the others stood up from their seats.


    "Let''s go. We don''t have much time."


    Stretching her body, she looked back at me and Luxon before leaving for the entrance.


    "Hey, wait up! You''re going too fast."


    Josephine followed her from behind, and so did Anders. Luxon followed shortly after, leaving me standing in the reception for a little while.


    My mind felt nk.


    "What was it again...?"


    I blinked before shaking my head.


    "Ah, right."


    I looked up towards the entrance. The others were there. Massaging my forehead, I picked up my pace and strode out of the building.


    While the supply station wasn''t big, it didn''t necessarily feel small. Walking around the cobblestone streets, people stepped out of our way.


    There was a jovial mood surrounding the city streets. It burst with life as music yed in the background, only disrupted by the loudughter of drunken old men who shared a few drinks in the open bars.


    Looking around, everything looked good.


    .....And yet, every time my gaze would cross over the surroundings, my stomach would churn.


    I''d be constantly reminded of the vision.


    It felt vivid in my mind.


    So vivid.


    Squench, squench¡ª


    To the point where I could hear the familiar sound.


    It tickled my ears, sending shivers down my spine.


    "Julien."


    Every hair on my body stood on end.


    It felt as if something was crawling over my face, and I suddenly struggled to breathe.


    "Julien!"


    I only snapped out of it when I heard Kiera''s voice.


    "....."


    Looking up, I saw that her face was merely a few inches away from mine.


    Before I could do anything, she pressed her hand against my head.


    "Wh¡ª"


    "It''s burning."


    Burning?


    Taking her hand away, she took a small handkerchief to wipe her hand.


    Looking around to meet the other''s gazes, she was about to say something when I stopped her.


    "I''m fine."


    "What?"


    "Haa.. Haa.."


    Pinching my forehead, I tried to calm my uneven breath.


    The sensations started to disappear from my mind and rity returned to my mind.


    "I''m fine."


    I repeated again, wiping away at my forehead which had grown sweaty for some reason.


    "You don''t look fine."


    ".....I didn''t sleep much. I trained until morning."


    That excuse seemed to work.


    The moment I looked up, the expressions of everyone present changed.


    The way they looked at me...


    It was one of disgust.


    Josephine was the first one to speak.


    "You know, I''d normally not believe someone if they said that, buting from you, I can see it."


    The others nodded alongside her.


    "Goosebumps."


    Holding onto her arms, she rubbed them up and down.


    "I still feel goosebumps thinking about the time before the mid-terms."


    I frowned.


    "....It wasn''t that bad."


    "Oh, yeah. This exins it."


    As if my words seemed to have convinced her, Josephine continued to nod.


    "Yup, yup. He''s definitely just overworked."


    "....?"


    "No sane person would think what he made us go through as ''not bad''.."


    She red at me.


    "No one!"


    "I..."


    I didn''t know how to answer that.


    Looking around, my gaze eventually fell on Kiera who appeared abnormally quiet. Staring into her crimson-red eyes, my face twitched again.


    A red leaf floated in my vision.


    It nketed thend beneath.


    ....I lost my breath for a moment.


    This time, however, I was quick to regain it.


    "Huu."


    "You should rest."


    Kiera said after a while.


    Looking back, she ruffled her hair and yawned.


    "I guess I''m also tired. We might as well cancel the trip."


    "Uh? Wha¡ª"


    Kiera covered Josephine''s mouth just as she was about to speak.


    "Shut up."


    "Nmmm!"


    "Quiet."


    "Nmmm...! Nm!"


    ".....Fuck! Are you licking me?"


    "Huea! Huk! So salty."


    "Shit! I''ll kill you."


    "Akh!"


    In the end, the situation ended like it usually did with the two of them.


    The ns were canceled, and we all decided to take a rest.


    ....Or at least, that was how it was supposed to be, but even as the others left, I could only recall and think of the vision.


    For some strange reason, it continued to haunt me.


    Taking a look around me and seeing the jovial mood in the air, I felt a strange sense of despair crawling from the deepest parts of the station.


    It was there, but I couldn''t see it.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.07%


    But why...?


    "I have to go."


    While the rules explicitly said that cadets had to travel in groups of four, it didn''t mean that going alone was impossible.


    It wasn''t allowed, but not impossible.


    Looking around, I decided to walk into the crowd, carefully blending in with them. Squinting my eyes, I navigated the cobblestone streets.


    I walked for about five minutes beforeing to a stop in front of a tall building. The windows allowed one to see the numerous books disyed within, and that was when I knew I had reached my destination.


    "....."


    Taking a deep breath, I reached out for the door when another hand reached out for it.


    I stopped and so did the hand.


    Turning around, two gray eyes stared back at me.


    "...."


    "...."


    The two of us stood staring at each other for a few seconds before Leon finally spoke, his voice unusually high.


    "By any chance..."


    He clung to the ne on his neck.


    ".....Did you use your spell on me again?"

 Chapter 160 Tree of Ebonthorn [3]

    <h4>Chapter 160 Tree of Ebonthorn [3]</h4>


    "What is this¡­?"


    The moment Leon found the root, he felt a weird sensation. He wasn''t sure how to exin it, but his body started to tremble for a brief moment.


    ''What¡­''


    Holding onto his trembling arm, he took a step back.


    "Cadet?"


    His actions may have startled those around him as the delegate from the Guild called for him.


    "Is there something wrong¡­?"


    Leon flinched, and he looked back.


    The delegate was staring at him with a confused expression.


    "Is everything okay? And why are you here?"


    "Ah, it''s¡­"


    Just as Leon turned his head to point at the root, his heart dropped.


    That was because,


    ''Where is it?''


    The root.


    ¡­..It was gone.


    His body started to tingle all over. The back of his hair stood on end, and his breathing stopped.


    His instincts screamed.


    "Cadet?"


    Coming out of it, the delegate was now standing in front of him.


    He looked annoyed.


    "Are you perhaps getting bored of my exnations?"


    "No, I¡­"


    "You sure do look bored."


    "¡­.."


    Leon held his words back.


    "I''m sorry."


    In the end, the situation calmed down after he got a warning from the Guild delegate. From that point on, the delegate kept an eye on him, but Leon didn''t act rashly from that point and listened to all the exnations carefully.


    From time to time, however, he would fall back into his own thoughts, thinking about the root.


    ''¡­..Was I just imagining things?''


    There was something unsettling about it that he couldn''t quite exin.


    It made his heart quicken slightly.


    But at the same time, it also appeared to have been a hallucination.


    Clinging to the ne on his neck, Leon clenched his teeth.


    ''Am I still being consumed by fear¡­?''


    Every time he felt like he was able to rid himself of its influence, it woulde back stronger than before.


    Now being the perfect example.


    "Haa."


    Taking a deep breath, Leon forced himself to calm down.


    ''I need to calm down.''


    There was something clearly wrong with him.


    ¡­..Unlike before, it felt sinister.


    The only clue he had was the root.


    While he wasn''t sure whether it had been a hallucination or not, it was the only clue he could go on with.


    It was ck, with tiny red threads within the bark.


    The image was imprinted in his mind, and the moment the delegate finished his orientation, Leon slipped out and headed for the library.


    While going alone wasn''t allowed, Leon couldn''t care for such rules.


    "Haa¡­ Haa.."


    With each step he took, he felt his breath grow heavier and heavier.


    When he did reach the library, the back of his shirt was soaked in sweat. Reaching out for the door, another hand met his and he stopped to look at the hand''s owner.


    "Ah."


    A pair of hazel eyes met his gaze then, and Leon swallowed.


    Staring at him, who looked as indifferent as he always did, Leon licked his parched lips before speaking.


    "By any chance¡­"


    Please.


    ".....Did you use your spell on me again?"


    Tell me yes.


    ***


    Listening to Leon''s question, I frowned.


    Use my spell on him again?


    Why would he¡­


    I stopped and took a closer look at him.


    Pale face, sweat from the side of his face, dted pupils, and though he tried to hide it, his breath appeared heavy.


    My brows raised at the sight.


    "No, I didn''t."


    "Ah, I see."


    He looked disappointed by my answer and reached to enter the door, but I stopped him.


    "What?"


    "¡­.By any chance."


    I squinted my eyes.


    "Did you notice anything abnormal?"


    "...What do you mean?"


    "You look like you''ve seen a ghost. Be honest with me."


    ".....Yes."


    Leon nodded after a few seconds of contemtion.


    I stared into his eyes before opening the doors and entering the library.


    "Let''s go inside for now."


    "Okay."


    The library was silent. It was how they typically were, but coupled with the flickering of the lights that dimly lit the surroundings, it cast a rather gloomy aura around it.


    There was also hardly anyone in the library.


    Besides Leon and I, there were only a few other people.


    Finding my seat on one of the tables, I looked at the candle station on our table. It was on itsst leg with most of the wax already consumed.


    Looking around, the same was true for the candles on the other tables.


    I shrugged and focused my attention back on Leon.


    "You start first. What did you notice?"


    "¡­..A root."


    Leon talked, forcing himself to calm his breath.


    "It was dark, with fine miniature red threads embedded within it. I''m not sure, but the moment I saw it, I felt a strange sensation all over my body."


    "¡­.."


    "I only managed to catch a glimpse of it for a short moment before it disappeared. It was almost as if it had never been there in the first ce. That''s why I was wondering if you had cast your spell on me again."


    "¡­.."


    "But since you said that you didn''t do anything, I guess I''m just going crazy."


    Listening to Leon''s words, I eventually closed my eyes. He looked shaken. That was the first time I had ever seen him like this.


    Not that I could me him.


    "You''re not crazy."


    Opening my eyes, I looked straight into his eyes.


    "I also saw something simr."


    "¡­.!"


    "Tree of Ebonthorn."


    I muttered the only clue that I had.


    "¡­.Do you know anything about it?"


    "Tree of Ebonthorn?"


    Leon frowned feeling into thought before shaking his head.


    "No, I don''t."


    "I believe that''s the source of the root."


    The quest at least hinted at it.


    "Is this why you are also in the library?"


    "Yes."


    I nodded and looked around.


    "Since it looks like we''re looking for the same thing, why don''t we look for clues together?"


    "....Okay."


    Leon simrly looked around.


    The library was vast. There were over a thousand different books. It was going to take a long time for us to get the information that we wanted.


    But at least we had a clue.


    And we weren''t working alone. Two brains were better than one.


    "Tree of Ebonthorn¡­"


    Leon muttered to himself before standing up.


    "It should be in the botanical section."


    "¡­.Most likely."


    "Should we look there?"


    "You do that."


    "What about you?"


    "Me?"


    I turned my head to look in a different direction.


    [Monster ssification]


    "I''ll check that area out."


    "¡­..Monster ssification?"


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    "It might also be a monster. You never know."


    "That''s true. Okay, let''s do that."


    As such, we came to an agreement. I searched the monster ssification area while he searched the botanical area.


    Just as he left, I was also about to stand when I realized I couldn''t.


    "Hm?"


    I felt a weird sensation creeping up on my legs.


    It kept me rooted on the spot.


    "What th¡ª"


    The words stopped at my throat the moment that I looked down.


    Tangling my ankles from beneath the ground were two ck roots. Just as Leon had described them, red lines appeared beneath the bark, almost as if they were pulsing, and my body suddenly grew weak.


    Opening my mouth, no words escaped from it.


    My entire body felt paralyzed, and the utter sense of helplessness that I had felt in the vision enshrouded my body.


    "Uah!"


    I screamed.


    Before I knew it, I was standing.


    Looking around, everyone was staring at me.


    Seeing their gazes, I felt the hair at the back of my neck stand. For some reason, they felt a little off, but in the next moment, that feeling disappeared.


    Looking down, the roots were gone, and a talldy with circr sses appeared before me.


    "Sir."


    Her stern voice rained down on me.


    "¡­..This is a library. Please do not scream."


    "Ah."


    Realizing what had happened, I lowered my head.


    "I apologize."


    "This is yourst warning."


    Tak, Tak¡ª


    Her heels clicked against the wooden floor as she left the area. Silence yet again returned, and I weakly sat down on the chair.


    "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­"


    Yet again, my breath was heavy.


    Holding onto my head, I leaned forward.


    ''I''m losing it.''


    Ever since the vision, I felt like I was starting to lose it.


    My sanity.


    Just what in the world was going on¡­?


    "Hey."


    Hearing the familiar voice, I looked up. It was Leon. He was looking at me with a frown.


    "Are you alright?"


    "¡­..I''m not."


    I answered truthfully.


    "The roots."


    Leon''s eyes widened.


    "¡­.I just saw them."


    ***


    The next day.


    It was early in the morning.


    "Huam."


    Coming down to the training area of the Guild, I yawned. It had been quitete since I returned back to my apartment.


    Leon and I spent countless hours looking through the books at the library in order to look for any clues, but regardless of how hard we tried, we couldn''t find a thing.


    In the end, we could only go back to our designated rooms.


    We had decided to do the same thing today after training was over today.


    "Wee, cadets."


    Waiting for us at the training area, an expansive indoor white room with hardly any decorations, was a man with long blond hair and blue eyes. His features were striking, with a well chiseled jawline, and a smile that could turn the heads of anyone that looked at it.


    Holding onto a white and golden shield, alongside a sword, he stared at us with a kind smile.


    "My name is Ryan, and I will prepare you for the uing expedition."


    Even his voice was pleasing to the ears.


    "Yesterday you were given a brief rundown of the Guild''s infrastructure and how we operate. Today, things will be different."


    He looked at all of us.


    "¡­..Today, we will be getting you ready to withstand the environment of the Mirror Dimension."


    cing down his shield, he went on to move toward a corner of the room.


    "You may have not noticed it yet since you haven''t been to the deeper areas of the Mirror Dimension, but the environment can be quite harsh. From the intense radiation found in some areas, the scorching heat of the sun, the poisonous miasma''s located in other areas, to the freezing temperatures of some other areas."


    Extending his hand and cing it against the side of the wall, he smiled.


    "What better way to get used to the environments than experiencing them for yourself?"


    The area around his palm lit up as intricate purple circuits spread throughout the room. All of a sudden, the scenery around us started to change, alongside the white room.


    By the time it took for me to blink, I was no longer in the white room.


    No, I was standing in the middle of a scorched in, with jugged mountain areas around. Most ring, however, was the white ball that hung in the colorless sky.


    I suddenly felt my body grow sluggish.


    "Your first test."


    In the background, the instructor''s voice echoed.


    "¡­..Survive the heat."

 Chapter 161 Crimson Shade [1]

    <h4>Chapter 161 Crimson Shade [1]</h4>


    The white orb in the sky red at us from above.


    I stared at it for a few seconds before lowering my head to see that my surroundings had turned a subtle shade of red.


    ''When did this...?"


    "Hooo."


    Each breath started to hurt.


    Apanying it was a tingling pain at the back of my throat.


    Looking around me, the other cadets were facing simr struggles. With eyes widened in panic, and their hands wed at their throats.


    "The Yellow region is a dangerous region not only due to the Terror ranked beasts that are present throughout, but also because of the dangerous environment. This right here is just a taste of the scorching heat of the Crimson Shade."


    In the background, the instructor''s voice rang.


    "There''s no specific location or time to the Crimson Shade. It''ll just happen randomly, scorching everything its veil falls upon."


    The heat intensified and the pain at the back of my throat intensified.


    An ufortable heat started to rise within my nostrils with each breath I took. Enough to make me think I was inhaling smoke.


    ".....Your mind starts to blur due to the heat."


    Indeed, looking around, the world started to tilt.


    I tried to take a step forward, but my body refused to move.


    Drip..! Drip!


    Sweat started to drip down from every corner of my body.


    "¡­..Your body starts to lose water. Thirst will eventually build up."


    "Huep."


    I swallowed my saliva, only to find that my mouth had grownpletely dry.


    ''W-water.''


    It had only been a minute or so since the environment had changed, and yet, it felt as though I had been here for hours.


    To make matters worse, it only took that much time for me to bepletely thirsty.


    "Each second that passes feels more and more agonizing. Water. Water. Water. That''s all you''ll start thinking about."


    The instructor''s words seemed to directly match the symptoms that I was undergoing.


    The thirst was starting to dig at my mind.


    ''Water.''


    It made me only think of one thing.


    ''Water¡­ I need water.''


    "You seek water, but you have no water."


    How long has passed?


    Each second that I spent here felt agonizing.


    The little water within me continued to dwindle by the second, and my mouth was fully dry by this point.


    ''W-water¡­''


    "There''s a reason this is called the Crimson Shade. Casting a crimson glow over the surroundings, everything beneath it turns dry."


    I could almost hear the amusement in the instructor''s voiceing from the background.


    Looking around, I spotted a familiar set of hair in the distance. It was Evelyn. She was sitting on the ground with her legs crossed.


    I looked at her expression, and as if she felt my gaze, she opened her eyes to look at me.


    Our eyes met for a brief moment before she closed her eyes again.


    I thought she''d leave things there, but shortly after, her voice echoed,


    "Channel your mana."


    That was all she said.


    I was confused at first, but I listened to her words and channeled the mana inside of my body.


    "Ah."


    A cool sensation washed over me.


    The heat that had been stinging at my skin disappeared.


    In that moment, I felt a massive wave of relief wash over me.


    Tzzz~


    Steam started to rise from out of my body, and the sweat that had umted over me disappeared.


    "Haa¡­."


    Though I was still thirsty, things weren''t as bad anymore.


    "Looks like some of you have found the trick to counter the Crimson Shade."


    The instructor''s voice continued to echo in the background. The amusement was still ever so present.


    "...By channeling your mana you can start cooling your body. Preventing the shade from drying up your body."


    It was as he said. The moment I channeled my mana, my body started to cool and I no longer struggled under the shade.


    Or so I thought,


    "But for how long can you maintain your mana for? Can you keep up with it tost several days? ....Or can you sustain it until you manage to find a way out of the shade?"


    Hearing his words, my thoughts paused.


    I closed my eyes to determine the amount of mana that I had in my body and that was being consumed, and my expression turned grim shortly after.


    ''Not good.''


    At this rate, I wasn''t going tost more than an hour.


    Would that be enough?


    "Well, that''s enough."


    The surrounding scenery changed, and we were now back in the white room. I stopped using my mana and I was able to take a deep breath.


    "Water."


    Still, I was thirsty.


    Thankfully, the instructor was prepared and handed us several metal sks.


    "Take these and hydrate yourself."


    Grabbing mine, I uncapped mine and started drinking from it. While it was odd that they were using sks to store water, I didn''t care.


    The only thought in my mind was the water.


    Looking around, I wasn''t the only one that was drinking the water heavily. The same was true for the others with the exception of Evelyn who started to sniff the sk. The moment she did, I started to have a bad feeling.


    .....And I was right.


    "The water right therees from Lake Osmos. Located not far from where we are, and where the rescue mission is at. It''s not exactly poisonous, but you''ll end up feeling sick soon enough. The only way to get rid of the effects is by circting your mana."


    Just as his words fell, the world started to spin.


    Holding onto the sk, I felt like throwing it at the instructor who kept smiling the entire way.


    Gulp¡ª


    In the end, taking thest sips of it, I sat down on the ground and channeled my mana.


    "You may resent me for doing this to you, but it''s necessary. While the water within the Lake is not good for you, by drinking it, you''ll gain a certain immunity to it. Later on, when we enter the waters, if you identally swallow the water, you won''t have to go through the pains like you are now."


    His words certainly made sense.


    Not that I had enough time to focus on them.


    "Uekh...!"


    My stomach started to churn, and I started to feel incredibly nauseous. I could feel something rise up from my stomach, and I tried my best to keep it down.


    It was hard, but it wasn''t impossible.


    This process went on for the next half an hour, until finally, the side-effects started to vanish.


    "Good, it looks like most of you are done."


    Leaning against the wall, the instructor looked at us.


    "....It wasn''t so difficult, right?"


    For some reason, the more time I spent with him, the more unlikable he felt.


    ''The cadet that Leon warned me about, it''s not him, right....?''


    Wasn''t that difficult my ass.


    Forget about the headaches and the nausea, for the past half an hour or so, I had to hold back my stomach cramps, while also stopping myself from puking.


    He was just messing with us at this point.


    "Don''t give me those looks. While you may hate me now, you won''t hate meter when we carry on with the rescue mission. With that being said..."


    He paused, his eyes scanning all of us.


    There were a total of ten cadets in the room. The only ones that I was familiar with were Evelyn and Luxon. On the other hand, the other cadets belonged to different sses.


    Eventually, the instructor showed a satisfied smile.


    "¡­You all were good. As expected of Haven cadets. Alright, let''s start with the next phase of the trials."


    Pressing his hand against the wall, purple circuits once again enshrouded the white space. Shortly after, the environment started to change, and I shuddered.


    "T-this..."


    It was suddenly freezing cold.


    ***


    The training continued for the better part of the day. The temperatures continued to shift, changing from extreme heat to extreme cold. There were also illusions of other environments that put the cadets under extreme pressure.


    By the time it was all over, everyone was down on the ground soaking in sweat.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    The heavy sound of their breaths echoed within the white room.


    Laying down on the ground, Evelyn nkly stared at the ceiling. She could hardly think at the moment, and just breathing was painful for her.


    Each breath seemed to gawn at her lungs.


    "I''m saddened to say that this was thest of the simtions. You''ve experienced all that you needed to experience beforeing out of the supply station."


    For a moment, Evelyn could hear the strings of cursesing from the other cadets.


    They were all directed towards the instructor who yed it as if he hadn''t heard anything. Weakly turning her head, her eyes paused on a certain figure.


    He was simrly lying on the ground with his head facing the ceiling.


    Just like the other cadets, he also appeared to be muttering something. Squinting her eyes, she tried to read his lips.


    ''Motherfuck¡ª''


    "Oh my."


    Evelyn blinked several times.


    Surely, she had heard wrongly.


    Squinting her eyes again, she tried to read his lips again.


    ''Fatherless ba¡ª''


    Oh, no.


    Evelyn didn''t know how to react.


    It threw her off.


    In the midst of her daze, his head turned and their gazes met. Evelyn felt her entire body turn rigid the moment their gazes met.


    She wanted to turn her head immediately, but thinking about it, that would''ve been awkward.


    Swallowing her saliva, she looked at him for a few seconds before turning her head away from him.


    The entire time, she yed it in a manner that made her seem aloof.


    ''....That was smooth, right?''


    At least, she thought so.


    However, a shadow soon cast over the area she was in and her heart squeezed.


    Looking up, the same two eyes that she had met moments prior were looking at her from above.


    "Yes...?"


    "...."


    He didn''t answer immediately.


    Instead, he looked at her for a brief moment before finally opening his mouth.


    "About before..."


    Evelyn''s heart squeezed further.


    ''What''s he going to say? Is he going to talk about that time? What do I do? How do I answer? Leon said that he''s a different person, but there''s no way I can see him differently just like that. What if he is going to tell me to never talk about it? Wha


    ¡ª''


    "Thanks."


    ".....Uh?"


    Evelyn''s mind nked.


    She didn''t know for how long, but before she knew it, he had already left. Turning her head, she stared at his departing back.


    Her thoughts started to run wild.


    ''Did he just thank me? Him...?''


    Why?


    And then, Evelyn recalled her interaction with him at the start of the training when she had told him to channel his mana.


    "Ah."


    That had just been a spur-of-the-moment answer from her. Having met his gaze, she felt too awkward to say nothing and said such words.


    Who would''ve thought he''d thank her for that?


    It was so different from the Julien she knew.


    Pursing her lips, Evelyn stared at him again. A thought crossed her mind.


    ''Did he really change...?''

 Chapter 162 Crimson Shade [2]

    <h4>Chapter 162 Crimson Shade [2]</h4>


    I was tired. Rubbing my eyes, I looked around. I was standing in front of the library again.


    Every part of my body ached. The side effects from the ''water'' had yet to bepletely alleviated.


    Furthermore, the sudden shifts in temperatures put heavy stress on my body.


    ''.....This is even worse than regr training.''


    I''d usually be tired after training, which was extremely intense, but this was something else.


    "You''re here early."


    Coming from the other side was Leon. With ring ck circles beneath his eyes, he walked over with a hunched back.


    ''Looks like he didn''t have it good.''


    In fact, he looked to have had it worse than me which was surprising.


    "How are you feeling?"


    ".....Not good."


    Leon replied while leaning his hand against the wall of the library building.


    "I-Uekh!"


    I stepped back.


    He looked like he was about to puke.


    Raising his finger at me, Leon''s face scrunched up. He was struggling to keep himself from puking.


    Staring at him, for a moment, a dangerous thought crossed my mind.


    My hands started to tingle and my face twitched.


    ''Just one wouldn''t hurt, right? It''s only to see if he can puke...''


    I bit my lips and shook my head. No, this-


    Opening my eyes, I noticed that Leon was staring at me. His eyes were bloodshot and his expression looked grim. It was almost as though he could read my thoughts.


    He shook his head.


    "Spare me."


    "..."


    I licked my lips.


    My body started to tremble again.


    Leon''s eyes turned more bloodshot.


    "What do you ca¡ª"


    "Bleeergh!"


    He puked.


    The words that were about to leave my mouth stopped and I looked at him in confusion. Leon continued to puke for the next couple of seconds before he went on to wipe the corner of his mouth.


    "D-done."


    At the same time, he red at me.


    ".....I didn''t say anything."


    "You were about to."


    "But I didn''t."


    "Because I beat you to it."


    "Tsk."


    I clicked my tongue.


    What a pity.


    Either way, looking around, I saw that we had created a bit of amotion. Without hesitation, the two of us entered the building.


    There weren''t many people inside just likest time.


    The surroundings were dimly lit, and the librarian stood behind a wooden desk with a book in her hand. Taking note of our appearance, her brows creased a little. It looked like she remembered us. In the end, she didn''t say anything else and I sighed in relief.


    Thankfully, what I didst time wasn''t enough for her topletely ban us.


    Taking a seat, I looked at Leon.


    "Let''s continue where we left off."


    ".....Yes."


    Still ring at me, Leon turned his back and headed for the botanical area. On the other hand, dropping my stuff on the table, I headed for the Monster ssification area.


    There were over a thousand different books in front of me.


    Thankfully, a major part of them had illustrations which made it a lot easier for me to skim through.


    ''It''s too bad the librarian doesn''t know much.''


    I had asked her yesterday if she knew anything about the Tree of Ebonthorn, but she shook her head. It was for that reason that we had no choice but to look for the information for ourselves.


    The Guilds didn''t grant us ess to their library, and I doubt anyone would bother helping us with the information given how busy they were.


    In the end, this was the only way.


    Flip¡ª


    Casually flipping through pages, I looked for any clues.


    What surprised me the most as I looked through the pages was the amount of monsters that were logged into them.


    The numbers were ridiculous.


    "Huam."


    Leaning my back against one of the shelves, I continued to flip the pages over. The more I flipped, the sleeper I became.


    There were so many books, and yet, not a single one had the thing that I needed.


    "Not this one as well."


    I had just ced another book on the shelf when I paused.


    "....."


    Looking at the other side, two yellow eyes met my gaze. Standing on the opposite side was Aoife who looked at me with a strange look.


    "....."


    "....."


    The two of us stood face to face for a brief moment before I broke the silence.


    "What?"


    "...You like the library a lot, don''t you?"


    "Do I...?"


    Thinking about it, I did spend a lot of time in the library back in the Academy.


    "I guess I do."


    Aoife nodded and the conversation ended there. Or so I thought. Just as I had turned to look at another book, her voice echoed once again.


    "Are you looking for anything specific?"


    "...I am."


    "Oh."


    Once again she nodded, and silence returned over the surroundings. It was awkward, but it was mainly because we both sucked at making conversation. I once again shifted my attention to the book when I stopped and looked up.


    Aoife was still staring at me.


    What in the world...


    "Do you need help?"


    ".....Why?"


    "Uh, just..."


    Aoife scratched the back of her head.


    "....You looked very serious. I thought you might need help."


    I squinted my eyes.


    "What''s the real reason?"


    "What?"


    Aoife''s voice slightly rose.


    It was subtle, but it was enough for me to pick up. Closing the book in my hand, I sighed and ced the book back.


    I then looked at Aoife straight in the eyes. She met my gaze back, but eventually, her eyes lowered and she simrly sighed.


    "Alright, fine."


    She pinched the middle of her brows.


    Looking back slightly, her gaze fell on a certain person in the distance. With shoulder-length ck hair and a long nose, he sat by one of the seats while reading a book.


    There seemed to be no irregrities with him at first nce.


    ncing at Aoife in confusion, she subtly whispered.


    "He''s the rtive of one of the missing people."


    ".....Oh?"


    My interest had finally piqued and I turned to take a better look at him.


    We hadn''t beenpletely briefed about the situation since it was still training time for us, but from what I knew, the team that had gone missingprised more than thirty people. They were a mix of all fifteen guilds.


    "Are you stalking him?"


    "Uh?"


    Aoife''s head flicked back to me.


    "Stalking? What are you talking about? I''d never do that. Why are you using me of doing that?"


    "....."


    I cocked my head at her.


    She spoke unusually fast. It was almost as if she was trying hard to justify herself.


    "....Because that''s what you''re currently doing."


    "No, this is just me getting ahead of the situation. All I did was follow him from his residence to here."


    "Yeah, no. It''s stalking."


    "....."


    Aoife red at me.


    Subtly looking back, she brought her face closer and whispered.


    "It''s not stalking. And let''s say it is... What''s wrong with that?"


    ".....Uh?"


    As if realizing what she had said, Aoife covered her mouth.


    Taking a deep breath, she moved her hands away.


    "I feel like there''s something wrong with the situation."


    "....."


    "No, rather than the situation, it''s more like the supply station. I''ve had a weird feeling sinceing here. I thought that by checking with the victim''s rtives, I''d be able to find something."


    "How is that going for you?"


    "....I''ve yet to find something."


    Shaking her head, she picked one of the books.


    "That''s why I''m here."


    Opening it, she started to read through it.


    I stared at her for a good couple of seconds before taking a book of my own and opening it.


    ''.....It looks like she also felt that something was wrong.''


    Not just Leon, but Aoife too. However, unlike Leon, I wasn''t sure if Aoife''s ''feelings'' had anything to do with the tree.


    Looking up, I briefly nced at the man that Aoife was targeting.


    He looked normal at a nce, with no noticeable signs of anything being out of order.


    ''She said something about being one of the rtives of the missing victims...''


    Was there something wrong with the victims?


    I thought about her words for a close minute before eventually shaking my head. For now, I needed to focus on finding more clues about the tree.


    That was my main priority right now.


    Leaning against the bookshelf while flipping the pages of the book in my hand, I spoke,


    "Tree of Ebonthorn."


    "Hm?"


    Aoife nced at me.


    I kept my gaze on the book.


    "You asked me if I needed help. I need information on that."


    "....."


    Taking note of Aoife''s silence, I looked back to meet her eyes. With a subtle frown over her features, she looked to be in deep thought. Then, as if sensing my gaze, she focused her attention back on me.


    "Why are you looking into that?"


    ".....Are you going to help me or not?"


    "No, it''s..."


    Aoife closed the book in her hand.


    "....If you need the information desperately, I know of a way."


    "Oh?"


    I closed my book.


    "How?"


    "Did you forget who I am?"


    "Ah."


    "I can just go to the Guilds and have them tell me anything that they know about it. If you give me an hour, I''ll be able to get all the information."


    "That quickly?"


    "Yes."


    Wow.


    ....I didn''t know how to feel. Staring at Aoife, I suddenly realized something.


    ''Princesses are really useful.''


    "Are you thinking about something rude?"


    "No."


    I kept my face from changing. However, inside, I was shocked.


    How in the world did she know?


    I was just about to say something else when all of a sudden, the color around me started to change, turning a shade of red.


    It all happened in the blink of an eye. In one moment, the world was normal, and in the next second, everything had turned red.


    "Uh?"


    All heads flicked towards the windows.


    There I could see the people outside looking up at the sky with pale faces. Some even pointed at the sky while others started to run back.


    I stared at the scene for a few seconds before Leon appeared a few meters ahead.


    He looked to be on high alert.


    Looking at us, his gaze fell on Aoife for a brief moment before he looked back at me. With just a nce, we all knew what was going on.


    How could we not when we had gone under training for it just today?


    That was when Leon slowly muttered.


    "Crimson Shade."


    WOOOM~


    An ominous pulse swept the station.


    "Ukh..!"


    "Kh!"


    A scorching heat suddenly enveloped the surroundings.


    It came so fast and so suddenly that hardly anyone had any time to react. Thankfully, we were quick to react due to our training.


    Without hesitation, I channeled my mana and the heat dissipated.


    A cool sensation wrapped over my body.


    Still, my expression was grim.


    I knew that I wouldn''tst more than an hour like this.


    "Akh!!"


    "H-help!"


    The screams of the people outside rang. While a major part of the people here were superhumans who were stronger than me, there were some weak civilians who were natural citizens of the ce.


    They were unable to protect themselves from the sudden heat wave.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    With a rough breath, I looked at the crimson world around me.


    I had just turned to look at Leon when I suddenly realized that I couldn''t move.


    Lowering my head, I stared at my feet and my entire body shuddered. Covering my ankles, and reaching for my knees were a familiar set of roots.


    Unlike before when they only covered my ankles, they had now reached for my knees.


    Tangling my legs, they kept me from moving.


    "Ukh!"


    I tried to move, but my body remained fixed on the spot.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    My heartbeat started to quicken, and notifications shed before my very eyes.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.05%


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.02%


    Before I knew it, fear had started to root deep within my mind.


    One that grew worse with the red that covered the world.


    The Crimson Shade had fallen.

 Chapter 163 Crimson Shade [3]

    <h4>Chapter 163 Crimson Shade [3]</h4>


    The Crimson Shade.


    A phenomenon that spread across the Mirror Dimension, leaving no clear information about its origin, only that it scorched everything itid its touch upon.


    Looking around me, the world had turnedpletely red.


    Tzzz~


    Steam started to rise out of my body as I channeled my mana.


    But that wasn''t my main concern. Looking down, and staring at the roots that were entangling my feet, I felt suffocated.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.03%


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.01%


    Notifications continued to sh across my vision.


    I felt the sound of my own heartbeat drum in my mind.


    A certain dread took hold of me, and a weird tingling sensation traced over my face.


    ''Just what is...''


    By the time it took me to blink, the roots, alongside the sensation were gone.


    "Haaa.. Haaa..."


    So was the fear.


    With heavy breaths, I leaned against the bookshelf and rposed myself.


    Yet again, I saw the roots.


    This time, they were longer than before, reaching all the way up to my knees.


    An idea crossed my mind.


    ''Is this perhaps a time limit...?''


    Would the tree sprout once the rootspletely took over my mind?


    "H-Ha."


    My chest trembled.


    ''I really need to stop dragging my feet.''


    If possible, I wanted to have the Guilds directly investigate the situation. I didn''t want to drag things to where they were now. But how was I supposed to convince them to help me?


    It wasn''t as if I could tell them I envisioned the entire city getting enshrouded by a tree.


    I had no evidence to back up my statement.


    ''Right, if only I had evidence.''


    No, it''s fine.


    I now had someone who could help.


    Aoife.


    ''Right, with her inf¡ª"


    "Hiaaaaakk!"


    A shrill scream that sent shivers down my spine shook me out of my thoughts. Hastily turning my head to face the windows of the library, I saw a middle-aged woman on the other end holding onto her head.


    Staring at the sky, she screamed her heart out.


    "Hieeaaak!"


    The scream seemed toe from deep within the depths of her soul.


    She became the center of my attention, and before I knew it, I had moved towards the window.


    I felt strangely tenseing out of the building.


    To the point where I flinched at the sound of Leon''s footsteps behind me


    I looked at the sky. It had turnedpletely red, the crimson shade hanging oppressively overhead, turning all that was beneath a blood-red color.


    The buildings and infrastructures, though varied in shades, all carried a simr tone. The once jovial mood had long vanished, reced by a sense of panic. The cobblestone streets were nowrgely deserted, with only a few remaining¡ªmostly the weaker citizens who were unable to flee.


    The only things left behind were the open stalls, half-filled jugs of alcohol, and shredded paper, littered across the empty streets.


    It was an eerie scene.


    "Hieeaaak!"


    Deathly screams continued to echo throughout, each more distant than the other.


    "Where is everyone...?"


    Aoife was the first one to speak as she looked around grimly. Simrly looking, my gaze eventually fell on Leon who was checking over the woman.


    She had stopped screaming already.


    "Is something wrong?"


    Because his body was covering her, I couldn''t see her properly. Only when I stepped to the side to get a better look was I able to understand why she had stopped screaming.


    My expression turned grim.


    ".....She''s dead."


    It was hard to describe what remained of her. As if all the water had been sucked out of her, she looked like a mummified version of herself.


    She wasn''t the only one.


    Looking around, the citizens from before were now in a simr state to hers.


    In the blink of an eye, they had all turned into mummies.


    My heart grew tense.


    "....."


    Leon stood up in silence and looked back at me. I felt Aoife''s gaze on me as well.


    "What do we do?"


    "Uh?"


    I blinked.


    "....Why are you asking me?"


    How in the world was I supposed to know?


    "You''re right."


    Leon frowned while mumbling to himself.


    "I don''t even know why I asked you. I just did."


    The hell?


    "How about figuring out where everyone else went?"


    At Aoife''s suggestion, I looked around. I could more or less tell where everyone went.


    "They probably ran to the Guild stations or some sort of safe ce."


    While most of the people present were superhumans just like us, the Crimson Shade spared no one. Unless one had enough mana reserve, they''d eventually fall under its influence.


    In fact, we didn''t have much time either.


    "We should get out of here."


    With each second that passed, our mana was dwindling. We needed to hurry to the Guilds in order to find a solution to this problem.


    ''Perhaps, they have rooms that stop the shade from affecting us.''


    I wasn''t sure, but it was our only hope.


    Red continued to cover every inch of the city. Empty buildings could be seen, as well as mummified remains resting by the sides. A stifling silence enveloped the surroundings. What had once been a crowded sight was now deste.


    The Decaycore Sector had fallen.


    Tak, tak, tak¡ª


    The only sound that echoed was the sound of our rushed footsteps as we headed for the Guild offices.


    Entering a narrow alley, the heat around us intensified and my mana dwindled further.


    It was dark, and I could hardly see.


    "Faster."


    I picked up the pace.


    Coming out of the alley, the light returned, or the red returned... We had crossed to the Sorrowvale Sector. Unlike the Dacaycore Sector, the buildings were slightly different. In terms of style, they were a lot more extravagant.


    It made sense since they belonged to the guilds.


    However, they were all currently empty.


    All that was left behind was the red from the shade.


    "Let''s go deeper."


    We ran further into the Sorrowvale Sector. There were two districts within the Sector. The inner district, and the outer district which was located at the very center of the station. That was our goal.


    "This way should be faster."


    Aoife suddenly suggested, pointing in a certain direction. I nodded and rushed in that direction.


    Each second mattered and we couldn''t afford to waste it.


    Holding onto my stamina, I ran and ran and ran. I didn''t know for how long I had run, but soon enough I was able to hear voices in the distance.


    "Ah!"


    Leon and Aoife too as they picked up the pace.


    I followed behind them, turning over one of the buildings before finallying to a stop in what appeared to be arge za.


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    Immediately, we were able to see a huge crowd ahead of us.


    They all seemed to be crowding a certain area.


    "Let me in!"


    "....Move! You''re in the way!"


    "Where are you pushing?!"


    Panic could be seen on their faces as a faint white glow covered their bodies.


    ''As expected, they''ve all run towards here.''


    Unlike us, most people had been trained to rush here.


    I was a little worried for the other cadets, but the situation wasn''t bad to the point where they would have trouble finding this ce.


    In fact, most were probably okay.


    It had to be said that Aoife, Leon, and I had sneaked out...


    ''Crap.''


    Realizing this, my face twitched.


    I didn''t have a good feeling about what was toe.


    "Everyone, please calm down! Please calm down! We will allow you all in the bunker shortly. Please calm down! There''s no need to rush!"


    A voice bellowed from within the crowd.


    I couldn''t see who it belonged to, but the moment it spoke, the crowd calmed down. Raising my toes to get a better look, the only thing that I managed to get a glimpse of was arge dome-like structure.


    "We are in the process of opening the bunker. There''s no need to panic. Once you get in, please find a spot and rest until the Crimson Shade has passed."


    The panic that had settled over the crowd started to finally calm down.


    "Haa..."


    Breathing in relief, I looked to my sides where Leon and Aoife were. Both their faces were red, but in general, they looked okay.


    ".....The Academy should seriously reconsider sending us anywhere."


    Aoife was the first to speak.


    Looking at her, she looked back at me with a tired look.


    "It''s not just me right? For some reason, every time we go somewhere, something happens. I''m done. I just want to stay at the Academy."


    "Ha."


    Iughed slightly.


    It was subtle, but it was enough to make both Leon and Aoife flick their heads my way.


    Aoife spoke,


    "What?"


    "....No"


    I brushed my sweat.


    "It''s just that it doesn''t matter if we''re at the Academy or not. Something will happen regardless."


    "Wh¡ªHuh..."


    Aoife pinched her chin while lowering her head. Scratching the side of her head, she soon tilted it to the side before looking back at me.


    "I guess you''re right. What''s the reason?"


    "I''m not sure."


    I looked at Leon who looked back at me with a weird expression. He almost seemed to be wincing in disgust.


    It was as if he was saying, ''It''s because of you.''


    Ah?


    ''What''s this guy on about?''


    Well, sure. I did participate in a lot, if not all of those annoying scenarios. However, in my defense, I was just doing events that were supposed to belong to him.


    If anything, he was the culprit.


    As if noticing my thoughts, Leon''s face changed again.


    This time, it seemed to say, ''....You''re delusional.''


    This guy...


    "What are you guys doing?"


    Alternating her gaze between the two of us, Aoife looked at us strangely.


    ".....Did you guys lose it because of the heat?"


    "No."


    I looked at Aoife strangely.


    So did Leon who looked at her briefly before looking at me with an expression that seemed to say, ''She''s being weird, isn''t she?''


    I nodded slightly, ''Yeah.''


    Not only a stalker but a weirdo too.


    Aoife blinked several times as she looked at us speechlessly.


    "What are you¡ª"


    Rumble! Rumble!


    Her words were cut short by a distant rumbling and my body tensed.


    Looking ahead, the bunker had started to tremble. Though I couldn''t see, I could more or less deduce that the gates were opening.


    The rumbling continued for the next few minutes before finally stopping.


    Immediately, the crowd started to get restless.


    "We want order!"


    Once again, the voice echoed.


    "Entering the bunker, we would like for everyone to remain calm and not make any trouble. If we see that you''re causing trouble, we will have no problem throwing you out!"


    Following his words, the crowd yet again calmed down.


    "Good! Let''s begin!"


    And from that point on, everyone calmly proceeded to enter the bunker. I followed the crowd in silence.


    On asion, I''d use the sleeve of my shirt to wipe the sweat that umted.


    While the mana inside of my body was cooling me, it was far from enough for me to not feel the heat.


    "Hooo."


    Even breathing was a little difficult.


    Thankfully, it didn''t take long for us to enter the bunker. By the time ten minutes had passed, it was our turn to cross the small metallic door that led towards the insides.


    A small corridor greeted us the moment we entered. One that led towards a small white room.


    Two people in white stood by the sides.


    "Please step into the chamber."


    It took about twenty people topletely fill the room, and once it was filled, one of the people in white closed the metallic door.


    ka, ka¡ª


    Turning the wheel at the center of the door, the person in white made sure to properly secure it before raising their thumb in signal.


    "Commence temperature assimtion."


    Swoosh¡ª


    The room temperature dropped rapidly, only stopping at what seemed to be normal temperature. There was no thermometer so I didn''t know how much.


    "You can stop channeling your mana."


    Doing as instructed, I stopped channeling my mana and was able to finally take a deep breath.


    So did the others who leaned against the sides of the wall, their heads dripping with sweat.


    ka, ka¡ª


    By the time it took for us to adjust back to normal, the doors opened yet again.


    However, unlikest time, what appeared on the other side of the doors was a massive hall filled with hundreds of people.


    "Please make yourselvesfortable."


    The one in white spoke,


    ".....Wee to the Last Hold."

 Chapter 164 The scream [1]

    <h4>Chapter 164 The scream [1]</h4>


    The insides of the bunker wererge.


    Despite there being hundreds of people, it didn''t seem like that at all. Clearly, it was designed to fit at least a few thousand people. Looking around, I was able to spot the other cadets alongside the Guild delegates. They were currently doing a head count.


    At the very end of the bunker, windows lined up on the walls. From there, I could see the outside world and the faint outlines of the buildings which were still covered in a Crimson Shade.


    I stopped in my tracks and looked at Aoife.


    Feeling my gaze, she turned back and I spoke,


    "Can you find it...?"


    "Find? Are you talking about the information that you requested me?"


    "Yeah."


    "I would''ve been able to before, but..."


    She looked around.


    "....I don''t think it''s that simple anymore. There might be a library here, but I doubt it''ll be any better than the Guild library."


    Frowning, I pondered for a moment.


    We couldn''t afford to waste any time. Every second felt like myst, and despite the momentary sense of peace that had enshrouded us, I still didn''t feel safe.


    In fact, it only added to the tension.


    It felt as though a dangerous veil was cast upon me, slowly driving me to the corner in the process.


    ''No, it''s fine. I can figure this out.''


    Clenching my teeth slightly, I took a deep breath and asked,


    "Can you ask someone?"


    "....As in?"


    "Some of the higher members of the Guilds? Is there a way you can have them talk?"


    "....."


    Aoife stood still for a moment, carefully observing my face. Eventually, seeing how serious I was, she nodded her head slightly.


    "I can."


    "Do that."


    The information was vital.


    "I''ll also try."


    Leon added from the side. I looked at him before nodding my head.


    "....It doesn''t matter if what you find is worthless. Just try to look for anything rted to it. It''s very important."


    "Understood."


    "Good."


    Taking a deep breath, I looked towards the ''The Order of the Silver Seraphs'' area which was easily distinguished due to the g that was hanging by the center of the area. Seeing my group in the distance, I closed my eyes for a moment before making up my decision.


    "Let''s split up for now."


    I could already envision myself getting a good scolding from them, but I knew the situation would get troublesome if they were to think that I was still missing.


    The same was true for the other two.


    Especially Aoife who had a rather important status.


    "If you find anything, just tell me."


    I looked around.


    ".....It''s not like we have anything to do here, either way."


    We split off from there.


    Staring at their backs for a short moment, I finally picked up my pace and headed for the Guild area.


    "There''s several missing members!"


    "....Are there any results?"


    "No. We are also missing a few cadets."


    "What? How is that possible? They should''ve juste off training. Did they sneak out?"


    Overhearing the conversations that were going up ahead, I tried my best to keep my faceposed before heading in.


    Immediately, the eyes of many of the members fell on me.


    "You."


    And I was stopped by one of them.


    He wasn''t tall. In fact, he was rather short. With soft brown hair and green eyes, he looked at me with a frown.


    "Who are you? State your identification."


    ".....I am one of those cadets that have gone missing."


    "Uh?"


    Stunned, the man blinked several times. Before he could say anything else, a hand pressed against his shoulder, and a familiar face appeared before me.


    With a soft smile on his face, his blue eyes paused on me.


    "I''ve been looking for you all over. Where have you been?"


    "The library."


    I answered truthfully. I didn''t see the need to lie. In fact, it would only make me look more suspicious.


    "The library?"


    "Yes. I wanted to learn more about the monsters. Since I didn''t have ess to the Guild library, I had no choice but to sneak out to read for myself."


    "....Couldn''t you have gone with a group?"


    "A group?"


    I looked at him.


    "....Would there be any group that wants to go to the library?"


    "I guess you''re right."


    With a smallugh, the instructor patted the short man on the shoulder.


    "Andrea, you can let him pass. He''s with me."


    "Okay. If you say so."


    "Thank you."


    Nudging me with his finger, the instructor led me towards where the other cadets were.


    Following him from behind, he started to talk.


    "It''s a good thing that you''re back. I would''ve been in trouble had you not shown up in the next hour or so."


    "....I apologize."


    This was indeed my fault.


    But there were important reasons for my actions.


    In fact,


    "Can I ask a question?"


    The instructor looked back while he continued to walk ahead.


    "Sure."


    "Do you know anything about the Tree of Ebonthorn?"


    "Tree of Ebonthorn?"


    The instructor paused before falling into thought. Following a slight twitch of his head, he shook his head.


    "No, it doesn''t ring a bell."


    "....Is there someone that you think might know?"


    "Umm. Is it some sort of monster?"


    "I believe it is."


    "Then, you might want to ask the Post Leader. There''s a chance he might know."


    The Post Leader?


    ''Right, as if I can meet him.''


    From what I knew, they were the strongest representative from the Guild stationed in the supply station. Their strength ranged from Tier 6 to Tier 7. I wasn''t fully sure. However, I was certain that they were very strong.


    Though I was the ck star, I knew that I couldn''t meet him just because of that status.


    Especially not in circumstances such as these.


    I could only scrap that thought for now.


    ''.....I''ll still try if I find him''


    It wouldn''t hurt.


    Or if anything, I could also get Aoife to do that.


    "Take a seat wherever you want."


    Before I knew it, we had arrived at the area where the other cadets were and all eyes fell on me. Sat in a circle, they all wore grim expressions.


    I could tell that they were nervous.


    Looking around, I found a spot and sat down.


    "Where did you go?"


    I thought I''d be left alone from that point, but much to my surprise, a quiet voice reached my ears from the side. When I turned to look, I saw Evelyn staring at me.


    I was stunned for a second.


    "Is it supposed to be a secret?"


    ".....The library."


    But I was quick to rpose myself.


    "I was there for some research."


    "Research?"


    "Just in general. Have you heard of the Tree of Ebonthorn?"


    "Tree of what?"


    That told me everything that I needed to know.


    Still, I was most surprised by the fact that Evelyn had struck up a conversation with me. Usually, she''d totally avoid me, and yet, here she was trying her best to speak to me. I was a bit taken aback.


    "Is it important?"


    Important?


    "Very."


    "....."


    Sporting a frown, Evelyn seemed to fall into her own thoughts. Eventually, however, she let out a long sigh before looking back into my eyes.


    "Do you want me to help?"


    ***


    ''I did it. I asked him. It''s whatever. You can''t say I am not actively trying. Since he''s changed, I should change too, right? Or maybe I don''t? Who knows. Maybe I''m curious. Whatever.''


    Numerous thoughts swam across Evelyn''s mind as she kept her gaze fixed on Julien who was staring back at her.


    His deep hazel eyes felt intense, and Evelyn found herself swallowing nervously.


    ''He''s going to reject me, isn''t he?''


    She was a bit of an overthinker. It hadn''t been the first time that she questioned herself numerous times in the past.


    But still, she really did want to help.


    This rtionship of theirs. While she knew that it couldn''t go back to how it once was, realizing that he had changed, perhaps, it was time for her to also start taking Leon''s words more seriously.


    It was for that reason that she wanted to help.


    In a way, it was also for her.


    "You''re willing to help?"


    Eventually, Julien''s voice fell and Evelyn pursed her lips.


    "If you''ll let me."


    Though Evelyn wasn''t sure why he wanted such information, she could see how serious his expression had been when he had asked her.


    And it wasn''t as though she had anything else to do.


    "....Okay."


    In the end, Julien nodded his head.


    The way he looked at her also changed a little. Though subtle, his face grew a little softer. It was a very subtle change that Evelyn picked up and she bit her lips.


    "Thank you."


    He really...


    ***


    "Phew! Phew! Phew!"


    Leaning back against the hard ground of the bunker, Kiera blew the bangs away from her face.


    "Phew! Phew...!"


    She went on like this for the next few minutes.


    "Phew!"


    Her boredom had reached peak levels. To make matters worse, she didn''t even have any cigarettes with her. It wasn''t as though she had smoked much over thest few weeks, but it certainly would''ve helped her alleviate her boredom.


    "....I''m bored."


    Even saying she was bored was boring.


    Everything was boring.


    "Haa..."


    Turning to the side, she continued to blow on her hair.


    "Phew. Phew...!"


    As she did, she started to think of a certain someone and the corner of her lips curled slightly.


    "He''d get annoyed if I did this, wouldn''t he?"


    Thinking about the face he''d make, Kiera cracked up a little.


    "Kakaka."


    Her strangeugh aroused the eyes of those around her. She didn''t let that bother her and continued to blow on her hair.


    "I''m bored~"


    She was now singing.


    It was out of tune, and the people near her looked at her with even stranger gazes.


    Not that it bothered Kiera much.


    "Hyooo~"


    In fact, it only ignited her will to sing further.


    "The world is red~"


    To her, it sounded good, but to those around her, each and every one of her notes sounded like broken ss being cleaned up. Many of those around her distanced themselves, some even ring at her in the process.


    That only made her want to sing more.


    "All is red~"


    Her song was also original.


    ''Fuck, I''m good.''


    She felt less bored after seeing their faces.


    "Smoke tree¡ª"


    "Hiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak¡ª!"


    Her song was abruptly cut by a sudden screaming from near her. Immediately, Kiera''s eyes flung up and she sat up straight.


    "What? Stop exaggerating. My singing isn''t that ba¡ª"


    Kiera stopped speaking halfway through her sentence.


    Her gaze fell on Johanna, a cadet she only knew the name of due to the fact that they had been in the same Guild orientation group.


    With short ck hair and a small stature, it was hard to not remember her.


    Currently, she was holding onto her hair while looking up at the ceiling.


    "Hiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak¡ª!"


    Her scream reverberated throughout the bunker, swallowing all the noise alongside it.


    It was a scream that seemed toe from the depths of her soul, and Kiera felt her hand tingle.


    The screams continued.


    It pierced through the bunker.


    "Ah! Haaaaaaaa!"


    It was as if she had lungs made out of steel. But that wasn''t the part that gathered Kiera''s attention. As of this moment, Kiera''s gaze was fixed on Johanna''s eyes.


    They werepletely white.


    Her pupils had disappeared.


    "Ha."


    Kiera moved back.


    At that moment, her entire body shuddered.


    Chills ran down her spine as Johanna''s scream continued to reverberate throughout. Itsted for a few more seconds before eventually,


    Thump!


    She fell face t on the ground.


    A dreadful silence enveloped the surroundings.


    One that felt entirely suffocating.

 Chapter 165 The scream [2]

    <h4>Chapter 165 The scream [2]</h4>


    It was a scream that raised the hair on my hand.


    Immediately, my head flicked in the direction of where the sound came from, and I was able to spot a figure holding onto their heads while screaming their hearts out.


    Judging from the clothes she was wearing, she seemed to be a cadet.


    Not far from her, I could also see Kiera standing still with a petrified expression. It was a rare expression from her.


    "Hiiaaaaak¡ª"


    The scream seemed heartwrenching, and in that instant, all eyes turned in the direction of where it came from.


    By the time someone has reacted,


    Thump!


    The one responsible had already fallen face-first on the ground.


    "Quick!"


    "Someone! We need help immediately!"


    "What''s going on...!?"


    Chaos immediately erupted within the confines of the bunker. Thankfully, a major part of the people within the bunker were people who had been trained and thus the chaos didn''tst for very long before order returned.


    Several figures with intimidating auras walked toward where the cadet was.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Everyone, move out of the way!"


    Behind them were several other figures carrying a stretcher, and first aid kits. Crowding the cadet in question, they cast spells over her body before feeding her some things.


    She seemed to calm down from there.


    But because they had crowded the area around her, I wasn''t able to see what was going on.


    However, I didn''t need to.


    "She''s alive. I can still feel her pulse."


    "Her eyes are white. They are out of focus."


    "She''s out of danger, but I don''t sense any cognitive response from her."


    "Hey, hey! Can you hear me? Can you hear me?"


    The situation didn''t look promising.


    While it was true that she was alive, judging from the way the doctors were speaking, she was unresponsive.


    Most likely, she was in aa.


    ''Just what happened...?''


    It all happened so suddenly and abruptly that I had a hard time figuring out what had happened. Taking a look outside, where the windows were, I felt the situation be extremely eerie.


    "Quick!"


    My thoughts were broken by a shout.


    "Apply new medication! Someone hold her down for me! She''s convulsing!"


    The doctor''s voice allowed me to understand everything that was going on and my expression turned grim.


    ''This is messed up.''


    From the very moment that I stepped into this ce, all I felt was dread.


    Was this the true reality of the Mirror Dimension?


    "Johanna Pearlson."


    Aoife''s voice reached my ears.


    Unknowingly, Leon was standing beside me. So were Evelyn, and Aoife.


    Staring towards where the doctors were, Aoife went on to speak,


    "Ranked 192. She''s a mage with the [Elemental] attribute of water. I''ve talked to her a few times before."


    Hearing her words, I turned to look at her surprised.


    ''She knows quite a lot.''


    I wasn''t the only one that was looking at her like that. Leon and Evelyn were also looking at her with simr expressions.


    For a brief moment, my gaze met with Leon''s.


    ''She''s a stalker.''


    ''Right?''


    "Stop."


    Pinching the middle of her brows, Aoife red at the two of us.


    "I don''t know what you two are saying, but for some reason, I''m getting annoyed."


    ''Crazy.''


    ''....Totally lost it.''


    It was weird, but Leon and I were oddly in sync today.


    "What is this...?"


    Alternating her gaze between the two of us, Evelyn''s head cocked. It was almost as if I could see question marks on top of her head.


    Then, turning her head, she looked at Aoife.


    "I don''t get it."


    "You don''t need to get it."


    Aoife massaged her head again.


    ".....The two are being weird. It doesn''t even make sense, but it looks like they can talk with each other by just looking."


    "What?"


    Evelyn''s eyes widened and she looked at Leon who gave her the side-eye.


    "No."


    That no seemed more like a yes to Evelyn who nced at me.


    I ignored her look and proceeded to look back toward Aoife.


    "How do you know so much about her?"


    "I''ve made an effort to memorize the rankings and general talent level of every single cadet after Ellnor.


    Aoife answered in a matter-of-fact tone.


    "We only have three years at the Academy. It''s good to memorize the names of everyone that''s in the same year as you."


    "I see."


    Her words certainly had some merits to them.


    In fact, I probably needed to do the same thing as her. While it was going to be extra effort, it was certainly going to be useful in the future.


    ''Who knows, if in the future I gain the rights to create my own Guild, then it wouldn''t hurt to hire some people from the Academy.''


    But that was all a distant idea of mine.


    Still, it was one that I had to do. Simply put, it became awfully clear to me that I couldn''t deal with the faceless man by myself.


    ....He wasing for me.


    That much I understood.


    Thinking about the numerous organizations that were under his name, he didn''t need to show up to destroy me. He could just have the organizations do that for him.


    It was for that reason that, besides making a Guild, I also had to infiltrate the Inverted Sky and make it mine.


    Only that way would I be able to have a fighting chance.


    "Stop!


    In the background, the voices of the doctors continued to echo.


    "That''s enough. Her vitals are stable."


    "She''s safe for now. However, we won''t know if the situation will get worse. It''s best if we put under watch."


    "Carry her out of this ce."


    "Understood."


    In the blink of an eye, Johanna was carried away in a stretcher. Carefully following her were the medics and the high-ranking members of the Guilds who were closely examining her body.


    A few of the cadets were questioned shortly after that, but there wasn''t much to ask.


    Everyone had been there when it had happened.


    It was an abrupt episode that nobody could''ve expected.


    "Everyone, please calm down. We are still unsure of what happened, but we suspect that it''s due to the Crimson Shade."


    A slightly overweight man with receding hair addressed the people in the bunker. Looking at him, he appeared to be a secretary for one of the Post Leaders.


    I wanted to go at this very moment to speak to them with regard to the tree, but I wasn''t the only one.


    Many others had the same thoughts.


    "The victim in question is a cadet thates from Haven, and therefore, their strength may not necessarily be strong enough to counteract the effects of the shade fully. Please do not worry."


    Such was the exnation offered by the members of the Guilds.


    It made sense in a way. However, it wasn''t as though she was the weakest person within the bunker. There were several civilians present.


    Perhaps a more fitting exnation was, ''She didn''t have enough training regarding the Crimson Shade like the others.''


    It would make sense if that was the case.


    In any case, my eyes focused on a certain person in the distance. nkly staring at the spot where Johanna had been taken away, Kiera appeared to be frowning.


    Unknowingly, I made my way towards her.


    There was something about the situation that felt unsettling.


    I wanted to get a clearer picture of what had happened.


    Just as I neared her alongside the others, I was able to overhear her mutterings.


    "....I was singing, and shit. My singing is not that bad. Not to the point where one would act like that. Yeah, it wasn''t me."


    Unconsciously, I found myself looking towards Aoife.


    "What?"


    She looked offended.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "No, nothing."


    I scratched my ear.


    Right, I guess it was hard to be a good singer in this world.


    Not only Kiera, but Aoife too.


    "Kiera."


    I called out for the tinum-haired girl.


    "Uh...?"


    Hearing my voice, she turned her head and our gazes met. Kiera blinked her eyes for a moment before rity returned to her gaze.


    Then, just as she was about to speak, her gaze paused on Aoife and her expression crumbled slightly.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Feeling the evident displeasure in Kiera''s gaze, Aoife frowned. Suddenly, tensions rose, but before they could further escte, I cut in.


    "Do you have any idea of what happened?"


    The tension did decrease when I spoke.


    Though Kiera was still giving Aoife the stink eye, things only stopped there. Staring at me, her displeasure alleviated somewhat.


    "It''s nothing."


    Kiera scratched the side of her neck.


    "I was just minding my own business and singing to myself when that happened. That''s all I know. I did see her eyes go white though."


    Holding onto her arms, Kiera muttered,


    "Fucking chills."


    "Is that really it?"


    Aoife asked.


    "Uh, yeah."


    Kiera''s response was much colder when she addressed her.


    It didn''t seem like Aoife minded as she looked around,


    "Could it really be because of the Crimson Shade? It''s true that we only learned of it today, but it''s not like someone like Johanna would have trouble understanding the simple concept of using her own mana to shield herself from the Shade. It doesn''t add up."


    "It''s highly likely they''re doing this because they want panic to spread."


    Evelyn interjected from the side.


    To that, I agreed.


    This was clearly the real reason why such an excuse was used to justify the sudden situation.


    "It could also be that she''s sick."


    Aoife said, casting a nce around.


    ".....Though I doubt that''s the case too."


    I also doubted it.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Just as I was about to say something else, I felt the hair at the back of my neck stand on end as my head flicked back.


    As if noticing my behaviors, the others also looked back.


    "Uh? What''s..."


    In the distance, a face I couldn''t recognize appeared.


    He was standing alone.


    With white eyes, he stared in my direction. I felt my entire body shudder under his gaze as I felt goosebumps.


    For the next few seconds, he proceeded to stare at me.


    His behavior was so out of order that several others noticed him. Before long, everyone was looking at him.


    And then,


    "Hiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak¡ª!"


    He too screamed.


    Just likest time, the noise pierced through the insides of the bunker.


    It was loud and scraped at my ears.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.02%


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.07%


    Notifications shed across my vision, and my stomach churned.


    I felt the very air get squeezed out of my lungs. Especially, when his white eyes were so focused on me.


    I just stood still to stare at him.


    "Hiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak¡ª!"


    Veins started to protrude from the side of his neck as he screamed.


    Gradually, his face turned red, and then,


    Thump!


    By the time he did, the entire bunker was quiet.


    Not a single noise was heard.


    That was because, at that moment, all eyes were on me.


    Not a single one was looking at the cadet who had fallen.


    No, they were all looking at me.


    My throat squeezed shut at the sight.


    "Ah, this..."

 Chapter 166 The scream [3]

    Chapter 166 The scream [3]


    "....I don''t know. That''s all I can tell you." Following the scream, I was brought to a separate room within the bunker. They told me I wasn''t being ''detained'' but seeing how I was inside of a small room with three pairs of eyes locked on me, it was more or less the same. I was being detained. "If you ask me why he was staring at me, I don''t know." The fact that the one who had screamed had been looking at me looked suspicious to everyone present. It wasn''t like I didn''t get it. But it was also true that I was just as clueless as to why and that I was innocent. In fact, he probably only looked at me by chance. Or at least, that was what I told myself. However, recalling the scene from before, I had an inkling that he had indeed been staring at me. "I was in the wrong ce at the wrong tim¡ª" "I get it, you can stop." A deep voice halted my words. It belonged to a burly man with long brown hair and hazel eyes. Just his presence alone was suffocating. And yet, there were two other such people in the room. A woman who looked in her twenties, with long flowing ck hair and blue eyes sat with her arms crossed, while next to her was anky man with a long nose, short ck hair, and hazel eyes. I didn''t know who was who exactly, but I could tell from the pressure that their bodies were emitting that they were Post Leaders. Strangely, I didn''t feel nervous. Perhaps it was because I had grown used to talking with big shots, but their presence didn''t feel all that intimidating to me. As and Delh were far scarier than they were. "There is a likelihood that you are indeed an unlucky fellow who happened to be in view of the victim. There''s no doubt about that." "Then?" "However, it is also true that they were indeed looking at you. Given the sensitive nature of the situation, we can''t just let you walk free. It''s also a matter of safety for you." What bullshit. Clearly, they just wanted to keep me locked up in this room. "In any case, we still have to keep you in here. At least, until something else happens and we''re sure that you''re innocent." "...." I didn''t answer to that. What else could I say? I could just tell from the expressions that they were making that they had made up their minds. Just as I was about to sigh at my circumstances, I had a sudden idea. "Hmm." Frowning, the three Post Leaders looked at me. "Are you perhaps unsatisfied with the arrangement?" The burly man asked with a frown. Looking up at him, I nced towards the other two before shaking my head. "No, I''m fine with the arrangements. It''s just that, I''m still thinking about the person who screamed at me." "Oh? Do you know something?" The woman asked. Her voice was crisp and sounded pleasing to the ear. "....If you know something you can share it with us. We might be able to protect you in case the case is really rted to you." "No, that''s not it." I shook my head. "I just thought that the symptoms sounded simr to something I have read in the past." "...." The room turned quiet after that. Their gazes felt a lot more pressuring. Still pretending to be in deep thought, I pinched my forehead. "What was it again...?" I tried my best to look like I was having a hard time remembering. Acting wasn''t hard for me.


    In fact, I was an award winner. "Ah." And then, just when they were about to grow impatient, I smacked my palm with my fist. Smack! "Right, I know now!" All attention was on me. "....Tree of Ebonthorn. That''s what it is!" "Tree of Ebonthorn?" Repeating my words, the three frowned. Swallowing, I looked at them with slight anticipation. ''Do they know something?'' Surely, they''d know something considering their strength and positions. But, "That doesn''t ring a bell. Does it ring a bell to you Penelope?" "No, it also doesn''t ring a bell to me." "I''ve also never heard of it before." It was much to my disappointment and shock to find that neither three of them knew a thing. .....How was this possible? I had almost been certain that they''d know something about the tree, but they didn''t. Was the tree something extremely rare? "How certain are you that the symptoms you''ve mentioned belong to this tree that you''ve mentioned?" The woman, whom I learned was called Penelope, asked. Looking at her, I nodded seriously. "I''m almost certain." She squinted her eyes, and my body suddenly grew stiff. I found myself unable to move, and breathing also started to be rough. Thankfully, the sensation didn''tst for very long. It left as fast as it came and Penelope soon stood up. "Alright, I will go and look into this." She then proceeded to look at the other two. "What about you guys?" "I will look into it as well." "Same." The two simrly stood up. ncing at me, the burly man ced his hand on the table. ".....For now, you will be staying here. Meals and water will be provided to you on a regr basis. You must understand why we''re doing this." "Yes." The fact that I looked more suspicious in their eyes after I revealed to them about the tree was something that I took ount of. However, it was a worth-it tradeoff considering that they were probably not going to let me out regardless. At the very least, things were going to proceed at a faster rate now. There was only one problem that I could think of. ''If any one of them is responsible for nting the tree, then I put myself in a dangerous position.'' It was highly likely that the tree was something that had been artificially ced. The same was true for the incidents that were currently happening. If that was the case, then I was putting myself in danger. However, it wasn''t as though I wasn''t prepared for such a scenario. Rather, I looked forward to it. "We will update you if we find anything." The three proceeded to leave the room from that point on. Staring at their departing backs, the room soon fell silent. "...." For the next few minutes, I remained seated in my seat before letting out a long breath. "Haa..." Looking behind me, I stared at the window of the small room. Though the room was meant to confine me, there was still a window that granted me a view of what was happening outside. The world was red, and in the distance, I could see the walls of the city. They were tall, and they stretched all around the city. ".....I hope that worked." If there was anyone that could get the information on the tree it was the three of them. If they couldn''t, then there was no hope left. I could only hope they''d find something. It didn''t matter if I looked suspicious to them. I was ready to deal with the consequences. The only thing in my mind was the tree. The damn tree. Looking down, I stared at my legs. They werepletely entangled by the ck roots, reaching all the way up to my pelvis. "Haaa... Haa..." I didn''t have much time left. *** At the same time, in the bunker. "What in the world is happening? Where did they bring Julien?" "They brought him to questioning." "The hell?" Though Kiera and Aoife didn''t see eye to eye, at this moment, they were having a normal conversation. At the very least, the two didn''t seem to want to tear each other''s throats. "....Why would they do that?" "Isn''t it obvious why?" "Johanna wasn''t looking at him when it happened to her. Why would they think he had any involvement in this?" "I don''t know. They''re just trying to be safe." "Safe my ass." Leon stood by the side listening to the conversation with a nk look. Evelyn was sitting down next to him. "Hey." Hearing her voice, Leon turned his head to look at her. ".....Do you think he had any involvement in this matter?" Though she said that, Leon could tell that she herself didn''t believe this. So he just shook his head. "No." He also knew that Julien had nothing to do with the situation. ''Tree of Ebonthorn.'' Could this be the doing of the tree Julien had mentioned? Leon thought for a moment before shaking his head. That was unlikely. There was still no tree. The most likely scenario was that someone was trying to nt the tree, and was purposely creating chaos.


    For what reason? Leon wasn''t sure. However, if he had to guess, then it was to create a distraction. That seemed to be the most usible answer. He knew that they didn''t have much time left. nk¡ª n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    All of a sudden, the doors of the inner room of the bunker opened and three figures walked out. Leon straightened his back then, and so did the others. "They''re back." However, upon seeing that Julien wasn''t behind then, they all were able to guess what had happened. "He''s being detained." "Yes." Leon''s eyes squinted. ''Not good.''


    With Julien out, the situation was a little bit harder for him. Turning his head, Leon looked at Aoife. As if she could read his intentions, she nodded his head.


    "Yes, I''ll try to ask them about the tree." She had just taken a single step when all of a sudden she stopped. Her head flicked to the left, and so did everyone else''s. "Hiiaaaaak¡ª" A scream pierced through. Leon''s body froze on the spot. His gaze fell on another person. With white eyes, they screamed at the top of their lungs. But if that wasn''t bad enough. "Hiiaaaaak¡ª" Another scream echoed from another area of the bunker. One that was followed by another. "Hiiaaaaak¡ª" And then another. "Hiiaaaaak¡ª" Before long, several screams reverberated within the confines of the bunker. Witnessing the scene, Leon felt his heart chill. But if that wasn''t enough, with their white eyes, they all seemed to be looking in the same direction. Leon swallowed his saliva. ''Oh, no.'' The inner area of the bunker. Right where Julien had been brought. Thump! The screams didn''tst for long. Having learned the lessons from before, the Guild delegates didn''t allow them to scream for long, knocking them out rather quickly. However, the damage had been done. At this very moment, all gazes were directed towards the inner area. Leon simrly stared in that direction. Drip...! Drip. But his thoughts were broken by a strange dripping sound. Lowering his head, Leon looked at the ground and then wiped his nose. That was when he noticed his finger was stained in blood. ''Blood...?'' All of a sudden, the world started to blur. Turning his head slowly, he felt everyone''s gazes on him. Evelyn in particr looked concerned. She appeared to be saying something, but he couldn''t quite hear what she was saying. ''What are you saying? I can''t hear?''


    Leon was confused. Why was he suddenly like this? Blinking his eyes, his mind started to grow nk. He was starting to lose sight of himself. And then, "Hiiaaaaak¡ª" He too screamed.

 Chapter 167 Trauma bonding [1]

    Chapter 167 Trauma bonding [1]


    It all happened so fast that the girls were unable to react on time. Drip! Drip...! Just when their attention was focused on the ones who were screaming, a subtle dripping sound echoed from beside them. Surprised, the girls turned to stare in the direction of where the noise came from and their gazes fell on Leon who looked out of sorts. "Leon...?" Evelyn was the first one to approach him. The nearer she got, the more apparent it became to her and the others that something was wrong "Leon!" She called his name several times, but he didn''t respond. He looked conscious, at least, he appeared to be aware of the fact that they were trying to talk to him. And yet, he didn''t seem to know how to react. It was as if his cognitive abilities had shut down. Drip. The blood continued to drip down from his mouth as he nkly looked at them.


    Cocking his head, he nkly stared at them. There was something particrly eerie about the state Leon was in. To the point where Kiera felt the need to step back slightly. Aoife felt the same way. Something about his current state made her chest constrict.


    Evelyn was the only one that approached him. "Leon? Can you hear me? Leon!" Because of the screams around, theirmotion went unnoticed. At least, until Leon''s eyes eventually turned white and his body started to sway. "....!" The girls flinched at the sight. Evelyn looked especially worried. "Leon!" But it was toote. "Hieeeeeek¡ª" He too started to scream. His scream, just like the others, pierced through the surroundings. The worst part of it all was that he was also looking into the inner area of the bunker. ....Just like the other people were. "Hieeeeeek¡ª" Leon''s abrupt change caught the girls off-guard, and none of them knew how to react. It took one of the members of the Guild to knock Leon down for them to snap out of it. "Leon...!" Evelyn rushed to see Leon, but she was abruptly pushed back by the Guild members. "Stay back! The situation is sensitive. He''s going into epileptic shock. We need to calm him down first." Indeed, just as the words left the Guild member''s mouth, Leon''s body started to convulse on the ground. Foam appeared by his mouth as his body twitched in all areas. Having learned from the previous experiences, the Guild members knew what to do and were able to quickly calm him down. The same was true for the other people within the bunker. "Quick! Get him out of here!" "Hurry up!" He was then put on a stretch before getting carried out of the area. The entire time, Evelyn and the others could do nothing but watch. "W-hat the fuck." Kiera was the first one to break the silence, her voice trembling slightly. She was clearly shaken by the ordeal. ".....I get the others, but Leon of all people? How does this make sense? Isn''t he like the best after Julien?" The two girls didn''t respond to her words. However, it was clear that they felt the same way as her. "This doesn''t make sense." Aoife finally spoke. Pinching her chin, a habit she developed over the years, she looked towards the inner bunker area and bit her lips. "....Why is everyone staring in that direction? Could there really be something wrong with Julien?" "Ah." Evelyn unconsciously let out a sound at that. Immediately, the two other girls looked at her, but she waved her hand. "No, it''s nothing." .....It was just that she had been reminded of a past she wanted to forget. ''No, he''s changed. He''s changed.''


    Though she had her doubts, she trusted Leon''s judgment. ''....And yet, he was the closest person to him.'' Evelyn bit her lips. From the way everyone was looking in his direction, to how Leon had also been affected. All evidence pointed out at Julien. The fact that she had also seen how Julien truly was in the past further added to her suspicion. However, she didn''t jump to conclusions. ''Julien is not stupid.'' Julien may have changed, but be it past or present, he wasn''t stupid. There''d be no way he''d do something that would give away his identity like that. He was most likely being framed. "Julien is being framed." Aoife seemed to think so as well. "Uh? Framed?" Kiera looked confused.


    "About what?" ncing at her, Aoife didn''t bother arguing with her and borated. "Did you notice how the moment a person screams, they all turn to look in Julien''s direction?" "Oh, yeah." "I''m saying that he''s being framed. If he was really responsible, he wouldn''t do something that would jeopardize his identity like that. He''s either being framed, or targeted." "....Oh, right. Sure I guess."


    Kiera scratched her nose. "But why would they target him?" "How should I know?" Aoife rolled her eyes and Kiera frowned. Pinching her fingers together in her pocket, Kiera leaned her head closer to Aoife. "What?" "....It''s nothing." "It''s clearly something. What''s with that face?" "It''s just how I normally look." "Bullshit! You were clearly thinking some shit." "Why are you so crude with your words?" "And? How about you suck my balls?" "....?" Aofie was at first confused, but when Kiera''s words sank in, she made a disgusted look. "That''s disgusting." "Like I¡ª" "Stop." Evelyn suddenly interjected. Alternating her gaze between the two, she frowned. "What the hell is wrong with you two?" Both Aoife and Kiera turned to look at her. Just before they were about to speak, Evelyn raised her hand to stop them. "No, I don''t want to hear it. This isn''t the time for that." There was clearly something sinister within the bunker. It was hard to exin, but Evelyn clearly felt it. That their time was running short.


    Whatever was happening, it was slowly creeping its way into them.


    In fact, since Leon had also fallen prey to whatever sinister situation was going on, there was no guarantee that they were safe. Looking around, and seeing the evident panic on the people''s faces, she forced herself to calm down. "At this rate, we''re going to be in trouble. What was it again? Tree of thorns?" "Ebonthorn." Aoife corrected, and Kiera frowned. "Tree of what?" "I just said it." "Yeah, I heard it. But what the fuck is that?" Hearing Kiera curse, Aoife''s face squinted slightly, but she was able to keep herself fromshing out and started to exin. "It''s something Leon and Julien were looking into before all of this happened." "Uh? Really?" "Yes." Aoife took a deep breath and was prepared to continue when Kiera suddenly interrupted. "If that''s the case, do you think that the reason they are in this situation is because of that? You said they were framed, right? What if the ones behind them realized that those two were snooping?" At the start, Aoife was prepared to dismiss Kiera''s ims. However, when she thought about it, she found that she was unable to do so at all. In fact, her words made sense. Raising her head, she looked at Evelyn who appeared to have a simr look of realization on her face. ".....Shiat." A curse slipped Aoife''s mouth. "Ah!" By the time she realized, it was toote. Covering her mouth, she nced at Kiera who was looking at her with a frown. Biting her lips, Aoife prepared herself for the inevitable ''hypocrite'' call, but unexpectedly, Kiera didn''t do that. Rather, "That''s not how you say it." She seemed more bothered by the fact that she didn''t say it properly. "It''s shit. Not shiat. The hell is wrong with you?" *** "Hooo." Taking a deep breath, the roots that had been tangling my body vanished just like usual. I didn''t feel relieved by that fact. Rather, I felt an even greater sense of urgency. I was running out of time. "....What do I do?" Looking around the room, there was nothing that I could do. Given my current abilities, I couldn''t force my way out of the room. Not only that but even if I were to get out, what would happen then? There were so many people who were stronger than me. "Haa." I felt a sense of helplessness. nk¡ª


    Breaking me out of my thoughts, the door to the room opened and several figures walked in. Confused, I looked at them. Wearing ck uniforms, they stared at with serious expressions.


    I didn''t like where this was going... "There''s been an incident in the outer sector." A tall man withbed ck hair, squared-framed sses, and sharp eyes spoke. As he spoke, he slowly put on a pair of ck leather gloves. "Do you know anything about that?" An incident in the outer sector? ''Did something happen again?'' Before I even had the chance to ask what it was, several of the men dressed in ck lined up behind me.


    "Uh?" I looked around in confusion. "What¡ªUk." I felt my hair pull from the back as the leading man stared at me straight in the eyes. "A simr incident from before urred. Guess where they were looking at." "...." It was at this moment that I finally understood what was going on. ''Things just don''t seem to be going my way.'' "I''ll ask you kindly now. What do you know about the situation? Speak now while I''m being kind. I understand that you''re an important figure, but we can''t afford to treat you like the person that you are given the current circumstances. I''m sure Haven will understand the reasoning behind our actions." "...." I remained quiet. Regardless of whether I was going to answer or not, the situation was going to be the same. If I said I didn''t know, they''d say ''bullshit''. In that case, I just remained silent and kept my gaze firmly locked on him. "Not speaking...?" Bang¡ª


    I felt my head smash against the metal table in front of me. Immediately, the world blurred and my mind became dizzy. Despite that, I didn''t let out a sound. "Speaking now?" "...." I continued to remain quiet. Bang¡ª


    And the process repeated. My head yet again came smashing against the table. "I don''t want to do this. If you speak now, I won''t have to do this." "...." Bang¡ª


    "Going to speak now?" "...." Bang¡ª


    "Still not speaking?" "...." Bang¡ª


    I had lost count of the amounts of times my head had been bashed against the table. The pain was there, but I could manage it. The problem came from the fact that I was slowly starting to lose consciousness. My eyesight was blurry, and I felt a wet sensation trailing down my nose. Thankfully, the ''interrogation'' didn''tst for very long. "....Sir, the cadet is unresponsive." "I can see that." Finally letting go of my head, I felt myself slump back on the chair. Though I was conscious, I could hardly move. My body refused to listen to me. Within my blurred sight, I could make out the outline of the man from before. "We''ll take a break now. I''ll being to visit you again. When you feel like talking, all of this will stop." He then proceeded to leave alongside the others, leaving me in the room alone. nk¡ª n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    A stifling silence covered the room as I nkly stared at the ceiling. One that I broke myself. "....He didn''t notice." Turning my head slightly, I managed to catch a glimpse of my right arm. Words flowed out of my mouth as I squeezed my hand shut. "Javier McDaniels. A single father of two. Wife died in an identst year." Closing my eyes, several other memories shed within my mind. "Haaa.." Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes again. ''I need a bit more time.''

 Chapter 168 Trauma bonding [2]

    Chapter 168 Trauma bonding [2]


    ??"Did you manage to find anything?"


    A stern man with greasy hair and a round belly greeted Javier by the end of the main hall of the inner area of the bunker. He was the main secretary of one of the Post Leaders stationed at the bunker.


    To be precise, he was the secretary of the ck Hound Guild.


    "No, nothing yet."


    Javier answered while taking off his gloves. Turning back to stare at the door that led to the room where the cadet was currently detained, he pursed his lips.


    ".....I tried using a little bit of force, but he didn''t budge once."


    "Then clearly, you haven''t used enough force."


    "I don''t know about that."


    Recalling what he had done, Javier pursed his lips. To him, he had certainly used a lot of force.


    Despite that, the cadet didn''t react.


    Perhaps the method he had used was the wrong one.


    "Do we have any information on the cadet? Something that I can use perhaps?"


    "Information?"


    The secretary thought for a moment before answering.


    "We do, but they are not in the bunker. As far as I know, hees from the Evenus Barony. A rather small up-anding Barony, and that he''s the current ck Star."


    "Anything about his family?"


    "No, again. That information isn''t with us. If we were outside, I''d be able to get you what you want."


    "I understand."


    "Javier."


    The secretary grasped both sides of his shoulders, bringing his face closer to him.


    "....You need to understand how important the information is. People are currently suffering. We need to get to the bottom of the situation. You don''t know who will be the next one to fall. It could be me, you, or your children."


    At the moment his children were mentioned, Javier''s expression turned sharp.


    "You''re right."


    "I know I am."


    Finally letting go of his shoulders, the secretary looked around.


    "Don''t worry about the methods that you use. Just try your best to get information out of him. Time is of the essence. I need you to hurry up the process."


    "Understood."


    Just as Javier was about to leave, he recalled something and turned back.


    "You said that I don''t have to worry about my methods, right?"


    "Yes, don''t worry."


    "....From what I know, he''s a rather important person from Haven. Do you think they''ll let it slide if we do something to him?"


    "Ah."


    The secretary smiled.


    "Don''t worry. We''ll handle the consequences. They''re merely an Academy. Their power amounts to nothing whenpared to the Guilds."


    "Understood."


    The interaction ended there. Turning around, Javier looked to his assistants and put his gloves back on.


    "Bring me my tools."


    "Yes!"


    Following that, he went back into the room.


    nk¡ª


    "It''s me again."


    Sat behind the desk, the cadet slowly raised his head to meet his gaze. He looked somewhat lethargic, but his expression looked just as calm as it had been before.


    Staring at his expression, Javier''s face scrunched up.


    ''Let''s see if you''ll be able to remain like that after I''m done with you.''


    nk¡ª


    The door behind him opened and several tools were brought in from sharp knives to hammers.


    Javier made sure to disy each tool on the table.


    He wanted to see if the cadet would falter, but instead, throwing a nce at the tools, the corner of the cadet''s lips lifted up.


    Though he didn''t say a word, it became clear to Javier that he wasn''t scared.


    Javier further clenched his teeth before turning around to address his assistants.


    "Tie him up."


    "Understood."


    Coming down behind the cadet who showed no resistance, his assistants quickly tied him down to the chair.


    The process took no longer than a few minutes.


    "We''re done."


    "Leave the room, now."


    Javier dismissed them with a wave of his hand.


    He needed to be alone for this next part.


    "Pardon...?"


    "I said leave!"


    Irritated, Javier shouted, startling the assistants.


    "Understood."


    Though confused, the assistants quickly dispersed, leaving the room alone.


    nk¡ª


    Before long, it was just the two of them. Grabbing one of the knives, Javier traced his finger over its body.


    ".....I really don''t want to do this to you. If possible, I''d like to keep this exchange a painless one. Tell me what you know about the situation, and I''ll let you go. How does that sound?"


    "You''ll let me go?"


    Finally, the cadet spoke.


    Staring into his hazel eyes, Javier nodded.


    "Yes, I will try my best to get you out."


    "....Really?"


    "I promise you."


    Javier tried his best to put on the most heartfelt expression he could make. In reality, it wasn''t up to him. But he wasn''t lying when he said he would try his best.


    "....."


    The cadet remained silent for a moment before he shook his head.


    "You''re lying."


    His expression changed as well, raising his head to re at Javier.


    "I can tell when someone is lying from just a nce. You''re definitely going to try your best to help me, but ultimately that decision won''t be up to you, will it?"


    "....."


    Javier''s expression frosted over and his grip over the knife tightened.


    He was just about to start his session when the cadet''s expression turned fierce.


    "You think you can do shit to me with that little thing? Heh."


    Laughing, he brought his face forward.


    "....I''ve lost my mother when I was young."


    Spit flew out of his mouth as he spoke.


    "My father, who is the leader of arge barony hardly ever had time to take care of me. I''ve only had to rely on myself to take care of myself, and my brother. This little pain is nothingpared to what you''re about to subject me too!"


    Javier''s hand, which was about to move, suddenly stopped after hearing his words.


    His expression stiffened, and he felt a certain pain in his chest. It dug into his heart, making it hard for him to remain calm.


    Those circumstances,


    They sounded an awful lot like that of his children.


    "H-ho."


    His chest trembled at the thought.


    ''No, this isn''t the same.''


    However, he still needed to do a job.


    Putting the knife down, he made sure the glove fit him perfectly before bringing his fist down to the cadet''s face.


    Bang¡ª!


    As he punched, he heard a scrunching sound. It came from the cadet''s nose, and blood flowed down from it. Not minding it, he brought his fist back and punched again.


    Bang¡ª!


    The entire time, he made sure to keep his face straight.


    However, that proved to be difficult.


    "Hahahaha."


    Laughing with each punch, the cadet showed no signs of being affected by his punches at all. In fact, he seemed to be thriving in them.


    "Do it! Punch me harder!"


    But that wasn''t the worst part.


    For some reason,


    Bang!


    "This is nothingpared to the pain I suffered when my mother died!"


    Each and every word,


    Bang!


    "This is nothingpared to the neglect I''ve suffered under my father!"


    Hurt more than the punches he threw at the cadet.


    Bang!


    "He is the one who killed my mother! That bastard...!"


    Javier flinched, and his fist paused.


    With bloodshot eyes, the cadet screamed.


    "If only he did his damn fucking job as a husband and father! Coward! He''s a coward! Cow¡ª"


    "Haaaaaa!"


    BANG¡ª!


    Thest punch didn''t strike the cadet. No, it was directed towards the metal desk.


    Silence took over the room shortly after that.


    "Haaa.... Haaa... Haaa..."


    Javier took heavy breaths.


    Raising his head, he looked at the cadet. With his head lowered, he looked unresponsive.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    Breathing heavily, Javier removed the glove and stepped back.


    "I... It wasn''t."


    Massaging his head, he ruffled his hair into a mess before clenching his teeth. Taking a look at the cadet, he took a deep breath and proceeded to go out of the room.


    He needed to take a breather.


    nk¡ª


    The room plunged into silence the moment he left.


    That was when the cadet''s body finally moved as he slowly raised his head.


    The madness from before was long gone.


    Drip! Drip...!


    With blood dripping down from his nose, he coldly stared at the door.


    Squench, squench.


    Gradually, roots sprouted from the ground, covering his legs and finally stopping at his torso.


    "Soon."


    Julien murmured,


    "....Soon."


    ***


    ¡ª¡ªAt the same time.


    Outer Area of the Bunker.


    ''I need to find out more about the tree.''


    Aoife headed towards where the Post Leaders were. Because of her status, the guards stationed didn''t stop her along the way and allowed her to enter the Inner area of the bunker.


    "Princess?"


    The moment she entered, all gazes fell on her.


    Aoife could feel tremendous pressureing from each and every one of the individuals present, but she didn''t let that affect her.


    Compared to what she had experienced before, they were simply small fries.


    No, they were small fries.


    "How is the situation?"


    Looking around, she found a seat at the edge of the room. There weren''t many decorations, with only one table in the middle and amp.


    In the middle of the table were several files.


    "This... We still aren''t sure yet."


    A young woman Aoife recognized answered.


    ''Post Leader of the Thorn Rose Guild. Penelope Injark.''


    "....From what we understand, this isn''t a disease. However, we also don''t know what it is. It doesn''t seem to be poison or a curse. We''ve run a lot of tests, and we''ve yet to find anything to exin the situation."


    "Is that so?"


    Aoife frowned.


    The situation was turning out to be a lot moreplicated than she thought.


    "But it''s not like we don''t have any leads."


    She went on to say, catching Aoife''s attention.


    The others looked at her, but none stopped her.


    "Tree of Ebonthorn."


    "...!"


    Aoife had a hard time keeping her expression from changing.


    "Tree of Ebonthorn? What is that?"


    ".....We don''t know. It''s strange. None of us know."


    Penelope answered with a frown.


    Looking around, her gaze stopped on a tall man with long brown hair, well-shaped brows, and red eyes.


    ''Karl Jashmire. Post Leader of the ck Hound Guild.''


    Aoife knew him too.


    She didn''t have good feelings about him.


    The ck Hound Guild wasn''t a Guild with a good reputation. They were known for their ruthlessness, and if not for the fact that they provided results, the royal family would''ve already done something about them.


    Opening his mouth, he spoke.


    "This is usually my area of expertise, but I''ve also never heard of such a creature before. I suspect this is a lie from the cadet, trying to make us waste time on some nonsensical information."


    His words were met with a wave of agreement.


    "We''re wasting time looking for something that is not there."


    "I also think this is a lie to make us waste time."


    "It''s fine."


    Karl raised his hand to quiet down the room.


    "....I''ve already got a few people to properly investigate the cadet. We''ll know soon enough if he''s lying or not."


    "Properly investigate?"


    Aoife asked with a frown. For some reason, she started to have a bad feeling.


    And as expected, she wasn''t wrong.


    "Don''t worry Princess. He should spill everything soon. I also made sure to tell them to not break him in the process. You can trust us."

 Chapter 169 Trauma bonding [3]

    Chapter 169 Trauma bonding [3]


    ??"....Do you still have nothing?"


    The secretary asked outside of the detention room. From the tone of his voice, he appeared rather flustered and rushed.


    Javier shook his head.


    "Nothing yet. I''ve tried multiple methods, but he doesn''t budge."


    "This is problematic."


    Pacing around, the secretary mumbled to himself,


    "Post Leader will be disappointed if we don''t have anything soon. The information is also vital, and the cadet is our only source of information. It''s obvious that he has something to do with the situation. We need to find something."


    His head flicked to face Javier.


    Licking his lips, he said,


    "Try again."


    "But--"


    "I don''t care what methods you use by try again! We need him to speak! If we don''t get results soon, then the situation will be bad for both of us. Think about your children! Get this done!"


    "....Are you sure?"


    "Yes, yes. I said it before, I''ll handle the consequences. You do your thing."


    "Understood."


    Watching the secretary leave, Javier stood still for several minutes. His mind ran withplex thoughts, but as he recalled his children, he clenched his teeth and turned around to face the room.


    "...."


    Facing the door, Javier stood with his hand on the handle.


    For some reason, his hand just refused to turn the knob. It was as if his mind refused to let hi open the door.


    Thinking about the words the cadet said, and the fact that he was now the same age as his children, Javier started to feel hesitant.


    It was strange.


    However, his circumstances coincided a lot with that of his children.


    .....He kept getting reminded of them because of that.


    ''No, I have to do it.''


    But clenching his teeth, Javier forced himself to throw those thoughts away.


    Taking a deep breath, he opened the door.


    nk--


    It was silent upon entering the room.


    Drip...! Drip.


    Besides the dripping sound of the blood that flowed down the cadet''s face, there was no other sound present.


    "B... as..."


    At least, that was until Javier picked something up.


    It was faint, but he could hear it.


    The sound.


    ....It wasing from the cadet''s mouth.


    He appeared to be saying something.


    "B... a... sho... I.."


    Frowning, Javier leaned in closer to hear better. Before he knew it, his ear was next to the cadet.


    "B... a... sho... I... kil... m.."


    But that was still not enough.


    He couldn''t quite hear what he was saying.


    "What are you saying? Speak louder?"


    The cadet didn''t respond.


    "B... a... sho... I... kil... m.."


    Instead, he continued to mumble to himself.


    Frowning, Javier stepped back.


    Grabbing the cadet''s hair, he pulled his head back to see his face. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and it was then that the cadet''s eyes shot wide open as he screamed.


    "B-astard...! you should''ve killed me like you killed my m-other. I wouldn''t have had to suffer so much if not for you!"


    Instinctively, Javier let go of his hair.


    nk! nk...!


    Trashing on the chair, the cadet red at him with bloodshot eyes as blood spilled out of his mouth.


    "You...! It''s all your fault! She died because you couldn''t do the one job you were supposed to do!"


    His scream pierced the room.


    "You! Why!? Why did you let it happen...!?"


    The cadet''s eyes were hollow.


    It was clear that he wasn''t fully conscious. That he wasn''t addressing him.


    .....And yet.


    "You ruined my life!"


    For some strange reason.


    "You should''ve died with her!!"


    Every word that came out of the cadet''s mouth seemed to pierce directly at his heart.


    "You''re the reason I don''t have a mother!"


    "Haaa.... Haaa..."


    Unknowingly, Javier felt his breathing starting to be rough.


    "S-stop."


    He tried to stop the cadet, but he felt sapped of energy.


    It tied him down to the spot.


    "Died! Died! Died! Died! I hate you!!!"


    The screams continued.


    They gripped the room entirely.


    "All because of you!"


    Alongside the screams, the pain in Javier''s chest intensified.


    "N-no, that''s not..."


    He started to grab onto his head.


    "It... wasn''t my fault."


    It was a distant past of his. A total ident. Yes, a total ident. His wife and his two children were merely on a walk when a monster appeared.


    In order to save them, he stayed behind to help them.


    ...Or at least tried.


    In the end, his wife ended up dying due to his negligence.


    Years had passed since the incident.


    It was an incident that haunted him to this day.


    "T-that''s. It wasn''t my fault..."


    Excuses started to flow out of his mouth.


    "I tried. I really tried."


    "Did you really?"


    "Ah, yes... O-f course."


    "The monster you were facing wasn''t a strong one. It was a monster that someone of your strength should''ve easily been able to defeat. You wanted to showboat, didn''t you?"


    "N-no, that''s not it."


    "Is it not?"


    "I, it was--Uh?"


    Javier''s head flicked up.


    His heart chilled the moment he looked up. Seated in his seat with an indifferent expression was the cadet.


    He was looking at him expressionlessly.


    .....The hair on Javier''s body stood on end the moment he met his gaze.


    "Wa-it."


    He then realled the conversation they were having.


    Ba... Thump!


    He felt the beat of his own heart.


    ''How did he know...?''


    The way the cadet spoke made it seem as though he had been there. But that was impossible.


    Impossible!!


    Despite knowing that, under that gaze, his muscles turned stiff.


    "You, how did you know...? It''s im--"


    "....You wanted to let your children and wife see just how strong you were, right?"


    "What...!"


    "The monster was weaker than you, and you were on vacation. You were clearly not tired like you told the others."


    "I..."


    Javier''s eyes started to line with anxiety.


    Memories of the past resurfaced in his mind. They were in the woods outside of his estate. The day was clear, and the monster was standing right before him.


    It was a two-fanged bear.


    A rather weak creature that was known for being nimble and ferocious.


    ''Haha, watch how I kill it! I''ll show you just how strong I am.''


    ''Go dad! Go...!''


    ''Kill it!!''


    ''Haha!''


    ''Honey, please be careful!''


    ''Don''t worry! I''ll tak¡ª''


    It was just a momentarypse of attention.


    ''Akh...!;


    ''Ahhhh!''


    That was all it took for everything to go wrong.


    He could still vividly recall the screams of terroring from his wife and children.


    "She died because of your carelessness."


    "Haa... Haa..."


    ".....Am I wrong?"


    Javier wanted to refute, but he found the words unable to escape his lips.


    His chest felt heavy, and the hidden pain he kept hidden started to surface from within him. But that wasn''t the worst part.


    No, it was those eyes.


    His eyes.


    "Let me ask again, am I wrong?"


    "No...!"


    Javier shouted.


    "That''s exactly what happened!"


    Anger started to build from deep within him. It was an anger that was built upon the guilt he kept hidden.


    "She died because of me...! Are you happy?!"


    His scream reverberated throughout the room.


    By the time he was done, the room plunged into silence again. But the only focus of Javier''s attention were those two cold and indifferent hazel eyes.


    Javier seemed to be able to see his reflection within them.


    "....So why are you still here?"


    The cadet repeated, his voiceyering slightly.


    Javier felt his breath caught at his throat.


    "H-haa..."


    "How can you live knowing that you''re such a weak man? All that strength and power. And for what?"


    The cadet''s voiceyered again.


    Javier felt his chest squeeze.


    ''Something is wrong.''


    He clearly understood that there was something wrong with the situation. From how the cadet knew all the information, to the subtleyering in his voice.


    He knew, and yet...


    "H-ha."


    He could do nothing about it.


    ....It was toote for him.


    As if two hands had grasped his mind, he found himself unable to move at all. He was stuck in his spot, continuously thinking about the past.


    "If you can''t even protect your own wife, what makes you think you can protect your own children? "


    "H-haa... Haa..."


    ".....If you can''t even protect your own children, what right do you have to still be here?"


    "Haa. Ha. Ha."


    His breathing grew faster and faster.


    "Ha. Ha. Haa. Ha."


    He had started to hyperventte.


    ''Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.''


    Javier continuously begged for all of this to stop.


    Clenching onto his chest, he begged and begged and begged.


    And yet,


    "Your children know of your sin. They just act like they don''t."


    The voice never stopped.


    It grew louder and louder in his mind,pletely overtaking it.


    The hands squeezed at his mind.


    Stop.


    Sto.


    St.


    s.


    And then,


    "...."


    The room fell into silence.


    In the silence, the only sound that was heard was the rapid breathsing from Javier which slowly started to calm down as his head drooped.


    That was until Julien''s voice broke the silence.


    "Look at me."


    "...."


    Javier looked up.


    His eyes were hollow, devoid of any light.


    Staring into those eyes, Julien brought his cuffed hands forward.


    "Release me."


    "...."


    Javier stared at the cuffs with a hollow gaze.


    "....You know I''m innocent."


    Julien''s voice reached his ears again.


    "Don''t let your sins pile up. What would your children think of you? You let your wife die, and then, you torture an innocent cadet?"


    His voice, though quiet, seemed to resonate loudly within Javier''s mind as he finally began to move, taking out a small key from his pocket.


    "Unlock it."


    Javier moved forward, bringing the key towards the keyhole of the cuffs.


    Clink, nk¡ª


    With the turn of the keys, the cuffs opened.


    Removing his hands from the cuffs, Julien massaged his wrists before looking at Javier. He looked like aplete husk of the person that had tortured him.


    "You''ve done well."


    Julien spoke, moving the cuffs away.


    Tak.


    Taking a step forward, he looked at Javier in the eyes.


    "It wasn''t your fault."


    ".....?"


    Julien''s words seemed to have brought some rity back into Javier''s eyes.


    But such rity onlysted for a few seconds before he added,


    "This is the first time I''ve tried this. I''m not quite adept at it just yet. You were clearly aware that I was manipting you, and yet, your guilt seemed to have overridden that fact."


    Extending his hand forward, Julien ced the tip of his finger against Javier''s forehead.


    ".....There''s still so much I have to work on."


    Xiu!


    Javier''s world turned nk shortly after.


    Thump!


    His body fell back, and blood slowly started to pool from behind his head where a small, almost imperceptible, hole appeared.


    Staring at his body, Julien closed his eyes.


    Then, opening them up again, he started to get undressed.


    This was merely the start.

 Chapter 170 Escape [1]

    Chapter 170 Escape [1]


    ??''....I killed him.''


    Staring at the officer''s body, I massaged my wrists. They were hurting slightly.


    In all honesty, I didn''t have to kill him. Simply knocking him out would have done the trick, but I didn''t want to risk it.


    In the chance that he woke up earlier than I anticipated, he''d ruin my ns.


    Well, at least, if he wasn''t still broken then.


    But I doubted he was. While I had indeed managed to manipte him using his past, and Emotive Magic, it wasn''t to the point where Ipletely ruined him.


    ....I was still not there yet.


    But I was following the right path. Of that, I was sure.


    I was confident in being able to break someone with just words in the future. I just needed to grow more familiar with these strange powers of mine.


    "Haa."


    Looking around, I took a deep breath and removed my clothes, recing mine with his.


    I was quick with it and in a few minutes, I was wearing the same clothes he had been. Taking his hat, I ced it over my head and lowered it.


    "Not really a good way to hide my face, but it''ll do."


    The current situation was eerie.


    For some reason, it felt as though I was being targeted.


    No, I probably was.


    But who? Who was targeting me...?


    That was the problem. Besides Leon and the others, I couldn''t really trust anyone else. Especially not the Post Leaders.


    What if they were in cahoots?


    The fact that I was tortured right after mentioning the Tree of Ebonthorn was suspicious in itself.


    "I need to get out of here."


    That was the only option I had left.


    The bunker was not safe.


    Escaping would''ve been problematic before, but I now had Javier''s memories.


    I more or less understood the inner structure of the bunker.


    There were two exits to the bunker. One was at the very entrance where I hade from, and the other was in the inner area. It became fully clear to me that I could no longer stay here. I needed to get out of the bunker.


    Turning around, I stared at the reddened world outside of the window.


    ".....This is going to be difficult."


    The Crimson Shade was still gripping the outside world. The moment I exited the building, I''d have at best a few hours before running out of mana.


    However, I needed to go out.


    ''I need to reach the library of the Guilds.''


    I knew that the information that I needed was going to be there.


    It was vital information that I needed. Since whoever was responsible for this was trying to stop me from finding anything about the tree, I figured I''d be able to solve the situation if I understood the reasoning why I was being stopped from finding out about the tree.


    The only problem was figuring out who to give the information to.


    "Huuu."


    I took a deep breath.


    Unfortunately, I didn''t have time to think about that for now.


    Perhapster when I found the information.


    Right now, I needed to deal with something else.


    To Tok¡ª


    Someone knocked on the door.


    "Javier? Javier? Did you find anything?"


    It was a greasy tone.


    Whoever it was, they didn''t strike me as pleasant. In fact, I already had an idea of the identity of the one behind the voice.


    I had seen it in the memories.


    "Javier?"


    Seeing him call for the captain again, I cleared my throat before murmuring.


    "Come."


    It was just one word.


    However, it was all that I could afford to say in the given moment.


    My voice and Javier''s voice were too different. It''d be easy for anyone to recognize it if they paid close attention.


    "....."


    I stood there in silence, my heart gripping at my chest.


    Did he figure it out? ....Is he going to call backup?


    The silence felt eternal, and my body tensed.


    nk¡ª


    The door soon opened, and his voice echoed quietly from behind.


    "Judging from the silence, it looks like you''re done."


    A round man with receding hair entered the room. Having already moved Javier''s body, he didn''t notice anything amiss as I stood by the end of the door.


    "That''s good. Post Leader will certainly be hap¡ª"


    I pressed my finger against the back of his head, and he froze on the spot.


    He tried to scream, but I ced my hand over his mouth.


    "Mhh! Mhm!"


    nk¡ª


    I then kicked the door shut.


    "Mhh! Mhm!"


    The man''s face was white as he looked at me. He was clearly stricken with panic. It was apletely different sight from the ones in my memories.


    .....It was good that he was also not very strong.


    About the same Tier as me.


    Clenching my hand, threads emerged from everywhere, grasping onto his arms, and legs.


    "Mh!"


    Hanging suspended mid-air, I looked at him wordlessly.


    He was still screaming and shouting, but he could hardly make any noise with his mouth covered.


    Tak.


    Calmly walking, I reached out for his pockets and took whatever he had in them.


    From keys to money, and anything in general.


    Then, cing my hand over his head, I activated the second clover ability.


    "Huuuu."


    Absorbing his memories, I leaned my head back.


    From him, I got an even better idea of how the inner system of the bunker worked. But not only that.


    "ck Hound Guild."


    .....So they were the ones that were responsible for this.


    Finally, I had gotten a lead and a destination.


    I had previously been nning on going to the library of the Order of the Silver Seraphs. However, things were now different.


    "I shouldn''t waste any more time."


    Looking around, I met the eyes of the secretary. He looked to be pleading with me. From the way he was moving, and the tears streaming down the corner of his eyes, he looked scared.


    Staring at him, I eventually nodded.


    "Sure."


    And clenched my hand.


    Pftt!


    He died in an instant.


    It was unfortunate, but I couldn''t afford to keep him alive.


    Especially not him.


    "Huu."


    Taking a deep breath, I lowered the hat to hide my face properly and opened the door.


    nk¡ª


    What greeted me upon exiting was a long and narrow corridor that separated from left to right side. The corridors were dimly lit with a few doors on the sides, and in the distance, I could hear the faint sound of footsteps.


    Knowing where I needed to go, I headed for the left side.


    nk¡ª


    Of course, I made sure to close the door behind me.


    "Ten minutes."


    I quietly murmured to myself while walking along the corridor.


    That was how much time I had at my disposal before they would find the corpses.


    The corridors were further divided into many separate ones the deeper I went. If I had not read the memories of the secretary and Javier, I would''ve thought of this ce as a maze.


    It was good that I did read them.


    "How long do we have to stay here?"


    "....I''m not sure. Until the Crimson Shadests. Last I heard, it usuallysts a few days to a week. We''ll be here for a week."


    "Ugh, that''s long."


    "What can you do about it?"


    In the distance, I could hear the faint sound of a conversation. My heart clenched, and my steps paused.


    It wasing from another corridor, and they were headed my way.


    I looked around me.


    There were several doors in front of me. Hastily reaching out for my pocket, I took out a set of keys that contained over thirty keys and hastily made a move for one of the doors.


    "Oh, yeah. What are we having for dinner?"


    "From what I know, it''s nothing special. Meatloaf, and some potatoes."


    "That''s not bad."


    The voices grew nearer and nearer.


    In the meantime, I slotted each one of the keys into the sockets.


    ''No, not this one.''


    ''Not this one too.''


    ''.....This one isn''t it either.''


    A tingling dread crept through my body as I slotted one key after another.


    I couldn''t afford to be caught.


    ....The moment I was caught, my ns would fall entirely and the Post Leaders would move.I couldn''t afford to let that happen.


    ''No, not this one.''


    I continued to try each key.


    "Still, I''d rather cook for myself. My wife makes some amazing dishes. Once we get out of here, I''ll make sure to invite you."


    "For someone who brags a lot about his wife, I''m starting to grow really curious about her cooking."


    "Hehehe."


    The voices drew nearer.


    It was only a matter of time before they spotted me.


    I felt my breath caught in my throat as my chest tingled, and my hand felt light. I slotted each key into the hole, sometimes slipping due to the rush of the situation.


    ''Fuck.''


    My hands trembled slightly.


    It made it even harder for me to slot the keys, but I had no choice.


    I didn''t know how strong the guards were, but they were certainly stronger than the secretary. There was a chance I might be able to fight them, but how long was that going to take?


    By the time I defeated them, I''d be caught again.


    ....And if before I seemed suspicious, I''d now look like the culprit.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Unknowingly, my breath grew heavy.


    Anxiety started to gawn at me.


    ''Not this one either...''


    ''This one... No.''


    ''Again.''


    I''d look back from time to time. A deep sense of urgency rested in my chest as sweat umted on the side of my face.


    ''This...''


    "Oh, right. Did you hear about what happened with Jacobst night?"


    "No, what happened?"


    The voices were now extremely close.


    My pulse raced, and my insides tightened.


    I took a hot, and impatient breath.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    I continued to insert one key after another.


    The keys rattled with each attempt, and the voices drew near. My toes started to tingle, and I was no longer breathing.


    I felt suffocated.


    "You don''t know? Everyone was talking about it."


    "Is that so?"


    I could now hear the sound of their footsteps.


    ''Oh, no.''


    Just when I thought I was going to fail, one of the keys finally entered and I turned the key.


    Click¡ª


    My eyes lit up at the sight.


    "....Yes."


    Hastily opening the door, I was about to get in when I suddenly stopped.


    Squench. Squench.


    "No,no,no,no,no,no..."


    Hearing the familiar sound, fear prickled the base of my spine. Looking down, roots covered the entirety of my body, stopping all the way up to my chest, squeezing me tightly.


    "No, why now... no, no...!"


    My face shook.


    And then,


    "Who''s there!?"


    "Who is that!?"


    The guards spotted me.


    Turning my head, I was suddenly ovee with despair.

 Chapter 171 Escape [2]

    Chapter 171 Escape [2]


    ??Squench. Squench.


    ....The sound was one that I was now starting to get used to. I took a sharp breath in, trying my best to calm the increasing anxiety.


    Alongside the sound were the roots that would sprout from beneath the ground, slowly crawling up from the ground and tangling my feet and body.


    At the start, they had only covered my ankles.


    That was at the start.


    "Haa..."


    They now covered my body all the way up to the chest.


    I felt my chest squeeze at the sight of the roots.


    When...


    Just when were they going to stop haunting me?


    But if that wasn''t bad enough,


    "Who are you? What are you doing?"


    I was now stuck in the middle of the hall with my back turned. With my head turned to face their direction, I made sure to keep my hat lowered to keep my face hidden.


    "....What ridiculous question is this?"


    I hoarsely said, trying my best to keep my tone calm.


    The two guards appeared to both be around Tier 3. They were stronger than me. In a fair fight, the likelihood of me losing to just one of them was high.


    Two...?


    That was nearly impossible.


    Of course, that was if I excluded Emotive Magic. With it, I''d be able to deal with one fast. However, by then, It''d be unable to deal with the other.


    "Pardon?"


    "We were just asking. It''s protocol."


    Though I couldn''t see, just from the tone of their voices, I could tell that they were confused.


    It made sense considering how I had tantly dodged the question.


    ''....I should''ve taken this into consideration.''


    My situation was not good at all.


    I understood that.


    However, it wasn''t hopeless. They had yet to see my face.


    Closing my eyes, I immersed myself in my mind and the world turned ck. There were several dozen entities residing within my mind. There used to be more, but with time, I slowly started to forget them. There were only a few that actually remained.


    They were the ones that I chose to keep.


    At this very moment, I was looking for one specific entity.


    ''There.''


    a familiar face appeared in my mind.


    Walking forward, I reached out for it and memories coursed through my mind. They were the same memories I had relieved before. However, unlikest time, I made sure to properly analyze the tones, emotions, and habits.


    I started to relieve his memories.


    The process seemed tost forever. However, I knew all too well that only a few moments had passed.


    Opening my eyes, my tone lowered.


    ".....I''ve got a job to do. Don''t start annoying me."


    It wasn''t just my tone that changed.


    From the way I was breathing, to the way I carried myself. An outline appeared in my mind, and I just followed it.


    At this very moment, I was mimicking Javier.


    A stern man who was hellbent on following rules and orders.


    "This..."


    "Sir, if you¡ª"


    "You two should already be aware of who I am."


    Turning to look at the door, I opened the door and took a step in. Just before entering, I ced my hand into my pocket and took out a pair of ck gloves which I proceeded to put on.


    "Ah...!"


    That seemed to do it.


    In the exact moment that I took out the gloves, the two guards appeared to have recognized me.


    "Sir Javier!"


    "....Sir Javier!"


    Just as one greeted, so did the other.


    "We apologize. Because of your hat, I wasn''t able to recognize you."


    "I apologize!"


    "...."


    I didn''t say anything and took another step into the room.


    Despite my outwardposure, my heart was beating out of my chest. Maintaining the facade wasn''t hard, but just a slight slip up and I knew I was done for.


    "If I may ask, what brings you here sir? This is merely a storage room. From what I understand, you should be undergoing a task."


    I stopped in my tracks.


    I was just about to answer with a ''mind your own business'' when I stopped myself. The real Javier would never do such a thing.


    He was someone who disliked dragging things and always stated his business.


    ".....The cadet isn''t budging."


    As such, I could only try to make up some bullshit.


    "I''m looking for other means to make him talk."


    "Ah, that makes sense. But why the storage room?"


    "I''ve asked my assistants to look elsewhere. I''m thinking of using something from here to get the cadet to talk."


    ".....I see."


    Judging from the tone, he appeared confused.


    I thought that everything was flowing smoothly, and for a brief moment, my heart calmed down. That was until the guard spoke again.


    "If you don''t mind, is it okay if I apany you?"


    "...."


    I swallowed my saliva and felt the sound of footsteps drawing near me.


    They wereing closer and closer before stopping right behind me.


    I slowly clenched my hands.


    "Sir, I''m sure I''ll be able to help you if you allow me. Would that be okay with you?"


    "...."


    Yet again, I didn''t answer.


    I focused my attention on my hand.


    ''Shit.''


    Then, taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes.


    "How long?"


    "Pardon...?"


    "...For how long did you know?"


    "I''m sorry, I''m not following."


    Opening my eyes, I looked behind me and faced the guard directly.


    "For how long did you know that I wasn''t Javier."


    "Ah."


    To that, the guard smiled.


    "...Since the start. While you act like him, you aren''t the same height as him. Your hair is also not the same."


    Right, I had thought about this and tried my best to hide the ws. From the hair, to the way I carried myself.


    I thought I had done a pretty good job at that but it was clear I hadn''t.


    "Did you seriously think I wouldn''t notice?"


    As he spoke, he was already making his move.


    I stood in silence for a short moment before speaking again.


    My voiceyered.


    "If you knew I wasn''t Javier, why aren''t you scared?"


    "Eh...?"


    The guard stopped in his tracks, his face turning pale.


    I raised my hand and pointed my finger at his forehead. Our eyes met for a short moment before I pulled my finger away.


    Thump!


    With a low ''thump'' the body fell to the ground, a small hole appearing on his forehead as blood pooled out from behind his head.


    "Haaa... Haaa... Haaa..."


    I started to breathe heavily in the process. While Emotive Magic didn''t use much mana, the mental toll it took, alongside my immersion was quite high.


    The mental toll was especially intense when dealing with someone who was stronger than me.


    "Shit."


    Still, this wasn''t the end of my problems.


    There had been two guards moments prior. Although I had been able to dispatch one, the problem was the fact that the second guard had been missing.


    "He must''ve used the chance to leave and ry to the higher-


    ups about the situation."


    I clenched my teeth.


    The worst-case scenario had urred.


    Soon, the entire bunker was going toe after me. It became abundantly clear to me that I was on the verge of getting caught.


    My body tensed all over.


    However, strangely enough, I wasn''t scared. In fact, my mind started to calm down as I immersed myself in Javier''s memories and recalled the map of the inner area of the bunker.


    Soon, I had a direction.


    ncing at the body on the ground beside me, I rushed forward.


    Time was ticking, and if I lost my chance, I knew it''d be the end of me.


    Thinking about the vision, I clenched my teeth.


    ''Over my dead body.''


    ....I didn''t want to face such a scenario.


    ***


    ¡ª¡ªAt the same time.


    "Let me get this straight... Did you just say, you''ll make sure that you won''t break him?"


    A certain regal air surrounded Aoife as she sat down on her chair while staring at the post-leader of the ck Hound Guild.


    There was a clear difference in strength between her and the rest, and yet, for some strange reason, the aura around Aoife''s body appeared to suppress that of those in the room.


    ''As expected of the Megrail Bloodline.''


    Many of the Post Leaders thought to themselves while starting at Aoife.


    It was a pity that they could not covet her given that in the future, she was most likely not going to join a Guild.


    "Ah, yes. That''s what I said."


    Offering a smile, the Post Leader of the ck-Hound guild rubbed his hands.


    "....Currently, he''s the most suspicious person present. I took it upon myself to make sure that we extract all possible information from him. You might never know who might fall next. I hope you won''t mind my methods."


    ''Won''t mind...?''


    Aoife frowned.


    Of course, she minded. he was directly talking about torturing a cadet to get information out of them.


    This was clearly something that she didn''t look favorably towards.


    Perhaps noticing Aoife''s displeasure, the Post leader spoke,


    "Are you perhaps acquainted with the cadet? Please don''t worry. Like I said, I made sure to tell the people in charge to not go too hard. He might suffer a bit, but his mind will rema


    ¡ª"


    "Pftt."


    His words were abruptly stopped by Aoife whoughed.


    Confused, everyone looked at her.


    This was especially so for the post-leader of the ck Hound Guild.


    "Princess? Is there something funny?"


    "....I apologize."


    Covering her mouth with her hand, it took a few moments for Aoife to recover.


    When she did, she looked at the Post Leader before shaking her head.


    "I''m disappointed in you."


    "Pardon?"


    Aoife turned her head to look at all the Post Leaders present.


    "....It looks like none of you here did your research."


    "Research? About...?"


    Staring at them, Aoife shook her head again.


    Given that they were extremely busy with the raids and situations, it made sense that they didn''t know. However, it was still disappointing.


    Looking at them, or more specifically Karl, the Post Leader of the ck Hound Guild, Aoife leaned back on her chair.


    "That guy that you''re torturing. He''s a maniac who reached a score of 8.23 in the mental examination."


    Her words brought silence to the room.


    It gripped it in its entirety.


    "....I saw it with my own two eyes."


    During the mental examinations, Aoife had been there.


    She had seen him seated in that chair.


    Completely unmoved as the numbers counted. Recalling the moment that his score was revealed, Aoife remembered her mind nk.


    It was a score she refused to believe was possible.


    And yet,


    He had done it.


    For that reason, she found the entire situation funny.


    Break his mind?


    She found that to beughable.


    Aoife looked straight into the ck Hound Post-Leader''s eyes. At the same time she did, she found herself unable to hide her smirk.


    "Make sure to not break him? It''ll be a miracle if you can even get him to say a single word. What a waste of time."


    It truly was.


    ....And following her words, the room once again fell into aplete state of silence.


    None of the post-leaders said a word. This was especially true for the post-leader of the ck Hound Guild whose face was red. He looked like someone who had eaten shit.


    Just as someone was about to say something, the door of the room burst open.


    nk¡ª!


    "Emergency report!"


    A man rushed into the room. With heavy breaths and a red face, he looked around in panic. Before anyone could say anything, he shouted.


    "There''s an emergency! We''ve got an intruder! I believe it to be the cadet who has been put under interrogation! Dressed as Sir Javier, we caught him in one of the corridors as he tried to escape."


    "What?!"


    "What did you say?"


    Immediately, several people stood up.


    However, before they could move, Aoife''s cold voice echoed.


    "Sit down."


    Instantly, all eyes turned on her.


    A tremendous pressure bore down on Aoife.


    ''I can only do so much.''


    Bearing the pressure, Aoife closed her eyes before opening them up again.


    ".....Until I say so, nobody is to go out of this room. That''s an order."

 Chapter 172 Escape [3]

    Chapter 172 Escape [3]


    ??"Princess...?"


    Everyone''s attention was focused on Aoife who tried her best to keep herposure.


    Feeling the pressure that was bearing down on her from the post leaders, she withstood it all and tried to act as calmly as possible.


    "Don''t move. Everyone stay here. That''s an order."


    "Excuse me?"


    Frowning, one of the post leaders looked at her.


    Aoife recognized him.


    Andrew Colnell of the Raging Bulls Guild. With his tall stature and burly body, he was quite intimidating to look at.


    "The potential culprit has escaped, and you''re telling us to stay still? What sort of situation is this? Could it be that the two of you are collud¡ª"


    Aoife squinted her eyes and he stopped speaking.


    "....The Megrail family gains nothing by doing this to you."


    Her gaze quietly swept the room.


    "If we wanted to get rid of the fifteen Guilds, we would be able to do so in a heartbeat. Those of Central would be more than willing to help. After all, without the fifteen Guilds, that would mean that fifteen Mirror Cracks will be avable for the noble houses to take."


    One of the main reasons why the Megrail family allowed the Guilds to be in power and granted them ess to the Mirror Cracks was specifically to tie down the noble houses.


    There had been several coup d''¨¦tat attempts in the past.


    It was for that reason that the Megrail family was so hell-bent on keeping its power and pressuring those beneath them.


    While it did affect the overall growth of the Empire, it also made their ruling far more stable than that of the other Empires.


    .....It was such action that allowed them to be the strongest Empire of the four.


    A strong nation with a dysfunctional head was just an empty shell in Aoife''s eyes.


    "If you really think I''m colluding with him, you can go ahead and file a report to the Megrail family once this is over. Of course, that will be after you deal with the aftermath of Haven''s wrath. Do I even need to remind you who the two current heads of the Academy are?"


    Aoife''s words continued to reverberate across the room.


    The eyes of the post-leaders changed.


    Clearly, there were many that wanted to refute her words, and not take her seriously. However, the ''Megrail'' name continued to hang over their heads, preventing them from making any rash movements.


    Such was the power Aoife was bestowed since birth.


    "Sit down."


    Aoife''s cold voice echoed across the room.


    Despite clearly being the weakest in the room, it didn''t seem like that at all from the way she carried herself.


    Eventually, several of the post-leaders went ahead and followed her orders and sat down.


    Aoife looked at them and acknowledged them with a small nod.


    She was satisfied.


    Of course, not all sat down and her gaze soon paused on them.


    At the helm was none other than the post-leader of the ck Hound Guild.


    "Are you perhaps not satisfied with my order?"


    "...."


    Karl didn''t answer immediately.


    His expression was nk, and his red eyes flickered slightly. With a twitch of his expression, he soon put up a smile.


    "Satisfied? I wouldn''t say I''m satisfied. You must understand that I''m doing this to figure out what is going on. Currently, several cadets and members of the supply station have fallen into aa. The only lead we have is the cadet that we have detained."


    ".....I understand that"


    "It''s good that you understand it, princess. If you understand, then you must also understand that his sudden ''escape'' is even more suspicious. He wouldn''t have run away if he had nothing to hide and was innocent."


    "That''s not true."


    Aoife shook her head while drumming her fingers over the armrest of the chair.


    "....Didn''t you specifically say that you were trying to not break him? From what I can tell, you were trying to torture him. My best guess is that he''s running away because of that. If anything, this is all your fault."


    "Hehe, he..."


    Karl let out a nervousugh.


    "Princess, didn''t you say that his mental score was 8.23? The little torture that I subjected him to is nothing. If anything, it probably tickled."


    "So...?"


    Aoife''s eyes narrowed.


    "Just because he could withstand it, that doesn''t mean he liked it."


    Clenching onto the armrest of the chair, her expression darkened.


    "Sit down. I won''t allow any one of you to interfere with the matter. If he''s truly the culprit, then we''ll find out soon enough."


    "But¡ª"


    "I''m sure you''re confident in the bunker''s safety system, correct? If that''s the case, then what is there to be worried about? He''ll get caught even without your interference."


    To that, nobody could say a thing.


    Everyone present understood how the inner structure of the bunker worked. Escaping was almost impossible.


    It was like a maze.


    Unless someone knew how the inner structure of the bunker worked, then there was no way they''d be able to escape.


    At such thoughts, several of the post-leaders sighed in relief and rxed back.


    "Alright, then."


    This was especially so for the ck Hound post-leader.


    Looking at Aoife, he nodded his head with a smile.


    "I''ll follow the Princess''s arrangement."


    At the same time, he nced at the guard that had entered the room. Though he didn''t say anything, his message was clear.


    ''Find him.''


    The guard nodded, before excusing himself from the room.


    Aoife stared at the interaction without saying a word. She couldn''t have said anything because he hadn''t said a thing.


    Not that she would''ve.


    This was as far as her powers allowed her to help.


    Though she carried the Megrail name, she was merely a princess without any contention for the throne.


    Her words could only hold so much weight.


    ''I hope this is enough.''


    She was a little worried. After all, it was almost impossible to escape without knowing how the inner structure of the bunker worked.


    If possible, she would''ve preferred to help out more.


    There was something clearly wrong with the situation and the post-leaders seemed extremely untrustworthy.


    ''Someone here is definitely behind this.''


    Her eyes paused on the post-leader of the ck Hound Guild.


    To her, he was the most suspicious.


    However, she had no evidence to back up her statement. In the end, she could only sit back and close her eyes.


    This really was the best she could do for now.


    ***


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    My breathing was rough. I wasn''t sure for how long I had run. Looking ahead, all that met my sight was a long and narrow corridor that split in four directions.


    This ce was like a maze.


    .....If it weren''t for the fact that I knew which direction to go to, then escaping would''ve been impossible.


    "Run! Run! We''ve received reports that there''s someone on the run! Find him at all costs!"


    In the distance, I could hear the voices of the guards.


    "Huuu."


    Taking a deep breath, I didn''t rush forward and took a deep breath.


    At the same time, I brought my hand forward and threads flowed out from my forearm. The threads extended from out of my arm, flowing to the ground and separating into several directions.


    My chest squeezed at the mana expenditure.


    However, this was a necessary step.


    "Done..."


    Taking another deep breath, I headed to my left where another corridor was.


    I ran for a few minutes before stopping and jumping up.


    With the aid of the threads, I helped myself onto the ceiling of the corridor. In the process, I maintained my breathing and calmed my breathing heart.


    The ensuing silence was oneden with tension.


    That silence was inevitably broken by the sound of the passing guards who rushed ahead.


    "This way!"


    "Look! There are threads on the ground! Follow the threads!"


    Following the threads on the ground, they rushed past the spot I was in. I stared at their departing backs with bathed breath.


    Thud.


    I only fell back down when I could no longer see them.


    ''It worked.''


    With everyone''s attention on the threads, nobody noticed my presence right on top of them. Such had been one of my goals inying the threads out.


    Of course, their other goal was to allow me to know how many guards were ahead and from which direction they wereing.


    "Ukh...!"


    I felt lightheaded.


    It was hard to keep the threads out for so long. They took a heavy toll on my mana.


    ''.....Almost.''


    With that being said, I had no other choice but to continue.


    Even as my head felt light and I could hardly think properly, I rushed ahead.


    There was a certain direction that I needed to go.


    And that ce wasn''t the exit. No, going to the exit was not a smart move. There were probably several powerful guards waiting for me there. Since they knew that my goal was escaping, I was sure they''d be there to wait for me.


    It was for that reason that I headed in a different direction.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    With heavy breaths, I continued to my rush.


    Whenever guards appeared, I''d repeat the same steps as before.


    "This way! Go!"


    Thud.


    Falling down, my knees buckled.


    I was exhausted.


    .....It had been a few minutes since my mana had pretty much depleted. The number of threads that were on the ground was low, and the speed at which I was running was also extremely so.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Thankfully, I was near my destination.


    Holding onto the side of the corridor, Iid my eyes on the distant room.


    Given the current circumstances, there was only one guard stationed outside. He was on the weaker side and didn''t seem at all like a threat. Taking a deep breath, I lowered my hat and straightened my back.


    Then, trying my best to keep my face firm, I walked forward calmly.


    Tak, Tak¡ª


    The sound of my footsteps echoed within the quiet hall.


    "Who are you?"


    Upon noticing my presence, the guard grew wary. Licking my lips, I spoke,


    "Stay put."


    His body stopped.


    So did I.


    Looking up, his entire face was pale as he looked at me with widened eyes.


    "Huuu."


    Extending my hand forward, a purple hand materialized right beneath his neck.


    "Ukeh...!"


    It grasped his neck directly.


    Following that, his body grew limp and his eyes rolled back.


    Thud!


    His body fell shortly after.


    "Haaa... Haaa... Haaa..."


    Holding onto my knees, I desperately gasped for air. My lungs were burning, and sweat dripped down from the side of my face.


    Still, it wasn''t over yet.


    Clenching my teeth, I moved forward and reached out for the door.


    At the same time that I did that, I used the threads to help keep the guard''s body in the same position as it was before.


    My body tingled at the effort but I suppressed the pain and entered.


    nk¡ª


    "Ukeh...! Who are you?!"


    Immediately after entering the room, I was greeted with a white room where over a dozen beds appeared, each with a person lying in it.


    In the middle of the room was a man dressed in white who was staring at me with a scared expression.


    "Shhh."


    He was most likely the doctor.


    Bringing my finger to my lips, I looked around.


    "I need to¡ª"


    My thoughts stopped the moment my eyes paused in a certain direction.


    "W-what...?"


    I stood frozen in disbelief.


    Blinking to make sure I was seeing correctly, my heart dropped.


    "H-ha."


    My chest trembled as I neared the body.


    "H-how?"


    It was a familiar face. A face that I was now used to seeing each day.


    With wide open eyes, he stared nkly at the ceiling.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    I felt the beat of my own heart drum within my mind.


    "Just what in¡ª"


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª


    "....!"


    A change urred before I could get my words out.


    I stood frozen on the spot as everyone within the room sat up straight. Their white eyes locked onto me.


    Leon too.


    Something inside me wrenched and soured under their gazes.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    In the silence that took over, the drumming within my mindpletely overtook my senses.


    "...."


    Rigidly turning my head, the hair at the back of my neck stood on end as my eyes locked onto the doctor''s.


    He too...


    Had white eyes.


    Staring at me like the others, his mouth parted open.


    And,


    "Hieeeeeeeek¡ª"


    He screamed.

 Chapter 173 Escape [4]

    Chapter 173 Escape [4]


    ??"Hieeeek¡ª"


    An icy current went up and down my spine the moment I heard the scream. Feeling several gazes on me, I felt all hair on my body rise and my heart seized to beat for a split second.


    But it was only momentary.


    Before I even had a chance to react, the others opened their mouths and screamed.


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    One, two, three...


    The entire room was plunged into a sea of screaming.


    Squench. Squench.


    Roots sprouted from the ground, taking hold of my entire body, only stopping at my face where I felt a familiar tickling sensation.


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    ?| Lvl 1. [Surprise] EXP + 0.3%


    ?| Lvl 1. [Surprise] EXP + 0.6%


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.04%


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.08%


    ?| Lvl 2. [Fear] EXP + 0.12%


    Notifications shed in my vision.


    I felt sweat cling to the back of my neck, dampening my hair. Once again, fear started to creep into the depths of my mind.


    ''...Why?''


    Staring at the notifications, I had a hard time understanding my situation.


    The situation didn''t make sense.


    "I-I... haa... should be able to withstand this much..."


    I thought I had grown used to fear given how much I had started to understand it.


    And yet, all I felt was fear.


    It continued to seep into my mind, making it hard for me to think properly. There was something clearly wrong with the situation.


    The same was true for the roots.


    Why did they keep on appearing...?


    Each time, they''d appear to cover more and more of my body, reminding me of the little time that I had left.


    Never before did it happen with the visions.


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    The screams continued to echo in the background, taking hold of the entire room.


    I covered my ears while feeling the gazes of all those present in the room. Their white eyes were currently fixed on me as veins protruded from their necks, and saliva started to flow out of their mouths.


    I shivered under the scene.


    "Haa."


    I struggled to breathe.


    Blinking, the roots disappeared and I could move again.


    I didn''t hesitate to take that chance to move away from where I stood.


    "F-failed..."


    Yet again, my n had failed.


    As if I was being read at every moment, nothing was going my way. But I didn''t let that affect me. I couldn''t let it affect me.


    Taking onest nce in Leon''s direction, I clenched my teeth and pushed my way out of the room.


    ''The room should be soundproof enough to not have anyone notice anything.''


    Just as I reached the door, I waited for a few seconds.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    One after another, the bodies fell behind me. Alongside that, the screams also stopped. Only then did I reach for the door and pull it open.


    nk¡ª


    As expected, there was no one.


    I breathed in relief.


    Without hesitation, I retrieved the threads that I used to keep the guard standing and closed the door behind me.


    Thump!


    The guard at the door fell to the ground.


    Swallowing my saliva, I turned to look back. Then, staring at the guard, a certain thought fell and I took a deep breath.


    ''Yeah, that might work.''


    ***


    Outer Bunker area.


    "Where did that bitch go?"


    Kiera looked around for any sign of Aoife. In one moment she had been with them, and in the next moment, she was gone.


    She did say something along the lines of ''I have to do something'', but that was about it before she went ahead and disappeared.


    "She''s probably with the post-leaders trying to figure something out."


    "Bah."


    Kiera dismissively waved her hand.


    "....Whatever. This situation is way too creepy for me to even be mad at her."


    Had the situation not been like this, Kiera didn''t think she''d be able to work with Aoife. Perhaps, she also felt the same way.


    That bitch...


    The thought pissed Kiera off.


    "Fuck, I''m getting goosebumps."


    Massaging her arms, Kiera looked around. The outer area of the bunker was extremely quiet. Hardly anyone spoke.


    A strange atmosphere filled the ce.


    While no one spoke, Kiera could see the unrest in many of the people''s faces.


    Right now, there was a fine line between the silence and total chaos. With just a slight push, chaos was bound to appear.


    Kiera understood everyone''s feelings all too well.


    She too was creeped out by the situation. This was especially so after Leon had also fallen for whatever was happening.


    It made it especially clear to her that no one was currently safe.


    No one.


    "Hm?"


    Kiera was just about to sit down when she noticed a sudden changeing from the guards patrolling the area, and the Guild stations.


    They all seemed to be rushing towards the inner area.


    Before she could voice anything out, someone from the crowd beat her to it.


    "What''s going on?"


    Despite the guards and guild members trying their best to be subtle about their actions, it didn''t go unnoticed by the crowd who started to grow rowdy.


    "Is there something going on?"


    "Why is everyone rushing towards the inner area of the bunker? Are you perhaps leaving without us?"


    "....Are they abandoning us?"


    The fine line that separated the calmness shattered, and chaos started to take hold of the outer area.


    "Everyone, please calm down! There''s nothing serious! There are no problems. We are just getting the guild members to move on the orders of the post-leaders who are thinking of a way to resolve this situation!"


    "Bullshit...!"


    "You''re leaving us!"


    Despite the Guild member''s best attempt at trying to calm the situation down, it only served to add fuel to the fire as more and more people started to stand up.


    The cadets also started to protest.


    "What exactly is going on?"


    ".....Do you have any answers? Are you leaving?"


    "Do you know who my father is?"


    Some even started throwing their family names around. Kiera cringed slightly at the sight. Who the hell was going to care about their family in this situation?


    Still, it did do something.


    Evelyn seemed to be of the same opinion as her as she shook her head.


    "unting their family status like that. It''s a bad look."


    "I guess."


    Kiera ced her pinkie in her ear.


    Evelyn tilted her head upon noticing Kiera''s calmness. She didn''t seem all that bothered about the situation.


    "You look rather calm. Do you have a n?"


    "A n?"


    Kiera licked her lips.


    Turning around, her gaze fell on the crowd of people who started to protest against the guards stationed at the door that led to the inner area.


    Scratching her neck, she looked at Evelyn.


    "You know, I kind of agree with them."


    "Hm?"


    "Well, think about it. There''s something clearly wrong with the situation. In fact, it seems like Leon and Julien had been purposely targeted because they found out about the whatever tree. Aoife is also gone."


    "And...?"


    "....I don''t know about you, but I feel like we''re purposely being detained."


    "Ah?"


    Evelyn looked confused, turning her head to stare at the windows outside. The world was still red, a clear indicator that the Crimson Shade was still in effect.


    It was for that reason that she struggled to understand Kiera''s words.


    "Why do you think we''re being detained? It''s not like we''re capable of artificially creating a Crimson Shade."


    "Eh, I guess you''re right. I still don''t like this situation."


    "What are you proposing?"


    "Simply actually."


    Kiera cleared her throat. Then, facing the same direction as the crowd, she rushed forward while shouting.


    "Do you have any idea who my father is?!"


    "...."


    "....Fuck, my father aside, do you have any idea as to who I am? Let me in!"


    "Yeah!"


    "Let us in!"


    Before Evelyn knew it, Kiera had suddenly started to take charge of the entire crowd, leading the protest.


    "...."


    Speechless, Evelyn didn''t know what to say.


    However, it was clear that with Kiera''s interference, the situation was getting more and more out of control.


    And it wasn''t like she disagreed with what she said.


    Thus,


    "Haaa..."


    With a long and tired sigh, she weakly raised her hand before saying,


    "D-do you know who my father is?"


    ***


    "Do we still have nothing?"


    "Nothing. Let''s go to this area."


    Two guards ran around the corridors of the inner bunker. Because manpower was limited, and the inner area of the bunker was like a maze, the guards were separated into groups of two and three.


    Fiddling with his weapon, one of the guards looked ahead.


    "We''ll be heading for the infirmary if we head forward. Do you want to check it out?"


    "I doubt there will be anyone there. My best guess is that the target is currently headed for the main exit."


    ".....Good luck with that. Sir Rogers is guarding that area. There''s no chance he''ll be able to escape."


    "True that."


    While talking, the guards rushed ahead.


    The tunnels were long, but at their speed, it took no longer than a few minutes toe closer to their destination.


    "Wait."


    Coming closer, they stopped.


    Their expression changed the moment they looked ahead.


    "Someone has been here!"


    Right at the entrance of the infirmary, a guardy on the floor with their back against the wall. Immediately, the two guards rushed ahead.


    "You check up on him, I''ll enter the infirmary!"


    "Yes!"


    Taking out his weapon, one of the guards kicked the door of the infirmary open and rushed in.


    nk!


    At the same time, the other guard bent over the check the pulse of the guard that was done.


    cing his finger over his neck, he closed his eyes and tried to feel for a pulse.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    His eyes red open the moment he felt something. However, the moment his eyes opened, he felt his own heart stop.


    Two hazel eyes stared directly at him.


    At the same time, something pressed against his temple.


    It was followed by a cold voice.


    "I apologize."


    Thump!


    The guard fell shortly after that.


    At the same time he fell, Julien turned to face the direction of the door.


    "....."


    Silence took over the surroundings until a figure finally walked out.


    "You won''t believe what¡ª"


    A hand reached out for his ankle the moment he came out. Before the guard could even react, he felt his head spin and he started to wobble.


    Julien took that moment to raise his finger and point it toward his forehead.


    Thump!


    Like the first guard, his body limped to the ground.


    "Hooo."


    Taking a deep breath, Julien closed his eyes before standing up.


    Massaging his shoulders, he looked at his hands.


    "I''ve recovered enough mana."


    Dragging the body of one of the guards back into the infirmary, he walked towards the other guard and threads spread out from his hand, inching towards the guard on the floor and entering his clothes.


    Julien''s expression shifted slightly due to the exertion, but it was manageable.


    Soon, the guard stood up from the ground.


    Drip. Drip...!


    Blood leaked from its forehead. Thankfully, it wasn''t an issue. Picking his pocket, he used an ointment he picked up from the infirmary to seal the wound.


    He then proceeded to clean the blood on the ground. It was a quick process and he was done in a few minutes.


    "...."


    Silence took over the space as he stared at the guard in front of him.


    Extending his hand, Julien lowered the guard''s hat.


    Then, turning to face the corridor, he took a step forward.


    Tak¡ª


    With the aid of the threads, the guard simrly took a step forward. It was a little wobbly, but it worked.


    Julien nodded at the sight and took another step. As he did, one of his fingers twitched, and the guard stepped forward.


    Again, the step was wobbly.


    Julien''s brows creased.


    Moving his fingers, the guard took another step, and then another.


    Like a puppeteer, Julien controlled the guard and moved it as he wished. With each step that the guard took, the less wobbly his steps became, and it wasn''t long before the guard started to move wlessly.


    Watching from the back, Julien ced his hand in his pocket and caught up with the guard.


    "...."


    Sorting through his memories, a map of the inner area appeared in his mind, and took a step forward.


    So did the guard.


    "I can''t fail this time."


    He had the necessary means to escape.

 Chapter 174 Escape [5]

    Chapter 174 Escape [5]


    ??The corridor was long and quiet.


    Tak, Tak¡ª


    The only sound that I could hear was the sound of my footsteps alongside the guards. Moving ahead, I had yet to meet any other guards.


    Of course, that was mainly because I had only just recently left.


    I was bound to meet a group soon enough.


    ''Hopefully, this works.''


    Otherwise, I really wouldn''t know what to do.


    "...."


    Calming my nerves, I turned to look at the guard walking alongside me. He was long dead, and at first nce there seemed to be nothing wrong with him with the exception of his closed eyes.


    I was able to hide that fact by lowering his hat. Of course, that would be useless if one paid close attention.


    Twitching my finger, he moved forward.


    It was weird, but it almost felt as if my senses were numbing.


    I would''ve normally felt a little more when killing someone. While it was true that I was starting to get used to the idea of killing, it was still not a concept that I could fully embrace.


    And yet,


    ''I killed so many people without even batting an eye.''


    I felt nothing when killing them.


    No guilt, no anger, nothing.


    .....It was almost concerning.


    While this was indeed the point that I wanted to reach at a certain point in my life, the speed at which I had reached this point was the thing that I was concerned about.


    It was unnatural.


    Almost artificial.


    ''Did my perception of death numb down due to the time I fought Leon and when I used the first leaf?''


    Back then, I remembered dying over and over again.


    Was that perhaps the reason for the change?


    "No."


    Eventually, I shook my head.


    No, it wasn''t that.


    ''.....It started the moment I came into the Mirror Dimension.''


    Or more specifically, the moment I entered the supply station and the roots appeared. That was when the change mostly likely happened.


    I took a nervous breath.


    Again I was reminded of the little time that I had.


    I needed to get out.


    Looking ahead, my fingers twitched and I hurried my pace.


    The guard followed alongside me.


    At the same time, I closed my eyes and spread threads all over the surroundings. My chest trembled at the mana expenditure, and my face turned pale.


    Withstanding the strain, I lowered my head to follow a certain thread that led to the path that I wanted to go to.


    All was proceeding smoothly until,


    "Are you following the thread?"


    "Yes, it leads to this way! Hurry!"


    "There''s so many of them."


    I heard voicesing from up ahead.


    Unease unfurled in my chest the moment I heard the voices. Pursing my lips, I lowered my head and picked up the pace, following the thread that I had set up.


    Our paths were soon going to cross.


    My only hope would be that they would either just move past me.


    "Uh?"


    But of course, why would they just run past me?


    I didn''t give them the initiative and spoke first.


    "I''m following this thread. I''ming from the infirmary."


    I then pointed towards another thread.


    "I haven''t followed that one. You should follow that one. I don''t think anyone is following that thread."


    "Understood!"


    "Yes...!"


    The guards left right after that.


    Feeling their distancing steps, I finally sighed in relief.


    "....It worked."


    Noticing the urgency in my tone, the guards left before they could properly observe me.


    And all of it was thanks to the body next to me. Given that the person who needed to escape was only one person, they had less reason to suspect that I was involved especially since I was also wearing a guard uniform.


    At the same time, because our exchange was brief, they didn''t notice the threads that wrapped around the insides of the guard''s body.


    Not that it was easy to detect considerign that the threads were extremely thin and I was getting better and better at controlling them.


    With that being said, that didn''t guarantee a thing.


    Had the two stopped to take a proper look, there was a chance that they''d notice something.


    Of course, that was only if they noticed my face first.


    That was probably the biggest giveaway.


    I did after all have quite the memorable face.


    It was a sin to be this handsome.


    At least, in these situations.


    "Huu."


    Taking a deep breath to collect myself, I followed the thread I had set up on the ground.


    Along the way, I''d walk past several guards, but just like the first time, none of them noticed a single thing.


    "....Almost."


    My steps gradually slowed after I passed a certain corridor.


    In order for me to escape, I needed first to enter the storage space.


    Unfortunately, that area was somewhat guarded.


    While all the strong individuals were at the main entrance, the people guarding the storage space were not weak.


    That wasn''t the only problem.


    Unless one had the key, they wouldn''t be able to enter the storage space. Thankfully, I was in possession of such a key thanks to Javier.


    Stopping right at the intersection that led to the storage space, I took a deep breath.


    The path in front of me diverged from left to right. To my right was the corridor that led to the storage space, while the left had another corridor that led to another area.


    I needed to go to the right.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    My breathing was somewhat rough.


    While recovering my breath, I peeked the corner slightly.


    "One, two, three..."


    By the side of the corridor was arge metallic door with several guards stationed there.


    Judging from the aura their bodies gave out, they all appeared to be stronger than me.


    "Shit."


    I silently cursed under my breath.


    This was going to be a lot more difficult than expected.


    But it wasn''t like I didn''t have a n.


    Turning my head to face the guard next to me, I took a few more minutes to recover my breath before twitching my finger.


    The guard moved, passing the corner.


    "Who goes there?!"


    ".....Who are you? State your credentials."


    Immediately after passing the corner, the guards stationed at the supply area grew alert. Controlling the guard, I made him run to the left corridor.


    "Hey!"


    "Stop...!"


    Just as I heard their shouts, I also rushed out of the corner.


    "Ah!?"


    "What the...!"


    Coming out, the guards looked surprised and stopped.


    Yet again, I took the initiative to speak.


    "Q-quick....! Haa... Haa... He''s escaping... Haaa... That''s the guy!"


    While I spoke, I brought my hands to my knees while twitching my fingers to control the body which already disappeared on the opposite side.


    "What''s going on?!"


    "He... culprit... Haa... escape!"


    The guards were quick.


    Right as I told them of the situation, they picked up the pace again.


    Staring at their departing backs, I continued to control the body. I had taken the initiative to dy some time for the body to move forward.


    The guards were definitely faster than a body that was being controlled by threads. I needed to buy as much time as possible for it.


    I didn''t know how much time that would give me.


    Probably not much considering that once they got close enough, they''d notice the threads that were wrapped around its body.


    ''No, maybe that''ll make them think he''s the culprit even more.''


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    Leaning back against the wall, another guard walked up to me.


    Unlike the other guards, he had stayed behind.


    "You must be exhausted."


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­"


    I didn''t answer and just took deep breaths.


    This was my own way of saying I was.


    "Can you tell me exactly what happened? We''ve noticed threads appearing all over the ce, but because of our orders, we weren''t allowed to move."


    "This¡­"


    I took another deep breath just to show the fact that I was tired.


    And I was, since I was still controlling the body.


    Even so, with threads scattered around, I didn''t worry about him noticing that they wereing from me.


    While keeping my head lowered, I started to ry some information to him.


    "I don''t know myself what happened. I was just walking alongside my partner when I noticed that something was wrong. When I questioned him, he just started to run away. It looks like he disguised himself as a guard in order to escape. Thankfully, I noticed that something was wrong just in time."


    "¡­.Hmm."


    The guard next to me frowned.


    "This cadet is a lot more slippery than I imagined."


    "Right¡­? Despite chasing him for so long, I was barely able to keep up with him¡­. Haaa¡­ haaa¡­ I heard he was the top cadet of Haven... Haa... I guess there were merits to the title."


    "You did good."


    Pressing his arm against my shoulder, the guard tried tofort me.


    I touched his wrist briefly.


    "Can you stand up?"


    "I think I can."


    Supporting myself with the aid of the wall behind me, I was just barely able to stand up.


    Nodding the guard headed back to the metal door that led to the storage area. As he did, he knocked on the door.


    "Help me guard the supply while we''re at it."


    "Is¡­ is there water?"


    "Water?"


    "Haaa¡­ yes, I''m thirsty."


    Frowning, the guard looked back.


    "There''s some in the storage."


    Taking out a set of keys, the guard unlocked the door for me, revealing the insides of a massive warehouse.


    "Go ahead and take whatever you want. Come back when you''re done."


    "Th-thank you¡­"


    Thanking the guard, I entered the storage space.


    I could feel the guard''s gaze on my back the moment I entered.


    "I''ll close the door. Knock when you''re done."


    "Sure."


    nk¡ª


    The door closed right behind me.


    Staring at it for a good few seconds, I lowered my head to stare at my forearm.


    ''I''ve been caught.''


    That much was clear to me.


    By having me enter the storage space, the guard was easily able to tell that the threads wereing from me.


    The guards weren''t stupid.


    They could easily deduce that something was wrong.


    In a matter of a few minutes, the other guards were probably going toe back as well.


    In more ways than none, the situation had turned even more desperate for me. But I wasn''t worried.


    I had taken this into ount beforehand.


    For now, everything was still flowing as I wanted to.


    "Right, it worked out in the end."


    But it wasn''t over yet.


    Entering the storage space was the first step in my n. Looking around, what greeted my sight were hundreds upon hundreds of shelves with dozens of boxes scattered throughout.


    ....It would probably take a normal person a few days in order to look through all the items that were stored within this ce.


    That was what the guards were probably thinking.


    Unfortunately, I knew.


    From the memories of the guards, and Javier, I knew exactly how to navigate the ce, and following a certain row of boxes, I stopped at a certain section.


    "It should be here."


    Pausing in front of a certain box, I brought my finger over it and traced my finger down.


    Opening the box, I looked at the contents within.


    "...."


    I stood quietly for a few seconds before smiling.


    "....Found you."


    My exit ticket.

 Chapter 175 Escape [6]

    Chapter 175 Escape [6]


    ??Cli nk--


    Rupert locked the door behind him.


    "I''ve got you."


    A small smile spread across his lips. The escapee was now trapped. He made sure that to be the case.


    "Hooo."


    At the same time, he felt cold sweat trickle down the side of his face.


    Had he not been paying extreme attention, he would''ve been in trouble.


    Thankfully, he had been on high alert. While he did believe the story at first, the fact that his so-called ''colleague'' refused to even look at him once was fairly suspicious.


    Of course, that wasn''t enough to warrant Rupert''s actions.


    The real reason why he was able to find out was simply because of the threads that wereing out of his body. They were thin, almost imperceptible. And yet, if one paid close attention, they''d notice them.


    It was almost as if he wanted him to detect him.


    "...No, that''s unlikely."


    Why would he want himself to be detected if his goal was to escape?


    While he wasn''t sure why he was there, Rupert made sure to close the door behind him and lock it.


    Unless he had a key, he wouldn''t be able to go out.


    And even if he did have the key, it wouldn''t matter since he left his own key in the socket.


    Like a rat, he was trapped.


    "I''ll wait for the others. They should be done chasing the other guy."


    The fact that there was someone else helping the cadet was somewhat suspicious, but Rupert thought nothing of it.


    Although the cadet looked weak to him, he didn''t want to underestimate him.


    Given how he had managed toe all the way here, his abilities weren''t something he dared to underestimate. That, and the fact that he''d be in trouble if he engaged directly.


    "It''s a pity thatmunication devices don''t work in the bunker."


    Things would''ve been so much simpler with them.


    "Hm?"


    It didn''t take long for him to hear footsteps.


    Turning his head, he could see his other colleagues rushing at him.


    "Rupert! It was a decoy! He was dead...!"


    "Where is the person that passed? Where is he?"


    They looked startled, and worried.


    With a smirk, Rupert pointed at the door behind him.


    "Don''t worry, he''s right in there."


    "Uh?"


    "What...!?"


    The two guards paused, looking at him with startled looks. That was when Rupert borated.


    "I was waiting for the two of you toe. I need one of you to leave and ry the information to the leaders that we''ve caught him. He was the one disguised as the other guard. Thankfully I managed to catch up and had him trapped in the supply area. He won''t be able to escape even if he wants to."


    "Ah! I''ll be on it!"


    Realizing what had happened, one of the guards immediately nodded before dashing away.


    The other guard on the other hand looked at Rupert with a frown.


    Rupert looked at him.


    "What is it?"


    ".....Do you really think it was a good idea to have him enter the supply area? There''s a lot of resources in there. Some dangerous stuff too."


    "Ah, don''t worry."


    Rupert waved his hand dismissively.


    "It won''t take longer than five minutes for Ryan to get back."


    "And?"


    "You''ve seen how big the supply area is. It''ll take him days for him to find anything useful. And we both know that the important stuff is locked in protected areas. Unless he knows the codes and has the keys, it''s impossible for him to get his hands on them."


    "That''s true."


    Only after hearing Rupert''s words did the guard calm down.


    Indeed, there was no time for the cadet to do anything significant. And even if he did have enough time, it was impossible for him to know where what was, and have the means of ess to them.


    Just as the guard nodded his head, the two heard a sounding from behind them.


    To Tok--


    It was the sound of someone knocking.


    ".....I''m done."


    And a voice echoed shortly after.


    Done...?


    Rupert frowned, meeting the other guard''s gaze.


    "You''re done? That quickly?"


    "Yes, the water was quite close."


    "...."


    Rupert pursed his lips.


    He didn''t quite understand what was going on.


    Did he really just go in for water? That made no sense. Why would he risk doing that in the middle of an escape?


    ''Was he really just that thirsty?''


    Either way, looking at the other guard, Rupert made sure to keep the door closed.


    "You''re done? Great. Just give me a minute. The key is stuck in the socket."


    nk, nk!


    He moved the key up and down to make it sound like it was stuck.


    He thought he had done a pretty good job at it.


    "It''s stuck?"


    "Yes, just give me a minute."


    nk, nk!


    "These damn keys...!"


    He continued his act for the next few seconds. Rupert could almost imagine the look of anxiety on the cadet''s face on the opposite side as he continued to move the keys.


    ''I would''ve loved to take care of you myself, but orders are orders, and I''m not keen on seeing whatever trick you have in store. I''ll keep you stuck here until reinforcements arrive.''


    In fact, he almost wished the cadet could leave the room. That would give him an excuse to be able to fight him.


    While he didn''t underestimate him, that didn''t mean he wasn''t confident in taking him down.


    "Hmm, this damn key. It''s been a very long time since we''ve used the bunker so I hope that you''re n--"


    Halfway through his sentence, Rupert felt a subtle vibrationing from the other side of the door.


    Frowning, he stopped and ced his ear next to the door.


    His colleague did the same.


    As he did, he could almost hear the sound of tape being used. Tape...?


    Why would he use tape?


    ''Wait...!''


    A thought suddenly struck him, and he hastily turned his head to look at his colleague who was still confused.


    Rupert hurriedly grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away.


    "Hurry up and le--"


    But it was toote.


    BOOOM--


    A massive explosion sounded, tearing the door apart and swallowing Rupert in it. The same was true for the other guard.


    The area rumbled, and the surrounding was covered in ayer of smoke.


    Tak.


    Shortly after, a figure walked out from behind where the door had once been.


    Holding onto a few small circr objects, Julien scanned the surroundings.


    Tossing one of the objects and catching it, his gaze fell on a figure lying down on the ground with his eyes wide open.


    "You''ve survived."


    .....It made sense to a certain degree.


    The device in Julien''s hand was a mana bomb. Only activated through the injection of mana, it was a rather powerful device. However, its radius was quite small, and it wasn''t very effective against extremely powerful people.


    In particr, those that were well-versed in the [Body] ssification.


    But it was a different discussion if they were caught off-guard.


    "Pft... Kh...!"


    With his back against the wall, blood spilled out from Rupert''s mouth as he looked at Julien.


    He seemed to want to say something, but he was in no state to speak.


    Julien was also not in a situation where he could waste time. Therefore, extending his hand, threads emerged, crawling down from beneath and helping Rupert up.


    Staring into his eyes, Julien remained silent.


    Rupert appeared to be struggling to say something, but it all went to deaf ears.


    Holding onto the mana bombs, Julien slowly ced them into Rupert''s pockets.


    "....!"


    "Shhh."


    Bringing his finger to his lips, Julien''s other hand turned purple as he ced it over Rupert''s face.


    Then, with this, Rupert''s body grew limp.


    That''s when Julien finally ced his finger against his temple and ended it.


    Because the guard was on the stronger side, it was a lot more difficult for him to kill him with just the thread. A thin, almost imperceptible film of mana had been protecting his body.


    Only after using ''Grip of Pestilence'' did the film disappear and Julien finished.


    Maneuvering the threads around the body, he turned to face the end of the hall.


    "Though his clothes are somewhat messy, it should do."


    Catching his breath, he rushed ahead.


    He only had a few minutes to spare. By now, everyone was aware of the explosion. Guards were going to flock in this direction, he knew that much.


    With such thoughts, Julien coiled one of his threads around one of the mana bombs before tossing it away and guiding it away from where he was.


    At the same time, he rushed in the opposite direction.


    Xiu!


    The speed at which the thread moved was a lot faster than he was.


    Before he knew it, the bomb was already quite far away.


    ".....This should be good enough."


    He flicked his finger.


    BOOOM¡ª


    A distant rumble echoed.


    ***


    "There''s growing unrest in the outer area of the bunker! Please send someone to calm the situation down!"


    "The unrest is growing!"


    ".....They''re demanding to open the inner area. Please send someone."


    Reports flowed one after another from panicked guards as they entered the meeting run. Listening to what was happening, the post-leaders felt a massive headache.


    It had been like this for the past several minutes.


    "One of the cadets is being especially loud! She''s been leading the protests."


    "We''re having difficulty dealing with her. She''s from a rather respectable family, and nobody wants to offend her."


    "Not only her, but several others! Please do something!"


    The same couldn''t be said for Aoife who looked at the scene with strange amusement.


    ''It must be her.''


    She could only think of one person who would do such a thing.


    Who else but Kiera...?


    ''I guess she does have her uses after all.''


    While Aoife wasn''t sure if Kiera knew of the situation, what she was doing was extremely crucial. With all the attention from the guards focused on trying to capture Julien, Keira''s unrest was making the situation more difficult for the post-


    leaders.


    It was perhaps going to lead to more guards being stationed at the outer area to calm the situation down, making things easier for Julien.


    For a moment, imagining how the situation was unfolding in the outer area, Aoife almost found herselfughing.


    Thankfully, she was able to restrain herself from doing so.


    "Calm down for a moment."


    Calming the situation down was the post-leader of the Moonshine Guild. He was a tall man with dark skin and long, flowing dreadlocks that cascaded to his shoulders. His deep, white eyes scanned the room.


    "....Please borate on the situation so that we can get a better understanding. You''re saying that there are protests outside, correct?"


    "Correct."


    The guard replied curtly.


    "What exactly are they saying...?"


    "That..."


    The guard looked ufortable, turning his head to look around. Frowning, Lennon Conroy narrowed his eyes.


    "Spit it out, what is it?"


    Feeling Lennon''s gaze, the guard pursed his lips before eventually speaking.


    "....Do you know who my father is?"


    The room turned silent right after that.


    None of the post-leaders muttered a single word.


    The silence was ufortable, almost tense. However, it was soon broken by a certain someone.


    "Pftt."


    Holding onto her mouth, augh escaped Aoife''s lips.


    Despite her best attempts, she wasn''t able to hold herself back and let out a strange sound.


    Instantly, all heads turned in her direction.


    Feeling their gazes, Aoife''s expression twitched.


    She was just about to say something when everyone''s attention flicked elsewhere. A subtle rumbling could be felt in the distance, apanied by the muffled sound of an explosion. It came from within the inner area of the bunker.


    "This...!"


    Several post-leaders stood up simultaneously.


    "Wait!"


    Aoife tried to call for them, but her words no longer had any effect on them as some directly left the room.


    "Quick! Check what''s going on!"


    "I''lle too."


    "Let''s go."


    It didn''t take long for most of the post-leaders to leave the room, leaving her sitting on her chair by herself.


    "Ah."


    Staring at their backs, Aoife bit her lips.


    ''.....I hope I''ve bought enough time.''


    This was the limit of her power.


    The post-leaders had finally made their move.

 Chapter 176 Escape [7]

    Chapter 176 Escape [7]


    ??"You don''t want to mess with my damn father! Once I get out, I''ll make sure to tell him everything! See what happens to you then!"


    "Yeah...!"


    "Do you know who her father is?!"


    "Oy, your dad is just as powerful as mine."


    "Ah, that..."


    Evelyn blushed.


    "I... just..."


    "Whatever, fuck. Do you know who her father is?!"


    A crowd had formed at the door that led to the inner area. Kiera, who was leading the crowd, started shouting all sorts of curses while throwing the weight of her father''s status around.


    Kiera herself found her actions to be cringe-worthy, but seeing how flustered the guards were, she knew it was working.


    For that reason, she doubled down.


    "If you don''t give us a proper exnation, my father will not let you go! Your life will be over before you know it!"


    Evelyn on the other hand was having a much harder time helping Kiera.


    "Y-yeah... My father too!"


    Her sense of shame was much greater than Kiera''s.


    In fact, did Kiera even have a sense of shame? She didn''t seem like the person to.


    Biting her lips, Evelyn felt her face grow hot.


    "F-father...!"


    "Everyone, please calm down!"


    The members of the guilds did try to calm the situation down, some even started to target Kiera who was clearly the main source of the chaos.


    But she had none of it.


    "Oy, fucker! Where the hell are you touching?"


    "Uh? It was just your shoulder!"


    "Fuck he touched me!! You''re done for! My father will get you!"


    "No, that''s..."


    Whether Kiera had shame or not, Evelyn had to admit. She had perfected her craft. The chaos only seemed to worsen with each one of her antics.


    "I''ve been molested!"


    The situation was getting so out of hand that several guards had to rush into the inner area to call for reinforcements.


    Evelyn thought that a post-leader would eventuallye, but all of a sudden, she managed to pick up the sound of a distant rumbling.


    Booom¡ª


    The rumbling was apanied by the distant sound of an explosion.


    Immediately, all the noise stopped.


    While the sound wasn''t very powerful and was rather toned down, most of the people present were superhumans. Their senses were far keener than those of normal people. Most people in the room heard it, and Kiera no longer needed to do a thing to sow chaos.


    By then, even the people that were not participating started to participate.


    "What''s going on?!"


    "Was that the sound of an explosion?"


    "Are we getting attacked? What''s going on!?"


    "What''s happening?"


    Kiera, who had been at the lead the entire time, took the chance to dip and join back with Evelyn at the back.


    "Hoo.... looks like my job is done."


    "Y-ou did great."


    "Huh, yeah, sure. Thanks, I guess."


    Kiera scratched the back of her head while staring at the inner area with a frown.


    "You heard that didn''t you?"


    ".....Yes. I think all of us heard it."


    "What do you think happened?"


    "I... don''t know. It did sound like an explosion."


    "....."


    Kiera turned quite from that point. Fiddling with her thumbs, she looked at Evelyn and was just about to say something when she stopped, her eyes widening slightly.


    "What...?"


    Taking note of the look on Kiera''s face, Evelyn tilted her head.


    "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something..."


    Drip...!


    And then she heard it.


    A faint, almost inaudible dripping sound that was masked by the chaos around.


    Lowering her head, Evelyn looked at the faint red drop that sttered on the ground. All of a sudden, her head felt light as she looked back up to Kiera who brought her hands to her shoulders.


    "Oy, dude! Are you okay?"


    Dude...?


    Even in her state, Evelyn had a hard time getting used to Kiera''s words.


    Normally, she would''ve been a bit bothered.


    But she didn''t have the energy to do that now. Looking around, the world around her started to spin. Feeling a certain tickling sensation on her cheeks, she tried to take a breath, but as if something was squeezing at her chest, she found herself unable to.


    "Oy! Oy!"


    Her world grew dark shortly after that.


    p¡ª


    Kiera pped her in the face.


    Even in her state, Evelyn was stunned.


    p, p¡ª!


    But Kiera continued to p her.


    "Oy!"


    ''I''ll remember this.''


    Evelyn thought to herself while hearing Kiera''s voice.


    Thest thing she remembered was the sound that came out of her mouth.


    "Hieeeeeeek¡ª"


    It was a scream.


    ....And it wasn''t just one.


    "Hieeeeeeek¡ª"


    In the background, she heard the sound of multiple screams.


    ***


    ''....I''m almost there ''


    Tak, tak¡ª


    Walking along the corridor, I felt my face scrunch up due to the exhaustion. I was tired, and the little mana that I had managed to recover was now practically depleted again.


    ''I need to get a better manual.''


    With a better one, I''d have been able to recover my mana faster and had an easier time moving around.


    Still, the situation was still under control.


    With the second bomb going off, I was able to throw off the guards a little bit. The path to the exit was one without interference.


    ''They''re either at the location where the second bomb went off, or they''re waiting for me at the entrance.''


    The fact that I was able to detonate a mana bomb threw them off and scared them somewhat.


    Given how narrow the corridor was, they''d be at a massive disadvantage.


    Therefore, the ideal situation for them was to wait and guard at the exit. It made sense, and it was something that I was hoping would happen.


    I was too exhausted to put up any fight.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    Walking across the corridor, I could hear the sound of my own breath.


    It was rough, marking just how exhausted I was.


    Not just physically, but mentally too. From the fear to the possible consequences that I was going to face when all of this was over.


    .....I had killed quite a lot of people in order to escape.


    While I may not suffer at all from this since I had the backing of Haven and my actions were for my escape, it didn''t mean that the Guilds wouldn''t have resentments against me for what I had done.


    In fact, it could very well mean that my actions had turned several Guilds against me.


    The thought made my head throb.


    But it wasn''t just that. I could feel something eerie lingering in the air. It was eating at my mind, and numbing my emotions.


    I also felt that the Guilds were acting strange.


    .....And I had a feeling that all of it had to do with the tree. For some reason, it felt as though everything was trying to stop me from finding out about it.


    From the Crimson Shade to the entrapment.


    ''I need to get out here.''


    I was bound to get an answer once I got out.


    Right before turning the corner, I stopped.


    "...."


    Peeking slightly, I could see over a dozen guards standing before a massive metallic door within arge opening.


    Pinching my brows, I took a deep breath and looked at the guard beside me.


    Patting him on the shoulder, my hand twitched and he turned the corner for me.


    "Who goes there...!?"


    "He''s here!"


    I could hear the rmed shouts of the guards.


    "Stay back! He''s got mana bombs!"


    "Get away from the corridors!"


    As expected, they knew I had mana bombs on me. It was for that reason that they avoided being in the corridors.


    With the narrow spacing, it was suicide to confront someone armed with explosives.


    "Wait a second, don''t move!"


    A rough voice suddenly filled the space.


    The noise died down, and I heard the sound of a rough step.


    "Come out."


    "...."


    My skin prickled at the voice. It sounded oppressive, and my chest felt heavy.


    "I know this is a decoy. Unlike the rest of them, I can see clearly that you''re controlling him from the back. Get out before I get you."


    "...."


    Tak¡ª


    I stepped out of the corridor and turned to face the opening that led to the exit. From where I was, I could see thest door. Over a dozen guards were guarding it, and at the front was a burly man with bushy brows and a bald head. The pressure he gave out was rather terrifying, almost reminding me of Professor Hollowe''s.


    No, not quite like him...


    A little bit less, but around there.


    Tier 4 to Tier 5.


    It was impossible for me to fight him.


    I was so close, and yet so far.


    Currently, he was holding onto the head of the guard whose body I had used as a decoy.


    It was an intimidating sight. The guard''s hand was massive, grasping the head of the decoy with just one hand and lifting it up.


    In the meantime, he stared at me with a little bit of wariness.


    "I don''t know how you managed to get your hands on the bombs, but we''re no longer in the corridors. You''ll have a much harder time hitting anyone in this space."


    He was right.


    Looking around, the space was ratherrge.


    The radius of the mana bombs was small. Unlike the narrow corridors, if prepared, the guards could simply avoid the bombs in thisrge space.


    .....It was indeed impossible for me to use them here.


    I took a step back.


    "Stop."


    The man''s voice fell again, and I felt a tremendous pressure wash over me.


    "The post-leaders will be here soon. It''ll be in your best interests if you stop now."


    Looking at the body in his hand, he frowned.


    "You''ve already killed several of the guards assigned here. Don''t add up to your crimes."


    Perhaps because he too was worried about the bombs in my possession, he didn''t approach me and preferred to wait for the post-leaders.


    "....."


    Standing quietly, I held my breath as I felt sweat trickle down the side of my face.


    The silence felt stifling.


    Standing on the opposite side of the guards, the situation seemed hopeless.


    I had just moved my hand to reach for my pocket when the guard shouted.


    "Stop!"


    My movements halted briefly.


    ".....You move even just a bit, and your head flies off. Do you understand me?"


    I was unable to answer as I struggled to move.


    Raising my head slightly, I met the man''s gaze. He was no longer grasping the guard''s body, and instead, he was holding onto arge axe, seemingly prepared to attack at any moment.


    At the sight, I closed my eyes before nodding my head.


    "Understood."


    "Good..."


    The man nodded in satisfaction.


    In that brief moment when he nodded, my hand flicked.


    "Uh...?"


    Confused, the guard looked at me.


    But it was toote.


    I had already run back.


    "What ar¡ª"


    His head flicked to the body next to him. Realization dawned on him, but it was toote.


    BOOOM¡ª


    A massive explosion sounded.


    It shook the entire surroundings.


    "Ahhhhh!"


    And several screams followed after that.


    ''While he probably isn''t dead, or suffered any major injuries, those were several mana bombs. It should be enough to buy me time.''


    Once the bombs exploded, I turned back and rushed for the exit door.


    It was hard to see given all the dust that was flying in the air, but it was no problem for me to find the handle of the door.


    With the key already prepared, I ced it into the socket and turned it.


    nk¡ª


    Shortly after that, I turned the wheel and the door started to rumble.


    Rumble...! Rumble!


    Using all my muscles, I continued to twist the door. My back was drenched and my muscles were stiff.


    "S-stop him!"


    "Someone stop him...!"


    I could hear the guards behind me, rushing in my direction.


    My chest tingled as I continued to turn the wheel.


    Rumble!


    ''Come on! Come on! Come on!''


    As an opening appeared, a wave of heat surged into the room, and the color red began to invade the surroundings.


    "S-stop him!"


    "....!"


    A hand grasped onto my shoulder.


    Turning around, I met eyes with one of the guards and I let go of the door before rushing towards the gap.


    "Sto-p!"


    Time seemed to slow down for me.


    From the corner of my eyes, I could see several hands reach out for me within the dust that filled the space.


    Staring at them briefly, I ducked down before twisting my body into the narrow gap of the door.


    I felt my heart speed up with anxiety as I managed to get half of my body out.


    However, just as I did, something mped at my leg.


    Turning around, I saw the burly man from before staring at me with bloodshot eyes.


    "Huaak...!"


    My insides tightened at the sight.


    Regardless of how much I tried to pull away, he wouldn''t let go.


    "Come back here...!"


    I almost lost my footing as he pulled me back into the bunker.


    "You...! Are not getting out¡ª"


    I tossed something in the narrow gap before he could get his words out.


    His expression changed drastically, and the grip over my ankle loosened.


    I took the chance to pull my leg away and rush away.


    Booom¡ª


    An explosion followed suit.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    Rushing away, I didn''t once look back. With heavy breaths, I ran and ran and ran.


    Mana coated my body as I ran.


    Despite the heat and the suffocating air, staring at my surroundings, I felt my breath grow lighter.


    Finally,


    I had escaped.

 Chapter 177 Silence [1]

    Chapter 177 Silence [1]


    ??The familiar heat nketed over me.


    Despite the mana covering my body, sweat continued to trickle down the side of my face as I had a hard time breathing.


    I felt an ufortable heat at the back of my throat with each breath that I took.


    "Haa..."


    But it wasn''t the heat that was bothering me.


    "Mana."


    The fact that I was low on mana was bothering me the most. On any normal asion, I''d be able tost more than a few hours beforepletely running out.


    However, the situation was different.


    My mana was almostpletely depleted due to my effort in trying to escape.


    It was so low that I figured I had less than ten minutes to spare.


    ''Good thing I brought some water with me.''


    The main problem with the Crimson Shade was the fact that everything beneath it would dry up, including living beings besides monsters.


    The few bottles of water that I had managed to get for myself in the supply area were going to help me buy some valuable time.


    My current destination was the ck Hound Guild.


    Not only did I want to go there to get some information regarding the Tree of Ebontorn, but it was also to get some supplies that would help restore my mana.


    ....If they even had them.


    ''They didn''t have them in the bunker, so it''s hard to say if they even have them here.''


    No, they probably did have them.


    However, they weren''t within the memories of those that I had used my ability on.


    ....And I didn''t have enough time to look for them.


    ''It''s a good thing that I read the secretary''s memories.''


    There was nothing abnormal in the memories of the secretary. It didn''t seem like he had any involvement in the situation. However, within those memories, I was able to have a better idea of where I needed to go.


    "It should be this way."


    The supply station waspletely deserted.


    Not a single soul was around.


    It was deftly silent. To an ufortable level as I moved past the mummified remains of the corpses lurking around the station.


    Swoosh--


    As red dominated the world and a gale of heat picked up, sharp wailing drifted through the air.


    It sounded like the cries of the ghosts of the fallen, calling out to me for help. I felt my entire body shudder at the sound.


    I ignored it and continued to rush forward.


    .....I couldn''t afford to waste time.


    Thankfully, I knew my way around the supply station. From the memories, and the areas that I had traveled to before.


    Flick. Flick.


    Themps stationed around the cobblestone streets flickered as I headed deeper into the station. Towards the Sorrowvale sector.


    There was something about the setting of the supply station that made me extremely ufortable.


    .....It was hard to describe, but I couldn''t put much thought into it.


    I didn''t have much time.


    I continued to run.


    My lungs were already on fire. Be it from the heat, and from my rapidly depleting stamina.


    "Huap. Huap."


    Strange sounds came out of my mouth as I ran on the cobblestone streets while passing the buildings and entering certain alleyways.


    Eventually, I managed to reach the main square of the Sorrowvale sector.


    ''Concern za''


    It wasn''trge, with a fountain in the middle.


    Shh--


    The fountain continued to function, the sound of the water falling down finally breaking the silence that gripped the station.


    The sight was a familiar one as I had been here before.


    But unlike in the past, the water was blood-red.


    I knew it was just because of the Crimson Shade but the sight added to the overall chill that surrounded the ce.It made it seem as though the fountain was recycling the blood of the ones that had died.


    "Where is it...? Where is it...?"


    Looking around the za, my gaze eventually settled over a tall ck building where a certain g hung. With the background in red, a ck dog stood in the middle, its muse pointing up.


    I recognized the g in an instant and rushed towards it.


    But just as I moved, I felt something crawl up from my ankles. I looked down to see the roots crawling all the way up from the ground and towards my cheeks.


    I felt my pulse race at the sight.


    But now familiar with the situation, I didn''t let that affect me.


    Cr Crack--


    At the very least, not until I heard a faint cracking sound in the distance.


    It was faint.


    And yet, amidst the silence, it echoed loudly within the world.


    I turned to look in the direction of where the noise wasing from. My eyes paused on the walls of the supply station. Though faint, cracks started to form on them. With the passing of time, the cracks grew more and more prominent.


    Thump!


    Alongside the crack, I heard what appeared to be a heavythump. Almost as if someone was striking a tree.


    ....and for a moment, I thought it had been the sound of my own heart.


    Blinking, the roots disappeared and I could move again.


    Pressing my hand against my chest, I tried to feel the beat of my heart. It was rapid. Abnormally rapid.


    ''What''s going on...?''


    The ground shook beneath my feet.


    Despite the suddenness of the situation, I thought I was doing great at keeping myself calm. That was... until the wails came.


    Kieeeeeeekkk--


    A single, hair-raising wail resounded throughout the supply station, which was soon followed by another, and then another. Each howl appeared to be louder than the other, sending shivers down my spine with each one that pierced through.


    Cr Crack--


    More and more cracks started to appear on the walls of the supply station.


    I involuntarily took a step back.


    Every part of my mind screamed in terror as a thin, ck hand emerged from behind the walls, its bony fingers stretching and curling to sp the walls.


    The nails, long and jagged, scraped against the surface, creating an extremely ufortable scraping sound that echoed through the air.


    My skin crawled.


    Thump! Thump!


    The thumping continued. This time, I could tell the difference between it and the onesing from my own heart.


    .....My heart was beating faster than that.


    Thump! Thump....!


    Within the deserted streets, the structures shook.


    And then,


    Crack!


    The first part of the wall tore apart, revealing a hideous-


    looking face.


    "A-ah."


    I felt my heart stop.


    With thin hair growing on its head and falling to its shoulders, the creature looked human at first nce. However, its eyes... they were abnormallyrge, bulging with an eerie, unsettling intensity. And that smile... it was a grotesque, wide grin that stretched widely.


    That smile...


    "H-ho."


    I thought I had seen it all, but this...?


    I couldn''t describe what I was seeing.


    Thump! Thump!


    The walls continued to break down under the creature''s hands. Soon, more cracks appeared, and within those craps, smaller and thinner creatures emerged. With the same smile as therge monster, they wed their way into the city, diving down in hordes.


    I was long gone by then.


    Turning around, I sprinted towards the ck Hound post.


    "This is messed up..."


    Clenching my shirt tightly, I rushed towards the structure. I could hardly think at the moment.


    From the Crimson Shade to this...


    Something was clearly wrong with the entire situation.


    I didn''t know what it was, but I understood that I had nowhere else to run. I was low in mana, and the bunker was no longer an option. Going out of the city was also impossible since it was surrounded from all sides and I didn''t have the means to teleport.


    .....I was stuck with no way out.


    "Haa."


    The sense of helplessness that I currently felt was hard to describe.


    Despite having ovee so much, I found myself in an even crazier situation. It made my body grow weak.


    But at the same time, I kept reminding myself of my goal.


    I couldn''t die.


    I didn''t want to die.


    So, I continued. Sprinting towards the ck Hound Post, I directly shattered the windows of the building and jumped in.


    Crash¡ª


    It was dark.


    Stepping onto the broken ss, I looked around me. The interior of the post was quiterge, with several sofas, and furniture. It would''ve looked great on any other asion, but right now, it felt eerie.


    ".....It should be here."


    The reception desk was just a few steps ahead. Going on the other side, I rummaged through whatever I could find.


    "No, not this one... Not this one too."


    There was a lot of useless stuff. It wasn''t what I was looking for. But I eventually did find what I was looking for.


    "Ah, here."


    It was a set of keys and a small map.


    The map wasn''t very big, nor detailed. It onlybeled the different sections of the building which were arranged from A to F.


    In essence, they were just thebels for the floor of the post station. A being the first floor, and F being thest floor.


    I quickly scanned the map before tossing it away.


    Having read the secretary''s memories, I already knew everything. My main goal was the set of keys.


    With them, I''d be able to get into where I wanted to go which were;


    B - The library.


    D - The storage space.


    Those were where I needed to be.


    I didn''t waste time. Tossing the map to the side, I looked around before settling my gaze over the stairs in the distance.


    Kieeeeeeekkk¡ª


    Just as I moved, I heard wails in the distance. They were rapidly approaching, and I felt my heart leap into my throat.


    I rushed up without hesitation.


    ".....Ukh."


    But just as I moved, the mana film covering my body flickered. My eyes grew wide at the realization.


    "Oh , no..."


    The film eventually disappeared, forcing me to halt my steps.


    "Haa..."


    I felt a sudden surge of heat.


    Each breath started to tingle the back of my throat, and sweat started to drip down the side of my face.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    My vision started to grow wobbly, and I felt lightheaded.


    In no time, I grew thirsty as my lips grew parches.


    In that moment, I reached for one of the water bottles that I had managed to get for myself and quickly drank it.


    "Uak."


    Tossing the bottle to the side, I grabbed onto the rail of the staircase and took a step.


    Tak.


    Each step felt heavier than the previous, and I had a hard time breathing through my nose. It felt as though I was breathing fire.


    But I continued to force my way up.


    "Haa..."


    Kieeeeeeekkk¡ª


    The wails grew nearer, and my vision was starting to tilt.


    Despite that,


    Tak.


    I continued to move up the stairs.


    "A-almost..."

 Chapter 178 Silence [2]

    Chapter 178 Silence [2]


    ??¡ª¡ªA few moments after Julien escaped.


    Outer bunker area.


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    Screams echoed within the outer area of the bunker. Taking steps away from Evelyn, who was screaming at the top of her lungs, Kiera cursed under her breath.


    "Not this shit again..."


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    Although she was somewhat resistant to this type of stuff, Kiera felt the hair at the back of her neck raise.


    It was creepy.


    Fucking creepy.


    Looking around, she could see over a dozen figures staring in a certain direction with white eyes. She could recognize a few of the people that were like that. In fact, one of the people screaming was Josephine.


    ...For some reason, it felt oddly satisfying to see her like that.


    ''I must be crazy for thinking this.;


    Kiera pped the side of her cheeks.


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    Their screams pierced through the surroundings, and the protest quieted down for a few seconds.


    Thump! Thump!


    That was until the bodies started to fall on the ground.


    Kiera stared at the scene with pursed lips. Turning her head, she caught a glimpse of Evelyn''s body falling in her direction.


    Just like the others, she was going to fall to the ground.


    It would certainly hurt if she got hurt.


    Hurt a lot.


    "....."


    Kiera licked her lips.


    ....She then took a step to the side and allowed her to fall face-first.


    Thump!


    Evelyn fell face-first against the ground.


    Kiera winched slightly, but at the same time, found the situation to be hrious.


    ''Damn it, if only I could record this.''


    Clearly, this was not the time for her to do such a thing, but her impulses got the better of her.


    "Let us out!"


    "Get out of the way!"


    "I''m going to use force! I don''t care! Let us out!"


    Her thoughts were broken by the shoutsing from the people within the outer area. They all appeared to be rushing towards the door that led to the inner area, swarming the guards who looked totally hopeless.


    "Wait...! Please calm down! We can''t allow you to get in! We''re still trying to find out more about the situation! Please calm down!"


    Despite the guard''s best attempt at trying to calm the situation down, it only added fuel to the fire as some of the people tried to force their way in.


    "Get out of the way!"


    ".....I don''t care about your exnation! You''ve been telling us the same thing for hours! I''m done waiting here! There''s something wrong, and we''re all going to turn into them if we stay here any longer!"


    "That''s right! Let us out!"


    "I''d rather be hit by the Crimson Shade than this!"


    "There''s an exit right outside! Let us out!"


    Listening from the side, Kiera frowned. It was true that the Mirror Dimension''s exit was right outside the supply station.


    In hindsight, having everyone evacuate would''ve been the best option.


    ''Well, not like anyone could''ve predicted for something like this to happen.''


    The bunker was supposed to be safe, and everyone should''ve been able to go back to the supply station right after the Crimson Shade ended.


    No one would''ve been able to predict the current circumstances.


    And it wasn''t just that.


    ...The exit attracted a lot of monsters. With a lot of them wanting to go out into the main world, without proper security, the monsters were bound to jump out into the main world.


    Going outside to the exit was probably not the best option since the guards stationed at the entrance had probably already left and were defending the hordes of monsters from the other side.


    That pretty much sealed that option.


    ''So what now....?''


    Kiera tried to rack her brain over the matter. The more she thought about it, the more desperate the situation seemed.


    Cr Crack...!


    And it was in the midst of her thoughts that she heard a faint cracking sound.


    Raising her head, she looked around.


    "Let us out!"


    "I''m going to use force...!"


    Everyone still seemed to be busy trying to force their way out of the bunker. It seemed like she was the only one who noticed.


    No, there was someone else.


    Looking in the distance, she noticed a few figures staring towards the windows that disyed the world outside.


    Squinting her eyes, Kiera walked forward and headed for the windows.


    "I''m not going crazy, am I?"


    For some reason, walking towards the windows, Kiera felt a pit in her stomach.


    Her body grew tense by the second, and the noise around her started to fade in the background.


    Arriving by the windows, she ced her hands on them and peeked outside.


    Cr Crack...!


    The sound emerged yet again.


    It appeared to being from the city walls.


    Squinting her eyes, she looked ahead.


    "Ah."


    That was when she saw it.


    Cracks.


    Cracks had started to form around the walls that surrounded the city. Her mind started to nk, and by the time it took for her to blink, a hand appeared from behind the walls, solidly grasping it.


    A tingling dread crept through her body at that moment.


    "T-that..."


    Stuttering, she took a step back.


    From the windows, she could see her own reflection. Her face was pale, and her body was trembling all over.


    Without hesitation, she turned around to head for where the crowd still was.


    And then,


    Hieeeeeeeeek¡ª


    A wail echoed in the distance.


    ***


    The situation wasn''t any calmer within the inner area of the bunker.


    News of Julien''s escape reached the post-leaders.


    "What? How is this possible? Are you telling me that a cadet who isn''t even stronger than any one of you has managed to escape? Not only that but he''s also managed to kill so many of you. How does this make sense?"


    The most angered by the news was the post-leader of the ck-Hound Guild who started to berate the guards at the exit.


    "Ipetent! Damn it! If only that little girl didn''t stop me...!"


    His anger was visible for all those to see.


    The other post-leaders stood behind him without saying a word. They quite frankly didn''t care about him. While they were all working together, it didn''t mean that they all liked each other.


    They were, after all, inpeting Guilds.


    "Tell me what happened."


    Lennon''s deep voice reached one of the guards.


    Looking up at Lennon''s tall frame, the guard swallowed her saliva before answering.


    "Sir, I''m not entirely sure. From what I''ve heard, the cadet appears to have strange thread-like powers, and..."


    She stopped, frowning.


    Lennon also frowned.


    "Go on."


    "That..."


    Swallowing her saliva, she mustered up her courage to say,


    "It also seems like he knew everything about the inner area. From the generalyout to where he needed to go."


    She didn''t say anything from there.


    However, her words were clear.


    ''There''s likely a traitor.''


    Picking up her message, Lennon''s frown deepened.


    ''....A traitor?''


    Who would that even be? And if that was the case, were they also responsible for the situation? It was bing increasingly clear to Lennon that Julien was involved with the entire situation.


    He didn''t seem like the culprit before, but now...?


    ''He''s in cahoots with someone. They''re most likely the mastermind.''


    But who...? Who could be the mastermind?


    Unfortunately, he never had time to dwell on the matter. All of a sudden, a guard rushed in with a pale face.


    It was starting to be a familiar scene.


    "Emergency!"


    The guard shouted, gathering the attention of all the post-


    leaders.


    "The walls have been breached!"


    ***


    "Huek...! Huek!"


    The veins at the side of my neck pulsed as I struggled to breathe. Holding onto the railing to keep myself from falling, I managed to help myself all the way up to the fourth floor.


    .....That was where the storage unit was located.


    Arge door greeted me the moment I entered the fourth floor. I didn''t hesitate to insert the keys that I received from reception and opened the door.


    nk¡ª


    I was immediately greeted by arge white room with over a dozen shelves and another door.


    That door led to the inner supply area and was where most of the important treasures were located.


    Unfortuantely, I didn''t have the key to such a ce.


    It was something that only the post-leader had. But it didn''t matter. The outer area had all the things that I needed.


    Crash!


    Stumbling over the shelves, I tossed all the useless junk and frantically looked for anything that could help recover my mana.


    At the same time, I also drank another bottle of water to replenish my thirst which seemed to return every couple of minutes.


    Crash...!


    I stumbled yet again, falling on the floor this time.


    "Huep."


    Taking a deep breath, my vision was blurry. I could feel my thoughts fading away.


    "Huep."


    Strangely, however, I was still able to keep myself from giving up.


    The sensation...


    It was somewhat familiar.


    I had experienced it before. Where exactly?


    Ah.


    That was when it clicked.


    ''The mental examination.''


    Indeed, this wasn''t the first time I had experienced something like this. Thinking about how I had managed to get past that, all of a sudden, the situation didn''t seem as desperate as it looked.


    "Huep."


    Taking another deep breath, I tried to get my focus back.


    Lying on the ground, I looked around my surroundings and eventuallyid my eyes on a certain section.


    "....There."


    Several dozen ss bottles appeared on one of the shelves.


    Within them, I could see pills inside. I didn''t know which one was which, but I knew that one of them was going to help me.


    "Uk...!"


    My legs faltered the moment I tried to stand up, forcing me back down.


    ''No, not yet.''


    Gritting my teeth, I crawled towards the shelves. It took every little bit of my energy to get there, and as I tried to help myself up with the aid of the shelf, I once again found myself falling on the ground.


    .....I no longer had any energy.


    "Huep. Huep."


    I didn''t give up.


    I was so close.


    I couldn''t give up.


    Turning my body around, I kicked the shelf with my leg.


    Bang¡ª


    The shelf shook.


    Bang¡ª


    I kicked it again.


    The shelf shook once more.


    Bang¡ª


    I continue.


    Bang, Bang, Bang¡ª


    With each kick, the shelf shook more and more. So did the bottles that rested up above it.


    "Kh."


    I felt my consciousness fading with each one of my kicks.


    The heat was starting to get to me.


    .....As I started to lose consciousness, I felt a weird tingling sensation around my cheeks. My chest felt suffocated, and I felt the corner of my eyes getting pulled.


    Crash!


    What awoke me from that feeling was a loud crashing noise.


    "...."


    Turning my head, several pills were scattered around the area I was in.


    Opening my mouth, I brought my head closer to the nearest one, and I swallowed it.


    A warm current passed through my body.


    And,


    ?| EXP + 1.3%


    A notification shed across my vision.

 Chapter 179 Silence [3]

    Chapter 179 Silence [3]


    ??I felt a certain flow from deep within my abdomen.


    ....It was a familiar sensation, and my body started to cool down. I felt my consciousness return, and I reached out with my hand to grab the other pills scattered across the ground.


    ?| EXP + 1.4%


    ?| EXP + 1.1%


    ?| EXP + 1.7%


    ?| EXP + 2.0%


    ?| EXP + 1.1%


    Notifications continued to sh across my vision.


    I started to feel bloated after a certain point, but I didn''t care and continued to gorge the pills in my mouth.


    I was in such desperate need of mana that the bloating did not affect me.


    ''More, more....''


    And it wasn''t just that. Seeing the notifications sh across my eyes, I started to get greedy. I wanted to see more of those notifications.


    It was hard to increase one''s power.


    .....This was the easiest increase I had ever had.


    I couldn''t get enough of the feeling.


    But,


    "Uekh...!"


    After a certain point, I had to stop. Holding onto my stomach, I turned my body and held onto my mouth.


    "Huep!"


    Mana had already coated my body, and the heat no longer affected me. I felt a rumbling in my body and I started to gag.


    I spat out the pills that were in my mouth. I had done that unconsciously, or more like, my body appeared to reject them, forcing me to spit them out.


    It became clear to me that I had reached the limit of the pills that I could eat.


    "Huuu... Huuu..."


    Taking deep and steady breaths, I held onto my mouth and did everything in my power to prevent myself from puking all that I had ingested.


    I had a feeling I''d lose all the progress were I to puke.


    "Uekh."


    Strange sounds came out of my mouth as I did so.


    However, in a matter of a few minutes, I was able to retain everything.


    Only then did I rx.


    "Haaa..."


    My chest heaved up and down rapidly while I slumped back and stared nkly at the ceiling of the room.


    It took me a few moments to collect my breath and sit up.


    Although my insides were still churning and twisting, I knew that I didn''t have much time. Grabbing whatever pill was left on the ground, I looked around me. There was a lot of misceneous stuff around.


    From food, and water, to unnecessary things like clothes and the like. While it was smallerpared to the bunker supply area, it was still nothing to scoff at.


    Grabbing a bag, I tossed whatever I thought was useful and headed out.


    ".....They''ll hate me for sure after this."


    I had practically emptied their entire pill storage.


    Sure, those probably weren''t anything important considering that the most important stuff was locked elsewhere, but to me...?


    Yeah, those pills were certainly great.


    Creak...


    The wooden floor creaked under my steps. Coming out of the supply area, I held onto the handrail of the stairs and carefully moved down.


    While it was true that I had recovered, I was still feeling lightheaded.


    I would need more time before I could fully recover.


    "It should be here."


    The library was located on the second floor. Arge metallic door greeted me the moment I stepped on the second floor.


    Taking out the keys, I put them in the slot and unlocked the door.


    Cli nk¡ª


    Immediately after opening the door, a certain smell swooshed over me. From the musty scent of the aging paper and ink, mixed with the earthy notes of wooden bookshelves and the subtle, sweet hint of leather book bindings.


    .....It was a smell that told me that I was in the right ce.


    "Finally."


    Just standing where I was, I could see thousands upon thousands of books. Compared to the public library, the book selection was much wider and organized.


    In fact, the ck Hound Guild was the best ce for this type of information.


    Compared to the other Guilds, they were the ones that specialized in information gathering with regard to the monsters found in the Mirror Dimension.


    This was the best ce to choose from.


    "Where is it, where is it..."


    Instead of diving into the library, the first thing I did was head to where the librarian''s desk was.


    It was arge wooden desk situation near the entrance that allowed the librarian to overlook the entire library.


    Rummaging through the cabs of the desk, I scanned the documents and papers ced on top.


    The process continued for the next few minutes before my gaze finally settled on a certain paper.


    "Ah, there!"


    It was a detailed overview of the books that were located in the library.


    Rather than jumping in straight blindly, I preferred to have a more concrete path of where I needed to go. I didn''t have the luxury of wasting time.


    "Monster ssification... Area A-21."


    There were over a hundred different areas within the library, eachbeled with different colors and markers.


    My immediate focus fell on the monster ssification area which was further subdivided into categories.


    [Junior Rank]


    .


    .


    [Terror Rank]


    And so on.


    Because I didn''t know what the Tree''s rank was so I skipped that area and settled over a certain ssification.


    [Nature-based/Botanical creatures]


    "This is it!"


    I felt my heart speed up upon seeing that category.


    "It''s in A-21, shelf 7."


    Once I had the location nailed down, I didn''t waste a second and sprinted towards the selected area.


    The library was quiterge.


    Split into several sections, I had to navigate through a lot of books and shelves before reaching the A area where I had to go a further 21 rows before finding the area that I was looking for.


    "Monster ssifications, here."


    Tracing my finger over the books, I moved over to the seventh row where the botanical section was located.


    I grabbed whatever book was located in that area.


    There weren''t many books. In fact, there were only three, but they were rather thick. It would take me some time to go through them.


    "....It''s too dark."


    I wanted to read the book on the spot, but the area was quite dark, making it hard for me to read.


    I had no choice but to head for a better area.


    Just as I was about to leave, I stopped for a second before picking up another book.


    The book had nothing to do with the tree. I still chose to pick it up since there was another creature that I wanted to inform myself about.


    It was the creatures that came out from the walls.


    I needed to be better prepared for when I was going to leave.


    "Hoo."


    Finding a seat on the nearest wooden table, I ced the book down before skimming on thest book that I found.


    Since it was illustrated, it took no time for me to find the exact picture of the monster that I had seen.


    "Silence Eater."


    I tilted my head upon reading the name.


    "That doesn''t sound right."


    Recalling the noise it made just outside, I didn''t know if it was an appropriate name.


    At least, that was what I thought before I started reading the description.


    "....."


    That was when I felt my heart pause.


    "This is going to be problematic."


    Without a doubt.


    Pursing my lips, I ced the book to the side and shifted my attention towards the main book.


    "Tree of Ebonthorn. Three of Ebonthron..."


    Using the index, I tried to look for what I was looking for. Tracing my fingers over any creature that started with ''T'' I made sure to re-read each line twice to see if there was anything that I was missing.


    However, regardless of how many times I checked, I couldn''t find what I was looking for.


    "This book is a bust."


    I wasn''t disheartened. Of all the books, it was the thinnest one.


    I grabbed the next book and opened the index. I paused halfway through my actions as I heard a certain sounding from behind me.


    Creak...!


    The wooden floor creaked a few meters away from me, and I froze on the spot.


    I didn''t even turn to look back.


    Creak.


    The wooden floor creaked again at the sound of a step.


    Anxiety started to gnaw at me then.


    Creak, Creak¡ª


    Eventually, a shadow cast over the area next to me, allowing me to catch a glimpse of a hunched-up skinny figure with long hair that stopped at its shoulder.


    I didn''t so much as make a sound.


    I couldn''t make a sound.


    ''It''ll find me if I do.''


    The silent eater.


    .....It detected its prey through sound.


    They were blind and had no sense of smell. The only way for them to hunt was through noise.


    It was for that reason that I stopped moving.


    I moved, and I was done for.


    Especially since I could tell from just a nce the creature was stronger than me.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Shifting my hand towards my chest, I tried to calm my beating heartbeat. It was progressively growing faster and faster.


    Creak...


    The floor creaked again.


    I sat still without making a sound.


    The silence felt stifling.


    Almost suffocating.


    Sweat started to form on the side of my face.


    Creak, Creak¡ª


    In the background, the ground continued to creak. The sound was getting closer and closer, and I felt my breath leave my body.


    ".....!"


    I almost flinched on the spot as I gripped my clothes harder.


    Appearing right beside me was none other than the Silent Eater, its face a few inches away from me. With wide eyes and a grotesque grin, its eyes appeared to be locked onto me.


    Panic bloomed in my chest as I stopped breathing.


    "....."


    All that surrounded me was silence.


    A silence that seemed to want to engulf me entirely.


    "....."


    I remained still, staring at the Silent Eater without making a move.


    It stared back at me.


    Every second felt suffocating, and the sweat trickling down the side of my face added to the anxiety that I was feeling.


    But finally, the creature moved its head and looked away.


    "...."


    Creak.


    Creak, Creak¡ª


    Its steps grew more and more distant, but despite that, I continued to remain still on my spot.


    It was only after several minutes had passed that I finally took a subdued breath.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    The sound of my heartbeat drummed loudly within my mind, and it took every part of me to make any sound.


    Fortunately, I was able to keep it down after a few minutes had passed.


    ''.....I just barely made it.''


    Shifting my attention back towards the book in front of me, my gaze eventually fell on three words.


    [Index - Tree of Ebonthorn (Page 516)]


    My heartbeat, which had steadily calmed down, sped up again.


    But this time, it wasn''t out of fear.


    No, it was out of excitement.

 Chapter 180 Silence [4]

    Chapter 180 Silence [4]


    ??''Page 516...''


    I was careful with my movements. I couldn''t make any sounds.


    Just a little sound, and I was done for.


    Swallowing my saliva, I brushed the bottom part of the pages to look for the page number. Unlike the first book I checked, this book was a lot thicker. There were at least over a thousand pages.


    ''....I found it.''


    Eventually, I found the page I was looking for and slowly and carefully pushed the pages aside to get to the page.


    I felt the beat of my heart rapidly increase as I did so.


    Finally, I was going to find out more about the tree.


    Or so I thought.


    ''This...''


    My mind nked the moment I turned the pages.


    Staring at the page in front of me, all I saw was an image. The page beneath it waspletely ripped apart.


    Gripping tightly onto the side of the book, I tried my best to keep my breathing steady.


    ''How...?''


    What was it that I was currently feeling?


    Anger? Frustration..? Or was it a mix of both?


    Either way, they both led to a sense of helplessness that didn''t seem to go away. Carefully breathing without making any sound, I flipped to the next page. But even then, there was nothing.


    I checked the next page, and then the next one, but there was still nothing.


    I even tried putting the books upside down in hopes of perhaps finding the page inside of the book, but even that appeared to be fruitless.


    ''Damn it.''


    I wanted to curse aloud with every part of my being.


    However, I knew I couldn''t.


    That would make me a target for the eaters.


    ''Well, it''s certainly a good thing Kiera isn''t here.''


    Thinking about how she''d fare in this situation, I suddenly had the urge tough.


    If it was her, she''d be dead in a few seconds.


    It would just be one curse after the other. I knew all too well since she had probably thrown every curse in the book at me during the time that I started teaching her.


    In fact, there were quite a few that I learned from her


    ''Fatherless bastard.''


    I quite liked it. Rolled well to the tongue.


    In the end, I had to take even more breaths to calm myself down and focus on the broken page in front of me.


    There was only one image in there.


    ...It was the image of the tree. It looked exactly like it did in my vision.


    Towering ominously, its bark was a deep, unnatural ck, and its branches were twisted and gnarled like the grasping fingers of a skeletal hand. The blood-colored leaves seemed to sway in the picture as images of the vision shed in my mind.


    On the bark, several hands were reaching out from it.


    I shuddered at the sight.


    ''....?''


    Tracing my eyes down the page, I was able to make up a few words that hadn''t been removed from the page.


    ''Erode the mind...?''


    They were only three words, but it seemed as though it opened up a new road for me.


    ''Erode the mind. Erode the mind. Erode the mind.''


    Mumbling the words in my mind for several seconds, I started to get an idea of the situation.


    ''Could it be that the tree is already in full effect, and is controlling the minds of some of the people in the bunker...?''


    It would exin several things.


    Like the reason I had been detained and researching the tree. Leon too. That guy... I was starting to miss him. Things would''ve been much easier for me had he been here. Wasn''t he supposed to be the main character of the game?


    Why was he so useless at important times?


    Where the hell was his plot armor when one needed it?


    ''Whatever, that''s not important.''


    I focused back on the three words imprinted on the page before me.


    ''.....It''s not hard to reduce the scope of the culprit behind all of this.''


    The ck Hound Guild was certainly suspicious. In particr, the post-leader. While I hadn''t met him, I had seen the secretary''s memories.


    He was the one who had ordered the investigation.


    If there was anyone that was suspicious, then it was him.


    ''He could also be the one that ripped the page.''


    It made sense if he was under the control of the tree.


    But the real question was...


    ''Did he do it because his mind has been eroded by the tree, or because he''s the one behind the tree...? ''


    I swallowed my saliva and tried to calm my nerves.


    It felt as though I was onto something.


    But that sensation didn''tst for long.


    Creak.


    A certain creaking sound startled me out of my thoughts, forcing me to hold my breath. I thought the moment would pass as the eater would leave, but ahot breath ran down the back of my neck.


    ".....!"


    I felt the hair on every part of my body rise.


    ''Calm. I''ve got to keep calm.''


    I repeated the same word over and over in my mind.


    Calm.


    Calm.


    m.


    Clem.


    Clmi.


    Clm.


    My hand started to tingle.


    I didn''t know why this was happening. I had been silent the entire time, making little to no movements.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    My neck chilled as I heard the heavy breathing of the creature behind me.


    I was suddenly gripped with anxiety and my muscles tensed.


    I wanted to run away but knew that I couldn''t. The creatures were faster than me. The only thing I could do was,


    Be silent.


    .....I had to remain totally still.


    "Haa..."


    The breaths continued.


    It continued to tickle my neck.


    Every second felt agonizing.


    The seconds continued to tick, and time seemed to stop. Biting my lips, I carefully wiped any of the sweat that wasing down the side of my face.


    I had to be very careful with my movements.


    My muscles were stiff, and my heart was beating out of my chest.


    The fact that the ''Silent Eater'' had yet to hear it was a miracle.


    "....."


    The breathing eventually stopped.


    Creak.


    And I heard the floor creaked.


    I didn''t rx.


    Turning my head slowly to face the direction of where the Silent Eater was, I could see its back moving away.


    Its figure wasnky and emaciated, the sharp ridges of its spine clearly visible even from a distance. Its entire skin had a sickly pinkish hue, stretched taut over its skeletal frame.


    In particr, my eyes shifted towards its unnaturally long nails, extending down to the ground and dragging along as it walked.


    Only when its back was no longer in view did I finally rx.


    Taking a breath, I turned my head back to face the book when my heart stopped again.


    ".....!"


    Appearing just a few inches away from my face was another Silent Eater. Its wide eyes and grotesque smile looked directly at me.


    ''When...!?''


    Despite my best attempts at trying to keep my breath steady, I was unable to and the creature tilted its head.


    Ba.... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Never before did the beat of my heart echo so loudly.


    I had hoped.


    ....Hoped that the creature wouldn''t hear it.


    But it did.


    Opening its mouth wide, disying the hundreds of different teeth, it lunged at me.


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    I crumbled back, falling from my chair.


    Bang!


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    I heard several screamsing from the back, and my heart turned cold. Staring at the creature that was on all four on the table, I hastily moved back.


    Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak.


    The ground trembled as I heard several footsteps rush my way.


    From the sound alone, I could tell several eaters wereing my way.


    The situation felt helpless. I was helpless, but at the same time, I didn''t panic. Despite my mind telling me to flee, and my heart beating to the point where it was the only thing I could hear, I didn''t make any sounds and hastily reached for my pocket where I felt a round object.


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    The eater before me screeched, its muscles tensing as it prepared to lunge at me.


    I was seconds away from getting eaten.


    But I didn''t panic.


    Injecting my mana into the small object, I quickly tossed it away.


    Tok¡ª


    The ball hit the ground in the distance, and the creature before me stopped.


    For a brief moment, our gazes met. Although I knew it couldn''t see me, it did seem like it could.


    And then,


    BOOOM¡ª


    An explosion sounded.


    "Hieeeeek¡ª" "Hieeeeek¡ª" "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    I took advantage of the sound to turn around and leave. As I ran, I didn''t bother at all about the sound my footsteps made as all the creatures ran toward where the mana bomb went off.


    "Haaa... Haa... Haa..."


    I tried to maintain my breath, but it was hard.


    Clenching my teeth, I rushed out of the library and headed for the stairs.


    Behind, I could still the wailsing from the eaters. My skin tingled, and it served as a reminder to pick up my pace.


    "Hoo."


    Coming down to the first floor, I stopped my movements and took a deep breath.


    It was hard and I could hardly see.


    Taking my time to calm my breath, I quietly walked towards the exit of the building. Without knowing what was behind the door, I couldn''t rashly make any sound that could expose me.


    No, there was no guarantee this was a good move.


    Given how loud the bomb was, there were most likely going to be a lot of eaters waiting outside.


    For that reason, instead of heading for the main entrance, I turned back and headed for the backdoor exit.


    "....."


    It was quiet and dark.


    If not for the faint luminescent lines marking my path, I would''ve long lost sight of where I was.


    ''ording to the memories, the exit should be just a few meters ahead.''


    Tracing my hand against the walls, I narrowed my eyes to get a better look at the distance.


    Walking quietly, I could make out a faint squared outline in the distance. Seeing how the outline was in red, I presumed it to be the lighting from the outside, highlighting the frame of the door.


    I hurried my steps and reached for the handle.


    nk¡ª


    Despite my absolute best attempts at trying to be subtle with my actions, a faint clicking sound echoed the moment I opened the door, and as the heat rushed in, I felt a dozen pairs of eyes fall on me.


    "....."


    I stood motionless on the spot, at a loss for breath.


    ''.....And here I thought they''d only cover the entrance.''


    It was a miscalction on my part.


    Looking around and staring at the dozen or so creatures surrounding the narrow alleyway, I pursed my lips.


    This time...


    I really did miscalcte.

 Chapter 181 Silence [5]

    Chapter 181 Silence [5]


    ??I stood frozen in silence as I felt the gazes of the eaters in front of me.


    My chest clenched with anxiety at the sight before me, but upon realizing that I had yet to be attacked, I understood that they had only reacted slightly to the door opening.


    ''I''m still safe."


    At least, for now.


    Staring at the eaters in front of me, I fiddled with my pocket. I still had two mana bombs with me.


    They would certainly be useful in this type of situation, however, I chose against using them this time.


    I looked at the long and narrow alleyway in front of me.


    ''.....I''ll only screw myself over if I use them.''


    While it was true that the mana bomb would attract the eaters away from me, it would also attract the eaters behind me.


    That would make escaping impossible for me.


    With eaters on both sides, I''d bepletely helpless.


    ''Now what...?''


    I had two options.


    Go back inside, or move past the eaters in front of me.


    The choice was rather simple after I thought about it.


    ''I''ll go this way.''


    The number of eaters in front of me was quite high. However, whenpared to the entrance, it was probably much lower.


    For that reason, this was the best option for me.


    ''It''s not like I have to use the mana bomb.''


    On another note, it was also true that I didn''t have to use a mana bomb. Perhaps it was because of the situation that I was in, but I was starting to overthink a lot.


    Was I the type to overthink¡­?


    Perhaps, but for some reason, it felt as though my mind was slowly losing rity the more I stayed here. I had noticed something simr happening back at the bunker when I started killing without regard.


    Was it a coincidence?


    I didn''t think so, and all of a sudden, I was reminded of the words I read back at the library.


    ''¡­.It can''t be.''


    Was the tree already affecting me?


    But how was that possible¡­? I wanted to refuse the possibility with all my heart, and yet, the more I thought about it, the more likely this possibility was true.


    ''This might also exin the roots that have been haunting me.''


    I felt a pang of anxiety when I thought about it. Recalling the fact that roots had now reached my face, I knew I didn''t have much time left.


    "¡­.."


    I lowered my head to stare at my shoes.


    While it was indeed a bit of a pity, I had no choice. There were no rocks around, and the alleyway appeared to be spotless.


    The shoe was my only option.


    ''....If only I could open my bag.''


    There were many things that I could use instead of my shoes, but opening the bag would create too much noise.


    This was unfortunately the safest method.


    Thus, taking off my shoes, I wrapped one of them with the threads.


    The alleyway was quite long. I could see the exit from where I was, but it was quite far. Thankfully, it wasn''t a distance I couldn''t cover with my throw.


    Therefore, tensing my body further, I threw the shoe as far away as I possibly could.


    Thud!


    In the silence that took over the surroundings, a subtle ''thud'' resonated, and the eaters all raised their heads to face the same direction of where the noise came from.


    "Hieeek¡ª!"


    Shortly after, they screamed and ran towards where the shoe was.


    Their speed was quite fast, and in seconds, they were already quite far.


    I followed right behind them.


    I wasn''t worried about the sound of my steps as I walked without my shoes. It helped reduce a lot of the noise that I made.


    "Hieeek¡ª!"


    Just as the eaters were about to reach the shoe, I pulled it back with my thread and caught it with my hand.


    I was still not out of the alley.


    Catching onto the shoe, I tensed my arm and threw the shoe again.


    Thud!


    The eaters once again screamed and followed the noise.


    ''It''s working.''


    I continued to run behind them.


    My pace was rather slow, but in no time, I was finally able to reach the exit of the alleyway.


    "Hieeek¡ª!"


    The monsters were still chasing my shoe, but just before they could eat it, I''d always retrieve it back and throw it in another direction.


    Only when I got far away did I finally retrieve my shoe back for good.


    ''Well, maybe...''


    Staring at the dangling shoe in front of me, I didn''t know how to feel.


    It was torn apart with multiple scratches and gashes all over. It wasn''t an expensive shoe, but I still felt pained seeing the state it was in.


    .....In this world, I wasn''t rich.


    Every little Rend mattered to me.


    ''I''ll get the academy to reimburse me if it''s thest thing I''ll do.''


    This was a pledge.


    ''Now, then...''


    I looked around me.


    I was back standing in one of the streets that led to the main za.


    The streets were deserted, and absolute silence gripped the surroundings. It was hard to describe the situation, but it felt incredibly unsettling.


    Cr Crack¡ª


    The silence was broken by a faint cracking sounding in the distance.


    Raising my head, I stared at the hand that was gripped against the station walls. Bit by bit, it was starting to destroy the walls, creating more and more cracks.


    More eaters started to emerge from the other side, entering the station in hordes.


    I stared at the hand in thought.


    ''.....I can''t really see how strong it is.''


    From the book, ''silent eaters'' were Terror Ranked creatures. It was for this reason that I never bothered fighting them.


    However, staring at the massive hand in the distance, I wasn''t so sure that creature was Terror Rank.


    I had a feeling it was higher ranked.


    If that was the case, the only people that could deal with it were the Post-Leaders.


    ''Right, the Post-Leaders.''


    A sudden thought entered my mind at that moment.


    It was a crazy thought.


    One that mightnd me in a whole world of trouble, but at the same time, it was also the only way for me to have a chance at gaining the missing page.


    ''Yes, I''ll do it.''


    But now was not the right time yet.


    The first thing I needed to do was get back near the bunker.


    Taking a small and shallow breath, I quietly moved around the cobblestone streets to head for where the bunker was.


    The location wasn''t quite far, and I knew exactly where I needed to go.


    Along the way, I''d noticed eaters around, but none of them noticed my presence. In fact, they all seemed to be rushing towards where I had previously been.


    "....."


    Walking past one of the eaters, I nced at one of the mummified corpses that was lying down on the streets.


    There were many of them, and under the heat, they almost became unrecognizable.


    .....I had just turned to look away from the corpse when all of a sudden, I heard a faint rustling noiseing from it.


    I stopped dead in my tracks and turned my head.


    Two white eyes.


    They were staring back at me.


    I felt my heart freeze.


    Before I could even react to the situation, I watched with numb horror as the corpse''s mouth opened, and,


    "Hiaaaak!"


    A hoarse scream escaped its mouth.


    It was a raw, grating cry. It was as if the vocal cords were shredded with each desperate exhtion, producing a chilling, almost inhuman wail that echoed throughout.


    "....."


    In a matter of seconds, I heard a series of soundsing from all sides.


    Realizing my situation, I prepared to run away, but,


    Tak¡ª


    The corpse moved yet again, its skinny and mummified arm mping against my ankle.


    "Kh...!"


    I tried to release myself from its grip by moving my leg, but the corpse refused to let go as its white eyes continued to stare at me.


    Yet again, its mouth opened.


    This time, it didn''t scream. Instead, it started to speak, as yet again, its hoarse voice echoed out.


    ".... Stop... Resisting..."


    It was only two words, but they were enough to send chills down my spine.


    And then,


    "Hieeek¡ª!"


    The eaters arrived, surrounding the area from all sides.


    I looked around me with bathed breath and stopped resisting. The corpse next to me continued to speak.


    "Be... One... With... The... Tree..."


    My pulse raced, and I fiddled with the mana bomb in my pocket.


    There was little time at my disposal. With the corpse still gripping onto my ankle, and the eaters staring in my direction, I knew that the situation was dire.


    Extending my hand in the corpse''s direction, threads flowed out from my arm, wrapping around the arm that was entangling my ankle.


    Clenching my hand, the hand severed in two.


    In spite of my actions, the corpse continued to stare at me with its white eyes.


    It no longer seemed to be able to speak, but its gaze was enough to send shivers down my entire body.


    .....Unfortuntely, I had no time to stare back into its eyes for too long.


    Taking out the mana bomb, I threw it in the air where it exploded.


    BOOOM¡ª


    The surroundings shook, and the eaters lunged in the air.


    "Hieek! Hieeeeek!"


    I turned around and dipped.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Despite my best attempts, I couldn''t stop my breath as I ran. I was starting to get tired again, and the mana inside of my body depleted further.


    ''This is bad.''


    I now only had one mana bomb left to spare, and eaters appeared from all sides, rushing in the direction of where the bomb sounded.


    However, there were quite a few that were headed right at me due to the noise that I made, and gritting my teeth, I could only increase my pace and run across the cobblestone street.


    .....I wasn''t running blindly this time.


    Despite not going in the direction of the bunker, there was one ce that I was currently headed to.


    The control station.


    Located at the very heart of the station, it was where the emergency station was located.


    While I didn''t know much about it, looking up and staring at the speakers located on some of the poles that were stationed around the streets, I knew this was my best bet in getting rid of the eaters.


    While the eaters thrived in silence, it was also their biggest weakness.


    Once the horns started, the eaters were going to be in a state of utter confusion, unable to know where to go.


    That was my best bet at escaping.


    "Huu."


    Thus, taking a deep breath, I picked my pace further.

 Chapter 182 Silence [6]

    Chapter 182 Silence [6]


    ??The emergency station wasn''t far from where I was. I could practically see it from where I stood.


    It was within a tall, ck spiral that twisted towards the sky, starkly contrasting with the surrounding buildings. The structure''s dark, glossy surface reflected the dim red lighting from the Crimson Shade, making it look like a shard of obsidian jutting into the sky.


    It was hard to not take notice of such a building.


    Rushing with all my might, I looked behind me to see several eaters ncing my way. I pursed my lips and continued to sprint.


    Bang--!


    "....!"


    The building next to me shattered and a hand crept in my direction.


    I felt my heart jump out of my chest at the sight of the hand. It was fast, and I just barely managed to avoid it by ducking down.


    "Hiieeek--!"


    Emerging from the building was an eater who twisted its head in the air to feel for any noise.


    At the same time, I felt the sound of multiple rushed steps heading in my direction. It was likely that the eaters had been attracted by the noise.


    I bit my lips and fiddled with my pocket. I only had one mana bomb left.


    I couldn''t just carelessly throw it.


    .....I needed to make good use of it. After a little bit of thought, I put my hand away from my pocket and moved back while keeping my gaze on the eater who continuously tilted its head for any sound.


    The wails of the other eaters grew near, but I kept my lips pursed and my heart steady.


    "...."


    In the silence, I continued to move back.


    Every part of my body felt tense.


    Licking my lips, I continued to move back. Silencepletely took over my surroundings. Holding onto my shoe, I coiled the threads around it before eventually tossing it towards the distance.


    Thud.


    Without looking back, I rushed towards the emergency station.


    I was just about to retrieve the thread when I felt a certain pain in my chest.


    Something leaked from my nose. Wiping it, I could see that it was blood, and it was then that I realized that my thread had been snapped.


    ....Just like that, my shoe was gone.


    ''I''ll really ask for reimbursement after this!''


    I quite liked my shoes.


    Turning the corner of the street, I finally managed to spot the entrance of the spiral.


    But soon, my steps came to a halt.


    "....."


    I stood silently while catching my breath.


    ''.....This is troublesome.''


    Standing right before the entrance of the spiral were over a dozen eaters, all looking around with their heads twitching.


    I fiddled with the mana bomb in my pocket.


    ''Good thing I didn''t waste it.''


    Things would''ve been a lot more troublesome otherwise. Gathering my mana into the bomb, I turned around to throw it when I stopped.


    "....!"


    A face appeared right before me and I shuddered. With its eyes staring directly at me, its grotesque smile widened.


    "Haaaa..."


    My feet numbed, and its hot breath fell on me.


    ....I tried my best to keep my heart steady.


    But it was hard.


    Really hard.


    Especially when its mouth opened, revealing a long, serpentine tongue that slithered out like a grotesque tendril. It extended impossibly far, snaking through the air slowly and steadily, heading directly towards where I stood.


    "....."


    Swallowing my saliva, I tossed the mana bomb in the eater''s mouth and jumped back.


    Thud.


    Over a dozen gazes fell on me at that moment, but I didn''t care. I turned towards where they were and directly rushed at them.


    Tak. Tak.


    I could hear the sound of my steps echo within the silence, and I felt my throat mp up.


    The eaters in front of me opened their mouths to scream, but just before they could, the sound of an explosion resounded.


    Bang--!


    Their heads twitched, and they rushed forward at incredible speeds.


    I didn''t stop.


    I continued to run forward, while they ran directly at me.


    I could feel their gaze on me as they rushed, and my heart pounded out of my chest.


    I didn''t let that affect me and continued.


    Three meters...


    Two meters...


    One meters...


    We were now just a meter away from each other. Their mouth opened to reveal their sharpened teeth, and I ducked down.


    "Hieeek--!"


    The eaters chomped at the air before rushing forward,pletely dismissing me.


    Without looking back, I helped myself from the ground and rushed towards the emergency station.


    The door was broken, and so I didn''t need any keys to enter.


    "...."


    Slowing my steps down, I took a small orb from my back and tapped on it. Light immediately appeared, illuminating my surroundings.


    Holding it in front of me, I was able to see the insides of the building.


    "...."


    Everything was a mess. Shards of shattered ss littered the floor, glinting ominously in the dim red light, while torn-out papersy strewn about, fluttering slightly due to the heat.


    Walking towards the stairs, I held onto the handrails and took my first step up.


    Creak...!


    But the moment I did, I almost felt my heart jump out of my chest.


    I immediately looked back and sighed in relief upon seeing that no eater had noticed anything.


    ''How annoying.''


    Looking down at the wooden stairs, I tried to think of a way to move up without making any sound.


    Putting pressure over the handrails, I made sure that they didn''t break at my weight, and held onto them more tightly.


    ''....Okay, this might work.''


    With the aid of the handrail, I took a slow and careful step up. Unlike the first time, no sound came out this time.


    I nodded in relief and took another step.


    The location of where I needed to go was thest floor. Because of the method that I was using to go up the stairs, it took me several minutes to get up there, but once I did, I pressed my foot against the ground and rxed upon seeing that no sound came out.


    I immediately rushed forward after that.


    Thest floor was rather small. It was about the size of a ssroom, with a door on each side.


    I looked to my right and then to my left before deciding to go on the right side.


    Opening the door quickly, I went in and looked around. The room was quite small with little decoration. Nothing about the room popped out besides therge windows that allowed one to get a look at the entire city from above and the wooden desk before it.


    I looked outside and felt my expression stiffen slightly at the number of eaters that were present outside.


    ''This is not good.''


    There were more and more entering by the second. It wouldn''t be long before the entire station would be flooded by them. Not only that but looking up, I could also see that therge creature behind was getting closer and closer to tearing the walls down.


    Cr Crack...!


    The sound of the walls cracking continued to echo in the air.


    Such thoughts brought urgency to my mind as I picked up the pace.


    ''Ah¡­''


    I soon found what I wanted and moved towards it.


    ''This is it.''


    It was a small device that looked like a remote. It was quite small and was easy to miss since it rested on top of a chair.


    I didn''t hesitate to channel my mana into the device before pressing on it.


    WHIIII¡ª!


    Immediately, the ring sound of the sirens echoed throughout the entire station.


    WHIII¡ª!


    They were loud, and the noise was hard to dismiss.


    Immediately the eaters looked up and their heads twitched.


    "Hiekk¡ª!"


    Their screams and wails echoed throughout as they appeared utterly confused by the situation.


    I had been worried they''d attack the sirens, but they didn''t since they were so evenly spread, making it hard to pinpoint.


    Latching onto their hair, the eaters pulled them out while they wailed in the air.


    "This is good."


    I could finally rx. Holding onto the remote, I grabbed anything that looked useful before heading back down.


    This time, I didn''t need to use the help of the handrails and was easily able to get down to the first floor where I rushed out.


    "Hiseek¡ª!"


    As expected, none of the eaters took notice of my presence the moment I came out. With the sirens ring loudly, they didn''t have time to pay attention to me.


    I finally was able to calm down.


    ''¡­.That''s one situation resolved.''


    Then, staring in a certain direction, I pursed my lips before rushing forward,


    It was now time for me to handle the other situation.


    ***


    Bunker, Outer Area.


    Panic was already blooming within the bunker. Such panic only intensified at the presence of the eaters. Everyone was naturally scared, but the people who were protesting were no longer protesting as none of them wanted to leave anymore.


    It was for that reason that the situation calmed down.


    "Tsk."


    Clicking her tongue, Kiera sat down with a sullen expression.


    With what was happening outside, it was hard for her to stir up some shit.


    She felt a little disappointed at that fact.


    Staring at the window outside, she suddenly heard a loudly ring sound.


    WHIIIII¡ª


    It appeared toe from the entire city, and the eaters outside the bunker appeared to go berserk.


    She was surprised by the situation, and before she could even question what happened, a voice echoed from beside her.


    "¡­..It''s probably Julien''s doing."


    Recognizing the voice, Kiera frowned. However, she pushed her feelings down and turned to look at Aoife.


    Her expression changed a little when she saw the state of Aoife was in.


    She looked rather haggard.


    As if she hadn''t slept for a few days.


    "He''s escaped."


    That was all she said, and Kiera''s focus shifted away from her well-being. Well, it didn''t matter to her anyway.


    "¡­..That guy escaped?"


    "Yes."


    Aoife nodded.


    "He''s created quite a mess. All the post leaders are discussing sending a potential team out to get him back, but the situation turned like that so it has been postponed."


    "Oh."


    Kiera understood what she meant.


    She could tell that there was chaos in the inner parts. She didn''t really know why, but now she knew.


    "So you think he''s the one responsible for the sirens?"


    "¡­.Yes, most likely."


    Aoife sat down next to her. She looked even more tired now, and Kiera tilted her head.


    The scene looked a little familiar.


    ''Don''t tell me¡­''


    p¡ª


    "¡­.!"


    Aoife turned to look at her with wide eyes.


    "What was that fo¡ª"


    p¡ª!


    Kiera pped Aoife again while looking at her with an extremely serious expression. It almost looked like she was trying to help.


    "You''re showing the same symptoms as the others. You''re about to turn into a screaming bitch. Let me fix you before it''s toote."


    "What¡­? Wait!"


    Aoife raised her hand to block Kiera''s p.


    She then red at her.


    "I''m not turning! I''m tired because I''ve been questioned by all the post-leaders due to what Julien did! I helped him out a little!"


    "Ah."


    Only then did Kiera understand as she awkwardly scratched the back of her head.


    "¡­.You should''ve said so sooner."


    Aoife didn''t respond to that.


    She didn''t know how to respond to that. How could she have known Kiera was going to p her like that?


    Clenching her teeth, she turned her head to look outside.


    ''I don''t have the energy to fight her.''


    It was all red, and quiet.


    "Hmm?"


    Looking in the distance, she spotted a faint silhouette approaching their direction.


    It appeared to move nearer to them. Frowning, Aoife squinted her eyes to get a better look, and when she did, her eyes widened.


    "What the¡­"


    "Uh, what?"


    Kiera simrly looked in the direction she was looking.


    Her expression also changed.


    "Uh...?"


    It looked like Kiera also recognized the figure.


    Aoife pursed her lips.


    .....Why was he back?


    And why did it seem like he was looking directly at her and Kiera?

 Chapter 183 Silence [7]

    Chapter 183 Silence [7]


    ??WHIIII¡ª


    The sirens continued to re throughout the entire station. Walking past the buildings, I headed towards a familiar location.


    ''¡­..If my guesses are right, then the missing page will be what allows me to understand what''s going on properly.''


    While I didn''t check the other guilds, I was sure they also had no information regarding the tree.


    The fact that none of the post-leaders knew about it was also concerning. It was as though all information about it had beenpletely wiped from the world.


    It didn''t make sense.


    No, it did make sense. But that would mean that...


    ''That''s impossible.''


    I bit my lips while staring at my hand. There was another possibility I was entertaining to exin the situation.


    It was a possibility that I wanted to refute with all my heart, and yet, thinking about everything that had happened, it seemed to be more and more likely to be true.


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath and pped both sides of my cheeks.


    ''Let''s not think about it. I''ll first get over this part.''


    Cra Crack¡ª


    Apanying the ring sound of the sirens, a wild wail echoed throughout the air. It pierced through it, almost drowning out the noise from the sirens.


    At the same time, more cracks started to appear on the walls of the city as the station started to be flooded with even more eaters.


    Quite obviously, the sirens had startled the beast outside.


    It was now putting even more effort into trying to get in.


    "¡­..I better hurry."


    Quickening my pace, I turned a corner where a flickeringmp cast a dim glow under the red-tinted sky. In the distance, a familiar dome-shaped building came into view.


    From where I stood, I could see the windows of the bunker and I headed directly for it.


    ''¡­.I see a familiar face.''


    It looked like Aoife, and as if noticing my presence, her head turned to face me. Immediately, her eyes widened and shortly after, Kiera''s face also appeared.


    Her eyes widened in a simr fashion and she pped Aoife...?


    ''Uh...?''


    She pped her?


    It really did seem like it as Aoife red at her and the two started to argue.


    But it wasn''t just the two of them that noticed my presence. The others situation by the windows also spotted me, and a crowd soon started to gather as they all pointed at me.


    ''Good.''


    This was what I wanted as I headed closer to them.


    I couldn''t hear anything that was going on on the inside, but it didn''t matter. Soon, the crowd split, and a few faces appeared. I could tell from just a nce that they were powerful.


    I also knew exactly who they were.


    The post-leaders. They were all looking at me with different expressions, but I didn''t care as my gaze fell on a certain person.


    What stood out the most to me were his ring red eyes as they looked at me. It felt as though I was being stared at by a hound, ready to pounce at me at any second.


    ''Karl Jashmire. Post Leader of the ck Hound Guild.''


    I felt the corner of my lips twist slightly at the sight of him.


    ''This may be the first time I''ve met you in real life, but it isn''t as though I''m not familiar with you. ''


    I had plenty of memories to work with.


    "¡­You''ve got the page, don''t you?"


    As I spoke, I made sure to do so extremely slowly so that he would understand my message.


    ¡­..And I was sure he did as his expression changed slightly. It wasn''t much, but it was enough for me.


    I fully smiled then.


    "I''d like it please."


    ***


    The outer area of the bunker was in chaos. Julien''s appearance appeared to shock many of those who were inside.


    "What''s going on¡­?"


    "Is there someone outside? What is he doing outside? Should we let him in?"


    "What''s the situation? He seems to be saying something."


    All eyes were on Julien who was standing outside of the bunker while staring directly at Karl who was staring back with a serious expression.


    He appeared to be saying something, but because of the soundproofing, nobody was able to hear a thing.


    But of course, they didn''t need to as they could read his lips.


    "You''ve got the page, don''t you? Page...? What is he talking about?"


    Having noticed Julien saying something to Karl, Lennon turned his head to stare at him and asked,


    "Karl, was he speaking to you? He said something about you having something, what is he in about?"


    "¡­."


    Karl didn''t answer. He appeared oddly calm as his eyes narrowed slightly.


    "Hey!"


    It was a slight nudge to his shoulder that woke him up from his state as he looked around. All eyes were on him, and he cocked his head.


    "What''s going on¡­?"


    "What do you mean what''s going on?"


    Lennon frowned, his deep voice resounding throughout.


    "That should be our question. Wasn''t the cadet talking to you?"


    "¡­Oh, right."


    Karl massaged his shoulders slightly.


    "I''m also not sure about what he said. But if there''s one thing I know is that he has a grudge against me. I was the one who did order for his torture after all."


    The others didn''t say anything.


    They were there. Of course, they knew what had happened.


    "Then¡­?"


    Penelope turned to look outside where the cadet was with furrowed brows.


    "What do you n on doing?"


    "The obvious."


    Scratching his cheeks, Karl headed for the main entrance of the bunker.


    "Not only has he killed multiple guards, but it''s also very obvious now that he has some involvement in the situation. I''ll go catch him myself. We need to get to the bottom of this to better understand the situation."


    He paused for a second, turning his head to stare at the others.


    "I don''t need any help. I''ll be enough."


    He proceeded to leave shortly after that. Staring at his departing back, the post-leaders looked at each other before frowning.


    Lennon was the first one to speak, his white eyes scanning Karl''s back.


    "I feel like there''s something that we are missing about the situation. I want to get to the bottom of this, but..."


    He looked around.


    "....There needs to be someone to stay here and watch over the situation."


    "I agree. I''ll stay behind."


    Penelope offered.


    Following her words, a few other post-leaders stated their stances.


    "I''ll stay too."


    "I''ll go help."


    Like that, the groups split.


    Although there was no need to send out so many post leaders, they couldn''t be sure of the situation given how the cadet had managed to escape. Furthermore, they were all extremely curious about the things he said.


    There was something that they clearly weren''t aware of now.


    "Let''s go."


    With Lennon at the helm, the group headed for the main entrance where a small chamber awaited them. Within the chamber, Karl was nowhere in sight. It was likely that he had already left.


    Turning to look behind him, Lennon didn''t say much and closed the door behind them.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    Immediately, the heat began to seep in from every corner of the room. They channeled their mana to block the heat, and for them, this process was rather easy. In no time, they adjusted to the rising temperature.


    Following this, Lennon spun the wheel of the door and the door opened.


    Trrrrr¡ª


    Immediately, the colors around them began to fade, and the world transformed into shades of red.


    A familiar scene appeared before their eyes. Looking around, Lennon stepped out of the space and the others followed from behind.


    "Let''s go. I want to see exactly what''s going on."


    He proceeded to head to where the cadet had been.


    At the same time they moved, Karl had already arrived before the cadet who was sittingon top of a rock with a tired look on his face.


    "¡­.It took you a while to get here."


    Karl stopped and looked around. He didn''t jump into catching the cadet just yet. He was afraid he had something nned.


    It wasughable.


    He was a lot stronger than him, and yet he was wary¡­


    How could he not be since he knew about the page? Nobody was supposed to know that it was in his possession. The thought made him warier.


    "Where is the page?"


    Breaking him out of his thoughts was the cadet''s voice.


    Meeting his gaze, Karl''s red eyes flickered as he cooly spoke,


    ".....I don''t know what about any page that you''re talking about. I''m only here to take you in for the crimes that you''vemitted."


    "Oh?"


    The cadet smiled, almost mocklingly.


    "I''vemitted crimes...? Can you list them?"


    "I''ve got no time to y with you."


    Clenching his teeth, Karl was just about to make a move when he heard the collective sound of steps moving behind him. Turning his head, he saw the other post-leaders had appeared.


    ".....What are you doing here? I said I could handle this alone."


    "We know."


    Lennon spoke, turning his gaze to stare at the cadet with narrowed eyes.


    "I just wanted to see him for myself. In case he ys any tricks, we''ll be here to stop him."


    ".....I see."


    Karl thanked them with a nod.


    Just as he was about to make a move, the cadet leaned back slightly, tossing something in his hand.


    All eyes fell on the device.


    It looked somewhat familiar, but Karl wasn''t sure where he had seen it. It wasn''t big, and rectangr.


    "Ah."


    It was Lennon''s surprised yelp that alerted Karl. Turning his head, he saw Lennon stare at the object with a somber expression.


    "That''s the device that controls the sirens."


    "....Ah, I recognize it too."


    "Is that what it is...?"


    The other post-leaders appeared surprised by the revtion besides a few. Karl was also surprised, but he soon sighed in relief.


    Was that his trump card...?


    ''It''s not a bad n. However, it''s a reckless n.''


    The cadet''s n was easy to understand. With the controller, he could turn off the sirens at will. When that happened, all the silent eaters would head their way if he shouted. He was threatening them with that.


    .....However, this much was nothing.


    By the time, the eaters woulde, he''d have him already incapacitated and brought back into the bunker.


    Not only that, the eaters were nothing for him and the other post-leaders. It was an empty threat.


    Karl was just about to rx when the cadet spoke again.


    "Want to see something weird?"


    This time, he didn''t seem to address him. Rather, he appeared to be addressing the other post-leaders.


    "Something weird...?"


    "Oh, yeah."


    Julien fiddled with the device in his hand before turning his head to stare at Lennon.


    ".....How much do you bet that once I turn this off the monsters wille and attack all of us with the exception of a single person."


    Before the others could say anything, Lennon raised his hand to block them from speaking.


    "What are you saying?"


    "Don''t listen to him. He''s trying to waste time."


    Karl suddenly spoke, appearing to head in Julien''s direction.


    However, before he could even get close, Lennon appeared before him.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Wait...? Why are you even listening to him?"


    "It''s because they''re curious."


    Tossing the device in the air, the cadet caught it before turning to meet Karl''s gaze. Staring into his blood-red eyes, his smile faded.


    ".....About the words that I said."


    He went on to press on the remote, and the sirens immediately stopped.


    Immediately, the entire station plunged into silence which was shattered by the cadet who shouted in the air.


    "Oy!!!!"


    His voice was so loud that it reverberated throughout the entire station. Immediately, wails echoed in the distance and thousands of figures appeared before them.


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    Staring at them with their grotesque eyes, they surrounded them from all sides.


    The only reason they hadn''t attacked yet was because of the small translucent shield that had formed around them.


    Crossing his arms, Julien looked around before turning to look at Karl.


    "How much do you bet none of the monsters will attack him even if he steps outside of the barrier and screams?"

 Chapter 184 The Page [1]

    Chapter 184 The Page [1]


    ??"What...?"


    I could feel the doubt in everyone''s voice as I said my piece. Massaging my face, I looked at the post-leader of the ck Hound Guild. His red eyes coldly stared in my direction as he stood motionless on the spot.


    There was something unsettling about his gaze.


    I couldn''t quite ce it into words.


    However, for some reason, I felt my chest grow heavy.


    ''He doesn''t look at all worried.''


    .....Was it just a bluff, or was it perhaps that I had guessed wrong?


    In hindsight, I wasn''t entirely confident about my hypothesis. There were clues here and there, and if he truly was the possessor of the missing page, then there was also a chance that the monsters might not attack him.


    Why...?


    ''Because the tree is the one controlling the monsters.''


    Or at least, that was what I assumed to be the case.


    The timing was all too perfect.


    From the Crimson Shade to the ''Silent Eaters'' that suddenly made their way into the town. None of it made sense unless it was pre-nned beforehand.


    Such was the only possible exnation that I could think of... And if the ck-Hound post-leader was truly the one who held the page, then there was a high chance that the eaters wouldn''t attack him.


    Still feeling the same red eyes on me, I turned towards the post-leader beside me. Unlike Karl, his eyes were white, and his skin tone was ck.


    ''His name is Lennon, right...?''


    Just staying a few feet away from him felt pressuring.


    "What are you trying to say?"


    His deep voice reached my ears.


    Pursing my lips slightly, I raised both of my hands in a sign of submission.


    "Before you say anything, I''m surrendering. You can do whatever you want to do with me, but..."


    I turned my head to meet those intense blood-red eyes.


    Yet again, I felt my chest grow heavy at the sight of them.


    Why...?


    "....before you take me in, you won''t mind testing whether my words are true or not, right? It won''t cost you much anyways."


    "....."


    Lennon remained quiet while his white eyes remained fixed on me. I had a hard time understanding what he was thinking.


    He then turned his head to look towards the other post-leaders.


    There were three of them.


    .....I could recognize two of them.


    With shoulder-length red hair, a mole beneath her chin, and eyes that matched the fiery hue of her hair, stood Alyssa Karline, the post-leader of the Fire-Phoenix Guild.


    Beside her stood a taller man with a skinnier build. His head was balding, and his eyes were narrowed into slits.


    He was the post-leader of the Dark Raven Guild, Jack Whitlock.


    They were the only two that I was able to recognize due to the memories I had extracted.


    Regarding thest one, I really didn''t know.


    But it didn''t matter.


    ....The content of their conversation was what I was more interested in.


    "Should we listen to him?"


    "It wouldn''t hurt. There''s nothing to lose from the deal. He seems to know something."


    They didn''t even bother to keep their voices down as they spoke.


    "Karl might not like this."


    "Why wouldn''t he like this? This is nothing for him. When all is said and done, he''ll just take the cadet with him."


    "That''s true."


    "What do you think, Karl?"


    The post-leaders turned to look at Karl who remained motionless on the spot, his expression hard to read. I stared at him from where I was, trying my best to carefully gauge his expression, but the more I looked, the less I saw.


    .....It was extremely eerie.


    To the point where I felt the hair on my arm rise.


    And the fact that he didn''t even bother to address them but just stared at me added to that feeling.


    "As expected, you need to be removed."


    His voice was cold and low,yering slightly. Immediately, everyone turned to look at him. The way he was acting... it had clearly shocked them.


    Ba... Thump!


    My heart jumped.


    A strange sensation gripped my chest.


    I closed my eyes then.


    "...."


    I lowered my head to stare at my hand.


    It was again shaking.


    Not out of nervousness, but at a certain realization.


    A realization that made me shudder.


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath.


    "Karl, are you alright? What''s going on...?"


    The other post-leaders were staring at Karl warily. ncing at them, Karl didn''t answer and continued to fix his gaze on me.


    "It was right."


    By ''it'', he probably meant the tree.


    ".....They''re not the problem, you are."


    "Karl?"


    "What are you saying...?"


    I remained quiet while staring back into those red eyes.


    Squench. Squench.


    Familiar roots started to appear beneath the ground as they entangled my feet and crawled up to my body before reaching my eyes and mouth where they started to pull them apart.


    My vision shed.


    ....And the world turned quiet.


    I heard nothing, not even a whisper of wind.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    The only thing I could hear was the faint sound of my very own hearbeat.


    It was growing weaker and weaker by the second.


    "Hmm! Hmmmm!"


    "Umm!"


    Such silence was shattered by faint moaning soundsing from afar.


    They were enough to startle my eyes open.


    "H-Haaa..."


    My chest squeezed at the sight that bore before my very eyes.


    And the air sucked out of my lungs.


    ''.....So it''s like this.''


    Blood-red leaves scattered across my vision, covering the town that hid beneath.


    "Hmmm...! Hmm!"


    Hands outstretched from the ebony bark of the tree as moans echoed throughout.


    Squench. Squench.


    A familiar sound tickled my ears.


    My guts churned at the sound as roots slithered up from the corners of my cheeks, slowly dragging my eyes and ears backward.


    "....."


    I was paralyzed.


    Frozen within the tree as my heart grew numb.


    "Hmmm...!"


    I spoke, but no words came out.


    I thrashed, but my body refused to move.


    Squench. Squench.


    I soon gave up, and I closed my eyes.


    "....."


    Everything around me turned silent.


    It was just me and my thoughts.


    ''When...?''


    My mind was nk.


    Since when.... had the tree possessed me?


    "H-haa."


    The weight over my chest increased.


    ....I had entertained the possibility. I wanted to refute it, and yet it came true in the end.


    All of it.


    ''From the very start...'' All of it had been an illusion.


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    As if a boulder was resting ony my chest, I struggled to breathe.


    The clues were there.


    The timing of the Crimson Shade, and the monsters. The fact that all information about the tree was missing.


    ....And the roots weird that continuously popped up here and then.


    The tree... It had already taken hold of me and was merely letting me, and everyone else it had absorbed quietly live within an illusion it had created so that it could absorb the life force of those within.


    None of us knew.


    The illusion was perfect.


    ....Almost perfect.


    But at the same time, the clues were hidden in in sight.


    My memories of the time before I had been absorbed by the tree were gone, but when I thought about it, the very first moment I stepped into the station, I recalled feeling something.


    A strange tickle at my cheeks and ankles.


    ''Right, that must be it.''


    .....That was the starting point of where my memories had been overwritten.


    Then...?


    The vision I had experienced from the quest... it was in fact the second time that I had seen it. Only that, whatever happened before, I had failed.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    I felt my body grow cold at the realization.


    ''Horrifying.''


    This tree...


    It was horrifying.


    "H-ha."


    What now...?


    I swallowed my saliva.


    With each passing second, I felt my mind growing number and number. The tree was slowly eating me away.


    .....I knew I didn''t have much time left.


    And yet, the sense of helplessness I was feeling seemed to increase.


    There were still many questions I didn''t know the answer to.


    Was the tree targeting me because I was the only one looking for clues about it, or was there some other reason...?


    I thought back to Karl''s words.


    ''It was right.''


    ''.....They''re not the problem, you are.''


    I felt my mouth grow dry.


    ''What am I supposed¡ª''


    My thoughts were cut short.


    Before I knew it, the darkness surrounding me had disappeared.


    The world around me was a familiar shade of red.


    "..."


    Karl stood on the opposite end with his gaze wholly focused on me, his red-eyesplimenting the backdrop of the world.


    I shuddered under his gaze.


    It was as if he knew that I knew.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    And my breathing quickened.


    Sweat started to trickle down the side of my face.


    "This..."


    And then,


    Bang¡ª


    "Hieeeeek¡ª"


    The distant wall exploded, and a loud wail echoed through the entire station. An enormous hand pulled apart the shattered pieces, revealing a tall, gaunt figure reminiscent of the ''Silent Eaters,'' but far taller and more grotesque.


    Its flesh appeared to be pulling down from its face, and its smile was even thicker.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    The world started to quake then.


    Thump!


    As the creature''s foot pressed against the ground, itsrge eyes scanned the surroundings before locking in our general direction.


    "Hieeeeeeeek¡ª"


    That was when it let out a loud shriek and the defensive barrier that was surrounding us trembled.


    "Ukh....!"


    "What the hell is that!?"


    The post-leaders were naturally shaken by the situation.


    Looking up at the monster, I felt numb.


    I could hardly think.


    ''What do I do...?''


    ....I was starting to lose sight of my rationality.


    ''No, I need to calm down.''


    Though I said that, I had a hard time doing so.


    Partially because of the effect of the tree on my mind, and partially because of the fear that had gripped over me.


    Thump! Thump!


    Distant thumps echoed.


    With each thump, the ground shook.


    It was growing closer and closer to us.


    However, I had no time to pay any attention to it. My thoughts were clouded by the situation.


    ''What do I do? What do I do? What do I....''


    I stopped at a certain point and looked up.


    Two red eyes stared at me.


    "Ah."


    And that was when I realized.


    "Right..."


    The entire time, the tree had been hiding information about itself. Whenever I tried something, it''d shift the illusion to make it harder for me to find out. It was almost as if it was buying time to fully ''digest'' me.


    Then...


    ''There must be rules it has to follow.''


    And,


    ''....It must also have a weakness.''


    I looked straight in Karl''s direction.


    That weakness wasn''t hard to guess.


    "The page..."


    I opened my mouth to speak, finally calming down somewhat.


    "....I need it."


    Such was it''s weakness.

 Chapter 185 The Page [2]

    Chapter 185 The Page [2]


    ??¡ª¡ªA few moments prior


    Outer Bunker Area.


    "What''s going on¡­? Can you hear anything?"


    "No, it''s soundproof."


    Aoife answered while massaging her right cheek. It was still hurting, and just thinking about Kiera who had pped her just a few moments prior, she red at her.


    "What?"


    "¡­.You know what you did."


    "What did I do...?"


    "Hah."


    Aoife took a deep and heavy breath to calm herself down. She was really having a hard time. The more she looked at Kiera, the more her hand twitched.


    ''I''m better than this.''


    That''s right, she couldn''t stoop down to her level.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    "Uh¡­?!"


    A distant rumbling disrupted Aoife''s thoughts. She could feel it through the vibration of the floor. Turning her head, her expression changed.


    It wasn''t just hers.


    Everyone in the outer area wore expressions of shock as they stared into the distance. A grotesque figure emerged, breaking through the walls that crumbled under its enormous hand.


    The surroundings turned quiet for a brief moment as the very air was sucked out of the room.


    And then,


    "What the hell is that¡­!!"


    "Ahhhh!!"


    Panic started to spread within the crowd.


    Despite many of the people present being powerful people, the pressure that the creature in the distance elicited feelings of despair.


    "Calm down! Everyone calm down!"


    Thankfully, the post-leaders were present to calm the situation down.


    "Remain calm."


    At the lead was Penelope. Her voice, which was crisp and pleasant to the ears, gently traveled through the air.


    There was a strange calming effect in her voice, calming many of those who were panicking.


    It even worked for Aoife who had been rtively calm from the very start.


    ''I''ve experienced too many shockstely.''


    This hadn''t been the first time she had been put in a terrible situation.


    In hindsight, she was starting to get used to such situations.


    Not sure if this was a good thing or not.


    Thump!


    The bunker trembled subtly. When Aoife turned to look at the windows, her breath caught at her throat.


    ¡­.The monster had entered the station and was headed straight for their location.


    "Please remain calm. There''s nothing to worry about. You are safe here. Remember, there are several of us here that can deal with the creature. In fact, we already have several post-leaders outside ready to deal with it. There''s no reason to panic."


    Penelope''s words brought silence to the room.


    It was a tense silence that felt extremely stifling.


    Thump!


    Especially with the thumping sound that wasing out.


    Thump!


    Strangely¡­


    Thump!


    Each step,


    Thump!


    Seemed to resonate with the sound of their heartbeats.


    Thump! Thump!


    ***


    Thump! Thump!


    The ground shook, the thumping growing progressively closer by the second.


    ¡­..I felt the hair at the back of my head stand at the thought, and yet, I couldn''t tear away my eyes from those two red eyes that were staring back at me.


    They were intense, and it felt as though my head would fly off if I were to look away.


    My legs buckled slightly.


    But I didn''t show it. I remained calm while trying to think of a way to solve the situation.


    ''I need to get my hands on the page, but how am I going to do that...?''


    In fact, did he even have the page with him? What if he had hidden the page elsewhere? How was I going to get that information from him?


    ¡­..Fighting him one on one was simply impossible.


    He was far stronger than me.


    Not only that but with the monster drawing nearer, I knew that it was also impossible for me to rely on the post-leaders to take him out.


    "¡­.Shit."


    Shit indeed.


    My situation was terrible, and I could hardly see a way for me to get to the page.


    The best I could do at the moment was not die.


    As all sorts of ideas ran through my mind, I stopped at a certain one.


    ''What if I use the first leaf¡­?''


    Would that even work?


    I thought about it for a few seconds before shaking my head.


    The effects would be minimal for someone of his strength.


    If they could affect someone of his level, Leon would''ve undoubtedly gone insane by now.


    ''My guess is that my current limit with the first leaf is people with mental fortitute of around 5 or just a little below.''


    So around Tier 4-5.


    Well, mentality-wise.


    I didn''t think that the red-eyes man before me had a mental resilience that was below his tier, which appeared to be 6.


    Then what¡­?


    What exactly could I do?


    Thump!


    Another step echoed, and the surroundings shook. I pursed my lips and looked around me.


    It was close.


    Extremely close.


    The entire time, Karl didn''t move. I wasn''t sure why, but Lennon and the other post-leaders were questioning him.


    "Karl? What''s going on?"


    "¡­.Are you the one behind this?"


    From the way they were speaking, they seemed both surprised and shocked.


    "....."


    But despite their questions, Karl didn''t answer. Instead, the eaters around us started to twitch.


    The thumping was clearly affecting their perception of the surroundings, and yet, they still remained where they were.


    Clearly, whatever noise that creature was making, wasn''t making them move.


    .....Judging from how the creature looked like a taller, more gruesome version of them, I could more or less guess why.


    ''It''smanding them.''


    "Hey!"


    All of a sudden, I felt something tug at my shoulder and I was pulled back. Before I knew it, Lennon''s face was right before my very eyes.


    "Do you have any idea of what''s going on?"


    He immediately started to question me.


    "The two of you have been talking strangely. I''d appreciate it if you''d tell me exactly what is going on here."


    "Ah."


    I opened my mouth but felt unsure of how to respond.


    Would he believe me if I told him that all of this was an illusion?


    That we were all victims of some demonic tree that was slowly sapping away our life force...?


    Perhaps, or perhaps not. Convincing him would end up wasting too much time. So after a little thought, I decided to answer differently as I pointed at Karl.


    "He¡­ He has something important. With it, we''ll be able to stop all of this."


    "We''ll be able to stop eeverything?"


    "Yes."


    I nodded.


    "Everything."


    I looked around me.


    From the Crimson Shade to the rapidly drawing monster.


    "¡­.Everything that you see is artificial. None of it was natural. He''s the one behind it."


    All eyes turned towards Karl who smiled all of a sudden.


    It was a creepy smile.


    A smile that made my entire body grow tense.


    "You''re very creative with the way you speak."


    For the first time in a while, he spoke. His was different from thest time, sounding deeper and more ancient.


    "For someone of your age to be able to have such high mental resilience. It''s truly praiseworthy. The tree has been paying a lot of attention to you because of that. Otherwise, everything would''ve flowed much more smoothly, and I¡­"


    He stopped then.


    I was curious about what he had been nning on saying, but what he had said was already plentiful for me to understand a few important things about the situation.


    ''High mental resilience''


    ''Paying a lot of attention to you''


    Could it be that the tree had a harder time targeting those with high mental resilience¡­? If that was the case, it exined a few things.


    Like the screaming people.


    ¡­..When thinking about it, none of those who had been affected were high-ranking people. However, with each passing moment within the illusion, they''d slowly be targeted.


    The tree¡­ It was slowly eroding a person''s mind.


    ''Right, it makes sense...''


    I had noticed this on a few asions. From the time when I felt absolutely no remorse when killing, to the unnatural fear and emotions that I felt on certain asions.


    There were plenty of times that I felt fear, but there were a few that just felt unnatural to me.


    This exined it all...


    ''Wait, but what about Leon?''


    As far as I knew, his mental score was rather high. Why would he¡ª


    "Ah."


    ¡­.And then I realized.


    ''It''s my fault.''


    I wanted to facepalm there and then.


    All of a sudden, I started regretting a few of the words that I previously said about him.


    In the end, the reason why Leon had been affected so early was because his mental fortitude had been severely weakened due to my emotive magic.


    ''¡­.It''s not like he doesn''t have plot armor, it''s just that I''m the one who killed that plot armor.''


    If that was even a thing.


    "...."


    I felt the sudden urge to scratch the side of my nose.


    ''Wasn''t intentional¡­''


    Not like I could''ve predicted any of this to happen.


    On a good note, he probably wasn''t dead. Yet¡­? My best guess was that the tree''s first action was to erode a person''s mental resilience before sapping away at their life force. It was highly likely that everyone was still alive.


    From the people that had died in the Crimson Shade, to the people that I had killed.


    ''Well, at least that''s a good thing.''


    It was going to save me from a lot of headaches.


    BANG¡ª


    Startling out of my thoughts was the sound of metal shing against mental. Raising my head in haste, I saw a huge axee into contact with multiple tree vines that had emerged from the ground.


    Standing behind them was a calm and collected Karl.


    "You..."


    Lowering his axe, Lennon stared at Karl.


    ".....This is the first time that I''ve seen you use such power. You, don''t tell me everything that he said was true. You''re the one behind all of this."


    Rather than answering, Karl smiled.


    That was silent confirmation, and Lennon''s gaze turned fierce.


    He was just about to engage again when,


    BANG¡ª


    A shadow cast over the area above us, smacking against the barrier that was protecting us.


    Cra Crack! Crack...!


    Immediately, cracks appeared all over before the shield started to shatter.


    "Pftt!"


    Lennon and a few others threw up blood as they took several steps back.


    On the other hand, I fell on my back.


    "Ukh."


    Before I even had the chance to move, a shadow cast over the area I was in, and two red eyes looked down on me from above. The monsters around also stopped moving, and I felt the entire world stare at me.


    "Give up."


    Karl''s voice reached my ears.


    ".....You''ll never get the page."


    He seemed sure of it.


    "It''s not with me. Even if you kill me, you''ll never know where it is or what is written in it. Your best course of action is to give up."


    "....."


    Squench. Squench.


    Roots emerged from the ground beneath, slowly wrapping over my ankles and my chest. Iy paralyzed, unable to move with the exception of my hands which I slowly raised before lowering again.


    In the process, I managed to grab onto his ankle.


    "...."


    With his head lowered, he looked at me.


    "What are you doing...?"


    He asked, his expression appearing rtively calm.


    I looked up at him and met his gaze.


    So what if you didn''t have the page with you?


    So what if you were stronger than me?


    In the end, I didn''t need the page to be with me for me to see it.


    All I needed to do was,


    "See your world."

 Chapter 186 The Page [3]

    Chapter 186 The Page [3]


    ??A familiar feeling washed over me.


    It embraced my body, giving rise to a familiar feeling.


    The world around me changed, and I suddenly felt detached from reality.


    ''Where am I...?''


    I looked around me. I appeared to be inside a small office. Resting on the desk was a familiar figure.


    ''Karl.''


    The Post-Leader of the ck Hound Guild.


    He was much younger than when I met him.


    Scratch~ Scratch~


    He was currently filling out papers.


    "...."


    In the silence that took over the small space, the only sound that could be heard was the scribbling sound of his pen as it traced over the dozen of papers resting by his deskside.


    Such action continued until it was exactly 5 p.m.


    That was when he stopped.


    "...."


    Turning to look at the clock, he went on to grab the leather coat resting on the chair before leaving.


    nk¡ª


    The scene shifted.


    It was a small apartment. A fairly decorated apartment with a few pieces of furniture and pictures.


    Tzzz~


    The hot pan sizzled as Karl started to cook.


    I stood quietly, waiting for something to happen.


    Anything.


    And yet,


    ''Nothing.''


    Nothing happened.


    For the entire day, nothing happened.


    Triiing¡ª


    At exactly, 7 a.m, he woke up, changed, and went to work.


    ''What exactly is going on¡­?''


    I couldn''t understand.


    Staring at the unfolding life before me, I didn''t understand what was going on.


    ''Where is the tree?''


    What was this boring life?


    I thought I''d eventually see something, but nothing.


    The cycle repeated.


    Wake up, eat breakfast, go to work,e back, cook, read a book, repeat.


    A never-ending cycle started to gnaw at my mind the more I saw it.


    Such life¡­


    It was boring.


    ¡­.And it wasn''t just me that felt that way.


    Karl also appeared to feel the same.


    He was starting to age.


    The cycle never ceased from waking up early, to going to work and filling paper works, toing back home and reading books.


    Until his looks started to match the ones that I was familiar with, his life was monotonous and predictable.


    ¡­.and it remained to be like that.


    Even as he was promoted, he continued to lead a simr life.


    But it didn''t make sense.


    ''There''s no way this is the life of a post-leader.''


    Especially his looks.


    From the way he carried himself, and the look in his eyes.


    He¡­. Just seemed to be living for the sake of living.


    It became more ring with time.


    He was just... living through the motions.


    Waking up, working, eating...


    It was just...


    just...


    Life.


    There was no purpose behind such action.


    It was just how his life was.


    It went on like this until I noticed something.


    My eyes briefly paused on one of the papers he was filling before my body froze entirely.


    ''Ah.''


    I hadn''t paid much attention to what he had been filling the paperwork with, but the moment Iid my eyes on it, I knew that something was wrong.


    ''I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to di¡­''


    Scribbled over and over again were the same three words.


    ''I want to die.''


    I felt strange chills creep up the deepest parts of my mind, crawling and digging their way into my brain.


    Bzzt¡ª


    The vision grew static.


    ''What''s going on!?''


    My head flicked up to look around.


    This was the first time that something like this had happened before.


    Btzzz¡ª


    The world continued to buzz, and I looked around me startled.


    It almost felt like I was staring at the static of an old television.


    That was how the world felt.


    Btzzz¡ª


    The buzzing grew more pronounced.


    The vision started to darken, and then,


    ''¡­.!''


    It repeated.


    I felt my throat mp up.


    Staring at the young man sitting in his seat, monotonously filling the papers in front of him, I suddenly started to understand what was going on.


    ''These memories¡­''


    They were fake.


    They were the memories that the tree had imnted into Karl.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    The fact that I could see roots dig their way into the room, from all sorts of areas served to further validate my point.


    ''This¡­''


    Now what¡­?


    I looked around me. The cycle repeated just likest time. Karl continued to fill out his papers and live his mundane life.


    The only difference was that this time, roots were present in his life.


    They grew more and more apparent with time, crawling from every corner of his office room, and house.


    ''This is...''


    I closed my eyes and fell deeply into my thoughts.


    ''¡­..The tree is capable of altering memories. What I''m currently seeing is the fake memories that it had imnted within Karl.''


    Most likely, the real memories of Karl had been sealed by the tree.


    I wasn''t sure when it had done that, but it probably exined why Karl was helping it.


    ''It''s likely that the tree has already turned him into a puppet.''


    .....And I was seeing exactly how it was happening.


    I opened my eyes and looked around me.


    Karl was sitting on the chair, monotonouslypleting the paperwork that was piled up before him.


    Taking a step towards him, I brought my hand forward and tried to touch him.


    Unfortunately, my hand passed right through him.


    Not like I didn''t expect it.


    ''I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die...''


    I watched as he continuously wrote the same words over and over again. It didn''t seem like he was aware of what he was writing as the moment the clock hit 5 p.m., he''d stop and proceed with his other routine.


    Btzzz¡ª


    The world buzzed once more.


    The cycle repeated.


    Roots appeared yet again, and much to my surprise, the entire ce had been covered in roots.


    I had been conscious while it was happening, but absorbed in my thoughts, I hadn''t noticed the massive change around me.


    I stood quietly, observing the roots as they stretched throughout.


    Bending down, I could touch them, but as I tried to exert force against them, they didn''t budge from the spot.


    ''What am I supposed to do...?''


    This was the very first time that something like this had happened to me, and I wasn''t exactly sure on how to react.


    The only thing I could do was watch as the cycle repeated.


    Btzz¡ª


    The buzz.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    The roots.


    Repeat.


    .


    .


    Btzz¡ª


    The buzz.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    The roots.


    Repeat.


    .


    .


    Btzz¡ª


    The buzz.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    The roots.


    Repeat.


    .


    .


    Btzz¡ª


    The buzz.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    The roots.


    Repeat.


    .


    Gradually, I too started to fall into a state of monousity. The more I stood to observe, the more lethargic and out of touch I started to feel.


    That was when I understood.


    My feelings¡­


    Emotions.


    They were starting to match that of Karl who continuously repeated the same pattern.


    Btzz¡ª


    Btzz¡ª


    Repeat.


    It was hell.


    That was the only way I could describe the current situation. I wasn''t sure how much time had passed.


    It could''ve been seconds, or it could''ve been years.


    I wasn''t sure.


    I wasnt¡­


    I¡­


    Squelch. Squelch.


    Before I knew it, the office space was covered in roots.


    Karl was still seated in his seat, scribbling on the papers.


    Scratch~ Scratch~


    I stood behind him, observing him.


    My thoughts were empty.


    I didn''t think.


    I just looked.


    ¡­.I was just living through the motions.


    Just as he was.


    ''What am I even doing...?''


    I was questioning my goals, and yet, found myself unable to find an answer for it.


    Despite knowing that something was wrong, I continued to sink in this feeling.


    It pulled me down, not letting me get back up.


    Just...


    Tak¡ª


    Karl stopped, and the pen in his hand dropped on the wooden table.


    For the first time since entering the vision, a chance urred as he turned around, his piercing red eyes staring straight into me.


    Behind him, the entire room was covered in roots.


    "¡­."


    He didn''t say anything and just started at me.


    It took a moment for me to understand what was going on before regaining some rity and staring back at him properly.


    ''¡­.''


    "¡­."


    It was silent.


    Neither two of us were speaking.


    ¡­At the same time, despite seeing him stare at me, I wasn''t sure if he could see me.


    The entire situation was out of the norm for me to properly understand.


    He was the one to break the silence for me.


    "Who am I¡­?"


    It was a simple question.


    A question that was so simple that I struggled to understand the reasoning behind it.


    Shouldn''t he know?


    He continued,


    "What do I live for¡­?"


    ''¡­.''


    I stood in silence, trying to understand the reasoning behind his questions.


    "And why do I not feel a thing?"


    That appeared to be hisst question as he looked at me deeply.


    I opened my mouth, and for the first time since the start of the vision, I found myself able to speak again.


    "You''re name is Karl."


    "Karl¡­?"


    "Yes."


    I nodded slightly before borating.


    "You''re the post-leader of a veryrge guild. The ck Hound Guild."


    "The ck Hound Guild? Post-Leader? Uh..."


    He nodded in understanding.


    Despite that, his gaze continued to remain hollow.


    "¡­..What do I live for?"


    He asked quietly.


    It was the second question.


    I pursed my lips before shaking my head.


    "That''s not up for me to know."


    That wasn''t something that I was supposed to answer.


    To that, he tilted his head.


    "I''m trying to remember the things that make me feel something. But slowly, my brain began to erase every little thing that made me feel something. I know that my life shouldn''t be like this, that there''s something wrong, and yet... I can''t stop it from getting worse. My life... Has it always been like this?"


    I shook my head.


    "No, that''s not the case."


    His life.


    I was sure it was different.


    All of this was an illusion created by the tree in order to weaken his mind.


    "Is it not?"


    Karl asked, his head tilted slightly.


    "Why is it not the case?"


    "Because¡ª"


    "And how do you know?"


    He cut me off directly, his piercing red eyes staring directly into me.


    "How do you know that my life has never been like this¡­?"


    "¡­.."


    I pursed my lips and stayed quiet then. I... didn''t know. Looking around, all these memories were fake. The entire scenario was fake, and yet¡­


    How much of it was truly fake?


    I opened my mouth to say something when he cut me off again.


    ".....Am I even real?"

 Chapter 187 The Page [4]

    Chapter 187 The Page [4]


    ??"What is it about life that is not fake...?"


    He sat on his chair with his gaze directed at me. Roots slowly crept from the ground, entangling both his feet and arms.


    The lighting surrounding the office space grew dim, casting an eerie and gloomy aura around that.


    Despite the changes, his expression didn''t show any signs of panic or change.


    He continued to maintain his gaze on me.


    "Am I here? Are you here...? Is anything in general here?"


    He was speaking to me.


    Something that had happened once before with the second leaf.


    For what reason was it possible for him to speak to me...? It hadn''t been the first time I had used the second leaf, and yet, this was only the second time I could interact with someone in their memories.


    How...?


    "I wake up, I eat breakfast, go to work,e back home, eat dinner, and repeat. I''m finding my entire days blending to create a suffocating and never-ending loop that is sapping away at my life."


    I wanted to speak to him.


    Ask him questions.


    But,


    For some strange reason, I found myself unable to. I had been able to speak just a few moments ago. Why couldn''t I speak again?


    Was it because of what he was saying?


    .....What about his words strangely resonated with me?


    I bit my lips.


    Indeed, what he was feeling.


    I had once felt it too.


    "How much do you truly remember about your life? I wake up each day forgetting what I had done the previous day. Even if I do remember, by the time two days pass, I''ll have forgotten about it. Can you truly say you''ve lived if you end up forgetting everything?"


    "....."


    I matched his gaze.


    He looked back.


    "What is the point?"


    I pursed my lips before I tried to exin to him that what he was seeing was more likely an illusion created by the tree.


    "That''s..."


    "It''s all an illusion?"


    But he beat me to it.


    As if he could read my thoughts, he continued to speak.


    "But what about it is an illusion? How can you tell that the life beyond the illusion isn''t just another illusion? What if that is also an illusion? What does that make my life...?"


    In the blink of an eye, his entire body waspletely enveloped by roots. The only thing that wasn''t covered by the roots was his face as his blood-red eyes continued to stare back at me.


    "I''m just like you."


    It was from his words that I realized something.


    "I''m just endlessly drifting. Watching as I continue to do the same things over and over again with no way to fix it."


    ''He''s gone.''


    ".....What about me is real?"


    The tree had won.


    Endlessly subjecting him to illusions, the tree had broken him.


    His perception of reality and his self was gone. Right now... He was just like his memories. A drifting soul with no goal, only moving for the sake of the tree.


    It made me wonder.


    ''How close am I to bing that...?''


    At this very moment, how close was the tree from turning me into what he had be?


    No, it doesn''t matter.''


    Close or not close, I wasn''t going to be like him.


    I wasn''t going to let myself be like him.


    Tak¡ª


    Breaking the silence, I took a step forward.


    "...."


    By now, his entire body was covered in roots, with only his eyes being the part of his body that I could still see.


    He could no longer talk.


    Tied up to the chair, he could only watch as I took a step towards him and reached forward with my hand.


    I grabbed one of the roots.


    .....Strangely, they were the only things that I could touch within this illusionary world.


    And,


    Riiiip¡ª


    I tore the root apart.


    "Hieeek¡ª"


    A muffled scream reverberated through the surroundings.


    Btzz¡ª


    The surroundings grew more static.


    I looked around me before gripping another root.


    Riiiip¡ª


    Like the previous one, I tore it away from his body.


    "Hieeek¡ª"


    Another shriek.


    Btzz¡ª


    Yet again, the surroundings grew static.


    Looking around me, I could feel the world showing signs of crumbling.


    ''I see.''


    I looked at the root.


    ''.....I''ve found the root of the problem.''


    ?| Lvl 2. [Joy] EXP + 0.01%


    "...."


    Sometimes...


    I really wished Leon was with me.


    Riiiip¡ª


    I yet again ripped another root.


    The world grew more and more static with each root that I ripped apart, and Karl''s face became more visible.


    He remained motionless, staring back at me with hollow eyes.


    "It''s useless."


    He began to speak, his voice sounding rather t.


    ".....Stop fighting it."


    But I ignored him.


    Riiip, riip¡ª


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    I felt my breath grow heavy with each root that I ripped away from his body.


    It felt strangely tiring.


    As if each set of actions was adding more and more weight to my arms.


    "Haa..."


    To the point where my chest started to burn.


    Why...


    "Hieek¡ª"


    In the background, strange and muffled shrieks continued to resonate.


    I drowned out the noise for as much as I potentially could, but before I knew it, my arms started to feel more and more heavy.


    Gripping onto another root, I tried to rip it out like the rest, but...


    "Kh...!"


    I found myself unable to move my arm.


    "Wh-a... Haaa... t''s, go...?"


    Looking down, I felt my heart drop.


    ''When...?''


    Tangling over my right arm were the same roots I had been ripping.


    Like chains,ing from beneath the ground, they gripped over my right arm from several different areas.


    "Kh...!"


    I felt my face grow red as I tried to rip another root, but I eventually had to stop.


    My right arm...


    I could no longer move it.


    I tried to rip it with my left hand, but that proved to be an impossible task. The grip was far stronger than that of the vines that were covering Karl''s body.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    Grabbing my chest with my left arm, I felt my mind grow light. It was starting to be harder to think, and despite this being a memory, I could feel sweat trickling down the side of my face.


    ''How weird.''


    For a moment, I stopped doing what I was doing.


    ''.....In the first ce, what am I even doing?''


    For the briefest of moments, my mind grew numb.


    Everything about me and what I was seemed to disappear.


    It was as if I was starting to lose sight of myself.


    "Ah...!"


    That feeling came and went extremely fast.


    I was quick to snap out of it.


    When I did, I felt my entire back drenched in sweat.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    Looking down, roots appeared to entangle my ankles. Though not extremely fast, they were starting to move up.


    "Kh!"


    I felt adrenaline rush into my body.


    Since I could no longer use my right hand, I used my left hand.


    Riiip, Riiip¡ª


    I ripped one root after another.


    With each root that I ripped, the world around me grew static.


    ''Ah.''


    After a certain point, just for the briefest of moments, I saw a world beyond the world that I was currently seeing.


    ''I''m getting closer.''


    To the real memories.


    This fake world... It was slowly breaking down.


    The trees'' influence diminished with each root that I removed. Realizing this, I grew even more impatient and ripped the roots with more ferocity.


    Riiip¡ª!


    Even as my muscles burned, and my chest felt like it was on fire, I didn''t cease my movements.


    ''Close, I''m getting closer...''


    My chest tingled with anxiety.


    I could see it.


    The world before me was starting to fade.


    Beyond this, I could see a brighter, and less gloomy office.


    "Almos¡ª"


    I was never able to finish my words.


    All of a sudden, I found myself unable to move my left hand.


    "No, no, no, no,no, no..."


    I looked to my left.


    Dread started to gnaw at my insides.


    Just like my right arm, roots had appeared, entangling my arm in different ces, chaining my hand to the ground.


    "Kh!"


    I felt the veins on my neck protrude as I tried my best to move my arm.


    "Khhh!!!!"


    And yet,


    Despite my best efforts, it all ended up being futile.


    Regardless of what I did, my arms refused to budge a single inch.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    At the same time, the roots had already crept all the way up to my chest. My chest squeezed at the pressure, and I struggled to breathe.


    "Hueap."


    It was as if I was being dragged deeper and deeper into the depths of a bottomless ocean, with the pressure increasing the deeper I went.


    It felt suffocating.


    "Huep...!"


    ''No, more...! I''m close.''


    Anxiety started to creep into my mind.


    I could tell that I was just a few more roots away from getting rid of the tree''s influence.


    Just a little...


    A little...


    A...


    Squelch. Squelch.


    ''...''


    Suddenly, my mind grew nk.


    My movements stopped.


    The back of my neck tingled as I felt something crawl up from behind. I wasn''t sure what it was. Nor did I care.


    I couldn''t think.


    ''...''


    The tickling sensation appeared all over my body.


    It was now nearing my face.


    I looked at the man before me.


    He was staring at me.


    ''Who is he...?''


    I blinked my eyes.


    He felt familiar.


    And yet, I couldn''t remember.


    How odd.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    The sound also appeared to be familiar.


    Where exactly did I hear it from?


    I really tried to think.


    I really did.


    But,


    ''I don''t know.''


    I just felt empty.


    So empty.


    That too...


    Felt familiar.


    Too familiar in fact.


    My mind shook and I regained myself.


    ".....!"


    Squelch. Squelch.


    Looking down, the roots had entangled every part of my body besides my face. But they were getting there, slowly crawling towards my face.


    I was stuck, hardly able to move.


    The situation seemed desperate.


    To the point where one''d give up at this point, but,


    "Kh...!!"


    Clenching my teeth, I brought my face forward and bit into one of the roots before me.


    Sinking my teeth onto the root, it almost felt as though I was biting into hard metal. I felt my teeth crack a little, but I didn''t let that sensation get to me.


    R... Riiip¡ª


    Tearing the root with my teeth, the world grew static once more.


    It shed for a brief moment, allowing me to nce at a world that was without roots.


    "Akh...!"


    I sunk my teeth into another root.


    I felt my teeth crack.


    But I didn''t care.


    This was all an illusion anyway. And even if it was, this pain was meaningless to me.


    R... Riiip¡ª


    Yet again, I ripped another root.


    The world changed again. For a brief moment, the world was without roots and seemed a lot more vibrant.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    At the same time, the roots that were entangling my body appeared to grow more desperate.


    They squeezed my body, knocking the wind out of my chest.


    "Huep!"


    I couldn''t breathe.


    .....But I didn''t need to breathe.


    "Akh!"


    I bit onto another root.


    "Hieeeek¡ª"


    I heard a shriek as I did so. The root beneath my teeth wiggled, trying to free itself from my bite. I clung to it desperately.


    "Hieeek¡ª"


    The roots around me started to wiggle as well.


    .....The entire room shook. And yet, I paid no attention to it.


    I just looked at the two red eyes that were staring at me.


    Our gazes met.


    And,


    Ri... Riiip¡ª


    I ripped the root.


    .


    .


    .


    The world grew silent.


    I could hardly hear a thing.


    It was just me and my thoughts.


    That was until the weight over my chest eased.


    I felt liberated.


    Suddenly, I could move again.


    By the time it took for me to blink, the surroundings appeared to change.


    I was now in the same office as before.


    However,pared to before, the roots were gone.


    Despite being the same, the entire office seemed to be different.


    Scratch~ Scratch~


    But that wasn''t what grabbed my attention.


    Hearing the familiar scratching sound, I looked towards the wooden desk.


    There, I could see a figure scribbling something.


    With his back towards me, I couldn''t see his face. However, I knew exactly who he was. I took a step forward, and my eyes paused on the paper in front of him.


    "Ah."


    I smiled then.


    ?| Lvl 1. [Joy] EXP + 2%


    Atst,


    I had found what I wanted.


    The Page.

 Chapter 188 Veil of Deception [1]

    Chapter 188 Veil of Deception [1]


    ??The world turned bright once more.


    Scratch~ Scratch~


    Hearing the familiar scratching sound, I looked toward the figure that sat on the wooden desk with their backs turned toward me. Just like before, he was seemingly busy writing something.


    Butpared to that time, the atmosphere wasn''t so gloomy.


    There was no longer an air of desperation.


    But that wasn''t what I was focused on.


    No.


    My attention was focused on the single page before him.


    ''Finally.''


    The page that would lead to me finding the tree''s weakness.


    At longst, I was going to be free from this nightmare.


    Tak--


    I took a step forward to get a better look at the page, but just as I took the step, the scribbling sound stopped.


    Turning around, two red eyes stared back at me.


    "...."


    I stopped and looked back at them.


    I stood in silence for a short moment before he opened his mouth and broke the silence.


    ".....My life was no different after all."


    From the way he was talking, he seemed to remember everything that had happened between us in the world where the roots hadpletely taken over.


    "I wake up every morning, make breakfast, go to work,e back, make dinner, and go to sleep. It''s really not that different."


    I frowned listening to his words.


    He looked happy to me. A stark contrast to how he was back in the previous illusion.


    And yet,


    There was something about his words and tone that didn''t quite sit well with me.


    Why was that...?


    "Strangely, I don''t hate it."


    So he said it.


    ".....There''s nothing wrong with the mundane life that I live with. I would argue there''s a beauty to it. Every day may be the same, but there''s something about the simplicity that feels strangely peaceful. I--"


    That was when I realized, and cut him off.


    "You can stop."


    I took a step back while gravely staring at the man who stood before me.


    "What''s wrong?"


    He appeared confused by my sudden stance.


    "Is there something that I said that you disagree with?"


    "....."


    I licked my lips.


    They were incredibly dry.


    No, it wasn''t just my lips.


    My mouth was also dry.


    At the same time, I felt my hands tingle as I tried to keep myself calm and collected.


    "There''s no need to pretend. You''re not him."


    "Uh?"


    He tilted his head.


    He seemed even more confused.


    But I knew,


    I knew that the man who stood before me wasn''t Karl.


    Typically, when using the second leaf, I''d be able to feel the emotions of those that I was subjecting my skill.


    But at this very moment,


    The man that stood before me.


    He felt nothing.


    He had no emotions.


    He was just an empty shell that was pretending to smile right before my very eyes.


    Karl...


    The man who stood before me wasn''t him.


    "You''re the tree, aren''t you?"


    The one I was currently speaking to was the tree.


    Karl.


    He was already dead.


    The tree had already taken over him.


    "....."


    The smile on Karl''s face gradually faded, and his red eyes flickered with a certain coldness that sent chills down the back of my spine.


    I swallowed my saliva.


    "....How could you tell?"


    Even his tone changed, suddenly sounding a lot more gravelly. Like a broom scraping broken ss.


    "You shouldn''t be able to tell. How can you tell?"


    I looked around in search of the roots, but nothing appeared.


    In fact, ''Karl'' didn''t seem to make any attempts at attacking me at all.


    In fact, it seemed genuinely curious about me.


    The way it was looking at me suggested so.


    ".....You''re a peculiar human. From the start, your mental resilience was far greater than those of your age."


    As its voice reached my ears, its piercing red eyes continued to stare at me. Feeling its gaze, it felt as though it was looking at the deepest parts of my soul.


    I felt naked.


    ....It was at this moment that I truly felt the massive disparity in our strengths.


    And yet, I didn''t necessarily feel in any danger.


    "It''s much easier to turn those that have low mental resilience. You, who is weak, have such high mental resilience. It''s intriguing."


    "....."


    "I knew it from the start. You are the most fearsome. To me, strength is meaningless. I can kill the strongest if they have weak minds."


    It pointed at its head.


    "....See?"


    Pressing its finger against its tempt.


    "Strong, but weak."


    Then, pointing at me, it said,


    "Weak but strong."


    I stood quietly while listening to everything that it was saying.


    The tree didn''t seem to be capable of fully articting itself.


    I had to wrack my brain to properly understand what it was trying to say.


    ''My mental resilience is what he fears.''


    That much I already knew.


    Given how Leon had fallen so easily, mental resilience was important. It determined how easily the tree could absorb someone.


    The higher the mental resistance, the harder it was for it to reign its influence.


    Perhaps, the reason why I could see the roots and others couldn''t was because of my high mental resilience.


    Then again, Leon also saw a root from what I remembered, so not so sure it was valid.


    ".....What exactly is your goal? Are you trying to absorb everyone here to grow stronger?"


    Such were the words that came out of my mouth when I spoke.


    I was merely trying to buy time at this point.


    .....I needed to figure something out.


    For some reason, the tree wasn''t attacking me, but I wasn''t sure for how long that''d be true.


    At least, such were my thoughts before the tree spoke again.


    "You''re partially right. I want to grow stronger. Observe humans."


    "Hm¡­?"


    Observe humans?


    The tree looked at me.


    "I have observed so many humans. I learned to speak yournguage after observing for such a long time. You''re very peculiar. You all react differently to the same stimulus."


    "Like the illusion you showed me?"


    The one I had experienced just a few moments prior regarding Karl and his despair.


    "Ah, yes, yes."


    The tree nodded.


    "Isn''t it peculiar how certain humans can be so depressed when facing monotonicity while others are happy? Why is it that you''re so different despite being the same race? We aren''t like that. We are all the same. We want to grow."


    By ''we'', it was probably talking about the other monsters.


    I think I was slowly starting to get a better idea of what was going on.


    "¡­..Are you trying to be human?"


    "Trying to be human?"


    The tree cocked its head.


    Then, after a certain while, it shook its head.


    "No, you humans are tooplicated to understand. I don''t want to be human."


    "Then...?"


    "...."


    The tree didn''t answer.


    Lowering its head, it stared at its hand.


    ".....I want to learn what it means to think for oneself. Learn for what reason certain stimuli arouse different reactions and for strength. To transcend, I must learn to separate myself from the others."


    It raised its head to look at me.


    "Such is my reason."


    "....."


    I stood by the side without saying a word.


    ''I''ve read many books, but none of them mention how monsters evolve to the next rank. This is either new information that isn''t yet known, or most likely isn''t in my current cirriculum.''


    This was as far as I could assume.


    From my assumption, it seemed like a monster needed to be able to think for itself and develop a consciousness to reach the next rank.


    The Destroyer rank.


    .....It was for that reason that the tree was absorbing people and casting them in an illusion.


    It wasn''t just to weaken them so that it could directly swallow their consciousness with time.


    No, it was observing them.


    Learning from them.


    By putting them into different stimuli, the tree was developing its very own consciousness.


    "Is that the reason that you''ve disguised yourself as him?"


    I pointed at his face and appearance.


    ".....So that you could be closer to everyone to understand their thought process?"


    "That''s correct."


    The tree nodded its head.


    But as it did, its gaze lowered.


    "But it''s not enough."


    It raised its head.


    "I can''t understand."


    Suddenly, the tree smiled.


    "I am happy."


    Then, it frowned.


    "I am angry."


    Then, it cried.


    "I am sad."


    Then, it winced.


    "I am disgusted."


    With Karl''s face, the tree began to show me all sorts of emotions. It was almost as if it was asking me to judge it.


    "....."


    The tree''s actions were weird.


    And yet, I couldn''t take my eyes away from it.


    His expressions...


    They were impable.


    From where I stood, I could see exactly what he was feeling.


    But there was something about it that was missing.


    Eventually, it stopped and looked at me.


    "I have observed humans very carefully. I can mimic their every action, and think like them. When humans are happy, the muscles on their cheeks tense, and their lips move up. Their eyes squint, and dopamine rushes into the brain. I do exactly that, and yet¡ª"


    "You can''t feel it."


    I cut the tree directly.


    Blinking its eyes, it cocked its head.


    "Yes. I don''t understand. Why...?"


    "Emotions."


    One word.


    One troublesome word.


    "....They are not easy to understand. I myself struggle to understand them."


    Despite having experienced so much, I had yet to fully understand them.


    They were extremely troublesome.


    Could it be that in order for monsters to evolve into the next rank, they had to learn about emotions?


    If so,


    "Ha."


    Iughed a little.


    As if that was easy.


    "Yes...?"


    "You''re going to be stuck where you''re at for a very long time."


    Again, the tree blinked.


    "Why?"


    ".....Because emotions aren''t things that you can just mimic through what you see. You need to directly experience them in order to get a better understanding of them."


    Perhaps, the tree only needed a rudimentary understanding of emotions to reach the next level.


    But that ''rudimentary'' understanding was probably not something that the tree could understand through observation.


    It needed to feel them in order to learn about them properly.


    "Experience...? How?"


    I could tell from its gaze that it was genuinely curious.


    I was just about to answer when I stopped.


    "...."


    I pursed my lips and looked at the tree in front of me. Its gaze was intense, and I could feel my throat mp up under its gaze.


    And yet, despite such pressure, I didn''t feel scared.


    Rather,


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    I felt excited.


    Licking my lips, I opened my mouth to speak.


    "....I can show you."


    I held out my hand.


    "I wouldn''t mind showing you if you joined me."

 Chapter 189 Veil of Deception [2]

    Chapter 189 Veil of Deception [2]


    ??"Join you...?"


    The tree looked at me with a confused expression. Blinking its red eyes, it stared intently at me.


    Under such gaze, I felt my chest tighten.


    It was a bit of a gamble on my end, but it was something that I was willing to risk my life for. To be able to align myself with a being this powerful... It would certainly make my life a lot easier in the future.


    There were also Delh and As, who I could consider allies and were powerful.


    ''Another twisted rtionship...''


    .....Every second that I spent with them was a second where I had to be extra careful with my words and actions.


    One slip-up and I was done for.


    It was for that reason that I couldn''t necessarily consider them true allies.


    But it wasn''t like I minded this twisted rntionship. So long as it benefitted me, who was I to care? The same was true for the tree.


    One slip-up and I was done. And yet, I couldn''t help myself.


    ''Whatever it takes, I need to do it.''


    "....."


    I briefly nced at the page on the table.


    I swallowed my saliva as I did so.


    Despite the page being so close, it felt so far. I didn''t feel any confidence in getting it for myself and looking at it.


    Rather, it felt more like a trap.


    A tempting trap that the tree had left just for me to take.


    "Yes, join me."


    Thus,


    Staring at ''Karl'', I borated.


    "You wish to learn about emotions, is that correct?"


    ".....Correct."


    The tree replied, its scraping voice echoing quietly across the room.


    I nodded and continued.


    "You haven''t had much sess despite observing so many humans. Why do you think that is?"


    With his brows furrowing slightly in thought, ''Karl'' tilted his head. Eventually, his gaze settled on me, and he shook his head.


    ".....I do not know."


    "I figured."


    I took a step forward and drew nearer to him.


    He didn''t move and kept his gaze firmly on me. In fact, he didn''t seem at all wary of the fact that I was drawing nearer to him.


    But it made sense considering my strength.


    Tak¡ª


    I stopped just a few meters away from him.


    Then, extending my finger, I pressed it against his chest.


    Yet again, he didn''t react.


    He just stared at me.


    "....."


    "....."


    I stared back at him as I took a silent breath.


    ''I hope this works.''


    The silence carried on for a few seconds before I silently murmured in my mind.


    ''Fear''


    All of a sudden, his pupils dted and his body started to shake. It wasn''t overly dramatic, and it passed as quickly as it came, but it was unmistakable.


    "That..."


    ''Karl'' looked at me with widened eyes.


    He didn''t seem to have understood what had happened. It took several seconds for him toe back to it.


    Then, lowering his eyes, he stared at his trembling hands.


    "What a peculiar sensation. My heart keeps pounding for a strange reason, and I can''t stop this weird shaking that is taking over my hand. But that isn''t the most peculiar part... Hmmm."


    He frowned.


    "....It is weird. I feel a strange difort I can''t exin."


    He looked back at me.


    "Why is that? What could it be?"


    "That''s fear."


    "Fear...?"


    "Yes."


    I went on to exin.


    "What you''ve experienced was fear. The pounding of your heart, and shaking of your arms is an after-effect of your body experiencing fear. I''m sure you''re already aware of how someone under fear reacts...."


    This, I didn''t doubt.


    Especially since the tree thrived on the fear of those on whom it cast its illusion.


    "Yes, I am aware."


    The tree answered with a frown.


    "...But this sensation. I didn''t think it would feel like this. I''ve tried many times to mimic exactly what I''ve observed, yet I always failed toprehend. Now, I understand better... much better."


    I felt the corner of my lips curl slightly.


    "To understand emotions, you need to experience them."


    This was something that became more and more apparent to me the more I stayed in this world and learned about emotions.


    "There''s a huge difference between copying, and knowing. You will never be able to understand the emotions if you just copy those who experience them. You need to experience them yourself in order to learn them. Which is why..."


    Once more, I extended my hand.


    "I can help you."


    I stared straight into those piercing red eyes.


    They stared back at me with a certain intensity that made it seem as though they wanted to swallow me whole.


    For a moment, I thought they were.


    But just before it could happen, he looked away.


    That''s when I pushed.


    ".....No, I am the only person that can help you."


    This was false.


    There were many other people that could help it.


    But it didn''t matter. I needed to make it think that I was indispensable for its growth.


    Only that way would it join me.


    "If you join me, I''ll make sure that you get what you want. That, I can promise. Of course..."


    I pulled my hand back.


    ".....That will only depend on your desire to be stronger. Do you want to remain stuck with your current strenght, or do you want to truly be stronger and reach the next rank?"


    I tried to tug at the tree''s desire, highlighting it several times while also making it seem like I was a fundamental piece integral to its growth.


    "You need me."


    I emphasized while bringing my face closer to look into its blood-red eyes. This time, I didn''t feel any fear staring into those eyes.


    Rather, I felt uncertainty within them.


    The tree.


    .....It was faltering.


    I didn''t push any further.


    Rather, I took a step back.


    "How about this."


    Instead, I started to negotiate with it.


    "Follow me for a little while."


    I was done instilling my importance to it.


    Pushing further was only going to backfire.


    "Observe me while you''re with me. In the meantime, I''ll help you achieve your goals. If you feel like you aren''t learning anything, you can just leave. I won''t stop you. I can''t stop you."


    As if I could stop it.


    ".....You can even kill me if you want. You won''t really have m¡ª"


    "Stop."


    Suddenly, I felt my mouth shut.


    Squelch. Squelch.


    A familiar sound reached my ears, a low, sinister rustling. Looking around, I felt my heart drop. Emerging from beneath the ground were the familiar roots, writhing like serpents.


    They mped around my ankles, tightening with an unnatural strength, rendering me immobile.


    "¡­.."


    The tree loomed before me, its figure slowly changing, turning from ''Karl'', to its true form. A ck tree, its dark bark twisted and gnarled with a singlerge red pupil in the middle that stared unblinkingly at me.


    The overwhelming sense of helplessness I had felt before surged back, paralyzing me.


    I tried to speak, to scream, but no words came out.


    I was trapped.


    "Hmm¡­!"


    The roots...


    They had mped my mouth, stopping me from saying a single thing.


    "I may not feel emotions, but I am not stupid."


    The tree began to speak, its voice scraping eerily at my ears.


    "I have seen and observed countless humans in my life. I have learned all your tricks. I know what you''re trying to do."


    "¡­."


    "Hmm!"


    My guts twisted while the world around me started to grow faint.


    I was paralyzed.


    Frozen on the spot.


    "You say that I need you, and you''re not wrong, but that doesn''t mean that I have to join you. Just as I have done with this body, I can do with yours. Once I take over your mind, I can do what you did to me and I can experience those emotions."


    Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump!


    I felt my heart pound off my chest, I could hardly breathe, and the darkness in my vision became more and more apparent.


    My chest tingled, and so did my toes.


    At this very moment, I felt like I was losing sight of myself.


    ''No, no, no¡­!''


    I wanted to scream.


    Shout.


    But my efforts were futile. I couldn''t do a thing. The only thing I could do was stare at that piercing blood-red eye that continued to stare at me.


    "....."


    That was thest sight I saw before my consciousness slipped away.


    From that moment, I couldn''t hear or see a thing.


    Nor could I feel my body.


    It was just me, and my thoughts.


    A dreadful silence enveloped the space.


    It felt stifling.


    Almost suffocating.


    To the point where I felt myself going mad.


    No, I was going mad.


    I wanted it to stop.


    I couldn''t stand this,


    I couldn''t...


    "Huaaaap!"


    My eyes red open and light entered my sight.


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­ haa¡­"


    My chest heaved up and down as I struggled to catch my breath. Sweat dripped from every corner of my body, soaking my clothes. As I reached to grab my shirt, I stopped.


    "....."


    My thoughts froze as I slowly raised my head.


    "....!"


    Looking around, I felt my entire body seize up as my mind went nk. I couldn''tprehend what had happened.


    ''Why...''


    "Why am I here...?"


    I was lying in the middle of a familiar cobblestone street. All around me, dozens of peopley with their eyes closed.


    The world wasn''t red, and there was no tree in sight.


    It was as if everything had been a dream.


    A terrible dream.


    But how could it be...?


    "Could this be another illusio¡ª"


    "This is the real world."


    A voice cut me off.


    Feeling something against my shoulder, I nearly shivered on the spot. Turning my head, I was met by two blood-red eyes, and I felt my blood freeze.


    But it was only momentary as I suddenly found myself blinking.


    That was because,


    "Are you surprised by my form?"


    Resting on my shoulder was an owl.


    With ck feathers and blood-red eyes, it was a strange owl, but an owl nheless.


    How...? When...?


    I was about to speak when it turned its head to stare into the distance.


    "They''reing."


    "Coming...? Who?!"


    The owl didn''t answer.


    pping its wings, it lifted off my shoulder.


    Tracing its path, my eyes widened as it dove right into my chest, disappearing within.


    "Umpf!"


    I groaned as it happened, the impact feeling like I had been hit by a car.


    Before I could figure out what was going on, something shed before my eyes.


    "Ah..."


    And yet again, I froze.


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    Level : 28 [Tier 2 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª[19%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    Profession : Magician


    ¦é Type : Elemental [Curse]


    ¦é Type : Mind [Emotive]


    Spells :


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Anger


    ¦é Intermediate type spell [Emotive] : Sadness


    ¦é Intermediate type spell [Emotive] : Fear


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Happiness


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Disgust


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Emotive] : Surprise


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Chains of kantria


    ¦é Intermediate type spell [Curse] : Grip of Pestilence


    Skills :


    [Innate] - Foresight


    [Innate] - Etherweave


    [Innate] - Veil of Deception


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    "It... looks like, something unexpected urred."

 Chapter 190 Veil of Deception [3]

    Chapter 190 Veil of Deception [3]


    ??the"Veil of Deceit¡­?"


    I stared at my status window andid my eyes on the new skill that had appeared out of nowhere. The words shimmered with an eerie luminescence that seemed strangely tempting.


    "How?"


    How was it possible?


    ''No, I think I know.''


    I thought back to the owl that had rested on my shoulder a few moments prior and let out a long breath, my breath misting in the cool air.


    It was strangely cold.


    "....Looks like it agreed to join me after all."


    I wasn''t sure why, but that seemed to be the case.


    The skill was the best evidence for it.


    That being said, I still didn''t understand why it did what it did at the end, and how I had managed to get the skill.


    ''As far as I know, someone can only get an innate skill from birth, or through a bon¡ª''


    "Ah."


    That''s when it finally clicked and my eyes opened wide.


    "¡­.It can''t be."


    I tapped my body all over, feeling the solid muscles and bones beneath my skin, but there was no telltale sign of change.


    I knew that what I was doing was meaningless, considering that I wouldn''t be able to tell unless I checked using a special device, but it didn''t matter.


    The fact that I had gained a new innate skill was the best proof of the matter.


    The tree¡­


    It had transnted its bone in me.


    ''Does that even make sense?''


    Trees having bones and stuff? It sounded odd.


    Regardless, I was more interested in why it had done what it did.


    Why¡­?


    Just why did it give me its bone?


    And with the bone now traned in me, what would happen to the tree?


    "Ugh."


    So many questions.


    Questions that I could only throw to the back of my mind as I suddenly heard the collective sound of footsteps in the distance.


    Eventually, turning my head, I spotted a group of people rushing our way. Wearing all sorts of different clothes, suggesting that they were from different groups, I spotted a few familiar people.


    Their faces were a mix of concern and relief as they sprinted toward us.


    "Hah."


    I almost wanted tough.


    "¡­.About time."


    Pomf¡ª


    Iid back on the ground and nkly stared at the gray sky that shrouded the surroundings.


    The clouds drifted eerily, the asional patch of white peeking through the overcast gloom.


    Staring at the sky, I was reminded of the Crimson Shade. Its red color seemed to seep into my vision, making the gray clouds appear less dreary.


    All of a sudden, the sky no longer looked so gloomy.


    For now...


    At least, I could finally rx.


    ***


    The reports that something had happened in the Mirror Dimension made their way to Haven rather quickly.


    Delh, who was sitting in her office, was the first to know of the news, and the moment she did, she let out a pained groan. The sterile white walls of her office felt like they were closing in on her.


    "¡­..Why is it always them?"


    How many incidents had there been since the start of the year¡­? Delh was starting to lose count at this point.


    Her fingers annoyingly drummed on her polished wooden desk.


    That wasn''t the main problem. The main problem was that all the incidents were only rted to the first years.


    There were no problems with the second or third years.


    In fact, everything was proceeding smoothly with them. Their progress reports were wless, with each problem solved rather quickly by the staff.


    Any attempts for them were quickly stopped by the Academy, and the situation ended on that note.


    Sadly, the same couldn''t be said for the first years.


    ¡­..It was painfully obvious that they were being targeted.


    "It has to be them."


    There was only one organization that was capable of causing them trouble over and over again.


    And it was because she knew who the organization was that Delh felt helpless.


    Unless she was with them 24/7 there was no stopping them.


    Be it in the Academy or outside of the Academy.


    "Haa."


    Taking a deep breath, Delh reached for her drawer and took out whatever she could find. Her hand brushed against the cold, metallic handle of her drawer before closing around the area where she kept her bars.


    She closed her hand to grab whatever she could.


    And,


    "¡­.."


    ¡­..Wrappers.


    They were all wrappers.


    Clenching her hand, her eyes turned gloomy.


    But it wasn''t as though she could waste time.


    Closing her eyes, the world around her started to shift, and by the time she opened her eyes again, she was now standing in front of a Mirror Crack.


    Several people were already waiting at the entrance, their faces anxious under the pale light filtering through the Mirror Crack.


    In particr, Delh''s gaze fell over a certain man with short blonde hair and blue eyes. He was someone she knew.


    ''Patrick Kemile.''


    Central''s Chief Officer of Oversight.


    "What''s the situation?"


    Delh approached them with her usual impassive tone.


    The air around her crackled with a tense energy.


    Having already determined her presence, Patrick turned his head to stare at her. A small smile graced his lips as their eyes met.


    "¡­..We''ve already sent several officers inside. The situation happened rather quickly. I would say a minute or two. We lost total contact with everyone within the Mirror Dimension. We tried sending officers in, but they weren''t able to enter. It''s all good now."


    "All good¡­?"


    Delh tilted her head, her eyes narrowing.


    Wasn''t this supposed to be an emergency? How could it be good?


    "Yes."


    Patrick nodded, his smile fading slightly.


    "The incident¡­. It appears to have been resolved."


    "Ah?"


    ***


    "Ukh¡­!"


    Leon woke up with his head feeling like it had been struck over and over again with a hammer. The throbbing pain was so intense that he had to hold his head with both hands for several seconds, his fingers digging into his scalp.


    ''What in the world happened¡­?''


    When the pain finally subsided, he was able to see the sky again. It was gloomy and reminded him of where he was.


    ''Right, I''m in the Mirror Dimension.''


    They were here on a Guild experience trip.


    Or something like that. He was having a hard time thinking properly. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, like pieces of a puzzle that refused to fit together.


    "Hmm¡­!"


    "Ah."


    Suddenly, certain noises attracted his attention and he turned his head.


    His eyes immediately widened at the sight thaty before him.


    "Ah."


    Over a dozen people were lying down on the cobblestone street. They too appeared to be in a simr state to his, all holding onto their heads while groaning.


    "What in the¡­"


    Seeing what he was seeing, Leon was able to sober up rather quickly. Lifting himself weakly off the ground, he looked around him.


    Wherever he looked, all he saw were people lying on the ground. Many of them were still unconscious, but a small number were slowly starting to wake up.


    Leon felt his heart twitch at the sight, and he quickly tried to remember what had happened.


    But,


    "Uh¡­?"


    His mind was nk.


    Despite his best attempts at trying to recall what had happened, his mind continued to remain nk.


    That was when he realized.


    ''Gone¡­''


    His memories of the entire incident.


    They were gone.


    "What¡ª"


    He stopped mid-speech as his eyes caught sight of a certain blood-red leaf floating before his eyes. Its vibrant hue was a sharp contrast to the dull surroundings.


    Extending his hand, the leaf fell on his palm.


    Staring at the leaf, he felt his entire body shudder.


    He felt an innate, almost primal fear while staring at the leaf. And before he knew it, several people appeared behind him.


    They were all wearing uniforms, their expressions stern as they looked around before settling theri gazes on him.


    "Cadet, are you alright?"


    "...."


    Staring back, Leon didn''t answer immediately.


    He was still struggling to understand what had happened.


    "Cadet...?"


    "Uh, ah."


    Snapping out of it, Leon looked back at them before frowning.


    "Yeah... I think I am."


    ***


    The situation passed like that. With the staff from Haven and Central assisting, everything was resolved rather quickly.


    ¡­..Or more like, there was nothing to resolve in the first ce.


    Everyone was still alive, with just a few still struggling to wake up.


    I was one of the first to wake up and was escorted back to my room.


    I was still struggling to recall what had happened before the tree had taken over, but there were other thoughts that were currently taking over my mind.


    Like the new skill that I learned¡­


    "Cadet, we will be leaving you here for now. If there are any problems with your health, please let us know so that we can assist you. Later, you might be questioned, please be ready for that."


    The guards who escorted me back to my room gave me a brief rundown of the situation before leaving.


    nk¡ª


    I now stood alone in my room. Looking around, the room looked exactly as it did in my memories, and as I traced my finger over the wooden desk, I still had trouble understanding if this was all still an illusion or not.


    The grain of the wood was familiar, and so was the texture.


    But so did in the illusion.


    Could it be that...?


    "¡­.It''s not an illusion."


    Suddenly, a voice reached my ears from behind me, and yet again, my eyesid on two blood-red eyes.


    They were staring at me with a strange intensity.


    But that wasn''t what I paid attention to.


    It was the form it was in.


    ¡­.It was still an owl.


    "How¡­?"


    I felt my heart squeeze briefly.


    Despite its appearance, I knew¡­ I knew that it was the tree.


    But why?


    Why was it in the form of an owl?


    "My form?"


    pping its wings, the owl rested over the wooden desk, its feathers ruffling slightly.


    "This is not my real form. My main body is also not here."


    "Your main body isn''t¡­?"


    "Correct."


    "Then?"


    "I''m a corporeal manifestation of the will that I left in your body."


    "Uh?"


    It took a moment for me to process its words.


    Corporeal manifestation? What did that even mean...?


    "Will that you left in my body? Are you talking about the bone?"


    "Bone¡­? Hmm, I presume you can call it that way. Yes, bone."


    The owl nodded and I found myself swallowing my saliva.


    ''So it was true¡­''


    The tree had truly given me the bone, and the skill that I had was a direct result of my transfusion with it.


    But,


    "Why? Why did you give me your bone? Will you not di¡ª"


    "I will not."


    The owl cut me off before I could continue.


    "It will take many years, but my body can regrow it without a problem."


    "That''s possible?"


    Howe I have never heard of it before?


    Actually, when I thought about it, most, if not all bones were taken from dead monsters.


    There had hardly ever been a case when a monster willingly gave their bone away.


    While I didn''t think this was the first time it had happened, the information was probably extremely secret.


    "I see¡­ the fact that I can see you is also a result of you transferring the bone directly to me?"


    "That''s correct. My main body is currently hidden. I will be following you for as long as I am able to reach my goal. When the timees, I will leave. In exchange, you will be able to keep the bone. But¡­"


    The owl stopped, its gaze turning suffocating.


    "¡­.If you fail to help me, I''ll retrieve the bone from your body. Death will be the best thing you''ll wish for."


    That''s when I felt it.


    An undescribable pain at the top of my skull that took my breath away.


    "Ukh...!"


    The pain was so intense that I couldn''t hold me from groaning.


    Looking up, the owl stared back at me.


    "Do not dissapoint me, human."

 Chapter 191 Veil of Deception [4]

    Chapter 191 Veil of Deception [4]


    ??Despite knowing that it wasn''t real and that its real body was far away, under its gaze, I felt utterly powerless. The top of my head ached, and my vision blurred slightly.


    Thankfully, the sensation didn''tst for very long and I was able toe back to myself shortly after.


    "Haa¡­ haaa¡­"


    Unknowingly, my breath was heavy, and my lips were dry.


    Licking my lips, I looked back at the owl that was resting calmly on the table while looking at me. Its eyes glowed with a serene, almost dispassionate curiosity.


    It didn''t say anything, but it had already said all that it needed to say.


    ''As expected, another twisted rtionship.''


    Leon, Delh, As, and now the tree¡­ I really had a knack for this type of stuff.


    I bitterlyughed to myself while taking a seat.


    "I get it. You don''t need to remind me."


    From the very start, I knew of the risk of proposing something like this. After a certain point, I thought that the tree had rejected my proposal and that I was going to die, but in the end, it did ept my proposal.


    But there were still a few things that I wanted to know.


    "I won''t ask you about where your main body is, but what about your current form? Will others be able to see you like this?"


    "¡­.Yes, they will."


    "Then¡­"


    "I can hide inside of your body without a problem. And it shouldn''t be a problem even if they see me. I am just a harmless animal."


    "That''s true¡­"


    But an owl? That would be rather odd to see. It would certainly attract a lot of gazes.


    Then again, that wouldn''t change a thing from how things were right now, so it didn''t really matter all that much.


    On another note,


    "What should I call you? Since you''re an owl, calling you a tree doesn''t sound quite right. I can''t also call you an owl. It''s more fitting if I give you a name."


    "A name¡­?"


    The owl tilted its head, seemingly in deep thought. Eventually, it shook its head.


    "Do as you wish. I do not mind."


    "That would be for the best."


    It was my turn to fall into thought.


    I thought about it for quite a while, to be honest. Not because I thought the task was hard, but because I was just generally bad with names.


    ''Dog''


    ''Cat''


    ''Mouse''


    There were a lot of names that would probably get me weird and disgusted looks from people.


    ¡­.Well, at least I knew that my naming sense was quite bad.


    "Uh."


    I rubbed my head.


    "Ah¡­!"


    That''s when it finally hit me. Squeezing all my wisdom and experience, I was able toe up with a great name.


    "That''s it, I got it."


    I smacked my hand against the table and looked at the owl.


    "Owl-Mighty!"


    I startedughing to myself.


    Not only did it sound great, but it also was hrious.


    "Hahahah."


    Since there was no one, it didn''t matter if Iughed. I was sure they''d be shocked if they saw me like this, but well¡­ I was also sure they would understand if they learned of the owl''s name.


    "¡­.."


    Strangely, Owl-Mighty didn''t say a thing while it stared at me.


    I couldn''t guess what it was thinking, but seeing that it didn''t know about emotions, I wasn''t worried about it being angry.


    "¡­..Do as you wish."


    In the end, I got the stamp of approval and I secretly rejoiced.


    But the excitement was quick to die down. I was soon reminded of my current situation and cleared my throat.


    "What about those that were in the illusion? Won''t things beplicated? Since a lot know of¡ª"


    "Besides you, no one will remember."


    Owl-Mighty replied in a t tone. Strangely, its tone was tter than usual.


    So strange¡­


    It couldn''t be that it was unsatisfied with its name, right¡­?


    ''No, no way. It has only a rudimentary knowledge of emotions. It''s probably just me.''


    It was also a great name.


    But that was beside the point.


    "Are you saying that you''ve erased the memories of all those that were within the vision¡­?"


    "Correct."


    Owl-Mighty replied.


    "¡­.There will be a few traces of me left around the city, but it will take some time for you humans to figure out. You can use the time to go back to where you belong without arousing any suspicion."


    "Oh."


    That made sense, and I dropped the topic there.


    But there was something else that aroused my curiosity.


    "There''s something else that I''m curious about if you don''t mind me asking."


    "What¡­?"


    "How were you able to get everyone under an illusion? And what about the memories that you''ve wiped from me?"


    It wasn''t just that.


    From what I could tell, the tree was weaker than the post-leaders. Or more like, it was on equal terms with them.


    Although the tree thrived on mental weakness, the post-leaders weren''t just nobodies.


    How could it deeply affect them, and at the same time, the entire supply station so quickly?


    Surely, there was no way that people who were strong would not be able to detect if there was something wrong.


    In that case, how was it possible¡­?


    "Ten years."


    The owl replied, its gaze deeply boring into me.


    "It took me ten years to erode their minds to the point where I could bring them into the illusionary world. Slowly, bit by bit, I eroded their minds, crawling into them while waiting for the right time to cast the illusion. Bringing one isn''t hard, but bringing many is difficult. Your arrival came at the exact time when their minds were at their weakest. You were an unforeseen variable. I had to expend quite a lot of power just to trap you into the illusion."


    "I see¡­"


    That made sense, but it was still not exactly the answer that I was looking for.


    I thought that''d be it when its voice reached my ears.


    "¡­..But I didn''t do this alone. I had help."


    "Uh¡­?"


    That''s when my head snapped up and I looked intently at it.


    "You had help?"


    "Correct."


    Its approval wasn''t that surprising to me.


    I had expected Owl-Mighty to have received some help. While it was true that it had waited quite a long time, it still didn''t make sense for it to have been so sessful. There were certainly outside factors that yed a part in this whole scenario.


    ''Given that I received a quest, it might have to do with them...''


    The Inverted Sky.


    ...Or at least, that was what I thought at first.


    Then, I recalled.


    As.


    Surely, he would''ve told me if something was going on.


    ''Could it be that it''s not rted to them...?''


    The thought made me shudder.


    I did not need to deal with another organization.


    "Do you know how they look? What they gave you, or anything like that?"


    "No."


    Owl-Mighty shook its head.


    ".....Theymunicated with me through telepathy and never showed their faces to me. Since their goals aligned with mine, I didn''t care to look for their faces."


    "Is that so..."


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.


    That made sense.


    Well, sort of. Not all of it made sense.


    "When did they decide to help you?"


    "Last year."


    "Did they give you anything, or...?"


    "They did not give me anything. They only helped weaken the minds of those living within here. The same is true for your group. If not for them, I wouldn''t have been able to do so."


    "Uh...?"


    I was stunned on the spot.


    Blinking my eyes slowly to make sure that I heard correctly, I carefully asked,


    "Including my group?"


    What did that mean...? Could it be suggesting that the culprit had been in the station and subjected us to some sort of weakening ritual, or... I swallowed my saliva.


    Could there be someone from the Inverted Sky, or whatever organization was responsible, hiding within the first years?


    The thought chilled my heart for a brief moment.


    ''This shouldn''t surprise me.''


    There had been an incident in the past where I was called out by another member of the organization. It had been back in the cave during one of the first runs in the Mirror Dimension.


    The fact that there were more shouldn''te as a surprise to me.


    But the only problem that I had was, how...? How were they capable of doing this to all the first years?


    ...And if it was truly the case, how could I expose their identity?


    Given that they even involved me in this incident, if they were truly from the Inverted Sky, then there was no need for them to remain here.


    I needed to get rid of them.


    "Alright."


    I rxed my mind.


    There was no use thinking about it now. I was going to figure it out one way or another. At the very least, I now knew that there was potentially someone who was hiding within the first years.


    I didn''t know who, but I had time to figure it out.


    There was a more exciting thing that I wanted to figure out.


    My new skill.


    I licked my lips at the thought.


    ''Veil of Deceit... I wonder how that works.''


    There were no instructions for the skill, but that didn''t particrly matter as I turned to look at Owl-Mighty.


    "Last question. What can you tell me about the skill that you imparted to me? Veil of Deceit. How do I use it?"


    "It''s not difficult."


    Turning to face the bed, Owl-Mighty raised its wing to point at it.


    I was confused about its actions, but before I could even say a thing, my eyes widened as the bed suddenly changed, turning into arge wooden table.


    "Ah...?"


    I blinked several times to make sure that I wasn''t seeing wrong.


    Then, once I was sure I was seeing correctly, I stood up and reached for the table. I wanted to check if it was real, but the moment my hand reached for the desk, it passed right through it.


    That''s when Owl-Mighty spoke.


    ".....What you see is fake. Veil of Deceit is a skill that enables you to cast illusions. So long as you focus your attention on what you want to change, you will be able to alter the reality that is before your eyes."


    Waving its wings again, the room suddenly started to change.


    All of a sudden, roots started to appear from all sides, tangling over every little piece of furniture in the room. They crawled up the walls, twining around the light fixtures and creeping across the floor like living vines.


    Staring at the scene before me, I found myself breathing harder.


    Not because of fear, but because of excitement.


    It all... felt so real.


    To the point where I found myself shuddering slightly.


    ''What if I couple this skill with my emotive magic?''


    What would happen then?


    "Ah."


    This skill...


    It was perfect.

 Chapter 192 Quest Completion [1]

    Chapter 192 Quest Completion [1]


    ??In a certain room within the supply station.


    Several people sat around arge oval table. Heavy tension lingered in the room as everyone turned to look at Delh, who was quietly sitting in her seat while briefly pausing her gaze on every individual in the room.


    Wherever her gaze would pause, the individual under her gaze would slightly flinch.


    Such was the terrifying nature of her gaze.


    "Should we get started?"


    Standing behind her was Patrick, who held a faint smile on his face.


    "....."


    Delh didn''t answer.


    Her attention was currently focused on a certain individual in the room.


    "Is it true that you don''t recall anything?"


    ".....I apologize."


    Lennon lowered his head in apology. He too didn''t understand what had happened.


    His memories were wiped, and all he remembered was waking up in the middle of the street with others around.


    He knew that he had fallen for some sort of mental spell, but he didn''t know what it was or when it happened.


    "Is the same thing true for all of you?"


    Delh asked the others in the room, who tacitly nodded their heads.


    "I see."


    Delh pursed her lips.


    Then, looking around, her eyes fell on an empty seat.


    She turned to look behind her where Patrick was standing.


    "What about him? Why is he not here?"


    "Ah, about that..."


    Patrick lowered his head and whispered something in her ear. Delh''s face didn''t change, and she soon closed her eyes.


    ''Memories have been wiped, and someone is in a state ofa with hardly any brain activity. Time psed since the incident urred is several minutes.''


    The situation was weird.


    Not only that, but when she looked around and saw the strength that the people in the room possessed, Delh found the situation even odder.


    "Did you find any clues about the situation?"


    "No."


    Patrick shook his head.


    "The only thing we found was this."


    He brought his palm forward to reveal a blood-red leaf.


    ".....There weren''t many scattered around, but there should be no trees around here that produce such colored leaves. I''m having the observation squad carefully analyze the leaf for any clues."


    "....."


    Delh sat quietly, observing the leaf.


    It may not necessarily be a great clue, but it was certainly something. It was enough to give her an idea of what sort of ''monster,'' if it was even responsible, to look for.


    "Blood-colored leaf. Have you had anyone look for any information about a possible monster rted to it? If we filter all the data, it shouldn''t be difficult to find the information."


    "We''re already on it."


    "No answer yet?"


    "I have received several."


    "Hm?"


    ".....I''m just looking through them to sort out which is the most likely candidate for the situation. I''ve narrowed it down to three possible monsters."


    Patrick carefullyid out three papers on the table.


    "The first monster, the Redwheel."


    Delh looked at the picture disyed on the paper.


    It depicted arge, grotesque red sack with a leaf at the top. The sack was bulbous and veiny, pulsating with a sickly, rhythmic glow.


    The leaf, blood-red and serrated, was strikingly simr to the one they had found scattered around the station.


    Carefully examining the leaf, she noted its striking resemnce to the one in her hands, down to the intricate vein patterns and crimson hue.


    "It''s a carnivorous nt that releases a mist from its body."


    Patrick exined while pointing towards the description where he started to read.


    "The mist induces vivid hallucinations in all those who inhale it, distorting their sense of reality. Once they are ensnared in the hallucination, the nt releases several long, sinewy tendrils. These tendrils are covered in tiny barbs thattch onto the victims, drawing them inexorably toward the nt''s maw. The Redwheel then engulfs them, digesting its prey slowly within its pulsating, crimson body."


    Listening to the description, Delh frowned. The more she listened, the more she found this creature to be the most likely culprit.


    But there were still several things that didn''t make sense.


    "How is it that nobody has noticed the nt...?"


    She cast her gaze over the post-leaders.


    "For people of your strength, detecting something like this shouldn''t be difficult. In fact, the reason why you''ve been selected as post-leaders is because of your strength. For something like this to ur..."


    Delh didn''t need to finish her words there.


    Her face said it all.


    In reality, she wasn''t that mad. She understood that most likely an outsider organization had tampered with them, resulting in this mess.


    She knew this type of feeling all too well.


    It was for that reason that she was being unreasonably harsh.


    ''I''ll make sure to squeeze the Guilds for as much as I possibly can.''


    Since they were responsible for the cadets, they were the ones at fault for what happened. That was enough reason for her to demandpensation and provide it to the cadets.


    At the end of the day, things couldn''t continue like this.


    She needed to get them strong, fast.


    Taking a long sigh, Delh turned to Patrick, who gave her a rundown of the second monster.


    "Crimson Hand."


    Simr to the Redwheel, the monster had a distinctive red leaf that was simr to the one in her hand. Its effects were also simr, with it brainwashing those within its range.


    Unlike the Redwheel, it resided underneath the ground, and the reason why it was called ''Crimson Hand'' was because it was a gigantic red open palm.


    But for it to take over the entire station...


    Delh looked beneath the ground.


    .....It would without question be of a size unlike anything she had ever seen before.


    "Lastly, the Ebonthorn Tree."


    Delh''s ears perked up.


    "This is the one with the least amount of information that we have. It''s a rather slippery creature that knows how to hide well and slowly consumes the minds of those it targets. The reason why we don''t have much information on this creature is because all those that have been subjected to it either die or forget everything."


    Frowning, Delh looked at Patrick.


    "But it''s not like there haven''t been cases where it has been defeated. Take a look here."


    Patrick pointed towards the document in front of Delh.


    "There''s a verbal recount of what happened in one of the past records that I managed to dig out."


    Shifting down, Delh managed to catch a glimpse of what he was talking about.


    There she could see a quote.


    [I never noticed it until the end. I only noticed it when I started losing sight of myself. I started to grow moodier, my emotions dulled, and I was starting to change... Change into apletely different person. That''s when I knew something was wrong and fought my way out of the world. When I woke up again, those around me forgot everything. I didn''t. And the craziest part of it all...? Only a few minutes had passed in the real world.]


    Delh re-read the lines over and over again. Staring at the illustration which depicted the leaf, and then the one that sat on the table, she seemed to fall into deep thought.


    With everyone around staring at her, Delh tapped her finger on the desk before shifting the paper slightly forward.


    "....This is the one."


    She was sure.


    "The Tree of Ebonthorn."


    ***


    ''This is harder than I thought.''


    Such was my thought as I stared at the statue before me. It wasn''t anything detailed. It was supposed to be an angel statue, but it came out more like a stickman with wings.


    "....."


    The more I looked at it, the worse it became in my eyes.


    To the point where I suddenly felt like throwing it away. The only reason I didn''t was because the very statue was Owl-


    Mighty.


    ".....You need to imagine it properly. It needs a lot of concentration."


    "Yes, I can tell."


    My head was still throbbing from my previous attempt.


    It all more or less depended on my creativity and imagination. I could recreate things that I had previously seen, but it all depended on my memory of them. The fainter the memory, the fainter the image.


    Not only that, but if I were to re-create apletely new piece that I had never seen before, then it would take a lot of mana and concentration.


    This was my current limit.


    If that wasn''t all, I could also not change the entire room at will like Owl-Mighty did.


    I needed more practice to get to its level.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, I wiped away the sweat that had umted on my forehead.


    "This might take me a long time to learn."


    Well, that was mostly dependent on how much I nned on training it.


    Since the skill was essential, I nned on focusing a lot of my time on it.


    "When are you going to teach me about emotions...?"


    Suddenly, Owl-Mighty spoke.


    Listening to its voice, I turned my head.


    "It''s not easy to learn about emotions. It will take a bit of time."


    "Do you know of a way to make it faster...?"


    ".....Hmm."


    There was a way.


    Of course, there was a way. The first leaf. So long as I used that, I would have no problem injecting all the pent-up emotions into Owl-Mighty. In fact, it could also be a good thing since if I didn''t let all my emotions out, I''d find myself in a dangerous situation.


    There was only one problem.


    "You can''t handle it."


    ".....I can''t handle it?"


    "Yes, you can''t."


    I didn''t doubt that the mental resistance of Owl-Mighty was high, but for someone who knew nothing about emotions, to be suddenly injected with such raw, intense emotions... they might implode.


    Or at least, this was what I thought.


    It could very well be the opposite, but it didn''t matter to me.


    I wanted this rtionship tost for a while. If the first leaf was to work, then there wouldn''t be any need for him to stay with me for long.


    That would go against my ambitions.


    "It might be fine since your real body is not here, but it is dangerous. The best course of action is for you to slowly learn a bit about emotions before I apply the skill on you."


    "....."


    Owl-Mighty didn''t reply, but it didn''t seem like it was against what I said.


    I sighed in relief then.


    "Since you''ve agr¡ª"


    I stopped halfway through my sentence.


    That was because,


    [Tree of Ebonthorn: You were able to ovee the event]


    A notification shed before my eyes.

 Chapter 193 Quest Completion [2]

    <h4>Chapter 193 Quest Completion [2]</h4>


    [The incident has been resolved with nosting effect on anyone who has been involved. The future is changing.]


    I stared at the notification with my breath caught in my throat.


    So far, reading the first part, everything appeared to be flowing smoothly.


    ''The quest... did I fail it, or not?''


    I was still waiting for the next notification to pop up. Who knew whether I had failed or not? Until I saw confirmation, I didn''t dare hope.


    In the meantime, I pulled the main quest window by my side.


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated: Tree Of Ebonthorn.]


    : Character Progression + 401%


    : Game Progression + 13%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1 + 23%


    : Cmity 2 + 17%


    : Cmity 3 + 19%


    In particr, my eyes fell on the lower end of the quest window.


    ''I hope I didn''t fail.''


    While I still wasn''t sure exactly what the percentage rise for the failure brought, the percentages were quite high. Whatever it did, it was certainly not good. For that reason, I needed to be extra careful.


    "Hoo."


    Time seemed to stretch all of a sudden.


    I stood frozen while staring at the notification window.


    ''There''s nothing that said I can''t align myself with the tree, and since it says that the future has changed, it means that there should be no problem, right?''


    Typically, whenever it said the future had changed, then it would say that I had passed.


    That was how it usually went.


    But I couldn''t be sure.


    The quests were unreliable, and the criteria were unkown.


    The only thing I could do was pray.


    Pray that I had passed.


    And,


    Soon, the notifications that I had been waiting for, arrived.


    ¡ô| Game Progression EXP + 13%


    Game Progression : [0%¡ª¡ª-[31%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    Seeing the experience bar fill before my very eyes, I felt every part of my body starting to rx.


    It was a sight that I had been eager to see.


    Despite not knowing exactly what the game progression bar did, seeing that I had reached 31%, I felt an indescribable emotion.


    ''Soon, soon...''


    Then came the best part.


    "Ah."


    ¡ô| Character Progression EXP + 401%


    Exp : [0%-¡ª[20%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    A familiar wave of energy surged through my body, reaching its deepest parts and reinvigorating me. My muscles began to tense, my eyesight sharpened, and my hearing, along with all my other senses, heightened.


    It was a euphoric and addicting feeling that I didn''t want to stop.


    But all good things eventually came to an end.


    Sure enough, after a few minutes like this, the feeling stopped and a new notification popped up before my very eyes.


    [ ¡ô Active Main Quest: Prevent the Cmities from awakening or dying.]


    Aoife K. Megrail : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    Kiera Mylne : Slumber


    : Progress - 9%


    Evelyn J. Verlice : Slumber


    : Progress - 0%


    It was there to remind me of my current mission.


    So far, staring at the numbers, I felt rxed.


    They weren''t high, and nothing to worry about.


    Then again, staring at the quest window again and seeing the high numbers, I knew that there would eventuallye a quest that would make it extremely hard for me¡ª


    "Uh...?"


    My thoughts suddenly froze.


    All of a sudden, the progress bar for each one of the cmities started to rise.


    Evelyn K. Megrail : Slumber


    : Progress - 0% ¡ª¡ª> 7%


    Kiera Mylne : Slumber


    : Progress - 9% ¡ª¡ª> 13%


    Evelyn J. Verlice : Slumber


    : Progress - 0% ¡ª¡ª> 9%


    I stood frozen, staring at the numbers.


    ''Why...?''


    While it was true that the increase wasn''t as substantial as it would''ve been had I failed the mission, I still didn''t understand the increase.


    Why...? What could possib¡ª


    "Ah."


    That was when something struck me and I turned to look at Owl-Mighty.


    "....Is there a way you can return the memories of those that you have entrapped in the illusion?"


    "....."


    Owl-Mighty didn''t answer me and instead looked at me with a peculiar look.


    That was when it suddenly hit me.


    "Ah..."


    It had been in the room the entire time.


    ....It had seen exactly what had happened to me, and the sudden increase in my strength. I was just about to say something when its gaze fell on the quest notification.


    "That''s an interesting skill you have, human."


    "....!"


    Yet again, I was shocked.


    It could see it?


    How...? I thought that I was the only one that could see the notifications. How could it¡ªwait?


    A new thought suddenly struck me.


    ''That''s right, it isn''t its real body.''


    While I wasn''t sure how it worked, the current tree was part of me in the form of a bone. The fact that it could see the notification window was logical.


    I pursed my lips.


    ''In that case, there''s a chance that it might find most of my secrets.''


    I wasn''t sure how to feel about this.


    It wasn''t as though I could hide the notifications from it. Now that it was part of my body, it was only a matter of time before it found out about it.


    "Does ite from one of your innate skills, or is it something else entirely?"


    Owl-Mighty curious asked as its gaze fell on me and I swallowed my saliva.


    I didn''t know how to answer that. How could I when I myself didn''t know...?


    In the end, taking a deep breath, I sat down on the chair.


    "I''d also like to know."


    This was true.


    .....I didn''t know the reason why I had the notification window.


    "Game Progression? Character Progression? Quest...?"


    It started to read the window, and its gaze turned even weirder.


    "Why is my name being mentioned? Hmm, things are starting to make more sense now. The reason why you were so keen on finding out more about it. I finally know the reason."


    Owl-Mighty''s gaze turned even more peculiar.


    It seemed like it wanted to ask more, but I was quick to cut it off.


    "We can talk about itter. For now, I''d like to ask you about the memories. Is it possible to return them back?"


    "Yes, there is."


    "There is?!"


    ".....Yes, just tell me who, and I can restore their memories."


    "Hoo, okay."


    There was one possibility that I had not taken into ount when the quest was done.


    While it was true that I hadpleted it all, and the future had changed, from what I could tell, the change needed to be a positive one.


    Yes, I had been able to prevent a disaster from happening, but what about the character''s growth?


    With everything wiped out from their memories, whatever they learned, or whatever improvement in their rtionships was gone.


    If that was the case, then this entire event had been useless for them.


    In that regard, I think I was starting to get a better understanding of the quests.


    ''I have to prevent them from suffering the trauma that they experienced in the game, while at the same time ensuring that they progress for the future.''


    "Fuck."


    I swore at the thought.


    It was certainly an annoying situation, but at the same time, I felt like I was starting to get a clearer picture of the path that I needed to take in the future.


    I rubbed my forehead.


    ''I hope that the sudden increase in percentage didn''t do a lot of damage.''


    Considering that Kiera lookedpletely unbothered after she rose to 9%, I didn''t feel that worried.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath to calm my mind down, I looked outside the window.


    It was dark now, and the previous excitement that I felt when reaching the next rank cooled down.


    Level : 32 [Tier 3 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª[19%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    Staring at the notification in front of me, I waved my hand and scattered it away.


    I no longer felt that excited about reaching Tier 3.


    "There is still... a lot of work to do."


    To Tok¡ª


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.


    I hastily turned my head to look at Owl-Mighty who pped its wings and directly entered my body. I knew that I was still curious about my situation, but our rtionship was one of mutual exchange.


    I didn''t n on revealing any of my secrets to it.


    I couldn''t afford to do so.


    "Cadet? Are you sleeping?"


    A rough voice echoed from the other side of the door.


    Fixing my clothes, and wiping my sweat, I headed for the door where arge man donning a uniform greeted me.


    "Yes...?"


    Frowning, I looked at him up and down.


    He was well-built, and his eyebrows were rather thick. Hiding his hair was a small cap, but taking a closer look, it didn''t seem like he had much hair to begin with.


    "I apologize for suddenly disturbing you."


    He started off with an apology and I rxed. It didn''t seem like he was here to start any trouble.


    "There''s no problem."


    "That''s good. I do apologize for calling you sote into the night, but I need you to follow me for now."


    I blinked my eyes.


    I needed to follow him?


    For what?


    "Is this an order?"


    The man deeply looked at me.


    I stood on the spot while staring back into his hazel eyes. Eventually, he broke off the stare and cleared his throat.


    "No, this is not an order. We would just like to interrogate you with regard to what happened. You must understand that this is all because we''re trying to investigate what happened. You don''t have toe, but it might get troublesome for you if you don''te."


    At first, I thought he was threatening me.


    However, when I thought about it, he was right.


    Were I to reject this offer, then I would start to look suspicious to them. Perhaps not by much since there were probably others who nned on rejecting the request, but I didn''t doubt for one second that it was going to be troublesome further down the line.


    It was for that reason that I nodded.


    "Okay, I can do that."


    Either way, there was no way for them to pin-point Owl-Mighty who was inside of my body.


    Not only that but from what he told me, everyone''s memories had been wiped.


    All I had to do was act like I had also lost my memories.


    The only thing I would lose from this would be time. However, when considering that it would probably lead to me losing more time in the future, I dly epted the offer.


    "Please lead the way, I''ll follow you from behind."


    "Thank you. Please follow me."


    And thus, I followed the officer into the interrogation room.


    ''It''s a bit of a pity that everyone''s memories have been wiped.''


    I''d have been able to milk something from the Guild executives had that been the case.


    Truly, a pity.

 Chapter 194 Quest Completion [3]

    Chapter 194 Quest Completion [3]


    ??"¡­."


    Aoife nkly stared at the white ceiling of her room. Her mind was still a jumbled mess, and she could hardly think at all.


    The only thing she recalled was waking up in the middle of the street with other people.


    They too seemed dazed and confused about the situation.


    She tried asking the people who hade to rescue her, but all they responded with was, ''We''ll let you know after the investigation.''


    "¡­.What does that even mean?"


    Aoife was frustrated.


    Not just with them, but with herself too.


    Something had clearly happened, and given that she couldn''t remember a thing, she had been dangerously close to dying.


    All of that without her being able to do a thing.


    That feeling¡­. Aoife squeezed her hand.


    She hated that feeling.


    "Haaa."


    Aoife closed her eyes and sunk herself deep into her own thougths.


    "Dum~ Dam!"


    She quietly hummed to herself as she did so.


    It was a habit of hers whenever she had something deep to think about.


    At the same time, she recalled a certain face and her brows scrunched up in annoyance.


    For some reason, whenever she sang, she''d be reminded of the time in the library when he criticized her singing.


    She had still not been able to move on from then.


    ''As if my singing is that bad...''


    Raising her hand to cover the lighting from above her, Aoife opened her eyes to see her open palm in front of her.


    "What now¡­?"


    She had only been told to stay in the room for now.


    She had no clear instructions.


    Aoife felt like training, but she knew that going out was probably not a wise option.


    In the end, all she could do was stare at her hand.


    Or at least¡­


    That was until it happened.


    Her world suddenly darkened and she felt a sharp pain in her mind.


    Immediately, she sat up while holding her head.


    "Akh¡­!"


    Holding onto her head, Aoife groaned and clenched her teeth.


    It was a pain that she struggled to describe, and if not for the fact that it onlysted for a brief moment, she would''ve screamed at the top of her lungs.


    "Haaa¡­ haa¡­"


    Her breath was heavy and her forehead was covered in sweat.


    Despite the state that she was in, she didn''t so much as bother wiping the sweat away from her body.


    "H-how¡­?"


    Rather, her eyes were wide open and her pupils were dted.


    Memories that she hadpletely forgotten resurfaced in her mind.


    ''Crimson Shade, Tree of Ebonthorn, Julien, Leon¡­''


    Aoife felt as though she had suddenly lost her breath.


    "It¡­ this¡­"


    She was having a hard time understanding what was going on.


    ''Thest thing I remember is Julien almost getting attacked by the monster¡­ what happened afterward¡­?''


    Aoife was so curious that she felt like she could die.


    However, if there was one thing she was certain about, it was that Julien may have had a hand in this.


    In thest moments, he was the one who had interacted with the post-leader of the ck Hound Guild and had gone out of the bunker.


    If¡­


    If there was someone who might have an idea of what had happened, he was the one.


    But outside of that, there was something else that Aoife remembered.


    "Kiera."


    She quietly mumbled her name and subconsciously massaged her face.


    Even now, she could recall what she did in thosest moments. Her expression twisted at the thought and her fingers twitched.


    ".....If it''s thest thing I do."


    *


    Aoife wasn''t the only one that came up with that conclusion.


    Kiera and Evelyn both experienced the same thing as they recalled what had happened.


    "Fuck, shit."


    Swearing up and down, Kiera ruffled her hair into a mess, only to fix it shortly after.


    Couldn''t have it like that.


    Too messy.


    "What the hell happened¡­?"


    It was only after she was done fixing her hair that the reality of the situation hit her.


    The memories that had been wiped started to return, and just like Aoife, she recalled all the details of the event that had transpired before she woke up.


    And just like Aoife, she had an inkling that Julien may have had a hand in the situation.


    ''Could it be that he defeated the wathever tree?''


    It was the only usible exnation to her.


    The only one that wasn''t so lucky was Evelyn who, despite recalling what happened, didn''t exactly know what was going on.


    After all, mid-way through the situation, she cked out.


    "What am I supposed to do with this...?"


    Staring at her own reflection in the bathroom mirror, Evelyn frowned.


    Her memories were cloudy, and all she could remember was Kiera pping her.


    "Ah, right..."


    Kiera pping her...


    Thinking about thosest moments, her expression changed and her hand twitched.


    "Kiera."


    She mumbled to herself.


    ".....If it''s thest thing I do."


    ***


    "So you do not recall anything?"


    "Yes, I apologize for that."


    I stood in a small and confined room, sitting behind a metal desk with a guard sitting on the opposite end. The room wasn''t like the one in the bunker, but it gave off simr vibes. It was for that reason that my legs were shaking slightly and my eyes asionally darted around.


    ''I think I''ve got PTSD.''


    I couldn''t count the amount of times I started thinking about the best route to escape from this ce.


    "Well, your story is in line with that of the others."


    Putting his clipboard down, the guard removed his sses and pinched his eyebrows.


    ".....I''ll say it like I said it to everyone else that we''ve brought. We apologize for our negligence. You will be properlypensated for what you''ve undergone. Your Academy should inform you more about itter."


    "I see."


    Compensation...


    That was more like it.


    I was certainly not going to refuse it.


    "Okay, everything is in check. You may leave."


    "Thank you."


    I stood up from my seat and headed out of the room. The entire time my mind would drift on ways that I could escape the ce, and it only stopped when I finally came out of the building and was able to take a breath of the fresh air of the Mirror Dimension.


    As expected, the sky was still gloomy and there was hardly anyone out.


    Bidding farewell to the guards, I walked on the cobblestone streets. Looking around, I was reminded of the moments within the illusion where I had been by myself.


    .....It was quiet, with hardly anyone outside.


    The only difference was the fact that the Crimson Shade was no longer present.


    Just as I arrived back into the dorm building, a familiar figure appeared outside. He seemed to be waiting for someone.


    Looking at him for a brief moment, I nodded my head slightly and prepared to pass him when he extended his hand to stop me.


    His gray eyes locked onto me as he spoke,


    "What are you doing...?"


    "Uh?"


    I tilted my head.


    "I''m going back to my dorm."


    "I can tell."


    "Oh, good, so..."


    I tried to push my way in but he stopped.


    "I was waiting for you."


    "Oh."


    I still pushed my way through.


    "Can you stop for a second?"


    "Fine."


    Giving up, I stopped trying to push my way through and lowered my head to look at him. He stared back at me, but when he opened his mouth, his words appeared to refuse to leave them.


    It went on like that for a few seconds before I eventually cut in.


    "You want to know what happened, correct?"


    "....."


    He didn''t answer, but his face said it all.


    "What makes you think that I know?"


    "..."


    Yet again, he didn''t say a thing, and yet again, I was able to read his expression.


    "Alright, fine."


    It was strangely creepy how I was able to converse with him without him saying a single word.


    I shuddered for a brief moment.


    "I can get you your memories back."


    ".....!"


    His head flicked up.


    ''You can?''


    "Yes-ah."


    I was doing it again.


    "Can you speak? This is getting ridiculous."


    "Oh, right."


    Leon scratched the side of his face. It seemed like it finally dawned on him that he hadn''t spoken a word the entire time.


    That head of his...


    Why did it suddenly feel so smackable?


    p¡ª


    "Uh!?"


    ''Oh, shit!''


    I actually ended up smacking his head.


    While I thought about it, I didn''t think I''d actually go through with it. Seeing his shocked expression, for a brief moment, I didn''t know how to reply, but I soon cleared my throat and seriously replied.


    "Like I said, I can get your memories back."


    His eyes narrowed.


    "Do you want them or not?"


    ".....Yes."


    Despite his face looking like that of someone who would kill me if given the chance, he swallowed everything and nodded his head.


    "I''d like my memories back."


    ".....I got you."


    Raising my hand, Leon flinched slightly.


    "...."


    "...."


    I raised it again, and he flinched again.


    Suddenly, the corner of my lips pulled up and Leon''s expression twisted.


    "Get it over with."


    "Alright, fine."


    I turned serious then and called out.


    "Owl-Mighty."


    The moment my voice fell, I felt something on my shoulder and when I turned to look, two red eyes looked back at me.


    "What?"


    Leon looked stunned by Owl-Mighty''s appearance.


    Looking at him, I thought about exining but decided otherwise.


    "It''s a long story."


    It would probably take a long time for me to exin.


    "Anyways¡ª"


    "W-what did you say it''s name was?"


    Cutting me off, Leon looked at Owl-Mighty with a trembling gaze. I tilted my head before answering.


    "Owl-Mighty."


    "....Ah."


    In silence, Leon covered his mouth before leaning back on the staircase. His face was pale, and his expression was something I couldn''t find words to describe.


    In essence, he looked like someone undergoing a mid-life crisis.


    I let it be and turned to look at Owl-Mighty.


    "Can you do it?"


    "Yes."


    Raising its wing in Leon''s direction, roots manifested around Leon, trapping his ankles.


    "....!?"


    Instantly, Leon''s eyes widened in shock. I was also a bit surprised and looked around me. I hadn''t expected the roots to appear.


    "Ukh...!"


    Leon groaned for a brief moment and he soon grasped his head. His struggle went on for a few seconds before his face nked.


    "It''s done. It will take a couple of minutes for him to recover."


    "That''s fine."


    ncing at him, I looked around. Everything had happened rather quickly, and I had only given a brief look at my surroundings.


    ''I''m sure Owl-Mighty checked around before using the skill.''


    Otherwise, things would be rather troublesome.


    Rubbing my forehead, I had just crossed the door of the amodation when I felt a sudden heating from my right arm.


    Sizzle~


    It was a familiar sizzle that brought forth certain memories of mine, and my eyes widened.


    "It can''t be...!"


    I hastily looked around before rushing to my room.


    nk!


    Closing the door behind me, I unwrapped the bandages on my arm before looking at the tattoo.


    "Ah...!"


    As expected.The third leaf...


    It was glowing.

 Chapter 195 Third Leaf [1]

    Chapter 195 Third Leaf [1]


    ??I stared at my arm with widened eyes.


    The stinging sensation had disappeared, and what reced it was a strange warmth that seemed to seep through every part of my body.


    Staring at the glowing leaf, I didn''t know how to react.


    It was an unexpected situation.


    How was I even supposed to react to this...?


    In the first ce, what sort of criteria was there for me to suddenly unlock the third leaf?


    ''Could it be because I suddenly reached Tier 3?''


    Was that the criteria?


    I thought about it for a while before shaking my head. Surely it wasn''t that simple. There was definitely more to it than my thoughts allowed.


    But in the end, I knew that thinking about it right now was pointless.


    Looking around me, I quickly bandaged up my arm and sat down on the bed.


    "Hooo."


    Laying down on the bed, I nkly stared at the ceiling.


    I was tempted to try the new effect of the leaf but decided that now wasn''t a good time. I needed to be in a safer environment to do that.


    ''I''ll check it out when I''m back in my dorms in Haven.''


    Who knew what sort of side-effect the new ability had?


    "Are you rxing?"


    "....!"


    I hurriedly looked up front where the voice came from.


    She was sitting down on the wooden chair by the desk of the room, and her inky ck eyes were locked onto me.


    Licking my lips, I took a couple of breaths to calm myself down before facing Delh''s gaze.


    ''When did she get here?''


    No, rather...


    "Do I not get any privacy?"


    "Privacy?"


    "Yes..."


    I looked around the room pointedly. I was trying to hint at her the fact that this was my own room and so forth.


    "....?"


    But seeing that she still didn''t seem to understand the message, I gave up.


    "It''s been a while."


    I greeted her first.


    "Been a while...?"


    Delh tilted her head as her eyes sharpened. At that moment, I wanted to p myself in the face for the sudden slip-up.


    .....Only a couple of minutes should''ve passed since something happened to us. In the meantime, it had only been about a day since we left the Academy.


    It was a fact that she understood all too well.


    "It''s just a figurative speech."


    I tried to y it off, but that didn''t work.


    Her eyes didn''t allow me to.


    "Do you have any memories of the incident?"


    "....."


    I didn''t answer.


    I thought about lying but staring into those deep, piercing eyes of hers, I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of dread.


    It was as if her gaze could see straight through me, peeling back everyyer of deception. The weight of her stare made me feel like sinking into the deepest parts of the ground, swallowed up by the earth itself.


    That was when I gave up on the thought.


    "Well...?"


    "I do."


    In the end, I ended up telling her the truth.


    ''It shouldn''t hurt me anyways.''


    She was on my side.


    At least, for now.


    .....And at the same time, I could use her to find the true culprit behind this.


    For that reason, I started to recount everything that happened in the illusion until the very end.


    For obvious reasons, I omitted the part about ''Owl-Mighty'' and just revealed to her that I had found the page and was able to clear the entire illusion, freeing everyone from the grasp of Owl-Mighty.


    "That''s about it."


    Once I was done recounting my story, Delh looked at me for a brief moment. She seemed to be trying to gauge whether I was lying or not.


    But I wasn''t worried.


    My story was in line with all the avable information about the Ebonthorn tree.


    As expected, after a long and agonizing couple of seconds, she turned her gaze away from me and nodded.


    "You might be able to receive a lot of rewards if you reveal what happened. Are you sure you don''t want to do that? If you want, I can try to get you an adequate reward."


    "....It''s alright."


    I had already received an adequate reward in the tree bone.


    Furthermore, things were certainly going to be extremely troublesome in the future if the truth were to be revealed.


    "I won''t force you."


    Delh stood up from the wooden chair. I thought she was going to leave the room directly when she turned to face me directly.


    Her deep ck eyes pierced right through me as she spoke.


    "You need to hide your strength properly."


    "Hm? Wh¡ª"


    "In just a day, you were able to improve your strength so much. Many will find this suspicious."


    "..."


    The realization dawned on me like a truck.


    I knew exactly what she was talking about, and I had thought about it beforehand, but her sudden appearance, had made it hard for me to prepare properly.


    But, yes.


    My sudden increase in strength was certainly suspicious.


    I had been trying to rack my brain over the matter, but I had been too busy to give it a proper thought.


    Her warning came to me as a wake-up call.


    "You should be d not everyone can see through your strength like me, but most post-leaders can. Be careful of that."


    "....."


    What could I even say?


    In the end, I could only nod to her words.


    "Come find me when we reach the Academy. There''s something that I would like to speak with you about."


    She disappeared shortly after that.


    My mind continued to linger over herst words.


    ''Something she''d like to speak to me about...?''


    I felt my eyes widen slightly as realization dawned on me.


    ''It can''t be about that, right?''


    A strange sense of excitement surged within me at the thought.


    The rewards I had asked about before...


    Did they agree?


    ***


    "....."


    Leon nkly stared at the city ahead of him.


    It was empty, and there was hardly anyone on the streets. Despite that, the current image ovepped with the one in her memories. But in contrast to his memories, the world was entirely red.


    In the end...


    ''I died.''


    It may have been an illusion, but it was undeniable.


    He had ''died'' in vain.


    .....Despite understanding the reason why he had failed, he didn''t once me Julien for it. While it was true that the reason why he had ''died'' was because of the side-effects of Julien''s Emotive Magic, at the end of the day, it all came down to hisck of skills.


    "What should I do...?"


    The feeling he was currently having felt terrible.


    It was hard to describe.


    .....But it was as if hands were dragging him down some quicksand, not letting him go until he waspletely suffocated.


    It was a feeling that Leon hated.


    ''This sense of helplessness...''


    He silently clenched his fist and took a deep breath.


    Leaning back to stare at the sky, he closed his eyes for a brief moment before finally standing up and dusting off his clothes.


    "Right."


    There was no use crying over spilled milk.


    He just had to be better.


    Turning his head to look towards the entrance of the amodation, Leon''s lips curled up slightly.


    He really was...


    An amazing guy.


    "...."


    That thought however onlysted for a brief moment.


    Massaging the back of his head, he was reminded of a certain scene and he frowned.


    Nevermind.


    Fuck that guy.


    ***


    Two days.


    That was how long it took for all those involved to be interrogated and cleared of all suspicions.


    In the end, the decision was to let everyone return back to where they came from with the supply station being temporarily shut down in hopes of finding the culprit behind the incident.


    That was how far I knew concerning the entire situation.


    "Everyone, please line up carefully. Please line up carefully! We need proper order or we will not be able to escort you out!"


    I was currently standing in line to head out of the Mirror Dimension. At longst, this exhausting exchange came to an end.


    ''Never again.''


    At least for a good while, I wasn''t nning on going out of the Academy.


    I had gone out about three times, and each time, I''d face some sort of problem. That was it. For at least a month or two, I didn''t n on leaving the Academy.


    Hopefully...


    I knew that my reality was a lot sadder than this.


    There was bound to be an event that was going to force me out of the Academy.


    It wasn''t even a g, but just a fact.


    A sad fact that reflected the current state of my life.


    ''I want a vacation.''


    Or at least, some alone time for myself where I could just focus on training.


    "Hm?"


    Feeling a couple of gazes, I turned my head and was surprised to see Aoife and Kiera staring at me. Our gazes met briefly, but they quickly looked away.


    Their behavior took me aback.


    Why in the...


    "I wonder what the outside world looks like."


    "....!"


    Startled, I looked to my shoulder.


    There, Owl-Mighty stood proudly while staring ahead.


    ''Ah.''


    It finally dawned on me.


    The reason why I was getting the stares.


    "What are you doing? Why are you out...?"


    I quietly whispered in order to make sure that no one heard.


    The fact that an owl was on my shoulder was already weird. If they learned that it could talk...?


    "You should know best that you shouldn''t be out."


    "Why not?"


    "That''s..."


    "There''s no need to worry, human. I am not my main body. Nobody will ever find out. Not even that scary woman you met before. They will just assume I''m a regr spirit owl."


    Scary woman?


    Was he talking about Delh...?


    ''Hmm.''


    Thinking about it, she was scary, but at the same time, I couldn''t really take her seriously.


    Perhaps it was because I had seen her in her smaller form, but she never really came off as scary to me.


    To Owl-Mighty she looked scary, and probably the same was true for those who didn''t know her well, but she really was the furthest thing from scary.


    Either way, I didn''t have time to dwell on it.


    "Pleasee this way."


    It was my time to head out of the Crack.


    Arriving before it, I looked at the guard and waited for his signal. The guard stared at Owl-Mighty for a brief moment 16:46


    before taking his eyes away and giving me the go-ahead.


    Nodding slightly, I stepped into the portal.


    At longst.


    ....It was finally over.

 Chapter 196 Third Leaf [2]

    Chapter 196 Third Leaf [2]


    ??The return to the academy marked the end of the Guild exchange. Quite frankly, I was mentally tired and exhausted from the entire ordeal.


    ''Delh said that she wanted to talk to me about something, but she didn''t specify when exactly. I''ll do so after taking a bit of rest.''


    I wanted to feel excited, but I couldn''t.


    I was simply too tired.


    With that being said, I already had an idea of what she wanted to talk about.


    ''Dragon Bone.''


    Or at least, an update on the situation.


    The thought of receiving the Dragon Bone made me excited, but at the same time, made me a little apprehensive.


    Surely there wouldn''t be any conditions attached to the bone, right?


    "Haha."


    As if.


    Iughed a little to myself.


    There was no way the Empire would simply give me something so precious without any conditions.


    Either way, I was prepared to listen to them before deciding.


    Cli nk¡ª


    Opening the door to my room, I felt a wave of nostalgia.


    Only a day may have passed, but to me, it had probably been over a week. Time flowed differently in the illusions.


    Hopping off my shoulder, Owl-Mighty looked around curiously. It carefully observed every nook and cranny of the palce.


    It had been like this since the moment we came out of the Mirror Dimension.


    From the sky to the trees, to the bushes... It was interested in everything.


    I would''ve let it be if not for the fact that there was another portal waiting for us aftering out of the Mirror Crack.


    "Huam."


    Yawning, I felt my eyelids grow a little heavier.


    Pomf¡ª


    I dropped back on the bed and stared at the familiar white ceiling.


    ''I really was... back.''


    Who would''ve thought?


    I really was tired.


    Thankfully, Owl-Mighty was busy looking around, so it didn''t need my attention.


    "Don''t go out without my permission."


    But I still felt the need to warn it about going out.


    I didn''t necessarily think it would be in any danger, but it would still be problematic.


    ncing at it for a few seconds, I finally sunk into my conciousness and the world turned ck.


    *


    The next morning.


    I woke up feeling refreshed.


    "Looks like it might rain."


    Coming out of my room, I noticed the gray clouds hanging in the sky. It wouldn''t be long before before it was going to rain.


    Knowing that, I hurried my steps and headed for Delh''s office.


    Now that my mind was clearer, I could finally feel the excitement of potentially receiving the Dragon Bone.


    Of course, I made sure to not get my hopes too high.


    I couldn''t be too disappointed in case I didn''t receive it.


    To Tok¡ª


    Arriving at the familiar office, I knocked.


    "Come in."


    Delh''s voice echoed shortly after and I opened the door and entered.


    nk¡ª


    Already familiar with the ce I didn''t stand in ceremony and prepared to take a seat when I paused.


    "¡­.."


    There were many things that I wanted to say, but couldn''t.


    Lifting my head up, I met Delh''s gaze.


    She looked back at me without so much as a change in expression.


    I continued to stare at her.


    She stared back.


    ....And then,


    She looked away.


    "There were a lot of events that I needed to attend, and with what happened recently, I had trouble cleaning up."


    Excuses started to flow out of her mouth.


    ''Are you watching Owl-Mighty? This is the woman you regarded as scary.''


    "Oh."


    I looked at all the wrappers and papers that were scattered across the room. I could hardly believe her at all.


    I had been gone for¡­ two days.


    Two days.


    That was how long it took for the office to turn into the mess that it was now.


    "¡­."


    I closed my eyes for a short moment before taking a seat.


    ''It''s whatever.''


    Wasn''t going to clean it up anyways.


    Seemingly taking note of my attitude, Delh''s expression turned sharp as she changed the topic.


    "You must already have an idea as to why I called you here."


    "¡­.I do."


    I answered while trying my best to keep my heart from trembling. I didn''t want to openly disy the excitement that I was feeling.


    I was so excited that a few notifications shed before my very eyes.


    They were rather annoying, but it wasn''t as though I could remove them.


    "Regarding your reward, I have an update for you."


    Delh spoke in the slowest tone possible.


    I felt my face twitch at the fact.


    It felt as though she was doing this on purpose.


    I had to take a deep breath to calm myself down while waiting for her to finish.


    "As reported back to me not too long ago. In the end, the Empire has decided to agree to the request."


    "¡­!"


    "But¡ª!"


    I was just about to jump up from the excitement when Delh poured cold water on me.


    ''There it is¡­''


    The catch that I had been waiting for. It wasn''t as though I didn''t expect it, but it certainly dampened my excitement a little bit.


    "There''s no need to look that disappointed. Let me hear the condition first.''


    "¡­.."


    I raised my head to meet her gaze without saying a word.


    So long as it wasn''t bad, then I didn''t mind fulfilling the condition. At the end of the day, the Dragon Bone was too big of a reward for what I had aplished.


    At least, that was what the Empire probably thought.


    "In theing months, there will be a summit between the four Empires."


    A summit between the four Empires...?


    My ears perked.


    "At the summit, Haven will send a few representatives. As the first-year ck Star, the Empire wants you to show your dominance against the talents of the other Empires. You won''t be the only one attending. The first years have shown a lot of promise. For that, the Empire ns on providing you with resources to help you grow stronger."


    My mind stopped halfway through her words.


    It wasn''t so much that I was shocked about the announcement since I had heard about the summit in the past, but it was more about¡­


    "Another trip?"


    "¡­.Eh?"


    Delh stopped to look at me.


    I stared back at her with a bitter look.


    "That¡­ Can we not? Can we host the summit here?"


    "No."


    Delh cut me off rather quickly.


    So much so that I was a bit taken aback.


    I thought she''d ramble on about how it wasn''t a decision that was up to her and it wa something decided by the four empires, but her answer waspletely different from what I expected.


    "You bring trouble wherever you go. Be it in the Academy, or outside of the Academy. I''m already facing a lot of headaches over the recent incidents. I''m not hosting any event I''m Haven."


    "¡­."


    To her words, I could only remain speechless.


    I wanted to refute what she said, but I found myself unable to.


    In the end, she was right.


    Regardless of whether it was outside of the Academy, or in the Academy, I''d face some sort of trouble.


    "¡­.Tsk."


    Unknowingly, I found myself clicking my tongue.


    The truth hurt.


    ''¡­.And there''s also the fact that the quests are present.''


    I could probably ignore them since there was no direct consequence to me, but the power-ups were certainly nice, and I wasn''t too keen on finding out what would happen once the ''cmities'' reached 100%.


    In the end, the only thing I could do was sigh in defeat.


    "¡­.When can I expect to receive the Bone?"


    "When Ases back."


    Delh replied with her usual t tone.


    "And when would that be?"


    "In a couple of days to a week. He''s currently in Bremmer."


    Bremmer¡­?


    I thought for a moment before recalling.


    It was the capital city of the Empire, and where the royal estate was located. He was probably there to collect the bone personally.


    Looking at her, I nodded my head and prepared to stand up.


    I was just about to when she stopped me.


    "Wait."


    "¡­.Yes?"


    I looked at her in confusion.


    Was there something else that she needed to say to me?


    "There''s something I''m curious about. Sit down for now."


    I did as she told me and sat down. Before I could ask her what was going on, she extended her arm in my direction.


    "Try again."


    "Come again?"


    I blinked my eyes, unable to understand what she was trying to imply. From the way she had her arm extended, it almost looked like she wanted me to hold it.


    But that was crazy.


    Why would¡ª


    "Touch it."


    "¡­.?"


    I felt my mind grow nk.


    I was really struggling to understand her intentions, and when I was about to say something, she finally borated.


    "Back when Leon fought against Evelyn, you tried something on me when we were holding hands. I want you to try again."


    "¡­.!!!"


    My body tensed at her words.


    I wanted to say something but found my mouth sealed shut.


    Thankfully, I was able to keep my face from changing too much and kept my shock to myself.


    "¡­."


    It took a few moments for me to finally calm down, and when I did, Delh spoke again.


    "I felt a weird sensation back then. It was somewhat faint, and I couldn''t really tell what it was. It seemed to want to crawl into my mind, but I was able to block it just in time. It''s been on my mind for quite some time. I want you to try again. I''m not mad."


    "¡­."


    I swallowed my saliva before bitterly smiling.


    ''So she did notice in the end¡­''


    It was a good thing that it was Delh of all people that had detected it.


    But at the same time, it made me aware of something.


    ''The second ability¡­ it can be blocked.''


    Most likely, someone had to have higher mental resilience than me for it to happen.


    ¡­.Which was hard considering that my mental resilience was already quite high.


    It also meant that Delh''s mental resnce was higher than mine.


    "So¡­?"


    Startling me out of my thoughts was Delh, and when I looked at her, I could see her looking at me with her deep ck eyes.


    They seemed to be ready to swallow me at any moment.


    "Alright."


    Pursing my lips, I soon reached out with my hand and grasped her wrist.


    "¡­."


    I held her wrist for a few seconds, and just before activating the second ability, I stopped.


    Lifting my head to stare at her again, I had a sudden thought.


    My heart raced.


    And then,


    I pressed the third and new leaf.

 Chapter 197 Third Leaf [3]

    Chapter 197 Third Leaf [3]


    ??Heavy.


    Every step felt heavy as I moved down the Academy market aisle.


    Rows upon rows of goods were presented before my very eyes as I just randomly picked up whatever bar I could find.


    At the front, I could feel the staff''s sharp gaze on me.


    I knew that I was close to reaching the daily limit of bars that I could purchase.


    But it couldn''t be helped, this was for Delh.


    "Haa."


    Recalling what had happened a few moments ago, I could only sigh.


    Nothing.


    Pressing the third leaf, nothing happened.


    Delh looked a bit disappointed by that, saying something along the lines of, ''I didn''t feel anything. Did you try something?''


    I was helpless.


    The third ability was still new to me.


    At least, I now knew that it couldn''t be activated so easily.


    "There''s fifteen minutes left, I better hurry."


    Checking my watch, I hurried to the counter.


    sses were going to start in a bit. I needed to get this delivered before ss started.


    "Thank you for your purchase. Have a good day."


    "Thank you."


    Drip. Drip.


    It was drizzling outside.


    The sky donned a somber gray, casting a moody ambiance all around. It perfectly reflected my inner feelings.


    "Haa... I should''ve brought an umbre. My cloth¡ªHm?"


    My feet came to a sudden stop as I felt a slight tug of my coat. Unknowingly, the rain that had been pouring down from the sky just moments prior had disappeared.


    "How may I help you...?"


    I lowered my gaze, and two deep ck eyes blinked back at me. Before me, an expressionless little girl stood, her clothing appearing quite tattered. She also seemed on the skinnier side as her clothing seemed rather loose.


    "Hm? Where did youe from?"


    She didn''t look like someone who belonged to the Academy.


    I was confused and looked around me.


    "....!?"


    But the moment I did, I was stunned to see that I was no longer on the Academy grounds. I was somewhere else entirely.


    They looked like... slums.


    "H-how?"


    Before I could panic, something tugged my coat again and I looked at the skinny little girl.


    Without answering, her gaze wandered over the bag in my hand.


    "Are you hungry?"


    Nod. Nod.


    Thinking for a moment, I opened the bag and took out the first thing I could grab.


    "Ah."


    But that thing turned out to be the one thing I couldn''t exactly give away.


    Delh''s bar.


    "Hmm, I can''t give you this, how ab..."


    I stopped myself from speaking. Staring at the pack, the little girl was already salivating. Alternating her gaze between me and the chocte bar, she rubbed the corner of her mouth.


    "Take it."


    ''Whatever, it''s Delh''s money anyway.''


    She could afford this little loss.


    With visible sparkles in her eyes, the little girl took the chocte bar from my hand.


    "Let me help."


    Seeing her struggle to open the pack, I offered her a hand.


    "Here."


    Num. Num.


    She dove right into the bar and for some reason, her image ovepped with Delh''s. Of course, she was obviously not her. She was skinnier than her, and her clothing was also a lot more tattered. Not only that, but her hair was also a mess.


    However, the twinkle that appeared in her otherwise lost eyes and the way she was devouring the chocte bars so eagerly made me think of her.


    "Tha...nk you."


    She spoke for the first time.


    Her voice was brittle.


    "Does it taste good?"


    "Mhm."


    "Here, clean your hands with this."


    "...?"


    "It''s not good if you eat with your hands dirty."


    Before I knew it, I was cleaning her hands with a tissue. A habit I''d developed back when taking care of my brother.


    I raised my head and looked around.


    "... Where are your parents?"


    The street was empty with just the two of us standing. The surrounding buildings were broken and tattered, with newspapers scattered across the ground.


    I wanted to meet her parents so that I could get a better idea of where I was.


    This entire situation was strange.


    "Parents?"


    "Yes, mom and dad. Where are they?"


    "H... home."


    The young girl replied in a hushed tone. As if she suddenly remembered something, her hand, which was digging the chocte bar suddenly stopped.


    "I go."


    "You''re leaving?"


    "Um."


    "Wait."


    I grabbed her hand before she could leave.


    Looking around me and checking my watch, I spoke,


    "Let mee with you."


    The area looked unsafe. For an eight to nine-year-old girl to roam around like this all alone didn''t sit well with me. But besides that. There was something about the little girl that bugged me.


    I wasn''t exactly sure what it was, but a part of me refused to leave her alone.


    She reminded me too much of a certain someone.


    So I decided to apany her on the way back.


    "Oh, right."


    I looked at the little girl who was tightly holding onto the chocte bar as if it were her most prized treasure.


    "What''s your name?"


    "..."


    The girl blinked her eyes and raised her head. Her face, which seemed expressionless, showed a slight change as if she had rediscovered a hint of feeling.


    Her response came shortly after.


    "Delh.. My name is Delh."


    ***


    His face was scary, but he was kind.


    He gave Delh chocte, so he must be a good man.


    A strange but kind man.


    Creaaak¡ª!


    Her little hands pushed the familiar door leading up to her house. The door opened like it was weing her with open arms.


    "Oh, you''re back Delh?"


    A warm and gentle voice greeted her at the entrance of her house.


    The room was bright. It was flooded with brightness as the sun''s rays poured in through therge windows, making it difficult to see ahead.


    It was so bright she could hardly make out her mother''s features.


    "Mom."


    A familiar warmth embraced her as she felt her mother''s hug.


    "Have you had fun ying around? Did you enjoy yourself?"


    "Mhm."


    Delh brought forth the chocte bar she received from the strange but kind man.


    "Oh, what''s this?"


    "Food."


    Her small hand squeezed the chocte bar.


    So delicious.


    "...And who gave you this?"


    "Him."


    Delh pointed at the strange but kind man. He was still standing by the door.


    "Oh, my."


    As if realizing that someone was standing at the door, her mother made a surprised look.


    "How rude of me. Pleasee on in. Come in."


    "..."


    But the man didn''t move and just stood where he was. His expression was scary.


    He only snapped out of it when Delh tugged his clothes.


    "Mama said toe in."


    "Oh."


    The floor creaked under his step.


    "Please,e and sit here. We don''t have much, but I hope you find yourselffortable, and thank you very much for helping Delh."


    "Sit there."


    Delh pointed toward the living room table.


    With a nod, the strange but kind man sat on one of the chairs around the table.


    "One for you, and one for you."


    Delh snapped the bar into multiple pieces.


    One for the strange but kind man and the other for her. The rest was for her mother and father. Satisfied, she patted her hands which were mixed with melted chocte.


    "Mommy, when will Dade out?"


    Delh''s gaze wandered over a certain door.


    It was the door that led to her father''s room.


    Her dad was there, but she wasn''t allowed to enter.


    ''No matter what, you mustn''t enter the room,'' he said to her.


    "Your dad will join uster. Eat your food for now."


    "Um."


    When the topic of food came up once more, her gaze shifted away from the door, returning to focus on the chocte bar.


    "Eat. Eat."


    She devoured the chocte bar.


    So sweet. So tasty.


    But that was when she noticed something.


    "Why you... no, eat?"


    "I... I''ve already eaten enough."


    The man pushed his chocte toward her.


    "You eat it."


    Blink.


    Delh blinked her eyes.


    She could eat it?


    Staring at the man to make sure he wasn''t lying to her, only after seeing him nod did Delh happily eat the chocte bar.


    What bliss.


    Creaaak¡ª!


    Hearing a familiar creaking sound, Delh turned her head to see a tall figure walk in.


    "Daddy!"


    She spent no time running to the man.


    "Ho, ho. There''s my little princess."


    "Hehehe."


    Giggling, Delh hugged her father tightly.


    "What have you been up to, Delh?"


    "Eating."


    "Oh? What are you eating?"


    "Chocte. Very delicious. I gave it to Mom too."


    "Mhhh."


    Her dad suddenly went quiet.


    "Dad?"


    "...Delh."


    In the gentlest voice he could muster, he spoke to her.


    "Your mom..."


    "Yes?"


    She was in the living room.


    "She''s... in a faraway ce. It''s been a year now. I need you to realize this."


    Blink.


    The brightness that was engulfing the room started to dim.


    Slowly, the surroundings started to turn dark.


    "I know you miss your mom. I miss her too. More than you can imagine, but..."


    Rotten walls. Broken windows. Mold. The house''s true appearance started to reveal itself.


    "...you need to move on. You will eventually see her. It''s just that... the time isn''t right yet. There will be a time when you will see her again. It''s a promise."


    Delh cocked her head as she stared at her father.


    Despite the light dimming, it was still difficult for her to see his features.


    "But dad..."


    Blink.


    The brightness dimmed once more, and her gaze wandered over a certain room.


    "...Will I also see you again? You still haven''t left your room."


    Blink.


    The brightness disappearedpletely.


    What remained was an eerie silence as the girl stood alone in the darkness.


    Just her.


    And herself.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    ''Just what is this...?''


    Rather than being shocked... I just didn''t know how to react. How was I supposed to react to this?


    The dpidated walls, the pervasive mold, the cracks zigzagging across the walls, and the lingering scent of decay filling the space...


    I clenched my teeth.


    ''Just what is this?''


    How could anyone live in such conditions?


    And...


    "...Will I also see you again? You still haven''t left your room."


    I got up from my seat and walked up to Delh.


    My gaze fell on the door she was looking at.


    "Is that where your father is?"


    "Um. He''s busy working."


    "How long has he been working?"


    "Hmm."


    cing her finger near her mouth, she pondered.


    "A long time?"


    "Do you know how long exactly?"


    "No."


    She shook her head.


    "When mom left, he said that he suddenly had a lot of work to do."


    "Ah."


    My heart clenched.


    "Are you happy?"


    "Yes."


    She nodded immediately.


    But the more she was like that the more my heart squeezed.


    "So... why aren''t you smiling?"


    Delh raised her head. I thought that she had always been expressionless, but now that I got a closer look at her. She seemed more like an empty shell than just expressionless.


    A lot of things started to make sense.


    ''.....I also want to be good at Emotive Magic.''


    ''I''m adopted.''


    ''They''re fine.''


    ''Working.''


    Each word she said struck me deeply into my chest.


    "Smile?"


    "Like this."


    I tugged the corners of my lips up with the aid of my fingers.


    "Eh...?"


    Imitating me, she tugged the corners of her mouth.


    "Like this?"


    "Like that."


    I held out my hand to her.


    "Do you want me to bring you somewhere nice?"


    "But..."


    Her gaze wandered over to a certain room. Trying my best to keep myself calm, I opened my palm.


    "Let''s not disturb your dad for now. Maybe, when you return, he''ll be out of the room."


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    My heart gripped even more tightly. I wasn''t sure if this was an illusion or not. In fact, I was still struggling to understand what was going on.


    But that didn''t matter to me. At the moment I only had one thought.


    I needed to bring her back with me.


    She couldn''t stay here any longer.


    "Mister."


    I felt something grasp my hand as my head lowered. Delh was looking up at me, herrge ck eyes blinking.


    "Yes?"


    "...Thank you."


    And it suddenly got bright.


    "Thank you for being kind to me."


    All of a sudden my hand felt empty as the world turned bright.


    I stood by myself in an endless light.


    "..."


    Just me.


    And myself.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Sadness] EXP + 15%

 Chapter 198 Third Leaf [4]

    Chapter 198 Third Leaf [4]


    ??Color shed before my eyes.


    "Hey! What are you doing!? Get out of the way!"


    I stood there, dazed and confused, unable to process what was happening. My mind was overwhelmed by the whirlpool of colorful dots ahead.


    "...!"


    I only regained my senses when someone tapped me on the shoulder, and that''s when I realized I was standing in front of the Academy store.


    Despite the confusion, I moved away from the store and leaned against its wall.


    "Just what in the¡­"


    There was so much I needed to process.


    Wasn''t I in a house just moments ago? How did I suddenly appear here?


    "This..."


    Taking a look at the time, I realized that not even a few seconds had passed since I had entered the store.


    So¡­


    Realization suddenly struck me.


    "It can''t be, right?"


    No, it wasn''t possible. I refused to believe it¡ªyet, the more I thought about it, the more I came to understand what had happened.


    "That was really, Delh..."


    My heart felt heavy at the thought. I had already had a hunch but refused to acknowledge it. Even now, I struggled to ept what I had seen.


    Recalling what I''d witnessed back then made my heart ache even more.


    I felt ufortable like something was trying to crawl up my body.


    What exactly happened? Did I travel back in time, or was I recreating a personal memory of hers?


    Thinking back, I did recall her saying something about her parents working.


    Even now, she...


    I pursed my lips.


    My head throbbed.


    I was more inclined to think that I had relived a personal trauma of hers. Was this what the third leaf did? Allowed me to interact with her personal trauma?


    "What if..."


    An idea sprang to mind. My hand rummaged through my bag, and I took something out.


    It was a small chocte bar.


    One that I had grown ustomed to buying over the recent months.


    ''...Is what I saw the reason why she loves this candy so much? But how is it possible...?''


    Was it really true that I didn''t travel back in time...?


    ''No, there''s no way.''


    I didn''t want to acknowledge it.


    My heart was heavy, but considering the present circumstances, I understood that it wasn''t the moment for me to dwell in gloom.


    Whether what I saw was really the past or not, the present was different.


    The current Delh was someone who stood at the top of the world. Putting the bar back into the bag, I was just about to leave when I realized something.


    "...Hm?"


    Opening the bag and counting the goods, it suddenly struck me.


    "..."


    What the...


    No matter how hard I looked, I couldn''t find them.


    I had bought three packs. Yet, there was only one left.


    Then it finally dawned on me.


    "...Heh."


    A weird sound came out of my mouth.


    I didn''t understand the sudden surge of emotion, but it felt like something inside me had finally burst. My body trembled and for the first time in a very long while...


    "Hahaha."


    Iughed in public.


    Be it past, present, illusion, or future.


    She really was a gremlin-looking midget.


    ***


    Curtain Call Collective.


    Ever since the y [Enigma of the Midnight Manor] was released, Olga, the writer of the script, had been incredibly busy.


    The demands on her time were relentless, a whirlwind of meetings, rehearsals, and promotional events.


    The Jovinc Award was going to happen soon, and she needed to do a lot of things in preparation for that.


    The prestigious award was the pinnacle of recognition in the artsmunity, and she was determined to make the most of this opportunity.


    It was an important day for her, considering that she''d receive the official rating for her y.


    There were many people who stated she had received the fifth star for it, but it had yet to be official.


    The rumors had some basis to them, but she needed concrete affirmation.


    It was only at the award ceremony that she''d receive the official rating, officially making her y one of the few within the Empire to receive such critical acim.


    The recognition would cement her status as one of the leading ywrights of her generation.


    To Tok¡ª


    The door to the room suddenly knocked, and Olga looked towards the door where a man waited for her.


    He was dressed neatly, with his hairbed to the right and sporting a well-trimmed mustache.


    His appearance was meticulous and well-groomed.


    "How may I help you?"


    He wasn''t someone she was familiar with.


    Nheless, staring at him and the letter in his hand, Olga felt her back straighten. The letter bore an ornate seal, and her eyes paused on the seal.


    It looked familiar...


    But where had she seen it before?


    "Please don''t be nervous, writer. I''m simply a delegate from the Megrail family."


    "¡­!"


    Olga''s eyes widened, and she hastily stood up.


    The Megrail family was one of the most influential in the Empire, how could she not be shocked?


    "To have such esteemed¡ª"


    "Please, like I said, there''s no need for such a greeting. I''m just here to hand over this letter. We''ve received many reports about your y, so I''m sure you will like what is in the contents."


    "Yes, yes¡­"


    Olga hastily reached out for the letter and carefully and politely received it.


    Then, under the messenger''s gaze, she carefully opened the letter and looked through the contents. Immediately, her eyes widened.


    "This¡­!"


    "It''s as you can see."


    The butler spoke in a graceful tone, his voice calm.


    "There will soon be a summit between the four Empires, and we''ve epted your y for the opening show."


    "¡­!"


    Olga didn''t know how to reply.


    She was at a total loss for words.


    The summit was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a stage that only the finest could hope to grace.


    Besides being able to receive a five-star rating, this was one of the greatest honors she could receive as a scriptwriter.


    Her work would be showcased before the leaders of the four Empires, an honor that not many could receive.


    Especially since the Four Empire Summit was an extremely prestigious event that only happened every five years.


    The fact that they were willing to have her y be the main event, Olga could feel herself trembling in excitement.


    It felt like her efforts were being validated.


    "Well, then..."


    The messenger bowed politely, his mannerisms still impable.


    With a graceful nod, he quietly left the room.


    "The Emperor has high expectations for the y."


    Such were thest words he spoke before leaving, plunging the room into silence.


    The weight of his statement lingered in the air, adding a certain pressure to Olga who suddenly found herself growing quiet.


    "¡­."


    But that quietness was only brief as she hastily pped the wooden table in excitement.


    "I can''t believe this is happening!"


    For her to receive such an honor¡­!


    The enormity of it all was overwhelming.


    She was over the moon.


    Olga was just about to reach hermunication device to tell her group the news when she stopped.


    A thought struck her, tempering her enthusiasm.


    "¡­."


    Suddenly she frowned.


    There was a significant challenge thaty ahead.


    "That''s¡­"


    Her excitement was quickly dampened, and she sat back down on her chair. The reality of the situation settled in, and she knew there was a crucial piece missing.


    Thinking about it, while her script and y were certainly well-


    acimed, a major reason for its sess was because of the actor who yed Azarias. The role had be iconic,rgely due to his exceptional performance.


    Julien Dacre Evenus.


    Even now, Olga could recall his name. The young actor had a talent that was rare and extraordinary.


    How could she not when he had put on such a performance?


    His portrayal of Azarias had captivated audiences, bringing the character to life in a way that was unforgettable.


    "What do I do?"


    It wasn''t impossible to have the y without the performance of the student. It had already happened several times.


    Different actors had taken on the role of Azarias, bringing their own interpretations of the character.


    But Olga felt like something was missing whenever he wasn''t there.


    Azarias¡­


    He wasn''t someone that just anyone could y.


    The character demanded a depth and intensity that only Julien could deliver.


    His portrayal had set a new standard, making it difficult for any other actor to measure up.


    It was something that had been finely tuned and tailor-made to fit the monster actor the student was. His understanding of the character, his ability to conveyplex emotions, and his stage presence were unmatched.


    It was for that reason that she always felt like something was missing whenever she would watch the y.


    Without him, Azarias felt iplete, a shadow of the character he was meant to be.


    "I have to get him."


    The decision was clear.


    Knowing just how important the event was, Olga had no choice but to get him.


    The Four Empire Summit demanded the best, and she knew Julien was the best.


    The only problem was how¡­?


    How exactly was she going to talk him into performing?


    "That''s right¡­!"


    That was when she suddenly recalled something.


    The Jovinc Award.


    He was going to participate.


    How could he not when he was the most likely candidate to win the best supporting actor role?


    The award was prestigious, and Julien''s talent made him a prime contender.


    ''I''ll get him then¡­!''


    The opportunity was perfect.


    At such a thought, Olga quickly grabbed hermunication device and started making her preparations.


    ***


    In the end, I went back to the market to purchase a few more bars before going back to Delh''s office and handing them to her.


    It was funny.


    For the first time in a very long time, I had seen a drastic change in her expression.


    Seeing the bag filled with bars, it almost looked like her eyes could pop out at any second.


    If only I could''ve taken a photo of her face¡­


    ''What a pity.''


    It truly was.


    Regardless, as I looked at her face, I was reminded of what I had seen and started my life faded. All of a sudden, the reason why she liked chocte bars made a lot more sense.


    Perhaps¡­


    It wasn''t that she was addicted to them.


    But it was more like something that brought her back to her childhood when she had nothing.


    I still didn''t understand the third leaf, whether I had gone back in time or I was simply reying her trauma and interacting with an illusion, but¡­


    In the end, it didn''t really change what I had seen.


    "Haa..."


    Taking a deep breath, I looked at the sky.


    It was cloudless, and the rain had stopped falling.


    Staring at it for a few good moments, I looked at the time and headed for ss.


    Today''s ss¡­ I could look forward to it somewhat.


    It was, after all, a ss about Emotive Magic.


    How could I not be a little excited?

 Chapter 199 The Five Phases of Emotive Magic [1]

    <h4>Chapter 199 The Five Phases of Emotive Magic [1]</h4>


    The moment I entered the ssroom, I noticed a strange atmosphere.


    All eyes were on me.


    I was weirded out at first, but then I realized that they were probably staring at me because of my specialty.


    Emotive Magic.


    Given that this ss was tailor-made for me, it was understandable that everyone was looking at me.


    ¡­.Well, most people.


    I could feel two different gazes on me. They seemed to be especially intense today, and as I frowned to meet their gazes, my heart twitched.


    ''What''s going on?''


    This had been going on since our return from the Mirror Dimension.


    At first, I had thought it was becuase of Owl-Mighty, but that no longer seemed to be the case.


    ''Is this possibly rted to the quest failure¡­?''


    The thought made my heart race.


    I wasn''t exactly sure what it was, but judging from their gazes, it didn''t seem like something good.


    ''Should I confront themter?''


    Perhaps, I''d be able to find the reasoning behind their looks, and the penalty for their increase in experience.


    With that being said, there was something peculiar about the situation.


    Turning my head, my eyes fell on a familiar set of purple hair.


    She¡­


    ''Why is she acting normal?''


    As opposed to Aoife and Kiera, she lookedpletely unbothered about what happened. At the very least, she didn''t seem to have a bone to pick with me.


    ''It makes sense when taking into consideration that Kiera was the same during her first time, but¡­''


    What about Aoife?


    Was the increase in % going to bring a different effect to each of them?


    I pursed my lips at the thought.


    "It looks like almost everyone is here."


    My attention was immediately grabbed by a quiet voice. Turning my head, my eyes fell on a short woman with pigtails. Her hair was orange, and freckles marred her face.


    She wasn''t exactly the prettiest of women, at the very least,pared to most of the cadets in the ss, her looks weren''t anything special, but¡­


    I wasn''t sure how to describe it. There was a certain something in her voice that felt extremely intoxicating.


    Bang¡ª


    That feelingsted for a brief moment before it was shattered by the sound of her dropping her bag on the podium.


    It looked rather heavy.


    Looking around me, I could see the startled and confused looks of the cadets.


    ''Seems like I''m not the only one that felt that way.''


    Everyone''s attention was now on her.


    "Keum¡­ Keum¡­"


    Clearing her throat, her eyes scanned the ssroom as dimples appeared on her cheeks.


    "Hello, everyone. My name is Fay Evenhart. You may call me Professor Havenhart. As you may know, I''ll be the one in charge of teaching you Emotive Magic."


    No magic was restricted.


    Everyone could learn whatever magic they wanted. That was Emotive Magic included.


    The same was true for me and other types of magic, but talent was important.


    It would dictate how hard the learning path was.


    Everyone could learn Emotive Magic, but progress depended on who was talented enough to understand emotions.


    "As you know, Emotive Magic isn''t exactly the easiest of subjects. Emotions can be very hard to understand, and it can take over a decade for someone to even reach the next tier. There''s a reason why there''s so few of us."


    Her gaze suddenly paused on me.


    So did a few others.


    I remained calm and stared back at her as her smile widened slightly.


    "But like some say, the harder one path, the more rewarding it is down the line."


    She happily drummed her finger against the wooden podium before calling out for me.


    "Julien, is that correct?"


    "¡­..Yes."


    I answered as my eyes narrowed slightly.


    "Would you minding up here for a second, I would just like to test your skills. Don''t be rmed. I won''t bite you."


    Though she said that, her gaze said otherwise. She currently looked like a shark that was ready to pounce on her prey at any second.


    I still decided to agree to her request.


    I was genuinely curious about what this ss would entail.


    How much was it going to benefit my emotive magic?


    Getting up from my seat, I walked down the flight of stairs and arrived by the podium.


    "Thank you."


    As her eyes traced my body, she smiled more brightly.


    "I''ve heard a lot about you. You''re rather famous. From acting to your performance in the mid-terms¡­ a wonderful talent."


    "¡­.Thank you."


    Where was she going with this?


    "But you see, none of that really interests me. What I''m really interested in, is your Emotive magic. I''ve heard a lot about it. How about you show me?"


    I raised my brow.


    "As in¡­?"


    Professor Havenhart extended her arms.


    "Apply it on me. Do your worst."


    I opened my mouth, unsure of how to reply.


    It wasn''t that the request shocked me, but it was the eagerness in her tone and voice that took me aback.


    However, I was quick to snap out of it andplied.


    "¡­.Okay."


    This was going to benefit me, so I didn''t see the need to be reserved.


    Extending my hand, I pressed my finger against her forehead.


    She blinked a couple of times at the spot where I chose to touch her, but I didn''t pay any attention to her face and heavily focused on my internal feelings.


    I recalled the memories and emotions that I had undergone in the illusion back in the Mirror Dimension.


    From the Silent Eaters to Crimson Shade.


    I recalled the raw and innate fear that I felt during those times and poured it all into my mind.


    Once I had umted enough, I silently mumbled to myself,


    ''Fear.''


    I poured everything that I had into my finger, and the moment I did, I turned to look at the Professor.


    "¡­.."


    Theck of reaction came as a shock to me as her big eyes continued to stare at me.


    We stood like that for several seconds before she took a step back.


    "Hmm, not bad not bad¡­ the intensity was quite nice, but you don''t particrly have great control over your emotions. All I felt was an endless torrent of fear pouring down my mind. Very tense, but that''s about it."


    Her words didn''te as a surprise to me.


    I had previously heard Delh mention the same thing to me.


    I wasn''t disheartened.


    This was after all still a learning process.


    "Alright, I more or less know where you''re at with your skills."


    Professor Havenhart pped her hands in satisfaction.


    "You''re around the second level of Emotice Magic. Not bad. An insane achievement if we take into consideration your age."


    "¡­..Thank you."


    I could only ept thepliment.


    Just before I turned back to head to my seat, she spoke again.


    "It''s now my turn to show you something."


    Suddenly, her expression changed. Her previously lively eyes turned hollow, and she lost all semnce of emotion from her face.


    I stood frozen on the spot while staring into her eyes which seemed to want to suck me whole.


    Before I could even get a word out, she began to speak.


    "As you know, there are five phases to Emotive Magic or any magic. The first phase¡­"


    She brought her hand forward and pressed it against my shoulder.


    "It''s touch."


    My mind nked.


    Drip¡­! Drip!


    When I came to, tears were falling down the side of my cheeks.


    ''What- what''s going on¡­''


    A familiar pain engulfed me at the same time.


    But the worst part was her eyes. Staring at them, I could see my very own reflection in them.


    I found myself unable to move.


    "The next phase¡­"


    She continued,


    "Voice."


    Her voiceyered and the tears dripped with even more ferocity.


    Drip...! Drip!


    The pain in my chest also increased, and I struggled to keep my mind collected.


    "The next phase, you can affect someone with your voice."


    I wiped the corner of my eyes and took a few breaths to ease the pain. Thankfully, she was going easy on me.


    I could tell...


    And it was because I could tell that I felt chills run down my body.


    "Thenes the third phase¡­"


    Her eyes turned even more hollow.


    Chillingly so, and for a moment I forgot to breathe.


    "Collective effect."


    Her voiceyered again. This time, as if everyone was in sync, tears started to stream down the faces of everyone in the room.


    "Once you reach this phase, you will be able to affect not just one person with your voice, but more than one simultaneously. It''s a phase that takes a lot of concentration and control."


    Her words seemed to be directed towards me as I took a mental note of what she was saying, despite the intense pain that I was feeling.


    "Then, there''s to fourth phase."


    As if the very air had been sucked out of the room, everyone turned their attention towards the Professor who turned her gaze to me.


    I felt my heart pause the moment our gazes me, and before I could do anything, she touched me.


    "¡­.!"


    I somewhat expected to feel something at her touch, but much to my surprise and shock, nothing happened.


    "Uh?"


    I wasn''t the only one surprised by the situation as everyone looked confused.


    That was until the professor''s voice echoed again.


    "The fourth phase. Emotive tag."


    ''Emotive tag..?.''


    Before I could understand what was going on, she raised her right hand and snapped her fingers.


    Snap¡ª


    The snap echoed loudly within the ssroom, and my mind immediately nked before an overwhelming pain entered my chest and tears started to pour down uncontrobly.


    "Once you reach this point, an emotive mage will be able to ce a secret tag on a person and activate it whenever they wish. So long as they are in range, and the tag is active, it will activate at the person''s will."


    Following her words, she blinked her eyes, and rity started to return to them. Then, shortly after, a smile graced her lips as dimples appeared on her cheeks.


    "And that''s it for the demonstration."


    She pped her hands, all semnce of the person she previously was disappearing like that.


    "There is also a fifth phase, but I''m nowhere near that phase and there''s hardly anyone who has ever reached that level. It is said that once you reach that phase you''ll be able to read someone''s emotions."


    Turning her head to look at me, she patted me on the shoulder.


    "Thank you foring up for the disy. I apologize for making you the victim of my demonstration, but you see.."


    Her smile widened as she turned to look at the entire ss.


    "Everyone else would''ve broken down had they been in your position."

 Chapter 200 The Five Phases of Emotive Magic [2]

    Chapter 200 The Five Phases of Emotive Magic [2]


    ??The ss continued from that moment.


    Unfortunately, I was hardly able to stay focused. It mainly had to do with the fact that I was still suffering slightly from the side effects of the professor''s emotive magic.


    ''¡­.Is this how Leon felt?''


    Just a tiny bit, I started to feel guilty.


    It certainly wasn''t a great feeling, I would give him that.


    No, rather...


    It felt like shit.


    "That will be it for today''s ss. Today you''ve learned about the five phases of Emotive Magic, and what they can do. Next ss, we''ll talk about how to learn Emotive magic, and how to control it."


    Snapping me out of my thoughts was the Professor''s voice as she announced the end of the lesson.


    Following her words, the cadets proceeded to stand up from their seats and head out.


    I was just about to stand up and leave alongside them when the Professor stopped me.


    "No, you stay. I have something I need to talk with you about."


    "¡­.?"


    Something to talk with me?


    Despite my confusion, Iplied with her orders, and as I watched the others leave, it was eventually just the two of us.


    She sat on the chair opposite me and offered a sincere smile.


    "Your emotive magic is great. I dare even say that amongst those your age, there isn''t a single person that can match you."


    I was a bit thrown off by thepliment, but I still nheless took it.


    "Thank you."


    "But, that''s it."


    "¡­.?"


    Confused, I tilted my head as I noticed her expression turning more serious.


    "I''m sure you also don''t care about facing your peers. You''re so ahead of the pack with regards to them, that they must be toddlerspared to you. Here lies the problem, you shouldn''t be content with just being the best in your group age."


    "....."


    "That''s hardly an achievement. You will eventually be facing people who are on a higher level than you in Emotive Magic. When the timees, you will probably struggle. That''s why I''m here to help you."


    I was a bit thrown off by the words that she was saying, but seeing that all the words seemed to be directed toward my future, I rxed a little.


    "Did the Chancellor put you up for this?"


    I had been told by Delh beforehand about an Emotive teacher.


    It was clearly her.


    Was the reason she was so willing to help me because of this?


    "Oh, no, no, no. Please."


    The Professor waved her hand in dismissal.


    "As if I''d care about what that little girl says."


    "¡­.Little girl?"


    I blinked my eyes slowly while looking at her.


    Certainly, she didn''t look young, but there age gap between her and Delh shouldn''t be to the point where she''d call her ''little girl''.


    Or at least, that was what I thought.


    Seemingly being able to read my mind, Professor Evenhartughed.


    "Oh my, well¡­ I''m much older than that little girl. There''s a reason why I have reached this level with Emotive Magic."


    "....."


    I was stunned at first, but the more I thought about her words, the more I realized they made sense.


    ''Indeed, Emotive Magic is very difficult... It''s hard for someone to be that good, and yet still be so young.''


    Well, I was the exception...


    But I had a cheat.


    I nodded my head and didn''t say much more with regard to the topic.


    I knew that I was threading dangerous territory.


    "That girl¡­"


    Shifting the topic, the professor wore a peculiar expression as she began to talk.


    "She used toe to me all the time."


    "The Chancellor?"


    "Yes, yes "


    This was an interesting piece of information.


    "It''s been a while since shest visited. Hmm, she did visit me recently for the first time, and¡­"


    The Professor looked at me, her gaze hinting at what she was trying to say.


    ''It''s because of me.''


    The reason Delh visited her.


    "She used to beg me all the time to teach her about Emotive Magic. I tried, I really tried, but¡­"


    With a bitter look, she looked at me.


    "She really is bad at it. Despite the many talents she has, she struggles to understand or feel emotions. That girl... she''s an iceblock. No matter how hard I try, she just doesn''t get it. And yet, she still stubbornly tries to learn it. What am I supposed to do with her... "


    "¡­."


    To that, I had nothing to say.


    I was reminded of the vision that I had seen and closed my eyes for a brief moment.


    The hollow and lost look on her face¡­ I could still vividly recall it.


    How could someone who had been broken since childhood know how to experience emotions¡­?


    I now better understood why she always expressed her jealousy at my Emotive Magic despite her being so talented.


    It was rather sad.


    "Well, enough of that."


    The Professor tapped on the table to gain my attention again.


    "Let''s talk about you again. The reason why I told you to stay back, is because there''s a few things that I would like to talk to you about with regards to your emotive magic."


    I felt my back straighten at her words.


    While I was still unsure about her identity, I knew that she was someone extremely important in the Emotive field.


    To be able to gain feedback from her¡­


    I wasn''t nning on wasting the opportunity.


    "Just like mana, emotive magic requires a certain level of control from the user to be used. Imagine unleashing a spell with no regard for the flow. It''ll just be raw and unfocused power. That''s not what we want."


    Shaking her head, she pressed her finger against her temple.


    "The key to human emotions is the brain. The reason we feel what we feel, and do want we do, is all because of this thing hiding within our skulls."


    Narrowing her eyes, she coldly said,


    "Target it. Don''t just inject your emotions with no direction. No, you have a direction. It''s the brain. Don''t forget that."


    She put her hand away.


    "From the moment you are capable of directly targeting someone''s brain when utilizing Emotive Magic, that will be the day when you will take the next step."


    So she said.


    But it was a lot easier said than done.


    So far, the feat wasn''t something that I was capable of doing.


    In the first ce, I didn''t even know that I could control the flow of Emotive magic on the human body.


    All I knew was that I needed to inject it into my target''s body.


    That was about it, and it worked most of the time.


    "¡­.How am I supposed to be able to practice that?"


    I was genuinely curious.


    This was the first time I had heard all about this, and while I knew that I had beencking severely in the control aspect, I didn''t know it was by this much.


    "While I don''t know how you are capable of producing such raw and intense emotions, there is no need to worry much about control. It is much harder to be able to gather so much emotion than to control it. With that regard, all you need to do is practice with this."


    The Professor retrieved something from out of nowhere and ced it on the table.


    Tak.


    "This is¡­?"


    I looked at the object. It didn''t look anything special. It was just a square with six different sides.


    In essence¡­ it was a regr metallic cube.


    Or so I thought.


    "It looks normal doesn''t it?"


    The Professor went on to say with a smile.


    I could only nod.


    "¡­.Yes."


    It really did look normal in every way shape or form.


    Nothing about it looked special.


    With that being said, I knew that it was supposed to be something that was supposed to help me and I didn''t let appearances deceive me.


    "Take a look. I''ll show you how it works."


    Extending her hand, the professor ced her finger over the top of the cube.


    With her gaze fixed on me, she mumbled,


    "Fear."


    The cube glowed the moment she mumbled those words.


    Shortly after, it started to deform.


    Under my very eyes, the cube''s shape started to change, turning slowly into a¡­ dog?


    "¡­.Uh?"


    In my confusion, I identally let out a sound. Staring at me, the Professorughed and removed her finger.


    The moment she let go, the dog disappeared, and the cube returned to its regr shape.


    "¡­.. it''s a cool little toy isn''t it?"


    "That¡­"


    I didn''t know what to say.


    I was still confused about what it did.


    When I raised my head to meet her gaze, she started to exin,


    "This cube, or toy you can say, feeds on Emotive Magic. By channeling it into the cube, you can mold and change the shape however you wish. It''s a great way Emotive Mages can learn control. How about you give it a try?"


    "¡­.."


    I blinked slowly while staring at the cube.


    ¡­It looked easy from the way that the professor had been able to do it, but I knew that it was the furthest thing from easy.


    The only reason why it looked easy was because of the massive gap that there was in abilities between me and her.


    It was for that reason that I reached out for the cube with heavy concentration.


    ''All I need to do is channel my emotive magic. Once I do that, I need to try molding it into the shape that I want¡­''


    That was easier said than done.


    The moment my hand touched the cold surface of the cube and I channeled my emotive magic, it felt as though I was surrounded by quicksand.


    Regardless of how much I tried to move, my body simply refused.


    I felt beads of sweat drip down from the corner of my face as I put even more effort into trying to move, but as if it knew of my struggle, the sand became more and more rigid, until eventually, I was unable to move at all.


    "Alright."


    Startling me out of my thoughts was the Professor''s voice. Looking up, she was staring at me with her usual smile.


    "Not bad for your first try. There''s no need to be disheartened. Many are the same."


    Looking down, the cube was nowhere in sight.


    Instead, all I saw was a liquid pool of silver.


    With a wave of her hand, the pool of silver returned back into its regr shape, a cube, and she tossed it to me.


    "Even though it looks like a simple cube, it''s rather expensive so be careful with it. This will be it for your first lesson. Once you are capable of molding the cube as you wish, then we can move to the next step."


    Standing up, she said a few more words and tips before eventually leaving.


    "¡­.."


    Sitting in the middle of the ssroom, I stared at the cube for a few seconds before grasping it.


    "Alright."


    I guess it was time for me to add a new routine to my training.

 Chapter 201 The Five Phases of Emotive Magic [3]

    <h4>Chapter 201 The Five Phases of Emotive Magic [3]</h4>


    I stayed in the ssroom for the next ten minutes. Since the next ss wasn''t going to start until the next few hours, I had a bit of time to kill.


    I thought about trying to train with the cube but decided against it.


    ''Maybeter.''


    My head still felt a little light from what I had previously done.


    "¡­.I guess I should leave."


    Perhaps get something to eat.


    I had just taken a step out of the room when a figure appeared on my right side. With her arms crossed, and her head drooping, she looked to be asleep.


    I would''ve ignored it if not for the fact that I knew her.


    "You."


    I tapped her on the shoulder, startling her out of her sleep.


    "Uh, ah!? Which fucker wants to die?"


    As expected. The moment she woke up, she raised her fists and got into a fighting stance.


    "¡­."


    I stood speechlessly for a moment until she blinked her eyes and regained some rity.


    "Oh, right¡­"


    She also seemed to have recalled the reason why she was here.


    "I was waiting for you."


    I wasn''t surprised.


    Given the looks she had given me in ss, I knew this wasing. Rather than not wanting her to confront her, I was forward to it.


    I wanted to know what exactly the percentage increase in the cmity section did.


    "You remember, huh?"


    But the words that came out of her mouth were wholly unexpected to me.


    "Remember¡­?"


    What was she talking about?


    "Yes, what happened in the Mirror Dimension? You remember it all, right?"


    "¡­."


    I opened my mouth but struggled to articte myself.


    This wasn''t what I was expecting.


    Of all things, that was thest thing that I was expecting, and I found myself unable to hide my own surprise.


    "So¡­?"


    "¡­.I do."


    Frowning, I nodded my head after collecting myself.


    "I knew it."


    Kiera smiled.


    She almost seemed relieved.


    It was weird.


    "I don''t know what happened after those big monsters showed up. I just remember you doing something. That''s when my memories end¡ª"


    "Wait, you remember?"


    I found myself cutting her off. If before I was surprised about her words, now I was wholly shocked.


    ''How is it possible that she remembers¡­?''


    Wasn''t it supposed to be impossible? At least, unless Owl-Mighty gave them their memories back.


    How¡­?


    "Yes, I do."


    Kiera scratched the back of her head.


    "They''re rather faint. But I remember. I didn''t at first though, but suddenly and randomly, I remembered everything."


    "Suddenly, and randomly?"


    "Yeh. Like out of nowhere type stuff. It just happened."


    "I..."


    Pursing my lips, I didn''t know how to react.


    In the end, I could only ask,


    "Anything else¡­?"


    "What about it?"


    Kiera tilted her head and shook shook her head.


    "No, not really. Why? I just wanted to ask if you knew anything."


    "Oh...."


    Despite saying that, I tried my utter best to sound as calm as possible.


    ''Is this a result of the percentage increase?''


    The sudden regain of their memories from the incident.


    "Do you feel anything weird? Any strange visions, or something out of the norm?"


    "Uh, no? Why¡­?"


    Seeing the weird look Kiera was giving me, I knew that she was either not telling me everything, or it really was everything that had happened.


    But seeing the look on her face, it really did seem like that that was all that happened.


    ¡­..Or she was just not saying it.


    "No, it''s nothing. Everyone forgot about their memories, and you look like the only one that didn''t. I was a little surprised."


    Scratching the top part of my nose, I massaged my eyes and looked at my watch.


    "The next ss starts in the next few minutes. Do not bete."


    And then, I turned around and left.


    My mind was a jumbled mess and I needed some time to figure out what was happening.


    But atst, I found the reason why I was getting strange looks for her. The same was probably true for Aoife.


    I wasn''t sure about Evelyn.


    I''d have to figure that outter.


    But for now, this was what I had. I was d that the penalty stopped there. Or at least, appeared to stop there.


    There was no substantial damage just yet.


    ***


    The next ssroom starts in the next few minutes. Don''t bete.''


    Reying the words he said to her before he left, Kiera''s lips twisted.


    "¡­.And you said you don''t want to be my teacher anymore."


    He was still acting like one.


    "Tsk."


    Clicking her tongue, Kiera could only maintain her scowl for a few seconds before it rxed.


    ''So he was the one who saved everyone. Not only that, but he didn''t even take credit for it.''


    Kiera didn''t know how to feel.


    Had it been her, she would''ve made sure to let everyone know that she had saved everyone, and talked about what had happened to squeeze as much as possible from the Guilds.


    ''I guess he''s a lot milder than he looks.''


    She had noticed this ever since he had started to teach her, but he was¡­ rather soft.


    He looked cold and detached on the outside, and he was like that to some extent.


    However, that merely looked like some form of fake external persona to Kiera.


    "Ugh, don''t know."


    Perhaps she was overthinking, but it really felt like there were two Julien''s.


    Ruffling her hair, she stopped when she realized what she was doing and quickly fixed her hair.


    Once she was done, she looked behind her with narrowed eyes.


    "When are you going toe out?"


    "¡­."


    Her words were met with no response.


    "So?"


    It was only after Kiera called out again that a figure stepped out from one of the ssrooms.


    A smirk pulled up on Kiera''s face.


    "Look at you. Stalking like usual."


    "¡­.I''m not."


    Appearing from the ssroom was Aoife, who stared at Kiera with a frown.


    "Not stalking."


    For some reason, she felt the need to repeat it.


    Kiera smirked at the sight.


    "So you really were stalking. Not much of a surprise there. You''ve always had this habit since you were young. Not a good habit of yours, little princess."


    Aoife ignored her words and looked in the direction of where Julien left.


    "¡­.So you remember as well?"


    "Hmm?"


    It was Kiera''s turn to be surprised.


    Looking at Aoife, she asked,


    "You also remember?"


    "I do. I heard your conversation. Something simr happened to me."


    Listening to her words, Kiera had no time to hate her and frowned.


    "Do you know exactly when you got your memories back?"


    "Yes. 18:39"


    "This¡­"


    Kiera frowned.


    That was because,


    "Shit, that''s the same as me."


    Or at least, around then. She couldn''t remember the exact time. But she did distinctively remember attending an interrogation just before which was at around 18:00.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    The two stood in silence for a short moment.


    Breaking the silence was Aoife who bit her lips.


    "Do you think anyone else knows?"


    "That¡­ I''m not sure."


    Kiera answered truthfully. Outside of just Julien, she had been observing everyone else in ss. None of them seemed to remember a thing.


    "So just us two?"


    "I don''t know."


    Kiera shook her head.


    "I think there might be m¡ª"


    p¡ª


    Kiera felt a certain pain at the side of her cheek, and her eyes widened. Standing opposite her was Aoife, who stared at her hand with a simr look of shock.


    "That¡­"


    She blinked her eyes.


    "¡­.Is this why you do it? It feels strangely good."


    Kiera opened her mouth, but the words just refused to leave.


    Her chest boiled shortly after, and her teeth clenched.


    ''This bitch.''


    Then, raising her arm, she was about to retaliate when she realized her hand had stopped.


    "You¡­!"


    p¡ª!


    Another p flew her way, stinging her face.


    Staring at her hand again, a strange smile pulled on Aoife''s face. It was a rare smile that Kiera had never seen her make before, and the shock she felt only deepened when she started giggling.


    "Hehehe."


    Kiera''s shock only heightened. This was the first time she had seen her act like a child in all the time she had known her.


    It threw her off for a few seconds before she clenched her teeth and forcefully freed herself from her telekinesis.


    "Fuck."


    Swearing, she prepared to attack Aoife, but before Kiera knew it, her back was already quite far.


    "Ah, fuck¡­! Come back here!"


    ***


    Delh sat in her office, surrounded by a dozen documents. They were allints she was preparing to file against the Fifteen Guilds.


    She wasn''t nning on letting the Guilds off lightly after what had transpired back in the Mirror Dimension.


    She intended to extract whatever she could from them.


    "Should I ask for money or resources?"


    She mulled over the decision, torn between requesting resources, which would undoubtedly be useful, or money forpensation, giving the cadets more freedom in their choices.


    Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her door. Raising her head, Delh''s expression shifted slightly.


    "Come in."


    Entering the room was a small figure with pigtails and freckles. It was none other than Fay Evenhart, who entered the room with an amused look as she looked around.


    "You still haven''t changed, little one."


    "¡­..I work a lot."


    "You used to say this even when you weren''t working."


    "¡­.."


    Delh remained silent.


    It was true, but she wasn''t eager to admit it.


    "Anyways, I met up with the student you talked to me about."


    Finding herself a seat amidst the clutter, Fay began to discuss Julien.


    A rare glimmer appeared in her eyes as she spoke of him. It was the first time Delh had seen Fay like this, but it somehow felt expected.


    Talented Emotive Mages were rare, and those with the skill often faced daunting challenges, leading many to abandon their paths prematurely.


    The discovery of someone with both talent and resilience must have excited Fay immensely.


    "I''ve already given him a task. If all goes well, he should show improvement in theing months. Especially¡­"


    Fay paused, a rare frown creasing her brow.


    Delh looked at her in confusion, preparing to ask her what was wrong, but before she could speak, Fay''s expression returned to normal, and she tapped her finger on one of the papers.


    "Choose money. You can never go wrong with money."


    "¡­.?"


    Before Delh could delve deeper, Fay rose from her seat and bid her farewell, leaving Delh by herself.


    She hadn''t evene to visit for more than a minute before she suddenly left.


    This type of behavior...


    It was so strangely in line with how she remembered her.


    "¡­."


    In the ensuing silence, Delh reflected on Fay''s unusual expression, and a frown appeared on her pretty features.


    If there was one person she truly feared, it was Fay.


    Despitecking the physical strength of the Seven Monarchs, Fay''s prowess in Emotive Magic was formidable.


    For someone like her to wear such a troubled expression...


    "Not good."

 Chapter 202 He looks [1]

    Chapter 202 He looks [1]


    ??Bremmer, Megrail Estate


    "Hmm~ Hmm~"


    As walked around the estate, admiring the numerous murals on the walls. Though he had seen these murals since he was a child, only now did he truly understand and appreciate their beauty.


    "It''s nice, isn''t it?"


    An older gentleman, bearing a strong resemnce to As but with gray hair and a weathered face, appeared beside him.


    Despite his age, his yellow pupils still shone brightly as he gazed at the murals.


    In particr, his gaze fell on a mural depicting two massive armies shing¡ªoneposed of humans, the other of monsters.


    "It was a brutal fight. I can still recall the amount of blood that was spilled that day. It still haunts me to this day."


    Though his tone was calm, the subtle trembling in his voice betrayed his true feelings. As stood silently beside him, absorbing the gravity of his words.


    ''The Fight of the Seven Nights.''


    Those words were inscribed at the bottom of the mural. It was a famous story.


    For seven nights, the Megrail family along with their retainers and knights fought tooth and nail against the monsters that gued thend.


    It was one of thergest battles the Megrail family had ever faced, and by the end, their power had been significantly weakened.


    But it had all been worth it.


    The war was the foundation for the creation of Bremmer, the capital of the Empire, and the site of thergest Mirror Crack.


    "Here. This is the item you requested."


    As turned his head to see a wooden box extended toward him.


    He didn''t hesitate to take it.


    "Thank you, Father."


    "Um. I don''t know why you''re so adamant about taking this, but since it''s a request from my son, I decided to help you. Your brother wasn''t too happy, but he trusts your capabilities."


    "¡­.Thank you."


    As smiled gratefully, understanding the lengths his father had gone to retrieve the box.


    The current Emperor, his uncle, wasn''t keen on sharing resources with outsiders.


    He believed in helping only those directly attached to the Megrail family to retain their power for future generations.


    It made sense to an extent, but As wasn''t one to care much about the political affairs of his family.


    He just did what he felt was right.


    ¡­and he felt like giving the contents of the box to someone he knew.


    "As."


    "Yes?"


    Raising his head to meet his father''s gaze, As smiled serenely.


    "Is there anything else you need?"


    "Hmm, he''s here."


    As''s entire body froze. His previous serene expression shifted to one of intense focus and a hint of fanaticism.


    "As in¡­?"


    "The one who walks among us."


    He paused,


    "He has entered our Empire."


    "¡­.!"


    ***


    "The Devil walks among us..."


    The words seeped from the bald man''s dry lips, the cold metallic table constraining his trembling hands.


    Sitting opposite him, Inquisitor Hollowe frowned.


    .....His role as a temporary Professor at Haven had yet to end.


    He was supposed to start a new ss yesterday, but an unexpected situation urred, forcing him to move all the way to the Redknap Penitentiary.


    A certain person had been caught.


    He was ssified as a person of interest regarding ''that'' organization.


    It was for that reason that he had been called.


    Hollowe was the best at his job. He knew exactly what buttons needed to be pushed in order to get the words out of his targets.


    "The Devil walks among us...?"


    Hollowe leaned back on his chair while drumming his fingers over the metallic table in front of him.


    "What do you mean by that? Is that the person that you''re working for? The title that you''ve given to your boss?"


    "Oh, no, no, no..."


    The man shook his head.


    His eyes, hidden behind a pair of dark sunsses, concealed any hint of emotion from his face.


    "Haa¡­"


    The man let out a long breath.


    As he tried to speak, an oppressive feeling weighed down upon his chest, suffocating him with inexplicable dread.


    It felt as if invisible, icy tendrils were constricting around his throat, making every breath a desperate struggle.


    Yet, despite the fear that gripped him, he mustered the courage to speak.


    "The devil lurks within the mundane, concealed by the veil of the ordinary, dwelling in the very hearts of people we cross paths with every day. He thrives... on the weaknesses we dare not acknowledge, feeding on our fragility, our insecurities,"


    His voice grew hoarse as he spoke.


    Drip. Drip.


    Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, and his lips were dry as if parched by an unquenchable thirst.


    Still, he never stopped,


    "The darkness that resides within each of us¡ªour capacity for cruelty, greed, and indifference¡ªit is this very vulnerability that makes us susceptible to his influence."


    Then, with a sudden, unnerving smile, he looked straight into Inquisitor Hollowe''s eyes.


    "And that''s what makes him all the more fearsome. He can touch anyone¡­ Everyone,"


    He repeated, his voice now trembling like a leaf in a storm.


    "There doesn''t exist a human whose influence he can''t reach. For all of us have ws."


    He suddenlyughed,


    "Hehehe."


    Hisugh brought an ufortable chill to the room.


    "How do I know?"


    The man''s hand trembled, the sound of clinking chains echoing in the tense silence.


    nk. nk.


    He lifted his sunsses with deliberate slowness, unveiling two hollow white eyes that seemed to pierce through the darkness.


    "...Because I have seen that very devil."


    *


    nk¡ª


    "...."


    Inquisitor Hallow emerged from the room, his expression unreadable.


    "How was it? Did you find anything?"


    Awaiting him at the entrance was someone dressed simrly, the Senior Inquisitor and Hallow''s superior.


    "No..."


    Hallow''s response was unusually t, catching the attention of his superior.


    "What''s wrong? Did something happen in there? You''re not usually like this."


    "Ah, yes..."


    Hallow responded lightly, but his mind was elsewhere, reying the scene from before over and over again.


    From the words, he spoke to the expression on his face.


    ''The Devil walks among us...''


    What did that imply?


    Was it suggesting that his boss was hiding in in sight?


    ''From the way he talks, it seems like this boss also thrives upon the weakness of the heart.''


    A sudden realization struck Hallow.


    ''Could it be that he''s an Emotive Mage? ....And a very powerful one at that?''


    The more he thought about it, the more usible it seemed.


    The Devil wasn''t real.


    .....All the words he had heard were nothing but the ramblings of a fanatic.


    ''That''s right, it''s all nonsense.''


    The most likely exnation was that their boss was an extremely powerful Emotive Mage.


    "Yeah."


    Hallow muttered aloud.


    ''It can''t be...''


    And yet,


    Yet...


    As he stared at his hand, he felt his throat constricting.


    ''Why... Why is my hand trembling so much?''


    ***


    "Whoo~"


    A gentle whistle resounded in the air.


    Donning a gray zer, and a gray top hat, the man casually walked around the streets of Bremmer.


    There were people everywhere he looked.


    ....It was a busy day today.


    "Whoo~"


    His whistle continued to echo in the air.


    It was subtle, and yet, strangely alluring.


    But soon, his steps came to a pause as a ball appeared beneath his feet.


    A child came running after shortly after.


    "Is this your ball?"


    Picking up the ball, the man handed it to the child. It was a young child, about eight years of age. With brown hair and green eyes, he looked to be a child from a well-off family.


    "Yes."


    "Is that so?"


    Smiling, the man handed the child the ball.


    "Do be careful with it. You might identally hit someone with it."


    "....Oh, yes."


    The child was quite polite, nodding in understanding as he took the ball from the man''s hand.


    It was only brief, but their hands touched.


    And the moment the child touched the ball, he stopped.


    "What''s wrong...?"


    The man bent over and stood at eye level with the child.


    Drip! Drip...!


    Tears started to drip down from the child''s eyes all of a sudden.


    "Please don''t cry."


    Taking out a handkerchief, the man handed it to the child to wipe his tears.


    "If there''s something going on, you can tell me. I have a little bit of time."


    "Sniff... Sniff..."


    Wiping his eyes, the child looked at the man.


    His eyes locked onto that of the man, and words started to flow out of his mouth.


    "Nobody wants to y with me... Hic..."


    "Is that so...?"


    "Y-yes."


    "Why do you think so?"


    "B-because my family is r-rich... They said that they want to hang out with me."


    "Is that what you think?"


    "....Y-yes."


    "It''s not because of you, right?"


    "Me...?"


    The child blinked while looking at the man.


    The tears had long stopped flowing.


    "Money should make children want to y with you. If you have money, you can use it to attract the other children to y with you. Why is it not the case for you?"


    "A-ah... That''s..."


    Smiling, the man ced his hand over the child.


    "They don''t want you."


    His tone slowly started to change, growing colder and chilling.


    The child looked up in a trance.


    ".....They just don''t like you. You''re not wanted."


    His words quietly made their way and seeped into the child''s mind. Gradually, the child''s expression changed.


    His eyes turned hollow, and his face lost all semnce of emotion.


    "Since they don''t want you, why should you want to y with them?"


    The man''s voice continued to echo.


    "What is the point of ying with people that think you''re worthless? Are you truly worthless? Or are they the ones who are worthless for not wanting to y with you?"


    "...."


    "Remember this."


    The man removed his hand from the child''s head.


    "Beneath every expression lies the potential for a scream."


    With a smile, the man''s voice faded.


    ".....How about you check it on them?"

 Chapter 203 He looks [2]

    <h4>Chapter 203 He looks [2]</h4>


    The next few days at the Academy were strangely peaceful.


    A little too peaceful.


    To the point where it just started to feel like something was wrong.


    ''This sense of peace¡­ I feel like it''s been a while.''


    Well, the feeling was short-lived.


    Today was the day I''d have to go out of the Academy once more.


    ¡­.It was time for me to receive my award.


    The acting one.


    It was supposed to be a ratherrge event that onlysted a day. I secretly hoped that nothing would go wrong, but knowing how my life was, I knew something was bound to happen.


    I just hoped it was something reasonable.


    I... didn''t want to fall into another illusion again. Nor did I want to face monsters that could track me through sound and were creepy to look at.


    There was another thing.


    ''Hopefully, I win something.''


    I really needed the money.


    My rate of progress was fairly good when considering the rate of progress of the other cadets, but I was far from satisfied.


    I wanted more.


    To be even stronger.


    I knew that I was stillgging behind by a littlepared to Leon and the top rankers.


    "Are you ready¡­?"


    Greeting me at the entrance of the Academy were several people.


    I could recognize a few, but not too well. All I knew was that they were people from the Curtain Call Collective who I had met back during the festival.


    Aoife was also one of the people attending.


    Dressed in aplimentary red dress, her looks attracted the attention of all those who passed her.


    Despite looking normal on the outside, I could tell at a nce that she was extremely nervous.


    I feltpelled to say something to her.


    "Don''t worry."


    I thought about patting her on the shoulder but chose otherwise.


    Turning her head, she looked shocked to see me.


    But then, her expression calmed down.


    I was just about to tell her that she didn''t need to feel nervous since she was probably not going to win when she spoke.


    "¡­..I''m not worried. I know I''m not going to win. I just wanted to see how many votes I receive at the ceremony. With yours counted, I hope I get one more."


    "¡­.."


    I pursed my lips.


    All of a sudden, I felt like I had been pped over and over again.


    ''Shit.''


    It had been a memory I had almostpletely forgotten about.


    But¡­


    ''I didn''t vote for her.''


    That day, I had lied because I didn''t want her to think that I had voted for myself.


    Even I knew shame.


    "Right."


    I bit my tongue and my expression strained a little.


    "¡­.You can do it."


    "Thank you."


    Aoife looked genuinely thankful, and I felt like getting pped again.


    ''Oh shit.''


    *


    The location of the award ceremony was quite far.


    Located all the way in Roselle, a small town located near Bremmer, the capital city, it took about four hours for us to reach the destination.


    It was also for that reason that the event was hosted on a weekend.


    It was an overnight event.


    A hotel was booked for us in advance, and the moment we arrived, we headed for the hotel where we dropped all of our luggage.


    "It''s not bad."


    The ce was rather nice.


    Looking around, the decorations were tasteful, with elegant wallpaper and stylish furniture that created a cozy yet sophisticated ambiance.


    The bed, with its plush pillows and luxuriousforter, looked incrediblyfortable.


    Unfortunately, I didn''t have much time to admire the room.


    "It should be this one."


    Opening my bag, I quickly changed into something decent. It was a ck suit with a crisp white shirt.


    The suit was tailored perfectly, entuating my frame in all the right ces.


    Nothing tooplicated, but I had to admit, it looked great on me.


    After smoothing down my hair and ensuring it was neatly polished, I took a deep breath before heading out of the room.


    Finally¡­


    My money.


    ***


    Aoife stared at the mirror in front of her.


    She had gotten dressed beforeing to the venue, applying her makeup and everything before boarding the train.


    The process had garnered a few odd looks, but considering it would take her hours to get ready otherwise, it was a necessary inconvenience.


    "Huuu."


    Taking a deep breath, she pressed her hand against her chest.


    She could feel her heart pounding loudly.


    Aoife could hardly contain her nervousness.


    Despite telling herself that it wasn''t anything important and that it didn''t mean much, she knew she was lying to herself.


    This was important for her.


    All the effort she had put into reaching this point¡ªit was all for validation. Even if it was just from one person, Aoife wanted to see it.


    ''For myself.''


    It was for nobody else but herself.


    To Tok¡ª


    The door knocked suddenly, and Aoife turned her head.


    It was the staff from the Curtain Collective.


    "I''ming."


    Fixing her clothes and makeup onest time, Aoife took another breath to calm her nerves before heading to the door.


    It was time for the award ceremony.


    ***


    The Jovinc Award was a very prestigious Award.


    Within the Empire, everyone knew about the award and what it signified.


    It was for this reason that the ceremony was broadcast throughout the entire Empire for the citizens to see.


    "....."


    Upon entering the venue, my eyes were blinded by the glittering chandeliers and the lights that illuminated every corner. The venue was packed, with beautiful women and handsome men milling about, adding to the opulent atmosphere.


    For a brief moment, the venue hushed a significant amount.


    I felt the gazes of many people fall on me in particr.


    The same was true for Aoife, though not as intensely.


    I felt like an animal in a zoo exhibit and my brows furrowed slightly. I was just about to say something when a woman appeared.


    "Ah, there you are!"


    I recognized her instantly. As the scriptwriter of the y, she was someone I knew all too well. Her gaze felt unusually intense, almost burdensome.


    It was strange enough to make me shudder slightly.


    "I''m d that you were all able to make it on time."


    Although she tried to address everyone, it was clear that she was addressing me. Her attitude was quite a bit different thanpared to the past.


    She...


    Had never been so eager before.


    Nheless, it didn''t bother me and I nodded my head in acknowledgment.


    "Here, let''s go take our seats. The event will be starting shortly, and I''m sure you don''t want to spend too much time interacting with the other people."


    And so, tugging me by the arm, she dragged me all the way towards a different area where a brightly lit stage appeared.


    Beneath the stage were multiple chairs where dozens of well-


    dressed people sat down.


    From the way some people reacted, they appeared to be some big-shots of the show-biz industry, and their looks certainly added to that testament, but despite how hard I tried, I couldn''t recognize a single person.


    "Please have a seat over here. This is your seat."


    Olga pointed towards a certain seat and I sat down. Aoife followed right behind and sat on the seat next to me on the right while Olga sat on the left.


    As I sat down, I couldn''t help but notice the subtle trembling in Aoife''s lips and my lips twitched.


    "...."


    ''How should I fix this...?''


    If it was revealed that she got no votes... Would the cmity percentage increase?


    The thought made me shudder.


    Currently, besides the quest failure, there was no real indicator as to what factor affected the calmity percentage increase.


    I wanted it to just be the quest failures, but I very well knew that there were other facts at y.


    The quest was probably there to tell me the situation rather than increase their percentages.


    ".....As I was saying, there''s something that I''d like to talk to you about after this. If you don''t mind, can you spare me some time,ter?"


    Coming out of my thoughts, I heard Olga''s voiceing from my left.


    Turning my head, I was confused.


    ''What does she want to talk to me about...?''


    I could only think of a few possibilities, and I shook my head.


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t think I''ll be able to perform again. I have¡ª"


    "Let''s discuss thister before you reject. At least hear me out. Is that okay...? This might be extremely beneficial for you as well."


    I took a moment to stare at her for a few seconds.


    ''Something extremely beneficial for me as well?''


    I couldn''t help but be interested then. While I wasn''t sure if what she said was true, and whatever she had nned was truly beneficial to me, it would only take me a few minutes to hear her out.


    I didn''t see why not.


    If in the end, it truly did end up beneficial for me, then it was all good.


    I was especially in need of a lot of money.


    If that opportunity allowed me to gain some money, then...


    p, p, p¡ª!


    A sudden round of apuse grabbed my attention, and when I looked around, everyone was pping, some even standing.


    I was wondering why, and I soon found the reason.


    Standing on the stage was a middle-aged man with a well trimmed beard and ck hair. His blue eyes seemed extremely dashing, and the moment he appeared, he seemed to suck the attention of all those around.


    "Thank you everybody. Thank you everybody."


    Upon entering the stage, he started thanking everybody while bowing his body slightly.


    I didn''t know who he was, but judging from the reception amongst the crowd, he was probably a highly aplished person within this industry.


    As expected, the moment I started wondering this, Aoife whispered something in my ear.


    "He''s a 4-time Award winner, Jeremy Lynch. He''s regarded as the best actor of our generation."


    Surprised, I turned to look at Aoife who seemed a little pale.


    "I figured you wouldn''t know so..."


    "Thank you."


    She was right.


    I really didn''t know him.


    But after hearing about his des, I knew why everyone was receiving him so warmly.


    Gradually, the ps died down, and silence enveloped the theater.


    nk!


    The stage lights shone, and the lights across the venue dimmed.


    With a smile on his face, Jeremy''s blue eyes scanned across the entire venue before his lips pulled up into a smile.


    "Thank you very much for allowing me to host the 27th Jovinc Award. It is a great honor for me, and skipping all the unnecessary formalities, I would like to announce the official start of the event!"


    And just like that, the award ceremony kicked off.

 Chapter 204 He looks [3]

    Chapter 204 He looks [3]


    ??The Award ceremony had a structure that was reminiscent of simr events of the past.


    It would start off with a monologue by the presenter, who was usually a famous star to set the mood, and following that, the awards would finally be revealed.


    There were a couple of awards that I was lined up for.


    The Best Rookie award, and the Best Supporting Actor award.


    I didn''t think I''d be able to win the Rookie Award, but I was confident in my chances of winning the Best Support Actor award.


    From what I was told, the mary value of a single award was 100k Rend.


    That was a lot of money.


    p, p, p¡ª


    The ps served as a reminder of when to focus my attention back on the ceremony.


    With the present now gone, it was time for the award ceremony to start.


    Immediately, the atmosphere turned tense, and the noise andughter died down. The lights on the stage grew brighter, while the lights on the seats grew dimmer.


    Tak, Tak!


    Breaking the silence was the gentle sound of heels clicking against the wooden floor of the stage as a figure walked over to the center of the stage.


    Yet again, I didn''t know who she was, but at a nce, she was stunning. With well-proportioned features and long flowing yellow hair, she was especially eye-catching.


    Most likely, some famous actress.


    Didn''t care.


    ....I care more about my award.


    My money.


    "Thank you everyone. I will now be starting the award ceremony. For the first award, I will be nominating the candidates for the best script and revealing the discussed grade."


    The air around me grew tense.


    Looking around, I could see heavy tensions on the faces of those belonging to the Curtain Call Collective.


    I could see just how nervous they were.


    "For the first nominee, we have ''A Fool''s April'' written by Krispotz Lam.''


    A projection appeared in the middle of the stage, disying a few highlights of the y. The disy was met with a round of apuse.


    Next up, was another y.


    And the same situation repeated, disying a few footage of the y before the ce would be swept by the apuse of the audience.


    I also pped for the sake of it.


    "Andst but not least..."


    The woman''s head raised as her lips pulled up faintly,


    "....Enigma of the Midnight Manor written by the well renowned Olga!"


    The disy changed, and I was able to catch a glimpse of my face. Staring at it, I felt a weird emotion coarse through my body.


    The person on the screen did look at me, but at the same time, looked so different.


    I had never noticed it before since I had never watched the y, but... I really had done a good job.


    p, p, p¡ª


    The crowd also seemed to think so as the ps were a lot louder thanpared to the other ys.


    That was when I knew what the result would be.


    And as expected, taking out the envelope in her hand, the results were quickly announced.


    "And the winner is...."


    After a brief and tense pause, she announced.


    "Enigma of the Midnight Manor with 5447 Votes!"


    ?©¦The Best Script Rankings


    1. Enigma of the Midnight Manor¡¸Votes: 5447¡¹


    2. Scary Crossfire¡¸Votes: 4536¡¹


    3. A Fool''s April¡¸Votes: 3633¡¹


    4. Whispers of the Night¡¸Votes: 3331¡¹


    5. Blue Ocean Cry¡¸Votes 2629¡¹


    6. Ordinary Grave¡¸Votes: 2429¡¹


    7. Ouws of the World¡¸Votes: 2227¡¹


    "Congrattions!"


    "Woo!"


    p, p, p¡ª


    The crowd and the people around us grew crazy and frantic at the announcement, with many congratting Olga, and the staff with wide smiles.


    It was all good, but...


    ''Crap.''


    The only thing I was focused on was therge board at the back that disyed the number of votes at the back and found myself turning to look to my right where Aoife was sitting.


    She too was looking at the board with an absentminded look.


    I licked my lips at the sight.


    "Thank you everyone. This is such a great honor for me."


    Olga started off her speech in the middle of the stage. The overall speech wasn''t long, but it was mainly boring. There was a lot of talk about how much she worked for all of this and her childhood.


    It was a good thing that it didn''tst for very long as she quickly found her way back to the seat next to me.


    "Congrattions."


    "Nice."


    Even as she sat, people continued to congratte her.


    I also congratted her but found myself to be sitting on pins and needles. From time to time, I''d find myself ncing at Aoife.


    ''Why did I even do that...?''


    There was so much that I regretted...


    ''But it''s not like I could just tell her I was voting for myself...?''


    I groaned internally, and before I knew it, several other awards were given out.


    "You all look tired already, huh?"


    Appearing on the stage was the same person who had appeared at the start.


    Jeremy Lynch.


    He wore a peculiar smile on his face as he held onto an envelope in his hand.


    "It is now time that we get to the main event. And it will also be with great honor for me to be the one to make the announcement."


    Wiping his forehead, he looked at the crowd.


    "Oof, I know just how nervous some of you are. I''ve been on the receiving end multiple times. It certainly feels different to be the one announcing. I don''t feel so nervous like the previous times, hahaha."


    His words lightened up the mood which had otherwise tensed.


    I too was somewhat tense.


    .....I knew that this was going to be my category, and for that reason, I felt a little nervous.


    ''I need to win this.''


    That money...


    I wasn''t sure how many times I had said it, but I really needed it.


    Thankfully, I didn''t have to wait for long.


    "I will now announce the nominees for best supporting actor."


    The projection at the back changed.


    A face appeared.


    "With multiple fine words under his belt, the first nominee is Casey Jacobs who yed Eric Brown in A Fool''s April."


    What came after the announcement was a small disy of his acting in the performance.


    It followed the same form, and a few other names were announced shortly after that. It didn''t take long for my name to be announced.


    "Andst but not least, Julien Dacre Evenus who yed the role of Azarias in Enigma of the Midnight Manor."


    I felt the recording devices lock onto me the moment that my name was announced.


    The same was true some other people sat near me as they turned to look at me. I tried my best to act normal, but gazes were rather burdensome.


    That feeling only intensified once the winner was announced.


    "And the winner is..."


    The announcer''s gaze fell on me.


    "Julien Dacre Evenus."


    ©¦The Best Supporting Actor Rankings


    1. Julien Dacre Evenus¡¸Votes: 3794¡¹


    2. Casey Jacobs¡¸Votes: 3356¡¹


    3. Evelyn Harper¡¸Votes: 3101¡¹


    4. Liam ChandlerVotes: 2987¡¹


    5. Sophia Langford¡¸Votes 2226¡¹


    6. Jackson Monroe¡¸Votes: 1983¡¹


    7. Amelia Whitaker¡¸Votes: 1772¡¹


    Outside of the gazes, I felt a heavy load lift off my shoulders the moment that my name was announced.


    "Congrattions."


    "Wow."


    "So young, and yet already received a Jovinc Award. I''m envious."


    The ps resounded throughout the entire theater room and epted them calmly. Standing up from my seat, I adjusted my clothes and headed for the stage where I received my award.


    "Here you go, congrattions."


    ".....Thank you."


    The reward felt light to the touch.


    It didn''t weigh much and was coated in ayer of gold.


    epting the reward, I stood at the center stage where I felt the gazes of everyone in the room present.


    The ps had died down, and absolute silence covered the ce.


    The only sound I could hear was the very sound of my own breath.


    I was supposed to give a speech.


    ''Right, speech...''


    I had prepared one in advance, but it wasn''t very long. Still, unless I wanted to make everyone my enemy, I needed to say something.


    "It is a bi¡ª"


    p!


    My speech was halted by the sudden sound of a p in the far-off distance.


    Taken aback, I looked in the direction of where the noise came from.


    p!


    Another p resounded.


    .....And that was when my eyes fell on a figure sitting in the middle row. I felt my breath catch in my throat the moment that my eyesid on the figure.


    With his figure leaning forward slightly, and his face covered by a hat, only allowing me to catch a glimpse of his blonde hair, I felt sudden chills run down my body.


    p!


    The p resounded again.


    It spread through every nook and cranny of the room.


    But the creepiest part of it all was theck of reaction from the crowd. When I looked at them, they all appeared to be confused as some started to whisper with one another while they looked at me.


    It was as if he didn''t exist in their eyes.


    My entire body stiffened at the realization.


    p...!


    The p sounded again, and I turned to look in the figure''s direction.


    p, p!


    The ps grew louder and faster.


    So did my very own heartbeat.


    p, p, p!


    The ps picked up speed again.


    Sweat started to drip down the side of my face.


    I couldn''t breathe.


    It was as if my breath had been snatched, robbed away from me.


    Notifications shed across my vision, flooding it non-stop.


    The only thing I could do was stare at the figure that was pping in the distance.


    I couldn''t take my eyes away.


    p, p, p, p!


    He continued to p.


    From the corner of my vision, I could see the crowd starting to speak out loud. And yet, I couldn''t hear anything at all.


    My only focus was on the man that sat in the distance.


    He was the sole focus of my attention.


    "Haaa ... Haa..."


    Unknowingly, my breath started to quicken.


    And then,


    "....."


    The pping finally stopped.


    Blinking once, the man disappeared and the noise surrounding the ce returned.


    So did my breath.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Standing in the middle of the stage in my hand, I felt a sudden sense of impending crisis.


    That...


    Who in the world was that?

 Chapter 205 Whistle [1]

    Chapter 205 Whistle [1]


    ??I stood in the middle of the stage with my breath caught in my throat. My mind was a jumbled mess, and the world around me appeared to spin.


    I could hardly focus on what was ahead of me as sweat trickled down the side of my face.


    My legs felt weak, and wherever I looked, I''d see the faces of the audience staring at me with looks of confusion.


    .....It was a strange feeling.


    I couldn''t quite describe it.


    I was there and yet didn''t feel there.


    All I could think about was the man who had been pping just moments after.


    ''What was that...?''


    From the overall rxed attitude, and its presence.


    I could only think of one person, and I forgot to breathe.


    "Excuse me."


    I was only able to snap out of by a certain tug at my shoulder and when I looked, Jeremy, the one who had handed me the award appeared beside me.


    "Is everything alright?"


    ".....Yes "


    Though I said that, I was anything but okay.


    I could hardly think or move.


    It took every part of me to keep myself on the stage.


    "It''s alright to be nervous. Everyone is watching you. Please give the speech. We also don''t have a lot of time."


    ".....I understand."


    His words were a bit hazy to me.


    But I nheless understood them.


    Turning to face the crowd again, I opened my mouth and started to say the words that I had rehearsed beforehand.


    It wasn''t a long speech.


    .....It was in fact a lot shorter than the rest of the candidates, but it was good enough.


    The moment I finished, the crowd began to p.


    p, p, p¡ª


    Rather than joy, I felt chills run down my body the moment the pping started.


    I was suddenly reminded of the scene that had happened moments prior and my entire body shuddered.


    ''I need to go down.''


    The longer I stayed on the stage, the weirder I felt.


    Walking down the flight of stairs, I tried my best to keep myselfposed.


    It was hard.


    Really hard, but I was somehow able to do so.


    "Congrattions!"


    "Well done!"


    "You deserve it! Your performance was outstanding."


    The people around me started to whisper words of congrattions. On any normal asion, I would''ve thanked them, but I was in no state to do so.


    "Are you okay...?"


    Sitting down, I heard Aoife''s voiceing from my right.


    I didn''t turn to look at her and just handed her my trophy.


    "Keep it."


    "....Uh?"


    Aoife sounded stunned by my actions.


    I couldn''t me her. But at the same time, I really couldn''t care less about the trophy. I cared more about the money.


    That was all that mattered to me.


    ''Take it as an apology from me.''


    "B-but.. this, isn''t this...?"


    "I don''t need it. You deserve it."


    The awards we were nominated for were different.


    My role had been bigger than hers.


    It was for that reason that I was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor Section.


    She on the other hand was only eligible for ''The best extra'' Award. A certain minute was required for best-supporting which she didn''t meet. But I didn''t really think it mattered. In the grand scope of things, it was an acting award, and she had been great.


    "Even if you don''t end up winning, you did great."


    "..."


    Aoife turned quiet after that.


    I didn''t know what sort of expression she was making, nor could I care enough to know.


    Sitting down on my seat, my entire body was tense.


    Grabbing onto the sides of the chair, I remained unmoved while the sound of my very own heartbeat drummed loudly within my mind.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    ***


    The event proceeded from then on.


    Awards were given out, and speeches were given. Aoife sat on her seat while staring at everything that was happening.


    Her previously nervous mind had calmed down somewhat as she lowered her head to stare at the trophy in her hand.


    Even now, she didn''t understand why he had given it to her.


    ''You deserve it.''


    His words repeated in her mind.


    Like a broken record, they continued to echo in her mind as she stared at the trophy in her hand. The trophy wasn''t very big.


    It fit snugly in her hand, and it was cold to the touch.


    "....."


    Aoife had mixed emotions while staring at the trophy.


    A part of her really wanted it.


    She wanted to ept it.


    But,


    ''I don''t want it to be this way.''


    What she really wanted was to get the award with the aid of her own skill.


    But it wasn''t as though she wasn''t happy.


    A... little, I guess?


    "Next up, we will be announcing the results of the best supporting actress."


    Aoife unconsciously found her back straightening at the category.


    This was her category.


    She had no expectations about her ranking, but she wanted to see... See just how many people had voted for her in the end.


    How many people had seen the effort that she had put into her performance.


    "For the first nominee, we have written by Cassandra James who yed the role of Alex in ''When the Night Falls''."


    The projection changed, and an actress appeared in it.


    There were several scenes yed out, and when Aoife stared at the scene being yed, she could only bitterly smile.


    She could see the clear differences between her and a real actress.


    But even then, Aoife turned her head slightly, her eyes peeking at the man who sat next to her.


    Compared to him...


    Aoife pursed her lips.


    There was nothing that she needed to say about his performance. The fact that he had won was a testament to that.


    "For the second nominee, we have..."


    The nominees continued to be mentioned, their faces appearing on the projection behind them.


    Aoife sat by her seat with an impassive expression. She couldn''t show her nervousness. At the very least, she didn''t want the world to know just how much she cared about this.


    At least, not her family.


    "Andstly, we have Aoife K. Megrail who yed the role of Emily in ''Enigma of the Midnight Manor.''"


    When her name was called up, Aoife felt her back straighten further.


    Multiple gazes fell on her, and she appeared on the projection at the center of the stage.


    Compared to the other candidates, her role was a lot smaller, with few scenes, but staring at herself in the projection, Aoife felt her heart beating faster.


    That was her.


    She was... Good.


    Really good.


    "And the award goes to...


    ''Maybe...''


    Hope started to kindle within her chest.


    Could it be that perhaps...?


    "Cassandra James!"


    Aoife''s hopes were quickly dashed at the winner''s announcement.


    p, p, p¡ª!


    She looked nkly at the stage while her surroundings bloomed with the sounds of apuse.


    It took her a moment to snap out of it, and she soon followed the rest with the apuse.


    ''Right, this is to be expected.''


    She was a little disappointed, but this was the expected result.


    Soon, the chart tally appeared.


    ©¦The Best Supporting Actress Rankings


    1. Cassandra James¡¸Votes: 5617¡¹


    2. L Harrington¡¸Votes: 4981¡¹


    3. Isabe Cortez¡¸Votes: 4777¡¹


    4. Fiona ckwood¡¸Votes: 3091¡¹


    5. Miles Anderson¡¸Votes 1907¡¹


    6. Ethan Ramirez¡¸Votes: 1759¡¹


    7. Aoife K. Megrail¡¸Votes: 1¡¹


    Scanning the rankings, Aoife felt her heart drop.


    ''One vote...''


    Her grip over the award tightened slightly.


    While it wasn''t out of her expectations, it still hurt a bit.


    No, rather... It was a little humiliating.


    Was her acting that bad? Were her efforts really that meaningless in the end?


    .....Aoife bit her lips and struggled to keep herselfposed.


    But it was hard.


    Really hard.


    The only thing that was keeping her from breaking down was the one vote that she received.


    It was just one, and while she knew who had voted for her, it was more than enough to keep herselfposed.


    And it was also then that she realized;


    ''That''s right. I''m not the only one who put effort into this.''


    Looking up at the stage, and seeing the recipient of the award, Cassandra, receive it with tears in her eyes, Aoife felt a little bit of her gloom vanish.


    ''.....Why did I even think for a second that I was the only one who put on effort in the role?''


    The people who had all been nominated had been in the industry for far longer than she had.


    On the other hand, she was just a newbie who had spent at most a couple of weeks in the role.


    Were her effort and their efforts truly the same?


    ''No, they''re not.''


    It was this realization that made Aoife calm down.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath and leaning against her chair, she finally was able to muster up a smile and started pping alongside the audience as the winner''s speech came to an end.


    p, p, p¡ª


    As she pped, she held tightly on the trophy in her hand.


    At least, she knew that there was one person who thought her acting was great.


    The unlikeliest of people.


    ***


    The Award Ceremonysted for a total of three hours.


    I sat in my seat while nkly staring at the stage the entire time. My thoughts continued to drift towards the scene from before, and I couldn''t help but feel a strange sense of dread creeping from the deepest parts of my body.


    "Julien."


    It crawled towards my chest, slowly entangling every part of my heart. It felt suffocating, and looking around, everything felt so constricted.


    "Julien...!"


    "Uh!?"


    Startling me out of my thoughts was Olga who was staring at me with concern.


    "Are you okay? Do you need some fresh air?"


    "Ah, yes..."


    Looking around, I saw that there were hardly any people left around me.


    The show must''ve ended some time ago


    I had just stood up from my seat when Olga tugged me on the shirt.


    "I have something to talk to you about. You remember, right?"


    "Oh, right."


    "Let''s go outside. I''d rather keep this between us."


    I tilted my head slightly, confused by her words.


    Nevertheless, I followed her out of the building and took a deep breath of the fresh air that lingered outside.


    "This is good."


    Looking around and seeing no one around, Olga sighed in relief before she looked at me with a smile.


    "Julien. There''s something that I''d like to ask of you."


    "...."


    I narrowed my eyes without saying anything.


    I was just waiting for her to finish.


    "How would you like to perform as Azarias in the Four Summit Event?"


    Her words took me aback.


    Me, perform...?


    "That''s..."


    "I know that you''re also participating, which is why I won''t ask you to practice with us. I''d just like it if you took part in the y. You will be paid a good sum."


    "...I will be paid?"


    I pushed any thought of rejection to the side.


    "Oh, yes."


    "How much exactly?"


    "Well, usually around 20,000, but for you? I can make it more. What do you think?"


    As if she had realized my weakness, Olga''s smile deepened.


    I pursed my lips and inwardly sighed.


    ''I can''t reject this offer.''


    That was how much I was in desperate need of money. I really wanted to buy a new manual to improve my strength.


    ".....Can you give me some time to think about it?"


    Still, I didn''t recklessly jump into the situation which Olga was fine with.


    "Of course, of course."


    Patting onto my shoulder, she put on her coat.


    "Take as much time as you want. We still have a lot of time before the Summit. You know where to contact me."


    And with that, she left.


    As her back gradually faded from my view, I shook my head.


    "This... Haaa."


    Who would''ve thought I''d have to act again?


    Bitterly shaking my head, I walked back towards where the hotel was located. The streets were strangely empty as I walked, with the only sound that I heard being the rhythmical sound of my footsteps clicking against the ground.


    At least, that was until,


    "Whoo~"


    I heard a whistle, and the hair at the back of my neck rose.

 Chapter 206 Whistle [2]

    <h4>Chapter 206 Whistle [2] </h4>


    "Whoo~"


    The whistle pierced the air, and every hair at the back of my neck stood on end.


    My head snapped back to where the noise came from, but to my shock and horror, there was no one standing behind me.


    And yet,


    "Whoo~"


    The whistle persisted, echoing in the air, seeping into the depths of my mind as my breathing grew rougher.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Each breath felt harder than thest.


    "What are you doing...?"


    Suddenly, something pressed against my shoulder, and my heart almost leaped out of my chest. I barely kept myself from flipping out due to the familiarity of the voice.


    It was Owl-Mighty.


    "There''s nothing."


    "....Nothing?"


    Confused, I looked into its two red eyes.


    "What do you mean nothing? Can''t you hear the whistling?"


    "Whistling?"


    Owl-Mighty''s head tilted.


    "There is no whistling, human. You have been acting strange for quite a while. Judging from the paler shade of your skin, your dted pupils, and rough breathing, you must be experiencing fear."


    "I..."


    Indeed, I was.


    There was no denying it.


    The notifications popping up in my vision served as proof.


    But that wasn''t important at the moment.


    "Are you sure that there''s no one?"


    ".....Yes."


    pping its wings, Owl-Mighty lifted into the air and looked around before returning.


    "There is nothing. I don''t feel anything either."


    It was strange, but the moment Owl-Mighty appeared, the whistle stopped.


    So did the strange feeling that engulfed me.


    Despite that, I didn''t rx for a second.


    Knowing very well just how strong ''that'' person was, I knew it was likely Owl-Mighty couldn''t sense him.


    ....But what did it even matter if he could?


    That person...


    He wasn''t someone we could fight.


    Knowing that, my steps felt heavy as I walked the familiar path to the hotel. I didn''t rush; it would be pointless.


    If it was really him, then...


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath and stared at the night sky.


    ''.....This is messed up.''


    The entire situation was.


    "Heh."


    Unknowingly, I found myselfughing as I headed for the hotel entrance.


    "As expected, I really need to stay at the Academy."


    Nothing ''major'' may have happened at the ceremony, but I would''ve rather had that than what I had experienced.


    Any day...


    *


    Thankfully, no new situation arose following the strange whistle that I heardst night. With that being said, I was hardly able to get any sleep.


    Every little noise startled me out of my sleeping state.


    "Please don''t forget about what we''ve talked about."


    "Yes, I understand."


    We stood at the entrance of the train station.


    Olga, the scriptwriter, continued to talk to me about our previous discussion, requiring several nods of confirmation to finally get her to leave me alone.


    "Don''t forget! I will make sure to contact you!"


    Her lively demeanor seemed out of ce to me, but I could understand her excitement. The Four Empire Summit was a prestigious event, and I was meant to participate in it as well.


    While I wasn''t exactly sure about the event''s details, I knew the Empire ced particr importance on it. The reason I knew this was because of the reward they offered for my participation.


    The Dragon Bone.


    It was all that upied my thoughts on the way back to the Academy.


    Or at least, until someone took my attention away.


    "Hmm~ Dum~"


    Looking ahead, my lips twitched.


    Holding onto the trophy that I had given herst night, Aoife nonchntly wiped it with a tissue while she hugged it in her hands.


    "Hmm~ Ba... Ting!"


    That was fine.


    It was weird but still manageable.


    But the singing was not.


    It felt as though my eardrums were being ruptured.


    She was lucky that there was no one else in the cabin with us.


    "Ukh."


    My pain tolerance was high, but there were limits to torture.


    nk!


    "Hiip!"


    "....!"


    The door of the cabin opened abruptly, the attendant entering with a worried expression. Looking around, she scanned the ce before tilting her head.


    "Strange..."


    Narrowing her eyes, she covered her mouth.


    ".....I thought I heard the sound of ss breaking here. Looks like it was just me."


    She looked at us apologetically.


    "I do apologize for that. I received several reports from people about someone trying to break the window from this room. It looks like the reports were false."


    nk!


    The door closed shortly after and silence ensued.


    "...."


    "...."


    Aoife looked at me.


    Her face was entirely red. To the point where it perfectly matched her hair.


    "You..."


    She was the first one to break the silence as aplicated look marred her face.


    "....It wasn''t that bad right?"


    "What?"


    "My singing. It wasn''t that bad, right?"


    "What?"


    Aoife blinked her eyes and repeated.


    "My singing¡ª"


    I cut her off while pointing at my ears.


    "....Sorry, I can''t hear."


    "...."


    Aoife looked at me with a face that seemed as though she had eaten shit.


    Click!


    A strange clicking sound echoed within the room startling Aoife who looked at me with widened eyes.


    "You...!"


    Not minding her, I looked at the object in my hand which bore an uncanny resemnce to an old camera.


    The difference was that it operated on mana, and a picture soon appeared.


    I grabbed onto the picture before pping it in the air.


    I did that twice before the image became clear.


    "This is good."


    As expected.


    This was a good purchase.


    It cost me a whopping 200 Rend.


    Worth it.


    I couldn''t count the amount of times I regretted not being able to take pictures of the faces Leon and the others made.


    This was a must-purchase essory.


    ....And it was already living up to the money that I had spent.


    "That... Give me that."


    "Aoife tried to reach for it, but I didn''t let her and moved the picture away."


    "Hey!"


    I shook my head.


    "Whatever you say, I can''t hear you."


    "....!!"


    Her face scrunched up further.


    Click¡ª!


    "Ahhhh!!"


    *


    From that point forward, the ride back was a quiet one. Aoife tried to wrestle the picture out of my hands, even going as far as using her powers, but I wasn''t the same person as the past me.


    I could now handle that much and was able to keep the pictures safely secured.


    Aoife eventually gave up and the ride turned quiet. So quiet that it was kind of awkward. The entire time, Aoife didn''t say a thing as she chewed on her hair while staring at the ever-


    changing scenery outside of the train.


    Upon arrival, she picked up hergguage and directly left without saying a single word.


    ''Was I too harsh?''


    Staring at her back, I felt a little guilty.


    But only slightly.


    I was the true victim here.


    My ears...


    Did I even have ears at this point?


    "Wee back."


    Greeting me at the entrace of the Academy was an unusual person.


    As.


    ".....You''re thest one to arrive."


    He was by himself, with no one else in sight. In his hands was a small wooden box, and the moment my eyesid on it, I felt my heart skip a bit.


    It couldn''t be...


    "Yes, it''s exactly what you''re thinking."


    "....!"


    Asughed while handing over the box to me.


    "This is the reward. I was quick, wasn''t I?"


    He was.


    Delh had told me I''d have to wait a bit, but this was a lot faster than I expected. It was a pleasant surprise.


    "Can I...?"


    "Take it."


    Reaching out, I took the wooden box. It felt cool to the touch, and its coarse texture rubbed against my fingertips as I held it tightly in my grasp, afraid of letting it fall.


    "Don''t open it here. We don''t want anyone to see what you''re receiving, and the pressure... In general, I would say that it''s not a good idea."


    "....I understand."


    Holding back on my temptation, I took a deep breath and put the box away.


    I thought that would be it when As handed me a couple of other things.


    "Here, take this as well."


    "This is...?"


    I looked to see several pills in his hands.


    "You might never know what happens when you absorb a bone of this degree. You may be strong mentally, but that doesn''t mean nothing wrong will happen. Take these as precautions. They should be able to give you a little boost."


    "Thank you."


    I took the pills and gratefully looked at As.


    For someone who was supposed to belong to an evil organization, he was sure nice to me.


    ''Well, that''s probably because I''m capable.''


    If not, then he was probably not going to act like this with me.


    It was just how things were.


    ....And I was fully using this advantage for myself.


    "Well, off you go. It''s still the weekend, so you should absorb the bone while you have time. We wouldn''t want you skipping sses."


    With a light, As said a few other things. Mainly about what I should do, and not do before eventually leaving.


    "I expect to hear good news soon."


    He left as fast as he came.


    Standing by the entrance of the Academy, I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.


    Finally...


    Finally I had received the Dragon Bone.


    It had been weighing down on my mind for quite some time. To the point where I remembered going a couple of times without sleep.


    I was having a hard time containing my excitement.


    "Don''t absorb the bone."


    All of a sudden, Owl-Mighty appeared in front of me.


    He was staring in the direction of where I had put the wooden box.


    ".....I can sense a very powerful aura hiding within the bone. It is a lot more powerful than me. What sort of creature does this bone belong to?"


    Owl-Mighty seemed genuinely curious about the bone.


    I was just about to answer when it spoke again.


    "Never mind that, you should go back to your apartment first. I need to tell you something about the bone before you absorb it."


    ".....Okay."


    Despite my confusion, I decided toply with Owl-Mighty''s words.


    It definitely knew more about the bone than me. I didn''t see what harm there was for me to listen to what it had to say.


    And thus,


    Making sure that the bone was safely secured.


    I headed back to the dorms.

 Chapter 207 The Indomitable Will [1]

    <h4>Chapter 207 The Indomitable Will [1]</h4>


    nk¡ª


    I closed the door behind me and sat down on the ground, opening the wooden box to reveal the dragon bone. The bone wasn''t big, about the size of my fist, and was entirely gray in color with purple runes surrounding it.


    The moment I opened the box, an oppressive feeling surrounded the room.


    It made it hard to breathe.


    I also felt it, but I wasn''t so sure it was due to the bone.


    Perhpas...


    It was out of excitement.


    "What should I do...?"


    Rather than diving immediately and transfusing the bone in my, I turned to my right to look at Owl-Mighty who was staring at the bone with a rare apprehension.


    "I do not know how you were capable of getting your hands on such a powerful bone, but you should be careful."


    ".....I know that much."


    There was still a will left within the bone.


    From what I knew, I needed to ovee it with my mental resilience before transfusing the bone in me.


    I was confident in being able to do that.


    "Did you stop me from absorbing the bone because you wanted to tell me this?"


    Well, it wasn''t as though I was going to absorb it back then. Ample preparations needed to be made before transfusing the bone.


    I was done with most of the preparations already and was just waiting for Owl-Mighty to say his piece before jumping into it.


    ''Since As is confident I''ll be able to make it, there shouldn''t be any problems.''


    "That''s not the case."


    Owl-Mighty pped its wings and hovered above the bone, resting its feet against the wooden case.


    Casually staring at the bone, Owl-Mighty began to say,


    "I''m not worried about your ability to absorb the bone. You should be able to do so with your abilities. I can help if you can''t handle it."


    "You can?"


    "Yes."


    Owl-Mighty nodded quietly.


    "You might struggle a bit since the creature it belongs to is quite powerful, but since I am a manifestation of my own will, I can directly interfere if anything urs. That''s not the problem."


    "Then...?"


    ".....Are you just satisfied absorbing the bone?"


    Owl-Migthy''s sudden words caught me by surprise.


    "Just satisfied?"


    What did it mean by that?


    "You will gain an innate ability once you fuse with the bone, and your strength might increase a little bit."


    "Shouldn''t that normally be the case?"


    It was what happenedst time and with Owl-Mighty too.


    The only difference between the first time and Owl-Mighty was that he appeared. Such a thing didn''t happen with my first bone, and¡ª


    Realization suddenly dawned on me and my eyes widened.


    "You couldn''t be saying..."


    "Yes, it is possible."


    My heart tightened.


    "....Its body may no longer exist, but its will still remains. If you are capable enough, you might be able to manifest its will just like you did with me. The only difference between me and this creature is that I did it willingly. You must convince it through your abilities. If you can convince it, then you will be able to summon it."


    "....."


    Swallowing my saliva, I licked my lips which had suddenly be dry.


    My mind started to run a thousand different thoughts, making it hard for me to think properly. It took me several seconds to collect my thoughts, and when I did, I looked at Owl-Mighty and asked,


    "What are the benefits of having a separate will?"


    "Benefits?"


    Owl-Mighty looked at me with a strange expression.


    "You should be well aware of that already."


    Though Owl-Mighty said that, its wing had already moved and the entire room started to change at its will, and the mana inside of my body started to drain.


    If a few seconds ago I was in my apartment, I was now standing in the middle of a tall forest surrounded by trees from all sides.


    The canopy of leaves above me blocked most of the light, allowing only a few rays of sunlight to filter through.


    It looked especially real.


    ".....My powers may be limited, but using your mana, I am capable of using my old skill at will."


    "In essence, you can act independently."


    "Correct."


    "And how many of your skills can you use?"


    "Just the one that you have."


    "I see..."


    I took a deep breath.


    This wasn''t the first time that I had seen Owl-Mighty perform the skill. Back then, I had been more absorbed in the ability that I had acquired to realize that it could use the skill as well without any problems.


    If that was the case,


    I turned to look at the Dragon Bone nestled in the wooden box in front of me.


    ''Can I manifest another will...?''


    The thought made my heart race.


    Wills...


    It was a foreign concept for me, and most of the world. I didn''t think it was something that I had discovered nor was I the first one to do such a thing, but the fact that most people didn''t know about it suggested that it was a well-kept secret.


    I couldn''t me them considering how powerful of a concept it was.


    .....It was also extremely dangerous.


    It was one thing defeating the will left behind in a bone, but to make it agree to be a will...?


    That was probably the hardest part.


    "Are you ready?"


    Owl-Mighty''s voice startled me out of my thoughts.


    Lifting my head, I licked my lips for a brief moment before settling my gaze over the bone. Looking at it now, I suddenly felt a lot more nervous.


    My thoughts were made up.


    Recalling what had happened yesterday, I knew that I was running out of time.


    .....I had no choice but to do this.


    Even if it put me in a lot more danger.


    Strenght...


    I was in desperate need of it.


    And thus,


    "Yes, I''m ready."


    Taking out the pills that As had given me, I quickly chewed on them before extending my hand to reach out for the dragon bone.


    A warm sensation coursed through from my hand the moment that I touched the bone.


    At first, it wasfortable, but the more that I held it, the hotter the sensation started to be.


    It got to the point where it started to burn.


    Sizzle~


    "...."


    But I made no sound and closed my eyes and the world turned dark.


    This pain.


    It was nothing.


    I could handle this much.


    If it made me stronger, I was willing to bear such pain.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, I started channeling my mana into the bone.


    That was when my world changed.


    In the blink of an eye, the darkness was swept away, recing it with a world of white.


    Swoosh~


    A breeze wafted through the air, and I hugged my body.


    "It''s cold."


    Looking around, I found myself standing on what appeared to be arge, snow-covered mountain. A cold chill permeated the surroundings, relentlessly carrying through the world as it seeped into my very bones.


    Apanying the chill was an eerie and unsettling silence that was shattered by Owl-Mighty''s voice.


    "The cold isn''t real. Nothing about this world is real. This is merely the mental space of the creature the bone belongs to. Carry forward and fit it."


    "...Yes."


    Despite its words, the cold never eased.


    Rather, it got worse and my lips started to tremble.


    Scrunch. Scrunch.


    My steps sunk into the snowy ins as I trudged forward. The surroundings were enormous, and on any normal asion, I wouldn''t be able to tell where to go, but it was different here...


    Moving forward, I headed towards the very peak of the snowy mountain.


    There was something at the very top that seemed to be calling for me.


    Scrunch. Scrunch.


    .....It was powerful and extremely oppressive.


    And yet, I couldn''t stop myself from moving towards it.


    ''I want it.''


    Such power.


    ''I need it.''


    The cold that embraced my body started to feel a lot less intrusive, and before I knew it, the cold stopped bothering me. The only thing in my mind was the powerful presence that stood at the top of the mountain.


    Scrunch. Scrunch.


    I marched through the snow.


    Ignoring the cold.


    ....Ignoring the trembling of my body and the icicles that started to form beneath my chin.


    My steps slowed down the deeper I headed, but they never stopped.


    I continued to climb up.


    Time seemed to flow endlessly, and I lost track of myself.


    As if I was in a trance, I continued to move up.


    Towards the presence that was calling out for me.


    And,


    Scrunch...!


    My steps came to an eventual stop.


    I had long lost all feelings in my body. The cold had already seeped into the deepest parts of my body.


    But none of that mattered.


    ".....It''s good to see you again."


    Staring at the creature ahead of me, I found myself smiling.


    It had been a while since I hadst seen it.


    With its eyes closed, it was resting on top of the snow. Steam rose from its nostrils with each breath that it took, and I had to crane my neck to get a proper look at its entire frame.


    It wasrge.


    Just as I remembered.


    "What a powerful monster."


    Owl-Mighty''s voice echoed from next to me.


    It was looking at the Rock Dragon with a rare wariness.


    "You are lucky. For such a creature to still be stuck at the Terror Rank... Something must''ve happened that prevented it from reaching the top. Otherwise, it would''ve long broken through to Destroyer Rank, and be near the Primordial Rank."


    "I know."


    .....I knew the story already.


    I had seen it all.


    "What now....?"


    I stared at the creature ahead.


    It was resting like it had been back in Ellnor. It didn''t look conscious, but I didn''t for one second let that lower my guard.


    "Let me handle this part."


    Hopping off of my shoulder, Owl-Mighty jumped down to the snow and moved its tiny body forward, only stopping a few inches away from the Dragon.


    It stood in silence like that until a change urred, and the surroundings started to rumble.


    Rumble...! Rumble!


    A low draconic cry echoed in the air, shattering the silence and the Dragon''s eyes flickered open to reveal its majestic eye as it locked onto Owl-Mighty and me.


    In that moment,


    My entire body froze and my body stopped moving.


    "W-what...?"


    Shocked, I looked at Owl-Mighty who also seemed frozen.


    "This..."


    Before I could get any words out, Owl-Mighty''s voice echoed in my mind.


    "You''ve made a grave mistake."


    Owl-Mighty''s voice was especially grave as it echoed in my mind. It almost seemed panicked.


    "It''s mental resistance..."


    Panicked...?


    "It''s far higher than yours."


    Rumble...! Rumble!


    The Dragon''s wings pped open, casting a long shadow over the surroundings as its body started to rise.


    "....This isn''t something that you can absorb!"

 Chapter 208 The Indomitable Will [2]

    Chapter 208 The Indomitable Will [2]


    ??Owl-Mighty''s words pressed down on my mind like bolts of lightning, numbing my mind for a couple of seconds as I struggled to understand what it was trying to say.


    Mental resilience higher than mine...?


    ''Shouldn''t the Bone Dragon be a terror-ranked one?''


    Even if its mental resilience was greater than that of his rank, which was very possible considering that I was the living proof of that... How could its mental resnce be higher than mine?


    If there was one thing that I didn''t lose out to anyone about, it was my mental resilience which was extremely high with a score of 8.23.


    .....I was confident in it, and was why I felt confident in my ability to subdue the will and make it my own.


    The same was true for As and Delh.


    They too werefortable with giving the Dragon Bone to me given how high my mental resilience was.


    And yet, it was telling me that its mental resilience was higher than mine?


    "How...?"


    ''How is this possible?!''


    Rumble! Rumble...!


    The surroundings continued to shake, and the cold continued to pierce at my skin.


    I stood rigidly on the spot, unable to move a single muscle of my body as I stared at the imposing figure ahead of me.


    Its presence loomed over the entire surroundings, covering every inch of it.


    Sniff. Sniff.


    The Dragon''s nostrils red open as it sniffed the air.


    "Well..."


    The Dragon spoke, its voice a deep, resonant rumble that reverberated through the air like distant thunder.


    As it spoke, a sinister hiss apanied the start of every ''s''.


    "...A familiar ssssmell."


    The tension in the air was palpable as the Dragon''s massive head loomed closer, its fiery eyes locked onto me.


    Thump! Thump!


    It moved around me, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly until its head hovered just to my right.


    Thump!


    I could feel its hot breath on my skin as it sniffed me, tickling the back of my neck.


    "Come now. Don''t be so shy. I am talking to you. Have a conversation with me, human..."


    Human.


    Human.


    Human.


    Human.


    Human.


    The word repeated in my mind, over and over again, jumbling my thoughts into a chaotic mess and making it hard for me to think.


    "Uhk..."


    A groan inevitably escaped my lips as the Dragon''s lips curled into a vicious smile.


    "There we go. Sssomething."


    Slithering out of its mouth was a thin tongue.


    ".....There''s something about you human that feels familiar, and yet I can''t really pinpoint where I have seen you."


    The Dragon brought its head closer to me once more, its enormous eyes locking onto mine.


    I saw my own reflection within their fiery depths.


    Within those eyes, all I saw was insignificance.


    My insignificance.


    "I have been imprisoned for so long. I have yet... to properly learn about the ways of the world. Why do you think that...?"


    "....."


    I swallowed my saliva, feeling a lump in my throat that made it hard for me to speak.


    ....I didn''t know how to answer.


    But under its pressuring gaze, I feltpelled to answer.


    As if I had no choice but to answer.


    "I do not know."


    "You do not...?"


    The Dragon''s lips twisted further as its head leaned back.


    "Liar."


    Liar.


    Liar!


    Liar!!


    Liar!!!


    Liar!!!!


    My head was once again bombarded with the sound of the Dragon''s voice as its words resounded deeply within my mind, forcing me to take a step back from the pain.


    The sheer intensity of its voice felt like the loud strike of a drum, each word reverberating through my skull, making it nearly impossible to think clearly.


    "You human are a cunning one..."


    Thump! Thump!


    The Dragon walked around me, its step sinking deeply into the snowy ground.


    "....I can feel your heart. I can sense your thoughts. And I can recall youuur... smell."


    Sniff! Sniff!


    Yet again, its nostrils hovered around me as it started to sniff me.


    "An unpleassssant smell."


    It eventually brought its head back.


    "....It reminds me of that human who trapped me for thirty yearssss."


    Its head rapidly flicked back to me, its voice deepening.


    "I don''t like that smell!"


    Smell.


    Smell!


    Smell!!


    Smell!!!


    Smel!!!!


    "Ukh...!"


    I stepped back, unable to control my mind as the dragon''s words continued to reverberate loudly within my mind.


    Hallucinations of my own death continuously reyed over and over again at that moment.


    "I..."


    I swallowed my saliva.


    "I was in Ellnor when you were discovered. Perhaps, that''s the reason I smell like that."


    "....."


    With a smile, the Dragon leaned its head back.


    "Is that so...?"


    "Ah, yes truly."


    ".....But I don''t think so!"


    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble...!


    The entire surroundings shook as its voice bellowed throughout the mountain ins.


    Thump!


    Its step pushed the snow to the side and I started to lose my footing. But that was all it took for me to finally free my body.


    "Run!"


    Owl-Mighty appeared before me and grabbed onto my shirt with its beak as it dragged me back.


    "Ukh!"


    "We must run human! Don''t let yourself be devoured by the Dragon''s will. You will turn permanently disabled if you do so!"


    "I know!"


    I didn''t need Owl-Mighty to tell me this as I dashed down with all my might as the Rock Dragon pped its wing to remove the icicles that were stuck on its wing.


    Running with all my might, I could hear its voice echoing loudly within the world.


    "I ssssmell her presence in you!"


    Each time,


    "I sssssee her in your eyes!"


    It spoke,


    "I hear her in your mind!"


    My mind would shake.


    "Haa... Haaa... haaa..."


    Scrunch. Scrunch. Scrunch...!


    Deep imprints were left behind as I ran down the mountain.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    The back of my throat hurt with each breath that I took. From the moment the Dragon woke up, the temperature of the surroundings had chilled even more.


    Rumble! Rumble...!


    The snow behind tore apart as the Dragon followed us from behind, its steps causing thend to shake.


    "Did you think I wouldn''t know?!"


    Thump!


    "Did you think I wouldn''t be able to smell her...!?"


    Thump! Thump!


    The Dragon drew nearer and nearer.


    "I have been rendered in this state because of her! The almighty one that I am!"


    Thump!


    I continued to run forward.


    I ran as if my life depended on it.


    "Roooooar!"


    A loud roar resounded, and I felt the snow beneath my feet move.


    "Hu...! Hua..!!"


    My eyes widened at the sight.


    This...!


    "My mind, my rules. My rules, my world. You... are within my world...! There issss no ce that you can run to!"


    Thump! Thump...!


    I started to get carried by the snow. I tried to push myself out, but it was toote.


    "Hu... aah!"


    I hastily turned around, and my breath almost left my body.


    Just a few inches from me was the Dragon''s opened mouth. Its sharp teeth reached out for my head as it tried to bite me.


    nk!


    I was only just barely able to dodge it thanks to the snow that started carrying me down.


    "Ah...!"


    That was thest thing I saw before the snow swallowed me up whole and I felt my body get dragged down by the snow.


    .


    .


    .


    It was dark.


    And it was cold.


    I was conscious, and yet, I couldn''t move my body at all.


    As if imprisoned, I was stuck within this cold prison.


    It was just me and my thoughts.


    Tik. Ta...


    A faint sound echoed from above.


    It was faint and I could hardly pay any attention to it.


    ''Why did this happen?''


    It wasn''t supposed to turn out like this.


    Even if we hadn''t tried to convince it, the Dragon will shouldn''t have been so powerful. Why was it so powerful?


    Why...


    ''...''


    Tik. Ta...


    In reality, it was hard to figure out why.


    For thirty years, the dragon had been sealed.


    For thirty years, it had tried to free itself from the prison that it had been subjected to.


    ....And coupled with the fact that it was Dragon.


    Tik. Ta...


    ''I was naive.''


    To not take such things into ount.


    It was extremely naive of me.


    And now,


    I was paying the consequences of it.


    I..


    Tik. Ta...


    "Hm?"


    Light suddenly entered my vision from above.


    It was bright, and my eyes squinted.


    Then, something tangled up against my body, slowly bringing me up to the surface. That was when two red-blood eyes stared back at me.


    It was Owl-Mighty.


    Surrounding us was a small prison made out of ck roots.


    "Human..."


    It spoke slowly, but from the tone of its voice, its tone was extremely grim.


    ".....This might be thest time that I see you."


    Owl-Mighty didn''t mince on its word.


    Because itcked the understanding of emotions, it said things how they were.


    ....And I understood it.


    "I do not understand how its mental resistance is so powerful, but given your current state, you can''t subdue it, let alone leave."


    "....."


    I sat quietly while listening to its voice.


    ....I understood where it wasing from. It was wrong. Indeed, there was no way for me to fight it given my current state.


    There was still a gap in our mental states.


    "Unless you know of a way to¡ª"


    BANG!


    Owl-Mighty''s words were abruptly cut off by a loud banging noise as the prison of roots shook fiercely.


    "There you are.


    The Dragon''s deep voice dripped with amusement as its eye peeked through the gap of the prison.


    ".....I was looking for you."


    BANG!


    Itsrge foot stomped over the roots, causing the entire thing to shake.


    But it still stood firm.


    ....It didn''t budge.


    Mainly because it was created through my own mental power.


    "Oh my, quite a sturdy cage."


    BANG!


    The Dragon stomped on the cage again.


    BANG! BANG! BANG...!


    It continued to do so as I watched it helplessly do it from where I sat.


    I...


    Didn''t know what to do.


    I was entirely helpless and my eyes drifted toward Owl-Mighty who quietly stared at the Dragon.


    That was when I was suddenly reminded of its words.


    ''Unless you know of a way to¡ª''


    It''s words had been cut off by the Dragon''s sudden appearance, but I could tell what it wanted to say.


    ''Unless you know of a way to increase your mental power.''


    That...


    I knew of a way.


    I lowered my head to stare at my right forearm.


    In particr, my gaze fell over the first leaf and my entire body started to treble.


    "H-how long do you think the cage willst?"


    My voice trembled as I asked.


    Owl-Mighty''s reply came shortly after.


    "Quite a while, why?"


    "Haha."


    Iughed while staring at the leaf.


    ''The cool down for the ability is one day...''


    I swallowed my saliva.


    "....Surely the barrier canst more than one day, right?"


    "Yes. More than that."


    "T-that''s good enough."


    Biting my lips, I pressed the first leaf.


    That was the moment that marked the start of it all.


    The start of when I started to understand emotions.

 Chapter 209 The Indomitable Will [3]

    Chapter 209 The Indomitable Will [3]


    ??To Tok¡ª


    As knocked on the door that led to Delh''s office.


    There was no response, but he didn''t mind and simply smiled, holding onto the handle and opening the door.


    "Isn''t it a bit rude of you?"


    "¡­"


    Yet again, Delh didn''t answer as she focused her attention on the paperwork in front of her.


    As found the scene a little amusing and found a seat on the chair opposite her desk.


    He sat there for a few moments while looking around him. Seeing all the wrappers and papers scattered around, he shook his head.


    She was still the same.


    "I handed the reward to Julien."


    Only when he said those words did Delh finally show some reaction as her head raised to meet his gaze.


    As scratched the side of his face with some amusement.


    "I''ve handed him several other herbs to help him out. He should be able to absorb the bone by tonight. I wonder what sort of skill he will learn."


    He wasn''t just saying this for the sake of speaking.


    He really was curious about the type of skill that he would receive.


    It was after all a Dragon-type creature that the bone belonged to.


    The apex of the apex.


    Julien was lucky to be able to transfuse such bone into his body.


    He was a little jealous himself.


    Then again, he already had five bones in his body. He could no longer absorb another bone, so the jealousy was merely fleeting.


    "How long has it been since you''ve given him the bone?"


    For the first time, Delh spoke.


    As turned to look at her before taking out his pocket watch to check the time.


    "It should be several hours ago. He should be done by tonight. If not, by tomorrow."


    The process of absorbing a bone was generally quick. It was a little painful, but it also depended on the strength of the will left behind.


    There was a little risk associated with this as well.


    If the will was more powerful than the user''s mental resilience, then it would lead to a lot of problems with many cases of people turning into idiots, and the will taking over their bodies.


    It was for that reason that As had been hesitant to give him the bone at first.


    That was until he recalled Julien''s mental resilience, and no longer felt as worried.


    With such a mental score, he didn''t have to worry about him falling to the will.


    After all, it was impossible to check the power of the will left inside beforehand.


    It was for that reason that there was a general rule for absorbing bones in the Terror rank range.


    The rule was that they must at least have a mental score that was slightly higher, or near the peak in order to even try.


    Otherwise, it would be too dangerous.


    "The Four Empire Summit is in five months, so we should get ready to help him once he''s done."


    "I understand."


    Delh casually nodded her head and closed her eyes. The mana in the air pulsed, and As found himself smiling.


    "You say you understand, and yet, you still check for yourself if everything is going smoothly. You su¡ª"


    Delh''s eyes flickered open and a rare trace of something shed across her eyes as she disappeared.


    Her actions startled As who took a moment to process what had happened and to spread his mana.


    He showed a simr reaction to her shortly after as his figure blurred and he disappeared.


    Tak¡ª


    The moment he reappeared, he was inside of a fairly decorated apartment.


    His foot pressed against the wooden floor as the wooden floor creaked under his step.


    "This¡­"


    A rare trace of solemnness spread across his features as his eyes locked onto the figure that sat in the middle of the room.


    An opened wooden box rested in front of him, and strange roots entangled his ankles from beneath the ground.


    Delh appeared a few inches away from him, her hand pressed against his head as she had her eyes closed.


    After a few seconds, her eyes opened as she turned to look at him with an extremely grave expression.


    As could tell at a nce that the situation wasn''t good.


    "What''s the situation?"


    "¡­.He''s trapped inside of his mind. The will is a lot more powerful than we thought."


    Her eye briefly lowered, focusing on the strange ck roots that were entangling his ankles.


    "There''s something inside that is protecting him, but even with that, it''s a struggle."


    "¡­


    As''s expression didn''t change much at the news.


    He didn''t need to ask any questions. He already knew more or less what was happening.


    In cases like this, there was a high chance that the person surviving was slim.


    It was in fact, more probable that the will would take over. Once that happened, things were certainly going to be troublesome for them.


    ¡­..It wasn''t as though it was impossible for them to survive, but those who did survive didn''t exactly return the same afterward.


    The situation¡­


    It was the worst-case scenario.


    As pinched the middle of his brows. Soon, he came up with a judgment.


    Soon, he came up with a judgment.


    "Move his body to the cells and have someone observe him continuously. Continually feed him mana pills so that he doesn''t exhaust himself and die from that."


    The cells, as the name suggested, were the Academy''s prison grounds, reserved for those who attempted to infiltrate the institution.


    ¡­.It was a cold judgment from him, but it was also the necessary judgment.


    If the will were to take over, it would bring a lot of trouble.


    It was also for Julien''s safety.


    Keeping him in the cells would ensure no one disturbed him as he fought against the will.


    Despite the grimness of the situation, As didn''t seem too worried. The same seemed to be true for Delh.


    Listening to his words, she eventually nodded her head and agreed.


    "Alright."


    Pressing her hand against Julien''s head, the two disappeared from the spot, leaving As standing by himself in the room.


    "¡­."


    In the silence that took over the ce, As looked around the space before picking up the wooden box from the floor.


    "¡­..who would''ve thought the situation would turn out like this?"


    Perhaps¡­


    He licked his lips but shook his head.


    Best not.


    As may be a seat, but he was anything but in ''its'' eyes.


    ***


    The next day.


    The ssroom was starting to fill up as the cadets entered from the two sides of the room. Leon, as someone who liked to be punctual, arrived ten minutes ahead of schedule. It was somewhat his norm these days.


    ''Strange.''


    But as he entered the ssroom, his expression changed a little.


    It had been normal routine for him to knock on Julien''s door and head to ss with him. At first, it had been because he was his knight, buttely, it was just something he did without having that in mind.


    ''Habit I guess...''


    They did say that if you performed something for sixty-six days, it would eventually be a habit.


    I guess he had reached that point.


    ''He''s not here.''


    This morning, Julien did not answer his door. It wasn''t rare for that to happen since there were times when he would wake up extremely early to train.


    By now, everyone knew that he was a training fanatic.


    And not just a regr fanatic.


    But a batshit crazy one.


    ''Maybe he still hasn''t finished training or had something to do.''


    It wouldn''t be strange if that happened. He could also be tired from the award ceremony, but he did watch it. He looked somewhat off during the eptance part.


    ....Nervous in a sense which was kind of rare.


    Since when did that guy even feel nervous?


    Despite Leon''s confusion, he left it at that and stopped thinking about it. Taking out his books and pencils, he got ready for ss.


    Today''s ss was [Modern Application of Magic].


    It was a rather popr ss.


    But at the end of the day, it was still a theoretical ss and hence wasn''t as popr as some other courses.


    As time passed, the noise around the ssroom started to pick up as more and more cadets started to enter.


    By the time it was the start of the ss, everyone was present.


    .....Almost everyone.


    "Where is he...?"


    There was only one person missing.


    It was none other than Julien.


    He was still missing, and Leon wasn''t the only one who had noticed this. Turning around, he could see that quite a few had noticed the same thing.


    This wasn''t the first time that Julien had skipped ss. There were a couple of times when he did, and in those times, it was because he had been injured.


    ''Did he get injured...?''


    Leon was confused but wasn''t able to dwell on it too much as the Professor entered the ssroom.


    "I see that everyone is present."


    The Professor wasn''t exactly tall, but he wasn''t short either. With a well trimmed graying mustache, and well kept hair, he had an approachable aura.


    Walking over to the podium, the professor picked up several documents that he prepared to hand out when he stopped.


    "Ah, right."


    As if he recalled something, he ced the papers down and cleared his throat.


    "Before the ss starts, there''s an announcement that I would like to make."


    Everyone''s attention focused on him and Leon started to have a bad feeling.


    It couldn''t be that...


    "Your ssmate, Julien will not be attending sses for an indefinite amount of time."


    The Professor''s words were like bolts of lighting for a certain few who looked at him with widened eyes.


    Before anyone could say a thing, he continued,


    "A situation has urred, and while I don''t know the details, it seems like it will keep him from joining sses for a while. I''ve been told that he''s okay and that you shouldn''t worry. So please treat this a light announcement."


    It was only after the second part of the announcement that whispers started to spread as the cadets started to talk with one another.


    ''What happened, do you know?''


    ''Do you think he got into trouble?''


    ''....I don''t think so, but it''s not impossible. Despite how he looks, he is very strict with rules. I don''t think he caused any trouble.''


    ''An injury maybe?''


    The noise all reached Leon''s ears who listened with a small frown.


    "He''s okay, and light announcement?"


    Leon frowned for a moment before taking a long breath. If that was the case, then there was no need to worry.


    Such thoughts didn''tst for very long.


    Even as months passed, Julien... he never once returned.

 Chapter 210 Four Empire Summit [1]

    Chapter 210 Four Empire Summit [1]


    ??Time waited for no one.


    It flowed endlessly and without a single care for those who wanted it to slow down or speed up.


    The seasons changed.


    The winter passed, and so did spring.


    Slowly...


    And without a care for the world, time passed.


    Like flowing water.


    "Are we close? I''m getting kind of hungry."


    "We should be almost there. Haven should just be ahead."


    "That''s good because I''m starving."


    A group of twenty or so people marched ahead, following a trail that led into a deep forest. Their white uniforms, adorned with striking blue stripes, stood out against the backdrop of lush greenery.


    The group wasprised of fairly young individuals with deep and imposing auras that didn''t match their age.


    They were the members of the Aurora Empire.


    "What was in their minds when they built their Academy grounds within a forest? It''s no wonder we beat them every time we face them."


    Listening to their words, a man with long ck hair and strikingly proportionate features turned to stare at the person who had spoken.


    His eyes, intense and piercing, seemed to suck in anyone that met his gaze.


    ".....Be careful with your words. We aren''t in our Empire anymore."


    "But it''s true no? They might be the strongest Empire, but that''s mainly because we have too many internal fights. Otherwise, the Nurs Ancifa Empire is by far the weakest Empire of the four. Even the weakest of us can beat their best."


    "Ha..."


    The man sighed before shaking his head with a smile.


    ".....I can''t argue against that."


    "See? Even the President can''t argue against the reality of the matter. I sure hope that when we arrive we will get something good to eat. I don''t expect anything from them."


    "I wouldn''t expect good food if I were you. "


    Another cadet interjected.


    "They''re not known for their good food here."


    "...Ugh, don''t say this."


    "Well, maybe...?"


    The cadet retrieved a small booklet from their bag and showed it to them.


    "I found this on the way. Something ''Iron Tongue''. Apparently, if you want good food, you will need to follow this guide."


    "Iron tongue? What kind of idiotic name is that?"


    Staring at the booklet, the cadets started tough together while reading some of the criticism that was written on it.


    ''A symphony of vors dancing on the pte, each dish meticulously crafted to tantalize the senses. As I delve into the culinary delights before me, I find myself ensnared by the intricateyers of taste and texture, each bite a revtion of culinary artistry.''


    While they were doing that, another cadet who was at the back suddenly spoke,


    "President, do you have any idea why we''re going to Haven? It is true that the Summit is hosted by the Nurs Ancifa Empire this year, but what I don''t understand is the reason why we areing here?"


    The sudden question attracted the gazes of all the other cadets who looked toward the President with curious expressions.


    Holding onto his bag, the cadet referred to as ''President'' turned his head and quietly stared at the cadet who had asked the question.


    "....."


    It was silent for a few short seconds before he spoke,


    "To check."


    He only said two simple words., and yet,


    The air changed slightly at his words, confusing the cadet who had asked the question.


    "To check...?"


    After a while, the cadetughed.


    "What are we checking exactly? Every single time we meet, we manage to beat their teams. I don''t see how we have to check anything. If any¡ª"


    "ck Star."


    The cadet''s words were cut off by the President.


    "We''re there to check their ck Star."


    "...."


    "...."


    The group turned silent for a short few seconds. But it was only for a few seconds before one of the cadetsughed.


    "The exchange isn''t fought with just one person. Indeed, they do asionally have one or two strong people, but they are merely well-kept people from the Megrail family. With the exception of that monster who appeared a few decades ago, they shouldn''t be at your level."


    ".....I know."


    The President nodded, his lips also pulling into a smile.


    He also didn''t think there was anything to worry about. But... the same was true for their predecessors in the past.


    They too felt the same way they felt today.


    ....The result?


    The birth of a monster.


    Delh V. Rosemberg.


    Her legends were still known by everyone, and it was her sudden appearance that made the three Empires wary of the Nurs Ancifa Empire.


    They couldn''t afford for another Delh to appear.


    "Oh, yeah. I heard that this year is an especially weak year for Haven."


    A cadet with short blonde hair spoke.


    ".....Rumors have it that the first year ck Star is one of the weakest they''ve ever had. The Megrail representative isn''t ranked first as well."


    "Just how bad is the Megrail family''s management for that to happen? With all the resources and advantages they give their children, they still can''t be first?"


    "It''s a joke."


    "It''s not."


    A deep voice suddenly resounded, and everyone turned quiet.


    The cadets parted ways to let an elderly man pass through. With his hands behind his back, he casually walked up to the front.


    "Professor Thornwhisper!"


    "Professor Thornwhisper!"


    The cadets shouted in unison.


    "Be at ease."


    Pressing his hand down, the cadets stopped, and the Professor arrived before the President.


    "Kaelion, what did I tell you about keeping order? We are close to the Academy grounds. I don''t want to start a fight with them on their territory."


    ".....I apologize."


    Kaelion lowered his head in apology.


    Turning his head, the Professor looked at the other cadets.


    "And you guys. I''m sure I have told you the same thing."


    "....."


    The cadets lowered their heads without saying a word.


    "Don''t becent. A lot of time has passed, and things can change during that period. Just because your predecessors were able to toy with them doesn''t mean you can do the same. You need to prove it instead of just speaking it. Anyone can beat anyone with words alone."


    Looking around, his voice deepened.


    "How infuriating would it be to know that you''ve lost to people that we know are purposely weakening themselves? I don''t expect a single loss from you guys. Just losing out to them would mean the ultimate humiliation for our Empire."


    Professor Thornwhisper... He had been present during the days when Delh had appeared.


    He could still recall her presence to this day.


    She was...


    The embodiment of fear.


    She was...


    Someone that to this day sent chills down his spine.


    But it was also true that she was the same person who brought utter humiliation to them during that summit.


    Ever since that day, the three Empires held nothing back against the Nurs Ancifa Empire.


    "I want you to crush thempletely. To the point where all they think about is you."


    His words were not words of motivation.


    They were an order.


    An order that none of the cadets could refuse.


    "If you guys so much as lose a single match that isn''t from the ck Star..."


    He paused, turning his head to look at the cadets.


    ".....I will have you disappear from my sight."


    The atmosphere turned extremely somber following his words.


    "Our goal is simple. To gauge them out for when the summit starts. We won''t be fighting with them just yet, but I want you topletely crush them before that even starts. Is that clear?"


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    The cadets all shouted in unison.


    "Good."


    The Professor nodded before walking ahead.


    By his side stood Kaelion who walked alongside him without saying a single word.


    It was the Professor who spoke,


    "There are rumors that this year''s ck Star is not strong. How do you feel about that?"


    "..... I do not care."


    Kaelionexpressed his true feelings.


    He simply did not care.


    .....To him, Haven was merely a ce to visit. His sights were set elsewhere. Indeed, the stories about Delh were legendary, but at the end of the day, how many of her could be created?


    Furthermore, if someone like that had shown up, rumors would''ve already spread.


    "There are multiple clips around about the ck Star''s power. Have you seen them?"


    "I have."


    "What do you think about them?"


    "shy."


    There was a lot of substance and looked impressive, but at the end of the day, he could deal with it. Many of his peers were as strong as that.


    "I see. That''s good."


    The Professor nodded before raising his head and stopping before what appeared to be the Academy gates.


    There, waiting for them was another group of students.


    From their uniforms it was obvious that they were cadets belonging to Haven.


    Kaelion''s gaze swept over them. In particr, a few stood out to him.


    They stood at the very front of the pack, and besides their looks, their demeanour made them stand out from the rest.


    "Hahaha, wee."


    A man with longblonde hair and yellow eyes stepped forth with a smile on his face.


    "How have you been? It''s been a while."


    "It has indeed, As."


    The Professor greeted him with a small smile.


    Kaelion''s eyes fell on As. He was another person of interest. Just like Delh, he was a man of reputation.


    It was unfortunate that he was born at the same time as her.


    His achievements were overshadowed by hers.


    "¡­.It''s interesting how such an important figure ising out to greet a professor and a few cadets. It''s such an honor. It''s almost as if you''re afraid of our cadets overshadowing yours."


    The atmosphere chilled slightly at the Professor''s words


    Kaelion watched from the side without saying a word. This was an interaction he had seening from the start.


    They weren''t here to make friends.


    ¡­.They were here topletely suppress Haven, and knowing as such, he turned to face the cadets of Haven.


    As if sensing his gaze, a young woman with long red hair stepped forward.


    Coming closer to him, she politely greeted him.


    "Nice to meet you."


    Her crisp voice quietly echoed in the air as her red hair glistened against the sun.


    ".....I''m this year''s ck Star. Aoife K. Megrail."

 Chapter 211 Four Empire Summit [2]

    Chapter 211 Four Empire Summit [2]


    ??Kaelion stared at the woman in front of him with a frown.


    ''Is this a joke...?''


    He knew who the woman in front of him was. It wasn''t just because her face was extremely easy to remember, but it was also because of the surname she used when greeting him.


    ''Megrail...''


    She was the Empire''s princess.


    But herey the problem.


    ''ck Star...?''


    Since when had the ck Star changed?


    Kaelion had seen the one meant to the ck Star, and it wasn''t her.


    It couldn''t be that...


    "Hah."


    He unconsciously let out a smallugh.


    It was subtle, but enough to be caught by Aoife and the people standing behind her.


    ".....Is there a problem?"


    Aoife asked with a calm expression.


    But the words made the situation even worse as Kaelion found himself covering his mouth in an attempt to hide his smile.


    If the situation was really as he thought...


    ''Funny.''


    It was just too funny.


    "Ho..."


    He was gradually able to calm down, and once he did, he focused his attention back on Aoife.


    "I apologize for that, I was just taken aback."


    "You were? By what exactly?"


    "Yes, I was previously made aware that the ck Star was someone else. Your presence has surprised me a little."


    "...Ah, so that''s how. That is understandable."


    Aoife replied with the same smile from before.


    It was hard to read her expression.


    But that didn''t matter to Kaelion who had already formed an idea of what was happening.


    ''They sure are ruthless. Downgrading their own ck Star just to give it to her.''


    It was merely an assumption, but it seemed to be the most likely of possibilities. The Megrail family was renowned for pulling such stunts.


    To them, there was nothing more important than having their own members stand out from the rest.


    They needed to be number one in everything.


    It was highly likely that she had used some sort of underhanded tactic to pull down the previous ck Star and make herself one.


    .....The realization was what had made Kaelionugh.


    Lifting his head to meet the princess''s gaze, he opened his mouth to ask,


    "What happened to the previous ck Star? Did you manage to def¡ª"


    "Fuck, you talk too much. Mind your own fucking business."


    A certain voice cut him off.


    Taken aback, Kaelion frowned and turned his head in the direction of where the voice came from.


    "Ukh, fuck."


    Standing a few meters behind Aoife was a girl with tinum long hair and red eyes.


    Her appearance was of a simr level to that of Aoife, making her pop out with just a nce. But there was something about her that felt disturbing.


    Rubbing her pinky against her ear, she scowled.


    Kaelion didn''t know much about her.


    ".....You are?"


    "Your mom."


    "...."


    Kaelion frowned.


    Her looks were wasted on her personality.


    "Ho..."


    But still, he found the situation to be rather amusing. When was thest time someone had talked to him like this?


    Yet again, he found his lips pulling up.


    "My mom died quite a while back. I don''t exactly think you''re her."


    ".....No shit."


    Her scowl worsened.


    "We look nothing alike. I was just fucking with you. Are you dumb?"


    "...."


    Kaelion narrowed his yes.


    "But you know, I didn''t think you''dck such basic mann¡ª"


    "Huam... I''m tired."


    "What?"


    "What? What? Shut up. Your face bothers me. Go back to your pack and shut up while the adults talk. I want nothing to do with you. Neither does anyone here for a matter of fact."


    "...."


    Kaelion clenched his teeth, anger finally starting to rise in his body.


    "Huh? Still here? Shoo...! Shoo!"


    ''How cocky.''


    To behave like this while barely having any skills...


    Kaelion turned his attention back to Aoife who kept her face straight without saying a single word. It was as though she hadn''t heard a single thing.


    ''Isn''t even respected by her own peers. How absurd.''


    Kaelion secretly shook his head.


    ...Unlike her, he could keep his group in check.


    Right then, he heard As''s words.


    "Well then, I''m very happy that you havee to visit us. How about we go in?"


    "Let''s do that."


    The conversation between As and the Professor came to an end rather quickly, and they were offered a tour of the Academy.


    It was something that his Professor didn''t deny and they were escorted in.


    Aoife and the rest of the first years didn''t follow them in and stayed back at the entrance.


    Walking past them, Kaelion looked at them before shaking his head.


    ''Disappointing.''


    Such were his thoughts as he entered the Academy grounds and toured the ce.


    The entire group.


    It was disappointing.


    ***


    Standing by the entrance, Aoife mantained her serious demenour for a few more seconds before letting out a long and tired sigh.


    "Haaa..."


    Whatever strict, and cold facade she previously put on disappeared as she red at Kiera.


    "What?"


    "What do you mean what?"


    Aoife pinched the middle of her brows.


    "What did I tell you about being on your best behavior? We''re supposed to set an example."


    "Bleh, didn''t you see that fucker was looking at us? You should be happy I didn''t beat his ass there and then."


    ".....As if you could do it."


    "Uh? You think I can''t?"


    "No, you can''t."


    Aoife knew that person in question all too well.


    She had made it her mission to memorize the names of all the notable figures within the other Empires.


    The Four Empire Summit was about to start and someone needed to do their research.


    Such was her role after bing the ck Star.


    "He''s not someone you can face at your current level."


    Kaelion.


    He was a five-star prospect.


    Prospects were ranked from one to five, with five being the highest.


    A five-star prospect was a prospect at the ck-Star level.


    They were the prospects with the highest chance of reaching the Monarch Level. Something that the Empire only had seven of.


    "Fucking bitch, what?"


    Kiera narrowed her eyes.


    "You''re a four-star prospect while he''s a five-star prospect. There''s a gap between your abilities and his."


    ".....That guy? Hell no."


    "That''s how it works."


    "And what''s your prospect level?"


    "Four and a half."


    "Four and a half? How are you ranked higher than me?"


    Aoife shrugged.


    "I am not the one who gives away the prospect level."


    "Nah, this shit is rigged. I''m stronger than you. There''s no way this is true."


    "Stronger?"


    Since when?


    "Why do you look so shocked? Of course, I''m stronger than you. The only reason you rank higher is that I don''t rank high in the exams."


    "And how is that my problem?"


    "This system is corrupt."


    "No, it isn''t. Just study."


    "I am, but..."


    For the briefest of moments, Kiera paused and her expression changed. But she was quickly able to hide her expression as her expression turned fierce again.


    "Whatever, this is rigged."


    "It''s not."


    "Tsk."


    Kiera clicked her tongue in annoyance.


    It really looked like the two were about to fight, but just when things were about to get serious, they both turned their heads and looked away from each other.


    ".....Even though this isn''t the first time I''ve seen it, I still struggle to get used to this scene."


    Evelyn murmured from the side, watching the entire spectacle unfold.


    Leon stood next to her as he casually nodded his head.


    "Yes."


    He couldn''t help but agree.


    It was also a bit of a shock for him to see them like this. Had it been the past, the two would''ve already attacked each other by now.


    And yet,


    Whatever conflict arose between the two, it''d get resolved rather quickly.


    It was strange.


    So strange...


    ''Since when did it start...?''


    Leon didn''t necessarily have to think much.


    He knew all too well when it all started.


    ''The day when Julien disappeared.''


    That was when the change urred. It wasn''t fast, nor was it noticeable.


    If before Aoife and Kiera couldn''t stand each other, they could tolerate each other now. They still weren''t friends, or at least, didn''t say they were, but as opposed to the past where they wouldn''t even talk with each other, the two had be a lot more vocal with each other.


    Sometimes, he''d even see them try to p each other.


    It was weird...


    Especially since Evelyn also appeared to have a bone to pick with Kiera.


    ''But yeah, it all changed since the day he disappeared....''


    Nobody knew where he was, and whenever someone brought the question up, the Academy would give the same response.


    ''He''s fine.''


    But was he really...?


    Leon had tried to get the Evenus family to do something, but they also received a simr response.


    Aoife tried the same thing with her family, but even she got the same response.


    Even the Megrail family was covering this up?


    What sort of situation was this?


    It made no sense.


    .....It was as though Julien''s disappearance was beingpletely ignored.


    The situation truly sunk into their minds when Aoife was nominated as the new ck Star after the second month of his disappearance.


    Aoife didn''t seem all too happy about the position given that he''d asionally hear her say things like, ''I wanted to take it not get it gifted it,'' or ''I can''t believe I have to cancel all my ns for the elections.''


    Either way, Leon didn''t think there was anyone else more fit for the ck Star than her.


    Technically, he was supposed to be the next ck Star, but he didn''t want the position and purposely tanked his ranking to third ce so that Aoife could receive it.


    Seeing how much Aoife was struggling with handling Kiera, Leon thought he had made the right decision.


    Without having the need to handle all those problems, he devoted the entire five months of his disappearance to training.


    There were times when trouble followed, but he had been able to handle all those problems.


    He was now a lot stronger than he was back when he had fought Julien.


    A lot stronger.


    ....To the point where he didn''t think he''d lose again.


    "Haa...."


    Letting out a long breath, Leon raised his head to stare at the sky.


    It was devoid of any clouds, and the sun shone brightly.


    ''I''m a lot stronger now.''


    Shielding his eyes with his arm, Leon squinted his eyes.


    ''.....It won''t be so easy to beat me anymore.''


    So,


    ''Hurry up ande back before it''s toote.''


    ***


    End of Volume [2]


    (No break)

 Chapter 212 Four Empire Summit [3]

    <h4>Chapter 212 Four Empire Summit [3]</h4>


    "Hahahaha."


    Laughter echoed throughout the Haven canteen as the members of the Aurora Empire enjoyed the feast before their very eyes.


    With all sorts of delicacies spread around the enormous tables of the canteen, the cadets were in a happy mood.


    It was a rather lively asion with many of the cadets socializing with each other.


    "....."


    Kaelion stared at the food in front of him.


    It was a sumptuous meal, and everything looked good.


    And yet,


    ".....I don''t like this."


    "You don''t? I think it''s quite good."


    To his right, a cadet with short ck hair and green eyes spoke while pointing at the food in front of him with a fork.


    "I think it''s quite nice. Especially this dish. Have you tried it? I thought the food would be bad, but it''s actually quite good. How about you give it a try?"


    ".....That''s not the case."


    "Then..."


    The cadet thought for a moment before mumbling,


    "Are you thinking about the previous exchange?"


    Kaelion''s face hardened for a brief moment.


    It was brief, but it was enough for Aiden to spot. Just like Kaelion, he was one of the few people selected from the Aurora Empire to participate in the Four Empire Summit.


    They both belonged to different Academies, but they knew each other quite well.


    "What do you think? Despite being weak, they acted quite arrogantly. Do you think it''s because the Summit is going to be in their own Empire?"


    ".....Yeah."


    Kaelion answered after a brief nod.


    "President, there''s no need to worry too much. Their arrogance is understandable. Since everyone else around them is inferior to them, it is only understandable that they be arrogant. What matters in the end is strength."


    "That''s right."


    "So it shouldn''t matter. They may look confident on the outside, but they shouldn''t be at a level where they are anything to worry about. If anything, we should start worr¡ª"


    "No."


    Kaelion''s voice came out louder than expected, causing some of the noise around him to quiet down.


    "....That''s not what I don''t like."


    By then, all noise had ceased and everyone''s attention was on Kaelion who stood up from his seat.


    "I hate it that each Summit we have to waste time socializing with an Empire that neglects their talents so much. To the point where even our weakest delegates can fight their strongest. I hate the fact that such an Empire is the strongest. But that''s not what truly angers me."


    Kaelion looked around the canteen, meeting the gazes of all the cadets who were eating together.


    "What I''m mad about is you guys!"


    His voice echoed loudly throughout the entire canteen.


    "Did I not tell you previously about what previously happened that one year in the Four Empire Summit?!"


    Some of the cadets flinched under his shout as his gaze continued to sweep across the room.


    "Are we not here to show that our Empire is superior to theirs? To show them that we are far stronger than their likes!?"


    The backs of some of the cadets straightened.


    There was a certain something to his voice that brought forth adrenaline to the minds of many present.


    ".....The fact that you are all here having fun is what angers me the most! We are not here on a vacation. We are here topletely and utterly dominate the representatives of this Empire! So pull yourselves together!!"


    Kaelion clenched his fist.


    "Eat your food quickly and start conditioning your body! We are not here on vacation! You haven''t been chosen to be here so that you could be on a vacation! Do you get it...?!"


    "Yes!"


    "Yes!"


    "Yes...!"


    The cadets shouted in unison, turning their attention back to their food and scarfing it down their throats, the previousid-back and rxed attitude of theirspletely vanishing from their faces.


    ''This should do it.''


    Kaelion was satisfied by the sight.


    "Not bad."


    And a familiar voice soon reached his ears.


    Turning towards a certain direction, Professor Thornwhisper approached with a smile on his face.


    "You''ve said everything that I wanted to say. Perhaps you should think about recing my job."


    ".....Hello Professor."


    Kaelion greeted the professor.


    "Mhm."


    Massaging his beard, the professor looked around, gathering the attention of all the cadets.


    He only started to speak once everyone''s attention was on him.


    "Kaelion is correct. You all shouldn''t be here thinking that this is a vacation. This is far from a vacation. You are here to represent your nation for the uing Summit. It''s important that you''re entirely focused on the task at hand."


    "Yes, sir!"


    The Professor nodded once he saw that everyone was on the same page.


    "I would''ve been forced to act if not for Kaelion doing that for me. Just because it''s rare for them to have great talents, it doesn''t mean it''s impossible. We''ve all heard about what happened a few years back. I don''t want to repeat such a situation."


    The Professor shook his head and the cadets all stood up at the same time.


    "We apologize Professor!"


    "We apologize Professor!"


    "We apologize Professor!"


    Kaelion stepped forward.


    "I also apologize, professor. I shouldn''t have waited until everyone was eating to say this."


    "No, you did great."


    With a softening of his voice, the professor looked at Kaelion.


    "The fact that you were able to know the crux of the problem shows that you have matured a lot. As expected of the main representative of this year''s Summit."


    cing his hand on Kaelion''s shoulder, the professor patted his shoulder.


    ".....Keep doing what you''re doing. We have high hopes for you and everyone else that is here."


    "I shall do so."


    "Mhm."


    The Professor removed his hand from Kaelion''s shoulder.


    "I''m d that you understand. In any case, the reason why I''m here is because I''ve managed to convince their representatives to do a small exhibition match. Unfortunately, you won''t be participating."


    "I won''t¡­?"


    "Yes. We are saving you for when the Real Summit starts. This is just an exhibition. We don''t want to have an overkill."


    "¡­.Ah."


    Kealion lowered his head and smiled.


    "I will do as the Professor has arranged."


    "Haha, that''s good."


    Slurp~


    It was a certain slurping sound that caught the attention of everyone in the room.


    "Who is¡­!?"


    Snapping his head snack, Aiden, who had been standing next to Kaelion and the professor was about to reprimand the one responsible for the noise when he stopped.


    "Uh?"


    He wasn''t the only one surprised.


    At the very corner of the canteen, an unfamiliar person sat as they ate their bowl without any regard for anyone around him.


    Judging from the uniform he was wearing, he appeared to bee from Haven.


    "What''s going on?"


    Aiden was confused by the situation. The canteen was supposed to be their space. Why was someone from Haven here?


    "Hey, you."


    Calling out for him, he got no response. He seemed to be absorbed in whatever food was in his bowl.


    From the way he was acting, it almost seemed like he hadn''t eaten in months.


    Kaelion stood by the side and watched without saying a single word. It was hard to read what he was currently thinking.


    Clenching his teeth, Aiden nced at the professor and then Kaelion before moving closer to the unexpected guest.


    ''How did he even get here¡­?''


    There were many questions he wanted to ask but held himself back.


    Arriving behind the cadet, he pressed his hand against his shoulder and pulled his shoulder back.


    00:24


    "Hey, I''m speaking to you. Are you listening?"


    "Slurp¡ªuh?"


    Startled out of his food, the cadet turned his head to disy his face which was covered by his hair.


    But despite that, one could tell at a nce that whoever it was, their face was handsome.


    That was when he took notice of Aiden.


    "You are...?"


    The cadet''s voice came out rather hoarse.


    "Who am I? ....Heh."


    Aidenughed a little and nudged behind him with his head.


    "How about you look around you? Do you see anything?"


    It was only then that the cadet finally took notice of what was going on and let out a small sound.


    "Oh."


    Beneath the bangs, he blinked his eyes and stood up.


    "I see. It looks like I''ve intruded on something important. I will take my leave."


    From the way he was acting, he looked rather submissive.


    Aiden stopped him before he could leave.


    "Wait a second. I''d like to know who you are first. I¡ª"


    Drip...!


    It was a certain dripping sound that stopped him halfway through his sentence. Blinking his eyes, Aiden looked at the cadet in front of him with a little bit of shock before lowering his head to stare at the ground that had been stained by a single drop of liquid.


    "This..."


    Aiden stared at the small trace that ran down the cadet''s cheek.


    "....You can''t be"


    His shoulders started to tremble as he stared at the cadet in front of him.


    "Are you crying?"


    The surroundings grew a little noisy as the cadets overheard his words. They too seemed rather surprised.


    On the other hand, the Professor turned a blind eye to the scene.


    Since there was no harm being done, there was no need for him to interfere. He was also a little curious about the cadet present.


    How was it that no one noticed his presence until now?


    It wasn''t as though his clothes were remotely close to theirs.


    "Ah...!"


    As if realizing what had happened, the cadet wiped his cheeks.


    "Sorry, that tends to happen a lot these days."


    He proceeded to scratch the side of his cheek.


    ".....It just happens without my control. I''m a bit of a messtely."


    "Uh, sure."


    Aiden nodded and let it be.


    ''Who do you think you''re fooling...?''


    But of course, he didn''t really buy the excuse.


    The same was true for everyone else in the room. Kaelion included who stared at the cadet for a few seconds before shaking his head.


    ''Disappointing.''


    .....The more he stayed in this Academy, the more disappointed he became with it.


    What happened was, that the cadet had wandered here by ident, and ended up crying the moment he realized that he was in the wrong ce.


    As such, he sat down on his chair and spoke,


    "Let him go."


    Aiden nudged at the cadet.


    "....You heard him."


    "Ah, thank you."


    Scratching the back of his neck, the cadet lowered his head before leaving the canteen.


    The entire time he looked like a scared rabbit.


    Kaelion didn''t even bother looking at him as he left.


    On the other hand, Aiden snickered as he walked back to Kaelion.


    "You saw that? It''s really hard to follow your words when you see stuff like that. It''s¡ª"


    Drip. Drip...!


    His words were abruptly cut off by a certain dripping sound.


    It was a sound that he had heard a few minutes ago, and he froze on the spot.


    Kaelion, who had stopped paying attention also seemed to have noticed something amiss and turned to look at Aiden.


    His eyes opened up slightly at the sight that greeted him.


    Drip. Drip! Drip...!


    "Uh, what''s going on?"


    Holding onto his cheeks, Aiden looked around a little panicked.


    "Why, am I...? W-what''s...!"


    Regardless of how hard he tried, he couldn''t stop them.


    The tears.


    They...


    Just continued to pour out from his eyes like an endless torrent.


    Staring at the scene, Kaelion''s head flicked towards the entrance of the canteen.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    For some reason, his heart began to beat faster as an unknown feeling gripped his chest.


    ....What?


    Just what in the world was happening?

 Chapter 213 Four Empire Summit [4]

    Chapter 213 Four Empire Summit [4]


    ??Dorset Hall.


    It was nighttime, and the world was quiet. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a soft, silvery glow over thendscape.


    Leon stood outside while staring at the moon that hung up above.


    Basking in its gentle afterglow, he stood still with his eyes closed.


    "Haa..."


    His soft sigh inevitably broke that silence.


    Leon''s mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts. In particr, about the exhibition that they were going to have tomorrow with the members of the Aurora Empire.


    .....It wasn''t supposed to be anything important considering that the real test was in the Four Empire Summit, but Leon understood all too well the implications that this exchange had.


    ''If we lose, all the momentum we''ve gained will shattered.''


    Once that happened, they were set to be theughingstocks of the Summit.


    Thankfully, the exhibition was private, and no one was going to see the results. Otherwise, if things went south, it would really be detrimental to their future.


    "What are you doing?"


    A voice echoed quietly from behind. Leon didn''t turn his head and continued to stare at the moon in the sky.


    From the peripheral vision, a lock of purple hair entered his vision.


    "...You''re not the type to be up thiste. Are you perhaps nervous?"


    "Nervous?"


    Leon thought about it before shaking his head.


    "Not really."


    "Then...?"


    "Just lost in thought."


    Right, he was lost in thought.


    .....It was undeniable that besides Aoife, everyone was at a disadvantagepared to the members of the other Empires.


    They all started wayter than those of the other Empires.


    And while it was true that he was the same strength as Aoife, the reason he was as strong as her was because of the ''that''.


    The Chalice.


    If not for that, he wouldn''t have been in the same position as her.


    "You should get some rest. I''ve been told their best member won''t participate tomorrow. Not that it would matter."


    Evelyn stepped forward and turned around to match his gaze directly.


    "...You''re very strong now. I don''t think you will have to worry too much about tomorrow. Especially since their strongest member is likely not going to participate."


    "You''re right."


    Leon smiled.


    He was now on the verge of breaking through to Tier 4 and officially surpassing some of the Professors teaching him.


    There was still a little bit left and he was almost there.


    Over thest few months, everyone has seen arge increase in their power.


    Their confidence was quite high. It was for that reason that they couldn''t afford to lose the matches.


    But who could predict what would happen?


    "I guess I shouldn''t worry too much."


    Leon pushed his hair back while letting out a long breath.


    Whatever happens tomorrow,


    ....He wasn''t going to lose.


    ***


    At the same time, Delh''s office.


    "What do you think?"


    Delh sat in her seat without saying a single word. Opposite her, As looked around in wonder.


    ''It''s clean.''


    A miracle...!


    "....."


    As if she could read his thoughts, Delh looked up and narrowed her eyes. As coughed and shrugged.


    "You''ve cleaned well."


    "....."


    Delh didn''t answer and focused on the paperwork in front of her.


    With the uing Summit, she had a lot of work that she needed to get done. There was not a single day of rest for her.


    "Who was it?"


    Delh''s expression changed slightly.


    "I knew it."


    As smacked his palm with his fist.


    "You had someone clean up the room for you."


    ".....If you don''t have anything useful to say, get out."


    "I do actually. I have been trying to speak for the past minute but all you''ve done is ignore me."


    "..."


    Staring at him wordlessly, Delh dropped her pencil and finally looked at him properly. Her gaze seemed to say, ''I''m listening.''


    As took the chance to speak,


    "About tomorrow''s exchange. What do you think about letting ''him'' participate?"


    "....."


    Delh''s eyes narrowed, and the air froze.


    "Why?"


    ".....You know why."


    As smiled, his smile cooling the temperature of the room slightly.


    From the way he was acting, it didn''t seem like he was bothered at all by the pressure that she was giving out.


    Instead, he seemed to find the situation to be rather amusing.


    "Didn''t theye here to cause trouble with us? Why don''t we flip the situation over?"


    Delh frowned and thought about it for a good moment before shaking her head.


    "No."


    "Why?"


    "Leon and Aoife are good enough."


    "That''s not going to work."


    Theyout of the exchange was a st man standing'' wins. With twenty people on each side, one side would send one person at a time, and the one who wins gets to remain.


    As was confident in their top rankers'' abilities, but the same couldn''t be said for those beneath them.


    "Our top rankers may be stronger, but stamina is incredibly important. They don''tg very much behind us in terms of abilities. If we let this y out, then there''s no guarantee that we might win. If you¡ª"


    "Still, no."


    Delh cut As off.


    He seemed to want to say something else but eventually stopped himself and shook his head.


    "If that''s what you''ve decided I won''t go against it. You''re the one in charge after all."


    ".....You know exactly why ''he'' can''t participate."


    "I know."


    As nodded with a troubled look.


    "But he can still participate. Even if..."


    As didn''t finish his sentence but his meaning was clear to Delh.


    ''....He isn''t mentally stable.''


    "...."


    Delh remained quiet and lowered her head.


    Indeed, Julien...


    Ever since waking up, he was almost like apletely different person.


    To the point where even Delh had trouble interacting with him.


    That was why she was so hesitant to have him participate. For him to participate in his current state...


    Despite her strength, Delh wasn''t sure.


    ....Sure of whether she could stop him from breaking the other cadets.


    ***


    I am happy.


    I am sad.


    I am scared.


    I am surprised.


    I am angry.


    I am...


    ***


    The next day.


    The training grounds were where the exchange was going to take ce. It was arge square with seats on both ends.


    Each seat was meant for each participant, and there were twenty seats on each side.


    Both sides stood on opposite ends, the members of Haven wearing ck uniforms while the members of the Aurora Empire wearing white with subtle shades of blue.


    Moving forward, the two sides sat on their respective seats.


    The training grounds were quiet, with both sides staring at each other without saying a single word.


    Sat by the very end was Aoife, who had her eyes closed.


    It was unknown what her thoughts were.


    On the other hand, sitting on the opposite side of her was Kaelion, who appeared to be lost in his own thoughts, his gaze sweeping around the cadets on the other end, seemingly looking for someone.


    "It looks like both sides are ready."


    Professor Thornwhisper sat on one of the seats meant for the Professors.


    Overseeing the exchange wasn''t As nor Delh but Professor Bridgette, who looked at the cadets with a smile.


    "How fun~"


    "It will be even more entertainingter."


    Professor Thornwhisper said,ughing from his seat.


    He didn''t expect much from this exchange. Looking around, he couldn''t even see the previous ck Star, which made him feel even more rxed.


    ''Looks like they''ve really reced him.''


    As expected of the Megrail family, they were really tyrannical.


    To get rid of one of their top talents so that their own could shine. The more the Professor thought about it, the more he found himselfughing inside.


    Truly...


    Aughable sight.


    Tak...!


    A single step broke the silence that took over the arena grounds.


    Marching forward, one of the Haven Professors appeared in the middle of the stage, his gaze pausing on each end.


    "Now, then...!"


    His voice bellowed loudly throughout the entire venue.


    "I won''t say much. This is a friendly exhibition, so please do not attack with the intent to kill. If we detect any such methods, they will be immediately disqualified and banned from the Academy grounds. That goes for both sides."


    The Professor''s brows narrowed as he said this.


    Neither side said a word to the rules, a tacit form of agreement.


    "Good."


    The Professor nodded before holding his hands behind his back.


    "Let the exhibition match begin! May the representatives from each side step up!"


    Heavy tension fell on the arena grounds the moment the Professor''s words fell. The expressions of the people from each side turned incredibly serious, and a cadet with short blonde hair and blue eyes stepped forward from Haven''s side.


    His name was Julius ude, and he was a highly-ranked first-


    year.


    Ranked within the top 20, he had every right to be present.


    Stepping onto the arena grounds, his face turned extremely serious.


    ''I just need to get one.''


    He understood his role all too well.


    Despite ranking so high, he knew that he was stillggingpared to the people from the opposing Empire.


    Even the weakest member was stronger than he was.


    His goal was simple: to tire his opponents out and make it simpler for his team members further down the line.


    As of right now, there were only truly four to five people who could put up a proper fight against those of the opposite Empire.


    He needed to¡ª


    "What''s going on?"


    "¡­Uh? What are you doing? Why did you¡­?"


    "Wait, why are¡­"


    Hearing themotioning from the opposite end, Julius raised his head.


    Immediately, he felt his legs grow weak the moment his eyesid on the figure standing opposite him.


    "W-what¡­?"


    He started to panic.


    "Why?"


    Staring at the man that stood in front of him, Julius felt his entire body grow cold.


    ''W-why is he here....!?''


    On the other hand, Kaelion stared at him without saying much. He could still hear the shocked and surprised voices of his teammates, but that didn''t matter to him.


    ''Maybe if I do this, he''lle out¡­''


    He clenched and unclenched his fist, the mana surrounding him agglomerating at incredible speed.


    Lifting his head to stare at his opponent, he brought his hand forward where over two dozen magic circles appeared behind him.


    They levitated in the air, while his fingers twitched slightly, causing them to move at his will.


    "....."


    The very air twisted at his actions, and he slowly turned his head to look at the Professor in charge.


    "I''m ready."

 Chapter 214 Was this how he did it? [1]

    <h4>Chapter 214 Was this how he did it? [1]</h4>


    The sudden turn of events wasn''t something that anyone could''ve predicted.


    Be it those from the Aurora Empire, and those from Haven.


    Opening her eyes, Aoife''s gaze fell on Kaelion who stood at the center of the arena with several dozen magic circles behind him. The very air felt thick around him and at a nce, Aoife could feel immense pressureing off of him.


    ''He''s strong.''


    That was something that she already knew.


    But,


    .....She didn''t know it was to this extent.


    "Judging from the density of the mana he''s giving out, he''s probably very close to Tier 4, perhaps even reached it."


    Leon''s voice reached her from the side.


    Listening to what he had to say, Aoife slowly nodded her head. She could feel it too.


    He was definitely not someone that she could beat without giving it her all. And even then, there was no guarantee that she''d win.


    Bang¡ª!


    Startling her out of her thoughts was a certain noise that came from the arena grounds.


    Turning her head, she pursed her lips.


    "The first round is over! The winner is Kaelion Mandrale from the Aurora Empire!"


    The fightsted no longer than a couple of seconds.


    At that moment, the arena grounds were quiet. Neither one spoke as they stared at the figure that stood in the middle without a care for the world.


    "¡­..Should I go?"


    Leon fiddled with the hilt of his sword.


    He was itching to go. And just as he was about to, Aoife raised her hand and stopped him.


    "No."


    "¡­.No?"


    Leon looked at Aoife in confusion.


    But then, as if he could read her thoughts, he frowned.


    "Are you nning on having him continue so that we can tire him out?"


    "Yes."


    Aoife replied indifferently while looking at the other cadets who sat alongside her.


    "This is the best chance that we have at beating him and everyone else from the other Empire "


    "¡­.."


    Leon stood quietly without saying a word.


    He wanted to disagree but found himself unable to. Realistically speaking, this was indeed the best option for them.


    It was a risky option.


    Losing would certainly affect the morale of the cadets, but at the same time, if they were to pull through and beat the strongest member of the Aurora Empire, then they''d be able to gain momentum for the uing Summit.


    ''There''s also them.''


    Leon nced towards the other side, where the other members of the Aurora Empire sat.


    Two people in particr stood out to him.


    Aiden Rothwild, and Jessica K. Puffton.


    Besides Kealion, they were the two people that they needed to watch out for.


    Thinking about their strength, Leon pursed his lips and nodded his head.


    "Alright. I''ll listen to you."


    ***


    On the other side,


    "This is boring. Why did he decide to go ahead and participate?"


    A young girl with short brown hairzily sat on her seat while she stared at Kaelion who stood at the center of the arena tform.


    Staring at her nails, her eyes paused on a certain figure that stood on the opposite side.


    Her lips pursed with interest.


    "He''s pretty handsome. Still, he looks pretty beatable."


    "¡­..What''s the point of thinking of whether you can beat him or not?"


    Aiden spoke from next to her as he stared at Kaelion.


    "That guy will probably make quick work of everyone. We will likely not get a chance to do anything."


    "What a pity."


    Jessica lowered her head in disappointment.


    Then, as if recalling something, she snickered.


    "But what about you? How are you doing?"


    "What about me?"


    Aiden frowned while staring at Jessica who continued to snicker.


    "Don''t act like you don''t know. Everyone here has seen you cry in the canteen. Kek, did you miss home that much."


    "Shut up."


    Aiden red at her while turning his attention back to Kaelion. At the same time, he crossed his arms while his expression frosted over.


    "I can''t see the bastard who did that to me. Those cowards probably wanted to y some dirty tricks in order to affect my mentality."


    His teeth clenched tightly.


    "They''re lucky Kaelion took over. Otherwise¡­"


    He didn''t finish his sentence, but the meaning behind his words was clear.


    Jessica stared from the side and held both sides of her shoulders.


    "Oh~ Goosebumps."


    Yet again, she started to snicker.


    Aiden looked at her for a brief moment before turning his attention back to Kaelion.


    Bang¡ª!


    "The tenth round is over! The winner is Kaelion Mandrale from the Aurora Empire!"


    It had only been several minutes since the exchange had started, and they were already on the tenth round.


    "Huam."


    Yawns could be heard from the other cadets.


    The fights were quick, with little chance for his opponents to do anything. They were understandably bored.


    "Tsk."


    Aiden clicked his tongue.


    "These boring matches will probably continue until thest few matches."


    The intent behind those from Haven was clear.


    Waste Kaelion''s stamina and finish him off at the end.


    There was only one w with this strategy.


    Kaelion¡­


    His stamina was his strongest suit. This tactic was a futile strategy.


    "Heh."


    Smirking slightly, he looked up to stare at the ck Star.


    "They must be realizing their situation just about now. I wonder what they''re going to do now. Are they going to still waste more stamina, or are they finally going to fight?"


    Aiden would be more than happy if they continued like this. At the end of the day, he didn''t think they''d lose.


    ¡­.And once Haven did lose, the reality of the situation would sink in on every one of them, forcing them to lose all semnce of morale.


    That thought made Aiden smile as he stared at Kaelion''s back.


    ''You know what to do.''


    ***


    It stood tall and on all fours.


    Its fangs were long and sharp, and the pressure alone could suppress anything that was within its vicinity.


    Kaelion had once stood before this creature.


    He could recall all the details about the experience.


    But in particr, if there was one thing he could never forget, it was its gaze. For that was the first andst time he had ever experienced it.


    Fear.


    "The twelfth round is over! The winner is Kaelion Mandrale from the Aurora Empire!"


    ''Has he still not shown up?''


    Hearing the professor announce the result of the match, Kaelion looked around. He could still see no trace of the cadet he had seen in the canteen.


    As such, he felt disappointed.


    ''From his uniform, he was a first-year. Howe he isn''t here? Is he still hiding?''


    Or was what he had seen fake¡­? Could it be that it had all been fruit of his own imagination, and what had happened had nothing to do with the cadet but Aiden?


    At first, Kaelion was confident that what he had seen that day was real, but now¡­? He wasn''t so sure anymore.


    Perhaps, he had really been imagining things.


    "Haa¡­"


    He let out a long breath at the thought.


    ¡­.His emotions started to boil, and anger started to rise from deep within his chest. That was when he turned his attention towards the cadets from Haven.


    There were eight left.


    His stamina was still almost full, and he hardly had broken a sweat from all the fights he had.


    That went to show how low their level was.


    ''Let''s get this over with.''


    Seeing the serious expressions on the faces of the cadets from Haven, Kaelion grew even more annoyed.


    It was for that reason that he came up with a decision,


    "All of you,e fight me together."


    "¡­..!?"


    "Uh?!"


    His words startled everyone present.


    Be it those from his side, or the Professors.


    But Kaelion didn''t care. He wanted to get this over with. He was wasting his time here.


    Since he could not get what he wanted, he just wanted to finish everything in one go and head back to his room.


    "I¡ª"


    He was just about to speak again when a single p echoed throughout.


    p!


    It was soft, and yet, it rang loudly within Kaelion''s mind.


    Startled, Kaelion looked in the direction of where the p sounded but found that there was no one.


    p¡ª!


    The p sounded again.


    It spread evenly throughout every corner of the arena grounds. The strangest part of it all was the fact that he seemed to be the only one who had noticed the pping.


    Kaelion felt a certain sensation run through his body when he realized it.


    Chills.


    It was chills.


    "H-hoo."


    His chest trembled unevenly as he struggled to keep himselfposed.


    p...! p!


    The ps continued, this time growing faster and louder.


    "Ukh...!"


    p, p, p¡ª


    The ps grew more and more frantic, and Kealion found himself a familiar sensation running through every inch of his body.


    He started to struggle to breathe.


    Sweat trickled down the side of his face at the same time.


    p! p...!


    The beat of his heart quickened, and he started to lose control of his legs.


    He wasn''t sure what was happening, but as he looked around, he could see the weird looks he was receiving from the people around him.


    ''W-what''s going on...?''


    Kaelion continued to look around in panic.


    The source...


    He needed to find the source of the sound.


    And,


    "Ah...!"


    He found it.


    Sitting by the far end of the arena was a familiar-looking cadet.


    With his bangs covering his face, he sat with a rxed look. His gaze was locked on him, and with his legs spread open and his back leaning back, he pped in his direction.


    p, p, p...!


    His ps continued, and Kaelion felt himself lose his breath.


    At that very moment, he was reminded of the distant past. Reminded of a certain emotion he hadn''t felt in a very long time, and he slowly brought his hand towards his chest.


    "Haa..."


    Something.


    Something was starting to eat at his heart.


    It was slowly consuming his mind, making it hard for him to think properly.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    His breathing grew more rampant, and just when he thought the sensation would continue, everything stopped.


    From the ps to the sensation eating at his chest.


    "...."


    Everything had grown quiet.


    It was eerily quiet, and for a brief moment, Kealion could hear the sound of his own heartbeat.


    ....It was fast.


    So fast...


    That silence, however, was soon broken by a certain voice.


    "Was this how he did it...?"


    Kaelion shuddered at the sound of his voice.


    And then,


    With just a blink, everything returned to normal and the figure disappeared.


    ....It was as if he had never been there in the first ce.


    And,


    That was when Kaelion finally understood what he had been feeling.


    Fear.


    He had finally felt it again.


    ***


    Good news, the chapter release will now return to normal.


    I have traveled to China, and the website I write is banned here. For that reason, I had to spend the past couple of days writing in advance so that chapters could continue on schedule.


    ---Also why there was only one chapter per day.


    All is sorted now and I''ve written in advance. Schedule should be back to normal.

 Chapter 215 Was this how he did it? [2]

    Chapter 215 Was this how he did it? [2]


    ??"Haaa¡­ Haa¡­"


    Kaelion felt his breath return. It all came in at once, and abruptly. The sensation was hard to describe and it felt as though someone had punched him in the chest.


    Drip. Drip¡­!


    Unknowingly, sweat trickled down the side of his face as he looked around him.


    The noise returned, and before he knew it, a cadet with ck hair and gray eyes was standing before him.


    He seemed to be saying something to him, but he couldn''t quite hear what he was saying.


    No, rather¡­


    He couldn''t hear at all.


    Besides the constant ringing in his ear and the sound of his own thoughts, he heard nothing.


    ''Who¡­?''


    Kaelion did recall seeing him before.


    In fact, he probably knew who he was.


    It was just that¡­


    ''I can''t¡­''


    All he could think about was the cadet he had seen a few moments prior in the stands.


    His body continued to shudder.


    An uncontroble, almost primal feeling dug its way into his mind, making it hard for him to think properly.


    "Where¡­?"


    "Where what?"


    Kaelion blinked and looked at the gray-eyed cadet.


    Finally, he could hear again.


    And that was when he recalled the cadet in front of him.


    ''Leon was it¡­?''


    Yes¡­ he might know.


    "That¡­ cadet. Long hair, ck hair. First year. Handsome¡­?"


    "Uh?"


    Kaelion could feel Leon look at him with a frown.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "¡­.Do you really not know?"


    "Know what?"


    Leon''s frown seemed to deepen, and Kaelion recalled all the mana that he had been channeling in the air.


    ''So he doesn''t know¡­''


    The sudden shift in his attitude confused Leon who seemed to be unable to understand what was going on.


    Kaelion on the other hand turned around and headed back to the seats.


    "I''m done."


    "Uh¡­?!"


    Be it Leon, and everyone else present, they all looked at Kaelion in shock.


    Wasn''t he the one who had just challenged everyone together?


    What was up with the sudden change in attitude?


    Leon stepped forward and grabbed his shoulder.


    "Wait, what¡ª"


    But he stopped the moment he caught a glimpse of Kaelion''s expression.


    His face was pale, to the point where he looked sick. His shoulders were also trembling, and his eyes seemed unfocused.


    He was apletely different person than he had been just a few moments prior.


    "J-just what¡­?!"


    Leon looked at the scene stunned.


    It wasn''t because of his state, but more like¡­


    ''Where have I seen this before?''


    Because he felt like he had seen such a reaction before. And it didn''t take long for Leon to figure out.


    That scene he had seen before.


    ¡­.It was none other than himself.


    "Ah."


    He let go of Kaelion''s shoulder.


    The moment he did, Kaelion returned without saying a single word.


    "¡­.."


    Leon stared at his departing back without saying a single word.


    Turning around, he headed back to where the others were seated. In particr, he could feel Aoife''s gaze on him.


    It was bearing holes through his chest.


    With just a nce, he could tell what she wanted to say and he pursed his lips.


    "¡­He doesn''t want to fight anymore. No."


    Leon stopped, turning his attention back to Kaelion who was sitting back in his seat.


    He was surrounded by the other cadets but appeared to be in a state of his own.


    That was when Leon finally spoke again.


    "He can''t fight anymore. Not in the state he''s in."


    "Not in the state he''s in?"


    It was Kiera who spoke, frowning from the side while chewing on a licorice stick.


    It was something she had started doing recently. Apparently, it helped with her addiction.


    "Yuck, I hate this."


    But she also seemed to hate it at the same time.


    Leon nodded his head and took a deep breath.


    "I think¡­"


    He paused, finding his chest growing heavy.


    "¡­.Julien is back."


    Tak¡ª


    The licorice stick fell from Kiera''s mouth while the area around him turned silent.


    Leon didn''t need to look to understand what sort of expressions they were making.


    But he couldn''t be bothered to think about them.


    Seeing the state Kaelion was in, he swallowed his saliva.


    ''When¡­?''


    When did he do that?


    ***


    "I am a mighty Dragon!!!"


    A loud voice echoed in the air. It bellowed throughout the entire room, covering every inch of it.


    What came after it was a,


    "Miao~"


    "¡­..Stupid cat."


    Owl-Mighty stood on top of the wooden table while coldly staring at the ck cat roaring beneath.


    "What did you call me!?"


    "¡­..Stupid cat."


    "I''ll kill you!"


    Hopping onto the wooden table of the room, the cat tried to attack the owl. Unfortunately, it was a futile attempt.


    pping its wings, Owl-Mighty floated in the air and attacked with its beak, hitting the cat squarely at the top of its head.


    "Miao!!!"


    The cat flinched, holding onto its head.


    Looking up, it cursed.


    "Darn owl!"


    "I''m a tree."


    "¡­.And I''m a dragon!"


    "Heh."


    "Damn Owl!!!!"


    The cat jumped up in the air and tried to swing at Owl-Mighty, but it was all useless as Owl-Mighty easily avoided the attack and counter-attacked.


    "Miao¡­!"


    Bang¡ª!


    Falling on the ground, the caty on the floor for several seconds before it looked up with indignation.


    "You¡­! If only I wasn''t in this stupid form."


    "¡­.But you are."


    Owl-Mighty stood back on the table while staring at the cat with cold disdain. It''s gaze seemed to say, ''You? A Dragon?''


    "Know your ce, cat."


    "I¡­!"


    "Stop. Keep it quiet."


    It was a certain voice that stopped the two of them from quarreling further.


    The moment the voice sounded, the two of them stopped talking, and the cat got back on the ground before meekly walking towards the figure sitting in the middle with his eyes closed.


    In his grasp was a ck cube that was continuously changing shapes.


    "That¡­ human."


    The cat''s attitude was a stark contrast with how it had been with the owl.


    It was a lot more meek, and all the previous arrogance it held was gone.


    "About my name¡­"


    "You don''t like it?"


    "Ah, that."


    The cat didn''t need to finish its sentence to make its intent clear.


    Yes.


    It didn''t like its name.


    "Too bad."


    Julien coldly said while the cube in his hand continued to take different shapes.


    "¡­.!"


    "I''m not changing your name. I''ll think about changing your name after you repent for what you''ve done. I''m in this state because of you, Pebble."


    "Human!!!"


    The cat shouted in despair. Flicking its head, two piercing red-


    yes met its gaze, and the cat noticed the corner of Owl-


    Mighty''s beak curl into a mocking smile.


    "You darn Owl!!!"


    The cat charged at the owl once more.


    Staring at the interaction from the side, Julien lowered his head to stare at his hand which was faintly covered by ayer of mana.


    "Die you owl!"


    "I''m a tree."


    "Akh¡­!"


    In the background, he could hear the sound of Owl-Mighty and Pebble fighting.


    Pebble was the Rock Dragon.


    ¡­.After the gruesome experience, he had managed to subdue the Rock Dragon and forced it to submit to him.


    Julien''s memories of the time he had spent in the will''s world were nk.


    For his own safety, he had to seal all the memories of the event.


    Every time he was brought back to that time, he''d start to lose his state of mind.


    He was¡­ just a thin thread away from insanity.


    No, perhaps he had already gone insane.


    But how could he know?


    A lot of the time, mentally ill people didn''t even know they were ill.


    He could very well have already gone insane.


    Not that it particrly mattered to Julien.


    He was already insane, to begin with.


    "Hehehe."


    Augh escaped his lips.


    Rather quickly, he covered his mouth.


    Drip¡­!


    And that''s when a tear fell. Staring at the tear that stained the wooden floor beneath him, Julien frowned and his chest started to boil.


    He felt anger surge from deep within him.


    "Calm down."


    It was a certain voice that brought him out of that state, and he felt a cold touch over his shoulder.


    Only then did his emotions subside and he closed his eyes.


    "Thank you."


    "Mhm."


    Delh walked past him and sat down on the chair of the room.


    "Stop floating around you owl! Miao~"


    "Koo!"


    Looking at the spectacle on the side, Delh turned her attention back to Julien.


    "I''m amazed by the sight every time I see it. Who would''ve thought there was such usage to the bones?"


    Julien remained quiet.


    It had been over a week since he had awakened from the nightmare, and he had been unable to hide Owl-Mighty and the Dragon from Delh who had sharp eyes.


    In the end, he told everything to her. He, of course, omitted a few things, but she now understood what they were.


    With that being said, he knew she wasn''t here to admire the two of them.


    And as expected, she got right to the point.


    "Why did you do it?"


    "¡­..Because I felt like it."


    Julien didnt dodge the question and answered right away.


    He had been told by Delh to not interfere in the match or go meet the other cadets


    There were mainly two reasons for such an order.


    For one, Delh didn''t think his mind was stable enough for human interaction.


    He was extremely sensitive to emotions in his current state. All it took was a certain trigger for him to be swallowed up by that emotion.


    ¡­.It was for that reason that he wasn''t allowed to meet with anyone.


    But that wasn''t the only reason Delh didn''t let him out.


    The current Julien.


    He was dangerous.


    Too dangerous to be let out.


    Even Delh felt this way, and she was way stronger than him.


    The current Julien, althoughgging behind significantlypared to the other top cadets in tier as there had been no significant increases there, was far more dangerous than any other cadet.


    Delh wasn''t sure what had happened during the months he was stuck fighting the will, but she knew that if it were toe down to it, he''d be able to beat anyone he faced.


    Right now¡­


    He truly embodied what the ck Star signified.


    Power above all.


    But¡­


    It was an unstable power.


    If not controlled properly, Delh was afraid he''d break everyone on sight.


    For that reason, she had to limit his exposure to the other cadets.


    At least, until he was stable again.


    Delh closed her eyes and took a small breath.


    "The exhibition match ended early because of your actions. We ended up winning. Leon managed to defeat their top two cadets alone."


    "¡­.He did?"


    Julien looked up with a smile. It was a rare smile, and Delh found it hard for her to get used to it.


    The current Julien was simply too different than the Julien that she knew.


    He was a lot more expressive, and his face was no longer nk.


    And yet,


    Delh found it way harder for her to read him.


    The changes were shocking, and Delh found herself asking the same question over and over again.


    ''Just what level did he reach with his Emotive Magic in the past five months, and how did he do it?''


    It was a question Delh wanted to know the answer to.


    ''Perhaps, I can also¡­ No.''


    But she stopped herself each time.


    Closing her eyes, she pushed such thoughts away.


    "Get ready. We will be departing in a couple of days for Bremner. The two of us will go in advance."


    Standing up, her figure started to fade.


    "¡­.Remember the words that I told you. Don''t interact with the others until you''re fully healed."


    Such were herst words before she left.


    Julien stared at her disappearing figure with a nk look.


    Then, once she was fully gone, he raised his head to stare at the empty ceiling of the room.


    "That¡­ might be toote."


    ***


    A/N : It really is a struggle to upload in china. Took over an hour to get the VPN and website working for upload.


    If in the future chapter iste, it''s because of this.

 Chapter 216 Was this how he did it? [3]

    Chapter 216 Was this how he did it? [3]


    ??"¡­..None of you should think about resting for the next week or so."


    Professor Thornwhisper''s cold voice echoed throughout the confines of a small room. Lined up in front of him were the twenty or so cadets who had been selected to represent the Aurora Empire.


    Unlike the Nurs Ancifa Empire, which ruled by suppressing the citizen''s power, the Aurora Empire was one where strength mattered the most.


    Power struggles often urred because of this.


    But it was the way that the Aurora Empire operated. The strong survived, and the weak were cast aside.


    It was something that everyone present knew, and yet,


    "Should I discard all of you?"


    They had lost.


    Pathetically at that.


    Professor Thornwhisper''s gaze coldly swept the cadets. In particr, his gaze paused on three figures.


    "Aiden, Jessica, and¡­ Kaelion. Step forward."


    The atmosphere turned oppressive under his voice.


    Besides Kaelion who stepped forward without showing much of a reaction, there were hints of hesitation in Aiden and Jessica''s faces.


    Regardless, they soon stepped forward.


    "¡­.."


    Without saying anything, Professor Thornwhisper walked around them before raising his fist.


    Bang¡ª


    "Ukh¡­!"


    Aiden''s body lurched back as the Professor''s fist hit him directly in the stomach, forcing him back several meters.


    "Ukeh..! Ukeh¡­! Akh!"


    Puke started to flow out from his mouth as his eyes widened in pain.


    That was merely the start.


    Bang!


    A kick flew in the air,nding squarely on the cadet''s cheek, twisting his body to the side.


    The sound of the impact was loud, and yet, nobody made a sound while they watched from the side.


    Bang, bang, bang¡ª


    The sounds continued. They were endless, and they only stopped once Aiden was no longer moving.


    It was Jessica''s turn next, and she too was subjected to the same treatment.


    "Ukah¡­!"


    Bang!


    There were no protests from the other cadets.


    They could only watch as their three leaders were mercilessly beaten to the point where they were on the verge of death.


    Such was thew of the Aurora Empire.


    This¡­ was the culture that was bred into them, and what was currently happening was merely their own way of beating the weakness out of them.


    "Hoo¡­"


    Lifting his blood-stained fist, the professor''s gaze turned to face Kaelion who stood without so much as an expression.


    "You¡­"


    His cold voice echoed quietly within the room, sending chills down the spines of some of the cadets.


    Professor Thornwhisper was usually cold, but today¡­ Today they could tell that he was especially angry.


    His source of anger was none other than Kaelion.


    "Why did you stop?"


    "¡­.."


    Kaelion didn''t answer and merely looked back at the Professor.


    Bang!


    His head smacked to the side as a fist flew to his face.


    "Answer me."


    Blood dripped down from the side of Kaelion''s cheeks.


    Tracing his thumb over the wound, he answered.


    "I was bored."


    "Bored¡­?"


    Professor Thornwhisperughed. Hisugh bellowed throughout the entire room before eventuallying to a stop as his cold gaze bore down on Kaelion.


    "Do you think I''m stupid? Do you think I can''t see what sort of reaction you were making during your match¡­?"


    He pressed his finger against Kaelion''s shoulder.


    "You were scared."


    "¡­."


    "You gave up because you were scared."


    Kaelion bit his lips.


    Scared¡­?


    He clenched his teeth.


    "I¡ª"


    Bang!


    The first came, and his head smacked to the side. A familiar pain washed over him, forcing his mouth shut.


    Bang, bang¡ª


    The fists came into barrages, each stronger than the other.


    Professor Thornwhisper didn''t hold back at all.


    Blood spilled throughout the entire room as Kaelion fell to the floor while the Professor mounted him from the top and smacked his face from left to right with hisrge fists.


    It was a gruesome sight, and yet¡­


    Nobody said a thing while they watched in silence.


    Such was the fate of those from the Aurora Empire. Everyone was used to such a scene.


    Kaelion too.


    And thus,


    Bang!


    He could only ept the punishment.


    Even as his consciousness started to blur.


    After all,


    This hadn''t been the first time he had been treated as such.


    ***


    Rustle~


    A gentle breeze wafted through the air, scattering the leaves of the trees. Silence took over the surroundings as a figure walked into the forest, shattering whatever silence took over.


    "Cough¡­! Cough!"


    Leaning against one of the trees, Kaelion coughed several times. Blood leaked from his mouth as he leaned over, and took several deep breaths.


    "Haa¡­ Haa¡­"


    He stared at his trembling hands.


    "J-just why isn''t it stopping?"


    His entire face was covered in bruises with cuts all over the ce.


    Several hours had passed since the beating, and the pain had subsided.


    Usually, after such beating, he''d rest.


    And yet,


    "I¡­ Haa¡­ can''t sleep."


    ring ck circles formed beneath his eyes, and as he looked around, he felt his entire chest grow heavy.


    Images of the cadet from before reyed in his mind over and over again, forcing him into this strange unknown state that he couldn''t tear himself away from.


    It was as if something was crawling the depths of his mind, and influencing his thoughts.


    "J-just¡­!"


    The constant reminders were like nightmares.


    They haunted his mind constantly, forcing him out of sleep. He found himself unable to sleep, and before he knew it, he was standing in the middle of the forest that was resting outside of the Academy.


    "Just what in the hell¡­.!"


    "What are you so worried about?"


    "¡­.!"


    A certain voice tickled his ear, and Kealion''s expression hardened as he pressed his foot forward to distance himself from the voice before turning around andunching several magic spells in the direction of where he had been.


    Bang! Bang¡­!


    His reaction was incredibly fast, and it took no more than several seconds for all of it to happen.


    Dust and debris scattered everywhere, hindering his vision.


    It took several seconds for everything to calm down.


    Once it did, all Kaelion could see were small craters on the ground.


    But,


    "Nothing."


    There was nothing.


    "Haa¡­"


    Kaelion''s head flicked to surveil the surroundings. His eyes scanned every nook and cranny of his surroundings, and yet, regardless of how hard he looked, he couldn''t find any trace of anyone.


    "That¡­"


    He was sure he had seen someone.


    It couldn''t be that he was imagining things again, right?


    "No, you weren''t."


    A voice whispered in his ear again.


    Kaelion''s head flicked again as he felt his heart jump out of his chest. Twisting his body, he elbowed the area behind him.


    Swoosh!


    But just like before, all he met was air.


    "Haa¡­ Haa¡­!"


    Looking around, Kaelion''s expression hardened.


    "Show yourself!"


    "¡­..Sure."


    A reply came shortly after and Kaelion''s head flicked towards one of the trees.


    Finally¡­


    He managed to spot the figure he had been looking for.Sitting on top of one of the tree branches, he looked down on Kaelion.


    "It''s you¡­"


    Finally, Kaelion managed to see the figure that had been haunting him.


    He wasn''t sure whether to feel relief or anything else.


    Regardless, at this very moment, his only thoughts were to eliminate the figure before him.


    The source of his weakness.


    Swoosh¡­!


    Kaelion wasted not a single second. Raising his hand, over a dozen magic circles floated behind him. His hair scattered, and the mana in the air grew extremely dense and thick.


    He was just about to unleash the spells when a hand pressed against his shoulder and he felt something cool run down his body.


    "Calm down will you?"


    "Uh¡­!?"


    Kaelion felt his entire body grow cold.


    Blinking his eyes, he noticed that the figure that had been sitting on the tree was long gone.


    ''When¡­!?''


    Kaelion''s breathing grew even rougher as he silently swallowed a mouthful of saliva.


    All sorts of thoughts were running through his mind, and just as he was about to do something, the hand that pressed over his shoulder left and the cadet raised both of his hands.


    "Well, I''m not here to fight you."


    He took several steps back, and Kealion turned his body to face him.


    They were only a few meters apart.


    ¡­.And that was when Kaelion finally noticed something.


    "You¡­"


    The man that stood before him.


    He was nowhere near as strong as him. In fact, he seemed to be a lot weaker just from his mana signature.


    Around the early stages of Tier 3.


    "Who are you¡­?"


    The cadet smiled.


    It was a smile that made Kaelion frown.


    "You already know."


    "¡­..I don''t."


    "Do you not?"


    Brushing his hair up, a face finally was revealed, and Kaelion felt his body tense.


    That face¡­


    "Do you know who I am now?"


    "¡­."


    Kaelion didn''t answer.


    Taking a few deep breaths, he managed to calm himself down before finally speaking.


    "The previous ck Star."


    "Correct."


    Kaelion closed his eyes.


    In that moment, his mind finally cooled down and he started to recall everything that had happened so far.


    It wasn''t long before he opened his eyes again, and his expression turned cold.


    "Illusion."


    He muttered a single word while looking around.


    "Everything¡­ It''s all been an illusion."


    Kaelion''s thoughts were rather fast.


    "I did hear that your emotive magic was rather impressive. I didn''t know that you had illusion magic. Coupling the two together, you were able to render me into this state¡­"


    Covering his mouth, heughed a little.


    "¡­.That''s good."


    He raised his head to look at Julien.


    "You''re good, but¡­"


    His eyes narrowed and the previous fear that had been seeping into his mind vanished without a trace.


    "That''s it."


    Confidence started to resurge within him.


    "¡­..Now that I know how you did it, I no longer feel scared. You were merely ying tricks with my mind."


    He raised his hand, and magic circles floated all over the ce.


    "So long as I know this, your Emotive Magic won''t work on me. Yes, I''ll just tell myself its all fake."


    Julien''s hair scattered at the enormous pressure, and Kaelion stared at him with a cold gaze.


    "Now that you can no longer use such tricks on me, what are you going to do?"


    "¡­.."


    Julien remained quiet while staring back at Kaelion who had his gaze fixed on Julien.


    "Don''t even think about casting an illusion. I''ve already locked eyes with your main body."


    "Heh."


    Finally, a reaction.


    Laughing slightly, Julien lowered his left hand.


    "You''ve caught me."


    He looked ratherid back.


    As if he wasn''t bothered by the situation. As if¡­ he didn''t care that Kaelion had managed to read his moves.


    "¡­.Don''t mind me. I was just practicing something I had seen before. You just ended up being my target because you were strong."


    Target...? Practicing?


    Kaelion''s eyes narrowed and the mana in the air became denser.


    Unbothered, Julien continued to speak,


    "With that being said¡­"


    Kaelion was just about to unleash his spell when he heard a low snap.


    Snap¡ª


    "¡­.!!"


    The snap echoed loudly within Kaelion''s mind.


    It was loud and powerful.


    At that moment, Kaelion felt his mind grow numb. He could hardly think, and the mana agglomerating around him scattered.


    Before he even had a chance to figure out what had happened, his legs gave up and he fell on both knees.


    Thump¡­!


    Thest thing he remembered was Julien''s voice and the sound of approaching steps.


    "¡­.What''s the point of being strong if you can''t even think properly?"


    That was when an overwhelming pain engulfed his chest.


    It was a pain that he couldn''t describe with words.


    "Arghhhh!!"


    But it soon became clear to him.


    What he felt was anger.


    ....An overwhelming amount of anger.

 Chapter 217 A new member [1]

    <h4>Chapter 217 A new member [1]</h4>


    The world was ck.


    He could hardly hear a thing.


    It was only after an unknown period of time that Kaelion found his consciousness return.


    "Huaa¡­.!"


    He took a deep breath while looking around him.


    The world was dark, with only the faint scattering of the moonlight illuminating the surroundings. The trees rustled, and a gentle, yet piercing breeze wafted through.


    ¡­.Such was the world Kaelion woke up to.


    Rustle, rustle~


    "Oh, you''re awake."


    A voice brought him out of his thoughts.


    It came from above, and when he looked up, his eyes locked with two hazel eyes that seemed to suck him in the moment he made contact with them.


    "Haa.."


    Faint recollections of what had happened resurfaced in Kaelion''s mind. That was when he realized what had happened.


    "You, what are you nning?"


    He instantly grew alert.


    Given that he had yet to be killed, there was certainly something that the cadet wanted from him. It wouldn''t be that he wanted important secrets about their Empire¡­?


    "Ha, if what¡ª"


    "Whatever you think I want, you''re wrong."


    Julien cut Kaelion off.


    "My request isn''t anything grand. I also kept you alive because I can''t exactly kill you. Not that it was anything I was ever interested in doing, to begin with. My n is simple¡­"


    Thump!


    Julien jumped off the tree,nding on the ground while inching closer to Kaelion.


    Lowering his body to be at eye-level with Kaelion, Julien extended his hand and Kaelion found himself swallowing his saliva. Just what was it¡­? What did he want?


    "Make me a part of your group."


    "Uh?"


    ***


    "I am not hearing it wrong, am I?"


    Professor Thornwhisper stared at the woman standing in front of him with incredulous eyes. Recalling her request, he couldn''t believe what she was saying.


    "¡­..You want me to take care of one of your cadets and have them pretend to be part of my group?"


    Heughed.


    "What sort of nonsense is this?"


    Nonsense was a light word to describe the sudden request.


    Each Empire could only bring a fixed number of spots. Although they were the delegates from the Aurora Empire, they weren''t the only group that wasing. There were several others.


    To have one extra person¡­


    It was going to mess up the entire order.


    Therefore, it was a ridiculous request. One that he found it hard to believe.


    "Don''t think that just be¡ª"


    "Apany him to Bremmer. I can take care of the rest. You shouldn''t have any problems then."


    Delh answered in a t tone while staring at the Professor.


    Because of herck of expressions, it was hard to tell what exactly she was thinking. It was a fact that irritated the Professor who still shook his head.


    "The answer is still no. I have nothing to benefit from this."


    "¡­..You will."


    Delh answered, finally disying some sort of expression in the form of a slight curl at the end of her lips as she passed on a small orb to the Professor.


    "This is¡­?!"


    The Professor''s expression hardened the moment he caught sight of the orb, and his head immediately flicked up.


    "This¡­! Are you going back on your agreement?"


    There was visible anger on his face as he addressed Delh. His face was red, and the veins at the side of his neck bulged.


    Despite that, Delh didn''t seem all that bothered by his expression.


    "I am not going back on the agreement."


    The small orb was a recording device. In it were the recordings of the exhibition match where those of the Aurora Empire lost.


    If such a video were to spread¡­


    "¡­.We agreed that we wouldn''t take any recordings of the exhibition match and keep the results to ourselves. How are you not going back on your agreement?"


    "Because you are the same."


    Delh replied in a matter-of-fact tone.


    At that, the Professor found himself at a loss for words. It was only for a brief moment as he recovered.


    "What are you talking about?"


    The first thing he did was refute her usations.


    With a frown, his tone lowered.


    "¡­.Are you using me of something? If you are, I su¡ª"


    He stopped speaking halfway through.


    Feeling Delh''s inky ck eyes on him, he suddenly found himself unable to speak any further. It was as if his entire body was being sucked into this unknown world. He could see ck hands emerging from beneath the ground, mping onto his legs, keeping him on the spot.


    Unknowingly, his breathing became rougher and the beat of his heart started to quicken.


    The sensationsted only a few seconds, but it was enough for the Professor to imprint the feeling into his mind.


    ''As expected of this monster¡­''


    It was a clear warning from her.


    ¡­.He could not refuse her offer.


    But if that wasn''t enough,


    "I know you also have a recording. There''s no point in trying to hide it from me."


    "Haha."


    He found the situation to be hrious.


    For one of the strongest within the Nurs Ancifa Empire to have such a request¡­ Not only that but for her to know he had also been recording¡­


    "As expected, nothing escapes your eyes."


    The cat was out of the bag and the Professor knew that he couldn''t continue to pretend unless he wanted to die.


    "¡­..Fine."


    He had no choice but to ept her request even if he didn''t want to.


    "But I will only take him to Bremmer. We will part ways halfway there. Things will beplicated if the other teams question me about him."


    "That''s okay."


    Delh nodded quietly.


    "This is all I need."


    "Okay."


    The Professor wanted to ask for the reasoning behind the request and why she couldn''t have had him sent through a portal done by her, but he knew his ce and remained quiet.


    ''It''s only one cadet, he shouldn''t cause too many problems.''


    At worst, he''ll personally interfere.


    But there was something the Professor was curious about.


    "About the cadet¡­ Are you not worried I''ll do something to him? Or perhaps the other cadets?"


    "Worried¡­?"


    Delh looked at him for a few seconds before turning her head. For a moment, Professor Thornwhisper almost thought he saw pity sh across her eyes.


    Pity¡­?


    ''No, there''s no way.''


    "Just do your job. If anything happens to him¡­"


    She didn''t finish her sentence but her intent was clear. Her figure blurred shortly after that, leaving the Professor standing by himself.


    Staring at the area where she had been, he let out a long breath before closing his eyes.


    "¡­.A pity such a strong person isn''t from our Empire."


    ***


    To Tok¡ª


    The first thing Leon did after the match ended was knock on Julien''s door. He didn''t live that far from him. In fact, they were rather close, both living on the same floor.


    "¡­Julien?"


    When the door opened, Leon blinked a couple of times before he smacked his head.


    "Ah, right."


    Julien''s room was different from the one he had previously.


    There was a specific room that was reserved for the ck Star which now belonged to Aoife. She did try to reject the room, saying that she wasfortable where she was, but rules were rules.


    In the end, she ended up moving into Julien''s old room.


    Since it had been a while since this had happened, Leon had forgotten all about it.


    "¡­.What are you doing here?"


    Questioned by Aoife, Leon opened his mouth to reply when she cut him off directly.


    "Let me guess, you wanted to see if Julien really is back."


    "¡­."


    Was he that obvious?


    Well, considering that he had actually gone to his previous room and forgotten all about it, then it did make sense.


    "Don''t bother checking."


    "Hm?"


    Surprised, Leon looked up.


    That was when he saw Aoife scratching the side of her face.


    "I may or may not have also tried."


    "¡­."


    Feeling Leon''s gaze, Aoife lowered her head in defeat and sighed.


    "I just¡­ wanted to tell him that he can be the ck Star if he wanted to."


    "Hm?"


    "This job¡­"


    Aoife lowered her head to stare at her zer.


    "¡­..I thought I really wanted it, but I am not so sure anymore."


    No, Aoife actually knew the reason why she didn''t feel like being the ck Star despite officially being one.


    She¡­ didn''t earn it.


    Not only because Leon forfeited and gave it to her, but also because Aoife didn''t get it with her own powers by defeating Julien and Leon to be the first.


    It was exactly for this reason that she went ahead and tried to contact him first.


    ¡­.But he wasn''t there.


    Or at least, there was no one in the room.


    "You don''t seem to be someone that would lie. I assume you have your reasons for thinking that Julien is back. He wasn''t there when I went there, and I still don''t think he is. How confident are you about your assumption?"


    "That¡­"


    Leon lowered his head and thought for a good moment.


    Then, after a few seconds, he shook his head.


    "¡­I was pretty confident, but I''m not so sure anymore."


    He pinched the bridge of his nose.


    "I''ll go check it out. If he''s not there, then I''m not sure¡­"


    "Alright."


    Aoife nodded while Leon turned around and left.


    As he left, Aoife turned her head to look to her right where another door was. She stood like that for several seconds before finally speaking.


    "And I''m supposed to be the stalker¡­"


    "Tsk."


    With a click of her tongue, the door opened. Standing by the door with her back leaning against the side of the door, Kiera chewed on the licorice stick in her mouth.


    "Wasn''t stalking. You were just talking loud."


    "¡­.Uh, sure."


    Aoife gave her a meaningful look. That didn''t bide well with Kiera who turned her head and red at her.


    "What? Why are you giving me that look?"


    "You know it."


    "Fuck I don''t."


    "¡­.Sure you don''t."


    Aoife rolled her eyes while ncing at the licorice stick in Kiera''s mouth. Her change from cigarettes to licorice was quite recent, with her usually consuming three a day at best.


    This information wasn''t hard to know given how Kiera would always curse whenever she ate one.


    ''Fuck I hate this!''


    ''Ugh¡­! Why am I even doing this to myself?''


    ''I want to go back.''


    It was like this every day¡­ Almost every day. Today was different. From the moment Leon said what he said, Aoife watched as Kiera chewed on over a dozen sticks without so much as mouthing a singleint.


    "That¡­ was unusual of her."


    Despite not showing it, she appeared to be quite nervous about what Leon said.


    It was a little funny to Aoife who covered her mouth slightly.


    "Oy, what are youughing at?"


    "Nothing."


    Aoife smiled at Kiera before reaching for the knob of her door and bringing it to a close.


    "Oy!"


    Aoife could still hear Kiera''s shout as she closed the door behind her, and once she did, the room plunged into silence.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    ''Answer you bitch!''


    Ignoring the muffled shoutsing from outside, Aoife took out a small stick from her drawer and ced it in her mouth.


    Chewing on it, she mumbled,


    "¡­.It''s not that bad."


    The licorice stick.


    ***


    I have ced a timer for 5 chapters.


    If they don''t appear, then the timers fail. I am on a flight back to Italy so everything should return to normal.


    There''s information on discord for those that are unaware of the situation.


    I do apologize for the inconvenience, but everything here is blocked. Even the VPN.

 Chapter 218 A new member [2]

    Chapter 218 A new member [2]


    ??"....I will now introduce you all to a new member. His name is Timothy, and hees from Kovalia."


    Professor Thornwhisper introduced the cadet to the entire group. With short blond hair and blue eyes, the cadet looked around with a smile and greeted


    "Hello."


    The cadet wasn''t exactly handsome. However, he was also not ugly. Rather, it was more like the others were a lot better looking, making him look average.


    Professor Thornwhisper continued,


    "....He was originally supposed to go with another group, but there''s been a mixup inmunication and he will be traveling with us."


    "Mix up?"


    "Has there really been a mixup? How did he end up here?"


    "I''ve never seen him before, have you?"


    "No."


    The twenty or so cadets looked at the new cadet with hints of curiosity and confusion.


    Kovalia wasn''t a very big city in the Aurora Empire. Rather, it was a fairly small city that was famous for its culinary exploits. It was rare for prospects toe out from such cities given that they weren''t known for producing strong individuals.


    It was for that reason that the cadets didn''t think much about the new cadet. In fact, some of the stronger cadets could more or less tell the strength of the new cadet with just a nce.


    "Lower threes..."


    Aiden mumbled silently.


    His face was patched up, and any hints of the bruising and scars from the previous beating were long gone.


    It was almost as if nothing had happened.


    "So nothing useful."


    The same was true for Jessica who chewed on the lollipop in her mouth while staring at the new cadet with narrowed eyes. She didnn''t say much after, and just stared at him while chewing on the lollipop in her mouth.


    Crunch! Crunch...!


    Aiden''s face scrunched up at the sound that came out of her mouth as she chewed on the lollipop.


    "Sick bastard..."


    "What did you say?"


    Jessica''s head flicked in his direction.


    "....Nothing."


    Aiden looked away from her as he felt her re bear down on him. It was rather pressuring, but he didn''t take his words back.


    She was a psycho through and through.


    No sane human ate lollipops like that.


    "Your expression tells me the opposite. Do you want to die?"


    "Perhaps one day, but certainly won''t be because of you."


    "Ho~"


    Crunch!


    Jessica spat the stick of the lollipop, forcing Aiden to frown.


    "...How sure are you abo¡ª"


    "Stop your nonsense."


    Her words were cut off by the Professor''s.


    "We will be departing for Bremmer in several minutes. Get acquainted with your new group member in the meantime. I will go and get the portal ready."


    In the exact moment he left, all eyes fell on the new cadet as they tried to assess him.


    Lower threes... that was around the lowest standard within the group. He wasn''t the lowest, but wasn''t anywhere near the highest either.


    For an Empire that operated on the basis of strength, the higher-ranked cadets merely gave him a cursory nce before looking away and going back to their own things.


    The lowest-ranked ones were a bit nicer, but they still didn''t seem too keen on interacting with him.


    There was hardly anyone who showed any real interest in the new cadet who awkwardly scratched the back of his hair before going to the front of the line.


    "Uh?"


    "....What?"


    Finally, some of the cadets looked at the new cadet.


    Their expressions... it wasn''t one of interest, but shock and nervousness. In an Empire that operated solely based on strength, hierarchy was important.


    The strongest usually stood at the front while the second strongest came right after.


    It was something that everyone knew, and yet...


    "Is he crazy?"


    "What is he doing...?"


    "Is he looking to die?"


    Everyone watched as he headed towards Kaelion who stood at the front with his eyes closed. Under the gentle breeze, his hair fluttered behind him while Aiden and Jessica stared at the new cadet with narrowed eyes.


    They didn''t do anything and just watched as the new cadet approached Kaelion and stood right next to him.


    At the very front.


    "...."


    The surroundings turned quiet.


    No one said a word as tensions rose to an all-time high.


    All eyes were on the new cadet who looked around before settling right before Kaelion who remained quiet the entire time.


    They all seemed to be waiting for him to react. To put the new cadet in his ce, but...


    "Uh?"


    "....What is going on?"


    That never happened.


    Kaelion remained standing with his eyes closed the entire time.


    For a brief moment, nobody reacted. They all stood frozen in shock, unable toprehend the situation. Although Kaelion wasn''t one to go, berserker, whenever something like this happened, he was one of the people who was most firm about hierarchy.


    For him of all people to not do anything about what was going on...


    "Has the beating yesterday screwed with his brain?"


    "....Is it possible that he didn''t notice at all?"


    "Ah...!"


    Finally, Kaelion opened his eyes and turned to look to his right where the new cadet was.


    His eyes paused on him for a brief moment. It was only brief, but everyone felt the air grow tense, and yet... shortly after looking at the new cadet, Kaelion looked away without saying a thing.


    "...."


    Yet again, everyone stood frozen in silence.


    They tried to process the situation but struggled to do so.


    Just what...


    "The portal has been set up. Come to me."


    Professor Thornwhisper''s voice broke everyone out of their thoughts. Approaching the cadets, his gaze paused on the new cadet for a brief moment before looking toward the others.


    Yet again, the cadets were surprised.


    Even him...?


    "What are you waiting for? Hurry up."


    His thunderous voice snapped everyone out of their confusion. With the new cadet taking the lead, they were all brought to a nearby portal.


    Stopping right before the portal, the Professor looked back.


    "The portal will lead us towards the Netherborn Forest that is located near Bremmer. Since portals aren''t allowed in the city, we can only create a spot in the forest which we will use to train for a couple of days."


    It was normal for portals to be banned in capital cities.


    Huge protective measures were put in ce in every capital, that would prevent anyone from creating portals anywhere near the capital.


    It was mainly for safety reasons, and also because the capital was where the royal family was located.


    Surrounding Bremmer was the Netherborn forest which spanned several kilometers, and hosted several powerful creatures.


    There were several checkpoints within the forest, and currently, they were headed towards that very checkpoint.


    ''Gryphon Gate.''


    "The cadets from Haven will also be there."


    As he spoke, the Professor''s eyes narrowed, his gaze pausing slightly on the new cadet who smiled shyly under his gaze.


    ''Tsk.''


    The Professor almost clicked his tongue.


    "....You may have lost to them, but I don''t believe you are any weaker than them. Once we join with the other groups, losing to them should be impossible. Either way, until we reach Bremmer, I do not want any conflicts with them, is that understood?"


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    The cadets all shouted in unison.


    Looking at them, the Professor nodded his head in satisfaction.


    "Good."


    He then proceeded to head into the portal.


    "Follow along."


    As his back disappeared, the new cadet was about to step in when a hand reached out for his shoulder and stopped him.


    "Yes?"


    Turning around, his gaze met with Aiden''s.


    Sporting a frown, he was about to say something when Kaelion turned his head to look at Aiden. Their eyes met, and before Aiden could say something, a fist flew right to his face.


    Bang...!


    "Uekh!"


    Blood leaked out from his nose as his eyes widened.


    "What the fuck¡ª"


    "I won''t do it again."


    Kaelion cut him off while ncing at the new cadet who disappeared into the portal. He only sighed in relief once he was gone. That was when he also stepped into the portal. As his figure started to blur, Kaelion''s voice echoed within the space.


    "....Saving your life that is."


    ***


    Gryphon Gate.


    There were several checkpoints within the Netherborn forest. Among them, the Gryphon Gate was the biggest and most renowned.


    Rumors had it that the reason it was called as such was because the checkpoint had been built on what had been a Gryphon''s nest.


    Along with Dragons, seven other creatures were considered to be at the very top in terms of bloodlines.


    Gryphons were one such creature.


    "This isn''t bad."


    Stepping outside of the portal, Leon looked around.


    With tall wooden walls, he found himself in a small town...? Could it even be called a town?


    It didn''t seem that well-developed. All structures were made out of wood, and there were hardly any roads.


    Despite being such a famous checkpoint, it wasn''t anything big either. There were also not that many people.


    "Wow, take a look at this ce."


    Stepping out of the portal, Kiera looked around and whistled.


    "Are you sure we are in the right ce? This ce looks like it was built just yesterday."


    "....The rumors about this being built on a Gryphon nest isn''t a rumor."


    Stepping out of the portal from behind, Aoife looked at Kiera in annoyance.


    "They are true. The monsters here are really powerful. There''s no point in developing anything nice since people are only here to replenish some supplies before heading to the capital."


    "Uh, sure."


    Kiera mumbled while taking out a licorice stick and cing it in her mouth.


    "Ugh, shit!"


    She spat on the ground shortly after.


    "Why do you even eat it if you hate it so much?"


    The next one to step out of the portal was Evelyn who looked at Kiera with a strange look.


    "....It''s either this, or I start smoking."


    "Uh..."


    Evelyn thought for a moment before nodding her head in understanding. Strangely, her hand twitched as she looked at Kiera.


    ''Ah, no.''


    She had to hold herself back.


    Now was not the time.


    "Is everyone here?"


    The professor in charge of their group made a headcount to make sure that everyone was present. Once he was sure that everyone was present, he pped his hands in satisfaction.


    "Good, it looks like everyone is here. You can explore the ce for the next hour or so. After that, we will start heading for Bremmer. In the mean¡ª"


    The professor stopped speaking halfway as his gaze paused towards the distance where a new group appeared.


    Instantly, the atmosphere turned tense as a familiar figure stepped out.


    As if sensing their gazes, Professor Thornwhisper nced at them before turning his attention back towards the portal.


    That was when another figure stepped out.


    It was a cadet with short blonde hair and blue eyes.


    "Hm?"


    He was someone Leon hadn''t seen before, and staring at him, Leon felt the hair at the back of his neck stand.


    There was something about the cadet...


    As if feeling the same thing, he became the focus of everyone else in the group.


    "Uh?"


    And then their gazes met.


    That was when Leon felt his heart stop.


    Meeting his gaze, the cadet smiled and waved his hand to them as if he were saying hi. Leon, however, couldn''t reciprocate the gesture.


    Rather, he felt his entire body grow cold.


    "That..."


    Could it be that Kaelion wasn''t their strongest member?


    And why did he feel so familiar?


    ***


    More chaptersing. I will be back home in a bit, and then the schedule will resue just like usual, with mass release on the 20th

 Chapter 219 Fog of the thousand illusions [1]

    <h4>Chapter 219 Fog of the thousand illusions [1]</h4>


    There was something about the cadet that Leon had a hard time describing.


    ....He didn''t look strong, and yet, there was something about him that made his body tingle in dread. That feeling... it was somewhat familiar.


    ''Could it be...?''


    An idea urred and Leon''s eyes narrowed.


    "What are you looking at?"


    Aoife appeared next to him, her eyes following his line of sight and pausing on the figure Leon was looking at.


    "Hm?"


    She too seemed to have realized something as her brows jumped up a little.


    "Who is he?"


    "I don''t know."


    Leon answered seriously.


    Then, looking at Aoife, he shared his thoughts.


    "He doesn''t look strong, but he gives off a familiar feeling."


    "You mean...?"


    "Yes, he''s most likely an Emotive Mage."


    "....."


    Aoife remained quiet and looked at the cadet in the distance who seemed to have noticed her gaze. He smiled curtly at her.


    Staring at him, Aoife frowned.


    Regardless of how hard she tried, she couldn''t think to recall a face like his. He wasn''t handsome, but his face was certainly not forgettable.


    Especially with the creepy vibe he gave off.


    There was something about him that made her ufortable.


    Nheless, she too nodded her head in acknowledgment. Their interaction was short, and he left shortly after with his group.


    From what she heard, they were going on different routes, so she didn''t expect to meet them again, but...


    "Just who is he?"


    The image of the new cadet continued to rey in her mind.


    They had struggled quite a bit to beat a team with a forfeiting Kealion. If there was another strong person added to the mix, then...


    "This is not good."


    Aoife turned around and looked towards a short girl with shoulder-length ck hair and framed sses.


    "Chloe, do you have any idea as to who that might be?"


    She was the group''s analyst.


    Her job was to research their opponents and tell them beforehand so that they could be prepared for it.


    Chole was rather good at her job, with her having information on all the cadets that hade from the Aurora Empire.


    Unexpectantly, she shook her head.


    "No, that''s the first time I''ve seen him."


    Aoife''s expression turned tense, and so did Leon''s. Taking a deep breath, Aoife pursed her lips.


    ".....This is troublesome."


    "What is?"


    Stepping forward, Kiera looked towards the distance and her eyes squinted at the sight of the person they had their eyes on.


    "Who the..."


    "That''s what we''re trying to figure out."


    "Oh."


    Kiera nodded before looking at Aoife. Feeling her gaze, Aoife frowned.


    "What...?"


    "Well, you know."


    Chewing on the licorice stick, Kiera nudged with her head.


    "Do your thing."


    "Ah...?"


    Aoife blinked her eyes.


    Do my thing?


    What in the world was this idiot talking about?


    "Tsk."


    Kiera clicked her tongue looking at Aoife with a gaze that seemed to say, ''Are you dumb or just stupid?''


    Aoife''s frown deepened further.


    "Just wh¡ª"


    "Aren''t you a great stalker?"


    Kiera cut Aoife off, forcing her face to freeze.


    Holding onto the licorice stick, she pointed it in the direction of where the group just left.


    "Do what you''re good at. Stalk him so that we know who he is."


    "...."


    Aoife felt her hand twitch.


    Her cheeks. Her plump and mellow cheeks...


    They looked so lonely to Aoife.


    ***


    nk¡ª


    Julien closed the door of the wooden house. The wooden floor creaked under his step as he looked around.


    The room was small, with just a small window by the side. There was a single bed and a sofa.


    "....I feel scammed."


    He had booked the room for himself and paid 100 Rend for it.


    His group was only going to stay at the checkpoint for an hour before leaving. There was really no need for him to purchase the room.


    ....But he had no choice but to.


    Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.


    Scratching the side of his neck, Julien''s expression shifted slightly. His brows furrowed, and his breathing quickened.


    "Haa... Haa... Haa..."


    Bang!


    His fist smacked against the table as his eyes turned bloodshot.


    "Ukh...!"


    Covering his face with the palm of his hand, veins started to protrude from the side of his neck.


    Scratch. Scratch.


    The scratching quickened.


    ....Julien''s expression started to change. The same was true for his eyes and his overall demenour.


    "Red, red, red..."


    As he did, he continued to mutter the same things over and over again.


    "Akh...!"


    He seemed like apletely different person.


    This went on for several minutes until he felt a wet sensation on the side of his neck.


    He was only able to calm himself down when he looked at his hands which were stained in his own blood.


    "Haaa... Haa... Ah..."


    His expression started to calm down, and the anger within him started to subside.


    "Hooo..."


    Sitting on a wooden chair, Julien looked up at the ceiling of the room and took a deep breath.


    "....I need to hurry."


    The trip to Bremmer was an important one.


    His mental state was deteriorating by the day, and the personalities he had been keeping hidden within him were slowly starting to take over.


    Alexander in particr.


    ....He was slowly taking over.


    There was only one person who knew about his current condition.


    It was none other than Delh. She was the one who told him to go with the other group instead of the Haven group.


    .....It was for both his and their good.


    A simple stimulus was enough to trigger problems for Julien.


    He had no choice but to stay away from them. At least, until he got to Bremmer where he could find the cure.


    ''It''s a pity that I have to get it myself.''


    Delh wasn''t exactly on the best of terms with the Royal family.


    Rather, her rtionship with them was one of the worst. For that reason, she couldn''t help him in that regard. The same was true for As who already did a lot to get him the Dragon Bone.


    Julien...


    He was on his own this time.


    "Huuu."


    It took five more minutes for Julien topletely go back to normal.


    "....Not good."


    Just keeping up with his own thoughts was hard. They were a jumbled mess with all sorts of voices entering his mind, and trying to take over.


    It wasn''t just that.


    His emotions were also an utter mess.


    Over the past few days, he cycled over the six emotions on a routine.


    It took every bit of his willpower to keep himself fromshing out in public.


    Getting to Bremmer was a priority for him. Otherwise... He really would not be able to return to normal.


    "Good thing I bought my own room."


    Looking at the mess he had caused, Julien sighed and started cleaning up the room. There were cracks on the table, and everything that had been on top of it was scattered all over the ground.


    It took several minutes for him to clean.


    He only rxed once he was done.


    .....Or at least, that was until someone knocked on the door.


    To Tok¡ª


    "Get ready. We''re starting to leave."


    It was a familiar voice.


    Kaelion.


    For him to havee personally to tell him...


    ''How nice.''


    Julien stood up from his seat and fixed his clothes. Leaving a couple of notes on the table to pay for the damage, he directly opened the door where Kaelion stood.


    "...."


    Leaning against the wooden handrail, their gazes met for a brief moment as he looked behind.


    "Why did you buy a room?"


    "....Well, I needed to private space for myself."


    Julien answered with a small smile.


    He could only smile.


    ....He had long lost the ability to keep his face straight.


    Smiling was the only way he could hide his true thoughts.


    "I see."


    Kaelion gave a short nod before walking down the flight of stairs.


    Julien followed right after, and they soon joined the main group.


    "Everyone is here, good."


    Professor Thornwhisper stood at the front like usual. Doing a headcount, he proceeded to head towards the main gate of the checkpoint.


    There were several guards waiting there and after a brief talk, the gates began to open to disy what appeared to be arge forest.


    "There are better ces to get to the capital, however..."


    Pausing, the Professor turned his head to look at them with narrowed eyes.


    "....I believe we''re in need of some intense training in order to make up for the loss that you''ve suffered."


    His deep voice made its way into the ears of the cadets who lowered their heads in shame.


    "Good, let''s not waste any more time."


    The Professor proceeded to head deep into the forest shortly after that.


    Staring at each other, the cadets could say nothing and followed him right behind.


    That was the start of their hell.


    *


    Bremmer was located within the Netherborn forest.


    Some could say that it was strategically built in the middle of the forest in order to make it harder to invade the capital given that portals couldn''t be built within a certain radius of the city.


    For someone to enter the capital they needed to traverse the forest, which was filled with dangerous monsters.


    There were several strategic checkpoints ced all over the forest.


    The Gryphon Gate was a popr point, with it providing several easy roads that travelers could take in order to head into the capital.


    With that being said, not all the roads provided were easy.


    There were several that were infested with monsters.


    ....And that was the route those of the Aurora Empire took.


    Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!


    Holding his hand forward, Kaelion''s hair fluttered as over a dozen spells flew in the air, impaling the trees and rocks that were ahead of him.


    "Hieeek!"


    "Akh...!"


    A few moments after his spellsnded, the ground trembled, revealing what appeared to be ck hands as they reached out from beneath the ground.


    "Happ...!"


    Appearing from his side was Jessica who held onto a broadsword. With the stick of a lollipop still in her mouth, she shed down with both hands.


    Bang¡ª!


    The surroundings shook, and the hands were severed in half.


    "Ukh...!"


    But that didn''t prove to do the trick as the hands multiplied, splitting into two separate new hands that reached out from the ground.


    That was when Aiden stepped forward, holding his hand forward as the hands stopped moving altogether.


    Then, squeezing his hands, the hands shattered into thousands of pieces.


    Defeating the monsters, he looked at Jessica with a gloating look.


    "See? That''s how you do it."


    "Fuck off."


    Crunch. Crunch...!


    Spitting the lollipop stick in her mouth, the ground beneath her shook as she appeared in front of several other hands.


    "Hap..!"


    Booom!


    "Not bad."


    Observing from the distance was Professor Thornwhisper.


    The monsters that the cadets were currently dealing with were known as ''Shadow Walkers'' and were creatures that utilized the dark to attack their prey from their weak points.


    They were rather difficult creatures to deal with as they hid in the shadows, but the group was handling the situation rather well.


    Especially Kaelion who found the Shadow Walkers wherever his gaze swept.


    ....They were supposed to be tricky figures to find, but under his gaze, nothing could be hidden.


    He was probably capable of taking care of all of them, but he didn''t and just brought them out of the shadows so that the others could take care of them. He was doing excellent in that regard.


    The Professor had nothing toin about.


    If he hadn''t forfeited then...


    "Hm?"


    And then, the Professor''s gaze wandered over to a certain cadet.


    Standing by the side with his hands behind his back, he watched the spectacle with a smile on his face.


    He was acting as though he had no part in the entire situation.


    And as if he could sense his gaze, his head lifted up to meet the Professor''s gaze. He smiled at him shortly after.


    "...."


    The Professor frowned at the sight but soon shook his head. He hadn''t been trying to hide his gaze so it was no wonder the cadet found him.


    ''I guess he doesn''t want to disy his abilities.''


    That was the most likely reason he wasn''t doing anything.


    Professor Thornwhisper didn''t mind that. So long as he didn''t interfere with the training, he couldn''t care less about what happened to the student.


    His only job was to bring him to Bremmer before parting ways with him.


    He just needed to do that and everything would be over.


    "I''ll report thister to¡ªUh?"


    All it took was a single blink from the Professor for the situation to change.


    By the time it took for him to blink, the view before him changed dramatically and the Professor felt his entire body grow stiff.


    "Where...!?"


    He moved forward, his heart dropping at the same time.


    "....Where did they go?!"


    Gone.


    The cadets were gone.

 Chapter 220 Fog of the thousand illusions [2]

    <h4>Chapter 220 Fog of the thousand illusions [2] </h4>


    "....What do you think?"


    Delh looked up. Fay, sitting with her small legs dangling over the chair, leaned back and stared at Delh.


    Putting her pen down, Delh tilted her head.


    "Think about what?"


    "About him."


    There was nothing else that she needed to say for Delh to understand.


    By ''him'' she was referring to Julien. Ever since he woke up again, she started to reveal real interest in him.


    She had been interested in him before, but currently, her interest was at an all-time high.


    "How did he do it...?"


    Even now, Delh could see Fay still thinking about him.


    But it wasn''t as though she didn''t understand where Fay wasing from. Ever since waking up from his strange state... he had changed. It was almost as if he had be apletely different person.


    Or at least, that was what Delh thought at first.


    ''He hasn''t changed. He''s the same. It''s just that he has no choice but to change.''


    Such were the words Fay had told her the moment she came to visit Julien after waking up.


    Delh could still recall the somber and tense expression she wore on her face back then.


    ''I don''t know what happened, but...''


    Fay''s hand was pressed against Julien''s temple as she looked back to her.


    ''....I can''t read him anymore. All I feel is an endless surge of emotions that will swallow me up if I dive deeper into his mind.''


    "Delh."


    "....Hm."


    Snapping out of her thoughts, Delh looked towards Fay who was looking at her with her head tilted.


    "What''s wrong? You seem lost in your own thoughts."


    "No, I was just thinking about the words you told me in the past."


    "Which ones?"


    "....The ones you told me after you checked up on him. About how you would be swallowed if you dove deeper into his mind."


    "Ah, that."


    Fay smiled helplessly.


    "I really don''t know what happened. The moment he woke up, I saw something that I''d never seen before."


    Extending her hand forward, she looked at it.


    "Even now, thinking back to that moment..."


    Her hand started to tremble.


    "All I feel is goosebumps."


    Fay closed her eyes.


    "His control over his emotions is still severelycking, but his power and intensity... they are at a level that I can''t gauge. He might even have surpassed me in that aspect."


    "....."


    Delh listened in silence.


    She wasn''t too surprised by the revtion.


    Thinking about the expression she had made back then, Delh could more or less tell that Julien had reached an entirely new level of Emotive Magic.


    But,


    "It''s a pity that the power is consuming him,"


    Fay said while leaning back on the chair.


    Delh closed her eyes.


    Indeed, Julien was being consumed by his own emotions. This was something that everyone who had been present could see.


    At certain points, he''d start to disy extremes for each emotion.


    It took several days for him topletely stabilize, but even then, he was still struggling to keep himself fromshing out.


    ....It was for that reason that they didn''t want him to attend the sses.


    He was just too dangerous.


    "Well, it''s not like the situation ispletely helpless."


    Fay spoke while drumming her fingers over the armrest of the chair. Scratching her chin, she thought for a moment before saying,


    "There''s actually a special pill that he can consume in order to stabilize his condition. I wanted to request it for him, but you know..."


    Fay scratched the side of her cheek, and Delh nodded.


    Just like her, she also didn''t have a good rtionship with the royal family. Her request would probably be rejected without a thought.


    Especially since the pill was extremely expensive and rare.


    There was only one way for Julien to acquire the pill.


    Win the Four Empire Summit. Or at least, disy enough talent to attract the attention of the Royal Family.


    ''It''s possible.''


    Delh knew of Julien''s capabilities.


    If it was the current him, then...


    "Actually, it''s not like that is the only way that he can be cured."


    Delh''s thoughts were abruptly cut short by Fay who was speaking to herself.


    "It''s not like he has to get the pill to bepletely healed. There are other ways for him to suppress the overload of emotions, but they are going to take way too much time."


    Listening from the side, Delh tilted her head.


    Howe this was the first time she learned of this?


    "What?"


    As if she could read her thoughts, Fay frowned.


    "You''re thinking why I never mentioned it, right?"


    "...."


    "....It''s because it''s not something that he can do and will probably take a lot more time."


    "I see."


    "What? You don''t believe me?"


    Fay sat up.


    Her demenour turned extremely serious.


    "He needs to let go."


    "....Let go?"


    "Yes."


    Fay nodded her head seriously.


    "If he wants to heal the other way, he needs to let go of himself entirely."


    ***


    It was an unexpected situation.


    In one moment, everything was calm and in the next moment, the surroundings changed.


    A dense fog covered the surroundings.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Professor?"


    "I can''t see anything."


    The cadets were naturally confused, but there wasn''t much panic to begin with. Everyone was able to remainposed, and order was quickly regained.


    Leading everyone was Kaelion who was quick to organize everyone.


    "Make sure you hold the hand, or something, of the person next to you. It''s so that we can be sure that we don''t lose each other."


    This situation, although unexpected, wasn''t something that left him flustered.


    He had been in far worse situations and was able to retain his cool because of it.


    "Once everyone is holding a hand, I will shout a name to make sure that everyone is present."


    Looking around, he held onto a hand with his left hand and reached out for another with his right hand.


    "You..."


    But his expression changed slightly when he noticed who the hand belonged to. Closing his eyes, he was about to curse silently, when he realized that his presence was a good thing.


    ''Right, he''s also strong.''


    In that case, he felt his burden lessen slightly.


    "I will start with the lowest rank."


    He looked around at the fog and shouted.


    "Jeffrey!"


    "...."


    His words were met with no response.


    Frowning, Kaelion shouted again.


    "Jeffrey!"


    "...."


    But yet again, he was met with silence.


    He waited a few more seconds before feeling his heart drop.


    ''Not good.''


    He was just about to shout again when he blinked his eyes. For some reason, his left side felt light...


    Just wha¡ª


    "!?"


    Kaelion''s expression twisted as he looked towards his left hand.


    He was holding onto a hand, yes...


    But it was a severed one.


    Drip..! Drip.


    Blood oozed from the stump, revealing the bone of the arm within. The grotesque sight made his stomach churn uncontrobly.


    Turning his head hastily to look to his right side, he was relieved to see that there was no problem there.


    "Whoever is close to me say something...!"


    "...."


    His words were met with silence.


    "....It can''t be."


    Kaelion was still not panicked.


    Looking around and seeing that there was no response, he closed his eyes and was quick toe to terms with the situation.


    "We''ve been separated."


    He turned to look towards Julien.


    "Do you have any idea of what''s going on?"


    "I do not."


    Julien answered with a shake of his head.


    He also seemed confused by the situation, but there seemed no trace of panic in his expression. It was still as rxed as Kaelion remembered.


    ....Or was it?


    Looking closely, he could see his pupils shaking slightly.


    No, not just his pupils.


    His hand too.


    ''Just what in the...''


    Xiu!


    "....!"


    Kaelion quickly ducked down.


    There, a ck head emerged from behind him, separating the fog away briefly as it reached out to grab onto the air.


    Twisting his body, Kaelion pointed his finger at the hand where a small magic circle formed.


    "Hieek¡ª"


    A scream echoed and a hand was severed.


    "This..."


    Staring at the hand, Kaelion''s expression turned serious.


    "....I wasn''t able to detect it until thest moment."


    He felt his heart grip with a certain anxiety. This had never happened to him before, and as he looked around, he realized that all of his senses had started to dull. Be it his vision, sense of smell, and hearing.


    They had all been dulled to the point where he could hardly focus.


    "Oh no."


    Ba... Thump!


    He started to hear the sound of his own heart.


    It drummed loudly within his mind.


    "What is going on?"


    Despite everything, he was still able to force himself to keep calm. Taking a few deep breaths, he cast a small shield around him and Julien.


    "That should stop the enemies from¡ª!!"


    Kaelion''s expression changed dramatically.


    As he turned his head to look at Julien, his blood ran cold. Instead of Julien, a gaunt woman with hollow ck eyes and a skeletal frame stood there, gripping his hand. Her long white dress flowed like a shroud, adding to the eerieness of the situation.


    "W-what...!?"


    For the first time, he started to feel hints of true panic as he hastily let go of her hand.


    Or at least tried.


    She didn''t let go.


    "L-let go!"


    He held his hand in her direction.


    A multitude of magic circles formed right behind him as the mana surrounding the two started to be denser.


    He was just about to unleash the spell when a cold, mmy hand shot out from behind, wrapping tightly around his neck.


    "Akh...!"


    Kaelion''s eyes widened.


    As he turned his head, his blood ran cold. Another woman had appeared, her lifeless eyes boring into him with a chilling intensity.


    She too...


    Was wearing the same white clothes as the girl before him.


    Their clothing was tattered, but Kaelion could just faintly make out a golden insignia among the rags.


    His curiosity was short-lived. Without warning, a cold hand shot out from behind him, mping down on his mouth, silencing his breath with a grip of icy dread.


    "Hmm...! Hmm!"


    He wanted to shout, but the words couldn''t leave his mouth.


    A sudden sense of despair overtook his mind at that moment as his entire body started to grow numb.


    Thest thing he saw before his mind cked out was an aged and sunken expression.


    "...."


    His world turned quiet shortly after that as he passed out.


    Skrrr... Skrr...


    Standing up, the women held onto his hands and dragged him away. Only for them to stop shortly after.


    Crack! Crack!


    A bone-chilling crack echoed through the air as the women''s heads twisted unnaturally, snapping one hundred and eighty degrees. Their dead, vacant eyes locked onto a certain figure behind them.


    As his hazel eyes scanned the group, Julien''s eyes paused on Kaelion.


    "So that''s where he was..."


    Quietly mumbling to himself, Julien''s eyes started to twitch.


    Then, staring at the women in front of him, he closed his eyes.


    "Right..."


    He raised his foot.


    "I might as well try the new skill."


    And pressed it against the ground.

 Chapter 221 Fog of the thousand illusions [3]

    <h4>Chapter 221 Fog of the thousand illusions [3]</h4>


    Bang¡ª!


    The ground beneath Julien''s feet crumbled, and the surroundings shook. All of a sudden, the creatures before him stopped in their tracks, their backs slowly hunching down in a manner that made it seem like they wanted to prostrate before him.


    Their movements stopped, and their hollow eyes fell on him.


    "Hieek¡ª!"


    They screamed, but their bodies remained glued on the spot. Regardless of what they tried, their bodies refused to move.


    Rather, with the passing of time, their bodies started to lower and lower.


    .....It wasn''t long before they were all prostrating before Julien who stared at the scene silently.


    "...."


    His cold gaze swept the surroundings.


    ''What sort of monsters are they...?''


    They really looked like humans, but something was unsettling about them that made him unsure.


    His eyes fell on their white clothes.


    More specifically, the golden insignia and he frowned.


    A clue...?


    Regardless, his gaze once again swept the surroundings before he brought his hand forward. Over a dozen threads manifested across the surroundings, creating a small fence around the area he was in.


    Rustle~


    Stepping forward, he moved closer to the creatures who were still ring at him while hissing.


    "They really do look like humans."


    Bending down to their level, Julien lifted the chin of one of the creatures to get a better look.


    "Akh...! AKh!"


    The moment he did, the creature tried to bite him, but Julien was unmoved.


    He kept his gaze firm on the creature that slowly started to sink deeper and deeper into the ground.


    The more he looked, the more he started to realize something.


    "....It''s not that they look like humans."


    He let go of the chin.


    Bang!


    The creature''s head smacked against the ground at incredible speeds.


    "They are humans."


    Standing up, Julien''s gaze paused on Kaelion.


    He was still conscious, and staring at him with widened eyes. Julien''s eyes flickered slightly as his gaze paused on Kaelion before he flicked his hand, and he was able to breathe.


    "Huaaa...!"


    Taking a deep breath, Kaelion''s chest heaved up and down repeatedly.


    It took several seconds for him to calm down, and when he did, his gaze swept over the creatures.


    He appeared to be strangely calm.


    "....Did you say they were humans?"


    "I did."


    Julien replied tly.


    Despite their looks, the creatures were indeed human.


    To tell if something was human or not was rather easy. Unlike humans, who had their cores around their abdominal area, monsters had their cores near their heads.


    With a simple check, Julien was able to determine that the creatures before him were in fact, humans.


    "You''re right."


    Kaelion muttered while taking his hands away from one of the women in white.


    "But..."


    His expression changed slightly as he looked at Julien.


    "....It''s weird."


    "What is?"


    Kaelion furrowed his brows while looking at the women in white.


    "They are abnormally strong, and the moment their hands came into contact with me, it felt as though the mana inside of my body was being drained. I could barely channel any spells."


    "Is that why you weren''t able to retaliate?"


    "Yes."


    Julien stood still while staring at one of the women who was slowly sinking deeper into the ground.


    Lowering his body again to get a better look, he pressed his hand on one of the women and she stopped sinking. He then flipped her body over.


    Her breath was weak, but she was still alive.


    "Do you recognize that?"


    Not that it mattered to Julien who pointed at the golden insignia on her white shirt. The insignia was that of arge eye, that stood at the top of a triangle, seemingly overlooking everything beneath.


    It was the first time he had seen something like that, and thus, he could only ask Kaelion who stared at it with a frown.


    "...."


    Kaelion stood in silence for a short moment before shaking his head.


    "No, it looks familiar to the symbol of one of the seven great churches, but it''s slightly different."


    "Seven great churches?"


    Julien curiously asked.


    Although he had read about them before, he hadn''t really paid much attention to them. But there indeed were seven main religions in the world.


    Each of them seemed to worship a different god.


    "Do you not know about the seven great churches?"


    "I know a little..."


    "...."


    Kaelion looked at the golden insignia before pointing at it.


    "That looks like the insignia of the Church of the Omniscient Seer. They aren''t exactly the same, but there are simrities. Especially the eye. It looks exactly the same."


    Julien observed the eye for a brief moment.


    He wasn''t really familiar with the symbol of the ''Omniscient Seer'' so he didn''t really know about the familiarities or differences.


    Nheless, he could tell that there was some sort of link with whatever symbol was before him.


    "Some sort of cult?"


    "Maybe."


    Kaelion tensely answered as he nced at the symbol.


    "....But I''m not sure. It could be something else entirely."


    "I see."


    Julien nodded and looked around. The moment he did, his expression faltered slightly. As if also noticing something amiss, Kaelion raised his head.


    "Ah."


    His expression also changed slightly.


    "That''s a lot..."


    "Yes."


    Julien nodded while scanning the surroundings.


    Their bony hands grasped the trees, dozens of hollow eyes boring into him. Men and women with long ck hair and sunken features emerged from the shadows, slowly encircling the area, their silent presence suffocating him with a growing sense of dread.


    Such feeling was further amplified by the emotions deep within him as Julien felt his breath grow heavier and heavier.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    He could tell that fear was slowly starting to crawl up from his mind.


    .....He didn''t have much time before he''d bepletely consumed by it.


    It was for that reason that he didn''t waste time and pressed his foot forward.


    Bang¡ª


    The area of effect expanded as his face turned pale.


    [Step of Supression]


    Such was the name of the innate skill that Julien received after merging with the Dragon bone. The skill granted him the ability to suppress everything within a certain radius of him.


    The mana expenditure of the skill was ratherrge, and he could control the affected people within the area.


    It was the first time he had used the skill, and while it certainly was great, the downside of the skill was the fact that it didn''t work very well on people who were specialized in the [Body] path.


    "Hiekkk¡ª!"


    Indeed, as some of the people dressed in white fell to the ground, some were able to remain standing while taking steps to close down the distance.


    "....."


    Julien stared at them with a frown and swiped his hand in the air.


    Pfttt!


    Blood spurted in the air as heads rolled.


    While they were able to withstand the gravity, their movements were slowed. By using the threads, he was able to make quick work of them.


    Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!


    The one who was having the easiest time was Kaelion who killed mercilessly.


    Wherever his spell went, a person would die.


    The two worked silently together, covering each other''s back for the next few minutes. There were a lot of people, and none appeared to regard their lives as they rushed to the two.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Before they knew it, Julien and Kaelion''s breaths grew heavy.


    Ten minutes had passed since the attacks started, and there appeared to be no end in sight.


    Just how many were there?


    The one who was having it the worst was Julien as sweat trickled down the side of his face.


    "Hieek..!"


    Thump!


    Another person fell, and Julien stepped forward, his foot sinking into the blood-stained ground.


    He had tried a couple of times to use Emotive Magic, but it appeared to not affect the people in front of him.


    As if they had been brainwashed, they had no other thoughts or emotions other than to kidnap them.


    .....It was for that reason that he had no choice but to continue fighting the way that he was.


    "Ukh...!"


    But even that had its limits.


    Holding onto his chest, Julien felt his right eye twitch.


    There were still several dozen people moving toward him. Even as the gravity forced blood to drip down from their eyes, they continued forward, trying to reach for him.


    Swoosh!


    A hand almost did reach for him, but he was just able to dodge it in time.


    Cold sweat trickled down the side of his face as he watched the sunken arm ahead of him.


    ''I can''t let that touch me.''


    For whatever reason, the arms were capable of severing the connection one had with their mana cores.


    ....It was due to that that they were able to take care of Kaelion who had been caught off-guard.


    Since they now knew that, the two of them tried their best to avoid getting touched.


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ª


    But it was hard.


    Their sheer numbers were making it hard for Julien to dodge their movements, and with the numbers increasing, so was his mana expenditure as the effects of [Step of Supression] diluted in order to affect more people.


    "Ukh..!"


    Xiu! Xiu!


    Julien wasn''t the only one struggling.


    Kaelion was also struggling. His face was pale, and his hair stuck to his face due to the sweat.


    "H-how.. haa... many are there...?"


    He looked around incredulously.


    Julien clenched his teeth and looked around as well.


    His expression distorted upon noticing a further group approaching from the distance.


    "We have... to go."


    Julien didn''t think twice about his decision.


    Looking back, Kaelion nodded his head in agreement.


    "Do I open up a path?"


    "No, let me..."


    Scratching the side of his head, Julien''s gaze locked onto a certain direction and he turned his body.


    Taking a deep breath, he bit his lips and pressed his foot down.


    Bang¡ª!


    The surroundings shook, and all the monsters ahead of him stopped moving.


    "Cough...! Cough!"


    Coughing violently, Julien''s body started to sway slightly.


    Looking at him, Kaelion grabbed his arm and dragged him ahead. At the same time, using his other hand, he cast several spells and a shield around them as he rushed forward.


    Julien, despite being tired, did his best to keep up.


    As the two ran, the heads of the people twisted in an unnatural manner, as they locked onto the two of them.


    Then, as the two of them passed them, they reached out with their hands.


    nk! nk...!


    "....!"


    Kaelion''s expression changed dramatically the moment the hands reached forward as he realized the shield he cast on the two of them didn''t work at all.


    The hands reached closer to them.


    "Ah, shit...!"


    They were only a few meters away.


    Kaelion held his breath. He could feel theming for him. Coming for them...


    ''No, I can''t...''


    His eyes started to tremble.


    He didn''t want to die.


    Not like this.


    He still had things to do.


    No, he couldn''t...


    He...


    Kaelion''s gaze lowered to stare at Julien. He was barely keeping up, and his face was entirely pale.


    If he were to let go, then...


    "Ha...!"


    Kaelion felt his breath grow heavy.


    All sorts of voices started to whisper in his mind.


    ''But he helped me.''


    ''Let him go.''


    ''It''s either him or you.''


    ''Use him as bait.''


    They grew louder in his mind, and before he knew it, his lips had gone dry.


    "Hiek!!"


    The hands grew closer.


    They were now almost close to him.


    He felt his heart speed up.


    Anxiety crawled up the deepest parts of his body.


    And,


    "Ah...!"


    He let go.


    He pushed away Julien.


    "Sorry, but one of us has to survive!"


    In thosest moments, he could recall seeing Julien''s gaze. His eyes... his cold and unmoved gaze as the hands shifted away from him, and moved towards Julien.


    Kaelion felt his entire body chill.


    It was a familiar feeling.


    But he couldn''t care less.


    ''Right, he''s noting back. There''s no point...''


    He turned around and didn''t look back.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    With heavy breath and a surge of adrenaline, he rushed away from the group.


    He ran.


    Ran towards his freedom.


    Or at least, that was what he thought.


    Thump!


    Ubeknowst to him, he felt his lower half be light and he fell forward.


    "Haa...! W-what?!"


    At the same time, he felt a stinging pain in the lower half of his body. Grasping the ground, he tried to stand up but found himself unable to.


    "W-what..?! J¡ª!"


    His expression froze the moment he turned around and looked at his legs.


    "Ah!"


    To his horror, he realized...


    "M-my legs!"


    His legs...


    They were gone.

 Chapter 222 Fog of the thousand illusions [4]

    Chapter 222 Fog of the thousand illusions [4]


    ??''Kill him.''


    ''...Destroy him.''


    ''Torture him.''


    The moment Julien felt Kaelion''s grip on his arm loosen, something within him snapped. Anger started to boil within his body, and he extended his hand forward to where a thin thread had extended.


    It crept up from behind Kaelion, before entangling over his feet and severing them in half.


    ''How dare he...!?''


    Grasping the coarse earth beneath him, Julien pushed himself up andunched himself towards where Kaelion was.


    "M-my legs...!"


    On the other hand, Kaelion was still panicked about his missing legs.


    So much so that he didn''t notice Julien who had arrived before him and grasped his neck.


    "Ukeh..!"


    Kealion''s face grew pale immediately as his eyes widened.


    Saliva flew out from his mouth as he grasped Julien''s arms and dug his nails into them. But it was useless.


    This little pain...


    It was nothing to Julien.


    Let alone a Julien who was not in the right state of mind.


    ''Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.''


    Thump! Thump!


    Kaelion continued to thrash his body around in an attempt to free himself. He even tried to cast a few spells, but whenever he did, Julien would headbutt him directly in the head.


    Bang!


    "Ukh...! N-no!"


    Kaelion begged.


    He begged and resisted.


    He had to get out.


    ....He needed to get out.


    But,


    But,


    "Ah..."


    There was no way out.


    Gradually, his breathing grew faint.


    His eyes were bloodshot, and his gaze was locked on Julien. There was clear hatred and anger in his gaze as he looked at Julien, but it was useless.


    ''Kill him.''


    ''....Make sure he pays for what he did.''


    ''How dare he!!!? After what you''ve done to help him!''


    ''Snake!''


    ''Bastard...!''


    Julien had long lost his sense of reasoning.


    The only thing in his mind was Kaelion in front of him.


    He wanted him to suffer.


    ....To be in pain and to die.


    How could this bastard betray him after he had helped him?


    How!!


    "Ukh...!"


    The struggle had long stopped.


    Kaelion''s face was purple, and his eyes were widened to the extreme. At that moment, Julien could see from his expression that he had long given up.


    He... was slowly waiting for his death toe.


    A death that Julien was going to give him.


    ....Yes, he was going to kill him.


    For what he did to him.


    He was going to¡ª


    Bang!


    "Ukh!"


    His thoughts were abruptly cut off by arge force as Julien found himself crashing against a nearby tree.


    "Akh...!"


    Saliva flew out from his mouth as his shoulder crashed against the tree.


    "Cough!"


    Holding onto his shoulder, Julien looked up to see several figures standing where Kaelion was.


    "....Uh?"


    He could recognize them at a nce.


    In particr, two gray eyes stood out to him.


    ''Leon...?''


    But such reasoning.


    ....It onlysted for a few seconds before his mind grew nk.


    ***


    ¡ª¡ªA few moments earlier.


    The situation was abrupt. In one moment, Leon and the members of the Haven group were heading to Bremmer, when all of a sudden, a fog appeared out of nowhere and entrapped them all.


    "Everyone! Please hold someone!"


    "Hold onto each other!"


    The instructor was nowhere in sight, and the only ones they could rely on to figure out the situation were each other.


    Thankfully, everything proceeded smoothly.


    "What is going on?"


    Evelyn asked while she looked around.


    "....Where is the instructor? And since when do fogs appear here?"


    "They don''t."


    Aoife answered with a frown.


    She was someone who had gone down this route thousands of times in the past.


    It was the first time that she had witnessed something like this in her life. Something... wasn''t right with the situation.


    Nheless, she knew where to head.


    "Let''s go this way. I see an Elderglow Sentinel in this direction."


    There was a specific breed of trees that grew the closer one got to Bremmer. They were known as ''Elderglow Sentinel'' and were a type of breed that glowed upon touch.


    Pressing her hand against the hard bark of the tree, a blue imprint was left on the tree.


    "Yes, let''s go this way."


    They were a type of breed that only grew towards the edge of Bremmer, growing more and more abundant the closer they were to the city, meaning that they weren''t very far from where they needed to be.


    "We should be there in an hour."


    Everyone sighed in relief upon hearing her words.


    The sudden situation, and the fact that the Professor was missing made them all panic a little, but with Aoife, who was familiar with the terrain, they no longer needed to worry.


    At least...


    That was until they heard a sudden noiseing from the distance.


    Bang¡ª!


    It was the muffled sound of an explosion, and Aoife stopped dead in her tracks. Frowning, she looked at Leon and the others who were also looking towards the distance with frowns.


    Sadly, the fog was too thick for them to see anything concrete let alone their own expressions.


    Eventually, Evelyn spoke.


    "Should we check it out?"


    Pursing her lips, Aoife shook her head.


    "No, it''s dangerous."


    Going there was not a great idea.


    Especially since they didn''t know what sort of situation they were in.


    And this wasing from someone who could hardly keep her curiosity. There were times when Aoife understood that she couldn''t satiate her curiosity.


    "....I am of the same opinion."


    "Me too."


    The others also appeared to share the same thoughts as her. As of right now, their first priority was to get to Bremmer.


    Everything else was a possible danger.


    "Let''s go."


    Aoife nodded and led the ground forward.


    Holding hands with the other group members, she led them forward. The noise grew more and more distant, and just when she thought she was far enough to not hear it anymore, she heard a sudden noiseing from up ahead.


    Bang!


    It was a simr noise to the one she had heard back then, but this time it was a lot closer and louder.


    "...."


    Her steps stopped, and the same was true for the others.


    "What''s going on?"


    Frowning, Leon looked up ahead.


    "....Is there something else going on?"


    The noise was simr, but Leon didn''t think it was the same noise from before.


    They had clearly gone in the opposite direction.


    There was no way it was the same noise.


    ....Or at least, that was until he heard Aoife''s gasp.


    "This...!"


    Everyone''s head flicked in her direction.


    With widened eyes, Aoife looked at the tree before her.


    Her expression continuously changed as she looked at the tree in front of her. Just as someone was about to ask what was going on, she muttered,


    "....It''s different."


    She turned her head to look at the others.


    "Just before... the tree... It was supposed to be an Elderglow Sentinel, but... it''s not."


    Aoife blinked her eyes to make sure she wasn''t seeing wrong. However, staring at the tree before her, she felt her heart drop.


    Indeed, what was once an Elderglow Sentinel hadpletely changed into a different breed. Or rather...


    ''An illusion.''


    The Elderglow Sentinel''s that she had been following. They... had been illusions.


    Aoife''s stomach churned at the realization.


    The same was true for the others. Looking around, they realized that there were no other Elderglow Sentinels and that they hadpletely lost their way.


    Chills ran down Aoife''s body as she looked around.


    Bang!


    Startling her out of her thoughts was the sound of another explosion.


    It was closer than before.


    "....What should we do?"


    Kiera looked in the direction of where the noise came from with a frown. She was creeped out by the situation, and the fact that she could hardly see was making it worse for her.


    All she could see was the faint outlines of the trees around her, sticking out like a sore thumb in the dense fog that enshrouded them.


    "Should we check out the noise?"


    "....I still don''t think it''s a good idea."


    Evelyn said from the side.


    "I agree with her."


    Josephine added from the side.


    But there was only one problem.


    "If we don''t want to head there, which direction should we go?"


    Leon said as he looked around.


    "I don''t know what''s going on, but thest time we moved away from the source of the noise, we ended up getting closer to it. Are we going to head in the opposite direction again?"


    "...."


    A tense silence took over the group.


    Indeed, it was as Leon said. Although they weren''t sure if the source of the noise was the same, they could tell that they were simr.


    And given that thest time they headed in the opposite direction, and yet ended up near it, would heading for the source of the noise be the correct decision?


    "Ukh...!"


    Kiera ruffled her hair.


    "Why does this shit have to be soplicated?"


    "...."


    Aoife stood silently on the side.


    She didn''t say anything and just looked ahead with squinted eyes. In the end, taking a deep breath, she bit her lips.


    "....I have a feeling that regardless of which path we choose, we''ll end up in the same direction of where the noisees from."


    Once again, the surroundings went quiet.


    A sense of dread started to loom over the group as they looked towards the noise came from.


    Clenching his fists, Leon pressed his forearm against the hilt of his sword.


    "We should get ready to fight."


    There didn''t seem to be any other choice.


    He too felt the same way as Aoife. The situation... was creepy, and regardless of where they headed, he had a feeling that they''d end up in the same spot.


    "I agree."


    Aoife calmed her rising nerves as she looked around.


    "Rest up for a bit and get ready to fight. At the same time, make sure to keep your guard up. We might get ambushed at any minute now."


    None of the cadets present had been cking during the academic year.


    Having been trained for quite a while, they were all able to keep theirposure and follow her instructions.


    It took them now more than a few minutes to get fully ready and calm.


    Although Aoife couldn''t see their expressions, she could feel it from their general vibe that they were ready.


    ''Good.''


    She sighed in relief.


    ''....Looks like the training with them over the past half a year wasn''t for nothing.''


    Following what had happened back in the Mirror Dimension, she had thought it was important to get the cadets ready for situations such as those.


    They may not have remembered, but she did.


    ....And using the Academy''s resources, she was able to train them for unfamiliar and creepy scenarios such as these.


    Bang!


    A muffled explosion echoed in the distance once more.


    Everyone grew alert.


    "Are you ready?"


    "Yes."


    "Yes."


    Following their confirmation, Aoife stepped forward and moved in the direction of where the sound came from.


    Rustle~


    As she moved, she hoped that they''d distance themselves as they moved closer to the noise.


    However,


    Bang!


    It only grew closer with each step.


    Taking another step, Aoife pushed a couple of branches away from her face, giving her a view of the sight thaty ahead.


    "....!"


    Her expression changed the moment she looked ahead.


    Unlike behind them, the fog wasn''t so thick.


    She could see clearly what was ahead, and what she saw left her breathless.


    "This...!"


    "Ah."


    The same was true for the others.


    All eyes were locked on a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes. With a deranged, almost maniac look, he mounted a person they were all familiar with.


    Kaelion.


    The strongest person from the Aurora Empire delegates.


    Looking around, the two of them were the only people present, and...


    "Ukh..!"


    With both hands pressed against his neck, Kaelion struggled to breathe.


    His entire face was purple, and his body started to convulse.


    He was... dying.


    Everyone felt their breath leave their body at the sight.


    Their heartbeats quickened, and their muscles grew stiff.


    That... who was he?


    ...And why was he doing this?


    There were only a couple of people who managed to recognize the cadet. They were none other than Leon, Aoife, and Kiera.


    Swoosh!


    Without hesitation, Leon rushed forward, extending his leg and kicking the cadet away from Kealion''s body.


    Bang!


    His actions were fast, and the cadet hardly had any time to react.


    Snapping out of it, the others rushed towards Kaelion and their expression twisted further upon seeing his missing legs.


    "It''s not good."


    Leon muttered while checking his pulse.


    "He''s on the verge of death. His pulse is extremely weak. If we


    ¡ª"


    Leon was never able to finish his sentence.


    All of a sudden, the gravity surrounding them increased greatly, forcing their bodies down.


    "This is...!?"


    Before the shock could even die down, a figure appeared right before Leon. He was fast, but not fast to the point where Leon couldn''t react.


    It was just that...


    ''The gravity.''


    As if his entire body was being constrained, he could hardly move it.


    Leon could only helplessly watch as the figure blurred right before him and...


    Bang!


    "Uheeekkk...!"


    A powerful blow dug its way into his stomach, lifting his body slightly in the air.


    "Akh..! Cough..."


    The blow was devastating, and a pain unlike ever before dug into Leon''s mind, forcing his eyes open as something crawled up from his stomach.


    "Blergh...!"


    "Leon!"


    Because the others weren''t as proficient as him in the [Body] category, they weren''t able to react on time. By the time it all happened, Leon was already on the ground puking due to the impact of the blow.


    "Uegh...!"


    Holding onto his stomach, Leon was barely able to look up.


    That was when his gaze locked onto two cold and unmoved blue eyes.


    Within those eyes, he could see madness.


    An unquenchable madness.


    ....And as of right now.


    That madness...


    It was directed right at him.


    No, them.

 Chapter 223 Fog of the thousand illusions [5]

    Chapter 223 Fog of the thousand illusions [5]


    ??Julien could recognize them.


    He knew exactly who they were, and yet, the anger that was boiling from within him was preventing him from thinking rationally.


    ''How dare he¡­!?''


    His eyes were locked onto Leon who was hunched down on the ground.


    Clearly, the blow had dealt severe damage to Leon.


    ¡­.And that was despite Leon being someone who specialized in the [Body] category.


    "Uekh¡­!"


    For Leon to suffer to such an extent¡­


    Looking around, Leon barely managed to catch his breath before shouting towards the others.


    "C-careful¡­! He''s someone who specialized in the [Body] category!"


    "You don''t have to tell me that."


    Aoife brought her hand forward, and Julien found his body stiffening.


    "Kh... N-now!"


    Shouting at the top of her lungs, Aoife''s face twitched as she struggled to keep ''Julien'' rooted on the spot. Given that the gravity surrounding them was extremely dense, she was struggling to keep herself upright.


    The same was true for the others.


    "T-take him out first."


    ....They had no choice but to deal with him first before thinking about anything else.


    Regardless, in their minds, the current person standing in front of them was an enemy. There was a chance he was the one responsible for everything that was going on.


    Kiera was the first one to move.


    As a red magic circle floated at the top of her palm, she brought it forward and arge torrent of mes flew in Julien''s direction.


    Swooosh!


    The surrounding temperature rose, and the me rapidly made its way towards Julien.


    Stuck under Aoife''s telekinesis, Julien could only watch as the mes approached him. He could see them approaching, and yet, he could do nothing about them.


    "...!"


    In the end...


    He was swallowed up directly by them.


    Swooosh!


    "Hah...! T-take that!"


    Kiera rejoiced at the sight.


    But she couldn''t be happy for too long.


    "Don''t be too happy. The gravity i-s still locked onto us."


    Aoife''s words were like a bucket of cold water. Gradually, the mes extinguished and the figure remained standing.


    His clothes were burned, and his skin was scorched, but other than that, he was still fine.


    "W-what...!?"


    Kiera looked at the scene with incredulous eyes.


    That...


    She had put quite a lot of power into that.


    What sort of body was this? How could it resist her mes?


    "Tsk."


    It was the sudden sound of someone clicking their tongue that snapped Kiera out of her disbelief. Looking around, her gaze fell on Aoife.


    "What?"


    Kiera felt something boil within her chest as she looked at her.


    "Why did you click your tongue? Something annoy you?"


    "Huh? What are you on about?"


    Aoife looked back and frowned at her.


    Then, she looked at the figure that stood in the middle and nudged with her head.


    "Now is not the time with your stuff. Go and finish it. I can''t hold on for long."


    "No, I''m not."


    Kiera clenched her hand.


    "....You''ve been pissing me off quite a lot recently. Just because I haven''t been doing shit doesn''t mean that I still don''t think you''re a bitch."


    "Haa?"


    Aoife''s frown deepened and her hands lowered slightly.


    "You think I''m not the same? I''ve been holding back quite a lot because of my responsibilities. Do you really think I care about you? We''re not on the same level."


    "Haha. I guess that''s true."


    "What''s true? I thought you knew from the start. You''re nothing to me."


    "Yeah, yeah... You''re right."


    Kiera rolled her sleeves up before approaching Aoife who stared back at her with cold eyes.


    The situation between the two of them grew extremely tense.


    It was so abrupt that it took the others aback.


    "Hey, guys!"


    Stepping forward, Evelyn tried to hold Kiera back.


    She looked at the two of them with a worried look.


    "What are you doing? This is not the time or ce for you two to fight!"


    "Fuck off."


    Kiera pushed Evelyn in the face.


    "Hey, wa-ah!?"


    Perhaps because she didn''t expect Kiera to push her so hard, she fell to the ground.


    "...."


    Stunned, she blinked her eyes several times before she looked up and red at Kiera.


    "What is wrong with you?!"


    "What''s wrong with me what? I told you to fuck off. Stop being a busybody. This is my shit with Aoife."


    "....."


    Evelyn clenched her teeth and red at Kiera whoughed at her mockingly.


    "What? You going to do something about it?"


    Kracka! Kracka!


    Bolts of lightning started to manifest around Evelyn. They started to dangerously revolve around her as her eyes flickered coldly.


    Kiera stared at the scene with a smirk.


    "Are you actually going to do shit?"


    "...."


    Evelyn remained quiet raised her hand and opened her palm.


    Kiera remained still without doing anything.


    She didn''t think Evelyn would do anything.


    ....But she was wrong.


    Booom!


    "Uekh...!"


    To her shock, a bolt of lightning directly headed for her,nding squarely in her chest and sending her body reeling back.


    Bang!


    Crashing against a nearby tree, Kiera coughed heavily as she clutched onto her chest.


    "Cough! Cough...!"


    Her body started to gradually spasm as her heart squeezed.


    "Akh...!"


    The pain was hard to describe and it took several seconds for Kiera to recover from the pain as she red at Evelyn.


    "You!"


    Her ruby-red eyes, bloodshot and wild, peered through the tangled strands of white hair that fell before her face. Her chest boiled with anger as she grasped the coarse soil beneath her, nails digging in, and pushed herself up.


    "I''ll- f-fucking kill you!"


    Kiera''s voice came out as a screech as she brought her hand forward and a magic circle appeared.


    However, just before the magic circle could fully form, a figure appeared right behind her, blocking her attempt.


    At the same time, Evelyn was also being held back by the others.


    "What are you doing!?"


    Kiera shouted at the top of her lungs as she red at Leon who held her arms.


    "Stop. You''re not in the right state of mind. You need to¡ªUekh!"


    Kiera headbutted Leon directly in the head, forcing him several steps back.


    Drip!


    Holding onto his nose, and looking down at the ground, Leon''s eyes widened. He then proceeded to look at Kiera who red at him.


    "This is the shit that happens when you hold me ba¡ªpfftt!"


    Blood splurted from Kiera''s mouth, cutting her sentence short as a thin sword pierced through her chest.


    Her body froze, every muscle rigid with shock and pain, as she looked at Leon with widened, disbelieving eyes.


    He too was in shock as he stood frozen on the stop.


    "A-ah, this..."


    Turning her head, Kiera locked eyes with a familiar set of yellow pupils. Her lips twisted into a cruel smile.


    "I-I fucking knew it."


    Thump!


    Those were thest words she managed to say before her body limped forward.


    The atmosphere turned silent as Aoife nkly stared at Kiera who bled out on the ground. Gradually, her head raised and she locked eyes with Leon who stared at the scene with an incredulous look.


    Aoife felt her mouth twitch.


    "Why are you making that expression?"


    "You..."


    Leon felt his breath leave his body.


    He couldn''t make sense of what had happened.


    She... did she really just kill her?


    "Haa."


    Leon reached out for his sword as he took a step back. Something.. something terrible was happening. But what? What exactly was going on?


    "Aoife. You need to ca¡ª!!!"


    Leon''s words were abruptly cut off by a powerful force. It came from behind him, and he hardly had any time to react before his back bent backward and he heard a snapping sound.


    Snap!


    "....!"


    The blow was so abrupt and powerful that he had no time to react at all. He wasn''t even able to scream.


    Thump!


    By the time he fell to the ground, he found himself unable to move his legs.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Breathing heavily, he looked behind him where a blue-eyed figure stood.


    His flesh was charred and blistered, and he limped painfully with every step.


    nk! nk!


    In the background, he could hear the relentless sound of metal shing against metal. When he looked around, he saw chaos: everyone was fighting against one another in a brutal, desperate struggle.


    Limbs flew in the air.


    Cadets fell on the floor.


    ....It was a massacre.


    Kacha! Kacha!


    Amidst the chaos, Evelyn''s lightning tore through one of the cadets, splitting them in half with a blinding sh.


    "Ah, w-what is this?!"


    Leon felt his entire heart grow cold.


    But if that wasn''t enough, he soon noticed Aoife approaching the blue-eyed man who limped slowly in her direction.


    Extending her hand, the blue-eyed cadet''s arm twisted unnaturally, rotating a full three hundred and sixty degrees with a sickening crack.


    "....."


    And yet, he made no sound.


    It was almost as if he didn''t feel any pain at all.


    This took Aoife back as she tried something else, but before she could do that, Leon had dragged himself forward andtched onto her foot.


    "Let go."


    Aoife red at him as she stomped onto his face.


    Bang!


    Blood splurted out of Leon''s face as he held onto her foot.


    "Let go."


    But Leon didn''t let go.


    Rather, he held more tightly.


    Bang!


    Aoife stomped on his face again.


    "Let go!"


    Her voice grew louder.


    But Leon didn''t let go.


    He held it even more tightly as his eyes turned even more bloodshot. In the distance, the blue-eyed cadet slowly made his way toward her.


    Aoife looked in his direction before looking down at Leon and raising her foot.


    Bang, bang, bang¡ª


    "Let go! Let go!!! Let goo!!!!"


    She grew more and more panicked with each stomp.


    And yet, Leon never let go. With his eyes fixed on the blue-eyed cadet, he started tough.


    "He-uk! Hehehk..!"


    Bang!


    "Let gooo!!!!"


    Aoife''s voice was now more like a screech.


    But it was of no use.


    Leon didn''t let go.


    And...


    Kracka!


    Two hands grasped the sides of Aoife''s head, twisting her neck cleanly as the sound of bones breaking echoed through the air.


    Thump!


    Aoife''s body fell shortly after that.


    Staring at the body, Leon remained silent for a moment before he covered his mouth.


    "Ukhe... ahahah, uekh! Kuk!"


    Weird sounds came out of his mouth as blood leaked from every part of his face.


    But he wasughing.


    He wasughing hysterically.


    "Khek.. hahah! ... ukah!"


    ''Fucking murderer! hahah! You died! Die!! You got what you deserved!''


    "Ukah! ua¡ª"


    Hisughter was short-lived.


    Shortly after, a foot raised and stomped down.


    Bang!


    Leon''s vision grew dark shortly after that.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    ''Kill...! Kill.''


    Bringing his foot back up, Julien stomped on Leon''s head again.


    Bang, bang, bang¡ª!


    He stomped and stomped, and stomped.


    Pfftt!


    Even as blood leaked everywhere and pieces of Leon''s innards scattered, he didn''t stop.


    He just stomped and stomped and stomped.


    "Haaa...!"


    Bang!


    By the time he was done, the world around him was silent.


    Raising his head, Julien looked around, a chill running down his spine as his mind started to clear up.


    ''W-what...?''


    "....."


    All he could see were corpses and limbs strewn across the blood-soaked ground.


    Everyone...


    Was dead.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    In the oppressive silence, the only sound was his ragged, panicked breathing.


    Rustle~ Rustle~


    But that silence shattered all too quickly.


    Nearby bushes and trees rustled ominously, and white-clothed figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding him.


    With hollow, lifeless eyes, their sunken faces locked onto him, unblinking and relentless.


    They stood still and mumbled incoherent words at him.


    Julien felt his entire body freeze as he felt the beat of his own heart. It was beating loudly, almost too loudly.


    And,


    "...."


    Thump!


    Falling to his knees, Julien found himself unable to move.


    Rustle~


    The figures moved, slowly approaching him.


    Julien stared at them as they approached. He wanted to do something but found himself unable to.


    His vision grew dark, and he soon lost consciousness.

 Chapter 224 The Celestial Chorus [1]

    Chapter 224 The Celestial Chorus [1]


    ??A faint, eerie glimmer of light seeped through the mosaic windows, its feeble glow barely illuminating the towering altar at the room''s heart.


    The air was heavy with an unsettling stillness, as if the very walls held their breath, waiting for something unseen yet deeply ominous.


    "...."


    A man garbed in white stood before the altar.


    His features were aged, framed by a white cassock adorned with a pellegrina and cinched with a fringed white fascia.


    A golden ne hung by his chest.


    sping his hands together, he prayed.


    "With reverence and devotion, we offer ourselves."


    His voice was brittle, echoing loudly within the confines of the church.


    "Bound to your will and purpose,"


    There was a certain maism to his voice that pulled the ears of those present.


    "In this world and beyond,"


    But there was something more to the voice.


    Something more... sinister.


    "For we are your loyal disciples."


    The voice...


    It dripped with a chilling fanaticism that teetered on the edge of obsession.


    "Offer us your guidance, our lord."


    An obsession that drew the madness within them.


    "....."


    Following the prayer, the surroundings turned quiet.


    Tak.


    But the silence was soon broken by a woman dressed in white as she walked up.


    With her eyes closed, she stopped behind the man and held onto the rosary in her grasp.


    "Your holiness, we have gathered the sacrifices."


    ".....You have?"


    The man spoke slowly, his gaze remaining firmly stuck on the altar.


    "Were there any problems?"


    "None"


    The woman replied in a low tone.


    "As you have foreseen, the sacrifices attacked each other. The poison seeped deep into their minds, turning them into vulgar beasts with no regard to rationality."


    "That''s good to hear. I presume you''ve fed them that, right?"


    "Yes. Several are in critical condition, but they should all make it. But your Holiness..."


    The nun hesitated, looking at the Archbishop with slight hesitation.


    "Why must we feed those inferior beings with the blood of our god? Wouldn''t it be better if you were to take them? If they are to take such precious¡ª"


    The nun stopped.


    "....."


    Staring at the back of the Archbishop, she felt her entire body freeze on the spot.


    It was an oppressive, and suffocating feeling that made her hold onto her neck.


    "Ukeh...!"


    Thankfully, the sensation didn''tst for long as it faded and the Archbishop''s voice echoed again,


    ".....Anything else?"


    The nun lowered her head.


    "We have lost thirty-eight brothers and sisters to the instructors. It is also likely that reinforcements wille."


    "That is okay."


    His Holiness replied.


    "....This was within my prediction."


    Slowly turning around, Archbishop Lucas revealed his eyes, which were stark white and devoid of emotion. Despite his kind smile, there was an unsettling coldness in his gaze as he looked down at the nun on the ground.


    "I can see ahead."


    He spoke softly.


    ".....For Oracleus has granted me sight."


    It was the sight that allowed him to know the sacrifices wereing.


    "I have foreseen their appearance. There''s no need to worry. By the time they find this ce, it''ll be toote."


    Archbishop Lucas smiled.


    "Begin the process. Inform me if there are any problems."


    "Yes, your Holiness."


    ***


    In one moment he was supervising the cadets, and in the next moment, he was attacked by several dozen people.


    nk¡ª!


    Professor Thornwhisper deflected the blow using a thin sword.


    Despite that, the blow was rather heavy and he took several steps back.


    "You, who are you?"


    He looked around him. He was in the middle of a forest, surrounded by a couple dozen people dressed in white. His expression grew tense at the sight of them.


    ''They''re strong.''


    Not individually, but together... they even made him, a tier 5 individual, struggle.


    Rustle~ Rustle~


    His question was met with nothing but silence as they continued to approach him. The Professor''s expression changed at the sight, and just as he was about to attack, he stopped himself.


    ''This isn''t what I''m supposed to do.''


    He had other priorities.


    Like finding the cadets and members of the Empire.


    He couldn''t let such talented kids die.


    ''Once I find them...''


    The Professor red at the people in white.


    Then, bringing his sword forward, he channeled all the mana within his body and charged forward.


    "Huep...!"


    A glow manifested around his sword as he rushed ahead.


    The mana surrounding him grew dense, his eyes turning bloodshot as his muscles tensed with an almost unbearable strain.


    Slicing down, the air split, alongside the ground.


    Bang!


    A terrifying explosion shattered the silence, sending dust billowing into the air and obstructing his vision. Thrusting his hand forward, he swept it to the side, carving a brief, tenuous path of sight through the thick, swirling haze.


    That was when he caught sight of two people.


    They stood still while staring at him.


    ....It was as if his actions meant nothing to them.


    And it truly did mean nothing as even as their heads were sliced off, they did nothing but stare at him.


    Running past them, the Professor continued to head deeper and deeper into the forest. As he did, he released several pulses of mana.


    His main priority was currently finding the members he was in charge of.


    However...


    "....Something is blocking my perception."


    To his frustration, the mana pulse barely reached a few meters before scattering.


    The Professor clenched his teeth at the realization.


    Looking around, he tried again, but the results were the same.


    "Nothing."


    The mana would stop just a few meters after he sent it away. Feeling his heart dropped, the Professor clenched his teeth and took out a small orb from his pocket.


    ''I didn''t want to use it, but...''


    He stared at it with frustration before shattering it in his hand.


    ''....I have no choice.''


    ***


    "Huaaa...!"


    I awoke with a start.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    My entire body felt cold, and my breath was heavy. I could feel the sound of my heart pounding in my mind, beating louder and louder by the second.


    "W-what''s... Ukh!!"


    My head throbbed.


    At the same time, I felt something cold run down my body.


    It was both warm and cold. It would alternate between the two. I wasn''t sure what it was.


    Was death supposed to feel like this...?


    Or at least, that was what I thought until I found myself opening up my eyes.


    "Uh?"


    A weird sound came out of my mouth as I did.


    How am I still alive...?


    It didn''t make sense.


    Thest memories I could recall were thest moments before my passing.


    The exchange with my brother, the lingering scent in the room, and the bittersweet, yet smoky taste of the whiskying down my throat.


    "How is this possible...?"


    As my vision cleared up, I tried to make out my surroundings.


    It was an unfamiliar setting.


    Nothing like I''d ever seen before.


    I was in what looked like a stone room. It was empty, and the only sound I could hear was the sound of my own breath.


    "What''s going on?"


    My head continued to throb.


    I was confused.


    .....I didn''t understand what was going on.


    In one moment I was dead, and in the next, I found myself waking up in an empty stone room.


    "Is this what hell feels like?"


    Because,


    "....It feels like shit."


    Holding onto my chest, I coughed several times.


    I felt the pain that was gripping my chest and knew that this was real. That I wasn''t dead, and that I was still alive.


    But how...?


    How was this possible!?


    "Cough!"


    I coughed again, gripping my clothes tightly.


    "Uh?"


    I looked down at my hand.


    It was a lot more muscr than Ist remembered.


    "No, it''s way more muscr..."


    Because of my cancer, my muscles had all degraded. I had been just skin and bones, and yet...


    "Huup!"


    Helping myself up, I felt energized.


    I could move freely, and I didn''t feel weak.


    "W-what''s going on?"


    I started to touch my face.


    ....But I saw no point in it after a while. I couldn''t tell the difference.


    "Hooo."


    I took a deep breath to calm myself down.


    All sorts of possibilities ran through my mind. In the end, the only conclusion I coulde up with was,


    ''An experiment.''


    I had been put under some sort of experiment that cured me of my cancer.


    "Yes, it has to be that."


    It was the only exnation.


    Looking around, my gaze fell on a stone door and I moved towards it.


    Bang! Bang¡ª!


    I banged on the door.


    "Let me out! I''m awake! Let me out...!"


    And yet, regardless of how much I banged on the stone door, it refused to budge.


    Bang, Bang!


    "Let me out! Let me out!"


    I continued to scream, but nothing.


    No response.


    Just what sort of...!


    Bang, bang, bang!!


    "Let me out!!!"


    I continued to bang at the door.


    I banged and banged and banged. And yet, regardless of how hard I tried, no one came. Even as my hands started to feel numb, I continued to bang.


    But...


    Nothing.


    "Let... Me... Out!!"


    Bang!


    "Haa... haaa... Haa...."


    Gradually, the energy started to leave my body. I hardly had any energy left to punch the wall, and I slowly started to fall to my knees.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    My vision was blurry and droplets of sweat dripped down from the side of my face.


    "W-what is going on?"


    I could hardly make sense of the situation.


    In one moment I was dead, and in the next moment, I was alive again, but stuck inside of a room.


    "M-maybe they''lle soon..."


    Leaning back against the door, I caught my breath as I looked towards the ceiling of the room. As my chest heaved up and down repeatedly, I felt a certain stinging from my left hand.


    "Ah....!"


    My expression twisted the moment I looked down.


    Attached to my arm was a vial containing a blood-red liquid. It punctured directly into my vein, and I could feel a slight pulse as the ominous substance flowed into my bloodstream.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Because of my panic, I hadn''t noticed it before.


    However, staring at it right now, I could feel my breath increasing.


    I thought about removing the liquid, but thinking about how I was still alive, I hesitated.


    What if...? What if this was the liquid that had cured me of my cancer?


    If that were the case, would I die if I were to remove it?


    "Agh."


    I ruffled my hair into a mess.


    "Brother."


    At the same time, I started to have thoughts about my brother. How was he? How long since I had been incapacitated? Did he agree to all of this...?


    "....Ah."


    I felt my head throb fiercely with each new thought that I had.


    But that didn''tst for long.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    The room shook, and when I turned my head, my eyes lit up.


    The door...


    It was finally opening.

 Chapter 225 The Celestial Chorus [2]

    <h4>Chapter 225 The Celestial Chorus [2] </h4>


    The doors rumbled, slowly revealing hints of light from beneath, casting long, wavering shadows across the room.


    I stood still, my heart pounding, watching the doors with a mix of dread and anticipation.


    Finally... Finally, I was going to uncover the truth.


    What kind of experiment they had performed on me, and where my brother was.


    The answers were just before me.


    My heart pounded loudly within my mind.


    Rumble~


    The doors continued to open, and the light turned more blinding.


    I had to squint my eyes due to how bright the light was.


    My heart drummed with anxiety, and my entire body started to tingle.


    nk!


    The door finally opened and I covered my eyes with my forearm.


    "Finally."


    I spoke, trying my best to look ahead. I could see a silhouette dressed in white. I couldn''t quite make out their features, and I tried to speak with them.


    "What''s going on? Can you tell me wha¡ª"


    Bang!


    My words were cut short by a sudden blow to the face.


    It forced my face to the side, and I staggered several steps back.


    "....!"


    In shock, I covered my cheek and I felt my heart drop.


    No, this...


    ''Why would a doctor do this?''


    "What sort of¡ªakh!"


    I felt a hand grasp my hair, pushing me forward.


    "Akh...!"


    I tried to resist, digging my nails into the hand that was grasping my hair. But it was futile. As if the hand was made out of steel, my nails failed to dig into them and I was helplessly carried forward.


    "L-let go of me...! W-what are you doing?!"


    I screamed and thrashed around, but that appeared to do nothing.


    Rather, it only made the one carrying me angrier.


    Bang!


    I felt a powerful blownd directly on the side of my face.


    It was a quick and precise blow that stunned me.


    "Uhe... Uhe.."


    I felt my breath leave my body as my knees started to hurt due to them being dragged across the ground.


    ''What sort of situation is this?''


    I thought about struggling again, but I gave up on the thought.


    From how easily I had been overpowered, I knew that the one doing this was far stronger than me. I thought about conserving my energy forter when I had a better understanding of my situation.


    But,


    "Huep. Huep."


    It was really hard for me to remain still.


    Something heavy pressed against my chest, making it hard to breathe. My eyes started to water as my hair was ripped from my scalp by the brutal strength of the grip.


    "Kh..!"


    I had to grit my teeth in an attempt to stop myself from screaming.


    Thankfully, I didn''t have to suffer like this for very long. It wasn''t long before I felt like we had arrived at a certain area, and my body was thrust forward.


    "....!"


    Falling to the ground, I didn''t even have time to groan in pain.


    Holding onto my chest, I coughed several times before looking up in the general direction of the one who had thrown me, but much to my shock, the person was long gone.


    "W-wait..."


    I looked around in panic.


    And just as I did, my eyes widened at the realization that I wasn''t the only one present in the room.


    There were several others, and they were all looking at me with frowns.


    "....."


    I swallowed my saliva and remained still.


    ''They look young.''


    Aboutte teens, but nheless, they all looked younger than me. Their appearances were disheveled, hair scattered across their faces. However, with just a nce, I could tell that they were all rather good-looking beneath the mess.


    It was odd because I didn''t think I was handsome.


    .....I was average. Perhaps above average.


    From that, I could tell that they weren''t kidnapping people based on age and appearance. Or maybe they were.


    Looking around, they all appeared to be the same age.


    I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb.


    The way that they looked at me also gave me the impression that I wasn''t quite wee.


    ''Is it just me or is the atmosphere extremely tense?''


    It was hard to describe, but they all looked at each other with wariness. As if they were afraid they''d get attacked by each other.


    I stared at the scene and moved towards a more secluded corner of the area.


    Looking around, it was just like the stone chamber I had been in. There were no decorations, and it was just arge room with nothing in sight.


    "....."


    Leaning back against the wall, I slid down and took a deep breath.


    ''I need to figure out what''s going on.''


    My first thought was to ask the other people present but chose against it. Especially with the way some of them were looking at me.


    ....It was almost as though they wanted to kill me.


    But why?


    This was the first time that I had ever seen them in my life.


    Why were they looking at me like that? It was as though I had killed them or something.


    ''Ridiculous.''


    There was no way such a thing happened.


    As if I was capable of killing someone.


    "Ah, it looks like everyone is here."


    My thoughts were abruptly cut off by a soft and calming voice that seemed soothing to the ear.


    Or at least, that was the first impression that I received.


    However, for some reason, the moment the voice echoed, every hair on my body stood on end. My head snapped toward the source of the sound.


    "....!"


    Standing in the middle of the room was a man garbed in white.


    ''A priest...?''


    His clothes looked like that of a priest, but the moment my eyes locked onto his, I felt my heart freeze.


    They were...


    "White."


    Completely white.


    ".....There''s no need to be so rmed."


    The man walked around the space with calm and even steps. Everyone present looked at the man with wariness as they slowly stood up and prepared to attack him.


    In particr, a few people stood out. A boy with gray eyes, a girl with red hair, a girl with tinum hair, and a girl with purple hair.


    There was something about them that stood out to me.


    But what exactly?


    As of right now, they were all standing while ring at the man in white. They appeared to be getting ready to...


    Attack him...?


    I couldn''t me them.


    Everyone present was put into this situation without their knowledge. They probably wanted answers. I wanted them too.


    "Now, now."


    The man looked around, his eyes pausing on the few that stood up and prepared to attack him.


    "It looks like there''s a few unruly ones."


    Suddenly, he came to a stop.


    The room fell into a strange silence as the heavy grew strangely tense.


    Just as I was wondering about what was going on, the man raised his hand and shed down.


    "Lord, please bestow judgment."


    Pftt, pftt¡ª


    The following scene struck deeply in my mind as I found every muscle in my body stiffening.


    "Haa.. Haa... Haa..."


    My breath grew extremely heavy, and I found myself moving back.


    "T-this.. haa... w-what...!?"


    I almost wanted to scream, but just barely held myself back. Instead, I felt my stomach churn as something started to rise from deep within my stomach.


    "Akh..!"


    I held onto my mouth and hunched over.


    It took every little bit of my willpower to stop myself from puking on the spot.


    But that became harder as a pool of red slowly started to approach me. Looking down, I gagged as I raised my head slightly to see several heads rolling on the ground.


    "Uekh...!"


    My stomach churned at the sight, and I hastily covered my mouth again as liquid started to drip down from the narrow gaps of my fingers.


    "Ukh."


    I felt something press against my stomach, and I found myself unable to breathe.


    A strange and suffocating feeling started to take over my mind as my hands started to tremble.


    ''What''s going on? What is happening? Did he just kill them? How...? How!!!''


    I continued to scream within my mind.


    Questions continuously flooded it, making it hard to keep myposure.


    But thatposure soon shattered as I managed to catch a glimpse of my face under the pool of red that was beneath me.


    "Ah... Haa...!"


    It felt as though something had gripped my heart and squeezed it raw.


    My heart froze, and I lost my breath.


    Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a face that waspletely unfamiliar to me. With trembling hands, I started to touch my face.


    I touched it and touched it, and touched.


    I pulled my cheeks, ears, and nose. I wanted to make sure that it was fake, but seeing the reflection copy my movements, my mind started to grow nk.


    "I-impossible..."


    How could this be...?


    I covered my head and leaned back against the wall.


    I no longer minded the blood beneath me as I let it stain my clothes. My thoughts... they were gone. I could hardly think as I felt my mind grow nk.


    ''Just what in the world is going on?''


    "Our god does not forgive the disobedient."


    A soothing, and calming voice echoed in the air.


    There was a certain maism to the voice that dragged my eyes forward. Towards where the man in white stood.


    He looked indifferent to the heads scattered around the floor.


    Almost as if they were mere decorations to him. As his gaze swept the room, I felt my blood freeze the moment our eyes locked.


    Thankfully, his gaze carried away after a few seconds.


    Taking in the expressions of those within the room, he smiled kindly. Or at least, tried to. But to me, that smile...


    It looked like the smile of a demon.


    ".....Please don''t look at me like that. Although our god does not forgive the disobedient, it doesn''t mean he isn''t forgiving."


    He raised his hand and snapped his finger.


    Without warning, the vials attached to the arms of the lifeless bodies on the floor began to pulse with a sickly glow. The liquid inside them, once cid, started to drain away. Moments ago, they had been three-quarters full; now they were only half-


    filled.


    A chilling silence descended as the liquid receded into the bodies of the dead.


    "....!"


    A shocking scene took ce shortly after as my eyes widened.


    The bodies began to twitch, and in a sickening reversal, the blood pooled on the floor and flowed back into their veins. A grotesque transformation followed, with lumps of flesh bubbling and contorting over the severed necks, slowly forming horrific approximations of heads.


    I stared at the scene, my eyes widening in terror.


    Within seconds, the outlines of heads began to materialize from the bloody blobs, their forms bing disturbingly clear with each passing second.


    The room felt suffocating as if the air itself was thickening with dread.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Every heartbeat echoed like a drumbeat in the silence, each pulse amplifying the horror unfolding before me.


    "This...!"


    I almost stood up from the shock.


    The same was true for the others who looked at the scene with pale faces.


    Soon, breath started to return to the dead, and the man in white looked around.


    "This is the blood of a god. Death is but a mere triviality under its power. So long as the blood is injected into your body, it will be able to revive you infinitely."


    Bringing his bony hand forward, he exposed one of the vials attached to the arms of the lifeless bodies strewn around the room. The ss container pulsed with an eerie light, the liquid inside swirling as if alive.


    "Rejoice!"


    The man shouted.


    "All of you have been granted the honor of having the blood of a god infused in you. However..."


    Narrowing his eyes, the man''s eyes fell on the vails of the people who had died.


    "The quantity is finite. You make too many mistakes, and..."


    He stopped, but his words were clear.


    Death.


    ....True death.


    Such was the consequence of making too many mistakes.

 Chapter 226 The Celestial Chorus [3]

    <h4>Chapter 226 The Celestial Chorus [3]</h4>


    "....."


    The room was silent, hardly any sound could be heard besides the subtle, and yet strained sound of the people''s breaths within the room.


    I sat in my corner staring at the scene with a nk look.


    My thoughts were a jumbled mess, and as I lowered my head, my gaze fell on the small vial that was attached to my arm.


    It was three-quarters of the way filled.


    A thought ran down my mind as I recalled the scene from before.


    ''Three lives.''


    Each quarter of the vial signified a life.


    Given that I had three-quarters, it meant that I only had three lives.


    I licked my parched lips.


    For some reason, I felt like these were going to be far from enough.


    Death...


    I had already died once, and yet, I had a feeling I was going to experience it again.


    More than once at that.


    "It will take a while for those that the blood has baptized to wake up again. We, of the Celestial Chorus, can wait. In the meantime..."


    Gathering the attention of all those present was the man dressed in white as he looked around,?his white eyes sweeping every corner of the room.


    "....This has been enough for the demonstration. You can go back to your own chambers. I will be calling you each individual to take the trial of the forgotten minds."


    ''Trial of the forgotten minds...?''


    I frowned at the words that came out of his mouth but wasn''t able to further understand what they meant as he turned around and proceeded to leave the premises.


    Following the man''s disappearance, several people dressed in white entered the room, dragging the ones who had fallen on the floor, and bringing them out of the room.


    I could only sit and watch as they were dragged away out of the room.


    I thought about asking what was going on, or for some sort of exnation, but I remained quiet. Watching everything from the side.


    There were still many things that I wasn''t aware of.


    Like how the man in white had managed to kill those people, or what was going on.


    But if there was one thing that I understood, it was that I needed toply.


    At least, until I figured out what was going on.


    "....."


    A man soon stopped in front of me.


    Looking up, my eyes met his gaze. There was a lost, hollow look in his ckened eyes as if he wasn''t fully conscious.


    The emptiness within them sent a shiver down my spine, amplifying the growing dread in the pit of my stomach.


    But I had to push that feeling down.


    I knew that I couldn''t let my fear take over my mind. At least, not yet.


    Not until I had some sort of answer to the situation.


    The man turned around and left the room. Judging from his movements, he seemed to want me to follow him.


    "....."


    I could onlyply in silence.


    Coming out of the room, I looked around.


    The flickering torches cast eerie shadows on the rough walls, making it clear to me that we were deep within a cave system.


    ''Haa... haa...''


    Each breath echoed loudly within my mind, magnifying the oppressive silence.


    Lining the walls were towering, imposing rocky doors, their surfaces etched with strange, glowing symbols that pulsed with a strange light.


    I stared at the symbols, feeling a creeping sense of confusion as I found myself unable to understand them.


    ''It''s like apletely differentnguage.''


    "Hm."


    In fact, pausing slightly, I came to a sudden realization.


    Thenguage that I was speaking...


    What in the world was I speaking?


    I blinked my eyes as my mind momentarily nked at the realization.


    ''What...?''


    I started thinking within my mind, and my heart froze at the realization that thenguage that I was using to speak to myself wasn''t my native tongue, English.


    No, rather...


    "Ahh..."


    I covered my mouth in shock.


    ''How?''


    How was this possible?


    For me to speak an entirely differentnguage than the one I was used to?


    ''Could it be that they''ve imparted memories inside of my mind during the experimentation?''


    It was the only way to exin the sudden situation. Looking up, and staring at the man in front of me, I wanted to talk to him. Ask him about my situation, but again... I held myself back.


    I knew that it wasn''t wise for me to speak.


    They would most likely not answer me anyway.


    "...."


    I wasn''t sure for how long we continued to walk. The cave system was ratherrge, and my legs were already starting to ache by the time it took us to reach the destination.


    Just like before, strange symbols appeared on the rocky door that stood in front of me.


    As the man pressed hisrge palm against the door, the symbols glowed, and the door started to rumble.


    Rumble! Rumble...!


    I watched as the doors lifted upwards, revealing an empty room behind.


    The process continued for the next few seconds before finally stopping. That was when the man looked at me, and I entered the room.


    "....."


    As I entered the room, I looked around the ce before turning back to look at the man.


    His hollow eyes looked back at me. He had no expression on his face as he remained firm on the spot. It was as if he was a mindless puppet with no thoughts.


    But if there was one thing that stood out to me, it was the golden insignia on his shirt.


    It depicted arge eye sitting at the top of a golden triangle.


    ''Thepany responsible for this?''


    Rumble!


    My thoughts were broken by another rumbling. Looking up, I saw the doors slowlying to a close.


    I thought things would just end there when all of a sudden, the man''s eyes started to shake.


    The way he looked at me also started to change and I felt a noticeable change in the atmosphere around me.


    "Uh... ah... akh..."


    Weird noises started toe out of his mouth all of a sudden.


    "What? What? Are you trying to say something? What...?"


    ....I didn''t understand at all what he was saying, or trying to say. Nheless, I could tell that he was trying to speak to me.


    For that reason, I moved forward to get a better understanding of what he was trying to say.


    "I can''t hear you. What is it?"


    "Hgk... ahh... ukh!"


    He continued to speak, and I moved even closer.


    I only stopped right before the doors. I didn''t dare step out.


    Rumble...!


    The rumbling of the doors was making it hard for me to fully grasp what he was trying to say.


    "What? What are you trying to say...?"


    His body started to tremble all of a sudden.


    For some reason, the sight made my heart freeze, a cold lump forming in my throat.


    I was just about to speak again when I noticed something flicker at the corner of his eyes.


    It was... ck.


    A ck tear?


    "Uh...?"


    The sight shook me as I held myself rooted on the spot.


    ...The strange situation didn''t end there. Following the ck tear, his eyes began to transform. It was as if an ink brush had been ced directly at his pupils, spreading an inky darkness that clouded his vision.


    His body convulsed violently, each tremor more intense than thest, as the ckness consumed his eyes.


    Ba... Thump!


    I felt the sound of my own heartbeat echo loudly within my mind as all my muscles tensed.


    ''J-just what is going on?!''


    I took a step back.


    "Ukh...! Ahk!!"


    The noisesing out of his mouth grew louder and louder and I held my breath.


    "Ukh...! Ahk!!"


    The noisesing out of his mouth grew louder and louder and Rumble! Rumble...!


    Right now, my eyes were on the doors that were closing.


    If before I wanted them to remain open so that I could escape, my thoughts hadpletely changed.


    ...I wanted for them to close.


    The sight before me was too chilling.


    It was...


    "Run...!"


    A word.


    Finally, I was able to make out a word as the man''s body shookpletely.


    I swallowed my saliva as I looked at him.


    He was looking back at me now, his body eerily still.


    The only difference was that both of his eyes were nowpletely ck, pools of darkness that seemed to swallow the light.


    "....R-run."


    Such were thest words I heard from him before the doors fully closed.


    nk!


    "...."


    What followed after was silence.


    A silence that was broken by two sounds.


    "Haa.. haa..."


    The sound of my breath.


    Ba... Thump!


    And the sound of my own heartbeat.


    I stood on the spot, unable to move as fearpletely overtook my mind.


    "I..."


    I could hardly speak, or think properly.


    It was as if I was in a scene straight from a horror movie.


    ....And as if things couldn''t get any worse.


    "Ahhh...!!"


    Terrorpletely gripped my heart as I screamed my lungs out.


    "W-what...!?"


    Standing a few meters away from me was a pair of ring red eyes. They looked at me with such intensity that made my blood freeze.


    But as my mind processed the situation, I soon realized something.


    "An owl?"


    Indeed, an owl.


    "...."


    Blinking several times, I stared at it, unable toprehend its appearance.


    It just stood there with its piercing red eyes, and as I looked into them, I found myself looking at my own reflection.


    "Just what...?"


    "....What a terrible state."


    "...!"


    I jumped up again.


    "Who?"


    I looked around me in hopes of finding where the voice came from but found myself unable to find anyone.


    "A speaker?"


    I looked towards the corners of the rooms for any cameras or speakers but found nothing.


    "Who was it that spoke?"


    I continued to look around but found nothing.


    Just as I was about to speak again, a figure hovered right before me, and my heart leaped out of my chest for the second time.


    "As expected. You''re different."


    It was the owl, and I found myself blinking several times.


    ''...Am I going crazy?''


    An owl speaking?


    "A robot?"


    "....What is that?"


    "I..."


    "It looks like someone has reced him."


    Another voice echoed in the room, and my head flicked back to where a cat had appeared. This time, I wasn''t as shocked as with the owl.


    I pretty much gave up on thinking I was sane.


    The cat looked at me directly.


    "What is your name?"


    "...."


    I didn''t answer immediately. I was struggling to understand the situation, but strangely, meeting the cat''s eyes, I found my mouth opening on its own.


    "....Emmet."


    I answered while hastily covering my mouth.


    "Emmet Rowe."


    "....."


    The cat looked at me for a brief moment before turning to look at the owl. The next words that came out of its mouth shook me.


    ".....You''re right. He''s a fake."

 Chapter 227 Trials of the Forgotten Minds [1]

    <h4>Chapter 227 Trials of the Forgotten Minds [1]</h4>


    Leon felt dazed.


    Everything felt vague, and his mind blurred in and out of consciousness.


    ''What is going on?''


    The scent of blood rushed into his mind, tickling his nose.


    He felt a certain pain in his neck.


    It hurt quite bad, but he still knew he was alive. The pain was certification of this.


    It was certification that he was still alive and only unconscious.


    The scenery within his mind changed.


    Leon found himself in a familiar forest. The trees were sparsely arranged, their slender trunks casting elongated shadows on the thin grass that barely covered the ground.


    He was quite familiar with the ce.


    Because...


    He had grown up in this ce.


    The Evenus Barony.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    A de cleaved down from above, aiming for his neck.


    ''Die¡­!''


    Just barely, Leon managed to avoid the de.


    Turning his head, Leon''s gaze fell upon a familiar figure in the distance. The man had jet-ck hair and piercing hazel eyes, standing tall with a sword in hand.


    The sight of him stirred a mixture of unease and something else that he couldn''t quite exin.


    But he also appeared to be younger.


    ''Julien?''


    ''Fuck, you''re as slippery as always, bastard.''


    Ah, this¡­


    Finally, Leon realized what was going on.


    This was a memory.


    A distant memory of his. Back when Julien had changed.


    ''You''re my fucking servant. If I tell you to fucking did you die?''


    Julien''s expression was twisted, something that Leon felt was quite foreign to him.


    He had grown so used to the expressionless Julien that the one before him felt weird.


    But this¡­


    This was the real Julien.


    ''Fuck, you cheap bastard.''


    Julien red at him.


    It had been a while since Leon had been red like that by him. He almost missed such look of his.


    Leon watched as Julien lowered his head to stare at the sword in his hand.


    It wasn''t a fancy sword, just a dummy that the two often used when sparring against each other in the morning.


    ''¡­Of all people why did it have to be you? Why were you the one who was born talented with the sword?''


    There was clear resentment in Julien''s gaze as he stared at the sword.


    Extending his hand, a magic circle floated at the top of his palm.


    ''This shitty curse magic. What good is it when there is a sword? Damn it!''


    Julien cursed, his eyes flickering between madness and sanity.


    ''Ahh, shit.''


    He ruffled his hair, ring up ahead and extending his sword.


    ''Fucking die¡­!''


    He brought his hand forward, and purple hands manifested from beneath the ground, rendering Leon immobile.


    ''Ahhh!''


    Leon could still remember how he had screamed back then.


    Especially as he recalled the sword cleaving down on his neck, severing his neckpletely.


    The pain matched exactly the pain that he currently felt.


    ...That.


    That was the memory of the first time Leon had died.


    *


    Leon opened his eyes.


    ''Uh¡­?''


    He started to massage his neck.


    The pain was still there.


    Or perhaps it wasn''t, and he was just imagining it, but the pain felt so vivid in his mind.


    "Ugh."


    He got up and looked around him.


    He found himself sitting inside of a familiar cave and memories started to rush his mind.


    ''I died.''


    Or at least, he thought he did.


    But looking at his body, he realized that he was still fine.


    There were a couple of exnations for such a situation.


    Perhaps an illusion or that he had been revived.


    "Ho¡­"


    Leon took a deep breath.


    If it was an illusion, then everything was fine, but if that wasn''t the case¡­


    "¡­."


    Leon felt a sudden paining from his left arm. Turning his head, his gaze fell on the small vial attached to his arm and his expression froze for a split second.


    In particr, his gaze fell on the red liquid that pulsed within the tube.


    The dosage was less than it had been before.


    All sorts of thoughts ran through his mind before he finally closed his eyes.


    "I see¡­"


    He finally realized what had happened.


    "¡­.So that''s what happened."


    He wanted tough but found himself unable to do so.


    ''Where is this ce?''


    Once he knew what happened, he no longer felt as panicked. He looked around for a few seconds before no longer finding any interest in the ce.


    He thought back at all the clues that he had managed to decipher so far, and an idea started topound in his mind.


    ''Some sort of cult. Most likely another church that worships one of the seven gods, but to a more extreme level.''


    The seven gods.


    There existed seven main churches in the world. Regardless of the Empire or kingdoms, the seven churches existed everywhere.


    Their influence was far-reaching, and Leon was also a devoted believer in one of the churches.


    Or more specifically, one of the seven gods.


    Mortum.


    The God of Immortality.


    "Hahaha."


    Heughed as he stared at the vial resting by his arm.


    ¡­.He had a hunch before, but now he was certain.


    "The blood of Mortum."


    Only ''his'' blood was capable of doing something like this.


    Leon knew all too well.


    He had experienced it before.


    Riiip¡ª


    Ripping off his clothes, Leon lowered his head to stare at his body.


    "Hahahah."


    Hisugh grew more pronounced at the sight that greeted him.


    Pulsing with life, he could see every single vein in his body. They glowed a strange blue glow.


    "It looks like the umtion from the previous dosage finally hit the mark."


    He brought his hand to his chest, mping at his visible heart as he slowly pulled out a chalice from it.


    The chalice emitted a mysterious ck glow as Leon stared at the liquid contained within.


    It pulsed with a rhythm disturbingly simr to the substance in the vial.


    Hesitantly, he brought the chalice to his lips and drank.


    Gulp...!


    The moment the liquid entered his body, his veins pulsed with a greater glow, almost blinding everything that was around him.


    Power surged through his veins, and he could feel his strength rising, the newfound strength coursing through him.


    Closing his eyes, he opened his mouth as a euphoric feeling flooded the depths of his mind.


    "Haaa¡­"


    ***


    "¡­.I am a fake?"


    I stood still while staring at the strange owl and cat that stood before me.


    The entire time, they had been talking about things that I didn''t quite understand, but if there was something that I understood, it was that they knew something that I didn''t.


    "Fake¡­"


    They had been saying it for a while.


    Or more like, they were hinting at the fact that I wasn''t supposed to belong to this body.


    "What do you mean by that? Do you know what''s going on? Are you two perhaps..?"


    "¡­.."


    The owl remained quiet while it stared at me. It stayed like that for a few seconds before it finally opened its beak to speak.


    "Your real name is Julien."


    "Julien¡­?"


    "Julien Dacre Evenus."


    The strange owl corrected, giving me a full name.


    "¡­That was the name of the person that your body belongs to."


    For some reason, I felt my entire body shudder.


    The source of it all was the strange owl before me. Its voice was brittle and deep, reverberating through the cave with an unsettling resonance.


    As it spoke, I felt an involuntary twitch in my body, my head jerking slightly with each word it uttered.


    It was as if I was being entrapped into a sea of ice, slowly sinking deeper and deeper into it.


    The way it was looking at me¡­


    ''He might kill me.''


    I swallowed my saliva.


    "I had a deal with that human. The deal was something that I followed through with. But¡­"


    The owl stopped speaking, its gaze turning shaper and colder. I felt every hair on my body rise under its gaze.


    ....The situation started to be clear to me.


    ''What sort of fucked situation was this?''


    I suddenly grew nervous.


    From what I understood, this was not my real body. I had taken the body of someone else.


    Julien whatever Evans.


    I refused to believe in such a possibility, but thinking about how my face changed, and my entire body too, the brutal reality was right before me.


    ''Ah, fuck.''


    I felt something rise within my chest at the realization.


    ''So if I took over the body of someone else, where exactly am I? What about... What about...''


    All sorts of thoughts started to run down my mind at that moment, numbing down the words that the owl was speaking.


    The fear that had previously gripped me vanished, and all I started to think about was one thing.


    ''Brother.''


    What about my brother¡­?


    "Hmm? You''re starting to look more like him."


    I raised my head to stare at the owl.


    It looked back at me with its cold eyes.


    Starting to look like him?


    What did he mean by that¡­?


    "But you''re still not the same. You don''t show it, but I can see the fear hidden within the depths of your eyes. It''s because of him that I''ve started to understand emotions better. But now that he''s gone, I don''t see how I should keep you alive."


    I blinked my eyes in silence.


    Since it was still speaking, then maybe.. maybe there was still I chance that it wouldn''t kill me.


    And as expected, it indeed was like that.


    "¡­The only reason I''m not killing you is because there''s a chance he mighte back. Whoever you are, know that the only reason you''re still alive is because of him. If by the time I deem that is too long he still hasn''te back, I will end you in a heartbeat."


    I swallowed at its words.


    I could tell that the owl wasn''t joking with regard to what it was saying, and I could only close my eyes and ept the situation.


    ''This body doesn''t belong to me, and an owl is looking to kill me after it deems that too much time has passed.''


    Great.


    How great.


    What a fucked up situation this was.


    "With that being said, I will help you."


    I raised my head and looked at the strange owl.


    "There''s another possibility that I haven''t taken into ount yet."


    "Another possibility?"


    "Yes."


    The owl looked at the cat which stared back at him.


    After a while, it also nodded.


    "It''s possible."


    The owl nodded slightly, turning its eyes back to me.


    "There''s a possibility that you didn''t take over a body. Instead, you lost your memories."


    "Ah...?"


    I blinked my eyes repeatedly, unable to understand what it was trying to say.


    Lost my memories?


    "No, that''s impossible."


    I was quick to shut such thoughts down.


    There was no way.


    I could still vividly recall everything as if it had been a few seconds ago, and... and... it was just impossible.


    I refused to believe such a possibility.


    "You might think it is, but I do not believe so. You may be a different person, but your soul still feels the same. As a will, I can tell."


    "What...?"


    More unfamiliar terms flowed out of the owl''s mouth, and I pursed my lips.


    Taking several breaths to calm myself down, I closed my eyes and took one deep breath.


    "Okay."


    I opened my eyes again, staring back at the owl.


    "You said that you will help me, right?"


    "Correct."


    "I see."


    The whole story about me losing my memories, I didn''t believe at all. Nheless, I decided to run along with it and stopped questioning it.


    I needed to find answers to my situation, and the owl seemed to know something.


    For that reason, the wisest move was run along with it.


    ''Yeah, until I figure something out.''


    As if it could read my thoughts, the owl''s gaze remained firmly locked onto me. I didn''t care and just nodded at it.


    "I''ll cooperate with you."


    That was when I opened my mouth to ask,


    "....I''ll do that, but how should I call you?"


    The owl looked back at me before turning to look at the cat who curled over on its own. Then, staring back at me, it opened its beak to say,


    "Owl-Mighty."


    "...."


    I blinked my eyes, trying to make sure that I hadn''t heard wrong.


    But I didn''t.


    The silence that suddenly took over the ce was an affirmation of it.


    Then, staring at the owl and seeing that it wasn''t joking, I felt something rise from deep within my chest.


    Something sinister...


    Something...


    "Pftt."


    ***


    I just wanted to address a few things that have been brought up. I understand that some people may be annoyed by some developments, but I don''t write things randomly (I hope I don''t). I have a goal in mind.


    I understand that some might dislike some parts, but if you''ve made it this far, you must know my style of writing which focuses on build up towards the climax where everything makes more sense.Please be patient.

 Chapter 228 Trials of the Forgotten Minds [2]

    Chapter 228 Trials of the Forgotten Minds [2]


    ??Immediately after Iughed, I hastily covered my mouth and looked at the owl who was looking at me with squinted eyes.


    "....."


    A strange silence took over the surroundings.


    "....It wasn''t funny."


    I tried to y it off, but the cat gave me no chance.


    "That was augh."


    It then turned to look at the owl, a smirk slowly creeping up on its lips. It didn''t say anything, but from its gaze, it looked to be gloating.


    The owl merely nced at it before expressing what seemed to be contempt.


    "You''re one to talk, pebble."


    "....."


    The cat froze, and so did I.


    I hastily held onto my chest and suppressed the twitch on my face.


    ''What in the world is this...?''


    My face repeatedly twitched.


    It only got worse when both the owl and the cat turned to look at me. It was as if they were daring me tough.


    But I didn''t.


    I persevered.


    "...."


    Biting my lips until they started to bleed, I kept my face firm.


    Thinking about it, the fact that I was trying to hold myugh against a cat and an owl showed just how far gone I was.


    The realization was what truly calmed me down and I took a deep breath.


    "You have very interesting names."


    "....My name is only temporary."


    The cat said while ring at me.


    Then, standing on two feet, its voice deepened.


    "But don''t let that fool you. I am an all-mighty dragon!"


    "A dragon?"


    I blinked my eyes while looking at the cat trying to make itself look imposing. It certainly tried, but I just found it strangely adorable.


    On the other hand, the owl watched from the side as it opened its beak to speak.


    "I am a tree."


    "....A what?"


    My head flicked in its direction.


    Meeting its two piercing red eyes, I asked again to make sure that I hadn''t heard wrong.


    "You said you were a tree?"


    "Correct."


    "....Oh."


    I pinched the middle of my brows.


    So not only the cat, but the dog had lost it.


    ''No, in the first ce, I''m the one who has lost it.''


    At the thought, I started to ruffle my hair and tried to make sense of the entire situation.


    ''So, I am inside of the body of someone else that I don''t know. A strange owl and cat appear to know the previous body''s owner, and they''re saying that there''s a chance that I might''ve lost my memories, but I doubt that''s the case.''


    ....Or maybe not.


    Thinking about the names of the owl and the cat, I found myself thinking that perhaps their hypothesis wasn''t wrong.


    ''Of course, there''s also the chance that I''m just imagining those two.''


    If that was the case, then that hypothesis was out of the window.


    But seriously...


    ''Owl-Mighty? Pebble...?''


    Amazing.


    "Until we figure out what is going on, we will be keeping you alive."


    Attracting my attention was the owl''s voice as it looked at me.


    Then, as if realizing something, it asked,


    "Do you know how to use your powers?"


    "Powers?"


    What powers?


    "...."


    The owl and the cat turned to look at each other. They stood in silence for a brief moment before the cat spoke.


    "If he''s lost his memories, then he shouldn''t be able to."


    ".....Yes."


    "What are you two talking about?"


    Powers...?


    Were they talking about powers like those people in theics had? Nah, no way, right?


    Without saying a word, the cat stepped forward.


    I stared at it in confusion, but before I could say anything, I suddenly felt something heavy press against my shoulders.


    "Ukh...!"


    My back started to hunch down as breathing started to be more difficult.


    Opening my eyes widely, I stared at the harmless-looking cat as it coldly looked down on me.


    "You have powers, human."


    Its deep voice echoed loudly within my mind.


    ".....The previous body was quite powerful. Far from as powerful as me, but a respectable strength. The two of us are active wills that exist within the body that you have taken."


    "Khh...!"


    Despite the pressure that was bearing down on me, I continued to listen to each word that the cat spoke.


    "You have not lost your powers. I can feel it. You may have forgotten how to use them, but they are still within you."


    As the cat''s words faded, the pressure that was bearing down on me also started to fade.


    "Haa... haa..."


    Breathing heavily, I looked up at the cat.


    There were several things that I wanted to ask, but stopped when I noticed the owl''s gaze on me.


    I found myself unable to talk as I lost myself in those creepy red eyes.


    It was its voice that shook me out of it.


    "Try saying, status."


    "Uh...?"


    "They were the words the human used to say to open up that strange window. I wonder if it also works with you."


    I looked at the owl in confusion, but after a few seconds, I gathered myself and did as I was told.


    Though I had no clue about what it was saying, I also had no clue about everything else that it said.


    For that reason, Iplied.


    Opening my mouth, I mumbled,


    "Status."


    That was when a change urred as my eyes widened.


    ".....!"


    Appearing right before was arge luminescent window, and my heart skipped a beat.¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    Level : 35 [Tier 3 Magician]


    Exp : [0%¡ª[11%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    Profession : Magician


    ¦é Type : Elemental [Curse]


    ¦é Type : Mind [Emotive]


    Spells :


    ¦é Advanced type spell [Emotive] : Anger


    ¦é Superior type spell [Emotive] : Sadness


    ¦é Advanced type spell [Emotive] : Fear


    ¦é Intermediate type spell [Emotive] : Happiness


    ¦é Intermediate type spell [Emotive] : Disgust


    ¦é Advanced type spell [Emotive] : Surprise


    ¦é Beginner type spell [Curse] : Chains of kantria


    ¦é Intermediate type spell [Curse] : Grip of Pestilence


    Skills :


    [Innate] - Foresight


    [Innate] - Etherweave


    [Innate] - Veil of Deception


    [Innate] - Step of Suppression


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    "Oh, this..."


    I took a step back.


    "....What kind of situation is this?"


    ***


    Thump!


    A figure fell before the Archbishop.


    "Ukh... uh... ah..."


    Convulsing beneath the Archbishop''s feet, ck tears continued to fall from the figure''s eyes.


    "....."


    The man appeared to want to say something, but the only thing that came out of his mouth were incoherent words.


    "Oh, my."


    Archbishop looked at the man with genuine sadness.


    "It looks like this disciple still needs to be taught."


    He lifted his head, his gaze darting to the nuns encircling the room. Their eyes were eerily closed, faces expressionless, and they clutched candles that flickered slightly.


    An unsettling stillness gripped the air as the Archbishop waved his hand.


    "Bring him to the Trials of the Forgotten Minds. His mind is still corrupted."


    At his order, the eyes of the nuns flicked open as two stepped forward.


    As if understanding what was happening, the man on the floor started to convulse further.


    "Akh..! Akh!!"


    His screams echoed loudly within the church.


    Nheless, they were all for naught. Even as he resisted, he could only watch as the nuns lifted his body and carried him away.


    "Uakh...!"


    Drip! Drip...!


    ck tears stained the ground as he left.


    Staring into the distance, Archbishop Lucas closed his eyes.


    Then, turning back to face the altar, he mumbled,


    "It looks like it''s time for the disciples in training to have a taste of the Room of the Forgotten Minds."


    Only then would they truly be disciples.


    ***


    "Fuck..."


    Leaning against the side of the wall, Kiera looked up at the ceiling walls. It had been several hours since she had been locked up in the room, and she was quite frankly bored.


    The adrenaline and confusion had all passed, and all that she had left was boredom.


    "....It''s so dirty as well."


    Looking around, she felt her hands tingle.


    It was so dirty, and unorganized. And that was despite there not being any decorations in the ce.


    Fuck.


    Fuck.


    Fuck.


    "I want to clean this."


    She started to scratch the back of her head as anxiety started to take over her mind.


    This was torture.


    Rumble...!


    Thankfully, her torture didn''tst for long. All of a sudden, the doors started to rumble and she looked up.


    A woman dressed in white stood on the opposite end of the door.


    Kiera didn''t need her to speak to know what she wanted and she stood up and followed her out of the room.


    "Where are we going?"


    "...."


    The woman in white didn''t answer.


    "Ah, so that''s the case."


    Not that it mattered to Kiera.


    All the istion was making her go crazy.


    "So it''s this way. I knew it."


    There was only one path...


    "So like, was everything that happened before we came here fake? I didn''t really kill, right?"


    Kiera could still recall what had happened back in the forest when she fought Aoife and Leon.


    She could still recall the chaos, and ever since, things had been a little awkward with the others.


    Well, things had always been awkward with Aoife, but they had started to get better.


    Now...?


    "Ehh."


    Kiera felt like things were even worse than they had ever been.


    "It''s fake, right? An illusion?"


    Actually, she knew it wasn''t the case.


    While she didn''t fully understand what was going on, she knew that she had died twice.


    Of that she was certain.


    She just didn''t want to acknowledge it.


    "...."


    Unfortunately for Kiera, she would never receive her answer.


    The entire time thedy in white remained quiet until she eventually came to a stop.


    "Umpf!"


    Lost in her own thoughts, Kiera''s face smacked against her back.


    "Ah, ukh."


    Covering her nose, she looked ahead and her expression froze.


    A church.


    ...Arge church loomed before her eyes. Sitting on the wooden rows were familiar faces, causing Kiera''s expression to shift subtly.


    "This is..."


    She was never able to get her words out.


    Gradually, her eyes locked onto a figure that stood in the middle of the church. With his eyes closed, he stood before arge altar.


    He seemed to be muttering something.


    Furthermore, right behind him was a young man with short blonde hair and blue eyes.


    That guy...


    Kiera could recall him.


    He was the strange cadet from the Aurora Empire.


    ''What is he doing there...?''


    Kiera could still recall him from the exchange they had in the forest. He was rather strong, but there was something about him that she felt was rather unsettling.


    She couldn''t quite exin it, but he gave off simr vibes to Julien.


    But... at the same time, he was different.


    Her best guess was that he was also an Emotive Mage, but Kiera felt like there was more to it.


    "Let us begin."


    Kiera''s thoughts were disrupted by the loud echo of the old man standing before the altar.


    Pressing his hand against the blonde-haired cadet, his words echoed throughout.


    "....We will nowmence the trial of the forgotten minds."

 Chapter 229 Trials of the Forgotten Minds [3]

    Chapter 229 Trials of the Forgotten Minds [3]


    ??¡ª¡ªMoments earlier.


    "Wee, everyone."


    I had no time to properly digest the new information before I was dragged into arge church. Looking around, I saw a few faces that I had seen back in the first chamber that they had brought us in.


    Thinking back, I realized that the main reason behind that situation was probably to demonstrate to us what would happen if we were to be disobedient.


    ".....It looks like most of you are here. I will now start with an introduction of myself and what we do."


    The old man in white started to speak as I found a seat in one of the wooden rows.


    For some reason, as I sat down, I noticed that the expressions of everyone present as they looked at me were extremely wary.


    ''Do they hate me or something?''


    It was like this in the first chamber as well.


    "We are the Celestial Chorus. I am Archbishop Lucas, and we serve and worship the great god Oracleus."


    "....?"


    I sat confused.


    This was the first time I had ever heard of such a god. But at the same time, I realized something.


    This was nopany.


    .....It was a cult.


    While I already had some ideas, I only received confirmation right now.


    I took a deep breath to calm my mind.


    There were still many questions that I had, but I chose to push them to the side and continued to listen.


    "The god has granted me a vision. He was the one who let me know of your appearance. So rejoice!"


    The pitch of his voice heightened slightly.


    "...As a devoted follower, I will do his bidding and turn all of you into his disciples!"


    His face was bordered with fanaticism and insanity.


    I felt my arms shiver at the sight.


    Whatever god he was worshipping, I wanted to get out of this ce. With such thoughts I started to look around, trying my best to memorize everything around me in hopes of finding something that could aid my possible escape.


    Unfortunately, I wasn''t able to find anything concrete.


    No, in fact, all it did was bring me trouble as the man''s voice echoed again.


    "You, there."


    I felt every hair on my body rise the moment that my name was called.


    Raising my head, I felt a pair of two nk eyes staring back at me. My heart jolted at the sight as I suppressed a shiver.


    "...Hm, yes. You will be the first one."


    As if he had made up his mind, the Archbishop nudged with his hand as several people appeared from all sides of me, grasping me by the arms and lifting me up.


    "Uh? W-what''s going on?"


    I tried to resist but found myself unable to.


    Their grip... It was far too strong.


    It was almost as if their hands were made of steel.


    I tried to resist, but it was futile. Before long, I was brought before the priest who stared at me with its chilling white eyes.


    The sight made my stomach clench.


    Pressing both of his hands against my shoulders, he calmly spoke.


    "Be calm."


    He said to be calm, but how could I be calm in this situation?


    Or at least, I thought that way.


    Strangely, his words held a certain maism to them that numbed down my emotions and made me calm.


    ''What is this?''


    Shocked, I looked at the man in front of me.


    He was smiling kindly. He almost looked like a friendly neighborhood grandpa. But I knew... I knew it was all a facade.


    "Let us begin."


    He began to say, raising his hands to press it against my head.


    "....We will nowmence the trial of the forgotten minds."


    My mind nked.


    ***


    A strange glow enshrouded the church the moment the Archbishop ced his hand over Julien''s head.


    Aoife stared at the scene with open eyes.


    ''What''s going on?''


    She didn''t dare make a noise as she looked at the scene in the distance in silence.


    The glow onlysted for a few seconds before disappearing. Once it was gone, so was the cadet.


    Gasps of surprise came out from the mouths of all those present as some shuddered.


    On the other hand, Aoife remained firm and didn''t make a single sound.


    She had a lot of questions in her mind, but her thoughts were taken over by the blonde-haired cadet. He appeared different than thest time she had seen him.


    In total, she had seen him three times.


    Each time, the vibe around him waspletely different.


    If before he felt unsettled due to his calmness, the current him appeared to bepletely different. He appeared far from calm, and despite his best attempts at trying to be calm, he simply couldn''t stop himself from asionally trembling.


    He looked like apletely different person.


    ''Was it all a facade?''


    Aoife wasn''t too sure.


    Nheless, she needed to think of a way out of this.


    Her mana was sealed, and thus, she could only sit here and watch whatever was happening.


    But she knew... she knew that by now, the Empire must''ve sent several search squads in order to look for them.


    They just needed to bide their time.


    Vooom¡ª


    Suddenly, the room shook.


    A pulse of mana swept the surroundings as Aoife found her clothes fluttering.


    "Ukh."


    When everything settled, arge projection appeared for everyone present. It was entirely in white, and standing right in the middle of it was the cadet from before.


    ''How did he get there?''


    Aoife''s narrowed as she looked towards the projection.


    "....Ah, it''s been a while since I''ve seen this live."


    The Archbishop''s words echoed quietly throughout the entire church.


    Turning his head, he looked towards everyone.


    "Do not be afraid. This is good for you. Once his turn is over, it will be your turn so make sure you take notes of what happens."


    His smile grew subtly.


    "Be happy."


    ***


    The world was white.


    In one moment I had been standing in front of the church, and in the next moment, I was standing in this world of white.


    "....."


    Looking down, I could see my own reflection.


    I could still not get used to the sight that greeted me. I lookedpletely different than how I normally looked.


    It was hard to adjust my mind to the sight.


    Thankfully, there was something else that took my mind away from it.


    "Walk forward."


    It was the voice of the Archbishop.


    "....There''s no need to be scared. No one can harm you in this ce. All you need to do is walk."


    ''All I have to do is walk?''


    I looked ahead.


    There didn''t seem to be an ending in sight.


    Where exactly was I supposed to walk?


    ''Am I just supposed to walk aimlessly?''


    "Walk, young disciple. If you keep walking, you will eventually reach an end."


    "....."


    I looked ahead.


    It was nk. There was nothing. I wanted to get out of the ce, but I knew it was impossible.


    The only thing I could do was walk.


    Walk like I was ordered to.


    And so,


    I took my first step.


    Tak¡ª


    The floor rippled under my step, and my reflection scattered slightly.


    "...."


    Under the first step, I felt nothing.


    I was worried at first, but seeing that nothing happened, I took my next step.


    Tak¡ª


    The floor rippled under my step.


    I took another step.


    The same again.


    ".....Nothing."


    I felt nothing.


    With such thoughts, I felt a lot easier and took another step forward.


    I didn''t know what I was supposed to do and just walked.


    Tak, tak, tak¡ª


    The ripples beneath me started to ovep with one another with each step that I took.


    "....."


    A strange silence took over my surroundings.


    Staring at my reflection, I found myself squinting at the sight of it.


    It was starting to blur, and I couldn''t quite make out the exact features of it.


    In fact, I also started to feel like my thoughts were starting to diminish.


    There was only one thought in my mind currently.


    ''Walk... I need to walk.''


    Tak, tak¡ª


    The sound of the steps started to grow fainter.


    My legs started to move on their own, and my thoughts continued to diminish.


    No longer did I think about my situation or what was going on with the entire situation. I just walked.


    Step by step,


    I walked through the white world.


    Tak.


    Gradually, I started to lose all sense of myself.


    Be it time or emotions.


    ....I was starting to feel nothing.


    Looking down, my face was entirely blurry.


    But within the blur, I could see my blue eyes. They were muddled and unclear.


    ''This me...?''


    I felt my steps slowing down.


    Staring at my reflection, I massaged my cheeks while staring into those muddled eyes of mine.


    "Who....?"


    I blinked.


    "Who am I?"


    It was a simple question, and it was at the tip of my tongue, and yet, I found it impossible for me to answer.


    Who...? Who was I?


    I couldn''t remember a thing.


    ''I think my name starts with E?''


    Evan?


    Yes, it was something like that.


    "Evan. That''s my name."


    I nodded in satisfaction after repeating the name.


    It sounded right.


    It was right.


    I was Evan.


    I was...


    "....!"


    Suddenly, the world around me changed. The white disappeared, and I was startled to see myself standing in the middle of arge church. A hand was pressed against my head, and when I looked ahead, I saw an old man with a kind smile.


    "You have done well."


    I blinked my eyes.


    "Done, well..?"


    What was he talking about? And who was he?


    "I..."


    "Shhh."


    He stopped me from speaking.


    "Your mind is currently very sensitive. This was just a taste of the trails. To get your mind adjusted for the real thing."


    He smiled again, this time, he was looking towards the rows behind him.


    There I could see several dozen eyes locked onto me.


    Who...?


    They felt vaguely familiar and yet didn''t.


    Before I even had the chance to understand what was going on, the man beckoned several people dressed in white towards him.


    "Bring him back to his chamber. We will start the real thing soon."


    That was thest thing I remembered before my world turned ck.

 Chapter 230 The Ring of Nothingness [1]

    Chapter 230 The Ring of Nothingness [1]


    ?230  The Ring of Nothingness [1]


    ''This is...!''


    Aoife''s eyes were locked on the projection that was disyed for everyone to see. She could hardly describe the shock that she was feeling as she saw the cadet from the Aurora Empire walk within the world of white.


    As he walked, she could vividly see his eyes starting to lose focus with each step that he took.


    She wasn''t the only one who noticed this.


    Everyone else noticed the same change as the air around them started to grow tense.


    ''It''s almost as if he''s losing sight of himself. No, maybe...''


    Aoife held her breath as she looked around.


    More specifically, she looked towards the nuns and priests that were around them.


    Seeing the lost and hollow looks in their eyes, she started to realize what was going on and covered her mouth.


    <nulli>''This trial... rather than a trial, it''s more like something that is used to erase the identity of those that go inside.''


    Aoife blinked her eyes as she felt the beat of her heart speed up.


    It wasn''t so much that she was worried about what was going on, but rather, it was more because she felt like this situation was vaguely familiar to her.


    ''Where have I heard of this before...?''


    Aoife started to rack her brain over the situation.


    From the white world that rippled with each step, to the weird cases where everyone started to lose their sense of self...


    "Ah."


    Then it finally hit Aoife as her eyes widened.


    Holding her breath, she felt her back straighten.


    ''This... it''s no wonder it felt so familiar to me.''


    Aoife bit her lips with enough force to cause them to bleed. But that was of no concern to her as her eyes darted towards the man who referred to himself as the ''Archbishop''. Aoife could tell at a nce that he wasn''t strong.


    He was weaker than her.


    And yet, with everyone''s mana sealed, they were helpless.


    Not to mention that his ''servants'' were all quite strong.


    But that wasn''t her focus. No, her attention was riveted on the silver ring on his hand, resting atop the cadet''s head.


    That was when it all clicked to Aoife who breathed coldly.


    ''The Ring of Nothingness.''


    Within her family was arge library that all the members were granted ess to. There had been a time when Aoife used to spend a lot of time in the library.


    In particr, she paid particr attention to a certain book which was known as ''The Seven Artifacts of Evil.''


    That book detailed the most infamous artifacts in the world. All of whom, had been used for the purpose of evil and had caused arge imbnce within the world''s order.


    Amongst them, the Ring of Nothingness was one such artifact.


    As an artifact that used to belong to the Empire of Nothingness, an Empire that existed during the the Age of Umbral Dominion. In that period, the Emperor used the Ring of Nothingness topletely enve and control all those beneath him.


    His greed for power drove him to conquer the other existing empires, causing a great world war thatsted just a bit before the Era of Sovereign Ascendance which was when the Four Empires came to power.


    The battle had been a brutal one, and in the end, the Empire of Nothingness was defeated.


    The losses that came from such arge conflict were astronomical, and the Ring of Nothingness was eventually lost in the conflict.


    But this...


    ''That''s without a doubt the Ring of Nothingness.''


    Aoife could recognize it from just a nce.


    ....And everything around her was also an affirmation of its authenticity.


    ''Not good.''


    Aoife felt the beat of her heart beat loudly within her mind.


    It was so loud that she could hardly pay any attention to what was happening ahead.


    ''What do I do...?''


    Once someone was under the Ring of Nothingness, it was almost impossible for them to free themselves from its control.


    All power was meaningless within that world.


    The only thing one could do was walk.


    ....Walk until they lost sight of who they were.


    Aoife did recall reading from the book that there had been someone in the past who had been able to free themselves from the grasp of the Ring of Nothingness, but there wasn''t much information about how they had done it.


    The only thing the book detailed was a simple quote from the person, ''To escape the Ring of Nothingness, you must know who you are.''


    What did that mean?


    Aoife tried to rack her brain over the words but found herself unable to.


    "You have done well."


    Aoife''s thoughts were broken by the Archbishop''s voice.


    Turning her head, her gaze fell on the cadet who stood before him. He seemed lost, and his eyes appeared muddled.


    His body swayed left and right as he struggled to keep himself straight.


    Aoife stared at the scene with an approaching dread as she felt her hand starting to tingle with anxiety.


    ''This is not good.''


    Drip.


    Something wet streaked down her chin as she kept her gaze fixed on the ring on the Archbishop''s hand.


    ''.....This is really not good.''


    ***


    "....."


    A rocky ceiling greeted my vision.


    Massaging my face, I remained on the floor while staring at the rocky ceiling.


    It felt familiar, but at the same time didn''t.


    But that wasn''t the most important thing. Closing my eyes, I tried to recall the scenes from before.


    <nulli>''I don''t remember well.''


    My mind was nk.


    ....I tried to think but found myself unable to.


    It was as if my brain was refusing to cooperate with me.


    ".....!"


    Startling my brain were a pair of red-eyes and I hastily sat up to see an owl and a cat looking at me from the distance.


    They didn''t say anything, but I understood something from the moment that I looked a them.


    ''They''re not my enemies.''


    Was it instincts, or something else?


    "It looks like you haven''tpletely lost it."


    The owl began to speak.


    ".....It was a peculiar situation. For some strange reason, we couldn''t go out at all in that white world. It''s as if something was blocking us."


    White world?


    I closed my eyes and thought back.


    White world, white world, white world...


    I could vaguely recall something, and I opened my mouth to speak when I was cut off by the owl.


    "Let''s fix your memory first."


    "Fix...?"


    I looked at the owl in confusion.


    To my shock, it was already standing next to my shoulder, and I felt something smack against the back of my head.


    Smack!


    "Ahh...!"


    It hurt quite a bit.


    The worst part was that nothing happened. Turning my head to re at the owl, I suddenly paused after a second.


    My entire body grew stiff and my expression froze.


    ''What did you do to me?''


    I tried to speak, but couldn''t.


    "Stay still."


    The owl''s voice continued to sound in my ears, and shortly after, something hit me again at the back of my head.


    Smack!


    It was harder than it was before, but unlike the first time, something did happen.


    My vision blurred for a split second and images soon started to appear within my vision.


    "Ukgh...!"


    My brain jolted with all sorts of images and memories, and I held onto my head as I fell to the ground.


    Thump!


    "Akh!"


    It was hard to describe the pain that I was currently feeling.


    I thought I was someone who could take pain, but what I currently felt was not something I could ignore.


    "Akh!"


    Thrashing on the ground, I felt spit flow out of my mouth.


    "Ahhhhh!"


    My screams echoed throughout as I held tightly onto my head.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    By the time all of it was over, my breath was heavy.


    The pain still lingered in my mind, making me shiver at the thought, however,


    "....I remember."


    I could finally remember.


    At least, up until I woke up in this strange environment and took over this body.


    "Owl-Mighty, Pebble..."


    "No!"


    I was cut off by Pebble who red at me.


    "That''s not my name!"


    "Stupid cat."


    "....Stupid owl, do you want to go at it again?"


    I ignored the two and consolidated the memories in my mind. In the end, once I did, I looked towards Owl-Mighty.


    "How?"


    "How...? Are you asking for how I was able to restore your memories?"


    "Yes."


    I nodded slightly.


    "....It wasn''t that difficult."


    Owl-Mighty went on to exin.


    "Your memories were never removed to begin with."


    "They weren''t?"


    I blinked my eyes, unsure of what it was trying to say.


    I was... quite sure they had been removed.


    "Your memories weren''t removed. Your mind on the other hand was affected."


    Raising its wing, a small blue orb the size of a golf ball appeared on top of its wing.


    "This is what was in your mind."


    "....!"


    "It''s a ball purely made out of mana, and its job is to prevent your neurons from sending signals to your brain essentially numbing your brain and stopping it from thinking properly. Your memory loss was a result of this process. At least, for what currently happened. Regarding your other situation, I am not sure how it happened."


    "Ah."


    A clear picture of the situation started to form in my mind.


    "If that''s the case..."


    I stopped myself and thought back to thest words that the Archbishop said.


    ''We will start the real thing soon.''


    I found myself covering my mouth. If this was merely just a trial, then...


    "Haa... haa.."


    My breath started to grow heavy.


    "You were lucky."


    Looking up, Owl-Mighty brought the orb to its mouth and swallowed it.


    "Your mana is sealed, but the same can''t be said for the two of us. Although all, as individual wills, we have our own mana pool that we can use. While we mainly rely on your mana, we can store a tiny bit within your bones. It''s for that reason that you''re lucky."


    Listening to Owl-Mighty''s words, I squinted my eyes and pretended to understand. In reality, I didn''t understand at all what it was trying to say.


    Thankfully, its next set of actions made a lot more sense to me.


    "I didn''t do it before since I was still observing you, but it looks like I have no choice but to do this."


    Raising its wing, a strange glow manifested over Owl-Mighty''s body.


    Suddenly, the ground beneath me shook and I felt something crawl up on my foot.


    "....!"


    I was shocked to see a ck root appearing from the ground and I almost removed it from my foot, when Owl-Mighty''s voice stopped me.


    "Don''t do anything."


    The root encircled my foot.


    It wrapped around it tightly, and a strange current flowed into my body.


    I didn''t understand what was going on, but it felt strangely good. It continued for the next few minutes before finally stopping.


    "....."


    I stood in silence for a brief second, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did.


    Or at least, in the first few minutes.


    After a few more minutes passed, I hastily gripped my chest as I felt something grip my heart.


    "Akh...!"


    I was once again invaded by pain as I gripped my chest and hunched down.


    "Akh..! Akh...!"


    Weird gagging noises came out of my mouth as I hunched over, and grasped the hard rocky floor.


    "Ukeh!"


    My mind temporarily nked from the pain.


    "Pfttt!"


    Only for rity to return shortly after as blood spewed out of my mouth.


    "....!"


    In that brief moment, I felt a warm current enter my body as rity resurfaced within my mind.


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    Still hunched over, I took several deep breaths to calm myself down before spotting something in front of me.


    "This...? Haa..."


    It was a purple centipede, and it squirmed under my grasp.


    Covered in my own blood, I had a sudden realization and looked towards Owl-Mighty.


    "That was the thing blocking your mana. Now that it''s removed, you can freely use mana."


    "Mana...?"


    I was still foreign to the concept.


    What was it, and how did I use it?


    "You need to think fast. We don''t have much time."


    "For what?"


    "For your escape." "


    "Uh?"


    I shifted my focus away from the centipede.


    ".....I won''t be able to help you if you get caught again. If you want freedom, then do as I say."


    Owl-Mighty turned to look at the cat.


    "For the next few hours, we will be teaching you how to use your abilities."

 Chapter 231 The Ring of Nothingness [2]

    <h4>Chapter 231 The Ring of Nothingness [2] </h4>


    231 The Ring of Nothingness [2]


    Leon sat in his chamber with his eyes closed.


    He was shirtless, and a blue glow manifested from within his body, highlighting every vein in his body.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    The beat of his heart quietly echoed throughout the room as his heart was also highlighted by the blue glowing from within his body.


    It was a sight that would leave anyone breathless.


    "....."


    Just like everyone else, he underwent the ''Trial of the Forgotten Minds.''


    However, unlike them, he was able to retain his rationality. With the chalice in his body, all the mana that entered his brain was quickly absorbed by it.


    "Pftt¡ª!"


    The silence that took over the room shattered as Leon spat a mouthful of blood.


    Drip! Drip..!


    Covering his mouth, Leon lowered his head to stare at the centipede that squirmed before him.


    "As expected."


    Bringing the centipede closer to his face to get a better look at it, he stared at it for a few seconds before pinching his fingers together and squishing it.


    A ck liquid oozed out from the centipede''s body the moment he squeezed his fingers and killed them.


    Using his clothes, Leon cleaned his finger from the residue and took a deep breath.


    "Hoo..."


    The blue glow that formed around his body started to diminish gradually, until finallying to a stop.


    A powerful force then surged from the depths of Leon''s body as his muscles tensed, and his expression turned red.


    Clenching his teeth, he forced himself to not make any sounds.


    Cracka! Cracka...!


    Cracking sounds echoed throughout the confines of the room as Leon''s expression twisted.


    Bone Reformation.


    A process that all those who went from Tier 3 to Tier 4 underwent.


    It was a painful process that disintegrated the bones of the user and created newer, and sturdier ones. Unless someone underwent this process, they wouldn''t be able to truly be called Tier 4 users.


    To reach Tier 5, one had to create a domain.


    ".....!!"


    The pain was starting to get to Leon''s mind, and for a brief moment, his mind turnedpletely nk.


    But he was quick to bring his consciousness back.


    "Ahh...!"


    He ended up screaming a little, but he managed to keep the noise down.


    It wasn''t that he was afraid that someone would hear as he was confident the soundproofing was quite good.


    ....He was just being cautious.


    There were a lot of what-ifs in the world.


    "Hooo."


    Thankfully, the process didn''tst for too long.


    Leon was done in just about five minutes as steam rose up from his body which was entirely red.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    His clothes were sticky from the sweat, and his head was hot.


    Still...


    "Tier 4."


    Leon stared at his arms which were thicker than before.


    He could feel that he was currently bursting with power. With just a punch, he was confident in destroying the door that was keeping him in.


    There were runes outside that prevented someone from forcefully breaking the doors, but those no longer were of concern to him.


    "....."


    Leon stood up from his spot.


    pping his clothes which were soaked in his own sweat, he walked up to the door and pressed his palm against it.


    ''I need to get out of here.''


    There wasn''t much time.


    He was without a doubt stronger than the Archpriest, but he wasn''t Leon''s main concern. There were more than a dozen followers who were all strong in their own right. While Leon was indeed strong now, he didn''t think he could defeat them all by himself.


    The only logical path for him was to run.


    But,


    "....I need to save everyone."


    At least, those he could.


    He couldn''t escape by himself. He needed help.


    For that reason, he started to think about ways to free the others. Soon an idea came to mind and he channeled the mana inside of his body, sending a subtle pulse towards the door.


    ''I hope this works.''


    Rumble...!


    Soon, the doors started to open.


    Leon stood still on the spot until the outline of a figure in white appeared in his vision. With their hollow eyes, they were staring at him.


    In the distance, he could also hear the sound of approaching footsteps.


    ''So they canmunicate with each other rather fast.''


    Leon closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again. Then, with a sharp glint, he pressed his foot against the ground and rushed through the small opening of the door as it opened.


    His movements were quick, and within the time it took for someone to take a breath, he had already slid out of the chamber.


    The moment he managed to get out of the chamber, the first thing Leon did was turn around and dive toward the guard stationed outside of his ce.


    Everything happened in a few seconds, and the guard was barely able to turn around before Leon slipped right behind them and grasped their neck.


    Cracka!


    Leon didn''t waste a second and snapped their neck.


    Thump!


    Watching as their body fell down, Leon took a small breath.


    He then kicked the body into the chamber and pressed his hand against it.


    Rumble!


    The doors started to close.


    In the meantime, Leon ced his hand over his face. His muscles started to squirm, and so did his facial structure.


    Soon, he adopted an appearance that was eerily simr to the guard stationed outside of the room.


    He looked like an uncanny copy.


    But Leon knew that it was far from enough.


    Tak, tak, tak¡ª


    The distant footsteps drew nearer, and he clenched his fists tightly.


    Tensing his back, he looked towards the distance where he saw the depths of the tunnel which was covered in ck.


    He stood still for several seconds as the footsteps drew near.


    They continued,ing closer to him.


    Closer...


    Clos...


    "Hup!"


    Leon pressed his foot against the ground the moment he caught a glimpse of a certain something in the distance.


    His body blurred shortly after, arriving right before the group of guards that hade to check up on his area.


    Bring his fist back, Leon punched forward.


    Bang!


    A loud explosion sounded.


    ***


    "This is from me...?"


    I looked around me in shock.


    Threads...


    I could see threads covering the entire space around me. They were thin, and almost imperceptible to the eye.


    <nulli>''They look really sharp too.''


    I brought my hand forward and touched one of them.


    The moment my finger came into contact with one of the threads, I felt a stinging pain on my finger and when I turned my finger around, I spotted a line of red tracing down my finger.


    "So sharp."


    ".....This is far from enough."


    I raised my head upon hearing Owl-Mighty''s voice.


    "Far from enough?"


    I looked at my arm. There, three threads coiled around it as they scattered throughout the room.


    Just three were quite hard to control for me, but I thought that I had done quite a good job.


    This was still far from enough?


    "Julien was capable of handling ten such threads."


    I frowned slightly.


    There was a strange sense of difort within me the moment that I heard about Julien. During my practice, I had asked them about him, in hopes of finding out if he was really me, but the more I listened to their description of him, the more I realized that there was simply no way.


    Especially when Owl-Mighty cast an illusion on him.


    ....He seemed like a robot to me.


    From the way they described him, he was this perfect machine that could absorb pain endlessly.


    At the same time, he also appeared to be a loner.


    I was also a loner, but he seemed to be actively pushing people away.


    Listening to their recounts of him, there was only one thought in my mind.


    ''I don''t like him.''


    Despite having never met him, I didn''t like him.


    He was strange.


    .....Something about the way that he behaved repulsed me.


    And to make matters worse, he was a mass murderer.


    I...


    Wholeheartedly rejected such a person.


    That person could never be me.


    "Focus. We don''t have much time left. We''re going to go through your abilities."


    "Yes."


    Listening to Owl-Mighty, all thoughts with regard to Julien vanished, and I focused on what was in front of me.


    I could only control three threads, and it didn''t seem like controlling a fourth was impossible.


    For that reason, I moved on to the next skill which was [Veil of Deceit].


    ....For me, that was a lot easier to learn.


    All I needed to do was imagine something and use my mana to cover it.


    Indeed, staring at the rock in front of me, I imagined a wooden chair, and within a few short seconds, a chair started to manifest before my very eyes.


    It wasn''t very clear, but with the passing of the seconds, it became more and more pronounced.


    After a certain point, it almost looked real.


    "Not good enough."


    Unfortunately, Owl-Mighty didn''t seem satisfied with my progress.


    "You need to be faster. Illusions that take so long are useless. You still have a few hours. Keep practicing."


    "Haa..."


    Lowering my head, I sighed in exasperation.


    However, as I thought about my circumstances and was reminded of my brother, I chose to persevere.


    ''All of this so that I can get out.''


    This much pain was nothingpared to the times when I was in pain due to my cancer or work.


    This much exhaustion was nothing.


    And so, for the next few hours, I continued to diligently practice.


    "Again."


    "No."


    "That''s bad."


    "Julien could do this in a few seconds."


    Owl-Mighty was relentless with his teaching. Perhaps it was because it was an animal, or whatever thing it was, it held no regard to my emotions and feelings and continued to force me to work.


    ....It was ruthless, but I still persisted.


    Halfway through the situation, Pebble joined in and started to teach me his skill.


    [Step of Supression]


    Unlike the other skills, this one was a lot easier to understand and practice.


    It didn''t need as much control as the other skills that Owl-


    Mighty taught me. Of course, there were still things that I needed to be able to control when using the skill.


    In particr, I needed to remain focused so that I could distinguish who to affect under the skill, and who to not.


    Apparently that was possible.


    "That''s enough."


    Hearing Owl-Mighty''s voice, I stopped and looked towards it. My breath was extremely heavy and sweat was pouring down from the side of my face.


    "....You can rest now."


    Thump!


    The moment Owl-Mighty said those words as if all tension in my body left, I dropped down to the ground and started to breathe heavily.


    "Heup...! Huep!"


    I was tired.


    So tired that I could hardly find any words to speak.


    "Have some rest. After that, we need to n a way to go out. You need to be fully healthy to do that."


    "...."


    I nodded in silence.


    I wanted to speak, but my mouth just refused to open.


    In the end, the only thing that I could do was nkly stare at the ceiling while I recuperated.


    That was my n.


    At least until,


    Bang!


    Arge explosion resounded in the distance.

 Chapter 232 Chaos [1]

    <h4>Chapter 232 Chaos [1] </h4>


    232 Chaos [1]


    <nulli>Bang¡ª!


    I hastily sat up the moment the explosion sounded.


    "What happened...?"


    I looked in the direction of where the noise came from.


    "Reinforcements?"


    Were we going to get rescued from this ce? My heartbeat elerated at the thought, but Owl-Mighty was quick to pour cold water over my thoughts.


    "It''s unlikely."


    I turned my head to look at it.


    "Why?"


    "....If it were reinforcements, then they wouldn''t be so obvious. In fact, considering how important you all are to the Empire, I''m sure they would send thatdy."


    "Thatdy?"


    I looked at the owl in confusion, but seeing that it refused to borate, I could only remain silent.


    <nulli>''Who is he talking about...? And why do I notice something strange when he mentioned her?''


    It almost looked scared, but at the same time didn''t.


    ....It was hard to tell.


    "Judging from the power of the attack, it''s most likely been done by one of your ssmates."


    "One of my ssmates?"


    I was surprised by Owl-Mighty''s words.


    While I didn''t know any of them, judging from the power of the explosion, they seemed to be quite strong.


    Nheless, I knew that something outside of its expectations had urred.


    I looked at Owl-Mighty and asked,


    "What do I do?"


    "....We hasten our ns."


    pping its wings, Owl-Mighty moved and positioned itself over my shoulder. Pebble, on the other hand, moved ahead of me and faced the door.


    I looked towards it for a few seconds before turning my attention towards the door.


    "What now?"


    "Press your hand against the door."


    ".....?"


    Though confused, I stillplied and pressed my hand against the door.


    "Focus all of your attention on the door and use the skill that I taught you. Imagine that cracks are all over the door."


    "Ah."


    I finally understood what its intentions were and closed my eyes.


    ''Cracks. Cracks. Cracks...''


    I then started to imagine cracks like Owl-Mighty suggested. Be it on the front, and on the back, I imagined for cracks to appear.


    It took me several seconds toplete the imagery, and once I was done, I put my hand away and took a step back.


    "Not bad."


    Owl-Mighty was the first topliment me as it looked at the door which was filled with all sorts of cracks.


    It looked like it would shatter with a simple touch.


    "Get ready. The door will be opening soon."


    I nodded and looked towards my arm.


    For a few seconds, my eyes lingered over the tattoo that was on my arm. It was a strange four-leaved clover that wasn''t all that pleasing to the eyes.


    Rather, it was a little too simple.


    .....I wasn''t a fan of tattoos, to begin with, so I felt a little repulsed by the sight.


    <nulli>''What a waste. Good thing this isn''t my body.''


    "Get ready."


    Rumble¡ª!


    I hastily looked up towards the doors that rumbled open. My heart skipped a beat the moment it did, and I suddenly grew nervous.


    Threads began to flow out of my arm, moving forward and slipping through the narrow gap in the door.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    I could feel my breathing grow with each passing second as I focused my entire attention on controlling the threads.


    Sweat dripped down from the side of my face as I fully focused on my task.


    Slowly, the threads started to make their way forward and encircle the legs of the person standing on the opposite end.


    "Now!"


    At Owl-Mighty''s words, I clenched my hand and hooked the threads around the legs.


    Snap! Snap...!


    I thought that I had seeded, but I was disappointed and horrified to see the threads snap the moment they hooked onto the ankles.


    "This...!"


    The doors opened up further, and the figure on the opposite end bent over to get in.


    Their hollow, lifeless eyes fixed on me, and from beneath, their skeletal hands reached out, grasping hungrily in my direction.


    My heart sped up and I tried using the threads again, but that was of no use either as the hand swept over the threads, snapping them quickly.


    "....!"


    "Pathetic."


    Stepping forward, Pebble pressed its tiny foot against the ground.


    Thump!


    The guard immediately lost their bnce and fell face-first against the ground. Then, stepping forward, Pebble pressed its tiny paw over its head, and...


    Puchi!


    Squished its head entirely.


    "...Ah."


    Pieces of flesh scattered throughout as I felt something well up from deep within my body, slowly making its way up into my mouth.


    "Ukh!"


    I pressed my hand against my mouth and tried my absolute best to not puke.


    But it was hard.


    Really hard.


    "Get over it."


    Pebble said, looking back at me with cold eyes.


    ".....This shouldn''t have happened had you been more decisive. Who told you to aim for its legs? You clearly don''t want to kill."


    "....."


    I had no excuses.


    The cat was right. I... the reason why I had failed was because I didn''t aim for the kill and just nned to get rid of its legs.


    But...


    "How can you ask me to kill when I''ve never killed before?"


    It wasn''t as though I was pro-life or anything like that.


    ....I could kill if it was necessary, but I understood my limits. If I was to kill right now, then my mind would fall into a state of chaos.


    It would be all that I was going to think about for the next few hours, making it hard for me to focus.


    But it wasn''t just that.


    Staring at the pieces of flesh on the ground, and the blood that was polling beneath my feet, I felt my stomach churn.


    That was also another thing that I needed to get used to.


    "Ukh."


    Holding onto my mouth, I forced myself to look at the scene right before my very eyes.


    I made sure to imprint it in my mind.


    ''....I need to get used to this. I need to get used to this.''


    In order for me to survive.


    ....I needed to get used to this.


    "Hoo."


    Letting out a long breath, I slowly looked forward to where Owl-Mighty stood. It stared at me in silence, and I felt a shudder run down my back under its piercing gaze.


    It was there that I understood something.


    <nulli>''If I don''t change, it''ll kill me.''


    "Ah."


    I clenched my teeth.


    Lowering my head to stare at the body once more, I clenched my teeth harder before moving forward.


    <nulli>''....You don''t have to tell me that.''


    ***


    "Uakh...! Ukh!"


    Crack!


    A neck snapped as Leon clenched his hand.


    Thump!


    Tossing the body to the side, he looked towards the door to his left and pressed his hand against the wall. There was noplicated password to unlock the door.


    All he needed to do was channel his mana on the door from the outside.


    Rumble!


    The doors started to open shortly after he channeled his mana.


    "....I still don''t understand how you did it."


    Several people were standing behind Leon. They were none other than Aoife, Kiera, and a few others from Haven.


    The first thing Leon did aftering out was help them out.


    He didn''t know who was in which door, so he just opened whatever door he passed.


    "What''s going on? Who are you...!"


    A girl with purple hair appeared right after the door opened. She looked at them in a daze.


    Leon felt himself sigh in relief upon seeing her and moved closer to her.


    "Wait, stop...!"


    She tried to protest, but it was of no use.


    With her mana sealed, she wasn''t able to put up much of a struggle. In the end, Leon overpowered her and pressed his hand against her back.


    Pftt¡ª


    Spitting out blood, a familiar centipede appeared for everyone to see.


    Aoife stared at it with a frown.


    ''Mana suppressing cetipede.''


    It was a rather rare breed of centipede that was used to suppress someone''s mana. Given that, there were other methods to suppress someone''s mana, they weren''t that popr, but that wasn''t what bothered her.


    ''How did he get his hands on them?''


    Mana-suppressing centipedes were quite rare and very hard to find.


    Unless someone had a lot of resources, it was almost impossible to find them.


    How did a cult of this size manage to get them?


    Aoife didn''t understand.


    "Uh, Leon?"


    Turning around, Aoife''s eyes paused on Evelyn. Her gaze was no longer muddled, and her eyes were clear.


    ''Looks like he seeded.''


    Staring at Leon, Aoife pursed her lips slightly.


    He had been the one to save her, and everyone else. She was extremely surprised to see that he had reached Tier 4 and that he had been able to resist the effect of the Ring of Nothingness.


    Unlike him, she found herself unable to retain her rationality.


    ''...He''s certainly hiding something.''


    From the sudden surge in strength to his ability to resist the ring''s power. Aoife knew that Leon was hiding something, but chose to keep her curiosity in check.


    There was no need to pry over the secrets of everyone present.


    Furthermore, he had saved her.


    She wasn''t ungrateful to the point where she''d demand answers from him.


    She was just d to be free.


    "What next?"


    Kiera''s voice reached Aoife from behind.


    Turning around, Aoife looked at Kiera who briefly paused her gaze on her. Things were certainly awkward between the two, but given the circumstances, they managed to push the feelings aside.


    "We need to free the others."


    Leon answered from the back as he stood up and helped Evelyn up as well.


    Walking forward, he looked around with a serious expression.


    "By now, the Archbishop should be aware of the fact that we''ve escaped. We don''t have much time. I''m sure that all of you have noticed this, but he''s not very strong. The ones who are strong are those who are under his influence. If we go now, we don''t stand a chance of escaping. We need more people."


    Listening to his words, Aoife nodded her head.


    His reasoning made sense. She agreed with him.


    "....Are we also rescuing the bastards from the other Empire?"


    Kiera asked all of a sudden, and everyone turned quiet.


    The silence was quickly broken by both Leon and Aoife.


    "Yes, of course."


    "Yes."


    Everyone turned to look towards them, and Aoife answered for Leon.


    "Not only are they strong, but this is also a chance to get them to owe us something. If we can, we should free them."


    "....I guess."


    Kiera mumbled while scratching the back of her head.


    Leon looked around the group before looking at Aoife.


    "Let''s split."


    ".....Okay."


    Aoife nodded without hesitation.


    If things were to continue at their current pace, they would never be able to get enough people to fight against the cultists.


    They needed to split up and free enough people.


    "We''re currently in ten. You bring five and I take five. When you gather five more, you can split again. Let''s meet at the church. That''s where the exit is located."


    ".....Yes."


    Aoife nodded before turning around to look at her group.


    Her heart dropped the moment she noticed Kiera, but she quickly pushed her feelings aside and nudged with her head.


    "Let''s go."

 Chapter 233 Chaos [2]

    Chapter 233 Chaos [2]


    ?233  Chaos [2]


    "...."


    Candles flickered, and light seeped in through the mosaic windows.


    Archbishop Lucas stood in silence, staring at the altar before him. The silence was eerie, almost oppressive.


    That silence was broken shortly after.


    "....Your Holiness."


    One of the nuns appeared behind him.


    Turning around, the Archbishop''s white eyes locked with the nun.


    There was no need for the two to exchange any words. With just a nce, he knew exactly what she wanted to ry to him.


    <nulli>''So they''ve escaped.''


    Instead of being angry, he smiled.


    His eyes turned a murkier white color.


    "As things should be."


    The candles flickered with more intensity and the ring on the Archbishop''s hand glowed with even more intensity.


    It continued like this for the next few seconds before the Archbishop waved his hand forward.


    "Go."


    Around the church, the nuns and priests present all stepped forward in unison before turning to face the entrance to the cave.


    As if they were robots, they all moved in the same manner as their robes and clothes fluttered slightly.


    "....Don''t hesitate to kill them."


    The Archbishop''s firm and cold voice echoed throughout the entire church as his smile grew more gentle.


    "We can revive themter."


    ***


    Aoife and Kiera moved quietly alongside the cave system.


    Neither one talked, and just moved forward.


    Things were rather awkward between the two of them ever since the incident up above, but they were able to tell that this wasn''t the right moment to act on their resentments.


    Therefore, the two, alongside the others who were present, cooperated with one another and started to free everyone that they could.


    nk! nk¡ª!


    Explosions rang everywhere as they fought against the priests and nuns.


    "Ukh!"


    They were quite strong, and Aoife had a hard time dealing with them just by herself.


    Bringing her hands forward, she halted several people as a tremendous me burst from behind her, engulfing everything in front of her.


    Swoosh!


    The intense heat rushed toward Aoife, forcing her to shield her face.


    Once the heat cooled off, only charred remains were left in front of her. Aoife didn''t need to look to know who was responsible for all of this and instead looked towards the others who were busy freeing the imprisoned cadets.


    "....Done on this side."


    "Same here."


    "I''ve just opened the door."


    Josephine shouted as she helped someone up.


    "They''re from the Aurora Empire. We''re in the process of removing the centipede."


    "Okay."


    Aoife overlooked the operation with a stoic expression.


    She was tired, but everything was proceeding smoothly so far.


    If things were to keep up this way, then she believed that they''d be able to get out soon enough.


    <nulli>''There''s still the Archbishop, but dealing with him shouldn''t be a problem.''


    Aoife was confident in being able to deal with him.


    Furthermore, although she hated to admit it, Kiera had gotten considerably stronger over the past few months.


    With her present, Aoife wasn''t that worried.


    The only problem was the number of ''minions'' at the Archbishop''s disposal but with their numbers, Aoife felt a little confident in handling them.


    "Good."


    ....The situation was looking up for them.


    All was great.


    All was...


    "Uh."


    Aoife suddenly blinked her eyes.


    In one moment, she felt like she was looking forward, and in the next moment, she was looking back.


    The surrounding noise had ceased to enter her mind and her eyes locked towards Kiera who was looking at her with widened eyes.


    She appeared to be saying something, but Aoife struggled to hear her.


    <nulli>''What''s she saying? What is she...''


    Aoife''s thought stopped as she felt something trickle down the side of her face.


    When she looked down, she realized it was a ck tear.


    But that wasn''t what took her aback.


    What took her aback was something else. It was...


    <nulli>''Why are my legs facing the other way?''


    Aoife blinked her eyes. It was just a blink, however, the next moment she opened her eyes, she found Kiera standing right before her with her hand pressed against her face.


    Through the narrow gap of Kiera''s fingers, Aoife was able to read her lips as Kiera nudged the vial on her arm.


    <nulli>''You''ll be fine....''


    She said.


    <nulli>''....I think.''


    In the next moment, Aoife felt heat engulf her entire body.


    Her mind went nk from the searing pain, but amidst the agony, one thought pierced through her consciousness.


    ''This bitch. I''ll kill her when I have the chance.''


    Right, it was revenge.


    Because she knew she was doing this on purpose.


    <nulli>''....This bitch.''


    Aoife started to lose consciousness.


    And yet, as she gradually lost it, for some reason, she felt the situation to be funny.


    Even amidst the pain, she found Kiera''sst words to be funny.


    It was just... so like her.


    ***


    The corridors were quiet.


    Tak, Tak¡ª


    The only sound I could hear was the rhythmic echo of my own footsteps.


    They rang quietly within my mind as I walked ahead.


    There was only one path, and thus, I needed to be extremely careful. I was worried about any of the ''guards'' that I would meet along the way and tried my best to keep my steps quiet.


    Fortunately, as I continued forward, I didn''t meet anyone.


    It was strange.


    "....Why is no one here?"


    For them to hold me captive and yet have no guards stationed... It was a pleasant surprise, but at the same time, I felt my heart start to grow heavy.


    I knew things couldn''t be this easy.


    Still, I knew that I couldn''t start overthinking things. Looking ahead, I could only hold my breath and continue forward.


    Whatever the case was, I had no other choice but to keep moving forward.


    ''I did hear the loud explosion earlier. Perhaps it has something to do with that.''


    No, it was most likely that.


    Thinking about the explosion, I decided to hurry my steps.


    ''Since Owl-Mighty said that it probablyes from the people from before, then it''s likely that they''re also trying to escape.''


    I started to piece all of the information together.


    ''....The guards are probably all focused on trying to capture them.''


    The good thing was that they were quite far from where I was. This meant that I had a lot of freedom to work.


    But still...


    There was still one major problem.


    "Where do I go?"


    I looked at the road which forked into three different directions. I silently groaned at the sight before me.


    Pursing my lips, I tried to recall the way.


    However, seeing how they were all identical, I started to struggle.


    Despite the fact that Owl-Mighty had gotten rid of the thing that was in my head, my mind was still a little clouded.


    Added to the exhaustion from my training, I really didn''t know where to go.


    Bang!


    "....Ah."


    Another explosion echoed in the distance.


    My heart started to speed up as anxiety started to kick in and in the end, I decided to go with the middle road.


    <nulli>''Worst case, I''ll go back.''


    ....If I could.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Running through the cave, my heart was beating like crazy and my breath grew heavier with each step that I took.


    Sweat began to form on my forehead, and my hair started to stick to my face.


    Brushing it to the side, I picked up my pace.


    "Stop."


    ".....!"


    Only for me to stop a few steps in as Owl-Mighty appeared right before me.


    Its expression was serious as it looked into the distance.


    "I sense something strange."


    Owl-Mighty spoke in a solemn tone. I was taken aback by its tone.


    "What''s going on...? Is there something up ahead? Should we turn back?"


    "Quiet."


    Owl-Mighty looked into the distance and narrowed its eyes.


    Then, to my surprise, it walked forward.


    "Follow me."


    "But-"


    "Don''t make any sounds and just follow."


    "....."


    I swallowed whatever word that I wanted to say and followed obediently.


    ''Right, it''s on my side for now. It shouldn''t try to hurt me.''


    Tak, tak¡ª


    Just like before, it was quiet.


    ....And yet, unlike before, each step that I took raised the hair on my body.


    A certain coolness washed over my body, making my heart beat faster.


    There were many things that I wanted to ask Owl-Mighty, but chose to keep my mouth quiet. I was afraid of attracting any unwanted attention.


    "Stop."


    Owl-Mighty stopped, and so did I.


    Looking up, I saw arge door up ahead.


    There were no guards stationed before the door, and it looked just like the door that was used to keep me in my chamber.


    The only difference was its size.


    ....It was muchrger.


    "What is this...?"


    "I don''t know."


    I looked at Owl-Mighty.


    "....There''s a strange energying from this room."


    Strange energy?


    I looked at the door.


    ....I didn''t feel anything.


    "ce your hand on the door and channel your mana."


    "Uh?"


    My eyes widened slightly as I looked at Owl-Mighty.


    However, the owl didn''t bother looking back as it kept its gaze on the door. Every part of me screamed not to do it, but thinking back to Owl-Mighty and the way it had looked at me before, I clenched my teeth and stepped forward.


    Then, pressing my hand against the door, I started to channel my mana.


    "Ah."


    A purple glow manifested over the door.


    Rumble! Rumble...!


    The surroundings started to shake as the doors started to lift and I took a step back.


    ....I waited with bated breath as the doors opened.


    I wanted to see exactly what was behind those doors, and whatpelled Owl-Mighty to make me open them.


    Cracka!


    Or at least, that was until I heard a sudden cracking sounding from behind me and I felt my blood freeze in my veins.


    "....!"


    My head flicked back as I started to channel my mana.


    "Uh?"


    But I was shocked to see that there was nothing behind me.


    I blinked my eyes a couple of times.


    ''Was it just my imagination?''


    Looking around, I didn''t see anything.


    "....."


    Only darkness stood in the distance, and I secretly swallowed.


    "Huu."


    I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.


    Drip...! Drip.


    As I turned to focus my attention back on the door, I felt a trickle of liquid slide down the side of my face.


    Surprised, I touched my face, only to freeze on the spot.


    ''ck.''


    A ck liquid stained my fingers and I took a deep breath. Then, slowly, I raised my head to look up.


    "....."


    I felt my breath bepletely taken away from me the moment I looked up.


    Cracka! Cracka¡ª!


    The cracking sounds returned, and I felt myself lose control of my body.


    There, right above me, hung one of the guards. Their arms were grotesquely attached to the ceiling, their body twisted unnaturally. Their head was bent backward, and their deep ck eyes bore into mine.


    Drip! Drip!


    ck tears continued to stain the ground as it looked at me and I took a step back.


    "Ah, this..."


    I swallowed nervously.


    "....I knew it couldn''t be that easy."

 Chapter 234 Chaos [3]

    Chapter 234 Chaos [3]


    ?234  Chaos [3]


    I felt my entire body paralyze on the spot.


    Staring ahead, my throat mped up as I silently swallowed, a cold sweat drenched my back as I did so.


    Cra... Crack!


    The air was filled with the sickening sound of cracking bones as the neck twisted grotesquely in my direction.


    Drip!


    ck droplets stained the ground as I stood with my breath held.


    "....What are you doing?"


    It was the sound of Owl-Mighty''s voice that shattered my thoughts.


    "Fight it."


    "Uh...?"


    I almost looked back in shock.


    Fight it...?


    <nulli>''Can I even fight it?''


    I could tell at a nce that whatever thing was before me was strong. I had hardly gotten any practice with my skills and had no experience fighting.


    How could I fight it?


    "....!"


    Sadly, I never had the chance to retort as the creature lunged at me.


    Swoosh!


    It didn''t make any sound as it did, but it was extremely fast.


    "Ukh!"


    I was able to avoid it just barely.


    Cra... Crack!


    Cracking sounds echoed once again as the creature stood on all fours, its belly grotesquely facing upwards, and its head twisted unnaturally in the opposite direction. Its pitch-ck eyes red at me as I felt my hand shiver.


    Swoosh!


    It moved again. Nimble and agile, it slithered around the cave, its body contorting in ways that defied human anatomy with its neck and back continuously twisting to aid its movements.


    My mind processed the situation rather quickly, and despite my panic, I pressed my foot forward.


    ''Now!''


    Thump!


    The creature fell slightly down as the gravity around it increased, and threads started to emerge from out of my hand and head towards it.


    At the same time, I reached out with my other hand and a purple magic circle manifested.


    "Ukh...!"


    I felt lightheaded as I did so, and the magic circle took a little while to form, but it stillpleted after a short while as a purple hand manifested before the creature, gripping it directly in the neck.


    The mana inside of my body drained as the hand touched the creature, but I could vividly see the creature growing weaker as it started to fall further under the gravity impression.


    <nulli>''This... I might be able to do it.''


    I felt my heart race at the thought as I rushed the threads forward.


    My aim was its neck.


    <nulli>''Right, I need to kill it... It''s not human.''


    As the threads approached, I tried to hypnotize myself into thinking that the creature wasn''t human so that I would have an easier time digesting the after-effects of the situation.


    Time seemed to slow in that moment.


    The threads approached.


    They got closer to the creature.


    .....They were now only a few inches away.


    I felt my entire body tingle as anxiety started to kick in. This... it was close. So close.


    I was...


    <nulli>Snap, snap¡ª


    The loud snapping of threads echoed within my mind, each snap echoing loudly within my mind, as I felt a hot breath brush the back of my neck.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    My body jolted in panic, but there was something else that took my mind.


    "A-ah."


    Turning my head to look at my hand, I felt my lungs copse as I lost my breath.


    Drip! Drip!


    In the area where my hand should''ve been, all I could see was blood as it leaked down onto the ground. Right towards my severed hand.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    The breath continued to run down the back of my neck as fear started to choke me.


    But before I could figure out what was going on, something pierced my chest and blood spurted out from my mouth.


    That pain was met with a sharp pain in my neck.


    <nulli>Thump!


    Thest thing I saw was two bare feet.


    ***


    It all happened fast.


    But not to the point where Owl-Mighty couldn''t see what was going on. Owl-Mighty stood at the back while watching the fight alongside the stupid dragon.


    Yes, stupid dragon.


    Because it was stupid.


    "What do you think...?"


    The stupid dragon spoke from the side. Owl-Mighty looked at it for a brief moment before answering,


    "He will most likely die."


    Such was his verdict after looking at the fight that was happening.


    In particr, Owl-Mighty''s gaze fell on the creature that was slowly creeping up from behind. It had been present the entire time, it was just that Emmet''s attention was entirely focused on one of the people to notice.


    "Are you going to help him?"


    "No."


    Owl-Mighty answered decisively.


    There was no ounce of hesitation in its voice.


    ".....I don''t see a reason to help him."


    "If he dies, we will also disappear."


    "That''s fine."


    Owl-Mighty''s gaze remained fixed on Emmet in the distance.


    <nulli>''Is it really not him...?''


    The entire time, Owl-Mighty had been wondering if it was memory loss, or if someone else had taken over the body.


    There were a couple of simrities between the two, but the more Owl-Mighty interacted with Emmet, the more he realized just how different they were.


    Julien was decisive, ruthless, and calm.


    On the other hand, Emmet was less decisive. He wasn''t anywhere near ruthless, and he continuously panicked.


    They were so different in so many ways.


    .....And yet.


    They also were quite simr to others.


    "It''s strange."


    Owl-Mighty mumbled while staring at Emmet who was staring at his missing arm. The fight was pretty much over, and it didn''t take long for his head to fly off in the distance.


    Thump!


    Rolling on the floor, it stopped right before Owl-Mighty.


    Looking down, Owl-Mighty could see the expression of terror etched on his face.


    A small pool of blood began to form around his head, spreading slowly, as the creatures in the distance turned their attention toward the two of them.


    Crack! Crack¡ª!


    They looked like they wanted to kill them.


    "Miao~"


    Stepping forward, the stupid cat''s eyes glowed a strange glint.


    The gravity surrounding the ce increased dramatically, forcing the two creatures to a halt.


    "They are weak. That human should''ve been able to take these two out without a problem."


    By the human, the stupid dragon was referring to Julien.


    Indeed, the things in front of them weren''t strong. They were rather weak, and the previous Julien would''ve been able to handle them easily.


    It was unfortunate that he was no longer here.


    Pftt, pftt¡ª!


    It took no time for the stupid dragon to get rid of the two things as blood sttered all over the ce.


    Taking its paw off their heads, it turned around to look at Julien''s body.


    "....Weak."


    A strange glow enveloped the body, halting the flow of blood. The blood that had seeped out began to reverse course, slowly coalescing towards him and forming a pulsating, crimson ball where his head used to be.


    Owl-Mighty looked at the vial that was resting on his arm.


    It was now halfway full.


    "Two times."


    That was how many lives he had left.


    ....Those were also the number of mistakes he was going to grant this Emmet person before discarding him.


    ***


    "....."


    Aoife woke up to the sight of two ring red eyes.


    Her mind was nk, and she could hardly think. Or at least, until she felt a certain stinging pain over the side of her face which was apanied by a loud pping sound.


    p¡ª


    ''That sounded like it hurt.''


    Aoife thought while her mind registered the sound.


    p¡ª


    Yet again, the sound echoed and Aoife started to frown.


    ''What''s going on?''


    What sort of hatred did someone have to p with that much force?


    ''They must really hate the pe¡ª''


    And then it registered.


    The pain.


    ....It came from both sides of her cheeks and her face contorted.


    "Ahh!"


    Aoife held the sides of her cheeks as she felt a certain heate from them. Touching her cheeks, she realized that they were both swollen.


    "I-it hurts!"


    The corners of her eyes started to water from the pain as she sat up and wiped the tears away.


    It was also then that she turned her head to re towards the source of her pain.


    "You...!"


    Standing innocently beside her was Kiera who tilted her head and wore an expression that seemed to say, ''What? I didn''t do anything.''


    Aoife clenched her fist.


    However, her anger subsided rather fast as she realized something.


    "I''m alive?"


    "Uh, yeah. It''s not like it''s the first time you died."


    "Ah..."


    Memories started to sh in her mind and Aoife understood exactly what had happened as her gaze turned to look at the vial on her arm.


    As expected, it was now only one-quarter of the way filled.


    ''One more life left.''


    It sounded like a lot, but Aoife didn''t even understand how she had died in the first ce.


    "Stop!"


    From the corner of her eyes, Aoife spotted something as she hastily waved her hand, stopping Kiera''s hand from reaching her face.


    p¡ª


    Then, out of pure instinct, her hand reached Kiera and she managed tond a clean p to her face.


    "Uakh!"


    Kiera hastily covered her face.


    ".....You bitch. I was just checking to see if you were still there yet. Your face looked like it was still out of it."


    "Well, now you know."


    Aoief stood up from her spot and patted her clothes clean.


    She then looked around her.


    "Where are we?"


    It seemed like they were in one of the chambers.


    Massaging her face, Kiera red at her.


    "We''re in one of the chambers. I don''t know what happened but you went all ape shit and stuff so I burned you into a crisp."


    "Oh."


    Yeah, that happened...


    Aoife felt her hand twitch.


    ''Maybe I should''ve hit even harder.''


    "What? Don''t look at me like that. You''re good now, right? That''s all that matters. I carried you all the way here and watched over you until you revived."


    "....What about the others?"


    "They''re outside helping out the others."


    Kiera turned her head and scratched the side of her face.


    "I stayed back here."


    "...."


    Aoife opened her mouth but found the words stuck in her throat.


    Scratching her head as well, she turned around and headed for the main door of the chamber.


    Rumble!


    Just before going out, she stopped and mumbled something,


    "Thank you."


    It was low, but loud enough for Kiera to hear.


    She looked a little stunned, but soon shook her head.


    "It''s fine. I did p you and burn you after all."


    "....."


    Aoife almost tripped over herself.


    ''She''s right.''


    All her feelings of gratitude disappeared and she moved out.


    "Hey, wait!"


    Kiera followed from behind, only for her to bump into Aoife''s back shortly after.


    "Ukh? What are you doing¡ª"


    Her words were cut short by the sight that greeted her.


    "Ah, this..."


    Body and limbs were scattered everywhere as over a dozen familiar faces stood on the opposite end staring at them with ck eyes.


    The worst part of it all?


    Their necks were twisted.

 Chapter 235 Chaos [4]

    Chapter 235 Chaos [4]


    ?235  Chaos [4]


    <nulli>''I died...''


    It wasn''t hard to figure out this part. Staring at the head that was lying on the ground in front of me, I held onto my stomach and tried my best to keep myself from letting the contents within my stomach spill out.


    "You have two lives left."


    Owl-Mighty''s cold voice echoed in the distance.


    ".....Don''t waste them."


    I could only swallow my breath at its words.


    ''I...''


    Easier said than done. How could I not waste them when I was suddenly trusted into this hellish situation? I didn''t know how to fight, I didn''t know what was going on, I... didn''t know anything.


    I felt a sense of frustration build up from within me as I started to think about my circumstances.


    And yet, I couldn''tin.


    The situation was like this, and I had no choice but to adapt.


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath and looked back.


    That was when my eyes finallyid on what stood behind therge door.


    "This is..."


    It looked like a study room.


    With bookshelves lining the walls, papers scattered everywhere, and a small wooden table in the middle, the ce looked differentpared to the other chambers. Owl-


    Mighty was already inside, staring at the papers scattered throughout while the cat sat next to it, curled up on its own.


    I carefully entered the ce and looked around.


    There were all sorts of objects scattered around, but my attention fell on one of the papers that Owl-Mighty was staring at.


    <nulli>''The Empire of Nothingness''


    Confused, I squinted my eyes to get a better look.


    It was there that I was able to get a short glimpse of the information written and my expression suddenly changed.


    <nulli>''No, this doesn''t make sense.''


    A work of fiction?


    The contents that were written in the paper didn''t make sense at all. They detailed an Empire that existed within a certain era that I knew nothing about.


    There were so many details about the story that didn''t make sense.


    ....The only way that I could exin the situation was through the ''it''s a work of fiction'' excuse, but then again, I already had an idea of what was going on.


    I just didn''t want to ept it.


    "It must be this."


    Owl-Mighty suddenly spoke, pointing towards a certain area of the paper where a ring appeared.


    [The Ring of Nothingness.]


    - One of the seven artifacts of evil, and the very item wielded by the Emperor of the Empire of Nothingness to transform its citizens into mindless puppets...


    "Haa."


    I drew in a cold breath at the description of the ring.


    That was because it felt eerily familiar to the current situation.


    <nulli>''No, but did the bishop have a ring?''


    I hadn''t paid enough attention to know. But I didn''t need to remember such details. I may not have seen it, but someone else did.


    My gaze locked onto a pair of piercing red eyes. They stared back at me with a strange intensity, and my breathing started to grow a little heavier.


    ''He most likely did.''


    ".....What do we do?"


    The more I started to read, the more it became clear to me.


    From the fact that thenguage that I was speaking was English, to the fact that I could control mana.


    This world. It wasn''t the same world as mine.


    ....I had previously held some hope, but that crumbled the moment that I started to learn about mana and the strange powers contained within this body.


    but things were clear now.


    "Fuck."


    A curse inevitably slipped from my mouth as I started to ruffle my hair in despair.


    <nulli>''This damn situation!''


    There were so many curses that I wanted to throw in the air but had to stop myself. Recalling the way Owl-Mighty had been looking at me before, I knew that I couldn''t act in such a pathetic manner.


    The only thing I could do was force myself to be calm and look around.


    "I-I''ll look around to get more answers."


    This was the only thing I could do in my situation.


    .....It was impossible for me to run away. Therefore, the only thing I could do was think of ways to escape.


    Right, I needed to run.


    <nulli>''I''ll figure out the restter.''


    For now, I needed to focus on this.


    Soon, I stopped before arge blueprint. Staring at it, my nose scrunched up.


    "This...!"


    My expression soon turned into one of excitement as I picked up the blueprint.


    But how could I not be excited?


    This was after all the blueprint of the cave system.


    ....I now knew which way to move.


    ***


    Leon''s situation was rather delicate.


    "Which direction should we go?"


    ".....I don''t know."


    "Maybe this way?"


    He was staring at a fork road that led in five different directions. Behind him was a group of over ten people, of which, Kaelion was a member.


    Someway, somehow, Leon had managed to help him out of his chamber.


    Leon felt a small sense of relief with Kaelion present. He was strong, and with him here, Leon didn''t need to worry about his back.


    Evelyn was present too which also helped him feel calm.


    "We should head this way."


    Thankfully, Leon didn''t need to be too worried about which way they needed to go.


    His ''instincts'' told him exactly which area he needed to go to.


    The only problem was convincing the others.


    "Why do you want to go this way?"


    As expected, the people from the Aurora Empire weren''t exactly too keen on listening to his suggestion.


    They seemed rather hesitant.


    Evelyn frowned as she looked at them.


    "He saved you. Shouldn''t it be okay to listen to him?"


    "Look, we''re grateful that you saved us, but that still doesn''t mean that we should rush into one of the paths without any clue as to where we are headed. If that was the case, then we were better off not being saved."


    "That''s right."


    "Yeah."


    "What...?"


    Evelyn''s face grew red at the sight of them. She was obviously baffled by their behavior, but just before she could say anything, Kaelion raised his hand.


    "We will do as he says."


    His voice was firm, and all the members of the Aurora Empire stopped speaking.


    Kaelion looked towards Leon.


    "Since you saved us, then you have every right to make the decisions."


    He red at the people behind him.


    "....That much should be understandable."


    "Thank you."


    Leon smiled and nodded at Kaelion.


    He was d to have found him. Reigning over those from the other Empire was easy with him present.


    Especially since he was rather sensible.


    Or at least, he appeared to be sensible in his actions.


    As Leon looked at him, he saw him look around at the group.


    "Are you looking for someone?"


    "Uh?"


    Kaelion turned his head and looked at Leon.


    His expression changed a little as he nodded his head.


    "....Ah, yes."


    "Who exactly?"


    Leon looked around and thought back to the two people who had been standing behind him before.


    He couldn''t quite recall their names, but he knew who they were.


    "I think they might be with the other team. We''ll be joining up with them soon."


    "They?"


    "Yes, aren''t you looking for your other team members?"


    "Oh, yeah. That."


    Kaelion nodded his head.


    His reaction made Leon frown a little.


    <nulli>''So he isn''t...? Then who is he¡ª''


    "Ah."


    Realization soon dawned on him.


    "Are you looking for the guy with blonde hair and blue eyes?"


    "....!"


    Kaelion''s expression changed a little.


    <nulli>''Looks like I''ve hit the mark.''


    Leon understood from there. He also remembered that cadet. How could he not when he stood out so much back then?


    ....It was just that he seemed a little differentpared to the first time he had seen him.


    Still, considering how Kaelion was acting, then he was someone of importance in one way or another.


    "He''s also likely with the other group. If we hurry then we might be able to meet them."


    "....Yes."


    Kaelion nodded his head before looking back.


    Leon stared at him for a brief moment before looking towards Evelyn.


    "Let''s go."


    "Okay."


    The group headed deeper into the cave system.


    <nulli>Tak, tak, tak¡ª!


    The only sound they could hear was the rushed sound of their steps as the passage grew darker the deeper they went in. Thankfully, a few cadets were adept at [Fire] magic and were able to illuminate the path forward.


    It was quiet, and their path was fairly unobstructed.


    "Ah, look!"


    Halfway through their march, they noticed ck liquid staining the ground.


    Leon rushed forward to take a look.


    "....It seems like we''re not too far off from the other team."


    The liquid was fresh, he could feel it.


    Leon didn''t waste a second and beckoned everyone with their hand.


    "Let''s go."


    He hurried his steps and rushed forward.


    "Look!"


    Along the way, he''d spot missing limbs and heads. Leon looked at the scene with cold eyes before picking up the pace.


    His heart dropped as he moved forward.


    <nulli>''I recognize those faces.''


    There were several that belonged to people he knew. Still, he wasn''t too worried. Everyone had the vials on their arms.


    With it, they could still revive.


    <nulli>''Right, the blood.''


    Leon looked at it.


    .....He knew what the blood was, and yet, he didn''t know the reason why the Archbishop gave them something so precious.


    He had a bad feeling about the blood, and for that reason, acted rather cautiously.


    Leon was afraid that it was part of the scheme made by the Archbishop.


    <nulli>nk¡ª!


    "Ukh!"


    In the distance, Leon heard the sound of metal shing and a subtle groan.


    <nulli>Thump!


    The ground cracked under his step as he picked up the speed.


    "Fuck! H-help me out! I''m struggling!"


    "I''m b-busy!"


    "Fuck that. Drop y-your shit and help me!"


    "Stupid!"


    "Kek. I-iss that your best insult?"


    Leon soon arrived before the source of the sound, and he stopped to see Kiera and Aoife encircled by over a dozen figures.


    <nulli>nk, nk!


    It was just the two of them, and their entire bodies were riddled with cuts and bruises.


    They were on the verge of losing.


    Leon''s eyes quickly darted to look at the surroundings. He took all the information in before extending his right hand where a sword appeared. A white glow manifested over the sword as the mana around him suddenly grew dense.


    It all happened in less than a second, and as he gathered enough mana, he shouted.


    "Duck!"


    "Uh?!"


    "W-what?"


    Aoife and Kiera were startled by his shout.


    Nheless. they did as he shouted, and immediately ducked down.


    Swoosh!


    That was when a powerful wave of mana swept the air.


    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!


    And they heard the sound of multiple bodies falling.


    In shock, Kiera and Aoife looked up to see several bodies scattered before their very eyes.


    "This!"


    "Holy shit."


    "Haaa.... Haaa...."


    Thump!


    Falling on one knee, Leon just barely managed to keep himself upright as sweat trickled down the side of his face.


    That move had taken every little bit of his mana as he felt that his lungs were on fire.


    Nheless, he had seeded.


    He had managed to help them in the nick of time.


    "Leon."


    "....What happened here?"


    It was also then that the others caught up and looked at the scene with dumbfounded looks.


    Leon barely managed to turn his head as he forced augh.


    "S-since we don''t have much time, I decided to go hard from the start. Don''t mind it. I just¡ª"


    His words were suddenly cut short by a sharp pain in his neck.


    Uh?


    Suddenly, he felt himself lose control of his body and the world turned upside down. In thest moments, he managed to catch a glimpse of one person.


    He seemed to be looking at him with cold eyes.


    <nulli>''Kaelion?''


    Leon''s consciousness faded before he could understand what had happened.


    Thump!


    And his body fell shortly after.


    The entire ce froze as all eyes fell on Kaelion.


    But before anyone could process what was happening, a sharp pping sound echoed from the distance.


    <nulli>p, p¡ª!


    The sound sent chills down the spines of everyone present as a man slowly stepped out from the shadows, his muddled white eyes gleaming ominously.


    His gaze locked onto Kaelion''s.


    "....You did well."

 Chapter 236 Blood Ritual [1]

    Chapter 236 Blood Ritual [1]


    ?236  Blood Ritual [1]


    p, p¡ª


    Stepping out of the shadows, the Archbishop''s muddled white eyes scanned the surroundings before pausing on Kaelion.


    ".....I was a little skeptical at first, but you really did fulfill your role."


    Kaelion merely lowered his head in acknowledgment.


    "What?"


    "W-what''s going on? This can''t be true, right?"


    The others looked at the scene dumbfounded. They could hardly believe what they were seeing.


    This was especially so for Evelyn who stared at Leon''s decapitated body.


    ''H-how could it be...?''


    Her mind was a mess and she could hardly think.


    Those from the Aurora Empire were no better as they looked at Kaelion, their idol, in utter shock.


    Of all the people that could betray them, this...


    "Why did you do this!?"


    "You were given everything!"


    They all shouted at him in protest. They demanded answers, and they soon received their answers.


    "Why did I do what I did?"


    Kaelion looked at them in disgust.


    "....Isn''t it obvious?"


    The atmosphere froze at his words.


    His voice. It was cold. So cold that everyone in the room found themselves staring at him as if he were a foreign person.


    "We live in an Empire where the strong rule and the weak die. But do you know what''s the most important thing?"


    Kaelion raised his head to look at everyone as his sharp gaze pierced through the darkness that encircled their surroundings.


    "Your life is what matters the most. How can you be strong if you die?! You ask me why I took the offer. It''s simple. It''s because I want to live. I don''t need to die in such a ce."


    "Fool."


    Kiera mumbled from the distance.


    Kaelion''s gaze turned towards her. His brows furrowed slightly as he recalled her. Just as his mouth opened to say something, she cut him off.


    "What makes you think he''s going to let you go after everything is done? And what makes you think people won''t find you suspicious when youe out of this as the sole survivor? You will obviously be kept in the Empire. You''re a fool."


    Kiera made sure to emphasize thest part.


    Her words held truth to them as Kaelion''s expression changed slightly, but as he nced at the Archbishop, his face twisted.


    ".....My value is not something that you will understand. The Empire will do everything in its power to bring me back. I''m certain of it. And what does it matter if they find it suspicious?"


    Kaelion''s lips slowly pulled into a smirk.


    "You''ll all be dead by then. It''ll all end in suspicion. Of course, that is unless your Empire wants to wage war with mine."


    "...."


    To that, Kiera didn''t have many words to say.


    In the end, the group was slowly surrounded by the people in white. Kiera, Aoife, Evelyn, and the others huddled together as they warily looked around while they talked with one another, trying to think of ways to fight back.


    Unfortunately, they were all too exhausted.


    They could only look around them with pale faces as they tried to channel their mana.


    "This shit again..."


    "Can you stop swearing?"


    "What?"


    "....You two."


    Standing in the middle, the Archbishop looked at all of them as he smiled kindly.


    "I''ll see you soon."


    These were thest words they heard before the people in white rushed at them.


    Thump!


    It didn''t take long for their world to turn ck.


    ***


    The map was rather detailed.


    With just one nce, I understood exactly where I was and where I needed to proceed in order to get out of the ce.


    <nulli>''So this is where I am.''


    My position on the map was somewhat clear.


    Labeled as ''Study Room'', it was fairly obvious. I circled it with my finger and traced the path to the exit with my finger.


    I thought about going out immediately, but I stopped myself.


    <nulli>''...I need more information.''


    In particr, I wanted to know more about this ''Ring of Nothingness''. In case I were to be subjected to that again, I wanted to know of a way to get out of it.


    Flip! Flip¡ª


    I flipped through multiple papers in haste, but there wasn''t much information with regard to the ring.


    "Nothing here too...?"


    I put one of the papers down and exhaled.


    ''I can''t waste too much time.''


    Time was running low, and I knew that within a few moments, someone would find this ce.


    I was sure Owl-Mighty also knew this and was just about to turn to face its direction when from the corner of my eyes, I spotted a certain drawing.


    "Hm?"


    Hiding behind a stack of papers, it was hard to notice at a nce, but its color stood out.


    It was entirely red.


    Instinctively, I reached out for it and grabbed it.


    "This is...?"


    I didn''t understand what I was seeing. It looked like a magic circle, but it was filled with all sorts of runes that I could hardlyprehend.


    For some strange reason, the runes seemed to pulse into life as I nced into them.


    It would alternate with each blink that I took. It would pulse at one blink, and be totally normal at the second nce.


    .....But that wasn''t the creepiest part.


    I felt my blood boil as I looked at the strange circle.


    As if pins and needles were stabbing from within my veins, every part of my body started to tingle as I felt an ufortable sensation run down my body.


    ''What is this?''


    The sensation was so weird that I almost dropped the paper in my hands.


    I was just barely able to keep myself from doing so as I looked around and eventually found another paper.


    "This is the one."


    I knew it was the right paper since it also contained a diagram of the circle.


    The only difference was that it wasn''t red.


    [Blood Absorption Circle]


    Just by reading the first few words I started to have a bad feeling.


    My eyes darted across the paper as I quickly read through the paper. It took me no more than a couple of minutes topletely read the paper, and once I was done, I ced it down softly as I drew in a cold breath.


    "Huu."


    In essence, it was a circle designed to absorb the blood of all those who were within the circle.


    The paper provided a step-by-step guide on how to operate the circle and what was required of it.


    I didn''t need to be told who the sacrifices were.


    ''Looks like we''re the sacrifices.''


    This much was obvious.


    .....But there was something else that I was curious about.


    "Why?"


    The paper only detailed how to operate the magic circle. It didn''t exactly say what its use was for.


    "To live longer."


    "....?"


    Turning around, Owl-Mighty dropped a book on the table. I squinted my eyes to look at the title of the book.


    [Door of Divinity]


    The title stood out at a nce.


    "The human wants to absorb your blood."


    ".....Yes, I know."


    The circle was clear enough for me to understand.


    What I wanted to know was why?


    Why did he want to absorb my blood?


    "You said to live longer? Are you saying that this circle extends someone''s life?"


    "I don''t know."


    Owl-Mighty shook its head, and I felt my left brow twitch slightly.


    "....But I do know about that."


    With its wing, Owl-Mighty pointed at my left hand where a vial appeared. I stared at it for a brief moment beforeing to a realization.


    "You know what this is?"


    "Yes, it''s in the book."


    Owl-Mighty began to exin.


    "ording to it, this belongs to Mortum, the God of Immortality."


    "Mortum...."


    I pondered over Owl-Mighty''s words.


    ''So there are gods in this world?''


    Considering everything that had happened, I didn''t even find this to be strange. It made sense and a thought crossed my mind.


    ''....Do they know of a way to send me back home?''


    Indeed, I had died in my previous world and my body was probably not in the right state, but was it possible for me to go back with a new body?


    Ba... Thump!


    The thought made my heart skip a beat.


    "....It looks like the human wants to absorb the blood from within your body."


    "Ah?"


    My thoughts were broken by Owl-Mighty''s words.


    "The Archbishop wants to absorb my blood?"


    I blinked my eyes several times. That didn''t quite make sense. Was my blood unique? I didn''t think so. Or perhaps it was, but since this was an unfamiliar body, I didn''t know.


    Nheless, I still didn''t think there was anything special to this body.


    The only thing that I could think about was the fact that it wanted to absorb my blood that was mixed with God''s blood.


    But why would it want to do that when he could just directly absorb the blood by himself?


    Considering how he had given it to us, surely he could''ve absorbed it by now.


    There was something that I was missing.


    Something impor¡ª


    "Oh."


    Realization suddenly struck me as my eyes widened.


    "Diluting."


    Right, this was God''s blood we were talking about. If the Archbishop''s desire was to live longer then he needed topletely rece his entire body with Mortum''s blood.


    Or at least, that was what I initially thought.


    But upon thinking about it further, I came to a realization.


    ''The blood is too powerful to be consumed inrge dosages. It needs to be diluted.''


    And who else did he want to use to dilute the blood?


    "Haha."


    Iughed at the absurdity of the situation.


    "So that''s the situation."


    This crazy bastard of a cultist was waiting for us to slowly absorb and dilute Mortum''s blood with each of our deaths beforepletely absorbing our blood into his body and extending his life.


    ".....Fucking sickening."


    It was merely a hypothesis, but the more I thought about it, the closer to the truth it was.


    There were still several things that didn''t quite make sense.


    For example, ''Why us?''


    The Archbishop had plenty of people at his disposal for the blood ritual, why did he select us?


    ''Maybe, he''s already done it to them.''


    If so, it would make sense.


    "Ugh."


    I ruffled my head as more questions started to appear in my mind.


    Nheless, I knew that I didn''t have much time to dwell on the matter.


    <nulli>''I need to get out of here.''


    My eyes fell on the blueprint in front of me.


    Tracing my finger over the path that I needed to take, I looked towards the door and then to Owl-Mighty who seemed to be staring at me, waiting to see what I''d do.


    "Let''s go."


    There was no hesitation in me.


    We needed to leave this ce as soon as possible. Looking around, I searched through every nook and cranny of the ce in search of anything important.


    Finding nothing, I quickly darted out of the ce with the map in my hand.


    "This way."


    Finding the right direction, I hurried my speed and sprinted forward.


    At the same time, I closed my eyes and imagined the rocky surface of the cave. My mana started to drain, and when I opened my eyes again, my skin changedpletely.


    It looked exactly like the surface of the cave.


    Well, not exactly but it was getting there.


    ".....This should do."

 Chapter 237 Blood Ritual [2]

    Chapter 237 Blood Ritual [2]


    ?237  Blood Ritual [2]


    Haven.


    Rustle~ Rustle~


    Delh sat on her seat while unwrapped the chocte bars before her. There were over a dozen, and looking at the scattered wrappers everywhere, she continued to unwrap more as she gorged herself on them.


    Her mouth was soon covered in chocte, but what did she care?


    More.


    Rustle~!


    More!


    <nulli>To Tok¡ª


    "Chancellor! Chancellor! We''ve got another letter from the delegates of the Aurora Empire!"


    "Chancellor!"


    Outside of her door, she could hear the shouts of her secretaries.


    They seemed desperate, and they probably were. A situation urred. The cadets from Haven, including those from the Aurora Empire had gone missing.


    Cr.. Crack!


    Delh''s desk started to crack.


    "....Just when things were going smoothly.


    The past five months had been some of the smoothest she ever had.


    There were some attempts here and there, but there was nothing that gave her a headache.


    But guess what?


    The moment Julien returned, her peace of mind shattered.


    "Chancellor!"


    To Tok!


    "Ukh."


    Delh groaned and stuffed a chocte bar in her mouth.


    "Munch... I knnew it...!"


    She continued like this until there was nothing left, and that was when her expression nked.


    Gone.


    ....Just like that, the chocte bars she had bought were gone.


    "How?"


    Delh stared at the wrappers with a nk look.


    Gaze : Should I switch to drugs?


    "....."


    That probably wouldn''t do a thing to her given that her constitution made her immune to most drugs, and those that did work were simply too costly.


    "Why has he not used it yet?"


    But the thing that bothered Delh the most was the fact that Julien had yet to use the item that she had given him.


    Knowing that something was probably going to go wrong in his presence, Delh took it upon herself to gift him something to use in cases of emergency.


    She had been waiting the entire time for him to use the item.


    ....And yet, he still hadn''t used it.


    Swoosh!


    Delh flung the wrappers aside with an expressionless face.


    But she was angry.


    Or at least, she thought she was angry.


    "So difficult."


    Her head started to ache.


    At least, she knew that she was stressed.


    Bang!


    The shouts turned into outright bangs and Delh raised her head. Narrowing her eyes, she could see exactly what sort of expressions the people outside were making and she sighed.


    "Looks like he won''t use it."


    Her body started to fade.


    ".....I''ll get into trouble for this, but I have no choice."


    ***


    "....."


    My surroundings were silent and I slowed my steps down as I looked at the dark path ahead of me.


    I could hardly hear any sound, and I tried to keep my breath at a minimum.


    <nulli>''This should be enough, right?''


    I looked towards my arms and legs which now looked like they were made out of the same rock as the sides of the cave.


    To the naked eye, it shouldn''t be possible to detect me.


    There was only one problem, I didn''t know whether it was enough topletely fool the eyes of whatever things were lurking within the cave.


    ".....Stop."


    Owl-Mighty''s voice echoed quietly.


    Standing on my shoulders, its red eyes gleamed beneath the darkness as they stared ahead.


    "I hear a couple of footsteps."


    Ba... Thump!


    My heart leaped out of my chest as I hastily pursed my lips.


    I didn''t hesitate to move to the nearby wall and adjust my cloaking to match the surroundings better.


    Tak, tak¡ª


    I could finally hear the steps and I swallowed nervously.


    The steps drew nearer, and I held my breath.


    "....!"


    Soon, two people in white appeared in my vision. With muddled looks, they walked in my general direction. I felt something lump in my throat as I continued to hold my breath. At the same time, I started to channel my mana within me in preparation for a potential conflict.


    Tak!


    The steps drew nearer.


    They were now a couple of meters away from me.


    The cave''s narrow width left little room to maneuver. As they walked past, my back pressed against the cold, rough wall, I could feel the air shift with their every step as they drew nearer.


    My eyes widened in terror, and I stifled a gasp with my hand as their shoulders nearly brushed against mine.


    Tak, tak¡ª


    ''Ah.''


    Thankfully, there were no hups as they walked past me.


    I continued to remain glued to the wall even as they walked forward, and just as I was about to sigh in relief, I heard a subtle cracking sounding from the distance.


    Cra... Crack!


    My heart froze at the sound as I robotically turned my head to meet two ring ck eyes that stared in my general direction.


    With their necks twisted backward, they both looked behind.


    My stomach churned at the sight that greeted me but was just barely able to keep myself from making any movements when I realized that their gaze wasn''t focused on me but on my general direction.


    .....Or at least, I hoped.


    "...."


    The silence was defeating.


    Perhaps it was my imagination, but I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat echo loudly within the cave.


    I stood frozen on the spot while staring back at the pair of ck eyes.


    I thought that my heart would copse on me due to the anxiety, but somehow, and in some way, I was able to persist until their necks returned to normal.


    Cra... Crack!


    Sweat trickled down the side of my face as their backs retreated into the darkness.


    It was only after several minutes had passed that I finally sighed in relief and rxed.


    "You should''ve killed them."


    But of course, Owl-Mighty wasn''t going to let me rx.


    I turned my head to look at the owl.


    "What do you mean?"


    ".....The moment they passed you. That was your chance to end things."


    "Ah, but¡ª"


    "You''ve wasted valuable time. If it was Julien, he would''ve killed them right the moment they passed him before carrying forward."


    "....."


    My expression hardened.


    "What does that have to do with me? I am not him."


    It was absurd that I was continuously beingpared to a guy that I didn''t know anything about.


    Unlike me, he was used to this world.


    How did they expect me to act the same way as him?


    I was learning.


    "It doesn''t matter. You''re wasting time again."


    Clenching my fists, I held back all the words that I wanted to say and turned around to head in the direction of where the church was.


    At the same time, I nced at the map one more time.


    The generalyout of the cave system wasn''t veryplicated. It was a series of tunnels that branched out like roots until eventuallying to a stop deep down.


    It soundedplicated, but just like all roots, they allbined to lead to one single path.


    The exit.


    ....Or in this case, the church.


    Located right above the cave system, the church was where I needed to go in order to exit this forsaken ce.


    Tak, tak¡ª


    As the steps faded, I looked to my left and held my breath.


    I was now very close to reaching the church. With the aid of Veil of Deceit, I was able to avoid getting caught and managed to find my way towards the very top.


    ''It''s strangely quiet.''


    Before, several explosions had rang throughout the ce.


    The explosions came from the others trying to escape, but the sounds didn''tst for very long before subsiding.


    There could only be two exnations for such a situation.


    One, they had all managed to escape, and two...


    I licked my lips.


    "They''ve been caught."


    I hoped that it was the former, but a part of me knew that it was thetter.


    ''In that case, should I save them?''


    The thought ran through my mind for a brief moment before I shook my head.


    ''No, that doesn''t make sense. I can hardly take care of myself. How can I, in the right mind, be able to save them?''


    I quickly discarded the thought of saving them rather quickly.


    Everyone was a stranger to me. Not only that, but I could hardly survive on my own. How could I even entertain the thought of saving them?


    I felt a little sorry, but there was no chance for me to save them.


    "We''re close."


    Owl-Mighty spoke from my shoulder.


    It would appear and disappear whenever it wanted to. I was starting to get used to its strange actions.


    "....."


    My steps slowed and I evened out my breathing.


    The path was still dark, and I could barely see what was ahead. However, I trusted Owl-Mighty knew what it was talking about.


    For that reason, I started to get myself ready.


    "Be careful. I can sense quite a few forces up ahead."


    "....I see."


    I nervously nodded.


    Just one person was hard for me to handle. Multiple...? I felt dread quickly crawl up my mind. However, I had no choice but to continue forward.


    My steps were light and so was my breath.


    ....Fortunately, I didn''t encounter anyone on the way up and I soon saw a bright light up ahead.


    ''There.''


    Covering my eyes, I slowed my steps further and made sure to camouge myself better with the environment.


    It was only when I was confident with my appearance that I moved forward.


    "We will be starting the ritual soon. Is there anyone missing?"


    "Yes, just one."


    "Oh? One? Do your best to find them. We don''t want any unwanted si¡ªOh! ....Looks like someone is awake."


    Drawing closer, I could hear a few voices in the distance.


    I slowed my pace further and moved towards the door that led to the church.


    There, I spotted a couple of peopleing out.


    Tak, Tak¡ª


    Their steps echoed quietly as they moved in my general direction. Holding onto my breath, I stuck to the wall and waited for them to pass before moving forward and taking a peek to get a better look at what was happening.


    ".....!"


    Something mped at my throat as I stared at the sight that greeted me.


    Everyone was present.


    Locked onto the wooden rows, they sat with their heads lowered as the Archbishop stood in the middle, staring at the altar in the middle.


    <nulli>''That''s...!''


    At the altar, I spotted a familiar circle and my heart almost leaped out of my chest.


    ''As expected, I need to get out of here.''


    The ritual was about to start, and I didn''t have much time.


    I was just about to move back and think of a solution on how to get out when suddenly my eyes locked onto a pair.


    My entire body froze at that moment.

 Chapter 238 Blood Ritual [3]

    Chapter 238 Blood Ritual [3]


    ?238  Blood Ritual [3]


    "Ugh."


    Leon awoke with a massive headache.


    Every part of his body ached, and his mind was numbed as he tried his best to recall the circumstances that led to his current situation.


    "Kh...!"


    His expression twisted the moment that he recalled and his eyes red open in anger.


    ''That fucking traitor!''


    His chest boiled over as he felt his body stiffen.


    In thest moments, he remembered getting backstabbed by Kaelion.


    ''That bastard...!''


    It was hard to describe the anger that Leon was currently feeling, but had it not been for him, they would''ve had a chance at escaping.


    "Kh!"


    Leon tried to move his body but found himself constrained. Yet again, his mana was sealed, and no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn''t move at all.


    "....Looks like someone is awake."


    A deep and brittle voice echoed throughout.


    Finally, Leon raised his head and his expression crumbled at the sight that greeted him.


    ''Here again.''


    He was back in the church.


    Not only him but everyone else that had apanied him.


    They were all currently chained to the wooden rows that faced the massive altar in the middle. There, Leon could see a blood-red circle at the center as it glowed ominously.


    The glow seemed to throb in time with his own racing heartbeat, filling him with a sense of impending dread.


    <nulli>''What is that...?''


    Staring at the circle, Leon felt an ominous feeling.


    He wasn''t sure about what exactly it did, but every part of his body screamed danger.


    "Are you curious about what that is?"


    The Archbishop spoke while staring at him. Leon raised his head to match his gaze. He didn''t say anything and remained quiet.


    It was such defiance that made the Archbishop smile.


    "What you see is merely the start of the cleanse. Each and every one of you will be subjected to it. But before that."


    The Archbishop raised his hand and stared at his ring.


    Leon frowned at his behavior, but before he could even say a thing, the Archbishop looked around in happiness.


    "Ah! Looks like more people are waking up. Good, good. This is a good thing."


    Indeed, looking around, Leon noticed the others slowly waking up.


    "What''s going on...?"


    "Where am I?"


    "Ukh."


    They had looks of confusion on their faces as they woke up, and Leon''s expression sank when in the corner of the room, he spotted a certain figure standing by the corner with an expressionless look.


    ''It''s the traitor...!''


    Leon clenched his teeth tightly at the sight of him.


    He wasn''t the only one who spotted him, with the others also showing simr expressions, but Kaelion stood in the same spot without much of a change in his expression.


    It was as if he hadn''t noticed them at all.


    Leon felt his blood boil at the sight, but he forced himself to calm down.


    <nulli>''It''s not over yet.''


    There were still several things that he could do to get out of the situation.


    For that reason, taking a couple of deep breaths, Leon''s expression turned sharp. He looked around before suddenly freezing.


    His eyes locked towards a certain corner.


    ''Uh...?''


    Two blue eyes stared back at him.


    <nulli>''Isn''t that?''


    Leon''s heart froze for a split second as he processed the situation.


    Soon, his eyes widened.


    <nulli>''.....He made it here.''


    Leon was a little surprised, but he soon calmed down.


    He looked around him and narrowed his eyes. Something soon became clear to him.


    <nulli>''There''s a chance that he isn''t here to save us, but rather, he''s here to escape by himself.''


    Leon wouldn''t me him if he did so. He held no expectations in the first ce. He had already seen the true faces of some of the people from the Aurora Empire.


    In the first ce, they were a nation that respected the strong and prioritized their well-being at the expense of others.


    .....There was simply no way for them to think about helping others unless it benefitted them.


    For that reason, Leon felt his heart sink.


    <nulli>''So in the end, nothing changes.''


    Leon''s expression turned grim.


    Still, the situation wasn''t all too bad for him. In fact, it could turn well in his favor.


    <nulli>''I can free myself if I want to. The real question is what to do after. I think I know what to do now.''


    Leon closed his eyes and pretended to look away.


    At the same time, he started to think of the best timing.


    The best timing to reveal ''his'' appearance...


    ***


    The moment our gazes met, for a brief moment, I thought he was going to reveal my appearance to the Archbishop. I felt my entire body stiffen up at the thought.


    However, it was much to my surprise to see him turn his head around and ignore my presence.


    <nulli>''....Does he expect me to save him?''


    Was that the reason why he turned his attention away from me?


    I pursed my lips.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t possible.


    <nulli>''I don''t have the skills necessary to do such a thing.''


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath before leaning back against the exit.


    ''....I was careless.''


    The fact that he had spotted me meant that I had almost exposed myself to everyone. I was lucky that the person who spotted me was one of the people who had been kidnapped into this ce. Otherwise...


    "Ugh."


    Owl-Mighty was gone, but I could already imagine the look it was giving me.


    Closing my eyes, I started to focus on my appearance and clothing.


    My mind wandered back to the two people that had left moments prior and my appearance started to change.


    It took several minutes for my appearance to stabilize, and only then did I finally stand up and mustered up the courage to move beyond the door and enter the church.


    <nulli>Tak¡ª¡ª! The moment I stepped into the church, my footfall echoed loudly through the hollow space, echoing off the walls.


    The sound was jarringly loud, making me almost cringe as it disrupted the oppressive atmosphere, heightening the sense of unease that settled over me.


    It took every bit of my willpower to keep my face from changing.


    "....."


    I sighed in relief once I saw that the Archbishop was still staring at the altar with his back turned against me.


    Having already analyzed the situation beforehand, I knew what I needed to do and moved towards the far ends of the church, and stood next to the other followers.


    "....."


    I kept my back straight as I did, and in the process, my eyes darted across the room in hopes of finding the exit of the ce.


    <nulli>''Where is it? Where is it?''


    ".....It''s nice to see that everyone is slowlying to their senses."


    The Archbishop suddenly spoke, drawing my attention. I kept my expression firm as I strained to listen, every word of his seemingly keeping me on my toes.


    For some reason, it almost felt as though they were directed at me.


    "There were a few hups here and there, but we''re all here and that is all that matters."


    His gaze never left the altar as he spoke, and it was at that moment that Iid my eyes on it.


    Just like in the picture, it pulsed in a deep red glow. As if entranced, I found myself staring at it longer than I should''ve and only managed to catch myself when I noticed a few nces directed at my eyes.


    "....."


    I swallowed in silence and looked away.


    Unfortunately, those gazes persisted. In fact, they grew more numerous as the back of my neck started to tingle.


    <nulli>''Don''t look. Don''t look. Don''t look ''


    "The preparations are almost ready. All that is left is for everyone to undergo the trail of the forgotten minds for onest time."


    Finally, the Archbishop turned around, revealing his murky white eyes. In that moment, I nearly lost my breath as his gaze locked onto me briefly before shifting toward the other cadets.


    "I''ve separated you all in certain rows to distinguish those that still have more than two halves of the blood in their body from those that only have one quarter left."


    The Archbishop''s gaze scanned the first row.


    "Fourteen already down to theirst life. Hmm."


    He suddenly smiled while looking at them. He had just raised his hand and was about to do something when a voice interrupted him.


    "Wait!"


    All eyes turned in the direction of where the voice came from.


    <nulli>''It''s him.''


    I recognized the one responsible in an instant. With gray eyes and handsome features, it was hard not to miss him.


    "Oh?"


    The Archbishop turned his attention towards the gray-eyed person.


    For some reason, staring at him, I started to have a bad feeling as the sweat that had umted on the side of my face grew more pronounced.


    <nulli>''It can''t be, right...?''


    ".....What are you nning on doing?"


    He spoke, staring at the Archbishop with his intense gray eyes.


    <nulli>''Maybe not.''


    Thankfully, my worries didn''t seem toe true.


    At least not yet. I couldn''t be too certain just yet.


    "Me? Isn''t it obvious?"


    The Archbishop turned to look towards the altar. His expression shifted, turning more fanatical as he looked toward the pulsing magic circle.


    ".....I''m trying to get closer to my god! I''ve been preparing for the past few decades, and now...! Everything is almost ready! You all will be the catalyst for my ascension, and so you should rejoice!"


    His voice reverberated loudly within the confines of the church.


    "You can think of it as an honor!"


    <nulli>''He''spletely lost it.''


    I drowned out the noise from the fanatic as I looked around the ce and tried to look for the exit. Having nced at the map beforehand, I knew that it was here, but no matter how hard I looked, I couldn''t see where it was.


    <nulli>''Hidden?''


    ....Was the exit hidden?


    The thought crossed my mind and I looked in the general direction of where the exit wasbeled to be.


    My heart sank when I noticed that it was right behind the altar.


    <nulli>''That''s annoying.''


    It was, but what other choice did I have?


    I needed to think of ways to sneak behind and reach the exit.


    <nulli>''There must be some sort of secret lever or way that can help me reach the exit.''


    I licked my lips which had gone dry.


    "How certain are you that you''re going to seed?"


    "Hahaha."


    The Archbishop suddenlyughed, his voice slowly subsiding into a cold snort.


    "I''ve been preparing for quite a long time. All preparations have been made ordingly. You can give up hope in trying to waste time in hopes of getting reinforcements to find you. Even the strongest person will struggle to find you."


    "....."


    Silence ensued following the Archbishop''s words.


    I stared at the gray-eyed person. He didn''t seem to be looking at me, and yet, at the same time, I felt like his gaze was directed at me.


    It didn''t make sense, but it brought a certain sense of urgency within me.


    <nulli>''I need to figure out how to get out now!''


    ".....Like I said."


    He soon started to speak, his even tone sending chills down my body.


    "How certain are you that everything will go smoothly?"


    Slowly, two gray eyes locked in my general direction and I felt my entire body stiffen on the spot.


    Meeting his gaze, he smiled and my heart sank.


    "Especially when someone managed to infiltrate the ce without you knowing?"

 Chapter 239 Despair [1]

    Chapter 239 Despair [1]


    ?239  Despair [1]


    "How certain are you that everything will go smoothly?"


    Leon felt a little apologetic about his actions, but in order to ensure his survival, alongside that of the others, he had no choice but to do so.


    And thus, locking eyes with the Archbishop, he continued,


    "....Especially when someone managed to infiltrate the ce without you knowing?"


    Leon''s gaze turned to face the back where one of the people in white appeared. He looked no different than them, but Leon was sure that it was the blue-eyed cadet from before.


    The timing was too perfect, and there were subtle differences between the way he acted and the others.


    But that wasn''t the biggest giveaway.


    ....The biggest giveaway was his eyes.


    They were simply too clear for him to be part of the cult.


    "Oh?"


    The Archbishop looked in the direction of where he was looking at with interest.


    "Are you saying that someone shouldn''t belong here?"


    In the moment that the Archbishop was distracted, Leon focused his entire attention on his inner body and worked to control his mana to kill the parasite that was residing within his heart.


    He could feel sweat form rapidly as he did so.


    .....It was a race against time, and he didn''t have much time.


    He could only hope that he had managed to buy himself enough time. Enough time to¡ª


    "Sadly, I already knew."


    "....!"


    A change took ce in the surroundings. The people garbed in white that surrounded them all turned to look in a particr direction.


    "Ah."


    Leon''s expression stiffened slightly.


    Turning his head, his gaze met with everyone''s center of attention. His current expression was difficult to describe.


    It was a mixture of anger, fear, and frustration.


    "Did you really think I wouldn''t be able to spot you?"


    The Archbishop spoke, his attention focused on the intruder.


    "Ukh."


    At the same time, Leon stifled a groan as he felt something sharp press his heart. He had just gotten rid of the centipede and was just recovering his mana.


    <nulli>''....A little more.''


    The Archbishop''s attention was now fully focused on the intruder. For that reason, he wasn''t noticing anything abnormal from him.


    This was what Leon wanted.


    He had ''used'' the intruder in order to buy himself such a distraction.


    ''Almost. Just a little...''


    Gradually, Leon felt his mana start to recover, and as he did, he looked around him. He could see the others look at him with questionable looks as they alternated their gaze between him and the intruder.


    Leon held his breath and continued to channel the mana around his body.


    It was currently shackled, but the shackles weren''t anything impressive. All he needed to do was gather enough mana to break them down.


    He was slowly building up to that, but he just needed some time.


    <nulli>''I''ll get the others out after that.''


    Leon was sure that the mysterious cadet from the Aurora Empire was strong.


    ....He held such a feeling back when he had seen him for the first time. It was for this reason that Leon believed the mysterious student would be able to buy him enough time to remove the shackles from the other cadets in order to give them a fighting chance.


    <nulli>''Or maybe I should start by attacking the Archbishop.''


    There was also that option, but he found it to be harder.


    Despite being weak, Leon felt like the Archbishop had multiple cards up his sleeve.


    It was a risky gamble that he wasn''t too keen on taking.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, Leon calmed his heartbeat.


    ''One minute. I need one minute...''


    ***


    The sudden turn of the situation attracted the attention of everyone within the room.


    Kiera and Aoife both turned in the direction of where the source came from, their expression changing slightly.


    <nulli>''.....There was someone else?''


    <nulli>''When did he get here?''


    They both looked at Leon in surprise.


    He didn''t look at them and seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.


    "I was waiting to see what you were nning on doing, but it seems like the people over here don''t want to see you seed."


    The Archbishop spoke while staring at the intruder. At the same time, he quietly nced in Leon''s direction.


    Aoife also looked at Leon.


    ''Why did he do that...?''


    She didn''t seem to understand his decision to do that.


    Even if he wasn''t here to save them, wouldn''t it be good if he managed to escape? In that case, he would be able to lead the rescue squad to where they were and save them.


    Aoife thought that his actions were reckless.


    And yet, she also seemed to understand them as her gaze fell on a particr man who stood by the side without so much of a change in his expression.


    ''....He might have lost trust in them because of him.''


    What sort of deal did he strike with the Archbishop in order for him to betray them? ...Or was it possible that he had the intent of betraying them from the start?


    Aoife felt her headache at the thought.


    If it was thetter then it was quite a troublesome situation for the Empire.


    But then again, seeing that the other cadets from the same Empire were in the same situation as her, there was a chance that it was just something he had done individually.


    ....At least, that was how things seemed to be right now.


    "Psst."


    Aoife''s thoughts were broken by Kiera who was sitting not so far from where she was. Aoife nced at her.


    "What...?"


    "Any idea on how to get out of here?


    "No."


    Aoife shook her head.


    She was thinking though.


    No matter how hard she tried to think, her mind remained frustratingly nk. She couldn''te up with a single n to escape the restraints, nor could she fathom how to remove the device shackling their mana.


    Panic began to creep in, her thoughts slipping further away as they started to wander elsewhere.


    <nulli>''....Would things have been different had he been here?''


    In this sort of situation, Emotive Mages would''vee in handy. She certainly didn''t think that they would''ve fallen for the first trick in the forest had he been present.


    He would''ve been able to tell at a nce that something was wrong with his skills.


    "Ukh..! Where is that bastard when you need him?"


    It didn''t seem like she was the only one that thought like this.


    Kiera also thought the same.


    In fact, his skills would''ve been pretty useful in this situation too.


    They still had their memories of the time they had been not the illusion back in the Mirror Dimension.


    .....They both had seen what he was capable of.


    If he was capable of escaping from such a secure ce, surely he was capable of doing so here.


    <nulli>''No use thinking about it.''


    Aoife was quick to discard such thoughts from her mind.


    There were no what-ifs, and there was also no guarantee that he would''ve actually been able to help at all.


    Plus, he had been gone for so long.


    It was impossible for him to help.


    "Fuck, think faster princess."


    "Stop distracting me."


    With all the attention directed elsewhere, the two were more free to speak, but they still kept it low.


    Or at least, that was until a powerful explosion resounded throughout.


    Bang!


    It echoed loudly throughout, startling everyone present.


    When Aoife and Kiera turned their heads, they were shocked to see the figures in white robes hunched slightly, revealing the features of a young man with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.


    He looked pale, and his breathing was rough.


    In the distance, the Archbishop stood still watching the entire situation with his muddled white eyes.


    "No, this won''t do."


    He nced at his hand where a ring rested.


    ".....It looks like I need to speed up the process."


    ***


    The situation flipped on me so fast that I barely had any time to react. The moment that the Archbishop''s attention was focused on me, I didn''t waste too much time and pressed my foot against the ground and activated [Step of Supression].


    It didn''t do much, but it helped me buy some valuable time.


    In the moment that all those around me were affected by the sudden increase in gravity, I dashed away from the spot that I was on.


    My mind started to race in all sorts of ways as I tried to think of which way to go.


    <nulli>''Main exit, or the exit near the altar?''


    I came up with the decision rather quickly.


    Just as I turned to look at the main exit, I spotted several figures rushing in and my expression stiffened.


    ''Yeah, no other choice.''


    I turned to look in the direction of where the altar was.


    <nulli>''....I need to find the exit.''


    Without looking back, I sprinted towards the altar. My body felt sluggish and my lungs burned as I rushed with all my might, but I grit my teeth and persisted.


    Looking up, I scanned what was ahead.


    The altar stood in the center, dominated by the strange magic circle that pulsated rhythmically. Each pulse seemed to beat as if it were its own heart.


    I felt the back of my neck tingle at the sight but kept my expression fixed on what was behind.


    It was there that my eyes fell upon an enormous pipe organ. Its towering pipes loomed upwards, casting long shadows that stretched down beneath the altar.


    A thought ran down my mind.


    <nulli>''What if the exit is behind the organs?''


    My mind halted at the thought.


    How would that even work? Would I need to break it, or y a certain tune in order to unlock the exit?


    My hands tensed as I stared ahead and I started to think of all sorts of ways to break the pipe organ.


    ....But as I inched closer to the organ, I realized something.


    "I can''t break this."


    None of my abilities could do that.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    I felt my chest tingle with anxiety as continued to inch closer to the pipe organ, my mind racing with all sorts of thoughts as I tried to think of a way to get out of this situation, and just as I drew right next to the organ, I stopped.


    "Haa... W-when?"


    My heart sank.


    Standing right before me were multiple people in white.


    With nk looks, they all stared at me, their muddled looks bearing down on me as I tried to bring up the intensity of [Step of Supression] to the maximum.


    "It''s an interesting skill you have, but you can give up now."


    The Archbishop''s voice echoed from behind me. There was something about his calm voice that unsettled me, making my breath even rougher.


    Despite the situation that I was in, I didn''t give up and continued to look.


    Look for ways to get out of the situation.


    And yet...


    ''Nothing.''


    There was nothing.


    My heart sank further down my chest.


    "Haa..."


    Despair.


    I was slowly starting to feel it.


    This situation.


    It wasn''t one that I was meant to get out of in the first ce.


    At the very least, not the current me.


    "Give up."


    The Archbishop spoke, his voice slowly entering my ears.


    ".....I''ll make it painless."

 Chapter 240 Despair [2]

    <h4>Chapter 240 Despair [2] </h4>


    240 Despair [2]


    <nulli>''Almost¡­''


    Leon bit his lips while staring at the mysterious cadet in the distance. He was currently cornered, surrounded on all sides by the people in white.


    ¡­.Leon could tell from a nce that the Archbishop nned on killing him, and thus, he hurried up.


    It wasn''t so much that he wanted to save the cadet since he still seemed to have a few lives left, but it was more about the fact that he wouldn''t have much time following his death.


    Closing his eyes, Leon focused his entire attention on his body and directed his focus toward his heart where the centipede was.


    The centipede coiled around his heart, its many legs digging in as ittched on tightly, blocking the passage of energy from his mana core situated at the center of his abdomen.


    Furrowing his brows, Leon felt a sharp throb in his head. The veins across his body pulsed with a blue light as he activated the chalice that rested within his heart. The energy surged through him, each pulse intensifying the pain that he felt.


    Nevertheless, he continued to focus on the mana channels and the centipede.


    It didn''t take long for him to find a connection.


    ''I got it!''


    Immediately, the centipede began to squirm as the blue pulse enveloped it, its grip on Leon''s heart loosening. The creature writhed and squirmed as it released its hold, its many legs iling desperately against the surge of energy that Leon threw at it.


    Leon felt an immediate sense of relief as he did so, but it didn''t take long for him to yet again feel pain as his eyes red open.


    Drip¡­ Drip!


    Leon stifled a groan as he felt a sharp pain in his heart, forcing something wet to trickle down the side of his mouth.


    Leon didn''t need to look to know what it was.


    <nulli>''That hurts.''


    "Ukh."


    The pain was soon apanied by an unsettling sensation as he felt something crawling up his throat. His expression twisted in horror as a thousand tiny legs skittered inside his mouth.


    To make matters worse, as he looked around, he could feel the gazes of several people in white lock onto him.


    <nulli>''¡­..I''m being watched.''


    Despite all the attention still focused on the mysterious cadet, there were still several people in white looking out after them.


    Leon understood that he had no choice but to stay still without making any rash movements.


    Therefore¡­


    <nulli>Crunch. Crunch.


    A bitter sensation washed over his tongue as he chewed slowly. His entire body tingled with disgust as the strange, slimy goo coated the inside of his mouth, each swallow being one swallow away from a gag.


    Crunch...!


    He persisted and eventually swallowed everything down.


    "Ukh¡­"


    Leon felt like puking on the spot but managed to hold himself back as he started to circte the mana inside of his body.


    Immediately, he felt his body cool off as he directed his attention towards the shackles that were binding his body.


    Cli click¡ª!


    Subtly, he heard clicking sounds. Immediately, his head rolled up to see if anybody had noticed a thing.


    He felt several gazes on him, and he felt his breath leave his body.


    He sat rigidly in his spot without making a single sound. The gazes were firmly locked onto him, making him feel suffocated.


    It was as though two hands were gripping his throat tightly, making it hard for him to breathe.


    The gazes continued to persist, and Leon knew that he had no choice but to ignore them.


    ''At least for now, nothing.''


    He took a deep breath before looking at the person who sat next to him.


    Leon pursed his lips at the sight of him and turned to his left, where another person sat.


    His expression turned grim.


    ''Of all people, them¡­''


    The two top seats of the Aurora Empire. Aiden and Jessica. Leon felt his heart squirm in annoyance.


    Especially since he didn''t feel like he could trust them.


    Kaelion had pretty much broken all the trust that he had with them.


    However, looking at them, he felt his thoughts change.


    ''Maybe it''s possible.''


    The way they were currently looking at Kaelion was as if they were looking at the lowest scum in the entire world.


    Leon could tell from a nce that they wanted nothing but to kill him, and it was such a sight that made him change his mind.


    Well, it wasn''t as if he had much of a choice to begin with.


    "Haa.."


    Secretly letting out a long sigh, Leon went on to hold the hands of both of them.


    "¡­.!"


    "What the¡ª!"


    The two flicked their attention towards him, but Leon kept his gaze firm and looked ahead without making a sound.


    "Quiet."


    He slowly whispered.


    "What¡­?"


    Obviously, the two wanted to protest, but Leon channeled a little bit of his mana into them, and the two immediately stopped what they were doing.


    As if they suddenly understood what was happening, their expressions turned stern as they looked away from him.


    ''Good, it looks like they get it.''


    Leon sighed in relief as he looked at the people in white who stood at the back. They were still expressionless, staring at him without making a single sound.


    Leon didn''t know whether he had been caught or not, but he had no time to think about such matters as he slowly channeled his mana into the two and directed it toward their hearts.


    He slowly started to speak as he did so,


    "Eat it. Don''t make a sound. Free others after."


    He spoke as low as possible and made sure to emphasize the first part.


    In order to not get caught, they had no choice but to eat the centipede that was soon going to crawl up their mouths.


    As expected, the moment he ryed the n to them, their expressions turned slightly into one of disgust.


    Still, that was all that happened as they soon epted their fates and squeezed his hand back in affirmation.


    ''Good.''


    Leon felt more at ease as he closed his eyes and focused all of his mana on their bodies and their hearts.


    The process wasn''t a difficult one. With his mana free, it didn''t take long for him to lock onto their hearts and make the centipede squirm away from it.


    "Ukh..!"


    "¡­!"


    The expressions of the two changed the moment the centipede left their hearts as blood dripped from the corners of their mouths.


    Drip. Drop..!


    Leon soon heard crunching noises as their jaws moved slightly, biting and chewing the remains of the centipede.


    It was unfortunate that he couldn''t see their reactions as he didn''t want to arouse too much attention, but he could tell that their faces werepletely white from disgust.


    Especially the girl on his left who gripped his hand extremely tightly.


    Thankfully, it didn''tst for too long, and they were soon done as Leon heard swallowing sounds from them.


    Their breaths were slightly heavy, but it was insignificant.


    Leon finally nced at them for a brief moment, and he could tell that they were trying to free themselves from the restraints.


    That process was also quick, and once they were done, the two of them repeated exactly what he did to the people next to them.


    ''Good, it''s working.''


    Leon sighed in relief at the situation.


    The n was rather simple.


    In the time that the attention was focused on the mysterious cadet, he wanted to free as many people as possible to buy them a chance to fight back.


    The n was great, but there was only one problem.


    Thump!


    The mysterious cadet¡­


    He didn''tst as long as Leon expected him to.


    Hearing a low thumping sound, Leon felt his heart drop as he looked up.


    ''No way.''


    He watched as a head rolled on the ground, and his heart sank.


    "¡­He didn''t even put up much of a resistance."


    The Archbishop''s words followed shortly after as Leon felt his entire body freeze. The same was true for the people next to him.


    "Oh?"


    But by some miracle, the Archbishop still seemed to be interested in the mysterious cadet as he lowered his body and rummaged through the cadet''s belongings.


    That was when he found a strange blueprint. Almost immediately, the Archbishop''s expression showed signs of change.


    "What''s this?"


    He opened the blueprint, and his expression turned extremely cold as he nced at the cadet''s body, which slowly started to squirm as a head began to form.


    "Someone has been in my study room without my permission."


    The Archbishop''s tone was cold. Extremely cold.


    There were times when he had disyed such coldness in his tone, but it was different this time.


    Leon could feel his skin crawl at the tone as he urged the people beside him to hurry up.


    He knew that the situation was about to turn for the worse.


    And, as expected, he was right as the Archbishop''s gaze flicked in their general direction.


    "Did I mistreat any of you?"


    The Archbishop spoke, his white and muddled eyes locking onto each and every one of them.


    None of the people present responded, all eyes locked on him.


    "¡­Seeing as no one is responding, I take it that no one thinks I''ve mistreated them."


    Leon felt like rolling his eyes. If not for the urgency of the situation, he would''ve done so.


    "I think I''ve been far too lenient on all of you. The reason why I allowed you so much freedom was because I knew that by the time this was over, you''d join me. And you will. Of course, you will. Nheless, it seems like I''ve been far too lenient with all of you. I haven''t made it clear to everyone what happens when you cross the line."


    The Archbishop lowered his head and grabbed the mysterious cadet by the hair as his head had already started to regrow.


    With his other hand, the ring he wore suddenly glowed, and Leon swallowed his saliva.


    But at the same time, he started to feel more relieved.


    ''¡­.This is good. It might buy us even more time.''


    So long as they had more time, then he was sure he could free more people and have a fighting chance in all of this.


    Leon felt his heart beat faster at the thought, and just for a brief moment, he thought he might just very well seed.


    Sadly, all his hopes crashed down the moment he felt the Archbishop''s gaze on him.


    Leon felt his entire body grow cold at the sight of those eyes, and he held his breath.


    "Hm?"


    Leon watched as the Archbishop suddenly frowned. Time seemed to slow down for Leon at that moment as his heart stopped beating.


    He could feel his entire body grow tense, and the same appeared to be true for the people beside him.


    ''No, I have no choice.''


    Leon didn''t waste a single second.


    At that moment, he understood that his cover had been blown, and he didn''t hesitate to stand.


    "Now!"


    He extended his hand where a sword appeared.


    Innate ¡ª [Sword Materialization]


    It was an innate skill of his that allowed him to create swords out of mana, and as he gripped the hilt of the sword, he didn''t hesitate to swing it in the direction of the Archbishop as a wave of pressurized mana burst out from it.


    Swoosh!

 Chapter 241 Despair [3]

    <h4>Chapter 241 Despair [3] </h4>


    241 Despair [3]


    The moment Leon shed, he felt his entire body strain due to the power he had used.


    He had put everything into that move, and his legs started to give out.


    "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­"


    With heavy breaths, he looked ahead and stared directly at the Archbishop, who seemed unaware of what was happening.


    <nulli>''Yes, it might hit!''


    Leon felt his heart quicken at the realization, and he secretly swallowed his saliva as he started to recuperate his mana quickly.


    His attack cleaved across the church, and within seconds, it appeared before the Archbishop, who stood still the entire time.


    ''Almost... Almost...''


    Leon stared at the scene with open eyes.


    He didn''t want to miss it.


    ....He was close. The attack was getting closer.


    The attack was...


    Pfttt! Pftt¡ª!


    Blood sprayed everywhere, and Leon''s eyes widened.


    "Ah."


    Thump! Thump!


    Several bodies fell right before the Archbishop, blood pooling around the area where their bodiesy.


    "W-what¡­?"


    Leon felt his entire body freeze at the sight as he looked at the people on the floor.


    One, two, three, four, five¡­


    He counted five. All of them were dead, lying beneath the Archbishop, who raised his head slowly to look at Leon, who felt his heart sink.


    It couldn''t be, right?


    "You took me by surprise."


    The Archbishop finally spoke, and Leon felt his muscles stiffen as he struggled to keep himself upright.


    The mana inside his body was almostpletely drained.


    Looking around, he could see more people in white moving around the Archbishop in some form of shield, blocking any possible attacks.


    Leon bit his lips at the sight.


    "It really does look like I''ve mistreated all of you."


    The Archbishop said as he looked at the floor where the bodiesy.


    "For such devoted disciples to fall like this. It pains my heart."


    The Archbishop put on a pained expression as he turned around, shifting his attention toward the mysterious cadet who was now back to normal.


    Leon didn''t understand what he was nning, but he soon understood as the Archbishop leaned down and removed the vial from the cadet''s body before sprinkling it over the dead bodies.


    "For such loyalty, I must naturally reward them."


    Cra Crack¡ª


    Coming to life, the bodies squirmed on the ground as cracking sounds echoed.


    Twisting grotesquely in the air, their limbs contorted and cracked, the five bodies beginning to merge into a single form.


    Arms and legs bent at unnatural angles, flesh fusing and warping as the corpses were drawn together by some strange force that originated from the blood that was sprayed on them.


    Squelch! Squelch...!


    A sickening squelch apanied every movement, and a foul stench filled the air as skin, bone, and muscle melded into a horrific amalgamation.


    Cracka!


    It was a gruesome sight that Leon could hardly describe as the expressions of everyone changed.


    "Hmm, it looks like there wasn''t enough blood."


    The Archbishop sighed as he looked at the creature before him.


    Pressing his hand against the creature, which was abination of five people, he looked towards the cadets. More specifically, towards Leon, who felt himself standing rigidly on the spot as anxiety started to grow within him.


    "It''s a good thing that we have plenty of blood. The ritual may not be as effective, but I can just use you. Yes, let''s do this."


    The Archbishop pointed in Leon''s direction.


    "Get his blood."


    "Hieeek¡ª!"


    As if it were agreeing, the creature turned in Leon''s direction as its limbs flung around with each one of its movements.


    "Ah¡­!"


    Leon stepped back and looked around him.


    His expression brightened when he saw that several cadets had been freed during the time he had attacked the Archbishop.


    In particr, he was happy about the fact that Evelyn, Aoife, Kiera, Josephine, and Luxon were included.


    They were strong, and with them helping, Leon felt less stressed about the situation.


    "Hieeek¡ª!"


    The creature lunged onto the side of the wall, its many limbs skittering with a chilling speed. Despite its grotesque size, it moved with an eerie nimbleness, darting across the surface like a monstrous insect.


    Within seconds, it was upon Leon.


    ''Fast...!''


    Heart pounding, he raised his sword and thrust it forward, the de gleaming in the dim light as it aimed for the creature that was lunging at him.


    His de hissed as it darted right for its head.


    nk¡ª!


    Sparks flew the moment Leon''s sword made contact with the creature, and his expression changed as he was pushed back several meters, crashing onto the wooden rows.


    "Uekh..!"


    Leon spat out blood as his entire body ached.


    "Leon¡­!"


    In the distance, he could see the worried looks from the others as they rushed in the direction of the creature, which seemed to be entirely focused on him.


    <nulli>Swoosh¡ª!


    mes burst through as they thrust forward and headed towards the creature.


    <nulli>Kracka!


    At the same time, bolts of lightning burst out from nowhere and headed towards the creature, which tried to dodge but stopped as Aoife raised her hands.


    Boom¡ª!


    A powerful explosion reverberated throughout as the attacksnded.


    Leon clenched his fist at the sight, and for a brief moment, he thought they had managed to defeat it but was soon disappointed to see the creaturee out of the smoke.


    "Hieeek¡ª!"


    It wasn''tpletely unharmed, with several of its limbs missing, but it was still strong, and Leon felt his heart sink.


    <nulli>nk-! nk¡ª!


    In the distance, he could hear the sound of fighting. When he looked, he saw the cadets holding back several people in white as the others freed the other cadets.


    "Akh¡­!"


    "H-help!"


    "Help me...! I need help!"


    Blood spilled all over the ce as bodies fell from both sides.


    The situation looked dire, and when Leon''s head turned away from them, he saw the creature standing a few meters away from him.


    nk!


    Leon tried to fight back, but he waspletely outssed. His mana was drained, and regardless of what he tried, he found himself being pushed back.


    "Akh!"


    His back crashed against one of the wooden rows as he let out another pained groan.


    "Ugh... C-crap."


    Leon slowly looked up. The creature was now standing right above him, its many eyes locked onto him.


    It was at this moment that Leon felt despair.


    He looked at the vial in his hand and knew that he had only one chance left.


    The creature was looking to take his blood, therefore¡­


    "Kh¡­!"


    Clenching his teeth, Leon decisively brought the sword near his throat and slit it in one go.


    Pftt¡ª!


    "Leon¡­!"


    In thest moments, Leon could hear the shouts of the others as they called for him. He wanted to say something back but found himself unable to.


    So he looked at them.


    <nulli>''Protect me while I revive. Don''t let it get my blood.''


    Such was what his gaze meant as his consciousness started to fade.


    In thosest moments, Leon felt a little bitter.


    ''I hope they get my intentions.''


    He wasn''t too sure.


    <nulli>''¡­.If only he was still here.''


    There was one person Leon was sure would''ve gotten his message through just a look.


    He was someone he served and a person Leon found himself starting to miss.


    Had he been here¡­? Would the situation have been resolved?


    Leon didn''t know, but he felt like things wouldn''t have gotten to this point with him.


    In the end, his thoughts were broken by an endless darkness that took his consciousness.


    In that moment, Leon died again.


    ***


    Leon''s death was followed by a roar of anger. It came directly from the Archbishop who looked in his direction with visible anger on his face.


    "How dare you¡­!"


    His n had been to use Leon''s share of the blood to help his followers, but with him having used it, it was no longer an option.


    Staring in Leon''s direction, the Archbishop could already see the blood entering his system.


    The five formed followers stopped the moment Leon killed himself.


    Bang¡ª!


    In the background, the Archbishop could see the people he had brought in fighting desperately, and more blood started to spill on the ground.


    The entire surrounding was filled with chaos, and the Archbishop stared at the scene with bloodshot eyes.


    "It shouldn''t be like this. How did it turn like this¡­?"


    He started to mumble to himself as he took in the sight around him and deeply imprinted it in his mind.


    His n was perfect.


    He had been waiting for over a decade for all of this to happen, and he had perfectlyid out his trap to get over a dozen extremely talented youthe in order to optimize his ascension.


    He had also found a perfect hideout that was outside of everyone''s sight.


    He wasn''t worried about anyone finding him, and yet¡­ and yet¡­


    "Akh¡­!"


    The Archbishop screamed in anger.


    In particr, his anger was directed towards a certain few who put up a struggle and killed his devoted followers.


    Swoosh!


    Fire burst forth.


    Kracka!


    Lighting crackled.


    Crack¡ª!


    And several followers were squeezed into a pulp as their arms and legs were stretched andpressed.


    The situating.


    It wasn''t looking good.


    The Archbishop could feel himself losing control of the situation, and looking in the distance, he could see the cadet responsible for all of this slowly start to regenerate and wake up.


    <nulli>''I can''t let it end like this¡­! Not like this!''


    Clenching his teeth, the Archbishop felt something trickle down the side of his eyes. He looked down to see ck tears had started to form.


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­"


    His breathing started to roughen at the sight.


    His body¡­


    It was starting to break down. The ck tear was a reminder of it.


    In truth, he was extremely old.


    He had lived for an uncountable amount of time. Due to hisck of talent, he wasn''t able to grow in terms of power, but the blood he had found managed to keep him alive until now.


    But there was a limit to it.


    ¡­.It was for that reason that he had devised this n.


    It was so that he could live longer and grow strong.


    "Right, it''s not over yet."


    He hadn''t nned for so long for nothing.


    <nulli>nk, nk, nk¡ª


    Looking around, the Archbishopid his eyes on his followers who were fighting against the cadets.


    The situation was even on both ends, but he knew the stalemate wouldn''tst for long.


    Therefore, clenching his teeth tightly, he raised his hand and shouted.


    "Prove your loyalty to me! Eliminate everyone present!"


    His words reverberated throughout the church, making their way towards the ears of all present.


    Kiera and the others stopped as they looked at the Archbishop.


    "What in the world is he talking about? What does he¡ª"


    Her words were quickly cut off at the sight before her as her eyes widened.


    "Ah¡­!"


    She was quick to react, channeling all her mana in front of her to cast a shield. But despite her speed, she wasn''t fast enough as the person she was fighting suddenly inted, and...


    Bang¡ª!


    Exploded on the spot.


    "Akh¡­.!"


    Her scream echoed through as Aoife looked in her direction in shock.


    "What the fuck?"


    Unknowingly, she cursed on the spot.


    She was just about to say something else when she also felt something off and her expression changed dramatically.


    Looking in front of her, her mana flowed quickly as she cast a shield before herself.


    "This¡ª!"


    <nulli>Bang¡ª!


    Another explosion echoed.


    Such explosion was followed by another and then another.


    <nulli>Bang, bang, bang¡ª!


    The surroundings shook, and everything started to copse.


    The Archbishop took in the sight before him with a nk expression. From the pirs that held the room upright, to the organ near him. He watched as everything he had built slowly started to copse before his very eyes.


    Bang!


    "Ugh."


    What brought him out of the state was a subtle groan that came from behind him, and he turned his head and locked eyes with the cadet from before.


    The sneaky one.


    <nulli>Bang¡ª!


    In the chaos, he smiled at the cadet who looked around in shock.


    "It''s over."


    The Archbishop said,


    "¡­. You''ve lost."

 Chapter 242 Despair [4]

    242 Despair [4]


    "¡­."


    Delh''s body gently hovered over arge forest. Her face was expressionless as she scanned the surroundings.


    "¡­.Nothing."


    And it was much to her disappointment that she saw nothing. As if all the students had disappeared, there were hardly any traces of them.


    She felt her head throb at the thought.


    ''Why does this keep happening?''


    She had entertained the thought before, but now it was clearer to her than ever.


    Julien.


    He shouldn''t be allowed to leave the Academy. He was a walking disaster. Whenever he was present, trouble urred. The fact that thest five months had been the most peaceful she had had over the past year was the perfect proof of this. Delh closed her eyes and sighed.


    She was just about to leave when her expression changed slightly as her gaze flicked back.


    "Oh."


    A powerful aura burst forth from the distance, heading straight towards her.


    Looking at it, Delh felt her heart sink but she remained firm on the spot without making any rash movements.


    "You¡­.!"


    A figure soon stopped in front of her. With a rough, muscr body covered in scars, fiery red hair that seemed to crackle like mes, and piercing yellow eyes that burned with intensity, he looked at her with a menacing re.


    "What are you doing here?"


    His tone was anything but friendly as he addressed her, and Delh could only lower her head slightly.


    "One of the Seven Monarchs, Delh Vahe Rosenberg greets the Royal Guard, Joseph Megrail."


    Despite her actions, her tone was anything but subservient as the man before her frowned.


    Although he was a member of the branch family, he was still a member of the Megrail family. He knew all about Delh''s deeds and what she had done on ''that'' day.


    There was no one from the Megrail family that didn''t know about her.


    It was for that reason that he didn''t look kindly upon her.


    "Let me repeat myself."


    His deep voice echoed quietly throughout the surroundings as the air around him stirred.


    "¡­.What are you doing here?"


    Delh wasn''t necessarily banned from Bremmer, but she knew better than toe here.


    Unless called for, nobody wanted to deal with her.


    Her appearance usually required her to send a letter in advance to call upon the presence of another Monarch. Only then would the Royal family feel better about her appearance. No one knew what this crazy bitch would do.


    "¡­."


    Delh stood still, her face unmoved. Looking down, she raised her head slightly.


    "Are you going to pretend like you don''t know why I''m here?"


    "That''s not something that should be concerning you."


    "Is it?"


    Delh''s eyes narrowed, and her inky ck irises darkened further, bing an abyssal ck color. Staring into those eyes, Joseph felt his mind sink into them, and for a moment, he almost did. But it was only brief as he was quick to free himself.


    "Hoo." He proceeded to re at Delh.


    "We have everything sorted. Do not poke your nose into our business. You of all people should understand this best."


    The situation was extremely delicate at the moment. Not only were the students from Haven missing, but so were the people from the Aurora Empire.


    News of the situation had still not made its way out to the other Empires, and things were still somewhat calm, but Joseph knew that it was only a matter of time.


    ¡­.This was merely the calm before the storm.


    Once everything was revealed, the situation would turn into a diplomatic disaster.


    And if that wasn''t all, the princess was missing as well. Arge portion of the Royal Guard Unit had been sent to the forest to look for any clues.


    These were the elites of the elites of the Empire.


    "¡­..Please return from where you came from. I will only say it once, you are not wee here. If you have a problem with it, you can directly head to the main family."


    "¡­.."


    Delh''s expression remained unmoved at his words, and the pressure that came out of her body rose several notches. In spite of that, Joseph remained firm.


    He could hardly breathe, but he didn''t let it show.


    "Fine."


    Eventually, Delh gave in and nodded her head.


    ''Good.''


    Joseph sighed in relief once he saw her give in, and he was just about to speak again when Delh''s figure started to fade. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I''ll do as you say. I''ll go meet the royal family."


    "¡­.!"


    Joseph''s expression changed drastically upon hearing his words.


    "Wait¡­!"


    He reached out to stop her but it was already toote as her figure blurred and disappeared from the spot.


    "Ah!!!"


    Joseph felt like ripping his hair out. He had only said those words to deter her from staying, but who would''ve thought that she would actually take them at face value?


    "Oh, no¡­"


    Joseph looked around in anxiety.


    "I''m fucked. I''m done for."


    He knew¡­


    He knew that he had just invited a walking disaster to the Royal family.


    "Argh!!" ***


    The walls had crumbled, the mosaicsy shattered, and the glow surrounding the altar had dimmed.


    What once made up the church had long been broken, leaving behind the remains of the once glorious sanctuary the Archbishop had built.


    Leon stared at his surroundings without saying a single word.


    "¡­."


    No, it was more like he couldn''t say anything.


    Pain shot through his body as his hands and feet were nailed to the wooden rows.


    Looking around him, he could see that the others were in a simr predicament as everyone woke up to find themselves in a simr state.


    With a gag in their mouths, nobody was able to utter a single word.


    In the end, the only thing they could do was stare at the front where a man stood.


    "Have you all woken up?"


    His back was turned against theirs as he stared at the altar that was in front of him.


    "¡­.I''m sorry that the circumstances have forced me to do this, but after everything that you''ve done, I had no choice but to do this."


    The Archbishop''s voice was extremely brittle as he continued to stare at the altar in front of him.


    Leon swallowed nervously as he looked ahead, and his mind froze when he noticed a presence behind him.


    "¡­.!"


    His eyes widened at the sight of multiple people in white standing behind him. But that wasn''t the part that shook him, no, it was the state they were in.


    Some were missing limbs, while others had ghastly voids where parts of their faces should have been. They remained standing behind him, their grotesque forms casting eerie shadows that flickered in the dim, failing light of the church. Their muddled eyes focused on him as Leon felt his entire body stiffen.


    It was at this moment that he understood something.


    ''I can''t run.''


    He couldn''t pull the same thing he had done before.


    His mana waspletely empty, and any action from him would spell his death. It was... over for him. Leon felt his heart sink at the thought and despair finally started to w up from deep within him.


    ''No, not like this¡­!''


    Leon wanted to do something, and his mind raced as he tried to think of all sorts of possibilities, but regardless of what he tried, nothing¡­ His mind was nk.


    He couldn''t think of a single solution at all.


    ''No.''


    Despair had truly started to gnaw at his heart.


    ''What do I do? What do I do? What do I do¡­?''


    Leon''s mind continued to race as he tried to think of all sorts of ways to get out of the situation, but his thoughts were soon broken by the Archbishop who yet again spoke.


    "I wanted to take my time with all of you. I wanted the blood to enter your body naturally so that it would be diluted with your blood, but time and time again, you have all defied my wishes."


    Finally, the Archbishop turned around, revealing his muddled white eyes, void of any sanity. "I should''ve done this from the very start. I only gave you a taste of it before since it takes several tries for it to truly be effective, but that no longer is an option."


    The Archbishop turned around again, and this time his gaze fell towards a certain person who sat by the corner with a tired look.


    Leon recognized him in an instant.


    It was the mysterious cadet. His heart sank at the sight of him. ''¡­.I was wrong about him.''


    Leon''s first mistake was ever thinking that the mysterious cadet was strong. The reality was that he was no different than the others. He had been tricked by his appearance back then due to his sensitivity over Julien''s possible return, but he was wrong.


    So wrong.


    "Let''s start with you. I want all of you to see what will happen to all of you shortly."


    The Archbishop went on to grab Emmet by the hair, dragging him forward in front of everyone.


    "Ugh...!" "Look!"


    He shouted, his gaze falling in front of everyone.


    "Ukh¡­!"


    In his grasp, the cadet struggled with all his might as he tried to free himself from the Archbishop''s grip, but it was no use. No matter how much he struggled, the Arcbihsop''s grip remained firm.


    Kiera, Aoife, Evelyn, Aiden, Jessica, and everyone presented stared at the scene as despair slowly started to crawl up into their hearts.


    ''It''s over.''


    ''¡­.How can we escape this?''


    ''Will this be me?''


    ''I don''t want to die like this.''


    ''Help.''


    The Archbishop spoke as if he knew exactly what they were thinking about, relishing their expression as he pressed his hand over the cadets.


    Immediately, his hand glowed and the Emmet stopped struggling.


    His body limped over and a projection soon appeared for everyone to see.


    "Look!"


    The Archbishop shouted in a fanatical manner.


    "¡­.This is what happens when you cross me! Repent for what you''ve done! Pay for your sins!"


    He soon started tough in a maniacal manner.


    "Repent!"


    The Archbishop''s words echoed throughout. Meanwhile, everyone''s attention focused on Emmet who found himself standing before a familiar white world.


    ''This is¡­?''


    He looked around him and his heart started to sink. ''¡­.It''s this ce again.''


    Instantly, Emmet understood the gravity of his situation and his mouth went dry.


    The Ring of Nothingness.


    He had fallen under its power.


    "Soon! Soon you willpletely lose sense of yourself."


    14:46


    Indeed, the more Emmet walked, the more his eyes became muddled. To everyone watching they could see him slowly start to lose sight of himself.


    "So, after all that... I still failed." No longer did he have any life as his blood was gone, and even if he did, once this was over, all that would be left of him would be nothing. ''It''s over.'' He slowly started to lose his expression. No, it was more like he couldn''t make an expression at all.


    He understood that it was over.


    How could he get out?


    Emmet raised his head and looked at the white world. Unknowingly, he took a step forward and the floor beneath him rippled. Tak¡ª


    "Good, good¡­! Keep going!"


    Outside, the Archbishop shouted, his expression twisting with glee.


    "Soon! Soon you willpletely lose sense of yourself."


    Indeed, the more Emmet walked, the more his eyes became muddled. To everyone watching they could see him slowly start to lose sight of himself.


    The worst part¡­? He could do nothing but continue forward. Slowly, and carefully, he continued to move. In the endless world of white, he walked.


    But despite how far he walked, Emmet didn''tpletely lose sight of himself.


    Mainly because this wasn''t the first time he had felt like this.


    "This familiar sense of despair¡­ I''ve felt it before."


    Back on earth, when he was stuck in his home with the cancer slowly eating away at his mind.


    Back then, he had endured the pain.


    And the same was true at this moment.


    Be it past, present, or future.


    Nothing had changed.

 Chapter 243 My Identity [1]

    243 My Identity [1]


    Emmet stood alone within the white world. Tak, Tak¡ª


    His steps quietly echoed within the white void, ripples forming beneath each step he took.


    The more he walked, the more he found himself losing sight of himself. It felt as though he was slowly sinking into the depths of the ocean, darkness gradually enveloping him, embracing every part of his body in a strange and cold sensation.


    He could imagine the Arcbishop''s expression outside. ''It''s over. You''ve lost.'' The Archbishop''s voice quietly echoed in his mind over and over again. They were like whispers that reminded him of his ineptitude. Of his... failure.


    It was unfair. He never had the time to properly adjust to this world. He... Tak¡ª


    More ripples formed as he took another step. He had long forgotten for how long he had walked for. The white world seemed endless, each step expanding the white world before him. Despair had already lodged itself in his heart. ".....Why is it always like this?" Emmet mumbled to himself while staring ahead. He never looked down and just stared ahead. He didn''t want to look down. ....He only wanted to look ahead. "Be it now, or the past. Why do I always feel this way?" Fighting a losing battle... It was something he was used to doing. It was for that reason that he continued to walk forward... look ahead. Because this was all he knew to do. Fight without looking back.


    "What are you doing? Hurry up and give up!" "Why are you still walking?" "Stop your meaningless struggle ande to my side!" The Archbishop screamed on the outside as he stared at the projection before him. Heughed at times and shouted at others. He seemed to be gloating over Emmet''s situation. But his words were useless. They couldn''t reach Emmet. Tak, Tak¡ª


    Within the white world, he continued to walk forward. As if entranced, his eyes flickered between muddledness and rity. ''What''s he doing?'' ''....How is he still going?'' ''Was I wrong about him?'' Leon and the others stared at the scene with bathed breaths. They all didn''t understand how he was still able to keep his mind clear. Everyone present had experienced the trials. They knew just how difficult it was. It was a trial with no way out. "It''s a meaningless struggle! Give up!" The Archbishop screamed at the projection, his expression cracking out of impatience. ".....What are you doing!? Give up and stop wasting my time!" Yet again, his words went to deaf ears. Emmet continued forward, his expression firm as his steps continued to form ripples beneath him. The more he walked, the more he felt his mind nk. The Ring of Nothingness... It was slowly starting to get to him. His mind... He was losing sight of it. The sense of despair only increased. His steps started to slow down, and his memories started to fade. He wanted to continue, but his body refused to listen. He was... losing. ''Right, this was never a fight I could win.''


    Just like his cancer, he was going to lose again. He fought, but the world didn''t want him to win. It was as if it wasughing at his failure. "Finally!" The Archbishopughed at the sudden turn of events. "No one can escape the Trials of the Forgotten Minds! It''s time to give up ande to me!" His voice bellowed throughout the surroundings. Staring at Emmet, the others felt their heart sink as they lowered their heads. ''It''s over.'' ''....He couldn''t resist.''


    ''We''re next.'' Everyone started to despair at their situation. No one thought Emmet would be able to continue forward. They knew that they were next. Tak, Tak¡ª


    Emmet''s steps slowed down with each step that he took. His mind blurred, and he started to lose sight of himself. The sense of despair only heightened, and he slowed down further. At the same time, his eyes grew more muddled. "Who am I...?" Emmet mumbled to himself. Within the blurriness of his mind, he looked down at the floor. All he could see were ripples. The ripples...


    They prevented him from seeing his face. He wanted to see his face. And so, he stopped. ''No!''


    ''Don''t do that...!'' Everyone outside started to despair. ''That''s it.'' 14:47


    Some sighed, while some others lowered their heads in defeat. If he stopped now then it meant that he had given up! That he had lost! They didn''t want that to happen. But it was toote as Emmet stoppedpletely. ''That''s it.'' Some sighed, while some others lowered their heads in defeat. ''It''s over. I''m next.''


    "Hahaha." The Archbishopughed in triumph. The ripples gradually stopped, and Emmet looked at his reflection. Blonde hair, blue eyes... it was totally unrecognizable.


    "Who is he...?" Emmet mumbled quietly. This wasn''t him. He knew this much. "But who am I?" He started to lose track of himself. Raising his hands, he pulled his lips up.


    He smiled. He cried. He shivered. He swore. He screamed. He blushed. ''What is he doing?''


    ''....Has he lost it?''


    ''Why is he doing that?''


    To those watching, it looked like Emmet had gone insane. "That''s it! Come to me! Hahaha." But to Emmet? He was just trying to see if he could see anything within those expressions. It didn''t seem like it would help at all, but within those expressions, Emmet found something. His past. Memories resurfaced in his mind. Yet again...


    But within a smile was something else. I didn''t smile because I was happy.I smiled because I had to. He cried. Tears dripped down in the white world, ripples yet again forming around him. I didn''t cry because I was sad. I cried because tears were all I had. He shivered. I didn''t shiver because I was scared. I shivered because I was sick. He swore. I didn''t swear because I was angry. I swore because I cursed at the world. He screamed. I didn''t scream because I was surprised. I screamed because I was in pain. He blushed. I didn''t blush because I was in love. I blushed because of the constant fevers. "Haa..." His chest started to ache, and hefinally moved again. Tak, Tak¡ª


    His eyes started to regain rity. He finally started to remember his identity. Who he was. But the more he walked, the more he realized something. This... It wasn''t who he truly was. It was, but at the same time wasn''t. His steps slowed down once more. "If that''s not me...? Then who am I?" Emmet reflected deeply on the question. Unknowingly, something started to change about him. Emmet''s hair started to darken, his pupils started to change, and his muscle structure started to change. All noise ceased as everyone stared at the scene in shock. What was happening? What was happening! Everyone''s attention was focused on Emmet who seemed lost in his own thoughts. With each step that he took, the clearer his gaze became. At the same time, his hair started to turn ck. His eyes started to turn a different color, and so did his facial structure. An identity was starting to appear before everyone. ''He looks familiar.''


    ''Who is he...?'' ''Why does he look so familiar?''


    But the changes weren''t enough for them to recognize him. All looked upon the scene in silence. The Archbishop included who found himself unable to utter a single word. Emmet on the other hand walked ahead in silence. His gaze was bing increasingly clear, and in the distance, he could make out the faint outline of a person. He walked towards that person. The figure''s features were blurred, and it was hard to tell how he looked, but Emmet knew. He knew who the figure was. ".....It''s been a while." Emmet greeted, his stepsing to a stop again. The figure stood in silence, observing him. "Emmet Rowe." The figure spoke, calling out for his name. Emmet stood still for a moment before shaking his head. "No, that''s not who I am." "....." The figure stood expressionless as it stared back at him. "Then who are you?" "Who I am...?" Emmet looked down and stared at his reflection. His face was expressionless. Unlike before, he didn''t smile. He didn''t flinch. He didn''t cry. He didn''t scream. Why? "Hah." My tears... They had all dried up. My body... It was tougher than steel. My curses... The world wasn''t worth them. My screams... I no longer felt pain. All he had left was a nk look and a face he was familiar with. Staring at his features, he paid particr attention to the nk look on his face. It was reminiscent of a nk canvas. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Yes, a nk canvas. The perfect representation of who he was. It wasn''t the canvas that made the painting, but it was what was on it that reflected the painting. Sadness, Anger, Happiness, Love, Fear, and Surprise. Paint was what made a painting. ....And Emotions were what made him. Julien looked at the figure that stood before him, an image was soon bing clear to him, but only him. Those outside couldn''t see at all.


    They all thought Julien had stopped yet again. But that was the furthest thing from the truth. He was staring at something. Someone. Emmet Rowe. An abstract version of who he had once been. But the current him, and the past him were different people. He hadn''t truly realize how much he has grown since then. Right now, Emmet could look back to what he turned out to be and say, ''You''re amazing.''


    The reason he disliked Julien so much.


    ¡­.It was because he was everything that he wanted to be. He was amazing for what he had be. His efforts. They weren''t wasted. The results, he had seen them through a different lense. Julien started to understand this, and memories started to enter his mind. "I get it. I need to let go." He needed to let go of the past, but not his goal. His drive needed to be the same, but not his identity. He thought that he had already let go, but that was what he had told himself. The reality was that he had still clung to what he once was. Julien extended his hand, slowly bringing it towards the figure that stood before him. As he did, he took onest look at the person that he once was. "Who am I?" Emmet asked again. Julien remained silent. In the silence, he thought about the answer. There were multiple. Emmet Rowe. The ck Star. Brother. But there was only one answer. "...." The hand merged with the figure. And a bright light engulfed the entire surroundings. His features became clear to everyone present. His hair fully turned ck, his eyes turned hazel, and his featured sharpened. His appearance became clear, and the faces of those outside changed drastically. ''That''s...!'' ''How could this be?''


    ''What sort of....'' The light surrounding Julien intensified. It grew bright, covering every inch of the world. In thosest moments, he opened his eyes to stare ahead. The world was white, but at the same time, he could see an end to it.


    He smiled then. Regardless of what I had once been, I am now¡ªJulien Dacre Evenus. The one who walks the path of emotions.


    This was me. My identity.

 Chapter 244 My Identity [2]

    <h4>Chapter 244 My Identity [2] </h4>


    244 My Identity [2]


    Julien''s true appearance was revealed for everyone to see.


    At that moment, everyone who witnessed the scene fell into utter silence.


    No one could utter a single word as they stared at the lone figure standing at the center of the deste white expanse.


    Gradually, they watched as the illusion before their eyes dissipated, revealing Julien with his hazel eyes fixed upon them.


    The projection faded, and a buzz emanated from the Archbishop''s ring.


    "Is that really him?"


    "He was here all along?"


    "Why did he act so differently and why did he go with them?"


    Everyone looked at Julien with lost and confused looks. Nobody could understand what was going on.


    In one moment, everyone was despairing about the situation, and in the next moment, Julien appeared right before everyone''s eyes.


    The one who was most shocked was Aoife, who stared at Julien with widened eyes.


    ''To escape the Ring of Nothingness, you must know who you are.''


    Did he find out who he was...?


    How did he find out? What did he see?


    Her thoughts drifted towards the passages she had read in the past and her mouth turned dry.


    It couldn''t be that¡­


    "Ah."


    She had long lost the words to describe the current situation.


    But she wasn''t the only one. Julien had also lost his words as he struggled to understand what was going on.


    <nulli>''Where is this ce¡­?''


    His memories were like shattered fragments. They continued to drift in and out of his consciousness. But if there was one odd thing that he noticed, then it was the man who stood before him.


    With muddled white eyes, he looked shocked as their gazes met.


    "W-what''s going on? How is this possible?"


    Julien stared at the man and finally, his memories started to fully return. Be it during the times when he was back as Emmet, and to the times after subduing the Dragon''s will.


    Things started to make more sense to him.


    <nulli>''So that''s the case.''


    With the passing of the seconds, the clearer his mind became.


    His body was in pieces, but he didn''t need to use his body. The man before him was someone he could deal with.


    "What have you done? What sort of trick did you use? How is this possible¡­?"


    The Archbishop''s muttering made its way into Julien''s mind as he raised his head to look at the Archbishop or whatever he was.


    It was clear to Julien that this man was just ying make-


    believe. He wasn''t really an Archbishop, and no one present was his follower.


    All of it was due to the strange ring that he held in his hand.


    Right, the ring.


    Julien extended his hand.


    "Akh¡­!"


    The Archbishop''s expression changed drastically as Julien grabbed his hand.


    "It hurts¡­! It hurts!!"


    As if a certain force was pulling his hand, the Archbishop held onto it tightly as his face turned red. But it was no use as a glow manifested over the ring he was wearing. The ring wrenched itself free from his trembling grasp and soared through the air,nding with a soft click in Julien''s outstretched hand.


    "How could this be¡­!"


    The Archbishop screamed in horror as he watched the ring fly into Julien''s hands.


    <nulli>''Ring of Nothingness.''


    Julien stood on the spot, unmoving. His gaze was directed towards the ring in his hand.


    To those watching, Julien''s figure looked imposing. Standing with a stoic expression, he stared at the ring before him.


    And under everyone''s watch, he slowly slid it onto his finger.


    "No!"


    The Archbishop protested, turning his attention towards his followers andmanding them.


    "Do something about him! Kill him! Get me the ring back!"


    But his words were met with silence as none of his followers made a single move.


    They stood still while staring at Julien who remained firm in ce.


    "What are you doing?! Did you not hear my orders!?"


    The Archbishop continued to bark orders as he shouted towards them, but all fell on deaf ears as none of the people moved.


    "What are you doing!? What are you¡ª"


    "¡­.You know best why they aren''t moving."


    Julien slowly raised his head to look at the Archbishop who flinched under the intensity of his hazel eyes.


    He then raised his hand to disy the ring on his finger.


    "You no longer have this. What was it that you said before?"


    Julien''s lips slowly curled into a smile.


    "¡­.You''ve lost?"


    "Haa¡­ haa¡­"


    The Archbishop''s eyes turned bloodshot as he looked towards Julien.


    "Right, this... It''s not over yet. I have this. Keke. Yes, not over...!"


    In the next moment, he frantically rummaged through his pocket and withdrew several vials filled with a viscous red liquid. With trembling hands, he hastily uncorked each vial and gulped down their contents in rapid session.


    "Quick! Stop him¡­"


    "What are you doing?"


    Everyone immediately jumped at the sight as Leon, Aoife, Kiera, Evelyn, and everyone tried to scream for Julien to do something.


    "I want you to die! I want you to die!"


    "No!"


    However, to their utter horror, Julien remained motionless, simply observing as the Archbishop''s form began to undergo a grotesque transformation before their eyes.


    Cra¡ª Crack!


    His body expanded, limbs elongated, and his once-human features contorted into something nightmarish. The air filled with unsettling cracking sounds as bones stretched beyond their natural limits, and flesh twisted into monstrous shapes.


    Leon stared at the scene with bated breath as anxiety gripped him.


    At a nce, he realized the Archbishop was bing incredibly powerful.


    ''What are you doing!?''


    Julien was disying too much arrogance.


    Even in his prime form, Leon doubted he could defeat the monstrous figure emerging before them, his heart sinking at the sight.


    ''No, do something¡­!''


    Aoife and the others shared simr thoughts as they looked on in despair.


    Their despair only worsened when they saw Julien keep his attention fixed on the ring on his finger,pletely unmoved.


    "I''ll kill you¡­! I''ll kill you¡­!"


    It was just as everyone was despairing that they noticed the mana in the air growing thicker.


    Confused, everyone nced upward, their eyes widening in shock as several intricate magic circles materialized directly behind the Archbishop.


    <nulli>Bang! Bang¡ª!


    They quicklyunched towards the Archbishop who was unable to react in time due to his growing stature.


    "Akh¡­!"


    A deep growl reverberated through the ruined church, apanied by smoke billowing from his back.


    But that wasn''t all¡ª more circles formed, each faster than thest, relentlessly crashing against the Archbishop''s back.


    <nulli>Bang, bang, bang¡ª!


    "I will¡­. Kill!!!"


    His heartwrenching scream reverberated throughout the broken church as his body writhed in the air.


    "I¡ª"


    Just as the Archbishop was about to say something else, he abruptly stopped as blood started to seep from every corner of his body.


    Confused by the sudden turn of events, everyone looked towards the monster that once was the Archbishop and widened their eyes in shock upon noticing the dozen of threads surrounding his body.


    In his final moments, the Archbishop nced at Julien who returned the gaze without uttering a single word.


    The two locked eyes for a few seconds before the Archbishop fell forward.


    Thump!


    The ground trembled slightly as his body hit the floor.


    All eyes remained fixed on Julien who stood silently. Their gazes lingered until someone finally noticed the figure standing right behind the Archbishop''s body.


    "Ah¡­!"


    When someone pointed it out, everyone turned to look, their expressions contorting in anger and animosity towards him.


    "It''s the traitor!"


    "Traitor bastard!"


    "What are you doing!? Only now did you finally decide to do something?!"


    Whether from the Aurora Empire or otherwise, everyone directed simr looks of rage towards the man standing behind the Archbishop.


    "What are you doing here!? Did you switch sides because you saw we were losing?"


    Surprisingly, it was Aiden who screamed. The second seat among the members of the Aurora Empire.


    His words echoed the sentiments of those from the same Empire.


    "When this is over, we''ll report everything to the professors and delegates!"


    "You missed your chance! You should''ve left quietly when you had the chance!"


    Everyone hurled curses and slurs at Kaelion as he stood motionless, not uttering a word.


    At that moment, everyone vented their frustrations towards him. If not for his actions, they wouldn''t have been in this predicament.


    "Kill him!"


    "Beat him up and make sure he doesn''t escape!"


    Their hatred towards himpelled some to turn to Julien, pleading with him to stop Kaelion and kill him on the spot.


    Leon remained silent, simply observing Julien, waiting for him to say or do something. Soon enough, Julien raised his hand.


    "¡­."


    Surprisingly, everyone fell silent at his action, all eyes fixed on him.


    They awaited his next move.


    "Wait!"


    In the sudden silence, Aoife feltpelled to speak.


    "Think this through! This could causeplications within the Empires! Don''t kill him!"


    Aoife''s voice cracked as she pleaded.


    She wasn''t speaking only for the Empire''s sake but also for Julien''s.


    If he killed Kaelion, the consequences would be severe, even for the princess of the royal family.


    "Don''t¡ª"


    "You did well."


    Aoife''s words were cut off by Julien''s voice as he spoke.


    A strange silence filled the space as everyone looked towards him with puzzled expressions.


    What did he say? What did...


    "Uh, yeah. I don''t think I want to do this again."


    Kaelion''s cold, expressionless demeanor softened as weariness crept in.


    Approaching Julien, he sighed.


    "...I don''t know if I have it in me to do this again. It''ll be a miracle if I don''t get in trouble."


    "Eh¡­?"


    "Uh?"


    "¡­?"


    Question marks appeared over everyone''s heads as they alternated their gazes between Julien and Kaelion.


    It was then that Leon understood something, his expression shifting.


    "These guys..."


    He softly mumbled in shock,


    "...They were working together from the start."

 Chapter 245 Diary [1]

    <h4>Chapter 245 Diary [1] </h4>


    245 Diary [1]


    It took me a while to piece together my memoriespletely. Remembering the time when I had lost all my memories was rtively easy to digest.


    On the other hand, recalling the events after I emerged from the Dragon Will was much more challenging.


    The memories were fragmented, and they weren''t exactly pleasant.


    But gradually, they too started to make sense.


    "Ah, I see..."


    I turned my head in a specific direction.


    There, I met two pairs of eyes. They stared back at me withplex expressions, and I shrugged.


    "I didn''t expect things to turn out like this."


    ncing at my status window, I switched to the quest log.


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated: Survive the cultist.]


    : Character Progression + 385%


    : Game Progression + 11%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1 + 7%


    : Cmity 2 + 9%


    : Cmity 3 + 13


    Indeed, the quest was still active. I vividly remembered receiving it right after entering the strange fog.


    My memories of that time were still somewhat hazy, but I recalled receiving the quest and the vision that apanied it.


    ...In that vision, I saw everyone seated rows as the Archbishop prepared for the blood ritual.


    It was a suffocating sight, where I felt helpless watching everyone perish before my eyes.


    It was also in that vision that I noticed someone standing beside the Archbishop.


    It was Kaelion.


    Yes, he had betrayed everyone, just as he was doing now.


    I was merely speaking nonsense when I said what I said he did well.


    ...He had indeed betrayed everyone, and I was ensnaring him.


    ''I am now holding onto your weakness.''


    If I could use someone, I intended to do so. Like Owl-Mighty, I nned to employ anyone who could aid my cause.


    So what if they had tried to kill me at one point... If they proved useful to me, it didn''t matter.


    It made things simpler for me.


    ...It meant I didn''t have to form attachments.


    "Hey, you bastard!"


    A voice interrupted my thoughts. Turning back, I locked eyes with someone.


    Her expression seemed a mix of emotions, but anger was definitely present.


    "...I won''t ask you anything now, but this hurts. Would you mind?"


    "Oh, right."


    Looking around, I saw everyone nailed to their seats and scratched the back of my head.


    "...I almost forgot."


    Turning to Kaelion, who obediently nodded, I moved to help the other cadets. They red at him, but their intensity had faded to confusion.


    "Damn, it hurts."


    Kiera groaned as I removed the nails holding her in ce. She winced but otherwise didn''t seem overly bothered.


    "There."


    Blood stained the floor where I removed the nails. Kiera quickly channeled her mana to stem any further bleeding, but she would need professional care.


    There were also some cadets with missing limbs. I couldn''t help in that regard, and the only way was through some really expensive medicine that the Empire was probably going to provide aspensation for the situation.


    Or at least, I hoped that would be the case.


    I wasn''t quite sure whether they''d actually do that.


    "Ugh, go help the others."


    Kiera said, rubbing her neck while muttering to herself, ''Damn, this hurts more than I thought.''


    Seeing that I was still looking at her, she raised her head and waved her hand dismissively.


    "I''ll askter."


    "....."


    I nodded without saying a word and went on to help the others. I started with the people that I deemed were in the most critical condition. Those with missing limbs or who were on the verge of dying.


    The blood had all been taken by the Archbishop, and thus I couldn''t find a way to help them.


    "Here, get some rest."


    Helping a cadet from the Aurora Empire down, I shifted my attention towards Aoife.


    "....."


    She didn''t say anything as I helped her take off the nails that bound her.


    "Tell me if it hurts."


    She nodded silently as I assisted her in removing the nails. She didn''t even flinch throughout the entire process which was a little surprising.


    ''I guess she must have a high pain tolerance.''


    "As a princess, I''ve been trained since childhood to endure this level of pain. It''s so that if I''m ever tortured, I won''t reveal anything."


    "Oh."


    That made sense.


    She was indeed the cadet who scored highest in the pain tolerance test.


    That exined it.


    "...You were gone for quite a while."


    "So I was."


    Finishing with her left hand, she spoke again. This time, her words were a lot softer. It was almost as if she was scared of my reaction.


    "In the time you were gone, I became the ck Star."


    Her words made me pause. Raising my head, our eyes met.


    "You finally noticed."


    Aoife spoke, her gaze piercing.


    "You act like you don''t care, but you do care about the title, don''t you?"


    "...A little."


    It made things a lot easier for me.


    I regretted losing the title, but it was understandable. I had been absent for almost half a year.


    Someone had to fill the role while I was away.


    Besides, her strength seemed to have increased significantly.


    She wasn''t a bad ck Star.


    But what about Leon? Did he decline the role?


    I wouldn''t be surprised if he had.


    It seemed typical of him.


    "Do you want the title back?"


    Aoife''s unexpected question caught me off guard. As I paused, our eyes met again.


    "If you want it, I can give it back to you. I didn''t earn the role, so you can have it. I''ll retrieve it. Yeah, I''ll get it back. Don''t overthink it. I''ll be fine."


    ''...Your tone suggests otherwise.''


    I held back those words and focused on removing the remaining nails.


    "Why aren''t you answering?"


    Despite her persistent questioning, I continued to ignore her. She wasn''t in the right state of mind; emotions were clouding her judgment.


    I couldn''t me her.


    But deep down, I knew there was truth in much of what she said.


    "Let''s discuss itter."


    After removing the final nail, I wiped my hands and prepared to move on.


    "Hey, wait."


    But just before I could leave, Aoife stopped me. Turning to her, I met her gaze.


    She hesitated, opening and closing her mouth several times. The word that she wanted to say never truly left her mouth as her mouth continued to open and close like a fish out of the water. It would''ve been funny had my camera been here.


    But it wasn''t.


    Frowning, I waited.


    "If you don''t have anything to say, I''m leaving."


    "Ah..."


    A sound escaped her lips, followed by words.


    "...It''s good to see you back."


    Taken aback I looked at her for a brief moment. Then, registering the words that came out of her mouth, I let out a short breath before turning around.


    "Hmm."


    I nodded slightly, a small smile forming on my lips.


    "Thank you."


    It was good to be back.


    Not just in terms of memories, but for my sanity.


    My issues...


    They had all been resolved. The voices had ceased, and my mind felt clear. It was an unfamiliar sensation, one I hoped would endure.


    It was this feeling that truly made me realize that I was back to normal.


    ....It felt really liberating.


    But of course, now was not the time to think about it.


    ''I should stop wasting time.''


    After assisting Aoife, I moved on to aid the remaining cadets. Finally, I reached Leon, who appeared somewhat disgruntled.


    Stopping before him, we exchanged nces.


    Despite the gag in his mouth, his eyes conveyed his thoughts.


    ''What took you so long?''


    His expression seemed to say.


    "...I don''t y favorites."


    ''Ha! You helped everyone else before me! If you don''t have favorites, you have an undesired advantage!''


    "You''re imagining things."


    ''Yes, you''re probably right.''


    ''No, that''s not what I said.''


    "Tsk."


    I clicked my tongue.


    He was adept at reading my mind, too.


    Shaking my head, I began removing his nails. It was a quick process, and soon he was free. He was in a pretty sorry state, more so than the others, but unlike them, he didn''t seem to care about his body as he started to massage his muscles.


    "Ukh."


    He groaned in pain several times before raising his head to look at me. There seemed to be a lot of things that he wanted to say to me.


    "Spit it out."


    It was only after I urged him to speak that he finally spoke.


    "You''ve been here all along. Why didn''t you say anything? If I had known, I wouldn''t have..."


    Leon paused, his face twitching.


    "Betrayed me?"


    I finished his sentence, and he pursed his lips.


    "I was just¡ª"


    "No, it''s fine. I don''t hold a grudge."


    I cut him off before he could make excuses.


    I definitely didn''t hold a grudge for what he did back then when he exposed ''me'' in front of everyone.


    "I wasn''t in the right state of mind anyway. What you saw was me, but not me at the same time. You''re fine."


    "Ah, now I get it."


    Suddenly, realization dawned on Leon.


    "You left me forst because you hold a grudge."


    "You''re overthinking."


    That wasn''t it, but unfortunately, Leon seemed convinced of his analysis.


    "It is, isn''t it!"


    "No, it''s not."


    "....I didn''t know you were this type of person."


    "Then what did you think I was?"


    "Hmmm."


    Leon frowned before eventually, his face twisted.


    "No, you''re right. You''re like this."


    "....."


    Shaking my head, I turned away from him and approached the Archbishop''s body.


    "What are you doing?"


    Leon called from behind. I nced at him before answering.


    "Hmm, just checking something."


    Approaching, I studied the transformed body for a moment. It looked nothing like before, almost monstrous.


    There were many questions I wanted answers to. Without hesitation, I pressed my hand against its body and activated my skill.


    <nulli>''Let''s uncover your secrets.''


    "..."


    I stood with my hand on the Archbishop''s body, waiting for a response. But to my surprise, my skill didn''t work.


    "Uh?"


    Confused, I checked my arm, but the tattoo was still there. It was confusing, and I struggled to hide my surprise. I could feel the curious nces from those behind me, whispering among themselves.


    <nulli>''Why isn''t it working? Is something preventing me... Ah.''


    Suddenly, realization struck as I nced at one of the vials on the ground.


    "The blood."


    My heart raced with sudden insight.


    ''Could the blood be blocking me from reading his memories? Wait, could it also be the reason why I lost my memories?''


    Pursing my lips, I nced around before quickly searching the Archbishop''s body. I patted it all over in search for something.


    "Julien?"


    Turning, I felt all eyes on me. I opened my mouth, pausing briefly before saying,


    "Stay here and rest. I need to investigate something."


    "Huh? Where are you...?"


    "Rest. I''ll be back soon. I can''t promise it''s safe out there."


    Without waiting for objections, I left. As I walked, my heart quickened.


    For some reason, I had a strong feeling that I was about to uncover a clue rted to my sudden arrival in this world.


    The Seven Gods.


    It had to be connected somehow.

 Chapter 246 Diary [2]

    <h4>Chapter 246 Diary [2] </h4>


    246 Diary [2]


    I didn''t know exactly where I needed to go, but I somewhat had an idea. Besides the study room, ording to the blueprint, there wasn''t anything else that was important.


    But there had always been something that had been bugging me from the very start.


    ''The study room. It''s too unprotected.''


    ....It was as if the Archbishop knew that there was nothing important there and only left misceneous stuff.


    But there had to be more to what he had.


    There was no way he didn''t have anything else with him. For example, the blood. How did he get his hands on something so valuable?


    The same was true for the ring.


    Gradually, my steps came to a stop as I looked around me to make sure that there was no one around.


    <nulli>''It''s only a hypothesis, but...''


    I lowered my head to stare at the ring on my finger.


    Closing my eyes, I brought my consciousness in.


    I felt my consciousness blur. My thoughts started to fade as I felt my mind detached from my body.


    It was a weird sensation.


    I couldn''t quite describe it, but it didn''t feel all too different from what I felt whenever I was witnessing a vision.


    The sensationsted until I felt my consciousness return and when I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in a familiar white world.


    "Hm?"


    But it was differentpared to the past. Right ahead of me, I saw something that I had never seen before and my expression changed slightly.


    "What''s this¡­?"


    The structure stood tall, its towering white facade adorned with massive pirs that stood by the sides they added a sense of majesty to the ce.


    Staring at it, I felt a certain connection with it.


    ....It was hard to exin, but it seemed to be connected to me. I could more or less tell that it was due to the fact that the ring now belonged to me.


    "What is this ce¡­?"


    The interior was empty. The entire hall was painted white, and my footsteps echoed as I looked around.


    I looked everywhere but found the ce to bepletely empty. I was confused at first, but it didn''t take long for me to eventually spot a certain door in the distance.


    Within the grandness of the ce, it looked small, and I soon headed for it.


    I had an inkling that I would soon find the clues that I so desperately wanted.


    "Is it locked?"


    Looking at the door, I ced my hand over the handle and gripped it. For some reason, my heart started to beat faster as stood in front of the door, and taking a deep breath, I twisted the knob of the door.


    Click!


    A gentle click resounded throughout as the door unlocked.


    "Ho."


    I felt my breath leave my body the moment I opened the door as I let go of the knob and looked around me.


    The room wasn''t anything big and was rather empty.


    But that wasn''t what grabbed my attention. Staring ahead, I looked towards a small podium where a book rested.


    A book, or a diary?


    I wasn''t too sure, but I found myself moving forward and heading towards it.


    "....It''s weird."


    I pressed my hand over the cover, feeling the rough cover of the book. There was no title on the book and judging from how rough some of the corners were, it appeared to be more of a diary.


    Flip!


    Without hesitation, I flipped the first page of the diary open.


    Immediately, my gaze fell on the first page.


    It waspletely empty.


    ....Empty besides a few words.


    <nulli>''To those that ingest the blood of Mortum. He will soon find you.''


    ***


    Back at what remained of the Church.


    "Is everyone okay?"


    "....There''s a few bad cases over here, but it seems like everyone is okay."


    "That''s good."


    Aoife sighed in relief as she looked around. Her mana was slowly starting to return, and her head was feeling a lot better.


    With that being said, her body was still in pieces, and she was merely running on adrenaline.


    ....Aoife put on a smile as she tried to look as calm as possible, but she was anything but calm. It had to be said that she had died several times over the past few days.


    She was barely holding onto her sanity by just a thread.


    Looking around, she could see some of the cadets looking around with hollow eyes.


    They weren''t lucky like her.


    There was a chance that they had all developed some form of PTSD from all of this. Just the way they looked and how their bodies shook at the slightest stimulus told Aoife all that she needed to know.


    "Haa."


    She sighed as she leaned back on one of the rows.


    "Oy."


    Her thoughts were broken by a rough and familiar voice. Aoife felt her head throb.


    "I''m not in the mood for this."


    "Don''t care. Scoot your ass over."


    "Uh...!"


    Aoife didn''t have the time to do so before she was pushed to the side.


    "Damn it!"


    She went on to re at Kiera who cleaned her ear with her pinky.


    "....If only I had a licorice stick "


    "Haa."


    Aoife ended up sighing again as she looked at Kiera. She didn''t have it in her to argue with her.


    She was simply too tired.


    "So..."


    Kiera spoke while flicking her pinky.


    "...What did you think?"


    "About? "


    "You know, the plot twist."


    "Uh?"


    Aoife raised her head and looked at Kiera.


    "Which on?"


    "Hmm, right, there was more than one."


    Kiera scratched the side of her face.


    "Well, you know... About him being here the entire time. Do you have any idea why he did that?"


    "That..."


    Aoife shook her head.


    She didn''t know at all. She was just as surprised as everyone present by the sudden turn of events.


    "I didn''t know."


    "Hmm."


    Kiera thoughtfully nodded.


    "Thought so. If you had known, then you would''ve probably acted weird and shit. Probably stalked them."


    "....."


    Aoife found herself at a loss for words.


    Yet again, she had been called that.


    "....I''m not a stalker."


    But she wasn''t that. She never stalked in her life... uh, well, she did collect information and stuff, but that wasn''t stalking.


    No way.


    "I''m not a stalker."


    Aoife repeated, this time, her tone was a lot more confident.


    "....The fact that you don''t know it is crazy."


    Kiera mumbled from the side. The way Kiera looked at her made Aoife feel ufortable. It was as if she was saying, ''Yeah, fuck. This bitch haspletely lost it.''


    No, she was probably thinking that.


    Aoife clenched her teeth.


    "What about you? You''re not better?"


    "Uh? What in the world are you talking about? Where do you see me stalk people?"


    "You''re an addict."


    "Well, I''m trying to stop."


    Kieraughed.


    "What? Is that your best insult? Pftt, that''s h¡ª"


    "Bitch."


    "....."


    Kiera stopped all of a sudden as her eyes widened. Looking at Aoife whose eyes were open wide, Kiera''s mouth opened in shock.


    "Did you just..."


    "No."


    Aoife looked away, but Kiera didn''t let that slide and tilted her head to get a better look at Aoife''s face.


    "....You just swore. The princess just swore."


    Kiera went on to hold her head as she looked at her in total shock. From the expression she made, it looked like she had found the most unbelievable thing in her life.


    "No, I didn''t. You''re not only an addict, but also delusional."


    "Bah...! Who gives a fuck! I just got you to swear! Kakaka."


    Kiera smacked her thigh as sheughed.


    Her voice was so loud that she attracted the attention of everyone present.


    "Stop! "


    Aoife felt her face redden further as she stood up and hastily covered her mouth.


    "Hmmm! Hmm!"


    Her goal was to stop Kiera from speaking, but it didn''t take long for her to regret her decision.


    "Ah...! Did you just lick me!"


    "Kakaka...!"


    Kiera continued tough, herugh growing wilder as Aoife''s face turnedpletely red. By now, most people were looking, and Aoife found herself boiling in embarrassment.


    ring at Kiera, she looked at her hand which was filled with spit, and wiped it over Kiera''s face.


    "Uakh...!"


    Taken aback, Kiera weird sounds came out of Kiera''s mouth as her eyes shot open in shock.


    "That''s disgusting!"


    "It''s your own spit."


    "Ah, I don''t like this!"


    Kiera hurriedly wiped her face while Aoife watched in amusement. She then went on to use Kiera''s shirt to wipe her hand.


    "Oy!"


    The two went on to bicker like that for the next few minutes.


    Leon stared at the scene expressionlessly as he struggled toe to terms with what he was seeing.


    A voice echoed from behind him.


    "Didn''t the two hate each other? Why does it seem like they''re best friends all of a sudden?"


    Turning his head, Leon looked at Evelyn who was simrly staring at the scene with a confused expression.


    It was pretty much known to everyone that the two hated each other, and yet, the reality seemed different.


    .....The things they did to each other certainly didn''t seem friendly, but it looked like the both of them had fun doing it.


    "I don''t get it."


    "Same."


    Leon replied with a nod as he stood still to watch the scene from where he stood. He had been helping the other cadets heal up while Julien left, and he tried to look for an exit but found himself unable to find it.


    ''I can only wait for Julien toe back.''


    He seemed to be aware of it.


    "Did you know?"


    Coming out of his thoughts, Leon looked at Evelyn who was staring back at him.


    "Know what?"


    "That Julien was here the entire time."


    "Ah."


    Leon titled his head.


    "....What makes you think I knew?"


    "Well, from the time that you exposed him in front of everyone in order to buy time for us to escape. Thinking about it, the two of you probably nned that."


    "...."


    Leon felt his entire face stiffen.


    His heart pounded out of his chest as his neck unconsciously turned away from her. With a straight face, he soon found himself nodding.


    "Yes, of course."


    "Ah, I knew it."


    Evelyn nodded from the side.


    "It makes sense. Why would you backstab him like that, right? You aren''t that type of person, right?"


    Feeling her gaze, Leon felt his entire heart drop, but he didn''t let it show as he opened his mouth to respond.


    "He didn''t know, and yes, he backstabbed me."


    "....!"


    Unfortunately, Leon was never able to get the words out as a certain voice echoed from behind, making Leon jump with fright.


    "Uh?"


    Evelyn turned back to look back.


    Her expression changed slightly as Julien emerged from the darkness, his expression heavy as his gaze locked onto Leon''s.


    "Snake."


    He said,


    "....He''s a snake."

 Chapter 247 Diary [3]

    <h4>Chapter 247 Diary [3] </h4>


    247 Diary [3]


    There was still onest problem that I needed to tackle, which was to find the exit.


    "But where is it?"


    I looked around. Everything was in ruins, and smoke rose from certain parts of the area.


    I narrowed my eyes in looked for an exit. My previous theory had been the pipe organs, but those were now gone.


    Looking through that area, I was disappointed to see nothing.


    "What are you looking for?"


    "The exit."


    I answered, looking back at Leon. He was standing behind me with his usual expressionless look, but I could tell from just a nce that he was anything but pleased with me.


    ¡­.I didn''t me him. I did after all call him a snake in front of everyone.


    The best part was that while he did betray me, I also did kill him during the fog.


    I was just shifting the attention from that fact so that he wouldn''t bring it up.


    "If you''re looking for the exit then it''s probably there."


    Leon pointed towards the altar.


    "There?"


    I looked at him in confusion. How did he know?


    Was he making it up or something?


    "You can say that I have good instincts."


    So he said, but I found the reasoning to be even more concerning.


    He frowned upon seeing the look that I was making. He opened his mouth before closing it and shaking his head.


    Then, with a sigh, he walked towards the altar where he raised his foot and stomped down.


    Bang¡ª!


    A powerful explosion resounded throughout as the altar copsed from within.


    Leon''s sudden actions caused some of the cadets to flinch directly and some to even yelp in surprise, but their expressions were soon marred with looks of surprise as a staircase appeared from within the altar.


    "¡­."


    I stared at Leon in silence and he looked back at me.


    I wasn''t sure about what face I was making, but it probably wasn''t too different from Leon''s stony one.


    "So¡­"


    Breaking the silence was Kiera who peeked at the staircase.


    "Should we¡­?"


    "We should."


    Leon nodded before stepping to the side so that she could go in. He thought she would, but she didn''t and instead turned to look at Aoife.


    "Go."


    "Uh¡­? Why me? You''re ahead of me. You''re clearly trying to use me."


    "Use you? No, what bullshit!"


    "You''re lying through your teeth."


    "No, that''s not the case."


    Kiera shook her head and put on a very serious expression.


    "Aren''t you the ck Star? I''m just respective the hierarchy."


    "Ah."


    It was then that Aoife couldn''t argue back. She seemed to want to, and her eyes fell on me several times, but I shook my head.


    ''Still your title.''


    "Haa¡­"


    Aoife eventually sighed as she lowered her head in defeat.


    "Fine."


    She knew she had lost.


    Kiera had firmly gripped onto her weakness.


    Without looking back, she went down the flight of stairs, her back disappearing into the darkness. Kiera stared at the sight with cold eyes.


    Just when she couldn''t hear Aofie''s steps any longer, she looked towards us before saying,


    "If she dies, we celebrate."


    "¡­..I can hear you."


    Too bad Aoife could still hear as Kiera''s expression contorted in annoyance.


    "If you can hear then it means you''re not moving fast enough! Go! Di¡ªEh, go find the exit."


    "¡­."


    Her words were met with silence.


    I stared at the two before looking towards Leon who looked at me in understanding.


    ''You''ve missed a lot since you were gone.''


    ''Yeah, it does seem to be that way.''


    Shaking my head, I looked in the direction of the stairs before moving towards them.


    "Uh? What are you doing? Shouldn''t we wait for Aoife to die before going in?"


    "Die¡­?"


    "Oh, right. To find the exit."


    Kiera didn''t even attempt to fix her mistake as she dismissively waved her hand.


    I yet again shook my head and stepped down.


    "There''s no need. There''s nothing that can hurt us down here."


    The only thing I would need to worry about would be the Archbishop''s followers, but they were no longer a problem since I was now in full control of them.


    "Uh, if you say so."


    Kiera stepped to the side and I went down.


    Tak¡ª


    My step echoed as darkness took over my vision. Looking ahead, I caught a glimpse of a certain light in the distance and headed for it.


    Tak, Tak¡ª


    My steps continued to echo throughout the tight space as they rang loudly in my mind.


    I walked in silence, slowly getting used to the memories of what had happened, and within that time, the light in the distance grew brighter and brighter until eventually, I found standing in front of a narrow gap that was covered in moss and leaves. Ducking down, I crawled from beneath it and stopped when I noticed a small barrier.


    ''Ah, this must be the reason why reinforcements still haven''t found us.''


    I brought my hand forward and bypassed the barrier before going out and finding myself standing in the middle of arge forest.


    "¡­.We''re out."


    Aoife stood not so far from me as she looked around with a look of relief. In the meantime, I patted my clothes which which were covered in dirt.


    Her gaze eventually fell on me, or more specifically, the ring on my hand.


    "What are you going to do about that?"


    "This?"


    I raised my hand to show her the ring. She looked at it with furrowed brows and it was there that I understood that she knew exactly what the ring was.


    "The royal family will probably not be happy if I hold onto this, right?"


    "¡­.Yes. They won''t be."


    Aoife nodded her head without denying it.


    I could more or less have predicted such a response.


    The Ring of Nothingness was one of the most notorious rings in the world.


    Why would the Royal Family want anyone to have it?


    It was a walking disaster if held in the wrong hands.


    "Your best option is to hand it over so that you won''t be implicated in anything."


    "Yeah, you''re right."


    Her words made sense, I knew that.


    "But¡­"


    Aoife sighed while holding onto her forehead.


    "¡­.You''re probably not going to do that, am I right?"


    "You know it."


    The ring was now connected to me, and it had quite the desirable features.


    There was no way I was going to give it over.


    "Haaa¡­"


    Aoife sighed.


    "¡­.Even as so much time passes you are still the same."


    She seemed to beining, but at the same time, she wasn''t as she turned her head away.


    "I''ll pretend like I''ve never seen or heard a thing."


    "Hm?"


    I was a little surprised by her actions. She looked at me briefly.


    "What? You saved me. Do you think I can''t do this much? Plus, I don''t think anyone knows about what the ring truly does. So long as I don''t speak, you''ll probably be able to keep it."


    "¡­.And you''ll do that?"


    "That''s what I''m saying."


    Aoife almost rolled her eyes, but I still managed to catch it. I pursed my lips before finding the corner of my lips curl slightly.


    "Let me thank you in advance then."


    "¡­.Sure."


    "Oh, I guess no one died."


    Coming out from behind was Kiera who looked around before covering her face with her hand as she blocked the sun raysing from above.


    Squinting her eyes, her expression started to ease as she finally showed signs of rxation.


    Coming from behind her were the other cadets who looked at the surroundings in wonder and shock. Some cried while some hugged each other.


    The built-up stress from the experience suddenly caught up to everyone as some even fell on the ground.


    Thump.


    I looked around me and then turned to look at the very back where Leon was.


    He was thest oneing, and I knew that he was probably the one who had suffered the most out of all of this.


    Indeed,ing out of the exit, he appeared to be limping somewhat.


    Still, unlike the rest, he didn''t let go of himself and looked around him.


    He was probably thinking of what to do next, but he didn''t have to do that.


    Rustle~ Rustle~


    Soon, the nearby vegetation rustled, and a figure wearing bulky silver armor appeared.


    Their armor was filled with intricate inscriptions and designs, adding a certain majesty to them.


    "¡­."


    Stopping a few inches away from us, the figure looked around before seeminglying to an understanding.


    Taking out a small pearl from their pocket, they quickly cracked it.


    Crack¡ª!


    A deep voice followed after.


    "Reinforcements areing. You are now safe."


    Thump!


    It was then that I heard another thump. I didn''t need to look back to know who it belonged to.


    It was Leon.


    ''He did well.''


    Besides the betrayal.


    That, I couldn''t quite say he did well in that regard.


    Still, I also started to feel a sense of relief from the situation. In particr, I wanted to get a better look at the diary.


    Or more specifically,


    The Records of the Emperor of Nothing


    ***


    Megrail Estate.


    Things were tense in the Megrail Estate.


    "Quick! Warn the Emperor!"


    "Someone go handle her!"


    "You go¡­!"


    "No!"


    The maids and servants rushed all over the ce, barking orders to one another.


    The entire state was in a state of a mess, and it was all solely due to the presence of a single person.


    Delh V. Rosenberg.


    Sat in one of the guest rooms of the estates, she calmly drank the tea in front of her. Her etiquette was perfect, and so was her posture.


    She was the epitome of perfection to those who watched her from the side, but at the same time, her oppressive aura made it extremely hard for people to look straight in her direction.


    Therefore, many of the servants present could only look down and avoid making contact with her.


    Tak¡ª!


    Many of the servants flinched as she ced the teacup down, a tense silence filling the space.


    Delh''s expression changed as she put the teacup down, and some of the servants felt their legs grow weak.


    ''Oh, no! We must''ve messed up!''


    ''We''re going to die!''


    ''Who is the idiot that made the tea?!''


    While everyone was panicking, Delh was smacking her lips as her face contorted slightly.


    ''So bitter.''


    As expected, chocte was much better.


    But it wasn''t like she could outright ask for it. She had an image that she had to keep up.


    Another one of the reasons why she was banned from eating too much chocte.


    "Tsk."


    Delh clicked her tongue.


    "Ah¡ª!"


    A yelp ensured after and Delh turned her head in the direction of where the sound came from, utterly confused by the situation.


    "Hiek¡ª! I''m sorry!"


    Immediately, the one responsible knelt on the ground and profoundly apologized with a pale face.


    Delh stared at the scene with a dumbfounded look.


    But if that wasn''t enough,


    "Please spare her! She''s still new! She''s young and she hasn''t learned properly! Punish me instead!"


    "Please spare her!"


    Another one joined, kneeling down with their heads lowered.


    "¡­"


    Delh stared at the scene speechlessly.


    ''What did I even do?''


    She was so confused by the satiation, and before she even had the chance to address it, the door opened and a man entered.


    "Cough¡­! What''s going on here?"


    He looked sickly, but his appearance was hard to describe. He had a certain aura about him that made him look ''holy''. Looking around the room, his gaze paused on Delh.


    "Cough! I see what''s going on.. cough!"


    He approached her and sat on the seat opposite.


    "It''s been a while, Delh."


    His smooth and crisp voice echoed throughout.


    "I hope you''ve been well. And¡­"


    He looked around,


    "¡­I hope you forgive them."


    "¡­."


    Delh didn''t answer and just stared at the man in front of her.


    It had been a few years since she hadst seen him, and he was now looking rather sickly.


    The current Crown Prince, and Aoife''s brother.


    Leaning back on her chair, Delh nodded her head.


    "Okay."

 Chapter 248 Diary [4]

    <h4>Chapter 248 Diary [4] </h4>


    248 Diary [4]


    With short red hair, and piercing yellow eyes that symbolized the Megrail bloodline, Gael K. Megrail sat on the opposite end of Delh.


    "Cough."


    Coughing, he covered his mouth with a tissue.


    "Pardon me."


    Wiping his mouth, he dabbed his mouth a couple more times before passing it onto one of the servants.


    "Thank you."


    From start to finish, his actions were refined, carrying a certain elegance that only belonged to the very top of the aristocracy.


    "Cough...! That''s a little better."


    He turned to smile at Delh who sat still in her seat without saying a single thing.


    It was hard to tell what she was thinking with her expression, but Gael was aware of what she wanted.


    "You want permission to search for the missing cadets, am I right?"


    "...."


    Delh didn''t answer, but the intent behind her expression, orck thereof was quite clear.


    Gael stared at her for a few short seconds before lowering his head and nodding it.


    "Alright, I understand."


    He turned to look towards one of the servants.


    ".....You can go ahead and tell the Royal Guards that our guest over here would like to oversee the situation. Using the little power I have, I would like to grant her wish."


    "Understood."


    Noting down Gael''s words, the servant furiously nodded their head before turning around to leave the room.


    Just as they were about to leave, a change urred.


    nk¡ª!


    The doors burst open all of a sudden as multiple figures came in.


    "Emergency Report!"


    Wearing thin silver armor, they all rushed towards the Prince, who remained seated without as much as a change in his expression. Delh stared at the scene from the side, her browsing to a slight furrow as the tter of metal and the thunder of boots echoed around her.


    Thump!


    One of the guards knelt.


    "We have something to report!"


    "....Go on."


    Gael waved his hand in order to hurry the report.


    "Reporting to his highness... The cadets, they have been found!"


    "Hm?"


    Surprised, Gael''s brows raised slightly. Once he was done processing the information, he turned his head to address Delh.


    "Ah."


    But it was much to his surprise to see that the seat where she had been sitting was empty. It wasn''t the first time Gael had witnessed this and thus wasn''t too surprised.


    Instead, he found the sight to be amusing.


    "....Such hurry."


    But above all, he sighed in relief.


    ''She''s gone.''


    With that tyrant gone, he could finally rx.


    Or at least, he wanted to, but he soon stood up.


    "Let''s go."


    He walked towards the door.


    "....It''s been a while since I''vest seen my little sister."


    ***


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    My current situation was a little bit difficult to describe. Standing before one of the most powerful people in the entire world, I felt like a child who was being scolded for having done something wrong.


    The only problem was that I really didn''t do anything.


    "¡­.I am innocent."


    "Mhm."


    Delh nodded, her deep ck eyes scanning every part of my body.


    It was obvious from the tone of her voice that she didn''t believe me at all.


    "Every time you go out something happens."


    She went on to say.


    I wholeheartedly agreed with her. This was indeed the case and I was helpless about it.


    But of course, just because that was the case, that didn''t mean I had anything to do with it.


    Delh probably knew this too.


    And so, the words that came out of her mouth took me aback.


    "Jinx."


    "¡­.?"


    "You''re a jinx."


    She repeated a lot more confidently.


    Dumbfounded, I looked at her at aplete loss for words.


    It wasn''t like she was wrong, but¡­


    "¡­."


    I closed my eyes and epted my fate.


    Looking around, I nced at my surroundings. We were still in the forest, and shortly after we were found, a multitude of guards came our way and provided aid to those in need.


    I was rtively fine so I didn''t receive any medical care.


    It was also then that Delh appeared and took me to the side where no one else was.


    This was how I ended up in this situation.


    Despite it, my thoughts couldn''t help but drift elsewhere.


    ''¡­.I still need to handle that snake.''


    He was currently talking to his own professor who seemed ecstatic by the sudden reunion, but if only he knew¡­


    ''I should get the situation sorted out quickly.''


    Kaelion''s personality was that of a snake. He never loyally picked sides and only picked the side that benefitted him the most.


    In this case, he was tame because just a single word from me would get him in a whole world of trouble, but that was only for now.


    Who knew what he would nter?


    For that reason, I needed to act fast.


    Thankfully, I still had time and I knew exactly a way to keep him from betraying me.


    "¡­.."


    A certain gaze bore down on me and I was suddenly reminded of my situation.


    Helplessly I looked back to Delh.


    Her expression was the same as usual, but I found myself able to read it. She seemed unhappy, and so, knowing this, my hand reached for my pocket, only for me to realize my mistake.


    ''Right, I don''t have anything.''


    "¡­.?"


    In the moment that I reached out for my pocket, Delh''s hand was already outstretched towards me.


    "¡­."


    As if realizing as well, Delh lowered her hand while silently mumbling, ''Jinx.''


    My face twitched slightly before I changed the topic.


    "I''m healed."


    "¡­.?"


    Delh blinked a couple of times at the unexpected piece of information. Then, registering it, her expression showed signs of changes as she neared me.


    "You are healed? How?"


    She went on to touch my face and I felt a cool sensation wash over me.


    Her expression changed further as she looked back at me in what seemed to be shock. Or at least, what I thought looked like shock.


    She didn''t really show it as she touched my body.


    "How did you do it?"


    "¡­.It just happened."


    I was a little hesitant to tell her about the Ring of Nothingness. It was after all one of the seven artifacts of evil.


    Even if Delh was on my side, I couldn''t guarantee that she would help me.


    ¡­.Or at least, these were my initial thoughts before I ended up showing her the ring on my finger.


    "It''s thanks to this."


    "¡­."


    Delh stopped to stare at the ring in my hand. Then, as if recognizing it, she looked back at me.


    "Why is that with you?"


    "¡­..Took it from the ''cult leader'' who kidnapped us."


    Was it even a cult to begin with?


    The Archbishop was the only follower with everyone else merely a puppet of his.


    I didn''t quite think that it was a cult.


    "I see."


    Delh nodded in understanding. Then, taking her eyes away from the ring, she looked away.


    "Give me the ring. I will give it to youter."


    "Okay."


    I didn''t hesitate to take it off and hand it to her.


    It wasn''t that I blindly trusted her, but I somewhat knew her personality well.


    She didn''t care at all for material things.


    Delh was the strongest beneath the Zenith. What would a ring matter to her?


    It was for that reason that I didn''t worry about her taking the ring. In fact, it made things a lot easier for me.


    "¡­.It''s nice."


    Delh said as she took the ring from my hand and looked at it. A strange glint crossed her eyes as she looked at the ring, and for a brief moment, I started to regret my decision.


    ''She''s not going to¡­''


    "Ah¡ª"


    I was never able to take the ring back as she disappeared right before my eyes.


    Reaching out the area she had been in, all I grasped was air.


    "Haa¡­"


    I sighed then.


    ''She probably won''t take it.''


    Right?


    *


    Following Delh''s departure, we were all brought back to Bremmer under the protection of the Royal Guards.


    Nobody said a thing on the way back. Understandably, everyone was tired and we were soon escorted towards a temporary residence.


    The first thing I did after entering the room was lock the door and head towards the study desk where I turned on themp and took out the familiar diary.


    ''I didn''t get a good look before, but now that I have time, I should spend some time looking through it.''


    ¡­.I had a feeling that there would be a lot of important information.


    There was also another reason why I locked the door.


    "It should be soon."


    I looked at the quest window.


    Indeed, the quest was going to end any time now. I couldn''t wait to receive my rewards.


    "After all of this, I expect something."


    I would still begging behind some, but it would make me a lot closer.


    Especially since Leon had already reached Tier 4.


    He was one step away from creating his own domain and catching up with the first-year professors.


    "Anyways¡­"


    Flip¡ª


    I flipped the diary open and skimmed past the first page.


    My eyes immediatelyid on the words written.


    ''I am not a tyrant. I never was a tyrant. They made me a tyrant.''


    The first passage alone was enough to arouse my interest.


    From what I knew, the records stated that the Emperor of Nothingness was a cruel and merciless ruler who tried to once dominate the world with the ring, hence why it wasbeled as one of the seven evil artifacts.


    But perhaps, there was more to the story.


    ''I touched what I shouldn''t have touched, and turned the world against me. No¡­ I turned him against me.''


    Touched what I shouldn''t have touched¡­?


    Turned him against me?


    Who was he talking about?


    My eyes scanned the page faster as my mouth suddenly became dry. I had an inkling as to who he was talking about, but wasn''t this something that happened a long time ago?


    How could it be possible¡­?


    ''I thought it was a blessing when I found it. To be able to live longer, and heal all injuries¡­ I thought it was a massive blessing, and decided to share it with my people. But it turned out to be a curse.''


    I suddenly felt my spine tingle as I read the text. I started to have a bad feeling about the situation.


    ''They eventually came and took everything back. They called themselves the collectors. They took everything. From me¡­ and from the people who had used the blood. None were spared, and in my desperation, I turned my people into what they were in order to fight back. But¡­''


    I swallowed my saliva and flipped over to the next page.


    ''It was useless. I still lost and barely managed to hide a few vials of the blood that I found inside of the ring. To whoever finds this and reads it¡­''


    I paused, feeling my pulse quicken slightly.


    ''¡­Don''t ever consume the blood. The collectors wille for you, and there''s no escaping them.''


    "¡­."


    ''Sithrus''s influence is everywhere.''


    The second page ended there.


    Swallowing my saliva, the questions in my mind grew more numerous, but at the same time, I found a few answers.


    For example,


    "Sithrus."


    A name.


    I had a feeling this was the real identity of the Faceless Man.


    I didn''t know what exactly he wanted the blood for, but I knew that he was looking for the sword in my possession.


    Was the sword also rted to these gods?


    Just the thought of my encounters with him made my blood run cold.


    Still, reading the first page, there was something that still made no sense to me.


    "If the ring was in possession of the Archbishop, then why did he still end up using the blood? And why did he not follow Mortum, but another god?"


    What was his name again?


    Oreclues? Orac¡­?


    I pursed my lip and shook my head.


    ''I''ll know soon enough.''


    I nervously reached out for the next page, knowing that I would find an answer there, but just as I was about to turn the page, a notification shed my vision, and a familiar sensation coursed through me.


    "Ah."


    The quest.


    It had finallypleted.

 Chapter 249 City Tour [1]

    <h4>Chapter 249 City Tour [1]</h4>


    249 City Tour [1]


    [Survive the cultist: You were able to ovee the event]


    The familiar notification appeared in my vision and I stopped doing whatever I was doing as I looked up.


    Immediately, a series of notifications flooded my vision.


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated: Survive the cultist.]


    : Character Progression + 385%


    : Game Progression + 11%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1 + 7%


    : Cmity 2 + 9%


    : Cmity 3 + 13


    The first one I paid attention to was the question window which I nced at for a brief moment before another notification appeared, taking my attention.


    ¡ô| Game Progression EXP + 13%


    Game Progression : [0%¡ª¡ª¡ª[42%]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª100%]


    "¡­."


    I watched in silence as the bar slowly went up.


    Even now, I still don''t know what it did, but seeing that it increased all the way up to 42%, I had a feeling that I would soon know.


    It was then the turn of the one area that I paid particr attention to.


    ¡ô| Character Progression EXP + 385%


    Exp : [0%-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª[96%]¡ª100%]


    I felt the mana inside of my body surge.


    The sensation was one that I had felt multiple times before, and yet still couldn''t get used to. It was that good.


    The sensation didn''tst for very long.


    It was over before I knew it, and I nced at my level.


    Level : 38 [Tier 3 Magician]


    Exp : [0%-¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª[96%]¡ª100%]


    "Alright, I''m not too far away from reaching Tier 4."


    About one level away.


    This was good. Especially since I had beenggingpared to the others due to what had happened with the Dragon''s Will.


    Soon, thest notification appeared, and I held my breath.


    [ ¡ô Active Main Quest: Prevent the Cmities from awakening or dying.]


    Aoife K. Megrail : Slumber


    : Progress - 7%


    Kiera Mylne : Slumber


    : Progress - 13%


    Evelyn J. Verlice : Slumber


    : Progress - 9%


    ¡ª ¡ñ[Julien D. Evenus]¡ñ ¡ª


    I waited for what felt like an eternity.


    ....The criteria were still unknown to me. I didn''t know exactly what would increase the percentage, nor did I know what it did. So far, the percentages were still rather low, and I was happy to see that none of them rose in the time that I was gone.


    Who knows what would''ve happened in the time that I was gone?


    ''It seems like everything is under control for now.''


    But I knew that it was only for now. The situation was going to without a doubt, turn more serious and riskier further down the line and whatever I was seeing right now was merely an illusion to make me feel safe.


    ''So stressful.''


    I leaned back on the wooden chair and nkly stared at the ceiling of the room.


    My mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts. So much so that I didn''t notice the subtle knockinging from the door.


    To Tok¡ª


    It wasn''t loud, and thus I wasn''t able to hear it the first time.


    To Tok¡ª!


    But it became a lot more clear to me the second time as I turned to look in the direction of the door.


    ''Who could it be?''


    I didn''t think it was any of the cadets given how exhausted everyone was.


    That meant only one real possibility.


    ''The Royal Guards?''


    Indeed, if it was them, then it would make sense that they woulde visit. At least, if they heard of what happened during the incident.


    "Haa..."


    I sighed again.


    ''....And here I wanted to have a break.''


    I guess I was never allowed to rest.


    To Tok¡ª!


    "I''ming. I''ming."


    Seeing how impatient the person standing outside was, I had no choice but to hurry to the door and open it.


    nk!


    "Yes, please give me a moment to change. I only just got here and I need to¡ª"


    My thoughts stopped at the sight that greeted me behind the door.


    With shoulder-length ck hair, a height that was just about the same as mine, deep ck eyes, and looks that could be said to be otherwordly, a woman stood in front of me with an expressionless look.


    "...."


    In silence, I observed the woman in front of me.


    She looked about to be my age, but there was something about her that felt vaguely familiar.


    But what exactly?


    What...


    "Ah."


    And then I realized.


    "You..."


    I looked at the young girl in front of me with open eyes.


    "....You''re Delh, aren''t you?"


    ***


    ¡ª¡ªAt the same time.


    Megrail Estate.


    "Brother."


    Aoife walked ahead and greeted the man who stood before her. He was just like she remembered, and he seemed healthier than she hadst seen him.


    She sighed in relief at the sight.


    ''That''s good. Just a little bit longer...''


    Aoife pursed her lips as she put on a smile.


    "How have you been, ki?"


    ''Ki'' was the nickname her brother used to address her.


    "I''ve been good."


    Aoife answered with a smile. She was like apletely different person than how she showed herself on the outside.


    .....This was more in line with her true personality.


    She wasn''t originally like this. In fact, there used to be a time when all the maids feared her due to her yful nature.


    But that was all in the distant past.


    Circumstances forced her to be the way that she was. She wasn''tpetitive by nature, and she was rather soft-


    hearted, but the incident that took ce a while back forced her to be obsessed with bing stronger.


    It was for that reason that she was so obsessed with the title of ck Star and her achievements.


    The changes in her were noticeable for everyone to see, and Gael wasn''t a big fan of it.


    "You look paler than before. You''re pushing yourself hard, aren''t you?"


    "It''s okay. I''m only pale because of what just happened. You don''t need to worry too much."


    "....Right."


    Gael nodded quietly, staring down at Aoife with his yellow pupils.


    Aoife stared back without an ounce of fear. Had it been the past, she would''ve been scared of his gaze, but now...


    Not so much.


    He stared at her like that for a few seconds before eventually sighing.


    "Alright, fine. You win."


    Gael looked at her helplessly.


    "....It looks like you also no longer take me seriously."


    "Ah, no...!"


    Aoife''s expression changed as she suddenly turned extremely apologetic.


    "That... I''ve just grown a lot. It doesn''t have anything to do with what you''re saying. I''m just¡ª"


    Her words were cut off short by Gael who smirked at her in amusement.


    "Still so gullible."


    "...?"


    It took a moment for Aoife to realize what had happened, and when she did, her face changed.


    "You...!"


    She had been tricked by him.


    Her face turned red from embarrassment, and she raised her hand in preparation to hit him. She was just about to do that when all of a sudden, Gael''s expression turned extremely serious.


    It was to the point where Aoife found herself stopping whatever she was about to do.


    "Actually, Aoife. I want to talk to you about something serious."


    "Yes...?"


    Aoife sat up straight.


    What could her brother want?


    Why did he look so serious all of a sudden?


    For some reason, Aoife found herself swallowing hard as she prepared to hear what he had to say next.


    Soon, Gael''s lips parted open and Aoife felt her entire body tense. Especially since she felt a formless, almost oppressive aura rise up from his body.


    It made her back tingle.


    "You..."


    He went on to say slowly,


    "....Do you have a boyfriend?"


    "Eh?"


    ***


    It was hard to get used to the looks.


    ....I thought that I had gotten used to them, but staring at the young woman who walked alongside me, I found myself at aplete loss for words.


    As if her every action had some sort of maic power to them, the gazes of all the people in the street turned to look in her direction.


    Some would nce my way, but most would look in her direction.


    "Wow, what the fuck."


    "....Is this for real?"


    "So beautiful."


    I could hear the whispers of those around me. Hearing them, I grew somewhat ufortable.


    "Remind me again why you''re in this appearance?"


    "Why not?"


    Delh replied, her deep ck eyes looking around the bustling city of Bremmer in wonder.


    "It has been a while since I''ve been here."


    "Oh."


    But that still didn''t really answer the question.


    I understood her not wanting to show up in her real appearance which was known to everyone. But couldn''t she show up in her child form?


    That would attract a lot less attention than right now.


    "There''s a few ces that I want to go that won''t allow me to enter in that form."


    Well, that exined one mystery.


    It still didn''t answer the other questions.


    For example,


    "Can''t you just change your appearance like you did with mine when I joined those from the Aurora Empire?"


    Indeed, it was thanks to Delh that I was able to join those of the Aurora Empire with different looks. Because illusions were easy to see through by strong people, Delh used some sort of weird skill topletely change my facial structure.


    It seemed like a pretty useful skill that she could''ve used for this situation.


    "It''s annoying."


    Such was her answer.


    Baffled, I looked at her, and could only follow from behind as she dragged me around the city. I didn''t know what she wanted, but it seemed like she needed me for something.


    "Let''s go here."


    Delh pointed towards a certain cafe.


    It looked pretty popr given the long line. I thought about asking why but gave up when I thought back to her previous answers.


    ''Looks nice.''


    ''....Why not?''


    ''It''s pretty.''


    I just followed without question.


    "Wee."


    The barista greeted us on entry.


    Delh to be exact.


    She may look like a younger version of herself, but her looks were undeniable. I paid the interaction no mind looked at the board and thought about what to order.


    ''Let''s see... It looks pretty expensive.''


    The prices were what I would expect from the capital.


    Overpriced.


    "Hm?"


    I was just about to order something when I realized that Delh was no longer next to me. Don''t tell me that I lost her... When I looked around, I was relieved to see her in the sweet section.


    "Is there something that you want?"


    "Maybe this?"


    Delh pointed at the chocte cake.


    "Yes."


    The barista seemed more than happy to help her as he retrieved a piece of the cake.


    "No."


    But he was stopped by Delh who looked at the cake with narrowed eyes.


    "All of it."


    "Eh...?"


    Delh raised her head.


    "I want all of it."


    "...."


    As expected, her obsession with chocte and sweets existed in whichever form she was in.


    I approached the barista.


    "Can we have it to go?"


    "Would you like it to go?"


    "No."


    "..."


    Was I just ignored?


    "By the way, are you from a big guild?"


    "Yes."


    "...!"


    The barista almost shouted. If not for the fact that I red at him before he could do so, he probably would''ve.


    "Wow."


    He whispered.


    "No wonder you looked so pretty. Can I have your autographter?"


    "....Okay."


    I had long lost my words and made my way toward one of the seats where I finally sat down and looked outside the window where people flocked the city streets of Bremmer.


    At the same time, I kept ncing at Delh who had also found her seat and was devouring her food. She was treating the slices of cake like chips with the way she was eating. She didn''t even spare the crumbs that fell on the te as she used her thumb to pick them up.


    ''I don''t think I''ll ever get used to this sight.''


    But it wasn''t like I didn''t understand where she wasing from...


    "Julien."


    "Yes."


    "Do you want some?"


    Delh offered.


    I looked at her te and shook my head.


    "I''m good."


    "Do you not like sweets?"


    "No."


    "I see, but you should try. It''s good."


    "No, and clean up your mouth."


    Taking a tissue, I dabbed her mouth.


    It was filled with crumbs.


    "Here too."


    There were crumbs all over.


    "Just how are you eating...?"


    I dabbed her cheeks.


    How did it get there?


    For some reason, I felt a sense of deja vu.


    "Ah."


    It was then that I recalled and pulled my hand away.


    "Right, sorry. A habit of mine."


    "....It''s fine."


    Delh answered, looking down at the cakes.


    "I don''t mind."

 Chapter 250 City Tour [2]

    <h4>Chapter 250 City Tour [2]</h4>


    250 City Tour [2]


    "Fuck, I''m bored."


    Kiera sat outside the residence with her knees squatted as she took a puff of her licorice stick.


    "Tastes like shit."


    Despite the amount of time that had passed, she still wasn''t used to the vor of the licorice stick.


    If anything, she hated it more.


    But,


    "Ukh."


    It was better than smoking so she had no choice but to keep doing so.


    "Why do I even do this to myself¡­?"


    In the end, she had pretty much already forgotten the reason why she had stopped smoking. It was just a bad habit in general, but it did help her out a lot with stress.


    Like a lot¡­


    "Ugh, whatever."


    Out of habit, she flicked the stick away even though she wasn''t supposed to do that.


    "Ah."


    Looking at it, her lips twitched.


    ''I definitely could''ve made itst longer.''


    They were expensive and stuff.


    "Whatever."


    The location of the residence wasn''t quite far from the city center, and after thinking about it, she decided to head towards it. She needed some fresh air, especially after everything that happened to her over the past couple of days.


    As she walked, she looked at her surroundings.


    Bremmer, being the capital of the Empire was quite a bit differentpared to the other cities. It was brimming with vitality, with people flocking every area she walked by as shops lined up the cobblestone streets with vendors shouting with loud voices throughout.


    "....It''s been a while since I''ve been here."


    Probably been at least five years since she hadst been in Bremmer.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to go, but everything in the city was ridiculously expensive. A loaf of bread could go for 10 Rend in the capital which was daylight robbery.


    Kiera had some money, but she wasn''t stupid enough to get scammed by this.


    "Hm?"


    Suddenly, Kiera stopped and looked in the distance where she spotted a familiar figure.


    Or at least, what she thought was familiar.


    Wearing a brown coat and top hat, she was trying her best to hide her identity, but the flock of purple hair that would slip from time to time was clearly noticeable to Kiera.


    But that wasn''t what truly caught her by surprise.


    What caught her by surprise was the way she carried herself. Looking around, she would nudge the end of her coat closer to her face in an attempt to hide her face.


    But that only made her more conspicious.


    "The fuck...?"


    Kiera looked at the scene in confusion.


    What in the world was she doing?


    Kiera was about to approach her when she noticed Evelyn stop by a food stall where she bought some food before retrieving a notepad where she jotted down a few things on it after taking a bite.


    She would then throw the food away before going to the next stall and repeating the process.


    "What fucking waste."


    The more Kiera looked, the more irritated she felt.


    It was to the point where she found herself grasping Evelyn by the shoulder.


    "Oy, you."


    "....Uh?!"


    Evelyn flinched at her touch.


    "Why are you wasting so much food?"


    "What are you talking about? Who are you?"


    The tone in which she spoke was quite deep, but it only made Kiera looked at her even more wierdely.


    "You''vepletely lost it."


    "Uh... Ukh, ah."


    Evelyn''s face distorted as she made all sorts of faces. Eventually, she sighed and took off her hat.


    "....I was just tasting food."


    "I know that."


    That much was obvious to Kiera.


    "But why did you have to hide your face like that?"


    "....Just because."


    Evelyn answered, stealthily putting her notebook down.


    This didn''t escape Kiera''s sight as her eyes narrowed, but she thought better of it and pretended to ignore it.


    "Alright, fine."


    She was just about to leave when all of a sudden a loud voice echoed in the distance.


    ¡ªTo all those present, have any one of you experienced fear before? Do you know what it''s like to faint from fear?


    The contents were enough to attract Kiera''s attention as she turned her head.


    A crowd gathered before the speaker as a small projection appeared on his left side. Within the projection, one could see a single person walking in the dark.


    ¡ªIf you don''t know, then you cane to our haunted house! If you manage to get through it without so much as flinching, we will guarantee you a wonderful surprise!


    "Oh?"


    Kiera''s eyes flicked open at the sight.


    Her interest piqued.


    ''Wonderful surprise?''


    She didn''t hesitate to move in the direction of where the event was happening.


    "Are you going?"


    Evelyn asked from behind. Kiera nced at her with an expression that seemed to say, ''Isn''t it obvious?'' before heading forward and joining the crowd.


    Evelyn stared at her back for a brief moment before biting her lips.


    "Fine."


    She too headed forward.


    "....I''ve eaten enough."


    ***


    "¡­.This should be good."


    Delh licked her fingers as she downed thest piece of cake that was in her te. From time to time, her eyes would flicker towards the sweet section. I could tell that she wanted more.


    ''Does she not get fat at all?''


    It was surprising to see her so fit when she ate so much.


    Or was it that she only ate sweets?


    Tap¡ª


    Tapping her finger lightly over the wooden table, the noise surrounding us ceased.


    "Hm?"


    I looked around.


    It was quite an impressive skill if I had to say. It was dead silent around us. Almost as if we were the only two people present, and yet, I could still see everyone conversing around me. It made me envy her for a short minute.


    <nulli>''Maybe one day.''


    "¡­.I''ve already heard what happened from the other students."


    Delh spoke all of a sudden.


    "I would like to hear it from your side now. What happened?"


    She spoke in a serious tone.


    Her whole atmosphere changed, and I could see that the current Delh was not the Delh I was used to, but the Chancellor''s version of her.


    Brushing her long and silky ck hair behind her earlobe, she quietly asked,


    "There was also an item that I gave you in case something wrong happened. Why didn''t you use it?"


    "About that¡­"


    I scratched the back of my head. Delh had in fact given me a small talisman before heading out of the Academy.


    Knowing how bad my luck was she had given me the talisman.


    Unfortunately, I wasn''t able to use it.


    "I lost my memories."


    "¡­.You lost your memories?"


    Was it just me or was it getting increasingly easier to read Delh''s expressions?


    Despite the fact that she sat in front of me with an expressionless look, for some reason, it felt like I knew exactly how she was feeling.


    Currently, she was looking at me in doubt.


    She didn''t seem to fully believe my words. I didn''t me her. It was certainly a weird excuse. Especially since I was fine now.


    "Yes, I lost my memories. I don''t know how."


    It was still something that I was trying to rack my brains about. How was it possible that I had lost all my memories¡­?


    Why did it happen?


    It wasn''t something that I had purposely done to protect myself like in the past.


    This was an entirely new and foreign sensation to me, and I had an inkling that it had something to do with the blood that I had been injected with.


    <nulli>''Maybe I''m overthinking¡­''


    But the more I thought about it, the more likely I found this idea to be possible.


    "...."


    Delh sat in silence for a brief moment before raising her head to look at me.


    "If you lost your memories then a few things make sense."


    Thankfully, Delh seemed to buy my story. I knew that she couldn''t detect lies, but her gaze made it seem as though she could see right through me.


    It was a sensation that was hard to describe. But it certainly didn''t feel good.


    "Okay."


    Delh ced her hand on the table, sliding over a ck ring in my direction.


    "You can have it back."


    "¡­.."


    I stared at the ring in silence. Its former distinctive yellow frame, filled with intricate patterns and designs, was long gone. In its ce was a ck, polished finish, making it look like a cheap trinket one might find at a street stall.


    I took the ring and looked at it before raising my head to look at Delh.


    "It''s ck."


    "¡­.It is."


    Delh nodded with a serious expression.


    ncing at it, I almost thought she was jealous of the way it looked.


    ''Why does it seem like she likes it even more than before?''


    Now that I realized it, she really liked the color ck.


    Was this the reason she had it colored ck?


    "Well, it works."


    I slid the ring over my finger and looked at it. Unlike before, it no longer seemed conspicuous, and actually looked like a regr ring.


    This was something Delh had done in order to make it a lot harder for people to tell the identity of the ring.


    Probably why she took it.


    "Be careful with the ring."


    Delh suddenly said while I was absorbed by the new appearance of the ring. Meeting her gaze, I could see the serious look in her expression.


    "¡­.I took some time to test the ring, and from what I was able to see, there are a few limitations to it."


    "As in?"


    "The stronger the person the longer it takes for them to fall for the brainwashing ability."


    "And you know this because.....?"


    "I tried it."


    "¡­."


    The way she answered so nonchntly made me lose all my words.


    Seriously¡­?


    "There''s a lot of people that are imprisoned within the Megrail Estate. I went there to try it."


    "Oh."


    Well, that made sense. Since they were imprisoned they were probably not good people so there was no need to feel guilty.


    But there was something that was bothering me about the piece of information.


    "Weren''t you on bad terms with the Megrail family? How did you manage to convince them to let you do that?"


    "¡­."


    Delh didn''t answer and rubbed her finger over the leftover crumbs of her cake.


    Her silence spoke a thousand words and I just silently epted it.


    <nulli>''Right, I guess this must be the privilege of being strong.''


    <nulli>She could go whenever she wanted without anyoneining. In the Megrail case, they probably just let her be since they didn''t want any trouble with her.


    "Okay, this should be everything."


    Delh nced to her left briefly.


    Then, tapping onto the table, the noise returned. She then proceeded to stand up. I was just about to do the same as well when she stopped me.


    ".....You should stay."


    "Hm?"


    I looked at her in confusion.


    Just as I was about to ask her what she meant by that, she nudged the window with her chin. That was when I finally turned my head and noticed it.


    ".....!"


    Staring at me from the corner of the street was a familiar gray-eyed figure.


    Holding onto an ice cream, he stared at me from the opposite end. His face was like that of a rock. As if he had seen the most unbelievable thing ever.


    I felt my face harden at the sight.


    St!


    I didn''t hear the sound, but I could imagine it as the ice cream fell from the cone and sttered all over the ground, staining his shoes.


    Nheless, Leon''s expression remained the same.


    With bloodshot eyes, he slowly brought the cone close to his mouth and took a lick of it.


    The most worrisome part was the fact that he didn''t even notice the ice cream missing as he went on to lick the air.


    "...."


    "...."


    For how long had he been standing there for?


    ***


    Another chapter today.

 Chapter 251 City Tour [3]

    <h4>Chapter 251 City Tour [3] </h4>


    251 City Tour [3]


    "¡­.I''ll kill him if that''s thest thing I do."


    Aoife angrily stormed off the estate, heading for the Bremmer city center. Her face turned red in anger whenever she thought back to the words her brother said to her.


    "I haven''t seen you in so long and that''s the first thing you ask?"


    For obvious reasons, she went out with a disguise. From her hair color to her pupils.


    She still looked the same, but she changed the most distinctive parts of her appearance.


    "Buy one get one free!"


    "¡­. One-time offer! Come and get it here!"


    "Buy from me! I can guarantee you the best prices in Bremmer!"


    "Limited time discount!"


    The city streets bustled with life, street vendors shouting from the sidewalks.


    The buildings'' refined structures, with thick walls, windows, and finely carved patterns, were a sight to behold. As Aoife walked around, she took in the scene before her eyes.


    It had been quite a while since she hadst been in the city centre and she suddenly felt a wave of nostalgia.


    Especially when she thought of the times she woulde with her brother when she was young.


    But of course, fun times onlysted until they couldn''t.


    with her brother when she was young.


    But of course, fun times onlysted until they couldn''t.


    Her reality was much different now. With a lot of responsibilities on her shoulders, she didn''t have the time to spend around in leisure like this.


    This was a very-needed break that she needed.


    Especially after what had happened to her the past couple of days.


    "Haa..."


    Thinking about all the work she had to do, Aoife sighed as she proceeded further down the streets.


    She was just about to turn a left corner when she noticed a suddenmotion in the distance.


    "What''s going on?"


    Aoife looked in the direction of where themotion was from and a frown soon marred her features.


    Seeing that there were no guards around it didn''t appear to be anything serious, but for there to be so many people¡­


    <nulli>''I should check it out.''


    Aoife didn''t hesitate as curiosity got the best of her.


    Nothing that was out of character from her.


    "Excuse me."


    "Wait a moment."


    "Thank you."


    Pushing her way through, Aoife was finally able to see the source of themotion and her entire body froze upon seeing the massive projection in front of her.


    ¡ªWow! It''s the third room and she still hasn''t shown a single expression! How impressive¡­! Will the record be broken!? Will someone finallye out of the haunted house without any reaction?


    Standing at the center of the square was a man dressed in fine clothes and a top hat. He narrated everything happening in the projection beside him.


    ¡ªShe''s just moving to the fourth chamber¡­! Hardly anyone passed this chamber. Will she be able to pass it¡­? Will she¡­! Ah! She didn''t flinch even as he popped out of nowhere! What incredible mental fortitude.


    "¡­.."


    Aoife stared at the scene,pletely at a loss for words. She opened her mouth, then closed it, as she looked at the figure within the projection.


    "¡­..Of course, it had to be her."


    Be it for her looks or the fact that she was clearing the haunted house event at incredible speeds, arge crowd had gathered around the area.


    They were all speaking with one another as they pointed at the projection where Kiera was.


    "Well¡­"


    Aoife thought about leaving, but then she realized something as her eyes squinted.


    "¡­.It wouldn''t hurt to stay


    Her lips slowly pulled forward as she looked around her and imagined a scenario where Kiera screamed in front of everyone.


    "Hehe."


    Aoife suddenly found herselfughing to herself.


    Now that¡­ was going to be funny.


    ***


    "Whooo!!!"


    "Uwa¡­!"


    "Ahh!"


    People dressed in all sorts of ridiculous clothing popped up from various areas.


    It was dark, but not dark enough to bother Kiera, who hated the dark.


    The gentle flicker of candles around made things easier for her as she continued forward without much of an expression.


    <nulli>''This shit''s easy.''


    After everything she had experiencedtely¡­? This was a breeze.


    Be it back in the Mirror Dimension or the strange cult,pared to those times, this was truly child''s y for her.


    "Whoo!!"


    Another figure appeared. They came from above and would''ve scared any normal person but her.


    Well, her ssmates too.


    They had seen too much shit.


    "This should be room five."


    From what she was told, there were seven rooms. So long as she passed all seven she would receive a prize.


    <nulli>''I hope it''s worth it.''


    Thinking about the prize, Kiera picked up the pace.


    "Wooo¡ª!"


    ....It became more and more obvious that this was child''s y for her.


    The more she walked, the more desperate the people in the haunted house seemed to be, but it was no use. She was simply not scared.


    "Woooah!"


    "Bah."


    The more she walked, the more bored she became. For that reason, she picked up her pace and headed toward the exit.


    It didn''t take long for her to get near it, spotting therge sign at the end. Despite the increasing number of people trying to jump-scare her, none of them had any impact.


    <nulli>''Easy money.''


    Soon, she reached the exit.


    "Wooo!"


    "Yeah, yeah."


    Kiera shook her head and opened the door to reveal a massive crowd of people.


    They were all looking at her with surprise and awe.


    ¡ªWow! Would you look at that?! Not only did she set a new record but she even managed to get past without so much as flinching. What Incredible perseverance!


    The announcer hyped her up from the side. Saying how great achievement was and how difficult he was.


    He went on like that for the next few minutes before handing her a small card.


    ¡ªAnd now for the prize! An all-you-can-eat at Berlimo''s kitchen! One of the best-rated ces in Bremmer. You can bring up to ten people with you and everything is on us!


    "Wow! That''s incredible!"


    "I want to try it too!"


    "Let me!"


    The crowd became rowdy upon hearing the reward. Kiera was also a little excited. She may not have been from Bremmer, but she knew of Berlimo.


    It was an incredibly popr restaurant that was a must-visit in Bremmer.


    With that being said, it was incredibly expensive.


    "Here you go, I hope you enjoy your time. Thank you for participating."


    Receiving the ticket, Kiera looked at it for a good moment. Bring ten people, huh... Kiera looked at the ticket and felt a certain part of her chest hurt.


    <nulli>''Fuck, I feel insulted by this for some reason.''


    She began to ruffle the side of her hair.


    Looking around, her gaze eventually fell on Evelyn who was watching from the side.


    "Ah!"


    Right, she cane.


    It would be bad if she was the only one that went there. Since the ticket was for ten people she nned on bringing at least a few.


    She couldn''t show up by herself.


    It would be a little too embarrassing.


    "You want me to go?"


    Evelyn stared at the ticket in surprise before looking up at Kiera.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, sure."


    Kiera responded with a serious nod.


    "Well, okay."


    Evelyn eventually epted. Then, as if recalling something, she turned to look in the direction of where the projection was as she saw a new group enter.


    "Was it really not that scary?"


    "Uh? Ah, yeah... It''s not."


    Kiera''s face scrunched up. If not for the reward she would''veined about how unscary it was.


    "Well, now that I think about it, it''s probably not their fault. In general, I''m quite good at handling scary stuff."


    Kiera puffed up her chest in pride.


    "In fact, with everything that happened, I doubt anything can scare me. I¡ª"


    "You won?"


    "....?"


    Feeling a tap on her shoulder Kiera turned around. With brown hair and blue eyes, she didn''t seem familiar to Kiera, but upon closer look, Kiera was able to recognize her and her eyes opened as she jumped up from the spot.


    "Ahhh! Fuck¡ª! Mother of all mothers save me from this horror fuck!"


    ***


    "...."


    "...."


    I walked around Bremmer with Leon walking next to me. His expression was the same as it was before, and he was still holding onto the ice creamless cone.


    Opening his mouth, he prepared to lick it, but I stopped him.


    ".....Do you want a new one?"


    "I''m okay. This one tastes particrly good."


    "You don''t say?"


    "It''s low in calories too."


    "...."


    I pursed my lips.


    ''I need to figure out how I manage to lose my memories. If I y my cards right, then I should be able to do the same for him, and...''


    "Ah."


    My eyes paused on the ring on my hand.


    ''Right, there is that method.''


    Narrowing my eyes, I turned to look at Leon who was walking with a stony face while still licking onto the empty cone.


    "Leon."


    "....Yes?"


    "I''m only doing this because I want to test something. You understand, right?"


    "Hm?"


    Leon turned his head to meet my gaze. It was then that I raised my hand and prepared to use the ring when all of a sudden someone called out for us.


    "Leon? Julien...?"


    "Tsk."


    I clicked my tongue and turned around. There, I spotted three figures walking from the end of the street. Taking a closer look, Aoife''s face seemed to be particrly pale as she mumbled something quietly to herself, ''It can''t have been my face... It can''t have...''


    It was a bunch of nonsense.


    "What are you doing?"


    Evelyn asked while looking at us.


    "I just met him."


    I answered, moving my hand back.


    "Oh, I see. Then..."


    Evelyn looked toward Kiera who looked at me for a brief moment before shrugging.


    "I need ten people so I''m fine."


    Fine for what?


    "We''re going to Berlimo. We have a ticket for ten people so if you guys want to join..."


    "Oh."


    I rubbed my stomach. I was indeed feeling a little hungry. Turning to look at Leon, who still seemed absentminded, I nodded my head.


    "....Okay."


    "Great."


    Evelyn pped her hands.


    "Let''s go."


    ***


    At the same time, somewhere else in Bremmer¡ª


    "Where have you gone?"


    A rough voice spoke. It belonged to Joseph, the captain of the Royal Guards. His main subject was the woman who sat opposite him with her legs crossed.


    "....."


    She didn''t answer and merely looked at the window.


    "Where have you gone."


    Joseph asked again, his voice sounding deeper than before.


    "We had an agreement. You are to not go outside unless someone is with you. This is something that you have agreed with the Emperor since you can''t be trusted to wander by yourself."


    "...."


    Delh yet again remained silent.


    Seeing how nonchnt she was being, Joseph felt a vein pop as he stood up from his seat.


    "Respected Monarch! Please understand that I''m trying to fulfill my job here! Your actions have caused me a great amount of distress, and I''m on the verge of getting a demotion because of you!"


    His voice bellowed throughout the room, causing some of the windows to shake from the sheer force of his voice.


    It was only then that Delh finally looked at him.


    Her deep ck eyes fixed on his frame for a brief moment, but they were enough to suck away all of his anger.


    Still, Delh eventually did answer.


    "I went to a cafe."


    "A cafe...?"


    Joseph blinked his eyes, unable to fully process the information.


    A Monarch going to a cafe?


    That... made sense, but he had a hard time visualizing something like this.


    "Here."


    Delh took out a receipt from out of nowhere, handing it to him.


    Receiving the receipt, Joseph''s face grew ck. She really did...


    "Okay, then."


    If that was really the case then he could ept it. He sighed and put the ticket away.


    "You are allowed to do so, but I would like it if you tell me beforehand when you go outside. I am just trying to do my job."


    "Mhm."


    Delh answered with a small nod, turning her head to look at the window again.


    Joseph found himself leaning back on his chair. As his gaze wandered around the room, his eyes eventually fell on Delh''s hand as he spotted something.


    "Hm?"


    As if sensing his gaze, Delh turned her head.


    "What?"


    "No, it''s just..."


    He scratched the side of his cheek.


    "When did you get that?"

 Chapter 252 City Tour [4]

    <h4>Chapter 252 City Tour [4]</h4>


    252 City Tour [4]


    <nulli>Clink¡ª


    The fork ttered onto the te, echoing sharply through the room. Kiera, Aoife, and Evelyn froze, their eyes widening in horror as they took in the ghastly scene unfolding before them.


    "Ah."


    Faces pale and mouths slightly agape, they seemed unable to tear their gazes away from the dreadful sight.


    "T-this¡­ I''m not seeing it wrong, am I?"


    "No, no you''re not."


    "C-crazy."


    Sitting opposite them, Julien sat with the same expression he always wore while staring at the salt bottle in front of him.


    The three girls then lowered their heads to stare at his ce.


    "¡­How does he do it?"


    Aoife asked while licking her lips which she suddenly felt go dry.


    Kiera on the other hand seemed to havee to an eptance as she lowered her head and dug into her food.


    <nulli>''I see nothing, I know nothing.''


    On the other hand, Evelyn came to a sudden enlightenment. She thought back to the time when she had given a low review to the restaurant that had served her at that time.


    "O-oh, no¡­"


    Her face paled as she realized her mistake.


    Last she recalled the owner closed shop and the business failed. With that being said, he was still doing fine but just moved to serving different foods.


    Still, this was a stain to her record as she suddenly found herself taking out a small notebook and skimming through her notes.


    Looking at all the things she had written on them, she found herself closing her eyes in defeat.


    ''It''s already done. I can''t fix it.''


    Opening her eyes, she was about to re at Julien when she noticed Leon nkly sitting by his side.


    With his hand outstretched in Julien''s direction, he seemed to be asking for the salt.


    Given hisck of reaction, he probably was used to seeing him eat like that.


    Julien hadn''t been like this in the past so this was definitely new. At least, in the past, his taste buds were normal.


    "Here."


    Julien handed the salt to Leon as he went on to eat his food. Taking his first bite, he went on to nod his head.


    "Not bad."


    Evelyn found her face wincing at the sight.


    How...? How was this normal?


    "Hm?"


    Just when she thought things couldn''t get any worse, Evelyn''s gaze fell on Leon who dabbed the salt towards his foot. Everything looked normal until she saw the salt cap fall off as salt spilled all over his food.


    "Ah."


    Shocked, Evelyn sat up straight as her eyes darted around to look for a waiter.


    "¡­.You can order again. This is all you can¡ª"


    Her words stopped when she saw Leon pick up a fork and bite the food.


    "¡­.!"


    Her face trembled at the sight.


    The same was true for Aoife, thinking that Leon hadn''t noticed his mistake.


    But much to their shock, Leon didn''t react.


    Rather¡­


    "Not bad."


    Nodding his head, he made a simr expression to Julien as he went on to take another bite of the food on his te.


    "Very nice."


    "¡­.."


    "¡­.."


    "¡­.."


    The three girls stared at the scene in silence, unsure of how to react. Eventually, Kiera covered her face as she went on to mumble,


    "I regret inviting them. I should''ve just told them I have no friends."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    ***


    <nulli>''As expected of a top-rated restaurant. It doesn''t have such a high rating for no reason.''


    The food was great.


    Be it taste or texture, it was some of the best I have had in this world.


    Their only w was theirck of seasoning, but it wasn''t that big of a problem since I could fix that myself. I was still unsatisfied with the amount of salt I put in, but it was bearable.


    Leon ended up hoarding all of the salt.


    "Huam."


    Yawning to myself, I looked ahead. It was dark outside, and I had separated myself from the others.


    They¡­ didn''t seem to want to go back with me.


    Well, the same was true for Leon who was also left behind. In the end, it was just me.


    "Huaam."


    I ended up yawning again.


    I was tired, and I needed to get some sleep. I had juste back from the terrible experience at the fake cult, so I needed some time to catch up on my sleep and recuperate my energy.


    Turning one of the corners, I found myself walking past arather deserted street.


    In my hand, I had two small bags which were filled with some items that I had bought on the way. There was especially one thing that I couldn''t wait to try out when I came back to the Academy.


    <nulli>''My life will definitely be easier with them.''


    The money I spent was going to be well worth the investment.


    Tak, Tak¡ª


    My steps quietly echoed within the empty streets as the cold wind pressed against my skin.


    <nulli>''The residence shouldn''t be too far from here. It''s a bit strange that there''s not that many people.''


    Compared to how bustling it was during the day, the city seemed entirely different.


    The cobblestone street was eerily empty, themps flickering with an unsettling rhythm. Their feeble glow cast ghostly reflections on the muted puddles scattered across the ground, creating a weird and unsettling atmosphere.


    "Is there no nightlife here or somethin¡ª"


    "Hieeeek¡ª!"


    My thoughts were abruptly shattered by a shrill scream piercing the distance. My heart pounded as my steps halted, frozen by the spine-chilling sound echoing through the night.


    "¡­.."


    Lowering my head to stare at the hair at the back of my hand, I closed my eyes and evened out my heartbeat.


    It took no longer than a couple of seconds for my heart to calm down again as I took a deep breath.


    "Hoo."


    Fear.


    I was now able to control it to a certain extent. I had experienced far too much for something like this to affect me. Opening my eyes again, I was calm and I looked in the direction of where the scream came from.


    It seemed toe from behind me, in the direction of one of the alleyways. I closed my eyes and thought about heading there, but decided otherwise.


    Did I really have to go there....?


    The answer was no, and with such thoughts, I tried to head back toward the residence.


    "Hieeek¡ª!"


    A step in, and another scream echoed from behind.


    This time, it was a lot closer than before and I found my muscles tensing slightly. That reaction alone made me frown.


    Logically speaking, something like this wasn''t supposed to affect me.


    Furthermore, looking around, I realized that perhaps the silence andck of presence weren''t a coincidence.


    The realization made me close my eyes.


    When I opened my eyes again, a figure appeared in the distance.


    They stood beneath one of themps, but their appearance wasn''t clear. They also didn''t appear to be very tall, about half the height that I was.


    "A child...?"


    I looked at the scene in confusion.


    Ssh¡ª!


    Stepping forward, one of the puddles rippled as the figure drew nearer to me.


    Flick, flick!


    Themps continued to flick, making it hard for me to see the child''s appearance. But it didn''t take too long for me to see their true appearance as they eventually came to a stop not so far from where I was.


    "....."


    "....."


    In the silence, we stared at each other.


    The child...


    He was weird.


    His eyes... they were hollow and lifeless, dark voids that seemed to suck in the light. He looked nothing like a child, and that very fact made my breath grow heavier.


    <nulli>''What is going on here?''


    I stared at the child warily.


    ....There was something about the situation that left me extremely unsettled. It was hard to describe, but it almost felt as if something was pulling at the back of my shirt.


    It pulled upwards, but when I looked backward, I saw nothing.


    <nulli>''Was it just my imagination?''


    "Haa... Haaa... Haa...."


    The child''s breathing grew heavier by the second, each rasping inhale echoing in the oppressive silence that took over the space around us.


    Staring at the child, I didn''t approach him, remaining where I stood while secretly channeling my mana in preparation for an eventual attack.


    I didn''t sense any intent from the kid to attack me, but the situation was far too eerie for me to simply keep my guard low.


    <nulli>''What''s going on...? What is¡ª''


    My thoughts were broken by the child''s voice as he finally opened his mouth to speak for the first time.


    "Do you know what he said to me?"


    "....."


    The child''s voice was high, sounding like any other child''s, but itcked any trace of life. It was monotone and lost. As if the words were being spoken by something imitating a child rather than a real one.


    "Beneath every expression lies the potential for a scream."


    "....."


    The child''s eyes appeared even more lost as he brought his hand forward to reveal them to me.


    My heart sank at the sight of them.


    Drip! Drip...!


    Red stained the ground as the child''s eyes remained fixed on me.


    "He told me to wait for you. To greet you when you came, and pass on a message for you."


    The child continued to stare at me, his eyes turning more and more hollow.


    In the meantime, my breath also started to increase.


    An idea of the person responsible for all of this popped up in my mind as the tugging at the back of my shirt became more prominent, forcing me to look back, only to see nothing again.


    ".....I am almost there. I will see you soon."


    The child stopped and I lost my breath. Staring into those two empty eyes of the kid, I found myself unable to do a thing.


    Even as the child copsed before my very eyes, I stood still.


    "Ah."


    And when I looked behind me, my head slowly rose as I finally understood where the tugging came from.


    In the sky, I caught sight of a gigantic hand.


    It was invisible to the naked eye, yet it hovered menacingly over the entire city.


    Staring at it, I saw thousands of threads extending from its fingers.


    They connected to all parts of the city, me and the child included.


    ...The sight made me realize something.


    I was nothing but a marite.

 Chapter 253 Sudden Proposal [1]

    <h4>Chapter 253 Sudden Proposal [1]</h4>


    253 Sudden Proposal [1]


    As if the very air had been sucked from the air around me, I found myself unable to breathe as I stared at the thin thread that hung over the gigantic hand in the sky.


    It loomed over the dark sky, spreading its threads all over the entire city of Bremmer.


    The magnitude of the hand was hard to describe, and seeing the countless strings that were connected to it made me lose all sense of focus.


    It made me feel insignificant.


    It felt as if my every movement, along with those of every citizen in the city, was being manipted by the colossal hand looming in the sky.


    Like the marites in the wooden stalls by the streets.


    "....."


    My eyes started to sting as I suddenly forgot to blink.


    I just stared at the gigantic hand without saying a single word.


    <nulli>''Where is everybody? Why is no one noticing the massive hand?''


    A magnitude of questions flooded my mind as I found myself unable to detach my gaze from the massive hand that loomed over the sky.


    It felt oppressive, and despite my best attempts, I was still being affected by it.


    The back of my shirt kept getting pulled, and for a moment, I almost felt myself moving in a way I didn''t intend.


    But it was just a feeling...


    Blink.


    By the time I blinked, everything was gone.


    As if nothing had ever been present, moonlight cast a dim glow over the streets beneath.


    "..."


    In the silence that took over the space, my breath evened out and the hair at the back of my arm settled.


    I didn''t notice any notification pop up in front of me, but that was understandable. I had undergone far worse in the past.


    ¡­.But just because I had experienced worse, it didn''t mean that waspletely immune to the emotion.


    <nulli>''Given that I didn''t see anything pop up, reaching the next level will be very difficult.''


    I didn''t think the first leaf would help me in this regard either.


    From the moment I reached level three for Fear, it became incredibly hard to level it up.


    Regarding Sandness¡­ I was no longer capable of gaining anything from there.


    It became obvious to me that I could no longer rely on the leaves past level 4.


    ¡­.To reach level five, I needed something more.


    But what exactly?


    "¡­.."


    I lowered my head to stare at the child beneath me.


    Bending over I checked for his pulse.


    "He''s still alive."


    My gaze then fell on his blood-stained hands. I wasn''t sure where they came from, but when I looked towards the distance, I could more or less tell I would be able to find them if I looked.


    "¡­.I wonder if there''s any saving for him."


    I pressed my hand against the child''s forehead and prepared to check if he had been affected by some sort of Emotive Magic, but stopped just when I was about to.


    <nulli>''It''s risky.''


    For now, I still didn''t know if the one responsible for this was aware of who I was.


    Was the person I had seen back in the theater the faceless man, or someone else? I thought long and hard about this question, but I still wasn''t sure.


    But if there was one thing that I was sure about, it was that I was being tracked through my scent.


    Otherwise, something would''ve already happened by now.


    Especially since I ''belong'' to the organization that he has created.


    Or was there a reason why they still didn''t directly do something to me? Some sort of thing that was preventing them from doing so?


    I wasn''t sure.


    But these were only hypotheses.


    ¡­I was still unsure of this fact.


    But it wasn''t as though I couldn''t confirm this hypothesis.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, I stood up while staring at the child in front of me.


    After a while, I bent over once again and ced my hand over their head.


    A faint glow manifested over the ring on my finger. The mana in my body drained for a brief moment before eventually settling down.


    "It shouldn''t leave a trace."


    Massaging my face, I turned around and headed back.


    Whatever was going to happen to the child, it was no longer my problem.


    At least for now, he wouldn''t remember a thing of what happened.


    ***


    The next day.


    There were several things that I needed to take care of in the following week¡ªVisit the theater for the y I was supposed to do, attend the academy''s small gathering regarding the four Empire summit, andstly visit Kaelion.


    But before that;


    "Is it possible for it to be sent over? Yes. It would be best if it''s not opened. Thank you."


    Talking to the clerk at the post office, I paid a small and handed a few slips to them.


    "Make sure to treat the package with care. There''s a lot of important things inside."


    "Understood, thank you for your service."


    It was only then that I finally left the shop.


    "Hoo."


    Taking in the fresh air, I looked around me and decided to head for the theater.


    <nulli>''Because of the incident, I''m quitete for the preparation, but it shouldn''t be a problem since I have the script memorized in my head.''


    So long as that was okay, I didn''t see a problem withing a bitte.


    ¡­.And it wasn''t as though my tardiness was within my control anyway. If she contacted the Academy with regards to why I waste, then I was sure she received some sort of believable excuse.


    "It should be this building."


    I stopped in front of a tall building withrge pirs nking its entrance. It loomed over me, casting an imposing shadow that added to its overwhelming presence.


    <nulli>''It doesn''t look bad.''


    Admiring the building for a few seconds, I headed for the entrance where I was stopped by a couple of guards.


    "Who are you¡­?"


    "Ah, my name is Julien. I had an appointment with scriptwriter Olga a couple of days ago. Because of some circumstances, I wasn''t able to attend."


    "Scriptwriter Olga?"


    The two guards stared at each other briefly before one of the guards headed in for the building.


    Their reactions seemed a bit weird, but I didn''t think much of it.


    That was until the guard who left came back and shook their head with a serious expression.


    "We apologize, but currently script writer Olga is busy. You cane back and visit another time."


    "Busy¡­"


    I thought for a moment before nodding my head. Indeed, she was probably extremely busy arranging the y.


    The Four Empire Summit was a big event after all.


    "When can Ie visit again?"


    The two guards once again looked at each other.


    "You can try again tomorrow, but we can''t guarantee anything."


    "Can''t I make an appointment? As far as I know, im supposed to participate in one of the ys that will be yed this week. I don''t see how this would benefit either party."


    The y was supposed to happen this Thursday, and today was Monday.I didn''t need any practice, but I did need to get used to the positioning.


    Furthermore, I didn''t know who the other actors were.


    Were they going to be the same or different people? If so, wouldn''t it be more appropriate if I met them first to get used to their style?


    All in all, despite how busy Olga was, the situation wasn''t supposed to be like this.


    Something wasn''t adding up.


    "¡­.Sorry, but this was what we were instructed to ry to you."


    "Hmm, I see."


    Seeing how adamant the guards were about not letting me in, I could only give up and turn away.


    It was either something internal or something else.


    But it was clear that I was currently not wee.


    "It can''t be that she''s holding a grudge against me for beingte?"


    It was possible, but at the same time, I didn''t want to believe this. She was the one who requested me after all.


    ¡­.And I did tell her that I was going to be a little bit busy so she should be understanding.


    "Hmm, I guess I''ll check it out tomorrow."


    I ruffled my hair and prepared to leave when I suddenly overheard a few voices from a group of actors who were making their way into the building.


    "Did you hear? Apparently, they finally found the actor for the y that''s going to be yed in the summit."


    "Oh? I actually did see him. He was so handsome."


    "Yes, right? The moment I looked at his face, I almost lost my breath. I can''t believe someone like that actually exists. And his acting¡­ wow, it was insane. I would even say even better than its predecessors."


    "I can''t believe I''ve never heard of someone like him before. I would''ve been their number one fan."


    "Eh¡­?"


    The discussion took me aback as my steps came to a sudden halt.


    <nulli>''Someone is ying in the y? ¡­and their acting is better than the predecessor?''


    All of a sudden a lot of things started to make sense, and I found myself bitterly smiling at the reality.


    <nulli>''No wonder she didn''t want to meet me.''


    It wasn''t because she was busy, but because she found someone else to y the role.


    Someone who was apparently better than me at acting.


    It was a little odd that things turned out this way and I was a little bummed out, but what else could I do about it?


    In the end, I decided to leave and focus on other things.


    Or at least, that was what I Initially nned on doing.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Turning my head, a familiar lock of red hair appeared. Wearing a straw hat, and light clothes, Aoife appeared not far from where I was.


    I was a little surprised by her appearance.


    "That''s what I''d like to ask."


    "Um, ehm¡­"


    Aoife fiddled with her hat before taking it off.


    "¡­.I heard they were going to do a tryout of the y and I wanted to watch it. I never really got to see the y in person since I was acting, but why are you here? Shouldn''t you be doing the y?"


    "About that¡­"


    I scratched the side of my face before telling her what happened.


    Aoife''s widened the moment I told her what happened.


    "Are you serious?"


    She didn''t seem to believe my words, but when I insisted, she had no choice but to believe me.


    "That''s¡­"


    Her expression betrayed her shock. In the end, alternating her gaze between me and the guards, she beckoned with her hand.


    "Follow me. I can get you in."


    "No, it''s fine. Since they chose someone else, we can¡ª"


    "Aren''t you just a little bit curious?"


    "About?"


    "The actor that reced you?"


    "¡­.."


    I wasn''t going to lie, but I was indeed a little curious.


    And as if Aoife could read my thoughts, she beckoned once more with her hand.


    "Since you''re curious, you can follow me. I too am curious about this. Something just doesn''t add up."


    ***


    More soon.

 Chapter 254 Sudden Proposal [2]

    <h4>Chapter 254 Sudden Proposal [2] </h4>


    254 Sudden Proposal [2]


    Coming into the Theater Society¡ªA building designed for the gathering of all experts within the industry, I saw people flocking the entrance as they made their way inside. It seemed like a big event was happening.


    "Looks like they''ve invited a lot of people."


    Aoife spoke, staring at the front with a small frown.


    ".....Since they invited so many people, it seems like they''re confident in what they''re going to show. I''m starting to grow curious."


    Aoife turned around and shed a small card in her hand. It was a ck card with the words ''VIP'' deeply imprinted on it.


    "I have a nice room. Do you want to tag along?"


    "¡­.Sure."


    Aoife was being oddly friendly, but I didn''t refuse her offer.


    Curiosity got the best of me and I ended up nodding and following her from behind.


    The room we entered was rather spacious. Several red sofas lined the sides, and a couple of chairs were positioned over an exposed area, providing a clear view of the stands below.


    <nulli>''As expected of a Princess... the room is amazing.''


    A crowd was already forming beneath.


    It was slowly filling up.


    "Take a seat over here. No one should be disturbing us for the time being."


    "¡­.Okay."


    I sat down and made myselffortable. As I did so, I overlooked the stage beneath. There were several people present, all of which were tweaking the devices that were used for the uing performance.


    I was curious.


    Just what sort of person had they used to rece me? ¡­and why was I not made aware of it?


    I scratched the back of my head.


    Things didn''t really make sense, but since the situation was like this, I could only lean back on the chair and quietly observe what was happening.


    The more I thought about it, the more my curiosity started to eat at my mind.


    Thankfully, I didn''t have to wait for long.


    <nulli>Cli k¡ª


    The stage lights turned off, plunging the entire theater into silence. All eyes focused on the stage as a single light shone at the center, illuminating a plump middle-aged figure.


    Standing at the center, I recognized her in an instant.


    ''Scriptwriter Olga.''


    Indeed, given that she was here, it wasn''t a lie to say that she was busy. That much I could understand.


    ¡­.I was just curious about my recement.


    Aoife seemed to be on the same boat as me as she fixed her gaze on the center stage. She looked very absorbed by what was happening.


    "Thank you to everyone who is here today. Most of you may already know me so I won''t bother to introduce myself since I am not here to be the star, but merely the background piece."


    Olga began her speech with a simple greeting.


    "All of you present are esteemed guests of the theater world, and it''s my privilege to have all of you present before the main event that will be disyed at the Four Empire Summit."


    She looked proud as she spoke. With her chin up and fresh makeup, she appearedpletely different from the worn-


    out version of herself that I was used to seeing.


    It was a nice change to see.


    "As many of you know, this work that I will be presenting will be my masterpiece and something that most of you should already be aware of."


    Olgaughed.


    "Originally, I had another actor in mind to y the script, but due to circumstances he wasn''t able toe."


    I felt Aoife''s gaze on me. She seemed to say, ''Didn''t you tell her?''


    I shrugged.


    "How do I tell her if I just came back yesterday? I thought the Academy said something."


    "¡­."


    Aoife helplessly shrugged.


    "I guess you have a point."


    She then went on to lean on her chair as her attention returned to the y. I stared at her briefly before shifting my attention back as well.


    "But please don''t worry."


    Olga said, her tone sounding rather excited.


    "I''ve found a recement! And let me be real with all of you..."


    She paused, her smile widening as she scanned the audience.


    "He''s better than the previous actor. And I''m not just saying better, but a lot better."


    Olga proceeded tough with joy. Staring at her and seeing just how happy she was, I found myself pursing my lips.


    Hmm, I wasn''t sure why, but her words didn''t really sit well with me.


    ¡­.It was as if she waspletely dismissing me.


    <nulli>''I guess she might''ve really gotten angry over my matter.''


    Or maybe I was just overthinking things.


    This was possible.


    As expected, the moment Olga revealed that the actor was ''better'' the crowd grew a little restless as they all looked towards the stage with piqued curiosity.


    I was the same and turned my attention towards the stage. I found myself increasingly staring at the red curtains that hid everything behind.


    Yet again, I found myself asking the same question.


    Just who in this world was this new actor?


    "I think I''ve held enough of your time. Do you all want to see the act?"


    The question was a rhetoric one, but everyone present nodded and shouted their words of approval.


    "Alright then¡­!"


    Olga turned around to face the curtains.


    "Let the y begin!"


    ***


    The y started just as Aoife remembered.


    <nulli>Swoosh¡ª!


    The curtains spread, and the stage light flickered open, revealing the insides of a bakery.


    Tok¡ª


    A lone footstep shattered the silence that had settled over the theater. A figure d in a brown jacket and top hat entered, his presence gathering the eyes of all those watching.


    He was Joseph, the main protagonist of the y. yed by Darius, the same person that had been there during their y, quite expertly yed his role.


    It was almost as if he was the character himself.


    [Huaam.]


    He started off with a yawn as he looked around.


    His voice was crisp, and audible for all to hear.


    It was the first time that Aoife watched the y live and she had an entirely different feelingpared to thest time.


    She found herself immersed in the y as her gaze remained firm on the stage.


    From his vocals to the visuals, Aoife could tell the y had been further refined than it had been when they had done it.


    <nulli>''It''s good.''


    Such was her impression of the y at first.


    The scene continued.


    Joseph looked around the ce and talked about the victim, Emily. He proceeded to touch a few things before finally calming down and sitting on a chair.


    [Emily Stein]


    He went on to say as he sat, his voice sounding extremely deep. It echoed throughout the entire theater, reaching the ears of all the audience members.


    The lights turned off and the stage fell into silence.


    <nulli>Cli nk¡ª


    [Dissapeared yesterday.]


    Joseph''s voice continued within the darkness that took over.


    [Baker''s daughter. Was looking for missing equipment.]


    His words, though soft, gently reached Aoife''s ears, cuddling her and further immersing her in the y.


    [What a problematic scenario.]


    <nulli>Cli nk¡ª!


    Aoife held her breath the moment the light turned back on.


    The entire world¡­ it had turned gray. A monotone and redundant gray. For some reason, she felt her mouth grow dry at the sight.


    No longer was Joseph in the bakery, but he was now in the middle of a long alleyway.


    Sitting with his back against the audience, he looked ahead.


    <nulli>Tak¡ª


    A footstep echoedas a figure appeared.


    A young girl about Aoife''s age.


    Staring at her, Aoife pursed her lips. Jealousy simmered within her, but at the same time, she couldn''t deny the truth. With just a nce, she could tell that the actress was better than her.


    From her subtle gestures to her tones...


    Aoife had no choice but to admit her inferiority.


    Emily was currently approaching a man whose back was turned against them.


    Aoife stared at the back with narrowed eyes. It was as if she was trying to see through the back of his head.


    He had long ck hair neatly tied behind him, and his tall frame hinted at a well-toned body beneath his attire.


    <nulli>''Who¡­?''


    [Ah, excuse me! Do you perhaps know if any shops are still open where I can buy some parts for a broken mixer?]


    Aoife stopped breathing the moment the actress spoke. The tension was palpable, and everything felt suffocating.


    [¡­.]


    The tension was further fueled by the heavy breathing of some of the audience members as they focused on the central figure.


    Each second felt stifling. Almost as if someone was gripping her heart and squeezing it.


    [¡­.You''re looking for a recement?]


    Aoife gripped the side of the chair, her knuckles whitening as she turned to look at Julien. He was staring at the actor, his expression unreadable and calm, betraying none of the tension she felt.


    It was just the sound of his voice, and yet, she felt the hair at the back of her arms rise.


    What sort of¡­?


    Aoife massaged her face.


    <nulli>''Ridiculous. I''m being ridiculous.''


    The y continued like Aoife knew, with Azarias pointing in a certain direction.


    Incredibly, Aoife felt tense the entire time and despite not seeing his face, she could only admit that Julien''s recement was quite good.


    Especially during thest sense.


    [R-red¡­]


    Mumbling in silence, the actor looked up slightly.


    [¡­.I want to see it.]


    Those words alone were enough to shake Aoife as she couldn''t help but find herselfparing the current performance with that of Julien''s.


    <nulli>''Better? Same? Worse...?''


    That was when the end of the first part.


    The scene shifted back to Joseph who now entered the flower shop. He was following the hints of the vision.


    To Tok¡ª


    Knocking on the door, the entire theater turned silent as all eyes focused on the flower shop.


    For some reason, it almost felt as if everyone had been removed from the theater as a deathly silence gripped the surroundings.


    All eyes were focused on the door that led to the flower shop.


    A shadow soon cast behind it, and Aoife''s grip over the armrest tightened.


    Finally... Finally she was going to see the recement.


    nk!


    [How may I help you?]


    The moment the door swung open, Aoife''s breath caught in her throat, and she instinctively recoiled into her chair.


    Her gaze fixed upon the man who entered¡ªa figure with long, jet-ck hair cascading over broad shoulders, and piercing green eyes that seemed to rival Julien''s in intensity and presence.


    He was someone Aoife had never seen before, but just his appearance alone was enough to captivate the audience.


    Regarding his acting¡­


    "Ah... This..."


    Aoife stared at the red world presented before her.


    She didn''t know when, but time seemed to flow in a heartbeat. Before she knew it, the first part of the y ended, a figure lying down on the ground as a red painting appeared on the wall.


    The entire time, her gaze remained rooted on the man who stood at the center.


    He was¡­


    Aoife swallowed, turning her head to stare at Julien.


    ¡­.Overwhelming.

 Chapter 255 Sudden Proposal [3]

    <h4>Chapter 255 Sudden Proposal [3]</h4>


    255 Sudden Proposal [3]


    ¡ª¡ªMoments Prior.


    Backstage.


    "Haaa¡­"


    Letting out a long breath, Olga walked back towards the backstage and stared at the curtains that were currently drawing.


    <nulli>''Everything should proceed smoothly.''


    Olga thought while fixing her gaze toward the center stage where the y was starting.


    She had faith it was all going to proceed smoothly, and smoothly it proceeded.


    "Hahaha."


    Seeing the shocked looks on the audience''s faces, Olga couldn''t help but burst into hystericalughter. This was the exact reaction she had anticipated. The sight of their bbergasted expressions brought a wide smile to her face as she moved forward to greet the star of the show.


    "You were fantastic. As expected of you. My eyes didn''t deceive me!"


    She smiled and patted the actor''s cheeks.


    His face was perfect in almost every way, enough to rival the previous actor she had, but as opposed to him, his acting was even better.


    If Julien''s acting was captivating, then Arjen''s acting was breathtaking.


    The two were in two different worlds when it came to acting.


    "I''m very happy with your assessment, Madam Olga."


    Arjen bowed down slightly, politely addressing her as he did so. The more Olga looked at Arjen, the more she liked him.


    He went on to grasp both of her hands as a sign of gratitude.


    "This isn''t an opportunity I''m willing to pass on and I''m very grateful for it. Without you, I would be nowhere."


    "Ah, please! There''s no need for you to be so humble. It is all you. It is all you.."


    Olga dismissed the boy with a wave of her hand.


    "It''s good to be humble, but you need to have some confidence in yourself. You are great. Even better than the previous actor that I wrote and adjusted the script for. That should give you enough of an idea of how amazing your performance is."


    "Ah, thank you very much. I''m very happy to hear such an assessment from you."


    "Don''t be."


    Looking around and seeing the crowd of people that wereing their way, she dismissed him.


    "You may leave and get changed. I''ll go arrange some other things in the meantime."


    "Okay, understood."


    Arjen nodded, bowing his head once more.


    "I will see you again. Please take care."


    "¡­I should be saying that to you."


    The boy left after that. Staring at his departing back, Olga continued to smile. Her satisfaction was hard to hide.


    No writer didn''t want their piece to have someone perfectly encapste it.


    She thought Julien had been the one, butpared to Arjen, he was simplycking.


    "What a great day."


    Whistling to herself, Olga was just about to leave when someone she was familiar with appeared in the distance. The man, with his curly brown hair and sses, struggled to keep a grip on a stack of papers that scattered around him as he walked.


    Tommy Herterson.


    The moment Olga''s gaze fell on him, her eyes narrowed slightly.


    ''Not this again.''


    "Miss script writer...!"


    As expected, the moment he took note of her, he quickly called out for her as he waved the documents in his hand.


    "I''ve revised the script. Please approve it!"


    Tommy rushed towards her while handing her the script which scattered all over the ce. Olga stared at him for a brief moment before taking the first page and looking at it. She took no longer than one minute to look at the page before flicking the paper away and tossing it to the side.


    "Go back."


    "Yes...?"


    Tommy looked at her with wide eyes.


    "...Don''te back to me with this nonsense again."


    "But!"


    "Go."


    Olga cut him off before he could argue. Her tone was firm, and loud enough for the people around them to take notice.


    As if realizing this, Tommy pursed his lips as he looked around before he collected the papers on the ground and left.


    Olga stared at his departing back and clicked her tongue.


    "How lucky do you have to be to have a y like that be selected?"


    Just when she thought her mood couldn''t worsen any further, acouple of familiar people appeared in the distance.


    She recognized them in an instant and her expression changed.


    <nulli>''What is he doing here¡­? Last I recall I told them to make sure he doesn''te. Why is he here!?''


    Olga found herself frowning at the situation, her expression deepening as the two individuals spotted her and started making their way in her direction.


    The closer they got the looser her frown became and it wasn''t long for a smile to appear on her face.


    "If it isn''t you two! How are you doing?"


    She greeted them nicely and with a smile. To those looking, she looked like a friendly aunt who was greeting her nephews that she hadn''t seen for a long time.


    "We''ve been well. Thank you for asking."


    Aoife greeted first.


    She was polite and followed the etiquette that she had been taught. Just because she was a princess didn''t mean that she was allowed to mistreat people.


    Julien followed after her with a short, ''Hello, nice to see you.''


    Just like before, he wasn''t a man of many words.


    Olga understood that and just nodded her head at him.


    "How can I help you two?"


    "No, it''s nothing."


    Aoife waved her hand.


    "¡­.I was just curious as to who the actor you picked up was. I''ve never seen someone like him before. His acting was¡­"


    She paused, looking at Julien for a brief moment before helplessly smiling.


    "Amazing."


    "Hahaha."


    Olgaughed then.


    "Thank you for saying that, and I do apologize for this but it was something that just ended up happening."


    When she apologized, she was addressing Julien who remained still the entire time. It was hard to tell what he was thinking as his gaze was nk.


    Still, she no longer felt as pressured as she did in the past when dealing with him.


    <nulli>''He''s just a student, and since I already found a better actor there''s no need for me to grovel down his feet.''


    Indeed, her tone matched her thoughts as she spoke in a lower and less subservient tone than she had done in the past.


    "I''m sure you can understand why I did what I did, right? We had an agreement but you werete to show up, and while I did receive an excuse for the Academy the y couldn''t wait so I ended up finding someone who is¡­ for the betterck of words, better."


    Olga didn''t mince her words as she spoke to Julien.


    She wasying out her thought process, hoping that he would understand.


    And he did seem to understand but there was an exception.


    "Isn''t it a little bit unfair? Shouldn''t he get somepensation?"


    "Hmm?"


    Olga looked at Aoife with a weird look. She was just about to say something rude but held back her tongue when she realized who she was speaking to.


    "Compensation? Howe? He didn''t participate in the y, and he waste. I think it''s fair that he doesn''t receive anypensation. If anything, I should be the one to receive it after all the sleepless nights I had because of him."


    Olga looked at Julien pointedly.


    <nulli>''You wantpensation from me? Are you crazy? I am the one who made your career. What sort of nonsense is this¡­?''


    In actuality, Olga didn''t mind the fact that Julien waste.


    She had already taken it into ount. However, it was the perfect excuse that she could use to dump him without any repercussions.


    "No, but didn''t you sign a contract? From what I know there should be a close for stuff like this."


    "Bah, that thing is meaningless."


    Olga waved her hand.


    They had indeed signed a contract, but Olga had reason to believe that she could turn things around if she employed the right people.


    She also didn''t think two cadets would even trouble themselves with something so troublesome.


    Even if Aoife did use her family, it would be a bad look overall for them. Olga didn''t think she would do that.


    Rather, she was starting to feel a little irritated by the exchange.


    "If you two have nothing else to talk about, then it would be helpful if you leave. I have matters to attend to."


    Olga tried to push her way past the two, but Aoife didn''t budge and remained firm.


    "What? Are you going to stop me because I found a recement?"


    Suddenly, Olga''s demeanor shifted as she massaged her face, and herplexion crumbled, shocking Aoife.


    "Listen, he waste, and I reced him with someone better. This is how the industry works. Don''t like it? I couldn''t care less. I need you two to keep in mind that I''m the reason that you two even had any remote sess in this industry."


    Her head flicked toward Julien.


    "You have talent, but that got over your head."


    Olga started toy out her thoughts to the two of them. She was venting out her grievances.


    Why act like you are a big shot when it''s all due to me?


    "You''re good, but you can y one role. What does that mean? It means you''re a type-cast. What else can you offer besides the deranged man known as Azarias? And even if you can y him well, there''s someone better than you that I have found. Tell me, for what reason should I even think about keeping you?"


    Olga''s tone raised as she addressed Julien who remained quiet the entire time.


    "....."


    He seemed to be at a loss for words.


    And then, turning her head, she proceeded to Aoife who seemed to be taken aback by the sudden situation.


    "And you¡­ who are you to meddle here!? I understand that you''re a princess and that you yed with us before, but you''ve got no talent for acting! You''re at best a mediocre actress. The only reason you were even in the y was because I had no choice but to include you in the y!"


    Olga was practically shouting at this point, and a crowd was starting to form.


    Aoife, the center of all of this, stared at Olga with a ghastly look.


    "The fact that you received one vote baffles me, and I honestly find it an utter embarrassment!"


    That was indeed a stain on her record.


    Thankfully, her awards had managed to overshadow the blunder, but it was still humiliating to see one of her actors receive such a low score that had never happened before.


    One vote¡­?


    If not for the fact that the staff checked several times, one might think it was fake.


    But it wasn''t, and she felt a lot of resentment due to it.


    "If you wantpensation, then you two can take it up with the organization. If you would excuse me."


    Olga pushed the two aside and left.


    "¡­.."


    "¡­.."


    On the other hand, Julien and Aoife remained still. It was unsure what they were thinking, but there was some clear bafflement in their expressions.


    Just what in the world happened?

 Chapter 256 Sudden Proposal [4]

    <h4>Chapter 256 Sudden Proposal [4] </h4>


    256 Sudden Proposal [4]


    In a small, spotless room, a handsome young man entered, his steps echoing softly against the polished floor.


    Trailing behind him was a young attendant with her hair tied up in a bun and sses perched delicately on her nose. She couldn''t have been more than twenty.


    "Your performance was brilliant. As expected of you."


    "Thank you. I practiced quite a bit for that performance."


    Sitting down on one of the chairs, the young man stared at his reflection. His face was undeniably handsome, but there was something unsettling in his gaze.


    It was slowly falling apart...


    "It''s starting to get a little annoying. Ang, if you wouldn''t mind."


    "My pleasure."


    Coming up from behind, the young woman ced her hands over the young man''s face.


    Cracks Cra¡ª


    The room filled with the unnerving sound of cracking bones and shifting flesh as his features began to change.


    From his facial structure to his hair color and eyes. Everything started to change.


    He still looked incredibly handsome, but now there was a regal air to him, his blonde hair and yellow eyes giving him the appearance of the embodiment of the sun itself.


    "Done."


    It took the young woman no longer than a few minutes topletely adjust his face as he went on to massage it while carefully looking at his appearance.


    "Not bad. It''s been a good while since I''vest seen my face. I quite missed it."


    He chuckled lightly before turning his head.


    "¡­.Ang, don''t you find it funny how my eyes resemble that of the royal family here? But their pupils seem a little darker than mine. A pity since they could''ve been from the same lineage as ours."


    The young man sighed in disappointment and stood up.


    He was just getting changed when the young woman spoke all of a sudden,


    "There''s something I''m curious about."


    "Oh?"


    Stopping, the young man turned to look at the girl.


    "What are you curious about? If it''s something I can answer, I''ll do that."


    "¡­Why are you doing this? The tournament is about to start soon and you should be spending your time practicing for what ising. Why¡ª"


    "Why am I wasting my time acting?"


    The young man cut her sentence, smiling at her in the process.


    "It''s really not that difficult to understand."


    He slowly put on the suit.


    "I heard that Haven had an amazing Emotive mage and that he was going to perform in this y."


    "And¡­?"


    "And, what?"


    The young man pulled down the zer and fixed his tie. As he did so, he turned to look at the young woman with tense eyes.


    "I wanted to see who the better emotive mage between the two of us is."


    He smiled then.


    "As things stand, im winning, and it''s not even close."


    ***


    <nulli>''¡­.Looks like she really did hold a grudge against me.''


    Reflection and Tension


    I walked back to the viewing room, my thoughts circling around the earlier encounter with the scriptwriter.


    Things were proceeding well until Aoife brought up thepensation. It wasn''t necessary, but it was free money, so I hadn''t stopped her when she mentioned it.


    That was when Olga exploded, revealing a different side of herself.


    <nulli>''Is it because she''s angry, or is this how she really is?''


    I wasn''t sure, to be honest. I could still remember how nice and polite she had been with me back then, which was a stark contrast with how I had seen her now.


    It took me aback quite a bit and thinking back to the expression Aoife had on her face, I could see that she was quite affected too.


    Her face was somewhat pale, and her expression continued to change.


    I could tell that she was hurt by the words that Olga said to her.


    They were indeed very harsh words so I couldn''t me Aoife for reacting the way that she was. But what was most impressive was her self-restraint. She was the Princess of the Empire. If she wanted to, then she would''ve been able to handle Olga without a problem.


    Somewhat at least...


    Olga was now an extremely reputable person. If she were to disappear because of Aofie, things would be quite messy for her.


    And given that everything had happened in public, Aofie''s actions would''ve been obvious to the public.


    Still, I didn''t think Aoife would''ve even entertained the thought had all of this happened in private.


    She wasn''t the type of person who liked to use her family''s influence.


    Aoife was stubborn like that.


    I looked at the empty stage beneath.


    <nulli>''What a great start to the day.''


    As I thought that, I couldn''t help but think back to the actor that had reced me.


    He was great. No, in fact, he was terrifying.


    Without any bias, he yed the role of Azarias better than I had done.


    It was chilling to that extent.


    I was definitely inferior to him with regard to acting, but¡­


    Was I really?


    I lowered my head to stare at my hands as I slowly squeezed them.


    "If it were the me of the past, then maybe, but now¡­?"


    I closed my eyes and thought back at all of the experiences that I had. From the time I was stuck for half a year inside of the Will world to the time when I lost my memories.


    Those two setbacks were some of the most difficult that I had faced in this world, but I came out a lot stronger because of it.


    My emotive magic was far far stronger than it had ever been, and my mind was clear after clearing the Ring of Nothingess.


    I now understood who I was.


    ¡­.I was no longer afraid of losing sight of myself in one of the people whose memories I had memorized and tried to replicate.


    My emotions were overwhelming, and my mind was firm.


    If it was the current me that was currently doing the y¡­


    <nulli>Scratch. Scratch.


    I scratched the side of my neck.


    At the same time, I switched persona. But unlike thest time, I was now in control.


    Within the madness that was consuming my mind, I remained clear.


    I knew who I was and who I would always be.


    And with such thoughts, I looked at the stage beneath.


    "The foundation of all masterpieces is a great start...."


    ***


    Olga''s words rang powerful in Aoife''s mind. They continued to echo within her mind and never seemed to leave. They echoed over and over again, almost haunting her.


    "¡­.."


    Aoife clenched her teeth as she headed back to the viewing room to get her belongings. She had left her purse there.


    As she walked, she felt her heart sting.


    It wasn''t so much that Olga''s words hurt, but it was the truth thaty within those words that hurt her.


    She had indeed only gotten one vote, and that one vote came from Julien.


    Not only that, but she also only got the role because the Academy forced her to.


    In the end, she didn''t deserve her position just like she didn''t deserve her title as the ck Star.


    Everything that she received¡­


    It was because circumstances gave them to her on a silver tter. She never truly earned it with her own efforts.


    And that''s what bothered her.


    For once¡­ she wanted to win something. Achieve something that was fully within her merit.


    But when¡­?


    When was that time going toe? Will it evere?


    Aoife bit her lips and stopped right before the door that led to the viewing room.


    Julien was probably inside. Massaging her face, Aoife tried her best to look normal. She didn''t want anyone to look at her in such a state.


    She needed to preserve thest bit of dignity that she had.


    "Huuu¡­."


    Taking a deep breath, she reached out for the door and opened it.


    <nulli>Click¡ª


    With a gentle click, the door opened, and as Aoife stepped into the room, she stopped. A voice echoed in the room.


    "The foundation of all masterpieces is a great start...."


    It was a familiar voice. It belonged to Julien.


    And yet¡­


    "H-ha."


    Aoife lowered her head to stare at her arms. The hair on the back of both arms stood on end.


    Her heart, which had initially been calm, now pounded violently in her chest, forcing her to hold her chest.


    It was only a voice, yet her entire body was trembling uncontrobly.


    As if being dragged into the depths of icy water, Aoife felt the air around her vanish, leaving her gasping for breath.


    <nulli>''What''s going on? What is¡­''


    And then she saw it.


    Standing by the viewing area of the room was Julien.


    With his back turned to her, he stared down at the now- empty theater.


    It was strange. He looked calm, yet staring at his back, Aoife''s first instinct was to step back and run away.


    But as if she were glued to the spot, she found herself unable to move.


    "Haaa¡­ haa¡­"


    Her breathing was hard, and her mind was a mess. She could hardly think as her eyes were glued to the figure before her.


    "¡­."


    Eventually, his body started to turn, finally revealing his face to her.


    "Ah."


    Aoife felt the air get sucked out of her lungs as she stared into those hazel eyes of his.


    They were deep. Incredibly deep, and for a moment, she thought she saw hints of madness hidden within them, a darkness that sent chills down her spine.


    In that moment, she thought,


    <nulli>''He''s going to kill me.''


    <nulli>Scratch. Scratch.


    Breaking her out of her thoughts was the sound of scratching. When she blinked her eyes, Julien''s expression had returned to normal, and Aoife found herself able to breathe again, gasping for air as if she had just surfaced from a suffocating abyss of darkness.


    "Haaa¡­ haa...!"


    Catching her breath she looked up.


    "Just what¡ª"


    "As expected¡­."


    Julien mumbled, cutting her off.


    His eyes turned hollow again before returning to their usual rity. That ritysted until the madness returned and his voice deepened as he spoke,


    "....I''m better."


    Better...?


    Aoife looked at him unsure of what he was trying to say.


    No, she knew, and when she thought about the performance that she had seen just a moment prior to the one she had just witnessed, Aoife found herself pursing her lips.


    She wasn''t exactly sure which one was better, but if there was one thing that was sure about, it was the fact that Julien''s performance...


    It didn''t seem like a performance.


    He really looked like someone who would kill her.


    Every part of her body told her so.


    To Tok¡ª


    Just then, a knock echoed through the room, and Julien''s expression snapped back to normal. Both turned to look at the door, the tension in the air momentarily broken.


    "Excuse me."

 Chapter 257 Sudden Proposal [5]

    <h4>Chapter 257 Sudden Proposal [5]</h4>


    257 Sudden Proposal [5]


    "¡­.This is not good."


    Tommy stared at the script in front of him. It was filled with creases and some of the ink on it was starting to fade.


    This was his life''s work.


    His masterpiece. He wanted Olga to view it, but with just a glimpse she dismissed him.


    He tried again, but the result was the same. As a result, no actor wanted to work with him.


    Olga''s name carried arge weight within the industry now. Her every action was carefully scrutinized by everyone.


    If she didn''t like something, then most actors would also stay away from it, afraid that they would offend the best script writer currently within the Empire.


    Who wouldn''t want to work under her?


    As long as they participated in her ys, then they were almost guaranteed a smooth life in this harsh industry.


    ....It was the harsh reality of the situation.


    "Haa."


    Tommy sighed.


    He didn''t know what he had done to garner Olga''s dissatisfaction, but he was now in a state where he couldn''t find any actors.


    <nulli>''Is it perhaps because I''m also supposed to have my y performed at the same time?''


    Three ys were going to be yed during the opening entrance of the Four Empire Summit.


    The main performance was going to be Olga''s y, with the other two being selected at random.


    It was sort of like a lottery, but a certain standard was required in order to participate. Tommy had ced his script for the screening, and since it had been epted, it was deemed to contain a certain level of quality.


    The board members of the Theater Society believed it was good enough to be yed in the Summit.


    Tommy had been ecstatic at the news back then, but¡­


    "Nobody wants to work with me."


    He looked around in desperation. The theatre society was filled with talented actors and actresses from all over the empire.


    Usually, it would be an honor for them to work in a y that was selected for the summit, but given hisck of qualifications and Olga''s indifference, he was practically shunned.


    "What do I do¡­?"


    With his head lowered, Tommy walked around with a dejected look.


    Before he knew it, he found himself walking along the corridor of the viewing tforms and just when he was about to turn back, his gaze fell on a lock of red hair.


    She seemed to be rushing towards a certain direction.


    "Isn''t that¡­?"


    He recognized the girl in an instant.


    She was the princess of the Empire and someone who had participated in Olga''s y in the past.


    As a big fan of Olga, having analyzed her y multiple times in the past, Tommy thought she was a decently talented actress.


    He knew her circumstances and thus understood that one had to put in a lot of work to achieve what she had managed to achieve.


    Perhaps shecked experience, but the talent was there.


    <nulli>''Would she even consider ying a role in my y?''


    A dangerous thought crossed Tommy''s mind.


    He was desperate, and given that no other actor wanted to participate in his y, he had no choice but to resort to recruiting someone who wasn''t affiliated with this world.


    Perhaps¡­ she would be able to provide a convincing enough performance that wouldn''t shame his participation in the Summit.


    At least, he hoped.


    <nulli>''It doesn''t hurt to try.''


    And so, with his mind made up, Tommy tried to catch up with her.


    "Hey, wait!"


    He called out for her, but she didn''t seem to hear as she stopped in front of a door, slightly opening beforeing to a stop.


    Confused, Tommy''s steps slowed down as he moved forward.


    It was then that he heard it.


    "The foundation of all masterpieces..."


    A voice that sent chills down every fiber of his being. Tommy''s heart raced, his breath quickened, and his body tingled with dread. Just from the sound of the voice, he found himself unable to move a single step.


    Entranced by the terror, he felt his throat tighten as he swallowed his saliva, each breath shallow and ragged.


    With just the sound of a voice, he started to experience a variety of fear-rted symptoms.


    <nulli>''What is this?''


    "All artists crave to create their own masterpieces. I am no different."


    Not only did the voice induce fear, but there was a certain maism to it that sucked anyone that was listening to it.


    ....It was a difficult sensation to describe, but if Tommy had to describe it, then he''d describe it with the word ''Paralyzing''.


    The fear pushed them away while the maism kept them from running.


    Snapping out of it, Tommy finally took a step forward and peeked through the door.


    The instant he locked eyes with those deep hazel pools, his breath left his body, feeling as if his very soul was being sucked away.


    Time became a blur. By the time he snapped out of the trance, the recital had ended, and he had no memory of what had transpired in between.


    <nulli>''This¡­''


    Tommy recognized the young man in an instant.


    He was the one who had initially captivated the audience with his acting and had helped Olga achieve her award.


    Tommy was still a little baffled as to why he had been reced, but after seeing the neer he also admitted that the Julien from before had been inferior.


    ¡­Or so he thought.


    ''T-this¡­''


    Tommy went on to rub his arms.


    Goosebumps.


    All he felt were goosebumps.


    To tok¡ª


    It was with such feelings that he knocked on the door and interrupted the two who turned their heads in his direction.


    "Excuse me."


    "How can I help you¡­?"


    Aoife looked in his direction with a small frown. Swallowing slightly, Tommy mustered up his courage to move forward and lower his head.


    "I would like for you two to participate in a y of mine!"


    "¡­.."


    "....."


    Silence ensued after his words.


    Tommy kept his head lowered the entire time as he swallowed in nervousness. He was curious. What sort of expression were they making? Were they surprised? Angry? Confused?


    "Eh¡­?"


    A sudden yelp brought him out of his thoughts as he raised his head. To his shock, Tommy found Aoife looking at him in surprise as she pointed at herself.


    "You want me to do a y? Me?"


    "Yes..."


    Tommy blinked slowly.


    Why did she seem so shocked by his words? She wasn''t the best actress, but she was still quite good. Anyone with good eyes could tell this much.


    "....I would like for you to participate in the y."


    Tommy nodded adamantly.


    Aoife''s face grew ck. She seemed shocked by the idea that someone would acknowledge her skills, but there was no denying what she was hearing.


    He was indeed acknowledging her skills. Not only that, but he was also asking for her to participate in his y.


    "I understand that this is rather abrupt and that you didn''t have much time to prepare, but¡ª"


    "I''ll do it."


    Aoife cut Tommy off, leaving him taken aback as he raised his head to see her twinkling eyes. Normally, it would take any normal person some time to decide something so important. And yet... Aoife took no longer than a couple of seconds to do it.


    "The y. I''ll do it."


    "Uh."


    Tommy scratched the side of his head.


    This was a lot easier than he had anticipated¡­


    Turning his head, his gaze fell on Julien.


    "What about you?"


    Tommy held his breath as he stared at Julien. While he did intend to cast Aoife, what he really wanted was Julien.


    With him, Tommy felt like he could bring the script to the next level.


    It was for this reason that for the next few seconds, Tommy felt as if his heart had stopped beating. He stared at the cadet in front of him, who stared back without saying a single word.


    ''Is he busy? I do know he''s participating for Haven, but I''m sure he might spare some time. I don''t need much. Just for him to try and¡­''


    All sorts ofplicated thoughts formed in Tommy''s mind as he stared at the cadet in front of him.


    He was thinking of ways to make it easier to convince him to join, and all the sorts ofpleted procedures that would make him hesitate from joining.


    His mind was running on overdrive.


    And then,


    Opening his mouth, Julien finally spoke,


    "How much are you willing to pay?"


    "Uh?"


    The question took Tommy aback. Of all the things he had expected Julien to ask, this was thest one on his list.


    Scratching the back of his head, he looked at Julien awkwardly.


    "That¡­ it will be dependent on how well we perform. If our y ends up being the best then we will get more from the ticket sales. So¡­"


    In short, it depended on performance, and given how famous Olga''s script was, she was most likely going to receive the most money.


    "Hmm."


    Julien''s eyes narrowed as he heard the words.


    Tommy held his breath then, feeling a certain pressureing from the cadet, and just as he thought Julien was going to refuse, he ended up nodding his head.


    "Fine."


    He looked at Aoife.


    "¡­I''ll do it."


    Aoife''s eyes lit up slightly the moment he agreed as she turned her head to look at Tommy.


    "Do you have the script ready? What is it about? What role will I have?"


    She started shooting one question after another, overwhelming Tommy who ended up taking out the script he had and handing it to her.


    "Here, it''s time this, and regarding the roles¡­"


    He alternated his gaze between the two of them.


    "I would like for the two of you to be the main leads."


    Their acting chemistry seemed to be quite good, but other than that, it was also because he had no other actors he could work with.


    Especially for the female lead of the y. In more ways than others, Aoife was the best fit for her role.


    Regarding her acting, he nned on coaching her.


    There was still some time.


    "Main?!"


    Aoife''s voice heightened with excitement as she delicately handled the script, treating it as though it were a precious artifact.


    But her joyful expression didn''tst for very long as she got deeper into the script. Soon, her face winced slightly as she looked at Julien before looking towards Tommy.


    "About this¡­"


    She pointed at the script.


    "What genre is this?"


    Tommy blinked before finally understanding why she was reacting like that.


    "Ah, yes¡­"


    He smiled awkwardly while lifting his head to look at Julien. He wanted to see what face he''d make after he revealed it.


    "It''s a romance script."


    He went on to say,


    "¡­.But with a twist."

 Chapter 258 Selling [1]

    <h4>Chapter 258 Selling [1]</h4>


    258 Selling [1]


    ck¡ª


    I tossed the script on the desk the moment that I returned to the room. I had a quick skim of it, and while I was a little hesitant at first, after reading it, I felt like there was no need for me to be so reserved.


    It was definitely a romance script, but there was more to it.


    The depth of the script was something that I couldn''t quite describe, and the main character was apletely different one than Azarias whom I had yed before.


    And the twist...


    "It''s interesting."


    It was certainly interesting.


    ....It wasn''t hard to spot, but thinking back to the script, if yed properly, then it would certainly leave asting impact on the audience.


    "If I can do it right, then I can probably surpass my previous performance."


    No, I could already surpass it.


    If I yed Azarias right now, I was confident that I could outdo anyone who attempted the role.


    But this was different.


    ....Were I to y this role well, then I would be able to leave everyone stunned.


    <nulli>''That''s how impressive the script is.''


    But more than that, the thing that drove me to do this was none other than Olga''s words. I didn''t react much back then, but that didn''t mean they didn''t affect me.


    <nulli>''You have talent, but that got over your head. You''re good, but you can y one role. What does that mean? It means you''re a type-cast. What else can you offer besides the deranged man known as Azarias?''


    The words continued to linger in my mind, and I found the corner of my lips twisted up slightly.


    "Type-cast? Can only y one role?"


    I looked at the script next to me and covered my mouth.


    <nulli>''¡­.The more I think about it, the more I just seem to have no reason to not do this.''


    If there was one thing that I wanted to see, it''d be Olga''s face once I was done.


    ¡­.After everything that I had been through, I didn''t there was one single character that I couldn''t y.


    Even if the rted genre was outside myfort zone.


    Romance?


    I could do it.


    <nulli>To Tok¡ª


    "Hm?"


    A sudden knock on the door grabbed my attention. Frowning slightly, my brows jumped up the moment I realized what it was for and I hastened to the door.


    nk¡ª


    As expected, the moment I came out the door, a man dressed in ck clothes greeted me.


    "I have a delivery for Julien Dacre Evenus."


    He proceeded to hand me arge box with a clipboard at the top which I swiftly signed.


    "Thank you very much for using our service."


    "Yes."


    I closed the door right after while carefully holding onto the box. It was about the height of half of my body and I handled it with extreme care.


    As I held onto the box, my heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing the tension that suddenly filled the room.


    My heartbeat rang loudly.


    <nulli>Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump!


    It was beating fast, and it wasn''t out of excitement...


    No, it was out of anxiety.


    "Hooo."


    Staring at the box, I could hardly think properly.


    Holding onto the box, it almost felt as if I could hear voices whispering within my mind. The voices were silent, but each whisper seemed to seep deeply into my mind, trying its best to force me to open the box.


    My legs felt weak and the world started to spin.


    "No."


    With all my willpower, I held onto my breath and I caressed the ring on my finger.


    The world turned white shortly after that.


    ***


    "What do I do¡­?"


    Aoife bit her lips as she stood outside the residence with the script in her hand. The script had been freshly printed just a few hours prior, and yet, in Aoife''s hands, it was already filled with creases and notes.


    The reason why she was practicing outside was because practicing in her room wouldn''t yield the same result as she didn''t feel anyone''s eyes on her.


    This was sort of like training for her to get used to the stares.


    She had almost been overwhelmed during her first performance. Aoife couldn''t allow for something like this to happen in her first major y.


    That wouldn''t do her any good.


    Especially since she was trusted with such an important role.


    "I memorized everything. I should be fine."


    Pacing back and forth around the entrance of the residence, Aoife attracted the attention of quite a few onlookers.


    In particr, a girl with long white hair and ring red eyes.


    "The hell are you doing?"


    Holding onto a pack of sticks, Kiera looked at Aoife with a strange look.


    <nulli>''Has this girl lost her mind?''


    It was as if she was looking at someone who had lost their mind.


    Aoife nced at Kiera for a short moment before turning her attention back towards the script.


    That was when she proceeded to pace around again while mumbling lines to herself.


    "I had fun today. Please don''t¡ªHey!"


    Aoife shouted as a hand reached out for her script and snatched it quickly away from her.


    "Give it back!"


    The one responsible was none other than Kiera who held her back with her hand.


    "Let me see what you''re reading. Hm¡­"


    Looking at the script, she frowned, and while Aoife tried to grab it back, she was helplessly kept away as Kiera used her hand to keep her distance from her.


    But that didn''tst long as Aoife was able to snatch the script back.


    "Ukh!"


    "...."


    "Haa¡­ What is your problem!"


    Aoife shouted at Keira, who stood still.


    Aoife looked at her and thought that there was something wrong, but soon, she noticed the strange look on Kiera''s face and her heart sank.


    "No, it''s¡­"


    "Yeah. No, it''s fine."


    Kiera took a step back, covering her arms with both hands.


    "Fuck, I''m getting goosebumps. You in a romance? Akh...!"


    Kiera bent down and gagged.


    "I get that you like acting and all that. But¡­"


    Kiera pursed her lips before looking at Aoife with a green face while holding onto her mouth.


    "Fuck. I want mentalpensation for this. Uuekh...!"


    "Wait, what do you mean?"


    Hearing Kiera''s words, Aoife went from trying to exin herself to suddenly feeling offended.


    "Are you saying that I can''t y this role? What makes you think that?"


    "Oh,e on."


    The look on Kiera''s face seemed even more disgusted.


    "¡­.Are you seriously telling me that you can do this? Have you ever been in love? Please. From what I can see, this is way over you."


    "Big wordsing from you. Have you ever been in love?"


    "I have."


    Kiera answered without a shred of hesitation, taking Aoife back.


    "Eh? You have¡­?"


    "Mhm."


    Kiera closed her eyes as she started to reminisce about her first love.


    The rough and bitter aftertaste, the lingering smoky scent, and the rxing times¡­


    "You''re thinking about cigarettes aren''t you?"


    "Uh? How did you know?"


    "Haaa¡­"


    Aoife covered her face in exasperation. What did she expect from this psychopath? And she shifted her attention back to the script.


    "If you have nothing else to say. I''m going to practice. So¡ª


    hey!"


    Aoife''s face grew red as Kiera stole the script again.


    This time, Aoife wasn''t feeling as kind as before as she red at her. Just as she was about to blow her top, Kiera cut her off.


    "What''s your name?"


    Aoife blinked, unable to understand what was going on.


    Nibbling on one of the licorice sticks, Kiera red at her while smacking the script over her hand.


    "What are you doing? I said the lines. It''s your turn next."


    "Uh?"


    Aoife felt her mind nk.


    Is she...


    "Ah!"


    But only for a brief moment as she noticed the annoyance on Kiera''s face. Eventually, pursing her lips she opened her mouth and recited her lines.


    "Amelia¡­ My name is Amelia.."


    ***


    Besides the Trials of the Forgotten Minds, there was another particrly great feature about the Ring of Nothingness.


    <nulli>Tak¡ª


    I looked at the majestic but empty white building in front of me.


    <nulli>''Can''t ever get used to the sight.''


    That feature was a separate space that I could enter whenever I wanted. Although I couldn''t enter it physically since my body was still standing outside and time didn''t freeze when I was there, the unique feature that I particrly liked was that I could bring items inside


    "Ukh."


    Carrying the heavy box with me, I headed into the building and made my way towards the small room inside.


    Tak¡ª


    My step echoed loudly within the empty building.


    I thought about decorating the space, but one serious drawback about the ring was that the more items I brought in, the more my mana would be passively sucked out of me.


    For now, the usage was very small since I didn''t bring many items, but it was still there, which could turn disadvantageous for me in the long term.


    Nheless, this was a necessary expense.


    "I''m back."


    Two pairs of eyes greeted me the moment I entered the small room. They belonged to none other than Owl-Mighty and Pebble.


    They sat by the corner doing their own thing.


    A good thing about this space was that Owl Mighty and Pebble coulde and rest here whenever they wanted. Since they were a part of me, they could enter without a problem.


    In fact, I didn''t need to tell them this as they had already pretty much made this ce their own home.


    "I''ve got a couple of things to put here. I''ll leave them here."


    I tossed a couple of bags to the side and carefully ced the box on a wooden table.


    Even now, my heart pulsed with anxiety as I stared at the box.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, my heart refused to calm down. It continued to beat loudly within my mind, and perhaps noticing my actions, the two little creatures came over to my side.


    Owl Mighty stared at the box with a rare seriousness.


    "What is that?"


    "....Something that I want to get rid of."


    I ced my hand over the wooden box and traced my hand over the lock. I thought about opening it but decided against it.


    For now, I didn''t want to touch it.


    "Why did you bring it here?"


    "For multiple reasons."


    Bringing my hand back, I turned to look at Owl-Mighty who was nestled over my shoulder. It looked to be cozy there.


    Scratching the bottom part of my nose, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.


    "I need the two of you to keep watch of the box. Is that alright?"


    "What''s inside of it?"


    "Something dangerous."


    I answered Owl-Mighty before slowly finding my surroundings fade. Owl-Mighty seemed to want to say more but it was toote as I went out of the white world.


    "Ha."


    A familiar room greeted my sight the moment I came out of the white world, and just as I thought that I could finally breathe again, I spotted a figure standing by my desk. Her gaze was settled over my script as she held it in her hands and read it in silence.


    As if noticing my presence, her head slowly turned and our eyes met.


    Staring into those deep ck eyes of her, I felt my breath leave my body.


    "This..."


    Delh pointed at the script, her face looking unusually calm.


    "...What is this?"

 Chapter 259 Selling [2]

    <h4>Chapter 259 Selling [2]</h4>


    259 Selling [2]


    "¡­.."


    Delh stood with her gaze on the script as she alternated her gaze between it and me. There wasn''t much of a reaction on her face as she looked at the script, but she did seem a little different.


    It was hard to tell though.


    "Script for a new y."


    "New y?"


    Delh once again looked at the script. Her tone was t, but I could tell that she was a little intrigued by it.


    Did she perhaps like my previous y?


    A possible fan?


    I thought about it for a good second before getting the image off of my mind. I just couldn''t picture it.


    "Yes, it''s a new y. It will be yed in the uing opening ceremony of the Four Empires Summit."


    "¡­.That''s interesting."


    Flip¡ª


    Delh flipped through the script. Her face, which appeared as still as ake, paused slightly the moment she reached a certain part.


    Then, as if she was absorbed in the y, she flipped through the pages before eventually cing the script down.


    "¡­.."


    A strange silence took over the room as she ced the script down. I couldn''t tell what emotions she was feeling. Was she even feeling them in the first ce?


    "¡­..I don''t get it."


    There was clear confusion on Delh''s face as she looked at the script.


    The more she looked at it, the more the confusion on her face became apparent. Stepping forward, I walked toward the desk and reached out for the script.


    "What do you not get?"


    I flipped the script open.


    It was a fairly straightforward y. Nothing mind-blowing, but I was confident that it would leave asting impact on those who would see it.


    ¡­.At least, I thought that would be the case.


    It was aplicated y.


    Delh leaned her head to look at the y next to me. Her deep ck eyes traced over the words that were imprinted on the pages.


    "It looks boring."


    These were the first words Delh said with regard to the script.


    "How did something like this get selected?"


    "Ah."


    My eyes traced over the script as I turned to meet her gaze. She looked back at me in confusion, as if trying to ask me what was so good about the script.


    In the end, the answer was simple.


    "Reading it and experiencing it are two different things. It looks monotonous now because it''s just a script. It''ll be a different experience when you see it."


    "Hmm."


    Delh frowned.


    She didn''t seem all to convinced.


    Shaking her head, she sat herself down and crossed her arms.


    "Show me."


    "Yes?"


    "¡­..Act for me."


    "That¡­"


    I looked at the script and felt my lips twitch.


    "I can''t do it alone. I need someone else to help me."


    This was a script that required two people. If I were to act alone, then it would look rather odd.


    "That''s no problem."


    Delh took the script and casually flipped over the pages.


    "I will help you."


    "¡­."


    I found myself unable to find my words. This was a little abrupt, and while I thought about rejecting it, I realized that this was a good opportunity for me. I needed to practice and adjust the corresponding emotions for each scene.


    I wanted to experiment with just how far my Emotive Magic had developed.


    Especially since all the incidents that I had undergone over the past few months. Perhaps¡­ it was now possible for me to affect her.


    "What?"


    Delh looked at me and then the script.


    "Let''s start."


    "¡­..Alright."


    I already had the lines memorized and thus, I went ahead and told her where to start.


    "Act 2, Scene 3. We can start there."


    Flip¡ª


    Delh flipped the script and stopped over a certain page.


    "Okay."


    Raising her head, she looked at me.


    The very air around her changed, and for a moment, I almost felt a little overwhelmed. That was until she opened her mouth.


    "You. Are. The. First. Person. I. Have. Ever. Told. This. About. That''s. Why. Thank. You. I. Am. So. Happy."


    "¡­."


    With each word that came out of her mouth, my face hardened. I blinked a couple of times to make sure that I wasn''t hearing wrongly, but staring at Delh who was reciting every word with her utmost seriousness, I suddenly covered my mouth.


    From the depths of my body, I felt something rise up, and despite my best attempts, I found myself unable to suppress it.


    It kept rising and rising, until¡­


    "I''m. Really. H¡ª"


    "Pftt."


    It all burst out.


    "¡­."


    Delh''s head flicked up to look at me.


    The air stirred at her actions, but I was in no state to take notice of it as my chest tingled and I turned my head.


    "Pftt¡­ Kht!"


    "¡­.."


    The air continued to stir, and I really did put an effort in trying to stop myself fromughing, but as I turned to look at her, the feeling grew progressively worse.


    "¡­.!"


    It got to the point where I had to take a moment to calm myself down.


    When I did, I took a breath and turned around. The moment I did, I almost felt my entire breath leave my body as Delh stood with her legs crossed and the script hanging down on her hands.


    She didn''t seem too pleased.


    "¡­."


    No words needed to be said to express how she was feeling.


    Maybe not angry, but definitely a little annoyed. It couldn''t be helped. I didugh at her acting. I felt something tingle when looking at her, and I pursed my lips.


    ''I wish I had my camera with me.''


    With narrowed eyes, Delh looked at me.


    "Should we start again?"


    She offered once more, however, I shook my head.


    "No, it''s fine."


    "¡­.What do you mean?"


    "I think it''s best if you don''t see it now. When the timees, you will understand what I mean."


    I kept my face straight as I said those words. Are you kidding me? There was no way I could practice with her.


    It would just end with meughing at her again, and I knew that wouldn''t do me any good. In the end, the best option was for me to refuse her offer.


    "Okay."


    Delh didn''t say much after that and ced the script over the desk. Then, looking around, her gaze paused on me for a brief moment before she disappeared.


    Silence returned over the room and I gently sighed.


    "¡­.I guess I better start getting ready."


    Stretching my body, I checked my pocket watch.


    "All my orders should be ready. I should be able to make it to the shop in time."


    I nced at the door, and making sure that everything was in order, I made my way out of the room.


    There was something important that I needed to do.


    "About time I get rid of this crap."


    ***


    Delh appeared in the middle of the streets of Bremmer. Currently, she was in a more deste area.


    Her current feelings were hard to describe. She herself had a hard time understanding them.


    Was she angry, or annoyed? She thought about it, but couldn''t quite figure it out. It was a mix of both, maybe?


    "Hmm."


    They also didn''tst very long.


    It was really hard for her to figure out due to that. But unlike her emotions, there was something that didn''t fade quickly.


    ¡­.It was a certain image.


    Delh struggled to describe it, but that image was probably one of the reasons why her feelings of anger and annoyance faded so quickly.


    Why was that?


    She wondered to herself as she looked around.


    Fiddling with her hand where she felt something, she tilted her head.


    The image once more lingered in her mind.


    "So he can¡­"


    ***


    The moment that I left the residence, I headed toward three different destinations. The sun was scorching hot, and the city streets were crowded.


    Walking around the cobblestone street, I eventually found myself in front of a particr store.


    [Buxlom Marchant House]


    There were three major merchants situated in Bremmer. Buxlom, Kodjak, and Almore. They sold all sorts of different goods, including bones and pills that could help someone improve their skills.


    They also purchased items that someone sold.


    Today, I was nning on selling something.


    "Hoo."


    The Marchant House was well decorated. Primarily built with wooden materials, the design was quite grand and nice to the eye. Intricate carvings adorned the door frames and window sills, making it stand out from the other buildings in the vicinity.


    But if there was something that truly made it stand out, then it''d be the long line that lined up at the entrance of the store.


    It was long, and I could barely see the end of it.


    I stared at the line and counted myself lucky before heading in. Unlike them, I had a backer known as Aoife K. Megrail.


    All I did was ask and she managed to help me get a card to cut the line.


    "You may go in."


    And as expected, the guards didn''t bat an eye as I entered the store.


    "Hmm."


    The inside of the building was dazzling. Various goods and items were on full disy throughout the store, with a pleasant rustic smell lingering in the air. I looked around before settling my gaze on a certain counter and headed there.


    "How may I help you?"


    A woman dressed in elegant clothes greeted me with a polite smile.


    I didn''t waste any time and ced the wooden box over the counter.


    "This is..."


    The woman looked at the box in confusion. I understood her reaction. The box looked kind of old and cheap. That was because it was actually old and cheap.


    I just never bothered to buy a proper case for it.


    In any case.


    <nulli>Click¡ª


    I unlocked the metal lock and opened the lid up.


    "....!"


    Immediately the expression on the woman''s face changed as her gaze fell on the sword that was nestled inside of the box.


    Tracing my finger over the body of the sword, I looked at her.


    "How much are you willing to pay for this?"


    ***


    More chapters areing. Should''ve uploaded them yesterday, but I''m too tired these days.

 Chapter 260 Selling [3]

    <h4>Chapter 260 Selling [3]</h4>


    260 Selling [3]


    "You want to sell this sword?"


    Thedy said, staring at the sword and then me. I didn''t hesitate to nod my head.


    "Yes, I want to sell this sword."


    Take it from me.


    If there was one thing that I desired, it was them taking the sword from me.


    "¡­.Please wait a second."


    The youngdy immediately left, and I stood patiently at the waiting desk. From time to time, I''d find myself looking back.


    My face was changed, and nobody could recognize me.


    Still, I didn''t feel safe and every second that I stood there with the sword felt like forever.


    Seconds stretched into minutes and shortly after a gentleman with long white hair, a finely trimmed mustache, and a nicely fitting suit came from the back.


    "Is this the product?"


    He walked forward, took out a small monocle from his pocket, and analyzed the sword.


    I stood behind the counter and watched as he took out the sword from the box and traced his finger over it.


    He went on to inspect the sword for the next couple of minutes before settling it down.


    "This is quite a nice sword. I can see that it was very well crafted. How do you want to go about this? Do you want this up for an auction or do you want to put it on disy over here to sell? If you do choose the second option we have a 20%mission fee that you would need to pay, and we will contact you once someone decides to buy it."


    "I see."


    I nodded and thought about the two options. In the end, I opted for the second option.


    This was the best one for me.


    "I''d like to sell it in the store."


    "Understood. We will inspect the item and put on a price for it. Is there any request that you would like of us?"


    "Yes, actually¡­"


    I lowered my head to stare at the sword before raising it to meet the inspector''s gaze.


    "¡­I do have one request if possible."


    ***


    Augustus Residence.


    With the uing Summit, the three empires were given their own residential building for resting and nning.


    The August Residence, located near the city center of Bremmer, was where the Aetheria Empire was hosted.


    In terms of overall power, they were second to the Nurs Ancifa Empire.


    It was due to such circumstances that a lot of their warriors died, but it was also due to this that they were incredibly strong. Their poption was smaller than the other Empires, but their individual strength was greater.


    "Is everyone here?"


    A middle-aged man with graying hair looked around the room.


    Bastian V. Persilon.


    He was the overseer of the group. As he scanned the room with arge oval table in the middle, surrounded by various youths, he did a quick headcount.


    "....We''re missing two."


    Bastian didn''t need to check to know who was missing.


    nk¡ª


    Thankfully he didn''t need to wait for long as the door soon opened and a figure walked in. The moment he entered, as if his appearance had some sort of maic effect, all eyes fell on the young youth.


    With golden eyes that matched his hair, he looked radiant.


    "It seems like we''rete."


    With a smile, he looked around before settling his gaze over to Bastian who lowered his gaze the moment their eyes met.


    It wasn''t done out of volition, but it was more of a subconscious action.


    Caius M. Aetheria.


    He was the son of the current Emperor and the direct lineage of the Aetheria Empire. His bloodlines were amongst the purest, and the sense of reverence he felt was all due to the pressure that stemmed from his bloodline which was said to be a mix between human and draconian, stemming from an Elder Dragon belonging to the Sris tribe.


    Within the Aetheria Empire, status was determined through one''s bloodline and Caius stood at the pinnacle of the Empire.


    But despite that, Bastian had a job to aplish as he soon raised his head.


    "Where have you been?"


    "Hm? Well, nothing big. I went around the city to have a look."


    "We have already taken a tour over the past few days."


    "Yes, but there''s a few other things that we haven''t seen."


    "Like?"


    "The theater."


    Caius replied with a smile, and Bastian tilted his head. Theater? Since when was he interested in such things?


    "....Did you enjoy it?"


    "No, not really."


    Caius went on to take a seat.


    "It was rather boring."


    "I see."


    Is he being serious or not? Narrowing his eyes, Bastian looked at Caius for a brief moment before taking his eyes away from him. He couldn''t tell. He could never tell.


    In the end, he decided to go on about what he had called the meeting for.


    "The opening ceremony for the Four Empire Summit will begin in a couple of days. Here are the schedules for the events."


    He went on to hand several papers to the youth''s present.


    For the next ten minutes, he talked about what to expect, and how they should behave. None of the members seemed remotely interested in the talk, with all of themzily looking at the papers in front of them.


    Bastian could understand where they wereing from, but he had no choice but to ry the information to them.


    "This over here is the list of people that you need to watch out for."


    Following the introduction to the events, he also handed over several files. Within the files was a long list of different profiles belonging to the participants from the other Empires.


    "Only seven files?"


    Taking out the files, Caius looked at them with a frown as he looked at Bastian with a look that seemed to demand an exnation.


    "....These are the only five people we deem to be a threat to you."


    "I see."


    Caius scratched the side of his face before pausing his gaze over a couple of files.


    "Leon and Aoife. Are these the only two from this Empire?"


    "Yes."


    "Hmm."


    Staring at the papers, Caius frowned. Noticing his reaction, Bastian approached him in confusion.


    "What is wrong?"


    "No, I thought that there would be someone else here. I heard that there was a talented Emotive Mage in this empire and that he was the ck Star. What happened to him?"


    "Ah."


    Bastian realized what was going on and closed his eyes. It was no secret that Caius was an Emotive Mage. He was the greatest Emotive prospect that the Empire has had in its entire run. But he did not only excel in that. He also excelled in the [Body] category.


    But unlike the [Body] category, it was much harder to find someone that he couldpete with in the Emotive aspect.


    He was clearly interested in seeing how much more superior he waspared to the Emotive Mage of this Empire.


    "You don''t have to worry about him."


    Bastian replied with a wave of his hand.


    "Yes?"


    ".....From what we''ve been told, he has been injured severely and only recently came back. He lost his position as ck Star and isn''t anywhere near the best of his group. If it had been before, his file would''ve been included, but we no longer felt the need to."


    "Ah, I see."


    Caius replied with a disappointed nod.


    His deep yellow pupils flickered slightly as he put the papers down.


    "That''s disheartening to hear."


    Still, as he put the papers down, his gaze found its way toward a certain profile. Out of all the seven he had received, it seemed to be the most interesting one.


    ''Leon...''


    Caius inwardly mumbled, tracing his finger over the paper.


    ''....I wonder if he''s interesting.''


    ***


    "Thank you very much for letting us handle your product. Here is your product number. On the chance that we do end up selling the product, we will contact you."


    "Understood."


    I received a small slip from the inspector at the counter and left the premises. As I did, I felt my shoulders lighten up.


    It was as if a heavy burden had been lifted off my shoulders.


    ''I wonder how much I can make from the sword.''


    I was in need of quite a bit of money. I was currently extremely poor, and while I had collected a fair share of savings, it was now gone.


    The hope was that I could make the lost money back with the sword.


    "Haa."


    Sighing, I ruffled my hair before heading towards the meeting point for those representing the Empire. From what I was told, the other team members had already arrived. I was now quite close to the meeting point, which was a fair walk from where I had been.


    The sun was scorching down, but it was slowly starting to set, casting an orange glow over the sky.


    <nulli>''Supposedly, there should be a few people I met before.''


    During the mid-terms.


    A few of the stronger cadets from back then had also been invited.


    I did remember a few faces from back then.


    Haven wasn''t the only ce where the representatives were being selected. There were other Academies within the Nurs Ancifa Empire, and twenty representatives were far from enough.


    It was for this reason that we weren''t the only ones present.


    <nulli>Btzzz¡ª


    I was just about to begin moving when I felt a small vibration in my pocket.


    "Hm?"


    Fiddling with my pocket, I took a small orb out.


    "Ah."


    My steps paused.


    ".....Looks like someone is already interested."


    ***


    Buxlom Merchant House.


    "Make sure you handle the sword with care."


    George ordered as several workers handled an old wooden box with care. Within the box was a nice sword that George managed to get under his jurisdiction.


    He was thinking of selling the sword for around 150 to 200 thousand Rend.


    This was a lot of money for a sword.


    While the sword wasn''t a strong relic, it was still an incredibly well-crafted sword. It was also quite new which would make it easy to sell.


    With the 20%mission, this was easy money for him, and this was all that mattered.


    "Make sure you don''t break the box."


    But if there was one thing that George wasn''t satisfied with, it''d be the strange request from the seller.


    <nulli>''Please keep the sword in the box, and don''t throw it away. The two muste together.''


    George had refused at first, but the seller seemed adamant about it.


    "Well, whatever."


    It couldn''t be said that he was satisfied, but he couldn''t let go of such easy money and epted.


    That said, the seller did have another odd request, and at first, George refused, but things changed after hearing his proposal.


    "....I wonder if he''s ying a joke with me or not."


    Sighing to himself, George had just gotten the two workers to ce the box on disy when he noticed a man standing before the box.


    With his back turned against him, and wearing a gray coat, he stared at the box with his hands in his pockets. Next to the box was a small piece of paper with the image of the sword.


    There was something strange about the man, but George didn''t put much thought into it and approached him.


    "Sir, are you perhaps interested in purchasing the sword? It is currently closed within the box, but I can open it for you."


    "....."


    He didn''t get an immediate reply.


    In the silence that followed after the question, George rubbed his hands together and prepared to speak again when a voice cut him off.


    "That box."


    The voice quietly echoed, smoothly entering George''s ears like a soft whisper.


    "...Can I see what''s inside?"

 Chapter 261 Selling [4]

    <h4>Chapter 261 Selling [4]</h4>


    261 Selling [4]


    "You want to see what''s inside?"


    George was already ecstatic. It hadn''t even been more than an hour since the seller left, and he had already found someone who was interested in the sword.


    ''Looks like today is my lucky day..!''


    "You have a good eye for things, sir."


    George went on to say as he moved behind the counter to retrieve the wooden box. Rubbing his hands, he was just about to open the box when he was stopped by the man who pressed his hand against the box.


    "Yes?"


    Confused by the action, George raised his head to look at him.


    ''What is he doing¡­?''


    "¡­"


    Despite the question, George remained silent and waited for the customer to finish whatever he was doing. Perhaps he wanted to have a feel of the box. George had seen his fair share of unique customers so he wasn''t at all fazed.


    Costumer was king in his book.


    George didn''t have to wait for long. Soon, the man in gray lifted his hand away from the box as he began to mumble.


    "The scent, it''s the same."


    His voice was quiet, but it managed to reach the ears of George who felt his mind grow nk.


    There was something about the voice that was hard to exin. It seemed to suck the very energy out of his soul, and George felt himself blinking slowly.


    "Can you open the box?"


    The voice asked slowly, almost like a whisper.


    George stood still before nodding.


    "¡­Yes, most certainly."


    He seemed to be moving on his own. As if he couldn''t refuse the words at all.


    George moved ahead and pressed his hands on the lock, unlocking it.


    Click¡ª


    A gentle click resounded throughout the area as the frame of the sword was revealed.


    A musty scent spread out immediately, and the surroundings fell quiet.


    It was odd.


    There used to be so much noise. Where did the noise go?


    "¡­.."


    George blinked slowly, looking around. He was surprised to see that everyone had stopped moving besides himself.


    ''Just what¡ª''


    "You."


    His thoughts were broken by the calm voice from before. It was different from before.


    It was a lot more chilly as if it was trying to swallow him up whole.


    No¡­


    It had already swallowed him up as George found himself unable to move at all.


    Ba¡­ Thump!


    He felt the beat of his heart echo loudly within his mind, forcing him to look up at the figure.


    That was when he met his eyes.


    They were blue, ck, green, orange, red¡­ what color were they?


    George found himself unable to tell. He just lost himself in that strange gaze.


    "What is this?"


    He only came to when a small pearl was brought close to his face.


    "This¡­"


    George''s eyes turned clear for a brief moment as he recognized the pearl. That was the pearl that the student had told him to keep inside in exchange for a biggermission¡­


    He knew what it was.


    It was merely a recording device. Although it was a bit weird to have something like that, for themission he didn''t mind.


    But¡­?


    "¡­.The seller of the sword put it in as a requirement for the sale of the sword."


    George found himself speaking on his own. It was a creepy sensation, one he had a hard time describing.


    But right now, all he could do was stare at the man in front of him who stared at the recording device with a small smile on his lips.


    "¡­.How clever."


    He mumbled slowly, squeezing the recording device with his fingers.


    Crack¡ª


    A small cracking sound echoed, and shortly after his figure disappeared.


    The noise returned, and George could finally breathe again.


    "Haaa¡­ Haaa.."


    Everything seemed to have returned to normal, all with the exception of¡­


    "Uh? Ah¡­?"


    George reached out with his hands, trying to grasp something within the world of ck before him.


    "Why is it dark¡­? What''s¡­!"


    His vision.


    It was gone.


    ***


    Crack¡ª


    The pearl in my grasp shattered. Thest thing I saw were two obscure eyes that I couldn''t see the depths of. The same was true for the face.


    I wasn''t able to see a thing.


    But that was fine.


    "So he took the bait."


    I didn''t feel happy with the development. Rather, I felt my heart skip a light beat as my mind started to process the situation.


    The sword¡­ I hadn''t really sold it.


    It was merely a replica that I had gotten manufactured by a famous cksmith over here. I used all the money that I had managed to gather in order to get it done.


    It wasn''t anything mind-blowing, but so was the real sword at first nce.


    The replica was perfect, but that wasn''t what I was going for.


    "This confirms it. He doesn''t know who I am. He is tracking me through the scent of the sword."


    This had all been a test to confirm this.


    ¡­It had always been bugging me how I had never been confronted directly during the award ceremony.


    The ps were vivid, and so were the whistles. I could tell from a nce that the person tracking me was stronger than me, and yet, they let me go?


    It made no sense.


    For that reason, I believed that it was merely some sort of y to imnt ''fear'' within my body.


    Whoever I was dealing with was an Emotive Mage.


    Once a seed was imnted into someone, arousing fear out of them was a lot easier.


    I understood this concept all too well, being an Emotive mage myself.


    What had happened at the award ceremony was all a rouse to imnt a seed of fear in me.


    "It was risky, but it paid off."


    I wasn''t sure why I was the one being targeted when considering that the sword was in Haven.


    ''Could it be that whoever is hunting me isn''t the faceless man but someone else and they''re scared of Delh?''


    It would make sense considering that she was an Emotive Mage''s worst nightmare.


    Regardless, the real sword was in my ring. My n was to use the box that the sword had been resting in from the start to attract him and gain as much information as possible.


    It was fair to say that I was able to gain enough information.


    "¡­I''m still safe, but not by much."


    The scent of the sword was still with me.


    The only reason he went to the box first was because the scent was stronger, but there was no denying that I was next.


    I needed to figure out a way to escape its grasp.


    ¡­If there was one thing I was sure about it was the fact that I wasn''t going to let myself be hunted like that.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, I tossed what remained of the monitoring device and headed toward the massive wooden door that stood before me.


    nk¡ª


    Cold air wafted in the moment I opened the door as I was greeted by the sight of several dozen individuals.


    nk, nk¡ª!


    The sound of metal shing against metal echoed through as the potent smell of sweat reached my nostrils.


    "You''re here."


    Greeting me was a familiar face. It was one that I hadn''t seen in several months, and as our gazes met I lowered my head.


    "It''s been a while, Professor Hollowe."


    ***


    Every representative of the Nurs Ancifa Empire was present. A training room was given to all to train in order to get familiar with the other members from the other Empires.


    There were some old faces and some new faces.


    nk¡ª


    Leon, alongside Kiera, Aoife, Evelyn, Josephine, and Luxon were currently battling against a team formed from the other Academies.


    The numbers were equal, and the two sides were close to even. It was mainly due to the fact that this was merely a friendly spar, and both sides held back, but there were some that did try harder than the others.


    "Die¡­.!"


    A me burst forth, charging directly toward the opposing group with a powerful st.


    It was abrupt and came fast.


    ¡­It was so fast that hardly anyone had time to process what had happened before it was already upon the other group.


    Bang!


    Thankfully, one of the more reactive members of the opposing teams stepped forward and took the brunt of the attack, but it wasn''t without any injuries as they skidded back before crashing against a nearby wall.


    Bang¡ª


    "Ryan!"


    The team members shouted in worry as they turned to look to check on him.


    His body was filled with light burns, and blood leaked out from the corner of his mouth.


    His condition wasn''t great.


    "What''s your problem?!"


    A girl with long green hair asked as they turned their head to re at Kiera who was picking her ear.


    Seeing the girl re at her, she red back.


    "What are you ring at?"


    "¡­Are you kidding me?"


    The girl, an elite cadet from the Central Academy of Bremmer red even harder at Kiera as several people appeared behind her.


    "This was supposed to be a friendly spar. What are you doing going so hard?!"


    "Uh¡­"


    Kiera looked around her with a frown.


    "Was that hard?"


    "It was."


    Aoife answered for her, ring at her just like the other group. She was feeling a little embarrassed, but it couldn''t be helped. She should''ve seen thising considering Kiera''s personality.


    In any case, Aoife tried to apologize.


    "Sorry, she''s a bit cra¡ª"


    "That''s not going to cut it. This was reckless of her. Suspend her, and we''ll call it even."


    "Uh?"


    Aoife''s mouth hung open as she looked at the one speaking with wide eyes.


    Did she just hear correctly?


    "I don''t know about you, but I don''t want to team up with someone so reckless."


    He was a tall and burly cadet that Aoife knew. He was pretty strong, and with long brown hair and blue eyes, he was somewhat handsome.


    But that wasn''t her cause of concern.


    It was the moment that he revealed his intention that she realized what was going on.


    ''This is probably an act.''


    She looked around, noticing that the professors were standing still without doing a thing.


    Aoife understood then this was probably something that often urred at each summit.


    ''They''re probably scared they won''t get any spots to perform during the summit.''


    Aoife sighed, this made sense. Had she been in her position, she would''ve acted the same.


    This wasn''t actually a serious situation.


    So long as she gave them a little leeway, everything would resolve.


    Thinking thus far, Aoife opened her mouth to speak, when she was suddenly interrupted.


    "Oy."


    Aoife felt her entire face freeze at the sound of her voice as her head snapped back, pausing directly at Kiera who was staring at them with a frown.


    11:04


    ''Oh, no.''


    Aoife felt her stomach sink as she hastily reached out with her hand to stop Kiera from speaking, but it was toote.


    "No¡ª"


    "Lick my balls."


    ***


    update : So, I know the reason why I felt so tired these past few days. I have covid. Don''t ask me how. I tested positive this morning. If there''s no chap tomorrow, it''s probably because I''m too sick to write. So just likest month I will make it up with a small mass release halfway through the month. I apologize in advance.

 Chapter 262 Understanding [1]

    Chapter 262 Understanding [1]


    "What did you say!?" An ident urred the moment that I greeted Professor Hollowe. With just one nce in the direction of where the noise seemed toe from, I already had an idea of what had happened. "What''s going on?" Professor Hollowe stared in the general direction with squinted eyes. He appeared to be trying to understand what was happening. "There''s no need to think so much." I said, staring in Kiera''s direction. There were two sides, and the other side was ring at Kiera. Raising my hand, I pointed at her. "....She probably is the culprit for the situation." This wasn''t the first time she had provoked them. The first time was during the interview, and now was the second time. ''I wonder what she said to them...'' Surely it wasn''t the same as what she said to them the first time, right? Something along the lines of suck... "What''s going on here?" Approaching the group, I found that several people had already made their way toward the scene. Usually, they wouldn''t interfere in matters like this, but seeing how heated things were getting, they had no choice but to step in. "Cadets, calm down and exin what''s going on." Professor Hollowe held the two sides back as he turned to face a green-haired girl. I also noticed her, and as I looked at her my eyes squinted. ''Her name was something along the lines of Aurora ckstone...?'' She seemed to havee to the Bremmer Central Academy and was quite a famous individual in her own right. With just a nce, I could tell that her rank was higher than mine. With hazel eyes that contrasted her green hair, she red at Kiera who stood crookedly on the spot. "She doesn''t want to cooperate with us, and she deliberately injured someone during our spar. That''s what''s going on." "...Nah, not really." "What do you mean, not really?" Aurora stepped to the side to disy the injured cadet. "He''s injured, can''t you see?" "Is he dead?" "....No?" "So what''s the problem?" Kiera scratched her ears as if she couldn''t be bothered to argue. She didn''t seem at all interested in arguing. On the other hand, Aoife seemed to be trying her best to talk things with the other instructors who hade but I couldn''t quite hear their conversations. But with just a nce, I could tell that she was probably feeling a massive headache. "Do you see what we''re dealing with? She''s unhinged, and just before you came here, she... she..." Aurora''s mouth twitched as she hesitated to speak. "What''s so difficult about saying what I said?" Giving a frown to the troubled look she was wearing, Kiera heaved out a sigh. "I said lick my balls. It''s not really hard to say it, is it?" "....." Aurora turned to look at Professor Hollowe whose face froze. Then, out of nowhere, he mumbled in a tone that only I could hear, ''It must be hard to bounce back from that.'' "....!" I bit my tongue. The sharp pain made its way into my mind as my left eye twitched due to the pain.


    At the same time, I stared at Kiera in wonder as she met my gaze and red at me with a look that seemed to say, ''What do you want?'' ''....She really did end up saying the same thing.'' At least she was consistent. "Professor, do you see what I''m dealing with? I don''t think we can work with someone like that." "Oh please, we both know why you''re doing what you''re trying to do." "What are you talking about?" "Do you think I''m stupid? It''s not my fault you have little to no self-confidence in your own skills that you''d have to resort to such a cheap method in order to get a starting position, but I''m not that stupid." "What?" "In any case, fuck off. If you want the spot, beat me. Otherwise..." Kiera flipped her off. "...You know where to lick." Kiera suddenly began taking off her protective equipment. From the shoulder pads to the stomach pads, she removed everything and seemed to be getting ready to leave, until Professor Hollowe stopped her. "What are you doing?" "I''m leaving." Kiera looked up. "I doubt this shit will get resolved anytime soon so I might as well just get changed now and deal with it in morefortable clothes. The sweat is kind of bugging me, and shit." "Wait, stop." Professor Hollowe held her arm and stopped her from changing further. "Uh?" "Don''t change, give me a second." Letting go of her arm, the Professor approached the other delegates and talked to them. I stood from my spot, staring at him and wondering what he was nning on doing before he eventually came back. "Alright." He pped once, gathering the attention of everyone present. "I need all attention on me for a second." His words were effective as everyone turned to look at him. Taking in all the gazes, the Professor began to speak. "I see that there''s been a small conflict. I understand what has happened, and..." With a meaningful look, Professor Hollowe looked at both sides. "....I know what you''re trying to do, so I won''t interfere too much. If you want to resolve this matter, then I have a solution." He pointed at the Haven side. "We will have a match between the two groups. Whoever wins gets thest say, how about it?" Professor Hollowe looked at both sides expectantly. To make matters worse, he turned to look at me and then the injured person from the other group. "Oh, right. Since one of your members is injured, how about you join their side? It will make things more interesting." The sudden suggestion made everyone''s gaze fall on me. Feeling their gazes, I kept my face straight while staring back at the Professor. Really...? But still, looking around and seeing how the situation was turning out, this was probably the fastest method to get things done quickly. "That''s fine." "....We can do that." The foreign side seemed to be okay with the suggestion. On the other hand, the Haven side wasn''t too sure. ...That was until Leon whispered something to Aoife who found herself reluctantly nodding her head and agreeing as well. "We are fine with it too." "Great!" Professor Hollowe pped his hands. "I''ll give you both ten minutes to get ready. I''ll let you know when the timees." With a happy smile, the Professor went on to leave the area. Staring at him, I didn''t know how to feel and turned to face my group. They all seemed to be staring at me with peculiar gazes before asking, "Tell us everything that you know about them. Don''t leave anything out." Their tone was quite aggressive, but I didn''t mind it. Turning to look at the other group for a brief moment, I looked back at my group and joined them. "dly." *** "Why did you tell me to agree?" Aoife looked at Leon in confusion. The two of them, or pretty much all of them knew how annoying it could be to deal with Julien. If not for Leon telling her to agree to it, she would''ve thought for long before deciding. At the same time, she red at Kiera. "Why?" "What?" "....Do you always have to antagonize everyone like that?" "Nah, stop. You already know what they were trying to pull. I get that you''re a pushover, but I''m not." "That''s not it." Aoife ruffled the back of her head. While it was true that she understood that the situation had all been fabricated by them, she also knew where they wereing from. This was an important stage for everyone, one that would help decide their futures. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Everyone wanted to have a firm grasp of the starting spot, and given that all other groups came from different backgrounds, they didn''t have the same synergy as thoseing from the same Academy. It was for that reason that some practices were unfair. ....This was the reason why some acted the way that they did. Aoife understood this and was nning on giving them some leeway before Kiera went ahead and ruined everything. ''Whatever, what''s done is already done.'' With a heavy sigh, Aoife looked at her group. "Since the situation has turned out like this, we have no choice but to do as we are asked. Most of you should already be somewhat familiar with how they work, but you should still be on guard for some skills that they have yet to reveal. In fact..." Just briefly, Aoife tried to nce in Julien''s direction, and the moment she did, her face froze as she noticed him talking with them while pointing in their general direction. "Wait, is this fucker really telling them everything?" "That..." Aoife didn''t know how to respond as she stared at Julien with open eyes. "That traitor." "We are in different groups." Leon suddenly interjected, lookingpletely unperturbed by the sight. Kiera and Aoife looked at each other. Just as they were about to say something, Professor Hollowe appeared again. "Ten minutes have passed, please get both sides ready." "What? Already!?" Kiera looked at the Professor dumbstruck. "That was too fast. I think your watch is broken. Check again. There''s no way ten minutes have already passed!" The only thing she received in response was a helpless shrug from the Professor. "Tsk." In the end, with a click of her tongue, she had no choice but to get in position as they stared at the opposing team. Aoife took a deep breath and set her eyes on Julien who stood at the very back. Their n was actually fairly simple. Take Julien out first before taking out the others. He was currently the biggest problem for them. It wasn''t just his emotive magic that was annoying to deal with, but his threads. Those were especially annoying to deal with. This was what everyone agreed on, and as all eyes turned to look at the Professor who had his arm raised, a sudden silence took over the space. A strange tension lingered over the surroundings as both sides turned to stare at each other. And then, "Start." The Professor waved down his hand,mencing the start of the fight. Immediately, both sides sprang into action. Or at least, tried to. Snap¡ª


    A sudden snapping sound echoed, spreading throughout every inch of the surroundings. It wasn''t loud, but it gave the effect that it was as both sides stood frozen on the spot. Lifting her head, Aoife looked towards the figure that stood at the back. His hazel eyes, deep as they were, seemed even deeper than they had ever been, and as his gaze lingered over his hand, the members of his group suddenly took several steps back as their faces turned pale. "Ukh...!" They all seemed to be looking at Professor Hollowe, but he stood still without so much as a change in his expression. And that was when Aoife heard it. "Snake." It was Leon who stared at Julien from beside her. "...He''s a snake."

 Chapter 263 Understanding [2]

    Chapter 263 Understanding [2]


    "....." An immediate silence followed after Julien''s actions. All eyes were on the opposing team whose faces were pale as they struggled to move. It was a sudden situation that took everyone aback, but the culprit behind the situation was clear for everyone to see. Kiera, who had previously been scolding Julien, stood still before smacking her thigh andughing. "Kakaka, there you have it. That''s the spirit!" She seemed to be enjoying the situation. "I knew from the start that you were on our side!" Leon, on the other hand, continued to mumble the same thing over and over again as he shook his head, ''....And he called me a snake. He''s the real snake.'' Evelyn, who stood next to him, stared at him with a confused look as she took a step back while Aoife nced at Julien for a brief moment before feeling the urge to smack her head. "Alright, looks like this isn''t going to work." With a sigh, Professor Hollowe waved his hand and the opposing cadets were immediately able to breathe again. "Haaa... Haa..." "This!" "Professor...!" As expected, the moment the cadets got it together, they all red in Julien''s direction. He stood at the back with a passive look, taking in their gazes without much of a reaction. He acted as if none of this was his doing. ''No, it''s your doing.'' Aoife felt her face harden. Things grew progressively worse when two people headed over to their side. Immediately, Aoife felt a massive headacheing her way. In particr when sheid her gaze on the figure on the right. His height was average. With long ck hair and nted green eyes, he didn''t appear all that threatening at first nce, but Aoife knew the man all too well. ''Vice-Chancellor of the Bremmer Central Academy.'' She had seen him multiple times in the past back when she still used to reside in the Megrail Estate. He woulde to visit from time to time in order to ry to the Emperor any messages that the Chancellor of the Academy had. Aoife didn''t have a good feeling when she saw him head in Julien''s direction. ''He''s not happy.'' This much was clear to Aoife who prepared to speak up. However, contrary to her assumptions, Vice-Chancellor Soren wasn''t actually angry. With squinted eyes, he marched forward and he set his eyes on the cadet responsible for all of this. A clean ck uniform with the Haven logo imprinted on the side. Looks that could be considered amongst the best of those he had seen, and an unperturbed, almost immovable gaze that didn''t waver even as his gaze was on him. "State your name." The Vice-Chancellor spoke in a calm and even tone, but there was an undeniable tone of authority within his voice that made his request seem more like an order than anything else. "....." Ack of reaction. The cadet didn''t seem to be inclined to respond. Taking in the reaction, the Vice-Chancellor briefly closed his eyes. ''Another troublesome one. How do they all end up going to Haven?'' He had already seen what had happened long ago. Not only the girl with white hair but the boy before him. How did Haven manage to recruit such troublesome cadets?


    "His name is Julien." "....Answer when he''s speaking. Stop with your nonsense." Several voices interrupted from the side. They were the other members from the Haven Institute as they neared him and tugged him by the clothes, shaking his body and making his head sway from left to right. The sight was aical one. Had it been any other asion, the Vice-Chancellor would''veughed, but the situation changed the moment he heard the name. "Julien?" The Vice-Chancellor''s eyes squinted as he took a better look at the cadet before him. "....As in the previous ck Star? The one who had to forfeit his role due to an injury?" His words were met with several looks of shock. They mainly belonged to those who hadn''t participated in the mid-terms and hadn''t watched them. "He''s the previous ck Star?" He certainly had the looks for it, but... Several gazes fell on Leon who stood next to Julien. ''He would make a more fitting ck Star.'' At a nce, one could easily tell that he was the strongest of the group. This was especially clear to the Vice-Chancellor who was an Arch-Wizard. ''.....It can also be that he just doesn''t want to be the ck Star.'' Taking into ount that Aoife was the current ck Star, it made sense. She was also strong, but there was something about that gray-eyed cadet that looked differentpared to the rest. Upon thinking for a moment, the Vice-Chancellor opened his mouth. "Are you the previous ck Star, Julien Dacre Evenus?" ".....I am." With a slight nod, Julien''s eyes squinted. "But who are you?" The surroundings went quiet as everyone from the Haven side in some form or another smacked their own forehead. The Vice-Chancellor went quiet. He wasn''t angry. He didn''t expect everyone to know who he was. Seeing the look on the cadet''s face, he could see that he meant no harm with his question. "I am the Vice-Chancellor of the Bremmer Central Academy." "Oh." Julien nodded, but the lost look on his face couldn''t be hidden. Then, slowly, he turned his head to look at his peers. ".....What Academy is tha¡ª!" "Cover his mouth! Don''t let him speak further." Aoife hastily covered his mouth with her hand. Joining her was Kiera who went behind him as she hooked her arm around his neck. "Fucking idiot! Why do you always do this? There''s a time and ce for this shit." ".....!" Stunned, Julien looked around to meet Leon''s gaze as he stood still with a frozen t expression. But if one paid close attention, they''d notice the subtle shaking of his shoulders. ''This...''


    Staring at the scene, the Vice-Chancellor didn''t know how to react. What sort of situation was this? "What are you doing, Leon? Help us get him away from here!" "Yes." With stiff movements, Leon moved forward grabbed Julien by the back, and tried to drag him away. At the same time, Aoife let go and addressed the Vice-Chancellor. "Vice-Chancellor, I apologize for what you saw. He tends to do this often. He''s not trying to offend anyone... He just tends not to go out often." "....I see." The Vice-Chancellor squinted his eyes. She seemed easier to talk to than the rest. He should''ve probably addressed her first. Things wouldn''t have gotten to this point had he done that from the start. "I can see that he didn''t mean anything bad by his words. I am not offended." "I''m d that is the case." Aoife secretly sighed in relief while silently ring at Julien from the corner of her eyes. He and Kiera... why did they always end up provoking everyone with their nonsense? "Are you really the strongest in your group?"


    The sudden question threw Aoife off-guard as she stiffened on the spot. "Pardon?" "Don''t get me wrong. I can see that you''re strong but isn''t the title you currently hold something that is given to the strongest?" "....Yes, that''s the case."


    Aoife pursed her lips. As expected, he could see right through the fact that she wasn''t the strongest in the group. "Then...?" He didn''t finish his sentence, but as his gaze wandered behind her, Aoife understood what he was trying to imply. Rxing her brows, Aoife inwardly sighed. ''It came down to this in the end.''


    Lifting her head, Aoife opened her mouth to reply when a voice suddenly cut, "A person''s rank doesn''t reflect their true strength." "....It''s as I said. A person''s rank doesn''t reflect their true strength." Stunned, Aoife turned her head to see Julien standing at the back with Kiera and Leon by his side. The Vice-Chancellor''s head tilted as his gaze wandered toward Julien.


    "What do you mean by that?" "....It''s as I said. A person''s rank doesn''t reflect their true strength." Julien turned his gaze toward Leon. "He''s ranked higher but I beat him." Leon stood in silence without a change of expression. Julien was partially right. He had indeed beaten Leon, but there were a few things that he had left out. Such as the fact that it had happened a long time ago...


    But this was something only they knew. To the Vice-Chancellor, the piece of information seemed shocking and almost unbelievable. "Is he telling the truth?" "Yes." Leon replied shortly after. ''Is this a lie...?'' Despite Leon agreeing, the Vice-Chancellor didn''t buy it. He had keen eyes, and he could see at a nce just how powerful Leon was. In his mind, the two of them were lying to protect Aoife''s honor. ''How cute.''


    But. His eyes turned cold. "I don''t like it when I''m being made fun of like this." The air suddenly grew tense. Aoife, who stood by the side shuddered at the sudden change. The same was true for everyone present. "....I''ll give you onest chance to tell me the truth." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Vice-Chancellor''s cold voice echoed throughout the area, gently spreading throughout every corner as the air around them chilled considerably. "Did you really defeat him, or is this all a lie you made up to protect her honor?" "I didn''t lie." Julien remained firm with his answer. "I defeated him." "Yes." Leon also added to his statement. ''These two...'' The Vice-Chancellor felt his brows knit together tightly as his eyes lingered over the two. He couldn''t detect any changes in their expressions, and it almost seemed like they were telling the truth, but he believed his eyes. He didn''t think this was true at all. They were messing with him. Even if Julien was an Emotive Mage, the Vice-Chancellor could see the huge gap in rank between the two.


    Especially since Leon had undergone body reformation. ....It was simply impossible. "I have shown restraint when you did what you did to the other cadets, but what I dislike the most is when I''m being lied to. If you¡ª" "I''m weaker than the two of them." A voice suddenly cut through. Immediately, all eyes fell on Aoife who had her head lowered. "Even if what they said is the truth and you might find it hard to believe them, I am indeed weaker than them. The title doesn''t belong to me but to Julien. I only took it since he was injured. I will be giving it back to him when I have to go ahead." Aoife''s eyes trembled as she managed to articte her words carefully. The situation was getting out of control, and she didn''t want things to escte further. With that being said, she was a little happy that the others were willing to help her, but Aoife had alreadye to terms with her inadequacies. She knew she was weaker than them, and she also knew others could see it. There was no need to lie like that. "....."


    The surroundings turned quiet after Aoife''s words as all eyes fell on her. Aoife didn''t look up. She didn''t want to see those gazes. All she could do was look down. On the other hand, the Vice-Chancellor was smirking. ''I knew it was a lie.'' There was simply no way his eyes could deceive him. "It wasn''t so hard to say this, was it?" He brushed his hair back lightly, taking a quick nce at Julien and Leon. He was a little disappointed in the two, but he hid his feelings. For now, they were all on the same side, and there was no need for him to go hard on them. The only reason he hade was due to how the situation amongst the cadets was unfolding. Had it not been for that, he would''ve remained at the back. "Alright, since¡ª" "....I didn''t lie. I did beat him." Clench.


    The Vice-Chancellor clenched his teeth as his gaze fell back toward Julien. ''Still not giving up?'' It had been a while since he had felt this ticked off. On the other hand, Aoife was staring at Julien with slightly open eyes. ''What are you doing?'' She had done all of this so that the situation would smooth over quickly. Why was he doing this? "I didn''t lie, and I can''t be bothered to lie." Julien stepped forward, his steps gently echoing throughout as he came close to the Vice-Chancellor. "If you don''t believe me, then you can test me yourself." Suddenly, Julien closed his eyes. When he opened them again, as if the very air had been sucked out of the area, the color of his eyes changed.


    From hazel to red, and from red to purple...


    "...." "...." What in the world?

 Chapter 264 Understanding [3]

    Chapter 264 Understanding [3]


    The Vice-Chancellor''s face went stiff. ''What is this guy trying to do?'' Test it yourself?


    Against who exactly? The Vice-Chancellor stared silently. "....Are you sure about your request?" "I am certain." "I won''t go easy. If you can''t take it, then there''s a chance that you might get injured." "That''s fine. I don''t have a problem with that." "You sure sound confident." "Because I am." The situation turned serious all of a sudden. To those around, the situation didn''t quite make sense, but those listening carefully understood something. The Vice-Chancellor was going to personally test the im with his own strength, and were Julien failed to meet his standard, then there was a chance he would get seriously injured. It was a baffling turn of events. One that made those from the Haven side suddenly grow nervous. "Does this have to happen?" "Why do you need to check if both sides said that it happened?" "Wouldn''t it be better if he just sparred with Leon to show that he wasn''t lying?" "How about it?" The Vice-Chancellor eyed Leon. Listening to thest proposition, he decided to give the cadet onest shred of mercy. But. "I''m good." He didn''t take it. No, he didn''t seem to be remotely interested in taking it. Staring into those eyes, the Vice-Chancellor understood something. ''I''m his objective.''


    But why? Clench. The Vice-Chancellor clenched his fists as his eyes turned cold. "Very well." He turned back and waved his hand. "For now, everyone step back." His gaze lingered over the Professor from Haven. Their eyes met and with a subtle nod, the Haven Professor understood the intentions and moved the cadets back. As the cadets dispersed, Julien remained still on his spot. "Julien." Leon furrowed his brows at the sight of him. "Is your decision set?" "Yes." Julien calmly patted his clothes. Aoife, who stood by the side also didn''t seem very convinced. It had been a while since she hadst seen his strength. She had caught glimpses of it during the time when he fought the Archbishop, but she hadn''t seen much given that he had been defeated by Kaelion. He was certainly strong, but his opponent was the Vice-Chancellor of the Bremmer Academy. He sat right beneath the Monarch seat. How could Julien deal with someone like him? If the Vice-Chancellor wanted, he''d be able to swat Julien with the swat of his hand. "On second thought, I don''t think¡ª" "Shut up." Kiera cut her off all of a sudden. As Aoife turned her head, she saw Kiera staring at Julien with narrowed eyes. "I am stubborn, right?" "Come again?" What did that have to do with the situation? Kiera changed her gaze to meet Aoife''s. "I didn''t think it was possible, but he''s far more stubborn than I am. There''s no point stepping in. He''s already made up his mind." "Ah." Aoife found herself unable to say a word back. Indeed, Julien''s decision was set. It was only Aoife who didn''t understand this. Only then did she rx and take a deep breath. As she did, she nced at Leon. He seemedpletely fine as if none of this mattered to him. However, upon closer look, Aoife noticed his slightly trembling right hand as he tightly gripped the hilt of his sword. It was one of those rare times when Aoife saw Leon appear extremely focused. Aoife could see that he was prepared to act out at any given second. Only then did she rx and look back at Julien. ''I guess he does care about you.'' It always looked like the two hated each other, but that looked like the furthest thing from the truth. At least, in Aoife''s eyes. And what about her? What would she do if Julien was in danger? Aoife didn''t need to think long and hard. ''I''ll do the same.'' She may not deserve to be the ck Star, but since she had the title, then she didn''t n on bringing shame to the name. Just like Leon, she was ready to jump in at any second. Aoife didn''t need to look back to know that everyone else was of the same feeling. Julien set himselffortably at the center of the space. On the opposite end stood the Vice-Chancellor. Everyone''s eyes were on the two. From the anxious gazes of those from the Haven side to the confused gazes and almost baffled gazes of the rest. Julien could feel all sorts of gazes on him. "....." He understood where they came from. His actions were that of a crazy man. The Vice-Chancellor was amongst the strongest people within the capital, and yet, he was asking someone like that to test his skills. And not only that, he had done so in such a provocative manner that left no leeway for himself. If Julien were to fail then the most likely of conclusions would be a very heavy injury he wouldn''t be able to recover any time soon. ''Yes, this is good.'' But this was exactly what Julien wanted. The entire scenario... It was something that he desired. ''How long has it been since then?'' Julien thought back to his experience during the time when he tried to absorb the Dragon''s Will. Those times had been some of the most traumatic of his life. He had seen and experienced so much during those times. To the point where he almost broke as a person. No, he did break. Just barely, he managed to keep his sanity. Only by sealing the memories of such times was he able to keep enough rationality to go on. But now? He didn''t have to. ....He understood who he was. He was in control of himself. And he understood his own emotions. For that reason, he wanted this. He wanted to fight the Vice-Chancellor to see just how far his current self had grown. As Julien''s eyes blinked, the color of his eyes changed again. Julien was unaware that this was happening, but as the color of his eyes changed, the emotions within him started to fade. The current Julien... He had reached the point where he could now directly seal whatever emotion he wanted to seal. Fear. Gone. Anger. Gone. Sadness. Gone. Joy. Gone. His face was nk, and his gaze grew deeper. He was slowlying to an understanding. But what? What was he understanding? The Vice-Chancellor frowned upon seeing the weird state Julien was in. ''What is he doing?''


    He didn''t understand what was going on. Staring at the cadet''s face, he couldn''t see much of a change in him. He still looked the same as before, and yet, his eyes seemed even deeper than before. The Vice-Chancellor, with all the wealth of experience he had, was someone who could tell how strong someone was with just a look. He had been confident before that the cadet before him was weaker than the other cadet, but he started to have doubts all of a sudden. ''....Could I have been wrong?'' It was odd. Very odd. He was never the type to doubt himself in these types of situations. And yet, he found himself doubting his own assessment. It was strangely exciting. "I''ll attack five times, and if you can withstand five attacks of mine, you will be allowed to attack once." Originally, the Vice-Chancellor only nned on attacking five times before calling it quits. If the cadet before him could withstand five attacks of his, then he was more than qualified to have said what he said. Thest attack on the other hand was different. If the cadet could withstand his attacks, and still be capable of fighting back, then things were different. Perhaps... The Vice-Chancellor thought of a certain woman.


    A terrifying one that took the Empire by storm. Staring at the cadet before him, he pursed his lips before shaking his head. ''I''m getting ahead of myself.'' Taking a deep breath, the Vice-Chancellor lightly raised his hand. "I will begin now." And pressed it against the air. Seven small magic circles formed at the same time. He didn''t give time for the cadet to prepare at the circles fully formed in seconds before the air twisted and with a loud ''pop'' seven high-speed ice shards flew in Julien''s direction. Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! Blood sprayed everywhere as the shards cut at Julien''s clothes, grazing past his legs, abdominal area, and face. Drip...! Drip. Staring at the scene, the Vice-Chancellor paused. "Why didn''t you dodge?" "....." A strange silence followed after his words as Julien slowly raised his head. Despite the cut on his face, he looked unperturbed. Then, his reply came. ".....There was no need to." "Oh?" "This little damage for a free attempt?" "Ah."


    It was then that the Vice-Chancellor understood and his lips twisted up slightly. "I see." How long had it been since he felt so irritated? The cadet in front of him was certainly doing great. "I won''t go easy then. If you do the same thing, then I''m afraid you won''t be able to walk for at least a year." The Vice-Chancellor pressed his hand against the air again. "Four more attempts." At the same time that he got ready, something changed about Julien. The Vice-Chancellor couldn''t quite put it in words, but he hesitated slightly. His finger trembled briefly, and he paused. ''What''s this...?'' The Vice-Chancellor felt the beat of his own heart. Putting everything together, he understood what was going on. Right. He was feeling fear. ''No, but how is this possible?'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Vice-Chancellor''s face hardened as he got rid of the emotion. Looking back at the cadet, who stood still, the air around him crackled. ''Howe I didn''t feel it? When did he influence me?'' The difference in rank between the two was vast. While it was true that ranks didn''t quite matter with Emotive Mages, the Vice-Chancellor refused to believe that such young Emotive Mage had influenced him of all people. It made no sense. ''It must''ve been apse on my side.'' At the same time, he pressed his hand against the air again. This time, the number of circles went from seven to fourteen. The direction in which they were aimed made it impossible for Julien to do the same thing as before. Xiu! A familiar ''popping'' sound echoed through the air as the ice shards tore through it with speed that the naked eye couldn''t follow. Be it speed, power, aim, and quantity. The attack was on apletely different level than the previous one. Many of those watching could hardly react to the sudden attack. Only a few could follow it, and even as they were able to, their expressions hardened. But what about Julien? ''Ah, this...''


    He stared at the iing attacks with an air of familiarity. A familiar memory surfaced in his mind. It was during the seventh cycle. In an illusion where he found himself wishing he could die over and over again, he experienced something simr. Even now, he could recall the numerous alerts that had popped up in his vision. A maddening experience that almost broke him. Such was the seventh cycle, and as he stared at the iing attacks, Julien couldn''t help but smile as he brought his hand forward and clenched it into a fist. Kwang¡ª! Everything stopped the moment he did. "Uh?" In the eyes of all present, fourteen chrystals appeared hovering in the air. Yes, hovering. Almost as if time had frozen for them. But... "What are those?"


    Circling each and every shard with pin-point precision was a small... Thread. ***


    I''m feeling better, tomorrow chapters will most likely return to normal. With a squint of his eyes, the Vice-Chancellor finally saw them.

 Chapter 265 Understanding [4]

    Chapter 265 Understanding [4]


    The Seventh Cycle. One of the many cycles that I had experienced in the Will world. Even now, I could still remember all of it. *Puff* The pungent aroma of tobo that filled the air.


    The smoke was warm and harsh as it entered my lungs. Lazily curling through the air, it left a lingering, acrid scent on my clothes and hair.


    A slight burn lingered at the back of my throat, coating my tongue as a sense of calm took over. It was a cycle that I would never forget. .....In that cycle, I indulged in the past. Relished the sense of calm that the cigarettes used to bring me. But that wasn''t all. *Sip* Gripping the coarse-textured ss, I slowly savored the warm burn spreading down my throat.


    It was simr, yet different. "Haa..." I remembered sinking into the sofa. It embraced every part of me and dragged me deeper into the sweetfort and allure of it. My mind grew stagnant and all thoughts paused. I gradually lost all sense of thought and just basked in thefort. I couldn''t focus at all. All I could think of was about indulging myself in the pleasure. Notifications continued to pop up in my vision. It was... [Joy] Indeed, I was happy. Indulging in the sensation, all I felt was joy. But I knew it was fake. A means of escapism. And yet, knowing this, I still indulged myself. The more I sunk into this feeling, the more I found myself unable to leave it. I wanted to bask in the pleasure for longer. Perhaps even forever. I had suffered way too much. Why couldn''t I enjoy myself? This much was fine, right? ''It''s not.'' Sadly, it wasn''t. I knew it, and thus, I had no choice but to leave it. It was during that cycle that I first learned I could let go of an emotion. [Joy] I let go of it. The world lost all its color. Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! The air ''popped'' the moment the Vice-Chancellor attacked. I didn''t know how fast the attacks were, nor did I know their trajectory. It was the unknown that made my heart beat faster. ....It was almost as if fear was trying to lodge itself in my mind. But I didn''t let it. The Twentieth Cycle. "Uwaa!" Blood lingered on the pavement as I heard the sound of a crying child. I stood still, staring at the wreckage that was upon me.


    Pieces of flesh and limbs were scattered across the ground as police lines prevented me from moving further. In my grasp, a head nestled itself into my leg as my brother continued to cry. "It was a drunk driver." So the police said. It was a memory of the past. The time when I learned of my parent''s death. I had been quite young back then. That was the moment when my life turned upside down.


    That was the first time I had truly felt fear. ....What was I supposed to do? I had a younger brother and no job. No rtives to turn to, and hardly any savings. What was my life going to be? That was my first trauma. The twentieth cycle reyed the scene over and over again for me. It made me see things that I hadn''t seen before. How the ident came to be, and all the gruesome parts that came with it. Regardless of my struggles, I couldn''t take my eyes away from the scene. I was stuck in an endless cycle.


    ....That was until the scene changed and I was shown my second trauma. "You have been diagnosed with cancer." The doctor sat in front of me. Just like before, he ryed to me the news of my cancer. The feeling of emptiness, loneliness, and fear that I had experienced back then. I was made to relieve them over and over again. I had lost count of the number of times that I was made to experience such feelings, but... That was the second time that I was able to learn how to let go of an emotion. [Fear] I let go of it. Staring straight ahead, knowing that powerful spells were headed my way, potentially crippling me were I to not avoid them, my face remained firm. I looked ahead without a change in expression. Whatever wasing at me, it didn''t bother me. I had already set the fear aside. All the thoughts that ran in my mind were on how to handle the iing attacks. The mana inside of my body drained and I pressed my foot down. ....That was when the gravity around me increased significantly. It was subtle, but enough to slow down the projecticles. That was enough for me to see them, and make an urate prediction of where they were going to move. The threads did the rest from that point. "....." A stifling silence took over the arena grounds as I stood still. Around me, over fourteen different projectiles appeared. They all hovered in the air right before me, some of the sharp chrystals pausing right next to my neck. I stared at them without any feeling. When I looked up, all I could see was the baffled look from the Vice-Chancellor. That''s when I opened my mouth. "That''s the second attempt." *** "...." The Vice-Chancellor stared at the youth in front of him with a look of bafflement. The attack just now was not something that was supposed to be stopped without any harm. While he didn''t think it could be stopped, he at least thought the cadet would suffer substantial injuries. And yet... ''....He actually managed to stop it.''


    It was hard for the Vice-Chancellor to hide his surprise at the sudden development. He wasn''t the only one that was surprised. Staring at the scene, Leon, Aoife, and the others were just as surprised as he was. ''How did he stop that?''


    ''....I''m ranked higher than him, and yet, he was able to stop that attack? How?'' Julien was not stronger than them in terms of ranking. This much was clear to everyone present, and it was also what baffled everyone. He wasn''t stronger than them in terms of ranking and yet appeared to be able to handle things that some of them struggled to imagine being able to handle. It made no sense. "How did he do it?" This was especially baffling to Aoife who stared at the scene with narrowed eyes. She had seen the entire action from start to finish, and yet, she not once was able to see the trajectory of all fourteen projectiles. Had she been in his position, Aoife thought she''d at best be able toe out with heavy injuries. Aoife attributed a lot of Julien''s strength to his emotive magic. Without his emotive magic, she thought that she was stronger. And yet... "His mentality." Leon suddenly spoke from the side. Staring at Julien, who stood at the center of it all, he closed his eyes for a brief moment. ".....Subconsciously, we all think about what will happen if the attacks hit us and how to mitigate the damage to the maximum." Leon went on to say, opening his eyes to stare at Julien again. "He doesn''t care." "Uh?" "What do you mean by that?" Leon frowned. What did he mean by that? Well, it was obvious what he meant. ''He''s erased all traces of fear from his mind.''


    It was a baffling concept that he couldn''t understand, nor was he sure was really the case, but staring in Julien''s direction and seeing how unperturbed he was, Leon was sure that he was right. In some baffling turn of events, Julien was able to seal certain emotions. If it was really true, then...


    "Haa." Leon let out a look breath and shook his head. ''Crazy. It''s crazy.'' "I''ll start the next attempt." The Vice-Chancellor''s voice brought everyone out of their thoughts. Looking ahead, everyone noticed a sudden shift in his demenour. If before he appeared somewhat serious, the current him looked different. He no longer seemed to want to test Julien. No, as of right now, he seemed to want to truly fight him. ''He''sing.''


    Noticing the sudden shift in the Vice-Chancellor''s demenour, Julien''s face remained nk. The color of his eyes shifted, and he sunk deeper into a state of ''forgetfulness''. At the same time, his legs started to part and he took a step forward. Tak¡ª


    It was a gentle step, and yet, it echoed loudly within the area. ''He''s going forward?'' n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''Why is he heading forward?''


    All eyes were on him as they noticed three magic circles forming around the Vice-Chancellor. The number of attacks looked smaller, but everyone could tell that they were stronger. With a wave of his hand, the three magic circles popped off at once. Wooom! Julien''s face remained firm as the attacks shot. His expression was like that of a nk canvas, pure and untainted. And as the attacks headed his way, he took another step forward.


    Tak¡ª


    At the same time, his mind sunk deeper into the cycles he experienced. It was now the forty-eight cycle. ....Of all the cycles, it was the weirdest cycle of them all. In that cycle, he was made to experience something simr. A situation where he couldn''t retreat. It was a bloody cycle. A cycle that pushed his mind to the limit, and forced him to his death in an uncoutable number of times. Julien stared ahead. Time seemed to have frozen for him. He could see the Vice-Chancellor on the opposite end, but he couldn''t see the projectiles. It was almost as if they weren''t there, but... Julien could feel it with every fiber of his being. The danger that was closely approaching him. Tak¡ª


    He took another step forward. As he did, his eyes fluctuated, turning a golden color as [Joy] returned to him. As it did, his lips gently moved upwards as he was reminded of a certain someone. ''I really do have to thank him for this.'' It wasn''tpleted, but it was enough. Looking ahead, he took another step forward. The moment he did, several shadows cast over the area around him. One directly behind him, one next to his left temple, and the other one right before his abdominal area. ....It all urred so fast that nobody had any time to see what was happening. All but two people. The Vice-Chancellor, and Leon who suddenly opened his eyes as he suddenly took note of Julien''s footwork. ''That...!'' His eyes opened wide, and in the next moment, the scene changed. Bang¡ª! A loud explosion echoed, gathering the attention of all those present. "....!" All eyes shot open as they stared at the scene in shock. For the next few seconds, no sound was heard. Not until...


    Drip! A loud dripping sound echoed throughout the surroundings as a figure appeared in the middle, kneeling. Drip...! Beneath him, a pool of blood formed. But even as blood pooled around him, his gaze remained fixed on the Vice-Chancellor who stared at the scene in utter andplete shock. "Three.." Julien mumbled quietly, "...That''s three."

 Chapter 266 Understanding [5]

    266 Understanding [5]


    "Ah!?" Everyone stood in shock as their eyes set on Julien who stood in the middle with blood pooling around him. Drip! Drip! Besides the gentle dripping sound that echoed through the air, no other sound was heard. "....."


    Within that silence, Leon stared at Julien with open eyes. ''How...?'' He could hardly find any words to describe what he had seen. The others, not even the vice-chancellor, may not have understood what had happened, but he did. Of course, he did. How could he not when, ''....That''s my footwork.'' No, it was different. It was the same, but different at the same time. "But, how?" Leon found himself unable to tear his gaze away from Julien. The shock he was currently experiencing was hard to describe.


    The footwork that Julien currently disyed was something that he had been trying to figure out for a very long time. He had been nning on teaching him but never had the time to, considering how things turned out. And yet... "He did it." It was still iplete, but he had taken a step closer than he had. ....And it was at this moment that Leon''s lips pulled up slightly. "I knew it." Rather than jealousy, or anger, Leon felt a different emotion. It wasn''t a negative emotion, and it was also an ironic one. But... ''I knew that he was talented in this aspect.'' He was happy. For himself, and for Julien. ....Leon finally found someone who could help him grow stronger in the aspect he struggled so much to improve on. But only if he knew... If he knew that this was the furthest thing from the truth. It wasn''t that Julien was talented in this aspect. He was to some degree, but the truth was different. This was the result of an endless amount of deaths and torture. The desperation that the forty-eight cycle brought was what forced him to throw everything he had aside and recreate something that he had only managed to catch glimpses of in the past. A maddening cycle thatsted far longer than he could remember, and a cycle that made him forget the meaning of death. Drip! As blood dripped down from the wounds covering his body, Julien stared ahead. ''I''m d it worked.'' Julien clenched his teeth.


    The muscles on his body were screaming, and his joints were creaking.


    This had been the first time that he had performed this move, and it proved effective, but at the same time, the strain it had on his body was quiterge. But things were far from over. There were two more attacks to go. He wasn''t done yet. "....You''re doing better than I thought." The Vice-Chancellor stared at the cadet in front of him in satisfaction. At the same time, he was also confused. ''Those were movement techniques that I saw.''


    Something that usually only belonged to those of the [Body] type. Was it possible that the cadet in front of him was talented in that aspect as well?


    ''A [Mind] and [Body] user?'' An interestingbination. Especially thest movements. They were quite straightforward, but he had a hard time figuring them out. While the [Body] category was outside of his expertise, he was somewhat familiar with a lot of different movement techniques. It was the first time he had seen something so unique. ''Maybe he didn''t lie...''


    No. The Vice-Chancellor already understood that the cadet in front of him hadn''t lied about beating the other cadet. Since he already knew, why continue? He could just stop things now, and be done with the test. The cadet had done more than enough to prove him wrong. But...


    ''More... I want to see more.''


    The Vice-Chancellor knew that there was more he could squeeze out from the cadet in front of him. That he had only glimpsed at the tip of the iceberg. "I''ll start the fourth attempt." Julien forced himself back up as he ignored the paining all over his body. He was feeling a little light-headed from the blood loss, but his focus remained firm. Through numerous cycles, he was able to keep himself focused until the very end. Even as his bones shattered, and all the blood left his body. Until hisst breath, he nned on remaining focused. "Go." "Mhm." The Vice-Chancellor''s expression shifted. It was even more serious than before. Extending his hand forward, a single magic circle appeared. It was smaller than the previous ones, and the mana it let out was also significantly smaller. It didn''t look like anything great, and yet, the entire atmosphere turned tense. "Just one?" Julien''s eyes narrowed at the sight of the magic circle, his body trembling as every part of his body screamed ''danger''. ".....Observe carefully. If you''re not careful, you''ll die." With a warning, the magic circle in front of him condensed. Upon seeing the change, Julien''s face turned stiff. The attack was formidable. The density of the mana surrounding the magic circle was something he couldn''t find the words to describe.


    It was unlike anything that had been gathered at him before, and every muscle on his body stiffened. But,


    ''¡­I''ve experienced worse.''


    Twentieth cycle, fifty-fifth cycle, seventy-eight cycle, and ny-first cycle.


    Each and every one of those cycles had put him in a worse position.


    Julien''s gaze remained calm. He couldn''t erase all emotions, but he managed to erase the fear from his mind. He could think clearly.


    That was all that mattered.


    Julien wasn''t the only one concentrating. The Vice-Chancellor was in the same position. The attack wasn''t an easy one, and he needed to put in a lot of concentration.


    It wasn''t so much that the attack was extremely strong, but the Vice-Chancellor had to finely control the attack so that it wouldn''t affect those around them.


    This was, after all, just a test.


    ''It''sing.''


    "I''m ready."


    The magic circle pulsed.


    The very air around the magic circlepressed as it hummed ominously, and with a gentle ''pop'', the attack shot. It was a single ice shard with an incredibly sharp tip that was aimed in Julien''s direction.


    Wooom¡ª!


    Unlike the first few attacks, it wasn''t fast. Everyone could trace the attack with their eyes, and yet, none felt like they could dodge it at all.


    No, was it even possible to dodge it in the first ce?


    Leon didn''t think so.


    Nor did everyone that was spectating the fight. As if the attack had some sort of maic effect, it dulled everyone''s minds, making it hard for them to think properly. Just what sort of¡­?


    Xiuuu¡ª!


    The air grew tense as the attack neared Julien. The more Julien looked, the more he felt helpless.


    He tried to move his feet, but they refused to move. As if they were glued to the pavement, he could only watch the iing attack.


    Julien stood on his spot without moving.


    How could he handle this?


    Wooom¡ª!


    It was at that moment that something unexpected urred. The ice shard stopped right a few meters ahead of Julien and hovered on the spot. ¡­.It was an odd sight that the others couldn''t exin.


    For a moment, everyone thought that something had gone wrong, but how could that be the case? In the few seconds of silence that took over right after the shard stopped, the air vibrated with even more force and cracks formed around the shard.


    Then¡­


    Bang!


    With an explosion, the shard shattered into thousands of ice crystals. All of a sudden, a single shard turned into a thousand little ones, encircling Julien in all directions.


    It was at that moment that Julien came to an understanding.


    ''I can''t dodge that.''


    It was impossible to dodge.


    Even if he used everything he had in his arsenal, it was impossible for him to dodge it.


    So what could he do now?


    ''¡­It''s notplicated.''


    Julien''s mind remained calm. Never before had his mind been clearer. He had several hundred different experiences he could sort through in his mind. They were memories he had once sealed, but now had no trouble looking into and reliving again. Helpless circumstances weren''t things he couldn''t handle anymore.


    Tak¡ª


    He took a step forward. ''That footwork¡­?''


    The Vice-Chancellor looked at the strange step Julien was performing before shaking his head.


    ''It''s impossible to dodge.''


    And even if he did¡­


    The Vice-Chancellor looked down and shook his head again.


    08:01


    Tak¡ª


    Julien took another step forward. At the same time he did, all the crystals had formed and with multiple ''popping'' sounds, they shot in his direction.


    Xiuuuu¡ª! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The air around Julien stirred.


    A chain formed and coiled around his left arm. As if it had a mind of its own, it moved around his arm before falling into his grasp.


    nk¡ª!


    With a ''nk'', Julien stood still as the crystalsappeared to surround him.


    They were now only a few centimeters away from him.


    Swoosh!


    He swung the chain forward.


    His hand turned bloody the moment he swung the chain forward. The eyes of this watching widened, and just behind him, more shards appeared, seemingly close to getting to his back.


    Still, a path had opened up. This was all Julien had been waiting for.


    Until the veryst moment, he stood calmly and waited for this moment.


    Even as his hand was no longer usable, he pressed his foot forward and shot in the Vice-Chancellor''s direction.


    "Hmm?"


    The Vice-Chancellor stared at the scene in surprise and bafflement. Waiting until the veryst moment when the attack was just about to hit to move¡­ ''¡­.Does he not know fear?''


    The more he tested the cadet, the more surprised he was.


    He really did remind him of her. His heart raced slightly at the thought. But¡­


    "A pity."


    The Vice-Chancellor stared at the bloodied figure that was approaching him. He wasing fast, and despite his bloody appearance, his momentum was high.


    The Vice-Chancellor could see the cadet pushing himself to his limit as he broke through the attack. He shook his head and lowered his head to stare at the hidden magic circle. Waving his hand, he muttered.


    "¡­Fifth attempt."


    And thest attempt.


    Xiu!


    A magic circle formed right behind Julien as he rushed forward. Before he even had the time to react, the attack formed and prated him from the back.


    Thump!


    With a thump, his body fell face t against the floor. ***


    Update : I''m practically back to normal now. Normal chapter schedule will return from tomorrow. Thank you!

 Chapter 267 Understanding [6]

    267 Understanding [6] n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Ah!!" Screams of shock echoed throughout the grounds as everyone watched Julien fall over. The scene had urred so abruptly that none were able to see exactly what had happened. However, in the eyes of those from the Haven side, one thing was clear. "You cheated!" ".....You didn''t wait before throwing the fifth attack!" "This maniac!" "Wait, calm down." It was Aoife who held everyone back fromining. Staring at the Vice-Chancellor, she could see that his expression was still not rxed. And as expected. "Look." Right after Julien''s body fell onto the floor, it started to scatter under everyone''s vision. "Ah!?" Seeing that, the eyes of many changed. Before they even had the chance to wonder what had happened, a shadow cast right behind the Vice-Chancellor. It was neither fast nor slow. However, it was the suddenness at which it appeared that took everyone aback. Everyone but the Vice-Chancellor. ''An illusion, interesting.''


    Indeed, when he attacked, he didn''t feel it hit anything. But that was merely a feeling. There was something else that confirmed his thoughts. ....It was the image of Julien''s face right before the attacknded on him. ''It was almost perfect.''


    The Vice-Chancellor trusted his eyes, and while it almost did feel like he had hit Julien, upon closer look, Julien''s nose was crooked. Not only that but so were his eyes. His left eye was blurrier than the other. If one didn''t pay close attention, they wouldn''t notice such changes. And most wouldn''t. Swoosh! Turning his head slightly to look behind him, the Vice-Chancellor caught a glimpse of a silhouette preparing to make a move to attack him. It was rather quiet, and if not for the fact that he knew he was there, he probably wouldn''t have heard it.


    "....Unfortunate." Without much thought, the Vice-Chancellor waved his hand back and confronted the ambush head-on. Woom! The air seemed to split apart with the subtle movement of his hand, as a powerful wave of condensed mana shot in the direction he had waved.


    His attack was so fast that the cadet had no time to react. ''It''s over.'' "This should do¡ª" It should''ve been over. And yet...


    Swoosh! "Hm?" To the Vice-Chancellor''s shock and surprise... His attack missed. No, rather. It did hit, but... nothing came out of that hit. The silhouette split in half when it came into contact with his attack. Such surprising development was met with a brittle voiceing from behind him. ''When!?'' "....T-that was close." The voice was extremely hoarse, and the Vice-Chancellor felt something press against his back. "Ah." When he turned his head, his eyes fell on a bloodied figure half kneeling behind him. Julien''s finger was pressed against his back, and he could hardly keep one eye open. Their gazes met for a brief moment. At that moment, the Vice-Chancellor had a lot of things to say, and at the same time, didn''t. He was shocked. ''This...'' How did he appear here? How was it possible? How was it possible! His shock, however, didn''tst for long. "I won, right?" Julien''s voice broke him out of his thoughts, and as he lowered his head to stare at him, the Vice-Chancellor found himself swallowing his saliva. ''I''ve been tricked.''


    What had happened finally dawned on him. As his mind cleared from the confusion, and he sorted through his memories, he started to see clearly what had happened, and when he did, he suddenly found himself bursting intoughter. "Hahaha." Hisughter echoed throughout the area. ".....So that''s what happened." The Vice-Chancellor looked at the cadet with praise. The subtle blemishes in his features before¡ªthe blurry eye, and crooked eye.... Those were not from the fact that he was still not great at casting illusions, but the opposite. Julien had purposely made his face that way so that he would be tricked into thinking that it was an illusion. And he had fallen for it. "Haa." The Vice-Chancellor raised his head and let out a long breath. ....It was subtle but effective. He could feel the gazes of everyone on the two of them, and he was already feeling a headacheing. However, "Yes." Nodding his head, he looked at the cadet before him. "You''ve won." He was no sore loser. A loss was a loss. While he was unharmed, and the cadet was on the verge of fainting, he had managed tost five attacks and even made an attack of his own. "...." 08:02


    Lowering his head, the Vice-Chancellor''s gaze paused on the finger that was pressed against his back. Ayer of mana coated his back, and yet... ''It stings a bit.'' He wasn''t sure what he did, but it did bring him pain. This much was good enough. "....Nice attack too." "Thanks." Julien retrieved his hand back. Then, as if he waspletely fine, he stood up and patted his clothes. The scene was one that left the eyes of many of those watching wide-open in shock. ''He''s fine after all that?''


    ''....Isn''t he covered in blood? How can he still be standing?'' Even the Vice-Chancellor was surprised. "How are you still fine?" "....." Without responding, Julien turned in the direction of those from the Haven side as they approached him cautiously. "Are you okay?" "....He doesn''t look okay." Everyone seemed a little worried. Everyone but Leon sighed. Then, under everyone''s confused expressions, he stepped forward and arrived before Julien. The two stared at each other for a brief moment before... Thump! Julien knelt down on the spot. "Ah!" "....What the fuck!" "He''s fine." Leon lowered his head to look at Julien before shaking his head. "This guy..." He didn''t know how to feel. Julien was not fine. His body was falling apart, and he was most probably in a lot of pain. And yet... ''He''s still conscious.''


    It was just that he couldn''t speak. He was also most likely in a lot of pain. But...


    ''He probably doesn''t feel it, does he?'' "....." Closing his eyes, Leon sighed and shook his head. "Crazy bastard." Just as he was about to extend his hand to help him, Leon noticed a subtle change in the atmosphere. It suddenly felt like the surroundings had grown a lot tenser and colder. Surprised, he lifted his head to look up. "What''s...?" The moment he did, his expression changed significantly. Especially since he found a figure standing a few meters away from him. Her appearance took his breath away, and he found himself unable to breathe under her suppression. But that wasn''t the only thing that grabbed his attention. Her appearance was... alien. He had never seen someone look that beautiful, but at the same time, he also felt like he had seen her before. Where exactly had he... "Ah." Then he remembered. "Chancellor." Immediately, he lowered his head to greet her. "...Chancellor?" "Isn''t that?" His words brought on a chain of reaction as the others immediately recognized her and lowered their heads. Delh was an incredibly important figure, and the moment she appeared, everyone had no choice but to lower their heads. Everyone but a single person. "....." Clench. In silence, she stared at Delh with her fists clenched. Just subtly, her body trembled as her gaze fell on Delh, but none of it reached Delh''s attention as she silently stared at the bloodied-up Julien. "....." It was unknown what she was thinking.


    When had anyone been able to tell what she was thinking? At least, that was what Leon thought at first. However, shortly after staring at Julien, her head turned in the direction of the Vice-Chancellor, and while Leon wasn''t able to see what she did, seeing how the Vice-Chancellor started to tremble the moment their gazes met, Leon paused.


    "Hm?" He scratched his head. ".....I''ll bring him back to heal." A soft and crisp voice brought him out of his thoughts. When he turned his head, he saw the Chancellor stand before Julien and Leon blinked his eyes. ''.....Something is off.''


    The more Leon looked at her, the more he found that something was off. Flick. His gaze paused on Julien. Flick. And then paused back on Delh. "....." As if noticing his gaze, her head turned and their gazes met. Leon suddenly found his entire body growing ck as his mind momentarily nked. It was as if he had suddenly sunk into the deepest part of the ocean with no way up. All that he saw was darkness. A deep and unreachable darkness. But within that darkness, he was reminded of a scene he had seen not too long ago and he snapped out of it. Suddenly, his eyes started to sting as he looked at the Chancellor. Flick. His head flicked back to Julien. Flick. And then to the Chancellor. Flick. Flick. Flick. Flick. Flick. Flick. Flick. As if his head had a mind of its own, it flicked back and forth between the two. Unknowingly, his expression stiffened, and his eyes turnedpletely bloodshot.


    ...His expression only worsened when his gaze lowered and fell on Julien''s hand. "....." Leon suddenly felt his heart stop beating as his eyes turnedpletely red.


    As if he was a machine that hadn''t been lubricated in a long time, his head rigidly lowered in the Chancellor''s direction. "....." Drip! Something dripped from the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, he tasted iron in his mouth.


    In such a state, Leon stood still and watched as Delh and Julien''s figure disappeared shortly after. Even as the minutes passed, he remained on the spot without a change in his expression. "Leon?" It was only when his name was called out that he finally snapped out of it. When he turned his head, he realized that almost everyone was gone. It was just him and Evelyn now, and when he looked at her, he saw the worried look on her face. "Are you okay?" ".....I am fine." He wasn''t. "Are you sure?" Evelyn seemed to be able to see right through him. Or at least, he thought at first. However, pointing at her chin, Evelyn squinted her eyes. "It doesn''t seem like you''re fine at all." "...." Leon wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve and looked down. "...." Silently, he stared back at Evelyn and closed his eyes. "....I''ll be fine." *** Next chapter at usual schedule from before. We are back to two a day.

 Chapter 268 Megrail [1]

    268 Megrail [1]


    "¡­..Emperors have dignity." The voice whispered into the dry air. It was soft, yet it filled the space with an unsettling presence.


    Clouds dotted the gray sky, with beams of white light piercing through, casting a contrast of light and shadows across everything beneath.


    Tak¡ª


    The voice was followed by a heavy step as a figure appeared atop a tall and t tform. A grand cityscape stretched out below the tform.


    Castle-like structures and towering spires pierced the sky, creating a vast, majestdscape. Bridges stretched from the structures, connecting each building as a crowd stood beneath. It was an imposing city that stretched toward the far distance, only stopping before tall and majestic ck walls that encircled the entire city. The sheer scale of the walls and the faint cracks on them added to the sense of dread that now filled the air.


    Flutter~


    d in dark, imposing armor and holding a tall ck sword, the figure quietly overlooked everything below as his cloak fluttered gently in the air. "....Soldiers have faith." All eyes were focused on the figure that stood atop the tform as he gazed towards the faraway distance. The air was filled with despair and tension. With both eyes closed, the figure in ck slowly brought the sword down with both hands. Ting! A crisp sound echoed as the sword touched the tform. Flutter~ Within the silence that took over, the only sound that echoed was the quiet flutter of his cloak. "....And citizens have peace." The sense of impending crisis heightened as the voice grew more hoarse. In the unknown distance, his gaze was locked onto something.


    Beyond the towering pirs of light and the tall mountains.


    08:03


    ...The end of it all.


    Clench. Behind the dark mask he wore to hide his face, he clenched his teeth as he felt something boil over within his chest. It was slowly rising as his entire body started to tremble. Then, as if sensing his own doom, he repeated the same words from before.


    This time, he didn''t hold back.


    With each sentence, his voice grew progressively louder. "Emperors have dignity!" "Soldiers have faith!" "And citizens have peace!"


    As his voice grew dry, he shouted at the top of his lungs. ".....But all I have is nothing!!!" An Empire of Nothing! Clenching tightly onto the handle of his sword, the Emperor slowly brought it up to the air as he shouted toward the unknown distance. "Come!!" His voice pierced through the air as the gloom surrounding the cityscape intensified.It reached the ears of the thousand upon thousand beneath, and yet... "You''ve already taken everything from me! I don''t fear you!" None of them uttered a single thing as they nkly stared in his direction. No, toward the ring on his finger. "Com¡ª!" Voom! A gentle, yet quiet light suddenly pierced from the gray sky above. The world turned silent the moment it cast down upon the world. The Emperor''s mouth was still moving, but no words could be heard. It was as if the entire world had been silenced. "....." Then, as if a stair of light had formed within the pir, a figure began to emerge, slowly walking down the illusionary steps.


    The light was blinding, almost too pure for mortal eyes, and yet the figure descended with an eerie grace.


    Tak, Tak¡ª


    Each step echoed in the Emperor''s ears, a slow, rhythmic beat that seemed to synchronize with the pounding of his own heart. The figure''s features were obscured, shrouded in the intense glow, but a pair of yellow eyes burned through the brilliance. With every step, the atmosphere grew colder. An unnatural chill seeped into the air. The air felt thick, and suffocating as a clear sense of dread began to spread.


    "Haa... Haa..." The Emperor''s breath quickened beneath the mask as sweat trickled down the side of his face. His grip on the sword tightened until his knuckles turned white.


    "Y-you''ve finally shown yourself." In a hoarse voice, he addressed the figure in the sky as he found his voice again. The once grand and imposing cityscape, with its castle-like structures and towering spires, seemed to fade into the background as the figure''s presence overshadowed everything. Casting his gaze on the figure shrouded in the light, all he felt was dread.


    Despite the majestic city beneath and the thousands of soldiers... he felt his own insignificance. Clench! The light dimmed, gradually revealing a pale face and blonde hair that seemed to match the two piercing yellow pupils.


    Basking in the glow, he seemed to embody the sun itself. His hair, like strands of molten gold, flowed around his face, further entuating the feeling. His features were hauntingly beautiful, almost angelic, and yet, the Emperor saw a certain emptiness within those eyes.


    It made every hair on his body rise. Drip! Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he bit onto his tongue to keep himself from losing focus.


    He took a deep breath and raised his head to evenly meet the figure''s eyes. "I''ve waited for you..." Raising his sword up high, he hoarsely shouted. "....Dawn!" The words echoed across the tform, carrying the Emperor''s defiance. Wooom! His sword, now held aloft, caught the remaining light, gleaming like a beacon in the surrounding darkness.


    The figure paused, a ghostly smile appearing on his soft features. "You were warned before, Emperor." The words were soft, almost like a gentle caress... yet they carried a weight that seemed to press down on the Emperor''s very soul.


    The smile on the figure''s face was devoid of warmth, chilling the very soul of the Emperor. "You took something that you shouldn''t have taken. I am only here to collect what you stole." Casting his gaze toward the surrounding scenery, the bright figure shook his head. "....I have no interest in anything else." Pausing, he shook his head. "No, that''s not right." Looking down, he slowly descended. "It''s not that I don''t have any interest... It''s more like ''he'' doesn''t have any interest in anything else." "He...?" The Emperor''s voice quivered as he watched the figure slowly descend in his direction. ....The closer he came, the more despair the Emperor felt. Every part of his body screamed as a formidable pressure bore down on him, forcing his joints to creak under the strain.


    "Ah!!!" Shouting at the top of his lungs, the Emperor hacked in the direction of the approaching figure.


    It was hisst stand.


    Woooom!


    A powerful glow burst forth from the sword as he brought it down. He poured everything he had into the attack.


    The de cut through the air with a resounding roar, its light ring brightly as it shed against the approaching figure. Cra Crack¡ª! The ground beneath the Emperor''s feet trembled, cracks spiderwebbing outwards as the sheer power of his desperate strike reflected against the tform. For a brief moment, the dark shadows that were cast all over the world faded as a brilliant light covered the entire world.


    It surged outward from the tform where the Emperor and the figure stood, spreading like a wave across thendscape, expelling the shadows and illuminating every corner of the world with a rity that seemed almost unearthly.


    "Ahhh!" The Emperor shouted as the muscles on his hand tore apart and blood leaked from all his orifices. He poured everything into his attack. At the same time, he ordered the people beneath to attack. Wooom! A bright disy of light littered across the sky as an overwhelming amount of spells were thrown in the air. All of them were thrown in the direction of where the bright figure once stood. "Ahhhh!" ''I-s it working...?''


    For a brief moment, the Emperor looked up at the blinding light before him. It seared his vision, causing pain tonce through his eyes, but he forced himself to look ahead. Through his agony, he strained to see if his desperate attack had made any impact.


    But...


    "Ah." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The moment he raised his gaze, all he saw was an approaching hand.


    Its movements were slow, and yet, the Emperor found himself unable to react to it as his body froze. Before he even had any chance to react or muster any resistance, the hand reached for his throat and the world froze over. "Kh!" The Emperor gasped as he lost his breath. Shortly after, a figure emerged from behind the light. With his gleaming golden eyes and hair that fluttered under the wind, he stood before the emperor. "Uekh...!" Under the man''s grasp, the Emperor could do nothing but il in despair. In the end, he only managed to mutter a single word. "W-why?" What wrong had he done for him to do this to them? Was it because of the blood? Indeed, he had taken it and given it to his people. The blood had the special ability to extend one''s lifespan. As an Emperor of arge Empire, he feltpelled to share such treasure with his most trusted people. But... Who would''ve thought such blood would bring forth such cmity? If he had known things would''ve turned out like this, he would''ve never touched that blood. Never! "....It''s just how things are. The blood originally belonged to us, and we''re just here to collect it. Since you''ve consumed it, then you have no choice but to die. Consider yourself unlucky."


    "Ukh!" Gasping for breath, the Emperor grasped the forearm that was gripping his throat with both hands. He didn''t exert any force and merely looked down beneath him. There, thousands upon thousands of eyes were looking at him. They were familiar faces, and yet they were also foreign faces. None of them had a clear mind and were merely mindless monsters. This was the result of his desperation. To fight the figure before him, he spared nothing. He sacrificed everything. And yet... He had lost everything. "Uhhh...!" Gasping for hisst breath, his gaze locked onto the two brilliant yellow pupils. That was thest thing he saw before he heard a soft whisper in his ear. "....Rest well." Cra Crack¡ª


    A cracking sound echoed, and the Emperor''s body went limp in the man''s hand. The world suddenly turned silent as his yellow pupils glowed brighter. They grew so intense that the world around them turned white.


    Woosh! The Emperor''s body scattered into fine pieces of dust shortly after as his armor and essories fell down on the tform. "....." In silence, the man closed his eyes. Turning around, he looked beneath the tform where thousands of people appeared. They all seemed lost and unresponsive. "This won''t do." Taking a step forward, he appeared before one of the people beneath. He was a young man with a robust body. Short red hair and hazel eyes. Staring at him, the man tilted his head. "Hmm, not bad." Then, bringing his hand forward, he pressed it against the young man''s head. Once again, the world dyed in a brilliant color as it spread toward the surroundings. It didn''tst long, and no real changes appeared to the man. No real changes besides his pupils... They were no longer hazel in color. They were now...


    Yellow. "Dorset Gaius Megrail." Muttering the name, a smile spread across the figure''s features. ".....It''s an interesting name. Yes, you will do." Turning around, the man nodded in satisfaction and massaged his face. The glow in his eyes diminished, and his features became more ''normal''. "Say..."


    Once he was done, he addressed Dorset who still seemed like a mindless zombie. "What name should I give myself?" "....." Dorset remained silent for a brief moment before opening his mouth. "As." "....As?"


    Mumbling the name faintly, he nodded quietly.


    "Hmm. So be it. That''s what I''ll be called from this point forward." Turning around, his eyes traced the surroundings.


    "As Megrail. That''ll be my full name..." His body froze shortly after as his figure and the surroundings started to change. Time-shifted, and thendscape transformed.


    Buildings crumbled into dust, reced by the scars of countless wars between both humans and beasts.


    Trees sprouted and spread, reiming thend that it had lost. A new city of imposing structures emerged not far from where the old one had stood, and soon, a thick forest enveloped the area.


    Chirp! Chirp~! As birds chirped in the air, a certain rustling echoed. Rustle! A young figure emerged within the bushes, stopping before a certain area. "Hm?" Looking down, they caught a glimpse of something bright. They naturally reached out for it. "What''s this...?" It was a ring. A silver ring with intricate patterns.

 Chapter 269 Megrail [2]

    Chapter 269 Megrail [2]


    "...." I woke up with a start. My eyes red open, and the moment I regained consciousness, I felt my entire body drenched in what appeared to be my own sweat.


    It soaked the bedsheets beneath and made me feel incredibly sticky. Despite that, I couldn''t find it within me to care about it I felt my heart race through my mind. ''What was that...?'' It felt like a dream, and yet... Everything felt so vivid. Was this a vision? But since when did vision show the past? This didn''t make sense at all. "Ukh...!" I held my head as I felt my head throb massively. The pain was so intense that I found myself groaning from it. Even when I was all battered up from the Vice-Chancellor I didn''t feel this much pain. What in the world was happening? "You''re awake." A soft voice jolted me out of that state. When I turned my head, my entire body froze. It suddenly felt as if the very air had been sucked out of the room, and every single hair on my body stood. My breathing quickened slightly, and it took every part of me to stop myself from showing the changes that were urring to me. Had it been the past, I would''ve struggled to do so, but right now? "...." In a few seconds, I was back to normal. With two familiar yellow pupils and golden hair, As sat on the seat opposite my bed. His expression was warm as he looked at me. "....How are you feeling?" "I''m fine." I forced myself to say with an even face. "That''s good to know. You''ve been sweating quite a bit in your sleep. You sustained quite a heavy injury, but it''s good that you are fine." He almost seemed proud as he addressed me. ".....It''s a pity that I wasn''t able to see it for myself, but I''ve heard all about it. To be able to withstand five strikes from the Vice-Chancellor of the Bremmer Central Academy... I''m impressed. Not many people can do what you''ve done." Lifting himself up from his seat, he walked over to me. I raised my head to look at him. Every part of my body screamed as he approached me, but I remained put. "You did good." He pressed his hand against my shoulder. "....You did very good. You''ve improved since thest time that I saw you. It''s nice to see that. Continue this way, and you will be rewarded." Those were thest words he said before leaving. Even as he left, I remained on my spot and stared in the direction of where he left. Memories of the vision continued to rey in my mind. Thousand of questions flooded my mind, but those questions only led to more questions. Especially since As''s age suddenly became a mystery to me.


    ''If what I saw is real, then he''s at least a thousand years old...'' My mind throbbed with even more intensity, and just when I thought things couldn''t get any worse, I felt something tug at the back of my shirt. It was a familiar sensation that I had once felt before, and when I turned my head, I caught sight of a long thread that connected all the way up to the sky. "Ah." Yet again, I felt myself lose my breath. Staring up, I was yet again reminded of therge hand that loomed over the sky. I knew it had all been an illusion back then, and I didn''t quite understand why I had seen it back then, but now I knew... Bremmer. No, the Megrail Estate. All of it was nothing but a puppet. A puppet for the faceless man. We... n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Were all puppets. *


    Things were quiet for the next few days. I took my time to rest and recover from my injuries while also focusing on preparing for the uing y. There were many things that I wanted to do, but had no choice to set aside forter due to my current state. For now, my current priority was the y. "What is wrong with you?" Or at least, that was how things were supposed to go. Staring at Aoife who was sitting on the seat opposite me, I could feel the frustration on her face. "Is that really the best that you can do? Why is it so difficult for you to do this part?" She was currently lecturing me. Yes, I was currently being lectured. "...." The worst part? There was only one day until the main y, and we were currently practicing one of the most important scenes of the y. There was only one problem... ....I couldn''t argue back at all. "Even I can do this. How is it so difficult for you?" There was only one day until the main y, and we were currently practicing one of the most important scenes of the y. There was only one problem... "You nailed every single part, but can''t do this one? Aren''t you an Emotive Mage? Can''t you try to at least make yourself look like you fell in love with me? Your face is as t as a cardboard." Indeed, my current struggles were all due to the fact that I couldn''t make a face that made it seem as though I was in love. Everything else was easy. .....It was just that part that I wasn''t capable of achieving. "Give me some time. I''ll figure it out." "We don''t have time!" Aoife ruffled her hair in frustration. "We''ve been trying for the past three days. There''s been little to no improvement! You keep saying the same thing over and over again, and yet, you don''t improve at all!" I could understand her frustration. She had been trying her best to help me. The same was true for the others, but I simply couldn''t do it. I simply just... didn''t know anything about love. ''Right, it''s the only emotion that I''ve yet to unlock.'' Just like with my spells. In order for me to use them, I needed to unlock them. The process of unlocking my first two [Curse] spells was extremely long and arduous. ....I could still remember just how much I struggled just to learn those two spells. It was for that reason that I never bothered to do the same for the [Love] emotion. I never once thought it woulde to use for me, and even then, I thought I''d eventually figure it out, but even as more than half a year had passed since I had been stuck in this world, I still hadn''t unlocked it yet. For that reason, even as the wheel paused on [Love] several times in the past, I received nothing. Without unlocking the spell, it was impossible for me to learn anything rted to it. ''This sucks.'' Especially since I now only had one day left. How was I going to figure this out? ''Should I do like I didst time...?'' I lowered my head to stare at my forearm where a certain tattoo appeared. The idea was pretty straightforward. Use it on someone who was madly in love and replicate what they felt. ....It probably had the highest chance of getting me there. With that being said, ''I feel like I''ll throw up.'' Especially since there was the very real possibility I might fall in love with the person in the memories I''m reading. The thought made my stomach churn, but turning my head and seeing Aoife''s frown, I found myself scratching the side of my face. ''....If ites down to it, then I''ll do it.'' The y was something that I couldn''t afford to half-ass.


    Especially since what happened a few days back. Though we had some faults in the situation, I wouldn''t say I liked the words that Olga had said to me. This was something that I needed to do to prove her wrong, and at the same time, push myself to learn thest remaining emotion that I had held back. "Get up." Feeling a tug on my arm, I looked up to see Aoife pulling me up with her arms. "What are you doing?" "....We have to go." "Where?" "Did you already forget? Today is the day the Four Empire Summit starts. We have to head over for the formal greeting." "Ah." There was indeed such a thing. Stretching my arms, I moved out of the bed and followed Aoife out of the room. "....." Coming out of the room and into the main streets of Bremmer, I lost my breath at the sight that greeted me.


    Arge shadow cast over the area, plunging everything into an eerie darkness. In the sky, an enormous wooden ship hovered, its massive bulk obscuring the sun and casting a dark pall over the city. The ship''s side bore the unmistakable insignia of arge half-moon as it moved slowly toward the Megrail Estate. "It''s those from the Verdant Empire. They''re here." Aoife''s tone lowered as she gazed at the ship in the air before nudging me with her head. "Let''s go. We need to hurry up." As Aoife beckoned me with her hand, I stared at the ship with narrowed eyes. A thought suddenly crossed my mind as I stared at it. ''That Empire...'' I licked my lips which had suddenly gone dry as I was reminded of a certain scene. ''....It''s not like this Empire, right?'' *** "The city looks quite nice from here. It isn''t too different from Carbinga." Several youths stood by the deck of the ship, overlooking thend beneath. Judging from their demenour, they all seemed rxed as the ship approached the imposing structure that belonged to the Megrail Estate. "....It''s alright, I guess." With his body leaned over the side of the ship, a young man with long ck hair and gray eyes stared at the scene beneath with azy look. His appearance could hardly be described with words. Just one nce, and he''d attract the attention of anyone that was looking. It wasn''t strange for him to be stopped in the middle of the street by women who wanted to get to know him, but he was indifferent to all of this. There were very few things that could excite him. His world was a boring one, and the reason he hade to the Summit was to see if there was anything worth entertaining him. "Why do you always act like this?" Approaching him from behind was a young girl with tinum hair and blue eyes. She had a gentle look on her face as she looked at the young man in front of her. "....You weren''t like this in the past, Amell." "People change." The young manzily replied as he looked at the city beneath. His eyes were squinted, and he seemed to be looking for something. Too bad he couldn''t find it from where he was. "Are you still hung up about that?" Amell blinked slowly before turning his head to stare at the girl. "....I''m not." He quietly mumbled,zily stretching his neck in the process. "He''s dead..." Amell repeated, his voice barely a whisper, as his eyelids grew heavy.


    "My brother is dead."

 Chapter 270 Angel of Sorrow [1]

    Chapter 270 Angel of Sorrow [1]


    The Megrail Estate was located at the very edge of the city. It was separated from the city, built on a fairlyrge ind in the middle of ake with a long bridge connecting to it. Lined up around the estate were several dozen guards dressed in white. "....It''s been a while since I''ve worn something like this." I carefully shifted the tie on my neck. It was rather tight. "You''ve worn this before?" Leon''s voice sounded from behind. Turning around, I nced at his clothes. They were simr to mine, and he too looked rather ufortable in them. "I have." ".....That exins why you were able to put it on so quickly." Leon nodded quietly.


    Judging from his reaction, the previous Julien must''ve probably never worn a suit. Though he knew that the previous Julien was no longer here, he tended topare the two of us from time to time. "Where are the others?" Leon asked as he looked around. "Inside." At least, Aoife was. Because of her special status, she went ahead by herself. ording to her, she needed to greet a few important people. ''Makes sense.''


    At the same time, I started to feel pity for her. I would''ve died from exhaustion had I been in her position. "Ukah..! Ah!" A certain groan attracted my attention, and when I turned my head, I spotted a familiar figure stumbling her way in our direction. Dressed in a white dress that perfectly entuated her white hair, and seemed strangely elegant for her, Kiera wobbled on the spot as she tried her best to walk on heels. "Careful..." "Careful my ass!" Helping her was none other than Evelyn who was dressed in a purple one-piece outfit. "...Why do I have to wear this shit in the first ce? This is ridiculous." "Shhh! Don''t swear here... Don''t forget where we are." "Ah, fuck!" "Hey! Stop swearing!" Leon and I exchanged nces as the two forced their way past us. Just as they were about to cross us, Kiera stopped and red at Leon who was looking at her strangely. "What are you looking at?" ".....Nothing." Kiera''s eyes narrowed, but things ended there as she left. Staring at her departing back, I adjusted my tie before thinking of something as I turned to look at Leon. "Say, what did the tie say to the hat?" "....?" Leon blinked. Then, as if realizing what was happening, his eyes widened as he frantically shook his head. Shake. Shake. Shake. ''Don''t do it.''


    So he seemed to say as his eyes turned bloodshot. He looked pitiful. Perhaps, he was, but... "You go on a head; I''ll just hang around!"


    "....Fuck!!"


    *


    Massive chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting a grand light over the room. Tall white pirs stood on either side, supporting the massive structure. The surroundings were loud as the main hall was littered with all sorts of people. They all seemed to be dressed in different types of clothing, indicating their different origins. As I entered the ce, my eyes wandered everywhere as I took in the sight before me. Intricate mosaics adorned the ceiling, depicting the Empire''s storied history and bloodshed.


    In particr, a certain scene caught my eye. A familiar red-haired man. He stood alone in the mosaic. Opposite him were thousands upon thousands of different dark creatures. They stared ominously in his direction. A certain thought crossed my mind as I stared at the mosaic. ''Just how much of it was true, and how much was it was fake?'' There were stories that mentioned the fact that the first Emperor had once reached the Zenith, but was that really the case? ....No, maybe they were true, but how much of it was due to As? "What are you thinking so deeply about?" "It''s nothing." Tearing my gaze away from the mosaic, I looked at Leon. He was staring at me with a peculiar look. Then, raising his head to look at the mosaic, he mumbled, "I think I''ve heard about that fight before. Something about how Bremmer was built. I don''t quite recall it." "Oh, yeah."


    I did hear about that story, but never really paid attention to it. The history of the Empire never truly interested me in the past, but all of a sudden, things were different.


    I started to understand that the world I was seeing had many differentyers to it.


    Layers that I had yet to uncover.


    ....The history of this world was a lot moreplicated than I thought, and the inner workings behind the history ran extremely deep. It made me wonder if the same was true for the other Empires. ''At least, I now understand how the ring ended up going into the Archbishop''s hands.'' I had always wondered how something so precious had fallen under his hands, but in the end, the reason for it was that the ring had been buried in the rubble of what once was the Empire of Nothingness. Would he recognize it if he saw it...? I didn''t think so in the past since Delh had taken care of it, but now...? ¡­.Eventually, it fell into the hands of the Archbishop and then me. Staring at the inconspicuous ring on my finger, I had mixed feelings about it. Especially when taking into consideration how As was the one responsible for its downfall. Would he recognize it if he saw it...? I didn''t think so in the past since Delh had taken care of it, but now...? I wasn''t so sure anymore. Was Delh even stronger than him? "Haa." I sighed at the thought. All of a sudden, the sense of dread that was slowly closing in on me intensified, closing in on me at a faster rate than before. Time...


    I was running out of it. ''Right, the diary¡­''


    There were still pages that I had yet to read. Perhaps, I would find a way to buy myself more time. The way things were going, I was set for failure. "It''s nice to see you two, here."


    My hand froze at the sound of As''s voice.


    Turning around, I saw him approaching with a ss cup in his hand. Dressed in a distinctive regal white suit, he looked incredible, drawing attention wherever he went.


    "Why are the two of you here by yourselves? It''s good if you go interact with the people from the other Empire. It''s the entire reason why we arrange a Summit like this."


    He had a warm smile on his face as he addressed the two of us.


    In the past, I wouldn''t have thought much of it, but as of right now, every single one of his actions threw me off. Still, I had no choice but to put on a facade.


    "¡­That''s true, but I was just taking my time admiring the ce. It''s quite nice."


    "It is, isn''t it?"


    As smiled as he looked at me.


    The moment his gaze fell on me, I felt my legs grow weak. It suddenly felt like he could see through every secret of mine. But despite the feeling, I remained firm and didn''t show any sign of difort.


    "Would you excuse us?"


    This was until he addressed Leon as he nudged his head in my direction.


    "¡­."


    Leon didn''t answer and just looked at me.


    I stared at him for a few seconds before nodding. Only then did Leon go, leaving the two of us standing together. "He''s quite loyal to you."


    "¡­.He is."


    "That''s nice."


    As mumbled with a faint smile. Then, as his gaze fell on me once more, he pressed his hand against my shoulder.


    "Is there something wrong? You seem a little on edgetely." My heart sank.


    It felt as though he was onto me, and my toes curled inwardly. I continued to do my best to not show my nervousness. Feigning ignorance, I calmly addressed him. "¡­.Yes? Does it seem that way?"


    "Hmm."


    As''s eyes gleamed slightly before he looked away.


    I thought he was going to leave things there when As spoke again, and my stomach flipped.


    "There''s a certain smelling from your body. No, not just you¡­"


    He looked around with narrowed eyes.


    "It seems to being from every one of you. It didn''t use to be there, but I can smell it¡­ it''s an unpleasant smell."


    With narrow eyes, he looked at me.


    "I already heard the gist of what happened from the reports, but I want to hear it from you."


    "¡­."


    Suddenly, the surroundings turned extremely suffocating as I struggled to keep my breath in check as tremendous pressure seemed to give out from As''s body.


    I knew it was just my imagination as he didn''t release any real pressure, but it felt that was as his mouth parted open to ask, "¡­.Were you injected with a certain blood during the incident? Since¡ª"


    The world froze halfway through his sentence. ''Uh¡­?''


    Stunned, I looked around me. As if all color had been removed from the world, I found myself standing alone in the hall.


    Before I had any chance to understand what was going on, everything shattered and my vision turned ck.


    "¡­.."


    When my consciousness returned, I found myself standing before a tall and ominous statue. It depicted the image of an angel.


    The statue stood tall, looming where I was as its dark exterior blended with the gray backdrop of the world. Its wings, made of dark feathers, were spread wide. Almost as if they were trying to embrace me.


    Standing beneath the statue, I felt a sense of insignificance... In particr when my gaze fell on the angel''s face which was filled with sorrow as its hollow eyes bore down on me from above. With its arm extended slightly, palms out, it pleaded silently at me. ''Pleaded...?''


    By now, I was already aware that this was a vision. I wasn''t exactly sure why the vision urred now of all times, but I made sure to seal everything that was happening in my mind.


    The world was gray, and a white sun hung in the distance.


    ''¡­.The Mirror Dimension.''


    I realized where I was rather quickly.


    But¡­ I was more curious about something else.


    The statue before me, what was it? ...And why was I being shown it? Cr Creak¡ª! A cracking sound suddenly echoed. It was faint, but it was enough to freeze my entire body. Slowly, my head lowered as something appeared within the palms of the statue. Drip...! Drip. Blood dripped from its fingers, pooling on the ground beneath.


    With both hands cupped together, a head rested on its hands. It was a familiar head, and the moment I stared at it, my mind shivered. How? How was this possible...?! My hands felt wet all of a sudden, and when I lowered my hands, my mind paused as my entire body stopped moving. It coudln''t be that I... ''¡­.''


    I stood like that for as long as I could remember until eventually, light returned to my eyes and I found myself standing back in the hall.


    A notification shed not long after that, but I didn''t pay much attention to it.


    [ ¡ô Main Quest Activated: Angel of Sorrow] : Character Progression + 377%


    : Game Progression + 14%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1 + 22%


    : Cmity 2 + 16%


    : Cmity 3 + 15%


    My only focus was on a single person, and single person only.


    "¡­Are you sure you''re alright? You don''t seem to be alright."


    It was none other than As.


    Staring at him, my mouth grew dry. The vision reyed in my mind, and my heart stopped beating. The noise in the background faded, and everything around me moved in slow motion. Raising my head up again to stare at As, the surrounding background changed back to that of the Mirror Dimension. The statue appeared again, and so did... My head as it rested over the hands of the statue. "H-ho." What in the world...? Looking up, my eyes fell on As. He was looking at me in confusion, and despite the many thoughts that were crossing my mind, my mouth opened to speak, "Statue of Sorrow..." I mumbled quietly. "....Do you have any idea of it?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 271: Angel of Sorrow [2]

    Chapter 271: Angel of Sorrow [2]


    ?


    "The Angel of Sorrow?"


    The abrupt question took As by surprise as his eyes narrowed for a brief moment. From his expression, he seemed to know something, and it was at this moment that I realized that I may have possibly slipped up.


    ''No, it''s toote to regret.''


    "....Yes."


    I kept my gaze firm as I looked at him in the eyes.


    For some reason, he didn''t feel as suffocating as he did moments prior. Perhaps it was


    because of the vision that was taking over my entire attention, but I was able to stay rtively calm.


    ||


    His deep yellow eyes stared back at me, and as I looked into them, I found his image


    ovepped with the one I had seen in the vision.


    Unlike now, his eyes were brighter.


    ....Different.


    There was something more to his eyes back in the vision than his current eyes.


    It was hard to describe, but they seemed more divine... otherworldly? It almost felt as though he was an angel that had descended from the sky. If that even made any sense... It almost seemed as though he was the sun himself.


    "Hmmm."


    With a slight furrow of his brows, As cocked his head gently. His long blonde hair fell to his shoulders as his head lifted to stare at the murals on the walls above.


    The mural depicted a massive crack, behind which thousands of demonic creatures emerged, with a lone man standing in the middle, confronting them all. This was the origin story behind the foundation of Bremmer.


    "Are you aware of the history behind Bremmer''s creation?"


    "....I do."


    At least, I thought I did.


    Now...? I wasn''t so sure anymore. The more I knew about the world, the more it appeared to be shrouded by a thin veil of mystery.


    "Then you must be aware of the reason why Bremmer was built on this location."


    "....Because of the Mirror Crack."


    There were several locations where a Mirror Crack could be found in the Empire, but out of all the cracks present, the one that resided in Bremmer was by far thergest and most dangerous to have existed.


    A long war urred during that time period, and ording to the history books, Bremmer was built upon the blood of its soldiers as they took control of the crack and stopped the monsters from invading.


    This was the shortened history of the capital, and what I believed to have once been the truth...


    "That''s correct."


    As carefully said as his eyes traced the mural above.


    "There''s a Mirror Crack residing right in this very building. One of thergest in the entire known world, and the ce that you will soon enter."


    "The Four Empire Summit will be held there, and while you may have entered the Mirror Dimension in the past, what you will see will bepletely different from anything that you previously experienced. You will see, and feel things that you''ve never experienced before. You might even be a little thrown off at the start, but it shouldn''t be that much of an issue for you."


    "Is that so?"


    As looked at me with a thin smile on his lips.


    "....You''ll see when you get there."


    "Ah."


    That didn''t seem very helpful...


    "With regards to the Angel of Sorrow... It''s a famous statue."


    A statue?


    I cocked my head curiously?


    It certainly did seem that way in the vision, but at the same time, it also felt alive, especially


    in thest moments when my head appeared in its hands.


    ''Was that even real...?''


    I wasn''t so sure since I was staring right at my decapitated head instead of seeing directly


    from it.


    .... But I never truly understood the visions, so I wasn''t sure.


    "It''s quite the famous statue. You''ll be able to find it once you enter the crack."


    Suddenly, his smile grew a little as he chuckled.


    "....You won''t miss it when you enter. It''s quite easy to spot."


    I understood what he meant as I recalled the vision, but this wasn''t what I wanted to know.


    "Is there anything else about it?"


    "Why are you asking?"


    "I heard some people talk about it. I thought it sounded interesting."


    "That makes sense."


    Shortly after that, he pressed his hand against my shoulder.


    "I''m not sure how you learned about the statue, but there''s nothing to worry about."


    No, there is...


    "It''s rather harmless. It''s been in the same spot ever since it''s been found, and nothing came


    out of it. I''d be more worried about other things instead of the statues."


    As''s gaze scanned the surroundings, pausing on certain figures.


    Then, lowering his head, he stared at me.


    "Try your best in the uing Summit. I''ll be watching."


    Such were hisst words before he left.


    However, as I stood still, I found myself unable to tear my gaze away from his back. For some reason... I had a feeling that his words had a deeper meaning to them.


    But what exactly did they mean?


    ***


    The hall was filled with all sorts of foods and drinks, avish feastid out on ornate tables,


    their metal covers gleaming under the dim light.


    "....."


    Delh stood by the corner with a deadpan expression.


    To the outside, she looked regal and majestic, gathering the attention of all those present with her mere presence alone. She seemed like an untouchable existence.


    A being with no -


    "Slurp."


    Delh wiped the corner of her mouth as her eyes quickly shifted toward the fountain to her


    ||


    right.


    Her face hardened at the sight of it.


    All that chocte...


    11


    ......


    Delh smacked her lips and looked away.


    No, she couldn''t falter. Not here.


    ''A little...?''


    Her mind unexpectedly faltered.


    Delh looked around with narrowed eyes.


    What sort of demon was making her act like this?


    Her eyes once again flicked over to the chocte fountain, and her hand reached out for the


    nearby strawberry.


    Just a little...


    "Oh, there you are."


    Delh''s hand flicked back in ce as she turned around.


    Standing not far from her was a sickly man holding onto a ck book. With signature red hair


    and yellow eyes, he also stood out from the crowd as he walked in her direction. Delh could


    hear the whispers of the people around them as he approached.


    ''What''s going on?''


    ''.... Are the two going to fight?''


    ''Why is he approaching her? No, what even is she doing here in the first ce?''


    Delh promptly ignored the surrounding noise and fixed her gaze on the approaching figure.


    His intentions were unknown to her.


    As he approached, his eyes set over the chocte fountain.


    Walking over to it, he dabbed a strawberry and took a taste for himself.


    "So sweet."


    His eyes squinted in delight.


    Dark thoughts crossed Delh''s mind as she looked at him.


    Suddenly, she felt that the punishment she had chosen for him was too light.


    "Ha-! That was nice."


    Putting the toothpick away, Gael casually handed Delh the book in her hand.


    "Here. You''re thest person that I''m supposed to hand this over to."


    Without saying a word, Delh took the book and opened it.


    Within the book were a series of profiles with a number next to them.


    "These are the official rankings of the cadet in the uing summit. We''ve got five in the


    top thirty, but only two in the top ten. It''s a bit of a letdown, but the top-ranking talents from


    the other empire are very strong."


    Flip-


    Flipping the pages, Delh scanned through the book and read each profile. In particr, she


    paid close attention to the first-ranked talent on the list.


    [Rank 1] Caius M. Aetheria


    The first prince of the Aetheria Empire.


    His image immediately stood out the moment she opened the book.


    With his golden eyes and hair, it was hard to skip him. Nheless, from the data, he


    appeared to be someone who specialized in both [Elemental] and [Mind] categories.


    Mind...?


    "An Emotive Mage?"


    "That''s right."


    Gael nodded, dragging his finger over Caius''s profile.


    "He''s an Emotive Mage that has reached a level most Emotive Mages can''t reach. I''m afraid


    that his emotive abilities


    are on par wi som the inst ors in the Academy. But


    that''s not the scariest part..."


    Gael said, his finger pausing over the text beneath Caius''s profile. "....The problem is his light magic. From what I''ve heard, he''s currently in the middle ranks of


    Tier 4, and he has integrated with several bones. It''ll be hard for those of our Empire to put up


    a struggle against him. Not only that."


    Gael looked at the other profiles and sighed.


    "He''s not the only troublesome one. There''s quite a few..."


    In particr, his gaze fell on a gray-eyed youth.


    If there was one person that was said to be as strong as Caius, then it''d be him.


    [Rank - 2] Amell J. Mantovaj.


    Heir to one of the strongest houses within the Verdant Empire, he was quite renowned.


    However, unlike Caius, he was only talented in one aspect.


    The [Body] aspect.


    Well-adept with the sword, there were rumors of him being the next sword saint of the


    Empire.


    "Next up-Uh?"


    ck!


    Before Gael could go over the other profiles, Delh closed the book shut.


    Surprised, Gael addressed her,


    "Are you not going to look at it?"


    "No."


    Delh handed it back to the surprised Geal who took it in confusion.


    ''What''s going on?''


    Before he could even question her motives, Delh spoke.


    "That book is filled with a bunch of nonsense."


    Delh didn''t borate and just left, leaving the stunned Gael at a loss for words as he stood


    dumbly with the book in his hands.


    "Eh?"


    Bunch of nonsense?


    He looked down at the book and blinked his eyes.


    ''.... How can it be? This was something that the experts from all the four Empires unanimously agreed


    on. How is it nonsense?''


    Gael scratched the back of his head.


    "Could she be sensitive about the fact that our talents rank so low?"


    Perhaps that was it, but Gael had a hard time thinking someone like Delh would care about


    such things.


    But regardless of how much he tried to think about it, he couldn''te up with a conclusion,


    and in the end, he gave up.


    "I guess we''ll see if it''s nonsense or not."


    Putting the book away, he reached for a strawberry, but...


    "Uh?"


    To his shock, the te was empty. "Where in the world?"


    But the surprise didn''t end there.


    As he frantically looked around for the strawberries, he realized something as his gaze flicked


    in a certain direction.


    "The chocte fountain..."


    He numbly spoke, his head flicking around the venue.


    "....It''s missing."


    ***


    --At the same time.


    Theater Society.


    "How are the preparations? Is everything going well?"


    Olga overlooked the preparations for the uing performances. Since a lot of VIPs were


    going to participate, she needed to make sure that everything was perfect.


    "Move that a little to the left..."


    She was a perfectionist through and through.


    If there was something that hindered her performance, then she was ready to discard it.


    The decision to rece Julien was also due to that.


    She had found someone better so she felt no reason to keep him. His tardiness was merely an


    excuse to get rid of him.


    "Looks like everything is progressing smoothly."


    All of a sudden a deep voice reverberated from the other end of the theater and Olga''s head


    flicked in the direction of where the voice came from. Immediately her eyes sparkled. "Arjen! What are you doing here?"


    It was none other than the main star of the y.


    "It''s nothing much, I just thought that I''d pay a visit to see how everything is going."


    "That''s sweet of you. As you can see everything is going well."


    "Yes, I can tell. Thank you for your efforts."


    "Oh, please."


    Olga waved her hand.


    She was just about to bring Arjen over to test the theater when he suddenly spoke.


    "I heard a funny rumor."


    "Yes?"


    Olga passed.


    Rumor? What rumor?


    "Two ys will be yed before us."


    "Yes, it''s the standard."


    "I see."


    Arjen suddenly smiled as he looked at Olga.


    "...I also heard that the previous actor doing the role that I''m doing is participating. Is that


    true?"


    "Oh, that."


    Olga dismissed with her hand.


    "Don''t bother with that. I''ve seen the script. It''s average. If you''re worried about them taking


    your spotlight, don''t be."


    Olga wasn''t speaking out of spite, but out of confidence.


    ....The y was a romance y, and while it was decently written, that was it. There was


    nothing that made it stand out.


    At least, it wasn''t as impactful as her y.


    "Come, Arjen!"


    Waving at him, she urged him in her direction.


    "Stop caring about that nonsense ande try the new equipment!"


    She proceeded to head onto the stage. Arjen on the other hand stood still while staring at her departing back.


    ''I''m supposed to be somewhere else, but I just couldn''t help myself.''


    With a faint smile, his eyes flickered slightly before he took a step forward.


    "....I was never worried in the first ce."


    Days until the y - 1

 Chapter 272: Never stopped smiling [1]

    Chapter 272: Never stopped smiling [1]


    ?


    The inauguration for the Four Empire Summit wasn''t anything serious. It was merely a small get-together between the members of the Four Empires to familiarize themselves with each other.


    Participation wasn''tpulsory.


    At least for the cadets. On the other hand, the same couldn''t be said for the representatives that all had to be present.


    This gathering was more for them than for us.


    It was good like this since it made the event end rather quickly.


    It ended in a few hours, and before I knew it, I was back in my hotel room.


    || ||


    Crinckle- Crinckle-


    The script in my hand crinkled under my tight grip.


    Reading the crinkled lines, I pressed my lips firmly before they parted open, reciting the next line in the script.


    ".....Ah, I wish I was there. I wish-"


    Crinckle~!


    Stopping halfway, I clenched my teeth as I stared at my nk expression in the mirror. For the past few hours since returning, I had been practicing thest part over and over again.


    And yet...


    "Nothing."


    My expression remained stiff.


    .....Regardless of how hard I tried to make it seem as though I was in love, I failed. As if something was blocking me, my face remained stoic.


    "At this rate, I will fail..."


    The thought made my breathing quicken slightly as I once again immersed myself in the script before me.


    Failure...


    I couldn''t fail.


    "I need to do this."


    And with such thoughts, I continued to practice. Even as the night faded and light started to spill into my room from the narrow gap in the curtains, I didn''t stop practicing.


    I immersed myself into this new character and juggled through the emotions that I knew.


    ...I tried my best to replicate what one would feel when in love.


    From the subtle blush in the face to the quickening of the heartbeat and what people described as the ''butterflies in the stomach''.


    I tried to replicate all of that, and while it did look decent at a nce when I thought back to the performance of the mysterious actor who was recing me in the main y, I knew this wasn''t enough.


    it was far from enough.


    "As expected, it''s not good enough."


    And I knew exactly what was missing.


    "Love... I need to find a way to unlock it."


    Only then would I be able to put on a performance that I would be satisfied with.


    There was only one problem with this.


    ''I don''t understand love.''


    Not in my past life, and not in this life.


    .....I never bothered with it, but ever since my fight with the Vice-Chancellor, I had a feeling that I needed to unlock it.


    I was on the verge of grasping something special, and while I could feel it, I knew that I was missing something.


    That something... I believed it to be thest emotion.


    [Love]


    It was for this reason that I was pushing myself to do this.


    Once I figured it out, then...


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.


    ''I''m sure I''ll be stronger... I don''t know how, but I just know it.''


    Of this, I was sure.


    ***


    7 A.M.


    12 hours before the start of the y.


    The auditorium was packed with workers as they arranged the seating and cleaned up the ce. On the other hand, the actors were already backstage preparing for the uing performances.


    There was still quite a bit of time before the event started, but taking into ount the time it took to put on the makeup and change as well as practice before the event, there was hardly


    any real-time.


    ".....He''s still not here yet."


    Aoife nkly stared at the ceiling of her changing room as her red hair scattered over the red


    sofa she was sitting on.


    Her hair blended nicely with the sofa as shey on it.


    "This will go well."


    Aoife felt her lips tremble as she said those words.


    In reality, she was extremely nervous.


    This was going to be the second time that she performed as an actress, and as a main lead to


    boot. How could she not be nervous?


    Biting her lips, Aoife sat up and looked around.


    Her eyes eventually set on a worn-out script. She immediately reached out for it and opened it


    as she flipped through the pages.


    Flip. Flip. Flip.


    Her eyes rapidly darted from one side to the other as she furiously scanned the pages.


    Eventually, she paused on a certain page.


    It was only that...


    ||


    It was illegible. With all sorts of notes filling the page, there was hardly a proper structure, making it almost impossible to read.


    But that was no problem for Aoife.


    She had spent the better part of her days memorizing each and every line. Not only that, but she also knew exactly which scene was from which page and so on. She knew everything by heart, and although she couldn''t read the script, she didn''t need to in the first ce.


    Aoife was deadset on doing her utter best in this script.


    Although she didn''t have much time to practice, this role meant so much more than one could imagine for her. It was for this reason that she was pushing herself to levels that even before


    she hadn''t put herself.


    Aoife''s gaze set on a particr scene as her expression paused.


    "Did he figure it out?"


    At the very end, there was a solo lead that involved the male protagonist.


    .... It was a soft monologue that would mark the end of the story, and also one of the most


    important scenes in the script.


    Everything had to be perfect.


    Only when the climax came to life would a story truly shine.


    This scene was a must, and also the most troublesome one. Originally, Aoife thought that


    Julien would be able to breeze through the acting given what he had shown in the past, and in


    more ways than not, he was able to nail everything to perfection.


    Everything but thest scene.


    For some reason, he struggled immensely with that.


    Why?


    Why did that happen?


    "Hm?"


    As Aoife''s head flicked to face the closed door, she crinkled the script in her hands. For a moment, she thought that someone had knocked, telling her to get ready.


    The idea made her heart jolt.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Aoife felt her heart beat loudly within her mind as she pressed her hand against her chest.


    ncing at the script beside her, her heart quickened further as she went on to mumble,


    "....I hope he did."


    It was at that moment that her anxiety finally set in.


    "Or else we''re screwed."


    ***


    12 P.M.


    Backstage of the main theater.


    "Yes, this is working... Yes, okay..."


    Tommy was busy handling all the logistics involved in the y. Currently, he was test-


    checking all the equipment involved in the y.


    From the illusiongram to the light center, he needed to make sure that everything was aligned


    with what he had nned.


    Cli nk-


    The stage lights flickered in and out with the press of a finger.


    At the same time, the stage also changed. Changing from a regr stage to what appeared to


    be a nice park.


    "All good."


    Unlike Olga''s production, he had to do everything by himself.


    The Empire had put the biggest emphasis on her y. It was for that reason that most of the


    staff was helping her.


    On the other hand, he had to figure things out by himself.


    Of course, by the end, the staff would do onest check to make sure things would work


    properly but before then he would need to figure things out by himself.


    He had been stuck doing this for the past three hours.


    .....He was slowly bing happier with his achievements, and it was just as he was about to


    get done with one check that he spotted Julien''s figure in the distance.


    "Ah."


    Tommy dropped whatever he was doing and approached him.


    He was just about to greet him when he paused.


    "Eh?"


    Julien...


    There seemed to be something wrong with him. His face was paler than usual, and he had dark


    circles beneath his eyes.


    But it wasn''t that that


    No, it was something else.


    His expression... It seemed lost. Almost hollow.


    "Could it be...?"


    At first, he didn''t understand, but after a little thought, he understood.


    "....He still hasn''t figured out thest scene?"


    Tommy felt his heart sink at the thought.


    If he couldn''t figure out thest part then...


    "Ah!"


    Tommy suddenly started to rub his hair as his heart started to sink.


    p-!


    But that was only for a brief moment as he pped both sides of his face, finally snapping


    himself out of it.


    "....I''ve done what I''ve done. It''s not my job to tell someone how to act. I''ll just have to wait


    and see."


    And with such thoughts, Tommy went back to sort out the equipment.


    ***


    6 P.M.


    "The crowd is just starting to enter! The crowd is just starting to enter! Start preparing the


    equipment!"


    A loud voice bellowed throughout the back of the main stage. Over a dozen workers scrambled


    around the set, transporting props and equipment around.


    An air of tension lingered in the air. "Hey! Be careful of that...!"


    This was especially so for Olga.


    .... Although she didn''t need to feel nervous as she had absolute confidence in her y, she


    still couldn''t help but feel that way.


    It was just that the crowd outside was quite special.


    Each and every single person in the audience was an extremely important figure or would be.


    If she could impress any one of them, then her future achievements would soar to an even


    greater height.


    The thought made her breath heavier.


    ''Perfect... Everything needs to be perfect!''


    "Ho."


    Peeking through the back, she took a deep breath.


    There were quite a few people that she recognized. She felt her heart stop for a brief moment


    before she calmed herself down and eased out her anxiety. Turning her head, her gaze fell on


    Arjen and immediately her nervousness shattered.


    ''Right, I don''t need to be worried. He''s performing.''


    If Julien could do it, why wouldn''t he? He was better.


    .... It was with such thoughts that Olga found herself at peace with the situation.


    Cli nk!


    It was the sudden sound of the curtains opening that she turned her head in the direction of


    the main stage.


    "Ah."


    Her features softened.


    ''It''s about to start.''


    Her gaze fell on the group that was about to perform, and her expression changed slightly.


    Suddenly, an idea crossed her mind and she headed for a better spot to see the first performance.


    "....I guess this can be a good way to calm my nerves."


    7P.M.


    At exactly 7 P.M. the theater performance started.


    It''s first y;


    Never Stopped Smiling.

 Chapter 273: Never stopped smiling [2]

    Chapter 273: Never stopped smiling [2]


    ?


    -A bit before the first performance started.


    Marking the true start of the Four Empire Summit was the theater performance that the Theater Society hosted.


    A lot had been invested and prepared for the uing disy.


    And it was evident by the grandness of the venue which could host up to 5000 people at a time.


    It was a way to showcase the Empire''s culture to the guests. It was also a nice way to start the meeting.


    Especially since things would be quite tenseter.


    There were a lot of important matters that needed to be discussed at the uing Summit.


    *


    The ceiling soared high above, decorated with borate frescoes and a magnificent chandelier that covered a wide area.


    The stage itself was framed by heavy velvet curtains that seemed ready to open at any given time.


    On the other hand, rows upon rows of plush seats stretched back to the ornate balconies up above and on the side of the weather.


    In one such balcony, four people sat.


    "This is quite the nice theater."


    They were all rtively young, and they carried a regal aura around them. They were the royal delegates from each Empire.


    Because the Emperors couldn''t leave their Empire as they wished, the diplomatic rtions were handled by the first in line for the throne of each respective Empire.


    Representing the Nurs Ancifa Empire was none other than Gael who quietly sat on his seat with his eyes set on the stage beneath.


    He had an unusually serious expression on his face.


    "How are you doing?"


    His attention was broken by a soft voiceing from his right.


    It belonged to a girl with light red hair and blue eyes. Her appearance carried a certain innocence that made one feel the need to protect her. But appearances could be deceiving.


    Despite how she looked, she was someone to be feared. Not because of her character which was moderately ruthless, but because of her strength.


    At age 28, she managed to reach Tier 7, a feat that people who could be described as monsters could achieve.


    If not for Delh, she would''ve been far more famous.


    It was a pity that... she existed.


    Verdant Empire Crown Princess - Elysia J. Verdant.


    "I''m fine. Thank you for asking."


    With a soft smile, he thanked her. His rtionship with her wasn''t too bad and they could converse without a problem.


    "I''m happy to hear that. It also does look like you''re doing better."


    "Haha, so I have been told."


    "....How long until the seal is broken and you can return to normal?"


    "One more year."


    "Ah, I see. That''s nice to hear."


    The deal between his father and Delh had a set time. He had endured enough and was now waiting for hisst year before being able to train again.


    This was information that only a few knew.


    Given her status, Elysia naturally knew. He also didn''t mind her knowing given that he was quite friendly with her.


    The same couldn''t be said to be true for the other two present in the room. In particr, Gael''s expression fell on a man with soft yellow eyes and deep ck hair. Wearing a ck outfit with golden embroidery that matched his eyes, he stood out quite a bit.


    ....Gael felt a certain sense of repulsion when he set his gaze on him.


    It was hard to exin, but it felt primal. As if his own instincts were rejecting the very being sitting not far from where he was.


    Aetheria Empire''s Crown Prince Theron F. Aetheria.


    He wore a thin smile on his face as he looked at the stage beneath. It was as if he was waiting for something exciting to happen.


    "Hm?"


    As if Theron could sense his gaze, he turned his head.


    The moment their gazes met, Theron smiled.


    "I can''t wait for the uing y. I''ve heard a lot of good things about it. Especially the y by the renowned scriptwriter Olga. It''s such a pity that such a writer is not from our Empire, otherwise, I would''ve gone to watch her ys every night."


    "....I am struggling just as much as you."


    Gael replied curtly.


    Olga was indeed a generational talent that they couldn''t do without.


    The more famous her y was, the more their influence would spread across the other


    Empires.


    .....And her current y could be said to be a masterpiece that was known throughout each Empire.


    Her y was definitely going to blow minds away.


    It was overall great.


    Picking up a small leaflet that was provided for all, Theron leaned his head back and read


    through it.


    "Three ys?"


    His eyes opened up slightly as he read the leaflet.


    "Hmm. That''s quite a lot. I''m curious as to why you''re showing three ys. Isn''t one


    enough?"


    Gael asked as he fanned himself with the paper.


    "Ideally, yes... but the y is not long enough to fill the entire time slot. At the same time, it''s


    a rather heavy y."


    "Ah, right. I''ve heard about that."


    "Yes, that''s why we''ve chosen to get the audience in the mood before thest y. Otherwise,


    it''ll be a little too much to take in. It''s also our own way to give the other talents a chance to


    perform."


    "That''s a good idea."


    Theron nodded as his eyes traced the first part of the page before stopping.


    "Oh?"


    His brows rose slightly.


    "We''re starting off with a romance y?"


    "Yes,"


    Gael lowered his head to stare at a simr-looking leaflet.


    ".....It''s a y by an up-anding writer."


    "Hmm, that''s interesting."


    Theron set the leaflet down.


    "Never Stopped Smiling. It''s a peculiar name, and I don''t recognize the writer. I hope it


    doesn''t disappoint."


    "....You don''t have to worry about that."


    Gael smiled in return.


    "I''m sure you won''t be disappointed."


    While he hadn''t seen the rehearsal of the y as they hadn''t participated in the event. He was confident in the uing performance. After all, his little sister was ying.


    How could it not be good?


    Even if it wasn''t good, it was good.


    But...


    ''Something''s off."


    Gael couldn''t quite exin it, but Theron seemed to be unusually enthusiastic. Gael didn''t know him all too well, but from the little interactions he had with him, Theron didn''t strike


    him as a guy who was interested in ys.


    ...... It was a little out of character.


    "'' .....''


    Gael''s eyes narrowed for a split second before he took a small breath and leaned back on his


    chair.


    While he wasn''t sure what Theron was nning, he didn''t think too much.


    He highly doubted he nned anything dangerous. They were in the heart of Bremmer. What


    could he possibly do?


    Whatever he had nned, if he had anything nned in the first ce... was probably


    something small.


    He could rx under such thoughts.


    ''I also don''t have to worry much about thest guy.''


    Gael''s gaze fell on a tall and burly man. Sat on his seat, he rested his cheek on his propped-up


    hand. A wild pressure exuded from out of his enormous body as his ginger hair gently fell over


    his face to cover his green eyes.


    Unlike everyone else, he was dressed in less formal clothing. With a white shirt and shorts to


    expose his muscr thighs, he stood out differentlypared to the others.


    Lucian R. Eldmor.


    The Crown Prince of the Aurora Empire.


    While Gael''s rtionship with him wasn''t great, he could at least not worry about him


    ying tricks.


    He wasn''t the type of person that liked petty tricks.


    If he wanted to kill someone, he''d kill them. If he wanted to scheme something, he''d do it on


    a massive scale. This was how his mind worked, and was also the reason why Gael was wary of


    him.


    Another reason why Gael felt like he didn''t have anything nned was because he looked


    rather disinterested in whatever y was going to be shown.


    But that could also be a ruse.


    After all, the quieter someone was, the more dangerous they were.


    "....


    ||


    In silence, he shifted his attention away from the group and focused it back on the main


    stage.


    It was currently empty, but it was almost time.


    At the same time, he quietly murmured,


    ''Good luck.''


    ***


    The theater was starting to fill up.


    All sorts of important figures appeared throughout the venue as they sat in their seats.


    Because of the importance of the event, there was a high demand to see the ys. Everyone


    couldn''t wait to see the new and improved version of Olga''s masterpiece.


    It was all everyone was talking about.


    ''...I heard that the new actor is out of this world.''


    ''There''s rumors that say that it''s way better than it was in the past.''


    ''Wow, it can be even better?''


    ''We will see.''


    Leon sat in his seat while he quietly listened to the conversation around him. He was currently


    sitting next to a few people he didn''t know, and thus, he could only stare ahead without much


    of an expression.


    ''So Julien will be performing soon...''


    Leon could still distinctly remember Julien''s first performance.


    It was rather mind-blowing, and while Leon hated to admit it, Julien was an incredible actor.


    Or at least, in the performance he was great.


    He wasn''t so sure about how his current performance would pan out.


    "Right, his current performance."


    Leon felt his mouth grow dry as he licked his lips and cleared his throat.


    "Khmm."


    From what he heard, it was a unique script.


    A romance script.


    A...


    ...Romance script.


    "Kh."


    A weird noise suddenly came out of his mouth.


    Several heads flicked to face him. Blinking, Leon kept his face straight and pretended to have


    nothing to do with the noise.


    Or at least that was until...


    "....Kh!"


    He let out another strange sound as he bit his lips.


    "Excuse me, are you okay?"


    Wondering if there was something wrong, the person sitting next to him asked.


    However, just as his hand reached out to touch Leon''s shoulder, he noticed that something


    was off with Leon.


    His shoulder...


    "Eh?"


    ....It was trembling.


    "Excuse me, are you-"


    The stranger stopped halfway through his sentence. He suddenly found it hard to speak as he


    noticed the peculiarities in the young man before him.


    From his trembling shoulders to his bloodshot eyes.


    He was...


    "Pftt."


    ***


    At the same time, in another area.


    "...Is this my seat?"


    Kiera nced at the guest card in her hand. It said [B57] which was presumingly where her


    seat was. There was only one problem...


    "Oy, you''re sitting on my seat."


    Someone was sitting in her seat.


    Kiera couldn''t quite see their appearance but they appeared to be a girl with their long blonde


    wavy hair.


    ||


    "1


    Her words were met with silence, prompting Kiera to frown.


    "Oy? Did you not hear me?"


    Kiera tried again, but just like before, she got no response.


    As a result of this, Kiera''s frown tightened as she pressed her hand against the person''s


    shoulder.


    "Bitch, did you not hear what I said? Get out of my fucking seat before I-" Kiera''s voice came to an abrupt halt as the figure''s head slowly turned to face her direction.


    The moment it did, Kiera felt her mind grow nk as she felt her breath leave her body.


    That...


    It couldn''t be...?


    "....Ah."


    Cli nk-


    It was right then that the lights turned off.


    But despite the sudden darkness, Kiera''s gaze never left the smiling figure before her.


    "It''s been a while..."


    A familiar voice reached her ears.


    One that she could never forget in her entire life.


    "....Ki."

 Chapter 274: Never stopped smiling [3]

    Chapter 274: Never stopped smiling [3]


    ?


    The noise level quieted as the theater lights dimmed. Instantly, all attention focused on the red curtains at the front. At the front, several people looked at the leaflets before them as they whispered to one another.


    "Never stopped smiling?"


    ".....A romance script. Hmm. Good thing it''s short."


    "Yes, I can''t wait for the main y to start."


    "This shouldn''t be too bad. The standard of the society is quite high. They won''t let a bad y pass."


    "That''s true."


    Expectations for the uing performance were rather moderate.


    Most attention was focused on thest performance and the y that everyone was eagerly awaiting. The uing ys were more like appetizers for the main dish.


    They expected a certain quality, but nothing that would blow their mind away.


    And rightfully so.


    The fact that the first y was a romance-based one added to the slight disinterest as some checked their pocket watch.


    "I hope it doesn''t run for too long."


    "It shouldn''t. See the leaflet. It only runs for twenty minutes."


    "Oh, it''s quite short. That''s a relief..."


    "....."


    Delh quietly observed the surroundings without so much as a change in her expression. She appeared unusually serious as her gaze settled over the stage.


    Her conversation with Julien repeated in her mind.


    ''Reading it and experiencing it are two different things. It looks monotonous now because it''s a script. It''ll be a different experience when you see it.''


    He had said such words so confidently to her back then.


    Delh still carried heavy doubts but chose to attend and see for herself.


    ....Exactly how was it so different from the boring script that he had shown her? She still had every line memorized in her mind, and regardless of how hard she tried to visualize the lines in a y, she could only find it boring.


    ''Is it really different?''


    Delh questioned herself as she fixed her gaze on the stage beneath.


    She could feel subtle movementsing from behind the curtain.


    Scribble~ Scribble~


    Suddenly, a scribbling sound echoed throughout the entire hall. It spread throughout every inch of it, reaching the ears of all those present.


    "What''s going on?"


    "....Is this part of the y?"


    At first, people were confused. Rightfully so as the curtains were still closed, but their confusion didn''tst long.


    A soft voice soon filled the entire theater.


    <I didn''t really understand her.>


    The tone was pleasant, and it carried a certain warmth that made the audience feel at ease. Almost as if it wasing from next to them.


    The mood in the theater eased.


    <Nobody understood her.>


    At least, until the voice turned slightly heavy. The moment it did, the audience felt as though something heavy was pressing down on their chest.


    <From teachers to ssmates. Everyone kept their distance away from her. She just looked


    so...>


    Swoosh~


    The curtains slowly opened to reveal arge group of people standing side by side. They were dressed in matching uniforms, with the taller individuals at the back and the shorter ones in the front.


    <...lonely.>


    Gradually, the voice faded.


    What reced it was repetitive clicking sounds.


    Click. Click. Click.


    [Everyone please smile for me!]


    On the opposite end, an elderly woman stood with a camera in her hand.


    [This will go in your yearbook so make sure you look good for it! I don''t have much film so you better make it worth it. Don''t close your eyes!]


    Click!


    The shutter clicked as a light shed.


    [Alright, great!]


    Satisfied, the elderly woman grabbed the image that came out of the camera. Waving it in the


    air, an image soon appeared.


    Looking at it, she smiled in satisfaction.


    [Hahaha, you all look great. This will definitely be a good memory.]


    A projection appeared on the side of the theater. It allowed the audience to see the image


    from up close.


    It was just amon image.


    One with several dozen students as they lined up together to take the year-end photo. There was nothing about it that stood out to them.


    All with the exception of one single girl...


    With long flowing ck hair and hazel eyes she stood by the corner. There was nothing wrong with her, but if one looked closely, they''d notice the absence of a smile on her face.


    As her bangs covered her face, she stood still with a nk expression.


    Herck of expression made her stand out from the rest.


    The character was none other than the one yed by Aoife. With all the makeup and changes


    in hair color, she almost seemed unrecognizable, but it still wasn''t able to mask the beautiful features hidden behind all the makeup and bangs.


    nk-!


    The scene paused and the lights dimmed before converging over a certain figure.


    Not far from her, he stood still on the spot with an image in his hand. With unkempt hair and a uniform, he looked like a typical teen in his phase. Especially his soft features.


    The moment he appeared, the faces of some of the audience changed.


    ''Isn''t that...?''


    ''Right, it''s him.''


    People recognized him. As the winner of the Jovinc Award, he had quite a reputation. With all the attention on Olga''s y, not much attention was focused on the other ys.


    It was for that reason that hardly anybody was aware of Julien''s participation in the y.


    ...And it was also then that the audience understood something as some of the audience members whispered to one another.


    ''Do you think he''s doing this for revenge?''


    ''No way.''


    ''Why not? He got reced and chose to perform in another y. Isn''t he trying to prove his skills?''


    ''Ah.''


    All of a sudden, some interest grew in the y. Especially since many were aware of the fact


    that Julien had been reced by another actor a few weeks prior.


    There were also others who were surprised for a different reason.


    || ||


    One such person was Delh who stared at Julien with a nk look.


    He looked... so different than he usually did.


    Usually, he would always wear a nk and indifferent look. His usual gaze was sharp, and he


    had a certain tense aura surrounding him that brought the eyes of all those present in his


    direction.


    And yet, the current him seemed like apletely different person.


    His features were warm, and his face carried a certain naivety to it that made it hard for her to


    associate him with the Julien she knew.


    ''So strange...''


    It was strange, but she suddenly felt like she was no longer staring at Julien, but a different


    entity.


    A character called David.


    The y...


    It was slowlying to life.


    <I remember noticing her during the time we took pictures for the yearbook photo. I usually


    never bothered, but it was then that I finally took notice of her.>


    Yet again, his soft voice quietly echoed throughout.


    <That was when I finally noticed something.>


    The stage dimmed and the scenes changed continuously.


    A lone girl sat eating her lunch.


    A lone girl stood by herself during physical education ss.


    A lone girl standing while others grouped up together.


    <She was always alone. She never talked to anyone nor did she ever smile. Before I knew it,


    she never left my mind. I started to think about her all the time.>


    <Amelia... That was her name.>


    The voice speaking in the background grew softer.


    It was almost as if he was trying to hold hisugh.


    <....And... Kh! I think it was then that she noticed me.>


    No, he probably was. Indeed, right as those words faded, Aoife''s head flicked in his direction as he sat behind her.


    Her usually nk expression changed into a subtle and annoyed re.


    "Pftt."


    "Hehehe."


    "Did you see her face?"


    Subtle cues ofughter followed the re. It was an unexpected action, and it seemed to


    tickle the audience''s funny bone.


    They weren''t the only ones whoughed.


    Julien did so as well, turning his head away and covering his mouth.


    [Pftt.]


    Despite his best attempts, he was still unable to hide the sound of hisugh and Aoife''s re


    intensified.


    *Kuuu*


    It bore holes into the back of his head.


    .....This sort of behavior continued for quite a while.


    Scenes would switch, and as they switched, David became more and more brazen with his


    stares.


    It got to the point where he was eventually confronted by her


    In a small room, she pressed her hand against the wall as she red at Julien.


    [What do you want?]


    Her voice was cold and distant.


    But David seemed unfazed as he shrugged.


    [....What do you mean?]


    [Why do you keep looking at me? It''s creepy, and it''s grossing me out. Stop it.]


    [Why?]


    [What? Haa...]


    A long sigh escaped her.


    Resigning herself to the situation, she eventually backed off.


    [What will it take for you to stop following me?]


    [Hm?]


    [What? Don''t tell me you''re following me for no reason at all.]


    [Oh, that...]


    David went on to scratch his head as he struggled to answer.


    He is...?


    The audience looked at Julien''s flustered expression and found the sudden urge to smack their


    own heads.


    He really was just following her for no reason at all...


    [Seriously?]


    Amelia looked at David with a baffled expression.


    [.... You actually don''t know?]


    [No, it''s not that.]


    [Then...?]


    [Hold on.]


    Fumbling through his pocket, Julien eventually took a photo and handed it to her.


    [This is?]


    [ss photo.]


    [I can see. What do-]


    [Why do you never smile?]


    [....]


    A strange tension suddenly gripped the stage as the surroundings turned quiet. As if everyone


    was absorbed in the y, nobody said a word as they stared at the two figures standing


    opposite each other.


    Why did she stop speaking?


    ...What''s going to happen?


    They all suddenly grew curious. They wanted to know the answer to the question.


    But they were all soon going to be left disappointed.


    [Because I don''t want to?]


    It was a simple answer.


    An answer that didn''t feel satisfying at all.


    ''Is this really it?''


    "That''s kind of...''


    Some of the audience members leaned back, their interest in the y waning.


    [You don''t want to? Is that it?]


    [What else? I don''t smile because I don''t see the need to. It''s not that hard to understand.]


    But that interest was immediately brought back by Aoife. With a subtle increase in her pitch,


    she managed to just briefly elicit feelings of anger.


    It was such a subtle action that was barely noticeable, but the effects were instant.


    [....If that''s all that you wanted to know then I hope you''re happy.]


    Turning her head away from Julien, Aoife walked away and left the room.


    nk-!


    [....]


    In the silence that suddenly took over the ce, Julien stood with his head lowered. In his


    hand was the school picture.


    Gradually the lights dimmed, and his voice quietly echoed throughout.


    <That was the first time she lied to me.>


    k!


    The lights turned off.


    End of Act 1.

 Chapter 275: Never stopped smiling [4]

    Chapter 275: Never stopped smiling [4]


    ?


    The second act started shortly after the end of the first act.


    There was norge break.


    The y continued where it left off. As the lights turned on, Aoife and Julien appeared to be facing each other at what appeared to be the entrance of the Academy they were attending.


    Wearing a small cap and long ck robes, they both held onto a small rolled-up paper.


    It was the day of their graduation.


    [Why are you still here?]


    Aoife''s eyes narrowed in annoyance as she addressed Julien who stood on the opposite end with a smile on his face.


    [Can I not be?]


    [....Leave me alone.]


    [You still haven''t smiled.]


    [Ugh.]


    Aoife visibly shuddered, mimicking the expression of some of the people in the audience. [You''re being creepy. Can you just leave me alone?]


    [Haha.]


    Despite her warnings, Julien didn''t seem to take them to heart as he scratched the back of his head andughed.


    Hisugh was so simple and yet so carefree. He was like the pr opposite of her who never smiled orughed.


    He was like the sun, and she was like the moon.


    [I''ll leave you alone if you smile. How about it?]


    [.......]


    Amelia stood in silence as she looked deeply at the annoying man before her.


    The audience had been there the entire time. They could feel the frustration that she felt. Until thest days of the Academy, he did nothing but stare and pester her.


    ''Smile for me.''


    ..... You lied, didn''t you?''


    ''Why are you avoiding me?''


    ''Let''s talk.''


    It got to the point where the audience was starting to dislike him.


    Can''t you just leave her alone?


    Why is he so creepy?


    Don''t tell me this is a story about a crazy stalker... A lot of weird thoughts started to circte


    in the minds of the audience members as they started to doubt the script.


    Especially after seeing just how insistent the male lead was being.


    [Are you not going to smile?]


    They wouldn''t be surprised if she rejected him again, but contrary to their expectations, Aoife didn''t reject him like she usually did.


    [Haa...]


    Rather, she sighed in resignation.


    [....Do you really want to know?]


    As she addressed him, her expression turned slightly serious. It was enough for Julien to drop his silly facade as he nodded.


    [Yes.]


    [....]


    Aoife stood in silence before looking around. Then, beckoning him, she led him toward a park where the two sat.


    [....]


    [....]


    It was silent from that point as the two sat on the opposite end of the bench. Neither one spoke as they seemed to be waiting for the other one to start, but neither did.


    In the end, it was Aoife who spoke first.


    [Have you ever heard of the Affection Distortion Disorder?]


    It was at that moment when everything froze as all attention shifted in Julien''s direction.


    Subtly, the corner of Julien''s mouth stiffened as he stopped moving. His eyes, staring deeply in Aoife''s direction turned nk for a brief moment.


    The audience members felt their hearts sink slightly.


    What''s going on?


    Eventually, Julien''s face returned to normal as he slowly nodded.


    [....I''ve seen it in the newspaper before. It''s a rather rare disorder.]


    [It is.]


    Aoife gently leaned her head back as she looked up above.


    Toward the lights of the stage.


    [We are all born with the ability to feel and perceive emotions. Anger, sadness, love, surprise, fear, and joy... The ability to feel such emotion is what makes us human. Usually, we''d feel them endlessly until the end of our lifespan. That is of course unless you have Affection


    Distortion Disorder.]


    With a gradual softening of her expression, Aoife closed her eyes.


    [Certain emotions are like a poison to us. The moment we feel them, we start to lose our lives.


    In my case...]


    Aoife stopped, her expression changing slightly as she pulled the corner of her lips.


    [....Joy is like a poison to me. The more I feel it, the more my lifespan decreases. Some are affected more than others while for others it is a lot milder. In my case, it''s moderate. So long as I don''t feel joy, I should be able to live a decent life. At least, that''s what the doctor said.]


    [Is that why you don''t smile?]


    [Why else?]


    Finally, Aoife turned her head to look at Julien.


    [I''m only doing what I''m doing so that I can live longer. Why do you think I don''t talk to


    anyone?]


    [Were the teachers aware?]


    [Yes.]


    [Oh.]


    From that point on, Amelia went on to rant about her situation.


    [It''s because the teachers were aware that I was able to live smoothly. If they forced me to interact with others then it would''ve been quite difficult. I can''t get attached to people.]


    The audience heard all herints.


    [If I get attached then the likelihood of me bing happy will increase. I can''t have that.]


    Julien just sat next to her and listened to all her rants. As he listened to her, a soft voice echoed


    out around the theater.


    It reflected Julien''s inner thoughts.


    <I never forgot that moment... Thinking about that conversation, I could only recall myself thinking; ''She must really be lonely.''>


    [The doctor said that this is for me. So that I can live a full life.]


    [And you''re fine with that?]


    [...Whatever keeps me living longer.]


    Aoife shrugged while leaning back. She appeared rather rxed, and as Julien stared at her,


    his expression softened.


    But he soon lost his smile as his eyes fell on the expression she was making.


    <The face she made back then never truly left my mind. It was the first time I had seen


    someone make such a sad face. That was also the second time she lied to me.>


    [So... is that what you''re going to do from this point forward? Get a job, stay by yourself, and


    repeat this endless cycle?]


    Aoife paused, turning her head slightly to look in Julien''s direction.


    Eventually, she made a face.


    [What else?]


    [....Do you like to have no dreams at all?]


    [Dreams?]


    Pondering for a moment, Aoife''s hand twitched before she shook her head.


    [No, I don''t.]


    <Again, she lied.>


    [....]


    Following her response, Julien stared at her in silence. It was a silent and ufortable stare


    that prompted Aoife to look away as she started to fidget to herself.


    [What?]


    [....Do you really have no dream?]


    [That...]


    After a brief hesitation, she shook her head again.


    [No.]


    She seemed adamant about not saying anything, and despite Julien''s gaze, she didn''t budge.


    Eventually, Julien smiled and stood up.


    [I see... That''s a pity.]


    [What is?] Aoife looked up as Julienzily stretched. Gazing into the distance, he nced at her from the


    corner of his eyes.


    [You.]


    [Uh?]


    For a brief moment, Aoife seemed stunned. So was the audience. For him to be so brazen...


    As expected, Aoife''s face grew red as she stood up fiercely. She looked ready to throw hands at


    him but stopped the moment she heard his voice again.


    [That dream of yours... I wanted to see you achieve it.]


    [....]


    It was at that moment that she froze.


    As if she had not expected such words toe out of his mouth, she appeared to be at a


    complete loss for words.


    At the same time, Julien''s gaze softened further.


    <I think I must''ve been crazy back then. Proposing to help her achieve her dream... Wasn''t


    that like telling her that I wanted to help her lose her lifespan?>


    <It was so irresponsible for me, and yet, thinking of the face she made back then... I found myself unable to stop myself from saying those words.>


    <Thinking back, my actions back then were probably a mistake.>


    [....]


    As an awkward silence descended on the two of them, Aoife''s lips eventually parted open, a


    slight trembleing out of them.


    [W-why? Why would you want to help me?]


    [....Isn''t it obvious?]


    [Uh?]


    Aoife slowly raised her head to look at it.


    It was at that moment that she noticed the bright smile on his face. Then, as if he was saying


    the most obvious thing, he said,


    [I just want to see you smile.]


    k!


    The scene stopped there as the second Actes to an end.


    Just like the first Act, there was a brief thirty-second interlude before the start of the next act.


    All eyes were now focused on the stage as nobody spoke a single word.


    In their minds, the conversation from the previous Act reyed in their minds. Most


    particrly thest smile by Julien.


    It was so bright and so carefree...


    With just a smile, he was able to capture the attention of all those present. Something about it


    made those watching feel light.


    .... It was a wonderful smile, and they suddenly started to understand him a little.


    Especially when they recalled the expressionless look on Aoife''s face.


    Would she also be able to smile like that?


    The y continued.


    It was now Act 3.


    By now, all attention was drawn to the y.


    [By the way, I forgot to ask...]


    Standing before a tall building, Aoife pursed her lips before turning her head to stare at


    Julien.


    [...What''s your name again?]


    [Uh?]


    Stunned, Julien almost tripped. However, he was soon able to recover as he covered his


    throat.


    [David.]


    [Such a simple name?]


    [....You can me my parents for it.]


    [Oh, yeah.]


    Awkwardly scratching the back of her head Aoife, no Amelia swallowed her saliva as she


    shifted her attention back to the building before her.


    There, her attention fell on two words.


    ''Theater Academy''


    Immediately, some of the audience members understood what was going on.


    ''Ah, so she wants to be an actress?''


    "That must be her dream.''


    ''.... How ironic.''


    Indeed, this was Amelia''s dream.


    In her seventeen years of life, acting had always been her dream. Her character held a strange


    resonance with Aoife who also wanted to act.


    Their motivations were different, but at the same time, standing before the building before


    her, Aoife could feel herself grow nervous.


    It was as though she was actually there and what she was seeing wasn''t a projection.


    She was immersing herself in the act.


    ....Gradually, she was starting to embody the essence of Amelia.


    But could the same be said for Julien?


    From the corner of her eyes, she spotted him standing beside her.


    [Acting, huh... I didn''t think this would be your dream.]


    He was currently reciting his lines. His tone was smooth, and his breathing was even. So far, it


    was perfect.


    .... Almost perfect.


    It wasn''t obvious to the audience, but Aoife could see it.


    Julien...


    He was struggling.


    Though everything about his acting was perfect, Aoife could see a natural rejection in his


    eyes. He was ufortable.


    All that smiling, and lightheartedness...


    His mind was rejecting it. Aoife could see it.


    But he didn''t stop. He continued to act.


    As if he wanted to see this through to the end, his acting became even more fluid. Before Aoife


    knew it, his image started to distort in her mind.


    .... It wasn''t long before she found herself standing with aplete stranger.


    As he turned his head and their gazes met, Julien, no, David cocked his head slightly as his lips


    trembled. His eyes, which had been full of hesitation a moment prior flicked as Aoife could''ve sworn she saw stars twinkle in them. Then, with a high pitch, he went on to grab her hands with anticipation. [You won''t be mad if I tell you I''m excited, right?! I can''t wait to see your performance!]


    Everyone could see the visible excitement on his face as he spoke. It started to rub off on them


    as Aoife felt a lot of gazes suddenly fall on her.


    It made her feel pressured.


    But at the same time, she felt the beat of her heart increase.


    [Let go...]


    Pursing her lips, she pulled her hands away from David''s grip before heading toward the door


    of the building.


    As she did, in a quiet voice. One that resembled a whisper, she said,


    [....But don''t get your hopes up. I''ve never acted before.]

 Chapter 276: Never stopped smiling [5]

    Chapter 276: Never stopped smiling [5]


    ?


    Acting...


    It was tough.


    I never once thought it was easy. But at the same time, my life was an act. I had grown used to this life. So much so that I started to feel ufortable showing a happy and cheerful look. My every smile felt forced, and I felt a strange sense of difort.


    Nheless, I needed to do this.


    For the act...


    I needed to smile.


    ''I need to forget. Immerse myself.''


    For one brief moment, let myself be the character of the y.


    But that was easier said than done.


    I was unfamiliar with the character, and the only resource I had to replicate it was a simple description.


    This was why I never once aspired to be an actor. The only reason I had even agreed to do this in the first ce was because I wanted the money.


    But things were different now.


    .....I needed acting.


    I needed to understand thest emotion.


    ''Love.''


    I felt like I was close to achieving something. I wasn''t sure what it was, but I knew it was going to be something important.


    This was why I needed acting.


    To understand myst remaining emotion.


    "Don''tugh at me, okay?"


    Aoife stood opposite me. We were currently standing in the middle of an empty stage and she fidgeted her fingers while looking at me.


    Her voice was soft and her eyes darted all over the ce.


    She looked shy.


    ''She''s improved a lot.''


    There was arge differencepared to her past self. Her acting back then was quite realistic, but there were times when she would make a few mistakes, breaking my immersion slightly.


    In this case, there were no ws.


    She had clearly spared no effort for this moment.


    It was for that reason that I couldn''t let her down. Whatever it took... I needed to find a way to immerse myself in the character known as David.


    He, who until the very end was a...


    ....A pathetic fool.


    ***


    The entire time, the audience was paying close attention to the y at hand. There was barely any sound in the theater room as all eyes were focused on the two figures ahead. No, rather...


    Aoife.


    [Keum... Keum...]


    With a shy look, she faced the entire audience and coughed. She looked at each and every audience member.


    From the moment that the y started, she had been the center of attention.


    Julien''s acting was great, but he was merely an afterthought. Aoife''s acting was devouring him, taking most of the spotlight away from him.


    It wasn''t that his acting was bad, but it wasn''t anything mind-blowing.


    ....At least, so far.


    [I will only do this once so pay attention. Be honest with me.]


    [Okay.]


    David nodded repeatedly as he stood behind her to watch.


    Amelia was just about to begin when she stopped. Pursing her lips, her head flicked back.


    [I''ve never really practiced much. Just a little. Don''t be too harsh.]


    [....Okay.]


    [....]


    Amelia bit her lips.


    [Be nice, alright?]


    [Okay.]


    [....Will you really?]


    [Didn''t you just tell me to be honest?]


    [Forget what I said.]


    [Okay. Okay.]


    Despite Amelia''s unreasonable demands, David kept a dumb smile on his face. It was obvious


    to everyone watching that he was just happy being there.


    Amelia looked away from him and took a deep breath.


    [Acting... Acting...]


    Softly mumbling to herself, she raised her head. This time, she looked at the audience. As she


    did, her mouth slowly opened and her tone changed.


    [The world is a harsh ce.]


    The very atmosphere that surrounded her changed.


    All of a sudden, it felt as though she was someone else. An image soon sprang in their minds.


    With tattered clothes and a dry expression, she continued to speak,


    [For decades, I have struggled... I''ve killed people that I''ve known for a very long time, but for


    what...?]


    Amelia''s gaze lowered as her eyes trembled.


    Clenching onto her shirt, her expression twisted as she looked up. Her face was filled with


    indignance as she cursed at the sky.


    Her every word appeared to pierce through the silence that swept the ce, and pain rushed the chest of some of the members of the audience.


    There was something about the lonely, and desperate figure that evoked something within the minds of some of the audience members.


    Drip...!


    That pain was shattered by a single tear that traced down Amelia''s face. A deep sense of sorrow clouded her gaze as she looked at the audience.


    In that moment, it was as though it was just her and them. Nobody else was present, and


    everyone held their breath.


    ''That''s crazy...''


    ''...I''m getting goosebumps.''


    All attention was on Aoife.


    If before her acting was great, right now... It was overwhelming. Despite the bright lights


    from above, Aoife could see the expression of all those present.


    Her heart pounded out of her chest as she looked at their reactions.


    ''.... It was worth it.''


    Herck of sleep and the endless days of practice that she subjected herself to.


    Their expressions... It was all that she wanted to see.


    But this wasn''t enough.


    She wanted more, and soon, Aoife flicked back into character, and her expression quickly morphed to that of the shy and introverted character she was ying.


    [So...?]


    Amelia lowered her head and once again shyly fidgeted.


    [What did you think?]


    She kept her head lowered as she asked. She was nervous, and with the passing of the seconds,


    she grew more and more restless.


    [....]


    But she got no response.


    Gradually, her head raised. It was at that moment that she saw it. Julien''s shocked expression.


    His expression mirrored that of the audience.


    He looked utterly shocked by what he had seen.


    ...And not just as a character.


    It took a moment for him to snap out of it, and when he did, his eyes bulged out of his


    sockets.


    [Hey, Amelia!]


    He rushed toward her, grabbing her hands tightly and causing her to squeal.


    [Hiiip!)


    He kept his hands firm.


    [Acting...]


    As he did, he brought his head closer as excitement was vividly etched on his face.


    [....You have to do it.]


    Cli nk!


    The lights turned off, and the surroundings changed.


    This time, Amelia, and David appeared in what appeared to be an office. Sitting behind a desk


    was an elderly woman with thick-framed sses.


    She appeared to be busy with something.


    [Hey,e on.]


    As the two stood opposite her, David nudged Amelia with his elbow, prompting her to re at


    him.


    [What?]


    [What? What...!? This is your chance. Don''t waste it.]


    [Stop it. I told you to stop exaggerating. My acting is not that good...]


    [No, you must!]


    Regardless of what Amelia said, David wanted to hear none of it as he pushed her forward.


    This was enough to gather the attention of the elderly woman as she raised her head.


    [How can I help you?]


    [Ah...]


    Amelia''s face paled the moment her presence was acknowledged and she started to stutter.


    [Th-this... I was just passi-ng by. I''m a b-ig fan, and-]


    [She wants to participate in your y.]


    Her words were abruptly cut off by David who moved ahead.


    [We heard that you were taking applicants.]


    He pushed Amelia forward with eagerness.


    [Let her join. I can guarantee her talent.]


    As David talked, Amelia nced in the woman''s direction. A look of expectation appeared on


    her face as she did so.


    But...


    [....]


    All they received was silence.


    Even as David finished, the woman said nothing. Instead, she directed her gaze toward Amelia


    and gave her a quick scan.


    It was only after five minutes that she spoke.


    [The auditions are over. We''ve already seen all applicants.]


    Her tone was cold and unyielding. As if there was no arguing back. It was then that Amelia''s


    expression nked and her face paled.


    Despite not having shown it before, she actually cared about the y.


    It meant a lot to her.


    ....And as David saw this, his eyes expression changed.


    [Wait! You''re making a mistake! Just let her act for a bit. Let her¨D]


    [Please go back.]


    The woman remained unyielding as she returned her gaze back to her work.


    [But!]


    [Stop.]


    David tried to protest again but was stopped by Amelia who held him back with her hand.


    Looking at her, David appeared to be unresigned.


    He couldn''t ept it. How could he ept it?


    [Stop? What do you mean stop? I know what I saw! You can definitely do this. The world needs


    to see your acting!]


    [Yeah, but we can go to another audi-]


    [No!]


    David cut her off, stunning Amelia.


    With desperate eyes, he looked at her.


    [This is your chance. Don''t blow it. Whatter?! You have to do it now!]


    [....]


    Amelia stood in silence while staring right into David''s eyes. She appeared to be confused by


    the situation, unable to tell why he was so adamant on getting her to perform the y.


    But all she could see was a burning desire. A burning desire for her to y in that y.


    In the end, she looked back at the elderly woman.


    The entire time her attention was on her work, ignoring the two of thempletely.


    ....It was as if they didn''t exist.


    As Amelia''s head flicked back to David to point this out, she stopped.


    Be it her, or the audience, all attention was on David.


    His eyes were resolved. They could tell then and there that he wasn''t going to let her go, and


    Amelia pursed her lips.


    [.....]


    In the silence, she closed her eyes.


    Then, opening them up again, she turned to face the elderly woman.


    As her mouth parted, a small tear traced down the corner of her eyes. It was at that moment


    that the audience was able to see her acting again.


    As if the entire world had frozen over, all attention was fixed on her.


    The lights dimmed, shifting all attention on her.


    She was the center of it all.


    .... And behind it, standing in the dim lighting was a smiling David.


    As he looked at her, a change urred to the middle-aged woman. At first, she seemed


    annoyed, but as things progressed, her demenour changed, and it didn''t take long for her to


    be enamored by Amelia''s acting.


    The sight made him smile with pride.


    And as he smiled, a voice echoed throughout the entire theater.


    <From her breath to her tone... All of it was perfect.>


    <She was the center of attention, and in that moment, she was all that I could see. Thinking


    back, I can''t help but smile. I knew then that this was where she belonged.>


    [....]


    The acting stopped, and silence descended over the entire theater.


    All eyes were on Amelia who stood at the center with a heavy breath. The entire time, her gaze


    was on the elderlydy who had dropped everything was simply just looking at her.


    It was only after a brief moment of silence that the elderlydy spoke,


    [Your name...]


    Her tone was dry.


    [....What''s your name?]


    <Ah, that was probably what sealed it for me.>


    As Amelia''s face trembled, her head flicked back to David who was smiling brightly at her.


    Neither one exchanged a word, but there was no need to as she immediately looked back at


    the elderlydy.


    Suddenly, a smile blossomed on her face.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Amelia felt her heart pound, but she didn''t care.


    Staring at the elderlydy, she was quick to answer.


    [Amelia.]


    Her tone was light, and her smile seemed to embrace the entire theater.


    [....Amelia. That''s my name.]


    It was then that her clock started to tick.


    End of Act 2.

 Chapter 277: Never stopped smiling [6]

    Chapter 277: Never stopped smiling [6]


    ?


    [....We did it!]


    Amelia squealed in delight.


    [Hahaha.]


    Davidughed alongside her. With excited looks, the two came out of the building. They continuously talked to each other, and as Amelia spoke, David paused for a moment. His eyes were locked onto her.


    ....It was the first time the audience saw such a face from him.


    He looked like she was all he could see.


    And everyone could understand. Ever since the start of the y, Amelia had not onceughed nor spoken so much.


    Amelia had never shown such a side of hers.


    She was just so...


    [Pretty.]


    [Eh?]


    Amelia cocked her head as she looked at David?


    [What did you say?]


    [Ah, eh...]


    With a flushed face, David stammered. As if steam was rising from the top of his head, he innocently looked away.


    The portrayal of the scene was rather well done. The audience could understand what he was feeling, and why he was reacting the way that he was.


    [Hehe.]


    His actions prompted augh from Amelia as she covered her mouth.


    Raising his head, David looked at her with a dumb look.


    [What? Why are youughing?]


    [Hmm. Who knows?]


    [What? What?]


    [You thought I was pretty?]


    [...!!]


    David''s face turnedpletely red. His reaction prompted a wave ofughter from the audience.


    He was so silly...


    [T-that...! I was talking about the sky.]


    [Sure.]


    Amelia said teasingly while bumping her fist against his shoulder.


    [No! For real!]


    [...Whatever you say.]


    [Ah!!!]


    David roared in embarrassment, prompting the audience tough even more.


    "This is so funny.''


    .... Hahaha, this reminds me of old times.''


    ''I suddenly want to be young again.''


    The mood in the theater was light. Everyone appeared to be enjoying the show. It was also true for Olga.


    ''.... Her acting has improved a little.''


    It wasn''t anything exceptional to her. Compared to Arjen, or even the previous Julien, it was below their level.


    In fact, thinking of Julien, Olga''s gaze paused on him.


    The more she looked at him, the more disappointed she grew, and in the end, she nodded to herself.


    ''It looks like I''ve made the right decision recing him.''


    As she thought of those words, she turned her head to look at the young man standing beside her. He was staring at Julien as well, his gaze never leaving him.


    At first, his gaze had been filled with a certain interest, but as the y continued, it slowly


    started to die down before there was a noticeable decrease in his interest.


    In the end, he ended up shaking his head lightly without saying a word.


    He continued to watch the y in silence.


    But it was obvious from his reaction that he didn''t think much of it.


    And it was true.


    ....So far, the y was nice.


    It was engaging, and the audience was fully invested.


    But...


    That was it.


    There was nothing impressive about it.


    It was simply a typical romance y. Nothing about it seemed innovative. At least, not whenpared to the main y.


    [Hehehe.]


    Amelia''sugh continued to echo throughout the theater.


    It was a refreshing and carefreeugh. A contagiousugh that made those around her want to


    laugh as well.


    [....Hehehe.]


    In the end, David ended upughing alongside her.


    [Hehehe.]


    [Hehehe.]


    The twoughed together, their faces filled with smiles.


    It was a warm sight, and the lights surrounding the two intensified. It was as if the sun was


    shining down on them.


    But soon, David''s smile faded.


    What reced his expression was a gloomy one.


    As if sensing the sudden shift in his demenour, Amelia looked at him.


    [What''s wrong?]


    [No, it''s just...]


    David paused, the words seemingly struggling toe out of his mouth.


    <... It was back then that I realized the selfishness of my actions. In my pursuit to see her smile, I forced


    her to feel happy. Right before my very eyes, I was depriving someone of their lifespan. Guilt was slowly


    starting to consume me.>


    [...Are you okay with this?]


    [Ah.]


    Amelia lowered her head, the smile on her face slowly fading as she understood where the


    conversation was going.


    Still, despite her fading smile, she didn''t let it fully fade.


    .... It still lingered on her lips.


    [At first, I wasn''t.]


    Amelia spoke, her tone softening up a little. With her head lowered, she looked at her hands.


    [I can feel it. The moment that I was epted, I felt a feeling that I rarely felt, and usually avoided. Joy... I didn''t know it would feel this way. It''s the first time that the world felt so


    colorful and bright.]


    With a bitter look, she bit her lips.


    [It made me realize that I can''t live like this. If I continue this path, I''ll just live longer, but what''s the point of living like this? I want to act. I want to be here. I want to smile. I want


    to...]


    Amelia looked up and the smile that was slowly fading from her face returned.


    Then, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders, her tone further softened.


    [...Be free.]


    She then shifted her attention toward David who was looking at her with a stunned look.


    [Right now, I''m really happy. I''ve never been like this before so please let me feel it more. Let


    me... be free for longer.]


    [.......]


    The entire time David kept his gaze on her.


    Hearing her plead, he remained silent. It was hard to tell what his thoughts were, and


    Amelia''s face started to change.


    [Ah, I see... I forgot to take into ount your feelings. That''s right, you must-]


    [Don''t jump to conclusions like that.]


    David suddenly interrupted. With a half-smile on his face, he scratched the back of his head.


    [I was just thinking of what to do to make you happy. First, we need to help you practice for


    the uing y. Oh! There are also several ces that I want to bring you to. Have you ever


    been to the city center? Do you have any clothes you want to buy? What about Cappero''s diner? Have you ever been there?]


    Suddenly, David started to talk a lot. He seemed passionate, talking about all the different


    things that he wanted to do with her.


    From going to the city center to visiting certain scenic spots.


    He rambled on and on and on.


    [....]


    The entire time Amelia stared at him with a simple smile.


    A simple, yet poisonous smile.


    *


    The scenes changed.


    Just like David had promised, he brought Amelia everywhere.


    [Try this. It''s a cake.]


    [Waaaahhhh!!!!]


    Amelia''s expression blew up the moment she took a bit of the cake. Her eyes twinkled, and the


    spoon in her hand endlessly dug at the cake.


    [Hold up! You''re going too fast! You might choke]


    [Hmm! Munch...! Too... Munch! Good!!]


    [Wait, leave some for me!]


    [Mhhhhhh!! Gooooood!]


    [Noooo!]


    The scene brought smiles andughter again to the audience. It was a nice and warm scene


    that the audience appreciated.


    But simultaneously, the happier they saw her being, the heavier the feeling in their chest was.


    ....The audience was starting to get attached to her.


    And the more they got attached to her, the more they realized just how severe the


    consequences of her actions were.


    But they couldn''t say a thing.


    They were merely audience members. And even if they could interfere, none of them really


    wanted to do so. She just looked so...


    Happy.


    [I-I''m scared... I''m getting second thoughts... can we not...?]


    [Just hold on a little. We''re almost there.] [T-that, I-I think this is enough. I-It''s too high. I c-can feel my h-eart pounding out of my


    chest. Oh no~ W-hat do I do?!]


    [Just hold on.]


    [I don''t know!]


    [We''re here. You can open your eyes.]


    [Ahh~ No. I think I''m okay.]


    [Just stop.]


    David moved behind her and took her hands away from her face. Amelia kept her eyes closed,


    but it was no use as David pried them open by force.


    [Nooooo!]


    She screamed, but it all went on deaf ears and soon her eyelids were pried open.


    It was at that moment that she saw it. Pink, orange, purple... All sorts of different shades dyed


    the sky, drawing a beautiful picture as the sun dipped below the horizon.


    The clouds glowed with a golden light, and the whole scene reflected on the calm ocean,


    creating a peaceful and mesmerizing view.


    [....]


    Amelia felt herself lose her breath.


    Reflected in her pupils was the picture-perfect scene that stood before her. It was beautiful,


    and she couldn''t tear her gaze away from it.


    David stood beside her with a satisfied smile on his face.


    <Slowly, she was starting to open up to me. The more time I spent with her the more I


    realized just how different she was from the first time that I met her.>


    The scenery changed. They appeared in a zoo.


    Amelia looked around with open eyes as she couldn''t stop talking, pointing at the animals


    that surrounded the ce. The entire time David followed her with a foolish smile on his


    face.


    <I knew that what I was doing was killing her, but I couldn''t stop myself. Her smile... It was


    simply so beautiful. I wanted to see more of it.>


    And he did.


    The scenes continued, and as they switched, Amelia''s smile grew wider and wider.


    The audience witnessed the entire thing from their seats. They spectated every aspect of their


    bright days.


    They watched as Amelia started to open up.


    Turning from a girl that rarely smiled, to one that couldn''t stop smiling.


    It...


    Brought a smile to the faces of all those watching.


    <It''s taking me a little time to get adjusted to the new her, but the more I see it, the more


    addicted to it I''m bing. I bet our previous ssmates would be so jealous.>


    [Wait, stop. I don''t think this is a good idea.]


    [Oh, please...]


    [Yes, this is not good. Sorry. Maybe next time?]


    [No!]


    David stood outside of a small building. He was the only one, and standing behind the door


    was Amelia.


    For some reason, she didn''t want to go out.


    [I don''t want to go out! My hair is a mess, and my clothes are too big.]


    [Go! Don''t make me wait longer. If you do, I''ll force the door open.]


    [No!]


    [I''ming!]


    [....]


    His words were met with silence, and it was then that David took a step forward and forced


    the door open.


    [Kyaaak!]


    A scream followed suit as Amelia tried to keep the door closed, but it was no use, and the door


    eventually fully opened to reveal her face.


    [....]


    It was at that moment when the entire world turned silent and time seemed to freeze.


    [T-that, p-leas-e d-on''t judge me. It''s t-he first tim-e I''m tr-ying this so...]


    In the silence, Amelia''s stuttering as she shyly fidgeted was the only sound that could be


    heard. But her words brought no reaction, and when she looked up, she finally saw it.


    [....]


    A stunned-looking David.


    His eyes were fixed on her, and color started to dye his face. He appeared to be at a loss for


    words, and when Amelia saw this, her voice lowered and lowered.


    Eventually, the entire stage turned silent.


    That was until David''s mouth opened as he went on to say,


    [Pretty.]


    <This moment...>


    As David''s voice echoed quietly in the air, the stage started to dim.


    <It was probably the biggest regret of my life. I should''ve just told her how I fe...>

 Chapter 278: Never stopped smiling [7]

    Chapter 278: Never stopped smiling [7]


    ?


    <The days that I spent with her were some of the happiest, and most joyful times of my life. I could tell that she felt the same as the smile never wore off from her face. And soon, it was time for her to fully focus on her y.>


    [Don''t be nervous, you can do this.]


    [Yes. Yes. Yes.]


    [Your acting is great, there''s no need to be nervous.]


    [Yes. Yes. Y-yes.]


    [Stop shaking your head.]


    [Yes. Y-yes. Y-yes.]


    [Ah, this...]


    David covered his face with his hand. He looked utterly exasperated.


    [Amelia.]


    His voice turned serious, and it was only then that Amelia finally looked at him. Pressing both of his hands against her shoulders, he stared deeply at her.


    [Your acting is some of the best that I''ve ever seen. The scriptwriter also feels the same, selecting you for the y. Don''t be nervous. Go there with a smile, and show everyone else that you deserve to be there.]


    [But...]


    [Do it.]


    David cut her off, his face moving closer.


    Amelia''s expression changed, and as she looked into his eyes, she eventually took a deep breath, her face slowly turning serious.


    [Okay.]


    [Good.]


    Finally, David smiled and moved back.


    [I''ll go.]


    He watched as Amelia turned around and headed into the building. Just before entering, she turned around and clenched her hand. It was a gesture that seemed to say, ''fighting!''


    David mimicked her action, and soon she entered the building.


    [Haa....]


    Exactly one minute after she entered David''s expression changed as he let out a long breath as he covered his.


    Holding onto his shirt, he quietly mumbled,


    [D-Dangerous... So d-angerous]


    As the audience was confused by his reaction, they suddenly noticed something. His ears... They werepletely red.


    <Amelia''s career as an actress began from this moment. Every day, I would apany her to the theater where she would practice for the uing y. I heard that it was quite an important event, and so, whenever I had free time, I would help her practice her lines.>


    <This is how we spent most of our summer together.>


    [Are you feeling tired?]


    [A little.]


    Amelia honestly answered as she yawned. Walking alongside David, the two appeared to be headed home.


    [It must be rough.]


    [No, not really.]


    Amelia shook her head, a simple smile appearing on her face. Raising her head, she looked at the sky as her legs skipped.


    [It''s tiring, but I feel so fulfilled. It was the first time that I ever felt like something was worth working hard for. It''s such a new and refreshing feeling. And...]


    Slowly turning her head, her eyes paused on David who stared back at her.


    Seeing that she was looking at him, David cocked his head questioningly, but before he could voice his thoughts, a sweet fragrance filled his nostrils as he felt something soft embrace his body.


    It onlysted for a brief moment, but it was enough to petrify David who stood frozen on the spot.


    Following this, he heard the sound of rapid steps as they distanced themselves from where he


    was.


    [....]


    In the silence that took over, David''s expression slowly trembled as his face turned red.


    [T-this...]


    He clenched his shirt.


    [...It''s not fair.]


    <It really wasn''t fair. Was I only worth a few seconds...?>


    The audienceughed upon hearing David''s voiceing from around the theater. Before anyone knew it, they were all wearing sweet smiles on their faces as they looked at the stage.


    ||


    Only a few weren''t smiling, and Delh was one of them.


    Her eyes were fixed on the stage. From start to finish, she never took her eyes away from the


    y.


    At first, she wanted to understand Julien''s words better.


    She wanted to experience the script and see how different experiencing it was from reading it.


    And she did see a difference.


    It was there.


    ....But at the same time, she struggled to understand the plot. Herck of understanding of emotions was making it harder for her to understand the y.


    But there was something else that was bothering her.


    ||


    Frowning slightly, she lowered her head as she stared at her hand.


    ''Why?''


    She sat like that for a brief moment before raising her head again. The scene had changed, and


    she could see a lot of people on the stage.


    [Please move this here.]


    [May the actors go to the changing rooms to get ready.]


    [The tickets are sold out.]


    ... It looked like today was the day that the y would start. A lot of people were working hard


    to make sure that everything flowed smoothly, and in the corner, a trembling figure stood.


    [Uwa. Uwa. Uwa.]


    It was none other than Amelia who looked around in panic.


    [I''m so nervous. What do I do? Ah...! I can''t do this.]


    [Calm down, will you?]


    Standing behind her and fixing her heir, David rolled his eyes.


    [You''re going to be fine. We''ve practiced for so long. How can you not be fine?]


    [But...!]


    [It''s toote for you to doubt yourself.]


    David took his hands away from her hair and stood before her.


    [...Unless you want to return to the life you wanted before, then this is your chance to start


    new. Go out there and show the world how much you''ve changed.]


    Amelia swallowed quietly.


    Eventually, she nodded her head.


    [You''re right.]


    [Of course, I''m right.]


    With a smile, David sighed. Looking around, his expression subtly changed. But soon, a smile returned to his face. It was a


    smile that seemed to be the brightest Amelia had ever seen as her face froze.


    *Puff*


    Then, as if something blew at the top of her head, smoke started to rise and her face turned


    completely red.


    [What''s wrong?]


    [N-nothing...!]


    Covering her face, she turned away from him.


    [I-I''ll be going now. I-I''ll try to see you in the stands. See you!]


    Before David had any chance to say a word, Amelia darted away from him. Staring at her,


    David''s expression froze before he lowered his head andughed.


    [....It''s good like this.]


    His figure gradually faded, and Amelia appeared. Standing opposite her was the elderlydy


    from the previous scene. She was looking at Amelia with a smile she hadn''t shown before.


    [Are you ready? There''s only thirty minutes before the y starts.]


    [Yes, I''m ready.]


    Amelia confidently said.


    [That''s good. I''m counting on you.]


    [Hehe.]


    With a foolish smile, she scratched the back of her head.


    It was a habit of David that she picked up as she spent time with him. As the audience noticed


    this, they couldn''t help but feel like she was so different from the first act.


    Slowly... she was turning into a female version of David.


    Always smiling.


    Always happy.


    And foolish.


    [Go. Practice your lines onest time. I''ll call you when it''s about to start.]


    [Yes!]


    Heeding her words, Amelia took out a worn-out script and started to go through it. However,


    a few lines in, she stopped.


    [....Is he there yet?] Pursing her lips, she looked around. To her surprise, he was nowhere to be seen.


    [Why is he not there yet? Is he in the bathroom?]


    Whatever the case way, Amelia turned around.


    [Good. Since he''s not there yet, he can help me practice onest time.]


    With such thoughts, she headed out to look for him. There were still thirty minutes, which


    was plenty of time.


    At least, that was what she thought at first...


    [Not here?]


    [...Still not in his seat as well.]


    [Hmm. Where is he?]


    But as the clock ticked, she found that he was nowhere in sight. Before she knew it, there were


    only ten minutes left of the y.


    For twenty minutes, she looked for him, but all of it was to no avail.


    She was just about to give up when she was suddenly stopped by someone.


    [Are you the one looking for the young boy?]


    [Ah, yes!]


    Amelia heavily nodded her head.


    [If you''re looking for him, he''s at the park outside.]


    [Thank you!]


    Without a second thought, Amelia rushed out of the building and headed out for the nearby


    park which was attached to the theater hall.


    [§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ...]


    With heavy breaths, she frantically looked around before she spotted a familiar figure sitting


    on one of the benches with a diary in his hand.


    He appeared to be scribbling something.


    [David!]


    It was only when Amelia called out for him that he raised his head and stopped writing.


    Looking at her, he smiled.


    [What are you doing!?]


    Amelia shouted with heavy breaths.


    [The y is about to start!]


    Rushing toward him, she went on to grab his hand but was stopped by him.


    [Stop.]


    [Uh? What do you mean stop? The y is about to start. If you don''t go now then you won-]


    [I can''t go.]


    [Uh?]


    Amelia''s body froze.


    Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly before she managed a soft mumble,


    [W-why?]


    Closing the book down, David smiled yet again.


    With the book in his hand, he raised his head to look up.


    [At first, I approached you because I was curious. You looked so lonely, and it kind of


    reminded me of a certain someone. That''s why I approached you. I was curious.]


    [....So? What does that matter?]


    [It matters a lot. It matters because that person was me...]


    [Ah?]


    [Affection Distortion Disorder. Do you know how surprised I was when I heard you say it?]


    [....]


    As if the very breath had been stolen from the theater, all eyes were focused on David. Not a single soul said a word.


    A horrifying reality suddenly dawned on all those present as some covered their mouths.


    Especially Amelia whose face turned pale.


    [W-wait...]


    [I wanted to watch your y, but I overdid myself. It doesn''t look like I''ll be able tost until


    the end.]


    [....]


    [....I didn''t want you to find out before the y. Not after all the effort you put in.]


    [....]


    Scratching the back of his head, he slowly stood up with an apologetic look on his face.


    [I really did want to be there for you. I really di-Ompf!]


    David''s words were suddenly cut off as he was suddenly embraced tightly. Stunned, David


    looked down to see Amelia''s trembling body. He smiled when he looked at her.


    [Are you crying? Come on now. After all, I did to make you smile? It kind of leaves me sour...]


    Raising her head, Amelia showed her face. Tears were streaming down her face as she met


    David''s


    gaze.


    He looked back at her.


    [Can you do it for me? Smile?]


    [.......]


    Tears continued to stream down Amelia''s face she slowly nodded her head. Slowly, her lips


    pulled up and she showed one of the brightest smiles that she had ever shown.


    Even as the tears rolled down, they didn''t take away from the smile that seemed to light up


    the entire theater.


    Staring at the smile, David matched her smile.


    [Yes, that''s how it''s supposed to be. That''s the smile that I want.]


    Pushing her face to his chest, Amelia wailed like never before, her cries reaching every corner


    of the theater.


    [I might not be there, but I know how good of an actress you are. Go... show the world just how


    talented you are.]


    As he spoke, the lights that surrounded the two started to fade.


    Cli nk!


    ...And the surroundings turned dark.


    By the time that the light returned, David was sitting on a bench by himself. There was no


    background, and it was just him and his dairy.


    Slowly, as he opened it, he started to scribble on it.


    Scribble Scribble-


    A voice quietly echoed throughout the theater as he wrote.


    <....I really wished that I could''ve seen her performance.>

 Chapter 279: Never stopped smiling [8]

    Chapter 279: Never stopped smiling [8]


    ?


    Acting is tough.


    This became clear to me the moment I took on this script.


    To perfectly encapste emotions, and affect the audience without using any powers. It''s not easy to do.


    ....I knew this before, but it was only now that I realized how hard it was.


    Especially when I didn''t know much about the character.


    I thought about trying to immerse myself in the script, but that wasn''t enough. Words weren''t enough. There was something that I was fundamentally missing and couldn''t achieve.


    I tried... tried and tried...


    But I still failed.


    In the end, looking around, and seeing all the eyes that were on me, my chest trembled.


    ''It''s almost over."


    ....I had yet to achieve what I wanted to achieve.


    This wasn''t good enough for me.


    The reactions from the audience weren''t enough.


    I couldn''t stop.


    Especially not when the y wasn''t over.


    Immerse.


    I needed to immerse myself further.


    "Hooo."


    In the silence that was surrounding me, I closed my eyes and reyed the entire script in my mind.


    David.


    He was a fool.


    A pathetic fool.


    Driven by his curiosity, he ended up discovering one of his ssmate''s secrets.


    Affection Distortion Disorder. A disease that ate away at one''s life the more they experienced a certain emotion.


    As long as they avoided experiencing such emotion, they''d be able to live a long life.


    ...But would such life truly be meaningful?


    Would one truly be okay with living a life like that?


    From the moment that I took on the script, I asked myself such a question.


    And the answer came rather quickly...


    Most wouldn''t, but some would. David wasn''t such a person. He was someone who wanted to live his life to the fullest, and this was why I struggled to immerse myself.


    He was the opposite of what I was.


    I lived for my brother, and not myself.


    Who cared about how I felt? So long as my brother was okay, what did I matter...?


    I... didn''t matter.


    It was this fundamental idea of myself that stopped me from immersing in the character. We were just so different that it made it impossible for me to see myself in him.


    At least, that was until the veryst moment.


    Until thest scene.


    Despite also having the same disease, David held no regard for himself and tried his best to help Amelia. Even though what he was doing was killing him, he continued to help her.


    I didn''t understand why he would go to such lengths to help someone who he hardly knew.


    The moment he learned about her disease, he could''ve just left and moved on with his life. But he didn''t. Instead, he stayed with her until hisst breath.


    Why...?


    Why did he do that?


    But I soon understood. The reason why he did what he did.


    It was because...


    He was alone.


    Facing a disease that hardly anyone knew or understood, he could only live his life in silence.


    He wasn''t so different from me in that regard.


    To suffer in silence.


    .... And it was this understanding that made me understand him more as a character.


    Opening my eyes, I looked down at the diary in front of me. It was all that I could see.


    Pen in hand, I started to scribble.


    <I would give anything to have one more hour. Just one more hour. I want to see her y. It''s unfortunate that I don''t have much time. My clock is ticking, and I can feel my body starting to give up on me.>


    My voice echoed throughout the theater.


    At the same time it did, memories started to sh before my very eyes. They were the scenes


    of the y.


    From the first scene where I first saw Amelia to thest scene where she smiled and cried.


    The scenes continued to y back and forth in my mind, endlessly, almost like a movie, and before I knew it, I was starting to have a hard time telling what was real and what was fake.


    I was slowly starting to immerse myself.


    David...


    I was slowly bing him.


    ||||


    My hand shook. Emotions started to flood my mind.


    <She won''t make a mistake during the y, right? During practice, she did make a few mistakes out of nervousness. I hope that won''t happen... I really don''t.>


    I felt a certain pain invade my chest.


    It made my hand shake more as my lips trembled.


    Forcefully blinking my eyes, I pressed the pen harder against the paper. It creased a little.


    <But I have to say, her nervous face is really cute. From how her eyes dart all over the ce to how it bes fully red...>


    "Hahaha."


    Augh escaped my lips as I wrote. The scene yed in my mind, and I found myself unable to


    stifle myugh.


    <...I want to see it again.>


    My chest ached again.


    It was more painful than before.


    As the immersion grew, so did the emotions and pain. I was... slowly piecing apletely new


    identity in my mind.


    Scribble~ Scribble~


    My hand continued to move despite the overwhelming sensations that I was starting to feel.


    ....The clock was ticking.


    How much longer did I have?


    I could feel my body growing weaker by the second. It was starting to get harder to focus, and


    the memories that were flooding my mind rushed at me at an even greater intensity.


    The speed at which I wrote increased as that happened.


    I poured everything into the journal.


    <No, that''s not it. I want to see your face again. I want to see your y. I want to...>


    "...."


    My hand shook further.


    The more I wrote, the more my chest ached.


    I started to grow desperate.


    It was a terrifying pain that made it hard for me to focus. But I couldn''t stop. I needed to finish


    writing myst words.


    I needed to...


    "Kh."


    Clenching my teeth, I used every little bit of my power to write thest few words.


    I needed to. I had to.


    I...


    Sc... ribble Scr...


    <...see you.>


    Tak.


    The pen fell out of my hand.


    Suddenly, my vision blurred. I could hardly see, and I couldn''t breathe. My head felt light, and


    my arms grew limp.


    As my head rolled up, I saw it.


    The thousand pairs of eyes that were locked onto me.


    I could see the tears streaming down their faces and the looks of shock in their eyes.


    Their looks...


    They had changed.


    "Ah."


    I smiled then.


    But not because of them.


    Because of someone else. Her face appeared in my mind again, and at that moment, I realized


    what the pain in my chest was.


    ¡öLvl 1. [Love] EXP + 10%


    With the blink of my eyes, the notification disappeared.


    As the world grew silent, my mouth opened.


    "Right, I forgot to say it."


    I could hear my voice reach every corner of the theater.


    "Unlike you..."


    As the world grew dark, I continued to smile.


    "....It was love, not joy."


    My Emotion of Disorder.


    ***


    The entire theater was in a state of silence beside the subtle sobs that came out from some of


    the spectators. With tears streaming down the faces of some of them, all attention was


    focused on the lone man who stood by the bench.


    ''Thud!''


    As the journal in his hand fell, his eyes closed.


    From the start of the y, he had not once stood out.


    He appeared to be more like the secondary character to the main. She was the star. The one


    that the audience couldn''t take their eyes away from.


    ....That was until thest moment.


    In thest scene, all eyes were on him. Not a single eye was away from him.


    He stole the spotlight.


    With his lips gently twisted into a smile, he leaned back on the bench with a wistful look.


    "I-s he dead?"


    "...So he never got to see the y?"


    The realization hit some of the audience like a truck, forcing tears down their eyes.


    It was a sight that made people look away, unable to look further as the sight took their


    breaths away.


    And slowly, the lights surrounding the stage faded, covering his entire figure.


    Tak-


    It was then that everyone heard the sound of a single footstep.


    As the audience looked, a familiar figure appeared in the middle of the stage. She looked


    different from the past. She was older, now. Not that much older, but at least in herte


    twenties.


    There was no background, no fancy lighting.


    Just her, and the audience.


    Drip. Drip...!


    With tears streaming down her face, she looked at the audience.


    [The world is a harsh ce.]


    Her acting began, and the theater grew quiet.


    As if they had been transported to another world, they found themselves unable to tear their


    gazes away from her. As tears streamed down her face and the face of the audience, she


    poured everything into her acting.


    In that stage, she acted her heart out.


    She...


    Let herself go.


    Scribble~ Scribble~


    A scribbling sound echoed, and her voice echoed.


    <David left when he was 16. That''s where I found this diary and read through everything.


    That fool... even in death, he had that dumb look on his face.>


    It masked her main voice.


    <Following his death, I never stopped acting. He made me realize that life is worth living,


    even if it''s short.>


    Her figure shone brightly underneath the stage.


    <I became somewhat famous. Well... I won quite a few awards, and I can''t go out of my house


    without getting recognized. That''s sessful, right?>


    She was like the sun.


    Shining brightly before thousand.


    <...But well, I guess my time has alsoe. I''m supposed to turn twenty five in two days, but


    I know I won''t make it. The world already knows about my disease, and they also know that


    this is myst act. I''m d so many people showed up.>


    Amelia''s movements started to slow down in the middle of the act, evidently because her


    body was starting to fail.


    Despite that, she continued to act.


    <It makes me happy that so many people can feel what I feel. What you''ve made me feel.>


    She poured everything she had, and the audience saw it.


    Her effort.


    <I''m so d that I met you.>


    Gradually, her acting started to slow down.


    It was reaching the climax, and the voice grew softer as the act ended.


    <Throughout the years that passed, I never once forgot about you, David.>


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    By the time she was done, her breath was heavy, and sweat was pouring down from the side of


    her


    face.


    But most importantly, she had a smile on her face.


    <Because ever since I met you, I''ve...>


    Cli nk-


    The lights turned off.


    <...Never stopped smiling>


    ***


    Story inspired by the fault in our stars and toki doki. Check them out if you have time.

 Chapter 280: Intent [1]

    Chapter 280: Intent [1]


    ?


    The lights turned off, and the curtains closed.


    11


    Aoife stood behind the stage with her eyes closed. She had poured everything she had into the performance and was mentally exhausted.


    She couldn''t see the audience, but it felt as though thousands of eyes were still lingering over her body.


    ''How did it go? Was my acting okay...?''


    The silence that took over the theater made her nervous.


    Immersed in her role, she didn''t pay attention to the audience''s reaction. All she did was act.


    Act as if this was thest time she was ever going to act.


    || ||


    Just as her heart started to sink, she heard a small ping from behind the curtains. p!


    It was subtle, but within the silence, it echoed loudly.


    Another soon followed that p, and before Aoife knew it, the entire audience was pping. p, p, p-!


    Soon, the ps became so loud that Aoife could hardly hear a thing, but she didn''t mind it. Standing where she was, she basked in the sounds. Or more like, she was frozen.


    ''This is for me...?''


    She couldn''t believe it at all.


    "Get up. The second y is going to start soon."


    It was only when she heard a familiar voice that she snapped out of it. Turning her head, she saw Julien standing next to her with his eyes fixed on her.


    He didn''t seem to be at all fazed by what was happening behind the curtains.


    In fact, he didn''t seem to care at all.


    Staring at him, Aoife''s mouth opened for a short second before she closed it and bitterly sighed.


    ''That''s right, he''s always been like this.''


    Helping herself up, she looked up at him.


    "You managed to do your part well."


    "...I was lucky."


    "Perhaps... but it was good. I don''t think they would''ve pped this hard had it not been for thest act."


    ".....''


    He stood in silence for a brief moment before he eventually nodded.


    "Thank you."


    "Eh?"


    Aoife''s mouth hung open for a brief second.


    Of all the things she expected him to say, this was thest thing she expected him to say.


    But as if he wasn''t done, he continued,


    "I''ve always known you were great."


    With a subtle and almost imperceptible smile, he turned around,


    "...Maybe at the next award ceremony, you won''t stop at just one vote."


    Following his words, he turned around and headed to the changing rooms. Aoife stood dumbly on her spot, her eyes tracing his back.


    His words continued to echo in her ears, and it wasn''t long before her eyes closed.


    "Haa."


    With a long and tired sigh, she rubbed her forehead.


    "This guy..."


    A lowugh escaped her lips.


    "....Since when was he this nice?"


    He was bing softer.


    ***


    At the same time, in a different area.


    p, p, p-!


    Hearing the roars of the audience, Olga stood and watched with pursed lips. Her expression was stoic, with little to no emotions disyed on her face.


    It was hard to read her expression.


    Despite that, everyone could feel an invisible wall surrounding her. It stopped anyone from approaching her.


    Even as the minutes passed, the ps never ceased.


    They continued to rage on, and the more they continued, the thicker the walls surrounding


    her became.


    "Hooo."


    Eventually, she took a deep breath.


    That seemed to be enough to calm her down.


    As she calmed down, she thought back on the y.


    "It was not bad."


    .... It was a little different from the y that she had been shown, but the essence was the


    same. In all honesty, it was a tad bit better than she had expected.


    "Her acting improved, and Julien pulled it well as well. Not bad. I guess I can work with them


    again in the future."


    With that being said, she was still sure that her y was better.


    And when her thoughts paused there, she managed to rx as her head turned.


    "Arjen, what did you th-eh?"


    To her surprise and shock, she realized that she was standing by herself. Previously, Arjen had


    been with her.


    But now, he was gone.


    Where could he have gone...?


    Olga looked everywhere she could possibly think of before contacting one of the staff.


    "You, have you seen Arjen?"


    "Pardon!?"


    "The main actor of my script. Have you seen him?!"


    "Ah!?"


    In her panic, she grabbed the staff by the clothes, pulling him slightly.


    "Have you seen him!?"


    Her actions attracted the attention of everyone present, and in the distance, a figure sat,


    staring at her with a nonchnt look.


    "Are you not going to participate anymore?"


    Ang stood beside him.


    Wearing formal clothing, her hair was tied in a ponytail. With long tinum hair, her blue


    eyes shone like jewels.


    Dangling his legs over where he sat, Caius hopped off his seat.


    "No point."


    Brushing his blonde hair back, he took onest nce in Olga''s direction before leaving,


    "...I''ve seen all that I needed to see."


    ***


    CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!


    Even as the audience stopped pping, there was still one person who continued to p. His


    ps resounded loudly within the theater, and heads turned in his direction.


    Not that he cared as he continued to p.


    "Wonderful, how wonderful."


    The figure was none other than Gael who ended up rubbing the corner of his eyes.


    "....Give her an award already."


    As he continued to sing praises to the y, the three other delegates from the other Empires


    gave him weird looks.


    This was the first time that they had ever seen him like this, and it was a little hard for them to


    get used to the sight.


    "You''ve really mellowed out since thest time I''ve seen you."


    Elysia spoke as she looked at him with an amused look.


    Indeed, the current Gael was much different than the past version of himself. He seemed a lot


    more upbeat, and being with him didn''t feel as suffocating as it did in the past.


    She wasn''t the only one who thought this.


    Lucian and Theron also thought the same, but unlike her, they didn''t voice out their


    thoughts.


    They had never been close to him in the past, and they weren''t close to him now.


    Especially since he was crippled.


    .... Right now, they were here on official business. There was no time for them to be friendly


    with each other.


    "But I do have to say, your sister was really quite the actress."


    Leaning back on her chair, Elysiaplemented.


    "You think so?"


    "Yes, she was great."


    "Haha."


    Gael beamed in delight at thepliment as he started to p again.


    Neither one of the three minded his actions. Thinking back, it really was a wonderful y.


    Unexpected to say the least.


    ....The fact that this wasn''t even the main y made Elysia curious.


    ''If this is good, I wonder how the main one will be?''


    It was really interesting to think about.


    "Oh, and the actor next to your sister. He was also quite good."


    "Uh? Oh, yeah. Not bad."


    Gael''s reaction was a little milder, but he was stillplimenting him.


    Most likely, he only had eyes for his sister.


    But it went without saying that she wasn''t the only star. There was someone else, quietly


    standing in her background, allowing her to shine.


    It was only toward the end that he finally took the spotlight, and when he did, Elysia felt


    goosebumps.


    ...There was something about thest moments. The raw emotions that she witnessed gave


    her goosebumps.


    ''It''s funny.''


    It really was...


    This was the first time she had felt this way about a y, and she grew curious about the


    actor.


    Who was he?


    "Tsk."


    Her thoughts were broken by the subtle click of a tongue.


    Turning her head, her gaze paused on Theron who was staring at a smallmunication


    device with an annoyed frown. He appeared quite annoyed by whatever he saw.


    "Hm?"


    As if noticing her stare, his head turned and their gazes met.


    Elysia didn''t look away and simply smiled at him.


    Theron''s face contorted, but he soon looked away from her and shifted his attention back to


    the main stage.


    Propping her hand over the armrest of the chair, Elysia leaned her head against her hand as


    she twirled her hair.


    ''How interesting...''


    ***


    The room was quiet.


    I sat alone in the changing room, slowly embracing the silence that was surrounding me.


    "...."


    I started to ponder over the new emotion that I had unlocked.


    ''Love.''


    "So, it''s like that..."


    At first, I struggled to understand why I had never been able to unlock the emotion, given that


    I had experienced love before. Not in a romantic way, but in a familial way with my brother.


    ''How is it possible that I don''t understand love with all that I did for my brother?''


    I had never dwelled deeply on the thought, but it lingered in the back of my mind here and


    there.


    But it was only now that I understood.


    "It wasn''t enough."


    He was the only one that I had affection for.


    Not my previous parents, any other person, or... myself.


    He was my only source of love, and it became awfully clear that this was far from enough for


    me to unlock ''love''.


    .....I didn''t understand it.


    But now, I have a better idea of it.


    Lowering my head, I stared at my hands and then at the mirror in front of me. I looked at my


    own reflection.


    In the past, I used to loathe the sight that greeted me.


    The unfamiliar features, the handsome looks, and even the skinny and worn-out appearance


    that I once had during my cancer.


    ...During the y, I understood what was holding me back.


    "The fact that I loathe myself."


    But this was my past self.


    Looking at the mirror, I didn''t feel any hints of disgust with what I was seeing. Rather, I was


    okay with what I was seeing.


    No longer did I feel like I needed to return to my old body.


    ...I was fine staying in this body, so long as I saw my brother.


    "Could this count as me appreciating myself?"


    The thought made meugh a little, but this was the truth. With everything that had


    happened to me, I no longer loathed the sight of myself.


    I was no longer disgusted with me.


    ...And it was that realization that made me unlock ''Love''.


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath and stared at the new spell that I acquired. It was merely at the beginner


    level, but it was there.


    I could see it.


    I could...


    "Uh?"


    As I blinked, I suddenly noticed the color slowly dissipating from the room. It shrank from the


    edges of my vision, gradually moving toward the center until my entire world turned gray.


    ||


    "....!"


    I sat in shock, unable to understand what was going on, and it was a certain voice that brought


    me out of the shock.


    "....Intent."


    Delh appeared out of thin air, her perfect figure materializing before my eyes.


    Her expression was stoic, but I noticed a subtle trembling in her pupils as she stood before


    me.


    As I was wondering what she meant, she spoke,


    "That''s the first step to unlocking a domain."

 Chapter 281: Intent [2]

    Chapter 281: Intent [2]


    ?


    First step to unlocking a domain?


    I was stunned for a moment, unable to fully grasp what was happening. The world was still gray, with the colors refusing toe back.


    But within the gray world, I thought I found something.


    It felt as though it was within arm''s reach, yet at the same time, extremely distant.


    ....I just couldn''t quite understand what it was.


    ''Intent...''


    Pondering over her words, I tried to make sense of what she was trying to say but found myself unable to do so.


    This was a concept that I had nevere across.


    Especially since Domains were things that one acquired when breaking into Tier 5.


    "There are three steps to unlocking a domain."


    Delh''s quiet voice echoed from in front of me. Her face was a little close to mine, but she didn''t seem to notice.


    "Intent, conceptualization, and materialization."


    I was also unbothered and listened carefully to her exnation.


    "You do not get to choose how you create a domain. A domain is something that naturally forms itself when the right timees, and is created based on your experiences."


    Don''t get to choose?...I frowned a little at her words but was quick to ept her words. I was still unaware of how domains worked and thus was not necessarily aware of all the things that she was saying.


    But in essence, domains manifested based on someone''s experiences.


    If that was the case, how would mine turn out? Looking at the gray world before my eyes, I struggled to see how it was rted to me at all.


    "The first step to creating a domain is grasping the ''intent''."


    Delh waved her hand and a small mirror appeared.


    With a flick of her hand, the mirror turned, allowing me to get a glimpse of myself, and it was then that I finally saw it.


    My eyes.


    They were...


    "White."


    I raised my head to look at Delh.


    "That''s the first sign one disys when grasping intent."


    Delh went on to say as her eyes slowly turned white as well.


    "You can call it enlightenment. Everyone''s intent is different, and it is up to you to figure out what your intent signifies. Most intents are grasped after reaching tier 4, and take a lot of time to grasp. You reached it before that. That''s rare."


    In all honesty, I was having trouble following her words.


    I understood what she meant, but this was the first time that I saw her speak so much. It caught me off-guard, and my eyes couldn''t help but trace her mouth as she spoke.


    ''... Seeing her talk this much feels a little weird.''


    Not that I hated it.


    But I was quick to snap out of it and thought back on her words.


    An idea popped up in my mind.


    ''She says that intents are rare, and mostly happen after reaching tier 4. The fact that I managed to grasp it now must have to do with me unlocking love.''


    I was sure of it.


    ....I had a feeling from before that I was close to grasping something but I wasn''t sure what it was. I just knew something was bugging the back of my mind.


    Now I understood.


    ''Intent...''


    In that sense, I realized something else.


    ''My domain is rted to all six basic emotions.''


    "Whates after intent is conceptualization."


    Delh moved her head back and pressed her finger against her temple.


    "Understanding your own world, and formting your ownws."


    "Hm?"


    "A domain is a separate space with your ownws within. I did previously say that you don''t


    get to choose your own domain, but that''s not entirely true."


    Delh went on to exin as she took another step back.


    "Intent is an idea. Conceptualization is developing that idea, and materialization is..."


    She stopped, and something began to expand from her body. It slowly crawled out from her feet, spreading through every corner of the room, shattering the gray world before my eyes, and enveloping the entire space.


    "Look into my eyes."


    "...!"


    My head moved on its own.


    At first, I was confused, but my confusion soon turned into realization, before turning into horror and dread.


    Her gaze...


    It had only been normal just moments prior.


    And yet.


    In a matter of seconds, I witnessed her eyes gradually turning hollow, and a profound sense of dread enveloped my entire body as if unseen ck hands had emerged from nowhere and


    mped down on my body, rendering me immobile.


    Reflected within those pupils I could see a deste world where she alone stood with her back


    against me.


    I felt insignificant within that world, and...


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    My heart, which had been steady moments prior, suddenly started to beat with more


    intensity.


    "Uagh... Uagh..."


    Breathing started to be impossible and my hands soon grasped at my neck. In a way that


    made it seem as though I was strangling myself.


    "Uekh!"


    Alone, I stood in the middle of a deste world deprived of all oxygen.


    "Uagh... Uagh..."


    I desperately tried to say something, but the words just refused toe out of my mouth.


    All I was able to let out were strained breathing sounds as I desperately clung to the little air I


    could find.


    And then...


    Everything shattered.


    "Huuuaaahhh!"


    Inhaling deeply, the surroundings snapped back to normal. Two pupils confronted mine as


    my heart quivered, and instinctively, I edged backward.


    ''What in the world was that...!?''


    It took me a full moment to fullyprehend what had happened, and when I did, I finally


    looked back in Delh''s direction.


    With her legs crossed, she sat on the seat opposite me.


    Her intense hazel eyes were staring deeply in my direction.


    "How was it?"


    "...Was that your full power?"


    "No."


    11


    ||


    "You would''ve be a vegetable."


    No, I got that... She didn''t have to say to borate. Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I took a


    deep breath, but that was still not enough to get rid of the goosebumps that were running


    down my entire body.


    The sensation that I felt... It was hard to describe, but if there was one thing that I was certain about, it was the fact that I never wanted to experience such a thing again.


    ...I now understood why domains were so important.


    If that was just a glimpse of the power that a domain held, then I needed to do my absolute


    best to develop mine.


    The only question was how?


    How could I develop my domain?


    "I don''t know what you''re intent is, but that''s your foundation for your domain. It is up to


    you to give it a concept. It might take some time, but you should think about it carefully. Once


    your domain fully forms, you will be stuck with it until the day that you die."


    Delh slowly stood up.


    Brushing her silky long ck hair behind her ear, she looked around. The moment she did, I


    instinctively reached for my pocket before pausing.


    "This is getting ridiculous.''


    Feeling Delh''s gaze, I took out my hand and showed her my empty palm.


    "...."


    Her eyes lowered in disappointment, and I could only shrug.


    I had just finished a y...


    "I''m leaving."


    In her disappointment, Delh''s figure blurred as she left. I stayed where I was for a few


    seconds before clenching my hand into a fist and sighing.


    "For now, I''ll rest."


    All this domain talk made me tired.


    Plus, I also needed to be ready for tomorrow, the day when the Four Empire Summit would


    officially start.


    I needed to be in top conditions for that.


    "....I shouldn''t rush this."


    And with such thoughts, I got changed and left.


    ***


    At the same time, in a remote valley in Bremmer.


    "Y, you... H-how are you still alive?"


    Kiera''s voice shook as she looked at the figure before her. Her aunt looked exactly the same as


    thest time she''d seen her, with long blonde hair, ruby-red eyes, and a trademark smile.


    She leaned casually against the alleyway wall and stared at her in amusement. Following her appearance, the two moved out of the theater and found their way here.


    ''Am I imagining things...?''


    Kiera felt her mind grow nk.


    How was it possible? She had seen her die before her very eyes. Not only that, but her aunt was


    also a wanted person.


    The fact that she appeared in the middle of the theater filled with big shots, and yet was able


    to remain undetected made her believe that this was all some sort of illusion.


    It couldn''t be!


    "You''ve grown a lot since thest time that I''ve seen you, ki."


    Ki...


    It was a nickname that only her aunt would call her by. This alone was enough to make her


    understand that it was indeed her aunt, and Kiera grew nauseous.


    "H-how?"


    Kiera ended up repeating the only thing she could say.


    How was this possible?!


    "Now, now... Let''s not talk about things that don''t matter. You know me, Ki. I won''t die by a


    simple spell like that. Plus, you''ve never seen my body. Did you really think that was enough


    to kill me?"


    Recollections of the past event reyed in Kiera''s mind, and when she thought about it, she


    had indeed not seen a body.


    Back then, she had convinced herself that her body hadpletely disintegrated into


    powder.


    After all, where could she have gone?


    But indeed...


    She was still alive.


    Kiera bit her lips, her body trembling as a multitude of emotions flooded her mind.


    The scenario didn''t make sense to her, and the more she thought about it, the more she


    realized that something wasn''t adding up.


    She sadly didn''t have much time to dwell on the matter as her aunt''s voice echoed again.


    "Where is it?"


    This time, her aunt''s voice wasn''t as jovial and yful as it always had been.


    It was cold, almost indifferent.


    Enough to make Kiera flinch.


    When she looked up, she saw her aunt''s blood-red eyes staring at her with a certain coldness


    that reminded her of the past.


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    Looking into those eyes, Kiera felt her breath quicken as she was reminded of a memory that


    she had buried deeply within her mind.


    The moment that memory was brought up, Kiera felt her hands twitch.


    Her mouth became dry, and her heart raced.


    As her hand trembled, she reached out for the pocket of her skirt. There she felt a small box. It


    was something she kept in case of emergencies... Her safety measure.


    In case she couldn''t control herself.


    In case...


    "Ki, where is it?"


    "...!"


    Kiera''s head flicked back up as her aunt''s face appeared right before her eyes.


    Before Kiera could react, a hand reached out for her neck.


    "Ukh!"


    Kiera could do nothing but watch as her body was slowly lifted from the ground.


    She tried her best to break free from the grip, but it was no use.


    Her aunt''s grip was too strong.


    "Uekh...! Ukh."


    As the grip grew together, Kiera heard her aunt''s voice again.


    "Where is it?"


    Her voice sounded rather hoarse.


    "The mirror. Where is it?"

 Chapter 282: The ash that lingers in the air [1]

    Chapter 282: The ash that lingers in the air [1]


    ?


    ''.... How do I go about this?''


    Walking out of the changing room, I started to think about Delh''s words. There was a lot that I needed to process, and I knew that it would take time for me to fully create a domain. With that being said, I was now one step closer to reaching that step.


    But for now, there were other things that I needed to focus on.


    Like...


    "Tier 4."


    My next step.


    There was still a little gap before I reached the fourth tier, but from what I understood, my body would undergo a body reformation process.


    ''From what I read, once someone undergoes body reformation, they''ll be a lot stronger in both cognitive and physical abilities.''


    "I''ll probably be a lot stronger then..."


    How much stronger? I wasn''t sure, but it was definitely going to be a big step up.


    "Hm?"


    As I entered the backstage of the theater, I noticed that there was quite a bit of chaos around. People were running frantically everywhere, and they all seemed to be in panic.


    "Have you seen Arjen?"


    "Where is he...?"


    "I''ve checked the bathroom, but he isn''t there."


    "What do we do?"


    It didn''t take much for me to figure out what was going on as my expression changed a little. ''He bailed?''


    I didn''t know how to feel. There was no resentment between me and that unknown actor so I didn''t really feel anything at all.


    Sure, he did take my role, but could I really me him?


    The one who made the changes wasn''t him but Olga. Resenting him for something that wasn''t even his fault was stupid, and as my thoughts paused there, I ignored themotion and left.


    As I did, I cast a small illusion over my face, changing itpletely.


    I wasn''t in the mood to act again.


    If Olga were to spot me, she''d probably beg me toe back and perform and all that nonsense.


    Not interested.


    Even if there was money in the line.


    Trrr-


    "Hm?"


    My pocket vibrated all of a sudden. Surprised, I stopped and took out a smallmunication device.


    |||||


    I felt my eyes widen at the sight that greeted me and I hurried my steps.


    Brushing past the people surrounding me, I managed to find my way out from the back exit and entered a small and narrow alley where a hooded figure stood.


    That''s when my steps paused.


    "....!


    They stood in silence without saying a single word and I took a moment to look at them before eventually smiling.


    "....It''s been a while."


    "It sure has."


    A voice I hadn''t heard in a while replied back.


    Reaching for their head, they slowly pulled them down to reveal the face of a middle-aged man. He looked exactly as he had in the past, and the sight of him brought forth a flood of memories.


    ''Professor Bucm.''


    It had been almost half a year since Ist saw him, and while I did expect to see him again in the near future, I didn''t expect to see him here of all ces.


    I would''ve been a little panicked in the past, but now I understood.


    Bremmer...


    No, the Megrail family. They were mere puppets for the faceless man.


    There was no ce in Bremmer where those within the Inverted Sky couldn''t go. The thought made me feel suffocated, but I pushed the feelings down as I addressed the Professor,


    "How have you been?"


    "....I''ve been well."


    He replied with his trademark smile.


    "I was here toplete a mission, and since you were here as well, I figured it was okay to


    contact you."


    "Yeah, but I don''t have much time."


    If there was someone that I was worried about, it was Delh. She tended to appear randomly,


    and without me being able to tell a thing at all.


    She only recently left, and I wasn''t too sure if she had her sights on me.


    There was a high chance she didn''t, but I didn''t want to take any risks.


    "Understandable."


    As if he knew what I was worried about, Professor Bucm cut to the chase.


    "There''s a lot of things that I want to tell you, but since we don''t have time, I''ll cut to the chase. Look for the young cadet with long silver hair that was with you in the prison."


    Cadet with long silver hair?


    My heart suddenly skipped a beat.


    "Kiera? What''s wrong?"


    I felt my body tense as a possibility ran through my mind.


    And as expected, my worst fears came to light within moments.


    "Her aunt..."


    Professor Bucm said in a low voice.


    "...she''se to look for her."


    ***


    "Where is it? The mirror...!"


    Rose''s voice came out hoarse. In her grip, she looked at her niece who was struggling with all


    her might.


    "Ukeh!"


    Her face was pale, and her eyes were bloodshot.


    Rose could see the hatred that her niece had for her, and the thought made herugh.


    "Listen Ki. I''m not doing this because I hate you. Just tell me where the mirror is, and I''ll


    leave you alone. I won''t ever bother you again. Is that okay?"


    "Uekh...!"


    Kiera raised her hand and threw a middle finger at her.


    Despite not being able to speak, Rose could clearly see what she trying to say, ''Fuck you,


    bitch.''


    "Hehehe."


    Instead of being angry, it made Roseugh.


    ''Indeed, she''s just like me in the past.''


    Or more like, she had learned how to be like that from her. Rose could still remember her sister getting angry at her, telling her how much of a bad influence she was on little ki, but


    that only made her want to corrupt her more.


    Too bad she didn''t get to spend more time with her.


    In the end, she was left with no choice but to take drastic measures in order to retrieve the


    mirror from her sister.


    ....But when the time came for her to take it, the mirror was gone.


    "Where is it, Ki?"


    Regardless of how much she tried to look, Rose could not find it. She searched through every


    nook and cranny of her sister''s mansion, only to be disappointed by what she saw.


    Just as she was about to give up, she realized something.


    ''Maybe Ki knows.''


    There was no way that her sister would just hide such a precious treasure without telling her


    daughter.


    After all, that mirror was an incredibly powerful artifact.


    It made no sense!


    "Ukh!"


    Rose''s grip on Kiera tightened, forcing Kiera''s body to grow limp.


    "Don''t even think about screaming. There''s no one that will find you. Whoever you think will


    come save you, they won''t. Bremmer. Or as a matter of fact, this entire Empire is within our


    rule."


    There were a couple of figures that they did need to be aware of, but they would probably be


    taken care of by the others.


    Right now, nobody was going toe save her.


    ......She had all the time in the world to make her little niece spill everything.


    "Say it!"


    Screaming, Rose brought her face closer to Kiera who was just barely keeping herself


    conscious. The entire time, her gaze never left her aunt.


    The endless hatred that she felt for her kept her conscious the entire time.


    Until...


    "Pu!"


    She managed to spit on her face.


    11


    That was when everything froze, including Rose''s expression as she stood stunned on the


    spot, feeling something wet trickle down the side of her face.


    With her eyes wide open, she stood there without much of a reaction.


    It looked like she was in shock at what had happened.


    This... did she just...? Did she just...!


    Rose''s face started to distort as her grip over her niece''s neck tightened further, cutting all


    possible air from reaching her lungs. With bloodshot eyes, she red fiercely at her niece.


    "You''ve got som-"


    "Stop."


    A sudden voice stopped Rose in her tracks. As her head flicked back, she spotted two figures


    appearing from behind her.


    Immediately, she frowned.


    "What are you doing?"


    Rose recognized the first but had a hard time with the second person. He appeared quite


    young and was quite the looker.


    His steps were light, and his gait was straight.


    Walking forward, his intense expression was directed her way.


    "Ah, I know who you are."


    It didn''t take long for Rose to recognize the person in question as her face blossomed into a


    thin smile.


    "You''re the little helper that helped us back in the prison."


    She winked at him.


    "What brings the two of you here?"


    "Let her go."


    The young boy was quite straightforward with his demands, causing Rose to frown. Then,


    realization struck her.


    "Could it be that-"


    "She''s already passed out. If you don''t let go right now, she will die."


    "Ah."


    It was only then that Rose understood as she turned to face her niece who was indeed passed


    out. Her pulse was still there, but it was extremely light.


    "I guess you''re right."


    Thump!


    Letting her go, Kiera fell limply against the ground.


    Patting her hands, Rose looked at the young man with a smile.


    "Are you happy?"


    11


    "1


    He didn''t answer her and simply walked in Kiera''s direction, pressing his hand against her


    neck.


    "She''s alive, don''t worry. I am her aunt after all. Until I find out where the mirror is, I won''t


    kill her."


    ||


    "....


    He still didn''t answer her, prompting Rose to frown.


    She was just about to speak again when he cut her off.


    "Go."


    "Hm...?"


    Rose cocked her head to the side.


    "What did you just say?"


    "I said go."


    Till the start, he never once looked at her. It was as if he was treating her like air. This


    obviously tickled Rose''s ego as her frown deepened.


    "That-"


    "I''ll handle it from here."


    "You what?"


    Rose froze for a moment before suddenly bursting into augh.


    "Handle what? With your strength? Please. Get out of my sight now before I get angry. I''m


    only being nice since you helped me outst time, however, you''re very close to getting on my


    nerves."


    || ||


    As Rose continued to speak, Julien kept his gaze on Kiera.


    Rose''s words went from one ear to the next.


    He wasn''t quite sure about what was going on, but he soon noticed a small boxing out


    from Kiera''s pocket. Reaching out for it, he realized that it was a box of cigarettes.


    ''...And here I thought she quit.''


    Shaking his head, he put the box in his pocket before taking a deep breath.


    He was still at a loss about the situation, but he understood that her aunt was looking for a


    certain mirror.


    She had said it herself.


    ....And as he put the cigarette box in his pocket, he pursed his lips.


    An idea suddenly shed in his mind, and as he looked at Kiera, he turned his arm slightly to


    reveal a four-leaved clover.


    His eyes lingered over the leaf for a few seconds before he made up his mind.


    Pressing his hand against her face, he pressed one of the leaves.


    His vision turned dark shortly after that.

 Chapter 283: The ash that lingers in the air [2]

    Chapter 283: The ash that lingers in the air [2]


    ?


    It was dark.


    Darkness embraced every inch of my surroundings.


    I could hardly hear or see a thing.


    ''Where is this...?''


    I looked around me.


    Still, it was dark. Regardless of how much I looked, all I saw was darkness.


    ''What is going on?''


    I tried to speak, but I found my voice stuck inside of throat. Regardless of how much I tried to speak, my mouth refused to open.


    Moving my body, I pressed my hand forward where I felt something.


    It was smooth to the touch, with hints of warmth. I knocked several times with my knuckle, "Tok, Tok¨D!'', and each knock felt rather light.


    ''Wood...?''


    That appeared to be the case as I tapped again.


    Tok, Tok-!


    I stopped when I realized it did nothing. I then ran my hand around me and tried to get a feel of my surroundings. It was to my shock that I realized that I was trapped on all sides.


    I didn''t panic immediately and continued to run my hand around the area I was in. Because of how dark it was, I found it hard to properly feel everything.


    Still, I tried to map my surroundings in my mind.


    Trying to fully understand my circumstances and the spacing that I had. As my hand traced to my left, I stopped.


    ''Nothing.''


    The space waspletely empty.


    Or at least, it felt empty.


    Tok, tok-!


    Knocking on the wall facing my left, my brows jumped up in surprise. The sound... It was a little differentpared to the other walls.


    It sounded a lot less hollow and a lot more firm.


    .... It didn''t feel like it was made out of wood.


    ''How strange...''


    I knocked on it several more times but soon stopped when I realized it was leading me nowhere.


    I wasn''t panicked. If this was really made out of wood, then it was as easy as tearing a piece of paper for me.


    While it was true that I was a mage, my physical capabilities were far above that of a regr person, and without a second thought, I punched the wall ahead of me.


    Bang-!


    A loud bang resounded as my fist connected with the wall.


    The sound was rather loud, but outside of that... nothing happened.


    ''Eh...?''


    I blinked my eyes several times.


    ''How does this make sense?''


    Feeling the wooden surface before me, I was stunned to see that it was still smooth. Not even


    a hint of a scratch or dent. This was especially so for the area where I had punched.


    That was also incredibly smooth...


    ''What''s going on?''


    I still didn''t panic, lowering my head as I started to ponder over my situation.


    ''If that doesn''t work, then I can try something else.''


    Bringing my hand forward, I tried to cast a small spell.


    I went for the chains, but...


    Tzzz-!


    To my shock, the magic circle that I wanted to form shattered in less than a fraction of a second.


    Stunned, I could only nkly stare at the darkness as I imagined my empty hand in my mind.


    But that wasn''t the part that I was focused on. No, that didn''t matter to me.


    What mattered to me was the fact that...


    ''Gone.''


    I hardly had any mana within me.


    It was only extremely minuscule, but that was it.


    ''My physical body seems to have regressed, and practically all of my mana is gone...''


    What kind of fucked up situation was this?


    My frown tightened as I desperately held onto myposure.


    Touching the side of the space, I repeatedly knocked on all sides, hoping to find some sort of


    clue to my situation, but that proved to be meaningless as even the hours passed, my situation remained the same.


    11


    ....."


    The darkness continued to embrace every part of my body, but it felt stifling.


    With the passing of time, I started to feel suffocated.


    The space was small, and I was trapped, unable to get out of the space or scream for help.


    ''What''s going on...?''


    I was sure that I had used the third leaf on Kiera, but what was up with this situation? It made


    no sense.


    Lost in my thoughts, I continued to wait.


    Something was bound to happen, right...?


    I continued to convince myself that that was the case, but...


    ".....


    Nothing.


    Even as the hours continued to pass, I remained stuck in the dark with no way out.


    I was confined within a small space, stuck and alone.


    My breathing became shorter, and my head started to feel light. From time to time, I''d knock around to feel for something that could get me out of this space, but it was all to no avail.


    It suddenly started to grow hot.


    Sweat trickled down the side of my face, and breathing became more and more difficult.


    11


    ......


    My mind remained firm under the circumstances.


    I continued to remain calm and just waited patiently. I had experienced far worse in the past.


    This much I could handle.


    But there was also a limit to how much I could handle.


    Ten hours.


    ...At about the tenth hour, my legs started to cramp.


    "....!"


    The pain made me flinch.


    Whatever groan that was about toe out of my mouth, halted just before it could. For


    some reason, my body continued to refuse to make a single sound.


    It was as though it was afraid of me making any noise.


    But what about the knocking?


    Time continued to pass.


    At the fifteenth hour, my other leg cramped and my neck strained.


    Yet again, nothing escaped my lips.


    I could only silently endure the pain.


    ''....I''ve been through worse.''


    Despite the agony that I was in, my mind remained firm.


    At least, I tried to keep it firm.


    I could feel that it was slowly starting to crumble.


    And this became especially apparent as time continued to tick, finally reaching the twenty-


    four-hour mark.


    ""


    I hadn''t slept a wink.


    I tried, but the difort that I was in made it impossible for me to sleep.


    ''I need to get out.''


    By now, desperation was slowly starting to sink into the depths of my mind. I was both


    mentally and physically exhausted.


    The space was tight, and I was running out of oxygen.


    ''Out... I need to get out...''


    I was desperate to see the light.


    It was only my imagination, but it felt as though the walls were closing in on me from all


    sides.


    My breathing grew more shallow, and thoughts of escape were the only ones that ran through


    my mind.


    I no longer cared about the situation.


    ....I just wanted to be free from this prison.


    It was taking a mental toll on me.


    Tok! Tok-


    I continued to knock, but it was to no avail.


    ''Why...? Why is this vision not ending?''


    My lips trembled as I bit into them. It was there that I realized that my lips were dry, and so


    was my mouth.


    ''W-ater.''


    My mind finally registered the fact that I was both hungry and thirsty.


    The sense of desperation I felt heightened at the realization as I desperately ran my hands


    around the small space I was confined in.


    Having done the same thing over a hundred times, I pretty much had the entire space mapped


    out in my mind.


    I knew what I was doing was meaningless, but I had to do something.


    ....I had to do something to get out of this space.


    Thump!


    Soon, my left arm grew limp.


    I had lost all of my energy. The hunger and thirst were starting to get to me. I could hardly


    think as my mind was like a fog.


    ''...G-get out.''


    The only thoughts that ran through my mind were thoughts about escaping.


    I wanted to get out of this: space.


    I felt so ustrophobic.


    It was also then that I felt something in my pocket. It was a small box, and as I reached out for


    it, my mind momentarily nked.


    I started to remember what brought me here and my grip on the box tightened.


    Lifting the cap open, I slowly removed a long and soft object. It was cylindrical in space, and a


    familiar smell of tobo lingered in the air.


    I felt my stomach churn at the smell as the cigarette slipped from my fingers, falling on the


    ground beneath me.


    Tak-


    Having grown ustomed to the dark, I knew exactly where the cigarette fell with just the


    sound it made.


    My hand trembled as I reached out for it.


    I could still not see a thing, but my mind appeared to fill in the nks for me as I saw my hand


    with the cigarette in hand.


    The sight made my heart skip a beat.


    ||


    ||


    It had been a long time...


    Swallowing my saliva, I brought my hand toward the tip of the cigarette. While I couldn''t use


    mana to create a spell, it wasn''t hard for me to create a small spark to light up the cigarette.


    My hand stopped right at the tip of the cigarette.


    ""


    I licked my lips but only felt pain.


    Then...


    Snap-!


    Sparks flew, and a floating red circle appeared before me.


    For the first time in a long time, I finally saw light. Even if it was due to something that I detested, I couldn''t help but keep my gaze locked onto the floating red circle. The glowing tip of the cigarette, flickered and pulsed, entracing me into the sight.


    A sharp and acrid smell followed suit as my nose scrunched up. On any normal asion, I would''ve gagged, but this time, I didn''t.


    I just continued to stare at the only source of light within this prison of darkness.


    ...There was something about the smell and light that brought mefort in this dark space.


    It made me want tough.


    A cigarette of all things...


    ''Haha.''


    I would''ve never expected the smell to ever bring mefort, but here I was, relishing the


    sensations that it brought.


    I thought about getting a little taste but stopped myself.


    ''This is enough.''


    .... Even if I wasn''t disgusted by the idea, I just didn''t feel like it. I was different than the me of


    the


    past.


    I didn''t need to use it to help me escape my reality.


    All I needed it for was the light that it brought me.


    And so,


    Snap-


    The moment one cigarette finished, I''d lit up another one and just emptily stare at the


    floating red circle. The light it provided was extremely dim, and while I tried to get a better


    look at my surroundings, it was of no use.


    In the end, I was just left with no choice but to remain seated where I was.


    Unlike before, I felt much calmer.


    I continued to light up one cigarette after another.


    Snap, snap, snap-


    By now, its scent had already spread through every corner of the space, and it was all that I


    could smell.


    It wasn''t a pleasant smell, but within the darkness and suffocating confines of the space, it


    felt extremelyforting, distracting me from all the bad thoughts.


    I was starting to be addicted to it.


    ''Huh...?''


    Reaching out for another cigarette, my heart dropped when I realized it was thest one.


    Before I knew it, I ended up using all the cigarettes avable.


    ....And still, nothing happened.


    11


    Closing my eyes, I rested my head back.


    Snap!


    I didn''t think twice before lighting thest cigarette.


    Tzz!


    A red circle floated before me.


    Entranced, I kept my eyes firmly locked onto it.


    ''What do I do? How can I get out of this space? I don''t understand... What''s with this situation?''


    Questions flooded my mind as I started to think about what would happen once the cigarette finished, but as time passed, the quieter my mind became.


    I just focused on relishing thefort the light brought me.


    I knew that I didn''t have much time.


    With time, the circle dimmed.


    As I watched it happen, my heart sank deeper and deeper into my body.


    What was I going to do after it was gone? What was I-


    nk!


    It was all of a sudden when I heard a loud sound my head sprang up. Looking back, the space I


    was in shook as I heard what appeared to be the muffled sound of conversations happening


    outside of whatever I was caged in.


    To Tok-


    I rapidly tapped onto the box, trying my best to get them to notice me.


    ''Hello!? Anybody there?''


    nk!


    It didn''t seem like they could hear me, but the shaking continued.


    Despite the agony that apanied each movement, I turned my body toward the direction


    of the sound. Soon, I saw a thin, long white line seeping into the darkness that surrounded


    me.


    It was a thin line that grew wider with each second, allowing for the light to fully invade the


    space.


    My eyes squinted with pain as I struggled to keep them open, and...


    "There''s someone here!"


    "We''ve found her!"


    Several faces appeared before me.


    I couldn''t quite see their features due to the light, but I couldn''t care less. I was finally going


    to be out.


    I was finally...


    "Here,e with me."


    11


    My body stopped as they reached out for the space beside me.


    I realized something.


    They... weren''t looking at me.


    Turning my head, in the area where I thought there was a wall blocking me, I saw a young


    figure. Her frail body trembled uncontrobly, and her white hair seemed to cling to her gaunt face. She was shivering so violently that it was almost painful to watch, and my own body froze.


    Most unsettling were her ruby-red eyes.


    They were locked on the tip of my cigarette, following its every movement with a haunting, desperate fixation.


    Her hands reached out for it, but no words came out of her mouth as the figures dragged her


    away.


    I stood frozen on the spot for a brief moment before darkness returned as the doors to the


    cab closed.


    It was then that I understood.


    "Oh, I see."


    My voice returned then, but I no longer had any words to use.


    "...."


    In the silence, I sat alone in the space.


    Just me, and the ashes that lingered in the air.

 Chapter 284: The ash that lingers in the air [3]

    Chapter 284: The ash that lingers in the air [3]


    ?


    Creak-


    I was eventually able to pull the door of the cab open. What greeted my sight was a torn- out room. Bed sheets, toys, pieces of furniture, and the shards of a broken mirror... the floor was littered with all sorts of objects.


    It looked like a hurricane had swept through the room.


    .....What happened?''


    A crunching sound echoed as I took a step forward.


    It took a moment for me topletely register my surroundings. I looked through all the little clues that were scattered around the room, from the pictures to the teddy bears that were torn, and the pieces started to piece themselves together.


    "This is Kiera''s room.''


    Right now, it was aplete mess and I was the only one present.


    For some reason, I was still stuck within the realm of the third leaf. Thinking about the third leaf, my head throbbed.


    "The second time."


    This was the second time that something I couldn''t make sense of urred.


    The first time with Delh and her choctes, and the second time with Kiera and the... cigarettes.


    "... Is it really time travel?"


    But how was that possible...? If it was really time travel, then was I the one who influenced both Delh and Kiera? Did that even make sense?


    "Could be some sort of paradox where I''m just following what has already urred."


    In that sense, if I was really the one who had influenced the two of them, the world''s timeline had already adjusted to take into consideration my future actions.


    That...


    Quite frankly, I had a hard time wrapping my head over that thought.


    What would happen if I just went ahead and killed them? ...Or could there be that there were restrictions? Like the invisible wall that blocked me from getting near Kiera?


    "That could be it...''


    But I was more inclined to believe that I was merely relieving an altered version of their deepest traumas. In Delh''s case, the person who had given her choctes was someone else, and the one who had been lighting up the cigarettes in the cab was Kiera herself.


    Thinking about the time that I spent in the cab, I turned around to look at it.


    Just like the rest of the furniture, it was quite worn down, filled with all sorts of scratches and dents on the outside.


    Thetch was broken, and when I looked at it, I realized something.


    ''I should''ve been able to push the door open without a problem.''


    Creaaak-!


    As expected, the moment I touched the door, it creaked as it effortlessly opened at my touch. That was when I realized that the only one trapped within that cab was me.


    Kiera... she wasn''t trapped.


    She was merely hiding in there.


    "Ah."


    I also understood something else.


    "So that''s the case..."


    The reason why I was trapped, suffocated, and felt hungry... It was because the third leaf was making me experience everything that Keira had felt back then.


    From how she felt trapped in the dark, to the fear and sense of helplessness that engulfed her.


    I was made to feel everything.


    "....."


    Closing my eyes, I quietly recalled all of the sensations and seared them into my mind before opening my eyes again.


    The moment my eyes opened, I found myself standing in the familiar alleyway.


    Kiera was lying before me and I could hear her aunt''s voice from the side.


    I understood then...


    ''I''m back.''


    The vision had ended. I thought I''d be able to understand more about the situation, but it only led to more questions.


    Nheless, piecing everything together, I had an idea of what had happened.


    "Are you not listening to me?"


    "....I am."


    Raising my head, I looked toward Kiera''s aunt. Her eyes were narrowed, and I could tell that she was annoyed with me.


    But for some reason, she held back.


    I had an idea as to why, and I used that to my full advantage.


    "How many years has it been since you''ve been tasked with finding the mirror?"


    ||


    ||


    The moment my voice fell, her mouth closed. She just looked at me without saying a single word. It was a pity considering that I was doing this to get information out of her, but I was a


    patient person.


    I continued to try to tear her walls down,


    "You''ve be desperate over the years."


    I lightly nced in Kiera''s direction.


    "In your fit of rage, you almost killed her. Your precious niece. But in the end, you still didn''t


    get a single clue as to where the mirror is."


    "It''s pathetic."


    I made sure to emphasize thest few words.


    ....As I spoke, I thought about lightly injecting a bit of emotive magic into my voice, but I held myself back. While the chances were not high, there was a slim chance that she''d detect


    something.


    For that reason, I held back on that notion.


    I just didn''t think I''d need it anyway.


    "Killing her will only jeopardize our situation. The Chancellor is in town. The moment Kiera


    dies or disappears, you won''t escape her sight. Bremmer might be under ''our'' control, but there''s a limit. If that monster really tries, none of us... and I mean, none of us will be able to


    escape her."


    If Deliah was dead set on hunting down the person responsible for killing Kiera, then nobody would be able to stop her


    Not As, not the Emperor, and not her.


    There was no running away from Delh, and Kiera''s aunt started to understand this as her


    expression started to rx.


    The moment I saw this, I didn''t rx.


    Rather, I grew more tense and stopped speaking.


    ||


    She didn''t say a word either and just stared at me in silence.


    Not to be outdone, I stared right back at her. Into those familiar-looking ruby-red eyes until


    eventually, her lips twisted into a light smirk.


    "You''re lucky."


    It was just two words, but they were enough to make me understand her decision.


    "...I feel really tempted to just kill you, but like you said, it won''t end well for me if I do that."


    She shrugged.


    "Such a pity. I thought I was close to finding the whereabouts of the mirror, but she really is a


    tough nut to crack."


    Lowering her head, Rose''s gaze paused on Kiera.


    "Truly... what a pity"


    Rose turned around.


    She wore a gray suit that fit her contours perfectly. A white zer draped over her shoulder,


    pping behind her as she turned around.


    Without looking back, she left the alleyway with her hands in her pockets.


    "...I''ll being again soon. I''ll leave her in your hands."


    As the gentle clicks of her heels grew more and more distant, my eyes locked with that of the


    Professor''s. He didn''t say anything, but I understood his intentions. Subtly nodding my head,


    he nodded back and turned around, following Rose from behind.


    ||


    ||


    Shortly after they left, I stood in silence, quietly staring at Kiera lying on the ground with her


    hair scattered across her face.


    Memories of the time that I was trapped in the dark space resurfaced in my mind.


    I wasn''t sure for how long I stood, but eventually, I lowered my body and picked her up.


    Mist began to spread from my body, enveloping us both entirely. I then took my first step out


    of the alleyway and headed back to the residence.


    ''Just this one time.''


    ***


    Kiera felt herself go in and out of consciousness.


    A face continuously popped up in her mind, causing her heart to beat in agitation.


    Slipping in and out of consciousness, she''d see the familiar darkness, and her heart quivered.


    The dark... she hated it.


    No, feared it.


    ...The more she was exposed to it, the more her anxiety grew.


    It was for this reason that she never slept with her light off. It reminded her too much of that


    time.


    She did everything in her power to forget that time.


    From cleaning up her room and being tidy so that she wouldn''t be reminded of the state it was


    in after she came out, to making sure she''d never be alone in the dark.


    Kiera did her absolute best to forget.


    And yet...


    The face shed in her mind again, and her eyes red open.


    That bitch!


    Lurching back, Kiera''s expression twisted as she felt herself held by something.


    "You bitc-!"


    Her words stopped the moment she realized something amiss.


    "Uh?"


    Looking around, Kiera was stunned to see her leaning against someone''s back. It was a wide


    back, and as her gaze fell on the person carrying her, she realized he looked familiar.


    "....You''re awake."


    Even his voice was familiar.


    Who could it...


    "We''re almost there."


    As his head turned, Kiera was finally able to see his face.


    With soft ck hair and deep hazel eyes that carried a certain dignity that was hard to hide, it


    was none other than Julien.


    And it was only when she saw him that she finally registered what had happened as she rxed. But not for long as her head flicked to check her surroundings, only to be stunned to


    see that they were surrounded by a mist.


    "Wha-"


    "An ability of mine."


    "The situation called for it."


    "Oh."


    Kiera looked down and understood. Indeed, if he were to walk around like this, It''d be pretty


    fucking weird.


    "You can let go."


    "Sure."


    Julien stopped, and Kiera hopped off his back. She looked at the mist for a brief second before


    shifting her attention back to Julien.


    There were a lot of questions that she was meaning to ask.


    "What happened? Why are you carrying me?"


    "....Beats me."


    Julien shrugged.


    "I found you in the middle of an alleyway passed out. I''m the one who is most curious about


    your situation."


    "Oh."


    Kiera''s eyes narrowed.


    For some reason, she didn''t believe him.


    He definitely knew something. Still, she let go of it. Since he didn''t want to say it, she didn''t


    press him on it.


    "Right..."


    Kiera cleared her throat and faced Julien directly.


    "My aunt came."


    "She''s the reason why I am in the state that I am."


    She didn''t hide anything at all, telling him everything. As she did, her gaze was fixed on him.


    She wanted to see what reaction he''d make. See some sort of opening she could exploit, but...


    ||


    That opening never came.


    The entire time his expression remained stoic.


    It annoyed Kiera, but what could she do? It wasn''t as if she could force the information out of


    him. Just as Kiera was about to resign herself to the situation, Julien finally spoke.


    "Your aunt survived, how do you feel about that?"


    ".... How do I feel about that?"


    Kiera scoffed, looking at Julien with a mocking look.


    Wasn''t the answer obvious?


    She felt like shit. Like absolute shit, and just when she was about to say that to him, she


    realized something.


    Her mouth... It refused to let those words out.


    ''Uh?''


    Regardless of how much she tried, the words just refused to leave her mouth. Stunned, Kiera looked at Julien who was looking back at her with the same aloof gaze of his.


    Kiera stared into those eyes for an ufortable amount of time before eventually biting her


    lips and lowering her head.


    "Happy."


    "....Why?"


    Rather than being surprised, Julien''s tone remained passive.


    Kiera stood in silence for a brief moment before raising her head again.


    "Because I wanted to kill her myself."


    Right, Kiera wanted to be the one to kill her aunt. Not Julien, not anyone else, but herself.


    Julien stood in silence for a brief moment, taking in her words before opening his mouth


    again,


    "What if I were to tell you that I was the one who helped her escape?"


    Kiera froze for a second, unable to fully register his words as she dumbly looked at him. His


    expression was indifferent, staring at her and seeing what her answer would be. Kiera didn''t know how to react as her brows knit together.


    Was he being serious or was he joking? Kiera thought back to that time in prison and thought


    back on his actions.


    But the more she thought about it, the more she found it unlikely for him to have had any y


    in her aunt''s escape.


    ''He most likely thinks he helped her escape with his attack.''


    Or some sort of bullshit like that.


    That''s when she thought properly about the question, and soon enough, her lips twisted into


    a smirk as she walked into the fog.


    "I''d thank you for it."


    Kiera chuckled.


    "....But also kill you for it."


    Her figure eventually fully merged with the fog, making her disappearpletely and leaving


    Julien standing by himself.


    Raising his hand, he looked at his palm.


    "Kill me for it?"


    The corner of his lips gently pulled up as his hand closed.


    "....I guess that''s to be expected."


    Kiera Mylne Slumber


    : Progress - 13% --> 19%

 Chapter 285: The Eyes of the Angel [1]

    Chapter 285: The Eyes of the Angel [1]


    ?


    The next day.


    I woke up rather early and got dressed nicely. Today was an important day, and I couldn''t bete for it. For that reason, I woke up earlier than usual to go out and buy the necessary equipment for the uing Summit.


    "...This should be enough."


    Holding onto two bags, I channeled my mana into the ring and entered the white world within.


    A tall and grand pce greeted my sight the moment that I entered the space within the ring.


    It was a sight I had grown ustomed to as I walked into the empty hall, my steps quietly echoing throughout.


    Theck of decorations made the ce look extremely empty, but I was helpless on the matter. I was at my limits with how many things I could bring into the ring.


    Perhaps in the future...


    Tak, tak¡ª


    As I walked forward, I was suddenly reminded of what happened the previous day and Kiera''s parting words.


    "She''ll kill me, huh?"


    Her words still lingered in my mind. From the chill that her tone contained, to the firmness in her gaze.


    She meant every word she said, and I knew that if she learned of the truth, she''d keep up with her promise.


    ....At least for now.


    With that being said, I wasn''t too worried.


    There were only a few people that knew the truth. My only worry was her aunt who could reveal everything to her, but I also knew that Kiera detested her aunt to the point where she''d ignore all her words.


    The thing I was more worried about was the sudden increase in percentage. Especially since I still didn''t know what exactly it did upon reaching 100%.


    "Will she be the same person as in the first vision...? Or something else?"


    The more I thought about the matter the more my head throbbed in confusion. Eventually, I decided to drop the topic and continue forward.


    ''It''s been a bit since I''vest seen Owl-Mighty and Pebble. I wonder how they''re doing.''


    Thest time I saw them, they looked like they were happy with the arrangement of staying within the ring. Throughout the entire time that I practiced for the y and performed it, the two of them had been rather quiet, never leaving the space of the ring.


    It made me curious about what they were doing.


    Creak!


    Reaching for the door of the furthest away room, I pushed it open to enter in hopes of seeing how the two of them were doing, but...


    ||


    ".....


    The sight that greeted me left me at aplete loss for words as I stood frozen on the spot, unable to fully digest the sight that greeted me.


    Trrr! Trrr-!


    A subtle buzzing sound lingered in the air as two silhouettes stood before two circr objects.


    "..... Today will be the day that I vindicate myself for the past humiliations!"


    Pebble''s voice echoed loudly within the small room.


    Next to it, Owl-Mighty gazed at Pebble coldly.


    11


    It didn''t say anything, but its gaze told more than a thousand words.


    "I won''t hold back. I''ll make sure topletely destroy you."


    11 ||


    The look of disgust on Owl-Mighty''s face only grew more apparent as it shook its head in disappointment.


    This didn''t sit well with Pebble whose face scrunched up in anger.


    "Just you see!"


    Then, as I watched the entire scene in disbelief, Pebble shouted,


    "Go!"


    Rooooar-


    A loud roar followed after. It reverberated throughout the entire room, shaking whatever little furniture was present.


    After that, the two circr objects the two stood on started to move.


    Trrr! Trrr-!


    Owl-Mighty''s feathers pped under the wind, and so did Pebble''s fur. Or at least, that was how it appeared to be to them.


    Standing in silence, my eyes traced the two circr objects that moved at the pace of a snail.


    "Go! Go...!"


    I recognized them in an instant.


    They were mana-powered cleaning devices. Sort of like the ones back on earth. The robotic ones. I had bought them for Delh''s since her room was quite a mess and had dropped them


    here.


    Who would''ve thought that they...


    Trrr! Trrr-!


    "Go faster! Don''t shame my name as my mount! Pick up the pace!"


    Pebble appeared to be the most vocal of the two as Owl-Mighty simply stood with its back


    straight as the cleaning device moved forward and surpassed Pebble''s.


    As Owl-Mighty surpassed Pebble, its chest puffed up as disdain appeared clearly in its gaze.


    ''You want to beat me?''


    "No!!! How is this possible?!"


    Pebble started to frantically beat the device with its paws, but it was no use.


    In the end, Pebble ended up losing.


    With its body lying motionless on the floor, it nkly stared at the ceiling with an empty


    look.


    Gaze: What is life?


    "Julien."


    Finally, Owl-Mighty took notice of me as it hopped off the cleaning device. I thought about asking about the situation, but for the sake of my own mental health, I decided to drop the


    topic.


    The two of them...


    Who would believe they were a horror Eldritch Tree and a Rock Dragon?


    If not for the fact that I had fought against both then I would''ve had a hard time believing


    those facts.


    ''Well, it''s fine. At least I now know those cleaning devices work.''


    The floor was pretty spotless.


    "What brings you here?"


    "....!


    I looked down at Owl-Mighty before eventually answering.


    "I''ll be leaving for the Mirror Dimension soon."


    "Oh?"


    Interest piqued Owl-Mighty''s cold eyes.


    "What for?"


    "Some political stuff."


    I was still not sure exactly. They said it was apetition between us and the other members


    of the four Empires.


    Some sort of tournament...?


    I wasn''t too sure.


    "Political?"


    Owl-Mighty frowned, unable to fullyprehend what I meant.


    ".... It''s something rted to the human leaders."


    "Oh."


    It nodded in understanding.


    "In any case, I wanted to drop some stuff here before leaving."


    I lifted a small bag and tossed it to the side. But just as I did, I was reminded of the scene that I


    witnessed uponing into the room and feltpelled to stare at the two of them.


    "There''s important provisions for me inside so don''t mess with it."


    "....oh."


    For a brief moment, I thought I caught a hint of disappointment from Owl-Mighty''s


    expression and my head cocked to the side.


    ''I''ve been so busy recently that I haven''t been able to hold my end of the deal with helping him understand emotions, and yet... it seems to have understood something while I was gone.'' Gradually my head turned in the direction of the dragon who was still lying down on the floor


    with a lost look.


    ''... Could it be?''


    "Do you know where exactly you will enter?"


    "Hm?"


    "In the mirror dimension. Do you know which area you will enter?"


    "Not exactly."


    I was still unfamiliar with the Mirror Crack present in Bremmer.


    "Why are you asking?"


    "It''s nothing for now." Owl-Mighty hopped back onto the cleaning device.


    "....I will see for myself when you enter. I will tell you then."


    And then...


    Trrr!


    As the device turned on, Owl-Mighty''s body turned slowly before it started moving around


    the room. My gaze lingered over its body for a few seconds before I stopped whatever words I


    was about to say.


    Since it wasn''t willing to tell me yet, I didn''t push.


    ''Perhaps, it''s nothing big.''


    And even if it was big, it probably only mattered in certain locations.


    Moving my stuff and making sure to warn the two of them, I eventually left the space within


    the ring and came back out.


    "Hoo."


    etting out a long breath, I brushed my hair back and headed for the door.


    It was time for the Summit to officially start.


    ***


    Grimspire.


    One of the major strongholds within the mirror dimension.


    Located within the Mirror Crack located within Bremmer, Grimspire was almost the biggest


    city within the Mirror Dimension.


    Tall spirals pierced the sky while the city''s thick, enormous walls were covered in intricate


    carvings and ancient runes that glowed beneath the white ball of fire that stood in the air.


    It was a world without much color, and within the heart of the city was a gigantic hand.


    ''Hand of Independence.''


    It was one of the many statues that were littered throughout the entire city, with this one being one of the most popr ones as it stood before the creation of the city.


    The hand appeared to be holding something, but over time, whatever it once grasped had


    long since broken down. It was now just an empty hand.


    One that was closely attached to the ground.


    Everyone knew that there was more to the hand, but none tried to dig deeper due to how


    fragile it was. In the end, the city council decided to let the stature be and built the city around


    it.


    Still, the hand was an important location for Grimspire.


    Especially since that was the location where the main za was located, and where the members of the Four Empires were gathering.


    "Who would''ve thought there''d be such a city in such a grim ce." Evelyn mumbled while looking around her. The city looked quite packed, filled with all sorts


    of people. Unlike the previous supply stations they had been in, the air wasn''t as gloomy as


    those ces.


    It felt like a proper city.


    "You''re right."


    Even Kiera seemed to be in agreement as she rubbed her eyes. Her hair was a mess, and ck


    circles appeared beneath her eyes.


    It looked like she was hungover.


    "You''re hungover." "My ass is hungover."


    Kiera rolled her eyes at Aoife who was holding onto a small notepad. Probably a list of all the


    cadets in their group.


    "....I just couldn''t sleep."


    "And that had nothing to do with drinking, right?"


    "Fuck, I don''t drink. At best, I smoke."


    "As if that''s any better."


    "Please."


    Kiera dropped her hands and looked at Aoife in disgust.


    "If there''s anyone that drinks, it''s you. Do you seriously think we don''t know you secretly


    sneak beers here and there?"


    "Eh?"


    Aoife flinched, her face turning white.


    "What are you talking about?"


    She turned her head to look toward the others who turned their heads away from her.


    That was when her eyes widened in realization.


    "You knew...!"


    "Yeah, you weren''t very good at hiding it."


    Kiera said, rubbing her ears with her pinky.


    "In any case, when are we starting?"


    "When everyone gets here."


    "And how long will that take?"


    "Maybe ten minutes?"


    "Ahhh."


    Kiera leaned back and groaned. She hadn''t slept a wink since yesterday and wanted nothing


    more than to get this part over with so that she could sleep.


    As her eyes wandered around the za, her gaze eventually settled over another stature. It


    rested on top of one of the buildings around the ce, overlooking the za from above.


    Her expression froze for a brief second as her gaze lingered over the statue.


    Ba... Thump!


    Kiera''s heart began to race as she locked eyes on the statue. It wasn''trge, far smaller than


    the Hand of Liberation, roughly her own size. The figure depicted an angel, its wings


    outstretched and hands cupped forward in an unsettling gesture.


    At first, it seemed unremarkable.


    ...Until she saw the ck tears streaming down its cheeks, dark and viscous, like ink bleeding


    from a wound.


    It trickled down the side of its cheek, creating a long and ck line.


    Drip!


    As the tear dripped onto the ground, Kiera felt something grip her neck and her face turned


    pale.


    Before she knew it, she couldn''t breathe.


    "Ah."

 Chapter 286: The Eyes of the Angel [2]

    Chapter 286: The Eyes of the Angel [2]


    ?


    It was as if two hands were sped against her throat, squeezing tightly and doing their best to deprive her of all of her oxygen.


    The sensation felt vaguely familiar.


    It reminded her of what had happened the day prior.


    She felt suffocated, and her eyes continued to trace the ck tear that dripped down from the corner of the statue''s eyes.


    Kiera nkly stared at the stature for what felt like forever until...


    "Hey."


    She felt a nudge on her shoulder and she snapped out of it.


    "Uh?"


    Looking around, Kiera''s eyes eventually fell on Aoife who looked at her with a strange look. Kiera felt sweat trickle down the side of her face as her chest heaved up and down unevenly.


    ".... You really are hungover, aren''t you?"


    "Ah, no..."


    Kiera squinted and blinked her eyes before shifting her attention back to the statue. As she attempted to point out the tear that was trickling down its cheek, Kiera froze.


    ||


    Her eyes widened as she looked at the statue.


    That was because... the tear. It was gone. As if it had never been there to begin with, the statue remained on top of the building, quietly looking down at the za that was starting to fill up with people.


    "T-this."


    With trembling lips, Kiera rubbed her eyes.


    "This doesn''t make sense.''


    She could''ve sworn that she had seen it. Could all of this have been some sort of hallucination? Perhaps a product of her not being able to sleep well?


    In hindsight, this could very well be the truth.


    Especially since the suffocating and strangling feeling she felt reminded her of what her aunt did to her.


    Swallowing her saliva, Kiera calmed herself down.


    "I think I''m fine."


    Kiera rubbed the side of her neck while addressing the others.


    "...I''m fi¡ª"


    "Wait."


    All of a sudden, Aoife grabbed her hand which was rubbing her neck. Surprised, Kiera looked at her.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Stop for a second."


    "No, the hell...!"


    "...!"


    Aoife''s expression changed as she looked at Kiera with a stupefied look and stepped back. "What?"


    Surprised, Kiera tilted her head, finally managing to pull Aoife''s grip away from her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Aoife remained silent before turning around to look at Evelyn who squinted her eyes and shared a simr look to hers.


    Noticing the looks on their faces, Kiera started to get annoyed.


    "The fuck is wrong with you two? Say something. Don''t blue ball me like that."


    || ||


    The two still didn''t answer. They appeared to be conversing with each other through their eyes, and just when Kiera felt her top blow off, Aoife sighed and took out a small mirror which she flipped to show her.


    "What''s t-"


    Kiera stopped the moment her eyes fell on her reflection.


    Her hair clung to her pale face, and her lips quivered slightly. Two ring ck circles appeared beneath her eyes, making her look exhausted and haunted. Despite her disheveled appearance, it wasn''t that that made Kiera''s expression change.


    What made her expression change were the deep hand imprints on her neck.


    At first, Kiera associated them with what her aunt did the day prior, but it took no longer than


    a second nce for her to realize something.


    The imprints...


    They were fresh.


    Gulp.


    And as the realization dawned on her, Kiera''s head slowly lifted to stare in the direction of the


    statue.


    Standing at the top of the building, it looked down on everyone beneath.


    With its hands cupped forward, the angel embodied grievance.


    With its wings spread wide, the angel embodied rebellion.


    With its face downcast, the angel embodied sorrow.


    With its...


    Snap!


    As Kiera stared at the statue, she heard something ''snap'' from within her, forcing her head to


    jolt back.


    "What the hell!?"


    It creeped her out making her body shudder, but as she checked her body, she found that there was nothing wrong with it.


    Holding onto the side of her arm, Kiera finally took her eyes away from the statue.


    With uneven breathing, she nibbled her lips.


    .....Fuck, not again.''


    ***


    "It''s in in sight."


    Walking into the za, the first thing I noticed was the Hand of Independence. Cracks filled its surface, and around it was a small barrier that blocked anyone from approaching it.


    Evidently, it was very fragile.


    "


    But soon, I saw it.


    Sitting right on top of the municipal building, a building withrge, arched windows that let


    in ample light and a roof that was crowned with a majestic dome, I saw an all too familiar


    statue.


    My steps came to a sudden pause as I found myself slowly mumbling to myself,


    "Angel of Sorrow."


    As had told me I''d see it when I entered the Mirror Dimension, and indeed, it was right


    before my very eyes.


    I felt my mouth grow dry at the sight of the statue. Images shed in my mind, reminding me of the vision I had before.


    Recalling my head which rested at the top of the outstretched palms, I licked my lips.


    ''.... If only the visions were useful.''


    Not once had a vision actually truly helped me.


    I had to figure everything out by myself.


    It was an irritating power when I thought about it.


    "You''re finally here."


    Leon appeared in the distance. He walked toward me by himself which was a little surprising


    since he was usually surrounded by people.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Hm, no I was just a little surprised."


    "By what?"


    "By the fact that you were by yourself."


    "Oh, that."


    Leon looked at me with a disturbed look.


    "Why do you think?"


    Surprised, I pointed at myself.


    "You mean I had something to do with this?"


    "Yes, pretty much."


    Leon then proceeded to remind me of my actions with the Vice-Chancellor of the Bremmer


    Central Academy.


    Right, that did happen...


    "So you''re saying that everyone is avoiding you guys now?"


    "Pretty much."


    "....I see."


    I turned to look in the direction of where those from our Empire were staying and could see


    that there were two different groups. There wasn''t any tension, but I could feel a sense of


    difort linger between the two sides.


    "Hmm."


    It was a weird sight considering that we were all from the same side.


    I wasn''t really sure how to react, but after a little thought, I let it be. The noise that was


    surrounding the za was starting to grow louder, and I knew that the summit was about to


    start.


    By now, I could see over a thousand different people in the za, and alongside Leon, I


    moved toward our Empire''s area.


    [Attention.]


    At the exact moment that I arrived, a gentle voice quietly echoed throughout the entire za.


    Turning my head, I noticed an elderly man dressed in white standing by the main balcony of


    the municipal building. Right above him, the Angel of Sorrow statue loomed, its stone wings outstretched as slowly embracing all those beneath.


    Sunlight filtered from behind, casting arge shadow of its figure over the area beneath it.


    ""


    The noise soon started to cease.


    It wasn''t long before the entire space grew quiet.


    [I''m very happy with your presence here. It is with great pride and honor that I wee you


    all to the Four Empire Summit. You have all been invited here today to...]


    The man''s voice continued to echo throughout the za. He spoke a lot about the history of


    the four empires and how this event came to be. It was a lot of nonsense that I had no choice


    but to pay attention to.


    But in the end, after what felt like a grueling long hour, he concluded his speech. [....Following the first phase of the summit, the final contestants will participate in a small


    exchange that will be broadcast across all four Empires. There will naturally be rewards for the winner, and I wish you the best of luck."


    From the start until the end of the speech, I didn''t know who the man was.


    He probably introduced himself at some points in his speech, but I was too preupied


    thinking about the rules of the Summit to care.


    To summarize how the Summit was going to flow then it''d be divided into two phases. The


    first phase and the second phase.


    The second phase was where thest survivors of the first phase would gather and fight for the


    top spot.


    On the other hand, I was still unsure about the first phase.


    Not much was said about it. Perhaps it was to keep the information to a minimum for when


    the time came, but I wasn''t sure.


    My mind was filled with thoughts of the statue as I couldn''t help but continue to stare at it.


    I felt like I had to stare at it.


    "What next?"


    ".... Is something going to happen now?"


    The moment the man on the balcony left, the noise started to return to the za. Everyone started to talk about the speech, wondering about what was going to happen next. I


    stood in silence while raising my head above the stature to stare at the white sun that hung


    above in the gray sky.


    The noise grew progressively louder by the second, and as it did, I eventually drowned out the noise around me and closed my eyes.


    I felt something prickle at the back of my consciousness.


    My mind emptied, and as it did, I noticed something within my darkened vision.


    An Angel.


    It lingered in the distance, its gaze fixed on me. It looked like it was trying to creep up on me


    but stopped as I noticed it.


    I stared back at it for a brief moment, studying every detail of it. As I did, the features of the


    angel started to fade from within my mind beforepletely disappearing.


    ||


    "I


    Opening my eyes, I closed them again and tried to feel for the angel, but it was gone. As if it


    had never been there in the first ce, all I was met with was darkness.


    ''It''s gone.''


    Of this, I was sure this time but the thought that it would reappear at any second continued to


    linger at the back of my mind.


    But it never did, and soon enough, I realized that I may have driven it away by noticing it.


    Yet again, I looked at the main statue.


    Drip...!


    A ck tear traced down its cheek as its gaze remained on the za beneath.


    Funnily enough, I knew that I was the only one who could see this as nobody showed any


    reaction to the strange sight.


    That''s when I turned to look at Leon who looked back at me.


    "What is it?"


    "....Do you notice the statue up there?"


    "Yes...? The Angel of Sorrow? I''ve heard that it''s a famous statue. I didn''t pay much attention


    to it."


    "Do you see a ck tear?"


    "Uh?"


    Leon looked at me strangely, but that was all that I needed to know.


    ''Looks like I''m right.''


    Only I was able to see the tear.


    I was just about to tell Leon of the situation when I stopped. Not just me, but everyone around


    me stopped. As if everyone could sense the same thing, heads started to frantically turn.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Do you feel it?"


    "...Ah!"


    Shwup!


    A figure disappeared from the crowd leaving everyone stunned.


    Shwup! Shwup! Shwup!


    But he wasn''t the only one. Sure enough, right after the first person disappeared, the next one


    also disappeared, and it didn''t take long for more and more people to disappear.


    Chaos followed their disappearance, but I was able to stay calm.


    "Ah, shit."


    Covering my face, I looked at Leon who stared back at me.


    He also understood what was happening.


    "It''s starting."


    Indeed it was, and shortly after his words fell, my world turned dark.


    Shwup!


    The moment my vision returned, my sinuses clogged up as a result of the smoke that lingered


    in the air. It forced me to cough several times as I brushed the smoke away and cleared my


    vision.


    "Cough..! Cough! W-where am I-"


    My words stopped the moment I managed to get a clear view of the sight before me.


    I found myself standing amidst the ruins of a city unknown to me, confused by the peculiar


    architecture of the buildings. They appeared to belong to a distinct era, unlike anything familiar to my own.


    No, I was familiar with the architecture.


    My heart squeezed out of my chest.


    In fact, I was familiar with the sight that greeted me.


    Because...


    "Ah, T-this."


    ...I was now standing in the exact ce where the first vision took ce. The ce where


    Julien Dacre Evenus was stabbed by Leon and died.

 Chapter 287: Insomnia [1]

    Chapter 287: Insomnia [1]


    ?


    Shwup! Shwup!


    One after another, the candidates disappeared from the za. Overlooking the scene from a different area were several people.


    "....Looks like it''s starting."


    As mumbled, quietly taking a sip of the tea in his hand.


    His yellow pupils were serene and clear as he smiled slightly. Opposite him stood another


    figure. With short green hair and eyes, they appeared to be one with nature, their demenour and features otherworldly.


    He was none other than the Seat of Genesis.


    Emporium Modgarth.


    Taking a sip, he quietly closed his eyes before opening them up again and staring at As.


    "You seem quite interested in what''s happening."


    "....I am "


    As quietly replied, turning his attention back toward the za.


    "I think I''ve found him."


    "Hm?"


    A shift urred in Emporium''s features as he looked at As in surprise.


    "..... You found him?"


    "More or less."


    Taking another sip, As leaned back on the chair.


    "I''ll make up my decision by the time this summit is over. I would like to see how far he can make it beforeing up with a decision."


    || ||


    Emporium sat in silence.


    It was hard to tell what his thoughts were as his face remained expressionless the entire time, but it wasn''t so hard to see the shock in his eyes this time.


    In all the years that he had known As, this was the first time he had shown interest in someone else.


    There had been many people who had tried toe under his wing and be the next in line for the Seat of Dawn, but he promptly rejected them.


    Everyone assumed that it was because he was never interested in taking up a sessor and epted the exnation, but things were different now.


    It soon became clear to Emporium.


    ''It''s not that he isn''t interested in taking on a sessor, but it''s that none of them suited his tastes.''


    The realization came as a shock.


    To be able to attract As''s attention.


    Who?


    Who could it be...?


    "You''ll see eventually."


    As if As could read through his thoughts, he ced the teacup down and smiled in amusement, seemingly anticipating what was toe.


    "He''ll be difficult to miss."


    ||


    ".....


    Emporium quietly stared at As for a brief moment before turning his attention toward the za. The more he looked at As, the more curious he became.


    A few candidates appeared in his mind before eventually, a figure emerged in his mind.


    ''Caius...?''


    He was the number one ranked candidate amongst all of those participating, and he also had his eyes on him.


    The more Emporium thought about it, the more likely he found the candidate to be.


    ''It''s not a bad choice.''


    No, it was a really good choice, but...


    ''....I don''t think this is it.''


    Caius was extremely talented. Amongst some of the best Emporium had ever seen, there were plenty of other talents that were like him that had tried to be the next in line for the Seat of Dawn, only to be rejected by As.


    There was something that he was missing, but he wasn''t sure what exactly.


    In the end, he could only silently observe the situation.


    Since As said that he''d see, then he would see. For now, there was something else that he needed to talk to him about.


    "What are you going to do about her?"


    "...Hmm."


    As''s smile gradually started to fade as the atmosphere suddenly grew tense. The subject in question was none other than Delh who was hiding somewhere in the za.


    "Now is not the time."


    "Why?"


    "....She''s an important figure within the Empire. Until the leader is ready, we are not to make a move."


    "But at the rate that she''s growing, she will be a problem."


    "She''s already a problem."


    As replied with a helpless look.


    "I won''t be able toe out unscathed if the two of us were to fight."


    Turning his palm, a ck sphere appeared on top of his palm. Within the sphere, several images shed. They were images of a young girl sitting alone in a small and ruined house.


    She appeared to be talking to herself while her eyes were hollow and unfocused. It was a memory of a long time ago.


    As had kept it with him the entire time, reminding himself of what he had done.


    Of his...


    First failure.


    ***


    I stood in silence, quietly taking in the view that was presented before me. From the buildings


    to very little detail that was presented before me. I was able to recognize everything.


    Without a doubt, this was the ce within my vision.


    ''No, not everything is quite the same.''


    There were a few things that were different, but it was still nheless about the same as in


    the vision.


    Back then, things were a lot more ruined.


    But that was beside the point...


    ''I did hear that there were ruins within the mirror dimension, but this is the first time that I''m seeing


    them.''


    Taking a step forward, I moved closer to one of the buildings and traced my finger over it.


    "....A past civilization?"


    The architecture was somewhat crude. It didn''t look like anything from my current world and


    the previous ones.


    It was some sort of civilization that thrived in the past.


    But as I looked up at the sky and felt the dry air that surrounded me, I frowned.


    ''How can anyone survive in this sort of ce?''


    Could it be that the Mirror Dimension was different in the past? ...Or was there more to it that I


    didn''t know?


    ||


    I stood in silence while contemting the situation.


    In the end, I decided to explore the space around better. There was no one around me, and it


    was just me.


    Of course, it wouldn''t be like this for long.


    Soon, my pocket vibrated and I took out a small map where several dots appeared.


    "It looks like everyone has been transported."


    The map was something that was given to us by the organizer, and it disyed the location of


    all the cadets from the same Empire. At the same time, there was also arge orange circle at


    the center of the map, which indicated the ce where we needed to go.


    ....The first phase was simple.


    Reach the orange point.


    "This is quite troublesome."


    We also had a time limit of one week. If we failed to reach the destination in time, then we''d


    be eliminated. That wasn''t all. The Mirror Dimension was filled with incredibly powerful


    monsters and beasts.


    If we lost against them, we''d also be eliminated.


    The trial was simple, but at the same time incredibly hard.


    "I should try to find someone to team up with."


    Right now, I was located in the lower corner of the map.


    There were several dots not so far from where I was, and the best approach was for me to find


    them so that we could team up and leave this ce for the orange point.


    .... Avoiding monsters was not hard for me, but the same couldn''t be said for the members of


    the other Empires.


    They weren''t going to be as easy to avoid as the monsters.


    "Okay, that''s decided."


    I wrapped the map and ced it in my bag.


    ''Good thing I have the ring.'' The bag was quite small, and could hardly fit a few bottles of water and food. Since relics and


    artifacts weren''t banned, this would provide a good advantage for me.


    Rustle~


    I had just taken a step forward when I stopped.


    From the corner of my vision, I spotted a silhouette.


    Immediately, I grew alert.


    ''A human?''


    Warily staring in the direction of the noise, I slowly closed my palms, my breath hitching in


    the cold night air.


    I quietly stretched the threads around the broken remains of the building, every creak and


    rustle making my heart twitch.


    As the world grew silent, the quiet wail of the wind whistled through the air.


    My fingers trembled as I worked, sensing a presence watching from the darkness, waiting for


    the right moment to strike.


    "Who is there?"


    As I spoke, the threads quietly stretched in the direction of where the noise came from, and


    soon, they covered the entire area.


    Only then did I stop and continue to eye the area.


    "Come out before I attack."


    "........"


    My words were met with silence, and my body tensed.


    Suddenly, the ground beneath me trembled.


    "!"


    My head flicked down, and as it did, I saw two thin, slender hands emerge from the ground


    beneath me.


    They gripped my ankles tightly, their touch cold and firm.


    I didn''t hesitate to cross my arms as the threads that surrounded me sprang into action and


    directly sliced the hands apart.


    Spuuuurt-!


    ck blood spilled into the air as the hands were sliced open.


    Immediately, I jumped back and distanced myself from the area that I was in.


    "Hoo."


    My heart skipped a beat as I watched the hands slowly regenerate, sinew and bone knitting together before my eyes.


    Panic surged through me, but it was only the beginning.


    The ground beneath me shook violently, and more hands began to emerge, wing their way


    out of the earth.


    They seemed desperate in their approach as they wed toward me in a desperate attempt to


    reach for me.


    ||


    ??


    Like before, I jumped up in the air and tensed the threads which directly cut the slender hands


    that were reaching out for me.


    "What sort of...!"


    This time, I didn''t stop to look at the hands.


    Looking around, my eyes darted all over the ce as I looked for an elevated area.


    "There...!"


    It was then that I spotted a broken building that was covered in moss and vines which gently


    rustled under the wind.


    I didn''t think twice and ran in that direction.


    "Ukeh!"


    But just as I took a step in that direction, another hand emerged from the ground beneath me.


    Stunned, my finger twitched as another thread appeared, trying to cut the hand.


    Tink!


    But it was to my utter shock and horror to see the thread stop right before the hand.


    "Uh!?"


    I felt a certain pain over my ankle as the hand firmly gripped me.


    "....!"


    Stunned, I summoned more threads and tried to get rid of the hand, but if that wasn''t enough,


    several more hands emerged from the ground beneath me.


    My eyes widened in horror as they reached out for my clothes and grabbed me tightly.


    "Ukh!!"


    From my thighs, ankles, shirt, shoulders, neck, hair...


    Before I knew it, over a dozen hands were gripping every part of my body, pulling me back.


    "Ahhh...!"


    I could only groan as they pulled me down to the earth.


    In moments, half of my body was buried in the ground. Desperately, I tried to pull myself up,


    but more hands emerged, gripping my head and shoulders tightly.


    They reached for my face, their cold, bony fingers slowly pulling my mouth and eyes back.


    Desperately, I clung to the ground, my fingers digging into the dirt as I fought against their relentless pull.


    My muscles strained, and my breath came in ragged gasps, but the hands were firm, dragging


    me inch by inch toward the dark, suffocating earth below.


    "Ahhhk..!"

 Chapter 288: Insomnia [2]

    Chapter 288: Insomnia [2]


    ?


    "....That was close."


    Opening my eyes, I stood on the second floor of a torn-down building, staring through a shattered wall.


    In the distance, I watched as the ground slowly began to recover. Gradually, everything returned to normal, almost as if nothing had happened.


    It was then that I felt something press against my right shoulder.


    "..... ||


    When I turned to look, I saw that it was Owl-Mighty.


    "Do you recognize this area?"


    "No."


    Owl-Mighty replied after a brief pause while its eyes lingered over the area where the hands had been.


    Turning its head, Owl-Mighty hopped off my shoulder.


    "You''ve been poisoned."


    "....Hm? Did you just say poisoned?"


    "Check your ankle."


    I looked down at my ankle. The red print from the hand was still there, and it didn''t seem to fade.


    Outside of that, it didn''t look particrly different, but I didn''t take Owl-Mighty''s words lightly.


    "What sort of poison?"


    Moments prior, when I cut off the first hand, Ibined the threads with whatever I could find to create a dummy version of myself and used [Veil of Deception] to hide my real figure.


    With my consciousness connected with the threads, I was more or less able to feel exactly what was going on.


    That was how I was able to escape unscathed.


    But that didn''t change the fact that I had indeed been touched by one of the hands.


    "It''s a paralyzing poison. You won''t be able to move in a few hours."


    "That''s longer than I expected."


    "You will be in that state for at least a week before it wears off."


    "...Are you serious?"


    Baffled, I looked at Owl-Mighty.


    "Yes."


    It didn''t sugarcoat its words and started to exin,


    "Typically, the moment a Wraith touches its prey, it injects a specific poison. If they fail to capture their prey immediately, the poison will gradually paralyze the prey until it bespletely immobilized. Afterward, the Wraith will track the scent of the poison and bring the prey back to their nest, where they will consume it."


    11


    ".....


    I rubbed my forehead upon hearing the exnation.


    This damn Mirror Dimension... There was not one normal creature.


    ''Good thing I have an encyclopedia with me.''


    I probably would''ve been able to find the information myself since I had a book with me, but Owl-Mighty''s presence was certainly beneficial to me.


    Being a monster from this very dimension, it knew a lot more than me, saving me a lot of time.


    "....Since you said all of this, you must know of a way for me to cure myself from the poison." "Yes."


    Owl-Mighty nodded its head.


    "The method is simple."


    Lowering its head, Owl-Mighty pointed toward the ground.


    "You must drink the blood of the Wraith Queen."


    "....Uh?"


    Blinking my eyes to make sure I hadn''t heard wrongly, I looked at Owl-Mighty.


    "Are you serious?"


    "Yes, and you don''t have much time."


    Owl-Mighty lowered its head and stared at my ankle where strange ck veins began to creep


    and pulse.


    ''When did this appear...?''


    They hadn''t been there before.


    As I attempted to move my toes, a weird sensation overtook me, like thousands of needles stabbing into my flesh.


    I knew then that Owl-Mighty was right and I checked the map.


    "I have a week, I should still have enough time."


    The map was a bleak gray, scattered with numerous red dots. Mountain ranges were depicted


    in various shades, and the area I upied was marked in the lower half of the map, enclosed in a semicircle that indicated the ruins I found myself in.


    Looking around me, all I saw were the remains of a massive city.


    ''Judging from the semicircle, there must be walls that enclose the city.''


    ....It was just that I was too far away to see them.


    That alone gave me an idea of the sheer size of the city.


    "Hmm, this might be a little problematic."


    I was trying to get a feel for the scale of the map, and considering that the outer walls of the


    city were nowhere near in sight made me a little apprehensive about the situation.


    Would I really have enough time to go back?


    What if...


    "You don''t have much time."


    "....Right."


    Throwing those thoughts out the window, I put the map back and shifted my attention back toward the area where I had once been.


    Taking a step forward, I lightly hopped off the building. At the same time I did, I activated [Step of Supression] and the speed at which I dropped to the ground increased.


    Bang-!


    A tremendous explosion reverberated throughout as the ground split apart and I dove


    through.


    Boom!


    By the time I reached the ground, dust, and debris were scattered everywhere, hindering my sight. I waved my hand in an attempt to stop it from reaching my eyes, which turned out to be


    useless.


    The dust still got to my eyes.


    "Ukh."


    I knew that my actions had caused a greatmotion, but I wasn''t too worried. My entire


    body... it had turned into dust.


    I was now perfectly camouged with the environment.


    Still, I didn''t let my guard down.


    Taking small and steady breaths, I waited for the dust to settle down.


    I didn''t have to wait for long as it only took a couple of minutes, and when it was all over, I felt my entire body tense.


    A grotesque, fleshy humanoid creature with long, writhing hands erupting from its back appeared before my sight. Its skin was slick and pale, and its mouth wide open in a silent scream while its eye sockets gaped with a void of ck.


    This was the first time I saw the creature''s true appearance, and I secretly swallowed my


    saliva.


    It was currently staring at me, its head tilted from right to left as its hands swayed lightly.


    In particr, my attention fell on its hands. It had over ten of them, each pair different than


    the other.


    ''So it wasn''t multiple ones, but just one alone?''


    A few things started to make sense to me.


    The hands that had tried to grasp me didn''t belong to multiple creatures but one alone. It had


    over a dozen hands, with each pair having different properties.


    "........"


    The silence was deafening.


    I could hear the sound of my own breath as my fingers twitched.


    Behind the Wraith I could see a long and narrow tunnel. I knew that my destination was right


    behind it, and I needed to pass the creature before me.


    As my mind raced with thoughts on how to avoid the Wraith, I suddenly paused.


    " ||


    Raising my head, the Wraith stood a few inches away from me.


    ''Shit...!''


    I hastily pressed my foot against the ground and pushed myself back.


    Bang!


    In the nick of time, one of the hands lurched down from above,nding directly in the area I


    had previously been in.


    Booom-!


    The tunnel shook and once again dust scattered in the air.


    From the moment it attacked I understood that I was dealing with a Junior Ranked Wraith.


    "This might be troublesome."


    Swoosh-!


    One of the hands reached for my throat, and I narrowly avoided the attack by moving my head


    to the left side.


    But if that wasn''t enough...


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh-!


    Several of its hands darted toward my head and body with disturbing speed. One, two, three,


    four, five, six... the onught was relentless, and their sheer number made them impossible


    to count.


    "Ukh..! kh!"


    I struggled to keep up as the hands twisted and curled around both of my wrists, desperately


    reaching for my vitals.


    As the hands reached for me and inched closer to me, I carefully and desperately wrapped a thread around each hand to contain their relentless advance.


    It didn''t take long for me to wrap each hand twice with the threads.


    "Huuup!"


    Clenching my fists tightly, I tensed my chest and yanked my arms downward with all my


    strength.


    The threads grew taunt and the arms that were reaching out for me stopped.


    But this wasn''t enough.


    "Akhh...!"


    My face flushed with heat, veins bulging on my forehead as I yanked downward in


    desperation.


    The hands began to retract as my actions appeared to work.


    At the same time, the creature''s empty eye sockets remained fixed on me sending shivers


    down my spine.


    My body started to tremble as I desperately pulled down with all my strength.


    "Kaah!"


    Weird sounds started toe out of my mouth as I continued to pull down. My chest burned,


    and so did my arms.


    I could hardly breathe and my head started to feel light, but I didn''t stop and continued to


    pull down. I pulled and pulled and pulled... I didn''t know for how long I pulled, but when I opened my eyes again, I knew that I had done enough.


    Suspended in mid-air, the creature''s many arms syed wide and tethered to the walls of the


    tunnel.


    It took every bit of me to keep it suspended in the air.


    "...."


    My lungs burned for air.


    And to my horror, I realized that I couldn''t open my mouth nor breathe through my nose as


    every muscle in my body burned.


    "Uukh."


    Weird sounds started toe out of my mouth as my body instinctively reached out for air.


    My vision grew blurrier and my body started to tingle as my toes curled.


    ''No, not yet...''


    It was still not over.


    Without wasting a second, several more threads emerged from my right hand as they crawled


    up and into the empty sockets of the Wraith who tried to struggle, forcing me to expand even


    more energy.


    I was now on myst breath.


    I needed to breathe, but I understood that if I took a breath, I''d rx and all my efforts would


    end up being in vain.


    So I persisted.


    ..... My legs twitched, my neck tilted, and every part of my body started to convulse. Saliva


    started to pour down from my mouth as I started to lose the rity of my mind.


    Despite all of this, I continued to manipte the threads as they burrowed deeply into the Wraith, ravaging its insides.


    Time seemed to slow down in that moment as my entire body felt light. Withing my blurred sight, I locked my gaze on the silhouette before me. I kept my gaze firmly


    ced on it as I continued to use the threads to thrash around its insides.


    ''More... more, more... not enough... more... M-!''


    Thump!


    Everything came crashing down quickly as I dropped to the ground and the threads returned


    into my body.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    My body started to greedily take in the oxygen in the air as my chest rose and fell repeatedly.


    Iy on the floor for what felt like forever and I started to grow sleepy.


    My eyelids became heavy and my body started to rx.


    ''No.''


    But I was quick to shake the feeling as I raised my head and looked in the direction of the


    Wraith which sat motionless on the ground.


    "Haa... Haa.."


    Pulling myself up, I leaned against the side of the tunnel and caught my breath.


    "Haa... This... haa... it was good.. haa... practice."


    The Wraith was dead.


    I was sure of it, and my expression finally rxed.


    I now had a better idea of how to deal with the Wraiths. The sockets were its weakness, and


    each hand had different properties.


    "...!"


    As my leg twitched in pain, I looked down to see the ck veins had spread further up my leg.


    That was all that I needed to remind me of the situation and I pulled myself up.


    "Ukh."


    With a groan, I leaned against the side of the wall.


    ''....I''ll keep in mind to avoid fighting them head-on in the future.''


    At the rate that I was going, by the time I''d reach the queen, I''d be dead from exhaustion.


    "I''ll jus-!"


    My words were abruptly silenced by a sudden, jarring noise. I turned sharply toward the Wraith, my body tensing involuntarily. Threads exploded from my form, darting violently toward the Wraith with a single intention-to tear it apart.


    And just as the threads reached the Wraith, Owl-Mighty''s voice echoed in my ear.


    "Stop."


    11


    The threads stopped an inch away from the Wraith.


    Curious, I looked at Owl-Mighty who appeared right above the Wraith.


    I was just about to ask it what was going on when Owl-Mighty pierced the Wraith''s chest with


    its beak.


    Spurt-!


    Blood sprayed all over Owl-Mighty''s body as its head emerged back up.


    "....!"


    That was when I saw it.


    A long and slender ck bone.


    "This..."


    "You''re lucky, human."


    I looked at Owl-Mighty as it spat the bone on the ground.


    "....This is a rather interesting find."

 Chapter 289: Insomnia [3]

    Chapter 289: Insomnia [3]


    ?


    The bone glowed faintly, showing exactly why it was special. I stared at it for a good minute before walking ahead and receiving it from Owl-Mighty.


    ".... Are you going to integrate with it?"


    "I don''t know."


    It was a rib bone.


    Typically, it didn''t really matter what type of bone it was. I would normally be able to absorb any type of bone. The only exception was if the bone was a duplicate.


    Only then would integration be impossible.


    The abilities that the bone provided were also rather unknown most of the time being a hit or miss. You could have a vague idea of what they were from the monster that they came from, but it was still generally somewhat vague.


    Having already integrated with three bones I only had two slots left.


    ....I needed to think carefully before integrating with another bone.


    "I''m not sure I''ll use it."


    I eventually stored the bone away.


    ''I don''t think this is what I''m looking for. For thest two bones, I want something better.'' You could say that I was greedy, but I wanted myst bones to belong to an extremely powerful or unique monster. I needed an ability that would truly help me in the future, and while the Wraith was strong, I didn''t think it''d be able to provide me an ability that could be useful for me.


    ''My best bet is to sell thister for money.''


    That way, I''d finally be able to upgrade my manual.


    "Yeah, I think that''s the best course of action."


    Patting my clothes clean, I took a few more minutes to catch my breath. I was still extremely tired from the previous ordeal and I needed some time to fully recuperate.


    Dropping down on the ground, and sitting on one of the rocks nearby, I thought about my current situation.


    "I don''t have much time."


    The poison was spreading further up my body, and I needed to find the queen.


    There was only one problem...


    "If a single Wraith is this strong, how am I supposed to fight a queen?"


    It was a despairing thought. Especially since I was on a time limit. It took me so long to fight a single Wraith. What would happen if I were to fight a dozen of them?


    "This might be an impossible mission."


    "...It''s not."


    Owl-Mighty answered in a deadpan tone.


    "Your goal is to directly collect some of the queen''s blood and ingest it to cure yourself of the poison. So long as you manage to create a wound and collect the blood, you will be able to fully heal yourself of the poison."


    "That sounds easier said than done."


    Even if I didn''t have to kill it, we were most likely talking about a Terror-ranked beast that was surrounded by at least a dozen other Wraiths. How was I supposed to take care of them and then also take the blood?


    And all of this just to cure some poison?


    "What a pain."


    Groaning to myself, I rubbed my face.


    "....I should''ve been more careful."


    "Actually, this is not a bad thing for you human."


    "Hmm?"


    Owl-Mighty appeared right before me as it raised its head to look at me.


    "A Wraith Queen''s blood is very powerful and dense. If you manage to extract enough of it, then not only will you be able to get rid of the poison, but you will also be able to increase your strength in the process."


    "Oh?"


    My ears perked up at the sudden piece of information.


    "There''s such a thing?"


    "....If you manage to get enough you may be able to undergo body reconstruction."


    "You mean Tier 4?"


    "It''s possible."


    I immediately sat up.


    The sudden piece of information made me more alert.


    ''I''ve been thinking about how to get to bridge the gap that was left between me and the next tier. Who would''ve thought there''d be such an opportunity here.''


    On any normal asion, I would''ve avoided an opportunity like this considering the risk, but now...?


    "I have no choice but to do this."


    The numbing sensation in my leg was creeping upward, inch by inch, with each agonizing second. It was now closing in on my pelvis, numbing my lower abdominal area.


    Taking a few deep breaths, I finally stood up.


    Facing the yawning mouth of the tunnel, where only darkness awaited, I steeled myself and stepped forward without hesitation.


    Whatever the case was with the queen''s blood, I needed to hurry up.


    I could feel it.


    I didn''t have much time left.


    ***


    "I think this ce will do."


    Kiera nced at the small cave before her and crouched down, crawling inside. Soon, an opening appeared. With a flick of her hand, a small me ignited, casting light around her. She surveyed the area and nodded in satisfaction.


    "This will do."


    The cave was quite small, with a height of about three meters and a space roughly the size of a


    small room.


    Kiera had ended up in a remote region in the northern area of the map, where the temperature was rather cold. Snow covered every inch of the area outside of the cave, making it hard to


    navigate during the night.


    Thankfully, she was adept with me magic and was able to keep herself warm.


    But that wasn''t her biggest problem. Her current priority was finding a shelter so that she


    could rest.


    Having not slept at all the previous day, she felt extremely sleepy.


    Having finally found a decent spot that appeared to be rtively safe, Kiera took some


    supplies out and immediatelyid down on her sleeping bag.


    "Sleep, sleep, sleep... I need to sleep."


    Closing her eyes, Kiera quickly tried to drift into sleep.


    Given how tired she was, she didn''t think she''d have to wait much before falling asleep, but...


    11


    In her attempts to sleep, her mind raced with endless thoughts.


    Every sound seemed amplified in the silence.


    Tossing and turning, Kiera frowned as she kept her eyes closed and tried her best to rx.


    But it was no use.


    Her eyes felt heavy, but sleep eluded her.


    In that state, time seemed to pass.


    She continued to toss and turn the entire time, and despite her best attempts at trying to fall


    asleep, she.... Failed to do so.


    "What''s going on?"


    Annoyed, Kiera frowned.


    "Why can''t I fall asleep?" She could feel that she was tired. And yet, despite how her body was feeling, she simply


    couldn''t sleep.


    Clench.


    The side effects of her situation started to be apparent as her thoughts became slower and she started to be annoyed by every little thing.


    From how the pillow wasn''t soft enough to the slight dripping sound that echoed around the cave. Everything was annoying her, and her expression tightened as she sprung up from her


    position.


    Covering her face, Kiera found herself growing restless.


    "Sleep... I need to fucking sleep...."


    And yet, she couldn''t sleep.


    As she closed her eyes again in an attempt to sleep, it was then that Kiera saw it.


    A statue.


    In the suffocating darkness, a statue loomed. Tears streaked its face, its hollow eyes fixed on


    her.


    Kiera''s heart pounded, her mind paralyzed by the sight. She held her breath, trying to clear


    her vision, but the statue''s gaze remained, piercing through the darkness of her mind.


    It was only when she opened her eyes that it disappeared.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    With heavy breaths, Kiera felt her heart sink as she looked at her bedding which was damp


    from her sweat.


    Covering her face with her hands, Kiera mumbled,


    "Sleep.. I need to sleep..."


    ***


    Swoosh-!


    The threads writhed through the tunnel like serpents, inching closer to the sickly figure in the


    distance. Before it could even flinch, the threads coiled around its body, burrowing into its


    eye sockets at rming speed.


    Instantly, the Wraith flinched, its arms flying around frantically.


    But the process was fast. Within moments of the threads burrowing into its sockets, the Wraith''s body fell a few


    seconds after.


    Thump!


    .....I''m getting better at this.''


    Coming out from the shadows, I lowered my head and recalled the threads. This was the tenth


    Wraith that I had killed so far, and I was slowly starting to get better at it.


    The key to fighting them was speed.


    So long as I got the threads into their sockets, everything else was straightforward.


    Like this, I managed to get deeper and deeper into the tunnels. But there was only one


    problem...


    "Where do I go from here?"


    The tunnels ran quite deep and branched off in many directions. I thought about using the threads to get a better idea of the path I''d need to take but decided against it.


    The mana consumption would simply be too big for me to handle. By the time I reached the


    queen, it''d probably be toote.


    "How do I go about this...?"


    I was left stumped by the situation. Pinching my chin, I frowned deeply.


    All sorts of thoughts crossed my mind as I tried to think of different means and ideas to get to


    the queen, but they were all too dangerous.


    "Oh, wait."


    That was until I recalled something.


    My eyes lit up in excitement.


    "Right, that could work!"


    I lowered my head to stare at the Wraith that stood beneath me. Extending my hand, threads


    emerged from it as they slowly wrapped around the body of the lifeless Wraith.


    Cra Crack-


    The chilling crack of bones reverberated through the air as the Wraith slowly rose, its body


    shifting and grinding with each movement.


    ''It''s been a while since Ist did this.''


    My right hand twitched and the Wraith''s left leg moved forward. With another twitch of my


    hand, the right leg followed and it wasn''t long before it started to walk like a normal person.


    Having already done this in the past, in a few tries, I started to get the hang of the situation.


    "This will do."


    Waving my hand, a mist formed around my body and the Wraith''s body. In a few seconds, the Wraith''s body started to fade as its appearance changed.


    Short ck hair, handsome face, gray eyes... It looked like a carbon copy of Leon.


    "Yes, this is perfect."


    The idea was simple.


    Use ''Leon'' as bait.


    If my assumptions were correct, then the Wraith weren''t going to kill ''Leon'' immediately but


    subjugate him first and bring him to the queen as a sacrifice.


    My main struggle was finding the queen in the maze that I was in. In the end, I didn''t need to


    think so hard to find her.


    All I needed to do was use the Wraiths to lead me to her.


    "...Thankfully, I didn''t waste too much time."


    The poison had already spread to my chest, and the side effects were starting to be


    apparent.


    This was my best shot at finding the queen.


    I knew that I could''ve probably had its appearance be different, but there was something


    about making Leon be the bait that felt satisfying.


    ''Yes, this is how it should be.''


    For that reason, I waved my hand, forcing ''Leon'' to rush forward.


    "Go."

 Chapter 290: Temple [1]

    Chapter 290: Temple [1]


    ?


    Swooosh-!


    The n worked wlessly.


    ''Leon'' got kidnapped, and I quietly followed the thread connecting me and him. I didn''t need to go fast since I knew exactly the path that the Wraith was taking.


    ....That, and there was also the fact that ideally, it would be best if I didn''t run. It was possible, but it was just not ideal.


    "Hoo."


    Leaning against the side of the tunnel, I took a moment to rest. As I did, my leg started to convulse uncontrobly.


    Clench.


    Firmly clenching my teeth, I endured the sensation and waited for it to pass.


    The poison was spreading at a faster rate than I had originally anticipated. The time at which it wouldpletely take over me wasn''t too far.


    "...Looks like I can''t take it easy like I''ve been doing."


    Moving my hand away from the wall and withstanding the numbing sensation that took over the lower half and the upper half of my body, I once again moved to follow the thread on the ground.


    The journey wasn''t easy.


    There were many Wraiths along the way and I needed to be extremely careful with each step that I took.


    While it was true that the lower half of my body was numb, it didn''t mean that I couldn''t fight.


    I could still fight just as well as before, but it wasn''tfortable.


    But I was okay with that.


    Thump!


    A notification shed before my eyes as I got rid of another Wraith. It was a sight I had gotten ustomed to and ignored it.


    "The increase in experience isn''t that much.''


    It was about ten thousand Wraiths per level.


    A ridiculous amount.


    With a resigned sigh, I shifted my attention away from the Wraith.


    "I''ve noticed it for quite some time, but the path is getting wider and wider."


    At the start, the tunnels were rather narrow, allowing at most two to three people. But now...? It could probably fit ten peoplefortably.


    "I''m getting closer."


    The thread had long stopped moving and I knew that I wasn''t far off from finding the Queen''syer.


    With a little bit more caution, I moved ahead and headed for theyer. My surroundings were dark, and the only thing I could hear was the faint sound of my steps and my breath.


    I tried to perceive my surroundings with my hearing in case there was a Wraith lurking around, but there didn''t seem to be any.


    It was a little odd considering that they had been everywhere before, but I had no time to dwell on the matter.


    In the distance, I saw a faint white dot.


    "There.''


    It was also the area where the thread stopped.


    Shrouding my body in the darkness that surrounded me, I ignored the numbness that took over me and hurried my steps further.


    The dot in the distance grewrger with each step until it enveloped me in a basket of light.


    Cautiously, I lingered at the tunnel''s end, allowing my eyes to adjust. I released several threads to scout the area ahead. Only when I was certain the path was clear did I step out, and at that moment, my breath caught in my throat.


    "Ah."


    An enclosure of massive proportions appeared before my very eyes. Its size was massive, covering at least several football fields while its height was also great, with the ceiling reaching at least a dozen meters in height.


    Supporting the ceiling were tall and scattered ck pirs with faded runes and scripts.


    Cracks webbed across the pirs, with some broken down and littering on the ground beneath.


    At the heart of the cave loomed a massive ck temple, its walls seeming to absorb the very little lighting from the torches which flickered sporadically, casting erratic, and edged shadows across the surface of the ground.


    A faint purple glow bathed the structure, heightening the sense of dread that hung in the air.


    But if it wasn''t all...


    Statues with eroded, featureless faces lined the temple''s entrance, their hollow eyesockets appearing to stare in my general direction.


    My mouth went dry at the sight before me, and when I took a step closer to get a better look, the path before me stopped as I stood by the edge of a tall cliff.


    Beneath me, an endless amount of Wraiths lingered, their many hands tracing down the ground while their empty sockets carelessly surveyed the area around them.


    I secretly swallowed my saliva at the sight that greeted me.


    "Don''t tell me that the Queen is located within the temple..."


    No, before that. What was a temple doing here...? Given that there had been no warning beforehand by the members of the Empires, it appeared as though I was the first to discover


    this ce.


    The thought made me a little apprehensive, but at the same time, I thought back to the first


    vision.


    Was the location random, or...?


    "Ukh."


    My head twitched involuntarily as I looked at the temple. There was something about it that


    was making my heart race.


    Almost as if it was calling for me...


    "Huu."


    I was quick to snap out of it.


    Massaging my face, I looked around me and took in all the possible information that I could.


    ''The thread stops right inside of the temple. I''m afraid that the Queen is using it as a nest.'' The thought made my heart drop especially when I looked down and saw the thousands of Wraiths that lingered beneath.


    While it was true that it had gotten easier for me to fight the Wraiths... this was a different situation. The number of Wraiths that appeared before me was far too many to count. It was


    impossible for me to fight that many.


    ...Especially not when taking into ount the current state that I was in.


    ''What do I do...?''


    I didn''t panic. In fact, I started to assess the situation with a calmer mind.


    ''Can I avoid them...?''


    I looked down and licked my lips. Avoiding them was not hard. However, they had acute hearing and just the slightest sound could tip them off. Their vision was also there. Despite


    not having eyes, they could actually see.


    With that being said, it was clear that while they could see, it wasn''t to a great degree.


    It was probably because of that that I was able to get away with my trick.


    "....It''s not impossible, but it''s too risky."


    I shook my head again and discarded the possibility. So then what...? How was I supposed to


    get to the temple?


    I yet again looked at the surroundings.


    My eye twitched as I felt my legs start to convulse. The pain made it harder for me to think, making the entire view before me tremble.


    But it was also then that it suddenly hit me and my heart raced.


    "This is crazy."


    It was a crazy thought that I wasn''t sure would work but taking note of my current situation, I


    was desperate.


    Turning my palm, several threads emerged from them.


    "Technically speaking the threads are extremely sturdy. In theory, it should be possible, but I''m not sure


    how feasible my idea is.''


    "If we exclude the ones that are broken, there''s about sixteen pirs."


    The threads shot forward, encircling each pir several times. It wasn''t long before each


    pir was connected by a thread.


    "Crazy."


    I didn''t encircle each pir once, but several times. Given how thin each thread was, I had no


    other choice but to do this.


    Even if they didn''t snap, it''d be impossible for me to walk over them.


    My mana drained rapidly at my actions, but it was a necessary step that I needed to take.


    It wasn''t long before I was done, and my breath was somewhat unsteady.


    ''I''m good.'' Wiping the sweat that had umted on my forehead, I looked behind me to check if everything was in ce, with several threads connected to the walls behind.


    It was only when I was sure that everything was in ce that I finally took a deep breath and


    stepped forward.


    Toward the tightrope.


    Wobble Wobble~


    "!"


    The moment I stepped onto the threads, my entire body tensed. Swaying precariously from left to right, I twisted my hands desperately to keep myself bnced. To an outsider, I must have looked ridiculous, but that didn''t matter.


    Anxiety gnawed at me as I struggled to find my equilibrium, my heart pounding with each


    step until I finally managed to steady myself.


    Only then did I finally take a breath as I felt sweat drip down the side of my face.


    ''It''s working.''


    My heart was still pounding out of my chest.


    Especially when I couldn''t afford to fall. I had previously thought about using a thread to


    cover my waist in case I fell, but I was quick to scrap the idea.


    "The moment I fall, I''ll likely die.''


    The threads were sharp. If I were to use them as rope for safety, then I''d be directly sliced in


    half the moment that I fell.


    By having several threads beneath me, I was able to evenly distribute the pressure, hence why


    I was still fine.


    But the same couldn''t be said for this scenario.


    "H-hoo."


    Calming my thoughts, I took another step forward.


    Wobble Wobble~ The thread wobbled again, and I once again swayed my arms. Unlike the first time, I was able


    to return to bnce rather quickly and it was there that I took another step.


    Wobble~


    I tried to not look down as I walked.


    I was high up, and my expression hardened each time that I looked down. It was for that


    reason that I didn''t look down.


    Wobble-


    The path to the first pir seemed endless.


    It wasn''t far, but it felt like it was hundreds of kilometers away from me.


    I continued to walk in this manner for what felt like forever.


    The drop beneath seemed endless, and sweat continued to pour down the side of my face.


    I kept steady, trying to keep my legs from wobbling.


    Anxiety was starting to gawn at me, and my toes curled slightly.


    ''Focus... focus...''


    Before I knew it, I had almost reached the first pir.


    It was then that the true size of the pir sank in. Its width was monstrous, stretching far


    beyond my sight. Though the details were obscured by darkness, faint, jagged lines and symbols etched its surface.


    I squinted, straining to get a better read on the carvings.


    The more I tried to focus, the more they seemed to shift and writhe. Almost as if they didn''t


    want me to read them.


    My curiosity piqued.


    ''I''ll get closer.''


    Only then would I be able to see properly.


    "....Uh?!"


    I had just taken another step on the tightrope when my leg suddenly started to spasm.


    "Shit..!"


    I hastily bit my tongue in order to stop myself from making any sound.


    But that was the least of my problems.


    Wobble-!!!


    The thread wobbled violently beneath me, sending my body swaying erratically from side to


    side.


    My heart pounded like a relentless drum, and my mind raced frantically.


    I iled my hands wildly in an attempt to bnce myself, but that proved to be of little to no


    help. ncing beneath me, my stomach churned.


    ''Oh, no...!''


    With each movement, I felt myself losing my bnce more and more.


    Wobble! Wobble-!


    Dread gripped every corner of my mind as I stepped back, and I lost my center of gravity. I


    looked all around me in desperation, and in thest moments, before I lost my bnce, I


    decided to risk it all and jumped toward the pir.


    "Huek!!"


    I shot away from my line and expanded my arms in a hugging motion.


    The distance was short, and yet, as I fell down, it appeared to be endless. Time seemed to


    slow down in that moment as everything moved slowly in my vision. Approaching the pir with both arms stretched, I felt my breath leave my body. I was getting closer to it. It was only only an arm length''s away. My hand stretched forward,


    and the tips of my fingers soon brushed against the pir.


    ''More... a little more...!'' "Ah."


    My eyes widened.


    To my horror, my body stopped moving forward, and...


    My body soon started to fall down.


    It was then that I understood.


    ...I couldn''t make it.

 Chapter 291: Temple [2]

    Chapter 291: Temple [2]


    ?


    ''Fuck...''


    The realization that I had missed the pir hit me rather quickly.


    As my head flicked in all directions, trying my best to think of a solution, I held my breath.


    In the end, I extended my hand in the direction of the pir, a single thread shooting toward the pir in the hope of prating it, but...


    Tink-


    To my utter horror, the thread bounced off the pir, and the speed at which I dropped increased.


    Having not expected this to happen, my heart fluttered in panic before I twisted my body mid-air and faced the tightrope made out of my threads above me. Extending my head, even more threads burst out from my hand, shooting toward the tightrope.


    "Uekh!"


    The speed at which the threads shot was faster than the speed at which I was falling, but even then, it was barely enough.


    ''Not good...!''


    As my threads hooked onto the tightrope, it slowly started to sink, just barely slowing down my fall.


    The worst part about the situation was that I couldn''t hold onto the thread given how sharp it was. I could only continuously stop it and lengthen it in order to slow down my fall.


    ....I just needed it to not snap.


    But even that wasn''t enough. Looking down, I could see that I was merely a few meters away from the ground.


    Through my gritted teeth, I used every means I could think of to slow down my fall. It worked, but it was barely enough.


    Thump!


    In the end, I still ended up hitting the ground hard.


    "...Uekh!"


    Hitting the ground, I felt the wind get knocked out of me as my back cracked in different ces.


    By some miracle, I was able to stop my head from hitting the floor, but the damage was still there.


    Laying on the ground, I felt every part of my body ache.


    Despite the pain, I was still able to keep my mind clear. Having grown used to these types of situations, I knew to keep my mind clear in situations where I was experiencing pain.


    ''I can''t quite tell, but it looks like I broke my pelvis, and I''ve gotten several broken ribs...''


    All in all, the injuries were bad, but not to the point where they''d hinder me in the short term. ''....I definitely could''ve done better.''


    It was just that I barely had any time to properly assess the situation. Had I had enough time, I probably would''ve been able toe up with a better solution than the impromptu ones that I used to just barely scrape my own death.


    "Toote anyway."


    And with such thoughts, I turned my body and hastily stood up.


    || ||


    My eye twitched under the pain that suddenly jolted into my mind, but I chose to ignore it and looked around me.


    "Ah."


    My heart sank to the depths of my stomach the moment that I looked up.


    I felt my skin crawl at the sight that greeted me as my breathing grew heavier and my heart started to drum loudly within my mind. Surrounding me were over a dozen Wraiths, their empty eye sockets burning holes into my soul as their slender hands scraped against the ground, sending chills down my spine.


    I couldn''t find it within me to say a thing as I pursed my lips and looked around.


    ''Twelve...''


    Those were the number of Wraiths that were currently surrounding me. In the distance, I could see a further number approaching my general direction.


    I looked around, scanning my surroundings for a way out, but all my means of escape were sealed.


    The only option left for me was to...


    Fight.


    "H-hoo."


    My chest trembled at the realization.


    I still had a little bit of mana. A little less than half, with most of it having been used on the tightrope, which was still lingering at the top.


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, I recalled all the threads back and tapped onto my ring. Two figures appeared shortly after that.


    11


    Owl-Mighty and Pebble both looked at me with the same baffled looks.


    "I know. I''d like some help if possib¡ª"


    Swoosh!


    My words were cut short by a slender hand that shot in my direction at an unbelievable speed.


    |_||


    I hardly had any time to react before the hand reached for the side of my neck.


    "Uekh!"


    In the nick of time, I was just barely able to avoid it, but not before several other hands shot in


    my direction.


    Swoosh, swoosh-!


    Twisting my foot, I tilted my head to the left and barely just managed to avoid one of the hands with another aiming for my abdomen.


    Chains formed over my left hand as they curled around it and I brought it over my abdomen.


    nk!


    A metallic sound echoed as I was sent staggering several steps back.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    Sweat poured down from the side of my face as I looked around me. The number of Wraiths had grown from twelve to fifteen, and they were increasing in number.


    My heart sank at the realization and my head flicked in Pebble and Owl-Mighty''s direction.


    The entire time they had stood still without doing much.


    "....A little help?"


    I was really in need of some help.


    "Not yet."


    "Not yet...? What''s that supposed to m-"


    Swoosh-


    I quickly shut my mouth and ducked down, avoiding an iing hand.


    All thoughts about them disappeared from my mind and I focused on the Wraiths that


    surrounded me.


    Without skipping I beat, I stepped forward, activating [Step of Supression].


    The gravity that surrounded me magnified and the Wraiths slowed down.


    ''Good, this makes it easier.''


    With their movements slowed, it became a lot easier for me to handle them as threads burst


    forth in all directions, shooting for the sockets of the Wraiths around me.


    My head throbbed with each thread that came out of my arm.


    In order to control a single thread, I needed a certain level of focus. I had grown used to using


    more than one thread, with my limit being around fifteen. In this case, there were indeed fifteen threads, but I also needed to keep my attention focused on controlling the intensity of the gravity that was folding onto the Wraiths.


    "Kh...!"


    It felt as though my head was being split into two.


    Clenching my teeth, I navigated the threads toward the socket of the Wraiths. With the gravity


    focused on them, hindering their movements, a few of the threads managed to burrow deeply


    into some of the Wraiths, mangling their insides.


    Thump!


    Their death was rather quick, dying within a few seconds of the threads entering their sockets.


    But unfortunately, I was only able to get rid of five out of the fifteen Wraiths that had surrounded me. Evidently, I hadn''t been able to focus well enough to keep the gravitational suppression to a simr level for all the Wraiths, with some able to dodge the threads.


    "This..."


    The situation was a lot worse than I anticipated.


    Nheless, I knew that I couldn''t stop. Taking a few breaths, I extended my hand forward and locked my gaze on the nearest Wraith.


    A purple hand materialized right before it, gripping it tightly onto its neck.


    [Grip of Pestilence]


    The hand shattered the moment it touched the Wraith, but the damage was done as its body


    glowed a faint purple color. Its movements started to slow down, and I took that moment to rush in its direction, ducking down to dodge its hands and twisting around its body before


    reaching for its back where I jumped and held on tightly.


    "Kh...!"


    Hooking my arms around its neck, my hands turned purple and I firmly held onto its head. At the same time, I activated [Veil of Deception] and threw a small rock away from me.


    The rock quickly changed into my form as it ran in the opposite direction, attracting the


    attention of several Wraiths.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The arms of the Wraith I was on yed wildly as they tried to bend and reach for me. Some of


    its hands did reach my back, scraping it and leaving wounds over it, but I persisted and held


    on firmly.


    Swoosh! Swoo....


    Gradually, its movements started to slow down.


    I knew that the effects of [Grip of Pestilence] were starting to take effect, and it was only then


    that I finally guided several threads into its sockets, finally killing the Wraith.


    Thump!


    The Wraith fell forward and with me still clung to its back.


    A tense silence followed suit as I held onto my breath and remained glued to its back.


    Tak, tak, tak-


    Keeping my head lowered, I could faintly hear the nearing sound of the Wraith''s footsteps as


    they moved in my general direction.


    Sweat trickled down the side of my face as my toes curled from the anxiety.


    I couldn''t see a thing.


    The entire time my head was lowered.


    Tak-


    My ear tingled.


    I silently swallowed my saliva.


    Tak, tak-


    Several more steps followed, and my body tensed.


    I tried to swallow again, but my mouth was dry.


    Iy in silence.


    My ears perked up as I strained to listen to my surroundings. In case I heard something


    abnormal, I was ready to quickly leave the spot. At the same time, the mana within my body


    drained rapidly.


    Tak!


    Another step followed.


    My heart was at my throat.


    To make matters worse, I could hear more and more steps approaching my general direction.


    Evidently, the sound from the fight from before had attracted the attention of all the other


    Wraiths.


    I remained calm.


    ''Not yet...''


    My entire body was tense.


    I held on tightly to the dead Wraith while the steps around me umted.


    ''Not...!''


    Just faintly, I felt a change ur behind me. Without hesitation, I rolled to the side.


    Bang!


    That turned out to be the right move as a hand shot in the spot I had previously been in, impaling the area beneath.


    Blood spurted out from the dead Wraith''s body as I curled my hand into a fist.


    Spurt, spurt, spurt-!


    Blood sprayed all over my surroundings as threads emerged from out of nowhere, shredding


    the legs of everything within my vicinity.


    In the moments when I had been hugging the Wraith, I made sure to carefullyy out the


    threads while also hiding them using [Veil of Deceit].


    My goal was to directly sever their ankles.


    Thump, thump!


    That proved to be the right move as over a dozen bodies fell on the ground. I pressed my


    hands against the ground and jumped up, quickly looking toward my surroundings before


    locking my eyes on the faraway temple.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Despite my heavy breath, I didn''t spare a second and ran in that direction. Notifications shed before my very eyes as I moved, and as I retrieved the threads back, I started to blend in with the environment.


    It wasn''t long before I reached the front of the temple where I was greeted with the sight of


    over a dozen statues, their height towering over me.


    Without paying attention to them, I lowered my head and stared at my hands which were


    filled with a web of ck.


    I knew then that I had no choice but to go even faster.


    ''More... Just a little more...''

 Chapter 292: Temple [3]

    Chapter 292: Temple [3]


    ?


    My lungs were on fire.


    I could hardly see. The entire time, I ran ahead without looking back.


    .....Several hands reached out for me, trying to grab me from all directions.


    I ducked, jumped, and twisted my body in all directions in order to avoid the hands. But it was hard.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    I could hardly think properly.


    ...The poison had now reached almost every part of my body. Every movement wasced with


    a numbing sensation that made it seem as though I was lying on a bed of needles.


    It was ufortable.


    "Ukeh...!"


    I ducked down again, tracing my hand down and severing the ankles of a nearby Wraith.


    Thump!


    Its body fell limp, and with a wave of my hand, our images swapped. I became the Wraith, and the Wraith became me.


    Bang, bang-!


    A notification shed past my vision.


    I ignored it and looked ahead.


    The distance between me and the entrance of the temple wasn''t far.


    Running past the shadows cast by the enormous statues, my vision alternated between bright and dark. There were three more statues that I needed to get past, with the distance drawing nearer and nearer as I ran.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    I clutched onto my chest as my lungs burned even more fiercely.


    While I had indeed used quite a bit of mana, I still had enough to spare to fight several Wraiths. The problem was my stamina.


    .... With each step that I took, my body grew heavier, and breathing was starting to be extremely difficult.


    But as I stared toward the entrance of the temple, I knew that I needed to push myself just a little more.


    A little...


    "...!"


    Bang-!


    A shadow cast above me and I hastily jumped to the side, rolling on the ground for a few seconds before springing myself back up.


    "W-what in the..."


    When I turned my head, my eyes fell on the area where I had previously been and my heart stopped.


    There, a Wraith appeared.


    It was no different than the other Wraiths, or was it...? I couldn''t quite tell since all of its insides were littered across the ground.


    .... It was dead, and the cause of death was obvious.


    I raised my head to look up.


    "Ahh."


    My lips parted but no words came out.


    Crawling like spiders, several dozen Wraiths emerged on the heads of the statues above me, their movements unnaturally fast and eerie.


    Their hollow sockets seemed to pierce through my soul as they fixed their empty gazes upon me. My heart hammered wildly against my chest.


    Suddenly, with its mouth gaping open in a silent scream, one of the Wraiths lunged at me, its empty eyes never wavering from me.


    "Fuck...!"


    I understood then what had happened and my expression hardened.


    These guys...


    For whatever reason, they had be suicidal.


    Bang!


    A shadow cast on the area above me.


    Without hesitation, I hurriedly ran forward in an attempt to dodge the Wraith, and just when I thought I had managed to get away from it, another one jumped.


    My expression twisted.


    Bang-!


    The area behind me shattered.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    To make matters worse, in the distance, I could see more Wraiths appear. They all stood by the dark entrance of the temple, their empty sockets fixed on me as they attempted to stop me from entering.


    My heart sank when I saw the number of Wraiths that were piling up at the entrance.


    Bang, bang-!


    And the fact that there were many others lunging at me didn''t make things easier.


    However, the thing that I was most focused on was the fact that there was not a single Wraith within the entrance. It was almost as if something was stopping them from going in.


    My eyes glinted at the thought.


    ''I should be safe so long as I get in...''


    I looked behind, only for my heart to sink further as the path behind me was overflowing with


    Wraiths as well.


    It was then that I came to a realization.


    ''I''m trapped.''


    I could neither slow down nor turn back.


    The path in front of me was blocked, and stopping would mean a certain death.


    ''... They aren''t leaving me with any options at all.''


    I tried my best to keep my mind calm, but it was difficult. The situation was out of control,


    and I needed to think of a quick solution, but regardless of how much I tried to think, my mind remained empty.


    The only thought that crossed my mind was to brute force my way through, but was that even


    possible?


    Could I do it...?


    Clench.


    ''I have no choice but to try.''


    Bang-!


    Twisting the heel of my foot, I narrowly avoided a Wraith that fell a few inches away from me.


    Without looking back, I rushed for the entrance that was overflowing with Wraiths, and as I


    drew nearer to them, chains appeared over my left arm.


    Clenching my hand into a fist, I kicked the ground with force and activated [Step of


    Supression].


    "Uekh...!"


    My mind felt as though it was being split in two the moment I activated the skill as over thirty Wraiths fell into the suppression zone.


    Something trickled down my left nostril and my left eye twitched at the same time.


    I was now just a few meters away from the Wraiths who had slowed down under the effect of


    my skill.


    Swoosh!


    But because of how diluted the effect of the skill was due to the sheer number of them, their movements were still considered to be fast.


    Still, I could see their movements, and that was enough.


    nk!


    Sparks flew as I raised my left hand and blocked an iing attack.


    "Kh!"


    The force behind the attack almost sent me reeling to the side, but I kept my feet nted on


    the ground and just barely managed to stop myself from getting pushed.


    "Haa...!"


    I breathed a sigh of relief when I was able to keep myself upright and took a step forward.


    All I could see were Wraiths as they filled my entire vision, but through a tiny gap, I could see


    the entrance of the tunnel.


    It was so close...


    Swoosh!


    Ducking down, I thought about severing their ankles but held myself back. While severing


    their ankles was indeed a good way to get rid of them, that only applied when they were


    chasing me.


    Right now, they were merely blocking my path, and while severing their ankles would stop them from lunging at me, it didn''t mean that they could do nothing to me.


    They were still alive, and they could very well aim for my legs.


    For that reason, I gritted my teeth and kept pushing forward.


    "Akh!"


    Despite my best attempts, I wasn''t able to stop myself from getting injured.


    Pain engulfed my mind as something pierced my back.


    I could feel the back of my shirt tear apart as my blood leaked down. That wasn''t the worst of


    it all as I received several heavy blows to my abdominal area, and to my face.


    "Uekh!"


    Groaning and screaming was a way for me to cope with the pain.


    It helped alleviate a lot of the stress, and I kept pushing forward.


    Bang!


    Something metallic traced the tip of my tongue.


    "Cough...!"


    I tried my best to hold it within my mouth, but within a short moment, I had no choice but to


    spit everything out as the ground stained red.


    Spurt!


    My lungs burned with even more intensity.


    I felt sick, and my vision was all blurred. The only thing I could see was the faint shadows of


    the Wraiths as they danced before my eyes.


    ''Ah, fuck... This is bad.''


    The situation was turning more and more dire.


    I tried my best to keep myself from falling, but my body was slowly starting to give up on me.


    Especially my mind.


    ....I was on the verge of losing it.


    The toll that [Step of Supression] had on my mind was far too much for me.


    It felt as though my mind was repeatedly getting bashed by a hammer over and over again,


    and I knew that I had to recall the skill.


    But that would mark the end of me.


    The only reason why I was still alive at that moment was because of my skill.


    Without it, I knew that I''d already be dead by now. So... what do I do now? What do I do?!


    Bang!


    My body shook, and I heard something crack.


    Thud!


    I fell on one knee.


    "Ah...!"


    My heart pounded in desperation as I tried to get up, but it was no use. My knee refused to


    listen to me.


    ''Shit!''


    I looked up.


    Empty sockets met my gaze.


    The gravity that surrounded me returned to normal, and my mind cleared up a little.


    And finally, I felt it.


    Despair.


    "Cough."


    At that moment, several hands covered my vision. They all appeared to head in my direction.


    Time seemed to move at a crawl as I stared at the approaching hands. Despite everything that was happening to me, my mind refused to stop working.


    I just observed everything that was happening before me until eventually, my face twitched.


    In a moment of desperation, I lightly moved my foot forward, and the hands of the Wraith


    before me fell down.


    Thump!


    The gravity merelysted for a split second, but it was enough to force the Wraith down.


    That''s when I understood something, and looked around me.


    I was now surrounded by Wraiths.


    They were all reaching out to kill me with their hands, and as I saw their hands reach out for


    me, I pulled myself up a little and stepped forward again.


    Thump!


    This time, I didn''t focus on any Wraith.


    No, I focused on their hands.


    Thump! Thump...!


    They plopped down on the ground in one go.


    "Hahaha..."


    I bitterlyughed at the sight as something finally struck me.


    ''...This is a little bit more difficult but more efficient.''


    There was no need for me to focus on the Wraiths as a whole. All I needed to do was focus on


    their arms and hands.


    Those were their main weapons and problems.


    ....Not their bodies as a whole.


    In that case, what I needed to do was hinder their movements in a way that stopped them


    from attacking me.


    Clench.


    I didn''t waste a single second uponing to that realization.


    Looking around, I focused my attention on all the arms that were swinging at me.


    Step.


    Thump!


    Their arms shot down to the ground in an instant.


    "Kh...!"


    My head throbbed the moment I activated the skill, but reverted back to normal right after I


    cancelled it.


    "Cough, cough!"


    Pushing myself up from the ground again, I stumbled forward.


    Thump!


    Each time a Wraith tried to attack, I''d activate [Step of Supression] to stop their hands which


    fell to the ground.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Like that, I was able to get past several Wraiths, but I was still struggling.


    My vision was blurred, and my body was starting to give up on me. I was merely hanging by a


    thread.


    Still, I could see it.


    I reached my hand forward.


    Toward the entrance of the temple.


    It was only a few inches away from me.


    It was only...


    "...!"


    I felt something grasp my shoulder.


    To my horror, it was a hand. I activated my skill, but it was no use. The mana inside of my


    body waspletely drained.


    "Ah..."


    My stomach churned at the realization.


    Especially when I was so close to the entrance.


    Thump!


    Another hand grasped my shoulder. Its long slender fingers pierced my skin as I gritted my


    teeth in pain.


    Thump, thump!


    Several hands reached out at the same time.


    It wasn''t long before I was being held by over half a dozen hands.


    "No, not yet..."


    I still tried to push forward.


    "Kh!"


    With my teeth gritted, I tensed my legs and pushed myself forward.


    Not yet...! I was so close.


    So close!


    "Akh!"


    Through gritted teeth, I used every little bit of my energy to move free from the hands that


    seemed to want to pull me back. I reached forward with my hand, the tips of my fingers


    brushing against the entrance of the temple.


    So close. So...!


    "Akh!!!"


    I screamed at the top of my lungs, my voice echoing loudly within the enclosure as I grabbed


    the hands that reached my shoulders and pulled them away.


    "Huu..! Huu!"


    In my desperation, I bit into several of the hands, a bitter and repulsive taste filling my mouth


    as I struggled to free myself. But it was as if fate itself was mocking me-more and more


    hands emerged from the shadows, their grip tightening, pulling me deeper into the nightmare.


    Thump! Thump! Thump...!


    They continued to pull me back.


    Seemingly wanting to devour me.


    "Ah! No, ah..!"


    And then...


    They did.

 Chapter 293: Temple [4]

    Chapter 293: Temple [4]


    ?


    My head, my shoulders, my arms, my legs... Hands gripped all over me, slowly pulling me back. I tried to struggle, but my body refused to listen to me.


    I was tired.


    On myst breath.


    ....I could barely muster up the strength to fight back. I had expanded everything and had been running on adrenaline.


    But even that had its limits.


    "Ah, no...!"


    I extended my hand, reaching for the entrance which seemed closer than it had ever been before, and yet also seemed so distant.


    I was close, so close...


    And yet...!


    "Uekh!"


    My face stretched as a hand reached out to grasp it, pulling it back.


    I could offer no resistance, and gradually, I sank into the depths of the sea of hands that reached for me.


    Darkness started to cloud my vision, suffocating me while my body felt as though it were being ripped apart. Every muscle screamed in agony as my body starting to get pulled from all sides.


    Despite everything, I continued to think of ways and means to get out of the situation.


    ...I didn''t want to give up.


    Not like this.


    But the more I tried to struggle, the more I realized how helpless the situation was. In those moments, I closed my eyes and silently cursed,


    "When are you two going to do a thing?"


    I was reffering to none other than Owl-Mighty and Pebble.


    They were the reason I had yet to panic.


    Because I knew that they wouldn''t let me die like this.


    At least, not yet.


    ".... You look like you''re struggling."


    "He is struggling."


    A pair of deep eyes appeared through the narrow gap before me.


    Squench. Squench.


    A familiar traumatising sound echoed within my ears, and shortly after vines started to sprout from the ground. That wasn''t all. Moments following the vines, the hands that were grasping me became heavier.


    Pebble appeared right on top of me.


    Gently raising its paws, it tapped into the heads of the Wraiths around me, sending them crashing against the ground.


    Thud, thud-!


    Several hands detached from me, and I immediately felt lighter.


    Thud!


    I felt a burst of energy in that moment as I twisted my shoulder and pried myself free from another hand, and I for once was able to take control of my body again.


    "Go."


    Pebble said in a low tone, its paw gently pressing against the heads of the Wraiths.


    "....Our powers are limited."


    "I know."


    They didn''t need to remind me.


    Their powers were limited to my mana reserve, and while they did have their own mana reserve, it was rather small.


    I knew that I was still not out of the woods yet and through gritted teeth, I forced myself to move forward.


    "Kh...!"


    I was struggling.


    Several hands were attached to my ankles, desperately holding me back. I shook it several times in order to free myself from their grasp, but as if they were attached to my legs, they refused to leave.


    I continued to shake them.


    "Let. Go. Damn. It!"


    But no matter how fiercely I fought, they refused to let go, their grip tightening with every passing second. Just when I thought I might have to take drastic measures, something urred.


    Sqench. Sqench.


    Dark, thorny vines began to sprout from the ground, twisting and tightening around the hands clutching my legs.


    That''s when the hands started to change color, and the grip over my leg loosened slightly.


    I didn''t need to look in Owl-Mighty''s direction to know what I needed to do next.


    Without hesitation, I used all the strength that I had and pulled away from the hands.


    "Uekh...!"


    A strained sound escaped my lips as I finally freed myself from the grasp and stumbled forward, falling on one knee.


    Thump!


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    I looked up and stared at the dark entrance that greeted me.


    My leg twitched as I tried to get up, and for a brief moment I almost failed to get up, but I still managed to force myself up and push myself forward.


    ''So close...!''


    My heart was beating at my throat.


    I could hardly breathe.


    I didn''t even look back to see how the situation was unfolding. I just needed to get to the


    entrance.


    I just...!


    "Akh!"


    Halfway through the entrance, something cold and firm grasped my ankle. I looked back, my breath hitching, to see a Wraith with half its body missing. Its empty sockets and gaping mouth stared at me as it desperately clung to my leg.


    "No!"


    A certain anger overtook me in that moment.


    I was close, so close. I wasn''t going to let myself be dragged back. Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself into the entrance, the Wraith''s grip still mped around my ankle.


    With a surge of strength, I pulled the creature alongside me, its hollow eyes burning into my soul as I dragged it into the darkness which soon engulfed me.


    Bang!


    I fell face t against the ground the moment I made it to the entrance.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    As if something within me snapped my mind grew nk and all thoughts stopped working. At


    that moment, I was still able to perceive the Wraith that was on my leg.


    Krr-!


    Its hand reached for my thigh as it pulled itself closer to my face.


    Krr, Krr-!


    It inched further up. It was now up to my chest.


    Krr!


    And soon, it reached my face as it looked at me with its empty sockets. As its mouth opened to disy its sharp teeth, I felt a hot breath run over my face as I weakly turned my head to meet


    the repulsive scene.


    "...."


    I silently processed the scene before a cat appeared right above it.


    With all four paws on its head, Pebble raised its foot and pressed down.


    Thud!


    Blood spurted all over my face as a cold sensation washed over my face.


    I looked at Pebble in silence before turning my head away. I didn''t have it within me to


    comin.


    Closing my eyes, I managed a soft mumble,


    "I-s this area safe?"


    "For now."


    "Hoo...kay."


    I weakly nodded before sinking my consciousness into my ring. A familiar sight greeted me


    shortly after as I appeared in front of the white temple.


    Unlike before my mind was clear, and so was my body.


    Suddenly going from being on the verge of death to fully healed felt weird and I stopped for a


    moment.


    "....This is new."


    The flow of time within the ring and outside the ring was the same. Nheless, this new discovery came as a pleasant surprise as I headed toward the deeper


    ends of the temple where a familiar room appeared.


    Creaak-!


    Upon entering the room, two familiar figures appeared.


    "Thanks for the help."


    "....Get stronger, human." Pebble said from the corner of the room as its body curledfortably on top of a red pillow.


    The answer I received was a little different than I expected.


    Owl-Mighty went on to exin,


    "The stronger you be, the more abilities we can use. If you be strong enough, you


    will be able to grant us the ability to use all of our abilities. In our current state, we can only


    do this much."


    "Right."


    That made sense.


    But it wasn''t as though I wasn''t trying.


    "You almost died. No, you''re dying."


    Owl-Mighty said calmly as it looked at me. I couldn''t sense any trace of emotion in its eyes as


    it looked at me, and I pursed my lips before turning toward the corner where a small bag


    appeared.


    ''Good thing I came somewhat prepared.''


    I hadn''t had the time before due to the suddenness of the situation, but now that I had a little


    bit of time, I didn''t spare a seco I and headed for the bag


    a small box appeared.


    nk!


    Within the box were several small blue and green pills.


    "Ten, good."


    I grabbed three, one blue and two red for good measure before putting the box away and


    grabbing a small vial. After that, I grabbed several bandages and a few other things that I had ced in the bag.


    Owl-Mighty looked at me and then the items in my hands before saying,


    "Hurry up human."


    "I know."


    I didn''t need to be told twice about the current state of my body. Once I was sure that I had


    grabbed everything, I slipped my consciousness out of the ring and opened my eyes again.


    ".....


    It was silent and dark.


    The only sound I could hear was the sound of my own breath.


    It was weak.


    "Kh...!"


    Silently enduring the pain that was invading every part of my body, I swallowed the pills that


    appeared in my hand, a cool sensation washing over my body within moments of the pills


    entering my body.


    I felt an immediate sense of relief the moment I popped the blue pill in my mouth as my mind


    cleared up.


    Some of the injuries that I sustained started to heal, and the pain disappeared shortly after.


    "Uekh."


    Sitting myself up, I leaned against the wall behind me.


    My injuries were far from healed. The pill I had used was something akin to a painkiller. It


    only helped to heal the most superficial wounds that I had. But it was still extremely helpful.


    Shortly after that, I popped two red pills.


    "|"


    Unlike the blue pill, I didn''t feel relief upon popping those pills.


    In fact, it felt as though I had swallowed magma as I held onto my throat and clenched my


    teeth tightly. My eyes started to water briefly and my legs yed.


    Cra Crack-!


    Faint cracking sounds echoed shortly as my hand, shoulder, and back started to readjust.


    The pain that followed was hard to describe, but I suffered in silence.


    Despite the blue pill effect, I was still able to feel the pain from the red pill which acted as a


    bone agent, healing most bone-rted issues.


    The effects were rather quick and I was soon able to freely move my body again.


    Riiip!


    For thest step, I ripped my shirt open and applied some ointment over certain areas.


    Though I couldn''t see clearly in the dark, I knew the sight that greeted me would make me


    want to puke. The sensation was revolting, especially when my hand traced the exposed bone in several areas where I had applied the ointment.


    "Haa...!"


    Once I was done applying everything, I leaned my head back and let out a long breath.


    I was exhausted and didn''t want to get up, but unfortunately, the poison was still in effect. I


    had no choice but to get up.


    "Ukh."


    And so I did.


    Leaning against the wall beside me, I headed deeper into the temple.


    Tak, tak-


    In the silence, the only sound I could hear was the sound of my steps.


    It was dark, and I could hardly hear a thing.


    Nheless, I carried forward.


    I knew where I needed to go.


    Soon, a faint light appeared. I stopped for a brief moment before carrying forward.


    I knew that I was close to reaching my destination.


    The distance was short.


    In a few minutes, I was able to reach the end of it, and just when I was about to move past the


    tunnel, I noticed a faint purple glowing from the left side.


    || ||


    The moment I looked my heart skipped a bit.


    Especially when I noticed that the words were written in anguage I was very familiar with.


    English.


    I began to read the engravings.


    "Here lies the grave of Oracleus." "--The seer."

 Chapter 294: Temple [5]

    Chapter 294: Temple [5]


    ?


    "The grave of Oracleus?"


    I stopped dead in my tracks and carefully looked at the inscriptions on the wall. Tracing my


    finger over the inscriptions it felt smooth to the touch. Rather than inscriptions, this felt more


    like a projection.


    A spell perhaps?


    I wasn''t quite sure.


    I ended up reading the text repeatedly, burning the image right into my mind.


    "Here lies the grave of Oracleus."


    "--The seer."


    My mouth grew dry unknowingly.


    "...Isn''t this the same god that crazy Archbishop was worshipping?"


    I had faintly remembered hearing this name in the past.


    It was something that the Archbishop had said.


    The whole concept of gods and all was still foreign to me but from what I knew there were seven of them.


    Mortum, Sithrus, and Oracleus... They were the gods I had heard most about. I didn''t quite know about the other gods.


    All I knew about them was that they had their own churches and they were quite well respected.


    Tok!


    I knocked the wall with my knuckle. It didn''t feel hollow at all, telling me that there was no secret room behind the text.


    "Whatever the case, I don''t feel good about this god."


    How could I feel good about a god that created a fanatic like that Archbishop?


    Pursing my lips, I looked through the writing again to see if there was anything else before finally looking away and turning my attention toward the end of the entrance.


    ""


    Faintly, I could make out the outline of arge room, and as I stepped out of the entrance my breath caught at my throat.


    The air was thick with the acrid smell of rust, overwhelming my nostrils and making me momentarily scrunch up my face. Faint candles flickered throughout the area, casting a dim blue glow over the surroundings and the cracked ck marble floors.


    Just like the exterior, towering ck pirs stood erect on each side of the room, supporting the ceiling which ascended into a massive dome. The surface of the dome was a canvas filled with intricate murals depicting various scenes.


    It depicted some sort of historical scene that seemed to be closely rted to the gods with six figures at its center and a massive eye looming throughout. Almost as if it was spectating everything that was happening from above.


    I couldn''t tear away my gaze from that lone eye that seemed to oversee everything, and it was then that my mouth opened.


    "...The Seer."


    I held my breath.


    The longer I gazed at the mural, the more a certain, invisible pressure seemed to emanate from the Seer''s eye. It felt as though its stare was reaching into my soul, making my heart beat unevenly.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    I could feel my own heartbeat drum loudly within my mind, slowly overtaking my thoughts.


    Ba... Thump!


    At a certain point, I found myself looking away.


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    Covering my mouth, I tried to even my breathing.


    ''What in the world was that...?''


    I couldn''t quite exin it, but it almost felt as though I was being crushed on the spot.


    It felt suffocating.


    But how could it be? It was merely a mural.


    What sort of-!


    "Kh!"


    Clenching my teeth, my entire body started to spasm. My eyes widened in shock as I stumbled back several steps, reaching for the nearest pir to support myself.


    "Akh...!"


    Unlike before, the convulsions didn''t stop quickly. Theysted a staggering several minutes before calming down, and when it was all said and done, I was left leaning against the pirs with hardly any breath left in me.


    "Haa... Haa...!"


    My chest burned with each breath, a searing pain that grew more intense by the second. When I looked at my hands, my breath left me-they were riddled with long, ck veins that


    seemed to writhe and pulse just beneath the surface of my skin.


    ''Fuck.''


    ...I had no choice but to curse.


    The effects of the poison were even worse than before. I couldn''t quite make an estimate on how much time I had, but I knew that I didn''t have very long.


    At best ten minutes.


    "I... haa... need to... haa... find the queen..."


    With my teeth clenched, I firmly helped myself up with the support of the pir and looked


    around me.


    A faint blue glow enveloped the entire space, casting an eerie light on the distant circr structure I noticed. Its stones, made of the same dark marble as the pirs, were shaped like jagged teeth, spiking up and down as my eyes settled on it.


    ''It should be there.''


    I had a long-lost connection with the thread that I used before in order to get to the queen, but I knew that myst connection was there.


    There was more to the area that I wanted to explore, but right now, my priorities were


    different.


    I needed to get to the queen.


    I-


    Tak!


    My entire body tensed as I heard the faint sound of a step in the distance. Without hesitation,


    I masked my entire body with the surroundings and held my breath tightly.


    But it was toote.


    As if it had already seen me, the step drew nearer to me.


    ||||


    My entire body tensed, and my hands mped up.


    From the darkness, a figure slowly emerged, stepping into the dim, flickering blue light that


    cast faint shadows across the temple.


    As the figure drew closer, its outline became clearer, and just as I braced myself for a fight, the


    features of the figure came into focus.


    Two cold, gray eyes emerged from the shadows.


    They were eerily familiar.


    And as the face associated with those eyes came into view, one I couldn''t shake from my


    memory, a muffled, unsettling sound escaped my lips.


    "Uh?"


    "...."


    Leon stood in silence while his head flicked in my direction.


    He seemed wary, almost tense.


    But his tension turned into surprise when I got rid of the illusion that surrounded me and


    showed my true self to him.


    "Uh?"


    A familiar sound came out of his lips as he stared at me.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "What are you doing here?"


    ||


    ||


    ||


    The both of us paused for a brief moment.


    I licked my lips and nudged him with my eyes.


    ''Let me do the talking first.''


    ''Oh, sure.''


    Indeed he was Leon.


    He was the only one I was capable of talking like this.


    ".... Why are you here?"


    I only changed up the question a little bit.


    I was most curious about how he had managed to find himself in here. Most importantly,


    looking at him, he didn''t appear to be injured at all as opposed to me who had no choice but to


    come here to get to the queen.


    || ||


    Leon didn''t answer immediately.


    As his eyes paused on my body, his expression faintly changed. Raising his head back up, he


    looked at me in shock.


    "It''splicated."


    I frowned slightly before eventually showing him my hand.


    "...I came here by ident. I was chasing after the Wraith Queen to get rid of the poison that''s


    currently consuming me."


    "Oh."


    Leon nodded in understanding.


    "Hold on."


    My brows tightened.


    "I was the one that was asking the question. Why am I the one answering?"


    "Right."


    Leon blinked before suddenly smiling.


    "What are you smiling at?"


    "I''m not smiling."


    ||


    This fucker...


    "My skill."


    "Hm?"


    "I got here because of my skill. It told me toe here."


    "That''s..."


    I frowned for a brief moment before letting it go.


    "I understand."


    I nced around, my focus returning to the well from earlier. I nudged Leon, guiding him


    toward it with a subtle, urgent gesture.


    "Since you''re here, how about you help me out?"


    "....To fight the Wraith Queen?"


    "Yeah."


    Leon''s face scrunched up as he made a face that didn''t seem like he wanted to go. But I didn''t


    care.


    I had no time to care.


    "You''re my knight, aren''t you?"


    Leon''s face scrunched up further.


    I continued,


    "It would be bad if I died knowing that you could''ve helped me. What kind of terrible knight is


    that? Tut."


    I shook my head and climbed to the top of the well.


    Turning to look at Leon, whose face was as ck as it could be, I continued,


    "You''d be branded as a sry thief. A leech who can''t even do his own job."


    I lowered my head and sighed in disappointment.


    "....How many children could''ve been saved with the money that is being used to hire you?


    Haa."


    With a sigh, I turned away and prepared to enter the well.


    But just before I did, a hand pressed against my shoulder. My lips twitched slightly as I turned


    my head back to look at him.


    "Yes?"


    ".....''


    Leon didn''t say a word, but his expression spoke volumes.


    His forehead was etched with dark, furrowed lines, and he stared at me with bloodshot eyes


    that seemed to burn with a mix of resentment and resignation.


    I covered my mouth at the sight.


    "You don''t have to-"


    "Stop, let''s go."


    He squeezed my shoulder with quite a bit of force.


    I didn''t flinch and merely moved back where I pointed at the well.


    "Inside here."


    ||


    Leon''s eyes shook as his face twitched.


    "Do you have a rope?"


    "I wish."


    I wouldn''t have had so much trouble had I had one.


    Biting his lips, Leon closed his eyes before returning to normal. Then, climbing the well, he


    tossed a small rock in it.


    || ||


    11


    In silence, we both waited for the rock to hit the bottom.


    We waited and waited and waited.


    And we eventually did hear something, but...


    Tak.


    It was only after a good five seconds had passed.


    ||


    ||


    Leon''s expression remained the same but I could feel the deep seethed resentment within


    him as he looked at me.


    I also felt bad, but...


    "I don''t have much time. You go first."


    ||


    ||


    Leon''s expression tightened, but he eventually did as I told him and entered the well, his legs


    widening as he used both sides to hold himself upright.


    I followed right after him. "Oh, right."


    Right as I entered, I remembered something.


    I looked down at Leon who looked back up at me.


    "....There''s a chance I might fall because of the poison. In case that happens, I need you to


    help me."


    "Help you?"


    Leon blinked his eyes.


    Flick.


    His head flicked up to my face and down to my lower half.


    Flick, flick.


    The more his head flicked, the more bloodshot his eyes grew. A sudden realization seemed to


    hit him as his expression hardenedpletely.


    "You okay?"


    "........"


    Leon didn''t answer.


    No, he couldn''t answer as I slipped down slightly and hit his face with my bottom half.


    "Ah."


    I hurriedly moved up and looked down.


    I was just about to say something when I stopped.


    For the first time since knowing him, I saw it.


    Leon''s look of despair.

 Chapter 295: Queen [1]

    Chapter 295: Queen [1]


    ?


    Thud!


    I nted my feet against the ground and sighed in relief. It was a good thing that Leon was present, otherwise I would''ve fallen several times.


    He was the one that saved me.


    "Uekgh... Agh!"


    With regards to Leon, he was currently leaning against the nearby wall while holding onto his stomach and gagging repeatedly.


    "Uakh...!"


    It was quite dim, and so I couldn''t see properly, but he didn''t look okay.


    He looked somewhat green, but that could very well be due to the lighting.


    "Blergh!"


    Or maybe not. It did sound like he was puking. The best part was how he was able to keep his face straight when puking.


    I waited a good minute before approaching him.


    "Are you feeling better?"


    Leon just looked at me without saying a word.


    Rather, his face turned green as he once again lowered his head to puke.


    "Bleeergh!"


    "...."


    For a second, I felt like the reason why he puked wasn''t because of what happened before. ''It can''t be, right?''


    It took another minute for him to fully recover.


    With both hands on his stomach, he walked ahead of me. Though I couldn''t hear his thoughts,


    I could tell he was cursing me out in all sorts of ways.


    || ||


    ||


    The two of us continued forward in silence.


    It was dark, thus making it hard to see ahead. But the darkness went away the moment Leon took out his sword which glowed a bright white hue. It instantly illuminated the surroundings and disyed a new set of murals that resembled those on the dome up above.


    "This ar¨D!"


    I didn''t have much time to observe the murals as I paused for a brief moment.


    Holding onto my breath, I waited for the convulsions to stop before taking a deep breath. "I''ve got about six minutes left."


    Originally I had ten minutes, but lost about two getting down and another two while waiting for Leon to recover. On any normal asion, I would''ve urged him to go faster, but I was in need of recuperating my mana for the inevitable fight that was about to happen against the Queen.


    ''I just need to be faster.''


    Furthermore, with Leon with me, things were going to be easier.


    "We''re getting closer."


    Suddenly, Leon''s steps paused and so did I.


    In the distance, I could make out a faint red light. Apanying the light was a faint pulsing sound.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    It seemed to directly mimic the beat of my own heart as I started to feel unsettled. No, more than unsettled it was better to say ufortable...


    I couldn''t quite exin it, but it made my entire body twitch in response to each pulse.


    Almost as if it was calling for me.


    ''Could be the work of the poison?''


    No, it didn''t seem like it. Especially since Leon shared a simr sentiment to me as he frowned. Then, turning his head to look at me, he nudged lightly with his head and I followed along, slowly walking in the direction of the light.


    The glow on his sword diminished as we walked, his own way of lowering our presence as he drew nearer. It was a good decision since we didn''t know what was ahead of us.


    But we were able to find out soon enough.


    "........"


    11


    Our steps paused at the same time.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    The faint pulsing sounds grew louder as we drew nearer, each beat echoing loudly in the confined space.


    From where we stood, we could see a massive, grotesque mound of flesh where light ck veins traced all over its surface while certain areas stuck to the surrounding areas. Hands jutted out from the monstrous flesh, dangling lifelessly.


    Beneath the sack, a sea of Wraiths slowly emerged, their hollow eyes fixed on the pulsating mass as they walked in a trance-like state, protecting all corners of it.


    It was a sight that sent shivers down my spine and as I looked at Leon, he looked back at me.


    ''Seriously?''


    ''....How would I have known?''


    I shrugged my shoulders lightly while frowning.


    ''I don''t have much time. What do we do?''


    ''What else do we do?''


    Leon heavily sighed while lowering his shoulders. Then, before I even had time to process the situation, he pressed his foot against the ground and shot forward like an arrow.


    Bang-!


    The ground beneath him split apart, and the glow from his sword intensified, illuminating


    the entire surroundings and shattering the dim red hue that had dominated the area.


    Within moments he appeared right before the Wraiths who all turned to face his direction.


    "Huuup!"


    With a movement of his sword, he sliced down directly.


    Bang-!


    The surroundings shook as pieces of the ceiling started to fall, casting a small cloud of dust


    over the surroundings.


    That was the moment that I needed.


    Without hesitation, I sprinted forward and shot toward the sack. As I moved, I activated [Veil


    of Deceit] and shot for the small opening that appeared in one of the areas around the sack.


    Bang, bang!


    In the distance, I could hear the sh of metal as Leon fought fiercely against the Wraiths. I knew time was running out. As soon as I reached the grotesque sack, I took a deep breath and


    plunged into the small opening.


    Plop!


    A popping sound echoed as I jumped into the sack, a thin membrane shattering in the process. My entire body was engulfed in a viscous red liquid, its warmth, and thickness clinging to my skin as I started to slide down some sort of area.


    Ssh!


    I eventually came to a stop, sshing in a red liquid that covered me from head to toe.


    ".....''


    Brushing the liquid off my face and hair, I stood up and looked around. The walls pulsed silently while the surrounding air felt hot and humid, making it difficult to breathe.


    I surveyed my surroundings carefully. Everything looked as if it had been crafted from living flesh, pulsating slightly as ck veins


    spread across the surface like sinister spiderwebs. Strange, fleshy sacks surrounded the entire space, each one pulsating in rhythm with the outer sack.


    Within them, I could make out the faint, unsettling outlines of tall, slender figures.


    They were most likely embryos of the Wraiths.


    "It feels like one of those movies where they enter the human body."


    Indeed, it really did this to be the case as everything felt as though it was alive, but I had no


    time to process my surroundings.


    "Four minutes."


    In that time, I needed to find the queen and drink her blood.


    Defeating her was impossible. At least, not with the current time limit and strength. She was a


    Terror Ranked monster, and I was not even Tier 4.


    How was I supposed to defeat such a monster?


    ''It would be nice if I could just drink her blood.''


    That was my main goal, to begin with.


    "Where do I go?"


    I looked around me. There were endless paths, and I wasn''t sure where exactly I needed to go.


    The entire situation was giving me a headache. If I had to spend any time looking for her, then


    I wasn''t sure I was going to make it.


    As I racked my brain over the matter, an idea urred to me.


    "What if I make here to me instead?"


    Indeed, I looked around me. Whatever this ce was, I was sure that it held some sort of


    special importance to the queen. So long as I started damaging it, then there was a chance that she''de find me.


    But there was a problem associated with such action.


    ''It''s really risky.''


    ...Then again, it was either this or be paralyzed. In the end, I turned to face the embryos.


    Raising my hand, the tip of the embryos severed in half as threads appeared to surround the


    entire space.


    Ssh!


    A familiar red liquid burst from the sacks as they copsed to the floor, revealing the pallid, embryonic forms of the Wraiths. They weakly moved their arms, raising their hands to grasp in my direction.


    Both their eyes and mouths were sealed, but despite this, they seemed acutely aware of my presence, their fragile fingers wing desperately towards me.


    It was a scene that sent chills down my spine, but that was nothingpared to the rumbling


    that ensued shortly after.


    Rumble! Rumble-!


    As if the entire ce hade to life, the surroundings shook fiercely, almost making me


    lose my footing.


    I held on tightly to the side of the walls while the surroundings continued to shake.


    Eventually, the surroundings stopped shaking.


    Squelch.


    What followed after it was a tense and unsettling silence. A silence that was soon shattered by


    a squelching sound as the area above me opened up to reveal a massive eye.


    In that moment, my entire breath left my body.


    As if the eye could peer right through my very soul, my body stopped functioning and I found


    myself unable to move at all.


    Clench.


    But that sensation didn''tst for long as I snapped out of it and clenched my teeth.


    I brought my hand up without hesitation. Within moments, a purple glow enveloped my


    entire hand as a hand materialized right before the eye.


    [Grip of Pestilence.]


    Just as I thought it''d touch it, the eye disappeared, almost as if it had never been there in the


    first ce, leaving me utterly baffled.


    "W-what?"


    I hastily looked around.


    Before I could figure out where the eye had gone, the surroundings trembled again.


    Rumble, Rumble!


    Once again, I found myself unable to keep my footing steady as I held onto the side of the


    wall. But that proved to be the wrong decision as a hand materialized right next to the wall.


    "....!"


    It was long and slender, its surface covered in a familiar web of ck veins. It reached for me, aiming to sp around my neck, but I dodged it just in time, the tips of its fingers brushing


    against my forehead.


    Or so I thought.


    As I ducked to avoid the first hand, I was horrified to see another hand emerge directly


    beneath me. Its palm was open, reaching for my face with an unnerving slowness that made it


    all the more creepy.


    "Huup!"


    I twisted my body and just barely managed to dodge the attack.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    With a heavy breath, I looked around me. It was then that my entire body froze and my


    expression


    sank.


    I wasn''t dealing with just two hands, no...


    My stomach churned as I looked around, my breath catching in my throat. Long, slender arms


    covered nearly every inch of the space, their palms open and twitching as they reached out for


    me.


    I could only stare at the scene in horror as they drew nearer to me. "Fucked... This is fucked..."


    In the end, the only thing I could do was curse.


    Time remaining until poison overtook me - 2 minutes.

 Chapter 296: Queen [2]

    Chapter 296: Queen [2]


    ?


    In the end, I got what I asked for.


    The queen directly came for me. But not in the way that I expected her to. Looking around and seeing the dozens of hands that were emerging from all sides, I pursed my lips and looked around with squinted eyes.


    Despite my situation, I was able to remain rtively calm.


    In the end, this was something that I had expected to happen. Furthermore, my goal wasn''t to


    defeat the queen.


    No, it was to drink her blood.


    Swoosh-!


    A hand reached out for me.


    Unlike before, I didn''t directly dodge and instead merely pressed my foot against the ground and tapped the approaching hand.


    Swup!


    As expected, the moment I touched the hand, it directly flung down as the gravity surrounding it increased.


    ''Good.''


    My head throbbed a little due to how precisely I needed to control the area of effect, but the mana expenditure was far less than before.


    In fact, it wasn''t my mana that I was worried about. That was fine.


    My main problem was the condition my body was in. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be struggling so much. Having almost reached Tier 4, my mana reserve was quite big.


    The same was true for my control over my skills.


    I could expand my threads far longer and more than before.


    But the poison was preventing me from fully utilizing my skills to the maximum.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh-!


    Soon, the hands that were approaching me shot in my direction from all sides. Their speed was extremely fast, but just like before, I pressed my foot against the ground and lightly tapped in the direction of all the hands that were reaching for me.


    The reason why I tapped into the hands was because it enabled me to get a better idea of where to focus with my gravity control. It served as a focal point for me to focus on.


    What truly mattered was that I took the necessary steps to activate the skill. Swup!


    A familiar scene urred as the hands limped down.


    It was only for a brief moment as they quickly recovered, but it was enough to stop their entire momentum.


    Drip! Drip...!


    Sweat started to pour down from the side of my face as I continued like this. While it was true that it was working, I was in a stalemate.


    At the rate that I was going, I feared that I''d die from exhaustion.


    "Kh...!"


    To make matters worse the poison that was coursing down my body was starting to grow more and more rampant.


    The two minutes I previously had turned into one minute and the sense of desperation within me grew. I could feel myself slowly lose control of my lower body, and my upper body was starting to follow suit. If I didn''t do something within the next few seconds then I was done for.


    But what...?


    What could I do?


    ||


    In the midst of my desperation, a thought urred to me as I looked at the hands. More specifically the dark veins that traced their surface, closely resembling the ones that were on the surface of my body.


    ''Could it be...?''


    A crazy thought urred to me and my breathing grew heavier. My stomach churned, and my face twitched, but as I was pressed for time and was desperate, I could only clench my teeth in frustration.


    Then...


    Turning to face an approaching hand, I directly tapped my finger over it and severed it using a thread.


    Spurt!


    A thick, ck liquid oozed from the arm, dripping onto my hand. My stomach churned with hatred, but I forced myself to bring the end of it close to my mouth. With a shudder, I drank its blood, the thick liquid sliding down my throat.


    "Uekh...!"


    At first, I gagged.


    The taste of the blood was hard to describe. It didn''t taste anything like human blood. It was a lot more viscous and had a bitter and acrid taste to it that made me want to puke it over and


    over again.


    And yet, I couldn''t stop myself from drinking it as the moment I took my first gulp, I noticed something change within me.


    The numbness that was spreading down my body stopped.


    No, it wasn''t just that.


    There was more to it. A cold sensation ran down my mana core, slowly umting as I drank more blood.


    Although I couldn''t quite tell what it was, I understood that it was beneficial for me.


    For that reason, I didn''t spare a second and continued to drink the blood. But I could only


    drink so much.


    Swoosh, swoosh!


    Not even several gulps in, more hands lunged at me, their movements frantic and desperate. They were faster now, and the ck veins covering their skin glowed with an eerie, ominous


    hue.


    I understood then that the queen had been enraged.


    "Fuck, let me drink in peace."


    I tossed the arm aside and pressed my finger against the approaching hands. A simr result from before urred, and I didn''t hesitate to cut the arms around me.


    Spurt!


    Their blood spilled all over me, but I didn''t mind it and took any spare moment that I had to drink it. At the same time, I also tossed the arms into my ring.


    ''These will be useful for alter.''


    I had to be careful when entering the ring since I needed to drag my consciousness into it. Thankfully, I only needed to toss them into the ring which wasn''t a big deal for me.


    Like that, I continued this cycle of stopping, cutting, and drinking.


    With each sip of the blood, I could vividly see the ck veins covering my body shrink. But as


    they did, I realized something unsettling.


    ''It''s not enough.''


    The most this blood could do was alleviate some of the effects of the poison. However, when


    it came topletely getting rid of its influence, it was still missing something.


    ''I need something more concentrated.'']


    But what...? What exactly?


    Swoosh, swoosh!


    I ducked down and stumbled forward.


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    I was starting to have a hard time. My stamina was depleting, and each hand that I took down appeared to regenerate as if it had never been severed, to begin with.


    ''As expected of a Terror ranked monster...''


    None of them were easy to deal with, but at the same time, I recalled Owl-Mighty. As opposed


    to this Queen, Owl-Mighty had been a lot more difficult and tough to deal with. In fact, it was


    a stretch to say that I had been able to deal with Owl-Mighty.


    ....From the very start, I had fought a battle that couldn''t have been won.


    I only managed to get out of the situation through mutual interests.


    But still...


    ''I don''t feel the same sense of despair that I felt with Owl-Mighty.''


    Defeating the Wraith Queen was impossible, but I didn''t think I couldn''t get away from it.


    So long as I managed to get what I wanted... But where?


    Where exactly could I get a more concentrated version of her blood?


    Squelch.


    A squelching sound suddenly filled the air, and I hastily raised my head. Once again, the eye


    appeared, and my entire body froze in terror.


    The eye seemed intent on piercing through my mind, invading every corner and


    disintegrating it, but...


    "Hooo!"


    I didn''t let it.


    With a low shout, I shattered whatever the eye was trying to do and just barely managed to


    duck down to avoid the iing hands.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    This was really... tough.


    But at the same time, I finally felt a trace of hope.


    ''....I think I''ve found a breakthrough.''


    Once more, I looked up at the eye staring down at me from above. Its gaze was cold and


    indifferent, yet within that chilling stare, I thought I detected hints of confusion.


    The thought made me want tough.


    In the end, it probably was surprised by the fact that I could withstand its gaze. Indeed... while


    it did distract my thoughts and mind for a brief moment, that was it.


    It didn''t particrly affect me, and the reason for this was obvious.


    ''My mental strength is higher.''


    And not only by a little bit.


    If there was one thing that I was confident in, then it was my mental abilities.


    The sudden realization sent my mind into overdrive, flooding it with a torrent of ideas.


    Unfortunately, I couldn''t dwell on them for long. The Queen gave me no time to think, relentlessly attacking me with both the eye and the hands.


    To make matters more difficult, each time the eye blinked, it''d disappear for a few seconds


    before reappearing in a different direction, locking its gaze on me and trying its mental attack


    once more.


    It certainly didn''t make my life easy.


    But I persisted. While continuing to dodge the hands, I kept track of the eye. I needed to do so in order to not


    be ambushed by its sudden mental attack.


    It was true that my mental abilities were superior, but that didn''t mean that I was immune to


    its mental attacks.


    Especially not when I had to focus all my attention on blocking the hands and preventing them from reaching me.


    Like a hawk ready to swallow its prey, the eye shifted all around the ce.


    "Ukh...!"


    My situation grew worse as time passed.


    Not only was my stamina running out, but so was my mana. Breathing became more difficult,


    and my mind felt as though it was being split in two.


    Squelch.


    Hearing the familiar sound, I weakly turned my head in the direction of where the eye was,


    meeting its gaze directly before taking a step forward and blocking another hand.


    "Cough...!


    I started to throw up blood before I knew it. Trickling down the side of my chin, I stumbled back a little and weakly picked up an arm that I


    severed, drinking the blood that was leaking out of it.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Bang!


    I stumbled yet again, barely blocking an iing attack.


    No longer could I use steps of suppression and dodging started to be impossible.


    "Ukh!"


    A piercing pain hit my back, forcing me to stumble forward several more steps.


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    With blurred vision, I looked around, and when I saw an approaching hand, I didn''t hesitate to


    jump away to dodge the hand, rolling on the ground in the process.


    It wasn''t pretty, but I still managed to avoid the attack. But there was only one problem.


    ''I can''t get up.''


    My body...


    It was starting to fail me.


    "Ukh!"


    I put on a struggle, propping myself up with anything that I could find, but my body simply


    refused to get up.


    "Akhh!"


    I roared, but my body refused to listen.


    Squelch.


    That was when I heard a familiar sound. It echoed from right next to my ear as the eye


    appeared a few inches from where I was. It had noticed my struggle and was now here to finish


    the job. "Haha."


    Iughed then.


    Not out of despair, but at its stupidity.


    "....Who would''ve thought acting would be so useful?"


    I stared back at the eye and met its gaze. Then, before it had the chance to blink, my lips


    parted open as my voiceyered.


    "Do you think you can cry?" That''s when the eye froze.

 Chapter 297: Queen [3]

    Chapter 297: Queen [3]


    ?


    It was amon belief that Emotive magic didn''t work on beasts and monsters. That was what we were taught during our first days at the Academy, but... that was actually a half-truth.


    For the first years, this was indeed true.


    Most first years didn''t have to deal with terror-ranked creatures. The most they''d have to deal with would be high-ss Junior-ranked ones.


    For that reason, the information was not revealed, but once a beast turned into a Terror- ranked one, its cognitive abilities became much more refined andplex.


    The higher ranked the monster the moreplex their mind became.


    This was something that I learned from Owl-Mighty, and while the Queen didn''t exactly have a consciousness as developed as Owl-Mighty''s, and its emotions were still non-existent, that didn''t mean she couldn''t feel Emotive Magic.


    Just as Owl-Mighty could feel them, so could she, and for that reason I didn''t hesitate to use it on her the moment the eye appeared close to me.


    "...Do you even understand sadness?"


    For a split second, it stopped moving.


    I didn''t know how effective my Emotive Magic was on it, and for how long it''d be in that state, but I didn''t waste a single second.


    Raising my hand, I pointed my finger in its direction.


    Xiu!


    A single thread shot forward. The speed at which it moved was incredibly fast, and in a few breaths, it was already right before the eye of the queen.


    I held my breath as I watched the thread shoot in its direction.


    All sorts of thoughts crossed my mind.


    Will it work? Will the eye close?


    The thoughts were relentless, eating away at my mind every second.


    I only had one shot at this and I had done everything possible to make it work. I even went as far as purposely getting injured to trick it.


    It was for that reason that I felt my entire stomach surge up my throat.


    I waited with bated breath.


    Hoping for the thread to reach the eye, and...


    It did.


    Spurt!


    A familiar ck liquid gushed from the eye, spraying in all directions. This liquid was much thicker and darker than the one from the arms I had severed. Swallowing hard, I raised my head and opened my mouth.


    The thought of drinking the liquid again repulsed me, but I had no choice.


    This was necessary for me.


    Soon, the liquid managed to reach my mouth, invading my taste buds with an acrid, and repulsive taste that made me want to puke.


    Gulp, gulp!


    Despite every part of my mind telling me to throw up the liquid, I forced myself to take it all in and I soon swallowed everything that I could.


    "Ukhg...!"


    It was a struggle; my stomach churned and I gagged several times, but I had to persist. Just like the blood from the arms, the liquid was crucial for alleviating the poison coursing through my veins, and it did just that. No, in fact... it did more than that.


    The cool sensation that I had previously felt in my mana core was even more pronounced, and I could feel something slowly rise from within me.


    Owl-Mighty''s words rang in my mind and I looked at all the liquid pooling on the ground. Without hesitation, I took out several vials from my bag and collected the liquid before tossing it into my ring.


    ''...If only I could gather more.''


    It was a pity that I couldn''t.


    I felt myself regain control of my body, the numbing sensation that felt akin to sleep paralysis finally disappearing, helping me feel normal once more.


    "Haaa..."


    It felt euphoric, and for a brief moment, I almost forgot about everything around me.


    But that was only for a brief moment.


    Rumble-!


    The sudden, terrifying rumbling that engulfed the entire space jolted me out of my daze. I frantically scanned my surroundings, and to my utter horror, I found not one, not two, not three, but more than a dozen eyes-cold, and indifferent-fixed on me.


    Squelch, squelch, squelch!


    At the sight, I felt my blood run cold, and my scalp tingled with a creeping sense of dread.


    "Time to go.''


    I had already gotten what I needed to get.


    It was time for me to leave.


    "Huup."


    Propping myself up, I immediately dashed for a certain direction. Previously, when I had been monitoring the eye, I kept track of my surroundings. For that reason, I knew exactly where I


    needed to go.


    There were multiple paths that I could take, but I just followed the path back from where I came from.


    Swoosh!


    Hands erupted from every direction, lunging at me from all sides, while eyes materialized seemingly from thin air, ring down at me from every direction.


    "Kh.


    My mind felt as though it was being split into thousands of pieces as the mental attacks started to rain down on me relentlessly, hammering my thoughts continuously but I was able to keep myself focused.


    If there was one thing I wasn''t worried about, it was my mental ability.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    But just because I could deal with it didn''t mean that I could be leisurely about my escape. It only made things harder for me as it took extra time for me to focus, but I eventually did manage to retrace my steps back to the narrow gap that I hade from.


    Reaching a certain spot, I finally saw it and my heart skipped a beat.


    nk! nk-!


    Muffled sounds of fighting echoed from behind the hole, and I understood that Leon was


    trying his best to keep the Wraiths at bay.


    I clenched my teeth and picked up the pace.


    Meanwhile, hands continued to emerge from every direction, grasping at my ankles from all sides. I fought desperately to evade them, but despite my efforts, they still managed to clutch my ankles, slowing my progress.


    "Kh!"


    The distance between me and the hole was only one meter.


    Feeling the grip of the hands tightening around my feet, I shook them violently and struggled


    to pry myself free. I used the threads to sever their grasp, but with every hand, I cut away,


    more seemed to emerge.


    The same was true for the eyes, casting their gaze on me from all directions.


    It slowed me down further.


    Half a meter.


    "Huu... huuu!"


    It felt as though I was dragging a massive ne behind me with every step, each movement


    sapping my strength and draining my energy.


    "Ukh!"


    But I persisted.


    Hands relentlessly gripped me from all sides, clutching my shoulders, arms, and head as they


    tried to pull me back. Despite the overwhelming sensation, I had now grown used to this


    feeling.


    And differently from before, I was no longer poisoned.


    I pressed on, my eyes bloodshot and straining as I dragged the hands wing at me behind. Desperately, I extended my hand toward the hole before my eyes, inching closer with every


    agonizing step.


    It was within arms reach now.


    So close... but at the same time, more hands gripped my entire body, slowing me further


    down.


    But I didn''t care.


    I pushed my body to its limits.


    "Akkh!"


    With onest scream, I clenched my hand, threads sprouting out of my arm as they shot


    toward the arms behind me severing several of them. Immediately, I felt a massive weight lift


    off my body, and the chance appeared.


    I didn''t miss it. Twisting my shoulders, I pressed my foot against the ground and jumped toward the hole.


    The grip of the hands that were grasping me loosened.


    Some tried to grab my ankle, but I used the threads to protect me.


    Not this time!


    ... And before I knew it, I managed to reach the hole.


    Thump!


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ..."


    A familiar dim red light greeted my eyes as the air felt refreshingly cool. It was a stark


    contrast to the stifling, humid heat of the sack. As I turned my head, I saw a familiar figure not


    far from where I stood.


    nk! nk-!


    It was Leon, who was surrounded by several dozen Wraiths. His situation seemed dire, but his


    face didn''t show it as he elegantly dealt with all the Wraiths that wereing at him, his


    sword moving fluidly in and out of their sockets and ankles.


    He moved with such grace and elegance that for a moment I stopped thinking and just


    observed him.


    A thought crossed my mind as I looked at him.


    ''....Can I beat him?''


    After everything that I had experienced, I thought that I hade close to his level, but


    seeing him right now, I started to second-guess myself. Indeed, although I had been


    constantly improving, Leon was the same.


    Unlike me, he didn''t have to torture himself to be stronger.


    He was extremely talented, to begin with, and the scene presented before my very eyes served


    to confirm such thoughts.


    But still.


    "It''s not impossible."


    I coughed several times before standing up.


    Back then, I had defeated Leon using the first leaf. He wouldn''t fall for the same trick again. Furthermore, with the second phase of the Summit in a week''s time, I knew I''d get a chance to


    fight him again.


    Maybe then I''d be able to know.


    But for now...


    "Huup."


    I stood up and rushed toward where we originally came from.


    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble-


    The Queen''s sack rumbled violently behind me as chunks of the ceiling began to copse.


    Leon nced around, his eyes widening with shock when he finally spotted me. After a


    moment of surprise, he quickly shifted his gaze back to the Queen''s sack and, understanding


    the situation, nodded his head in acknowledgment.


    ''Go, I''ll cover for you.''


    He didn''t need to tell me this as I was already running for the entrance.


    nk! nk!


    The fierce sound of shing echoed behind me as Leon put even more force into his attacks,


    and just when I directly crossed the entrance and looked back, Leon finally stopped fighting, sheathing his sword back.


    Then, pressing his foot against the ground, his body shot like an arrow as he rushed toward


    me.


    His speed was so blinding that I felt a rush of wind m into me. As he crossed the entrance of


    the cave, he twisted his body in mid-air, drawing his sword with a swift motion. He then


    sliced towards the roof of the entrance, cutting through the air with precision.


    A blinding light erupted from his sword as he shed, followed immediately by the deafening


    roar of an explosion.


    BOOOM!


    As the Wraiths behind him closed in with outstretched hands, the ceiling gave way and


    copsed, crashing down onto them with a thunderous sound.


    The entire world grew dark shortly after that as Leon and I copsed onto the floor.


    "Haa... Haa..." "Haaaaa... Haa..."


    In the darkness, the only sound was the uneven rhythm of our breaths as Leon and Iy


    sprawled on the floor, panting heavily.


    I was exhausted, and so was Leon.


    It took a few good minutes for our breathing to stabilize, and when we were done, Leon


    turned to look at me.


    "How is it... did you... managed to get... the blood?"


    I looked at him in silence before closing my eyes.


    When I opened my eyes again, I hurled several arms in his direction, along with small vials


    containing an even more viscous liquid.


    "More than that."


    "Uh?"


    Ignoring the look of surprise on Leon''s face, I closed my eyes and finally paid attention to the


    cold sensation running down my core. The energy was growingrger by the second, and as I


    recalled Owl-Mighty''s words, I loosened my entire body.


    Tier 4...

 Chapter 298: The Tomb of Oracleus [1]

    Chapter 298: The Tomb of Oracleus [1]


    ?


    Cra Crack-!


    A cracking sound echoed through the air as I sat motionless with my eyes closed. My muscles shifted, and my bones ground against each other.


    "Hoo... Hoo..."


    I kept my thoughts steady as my chest heaved up and down repeatedly. I could feel changes ur to my body as I remainedposed and let the cool energy within my mana core run around my entire body.


    While there were differences between each Tier, the real changes urred once someone entered Tier 4. That''s when a true gap would appear. For each subsequent Tier after that, a new change would ur with the creation of a Domain in Tier 5 being the biggest example. In the case of Tier 4, one would undergo Body Reformation.


    It was a process in which the body adjusted to the sudden increase in mana intake by fortifying the bones and muscles.


    The process was decently painful, but that was about it.


    It took me no more than five minutes for the process to end. It ended with a long exhale, as turbid air escaped my lips.


    "Hooo."


    When I opened my eyes again, I shifted my attention toward the right where Leon appeared. He was staring at the severed hands in front of him with a look of deep apprehension.


    "Don''t tell me that you''ve still not consumed them."


    "........"


    Leon looked at me in silence.


    He then opened his mouth.


    "So you have."


    His mouth... It was entirely ck.


    The fact that he wasn''t speaking was because he couldn''t. I could more or less understand how he felt as my face twitched upon recalling the taste of the blood.


    "Has your strength increased?"


    Nod.


    "Urkh!"


    Leon hastily covered his mouth, letting out a subtle gagging sound in the process. I sympathized with him briefly until I heard the muffled sound of something smashing near the entrance.


    Bang, bang!


    We both looked at each other before standing up.


    With a frown, Leon squinted his face and picked up the remaining hands on the floor before handing them to me.


    "Huu... Take them. I thought we''d have a little bit more time."


    "....I thought so too."


    The Wraiths were powerful enough to break through the rocks at the entrance easily but were cautious of the inner structure of their nest. Too much force and there was a risk of the entire ce copsing.


    It was for that reason that we didn''t rush back up onto the well.


    I was also afraid that if we did rush up, we''d be met with a bunch of Wraiths. The safest spot was where we had been for the past five minutes, but it was now time to go.


    "I go first."


    Arriving at the base of the well, I barely had a chance to speak before Leon sprang into action. He leaped up, gripping the sides with his arms and legs, and began scaling it at an rming speed.


    "Hey, wait up!"


    Without sparing me a nce, he continued his ascent, leaving me utterly baffled.


    I didn''t spare a single second to follow him.


    "What''s the rush-Uh?"


    Getting up was supposed to be harder than getting down, but it was to my shock and pleasant surprise to see myself reaching the top effortlessly. It almost felt as though I was made out of air with how easy it was for me to get up.


    "Wow."


    Reaching the top and seeing the familiar surroundings, I looked at my hands.


    "This is a bigger difference than I thought.''


    I was now excited to see what other changes my body had undergone after undergoing body reformation.


    It was unfortunate that I didn''t have anyone to test it with.


    Lifting my head, I was a little surprised to see no Wraiths around. The ce was unnervingly quiet, enveloped in a heavy, oppressive silence that felt almost suffocating.


    Scattered throughout, the candles emitted a faint, ghostly blue glow, their light barely cutting through the darkness that surrounded the two of us.


    In that silence, I raised my head to once again stare at the murals above. My focus zeroed in on the seven figures that dominated the entire scene. The figures were depicted standing in a unified stance, their gazes fixed on the sky where something appeared to be approaching. Whatever was above, it seemed to cast a shadow over the figures, their expressions unreadable as their backs were faced against the mural.


    Though there were many other murals, this one was thergest and most striking of them all as it took up most of the space of the dome above.


    It felt as though this was the mural that depicted the start of it all.


    "They''re the seven unrecorded."


    Leon quietly said as he looked at the same mural that I was looking at.


    Seven unrecorded...?


    I tilted my head to face Leon. This was the first time I had heard of the term ''unrecorded'' and was naturally curious. What did that mean exactly?


    "They''re called unrecorded because there''s not much that we know about them. Some say that they''re the ones who created the Mirror Dimension, and others worship them as gods."


    Leon paused, his jaw visibly clenching.


    "They are no gods. Gods don''t exist."


    ||


    I stood quietly, listening to what he was saying. About his opinions on gods, I''d have believed him in the past, but now I wasn''t so sure. Especially not after everything that I had undergone.


    "But they''re strong. Strong enough to make one believe they are gods."


    Leon paused, tearing his gaze away from the murals.


    "Mortum, Oracleus, Veltrus, Panthea, Sithrus, Ivanth, Clora."


    As he spoke, he pointed his finger at each one of the figures that stood in the mural. "These are the names of the Seven Unrecorded. You should memorize them well since I believe they might be tied with the reasoning for why you''ve entered Julien''s body."


    I pursed my lips at his words. Though I shared the same thought, hearing him articte it so bluntly made me uneasy, leaving me uncertain about how to react.


    It had been almost a year since I had transmigrated into this world, and I had yet to find a true clue to the reason behind why I had found myself here, and who had made mee here. It wasn''t as though I hadn''t been trying to find answers, but it was hard.


    The world felt shrouded in a thin veil with an endless amount ofyers. Eachyer I peeled only revealed moreyers beneath, making all progress I made stand at a null.


    It was frustrating, and yet, I had no choice but to continue peeling down theyers that were presented before me.


    In the end, so long as I kept peeling, I was bound to find the answer.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, I finally rxed and shifted my attention toward the other murals. They weren''t as grand as the first one, but they depicted all sorts of different scenes. A burly man with a red beard and hair standing before arge fire with a hammer in hand. A tall woman and slender woman holding up the hand of a small child as a soft white glow enveloped the child''s


    hand, and so on...


    It was a lot of simr scenes like that, but in particr, one stood out.


    ... It was the image of a hand, thrust forward in a closed fist, with small droplets of blood


    seeping from it. Beneath, a swarm of faces stared upward, their mouths open as they stuck


    their tongue out.


    The fanatical, almost deranged look on their faces twisted into hollow, inhuman expressions


    that seemed more like masks than expressions.


    "Mortum."


    The name unconsciously slipped out of my mouth.


    By the time I realized it, Leon was already looking at me as his gaze shifted toward the same


    scene I was looking at.


    "You''re right."


    His expression appeared hard to read.


    "That''s Mortum, the Immortal. He''s probably the most famous of the Seven Unrecorded."


    ".... Is it because of his blood?"


    "Yes."


    Leon quietly nodded.


    "With the magical property of bringing the dead back to life, the blood of Mortum is


    considered an elixir of immortality. Not only can it bring the dead back to life, but it can also extend the life of a person indefinitely. For so long as they consume the blood of Mortum,


    they''ll live forever."


    I took a cold breath upon hearing his words.


    Having experienced it for myself, I already knew about its magical properties. The fact that it could extend one''s life answered one of the questions that I had.


    ''As... is this how he''s been able to live for so long? Because of the Blood of Mortum?''


    I started to recall the vision with As, and how the Empire of Nothingness had been


    destroyed because they were in possession of the Blood of Mortum.


    "For such a precious resource, it''s no wonder that even the unrecorded have no choice but to


    act. It''llpletely ruin the bn-"


    "It''s got nothing to do with that."


    Leon cut me off suddenly, turning his head in my direction.


    Surprised, I looked back at him.


    It''s got nothing to do with that...? Then what? Why would they eradicate an entire Empire for


    the blood?


    "Do you remember how I said the unrecorded are not gods?"


    Leon suddenly said again, his eyes turning dark.


    I felt my expression change upon seeing his expression, and an idea suddenly formed in my


    mind.


    Don''t tell me...


    "That''s because they are all mortals. The only reason they were able to live beyond their


    natural age is because of Mortum''s blood. With the exception of Oracleus who died very early,


    and Mortum none of them should''ve lived past their mortal life."


    Leon stated slowly, setting my mind aze with the sudden piece of information.


    ''Wait, so...''


    I held onto my head, feeling a massive headache. Thanks to the sudden piece of information, I


    was able to get the answers to some questions that lingered at the back of my mind, but


    now.... I now had even more questions.


    Of them, I was in particr curious about something that he said.


    "Oracleus... Did you say he died early?"


    Looking up at the murals, he only appeared once. In the first image. Everywhere else, he


    wasn''t there. There was not a single image of him besides the floating eye that seemed to leave a mark on almost every mural.


    I had been curious as to whether that had been his real form, but now I understood it wasn''t.


    "....Yes, he did."


    Leon turned back to point at the entrance.


    "Ah."


    That was when I recalled the words that were written right at the entrance.


    "Of all the seven gods, he''s the most mysterious and enigmatic. Because of his death, there''s


    been almost no information about him, and yet his influence is no less than that of the other gods. I''ve tried looking for clues about him, but have failed..."


    Leon stopped, once again staring at everything that was surrounding us.


    "That is until now."


    ||


    I quietly pursed my lips and simrly looked around us.


    Of the seven ''gods'' he was the one that intrigued me the most.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Feeling the beat of my heart, I thought back to the words written at the entrance.


    ''The Seer''


    I then thought about my first ability.


    ''Foresight.''


    Corrting the two, I felt my heart speed up.


    ''It''s him isn''t it..?"


    The one who brought me into this world.

 Chapter 299: The Tomb of Oracleus [2]

    Chapter 299: The Tomb of Oracleus [2]


    ?


    It was dark and quiet.


    All Kiera could hear was the faint, rhythmic dripping of water trickling down the side of the small cavern. She stared silently at the dark ceiling, the sound echoing eerily in the stillness.


    Hours had passed, and she had yet to find herself able to sleep.


    No, it was more like she couldn''t sleep at all. She was exhausted, her eyes were bagging, and she had no energy... All of these signs would normally allow one to sleep easily, and yet she found herself unable to bat an eyelid.


    As if haunted, all she could think about was the statue.


    "Haa."


    Wiggling her way out of her sleeping bag, Kiera rubbed her eyes.


    "....So fucking annoying."


    Problems just kept piling up for her. At first, it was her aunt, and then it was her inability to sleep. At the current rate things were going, she felt like she wouldn''t be able to make it to the second phase of the Summit.


    That''d be pretty problematic.


    "Ugh."


    Kiera tossed back into the sleeping bag and tried to sleep again, but even as several hours passed she was still unable to sleep.


    Scratch. Scratch.


    Kiera started to scratch the side of her neck as a way to cope with the stress. At first, she did it because it was itchy, but she then did it out of habit.


    Her mind was bing murkier and murkier by the second.


    Rustle-


    Even as a rustling sound echoed at the entrance of her cave, Kiera didn''t react much, shifting her attention toward the entrance where a figure slowly started to wiggle inside.


    Her expression remained the same as she stared at the entrance.


    "Ukh! Uhe...!"


    From the sound of the voice, the one who entered was a girl. Wearing a thick jacket, she continued to wiggle through the narrow gap before finally entering.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    With heavy breaths, Josephine looked around the cave. It was dark and she couldn''t see properly. Nheless, she was sure that someone was there.


    The map had said so.


    "Anybody here?"


    Josephine tilted her head slightly, sensing a presence nearby that remained unresponsive. Theck of reaction unsettled her, and as she frowned, she pulled out a small orb and directed it forward, trying to light up the surrounding darkness.


    "!"


    Her breathing stopped the moment she shined the light forward.


    Greeting her was a familiar yet hollow face. With vacant eyes and a reddened neck, Kiera stoodpletely unresponsive, her gaze fixed nkly in Josephine''s general direction.


    Horrified by what she was seeing, Josephine took a step back.


    "This..."


    Her horror onlysted for a brief moment before Kiera snapped out of it, her eyes returning to normal and her expression easing.


    "Uhm?"


    She looked around, finally spotting Josephine.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Josephine didn''t answer. The image of Kiera from before was still lingering in her mind, forcing her to keep her breath even.


    It was only when Kiera red at her that Josephine snapped out of it.


    "Are you... you?"


    "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"


    "No, I mean..."


    Josephine recalled the look on Kiera''s face from before and pursed her lips.


    "You seemed so weird before. I thought that you were possessed or something."


    "Possessed?"


    Kiera looked at Josephine with a look that seemed to say, ''Have you lost your mind?'' Josephine waved her hands.


    "You really did!"


    "No, I just couldn''t sleep. I am not possessed or some shit like that."


    "....I see."


    It was only when she saw Kiera act like normal again that Josephine finally calmed down.


    ''Maybe she''s right.''


    Looking around, she saw that while the cave was small there was still space for her to rest. She turned to face Kiera.


    "It''s pretty much morning outside. What do you want to do? Rest a little or...?"


    "I''ll rest for a bit."


    Kiera answered with a thin smile.


    Turning around, she entered the sleeping bag and closed her eyes.


    As opposed to the past, she didn''t have problems sleeping. In fact, she quickly sunk into


    sleep.


    Josephine blinked her eyes slowly while staring at her.


    Seeing that her breathing had evened out, she blinked her eyes slowly before taking out her own sleeping bag and setting it up a few meters away from her. Slowly entering it, she closed


    her eyes and tried to get some sleep.


    Only for her to...


    "Hiaaakh!"


    Wake up with two hands at her throat.


    ***


    In a different area.


    "Hieeeek-!"


    A gigantic hawk came screeching down from the sky, its sharp beak glinting under the zing white sun. It plummeted with terrifying speed, its eyes locked onto a red-haired girl beneath.


    She met the hawk''s gaze without much of an expression, and just as it closed in, she raised her


    hand and swiped downward.


    Boom!


    The hawk had no time to react.


    With a simple gesture of Aoife''s hand, its head came crashing first against the ground, solidly hitting the ground with no regard.


    Blood spilled all over the surroundings as Aoife took a deep breath.


    "Not bad."


    A crisp voice echoed from behind as Aoife''s eyes briefly locked onto a lock of purple hair.


    Without uttering a word, Evelyn approached the hawk and carefully retrieved a small knife. She began to skin it right in front of Aoife, her movements were fluid and precise, as if she were a seasoned expert in the task.


    At first, Evelyn''s skills surprised her, but with time, she started to grow used to it.


    "How do you want it? Slow-cooked or grilled?"


    "Grilled."


    Aoife answered while swallowing her saliva.


    It wasn''t just her cleaning skill that was good, but so was her cooking. Having tasted all sorts


    of cuisines due to her background, Aoife knew what good cooking tasted like, and Evelyn was


    surprisingly a very good cook.


    Crackle~! Crackle~!


    With a snap of Evelyn''s fingers, a fire started to burn as she positioned herself behind it and started to cook the meat. From her bag, she took out several spices which she sprinkled on top


    of the meat.


    A pleasant smell started to waft through the air immediately after she started cooking. Swallowing her saliva, Aoife sat down on the opposite end and stared at the crackling fire that


    stood before her.


    ||


    ||


    ......


    It was silent between the two.


    While one was busy cooking the other was busy watching the me. It was a strangely


    peaceful scene.


    But the silence was soon broken by Aoife who lifted her head slightly.


    "Hey."


    She called out for Evelyn who didn''t stop and continued to flip the meat over the pan she


    brought.


    Though she didn''t answer, Evelyn raised her brow to indicate that she was listening.


    Aoife took the chance to speak.


    "Is it true that you''ve known Julien and Leon since childhood?"


    11


    ||


    Evelyn''s movements paused for a brief moment before she quietly answered.


    "Yes."


    "How were they like?"


    In all honesty, while Aoife was curious, this was more because she wanted to make small talk


    with Evelyn. The two of them met up with the map, and while they were somewhat cordial


    with each other, they weren''t exactly friends.


    They could converse and cooperate with each other without any problems, but their


    conversations were somewhat stiff.


    "How were they like...?"


    Evelyn''s movements stopped again as she smiled.


    "Leon was nice. He''s changed quite a bit, he was less stiff and smiled a lot more. But at heart,


    he''s the same person. You''d know if you had been there."


    "Oh?"


    An image of a young Leon appeared in Aoife''s mind. She imaged him smiling, and the thought


    weirded her out.


    He was a bit like Julien in the regard that he didn''t smile much.


    No, rather...


    ''I think I''ve seen Julien smile more than him.''


    "What about Julien? How was he like?"


    "Julien?"


    Evelyn''s eyes turned strange, almost nk. Then, raising her head, she looked at Aoife.


    "Which one are you talking about?"


    "Hm?" Which one..?


    As the firelight flickered in her eyes, Evelyn opened her mouth once more. This time, her voice


    came out somewhat distant.


    "He''s changed about five times. Which Julien do you want to ask about?"


    ***


    Leon stood still for a brief moment, quietly observing Julien for a few seconds. He could


    hardly read his thoughts as he remained still for a few seconds before stepping forward.


    Leon followed quietly after him a few short secondster.


    || ||


    A suffocating silence enveloped the two of them as they walked past the dimly lit candles. It


    was dark so it was hard to see ahead. Before long, a small wooden door came into view, barely illuminated by the flickering candlelight. Nestled at the end of the corridor, the door seemed ordinary, as if there was nothing special about it.


    And yet...


    ||


    ||


    || ||


    Neither Julien nor Leon could move forward. It was as if an invisible force was pressing


    against them, halting their steps and making it hard for Leon to breathe.


    The sensation was suffocating, sending a tingle down his chest. Horrified, Leon looked in Julien''s direction, but the sight that greeted him stunned him.


    Unlike him, Julien seemed to be in a trance. His eyes were nk, and his mind appeared to be


    elsewhere.


    Stunned, Leon hastily reached out for him, shaking his body lightly.


    "Hey. Hey...!"


    "Uh!?"


    Julien did eventually snap out of it. With a stunned and almost lost look, he looked around.


    "What''s going on?"


    ||


    Leon was unsure of what to say. He stared at Julien for a brief second before telling him


    exactly what had happened.


    "You''re saying that I was in a trance?"


    "Yes."


    "Hmm."


    Julien''s eyes narrowed as he fell into thought. As he did, his gaze would asionally fall on


    the wooden door before them.


    He seemed out of it of sorts.


    Almost as if he was snapping in and out of consciousness.


    ''What in the...?''


    Julien''s rming state made Leon swallow dryly. Just as he raised his hand to reach out to


    Julien, the door suddenly burst open.


    nk-!


    "["


    Leon''s entire body flinched as he stared at the door, his heart pounding in his throat. His


    mouth was dry, and his hands were tingling with nervousness.


    He tried to peer through the door, trying to see whaty behind it.


    Beyond the doory a suffocating darkness, a ck void that seemed to reach out, threatening


    to swallow him whole.


    rm bells rang in Leon''s mind as he processed the situation.


    He had just turned to face Julien when he was stunned to see that he was gone.


    "Uh?"


    In shock, Leon''s mind nked for a brief second.


    Then, just as he wondered where Julien had gone, Leon felt an overwhelmingly powerful


    suction forceing from the door.


    "Uekk..!"


    Leon tensed his muscles, trying desperately to resist, but the force was too strong. In an


    instant, his entire body was yanked through the doorway, which mmed shut behind him.


    nk!


    The temple fell silent once more.

 Chapter 300: The Tomb of Oracleus [3]

    Chapter 300: The Tomb of Oracleus [3]


    ?


    "Hiak!"


    Josephine screamed at the top of her lungs, her hands shooting forward to grasp the arms that were reaching out for her. It was dark, and she couldn''t see, but the strength behind the grip made it hard for her to breathe as her legs iled wildly in a desperate struggle.


    "Huek... Huek!"


    In that brief moment, a sudden wave of fear overwhelmed her as her breathing grew increasinglybored, each gasp more desperate than thest.


    "H-huelp!"


    She tried to call for help, hoping for her voice to reach Kiera, but nothing.


    Her surroundings were silent.


    Could it be that Kiera had also...?


    The thought made Josephine freeze, her expression draining of color. Panic surged through her as she iled her legs wildly, clenching her teeth and applying all the strength she could muster to the arms squeezing her.


    Though she wasn''t the strongest in her year, she was among the very top, and she poured every ounce of that strength into freeing herself from the relentless grip.


    After the initial shock, Josephine was able to calm down and think properly.


    "Khk!"


    She was a [Body] type user. Recalling the training she had undergone with her father, Josephine''s eyes sharpened as her torso twisted and she raised her legs in the air, reaching for the head of the culprit behind her choking.


    Josephine was nning to choke him back with her legs.


    Swoosh!


    Her movements were blindingly fast, the wind whistling as she twisted through the air. With her agile and flexible body, she reached the position where the head should be in mere seconds. Just as she prepared to lock it in with her legs, she was stunned to see her legs hit... Nothing.


    "Uh?"


    Stunned, Josephine''s body twisted.


    With her head looking down and on all fours, her eyes opened wide.


    A horrifying realization dawned on her.


    "This can''t be...''


    The one who was strangling her... It didn''t exist. Uponing to this realization, her eyes red open.


    "Haa... Haa... Haa..."


    With heavy breaths, Josephine stared at the familiar ck ceiling.


    Her entire back was drenched in sweat. Turning around, she quickly pulled out a small orb, activating it to cast light and reveal her surroundings.


    "That..."


    Josephine covered her mouth.


    ....Everything was normal. Kiera was peacefully sleeping in her sleeping bag, and aside from a bit of mess, nothing seemed out of ce.


    "A nightmare?"


    Josephine rubbed her forehead.


    Biting her lips she reached for a water bottle and took a small sip.


    "....It felt so real."


    Her heart was still beating extremely quickly, and the images of her nightmare continued to rey in her mind. Everything felt so vivid. Almost as if she had actually experienced the strangling.


    Not only that, but the difort in her neck was still there.


    Rubbing her neck, Josephine swallowed quietly.


    ''Crazy.''


    Brushing her hair back, she leaned over to check on Kiera. Even with the light on, Kiera seemed to be sleeping soundly, her breathing steady and rhythmic.


    Josephine sighed in relief when she saw that, afraid that she had disturbed her sleep.


    ''Who knows what this crazy bitch would do if I woke her up.''


    Perhaps she''d be the one strangling her.


    Josephineughed to herself only for herugh to freeze as she noticed something on Kiera''s neck.


    Swallowing quietly, Josephine reached forward to get a better look. She did distinctively remember it being red just as she hade, but it was different now. The color...


    It was purple.


    ||


    In the silence, Josephine reached forward and slowly pulled back the sleeping bag. Her expression twisted into one of horror as she discovered the reason for the purple color on


    Kiera''s neck.


    Josephine felt her heart stop beating for a brief moment as her breath left her body.


    Before she could utter a word, Kiera''s eyes snapped open, her hand shooting out to clutch Josephine''s forearm with a vice-like grip.


    With bloodshot eyes, Kiera looked at Josephine.


    "What is it?"


    Her voice was hoarse, almost unrecognizable, and it wasn''t just the tone that was different. Her entire presence seemed different as if she had be apletely different person.


    And that very fact chilled Josephine''s heart.


    Putting more pressure over Josephin''s arm, Kiera''s voice grew hoarse.


    "....Why did you wake me up?"


    ***


    "Ukh...!"


    By the time Leon regained consciousness, he found himself lying on something soft. A faint rustling sound reached his ears as a gentle warmth embraced his entire body prompting his eyelids to open.


    What greeted his eyes was a familiar-looking sky and sun. It was a stark contrast to the gloomy white sun and dark sky of the Mirror Dimension.


    "Where am I?"


    Sitting up, Leon looked around in surprise. He found himself in a lush grasnd, the wind rustling softly through the tall grass. The refreshing scent of pine trees lingered in the air,


    creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.


    It felt like paradise.


    Leon didn''t feel like getting up. He wanted to remain seated where he was and enjoy the


    scenery before him.


    But he knew he had to leave.


    This ce...


    It wasn''t real.


    ''It must be some sort of illusion within the tomb.''


    Trata! Trata! Trata! Trata! Trata!


    "?"


    A sudden rhythmic thumping jolted Leon out of his thoughts, apanied by a powerful gust of wind that rushed toward him.


    His eyes widened in shock as he looked up to see a massive object flying through the air. It was unlike anything he had ever seen-crafted from metal, with three long, sharp des jutting out, spinning at incredible speeds. His expression shifted from confusion to awe as he stared at the strange machine that flew in the air.


    ''What sort of...?''


    He tried to reach out for it but was startled to see that his entire body was illusionary as if he


    was merely part of the drifting wind of the surrounding.


    "Uh?"


    But his shock didn''t die down.


    Squinting his eyes, he was both surprised and shocked to see several people appear within the


    strange machine.


    They looked like humans, and yet... he had never heard of humans ever being capable of using


    such machines.


    He followed the strange machine with his eyes as it crossed past him.


    Leon traced its path with his eyes and then saw it: massive buildings towering toward the sky,


    their imposing structures piercing through the clouds.


    "Ahh."


    Leon felt his breath leave his body.


    ''.... How is this possible?''


    The buildings were unlike anything Leon had ever seen before. Their architecture was


    otherworldly, and their height seemed to stretch beyondprehension. The sheer


    magnitude of their presence felt intimidating.


    Leon''s head started to hurt.


    He couldn''t make heads or tails of the situation.


    Looking around him, Leon pursed his lips and decided to run forward. It was in the same direction as where the strange machine went and where the buildings were.


    He wanted to get a better idea of what was happening.


    As such, he ran.


    He ran and ran and ran.


    Feeling the cool breeze of the wind, he continued to run, his eyes locking toward the strange


    buildings that grew nearer and nearer.


    At the same time, he thought about Julien.


    Was he also seeing what he was seeing...? Such a strange ce. Leon was sure he''d also be


    shocked. Still, since he was being shown such a ce, Leon was sure that it was closely rted


    to Oracleus.


    "Hooo."


    Leon continued to run for what felt like hours until eventually, he managed to reach a t


    road that contained strange symbols and lines.


    Vrooom-!


    But the most shocking part wasn''t the strange lines but the bizarre machines moving across them. At speeds Leon found unbelievable, he watched as the metallic objects sped along the


    road, heading straight toward the city.


    "Ukh."


    Leon felt his head throb.


    Staring at the unfamiliar machines and settings, he felt lost.


    Rubbing his head, he marched forward toward the imposing city of lights that seemed to


    swallow him whole.


    It was an overwhelming feeling.


    It felt disorienting. Especially when he saw the way the people dressed, and the strange devices that they had in their hands. Everyone appeared to be glued to them. They used them while sitting, walking, and even when using strange machines.


    §£§Ö§Ö§â! §£§Ö§Ö§â!


    That wasn''t all.


    It was also extremely loud.


    Be it from the people and the strange machines. Leon found the noiseing from all sides.


    He thought that the noiseing from Bremmer was bad, butpared to this... It was


    nothing.


    ||


    Like that, Leon walked around aimlessly.


    He had no idea where to go. He just quietly observed his surroundings and walked without an


    objective. He wanted a way out of this world, but how could he go out?


    As Leon racked his mind over the situation, his head throbbed again.


    "Uekh...!"


    It was a lot more painful than before forcing him to stop for a brief moment. Holding onto his


    head, he felt his face grow red from the pain.


    But...


    "Uh?"


    Apanying the pain, there was something else.


    He felt something.


    Swoosh!


    Leon turned his head to face a certain direction. Over there, he felt a presence. A familiar one.


    It was quite far but he knew who it belonged to.


    Julien.


    He was somewhere over in that direction.


    Leon didn''t hesitate to move where he was. He couldn''t make heads or tails of the situation,


    but perhaps he''d know something that he didn''t.


    Even if he didn''t, Leon didn''t feelfortable roaming this ce by himself.


    It was too loud and congested for him.


    With such thoughts, his steps quickened and he zig-zagged through the strange city. He


    walked past buildings withrge disys, showing all sorts of different people holding onto


    strange products and devices. That much wasn''t different from Bremmer, but everything felt extremely convoluted.


    He didn''t know for how long he kept running.


    Before he knew it, he found the buildings growing scarcer and the buildings be smaller.


    There were still some, but they were a lot less than before. Greenery became more abundant, and the air felt fresher.


    As Leon approached a distant gate, his chest grew lighter and his steps gradually slowed. The metal gates stood wide open, beckoning him forward, but something about the scene felt off.


    His steps came to an abrupt halt as he tilted his head in confusion, uncertain of why he was


    there.


    ''Graveyard? Why would Julien be there...?''


    He hade all the way here in order to meet Julien, but why would he be at the graveyard?


    Leon scratched his forehead before entering the gates.


    Rustle~


    He was met with a strange and peaceful silence upon entering the gates of the graveyard. It


    was theplete opposite of the loud mess outside.


    Lining up in front of him were white tombstones that stretched endlessly before his very eyes.


    Leon took a quick nce at the first tombstone before him.


    [John Middlestone]


    [1990-2055]


    "1990? 2055?"


    The strange numbers felt confusing to him. Were this the dates?"


    Leon felt his mouth grow dry as he turned his head in a certain direction. There, he finally


    spotted a familiar figure. With his back facing him, he stood before a certain tombstone.


    "Julien!"


    Leon called out to him but received no response.


    "Julien...!"


    Leon tried again, but he was yet again met with silence.


    Confused, Leon decided to go closer to him.


    Perhaps he didn''t hear him...


    "Julien!"


    But even as he drew nearer and nearer to him, Leon found it that Julien didn''t answer him.


    Frowning, Leon picked up his pace and arrived a few meters behind Julien.


    "Julien..."


    He called out again, but Julien remained firm, his gaze never leaving the tombstone that


    stood before him.


    It was then that Leon grew curious and looked at the tombstone.


    Unlike the other tombstones, this one stood out. It wasrger and more borate, adorned


    with fresh flowers and a small portrait. Intrigued, Leon moved closer, squinting his eyes as he


    leaned in to read the name engraved on the tombstone.


    "Emmet..."


    Reading the first part of the name, Leon felt his chest grow heavy, a strange sensation taking


    over his body.


    His heart raced, and the world around him began to close in, the air growing thick and oppressive as a sense of dread took hold.


    Leon felt the very air get sucked out of his lungs as it felt as though he was being choked.


    The darkness continued to close in from all sides, closing in on his vision. A strange tingling sensation coursed through Leon''s body as if his very being was rejecting


    the sight before him.


    His breathing grew heavier, and his mouth went dry, the saliva vanishing as an overwhelming


    sense of unease gripped him.


    It was almost as if the entire world was trying to stop him from finishing the name.


    In spite of all of this, Leon continued to stare at the tombstone.


    Gradually, his lips opened, and he read thest part of the name.


    "....Rowe."


    Woom!


    Darkness took hold of Leon''s vision.


    It was only brief, and by the time he recovered, he found himself standing before the same


    tombstone.


    But there was a difference.


    The surroundings were different, and the tombstone stood by itself. Julien still looked at it


    with a nk look, and new words appeared over it.


    They glowed a purple hue.


    Leon carefully read each word.


    "Here lies the grave of Oracleus." "--The seer."

 Chapter 301: The Tomb of Oracleus [4]

    Chapter 301: The Tomb of Oracleus [4]


    ?


    Within the small, empty room, the tomb stood eerily still, the purple words etched upon it glowing faintly in the dim light. It highlighted the faint cracks that webbed across the tombstone, like a spider''s intricate design etched into the stone.


    "Emmet Rowe..."


    Leon repeated the name. It was an unfamiliar name. Something he had never heard before, and was seeing for the first time.


    Nheless, he started to understand something.


    Emmet Rowe was the Seer''s true name.


    "Hoo."


    He took a deep breath, feeling his heart pound at his throat as he finally found a clue to the origins of the unrecorded.


    That strange world he had seen... Was that the world where the Seer came from? A distant future?


    The more Leon thought about it, the more confused he became. Everything came to him so suddenly that he hardly had any time to properly sort out his thoughts.


    At least until a sudden smashing sound shattered the silence.


    Bang!


    Stunned, he turned toward the source of the noise and saw Julien furiously smashing the ground beneath the tombstone, his face numb to the point of indifference.


    Bang, bang!


    "What are you doing?"


    Leon hurriedly reached for him, but Julien shook his hand off and turned to face him.


    As Julien struck the ground, he simultaneously retrieved a small, familiar vial. The moment Leon caught sight of it, his expression shifted abruptly.


    "That...!"


    He recognized the vial in seconds.


    How could he not react when he had been injected with that very same liquid back in the strange, cult-like environment? The memory of the experience sent a cold shiver down his spine as he recalled the numerous deaths he experienced.


    Immediately, Leon understood Julien''s intentions.


    The thought made his jaw grow ck.


    "Are you nning on reviving him?!"


    "Yes."


    Julien nodded, smashing the ground again.


    ".... You said that the blood of Mortum is like an elixir. It can revive anyone as long as they take it, right? If that''s the case, I''ll use it on him. We''ll be able to get answers this way."


    Bang!


    Julien once again smashed his fist against the ground.


    The tombstone trembled faintly, and the ground beneath Julien''s fist began to cave in. Just as Julien raised his hand to strike again, Leon suddenly lunged forward, sping his forearm tightly.


    ck!


    "....."


    Julien silently raised his head to look at Leon.


    Holding onto Julien''s forearm, Leon''s expression twisted


    "Stop."


    "....Why?"


    Julien''s voice came out chillingly cold, his eyes appearing hollow.


    "Is something wrong with my n?"


    "It won''t work. The blood won''t work."


    11


    Julien stopped, his expression hard to read.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    His voice turned hoarse.


    Pursing his lips, Leon let go of Julien''s hand. He then highlighted the obvious.


    "It''s been so long. Do you really think the blood will work?"


    11


    Julien remained silent, his eyes fixated on the tombstone. Leon could tell at a nce that Julien understood the concept all too well. Yet, despite that understanding, he still looked like he wanted to try it.


    There was a certain sense of desperation in his eyes that took Leon aback.


    Why was he like this?


    Why was...


    "Ah."


    It then suddenly hit him.


    "Did you manage to get a clue as to how you found yourself in Julien''s body?"


    Julien''s silence spoke volumes, and Leon drew a cold breath.


    "I see."


    Leon started to understand why Julien appeared so desperate, but...


    "Still, stop."


    "....What if"


    "It won''t."


    Leon cut him off, grasping what Julien was trying to say. He understood it all too well-He still wanted to see if the blood would work. Despite the amount of time that had passed, he still believed it was possible to revive him. The power of Mortum''s blood was strong, and there was a slim chance that someone who had died for so long could be revived.


    Nheless, there was a problem with the entire thing.


    "Regardless of what you do, it won''t work."


    "Why?"


    Julien''s brows twisted into a frown, his voice growing more hoarse.


    "Why do you keep saying this?"


    He was bordering on anger and frustuation.


    That''s when Leon turned his attention toward the grave with aplicated look.


    "Because the Blood of Mortum doesn''t work on him."


    "........?"


    Leon recalled some of the murals they had seen, particrly those beneath the well. One image stood out vividly in his mind: a man holding a dying person in his arms, his hand outstretched toward the man''s mouth. Blood dripped from his hand as he desperately tried to


    bring it close enough to save him.


    The anguish and desperation were vivid in every stroke of the mural, the tears of blood streaming down his eyes further entuating the desperation he felt.


    He didn''t understand who the man in his grasp was, but now he had a faint idea.


    ''It''s probably Oracleus.''


    It was only one static frame, and yet, the mural told more than a thousand words.


    Especially to Leon who had a deeper understanding of the unrecorded.


    He knew that the unrecorded had all consumed the blood of Mortum to increase their


    lifespan. All with the exception of Oracleus.


    .....He was the only one to die.


    But why...?


    If he so desperately wanted to save Oracleus, why did he still die?


    An idea suddenly forged itself in his mind. It was a crazy idea, but upon thinking about it, he


    thought it was possible.


    What if...?


    He held his breath at the thought.


    ".... What if it''s because they''re rted?"


    ***


    Leon''s words struck my mind like lightning bolts, paralyzing me with their intensity. I slowly


    turned my head to face him, the reality of the idea sinking into my mind.


    "What did you just say?"


    "Hm?"


    Leon appeared startled at first. Possible because he didn''t think that he''d voice out his


    thoughts like that, but he eventually frowned and shared his thoughts.


    "What if Mortum and Oracleus are rted?"


    || ||


    I found myself swallowing the musty, humid air of the environment. It felt suffocating, and I


    felt that my mouth had gonepletely dry.


    I had long since lost any sensation of my heartbeat.


    "Wha... What makes you think that they''re rted?"


    "It''s one of the only exnations."


    Leon went on to exin, "The blood of Mortum essentially regenerates a person''s body down to the veryst cell. As


    long as there''s a single cell left, the blood can restore the body to its original state. We''ve


    both already experienced its miraculous effects so you should know best."


    Leon gave me a certain look.


    ||


    I stood in silence as Leon started to ponder over his words.


    "I''m not too familiar with the concept, but all of us have distinct marks that make us unique."


    DNA...


    "The blood directly rebuilds the body from the ground up, creating an entirely new form based on the remains, using Mortum''s mark as a reference. But what if the mark is almost


    entirely simr to the one found in the cell? What would happen then?"


    "Ideally, it would be able to recreate it more easily."


    "Ideally, yes, but..."


    Leon paused, his expression growing more certain.


    "...I believe the concept is simr to how blood-rted members can''t reproduce with each


    other. There''s a certain rejection that stops the blood from fusing."


    I pursed my lips, the words unable to leave my mouth.


    Leon stopped there as well. "It''s only a thought, but there''s a chance Mortum and Oracleus are rted."


    Leonughed a little as he looked at the tomb.


    "It''s quite sad if you think about it. Mortum. He''s immortal, and he has the power to revive


    everyone in the entire world except..."


    His hand traced over the tomb.


    "...His own family."


    Something squeezed tightly at my chest as I struggled to breathe properly.


    The more Leon talked the deeper the pain in my chest became as I felt my mouth tremble.


    ''No, this is just a theory. It''s not true.''


    I tried my best to reject the entire notion. I didn''t want to hear about it. I didn''t want to


    believe it to be true.


    How could this be?


    How could this be!?


    But the more I rejected it, the more I realized the possibility of it.


    Especially when I was made to recall a certain experience from not too long ago. During the


    time when we were abducted by the Archpriest.


    Back then, we had all been subjected to the blood of Mortum.


    ...I had been as well.


    At first, I wanted to scream at how I was still alive after being injected with the blood, but


    then I came to a realization.


    ''I''m in a different body.''


    My ''genes'' were far different than that of Emmet''s. It wouldn''t be strange of the blood to


    work.


    I felt my breathing grow heavy.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    That''s because I was reminded of something else.


    ...My memory loss.


    "Ah."


    The world around me slowed down and my vision grew hazy.


    As I recalled the time at which I lost my memories, I came to one realization.


    ''I lost my memories right after the blood was injected into me.''


    I swallowed quietly.


    It couldn''t be a coincidence, could it?


    ''Hahaha.''


    I wanted tough, but my mouth refused to open. In recreating my entire body, thest thing


    I would''ve expected was for it to bring back the memories of my time as Emmet. It would


    make more sense if my memories became that of Julien, but...


    The fact that the memories that I recalled were that of Emmet suggested one thing.


    "Though it''s very thin... there''s a little bit of my old blood within me.''


    But how?


    How was this possible?


    "Ukh."


    I clutched my head as a searing pain overwhelmed me, like a gigantic hammer relentlessly


    smashing against my skull, shattering it into fragments with each blow.


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    What brought me out of it was Leon as he tugged my shoulder lightly.


    I could hardly think or stand properly.


    My entire body was drenched in sweat, and as Leon looked at me, he tilted his head.


    "Something has been off about you since we''ve entered this ce. I know you''ve found something, but what is it?"


    My mouth opened but no words came out.


    I thought about telling him everything that I knew. That I was Emmet Rowe. That there was a


    chance Mortum was my brother. And that the world he saw was my world.


    But I stopped myself from doing so.


    How much did I truly know about Leon? He seemed to know quite a lot about the ''gods'' and


    ''unrecorded''. It wasn''t that I didn''t trust him, but I didn''t know him well enough to know his


    objectives.


    What if he had a grudge against the so-called unrecorded?


    .... At the same time, I also wasn''t sure of what to make of what I was seeing.


    Holding onto my breath, I looked at the tombstone.


    ''Oracleus. Emmet Rowe.''


    And then I looked at my hands.


    Am I really...

 Chapter 302: End of the First Phase [1]

    Chapter 302: End of the First Phase [1]


    ?


    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!


    A pair of yellow eyes shone with grace, watching as several bodies around him copsed, lifeless, to the ground.


    The bodies belonged to thin figures with long, sickly arms that unnervingly stretched down from their backs, their bodies now motionless at his feet as their blood slowly seeped into the dry ground beneath, staining the earth with dark ck color.


    But as if that wasn''t enough, several dozen more of the same creatures surrounded him. They stood still, their vacant, empty eye sockets staring nkly in his direction from all sides.


    They were all alive, yet not a single one seemed capable of moving.


    As if frozen in ce.


    ".... How many does that make?"


    Caius stretched his arm to the side. In a short few seconds, he felt something soft fall on his hand, and he brought it to his face.


    "It makes it twenty-three at once."


    "Oh, not bad."


    Caius wiped the sweat using the towel he received and tossed it back to Ang.


    Massaging his neck, he flicked his hand up.


    One of the Wraiths that surrounded him lifted off the ground and floated before him.


    "They''re quite a bit weaker than I thought."


    Swiping his hand, the Wraith''s body turned and twisted in the air before it levitated right before him.


    Caius pinched his chin as he closely examined the corpse.


    "It''s been almost a week, and we''re soon going to have to return. It''s a bit of a pity if this is the little warm-up that we''ll have to do before the second phase."


    Closing his hand, Caius watched as the Wraith''s body suddenly crumpled, the air filled with the sickening sound of bones cracking and twisting.


    Cra Crack-!


    Within seconds, the Wraith was reduced to a thin,pressed ball, which Caius casually dismissed with a flick of his finger.


    Boom-!


    The ground shattered beneath the impact of the ball.


    Thump!


    Several bodies fell immediately after, their bodies torn in half, with the missing portions scattered like debris.


    Caius nced around at the dozen or so Wraiths surrounding him. The corner of his lips curled up slightly, a trace of amusement lingering on his lips.


    Raising his hand, Caius gave the Wraiths back their ability to move. Instantly, they lunged at him from all sides, hundreds of arms reaching out for him and casting long and thin shadows over the area where he stood.


    He remained motionless with the same thin smile on his face as the hands covered him.


    Tilting his head slightly, Caius peered through the narrow gaps between the outstretched hands reaching for him. He fixed his gaze on the white sun hanging in the sky, his bright yellow pupils gleaming with an unsettling light.


    As he stared, something intangible began to expand from the ground beneath him, gradually enveloping his surroundings and the Wraiths in a creeping, invisible force.


    "Stop."


    As he spoke, his voice quietlyyered as his surroundings froze.


    His face twitched slightly as he rubbed his head.


    "....It''s not quite there."


    Scratching his head, a dome started to form over his surroundings. It slowly covered his surroundings but stopped halfway.


    Staring at the halfplete dome, Caius sighed.


    "I''ll get there soon enough, I guess."


    With a sigh, he pressed his hands together, and a fountain of ck sprayed all over him. Basking in the blood of the Wraiths, Caius took a step forward as the bodies copsed alongside him.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    Without turning back, he quietly mumbled,


    "Let''s go. We''re going to bete at this rate. There''s an interesting fellow I want to match up against. Though I''m not sure how entertaining our fight will be."


    ***


    In a different area.


    Crackle~


    A fire crackled as a man stood by, silently observing its dance with his cold, gray eyes. Beside him, a young woman with long tinum hair and piercing blue eyes sat. She wore silver armor that covered half of her chest and legs, reflecting the flickering light of the mes.


    Beside her were several other members of the same empire.


    "What are you thinking so deeply about, Amell?"


    11


    ".....


    Amell didn''t answer, keeping his gaze fixed on the fire in front of him.


    "Amell?"


    It was only after Agatha spoke again that he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    "It''s his birthday today..."


    "Ah."


    As if realizing what this was about, Agatha''s expression changed subtly. The atmosphere surrounding the fire grew a little tense.


    This was a sour topic within the Empire. Something that the Royal family refused to talk


    about and hid from the world.


    Everyone seemed to have forgotten.


    Everyone but Amell...


    "He would''ve been about my age by now."


    It was regarding his brother''s death.


    To this day, Amell refused to ept that his brother was dead. The body had never been found, and as long as there was no physical evidence, he clung to the belief that his brother


    was still alive.


    The harsh truth, however, was that what remained of his brother was probably nothing but


    ashes.


    The fire that raged on that day would''ve made it impossible for a young kid to escape.


    Agatha, his fianc¨¦e, and the future Sword Saintess of their Empire knew the truth all too well


    but chose to remain silent.


    There was no use taking the idea off of his mind.


    To lighten up the mood, she tried to joke.


    "Do you think he would''ve been as handsome as you?"


    That did seem to work as Amell chuckled slightly.


    "Probably not."


    Even if they were twins, he still believed he''d be better-looking. But what brother didn''t


    think they were more handsome than their brother?


    "Hmm, I don''t know."


    Agatha tilted her head and looked to be in deep contemtion.


    Finally, Amell''s expression changed as his head flicked in her direction.


    "What are you thinking so deeply about?"


    || ||


    Agatha didn''t answer and just stared into his eyes, her lips curling slightly.


    "I don''t know if you''d look better than your brother, to be honest."


    "Ah?"


    "From what I heard he takes more from your father than you did. Your father is pretty


    handsome, so..."


    Agatha covered her lips andughed.


    ".... It''s a tough one."


    "What? What''s so tough about it?"


    "Um."


    Agatha shrugged.


    "Whatever the case, he has the same gray eyes as yours. I''m sure he looks good."


    After all, those gray eyes of his... They were one of the distinctive features of the Verdant


    Empire Royal Family.


    "I guess."


    Amell waved his hand and the fire faded. Standing up, he looked towards the others to make sure they were all well-rested before nudging with his head.


    "Let''s go. We''re almost there."


    ***


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    Kaelion''s chest heaved withbored breaths, his entire body drenched in blood from head to


    toe. Surrounding himy several scattered monsters, pieces of their bodies strewn across the


    ground.


    It was a devastating sight that would upset the weakest of stomachs, and yet, Kaelion treated


    everything as if it were normal.


    No, he was used to such a scene.


    For as long as he could remember, his life had been like this.


    Alone, and filled with blood.


    It was for that reason that he didn''t think twice about betraying those within his Empire.


    They''d do the same thing if they were in his position.


    Since birth, they had been taught the same thing over and over again. Strength first, everything else second. To be strong, he needed to live so he never regretted his choices.


    This was the reality of his life.


    "Hoooo."


    Taking a deep breath, Kaelion raised his head as a smile graced his lips.


    "....I think I should be able to handle it now."


    Emotive Magic.


    Ever since the incident at the strange, cult-like ce, he had tormented himself day and


    night, hiring every Emotive Mage he could find to expose himself to their power. He ruthlessly subjected himself to it every second he could. To the point where he wished nothing but death on himself, but it was all worth it.


    He was confident in his ability to resist it for at least a few seconds.


    It wasn''t much, but it was enough for him.


    "Roooaar-!"


    A thunderous roar echoed in the distance. Turning his head, Kaelion saw a gigantic, tiger-like


    monster with bat-like wings hurtling toward him at tremendous speed.


    His lips twisted into a cruel smile as he brought the leg of one of the monsters he had killed to


    his mouth and took a bite.


    Crunch!


    Staining his lips in blue, he tossed the leg to the side and rushed toward the approaching


    monster.


    With both hands outstretched, the ground cracked and splintered with each step he took,


    causing the surroundings to twist and distort wildly.


    "Haaa!"


    Shouting at the top of his lungs, he grasped the tiger''s massive paws, and a tremendous


    explosion erupted, reverberating through the surroundings and shattering the ground beneath them.


    For a brief second, the two remained in a stalemate like that before Kaelion''s entire body


    twisted and he brought his hands down.


    Boooom-!


    With a pained wail, the tiger cried out, but before it could react further, Kaelion''s hand


    descended sharply, cleaving down toward its neck.


    Spurt!


    A fountain of blood drowning his features, Kaelion stood still as his chest heaved up and


    down unevenly.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ..."


    Staring at the lifeless corpse before him, he quietly mumbled,


    "A few seconds... That''s all I''ll need."


    Without wiping the blood off his body, he slowly turned around and headed forward.


    ***


    Grimspire.


    The Main za was deserted.


    It''d usually be filled with all sorts of people, chatting and purchasing goods for the merchants


    stationed by the sides, but today, it was quiet.


    The reason for this was that today would be the day the participants of the Summit would


    return.


    Standing on one of the balconies that overlooked the za from above, Delh calmly gazed toward her surroundings.


    A certain, intangible tension lingered in the air as all eyes were on the za. While death was possible, all the participants were the cream of the crop. Death was quite rare


    given their skill level. The reason why everyone was so nervous was because there were only forty-eight spots avable for the second phase.


    It was all on a ''firste, first served'' basis.


    In that sense, the tension stemmed from the fact that there was no equal number of


    participants for each Empire. The country with the most participants would inevitably hold the advantage.


    It was for that reason that the atmosphere was tense.


    "Are you not nervous?"


    Sitting opposite Delh was As. As the two members of Haven, they naturally sat together.


    Delh briefly nced in his direction before shaking her head,


    "It doesn''t matter."


    "Oh? Are you that confident that we''ll have a lot of participants?"


    "No."


    Delh turned her head and looked at him indifferently.


    "...The number doesn''t matter. We only need the right people to get at least one spot."


    As smiled, turning his attention toward the za.


    "I am of the same opinion."

 Chapter 303: End of the First Phase [2]

    Chapter 303: End of the First Phase [2]


    ?


    The za was quiet.


    Not a sound could be heard. All eyes were toward the entrance of the za, awaiting the iing participants to see who would make it to the second phase.


    Discussions were already starting amongst the upper echelon.


    Gael in particr looked nervous.


    ''She''ll make it, right?''


    He started to chew on his lips.


    ''I heard that she''s the ck Star so there should be no problems. Yeah, I''ve also taught her quite a bit myself so I know her level, but she did spend quite a bit of time acting. Maybe she didn''t pay much attention then andgged behind others. What if she got a boyfriend? Then things will be even worse... Oh, no,no,no. If she got a boyfriend, what do I do? Father will probably not care, but I care. She might get scammed given how innocent she is. Oh no...''


    Gael''s thoughts were a jumbled mess. He wasn''t one to overthink often, but when it came down to his sister, he tended to overthink to the extreme.


    Almost to the point where one might think he was insane.


    Thankfully, he was able to hide his thoughts rather well as none of the people around him noticed any changes.


    "Who do you think will arrive first?"


    Elysia, the crown princess of the Verdant Empire, spoke in a quiet tone.


    Today, she was dressed in simple clothing-a light white shirt tucked into a pair of brown pants. Despite the simplicity of her clothing, a regal aura surrounded her, making her presence stand out from the rest.


    Her light red hair caught the sunlight, and her piercing blue eyes gazed intently at the za, her thoughts hard to read.


    "....I''ve got two cute little juniors from my Empire. They''re quite talented but knowing them, they''ll probably arrive a littleter."


    "Is that so?"


    Gael tried to act engaged, but all he could think about was Aoife.


    Thankfully, he didn''t need to think of what to say as Theron, Aetheria''s Crown Prince lightly spoke.


    "It should be Caius."


    Theron wore his usual thin smile, his deep yellow eyes glinting with a quiet pride as he casually brushed back his ck hair. He was dressed in light, simple clothing-a ck shirt and brown pants that, despite their simplicity, only served to enhance his striking appearance.


    With looks that didn''t lose out to anyone, he leaned back in his chair with an air of confidence. "Caius?"


    Gael snapped out of it and finally turned his head in Theron''s direction.


    There weren''t many names that grabbed his attention, but if there was one name that could make him snap out of his thoughts about his sister then it had to be Caius.


    Each Empire had its own talents, but only a few truly stood out.


    Ranked first amongst the contestants, with a talent enough to rival Delh''s, he was a name that Gael couldn''t forget.


    He therefore said,


    "....Right, he could be a valid choice, but speed doesn''t really matter. What matters is that they qualify for the second phase."


    "That''s true."


    "Ehh... I guess you have a point."


    Theron smiled and rested his cheek on his propped-up hand.


    "Still, it''s nice to be first, right? It''s also nice to have a lot of the members be from the same Empire. How funny would it be if they were all from the same Empire?"


    Theronughed lightly.


    "It would be funny, but you know that''s not possible."


    The contestants were scattered quite far from each other. While they could see their exact locations, trying to join up together was an impossible task since there was no means ofmunication.


    "It''s a pity."


    Gael smiled while turning his attention back to the entrance of the za.


    ...I''ll be happy with just a few.''


    The Nurs Ancifa Empire was usually rankedst in the Summit events. It was something that was attributed to their policies in order to keep the Royal family in power.


    Gael understood this all too well and felt a pang of guilt, but it was necessary to maintain their strength and prevent a coup d''¨¦tat. Of all the four Empires, their Empire was the most bnced Empire.


    They didn''t need to worry about internal fights and squabbles like the other Empires, allowing them to focus all their attention on the Mirror Dimension.


    Throughout the years, with theck of internal fighting, they were able to be the strongest Empire. While their general individual battle strength was indeed weaker than some of the other Empires, it wasn''t divided into different factions like theirs.


    This was what truly made them stronger than the other Empires.


    "Oh, someone ising!"


    As Elysia pointed out, toward the entrance of the za, two silhouettes appeared.


    Their features were hard to see, but as they appeared, the smile on Theron''s face thickened.


    "See? They''re indeed quite fast?"


    Heughed lightly.


    Finally stepping into the za, a young man with striking blonde hair and deep yellow eyes made his entrance. The white sun hanging behind him cast a brilliant glow, entuating his


    presence.


    He surveyed the area with a satisfied smile before turning to face the girl behind him to


    mouth a few words.


    Most probably about how they hade first.


    ".... Not that it wasn''t expected."


    Gael ignored him and continued to keep his attention fixed toward the entrance. With the aid


    of the map, he was able to see that more and more dots were starting to near the area.


    It was only a matter of time before the za would be flooded.


    "Oh, wow!


    As anticipated, moments after Caius''s appearance, several other figures emerged from behind them. Leading them were two figures. With deep gray eyes, coupled with his appearance and the appearance of the girl beside him, it was hard not to notice them.


    At the same time, over half a dozen figures appeared behind them, walking solemnly, and


    further adding to the tense atmosphere.


    Their presence took over the entire za.


    p! p-!


    Elysia pped her hands joyfully. They were members of her own Empire.


    In total, there were eight, and Elysia looked extremely happy with the oue. Following their appearance, more and more participants started to show up.


    The next figure to emerge was difficult to recognize. His entire body was covered in scratches and smeared with blood, his long hair obscuring his face. Despite his disheveled appearance, Lucian''s satisfied grunt confirmed that he was indeed someone from the Aurora Empire. Gael, who was familiar with most top profiles was more or less able to guess who it was.


    Their top-ranked prospect; Kaelion.


    ''Still, nobody?''


    Gael looked at the za. There were now twenty people, and there had yet to be one from his


    Empire.


    He was starting to grow worried.


    Surely...


    "Ah!"


    His eyes lit up brightly as he noticed a couple of figures approaching. In particr, his eyes were set on the young girl with familiar red hair and yellow eyes.


    Gael''s chest swelled with pride the moment he saw her. Though he had maintained a calm exterior, beneath it, he had been anything but calm. Her presence eased much of the stress and worry that had been weighing on him.


    Trailing behind her was someone with striking purple hair. The two moved forward in silence, not exchanging a single word, but their arrival captured the attention of everyone in the


    za.


    "It looks like there''s someone from each Empire."


    Elysia was the most satisfied at the moment. The current ratio was eleven from the Verdant


    Empire, three for the Aetheria Empire, six from the Aurora Empire, and two from the Nurs


    Ancifa Empire.


    Her Empire was leading quite well, and so how could she not be happy?


    "Hehe, this is good."


    But her happiness didn''tst for very long.


    Just as she began boasting, a group of half a dozen figures appeared at the entrance of the


    za. Gael''s expression lit up as he recognized the familiar ''Haven'' crest on their shoulders.


    "They''re from my Empire!''


    Leading the group was a girl with striking tinum-colored hair and deep red eyes. There


    was a certain calmness in her gaze that made her stand out from the rest. nking her were several figures from various Academies across the Empire, each one following her quietly. There were a total of seven of them, adding up to nine from their Empire.


    While they still weren''t first, this was a lot more than anyone had anticipated as the


    surroundings grew a little quiet.


    There were now twenty-nine participants already.


    This meant that there were only neen spots left. Suddenly, the surroundings grew tense.


    All eyes were on the za.


    What would the final ratio be?


    ***


    In a different corner, Delh and As observed the newly arrived members. As''s face was lit with a smile, while Delh''s expression remained impassive. However, a keen observer would catch a subtle glint in her eyes as she set her gaze upon the figures from their Empire.


    If Julien had been present, he''d have been able to tell what she was currently feeling.


    Satisfaction.


    Just because she did what she did in the past didn''t mean that she hated her Empire.


    Contrary, she was quite happy with it.


    It was just that she cared more about her cadets.


    "Two more have entered. Time is getting shorter."


    As murmured while taking a sip of his tea. Delh kept her gaze on the za as she silently pursed her lips.


    Their Empire had now a total of nine spots. This was a good number. Especially when


    considering that in the past they only held between four and five. It was much higher than before, but there was a problem...


    "If Julien and Leon don''t hurry up soon, they might not qualify for the second phase. That


    would be a little problematic."


    Indeed.


    The problem was that Julien and Leon, their two best members were nowhere near in sight.


    ''Did something happen...?''


    Delh nced at the map but quickly closed it again. All she saw were dots, and she didn''t


    know which one belonged to Julien and Leon.


    The first phase was always like this.


    It was only when the second phase started that everyone would get to see the broadcast and


    progress of the participants.


    Delh felt a slight sense of unease as she looked at the entrance.


    "There''s eleven more spots left."


    As''s words from beside her were like an rm that reminded her of the dwindling time that


    was left before the two of them would fail to qualify.


    "Nine spots."


    Thin webs formed across the teacup in her hand. Unknowingly, she was starting to lose


    control of her power.


    "Six spots."


    Delh let go of the cup and started to stand up.


    Her expression was colder than it had ever been.


    "Five spots."


    As''s voice continued to faintly echo as she found herself standing up.


    "Fo-Would you look at that?"


    He suddenlyughed, and Delh''s head flicked toward the entrance of the za.


    "....Those two have finally decided to show up."


    Her eyes paused on two figures.


    They looked like a total mess, with their hair scattered and their clothes ripped. In particr


    Julien. He looked to be in the worst state.


    ||


    Something twitched within Delh as she sat back down.


    "Is everything alright?"


    Noticing the peculiarity in Delh''s expression, As turned to look at her. She didn''t answer


    and rummaged through her pocket before taking out a small chocte bar.


    Her face contorted with a mix of longing and pain as she nced at it, but after a moment''s


    struggle, she managed to set it aside.


    As, aware of herplicated rtionship with chocte given how they both attended


    Haven at the same time, tilted his head in curiosity.


    "Are you not going to eat it?"


    "No."


    "...Saving it forter?"


    "No." As frowned.


    "Then...?"


    "Not for me."


    Following the strange silence, Delh raised her head to look at As who for the first time


    she had known him was looking at her with wide eyes. He appeared to be in slight shock.


    She frowned.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "........"


    But As didn''t answer.


    His shock was hard to describe. Was this really the same Delh that would rather die than


    share her chocte?

 Chapter 304: End of the First Phase [3]

    Chapter 304: End of the First Phase [3]


    ?


    Leon and Julien walked in silence.


    As they stepped into the za, over a dozen pairs of eyes immediately fixed on them, each gaze carrying a mix of curiosity, surprise, and something else that Leon couldn''t quite determine.


    "We''ve made it in time."


    Leon sighed in relief. They had been dangerously close to runningte. Thankfully, the two of them together were pretty fast and were able to surpass the others that were approaching.


    Gatekeeping was also not allowed, and hence, they had no choice but to be very fast.


    "Hoo."


    Leon found his gaze pausing in a certain direction, and he felt his shoulder lighten considerably.


    "There''s more than I anticipated.''


    He could count over a dozen people from their side. Eleven to be exact, and with the two of thembined, they''d be at thirteen.


    This was a number that was way higher than originally anticipated.


    With that being said, Leon''s expression turned serious shortly after. The numbers were nice, but what mattered was the overall ranking.


    At least, that was as far as he was aware.


    "Let''s go."


    He nudged Julien with his head.


    The entire time, Julien remained quiet and didn''t say a word. With a mere nod, he followed along with Leon''s words and moved.


    11


    -----


    Leon stared at Julien''s back with aplicated expression.


    He had been like this for the past few days. Since leaving the tomb, he had changed. He started to speak less, and he always seemed to be in thought.


    He looked like a shell of himself.


    Leon tried to get something out of him. To get an idea of what he saw, but Julien refused to budge each time. He simply didn''t want to talk about it. In the end, Leon let him be and didn''t press further.


    Everyone had their own secrets, and so did he.


    In fact, he had quite a fair share of his own secrets that he couldn''t divulge.


    For that reason, he could understand where Julien wasing from.


    With that being said, he was a little worried.


    He had never seen this ''new'' Julien act like this before...


    Leon was also worried about the uing second phase. In his current state, Julien was set to lose within the first few rounds.


    ''Hopefully he recovers soon.''


    Things would certainly be a little problematic if he wasn''t in top condition for the second phase. Leon did after all believe that Julien had the necessary strength to reach the top in case he failed.


    Nheless, while Leon was worried, he wasn''t too worried.


    While Julien didn''t look to be in the right state of mind, that came more from the shock of whatever he learned than anything else.


    At the end of the day, it was only just shock. He didn''t seem to have given up on his life or appeared to have some sort of brain trauma.


    Leon believed he just needed time to process the situation.


    Whatever he saw, it needed time to sort through.


    "You guys have finally arrived."


    Greeting the two of them was Aoife who distanced herself from the main group, alternating her gaze between the two of them.


    "....It seems like you guys met up with a lot of trouble."


    She pointedly looked at their clothes which were a mess. Julien''s in particr was quite bad. But thinking back at what they faced, Leon couldn''t help but shrug.


    "We did, but we managed to get around."


    "That bad?"


    "Pretty bad."


    "Alright."


    Aoife took her eyes away from them and pointed at the group.


    "Everyone is already here. With you two we have thirteen people. We''re doing considerably better than the previous years."


    "I saw."


    Leon nodded quietly while joining the group and greeting the familiar-looking faces. He knew pretty much everyone present. Kiera, Josephine, Evelyn, Luxon, and the members from the other Academies.


    Sharing a few pleasantries with them, he was just about to say more when a voice boomed throughout the za.


    <The First Phase has officially ended. The gates will now close!>


    nk! nk!


    A loud rattling reverberated through the za as the gates began to close, their heavy ng sealing off any further entry. The sound drew everyone''s attention, and beyond the bars of the gates, they could see the despair etched on the faces of several participants who had just arrived, only to realize they were toote.


    nk-


    Leon drew in a cold breath as the gates came to a close, marking the end of the First Phase.


    Following this, the voice boomed again.


    <The Second Phase will begin shortly. Please take the time that you have right now to rest.>


    It disappeared shortly after that, leaving everyone confused.


    "Rest now? How much time do we have?"


    "We just came back. Surely they''ll give us a little bit more time to rest."


    "My shoulder is injured! Can I get something to heal it?"


    "How long do we have to wait?"


    Confusion started to spread amongst the contestants. How could it not? Not only did they not know who had spoken, but they had also been told little to no information about the


    uing phase.


    How was this fair?


    What sort of situation was this!?


    "What should we do?"


    Leon turned to face Aoife who pinched her chin and fell into thought. She looked behind her for a brief moment, her gaze falling on Kiera who looked unusually quiet. She thought about talking to her but stopped herself before sitting down on the ground.


    "What else?"


    She pointed toward those from the members of the other Empires.


    "Since we don''t know how much time we have, the only choice we have is to follow what the others are doing and just rest. Get into top condition before the second phase."


    Aoife closed her eyes after saying her piece. She looked to be in a meditative state, trying her best to recover her energies while she had time.


    Leon looked around for a brief moment, his eyes settling over to Julien who was still in his weird state. In the end, with a long and tired sigh, he went along with what Aoife said and sat


    down on the ground.


    ''I guess she''s right.''


    He closed his eyes and started to recuperate his strength.


    ***


    "How long should we give them?"


    "They look quite worn out. Some even have slight injuries. It would be good if we gave them


    enough time..."


    "One hour."


    A deep and cold voice echoed amidst the discussions that were happening. Gael and Elysia turned to their left, where Lucian sat quietly. His face, as usual, remained


    impassive, his keen eyes fixed on the za. Lucian wasn''t one for many words, but when he


    did speak, his decisions were always final.


    He was a stubborn man and all those present knew this.


    "Why do you say one hour?"


    Theron seemed amused by the suggestion as he propped his chin up to get a better look at


    Lucian who despite sitting like him, towered over everyone.


    ".....There''s two reasons, really."


    Lucian spoke, his voice sounding extremely deep.


    "Firstly, I''ve already waited too long. This has been dragging too much."


    "Ho-oh?"


    Gael covered his mouth to hide hisughter.


    He was the only one who found it funny as Theron''s and Elysia''s expressions were stoic,


    hiding any trace of what they truly felt.


    "Secondly, I don''t see anyone with major injuries. If it''s nothing major, I don''t see how we


    can''t start this. If they can''t handle a little pain, they don''t deserve to be here."


    ||


    Theron remained quiet, his head slowly turning and fixing on Caius.


    There were a few others gathered around him, and it was true. While they did sustain some


    injuries, it was nothing major. The same was true for everyone else that was present.


    "You''re right."


    Upon realizing this, he no longer argued and ended up nodding his head.


    "We can do it like that."


    Lucian turned to look at Elysia who gently sighed and leaned back.


    "My side is okay with it too."


    Then, all eyes fell on Gael. He was in a bit of a stump. From his side, everyone looked to be


    fine. Everyone but one person.


    ''Julien Dacre Evenus.''


    He seemed out of it of some sort.


    While his body didn''t seem to have any injuries, his mind wasn''t there, and it was quite


    obvious with how he was the only one that was still standing.


    ''What should I do...?''


    Since Julien was from his Empire, Gael had an understanding of him. Ranked around the


    thirties, he was a promising talent that onlygged behind Aoife and Leon. At least... that was


    how it seemed on the surface. He had received some news regarding a certain performance he had with the Vice-Chancellor of the Bremmer Central Academy.


    His strength was not as it was shown on paper.


    Having him not fight properly would be detrimental to their chances of victory. But at the


    same time, he wasn''t sure his refusal would get him anywhere.


    Turning his head and seeing everyone else looking at him, he chewed over his words.


    ''What should I do...?''


    Closing his eyes, he shifted his attention towards Julien. He pondered for a brief moment, and


    just as he was about toe out with his decision, his expression shifted.


    "What the..."


    ***


    Ever since I learned about the tomb, my thoughts have been a mess.


    I was in utter confusion, and questions popped up one after another in my mind. It got to the


    point where my head started to hurt and I could hardly concentrate.


    For that reason, I chose to seal most of my emotions.


    Fear, Anger, Sadness, Joy...


    I sealed everything that I could so that I could logically sort through my thoughts.


    It was only then that I was able to cooly process all the information that I had managed to


    grasp.


    From that point, I came to an understanding.


    ''I''m missing a good chunk of my memories.''


    No matter how much I sorted through my memories, there was no hint of anything with


    regard to the word ''Oracleus'' or anything rted to the ''Unrecorded'' or events on the murals.


    There was something critical within my memories that I was missing.


    .....But why?


    Why were some of my memories missing?


    Who could be responsible for all of this...? My brother?


    My mind shook, rattling the chains that were keeping my emotions locked. The thought of my


    brother being responsible for all of this and being in this world shook whatever I was trying to


    keep close.


    For the first time since appearing in this world, I had finally found a clue about him.


    ''Mortum.''


    It wasn''t in the way that I thought I''d hear. In some way, he found himself in this world as


    well. He gained immortal powers, allowing his blood to heal anything that got in touch with


    it.


    ''It''s quite sad if you think about it. Mortum. He''s immortal, and he has the power to revive everyone in the entire world except... His own family.''


    The words that Leon had previously said to me were still engraved in my mind, and they continued to linger there, continuously haunting my mind every second of the day.


    The possibility of his words being true ate at my consciousness. What sort of curse was this?


    I needed to find him.


    But how could I do that...? How could I find Mortum?


    ".....''


    My head yet again throbbed, and the chains rattled further.


    There was so much to think about and my thoughts were starting to mix with each other. I


    didn''t know where to start, and the thought was eating away at my sanity.


    I was growing impatient, and I wanted answers.


    I needed an-


    Tok!


    "...?"


    Out of nowhere, something struck the top of my head, causing me to instinctively duck.


    Tak!


    Shortly after, a familiar-looking bar fell on the floor. It was a bar that could only be found in


    the Haven shop and Lens, the city near Haven.


    ||


    I stood in silence for a brief moment before picking up the bar.


    "This is...?"


    I turned my head to look behind me, in search of a certain someone. However, looking


    around, I couldn''t find the person I was looking for.


    "Strange."


    Did it slip her hand...?


    ''No, if it slipped then she''d have teleported here and taken it back.''


    Crazy to think about, but she would definitely do that.


    The lock rattled.


    "Since it wasn''t an ident maybe she''s giving it to me?"


    The lock rattled again.


    "No way, right?"


    Delh was someone who would rather die than share her chocte. The thought of sharing


    her chocte was worse than dying to her.


    And yet...


    "Maybe, it''s not hers?"


    I flipped the bar back and saw a few words written in red.


    [Eat it]


    ''It''s her...''


    Nobody besides her had such bad handwriting.


    "....I don''t really like sweets to be honest."


    I couldn''t handle sweet stuff. And yet, despite knowing this, I still ended up opening the bar.


    For some reason, I just felt like eating it.


    ||


    Or at least, this was how I felt at first.


    The bar...


    It was actually already open.


    Peeling the wrapper to get a better look at what was inside, I found myself at a loss for words


    as the lock rattled even more fiercely.


    It was on the verge of breaking.


    The bar...


    There was only one cube left. What remained was the small tray that kept the wrapper in


    shape.


    Staring at the single cube that remained, I felt my expression twitch.


    "This..."


    Cra Crack!


    Suddenly, the lock shattered, and I hunched over as a torrent of emotions surged through my


    mind. Anger, sadness... but one emotion overwhelmed them all.


    "Pftt."


    I burst outughing.

 Chapter 305: End of the First Phase [4]

    Chapter 305: End of the First Phase [4]


    ?


    "....Let''s start it in an hour."


    Seeing the sudden turnaround in Julien''s behavior, Gael sighed in relief and decided to go along with the other''s decision.


    "Alright."


    And so, with that, an hour was given for the participants to rest before the start of the second phase.


    Once everything was in ce, they ryed the information to several key figures. The First Phase was designed to filter out the truly powerful participants from the rest, while the Second Phase aimed to disy the strength and potential of each Empire''s future leaders.


    It was an event that was typically broadcast across all four Empires for everyone to witness. "Everyone get ready!"


    "Get ready to start the broadcast in exactly an hour."


    "Make sure that everything is ready."


    Each Empire had its own dedicated broadcasting agency. They would broadcast the entire event from the main channel, free for all citizens to watch.


    News of the start of the event was already making waves in all four Empires.


    The Four Empire Summit was a famous event that was known throughout each of the four Empires and was something that everyone eagerly anticipated to watch. Which Empire didn''t want to see its own Empiree out on top?


    Pubs started to fill, zas started to fill, and gradually, the atmosphere around each Empire started to liven up.


    *


    Evenus Household.


    News of the Event had also reached their households. Aldric, Julien''s father, was particrly interested in the Summit. It wasn''t so much because his son had made it to the squad, but more because he''d be able to familiarize himself with the talents within the Empire.


    If possible, he''d like to recruit talented young prodigies to his household in order to increase their status.


    Just as he had once done for Leon a long time ago.


    "It should be starting soon."


    An aged voice echoed quietly from behind Aldric.


    cing his pen down, Aldric turned his head to meet the eyes of an elderly figure with a thinning mustache and well-kept hair. He wore a typical butler uniform and met Aldric''s gaze with a calm expression.


    He was Dorian, once a loyal knight, now turned butler.


    Dorian was one of the few people that Aldric trustedpletely. He didn''t even trust his own children as much as he did with Dorian.


    "The Young Master and Leon will be participating soon."


    "That''s only on the premise that they make it to the Second Phase."


    Aldric shut down the Butler''s words.


    He was very familiar with how the system worked, and just because Julien and Leon had made


    it to the main team didn''t mean that they would make it to the main round.


    Only the cream of the crop could make it to the final phase.


    "Do you not have much faith in the young master and Leon? From the reports the two of them are doing splendidly in the-"


    "That is none of my concern."


    Aldric once again cut Dorian off.


    Drumming his fingers against the polished wooden table he leaned back on his chair.


    "Doing well at an Academy ispletely different than doing well outside of an Academy. Furthermore, I''ve watched the two of them grow up. I know what they''re capable of. I do believe Leon will make it, but I''m not so sure about Julien."


    Listening to Aldric''s words, Dorian didn''t say anything and just smiled.


    The Master''s words were true to some extent.


    He too had closely monitored the Young Master and Leon since young. He knew of their capabilities and was well aware that it was almost impossible for them to make it to the Second Phase.


    ''....Leon can definitely make it, but what about the Young Master?''


    The Young Master wasn''t untalented. No, he was quite talented. He wasn''t a prodigy, but he was also above the others when it came to talent.


    But he had one major w.


    ''He''s obsessed with the sword.''


    To the point where after a certain point, he refused to have anything to do with the talents he had been bestowed, only training with the sword.


    Night and day he''d train with the sword as if there was no tomorrow.


    Dorian had watched his desperate struggle for a very long time, pleading for him to stop, as that would only stunt his future, and this was now the best time for him to train.


    But he never listened.


    He kept at it with the sword, and his personality started to change.


    In the end, they could only give up and let him be.


    He was the total opposite of Leon who was talented with the sword and actually stuck to it. With time, his talent started to bloom, and it wasn''t long before everyone was aware of what sort of monster they were taking care of.


    ....Even after they heard about Julien''s aplishments from Haven and saw the broadcast, they still weren''t confident in his abilities.


    ''If only he had trained earlier...''


    Perhaps then the Master would have more confidence in his own son.


    "Where is Linus?"


    "Hm? The Second Young Master?"


    "Yes,"


    "He should be in his room."


    Dorian answered after a brief pause.


    Aldric nodded after a brief pause and brought his hand forward, nudging his finger.


    "Tell him toe here."


    "For...?"


    "The Summit."


    Aldric answered tly, pressing his hand against a small cube on his desk which lit up to


    disy arge screen.


    "I''ll have him watch the event with me."


    ***


    Grimspire.


    Main za.


    Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!


    It happened abruptly. I didn''t have the time to properly process what was happening before a


    sudden rattling sound echoed in the air.


    It was reminiscent of a series of chains pressing and grinding against one another.


    "What...?"


    "What''s going on?"


    Confusion took over the za as everyone stood up from the spots, raising their heads to look


    around the za to better understand the situation that was unfolding.


    Just moments prior everyone had been recuperating their injuries when everything started to


    change.


    But not all looked confused.


    Raising his head up, Caius smiled.


    "Is it starting?"


    Rattle-!


    The rattling grew louder and more chaotic, filling the air with an unnerving noise.


    I barely had time to process what was happening before a thick chain sprang up from the


    ground with a loud nk!


    nk-


    It wasn''t just one chain.


    Dozens of them shot up in quick session, their metallic links grinding against each other as


    they soared toward the sky.


    Rumble! Rumble-!


    The ground beneath me trembled violently, almost throwing me off bnce.


    "1"


    As I steadied myself, I noticed that despite the chaos, everyone around me seemed unusually


    calm, their eyes fixated on the ''Hand of Independence'' that stood at the center of the za.


    I recalled all the information that I knew about it.


    From how it had been here since the formation of Grimspire to how it had been too fragile for


    people to dig around it.


    At least, that was what I thought at first.


    Rumble!


    The hand, once something I thought was just there for decoration, began to shake violently.


    Around it, small, hovering devices-recording devices-captured the unfolding scene for the


    world to see.


    The chains continued to rise, and the ground shook even more fiercely.


    Then, the hand began to move.


    It rose slowly at first, revealing the massive arm attached to it. With pieces of metal dangling


    loosely, the arm was in a sorry state, its entire body corroded into a dull greenish hue, marred


    by deep fractures.


    Cra Crack!


    The ground beneath me cracked, the fissures spreading across the za like a web until they


    reached the municipal building where they finally stopped.


    I stepped back further.


    nk!


    A loud mechanical sound echoed through the air as the hand ascended further, revealing more


    of the arm.


    My breath caught in my throat as I fixed my gaze on the slowly unfurling statue.


    A thought crossed my mind.


    ''So it wasn''t because they couldn''t dig it out, but rather... It''s because they were waiting for this


    moment to show it.''


    Was it all for this moment?


    Rust and signs of wear marred the arm, with some parts missing entirely, exposing the


    skeletal structure beneath.


    As the hand continued to rise, several long spikes emerged from the ground just a little bit to


    its right, forming a jagged, broken crown atop a head.


    The crown and the face beneath it were both in a sorry state.


    Half of the statue''s face was missing, with only thin metal lines outlining where the missing


    pieces once were.


    My heart pounded in my chest as the face of the statue started to reveal itself.


    I was curious.


    Just what sort of statue was this?


    And...


    Why did it look so familiar?


    The thought took my breath away.


    nk! nk-!


    The chains that had shot into the air fell back down, coiling around the statue''s form like


    serpents, binding it as it rose up from the ground.


    The chains connected the statue with the surrounding za, nting themselves onto the


    ground.


    As they nted themselves firmly, the za itself seemed to pulse with faint, dark energy as


    a dim purple glow manifested around them, disying several runes that slowly started to light up.


    Rumble! Rumble-!


    As the chains locked into ce, securing the statue from all sides, its rise quickened, and its


    eyes gradually came into view for everyone to see.


    It soon became clear that the statue depicted a woman, with patches of soil and debris


    clinging to her face, partially obscuring her features.


    But the debris and soil soon fell to the ground, allowing everyone to see her face.


    I saw it too, and...


    My mind nked.


    Rumble!


    The more it rose, the more imposing the statue appeared as it cast a long shadow over the


    large za. Everyone looked impressed by what they were seeing, some even pping at the sight, but I couldn''t muster a single thought.


    Not one...


    "H-how?"


    When I snapped out of it, my thoughts were in a mess.


    My chest trembled as I unconsciously took a step back, my gaze remaining locked on the


    statue rising before my very eyes.


    "H-how is it here?"


    That Statue. No wonder it felt so familiar.


    It was none other than...


    The Statue of Liberty.

 Chapter 306: First Opponent [1]

    Chapter 306: First Opponent [1]


    ?


    Rumble-!


    The za continued to tremble as the worn-out statue finally emerged in full view for everyone to see. Major portions of its structure were torn away, with fragments dangling down, revealing the skeletal framework beneath.


    It was an imposing sight that left many of the onlookers breathless.


    For the first time since the creation of Grimspire, theplete form of the ''Hand of Liberation'' was unveiled to the world.


    The za was silenced.


    The Empires were silenced.


    The World was silenced.


    All eyes were fixed on the majestic statue that stood at the heart of the za.


    Rattle! Rattle-


    In the silence, only the rattling of the chains echoed through the air.


    The cracks that had formed on the ground began to mend, and gradually, everything returned to its original state.


    All except for the statue which now stood proudly and imposingly at the center of it all.


    "This is crazy."


    "....How could it be like this?"


    The faint sound of whispers quietly spread throughout the entire za as everyone started to talk about the statue and its possible origins.


    At least, that was what I managed to gather.


    I couldn''t focus properly.


    My thoughts were a jumbled mess that I couldn''t organize. The only reason I was able to keep calm was because of the lock that was sealing my emotions.


    But even that was rattling wildly.


    ....This was still a new ability that I had developed and needed more time to master. I was certain that it''d soon turn into an original spell.


    But it was just not quite there yet.


    I once again brought my thoughts back to the statue. The lock rattled with each nce that I took, forcing me to look away for good after a few sparing nces.


    ......Can this be a game setting?''


    The thought of the Mirror Dimension being Earth had crossed my mind multiple times.


    I wasn''t stupid.


    The thought had crossed my mind from the moment I learned about [English], and how it had been found in the Mirror Dimension.


    It was just that I didn''t want to believe in such a possibility.


    I denied the reality and associated it with the thought of it being an easter egg for the game. The thought crossed my mind for a brief instant as the statue appeared, and I wanted to believe that to be the case, but...


    "Hooo."


    I was reminded of a certain grave.


    ''Emmet Rowe.''


    Why would the game have my name be associated with one of its ''Gods''?


    I never yed the game nor had I ever imputed my name in it. The answer was obvious. This was no easter egg. It was real.


    The lock rattled fiercely.


    "There''s a chance this isn''t a game.''


    Certain elements pointed out at this being a game. The quest system, the experience gains, and the strange medieval world, but there were other aspects that made it seem as though this wasn''t a game but real life.


    A very distant life with an uncertain history.


    Which one is the truth...?


    And if that was the case, what about my real world? What happened to it? Could I even go back?


    ''No, does it even matter?''


    From the start, my goal was simple. Go back to my brother. Even after almost an entire year in this strange world, my goal hadn''t changed.


    ''Gods, and unrecorded.''


    I carefully mused over the words.


    I needed to find out more about them. There was little known about them, but all the clues


    and pieces hint toward their involvement.


    In order for me to get to the bottom of this, I needed to find out more about them.


    Thankfully, I wasn''tpletely lost in this regard.


    There were the seven main churches and the diary that once belonged to the Emperor of Nothing. I had yet to move past the first page. With everything that had been going on, I hardly had the time to sort through the diary.


    The hardest part was sorting through the handwriting which was somewhat difficult to read.


    Rumble!


    Shaking me out of my thoughts was another rumble.


    This time, the sensation seemed toe from directly beneath my feet. Before I could even process what was happening, arge chunk of the ground cracked and split apart. I nearly lost my bnce as I felt a force pushing up from below.


    It lifted me off the ground and moved up, almost like an elevator.


    "....."


    Seeing the ground shrink before my very eyes, the lock that sealed my emotions shattered, and I stumbled a couple of steps.


    "What''s going on?!"


    Ducking down, I pressed my hand against the makeshift tform to steady myself. Looking around in confusion, I saw several other tforms emerging from the ground.


    Thick chains beneath each tform were slowly lifting them into the air.


    Several participants appeared on each tform.


    I was the only one on my tform.


    It was strange since there were also people beneath, looking up in our direction in confusion.


    As I was wondering what was going on, a figure shed right next to me.


    "!"


    He was dressed in dark robes that clung to his body. With blonde hair, faintly greying at the sides, and thin brows, he stood by the edge of the tform. A faint and oppressive aura


    lingered over his body as he stood in silence.


    But that silence didn''tst for long.


    His lips parted open shortly after as he announced,


    "Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire versus Carmen Rivaline of the Aetheria Empire."


    My expression shifted as I noticed figures flickering in and out on each tform around me. The ground beneath the tforms began to restore itself once more, while several small floating objects orbited around our general area.


    "You have five minutes to get prepared."


    ***


    Carmen Rivaline stood tall at 1.90 meters, towering over most participants and gathering


    their attention with his intimidating presence.


    His brown hair, blue eyes, and well-proportioned features made him objectively handsome, drawing the gazes of those around him.


    Out of nowhere, several tforms emerged from the ground, thrust upward by thick chains adorned with strange purple runes. These tforms ascended and settled in the sky,


    suspended high above the za.


    "They sure didn''t skim on the visuals."


    With a smirk, Carmen crossed his arms and looked at the tform as well as the statue that


    was surrounded by the tforms.


    It was an intimidating sight.


    "Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire versus Carmen Rivaline of the Aetheria Empire."


    Hearing his name called out, he instinctively looked up, scanning the tforms with a calm


    look. Shortly after, a small cube appeared before him.


    He knew that he''d be transported to the tform the moment he pressed it.


    Carmen was just about to do so when a hand pressed against his shoulder.


    "Wait a second."


    A calm and smooth voice followed suit.


    Carmen felt a chill run down his spine as the voice reached his ears.


    Every hair on his body stood on end as he slowly turned his head, locking eyes with two deep yellow orbs that glowed with an intensity rivaling the white sun above. The unsettling calm smile on Caius''s face only heightened the tension, making his body grow stiff.


    ".... What do you need me to do?"


    "It''s nothing big." Caius slowly looked up, fixing his gaze on a certain tform.


    "Your opponent is an Emotive Mage. Be careful when fighting him. Try applying the


    technique you''ve used on me when sparring."


    "Ah, yes."


    The number of people that could rival Caius in his age group was almost non-existent.


    Carmen had once had the ambition of beating him but ultimately failed. And it wasn''t even close. In order to defeat Caius who was proficient in Emotive Magic, he developed mental


    techniques tobat it.


    But even then...


    It was useless.


    ....He was unable to defeat Caius.


    That monster.


    "Test the limit of his Emotive Magic. If you can block it, then test the limit of his Curse Magic.


    It''s okay even if you lose."


    Caius peacefully patted his shoulder.


    "....What matters is that you let me see better." Top of Form


    He quietly left right after that, leaving Carmen standing by himself with a nk expression. It


    took a moment for Carmen to snap out of it, his face slowly contorting in the process.


    Extending his hand, he grasped the cube that materialized before him. As his fingers tightened around it, his vision blurred and then refocused-he found himself standing on top


    of the tform.


    His eyes immediately set on the figure that stood in front of him.


    He was shorter than Carmen, appearing almost tiny inparison. His ck hair was neatlybed to the side, and he wore a ck suit typical of those from the Nurs Ancifa Empire. His


    hazel eyes were calm, like a still, rippleless well.


    Standing before him, Carmen''s expression cooled.


    ''It''s okay even if you lose.''


    Caius''s words once again echoed in his ears.


    ''Does he think there''s a chance I''d lose...?''


    Clench.


    His teeth tightened as he looked at his opponent. He felt his blood boil as the two stood in


    silence on opposite ends.


    Carmen was well aware of his opponent. Ranked in the thirties he was someone that he


    needed to keep an eye on. In particr, he was a strong Emotive Mage ording to the


    reports. But Carmen wasn''t afraid of Emotive Mages.


    In fact, he thrived against them.


    He refused to believe there was anyone on Caius''s level when it came to Emotive Magic.


    It was for that reason that he felt his blood boil.


    ''....I may not be able to defeat Caius, but that doesn''t mean I can''t defeat an inferior version of him.''


    Focusing on the referee, Carmen tensed his entire body and assumed a ready stance. As he closed his eyes, an enormous snowy mountain appeared in his mind, towering majestically and reaching toward the clouds.


    Rumble!


    The mountain rumbled faintly, sending a subtle tremor through the snow-covered peak.


    Despite the distant rumbling, Carmen remainedposed, holding the visualization steady


    in his mind.


    And then...


    "Begin!"


    The moment the referee''s voice echoed across the tform, everything came crashing down


    as a massive avnche formed.


    With a fierce expression, he leaned into his shoulder and charged toward Julien, the tform


    cracking under the force of each step.


    Crack! Crack-


    At the same time, another image appeared in his mind.


    As he charged forward, another image surfaced in his mind: a calmke, its surface nearly


    still, reflecting the moon that hung serenely in the sky, evoking a deep sense of peace.


    It was a stark contrast to the crumbling mountain.


    And as he raised his head, Carmen''s eyes locked onto Julien''s.


    ''Come...!''


    He shouted in his mind, his lips curling into a smile.


    ''....Try using your Emotive Magic.''

 Chapter 307: First Opponent [2]

    Chapter 307: First Opponent [2]


    ?


    "Begin!"


    As the referee''s voice faded, Julien raised his head and adjusted his physical and mental condition.


    He didn''t make any significant movements and remained standing in the same spot.


    At the same time, Carmen''s leg muscles bulged and wiggled as though they were alive, tensing and twisting before releasing all the tension at once and speeding up in Julien''s direction.


    With a quick burst, he appeared right before Julien, and he lowered his body further down. Cra Crack-


    Carmen''s steps were so heavy that he left deep imprints on the ground behind, fine miniature cracks spreading from the area ofpression.


    "Huuuap!"


    With a loud shout, his legs tensed further as he lowered his stance, readying himself for a shoulder tackle aimed at Julien. Every detail was meticulously aligned-the speed, the precision, and the awkward angle of the attack.


    Everything was as he envisioned in his mind.


    Anyone else in Julien''s position would have likely been flustered by the situation, but he remained calm andposed.


    Tak-


    With a light step forward, Julien raised his hand, effortlessly pressing it against the iing shoulder. Although his movements appeared slow to Carmen''s eyes, they were deceptively fast, and his hand soon made contact with Carmen''s shoulder.


    Carme immediately became confused by his action. Was he thinking of blocking his attack with his hand? But he soon understood.


    "Uekh!"


    Abruptly, Carmen felt his shoulder be incredibly heavy, pulling it downward and throwing his center of gravity off bnce.


    Bang, bang, bang-


    Carrying the momentum, Carmen stumbled past Julien, his feet digging deep into the ground as he struggled to regain his bnce.


    But how could Julien give him a chance?


    Without even ncing at his opponent, he raised his right hand as threads materialized, positioning themselves in Carmen''s path.


    With no time to evade, Carmen''s eyes locked onto the approaching threads, his expression hardening. His thigh muscles tensed as he twisted his torso, raising one leg high. In a desperate move, he mmed his foot down behind him, the ground cracking under the force of his stomp.


    Bang!


    Carmen''s body skidded back a few centimeters, dangerously close to the threads. A flicker of rm crossed his mind, but he quickly steeled himself, clenching his teeth as veins bulged along his neck.


    "Arkhhh....!"


    He pressed harder against the ground, forcing more power into his thighs, determined to stop his body.


    He was eventually able toe to a stop.


    "Hooo."


    Only then did he sigh in relief.


    "That was close."


    He looked at the threads behind him and wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    Taking another deep breath, he shifted his attention back toward Julien.


    Crack!


    Fissures spread from the ground beneath Carmen''s feet, forming a web of cracks across the tform.


    With his incredible stamina, he barely paused beforeunching himself forward again. His muscles twisted and tensed, coiling like springs as they gathered immense energy for the next charge.


    He arrived before Julien in a matter of seconds.


    ''Again.''


    Carmen repeated the same pattern as his first attack.


    Twisting his back and waist he threw a punch in his direction.


    "Haa!"


    The air twisted around his fist, producing a faint whistling sound.


    Julien, who had just fended off Carmen''s initial attack, was momentarily taken aback by how quickly Carmen could recover and gather his energy.


    What surprised him even more was the sheer force behind each of Carmen''s attacks, which erupted with the intensity of a volcano, holding onto tremendous power.


    A single hit would mark the end of the fight.


    Bang!


    Julien repeated his previous action, positioning his hand against Carmen''s iing punch and applying ''Step of Suppression'' over it.


    Just as Julien thought Carmen would stumble forward, Carmen nted his foot firmly against the ground and threw another punch in his direction.


    ''What the...!''


    Faced with this sudden change, Julien had no choice but to intercept the attack once more, pressing his hand against Carmen''s fist and barely suppressing it.


    Bang!


    Julien then kicked him directly in the chest, distancing the two of them from each other.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    ''Endless stamina, and a tremendous burst of strength...''


    Carmen came yet again.


    Swooosh!


    Julien started to feel the pressure of the fight. Despite his body growing stronger and now being Tier 4, he didn''t think about taking on the fist head-on. That would simply be suicide.


    Instead, he opted for the same trick as before.


    Taking a step back, he raised his hand and tried to press it in the fist''s direction.


    "Ha!"


    Unexpectedly, Carmen saw through the action and swiftly adjusted his strategy.


    He pressed his left foot forward, twisting his heel, which altered the trajectory of his punch


    just as it was about to make contact with Julien''s hand.


    The immense strain on his bones was evident, creaking under the pressure, but Carmen


    pushed through the pain.


    His body could handle this!


    "Hueerk!"


    The pain apanying his actions was tremendous, but Carmen held onto hisposure


    and fixed his gaze on Julien''s exposed torso.


    His eyes glinted in excitement.


    Following his first attack failing, Carmen''s mind went on overdrive as he quickly thought


    about why his attack had failed. In the end, he realized that the turning point was when Julien


    touched his hand with his finger.


    That was when felt his hand grow heavy and he lost his center of gravity.


    It was an embarrassing exchange, but from there Carmen was able toe up with a


    countermeasure that he currently applied.


    ''I''ve got you!''


    But the excitement was short-lived.


    "Uh?"


    Just as his body twisted and he avoided the hand, he felt the same pressure from before press


    onto his hand forcing it to lower and shifting his center of gravity. Completely taken aback,


    Carmen wasn''t able to react in time and stumbled forward.


    That was where he was met with a knee.


    Bang!


    "Uehk!"


    His head recoiled back as his head throbbed with pain.


    Bang, bang!


    Stumbling back, Carmen felt the ground beneath him copse with each step he took. As he brought his hand to his face, he noticed something wet trickling down. A quick nce


    revealed it was blood, seeping from a cut he hadn''t felt until now.


    "This is...!"


    His eyes widened upon seeing his own blood, and his face twisted.


    ''....So he doesn''t need to touch in order to apply his gravitational skill!''


    It was a bitter realization that made his chest boil with anger. Raising his head up, he looked at Julien who brought his hand forward in his direction. A faint


    glow apanied his movement, and Carmen''s pupils dted as he rolled to the side


    without hesitation.


    Swoosh!


    A purple hand materialized on the spot he had previously been. It gripped the air before


    disappearing.


    But that wasn''t all.


    Seeing his attack miss, Julien thrust his hand forward again. The color on Carmen''s face


    drained as he rolled to the side again and just barely dodged the attack. His actions were


    anything but pretty or graceful, but he was never one to care about such things.


    Crack!


    As his foot pressed against the ground, he shot in Julien''s direction once more.


    His mind was on overdrive.


    ''I need to bypass his weird skill. I previously thought he needed to touch my hand in order to apply the skill, but I was wrong. He must have a different trigger for it.''


    Carmen''s eyes darted all around as he attacked again. He once again performed the same set


    of actions.


    Swoosh-


    The air whistled under the force of Carmen''s fist as it thrust toward Julien.


    Julien raised his hand to intercept the blow, but Carmen''s quick reflexes came into y. He


    pressed his left foot forward, stopping his body momentarily. With a twist of his heel, he altered the direction of his punch at thest second.


    He was performing the same set of actions from before.


    "Uhek!"


    Carmen groaned in pain as he forcefully shifted the direction of his fist, and as he did, he


    quietly observed Julien''s eyes.


    When he noticed the direction in which his eyes were looking, Carmen clenched his teeth.


    "Aakh!"


    Gripping his fist tightly, Carmen felt a massive strain on his left foot as he forcefully stopped


    his action and twisted his body in a sharp counter-clockwise motion.


    The move was abrupt and lightning-fast!


    Before Julien could react, Carmen had already maneuvered to Julien''s opposite side, the back


    of his fist thrust toward Julien''s exposed torso.


    Bang-!


    A clean hit!


    Like a broken kite, Julien''s body skidded back several steps. The ground shattered with each


    step that he took, onlying to a stop when he reached the end of the tform.


    "Haa... Haa.." With heavy breaths, Carmen looked in Julien''s direction. Or more specifically toward his left


    arm which was now ck.


    "A... Pity..."


    At thest moment, he just managed to move his hand and block his attack. Julien hade


    dangerously close to losing.


    Carmen was satisfied with this result as he grinned.


    "Things will be a lot easier for me now.''


    He still didn''t quite understand the mechanics of the weird gravitational technique, but he


    understood something.


    ''He needs a little time to adjust the position. Most likely, the reason why he uses his hand is to help him


    set the position.''


    In that case, things were easy now.


    Crack!


    The ground split apart yet again as Carmen''s body thundered forward. His right arm shook as


    The fixed his gaze on Julien''s weakened side.


    He didn''t waste a second and pretended to throw a faint in that direction. As expected,


    Julien''s eyes trembled as he hesitated. Activate skill or not...?


    Carmen smiled.


    Swooosh!


    He took advantage of Julien''s slight hesitation to attack in that direction.


    ''Got you!''


    nk-!


    "Uh!?"


    Carmen''s expression changed as he felt his fist hit something hard. Lowering his head, he was


    shocked to see a thick chain appear around Julien''s torso. It directly acted as a shield as it


    absorbed most of the impact.


    Nheless, Julien still stumbled back due to the rebound force of the attack.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ.. §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    Carmen''s breathing was extremely heavy. Looking in Julien''s direction, his expression


    crumbled.


    ''....He blocked it.''


    This was problematic. It made almost all of his actions until this point useless.


    Clench.


    Just as he thought he had managed to find a breakthrough, his opponent found a new way to defend. It was as though he was facing a massive fortress. Tall and imprable.


    "Haa...!"


    It was frustrating.


    ''No, I''ve got to stay calm.''


    Carmen was an experienced fighter and thus was able to quickly rpose himself. He


    started to think about all the possible things he could do.


    ''I''m starting to be exhausted. At this rate, he''ll win. I need to find a way to bait his Emotive


    Magic...''


    So long as Julien used his Emotive Magic, Carmen was confident in winning.


    For some reason, since the start of the match, Julien had not once used his Emotive Magic.


    ''Right, I just need to bait his Emotive Magic out. I nee-'' "You want to bait my Emotive Magic, don''t you?"


    A cold voice suddenly reached him from the front, and Carmen felt his entire body shudder as


    his head flicked up in shock.


    How did he know...?!


    Massaging his arms, Julien met his gaze and his lips gently pulled up.


    "Do you think I''m stupid?"


    His voice was quiet, yet he managed to reach Carmen''s ears smoothly. "....You''ve got a pretty talented Emotive Mage from your Empire. It would be weird if you


    didn''t have countermeasures against Emotive Magic. I can tell with a nce that you want me


    to use Emotive Magic."


    "Ah."


    Carmen came to a sudden realization as his eyes widened.


    But before he could open his mouth to say anything else, Julien spoke again.


    "But to be honest, even if you did have countermeasures, they''d be useless."


    He suddenly brought his hand forward in a snapping motion. Before Carmen could figure out


    what was going on, he heard a low ''snap'' and his mind grew nk. Something flooded his mind, overflowing his consciousness like a tsunami.


    His face grew pale, his eyes lost focus, his entire body started to tremble, and his breathing


    stopped. It all happened so suddenly that the referee didn''t even notice a change before Julien thrust his body forward and arrived right before Carmen. Throwing an undercut, his fist directlynded against Carmen''s stomach.


    Thump!


    Falling face t against the ground, Carmen remained motionless as the referee''s voice


    echoed


    out.


    "Match over! Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire Wins!"

 Chapter 308: Red Orb [1]

    Chapter 308: Red Orb [1]


    ?


    With a total of 48 participants, there were twenty-four matches on full disy for the entire world to see.


    Because all of the matches happened at the same time, the broadcast only disyed a few of the more high-profile matches. Those included Aoife from the Nurs Ancifa Empire-The Empire''s Princess and highest-ranked member from the Empire.


    Caius from the Aetheria Empire. Amell from the Verdant Empire, and Kaelion from the Aurora Empire.


    These were the four highest profiles from each Empire, and were known as the ''big four''.


    For that reason, the broadcast was fully focused on them.


    They all ended in victory. None of their matchessted longer than a minute with each and one of them ending the fight rather fast.


    Because of how fast their match ended, the other participants had time to be disyed in the broadcast.


    <Leon Ellert from the Nurs Ancifa is also a participant to deeply watch out for outside of the big four. Some might even argue he''s stronger than Aoife, but there''s not much information that we can dig through. Each Empire has kept a level of secrecy for its participants. We will see by the end of the Summit if the rankings were correct or not.>


    Karl Geneva, the broadcaster, had a husky yet smooth voice that was exceptionally pleasing to the ears, perfect for such a broadcast.


    With neatlybed hair, sharp features, and dressed in a well-fitted suit, he looked every bit the professional.


    <Hahaha, that''ll be an exciting topic of discussion, wouldn''t it Johanna?>


    Alongside him was a well-dressed woman with ck hair arranged in a bun, sharp brows, and plump lips. Her sharp features gave her a heroic and imposing appearance.


    Johanna Mebson-A Tier 7 Knight.


    She was specifically invited for her exceptional strength, allowing her to see and analyze things that Karl might miss.


    <It would indeed.>


    <That''s great! With you here, things will definitely be exciting!>


    Karlughed lightly while pressing down and changing the broadcast away from Leon who had just won his match.


    Unlike the others, his matchsted a little bit longer.


    He fought against a higher-ranked opponent from the Aetheria Empire which was why it took him a bit longer.


    Nheless, his match was still considered fast.


    As he changed the broadcast, Karl lightly chuckled. That was because he noticed that the next match had also ended.


    <Wow, these matches are ending a little too fast, don''t you think?>


    <....It''s to be expected.>


    Johanna answered in a t tone. She had a serious demeanor and found it hard to joke around.


    The audience liked the sharp contrast between the two presenters.


    <The order of the fights is selected through the order in which the participants arrived at the za during the First Phase.>


    <Oh?>


    Though Karl tried to look surprised, he already knew all the information. He was merely putting on an act for the audience that was watching the broadcast.


    <So you''re saying that those who came out on top during the First Phase are being paired up against those who camest?>


    <Yes.>


    <Oh, that''s really interesting. The First Phase was quite unique, wasn''t it? The participants were transported all around the Mirror Dimension...>


    Because the audience hadn''t been filled about what had happened during the First Phase due to it not being broadcast, it was Karl''s job to do so. He did so in a smooth and fluid manner that made it easy for the audience to understand.


    <...And so, the contestants that came first were matched up with the ones that camest>


    Johanna nodded quietly alongside him.


    She then pointed at the screen.


    <But don''t be fooled by the result of the First Phase. Arriving first doesn''t mean that you''re the strongest. To some extent, it shows off your strength, but it can also be a disy of luck>


    <Luck?>


    <It all depends on what type of monsters you face. If you end up dropping in a zone filled with let''s say Wraiths, then it''ll be considered bad luck>


    <Oh!>


    Karl showed a look of understanding.


    <That exins why Leon was able to beat his opponent so fast despite ranking amongst thest>


    <Correct>


    Johanna nodded before pressing down and changing the broadcast.


    <While there are cases like that, the order of arrival is a good indicator of one''s strength. Take


    a look at this match.>


    Johanna pointed at the new match that was disyed on the screen.


    It was a fierce match that shook the entire tform. Bang-! Cracks formed with each step the participants took, disying just how fierce the entire conflict was. However, if one paid close attention, they''d notice that one side was defending while the other was attacking.


    In this case, the attacking side looked to be suppressing his opponent.


    He was also starting to open up more and more openings.


    <In this case, the two opponents fighting ranked quite differently from one another.>


    Johanna nced at the sheet beside her. It disyed the results of the first Phase.


    <Carmen ranked quite a bit higher than Julien who was ranked amongst thest people during the First phase. The difference is showing in this match>


    <Julien?>


    The name rang a bell and Karl''s eyes lit up.


    Johanna answered for him,


    <He''s one of the top prospects in thepetition. He''s ranked amongst the thirties and was


    the previous ck Star of Haven>


    <Oh? The previous ck Star?>


    <Correct. However, from my sources, it appears that he suffered a serious injury and was


    forced to give away his position. Had he not been injured, he''d have ranked higher. He''s a


    talented prospect who specializes in Emotive Magic>


    <Ah, such a pity>


    Karl looked back at the match.


    Indeed, Julien was currently getting suppressed by his opponent who wasunching


    relentless attacks in his direction.


    Each time, he''d disy a new set of movements and techniques that even Johanna had no


    choice but to praise.


    <His control over his body is extremely refined. To be able to control his body to such a


    degree... He has the makings of an exceptional knight>


    From the way he twisted his body mid-motion, to how he was also able to alter the course of his fist. Johanna as a Tier 7 knight could do nothing but show praise for him.


    <Carmen is slowly taking control of the fight. He seems to have Julien''s gravitational skill


    figured out>


    Johanna went on to exin as Carmen''s body twisted and the back of his fistunched and


    directly aimed for the startled Julien.


    The Audience watching looked at the scene with bated breaths.


    It was an incredibly tense fight, and those from the Aetheria Empire cheered loudly as Carmen


    started to take control of the fight.


    <By altering the course of his fist, andunching several attacks, he slowly got a picture of


    how Julien''s skill works and its limitations.>


    As they cheered, Johanna''s cold voice continued to echo through the speakers.


    <This is also mainly Julien''s fault. By repeating the same pattern he allowed Carmen to get a better idea of how his skill works and helped him figure out how to proceed>


    Johanna lightly sighed.


    Karl looked at her for a brief moment before asking,


    <....Is the fight winner decided?>


    <No, of course not>


    <Then...>


    <I was just thinking about how Julien could use his Emotive Magic to turn things around until


    I remembered that Carmen is from the same Empire as Caius. It''s highly likely that he''s


    waiting for Julien to use his Emotive Magic>


    <Ah!>


    Karl came to the realization as he smacked his hand against the table.


    <This is dangerous! Is there a way things can turn around for Julien?>


    <Of course>


    Johanna answered calmly, pointing in Carmen''s direction. Or more specifically, his heavy


    breaths.


    <Carmen is tired>


    <....!>


    With an exaggerated expression, Karl zoomed in on Carmen''s features. Indeed, he was


    panting heavily.


    They had all been so mesmerized by his control over his body that they had forgotten just how


    straining such actions were.


    Karl pped his hands in delight.


    <This match will depend on whether Carmen will be able to figure out Julien''s defense before


    The runs out of-Wow!>


    A sudden shift urred in the middle of Karl''s speech.


    Out of nowhere, Carmen''s body underwent a subtle shift. His body trembled, and his face


    turned pale. He froze for several seconds, unable to move. Julien seized the opportunity, springing forward andunching a swift attack directly into Carmen''s stomach.


    The expression of those from the Aetheria Empire grew pale and silenced reigned over.


    Thump!


    Carmen''s body fell shortly after that, marking the end of the match.


    Karl stood excitedly as he looked at Johanna.


    <Hahah! Indeed you were right! He lost due to his exhaustion! What a terrific match! If only he


    had a little bit more stamina then he''d have won the match!>


    He seemed very excited about the entire thing. The audience was too. Some sighed in disappointment while others were excited. There were also a few who shook their heads.


    It was a good match.


    <As always, it''s such an honor to have the insights of an expert like you! I would''ve never have


    picked it up!>


    While the result of the match sunk in, Johanna''s expression remained firm. She reyed the


    last moments of the fight before frowning.


    Did Carmen really lose due to exhaustion?


    ***


    ''.....That hurt.''


    As soon as the match ended, a glowing cube materialized before my eyes. I reached out and


    grasped it, and in that instant, my surroundings shifted.


    I found myself back in the main za, standing beneath one of the shadows cast by the


    tforms above.


    There were already several people waiting beneath.


    "They sure were fast.''


    None of them seemed to be in the mood for talking, sitting down with their eyes closed and


    trying their best to recuperate their energies. Nobody knew when the next match would start


    so it made sense.


    Another thing that I noticed when sitting down was how the number of people present was a


    lot lower than before.


    ''Almost half of us got eliminated.''


    There were still some that werepeting so it wasn''t for certain.


    I sighed for a moment and sat down. Rubbing my arm, my face twitched.


    ''...It still hurts.''


    The fight had been pretty hard.


    There were many ways that I could''ve finished the fight and I was confident in defeating him,


    but one thing became clear to me.


    ''With my current strength, I might not win this.''


    My opponent, as far as I knew,gged quite a lot in strengthpared to their top-ranked


    prospect. While I did win, I didn''t think I was a whole gap stronger than him.


    I was stronger, but not to the extent where I couldpletely disregard him.


    I was confident in my Emotive Magic, but everyone was probably prepared for it. Not just for


    me but for the number-one ranked prospect.


    He was also an Emotive Mage.


    I needed to be careful about disying the extent of my Emotive Magic.


    ''No, even if I do that... I don''t think it''s enough.''


    I needed more.


    Something that would truly push my strength to the next level.


    But what...?


    Clench.


    What can I do?

 Chapter 309: Red Orb [2]

    Chapter 309: Red Orb [2]


    ?


    The thought of my strength not being enough started to set in my mind.


    While the event was important, what was most important was the reward that came with ranking first.


    The Empire had yet to reveal the reward, but everyone understood it was going to be extremely important.


    It could range from a very powerful relic, manual, or bone, to even information that I wanted to know.


    I could use the chance to learn more about the unrecorded.


    But...


    "That''s probably not a very good idea.''


    While I didn''t know the full details, I knew that the Empire was closely tied with one of the Unrecorded. The vision I had experienced regarding As being my greatest piece of evidence.


    If I was so tant with my request to know about the Unrecorded, then I''d immediately turn eyes in my direction.


    ''Oh, wait!''


    I had a sudden realization.


    ''... Aren''t I currently being chased by an Unrecorded?''


    The Faceless man? No...In the first ce, was I being chased by him? I wasn''t so sure if I had to be honest. Thinking back to As, he was so powerful. For such a figure to be a mere subordinate... How much more powerful was the Faceless Man?


    Would he really struggle to look for someone like me?


    Perhaps it was a subordinate of his that was chasing me.


    ''Maybe there are some drawbacks that I''m not aware of that are preventing him from finding me directly?''


    I doubted that such a powerful figure would struggle to find someone like me if they had the chance. He was either preupied with something or had some sort of limitation that prevented him from reaching me.


    ''I''m more inclined to believe it''s thetter.''


    Still, if there was someone who would know best about my brother then it had to be him.


    One way or another I needed to figure out a way to meet him.


    But not yet.


    As things stood, I was in no position to ask him anything.


    Trading the sword in exchange? ...As if.


    If he wanted to, he''d just be able to snatch the sword from me. He had no need to trade with me. And even if he did trade, that would only show to me how important the sword was to him.


    I still didn''t know much about the sword.


    I couldn''t just carelessly give it away without knowing what the consequences of giving it away were.


    "Haa..."


    What a troublesome situation.


    After a little bit of thought, I decided to leave things be for now. I was growing stronger but it was still not enough. I needed more time to grow further.


    ''For now, I need to focus on the tournament.''


    At the end of the day, it all boiled down to the fact that I was still weak.


    I needed to be stronger, and winning the tournament was the key in order to gain the resources that would help me achieve such strength.


    But there was one problem with the entire situation.


    ''I''m still not strong enough to deal with the top contenders.''


    The gap wasn''t wide, but it was there. My current level was around that of Leon''s or perhaps


    lower. It was hard to tell since we had never fought ever since that time.


    My Emotive Magic was on another levelpared to that time, but I had neglected everything else in the process.


    And this was a problem.


    ''How can I bridge the gap between us?''


    The gap between me and the top contenders?


    ||


    I thought long and hard about the question, to the point where I started to run all sorts of different ideas and simtions. But in the end, the only answer I coulde up with was also the one that I thought was the hardest and least likely to happen.


    That was...


    ''Create a concept.''


    A concept for my future Domain.


    *


    Intent, Concept, Materialization. A Domain''s creation was based on these three different factors.


    The hardest part of creating a Domain wasn''t actually materialization nor was it the creation of a concept. It was in fact ''Intent''.


    From my research of it, finding an ''Intent'' was something that was akin to ''Enlightenment''. It just came to you when you least expected it. You couldn''t really look for it.


    It was for this reason that many people found it hard to move past the fourth tier.


    Finding an intent was not something that anyone could do.


    But I did...


    ''I probably won''t be able to materialize my Domain until wayter, but I don''t need a full domain. Just


    a little bit...''


    One didn''t need to reach the materialization stage to use a domain. They could do so at the concept stage, but the effects would be a lot milder and there was a massive drawback to it.


    If the ''Concept'' shattered due to an external force or overuse of it, then the ''Intent would shatter, leaving a person with no ''Intent''.


    That would almost be the same as being crippled.


    Unless they found another Intent, they would be as good as stuck in the fourth tier.


    ''It''s risky, so I''m not sure.''


    The thought was tempting, but I wasn''t too confident. But what other choice did I have? If I really wanted to be on par with the others then this was my only choice.


    "Hooo."


    ''Let''s try for now.''


    I closed my eyes and let out a long breath. Regardless of whether I wanted to do this or not, I


    still needed to create a concept.


    But how could I go about this?


    A concept was an idea orw that would shape the domain. How did I want thews of my domain to be?


    Curse dominant? Emotive Dominant?....Or something else entirely?


    .....This is difficult.''


    I felt sweat umte on my forehead as I thought long and hard about how to create a concept. I needed to be firm about my decision since once the concept was fully formed it


    couldn''t be changed.


    My entire vision was dark.


    I drowned out all the noise around me and focused on the darkness around me.


    This was the current state of my domain. An empty darkness with nows or visualizations.


    Extending my hand, a me appeared, dancing at the top of my palm and brightening the darkness that surrounded me.


    It was only for a brief moment as I closed my hand and the me disappeared.


    "....It works."


    In the realm of my imagination, I could create or make anything that I wanted. The same was


    true for a domain. Within my domain, I could create things that my body wasn''t capable of


    doing.


    One such thing was the creation of fire.


    While it was possible for me to practice fire spells and evoke them, there were certain limits.


    The limits of my body.


    But in a domain...?


    Crackle!


    A fire appeared in the distant darkness. It crackled lightly at first, but with time, it started to expand. It grew more and more prominent, and within a few seconds, the entire space was covered in raging mes that seemed to want to engulf me in their entirety.


    In my domain, I basked in the sea of mes.


    I was a man of fire.


    Swoosh!


    I waved my hand and got rid of the mes.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ..." Opening my eyes, light returned to my vision as I breathed heavily and sweat covered my


    entire body. I feltpletely drained of energy and could hardly make a sound. Despite everything having happened in my mind, I found myself struggling for breaths.


    There wasn''t actually anything wrong with my stamina. In fact, it was perfect. The same was true for my mana. It was almost full.


    The thing that waspletely drained was my mental energy. Conceptualization came from the mind and I exhausted everything in order to make the entire


    world rage with me.


    "Hooo..."


    I swallowed my saliva and looked at the tforms above before clenching my teeth.


    ''...I need to hurry up.''


    ***


    "Looks like the first bouts of fights areing to an end."


    Supporting his cheek with a propped-up hand, Theron''s eyes scanned the tforms below.


    Intensebat bouts had just taken ce, with the finalbatants wrapping up their


    matches as he spoke.


    Overall the results were as he expected.


    "....In the end, it doesn''t matter how many contestants your Empire has. What matters is that


    they reach the end."


    Theron''s gaze shifted toward Lucian and Gael.


    They were the ones who had lost the most participants during the first bout. While neither


    showed much of a reaction, Theron could notice the visible annoyance in Lucian''s eyes as his thick brows knitted slightly.


    Theron felt the corner of his lips curl at the sight.


    "I did expect some losses from your Empire, but as much as half of them? A little shocking


    honestly." Their members gave almostughable performances. He didn''t say much about the ones from the Nurs Ancifa Empire since it had always been like this. But from the Aurora Empire?


    This was the first time he had ever seen such a horrible batch.


    A thought suddenly crossed his mind. "Right, I did hear that an incident urred right before the start of the Summit. I never got to


    hear the details, but it can''t be the reason for why you''re performing so bad, is it?"


    ||


    ||


    ||


    Neither Gael nor Lucian made a sound, but seeing the look on Gael''s face he understood that


    he had hit the mark with his question.


    ''So something really did happen...''


    He wasn''t really sure since he had never been briefed about it nor did he care. However, things


    were different now.


    Thinking back to the fights, he did see that those from the Aurora and Nurs Ancifa Empire


    were somewhat timid at certain points in their fights. They still disyed a decent level of


    skills, but not to the standards that they were capable of. Something was clearly holding them back, but he just wasn''t too sure what it was.


    Only the two of them knew.


    ''Interesting.''


    Whatever the case was, he could tell that the mentalities of the participants were somewhat


    off. Some were better at hiding it than others, and some had managed to resist up until this


    point, but he could see a subtle shift urring.


    He could sense that a few were a fine line from sumbing to whatever demons were


    haunting their mind.


    Theron could see that Lucian and Gael knew about what he had noticed. It was just that they


    remained silent about it.


    The smile on his face grew as his face leaned more on his hand.


    ''.... How long will theyst before blowing up?''


    His eyes fell on a girl with long tinum hair and red eyes.


    Without a doubt...


    She was definitely the one who was suffering the most.

 Chapter 310: Red Orb [3]

    ?


    Kiera sat with her eyes closed.


    She had also fought like the others and her fightsted for about a minute and a half. Her speed could be considered neither too fast nor too slow. It was in the upper regions as she swiftly dealt with her opponent.


    11 || .....


    Kiera''s brows twitched.


    A sharp pain invaded her mind for a brief moment before disappearing. It was brief but noticeable enough for her to perceive.


    She opened her eyes shortly after and looked around her.


    There were a total of seven people remaining from their group. It was clear that they had lost half of their members in the first round.


    She didn''t show much emotion and focused her attention on Aoife who was scrolling through a small tablet.


    As if noticing her stare, Aoife turned her head.


    Their eyes met.


    "Are you healed?"


    ".....More or less."


    Kiera replied after a short pause. Normally she''d have answered with a ''What?'' ''What are you looking at'' ''Look away'', but she seemed strangely calm today.


    It took Aoife aback a little.


    "Uh, ah..."


    Caught off-guard by the normal response Aoife found herself at a loss for words for a few seconds. It took her a good minute to snap out of it.


    "Here."


    Since Kiera was being so mild today she didn''t mind sharing what she had. In fact, this was supposed to be something that she meant to share with everyone. It was just that they were all still recuperating their energies.


    "What''s this...?"


    Kiera grabbed the tablet and looked at it.


    That was when she finally saw the numerous clips and reys that were on it. Aoife scooched a little before whispering,


    "It''s a clip of all the fights that just happened. Take a look at them and memorize how they fight since our next match will start in a bit. It''ll help us get ready for the next fights."


    "Oh."


    Kiera looked through the fights with a disinterested look. Then, after skimming through a few clips, she passed the tablet back to Aoife.


    "Here."


    "That''s it...?"


    "Yes."


    "Is there something wrong? You''ve been acting a little odd. Are you perhaps si-"


    "I''m not."


    "Then..."


    "There''s no point in looking at the fights. Those that are worth fighting held back while the ones who went all out aren''t worth my time. Don''t bother as well. It''s a waste of time."


    Kiera began to close her eyes under Aoife''s dumbstruck expression. Her mouth, like that of a fish, opened and closed repeatedly as she tried to find her words.


    She really did try but in the end, no word came out of her mouth.


    When she thought about it, she realized that Kiera''s words held some truth to them. Those that they needed to pay attention to most likely didn''t reveal any of their cards while those that they didn''t need to pay attention to had revealed all their cards.


    ''But it still doesn''t hurt to check...''


    One couldn''t be too careless after all.


    Aoife was just about to say this to her when she stopped.


    "Hm?"


    That was mainly because she received a notification and her expression changed slightly as she looked at Kiera.


    This...


    The pairings for the next bouts were announced.


    Her opponent was quite strong but that wasn''t what shocked her. No, what shocked her was someone else''s pairing.


    Kiera''s.


    [tform 5] - Kiera Mylne Vs. Agatha Wintersnow.


    ***


    Aetheria Empire resting area.


    "...It''s interesting."


    Caius reyed the match between Julien and Carmen again. For each time he looked, he''d notice something new. In the end, he couldn''t help but p in fascination.


    "Not bad at all."


    He was quite satisfied with what he had seen.


    "It looks like he is using his hand in order to activate the weird gravitational skill, but it''s actually not the hand that activates it. It''s his..."


    Caius''s eyes lowered, pausing on Julien''s feet.


    "...feet."


    Julien had done a good job at hiding it, or perhaps never intended to hide it, but if one paid close attention they''d notice how each time he activated the skill he took a step in either direction even though it was unnecessary.


    That made it quite obvious for Caius to discover the trick behind the skill.


    Julien also didn''t have very great control over the skill.


    From there he was able toe up with a conclusion.


    "He''s about the middle of the pack in terms of strength."


    Julien wasn''t that strong, that much was obvious. However, Caius couldn''t wait to see his


    Emotive Magic.


    ''It''s a bit of a pity that he still hasn''t used it yet.''


    Julien hadn''t fallen for the trap that Carmen had set up. It would''ve been quite entertaining


    had he done so, but sadly he didn''t.


    In the end, Carmen ran out of stamina and the fight ended.


    There was a slight anomaly in the rey, but Caius dismissed it. The only way he could


    exin that irregrity was through the fourth phase of Emotive Magic which was simply impossible for someone''s Julien''s age to perform.


    In fact, there were hardly any Emotive Mages that could reach such a stage, let alone someone


    so young.


    Caius was believed to be the one to have the most potential to reach such a state.


    He didn''t think for one second that there was someone out there with the ability to reach the fourth phase at such an age. It wasn''t arrogance, but an impossibility. It was like having the ability to be near the Zenith at such an age.


    It made no sense.


    "Young Master."


    Ang stood by his side the entire time. With her usual cold expression, she didn''t speak


    much and only waited for the right time to speak.


    Now was such time.


    "Their pairings for the next round have been released"


    "Oh"


    Caius looked at the tablet with his hand before his expression paused. Then, raising his head


    to look at Ang, heughed.


    "Now that...."


    His eyes squinted.


    "....Isn''t that fun?"


    [tform 12] -- Julien Dacre Evenus Vs. Ang Karliack.


    ***


    "Another one from the Aetheria Empire?"


    I looked at my match-up and sighed. My energy was almost fully recovered but my injuries weren''t. I would''ve preferred it if I had been matched up with an easier opponent, but in the end, I was matched up with someone high up in the rankings.


    ''.... This will probably be more difficult than my first fight.''


    Ang was a speed-type [Body] user.


    Her first match was amongst the fastest as she ended it just a little bit after the top four ended their matches. It was most likely done so on purpose in order to not take the spotlight from


    Caius.


    In any case, her strength was something that couldn''t be dismissed, and in order for me to have any chance at beating her, then I had no choice but to take it extremely seriously.


    "To make matters worse for me, it''s highly likely that someone has figured out how Step of Suppression works from the reys.''


    It wasn''t that I was trying to hide it, but I also didn''t want people to see its ring weakness.


    That was...


    As long as I couldn''t take a step then I couldn''t use the skill.


    Such was one of the ws of the skill.


    ''But it''s not like this weakness can''t be used to my advantage.''


    If people knew about its weakness then it wasn''t hard to predict what they''d do next. And if


    that was the case, then things were easy for me.


    After all...


    A predictable opponent was a good opponent.


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.


    The time for the next match was unknown. For that reason, I needed to take advantage of the


    little time that I had in order to recuperate my strength and figure out ways how to deal with


    my opponent.


    And that was what I did.


    I kept focused on my condition and sorted through all sorts of scenarios. Time passed this way and before I knew it, a familiar-looking cube appeared before me,


    marking the start of the second bout of fights. I still didn''t know how many fights we''d have


    to perform in a day, but I hoped it wasn''t more than three.


    By then everyone would be too exhausted topete.


    "Oh well..."


    Taking a good look at the cube in front of me, I reached out for it and clenched my hand.


    My vision shifted and I found myself standing in the middle of one of the tforms above.


    Standing opposite me was a cold gaze.


    She stood a little shorter than me, but her demenour appeared ice cold. It almost felt as


    though she was a robot. In a way, she reminded me of Delh, but an even more extreme


    version. And that was crazy to think about...


    "Please get ready."


    The referee, a woman with short red hair spoke. She wore a simr uniform to the other


    referees and looked in our direction without much regard. She was here to do her job and couldn''t show much bias.


    I got into position and took a light breath.


    ''I''ve watched her clips over and over again but it feels like it only made things a lot more confusing.''


    Her match ended quickly and all I saw was a quick burst of speed before she ended up winning


    the fight.


    In the case that she ended up going off on the same type of offense...


    "Begin!"


    The referee''s voice came down, breaking me off my thoughts. In the instant that her voice


    fell, my opponent''s figure blurred from vision.


    She wasing.


    My eyes shook as I took a step back.


    But that wasn''t enough.


    At speeds that I couldn''t describe in words, her figure appeared once more. With her body


    lowered, the only thing that I managed to catch a glimpse of was her cold and indifferent eyes as they locked onto me.


    With her left hand raised above her head, and holding onto a sharp dagger, she shed down


    directly toward my face.


    All of this transpired in less than a second and before I even had the time to react, her dagger


    reached me, shing toward my neck.


    Swoosh!


    The attack was swift and precise,nding directly on my neck. I felt my entire body jerk as an


    imaginary pain entered my mind. It was sharp, and it made me twitch.


    But the pain was only imaginary.


    As the dagger cleaved down on my neck, I looked at my blurring figure, disappearing as


    though it had never been there in the first ce.


    I then looked down.


    Toward her exposed back.


    That was when I raised my hand and pointed my finger toward her exposed neck.


    ''Let this be over with.''

 Chapter 311: Red Orb [4]

    ?


    The Orb pulsed before me.


    It throbbed like the beat of a heart.


    I stood motionless, staring at it with a nk mind. The world outside seemed to freeze. I knew this wasn''t the case and the world was flowing at the same speed.


    It was just that my thoughts were running so fast that the world outside appeared to freeze.


    ||


    .....


    In the darkness, I stood before the orb.


    Throb! Throb...!


    With each throb, the orb grew brighter and brighter.


    The darkness that embraced it faded, reced by a dim red glow.


    I stood in a trance, my eyes tracing over the Orb that shrank and became the size of a football.


    The sight made my blood boil.


    "Hooo."


    I drew in a cold breath as I looked at my hands.


    As if I had some sort of X-ray vision, I was able to see the veins inside of my body. They throbbed in the same rhythm as the Red Orb that stood before me.


    Throb! Throb!


    The speed at which the Orb pulsed started to increase.


    It grew faster and faster and faster.


    And so did my veins.


    I felt my blood boil as something within me started to change. But I couldn''t quite pinpoint what it was.


    Just as I was wondering what was happening, a change urred.


    The Orb stopped pulsing for a brief moment.


    I stood nkly as I noticed the change and looked up. The Orb appeared to be frozen in time, still like never before.


    That was until...


    THROB!


    It suddenly throbbed again.


    However, unlike the other times, this was different. The sound reverberated throughout the entire space, almost making everything shake in the process.


    I stood still without losing my bnce and soon enough, a change urred.


    A massive ''R'' fell from above and stopped beneath the red orb.


    "Uh...?"


    I stood confused, unable to grasp what was happening. But even if I could''ve understood what was going on, I had no time to do so.


    A change yet again urred to my body.


    The veins in my body throbbed with such intensity that I felt my entire body shake. My muscles twitched, and my hands started to shake.


    My body started to change.


    I could feel the fibers of my muscle tigthen while my lungs widened. My percetion of the world started to change right before my very eyes.


    || ||


    I stood in silence while this was happening.


    No longer was I confused. All of this was something that I was willing through my imagination, and I soon understood what my subconcious was createing.


    I let it continue to do so.


    THROB!


    The Orb throbbed again.


    This time, another letter appeared. Falling from the empty darkness from above, it stopped right next to the ''R''.


    "RA...!"


    My body shook.


    I felt my teeth chatter as something started to boil in my abdomen. It was a faint swirl of energy that moved down every inch of my body, spreading down on all areas.


    Power started to surge through me.


    Clenching my fist, my energy surged even more. I couldn''t quite control it, but I could feel it swirling inside of my body.


    If I were to punch at this moment, I''d be able to replicate the impact of what a [Body] type user would be capable of.


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    With heavy breaths, I fixed my gaze on the Orb as it stopped.


    The orb''s surface began to writhe and squirm as if something inside it was desperately trying


    to break free. The shape distorted, bulging in different areas.


    Instinctively, I reached out for it.


    I wasn''t worried about my safety.


    This was all the fruit of my subconscious.


    || 11


    My hand neared the Orb which started to distort and deform in all sorts of ways. My hand drew nearer, and soon, I came into contact with the orb.


    THROB!


    A new letter appeared right beneath the first two.


    ''G''


    Woom!


    The orb emitted a faint hum as its shape began to dissolve, transforming into a fluid-like form. It slithered toward my arm, silently reaching for every part of my body. Slowly, it crept over my skin, enveloping my armpletely in its cold, pulsating embrace.


    Power yet again surged through my entire body.


    It was even more than before.


    .... In my current state, it felt as though I could shatter everything in my fist. The Orb continued


    to run down my body covering every inch of it.


    My muscles squirmed and throbbed violently.


    They almost seemed to be rejecting the Orb as it pushed them to a level that they had not once reached. My muscles bulged, the veins on my neck protruded, and my entire body started to


    overflow with energy.


    I felt extremely powerful, and as I raised my head, I fixed my gaze on the three-letter words


    that were floating before me.


    ''RAG...''


    I knew exactly what the next letter was going to be.


    But before it could even materialize, the world stopped.


    "Ukh!"


    My head throbbed violently.


    It was a familiar pain that made my entire body grow pale. The surroundings shook, and the viscous red liquid that was covering my entire body started to shrink back and move away from my body. As if time had reversed, the liquid returned to be the orb that throbbed in


    silence as the letters disappeared one after another.


    ''No, no...''


    I reached out for the orb but it was of no use.


    It simply refused to return to me as power started to drain out of my body. My head throbbed more fiercely as the ''A'' disappeared from my vision.


    What came after the ''A'' was the ''R'' and it wasn''t long before the only thing that was left was


    the Orb.


    But even that disappeared shortly after.


    Light returned to my vision as I found myself back on the tform.


    Rustle!


    Something rustled in my ears.


    I quickly locked all of my emotions and silently endured the pain and weakness that overtook


    my body. With hardly any time to think, I decided to shift my head lightly.


    Swoosh!


    A dagger appeared, cutting right at my cheek as I felt something trickle down.


    I didn''t need to look to know what it was.


    Meeting my gaze was a pair of cold eyes. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I


    reached out for her, but she disappeared before I could even catch her.


    She reappeared again on the opposite end.


    I felt suffocated while staring at her.


    She seemed to have a counter for everything that I did.


    It was frustrating, but the emotion didn''t quite sink in. At least, not in the state that I was in.


    "Hooo."


    I took a deep breath and tried my best to regain my stamina.


    In the meantime, I thought back to what just happened.


    ''I was close...''


    It felt as though I wasing close to the creation of a concept. Though iplete, a concept formed in my mind as I started to get a better idea of what my domain would be.


    What I had seen was merely one small part of it, but the idea was there.


    ....It was unfortunate that I wasn''t able to grasp it at this very moment.


    ''It would''ve helped.''


    But that would require an incredible amount of luck.


    I wasn''t that lucky.


    And I didn''t have time to try again. Staring directly in Ang''s direction, our eyes locked for a


    brief moment before she disappeared. I immediately turned to my left despite hearing a


    rustling sounding from my right.


    Swoosh!


    As expected, as though she were a ghost, Ang appeared on my left.


    I thrust my fist forward as she thrust her dagger forward. My fist and her dagger neared each


    other, and just as they were about to touch, Ang''s hand twisted as the dagger shot for my


    heart.


    It all happened in a matter of half a second and the dagger directly hit my chest.


    But there was no pain.


    [Veil of Deception]


    I looked at my body which vanished and then her exposed back.


    Like before, I pointed my right hand in the direction of her exposed neck. A familiar scene


    yed out as she ducked down and avoided the thread.


    But that didn''t matter to me as I raised my left hand.


    In the exact spot where she ducked down a purple hand appeared.


    "....!"


    For the first time, a change urred to her cold and indifferent features as she tried to avoid


    it. But it was toote.


    The hand gripped her face for a brief moment before shattering, her body disappearing


    shortly after that as she materialized at the far end of the tform.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    With heavy breaths, I stared in her direction.


    Her face was pale and her body was slightly trembling.


    ''It worked...''


    For the first time since the fight had started, I hade out on top. Not only that, but I


    managed to get [Grip of Pestilence] to affect her.


    She was now cursed and it would only be a matter of time before she lost all her energy.


    As if she realized this too, her gaze turned sharp.


    I stared back at her, evening out my heartbeat. I understood that her attacks were going to be


    even more relentless, but I was ready.


    Her figure blurred.


    Rustle~


    A rustling sound echoed behind me.


    I didn''t fall for it and thrust my hand forward as it turned purple.


    Ang''s figure appeared in front of my eyes. Her cold gaze stared at my purple hand before


    her hand blurred.


    ".....!"


    I felt a series of sharp cuts appear all over my arm as my mind registered the pain. Before I


    could even counter-attack, she disappeared, appearing right behind me where I felt a familiar set of cuts dig down on my back.


    I ignored the pain and twisted my torso to retaliate but she disappeared before I could do so.


    Her figure appeared to my left. Toward my exposed torso.


    As her dagger glided through the air and sliced it apart, it reached for my exposed area in an


    attempt to cut it, but before she could do so a chain appeared.


    nk! nk!


    It blocked all her attempts before coiling over her hand.


    ''...As expected, you went for it.''


    I didn''t waste the chance.


    Tightening my left hand, the chain coiled out of my body and coiled around her hand tightly


    in an attempt to shatter her hand. I thought I had gotten her, but I was shocked to see the


    chain phase right through her body as her entire body turned gaseous.


    nk! nk!


    The chain fell to the ground with a series of ''nking sounds''.


    Shifting my attention to her corporeal body, it finally dawned on me. The reason why she was


    able to get past all of my defenses and all of that.


    I smiled then.


    "...No wonder you made my life so hard."

 Chapter 312: Red Orb [5]

    Chapter 312: Red Orb [5]


    ?


    The Orb pulsed before me.


    It throbbed like the beat of a heart.


    I stood motionless, staring at it with a nk mind. The world outside seemed to freeze. I knew this wasn''t the case and the world was flowing at the same speed.


    It was just that my thoughts were running so fast that the world outside appeared to freeze.


    ||


    .....


    In the darkness, I stood before the orb.


    Throb! Throb...!


    With each throb, the orb grew brighter and brighter.


    The darkness that embraced it faded, reced by a dim red glow.


    I stood in a trance, my eyes tracing over the Orb that shrank and became the size of a football.


    The sight made my blood boil.


    "Hooo."


    I drew in a cold breath as I looked at my hands.


    As if I had some sort of X-ray vision, I was able to see the veins inside of my body. They throbbed in the same rhythm as the Red Orb that stood before me.


    Throb! Throb!


    The speed at which the Orb pulsed started to increase.


    It grew faster and faster and faster.


    And so did my veins.


    I felt my blood boil as something within me started to change. But I couldn''t quite pinpoint what it was.


    Just as I was wondering what was happening, a change urred.


    The Orb stopped pulsing for a brief moment.


    I stood nkly as I noticed the change and looked up. The Orb appeared to be frozen in time, still like never before.


    That was until...


    THROB!


    It suddenly throbbed again.


    However, unlike the other times, this was different. The sound reverberated throughout the entire space, almost making everything shake in the process.


    I stood still without losing my bnce and soon enough, a change urred.


    A massive ''R'' fell from above and stopped beneath the red orb.


    "Uh...?"


    I stood confused, unable to grasp what was happening. But even if I could''ve understood what was going on, I had no time to do so.


    A change yet again urred to my body.


    The veins in my body throbbed with such intensity that I felt my entire body shake. My muscles twitched, and my hands started to shake.


    My body started to change.


    I could feel the fibers of my muscle tigthen while my lungs widened. My percetion of the world started to change right before my very eyes.


    || ||


    I stood in silence while this was happening.


    No longer was I confused. All of this was something that I was willing through my imagination, and I soon understood what my subconcious was createing.


    I let it continue to do so.


    THROB!


    The Orb throbbed again.


    This time, another letter appeared. Falling from the empty darkness from above, it stopped right next to the ''R''.


    "RA...!"


    My body shook.


    I felt my teeth chatter as something started to boil in my abdomen. It was a faint swirl of energy that moved down every inch of my body, spreading down on all areas.


    Power started to surge through me.


    Clenching my fist, my energy surged even more. I couldn''t quite control it, but I could feel it swirling inside of my body.


    If I were to punch at this moment, I''d be able to replicate the impact of what a [Body] type user would be capable of.


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    With heavy breaths, I fixed my gaze on the Orb as it stopped.


    The orb''s surface began to writhe and squirm as if something inside it was desperately trying


    to break free. The shape distorted, bulging in different areas.


    Instinctively, I reached out for it.


    I wasn''t worried about my safety.


    This was all the fruit of my subconscious.


    || 11


    My hand neared the Orb which started to distort and deform in all sorts of ways. My hand drew nearer, and soon, I came into contact with the orb.


    THROB!


    A new letter appeared right beneath the first two.


    ''G''


    Woom!


    The orb emitted a faint hum as its shape began to dissolve, transforming into a fluid-like form. It slithered toward my arm, silently reaching for every part of my body. Slowly, it crept over my skin, enveloping my armpletely in its cold, pulsating embrace.


    Power yet again surged through my entire body.


    It was even more than before.


    .... In my current state, it felt as though I could shatter everything in my fist. The Orb continued


    to run down my body covering every inch of it.


    My muscles squirmed and throbbed violently.


    They almost seemed to be rejecting the Orb as it pushed them to a level that they had not once reached. My muscles bulged, the veins on my neck protruded, and my entire body started to


    overflow with energy.


    I felt extremely powerful, and as I raised my head, I fixed my gaze on the three-letter words


    that were floating before me.


    ''RAG...''


    I knew exactly what the next letter was going to be.


    But before it could even materialize, the world stopped.


    "Ukh!"


    My head throbbed violently.


    It was a familiar pain that made my entire body grow pale. The surroundings shook, and the viscous red liquid that was covering my entire body started to shrink back and move away from my body. As if time had reversed, the liquid returned to be the orb that throbbed in


    silence as the letters disappeared one after another.


    ''No, no...''


    I reached out for the orb but it was of no use.


    It simply refused to return to me as power started to drain out of my body. My head throbbed more fiercely as the ''A'' disappeared from my vision.


    What came after the ''A'' was the ''R'' and it wasn''t long before the only thing that was left was


    the Orb.


    But even that disappeared shortly after.


    Light returned to my vision as I found myself back on the tform.


    Rustle!


    Something rustled in my ears.


    I quickly locked all of my emotions and silently endured the pain and weakness that overtook


    my body. With hardly any time to think, I decided to shift my head lightly.


    Swoosh!


    A dagger appeared, cutting right at my cheek as I felt something trickle down.


    I didn''t need to look to know what it was.


    Meeting my gaze was a pair of cold eyes. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I


    reached out for her, but she disappeared before I could even catch her.


    She reappeared again on the opposite end.


    I felt suffocated while staring at her.


    She seemed to have a counter for everything that I did.


    It was frustrating, but the emotion didn''t quite sink in. At least, not in the state that I was in.


    "Hooo."


    I took a deep breath and tried my best to regain my stamina.


    In the meantime, I thought back to what just happened.


    ''I was close...''


    It felt as though I wasing close to the creation of a concept. Though iplete, a concept formed in my mind as I started to get a better idea of what my domain would be.


    What I had seen was merely one small part of it, but the idea was there.


    ....It was unfortunate that I wasn''t able to grasp it at this very moment.


    ''It would''ve helped.''


    But that would require an incredible amount of luck.


    I wasn''t that lucky.


    And I didn''t have time to try again. Staring directly in Ang''s direction, our eyes locked for a


    brief moment before she disappeared. I immediately turned to my left despite hearing a


    rustling sounding from my right.


    Swoosh!


    As expected, as though she were a ghost, Ang appeared on my left.


    I thrust my fist forward as she thrust her dagger forward. My fist and her dagger neared each


    other, and just as they were about to touch, Ang''s hand twisted as the dagger shot for my


    heart.


    It all happened in a matter of half a second and the dagger directly hit my chest.


    But there was no pain.


    [Veil of Deception]


    I looked at my body which vanished and then her exposed back.


    Like before, I pointed my right hand in the direction of her exposed neck. A familiar scene


    yed out as she ducked down and avoided the thread.


    But that didn''t matter to me as I raised my left hand.


    In the exact spot where she ducked down a purple hand appeared.


    "....!"


    For the first time, a change urred to her cold and indifferent features as she tried to avoid


    it. But it was toote.


    The hand gripped her face for a brief moment before shattering, her body disappearing


    shortly after that as she materialized at the far end of the tform.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    With heavy breaths, I stared in her direction.


    Her face was pale and her body was slightly trembling.


    ''It worked...''


    For the first time since the fight had started, I hade out on top. Not only that, but I


    managed to get [Grip of Pestilence] to affect her.


    She was now cursed and it would only be a matter of time before she lost all her energy.


    As if she realized this too, her gaze turned sharp.


    I stared back at her, evening out my heartbeat. I understood that her attacks were going to be


    even more relentless, but I was ready.


    Her figure blurred.


    Rustle~


    A rustling sound echoed behind me.


    I didn''t fall for it and thrust my hand forward as it turned purple.


    Ang''s figure appeared in front of my eyes. Her cold gaze stared at my purple hand before


    her hand blurred.


    ".....!"


    I felt a series of sharp cuts appear all over my arm as my mind registered the pain. Before I


    could even counter-attack, she disappeared, appearing right behind me where I felt a familiar set of cuts dig down on my back.


    I ignored the pain and twisted my torso to retaliate but she disappeared before I could do so.


    Her figure appeared to my left. Toward my exposed torso.


    As her dagger glided through the air and sliced it apart, it reached for my exposed area in an


    attempt to cut it, but before she could do so a chain appeared.


    nk! nk!


    It blocked all her attempts before coiling over her hand.


    ''...As expected, you went for it.''


    I didn''t waste the chance.


    Tightening my left hand, the chain coiled out of my body and coiled around her hand tightly


    in an attempt to shatter her hand. I thought I had gotten her, but I was shocked to see the


    chain phase right through her body as her entire body turned gaseous.


    nk! nk!


    The chain fell to the ground with a series of ''nking sounds''.


    Shifting my attention to her corporeal body, it finally dawned on me. The reason why she was


    able to get past all of my defenses and all of that.


    I smiled then.


    "...No wonder you made my life so hard."

 Chapter 313: Abnormality [1]

    Chapter 313: Abnormality [1]


    ?


    A lot of things started to make sense in my mind.


    From how she was able to dodge all of my threads and how she dismissed [Step of Suppression] so effortlessly. It all boiled down to the fact that she was able to change the structure of her body, turning it into a gas.


    Masking her skill with her speed, she was able to hide the trick from my eyes.


    It took a bloodied body and several carefullyid traps to finally realize what her skill was.


    ''...It''s good that I know, but how do I handle this?''


    My mind started to work in overdrive.


    Knowing how her skill functioned, I started to think of all possible ways to deal with it.


    It was unfortunate that she left me with no time to properly think.


    Rustle~


    She arrived before me.


    There was no trick this time and she directly confronted me head-on.


    I clenched my hand and the threads that I hadid out moments prior closed in all around me, forming an inescapable.


    She didn''t seem bothered by it all as her gaze looked at me with a cold indifference. As expected, the threads phased right through her body.


    All of this happened in a split second and as the threads phased right through her, she attacked me.


    She aimed her dagger directly at my heart.


    The dagger inched just a few centimeters away from my chest before stopping. Her eyes frosted as she twisted her torso and swung toward her back.


    Swoosh!


    "....Eh?"


    A confused voice came out of her lips as nothing stood behind her.


    "It wasn''t an illusion."


    I smiled faintly and pressed my pressed my hand forward.


    Several threads shot out at once, all aimed at a different spot; Leg, neck, back, pelvis, and shoulder.


    Unlike before I didn''t aim for just one spot.


    I wanted to seal all means of escape. And yet... As if she had eyes at the back of her head, her entire body started to twist and bend in an unnatural way, deftly avoiding all of the threads.


    Rolling on the ground, she pressed her hands down and pushed herself up.


    That was when she twisted her torso and she threw a dagger in my direction. Xiu!


    The dagger tore through the air, a whistling sound apanied its movement.


    I had neither the time to think nor dodge.


    All I did was step back.


    The only thing I could do was watch as the dagger reached the top of my forehead, piercing the flesh.


    Tink!


    I felt a sharp pain at the top of my forehead as blood trickled down my face. It ran down my face, sliding down my cheeks as I lowered my head to stare at the dagger on the ground. "That was close.''


    My heartbeat was even and so was my breathing.


    To my right I could see that the referee was tense, having almost interfered. It was a good thing that I was able to block her attack, focusing all my attention on the area around my head and increasing the gravity as much as possible.


    I was able to escape defeat by just a thin margin.


    Thud!


    Angnded on the ground before pressing her feet hard and shooting toward me.


    I looked at her without much of an expression.


    .....She''s getting slower.''


    If before I couldn''t see it, I could now see her. She was still fast, but not to the same level as before.


    The curse was taking effect.


    She seemed to have realized this as well as she grew more frantic with her attacks. With one dagger in her hand, she stepped forward and slid to my left side, bending down her body and shing toward my torso.


    Her actions seemed calcted to the minute detail, leaving me breathless and suffocated. Not only was she fast but she took no breaks in between each one of her attacks.


    Does she ever get tired?


    Despite my mind being filled with thoughts, my mind moved on its own. As if it was already aware of what she was nning, a thick chain materialized from out of nowhere, coiling around my body and covering the most vulnerable areas around my torso.


    This action left Ang with no other choice but to aim for a different area.


    That area was none other than my head as she lunged down and pressed hard against the ground, cracking the pavement beneath and shooting for my temple.


    Bang!


    I raised my left hand lightly and threads appeared from out of nowhere, surrounding her entirely and shooting for her.


    She didn''t even bother looking at them as her eye fixed on my temple.


    Sure enough, her body started to change, turning more corporeal as the threads passed right through her body. The dagger had also turned gaseous, and it soon arrived right at my forehead. It was a mere inch away from it.


    In that split second when her body shifted back to her original form, my finger twitched. A purple hand appeared right before my face, phasing through the dagger and reaching out for Ang whose eyes shook fiercely.


    I could tell that she was trying to revert her transformation back to gaseous, but it seemed


    impossible.


    In order to turn her body back into a gas form, her body needed to be back to normal.


    I understood this when testing her for the past several minutes, and took my chance right when she was changing between forms.


    ''I''ve got you...''


    Unable to shift form and to move, I watched as the hand reached out for her face, dragging her head and forcing her to stumble several steps back.


    "........!"


    The dagger that had just been a mere inch away from my hand moved away as Ang scattered back, her face extremely pale and her body trembling.


    I knew this was much chance and didn''t waste a second.


    Clenching my hands, threads appeared to surround the entire tform as they closed in on


    her from all directions.


    Despite her helpless situation she tried to activate her skill, but it was toote. The threads reached for her, and just as they closed in on her, a figure appeared, forming a small dome


    around her.


    "Match over."


    The voice quietly echoed through my surroundings as I stood on the spot.


    I could barely keep my bnce as the noise around me faded into a distant murmur. Standing there, overwhelmed, I couldn''t help but let out a small, almost deliriousugh.


    That was when I noticed something.


    Since the moment that my legs had been injured, I had hardly moved from the area I had been


    in.


    "The winner is..."


    I raised my head to look at the referee.


    "Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire!"


    ***


    Broadcasting Studio.


    The match had been followed very closely by Karl and Johanna. The same was true for the


    audience who watched the twobatants fight with bated breath.


    It was an incredibly intense battle that left many holding onto their seats.


    Even Karl and Johanna found themselves speaking less and less as the match progressed.


    In the end, a winner was announced.


    <Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire!>


    The studio was quiet for a short moment before Karl broke the silence.


    "F-Damn."


    He came dangerously close to swearing but just in time managed to stop himself. But it


    couldn''t be helped. The match had been that intense. He could even feel sweat form beneath


    his chair as he sat up a bit to adjust his pants.


    Johanna on the other hand seemed to be doing better.


    Her gaze was locked onto the broadcast as her eyes remained fixed on Julien who was


    bloodied all over. Be it his face or body, it was covered in wounds.


    <It was a hard-fought match>


    Karl began. <....I didn''t expect we''d get a match of this quality so early into the Second Phase, but here we


    are>


    With a chuckle, Karl turned to look at Johanna.


    <What do you think? What are your opinions on the match? Please give us your expert


    opinion>


    <....>


    Johanna didn''t answer immediately.


    She sat in silence for a short few seconds, sorting through her thoughts. Eventually, reying everything that had happened at the back of her mind, she started speaking,


    <It was a difficult match. Especially for Julien since Ang was an extremely bad match-up


    for him>


    <Haha, we all saw that. Their match-up was indeed bad>


    <Indeed. With her unique skill, Ang was able to turn the tides in her favor. Not only that but


    if you noticed, Julien tried to use his Emotive Magic several times> Johanna yed the broadcast back to disy the times when Julien tried to speak.


    <We can''t hear what he''s saying, but I can confirm that he was trying to use the vocalization


    aspect of his Emotive Magic. Right when he did that... Notice how Ang moved her hand. I


    believe she countered his move through sound dissipation>


    <Ah!>


    Karl smacked his hand in realization.


    <So that''s why he wasn''t able to use his Emotive Magic!>


    <That''s correct>


    <Hahaha, I guess she was prepared. After all, she doese from the same Empire as that


    little monster. If you had topare, who do you think is the better Emotive Mage between


    Julien and Caius?>


    <Hard to say>


    Johanna answered truthfully.


    <I haven''t seen enough from both of them to know, but if I had to make a guess then it''d be


    Caius>


    <Why do you say that?>


    <Simply because of his status. He''s from the Royal Family and has had a lot of resources since


    young. Compared to Julien whoes from a Barony, there''s a huge difference>


    <That makes sense>


    The two of them went on to talk like this for a few more minutes before they shifted their


    attention back to the main topic.


    Karl asked,


    <How do you feel Julien''s chances for the next few rounds are?>


    <Not very good>


    Johanna answered truthfully.


    <....The injuries that Julien sustained during the fight aren''t light, and he''ll need to spend


    some time to recover. We don''t know how much time he will have to recover, but even if he


    does recover, I don''t see his chances being high>


    <Howe...?> <Because he''s already revealed all his cards>


    As if realization finally dawned on him, Karl''s mouth hung open for a few seconds. When he


    found himself unable to muster any words, he bitterly smiled,


    <Indeed. He was quite unlucky. With all the other participants having ess to his rey,


    they''ll find everything out about him. By the time they fight, he''ll have it way harder than the


    rest>


    <....It''s unfortunate, but this all boils down to him ranking low in the First Phase which forced him to face up against a strong opponent>


    <That''s true>


    Karl sighed before shifting his attention back to the broadcasts.


    It was then that he noticed something from one of the tforms and his eyes soon widened.


    <May I have everyone''s attention!>


    He pressed on the broadcast which disyed two figures standing on opposite ends. The


    tform was shattered and broken all over.


    The two girls stood in silence, their eyes locked on each other, neither uttering a word as the


    tension between them hung heavy in the air.


    Karl''s voice rang again,


    <....There''s still a match worth watching!>

 Chapter 314: Abnormality [2]

    Chapter 314: Abnormality [2]


    ?


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    I took a deep breath and suppressed the pain that was invading every inch of my body. A lot of the wounds that I had sustained were merely surface level with Ang trying to bleed me out throughout the entire match.


    She was trying to turn the fight into one of attrition.


    Her thoughts weren''t wrong. I was just a few minutes away from losing too much blood to continue.


    I was thankfully able to turn things around in the nick of time.


    "...Hm."


    As the familiar cube materialized before me, I instinctively reached out and grasped it. Instantly, my surroundings blurred, and I found myself standing beneath the tform. There were several people already waiting beneath.


    "You don''t look so great."


    Leon was one of them. Unlike me, he looked to be in tip-top shape.


    As his gaze wandered over my body, he tossed me a towel.


    "Here."


    "Thanks."


    I wiped the blood and sweat that had umted all over my body. I then applied some ointments. My injuries were not too bad, and I could hold onto the pain, but I still needed to take care of them.


    I tossed the towel back once I was done.


    ck!


    Leon never received the towel as it fell to the floor.


    The two of us stood in silence for a brief moment before looking at each other. I was the first one to speak,


    "Why did you...?"


    "....No."


    "But..."


    "That."


    "Uh?"


    "Eh?"


    I scratched the back of my head. We had some sort of mimunication. Realizing what the problem was, I went ahead and picked up the towel before handing it over to him.


    ||||


    He once again stood in silence.


    "You want it?"


    Leon''s expression shifted slightly.


    "Why would I want it?"


    "Because it''s yours?"


    I pointed at the name etched on the towel.


    ''Leon Ellert''


    Leon shook his head.


    "Not anymore."


    "....Then what do I do with this?"


    "Keep it."


    "But it has your name on it."


    "So?"


    "I don''t like it."


    I tossed the towel to the side. Things would be a little weird if they saw me using a towel that had someone else''s name on it.


    "Hiek!"


    I had just thrown the towel when I heard a startled yelp.


    I felt my entire body tense, turning rigid like stone. Leon, frozen in ce, seemed to experience the same sensation. In perfect sync, we turned our heads simultaneously. "What the hell?!"


    Aoife yanked the dirty towel from her head, retching as she threw it to the ground. Her head snapped in our direction, eyes burning with unmistakable anger and rage.


    "Who!?"


    She rose from the spot.


    It was the first time that I had ever seen her so angry.


    "Haa."


    I sighed and looked at Leon.


    He looked back at me and shook his head.


    ''No, don''t.''


    ''...I''ve been meaning to tell you about this joke I''ve heard recently.''


    Leon''s face became rigid as his eyes turned bloodshot.


    I nodded at him and pointed at the name written on the towel.


    "It was Leon."


    "Leon?"


    Aoife''s gaze, filled with malice, shifted toward him. He stood frozen, staring back at her with


    a helpless expression, unable to move.


    In that state, I could pretty much hear his inner thoughts.


    ''...Should I tell her the truth?


    ''No, but if I do he will say ''that''?''


    ''What is worse? Aoife, or ''that''?''


    "The answer is obvious.''


    ''But I didn''t do anything wrong.''


    I bit my lips and covered my mouth. The scene was so heart-wrenching. I just couldn''t find it


    in me to look at him any longer and just turned my head.


    ''He is so... pitiful.''


    "Uh?"


    A sudden, startled sound jolted me back to reality. I turned my head and was surprised to see Aoife, her anger gone, clutching the broadcasting tablet in front of her with a calmer


    expression.


    Her expression was unusually serious.


    I inched closer to get a better look, and that was when I saw it.


    Kiera''s fight.


    ||


    I blinked my eyes for a short second before I heard Aoife''s quiet voice echo around us.


    "....Since when was she this strong?"


    ***


    nk! nk-!


    Agatha twirled her body lightly and shed down with her sword several times. Each one of


    her movements was fluid and graceful, benefiting that of someone who was hailed as the next


    ''Sword Saint''.


    On the other hand, Kiera''s fighting method was a lot wilder and unrestrained.


    With a forceful thrust of her hand, a spiral of mes erupted, roaring toward Agatha.


    Swoosh!


    <The two of them seem to have infinite stamina>


    In the broadcasting studio, Johanna paid close attention to the fight. It was a fierce fight that had been going on for the past ten minutes with neither side taking advantage.


    This came as quite a shock since most believed Agatha to be stronger than Kiera. And not by a


    small margin.


    Agatha was close to Amell in terms of strength.


    She was ranked as a top five to top ten prospect, while Kiera was ced in the top fifties. Both were undeniably talented, yet there should have been a significant gap in their abilities.


    And yet...


    nk!


    Agatha drove her sword into the ground, but the force still pushed her back several steps. Her


    icy blue eyes locked onto the zing figure in the distance. mes flickered in Kiera''s palm, and her ruby-red eyes gleamed menacingly.


    With a cold, unreadable expression, Kiera flicked her finger, summoning several red magic


    circles around Agatha.


    Despite the number of attacks that were staring down at her, Agatha remainedposed, carefully noting the angles of each magic circle. Then, with a calm demeanor, she closed her


    eyes.


    The magic circles fully formed, glowing red as several streaks of red shot down.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Each attack moved at incredible speeds. From the moment they appeared and shot down, it only took half a second. Faced with such relentless attacks, Agatha was calm as well.


    She brought her sword forward and stabbed in all sorts of directions. Her movements were


    crisp and smooth.


    Through speed at which the naked eye couldn''t see, she stabbed exactly in the spots where Kiera''s attacks were.


    Each thrust punctured the center of the energy streaks, dissipating much of their power. At


    the same time, she made subtle adjustments, shifting small parts of her body just a few inches


    in specific directions. Through such calcted and minimal movements, she was able to dodge several attacks.


    This went on for several seconds until all of the spells had rained down. Once she opened her


    eyes again, Kiera stood on the opposite end, her breath slightly heavy.


    Agatha''s lips curled up slightly.


    ".... Have you finally gotten tired?"


    She had been waiting patiently for this moment since the very start. At first, as the fight went


    on, she had been worried that her opponent had infinite stamina. But... it didn''t seem to be the


    case anymore.


    Agatha drove her foot into the ground and shot forward like a bullet, her speed so tremendous


    that she left a blur of after-images in her wake.


    Sword in hand, she stabbed in Kiera''s direction.


    Swoosh!


    Startled by Agatha''s sudden charge, Kiera raised her palm, and a wall of me surged up


    between them.


    She thought that would be enough to buy her time but she thought wrong.


    "Ha!"


    With a slow, deliberate twirl of her sword''s tip, Agatha drew the mes that blocked her path


    toward her de. With a subtle flick of her wrist, she dispersed the absorbed mes into the


    air.


    A small hole appeared, disying the flustered Kiera on the opposite end. nting her right foot firmly, Agatha


    past the


    and reache


    fluid motion, she swung her sword toward Kiera''s exposed back.


    Pft!


    Blood leaked out from Kiera''s back as she stumbled forward.


    But Agatha wasn''t done.


    ''s


    In one


    Seizing the moment, Agatha''s sword flicked forward in a blur, delivering thirty rapid shes


    in the span of a single second. Her movements were so swift that Karl, observing the fight in real-time, couldn''t even track them.


    Only Johnna could and her expression was filled with admiration. <Those watching may not see it, but Agatha has stabbed a total of thirty-one times in the


    span of a single second. As you can see, this is the result of such an attack>


    She pointed toward Kiera, more specifically her exposed back which soon came to view for all


    those watching as the mes surrounding her died down.


    <Hiss....>


    Karl took a cold breath.


    Karl wasn''t alone in his reaction. Many of the spectators mirrored his shock, with the younger


    or more faint-hearted among them turning away as Kiera''s vulnerable back wasid bare for all to see.


    Drenched in the color red, all everyone could see was the deep gash on her back as the ground


    beneath her polled with her own blood.


    "Uhkh...!"


    In such a state, Kiera was able to remain standing, but to those watching, they knew that the


    match was as good as over.


    Agatha''s stamina was still great, and she hadn''t sustained any major injuries.


    On the opposite side, Kiera''s stamina was low and she was bleeding profusely.


    <She''s done enough. Especially against a top-five contender. If...>


    Karl didn''t have time to finish his words before Agatha''s figure blurred, and she charged


    toward Kiera. Given Kiera''s condition, Agatha couldn''t afford to let her rest and recover. Although she didn''t show it, she was actually extremely tired. Even if Kiera was about to bleed


    out, Agatha felt the need to end the fight right this instant to not let an unforeseen variable


    ur.


    As such, her focus remained sharp, refusing to let arrogance cloud her judgment.


    Just like before, she used her abilities to the fullest and skidded over to Kiera who was


    struggling to keep standing.


    In a heartbeat, she was already before Kiera and their gazes met.


    A pair of red eyes and a pair of blue eyes.


    Two tinum-colored hair.


    Agatha stabbed forward, and...


    Swoosh!


    Hit nothing.


    ''....Uh?!''


    Carrying over with the momentum, Agatha stumbled forward. The broadcast panned over to


    her expression which was filled with confusion. I hit nothing? How could that be...? Where


    could she-!?


    Agatha felt something cold press against her back, and her entire body froze.


    Following this, the referee''s voice echoed.


    "The winner is..."


    His voice quietly echoed through the tform.


    "Kiera Mylne of the Nurs Ancifa Empire."


    Agatha looked down to see her shadow squirming before realization dawned on her.


    "Ha, I see."


    The grip of her sword loosened. With a ''nk,'' her sword fell and she stumbled forward,


    Thump!


    She fell face down on the ground, exposing Kiera''s cold, and unamused expression. Her entire body was shrouded in ck, with only her deep ruby-red eyes visible. Kiera didn''t


    appear pleased with her victory; in fact, she seemed indifferent, her gaze fixed firmly ahead.


    Toward a distance, a statue stared back at her.


    It was an Angel... of Sorrow.

 Chapter 315: Sweet [1]

    Chapter 315: Sweet [1]


    ?


    A strange silence took over the studio as Kiera''s match came to a sudden end. Neither Karl nor Johanna were able to say a single word as they sat in silence, staring at the figure that stood in the middle of the tform in silence.


    As the darkness that gripped her body started to fade, revealing the outlines of her body and her tinum-colored hair, Karl silently hissed.


    <This was an unexpected result>


    <....Indeed it was>


    Johanna quietly nodded her head as she pursed her lips, reying the scene from before in her mind.


    It was just when Agatha was nning to end the match...


    Her sword twisted through the air, gliding toward Kiera''s weakened body. It had just been a few inches away from Kiera when she disappeared.


    Even as they slowed down the rey nobody could see clearly what had happened.


    Everyone was caught off guard, except for Johanna, who noticed a flicker in Kiera''s ruby-red eyes just before she vanished. In the next instant, Kiera reappeared right behind Agatha, her entire body cloaked in ck, with her finger pressed against the back of Agatha''s hand.


    <Dual Element...>


    Johanna quietly murmured.


    It was faint, but enough for Karl to hear as he snapped out of it.


    <Uh? Ah!? Did you just say she''s a dual elemental?>


    <Yes>


    Johanna nodded as she borated.


    <Fire and Darkness>


    <So that''s the case!>


    Karl pped his thigh in realization. It wasn''t as though the thought hadn''t crossed his mind, but the skill was so quick and weird that he hadn''t had the time to properly process the situation. However, upon noticing how the darkness was leaving Kiera''s body, he understood that she was a dual elemental user.


    Such users were actually quite rare.


    It was rathermon for a genius to have talent in two different fields. Most of the participants were like that, with only a few specializing in just one category. Nheless, the rarest ones were those that had talents thaty in the same category.


    One such example was Caius who was talented in the [Telekinesis] and [Emotive] fields which both belonged to the [Mind] category.


    Belonging to the same category, they were much easier to practice since the two fieldsplemented one another.


    There were many corrtions between the two fields, making it easier to excel in both. This allowed them to progress more quickly, as they didn''t need to spend as much time practicing each one separately.


    Kiera''s profile detailed her as a single attribute [me] user. Her other talent waspletely undisclosed.


    It was for that reason that Johanna and Karl were surprised.


    This changed a lot of things!


    Taking a deep breath, Karl watched as Kiera gripped the cube and disappeared from the tform. At the same time, Agatha was escorted down by the referee who waved his hand at once and disappeared alongside her.


    Watching all of this happen, Karl began to mumble,


    <We might have found ourselves our dark horse...>


    ***


    [That was a wonderful first round of battles]


    A voice quietly boomed throughout the za as the finalbatants, Kiera and Agatha, stepped off the tform. Yet again, nobody was able to associate the voice with a figure as the one speaking didn''t show themselves.


    For what reason? I didn''t know.


    I just stood in silence while staring at Kiera who appeared a few moments prior.


    She was weird...


    No, she had been acting weird.


    I pursed my lips.


    ''Is it because of what happened to her with her aunt?''


    It made sense when I thought about it.


    With everything that had happened to her, it was only normal that she''d react this way. But at the same time, since when did she start using her other element?


    I had hardly ever seen it use it.


    In fact, most people around her had no idea she wielded two elements, as she typically only used her me element. This was the first time she had ever disyed her second element, and it was truly terrifying to see.


    The moment in the first vision was the one that stood out to me the most.


    I never really quite understood why she had never shown it or used it, but after witnessing her past with the third leaf, I more or less had an idea.


    ''She''s scared of the dark''


    ...Or at least, was.


    That no longer seemed to be the case any longer.


    [There are only twenty-four of you left now, and after such grueling and fierce battles, it''s time you were given a well-deserved rest.]


    The voice, hoarse yet authoritative, let out a quiet chuckle.


    [The second stage will begin tomorrow at this time. In the meantime, you are free to do as you please. You can rest, eat, study your opponents, or recover from your injuries. The choice is yours, and we will not restrict your freedom. You are allowed to roam freely around Grimspire or Bremmer if you wish.]


    I noticed some of the expressions around me brighten significantly at those words.


    I felt the same way. My mind was drained, and my body was on the brink of copse. I needed


    to recover as quickly as possible.


    Of course...


    That wasn''t what I was most looking forward to.


    ''....Can I do it?''


    What I was looking forward to the most was the development of my domain. Since the fight with Ang, it felt as though I had brushed against the edge of something profoundly


    important.


    It made my body itch and I wanted to do nothing more than try it.


    So long as I carefully worked along those lines, I was confident in further developing my


    domain.


    While I still wouldn''t be able to fully develop it, I had a feeling that I''d be able to develop it to an extent where it would be usable in fights and boost my strength considerably.


    That was why, upon hearing the announcement to finish whatever they needed to do, I didn''t linger any longer. I headed straight to the nearest inn and booked a room.


    "A single room, please."


    There were rooms offered specifically for cadets in another inn, but I was in too much of a hurry to head for the portal in Bremmer and leave.


    This was much better for me.


    "Not bad."


    The room was as simple as could be. It featured dark wooden polish and minimal decoration, with a small window allowing a view of the dark sky and the white sun overhead. A small sofa sat beneath the window, while the bed was positioned in the middle of the room, attached to


    the wall.


    A smallmp on the dark wooden desk cast a faint glow over its surface.


    I nced around the room briefly before sitting on the bed and closing my eyes.


    A familiar ck world greeted me.


    I took a deep breath and stared ahead. A familiar red orb materialized in the distance, gradually approaching until it hovered a few meters away from me beforeing to a stop.


    Throb!


    A gentle throb pulsed through the air as a familiar letter fell from above,ing to rest just


    beneath the orb.


    ''R''


    My blood boiled at the sight, but I pushed the feeling aside and rejected it. Instead of


    allowing it to consume me, I forced myself to remain calm.


    I was taking a different approach from the first time.


    ''A''


    The next letter followed.


    Once again, I felt power surging through my body. My muscles tensed and twisted as they


    strained against the force. I bit my lips, resisting the urge to embrace it, and forced my


    muscles to rx, pushing aside the power boost.


    Throb!


    ''G''


    The orb squirmed like before.


    It was as if something within the orb had awakened, causing it to pound and pulse with a


    strange, rhythmic timing.


    The interior of the orb throbbed and writhed unnaturally. In that moment, I felt an intense


    urge to reach out, as if the orb was calling to me. But I resisted the impulse, holding back from


    extending my hand.


    Throb! Throb!


    The orb throbbed with even more intensity, calling for me to touch it, but I clenched my teeth


    and held back.


    "Kh...!"


    Sweat poured down my forehead.


    My face spasmed as I looked ahead, my eyes stinging as I forced myself to keep them open.


    I couldn''t miss it.


    I had to see it.


    That was when a new letter appeared.


    ''E''


    Everything stopped at that moment.


    The orb stopped pulsing, and so did the calling sensation.


    A strange silence enveloped the empty space as the orb emitted a faint crimson glow. Beneath


    it, a four-letter word slowly appeared.


    "Rage..."


    I felt my mouth go dry as I stared at the words and the floating orb above them. For a brief


    moment, I extended my hand toward it. The orb squirmed and came to life, reaching out to me as if in greeting.


    It was just a finger length away from reaching me before I stopped.


    ''No, not yet...''


    I wanted to see more.


    That was when something else caught my vision.


    It was a green orb.


    .... Just like the red orb, it appeared in the distance beforeing forward and stopping right


    next to the red orb.


    It stopped for a moment before a familiar letter appeared from above.


    Throb!


    ''J''


    "....!"


    The changes that urred in my body were different. My muscles still squirmed, but this time


    the sensation was more focused, targeting my calves and legs.


    But what exactly was it?


    Throb!


    The orb throbbed again, and the pain in my head intensified.


    I bit my lips and resisted.


    ''More...! I want to see more!''


    Throb!


    ''0''


    The muscles in my calves squirmed and twisted as a hidden energy I hadn''t experienced


    before surged through them. My mind began to ache, and my vision blurred as time seemed to


    slow down, each moment stretching out before me.


    Looking down, I saw several outlines of my hand tracing its path. Each time I moved my hand,


    two outlines followed, creating a weird trail.


    ''How odd...''


    It was strange. As I looked ahead, the orb once again seemed to call out to me, squirming like


    the first one had.


    It throbbed and squirmed violently, but I ignored it.


    Throb!


    Thest letter arrived.


    My head shook, and I stumbled back.


    "Ukh!"


    But not before seeing thest letter.


    ''Y''


    Gazing at the orb beside the other one, I ced my hand on my chest and read the words


    beneath each orb.


    "Rage... Haa... joy..."


    I saw a pattern in all of this.


    Soon, a new orb appeared in the distance. It was blue in color and began moving toward me. It


    headed in the direction of the two orbs, and as I stared at it, my vision shook.


    "Uakh!"


    I felt a certain throbbing pain and my eyes red open.


    "Ahkh!"


    Squirming on the ground, I clutched my head and rolled around for a few seconds. Despite


    being ustomed to pain, this was something I couldn''t endure. It was a pain so intense and


    disorienting that it sent my body into shock.


    Bang!


    I thrashed my surroundings, sending themp crashing to the ground and tearing the


    bedsheets apart in the process.


    It hurt... It hurt so much!


    Bang, bang!


    "Akh!!"


    It only came to a stop after a full minute, by which time the floor was covered in sweat and


    torn sheets.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ.. §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    Breathing heavily, I leaned against the bed''s frame and took deep, steady breaths to calm


    myself.


    ''....I''ve overdone it.''


    In my excitement, I overexerted my mental energy. This was especially bad considering that I


    had yet to recover from the fight.


    In my excitement, I neglected myself. "Haa..."


    I clenched my teeth.


    The pain just refused to leave.


    As I bit my lips, I felt something in my pocket. Fiddling with it for a few seconds, I pulled out


    a small chocte bar.


    I stared at the chocte bar for a few seconds before popping it into my mouth and chewing.


    In that moment of pain, I forgot about all the hate that I had for sweets and savored the taste.


    The pain started to subside, and I was able to finally breathe in peace.


    Finally opening my eyes, I let out a long breath.


    "Still too sweet."


    But...


    It wasn''t too bad.

 Chapter 316: Sweet [2]

    Chapter 316: Sweet [2]


    ?


    I sat in silence for what felt like an hour, but when I checked the time, only a few minutes had psed. With a small sigh, I licked my teeth and stood up.


    "Ueh..."


    The sweetness from the chocte was still lingering in my taste buds and I winched slightly.


    It had helped me suppress the pain, but at the same time, feeling how sweet my mouth had be, I started to feel regret.


    ''How in the world can she eat something this sweet without a problem?''


    I was growing more and more concerned for Delh''s health.


    She was a superhuman. One of the strongest at that, but surely it wasn''t good for her to eat stuff that was this sweet.


    "Not that I''m any better..."


    I was the one feeding that addiction of hers.


    Shaaa-


    Rising my mouth in the sink, I took a deep breath and stared at my reflection.


    Even now, I found it hard to get used to what I saw in the reflection. The sharply defined jawline and the intense, piercing hazel eyes that seemed to look straight through me were still unfamiliar.


    Not that I wasn''t sure how I looked, but this look seemed a little bit too perfect?


    "Haha."


    The thought made meugh a little.


    As I stared at my reflection, I was suddenly reminded of something.


    A certain vision.


    "The Angel..."


    With everything that had happened, I had no time to think about the Angel. All my thoughts had been on what I had seen in the Tomb, and when I came back into the za the Second Phase had already started.


    It was only now that I had time to rest that I was reminded of the quest, and my eyes squinted.


    "Things have been a little quiet."


    By now, I had half-expected something to happen to me. Especially when I was reminded of the vision I had seen, and yet... Nothing of the sort urred.


    Rather, things were strangely calm.


    Too calm for my ownfort.


    I knew that something was brewing, but what exactly? And could I do anything about it? "Can I just directly destroy the statue?"


    I discarded the thought rather quickly. Though I didn''t know much about the statue, I could tell that it held some sort of significance to the city of Grimspire. If I were to destroy it like that then I''d be in a whole world of trouble.


    Then...?


    To Tok-


    A sudden knock broke me out of my thoughts. I looked at the door in both confusion and


    concern.


    ''Nobody should be aware of where I''m staying...''


    Neither Leon nor the Professors knew where I was. I had left abruptly and didn''t exin a single thing. The sudden knock made me somewhat wary, but of course, it could also just be room service.


    || "1


    I approached the door with caution.


    To Tok-


    Who could it be?


    nk!


    I ended up opening the door and opened my eyes wide.


    "Uh?"


    A weird sound apanied my shock as a figure I was all too familiar with appeared at the entrance of the door. With long flowing ck hair, a face that could only be described with the word ''alien'', and a stiff expression, Delh appeared on the other side of the door.


    I blinked several times, unable to hide my shock.


    The shock didn''t stem from her appearance. By now I had grown used to her antics and was always prepared for her to show up unannounced.


    ....The shock came from the fact that she knocked on the door.


    "Since when do you knock?"


    Delh tilted her head, allowing her ck hair to gently fall to the side of her shoulder and exposing the nape of her neck. As her eyes fluttered in confusion, she looked around the room for a brief moment before her eyes settled over a certain spot.


    Toward a certain wrapper.


    Her pursed lips and for the faintest of moments I thought I saw a smile.


    "What?"


    "Nothing."


    Delh entered the room and sat down, folding her legs as she did so. She then nced


    around the room.


    "....You''re as messy as me."


    "About that..."


    I closed the door behind me and sighed.


    Without worrying about anyone overhearing our conversation, I told her the truth. From how


    I was developing a domain to how I had overexerted my mind in the process.


    "Oh."


    Delh nodded in understanding.


    ".... It happened to me as well."


    Not satisfied with what she said, her brows squirmed for a second before she added,


    "My room was like this too."


    ''.... Your room is like this regardless of whether you overexert your mind or not.''


    I held myment back. Though I didn''t think Delh would hit me for ament like that,


    I wasn''t too keen on finding out. It was hard to read a woman like her.


    Looking around, I started to clean up while Delh quietly watched from the side.


    I wasn''t too bothered by this since I was used to it.


    Her presence.


    ''Right, since she''s here I can take this time to ask her about my Domain.''


    Surely she''d know of a way to help me.


    Picking up one of the torn sheets, I casually looked her way and asked,


    "Is there a way to develop my concept faster?"


    "?"


    Delh cocked her head before shaking her head.


    "I don''t know."


    ".....''


    Talk about useful.


    As if she could read my thoughts, Delh continued.


    "All concepts are different. I don''t know your concept. How should I know? I learned mine


    quickly. It''s something that you need to figure out on your own."


    "That makes sense."


    It was a bit of a bummer but when I thought about it, she had a point.


    A concept was based on someone''s visualization and mind. It was created after one''s


    experiences and desires which was what Delh was trying to exin.


    ''I guess I''m being impatient.''


    I needed to stop overthinking and just quietly ponder over the domain. It would eventually


    come with time. That much I was sure. I couldn''t rush it.


    As my thoughts cleared up, I tossed all the ripped-up sheets on the bed and patted my hands.


    "I''m done."


    ''I''ll have to pay for thister but it probably shouldn''t be too much.''


    "Oh."


    I suddenly recalled something and looked at Delh. Entering the world within the ring, I rushed to the back of the building where all my items were stored and reached for a ck bone


    which I took out and showed to her.


    "Can you help me sell this?"


    "...A Wraith bone?"


    With her sharp eyes, Delh was able to easily tell what the bone was. She took it from my


    hand and closely examined it.


    "You do not want it?"


    "No."


    I shook my head after a little bit of thought. I only had two slots left and I wanted to make the


    best out of them. Perhaps I was greedy, but I wanted them to belong to unique monsters that would also serve as potential wills like Pebble and Owl-Mighty.


    The reason why I asked Delh to sell this was because she had connections and I wasn''t


    afraid they''d scam her.


    ....or maybe they would?


    Taking a look at her, I pursed my lips.


    ''She won''t get scammed, right?''


    "Here."


    Contrary to my expectations, she didn''t take the bone directly and just tossed me a small bag


    of coins. I caught the bag, which weighed pretty heavily with a dumbfounded expression.


    "This is...?"


    "...Money." "But..."


    "I''m buying it."


    I didn''t know how to answer that. Looking down and seeing the hefty bag of coins, I could


    only flick my head between her and the sack. In the end, I didn''t ask any questions and just kept the money. Delh appeared satisfied by that as she brushed her hair behind her ear.


    With a thoughtful look on her face, she changed the topic of conversation,


    "Do you remember the reason why you learned your intent?"


    "The reason? I do."


    How could I not? It was right after the y and I had locked the [Love] emotion. Ever since


    reaching thete stage of Tier 3, a nagging feeling crept up at the back of my mind, hinting at


    something. I hadn''t been so sure of the reason, but it all became clear to me once I unlocked thest Emotion.


    Coming into full circle, I was able to unlock my Intent which was closely tied to my emotions.


    In that sense, it also fitted very well with what I hade up with so far with my concept. It


    was just that it was taking a of time me to properly create a concept. Each orb had its own properties, representing the corresponding emotion. I had yet to fully figure out how it worked, but I could more or less guess.


    I told most of this to Delh whose face turned slightly stiff.


    "You unlocked your intent after learning about love?"


    "Yes."


    "In the y?"


    "Uh, yes..."


    "With the Princess?"


    "Right."


    Where was she getting at?


    Delh''s face gradually returned back to normal as she pursed her lips. Her ck eyes reached


    out for me as I looked back at her. Our eyes locked for a few seconds, finding myself unconsciously wandering over her features. I had always known this, but Delh was truly


    very beautiful.


    So beautiful that she looked alien to me.


    In the midst of my thoughts, Delh brought her hand forward.


    "Use it."


    "Um?"


    Snapping out of it, I looked down at her hand and tilted my head. Use what?


    "Love."


    Delh said with a straight face.


    "Try using it on me."


    "


    "....."


    I felt my brows jump.


    What did she say? This came out of nowhere and I had a hard time figuring out her intentions.


    But in the end, seeing how serious her expression was, I nodded my head.


    ''Perhaps she can help me.''


    I reached down to grab her hand. And just as I did, I noticed something.


    "...?"


    It was on her finger, and it looked oddly familiar. That was when I looked at my hand. No


    wonder... I raised my brow in surprise as my head flicked up to look at Delh.


    "What?"


    Delh''s expression remained the same despite noticing where I was looking at.


    Ba... Thump!


    I felt my heart beat drum inside of my mind as I alternated my gaze between the two identical


    rings in our hands. Then, a dangerous thought crossed my mind.


    It was so dangerous that I felt my breath leave my body.


    However, when I thought about her past behavior, the idea ran wildly inside my mind.


    Perhaps I was overthinking, but I wasn''t sure.


    Raising my head to meet her gaze, my mouth opened as I asked,


    "You, you can''t possibly like me?"

 Chapter 317: Sweet [3]

    Chapter 317: Sweet [3]


    ?


    The more I thought about it, the more usible the idea was from how she suddenly gave me chocte to the times when she would randomly show up unannounced. I wasn''t very good at picking up these things, but I also didn''t think I was dense.


    It was for that reason that I found myself believing the notion.


    Licking my dry lips, I opened my mouth,


    "You, you can''t possibly like me-"


    "No."


    Delh coldly shook her head and answered before I could finish my sentence.


    It left me speechless, and at the same time a little disappointed. But I shook those feelings away. What was I even thinking?


    "Okay."


    I dropped the topic there and pressed my hand against hers.


    ''Right, maybe I''m overthinking.''


    Focusing all my attention on her palm, I tried using ''Love'' on her. The results were as expected. Delh didn''t react much as she sat in silence, seemingly waiting for something to happen.


    But that something never happened.


    "....It''s not working."


    "Hmm."


    Delh took her hand back before standing up.


    Brushing her silky ck hair past her ear, she looked around before heading for the door. Just before reaching the door, she paused.


    Though I couldn''t see her back, she looked pretty conflicted.


    In the end, she ended up saying,


    "There''s an imbnce between your understanding of the six emotions. Your weakest is Love. Improve that."


    nk!


    Those were thest words that she said before she left.


    In the silence that took over the room, I stared in her direction, at a loss for words. "That..."


    I leaned my head back and helplessly stared at the ceiling.


    "...How in the world am I supposed to do that-"


    My thoughts paused when I noticed something from the corner of my vision. Slowly turning my head, I spotted a familiar chocte bar resting on the desk.


    Reaching out for it, I paused when I noticed that it was missing all of its contents besides one small piece.


    ||


    ||


    I stared at it for a brief moment before putting the bar down and murmuring,


    "...You''ll be the death of me."


    A notification shed in my vision.


    ***


    Coming out of the room, Delh stood in silence for a brief moment. Her brows wiggled slightly as she fell into deep thought.


    "Like?"


    She rummaged through her pocket and took out a small chocte bar. Unwrapping the paper, she was in the process of bringing it to her lips when she stopped.


    11


    ".....


    Delh then opened her mouth and tried again, but stopped again.


    In the end, for the first time since she could remember, she wrapped the chocte bar and ced it in her pocket.


    Fiddling with her hand, and tracing her finger over the ring on her finger, she quietly mumbled,


    "Maybe?"


    Her figure started to blur.


    "...I don''t understand."


    ***


    Within a quiet room in Grimspire.


    Creak!


    The wooden floor creaked under a certain step as a figure calmly sat down on the bed within the room. The room was neither big nor small. It wasrge enough to fit the basic decorations as Kiera silently sat down on the bed with a nk expression.


    Her ruby-red eyes continuously flickered as her expression slowly started to twist.


    The veins at the top of her forehead started to bulge while her face started to spasm. Her eyes shook, and her entire body started to tremble.


    "Uuk...! Ahk!"


    Foam started forming in her mouth as her eyes lost rity.


    At that moment, Kiera clenched her teeth tightly as she smashed her fist against the side of


    the bed.


    Bang!


    Despite the bedding, the bed shattered in an instant as her body shot up.


    "Fucking! Get the fuck out...!"


    Regaining some semnce of rity, Kiera held onto her head as she thrashed around the room, gripping the desk while screaming.


    "Akh!"


    Her vision grew dark.


    In that moment, Kiera stopped struggling as she started hugging her body.


    ''No, not this ce again...''


    A blurred figure appeared in her consciousness.


    The image of the blurred figure became clearer and clearer to Kiera as she sank deeper and deeper into her consciousness. It stared back at her with the same expression. One... that was


    filled with sorrow.


    ''What do you want?''


    Kiera screamed in her consciousness.


    It had been days since she had felt trapped in her own body, and days since she was able to see


    the figure. It had slowly started to take control of her body, inserting more and more of its


    influence on her.


    But she wasn''t the only one.


    Kiera knew this.


    .....There were several others it had affected.


    It was just that she didn''t know to what extent the number of those who had been influenced


    was.


    ''Say something!''


    Kiera''s ruby-red eyes glowed menacingly as she red at the statue that stood before her.


    But her words were met with an empty silence as the statue kept its gaze fixed on her with its


    hollow and sorrowful eyes.


    "Arkh!"


    Kiera rushed toward the statue.


    But just as she did, she snapped back to reality, her eyes flying open as she realized she was back in her own room.


    Kiera stumbled several times beforeing to a stop in front of her desk which she used to


    support herself.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    With heavy breaths, she gripped the desk tightly, biting her lip until she felt a warm trickle down her chin. Unfazed by the pain, her eyes frantically scanned the desk, finally locking onto


    a small orb. She reached for it quickly-it was amunication device.


    So long as she could tell someone...


    "Ueekh...!"


    But just as she reached for it, her hand froze, trembling uncontrobly. It was as if an


    invisible force had seized her arm, holding it in ce and stopping her from moving any


    further.


    "Let... go... damn it!"


    Kiera''s eyes turned bloodshot as the veins down her neck bulged, her expression contorting in


    agony.


    Gradually, she felt her consciousness begin to slip away, sinking back into that dark ce...


    "No!"


    The thought of returning to that dark ce sent her into a panic. She forced her eyelids open and, with every ounce of strength she had left, reached desperately for themunication


    device.


    She came close to themunication device.


    Kiera extended her hand, her fingertip almost brushing against it.


    Just a little...


    Bang!


    "Akh!"


    Her entire body was suddenly flung backward, crashing against the wall at the back of the


    room. She copsed to the floor, coughing violently as she struggled to catch her breath.


    "Cough! Cough!"


    Her mind spun, and her eyelids grew heavy.


    In her fading vision, she could see the darkness creeping in from the edges, slowly closing in


    around her.


    "Ugh..."


    With a groan, Kiera turned to her left and opened her palm, revealing a smallmunication


    device. She silently smirked before she mustered the little amount of energy in her before and


    speaking,


    "Angel... Statue... Possess..."


    Kiera faded into her consciousness shortly after that.


    11


    The room fell silent as Kiera''s grip ckened, and themunication device slipped from her


    hand, rolling across the wooden floor.


    It tumbled for several seconds before a foot came down on it, stopping it in its tracks.


    Kiera bent down, her ruby-red eyes glowing faintly as she picked up the device. She stared at


    the name disyed on it, her expression unreadable.


    Then, without a word, she crushed the device in her hand, shattering it into fine powder.


    "Aoife K. Megrail..."


    ***


    After the first round of fights concluded, the injuredbatants were escorted to Grimspire''s Medical Facility. The facility was situated far from the za, toward the lower end of the city, where space was more abundant-a necessity for such arge establishment. Fortunately, Grimspire wasn''t a particrlyrge city. It was only about one-tenth the size of Bremmer, with a poption of roughly 100,000 people.


    In the Medical Facility.


    "...How are you feeling."


    Amell quietly observed Agatha, whoy on the bed with a paleplexion and lips pressed


    together. Her long tinum hair was spread out over the pillow, and her icy blue eyes


    reflected a glimmer of sorrow.


    Shey like that for several seconds before murmuring,


    "I thought I''d win that. I really thought..."


    Agatha bit her lips, recalling thest fight.


    In that moment when she thrust her sword, she could remember sighing in relief and feeling a


    weight lift off her shoulders. She thought she had won... And yet...


    Clench.


    Not only did she carry the heavy burden of representing her Empire, but she also carried the


    burden of bearing the title of the next ''Sword Saint''.


    Losing was uneptable for her.


    Especially when it came from someone who was ranked far beneath her.


    She felt as though she had let down those of her Empire, and her family. The more she


    thought about the situation the more her chest stung.


    "If only-"


    "I get it."


    Amell stopped her before she could continue. He could see the regret on her face as she


    nkly stared at the ceiling. Agatha was usually the cheerful one while he was the brooding one, always thinking about his past and his brother.


    Seeing how weak and frail she looked, Amell knew that it was now his job to act like her


    support.


    But not only that, he was also the only one left who had any chance of granting their Empire


    victory. Before he had Agatha to share that burden with him, but now...


    "Hooo."


    He took a deep breath and took out a small rectangr device. Noticing his actions, Agatha tilted her head to look in his direction, wondering what he was


    doing. Without looking up at her, he answered,


    "I''m looking at the matches of all the other participants. I want to study each one of them so


    that I don''t lose carelessly or unexpectedly."


    "Really?"


    Amell''s words surprised Agatha as she sat up from the bed.


    Having known Amell for as long as she could remember, she understood his personality best.


    Coming here, he showed no regard to the other fighters nor did he care who was ranked first or


    second. He acted like someone who couldn''t care less aboutpetition, but this was actually the furthest thing from the truth.


    Amell was quitepetitive, but he was also arrogant in his own way.


    He never once looked at a profile, be it on paper or in real life, because he was confident in his


    own abilities.


    It was his unconscious way of saying that he looked down on everyone. Agatha on the other hand was usually the cautious type, always looking at her opponent''s


    profiles and whatnot, but that was in the past. Spending so much time with Amell, his attitude started to rub off on her as well, hence herck of preparation for her opponent.


    ||


    As the room fell into a state of silence as Amell started to look through the profiles, he


    stopped after a certain point, his expression slowly starting to stiffen.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Noticing the abnormalities in Amell''s expression, Agatha reached for him, but just as she did,


    Amell raised his head abruptly, dropping the device in his hand and hurrying out.


    His actions shook Agatha as she tried to reach for him with her hand.


    "Wait! Where are you going!?"


    But she got no response as he smacked the door behind him, leaving her in the room stunned.


    It was then that she lowered her head and noticed the profile flickering on the device. Her eyes


    widened in surprise as she read the information:


    [Leon Ellert]


    [Age: 19]


    [Empire: Nurs Ancifa]


    [Weapon: Sword]


    [Eye color: Gray]

 Chapter 318: The Second Round [1]

    Chapter 318: The Second Round [1]


    ?


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    Amell ran around the entire Grimspire. His thoughts were in a jumbled mess and all he did was


    run around, his eyes scanning the crowd as he navigated through the crowd at speeds at which they couldn''t fathom.


    Swoosh!


    With a gust of wind, some of the people even found themselves looking up toward the raging ball of white that hung in the greying sky with confused expressions.


    "...It''s a little windy today, isn''t it?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    Wind...? What wind? We''re in the Mirror Dimension.


    Of course, there were a few that did notice Amell. Grimspire was a ce that was filled with powerful superhumans.


    While Amell was strong, there were many that were stronger.


    But he didn''t care.


    He continued to run around the entire city looking for one specific individual.


    There were obviously better ways to go about this, but his thoughts were in such a mess that


    he found himself unable to think properly. It was only when he found himself stopping to catch his breath that he realized how stupid his actions were.


    "Haa... What... am I... even... doing?"


    He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the top of his shirt.


    Amell took a deep breath and calmly recovered his breath. Once he did so, his thoughts returned to normal as he took out amunication device and spoke into it.


    "Find me all the information possible regarding Leon Ellert who is participating in the Summit."


    His voice was cold,ced with an authority that befitted someone of his status. His entire demeanor shifted as he surveyed his surroundings.


    He stood in a grim alley, hemmed in by two thick walls on either side. Colorful graffiti marred the surfaces, and he cast a brief, disdainful nce at them.


    "Tsk."


    He clicked his tongue at the sight of them.


    -Understood.


    It was only after he heard a voiceing from themunication device that he put it away.


    He took a deep breath after that and calmed his unsteady heart.


    ''Right, I shouldn''t jump to conclusions. Just because he''s got Grey eyes and looks a little like father doesn''t mean that it''s him...''


    But what if he actually is him?


    How should he approach him?


    Amell gripped his chest as he leaned against the side of the wall. His thoughts wereplicated, but in all those thoughts he realized something.


    ''We searched all over the entire Empire before father and mother gave up. But what if...''


    He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing his raging emotions.


    ''... What if he had left the Empire long ago?''


    ***


    Bremmer.


    Royal Estate.


    Aoife strolled through the quiet, expansive halls of the estate, her steps muffled by the thin red carpet beneath her.


    As she walked her gaze drifted over to the paintings that lined the walls. Each one depicted a chapter in the story of the Megrail family, from its humble beginnings to its rise as the powerful behemoth it had be today.


    "Aoife."


    Aoife''s steps came to a pause as she turned around.


    There, she spotted a familiar figure and her cheeks twitched. I just saw you like an hour ago... Aoife held her tongue back before smiling.


    "Brother."


    "Haha, fancy seeing you here Aoife."


    Aoife stopped herself from rolling her eyes and kept the smile on her face. She loved her brother, but at the same time, he was really exhausting to be with. He had always been attached to her, but ever since the incident a while back, his level of attachment increased by a lot.


    It was to the point where Aoife felt helpless.


    Yet, seeing the sicklyplexion on her brother''s face, she couldn''t bring herself to refuse him. He was suffering so much...


    As Gael approached, he nced at the paintings with a smile.


    "You usually are so indifferent to the paintings. It''s the first time that I''ve seen you show


    some interest."


    "Well... you can say so."


    No, not really.


    She had merely just given them a fleeting nce.


    Aoife knew about the entire history of the Megrail family by heart. It was something that had been engrained into her brain since young. For that reason, even though she never looked at the paintings properly, she knew exactly what each scene represented.


    "Ho, that''s great."


    Gael looked quite happy by Aoife''s words.


    Aoife used to show her disdain for anything that was rted to their family in the past. She


    had some pride for it, but she never really cared for their history.


    This was a nice change.


    Especially since their history was so important.


    "There''s a lot of great things that you can learn by going through the history-"


    In the midst of his speech, Aoife stopped paying attention as she felt her pocket vibrate. Frowning, she took out hermunication device and looked at the message.


    Seeing the message, her brows furrowed tightly.


    ''Angel. Sorrow. Possession?''


    Was Kiera drunk?


    Aoife bit her lips. She really thought that was the case, but at the same time, felt the irregrity in the message to be quite concerning. Especially since Kiera wasn''t the type to send messages like this.


    In fact, besides the asional, ''fuck you'', she''d send on asion, Kiera usually never


    messaged her.


    ......Something is up.''


    ncing up and noticing her brother still engrossed in talking about their family history, Aoife saw her opportunity. She quietly slipped out of the room and made her way directly out of the estate, heading toward where Kiera was supposed to be.


    "...Dorset, the great founding Emperor was a man of great achievements, and-uh?"


    It was only after a couple of minutes had passed that Gael realized that his sister had disappeared. He looked around frantically before bitterly smiling.


    "I guess she left."


    He turned his head to look at one of the paintings.


    The painting depicted a lone man standing tall as he confronted over a thousand hollow-eyed


    figures as they charged at him from all sides. The sky was a murky gray, and tall, grand buildings connected by bridges stood in the background. It was an imposing image, capturing the brilliance and indomitable spirit of their founding Emperor.


    As Gael''s eyes traced over the painting, they eventually settled on the words written beneath


    it.


    [The Battle of the Custody of Nothing - In a brutal and relentless fight, the founding Emperor, Dorset, waged war day and night against the remnants of the Empire of Nothing.


    For several nights, he battled...]


    Gael stared at the description for a few seconds before covering his mouth.


    "Heh."


    In what almost seemed to be a scoff, he leaned his hand against the wall before suddenly


    coughing.


    "Cough...! Cough!"


    The coughing fitsted several seconds, leaving his face pale. When he finally moved his hand away and saw the blood staining his palm, he turned back to face the painting.


    He stared at it for a good second before leaving.


    As he left, he mumbled,


    ".... Not a bad painting."


    ***


    The next day.


    It had been a while since I''d slept so soundly. Exhaustionbined with the events of the


    previous day with Delh allowed me to rest without any issues.


    In fact, I felt extremely refreshed.


    "....What time is it?"


    Lying in bed, I checked my watch to see the time.


    "It''s still morning."


    It was around 7 a.m., still early in the day. The second round was scheduled to begin in the


    afternoon, at around 5 p.m.


    With plenty of time to spare before the uing matches, I closed my eyes, took a deep


    breath, and let myself drift into the familiar world of darkness. It was then that six orbs


    appeared before me.


    Latest night, I pushed myself further.


    There were now three more orbs within my consciousness. Each orb had its own distinctive


    color, and words beneath it.


    Red-||RAGE|| Green- ||JOY ||


    Blue ||SORROW||


    Pink ||AFFECTION||


    Purple - ||FEAR|| Azure||SHOCK||


    I looked at the words and colors with a mix of different emotions.


    "It''s weird..." There was something about the colors and names that felt a little odd to me. Instead of seeing


    the standard six emotions, I saw three new emotions. Shock, affection, and Sorrow.


    In a sense, each word belonged to one of the standard emotions that was present. But what was the reason for their appearance...?


    I was left confused by this point, and the more I dwelled on it, the more confused I became. I


    realized that unless I figured this out, then I wouldn''t be able to develop my domain further.


    And that would be a little problematic.


    "Haa."


    I opened my eyes and let out a long and exhausted sigh.


    My mind was a little drained, but I wasn''t too worried. So long as I didn''t continue expanding


    my ''concept'' then I wouldn''t need to worry about recuperating before my match in the


    afternoon.


    "Thinking about the match, I wonder who my opponent is..."


    They said it''d be announced right before the matches started, leaving everyone with no


    proper time to analyze our opponent. This was probably what the top brass wanted, and I could only resign myself to their decision as I got dressed and left the apartment.


    *


    The streets of Grimspire were paved with cobblestones, amon feature of the architecture


    in the Mirror Dimension.


    Overall, the architecture of the supply stations and cities in the Mirror Dimension differed


    significantly from that of cities on the outside, disying a more gothic stylepared to


    the more contemporary design of Bremmer.


    This was perhaps due to the gray sky above, which cast a dark gloom over the entire


    surroundings, making it a more fitting design. ''Could be a game design thing...''


    "...If this was even still a game."


    As I walked along the cobblestone street, citymps flickered intermittently. I nced at the


    gothic-style buildings with their slender spires reaching toward the sky and French windows draped with thin veils.


    With the location of the Inn, I found it somewhat near to the main za, there were quite a


    lot of people walking about.


    If not for the gloomy sky and the harsh, scorching sun overhead, the ce might have seemed


    much more lively.


    Eventually, I stopped at a small coffee shop to take a break.


    The shop was modest in design, featuring nters arranged outside to create a small,


    secluded area with metal chairs and tables where one could sit and rx.


    I found afortable spot, located near the corner and sat down.


    "How may I help you?"


    "....Standard please."


    I pointed at the waiter who took my order without showing much of a reaction to me before


    leaving. It was only then that I sighed in relief.


    ''Good thing he hasn''t seen through the illusion.''


    With the Four Empire Summit broadcasted to all four Empires, the participants were in a


    sense celebrities. It''d be difficult to do anything unless one went undercover.


    That was exactly why I had to cast an illusion over my features. It was so that I wouldn''t be recognized. Especially when my face was easy to recognize.


    In the midst of my thoughts, I felt a shadow cast over my area.


    Thinking that it was the waiter I raised my head, lifting my hand to receive my coffee, when I


    stopped.


    A figure I didn''t recognize stood directly opposite me. With brown hair and brown eyes, his


    features seemed rather ordinary. He wore a white shirt tucked neatly into his pants.


    At first nce, he lookedpletely normal.


    In fact, he gave off a nice feeling with a warm smile on his face.


    "May I sit here?"


    And yet, every hair on my body stood.


    Taking my silence as silent confirmation, the young man pulled the chair back and sat down.


    With the same smile as before, he prepared to open his mouth when I cut him off.


    "So-"


    "First it was the theatre performance, and then this..."


    I narrowed my eyes, silently staring at the person in front of me who appearedpletely


    foreign to me, but at the same time knew who he was.


    "....Are you purposely trying to annoy me?"

 Chapter 319: The Second Round [2]

    Chapter 319: The Second Round [2]


    ?


    Certain people give off certain vibes. As someone who had once been a salesman, it was my job to pay close attention to a person''s traits and characteristics. From their little habits to their personal likes.


    It was for that reason that upon seeing the young man in front of me I felt that something was familiar.


    ... It didn''t take long for me to associate the sense of familiarity.


    "What are you talking about?"


    His hair color was different, and so was the color of his eyes. However, upon closer look, he had the same general tilt to his head when he walked. The same little habit of pursing his lips before smiling, and the same serene and calm look that disyed his utter confidence.


    There was obviously a chance that I could be wrong, but I lost nothing by acting like this. Furthermore, I was almost certain about my intuition.


    I had observed the person who had taken my role in Olga''s y for long enough to notice this.


    "What do you want?"


    "Just some coffee."


    His calmness in response to my actions was also something to take note of. Not only did he seem unfazed by what I had said, but he even went ahead and ordered himself some coffee while smiling at me.


    It was only when our orders came that he talked again,


    "The coffee''s nice, isn''t it?"


    He started off the conversation by talking about the coffee. Seeing that he still had not left, I sighed and took a sip of my own coffee. Since I wasn''t worried about him doing anything to me considering we were in a public ce, I could only sit and get a better understanding of the situation.


    The first thing that I wanted to figure out was who in the world he was.


    ''Someone from the organization...?''


    That could very well be possible. In that case, I needed to be careful with my words.


    "....It''s decent."


    I ced the cup down.


    He did so as well as he smiled yet again.


    "How did you figure it out?"


    "....The same way that you''ve figured me out."


    "Oh?"


    He looked surprised by my words.


    But to be honest, I had no idea how he figured it out. I was just speaking out of my ass.


    He looked around before turning my attention back to me and blinking his eyes, disying his yellow pupils and hair for a brief moment before returning to his original appearance.


    The moment his appearance was revealed, I had to try my best to hide my shock.


    ''...This isn''t what I expected.''


    The one that sat before me wasn''t a member of the organization. At least, the one that belonged to this Empire. No, rather...


    He was the number one ranked person in the Summit.


    Caius.


    Now, why would he be looking for me...?


    My thoughts started to run rather quickly, as I thought back to all possibilities. I thought about how he had taken the role from me, and the possible reasons for why he would do so. In the end, it didn''t take me more than a minute to understand his intentions.


    "You''re insecure about your Emotive Abilities."


    I ended up blurting out my thoughts without realizing it.


    Caius''s hand, which was about to pick up his cup, froze.


    "What did you say?"


    He looked at me with a ridiculous expression.


    "Insecure about my Emotive abilities?"


    "...Yes."


    I doubled down since I had already said my piece.


    "Why else would you take over my role in the y?"


    "Hahaha."


    Caius suddenlyughed, leaning back against the chair and pping his thigh in the process. Hisugh echoed loudly within the small and secluded area as he continued to p his thigh as though I had said the funniest thing ever.


    He went on like this for a good minute before finally wiping the corner of his eyes.


    "That was funny."


    He shifted his attention back to me, his expression still carrying a smile.


    "I took your role because I could. You ended up being a no-show, and in her desperation, Olga took me. It''s not my fault you didn''t show up. It wasn''t as though I had the intention of taking your role in order to show that my Emotive Magic is better."


    "I''m not buying that."


    "....Oh?"


    "You wouldn''t have left the y had that been the case."


    "Hah."


    Caius looked a little stumped after hearing that. He seemed unsure of what to say. In the end,


    he could only shrug.


    "....I just thought your y was quite nice, and didn''t see the need to perform any longer."


    "So that''s why you left?"


    "You can say so."


    I almost burst outughing. He was bullshitting again.


    Though I didn''t quite pay attention to what happened to Olga after I left, considering that nobody said a thing about it, they appeared to have found ast-minute recement. It wasn''t umon for ys to have backup actors in case one didn''t show up.


    But I also knew that she didn''t receive her desired performance.


    The fact that no one had been talking about it showed that it wasn''t that well-received by


    those that she wanted to impress. But at least this was what I had assumed.


    I honestly couldn''t have cared less about her at this point.


    "Well, if you say so."


    I took another sip of the coffee before cing the cup down.


    "...It''s definitely not because you saw all that you needed to see and assured yourself that your


    Emotive magic is better than mine, right?"


    Caius smiled.


    "You''re again going with that?"


    "...It''s the truth, isn''t it?"


    "Think what you like."


    In the end, he shrugged and moved forward, reaching his hand to grasp mine...?


    The fuc-


    "In the end, facts speak for themselves."


    Suddenly, a jolt shot through my mind, and my heart began to pound uncontrobly. My entire body trembled as a chilling cold swept over me, my muscles tightening in response.


    I tried to resist, but I found it hard to do so. My mind was still exhausted from having developed the domain this morning, and so I found myself unable to extricate myself from


    his actions.


    Thankfully, the sensation didn''tst long. Caius took his hand away as soon as he ced it, smiling at me with the same confident smile.


    Feeling sweat cover the side of my face, I looked up to see Caius smiling down at me.


    "See?"


    He downed the coffee in front of him before standing up.


    "....You still think we''re at the same level?"


    He chuckled slightly before shaking his head and turning. cing a couple of bills on the


    table, he proceeded to leave.


    I sat in silence for a good minute, staring at his departing back before taking a deep breath.


    ''He really was insecure...''


    Why else would he do something like this?


    Nheless, after experiencing his Emotive Magic, I had to say that he was rather skilled. But


    it was just that...


    I turned my head and once again stared at his back where a small glowing tag appeared.


    ''...I''m better.''


    I extended my hand and prepared to snap my fingers when I froze.


    "Uh?"


    With rigid movements, I turned my head and saw a man I didn''t recognize. Holding onto a


    small cup, he stood there, his mouth agape, as a stream of liquid dribbled from his lips. His


    face was eerily still, and his eyes were bloodshot.


    Flick, flick.


    As his head flicked from my hand to the seat opposite me, he took a step back, unable to disguise the shock and horror from his face. It seemed to say, ''Again?''


    His disguise flickered along his expression, revealing an all too familiar figure.


    "Ah."


    I stared back at my hand before feeling my mouth twitch.


    "....What''s with you and your timing?"


    ***


    "What happened here...?"


    It wasn''t difficult for Aoife to discover Kiera''s whereabouts. As the Princess of the Empire, she


    had eyes and ears in nearly every corner of the two cities. With little effort, she pinpointed


    where Kiera resided and made her way to her directly.


    Aoife wanted to get a better understanding of what her message meant, but upon entering the room, she was shocked to see that it was inplete ruins.


    The bed was shattered, the desk split in half, and the wall partially copsed. Before arriving at the Inn, Aoife noticed that the Inn''s keeper had already contacted the


    guards to report the situation.


    Several people stood nearby, peering into the room with curious expressions on their faces.


    "There''s likely been a conflict, Princess. As you can see from the damage to the wall, it''s clear someone was thrown against it with considerable force. The table and bed, on the other hand, seem to have been broken by a simpler attack. The strangest part of all this, however, is that there''s no evidence of a second person being involved."


    The guard seemed to be at a loss as he exined, scratching his head in embarrassment.


    Aoife quietly stood while nodding her head.


    "It appears everything was done by a single individual. If you give us some time, we can uncover more details about the situation."


    As she listened, she was reminded of Kiera''s message.


    ''Possessed.''


    She also recalled the strange behavior that Kiera exhibited during the first round ofbat,


    and her expression underwent a subtle change.


    "Princess?"


    "Oh, no, nothing."


    She only snapped out of it when the knight called for her. Putting on a smile, she thanked him


    wholeheartedly before leaving.


    As she left the building, Aoife directly headed for the Royal Library. Near the Megrail Estate stood a grand, white dome-shaped building, covering a vast plot of


    land and towering over most of the surrounding structures. It was one of the tallest buildings


    in the city, surpassed only by the seven great cathedrals, each representing one of the Seven


    Gods.


    The insides of the Library were just as one would expect.


    Tall shelves lined the walls, filled with thousands of books. At the far end of the library, a tall


    window let in light that gleamed on the polished marble floor. A spiral staircase ascended to a tform that encircled the library, where even taller shelves were packed with more books.


    The number of books that were present in the Royal Library counted hundreds of thousands, with almost the entire world''s knowledge located in the library.


    Organizing such a vast number of books and locating a specific desired one would seem like a difficult task, but fortunately, the librarians in charge had nearly every book memorized.


    .... It was with one of their help that Aoife was able to find the book that she wanted.


    [Epoch of the Rilgona Monarchy]


    Seated at one of the wooden desks in the library, Aoife opened the thick book before her and


    skimmed through the pages.


    She had a general understanding of the Rilgona Monarch, one of the few ancient monarchies


    that had once existed in the Mirror Dimension. They had evolved beyond the Era of the


    Shattered World, transitioning into the Age of Umbral Dominion.


    Though details were scarce due to their distant past, the collected scriptures, statues, murals,


    and text provided them with enough information to put some of the pieces together.


    If there was one thing that was unknown, it was how the Monarchy ended.


    That was still a mystery that was left unsolved to this day.


    "Ah."


    Letting out a small exmation, Aoife''s eyes paused on a certain page.


    Titled; [Angel of Sorrow], a picture stood beneath the title, disying the all too familiar


    statue that she had seen in the main za of Grimspire.


    "The Angel of Sorrow remains among the most mysterious relics belonging to the once-


    mighty Rilgona Monarchy. This statue, an image of a mournful angel with an outstretched hand, as if pleading for mercy, now resides in the main za of Grimspire."


    Aoife began to read, murmuring quietly as she read.


    It was a habit that she developed during her childhood. Mainly because reading out loud


    helped her memorize the information more.


    "While little is known about the sculptor who fashioned this poignant figure, recovered fragments of ancient texts suggest that the statue symbolizes a significant yet grim chapter in their history, an event referred to as the "Night of the Scattered Death."


    Aoife frowned while reading the next.


    Night of the Scattered Death. This sounded rather haunting... "Historical records depict the Night of the Scattered Death as one of the most catastrophic


    episodes in the history of the Rilgona Monarchy. Chroniclers of the time described it as an act


    of divine wrath, with the gods unleashing their fury upon the people. On that fateful night,


    countless citizens were ovee by madness, turning against their own kin andpanions in a frenzy of violence."


    "This horrifying event left a deep mark on the collective memory of the monarchy, being one of the discussed reasons for the Monarch''s downfall."


    "The Night of the Scattered Death was without precedent, a cmity that shook the very foundations of the Rilgona Monarchy. Despite the full exertion of the Royal family''s power, the chaos proved nearly impossible to sustain, with many of the Royal members also falling


    for this madness."


    "By the time the madness was quelled, the streets were already dyed with the blood of countless citizens who had perished in the chaos."


    "Yet, the most chilling aspect of this event was not the numerous deaths, but what resulted in


    such deaths. In a turn of events, the madness-driven citizens, as if driven by a singr, dreadful force, simultaneously ended their own lives. Each one decapitated themselves, holding their heads in their hands in the same manner as the statue."


    "As if they were offering it to the gods in the sky."


    Aoife paused for a brief moment, taking a deep breath as her eyes lifted toward the statue,


    and her mind forming an image of over a thousand people, offering their heads in the same


    position.


    She felt her entire body turn cold.


    "....The general consensus among historians is that the Night of the Scattered Death was


    triggered by the sudden outbreak of a gue. Yet, there are those who argue that it was an expression of divine wrath, a punishment from the gods, given the nature of their deaths." "However, upon closer examination of the ancient texts and the deciphering of the symptoms described, many schrs now believe that the true cause of the event was something


    altogether different."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Different...?


    Aoife felt her reading slow down upon reaching this point.


    She had a feeling that she was now getting closer to the truth.


    "After piecing everything together, historians havee up with a single conclusion."


    Aoife held her breath.


    "The event was all due to what appears to be a case of... body possession."


    As if two invisible hands were gripping down her throat, Aoife found herself slowly starting


    to suffocate, her words starting to slur as her mouth grew dry.


    Kiera''s words rang in her mind again, and she felt her heart pause.


    ''It can''t be, right...?''


    Swallowing her saliva, she continued to read. Even though she didn''t want to, she had to read.


    There was still onest bit of text.


    Just a little...


    "The general symptoms of body possession are..."


    "Pale expression. Unfocused eyes. Behavioral changes, and in leastmon cases, loss of taste. Sweet foods be too sweet and salty foods be too n..."


    Aoife stopped herself mid-sentence, her expression gradually changing as a face appeared in


    her mind.


    "This..."


    She let go of the book, moving back and staring at it with an incredulous look. Thest words continued to ring in her mind, over and over again, as if whispering in her ears, and as her eyes


    traced those words again, Aoife felt her heart stop.


    "...No, it''s not possible. It can''t be."

 Chapter 320: The Second Round [3]

    Chapter 320: The Second Round [3]


    ?


    Aoife stood in shock, her mouth hanging open as she found herself staring at the book in front of her with widened eyes.


    ''Which one? He''s changed about five times...''


    ''In the leastmon cases, loss of taste. Sweet foods be too sweet and salty foods be too n...''


    Voices of the past whispered in her mind as she stood in silence, her face continuously shifting as she tried to make sense of all the information that she had.


    "It can''t be possible, right...?"


    And yet...


    Everything pointed out this fact.


    From her past research on how Julien was different than he was now, to Evelyn''s words, and the words that she read from the book. As if the pieces of the puzzle slowly started to set, Aoife came to a slow and chilling realization.


    "Julien..."


    She took a deep breath.


    "...He might not be the real one."


    The thought sent her into a daze, sending her mind into a state of nkness as she swallowed her saliva and tried to make the best sense of her realization.


    When...?


    When did all of this start? Halfway through the Academy, or before?


    Aoife sorted through her memorization. In the end, she found her answer.


    ''Before the Academy.''


    With him being the son of a Barony, she didn''t know much about him. The only thing she knew about him was the fact that he had suddenly be the ck Star, andter in the cooking ss he added a worrying amount of salt to his food.


    A lot of things started to make sense in Aoife''s mind as she felt her lips quiver.


    "No, it''s not decided."


    Aoife took a deep breath and sat down on the table. Carefully reading through the words, she pursed her lips.


    ''... This might not necessarily mean that Julien is possessed. His changes can be exined by how Evelyn said that his personality switched five times in the past. Whi¡ª''


    Aoife bit her lips.


    What was there to say that those personality changes weren''t rted to his possession?


    More excuses started to pour down.


    ''His tastebud situation could be something that he''s inherently born with. If it is then it''s highly likely that'' I''m overthinking this.''


    "Right."


    Aoife pped her fist over her palm.


    "I might be jumping to conclusions. I''ll ask Evelynter."


    Though Aoife acted like this, she was in reality just trying to make excuses for herself. At heart, she knew the answer that Evelyn would give her, and the thought made her scared.


    If Julien was really possessed, what was she supposed to do?


    Leave him be?...But as the Princess, how could she let him be? What if he harbored thoughts against their Empire? Then she would have no choice but to act.


    ... It was just that he had helped her in the past and she felt indebted to him.


    But what if he had done that to purposely get close to her? What if he was just trying to manipte her?


    "Huuu."


    Aoife took a deep breath and pped the sides of her cheeks.


    ''Now is not the time to think about this.''


    She had rather mixed feelings about the situation, but other things were far more pressing. Such as Kiera''s situation.


    That was not something that could''ve been dyed.


    Immediately, she thought about contacting her family to have Kiera detained but found herself stopping halfway through.


    "No, that''s not feasible..."


    Kiera''s family was rather high up in the noble circle. Furthermore, they were also a member of Central, the collective of Noble Houses. Detaining Kiera would hold severe implications. That was unless she was able to provide enough evidence of the situation.


    ...And that, she didn''t have.


    The only thing that she had was the text that she had received from her before her disappearance.


    That was far from enough.


    "I could also have her checked for possession, but that would take time."


    Finding if someone was possessed was not that difficult. A specific cleric, a person specialized


    in the ''Curse'' element was usually called up for this. They would usually cast several spells in order to identify if someone was possessed or not.


    The only problem was that it would take at least a couple of days to arrive.


    Would that be enough...?


    Aoife bit her lips. Recalling the text that she had reason, she found herself wanting to shake her head. However, she still nheless took out hermunication device and sent a message to one of her servants to tell them to call a Cleric toe.


    "...Regardless, I should do it."


    If they came early, it was good. If not, then it wouldn''t matter since she wasn''t stopping here.


    As Aoife shifted her attention back to the book in front of her, she had a sudden thought as her


    hand froze.


    ''Wait...''


    Aoife frowned while looking back at hermunication device.


    That was when she realized something. In her haste, she had forgotten one of the most important things. And that was the fact that...


    The Angel knew that she knew.


    In that case,


    Aoife''s head flicked and looked toward her back. Her heart beat out of her throat while the


    surroundings turned extremely quiet.


    Seated at one of the wooden tables, surrounded by towering shelves of books and with hardly anyone in sight, Aoife suddenly felt the silence pressing in on her as if the very walls were closing in, watching her every move.


    Feeling the beat of her own heart, Aoife secretly swallowed before slowly turning her head


    back to face the back.


    But as she did...


    "!"


    Two ring red eyes met her gaze. A pale figure sat across from her, her expression unnervingly calm, a simple smile curving her lips as she watched Aoife in silence.


    "Hi."


    Aoife held her breath.


    As she stared at the figure before her, every hair on her body stood on end, and she found


    herself unable to breathe.


    A suffocating sensation overtook her body.


    Despite her overwhelming panic, she remained level-headed. Looking at the familiar, and yet unfamiliar figure before her, Aoife''s mind raced.


    ''....How do I call my guards?''


    As the Princess of the Empire, the moment that she reached the capital, her family designated two guards to protect her. They stood in the shadows and watched her at all times. It was for


    that reason that she usually wasn''t worried about her safety.


    But things were different now.


    Kiera was someone that her guards knew about. They weren''t monitoring her closely. And...


    the problem with her was the fact that she could attack without being seen.


    Drip!


    Her sweat dripped down on the side of the table as she closed her fists slowly.


    The sight of her made the angel smile, her voice rising to an eerie, childlike pitch.


    "There''s no need to be so nervous, hihihi."


    Her giggles, innocent and filled with joy, sent chills down Aoife''s spine, intensifying the dread that gripped her as her mind raced to make sense of the situation.


    All sorts of thoughts ran through her mind, but before she could do so, Aoife felt her entire


    body freeze.


    "....!"


    Before she could understand what had happened, her head slowly turned and her gaze met


    with the Angel''s.


    "Stop resisting. It''ll all be over before you realize it."


    That was when Aoife felt the world grow dark.


    And her thoughts...


    Disappear.


    ***


    "What is up with your timing? Is it your intuition thing again? That nonsense?"


    ".....''


    Leon pursed his lips, looking down at the floor that was pooled over with the liquid he spilled.


    He then raised his head and shook his head.


    "I was really just here to have a drink."


    He pointed toward a nearby shop.


    "I heard it was good so I wanted to try it. I... didn''t expect to see you here."


    He bit his lips, trying his best to keep his face straight. I felt my left brow twitch at the sight,


    but just managed to stop myself before telling him the truth.


    "It was Caius."


    Only then did Leon''s expression return to normal.


    "Caius?"


    "Yes, the same one that we''re thinking about."


    "What did he want?"


    "He was insecure about his Emotive Abilities."


    "?"


    Leon made a strange face.


    He struggled to understand my words. But was it really that hard to get? It was pretty


    straightforward in my opinion.


    "He''s the same guy that took my role in the y."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, I''m pretty confident."


    "Huh."


    Leon''s eyes squinted. Then, as if piecing everything together, he slowly nodded his head.


    "He''s insecure."


    "I told you so."


    It really wasn''t that hard to get.


    "But was that the only reason that he visited you?"


    "....Maybe?"


    I wasn''t quite sure, to be honest. This was the first time that I had truly noticed and interacted


    with him. I didn''t really know what to make out of our conversation.


    "Could be because I defeated two from his Empire?"


    "Oh, yeah."


    Leon tossed the drink in his hand. There wasn''t much left and he didn''t seem too keen on


    finishing it.


    He was just about to leave when his expression stiffened and his body shook.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "What?"


    What''s up with this guy again? I was just about to get annoyed when his expression turned


    extremely serious.


    He looked toward a certain direction and then looked back at me.


    "Something happened."


    "Your intuition?"


    "Yes,"


    Leon didn''t deny it and sped forward. I stood in ce for a brief moment before following


    from behind.


    We hurried through Grimspire, running through the cobblestone streets until we reached the Separation Point, situated at the center of a dome-shaped building. Tall, fluted columns lined the exterior, supporting a grand portico that provided entry into the building where the Mirror Crack was visible.


    I was just about to enter when Leon raised his hand to stop me.


    "Wait here. Something ising."


    At the same time, he pushed us into a more secluded area.


    ||


    ||


    Though confused, I didn''t say anything and just waited as he said.


    I didn''t know for how long we stood for. However, with the heat, it started to feel rather


    ufortable.


    But soon, two figures appeared.


    Walking out from the Separation Point, they looked extremely normal. With Aoife carrying


    several books with her, and Kiera walking behind her with a frown, I turned to look at Leon.


    "...!"


    That was when I noticed the grim, almost terrifying expression on his face.


    "What-"


    "Something is wrong."


    Leon quietly murmured as his expression forcefully rxed. Then, as if he knew exactly what


    to do, he turned around and took out hismunication device.


    "Who are you calling?"


    Leon nced at me for a brief moment before answering,


    "....Someone who knows how to deal with the situation best."


    Situation...?


    I once again nced in Kiera''s and Aoife''s direction. Though I was confused, I didn''t question


    his intuition and just asked,


    "Who?"


    Leon paused before staring at me, his eyes turningplicated.


    "Evelyn."


    He pursed his lips.


    "....This isn''t the first time she has dealt with something like this."

 Chapter 321: The Second Round [4]

    Chapter 321: The Second Round [4]


    ?


    ''....Isn''t the first time that she has dealt with this?''


    Leon''s words added anotheryer to the confusion that I already felt. What was he talking about...? And how was that rted to Aoife and Kiera?


    "I know you''re confused, but I''ll exin everythingter."


    "..... Alright."


    As Leon ced themunication device into his pocket, his expression continued to appear solemn. He stood in the same spot for a few seconds, seemingly trying to understand what to do next before he started to move.


    I walked in silence, following him without asking many questions.


    I knew I''d get answers soon enough.


    At the same, I interpreted the entire situation inside of my mind with whatever little information that I had in mind.


    Soon, we arrived in front of a small inn, where a slender figure was waiting for us. With long purple locks and dressed in the standard ck Haven Academy uniform, she leaned casually against the side of the building. When she noticed our approach, her expression brightened momentarily, but it quickly faded when she caught sight of me.


    Her expression stiffened when she saw me, and I touched my face.


    I wasn''t that scary, was I?


    "Looks like you''ve received my message."


    "I did."


    Evelyn tacitly replied, her eyes darting in my direction before she waved her hand slightly and murmured, ''Hi''.


    It was clear that she was always quite reserved around me.


    I had noticed it for a long time. There was an invisible wall between us that made it difficult to connect with her. Whenever I tried to engage in conversation, she would respond, but that was as far as our interactions went.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In reality, she seemed to want to purposely keep her distance from me.


    ... And I was fine with that to some extent.


    ''As long as it doesn''t increase the Cmity Bar.''


    Tilting her head up, Evelyn brushed her purple locks behind her ears before asking,


    "So...? What did you want to talk abou-"


    "There''s something strange with Kiera and Aoife."


    "Uh?"


    The confusion on Evelyn''s face became apparent.


    Before she could voice her worries, Leon continued,


    "It''s highly like that they''ve been influenced by something, and I think you''re the one who is best suited for figuring the situation out. Since..."


    Leon stopped, ncing my way for a brief moment.


    Evelyn stood in silence,ing to an understanding as her eyes widened. Judging from her expression, she understood the implications of his words, her expression tightening considerably.


    However, she quicklyposed herself, taking a deep breath to regain herposure. "Hooo."


    Pursing her lips, she stared at Leon.


    "How sure are you of this?"


    "I''m quite sure. I noticed an abnormality with Kiera back in the tournament but I didn''t think much about it until my intuition brought me to her."


    "Kiera?"


    "No, Aoife..."


    Leon replied in a serious tone.


    "My intuition only brought me to her, but the moment I got close to them, I felt the same thing from them."


    "....Danger?"


    Leon shook his head.


    "Madness."


    ".....''


    Evelyn quietly stared at Leon for a few moments, as if trying to peer into his eyes and discern whether he was lying. I couldn''t tell what she saw, but eventually, she nodded and cast a fleeting nce in my direction.


    I didn''t pay much attention to her actions.


    In fact, I hadn''t paid much attention to anything. From the moment Leon revealed the situation, my mind raced as I thought of a possibility.


    Could it be...?


    ''....The Angel.''


    I had always wondered why things had been so quiet since the Angel attempted to influence me back at the za. At the time, I believed I had somehow managed to resist its influence, at least for a short while, and since then, I''d kept my guard up.


    .....I thought it''d try to reach for me again, especially since in the vision I had been the only one


    present.


    But I was wrong.


    The Angel...


    ''It changed targets.''


    It directly went ahead and influenced Kiera. And now... Aoife. No, were the two of them the


    only ones that were influenced? Could there be more?


    The thought sent a chill down my spine as I looked at Leon and Evelyn.


    "That..."


    I spoke, gathering their attention toward me.


    "...I think I might have an idea of what''s going on."


    That was when I exined to them about the statue, and how it had tried to influence my mind back in the za. I told them how I didn''t think much back then but felt like it was


    important. I didn''t mention anything about my foresight ability.


    I felt like Leon would figure something out if I were to tell him about it.


    ...I wouldn''t know how he''d react.


    Especially since he seemed to disdain these ''Gods''.


    As I spoke, Leon and Evelyn listened quietly. It didn''t take long for me to exin the entire situation to them, and the two fell silent shortly after, seemingly digesting my words.


    In the end, Leon was the first one to speak.


    "So you think it''s rted to this statue?"


    "...Yes."


    Leon pursed his lips and nced at Evelyn, who was staring at me with an unreadable expression. It wasn''t until Leon coughed that she snapped out of it.


    "Cough."


    "Uh, ah? Yes!?"


    Leon didn''t know how to react when he saw her this flustered.


    He gave her a moment topose herself before exining the situation. She seemed to


    have taken it all in and nodded in understanding.


    "It does seem a little suspicious."


    "....Can you go to the Royal Library to check for information?"


    "The Royal Library? I think I can do that. I should still have a pass."


    "Good."


    With a serious nod, Evelyn turned and hurried away. Given the limited time before the second


    round began, she needed to act quickly. Of the three of us, she was the only one with ess to


    the Royal Library.


    She was the only one with a high enough Noble Rank to ess it without special permission.


    As a noble, I also had the potential to visit the Library, but I required permission from Julien''s father, whom I had yet to contact.


    I had my reservations when interacting with Julien''s old family. Nheless, I still tried to


    get permission, but it brought no luck.


    I didn''t get a reply.


    It only made me grow more wary about Julien''s rtionship with his father.


    ''I feel like it''ll give me a headache further down the line.''


    I could onlyment my luck.


    In the end, with no ess to the Royal Library, I could only go look for information


    elsewhere.


    There was a public library, but that didn''t have much information with regard to what we wanted to know. I knew because I tried finding information right after the vision.


    The information I found was far too vague to make anything with it.


    "Tsk."


    Clicking my tongue, I recalled something and looked in the direction of where Evelyn went.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "It''s..."


    I pursed my lips, recalling Aoife and Kiera as they left the Separation Point. In particr, the


    books that Aoife was holding.


    "...I''m not sure she''ll find much."


    ***


    The morning passed, and the afternoon came.


    It was now the time for the Second Round ofbats to start. The location of the second


    round was the same as the first.


    In the center of the za, the grand, imposing statue stood tall, while the tforms floated


    above, supported by chains that held them in ce and caused them to tilt slightly from time


    to time.


    Delh sat in one of the balconies that granted her a view of the entire za from above,


    including the tforms that were suspended in the air.


    Opposite her was As who had arrived earlier.


    Their seats were reserved as delegates from Haven. And despite As''s position, he preferred


    to sit here, stating, ''It''s a little too loud over there. I''m better off here.''


    Delh paid him no mind and ced a book on the table.


    It was a purple book that had a small paper cover that blocked the cover of the book.


    With a ''Hmm'' Delh read the book.


    Flip-


    She casually flipped through the pages, her dark eyes gliding from one page to the other.


    Her actions drew the attention of As, who quietly set his teacup down. It was the first time


    he had seen Delh so absorbed in reading; she was usually indifferent to such things.


    Pursing his lips, he grew a little curious.


    ''What sort of book is she reading?''


    She looked rather engrossed in it.


    He also noticed a small book by the side as she took notes from time to time.


    ''Interesting.''


    "Is the book that you''re reading interesting?"


    "Hm?"


    Delh raised her head, taking her attention away from the book. Her eyes briefly fluttered


    with a flicker of acknowledgment before she returned her focus to the pages.


    "So-so."


    It was neither interesting nor boring to her.


    She was just reading it to better understand a few things that she wasn''t aware of.


    "So-so?"


    As blinked his eyes for a brief moment before smiling and losing interest. What other


    response did he expect from her?


    Regardless, there was something he was more interested in.


    "Looks like we''re about to start."


    Lowering his head to stare at the za which was filling with familiar figures, he propped his


    chin up while fixing his attention on a couple of figures. In particr, a young man with short


    ck hair and hazel eyes.


    The sight of him made his lips curl.


    ''....You''ve done well so far.''


    Julien''s matches may not have been the most eye-catching, given the injuries he sustained,


    and the time it took for him to defeat his opponents, but it also had to be noted that the


    opponents he fought against were bad match-ups, all of which were designed to attack his weaknesses.


    And yet... He still came out on top.


    This was what impressed As the most.


    .....And when he thought back to the past, to the first time he saw Julien, he couldn''t help but


    feel the corner of his lips pull slightly.


    ''Right, he''s grown a lot.''


    He was known as the ''Weakest ck-Star'' back then.


    But now...?


    That was no longer the case.


    Though he no longer was the ck Star, As believed he''d be able to get the title back if he


    wanted to. In the case he did, As knew he would no longer be referred to with that name.


    Though he''d also not be called the ''Strongest ck-Star''.


    That title belonged to someone else. As''s eyes turned to face Delh who was still


    engrossed in her book.


    It was just a fleeting nce, but as As turned his head to look at Delh, he noticed that the


    cover protecting the book was slipping slightly, revealing a glimpse of the title.


    Squinting his eyes, As took a peek, his expression gradually turning strange. ''How to sedu-''

 Chapter 322: The Second Round [5]

    Chapter 322: The Second Round [5]


    ?


    Tensions ran high as the contestants began to gather at the za. Four distinct groups formed, each one representing the remaining members of the four Empires.


    Verdant Empire Quarter.


    ||


    Amell silently stared at the Nurs Ancifa''s group.


    The moment he caught sight of a certain figure, his entire body shook slightly.


    ''Howe I''ve never noticed him before?''


    It was hard to not notice him. With his appearance, coupled with the attention he was receiving, it was obvious to Amell that he was someone with a reasonably high status. Perhaps he wasn''t a noble, but he was at least respected.


    Amell clenched his teeth.


    .....Could it really be him?''


    The more he looked at Leon, the more he noticed the resemnces to his father. It might have been his imagination, but the thought lingered, refusing to leave his mind.


    It got to the point where it started to eat at his mind.


    "Amell?"


    It was only when someone from his group called for him that he snapped out of it. "Yes...?"


    He nced down to see a young man with green eyes and ck hair, standing a head shorter than Amell.


    He wore the standard Verdant Empire uniform: a green zer adorned with golden embroidery and the Empire''s insignia-The ancient turtle of Barilon.


    With Agatha eliminated, this young man was now the second most powerful person in the group.


    Charles looked at Amell.


    He had been acting rather weird ever since he hade to the za.


    While he was usually indifferent to everything around him, he still took the lead when the time came. But right now...? He was out of it.


    His attention had been fixed toward the other groups, never paying any attention to them. "Why did you call me?"


    Hearing Amell''s sharp words, Charles pursed his lips before pointing behind him.


    "Our situation isn''t good."


    He spoke honestly,


    "Of all the other groups, we''ve lost the second inmand and while we used to have the most people, we now have the least amount."


    Charles shifted his attention toward the other groups, his gaze locking onto the members of the Nurs Ancifa Empire and the Aurora Empire. He was shocked to see how many people they had.


    "...The Nurs Ancifa and Aurora Empires both have the most remaining participants. And not by a small margin. It''s a little embarrassing."


    "What does that matter?"


    Amell asked while frowning.


    "So long as I reach the top spot, this will be a trivial matter."


    "That..."


    Charles wasn''t sure how to put it into words, but it all boiled down to the fact that this event was being streamed across all four Empires. Even if they managed to secure a victory with Amell winning, it would only prove that they had the best talent. Beyond that, though...?


    What were they? A one-man team?


    It wasn''t a good look for them.


    Especially since an Empire wasn''t run by a single person but by many. This was beyond embarrassing.


    "Don''t worry."


    Not noticing his worries, and perhaps not caring for them, Amell patted him on the shoulder.


    "It''s true that we''ve lost Agatha, and we''ve got the least number of participants."


    His attention shifted back toward a certain individual. He stood with a stoic face, looking around and not speaking much.


    "....But it''s not like weck talents."


    ***


    <We would like to wee everyone back to the Second Round of the fights>


    The broadcast began with Karl and Johanna seated side by side, staring at the recording device aimed at them. As they introduced the next round, clips of the previous fights began to rey on the screen, allowing everyone to relive the action.


    Karl began the broadcast,


    <It''s been a rather exciting first round with a lot of twists and turns that we didn''t expect>


    By the ''twist'', he was referring to thest fight.


    The one involving Kiera and Agatha. Following their fights, a lot of interest fell on Kiera as many started to inquire about her.


    Coupled with the fact that she was a beauty, she also started to gain a certain following.


    <...There''s a lot of dark horses in thispetition, and who knows, the winner might not necessarily be as set as people think>


    Karl teased the audience as he pressed down on the table.


    <After much thought and deliberation, we''ve updated the power ranking for the remainingpetitors, based on their previous performances and the information we have avable. These rankings reflect who we believe has the strongest chance of winning thepetition> A table with a list of names appeared for all to see.


    ===[Power Ranking]===


    [1] Caius Aetheria


    [2] Amell Mantovaj


    [3] Kaelion Mandrale


    [4] Aoife Megrail


    [5] Leon Ellert


    [6] Kiera Mylne


    [7] James Bergham


    [8] Charles Darlot


    [9] Julien Evenus


    [10] Klora Yillo


    ===[Power Ranking]===


    The list stopped at the tenth spot.


    <As you all noticed, there''s not much of a gap between the top four, but there''s been a massive shift in everything beneath that. It''s surprising how many talents have emerged from the Nurs Ancifa Empire. In particr, Kiera Mylne, who seemingly appeared from out of


    nowhere.>


    Kiera not only gained more followers following her sess. But her power ranking rose dramatically as a result.


    To be able to defeat someone as powerful as Agatha, one would without a doubt need to be powerful, and Kiera proved her capabilities.


    Everything else remained rtively simr to how it had been in the past, except one other


    name.


    <Julien has also made a significant rise, moving from thirtieth ce all the way to ninth. While he''s not yet one of the top favorites to win, he''s closing in on that position. After all, we


    still haven''t seen his true specialty in action!>


    Following those words, Karl went on to ramble about the other contestants, giving the audience a little overview of everyone present until Johanna stopped him.


    <The matches are about to start>


    <Oh?>


    Her words brought an immediate silence to the studio as everyone focused their attention on


    the tforms that hung suspended in the air.


    Figures started to emerge one after another, and soon enough, each tform contained two


    contestants.


    With a smile, Karl spoke,


    <Let the Second Round begin>


    ***


    After pressing the cube, I was transported to the top of a familiar tform. The air was dry,


    and the relentless heat from the sun felt ufortably intense.


    To my right, the referee stood with an impassive expression while opposite me a figure


    appeared.


    ''....I don''t recognize her.''


    With long brown hair and brown eyes, she had a rather in appearance. Freckles marred her features while her small nose squinted slightly. Dressed in the attire of the Verdant Empire, she tensed the moment she saw me, but quickly took a deep breath and assumed her position.


    I did so as well. The surroundings fell silent as we stared at each other from our end.


    "Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire versus Veronica Chandler of the Verdant Empire."


    It was only when the referee spoke that she moved.


    "Begin!"


    Crack!


    The ground beneath her feet cracked and shattered, propelling her forward with explosive force. She shot toward me like a bullet.


    Having watched her previous fights, I was somewhat familiar with her style, but I was still


    curious.


    ''....As far as I saw, she''s not a body type user. She should be more of an Elemental mage with


    her element being [Ice].''


    The fact that she broke the ground beneath her showed that she had already reached the


    fourth tier.


    Extending my hand forward, I prepared to use [Grip of Pestilence] when she pressed her foot


    forward and came to a sudden stop. Then, before I even had a chance to understand what she


    was trying to do, her body sank into the pavement.


    "?"


    I stood stunned for a second.


    This was the first time I had seen her do this, and was taken aback somewhat. I instinctively


    looked downward where two hands emerged, trying to grip my ankles.


    ''Not this again.''


    The sight of the hands made my body shudder as I was reminded of a scene from the past.


    Without hesitation, I kicked off the ground and leaped into the air to avoid her attack. However, as if she anticipated my move, her body shot up rapidly from the ground in an attempt to grab me. Since I was airborne and unable to stop, I couldn''t activate Step of Suppression. Nheless, I brought my hand down with decisive force.


    In a matter of a second, my entire hand turned purple as I pressed down to grab her face.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Her eyes widened at the sight of my hand, but it was toote. Unable to adjust her attack in time, she clenched her teeth and pressed forward. Steam began to rise from her hands and mouth as ice started to form around her hand.


    The temperature dropped significantly, and my heart squeezed for a brief moment.


    In that brief instant, just as our hands were about to connect, I extended my left hand,


    sending a thread shooting toward the ground at an angle. Using the little force provided, I twisted my body mid-air.


    Before she could react, my hand pressed against the back of her head.


    Gripping her face tightly with one hand, I flicked my head to look around me before pressing


    my finger from my other hand against her temple.


    A voice fell shortly after that.


    "Match over! The winner is..."


    Thump!


    The both of usnded on the ground.


    "Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire."


    "Hoo."


    Following the announcement, I let go of my opponent''s head and stood up. I had been a little


    nervous at first considering how hard my first two matches had been. However, things went a lot smoother than I had anticipated.


    "This is the first time a fight went so smoothly for me. Didn''t have to almost die for once.''


    In the previous matches, I found myself struggling quite a lot, sustaining quite a lot of


    injuries at the same time.


    This match felt like a breath of fresh air.


    As the cube materialized in front of me, I clenched it tightly and reappeared beneath the tforms. Being one of the first to arrive, I looked around and my gaze immediately fixed on


    the Statue of Liberty. Despite its worn appearance, my heart raced at the sight of it towering


    above me.


    There was something about the statue that made me feel oppressed as if it were challenging


    my sanity.


    Was this really a game world...?


    Or a remnant of what earth used to be?


    The thought weighed heavily on my mind, and as I pursed my lips and looked away, another


    figure appeared beside me.


    "You''re done?"


    Leon looked at me up and down before showing a surprised look.


    "...And you''re uninjured?"


    "What''s surprising about that?"


    I frowned.


    It felt as though he expected me to be injured.


    "I got an easier match-up."


    "Oh, I guess that''s possible."


    Leon scratched the back of his head before taking out the tablet that disyed the broadcast


    and passed it on to me.


    "Wanna have a look?"


    "Sure."


    There was nothing else to do and I wanted to see how the other matches yed out.


    We had just turned on the stream when I felt my expression pause. Leon''s reaction was the


    same as he watched the ongoing match.


    On either end stood two figures we knew all too well: one with red hair and the other with


    purple. As their hair fluttered slightly, the two began to move.


    That''s when I turned to look at the side of the tablet; tform [3] - Aoife Megrail versus Evelyn Verlice

 Chapter 323: Cleric [1]

    Chapter 323: Cleric [1]


    ?


    Evelyn found her opponent to be unexpected.


    "....Oh, this."


    Seeing Aoife stand opposite her, Evelyn found herself silently biting her lips. She had just returned from the library looking for any information but was disappointed to have found nothing. When asked, she was told that the books had already been taken.


    Because the books were ssified, as ''schrly'' books, there weren''t many copies around. There were a few but all of them had been taken.


    When Evelyn checked to see who thest one to have signed up for the book was, she was surprised to see that it was Aoife.


    ''Is something really wrong with her...?''


    Despite the referee announcing the match''s start, neither of the two moved.


    All Evelyn could see were two fiery locks of hair and a pair of gleaming yellow eyes that stood out starkly against the bright white sun hanging overhead.


    "Are you not going to attack?"


    Startling her out of her thoughts was Aoife who poised herself like she normally did.


    It was unfortunate that she didn''t know her all too well, otherwise she would''ve been able to tell better.


    ''But is this really the case?''


    Evelyn bitterly smiled when she recalled a certain figure. With him... she always struggled to tell if he had changed or not.


    He would change so often that she now struggled to understand whether he had really changed or not.


    ....It was something that still affected her to this day.


    But after observing Julien for as long as she did, she was now confident that he had truly changed again.


    The thought made her thoughtsplicated, but she didn''t have much time to think about such situations.


    Lifting her head, she looked at Aoife. She was looking at her with a simple smile, seemingly waiting for her to act.


    Evelyn didn''t leave her hanging for long.


    As she pressed her finger forward, a small purple magic circle appeared. It formed with such speed that it was almost impossible for the naked eye to catch.


    Upon itspletion, a purple streak tore the air and headed straight for Aoife who tilted her head.


    Boom!


    A secondter, a thunderous boom echoed through the air, shaking the ground beneath them.


    Aoife''s hair fluttered gently as she looked back.


    "....That was close."


    Though she said that, she still managed to avoid it.


    Evelyn didn''t appear disheartened as she pressed the air again. This time, she did so in multiple session. Aoife''s eyes dted the moment Evelyn moved, and in the next second, her entire body trembled as she rushed forward, twisting her body in all sorts of ways. Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The tform trembled under the force of Evelyn''s relentless assaults, each strike making the air sizzle and crackle with power.


    Though Evelyn''s attacks were swift and precise, Aoife seemed to be able to see the future, dodging everything by a hair''s length.


    With every narrow miss, she edged closer to Evelyn, her movements as graceful as they could be


    Evelyn''s rhythm remained steady, her fingers tapping out a precise pattern as she maintained her barrage. Yet, despite the relentless pressure, Aoife remained calm, her eyes locked on Evelyn as she closed the distance between them, inch by inch.


    §´§Ñ§â. §´§Ñ§â. §´§Ñ§â.


    Evelyn''s consistent rhythm, though powerful, became predictable to Aoife. With each step, Aoife grew more confident, her focus sharpening as she closed the gap.


    Within a few breaths, she was only a few meters away from Evelyn, whoseposed exterior began to crack, revealing the first hints of fluster and uncertainty.


    As Aoife took another step forward, Evelyn tapped the air once more.


    ...Or at least, made it look like she did as she paused her finger. Caught off-guard, Aoife moved in advance.


    ''Ah.''


    It was then that she realized all of this had been a setup.


    But the realization came toote as Evelyn pressed down with her finger.


    Boom!


    Aoife was struck directly, her head recoiling back as she stumbled back several steps.


    How could Evelyn give her a chance to recuperate? With the opening now presented to Evelyn, she dashed forward, her eyes crackling as faint bolts of lightning curled out of her eyes.


    Boom-!


    With another roar, her body faded, appearing right in front of the distracted Aoife.


    Moving her shoulder down, Evelyn pressed her hand toward Aoife''s abdomen where another magic circle formed.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Cracka!


    A massive magic circle formed above them, hanging over her head with a dense flow of mana. Lightning crackled within it, gathering power as it prepared to strike down with a terrifying


    force.


    Cracka! Cracka!


    The charged energy hummed in the air, casting eerie, flickering shadows across the tform, and the tension escted as the power continued to gather.


    Aoife, who was still recovering from the shock of Evelyn''s previous attack, barely had time to react as she looked up.


    Despite the situation she was in, her face remained calm.


    Casting a look in Evelyn''s direction, she flicked her hand up.


    "Eh!?"


    Evelyn''s body shot above her.


    In the direction of the looming lightning.


    "!"


    It was a good thing that Evelyn''s control over the lightning was strong. The moment she realized what had happened, her expression changed and her teeth clenched. sping her hands together, the lighting shattered before it could fully materialize and she twisted her body mid-air,nding on the ground safely.


    Thud.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ.... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    With heavy breaths, she looked at the otherwise normal Aoife.


    Unlike her, she didn''t seem to have used much energy at all as herplexion was still rosy


    and her breath was ragged.


    Evelyn raised her hand, prepared to attack again when Aoife raised her hand in a stopping


    motion.


    |||||


    Evelyn felt her entire body stop.


    Evelyn''s body froze as if an invisible force had wrapped around her, locking her in ce.


    Aware of Aoife''s powers, bolts formed around Evelyn, jolting her body out of Aoife''s control. Evelyn immediately followed up by raising her hand, a magic circle forming on the top of her palm in preparation for a counterattack.


    But how would Aoife let her?


    "Scatter that."


    Aoife flicked her hand to the left and Evelyn''s hand flung in the same way.


    "Ukh!"


    As Evelyn''s body was carried in the direction her arm had been flung, Aoife stepped forward.


    With a swift movement, Aoife flicked her other hand in the opposite direction. The sudden force caused Evelyn to feel her other arm being pulled the other way, resulting in her arms


    crossing in an awkward and disorienting manner.


    "Uekh!"


    Evenlyn felt an immediate sense of pain.


    However, before she could even have the chance to retaliate, Aoife flicked her hands down,


    and Evelyn''s face came smacking against the pavement beneath.


    Thud!


    The blow stunned her.


    For a brief second, she cked out. By the time she recovered, her eyes red open as she


    realized the situation she was in.


    Flicking her head up she noticed a shadow looking down on her from above and without much


    thought, she jolted her mind awake and pushed herself up.


    Thud!


    ....Or at least tried to.


    A powerful force weighed down on her the moment she tried to move up.


    "Uuekh!"


    Regardless of how much she tried to struggle, her body remained nted against the ground. Whenever she tried to move one hand, it''d straighten and stop her from helping herself up.


    She struggled like this for several seconds before her entire body was left paralyzed.


    Her struggle was useless.


    "Khh!"


    Gradually, she felt her body being lifted from the ground, rising steadily until her eyes locked


    with Aoife''s.


    "It was a good fight."


    Was what she said.


    Everything that came after that was a blur as Aoife pressed her hand against her forehead and


    she cked out.


    "The winner is..."


    Thest thing Evelyn heard was the referee''s voice.


    "Aoife Megrail of the Nurs Ancifa Empire."


    ***


    <The results were as expected, but Evelyn put on a wonderful performance. It appears as


    though this is the golden age of the Nurs Ancifa Empire. If not for the fact that she had been matched up against Aoife, Evelyn would''ve certainly been another dark horse>


    As Karl sighed with disappointment, he turned to look at Johanna who was staring intently at


    the broadcast.


    Her eyes were set on Aoife who carefully handed Evelyn''s body to the referee before smiling and waving at the camera.


    Her actions were probably meant for the audience.


    <Johanna...?>


    <Oh, right>


    Shifting her attention back to the broadcast, Johanna went on to exin the details of the


    match. As she did, her mind couldn''t help but wander back to the match.


    In thest moments, she felt that Evelyn could''ve been able to turn the match around. Or at


    least, she felt that Evelyn had all the means to not lose the way that she did.


    In particr, thest moments when her body was locked against the ground. Had Evelyn


    used her powers, she would''ve been able to free herself from Aoife''s Telekinesis.


    ...There was also the time when Aoife flung her in the air.


    That could''ve also been prevented had she been more careful.


    There were a few instances where Johanna felt that she could''ve turned things in her favor.


    And yet, she didn''t.


    ''Could it be inexperience...? Or was she perhaps nervous?''


    With how many mistakes she made, it almost felt as though she wanted to lose.


    But was that truly the case?


    Johnna wasn''t sure, and the thought bothered her a little.


    ''Could it be that because Aoife is the princess she purposely lost? It wouldn''t surprise me if that''s the


    case. The Nurs Ancifa Empire is known to do such things.''


    In the end, however, she had a job to do. And so, she could only throw those thoughts toward


    the back of her mind as she continued to exin all the details of the match.


    <As you can see the turning point was this moment. Right when Evelyn''s body was lifted off


    the ground


    she...>


    ***


    The darkness felt suffocating.


    Embracing her body like a heavy cloak, Evelyn felt her entire body grow cold. She looked around her, scanning the darkness that had taken hold of her body, and pursed her lips.


    Turning toward a certain direction, her eyes fell on a certain statue.


    It stood in the darkness, half of its body masked and embraced by it.


    It was a chilling sight that would send chills down anyone''s spine.


    And yet...


    "So they were right."


    Evelyn murmured to herself as she closed her eyes.


    ''... Aoife and Kiera were really possessed by someone.''


    When she opened her eyes again, the statue was only a few inches away from her, its nose a


    few inches away from her as ck tears fell down its eyes.


    Evelyn stared at the statue without much emotion as her lips parted.


    "I''ve been waiting."

 Chapter 324: Cleric [2]

    Chapter 324: Cleric [2]


    ?


    Evelyn stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the statue standing before her. Its lifeless eyes seemed to bore into her soul, their blurred gaze filled with emptiness.


    As she stepped closer, the faint cracks along its nose became more pronounced, and the ck streaks that lined its cheeks seeped into the statue''s face, highlighting its sorrow.


    The air around her grew colder and the silence felt deafening.


    Despite the situation she was in, Evelyn was able to remain calm.


    As the darkness embraced the two of them, Evelyn extended her hand, a purple magic circle floating on top of it as it started to rotate.


    "I''ve once met with a Cleric."


    In the silence, she started to speak while the statue stood still, silently staring at her without moving at all.


    Could it even move?


    "There was this ''person'' that I knew that started to be different. His entire personality just did a one-eighty all of a sudden. At first, I had been told that this was something that young males go through. Puberty as they said. But..."


    The circle spun with increasing speed, the runes atop it blurring as the color deepened into a darker shade.


    "....Could a young man in puberty really change so much? Almost as if he was an entirely different person. Not only that... but so many times as that?"


    Evelyn scoffed.


    "I may have been young, but I wasn''t stupid. There was something fundamentally wrong with ''him''. I thought he was sick, but he wasn''t."


    The magic circle whirled at an even more frantic pace, lightning crackling around it, with bolts of electricity orbiting the circle in erratic bursts.


    Such action caused the surrounding darkness to shake, the area surrounding the magic circle fluctuating slightly.


    In spite of all of what was happening around her, Evelyn''s expression remained even, tightening as her jaw clenched.


    "...He was possessed."


    She spat through her clenched teeth.


    "At least, that was what I thought. He''d change back each time, return back to his usual self. That''s what made it hard to tell, and what made others dismiss this possibility. But I still believed it. And for that reason, I asked the Cleric to teach me something."


    Evelyn could still recall that day.


    She had only been about fifteen years old. It was about the time when she was first allowed to start practicing her mana.


    Seeing the Cleric-a tall man in dark robes marked with a red cross in the center-leaving the Evenus residence while shaking his head and insisting he wasn''t possessed, Evelyn desperately begged him to teach her something.


    To teach her in the off-change he turned again.


    At first, the Cleric was hesitant, saying things like, ''You''re too young'', ''He''s not possessed,'' There''s no point,'' ''You''re wasting your time,'' and so on. But she persisted, and in the end, in the name of the Verlice household, he taught her something.


    It was a single spell meant for self-defense, but it was enough.


    Sparks erupted from the magic circle floating in Evelyn''s hand, crackling with unstable energy. As she felt the power draining from her body, she directed her trembling hand toward the statue.


    But as she did, the statue finally showed signs of moving.


    Cr Crack!


    A sharp crack echoed through the air as a fine line formed around its neck.


    Evelyn froze, her breath hitching as the statue began to rumble. Instinctively, she reached out to press her hand against it, but before she could make contact, the statue''s head jerked, snapping around 180 degrees with a sickening crunch.


    Crack!


    Where the old face had been, a new one now stared back at her-a face she recognized all too well.


    Evelyn''s hand hovered in midair, her heart pounding as a cold dread seized her.


    "...!"


    Before Evelyn could react, another sharp crack split the air. The statue''s head jerked ny degrees, revealing yet another face beneath the fractured surface.


    Sealed into the stone, staring nkly back at her, was Aoife''s face. The lifeless eyes and the cold, rigid expression sent a wave of horror crashing over Evelyn, her breath pausing.


    Flick!


    The statue''s head flicked again.


    A new face appeared.


    Josephine.


    Flick!


    It flicked once more.


    Each time, a new face appeared.


    Flick! Flick!


    In rapid session, the statue''s head jerked and twisted, its neck contorting with horrifying


    speed.


    Each flick revealed a new face, more and more familiar to Evelyn.


    Evelyn stood rooted to the spot, her mind racing and her body tense as the nightmarish disy unfolded before her.


    The more she looked, the more she realized something.


    ''... They all belong to people from the our Empire and Aurora Empire.''


    She could hardly see a figure from the other two Empires. Was this a coincidence? A scheme


    orchestrated by the other Empires...?


    ''No, that might not be it.''


    Evelyn''s thoughts ran wild. It then soon hit her.


    ''Right, it''s that...''


    There was only one possible exnation for all of this, and it dawned on her rather quickly.


    The Angel...


    It targeted those who had the weakest minds.


    And in this case, the ones who had the weakest mind were obvious. It was those who came back from the strange cult incident a while back. Their Empire, and the Aurora Empire. While many did not show it, and the Empires tried to help everyone who was involved, thesting damages from the incident were still lingering fresh in the minds of many. Dying multiple times wasn''t something that just anyone could take.


    .... It haunted them in secret, and through that, the Angel was able to exploit their weakness


    and enter their minds.


    The realization hit Evelyn quickly.


    A lot of things started to make sense to her at that moment as her shoulder jerked and she


    thrust her hand forward.


    But as she did, the Angel came to life.


    The statue''s neck stopped on a specific face, its features now locked in a small grin. The darkness around it seemed to pulse and writhe, swallowing the statue whole.


    Crack!


    With a sudden, piercing crack, the statue vanished, dissolving into the shadows as if countless


    dark hands had emerged to drag it back into the darkness.


    That was when Evelyn''s hand came forward.


    Cracka!


    In the exact spot, chains made out of lighting bore down, chaining down the empty space


    before her.


    "....!"


    Feeling her attack miss, Evelyn turned around to see the Angel appear, its arms no longer cupped together in a begging motion, but outstretched to grasp her neck.


    It only came to a stop the moment that Evelyn''s eyes fell on it.


    She felt her entire body grow tense as she noticed the Angel''s figure starting to fade once


    more, the hands reaching out for it and pulling it back into the darkness.


    By the time it disappeared, Evelyn felt her heart beating at her throat as the back of her neck


    tingled.


    "........!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Her head turned and a hand sped her throat.


    "Uekh!"


    Evelyn''s pupils constricted.


    In a moment of crisis, she propped her hand up and clenched her fist. The lighting chains that


    coiled behind her shot in the Angel''s direction.


    The chains moved quickly.


    Before the Angel could even disappear like before, the chains grasped it, coiling around its


    arms and body, and sealing its movements.


    The darkness that embraced its body started to fade, revealing the entire frame of the statue


    as it stared back at her, its tears following down its cheeks.


    "Cough!"


    Evelyn''s lungs were on fire as she coughed once and light returned to her eyes.


    When she came to, she realized that she was lying on top of an unfamiliar bed. She looked


    around to see that it was the nursery.


    ''...I''m free.''


    Despite being free, she was still tense.


    Looking around, she took out hermunication device and prepared to message Leon about


    the situation when she stopped.


    ''No, this isn''t the right decision.''


    Though the Angel was currently sealed within her body, there was no guarantee that it


    couldn''t see her actions. The Angel had eyes and ears everywhere.


    ...Not only that, but it was probably going to target her.


    "Uekh."


    Holding onto her chest, she moved out of the bed and put her clothes on.


    At the same time, she put themunication device away.


    As things stood, she needed to find a different way to ry the information she found. A way


    that wouldn''t let the Angel be aware of who was involved.


    Only that way would they be able to solve the situation.


    ***


    Following Evelyn''s defeat, Aoife came back down to the za, acting like she normally did. At


    first nce, she didn''t seem to be off, but the more Leon looked at her the more he felt that


    something was off.


    Aoife... She was abnormally calm.


    Too calm.


    In a situation such as this, she would''ve normally shown a little bit of regret.


    "Congrattions on your win."


    As if noticing his stare, Aoife went to greet him. Leon quickly snapped out of it and answered


    her back with a smile.


    "Thank you. You were great as well."


    "....Thank you."


    He couldn''t show her that he felt that something was off about her.


    For that reason, after a few seconds, he bitterly smiled while scratching the back of his head.


    "... Although, I do feel a little bad for Evelyn."


    "Ah."


    Aoife showed a look of realization before lowering her head.


    "I''m sorry, but you know I had to."


    "Yeah, you two had a great fight. You''ve gotten a lot stronger than before."


    "I''ve trained a lot."


    "....I can tell."


    Leon''s nose twitched as he spoke to her. The more he interacted with her, the more he felt his


    chest grow heavy. Warning signs continued to ring inside of his mind, telling him that


    something was off, and he could only press down on his impulses by showing a fake and restrained expression.


    It was only after the two talked for a few more minutes that Aoife excused herself and sat down by herself while taking out the tablet to spectate the other matches.


    Leon took his eyes away from her, afraid of arousing any suspicion, and turned to look at


    Julien.


    He was just about to speak when he stopped.


    "This.."


    Sitting down with his head raised toward the tforms above, Julien''s eyes flickered with


    strange colors as he looked absentminded.


    He looked out of it.


    Almost as if he was in a trance.


    ''... It''s like before.''


    He had noticed this before during his fight against the Vice-Chancellor, but this time the


    colors that were shifting in his eyes were more prominent. He could see them vividly, and he felt a certain chill while staring into them.


    It almost felt as though he was being sucked into them.


    By the time Leon recovered, Julien''s eyes turned to normal as his head turned to meet Leon''s


    eyes.


    They stared at each other for a brief moment before Julien''s lips opened, ".... With the way that you''re looking at me, I''d be more worried about you than Caius."

 Chapter 325: An Abrupt Situation [1]

    Chapter 325: An Abrupt Situation [1]


    ?


    Six orbs appeared in my mind.


    They were all within arm''s length.


    So long as I reached my hand, I''d be able to touch them.


    Standing before them, I felt the urge to touch them. I knew that something would happen were I to touch them, but I stopped myself.


    I knew that it wasn''t time just yet.


    Looking around me, and seeing the darkness that enveloped the six orbs, I found myself shaking my head.


    "....There''s so much missing."


    This was vastly different than what I understood about domains. What stood before me was merely the framework of what wouldter be my domain. I needed to expand the concept that stood before me before even remotely thinking about thest step- Materialization.


    But that step seemed a distant one.


    For now, I could only focus on expanding the concept that was in front of me.


    "Joy, Rage, Sorrow, Affection, Fear, Shock."


    Six words appeared beneath each orb.


    They each represented an emotion, but at the same time, three carried different meanings as opposed to the six main emotions.


    Why...?


    Why was it like this?


    I stood in silence, pondering over what felt like forever. I could feel that the answer was at the tip of my tongue, and yet, each time I felt that I was close to the answer, my mind would nk.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It was a frustrating process that repeated repeatedly until I was finally pulled away from my mind.


    ''...I was close.''


    Seeing Leon''s face, I knew that I could only try next time.


    There was still another round of battles, and I couldn''t carelessly handicap myself before the match.


    Taking a deep breath, I nced his way,


    ".... With the way that you''re looking at me, I''d be more worried about you than Caius."


    All I felt were goosebumps with the way he was looking at me.


    11


    Leon didn''t say anything and just squinted his eyes.


    Eventually, he asked,


    "Were you practicing your domain?"


    "Hm?"


    How did he know?


    As if he could read my thoughts, Leon answered.


    "...It''s your eyes."


    "My eyes?"


    I took out a small reflective surface and looked at my reflection. Staring into those deep hazel eyes of mine, I turned back to look at Leon.


    "What''s wrong with my eyes?"


    "....They''re normal now."


    "Then?"


    "They were changing color just a few moments ago when you were in a trance."


    "Uh?"


    I blinked my eyes, staring at my reflection once more. Changing color? In what way...? No, I think I knew in what way.


    There were six different colors in the orbs.


    Perhaps the color change stemmed from each orb that resided within my consciousness.


    If that was the case, then it''d make sense.


    But outside of all of that, I suddenly grew curious about something as I turned to look at Leon who was staring back at me with an impassive expression.


    Recalling how he had mentioned all of this, I suddenly realized something.


    "You, you''ve developed a concept as well?"


    "....That''s a secret."


    Leon replied with a thin smile.


    A secret?


    ''What''s this guy trying to do?''


    The fact that he could more or less tell what was happening to me was a clear indication that


    he had at least developed an intent. Given his talent, it would make sense. But how far was he


    into developing his domain?


    Did he develop his concept...?


    All of a sudden, a lot of questions popped up into my mind. The more I thought about them, the more my mind churned.


    I felt my chest grow heavy the more I thought about the situation.


    It was at this moment, that I had a painful realization.


    ...If I don''t develop something soon, then I''m afraid I won''t make it far into the tournament.''


    If Leon was able to develop a concept, then what stopped the others from doing so? In fact, it could be that I wasgging behind the others in this aspect.


    I thought I had done great by developing an intent so early.


    And it probably was a great achievement. Nheless, I hadgged behind the others in terms of progress. By the time I reached Tier 4, the others had reached it months before me.


    In such a situation, even though I developed an intent so early, they had all the time in the world to figure out their own intent and develop a concept.


    The realization made my chest grow heavy.


    ".... You''re overthinking things."


    As if he could see through my thoughts, Leon spoke. When I turned to face him, he rubbed his hand over his shirt.


    "An Intent isn''t something that can be developed or found just because you reach the fourth tier. It''s something that urs to you when your mind is ready. Regardless of how much talent you have, if your mind isn''t ready, then you won''t be able to develop an intent."


    "What do you mean by your mind isn''t ready?"


    "...It means what it means. It''s not something that can be exined with words, but you''ve already experienced it before. I''m not sure when you managed to find your intent, but I''m sure you felt that something was missing before you found it, right?"


    I blinked my eyes for a brief moment, recalling the time before the y. Indeed, there was a time back then when I felt that something was missing from me. It nagged the back of my mind and was what prompted me to unlock the [Love] emotion.


    It was a weird situation that I couldn''t quite exin, but it suddenly became clear to me.


    Could that be what he means...?


    That I needed to figure out what was missing before an Intent was created. In my case, it was thest emotion. That was the missing piece for the creation of my intent.


    Had I not performed in the y and unlocked the emotion, then I would''ve still been


    struggling to this day.


    ...Unless someone found out what they were missing, they wouldn''t be able to unlock an


    intent.


    "It looks like you realized."


    Leon smiled calmly.


    "In my case, I-" Leon stopped himself halfway, his face twitching as I pointed my finger at him.


    "In your what?"


    This guy...


    He said ''secret'' just a few moments ago, only to sell himself out in the next second.


    "...."


    Leon didn''t answer as his face twitched again.


    "What''s the point of resisting?"


    "Tsk."


    "Did you just click your tongue?"


    Leon looked away and didn''t answer. I was just about to speak again when I felt a small vibration in my pocket. The same was true for Leon as a cube materialized before the two of


    us.


    "Oh."


    It looked like the sound round of fights was about to start.


    I had just turned my attention away from the cube to speak to Leon again when I noticed that


    he had already clenched it and disappeared.


    "This..."


    He ran away, didn''t he?


    It had been a while since I found myself at a loss for words.


    "Haa."


    In the end, with a long sigh, I could only shake my head and reach forward to grab the cube. A


    familiar sensation washed over me and I found myself appearing on one of the tforms at


    the top.


    It was one of the taller tforms, and from where I was, I could see the other tforms


    beneath.


    None of the tforms were on the same level, with some more elevated than the others. ''Looks like Leon got an easier opponent.''


    He was standing opposite a face that I could recognize from the videos. He was a decent contender, but nowhere near Leon''s level.


    Looking down, I could see more familiar faces appear.


    Kaelion, Caius, Aoife, Amell... Gradually, all the top contenders appeared one by one. Seeing


    this, I sighed in relief, thinking that I''d have an easier draw, but the next moment, my heart


    sank.


    Kiera stood at the opposite end, her long tinum hair cascading down her back, and her deep crimson eyes locked in a stoic gaze. She wore the familiar ck uniform, her usual demeanor


    reced by an unsettling calm.


    Following her appearance, the referee appeared as well.


    He stood in between us and nced in our direction before raising his hand.


    "Kiera Mylne from the Nurs Ancifa Empire versus Julien Evenus from the Nurs Ancifa


    Empire."


    My muscles tensed, popping silently as I got into position and stared in Kiera''s direction. This


    fight... It was going to be extremely difficult.


    "Hoo."


    I needed to be ready.


    ncing our way one more time, he threw his hand down.


    "Begin!"


    ***


    Moments prior.


    The studio picked up on the match between Julien and Kiera immediately. The moment the


    two appeared, the broadcast started as Johanna and Karl started to introduce the two


    contestants.


    <It looks like the two dark horses of the tournament will now be fighting against each other!>


    There was obvious excitement in this match.


    Who wouldn''t be excited with the prospect of seeing two underdogs fight against each other? Noticing the boost in viewership, Karl''s speaking became faster.


    <On one side we have Kiera who is the favoured one in the match. Despite Julien''s amazing performances as ofte, he is the underdog in this match. It''s funny...>


    Karlughed.


    <The two of them bothe from the same institute and once, Julien was hailed as the


    number one prospect. However, now things have changed. From the looks of things, he has fallen to fourth ce in regard to the general rank between those of the same institute.


    Perhaps it was because of his injury, or perhaps other reasons, the others have caught up with


    him>


    Alternating his gaze between the two contestants, Karl sighed.


    <This match will be a heavy one for Julien. It''ll determine if he''ll ever get a chance to get his


    position back, or...>


    Karl''s words stopped halfway through.


    Just as he was speaking the referee announced the start of the match.


    He, alongside Johanna and everyone that was watching, was expecting either Julien or Kiera


    to start with an explosive move, but the scene shook everyone to the core.


    Looking in Julien''s direction, Kiera lowered her body.


    She then began to mumble something.


    Then, without hesitation, she turned back and jumped off the tform, mes appearing


    beneath her feet, decreasing the speed of her fall before she safelynded on the ground beneath as if it were nothing.


    In the silence that took over the studio and those watching the match, the referee''s voice


    echoed.


    <...The winner is Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire>


    All hell broke loose shortly after that.

 Chapter 326: An Abrupt Situation [2]

    Chapter 326: An Abrupt Situation [2]


    ?


    It took me a few seconds to realize what had happened, and when the realization hit me, I wasn''t able to hold myself from groaning.


    ''... What in the world is in this bastard''s mind?''


    I was extremely tempted to just look at the statue but held myself back. I didn''t want to give it the idea that I knew about Kiera and Aoife.


    If they even were possessed by the statue.


    "You may leave the tform."


    Snapping out of it, I saw the familiar cube appear in front of me.


    I nced at the referee for a brief moment before reaching out for the cube and gripping it tightly.


    My vision blurred shortly after.


    ||


    The moment I came down, I was met with silence.


    All eyes were directed in my direction. There was a mixture of emotions in their gazes, but the most prominent one was anger.


    I could vividly see the anger in some of the faces of the contestants as they looked in our direction.


    Thankfully, before anyone could voice out their thoughts or show some protest, a voice fell down from above.


    [This marks the end of the second round ofbat. It was a very wonderful round and exhibition of amazing matches. For the next round, two contestants will be given a ''free'' pass and avoid fighting. This pass will be given to the top two ranked figures.]


    There wasn''t much said to use besides a few words of congrattions and thest part regarding the ''free pass''.


    Since there were only six people left, two were given the automatic pass while the others fought for the next round which were be the semi-finals.


    [...You will be given a day off. Please get ready for your match-up. The location of the fights will be changed ordingly, and you will be told in advance who your opponent will be.]


    With such words, the voice faded and the za fell into silence again.


    I looked around me, toward Aoife and Leon who were the remaining ones in my group. Taking into ount that the other Empires had only one person left each, we had an overwhelming advantage in terms of numbers.


    ''...But that''s if we take into ount that Aoife isn''t possessed.''


    Now that she was possessed, it was hard to group her with us. Especially since we didn''t know what her real motives were.


    "Let''s go."


    Feeling Leon''s grip over my shoulder, he nudged me with his head. I nodded quietly and left alongside him.


    As we walked, I felt the res and looks of dissatisfaction from those of the other Empires. In such a hostile environment, I could only walk ahead without much of an expression.


    But at the same time, I felt my heart sink.


    I knew the blowout from this would be rather annoying.


    ***


    The blowout of Kiera''s actions was indeed quiterge.


    -Julien should be disqualified for deliberately manipting the matchups. It''spletely unfair to the otherpetitors who had to earn their ce through hard-fought battles.


    -Kiera and Julien have clearly conspired to rig the results, allowing Julien to advance unfairly. This kind of behavior is uneptable. Please disqualify him!


    -This is a formalint about the tournament. Julien and Kiera''s actions werepletely out of line, and Julien should be disqualified immediately!


    The Summit Committee staff was bombarded by letters ofints that were both from the public and officials from either empire. The situation was so serious that the staff had no


    choice but to contact the four main delegates of each empire.


    Prince Theron, Prince Lucian, Princess Elysia, and Prince Gael.


    They all stood in front of a round table, staring at the numerous letters that were spread in front of them.


    Picking one of the letters and reading through it, the corner of Theron''s lips pulled up slightly as he looked toward the sickly person sitting opposite him.


    "...The situation isn''t looking too good for you, isn''t it?"


    Gael didn''t answer and just picked up another letter.


    He read through the contents before letting out a small sigh and tossing the letter down.


    "This isn''t something that I expected to happen."


    This entire situation had created quite a mess.


    Not only was the public outraged, but the focus of the outrage was directed towards their Empire for ''cheating''.


    With Kiera and Julien not needing to fight, then it obviously meant that Julien would be able


    to save a lot of energy and spare himself some injuries for the next fights. This way, he''d have


    an advantage over the other contestants.


    Gael could understand why the public was so outraged.


    But what could he do...? This wasn''t something that he could''ve predicted.


    "What do you think?"


    In the end, he could only look toward the other delegates to see what their reactions would be. Would they push for Julien''s disqualification, or not?


    "I say we''re wasting our time."


    Lucian was the first one to speak, his deep voice rumbling throughout.


    "His actions may be cowardly, but to me, it doesn''t matter. Such actions won''t hold up when fighting against Kaelion. If the two were to fight then whether he''s in full health or not, it won''t matter. He''ll lose."


    "...I am of the same opinion."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Theron replied while tossing a letter back into the pile.


    "Caius is alsopletely unharmed. This is no big deal."


    "Well, since everyone is like that, I can''t disagree either."


    Elysia finally added.


    In essence, none were in favor of punishing Julien. On the outside, this seemed like a kind and magnanimous gesture of them, but in reality, it was a calcted decision by all of them. With thepetition reaching its climax, all of the remaining members were extremely powerful.


    The gap between their strength was no longer as wide as it used to be with the other


    contestants.


    ... It was for that reason that they all agreed with the decision of keeping Julien.


    Of the six remaining contestants, he was known to be the weakest.


    If they could be matched up with him then they''d have an advantage.


    Gael understood their thought process very well, and could only purse his lips silently before


    epting the situation.


    "Since that''s the case, we''ll continue as is. If anybodyins, tell them we''ve allowed it."


    He stood up and tossed all the letters in his hands before leaving.


    The others followed shortly after that.


    And thus, a decision was made.


    No disqualification.


    ***


    Following the end of the second round ofbat, Leon, alongside Julien, headed for the


    nursery in order to get in touch with Evelyn.


    "She''s not here...?"


    However, it was to Leon''s surprise that Evelyn wasn''t present.


    His brows locked into a tight frown upon realizing this.


    ''Did she get possessed as well?''


    He started to worry, but before he could disy his worry, he caught sight of a hairband. It


    had evidently been left behind by Evelyn.


    An idea struck him.


    Without hesitation, he turned around and headed out of the nursery with Julien who had been


    abnormally quiet. As Leon was about to call for him, he paused. Staring in Julien''s direction,


    his face stiffened slightly.


    "Again..."


    Yet again, Julien was standing with an absentminded look. His eyes continuously flickered with different colors as he seemed lost in his own world.


    Leon thought about shaking him out of that state but quickly stopped himself.


    Even though the situation was important, it wouldn''t do Leon any good to snap Julien out of such a state. He was slowlyprehending something, and he could only let him be. At the same time, Leon struggled to look at Julien in the eyes.


    There was something about them that made his entire body shudder, and after a little thought, he went out to buy a small hat which he ced on Julien''s head in order to hide his


    face.


    Julien didn''t react at all to his actions.


    ''Good.''


    Satisfied, Leon turned his attention toward the hair band.


    "Hoo."


    He then took a deep breath.


    ''If I''m guessing right, Evelyn purposely left this in order to let me find her.''


    Evelyn was one of the few people who knew about his intuition skills. Julien was another


    person who knew.


    Although the skill was not something he could easily control, with time, he grew to be able to control it better. At this point, staring at the hairband, Leon felt confident he''d be able to


    sense something.


    And indeed he did.


    Feeling his chest tighten, he turned his head to stare in a particr direction.


    [Meldorne St.]


    The long cobblestone streets of Grimspire were faintly lit up by the flickering of themps.


    There weren''t many people walking the streets. The night was approaching, and the area they were in was on the eastern side which was primarily the residential area.


    Following the feeling in his chest, Leon carefully walked through the streets, turning around several corners and passing several houses.


    It was quiet, and the deeper he went, the more worn out the areas became.


    The houses started to show signs of abandonment while the cobblestone streets had bits and


    pieces of rock missing.


    Leon didn''t know for how long he walked, and with Julien not speaking, all he could hear was


    the faint sound of their footsteps moving.


    It felt strangely eerie.


    ''It should be here.''


    But eventually, he stopped before an old house.


    The house loomed before him, its shattered windows like hollow eyes, disying its insides


    which were embraced by a vivid darkness.


    The wooden nks jutted out at unsettling angles, creaking as he stepped up the wooden


    patio. The roof, sagged as it appeared to be ready to crumble at any second. Appearing by the front door of the house, Leon held onto his reservations and pushed the door open.


    Creeaak!


    With a creak, the door opened and he felt an immediate gust of cold wind wash over him.


    "Of all ces..."


    Leon clenched his teeth and stepped forward.


    Despite Julien''s apparent uselessness, his presence brought somefort as he navigated the


    eerie house, which was littered with old wooden furniture and shattered ss scattered


    across the floor.


    Leon pushed the ss to the side and moved forward.


    It was then that he noticed a faint lighting from the distance.


    Leon paused for a brief moment before taking a deep breath. Then, holding onto his breath,


    he passed by a certain room where he noticed a freshly lit candle positioned on top of a


    wooden desk where a note appeared.


    Seeing the note, Leon understood that it had been left behind by Evelyn and he quickly


    approached it.


    ".....!"


    As soon as he took a step, a jolt of unease shot through him. His entire body tensed, the hair


    on the back of his neck bristled, and his heart seemed to freeze in his chest.


    A figure emerged directly from the shadows and shot in his direction.


    With no time to think, Leon prepared to fight back when something blurred past him from


    behind. It was so fast that he had no time to react.


    Booom!


    A terrifying explosion ensued shortly after as the house shook.


    By the time it took for the dust to settle, Leon''s eyes settled over to Julien who stood in front


    of him, holding onto a figure by the neck. A viscous green liquid covered his right arm,


    stopping right at his elbow. At the same time, his eyes flickered a grin color as his lips


    twitched into a smile.


    "This..."


    Leon stood in silence for a short moment before he drew a cold breath.


    ''...I could barely see him.''

 Chapter 327: An Abrupt Situation [3]

    Chapter 327: An Abrupt Situation [3]


    The world was dark.


    ¡°Rage, fear, joy¡­¡±


    I was lost in my own thoughts, staring mindlessly at the six orbs that stood before me. They silently floated in the air while the words beneath it glowed faintly.


    Time seemed irrelevant to me at this moment.


    All that took my attention were the size orbs that stood before me.


    ¡°Rage, fear, joy¡­¡±


    I continuously mumbled the name of each and every orb.


    The world was still pitch ck, an iplete world thatcked everything. An iplete¡­


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I regained some rity.


    Staring at the pitch-ck world around me and then the six orbs that stood in front, I felt my mouth grow dry.


    ¡®¡­.Can it work?¡¯


    I reached out for the nearest orb.


    It was the Orb of ¡®Joy¡¯.


    As if sensing my hand, the orb throbbed once. It then started to wiggle and writhe as it tried to reach for me. The orb¡­ it wanted to join me. I could feel it.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    My fingers soon touched it, and my entire body tensed.


    The muscles on my face stiffened while the muscles on my calf tensed. My brain throbbed, and the orb spread open, reaching out for my hand and crawling toward it.


    At the same time, I looked at the world around me and shook my hand.


    The darkness that stood before me wiggled.The ground beneath me began to soften, the firm and empty space giving way to something unsettlingly soft.


    Lowering my head, I was stunned to find myself standing on a patch of grass, its green des swaying gently where the darkness once stood.


    As I crouched down and brushed my fingers against the grass, its rough texture scratched against my skin.


    It felt¡­. real.


    I took a step forward.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    It felt exactly as though I was stepping on real grass.


    Looking ahead, the grass appeared to stretch infinitely. I took another step, and then another.


    Before I knew it, I was walking on top of the grass, my speed increasing with each step that I took.


    I soon started to run.


    Though there was no wind, it almost felt as though it was brushing past my skin.


    It felt euphoric and I continued to run.


    Without realizing it, my steps left deep imprints on the ground and my speed continued to increase, my eleration seemingly having no limits.


    At some point, I started to wonder just how fast I was running, but the thought paused at the same time that I did.


    ¡°Kh¡­!¡±


    A sharp pain spread through every inch of my body.


    It was a pain that came directly from my legs, and when I felt my body, I realized that the muscle fibers on my legs were tearing apart.


    ¡®What¡­?¡¯


    Surprised by the sudden development, I stopped moving. But just as I did, a weird tickling sensation took over my chest. Taken aback, I tried to get rid of the feeling, but it only grew worse.


    ¡°Huh, ah¡­!¡±


    I hastily covered my mouth as I felt my back tremble.


    Something boiled from within me, slowly rising with each passing second, and despite my best attempts at suppressing the sensation, it got the better of me.


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    Augh soon escaped my lips.


    It was a faintugh, but it triggered a chain reaction.


    The strange, viscous green liquid crawling up my arm suddenly sped up, slithering its way toward my shoulder. As it spread, the tingling sensation intensified, turning from a mild difort into a creeping, unbearable itch.


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    It became harder to suppress theughter


    Not only that, but I could hear faint popping and tearing soundsing from my body.


    I grew rmed by the sounds, but as if my body refused to listen to me, I just continued tough.


    ¡°Hahahah.¡±


    With each second that passed, the more prominent theugh became, and before I knew it, I wasughing like crazy.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    I found myself unable to think properly.


    The viscous green liquid spread to further areas of my body while the pain that I felt in my legs intensified.


    This persisted for a few seconds before something shook me out of it.


    ¡°¡­..!¡±


    When I regained rity of the situation, I found Leon standing next to me with his hand over the hilt of his sword and a weird figure standing by the corner of the room, lunging in his direction.


    I stared at the two parties in confusion.


    My mouth felt tired, and the lingering sensations from before were still present. My lips curled up while everything appeared to move in slow motion.


    I could see Leon getting ready to confront the weird silhouette while the silhouette lunged in his direction.


    Everything happened before my very eyes.


    It was just that it was¡­


    ¡®Slow¡­¡¯


    Everything was so slow.


    Tilting my head, I stepped forward.


    I felt a sharp pain hit me the moment I took the pain as the muscles on my leg tensed. Rather than being rmed, my chest felt lighter.


    I alternated my gaze between Leon and the weird silhouette.


    It lunged closer to Leon, its arms outstretched and ready to cleave his head off.


    ¡®No can do.¡¯


    I reached out, my hand finding the silhouette¡¯s neck, and with a swift twist of my shoulder, I mmed it against the wall.


    The wood splintered in slow motion, shards floating outward in all directions.


    From the corner of my eye, I noticed Leon tracking my every move, his expression stiff. As I tightened my grip, the strange green liquid coating my arm and shoulder began to recede, inching its way back down my arm.


    At the same time, the world around me started to pick up its normal speed.


    Booom¡ª!


    Eventually, the sound of the explosion reached my ears, echoing as the silhouette¡¯s body caved into the wall. The force of the impact shattered the wood into splinters, which rained down to the ground.


    The viscous green liquid drew back further and my lips pulled upwards.


    ¡°Heheh.¡±


    In the situation I found myself in, I ended upughing.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    It was only when I heard Leon¡¯s stupefied voice that I finally snapped out of it and let go of the silhouette who fell on the floor.


    ¡°Uhkh!¡±


    The moment I let go I was suddenly ovee with a wave of dizziness as I started to wobble.


    ¡®Fuck¡­!¡¯


    I held onto the wall to support my body.


    ¡°Haaa¡­ Haa¡­¡±


    Heavily gasping for air, I had a hard time stopping myself from falling to the ground as my legs continued to wobble, seemingly ready to topple at any second.


    Only when Leon grabbed my arm did my legs fully give up.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    Leon looked at me with a frown.


    It took a second for me to reply, trying my best to get rid of the lingering emotions that were spreading in my mind.


    Only then did I finally nod my head.


    ¡°Yeah, I should be¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­.Great.¡±


    Leon pursed his lips before turning his gaze toward the silhouette. To his surprise, it was a cadet from the Aurora Empire, someone both familiar and yet unknown.


    The young many unconscious, his short brown hair disheveled and his sharp nose and deep brows marked with light freckles.


    His eyes were shut tight as he was passed out on the floor.


    Being careful, Leon tied him up using a special item before going to the letter that was resting on the desk.


    I wanted to read the letter as well but found myself unable to stand up at all.


    My legs seemedpletely unresponsive and my mind was still suffering a little from the lingering effect of the action. From time to time my lips would pull up even though I didn¡¯t want them to do so.


    I started to ponder over what had happened.


    ¡®¡­.So joy increases my speed.¡¯


    This much I had already known in advance. It was just that the effects and after effects were a lot stronger than I had anticipated.


    I couldn¡¯t move my legs.


    ¡­.I was basically a cripple. At least for some time.


    ¡®Perhaps, I need to control how much I should allow the orb to control. If this was one hundred percent, then I should tone it down to thirty percent¡­¡¯


    As I sat in silence, pondering over my circumstances, I could see Leon¡¯s expression turning graver and graver.


    Eventually, he settled the letter down and looked back at me.


    ¡°We need to go.¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    Before I could ask why, he quickly grabbed me and pulled me up.


    ¡°Ah!? Uh? Wait!¡±


    Then, looking around, he rushed out of the house.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    At the exact moment he moved, the house shook. The furniture rattled, and shards of ss erupted from their frames. Leon dashed forward, dragging me by the arm as I could only watch helplessly, the tremors growing more and more pronounced.


    With the current state of my legs, I couldn¡¯t move or keep up with him.


    The only thing I could do was let myself be dragged out, and as we crossed the door that led to the outside of the house, a crashing sound echoed from behind us.


    Leon clenched his teeth and threw me forward.


    At the same time, he stomped his foot with a ¡®bang¡¯ and his body shot out like a bullet.


    Boom¡ª!


    The house crumbled inwardly right as we left.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    Facenting onto the grass outside, I propped myself up using my arms and stared back at the scene in shock.


    I thought it was over, but Leon¡¯s expression remained grim. He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.


    ¡°Ukh!¡±


    I tried to protest but he didn¡¯t leave me any room to do so as he sprinted ahead at full speed. He headed back from where we came from, toward the more modest residences.


    Before I could protest further, he passed the letter to me.


    ¡°Read it.¡±


    Confused, I grabbed the letter and started to read it.


    ===


    You were wrong.


    The Angel is not responsible for all of this.


    Something more sinister is urring, taking the minds of everyone. I believe that it¡¯s a gue of sorts.


    You need to be careful.


    I¡¯ve been infected as well. I won¡¯t be here for now, but I¡¯ll meet you in Orhm Street tomorrow to let you know more.


    Evelyn.


    ===


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I looked at the letter and then turned it around to check if what I was seeing was true. In the end, after making sure it was real, I drew in a cold breath.


    ¡°It¡¯s her handwriting.¡±


    Leon said, turning a corner and entering a more secluded area.


    ¡°However, the letter is fake.¡±


    ¡°¡­.You think?¡±


    ¡°Yes, without a doubt. I¡¯m sure you can see it too.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Even if Leon believed the letter, I didn¡¯t believe it for one second. I had seen the vision and was almost confident it had a y in this situation.


    Given how someone had been waiting for us, the Angel could see through Evelyn¡¯s eyes.


    Whatever action she took, the Angel could see.


    This meant that Evelyn was fine and that she had managed to not fall for its spell.


    As if noticing my thoughts, Leon spoke,


    ¡°Evelyn must¡¯ve written the letter for real, but the Angel found it. From then on, it reced the letter with another one and waited to ambush us in order to see who she was working with. Evelyn¡¯s fine.¡±


    Leon seemed d by the realization that Evelyn was fine.


    Looking around, he turned another sharp corner.


    ¡°¡­.The entire situation could also be set up by the Angel in order to trap us. It wants us to believe that the letter is real in order to mislead us. That¡¯s why it set up a trap back there. In order to make it more believable that the letter hadn¡¯t been reced. In fact, we¡¯re also probably not being chased.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I could see that.


    The Angel¡­ it was rather crafty.


    ¡®Mh, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have cursed the visions. They do have some uses¡­¡¯


    Had it not been for the vision, there was a high chance that I might¡¯ve fallen for the trick. But since I was almost certain that the statue was tied to this, I could tell that the letter was a fake.


    Leon on the other hand seemed to be able to tell through his intuition.


    Turning around the corner, Leon finally came to a stop.


    ¡°You can get off now.¡±


    He dropped me down and I leaned against the wall. My legs were spasming and it was bing increasingly hard to keep my legs steady.


    Leon didn¡¯t say much about that before he looked around him.


    We found ourselves in a deserted alleyway cluttered with trash cans and defaced with graffiti. Leon took a brief look around, his expression darkening as he clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    He looked to detest such ces.


    I thought about asking him this when I stopped.


    Holding onto my legs which started to shake, I could only bitterly smile at him. He looked back at me for a moment before sighing.


    ¡°Go get some rest. I¡¯ll go look for Evelyn. I¡¯ll update youter.¡±


    Shortly after saying that, he turned around and sprinted away.


    ¡°Hey wait!¡±


    I reached out to him, but he moved so swiftly that I barely had time to speak. By the time he vanished, silence enveloped the alleyway.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Sitting in the middle of the alleyway with my back pressed against the wall, I stared down at my legs.


    ¡°¡­.How do I go back?¡±

 Chapter 328: Quarter-Finals [1]

    Chapter 328: Quarter-Finals [1]


    ?


    Left stranded by Leon, I could only wait for half an hour before picking myself back up and navigating through the streets before finding the Inn where I was staying.


    While Grimspire was a lot smaller than Bremmer, it was still a veryrge city.


    I had to ask for directions several times in order to find the Inn.


    Creak!


    I plopped onto the bed the moment that I entered the room.


    "Hoo."


    Sinking into the bed, I started to rx. My legs still felt wobbly, and I could tell that my calves were not in a good state. Taking note of the fact that there were matches tomorrow, I could only silently curse at myself before applying some ointment and hoping that everything would heal by the time the next round started.


    ''..The progress is steady, but at this rate, I''ll break my body. I need to find a way to reduce how much I use the power.''


    My current body wasn''t capable of handling the power that came from my half-baked concept.


    Trr-!


    I was just about to rest when I felt my pocket vibrate. Taking out themunication device, I stared at the message that appeared.


    My expression turned grim as I read the message.


    It was the announcement for tomorrow''s opponent. In bold letters, it said; [Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire versus Kaelion Mandrale of the Aurora Empire]


    "This might be a little annoying..."


    No, this was far from being a little annoying.


    This was extremely annoying. Especially since Kaelion was now somewhat familiar with my Emotive Magic. I was sure he''d have some sort of way to counter it.


    The thought gave me a headache.


    ''....Since relics are allowed, he''ll have some sort of relic to protect his mind.''


    The Relic would render my Emotive Magic less effective. The degree of suppression I wasn''t sure about, but it was certainly not going to be little.


    "Hoo."


    I pursed my lips and looked up at the ceiling.


    Actually, I wasn''t too worried about him countering my Emotive Magic. He could try for all I cared. In the end, while he could try and suppress my Emotive Abilities just like Ang did, I was confident in bypassing whatever protective measure he had in ce.


    In Ang''s case, though not easy, I could''ve bypassed her air-sealing technique that prevented me from speaking.


    The extent of my Emotive Magic was far superior to that little trick of hers.


    Simply cutting off the air around me wasn''t enough to prevent me from using my abilities.


    ....I just didn''t think I needed to go to that extent to beat her.


    And I was right.


    In Kaelion''s case...


    "We''ll see."


    I brushed my hair back. There were still a couple of things that I needed to settle with Kaelion.


    He was a snake, but at the same time, I had his weakness in the palm of my hand.


    I had set up an appointment to address this situation, but I found myself unable to find the time to meet up with him.


    ''I''ll address him soon enough.''


    I lowered my head to stare at my hand. Clenching it in silence, I let out a small breath.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Emotive Magic aside....


    There was something else that I wanted to test.


    Six orbs once again appeared in my mind. Unlikest time, I was more inclined to reach for the red orb. I wanted to test for how long I could use the ability and the effects it''d have on my


    body.


    Of course, the thought only crossed my mind for a brief moment before I shook the thought away.


    In my current state doing so would be extremely stupid.


    "How is your progress?"


    "....It''s not bad."


    Lifting my head, I wasn''t even surprised by Delh''s appearance. She tended to do this so often that I just epted her presence as though it was natural. She seemed to be of the same thought. Making herself at home, she sat on the chair opposite me.


    She then eyed me with her glossy obsidian ck eyes.


    "You have a tough opponent. Do you think you can beat him?"


    "I''m not sure."


    I had already fought Kaelion before, but back then he was unaware of my Emotive Magic. Now that he knew the situation was a little different.


    I was still confident in beating him, but I wasn''t sure I''d be able to do it as fast as I did in the


    past.


    But that was beside the point.


    Lifting my head, I made eye-contact with Delh.


    "What?"


    She tilted her head, her eyes blinking as she noticed the seriousness of my expression.


    I thought long and hard about what to say. In the end, I held myself back.


    "This might backfire against me.''


    What I wanted to talk to her about was the situation with the Angel and how the students were most likely possessed by them. If I had her help, I''d be able to solve the situation faster.


    But there were a few problems.


    One, Delh''s reputation with the Royal Family was terrible. If I asked her to destroy the statue, she''d be turning the entire family against her.


    Perhaps Aoife might be able to exin the situationter, but there was no guarantee things would resolve after destroying the statue.


    At the same time, her actions might also trigger a chain of reactions that would prompt people to start checking everyone to see if they were possessed. If that were to happen...


    ''No, I can''t let that happen.''


    The thought made me shudder.


    In the end, I was stuck in between deciding whether to let her in on the situation or not.


    Delh sat in silence, fiddling with her pocket taking out a chocte bar and taking a small


    bit.


    nk!


    The sound of the bar breaking echoed silently as she chewed on it.


    I stared at her from my position while trying my best to calm the tremors on my legs.


    "You''re injured."


    Delh finally seemed to notice the state of my body as her brows knit into a frown. Her heel


    clicked against the wooden floor as she sat on the bed next to me.


    The entire time her attention was fixed on my leg.


    She eyed it for a good moment before shifting her attention back to me.


    "You''ve torn your quads."


    "Oh."


    No wonder it hurt so much to walk...


    Delh frowned.


    I looked at her expectantly, hoping she''d give me something to help with the situation, but


    she didn''t and just handed me the chocte.


    "Do you want it?"


    11 ||


    I struggled to find the right words as I looked at the chocte bar.


    In all honesty, I didn''t like chocte. It was too sweet for me. Way too sweet for me. Since


    that was the case, I prepared to reject her.


    I was in the process of doing so when...


    "This, well-ukh!"


    Something sweet entered my mouth as I felt a finger touch my lips. Stupefied, my eyes widened as I looked at Delh who was looking at me with her usual calm.


    Uwawawawa.


    My thoughts stopped as my mind nked.


    The situation was so abrupt that I had no time to react.


    Before I had time to figure out what had happened, Delh''s voice reached my ears once


    more.


    "Your injuries can be healed by tomorrow. You might feel a little sore. Rest until tomorrow."


    Her voice grew distant, and in the blink of an eye, her figure disappeared from my view.


    "Ah."


    By the time I recovered, I sat with my mouth open, the sweet taste of the chocte spreading


    all over my tongue.


    "This..."


    It really was too sweet.


    ***


    "Hmm."


    Delh appeared inside of her room. It was arge suite that contained arge bed, draped


    with curtains and an enormous wooden frame. A deep red carpet covered the floor, while various paintings adorned the walls, adding an air of elegance to the room.


    The floor was rtively clean, with the asional wrapper scattered across it.


    She had gotten better at cleaning up after herself recently.


    ||


    Delh''s heels clicked as she walked toward her desk and took out a small diary.


    The diary was titled;


    [Julien Observation Diary]


    Around the title were several stars and scribbles. There was a small dog and a cat. Delh liked


    to scribble when she was bored.


    Since thest discussion she had with Julien, Delh had been bothered by his question. ''You,


    you can''t possibly like me?''


    The question took her aback and she found herself unable to understand what brought him to


    ask such a question.


    For that reason, she had been binging several books in order to better understand the


    situation.


    Delh was quite unfamiliar with how emotions worked. She had gotten better over the years,


    but ''like''...? How did that emotion even feel?


    The Diary was necessary for her to understand.


    This was so that she could see the situation in an objective manner. And... it was also fun.


    Looking at the diary, there were already several bullet points that she had written before.


    The first and foremost was;


    [?Talented]


    Julien''s growth over the past year has been very impressive. Especially recently with the


    development of his domain.


    Delh believed that his true strength was amongst the top.


    The next point;


    [? He likes chocte]


    He always goes on to say that he doesn''t, but every time she gives him chocte, he eats it.


    How could he not like chocte?


    He likes chocte.


    [?Girls don''t like him]


    Delh''s gaze hovered at this point for quite some time.


    This Delh didn''t understand. In her eyes, he didn''t seem to be ugly.


    But girls did tend to look at him before running away from him.


    It was a weird phenomenon.


    [?Funny?]


    Delh circled the question mark in red.


    She wasn''t too sure herself. However, Professor Hollowe repeatedly mentioned to her that


    Julien was extremely funny.


    It made her curious.


    How funny was he?


    She thought about asking Leonter. He seemed close to Julien.


    [?He likes girls with long ck hair, and ck eyes, and is older.]


    Noment.


    And that was it.


    These were all the bullet points that she had managed to gather recently. Delh was quite


    satisfied with what she had.


    However, it was now time to add another one.


    Taking out a fountain pen, Delh pressed it against the paper, the ink slowly spreading into


    the page. Delh was suddenly reminded of what had happened moments prior when she fed him the


    chocte.


    It was the first time that she had ever seen him so flustered. His hazel eyes swam all around, lost by the situation while his lips and body unconsciously trembled. Recalling the scene, Delh felt the corner of her lips pull up slightly.


    For some reason, she wanted to see the flustered look again. She couldn''t describe it, but she


    just wanted to see it again especially since he was always so serious. It was such arge


    contrast.


    As her thoughts paused there, she began to write.


    [?He''s cut-]

 Chapter 329: Quarter-Finals [2]

    Chapter 329: Quarter-Finals [2]


    ?


    The next day.


    3:11 PM.


    The white sun silently stared at thend beneath, overlooking the entire city with its oppressive gaze.


    Grimspire felt eerily silent, its deserted streets illuminated by flickeringmps across the cobblestone streets. The town resembled a ghost town, with a heavy tension hanging in the air. Scattered across the cobblestone were fliers, their edges curling in the wind.


    Disyed on the fliers were two simple lines;


    [Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire versus Kaelion Mandrale of the Aurora Empire]


    [Amell Mantovaj of the Verdant Empire versus Leon Ellert of the Nurs Ancifa Empire]


    The Four Empire Summit was reaching its climax.


    All residents were at home, waiting for the match to begin while others were waiting in line to enter the ''Colosseum''.


    As one of the many relics of the Rilgona Monarchy, the Colosseum was well maintained and only used for special asions just like the Angel of Sorrow.


    Only the top of the top were granted the ability to fight on such a massive stage.


    "....It looks like all the seats are sold out."


    Gael nced at the stands that were slowly starting to fill up. The ''Colosseum'' could host a total of fifty thousand spectators. There had been expansions in order to provide seats for more people, but this was the current limit.


    "As it should be."


    Theron simrly nced at the stands beneath with a thin smile. He appeared rather leisurely.


    Elysia who sat next to him seemed rather unsatisfied.


    She didn''t even bother hiding her displeasure as she eyed the two of them. Theron nced at her from his seat, amused by her reaction.


    "What do you look so mad?"


    "....Are you seriously asking me this?"


    "I guess not."


    Theron chuckled slightly.


    The reason for her dissatisfaction stemmed from the fact that Caius had been granted the ''Free Pass'' alongside Aoife. This meant that the two of them had directly qualified for the semi-finals without any need to perform.


    ncing to his left, Theron pointed at Lucian who sat with his eyes closed.


    "He doesn''t seem to have a problem with the arrangement."


    ".... You don''t think?"


    Elysia nced at the arena beneath and clicked her tongue before murmuring.


    "I wouldn''t beining either if I had the easier pick."


    ***


    3:23 PM.


    The recording devices had all been spread, hovering around the arena grounds, covering every inch of it from different angles.


    Unlike the earlier matches, the recording devices had undergone significant upgrades. These new versions were not only more durable but also capable of capturing the fight in higher quality. They could slow down the action to the millisecond, allowing the audience- especially those unable to keep up with the speed of thebat-to see every detail of what was happening.


    "Wee everyone at home who is watching. I''m happy to see so many people tuned in to watch the fight."


    Karl nced at the viewership and almost had a heart attack.


    More than one hundred million people were watching at the same time. This was a number that he had hardly ever seen in his career as amentator. To make matters even more shocking was the fact that the match had yet to start.


    The numbers were bound to increase further down the line.


    "Hoo."


    Karl took a deep breath.


    But still, despite therge number, he had to maintain a professional smile as he introduced Johanna who sat beside him.


    "Tonight, as many of you are already familiar with her, Johanna will join me toment and narrate on the match."


    "It''s nice to be here."


    Johanna acknowledged with a small nod. Following her introduction, the broadcast shifted to the arena where the audience could be seen.


    Unlike before, the stands were now practically filled. The noise could be felt through the small lens of the recording device as a heavy sense of tension lingered in the air. There were a lot of spectators from each Empire, each supporting their respective members.


    At this very moment, however, a single name stood out from the rest.


    "Kaelion!" "Kaelion!" Kaelion!"


    ***


    3:25 PM.


    Caius sat in the stands,zily watching the fight with his arm hanging over the chair beside him.


    He wore a disguise, masking his features.


    As his eyes set on the arena, he covered his mouth and yawned.


    "Huam."


    His eyes watered slightly as he cast his gaze down.


    ''....I hope this doesn''t disappoint.''


    "Oh, right."


    Squinting his eyes, he suddenly recalled something.


    "I''ll have to visit Carmen soon. He should be up by now."


    He felt curious at how Julien had managed to beat him.


    ***


    3:29 PM.


    In the Nurs Ancifa locker room, Leon sat quietly, his head bowed under the weight of a towel draped over him. The room was filled with a tense silence as he meditated, his mind filled with thoughts about his next opponent.


    ''... How should I go about this?''


    His opponent was extremely tough. Amongst the toughest he had ever gone up against. He


    was so strong that Leon wasn''t even certain about his own victory.


    But still, he knew that by this point all of his opponents were going to be strong.


    At least he didn''t go up against Caius.


    That guy... Leon was even less certain about his victory. Caius was something like a monster. While Leon had never gone up against him, his ''intuition'' told him that he''d lose.


    It was something that baffled him.


    Not even Julien had ever given him such a feeling before.


    "Haa."


    It was the thought that he wouldn''t have to go up against Caius that helped Leon calm down a little. Lifting his head, his gaze eventually settled over to a certain figure.


    Leaning his head against the wall, Julien sat with a nk look on his face. His hazel eyes were now a red-hue while his hand opened and closed repeatedly.


    ".....


    Leon watched him in silence, unsure of what to say.


    He was starting to be used to the ''daydreaming'' Julien. Every chance he got, his mind


    would start to wander elsewhere.


    He seemed to be on the verge of grasping something, and recalling what he had done the day


    prior, Leon understood that it was something big.


    For that reason, he remained quiet.


    Closing his eyes, Leon mimicked Julien and rested his head against the wall.


    ||


    As Leon closed his eyes, the room fell into silence.


    ***


    3:33 PM.


    In the Verdant Empire locker room, Amell quietly stared at the documents that were


    presented before his eyes. He quietly read them over and over again until he had everything


    memorized in his mind.


    For good measure, he read the files again before cing them on the bench beside him.


    He sat in silence before mumbling,


    "It''s him."


    ||


    A girl with tinum long hair and blue eyes quietly sat beside him. Though her face was pale, she looked to be faring much better than before. It was his fianc¨¦'', Agatah.


    Having recovered enough to get out of the nursery, she decided to help Amell prepare for the


    match.


    But there was only one problem...


    || ||


    Staring at Amell in silence and seeing his body shake, she bit her lip.


    Could he even fight in his current state...?


    ***


    3:35 PM.


    "You should already be aware of who you''re up against."


    Professor Thornwhisper eyed the quiet Kaelion who sat with his head held low, his hand grasping onto a small ne that he quietly fiddled with.


    "There''s not much information about him besides the small clip during the mid-terms and


    the few fights that he participated in recently. He should be of no concern to you."


    The Professor went on to highlight several points to be careful of. "His thread ability is quite tricky to deal with but you should be able to handle it without


    much problem. The most worrisome thing is his Emotive Magic but with the ne, you should be able to reduce the impact by a lot."


    The Ne wasn''t necessarily created topletely counter Emotive Magic. Its main objective was to help counter mental attacks which was what Emotive Magic thrived in.


    ....With the ne, Kaelion had to at best endure a small headache whenever someone used


    Emotive Magic.


    The more powerful the magic the greater the headache.


    "Your n should be simple." Professor Thornwhisper''s tone lowered, prompting Kaelion to lift his head.


    "Get close to him. Bring him closer to him and engage in a closebat fight. If you can


    manage to do that, then the fight is all yours to win. But do be careful. Don''t give him a chance


    to grasp you and use his Emotive Magic. Even with the ne you should still be careful."


    Julien was but a mere mage.


    While he was great in long-range attacks, his weakness was obvious. It had been disyed in


    the previous matches, and it was close-rangebat.


    So long as Kaelion could bring Julien to a close-range match, then the fight was as good asn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    over.


    The only thing that could turn this fight around was Kaelion.


    "Do you get it...?"


    "


    ||


    Kaelion didn''t answer.


    He soon stood up and walked past the Professor.


    ng!


    The locker door suddenly flung open, flooding the room with the harsh re of bright lights


    and the echo of distant noises.


    Kaelion didn''t look back as he quietly left.


    ***


    3:37 PM


    "It''s your turn."


    Leon nced Julien''s way. Finally, his eyes regained rity and his expression rxed. As his


    chest heaved up slightly, turbid air floated out of his mouth as he stood up.


    "....Right, there''s a match."


    He brushed his hair back and fixed his uniform.


    It was only now that he seemed to be aware of what was happening. Leon stared at Julien


    speechlessly.


    That was when Julien cast him a small nce and walked past him.


    There was no need for either of them to say anything. With just a nce they understood what


    they wanted to say.


    ''....Hope you lose.''


    ''Fuck you.''


    ***


    3:39 PM.


    As the referee appeared in the ring, the entire Colosseum turned quiet. All with the exception


    of the broadcasting studio.


    "The first match of the day will be that between Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire and Kaelion Mandrale of the Aurora Empire."


    His voice was the only thing that everyone could hear as all eyes were fixed on the two figures


    that stood on opposite ends.


    A strange tension lingered in the air at that moment as some of the spectators sat up straight.


    ||||


    As Karl introduced each side, his voice also gradually faded. His eyes soon locked toward the


    referee like almost everyone else''s.


    Feeling the tension that lingered in the air, he took a small sip of his water.


    Unknowingly, his mouth had grown dry.


    ***


    3:40 PM.


    The Referee raised his hand and shouted,


    "Begin!"


    The Quarter-Finals of the Four Empire Summit, and the match between the two


    representatives of the two biggest Empires officially began.


    First round, Julien Evenus VS. Kaelion Mandrale!

 Chapter 330 Pushed To The Limits [1]

    Chapter 330 Pushed To The Limits [1]


    In the Colosseum of Grimspire, a dazzling light poured from above, illuminating the square tform at the center. The atmosphere was as loud as it could be, every breath heavy with anticipation and tension. The crowd''s fervor reached a fever pitch.


    Two figures stood in the middle of the arena while the referee stood by the side.


    Julien appeared calm, his expression unreadable as he faced Kaelion. Kaelion, equallyposed, wore a white uniform ented with subtle shades of blue that fluttered silently as the two stood on opposite ends, sizing each other up.


    Kaelion''s presence was overwhelming, his powerful momentum radiating across the Colosseum, pressing down on everyone who watched. Many in the audience found themselves instinctively averting their gaze, unable to shake off the fear that he instilled.


    He appeared different than the time Julien hadst fought him.


    He seemed a lot calmer andposed. The raw explosiveness he once showed seemed to have been carefully restrained, coiled within him like a tightly wound spring, ready to unleash at any moment with precision and control.


    Karl could not help but clear his throat in the broadcasting studio as he took another sip of his water.


    "The match has started but neither contestant has yet to make a move."


    The entire Colosseum was silent and tense. All eyes were fixed on the two figures that stared at each other in silence. The tension felt stifling, making many swallow in silence, afraid of making any sound.


    And then¡­


    Swoosh!


    Kaelion was the first to move.


    He simply raised his hand once and the space around Julien changed.


    With subtle fluctuations, over a dozen magic circles appeared around him. The speed at which they manifested and locked was so fast that hardly anyone could follow with their eyes.


    A whistling sound arose shortly after that, shaking the audience''s hearts as white streaks shot down in rapid session, each aimed in Julien''s direction.


    Kaelion''s actions were so fast that it seemed like Julien had no time to react. But was that truly the case?


    Kaelion''s gaze flicked to the right. In an instant, he mmed his foot down, causing cracks to spiderweb across the ground beneath him. His body surged forward with blinding speed as a shadowy figure materialized just ahead.


    ''As expected, it was all an illusion.''


    Having studied Julien''s previous matches, he knew all about his illusions. He had been ready from the start, trusting his ears and other senses over his sight. Kaelion''s body popped and rumbled as he tensed his body. While it didn''t seem as though he hadn''t listened to his Professor''s words, that was the furthest thing from the truth. He had been paying close attention to everything that had been said and didn''t think twice before trying to engage with Julien in a closebat fight.


    Swoosh!


    In seconds, he arrived before the appearing Julien. Pressing his foot ahead, the momentum carried Kaelion forward as he slid behind Julien. As a magic circle formed at the top of his fist, he tensed his core and back and threw a punch.


    The air stirred the moment he punched.


    Boom!


    A terrifying explosion ensued shortly after as his fist headed for Julien''s head.


    The audience jumped up in surprise by the situation, thinking that Julien was done for, but it was to their surprise and shock that Kaelion''s fist hit nothing.


    Julien''s figure started to distort before shattering in front of the eyes of all those present.


    Another illusion!


    Kaelion''s eyes constricted. Without a second thought, he turned around and thrust his fist in that direction.


    Boom!


    The air stirred once more, a simrly explosive sound echoing throughout the space. This time Kaelion hit something. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    nk!


    Sparks flew in the air as he felt his fist hit something hard.


    Julien''s figure materialized shortly after as he stumbled back several steps. Before Kaelion could follow up, a chain shot toward his hand, directly mping onto his arm and squeezing tight. "¡­.!"


    Caught off-guard, Kaelion didn''t know how to react.


    Simultaneously, Julien stomped his foot against the ground and regained his footing. Then, without giving himself any time to rest, he shot forward.


    Kaelion caught sight of all of this from his peripheral vision.


    "Huap!"


    With a shout, his muscles tensed and his veins bulged. His uniform started to expand as his face grew red. Clenching his teeth, he stared at his arm which bulged further until finally he heard a cracking sound.


    Cra Crack!


    The chain binding his arm shattered and he ducked down. A purple hand appeared right where his head used to be.


    Dodging the attack, Kaelion propped himself up and tightened his thighs tounch a left kick.


    Swoosh!


    Julien abruptly stopped his approaching body. He lowered his body slightly and pressed his palm up, pressing it toward Kaelion''s moving leg. Julien didn''t manage to touch the leg but he managed to achieve his desired effect as Kaelion felt his leg drop down to the ground, distorting his center of gravity and making him lose his bnce.


    Bang!


    The ground cracked as his foot smashed against it.


    Kaelion felt a sudden ache on the sole of his foot but he ignored the pain and twisted his torso, lifting his other leg and spinning around, aiming the heel of his other foot toward Julien''s exposed temple.


    Swoosh!


    The attack was brutal, leaving Julien with no chance to dodge.


    ''Got him¡­!''


    Kaelion secretly rejoined in his heart once he saw that Julien didn''t have enough time to react, but his expression froze shortly after as his foot passed right through Julien''s face. A secondter, Julien''s face reappeared just a few inches back, his hand stretched to grasp his moving ankle.


    "¡­.!"


    Kaelion''s eyes constricted.


    His heart tightened and his expression twisted. The moment the hand touched him he knew he was done for!


    Kaelion didn''t think twice.


    Gritting his teeth, he mmed his palm down with force. In an instant, over a dozen magic circles materialized around them, the air rippling from the sheer density of the mana they emitted. Kaelion''s face turned pale, and a wave of weakness washed over his body.


    He endured the sensation and nced at Julien who was looking at him as though he was a mad man.


    And indeed he was.


    If Julien so much as brushed his hand against his ankle, Kaelion was ready to strike without a moment''s hesitation, intending to drag both of them down together.


    While neither would probably die, they''d probably be severely injured from the situation, making their participation in future matches impossible.


    This was a suicide move on Kaelion''s part.


    All that waited was for Julien''s decision. Would he keep going or move back¡­?


    He only had a split second to decide.


    And his decision soon became clear to Kaelion. Pressing his foot against the ground, Julien abandoned his original n and shot back.


    The magic circles that were prepared to shoot down on both of them stopped the moment he moved back, and Kaelion twisted his body back to its normal position, regaining his center of gravity.


    Pressing his foot down, he shot back and gained some distance.


    "Hoo."


    The two simultaneously took a deep breath, their foreheads covered in sweat. As the two eyed each other in silence, the crowd that had been silent the entire time suddenly boomed with excitement.


    "Woooo!"


    "Ahhh!"


    Their roars shook the entire arena, the tform shaking slightly at their excitement.


    "What an incredible first part of the fight!"


    Karl wasn''t able to contain his excitement as the broadcast disyed several reys of the exchange between the two. Many of the spectators hadn''t been able to keep up with the fight due to how fast it was, and the broadcast helped them see clearly just what had happened in the brief moments that the fight had been happening.


    Hiss¡­ A collective wave of hisses resounded throughout as they watched the narrow exchange between the two.


    From how Julien hade close to grasping Kaelion to how he dissuaded Julien with a suicide move.


    It was a highly intense match.


    Bang!


    A muffled explosion echoed throughout.


    Julien''s and Kaelion''s fists made contact. In the exchange, Kaelion came out on top as Julien took several steps back.


    He groaned slightly and raised both his hands to prepare himself for the iing onught which soon came.


    Bang, bang!


    Kaelin''s fists were fast and precise. The power contained within each punch sent Julien stumbling back several steps.


    To make matters worse, each time Julien attempted to find an opening, a magic circle would materialize out of thin air, thwarting his every n. Those brief moments of hesitation were mercilessly exploited by Kaelion, who unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks.


    Just like Professor Thornwhisper had suggested to him, Kaelion brought the fight into a close-ranged one.


    Bang¡ª


    As Kaelion''s fist sent Julien stumbling back, Kaelion''s body tensed. The muscles on his arms bulged, and so did his entire body as his frame doubled in size.


    His face grew red by the sudden transformation. As he pressed his foot against the ground, his body blurred, vanishing from sight. In an instant, he reappeared directly in front of Julien, whose pupils constricted in shock.


    "Ha!"


    Without much thought, Julien stepped back, increasing the gravity around him.


    But it was of no use.


    While Kaelion felt the increase in gravity, his body was able to withstand the pressure. His movements did slow down a tiny bit, but it wasn''t enough to stop his momentum as he thrust his fist forward, a whistling sound echoing throughout the entire Colosseum.


    Julien stared at the iing punch with visible horror.


    ''¡­.It''ll be over if I get hit.''


    He understood then that he had to do something. Without much thought, he took a deep breath and mumbled,


    "Fear."


    Kaelion''s mind went nk as the words echoed in his ears. The world around him faded away, swallowed by an endless darkness. In the void, a massive scythe materialized, its cold, sharp de pressing against his neck, sending a chilling shiver down his spine.


    Julien''s figure blended with the darkness, disappearing from view. The sudden turn of events slowed down Kaelion''s momentum temporarily.


    He was only able to regain his senses when his head started to ache and the fear that gripped him shattered.


    The darkness persisted, the scythe''s icy de hovering inches from his neck, but Kaelion blocked it all out. With a burst of strength, he drove his fist forward, cutting through the void as if nothing else mattered.


    Booom!


    A terrifying explosion followed forth as a figure skidded back and the darkness that embraced Kaelion shattered, revealing the crowd and the arena grounds.


    "Hooo."


    Taking a deep breath, Kaelion paused as he looked ahead of him.


    There, Julien stood by the edge of the tform, his feet barely hanging as his left hand hung loosely by the side.


    His face was pale and blood leaked from the side of his chin.


    At that moment, the two locked eyes, and the Colosseum erupted. "Waaah!"

 Chapter 331 Pushed To The Limits [2]

    Chapter 331 Pushed To The Limits [2]


    The cheering of the crowd boomed throughout the entire tform. It was so loud that I momentarily forgot about the pain I felt in my left hand.


    ''¡­It''s broken.''


    My heart sank at the realization.


    Staring at the slightly panting Kaelion, I clenched my teeth in frustration. The situation was far from ideal. Even though Kaelion had maintained the upper hand for most of the fight, I had managed to keep things under control.


    But it was a struggle.


    The rate at which Kaelion could create and form a magic circle was terrifying. On many asions, I found myself unable to deal with the speed at which he created the magic circles.


    To make matters worse, he was extremely adept in closebat.


    He was a lot stronger than me in that aspect.


    The only reason why I had been able to resist until now was because my body had undergone body reformation. Had it not been for that, I would''ve lost the match in an instant.


    "Kaelion!" "Kaelion!" "Kaelion!"


    Listening to the animated cheers and chants of the crowd, I pursed my lips tightly. Amongst the chants I could hear the voices of the crowd shouting, ''finish him!'', ''his arm is broken! Get him out and enter the next stage!'' ''Go for it!'' The voices were loud and Kaelion appeared to have heard them too.


    As his eyes shifted to my left hand, he didn''t waste time.


    Bang!


    The ground beneath him caved, and his figure blurred. I tried to step back but realized that I was standing at the edge of the arena.


    One would automatically lose the moment that they left the stage so I had no other choice but to dash to my right.


    Swoosh!


    But as if he could predict my movements, Kaelion''s body shifted and he appeared right in front of me. "¡­.!"


    My heart squeezed as my eyes darted all over, in search of an opening that I could use to get away from the edge.


    But how could Kaelion give me that choice?


    As his foot pressed against the ground, magic circles formed around us, blocking any path for me to take.


    A whistling sound arose shortly after as Kaelion thrust his fist forward, my clothes and hair pping at the wind generated by his attack.


    As I stood at the edge, the approaching fist seemed to growrger and more pressuring with every inch it came closer.


    ''I can''t dodge it!''


    There was no way that I could.


    The situation appeared hopeless, and in that brief moment when the fist drew closer, I bit my lips and stepped back, my body sinking into the nothingness that stood beneath.


    Swoosh!


    The fist missed, and I sank outside of the arena.


    Kaelion''s eyes widened, and before he could follow up, I opened my mouth and mumbled,


    "Sadness."


    His movements suddenly froze, and I twisted my body, realizing that the ground behind me was rmingly close. Without a moment''s hesitation, I thrust my hand downward, summoning a chain that shot out of my grasp.


    nk!


    The chain impaled onto the ground and I held onto it with my right hand. As my toes clung to the edge of the arena and I gripped the chain with my only working hand, the entire arena fell into an uneasy silence. Although I couldn''t see the spectators'' reactions, I could vividly imagine their stunned and wide-eyed expressions.


    Unfortunately, I was not in a position to care too much.


    My core burned while the chain visibly shook as I focused on keeping it erect. Clench.


    Tensing my abdominal muscles, I drew my feet forward, careful not to let them touch the ground, and pressed them against the chain. With a swift motion, I pushed off the chain and shot upward, soaring above the stunned Kaelion.


    Thud.


    Landing onto the tform, I took several steps back while regaining control of my footing.


    When I did regain my footing, I suddenly noticed that the entire Colosseum was quiet. When I looked up, the shocked and surprised faces of the spectators came into view.


    Then¡­


    Boom!


    The entire Colosseum erupted.


    ***


    "Brilliant!" Karl''s saliva was practically spitting out of his mouth as his voice was barely audible due to how loud the audience was.


    "¡­In some shocking turn of events, Julien was able to turn around the hopeless situation and managed to stop himself from falling off the stage and losing!"


    "That was a clever trick."


    Johanna nodded in approval beside him.


    She had witnessed the entire thing, and unlike the rest, she was able to keep up with the match with her eyes alone. "Julien''s actions were well within the rules. Since he didn''t touch the ground with any part of his body, he''s still in the match. It was a great improvisation from him." "Great!"


    Karl pped with enthusiasm. All eyes were directed toward the twopetitors who stood on opposite ends. They were both panting heavily, one more so than the other.


    Kaelion was the first one to move, his figure blurring as he shot toward Julien.


    He was so fast that in a split second, he was already before Julien. Clenching his fist, he prepared to throw another punch in his direction. He was copying the same movement as he had done previously.


    Julien''s eyes narrowed. As his eyes darted all over the ce, for a faint moment they changed color, flipping between green, red, and blue. However, this phenomenon onlysted for a brief moment before he opened his mouth and mumbled, N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Anger." The scenery around Kaelion shifted.


    His mind, which had previously been fixed on the match and fully focused on destroying his opponent, hardened. His eyes momentarily lost their rity, and his punches became increasingly frantic.


    ''Fuck! Lose...!'' The more he punched, the more his chest boiled.


    He started to attack in such a manner that openings started to appear.


    ''Get out of my way!'' The more he punched, the more his chest boiled.


    He started to attack in such a manner that openings started to appear.


    Julien wasted no time and took advantage of those openings. Opening his palm, which slowly turned purple, he ducked down and reached for his exposed abdomen.


    So long as he could touch him¡­


    "¡­.!"


    As if sensing the imminent danger, Kaelion''s mind throbbed with pain as he snapped out of the state that he was in.


    But it was toote.


    Looking down, Julien''s hand pressed against his abdomen. Despite his best attempts at sucking his stomach in, the hand still managed to reach him, and a wave of weakness washed over his body.


    "Ukh."


    Kaelion''s face grew pale.


    Sweat poured down from the side of his face and his pupils shook.


    Looking up, he saw a fist head in his direction. It was fast and ruthless, and all Kaelion could do was cross his arms in an attempt to block the attack.


    Bang!


    He stumbled back several steps.


    Kaelion felt his arms grow numb as he stabilized his body.


    ''¡­Strong.''


    Julien''s physical strength was stronger than he had anticipated. It was still a lot weaker than his, but it was still rtively strong. It wasn''t something he could just dismiss.


    But that wasn''t the main problem.


    Bang, bang, Bang¡ª! Fist, kicks, elbow strikes, knee blows¡­ Julien didn''t spare a single part of his body, even his injured hand, as he ruthlessly attacked Kaelion with everything that he had. All Kaelion could do was hold on as he was repeatedly pushed back.


    Julien''s actions were ruthless and precise. As though this wasn''t the first time he had fought this way. But as far as Kaelion knew, Julien was a mage. Since when could he fight like this...!? It threw him off a little. Boom! The only time Kaelion reacted was when Julien attempted to touch him instead of hitting him.


    He had to be extremely careful of his touch.


    Bang¡ª!


    A powerful blow sent Kaelion sliding backward. As he stumbled, a shiver ran down his spine, and he instinctively leaped into the air.


    As he jumped he looked down.


    His heart sank as he noticed the numerous threads that were scattered on the ground, seemingly waiting for him to slice his leg against them.


    This was unfortunately the least of his concerns.


    Looking down, he noticed that Julien was getting ready to attack him. Having jumped in the air, Kaelion was put at a disadvantage. And this was even though his opponent only had one usable hand.


    Julien raised his hand, pointing it directly at him.


    Kaelion felt the hair on every part of his body rise. Before he could react, the gravity surrounding him intensified massively.


    His body paused mid-air for a brief moment before falling down rapidly.


    At the same time Kaelion''s body started to fall, Julien extended his right hand as a purple hand formed beneath Kaelion.


    ''Oh, no!''


    Kaelion''s pupils constricted.


    He tried to move and dodge the hand beneath, but it was impossible.


    The hand soon gripped his back and Kaelion felt a massive wave of weakness wash over his body. That was all it took to prevent him from cushioning his fall as he crashed against the ground with a heavy thud.


    "Ukeh!"


    His back crackled with a sharp pain as he spat out a mouthful of saliva, the metallic taste of iron mingling with the blood on his tongue.


    "Cough! Cough¡­!"


    Though the injuries were not as severe as those he had endured in the past, they left him dazed. His vision blurred, and the roaring noise of the crowd began to fade into a distant hum.


    All Kaelion could hear were the light ''thuds''ing from Julien''s direction as he dashed his way.


    "¡­.."


    Kaeliony in silence, his mind growing at peace.


    Though his situation was far from ideal, he remained rtively calm. Coming from an Empire where only the strongest survived, he had faced such dire circumstances more times than he could count.


    His body had been honed through despairing situations. ¡­.And it was in such states that he usually became stronger.


    ''Right, it''s about time¡­''


    As he closed his eyes, the audience quieted down, seemingly thinking that he had given up. Julien''s footsteps grew closer, his hand extending with precision. With a swift motion, he unleashed a barrage of threads, sending them toward Kaelion. The speed at which the threads moved was hard to follow, and soon enough they reached for his throat.


    ''It''s over.''


    ''Julien won.''


    The audience all shared the same thoughts in those moments. And yet... Just when the audience thought Julien''s victory was secured, Kaelion''s eyes snapped open, his pupils turningpletely red.


    The threads targeting his neck ricocheted off as Kaelion''s muscles writhed uncontrobly. His body convulsed with an unnatural intensity, producing a series of explosive pops like the roar of a revving engine. A powerful and oppressive force erupted from Kaelion''s body, and something started to squirm from out of his body, reaching out and enveloping a small area around him.


    Everything paused at that moment.


    The entire audience froze in silence as several figures stood up one by one.


    Gael and Elysia were one such figures as their eyes turned serious.


    "¡­Concept."

 Chapter 332: Pushed To The Limits [3]

    Chapter 332: Pushed To The Limits [3]


    ?


    "Congrattions! Your son has been selected as one of the participants for the Cave of the Blood Morphosis."


    A voice boomed outside a quiet and remote home.


    The house looked ready to copse, the wooden nks barely holding together. A woman stood in front, shielding a small, thin child who clung to her side, wide eyes fixed on the men in ck uniforms standing imposingly before them.


    The child appeared to be no more than eight years old, his frame painfully thin with sunken cheeks that highlighted his gaunt appearance.


    From time to time, his stomach would rumble in hunger.


    "....We wille pick up in two days. You may say your goodbyes."


    The men left shortly after that.


    Still young, Kaelion didn''t understand what had happened. He didn''t know what the ''Cave of Blood Morphosis'' was. He only knew that he had been selected for it, and he had to go.


    "Kaelion."


    Kaelion could still recall his mom''s soft yet warm voice as she called for him.


    He innocently blinked his eyes as he looked up.


    Their eyes met, and his mother smiled-a fragile, worn smile that barely reached her eyes. Her frame was just as thin, with her bones visibly outlined beneath her skin. She bent down slowly, bringing herself to eye level with him.


    "Let''s y a game."


    She said,


    "Join the Cave of Blood Morphosis and take care of yourself. Don''t lose to others and make sure to keep your safety as your number one priority. If you do so, I''ll have your favorite cookie made for you by the time youe back."


    "....!"


    The young child''s eyes sparkled.


    Favourite cookie...?!


    When was thest time his mother had made it? He had been asking for it for so long... Slurp!


    Wiping the corner of his mouth, Kaelion looked up to see his mother''s gaze on him again. "Is that a deal?"


    Kaelion nodded.


    "Deal."


    Two dayster, he was brought to the Cave of Blood Morphosis.


    ***


    "Huoo."


    As Kaelion breathed in the familiar iron-like scent that lingered in the air, his eyes fully turned red. His breathing grew heavier and morebored with each passing moment.


    The ground beneath Kaelion squirmed, a ck film slowlying out of his body and spreading outwardly, covering a small area around him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The entire Colosseum grew silent, all eyes focused on Kaelion as the eyes of those who understood what was happening shot open in shock.


    "W-what''s going on...!?"


    Karl watched the scene with a stunned look. Although he had been on the scene as amentator for a long time, the phenomenon that was happening before him was not something that he understood or had ever seen before.


    When he turned his head, he was startled to see Johnna standing up from her seat, her mouth agape and her eyes wide in shock, as if she hadn''t even realized she had risen from her seat. "Johanna?"


    It took Karl''s concerned voice to break her out of that state.


    Blinking her eyes, she soon sat back down and took a deep breath.


    "How unexpected..."


    She murmured in a voice that only she could hear. Gradually, her expression calmed as she processed the shock of the situation.


    Sitting back down, she finally managed to find her voice again.


    "I knew from the start that we''re witnessing the most talented youths from all four Empires, and while I had been ready for the sight, I''m still shocked by what I''m seeing."


    Her shock was only momentary. The scene before her was undeniably shocking, but as she recalled an event from years ago at a previous Summit, she realized that while this disy was impressive, it paled inparison to the horrors she had witnessed back then.


    It was an incident that involved a certain monster who now stood beneath the Zenith.


    Back then, she too disyed something simr.


    It was just that...


    Hers wasn''t a ''Concept'' but a full-blown domain.


    She was a monster, a force of nature that only Caius could somewhat match. Yet, even he fell short when measured against her.


    "What Kaelion is currently disying is a ''Concept''. An iplete domain that is only at its beginning stages. While the power might not be on the same level as a true domain, it is still a massive step up."


    Johanna suddenly sighed, shaking her head slightly.


    "If Julien doesn''t disy something soon, then I''m afraid that the match is as good as o-"


    Boom-


    A terrifying explosion abruptly cut off Johanna''s voice.


    It resounded throughout the entire Colosseum, forcing some of the spectators to cover their ears due to the sheer loudness of the explosion.


    When all eyes were focused on the tform beneath, they noticed Julien taking several steps back as he coughed a mouthful of blood.


    On the opposite end, Kaelion stood, his hair fluttering slightly as his red eyes turned a shade


    deeper.


    Following his attack, he pressed his foot against the ground and attacked again.


    Swoosh!


    His movements were faster than they had been before, and so was his strength. Facing the current Kaelion, Julien''s expression turned grim.


    Boom!


    With a single step, Kaelion appeared right in front of Julien, his torso and back tensing as he


    threw a direct punch in Julien''s direction.


    Julien stared at the iing attack with a serious expression.


    The attack was overwhelming, and with only one hand free, he knew blocking it was impossible. Desperately, he jerked his head to the right, but the fist relentlessly tracked his movement, closing in on his face with terrifying precision.


    Julien''s pupils constricted, but before he could do a thing the fistnded.


    Booom-


    A pressurized wave of wind exploded from the fist, distorting the air around Julien''s face as it


    blurred with the force of the impact.


    An illusion!


    The audience roared in surprise!


    As Julien''s real head emerged just outside the path of the fist, he slipped forward with precise timing, positioning himself right before Kaelion.


    Caught off guard, Kaelion was unable to react in time. Julien''s punch shot forward, slicing through the air with blistering speed, and creating a small air funnel that coiled around his


    fist like a deadly glove.


    Bang!


    The attack hit Kaelion straight in the chest, sending him staggering back.


    An opening appeared, and Julien didn''t waste a single second. Pressing his foot down, he charged forward and attacked with every part of his body.


    Bang, bang, bang-! Kaelion immediately felt heavy pressure, his chest pounding fiercely with each blow directed his way. Julien wasn''t faring any better.


    To maintain the ferocity of his attacks, Julien held his breath, sweat trickling down his face.


    He threw punch after punch with extreme ruthlessness, each strike aimed at his vitals. Kaelion''s resistance waned under the relentless barrage, blood spilling from his mouth as internal injuries mounted, and his body was slowly forced backward.


    The audience stared at Julien''s relentless attacks with bated breaths. They were especially shocked to see his hand turn purple from time to time.


    Bang! Bang! Julien''s face grew paler and paler with each one of his attacks. He had been holding onto his breath since he had started his barrage of attacks, and it was slowly taking a


    toll on his mind.


    ''More...!''


    Kaelion''s expression turned paler and paler as the fight went on.


    Swoosh!


    Julien constricted his right leg and flicked up, aiming it directly at Kaelion''s exposed temple.


    The attack was lightning-fast, and with the growing number of injuries that had umted, Kaelion couldn''t evade it. Julien''s foot struck cleanly against Kaelion''s temple,


    delivering a crushing blow.


    Bang!


    Many spectators winced at the sight, their faces contorting with difort. Some turned


    their heads, unable to watch the brutal fight any longer, overwhelmed by all the blood that


    spilled onto the stage.


    Unknowingly, a carpet of red had formed on the stage beneath.


    At the same time, the faces of many of those who were watching turned strange.


    ''Didn''t they say that he''s used a concept? Why does it seem like he''s gotten weaker?''


    ''Right... What was the hype all about?''


    The murmurs of the crowd spread throughout the entire stands as everyone looked at each


    other in confusion.


    Since Kaelion had revealed his ''Concept,'' he had inexplicably grown weaker rather than


    stronger.


    Julien, who had initially seemed outmatched, now dominated the fight. This unexpected turn


    of events left many spectators bewildered, struggling to understand how the dynamic had


    shifted so dramatically.


    But not all of them.


    The faces of a few turned more and more solemn as the fight continued. This was especially so


    for Gael and Elysia who took turns to look at the imposing Lucian who stared at the fight beneath without much of a reaction. However, if one looked closely, they''d notice that the


    corner of his mouth was pulled slightly upward.


    Bang!


    Another explosion resounded, and Kaelion was pushed back several steps, arriving right at the


    edge of the tform.


    "Huff... Huff..."


    Both sides were breathing heavily.


    On one side, Julien''s head grew light from the prolonged strain of holding his breath. On the


    other, Kaelion gasped heavily, his breaths heavy andbored from the relentless beating he had endured.


    His entire body was drenched in blood.


    His eyes bled, his ears bled, his mouth bled-every part of him seemed to seep blood. His


    once-bright crimson eyes had darkened to an even darker shade, glowing intensely beneath the cascading blood.


    Kaelion''s figure was a mess, and the audience had a hard time looking at him.


    In the eyes of many of those watching the fight seemed to be over, but things took a sudden


    turn as Kaelion''s eyes closed and let out a long breath.


    "Hooo..."


    When his eyes opened again, they had darkened to a deeper shade of crimson. The blood


    pooling from his wounds began to retract, flowing back into his body.


    Within seconds, his wounds sealed themselves, and his body trembled violently. Muscles


    twisted and popped as an overwhelming pressure surged outward from him, his momentum suddenly bing extremely overwhelming.


    His momentum was so powerful that Julien felt his expression change.


    He didn''t waste a single second and attacked Kaelion.


    With threads weaving through the air, he clenched his fist and unleashed a massive that


    cascaded down. Simultaneously, heunched his purple-colored fist forward, and a translucent purple hand materialized, reaching out toward Kaelion''s thigh.


    Kaelion looked at all of this and grunted.


    "Hmm."


    He stomped his foot down once, and the entire arena shook violently.


    Boom!


    The threads that floated in the air stopped while the purple hand shattered before it could


    even reach him. Turning his head, Kaelion looked at the stunned Julien before bending his


    knees.


    Julien''s pupils constricted as he saw Kaelion close the distance in an instant. Before he could


    react, Kaelion''s fist crashed into his abdomen.


    Bang-


    Like a broken kite, Julien''s figure flew back, bouncing against the tform as he skidded


    against the ground.


    By the time his body stopped, he turned around and gagged.


    "Uekh!"


    He was so close to puking, but just barely managed to stop himself from doing so. He also


    didn''t have time to puke. Feeling a shadow cast behind him, Julien rolled to the side, narrowly


    avoiding Kaelion''s stomp.


    Bang!


    The tform shattered as pieces flew out everywhere.


    Now it was Julien''s turn to be on the defensive as Kaelion pursued him relentlessly, not giving


    him any breathing space.


    Each of Kaelion''s attacks came faster and harder, his strength and speed magnified beyond his


    previous limits. The spells he cast were executed with such speeds that they blurred together,


    making it nearly impossible for Julien to keep up.


    Xiu! Xiiuuu-!


    Kaelion didn''t even seem to need to think before the spells appeared.


    Not only that, but his physical body was on an entirely different level than it was before. In his


    current state, he was simply... invincible.


    ||


    Be it the studio, or the audience, everyone was quiet.


    Staring at Kaelion whose strength had reached a whole new level, nobody had any words to


    say.


    Nobody but Johanna finally managed to find her words.


    "Blood..."


    She mumbled,


    ".... His concept his blood."


    Her mouth suddenly grew dry, and just as she was about to speak again, a terrifying explosion


    echoed throughout the entire tform.


    BOOOOM-!


    It was unlike anything that had ever happened before, and when she cast her gaze down, her


    breath left her body.


    Fist matched against fist, two crimson eyes locked.


    At that moment, the entire audience fell silent, while the faces of a few others changed.


    Lucian stood up.


    Gael stood up. Elysia stood up.


    Theron stood up. Caius stood up.


    Johanna stood up. Several other figures stood up.


    All eyes were fixed on the two figures standing in the middle of the stage.


    In the silence that took over the entire Colosseum, someone murmured, "Another Concept..."

 Chapter 333: Pushed To The Limits [4]

    Chapter 333: Pushed To The Limits [4]


    ?


    The world was dyed in red.


    Blood leaked and seeped into the drynd beneath.


    A lone figure stood at the center, surveying a world drenched in red. The essence of a person''s ''concept'' was forged through their life experiences and deepest desires.


    All Kaelion knew since childhood was blood.


    He had shed and lost an uncountable amount of blood.


    "Help....!" "Spare me!"


    "Noo!"


    Kaelion killed and killed and killed.


    All he knew was how to kill. In order to survive the Cave of Blood Morphosis, he had to kill. There was no ce for cowards in the cave. You either kill or be killed.


    "H-Haa..."


    Kaelion rested his hand against the rough stone of the cave, his gaze fixed on the lifeless bodies of the children who had attacked him.


    His breath was steady, but his eyes carried a weight that seemed to grow heavier with each passing second. The silence around him was deafening, punctuated only by the distant dripping of water echoing through the cave.


    His eyes started to sting as he stared at the sight that greeted him.


    ...With the chattering of his teeth, he bit onto his lips until they bled.


    ''Let''s y a game.''


    ''Join the Cave of Blood Morphosis and take care of yourself. Don''t lose to others and make sure to keep your safety as your number one priority. If you do so, by the time youe back I''ll have your favourite cookie made for you.''


    "Take care of myself..."


    Mumbling those words to himself, he turned away.


    His mother''s words continued to press heavily in his mind. They were his driving force. He had to take care of himself... He had promised her.


    He couldn''t die.


    For the cookie...


    "Survive."


    Kaelion mumbled, stumbling forward as he pressed his hand against his stomach.


    "...I need to survive."


    *


    BOOM-


    The surroundings shook.


    A powerful shockwave rippled outward as the two fists collided, sending a st of pressurized wind across the Colosseum. The entire Colosseum was quiet, and all eyes were focused on the two figures that stood at the center of the tform.


    As if all air had been sucked out of the Colosseum, no one dared to let out a single breath.


    Julien and Kaelion stared at each other, their eyes a deep shade of red.


    However, unlike Kaelion, Julien''s eyes only shed red for a split second before the color faded. The strength in his body seemed to drain away, his arm shrinking as it popped and cracked, losing its previous power.


    11


    ??


    Kaelion hesitated for just a moment, startled by the sudden change, but quickly tensed his back and readied another punch, unwilling to waste the opportunity.


    A wind funnel coated his fist as he thrust his fist forward.


    The air whistled, and in less than a second, his fist was already next to Julien.


    Staring at the approaching fist, Julien didn''t appear panicked at all. Tensing the bottom half of his core, he blinked his eyes once, his eyes turning red again.


    The muscles on his arm popped and cracked once more as they expanded. Releasing all the umted tension in his body, he drove his fist forward with explosive power, aiming directly at Kaelion.


    Bang!


    A terrifying explosion ensued once more.


    Kaelion''s and Julien''s clothes fluttered wildly as neither one of the two budged. Their exchange... They came out evenly.


    Just like before, Julien''s eyes reverted to their normal color immediately after the exchange, and his arm shrank back to its usual size. Kaelion noticed this pattern, and an idea sparked in


    his mind.


    ''....A short burst of strength. He can''t keep it up long term.''


    Kaelion was quick to set his ns in motion. Taking a deep breath, his spine popped and


    tensed. A terrifying pressure burst out of his body.


    Eyeing Julien, Kaelion once again threw a punch.


    Bang!


    Julien managed to block the punch with his own punch, but Kaelion wasn''t done. Releasing the tension in his spine, he punched with his other hand.


    Swooosh!


    The air whistled violently as the fist flew forward, and Julien stared at it with a cold and indifferent expression. All six of his main emotions were sealed, and as he stared at the iing fist, he tensed his right leg and moved it back before throwing his left fist.


    Bang!


    Another explosion reverberated.


    But Kaelion wasn''t done. His eyes grew a deeper shade of red as he threw his right fist again.


    Bam Bam Bam, Bang-!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Kaelion began working his arms and throwing heavy punches without pause. The two of them were in a stalemate but as opposed to Julien, wounds started opening up around his body.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Kaelion''s movements flowed seamlessly, his whip-like leg striking first, followed by a


    powerful knee thrust.


    Without pausing, he swung his arm in a brutal arc, connecting with a back-fist before driving


    a hammer fist down with his other hand. Each attacknded in rapid session, all within a


    single, fluid motion.


    Ssh-!


    Blood sprayed from his body, sttering across the tform beneath them, as he unleashed


    his fists.


    From the audience''s point of view, Kaelion looked like a blood demon. His entire body was drenched in his own blood which slowly umted back into his body, renewing his momentum and adding more pressure on Julien.


    Seeing the strength of the attacks increasing, Julien wavered a little. Luckily, all six of his emotions were sealed.


    He was able to remain calm and collected as he dealt with the relentless barrage of attacks.


    A single red orb floated in his mind, slowly slithering toward his arm before he let go and


    grasped again.


    Bang! Bang!


    Each time their blows connected, it felt like a bomb had detonated. The ground beneath them quaked, leaving behind smoldering craters that sent whisps of smoke curling into the air.


    Swoosh!


    Kaelion threw one fist after another. Like an unstoppable machine, his fists rained down on


    Julien who could only retort with his own.


    Within explosion after explosion, the air scattered as the tform shook.


    As the fight progressed, Julien slowly started to get pushed back.


    ''It''s working...!''


    As Kaelion predicted, Julien wasn''t able to keep up at all with his relentless attacks. Before


    each attack, Julien''s eyes would regain their normal color before going back to red.


    His strength would be terrifying each time his pupils turned red, but he didn''t seem to


    be able to maintain the state for very long. Or was he limiting himself....?


    Bang-!


    "Ukeh....!"


    As Julien was driven back, he kept his gaze locked on the approaching Kaelion. Each of


    Kaelion''s stepsnded with a violent thud.


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    Julien''s breathing was rough, and as he stared at the approaching Kaelion who didn''t share


    the same exhaustion as him, the chains locking Julien''s emotions shook.


    His mind was roaring with pain.


    With one hand at his disposal, he had to force himself to use it. Each time he used it, he''d feel


    the bones and muscles crack and tear.


    It wouldn''t do him any good to continue using it.


    Swooosh!


    Kaelion''s fist approached him.


    The speed and power behind Kaelion''s fist were as terrifying as the first time he had attacked,


    and while Julien tried to get away, he was shocked to see that his body couldn''t move at all.


    That''s when he realized it.


    "Ah...!"


    He was ovee with exhaustion.


    "Haa... haa.."


    Pressing onto his chest, the fist grew closer in his vision.


    ''Move..! Move!''


    Julien understood that he''d lose the match if the fist so much as grazed him. It was just that...


    He really couldn''t move at all.


    It felt as though Julien''s feet had been fused to the ground, anchoring him in ce. His body


    refused to listen to his mind, forcing him into a helpless state.


    Rattle~ Rattle~!


    The locks to his emotions rattled wildly.


    The fist grew nearer, growing in size by the second.


    A sense of doom approached Julien who stared at the iing fist, his lips bleeding as he had


    unknowingly bit into them.


    "Kh...!"


    That was when Julien''s eyes turnedpletely red.


    Bang!


    His mind rumbled.


    The chains that were biding ''Anger'' shattered.


    In a moment of desperation, he mumbled, ''Anger.''


    His target... himself.


    With his palm facing his chest, Julien felt his entire body boil. His vision grew entirely red and


    his body roared as the muscles in his body grew tense and his joints popped.


    Julien''s concept was simple.


    The more he felt an emotion, the more powerful he would be. His strength depended on


    how strongly he felt an emotion.


    In this case, pouring ''anger'' into his body, his strength grew drastically. To the point where


    the approaching fist seemed to be made out of cotton.


    As Julien''s face grew entirely red, he brought his foot forward and released a punch of his


    own. All the condensed power hidden within his arms burst forth with that one punch as blood


    started to leak out from his hand.


    "Uagkh!"


    Kaelion''s eyes constricted at the sight of the punch. It all happened so fast that he hardly had


    any time to react.


    The only thing he could do was double down on his already terrifying attack.


    The two fists approached.


    And then...


    They made contact.


    11


    ||


    ||||


    For a split moment, the world grew quiet. As the two fists shed, all noise ceased as though


    the very air had been sucked out of the world, turning it into a vacuum.


    It was just so eerily quiet.


    But the silence didn''tst for long.


    BOOOM-!


    A terrifying explosion sliced through the silence, ripping through the tform beneath and


    sending shards and debris hurtling through the air in every direction.


    Kaelion and Julien remained locked in the same position for a few seconds before Kaelion''s


    face grew pale and he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "Keuhk!"


    His arm flew back with a terrifying force, the impact visibly fracturing it as he staggered over


    a dozen steps,ing to a halt just a meter from the edge of the tform.


    "Arrgh!"


    That''s when he let out a heart-wrenching cry. Gripping onto his arm, he could hardly feel it.


    No, it was broken.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    The pain was something that dug deeply into his mind, but as he looked up, he also noticed


    that Julien wasn''t faring any better.


    His arms were in a simrly bad state.


    "Urkh."


    Kaelion spat another mouthful of blood.


    The blood sshed against the ground, slowly spreading and covering his vision.


    "Survive..."


    He mumbled.


    Feeling every part of his body ache, he suddenly felt himself grow smaller. He saw a small


    version of himself, standing within the pool of blood, holding onto his body which was filled with cuts and bruises.


    He was suddenly reminded of the hunger he had once felt.


    He was suddenly reminded of the blood he had lost.


    He was suddenly reminded of the number of people he had killed.


    This was nothing.


    Raising his head back up, his eyes grew red once more.


    The blood that pooled beneath him shrank, slowly entering his body as his injuries started to


    heal, his arm making weird ''cracking'' sounds as it readjusted itself.


    Though his body was recovering, his mind grew cloudy.


    He couldn''t see properly.


    His injuries were healing, but his mind was exhausted.


    "Arkgh!"


    But his primal instinct for survival pushed him forward.


    The words his mother once said drove him forward, toward the blurry figure that stood on the


    opposite end, slowly shaking as though he was one light breeze away from falling. Thump! Thump! Thump!


    His steps pressed heavily against the ground, mimicking the beat of the audience''s hearts.


    He drew close to Julien, his momentum carrying forward. The ground shattered with each one


    of his footsteps as his momentum slowly started to pile up.


    Thump! Thump!


    He soon arrived before Julien.


    Through his blurred vision, Kaelion clenched his teeth and tensed every muscle in his body,


    channeling all the energy he had been carefully gathering. In a final, desperate move, he


    unleashed it all at once.


    The air around Julien crackled with power as countless magic circles materialized, each one


    locking onto him with deadly precision, ready to strike.


    "|"


    The sudden turn of events brought everyone to the edge of their seats, staring at the scene


    with bated breaths.


    Swoosh!


    The fist came down, the air whistling as Kaelion''s ears perked up.


    In that moment, while he couldn''t see, he could perceive all the sound around him. From the


    beat of his heart to the whistling of his fist, to the gasps of some of the audience members.


    He could perceive it all.


    .... And it was then that he heard a faint murmur.


    "Joy."


    Julien''s figure blurred, disappearing from out of his sight. Kaelion blinked his eyes, unable to


    tell if what he had seen was true. However, in the next second, he felt something cold press


    against the back of his neck.


    It was so fast that he hardly had any time to react.


    By the time he realized what had happened, he heard a faint murmuring from behind


    him.


    "Sadness."


    Cra-


    A cracking sound echoed in the air. It seemed toe from the ne he was wearing.


    However, Kaelion had no time to care for the sound as his head exploded in pain.


    It was far far more powerful than anything he had experienced before, leaving himpletely baffled.


    He knew that the power behind Emotive Magic transmitted through sound and touch was different.


    But to this extent...?


    "Ah."


    ''So this... is the full extent...?''


    It was...


    Overwhelming.


    "Arrgkkkh....!"


    His heart clenched while his body started to spasm.


    Cra Crack!


    The cracking sound grew prominent amidst Kaelion''s screams. Something started to stain the


    corner of his eyes, and before he knew it, the color of his eyes returned to normal.


    A wave of pain and exhaustion washed over him at that moment.


    Craka!


    A ss-shattering sound ensued shortly after, and the world around Kaelion grew dark as he


    felt his body fall to the ground.


    Thump!


    Within the darkness that slowly took over his mind, Kaelion was surrounded by green. The


    land was t, and his feet gently pressed against the grass beneath.


    The memory was still fresh in his mind.


    It was the day that he hade back from the Cave of Blood Morphosis.


    "I have survived."


    He remembered mumbling.


    A cookie greeted him as he lowered his head and stared at the frame in front of the


    tombstone.


    Alongside the frame was a letter.


    It detailed everything that he couldn''t understand.


    "Ah, I see."


    That''s when he understood.


    His mom had been the one to sign him up for the Cave of Blood Morphosis.


    She only had a few days left to live.


    Knowing he''d die without her, she signed him up for it, hoping to give him at least one


    chance.


    He entered without knowing.


    By the time he was back, all that greeted him was a single tombstone, a frame, a letter, and a


    cookie.


    Thest parts of the letter read;


    ===


    You kept your promise. You took care of yourself.


    Now do it every day.


    -Love, mom.


    ===


    He stayed faithful to such words.


    Even if it painted himself bad in the eyes of others.


    He''d do anything to survive.


    "The winner is..."


    As he sank deeper into his consciousness, he managed to hear the final verdict.


    "....Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire."

 Chapter 334: Renown [1]

    Chapter 334: Renown [1]


    ?


    "Haa... Haa..."


    My surroundings were quiet.


    Was it because no one was speaking, or was it because I couldn''t hear at all?


    I wasn''t sure.


    My vision was blurry and my muscles were cramping. I could tell that both of my arms were in a terrible state. While they weren''tpletely broken, it was hard for me to use them.


    All that I knew was that I was in the middle of a fight.


    In thest moments, the world slowed down. Seeing the numerous magic circles that surrounded me and the fist that was headed for my face, I managed to get behind Kaelioln and touch him.


    I visualized my deepest sorrows before pouring them down on him.


    It was a perfect visualization.


    The deeper I visualized an emotion in my mind, the stronger the effect. My chest ached as I poured everything into him.


    A muffled ''thump'' met my ears shortly after as the world grew quiet.


    The referee seemed to have muttered something, but I wasn''t too sure.


    It was quiet.


    So quiet...


    But then, the noise returned.


    Boom-!


    As if a bomb had detonated, the world around me erupted.


    "....!"


    "!"


    I couldn''t make out what they were saying, but I could tell that they were cheering for me.


    "That''s good...''


    This meant that I had won.


    I lowered my head to stare at the blurry figure thaty on the floor. His body was trembling, seemingly trying to get up, but each time he tried, his arms would give out, sending him falling face down against the ruined ground beneath.


    "Hooo."


    Letting out a long breath, I finally closed my eyes and rxed.


    I was exhausted but at the same time thrilled. This was probably one of the hardest fights I had gone through, and the aftermath left me exhausted.


    But I won.


    ''I''ve won against one of the big four.''


    ... I, who had only been in this world for less than a year, had actually won against one of the best talents around.


    All the pain and suffering I had subjected myself to wasn''t for nothing.


    This was the result of all the pain.


    ''Right, this is what I deserve.''


    Blinking slowly, I raised my head and looked forward. Toward the blurry image of the tunnel that led back to the changing rooms.


    "Huu."


    Amidst the cheers of the crowd, I stepped forward.


    Toward the tunnel.


    Despite my legs cramping up and stumbling a couple of times, I kept my back firm and only looked forward.


    Gradually, the tunnel grew near. Stepping into it, my vision grew dark.


    In the darkness, I continued to move forward.


    I never once looked back.


    ***


    The thunderous roars of the crowd and apuse continued for several minutes before finally dying down. It was only then that Karl started to speak.


    "Wow."


    He was unable to hide his shock.


    With his mouth open in an ''O'' shape, he turned to look at Johanna.


    ".....I''ve got no words, to be honest. It all happened so fast that I''m still shaken by what happened. Did you manage to catch what happened?"


    "I did."


    Johanna said seriously, her tone extremely grim.


    "And...?"


    "It''s..."


    Johanna paused, her mind running through the scenes from before over and over again. From the moment Kaelion revealed his concept, to when Julien magically revealed his. She was at a loss for words on what to say.


    She honestly didn''t expect two candidates to already be able to form a ''Concept''.


    It made her question whether the other remaining prospects had a ''Concept'' of their own.


    The thought terrified her.


    Especially when she thought about how much she struggled toprehend her very own concept. She had been much older than them when sheprehended it.


    For them toprehend it at such an age...


    ''Monstruous.''


    "Hooo."


    Johanna let out a long breath, cooling down her thoughts and facing the recording device that


    was pointed directly at her face.


    Sorting through everything that she had observed, she started to speak.


    "Kaelion''s Concept is the Concept of ''Blood''. The more he bleeds the more powerful he bes. He''s also capable of washing away exhaustion and replenishing his stamina. I don''t think I have to rey to show everyone how his Concept works."


    Johanna shuddered lightly as she thought of his Concept.


    The only weakness of Kaelion''s ''Concept'' was that it didn''t replenish mental exhaustion.


    As fights ur, one must think extremely fast and react to the slightest changes that an


    opponent makes. Reacting and adjusting takes a massive toll on a person''s mental capacity


    and rity.


    The longer a fightsts, the more the mind would be exhausted.


    Kaelion''s weakness was that while his body continued to heal, his mind didn''t.


    "There''s still a lot of refining to do, but once Kaelion manages to fully refine his Concept,


    then he''ll be someone to fear for."


    There was still a lot of room for Kaelion to improve on.


    So long as he worked hard then there was a real possibility of him being capable of


    replenishing his mental exhaustion as well. If that were to happen...


    "What about Julien...?"


    Karl''s voice suddenly broke her off her thoughts.


    "Julien?"


    Johanna blinked her eyes, her thoughts drifting toward Julien. She reyed the fight in her


    mind over and over again until she found herself shrugging her shoulders.


    "I have no idea."


    "Uh...?"


    Seeing the confused and bbergasted look on Karl''s face, Johnna could only helplessly shake


    her head.


    "From what I''ve observed, his Domain consists of ''boosts''. Depending on several factors, he''s capable of increasing his physical strength dramatically. Enough to rival Kaelion''s. He also seems to be capable of increasing his speed, as shown by thest movement when he


    disappeared from sight."


    Johanna reyed the video and showed the two different changes.


    She then pointed out something that she observed.


    "If you look at his eyes, there''s a change in color whenever a change urs. Red signifies an increase in strength while I assume green indicates an increase in speed."


    Most of those observations were things that Karl and the audience had managed to pick up after the broadcast slowed down to disy to the viewers what was happening. Given the speed at which Kaelion and Julien moved, this was necessary.


    "....I can''t tell how the color changes are rted to his ''Concept'' nor do I know if this is the


    full extent of it, but if there''s one thing that I am sure about is that the thing that people


    should be afraid of is not his ''Concept''."


    "Oh?"


    Karl looked up at Johanna with genuine surprise.


    What could she mean by what she said...?


    From what he had seen, Julien''s concept was extremely powerful. And yet, Johanna was insinuating that there was something else that was more impressive.


    Karl wasn''t the only one who was curious about what she was insinuating.


    Those who were watching were also extremely curious. Fresh from the experience of having


    watched such a fight, they all wanted to know more about Julien, the winner who had dazzled


    them with his abilities.


    His ''Concept'' was already so incredible... What else could be even better?


    "I wasn''t sure before, but now I''m sure."


    Johanna thought back to Julien''s first fight. The one that he had fought with Carmen and how


    he had managed to win in the end.


    The way the fight ended didn''t quite make sense to her.


    While Julien''s superiority was clear to see, it was the way that he had won that threw her off a little. It was quite well-hidden so she wasn''t able to notice it, but now that she had witnessed


    this fight, she was sure of it.


    "Julien..."


    She mumbled softly, raising her head to look at the recording devices.


    "....The scariest thing about him is his Emotive Magic. And I''m not just talking about what we


    already know. No."


    She shook her head, her expression turning rather grim.


    "I''m afraid his Emotive Magic is a lot more powerful than I previously imagined. I dare say...


    even better than Caius''s."


    Her proof...?


    Johanna lowered her head to stare at the broken shards and pieces of what appeared to be a


    broken ne.


    ***


    The stands where the four main delegates sat were extremely quiet. Neither Theron, Gael, Elysia, or Lucian spoke. They all stared at the tform beneath in silence.


    Lucian was the first one to show signs of changes as his sturdy body lifted slowly from out of


    the seat.


    "Where are you going...?"


    Elysia questioned, snapping out of her shock.


    When she raised her head up to look at Lucian, all she saw was a deep and unfathomable rage


    that threatened to spill at any second.


    It was understandable.


    Now that Kaelion had been eliminated, the Aurora Empire no longer had any candidates left


    for the top spot.


    They were fully eliminated from the Summit.


    This was a humiliating situation for an Empire fully dedicated to strength.


    11


    But it had to be noted that Lucian''s self-control was quite remarkable as he merely nced in


    Elysia''s direction, his deep eyes bearing deeply into hers. Then, tearing his eyes away from her, he looked toward Gael.


    That''s when his mouth opened, and his deep voice rumbled out.


    "Not bad."


    He left shortly after that.


    Gael and the other sat in silence without saying a word.


    The stand remained quiet, only Elysia''s soft voice breaking through the silence,


    "..... Maybe, we should''ve had him eliminated."


    ***


    Leon looked at the recording of the match between Kaelion and Julien in silence.


    His forehead was filled with light droplets of sweat, a result of his warmup for the uing


    match. Taking a towel to wipe the sweat away, Leon closed his eyes and put the tablet aside.


    The muffled cheers of the crowd were still thunderously echoing from within the Colosseum,


    reaching the area where he was.


    ''Julien!''


    ''Julien...!''


    ''Julien.''


    A single name was repeatedly chanted by the audience outside.


    Leaning his head back and basked in the cheer.


    Slowly, his lips pulled up into a smirk.


    "I''m sure he hates this."


    ***


    "Julien!"


    "Julien...!"


    "Julien!"


    The entire stands boomed with a single name. The fervor from the fight was still high, the


    minds of all those present still relishing the fight that had happened.


    All but one person.


    Caius sat with his eyes fixed on the tform.


    His expression was stoic and indifferent. One couldn''t quite tell what he was thinking about,


    but even if they were curious, none would have the courage to approach the current him.


    "I saw it."


    He mumbled, his eyes turning a deeper shade of yellow.


    "....But I can do it too."


    He gradually stood up.


    Turning around, amidst the cheers of the audience, he walked out of the Colosseum.


    ''I''m better.''


    ***


    Another chap today.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    I finally came back home after a few days of travel. I tried making it work but I couldn''t. Now


    that I''m back I can write to the normal schedule again.

 Chapter 335: Renown [2]

    Chapter 335: Renown [2]


    ?


    "....That was a wonderful performance."


    As gazed down at the tform below, where several mages dressed in white tunics were


    busy cleaning up the aftermath of the fight between Julien and Kaelion, their hands extended as they worked.


    The next match was about to start.


    It was the highly anticipated match between Leon and Amell, one of the big four, and the one closest to the big four.


    Well... used to be.


    There was now someone new in the big four.


    A thin smile formed on As''s lips as he thought about the previous match.


    ''His rate of improvement is even better than I expected.''


    As had already been satisfied with Julien''s sess so far, but what Julien disyed to him far exceeded his expectations.


    It made him eager to see more.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    For the first time in a very long time, As felt the beat of his heart quicken.


    It was a refreshing feeling.


    One that made As confused for a split second, struggling to understand why he was behaving like this.


    But he soon understood.


    ''Expectations.''


    Right, he was looking forward to Julien''s next match.


    He wanted to see more.


    Was this his limit, or...?


    As felt the corner of his lips pull up even higher.


    ''When was thest time I had such expectations...?''


    He mused for a second before raising his head, fixing his gaze on the figure that sat opposite him. Her lustrous ck hair shone beneath the white sun that hung in the sky, while her features made her seem more dazzling than it.


    Her attention appeared to be fixed on a small book.


    She was so immersed in the book that she didn''t even notice his gaze.


    ''Right, it was her.''


    How did she turn out?


    With her delicate brows locked into a tight frown, Delh appeared to be in deep thought. Circling several things over the notebook, her lips opened slightly as unknowingly started mumbling to herself.


    "...One or two?"


    One or two...?


    What was she talking about?


    As blinked his eyes in confusion. However, his confusion was short-lived as he quickly lost interest. It didn''t seem like anything important... Just as he was about to turn his head away, he heard Delh again.


    "He did well so two..."


    With a pained expression, her pearly white teeth bit onto her lips.


    Then, taking out a small bar from her pocket, her eyes shook as she broke the bar into several pieces, only leaving two cubes inside.


    As stared at all of this with visible confusion.


    His confusion only grew as Delh stopped, her lips twitching slightly as her finger traced over one of the choctes.


    "Maybe I can try that again?"


    "?"


    ***


    nk-


    "Huaaa...!"


    I slumped down on one of the benches in the changing room, exhausted. The metallic door closed, and the world around me turned quiet.


    Well, more or less.


    Leon was the one who broke the silence.


    "It was a nice fight."


    Evidently, there was still some time left before his fight started.


    The staff was most likely trying to fix the broken tform.


    "Kh."


    I wanted to reply to him, but the pain made it hard for me to talk.


    "Oh, right."


    Thankfully he seemed to get the message as he closed his eyes and adjusted his mind for the uing fight.


    The room fell silent shortly after that.


    Clenching my teeth, I brought my hands down and steadied my trembling legs.


    "....!"


    But it wasn''t a really good idea.


    I soon realized that my arms weren''t faring that much better.


    The pain pierced right through my mind, freezing my body due to the shock. While I could withstand the pain, my body evidently couldn''t as it jerked on its own.


    "Hooo."


    It took several seconds for me to regain control of my body.


    By the time I was able to control my body again, the door to the room burst open as a woman dressed in white, holding onto a leather purse entered the locker room.


    nk!


    The disturbance brought Leon out of his meditative state as he turned to look at the


    approaching woman.


    ||


    Her ck hair was tied into a ponytail that was tucked over her right shoulder, while her green eyes scanned my body up and down. Her overall looks were quite average, and as she scanned


    my body, she clicked her tongue.


    "Tsk."


    I was taken aback.


    Did she just click her tongue...? Or did I mishear?


    Her appearance didn''t surprise me. I knew she was the nurse in charge of checking up on me,


    but her attitude seemed a little...


    "...Your body is in a worse state than I thought."


    With a sigh, she walked over to me and took out several items from her purse.


    The items consisted of a body ointment and a few pills.


    "Here, apply this yoursel¡ª"


    The nurse stopped after realizing something. Her left eye twitched, and she let out a small


    breath. She then walked over and lowered her head a little.


    "Take off your shirt."


    Instinctively, I tried to hold onto my chest but realized that I couldn''t.


    As if sensing my intentions, the nurse''s expression changed.


    "Are you taking it off or not?" "I..."


    How could I tell her I couldn''t?


    I turned my head to look at Leon. He looked back at me, his expression abnormally calm.


    ''You can''t take off your shirt?''


    ''You can tell...?''


    ''She can tell too.''


    "Uh?"


    A weird sound came out of my mouth as I felt two cold hands press down on my torn zer


    and shirt.


    I wanted to protest, but my body refused to listen to me.


    Button by button, my shirt was slowly being pulled off. As if the world around me slowed


    down, my head turned to face Leon who bit his lips.


    ''Help me...?''


    ''I''m getting ready for my next fight.''


    ''It''ll only take you two seconds.''


    ''That''s two seconds too long.''


    ''Aren''t you my knight? Are you okay with seeing my bare body?''


    ''I''d love t-'' Leon''s face stiffened, realizing what he was about to say. The same was true for me as my


    mouth slowly opened.


    The two of us looked at each other, quietly.


    11


    Then..


    "Urkh."


    "Uekh."


    We both gagged at the same time, unable to withstand the cringe.


    "What are you doing? Stop moving."


    The nurse seemed less than pleased but I couldn''t help it.


    It was a reflexive reaction from my mind. Leon wasn''t faring any better. Pressing his hand


    against the side of the wall, he held onto his stomach as his face scrunched up.


    "What?...Are you also sick?"


    Leon rapidly shook his head.


    "I-I''m okay."


    "Are you?"


    The nurse didn''t seem to buy it, her eyes squinting as her cold hands ran over my body,


    applying the lotion over my wound.


    Leon rapidly shook his head


    "Yes, I''m-"


    "There''s no need to be shy Leon"


    "....!"


    Leon''s head flicked in my direction, his eyes slowly turning bloodshot.


    I looked back at him and closed my eyes.


    "Didn''t you say that your chest was hurtingtely?"


    "No."


    Leon hastily shook his head.


    But I persisted.


    "It''s okay."


    I turned to face the nurse who raised her head to look at me as her hands ran over my chest.


    "Please, help him out. He''s got an important match and he needs to be in top shape."


    "Tsk."


    Clicking her tongue, she took her hands off my body.


    Then, turning her head toward the horror-stricken Leon, she slowly approached him.


    Shake. Shake.


    "No, actually-"


    "Take off your clothes."


    "Ah, but-" "Now." "....!"


    ''Kyaa!''


    He never said that, but it was funny to think about.


    ***


    Verdan Empire locker room.


    In stark contrast to the Nurs Ancifa locker room, the atmosphere in the locker room was eerily


    quiet and tense. A lone figure sat on the bench, head bowed, with a towel draped over him.


    Amell was lost in his own thoughts.


    His legs repeatedly tapped against the ground as he tried to calm his nerves.


    "The evidence is all there...''


    In his mind, he was almost certain it was him.


    A lot of the information that he managed to dig up was in line with what he knew about the


    incident.


    The fact that he had appeared in a different Empire also made him understand how they had such a hard time finding him.


    Their scope of search had only been within their own Empire.


    While the thought that he may have possibly gone to another Empire had crossed their mind,


    it wasn''t as though they could look. Instilling spies in another Empire was extremely difficult


    and with the number of people present, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    Still, he had finally found something.


    ...And he was soon going to face him as an opponent.


    The thought made his heart beat faster.


    Amell wanted to see how strong he was. He believed that if they fought, he''d be able to tell


    better if it was him.


    "Right, right."


    Recalling something, Amell took out a box from his pocket.


    It was only about the size of a small ball and was entirely nted in ck.


    While all evidence pointed to the fact that Leon was possibly his brother, there was no better


    way to test this than through the object in his hand.


    "...I just have to make him bleed."


    So long as he made him bleed, then he''d be able to prove it once and for all.


    "Right, I just have to make him bleed."


    Repeating the same line, Amell slowly stood up from his seat.


    His expression gradually started to freeze, and all his emotions started to calm down. A


    mirror appeared within his mind, casually reflecting an image of himself. Within that image was a reflection of all of Amell''s insecurities and anxiety. Amell brought his hand forward and pressed it against the mirror, a small ripple forming. All


    thoughts about Leon dissipated as his head cooled.


    [Ice Mirror]


    His natural innate ability.


    It was an ability that sealed all negatives and unwanted thoughts away for a short period of


    time and was Amell''s go-to skill.


    Moving his hand away, Amell''s mind cleared.


    Taking a small breath, he turned around and made his way toward the door of the locker


    room.


    nk!


    Walking past the tunnel that led to the main arena, he could hear the muffled cries of the spectators in the distance.


    Their voices grew louder and clearer with each step that he took.


    The tunnel was narrow, barely illuminated by strange gems that were ced atop the tunnel.


    "Amell!"


    "Amell...!"


    "Amell!"


    The cheers of the crowd became clear.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A certain fervor hung in the air, and Amell''s steps paused right at the exit of the tunnel.


    His eyes soon fixed on a figure that stood at its center, his gray eyes staring in his direction


    with unprecedented seriousness.


    As if sensing his gaze, Leon''s gaze lifted slightly and their eyes met.


    Sparks seemed to fly in the air as Amell''s lips curved slightly.


    "Very well."


    He took a step forward, his hand fiddling with the object in his pocket.


    "...Let''s see if you can bleed."


    Boom-!


    The audience roared at his entrance.


    Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Amell slowly stepped up into the tform.


    He stopped on the opposite end of where Leon stood.


    The world grew silent shortly after that.


    But the silence was short-lived. Breaking the silence, the referee sliced his hand down.


    "Begin!"


    The Quarter-Finals of the Four Empire Summit and the second match between the two representatives of the two biggest Empires officially began.


    Second round, Leon Ellert of the Nurs Ancifa Empire VS Amell Mantovaj of the Verdant


    Empire.

 Chapter 336: A sealed past [1]

    Chapter 336: A sealed past [1]


    ?


    nk!


    Sparks flew in the air.


    Two des crossed, and two gray eyes interlocked.


    A wave of pressurized wind energy burst forth from the point of contact between the two weapons as neither side gave out, each standing their own ground. Amell and Leon stared at each other for a brief moment before stepping back, momentarily withdrawing.


    With a simple exchange, the two managed to get a general idea of each other''s strengths.


    ''He''s strong.''


    Amell''s mind churned.


    The mirror within his world rippled slightly before calming down.


    With a ''Bang'' the ground beneath him shattered as he shed down with his sword.


    Leon''s eyes constricted the moment Amell shed down, his chest pressing heavily as he felt the hair at the back of his neck rise.


    His ''Intuition'' kicked in and he stepped to the side.


    SHILING-!


    Leon felt something sharp cross his path, the tip of his nose stinging as he watched a few strands of his hair float in the air before him.


    Just as Leon was about to reposition himself, his ''intuition'' kicked in again, making his entire body grow tense.


    At the same time, Amell''s arm stabbed out from his waist, splitting the air as a faint ''popping'' sound echoed in the air.


    The ''pop'' sounded more like a thunderp than anything else as a beam of light shed by.


    "!"


    Leon felt his heart clench.


    His scalp went numb and the insides of his ears trembled.


    Leon channeled the mana within his body, hastily circting it throughout every part of his body. His muscles swelled, and his bones popped and cracked as they adjusted to the sudden tension added to his body.


    Amell''s attack was extremely fast.


    By the time he attacked, the attack was already upon Leon who could only take the attack with his arms crossed.


    Bang!


    The attacknded and Leon stumbled several steps back.


    Thump! Thump!


    The tform beneath shattered with each step that he took.


    By the time Leon stopped, a single tendril of smoke floated from his right forearm which had taken the brunt of Amell''s attack.


    "Hiiis!"


    A wave of collected hisses echoed throughout the Colosseum as Leon''s arm was exposed for everyone to see.


    Drip! Drip...!


    As blood pooled down on the ground beneath, a part of Leon''s bone was left exposed.


    It was a grotesque sight that left many of the spectators nauseated.


    But at the same time, it left chills in their hearts as they found themselves staring at Amell who stood on the opposite end with a calm look.


    What sort of monstrous attack was that...?


    "Hoo."


    Feeling the sting of the attack, Leon could only take a deep breath and ignore the pain.


    Clenching his fist, the wound visibly started to heal much to the relief of many of those watching.


    Bang!


    Shortly after, Leon''s figure blurred.


    As if he had teleported, he appeared right before Amell who also seemed surprised by his sudden appearance. The Mirror Rippled within his mind, absorbing everything inside.


    Then, in one fluid motion, he raised his hand to block what appeared to be an iing sh from Leon.


    Everything was happening so fast that only a few could keep up.


    And those that could keep up could see two swords about to smash against each other. Preparing for the inevitable explosion, some covered their ears in protection.


    They waited...


    Waited...


    Wait...


    The inevitable sh never urred.


    Just as Leon''s sword was about to strike against Amell''s, it moved as if possessed, twisting in an unnatural, snake-like motion. The de slithered and coiled around Amell''s arm, defying all logic, before lunging straight for Amell''s heart with deadly precision.


    The sudden change of events left Amell and the audience that was able to keep up stunned. What sort of move was this...?


    Amell''s eyes shook as the tip of Leon''s sword headed directly for his heart. He only had a split second to react.


    Clenching his teeth, his eyes sharpened and the mana circting within his body quickened drastically.


    Staring at the approaching sword, Amell''s neck blunged, its veins protruding as blood pumped into his brain.


    Bang-!


    He mmed his foot against the ground, the force shattering the tform beneath him, and with a powerful thrust, he hurled himself backward, barely escaping the de''s sharp tip.


    It was only then that he was able to avoid the attack narrowly.


    But how could things be so simple...?


    Despite creating some distance between him and Leon''s sword, it was still headed his way, slithering in the air and approaching him maliciously.


    Amell raised his hand and pressed his right hand to the left, touching the body of Leon''s sword and shifting its trajectory away from him.


    The action caused Leon''s body to shift alongside the sword due to the momentum, and that''s when Amell took action, pressing his foot forward, and reaching for the opening that he had


    created.


    Holding the sword in his left hand, Amell twisted his torso and shed directly toward Leon''s exposed abdomen.


    SHIING!


    It was a terrifying attack, the sharpness of the sword clear by just the sound it produced as it cleaved through the air.


    Leon''s entire body rang with danger as he noticed the changes in his surroundings. Everyone expected him to pull back, and avoid the iing attack, but much to the people''s


    surprise, he didn''t.


    ".....!"


    The attack cleanlynded on his abdomen, leaving a nasty gush over his body.


    Amell''s expression shifted slightly, but before he even had the chance to understand what was going on, Leon''s gray eyes sparkled, slowly turning a pitch-ck and bottomless color. The ground beneath him wiggled as a ck film spread out from his feet.


    It only reached a small radius of a couple of meters, but that was of no importance as the entire audience quieted down again.


    || ||


    All eyes fell on Leon whose eyes turnedpletely dark, sprinkled with faint light dots that


    appeared one by one.


    A gxy...


    A terrifying pressure burst off his body, carrying an unimaginable amount of momentum that


    overwhelmed everything within it.


    ''.... Yeah, this is for the best.''


    Leon had learned from having watched Julien''s fight.


    There was no need for him to drag it for long.


    All he needed to do was whip out his ''Concept'' and go all out.


    Which was what he did.


    Holding onto his sword, Leon''s eyes shone as the white dots within his eyes started to


    disappear one by one.


    Red magic circles started to form in the sky, covering arge area above Amell who looked up


    in shock.


    Leon brought his sword forward and shed down.


    Xiu! Xiu!


    And the stars fell. Terrifying meteors shot down from the magic circles positioned above.


    Amell''s eyes shook as he lifted his head to stare at the approaching doom. The Mirror within


    his mind fiercely shook as his face started to change.


    "This is..." Holding onto his sword, Amell clenched his teeth and closed his eyes. That was when their


    color changed, turning a deeper shade of gray.


    A thin gray film wiggled toward his sword, enveloping it in its entirety.


    Unlike Leon, his momentum didn''t rise nor did anything out of the norm ur.


    It looked like a simple move to the eyes of those watching.


    A desperate attempt to fight the inevitable.


    But things took a change the moment he shed.


    The entire world grew silent after that.


    ***


    The muffled cries of the audience reached where the locker rooms, disturbing the peace that I


    had regained after the nurse left.


    ".....This sucks."


    I fiddled with a small cube in my hands.


    The cube wiggled and changed shapes. The shapes it transformed into were often indistinct,n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    sometimes too smooth around the edges orcking definition, but amidst the terrible


    attempts, a clear image slowly emerged.


    ''Hm, this looks more like a bear than a cat.''


    I clenched my hand and the ''cat'' melted back into a cube.


    "This is really tough." Because of my injuries, I couldn''t go outside until the cream and pills that were administered


    to me kicked in. Since I had nothing else to do, I decided to practice my Emotive Control.


    If there was one thing that I learned through my recent fights it was that Icked control over


    my Emotive Magic.


    Well... I already knew this fact for quite a while, it was just that I never really had the chance to properly practice given all the things that had happened to me recently.


    But yeah, this was now one of my main priorities. Had my control been better, then the fight could''ve ended faster.


    A main problem that I currently had with Emotive Magic was that I needed to touch my


    opponent in order to pass down enough intensity into their mind to break them.


    Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.


    Everyone understood this concept and hence why stayed away from me in a fight.


    They all understood the critical problem with my Emotive Magic.


    That was why I needed to practice my control.


    "If I can get a better hand of my control then I can try to inject emotions into my fists."


    I looked down to stare at my fist.


    There was a reason why I couldn''t use my Emotive Abilities when fighting directly despite the


    close contact. It was because I needed to visualize the emotions in my mind before


    transmitting them.


    ...That took a lot of concentration.


    With better control, I was confident in visualizing faster and most likely injecting emotions


    with not just touch, but punches as well.


    ''Well, for now, I need to learn it for the sake of improving my second ability.''


    When using ''Voice'' to use Emotive Magic, a lot of the power bleeds out into the area, reducing


    the intensity of the attack. It was for that reason that touch was a lot more powerful and


    intense.


    But the situation wasn''t hopeless.


    So long as I had finer control over my Emotive Magic, then I could control it to the extent that


    it didn''t stray away into the air and focused on affecting the target.


    Then again,


    "Easier said than done."


    As my eyes drooped, I was suddenly ovee with a wave of exhaustion.


    "Haa..."


    I guess this was to be expected after the fight...


    Leaning my head against the side of the wall, I closed my eyes and let the darkness take over


    my mind.


    It soon did.


    ...Or at least, tried to.


    From the faintest corners of my darkened world, I noticed a white dot.


    It was extremely small and almost imperceptible. However, it was there. The exhaustion that


    my body felt started to dissipate as I grew alert.


    The white dot soon grew in size.


    Coming closer to me, the dot''s frame grew more and more.


    My body tensed and I stifled a breath.


    But soon, the white dot came close enough for me to properly see it, and it was then that my


    worst fears were revealed.


    The Angel...


    It had returned.

 Chapter 337: A sealed past [2]

    Chapter 337: A sealed past [2]


    ?


    Unlike in the past, the Angel didn''t approach me carefully.


    The Angel sprinted my way the moment that I took note of it.


    Its thin hands were no longer sped together in a begging motion; instead, they reached high above its head, fingers twisted into ws as it surged toward me.


    " ..."


    I felt a chill as the hands drew closer, ready to mp around my throat at any second. My heart pounded in my chest as the Angel drew nearer, its hollow eyes locked onto mine with a terrifying hunger.


    I drew back but realized I was stuck.


    ''What...!?''


    The Angel drew nearer.


    Its face was now a few meters away from me.


    I struggled to breathe, feeling trapped in my own mind. It felt as though the very air had been sucked away from my lungs.


    The situation brought my mind into a state of disarray. Thankfully, I knew how to deal with situations such as these.


    Taking a deep breath, several chains appeared in my mind.


    They rattled as the Angel drew near, but my expression cooled, and all the emotions that I felt at that moment started to numb down.


    "....."


    The Angel was soon upon me.


    Its hands reached out for my neck, grasping it tightly.


    I couldn''t breathe.


    My neck started to hurt.


    It looked like the Angel was about to choke me to death.


    But I remained firm, never once leaving my eyes away from it.


    "...."


    ck tears streamed down the Angel''s eyes. They dripped onto the darkness beneath, casually blending with it.


    The Angel seemed to want to see a reaction from me, but..


    My heart was steady.


    My mind was steady.


    I was steady.


    Cr Crack-


    A faint line appeared on the neck of the statue.


    Slowly, the crack widened, creeping across the cold stone that made up the statue. In a matter


    of seconds, the statue''s head jerked with a twist, grinding stone against stone.


    My neck squeezed tightly as the head turned to reveal a face-a face I knew all too well. ''H-help me...!''


    I could almost imagine her pleading for help as she looked at me with those hollow eyes of hers.


    It was Kiera.


    Her face was filled with sorrow as she looked at me.


    Cr Crack-


    The statue flicked again, revealing a new face.


    Flick.


    A new face appeared shortly after.


    Flick. Flick. Flick.


    The statue rotated, disying face after face. Seeing the familiar faces that were appearing before me, the locks within my mind rattled.


    It was only temporary.


    I understood the statue''s intentions.


    ''It wants to exhaust my mind before taking over.''


    Given that I had just fought a tough fight moments earlier, this was the perfect opportunity for it to infiltrate my mind.


    My defenses were down, and my body was weary and drained.


    The mental walls I had built over the course of the year were showing faint cracks, and I could feel its presence creeping in, ready to exploit the thin cracks within my mind.


    But this was far from enough.


    ''You''ll have to do better than that to get me.''


    ||


    "....


    Something like this was far from enough to shake me.


    The statue tried to dig deeper into my mind, but I resisted.


    "Fine..."


    I eventually spoke, staring deeply into the statue.


    It looked back at me with its hollow and empty eyes, and for a brief moment, I almost thought


    I had seen something within those eyes.


    But it was a mere fleeting thought.


    Raising my hand, I pressed it against the hard and stony hands that were gripping down my throat.


    Without ever leaving my gaze away, I took a deep breath and brought my finger over my right arm where a familiar tattoo appeared.


    ''I didn''t want to do this, and I''m not even sure it''ll work since you''re not a real person, but if you''ll


    allow me....''


    "...I''ll see your sorrow."


    I pressed the second leaf.


    The already dark world around me turned dark as the Angel disappeared from my view.


    My body slipped out of my control as a familiar sensation flooded over me.


    As if I suddenly found myself getting pulled away from my body, I started to lose all my


    senses.


    "This familiar feeling... It''s been a while.''


    I basked in the feeling for a few more seconds before the world around me started to change. The ground solidified beneath me as imposing buildings began to rise, towering over me. On the other hand, a white sun hovered in the sky, casting a dim, cold light over the gray canvas that was the sky.


    Beneath it, a cluster of imposing structures appeared their design reminiscent of the ones from the ''Roman Empire'' but built entirely of ck marble. The dark stone gleamed beneath the white sun, giving the architecture an ominous, almost grim presence that matched the general vibe of the world.


    The streets were filled with people, all wearing strange tunics and robes as they walked along


    the messily arranged stone roads.


    ''....''


    I observed all of this in silence.


    And that''s when I finally took notice of her.


    A small girl sat on one of the benches in the city, her ck hair tied into a ponytail that draped over her left shoulder. Her chubby cheeks quivered as she nibbled on a small bun, eyes wide with delight as she tasted the food.


    The girl looked no longer than ten, and standing beside her was a tall and stern woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes.


    From the way she carried herself and the light armor she was wearing, it seemed like she was


    the girl''s bodyguard.


    Scanning her surroundings, she tapped the little girl.


    "Let''s go."


    "....Yes?"


    "Let''s go."


    "?"


    The bodyguard reached for the little girl''s hand and pulled her slightly, helping her get off the


    bench.


    "Let''s go."


    She pulled her away.


    As she did, I noticed something.


    That girl...


    Her eyes were unfocused.


    ''It looks like she''s blind.''


    No, but that wasn''t the main problem. Shifting my attention to her bodyguard, my gazended on the symbol etched into the back of


    her armor.


    It was a...


    Four-leafed Clover.


    ***


    The tform was riddled with craters, its surface filled with broken and shattered fragments


    of what it once used to be.


    Tendrils of smoke curled up from the wreckage, the temperature surrounding the tform a


    notch higher than the world outside.


    Lingering mana crackled in the air as Amell and Leon stood on opposite ends.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    Their breaths were equally heavy.


    Neither side looked to be injured, but their clothes and hair were in a mess.


    Leon''s eyes werepletely pitch ck while Amell''s eyes were a deep shade of gray.


    "Wow...."


    Karl let out a soft mumble as he watched the interaction from the studio. The hair at the back


    of his arm was fully erect while his mouth was dry.


    The fight... it was unbelievable.


    "Who would''ve thought that Leon and Amell were also capable of using a domain? This is tru


    "Concept, not domain."


    Johanna corrected Karl rather quickly as she snapped out of her reverie.


    Realizing what she had said, she exined herself.


    "A domain is still a long way away from them. To be able to manifest their thoughts and


    experiences they''ll need a necessary amount of mana. If one''s body couldn''t keep up, then even if they were able to create a ''Concept'', they''ll never be able to develop a domain." Johanna shook her head, thinking about all the people that she knew who had to give up due


    to their bodies reaching their limits.


    If their body couldn''t withstand the necessary mana to materialize a domain, then they''d be stuck at Tier 4 forever.


    With a sigh, Johanna exined all of this to the audience.


    "This is why a domain can only be achieved at Tier 5. It''s because one would need more mana


    to manifest their thoughts properly."


    It was unfortunate that all of the attention was fixed on Leon and Amell as no one paid


    attention to what she said.


    With a helpless smile, all she could do was lower her head and stare at Leon and Amell.


    Blinking once, a white dot appeared in Leon''s eyes.


    Power started to surge into his body.


    His ''Concept'' was the ''Sky''.


    Alone in the vastness and darkness of the night, all that shone was the moon and the stars. His


    ''Concept'' was still half-baked, only replicating the ''Night'' aspect of the ''Sky''. However, this alone was enough to boost his capabilities significantly.


    As another dot appeared in his eyes, he blinked his eyes and the dot disappeared.


    Power started to surge through his body.


    Leon felt the power spread through every inch of his body as his mind started to refresh.


    The effect wasn''t as powerful as Kaelion''s, nor was it the same. While his mind refreshed, his


    body and stamina didn''t.


    He only felt a gentle current run through his body, allowing him to continue the fight.


    "Hooo."


    Bringing his sword forward, Leon took a deep breath, his foot aligning with his body as he stepped forward.


    Amell stood on the opposite end without saying a single word.


    He too was busy adjusting himself.


    With ''Cracks'' and ''Pops'', his body underwent serious changes. As his body changed, so did the


    thin film that surrounded his sword.


    It grew even thinner, almost bing invisible.


    His momentum rose and as he looked up, Amell saw Leon preparing to attack.


    He felt his lips pull slightly at the sight of Leon.


    ''Alright.''


    As if the two had some sort of mind connection, they moved at the same time. Leon''s body


    blurred forward, disappearing from view, while Amell remained calm andposed, bringing his sword forward.


    The space around the sword rippled.


    Leon appeared behind Amell. His sword was raised, ready to sh down toward his neck, but


    just as he was about to, his eyes shook.


    Amell''s sword...


    It was directly ced next to his neck.


    At that moment, Leon''s mind raced, thinking of ways to dodge the attack when he stopped as


    he noticed Amell''s sword phase right past his neck.


    Blinking his eyes, he realized that it had all been an illusion.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Amell''s back was right before his eyes.


    Leon didn''t hesitate. Bringing his sword forward, he prepared to stab when...


    Yet again, his body stopped.


    "...Eh...!"


    Unknowingly, Leon staggered back several steps.


    ''What am I doing here...?''


    ''.... Why am I fighting?''


    ''I already reached so far, I''m sure Julien can take care of the rest. He can win it for me.''


    ''Yeah, I think this is enough.''


    ''Good luck Julien.''


    Voices crept up into his soul, whispering into his mind in a continuous matter. Their nagging


    and words made him feel tired.


    His mind felt empty, his body felt empty, and his heart felt empty.


    Leon felt like doing nothing.


    ''I want to-''


    He staggered back once more, raising his head to look at Amell who smiled at him and


    mumbled,


    "My concept..."


    His eyes turned a deeper shade of gray.


    "...is loneliness."

 Chapter 338: A sealed past [3]

    Chapter 338: A sealed past [3]


    Empty, yet heavy.


    A hollow ache followed after.


    It pressed down on his chest, and the world around him turned gray.


    Leon felt everything slow down at that moment.


    Overhearing Amell¡¯s words, he lifted his head to meet his gaze. It was then that Leon finally saw a change in his appearance. He looked so¡­ Bitter.


    Why¡­?


    Wh¡ª


    Leon stumbled forward, barely managing to keep his grip on the sword. The sword in his hand appeared to grow heavier by the second.


    Images shed in his mind.


    Sweat dripped down from his body as he stood in the training chamber, practicing by himself. He swung the sword for how many times he could remember.


    Swoosh! Swoosh¡ª


    He could distinctively remember the ache in his arms and body as he persistently swung his sword. Even as his hands were riddled with blisters, he didn¡¯t once stop swinging.


    He just swung over and over and over again.


    ¡­It was all for the young master.


    For the young master who was in need of a bodyguard.


    But¡­


    p!


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡±


    The p sent him tumbling back. Looking up at the young master he knew, staring at him with disgust, Leon felt the grip of his sword weakens further.


    ¡­.This was especially true after he realized that the one he was working hard for didn¡¯t appreciate his effort.


    ¡°Trash.¡±


    The words rang loudly in Leon¡¯s mind.


    nk!


    Even as Julien left the room, Leon remained standing in the room, his sweat dripping down his body as his sword lowered further.


    His emotions swirled as he suddenly felt insignificant.


    The silence felt deafening.


    Beside the young master, he had no one else to turn to.


    He had no family or friends.


    He had been young when he had been adopted by the Evenus Household.


    But even that was just so that he could be someone who supported the young master. Such was his goal, but¡­


    Drip!


    He was worthless.


    And it made him realize.


    In this world, he was alone.


    Swooosh!


    Leon felt something tickle the side of his face. Lifting his head slightly, he blinked a couple of times, observing what was before him.


    He felt something sharp head for the side of his face while in the distance he could see thousands of eyes staring in his direction.


    ¡®Where is this¡­?¡¯


    Leon blinked his eyes in confusion, his mind churning as it tried to recall everything.


    A face soon appeared before him.


    With gray eyes that seemed to vaguely resemble his own, Leon blinked his eyes again.


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    He finally started to recall.


    That¡¯s when his body twitched and color started to return to his mind.


    Feeling his breath again, Leon finally came to his senses, and his chest felt incredibly heavy. He didn¡¯t know what was going on, but purely trusting the feeling that was weighing down on his chest, he ducked down.


    Swoosh!


    The cold gleam of a sword cut through the air, slicing the area where his head once used to be.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    Kicking the ground, Leon distanced himself from Amell who stopped moving.


    ¡°Haaa¡­ Haa¡­¡±


    Leon¡¯s breath felt extremely heavy.


    Cold sweat poured down from the side of his face as he recalled what had happened a few moments prior.


    ¡®¡­.A mind domain.¡¯


    Leon shuddered upon thinking about what had happened.


    A domain could consist of anything. It was created through the ¡®experiences¡¯ of one throughout their life, and it could range from [Mind] [Body] and [Elemental]. There was no real restriction as within one¡¯s domain, one was the ruler.


    Amell¡¯s domain was terrifying in the sense that it was a [Mind] domain, focused entirely on disrupting one¡¯s mind and bringing forth deeply hidden emotions and memories.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Leon clenched his heart, staring at Amell warily.


    He hade dangerously close to losing and if not for his ¡®intuition¡¯ he would¡¯ve most likely lost the match.


    ¡®I can¡¯t rely on intuition.¡¯


    ¡®Intuition¡¯ didn¡¯t work all the time. There were times when it didn¡¯t work. He had only managed to get it to the point where it was now after a lot of practice.


    However, it was still far from reliable.


    He needed to think of a different way to handle Amell¡¯s ¡®Concept¡¯.


    Leon¡¯s mind raced.


    Blinking his eyes, one of the stars disappeared. His power didn¡¯t surge like before, but rather calmed and cooled his mind.


    The lingering effects from Amell¡¯s domain started to wane.


    Holding onto his sword, he twisted his body to face the right side where he shed down.


    nk!


    Sparks flew in the air as Amell appeared from out of nowhere.


    A wave of pressurized wind burst forth from the point of contact between the two swords before the two distanced themselves and attacked each other once more.


    nk, nk!


    Sparks continued to fly in the air as the two exchanged attacks. Neither relented, forcing themselves forward. Their figures blurred, and the audience watching sat at the edge of their sets, their body propped up forward and their eyes unblinking.


    They didn¡¯t want to miss a single thing.


    nk¡ª


    A powerful spark scattered in the air as Leon shed with everything that he had.


    Amell matched his intensity, bringing his de down with all his strength. The sh was fierce, their powers colliding in a perfect bnce. The result was an equal exchange, neither gaining an inch over the other.


    nk! nk!


    The fight continued like this, Leon and Amell perfectly matching each other¡¯s movements.


    Their figures blurred with each step they took, materializing right as the two exchanged blows.


    It was a fierce exchange that shook the entire tform.


    The dots within Leon¡¯s eyes started to umte as the fight progressed while Amell¡¯s eyes turned a deeper shade of gray.


    nk!


    Exchanging one more blow, Leon tensed his torso and prepared to follow up with another one of his attacks when all of a sudden, his heart grew empty.


    ¡°¡­.Uh?¡±


    Not just his heart, but his mind and body.


    His eyes grew sluggish and the world around him blurred, everything appearing in doubles.


    ¡®W-what¡¯s going on?¡¯


    A little flustered, Leon tried his best to clear his mind.


    However, the more he tried to do so, the more he realized that the effects were growing worse.


    Just what¡­


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    His nose twitched.


    Sensing something in the air, Leon raised his head. He focused on his surroundings, and it didn¡¯t take long for him to spot it.


    ¡­The sweet and acidic scent lingered in the air, mingling with the acrid odor of burning and the charred remnants left as a result of their fight.


    That¡¯s when it dawned on Leon.


    ¡®Crap¡­!¡¯


    He had fallen for Amell¡¯s carefullyid out trap.


    ***


    I subconsciously found myself following the girl¡¯s bodyguard from behind. I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away from the symbol etched on the back of her shining silver armor.


    ¡®A coincidence¡­?¡¯


    The four-leaf clover was a symbol that signified ¡®luck¡¯.


    It didn¡¯t necessarily mean that it had to be associated with the Inverted Sky.


    Right¡­?


    I held my breath and continued to follow the two.


    As I observed, a surprising realization dawned on me. Despite walking through the crowded streets, the two of them moved unnoticed, blending seamlessly into the bustle without drawing a single nce.


    This was especially weird considering the clothes that the bodyguard was wearing.


    They were rather eye-catching.


    ¡®¡­.Ah.¡¯


    It didn¡¯t take long for me to figure out what was going on.


    As the two turned around to enter a certain valley, figures gradually emerged from the shadows, surrounding the two of them.


    The little girl seemed oblivious to what was going on as she ate the snack in her hand.


    On the other hand, her bodyguard stared at the figures for a brief moment before nodding her head slightly.


    Coming out of the alleyway, the two were escorted toward a massive pce.


    The pce stood imposingly, towering over everything in its vicinity. A massive dome crowned the structure, gleaming in the light, while tall, imposing pirs supported the outer walls, adding to its appearance.


    At the gates of the Pce, a four-leaved clover appeared.


    Beneath it, two words appeared.


    ¡®Rilgona Monarchy.¡¯


    I read the words in silence, imprinting them deeply into my mind before following the two people into the structure.


    For such arge structure, the insides were rather quiet.


    No one came to greet the little girl as she entered, the sound of her bodyguard¡¯s footsteps clicked against the marble floor as they climbed a long flight of stairs. The two continued in silence until they finally reached arge wooden door.


    The bodyguard stopped, pressing her hand against the little girl¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Theresa, you go in. I¡¯lle pick you upter.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The girl didn¡¯t reply, merely blinking before her bodyguard opened the door and brought her into the room.


    nk!


    A strange silence plunged over the room the moment the bodyguard left.


    I stood in silence, watching the little girl as she brought her hands forward and walked around with caution before finally reaching the bed.


    ¡®As expected, she¡¯s blind.¡¯


    This much was obvious to me.


    What didn¡¯t make sense was her treatment.


    Her status appeared to be quite high considering the fact that she lived in such a grand pce. But for someone of such status¡­ why was she treated as though she didn¡¯t exist?


    Besides the bodyguard, nobody seemed to acknowledge her existence.


    It made me curious.


    Scribble~ Sribble~


    My curiosity reached its peak when I heard a scribbling sound. Turning my head, the girl came into view again.


    Her eyes were unfocused and her hand clenched the pen in a fist.


    In herp was a small piece of paper she used to draw.


    ¡®She drawing¡­?¡¯


    I half expected her to be doodling, but the moment I leaned forward to get a better look at what she was drawing, my entire body froze.


    ¡®Ah, this¡­¡¯


    It felt as though two hands had suddenly mped around my throat, and I found myself struggling to breathe.


    I stared at the drawing, its meticulous detail so precise that it seemed the work of a professional. My gaze fixed on the profile sketched on the paper, unable to tear my eyes away from the drawing.


    With cascading brown hair and green eyes, he looked exactly as Ist remembered. No, there was a hint of maturity in his features, but without a doubt, it was him.


    There was no doubt about that.


    How could I forget my own¡­


    Brother?

 Chapter 339: A sealed past [4]

    Chapter 339: A sealed past [4]


    ?


    ''W-what...!?''


    I didn''t want to believe it.


    It made no sense, but staring at the drawing, I knew that it was without a doubt, my brother.


    From the contours of his face to his unique green eyes that made him stand out to the others whenever we went out.


    It was without a doubt him.


    ''Mortum''


    The little doubts that I had regarding ''Mortum'' being my brother vanished at that moment. This was undeniable proof that he was still alive.


    Why else would she draw a picture of him..?


    Or was there another reason?


    I observed the blind girl in silence.


    Her little hand continued to scribble over the drawing, adding more and more touches to it.


    There was ack of color in the drawing, but as I stared at the picture, I felt as though it hade alive.


    It almost felt as though he was alive... in the drawing.


    ''Who is this little girl?''


    The more I looked at her, the more curious I became. I had just taken a step to get a better look at her when I stopped.


    !!


    Shifting my attention away from her hand, and up to her face, I took note of her eyes.


    They had previously been hollow, but this time... they were nk. Almost as if her pupils had faded out of them.


    I felt goosebumps rise in my mind as I stared at the little girl.


    There was something creepy about her that I couldn''t quite exin.


    nk-


    The door burst open all of a sudden, and several figures dressed in ck entered the room. Behind them, I could see the same bodyguard from before, her expression stoic as she looked to her left where a man with long white hair and mustache appeared.


    He had an aura of authority, and judging from how the people were treating him, he appeared to be of high status.


    "The King perhaps.....''


    I wasn''t sure, but the scene before me felt extremely important.


    "Theresa."


    The men in ck stepped aside, allowing the King to move forward. As he did, he cast a quick nce at them. Each man wore a white cross emzoned on the center of their chest, and their poised demeanor suggested they were a mage.


    Scribble Scribble~


    Despite the King''s words, the child didn''t answer as she continued to add the finishing touches to the drawing.


    The King looked at the drawing, his expression changing slightly as he looked back to the men in ck.


    "Do it."


    At his orders, the men in ck moved around the bedroom, surrounding the little girl who seemed oblivious to what was happening.


    Getting into positions, arge purple magic circle manifested beneath the bed, slowly enveloping the room in a dim purple light.


    A gentle breeze wafted across the room as the little girl''s hair scattered across her face.


    Scribble~


    Her hand continued to glide across the paper.


    It seemed as though there was nothing that mattered to her besides the drawing.


    I stared at the scene in silence, feeling myself slowly getting pulled into the depths of the ocean, finding breathing bing more and more difficult.


    I felt suffocated.


    Vooom!


    A faint humming sound broke the tense silence, the magic circle glowing even brighter.


    The entire room was suddenly bathed in a brilliant light that converged toward the little girl. Her clothes and hair fluttered wildly in the intense glow as if a storm had suddenly hit the


    room.


    By the time the wind faded and everything returned to normal, the room was in disarray, furniture overturned, and papers scattered. The men in ck stood with pale faces, their earlierposure broken, only reced by grim looks.


    They turned to face the King who looked at them anxiously.


    "No..."


    One of them spoke, his voice hoarse.


    His pupils shook as she looked at the youngdy who still appeared to be unfazed by all that


    was happening.


    "H-hua."


    Taking in a deep breath, he stepped back.


    Raising his trembling hand, he pointed at the girl.


    "Y-your Majesty."


    His voice strained as the veins at the side of his neck bulged.


    I moved closer, straining my ears to hear better. I felt like his next words were going to be


    extremely important.


    Perhaps a clue to the situation with my little brother.


    Maybe-


    "...I-It''s as we feared...! S-she has been possessed."


    I wasn''t prepared for the words that came out of the man in ck. As if thunderbolts had


    struck my mind, my eyes fell on the little girl who finally stopped scribbling.


    The King''s expression grew tense as he waved his hand.


    "Clerics!"


    His voice boomed as the men dressed in ck hastily moved back.


    A powerful force burst out of the King''s body as he looked at the young girl with deep apprehension and anger.


    "Who are you...?"


    His deep voice resounded deeply in the room, the ss windows trembling at the might of his


    words.


    The King''s words were met with a brief moment of silence.


    Tensions ran high and I could see everyone stiffen on the spot as the little girl raised her head,


    exposing her hollow and unfocused eyes.


    "What do you think?" Finally, she spoke, her childlike voice echoing across the room.


    The entire time her attention was drawn to the King who grew tense. Nheless, he wasn''t a


    King for nothing.


    Despite the circumstances, he was able to remain calm.


    "....What have you done to my daughter?"


    "That''s not what I asked."


    The little girl looked disappointed as she set the paper aside and tried to get out of bed. But


    the moment she made her move, everyone in the room sprang into action, surrounding her


    with tense expressions.


    Magic circles red to life, and swords were drawn, all pointed directly at her.


    "Don''t move."


    The King spoke, his deep voice echoing once more.


    A powerful pressure burst out of his body, enveloping the entire room.


    I stared at the scene in silence, my eyes fixed on the King.


    ''He''s decently powerful.''


    He was nowhere near Delh''s or some of the Professor''s level, but he was still rather


    powerful.


    Seeing that this was a distant past, it made sense.


    The most powerful person in the past was most likely a lot weaker than the most powerful


    person of the present age.


    .....


    Surrounded by all of the magic circles and swords, the little girl had no choice but to stop


    moving.


    The King spoke again,


    "Let me ask again, who are you? What do you want?...And what have you done with my


    daughter? Answer while I''m asking nicely. Otherwise, I have different ways to get the


    information from you."


    || ||


    The little girl stood in silence for a brief moment, taking in the expressions of all those


    present.


    Just briefly, it almost felt as though her gaze paused on me, and my entire body grew cold.


    Despite not being in a physical body, I felt cold sweat drip down every part of me.


    It made my heart clench.


    "I''vee to collect." The little girl finally spoke, her voice unnervingly calm as a smile crept across her soft


    features. The sweetness of her expression twisted into something unsettling, sending a chill


    through the room.


    "Collect...?" The King''s eyes squinted, seemingly trying to recall something.


    He seemed lost at first, but soon, his expression changed drastically.


    "Ah, it looks like you realized."


    The little girl giggled, herugh soft yet eerie as it echoed through the room.


    "Ah, but..."


    "There''s no buts."


    Sitting by the edge of the bed, the little girl crossed her legs.


    "Where is it?"


    Her smile slowly started to fade while her eyes grew even more transparent.


    "The blood, where is it?"


    ||


    "1


    The King''s face grew pale as his body started to tremble.


    He seemed at aplete loss as to what to say, and staring at him, I started to have an idea as


    to what was happening.


    I had seen a simr scene in the past.


    .... The Empire of Nothing.''


    Could it be...?


    My eyes widened as the little girl finally hopped off the bed.


    "Don''t mov-!"


    The Clerics and the guards tried to stop her but all it took was a nce from her for them to


    stop speaking.


    Crack!


    Their necks snapped behind their heads.


    Thump!


    The room froze as the girl drew near to the King who moved back.


    "T-hat..."


    He seemed to want to say something, but the words appeared to be stuck in his throat.


    Despite being a lot smaller than him, the girl appeared taller and more imposing than the


    King whose face was entirely pale and filled with sweat.


    His eyes shook, and his lips were pale.


    "I-t was for my... daughter."


    "Oh, I know."


    The little girl stopped.


    "You wanted to cure your dying daughter. In your desperation, you took the blood and tried to


    give it to her."


    ||


    "1


    The King stopped, his mouth deprived of all words.


    I stood in silence, listening to all of this anding to a sudden understanding.


    That''s when I turned to look at the little girl.


    ''A collector...?''


    I knew all about this, and I grew tense knowing that a little bit of Mortum''s blood flowed


    within me.


    Were they going toe for me too...?


    "Actions have consequences."


    The little girl said, her voice growing cold.


    "Ah..."


    A strange noise came out of the King''s mouth as he finally found his voice again. With a pale


    face, he spoke,


    "I... I can make this right."


    "Can you...?"


    The little girl tilted her head, a smile appearing on her face again.


    "How so?"


    "T-that..."


    "So you can''t."


    "I...!"


    "Tut."


    The little girl ced her finger over her lips, and the room fell silent. It was almost as if alln/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    sound had been sucked away from the room.


    Turning around, the little girl ced her hands behind her back and walked toward the


    window where she stared at the ring white sun that hung in the sky.


    The entire time she spoke, everyone stood frozen in ce, unable to move an inch.


    I stared at the scene with a frown.


    ''.... Is she really a collector?''


    For some reason, ''she'' seemed a little different than As.


    Hieeek-


    A sudden scream jolted me out of my thoughts.


    Startled, I looked outside the window and that was where I saw it.


    Hieeek-


    A man strangling a passing woman. His eyes appeared deranged, and everyone around him trying to shake him off the woman.


    "...Like I said, actions have consequences."


    The King''s eyes shook at her words.


    His mouth moved, but no words came out.


    All noise appeared to have been stripped from the room.


    Hiieek-


    Another scream pierced the air, quickly followed by others, until the world was drowned in a


    chorus of agonized cries. Blood pooled in thend beneath, painting the ground in the color


    red.


    I stood in silence, watching all of it happen for an unknown period of time. I only snapped out of it when I noticed a group of people lined up beneath me, their bodies


    rigid and heads outstretched, each one holding their own severed head in trembling hands.


    It was a sight that sent chills down my body.


    ''Hm?''


    A weird sensation gripped my chest as I stared at the scene.


    ''The hell?''


    And I could tell what it was.


    Why was I feeling... Joy?


    ||


    The little girl watched it all in silence, her expression unreadable. Slowly, she raised her head


    and stared up at the white sun hanging in the sky.


    Her hollow eyes turned even more hollow as her mouth opened, prepared to speak again.


    I unconsciously drew closer, straining my ears to listen to her.


    I felt like I needed to hear this.


    I had t-


    "What do I want?"


    Blinking her eyes, the pupils in her eyespletely faded.


    "....I want to Invert the Sky."

 Chapter 340: A sealed past [5]

    Chapter 340: A sealed past [5]


    ?


    Invert the sky...?


    The words whispered into my head, ringing continuously as I stared at the little girl before


    me. I tried to make sense of her words, shifting my attention away from her and looking at the


    room.


    A thought urred to me then...


    I turned my attention to the window. The dark, hazy gray sky loomed overhead, like an ink painting smeared across a canvas, while the pale white sun cast its cold light over everything below.


    ''.... Could they want the sky to turn normal?''


    But why?


    If they wanted to see the sun they could just go out. Why would they want to ''Invert the Sky''? ''Could it be that they can''t go out of the Mirror Dimension?''


    The thought dug deeply into my mind, and the more I thought about it, the louder this thought became in my mind.


    But there were still many questions.


    .... Of such questions, there was one that I wanted to know the most.


    I looked at the blind girl.


    ''Who is she....?''


    Was ''she'' a simple collector, or...


    I licked my lips.


    "S-stop...!"


    Shattering the silence was a soft, and feeble voice. It belonged to the King who looked like a shell of himself.


    He had been watching the entire time.


    ....In silence, he watched as all of his people died and killed each other.


    The spectacle that greeted him outside of the window served to add further to his misery. His


    eyes were bloodshot, and his entire body was pale.


    At that moment, I was reminded of something.


    ''I''ve seen that look before.''


    It was a look that I had worn many times in the past.


    The look of a broken man.


    ....The child, she hadpletely broken the once imposing King.


    "Wh-W-"


    "Like I said, actions have consequences."


    In spite of all the horror that was happening outside, the young girl''s tone remained indifferent, holding a coldness that chilled the very room. With her face facing the window, her reflection stared directly back toward us.


    "You took something that you should''ve never touched."


    "B-but-"


    "Yes, the quantity wasn''t much, but that''s not the point."


    The young girl blinked, her hollow eyes reflecting the hundreds of people who stood outside with their heads presented to her.


    Their blood dripped down to the ground, slowly pooling into a carpet of red.


    Each droplet created faint ripples in the veil of blood.


    "That blood that you took..."


    Her face twitched.


    "...It was pure. It wasn''t diluted like the rest. That''s not something that can be attained easily."


    Pressing her little hands toward the window, the window started to tremble.


    "You see, we no longer have ess to the blood like we used to. Every little bit is precious, and the fact that you took it from me to try and feed it to your daughter.... Hoo."


    The little girl''s shoulders trembled.


    Suddenly, the room grew unbearably oppressive as the little girl''s jaw tightened. Her hands curled slowly into fists, and an eerie silence fell over the surroundings as if the very air was holding its breath, waiting for something dreadful to unfold.


    I ignored the mess that she was causing.


    My mind was entirely focused on what she had said.


    ''We no longer have ess to the blood like we used to...''


    What does this mean?


    What could it-


    "Hoo."


    Letting out a small breath, the girl calmed down and my attention returned to her. I strained


    to listen carefully, knowing that each word could shed light on things I wanted to know.


    Her eyes retained the same hollowness as before.


    Lifting her head up, she faced the sun directly without blinking her eyes. As the room was enveloped in silence, she quietly mumbled,


    "I bet you''re seeing all of this, right?"


    !....?!


    I drew near once again.


    What was she talking about...?


    "You who controls the past, present, and future... I bet you''ve already seen what is


    happening."


    The world around me seemed to stretch.


    The only thing that stood in my vision was the little girl who slowly turned around, turning


    her head to face my direction.


    I felt my entire body freeze on the spot.


    "Oracleus."


    The breath left my body.


    "Perhaps I''m just rambling to myself, or perhaps not. But you can''t me me, right? After


    all... you did once tell me you see everything."


    Tak-


    She took a step toward my direction.


    It was quiet and yet sounded as though an explosion had sted into my mind.


    It was all I could hear.


    Tak-


    She took another step, drawing closer to me.


    I stood in the same spot, unable to take my eyes away from her.


    If not for the fact that my real body was not here, I would''ve probably been drenched in


    sweat.


    She was so small, and yet... her presence felt terrifying.


    Tak-


    I pressed my lips, unable to hide my expression.


    She was now a meter away from me.


    ''She can see me...''


    But how?


    This was a memory.


    How is this-


    Tak!


    She now stood before me.


    I swallowed hard, feeling every inch of my body paralyzed on the spot.


    I could hardly breathe, and every corner of my mind screamed.


    And then...


    Tak!


    She took another step, passing right through my body.


    ||


    ||


    ||


    ||


    Tak, tak.


    Walking through me, her steps continued to gently echo across the room. I turned my head to


    see her walk for the door.


    All eyes seemed to be focused on her.


    However, nobody dared to move a single muscle. Or it was more like... they couldn''t move at


    all.


    "I''m only keeping you alive because I want you to see the result of the actions that you took."


    Arriving by the door, the door opened by itself and she paused, addressing the King.


    Following her words, she stepped out.


    I stared at her departing back, recovering my breath.


    It was only when she was far away from me that I felt like I could breathe again.


    But it was also when she started to disappear that I felt like I needed to follow right behind


    her.


    There was more that I had to see and hear.


    The fact that the effect of the second leaf hadn''t ended was perfect proof of this.


    And thus, I followed right behind her.


    Tak.


    She walked in silence, her hollow eyes indifferent to her surroundings.


    It was only when she stepped out of the estate and was greeted by the gruesome sight of the


    decapitated heads that she stopped.


    ||


    She appeared unfazed by it all, walking out of the Pce with the same hollow look of hers.


    Ssh-


    A ripple formed on the thin pool of blood that veiled the ground beneath her.


    "Wooo..."


    "Wuwuw."


    Cries and screams of agony met her sight as she walked past the streets of the city, taking in


    the aftermath of what had happened. Each sound seemed to w at her ears, mingling with


    the stench of blood and smoke that lingered in the air.


    Her eyes remained indifferent to it all.


    Eventually, she stopped by the city square.


    It was empty beside the few people offering their heads, their bodies facing the pce.


    The young girl paused at the edge of the square. With a deliberate motion, she raised one


    hand and tapped it lightly.


    Krrr!


    The ground quaked beneath her, and the unsettling sound of stone grinding against stone


    echoed through the air.


    Gradually, arge rock floated before her.


    She looked back once, before tapping the rock.


    The statue''s form began to shift, its features contorting as a pair of wings unfurled from its


    back. Slowly, the face of an angel emerged from the stone, its expression carved with sorrow so deep it seemed almost lifelike. The figure''s outstretched hands mirrored the desperate pleading of the civilians behind her as if the angel was pleading for them.


    I stood in silence, watching the entire process from beginning to end.


    Eventually, the statue formed.


    ''....It''s the same.''


    This statue... It was the Angel of Sorrow.


    Rustle~


    Waving her hand, a mirror appeared in her little hand.


    Reflected in the mirror was the little girl''s face, but looking into the mirror, I noticed that


    there was something wrong.


    Her reflection...


    It was different than her real expression.


    "Hmm, I know."


    Within the mirror, the child''s eyes were filled with tears.


    "...It''s unfortunate, but you must pay for the sins that your fathermitted."


    Pressing her finger against the mirror, the child within the mirror screamed before getting


    pulled out of it and ced into the statue.


    Krrr!


    A grinding sound echoed shortly after as the statue shook.


    It persisted for several seconds before finallying to a stop. The eyes of the child rippled as


    she looked at the statue.


    "From this point forward the Rilgona Empire will start to experience its dow


    to stare at its decline, knowing that this was something your father did."


    Drip!


    A certain dripping sound echoed through the air.


    It was soon followed by another.


    Drip..!


    fall. I want you


    When the little girl looked up, she noticed tears streaming down the statue''s face.


    The child raised her hand and wiped the tears.


    "....It''s unfair, isn''t it? Cruel perhaps, but I''ve long lost my humanity. I feel no pity for you,


    nor do I feel pity for anyone."


    Retrieving her hand, the child turned around and walked away.


    Drip!


    Tears continued to drip from the statue''s face.


    However, this time, the tears turned ck. A pitch-dark color that left a trail behind.


    This...


    I pressed my lips, watching everything unfold with a heavy heart.


    ''So this is...''


    I...


    "You''re here."


    The child''s voice shook me out of my thoughts.


    When I looked up, several figures appeared behind the child. They all stood in silence, holding


    onto their words while staring at the child.


    11


    ||


    No, it was more like they didn''t dare say a word.


    "Dawn."


    Breaking the silence was the child herself.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    A figure I was all too familiar with stepped forward.


    Golden hair, golden eyes, and a presence that seemed to embody the very sun itself. He stood


    a stark contrast with the white sun that hung in the sky.


    "Yes...?"


    The child blinked slowly.


    "The Rilgona Monarch will most likely start to decline after what has happened. The King will


    also not likely disclose what has happened."


    "Yes."


    "Absorb the remnants of the Empire."


    11


    As remained quiet, his expression unable to hide his surprise.


    The child remained emotionless.


    "Nurture them and bring them to the outside world when you''re ready. Build it slowly. When


    the time is ripe, head for the outside world and build a footing over there."


    "Understood."


    "Have you scouted the areas outside?"


    With a visible gulp, As nodded his head carefully.


    "I have..."


    "That''s good."


    The child''s eyes rippled slightly.


    She was just about to move when As stopped her.


    "About the organization, what should I name it?"


    "Name it...?"


    The child stopped, her gaze rippling again. It appeared to be a strange phenomenon that


    urred whenever she felt emotions.


    I wasn''t too sure.


    She raised her head and looked toward the white orb that stood in the sky.


    Her eyes rippled once more, and as they did, she began to mumble,


    "What do I want...?"


    Turning her head, she looked at As, a thin smile finally gracing her lips.


    "Inverted Sky."


    She nodded,


    "Call it Inverted Sky."

 Chapter 341: A sealed past [6]

    Chapter 341: A sealed past [6]


    ?


    I hissed coldly upon hearing the words that came out of the little girl''s mouth. A lot of things started to make sense then.


    From the four-leaved clover symbol to how the statue came about.


    ''....So the Inverted Sky is an organization made up of the remnants of the Rilgona Monarchy.''


    Everything started to make sense when I recalled everything that I had seen.


    I had also learned a few new things.


    But at the same time, I had a few more questions in my mind.


    Like...


    The Four-leaved clover, what rtion did that have with the tattoo on my arm? Was there a rtion at all?


    ''It looks like I''ll need to dig deeper into this ce''s history.''


    I felt like I was onto something.


    Not only that...


    Shifting my attention toward the little girl who looked nkly at the sky, I started to get an idea as to who she was.


    "The Faceless Man. Sithrus.''


    Only he would be capable ofmanding someone like As.


    He hade personally to punish those from this Monarchy and entered the body of the little girl in the process.


    Was this all to send a message...?


    I turned around and shifted my attention back toward the statue.


    ck tears traced down its face as it stared ahead, unmoving. It was then that Sithrus and the others left.


    A change started to ur in the world.


    As though time had been suddenly sped up, the world shifted. Changes urred. Houses became abandoned, the streets became emptier, and the buildings started to fall apart. Gradually, the Monarchy fell.


    Houses stood empty, their doors left ajar as the habitants all left one by one. The streets, once bustling with life, became eerily silent, no longer carrying any sign of life.


    Buildings began to decay, their walls cracking and crumbling as if rotting from within.


    The Monarch crumbled.


    In that time, as change urred, there were hardly any things that remained the same besides a few.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The white sun.


    The gray sky, and...


    The Angel of Sorrow.


    I stood in silence, watching all of this unfold before my very eyes.


    I didn''t know what to say or do. All I could do was imprint the sight before my eyes, sensing the despair, anguish, anger, and sadness of the soul within the statue as she watched everything unfold before her very eyes, unable to do a thing.


    The statue stood still in the same spot for centuries before finally being moved by those who reimed thend.


    ....It was also then that the statue came alive.


    Feeling the pent-up rage and darkness in her, I looked up to see her standing before me, her hand gripping tightly at my neck.


    She squeezed as hard she could, trying to break my neck.


    But I knew this wasn''t possible.


    This was my mind after all.


    "It''s useless."


    Finally finding my words, I stared at the statue. Its neck flicked to disy several faces, trying


    to crack my mind so that it could enter it and take over me.


    The grip around my neck intensified.


    I couldn''t breathe anymore.


    ....Or it was more like, she tried to make me think that I couldn''t breathe.


    || ||


    I remained calmly standing, unfazed by it all.


    And it was only then that the statue finally realized it was useless.


    In the blink of an eye, her hands disappeared from my neck, and she disappeared from my


    sight.


    All that was left was the darkness of my mind.


    That was when I opened my eyes.


    || ||


    A familiar locker room greeted my sight.


    "Hoo."


    Leaning against the wall beside me, I nkly stared at the ceiling of the locker room.


    I sat in silence like that, onlying out of it when I heard the muffled shoutsing from the arena outside.


    ''Oh, it looks like the match between Leon and Amell ising to an end.''


    I stood up and patted my clothes.


    "I shouldn''t miss it."


    Moving past the clothes that were scattered on the ground, I headed for the door. But just as I was about to leave, I paused to look at the mirror that was positioned by the side of the room. Right next to the metal locker.


    I stared at my own reflection for a good couple of seconds, only looking away when I fixed my cor enough to hide the imprints that were left on my neck.


    "Woooo!"


    "Ahhh!"


    Opening the door, the cheers of the crowd suddenly started to overwhelm me.


    I basked in the sound for a few seconds before finally leaving.


    nk!


    ''I''m sure Leon will be happy with what I''ve learned.''


    ***


    The crowd was boiling.


    nk, nk-!


    A spectacle greeted the audience''s eyes. Sparks flew, bursting in the air like colorful fireworks.


    Tiny explosions followed with each sh as Leon''s eyes turned bloodshot.


    nk!


    Another powerful st echoed as the sparks grew brighter.


    "....!"


    Leon skidded back several steps, his breathing extremely heavy.


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    His shoulders were slumped while his eyes were shaky and unfocused. On the other hand, while Amell wasn''t faring that much better, he had a clear advantage.


    "Wooo!"


    The crowd''s cheers and chants boomed throughout the Colosseum as the two opponents


    regained their breath.


    This entire process took less than a second, and soon enough, taking a deep breath, Leon''s body blurred as he attacked Amell who reciprocated his attack with one of his own.


    nk!


    Amell lowered his waist and shed his sword horizontally. Leon ducked back, narrowly avoiding the tip of Amell''s sword before shing vertically.


    Pak!


    Amell deflected the sword with a swift p to the side, then stepped in closer, delivering a


    powerful upward diagonal sh.


    "!"


    Leon''s expression turned pale as arge gush appeared on his body.


    Blood dripped down on his shirt as he kicked the ground and distanced himself from Amell


    who followed behind, not giving him a single chance to recover.


    nk, nk-


    The audience could barely keep up, their eyes struggling to follow as the swords streaked through the air at incredible speeds, twisting and changing direction at any given second.


    This wasn''t just an exchange of swords.


    It was also a mental game.


    Who was going to fall for it first?


    "....How masterful!"


    Karl couldn''t help but praise as he watched the match with an excited glint in his eyes.


    "Five minutes into the match, both sides are beginning to show signs of weakness. However,


    if you look closely, you''ll notice that Leon is at a clear disadvantage. Will Amell emerge


    victorious? What do you think?"


    He turned to look at Johanna. Unlike him, she didn''t seem at all that excited.


    That was mainly because she was extremely focused on analyzing the situation. Sorting


    through all that she managed to observe, she spoke,


    "Leon has been fighting while holding his breath the entire time."


    "Uh?"


    Karl''s face stiffened upon hearing her words.


    "Fighting while holding his breath? Why would he-"


    "Because he has no choice but to."


    Johanna replied, zooming the broadcast to show several instances when Leon paused to take a


    deep breath before attacking.


    "There''s only one good reason why he would hold his breath during a fight and that''s Amell''s


    domain."


    "?"


    "Notice how Leon bes weaker each time he takes a deep breath. Do you really think it''s


    because he''s deprived of oxygen?"


    "It could be..."


    "No, not quite."


    Johanna shook her head.


    "His domain ability allows him to regain mental rity and increases his power. He should be


    getting stronger, not weaker."


    "Ah."


    "Whatever Amell''s domain consists of, it''s stopping him from breathing. Each time he takes a whiff of whatever is hiding within the tform, he bes weaker."


    Karl pursed his lips upon hearing her analysis.


    If that was the case...


    He shifted his attention to the struggling Leon.


    "...I''m afraid Leon doesn''t have that much time left before his body gives up on him."


    nk!


    Sparks flew one more as Leon and Amell exchanged blows.


    nk, nk-


    Leon''s chest tingled as he held his breath. It was as Karl and Johanna said. He couldn''t


    breathe. The scent that lingered in the air made him be weaker each time he took a


    breath, and he had no choice but to act this way.


    The only problem was that it was also hindering his performance.


    ''If I can''t breathe, I have to make it so that he doesn''t breathe either!''


    It was for that reason that Leon attacked relentlessly.


    His body popped while his muscles squeezed and released, his strikes seamlessly connecting


    with one another, performing an overwhelming dance that Amell could hardly fend off.


    nk!


    A powerful spark flew in the air as Amell stumbled back, his guard faltering for a brief second.


    Leon''s eyes constricted at that moment.


    ''Now...!''


    This was his opportunity, and he didn''t want to waste it.


    Kicking the ground with a ''bang'' he dashed forward and shed down.


    Swoosh!


    His actions were a little reckless since it could very well be a trap, but he had no choice. Time


    was running out for him


    The stars in his eyes shimmered, fading one by one as his power increased, and so did his


    attacks.


    nk! nk!


    Amell responded in kind, his body twisting and turning as he deftly avoided some of the


    attacks while reciprocating. His movements were elegant and refined. A lot more so than Leon''s whose attacks were a lot more precise and ruthless.


    "kh...!"


    It was a bitter struggle, one side bidding for time, while the other pushing himself to his limit


    due to theck of time.


    "Uehk!"


    Leon''s face was entirely red as he shed and crisscrossed with the sword.


    ''More...! More!''


    His head felt light and his vision grew blurry.


    He was on hisst leg.


    .....He needed to take a breath.


    However, lifting his head and staring at his opponent whose guard was still persisting, he


    clenched his teeth and persisted. The stars in his eyes faded one by one as power surged


    through his body.


    nk! nk-!


    The sparks grew brighter and his muscles bulged, straining his clothes.


    ''I have to...''


    Leon''s face was entirely pale and his eyes were unfocused.


    Despite all of this, he continued to swing his sword.


    sh! sh-


    The air whistled with each strike, his form slowly starting to crumble apart while his steps


    faltered as well.


    Amell''s form cracked once more.


    His expression changed, and Leon took advantage of it.


    He put more force on his waist and shed down with all he had.


    "Aaahh!"


    Leon screamed, losing the little air he had within him.


    CLANK!


    Amell''s guard showed even more cracks.


    "Ukh!"


    Leon felt his body pause.


    ''Air...!''


    ...He had to take a breath, but he also knew that he would lose doing so.


    "Kh!"


    So he persisted.


    sh! sh!


    He shed and shed and shed.


    Each sh forced Amell back. He tried to reciprocate but Leon''s attack left him no room to do


    so. He was like a machine...


    He repeated the same motion over and over again.


    All he could think about was cutting the opponent that he could no longer see.


    nk!


    He could feel his sword hit against something, but he wasn''t sure what it was. With his breath


    held, he just repeated the same motion over and over again.


    It was either him or his opponent...


    Swoosh-Swo...


    Leon felt his sword stop halfway.


    He tried to push it down further, fueling his strength with the stars, but his sword refused to


    budge. It was as though his entire body had lost its strength.


    That''s when Leon realized it.


    ''Ah.''


    He couldn''t hold it any longer.


    Feeling his legs buckle, he let go of his sword and knelt.


    "Haaa..."


    For the first time in a while, he took a deep breath, filling his lungs with oxygen as the world


    around him felt eerily quiet.


    His eyes were still blurry, and he couldn''t properly think.


    "The winner is..."


    But in spite of his condition, he managed to hear the referee''s words.


    "Leon Ellert of the Nurs Ancifa Empire!"

 Chapter 342: Prelude To The Big Match [1]

    Chapter 342: Prelude To The Big Match [1]


    ?


    Thump!


    The referee caught Leon''s fall before announcing the result of the match.


    "The winner is Leon Ellert of the Nurs Ancifa Empire!"


    By the time the referee''s voice faded, the entire Colosseum was quiet. Not a single person said a word as they looked at the passed-out Leon and the heavily breathing Amell who was sitting on the ground, his hands behind him to support his body.


    "Haaa... Haaa..."


    He looked utterly exhausted, his face pale and his chest rising and falling repeatedly.


    And yet, despite his loss, he didn''t look disappointed at all.


    In fact, he appeared somewhat happy.


    The sight wasn''t something that many picked up.


    Not many besides Elysia... The delegate from his Empire.


    Cra Crack-


    The armrest of her chair shattered as her expression chilled and her eyes settled over Amell.


    It was eerily quiet in the tform above, and after a while, Elysia managed to restrain her anger, her eyes squinting as she turned her attention toward Gael.


    "....You''ve raised quite a powerful batch."


    "Uh, yes..."


    Gael nodded absentmindedly, staring at the scene beneath with a dazed look. It was clear from his expression that he hadn''t expected such a result.


    He could still recall the fight in his mind despite it being over several minutes ago.


    From how Leon had been struggling to deal with Amell''s domain, to how he managed to create an opening for himself and go all out despite not being able to breathe.


    Had Amell held out for just one more second, he would''ve been able to defeat Leon.


    ....It was fortunate that he didn''t.


    In the end, Leon won.


    And this meant their Empire had now three of the remaining four members for the Semi- Finals.


    "I guess this is also it for me."


    Elysia stood up from her seat.


    She nced toward Gael and Theron before pursing her lips. She appeared unusually calm despite the loss. While she did look angry at first, it died down a little too quickly.


    It was a good thing neither Gael nor Theron cared enough to point it out.


    "I''ll take my leave."


    As she headed out, she ced her hand over Theron''s shoulder, finally gaining his attention as he raised his head to meet her eyes.


    She smiled at him.


    "I hope your golden boy manages tost until the end."


    Elysia disappeared shortly after that.


    Her disappearance brought silence to the viewing tform as neither Gael nor Theron spoke. That was until their pockets vibrated at the same time.


    Trrr-


    Taking out theirmunication device in unison-a small orb that fit in their hands¡ªthey looked at the message written on the device.


    Soon enough, a smile crept on Theron''s face as he faced Gael.


    "I''ll see you in the finals."


    He stood up and left before Gael could even respond, not that he would''ve since he remained silent the entire time, staring at the message on hismunication device.


    Gradually, a smile crept on his lips as he put themunication device away.


    Standing up, he buttoned his zer before turning around and leaving. "Cough!"


    As he left, he coughed several times.


    Hisplexion didn''t look good, but the smile on his face was hard to hide.


    "I''ll see you in the finals?"


    Gael''s smile also transitioned into augh.


    With great restraint, he managed to hold himself back.


    "There''s still the Semi-Finals."


    ***


    Verdant Empire locker room.


    nk-


    The door to the locker room burst open as an enraged Elysia entered the room. Her wavy hair danced behind her as she fixed her gaze on the worn-out Amell.


    He held his head down, a towel draping over him to hide his face. The door closed with a


    ''bang'' and a tense silence took over the room.


    She stood with her arms crossed, waiting for Amell to say something.


    However, that moment never came.


    He just held his head down without saying a word.


    This was enough to arouse Elysia''s curiosity as her expression eased a little.


    "What is it...?"


    She finally spoke, addressing Amell with a softer tone than she anticipated. This was to be


    expected.


    Elysia was addressing the true legitimate heir to the Verdant Empire.


    While she was the Crown Princess, that was merely in name. Her real surname was ''Arjen'' which belonged to one of the seven ''bloodlines'' belonging to the royal family.


    Despite its strength, the bloodline remained inferior to the Mantovaj bloodline¡ªthe purest of all, marked by the unmistakable gray eyes that were their signature.


    She had been named the Crown Princess due to her age, but she knew that in due time the real


    heir would be Amell.


    Theron was also in a simr situation.


    Caius was the true here of the Aetheria Empire.


    "...."


    Despite her words, Amell remained quiet.


    This made Elysia frown.


    "Is there something that¡ª"


    "You knew, didn''t you?"


    Amell cut her off directly, his voice low.


    Elysia pulled her head back while frowning.


    "Know what?"


    "Heh."


    With a light scoff, Amell lifted his head, allowing the towel to slip off. His intense gray eyes


    locked onto Elysia, radiating a quiet but undeniable sense of authority.


    "Don''t pretend like you don''t know."


    Elysia didn''t say a word.


    She just stood there staring at Amell. He looked back at her, his expression unwavering. Eventually, she pursed her lips and opened her mouth.


    "What do you want me to say?"


    "That you knew about Leon."


    || ||


    Elysia''s jaw clenched as her head tilted to the side in a half-hearted attempt at shaking her


    head.


    "I was just like you."


    She came forth in the end.


    "....I saw his profile and came to the same conclusion that you did."


    "And?"


    "And I did my own investigation."


    "What did you find?" "....The same thing as you did. That he''s most likely your missing brother."


    Waving her hand, Elysia tossed several documents in Amell''s direction. With fluid


    movements, he caught the files before opening them.


    As he read, Elysia started to speak,


    "There''s not that many people in the world that have gray eyes."


    Her heels clicked against the floor as she paced around the locker room.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "The moment I saw him, I had him investigated. Not just his eyes, but his face... Though not a


    spitting image, he really did look like a younger version of His Majesty. With such looks and


    eyes, I''d have to be blind if I couldn''t see it. That''s why I dug everything up that I possibly


    could''ve. This is the result."


    "Thank you."


    Amell found himself nodding, opening the documents, and reading through them.


    A thought urred to him as he read, and he soon raised his head.


    "Given how unsurprised you looked when I confronted you about this, it seems like you


    already knew that I knew."


    "Oh, please."


    Elysia almost rolled her eyes.


    "I may not have a pure bloodline like yours, but I''m still the Crown Princess. Whatever you do,


    I know. Do you really think they''d investigate anything without my knowledge?"


    "Heh."


    Amell chuckled, lowering his head again.


    "...I guess that''s fair."


    He more or less expected this to happen.


    In fact, he also knew that there was no way he''d be the only one to figure out about Leon. The


    fight had been broadcast to the entire world.


    It''d be weird if nobody caught on.


    "What about my parents?"


    "....Do you want to know the truth?"


    "No, never mind."


    Amell stood up from his seat and let out a small sigh. Stretching his neck, he headed for the


    door.


    Moving past Elysia, he paused, passing the documents back to her.


    "Do onest check.


    "....Ast check?"


    Elysia frowned, turning her head to look at Amell who parted before she could say any other


    words.


    "Hey, wait...!"


    nk-


    The door closed with great force, leaving Elysia standing by herself. Her mouth opened but


    the words did note out. Eventually, lowering her head she looked at the files in her hand.


    That was when she noticed a small bag.


    Within it were several hairs.


    Her expression turned strange upon seeing the hair. Eventually, her face eased as she shook


    her head.


    "I knew it."


    She put the files away.


    "....He had more to give in the fight."


    ***


    Leon found himself staring at a nk ceiling.


    Every part of his body ached, and when he lifted his head, he saw that he was in the infirmary.


    "Where am I?"


    "Hell. You''ve died, and now you must pay for your sins."


    "...I guess this familiar voice makes the statement true."


    A certain voice reached his ears.


    Turning his head, he saw an all too familiar figure.


    "Did I...?"


    "You won."


    "Ah."


    Leon felt his voice strain as he spoke.


    Despite not having screamed at all, it almost felt as though he had lost his voice.


    "Is this why you''re here?"


    "Well..."


    Julien stood up from the seat he was sitting on and patted his clothes.


    "...First, I was checking up on you. You are my knight after all. It''d be heartless of me if I did


    "Cut the bullshit."


    Julien paused, his head tilted for a second before he sighed.


    "You''re right, I don''t care."


    "I knew it."


    "...For a moment you didn''t."


    "There was never a doubt."


    "I beg to disagree." "Alrighty, what is it?"


    Leon leaned his head back against the soft pillow and looked back at the empty ceiling above


    him. Anything better than seeing that face...


    "You know I can read your expression, right?"


    "Yes, I know."


    "Then...?"


    "I wanted you to see it."


    Pursing his lips, Julien squinted his eyes for a brief moment. Then, as if he couldn''t be


    bothered to think about it anymore, he went straight for what he wanted to say.


    "We should find Evelyn."


    "....."


    Leon''s head lifted as he hastily turned to look at Julien.


    "Why?"


    Julien didn''t answer immediately. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, but he was quick


    to shake it off.


    "It''ll take a little time to catch up. The Angel has already tried to attack me. There''s no point


    in her hiding any longer. If you say she''s as good as you say, then we need her." Julien couldn''t deal with the Angel by himself.


    This much became clear to him after he saw the vision.


    He was strong mentally, and he could fend off her attacks, but he couldn''t defeat her.


    Only Evelyn was capable of that.


    .... At least, he hoped.


    "Can you get in contact with her?"


    "I can."


    Leon nodded his head faintly.


    He knew of a way to contact Evelyn. She was rather well-prepared, and knowing her quite


    well, Leon knew how to get in touch with her in these situations.


    "Good."


    Julien appeared almost relieved after hearing his confirmation.


    As he leaned back into the chair, his mouth opened, prepared to say something when


    something vibrated in his pocket.


    Trrr-


    It wasn''t just his pocket.


    Leon shifted his attention toward the nearby desk where hismunication device was.


    The two looked at each other simultaneously before Julien stood up and tossed him themunication device.


    k!


    Leon caught it with one hand and looked through the message.


    11


    ".....


    Seeing the message that was presented before him, his expression started to change. Then, as


    if realizing something, he raised his head to look at Julien who looked at themunication


    device without much of an expression.


    But upon closer look, Leon could see his grip over themunication device was extremely


    tight.


    How could Leon me him...?


    After all, the next matchups had been released.


    [Match 1] Julien Evenus Vs. Caius Aetheria [Match 2] Leon Ellert Vs. Aoife Megrail

 Chapter 343: Prelude To The Big Match [2]

    Chapter 343: Prelude To The Big Match [2]


    ?


    "....How much do you remember?"


    A soft voice echoed quietly in a small room where a tall and robust young man rested. His expression was pale, and his eyes remained fixed on the ceiling above him.


    It had been less than a day since Carmen had woken up, and his memory was rather hazy.


    All he could recall was feeling his chest explode and darkness enveloping his vision.


    By the time he regained consciousness, several days had passed.


    "Haa."


    Taking a deep breath, he turned to his right.


    There, a young man with blonde hair and striking yellow eyes elegantly sat with his legs crossed and a teacup in his hand.


    "I asked you a question."


    His tone remained soft, but Carmen felt his entire body shudder.


    ''Why is he here...?''


    Finding his breath again, he swallowed quietly and began talking. He knew he couldn''t afford not to talk.


    "....I don''t remember very well. I.. I..."


    His throat was sore, and he struggled to speak properly. Nheless, he had no choice but to force himself to speak.


    "I just... remember trying to get close to him, waiting for him to use his Emotive Magic, but..."


    He paused, his brows furrowing.


    Recalling the sensation he felt back then, he felt his face slowly start to turn pale. His body shuddered, and his lips trembled.


    "I-it was overwhelming."


    He raised his head, staring directly at Caius.


    "To..."


    He pursed his lips, covering his mouth with his hand. He stopped himself from speaking any further.


    Especially since he was about to say;


    ''.... To the point where even you might get swallowed up.''


    "To...?"


    But it was toote.


    Caius had already heard his words.


    Ah.


    Feeling Caius''s gaze, Carmen felt sweat form by the side of his face. He swallowed quietly and tried his best to remainposed.


    But he knew that he couldn''t remain silent.


    In the end, he spoke,


    "To the point where I thought I was facing you."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ***


    A bright light appeared.


    It shone upon the darkness that surrounded the space.


    Grass started to form, stretching towards the depth of the darkness.


    Four Orbs appeared above the grass.


    The orbs pulsed in silence, emitting faint hues of different colors. I stood in silence, watching the purple orb.


    ''Fear''


    Extending my hand, the orb reached out for me, slithering toward me and enveloping every part of my body.


    I stood in silence, observing the changes that were taking over my body.


    I ignored my trembling lips, the cold sweat running down my back, and my beating heart. I focused entirely on observing the changes that were taking over my body.


    It wasn''t long before I had an understanding.


    "Hooo."


    With a long breath, I swiped my hand away and changes started to ur to the world that was presented before my very eyes.


    The grass rustled, while purple flowers started to appear all around the grass.


    Trees emerged, all with purple leaves, adding more vibrancy to the world.


    It was a process that took no longer than several minutes, and by the time it was over, the


    entire world was covered in purple flowers and trees.


    The sight was stunning.


    ''I''m getting closer.''


    But above all, staring at the world that was forming within my mind, I knew that I was getting closer topleting my domain.


    I raised my head and looked at the three remaining orbs.


    So long as I could get ess to the remaining orbs...


    Instinctively my hand reached out for the orbs, which pulsed and throbbed as though they wanted to be one with me.


    I reached forward, toward the orb of sorrow.


    My heartbeat increased as I started to reach out for it, my inner greeding out and whispering things into my mind.


    ''Do it...!''


    ''Reach for it.''


    ''Get it.''


    They rang loudly in my mind, trying their best to let me fall for the temptation, and just as my finger was about to touch the orb, I stopped.


    || "..."


    The world shattered and I opened my eyes, revealing the insides of my own room.


    ".....''


    I sat in silence for a brief moment before letting out a long breath.


    "That was close.''


    The match between Caius and I was going to be held tomorrow.


    There was no break.


    I couldn''t afford to fully exhaust myself before the fight started. Caius was extremely strong.


    To the point where I knew that the odds were stacked against me, but I wanted to win.


    I wanted to be number one.


    Since the day that I appeared in this world, I wanted to be number one.


    I didn''t want to lose.


    I hated losing.


    And for that reason, I couldn''t afford to mess around.


    "...."


    As I closed my eyes, the world around me fell silent.


    I basked in that silence, ignoring the subtle ''pops'' and ''cracks''ing out of my body as I


    adjusted myself for the uing fight.


    Win...


    I had to win.


    ***


    The next day.


    Caius woke up early in the morning.


    He changed his clothes, had a nice breakfast, and brushed his teeth. Normally, he''d train at


    this time in the morning, but today was different.


    There was a match that he needed to attend and he couldn''t afford to waste any energy.


    Shaa-


    Washing his face, Caius raised his head to stare at his face.


    His own hair was sticking to his forehead, and staring at his own reflection, Caius paid close


    attention to his eyes.


    They shone like jewels, capturing everything that looked right into them.


    Caius stared at his own reflection, his own pupils slowly starting to twist like the sun. The very


    air around him warped, objects within his reach flickering in and out of existence.


    Cr Crack-!


    A subtle cracking sound spread across the room.


    Blinking his eyes, Caius looked at the mirror and the fragmented pieces of his face.


    He stood like that for a few seconds before tearing his eyes away.


    "....I''m ready."


    ***


    It was early in the morning, and yet a long line had already formed at the entrance of the


    Colosseum.


    "Let me in."


    "I have been waiting since yesterday. Please let me in."


    "...Don''t push!" While the Quarter-Finals had a lot of fans spectating and watching, the excitement was far


    less than it was now. People pushed and shoved each other as tried to get into the Colosseum, unable to hide their anticipation for the uing battle.


    There would only be one battle disyed today with the next one disyed the day after.


    This was so that everyone would make more money.


    Be it the Megrail family that was hosting, and the other Empires who got a small cut of the


    revenue that came from the broadcast.


    It was all about the money...


    ||


    Leon watched from behind, his appearance different than normal.


    Since his next match wasn''t until tomorrow, he decided to spectate Julien''s match. Whoever


    won would be his potential next opponent.


    Well, that was granted he''d win his next match.


    .....And he wasn''t so sure about his chances of winning. Not when Aoife was currently being


    controlled by the Angel.


    ''Where is she...?''


    Leon looked around, his eyes scanning his surroundings as he tried to look for someone.


    He had been waiting in line for that very purpose. Otherwise, he could''ve just entered on the


    ground that he was also apetitor.


    He was here for-


    "Why did you contact me?"


    A familiar crisp voice sounded from next to him.


    Leon held his smile back and looked ahead.


    "You don''t need to hide any longer."


    "...?"


    "I''ve already been looped about the situation. The Angel knows about Julien."


    "Ah."


    As if realizing where the conversation was going, Evelyn let out a soft sound. Leon kept his expression straight.


    "....I know you stayed away since you didn''t want the Angel to find out about us so that we could investigate, but that''s no longer a problem."


    Finally, Leon turned his head to stare at Evelyn who covered her face with a ck hoodie.


    Leon found her appearance to be rather funny.


    "What''s the point of the hoody? You''re not that famous, and the Angel already knows about you. If-"


    "Have you seen my face?"


    Evelyn cut Leon off, her expression seeming to say; ''What kind of question is this?''


    "......"


    Indeed, Leon realized pretty quickly how stupid his question was and shut his mouth. Evelyn


    was rather pretty, and she knew it.


    Her appearance would cause quite a bit of trouble for them.


    "I''m not worried about the Angel seeing me."


    Evelyn went on to speak, tilting her head slightly to see the end of the line. Their turn was


    going to be soon.


    "....It already can see every move that I make."


    "Uh?"


    Leon paused, turning his head to look at her.


    Evelyn stared back at him before pointing at her temple.


    "I''ve sealed a small part of it in my mind."


    "....!"


    Leon''s expression changed.


    But before he could say anything else, a cool voice echoed.


    "Next."


    Leon hastily turned his head and handed his ticket to the guard who let the two of them in.


    ''Booom!''


    Coming into the Colosseum, as if a bomb had detonated, Leon and Evelyn found themselves freezing on the spot as the crowd roared wildly.


    It took several seconds for them to snap out of it as Leon smiled bitterly.


    "....I didn''t think it was this loud."


    He looked at the ticket and headed for their seats.


    The seats were rather good. It was spotted close to the main tform, allowing the two of


    them to get a good view of the fight.


    ||||


    Staring at the empty tform before him, Leon fell into a strange silence.


    The noise around him started to drown out while his heart started to beat faster. He didn''t


    understand why he was behaving like this.


    Was he nervous about the statue situation?


    No, while he was worried, he knew he had time.


    Then what...?


    Why was he-


    ||||


    ||


    ||


    "....


    As if everyone came to an agreement all sound abruptly drained away from the Colosseum,


    leaving behind a stifling silence that pressed down on everyone.


    Leon raised his head, his back unconsciously straightening.


    Simr scenes urred throughout.


    Tak-


    The single sound of a step shattered the silence that pressed down on the Colosseum.


    A figure emerged from the right, his blonde hair a sharp contrast against the blinding white


    sun that loomed in the sky, while his eyes, cold and piercing, seemed to draw the attention of


    the entire crowd.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    The crowd''s hearts beat in unison.


    A strange tension gathered across the Colosseum.


    Tak-


    On the other side, another step echoed.


    It was firmer and louder than Caius''s. Emerging from the left side was Julien. His hazel eyes


    and ck stood in stark contrast to Caius''s yellow eyes and hair.


    One was the darkness, while the other was the light.


    ''Pop''


    ''Crack''


    ''Pop''


    Weird noises burst out of Julien''s body as his muscles and bones wiggled in a strange manner,


    adjusting his body for the uing fight.


    His momentum rose with each step he took.


    The same was true for Caius whose momentum rose to match Julien''s.


    Leon stared at the two, forgetting to breathe the entire time.


    It was only when the two stopped on opposite ends, staring at each other that Leon realized


    why his body had been acting the way that it was.


    ''Excitement.''


    He was...


    Excited.

 Chapter 344: What does it mean to be the best? [1]

    Chapter 344: What does it mean to be the best? [1]


    ?


    "Well, here we are."


    Karl''s voice quietly echoed as his eyes were fixed on the two individuals standing in the middle of the tform.


    The air was tense, and he felt his throat grow dry.


    Taking a small sip, he introduced the two sides.


    "On the right, we have the favorite of this Summit and the young man who is regarded as the strongest genius amongst the four empires. He''s a user with talent in the [Mind] category, in both [Telekenisis] and [Emotive] magic."


    Karl''s voice was the only thing that the listeners could hear as everyone watched the tform with their mouths closed, unable to utter a single word.


    Tensions were high and the momentum between the two continued to rise.


    Julien''s body continued to ''pop'' and squirm as the muscles in his body continuously changed. His changes were evident as his body unknowingly released a certain pressure on those watching.


    It felt as though they were being pressed down by arge hand.


    ....It made it hard for them to think and follow.


    Unaware of what was happening outside, a red orb appeared in Julien''s mind, throbbing and shaking continuously like a beast that was ready to be let out of its cage.


    ''Pop''


    As opposed to Julien, Caius appeared a lot more calm and serene.


    His eyes were closed, and his body was at peace. His breathing was stable, and he acted as though he wasn''t in the middle of an importantpetition.


    A ripleless pond appeared in Caius''s mind.


    Within that pond, six figures stood. They were all Caius, wearing different expressions.


    One was trembling, one was blushing, one was smiling, one was crying, one clenching his teeth, and thest one was looking up with wide eyes.


    They were theplete forms of Caius''s emotions.


    Only through them would his Emotive Magic be released.


    11 "I


    The sharp contrast between the two sides made the audience hold their breath in anticipation as the referee showed up in the middle.


    He looked at both sides, allowing each side to build their momentum.


    At the same time, Karl continued with hismentary.


    "On the other side, we have Julien. He''s what we call a ck horse. Originally, he was ranked within the top thirty in the power ranking, but after defeating Kaelion, things have shifted. Some im that he''s second to none behind Caius, while others still consider him to be the weakest."


    The overall reaction of the world after Julien''s victory was mixed.


    Most understood that he was at least amongst the top four strongest people. It was just that they weren''t sure about which rank he was in.


    However, the hype behind Julien was high.


    A lot of people were now cing him at the top of the contestants, only behind Caius.


    "....This fight will allow us to see the true depths of his power. Especially his famous Emotive Magic."


    Karl took another sip of his water.


    His mouth grew strangely dry with every word he spoke.


    Was it the nerves?


    "Here''s the kicker, however. Caius is also an extremely powerful Emotive Mage. There''s a general consensus that he''s the best Emotive Mage in his age group, but is that true? ...Or is Julien better than him?"


    Karl turned his attention toward his partner, Johanna.


    "What do you think?"


    "....I''m not entirely sure."


    Johanna answered truthfully.


    "I haven''t seen much of the two sides so my answer may not be entirely urate. In fact, it may just bepletely wrong."


    "And...?"


    Johanna pursed her lips, falling into a short silence before finally managing to find her words. "....If we''re talking purely on the Emotive aspect, then I believe that Julien is superior to Caius."


    "Oh?"


    The words didn''t exactly leave Karl stunned.


    Following Julien''s fight with Kaelion, Johanna had said something simr. Digging up a few of the recent fights, there had been a massive debate amongst the people as to who was the superior Emotive Mage.


    For now, it was mainly split, but a lot of the people were leaning in on Julien''s side.


    "We haven''t seen much of Caius''s emotive magic since he doesn''t use it often, mainly finishing his opponents quickly with his ''Telekinesis'', however, looking at past records, I can more or less deduce a couple of things."


    Johanna sorted out a few files in front of her.


    She had done the research and thus had grounds for her words.


    "Caius''s control in his Emotive Magic far surpasses that of Julien, while Julien''s overall


    intensity is far superior to Caius''s."


    "....So this is going to be a fight of control versus overwhelming intensity?"


    "It depends."


    Johanna shifted her attention back toward the stage where the referee stood, his arm slowly


    lifting under the eyes of everyone watching.


    As the entire world grew quiet, her eyes squinted as she mumbled,


    "....Caius''s control will be thest thing Julien will have to think about during the match."


    "As in?"


    Johanna drew a deep breath.


    "His ''Concept''."


    She mumbled,


    "...We still know nothing about it."


    "Begin!"


    The referee''s hand came down, and the fight began.


    ".....!"


    At that moment, each side came alive. Caius''s eyes red open, disying his intense yellow pupils. Just as his hands began to move, Julien''s pupils constricted as a green orb floated in his


    mind, slowly reaching out for him.


    He didn''t reject it and reached out for it.


    His calves tensed, and he tapped his foot against the ground.


    There was no sound.


    No fancy explosion or anything like that.


    He was simply too fast for that.


    The world around him slowed down. The world around him stretched as Caius appeared on


    the opposite end, his hand slowlying to a raise.


    Julien ran forward.


    His arms and body started to wiggle, and multiple projections of his hands and body appeared each one slightly out of sync, like a distorted reflection in a fractured mirror.


    A sharp pain pierced through his mind as he sprinted forward, arriving just in front of Caius.


    With a swift twist of his body, he aimed directly for Caius''s exposed torso.


    His mind raged.


    A dark world appeared in his mind.


    Within the world, a dark figure materialized. Cloaked in a ck hood, it gripped a sharp


    scythe, its de gleaming sharply.


    The figure slowly turned its head, revealing an empty skull where a face should be, with two


    eerie purple mes flickering in its hollow eye sockets.


    An embodiment of ''Fear'' appeared in his mind.


    Within that image, Julien poured all his experiences and power.


    His n was simple.


    End the fight in an instant. Use the green orb, get near Caius, and touch him, pouring down all


    his emotions and overwhelming him from the start.


    If he couldn''t defeat him in an instant, he would follow up with an attack shortly after.


    The n was solid and he enacted on it the moment the match started.


    His hand drew close to Caius,ing closer and closer to his exposed torso. From the


    peripheral of his vision, Julien could see the crowd staring in the spot where he used to be, unaware of the fact that he was now close to Caius.


    He felt confident in his n, and that confidence was further boosted when his hand began to


    touch Caius.


    ''Got him...!''


    Feeling the touch of Caius''s torso, Julien began to transmit the emotions to him.


    He was in the process of doing that when...


    Woom!


    His hand shot down, crashing against the ground rapidly.


    Bang!


    Julien felt a sharp pain as he began to lose his center of gravity. The world around him


    returned to its usual speed, and when Julien looked up, all he saw was Caius''s cold and


    gleaming yellow eyes.


    "Nice try."


    He mumbled, flicking his hand up.


    Swoosh!


    Julien''s hand followed the motion of Caius''s hand, flicking up and exposing his abdomen.


    "Kh....!"


    Julien''s expression changed, his left hand tensing and bulging as he gathered power. His momentum reached a terrifying level, but Caius remained unfazed. pping his left hand to the left side, Julien''s hand simrly pped to the left, leaving his chestpletely exposed.


    "........!"


    Caius didn''t waste the chance.


    Right then, Caius stepped forward, pressing his hand right against Julien''s exposed chest.


    As he did, he softly mumbled,


    "This is how you do it." Julien''s mind nked momentarily as his body began to tremble.


    His face turned pale, and sweat poured down from the side of his face. Looking down, at


    where Caius''s face had once been, all he saw was a monster with thousands of eyes staring back at him.


    It sent shivers down Julien''s body as his lips trembled.


    Bang!


    "Ukh...!"


    Julien felt his chest cave in shortly after as a powerful force sted him back.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    With each step he took, the tform beneath him shattered, sending cracks spidering


    outward. It took him several seconds to finally stabilize himself amidst the crumbling


    tform.


    ||


    "1


    By the time he stabilized himself, his breath was heavy and his body felt weak.


    "Ukh!"


    His chest also hurt.


    Raising his head, two eyes stared back at him.


    Meeting his gaze was Caius who remained stuck in the same spot. He didn''t follow up with his


    attack.


    Rather, he appeared to be waiting for something.


    What exa-


    "Uekh!"


    Julien''s throat constricted, and he gagged as blood spurted from his mouth, sttering onto


    the floor and leaving a fresh, crimson stain.


    The already silent Colosseum fell into an even greater silence.


    All eyes were focused on Julien, and Julien only.


    Everything had happened so fast that the audience had no time to process what had


    happened.


    It was only after the reys of the entire exchange had been shown that the audience finally


    realized what had happened.


    They stood in silence for a few more seconds before...


    Boom-


    They erupted.


    "Wooo!"


    "Caius!"


    "Ahhhh...!"


    As if a bomb had detonated, the entire Colosseum erupted in a massive roar, shattering the


    silence that had once dominated the surroundings.


    "Hooo."


    Basking in the cheers, Julien let out a long breath, a cloud of turbid air escaping his lips.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As he raised his head to look at Caius, who tilted his head in a manner that seemed to say,


    ''What are you waiting for...?'' Julien smirked.


    Under the audience''s eyes and cheers, he brought his hand forward and pressed his thumb and


    middle finger together.


    Caius looked at his motions in surprise, his eyes blinking slowly.


    He appeared to want to stop him.


    Caius''s body tensed and he prepared to move his hand when he felt something by his right


    side.


    ".....!"


    That was when his expression changed. Hastily lowering his head, he turned to look at his


    waist.


    But it was toote.


    Snap-


    Julien''s fingers snapped and Caius froze on the spot.


    His sudden actions brought the audience''s attention back to the tform.


    "What''s going on?"


    "....Did he just snap his fingers?"


    "Why would he...?"


    Despite his best attempts at trying to seem calm, the power behind Julien''s ''tag'' was


    overwhelming.


    Caius felt as though he had been dragged into the deepest parts of the ocean, toward that dark


    ce where no life existed.


    It sucked the very air out of his lungs, and as he stepped back once more, something rose from


    deep within his chest.


    Cracks appeared on his otherwise indifferent face.


    Changes urred.


    More cracks appeared, slowly exposing his expression before...


    "Uekh...!" Ssh-


    Blood spilled once more.


    This time, from Caius who staggered back, his face slowly regaining some color.


    Julien didn''t follow up. Not because he didn''t want to, but because he was simrly recovering from his injuries.


    By then, the entire Colosseum was quiet.


    None dared to utter a single word as the two sides stared at each other once more.


    Gradually, Julien''s lips pulled as he looked at Caius who was starting to recover. He was a little


    disappointed it didn''t finish him in an instant, but this was to be expected.


    Still, seeing Caius''s state, Julien''s expression eased.


    What you can do, I can do.


    But better.


    Bang!


    His body blurred, and he shot in his direction.

 Chapter 345: What does it mean to be the best? [2]

    Chapter 345: What does it mean to be the best? [2]


    ?


    Bang!


    Unlike the first time, Julien''s speed was visible to the naked eye. He didn''t use the green orb like he did at first.


    The strain on his legs was far too much for him to bear.


    He could use the skill at most two more times before his legs would give out on him. He had to be careful when using the skill.


    Perhaps in the future, he''d be able to fully utilize the green and red orbs, but for now, he could only utilize them in quick and short bursts that would ease the strain that his body sustained.


    This was the price to pay for trying to optimize his body when he was a mage...


    Bang!


    The ground beneath him shattered, with each step that he took, and he shot for Caius who wiped the blood that traced down the right side of his chin.


    ''How is this possible...?''


    Caius''s mind was in a state of confusion.


    He wasn''t confused by the fact Julien had managed to get him.


    He wouldn''t be fazed by something like that. He was, however, confused by the method that had caused him to bleed.


    Recalling the pain he felt on his torso, and the emotions that came crawling to his mind the moment that Julien snapped his fingers, the answer was right before Caius''s eyes.


    The realization was like a thunderbolt, striking at his mind with such ferocity that it left him dazed for a few seconds.


    "That was... That was an Emotive Tag.''


    ....The fourth phase of Emotive Magic.


    His breath left his lungs and his body tensed.


    "H-how is this possible...?"


    The idea left him petrified.


    Wasn''t Julien his age...? How could it be possible for him to perform such a skill?


    It made no sense.


    Especially since he was still far away from reaching that level.


    Was this implying that he was worse...?


    ''No, it makes no sense...''


    After what he had gone through to get that power, how could anyone be better than him? It made no sense.


    He refused to believe it.


    Nobody would be able to survive what he survived...!


    Lifting his head, a change urred in his eyes.


    His yellow pupils rippled, an unsettling change taking hold as they began to spin in a strange, mesmerizing pattern. It was as if they reflected the very sun itself, glowing with an intense, otherworldly light.


    "Ah..."


    Staring into those eyes, Julien felt himself slow down as he felt his consciousness get sucked into them.


    The world around him started to wobble, and Caius''s figure started to distort before his eyes. Julien''s mind became sluggish, and so did his movements.


    The change became apparent to all those viewing who looked curiously between the two, unaware of what was happening.


    "!"


    Thankfully, Julien was quick to pick up the changes urring in his mind.


    He realized rather quickly that he was being attacked mentally. Sucking in a cold breath he protected his mind, shouting subtly in his mind and stomping his foot down.


    Bang!


    His mind cleared, but it was not fast enough.


    By the time he regained control of his mind, Caius was no longer in sight.


    "Uh?"


    ''Where did he go...?''


    Julien looked around, his eyes turning sharp and his ears twitching as he strained to hear for any shift in the wind around him.


    A deadly silence took over the tform as neither the spectators nor Julien let out a single breath.


    All eyes were fixed on the tform.


    No, more specifically toward him, seemingly waiting for something to happen.


    Julien stood in the silence, his face showing no expression. The silence felt suffocating while


    his entire body was tense.


    ''Where is he is? Where did he go...?''


    Caius''s disappearance set him on edge.


    As far as he was aware, Caius didn''t have a skill that rendered him invisible. But at the same time, Julien didn''t really know much about how Caius fought.


    He never had the chance to show off his cards...


    Swoosh!


    "....."


    The air behind Julien rippled, and his expression changed. He didn''t waste a second and


    twisted his torso, his arm bulging and cracking as his shirt became tight.


    In one swift and smooth motion, he threw a punch in Caius''s direction.


    Swoosh!


    The air twisted and whistled at his motion, forming a thin funnel that enveloped his arm. He was so fast that hardly anyone could keep up with his movements.


    Boom!


    The air shattered the moment he threw the punch.


    But there was a problem.


    ||


    ||


    It missed.


    Tak.


    A light step echoed right behind Julien, and just as he was about to turn around to strike, Caius waved his hand, freezing Julien in ce. Without hesitation, Caius followed up with a swift,


    stinging p.


    Swoosh!


    A p that simrly missed as Julien''s body faded into nothing.


    An illusion...?


    Caius turned his head to see a figure materialize right behind him. Julien''s fist was raised, back arched in preparation to strike down like an arrow drawn taut on a bowstring.


    ....An arrow that shot down on his face the moment that it had the chance to do so.


    Swoosh!


    Julien punched down with all his power, his face straining due to his exertion.


    Staring at the iing fist, Caius remained calm.


    Abnormally calm.


    Closing his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of the pond in his mind. Beneath


    him, he could see the six different versions of himself.


    They all stared back at him, their expressions slowly changing into one of indifference before


    they all knelt down.


    Caius nodded and the fist appeared in his vision once more.


    Raising his hand, he mumbled,


    "Stop."


    The fist stopped an inch away from his face.


    "Ukeh...!"


    Seeing his first stop, Julien''s face was red as he tried to exert more power, but it was of no use.


    Caius raised his hand forward and pped the fist to the side.


    "....!"


    Unable to fight back, Julien could only watch as he was flung aside, creating an opening for


    Caius to exploit.


    An opening that he did exploit as he opened his palm and reached out for his exposed chest.


    It was the same move as before.


    Only that...


    Swoosh!


    A purple hand appeared right at the back of Caius''s head, trying to reach for his exposed neck.


    It was a move that Julien had carefully set up in advance.


    Knowing just how capable Caius was with his telekinesis, he knew that fighting short-range


    was suicide against him.


    For that reason, he had to rely on his curse and emotive magic.


    "...!"


    A lot of the audience jumped out of their seats the moment they saw what Julien had done,


    holding their breath and waiting for Caius to react.


    Was Julien going to take the initiative?


    Was he-


    "Stop."


    Caius''s voice echoed again. But this time, it was a little different as it gently transmitted


    throughout the entire Colosseum.


    His voice was rather quiet, and yet, it ranged loudly in the minds of all present.


    ....Everyone froze.


    Not a single person moved from the moment his words fell.


    No, rather than them not moving, it was more like they couldn''t move at all. As if his words


    werew, the weaker people found themselves struggling to move.


    But most importantly, the purple hand that was reaching out for Caius from behind...


    That also stopped in the middle of the air.


    "...."


    Julien''s pupils shook at the sight.


    He prepared to stomp his foot to distance himself from Caius, but he was soon horrified to


    notice that he was also unable to move.


    ''What the...!''


    Julien felt his heart sink.


    Raising his head, his eyes fell on the calm-looking Caius.


    "Haa."


    He let out a soft sigh, lowering his hands and gently smiling.


    "....I didn''t really want to do this, to be honest."


    Caius patted his cheeks which grew a little pale. Feeling the audience''s stares, and the


    shocked expressions on the faces of a few others, Caius sighed in resignation.


    He really did not want to do this.


    At the start of thepetition, he never thought he''d be forced to use his ''Concept'' but here


    he was, using the very same thing he thought he wouldn''t need to use.


    His ''Concept'' of ''Authority''.


    "Kneel." Thump!


    Julien''s legs buckled and he knelt on the floor.


    His eyes shook as he raised his head to look at Caius with shock. Caius reciprocated his gaze


    with a calm look.


    "My words, myw."


    Such was the ''Concept'' of ''Authority''.


    Whatever he said was thew. Nobody could go against his words.


    ''It''s a pity, but I''m going to end the match here.''


    Originally, Caius had nned on battling it out with Julien using his Emotive Magic, but from


    the moment Julien used the ''tag'', Caius realized that he couldn''t entertain that fight for now.


    If he brought it there, the results would be unknown.


    He still believed he''d win, but he had to be careful.


    He was arrogant, but he wasn''t going to let his arrogance be his downfall.


    Since he wanted to win, he had to win.


    11


    Under the shocked eyes of all those witnessing, Caius raised his hand and brought it down.


    It was a swift and decisive action that left no room for Julien to exploit.


    He nned to end the match then and there.


    The eyes of many squinted as the result of the match seemed to be decided, but just as most


    people thought the fight was over, Julien''s eyes clouded, slowly turning purple.


    Purple...?


    Caius''s expression changed.


    He had never seen Julien''s eyes turn purple.


    Immediately, his heart sank, but it was toote. His hand cleaved down, directly phasing inton/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Julien''s body.


    "This...!"


    Caius''s eyes constricted at the sight.


    However, before Caius could even grasp what had happened, Julien''s body sprang up and


    twisted around him. Floating in the air, his form seemed to blur, bing almost ''cloudy,''


    as if he were slipping between the physical and the ethereal.


    A few people stood up on the spot.


    Staring at the scene with open eyes. This was also true for Karl who pointed at the broadcast


    with shock.


    "Isn''t that...!?"


    "Yes."


    Johanna nodded, her expression turning serious.


    "...The same skill that Ang, Julien''s previous opponent used."


    Tap!


    Appearing right behind Caius, Julien''s body started to return to its physical state.


    Snapping out of his shock, Caius shook his head and opened his mouth in preparation for


    using his decree, but just as his mouth opened, Julien''s eyes turned green. The world around him slowed down significantly, his vision stretching


    Turning his head to look around, Julien lowered his body and dashed toward Caius''s front.


    The tiles shattered with each step he took, and as he arrived before Caius, he twisted his torso


    and brought his fist back, his back arching and tensing as his eyes switched from green to red.


    ....It was also then that the world returned to its usual speed and Julien''s fist smashed down on


    Caius who was halfway through issuing his ''decree''.


    "Sto-!"


    Boom-!


    As if a bomb had detonated, the tform beneath shattered as his fist bore down on Caius


    who just barely managed to raise his guard.


    Nheless, the hit still hit him. Julien heard subtle cracking soundsing from Caius''s


    arms, and his body skidded back several steps.


    "Uerkh...!"


    With a pale face, Caius barely managed to stabilize himself before looking up at Julien.


    It was then that Caius saw it.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    A look of exhaustion.

 Chapter 346: What does it mean to be the best? [3]

    Chapter 346: What does it mean to be the best? [3]


    ?


    How much time has passed since the start of the match...?


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Despite Julien''s best attempts at keeping his breath steady, he was unable to. His mind was buzzing and his vision was slightly blurry.


    He was a lot more exhausted than he had originally anticipated.


    While his mana reserves were still fine, it was his physical exhaustion that was rendering him helpless.


    The ''Concepts'' used a lot of stamina.


    Not only that, but their strain on his body was not light at all. his calves and quads were twitching while the muscles on his arms were shaking.


    This was the result of overexerting a body that belonged to a mage.


    ''I can only use the green orb once more.''


    The situation was far from ideal.


    He had no choice but to limit the usage of the ''Concepts''.


    "You look exhausted."


    Lifting his head, Caius shook his arms. He appeared rtively calm on the surface but the subtle trembling in his arms showed that he too had sustained some injuries.


    He tried to y them off, but Julien could see them clearly.


    Perhaps realizing this, Caius smiled and swiped his hand in his direction.


    A powerful force gripped Julien by the arm, flinging it to the side. Before he had the chance to react, his other arm was flung to the side, exposing his chest once more.


    "Ukh."


    Julien tried to fight back, but before he even had the chance to do so, a hand reached out to grab his shoulder from behind.


    ''When...!?''


    Julien''s mind shook.


    He had no time to dwell on the matter.


    Taking a deep breath, he focused his attention on the spot where the arm was reaching out for him.


    He then took a small step forward.


    [Step of Supression]


    The gravity surrounding the arm increased, halting it on the spot. Julien then twisted his torso and tensed his back, a red orb appearing in his mind.


    As power surged right through him, he threw a straight punch.


    Swoosh!


    The air funneled around his fist.


    A silent whistle streaked through the air as Caius appeared right in front of him.


    He seemed oddly calm.


    .... It was no wonder why. Just as Julien turned around, Caius''s body shifted and disappeared, appearing right behind Julien.


    The audience all eximed in shock and some stood up at the sudden change.


    "Ah..!"


    "!!"


    Caius extended his hand, reaching out for Julien''s exposed neck.


    "...!"


    A pity that from the start, Julien had never turned around.


    The moment Caius''s figure disappeared, so did Julien''s as he reappeared a few spots away from where Caius was. It had all been an illusion. Julien was still not in the right state to carelessly use his ''Concepts''.


    He had only done what he did in order to throw Caius off and distance himself from him.


    At the same time, he bought himself some time to recover some of his stamina.


    "Hoo."


    Julien took a deep breath.


    An image appeared in his mind.


    It was the image of a lone girl, standing before a massive dragon while hundreds of people stood behind her in silence, unable to utter a single word.


    As her clothes fluttered to reveal her pale face, his chest started to ache.


    Funneling the emotions that were gathering in his chest, he took a deep breath and stared at Caius who appeared to show a simr look.


    Though Caius much preferred using his Concept, in this situation, he had no choice but to do the same.


    ''I''ll bring you to my world...''


    At the same time, the two spoke, their voicesyering.


    "Sadness."


    "Fear."


    The Colosseum fell silent shortly after that.


    As all eyes fell on Julien and Caius, the audience stood up one by one.


    That was because...


    Both sides were frozen in ce, neither one moving an inch.


    "What''s going on?"


    "What is happening?"


    "Why are they not moving?"


    Murmurs and whispers spread throughout the Colosseum as all eyes fell on the strange scene that greeted them at the tform beneath. Nobody could understand what was happening,


    and neither could Karl who had simrly stood up.


    "What is happening? Why did they both freeze in ce? Could this be a draw...?"


    "No."


    Johanna shook her head, her expression grave as she alternated her gaze between Julien and


    Caius.


    "....They are fighting, alright."


    "Uh?"


    Karl turned his head and looked at Johanna with an astonished expression. Fighting..? How? They aren''t moving at all...


    "There''s not that many Emotive Mages around so the information is not very widespread. However, ording to many instances where two Emotive Mages fight, then the means of the


    fight changes."


    "As in...?"


    "Hmm."


    Johanna pursed her lips, her eyes lingering over Julien and Caius for a brief moment.


    Then, letting out a small breath, she pointed toward her temple.


    "Right here."


    She said, her voice low.


    "...They''re fighting right here. From this moment forth, whoever breaks first will lose."


    ***


    ''Where is this...?''


    Ripple~


    The ground beneath me rippled, forming small waves that radiated outward in every


    direction.


    Looking down, I couldn''t see my own reflection.


    I was surrounded by white.


    Ripple~


    In the distance, I heard another ripple. When I looked up, Caius appeared, small waves radiating outward from his body in a mirrored response. Our waves met, canceling each other


    out.


    I looked around me in confusion.


    On the opposite end, Caius appeared calm.


    "You seem to be confused by what''s going on."


    His voice was gentle, and yet, it seemed to boom throughout.


    "Ukh."


    I raised my hand to hold my throbbing head.


    Looking at Caius, who appeared to be well aware of what was going on, I tensed my legs and


    shot in his direction.


    Whatever was happening, I didn''t want to waste time talking.


    Ripple~ Ripple~


    A ripple formed with each step that I took.


    In a few breaths, I appeared right before Caius who looked at me with a calm smile. Seeing


    how calm he was, rm bells rang in my mind.


    However, it was toote for me to make any adjustments. Tensing my back and clenching my


    fist tightly, I imagined a red orb in my mind.


    I...


    "Uh?"


    My mind nked as the power I was used to receiving never came. No, rather... I wasn''t able


    to visualize the red orb at all.


    ''What in the worl¡ª''


    "....!"


    The world behind me throbbed, a faint red hueing out from behind me.


    Stunned, my movements slowed down.


    "Oh?


    Caius looked behind me, his tilting a little as he looked interested.


    "...That''s rather interesting."


    Swoosh!


    My shock only heightened when my fist phased right through him. Staggering forward,


    several ripples formed beneath me, and when I stabilized my body to look behind, my breath


    left my body.


    ''This...''


    A red orb appeared where I was. It floated in the middle of the white world.


    I blinked my eyes a couple of times, unable to understand what was happening.


    ''How is this...?''


    "Rage, huh?"


    With his back turned against me, Caius''s attention seemed to be focused on the floating red


    orb that levitated in the world world.


    I couldn''t see his face, but I could feel the interest in his voice.


    "Your concept, it''s quite nice."


    "...."


    I opened my mouth but stopped the words froming out. Observing the white world


    around me, I cooled my emotions and took a small breath.


    "Where is this...?"


    It was only now that I had cooled my mind and observed my surroundings better that I


    realized something.


    ''...I''m not in my physical body.''


    I could move and speak, but I couldn''t gather any strength in my body. At the same time, I


    also couldn''t conjure any spells.


    This only left me with one conjecture...


    "We''re inside our minds."


    "Correct."


    Caius spoke, his head finally turning to face my direction.


    Pressing his finger against his temple, Caius continued,


    "I''d normally not speak during a fight, but now that we''re in here, we can talk as much as we


    want. After all..."


    His lips pulled.


    "...It''s all mind games from now on."


    Rumble! Rumble-!


    The world trembled, and cracks began to form in the space surrounding us. The red orb on the


    far side flickered away as more and more fractures splintered across the fabric of the white


    world that enveloped us.


    They stretched like spiderwebs, reaching all corners of the world before...


    Cr Crack!


    Shattering like a broken piece of ss.


    What reced the white world was a dark one.


    "Roooooar-"


    A terrifying roar burst forward shortly after, piercing my mind with pain as I staggered back.


    A shadow loomed over me, and soon after, a long,nky creature emerged.


    It had a disproportionatelyrge head, hollow sockets where eyes should have been, and a


    gaping mouth filled with exposed, jagged teeth, glistening menacingly as it stood before me.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    My breath grew heavier at the sight that greeted me.


    ''What is...''


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Behind it, I could see several corpses.


    The sight of them brought pain to my chest, engulfing my mind as I struggled to breathe. But


    most importantly, I realized that my body had grown smaller.


    In particr, my hands...


    They seem to have shrunk to that of a child.


    Drip! Drip...!


    Saliva dripped from the creature''s mouth as it stepped toward me.


    I took a step back, my heart thumping loudly in my mind.


    I struggled to push the emotions away, desperately trying to seal them off but found myself


    unable to. Fear continued to seep into my mind, relentless and suffocating, as the world


    around me was swallowed by an eerie silence.


    The creature before me took another step forward, its hollow gaze fixed on me as though I


    was its next meal.


    A strange sense of powerlessness engulfed me and the pain in my chest grew as I looked at the


    corpses behind.


    Drip!


    I heard another dropping sound.


    But it didn''te from the creature.


    Feeling something warm streak down my cheeks, I knew that it was from me. The pain that


    apanied the tear served as an indication of it.


    "You don''t want to do this..."


    I covered my mouth, trying my best to keep the emotions away.


    It was hard, and my mind was growing faint.


    But amidst the situation, I understood what was happening. And the realization made me


    tremble.


    "I..."


    This world... It was the world within our minds.


    Caius had already confirmed this.


    But what he didn''t say was that...


    In this world... the first one to break would be the first one to lose.


    And I...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Drip!


    Tears streamed down my face.


    This time, they were a lot more than before.


    I...


    My chest throbbed as an intense pain suddenly engulfed my mind. It took my breath away and


    sucked everything out of me.


    I started to feel weak and my lips tremble.


    As that happened...


    Cr Crack!


    The white world shattered, destroying everything that appeared before me.


    Be... Beep! Be... Beep!


    What came after were subtle, and rhythmical beeps.


    Sounds that brought forth my deepest traumas.


    "...Don''t want to break you."

 Chapter 347: What does it mean to be the best? [4]

    Chapter 347: What does it mean to be the best? [4]


    ?


    To excel above all others.


    This was what it meant to be best.


    Caius was the best.


    He knew he was the best.


    He....


    Had to be the best.


    §£§Ö§Ö§â...! §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â...!


    The dark world shattered, giving way to the same white void. It crept into every corner, consuming all in its path.


    ....It felt empty.


    A soft, relentless ''beeping'' sound began to echo through the emptiness


    Caius stood in silence, looking around.


    ''....I don''t want to break you.''


    Julien''s words rang powerful in his mind. They were like whispers, trying to shatter hisposure, but he remained calm.


    He had absolute confidence in himself.


    This was all a mind game.


    Just like the soft white world that enveloped him.


    §£§Ö§Ö§â...! §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â...!


    The beeps continued, but no image appeared. They rang loudly in Caius''s mind, prompting his brows to knit together into a frown.


    ''Is he hesitating...?''


    p-


    Caius pped his hands once, and the beeping stopped.


    Then, with a deep frown, he shouted,


    "Haa...!"


    Once more, the world rumbled.


    "Roooooar-!"


    A roar pierced through the world as the creature from before emerged from behind him, its figure twisted and creepy.


    Julien''s figure reappeared on the opposite end, his face stained with tears.


    "Ha."


    Caius clenched his teeth, feeling a powerful pain invade his chest.


    It felt suffocating, taking his breath away.


    "Go."


    Holding the pain back, he nudged the creature behind him as it roared and charged toward Julien who stood with his back straight.


    "Roooar-!"


    With a ferocious roar, the creature shot in Julien''s direction.


    Its speed was blinding, and its bloodthirst was evident. Caius''s yellow eyes reflected the figure''s form as it charged toward Julien.


    Caius blinked once.


    For a brief moment, the world around him turned red.


    He saw the all-too-familiar figures lying on the ground with their body dismembered.


    His mother... His sister...


    ''Remember.''


    A voice transmitted in his mind,


    ''.....To be the best, you need to make sacrifices. Get rid of the burdens chaining you down, and absorb the pain, and make it your power.''


    "H-hu."


    Caius''s chest trembled.


    He recalled all the sensations he felt back then. The fear, the anger, the sadness... He took it all in.


    Blinking his eyes, the creature reappeared in his vision.


    It lunged at Julien just like it had lunged at his mother and sister.


    Drip...!


    He too... started to cry.


    Ripple~


    "Rooooar-!"


    A terrifying roar followed his tears as a ripple formed beneath him. Raising its hand, the creature prepared to w in Julien''s direction. Its actions were fast and ruthless, and yet, even in such circumstances Julien''s expression remained the same.


    Lifting his head slightly to disy his pale face, Julien''s lips trembled.


    Rustle~


    A hoodie materialized out of nowhere, covering his body. It fluttered gently under the creatures''s attack.


    Standing there, a massive creature began to emerge beside him.


    "This...!"


    Its appearance shook Caius who was suddenly gripped with an overwhelming sense of dread


    and fear.


    Caius took a step back as his pupils constricted.


    ''A Rock Dragon!''


    Flip!


    Its eyelids flipped, revealing its yellow-tinged eyes. The sense of dread and terror that took over the white world became even more overwhelming, gripping Caius by the throat as he


    struggled to breathe.


    One by one, hooded figures emerged around Julien who wore a hood.


    ....It was as if an army had risen beside him.


    Caius''s mind screamed with fear. He had to get out...! He needed to run away! Terrifying! How


    could anyone withstand such a situation!?


    But amidst the fear, he felt something else.


    Drip...!


    "W-why?"


    Caius touched his face, feeling the hot streaks falling down his cheeks.


    "W-why am I crying...?"


    Rustle~


    With a gentle rustling, the hoods slipped from the hundreds of figures, revealing pale, lifeless


    faces and closed eyes. Dead... they were all dead.


    What stood out in particr was the young girl that stood at its center where Julien was


    meant to be.


    Her eyes were closed, and her pale face was marked by thin purple veins, branching like a


    delicate web across her skin.


    She stood at the center of it all, her pale lips pulled into a thin smile.


    From the outside, she looked happy. Joyful almost. And yet...


    Drip! Drip...!


    All Caius felt was an overwhelming sense of sadness as it gripped his chest tightly. It made it


    impossible for him to breathe.


    Why...!? Why!?


    Caius clenched his teeth, and his eye turned bloodshot.


    He looked at the creature which had stopped and shouted in his mind.


    ''Attack...!''


    nk!


    The creature''s attack shot down, but it was easily deflected by the young girl who swiped her


    hand, forming a purple shield.


    "Uukeh...!"


    Caius felt his mind throb intensely as he staggered back.


    Caius raised his head to look at the young girl and the dragon. Even now, she was smiling, and


    yet the pain he felt was overwhelming.


    Staggering back, a few words entered Caius''s mind.


    ''One''s experiences fuel our emotions. What you see within the mind of another, is what they''ve


    experienced. Don''t let yourself be overwhelmed.''


    They belonged to one of his Emotive lecturers.


    ....Back then, Caius hadn''t paid much attention to the words, but like clockwork, the words


    came raining down on his mind right when he was put into such a situation.


    Clench.


    ''You''re saying he experienced this...?!!


    Caius bit his lips, his expression twisting as he closed his eyes and memories that he once


    buried resurfaced in his mind.


    nk-!


    Sparks flew in the air.


    "Ahhhh!"


    A scream followed right after.


    Pftt!


    And blood mixed with the rain.


    Step.


    A foot stepped on a puddle, forming gentle ripples around it.


    Looking down, Caius saw his own reflection within the puddle beneath him. He stared at his


    features which seemed to be devoid of any purpose and life.


    No, there was a purpose.


    It was faint. But there was certainly a purpose.


    Drip. Drip.


    The rain continued to drizzle down from the sky.


    More fiercely than ever before. Marring his indifferent features were the streaks of blood that ran down his face, gently


    mixing with the rain droplets.


    "You''ve done good."


    A soft voice echoed in the air.


    The voice was soft, almost like a whisper.


    And yet, it carried a powerful force behind it.


    "But..."


    The puddles rippled.


    "...Not good enough."


    The rain drizzled even more fiercely. Almost to the point where one couldn''t hear anything


    besides the rain.


    Caius stood before the man.


    He was now taller and bigger than him.


    And yet...


    Caius remained silent.


    There were no words exchanged between the two. As if he could understand what the man in


    robes implied with his gaze, he lowered his head.


    Only for the man in robes to inch closer to him.


    "Why?"


    One word and a question.


    "Why?"


    One he chose to repeat.


    Finally, Caius opened his mouth.


    "I''m sorry." "Why?" But that wasn''t a good enough answer.


    "...The rain made it hard to hear."


    "Why...?" "I can''t see, and I can''t hear."


    "I''ll do better."


    ||||


    "I mean that."


    "Do you?"


    "Yes."


    "You''re not fit for this."


    "Give up. You don''t have what it takes. Quit. You''re not suited for this. Do you want to be the


    best Emotive Mage? Then why did you shut down your emotions?"


    || ||


    "Not saying anything? Speak. Say it."


    "Say it."


    "Repeat after me, I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I


    am afraid of pain."


    Caius clenched his teeth, his body shaking as he found himself unable to defy the orders.


    "Say i-"


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of


    pain."


    "Say it."


    "...I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of pain."


    "Why did you hesitate? Say it again."


    ""


    p-!


    "Say it again."


    "...I''m a talentless shit with no emotions."


    p-!


    "You skipped thest part. Repeat it."


    "I''m a tal-"


    p-!


    "...I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of


    pain."


    "Good, now say it again. On repeat. Over and over again."


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of pain."


    "Again."


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of pain."


    "Again."


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of pain."


    "Again."


    Drip! Drip...!


    Opening his eyes, the white world was reced with a world of gloom.


    A figure stood before Caius.


    With its back facing him, Caius''s mind shuddered.


    "I''m a talent-!"


    Caius hastily covered his mouth.


    "H-hu."


    His entire body shuddered as he stared at the lonesome figure standing before him. His back


    hardly covered him, and yet, it felt so overwhelming and terrifying that Caius couldn''t find it


    within himself to even breathe.


    On the opposite end, Julien wasn''t faring any better.


    || ||


    Staring at the figure that stood before Caius, Julien felt his entire body freeze.


    His mind screamed, and his body tensed.


    In silence, the figure reached out for his waist, unsheathing a massive sword. A terrifying


    glow enveloped the entire world, shattering the bleakness that came forth from the sky, and


    Julien''s expression cracked.


    His breathing became rougher.


    His face turned white.


    His eyes shook.


    At this moment, he was overwhelmed with fear.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Julien''s mind shook.


    Squelch! Squelch!


    A familiar sound echoed as roots began to appear beneath him. They ''squelched'' and climbed


    up from the ground, revealing a terrifying tree.


    ''Help...!''


    ''Get me out of here''


    Desperate cries echoed through the air as the tree revealed its full form. Faces twisted in


    agony appeared on its bark, their hands outstretched, molded into the wood itself. They wept


    and begged for help, their voices filled with hopeless sorrow.


    Its appearance shed directly with the hooded figure standing before Caius.


    Its robes fluttered, and so did the robes of the dead bodies standing before the dragon.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    With a rumble, the dragon simrly stood up, its body shaking and twisting as its yellow eyes


    locked onto the robed figure.


    "Roooooar-"


    With a terrifying roar, the Dragon revealed its might.


    Rumble!


    The world shook, both sides standing on opposite end.


    Caius stood with a pale face, his face growing paler by the second while Julien was the same.


    As if their minds were synchronized, they both raised their heads at the same time, locking


    eyes with one another.


    That seemed to mark the start of it all.


    "Roooar!"


    With a terrifying roar, the dragon lifted in the air, its heavy wings pressing down on the


    ground as it slowly started to float. At the same time, the dead started to move and roots


    began to shoot in Caius''s direction.


    It was an overwhelming sight that shook Caius''s mind for a brief moment, but as he stared at


    the figure that stood before him, Caius swallowed hard and calmed himself down.


    Ripple-


    A ripple formed beneath the robed person as he took a step forward. Holding onto the sword, a faint glow manifested over its body as its brightness engulfed the


    entire world.


    "G-go..."


    Caius mumbled quietly, his eyes turning bloodshot.


    Staring at the approaching army, Caius fixed his attention on the robed figure that stood


    before him.


    "What does it mean to be the best?"


    Caius mumbled, repeating the same words that the man had once told him.


    "...To be above others."


    His heart pressed, the rage that was deeply condensed within his body transmitting toward


    the robed man as the glow on his sword intensified, his presence doubling.


    Squelch! Squelch!


    A squelching sound soon reached Caius''s ears.


    Lifting his head, his heart gripped tightly as terrifying roots reached out for him, surrounding


    him from all sides.


    Dread filled his heart.


    But most terrifying of all was...


    "Roooar-"


    The Rock Dragon that loomed behind, its roar shaking the very foundations of the world the


    two were in.


    It was a terrifying sight, and yet...


    Ripple~


    Caius didn''t despair.


    With bloodshot eyes, he stared at the robed man who stood before him.


    The army grew closer, and so did the dragon.


    They were now an arm''s length away.


    Caius''s heart shook as he looked at the robed man before him, his pupils shaking wildly as he


    mumbled,


    "Do it."


    "The man finally moved.


    SHILING!


    A light shed.


    The world grew quiet.


    Everything froze on the spot.


    The robed man froze, the dragon froze, the tree froze, and the dead froze.


    It all stopped with the single pulse of light that shed from the man''s sword.


    Caius and Julien simrly froze, their eyes locked onto one another as they stood frozen on


    the spot.


    In the silence, neither party moved.


    Not until...


    "Ukeh...!"


    Julien''s face paled and blood spurted out of his mouth.


    Ssh-


    His figure staggered a couple of steps back before falling downpletely, his face growing


    even paler than before.


    Cra Crack-


    Shortly after, cracks began to form on the figures that stood to protect Julien.


    Be it the Dragon, tree, and the dead. They all cracked until...


    Crash!


    They all shattered into nothingness.


    Caius stared at the scene for a brief moment, his eyes blinking slowly before turning


    bloodshot.


    "Hehe."


    His shoulders started to tremble.


    "Hehehehe."


    Blood leaked from his lips as the shaking became more prominent, and before long, he found


    himself unable to hold it in any longer as he burst outughing.


    "Hahahahahahaha."


    Hisugh echoed loudly within the white world, echoing across the entire space as he found


    himself unable to hide his joy.


    "I... did it! Hahah."


    Caiusughed, his expression twisted.


    "I fucking did it...! I am the best. Did you say that you bastard!? I-I... I am the "


    §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â. §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â-


    Caius felt his voice be stripped from his mouth.


    ''H-huh?''


    Caius slowly turned his head toward the distance where a figurey on the ground with his


    arm covering his eyes.


    "I-I didn''t want to do this..."


    Tears streamed down from the corner of his eyes as his body started to wither.


    Caius took a step back, his back suddenly drenching with sweat.


    ''W-what''s going on...? No, no...''


    §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â. §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â. §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â -


    "....I told you that I didn''t."


    Wires sprouted from the ground, digging into his body as his clothes changed, and his body


    lifted as a strangely framed bed appeared from beneath.


    ''W-what...?''


    Caius''s eyes shook, unable to understand what was happening. However, if there was one thing that he understood, it was the fact that something within his


    body was slowly starting to disappear.


    ''No, no...''


    §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â. §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â. §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â. §£§Ö§Ö§Ö§â -


    "I..."


    Julien lowered his arm from his eyes, revealing a withered, sunken face with hollow eyes and


    only sparse strands of hair clinging to his scalp.


    Blinking slowly, Julien looked at Caius. "....w-want to win."


    Caius shook his head.


    But it was toote.


    "I''m sorry."


    Beeeeeeeeep!


    Caius''s mind grew dark, and the match ended.


    The Winner; Julien Dacre Evenus.


    That match marked Julien''s rise to the finals.


    But at the same time, it marked the day when Caius lost his emotions.


    He...


    Failed to be the best.


    What does it mean to be the best?


    ...To win.


    --Julien Dacre Evenus.

 Chapter 348: Shock [1]

    Chapter 348: Shock [1]


    ¡°How long has it been since the two stopped moving?¡±


    Karl asked, his eyes fixed on the tform which had grown extremely quiet. All eyes were on the two contestants who stood on opposite ends, their faces and expressions frozen as they looked at each other.


    Despite neither side doing anything, tensions ran high.


    In the silence, everyone waited¡­


    Everyone waited for the inevitable shift that would ur.


    Whoever came out on top was going to most likely be the winner.


    Karl bit his lips in anticipation, trying his best to calm his nerves. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he was nervous.


    Something about the silence left him unsettled. Unable to hold for much longer, he turned his head to face Johanna.


    ¡°Is there no way we can see what is going on between them?¡±


    ¡°¡­..No.¡±


    Johanna answered, her eyes glued to Caius and Julien.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way for us to see what is happening in their minds. That¡¯s something that only the two of them can see.¡±


    Turning his attention back toward Caius and Julien, Karl frowned.


    ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°We can only wait. Wait for som¡ª¡±


    Johanna¡¯s words came to an abrupt halt as a change urred to the two contestants on the stage. Julien¡¯s and Caius¡¯s bodies suddenly started to shake, their faces growing pale.


    ¡°This¡­!¡±


    Karl¡¯s eyes shot up.


    He wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed.


    One by one, the audience leaned forward from their seats to get a better look at who the winner was going to be.


    The silence felt suffocating, and as the referee nced between the two, Caius¡¯s eyes red open.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    The spectators¡¯ lungs began to fill with air as they prepared to cheer for the winner, but before they even had the chance to do so, Caius¡¯s eyes shook and he staggered back.


    ¡°Uehkh!¡±


    St¡ª


    Blood leaked out from his eyes and mouth as his face grew paler.


    ¡°Ukeh!¡±


    Holding onto his chest, his knees buckled and the ground was stained with even more blood.


    St¡ª


    It was a horrifying sight that left some of the audience members frozen, unable to react at all while some other individuals stood up from the spot, their expression unable to hide the shock in their faces.


    One such figure was Theron who had unknowingly stood from his seat, his hands gripping the metal railing before him as he leaned closer to get a better look at Caius.


    ¡°No, this¡­¡±


    His eyes shook as Caius took another step back.


    The sight of Caius taking a step back left him utterly shaken.


    ¡°¡­.How is this¡­?¡±


    On the opposite end, Julien¡¯s eyes slowly opened to reveal his pupils.


    As if the Colosseum had been stripped away of all air, all eyes fell on Julien whose pupils turned white.


    Drip¡­!


    A single tear streaked down the side of his cheek as Caius staggered back once more, his expression paling further.


    And¡­


    ¡°Uekh!¡±


    With onest stagger, his body stopped moving.


    He stood in the middle of the tform, frozen on the spot. As though he was a statue.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    A heavy silence settled over the Colosseum, the air thick with tension as every eye fell upon him.


    Was he okay¡­?


    Did he stabilize himself?


    All sorts of thoughts ran down the minds of those watching.


    Caius took in the sight before him, from the looks of the audience to Julien whose eyes returned to normal.


    ¡°Haa.¡±


    He raised his head, and let out a long breath.


    As his body began to twitch, his body began to lean forward.


    Thump!


    He fell face first shortly after that, the sound of his fall resounding deeply throughout, raging into the ears of all those present.


    ¡°The winner is¡­¡±


    Following his fall, the referee¡¯s voice echoed in the air.


    ¡°¡­.Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire.¡±


    This marked the end of the first Semi-Final match.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    But despite the announcement, the audience remained silent. No one dared to say a single word as they all stared at the passed-out Caius, unable to articte a single word.


    He was¡­ the best.


    Everyone knew this. They had witnessed his powers, and how he had dominated his other opponents.


    In everyone¡¯s mind, he was the undisputed winner.


    And yet¡­


    Yet¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s simple really¡­¡±


    Breaking the silence, Johanna looked toward Julien who had turned around and moved toward the tunnels that led to the locker rooms.


    He stood tall, lookingpletely unaffected by it all.


    It was a sight that captivated the audience.


    ¡°The reason why Caius lost.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Karl subconsciously asked, blinking his eyes and snapping out of his daze. When he turned his head, he could see Johanna leaning against her chair and closing her eyes.


    ¡°¡­Because he fought Julien at his best aspect.¡±


    ¡°His¡­?¡±


    ¡°Emotive Magic.¡±


    Johanna answered dully, her lips curling into a helpless smile.


    ¡°I was wrong before.¡±


    A chuckle escaped her lips.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t just better than Caius. He was¡­ a lot better.¡±


    ***


    Walking back into the locker rooms, all I was met with was a strange silence that carried on until I closed the door behind me.


    nk¡ª


    ¡°H-huu.¡±


    As opposed to my other fights, I was doing a lot better physically.


    I wasn¡¯t bleeding, nor did I sustain any serious injuries. On the outside, it seemed as though I had an easier time with Caius than most other opponents.


    And yet¡­


    ¡°H-haa.¡±


    That was the furthest thing from the truth.


    I felt like shit.


    My mind continuously throbbed, while a constant ringing and buzzing sound echoed loudly within my mind, making it impossible for me to think properly.


    The worst part of it all was the pain that gripped my heart and chest.


    It squeezed at my chest tightly,tching onto my heart and never letting go.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    I clenched my teeth, trying my best to suppress the raging emotions in my mind.


    Biting my hand, I let the pain engulf my mind.


    The pain always helped when dealing with such situations.


    ¡°¡­I won.¡±


    But at the same time, I reminded myself of the fact that I won. I had done what I had to do in order to win. The little suffering that I was experiencing was merely fleeting.


    ¡°Hooo.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I touched my forearm and mumbled,


    ¡°Joy.¡±


    Instantly, the pain in my mind eased.


    My heart eased and the shaking stopped.


    But that wasn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°Joy.¡±


    I repeated the process a couple of times before finally regaining control of myself.


    ¡°¡­That was dangerous.¡±


    Closing my eyes, I thought back to thest moments. That was the first time that I had fully utilized my level four Emotive Magic to its fullest.


    I thought back to my saddest and most traumatic moment.


    ¡­The moment when I made the decision to give up on chemotherapy and chose to die in order to let my brother live better.


    That moment¡­ was the moment when I gave up on myself.


    The sense of emptiness that I had felt back then¡­


    I let it all burst out and flooded Caius¡¯s mind.


    I didn¡¯t try to control the intensity of my Emotive Magic. No, I let it all out and didn¡¯t bother controlling it at all.


    The result was my victory.


    But at the same time, I was reminded of a past that I wanted to forget.


    A trauma I had tried to forget.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the wall behind me, taking a deep breath. The stillness wrapped around me like a nket, and I let the darkness slowly seep into my mind, surrendering to its quiet embrace.


    I was tired.


    I was mentally exhausted.


    But above all¡­


    ¡°I won.¡±


    I was a winner.


    ?| Lvl 2. [Joy] EXP + 5%


    ***


    ¡°He won¡­¡±


    Evelyn mumbled quietly, staring at the tform with her mouth hanging open. She had only recentlye to terms with the fact that Julien was strong, but the fact that he had won against Caius of all people shook herpletely.


    Since when did he be so strong¡­?


    Despite havinge to terms with Julien¡¯s change, the more she saw him, the more foreign he appeared to her.


    And yet¡­


    He also felt vaguely familiar.


    Why¡­?


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    As opposed to her, Leon didn¡¯t appear at all to be fazed.


    Rather, he seemed to have expected such an oue.


    Evelyn blinked her eyes, raising her chin a little to get a better look at him.


    ¡°You were that sure that he was going to win?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Leon made a face.


    ¡°¡­.I was just thinking about the past.¡±


    ¡°The past?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Leon¡¯s expression cracked.


    ¡°¡­.I also fell for his trick in the past?¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    Trick? What in the world was he talking about¡­? Evelyn looked at Leon with a nk look. But then, she suddenly recalled something.


    ¡°Are you talking about the time when he said that he beat you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Leon replied honestly, slowly standing up from his seat and heading for the exit of the Colosseum.


    Evelyn simrly sat up and caught up to him, walking side by side with him.


    ¡°Are you saying that he beat you in the same way?¡±


    ¡°More or less.¡±


    ¡°¡­.Wah.¡±


    ¡°I was caught off guard. Because he was sopletely immersed in his curse magic, he made mepletely forget that he was an Emotive Mage. By the time I realized, it was already toote and he got me.¡±


    Leon ruffled his hair.


    ¡°Other than that, he was weaker than me in every other aspect just like he was weaker than Caius in every other aspect. In the end, he still won and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Evelyn followed in silence, unsure of what to say.


    In the end, slowing down her steps, she asked,


    ¡°What about now?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Leon¡¯s steps simrly slowed, his head turning to face her.


    ¡°What about what?¡±


    ¡°¡­.If you were to fight Julien now, who do you think will win?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Leon¡¯s expression froze for a second before rxing.


    Turning around, he shrugged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡­. really don¡¯t know.¡±


    ***


    Evenus Household.


    Two figures sat on a lush red sofa, staring at the projection that stood before them in silence. Neither said a word as their gazes remained glued on the figure that stood at its center, slowly walking away.


    Linus¡¯s eyes traced over Julien¡¯s back, his fist slowly balling tightly.


    Clench.


    With a visible clench of his jaw, he turned to face his father who was simrly staring at the projection.


    His expression¡­ as always was hard to read.


    Was he proud? Was he confused? Was he happy?


    Linus didn¡¯t know.


    Their father was a man who never showed his emotions. Taking a deep breath, Linus turned to face his father.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    In silence, Aldric turned his head, meeting Linus¡¯s gaze.


    He didn¡¯t say anything, but his questioning gaze prompted Linus to speak as he nced at the projection once more.


    ¡°Haven.¡±


    He mumbled quietly, his fist slowly starting to rx.


    ¡°¡­Allow me to enroll to it for next year¡¯s semester.¡±

 Chapter 349: Shock [2]

    Chapter 349: Shock [2]


    ?


    Slowly but surely, as the shock from the fight died down, the audience started to leave the stands and head back home.


    It was strangely quiet as the people left, nobody talking or sharing any excitement that was usually present after a fight.


    Evidently, everyone was still in shock from the result of the fight.


    I watched silently as everyone left the venue before changing my appearance and heading for my apartment.


    Couldn''t have the people see my face...


    That would be rather troublesome.


    "Ugh."


    I rubbed my forehead and squeezed my brows.


    ''...I feel a little better, I guess.''


    I had passed out in the locker room for an hour.


    By the time I had woken up, everyone had already left the Colosseum. After a cold shower, I felt a lot better, but my mind was still rather foggy.


    ''I need to sleep.''


    On a good note, the finals will be held a week from now. This meant that I had a lot of time to rest.


    Tomorrow was Leon''s match as well.


    That...


    I needed to pay close attention to his match. Especially since Aoife was clearly not herself but controlled by the Angel.


    ''Now that I have time, I should address this situation better.''


    "Huu."


    Breathing in the warm air and raising my head to stare at the scorching white sun that hung in the sky, I massaged my face.


    "....I''m getting tired of this view."


    I wanted to go back to the real world.


    The white sun and the gloomy gray sky felt suffocating. It''d make one go mad if they stayed for too long.


    "Invert the Sky..."


    Unknowingly, I found myself mumbling those words.


    "Thinking about it, if I were to be stuck in this ce, I''d also want to Invert the Sky...''


    Was this what the child meant by wanting to Invert the Sky?


    I licked my lips.


    ''I wonder how the Mirror Dimension came about.''


    It was unfortunate that there was not much information about it.


    Regardless, there was no use thinking about such things now. In due time I was bound to find out. I knew this for a fact.


    Click-


    Darkness embraced me the moment that I entered my room.


    I looked around before dropping my stuff down and taking off my clothes beside my underwear. Then, without any reservations, I hopped onto the bed.


    Pomf!


    "Haa."


    Feeling the soft embrace of the bed, I closed my eyes and sunk deep into my consciousness.


    ***N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Creak-


    The wooden floor creaked as a figure appeared next to Julien''s bed.


    Delh scratched the back of her head.


    Gaze: What do I do..?


    She had been waiting in the room for a while, waiting to ask him about what had happened during the fight. Caius''s conditions were rather critical, and she knew that the situation was bound to turn messy.


    She took it upon herself to appear in his apartment to stop any potential threats.


    For now, there was nothing.


    There probably would be nothing but one couldn''t be too sure.


    Still, while Delh understood that Julien was exhausted, she hadn''t expected him to directly fall asleep the moment that he touched the bed.


    It now left her in a situation where she didn''t know what to do.


    "Huh..."


    Delh''s eyes fluttered.


    She stood dumbly on her spot for several seconds, flicking her eyes between him and the diary in her hand.


    Eventually, however, she managed to collect herself and her eyes drifted toward the sleeping Julien. His chest was heaving in a rhythmical manner, and despite the darkness, Delh could


    see everything clearly.


    ||


    ".....


    Delh''s eyes glistened in the darkness as she stepped forward.


    Her step was light, producing no sound.


    She finally came to a stop at the edge of the bed, leaning forward as her ck hair cascaded


    softly in front of her, falling like a dark curtain.


    Brushing her hair behind her ears, Delh''s eyes traced Julien''s features.


    From his jet-ck hair to his perfectly chiseled jawline, down to his well-proportioned nose, thin eyebrows, and delicate, narrow lips, his features seemed meticulously crafted.


    Delh stood nkly staring at his features.


    Unknowingly her hand reached forward, moving toward his face.


    Ba...


    ***


    The next day.


    ||


    ".....


    I blinked my eyes a couple of times to make sure I wasn''t seeing wrongly. Then, seeing that


    the image before me was still present, I rubbed my eyes.


    ''Get it out my sight.''


    But...


    The image refused to leave my sight.


    "Haaa."


    Letting out an exhausted breath, I leaned my head back and fell back on my bed.


    ''What is she doing here...?''


    With her legs crossed, Delh sat with her back leaning against the chair as her head tilted to


    the side.


    Judging from how her eyes were closed, she was probably sleeping.


    Delh''s mind was hard to understand. Well, for the most part. I usually had trouble thinking what was on her mind, and she tended to show up at the most random of times.


    Like...


    Now.


    But then, I had a thought.


    .....Could it be that she''s here to protect me?''


    Right, after what happened with Caius, this would indeed make sense. The people from the


    Aetheria Empire were not happy with me.


    Delh was probably here to make sure that I wouldn''t get ambushed in the middle of the


    night.


    Thinking it that way, I felt a lot better and got out of bed.


    "Uh..."


    But the moment I did, I froze.


    ||


    I looked down and stared at my clothes... orck of before rigidly turning my head to stare at


    Delh.


    ''... Looks like she''s still sleeping.''


    Thankfully, her eyes were still closed, showing no signs of waking up.


    I hurried down to pick my clothes and dashed to the bathroom where I turned on the tap and


    washed my face before taking a quick shower and putting on my clothes.


    "Uh, is it like this?"


    I adjusted my zer and shirt.


    There were a few crinkles here and there, and my hair had a few ces that needed fixing.


    I usually never paid attention to stuff like this, but unknowingly, I spent a bit more time than


    I usually would in the mirror to fix myself before leaving the room.


    nk!


    I half-expected Delh to have woken up by then, but she showed no sign of doing so as her


    head tilted further to the side.


    Looking closely, I saw a silver string fall down the side of her lips.


    Without making any sound, I reached out for my bag and took out a familiar-looking device


    that I had spent a good amount of money on.


    Click-Click-


    I flinched with each click that came out of the wannabe Proid camera but was relieved by


    the fact that it did not affect Delh''s sleep.


    ..... Talk about bodyguard.''


    For someone as powerful as her, one would expect her to wake up by the smallest of noises,


    but here she was,pletely oblivious to the fact that I was standing right before her.


    It was really weird...


    ''Is it possible that she''s awake and just pretending to sleep?''


    My hand froze at the thought as I looked down at Delh. But then... staring at the silver


    streak streaking down her lips, I pushed the thought away.


    Click. Click. Click.


    I wasn''t sure why, but my finger continued to press on the shutter.


    "This is bad...''


    Biting my lips, I stopped halfway through.


    Ba... Thump!


    Feeling the beat of my heart, I realized that I was ying with fire. Delh was still Delh...


    The one beneath the Zenith.


    A single p from her would send me flying back to where I came from.


    ''Uh...''


    I brushed the thought away and prepared to put the camera down.


    But as I did, my eyes fell on the table where a pen appeared.


    My breath stopped and my hands started to twitch.


    ''No, no...''


    I licked my lips which had grown dry.


    Taking a step back, I swallowed my saliva.


    ''...Don''t do it.''


    My arms shook as I was forced to turn my head away.


    But as I did, the image of the pen appeared in my mind again.


    The sleek and smooth body...


    The light and soft feel...


    The...


    "!"


    ***


    nk-


    The moment Julien''s presence left Delh''s reach, her eyes opened.


    "Uh...?" She wiped the corner of her mouth and looked around. The room was empty, and everything


    else was clean. Evidently, Julien had cleaned up before leaving.


    Delh had been so deep in her sleep that she hadn''t noticed.


    Despite her strength, she too needed to sleep. Furthermore, she had set up a safety around


    the area. So long as an unknown presence stepped in, she''d be able to tell.


    At the same time, if Julien left the, she''d also get warned hence why she woke up.


    || ||


    Still, he could''ve woken her up...


    Delh shed her hand as a book appeared;


    [Julien Observation Diary]


    Opening it, she reached out for the pen next to her and started to write.


    [? He is tidy.]


    This point she already knew.


    Especially after what he had done to her office.


    "Hm?"


    Delh''s hand stopped as she caught a whiff of something. Ink...? Her brows furrowed as she


    thought about the smell and lowered her head to see her pen.


    Bringing it up to her nose, she sniffed it a couple of times.


    ''The same smell...''


    Delh stood up, her brows furrowing further. Touching her face, a ck smear appeared on her fingers.


    Delh tilted her head, a question mark popping on top of her head. Squinting her eyes, she


    walked to the bathroom and stopped before the mirror.


    "Ah."


    Her expression hardly changed as she looked at the mirror.


    Delh''s face froze at the sight that greeted her. Was that a mustache on her face...? No, what


    about on her cheek? It looked like a cat. It wasn''t bad... Uh? Is that a chocte bar? Not that


    great...


    Without her knowing, she started to critique the drawings on her face.


    The corner of her lips gently pulled as she looked at the numerous doodles on her face.


    A cat, a chocte bar, a mustache, a cloud, a...


    There were so many...


    "He."


    A weird sound escaped Delh''s lips as her lips pulled up further.


    But itsted only for a brief moment before her expression returned to normal. She then


    turned on the tap and flicked her hand. The water rose up, drifting toward her face, washing away all the ink from her skin.


    In moments, her face appeared back to its pristine and normal condition.


    Delh nodded gently before turning the tap off and heading back to the room where the


    diary sat.


    She opened it and began to write again.


    [? He likes touching my face.]


    Why else would he draw on her face?


    Delh pressed the pen on the paper, applying a little bit more pressure as she paused.


    She didn''t really me him.


    After all, she too liked...

 Chapter 350: The fight from within [1]

    Chapter 350: The fight from within [1]


    ?


    Coming out of the apartment I felt incredibly refreshed.


    The warm and humid air didn''t seem to bother me like it usually did. Touching my face to make sure that my disguise was perfect, I headed for the Colosseum.


    In all honesty, there was no need for me to touch my face.


    My disguiseprised of an illusion.


    ... It''s just as packed as yesterday.''


    There was a long line at the entrance of the Colosseum that stretched very far. I took one nce at the line before heading for the private line where I was let in without any problem.


    There were perks to being a finalist.


    "This should be my seat."


    It sat right in front of the tform, allowing me to get a good look at the uing fight.


    Despite not participating, I was a little nervous. In all honesty, I wasn''t sure whether Leon could win the match.


    ...I wasn''t sure if I could beat the current Aoife.


    She was already strong, but with the addition of the statue, I found her extremely difficult to deal with.


    Especially since I didn''t know what sorts of cards she had.


    This was the perfect chance for me to see the full extent of her strength.


    ''Well, if Leon wins then I don''t have to worry.''


    To some extent...


    I still needed to deal with the Angel whose goal was starting to be clear to me.


    I just needed to find a way to deal with her.


    ....That was what I struggled with.


    "Hm?"


    Amid my thoughts, someone sat next to me. I nced in his direction for a brief moment before looking away.


    I couldn''t recognize him.


    However, he appeared to be rather tall with long brown hair and hazel eyes. His appearance could be described as average at best, with a mole by the side of his nose.


    "How are your injuries?"


    But it seemed like he could recognize me. Tensing a little, I didn''t show it on my face and kept my gaze fixed on the tform beneath.


    "....Do I know you?"


    "You do."


    |||||


    He knows me....? All sorts of thoughts churned in my mind as I thought about his words. From someone potentially being from the Inverted Sky to the Faceless Man. However, I was quick to dispel the second thought.


    If it was the Faceless Man then I wouldn''t feel so at ease.


    Someone from the organization then...?


    "Looks like you can''t recognize me."


    11


    ".....


    The silence that came after his words was enough of an answer for him as he pinched his throat.


    "How about now?"


    "Ah."


    A voice I could distinctively recall echoed in my ears.


    Turning my head, my eyes widened.


    "How did you manage to recognize me?"


    "It wasn''t that hard."


    Kaelion tilted his head and massaged his neck.


    "This area is only reserved for a few people. While you did change your appearance you didn''t change your height. I doubt that anyone else from the Summit is keen on watching the match, especially not Caius, so I guess that it was you. And I was right."


    "Right..."


    I felt a lot more rxed upon hearing his words.


    For a moment, I really was worried that I was going to be tangled in something troublesome.


    I already had a lot on my te, and so I wasn''t too keen on dealing with other stuff.


    Leaning forward, I kept my eyes fixed on the tform.


    "What brought you here?"


    "....Same reason as you, really. I wanted to watch the match."


    "Oh."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Your match yesterday was rather boring."


    "I guess."


    It couldn''t be helped. Nobody could really see what was happening inside of our minds.


    But...


    That aside, Kaelion appeared strangely chatty. He didn''t strike me as that kind of person... "Do you want anything from me? Are you worried that I''ll reve-"


    "Nah."


    Kaelion waved his hand dismissively.


    "I don''t care about that at all. If you tell them, so be it. In the end, my value trumps everyone else that the Empire brought. I may have betrayed them, but betrayal ismon where Ie from. I''ll at most be sent to the camps."


    Camps...?


    I was a little intrigued by the word but didn''t probe any further.


    "So you''re just here to watch?"


    "Yeah."


    He briefly nced at me, his lips pulling slightly at the corners as he leaned his body back


    onto the chair.


    ".... Just here to watch."


    ***


    "Hooo."


    Leon took a deep breath as he leaned his arms forward and stared at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was drenched, and water dripped down from the side of his face.


    His match was about to start soon, and his next opponent was Aoife.


    She was usually strong, but things were different now. Leon didn''t know the full extent of her abilities now that she was possessed.


    He couldn''t even expose her in public given Julien''s circumstances.


    If she were to be exposed, Grimspire would most likely be shut down with the clericsing


    to check on everyone for possession.


    There was a high chance Julien might get implicated if a situation like that arose.


    For that reason, that option was not valid.


    ''I need to defeat her.''


    ....Or find a way to get rid of the possession.


    Evelyn was currently outside doing her own thing. She didn''t share anything with him.


    It was something along the lines of; ''The Angel sees everything that I do so there''s no point in


    sharing anything with you.''


    Leon wanted to argue against her but found himself talking to a brick wall.


    No words could get through her skull.


    In the end, the only thing he could do was fight Aoife and win.


    "Huu."


    Sshing his face with water, he faced the door of the locker room. Behind it, he could hear


    the cheers of the crowd.


    They were loud and his blood started to boil.


    ''Right, I''ll be fighting Julien after this match.''


    He could finally get his revenge...


    11


    ||


    Pursing his lips, Leon took off his clothes and changed into hisbat ones.


    Then, taking another deep breath to calm his nerves, he reached out for the door and opened


    it.


    Booom-


    The cheers of the crowd engulfed him.


    Without turning back, Leon headed for the main tform where the audience waited.


    ***


    The darkness felt suffocating.


    Within it, wails of despair reverberated through the air.


    ''Help!''


    ''Get me out of here!''


    ''Someone please!''


    ''Ahh...!''


    Hands reached out in desperation, seemingly trying to grasp the darkness and tear it away.


    But it was useless.


    There was no escaping the darkness...


    "Kh...!"


    Kiera''s head twitched as she looked at the surrounding darkness with unease.


    She wanted to scream, to curse, to break free-but she couldn''t. Panic wed at her mind as


    she looked down, two cold stone hands gripping her tightly from behind.


    Horror filled her eyes as Kiera watched her limbs stiffening, and her skin turning to stone.


    Her body was slowly petrifying, inch by inch, and she was powerless to stop it.


    ''What do I do...?''


    An unknown amount of time had passed since she had found herself in this state, and she had


    lost track of time.


    At first, the darkness had been quiet.


    However, with time, the darkness became louder and louder as she heard more and more


    wails.


    It started to chew at her mind, adding to the sense of torture that she felt.


    ''Make it stop!''


    Kiera roared in her mind, but her words went to deaf ears.


    Unlike the others, she couldn''t scream. She had gone past that stage... she was now at the


    stage where she would soonpletely sumb to the statue.


    ....And that terrified her.


    The darkness that surrounded her terrified.


    She hated the dark.


    Added to the feeling of entrapment that she felt, Kiera''s entire body twitched with anxiety.


    All of this added together reminded her of the time in the past that she wanted to forget, and


    her anxiety shot through the roof.


    ''Stop... Make it stop...''


    Kiera was practically pleading by this point.


    However, her pleas went to deaf ears. There was no one to help her.


    All she could see was the darkness around her.


    ...And as the darkness hugged her entire body, Kiera felt her fingers twitch.


    ''C-cigarette... In-need a cigarette.''


    Kiera swallowed, her entire body trembling as sweat poured from the side of her pale face.


    Her eyes started to lose focus as she went in and out of consciousness.


    This was torture for her and she wanted nothing more than to get out of this ce.


    ''S-someone...''


    Kiera''s mind cked out for an unknown period.


    "Kiera."


    Waking her up from it was a familiar voice.


    ''Uh...?''


    Weakly raising her head, the first thing Kiera saw was a lock of purple hair.


    ''...Evelyn?''


    Surprised, she blinked slowly.


    She couldn''t quite grasp what was going on. What was she doing here? Did she also get


    trapped...?


    "Kiera!"


    But her voice seemed so close.


    And...


    "Uh?"


    Kiera felt her voice return.


    The realization shook her mind and she regained rity for a brief moment. It was then that


    she fully realized what was happening as she saw Evelyn stand before her with her hand


    pressed against her chest, a purple magic circle appearing in front of her.


    "Y-you..."


    "Shh."


    Evelyn mumbled, her eyes darting around frantically.


    It was as if she was afraid of something.


    Kiera couldn''t quite understand what it was, but she didn''t have to. Within moments of


    regaining rity of her mind, the hands that were grasping her body shot toward Evelyn at


    lightning-fast speeds.


    "....!"


    Evelyn''s eyes constricted and she pressed her foot down, dashing away and narrowly avoiding


    the attack.


    ".....


    Kiera watched all of this in silence, her mind frozen.


    But she quickly snapped out of it.


    Feeling sensation return to her arms, she twisted her torso and elbowed the area behind her.


    Bang!


    Kiera felt her elbow hit something hard.


    "Ukeh!"


    A wave of pain hit her arm, but she held the pain and smashed her elbow back again.


    Bang!


    A crack apanied her strike.


    Kiera propped her elbow forward once more, readying herself for another desperate strike.


    But before she could summon the strength, a sudden jolt of shot through her. Her lower half


    - she could feel it again. Control was returning, creeping back as she regained the sensation


    of


    her legs. Kiera stopped whatever she was doing and pressed her legs forward, shooting where Evelyn


    was.


    "Ukh."


    She stumbled several times, and just when she thought she was going to fall over, Evelyn


    appeared, gripping her shoulder and helping her up.


    "Y-you..."


    "It''s a long story."


    Evelyn replied, her expression stern as she looked around the darkness that surrounded the


    two of them.


    "We better hurry."


    "Ukh..!"


    Propping Kiera''s arm over her shoulder, she hurriedly pulled her away from the spot, moving


    as quickly as she could.


    As though the camera was panning out, Evelyun''s figure grew smaller and smaller as she ran


    away with Kiera.


    All noise ceased from that point as the darkness shattered.


    What reced the darkness was a gray-eyed figure who stood on the opposite end of arge


    tform.


    His expression was serious, while thousands of people stood around them.


    Roooooar-


    The roar of the crowd reverberated throughout as Aoife looked around, her lips slowly pulling


    into a small smile.


    "Hihihih."


    A childishugh slipped from her lips.


    How...


    Naughty.

 Chapter 351: The fight from within [2]

    Chapter 351: The fight from within [2]


    ?


    "He''s waking up, move away."


    After noticing a change in Caius''s heartbeat, Theron shoved the nurse aside and moved closer to Caius who was lying down on a soft bed.


    His eyelids twitched and soon opened, revealing his soft yellow eyes. Adjusting to the light, they twitched for a brief moment before dimming.


    Theron''s expression changed the moment heid eyes on Caius.


    They looked so...


    Lost.


    The room fell into a strange silence as neither party spoke.


    Eventually, the silence was broken by Caius''s horse voice as he nkly stared at the ceiling above.


    "....I can''t feel it."


    "You can''t feel what?"


    Theron moved closer, his eyes darting around to check his body. What can''t he feel...? His legs? His arms..? Everything should be norma-


    "My emotions."


    Theron''s entire body stiffened as his eyes fell on Caius who looked back at him nkly.


    Raising his hands, Caius touched his face, his eyes nking out.


    "I..."


    He blinked his eyes.


    "...Can''t feel anything."


    Squeezing his hands over his face, Caius''s eyes started to bleed. "I''m a talentless-"


    ***


    "So, today marks the start of the second Semi-Final match."


    Karl''s voice was rather low. The excitement that was usually present in his voice was no longer there. What reced it was a serious look.


    "....The match will be between Leon Ellert and Aoife Megrail. Both of which belong to the Nurs Ancifa Empire."


    It couldn''t be helped.


    Now that Caius had been eliminated, the onlypeting members were those from the Nurs Ancifa Empire.


    This meant that the top three candidates were from the same Empire.


    ...There had never been such a precedent in the past.


    It was such an overwhelming dominance that left him, and the audience stunned. And yet, as one might expect the viewers to die down in the face of such a situation, the reality was different, with the broadcasting viewership higher than it had ever been.


    Karl felt intense pressure upon realizing this.


    "I won''t spend much time introducing either side since most of you are already familiar with the two of them. On one side we have the Princess of the Empire, the current ck Star, and thest remaining of the Big Four."


    Karl took a deep breath upon uttering those words.


    Shifting his attention toward Leon, he unknowingly started to drum his fingers over the table.


    "Julien has eliminated two of the big four by himself while Leon has already eliminated one. Will he be able to defy the odds like Julien has...?"


    "Possibly."


    Johanna chimed in, her expression just as serious as Karl''s.


    "Leon has shown very good qualities so far. He has a shot at beating Aoife, but..."


    She paused for a second, her brows knitting together as her eyes fell on Aoife who stood on the opposite end of Leon, wearing a thin smile on her face.


    "...Aoife has yet to disy her full range of abilities. We don''t know if she developed a ''Concept'' or what her ''Concept'' is. It will alle down to Leon''s ability to deal with the unexpected."


    "I agree."


    Karl was just about to say something else when the referee''s hand raised.


    The entire Colosseum turned quiet, all noise disappearing at once. With all eyes lingering over the referee, a strange tension took over the tform.


    ...And it all came to a snap when the referee''s hand shot down, announcing the start of the match.


    "Begin!"


    Bang!


    Leon was the first one to move.


    His figure blurred from the spot, shattering the ground beneath him and heading straight for Aoife who remained standing in the same spot.


    As her eyes shifted from her left and right side, a smile crept on her pretty features as her red hair swayed before her eyes and she twisted her torso, unsheathing her thin sword and


    shing down.


    nk!


    Sparks flew in the air as Leon''s sword came into contact with Aoife''s.


    Neither side budged an inch as their eyes interlocked with one another. With a grunt, Leon''s arms popped and cracked as they began to bulge.


    "Uhm!"


    Power started to overflow his body as he started to push Aoife''s sword back.


    With his jaw clenched, he tried to take a step forward, but mid-way through his motion, his


    foot stopped.


    "....!"


    Looking down, he saw Aoife''s finger move and his expression changed as his leg was flung to the side, momentarily disrupting his center of gravity.


    Aoife''s eyes sharpened then.


    Twisting the heel of her foot, she let go of her sword, twirling around Leon and arriving


    before his exposed back where she pressed her hand.


    Bang!


    "Ukeh...!"


    Leon''s body trembled as he staggered forward.


    At the same time, the sword that left Aoife''s hand began to float in the air, its tip pointing directly at Leon''s heart as he staggered toward it.


    The audience held their breaths at the sight.


    It had all happened so fast and fluidly that they hardly had time to process the situation.


    Leon''s pupils shrank at the sight of the sword. Slowly, his eyes began to transform, the darkness within them giving way to nk, white dots that gradually filled the void. Without hesitation, Leon blinked his eyes, causing some of the stars to disappear.


    His body burst with power, and his body began to ''pop'' once more as the muscles in his body adjusted, allowing him to regain his footing and twisting his body, just narrowly avoiding the


    sword that grazed past his shirt.


    "Hiss."


    Leon sucked in a cold breath.


    Blinking again, he tapped the ground lightly, disappearing from his spot and materializing behind Aoife who turned her head as though she could follow his movements.


    Her hand flicked, and her sword shot in his direction.


    Leon could only raise his own sword in an attempt to stop the approaching sword.


    However, just as he tried to do so, he felt a powerful force hold his arms down, preventing


    him from moving the sword up.


    His expression changed, but he remained calm. His body squirmed, and his muscles tensed, releasing all the pent-up energy at once.


    A muffled ''bang'' resounded from deep within his body as he managed to free himself from


    the constraints of Aoife''s Telekinesis.


    nk!


    Sparks flew as he managed to block the sword in time.


    "Uekh...!"


    With a low shout, Leon reached out for Aoife''s sword and firmly grasped it with his free hand.


    Aoife raised her hand in an attempt to regain control of her sword, but Leon didn''t allow her, blinking his eyes one more, causing arge chunk of the stars within his eyes to disappear.


    His arm bulged and blood started to trickle down his right nostril.


    The veins on his neck protruded as his face grew red.


    "Ukeh!"


    With a low shout, he managed to resist Aoife''s Telekinesis, freeing the sword from its


    restraint.


    Bang, bang-


    With a sword in each hand, he didn''t waste a single second after that as he charged directly at her, the ground splitting with each step he took.


    His momentum rose, and his figure appeared to grow taller and sturdier in the eyes of all


    present.


    He looked and felt overwhelming.


    "Ahhh...!"


    Swooosh-


    He brought both swords down in a swift, powerful strike, the air itself seemed to tear apart


    under the force and speed of the blow.


    Some of the audience members stood up at the sight presented before them, unable to tear


    their gaze away from Leon who appeared topletely suppress Aoife.


    || ||


    Aoife stared at the approaching swords without much of an expression.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    She tried raising her hand to counterattack, but the sheer power and strength behind Leon''s attack made it impossible for her to block the strike. She also couldn''t dodge the attack, leaving her with no other choice but to confront the attack head-on.


    But how could she confront the attack head-on...?


    How could-


    "Hihihi."


    With a soft giggle, Aoife''s eyes started to change.


    A figure was reflected within those eyes of hers. A figure Leon was all too familiar with as his


    eyes constricted. Shortly after, Aoife''s body started to sink into the ground,pletely falling into the shadow


    cast by Leon''s body.


    "This...!"


    "Ah!"


    Shouts of surprise echoed from the audience and Karl who stood up at the sight that greeted


    them.


    BANG!


    Leon''s attacks came cleaving down,pletely missing Aoife as theynded on the tform, releasing a terrifying explosion as everything beneath it shattered.


    Swoosh!


    A powerful gust of air burst out from the point of attack as Leon''s clothes fluttered intensely.


    The barrier that protected the audience fluctuated as pieces of debris flew in their direction, tinkering with the shield.


    11


    ||


    As the dust and debris settled down, allowing the audience to take a glimpse of the stage, the eyes and expressions of many of the spectators changed as they fell on Aoife who stood by the edge of the tform, her red hair fluttering silently.


    Blinking her eyes, an ember appeared before her.


    "This...!"


    Johanna stood up, her eyes changing as she leaned forward.


    With another blink, another ember flickered into existence before Aoife, soon followed by


    more. They drifted through the air, gradually settling in specific spots around the tform.


    Her actions were fast, and just as Leon turned his head to see her smile, she snapped her


    fingers.


    Snap-


    Swoosh!


    mes erupted, engulfing the entire stage into a sea of mes.


    Johanna stared at the sight with her mouth open, unable to understand the sight that greeted


    her.


    Eventually, however, as the tform was engulfed in mes, she pressed her lips together.


    ".... Is this even a Concept?"


    ***


    "Arkgh....!"


    A scream reverberated through the darkness as Kiera stopped, her entire body suddenly


    engulfing in mes.


    "Kiera!"


    Evelyn simrly stopped, her expression changing as she turned to look at Kiera.


    She tried to reach for her, but the mes engulfing Kiera''s body were overwhelming, stopping


    her mid-motion.


    "Damn it."


    Evelyn cursed, her eyes darting all over as her heart pressed at her throat.


    She didn''t know what was going on, but she felt as though a pair of eyes were staring down at


    her, following her every movement.


    "Argh!"


    Kiera continued to scream in pain, raging mes erupting from out of her body.


    "Make it stop!"


    She screamed, her blood-red eyes piercing through the mes and looking at her in


    desperation.


    "M-make it stop!"


    As someone who dealt with mes, Keira should have no trouble withstanding them. And


    yet... here she was, slowly getting consumed by the very mes she was adept at controlling.


    Evelyn bit her lips.


    Her mind started to race as she thought of all sorts of ways to stop the fire.


    In the end, she snapped her fingers as a purple magic circle floated before her. It slowly


    levitated before Kiera as lightning started to gather.


    Though she wasn''t sure if her n would work, it was the only thing she could think of.


    And so, gathering her mana, she prepared to unleash the spell on Kiera who continued to


    scream.


    Evelyn extended her hand, preparing to use the spell when...


    mp!


    A hand mped her arm.


    "Uh..!?"


    Evelyn''s body shook as her heart jumped out of her throat.


    As her head flicked to her left, her face froze as her purple eyes came into contact with a pair of


    hazel eyes.


    A pair of eyes she hadn''t expected to see in this ce.


    "Y-you..."


    "Let her be."


    Julien''s cool voice echoed quietly within the dark space as his gaze fell on Kiera.


    "...It''ll do her more harm than good."

 Chapter 352: The fight from within [3]

    ?


    From the very moment that the match started, I kept my gaze on the tform, never once leaving my eyes away from the sight that stood before me.


    At least that was how it looked on the outside.


    In reality, my attention was elsewhere.


    ....It was toward my mind.


    ''Where are you...?''


    Within the darkness that was my conciseness, I looked around in search of the seed that the statue nted within my mind.


    ''I know you''re here somewhere.''


    It had always been there, secretly waiting for an opening to appear in my mind.


    But it was an opening that it would never get. I was always cautious. Never once pushing myself to the point of utter mental exhaustion.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    And this was even taking into ount the fight with Caius.


    As precarious as the situation was, I still remained cautious enough to protect my mind.


    The effort paid off.


    ....The statue never looked for me.


    But it was now my turn to look for it.


    ''Maybe I can help Leon this way.''


    More than that, I was afraid the longer someone was under the influence of the statue, the more dangerous the situation was for them.


    I couldn''t waste any more time and pressed my hand over my arm.


    ''Sadness''


    A wave of pain washed over my mind as my body jolted.


    Breathing started to be more difficult, and my thoughts blurred.


    And finally, the opening that the statue had been so desperately seeking, revealed itself. She didn''t waste a single second and jumped at the opportunity as the darkness around me fluctuated as a pair of hands materialized from behind me, tightening around my body and holding me tight.


    I felt a hot breath run down the back of my neck as the statue''s face appeared right next to my shoulder, its hollow eyes turned to face my direction.


    As I simrly turned my head to stare at it, the Angel greeted me with a smile


    A smile that sunk me deep into the darkness.


    *


    The darkness felt cold.


    Falling deep into it, it felt as though I was being suffocated.


    Almost as if I was being dragged down into the deepest parts of the ocean.


    My mind grew faint, and the deeper I fell, the more my ears started to pick up certain sounds. Such sounds only became louder the deeper I fell, and it wasn''t long before I started to perfectly understand what was being said.


    ''Help....!''


    ''...I don''t want to be here anymore.''


    ''Someone help me!''


    They were pleas of help.


    The desperation in their voices was palpable, and I shuddered upon hearing the voices.


    I felt helpless.


    I couldn''t move, and I could hardly think properly as I sunk deeper into the darkness.


    Thump!


    Eventually, my feet came to a stop.


    The darkness embraced me as I stood with my body raised upright. I tried to move my body, but the arms that coiled around my body refused to let go of me, leaving mepletely and utterly helpless.


    Krrr-


    A sound akin to a stone grinding against another reached my ears.


    At first, I was confused, but the moment I looked down, my heart sank as I saw my feet slowly turn into stone.


    Drip...! Drip!


    Blood trickled down into the darkness as I felt a sharp pain down my neck.


    I was suddenly reminded of the vision I had previously seen at the start and held my emotions in check, forming locks as my mind cooled down.


    ...Let''s get out of here.''


    Though the hands that were gripping me were confusing my thoughts and mind, I didn''t allow the statue to take hold of me without a n. From the start, I was confident in getting out of whatever situation that I was in.


    There was a reason why I chose to do what I did during the fight between Aoife and Leon.


    The statue would be too busy to focus its attention on trying to keep me in check.


    Cr Crack!


    As expected, faint cracks began to appear on the stone hands that were gripping my body as my body squirmed in ce.


    I felt a sharp pain invade my mind.


    A futile attempt from the statue to trying to seep deeper into my mind, but unlike before, I didn''t let her in.


    Cra Crack!


    The statue exploited one''s holes within the mind in order to infiltrate it and consume the


    mind of its victim.


    But my mind...


    It had no holes.


    Whatever holes it had, I had already sealed them.


    And so...


    Bang!


    The hands shattered as I staggered forward, falling to the ground and pressing my hand down


    to stop myself from falling face t.


    "Huek...!"


    While the process had sounded easy, it still did leave me somewhat exhausted as my mind throbbed. Pushing the pain away, I looked back at the statue who looked back at me, its hand slowly starting to regenerate.


    I didn''t wait for it topletely regenerate before dashing toward the darkness.


    ''Help me...!''


    ''Someone!''


    Wherever I passed, voices reached my ears. They pleaded and begged for me as they reached out for me, their faces stretching through the darkness in an attempt to reach for me.


    I ignored everything and headed deeper into the darkness.


    ''I need to find her...''


    Seeping into the Angel''s world, I had a n in mind. Its strength came directly from the victim it absorbed, and while I didn''t know exactly what its n was for sure, I had a feeling


    that it involved the finals.


    ''.... It probably wants to send a message to the entire world.''


    I recalled the chilling sight back in the vision after I used the second leaf, and I hurried my


    steps. I needed to stop it now before it was toote.


    If the statue managed to defeat Leon and absorb his power, then the situation would turn out


    for the worse.


    I couldn''t allow for that scenario to happen.


    Partially from the victims of the Angel''s schemes, but also from what would happen to me.


    Once the world found out what happened, I could already imagine Grimspire getting locked


    down with its people being searched for potential ''possessions''.


    If it ever came down to that, then my secret would be found.


    After all...


    I didn''te from this world.


    Everything that I had built up would crumble down, and I''d probably get locked up


    somewhere if not downright killed.


    This...


    I had no choice but to keep silent and resolve the situation.


    I...


    "....?"


    Coming to a stop, I saw a faint lighting from the distance. It was bright and stood as a massive contrast to the darkness that embraced the entire world.


    I was a little hesitant at first, thinking that it could very well be a trap, but upon seeing the


    light be brighter and feeling a familiar feeling from it, I resolved my mind and moved in


    its direction.


    That was when I saw Evelyn and was able to make sense of the situation.


    "Stop."


    I grabbed her hand, stopping whatever she was doing.


    Her eyes shook the moment I touched her hand, but I didn''t let go and instead looked at Kiera


    who was being engulfed by her own mes.


    "Y-you..."


    "Let her be. It''ll do her more harm than good."


    "What...?"


    Seeing the confused look on Evelyn''s face, I exined,


    "The Angel is merely using her abilities to fight Leon. If we stop it now, the Angel will try to


    take her powers with more force."


    Though my mind was deep into the statue, a small part of my consciousness was still


    connected to the outside world.


    I could go out of this ce whenever I wanted.


    Though I couldn''t see what was happening, I could still hear everything that was happening. I


    knew what sort of trouble Leon was in.


    "....Are you sure?" Evelyn appeared a little hesitant at first, but as I looked back into her eyes, she pressed her


    lips together and pulled her hand away.


    "Akhg! Fuck...!"


    Kiera continued to scream, cursing from time to time, but we only watched in silence.


    "F-fuck!"


    Her cries were heart-wrenching, resounding deeply into the darkness, but I remained


    unfazed. Looking toward Evelyn who had a hard time keeping her emotions in check, I began


    asking her questions.


    "How did you get here?"


    "....Uh?"


    She looked surprised by the fact that I was speaking to her at first but soon managed to


    recover.


    "I have my own means."


    "What was your n?"


    "....To free everyone while the Angel is busy with the fight."


    So we had the same idea...


    "And you have a way to track everyone down?"


    "I do."


    Evelyn nodded quietly, opening up her palm to show a small projection where several dots


    appeared.


    "This is..."


    "You can call it a map. This dot over here is where we are whereas the dots scattered around


    are where everyone else is."


    "How do you manage to detect them?"


    "....It''s because of my element."


    Evelyn''s expression turnedplicated as she looked at me. She mumbled something quietly


    under her breath, faint enough for me to not understand before she continued with her


    exnation,


    "The Lightning element is the most effective element in detecting those that have been


    possessed. By sending a quick pulse into their mind, I can shock their mind awake and clear it


    for long enough to free them from whatever is controlling them."


    "But what does that have to do with helping you detect them?"


    "....Because we aren''t in our physical forms."


    Evelyn exined, fiddling with her hands as bolts of lightning crackled around it.


    "Right now, we''re all connected by a single mind..."


    Raising her head, she looked up toward the void.


    "...The mind of the Angel."


    "Ah."


    I started to get a better idea of what she was talking about.


    "Does that mean that you can free everyone that is trapped?"


    "In essence, yes."


    Evelyn nodded truthfully.


    "But...?"


    "I''d need to get close enough to them first, and I can''t be interrupted in the process."


    "I see."


    I nodded thoughtfully, thinking about her words. Since she had entered the mind of the statue


    during a time when it couldn''t fully focus on what was happening inside, Evelyn could get several people free without any interference. This was essentially the only time she could do it.


    The n was solid, but it didn''t take into ount the fact that the statue could use the powers


    of those that it possessed.


    My mind started to churn as Iid eyes on the map in Evelyn''s hand.


    As I did, a thought urred to me.


    "Do you have any idea where the Angel is?"


    "You...!"


    Evelyn''s eyes widened upon realizing what I was nning.


    "That-"


    "We don''t have time. I''ll take the entire statue''s attention while you free the others."


    "But...!"


    "We don''t have time."


    Evelyn pressed her lips together before eventually pointing toward a certain dot. I memorized


    the exact direction before turning toward it.


    Just as I was about to move, Evelyn''s hand reached out for my shoulder.


    I looked in her direction.


    "What?"


    ".....Can I ask you something?"


    Ask me something? I frowned. This was not the time for this. I was just about to tell her this


    when her next words left me shook.


    "Have we met before?"


    "Uh...?"


    Evelyn blinked her eyes, her head tilting as she repeated,


    "Before you took Julien''s body? Did we meet before?"

 Chapter 353: The fight from within [4]

    Chapter 353: The fight from within [4]


    ?


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Evelyn felt her heart beat out of her chest as she faced Julien''s whose expression remained the same. His deep hazel eyes looked right at her, seeping into the corners of her mind.


    His gaze was intense.


    Evelyn felt suffocated by his gaze.


    But she resisted. With her head raised, she looked straight at him.


    This was not the right time.


    She understood this, but when was ever the right time? She had been longing to say this for quite a while now, never finding the courage to speak up about it.


    It was only now that it was just the two of them that she found her voice.


    And so...


    She did it, she spoke her thoughts.


    "You''re not Julien."


    Evelyn was sure of it.


    While Julien changed in the past, it had never been for such a long extent. The first time he changed was when they were both ten years old.


    It was an incident she couldn''t forget.


    After all, that was the first time she saw kindness return in Julien after a very long time. But it had only been brief, and short-lived.


    He returned to his old ways shortly after.


    ...Just like the other four times.


    Each time, she''d find herself questioning whether he had changed or not, thinking that perhaps he truly had... but each time, she''d be left disappointed as he''d change right back to how he usually was.


    It had be some sort of trauma of hers.


    But...


    ''He''s definitely changed this time.''


    And not because he suddenly was enlightened. No, it was because he was apletely different person.


    Recalling the words that Leon had once told her,


    "The Julien that you know is dead.''


    Evelyn was sure of it.


    The person who stood before him was not the Julien that she knew, but apletely different person who had taken over his body. But there was something off about this ''Julien''. It had been nagging her for quite some time, but Evelyn felt that he was vaguely familiar.


    But why...?


    Why did he feel familiar?


    The thought ate away at her mind.


    "Are you not going to say anything?"


    11


    Julien remained quiet, his deep hazel eyes never tearing away from her face. He seemed to be


    in deep thought, indicated by the slight furrowing of his brows.


    Seeing the expression that he was making, Evelyn held her breath.


    ''Does he not know...?''


    If so...


    "What are you doing?"


    Evelyn blinked her eyes as she suddenly saw Julien turn away from her and walk away. She reached out for him once more, but just as she did, he finally spoke,


    "Whatever you think you know, you''re wrong. Do your mission and I will do mine. We don''t have time mindlessly wasting on your theories."


    "But-"


    Evelyn was never able to get her words out as Julien moved forward, his figure slowly blending in with the surrounding darkness.


    As his figure disappeared, all Evelyn could do was stand with her lips pursed.


    "Ah."


    She felt powerless.


    Recently, this was all she had been thinking about. In silence, she watched and observed him. Trying to find links with her memories and the past Julien that she knew, but the more that she saw him, the greater the differences were.


    ''Who are you? What are you doing...? What is your goal? Where is the old Julien? Are you the one responsible for his change?''


    Her mind flooded with questions, whispering into her mind like haunting reminders.


    She wanted those whispers to end.


    To finally have some answers so that she could have peace of mind.


    But...


    ''Did we meet before?''


    All she received were more questions.


    "Uekh... Kh. H-help."


    Turning her head, Evelyn looked toward Kiera who was stumbling on the ground with her chest heaving up and down repeatedly. She looked utterly exhausted, and her face was pale.


    Evelyn bit her lips and walked towards her.


    "Here."


    She helped her up, slowly cing her palm behind her back where a magic circle appeared.


    "Let me free you."


    ***


    "Huu. Huu."


    Leon''s breathing was rough. Looking through the ze surrounding him, he struggled to see properly. This was both a good thing and a bad thing.


    On the one hand, he didn''t have to worry about her emerging randomly from the shadows; on the other hand, he had to put on a thinyer of mana to protect his body from the mes


    engulfing him.


    While the expenditure wasn''t anything crazy, it was still present, and in a match as important


    as this, any little mana was important.


    Swoosh-


    Leon''s pupils constricted upon noticing a fluctuation in the mes around him.


    His body blurred, and he disappeared from the spot where he was previously standing.


    Bang!


    A powerful st of fire rained down on the spot he had previously been standing on, the heat spreading toward every inch of the tform.


    Sweat dripped down from Leon''s forehead as his eyes darted all over the ce in an attempt to spot Aoife, who hid within the mes.


    Although a thinyer of mana shielded him from the heat, it couldn''t stop the smoke from spreading. His eyes watered, and his breathing grewbored. Leon realized he was in a disadvantageous position and needed to find a way to turn the tide.


    The more he allowed the situation to go on, the less likely the chances of his victory were.


    ''...This is annoying.''


    Swooosh!


    A surge of heat erupted behind him. Instinctively, he snapped his head back and twisted his torso, shing down toward the oing ball of heat.


    His sword whirled through the air, slicing the attack cleanly in two, while his hair and clothes


    fluttered in the aftermath.


    "Hooo."


    But that wasn''t all.


    All of a sudden, Leon felt the hair at the back of his neck rise.


    It didn''t take him long to understand why. As he straightened his posture, red magic circles


    emerged from the ground, encircling him from all sides.


    "Ah."


    Leon''s expression remained stoic, but his heart sank.


    He had fallen for Aoife''s trap.


    Clench.


    Leon blinked, the stars within the void of his eyes vanishing. His gaze darted around, mind


    racing as he calcted the trajectories of the iing attacks. With a low shout, he stomped


    his foot down, bracing himself for the onught.


    Bang- The ground beneath him shattered, and shortly after that, the magic circles lit up.


    Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!


    Fire rained down from all over.


    The attacks came fast, and the intense heat radiated outward, so palpable that the audience


    could feel it, watching the spectacle with terror in their eyes.


    "This is..." Karl''s eyes shrunk upon seeing the attack, and as he turned his head, he could see the somber


    expression on Johanna''s face as she tried to decipher Aoife''s Concept.


    However, hard as she tried, she found herself unable to figure it out.


    Just when the audience thought that Leon''s situation was dire, a change urred to him. The


    void in his eyes rapidly shrunk, collecting all the umted stars from within. His body popped and squirmed as his momentum started to rise.


    His figure bulged, while a glow manifested over his sword.


    This all happened within a split second, and not many were able to see the changes before the


    rain of fire reached him, engulfing his body in its entirety.


    "Ah!"


    "This...!"


    Several spectators screamed and shouted in shock as Leon''s body disappeared under the rain


    of fire, but their screams didn''tst very long.


    Shortly after the fire engulfed him, a bright light formed from within the heart of the mes.


    It was small at first, just barely brighter than the mes around.


    With each passing second, the light grew brighter and brighter until it finally erupted


    outward, consuming the mes entirely.


    In a matter of less than a second, the tform returned to how it was at the start, with two


    figures standing on opposite ends.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    But unlike before, both sides appeared to be somewhat tired.


    Leon was far worse off than Aoife, whose breathing was only slightly heavy. In contrast,


    Leon''s entire body was drenched in sweat, and his face had gonepletely pale.


    "H-hoo."


    Still, despite the state of his body, Leon''s grip over his sword was steady.


    Bang!


    The ground beneath him caved in as he stepped forward, his momentum just as high as it was


    before,pletely overpowering Aoife who flinched slightly.


    "Huuu."


    Turbid air flowed out from his mouth as his body squirmed once more, the muscles in his


    body tensing and umting energy at an rming degree. He ced his foot forward and raised his sword in preparation for releasing onest strike.


    The entire Colosseum fell silent as his actions, all noise vanishing as if the world itself held its


    breath.


    ||


    ||


    ||


    Tensions ran high as Aoife raised her head to look at Leon who seemed topletely take


    over the entire stage, standing tall as though he was a massive giant that towered over the entire Colosseum.


    Aoife watched him in silence, her eyes rippling slightly before she brought her hand forward.


    Leon''s expression stiffened at her actions, his body growing tense as he prepared to strike


    down on her.


    He was just about to do so when...


    Aoife''s hand turned entirely purple.


    "....!"


    Leon''s expression froze as his eyes rapidly constricted, the space behind him fluctuating. He


    had no time to react before a purple hand emerged from the void, reaching out from behind


    him and pressing down on his back.


    "Uekh...!"


    A wave of weakness washed over his body as he staggered forward, his eyes growing ck and


    the momentum he built up lowering.


    "Kh!"


    Just barely, he managed to stop himself from falling face-first as he nted his foot against


    the ground and stabilized his body.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    But the damage has been done as he lost a lot of the umted momentum. Furthermore, his body was starting to be weaker by the second. Feeling the changes in


    his body, Leon''s expression twisted as he silently cursed,


    "Damn it, Julien..."


    That...


    It was without a doubt his fault.


    ***


    "Ukeh...!"


    My head throbbed as I felt a strong suction force appear from right above me, halting me on


    the spot as I held my head with both hands. The pain was strong, but I was able to endure it as


    I clenched my teeth and cut the connection rather quickly.


    "S-shit."


    Despite the speed at which I was able to cut off the connection, it was still not fast enough as I


    noticed changes urring outside of the mind space.


    An image appeared in my mind as my expression twitched.


    ......She used my skills."


    I lowered my head to stare at my hands where residual ''curse'' mana lingered around.


    Silently clenching my fist, I took a deep breath and adjusted my mind. Though I knew this


    from what happened to Kiera, and I had been prepared for it, I was still not able to fully block


    the statue from taking my abilities.


    ... It became painfully clear to me that the statue could use the abilities of any being that


    resided within her mind space.


    I was no exception, and this realization hit me rather hard.


    ''I need to hurry up and find the heart of the statue.''


    I had toplete this before Leon''s match ended. The worst-case scenario was Leon losing,


    and so all I could hope for was for him tost for as long as possible.


    The hope was for him to win, but... given the statue''s ability stealing ability, I knew he''d have


    a hard time doing that.


    .... And paying attention to the situation outside, I knew things weren''t looking good.


    Leon was almost out of gas.


    I had to reach the Angel before then.


    Clench.


    Looking around, I rushed forward, in the direction indicated by Evelyn''s map.


    I lost track of how long I ran, each second stretching into eternity. The darkness stretched around me, weighing heavily on my legs as though they were made out of lead. Each step felt heavier than thest and my chest tightened with the ticking of time.


    ''Come, on... Come, on... Where are-''


    "Ah."


    Something loomed in the distance, and as I squinted my eyes, my breath stopped.


    I spotted exactly what I was searching for a grand pce with a dome-shaped roof,


    standing starkly against the ck void that enveloped the entire space. At the gates of the pce was an all too familiar four-leaved clover.


    They stretched for several yards, surrounding the entire pce that stood as a reminder of a


    vision I once saw.


    ''It''s this ce again...''


    Arriving before the gates, my steps came to a pause as I pressed my hand against the metal


    poles of the gate.


    Standing by the gates, I suddenly felt pressured.


    As though the gravity around me had intensified significantly.


    ''I''m here.''


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Unknowingly, my heart started to ''thump'' wildly, the chains in my emotions rattling as the


    four-leaved clover stood above me.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    My chest felt oddly heavy, and recalling what I had seen before, I swallowed hard.


    Pressing my lips together, I took a deep breath.


    And then...


    ank!


    I opened the gates.

 Chapter 354: The fight from within [5]

    Chapter 354: The fight from within [5]


    ?


    It was just as quiet as the first time.


    Stairs lined up from the side, spiraling toward a central tform where a wooden railing stood, allowing one to overlook the ck marble floor that was dimly lit by the chandelier that stood up above.


    A suffocating silence enveloped the hall as the gentle click of my step resounded throughout.


    Tak-


    I looked around me, recalling every little detail of the vision I had not so long ago.


    I recalled everything.


    From the little cracks around the marble floor to the minute crevices on the stairs that lead up to the tform above.


    ....It was all the same as in the vision.


    Almost...


    ||||


    I held my breath as my steps paused.


    As I slowly lifted my head, my gaze settled on the center of the tform, where a statue stood. Its hollow eyes were fixed on me, its empty gaze bearing down my soul as my head started to feel light.


    It hadn''t been there when I had entered...


    "Hoo."


    The locks within my mind started to rattle.


    I still remainedposed, starting back at the statue without saying a word.


    But...


    Flick.


    Suddenly, the chandelier above me flickered, and in an instant, the room was swallowed by darkness. The cold crept in immediately, sinking deep into my skin as the silence felt suffocating.


    My mouth grew dry as I squinted my eyes.


    The locks rattled with even more intensity, the darkness and silence feeling as though they stretched for eternity.


    I could only wait for it to end.


    The chandelier came back to life with a faint ''flickering'' sound.


    Flick.


    It allowed me to see my surroundings again, instilling oxygen back into my lungs as I breathed again.


    But it was only momentary.


    Lifting my head back up, my eyes fell back on the tform.


    The Angel stood there like before, its empty gaze fixed on me. But unlike before... there wasn''t just one Angel.


    No.


    There were two.


    "....!"


    My throat squeezed briefly before I took a small and even breath.


    Feeling the eyes of the statues linger over me, I remained calm. At least... that was until the chandelier flicked again.


    Flick.


    I was suddenly plunged into darkness once more.


    And just like before, it onlysted for a brief moment before the chandelier flickered back to life.


    This time... I was met with three statues.


    Lining up on the tform before me, they all looked down on me, their empty gazes sending shivers down my spine.


    Flick.


    The phenomenon continued, and...


    Flick.


    With each flick,


    Flick.


    A new Angel appeared.


    Flick.


    I soon started to lose count of the number of Angels that stood on the tform above. The number now seemed irrelevant due to how many there were.


    Flick-


    The Chandelier flicked once more.


    This time, however, it flickered with power. Any of the lingering darkness disappeared, fully embraced by the bright light of the chandelier that lit up the entire hall.


    I almost instinctively stepped back from the phenomenon but was able to keep a cool head and remain firm.


    "Hihihihi."


    A faint, childlike giggle echoed through the hall, bouncing off the walls in every direction. The sound twisted and warped, making it impossible to pinpoint its source, leaving an unsettling chill in the air.


    I looked around, hoping to see where it came from.


    And then, I saw it¡ªexactly what I had been searching for. Had I not been paying close attention, I might have missed it entirely. But my eyes caught the subtle detail: a small, pale hand, barely visible, gripping the hand of the angelic statue in the center.


    It was too tiny, too out of ce, to belong there.


    Her small head slowly peeked out from behind the Angel, glossy yet unfocused eyes glinting


    in the dim light as they locked onto mine.


    There was something unnervingly still about her gaze as if she had been watching me all


    along.


    "Hihihihihi."


    I once again picked up the giggling as I settled my gaze on the little girl.


    ''It''s her...''


    My heart pressed as I recognized the little girl.


    She was the same little girl from the vision. The blind girl who had been possessed and fell


    victim to the sin of her father.


    "....You managed to find me."


    She said, her childish voice filling the empty hall as the Angels stood around me, their empty


    gazes still lingering over me.


    "Hihihi."


    Giggling again, the little girl let go of the Angel''s hand before turning around and throttling


    away.


    As she left, she spoke once more,


    "Find me again!"


    Her voice was light and filled with yfulness. And yet, all of it felt strangely heavy as she


    disappeared from the hall.


    Silence once again fell over my surroundings.


    But not for long.


    Krrr-


    A harsh, grating sound filled the air as the statues began to tremble.


    I didn''t stand by and watch whatever was happening. Unlike before when the lights were


    flickering, I had alreadypleted my preparations.


    "Go, do your job."


    Squelch. Squelch. Roots burst through the cracks in the floor and walls, snaking their way into the hall with


    unnatural speed.


    They twisted and writhed, dashing toward the statues towering above me, wrapping around


    their bodies.


    It all happened unbelievably quickly.


    By the time the little girl''s disappeared, all the statues were covered in dark roots.


    "...I''m done."


    Owl-Mighty settled over my shoulder as the vines squelched and screamed around the


    statues.


    "You''ve done great."


    It was about time that I employed the services of Owl-Mighty.


    Now that we were within the statue''s mind, and with no concern about exposing him to the


    outside world, I could summon him without any reservations.


    Furthermore, this was his forte.


    I had called him up the moment the lights turned off and the second statue appeared. I didn''t


    just stand there and wait for the statues to umte.


    I slowly and deliberately had Owl-Mighty set its root around the ce to handle the statues.


    Thump-Thump-!


    Even so, he couldn''t fully suppress the statues. A faint, muffled bang echoed through the hall


    as the vines coiled around them squirmed and writhed, struggling to keep them in check.


    Owl-Mighty''s expression appeared rtively grim as he waved his hand.


    Squelch!


    Even more roots sprouted out from the ground locking onto the statues.


    "Human."


    Owl-Mighty looked at him, his eyes shifting away from the statues.


    "You better start moving. I won''t be able to hold on for much longer."


    "Alright."


    I nodded and rushed up the stairs, moving past the statues and heading to the door where the


    little girl entered.


    Whatever the situation was, she was the key to it all.


    So long as I could get to her then I knew I''d be able to stop everything.


    There was no need to spend time defeating the statues.


    ***


    At the same time.


    "Shhh... Be quiet, I''ll free you."


    A dim purple glow manifested in the darkness as Evelyn was able to free yet another person.


    Unfortunately, unlike Kiera, they weren''t able to keep themselves conscious as they


    immediately passed out in her arms.


    "Another one..."


    Evelyn sighed, cing the girl she freed down.


    "Looks like you''re really special amongst the others."


    "....Uh, sure."


    Kiera cast Evelyn a brief nce. Her face was still somewhat pale, but she managed to recover she was suddenly drained of her powers.


    quite a bit from the


    She shuddered upon thinking of the pain she experienced back then.


    ".....


    Looking down and staring at the girl passed out on the floor, she raised her head back up to


    face Evelyn.


    "For how long are we going to do this? When can we go back out?"


    "Not yet."


    Evelyn replied, waving her hand for a brief moment before heading toward a certain direction.


    Already used to it, Kiera followed her from behind without voicing anyints.


    She seemed to know where she was going. Wherever she went, they''d end up stumbling over someone. While Kiera didn''t know why she


    was freeing everyone, she knew it was important so she did her job, staying on the lookout


    and protecting Evelyn while she was doing her job.


    "...We need to free three more people before we can leave."


    "Okay."


    Kiera didn''t ask any questions and simply nodded her head.


    She wanted to get it over as fast as she could.


    Scratch. Scratch.


    The dark... It was getting to her.


    Kiera tried to make small talk in order to put her mind away from the dark.


    "...Is something bothering you?"


    "Um?"


    Evelyn paused, her eyes fluttering.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Nah, you just seem a little out of it. Are you tired? We can rest a little if you want."


    "We don''t have time."


    Evelyn dismissed with her hand.


    "Oh."


    Kiera was about to nod when her brows furrowed slightly. This came as a result of the look on


    Evelyn''s face.


    "Something is bothering you, after all."


    "Um, maybe it is."


    Evelyn massaged her face quickly and shook her mind out of it. Before Kiera could say


    anything else, she hurried her steps.


    "Don''t worry about it. I''ll find out what I want soon enough. Let''s focus on this for now."


    ***


    Outside.


    The weird changes surrounding Aoife didn''t go unnoticed by the top brass as As''s brows


    raised a little. me, Darkness, and Curse Magic...


    ''Something is not adding up.''


    While there were ''Elemental'' Concepts that granted one the ability to use all elements,


    Aoife''s situation was a little different.


    She... Wasn''t using a Concept.


    Typically, when a ''Concept'' was activated, the ground beneath the user would squirm which


    was a sign of the domain expanding.


    This had happened to Kaelion, Caius, Julien, Leon, and Amell.


    But things were different with Aoife.


    There was no such indication from her.


    It made everyone curious, but at the same time pay extremely close attention to her. On the


    outside, there didn''t seem to be anything out of the ordinary, but something was not right.


    As noticed that several other people were sharing the same thoughts as him as his


    expression started to turn serious.


    ''What is going on?''


    Even he was a little bit confused by the situation.


    Could this be an innate skill of hers...? Or an entirely new method of creating a Concept?


    As shifted his attention toward Delh.


    Perhaps she''d know...


    She was also looking at the tform with incredible intensity.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It looked like she had also noticed something unusual about the situation, and As was just


    about to bring it up when Delh suddenly raised her hand and poked her cheek.


    The action took himpletely aback.


    What sort of...?


    She pressed it several times before furrowing her brows in disappointment.


    Then, shifting her attention back to the tform, she mumbled,


    "Not the same."


    ***


    Cra Crack!


    "Umph!"


    I quickly ducked as roots burst from the ground below, winding their way up and entangling


    the statue that had suddenly appeared.


    Cracks appeared on the statue as I moved past it and sprinted through the narrow hall.


    Squelch! Squelch!


    "Keep going, I''ll handle the rest."


    "Yes."


    I had been moving like this for the past several minutes, narrowly avoiding the statues to


    appear from out of nowhere and unexpectedly. If not for Owl-Mighty''s help, I would''ve been


    in a lot of trouble.


    "Ukh!"


    I rolled to the side, hitting my shoulder against the side of the wall. Suppressing the pain and pushing myself back up, I continued to head deeper into the


    hallway.


    ''It should be this way..''


    Everything was exactly as it was in the vision. Though I hadn''t seen the entire pce, I was


    familiar with the path that I needed to take.


    Squelch! Squelch!


    Roots sprouted from the marble floor, cracking it as they entangled around the walls,


    preventing any unexpected encounter.


    Which was all that I needed to do...


    It''d be a different discussion if I had to defeat them, but outrunning?


    That wasn''t a problem.


    "It should be this one."


    Running out of the hallway, I stopped before a door that looked exactly as it did in the vision.


    ''... She should be behind the door.''


    I took a deep breath and braced myself, scanning the area with caution as I anticipated being


    surrounded by statues at any moment.


    But...


    "Nothing?"


    It was oddly quiet around me. There were no statues or anything that stood in my way to the


    door.


    ...It was quiet.


    Eerily so.


    I looked around once more to check for any traps or anything of the sort, but...


    It was all normal.


    There was absolutely nothing.


    "What sort-"


    "Are you not going in?"


    "Don''t rush me."


    I nced at Owl-Mighty briefly before taking a deep breath. Then, taking a single step


    forward, I warily reached for the door.


    Feeling the cold metal sensation, I licked my lips.


    Click!


    A soft click echoed as the door opened, revealing the familiar room. The curtains billowed,


    and a gentle breeze flowed through as my gaze settled on the bed, where a small figure sat


    with her feet dangling by the edge.


    Behind her, a red-haired figure sat on the bed with her knees drawn up, her eyes unfocused as


    she gently brushed the little girl''s hair.


    As if sensing my presence, the little girl turned her head, her eyes falling directly over me.


    She smiled brightly at first, seemingly happy by my presence.


    Her mouth opened as she tried to say something, but the word never left her mouth as her


    face froze.


    All of a sudden, her entire demeanor changed, turning strangely oppressive. My hands started to tremble uncontrobly as my chest heaved up and down repeatedly,


    desperately trying to take in the surrounding air.


    ....The locks rattled, forcing a wave of emotions to flood my mind.


    "I knew you''de."


    A calm voice entered my ears, forcing my head to turn on its own.


    "...Oracleus."

 Chapter 355: A Different Angle [1]

    Chapter 355: A Different Angle [1]


    ?


    "...It''s you, right?"


    The little girl didn''t seem so certain. Right, her eyes... they were still hollow. She couldn''t see me, nor was she actually ''present''.


    It felt more like a remnant will.


    Like Pebble.


    "I knew you''d eventuallye. You always do."


    The little girl''s voice was quiet, and I had to strain my ears to listen. She hopped off the bed and walked in my direction.


    Tak, Tak-


    Her little steps clicked at the rhythm of my heartbeat.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    I stood in ce, without saying a single word. I just stared at her as she approached me.


    Her presence felt suffocating, but I remained cool-headed.


    Two paws pressed against my shoulder as a small head peaked from behind. Pebble''s eyes were locked onto the small child, its body tensing in preparation for something. But I raised my hand and stopped whatever it was trying to do.


    ''Not yet.''


    Tak-


    The little girl eventually stopped.


    Her height merely reached the area below my chest, forcing me to look down to meet her eyes which seemed to want to suck me at any second.


    ".....


    It was silent as she looked at me.


    Neither one of us spoke.


    At least, for the first few seconds before the little girl smiled once more.


    "....Do you really not know where Noel is? Or is this another one of your schemes?" Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    My heart almost leaped out of my chest.


    ''H-he said it...''


    Noel...? He knew the name... This basically confirmed everything. Mortum... He was none other than Noel!


    My mind shook.


    I had to hold the urge to carry forward and force the little girl to speak.


    But I knew that it wasn''t a good idea.


    Although she was merely a remnant will-one that wasn''t as powerful as Pebble due to the amount of time it had been lingering inside of the statue-I knew that the person who had left the will was still alive.


    I didn''t want to be traced back as a result of my actions.


    For that reason, I could only remain still.


    ...I was already having trouble with the sword after all.


    "What silly question of me. You are obviously still looking for him. Your weird obsession with him has still not disappeared after so long, has it?"


    There were hints of amusement in her voice as she spoke.


    I shuddered lightly, holding my breath as I listened to every single word engraved into my mind.


    "I do have the answer if you want to hear it."


    "........!"


    My arm twitched.


    Once again, I felt almostpelled to rush forward and demand answers. My rationality was able to get the best of me at thest moment.


    "Still not taking the bait?"


    The little girl appeared a little disappointed as she lowered her head and patted the top of it.


    "Come, press your hand over here and use those powers of yours. You''ll be able to find anything that you want. Where Noel is. Where I am. What I have been doing these past few millennia. And all the answers that you want."


    My arm twitched.


    For a brief moment, I almost felt the urge to do so.


    The little girl''s words pressed down on my head like soft whispers of temptation, subtly pushing me toward doing exactly what they urged.


    But I resisted.


    Holding onto my chest, feeling the sweat pour down from the side of my face, I kept my hands


    away.


    ''It''s a trap... It''s a trap... It''s a trap...''


    "Still, nothing?"


    The little girl looked disappointed.


    I stared back at her with my mouth sealed. My heart was pressed at my throat as I lowered my


    head to stare at my right arm which was suddenly glowing.


    A terrifying pain washed over my body as I started to twitch on the spot.


    The pain was something that almost forced me to scream, but by sheer determination, I was able to keep myself from screaming.


    "Kh..."


    The asional sound dide out, and I worried about it, but that worry disappeared right after I saw the fourth and final leaf lighting up.


    ''This...''


    I started at the fourth leaf, unable to keep my surprise in check and momentarily forgetting


    about my situation.


    ''Why now of all times...?''


    The triggers behind each leaf were mysterious. They just appeared at random times, and out


    of nowhere.


    I felt at a loss while staring at the fourth leaf.


    ''What does it do...? What will happen if I press on it?''


    Questions started to flood my mind, but they onlysted for a brief moment before I was suddenly brought back to the suffocating reality that I was in, my heart jumping out as the little girl took another step forward, her hand reaching out for my arm and grasping it tightly.


    " ||


    Her touch was cold, and my entire body shuddered.


    I tried to pull back, but before I even had the chance to do so, her tiny hand came pressing down against one of the leaves.


    11


    "....


    Nothing happened as she did so.


    I sighed in relief at the sight, but that was only momentary as she grasped my other hand and


    reached for the leaf with it.


    "....!"


    Cold sweat dripped down from my back as I tried to resist. I tried to ball my fist and pull back,


    but it was all no use.


    I even tried to get Pebble to do something, but nothing.


    With a wave of her hand, Pebble was rendered useless.


    "I may be weak, but I''m still stronger than you can imagine. Now then..."


    Her voice, tinged with amusement, reached my ears.


    "Let me see your abilities."


    I was helpless, and soon...


    My finger pressed against my arm.


    I was suddenly consumed by darkness.


    Thump! By the time light returned to my eyes, my sinuses began to clog, and my eyes watered from


    the smoke hanging thick in the air.


    ''Where is this...?''


    I squinted, blinking my eyes and adjusting myself to the surroundings.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    Suddenly, the ground beneath me started to quake, making me lose my footing as I staggered


    several steps back, holding the side of a broken building to support myself.


    "What in the...?!"


    Lifting my gaze, my heart froze as I realized I was standing in a ce I knew all too well-the


    ruins of the Rilgona Monarchy, exactly as I had seen in the vision.


    Tak.


    A step quietly echoed from beside me as I felt my entire body freeze on the spot.


    "This is...?"


    With a lost look, the little girl looked around. Though she was blind, it almost felt as though


    she could see everything.


    "Is this the future that you saw?"


    || ||


    I opened my mouth, but before the words coulde out, I managed to spot a figure from the


    corner of my eyes.


    "....!"


    His back was turned to me, obscuring his features, but as I studied his deep ck hair and


    strong, familiar build, it soon hit me.


    It was none other than me.


    ''I''m rewatching the first vision...?''


    No, not quite...


    I felt the coarse texture of the ground beneath me and grabbed a handful. Letting the granules


    fall from the gaps in my finger I knew that this was no vision.


    Then...?


    BOOOM-!


    A distant building disintegrated, and from within its ruins emerged a particr figure.


    "I... finally found you!"


    Her voice screeched as the sky turned a scarlet color.


    || ||


    She appeared older, but there was no mistaking it-Aoife. Her scarlet hair fluttered in the


    wind, and her eyes shone like small suns, casting their light over thend below and on me,


    standing in her shadow.


    "Is that all you have to say to me?"


    There again...


    That gaze of her that I had seen in the first vision.


    Her gaze contained a little something that I couldn''t understand. But as opposed tost time,


    it was a little bit clearer. It was neither grief nor longing. It was more akin to...


    ''Disappointment.''


    But why...?


    I wanted to move closer, but the pressure held me back.


    On the other hand, the little girl watched everything in silence, her expression hard to read.


    Unlike me, she seemedpletely unaffected by the situation.


    Cracka! Cracka!


    Just like in the vision, lightning began to crackle down on thend. Buildings shattered while


    the clouds split apart, revealing Evelyn in all her glory. Her features were as mesmerizing as I


    remembered as she stood in the sky, her clothes fluttering under her enormous power.


    "So... you''re finally here too."


    ''Hm?''


    I hadn''t noticed it before, but now that I paid attention to it, my voice... it wasn''t so cold-


    hearted as it was as I remembered.


    As ''I'' addressed Evelyn, there seemed to be a little bit more in the voice.


    But what exactly?


    I didn''t dwell on it for much longer as the world changed.


    From Red to Purple... to ck.


    A ck dome soon appeared, enveloping most of the surroundings. I felt my clothes and hair


    flutter at the sight, and I lost track of what was happening within the dome. The pressure, too


    -it was terrifying.


    Just what sort of situation was this...?


    Rustle!


    A sudden rustling sound jolted me out of my thoughts as another figure appeared standing


    outside the dome.


    ''He''s here...''


    He looked just as he had in the vision, his deep gray eyes gleaming menacingly against the dark sky and gray surroundings. Standing tall with his hair whipping in the wind, his features seemed more weathered and mature than the face I was ustomed to.


    He was still Leon, but there was something different about him...


    ''... He demenour different from when I saw him in the vision.''


    He appeared a little less decisive.


    But then again, I never had the chance to witness this part of the first vision.


    In his hand was a thin and long sword. It glimmered under the white sun that hang in the sk


    "Uh?"


    I blinked my eyes, rubbing them a couple of times as I stared at the sword once more. "That..."


    My heart abruptly halted, and a cold, paralyzing shock gripped my entire body. My eyes were locked on Leon standing outside the ck dome, and I fought to make sense of the reality


    presented before me.


    "W-wait, but...?"


    I struggled to grasp the sight before me as I crawled back a bit.


    Just-


    "I can''t do this."


    nk! nk.


    I lost my voice.


    Covering my mouth in disbelief, I watched as Leon''s grip on his sword faltered and the


    weapon ttered to the ground. His arms began to tremble uncontrobly, and as he stared at


    the dark dome before him, his eyes shaking with grief.


    "I... I can''t do this."


    He repeated, his lips pressing together.


    "I..."


    ''Impossible...''N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Gradually, I stood up from my spot.


    I looked toward the scene in the distance in disbelief.


    ''.... What is this? Is this a different reality? A different future? Could the future have changed due to the


    actions that I had taken? Is that-''


    A hand pressed against my shoulder and I stopped.


    Turning my head slowly, a pair of eyes met my gaze.


    "....Ah."


    My mouth opened and closed repeatedly, staring at the all-too-familiar pair of hazel eyes.


    ''H-how? Wasn''t he just...''


    I alternated my gaze between the ck dome and the figure that stood before me, as though I


    was a broken ''doll''.


    "Th-his.. W-what?''


    Why was there another me?

 Chapter 356: A Different Angle [2]

    Chapter 356: A Different Angle [2]


    ?


    His hazel eyes stared back at me with a suffocating intensity that soon shifted to the right where a little girl stood, staring at the scene in amusement.


    She smiled, alternating her gaze between the two of us.


    "Hehehe."


    Her eyes seemed filled with delight.


    ".... You really do have a hand in everything, Oracleus."


    He turned his head to face her, his expression appearingpletely indifferent. The two locked eyes for a brief moment before ''Oracleus'' finally opened his mouth,


    "You''ve overstayed your stay. It''s time you leave."


    "You think...?"


    "Yes."


    "That sucks, but I guess that''s fine. I''ve seen and learned enough. Whatever you''re trying to meddle with, it''s not going to stop me. You''ve grown weaker, and I¡ª"


    With a wave of his hand, the little girl froze.


    Clenching his fist, her form dissolved into the air, vanishing without a trace. She hadn''t even the chance to fight back.


    I watched all of this in a daze, feeling overwhelmed by the situation only snapping out of it when the pair of hazel eyes locked back onto me.


    ".....


    His presence felt suffocating, but I didn''t feel tense under his gaze.


    I knew he meant no harm.


    No, ''I'' meant no harm.


    The man before me was none other than me.


    I just knew it was me.


    "I..."


    I opened my mouth in an attempt to ask how he was here given that there was already another ''me'' present in the middle of the dome, but just as I opened my mouth, he spoke,


    "I am indeed you."


    It was almost as though he could read my thoughts.


    "This is indeed the future."


    He spoke without giving me a chance to say anything.


    "...And what you''re feeling is real."


    Blinking his eyes, he looked back at me.


    "Don''t take your eyes away from me. It''ll be your turn soon enough."


    "Uh?"


    He then let go of my shoulder, turning his attention away from me and disappearing. "Wait...!"


    I tried to reach for him, but he had already left my reach.


    "Where?!"


    I looked everywhere for him, but he appeared to be nowhere in sight. Where did he go...? Where-


    "I can''t... do it. I can''t..."


    Leon''s cries brought me back to reality.


    He sat on his knees, staring at his trembling hands with a pale face. He looked to be in a sorry state, unable to go through with his actions.


    I stared at the scene stunned before a thought suddenly urred to me.


    "This is the future...''


    Suddenly reminded of ''my'' words, my expression changed.


    Wait...!


    ''This is different from the vision.''


    Doesn''t it mean that the future has changed?


    After all, if Leon didn''t go through with the situation then that also meant that I wouldn''t die


    in the future?


    "... Is that possible?''


    I suddenly felt light.


    I would no longer need to die like in the first vision.


    For some reason, my chest felt light at the thought. Though I hadn''t cared much about my death in the past, things were a little different now. I had a goal and a reason to live. If I no longer had to die in the future then-


    "Raise your head."


    A cold voice faintly echoed in the air, cooling down my head.


    Staring down, I looked at the me who stood before Leon.


    His expression was masked by his hair, but just a look at him made me shudder as I involuntarily stepped back.


    "Ah."


    I swallowed dryly.


    My shock only grew when Leon responded to his words.


    Leon... He could see him.


    "Y-you..."


    Leon didn''t even look surprised by his appearance.


    I was stunned by the situation, trying to understand what was going on. Why did it seem as though this wasn''t the first time he saw him? But what about the me from within the dome? And what were his intentions in appearing before Leon?


    ''Is he trying to ensure that I don''t die...?''


    Yes...


    That would make sense.


    I would do that too if I had the power.


    "What are you doing?!"


    Leon let out a startled sound.


    Reaching him, Oracleus held Leon''s face with both hands, lifting it to meet his gaze as Leon''s


    face trembled.


    "....Don''t forget your mission."


    His voiceyered.


    My pupils shrunk.


    ''This...!''


    The world suddenly froze, his words the only thing that I could hear.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Everything that you''ve worked so hard for... Don''t let ite to waste with this one


    moment. We''ve already talked about this. You have to do this."


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ.. §¯§Ñ§Ñ...


    Leon''s breathing started to grow heavier.


    "B-But..."


    "You worked hard for this."


    Oracleus cut Leon off before he had the chance to speak, his voiceyering further.


    "You''ve reached this point. Don''t let everything go due to some sentiment of yours. He''s


    nothing!"


    "Haa... Haa... Haa..."


    "Finish what you started."


    Oracleus leaned his head to get a better look at Leon whose breathing was growing more and


    more frantic.


    "Don''t let a meaningless death stand in our way."


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ..."


    nk!


    Oracleus kicked the sword on the ground, extending his right hand to disy a familiar-


    looking ck ring. A sword materialized shortly after as he handed it to Leon.


    "Go."


    His voiceyered once more.


    "Finish it."


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... H§Ñ§Ñ...!"


    Leon''s eyes turned bloodshot.


    But that was still not enough.


    Not enough to make him fullymit.


    "Do it..." The kick came from the other me who nudged his head toward the ck dome, his voice


    faintly echoing throughout.


    "....Kill me."


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ...!"


    That''s when Leon finally snapped, his hands desperately reaching out for the sword and grabbing it as his eyes grew frantic, adrenaline seemingly coursing through his body.


    He jumped forward and entered the dark dome where his figure disappeared.


    ||


    "1


    "...."


    It suddenly grew quiet.


    I watched all of this from my spot, unable to tear away from the scene that shook me to the


    core.


    I didn''t know what to say or how to react.


    ''Is this how it really went...?''


    The future vision... I had previously thought it had changed given Leon''s sudden change in attitude, but I was wrong. It had never changed. I was just watching everything unfold from...


    a different angle.


    "But..."


    Why...?


    Why was this happening?


    Why would I want to kill... myself?


    Unless...


    Cra Crack-


    A subtle cracking sound reverberated through the air.


    Lifting my head, light began to spill from the ck dome that showed signs of shattering. I


    watched, transfixed, as more cracks snaked across its surface, weaving through the dome-like


    intricate webs before...


    Crash!


    Everything shattered, revealing the shadows of five figures.


    Thump!


    Kiera, Evelyn, and Aoife all stood in the air while Leon stood behind Julien who knelt on the


    ground, a sword stabbing his back.


    The girls were silent.


    Leon was silent.


    I was silent.


    The world was silent.


    All eyes were focused on Leon who stood before the me from the vision who showed signs of


    life as his chest heaved up and down lightly.


    The chalice was scattered across the ground, spilling the contents within.


    Leon''s expression was different from before, it was a lot calmer and colder. He looked at the


    vision version of me as his lips parted,


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to make it quick."


    His voice gently echoed throughout as his gaze lifted, turning his attention away from one me


    to another.


    Standing in the same spot as before, he appeared invisible to the others as Aoife and the others didn''t seem to notice him.


    They were instead all looking at Leon who gripped the sword tightly.


    ''This...''


    I blinked my eyes, visualizing the scene for a moment, and when I did, my entire body


    shuddered.


    That was because...


    "This... I''ve seen this before.''


    It was the exact same scene from the small glimpse of the game that Noel had shown me


    during myst day.


    Even now, I could vividly recall how I had thought Leon was looking at me through the


    television.


    But what if...


    I looked at Leon and then the other me.


    What if that truly had been the case?


    "Hah."


    I covered my mouth.


    ''....How can this be?''


    "This is thest step, right?...Thest step before my hell is finally over?"


    The same lines, and the same expression as Leon''s eyes faltered, the calm he tried to keep


    slowly starting to show cracks as what reced it was anguish...


    Grief.


    But there was something different about the situationpared to what I saw on the


    television.


    This time...


    "It is."


    A voice replied back.


    "What are you waiting for? You''ve alreadypleted the hardest part."


    Leon clutched his shirt, slowly wrinkling it as his face trembled.


    "...Hah."


    A hazy smile appeared on his face.


    "I''ll do it."


    He lowered his head to look at Julien.


    A change urred as he said those words. The me who was kneeling on the ground suddenly


    raised his head, his eyes staring right at Leon''s whose face suddenly trembled.


    "Stop dragging this out."


    He only snapped out of it with my reminder as Leon bit his lips.


    "Ah, yes... I shouldn''t drag this out."


    Leon lifted his hand, unveiling the cold gleam of the sword. Hisckluster gray eyes quivered


    ever so slightly as the de descended down in one fluid motion.


    SHILING-!


    "I''ve waited far too long for this."


    A head rolled shortly after, stopping beneath the other me''s feet as he bent down to pick it up.


    Blood dripped down from the head''s severed neck, and turning his eyes away from the head,


    his eyes met mine.


    I felt my body freeze.


    He blinked slowly, turning his attention back on the head.


    "You''ll understand soon enough."


    He mumbled, his other hand reaching for his arm where a familiar tattoo appeared.


    "....All you have to do is remember."


    He cast his gaze down, pressing over the tattoo.


    "Remember everything that happened."


    The world glowed a white color, and I was soon engulfed in darkness.


    By the time light returned to my world, I was back in the pce.

 Chapter 357: A Different Angle [3]

    Chapter 357: A Different Angle [3]


    ?


    Swoosh-!


    A sword sliced through the air, dancing on the wind as its sharp tip hurtled toward Leon, whose eyes narrowed in rm. The speed of the attack left him breathless.


    But...


    Though he was tired, he still was able to react.


    Bringing his sword up, he twisted it to the side and redirected the attack away from his body. nk!


    Sparks flew as he took a single step back.


    "Hoo."


    He let out a forced breath. Then, twisting his body, he turned his neck to the side, dodging the sword which twirled in the air and headed straight for his face.


    nk!


    Leon twisted his body, once again turning his sword briefly and redirecting the sword away from himself.


    Using this method, he was able to fend off the attack and recuperate some of his lost stamina.


    He was slowly starting to get into the zone...


    nk, nk-


    "Incredible."


    Johanna mumbled, staring at Leon with a glint in her eyes. Being a knight herself, she understood perfectly what had happened and theplexity of Leon''s movements.


    She started to exin,


    "....What Leon did is not something that most people can do. And that''s taking into ount knights who are stronger than him. What you see right here, is control in its purest form."


    Johanna''s eyes twinkled in delight.


    The more she looked at Leon, the more her hand started to twitch.


    She had never looked as interested in the fight as she did now. Karl, who had been with her the entire time, noticed the change as he asked,


    "What do you mean by control?"


    "...What I mean by control is the overall level of mastery that someone has over their abilities. In some sense, you can say that Caius is a master of control in the art of Emotive Magic."


    "Uhm? But didn''t he...?"


    "Control can only help you so much."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Johanna helplessly smiled.


    "Julien''s case is different. While his control is not to the same degree as Caius, his overall power and intensity far outstripped Caius''s control."


    "So...?"


    "If Julien had better control, he would''ve been able to win the fight a lot faster." "Hiss."


    Karl took a deep breath.


    Though he couldn''t fully understand what Johanna said, all he knew was that by her words, Julien had massive rooms for growth. He was already terrifying, making his way to the finals. And now she was telling him that he could be even better...?


    What sort of...


    "It''ll be an interesting fight if it gets to that point."


    Johanna mumbled, her eyes tracing Leon''s movements as though she was staring at a work of art.


    "....Leon''s control versus Julien''s overwhelming power. And unlike Caius, this won''t be a fight that will happen within Julien''s turf."


    Fidgeting with her hands, Johanna licked her lips.


    All of a sudden, she started to anticipate the match. But...


    "It''s only if he can beat Aoife."


    Looking down, and seeing Aoife manipte the sword as though it were one of her limbs, she could feel the potential matchup difficult to ur.


    Especially since...


    "Ah!"


    Karl jumped up from his seat, his hand pointing toward the broadcast as Aoife''s eyes started to shine, lightning starting to crackle all around her.


    "She''s using another element!"


    Fire, Darkness, Curse, and now Lightning...


    What was her limit?


    A magic circle formed on top of Leon''s head as he deftly avoided the sword by carefully positioning his pivot and cushioning the attack. His expression turned grim as he noticed the magic circle above him, and with a low shout, he smashed his foot against the ground, pushing himself toward Aoife.


    Bang!


    The ground shattered at the force of his movement, and in a blur, he arrived before Aoife.


    "Brilliant!"


    Karl eximed, seeing Leon''s movements.


    "He''s positioning himself within Aoife''s range to stop her from attacking, knowing that any move she makes would risk injuring herself as well."


    It was a brilliant move that Karl couldn''t help but praise.


    The audience also felt the same as they sat at the edge of their seats, staring at the fight with


    bated breaths.


    But...


    "It''s not that easy."


    Johanna mumbled, her expression turning serious.


    Cracka!


    A terrifying ''p'' resounded through the air as all hair on Leon''s body stood up, pointing toward the sky. His muscles started to twitch, while the area around him suddenly felt


    weightless.


    "....!"


    His pupils constricted.


    ''Shit.''


    He cursed, clenching the sword in his hand and throwing it in the air.


    The lightning came down, changing trajectory in thest second and heading directly for the


    sword.


    BOOOM!


    A terrifying explosion resounded through the air as Leon closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the light that suddenly spilled.


    He wasn''t the only one who reacted that as the entire audience closed their eyes.


    The broadcast turned white for a brief moment before everything returned to normal. By then, everyone quickly put their attention back on the tform where the two figures stood.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ.. §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    Leon''s breath was extremely heavy as his hair was a mess. Scorch marks marred the surfaces


    of his skin as he staggered a couple of steps.


    The hearts of the spectators sank at the sight presented before them.


    Especially when they turned their attention toward Aoife who lookedpletely fine, her


    expression as calm as it had been from the start.


    "This..."


    Johanna looked at the sight in disbelief.


    This girl Aoife...


    What sort of monster was she? Not only was she able to use so many elements, but she was also able to use such terrifying spells without being exhausted at all. Looking at her breathing which appeared to be even, and herplexion, it felt as though she was merely walking in a


    park.


    Julien was terrifying, but this...?


    "I¡ª"


    "Pftt!"


    A sudden change urred on the tform as the atmosphere froze over. All eyes fell on Aoife


    whose face grew pale.


    Her eyes shook, and she hastily covered her mouth.


    Drip!


    Amidst the sudden silence that engulfed the entire Colosseum, blood stained the ground,


    slipping through the gaps between her fingers.


    Several people stood up at the scene.


    Johanna too as she looked at Aoife who finally showed weakness.


    "This..."


    Her breath grew light.


    "...So she was at her limit as well."


    ***


    A moment prior.


    Craka!


    "Here you go. Stay still while I help you."


    Sweat poured down from the side of Evelyn''s pale face. Just moments prior, she too felt a


    terrifying pain as her powers started to get sucked out of her body. It left herpletely helpless for a while minute before it all passed.


    By then, and with Kiera''s help, she was able to regain herself and quickly helped free a few


    other people.


    "Haa...!"


    As the magic circle entered the young boy''s body, Evelyn leaned back, her chest heaving up


    and down repeatedly.


    She was exhausted, and she could hardly feel herself.


    Her mind was sluggish and her vision blurred.


    "Are you okay?"


    "....No."


    Evelyn replied to Kiera who stood before her.


    "I''m.. haa... dying."


    "It sucks doesn''t it?"


    "Y-yeah..."


    She would be lying if she said it didn''t suck.


    "What now?"


    Kiera asked, looking around. They had been going around helping people, injecting weird


    magic circles around their bodies. Kiera had lost count of the amount of people that they had


    done this to.


    Originally, they had only meant to do an extra three, but that changed.


    She didn''t know what brought the change.


    "Right..."


    But it didn''t matter as Evelyn gradually sat up, her hand extended forward as a purple magic


    circle appeared before her. Kiera was just about to ask her what it was but was promptly cut off by her.


    "Get your mind ready. I don''t know where your real body is, but if you happen to be in the


    arena and you suddenly squeal, do expect people to look at you."


    "Uh? What does that-"


    Snap!


    Evelyn snapped her fingers.


    The world passed, and the surroundings froze.


    Kiera lost her voice, and as she raised her head, her pupils constricted as a gigantic crack


    appeared.


    ''What the...!''


    Her vision grew dark shortly after that.


    ".....!"


    By the time she regained herself, her body flinched as her eyelids snapped open. Her chest


    heaved up and down repeatedly as light entered her eyes.


    As she adjusted to the situation, she realized she was sitting in the audience.


    It was quiet, and all eyes were focused on Aoife who suddenly started bleeding. Kiera stared at


    the scene for a few seconds before letting out a long breath.


    "Huuu."


    Evelyn was right...


    She would''ve been screwed had she shouted.


    ***


    "Huu."


    I closed my eyes and the air left my mouth.


    ''What did I just see...?''


    My mind was in a mess. I had to forcibly recall the locks in order to cool down my emotions.


    They were still rattling wildly in my mind, but they held on.


    ...I need to find a way to improve the spell.''


    It was a self-created spell, and it couldn''t yet be considered a spell.


    It didn''t even have a name.


    At least, not yet.


    There were a few necessary procedures that I had to take in order for it to be fully created into


    a spell.


    When everything was done and over, I nned on doing such steps.


    "....."


    Opening my eyes up again, the familiar room greeted my sight. The curtains ballooned as a


    cold breeze wafted in, and staring at the bed, Aoife sat with a dazed look, kneeling as she


    brushed the air.


    "Where is she...?"


    I scanned the room in look for the little girl, but wherever I looked, I couldn''t find a single


    trace of her.


    ''Where did she go?''


    I was a little apprehensive and felt hesitant to chase after her given what I had just witnessed,


    but two figures appeared before me. "What happened?"


    It was Owl-Mighty and Pebble.


    They were both looking at me with a serious look.


    "Out of nowhere, the girl forced your hand to touch your own arm, and both of you froze in


    ce. Then, suddenly, the little girl was sent hurtling away."


    "Is that what happened?"


    "Yes."


    So they didn''t see...


    "Do you happen to know where she went?"


    "Yes."


    Pebble nodded its little head, pointing toward the door.


    "To the right."


    "Right..."


    "Are you not going to chase after her? She looked pretty weakened and different than before.''


    I didn''t answer immediately.


    But licking my lips, my legs moved on my own as I already started to move out of the door.


    ''Right, he''s probably left her body.''


    All that was left was the soul of the little girl...


    And as I thought about her, my heart started to feel heavy. But I had no choice. For all of this


    to end, I had to do this.


    "Haa."


    Swallowing, I picked up the pace.

 Chapter 358: A Different Angle [4]

    Chapter 358: A Different Angle [4]


    ?


    -It''s cold...


    A quiet voice echoed within the confines of the empty corridors. Unlike before, I didn''t know where she was.


    I just followed the voice.


    -..It''s dark.


    It was the same childish voice from before.


    But...


    The joy and amusement that was previously present were no longer there.


    It was now faint.


    Tak-


    My step echoed gently across the quiet corridor.


    Looking around, it didn''t seem as quiet and deserted as it once had been. Rather, the deeper I went, the more people appeared.


    I knew they were illusions.


    A fabrication of the vision I had once seen, showing me what life once had been in this pce area.


    But with a blink of my eyes, it all disappeared.


    The corridors...


    They were now cold and deserted.


    -It''s quiet...


    Her voice seemed to be everywhere, and nowhere at once. I just blindly walked. I... was bound to find her soon enough.


    I knew I would.


    -...Where is everyone?


    I continued walking across the empty halls, the child''s voice lingering in the air as I roamed the pce''s walls.


    It was quiet, just like it had been before.


    A certain gloom pressed on as I walked, making each step heavier than the other.


    ''Where is she?''


    -I''m lost...


    The voice reached out for me once more. It was pleading for something.


    Someone...


    And I knew what it was, and that...


    That...


    Is the reason why my steps felt so heavy.


    I just...


    Cr Crack-n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Fine cracks suddenly formed on the walls, spreading like spiderwebs and creeping in every direction. My steps paused as I looked at the cracks.


    They continued to spread, reaching every corner of the area I was in.


    I took in the sight for a moment.


    ''So she did it...''


    I closed my eyes.


    This was without a doubt Evelyn''s work.


    ''She must''ve probably have freed everyone...''


    Evelynpleted her task as she promised. It was now my turn.


    Cr Crack-


    Seeing the cracks that were spreading further and further, I pursed my lips and continued forward.


    There was not much time left.


    ....I hurried my steps.


    Tak, Tak-


    Every time I blinked, an illusion of the past would appear.


    People dressed in weirdly fashioned clothing appeared, chatting with drinks in hand, their


    hair styled in weird fashions as theyughed casually.


    It stood as a stark contrast to the reality that it was now.


    "Where are you going?"


    Owl-Mighty''s voice suddenly reached me.


    "....The ce is about to copse. You should leave."


    Clench.


    "Not yet..."


    "Why?"


    "...."


    Why...?


    Because it wasn''t over yet.


    Not yet...


    "Why do you think she did what she did?"


    "...."


    It was Owl-Mighty''s turn to be quiet.


    "....I don''t know the story."


    "Right..."


    Owl-Mighty didn''t see what I saw.


    Extending my hand, I used ''Veil of Deceit'' to rey a small part of what I had seen. It was rather quick and Owl-Mighty''s answer came shortly after.


    "For revenge."


    "Revenge?"


    "Yes. I would also want revenge if I were trapped and sealed in a statue for so long."


    "Right..."


    I would too if I were in the same position. Not only that, but to also witnessed the crumbling


    of her own Monarchy, and saw her parents die...


    Anyone would go crazy over that matter.


    "But it''s not the right answer."


    "It''s not?"


    "It''s not."


    There was one unique ability that the second leaf had, and that was that I could perceive the emotions of those that I touched during the time of their past.


    When everything happened, the emotions that the little girl felt were not rage, sadness, or a


    thirst for revenge.


    No.


    It was...


    ''Joy.''


    In those moments, when everything went down, what she felt was joy.


    ''It makes no sense.''


    At least, that was what I thought back then. I never had much time to dwell on it though.


    Everything that unfolded shortly after made it impossible for me to think.


    But now that I had time to think, I was able toe to a conclusion.


    Why she felt ''joy'' in such moments.


    -...I''m lonely.


    I closed my eyes.


    Right, thest words perfectly summarized the situation.


    She was... lonely.


    A Pce as grand as anything could be.


    A father who ruled an entire Kindom, and...


    Wealth that could buy anything that she''d ever want.


    She had everything, and yet...


    She also had nothing.


    "If you say it''s not revenge, what is the answer?"


    I didn''t answer.


    Coming to a stop, I turned my head. There, a portrait of the king appeared. He looked younger than he had been in the vision. His hair was short and blonde, while his previous mustache was gone. He looked a lot more dignified, and his blue eyes were filled with spirit.


    It was an awe-inspiring portrait.


    .... And I ced my hand over it, tracing all the details in my mind.


    -Why is no one here...?


    Moving my hand away, I once again resumed my steps.


    This time, I had a direction.


    Cra Crack-


    Even as more cracks appeared around the Pce, I didn''t let that affect me and walked at the


    same pace toward where I needed to be.


    Where she was waiting for me.


    |||||


    Eventually, I stopped before arge wooden door. It stood taller than the room where Theresa


    stayed and looked a lot more imposing.


    "The King''s Chambers.''


    -...I''m right here.


    "I know you are."


    Creeaaak-


    I pushed the door open, revealing the insides of the King''s chambers.


    As expected, the room was spacious, dominated by a massive bed at its center and adorned


    with an array of luxurious furnishings. There were paintings all over the ce, and golden-


    ted objects were scattered throughout.


    Curtains draped over therge frame of the bed as they quietly ballooned, allowing me to see


    the little girl that sat on it, her back against me.


    -I want to y with...


    The little girl stopped, turning her attention toward me.


    Her expression changed the moment she saw me.


    I smiled and turned to look at Owl-Mighty.


    "You wanted to know the reason why she did what she did?"


    Owl-Mighty looked at me with a strange look.


    "Why are you-"


    I extended both hands forward where a cat appeared.


    "Uh?"


    Pebble looked startled, but I didn''t care.


    "Theresa, look what I brought here."


    "Eh?"


    Theresa looked at Pebble, Owl-Mighty, and then me.


    "This is...?"


    "You want to y?"


    "I can?"


    "You can."


    I ced Pebble on the ground who looked utterly confused.


    "Oy, human. I am a mighty d-Hiek!"


    "Hihihi."


    Before Pebble had the chance to finish its words, its cheeks were pulled apart by Theresa who


    grabbed it by the stomach and lifted Pebble up.


    "Uahaak! Let me down! Release me at once you gremlin-looking midget!"


    "Uh?"


    It was now my turn to look surprised.


    Since when did Pebble learn...


    "It''s you."


    As if sensing my thoughts, Owl-Mighty replied in a low tone. Turning my attention to Owl-


    Mighty, I blinked my eyes.


    "Me...?"


    "Yes."


    Owl-Mighty nodded, hopping off my shoulder.


    "You say it all the time whenever that womanes. That stupid cat liked it, and now uses it


    all the time."


    "That''s a thing?"


    "Yes..."


    "Uakh!"


    "Hihihihihi!"


    Theresa giggled while she spun Pebble around. Its desperate screams echoed throughout,


    arousing even moreughter from her.


    The most surprising part of the situation was the fact that while Pebble was protesting, it


    wasn''t putting in a real struggle.


    If Pebble wanted to, then it wouldn''t be a problem to escape or even bully the little girl.


    But it never did so.


    "Are you not going to y as well?"


    "Hm?"


    Turning my attention back to Theresa, I opened my mouth before smiling.


    "Of course, I am." Extending my hands to make myself as big as possible, I rushed for the little girl who


    squealed as she threw Pebble away.


    "Hieeek!"


    "Wawawawawa!"


    "Come here!"


    "Noooo!"


    The girl held her head, running around the bed and shoving herself under it.


    "Come here! Don''t hide down there! If you do I''ll devour you!"


    I ducked down and reached my hand down.


    "Kyaaak!"


    Theresa screamed and hastily rushed out of the bed.


    "Nooo!"


    Cra Crack-


    Cracks continued to form as we yed.


    But we paid no mind to them.


    We still had time.


    She ran toward Pebble who had just recovered before embracing it and throwing it in my


    direction.


    "Protect me!"


    "Huaaak!"


    "Owl-Mighty!" "As you wish!"


    Pack!


    Diving down from above, Owl-Mighty''s beak struck the airborne Pebble, hitting its head and


    sending it crashing to the ground.


    "Huek-!"


    "Useless!"


    Theresa shouted, eliciting a twitch from Pebble who grievly mumbled, ''I''m a Mighty


    Dragon...''


    "...Stupid cat."


    Satisfied with its aplishments, Owl-Mighty rested on top of the wooden frame of the


    bed, coldly looking down on Pebble.


    On the other hand, I continued to chase the little girl.


    I had her cornered now, with a in mirror resting against the wall beside her.


    "What now!?"


    "Hiaaak!"


    I raised both hands and cast a shadow over her little body.


    She shivered.


    "Noooo!"


    Her little head and eyes darted all over the ce in search of an opening to exploit. Something


    that would allow her to run away from me.


    But it was toote.


    I had arrived!


    "Kyyyyak!"


    I hugged her little body and held her tightly into my embrace.


    She was small.


    So small that it felt as though I was touching the most delicate object. As I embraced her small


    body, I turned my head to nce at the mirror beside me.


    There, I saw my reflection.


    With short blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a dignified appearance, I looked nothing like I


    normally did.


    The girl''s body shivered under my embrace as the room fell silent.


    ''If you say it''s not revenge, what is the answer?''


    Owl-Mighty''s words once again echoed in my mind. Feeling the gazes of the two, I pressed


    my lips and looked down to meet the little girl''s hollow eyes.


    She was blind...


    But she hadn''t been blind since birth.


    It was only after that she became blind. A terrible disease had infected her, robbing her of her


    eyes.


    The world grew dark from that point.


    ...And her father stopped paying attention to her.


    At least, to her.


    He was simply too busy looking for the blood so that he could cure her.


    Besides her bodyguard, she had nothing.


    Nothing...


    ''It''s cold...''


    ''..It''s dark.''


    ''It''s quiet...''


    ...Where is everyone?''


    ''I''m lost...''


    ''Why is no one here...?''


    ''...I''m right here.''


    But all of that changed from the moment her body was taken over.


    She was able to see again.


    ...And that was when she witnessed her dad rush into her room.


    He looked older, and he looked at her.


    ''Daddy...''


    He also looked at the spectacle that greeted them outside.


    He never left his sight away from that...


    That''s when Theresa had an idea.


    ''If I do it, will he look at me again?''


    If she were to replicate what was outside, would her daddy look at her?


    "I am looking."


    Straight into those eyes of hers.


    I was looking.


    "Yes, I see."


    The girl replied back, her arms squeezing my body tightly. Her body, which I could feel


    properly moments prior started to dissipate.


    "You see me..."


    "I do."


    There was a silence.


    "Thank you."


    A silence she broke.


    "...Fake daddy."


    Fake daddy...?


    I almost broke into aughter, feeling my lips curl as I pressed her dissipating body tighter


    into my embrace. So she knew...


    What a smart child.


    Cra Crack-


    The cracks appearing around me spread faster and faster, slowly reaching a limit as the pce


    rumbled.


    Keeping the girl tight against me, I mumbled,


    "....I have devoured you."


    Crash-

 Chapter 359: Final Contestants [1]

    Chapter 359: Final Contestants [1]


    ?


    Leon didn''t waste the chance that was presented before his eyes.


    How could he...?!


    The moment blood started to leak out from Aoife''s mouth, he pressed his foot forward, the stars within his eyes disappearing. His figure blurred forward, and in less than a second he appeared before Aoife.


    "........!"


    Her expression changed, hastily flicking her hand and forcing Leon''s body toe to a halt.


    Normally, she would''ve directed the sword in Leon''s direction to produce some distance between the two of them, but it was clear that she was not in the right state to do so as her expression twitched and she stomped her foot down, pressing forward.


    Leon remained calm under Aoife''s approach.


    ''Short range, good...''


    This was his domain.


    The stars in his eyes faded, making his eyespletely void.


    Power surged through him as if he were at the center of the universe. Raising his fist, he punched down.


    Xiuuuu-


    The air exploded with a thunderous roar as his fist cut through it, a vivid crimson shade enveloping his hand like a fallen star igniting the night sky.


    The intense energy radiated outward, painting the scene in a fiery hue and leaving a trail of pulsating light in its wake.


    "Ah."


    It was a sight that left the audience breathless.


    Aoife''s eyes constricted at the sight presented before her as she stopped, taking in the situation before gritting her teeth. Her eyes changed, turning blue as water crept up from the cracks beneath the stage and forming a bubble around it.


    Her actions were quick, and by the time Leon''s fist came down, the bubble had already formed.


    Booom!


    A terrifying explosion ensued the moment Leon''s fist came into contact with the bubble, shattering it into millions of pieces.


    "Ha!"


    "Oh no!"


    Many shouted at the sight, worried that something wrong had happened, but by the time the situation settled, Aoife was nowhere near in sight.


    Leon''s expression turned serious as he looked around.


    Where is she...? Where did she go?


    Wiggle~


    "....!"


    Leon''s head flicked to the right where he saw one of the numerous puddles that formed as a result of the attack wiggle. He didn''t hesitate to draw up his sword and shed in its direction.


    Swoosh!


    The puddle remained intact.


    Wiggle~


    And then...


    Every single puddle wiggled before moving around and slowlybining, forming the


    outline of an aqueous figure that appeared to be Aoife.


    At first nce, she looked rtively unharmed, but...


    "Cough! Cough...!"


    She started coughing shortly after forming.


    "Ukh!"


    Pressing her chest, she stumbled back several steps as her face grew pale.


    "Cough...!?"


    "...."


    Leon watched all of this in silence before closing his eyes.


    ''Looks like it''s over.''


    He could feel it. She was on herst leg. This was ast struggle. A struggle that demanded him to finish.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, Leon raised his sword before him as his back straightened and his legs pressed together. One hand behind his back, the sword''s body touched the tip of his nose as he looked ahead with indifference.


    ''...I still need Julien to tell me how he figured out the steps, but let''s try it.''


    His eyes closed and opened right after.


    The world grew quiet.


    "Cough!"


    As if sensing the changes in her surroundings, Aoife turned around, meeting Leon''s eyes as


    her body froze.


    "N-no."


    Her eyes started to fluctuate, but there was no resisting.


    Leon nodded calmly, and the eyes fluctuated once more. This time, he could see a change


    ur as confusion appeared within the gaze.


    "W-what? Where..."


    The real Aoife was starting toe back.


    Leon smiled and pressed his foot forward. Then, lowering the sword forward and pointing it


    at Aoife, he mumbled inside of his mind,


    ''First movement of the forgotten art; Unseeing Stab.''


    He stabbed one inch forward.


    Just one inch...


    But that was enough as Aoife''s entire body froze.


    The audience watched in shock while several people stood up, unable to contain their shock as


    their hands came pressing down against the rails.


    Even Delh''s expression changed as she ced her diary down.


    "Pffttt!"


    The silence was shattered by a rain of blood as blood started to spill out from Aoife''s mouth


    as she fell to her knees, her eyes unable to hide the shock and fear she felt.


    Leon looked at her with a pale face before nudging his head a little.


    ''Wee back''


    Thump!


    While everyone was shocked, there was only one person who was not allowed to be shocked.


    "The winner is..."


    The referee.


    "....Leon Ellert of the Nurs Ancifa Empire."


    ***


    Carbinga, Verdant Empire.


    Like Bremmer, the capital of the Verdant Empire was situated near the most important Mirror Crack. The Mirror Dimension, as dangerous as it was, was a ce filled with resources. Controlled appropriately, and it was a treasure trove.


    The Mantovaj, the current ruling family, and the purest family were in control of such a ce. Currently, within the Royal Estate.


    "...."


    Two figures sat in silence while watching the broadcast.


    The air was tense as several attendants stood at the back, not daring to say a single word.


    How could they when two the most powerful people within the Empire were making such


    faces?


    Nobody dared to do so.


    ||


    All they could do was watch the fight in silence.


    It was an impressive fight that fully disyed the talents of those within the screen. It went


    without a question why they were chosen as the most talented of their generation.


    ... It was a pity that they didn''t belong to their Empire.


    But, hm? One of the attendants squinted their eyes, taking a better look at the broadcast. In particr,


    a gray-eyed male.


    ''Doesn''t he look familiar?''


    Yeah, he did. But who- The attendant''s thoughts paused as they fell on the current Emperor. His entire brain stopped working for a short moment as the contestants figure''s face ovepped with that of the Emperor. While they weren''t spitting images, they were extremely alike.


    To a creepy degree.


    And taking into ount the eyes...


    ''Oh, no.''


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    He could feel the beat of his heart drum loudly within his mind. It pressed toward his chest


    making the atmosphere extremely suffocating.


    Swoosh!


    The attendant almost jumped as the Empress stood up, her neatly tied ck hair falling


    behind her shoulder as her faded gray eyes shook, her face slowly changing.


    "I''m going." "....Stop."


    The Emperor''s hand grasped the Empresses''s. He was so fast that the attendant couldn''t even


    follow his movements.


    "This is not the right time. If we leave our post, we''ll be putting the Empire in jeopardy. If our


    enemy finds out, what''s there to stop them from attacking us?"


    "Ho, please."


    The Empress snatched her arm back, ring at the Emperor.


    "Nobody will do anything."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "...And why would you think that?"


    "Because I exist."


    Bang!


    The Empress stomped her foot down and the entire pce shook, forcing the attendants


    around the room to hold onto the walls to keep steady. They were all horrified by the


    situation.


    The entire Pce was built upon the most durable and toughest material. For someone to be


    able to do this...


    Only Empress Jordana Kaliana was capable of such feat.


    No, there was one other figure that was capable of such a feat.


    "Calm down."


    The rumbling stopped the moment the Emperor stood up. Waving his hand, everything froze


    into ce.


    "Calm?"


    The Empressughed, her eyes unable to hide their fury and desperation as they drifted


    toward the broadcast.


    "Whether you like it or not, I''m going."


    11 11


    The Emperor pursed his lips, his brows furrowing.


    "...I''m going to get our son."


    She paused before adding,


    "Sons.."


    ***


    -The winner is...


    The studio was quiet as the referees announced the final victor.


    -...Leon Ellert of the Nurs Ancifa Empire!


    Karl and Johanna only snapped out of it when the announcement was fully made and the


    audience stood up from their seats, their ps thunderously roaring throughout the entire


    Colosseum.


    Leon''s figure appeared in the broadcast, breathing heavily as he basked in the afterglow of his


    victory.


    He looked exhausted, but at the same time, proud of his victory.


    "It was a great victory."


    Karl mumbled, his eyes never leaving Leon''s. He could still recall thest moments and his


    last move. Even when fighting Amell he hadn''t used it...


    What suddenly gave? ''Was he holding back...?''


    Karl liked his strangely dry lips. There was no use in him trying to make sense of the situation.


    He had a certain expert with him for that.


    "Johanna, what do you- "


    Karl''s voice stopped as his eyes fell on Johanna who was staring at Leon with an unbelievable


    serious expression. He had never seen her behave like that before, and while she previously


    was impressed by Leon, things were a little different now.


    She almost seemed...


    Scared?


    ''No, that doesn''t sound quite right.''


    "Johanna?"


    "Hm?"


    Calling her out, she finally snapped out of it as she turned her head to look at Karl who was


    looking at her with a worried


    "Is everything alright?"


    "Oh, yeah."


    look.


    She half-heartedly nodded her head.


    Though she tried to act fine, she was anything but fine. Thatst movement and positioning...


    It was...


    ''wless.''


    As a powerful Tier 7 Knight, Johanna had seen many things. She had wielded many weapons


    and seen many movements.


    But never in her life had she witnessed such a wless movement.


    There were no imperfections, all actions ending toward the tip of the sword. She didn''t know


    what swordsmanship this was, but it was wless.


    To the point where she felt inferior.


    ''No, it can''t be said to be wless.''


    There were actually two ws. One, Leon himself. He was too weak. She could still trace his


    movements, making this his first w.


    The second flow... ''Something about his step felt off.''


    Recalling the scene, all movements connected, conjoining toward the tip of the sword with


    the exception of his right foot. There was a little w on that side that made the sword


    imperfect.


    ''...It''s iplete.''


    Johanna felt a little bit of pity upon realizing this but was able to quickly quell her disappointment down as she took a deep breath and focused her attention back on the recording devices.


    "It was a phenomenal fight."


    "You think so too?"


    Karl, an expert in this, was able to immediately create a conversation between the two that


    lasted for several minutes before he finally popped the questions,


    "The finals, Julien versus Leon. Who do you have winning?"


    "Who?"


    Johanna was just about to answer ''Julien'' without much thought but suddenly realized that


    her mouth wasn''t moving.


    ''Julien...''


    She tried to say, but the name never came out.


    The image of Leon''s swordsmanship shed in her mind once more, and her expression


    turned strange.


    ''Leon?''


    She opened her mouth, trying to mumble his name, but...


    ||||


    She was still unable to get the words out.


    The image of Julien''s overwhelming emotive magic shed in her mind, her expression


    contorting further.


    "Ah."


    And that was when she realized.


    "I..."


    She could see either side destroying each other.


    Simply put,


    "...I don''t know."

 Chapter 360: Final Contestants [2]

    Chapter 360: Final Contestants [2]


    ?


    "The winner is..."


    I opened my eyes to see the referee with his arm raised, announcing the winner of the bout. "...Leon Ellert of the Nurs Ancifa Empire!"


    The Colosseum was quiet upon the announcement of the winner, all eyes locked on the fallen Aoife and then the heavily breathing Leon.


    Then...


    Booom-


    The entire Colosseum erupted, cheers and waves of apuse resounding throughout.


    I basked in such an atmosphere for several seconds before collecting myself again. Turning my head, I noticed that Kaelion was looking at me strangely.


    "What is wrong?"


    ||


    He didn''t answer immediately, furrowing slightly as his eyes traced the side of my face. I instinctively touched my face and that was when I felt something wet trace down my right cheek.


    "Ah."


    I finally realized why he was looking at me like that.


    "....It''s a side-effect of using my domain."


    "Right."


    He nodded his head in understanding.


    "It was quite powerful."


    "Yours wasn''t too bad either."


    "Just that?"


    Kaelion raised his brow with a questionable look and I shrugged my shoulder. "Just that."


    Well, maybe a little bit more than ''just that'', but I wasn''t going to outright say it.


    "If you''ll excuse me."


    Then, standing up, I made my way out of the Colosseum. But just as I tried to leave, a hand pressed against my shoulder.


    "Wait."


    It was still Kaelion.


    "Yes?"


    "About the thing that you talked to me about before. Do you...?"


    "We can talk about itter."


    I dismissively waved my hand.


    He was probably referring to what happened back at the strange cult, but now wasn''t exactly the right time to talk about it. There were more pressing matters that I needed to attend to.


    Like...


    ''Getting a hold of those that have been affected by the statue and erase their memories.''


    I wasn''t sure how much time I had, but I needed to hurry up.


    If any of them were to report the situation then I''d be in a lot of trouble. Especially since it would instigate an investigation which I couldn''t afford to take since I knew I wouldn''t be able to pass it.


    I had been preupied with so many things that I hadn''t been able to properly n for the aftermath of the situation.


    No, I had been nning, but Evelyn''s ability came as a surprise.


    It made things a lot easier, but at the same time, more troublesome.


    "But-"


    "Later."


    I dismissed Kaelion and rushed out of the Colosseum.


    Thankfully, everyone was still busy apuding and basking in the after-glow of the match. Leon had already entered back into the locker rooms, but the people were still talking animately about the fight that had urred.


    It reminded me of the times back on earth when I happened to watch a really good movie with my brother and we woulde out discussing it for the next hour or so.


    ''....Fun times.''


    My heart pressed as I looked around.


    This was the perfect chance for me to leave and I took it, directly heading for one of the more secluded tunnels that lead to the exits.


    It was somewhat dark, and the corridor was rather narrow, but I went for it.


    Time was of the essence.


    "Hm?"


    I was running straight for the exit when a figure appeared, leaning against the side of the


    wall.


    Her purple locks gently fell to the side of her face while her arms were crossed.


    She seemed to be waiting for someone.


    "You''re here."


    Who happened to be me...


    I felt my heart press heavily at the sight of her. I could already imagine the reason why she was waiting for me here.


    ''Not this again.''


    It most likely had to do with what she had previously asked me back in the mind world.


    Though, to some extent, I was curious about a few of her words, this was still not the right time. There were other more pressing matters that I needed to attend to, and the thought irritated me.


    What''s up with her and her timing?


    "Now is not the time. I have to deal with- "


    "Now is not the right time?"


    "So you get it."


    "I do, actually."


    Evelyn leaned away from the wall, brushing her purple hair behind her ears.


    "Then-"


    "It''s about something else."


    Evelyn cut me off, catching me off-guard. Not about that? Then...


    Her next words took mepletely off-guard.


    "You''re probably worried about the others spilling everything to the authorities, right?"


    "Eh?"


    "You''re worried that they''ll lock the entire city and have the Clerics check every person for any


    external entity residing in their body, right?"


    How did she know?


    Evelyn smiled faintly upon noticing my reaction as she quietly lowered her head and


    murmured, ''I thought so...''


    Thought so?


    Though it was faint, I could still hear her words properly. Did she knew I was going to react


    like this from the start? No, wait...


    "You."


    Realization struck me as she raised her head back up.


    "Yes, I''ve dealt with the situation. Besides a few people, nobody should be able to remember


    a single thing."


    She raised her hand, disying a thin magic circle that flickered like a brokenmp.


    "This is a spell that has been directly given to me by a Cleric. Using it, I can free people from being possessed by entering their body, but at the same time, I can do more. If I just tune up


    the intensity a bit..."


    Cracka!


    A bolt of lightning flickered in the air.


    Evelyn''s hair fluttered briefly as she raised her head.


    "...I can do more than just free time. I can make them lose their memories."


    "Right."


    I closed my eyes, already somewhat guessing what she was trying to say.


    It was certainly great news, alleviating a lot of the pressure that I felt, but I didn''t feel happy


    at all. Especially since...


    "...Your reaction also confirms what I thought. You''re not-Huep!"


    Evelyn''s eyes shot wide open as I brought my hand forward and covered her mouth. Her entire


    body flinched as her face grew red, but I didn''t care and looked around, making sure that


    nobody was watching.


    Then, seeing that there was no one around, I pointed at my ear and mouthed,


    ''Someone might be listening.''


    The chances were not high, but given how Delh tended to appear randomly from time to


    time, I was afraid she was somewhere in the corner of the hall looking at the conversation


    between the two of us.


    I couldn''t afford to have her find out about my secret.


    Right, not her.


    ||


    Evelyn couldn''t respond, but she stopped struggling and calmly nodded her head.


    ''Okay.''


    ''Good.''


    I sighed in relief and prepared to take my hand away from her mouth. Our bodies were rtively close, her back against the wall with my elbow right above her. I was just prepared


    to leave when...


    Tak-


    I felt a presence behind me and my entire body tensed. Rigidly turning my head, a pair of gray eyes met my sight. Holding onto an ice pack, his eyes


    turned bloodshot as the ice pack fell to the ground.


    ck!


    His head then flicked between the two of us.


    Flick. Flick. Flick.


    "Ah."


    I silently closed my eyes while cursing.


    This guy...


    Flick.


    Opening them back up, our eyes met.


    ''Intuition?''


    ''Intuition.''


    He nodded.


    Right...


    ''Get rid of it.''


    Bullshit ability...


    ***


    "Ahhhh."


    Turbid air spewed onto the air as a man silently sat in the middle of a room; spacious andn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    elegantly appointed, with an array of opulent antiques and exquisite paintings.


    Cra Crack!


    His body squirmed, sweat streaming down his muscr back, and steam rising out from his


    body.


    Soon, the entire room became enveloped in thick steam.


    The processsted no more than an hour before eventually settling down.


    "Huuu."


    Marking the end of it all was a single and pure breath as a figure entered the room, holding


    onto a dark robe with golden embroidery.


    He presented it forward with his head lowered.


    ||


    "1


    The man slipped his hand into the robe''s opening and adjusted it before cinching the sash


    around his waist.


    His chest was slightly exposed as his wet hair draped down his shoulders.


    "How are you feeling?"


    A subservient voice broke the silence that took over the room.


    "...I''m doing alright."


    The man replied, slowly moving toward the small sofa positioned by the center of the room


    and sitting down.


    Extending his hand forward, he slowly clenched it and unclenched it.


    "It''s holding up for now."


    "That''s a relief to hear."


    Blonde hair framed As''s gentle features, but his eyes trembled as they slowly raised to


    meet As''s as he stood opposite him.


    For a moment, As almost forgot how to breathe.


    He felt insignificant within those vacant eyes that stood opposite him. To the point where he


    found himself lowering his head to avoid eye-contact.


    "Let me know if you have any troubles."


    "Hm."


    With a faint nod, Sithrus extended his hand. Understanding his intention, As quickly retrieved a small vial that contained a thick red


    liquid within.


    "As you''ve asked."


    "Um."


    Without reservations, Sithrus plopped the vial open and ingested the contents within.


    His entire body started to squirm again, but unlike before, it was only momentary, recovering quickly. Clench.


    Shattering the ss vial in his grip, Sithrus''s vacant eyes drifted to his arm. Thin lines traced


    across his arm, revealing every vein in stark detail. He stood still, silently studying his body for a few moments before murmuring,


    "A pity. This body will onlyst me for at most a month."


    "...Ah."


    As appeared a little distraught, but he was dismissed with a wave.


    "Forget about this trivial matter. There''s something else I''d like to talk to you about."


    "Yes...?"


    Finally lifting his head, As fully revealed his yellow eyes as they gleamed in silence.


    Ta, tap-


    Drumming his fingers over the armrest of the chair, Sithrus''s eyes flickered for a brief


    moment before his lips curled into a smile,


    "Emmet has made a move."


    "....!"


    As''s face momentarily paused.


    "I left a little something here in the past. It has onlye to my attention now that it is gone.


    I was busy looking for the sword, but with my failing body, it proved somewhat


    troublesome."


    He sniffed the air while pointing at his nose.


    "...I can''t smell as well."


    "Do you wish for me to...?"


    "There''s no need for that."


    Sithrus waved his hand.


    "Genesis should be here too. I''ll visit him since there are a few things that I need to be sorted


    out now that Oracleus has made his move."


    "Understood."


    As lowered his head in understanding. He was just about to say something else when he


    stopped.


    "Right, Dawn..."


    As immediately turned around.


    "How can I help you?"


    "I heard an interesting thing recently."


    Sithrus swept his long blonde hair back, revealing his strong, chiseled features.


    "...That you''ve found a sessor."


    "Ah."


    As once again felt himself unable to talk.


    Right, there was that...


    It was just that he was still not ready yet.


    "Let me meet him."


    Atals''s expression paused one again as he looked up at Sithrus who smiled at him, his eyes


    growing a little vacant.


    "I want to see just what kind of talent makes you interested."

 Chapter 361: Final Contestants [3]

    Chapter 361: Final Contestants [3]


    ?


    The finals were set to be held in three days.


    This was so that the contestants could have enough time to recuperate and heal for the uing match. Typically, the contestants wouldn''t need that much time to heal from injuries that involved fractures or broken bones.


    A day was enough.


    ...And that was simply because the medicine that was provided to the contestants was extremely potent and expensive.


    With the amount of money the streams were bringing, this was a necessary investment.


    But that wasn''t the main issue.


    What couldn''t be healed, however, was the contestant''s state of mind. That required time, and hence why several days were given for rest.


    On the second day, the day before the finals...


    "What''s that?"


    "What''s going on?"


    Arge shadow was cast over the borders of the Nurs Ancifa Empire as the people beneath started to panic, pointing toward the enormous object that levitated in the air, oppressively staring down at the borders as arge g fluttered in the wind.


    "Isn''t that!?"


    The citizens were quick to associate the g, and the panic only heightened.


    "Are we under attack?"


    "They''re attacking us?!"


    "Everyone return to your houses! Do not panic and return at this instant!"


    It was the guard''s job to keep the citizens at ease, barking orders around as they tried to keep everyone from panicking. But how easy could that be?


    ....It could only do so much.


    Especially since the enormous ship was still staring down at them.


    Inside the ship.


    "What''s the hold-up?"


    Empress Jordana sat in her seat impatiently, looking down the ss windows of the ship. There, she could see a small city beneath as tall walls stood erect, protecting the citizens from any danger.


    Currently, several weapons were pointed in their direction.


    "Is this how inefficient this Empire is? If it were up to-"


    Woom-


    A projection appeared in the middle of the ship.


    There, a young man with yellow eyes and long blonde hair appeared. His appearance looked rather sickly, but he carried an air of regality and authority.


    "Emperor."


    He first greeted the Emperor who sat next to the Empress.


    Then, turning his head he addressed her as well.


    "Empress."


    "Crown Prince."


    The two returned a short greeting.


    "How may I help you?"


    "...Let us in."


    The Empress was quick with her demands. Though her tone was soft, there was a certain resolution to it that made her stance clear. She wasn''t looking for objections.


    "May I ask, why?"


    ||


    "1


    ||||


    The couple paused, looking at each other for a brief moment. They stared at each other for a while before the Emperor nodded his head and the Empress spoke,


    "Right, it is only fair that we disclose this. We''re here to pick up our son."


    "Your son?"


    Gael''s expression remained called.


    "Must you personallye to take him? The tournament is over, and while he did sustain some injuries in his bout, it shouldn''t be to the extent where you should be worried. If you want we can have-"


    "No, we''re not talking about him."


    "...Uh?"


    Gael''s expression turned strange. As far as he remembered there were no other children...


    "We''re talking about our other son."


    The Empress lifted her palm, and a small projection sprang to life. It revealed a young man with strikingly handsome features and prating gray eyes. Gael stared at the projection for a brief moment before his calm facade showed signs of cracking.


    He alternated his gaze between the two figures before raising his finger.


    "Give me


    moment."


    His figure flickered out, leaving the room in a state of silence that onlysted for several minutes before he reappeared once more.


    "....Alright."


    Gael nodded his head, his expression unusually serious. Staring at the two of them, he


    lowered his head.


    "You have permission to enter."


    "Grea-"


    "But!"


    Gael stopped them before they could celebrate.


    Extending his hand and disying a projection of the ship, he quietly said,


    "You will be the only two that can enter. The ship stays outside."


    Immediately, the room grew tense. The Emperor and the Empress both frowned at the proposal. Going in alone would be rather problematic as they would leave behind their


    soldiers and protection.


    It would almost make them seem as though they were hostages in a different country.


    But then again, this was their own decision. Furthermore, they were extremely powerful. Unless all the seven monarchs of the Empire decided to gang up on them, they had the


    -confidence to run away.


    Not that it would happen...


    Their death would mean an all-out war with the Nurs Ancifa Empire.


    They weren''t crazy enough to do that.


    Especially not when the two other Empires were eying the situation like hungry hawks. Upon


    reaching such thoughts, the two looked at each other and nodded.


    "Alright."


    The both of them stood up, waving their hands as their appearance changed.


    "We''ll abide by your request."


    "...Thank you very much."


    Gael smiled and elegantly bowed his head in respect.


    "I officially wee the two of you to our Empire."


    ***


    "Hoo."


    Gael let out a small breath after shutting down themunication device. The situation was


    rather abrupt, and he had no real time to handle the situation.


    Two Monarch level entities were about to cross their borders and a lot of preparation was


    usually needed in advance.


    The fact that they came so abruptly was cause of concern.


    He would''ve normally rejected them, but upon hearing their reasoning, he found it difficult to


    do so.


    If Leon was really their son...


    "What trouble."


    Gael massaged his forehead before turning his head and staring at the girl who was quietly


    resting on the bed, looking at the ceiling with a dazed look.


    "Aoife? You''re awake."


    "Um."


    She replied with a low voice.


    A couple of days had passed since she lost, and it still seemed to hit her to this day.


    "You fought great. You exceeded everyone''s expectations."


    "...."


    Aoife remained quiet.


    It was as if her brother''s words went to deaf ears.


    She remained lying on the bed with a pale face, staring nkly at the ceiling as though she


    was a sick patient on herst days.


    This greatly worried Gael who moved closer to her.


    However, just as he had taken a step tofort her, she turned her head, shifting her


    attention toward him.


    Her yellow eyes shed with different colors.


    It was enough to make Gael stop as Aoife raised her hand to disy a me.


    Swoosh!


    The me flickered out, leaving behind an orb of water that quickly morphed into a shadowy


    mass. Aoife''s hands trembled as she stared at the shifting elements, her eyes trembling


    slightly as her lips parted open.


    "My Concept..." She mumbled under her breath, and the dark mass transformed into a powerful gust of wind


    that surged through the room, making Gael''s clothes ripple and flutter.


    "...It''s this."


    Elemental Sovereignty.


    ***


    nk-


    I stared at the projection before me as sparks flew in the air and two figures appeared. They


    were none other than Leon and Aoife.


    ''So that''s how the fight went.''


    I was currently rewatching the entire match since I had missed it.


    Since Leon was my next opponent, I had to take this seriously. Since he managed to get to


    where he was, then he had without a doubt be extremely strong.


    Not that I didn''t know it.


    "He''s always been strong."


    nk!


    The exchange between Leon and Aoife was rather entertaining with both sides showing some


    impressive moves.


    "Heh."


    I couldn''t help but scoff when I saw Aoife perform my spell.


    It felt wrong.


    "Um, now that I think about it, how is she doing?"


    I hadn''t paid much attention to it since she had been ced in the nursery. I thought about


    meeting her once she got out, but there seemed to be no signs of her leaving just yet.


    Were her injuries that bad?


    ''No, more than that... How is she going to exin her abilities?''


    Her ''concept'' or the ability that she showed... It wasn''t something that she could replicate.


    After all, it belonged to the Angel who sucked the powers of all the hosts that it had. The same


    was true for their mana.


    "Oh, man."


    I could already feel a headache for Aoife.


    Plus, knowing her, she probably wouldn''t say a thing about the entire situation and keep it to


    herself.


    At least, I hoped...


    I''d need to talk with herter.


    "Hm?"


    Suddenly, my attention turned toward the projection. That was when I noticed a change ur


    in Leon as Aoife started to cough blood.


    She looked pale, and I knew that this was the time when Evelyn hadpleted her task.


    But that wasn''t what I was paying attention to.


    No, it was Leon.


    || ||


    Unknowingly, my eyes started to narrow as Leon''s entire demenour changed, and he got into


    a strange stance. The entire Colosseum fell into silence following his movements as I


    narrowed further and observed every little detail of his movement.


    ''Why does this feel familiar...?''


    He took a step forward, and that brought his sword down.


    That was all it took for me to understand, and I felt my expression change.


    "This..."


    The match ended right after this movement.


    || ||


    I sat in silence within my room, quietly staring at the projection unable to say any words asn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    thest scene reyed in my mind over and over again.


    I drew up Leon''s movements inside of my mind and soon closed my eyes.


    "Yes, it''s that."


    Putting in the foot movement that I had managed to pick up from Leon, andbining it


    with what Leon disyed, I could tell that they were a perfect match. Though Leon didn''t disy it since his movements were wless, there were a few


    imperfections in his movements. And that probably stemmed from the fact that it was iplete.


    ''Right, it''s no wonder he doesn''t use the move.''


    As powerful as it was, if someone knew its weakness, then he was as good as done for.


    "There''s a chance he won''t use it on me."


    Well, hopefully.


    I didn''t really want to go up against it.


    "Haa."


    Leaning back on my chair, I dazely looked at the ceiling.


    A thought urred to me.


    "Right, I finished the quest. Where is thepletion sign?"


    It would usuallye at about this time. This time, however, it appeared to be a lot slower


    than usual.


    ''I''d be a nice boost considering that Leon is still quite a bit stronger than me in terms of tier.''


    The fact that it hadn''t shown up just yet was a little worrying.


    However, I could only brush those thoughts aside for now. There was only one day left until


    the finals.


    I needed to be prepared.


    "Hoo."


    Closing my eyes, I sunk into my consciousness and started the floating orbs before me.


    ''...Let''s figure out what the other three do.''

 Chapter 362: Knight vs Master [1]

    Chapter 362: Knight vs Master [1]


    ?


    "The winner is... Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire.''


    Leon''s eyes shed as the projection came to an end. He stared at the projection which had now turned empty for an unknown period of time before taking a deep breath.


    "Hoo."


    A bitter smile formed on his face.


    "How exactly am I going to deal with his Emotive Magic?"


    Following his first match with Julien, and recalling how he had lost, Leon had made heavy preparations in order to protect himself from such attempts again. Not just for Julien, but for when he would encounter another Emotive Mage.


    Caius being an example.


    Julien wasn''t the only Emotive Magic and he needed to be prepared to deal with them at any time.


    Who knew when he''d meet another Emotive Mage?


    Knowing this, Leon practiced hard. He dedicated a lot of his time in order to find ways to counter Julien''s emotive magic.


    From perfecting his mind to moving at speeds that would prevent him from using his Emotive Magic on him.


    Leon had prepared all sorts of counters, and yet...


    "Can I really beat him?"


    Thinking back to the projections, he suddenly felt helpless.


    Julien''s Emotive magic...


    It was overwhelming. To the point where he questioned whether he''d even be able to handle his ''voice'' transmission.


    He was already worried about finding ways to dodge his touch, which would mark almost certain defeat, but he also had to be worried about his voice transmission...?


    And it wasn''t as though he could replicate what Kealion did by having an artifact help him.


    Artifacts of that power... They were expensive, and only those with powerful backgrounds could have ess to them.


    Leon''s background was the same as Julien''s.


    He truly was helpless.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "....He really is an annoying opponent to face."


    Well, it makes sense.


    If he wasn''t annoying, he wouldn''t have made it all the way to the finals.


    "Right, he also knows about the forgotten art."


    Leon wasn''t that bummed out about this. He had meant to reveal it anyway. The reason why he didn''t use it often was that it needed time for him to set it up and iplete.


    With Julien knowing this, and also knowing about its openings, using the move was akin to suicide.


    Leon knew.


    Julien knew.


    .... And it was exactly because of this that Leon had to use the move.


    ''If he thinks I''m bluffing he won''t stop me. If he doesn''t think I''m bluffing he''ll try to stop me for which I''ll have a counter.''


    This move was going to be the deciding factor of their match.


    Carefully deliberating over his tactics, Leon leaned his head back, resting it against the wall behind him.


    A thin smile slowly crept up on his face as he thought about the uing match.


    "Will the family head get angry if I defeat Julien?"


    The thought made Leon chuckle as he slowly closed his eyes and started to fall into a meditative state.


    Regardless of how strong Julien was, Leon was sure that he could still win.


    After all...


    In the time Julien had been missing, he hadn''t been cking at all.


    ***


    Evenus Household.


    The usually quiet office reserved for the head of the household was now inplete disarray, as servants hurried in one after another.


    To Tok-


    "Sir, we''ve got another letter! This one appears toe from the neighboring barony. They have offered their daughter for betrothal."


    "Sir! Another letter over here! It''s from another noble house."


    "Sir...!"


    Listening to the servant''s frantic voices, Aldric remained calm. His expression never faltered


    as he calmly received each letter while dismissing the servants at the same time.


    "Oh, wait."


    Just as one of the servants was about to leave, Aldric raised his head.


    "Yes?"


    "Do me a favor. Lock the doors and tell the servants to onlye if it''s something extremely important. I''ll be spending the evening reviewing the offers."


    "Ah, understood."


    The servants nodded before leaving the room and locking the door behind.


    nk!


    For the first time in a very long time, the office space regained its calm. Aldrid sat with his elbows propped up on the table, hands interlocked as he was in deep thought.


    Before him were over several dozen letters, each divided into different piles that separated them from ''most'' important to ''least'' important.


    But in all honesty, it didn''t really matter.


    They were all the same.


    From letters of betrothal to poaching letters, demanding Leon''s services. Thetter was particrly difficult to handle given that several powerful noble houses were pressuring them into giving them Leon.


    A lot of them were shameless, giving little mary contribution for Leon''s services while


    others were all a little bit more honest.


    In the end, it all boiled down to that.


    Things would''ve been difficult had Leon been the only one who had achieved great sess in


    the Four Empire Summit.


    Thankfully, he wasn''t as Julien had also made it to the finals.


    Right, Julien...


    "...."


    ||


    Aldric''s brows furrowed as he thought about Julien.


    He had seen all of his matches, and he had no words to describe the current Julien. He was so


    different from the Julien of the past.


    It was almost as though he had be apletely different person.


    He was tall, elegant, and seemed to suck the eyes of all those watching. He was like the


    embodiment of a ''noble entity''; the more Aldric looked at the current Julien, the more ufortable he felt.


    ....He just couldn''t quite ce it into words.


    "Hm."


    After a while, he realized that there was no point in dwelling on the matter.


    The finals were going to be broadcast soon.


    Whoever won between the two didn''t matter to him. They were both representatives of the


    Evenus household.


    What was most important was handling the aftermath of the two.


    Regarding Julien...


    Aldric flicked the letter onto the desk before him and lifted his seal, ready to stamp it.


    "I''ll figure it out soon enough."


    After the Summit was over.


    When he came back.


    Bam-


    ***


    The next day.


    Grimspire was usually crowded, filled with aspiring superhumans who wanted to venture


    deep into the Mirror Dimension or visitors from the main capital of Bremmer.


    On this day, however, the entire city was quiet.


    Not a single sound was heard.


    All attention was currently fixed on the Colosseum.


    Today was the day of the finals.


    The air was tense as everyone quietly entered the Colosseum in an orderly fashion. There were


    no discussions, nor were there any whispers.


    At this very moment, nobody was in the mood to discuss.


    They''d see the results for themselves soon enough.


    ''They showed up in the end.''


    At the top of the tforms, where the delegates usually sat, Gael nced to his left. Three


    seats stood there, each upied by a figure. They sat in silence, not saying a single word as


    they stared at the tform beneath with intense focus.


    Gael smiled faintly at the sight of them.


    Following what had happened before, and how they had prematurely left following the defeat


    of their own participants, he half expected them to not show up.


    It was a little surprising to see them present.


    ''Hmm, I guess they want to see the full extent of our talents.''


    As of this moment, the Nurs Ancifa Empire stood above all four Empires. Not only in talent


    but in general power.


    They had done so with Delh in the past and they had now done it again with Julien and


    Leon.


    Geal felt his lips curl at the thought.


    But as if he was smiling a little too much, he heard a soft voiceing from beside him.


    "What are you smiling at?"


    "Hm, I''m just happy." Gael replied without looking at Elysia. She had been the one to speak.


    "....Right, I guess you are."


    Unlike the other two, she was rtively calm. Almost too calm. And when Gael thought back


    to what had happened a day ago, his lips settled back down.


    ''How could I forget...?''


    Leon...


    What a troublesome situation. If he were to win, then the glory might not necessarily belong


    to them.


    That... it was a little problematic.


    Thankfully, he had made prior arrangements to make Iso that the situatio wouldn''t turn


    that way, but it was still a little troublesome to think about.


    ''I guess I now know who I should root for.''


    Gaelnded back on his chair while drumming his fingers over the armrest of the chair.


    ***


    "The match is about to start soon."


    "Um, I''m looking."


    A couple sat by the stand, seamlessly blending with the crowd. Sitting next to them were two


    younger figures, their faces different from their actual ones.


    They were Amell and Agatha who sat with their backs straight, not daring to say a single word


    as the couple next to them pointed at the main tform while talking to each other in soft


    whispers.


    They stood out quite a bit considering that nobody else was talking.


    "Amell." "Yes?"


    Suddenly hearing his name being called, Amell''s back straightened as he looked toward his


    mother who looked nothing like she usually did.


    With soft brown hair braided into a long tail and gentle green eyes, she had the appearance of


    a kind middle-aged woman. The freckles sprinkled across her nose only reinforced that


    impression.


    "Leon..."


    She half-nced the stage one more time.


    "...How strong do you deem him to bepared to you?"


    "Hm?"


    Amell was a little surprised by the question.


    However, looking into his mother''s eyes, his expression soon turned bitter.


    "I know you didn''t go all out."


    "...."


    Right...


    As expected of her mother. She could see right through him.


    "Yes, I didn''t."


    He nodded his head.


    Other things preupied his mind more back then. Like confirming if Leon was truly his


    brother.


    In the end, had hested a few more seconds, he would''ve been the one toe out on top


    against Leon.


    But..."


    "So?"


    "I don''t know."


    Amell replied honestly. He previously thought he was strong, but then the semi-finals


    happened and he understood that Leon hadn''t gone all out as well. That sword move...


    Amell felt his mouth grow dry.


    He visualized countless times on ways to counter that sword strike, but each time he tried,


    he''d end up dead.


    There was...


    No countering such move.


    And upon discovering this, Amell also came to a realization.


    ''He also didn''t go all out against me.''


    But unlike him, what reason could Leon have for not going all out? Why would he...?


    "Oh my, it''s starting."


    His mother''s excited voice brought him out of his thoughts. Lifting his head, his eyes turned


    toward the right side of the Colosseum as the surroundings turned tense.


    As if every breath had been sucked out from the audience''s lungs, the atmosphere turned


    oppressive as a pair of gray eyes emerged from the right side of the arena.


    Tak-


    A single step broke the silence as Leon emerged from the other side of the arena, his ck hair


    fluttering in silence.


    Tak-


    His steps were met with another one as Julien appeared from the other side, his expression


    looking indifferent.


    The two met eyes and everyone felt the pressure.


    Everyone swallowed dryly.


    Their gazes...


    They looked so intense.


    What they didn''t know, however...


    ''You, did you shave?''


    ''No, I didn''t.''


    ''You should''ve, I can see your hair sticking out a little bit. I can''t have my knight not looking


    perfect while everyone is watching.''


    ''Hmm, it''s toote now.''


    ''Well, I guess you''re right.''


    "....But do I really have to?'' ''Hm? Why wouldn''t you?''


    ''....Have you seen my face? Does it really matter?''


    !....!


    Julien''s brows furrowed tightly, and the tension around the colosseum grew.


    ''See?''


    Leon''s body trembled as he tried to hold back hisugh.


    However, to the audience, it seemed as though his body was getting ready to spring into


    action. It made the atmosphere be even tenser.


    ''I guess it''s the same for me too, right?''


    ''....Hm.''


    Leon''s face froze.


    Then, with a frown, he stopped.


    ''It''s a disturbing thought.''


    ''Probably not as disturbing as what my left eye said to my right eye.''


    ''Eh?''


    Leon blinked in confusion, genuinely confused.


    But that was probably his biggest mistake as realization soon dawned on him and his entire


    body stiffened.


    ''No, not he''


    ''Between me and you, something smells.''


    ".....!"


    Leon''s entire body shook, his clothes visibly vibrating as his eyes turned red. The audience


    held their breath at the sight as Karl looked at the scene in all seriousness.


    "This match is going to be extremely bloody. I can just feel tell. It looks like there''s some bad


    blood between the two of them."


    "...I can see it. It''s not unusual for knights to hold a grudge against their masters for


    mistreatment."


    "Yeah, who would''ve thought both belonged to the same household? It''s some sort of


    incredible miracle."


    "Yes."


    Johanna agreed, her expression as serious as his.


    Shortly after, the referee arrived as he raised his hand and looked between the two. Seeing


    that there was nothing wrong, he raised his hand.


    "Final match, Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire versus Leon Ellert of the Nurs Ancifa


    Empire."


    His voice boomed throughout.


    "Begin!"

 Chapter 363: Knight vs Master [2]

    Chapter 363: Knight vs Master [2]


    ?


    "Begin!"


    The moment the referee''s voice fell, Julien and Leon turned serious.


    ''Fight me fairly. Don''t try it with your psychological warfare.''


    ''The hell...?''


    Julien frowned as he looked at Leon. What did he take him as?


    Psychological warfare?


    What sort of nonsense was he spouting?


    He was borderline almost offended. It was a good joke...


    Their previous yfulness disappeared as Leon quickly recovered from the damage that he had previously sustained and pressed his foot against the ground, shooting toward Julien like


    aet.


    Bang-


    A powerful st swept through the surroundings as Leon''s figure blurred.


    Staring at the iing Leon, Julien remained calm. Though he couldn''t see him, he didn''t need to as an image appeared in his mind.


    A green field stretched out before him, a gentle breeze sweeping through. In the distance, mountains loomed, while nearby trees swayed and rustled under the soft wind.


    It was a distant memory of his.


    ...A memory of a time he felt most peaceful in his darkest times.


    A time when he felt...


    "Jo-"


    Julien was never able to fully get his words out as Leon appeared right before him, sword raised in the air.


    Swoosh!


    In one fluid motion, he shed down at Julien who pursed his lips.


    The vision in his mind shattered and he raised his hand as he stepped forward.


    ''Step of Suppression.''


    Leon instantly felt his sword be heavier. The speed at which he shed increased, and his muscles popped outwardly.


    "Ukeh!"


    This sudden change was enough for Julien to avoid the iing sh by a tiny margin as he felt something sharp graze the tip of his nose.


    Not minding the pain his eyes grew red.


    Cra Crack-


    His entire body convulsed as his muscles swelled to twice their size, radiating an immense, terrifying power. With a roar, he brought his fist crashing down toward Leon, who remained calm, unflinching in the face of the oing blow.


    Swoosh!


    Tearing through the air, the fist reached Leon in a matter of seconds.


    A faint glow manifested over Leon''s sword as he looked at the approaching sword.


    Then...


    He thrust his sword toward the iing fist.


    nk!


    A deafening explosion echoed as Julien''s fist collided with Leon''s glowing sword. Fist and de entwined, gray eyes locking fiercely with hazel ones, each refusing to give an inch.


    Their muscles squirmed and tensed as each side tried to push the other back.


    This went on like this for several seconds as neither side budged. It was then that an image appeared in Julien''s mind.


    The nursery was quiet and dark, filled with people lying silently on the beds.


    All of a sudden their bodies raised, exposing their white eyes. Their mouths opened and they screamed.


    ''Hieeek-''


    "Surpr¨D"


    Bang!


    Leon mmed his foot into the ground, releasing his grip on the sword for a brief moment as he lowered his center of gravity. In a swift motion, he shot toward Julien''s side, his fist clenched tightly as he drove it straight toward Julien''s torso.


    ''Tsk.''


    Once again, Julien had no choice but to stop.


    Even if he did end up affecting Leon with his Emotive Magic, it wouldn''t stop his attack which


    would put him at a disadvantage.


    A purple orb appeared in his mind.


    Julien reached out for it and his body suddenly trembled.


    At the exact moment, Leon''s fist closed in on Julien''s torso, his spine tensed, and he unleashed all his umted power in a single explosive surge.


    Swoosh-


    The air funneled around his fist as he threw the punch.


    However...


    Swoosh!


    It ended up phasing right through Julien''s as his body started to fade into the air. Leon''s eyes constricted, but he remained calm.


    He had already seen this ability before.


    ...There was nothing surprising about seeing this ability.


    What he needed to fear was his ''green'' ability. That one, coupled with his touch was Julien''s killerbo. He needed to be extremely careful.


    Bang!


    Stomping his foot against the ground, his sword bounced off the ground and back into the air. Twisting his torso, he reached for the de, gripping it firmly as he darted to his right,


    straight toward Julien''s figure


    With perfect control of his body, he managed to perform all of this in one fluid motion.


    The movements flowed so seamlessly that in the span of a single heartbeat, Leon was already in front of Julien, who had just returned to his usual state.


    His expression changed then as his eyes grew red.


    Booom-


    Leon''s sword once again connected with Julien''s fist.


    "....!"


    Leon felt his sword vibrate in the aftermath of the attack, feeling his body shake as a result as


    well.


    He was still doing better than Julien who took several steps back, his fist bleeding as a long red line appeared.


    Though he looked unharmed, this was all Leon needed to take the momentum of the match.


    He didn''t let it go.


    "Ump!"


    He pressed forward.


    A faint glow manifested over his sword as he aimed for Julien''s heart.


    nk!


    Narrowly, Julien managed to block the attack by using abination of [Step of Supression]


    and his domain, but Leon was relentless. If one attack failed, he''d try again.


    nk, nk-


    Leon held his breath as he continued to sh.


    He had no choice but to.


    Sweat poured down from the side of his face as he continued to push forward, but this was


    necessary in order to not give Julien any breathing space.


    His scariest ability was his Emotive Ability.


    So long as he could deal with that then he''d be able to have a greater chance at beating him.


    "Hm...?!"


    The back of Leon''s hair tingled as Julien''s hand turned purple. Leon''s eyes constricted as he


    turned his left.


    Swoosh!


    A purple hand manifested in the air, shooting right where his head used to be.


    But that wasn''t all.


    Looking down, Leon''s eyes shook.


    ''Since when...?!! Dozens of threads sprawled across the ground, nearly invisible until Leon''s eyes caught them.


    The moment Julien saw his reaction, he raised his hand, and the threads sprang to life,


    writhing and rising as if they had a will of their own.


    Leon didn''t have much time to think.


    His eyes turned ck, white dots sprinkling all over. With a blink of his eyes, a few of the stars


    disappeared from his eyes.


    The world around him grew slower and his eyes darted all over the ce.


    Then...


    "Waahh....!"


    "Oh!"


    For the first time, the crowd erupted in a roar as they watched Leon''s body contort in ways never seen before, narrowly dodging the nearly invisible threads suspended in the air. With each twist and turn, he closed the distance between himself and Julien, inching ever closer.


    Sweat continuously poured down from the side of his face as his actions required incredible


    focus.


    But soon, he managed to reach Julien who looked startled.


    Leon raised his sword and shed diagonally.


    Swoosh!


    Julien''s eyes shook as he tried to avoid the attack, but it was toote. The sword came cleaving


    down, cutting Julien right in two.


    Fuck!


    Leon silently cursed in his heart as the air behind him twisted and a hand reached out for him.


    The hair at the back of Leon''s head stood on end, and he didn''t need his intuition to recognize


    the imminent danger of the situation.


    But just as the hand was about to reach him, Leon frowed.


    Wait...


    He blinked his eyes, turning to look to his right.


    His pupils shrunk then as the hand behind phased right through him. A dummy! He didn''t


    bother with that hand as another one emerged from his right.


    The real one.


    Leon didn''t think twice. Staring at the outstretched hand, instead of moving back, he ducked


    down and moved forward.


    The stars in his eyes faded and his speed boosted.


    In seconds, he was right in front of Julien. With not much room to use his sword, Leon opted


    for a simpler method as he pressed his hand against Julien''s abdomen.


    "Ukeh!"


    Bang!


    With a groan, Julien''s body shot back, staggering several steps.


    ''Another chance!''


    Leon''s eyes flickered at the sight, his heartbeat quickening. Without hesitation, he blinked,n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    draining the stars from his gaze as his body began to transform. Turbid air flowed from his


    mouth, and in an instant, he surged forward at lightning speed.


    Boom!


    He arrived before Julien in an instant as he shed down from above.


    Julien managed to react, but the force behind Leon''s strike was far too much for him to handle


    as the ground beneath him shattered.


    "Ukh."


    He stumbled back further, and just as his eyes were turning green, Leon shot forward.


    Spurt!


    His sword directly pierced through Julien''s defenses, and blood spilled in the air.


    "Ah!"


    The entire Colosseum fell silently shortly after as several figures stood up one by one to get a better look at the scene.


    A pair of gray eyes interlocked with a pair of hazel eyes as Julien''s face twitched.


    Lowering his head, he looked at the sword impaled on his shoulder and managed a murmur,


    "That hurt..."


    "It was supposed to-Ukh!"


    Leon felt a kick to his abdomen as he lost grip of the sword and stumbled back several steps.


    "Ukh."


    His stomach hurt but it was nothing to the pain that Julien was currently feeling.


    ''How troublesome.''


    Julien mumbled in his mind, staring at the sword impaled on his shoulder. He didn''t think


    about taking the sword off. He didn''t want to lose quite yet.


    Taking the sword away would just make him bleed out.


    Yeah...


    The situation was really troublesome.


    "Kh."


    Julien rotated his shoulder de and felt a sharp pain each time he did so. Though he could


    withstand the pain, the sword restricted his movements.


    This was something that Leon and the entire audience understood.


    "This..."


    Karl looked at the scene with his mouth agape while a faint smile traced over Johanna''s lips.


    "Leon has gotten the upper hand. If Julien doesn''t do anything, he''ll most likely lose the


    match."


    her words fell, Leon rushed forward. He still didn''t want to give Julien any time to use his Emotive Magic.


    Though victory seemed close, Leon knew that things were far from over.


    Julien was... Unpredictable.


    Hell, for all he knew, Julien could very well have already developed a domain. That monster...


    He certainly had the qualities to achieve such a thing in such a short period of time.


    It was for that reason that Leon didn''t hesitate to attack.


    He had no choice but to attack.


    "Kh...!"


    Though he didn''t have his sword with him, Leon was still very adept at closebat.


    Thump! Thump!


    The ground shattered with each step, the sound of the ground shattering mimicking the beats


    of the audience''s hearts.


    Boom!


    The ground exploded and he arrived before Julien who stared at him in silence. Leon''s eyes turned ethereal, the star within vanishing once more as he exploded with power.


    Julien''s clothes and hair fluttered under the immense pressure as the audience held their


    breath in anticipation. Julien soon closed his eyes, his entire body being in total peace despite the looming threat.


    The audience leaned closer at the sight.


    Was he going to show something unique again? Was he going to disy some incredibly


    powerful move?


    A new move perhaps...?


    Everyone held their breath upon reaching such thoughts.


    And soon...


    Julien''s eyes opened, revealing a familiar red hue.


    Immediately the audience felt their heart sink. While this move was strong, there was no way


    he''d be able to defeat the current Leon with it. Especially since he could only use it for a short


    burst.


    ''Anger''


    Julien rapidly murmured in his mind, pressing his hand against his chest.


    His muscles popped and cracked as his body started to squirm. An oppressive montum burst


    forth from out of his body, towering over everything in front. Everything but Leon... who moved with the momentum of a train.


    He shattered everything in his path and soon arrived before Julien. The two crossed gazes and


    threw a punch at the same time.


    Booom-


    Silence ensued for a brief moment as neither side budged before a terrifying explosion burst


    forth as the fists remained glued together.


    A wave of pressurized wind burst forth from their sh, causing their clothes to flutter wildly.


    As the dust settled and the aftermath of their battle became clear, everyone could finally see


    the result of their confrontation.


    "A draw."


    Johanna murmured,


    "....It was even."


    Indeed, both Leon and Julien were standing at the center of the stage with both fists


    connected, neither side having budged an inch.


    But..


    "Julien needs to regather his strength, unlike Leon. I''m afraid..."


    And just as she said this, Leon moved his fist back as Julien''s eyes returned to normal. The


    audience watched this with pale faces as they all looked at Julien who suddenly felt so small. "Hooo." Turbid air escaped from Leon''s mouth as his spine tensed and his fist shifted forward. His head felt light, and in such moment he looked at Julien and the corner of his lips curled. He


    felt strangely happy.


    ''I''m going to win.''


    Boom!


    He threw another fist, aiming for the shoulder his sword was stuck in.


    Julien remained calm as the fist approached. Its momentum was terrifying, and knowing that


    he couldn''t use his domain in rapid session like Leon, Julien could only throw a regr


    punch with his only working hand.


    It was just that...


    ...He couldn''t gather as much power in such awkward angle.


    Boom!


    As expected, he was immediately flung away.


    "Uhk."


    Like a broken kite, he was hurled backward, skidding over a dozen steps. By the time he came


    to a halt, Leon was already standing in front of him.


    Bang!


    The two shed fists once more, sending Julien scattering further back.


    "Uekh...!"


    He didn''t Julien any breathing room.


    ''Yes!''


    Leon felt adrenaline rush through his body as he rushed forward.


    Bang, bang, bang-


    His every movement was filled with more and more power as he pushed Julien further and


    further back. Be it him or the audience, everyone could tell that Julien was on hisst leg.


    Leon was about to pull a victory!


    "Ah!"


    Leon shouted, his arm tensing as he threw another fist forward.


    Bang!


    The two shed once more, and Leon felt his heart jump in joy as Julien staggered back,


    almost falling to the ground.


    "Hahaha."


    Heughed out loud, hisugh reverberating throughout the entire Colosseum and shaking


    the audience out of their daze.


    "Hahaha."


    Leon continued tough, no longer rushing toward Julien as he stumbled back up.


    Seeing the state Julien was in, Leon felt an undeniable rush of joy reach every part of his body


    as his lips pulled into a wide smile. Finally... He was going to beat Julien.


    Finall-Uh?


    Leon stopped, his eyes blinking slowly. A strange silence befell him as his ears picked up every


    sound within the Colosseum.


    From the faint murmurs of the crowd, Julien''s rough breathing, and...


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    His incredibly fast heartbeat.


    ''What the..''


    Leon pressed his chest, realization dawning on him as he raised his head to look at Julien who


    looked back at him.


    This time, it was his turn to smile as he raised his fist.


    Though he didn''t say anything, Leon could understand exactly what his gaze was saying,


    ''Just because I can''t speak nor touch you doesn''t mean I can''t affect you.''


    "Ah."


    Leon clenched his teeth, a smallugh escaping his lips despite not finding the situation


    amusing at all.


    "...Fuck."

 Chapter 364: Knight vs Master [3]

    Chapter 364: Knight vs Master [3]


    ?


    ''Shit...''


    Leon silently cursed in his mind. But despite the cursing, he didn''t feel mad at all. In fact, he felt rather happy.


    ...And this was the problem.


    He shouldn''t be happy in this situation.


    "Why did he stop?"


    "What''s going on? Attack him! He''s there!"


    "Stopughing and attack him! Did his advantage get to his head?"


    Leon could hear the faint whispers and murmurs from the crowd as all eyes fell in his general direction. The voices grew louder with each second that dragged as Leon tensed his arms and prepared to attack again.


    However, as he tensed his arm, he realized that he couldn''t fully utilize his strength.


    He was just too...


    Rxed.


    ''Oh, no.''


    Leon looked at Julien who pinched the middle of his brows and gathered himself back. Julien''s mind was a little dizzy, but he was unable to contain his own joy.


    ''It worked.''


    Julien understood that his greatest strength was his Emotive Magic.


    His curse magic wasgging behind due to him having to focus directly on his Emotive Magic and Concept.


    For that reason, instead of practicing his curse magictely, he only focused on his Concept and Emotive abilities.


    But his Emotive Abilities were far from perfect.


    Hecked control over them, which was something that he struggled with for quite a while, but only recently did he truly understand just how important control was.


    Had his control been better his ''voice transmission'' wouldn''t have been so weak due to the energy loss in the air.


    It was something that bothered him quite a lot.


    ...And it was all he focused his attention on recently.


    Though he didn''t get to the point where his ''voice transmission'' was better, he was able to improve in a different aspect.


    If before he had to touch someone with the intent of transmitting his Emotive Abilities to someone, he could now do so with any touch, meaning that each punch of his now carried faint traces of Emotive Magic.


    This was why Leon started to lose his mind with each of their strikes.


    ... It was because Julien was slowly bleeding his Emotive Magic into Leon who was unaware.


    Though the intensity was nowhere near Julien''s normal intensity, it worked better this way, slowly influencing Leon''s mind before he knew it.


    By the time he realized, the damage was done.


    Julien didn''t waste the chance presented before him. Bang!


    The ground shattered as he pressed forward, arriving right before the half-dazed Leon.


    His eyes immediately grew red as his body popped and squirmed. At the same time, his chest started to boil as his anger surged.


    ".....!"


    Leon finally snapped out of his dazed state.


    But it was toote. Julien was already upon him, his back stretched and spine tensed as a tremendous power umted within his muscles.


    All Leon could do was cross his arms and take a defensive stance.


    Bang-


    But even that was useless.


    The moment Julien''s fist came into contact with him, he was sent flying back. His spine tingled as he flew back and he just barely managed to twist his body mid-air, avoiding an iing purple hand.


    He almost sighed in relief until he felt something grasp his ankle.


    Looking down, his eyes shook as he noticed a long chain tangled across his ankle. Julien stood not so far, his hand outstretched, grasping the other end of the chain.


    Leon tried to free himself from the chain, but it was no use.


    Julien hurriedly brought the chain down and Leon felt his body get thrust down alongside it.


    Bang!


    "Uekh!"


    Leon screamed in pain as he felt his back pop in pain.


    But things weren''t over yet. Opening his eyes wide, he rolled to the side, barely avoiding an iing purple hand as he pressed his hands down and pushed himself back up.


    "Ukh...!"


    Leon''s movements were slow and sluggish.


    ...And this mainly had to do with the chain tangled across his ankle.


    Somehow, someway, it was starting to sap away at his energy. This couldn''tst any longer.


    Leon bit his lips, turning around to see Julien.


    The moment his eyes fell on Julien, Leon''s heart sank.


    ''Oh, no...''


    He knew exactly what Julien was about to do.


    Still, Leon didn''t appear panicked at all. He had been waiting for this. He... knew it was bound


    toe.


    As the Colosseum turned quiet, Leon''s eyes closed, the stars draining from them. Everyone expected his body to suddenly burst with power, but none of that happened.


    Instead, he suddenly started to blend with the world around him.


    Almost as though he was the air itself.


    "Hoo."


    Julien stared at his changes with even breathing as he slowly brought his hand toward his chest. A green scenery reflected his eyes as he silently mumbled in his mind; ''Joy''.


    His ves tensed and the world around him started to slow down.


    The ground shattered under his step as he rushed toward Leon who stood dazed on his spot.


    With each step Julien took the ground would crack and shatter as he soon arrived before Leon.


    He reached his hand toward Leon''s exposed abdomen.


    Another image formed in his mind. It was that of a little girl, standing in the middle of a small room, overlooking therge windows that disyed the horrifying scene of the people


    beneath.


    The world dyed in red and Julien''s chest exploded.


    Julien''s hand came reaching for Leon''s exposed chest. He was so fast that Leon''s body


    remained still, and soon...


    His hand reached out for Leon.


    He didn''t hold back.


    ''Fear''


    The world regained its usual calm.


    Julien stood before Leon, his hand pressed against his chest.


    Holding his breath, Julien waited to see Leon react. He half expected him to crawl onto the


    floor like he did back when they first fought, but...


    It didn''t happen.


    ''Uh...?''


    Julien stood stunned, unable toprehend the situation.


    Lifting his gaze up to meet Leon''s, all he saw was two ck eyes. They stared back at him as


    though they were trying to suck him in.


    Six locks hastily appeared in Julien''s mind, sealing all of his emotions as he tried to move


    back.


    Leon, however, had other ns.


    Extending his hand forward, twisting through the air like a snake, his fingers reached for


    Julien''s shoulder, where a familiar sword was embedded.


    ||


    ??


    Julien''s eyes constricted as he realized what Leon''s intentions were.


    But it was toote.


    Spurt-!


    Blood splurted all over the tform as he retrieved the sword back. Julien''s shoulder jerked as


    he kept his mouth shut, his eyes unflinching.


    Though he was feeling the pain, he didn''t allow it to cloud his mind as his mind raced with all


    sorts of thoughts before his eyes turned red and he threw a fist in Leon''s direction.


    Leon crossed his arms at the iing attack.


    Bang!


    But still, his defense broke apart as he was sent stumbling back several steps.


    Julien followed up rather quickly, not giving Leon a chance to rest.


    Bang, bang, bang-


    Elbows, kicks, fists, he threw everything that he could at Leon, not sparing a single breath as


    he even injected several emotions into Leon.


    And yet...


    ||


    ||


    As though he was the abyss itself, he absorbed everything that came his way.


    He was like a soft and endless fabric that took everything in.


    The more the fight continued the more Julien felt that something was amiss. How was this


    possible? How could he be absorbing all of his attacks and Emotive Magic...?


    This...


    ''Ah.''


    And then he realized.


    Raising his head back up, he looked towards Leon''s eyes.


    They were pitch ck.


    ''Could it be...?''


    Realization soon dawned on him.


    ''Stars give powers while void takes power.''


    Julien finally came to an understanding as he stopped.


    "Hooo."


    He stood before Leon while taking a deep breath. Leon stood opposite him without moving at


    all.


    ''As expected...''


    Juliens'' thoughts were proven true.


    It was no wonder he waspletely unaffected. It was because he had absorbed everything.


    However, there was a drawback to the ''void'' aspect of his ''concept''.


    It was that he couldn''t attack back.


    At least... Not unless he returned to his usual form, which would allow the pain to register in


    his mind.


    The only thing he could do was fight using his ''Concept''. ...The moment he got rid of his ''Concept'' the fight was as good as over.


    Julien didn''t know this much, but he could more or less figure out the situation. He was also


    not doing that much better. His time was also limited, his shoulder still leaking blood.


    He couldn''t drag the fight further, but he also couldn''t touch Leon...


    The situation turned into a weird stalemate where neither side budged an inch.


    "Haa... Haa.."


    "Haa.."


    The sound of their heavy breaths quietly resounded throughout as both sides stared at each


    other. By the time Leon blinked, stars appeared in his eyes.


    His body burst with power once more and his foot shifted. Holding the sword forward, he got into a stance. A familiar stance that the audience had


    witnessed once in the past. Immediately, all noise ceased from the Colosseum as all eyes fell


    on the graceful figure that was Leon as his eyes shut closed.


    Julien stared at Leon without much emotion.


    His eyes darted around, looking at the opening that was soon going to show up.


    He pressed his hand against his chest, imagining the same green scenery he used whenever


    thinking about ''Joy''.


    His calves tensed as power umted.


    Leaning forward, his eyes shed green. And just as the world was starting to slow down,


    Leon''s lips curled into a smile as his sword turned golden in color.


    A blinding light enveloped the entire Colosseum as several people closed their eyes at then/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    same time.


    "This..."


    Johanna''s expression turned a little bit more serious. Her actions, though subtle, were


    enough to catch Karl''s attention.


    "Is something the matter?"


    11 "....


    Johanna didn''t answer.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to answer, but her eyes were transfixed on Leon''s glowing


    sword.


    Though others couldn''t tell, she could.


    Leon...


    He had reached the realm of ''One Heart One Sword.''


    A state when one''s sword would be a part of their body.


    Although she had previously had her suspicions, she wasn''t certain. After all, reaching a state


    such as that was as hard as developing a Concept.


    There were five states to sword mastery just like spell levels for a mage; ''Foundation'', ''Sword Resonance'', ''One Heart One Sword'', ''Sword Assimtion'', and ''Sword Soverignity''. Leon reaching such a state was incredibly impressive, and it was here that Johanna and several


    other figures understood.


    This right here...


    This was Leon''s true strength.


    ''He''s been hiding quite well.'' "Hoo."


    Leon''s eyes were fixed on Julien.


    His world simrly slowed down. Not to the same extent as Julien''s, but it didn''t quite


    matter. In his state, he could perceive and feel all the little changes in his surroundings. From


    the wind direction to the thin breaths of the audience watching.


    Right now, he felt like the center of the universe.


    He alone was standing within the void filled with stars, sword in hand.


    Opposite him was a figure he knew all too well.


    Clench! Leon''s grip on his sword tightened.


    He hadn''t actually reached the ''One Heart One Sword'' mastery. The only reason he was able to


    get to this point was because of his ''Concept''. Draining everything from within the stars, he


    was able to temporarily reach this state.


    But...


    "Kh!"


    It took a heavy toll on his body.


    Not that it mattered.


    He had to do this.


    He had to..


    Win.


    ''Die...!''


    A voice echoed in his head.


    It was Julien''s voice. However, the tone and mannerisms were different.


    ''You''re my fucking servant. If I tell you to fucking die you will die!"


    They belonged to a distant Julien.


    A Julien he once called ''Young Master'' and served.


    ''Fuck, you cheap bastard.''


    A tyrant.


    ''... Of all people why did it have to be you? Why were you the one who was born talented with


    the sword?''


    A jealous person.


    ''Fucking die...!!


    And a killer.


    ''Why did it have to be you?''


    But above all...


    ''Asshole.''


    He was the one who he served.


    Clench.


    Leon''s grip over his sword tightened. In less than a second, Julien''s body was already before


    him. He could see and trace every one of his movements. That was when Leon tightened his


    posture and took a deep breath.


    He never forgot the past.


    Never forgot what had happened.


    ....And he never forgot his killer.


    He trained so he could kill him. Free himself from him.


    And yet...


    11


    "1


    || ||


    Leon stared at Julien, his expression easing slightly.


    That person was no longer here.


    What reced it was someone else entirely. He wasn''t perfect. He had his ws, but he never


    showed them.


    He was also not Julien.


    ....This meant that he wasn''t his master.


    And yet...


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, Leon''s void-like eyes shed with Julien''s hazel eyes.


    The two stood face to face, and the audience held their breath, perched on the edge of their


    seats, eyes fixed on the tform as their bodies tensed with anxiety.


    In that final moment, everyone understood something.


    This was the final sh.


    Whoever won this would win the fight.


    And as Julien''s body arrived before him, Leon thrust his sword forward.


    ''You may not be the Julien that I serve, but...''


    With Julien''s face reflecting through the gleam of his sword, Leon''s mind came to peace.


    ''...you''re worth following.''

 Chapter 365: Knight vs Master [4]

    Chapter 365: Knight vs Master [4]


    ?


    Six orbs floated inside Julien''s mind.


    Each orb writhed and wiggled in the air, seemingly trying to reach out for him.


    He wanted to use every one of them, but he couldn''t. He still wasn''t there yet. His current limit was three orbs.


    It was a pity, but that was the reality.


    Only a couple of weeks had passed since Julien had unlocked his ''Concept'' and learned to use it. The fact that he could already wield three was impressive, but the other three simply refused to respond fully.


    He still didn''t know how to fully utilize them, nor what powers they held.


    There was something missing, something preventing him from fully unlocking the entirety of the ''Concept'' and achieving his Domain.


    There was also the matter that he was nowhere near Tier 5.


    ...This was his current limit.


    There was no way to progress further in such a short time.


    Julien''s body tensed instinctively as he watched Leon suddenly drop into a stance, his body growingrger right before his eyes.


    The sight made Julien''s arms and legs stiffen, his heart pounded in his chest, thudding louder with each passing second.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Leon''s momentum was quietly growing, and Julien''s head felt lighter.


    The more time passed, the more disadvantageous Julien''s position became, especially with the amount of blood he was losing...


    ||


    ||


    Clench.


    ''It''s all or nothing.''


    Closing his eyes, a different scene appeared in his mind.


    It wasn''t the usual green world, but a different one. Hey on the floor, hand grasping a hazy figure.


    The hazy figure screamed as Julien''s hand sped his foot before falling onto the ground where Julien mounted him and ended his life with a rock.


    Smash!


    Smash-!


    Blood sttered all over, staining his clothes and ground.


    Even now, Julien could still distinctly recall the scene.


    How could he not?


    It was the first time he had killed someone, and also the first time he had ever felt... joy in this strange and unfamiliar world.


    "Hoo."


    Julien opened his eyes and pressed a hand against his chest.


    ''Joy.''


    Power surged through the bottom half of his feet as his calves and hamstrings tensed, umting energy before releasing all at once.


    The world slowed, and just as he was about to move, he noticed a shift in Leon as his lips curled into a smile.


    In that moment, it felt as though Leon had entered Julien''s world.


    Leon''s eyes followed his every movement as he shifted his stance. Julien''s heart sank at the realization.


    But it wasn''t as though Leon was having an easy time as well. His expression pained as he clenched his jaw tightly.


    Whatever Leon was doing, it was clearly taking a toll on him.


    But Julien didn''t have much time to dwell on that matter.


    There was no turning back now. He couldn''t afford to hold anything back anymore. He had to go all in, and that''s exactly what he did.


    The ground shattered beneath his feet as he surged forward.


    As he moved toward Leon, he saw the audience seated all around them.


    They were frozen, but their slow movements showed they were beginning to stand up.


    They, too, had realized the fight was nearing its end.


    Shifting his focus back to Leon, Julien watched him prepare for what wasing.


    In this slowed-down world, Leon was keeping up. No, he wasn''t just keeping up. He was slowly starting to take over that world.


    His momentum...


    It was overwhelming.


    Julien didn''t have time to think about what Leon might do next.


    His thoughts shifted.


    ''I need more.''


    Leon''s momentum was overpowering.


    Julien could feel the energy radiating from Leon''s body. At the current pace, he knew he would


    lose.


    He needed something more.


    ''More...!''


    Clench!


    Teeth clenched, six orbs appeared in his mind once more. He reached for the other three, but


    it was futile.


    The gap between him and Leon was closing.


    As Julien passed through Leon''s range, a strange heat washed over him.


    Just as expected, Leon stepped forward, his eyes sinking into a deep abyss from which Julien


    could sense no bottom.


    Julien''s mind squirmed.


    ''More!''


    He screamed at the orbs, but none moved.


    ''More...!!!!''


    The chains holding him back shattered under his will. All the bottled-up emotions inside him


    poured into his body.


    The world slowed even further.


    But Leon''s movements also grew faster.


    Leon was slowly positioning the tip of his sword in Julien''s direction. A tingling sensation ran


    down Julien''s spine, nearly stopping him.


    But he pressed on.


    Julien tried again to reach for the remaining three orbs, but nothing happened.


    The situation grew more dire, but he didn''t panic.


    Panicking wouldn''t help. Instead, he kept his mind cool. He shifted his focus away from the


    orbs he couldn''t control and toward the three that responded.


    Reaching out, the three orbs wiggled.


    They answered him.


    ''Ah.''


    And that''s when it hit him.


    He didn''t need what he didn''t have. What he needed was to fully use what was already in his


    grasp.


    Swoosh-


    A green field appeared in his mind world.


    Standing within it, six orbs floated before him. Waving his hand, two orbs remained. Waving


    his hand the red orb throbbed before shattering into nothing.


    Boom!


    A volcano suddenly erupted within the green field.


    It exploded, sending magma flying everywhere. Power surged through Julien as his body


    strained from the sudden force he subjected it to.


    But it still wasn''t enough.


    ''More!!''


    He turned his gaze to the red and green orbs.


    ''Uekh...!''


    His mind throbbed violently as he brought his hands together. The red and green orbs


    wiggled, inching closer.


    The pain was sharp, almost blinding, but he held everything together.


    The area around him scorched as Leon''s sword inched closer. There was little time left.


    ''Go, go...''


    Julien forced his hands together in his mind.


    The orbs edged closer.


    W!


    As they drew nearer, they throbbed in unison, wiggling as though they were resisting, almost


    repelling one another.


    But he persisted.


    ''Go!!!!!


    The pain intensified, but pain was something he could manage.


    He was used to pain.


    The orbs inched closer.


    Suddenly,rge spikes jutted out of them as they trembled violently. Though silent, it felt as


    if they were screaming at him-warning him to stop.


    But he didn''t.


    ''Uekh...!''


    The pain dug deeper as Julien''s leg faltered.


    Leon''s sword loomed closer, and Julien caught his own reflection within its gleaming surface.


    His eyes stared back at him.


    ''What the...''


    His left eye was red while his right was green.


    This had never happened before... The colors flickered, parting way for a newer color.


    Suddenly, his mind grew calm.


    Staring at his reflection, he blinked. Leon''s sword was almost upon him, but something had


    changed.


    His eyes...


    They had turned yellow.


    A new orb appeared in Julien''s vision.


    Yellow Anger + Joy ||Mania||


    Boom!


    It was as if something detonated within his mind. Everything crumbled, and his muscles


    began to rework, the thin threads connecting each tissue tightening and tensing together.


    Julien''s hand began to twitch and as Leon''s sword inched further closer to him, he pressed his right foot before him, perfectly stopping his body and scattering away the gathered momentum.


    The strain this had on his body was immense, his joints squeaking at the action.


    But...


    In this very moment, he felt in utter andplete control of his body. Down to the veryst


    fiber.


    His hand squirmed, and every fiber tensed. Power gathered quickly, and seeing that there was


    no way he could dodge Leon''s sword, Julien''s spine sprung like a spring.


    Pa!


    His joints popped once more, and he thrust his fist forward.


    Leon''s eyes constricted at the sight.


    But it was toote for him to do anything. Clenching his teeth, the glow on his sword


    intensified further as he squeezed all the power within his body and thrust forward.


    Soon...


    The two connected.


    "........"


    11


    The world returned to how it previously was.


    There was no fancy explosion, nor did the tform shatter.


    In the middle of the arena, two figures stood.


    One side with yellow eyes, and the other with pitch ck eyes. Each side stared at the other


    without a word.


    Then, to their left, a figure appeared.


    He appeared to be holding the wrists of both Julien and Leon.


    A deafening silence took hold of the Colosseum as all eyes fell on the three figures.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    That was until...


    "Match... over!


    The referee''s voice echoed throughout the tform.


    In that moment, everyone stopped moving. All eyes were locked toward Julien and Loen who


    stood at the center of it all, their eyes still the same color as before.


    The two looked at the referee with a stunned look. The two clearly hadn''t expected the verdict


    to be like this.


    Match over?


    Who was the winner?


    How could it be like this...?


    Everyone''s minds roared at the same time.


    Just as the audience began to recover from their shock, an unexpected twist jolted them back


    to full attention.


    "...!"


    Letting go of Julien''s and Leon''s wrists, the referee took a step back.


    He alternated his gaze between the two, his face unable to hide his shock and horror as his


    face suddenly grew pale.


    Then...


    "Puchi!"


    Thump!


    He dropped to his knees, blood gushing from his mouth.


    The crowd gasped, frozen in disbelief as his body shuddered violently, the sound of his


    ragged breathing filling the stunned silence.


    "Ukeh!"


    "...!"


    "!!"


    The audience stared at the scene with wide eyes, unable toprehend the scene that


    appeared before them.


    ...What is this?!


    It was hard for them toprehend what had happened. However, the same wasn''t true for Johanna who breathed coldly.


    "To officiate a match, a referee must be at least one tier higher than the participants. In this


    case, the referee, Emrad Kilder, a Tier 5 body user, was selected. Not only is he a tier higher


    than both Julien and Leon, but he''s also reputable for his extremely sturdy body..." Johanna paused there.


    She knew all of this not because she was given the information in advance, but because she


    knew Emrad personally.


    ....And knowing him meant that she knew exactly how sturdy his body was.


    He was supposed to be enough.


    No, he was enough.


    And yet...


    Staring at the stage, and the two figures that stood, she held her breath.


    ''Monsters...''


    That was the only way she could describe them.


    Utter monsters.


    Their growth with each match was visible, both sides upping the other with each match.


    They even went as far as forcing Emrad to interfere. Had they been allowed to continue,


    then...


    Johanna closed her eyes.


    She didn''t want to think about it.


    This was the right call.


    || ||


    ||


    While everyone was still recovering from the shock of the match, Leon and Julien stood on the


    opposite end. Gradually, Julien''s eyes returned to their normal color as he let out a long


    breath.


    "Hooo."


    He was exhausted, and his entire body was trembling.


    Having clearly overdrawn his body, he could hardly move a muscle. On the other side, Leon


    appeared to be doing better than him.


    His body didn''t twitch nor was he sweat.


    With his deep ck eyes staring back at him, Leon lowered his sword, looking a little


    disappointed.


    "I thought I could beat you."


    He managed to mutter, his eyes slowly starting to lose color as his head lowered.


    Julien stared at him without saying a word. "....A draw is fine too, but I thought I''d win."


    With a bitter smile, Leon finally raised his head to meet Julien''s.


    "Ap-"


    He was never able to finish his sentence.


    Halfway through it, his eyes turned white and his legs faltered.


    Thump!


    His body crumbled onto the floor, twitching continuously. Now that he was no longer using


    his ''Concept'', all the pain that he had suppressed and pushed back came crashing down on


    him.


    He had been holding out for quite a while...


    The pain.


    It must be unbearable.


    "


    "1


    Julien stared at the twitching Leon in silence before turning around and heading back to the


    locker rooms.


    In the end, he was thest one standing.


    Be it the referee and Leon, they were both on the ground.


    Tak-


    Under the silence of the Colosseum, Julien''s ck hair fluttered silently.


    His back was straight and his eyes were deep.


    Basking under the gazes of those watching, he remained silent, slowly turning around and


    heading for the locker room.


    Alone, he stood.


    And alone, he left.


    My tears...


    They had all dried up.


    My body...


    It was tougher than steel.


    My curses...


    The world wasn''t worth them.


    My screams...


    I no longer felt pain. My smile...


    It meant I won.


    ¡öLvl 2. [Joy] EXP + 17%

 Chapter 366: Low Seat of Dawn [1]

    Chapter 366: Low Seat of Dawn [1]


    ?


    "


    ||


    The Colosseum remained silent ever after Julien''s departure. The medics quickly rushed onto the stage, helping the referee recover while Leon''s body remained on the ground, twitching slightly.


    He was not in great condition...


    As this was happening, Karl, who had been quiet the entire time, suddenly asked a question that was in the minds of everyone present.


    "So, who won?"


    The match ended, and before the referee could even voice out his verdict, he fell for the rebound of their attacks.


    Was it a draw?


    Did Leon win?.... Or was it Julien that won?


    At this very moment, everyone watching wanted to know the answer. There had to be one. There had never been a draw in the past, and this was the first time such a situation had urred.


    "....I''m not sure."


    Johanna tactfully replied, her eyes narrowing slightly.


    "Although there is no clear announcement just yet, I don''t believe it really matters." "Uh?"


    "Both contestants are from the Nurs Ancifa Empire. There''s no real conflict of interest between the two sides. Regardless of who won between the two, they were both members of the Empire."


    "Ah."


    Karl was suddenly enlightened.


    "If you put it that way, it makes sense. But still... I would want to know if there was a winner. The fight was amazing, but a draw seems a little bit..."


    || ||


    Johanna took a deep breath then and didn''t answer.


    Shifting her attention back toward the stage, her lips pursed together. Staring at the state Leon was in, and recalling the image of Julien leaving amidst the stares of everyone present she could only sigh.


    Though the winner may not have been announced, hisst moments had left an impact on those watching.


    For he was the one who remained standing.


    ***


    "... What do you think?"


    The Empress nced at the Emperor from the side, her expression rather stoic. Looking at Leon who was lying down on the ground, his body twitching, her heart pained a little.


    However, it wasn''t as though she could just rush down and help him up.


    He also wasn''t aware of his background. She couldn''t just throw the truth all at once to his face.


    "His injuries are bad, but not life-threatening. There shouldn''t be anything to worry about. In a couple of days, he''ll be back to his usual condition."


    The Emperor replied, his eyes never leaving Leon''s.


    Though his tone was calm, his mind was anything but calm. The shock the fight had given him was immense.


    ''He''s not had any of the resources that Amell has had since young, and yet he''s this powerful? What sort of....''


    In fact, he was a little horrified.


    What sort of ''monster'' was this son of his? No, not just him, but Julien as well.


    ''Could this be something rted to the Evenus household?''


    The Emperor had done his homework. He knew everything about Leon and thus was aware of the fact that he was currently working as Julien''s knight. At first, he was a little apprehensive about the fact, but seeing how powerful Julien was, he wasn''t so sure anymore.


    The two most definitely benefitted from each other, making them grow into the monsters that they were now.


    It was just that...


    ....It was a little hard to believe.


    With so few resources, an oppressive regime that prevented training until a certain age, and duties to fill, Leon was able to be this strong.


    "Hoo."


    It was an unbelievable situation.


    And yet...


    The truth was presented right before his eyes.


    ''Shocking.''


    "What now...?"


    Amell''s words shook the Emperor out of his thoughts. Turning his head, he could see theplicated look on Amell''s face as his gaze lingered on the injured Leon. He too seemed to have realized exactly what he was thinking.


    However, as the Emperor looked into Amell, he couldn''t really see any trace of jealousy.


    No, what he saw was more akin to relief...


    And that made him smile.


    ''It looks like my teachings weren''t in vain.''


    Talent was not to be envied or feared but nurtured. Amell knew this and thus didn''t show any jealousy. Even if the subject in question was his own brother who had a chance at the throne.


    "Father, are you going to reveal yourself to Leon?"


    11


    ||


    The Emperor shook his head.


    "No."


    "W-what?"


    His answer took Amell by surprise.


    He had previously thought that they hade here to personally escort him back into the


    Empire. And yet...


    "Do you think he''ll ept the truth if we tell it to him right now? How would you feel if the people you thought abandoned you for so long suddenly reappeared again, telling you of


    their massive background?"


    "That..."


    Amell was left speechless by the statement.


    Yes, that would indeed be a little bit too much to say at once. There was a chance that their


    words might backfire on them.


    A bitter smile formed on his face as he realized this.


    "What do we do then...?"


    "We wait."


    The Emperor said, leaning back against his chair. As he turned his head, he nced at his wife


    who remained silent after the initial words. She seemed to be in deep thought, and as if


    sensing his gaze her head turned.


    "....Are you thinking what I''m thinking?"


    "Yes,"


    The Emperor nodded his head, shifting his attention toward Amell.


    "...I guess this might work."


    ***


    "Haa..."


    Sitting in the locker room, I let out a long breath. I was exhausted and my entire body was twitching, the muscle fibers tearing as I struggled to keep my body steady.


    It was a bit of a pain, but I was starting to get used to it.


    ''Well, it''s fine. Now that things are over, I don''t have to worry about fighting for a while.''


    I was mentally exhausted.


    All the fights required me to be in top condition, analyzing my opponent''s every move and


    thinking of new ways of defeating them.


    The results brought me an unimaginable amount of growth.


    But there was a limit.


    I was near a breaking point. I couldn''t keep doing this.


    I needed some rest...


    "...A well deserve rest."


    There would now be a couple of month''s break before the second academy year was set to


    start, and while the draft was also set a month from now, I didn''t think I was going to join.


    I no longer needed to.


    My reputation now preceded me.


    They were the ones that needed to try and recruit me. Not the opposite.


    Not that I had any interest to begin with.


    "For now, I just want to rest."


    Taking in the pain, I started to undress myself before heading for the showers as cold water


    poured down on me.


    Shaa-


    My skin prickled under the cold but it didn''t feel ufortable.


    In fact, it almost felt relieving.


    It was taking my mind away from the pain that covered my entire body. Though I could


    withstand the pain, it didn''t mean that I liked it.


    This was a nice break as I closed my eyes and basked in the aftermath of the fight.


    ''....I won that.''


    The referee may have stopped the fight without giving a verdict, but I knew that I had won


    that fight.


    Perhaps if he had not stopped us, the two of us would''ve been critically injured, but that


    wasn''t enough to stop me.


    On the other hand, the only thing keeping Leon standing was his domain.


    Had the two of us been allowed to sh...


    Drip! Drip...!


    "Ho."


    Wiping my body with a dry towel, I came out of the shower and started to get changed.


    From time to time I''d have to stop due to the twitches that prevented me from smoothly


    putting on my clothes. I had to be careful, and as I tried to put on my clothes, I felt a sudden presence appear before me.


    I almost sighed as I prepared to open my mouth and greet her,


    "You fought well."


    But my body froze upon hearing the voice.


    Flicking my head up, a pair of yellow eyes met my gaze. Without even thinking, locks


    appeared within my mind, sealing all my emotions.


    The shock that was budding from deep within me stopped as a strange silence filled the room.


    It was a silence that I soon broke.


    "....Thank you."


    "There''s no need. I''m stating a fact. You fought extremely well and made our Empire proud."


    || ||


    I nodded in acknowledgment.


    The room fell silent once more after that.


    As moved forward and sat next to me. My heartbeat remained steady as he did so, and the


    atmosphere turned serious.


    Almost oppressive. "Phecda."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Phecda...


    I turned my head to meet As''s eyes.


    ''It has been a while since someone has called me that.''


    "Do you know why I''m here?"


    "....To congratte me?"


    "A part of it."


    As smiled, his radiant yellow eyes seeming to pierce through me, blinding in their


    intensity. But it was only an illusion; he hadn''t moved a muscle, nor lifted a finger.


    "You''ve been summoned."


    Ba... Thump!


    The chains within my mind rattled, and I felt the beat of own heart.


    "...Our leader wants to meet you."


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    My entire body grew tense as an impending sense of dread dug its way into the back of my


    mind. My palms felt sweaty while jaw clenched together.


    It was by a miracle that I was still able to keep myselfposed.


    "I waited until the end of your fight to inform you so that you wouldn''t get distracted and


    fully focus on what you had to do."


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    His words were going on deaf ears.


    I could hardly make out what he was saying as I felt a steady ring echo throughout.


    "I know just how important one''s state of mind is when entering a fight. Our leader


    understands that too."


    "....Oh."


    I lowered my head, in an attempt to show gratitude.


    The reality was that I just didn''t want to show him my face. I could feel my body growing


    weaker, but I could only forcefully keep myselfposed.


    This was not the time to break.


    "Meeting our leader will definitely do you a lot of good, but..."


    As paused, and I raised my head up to look at him. His eyes were serious, unlike anything I


    had ever seen before.


    I felt a chill run down the back of my spine as the locks started to crack.


    "You''re not ready."


    His deep voice carried through the room.


    "....You''re still not ready to meet our leader. First impressions are always the most important.


    So I bought you some time."


    Uh?


    The sudden turn of events left me shook.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The locks in my mind shattered one after another as As''s eyes fixed on me.


    "Let me make you ready."


    He said, extending his hand my way.


    "...Allow me to nurture you into the Low Seat of Dawn."

 Chapter 367: Low Seat of Dawn [2]

    Chapter 367: Low Seat of Dawn [2]


    ?


    It wasn''t as though I didn''t expect this offer toe.


    I knew my worth.


    After everything that I had disyed, I''d be surprised if I didn''t attract the attention of As who already started to show signs of appreciation towards what I had disyed.


    It was for that exact reason that I wasn''t totally taken aback.


    "Low Seat of Dawn?"


    I was somewhat aware of how the rankings within the Inverted Sky worked.


    Low Seat of Dawn only meant one thing.


    ''He''s asking me to be his sessor.''


    But did that even make sense? As far as I knew, he was an ageless monster that couldn''t die. Did he really need a sessor?


    ....Or was there more to it?


    ''Does he want to leave the Inverted Sky to me?''


    Indeed, As wasn''t some mere member of the Inverted Sky. He was something more. Perhaps, he was just looking for a sessor within the Inverted Sky.


    ...Or perhaps more.


    I wasn''t too sure.


    There were four organizations as far as I was aware, and they were merely puppets to the faceless man. He was the one who controlled everything, and though I wasn''t sure how far his influence reached, he without a doubt had eyes and ears all over the world.


    However, what I did know was that I couldn''t refuse the offer.


    Nor was I nning on rejecting it.


    "....


    "I


    Lowering my head to stare at the outstretched hand, I brought my hand forward and held it.


    "I''d be my pleasure."


    A smile formed on As''s lips as he gripped my hand.


    "That''s good..."


    He seemed rather happy with my decision. But did I really have one to begin with? Had I rejected it, would he have just killed me on the spot?


    "You''ve made the right decision."


    As stood up, patting his dark zer slightly and tracing his hand against his blonde hair. "Well..."


    His expression, which had been rather warm a few seconds prior, suddenly turned cold as I felt myself shuddering slightly.


    "For now, I won''t be announcing your session yet."


    I remained silent, waiting for him to continue.


    He must have a reason for saying this, and I was fine with my presence still being kept a secret. I needed more time for growth.


    "You''re still too weak."


    Okay...


    Makes sense.


    "For someone to be a seat within the Inverted Sky, they must reach a certain threshold in strength. You hold excellent potential, but that doesn''t mean that you''re capable of filling the seat that I''m offering you."


    "What level must I reach?"


    As gave me a quick nce.


    "....The bare minimum is for you to at least be capable of forming your Domain. And that''s merely the threshold. Many people want to im the position that I''m offering, but can''t because I don''t want to give it to them. In the end, the decision is up to me, and I want to offer that position to you. But even if I want to offer it to you... you must be strong enough to keep it."


    Extending his hand forward, a small pill appeared in As''s hand.


    "The other members will try to snatch that position from you, or even kill you for it to prevent you from taking it, and I won''t be able to do a thing because that''s how things work around here. That''s why we need to wait."


    He casually fiddled with it before tossing it in my direction.


    "Consume this."


    11


    ||


    I grabbed the pill and looked at it in silence. It was purple in color, and upon closer inspection,


    I could see certain runes inscribed on it.


    The runes appeared somewhat mysterious, faintly pulsing with a purple light.


    "This is...?"


    "You are strong for someone your age. No, that would be wrong... You''re incredibly strong for someone your age. However, you''re not perfect. You''re incredibly unbnced."


    Unbnced...? I raised my head to look at As. His face was cold,cking any of the warmth that was usually present on his face.


    It seemed like he was taking his seriously.


    "You''ve been practicing your Emotive Magic so much that you''ve started to neglect your other talent. Curse Magic."


    ".....Hm."


    I closed my eyes for a brief moment. This was something that I already knew and nned to


    address. It wasn''t surprising for As to be able to tell this.


    ''In that case, does this mean that this pill is supposed to help me with my curse magic?''


    But how exactly was it going to do that?


    Was it going to help with my control?...Or was it just going to boost my affinity with Curse


    Magic?


    "I''ve noticed that you only possess two spells that belong to the [Curse] category."


    "Yes,"


    This was no secret.


    It wasn''t that I didn''t want to practice more spells, but it was mainly because I didn''t want to


    go with the trouble of learning new spells since it took so long to unlock them.


    Furthermore, my spells could evolve.


    I wanted to invest all my attention in evolving the spells I already had at my disposal.


    "That and the fact that spells are expensive...''


    "Here you go."


    Raising my head again, As held two books for me.


    "Here."


    "These are...?"


    "Two intermediate spells that I selected for you. The pill right there should help you with


    unlocking them. It should save you a lot of time."


    As pointed at the runes within the pill.


    "Once you consume the pill you''ll be able to instantly have a better understanding of the


    spells which will help you unlock them within a day."


    "This..."


    I reached for the two books in astonishment before settling my gaze on the pill in my hand.


    "There''s such a thing?!''


    I thought back to how much I had tortured myself back then to unlock my first two spells, and even now felt my mind throb at the thought. I never wanted to undergo such a situation


    again.


    ''At first, I was worried I''d have to torture myself all over again, but who would''ve thought...''


    This pill... It was without a doubt extremely precious.


    I could tell that As was serious about nurturing me into bing a Low Seat.


    "When you have time consume the pill before learning the books. You have about two days of time before the effect dies downpletely. Be careful not to waste the time given since this


    pill is rather troublesome to make."


    "....Yes."


    I carefully wrapped the pill before putting it away. After which, I shifted my attention toward


    the two books that contained the spells that As had given me.


    [Nightmare Hex]


    [Immersia] The only thing I did was read the names of the spells before taking a deep breath. Though I didn''t know exactly what they did, an idea had already formed in my mind. I wanted


    at this very second open them up and carefully read through their description but managed to


    restrain myself.


    "What do you think?"


    "....I''m thankful."


    I set the books aside before lifting my gaze to look at As. His expression was still cold, but


    he appeared satisfied by my reaction.


    "Practice them well. They will be important for you in the future. While it is good that your


    Emotive Magic is strong, you must also practice your Curse Magic. You have been gifted with


    dual talents, it would be a waste if you did not take advantage of it."


    "Understood."


    His words held merit to them, and I really was going to spend the time that I had after this tournament to focus on consolidating everything that I had been neglecting.


    ... Well, if I have time.''


    I wasn''t exactly the freest of people.


    Not because I had things going on but because trouble came looking for me wherever I went.


    Such was my life.


    "Take some time to heal up in the next few days. The winner of the tournament will be


    announced soon, and you will given rewards."


    "Ah."


    My attention was piqued once more.


    I was already happy with the rewards that I had received, but who was I to reject further


    rewards? If possible I wanted topletely dry the royal family''s treasury but I knew that I couldn''t actually do that.


    ''What should I ask for? A bone? Manuals...?''


    A lot of possibilities ran through my mind as my heartbeat started to increase. The greed thatn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    I had been holding back for so long suddenly resurfaced once more as all sorts of different


    reward ideas popped up in my mind.


    "Think carefully about your rewards."


    As''s words came as a sudden cool reminder, shaking me out of my thoughts.


    When I raised my head, his yellow pupils settled over me.


    "...This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The chance of you being offered something like


    this will probably note again. If you''re thinking of choosing something like a bone, then


    your reward would go to waste."


    Waste...? I frowned slightly.


    "Why?"


    "Because I can offer that to you myself."


    "...I see."


    My eyes widen in realization.


    ''Right, how could I not think of that?''


    I was now the next person in line to be the ''Low Seat of Dawn''. Whatever resource the Royal family could offer, so could the Inverted Sky. A precious bone? A precious manual? I


    didn''t doubt for a second that they couldn''t offer it to me.


    Especially since...


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath to cool my mind.


    "I understand."


    I looked at As and nodded seriously.


    "....I''ll think about it carefully."


    "Good."


    A satisfied smile graced As''s lips as he finally turned around to head for the door of the


    locker room. Reaching out for the handle, he paused before throwing me onest nce.


    "There''s no clear result to the fight since the referee is still recovering, but I''m inclined to believe that you''ve won. So... I''ll congratte you now."


    Finally, his expression became warm once more. "Congrattions on your victory."


    He opened the door and stepped out of the door.


    nk-


    He left soon after, leaving me alone in the locker room, where the silence wrapped around me


    like a heavy nket. I leaned my head back against the wall, closed my eyes, and quietly


    muttered,


    "....Congrattions on your victory."


    For some reason...


    I really liked the sound of that.


    "Congrattions on your victory." Mumbling the words again, a smile appeared on my lips.


    Yeah...


    I really like the sound of that. "Congrattions on your victory."


    Fuck you, Leon.

 Chapter 368: End of the Summit [1]

    Chapter 368: End of the Summit [1]


    ?


    ||


    Leon woke up in silence. His eyelids slowly parted open to reveal a strange darkness. It took a


    moment for him to adjust to the dark before he let out a faint groan and sat up.


    "Where am I?"


    Leon looked around.


    It didn''t take long for him to recognize the room.


    "Ah."


    It was the infirmary.


    He had been here before.


    "Ukh."


    And the pain that spread through every inch of his body served as perfect proof of this. "You''re awake?"


    A certain voice spoke, snapping him out of it. Leon turned his head to see a girl sitting on one of the wooden chairs on the opposite side of the bed. With purple locks cascading down the side of her shoulder, Evelyn brushed her hair behind her ear and put the book she was reading down.


    "You''ve been out for almost two days."


    "Ah...?"


    Leon replied sluggishly. Two days...? How could it be? It felt as though he had just finished his match with Julien.


    And if he was out for two days, what about the result?


    "Who won?"


    Last he remembered, the referee never announced the victor.


    He assumed it ended in a draw because of that but it didn''t seem to be the case.


    "We don''t know."


    Evelyn replied truthfully, confusing Leon as he raised his head to look at her.


    "Don''t know?"


    "Yes, the result hasn''t been announced yet. It will apparently be done in the closing ceremony."


    "Uh? Why...?"


    "Well, the answer is obvious."


    Evelyn put on a helpless expression as she brought her hand forward and pinched her thumb with her index and middle finger.


    "Money."


    Leon blinked, evidently not fully understanding.


    Evelyn rified better.


    "The reason why the referee didn''t announce your result is because he was injured. He''s now fully healed and capable of answering that question but didn''t. Why do you think?"


    "...So that more people tune in to the closing ceremony?"


    "Yes."


    "Haha."


    Leon found himselfughing. Falling back onto the bed, he nkly looked at the ceiling above him.


    "They''re using this chance to have more people tune in to the closing ceremony and make more money as the result will be announced there. Since people want to know the answer, there will be a lot of viewers...''


    Leon massaged his head as he felt his head throb.


    This felt like a ridiculous situation.


    Usually, the closing ceremony was the one that had the least amount of viewers. This was mainly because once everyone knew who the winner was, there was no longer a point in following.


    Especially since the ones they rooted for were already out.


    ... In this case, while both he and Julien were from the same Empire, everyone was still curious about who the winner was.


    This would bring a massive influx of viewers to see the finals which would in turn bring a lot of money.


    "There''s no end to greed.."


    "I''ve been told the prizes are really good this year. I''m sure you can let this one slide."


    "I guess."


    Leon chuckled, knowing full well that the reason the prizes were good was that both he and Julien were from the same Empire that hosted the Summit.


    Would the prizes be as good otherwise?


    "Ukh."


    Massaging his neck which felt a little stiff, Leon kept his gaze locked onto the ceiling.


    A strange silence took over the room as neither he nor Evelyn spoke. That was until Leon broke the silence once more.


    "Between the two of us, who did you think won?"


    "Hm?"


    Evelyn appeared surprised by the question as her brow raised.


    Then, as it sank in, she fell into silence.


    "...."


    Leon didn''t push her for an answer.


    He just remained lying on the bed, enjoying the silence that took over the room.


    "....I don''t know."


    Eventually, Evelyn did answer. However, her answer wasn''t clear.


    "The referee stopped the two of you before you shed. I honestly don''t know."


    "Hm."


    Leon nodded.


    This was an understandable answer.


    However, what she didn''t know was the fact that during thest moments, Leon had managed


    to catch a glimpse of his sword shing through the referee''s defenses and almost slicing his


    hand off.


    This was unlike Julien who the referee managed to fully defend with his arm.


    In that regard, Leon felt confident that he had won.


    ''Yes, I won.''


    He''d like to believe he won.


    And he liked the sound of him knowing that he won.


    ''Won...''


    Yeah, this was good.


    ''Won...''


    The more he said it, the more pleased he felt.


    ''Won...''


    Fuck you, Julien.


    ***


    Drip...! Drip!


    The soft, rhythmic drip of water echoed through the small room as a robed figure sat on a red


    sofa, his damp blonde hair slicked back from his forehead.


    "So you''ve taken him in?"


    His faint voice echoed quietly within the room as a figure knelt on the opposite side.


    "...Yes."


    It was none other than As who kept his head lowered.


    "I thought I told you to bring him to me."


    "He''s not ready yet."


    "...And that is a decision you can make?"


    11


    ||


    As felt his breath leave his body as his entire body stiffened. Though there was no change in


    tone from the figure that stood opposite him, it almost felt as though he could perceive every


    one of his emotions from just the atmosphere alone.


    "You''re nervous."


    The man said, his eyes scanning As as a small blue orb appeared in the middle of As''s


    chest.


    The word ''fear'' was written beneath the orb.


    Sithrus raised his finger faintly and the orb within As''s body expanded.


    It becamerger.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ..."


    As a result, As''s breathing grew heavier. His face grew paler, and his entire body started to


    shake.


    As could only suffer in silence as his anxiety grew.


    It ate away at his mind, and yet, all he could do was helplessly stay on the ground without


    looking up.


    The sensation only stopped once Sithrus had enough.


    Pausing his hand, the orb stopped growing. Then, clenching his hand, it disappeared entirely.


    As immediately felt all the anxiety wash away as his mind cooled and his body stopped


    shaking.


    "You''re not an Emotive Mage, how do you n on teaching him in that aspect?"


    "...There''s a lot he needs to improve in that aspect. A basic teacher would be enough."


    "Hmm, I guess so."


    Sithrus leaned back against the sofa, his eyes turning unfocused as he brought his own hand


    before his face.


    He stared at it for a good minute before cracks started to appear.


    "It''s starting to break down again..."


    Blood began to seep from the cracks, tracing faint lines that webbed across his entire arm.


    Sithrus watched all of this with indifference as As hurriedly reached out for his pocket to


    take out a vial, only to be stopped by a cold voice.


    "There''s no need."


    "...But!"


    "This isn''t even my real body. There''s no point in wasting his blood for a trivial body such as


    this."


    "Understood."


    As lowered his head once more.


    "It''s a pity. If not for the fact that thiscking body, I would''ve had an easier time locating the


    sword. Especially since..."


    A smile graced his lips as he stopped talking.


    As was curious about what Sithrus was going to say, but he never asked, fearing it might


    provoke his anger. All he could do was kneel in silence as Sithrus slowly rose, his long dark


    robes billowing behind him. He turned toward the window, gazing down at the city streets


    below.


    The cobblestone streets were filled with people, walking happily as their discussions entered


    his ears.


    ''Who do you think won the match?''


    ''I don''t know... They said they''ll announce it at the ending ceremony.''


    ''Ah, I can''t wait.''


    He could hear...


    Everything.


    From the sound of their breathing to all the discussions that were happening. But inN?v(el)B\\jnn


    particr, he could see the numerous orbs that floated inside the bodies of each and every


    single person that walked the streets.


    Some were a mix between red and blue while others were a mix of green and orange. There


    were a lot ofbinations, each bigger and smaller than some.


    "It''s a colorful world out there." Sithrus mumbled, raising his hand forward.


    Flexing his hand, he prepared to close it into a fist but just barely managed to stop himself.


    "...But as beautiful as it is, it''s all but too fragile."


    A simple squeeze was all it would take for him to drive everyone mad. Raising his hand


    slightly, one of the blue orbs within one of the people walking expanded rapidly as they stopped moving. Tears started to stream down their eyes as they clenched their chest in pain.


    He looked like he was struggling to breathe, and nobody paid attention to him. It was as if


    nobody cared.


    ....And that was because they didn''t.


    With his other hand, Sithrus restrained the orbs of all those passing by.


    All they felt was indifference toward the crying man.


    "So simple..."


    The world was.


    Everyone felt like a marite he could simply control as he wished.


    It was neither boring nor entertaining.


    Just a means to achieve his goal...


    "Invert the Sky."


    Sithrus muttered faintly, his eyes shaking as they were fixed on the bright yellow sun and blue


    sky.


    "...I need to Invert the Sky."


    ***


    Two dayster.


    Hosted at the Megrail Royal Pce, a grand ceremony was held for the closing ceremony.


    Every one of the participants was invited to the event, winner or loser.


    A red carpet draped down the flights of stairs that lead to the grand pce.


    "...I feel a bit stiff."


    I fiddled with the tie that hung around my neck.


    Though I was used to wearing formal clothes, this new suit I was wearing felt a little stiff. But


    maybe it was because it was new.


    ''In any case, I feel like I''m at the zoo.''


    Only that...


    I was the attraction.


    Keeping a straight face, I walked up the flight of stairs as all eyes fell on me. Some even parted


    ways for me, almost as if they feared me.


    The sight was weird, but at the same time, it wasn''t much different from my time at Haven.


    People too treated me the same way.


    But the stares were a little different from back then. The gazes back then were filled with


    scorn and fear.


    This time...


    It was just fear.


    I was no longer the weakest ck star.


    I was now the strongest.


    Maybe not the strongest since I didn''t think I was stronger than Delh was back then, but I


    was at least the strongest in the current generation.


    ...And that felt pleasing to know.


    "Hm?"


    Just as I stepped into the main hall where everyone stood, I felt a small hand tug at my


    clothes. Lowering my head, a pair of deep ck eyes stared back at me.


    I blinked slowly before hastily covering my mouth,


    "Grem-"

 Chapter 369: End of the Summit [2]

    Chapter 369: End of the Summit [2]


    ?


    "?"


    Delh cocked her head in confusion. Grem-What? What are you saying? ...Or so her gaze seemed to say as she looked at me.


    I could only keep my mouth closed and tilt my head in the same direction as hers.


    She blinked.


    I blinked.


    And then...


    "What are you doing?"


    A certain voice attracted both of our attention.


    Standing by the side of the door that led to the main hall was Kiera, her long white hair neatly tied in a ponytail as she wore a long white dress that seemed unusually extravagant for her, its clean fabric and intricate details contrasting with her typically understated style, making her stand out more than usual.


    "You''re here."


    "....Am I not supposed to be here? I participated as well, you know."


    "No, I know..."


    ''But I thought you were still recovering from what happened.''


    I just barely managed to stop myself from blurting such words as my gaze fell on Delh who looked at Kiera with her obsidian ck eyes.


    She was silent, and I couldn''t tell what she was thinking.


    No, maybe I could...


    It was starting to get easier to do so.


    "You''re here with your daughter again?"


    Kiera said, alternating my gaze between Delh and me. Then, narrowing her eyes, she moved a little closer to Delh.


    "You know what? She does remind me of someone..."


    "...?"


    I felt my heart pause for a second.


    It couldn''t be that her disguise was seen through?! I was just about to open my mouth when my expression froze as Kiera reached forward to pinch Delh''s cheeks.


    Pull~


    "Hehe."


    Sheughed.


    Stretch-


    "It''s like I''m pulling on a soft marshmallow. Sheee... I''d have given up smoking earlier if I had these cheeks to fiddle with."


    Pull-


    "Kekek."


    11


    After a certain point, I just gave up.


    If Kiera wanted to die, so be it. I had already saved her before. If she wanted to throw her life away like this then I couldn''t do anything about it.


    Puuull-


    "My god! Look at how much her cheeks stretch! It''s like a fucdget rubber band."


    Fucdget?


    ....She was about to swear but just barely stopped herself didn''t she?


    At least she was responsible.


    "Haha, fucking hrious."


    "...."


    No words came out as Kiera pulled Delh''s cheeks as much as she could.


    I just looked at her with pity.


    ''Forget the Angel, you''ve provoked someone that could kill the Angel with a single p.''


    A pity I couldn''t have asked for her help.


    Things would''ve ended faster, but I would''ve been severely implicated in the process.


    ''I guess there''s a reason why I got a quest.''


    If it was so easy, I''d probably not receive it.


    "Well, I''ve had my fun."


    Kiera finally let go of Delh''s cheeks as they turned red.


    She patted Delh''s head and ruffled her hair with her hands before turning to look at me.


    "Right..."


    Her expression turned somewhatplicated.


    She seemed to struggle to get her words out, but she didn''t need to. I could more or less understand what she was trying to say.


    ''...Thank you.''


    For that reason, I just merely nodded at her.


    She seemed grateful for the thought and her head lowered in appreciation.


    "Congrattions on your fight. It was great."


    "Thank you."


    Kiera nodded once more before turning around. She had just taken a step when she paused,


    turning her head to face Delh once more.


    I froze once more.


    ''Don''t tell me she hasn''t had enough fun yet...?''


    What sort of...!?


    "Here you go. I hope you enjoy it."


    Contrary to my expectations, Kiera ended up giving Delh several pieces of chocte she retrieved from out of thin air. They were the same brand as the ones Delh liked, neatly


    wrapped in small paper wrappers that were rather colorful.


    The scene was enough to shock me as Kiera raised her head to look at me.


    "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "That..."


    I pointed at the chocte with my eyes as Delh held her hands out.


    "Oh, this."


    Kiera gave Delh another piece of candy.


    "It''s either this or the licorice sticks. Since I can''t bring the sticks with me I usually bring this


    chocte that I bought from the store next to the Academy. I don''t usually eat them, but


    since I can''t bring my sticks here, I brought these."


    "....Ah."


    It suddenly made sense as Kiera held one up for me.


    "Do you want one?"


    "Uh..."


    I thought about it for a moment before extending my hand out.


    "Sure."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Here."


    Kiera tossed it to me and I caught it with one hand.


    "Nice."


    Kiera popped one in her mouth before turning around once more and finally leaving. I stared


    at her departing back for a few seconds before lowering my head to look at Delh as she


    stood frozen on the spot, silently staring at Kiera with herrge obsidian eyes.


    ''Oh, no.''


    The intensity at which she was staring at Kiera made my heart sink.


    "That, I thi-"


    "Good."


    "Hm?"


    Hearing Delh''s voice, I lowered my head. Good? Did she say good? I blinked in confusion,


    trying hard to see if I had misheard or not.


    Then, just as I was deep into my thoughts, Delh turned her head to look at me.


    "That girl."


    She said, holding the chocte with both hands.


    "...She''s a good girl."


    1?1


    Why did it feel like deja vu?


    No, this really did happen before...


    "Do you like have no other thoughts besides chocte?"


    Delh blinked her eyes before nodding.


    "Of course."


    "Really?"


    I found that hard to believe. If she could withstand such abuse and forgive it all for some chocte, then I wanted to know how much she would let something slide as long as they


    provided chocte for her.


    "....Do you really have any other thoughts besides candy?"


    "Yes."


    Delh nodded again.


    "Like?"


    "Yo-"


    "Julien."


    A cool voice suddenly echoed from behind, cutting through Delh. The voice sounded rather


    unfamiliar and yet seemed extremely familiar to me as I turned around.


    "....."


    The moment I did my expression stiffened.


    Standing not far from me, wearing a dark suit that stood in stark contrast to the bright lights


    of the hall, a man that I had only seen in pictures appeared.


    He was like a spitting image of me.


    No, it would be more urate to say that he was an older version of me with some slight


    changes.


    ....I was no fool.


    The moment Iid eyes on him, I already knew who he was.


    "Father."


    I was able to cool down my shock rather quickly as I lowered my head in greeting.


    "Um."


    He nodded his head in acknowledgment.


    "It''s good to see you again, son."


    ||||


    I pursed my lips, secretly feeling my back drenched in my own sweat. It was a good thing that


    I had practiced with Leon beforehand on how to interact with my ''father'' in the chance that he


    did end up showing up out of nowhere.


    He was elegant in every sense of the word, attracting the attention of those around him just


    like I did.


    His back was straight and his expression carried a certain indifference that made one question whether he truly was a baron or not.


    He felt more like a high-ranking noble than a baron.


    "....It''s nice to see you too, father."


    So far, I was doing exactly as Leon told me. Keep the words as short as possible and avoid eye


    contact.


    Apparently, the previous Julien was scared of his own father''s gaze.


    Perhaps noticing this, Aldric''s tone became more solemn.


    "You''re still the same."


    I could feel the slight disappointment in his voice as he spoke.


    "....You may have reached the finals, but you still can''t look me in the eyes. It makes me


    question whether you truly managed to reach the finals without cheating."


    11


    "1


    I held my words back.


    ''I suddenly understand why Leon told me to keep my interactions short.''


    This guy...


    He really didn''t hold back with his words. He was as blunt as one could be. Well... not that I


    was any different.


    "Perhaps I did."


    I answered tly, keeping my head lowered.


    Leonr''s next set of instructions rang in my mind.


    ''Antagonize him a little bit''


    "But it doesn''t matter, right? I upheld the family''s honor. Shouldn''t you be happy? That''s all


    you think about anyways."


    I did just that.


    And as expected, silence followed after my words.


    ||


    11


    He kept his gaze fixed on me for several seconds before turning away.


    "You will follow me back to the estate after this. I nned to leave a letter to tell you toe,


    but knowing you, I''m sure you would just ignore it. That''s why I personally came to pick you


    up."


    His tone carried a certain finality to it that made it clear that this was no request.


    This was an order.


    ''Fuck, he''s worse than Leon described.''


    I had no ns on going back to the estate. I wanted to take a break after all of this. Focus on


    my training and not deal with any crap until the start of the second year.


    ...I really needed a break.


    And I wasn''t going to let anyone take that away from me.


    "Hm?"


    Aldric suddenly paused, shifting his attention away from me.


    "This is...?"


    Finally, he took notice of Delh who appeared strangely silent as she appeared somewhat


    stiff. Blinking herrge eyes, her gaze alternated between the two of us.


    Her expression didn''t change but I could tell she was shocked.


    I pursed my lips and silently sighed.


    "She''s a lost child that I found wandering around. I was trying to look for her parents or


    guardians."


    "Hm."


    Aldric''s eyes narrowed silently.


    He took a good look at Delh before his eyes grew ck.


    "I''ve memorized every guest present and their family. She doesn''t fit any of the profiles I saw,"


    "....Ah."


    Could this guy get any more ridiculous?


    Leon had warned me before that he was meticulous, but not to this extent. It almost felt as


    though he had everything memorized.


    ''Who knows...? He might have already figured out something about me.''


    The thought made me shudder but I could only keep myposure.


    "Are you suggesting that she sneaked in?" "Hm, perhaps not." Aldric replied after a slow pause.


    "The guards wouldn''t make such a silly mistake. It appears as though I didn''t study well


    enough."


    He lowered his head to nce at Delh.


    "What''s your name? Perhaps I can help you find your parents."


    "........"


    Delh stood in the same spot without saying a word. She was still stiff, almost out of it. I was


    taken aback, and before I could do anything about it, her lips parted open.


    Del-"


    "Grem."


    I cut through her voice.


    "Grem?"


    Aldric looked confused, his brows furrowing as he turned his attention back to me.


    "Her name is Grem?"


    "....Yes."


    I bit my inner lip.


    This...


    It really was the best I coulde up with on the spot.


    I didn''t seem to have done a good job at making up a name as my father''s brows further


    furrowed. But just before he got his words out, someone tapped him on the shoulder and


    whispered something.


    His furrowed brows tightened for a brief moment before rxing.


    "...If you would excuse me."


    He then proceeded to leave without saying anything else.


    I traced his back for a minute before it disappeared into the crowd of people. It was only when


    I could no longer see him that I turned to look at Delh.


    "What was that?"


    I asked in a low tone.


    She appeared unusually stiff.


    "....Do you know him?"


    "No."


    Delh answered, herrge eyes blinking. "First time I''ve seen him."


    "Then why did you act like that?"


    Delh didn''t answer.


    Used to her personality, I could only massage my throbbing head.


    "Well, fine."


    There were more pressing issues at hand.


    Like... Telling Leon about this.


    ''....father.''


    "Did you say something?"


    I thought I heard something and turned to look at Delh who tilted her head back at me.


    "What?"


    ".... You didn''t say anything?"


    "No."


    "Okay."


    Perhaps I was going crazy. Either way, I needed to find Leon. Putting the candy Kiera had


    given me away, I moved away in search of Leon. He had to be here somewhere.


    As I looked for me, once again, I heard the whisper.


    ''...because.. your... father...''


    I couldn''t make out the details again and turned around to confront Delh. Only that...


    "Gone."


    She was gone before I knew it.


    In the end, shaking my head, I forgot all about it and went ahead to look for Leon. Surely this


    wasn''t going to problematic, right?

 Chapter 370: End of the Summit [3]

    Chapter 370: End of the Summit [3]


    ?


    "Where is he...?"


    The hall was packed with people. Everyone was dressed for the asion, and I could see a lot of unfamiliar and familiar figures. I was getting my fair share of stares, but nobody seemed keen on approaching me.


    I was a little surprised by this development but I wasn''t one toin.


    ....I liked it like this.


    ''No, but seriously. Where is Leon?''


    I needed to address this situation with him. Julien''s father''s appearance was notpletely unexpected, but it wasn''t something that we had prepared for.


    Mainly because Leon said that Julien''s father wasn''t someone who liked these types of social gatherings.


    "I think I see something."


    In the far-off distance, I caught sight of a familiar silhouette. My shoulders rxed momentarily but my steps soon paused as my brows furrowed.


    ''The hell...?''


    Leon''s situation...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was a little hard to describe.


    Unlike me, he appeared to be surrounded by multiple nobles. They were all holding fine ss cups filled with wine as they chatted merely with him.


    Leon smiled back at them, seemingly happy with the situation.


    I was stunned.


    ''Did the results get leaked or something...?''


    Why else would they be hounding him like this?


    With a frown, I approached them. However, a few steps into the way, I stopped once again. "Uh?"


    Listening to their conversations, I didn''t know how to react.


    ''How about you join us? We will offer three times what you''re receiving at the Evenus household. Your position will also be higher.''


    ''Forget about their offer. I''m willing to adopt you and make you my adopted son. You''ll be a noble and you can forgo your title as a knight!''


    ''I''ll pay you and make you my adopted son!''


    ''Join my household!''


    ''We''re the highest-ranked household here. We can provide the necessary resources to grow you further. The only reason the match was close was because you didn''t get enough resources. Your talent is clearly superior to Julien''s.''


    I felt my mouth twitch at some of the words that were being said.


    ''... Wait until they learn that I''ve basically caught up to him in less than a year.''


    I wonder what type of faces they''d make then...?


    No, but that was beside the point.


    "These guys... They''re poaching Leon!''


    No wonder nobody approached me.


    ... It was because I already belonged to a household and was the direct heir. Furthermore, since


    my father was here, it wasn''t necessary to talk to me directly.


    ''Yeah, now that I look at Leon... His smile seems a little bit forced."


    I previously thought he was having a fun time, but it appeared to be the opposite. He was quite ufortable with the situation.


    ...And as if sensing my presence, Leon''s head flicked in my direction.


    Our eyes met and my heart sank after one look.


    ''No, don''t...''


    Leon''s smile turned natural as he suddenly pointed in my direction.


    "It would be rude of me to make a decision without the permission of my employer. How about this...? If you manage to convince him, then I would be more than willing to follow you."


    Bastard....!


    The moment his words fell, over a dozen pairs of eyes locked onto me like hungry wolves.


    They didn''t waste a second and rushed to me.


    "State your price?"


    ".... How much are you willing to ept for him?"


    "Don''t be shy. I''m willing to pay a good price for him."


    "Property? Money? I can give you anything. State your price! I can guarantee you with my name that I will uphold my end of the bargain."


    "Haa..."


    With an emptyugh, it was now my turn to force a smile.


    But that smile froze the moment I turned my head to see Leon pointing at me while smacking


    his thigh.


    This guy...


    He was fuckingughing.


    Clench.


    I tore my gaze away from him and focused it back on the hounds that were aggressively pushing each other in order to make their offers heard.


    "Keum."


    I coughed once to get their attention.


    The surroundings turned quiet as everyone''s attention was on me. I internally sighed, thinking of how annoying the aftermath of my rejection would be, but I had no choice.


    Leon was important to me.


    Not only because he was the only one who knew my secret, but because I... well, he wasn''t intolerable to be with.


    Sometimes he was, like with what he did now, but it wasn''t as though I was guilt-free.


    He was my knight, and no price tag would ever get me to sell him.


    "I apologize in advance but Leon is n-"


    "Twenty million! I offer twenty million for him!"


    11


    ||


    My mouth suddenly grew dry.


    Twenty million....? Did he just say twenty million?


    "Twenty-five million! Not only that, but I will also offer a property worth several million as


    well!"


    Twenty-five million and a property...?


    All of a sudden, it felt as though all water had been stripped from my mouth. My mouth was strangely dry. It was as though I had just eaten sand. This... Was Leon really worth this much?


    "Thirty-million!"


    "....Ah."


    I really did need water.


    "Thirty-five million...!"


    I brought my hand to my chest and silently gripped it. This... Biting my lips, I raised my head


    and locked eyes with Leon who was no longerughing at me. In fact, he looked really worried


    as his eyes trembled.


    ''You, don''t tell me that you''re actually considering this?''


    "Fourty-million!"


    I licked my lips.


    ''It''s forty million...''


    ''Don''t you fucking dare!''


    ''But...''


    ''I will drag you down with me!''


    I bit my lips hard. Almost to the point of bleeding.


    "Is there something wrong?"


    Perhaps sensing my struggle, the hawks looked at me with worried looks. I wasn''t sure what


    face I was making, but surely it wasn''t anything good as I lowered my head and excused


    myself.


    "L-let''s talk about thister. I.. the ceremony is starting."


    "O-oh, okay!"


    "Please let us knowter"


    "Y,yes..."


    Clench.


    Picking up a ss of water from one of the walking waiters I looked down to stare at my


    reflection. As expected... my face was anything but pretty. My eyes were bloodshot and blood


    trickled down the side of my chin.


    ... It was no wonder they didn''t stop me from leaving.


    I looked terrifying.


    "Were you really nning on selling me?"


    Leon''s voice reached me soon after. He took a quick nce at the cup in my hand before


    looking at me.


    "... Finally your outward look reflects your ck heart."


    "Forty million... I just lost forty million."


    I gulped the drink down and handed the empty cup to one of the waiters before holding my


    head with both hands.


    "What a waste."


    ||


    Leon stood in silence, his face twitching.


    "....You actually were considering it, weren''t you?"


    I flicked my head to look at Leon.


    Though it didn''t happen, I imagined notifications shing before my eyes.


    "Do you know how much I can do with that money?"


    "So you were..."


    ***


    At the same time.


    ||


    ||


    Aoife stared at the letter in her hand. It was simple in design, yet the golden borders and red


    wax seal bearing the ''Megrail'' family crest gave it an air of importance.


    And that was because it was important.


    Within the letter was the result of the finals. She, just like the others outside, wasn''t aware of


    the result and was extremely curious.


    "....I can''t see it." Holding the letter against the light of the chandelier, she tried to peek through it to see a


    name, but it was useless.


    She couldn''t see a thing.


    Her curiosity was getting the best of her.


    ''Ah, damn it..!''


    Aoife eventually set the letter on the table.


    All she could do was wait.


    Thankfully, the wait wouldn''t be for long. She just needed to wait for her brother to pick her


    up. Lifting her head, she stared at the mirror that stood before her.


    She nced at her hair, neatly woven into a single long braid that draped over her right


    shoulder, which was left bare by the elegant red dress she wore. The dress perfectlyplemented and highlighted the rich hue of her natural red hair.


    "You look stunning." Turning her head she saw her brother staring at her with a smile.


    His face was pale, but that didn''t mask his elegant demenour and handsome features that


    were further highlighted by the white suit that her wore.


    He extended his hand in her direction.


    "Should we go...? Everyone is waiting for the results. Father won''t be here, but I''m sure he''s


    watching from somewhere."


    "Um."


    Aoife finally stood up from her seat and took the letter with her.


    Linking her arm with her brother''s, the two walked out of the room and made their way


    toward the elevated tform that overlooked the main hall. A long flight of stairs met their sight as they walked toward the tform.


    It suddenly grew quiet as all eyes fell on them.


    Gael smiled at their sight, his eyes scanning the room as he spotted several familiar figures.


    "I''m d to see a lot of familiar faces. It looked like everyone showed up for today''s closing ceremonies." Karl and Johanna were also invited to the event as several recording devices were scattered


    throughout, recording the Prince and Aoife who entertained their guests with their closing speech.


    He tried his best to make the speech not boring, but at the end of the day, it was still boring.


    No one was really here to listen to him.


    Everyone''s purpose was something else.


    ''Come on...''


    "Tell us the results already.''


    ''Stop dragging this out!''


    Be it those outside of the event and within the event, all everyone thought about was one


    thing. The final victor of the fight.


    Who won...?


    Was it Leon?...Or was it Julien?


    "...The fights were some of the most intense and shocking that I''ve seen in a very long time. I


    once did participate and can tell just how much of a struggle they are. Trust me..."


    Gael also knew what everyone wanted.


    He knew, and yet, he could only finish reading his entire speech. This waspulsory.


    Thankfully, by cutting some corners, he was able to finish the speech faster than anticipated,


    leaving the stage for Aoife who took a step forward and held the letter before her.


    "........"


    11


    "....


    It suddenly turned extremely quiet as she stood at the front.


    Heavy tensions fell in the hall as Aoife held the letter in her hand. Under everyone''s watchful


    eyes, she slowly unsealed the wax and took out the paper within.


    They all tried to see through what it said, but the paper was too thick for them to see through.


    In the end, all they could do was stare at Aoife who read the result in front of her.


    Her face changed subtly as she looked at the name written on the paper, her head shaking


    lightly.


    "The winner is..."


    Turning the paper around, she announced. "Julien Dacre Evenus."

 Chapter 371: End of the Summit [4]

    Chapter 371: End of the Summit [4]


    ?


    Though quiet, Aoife''s voice resounded deeply throughout the hall as all eyes fell on me. I stood by the front of the hall, alongside Leon as his expression didn''t show any changes.


    That said...


    I knew he was pissed.


    ''He''s so mad.''


    The thought made me happy.


    Aoife wasn''t done yet. Opening the letter she took out another piece of paper that was wedged into the letter.


    "For those that have objections, here''s an official statement by the referee."


    She went on to read,


    "Though both Leon and Julien''s power was extraordinary, and I felt the need to intervene given the strength and nature of the contestants, it was Leon who ended up injuring me, leaving a long sh across my arm."


    "?"


    "What?"


    "Doesn''t that mean...?"


    There was confusion in the hall as Aoife read the letter.


    However, the confusion was merely momentary as Aoife continued.


    "The injury urred because I had no choice but to focus all my attention on Julien''s attack, which I judged to be the greater threat. As a result, I couldn''t fully defend against Leon''s strike, which ended up injuring me."


    The eyes of almost every person in the room fell on me as Aoife spoke.


    I kept my emotions in check, maintaining a steadyposure without revealing any outward signs of change.


    "....However, I would also like to mention that had the two attacks been left alone, the two sides would''ve been both gravely injured."


    Aoife''s voice continued to carry throughout the hall as she finished reading the entire letter. "In such a scenario, it would be safe to say that the match would end up in a draw. Though the extent of the injuries the two would sustain is hard to predict, it''s not the good kind. I chose to interfere because of this, and I based the winner on whose attack was strong. However..."


    Aoife paused, her expression changing slightly.


    "...If my decision was solely based on what the final results would be, then I would deem the fight to be a draw. Unfortunately, such scenario never urred as I had to step in. In such case, Julien can be the only winner."


    The letter ended there as Aoife raised her head away from it and looked toward my direction.


    Her expression was a littleplicated, but seeing her blink slowly, I knew she was congratting me in her own way.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    I nodded faintly at her.


    p-


    A sudden p resounded across the entire hall.


    It was unknown who started it, but soon enough, another p echoed. Another p then followed it, and soon enough, the entire hall erupted into a loud apuse.


    p, p, p-


    "Well done. Congrattions."


    "It was a good fight."


    The ps weren''t meant just for me.


    It was meant for Leon and everyone else who participated in the tournament.


    Basking the warm and numerous apuse of the nobles and participants, I could only calmly ept them as Gael raised his hand to silence the crowd.


    "Good."


    It was only when the hall turned quiet again that Gael appeared satisfied.


    "Now then..."


    Gael pped his hands.


    "Should we talk about the rewards?"


    The hall immediately became silent once again. If there was one other part that everyone was interested in, it was the rewards announcements.


    Everyone was curious as to what the top ces would receive.


    I was too as my back straightened.


    "We will give you two options."


    Gael said slowly, alternating his gaze between Leon and me.


    "We will first list out the series of rewards that we deem fit for you. If you are unsatisfied with the rewards then you may negotiate with uster. Is that okay...?"


    || "I


    I nodded quietly, showing my approval.


    In all honesty, I didn''t know what to expect from the rewards. At least, I was certain it wasn''t going to get a bone.


    ''Pebble''s bone was an advanced payment for the Summit. There''s a chance that my rewards will be a little less than expected.''


    In that case, I needed to think about my own rewards and what to request.


    "We will first start with Julien''s rewards."


    Gael spoke, his tone lowering a little as he stared at me.


    "I will save all the congrattionster. For now, here''s a list of rewards that you will


    receive."


    With a nudge of his finger, a man rushed to the stage with a metal te. On the te were two


    scrolls.


    Gael received one and unfurled it.


    "Julien Dacre Evenus of the Evenus Household. The rewards that you will receive are what the Megrail house deems fit for you based on your observed abilities. I will now state the first


    reward."


    With a pause, Gael said,


    "Two months in the Curse Chamber."


    11


    All noise immediately ceased from the hall as the first reward was revealed.


    I held my breath upon hearing the first reward, and my heart sped up. The Curse Chamber was one of the things that I had considered requesting when considering the rewards.


    It was essentially a room filled with the curse element.


    ....It was simr to the area near Ellnor, but unlike there, this was man-made, with several ''Curse'' users, inscribing runes that would inject the ''Curse'' element in the air.


    I would without a doubt see a massive increase in my abilities were I to practice there.


    ''Yeah, this is perfect. Especially since I''ve received two spells from As.''


    I could barely keep myposure.


    But to make matters even worse, or in this case better, for me, the reward list wasn''t over yet.


    "Next up, you will receive a high-ranking manual. Considering that your current manual is of low grade, we will personally provide you with a better one to further improve your


    abilities."


    "...."


    Once again, I was left with no words.


    This...


    They were being really generous.


    "Thirdly, you will be given marypensation."


    I almost lost interest at this point since I didn''t think they''d give me much, but I was quickly


    proven wrong.


    "Fifty-million Rend."


    I almost felt my heart leap out of my chest as my face almost melted on the spot.


    Fifty-million...?


    Ah. "Andstly, for your final reward, you will be given exclusive rights to be the first one to bid for the unlicensed Mirror Crack that has been recently found. You will be the first one to be allowed to negotiate with us on the terms, with the negotiations starting in three years


    time."


    I almost wanted to scream on the spot.


    This...


    It was exactly what I was intending to ask for. I had previously asked As and Deliah but was firmly rejected. Who would''ve thought that they''d remember...? Although I wasn''t guaranteed it, the chance to be the first one to make an offer was huge.


    If the price was just right then I could have the entire crack for myself.


    Then...


    ||


    "....


    I stopped my thoughts and took a deep breath.


    ''Good. This is really good.''


    ".... Are you satisfied with your rewards?"


    Gael''s voice shook me out of my thoughts and when I raised my head, he looked at me with a


    thin smile on his face.


    I stared back into his eyes for a moment before nodding.


    "I am satisfied."


    How could I not be?


    "Then I take it that you won''t be negotiating with us for other rewards?"


    "...I will not."


    I pretty much had everything that I wanted.


    Well, not everything, but I knew that what I wanted wasn''t something I could just ask them.


    Regardless of how nice they were being to me, I knew that they were not as they seemed on


    the surface.


    "Good."


    Gael seemed satisfied as he turned his attention toward Leon.


    "Leon Ellert of the Evenus Household. It is now your turn to receive your rewards."


    Gael leaned forward to pick up the remaining scroll.


    "Since the verdict is out, you have ced second ce in the Summit. Your rewards may not


    be as plentiful as Julien''s, but I can assure you that you won''t be disappointed."


    ...Gael went on to list Leon''s rewards.


    In short, they were.


    A new sword.


    A manual.


    Money.


    And the right to train with the Royal Army for several months.


    It was a good series of rewards.


    Enough to make me feel like the difference between the two of us wasn''t that big. No, maybe


    it wasn''t.


    ''I guess they just want to show off in front of the whole world that this was how they rewarded


    those that won.''


    I couldn''t reallyin since I benefitted a lot from this.


    "Now that I''ve announced the reward for the top two contenders, it''s about time that I


    announce the remaining results."


    Gael proceeded to announce the third, fourth, and fifth-ce contestants, his voice steady as


    The revealed their rankings.


    They were as follows,


    Aoife third.


    Caius fourth.


    Kaelion fifth.


    Having qualified for the semi-finals, Caius was guaranteed a top-four spot. He was initially


    supposed to fight for the third spot with Aoife, but his injuries ended up being too much for him, forcing him to forfeit the match.


    In the end, it was Aoife who ended up ranking third.


    Kaelion was able to make quick work of the remainingpetition and reach the fifth spot.


    Their rewards were also announced.


    They weren''t as good as the ones that belonged to me and Leon but they were still rather


    good. Enough to make anyone jealous.


    ''Well, not me for sure.''


    I was really happy with what I received.


    Leon also appeared satisfied as he turned his head to meet my gaze, giving me a faint nod.


    I nodded back at him.


    ''Guess what?''


    ''....What?''


    ''I beat you.''


    Leon''s face stiffened as I looked away from him.


    He proceeded to clench his fist tightly, but that only served to further fuel my ego which was


    now at an all-time high.


    Fuck, I could even see my nose growing from how high my ego was. "....That will mark the end of the closing ceremony. It was a pleasure having all of you here,


    and I hope to see you again next time in the following Summit. Thank you all foring."


    Eventually, Gael concluded the Summit, and the room erupted in apuse. Seizing the moment, I quietly slipped away and made my way back to my room.


    I had the nagging feeling that I''d have a hard time leaving if I didn''t sneak out.


    The eyes of the nobles present were anything but pleasant.


    Slipping out of the hall and breathing the fresh air that lingered in the sky, I took a deep


    breath, my eyes lingering over the moon.


    ''It''s good to be back in the normal world.''


    The Mirror Dimension...


    It was a little bit too stuffy.


    Staying for a while was fine but for long periods of time...? It felt extremely suffocating.


    "I should get some sleep. I need to think ab-"


    Ding!


    A sudden chime rang in my mind. Shortly after, a notification shed before my vision. [Angel of Sorrow: You were able to ovee the event.]

 Chapter 372: End of the Summit [5]

    Chapter 372: End of the Summit [5]


    ?


    [Angel of Sorrow: You were able to ovee the event.]


    The all too familiar notification finally shed before my very eyes. I was stunned by the sight of it, momentarily freezing on the spot as I stared nkly at it for a few seconds.


    Then...


    Finally collecting myself, I hastily looked around me before rushing back toward my apartment where I locked the door behind me.


    nk!


    It was only when I was sure that I was alone that I sighed in relief and checked the remaining notifications.


    [¡ô Main Quest Activated: Angel of Sorrow]


    : Character Progression + 377%


    : Game Progression + 14%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1+ 22%


    : Cmity 2 + 16%


    : Cmity 3+15%


    As expected, the awaited questpletion notification appeared right after.


    ''...So in the end, the quest waspleted right after the entire tournament was over. It wasn''t just about defeating the Angel of Sorrow.''


    ¡ô Game Progression EXP + 14%


    Game Progression: [0%-----[56%] ----100%]


    The game bar increased shortly after.


    It had now surpassed the halfway mark, meaning that I was now halfway through the game.


    "I''m still not sure about what will happen once it reaches one h-Ukh!"


    I was suddenly ovee with a strange sensation.


    Hurriedly reaching out for my head, my head started to throb immensely. I wasn''t sure about what was happening, but it felt as though someone was pounding my head with a sledgehammer.


    This had never happened before and so I was a little thrown off.


    ''What the hell-!''


    I staggered across the room, just barely keeping myself from falling thanks to the bed that stood by the side.


    Feeling the soft mattress, I breathed heavily.


    My mind was in a mess and I couldn''t understand what was happening.


    "Ukh...!"


    It wasn''t the pain that was bothering me.


    In terms of pain, this wasn''t anything I wasn''t used to. In fact, it could be said that it was rather mild.


    The problem was the fact that I couldn''t breathe or see properly.


    Every movement I made felt dyed, leaving faint after-images with every action, as if time itself had slowed. The sounds around me became eerily still, a faint ringing filling the silence.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    I blinked my eyes slowly as my brain stopped functioning properly and the moment I opened my eyes again, a pair of legs appeared before me.


    Tak-


    They stopped right before me.


    ''Uh...?''


    I was confused, touching my face as I slowly raised my head to see who the legs belonged to. Delh perhaps...?


    Yes, if she was watching then she might see my distress and help me.


    I held onto that hope while raising my head.


    But...


    "Ah."


    I felt the air get stripped away from me as an all too familiar face appeared before me. It wasn''t Leon. It wasn''t Delh. It wasn''t As. It wasn''t anyone but... myself.


    As if gazing into a mirror, I found myself staring at my own reflection, looking back at me with a cold expression.


    No... not cold. It felt more like one filled with an endless amount of emptiness and rage.


    Right, rage.


    Why was I...?


    "You took it from me."


    My reflection spoke. Its eyes turned hazy as his hand reached forward to grab my cor. I stared into his hazel eyes without doing much.


    ...I thought it was merely an illusion.


    A hallucination of sorts.


    But...


    Grip.


    Such thoughts left my body the moment his hands came gripping against my clothes, pulling


    me closer to him.


    That''s when I finally snapped out of my haze and my mind cleared a bit.


    ''What in the...''


    "Give it back to me."


    He mumbled coldly, my spine tingling as I kept my face straight.


    "You took what didn''t belong to you. You know well that this isn''t yours. Give it back to me."


    "...."


    I could hardly muster a word, staring back at Julien whose face started to twist.


    Myck of response seemed to have triggered him.


    "Give it back to me!"


    He shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice booming through the room as his eyes flushed a


    deep, angry red.


    Grip!


    His grip tightened.


    "You took what is mine!! Do you think I''d just watch as you take everything that was supposed to belong to me?! Do you....!?"


    He brought his face closer to me, his face twisting further. Despite everything, I kept my face


    from changing.


    I knew this was real.


    ....That this was no illusion.


    The one standing before me was none other than the previous Julien. The one Leon knew...


    and the one I had been trying to replicate for so long.


    Why now...? Of all times, why did he suddenly show up now?


    Wasn''t he dead? Why was he...?


    I had a lot of questions in my mind at that moment, but I kept them to myself and silently


    locked my emotions.


    "Say something!?"


    His grip over my clothes tightened once more.


    My mouth was dry, but with my emotions sealed, I could finally find my voice again.


    "....What do you want me to say?"


    His expression twisted further but before he could say anything else, I cut him off and


    brought my hands up to grip his arms which were clenching my clothes.


    "I''m sorry? Is that what you wanted to hear...?"


    Julien looked a little taken aback.


    He probably didn''t expect me to say something like that. And he was right.


    I wasn''t sorry.


    ...Nor would I ever be.


    "I''m not giving you the body back."


    "........!"


    Julien''s expression changed, but I didn''t care.


    "It''s now mine. I need it to achieve my goal. But I do feel sorry for you. Not because you''re a


    bad person or anything like that, but because..."


    I lowered my head.


    "...I was the one who took your body of all people."


    "What does that...!?"


    "It means that I''m not giving it back."


    I gripped his wrists tightly, narrowing my eyes to stare back into his eyes. "Your body is a means for me to achieve my goal. A tool of sorts. Since I need it, I won''t


    discard it. No, I''ve grown used to this body. You died, and now you''re nothing but a ghost


    clinging to what you''ve already lost. I''m sorry."


    I pulled his hands away from my cor.


    He could hardly put up a resistance. There was a clear difference in our strengths.


    "...But it''s now mine."


    Julien''s face twisted upon hearing my words. But it was only for a brief moment before his


    expression eased.


    His eyes regained some sort of rity as he shook his head.


    "You fucker, you have no idea do you?"


    He almost seemed to be gloating as he said this.


    I frowned.


    An idea of what?


    "Ah, you don''t..."


    A smile suddenly appeared on Julien''s face.


    "Your body..."


    His body suddenly started to grow faint as his smile grew wider.


    "...You''re slowly starting to lose control of it. The more you progress the more your control


    ceases while mine increases. You think I''m a ghost?"


    Heughed, his expression turning rather repulsive.


    "I''m far from dead. I''m still present."


    He snatched his hand away from me, pointing his finger directly at my chest. "Lingering within your body, I''m still here, patiently biding my time until I reim what is


    rightfully mine. And when that timees... I''ll take back everything you stole from me-and


    more!"


    Julienughed, his figure growing even hazier.


    "Keep doing whatever you''re doing. Whatever it is, it''s helping me. I want you to keep that in


    mind."


    With the same repulsive smile, his figure slowly faded away from my view.


    |||||


    Even as he left, I remained standing where I was, unable to utter a single word.


    What in the...


    My heart was steady, but the locks in my mind weren''t. They were rattling, on the verge of


    shattering as I processed Julien''s words.


    Blinking my eyes, a notification appeared before me.


    Game Progression: [0%-----[56%] ----100%]


    "Fifty-six percent..."


    My heart started to sink.


    "...It can''t be, right?"


    I secretly swallowed my saliva, an idea forming in my mind as my entire body grew tense.


    Julien''s words kept repeating in my mind over and over again


    ''Keep doing whatever you''re doing. Whatever it is, it''s helping me. I want you to keep that in mind.''


    Could it be a tactic to mess with my mind...?


    I wasn''t sure, but it sure as hell was working on me.


    "Hoo."


    Letting out a long breath, I brushed the thoughts aside. The situation was extremely problematic and I wanted to find out answers, but there was something else that was taking


    my attention.


    And that was...


    Character Progression EXP + 377%


    Exp: [0%???????[81%] -100%]


    ...The sudden increase in experience as a warm current flowed into my body, invading every


    inch of it as my mind started to clear up and my mana surged.


    I could feel my strength increase at a visible rate.


    I couldn''t get used to the feeling.


    ...It was euphoric.


    Unfortunately, all good things came to an end. This too as the experience bar stopped


    increasing after a certain point.


    Level: 45 [Tier 4 Magician]


    Exp: [0%-¡ª-


    [88%]-100%]


    "....Halfway through tier 4."


    I was only five levels away from finally reaching tier 5 and fully unlocking my domain. I knew


    that my concept was still not fullypleted, and I''d need more time, but I knew that it wouldn''t be long before I''d be able to fullyplete it.


    By then, my strength would drastically increase.


    I couldn''t wait for that.


    [¡ô Active Main Quest: Prevent the Cmities from awakening or dying.]


    Aoife K. Megrail : Slumber


    : Progress - 7% Kiera Mylne: Slumber


    : Progress 19% Evelyn J. Verlice: Slumber


    : Progress 9%


    -?[Julien D. Evenus]. ¡ª


    The final notification appeared and I sighed in relief upon seeing that the ''cmity''


    percentages were still low.


    For now, I was doing well in this department.


    ...But for how long could I keep this up for?


    Each quest was starting to be harder and harder for me to handle, and it became clear to


    me that outside factors came into y when it came to increasing the percentage. Failing a mission wasn''t the only factor that could increase the percentage... The thought stressed me, but I could only bury the feeling down and n for my next steps.


    Which were...


    "Vacation."


    Right.


    "...I need a vacation."


    Or just some time that I could use to focus on my curse magic and just train in peace.


    I was both mentally and physically exhausted.


    Though I liked to push my body to its limit, I had now reached such limits. Any more and I was


    afraid of breaking.


    "Huu."


    Closing my eyes and canceling the spell that suppressed my emotions, I leaned back against


    the bed and nkly stared at the ceiling.


    "Two months..."


    That was how much time I had left for myself.


    "...I better make the most of it."


    ***


    End of Volume [3]


    Thank you for sticking until now. A short mass release will be held in six hours.

 Chapter 373: Evenus Household [1]

    Chapter 373: Evenus Household [1]


    ?


    The next day.


    The sun shone brightly over the city streets of Bremmer, its warm light spilling over the buildings and residents.


    People emerged from their homes, soaking in the morning warmth as they prepared to start their workday.


    I was one such person as I came out of the Inn I was staying in, prepared to head for the Royal Pce in order to retrieve my rewards.


    It felt like a good day.


    I was happy.


    ''... Before anything happens I should just enter the ''Curse'' chamber so that nobody will find any trouble with me.''


    The n was simple.


    Enter the Curse Chamber and train until the start of the new year.


    It was supposed to be like that, with no problems, and yet...


    ||||


    11


    ||


    A pair of gray eyes met mine the moment I stepped out of the Inn.


    Holding onto a luggage, and with a carriage standing behind him, Leon looked at me without much of an expression.


    No, there was no need for an expression.


    I could tell exactly what he was thinking.


    ''I''vee to pick you up.''


    ''For...?''


    Leon raised his brow, turning his head to point at the insignia on the carriage before looking back at me.


    ''What do you think?''


    ''Oh.''


    I nodded faintly and walked down the small flight of stairs before reaching the carriage where I handed Leon my luggage.


    "Here."


    Leon looked at my luggage before looking at me.


    "This is...?"


    "My luggage."


    "No, I know..."


    "Take it. Aren''t you supposed to be my knight?"


    "Uh? Yeah."


    "Okay, good."


    I shoved the luggage into Leon''s hands. He looked surprised by mypliance. I was too. Well, for only a brief moment because before I knew it, I...


    Ran.


    I ran as if my life depended on it.


    " ..."


    Leon''s expression changed swiftly as I heard a soft ''thump'' behind me. Most probably from my luggage being dropped by him. I wasn''t too worried though. He was rich now. If he broke anything he could just pay me back.


    ...And there was something more important at this very moment.


    Such as...


    Running.


    ''I''m not going.''


    I was going to enjoy my vacation regardless of whether they wanted it or not.


    Without hesitation, I turned through several streets as I rushed ahead without looking back.


    My current destination was the Royal Pce.


    So long as I could get there...


    "Hey, watch out!"


    "What are you doing!"


    "Ukeh!"


    Along the way, there were the inevitable victims that fell due to my speed. I could only apologize to them in my heart before increasing my pace further. I couldn''t afford to slow down in the slightest.


    Especially since Leon was faster than me.


    He was a [Body] user after all.


    ...Of course, that was unless I used my ''Concept''. Then it''d be an entirely different story.


    But surely he wouldn''t us-


    Booom!


    As if a bomb had detonated, I heard a faint explosioning from behind me. Turning my head, I felt my entire body tense as Leon shot in my direction like a rocket.


    For the briefest of moments, I could see his eyes which werepletely ck with the faint white dots in the middle.


    My heart leaped out of my chest.


    "....!"


    This was overkill...!


    Clench.


    I wasn''t going to lose like this though. Clenching my teeth, a green orb appeared in my mind.


    It throbbed silently as I reached out for it, its outeryer coating my arm as my legs tensed


    and my speed boosted.


    With the sudden increase in my mana and strength, I was no longer worried about over- extending my body like before.


    It could be said that I had developed my ''Concept'' a little prematurely.


    In that sense, it was no wonder why my body couldn''t withstand it all that much.


    Though my body was still not fully able to withstand the power of each orb, it was faring a lot better than before as my speed boosted without much pain apanying the speed boost.


    ''Whatever the case, I''m sure he won''t be able to do a thing to me once I arrive at the Royal Castle.''


    Yes, again.


    ...I needed to reach the Royal Pce.


    Swoosh-


    I wasn''t very familiar with the streets of Bremmer.


    They were rather wide, about wide enough for carriages to pass through. But there were also


    smaller streets, which extended in all sorts of paths.


    I had a hard time navigating through the smaller streets, but thankfully, the Royal Pce


    stood out quite a lot.


    ...I more or less was able to see its tall dome-shaped roof of the pce as I headed straight for


    it.


    "Kh..."


    A light groan escaped my lips as I turned around to look at Leon.


    My heart fell the moment I saw that he was still behind my tail, his eyes turning cker and cker as we ran.


    ...He was slowly running out of stamina, but so was I.


    But I was close...


    I was so close to the Royal Pce, passing thest of the residential houses. From here, I could finally see the pce in all its glory, its majestic form rising above the city. Because no residential building was allowed to be built anywhere near close to the Royal Pce, my view instantly became clear as arge garden appeared before my sight. Several guards were patrolling the area as the gardeners flowered and trimmed the nts.


    I only paid them a cursory nce before rushing toward the main entrance.


    But just as I was about to rush once more, a certain voice echoed.


    "Stop right there!"


    My steps came to a sudden pause.


    A girl with long white hair appeared not far from where I was.


    "Uh?"


    I was stunned by the sight of her.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''What in the...?''


    It was none other than Kiera who wore a white shirt that was neatly tucked into her brown


    pant. She looked a little different than usual. A bit more carefree...


    But that was beside the point.


    "....What are you doing here?"


    "Eh... I need to talk to you."


    "Talk to me?"


    I cast a quick nce behind me, spotting the nearing Leon. I quickly swallowed my saliva


    before stepping to the right.


    "Can we do thatter? I need to-"


    "No, it''s quite important."


    Kiera blocked me, stepping to block my path.


    "No, I..."


    "It''s important. You can''t miss-"


    Clench.


    I no longer bothered with Kiera and tensed my legs, shooting away from her. I thought she''d


    get the message, but no... She didn''t as she hurriedly tried to catch up to me.


    "Hey, wait!"


    "Later!"


    I shouted, reaching out for the green orb again.


    I could see the entrance of the pce now. I was getting closer. I licked my lips and channeled


    whatever energy I had left in me to increase my speed.


    But...


    "Stop running! What are you doing!?"


    A lock of red hair appeared before me, blocking my sight.


    "Ah!"


    I almost shouted in despair but kept myposure in check as I looked behind me to see


    Keira and Leon rushing in my direction.


    "That, Aoife... I''m in a bit of a situation."


    ".... Yeah, I can tell."


    "Then..."


    "Like I said, you can''t run here. I got several reports of you being here so I had no choice but


    toe here to stop you. Had it been up to the guards they would''ve thrown you out by


    now."


    "Ah,


    yes."


    I looked to my left and right before dashing to the right.


    ....There was still a small distance between us. Yes, I could make it.


    I looked up front.


    The entrance was now only a few meters ahead of me.


    ''Yes, as long as I manage to step in... Ye-''


    "Ukeh!"


    My joy was short-lived as I felt a powerful blownd against my back, knocking the breath out


    of me and causing me to fall over.


    "....Akh."


    I felt something soft press against my back as I fell.


    But as if that wasn''t enough, a shadow cast above me shortly after.


    "Wait, Kiera!"


    Aoife''s voice strangely echoed next to my ear.


    Before I could understand what was happening, I felt something heavy crash onto my back.


    "Akh!"


    "Uekh...!"


    "Oooh!"


    There were three sets of groans as I was pressed against the ground further. My mind nked


    at the situation, and as I pressed my hand against the ground to help myself up, a shadow


    once again cast over me.


    Looking up, I saw Leon staring at me with his usually cold eyes.


    || 11


    11


    I smacked my lips before speaking.


    "....I have a small errand to run over here at the Royal Pce. If you would just give me a little


    bit of ti-"


    "No."


    Leon coldly cut me off.


    His gaze was like that of a hawk who had his pray trapped.


    "Is this because I beat you?"


    Leon''s face froze for a second before the corner of his lip twitched.


    "....No."


    "At least look at me in the eyes when you deny it like that."


    "It''s the Baron''s orders."


    At that, I could only stay quiet. So it really came to this... Indeed, he had informed me about


    the situation beforehand back in the closing ceremony. I knew it wasing, but I didn''t


    think he''d be so hell-bent on making me go that he''d order Leon to make sure I went.


    "I need a vacation."


    "....I''ve been asking for one for the past ten years."


    "And...?"


    Leon tilted his head.


    "I never got one."


    I pursed my lips.


    It was both funny and sad.


    "You''re free to go."


    "The Baron is the one who can make such decisions."


    "We should protest together."


    "You''re free to do so."


    This guy...


    He wanted to be oppressed.


    In any case. Turning my head, I looked at Kiera and Aoife who were both still on top of me.


    "Can you two get off?"


    "Already on it."


    Kiera muttered, helping herself up and patting her clothes. Aoife did the same as she red at


    Kiera.


    "You did it on purpose, didn''t you?"


    "What? Did what?" "Jumping on me with such force."


    "Oh, maybe."


    So she did...


    I felt my head throb as I helped myself up as well. In the process, I patted my clothes clean.


    Scratching the side of my neck, I realized something.


    "Wait a second."


    I alternated my gaze between Kiera, Aoife, and Leon before finally settling it over to Leon.


    "This can''t be a coincidence, right?"


    11


    ||


    Leon turned his head away.


    I turned to look at Aoife who pursed her lips and scratched the side of her neck, turning her


    eyes away from me. Kiera did so as well as she tried to whistle.


    "Whooo~! Whooo~!"


    Only that it sounded like she was strangling a bird.


    "Ah, stop. Make it stop."


    Aoife covered her ears in pain. Kiera watched in amusement as she mumbled,


    "Now you know the pain I go through when I hear you sing." "Ah?!"


    Aoife almost looked offended by that.


    But...


    Yeah, she wasn''t wrong.


    "You too?!"


    Aoife seemed to have noticed my gaze as her eyes widened.


    I could only shake my head before locking eyes with Leon who took out several notes and


    handed them to Kiera and Aoife.


    "Thank you."


    "...Uh, thanks."


    Though I was already aware of this in advance, seeing it in person left me utterly speechless.


    What sort of...!?


    "It had to be done."


    Leon said, blocking my path alongside the other two.


    "You bribed them?"


    I was just about to think of a way to push my way through when I noticed a subtle change in


    Leon''s expression. It was unlike anything that I had ever seen before, halting me on the spot. ''Come...''


    His expression said,


    ''....This is for you.''


    I froze then, my mind emptying as I saw Leon look at me with an expression I had a hard time describing. He contained a rare seriousness that made it difficult for me to reject. In the end, locking eyes with him for a few more seconds, I sighed.


    "Haaa."


    Fine.


    I rubbed my hair.


    "...I''lle."

 Chapter 374: Evenus Household [2]

    Chapter 374: Evenus Household [2]


    ?


    "To be clear, I am not happy with this arrangement."


    Getting on the carriage, I made sure to express my disappointment and outrage toward the situation as Leon sat beside me, his expression a lot more rxed than it had been a few


    moments ago.


    ".....That''s fine."


    He said, crossing his arms and leaning his head against the wooden back of the carriage.


    "You''ll understand once we get there. It''ll be something that you''ll thank me forter."


    || ||


    At that, I didn''t say anything.


    He was probably right. No, he was right. It was just that... I was exhausted. I wanted to spend the following two months just focusing on myself.


    As As said, I had been neglecting my [Curse] magic a lot.


    ...I couldn''t afford to waste time not improving it.


    Although I had won the tournament and was the best, the enemies that I had to deal with were a lot more powerful than the opponents that I faced.


    I was still nothing but a weak ''ant'' in their eyes.


    In fact, in the grand scheme of things, I was probably not even in their radar which was good for me.


    ''Yeah, I guess this is a good thing. I still have time.''


    For now, I could use this opportunity to find out more about the previous Julien. What sort of person was he, and to find a way to get rid of him.


    He was...


    Still alive, living within my body.


    I needed to get rid of him.


    "We''ll be there for a couple of days at most. You can get your vacation afterward." "Hm."


    I guess that made sense.


    "We''re not going to be fighting either. It may be a little stressful, but you should be a lot more rxed than the tournament."


    "Um."


    He was right as well in that regard.


    ''Well, thinking about it, I guess things aren''t as bad as I think they are.''


    A little bit of an inconvenience but nothing that would mentally break me.


    Or so I hoped.


    "Oh, right."


    As if recalling something, Leon turned his head to look at me.


    "Regarding the Curse Chamber. You don''t have to go to the Royal Family specifically to go." "Hm?"


    What is he on about...?


    "...You can just ask them to set one up wherever you want. If you wanted to, you could have them build it at the family estate. Either way, by the time two months pass, the runes will have run out. It won''t make much of a difference and can save you time."


    "You can do that?"


    "Yes."


    Leon nodded faintly.


    "...I won''t be able to since the Royal Guards are here, but yours is a lot easier to set up since all


    it requires are ''Curse'' users to inscribe certain runes that slowly release elemental ''Curse'' mana in the air for you to absorb."


    "Um."


    Yeah, he had a point.


    "This is actually good...''


    Thinking about it, this was actually what I was looking for. In case I didn''t want to deal with the problems within the household I could just hide in the chamber.


    I had to have this built.


    ...I was just about to voice this out to Leon but he cut me off.


    "I''ve already messaged them. They''re already setting up the chamber."


    "Uh?"


    Dumbfounded, I blinked my eyes repeatedly in order to make sure I had heard correctly. Then, seeing how his expression remained nonchnt, my jaw dropped.


    "... You knew in advance I was going to agree?"


    "Yes."


    Leon replied, briefly opening his eyes to nce at me as the corner of his lips pulled up.


    "....I''m your knight."


    ***


    At the same time.


    "How much did he pay you?"


    "....Hmm, not that much honestly."


    Aoife pocketed the cash that Leon had handed to her. It was about ten thousand Rend which


    could be considered a meager amount for someone like her.


    She did help however because she thought the idea of stopping Julien entertaining.


    Kiera was probably the same.


    "Oh? Ten thousand?"


    Kiera''s expression turned strange.


    Aoife''s brows furrowed as she sensed something amiss from her gaze.


    "What?"


    "What? What...?"


    Kiera innocently blinked her eyes.


    But the more she acted like that, the more Aoife felt that the situation wasn''t wrong.


    "You, you''re hiding something from me."


    "I''m not."


    Kiera kept her face straight, but Aoife didn''t buy it.


    In the end, her eyes fell towards Kiera''s pocket.


    "How much did he pay you?"


    "Ah...?"


    Kiera blinked her eyes, looking surprised.


    "Ten thousand. The same as you."


    "So he paid you more...."


    It finally dawned on Aoife why Kiera was acting the way that she was.


    Kiera''s expression twitched when Aoife correctly guessed the situation. This bitch... Could she


    read minds?


    "No, I can''t read your mind."


    "Uh?"


    "....I can just tell it from your face."


    Kiera blinked her eyes and then looked at Aoife who looked back at her. Suddenly they both


    frowned as they realized they were acting like a certain duo.


    "Ukeh...!"


    "Akh!"


    Their expressions twisted as they both started to gag.


    "Ah, fuck...!"


    "Uekh!"


    Aoife bit her lips as her expression crumbled.


    Thissted for several seconds before she took a deep breath and asked.


    "How much?"


    "Fifty..."


    "Ah."


    "...He did initially offer ten but I bargained my way up."


    "Yeah, it makes sense."


    Aoife was more interested in the entertainment part than the money part. She was a Princess


    after all. The loss didn''t really trouble her too much.


    Furthermore, she had other reasons to stop Julien from going to the Royal Pce.


    ''Ah, right.''


    Just thinking about it gave Aoife a headache.


    "...I have to go back."


    "Um. Is there something important going on inside?"


    More than important, it was troublesome...


    Within the Pce were the delegates of the other Empires. While she didn''t know exactly


    what was going on, the situation seemed extremely important.


    Especially with how somber the atmosphere appeared.


    "You can say so."


    Aoife didn''t borate further.


    Nor was Kiera interested in what she had to say.


    "I see. Then I''ll take my leave." Fiddling with her pockets, Kiera scratched the back of her head before leaving. Just as she was


    about to leave, Aoife''s voice echoed.


    "Are you going to train?"


    "....Um."


    "Did you have a breakthrough?"


    "No."


    Kiera shook her head


    That was the problem. She didn''t have a breakthrough. She nned on using the two months


    she had at her disposal to have such a breakthrough.


    Witnessing all of the matches in the Summit, Kiera understood that she wasgging


    compared to the others.


    ....She needed to develop a ''Concept''.


    Only then would she have a chance at catching up to the others.


    But more than anything, she needed to grow stronger because a certain person was alive.


    she...


    Needed to die.


    With such thoughts, Kiera left the Royal Garden.


    Aoife watched her departing back with a lost look before shaking her head.


    ''Whatever, it is none of my business.''


    She had more important matters to attend to.


    ***


    The Evenus Barony was modest in size, overseeing two territories. Their most important and


    prized territory was Westernborn.


    It was where the Evenus estate was located and where a majority of their yearly ie camen/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    from.


    A gold miney beneath their territory, supplying them with a significant amount of resources that fueled their rapid growth. Though they remained a Barony in the title, their power and influence rivaled that of mid-ranked noble houses.


    I was given a brief rundown of the situation by Leon as we headed for the estate.


    It took a total of two days to arrive in the territory, and the moment we crossed the borders of Westernborn, it was as though we had entered an entirely different ce than Bremmer. The roads weren''t as developed but they were all well-maintained and everyone parted way for us as we crossed the numerous towns and cities that lead to the Estate.


    "We''re about to enter Valemount."


    Leon spoke, leaning out of the carriage and narrowing his eyes to look into the distance.


    There, the faint outline of a city appeared.


    "...The estate is only an hour away from the city. We should be arriving soon."


    "Oh."


    Well, that was good news.


    I was getting tired of waiting all day in the carriage.


    "Ah, right."


    As if recalling something, Leon came back into the carriage and looked at me with a weird


    look. His expression was strange, and just as I was wondering what he was about to say, he spoke before I could ask.


    "Whatever you do... Don''t show your face."


    "What?"


    I blinked my eyes, unable to understand as Leon closed the curtains to stop anyone from


    seeing the insides of the carriage.


    ....I was confused at first, but noticing the strange silence that took over the surroundings, I


    came to a sudden realization.


    "I''m not popr, am I?"


    "Nope." Leon answered tly.


    "Your father is, but you''re not. If the citizens end up seeing you I''m afraid that¡ª"


    Leon suddenly paused. As if realizing something, he reached out for the curtains and tried to


    pull them apart but I stopped him.


    "Don''t you dare." "....Tsk."


    "Did you just click your tongue?"


    "You''re imagining things." "Scooch over. I''m taking over this side."


    Though I said that, I practically shoved Leon to the side and hogged the window seat.


    Whatever the situation was, I wasn''t going to let him open the curtains.


    It was clearly not a good idea.


    Thankfully, everything passed without a hitch. Hogging the window, nobody stopped the


    carriage and within an hour we were finally able to reach the estate.


    "We''re here."


    After listening to the coachman''s words, I finally let out a relieved sigh. I opened the door,


    allowing the warmth to seep into the carriage.


    Stretching my body, I finally stepped out of the carriage where arge estate appeared.


    Enclosed by tall iron fences, the estate loomed grandly, with arge fountain at its entrance, the water gently sshing below. A sprawling, meticulously maintained garden stretched out beside it, adding to the estate''s grandeur.


    Although it wasn''t anything like the Royal Pce, it was still rather impressive.


    A lot better than I expected.


    "Hm?"


    I could see several people standing by the entrance of the estate.


    In particr, anotherrge carriage stood out to me as I narrowed my eyes to get a better


    look.


    ''I can see Julien''s father. He seems to be talking to someone...''


    I couldn''t quite see who they were standing behind the carriage, but it didn''t take long for me


    to finally see who it was as my steps paused.


    "The hell..?"


    I turned to look at Leon who handed the servants our luggage.


    "You knew?"


    "Yes."


    Leon nodded, issuing some orders to the servants who hade directly to greet us.


    "She told me beforeing. She was invited directly by your father."


    "...."


    And only now you were nning on telling me?


    I pursed my lips while shifting my attention back toward the entrance where a girl with long


    purple hair appeared.


    As if noticing our presence, she turned her head and our eyes locked.


    Evelyn nodded her head at us.

 Chapter 375: Evenus Household [3]

    Chapter 375: Evenus Household [3]


    ?


    "....You''re finally here."


    Greeting me at the entrance of the estate was Julien''s father. He wore the same formal outfit from the closing ceremony a few days ago, carrying an aura of calm.


    "We expected you two to arrive earlier, but this is fine too."


    He turned around to nce at the numerous servants that lined up behind him. I nced at them, but none of them nced at me.


    It was as if they were trying to avoid my gaze.


    "They probably are.''


    Leon had warned me in advance that my reputation within the household wasn''t very good.


    ''... It''s a good thing I saw thising.''


    From the moment he closed the curtains when we passed by the city, I knew.


    "Linus is currently not here. He''s currently training somewhere else in preparation for the entrance examination for Haven."


    Linus was Julien''s younger brother.


    At least, this was what I remembered Leon telling me.


    ''So he''s nning on entering Haven?''


    The news didn''t really affect me all that much. It was a little troublesome at best since I''d have to interact with him at the Academy.


    "Make yourselvesfortable. We have several important things to discuss in the next few days."


    Such were thest words Julien''s father said before leaving with a few servants.


    From the start, he had only spared me a single nce. He was mainly addressing Evelyn the entire time.


    A strange silence ensued after his departure.


    We stood awkwardly for a few seconds before I finally opened my mouth.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "....I want to know that myself."


    Evelyn replied with a bitter smile.


    "I was invited out of nowhere, and I couldn''t disagree since my father ordered me to attend." "Wait, could it be...?"


    My brows jumped up as I came to a sudden hypothesis.


    "It can''t be that-"


    "Don''t say it."


    Evelyn stopped me before I could finish my words.


    She appeared to have her own guesses, but seeing the frustrated look on her face, I knew that she wasn''t all too pleased with the situation.


    I couldn''t me her as my heart sank.


    ''A marriage alliance...''


    Though it was just a guess, it was the most probable guess.


    Evelyn''s family was quite powerful, and considering the history between the two households and how they had once been close to arranging a marriage between Julien and her, it wouldn''t be surprising if they tried it again after my recent achievements at the Summit.


    This was an annoying development that I had to put a stop to as quickly as possible.


    Thankfully, things hadn''t appeared to progress to an advanced stage. It was merely just in the beginning stages, and so it could be quickly stopped.


    "Y-young master."


    A soft voice echoed before me.


    Lifting my head, a young girl with soft brown hair, sses, and an overall shy disposition greeted me. She didn''t dare meet my line of sight as she wore clothes that the other servants


    wore.


    I looked at Leon.


    ''Who is she...?''


    ''Your personal servant.''


    ''Oh.''


    "Um."


    I faintly nodded at her as she shuddered slightly.


    My face twitched at the sight. It really looked like she was scared of me.


    What in the world did Julien do to her...?


    "I-I''ll escort you to your room... I-f you would f-follow me."


    Her voice was hard to hear as she spoke in a soft whisper. I had to strain my ears carefully in


    order to hear her properly.


    Still, I didn''t give her a hard time.


    ....I just nodded my head indifferently at her, which seemed to relieve her as she turned around and headed toward the insides of the estate.


    I nced at Leon and Evelyn for a brief moment before leaving.


    ''Whatever, I''ll take this chance to rest for a bit.''


    ***


    "...."


    Leon and Evelyn stood in silence, watching as Julien silently entered the estate. They both could feel the tension that lingered around them as everyone around Julien stood on edge.


    His entire presence felt suffocating.


    It was only when he disappeared from view that the atmosphere eased.


    A few of the servants wore pale faces while others wiped their foreheads as they sighed in


    relief.


    Evelyn stared at the sight before turning to look at Leon.


    "...He really is disliked by everyone here."


    "You weren''t that different from them not so long ago."


    "Um, I guess."


    It was true.


    She used to be the same.


    ....And she couldn''t me herself. Julien... the ''real'' one was a lot different than the current


    Julien.


    He was someone who would hurl abuses for the smallest of things. Whether it was because he didn''t like the weather or because someone locked eyes with him, he would always find faults


    with people. He was a tyrant.


    "Right..."


    Evelyn''s eyes remained fixed on Leon who avoided her gaze.


    It was as though he already knew what he was going to say to her. But she wasn''t going to let


    it slide.


    Not this time.


    She... wasn''t going to let herself be yed by the two of them.


    "....."


    And for that reason, she grabbed his arm and dragged him with her toward a more isted


    area of the household.


    Having been in the Household since young, she knew the ce like the back of her hand and


    they soon arrived inside of a familiar room.


    It was small, containing only one bed and a wooden wardrobe.


    But this was a ce the two were all too familiar with. It was Leon''s childhood room.


    Bang!


    Evelyn smacked the door behind them as she finally let go of Leon.


    "Tell me the truth."


    Her voice was low, her eyes narrowing at the same time.


    "He''s not the real Julien, right?"


    || ||


    "You said it before. Treat as though the Julien I knew is dead. I didn''t understand your wordsn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    back then, but now I know. He''s ''that'' Julien."


    "....That?"


    "You know what I''m talking about."


    Evelyn''s eyes narrowed further.


    "You would''ve killed him straight away if not for that fact."


    || ||


    Leon bit his lips and remained silent.


    He neither confirmed nor denied her words. But the silence was enough of a confirmation to


    Evelyn as she sighed before heading for the bed and sitting down.


    Her tone grew a little softer.


    "Since when? Has he shown signs ofing back to his old self like before? Has he... Has


    he..."


    Evelyn bit her lips.


    "Has he really changed?"


    11


    ||


    Leon still remained silent.


    He didn''t really know what to say. Has he really changed...? The answer was obvious. She knew


    the answer herself.


    It was just that that she probably couldn''t fully trust what she saw. Especially since Julien had changed so many times in the past. Perhaps the first time it was


    understandable, but the second...? Third...? Fourth...? And fifth times...? It would make anyone question whether it was a temporary thing or a real change.


    Leon also struggled toe to terms with the situation at first, but after observing Julien for


    as long as he did, he was confident.


    The ''old'' Julien was nowhere near in sight.


    He had changed.


    ....And he wasn''t leaving.


    "Can you answer me...?"


    Finally shifting his attention toward Evelyn and seeing her expression, Leon closed his eyes


    for a brief moment.


    Then, after a long pause, he nodded.


    "Yes."


    He answered,


    "...He''s changed."


    ***


    "W-we''re here."


    Therge wooden door swung open, revealing a finely decorated room.


    A grand bed stood at the center, framed by expansive windows that let soft light stream in.


    The curtains fluttered gently as a breeze flowed through, and to the side, a sturdy wooden table sat beside a tall bookshelf that appeared to be filled with books.


    ''So this is Julien''s bedroom...''


    I had to say.


    It was rather grand.


    ....While it wasn''t as good as the room the Academy offered me, it was still a very good room.


    Enough to make me rxed.


    "If there''s any problems... f-feel free to tell me."


    After a few more words, the servant immediately turned around and left.


    "Huek!"


    On her way out she bumped her head against the side of the door, and I had to keep myself


    from bursting out intoughter as tears streamed down her face.


    "Uwuwua."


    She looked at me and then at the door before rushing out.


    "....Hoo."


    It took a good minute to calm my trembling shoulders as another servant came in shortly


    after, delivering my luggage.


    "You can leave it here."


    "...Yes."


    The exchange was short as he dropped my stuff down and directly left.


    nk!


    It was only then that the room fell silent as no one bothered me anymore.


    "Haa."


    Dropping onto the bed, I raised my head to look at the ceiling.


    I was less exhausted than I had been after the tournament but I was still quite tired. Especially


    since the carriage ride had been quite long.


    I thought about going to sleep and was about to when my eyes fell on the bookshelf by the


    side of the wooden desk in front of the bed.


    "...."


    A thought crossed me as I looked at the bookshelf.


    ''....Just what sorts of books did Julien read?''


    Could I perhaps be able to figure out more about his personality if I looked through them? It


    was just a thought, and looking outside the window and seeing that it was still sunny outside,


    I decided to have a look.


    I had some time to waste anyway.


    "Let''s see."


    The first book I picked up was about swordsmanship.


    "....Swordsmanship?"


    I frowned but didn''t think much of it until I took out the next book.


    "Again swordsmanship..."


    Pausing, I put the book to the side and took the next book. It was... again swordsmanship. One


    after another, the books were all about swordsmanship.


    The more I looked through the list, the more I realized.


    Julien...


    He was obsessed with swordsmanship.


    Though I somewhat had seen a few hints of this in the past, I never really bothered to check up


    on them.


    There were a lot of things that were taking my taking my full attention.


    "This..."


    By the time I pulled out the twentieth book that was about swordsmanship, I had no choice


    but to pause. At this rate, all I was going to see were books of swordsmanship.


    "....Is this all there is?"


    I looked through the hardcovers of the book in front of me before shaking my head.


    "Well, I guess I did find something."


    The fact that the previous Julien was obsessed with being a swordsman.


    I was just about to put all the books back when I paused.


    "Hm?"


    Tucked in the far corner of the bookshelf was another book. It was red in color and felt a little


    different than the others. I recognized the book at a nce... or more than a book, it was more


    like a diary.


    "Isn''t this...?"


    There were certain diaries one could purchase that featured a special lock, which could only be opened using the owner''s unique mana wavelength.


    Everyone possessed their own distinct mana signature, and if anyone with a different wavelength attempted to open the diary, it would instantly incinerate on the spot.


    I had seen many of them being sold in Bremmer since diaries were quite popr among the


    noble households, and...


    Right at this very moment, I found one in this room.


    "This..."


    ''I think I just found Julien''s diary.''


    Ba.. Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Feeling the steady beat of my own heart, I picked up the diary and stared at it for a moment


    before taking a deep breath.


    Then, I channeled my mana into it.


    ''I hope this work.''


    I was nervous it wouldn''t work, but as I channeled my mana into the diary, a soft glow


    emerged from the book. Momentster, a gentle ''click'' echoed in the air, signaling it had


    unlocked.


    I didn''t waste a second and opened the diary.


    The moment I did, my eyes widened as my heart froze.


    "Ah."


    What in the...

 Chapter 376: The reason for his change [1]

    Chapter 376: The reason for his change [1]


    ?


    ''Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!''


    The first page of the book was filled with a single word, and one single word only.


    It repeated over and over again.


    11 "....."


    I could almost feel the rage and hatred Julien had poured into the word. The page was marked


    with visible dents, left behind by the force of his pen as he pressed down in anger.


    More than anger...


    I could also feel his obsession.


    ''Why couldn''t it be me? What good is there to be talented in curse magic?''


    ''I am the first son of this household! Why am I not a swordsman!? I should be better than everyone! And yet...!? All I have are useless talents!''


    ''Why!?'' ''Why!''


    || ||


    The handwriting was all over the ce.


    There were some words that I struggled to fully understand given how poorly written they were. But the intent behind each word was clear.


    It was Julien''s way of expressing his hatred and resentment.


    ''Leon... Why did that cheap orphan bastard get the talent that is supposed to belong to me? Why him of all people? He should be MY servant! Mine! He should be below me!! That bastard took it from me! My talent...!''


    "How absurd..."


    The more I read the notes the more ridiculous I found them.


    .... Julien''s obsession with swordsmanship was absurd, and so was his hatred for Leon. Surely he understood that Leon had nothing to do with this, right?


    ''I... I deserve it! Should I take the strange liquid that I found? Maybe then I can...'' "Hmm?"


    I paused on thest sentence that I read.


    "Taking that strange liquid?"


    What was he talking about...?


    For some reason, I felt that this part was extremely important.


    "What could he be talking about when mentioning the liquid? Did he gain possession of some sort of enhancer? But I don''t think there exists an enhancer that boosts one swordsmanship talent..."


    As my brows furrowed, I chose to read further.


    Things were starting to twist.


    Flip-


    I turned to the next page.


    "Hm?"


    The sight of the page surprised me.


    Unlike the previous ones, it was a lot more organized and easy for the eye. The handwriting was still a little hard to fully understand, but it was no longer a challenge to understand it.


    ''.... Haha, it might work! That liquid..! It might work!''


    "As expected, something good happened."


    It reflected on the paper.


    ''I... I injected small bits of the liquid into my brother''s food. I wanted to test if it did anything. Haha, that fool didn''t realize anything. It''s not poison alright. Linus also seems to have be a little stronger. I am going to take the liquid! I can be a swordsman!''


    I paused there, frowning as I read the contents again.


    "He used his brother as a test..?"


    What kind of... unscrupulous person was this guy?


    Did he not care at all about his brother? Had his obsession with his swordsmanship driven him


    to the point where he was even willing to sacrifice his own brother?


    "What a bastard."


    It was no wonder that Leon and Evelyn were so on the fence whenever they talked about the previous Julien.


    He really was one of a kind.


    But still, I wonder what exactly this liquid was.


    Flip-


    I flipped to the next page.


    ''No! No! No!''


    ....Once again, the words were all over the ce.


    The dents returned, and the only words that I could see were the ''no'' that were scattered throughout.


    I noticed tears in several parts of the diary, with some pages ripped and tattered, as if they had been violently torn apart in a fit of frustration.


    Though it didn''t rify the reason why he was angry, I could more or less make a guess.


    "The liquid... I guess it didn''t work."


    It didn''t give him the talent that he so wished for.


    Flip-


    ''Why didn''t it work...? It should''ve worked! Why didn''t it work!? This makes no sense!!!''


    ''... My strength increased a little bit, but that was all it did! I thought... I thought this was finally my


    chance.''


    ''Damn it!!''


    ''Fuck this!''


    The words were crossed over several times and I could see small hints of the page behind due


    to the small holes that littered the page.


    Flip-


    I flipped to the next page.


    The moment I did, I paused as I stared at the first few words that greeted my sight.


    ''I am going to kill him.''


    "Kill him...?"


    Who was he talking about?


    I held my breath and looked down.


    ''I''ll kill that bastard. He... keeps getting praised for a talent that should''ve been mine. Even that bitch Evelyn is sticking around him like glue. She likes swordsmen, doesn''t she...? That''s why she''s sticking


    to that bastard. I''ll fucking kill him. Let''s see if she can still get attached to him.''


    "Hmmm."


    I paused at this section.


    "So he tried to kill Leon..."


    Obviously, from the fact that Leon was still alive, his attack failed.


    Still, he did seem to have tried it. The fact that he did made me a little bit worried but since


    Leon was fine, it didn''t matter all that much.


    Or at least, that was what I thought had first.


    Flip-


    ''Hahahaha! I did it...! I killed him!''


    Flipping to the next page my face froze as my eyes widened.


    ''Leon is dead! I cut his head off! That bastard couldn''t do anything! Hahaha. Now that he''s gone,


    nobody will get in my fucking way. Hahaha!''


    "W-what...?"


    Reading the words again to make sure that I wasn''t seeing them wrongly, my face froze after


    realizing that I wasn''t.


    Did he dream of all of this...?


    How could this be? Leon was still alive and fine.


    There was no way he killed him. It was impossible. Just no way.


    ''I''m so happy hahaha. I can remember everything clearly. From how I used the same sword he was talented in to cut his head off. It felt good..! Fuckign amazing. I even tossed some Kondlike saliva over


    him so that the beast in the forest would get rid of all the evidence. He should bepletely gone from this world by now. Not even a trace.''


    ''I''m so happy...! Hahah! I can''t wait to see that bitch''s face when she learns of that bastard death!''


    ''Hahahah.''


    There was so much joy embedded in the writing that it almost made me feel as though he had


    actually killed Leon.


    But that wasn''t possible.


    I knew since Leon was with me.


    And as expected...


    Flip-


    ''How is this possible!?''


    ''He''s still alive? How is this possible? It makes no sense?''


    ''Why? Why? Why? Why...?!!


    ''How? How? Impossible! This makes no sense?!''


    "This is impossible!''


    ''...I was sure that I killed him. How is he still alive? Did I imagine things? But I felt it. I was sure.''


    The page was once again crossed out as several holes appeared, disying the page behind it.


    I could feel the desperation and disbelief in Julien''s writing.


    Flip-


    ''He is acting as if nothing happened?! What is happening? Am I going crazy? Should I try killing him


    again?''


    ''No, maybe that isn''t a good idea. It feels like I''m being watched. What do I do? Should I bide my time?''


    "That bastard...!''


    The diary ended there.


    It wasn''t because he stopped writing, but because everything else was torn apart. It was clear


    that in his anger, he tore all the remaining pages of the diary.


    "...It''s a pity."


    I wanted to know more about the previous Julien. However, one thing was certain: he was insane. His jealousy and insecurity toward Leon had


    twisted him into a deranged individual, consumed by obsession and utterly devoid of morals.


    To even go as far as testing a strange liquid against his own brother...


    "In the first ce, what caused him to be that insecure?" Could he have already joined the Inverted Sky back then? Could that be the reason for his


    change?...It could also exin how he had gotten hold of that strange ''liquid''.


    Only they would be capable of providing a resource like that.


    But it wasn''t as though I knew exactly what that liquid was. There was no real description of


    it, nor did I know what it did.


    All I knew was that it increased his strength a little bit.


    "Hmm."


    The questions in my mind only increased after reading the diary.


    While I had gotten a better understanding of the previous Julien''s thought process, it also


    gave me more questions.


    Such as... Did he really kill Leon?


    If so, how was he still alive?


    "Did he revive...?"


    But how?


    "....


    "I


    An illusion of sorts?


    Yeah, that would make sense. There was no way Leon was weaker than Julien. Perhaps he used


    an illusion technique to pretend like he had been killed by Leon.


    There were some relics that allowed one to do that.


    But could Leon afford them?


    "Unlikely."


    Then what...?


    Revival?


    "Could it be that he had consumed Mortum''s blood?''


    No, that didn''t really make sense. From how Julien made it sound like, he killed Leon without


    any witnesses seeing the scene. Leon couldn''t possible revive himself, right?


    ...And where in the world would he even acquire Mortum''s blood?


    Not just that, how would he even be able to heal himself if he was dead?


    ''It makes no sense.''


    As far as I was aware, the blood was extremely hard to get, and those who did get found out


    would be chased after by the collectors.


    I did have a few vials in my ring, but I couldn''t really take them out since I was afraid I''d be


    found out.


    In fact, I was afraid that As was already aware and was just turning a blind eye to the


    situation.


    ....Only he knew the truth.


    "Then...?"


    To Tok-


    My thoughts were suddenly broken by a soft knock, jolting me out of my thoughts.


    As I turned my head toward the door, it creaked open, revealing a pair of gray eyes. Leon


    paused, his gaze locking onto me-or more precisely, the book in my hand.


    "That..."


    His eyes opened slightly as he appeared taken aback.


    I didn''t bother hiding it from him and ced it down on the desk.


    "Yes."


    I nodded calmly, flipping through the pages of the book one more time.


    "It''s Julien''s diary."


    Before Leon could say anything else, I pressed my finger over a few words that were written


    on one of the pages.


    "Hahahaha! I did it...! I killed him!"


    I then started to read the lines out loud.


    "I''m so happy hahaha. I can remember everything clearly. From how I used the same sword he


    was talented in to cut his head off. It felt good..!"


    I made sure to be slow with my reading so that Leon heard everything.


    He stood frozen as I read each line word for word. I took in his reaction, and my heart sank as I


    did.


    Taking my eyes away from the diary, I looked at him.


    "...This really happened, didn''t it?"


    I swallowed dryly, forcing the words toe out of my mouth. "You, you died before."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 377: The reason for his change [2]

    Chapter 377: The reason for his change [2]


    ?


    Leon had only been nning on checking up on Julien to make sure that he was fine and the servants hadn''t turned on him.


    Although unlikely, it wouldn''t be strange considering how the previous Julien used to act. He thought that if there were some problems they wouldn''t be so bad, but...


    Coming into the room, Leon saw Julien holding onto a red book which he ced down on the desk as he turned his face to face him.


    "...This really happened, didn''t it?"


    Julien''s hazel eyes met with his as Leon felt his body grow cold.


    "You, you died before."


    || ||


    Leon suddenly felt his mouth grow dry. He didn''t know how to reply. The situationpletely blindsided him, and he found himself unable to respond.


    His silence spoke volumes as Julien''s eyes closed.


    "So it''s true..."


    He pursed his lips.


    "How are you still alive?"


    ||


    ||


    Leon took a deep breath.


    He hadn''t expected Julien to learn about his past like this. While he wasn''t afraid he''de to learn it since he was bound to, Leon didn''t think he''d find out in this manner.


    "It''s a littleplicated."


    Leon scratched the side of his face.


    His thoughts ran wild as he tried to find ways to avoid it, but seeing Julien''s expression, Leon knew that there was no way out for him.


    Closing his eyes, he nudged at Julien with his head.


    "Come with me. I''ll show you something."


    "Um."


    Julien didn''t say anything and merely nodded his head, closing the book and hiding it away on the bookshelf before following him from behind.


    Leon took a small breath before leaving.


    I guess...


    It was about time he showed him.


    ***


    "Good afternoon."


    "Good afternoon, young master."


    Along the way, the servants would greet us with forced smiles. They were a lot kinder to Leon, but I could sense the tension that lingered in the air


    I maintained an indifferent disposition and just calmly followed him out of the estate and toward the back garden.


    "This is...?"


    "Just follow me."


    Leon beckoned me with his head and we walked further into the back garden. I took the chance to look at my surroundings and noticed that everything was extremely well maintained.


    Almost to the point where it felt like it was a little too perfect.


    As if noticing my thoughts, Leon spoke.


    "The Baron... Julien''s father, he... he''s a perfectionist. You can say that he won''t hesitate to cut someone out if they aren''t perfect. It''s for that reason that the garden is so well maintained. If he finds a problem with it, the gardener will be out of a job within the next day."


    "Oh."


    He sounded like a really troublesome figure to deal with.


    ... It was no wonder he only contacted me after I won the tournament. Apparently, I was now ''perfect'' in his eyes and was worth his attention.


    ''Strangely, he didn''t care back when I became the ck Star. I guess even that isn''t good enough for him.''


    Not that I minded since I had no feelings of attachment for him.


    "....Um?"


    We came to a halt in front of the towering walls that enclosed the entire estate. The walls were thick and sturdy, with several sharp spikes along the top, making it impossible for anyone to climb over.


    ''Well, not really sure if that will be of much help if they are superhumans...''


    It felt like it was more there for decoration than anything else.


    Rustle~


    A gentle rustling sound took my attention as Leon pushed one of the bushes to the side to disy a small hole alongside the wall.


    Before I could voice out my confusion, he spoke,


    "We used to sneak under here to get out of the estate when we were younger. You were the one who found it first."


    "...Oh."


    I looked at the hole.


    It wasn''t big, big enough for arge dog to pass through. I could see how a child could get past the hole, but there was no way the current me could do so.


    Leon also knew this as he stomped his foot on the ground and jumped over the wall.


    Thump!


    Hended shortly after.


    "I knew it."


    I mumbled, stomping my foot as well and jumping over the wall.


    "....It was just for decoration."


    Thump!


    Landing softly on the ground, I nced around before finally fixing my gaze on Leon, who was making his way through the dense foliage. We were by the edge of a small forest, and although I didn''t know where we were going, he appeared to know.


    I followed him in silence.


    Rustle~


    Pushing the leaves and bushes to the side we walked for over ten minutes before the


    surroundings opened up to reveal an open field. The trees were sparsely arranged while the thin grass barely covered the ground.


    Leon''s steps finally came to a stop as he looked at the scene with aplicated look.


    "What is it...?"


    I alternated my gaze between Leon and the scenery. Regardless of how hard I tried, I couldn''t


    see anything out of the ordinary.


    Why did he show me this ce?


    "Is there -"


    "It was here."


    Leon mumbled in a soft tone, stripping me of my voice.


    "... You asked me if Julien killed me, right?"


    Leon nudged with his head.


    "It was here that he killed me."


    He shed down with his hand.


    "It was a clean sh. I can still remember it to this day. The pain, the shock, and the


    frustration that I felt that day."


    "Then how are you still alive...?"


    || ||


    Leon pursed his lips, the words that he was about to say seemingly getting stuck in his throat.


    I found it weird and tried to be patient, but even as several minutes passed, he didn''t talk.


    It was to the point where I found it weird.


    ''Just what is making it so hard for him to speak...?''


    I tried waiting further, but seeing that he was still in the same lost and confused state, I no


    longer waited for him and just ced my hand on his shoulder.


    "If you don''t want to say it, you don''t have to."


    ...I had other ways to figure it out.


    For example...


    I looked toward my right hand where a four-clover tattoo rested. Although I didn''t really


    want to use it on him, I had no choice but to.


    I felt like this was extremely important information that I had to know.


    Therefore, without giving it any further thought, I pressed the second leaf.


    But...


    "........"


    Even as I pressed it, nothing happened.


    ''Eh...?''


    I was confused.


    Why didn''t it work? It made no sense...


    I tried again, but still nothing. The glow on my arm dimmed, but the effect never appeared. I


    was stunned by the situation and blinked my eyes a couple of times.


    ''Why is it not working?''


    This was the first time that a situation such as this urred and I didn''t know how to react.


    Blinking my eyes, I could see a change in Leon as he tried to turn his head to look at me. At


    that moment, my eyes fell on the third leaf and after thinking about it for a second, I decided


    to press it.


    ''Don''t tell me this won''t work as well-''


    No, it worked.


    Suddenly my world grew dark and Leon disappeared from my view. By the time I regained a


    sense of myself, I heard a familiar voice in the distance.


    "Die...!"


    The voice seemed to be filled with rage.


    Staring into the distance, I held my breath as two figures appeared.


    Barely dodging the de, Leon stumbled several steps before looking back in horror.


    "Julien?"


    "Fuck, you''re as slippery as always, bastard."


    They were both younger, but it was without a doubt Leon and the old Julien.


    I couldn''t find the words to describe the situation as Julien''s face twisted.


    "You''re my fucking servant. If I tell you to fucking die you fucking die!"


    The arrogance, insecurity, and jealousy that I felt in the writing.


    ...It was clearer than ever at this moment.


    "Fuck, you cheap bastard." Julien red at Leon as he lowered his head to stare at the sword in his hand.


    It wasn''t a fancy sword, just a dummy that wasn''t very sharp.


    "... Of all people why did it have to be you? Why were you the one who was born talented with


    the sword?" Julien''s gaze was filled with clear resentment as he stared at the sword.


    With a slow, deliberate motion, he extended his hand, and a magic circle appeared, floating


    just above his palm, illuminating his face with a dim purple light.


    "This shitty curse magic. What good is it when there is a sword? Damn it!"


    Julien cursed, his eyes flickering between madness and sanity.


    "Ahh, shit.


    He ruffled his hair, ring up ahead and extending his sword.


    "Fucking die...!"


    He brought his hand forward, and purple hands manifested from beneath the ground,


    rendering Leon immobile.


    "Ahhh!"


    Leon''s scream reverberated through the forest.


    And it only intensified as Julien''s sword came cleaving down on his neck, severing his neck


    completely.


    Thump!


    I watched the scene with wide eyes as I kept silent in the distance.


    What sort of...


    "Hahahaha."


    A loud, maniacalugh reverberated through the forest as Julien''s eyes turned bloodshot.


    "I... I did it...!"


    He shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "I... fucking did it! Hahaha...!"


    He seemed to havepletely lost it.


    "Bastard...! This is what you get for taking what is mine! How fucking dare you!? You lowly


    bastard!"


    Thump! Thump!


    As if he didn''t have enough, Julien stomped on Leon''s headless body.


    "Die! Die...!"


    It was as if he had gone crazy.


    Thump!


    He just continued to stomp over and over again. I could only stand in the distance while


    watching all of this happen.


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    By the time he was done, Julien''s breaths were heavy.


    "Fucking bastard."


    But the smile he had couldn''t be hidden.


    He seemed relieved as he recovered his breath. Then, taking out a small bottle from his


    pocket, he poured it over Leon''s corpse.


    "This should hide the evidence..."


    He mumbled in silence, looking toward his left and right before rushing away. It was as


    though he was scared of something.


    At first, I didn''t understand what he had poured on Leon''s body, but soon it became clear to


    me.


    "Rooooar-"


    A powerful roar reverberated through the forest.


    Thump! Thump!


    The whole forest shook shortly after that.


    ''Something is approaching...!''


    I held my breath but remained on my spot. I wanted to see just how Leon would revive


    himself.


    Thump!


    I wanted in the dark while the steps grew nearer.


    Thump! Thump...!


    I felt strangely tense as the steps matched the beat of my own heartbeat.


    "Rooooar-"


    A shadowy figure emerged from behind the thick foliage, and momentster, a massive bear-


    like creature lumbered into view.


    Its fur was matted, and its powerful muscles rippled beneath its coarse hide as it moved


    forward, eyes gleaming with hunger as its gaze settled over to Leon''s headless corpse.


    ||


    ||


    I remained silent as it drew nearer to Leon.


    .....I watched as it reached Leon and opened itsrge mouth in preparation for eating him.


    I held my breath as that happened.


    ''Why is nothing happening?....Why isn''t Leon reviving?''


    The bear''s saliva tricked down and its mouth hovered Leon''s corpse. My entire body grew


    tense at the sight.


    ''Do something!? Why isn''t nothing happening?''


    At this rate, his entire body was going to be consumed by the bear. There''d be no way for him


    to revive if that happened.


    ''Do something...!''


    My heart screamed as the bear''s mouth closed.


    I couldn''t take it any longer.


    Xiu!


    Before the bear''s jaws could snap shut, I acted swiftly. A thin silver thread shot from my hand,


    slicing through the air and striking the bear''s temple with deadly precision, killing it in a


    single blow.


    Thump!


    "Haaa... Haa..."


    With heavy breaths, I rushed towards the bear''s body and looked through its body in an


    attempt to see if there was anything special about it.


    But no.


    There was nothing special about it.


    Then...?


    I looked toward Leon''s dead body and swallowed dryly.


    A thought urred to me as I pressed my lips together and shook my head.


    ''No, it can''t be.''


    I denied the thought and hid my body again.


    I waited in the dark, hoping for something to happen. But... even as the hours passed, Leon''sn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    body remained still.


    There were no signs of revival.


    I bit my lips and came out of hiding.


    From the moment the bear came, I already knew the answer as I looked toward my ring and


    took out a small vial.


    ||


    11


    The words refused to leave my mouth as I poured the liquid onto Leon''s body. Immediately, a change urred the moment I did so as his body started to squirm and the


    blood that seeped onto the ground reversed back into his body.


    His head rolled back and attached back to his body and before long, his chest started to move


    up and down again.


    He was alive once more.


    Rustle~


    Just then, I heard a rustling sound. It didn''t seem toe from a creature and my heart sank.


    ....I had been so preupied with Leon that I didn''t pay attention to my surroundings.


    I didn''t have much time and used [Veil of Deceit] to make myself look younger as a small


    figure appeared shortly after.


    She looked a lot younger, and her features were a lot softer than I was used to before, but the


    moment she appeared, I could see her expression freeze as she locked her gaze over to Leon.


    "This...!"


    Her eyes widened as her small figure stopped. Processing the situation, her face turned angry as she charged at me.


    "Is this your doing?!"


    "I..."


    ''Before you took Julien''s body? Did we meet before?''

 Chapter 378: The reason for his change [3]

    Chapter 378: The reason for his change [3]


    ?


    ''Before you took Julien''s body? Did we meet before?''


    The words Evelyn once told me echoed loudly within my mind.


    I didn''t understand back then, nor did I want to understand. I thought it was some meaningless nonsense from her.


    But.... all of a sudden, I started to understand.


    It couldn''t be...


    "What did you do to him!?"


    Evelyn''s voice snapped me out of it.


    Her voice was a little different than her current one, but it wasn''t that far off as she rushed towards Leon who was lying on the ground passed out.


    Evelyn''s expression was panicked as she pressed her fingers to his neck to make sure he was still alive. It was only when she felt something that she let out a sigh of relief.


    ".... He''s still breathing."


    Wasn''t a few moments ago...


    But I kept my mouth shut as I stared at Evelyn.


    I didn''t really know what to do at the moment. Leave perhaps...? No, since I was still here, it meant that the third leaf''s power were still in effect.


    There was still something that I needed to do.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The blood definitely worked, but there could perhaps beplications.


    "This...!"


    Evelyn''s eyes widened as she took notice of the bear that I killed. An idea formed in her mind as she alternated her gaze between the bear, Leon, and me.


    Her eyes shook for a brief moment before her head snapped back in my direction.


    "What did you do to him? Did you use him as a shield so that you could escape?"


    Evelyn moved up to me, her brows furrowing in anger.


    She looked to have already hit her teens, but she was still too small for me to take seriously. ".... Why are you doing this? Do you hate the idea that he''s better than you with the sword that much? What harm did he ever do to you? All he did was fulfill his job while all you''ve done is treat him like garbage."


    Evelyn''s tone was low, and I could feel the disgust and hatred in her voice.


    I could only stand in silence while taking in her words.


    ''Should I just act like the Julien that I saw...?''


    That would prevent any misunderstandings from happening.


    I was just about to do that when...


    "Ukh...!"


    A certain groan shook me out of my thoughts. Leon, who had been lying on the ground the entire time, finally showed signs of waking up.


    "Leon!"


    Evelyn finally took her attention away from me and rushed towards him.


    Gradually, Leon''s eyes opened to reveal his usual gray eyes.


    "W-what''s going on?"


    His voice was groggy, and his face winced in pain.


    "Uekh...!"


    Suddenly, his face paled significantly, startling Evelyn.


    ''He''s probably recalling the pain from when he got his head cut off.''


    Anyone would be traumatized by something like that.


    Perhaps, the reason why I was still here was to make sure that he didn''t suffer anysting effects.


    "Leon, hey Leon! Are you alright? Leon...!"


    Evelyn held Leon by the shoulders and shook him. She was clearly worried for him, but she was doing more harm than good.


    I pressed my hand against her shoulder.


    "Stop."


    "What...!?"


    Evelyn''s face froze the moment I touched her but I didn''t care and pushed her away before lowering my body to meet Leon''s gaze.


    His dazed eyes cleared up the moment my face came into view, and shortly after, his pupils shrunk as he hurriedly tried to move back.


    "Stop."


    But I didn''t let him, keeping my hand pressed against his shoulder.


    "Stay."


    "H-ah, you...!?"


    I could see the terror and fear in his gaze as he hastily grabbed his neck.


    ''....This is bad.''


    His breathing was rough, and his entire body was shaking. He was clearly extremely afraid of me, and I was afraid this would have longsting impacts on him.


    "What are you doing!? Let him go!"


    Evelyn noticed Leon''s strange behavior and tried to pull me back but how could she even do


    that?


    The difference in our strength was far too big.


    "Haa...! Haa...! Haaa!"


    Leon''s breathing was bing rougher and rougher and I could tell he was close to having a


    panic attack.


    I was losing control of the situation.


    "Let go!"


    My head throbbed.


    ''How should I handle this...?''


    I was lost at first, but only for a brief moment.


    Closing my eyes, an image appeared inside of my mind and when I opened my eyes again, I stared straight into Leon''s eyes as my voiceyered.


    "Calm down."


    11


    || ||


    Instantly, be it Leon, and Evelyn, they both stopped speaking. Their expressions mellowed


    out as the fear and anger that they felt were suppressed by the joy that I managed to bring up


    with my Emotive Magic.


    ''Yeah, I guess this works.''


    I sighed in relief when I saw this.


    It gave me a few more seconds to think about the situation.


    Thump!


    The first thing I did was lightly tap Evelyn''s head, knocking her out.


    She already saw too much.


    ''.... The current Leon is too young to handle a trauma like this. He''ll most likely suffer if I let him go like


    this.''


    While I had managed to calm him down, that was far from enough.


    It only helped relieve the symptoms.


    If I were to let him go like this, I was afraid that something bad might happen. He was far too


    young to deal with a situation such as this.


    .... And since I was the one who had revived him, I knew that I also had to be responsible for


    helping him return to normal.


    If that had not been the case, the effects of the third leaf would''ve already vanished by now.


    ''But how exactly am I going to help him...?''


    I needed to overwrite his trauma with a new memory.


    Combining it with my Emotive Magic, I knew I''d be able to help him out.


    But how exactly could I overwrite that memory?


    "Umm."


    I racked my brain for a good while before turning my attention toward the ring on my finger.


    Perhaps...


    ***


    The pain came fast.


    It sliced right through his neck.


    He remembered seeing the world spin, the ground staining red as his consciousness started to


    blur.


    It all happened fast, but Leon understood what had happened back then.


    He...


    He had died.


    ...And Julien had killed him of all people.


    How could he?


    All Leon felt was resentment.


    How could Julien do this to him? He had been so good to him. He had done everything that he


    had asked him to do and trained hard so that he could repay his kindness.


    And yet...


    Leon wanted to scream, but he couldn''t.


    The darkness overtook his vision, and his life ended.


    Or so he thought. Opening his eyes again, Leon saw a pair of hazel eyes stare back at him. They were the same


    pair of eyes that had taken his head away, and he immediately started to panic.


    ''No, leave me alone!?''


    He screamed in his mind, his breathing growing rougher and his mind growing nk.


    "H-ah, you...!?"


    Leon held his neck, afraid that it''d roll at any second.


    It didn''t happen, but the scene from before felt so vivid that it felt as though it happened.


    He felt trapped, lost in the situation as tears started to well up in his eyes and his entire body


    started to shake.


    ''No, no... Not again...!''


    He wanted to scream, but the words simply refused to leave his mouth.


    Leon was about to lose it.


    "Calm down."


    ...Until a certain voice reached his ears.


    Leon suddenly felt his mind grow numb. His thoughts paused, and the fear that he previously


    felt was pushed away.


    He felt something rise from within his chest, but he couldn''t understand what it was.


    It was trying to overwrite his pain and fear.


    ''What is happening...?''


    The world before him felt hazy.


    Leon didn''t understand what was happening.


    All he could feel was this forced emotion that was building up in his chest. He forced it down


    at any cost.


    ''Go away...!''


    And just when he thought he was doing a good job at it, a certain voice echoed beside him.


    It was familiar, and it felt warm.


    "Why don''t skeletons fight each other?"


    Uh...?


    Leon blinked his eyes, his thoughts straying away from the situation and onto the question.


    The question was so random that he momentarily let his guard down.


    Why? Why did they fight each other?


    "They don''t have the guts."


    "?"


    The sensation pulling at his chest suddenly grew.


    "What''s orange and sounds like a parrot?"


    The voice echoed again.


    Leon paused. Orange and sounds like a parrot...? Do such things exist?


    Unkwoingly, he started to be invested in this as a weird sensation crept up from within


    his chest.


    "A carrot."


    "...!?"


    Leon held onto his chest, the feeling boiling in his chest rising further.


    He suddenly forgot about what had happened before.


    His mind was filled with other thoughts, like...


    ''Help...! Make this stop!''


    "Why don''t eggs tell jokes?"


    No, make it stop...


    Leon could feel his body shaking at this point. The feeling that was rising from deep within


    him was starting to spill out of his body, and his mind started to clear up.


    The memories from before started to be blurry in his mind.


    "They''d crack each other up."


    "Ah!"


    Leon held clenched his shirt tightly, his entire body shaking.


    "What''s brown and sticky?"


    "No, stop..."


    Leon bit his lips.


    He was on the verge of breaking. This had to stop.


    He couldn''t-


    "A stick."


    "Pfttt...!"


    A strange sound escaped Leon''s lips as the strange feeling welling up in his chest exploded.


    "Kahk!"


    Regardless of his attempts at trying to stop it, he couldn''t. It just spilled out as his entire body


    shook.


    "Kahahkah...!"


    Tears welled up in his eyes as he crouched down.


    "A... stick? Khuek...!"


    Heughed.


    ....Leon suddenly felt his worries vanish for just the briefest of moments.


    And he clung onto that sensation.


    He needed to get rid of all the bottled-up feelings inside, and he did so in the form of augh.


    He didn''t know what was happening, but he suddenly felt liberated.


    At this very moment, memories of what had happened resurfaced in his mind, but he no


    longer felt as scared.


    .... He was still alive, and that was all that mattered.


    "Keuk!"


    Thump.


    Hisughter was interrupted by a certain sound.


    As Leon turned around, his eyes settled on a book that appeared behind him. Blinking his eyes


    a couple of times, he read the cover of the book:


    "Fun jokes that will make youugh all day."


    ***


    Absorbed in the book, I didn''t notice the subtle shift around me until it was toote. The


    world seemed to ripple, pulling me from my thoughts.


    Startled, I dropped the book, my heart racing as I tried to make sense of what just happened.


    By the time I realized what was happening, Leon appeared in front of me once more.


    This time...


    It was the Leon that I was used to.


    ''I''m back...?''


    I blinked my eyes to make sure I wasn''t seeing things. However, seeing Leon''s grown back


    turned against me as he was lost in his own thoughts, I knew that I was back.


    I felt relieved as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.


    ''.... Did I do it?''


    The Leon from back then...


    He looked broken.


    Lost.


    ...I was afraid to see that he might crumble due to the trauma.


    Hesitant, I turned to check on the present Leon, bracing myself for what I might see. But to


    my relief, he remained unchanged, steady as ever. A quiet sigh escaped me, the tension easing


    from my chest.


    He was just staring at the area before him with a dazed look.


    Nothing changed...


    "Thank god.''


    I sighed in relief as I finally let go of Leon''s shoulder.


    Then, as Leon was still focused elsewhere, I opened my mouth.


    "Hey Leon..."


    Leon''s body shook for a brief moment, his head turning to face my direction.


    "Why don''t oysters donate to charity?"


    He froze mid-way as he suddenly shuddered.


    His head shook repeatedly, but it was toote.


    ''I''m sorry, but this has to be done.'' "No, no-"


    "Because they''re shellfish."


    "Pfttt-!"

 Chapter 379: The reason for his change [4]

    Chapter 379: The reason for his change [4]


    ?


    nk-


    I closed the door behind me and headed for the bookshelf to retrieve a familiar diary.


    Click!


    Injecting my mana into it, the diary ''clicked'' and opened. Scrolling through the pages, I read through them once again.


    ''Die! Die! Die! Die!''


    My eyes darted from left to right as I read through each page once again.


    I took in all the details that I previously missedst time, regardless of how meaningless they seemed.


    From the tears on the pages to the little stains on them.


    I took in everything.


    ""


    I didn''t know how long had passed, but by the time I had read it for the ''nth'' time, the sky outside had already gotten dark.


    "....Everything checks out with what is written. Nothing has changed."


    I took a deep breath then.


    ''Did I really go to the past...?''


    By now, all signs pointed towards it. However, given the fact that nothing, in reality, had changed meant that all of this was ''predetermined''. Like some sort of ''paradox''.


    One could say that had I not done what I did, reality would change.


    ....If that even made sense.


    Then again, this was merely a hypothesis.


    There could be other exnations, but thinking back to what ''Oracleus'' was supposed to be, then it all made a lot more sense.


    But was I really Oracleus...?


    If so, why couldn''t I remember a thing?


    "Haaa."


    I let out a long sigh.


    Things were reallyplicated. A lot moreplicated than it looked. Every time I seemed to find some answers, new questions would pop up, and so on.


    But...


    ''I''m getting closer.''


    Of this much I was sure.


    ....I was slowlying closer to the truth.


    All I had to do was continue doing the quests. So long as I kept up with them then I was sure I''d be able to find out more about the entire situation and this weird ''gam that I found myself in.


    "All those thoughts aside, I''m still struggling to understand one part."


    I paused my eyes on the dairy once more, settling over a few lines.


    ''I... I deserve it! Should I take the strange liquid that I found? Maybe then I can...''


    It was regarding the strange liquid that Julien once took.


    I was stillpletely oblivious as to what it was. Before I had the time to check, I was already back to the present.


    Now all I could do was specte about it.


    "He said he gave it to his brother, and nothing happened apart from his strength increasing. In that case, as far as I''m concerned, it may be some sort of enhancer."


    I already knew about this part.


    What I was more concerned about was how he had managed to get his hands on such an ''enhancer'' if it even was that.


    "The Inverted Sky perhaps...?''


    This was my main concern. If it really was the ''Inverted Sky'' then how did they manage to reach the previous Julien?


    Were they also the ones responsible for his change...? For his obsession with swordsmanship?


    I needed to figure out the reason for his obsession.


    It couldn''t just be for the simple reason that he wanted to be a swordsman. I didn''t think things were as simple as that.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    There was more to it.


    And...


    It was highly likely that the Inverted Sky had infiltrated the Evenus Household.


    "....If that''s the case then they''ll probably make contact with me soon enough."


    The thought made my heart sink.


    However, thinking about my current strength and position within the organization, I was no longer as worried.


    ''Right, things are different now.''


    I could handle the situation better.


    My only worries were if those from the Inverted Sky had really been responsible for Julien''s


    obsession.


    If that was the case then my sudden change in attitude would caution them.


    I needed to be careful of that.


    "Perhaps, I should take up the sword for a bit."


    Just to sell the fact that I was still clinging to it.


    "....Huam"


    Suddenly yawning, I was ovee with tiredness.


    I blinked my eyes a couple of times, feeling them grow heavier by the second. Seeing how tired I was, I closed the diary and put it back on the bookshelf before throwing myself onto


    the bed.


    Today I was going to sleep in.


    Yeah...


    I needed sleep.


    A lot of it.


    ***


    The Evenus Barony didn''t have a longsting history. Before the rise of Aldric Evenus, they


    were nothing but a regr small Barony.


    Their annual ie was far lower than it was in the present, with their military nothing


    worth taking note of.


    ....Their rise was something unexpected, and it all started with Aldric who was able to find and carefully utilize the gold mine that resided within their territory of Westernborn.


    Had the finding of the gold mine been announced to the public, a great dispute would''ve urred over it with the bordering noble households trying to find ways to im it for


    themselves.


    However, such a thing never urred.


    By the time the Gold Mine was found out, Aldric had secretly grown the Evenus Barony into a


    fearsome powerhouse.


    The neighboring Household did try to have a im over it, but in the end, they could only silently retreat while paying more attention to them.


    They could no longer ignore them as they did in the past.


    ...The situation remained in a tight deadlock as the neighboring Households all eyed the


    Evenus Household warily.


    It was supposed to continue like this, but...


    A situation urred.


    ck-


    A newspaper was thrown over arge wooden desk.


    It read;


    [Breaking] ¡ª <The Rise of the Twin Star of the Evenus Household>


    Julien Dacre Evenus of the Evenus Household manages to defeat Leon Ellert of the same Household in the finals, granting great honor to the Empire. Who are they, and how was the Evenus Household able to grow such powerhouses?


    "We can''t let this go on any further."


    A rough voice echoed within arge room.


    It belonged to Viscount Theodore Raimsal of the Raimsal Household.


    He was a short,nky man with ck hair cut in a bowl shape, resembling the cap of a mushroom. His nose was unusually long, giving his face a sharp, almost intimidating


    appearance.


    But it was his eyes-fierce and intense-that drew the most attention as if they could pierce through anyone who dared look his way.


    With four territories under his name, he was a powerful noble with enough influence and power to make him viable for a seat at ''Central''-The noble coalition.


    He owned several territories, with one bordering Westernborn. Three other individuals were sitting on the seats opposite him. They were;


    Baron Johans Kaliak.


    Baron Orin Mainz.


    Baron Soren Hindua.


    The four nobles present had one thing inmon, and that was that they bordered with one


    of the Evenus household''s territories.


    ....The recent rise of the Evenus Household had put them all in a panic, forcing them to create


    an alliance between the four.


    "At the rate the Evenus Household is growing, it won''t be long before they bare their fangs in


    our direction."


    The one who was most worried about the situation was the Viscount.


    ...It had been him all those years back who had tried to snatch away the gold mine from the


    Evenus Household.


    One could say their rtionship wasn''t the best.


    He was able to keep the the situation at a deadlock for the past few years, alongside the other


    noble houses who started to worry about their rise. They too didn''t have a great rtionship


    with the Evenus Household.


    Nheless, they were still able to coexist until this very moment.


    Neither side was strong enough topletely tear each other down.


    Well, that was until recently.


    The sudden piece of news shattered the deadlock that had been keeping them at bay for so


    long.


    "....We need to act now before it''s toote."


    "And how do you expect us to do that?"


    Baron Mainz asked, his voice softer than expected from someone as burly as him. With a thick


    mustache and long white hair, he sat with his arms interlocked as his deep hazel eyes scanned


    the room.


    "Julien, and their knight... Leon. They are the Empire''s most prized assets. Do you expect us to


    attack them like that? Do you think the Empire will sit still?"


    "Right!"


    "....If we do anything we might incur the Empire''s wrath."


    The other Barons agreed.


    "You''re right."


    The Viscount nodded faintly. He expected such a reaction.


    "I''ve thought about different ways to handle the situation. A marriage alliance was the first


    thing that came to my mind."


    His words made the other grow tense.


    If he were to get into a marriage alliance wouldn''t he just ditch them...?


    Thankfully, it wasn''t possible.


    "I''ve been told that they are in talks with the Verlice Household for that. There doesn''t seem


    to be a possibility."


    "Then...?"


    §´§Ñ§â. §´§Ñ§â.


    Drumming his fingers over the wooden desk, the Viscount leaned his body back.


    He then raised his hand, raising one of his fingers.


    "Realistically, we only have one option "


    The room fell silent, a strange tension taking hold of the room.


    "Our first option is to cripple them financially. We take their gold mine and cut out all of their resources. With how much they''ve grown, their daily expenditure must be enormous. So long as we manage to do so, they''ll slowly start to umte debt to keep the household afloat."


    "But what about Julien and Leon? Wouldn''t they interfere? Attacking the Household would


    mean attacking them..."


    Baron Mainz interjected.


    His words promoted the Baron Hindua to speak,


    "What if we incur their wrath? They may not be able to do much for us now, but what about in


    the future?"


    "There''s no need to worry about that. The Empire won''t do a thing if we don''t harm them." Conflicts between Noble Households were normal.


    The Megrail Family usually never bothered with such matters. All they cared about was their


    own power.


    So long as they could suppress everyone then they were happy with all types of conflicts that


    urred from within.


    Of course, the conflicts had to be within reason.


    Baron Kaliak frowned, not satisfied with the answer.


    "It''s not about the Empire doing nothing to us. It''s what the two of them are going to do to us


    once they grow strong enough to pose trouble to us. What then...?"


    Once again, the room grew tense.


    Baron Kaliak had hit the nail in the coffin with his question. It wasn''t that they were worried


    about the current Julien and Leon.


    They were worried about their potential, which they couldn''t suppress or get rid of.


    ''Cowards.''


    Viscount Raimsal muttered in his heart as he looked around.


    ''If not for the fact that I need them...''


    Taking a deep breath, the Viscount shrugged his shoulders.


    "Okay then..."


    He looked around once more, leaning his back against the chair.


    "Let''s say we do nothing. What then? Are you just going to let the Evenus Household grow?


    You said that you''re worried about the potential that Julien and Leon have disyed. I am


    also worried, but whether they hold a grudge against us or not doesn''t matter."


    "Why?"


    Baron Mainz asked, his brows furrowing slightly.


    The Viscountughed before smacking his fist against the wooden table.


    Bang!


    "Because be it now orter, the Evenus Household will still try to reach their ws our way!"


    The room immediately grew silent as the Viscount''s expression twisted.


    "Use your brain of yours for a second! Why worry about the potential of the two and their


    potential retaliation when we might not even be here by the time the two of them be powerhouses!" His voice bellowed loudly within the room, waking up the Barons from their conservative


    views. It was only after the Viscount had told them the situation directly that they realized how bad the situation was for them.


    "We have no choice but to act! ...And let''s say that we do incur the wrath of the two from the Evenus Household. It''ll take time before they be big enough to threaten the current us, but who is to say that we''re going to be the same in that time?"


    "Uh...?"


    11 211


    "What do you-"


    "Think about it."


    The Viscount pressed his temple.


    "...With all the resources we manage to swallow from the Evenus Household, do you really


    think we''ll remain stagnant?!"


    "Ah."


    ".....!"


    Realization finally dawned on the other Barons.


    Indeed, if they were toe in possession of the gold mine, then they''d be able to triple, if


    not quadruple their yearly ies, and that included the fact that they were going to split it amongst each other.


    The realization finally hit them as their breathing became rougher. Viscount Raimsal watched all of this with a smile as he finally sighed in relief.


    But this wasn''t the decisive blow.


    He had something else to say.


    "Lastly, I don''t think we need to worry too much about the twin stars of the Evenus


    Household."


    "Wh-"


    Before the other Barons had a chance to say a thing, the Viscount spoke, "....Especially not if we manage to take one to our side."

 Chapter 380: The Head of the Household [1]

    Chapter 380: The Head of the Household [1]


    ?


    "..."


    It was strange.


    Feeling the faint breezeing from the open window and stretching my body, I felt weird.


    ''.... Yeah, this is weird.''


    For the first time in a very long time, I woke up without any worries.


    I didn''t need to think about my next fight nor did I have to think about some stupid quest that was hanging on my head like a reaper''s scythe.


    It felt strangelyforting.


    First thing in the morning, my mood was great.


    ''I wish every day is like this.''


    "Huam."


    Stretching my body again, I yawned and got out of bed.


    The moment I did I was surprised to see a metal tray resting on the table opposite the bed. I could see fruits, eggs, and several other interesting food choices.


    "This...?"


    I walked closer to it and saw a small letter.


    [Enjoy your breakfast, Young Master.]


    "Hoho~?"


    My heart squeezed, and the joy I felt increased further as I suddenly started appreciating the decision toe here.


    "I guess there''s perks to being a noble."


    I picked up the fork and knife that were by the side and prepared to indulge myself in the wonderful breakfast.


    "....Where should I start?"


    There were so many choices.


    The eggs, the sweets, the bacon, the...


    "I guess I''ll start with the milk."


    I was feeling a little thirsty. Smacking my lips, I brought the cup to my mouth and drank the milk. Ah~ It was so fresh. I fel-


    nk!


    The door abruptly opened, revealing a familiar figure as he walked in my direction with a paper in his hand.


    Without giving me a chance to understand what was going on, he smacked the paper on the table.


    ck-


    "Read it."


    I was so taken aback that I didn''t know what to do and just lowered my head.


    [Breaking] ¡ª <The Rise of the Twin Star of the Evenus Household>


    "Pfttt!"


    The milk spilled out from my mouth and onto Leon who stood frozen on the spot. "Ukeh...!"


    But I couldn''t care less as I took another sip of the milk, and...


    "Pfttt-!"


    Made sure to spit it out again.


    "Ukh!"


    My toes curled inwardly as I read the title of the newspaper again. I tried to drink the milk again, but Leon snatched it away before I could.


    |||||


    11


    ||


    We looked at each other for a brief moment before shuddering on the spot.


    "Ukh."


    "Euhkh....!"


    We couldn''t help it.


    This was a natural reaction after seeing what was written on the paper. The Twin Stars of the Evenus Household...


    "Ukehh!"


    I gagged, secretly rejoicing at the fact that I hadn''t eating my breakfast just yet.


    ...There was the very real possibility of me throwing it all up in one go.


    Taking a few deep breaths, I grabbed the newspaper and took a closer look at it. In there, I could see a picture of me and Leon standing together, crossing fists and swords.


    The shot was nice, but... the title wasn''t.


    "Kh... Where did you get this?"


    "I... Kh... found it downstairs. E-Evelyn gave it to me."


    "S-she.. kh... did?"


    "Ukh... yeah. She has s-several copies."


    "R-really? Should we get rid of her?"


    "Maybe, b-ut wipe your saliva first. You l-look stupid."


    "Y-ou''ve got milk all over you.. kh."


    "Kh... You''re right."


    The situation was a lot more dire than anticipated.


    ...And if things couldn''t get any worse.


    "Umm."


    A soft voice echoed from the entrance of the room, gathering our attention. As both of our heads flicked to face the door, a familiar shy-looking maid appeared, her head lowered as her


    voice came out in a whisper.


    "...T-the master has asked for you two."


    Finally raising her head, she looked at the state of the two of us.


    "Should... I tell him you''reing soon?"


    Leon and I quickly sobered up.


    The head of the household was calling for us?


    Leon didn''t waste a second and directly left the room, wiping his face as he hurriedly went to change. I did the same, telling the maid to buy us some time before changing into a new set of


    clothes.


    Thankfully, my clothes weren''t dirty.


    But I still needed to change. I slipped into a dark blue zer and a pair of matching pants, the fabric sleek and well-fitted. A crisp white T-shirtpleted the look, its simplicity perfectly


    complementing the zer.


    "Yeah, not bad."


    I wasn''t one to care much about style, but as a noble, appearances mattered. One had to dress


    appropriately, like it or not.


    Thankfully, my looks made up for the imperfections in my clothes.


    Fixing my cor and hair, I eventually headed for the Household Head''s Office.


    It was located on the same floor as Julien''s room-the second floor-and it took no longer


    than a couple of minutes to reach the space.


    Leon was already waiting for me at the entrance.


    ''He''s quick.''


    There was someone else waiting alongside him at the entrance. It was Evelyn who soon


    noticed my presence.


    Seeing her, I was once again reminded of the words she previously told me and my face tensed


    subtly.


    .... It was a good thing that she didn''t notice a thing as the door opened to reveal an older man wearing a butler attire.


    His disposition seemed calm as he scanned the surroundings, his gaze settling over me by the


    end.


    "You maye in. The Head is waiting for you."


    He opened the door wide, disying the insides of a wide office where arge wooden table


    sat at the end.


    I looked at Leon for a brief moment before stepping into the room.


    He, alongside Evelyn, followed right after me.


    nk-


    A strange silence ensued as we entered the office.


    Elegantly seated on one of the sofas positioned opposite the desk, where a gray carpety


    beneath, Aldric nced in our direction. His movements were calm, almost regal, as he took a


    small sip of the tea in his hand.


    "...You''re here."


    He ced the cup down, setting it aside and gesturing toward the seats opposite him.


    "Have a seat."


    For some strange reason, I obeyed his words without a question and sat down.


    He was just standing there, and yet...


    ''Why does he give a familiar sensation to Delh?''


    No, it wasn''t quite the same. Delh''s presence was overwhelming, driven by the sheer


    intensity of her power.


    On the other hand, his oppression came from something subtler. It was his casual demeanor,


    the way he carried himself without effort, yet somehow made everything around him feel


    small and insignificant.


    ''....So strange.''


    The chair felt snug, gently hugging my body and slowly pulling me towards it.


    ||


    It was quiet, all eyes on the Head who took another sip of his tea.


    I grew curious, pursing my lips faintly.


    What did he bring us here for...? He did mention he wanted to talk to us about something


    important.


    For some reason, my gaze fell on Evelyn. A thought struck me and my face fell. It couldn''t


    be...?


    As if she had simr thoughts as me, she turned her head and met my gaze.


    Her face was a little pale, and her lips were trembling.


    The sight took me aback.


    ''....I get not wanting to be married to me, but you don''t have to look so pitiful.''


    It almost felt as though I was the one wronging her.


    Tak-


    The sound of the cup hitting the te woke all of us up as I once again turned my attention


    towards the Head.


    His lips parted open, and my body grew tense at the inevitable talk that I didn''t want to have.


    "We will be attacked soon."


    "I re-uh?"


    Halfway through my rejection, I realized that something was wrong and froze.


    Did he just...?


    "


    Blinking my eyes a couple of times, I shifted my attention towards Leon and Evelyn. They


    both wore surprised looks as they stared at the Head with looks of disbelief.


    ''What''s going on...?''


    ''We will be attacked?''


    I could practically see their thoughts from their expressions.


    ...Just when I thought things couldn''t get any more confusing, he lifted his gaze to look at me.


    "It''s about time you take on official duties. I want you to lead a team alongside Leon to get rid


    of them."


    "Uh?"


    What did he just say?


    I wasn''t the only one shocked. Leon was as well.


    He had more or less filled me up on the history of the Household, and so I had an idea of who


    we were dealing with.


    ...And that was the problem.


    I knew who we were dealing with.


    There was simply no way for me and Leon to beat them. We were strong, but not enough to


    beat the soldiers belonging to multiple Noble Households.


    ''The Head probably doesn''t expect me to fight but lead, but even then, there''s so many better


    people...''


    I clenched my teeth and felt my head throb.


    Before I could even voice out myint, the Head took another sip, his demenour as calm


    as ever.


    "This is a chance for you to change your reputation amongst the people and the soldiers.


    You''re the next Head, Julien. It is about time you fulfill your duties."


    Tak-n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Finally, for the first time in a while, he finally properly looked at me.


    His eyes were intense and staring into them, I struggled to find the right words.


    But that was only momentary as I cooled my mind and emotions.


    I wasn''t going to be forced into a situation I didn''t want to be a part of. And for that reason, I


    rejected his offer.


    "I thank you for the offer, but I''ll decline."


    "...."


    The room grew tense at my rejection as the Head''s gaze became more intense. I couldn''t tell


    what he was thinking. Was he surprised by my rejection, or did he expect it?


    Eventually, his lips parted open as he asked,


    ".... Why?"


    "Why else? I want to practice my swordsmanship. I''ve already fulfilled your previous


    requests. I don''t have time to waste."


    I made sure to emphasize thisst part and prepared to leave when his voice stopped me.


    "You won''t have to waste much time".


    "Um?"


    I paused, shifting my attention back to the Head who leaned back on his chair.


    "The Alliance will probably attack in the next few days. The target will be the gold mine in


    Westernborn."


    "Right..."


    I knew all about the mine. It was apparently very ric-


    "It''s been several years since the mine has been depleted."


    "!?"


    It wasn''t just me who was surprised, but so were Leon and Evelyn.


    Been years?


    Then...


    "For the past several years I bought raw gold in secret and pretended that it came from us."


    "What...?"


    Why would he do that?


    No, it became clear to me rather quickly why he would do that.


    ...And the thought made me shudder as I suddenly realized why he was so adamant about


    bringing Leon and me back to the Household.


    "Are you nning on using the mine to bury the army of all the Alliance members?"


    || ||


    The Head didn''t answer, but the faint smile on his face made the answer all too clear as he


    took a gentle sip of his tea.


    "It''s an easy job. I''ll take care of the aftermath. By the time we''re done, we''ll have absorbed over a dozen territories at once."

 Chapter 381: The Head of the Household [2]

    Chapter 381: The Head of the Household [2]


    ?


    My body shuddered upon hearing his words.


    ''So he wants to take everything...''


    Leon and Evelyn both looked stunned by what the Head said, his nonchnt attitude only adding to his suffocating presence.


    It was as though he had said nothing of importance.


    I pursed my lips and talked,


    "....If you''ve already nned everything out, why do you need me and Leon to lead?"


    "Didn''t I say so before?"


    Aldric carefully ced the teacup down.


    "I''m doing all of this to fix your reputation within the Household. If you manage to seed, then the citizens and my vassals will start treating you better. They won''t avoid you like they do now. This will benefit you in the long run."


    But I like it that way...


    "Of course, I do gain something out of this too."


    A faint smile appeared on Aldric''s lips as he refilled the teacup.


    "...Not only will I gain several territories, but it''ll also be the perfect opportunity to showcase the two of you. The other Households will have to think twice before eyeing ournds. Unlike the four fools we''re currently targeting, they have no reason to suspect that we''ll move against them. For that reason, it will be in their best interest to appease us rather than antagonize us."


    His words brought a strange silence across the room.


    Nobody said a thing. Or it was more like... Nobody had any words to say.


    It became clear from the start to Leon and me that Aldric had everything figured out from the start.


    The reason why he hade to visit me wasn''t because he had more interest in me because I won the Summit, but because my presence would enable him to push his ns forward.


    He nned on eliminating and swallowing everything that surrounded the Evenus territory. He was a...


    I looked in Leon''s direction.


    ''Snake.''


    As if sensing my gaze, Leon frowned but didn''t look my way.


    I knew he understood me.


    "You won''t have much to do. Just attend and disy your faces. My vassals will take care of everything else for you."


    I shifted my attention away from Leon and back to the Head.


    He was still as calm as he was before, and it was his calmness that made me hesitate.


    ''....I need to keep my distance.''


    It felt as though nothing could escape his eyes. The fact that he was able to endure for so long and even incur losses so that he could swallow all the nearby territories made me extremely apprehensive.


    ....I was afraid he''d figure something out if I stayed too close to him.


    Thankfully, from what I understood from Leon, Julien''s rtionship with his father wasn''t very great.


    It made things a lot easier for me.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Do I get anything out of this?"


    Still, if he was going to make me do this, I wasn''t nning on doing it for free. The previous Julien wouldn''t and the same was true for me.


    |||||


    The Head''s gaze shifted towards me the moment I said those words.


    His intense eyes focused directly on me as I stared back without much of a change in expression.


    "Isn''t the opportunity to gain the trust of my vassals enough?"


    "No."


    It was nice, but I found it unlikely that I''d be able to gain control of the vassals any time soon. He still looked rather young.


    Furthermore, we both knew that his excuse was bullshit.


    He had only called for Leon and me so that he could cover himself with our reputation.


    This was an borate n to disy the two of us in order to deter any other territory that didn''t have any conflicts with the Evenus Household.


    He had all to gain while we had nothing to gain.


    "I want something else."


    || ||


    Aldric quietly nodded his head.


    "Let''s hear it. What do you want?"


    || "1


    I frowned slightly, a little stumped. I didn''t actually know what I wanted. But it didn''t really


    matter.


    "I''ll let you know when I can think about it."


    There was no need for me to think about it now.


    I had plenty of time to do that.


    "....Okay."


    The Head appeared okay with the arrangement and I nodded in satisfaction. Good. At least, he


    was reasonable enough to talk with.


    Aldric extended his hand in the direction of the door.


    "Since we''vee to an agreement, you may take your leave."


    "Um."


    I stood up alongside Leon and Evelyn.


    But just as Evelyn stood up, Aldric stopped her.


    "You, stay."


    Evelyn''s expression froze as she looked at Leon. He only looked at her for a brief moment


    before turning away.


    ''I''ve noticed it for a while, but Leon seems to be really scared of the family Head...''


    He was so obedient to him.


    It made me a little curious. Why exactly was he like this?


    "Close the door on your way out."


    The two of us could only nce at each other for a short moment before leaving the office


    space and closing the door behind us.


    nk!


    We stood by the hall that led to the office and stopped briefly. I turned my attention towards


    Leon who appeared to be lost in his own thoughts.


    "What do you think he asked her to stay for?"


    "....I don''t know."


    Leon replied with a calm look.


    "You don''t thi-"


    "It''s unlikely."


    Leon stopped me before I could borate further.


    "The Head of the Verlice family would need to be involved for any marriage alliance to go through. He''s probably speaking to her about the n we just discussed. He wants the Verlice


    family''s support."


    "Ah."


    That made sense.


    While the Verlice Household wasn''t located near the Evenus Household, they were rtively


    close to severalnds of Viscount Raimsal.


    Their goal was probably that.


    "Oh, right."


    As if recalling something, Leon looked at me.


    "I''ve received news that the Curse Chamber has been built. We have a lot of time before we


    need to help the family Head. In the meantime, if you want, you can enter the chamber and train."


    "I can?"


    My heartbeat sped up all of a sudden.


    Finally, a good piece of news!


    I had been waiting for this for a very long time. Finally, I could focus on training without any


    disruptions.


    "Where is it?"


    "....It''s in the courtyard. I''ll bring you to it."


    Leon beckoned me with his head and walked ahead. I followed closely from behind, massaging the ring on my hand as I thought about the two books that As had given me. I


    also thought back to the pill and pursed my lips.


    ''Should I learn the two spells first, or upgrade my already existing skills?''


    These thoughts crossed my mind multiple times on the way to the Chamber which I soon saw


    as we headed downstairs, towards the courtyard which was stunning to look at with all the well-maintained grass and pirs by the side.


    "Yeah, it''s done."


    Leon''s steps came to a sudden stop as he pointed toward the center where arge wooden


    shack appeared.


    "Uh?"


    The sight threw me off a little.


    It looked out of ce.


    "That is...?"


    "The Curse Chamber."


    Leon replied nonchntly.


    I scratched the side of my face, squinting my eyes to make sure Leon wasn''t lying. However,


    seeing how there was no change in his expression, I could tell that he wasn''t.


    "It looks a little bit different than I imagined."


    "...How did you expect it to look like?"


    "I don''t know. A big ck box? One with runes all around and stuff."


    "...."


    Leon looked at me weirdly before shaking his head and opening the door of the chamber.


    "You can train in peace. Every day one of the attendants will bring you food. If you want to


    come out, you can tell one of the servants in advance so that they can prepare your room. If


    somethinges up, I''ll call for you."


    "...Okay."


    There was no need for Leon to say anything else. Nor was I interested in hearing anything


    else.


    ....I just wanted to get started with my training, and after sparing Leon onest nce, I directly entered the chamber, closing the door behind me.


    nk!


    ***


    Near the borders of Westernborn.


    A camp housing several thousand troops had been set up, its tents stretching across the


    landscape. Overseeing the camp was Viscount Ramsail, who beckoned one of the guards to his


    side.


    "Captain Bohr, how is the situation?"


    "...All good for now. The soldiers are all healthy and ready to fight."


    "Good."


    Viscount Ramsail was pleased.


    He was especially pleased at the sight of the man before him. Jack Bohr-A Tier 5 Knight and


    one of the main cornerstones of his army.


    He wasn''t particrly tall, about the same height as the Viscount, but his muscr build was


    striking. His presence exuded an air of dominance, making him appear far more imposing


    than his stature suggested.


    Furthermore, his shiny silver armor that covered his features made him extremely intimidating to look at.


    His tall and sharpnce made him especially terrifying to look at.


    It was one of the main reasons he was extremely infamous, with some regarding him as one of


    the best knights beneath the sixth tier.


    ...He was someone that even the higher-ranked nobles coveted.


    "We will be departing in a couple of days. Our operation must be done in secret. We must first infiltrate Westernborn and cut off all means ofmunication and transportation. We''ll iste the ce from the Evenus Household before striking in one go and taking over the


    mine."


    The entire operation was going to be a long one.


    It would approximatelyst a couple of months, with the goal to cut off all means of help from Evenus House)


    By the time the Evenus Household sent reinforcements, it''d already be toote. "The other Barons have already stationed their troops outside the other borders. They''ll be


    the first to strike, taking most of the attention. I want you to take the troops and start the


    operation once that happens."


    "Understood."


    Captain Bohr nodded with a stern gaze.


    Then, with a clean salute, he turned around and left.


    The Viscount smiled and watched his departing back for several seconds.


    It was only once he left that his smile faded.


    Licking his lips, his eyes narrowed.


    "....I didn''t really want to do this Baron Evenus, but some things are necessary in order to


    survive."


    Yes.


    This was all for survival.


    The next day, the operation began.


    ***


    Darkness embraced me the moment the door closed.


    I struggled to make out my surroundings, but the moment I closed the door, a dim purple


    light flickered on from above.


    Flick.


    It was soon followed by another light, and then another.


    Flick. Flick.


    In a matter of seconds, over several dozen purple lights flickered around the room.


    I looked around in a daze as I felt the air thicken considerably. A familiar sensation washed


    over me as I felt the pores on my body open up.


    "This..."


    I looked closely to the dim purple lights to notice several runes inscribed on the walls.


    ''So that''s the source of the light.''


    Closing my eyes, I could feel that the air was dense with the ''Curse'' element. I had felt this


    feeling before and I didn''t waste a second to take out the books that I had received from As,


    alongside the pill.


    [Nightmare Hex]


    [Immersia]


    "....I think I''ll start by learning these."


    After that, I nned on upgrading my spells. And right after that, I nned on expanding my


    domain.


    I was still at the ''Concept'' stage and there was still so much for me to explore.


    "Alright, then."


    I let out a long breath and popped the pill in my mouth.


    "Let''s get started."


    Crunch.


    My mind cooled down and I opened the book.


    Instantly, theplicated runes disyed on the spell became easier to decipher as I


    extended my hand and mumbled, "One run, two runes, three runes..."


    My training began like that. I became so immersed in it that I lost track of time. I just ate,


    trained, and slept.


    It was all that I did.


    And by the time I came out, apparently...


    Three months had passed.

 Chapter 382: Attainment [1]

    Chapter 382: Attainment [1]


    ?


    During the time Julien was training, significant changes urred in the Evenus territory.


    In the first week of Julien''s absence, the three neighboring baronies-Mainz, Hindua, and Kaliak¡ªall attacked at once. Their target was Cleomia, the second territory owned by the Evenus Household.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Cleomia wasn''t as rich as Westernborn. There was no gold mine, nor was thend good for agriculture.


    However, it was located in an optimal spot, bordering one of thends owned by the Thorn Rose Guild-one of the fifteen Great Guilds.


    Additionally, it was near one of the Mirror Cracks residing within the Empire.


    Cleomia''s strategic location made it an attractive spot for those traveling to the Thorn Rose Guild, bringing a lot of tourism.


    It was an important territory for the Evenus Household, and so, from the moment the three baronies attacked, Aldric had no choice but to send out several troops to defend against their forces.


    Within the Household...


    "How is the situation?"


    Aldric''s voice was calm as he scanned the papers on his desk.


    There were over a dozen, all reports on the current state of affairs from both territories. Westernborn was currently ''peaceful'' - at least on the surface.


    However, Viscount Ramsail''s army had already infiltrated the gaps Aldric had left for them to exploit.


    Communication was slowly starting to dwindle, and the roads were being cut off.


    Everything was going ording to n.


    "....It''s as you predicted, Family Head."


    A butler stood at the opposite end of Aldric''s desk, bowing respectfully.


    "The three baronies have increased their operations, sending several thousand troops into Cleomia to pressure us into deploying more forces. I fear Viscount Ramsail will soon take over the mine entirely."


    "Hmm. I see. He''s been slower than I anticipated."


    ording to his original n, the Viscount should have taken less than a couple of months topletely infiltrate Westernborn and cut off allmunication and transportation.


    Who would have thought it would take him this long?


    "Viscount Ramsail is an extremely crafty and cautious individual, Family Head. It''s only natural for them to take their time fully controlling the situation."


    "You have a point."


    Aldric''s eyes shifted to another set of papers.


    These contained photos with descriptions beneath them, detailing the profiles of the three barons and the Viscount.


    Aldric had done extensive research on his enemies, dating back to the first time they had tried to seize his mine. He never forgot their actions, slowly building detailed profiles through the spies he had ced in each house.


    The reason for his diligence was simple:


    ''Only by knowing my opponent''s personality can I predict their actions.''


    So far, he had been correct in almost everything.


    His only setback was the Viscount''s caution, which exceeded his estimates.


    ''....One month dy. It''s still not too bad.''


    Aldric closed his eyes and tapped his finger against the wooden desk before reopening them to face the butler.


    "It''s time we proceed with the n. Get Leon to bring Julien to me. It''s time for the Twin Stars of the Evenus Household to show their worth."


    ***


    One week into the chamber.


    "One Rune... Two Runes... Three runes..."


    I stared at my hand while a magic circle started to manifest. My eyes stung as I closely alternated my attention from my hand and to the book next to me.


    The runes were all in ce, and all I needed to do was connect them.


    "Five runes... Six runes... Seven runes... Eight runes..."


    It was slowlying together, and unlike a ''Beginner Spell'', which required twelve runes to unlock, an ''Intermediate Spell'' required eighteen runes to unlock.


    .....For that reason, it was a lot more challenging and annoying to unlock them.


    Thankfully, with the aid of the pill, I was able to reduce the time it took for me tobine and learn the runes.


    My head felt clear and my mana flowed smoothly.


    Everything was progressing well.


    And soon, the inevitable notification appeared.


    Lvl 2. [Nightmare Hex]


    "I... did it."


    I stared at the notification with a nk look before letting out a relieved sigh as I plopped onto the ground and took heavy breaths.


    ....I was exhausted but also felt refreshed.


    I had finally managed to unlock the first spell.


    I wasn''t sure how long it took since I had lost track of time, but it definitely took several days.


    "Umm."


    Blinking my eyes a couple of times to keep my mind fresh, I sat up and extended my hand as a magic circle floated at the top of my palm.


    "Nightmare Hex..."


    The skill was pretty straightforward.


    So long as I touched someone, I could directly induce nightmares to them. It was a skill that I could nt into someone''s mind without them knowing, imparting whatever nightmare I


    wished to give them.


    "....Coupling this with a Fear tag and I''m sure I can break someone."


    The only downside with this skill was the fact that one had to be asleep in order to be used. Thankfully, As had thought about this and imparted me the next skill.


    [Immersia]


    -This spell weaves a powerful curse that forces the target into an immediate and deep sleep, regardless of their current activity or state of mind. The duration is dependent on the target''s


    strength.


    "It''s no wonder he gave me two rather than one."


    .... It was because the two spellsplemented each other perfectly.


    Thinking about the endless possibilities that I had with the two spells after I was done recovering, I immediately jumped onto learning the next spell.


    "One Rune... Two Runes... The Runes..."


    I once again lost track of time and became absorbed in unlocking the second Rune.


    Lvl 2. [Immersia]


    By the time I was done, I waspletely exhausted as sweat poured down on me from all


    sides.


    My clothes were entirely drenched.


    For a moment, I thought about leaving the Chamber but thinking about how I could get side-


    tracked in the process, I decided to stay in the room.


    Like that, I decided to focus on my already unlocked spells.


    [Grip of Pestilence] and [Chains of kantria].


    ... It was about time that I upgraded them.


    "Hoo."


    Utilizing the plentiful ''Curse'' element that lingered in the air, I now focused my attention on


    upgrading the two spells.


    The process was extremely difficult, with me failing several times to upgrade them.


    But unlike in the past, I was more experienced in these types of situations. I knew exactly


    what I needed to do, and as such, used the skill on myself to better understand how the skill


    worked in order for me to upgrade it.


    "Ukeh...!"


    I puked several times and pushed myself to a point where I wanted to quit, but eventually, the


    pain paid off as I was able to upgrade the two spells.


    Lvl 2. [Grip of Pestilence] --> Lvl 3. [Hands of Contagion]


    Lvl 1. [Chains of kantria] --> Lvl 2. [Shackles of kantria]


    ||||


    I sat in silence while staring at the names of the new spells.


    In particr, I paid attention to the evolution of ''Chains of kantria''.


    ....I hadn''t really paid much attention to it in the past, but what exactly was ''kantria''? Was


    it a ce? Some sort of god?


    What did it represent?


    ''It''s probably not a god, but it could be an individual. I''ll have to do some researchter.


    Perhaps there''s more to the skill than I know.''


    .... It could also be nothing special.


    Nheless, it didn''t hurt to check.


    "Haa."


    I looked around me


    The purple runes that were spread out throughout the entire chamber were now a lot dimmer


    than they were before.


    Clearly, there wasn''t much time left.


    ''Does that mean that I''ve almost used all my time?''


    No, that didn''t really make sense...


    It couldn''t be that almost two months had already passed, right?


    "Well, since nobody has called for me then I guess everything is still fine. Maybe they don''t


    even need my help."


    If that was the case then I was happy.


    By the time the Academy started, I was sure Leon woulde and pick me up. With such thoughts, I closed my eyes and immersed myself in training once again. It was rare


    for me to spend so much time by myself just for training. I didn''t want to waste a single


    second of it.


    ...And I didn''t.


    Before I knew it, the chamber waspletely drained


    But even then, I remained in the chamber, fully focused on my domain as I would take short


    breaks on the asions when I was hungry.


    Like this, I lost track of time once more.


    It never urred to me, even until the end, that the estimated time I''d stay was surpassed.


    ... It only dawned on me when I came out.


    "What did you say?"


    Staring at Leon while covering my eyes which were struggling under the sunlight, my heart


    sank.


    "Three months."


    Leon said, his voice light.


    "You''ve been in the chamber for three months. The Academy already started a month ago. It


    was the Family Head that decided to keep you here long. The Academy already gave him


    permission so you don''t have to worry."


    "That..."


    I didn''t know how to react to the sudden situation.


    Blinking my eyes a couple of times, I rubbed my face.


    "What about the whole n?" "....Oh, this is why I called you." Leonbed his hair back while turning around.


    "The Head has called for us. He said, and I quote; It''s time for the Twin Stars of the Eve-


    Uke...!"


    "Akh!"


    I clenched my stomach while cursing ahead as Leon hunched over a wall and started gagging.


    "Uekk."


    "Akh!" This guy...


    He just had to say it!

 Chapter 383: Attainment [2]

    Chapter 383: Attainment [2]


    ?


    "....How was your training?"


    "It wasn''t bad."


    I answered truthfully while massaging my neck. I was sore all over and I probably stunk a lot.


    ....Of that I was sure.


    Turning to look at Leon who was standing several steps away from me, I pursed my lips and tried my best to keep myself collected.


    ''He''s doing it on purpose.''


    This guy...


    He didn''t even give me the chance to properly rest before trying to piss me off.


    I knew I stunk, but he was definitely exaggerating.


    "Go take a shower. The family Head is waiting for you alongside the vessels downstairs. We will need to depart in a few hours."


    Leon didn''t even let me finish before suddenly dashing away from me.


    "....Alright."


    I brought my shirt to my nose and smelled it.


    "Hmm."


    I frowned while squinting my eyes.


    Perhaps Leon wasn''t messing with me.


    Not that I was going to admit it.


    Without turning back, I headed directly for my room on the second floor of the estate. Tak, Tak-


    The corridors were strangely empty, the sound of my steps echoing throughout as none of the servants that were usually present appeared. It was a sight that threw me off a little as the sheer size of the estate became clear to me as I managed to find my way to my room.


    ''It''s not as big as the Royal Pce, but it''s bigger than what most Barons can afford.''


    ....The Head wasn''t lying when he said the Gold mine was almost empty.


    With how extravagant this ce was, it''d be weird if it didn''t dry up.


    Creaak-


    I opened the door to my room and prepared to take off my clothes.


    ....I was in the process of doing so when I stopped.


    "What are you doing here...?"


    Waiting at the entrance of my room was a face I had seen before. It belonged to the head butler.


    Richard Mildrove was it?


    Dressed in a sharp ck suit, with neatly trimmed facial hair and sses, he stood before the bookshelf, posture perfectly straight. He sorted through the books calmly, ncing at the covers each time.


    ||||


    ....


    He didn''t reply to my question.


    Rather, he turned his attention away from the books and looked at me up and down for several seconds, prompting me to frown.


    What is this guy doing...? Did he lose it or something?


    I was just about to speak when his mouth opened,


    "You''ve changed a lot over the past year. You''re almost unrecognizable."


    "....Is that so?"


    Keeping myposure, I carefully removed my zer and hung it to the side. At the same time, I started to loosen my shirt.


    "I''ve been told that quite a lot. I guess focusing on other aspects besides the sword really helped disy my talent."


    "Ah, yes. I did notice that."


    The butler nodded faintly.


    I thought he''d leave, but he didn''t. Instead, he just continued to stare at me. The more he looked at me, the more I started to feel that something was wrong.


    Why is he...?


    "There''s something you''re not telling me."


    His voice suddenly lowered and his eyes flickered.


    "....The Phecda I know wouldn''t-"


    "Ah."


    I flicked my hand and cut him off.


    He stopped, his browsing together in a frown. I looked around before making my way towards the sofa and sat down, crossing my legs.


    "So this is how..."


    One of my spections came true.


    There were spies of the Inverted Sky within the Estate.


    ''I guess I found one.''


    .... And from the looks of it, he was the one that was directly involved with Julien''s change.


    "You''ve really changed in more ways that I thought."


    Tak!


    The sound of his step echoed within the quiet room as he moved closer to me, his eyes


    narrowing as I felt the air grow tense.


    "....It''s almost as if you''ve be apletely different person."


    He stopped right before me, his head lowered as he tried to meet my gaze. I didn''t flinch away


    from it and merely replied with a smile.


    "You can say so."


    "Uhm?"


    The butler''s eyes turned sharp, a cold chill washing down my back.


    "Are you-"


    "Here."


    I extended my hand to disy to him my wrist where the familiar tattoo rested.


    "....Touch over here and see for yourself if it''s fake."


    The Butler didn''t say anything and merely nced at my wrist. As if not satisfied, he brought


    his hand forward to try and touch it.


    However, as if recalling something, he pulled his hand away, his eyes narrowing.


    ".....


    My heart sank slightly but I didn''t show it.


    ''Looks like he has been paying attention to the Summit.''


    It was unfortunate that...


    I was now different.


    "What do-"


    I flicked my hand mid-way through his speech. All of a sudden, a faint purple magic circle


    shot toward the butler''s forehead. It was so fast that he didn''t have enough time to react.


    "Uekh...!"


    His eyes widened in shock as his head recoiled back.


    "Y... you!"


    As his gaze fell onto me, I massaged my eyes.


    "Go to sleep. It''ll all be over soon."


    By the time thest word fell, his head drooped down.


    The room fell silent right after.


    But I wasn''t over yet.


    "Now that I''ve applied the first skill, it''s time I apply the second."


    I didn''t have much time. While the Butler wasn''t strong, he was still a tier 3 user. I couldn''t be


    careless.


    Extending my index finger, a faint purple magic circle materialized at its tip.


    At the same time, I tapped his back with my other hand.


    A faint purple square appeared right after. Not satisfied, I added another one. And then


    another one. And then another one.


    ''Tag, tag, tag, tag...''


    Sweat umted by the side of my face as I kept focus before shifting my attention toward


    the Butler who was showing signs of waking up and pressed my index finger against his


    forehead.


    "Not yet."


    "!"


    Immediately, his body jerked and I closed my eyes.


    ''Let''s see...''


    I took a deep breath.


    ''... You''ll be my perfect test dummy to see the extent of my new skills.''


    ***


    Drip...! Drip.


    The rhythmic sound of water droplets striking the puddles echoed loudly through the


    surroundings.


    A ragged man stood beneath it, his eyes hollow and expression filled with loss. He was the


    Evenuse Household head butler, Richard Mildrove.


    "Don''t stop. Wave your sword."


    A rough voice echoed in the distance.


    His figure was obscured, but staring at the man, Richard feltpelled to listen to his words.


    He didn''t quite understand what was going on, but it felt like he couldn''t disobey his orders.


    .... Each time he tried, his body would shudder and his lips would tremble.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Ah."


    The breath left Richard''s lungs as he hurriedly picked up the sword on the ground and swung


    it.


    Swoosh-


    ''W-what am I even doing...?''


    Richard realized that there was something fundamentally wrong with the current situation.


    He was no swordsman, nor had he ever picked up a sword in his life. Naturally, his movements


    were extremely sloppy.


    Swoosh!


    ...and it was such sloppy movements that brought a change to the obscured figure ahead,


    leaving Richard breathless.


    "No, I..."


    p!


    A hand smacked him directly in the face.


    The sting from it lingered for several seconds before anger surged in Richard''s mind.


    "How da-"


    p!


    Richard was hit directly by another p, his head recoiling to the side.


    "Ah...!"


    nk.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The sword fell to the ground.


    Richard''s mind nked. Feeling the sting on his face, his teeth chattered. However, he


    realized something.


    He couldn''t retaliate at all.


    ....Richard felt insignificant in front of the man before him. It was as if he had been reduced to


    nothing but a child.


    "Pick the sword."


    The man''s cold voice echoed once more.


    Richard shuddered at his words. He wanted to refute, but every time he tried, his body


    weakened, leaving him trembling.


    ''Ah, I can''t beat him...''


    "Are you listening?"


    "Uekh...!"


    Richard reflexively flinched, raising his hand to cover his face. He didn''t want to be pped


    again.


    But...


    p!


    He still did.


    "Pick. up. the. sword."


    "I... yes."


    Richard hurriedly picked up the sword and swung it in the air.


    Swooosh-


    His posture was a mess, and his swing was sloppy. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that


    he was a total amateur. Richard himself knew this, which was why he was shuddering each


    time he swung.


    "I..."


    ''I don''t know how to use the sword!''


    p!


    "Fix your posture. Your wrist is too rigid."


    "W-"


    ''Why are you doing this to me?!''


    p!


    Whenever Richard had something to say, he''d be pped before he could even get the words


    out.


    It got to the point where Richard kept his mouth closed as he swung his sword in the rain.


    Swoosh!


    Of course, just because he kept his mouth shut, it didn''t mean that he wasn''t safe from the


    ps.


    p!


    They still came.


    ....For every swing of his sword, he''d receive a p.


    Richard tried to get used to them, but he couldn''t. The pain lingered and only seemed to


    worsen with each strike.


    It started to eat at his mind.


    However, p!


    "Again."


    He could do nothing about them.


    p...!


    "Again."


    They just kepting.


    p!


    "Pathetic."


    And he just received them.


    p...!


    "You''re worthless."


    Physical abuse turned into emotional abuse.


    "You''re trash."


    The words dug deeply into his mind, each p further imprinting them in his mind.


    p!


    "You can''t even hold a sword? What are you worth?"


    Richard couldn''t muster up the courage to reply back. Whenever he did, his chest would feel


    heavy and his entire body would be weak as the figure before him grewrger andrger


    in size.


    His figure started to imprint itself in his mind.


    He was starting to be fear itself.


    "Ah..!"


    Richard''s legs felt weak.


    ''Stop... make this stop...''


    p!


    His pleas brought nothing.


    "Keep going."


    ""


    Richard suddenly started to feel worthless.


    No, he was worthless.


    "Go, continue."


    p!


    The ps continued, and so did his swings.


    Time seemed to slow down.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    All Richard could think of was the sword and the swings.


    "I''m worthless. Repeat it."


    "....I''m worthless."


    Richard repeated, his tone low and his mouth moving on its own. He had grown used to saying


    the words, and he no longer had any thoughts about fighting back.


    His eyes were hollow and he seemed to have lost himself.


    Swoosh-


    "........"


    Julien watched as the sword shed the space in front of him.


    ''He''s actually gotten better at the sword.''


    But he was still worthless.


    "You''re worthless."


    He repeated slowly, flicking his hand as one of the tags he left within Richard''s body


    shattered, injecting even more fear into him.


    .....It was thest tag, and perhaps the most unnecessary one.


    After all, the man before him was already broken.


    But it didn''t matter to Julien.


    He wanted to break him more.


    Only then would he have full control of him.


    He wanted to be the one thing he couldn''t go against.


    ''I guess I didn''t experience Caius''s Emotive Magic for nothing...''


    This was all a test for his new skill.


    Everything was fake, a ''nightmare'' that he had managed to recreate within Richard''s mind.


    That, coupled with his Emotive Magic, enabled him to slowly and carefully break Richard''s


    mind.


    "Okay, this is enough."


    Julien raised his head and waved his hand.


    His vision shattered and he found himself back in the room.


    Richard on the other hand took several seconds to recover. By the time he opened his eyes, he


    was surprised to see himself standing in a familiar room.


    "Hm.... where is..."


    He blinked his eyes a couple of times before his chest suddenly felt ted.


    "A hallucination? That was fak¡ª"


    "It wasn''t."


    A cold voice spoke beside him.


    Richard''s entire body shuddered upon hearing the voice and his head slowly turned. There,


    standing a few feet away from him was the same obscured figure as before.


    "Haaa.. haa... Haa..."


    Richard''s breathing grew heavier as he suddenly stepped back.


    "No, what..."


    "What are you?"


    "I''m worthl-"


    Richard hastily covered his mouth, but it was toote as his entire body started to shudder.


    Tak.


    The figure approached, and Richard''s eyes widened, trembling as a familiar face emerged-a


    man with deep ck hair and piercing hazel eyes. He stood tall, his presence imposing, as


    Julien ced a firm hand on his shoulder.


    Richard''s eyes constricted, but he could do nothing about it.


    He was overwhelmed by fear.


    "Haaa...! Haa!"


    His entire body was paralyzed on the spot.


    "Good."


    Julien appeared satisfied by what he saw.


    "Then..."


    He lowered his head, his eyes growing ck as he stared directly into Richard''s eyes.


    "I''ll be asking you questions soon. Tell me everything. From start to finish. Don''t leave


    anything out. Otherwise..."


    He raised his hand, and Richard''s face grew pale as he flinched.


    "Hieek!"

 Chapter 384: Attainment [3]

    Chapter 384: Attainment [3]


    ?


    "T-That..."


    || ||


    I stared in silence at the results of my actions. The butler was a shell of the man he used to once be. He couldn''t even look at me in the eyes as he started to tremble.


    ''....I''ll need to handle this carefully.''


    My problem with the situation was that he was closely tied to Julien''s father who appeared like an extremely meticulous person.


    I''d expect someone like him to notice the peculiarity.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But still, that was of no concern to me right now. I had other priorities.


    "Were you the one to nt my obsession with the sword?"


    "I... I..."


    Despite being scared of me, Richard, the butler, was hesitant to speak. It looked like the fear that I had engrained deep into his mind was still not enough to push him to talk.


    But that was fine.


    I raised my hand and his eyes visibly constricted.


    "Hiek....!"


    He screamed, covering his face.


    I didn''t care and prepared to p him in the face.


    "I''ll talk!"


    ...Or at least, attempted to. I stopped right at thest moment as he shouted in desperation.


    "Haa... haa... haaa... I''ll talk! I''ll taaalk!"


    "That''s good."


    I smiled, shifting my hand away.


    ''Looks like the ps were the trigger.''


    I had made sure to closely emphasize the ps during the dreams. I didn''t just p him whenever he got something wrong.


    I also injected ''fear'' whenever that happened.


    ....The goal was to directly influence his mind into associating extreme fear with the ps. The n was wless with the results right before my very eyes.


    "Speak."


    I lowered my tone, bringing my face closer to his while carefully studying his face. While I couldn''t see if anyone was lying, under such extreme stress, they were more than likely to slip.


    If he so dared as look away, stutter, or start tapping his foot...


    "Haa... It''s, yes."


    He licked his lips.


    "....I was the one who did that."


    "Why?"


    "It was... It was to-Hiek!"


    Richard hurriedly covered his face as I raised my hand. His entire body trembled as he covered his face.


    He looked pitiful, but he wasn''t worth my pity.


    "You were about to lie just now. Think carefully. You make one mistake and you know what will happen, right?"


    "Ah, yes, yes..."


    Richard hurriedly nodded his head.


    "Look at me in the eyes as you speak."


    "...Okay."


    Richard visibly swallowed before opening his mouth to speak once again.


    "It was to convert you into the Inverted Sky... The Evenus Household recently showed a lot of promise, and the organization tried to imnt several spies in order to get to your father, but..."


    Richard paused, taking a deep breath.


    I frowned at the sight.


    "But what...?"


    "But your father managed to find each one and get rid of them."


    ||||


    His words took the words right out of my mouth.


    He managed to find each and every one of them before getting rid of them...?


    Then...


    I suddenly shuddered.


    ''He probably knows about the butler as well.''


    I felt my skin crawl at the realization as my heart started to speed up. A lot more questions started to arise from deep within my mind as I processed the situation.


    ''No, does he actually know about the butler...? There''s a chance that he doesn''t know, but there''s a higher chance that he does know.''


    I thought back to the n that we were about to execute and felt my heartbeat drum inside of


    my head.


    Ba... Thump!


    Aldric Evenus.


    I didn''t know the man very well.


    However, from what I had seen, he was an extremely ruthless individual who waited for the most opportune time to strike.


    For him to keep the butler who was involved with a powerful organization that was nning


    on taking over the Household... His n became clear to me.


    ''He was probably waiting his time before striking at them.''


    .... And I feared that he probably knew about the fact that they had tried to manipte the


    previous Julien.


    He knew and yet did nothing.


    It was clear what he wanted to achieve.


    ''He wanted to use Julien to get to them.''


    It was only a hypothesis, and there was no real concrete evidence that pushed to this face, however, thinking about what I had seen so far, I shuddered to think about this possibility. Aldric Evenus, from what I had observed, was a man who was very capable of pulling


    something like this off.


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath to calm my raging mind.


    ''Since he doesn''t show his thoughts, there''s also a chance that he noticed a peculiarity with


    me.''


    ....The only reason why he didn''t say anything was because, he either believed it was due to the Organization, or because he didn''t care.


    I wasn''t sure if either one of the assumptions were correct but I kept them in mind as I turned


    to look at the butler.


    "You said there''s nobody else besides you, correct?"


    "Ah, yes, yes."


    Richard hurriedly nodded his head.


    "Alright."


    It didn''t seem like he was lying.


    "Next question. Did you give me an enhancer in the past?"


    "Eh...?"


    The butter blinked his eyes in confusion.


    "Enhancer? When?"


    I borated.


    "....A strange liquid with the ability to possibly improve my swordsmanship talent. Or perhaps


    a fake in order to increase my obsession."


    "Hm?"


    Richard frowned, lowering his head as he thought deeply.


    As time passed, his brows furrowed further before eventually, he raised his head and shook it.


    "No. There''s no such thing."


    I looked straight into his eyes.


    His eyes were clear, his body was trembling, but not from nervousness, and hisplexion


    appeared normal. He didn''t seem to be lying...


    ''Strange.''


    If it wasn''t him, then who...?


    Since the Butler was the only one that belonged to the Inverted Sky, it was clear that they


    weren''t involved with the liquid.


    .... At least, that was how things appeared to be to me.


    "I''ll change the question then. Did you ever notice me take a strange liquid, or serve it to my


    brother?"


    "The second young master?"


    "Yes."


    "....Hmm."


    The Butler''s brows furrowed.


    "I... I didn''t notice any strange liquid being given to the young master, however, I did notice


    that after a certain point, he started to experience nightmares."


    "Nightmares?"


    My interest was piqued by this revtion.


    "Yes, nightmares. He''s been having them frequently..."


    "When did they start?"


    "It started several years back. It was a strange event, but the second young master never


    talked about them. He also became especially fearful of you."


    "Is that so...?"


    This wasn''t exactly what I was looking for.


    However, I did have an inkling that it may hold some importance.


    ''I''ll try to see what exactly is up with this situation.''


    "Let''s set Linus''s matter aside for now. Did you notice my strength suddenly increasing at


    one point?"


    Surely the butler was capable of knowing this much.


    ...All I needed was a timeframe of the situation in order to find out about the liquid. The fact


    that the Inverted Sky hadn''t been the one to give it to me was what was making me so curious.


    If not them, then who?


    .... Or was it something that Julien picked up on his own?


    "A sudden increase in strength? .... Yes, there was."


    The Butler said, his eyes suddenly growing suspicious. I managed to pick up on his suspicion


    and raised my hand.


    "Hieek!"


    He immediately flinched and I pressed my hand against his shoulder, injecting fear into his


    body.


    "Answer my question. Don''t have unnecessary thoughts."


    "Y-yes... Y-yes...!"


    His body shuddered uncontrobly upon hearing my words, and only after a brief moment


    did I let go of his shoulder as he started to breathe heavily.


    "Haaa... haaa... haa..."


    I let him have a few minutes to recover before forcing him to speak.


    "....The time after you returned from the gold mine. T-that was when I noticed your strength


    increase. Your brother also experienced a small breakthrough, but it wasn''t anything


    compared to you."


    ''Bingo!''


    Finally some key pieces of information.


    ''....The time after Julien returned from the gold mine.''


    So something happened in the gold mine. Perhaps that was where he found the liquid.


    ''Good, I''m about to go there anyway. I''ll check it out once we resolve the situation.''


    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, formting a n in my head. Once everything


    became clear to me again, I opened my eyes to stare at the butler who looked at me with a pale


    face.


    "I previously thought of keeping you like this, but after everything that you told me, it looks


    like it''s no longer possible. With everything that you''ve told me, he''ll probably notice that something is amiss."


    By ''he'', I meant Aldric Evenus.


    ...After our talk, it became obvious to me that he was a man to be feared. He was someone who


    picked up on the smallest of details so I couldn''t afford to keep Richard in this state.


    He''d probably notice within a minute.


    ''It''s a pity, though.''


    .....I did spend quite a bit of effort to do this.


    I rubbed my index finger where a ring rested and raised my hand.


    "W-what are you...!" Richard''s face grew pale at my actions, but before he could do anything, I pressed my hand


    against his head.


    A faint glow manifested over the ring as his entire body grew still.


    "Stay still..."


    I mumbled, looking down at the butler.


    "....You''ll thank mete."


    Mana drained from my body.


    "If you can even remember..."


    ***


    "How long is he going to take?"


    Standing in the back garden with several dozen soldiers, Evelyn turned her attention towards


    Leon who looked a little worried.


    "....Julien''s reputation is already pretty bad amongst the soldiers. If he doesn''t show up soon,


    they''ll start ignoring his every words."


    "I know."


    Leon mumbled, his brows furrowing tightly.


    "I told him to take a shower ande down quickly. I didn''t expect him to take so long..."


    "He''s taking a shower?"


    Evelyn blinked in surprise.


    "For so long? What is he...? A girl?"


    "Ye-"


    Leon stopped, his mind growing nk as he processed her words. Then, turning his head, he


    looked at Evelyn.


    "Wait, aren''t you also a-"


    "Yes, and I also know that we take a lot of time changing. This is just how we are so stop


    acting as if I said something out of the norm."


    Evelyn crossed her arms while looking back.


    The vassals were looking extremely displeased at the moment, all of them sporting frowns as


    they murmured amongst each other. Though she couldn''t hear what they were saying, Evelyn could tell from their bodynguage that it wasn''t anything good.


    This was not good.


    They were about to embark on an important mission and if the vassals weren''t on the same


    page as Julien, then things could very well go wrong.


    Leon understood this as well as his face tightened.


    He was just about to address the vassals himself when a figure finally showed up at the


    entrance of the garden.


    His back was straight and his expression was calm.


    Noticing their presence, he looked towards them before looking at the vassals.


    Leon sighed in relief then, but his face grew stiff shortly after as his steps paused.


    "This is good."


    Julien said, his voice reaching the ears of everyone present. Immediately all eyes fell on him.


    Nudging his head at the spot in front of him, he addressed everyone calmly, "....Come here."

 Chapter 385: Gold Mine [1]

    Chapter 385: Gold Mine [1]


    ?


    Yes, I knew that my words were wrong.


    I knew but I still did it.


    ''Not like I have a choice.''


    ... It wasn''t for a stupid reason like; showing dominance or some nonsense like that. I simply did it because I was exhausted.


    I could barely keep my legs from trembling.


    ''I just came out of some intense training and directly used several skills on the butler alongside the ring''s power...''


    The fact that I was able to get here was already a miracle.


    ....But I was at my limit.


    I couldn''t take a single step forward.


    So, for that reason, I did what I did. And as expected, the vassals weren''t happy. Thankfully, Leon was present as he raised his hand to stop them.


    ''What are you doing?''


    He didn''t look very happy.


    I couldn''t me him, but I really couldn''t move.


    ''My legs won''t budge.''


    ''...Are you kidding me?''


    ''I didn''t have any time to rest right aftering out of training. Do you expect me to be in top shape?''


    ''No, but I figured you''d be able to move.''


    ''You thought wrong.''


    Leon visibly frowned, turning his head to look at the vassals before turning his attention back to me.


    ''.... They''ll be very dissatisfied by your actions.''


    ''I don''t really have a choice.''


    ''Do you really?''


    I paused, squinting my eyes as I looked at Leon.


    ''Aren''t you supposed to be my knight? This is a great chance for you to show your loyalty. Either way, you''re not stronger than me so what do I even need you for if not for this?''


    ||||


    Leon''s expression froze.


    I looked at his expression and savored it. If there was an ego meter beside me, it''d be rising at an rming rate.


    Clench.


    With a visible clench of his teeth and bloodshot eyes, Leon turned his head.


    "Y... You''ve heard him. Let''s go."


    He didn''t give any of the vessels a chance to speak. His expression... it made it impossible for them to say anything.


    I nodded in approval.


    ''Looks like I made the right choice in riling him up.''


    The problem was now solved.


    nk, nk-


    The faint echo of ttering metal filled the air as the guards halted before me. Dozens of them loomed, each radiating a formidable presence, but it was the figure at the front who drew my attention most.


    His presence was a lot more overwhelming than the others, to the point where even I felt inferior.


    ''He''s probably the captain of the operation.''


    I didn''t really know his name since I had been holed up in the training room the entire time.


    He had short blonde hair, a chiseled jaw, and blue eyes. From the start, he never once looked at me.


    ''I guess he doesn''t like me very much.''


    Well, I was fine with that.


    My job was just to be a sort of ''mascot'' alongside Leon. We were just there to show our faces and help out a bit.


    The main job was going to be taken over by them.


    In fact, my main goal was the gold mine. I needed to figure out exactly what the liquid Julien had taken was.


    ... It could be nothing important, but it was worth checking out.


    Especially since it wasn''t something that the Inverted Sky had provided. Perhaps I could even use it to improve my strength.


    My mastery of my Concept had increased significantly.


    It wouldn''t be long before I fully developed a Domain.


    ...I just needed to have the required mana in order to be able to do so.


    "Alright, then..."


    I massaged the back of my head before turning around.


    "Let''s head out. I''ll follow you from behind."


    Despite their obvious disdain for me, the guards remained silent and obliged as they marched forward. I watched their departing back before shifting my attention towards Leon who


    stopped to look at me.


    "I need a little help."


    I looked down at my legs.


    "You know..."


    "...."


    Leon''s expression suddenly turned strange as he had a look of realization. Looking at my legs


    and then my face he suddenly covered his mouth.


    "Are youughing?"


    "...I''m not."


    "Then why is your body trembling."


    "It''s cold."


    "We''re in the middle of summer."


    "It''s a cold summer. Let me get my jacket first."


    Leon waved his hand and hurried out. However, just as he did, Evelyn appeared.


    "What''s going on? Why are you two still-"


    "Let''s go."


    She was stopped by him before she even had the chance to get a few words out as he pushed


    her into the estate. I stared at all of this with wide eyes.


    "Wait, Leon..."


    I tried moving my leg, but my face twitched the moment I did.


    It hurt...


    "Khh!"


    I clenched my teeth and red at the entrance. Just as I was about to take another step, Leon''s


    face appeared again.


    Flick. Flick.


    He looked around before suddenly raising his hand and pointing at me.


    "Pftt!"


    ***


    "Baron, the Emirates Bank has just contacted us. They want to pull out their investments from


    our territory and demand we pay the money that we lent to them recently."


    "Baron, Viscount Mayorka has turned a blind eye to us. They are unwilling to help us."


    "Baron...!"


    Aldric sat in silence whilst listening to the reportsing from his vassals. They all looked


    panicked and pale on their faces.


    How could they not...?


    The Evenus Household was currently undergoing a disaster.


    .... At least, this was how things were on the surface. The reality of the situation was a lot different than how it was perceived by the world.


    But only a few people knew of the real situation, including a majority of the vassals in the Evenus Household.


    "Baron! The Emirates Bank has sent delegates over! It''s vice manager Kan! They-"


    Bang!


    The door abruptly opened, revealing a tall and chubby man with short brown hair and squinted eyes. He wore rather fancy clothing, and a couple of powerful individuals stood


    behind him.


    "There you are, Baron."


    He smiled upon seeing the expressionless Baron.


    .....He didn''t even wait for him to speak before sitting down on one of the chairs positioned


    before the Baron''s desk.


    It was as if he was making himself at home.


    Crossing his legs, he drummed his fingers over his legs.


    "You know why I''m here, right?"


    The smile never faltered from the man''s face as his eyes squinted further. Nudging at one of


    the people behind, several documents were retrieved which were soon positioned on the


    desk.


    Aldric nced at the papers for a brief moment.


    "You owe us a total of seventy-five million Rend. And that''s with added interest included. In


    our original agreement, we were meant to have you pay everything in ten years time, but..."


    He paused, his eyes squinting to the point where one couldn''t see them.


    "How should I put this...?"


    The vice manager massaged his cheeks before shrugging.


    "You might not even exist in ten years. I can''t afford to lose this much money which is why


    I''ming to collect it directly from you."


    He pointed at one of the documents.


    "As stipted by the contract, in case a situation arises from your side, I have the right to


    directlye to you to collect the remaining money."


    "....I see."


    Aldric closed his eyes, his expression faltering slightly as he turned to his right.


    "How much money do we currently have avable?"


    "Ah, that..."


    To his left was his financial manager who was pale on the face.


    He sorted through several documents before his face fell.


    "We just barely have enough funds to cover the entire loan. If we give them the money now


    we''ll be put in a very bad position!"


    "Oh? You should think this carefully."


    The vice manager said, leaning back on the chair whilst watching the interaction with


    amusement.


    Before Aldric could say anything, the vice manager leaned forward.


    "How about this... I''ll help you out and give you a better deal to help you out with the


    situation. How does that sound?"


    11


    ||


    Everyone in the room paused as all eyes fell on the vice manager.


    A better deal...? Everyone suddenly became interested. Was he really going to give them a


    better deal?


    Seeing the interest in everyone''s faces, the vice manager disyed a smile on his face. This is


    it! This is what he''s been waiting for...


    He looked directly at Aldric.


    "Your situation seems rather dire. How about this...? Instead of paying me the money, we can


    make a deal. I''ll waive all your debts in exchange for one thing, and one thing only."


    Aldric frowned, and everyone held their breaths.


    He didn''t say anything and just waited for the vice manager to continue.


    "....Give me Leon. In exchange I-"


    "No."


    Aldric directly cut him off before he could continue.


    "Before rejec-"


    "No."


    "T-"


    "No."


    Aldric cut the vice manager each time he tried to speak. In the end, he turned his head toward


    his financial manager.


    "Do it. Give him the money"


    "Are you sure about this?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The vice manager frowned, his expression no longer as amiable as it was before.


    "I offered you a good deal. You give us Leon, and we can clear everything in one go. I''d take it


    if I were you."


    ||


    ||


    Aldric paused for a second, biting his lower lip.


    In the end, he still shook his head.


    "No."


    As if he had aged several years, Aldric waved his hand. The vice manager froze at the sight


    while the faces of the vassals grew pale.


    "Baron!" "Baron...!"


    They all tried to stop his decision, but it was no use. Aldric''s decision was set and soon one of


    the vassals came with arge box, containing the gold the vice manager requested.


    "It''s all here."


    A disdainful expression spread across the vice manager''s face as he counted the money.


    He then looked at the silent Aldraid before sping his hands together. "Please don''t think wrongly of us. We''re just looking after ourselves. If you do manage to get


    out of this trouble, please feel free toe to us. The Emirates Bank will always be happy to receive you." There was no sincerity in his words and everyone in the room could feel it.


    He was merely throwing out pleasantries before leaving. One could easily tell from his face


    that he didn''t really believe what he was saying.


    ...And eventually, he left the room.


    nk!


    A strange silence plunged over as all the vassals stood in silence, all eyes turned on Aldric who


    remained quiet.


    Eventually, before anyone could voice out their thoughts, he opened his mouth and dryly


    said,


    "Get out. Give me some time alone."


    Several of the vassals tried to say something, but upon seeing his expression, they all turned


    quiet and turned away. They could tell that the family Head needed some time alone.


    In the end, they all left, leaving Aldric sitting by himself.


    || ||


    He sat in silence for several seconds before retrieving a small book which he plopped open on


    his


    desk.


    ''Emirates Bank''


    Scraatch-


    He crossed it over with a red pen.


    "....How many does that make?"


    Aldric nced at the page which was filled with over several dozen names. They were all crossed in red.


    In front of him was the list of everyone who ''betrayed'' them while they were down. Aldric knew in advance that his n would put his Household in ''jeopardy'' in the eyes of the


    public due to how unfavorable the situation was. He didn''t say anything to anyone to see who was truly loyal to him.


    In the end, the long list before him showed just how many were ''disloyal''.


    .... It was a list that was much longer than he anticipated.


    And this was especially interesting considering the fact that Julien and Leon existed in their


    territory. Perhaps it would''ve been more if not for the two of them.


    But that was fine.


    A faint smile spread across Aldric''s lips as he closed his eyes.


    This was all part of his n.


    He thought back to the crate he gave the vice manager before his lips curled up further.


    "....Everything."


    He mumbled,


    "I''ll take everything."

 Chapter 386: Gold Mine [2]

    Chapter 386: Gold Mine [2]


    ?


    Westernborn was a rather small territory.


    At least,pared to some other Baronies who had territories that were far greater than Westerborn.


    However, if one had to choose which territory they''d want, most people would choose Westernborn.


    While it was a lot smaller than some other territories, unlike most territories, most of itsnd was habitable and usable for agriculture. Coupled with the Gold Mine that resided within, it was a territory that most noble houses would drool over for.


    "Stop...!"


    The carriages came to a sudden halt as the surroundings turned quiet.


    I nced at Leon and then Evelyn before getting off the carriage. It was dark outside so I had someone shine a light up front.


    "Oh."


    It was no wonder we stopped.


    ....I looked at the broken bridge that stood before me and pressed my lips together.


    "Looks like we''ll have to find another way."


    Evelyn''s voice reached me from behind.


    I stole a quick nce at her before nodding. Below us, a wide river surged, its turbulent waters crashing violently against the banks, making any attempt to swim across a dangerous gamble.


    While it was possible to cross it, the vassals each wore heavy armor, and taking them off was not ideal.


    "There''s another bridge not far from here. However, we''ll have to go by foot considering that there''s no direct path that leads to that."


    Leon was the one who spoke this time as he squinted his eyes to look ahead. Following his words, the vassals got off their horses and took out lighting devices.


    I stopped them right as they were about to light them up.


    "No, it''s probably not a good idea."


    "?"


    I could see the questioning looks on their faces.


    Before I could exin, the captain went ahead and spoke,


    "The enemies are probably waiting for us somewhere to ambush us. Turning on the lights will make us walking targets."


    Yes, that.


    The vassals promptly put away the lighting devices and turned their attention toward the captain who looked at Leon who looked at me.


    ....Seriously?


    I looked at Evelyn.


    "What are you looking at me for?"


    ".....Do you have a way to detect if anyone is ambushing us?"


    Evelyn frowned.


    She was about to refuse when she stopped.


    After hesitating for a brief moment, she nodded her head.


    "Somewhat."


    I knew it.


    I had noticed this before, but Evelyn was really good at this stuff. Although in this case, we weren''t dealing with possessed people.


    ''Well, I guess it makes sense considering that her element is lightning.''


    If my guess was correct, then she could detect ''electrical impulses''ing from a person''s nervous system to detect their location.


    .... Although, it only granted her the ability to determine if something was alive or not. It probably wasn''t capable of distinguishing between species.


    But that was enough.


    "Hoo."


    Evelyn took a deep breath before closing her eyes.


    Cracka! Cracka~!


    Her hair fluttered silently while lighting bolts crackled around her body. They were thin and produced faint purple hues that danced in the air.


    "....!"


    All of a sudden every hair on my body started to rise as I felt a cold breeze wash over me.


    I was taken aback and as I looked around, I noticed everyone experienced a simr sensation. Leon was the only one who appeared unfazed by what was happening as Evelyn''s eyes fluttered open shortly after.


    ".....They''re waiting directly by the other bridge not far from here. I can count over fifty people waiting. I can''t tell how strong they are, but I know they''re all there. If we go, we might experience a lot of casualties."


    "Hmm."


    I stopped to ponder for a moment before ncing at Leon.


    .....I was sure he understood what I was nning as he nced at the other side of the river.


    Pursing his lips he looked back at me.


    "We don''t know how strong they are."


    "Does your intuition have anything in that regard?"


    "Nothing..."


    "Then we might as well try."


    The n was rtively simple.


    Leon and I would directly go to the other side of the river and ambush the troops stationed in


    an ambush. In the meantime, the vassals would directly use this chance to cross the bridge


    and join us in the fight.


    It was a risky n considering that we didn''t know the levels of the troops on the other side,


    but it was the most appropriate option for us.


    I was confident in being able to achieve this.


    "I''ming too."


    Evelyn spoke, her purple hair fluttering under the cold breeze of the night.


    "...I''m the only one who has an idea of where they are. You two can''t go alone."


    I frowned for a moment before epting her exnation.


    Leon also seemed to be in favor as he turned to the captain and ryed him a few orders. The captain appeared a little taken aback by the n but soon epted.


    "Follow me."


    Sparing me a single nce, the captain marched forward, the vassals following closely from


    behind.


    Rustle~ Rustle~


    I watched as they slowly left and entered the greenery before shifting my attention back to the other side of the river.


    Evelyn moved forward a little, squinting her eyes as she judged the distance before us.


    Her expression grew more and more concerned with each second that passed.


    "How do we cross...?"


    "About that..."


    I stepped forward and took a look myself. The first thought that crossed my mind was using ''Eatherwave'' to create a rope to help us get to the other side, but I quickly brushed the


    thought away after myst experience.


    ....Just thinking about it gave me PTSD.


    "Honestly, the best way would be to just jump."


    "Jump?!"


    Evelyn looked startled as she looked toward the opposite side. I could understand her shock considering the distance was quiterge and no normal person would be able to jump over,


    but I knew Leon was capable of doing so if he used his domain.


    "Can you do it?"


    "I can."


    Leon frowned.


    "....But it''ll create a lot of sound."


    "That''s fine."


    I looked towards Evelyn.


    "Right before Leon jumps you can create a lightning or something. It''s nighttime anyways.


    People won''t really notice a thing."


    "No, they will."


    "Then do you have a way to muffle his sound?"


    "Yes."


    ||


    11


    I was a little taken aback. I didn''t expect her to say that.


    "Well, do that..."


    I shifted my attention towards the other side and took a deep breath. Closing my eyes, six orbs


    appeared in my vision.


    ||Rage|| --> Red


    ||Joy|| --> Green


    ||Sorrow || --> Blue ||Affection|| --> Pink


    ||Fear|| --> Purple ||Shock|| --> Azure


    There was not much of a difference in my ''Concept'' from the time that I had fought Leon in


    the Summit. Most of my focus had been on developing my curse magic so I couldn''t put a lot


    of effort into it, but during thest month...


    I had managed to develop each orb.


    ....I was now capable of using all six orbs without a problem.


    This was why I wasn''t worried about being unable to cross the river. It was because I could


    easily do so now.


    "Things would''ve been a lot easier during the first part of the Summit if I had this skill...''


    I raised my hand and reached out for the ''Shock'' orb.


    Immediately the orb wiggled before shooting towards my arm where it started to coat it. My


    body began to feel light as I opened my eyes again.


    By the time I opened my eyes, Leon''s eyes had changed.


    They were ck, and filled with countless stars.


    I nodded once before jumping in the air.


    My heart almost leaped out of my chest the moment I did as I jumped a lot higher than I


    normally would have while also remaining in the air for a lot longer.


    ''.... Is this how astronauts feel when going to the moon?''


    I quite liked the feeling.


    Thump!


    Landing on the ground, I ignored the shocked expressionsing from both Leon and Evelyn


    as I canceled the skill and tensed my legs.


    The green orb appeared in my mind and every muscle in my leg tensed.


    Clenching my teeth, I pressed my foot onto the ground and immediately shot forward.


    Bang!


    The ground behind me shattered. Thankfully, I was able to minimize the sound with the aid of


    the river bank.


    At the same time I shot to the other side, I canceled the green orb and shifted to the azure orb.


    My body instantly became light and with the added momentum of the green orb, I was able to


    cross to the other side without any problems.


    Thump!


    "Hooo."


    Canceling the skill, Inded without a problem.


    When I turned my head to look behind me, Leon had already jumped with Evelyn in his arms.


    Neither one made a sound as theynded shortly after.


    Thump!


    Leon let go of Evelyn before looking at me.


    "Was that part of your domain?"


    "....Yes."


    Leon remained silent after that as Evelyn fixed her hair. Considering that we didn''t have much time at our disposal, we directly shot for the other


    bridge under Evelyn''s guidance as she used the skill a couple of more times to properly assess


    where our enemies were.


    "They should be up ahead."


    Evelyn''s steps came to a step all of a sudden as she squinted her eyes.


    I followed her gaze but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just a dense thicket of trees lined the


    riverbank, their branches swaying gently in the breeze while the water flowed steadily beside


    us.


    I could also see the bridge from where I stood.


    It was a lot thinner than the other one and was made of wood. A simple spell would probably


    break it, sending the troops falling onto the river.


    While they wouldn''t necessarily die, they''d also have a hard time defending themselves.


    "What should we do?"


    I asked, turning my attention toward Evelyn who appeared to have an idea. Without


    answering my question, she pointed towards three different spots.


    "....There''s three people hiding right where I pointed."


    "Hm?"


    I looked at where she pointed but saw nothing.


    ''Some sort of camouge?''


    It wouldn''t be surprising since I could also do the same thing with [Veil of Deceit]. Surely


    there was some sort of relic that could do something simr.


    "Yes, I can feel it. They''re right there."


    "Okay."


    Leon nodded, prepared to make a move but I stopped him.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "What...?"


    "Let me."


    I blinked once, feeling my hand begin to fade as my body blended into the surroundings.


    Leon''s eyes widened in realization and I directly headed for one of the spots Evelyn pointed


    towards.


    Rustle~


    Extending my finger, a purple magic circle appeared as I flicked it in the direction of where


    Evelyn had previously pointed.


    "....!"


    Immediately, the air distorted, revealing the outline of a figure.


    I waved my hand immediately after that as his figure once again disappeared before shifting


    my attention towards the two other spots and flicking my finger in their direction. Two faint purple magic circles whirred through the air, striking them squarely in the head.


    Instantly, Leon and Evelyn materialized nearby, catching their bodies to keep them from


    copsing.


    ''Knock them out.''


    I mouthed slowly.


    While I had used my new skill on them-Immersia-the effects were still not desirable.


    I could only keep them knocked out for several seconds.


    Leon and Evelyn didn''t waste a second and obliged. I did the same for the person next to me


    and cast [Veil of Deceit] in Leon''s and Evelyn''s direction.


    I didn''t tell them what to do but I was sure they knew as I started to take off my clothes.


    ....This might turn into a bad habit.''

 Chapter 387: Gold Mine [3]

    Chapter 387: Gold Mine [3]


    ?


    ''....I messed up.''


    I looked at the clothes on me. They were baggy and didn''t fit me at all. I had to use Eatherwave


    in order to keep them positioned tightly on me. The person I ended up knocking out was on the heavier side.


    Furthermore, the clothes were a lot different than I expected.


    They were almost entirely ck with several pockets positioned around the pants and shirt. There was no real padding and the pockets werepletely empty.


    ''Tsk.''


    I silently clicked my tongue while turning my head to see Leon in a simr situation.


    But unlike me, he didn''t have anything to keep the clothes tight on his body.


    It was aical sight. Too bad I didn''t have the time tough at him as I shifted my attention to Evelyn who looked around with a frown.


    She raised her hand and then pointed towards five different spots.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Leon was the first one to move.


    Rustle~


    I stood behind him while keeping [Veil of Deceit] on him.


    His steps were light and in a brief moment, he arrived before one of the spots Evelyn had pointed out. In one swift movement, he brought his hand up and chopped down the air. Swoosh!


    Just then, Evelyn raised her hand.


    At first, I wasn''t sure what she was nning on doing.


    However, when I noticed that no sound came out right after Leon chopped down, I understood.


    ''What an interesting skill.''


    ....I didn''t feel any ''lightning'' elementing from Evelyn''s body when she used the skill, indicating to me that it came from a bone.


    It was a useful skill but seemed to be a little bit of a waste for a bone skill.


    Perhaps there was more to it...


    ''In any case, it''s a good thing he isn''t killing them.''


    It wasn''t because I felt pity for them or anything like that. It was the family Head''s orders. He distinctively mentioned something about not killing unless necessary.


    I was fine with that since it would keep the clothes clean.


    I nned on having everyone wear the clothes to blend in better forter when we infiltrated.


    If there was blood then...


    ''Hmm, actually, now that I think about it, it''s better if there''s blood... It''d be unrealistic if the soldierse backpletely unharmed.''


    I almost had the impulse to smack my head.


    However, it was a little toote to warn Leon so I could only sigh before pointing in the direction of where Leon was heading.


    ''.... Whatever, it''s not like this can''t be fixed.''


    The soldiers could also be used as coteral andpensation for when everything was over and done.


    They could also be converted into vassals.


    "Alright."


    I licked my lips before shifting my attention towards Evelyn again. Her brows were locked into a tight frown as she tried to determine the location of all the people waiting in the ambush, but just as she was about to point in a certain direction, the bushes rustled.


    Rustle~


    A figure emerged from the bushes.


    He was dressed in a simr dark outfit, the fabric blending seamlessly into the surroundings.


    A small cap perched on top of his head obscured his face, only making his eyes visible.


    The air grew tense at his presence as Leon stopped moving.


    I did as well.


    Sweat dripped down from the corner of my cheeks as he surveyed the area with his sharp eyes.


    I could tell from a nce that he wasn''t stronger than us, but enemies surrounded us.


    We couldn''t afford to be spotted by him.


    Rustle~


    The bushes rustled and he stepped forward. Leon''s body visibly grew tense as the man walked in Leon''s direction.


    Rustle~


    He drew closer.


    Rustle~


    ....And closer.


    My brain worked in overdrive as I looked at Evelyn.


    As if she understood what I wanted from her, she nodded her head, extending her hand in the soldier''s direction.


    I reached out for the shock orb and my body started to feel lighter. Pressing my foot against the ground, I jumped up in the air.


    At the same time, I kept [Veil of Deceit] on me.


    Swoosh-


    Seamlessly blending with the surroundings, it was as though I was part of the wind as Evelyn blocked all noise around me.


    Within seconds, I was upon the soldier, my hands darting toward his neck.


    ?? "


    He didn''t notice me at first, but when I got close enough, his pupils constricted as he visibly


    grew tense.


    But it was toote.


    I slipped behind the soldier, reaching for his neck and choking him from behind while


    covering his mouth. At the same moment, I cast an illusion, making it appear as though he was simply scanning his surroundings.


    "Khh!"


    The soldier let out several noises and my body grew tense.


    ''Did...?''


    I held my breath and looked around.


    Thankfully, nothing happened.


    Evelyn''s skill clearly worked.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a slow and steady breath, I finally let go of the soldier once I felt no more resistance


    coming from him.


    He slumped on me and I helped him to the ground.


    ......That was close.''


    I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead and looked beneath me before shifting my attention towards Leon and Evelyn who both looked relieved.


    ''Evelyn said there''s over fifty people...''


    While it was true that we were most likely not going to be able to defeat all fifty of them, our


    job was to reduce the number as much as possible before the vassals got here. By then, we''d


    be able topletely overwhelm them.


    .....At least, that was the goal.


    Btzzz!


    A sudden buzz caught my attention as I looked down.


    I held my breath the moment I lowered my body to reach for the source of the sound and


    picked up amunication device.


    ''Fuck.''


    I silently cursed while staring at themunication device.


    ''What do I do now...?''


    I couldn''t replicate voices so it would be obvious that I wasn''t the person in question. And even if I did know, I was sure there was some sort of keyword that needed to be said in


    order to prove one''s identity.


    Btzzz! Btzzz!


    My leg started to tremble as themunication device continued to tremble.


    It was silent around me, but the silence felt suffocating as I held onto the device. Eventually, shifting my attention towards the other side of the riverbank and spotting movement from


    there, I clenched my teeth and looked towards Leon and Evelyn.


    Though the others couldn''t see me, they could.


    "They''re almost here, we might as well take out as many as possible.''


    ''Okay.''


    !....???!


    Leon was the only one who understood me as Evelyn cocked her head in confusion.


    I could at least understand that much from her expression.


    Thankfully, she soon got what I wanted to do as I picked up three rocks and threw them in


    three different locations.


    Rustle, rustle, rustle~


    A change began to ur the moment I did as several figures emerged from the foliage, all


    turning their attention toward where the noise was.


    Three figures appeared in the direction of where the noise came from.


    ''... They''re not the best but they should do.''


    The figures were merely illusions I cast in order to trick them.


    "Ambush!"


    The soldiers all got to work pretty quickly, sending several people in the direction of where


    the illusions were.


    Some even shot spells in their direction as the forest lit up.


    Swoosh!


    Leon was the first one to move. The moment the spells rained down, his eyes changed and he


    shot towards the nearest soldier, the back of his sword smacking against the back of the


    soldier''s head, sending them crashing against the ground.


    Cracka! Cracka!


    Lightning formed around Evelyn''s body as her eyes turned a purplish hue and the surrounding


    vegetation pushed down around her.


    Craka-


    Several bolts of lightning shot forward, directly hitting multiple soldiers.


    "Hiek!"


    "Akh...!"


    In the time it took for me to breathe, Leon and Evelyn had taken out several enemies. Not


    wanting to be left out, I lowered my head to stare at my hand.


    "Hooo."


    My chest trembled as my hand slowly started to turn a sickly green color.


    I then shifted my attention towards a group of soldiers in the distance. Locking focus on


    them, I slowly brought my hand up.


    "Ukh...!"


    But it was hard.


    It felt as if my hand was stuck in thick mud; I could barely lift it, straining every muscle just to


    make it move.


    Clench.


    A red orb appeared in my mind and the muscles in my hand popped and squirmed as I was


    finally able to move my hand up faster.


    Rumble Rumble!


    The ground trembled, and before the guards could grasp what was happening, dozens of


    green hands burst from the earth, wing their way up and closing in around them.


    "What the-!"


    "Akh...!"


    Reaching out for them, the hands grasped every part of their body.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    ....and they all grew limp right after that.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    My breath was a little bit heavy but I was satisfied with the power of the upgraded version of


    [Grip of Pestilence]. While it took longer to cast, it was also a lot more powerful.


    I could now render someonepletely limp in just one move.


    Still, things were far from over. In fact, they only got worse for us since the element of


    surprise was gone.


    "Over there!"


    The remaining guards finally managed to spot us as heavy traces of our mana lingered in the


    air, making it easy for them to spot us.


    I shifted my attention towards the bridge and saw the vassals rushing over.


    ''Just a little more...''


    Instead of pushing back, I pushed forward.


    A green and red orb appeared in my mind. ''Pop'', ''Crack'', I could hear every muscle and fiber in


    my body shift as power surged through me. Leon on the other hand blinked his eyes, getting


    rid of all the stars in his eyes.


    "Get them-!"


    I almost had a heart attack seeing the number of spells that were being directed our way.


    However, I didn''t panic and directly moved towards Leon who firmly nted his feet against


    the ground.


    ....The attacks rained down shortly after as the hair on my body rose.


    The sheer number of attacks made it impossible for me to escape. Pressing my lips together, I


    dashed in Leon''s direction and...


    Bang! Booom! Bang!


    The attacks soon came, drowning us entirely.


    ***


    "....The Evenus Household will soon send several vassals in order to defend the Gold Mine.


    Our goal is to ambush the vassals and get rid of Captain Thalric. He''s the one we should be


    paying the most attention to. So long as we injure or kill him, our mission will bepleted."


    Everyone could still remember the orders that had been issued back then.


    It was a simple n.


    Wait in ambush and get rid of Captain Thalric.


    "Is there anyone else we should watch out for? What if they send out the twin stars?"


    "...That will be a little problematic, but we should be able to deal with them. The one we


    should really watch out for is the captain. He''s extremely powerful."


    It was supposed to be like this, and yet...


    Yet...


    Bang! Bang!


    Spells rained down and soldiers fell.


    It was a catastrophic sight as the captain in charge of the ambush shouted,


    "Get them-!"


    All soldiers cast several spells, all directed toward the three figures that had appeared out of


    nowhere.


    Panic started to flood the minds of the soldiers as they attacked relentlessly.


    Bang! Booom! Bang!


    Trees shattered, the earth caved in, dust billowed into the air. One by one the soldiers


    attacked with the strongest spells avable to them.


    ...They only stopped when they felt tired.


    "Did we do it...?"


    "Did we...?"


    The hearts of the soldiers stopped as the dust cleared, revealing the gleam of two cold ck


    eyes.


    He waspletely unharmed.


    "A-ah..."


    Several soldiers went pale, and before they could even react, a figure darted out from behind


    the ck-eyed figure.


    He was fast, leaving them with no room to react.


    The only thing that they managed to see were two gleaming yellow eyes as he reached them in


    a sh.


    "M..."


    One of the soldiers staggered back, his legs trembling.


    But it was already toote.


    The figure closed in, and his vision began to fade.


    In that moment, he recalled the captain''s words. How he so wanted to shake his head and tell


    him he was wrong.


    He was so wrong.


    "They aren''t problematic, the captain isn''t the problem, they are...''


    Just before the darkness consumed his mind entirely, he managed to choke out a single word.


    "...M-monsters."

 Chapter 388: Gold Mine [4]

    Chapter 388: Gold Mine [4]


    ?


    Leon, Evelyn, and I couldn''t take on so many people at once.


    This much was clear to the three of us. Especially since we were under orders to not kill them.


    However, stalling wasn''t that much of a problem.


    Leon... He was the perfect meatshield.


    Bang! Bang-


    He didn''t even let out a sound as spells rained down on me. He just stood in front of me, protecting me while...


    I bit my lips and mumbled,


    "Your sacrifice will not be forgot-"


    "I''m not dead."


    "It-"


    "Go."


    "Fine."


    I closed my eyes and the green and red orb floated in front of me.


    I brought my hands together, pulling the orbs closer as power started to surge right through


    me.


    It was an experience I had once felt as my entire body crackled and popped as the muscles and bones adjusted to the added strain.


    The world around me slowed down as my arms bulked up.


    Yellow Anger + Joy ||Mania||


    "Hoo."


    With a deep breath, I pressed my foot to the side and shot towards the soldiers ahead. Bang! Bang-


    Spells continued to rain down in my direction, but I was able to dodge every single one of them as I locked my sight on the nearest and weakest soldiers.


    ....In essence, the mages.


    Those who wore heavier armor were not soldiers that I could take care of quickly.


    Bang!


    The ground shattered beside me as I shifted my center of gravity and direction. Several spells flew past me as I clenched my hand.


    Several dozen threads shot forth, covering the surroundings as some of the soldiers were unable to act on time and were promptly cut by the threads.


    "Ukeh! Akh!"


    But because I couldn''t kill them, I was only able to injure them.


    Still, this was eptable since I was able to ease some of the attacks that were headed my way and was able to get near the mages.


    Swoosh!


    Arriving behind one of the mages, I threw my fist down.


    A shield formed around them the moment I attacked but it shattered almost immediately. Cra Crack!


    "Akh!"


    Landing a solid blow on their head, I shifted towards the next mage and repeated the same motion.


    Cra Crack!


    "Ukeh!"


    Screams reverberated throughout as mage after mage fell under my attacks.


    Despite my exhaustion, I continued to attack the nearest soldier near me which birthed more chaos as themunication between each soldier fell apart.


    Cra!


    I shifted from one mage to another.


    Memorizing the location of every soldier that was next to me, I didn''t even look before pressing my foot down and shooting their way.


    Bang!


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    My lungs were on fire and my body started to show signs of tear.


    Cra Crack!


    By the time I was able to get rid of another mage, I realized that my body was extremely heavy. My ''Concept'' shattered and the power boost I previously felt disappeared alongside it.


    "Haa..."


    When I looked around me, my heart pressed at my throat as I realized I was surrounded from all sides.


    Weapons and magic spells were pointed at me.


    The situation was the same for Leon who could only remain still as his eyes had returned to normal.


    Evelyn wasn''t faring that much better.


    ''Fuck...''


    I cursed in my heart, looking at the numerous soldiers that we had managed to get rid of.


    In total, I could count about twenty. Perhaps there were more...


    I wasn''t sure.


    Still, feeling the numerous gazes directed my way, I didn''t have it in me to feel down. I had aplished my mission as I slumped down on the ground and smiled,


    "You fools."


    I mumbled, turning my attention towards the bridge.


    "...You were so focused on us that you forgot that we aren''t the only ones here."


    As those words left my mouth, the ground trembled.


    Rumble!


    The faces of the soldiers before me changed. But it was toote.


    Bang!


    A figure appeared shortly after.


    His presence was suffocating, and by the time the soldiers realized what was happening, it


    was already toote-a silver gleam shed before my eyes.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    Bodies fell one after another.


    The most impressive part was the fact that none of them were dead.


    I could see that they were all knocked out at once.


    nk! nk-!


    Shortly after, the vassals arrived and sparks flew in the air.


    In the quiet of the night, the heavy sound of metal shing resounded as the remaining


    soldiers from the enemy camp were left helpless. Many tried to run but it was useless.


    The captain didn''t allow one single person to escape his grasp.


    His every action was quick, and despite it being dark, it was as if he could see through


    everything.


    ....The fight ended a few minutes after it started.


    By the time all twenty remaining soldiers had been taken care of, the captain''s deep voiceN?v(el)B\\jnn


    resounded.


    "We''re done."


    His calm voice reached me as he collected the unconscious bodies of the soldiers and tied


    them up.


    I nodded faintly at him before shifting my attention away.


    Leon and Evelyn approached me shortly after.


    "That was quick..."


    Evelyn mumbled while looking around. She seemed impressed. Especially with the captain


    who appeared to be extremelypetent.


    ''.... It looks like we really weren''t needed after all.''


    At a nce, it almost seemed like he could''ve taken care of the fifty soldiers by himself.


    Leon pursed his lips before plopping onto the ground. Blood leaked from the corner of his


    mouth as he let out a faint groan.


    "It hurts."


    "....Aftereffect of your Concept?"


    "Y-yeah."


    Leon groaned again, holding his head with both hands.


    "Khhh."


    I watched him in silence before shifting my attention away from him. While his ''no star'' skill was broken, it wasn''t without side effects.


    Although his body remained rtively unscathed, absorbing most of the attacks, the pain inflicted wasn''t shielded. Instead, it built up, intensifying, until it was unleashed all at once


    when he deactivated his Concept.


    ....This pretty much rendered him useless for quite a bit.


    "How long until you can fight again?"


    "G-give me several hours..."


    "...That''s too much time."


    We had to act fast.


    If we waited a couple of hours then the people waiting at the mine would grow suspicious.


    The reality of the situation was that we were only going through the motions. ....We were here to pretend like we were trying to get the mine back as fast as possible.


    In reality, the miners that were currently in the mine were all trusted soldiers from the Household who were disguised as miners.


    The explosives had already been nted in the mine, and all that remained was for us to lure


    them in. Once we had them close, the charges would detonate, wiping out the entire army in


    one devastating blow.


    .... It was a ruthless n, but it was necessary for our victory.


    ''Actually, that''s not the problem here...''


    I wanted to get into the mine.


    At least... to better understand exactly what the butler meant by his words and what the liquid


    the previous Julien consumed was.


    I knew I''d be able to get my answers there, but if we went ahead with the n then I''d have no


    chance to find out.


    "I can''t believe we''re going back to that ce again."


    Evelyn''s words brought me out of my state.


    I shifted my attention to her, but she didn''t notice my gaze, her eyes fixed on the moon


    hanging in the sky.


    "How long has it been since west went to the mine? We used to y there quite often when


    we were young. I can''t believe we''re going to blow it up soon."


    "...Almost t-ten years." Leon replied next to her. He gave me a quick nce, telling me to not talk.


    I understood what he meant but Evelyn already knew that I wasn''t the previous Julien. Well, in


    any case, I still pretended to understand.


    "We used to y hide and seek all the time. It was pretty fun, and-"


    All of a sudden Evelyn paused, her brows furrowing as she turned her attention towards me.


    Noticing the peculiarity in her gaze, I kept my expression firm.


    Eventually, Evelyn shook her head.


    "Nevermind. It''s in the past. It''s not worth talking about..." ''Especially since you''re not him.''


    She mumbled softly under her breath.


    Patting her clothes she slowly stood up and headed towards the guards. I watched her back


    alongside Leon who continued to stare at her before finally turning his attention towards me.


    "What was she talking about?"


    "....She''s probably thinking about what happened in the past."


    "I got that. What exactly happened?"


    "Well..."


    Leon frowned, his brows furrowing as he seemingly recalled what happened. Then, with a


    bitter smile, he spoke,


    "You kind of forced us to y hide and seek in the gold mine. In the end, we all ended up


    getting lost for a long time. We were gone for so long that the family Head had no choice but


    to send a rescue party to look for us."


    "...Ah."


    Such a thing happened?


    ''No, thinking about it... perhaps it was during this time that he was lost that Julien found something


    within the case. The strange liquid most probably.''


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    My heart rate sped up at the thought.


    It felt like I was getting closer to the truth.


    "How did you end up finding your way back? Did the rescue squad find you...?"


    "For me, yes."


    "What about me...?"


    "Hmm."


    Leon frowned, turning his attention towards Evelyn who was speaking to the guards.


    "You can ask her. The two of you came back together."


    Shifting my attention towards Evelyn, I opened my mouth but closed it shortly after. Asking


    her was the same as admitting that I wasn''t Julien.


    While she already knew, she had no definitive proof.


    ...Perhaps she was baiting me into telling her.


    "Haa."


    I let out a long breath and leaned back on my arms while staring at the moon in the sky.


    ''If only there was a to look through the old Julien''s memories.''


    The more I learned about the previous Julien, the more shrouded his past seemed to be.


    Things would''ve been so much easier if I was capable of looking through his past, but sadly it


    wasn''t possible.


    The second leaf...


    It didn''t work for me.


    I had tried it in the past, but it did nothing. It would just extinguish with each attempt.


    ''It didn''t work for Leon as well. Is there some sort of reason for this...? The second leaf worked


    with everyone that I''ve tried it with but Leon. The only leaf that worked on Leon was the thir


    My thoughts came to an abrupt halt as my breath left my body.


    A sudden thought urred to me as I lowered my head to stare at my forearm where a clover


    tattoo appeared, closely wrapped by my illusion to make it hard to see that there was a tattoo


    present.


    "Hoo."


    I let out a cold breath as an idea sprung up in my mind.


    "The second leaf didn''t work on Leon, but the third leaf did. What if...''


    Pursing my lips together, I looked around me before pressing my right arm against my left.


    Then...


    I pressed the third leaf.

 Chapter 389: Gold Mine [5]

    Chapter 389: Gold Mine [5]


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I waited in silence for several seconds, waiting for something to happen, but¡­


    ¡®Nothing.¡¯


    ¡­I was disappointed to see that there was no change at all. My surroundings were the same and Leon was still next to me.


    As if sensing my gaze, he turned his head.


    ¡°?¡±


    I pursed my lips before pulling my hand away from my arm.


    ¡®There¡¯s no rush. Just because it doesn¡¯t work now doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t workter.¡¯ I could still distinctly recall the first time I used the third leaf. It was on Delh and it didn¡¯t work on her immediately. It took a trip to the Academy store to get it to work.


    Perhaps a simr situation would ur.


    ¡®The only difference is that Delh is very strong which can exin the dy, but what about me¡­?¡¯


    I was nowhere near as strong as her.


    ¡°Haa.¡±


    With a helpless sigh, I stood up.


    I looked down at Leon while patting my clothes. He was currently chugging down several pills and applying ointments on his forehead.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll probably leave in thirty minutes. Do you think you can recover enough?¡±


    Leon nced at me for a brief moment before shoving another pill in his mouth.


    His face winced from the pain as he mumbled,


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a go.¡±


    *


    Thirty minutes flew by.


    Leon¡¯s face was still pale but he could now walk without a problem. Though he didn¡¯t look like he was in optimal condition, if push came to shove, I was confident he¡¯d be able to perform like how he usually did.


    Which was all that was required of him since he didn¡¯t really have to do too much.


    ¡°Follow me quietly. We¡¯re not far off from the mine.¡±


    The one leading this time was the Captain who scanned the surroundings with a sharp look. Behind him were the vassals who looked rtively unharmed.


    ¡­In fact, out of the entire group, Leon was the only one who was injured.


    Evelyn didn¡¯t sustain any major injuries while I was rtively fine.


    A little exhausted, but I was able to mostly recover in the thirty minutes we had to spare.


    Rustle~ Rustle~


    Pushing the vegetation aside, we moved around in silence while keeping our eyes focused on the front.


    All of a sudden, the captain raised his hand and we stopped.


    His expression was firm.


    ¡°¡­They¡¯ve locked onto us.¡±


    His words brought no panic to the group. We expected such an oue. It was all going ording to the family Head¡¯s ns.


    The fact that we were wearing the clothes of the fallen soldiers was also part of the n.


    ¡­It was to make our enemies think we were fullymitted to the act.


    ¡°Get ready. I¡¯ll get in touch with the second squad. When they start to approach us we will coborate with them to push them into the mine.¡±


    Taking out amunication device, the captain whispered something into it before retrieving his weapon and signaling to the other vassals to get in position.


    I looked around before moving towards the back.


    Leon and Evelyn did the same. This was the family Head¡¯s orders. We were only figureheads. All we had to do was be present while the others did their task.


    If everything went ording to n we wouldn¡¯t need to act at all.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath.


    Taking out several pills, I chugged them down my throat while ncing toward the right side.


    A pair of yellow eyes met my sight.


    I nodded faintly as a faint pping sound echoed.


    Fwap, fwap¡ª!


    ***


    The gold mine was nestled within a mountain called San Clearance, which rose to a height of one kilometer.


    A small camp was set up halfway through the mountain.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±


    Captain Bohr stepped out of one of the tents in the camp, his gaze fixed on the dense foliage below.


    While no visible signs of life could be seen, the various devices and sentinels positioned throughout the camp detected subtle movement in the undergrowth.


    ¡°¡­.They¡¯vee a littleter than the expected time, but not by much.¡±


    He nced behind him where the troops were stationed and raised his hand.


    ¡°Get into position. We will attack them when they get close enough. They should all be rtively worn out and injured. Let¡¯s make quick work of them.¡±


    At the same time he released the orders, he looked behind him. Towards the opening on the mountain where the mine was.


    Several carts were being hauled away, each loaded with massive chunks of rock as the miners toiled relentlessly. Their faces were covered in ck while sweat poured down from their bodies.


    The Captain squinted his eyes while staring at the miners before looking away.


    He couldn¡¯t detect any hints of mana from their bodies. They appeared to be regr people. And yet¡­ their frames appeared a little different than the miners he hade across in the past.


    They were rather bulky.


    But he didn¡¯t dwell too much on the matter. Without mana, they posed no harm to them.


    Furthermore, he hadn¡¯t met many miners in the past.


    Rustle~ Rustle~


    ¡°Get ready.¡±


    The Captain¡¯s expression grew stern as his head flicked back to the foliage. It was quiet, the faint breeze of the night fluttering his clothes slightly.


    He extended his right hand where ance appeared.


    Thump!


    A silver armor materialized from thin air, covering every inch of his body as his presence grew.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The world grew quiet as tension fell over the camp.


    Rustle~


    The bushes rustled as the Captain¡¯s grip on hisnce tightened.


    Fwap! Fwap¡ª!


    A faint fluttering sound echoed from above. Lifting his head up, the captain¡¯s gaze met with a pair of yellow eyes.


    ¡®¡­.An Owl?¡¯


    Captain Bohr frowned but soon cast his gaze away.


    It wasn¡¯t umon for Owls to appear at night. He closed his eyes and felt the changes in the air.


    ¡ªThere¡¯s movement up ahead. Fifty meters.


    The sentinel¡¯s voices reached his ears as the grip on thence tightened further.


    ¡ªForty meters! They¡¯ve picked up the pace.


    The silence felt stifling.


    ¡°Hoo.¡±


    Be it the captain and the soldiers, they all grew tense as their bodies tensed and mana started to umte within their bodies.


    ¡ªThirty meters!


    The enemies grew closer, the gap between each call shortening.


    ¡ªTwenty meters!


    Power started to overflow from the Captain¡¯snce as a faint glow covered it. His expression grew iparably serious as he finally took up a stance.


    ¡ªTen meters!


    Rustle~ Rustle~


    He could finally hear the movements with his ears as he clenched his teeth and raised his hand, alerting the group to get ready.


    ¡ªFive meters!


    Shadows appeared behind the foliage.


    They were all rushing their way.


    ¡ªTwo me-


    There was no need to wait any further.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    Power erupted from the Captain¡¯s body,pletely taking over the surroundings as a circr wave of pressurized wind burst out of his body.


    The nearby soldiers were pushed back a little, but it was of no importance as the ground beneath the captain shattered as he pressed his foot down and shed down at the nearest shadow.


    Swooosh!


    ¡­.The goal was to take the initiative.


    By cutting down the first in line, he aimed to disrupt their formation, allowing the soldiers at the rear to encircle and trap them.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    Thence cleaved right through several of the shadows that rushed before him.


    He was so fast that he didn¡¯t even feel any resistance with hisnce as his opponents were directly severed in half, their blood spilling onto the ground.


    When the captain nced to his right and left side he saw that his soldiers were also faring well and a smile crept up on his face.


    ¡­.His chest started to feel light and he pressed his foot forward in order to advance further.


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    However, just as he did so, he abruptly stopped himself.


    ¡®Wait¡­¡¯


    He brought his hand to his chest and felt his rapidly beating heartbeat. Blinking his eyes, he looked down again.


    ¡­His gaze fell on the fallen enemies.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    The captain¡¯s expression quickly changed as he looked at them.


    Their faces¡­


    They were blurred.


    This¡­!


    Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump!


    A certain drumming sound echoed within the captain¡¯s mind as he unknowingly raised his head to look up.


    There, a pair of yellow eyes stared at him from above.


    Its gaze was directed at him, looking down on him with a certain indifference that sent chills down his spine.


    ¡°Illusion¡­! This is all an ill¡ª!¡±


    But it was toote.


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ª!


    Figures emerged from behind the foliage one after another. This time, the captain was certain they weren¡¯t illusions.


    ¡°Hieek..!¡±


    ¡°Akh!!¡±


    Illusions couldn¡¯t replicate the screams of his soldiers.


    ¡®Oh, no¡­¡¯


    Sweat poured down on the Captain¡¯s face as reality dawned on him. Just when he thought things couldn¡¯t get any worse, he felt a powerful presence shoot right for him.


    Out of haste, the captain positioned hisnce before him.


    Boooom¡ª


    ¡°Ukeh!¡±


    A powerful blow sent him staggering back as a figure emerged shortly after.


    With a tall body, short blonde hair, and deep blue eyes, Bohr recognized him instantly. His expression tightened as he mumbled,


    ¡°Thalric.¡±


    ¡­If there was anyone he was worried about, it¡¯d be him.


    Captain Borh previously thought he¡¯d be injured, but his heart sank when he saw Thalric lookpletely unharmed.


    ¡®Wait, why is he uninjured?¡¯


    The forces nted near the bridge were strong.


    ording to his estimates, they should¡¯ve been able to deal a major blow to the Captain and the vassals.


    And yet¡­


    ¡°H-how?¡±


    Swoosh!


    Captain Thalric didn¡¯t give him any chance to understand what was happening as he thrust his weapon forward.


    Clench.


    Feeling how dire the situation was, Bohr had no choice but to step back in order to avoid the iing attack.


    He did just that and was about to prepare a counterattack when another situation urred.


    nk, nk!


    ¡°Hueek!¡±


    ¡°Akhh¡­!¡±


    A sudden surge of screams startled the Captain who turned his head.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    His eyes widened in horror as he saw the miners suddenly radiating mana, brandishing swords and spears.


    ¡®H-how is this possible¡­!?¡¯


    The captain couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    He had checked the miners personally beforehand. He was sure they were just regr people, and yet¡­


    nk!


    ¡°Kh!¡±


    He retreated back as his arms trembled due to the collision of hisnce with Thalric¡¯s weapon.


    ¡°Ukeh¡­!¡±


    ¡°H-help!¡±


    All around him, Borh could hear the screams of his soldiers as they were pushed further and further back, toward the mine.


    Spurt, spurt¡ª


    Blood continued to spill all over the ground as soldiers fell one after another.


    nk!


    Borh grunted as he retreated one step further.


    ¡®This can¡¯t go on¡­!¡¯


    The entire lineup was shattered, and all forms of organization crumbled. This couldn¡¯t go on any further.


    He had to find a way to regroup.


    Flick. Flick.


    The Captain¡¯s head flicked all around before settling towards the mine.


    A thought urred to him as he shouted.


    ¡°Retreat!¡±


    Bang!


    He stomped his foot against the ground, shattering the ground beneath and releasing a powerful pressure that sent Captain Thalric retreating a few steps back.


    Pointing towards the mine, he shouted.


    ¡°Retreat to the mine!!¡±


    ¡°Stop them¡­!¡±


    As if realizing his n, Captain Thalric pushed himself forward and tried to stop him, but it was no use.


    nk¡­!


    Captain Bohr¡¯s strength was extremely powerful.


    He couldn¡¯t be defeated quickly.


    In fact, if the two went head-to-head without any distractions then Borh would most likelye out the winner. He was that strong.


    ¡°Attack faster! Don¡¯t let them retreat into the mine!¡±


    Thalric¡¯s frantic actions only made things easier for Bohr who managed to defend each of his attacks due to how predictable they started to be.


    ¡°Go! Go¡­!¡±


    Seamlessly blocking Thalric¡¯s path, he also started to help his soldiers retreat into the cave.


    nk, nk!


    Gradually, he started to retreat as he fended off several attacks.


    ¡°Ukkh..!¡±


    Injuries started to pile up on his body, but it was worth it.


    nk!


    ¡°Ukh!¡±


    Staggering a few steps back, the Bohr looked around.


    Seeing that almost everyone had retreated into the mine, he showed a ruthless smile as power started to surge from his body.


    It suffocated the surroundings as an intense glow formed around his body.


    Hisnce grew in size and his body started to crack and pop as the muscles on his arms bulged.


    ¡°Ha¡ª!¡±


    He screamed once, thrusting hisnce down.


    Thalric¡¯s eyes constricted as he swiped his hand to stop his vassals from advancing. A shield formed shortly after.


    ¡°Cover!¡±


    Booom!


    A terrifying explosion ensued shortly after.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    The explosion was followed by arge rumble as the mountain quaked.


    Bang, bang!


    ¡°Cover¡ª!¡±


    Rocks tumbled down, and a thick cloud of dust billowed into the air, obscuring everyone¡¯s vision.


    ¡­.It took several minutes for everything to settle down, and once all was said and done, the Captain stood with an expressionless look.


    He stared at the entrance of the mine which was nowpletely blocked and turned around.


    ¡°Prepare to explode everything. They¡¯ve fallen for the bait.¡±


    ¡­.Bohr mots likely assumed they wouldn¡¯t try to break into the mine considering how precious the mine was, but he was wrong.


    The mine was worthless.


    Just like their lives.


    He was just about to issue another order when Leon appeared before him, his expression grim.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t explode it yet.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Leon¡¯s mouth twitched as he felt the captain¡¯s gaze on him.


    Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Leon found himself quietly mumbling,


    ¡°Gone¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Captain frowned.


    ¡°What is gone?¡±


    ¡°Julien.¡±


    Leon opened his eyes, revealing his two gray eyes.


    ¡°¡­.He¡¯s missing.¡±

 Chapter 390: In the depths of the mine [1]

    Chapter 390: In the depths of the mine [1]


    Moments after the attack started.


    nk! nk¡ª!


    Sparks flew in the air as the vassals engaged with the Ramsail soldiers.


    ¡°Akh¡­!¡±


    ¡°hueek!¡±


    I could hear the screams of the soldiers as blood spilled all over. I stared at the scene unblinkingly, capturing everything in my mind as I felt something softnd on my shoulder.


    ¡°Done.¡±


    It was Owl-Mighty. I briefly nced its way before looking away.


    ¡­Things would¡¯ve been a little bit moreplicated had it not been for Owl-Mighty. I hadn¡¯t revealed Owl-Mighty to the world just yet, but I was slowly starting to.


    The same was true for Pebble.


    It was just not time yet.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Feeling a certain gaze I turned my head to see Leon look at Owl-Mighty with a scowl.


    ¡®Ah, right¡­¡¯


    I suddenly recalled his first reaction when I told him about Owl-Mighty. It was about the same reaction I normally would get whenever I told him a joke.


    ¡­.It was worth it.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Evelyn also noticed Owl-Mighty and while she seemed intrigued, the fight that was currently happening not so far from us was taking a major part of her attention.


    All of a sudden, Leon turned his head to face the back, his eyes squinting.


    ¡°¡­.There¡¯s people approaching from the back.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    I squinted my eyes in an attempt to see behind the foliage, but it was no use. I couldn¡¯t see a thing. Thankfully, the captain had left several soldiers behind in order to deal with them.


    Everything was going ording to the family Head¡¯s n and I started to rx a little.


    nk¡ª!


    Arge spark gathered my attention once more.


    Turning my head to look, I saw that the situation was starting to turn in our favor. The miners had finally joined the fight.


    ¡®Looks like it¡¯ll be over soon.¡¯


    I could see the vassals slowly corner the Viscount¡¯s soldiers towards the mine.


    nk, nk¡ª


    The heavy sound of the metal shing reverberated and as I stared at the mine that stood behind them, my expression froze.


    ¡°¡­Uh?¡±


    Three small figures appeared by the entrance.


    ¡®What in the¡­¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t clearly see them since they appeared a little obscured, but turning my head to look at Leon and Evelyn who were engrossed in the fight, I realized that I was the only one that could see them.


    ¡®Why do they feel so familiar¡­?¡¯


    Pressing the ground, I tried to stand up.


    Rustle~


    However, Leon stopped me right before I could.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°¡­.I need to check something out.¡±


    ¡°What? Can¡¯t you do itter¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    I shifted my attention towards the entrance of the mine once more. The three small figures that stood there were now entering the mine.


    Seeing this my heart raced.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    Before Leon could finish his sentence, I dashed towards the mine.


    nk, nk!


    Sparks flew all around me as the soldiers fought. With the aid of [Veil of Deceit], I was able to move past everyone as I rushed towards the mine.


    Unknowingly, the closer I came to the mine, the more muffled the sound of the fight grew.


    Before long, all noise ceased and I stood before the mine.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    I looked around me.


    The soldiers were gone and what reced them were bulky miners who moved several carts filled with rocks.


    ¡®What the¡­¡¯


    I was confused at first, but realization soon dawned on me. Hastily, I looked down to my arm where the four-leaf clover was.


    It was then that I understood.


    ¡°The third leaf¡­¡±


    It had worked.


    ¡°Go¡­! You two hide and I will find you! Hurry up!¡±


    A voice reached my ears as I turned to face the mine. There I could see the frames that I had been chasing after. They no longer were obscured and I could see them clearly.


    It was Leon, Evelyn, and¡­


    ¡®Julien.¡¯


    This right here appeared to be the memory Leon had been talking about.


    ¡°Did you not hear me?! Go!¡±


    Holding onto a stick, Julien threatened to beat both Evelyn and Leon who had no choice but to run into the mine.


    Staring at them, I noticed a few abnormalities with Leon.


    He staggered with each step he took while his eyes had ring ck circles beneath. He looked sleep-deprived.


    ¡®The more I learn about how Leon had been treated the more I realized just how patient he¡¯s been¡­¡¯


    I started to feel bad for him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll count to one hundred so make sure you hide well. ¡±


    Julien then turned to face the wall where he threw the stick to the side. Scratching the side of his neck he counted to twenty before entering deep into the mine.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I stood in silence as he walked deeper into the cave before following him from behind.


    At the same time I did, I cast an illusion over my body to hide myself well.


    This¡­


    ¡­I was sure I¡¯d be able to find what I wanted in this manner.


    ¡°Where did they go?¡±


    The mine was quite big. Julien was calm at first, however, after several minutes passed and he saw no signs of Leon and Evelyn, he started to grow restless.


    ¡°¡­.Where did those two bastards go?¡±


    He scratched the side of his neck.


    ¡°Did they leave?¡±


    Julien turned his head to look behind before shaking his head.


    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be¡­ I would¡¯ve noticed them if they left. If so¡­?¡±


    An idea seemed to ur to him as he looked around and headed deeper into the mine.


    nk, nk¡ª


    The heavy clink of pickaxes striking the cave walls echoed as Julien walked past several miners. They gave him only a brief nce before returning to theirbor.


    They didn¡¯t appear surprised by his appearance which told me they were used to his appearance.


    nk, nk¡ª


    ¡­Julien seemed to know the way as he headed deeper and deeper into the mines.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he came across a fork road.


    ¡°Those bastards¡­¡±


    He looked around before heading towards the leftmost one.


    ¡®Wait¡­¡¯


    I was surprised to his choice.


    The left side was obstructed by nks of wood, barring entry. However, through several narrow gaps, Julien managed to squeeze through and step onto the path, his vision immediately swallowed by darkness.


    I had to use my ¡®Concept¡¯ in order to enter and follow from behind.


    However, I had a hard time following Julien as my vision was obscured by darkness.


    Tak, tak, tak¡ª


    I could only rely on the sound of his footsteps to guide me as he walked ahead.


    ¡®Where exactly is he going?¡¯


    This ce seemed abandoned. Though my vision was limited, I could make out faint traces of structures scattered around.


    ¡­.It had clearly been developed before but somehow abandoned.


    ¡®Hmm.¡¯


    I picked up the pace while keeping my steps light and following Julien closely behind.


    Eventually, the footsteps stopped and so did I.


    It was still dark so I couldn¡¯t see properly, but that wasn¡¯t for long.


    Swoosh!


    All of a sudden the surroundings lit up.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Holding onto a torch, Julien¡¯s features appeared clear to me once more.


    His face was grim as he looked around.


    ¡°Where are you? Come out before I get to you¡­¡±


    The torchlight illuminated just enough for me to get a clearer view of our surroundings. We were in a small enclosure cluttered with old tools and equipment, left abandoned and gathering dust.


    That was probably where Julien took the torch.


    ¡°I know one of you fuckers is here. Get out before I make youe out¡­!¡±


    Julien¡¯s words seemedced with poison as his eyes aggressively scanned the surroundings, shifting the torch around while tossing some of the equipment away.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    As he did so, I was surprised to see that among the equipment scattered there was some dynamite.


    ¡®That doesn¡¯t look very safe¡­¡¯


    ¡°Where are you!?¡±


    Julien grew progressively frustrated with each passing second.He searched every nook and cranny of the ce to no avail.


    Leon and Evelyn were nowhere near in sight.


    ¡­At least, on the surface.


    I had already scanned the ce.


    Somewhere close, I could feel a faint presence.


    ¡°Quit messing around! Come out before I make you!?¡±


    Julien¡¯s eyes grew increasingly intense with each passing second, to the point that I was taken aback. What unsettled me most was the brief flicker of insanity that crossed his gaze.


    ¡®Wait, what is he¡­?¡¯


    All of a sudden, my heart paused as he turned his attention towards the dynamite.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a change in my expression as Julien walked towards the nearby dynamite.


    ¡°I¡¯ll count to ten. If you don¡¯te out soon I¡¯ll blow this entire ce up.¡±


    He brought the torch near the dynamite.


    ¡°One¡­¡±


    Julien started to count.


    ¡®Has hepletely lost it?¡¯


    For a moment, I almost showed myself. However, with myst bit of rity was able to stop myself from doing so.


    ¡®Right, I can¡¯t interfere¡­¡¯


    I needed to see how this yed out. Surely he wasn¡¯t going to go through with it.


    ¡°Two¡­¡±


    Julien¡¯s countdown continued.


    And yet¡­


    The figure hiding within the space didn¡¯t move.


    ¡®What is going on? Why aren¡¯t they moving¡­?¡¯


    I felt something amiss with the situation but chose to remain put Surely they were going toe out soon, right?


    ¡°Three¡­¡±


    ¡°Four, five, six, seven¡­¡±


    Or so I thought.


    By the time the count reached seven, I knew that something was wrong.


    I cast my gaze in the direction of where I felt the presence and moved in its direction.


    ¡°Eight..¡±


    Julien brought the torch closer to the dynamite.


    ¡­I felt my heart press against my throat as I hurried my steps and reached the presence. It was in one of the boxes where the tools were. Ducking down, I opened the lid to see a figure breathing in silence.


    He waspletely passed out.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    My expression changed the moment I saw the figure.


    It was none other than Leon, and he seemed to be sleeping.


    ¡°Nine¡­¡±


    ¡®Shit!¡¯


    I quickly turned my head just in time to see Julien throw the torch onto the dynamite. To my shock, his entire body began to shift, taking on a darkish hue before he sprinted forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me I didn¡¯t warn you!¡±


    ¡°¡­.?¡±


    Taken aback by the sudden transformation, I wasn¡¯t able to react in time and the torch directly came into contact with the dynamite.


    It took no longer than a second for the dynamite to active.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    A curse slipped out my mouth as I realized what was happening and I hurriedly shifted my attention towards the sleeping Leon. Without a second thought, I closed my eyes and six orbs appeared.


    I immediately reached for the pink orb.


    ¡®Crack¡­!¡¯


    As I did so, changes swept through my body, with everything growing stiff and rigid.


    I never had the time to properly use this orb.


    This was the first time I used it, and it was a great way to test it as the dynamite detonated shortly after.


    Boooom¡ª


    A terrifying explosion resounded shortly after.


    Everything shook and the surroundings started to crumble.


    Rumble! Rumble¡ª


    ¡°Uh!?¡±


    Finally, Leon was startled awake. But it was toote for him as the ceiling started to copse on itself.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    His expression shifted rapidly in response to the situation, but it was toote; arge rock came crashing down toward him.


    Rumble!


    And then another¡­


    Rumble!


    And then another¡­


    Everything copsed on itself, burying everything within it.


    Me included.

 Chapter 391: In the depths of the mine [2]

    Chapter 391: In the depths of the mine [2]


    ?


    "Ukh...!"


    As the rocks fell on me, I felt my body tremble. It hurt but I was able to withstand most of the pain. As opposed to Leon and Kaelion, the rocks didn''t hurt as much.


    ....The only problem was the fact that I wasn''t just protecting myself.


    Looking down, I saw the scared Leon look up in terror. He couldn''t see me, but I could see him.


    Rumble, rumble-!


    The ground beneath me started to tremble.


    At first, I was confused, but soon my eyes widened in horror as I noticed fine miniature crevices forming beneath me.


    ''Crap!''


    I realized what was happening toote.


    Cra Crack-!


    The ground beneath me shattered.


    I wanted to curse again, but there was no time. My footing began to slip as the ground


    beneath me crumbled, revealing an endless darkness below that swallowed everything from sight.


    "Akh...!"


    Hearing Leon''s scream, I nced down to see him reaching out desperately, grasping at the air as he plummeted down.


    I maintained my cool.


    Staring at Leon, I closed my eyes and dove down.


    Swoosh!


    My clothes fluttered wildly as the rocks tumbled alongside me. Ignoring them, I surged past Leon. At that moment, I swapped the pink orb for the blue one.


    Instantly, my body grew lighter and the speed of my fall lessened.


    I turned around mid-air and looked at the falling Leon.


    Thud!


    A rock collided with his head knocking him unconscious.


    I held my breath at the sight but remained level-headed as I reached out to grab him.


    "...!"


    His momentum added to my fall.


    But I expected this much. From Azure to Pink again. My entire body grew stiff as I had a hard time moving my muscles.


    It felt as though I was submerged in cement.


    "Kh!"


    It didn''t hurt, but the sensation felt ufortable.


    And soon...


    Bang!


    I hit the ground.


    "Ukh...!"


    The moment I hit the ground, an electric shock surged through my body. My muscles trembled and quaked as they absorbed the brunt of the impact.


    "Huff... Huff...!"


    For the briefest of moments, I couldn''t move my body at all.


    To make matters worse, massive chunks of rocks continued to fall down beside me. Bang, bang-!


    "Kh...!"


    I had no choice but to suppress the weird tingling sensation running down my body and run past the point where the rocks were falling.


    Bang!


    "Ukkh...!"


    Of course, I wasn''t able topletely dodge the rocks. Fortunately, while they did look scary, the force of their impact was nowhere near as much as a single punch from Leon, Kaelion, or Caius.


    Furthermore, with the aid of the pink orb, my body was rtively unscathed.


    The only problem was Leon who I needed to keep safe.


    Bang, Bang-


    I also had to hurry up.


    While I could withstand the force from the rocks, I couldn''t afford to be buried alive. I''d be able to get out without a problem, but Leon...?


    "Huff...!"


    Bang!


    Another rock fell behind me, shattering inrge chunks which directly hit my back. My clothes tore and my back stung, but...


    Thump!


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    ...I was finally able to get out of the danger zone as I slumped down on the ground alongside


    the young Leon.


    "Haa..."


    I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths.


    ''...That was a lot more difficult than it was supposed to be.''


    "How many times does this make it?"


    One, two, three...?


    The amount of times that I saved the one guy that was supposed to save me. I red at the young Leon before taking out a pill and popping it in his mouth.


    "Tsk."


    "Ukh."


    As if sensing my re, Leon started to frown and regain consciousness. I hastily hid myself


    once more as Leon''s eyes opened.


    "Ukh...!"


    He immediately held his head as his face winced in pain.


    "It hurts..."


    Looking at him, I found myself smiling. He really didn''t change that much from the past and now. He showed a simr reaction after he took on the heavy brunt of the spells before with


    his ''Concept''.


    "W-where am I?"


    Leon looked around, his face lost.


    It was dark, and it was hard to see anything outside a short radius.


    "...This."


    Leon''s breathing grew heavier as he realized his situation. However, despite his age, he didn''t


    appear all too panicked. Instead, he almost seemed relieved.


    "They''ll find me soon... At least I can rest now."


    As expected, he really was relieved.


    In fact, he also seemed a little happy. But after thinking about it, I could understand him.


    Especially when I recalled how the previous Julien had treated him.


    From killing him to working him to the point of no sleep...


    ''He really did have it hard.''


    My heart softened for a brief moment.


    "Uh?"


    But I was quick to snap out of it as Leon let out a strange sound. Confused, I tilted my head


    when I also noticed it.


    "....!"


    Out of haste, I covered my mouth as I was about to make a sound.


    ''What in the...''


    In the distance, hidden within the darkness that surrounded the two of us, I managed to spot a


    dim light.


    It was faint, but it was present.


    ...It faintly pulsed like the beat of a heart.


    ||


    "I


    Leon''s eyes grew ck at the sight of the light and his body started to move on its own.


    Tak, tak-


    The faint echo of his footsteps echoed throughout as Leon dazedly walked towards the pulse


    of light.


    I didn''t say anything and just followed him in silence.


    I too was attracted to the light, but unlike him, I didn''t get hypnotized by it.


    Tak-


    Each step brought Leon closer to the light.


    It grew brighter the closer we came and as Leon took another step, a change urred to the


    surroundings.


    Fwuooo!N?v(el)B\\jnn


    A series of mes lit up as statues appeared on all sides of us.


    "....!"


    The statues were weathered, depicting several veiled women with outstretched hands.


    mes hovered above their palms, casting light over the surroundings.


    In the distance, a long flight of stairs appeared, giving way to a tall and dark altar.


    I blinked my eyes before pausing.


    There... I could see the source of the light pulse. And the moment I caught a glimpse of it, my


    breath stopped.


    ''Isn''t that...?''


    I squinted my eyes to make sure I was seeing correctly. I tried to deny the sight that stood before me, but seeing no change in what I was seeing, I could only ept the reality of the


    situation as a familiar-looking ck chalice appeared at the top of the altar.


    There was no denying it.


    ....It was the same chalice as in the first vision.


    Tak, tak-


    Leon''s steps continued as he moved toward the altar.


    I looked around.


    There was nothing that was stopping him from going. The statues just stood still while the


    mes in their palms dimly illuminated the surroundings.


    I grew curious.


    ''Just what exactly does this chalice do...? And what is this ce?''


    "Hmm."


    Snapping out of my thoughts, I moved ahead of Leon and climbed the flight of stairs.


    I wanted to get a closer look at the chalice.


    ''This is...?''


    I wasn''t sure what to expect as I approached the chalice, but after climbing the long staircase


    and reaching it, my gaze didn''t immediately fall on the chalice but towards the body of the


    altar where I could see several inscriptions and carvings.


    In particr, one carving stood out from the rest.


    .....It was that of an eye.


    ''I''ve seen this before."


    I pressed my lips while moving closer to the altar.


    Tak, tak-


    Leon''s footsteps drew closer while I observed the carving. Unknowingly, I started to lose


    focus of my surroundings while the eye was the only thing that I could see.


    11 ||


    I extended my hand, gently tracing my fingertips over the intricate engravings. I felt


    hypnotized by the carvings.


    In particr the eye.


    It was as if it was calling for me.


    Yes, me.


    "Oh, dear Oracleus! The Seer...!"


    A distant voice echoed in the background, faint yet resonating loudly in my mind.


    ''Uh...?''


    "Heed my offering and bestow us your protection!"


    As I blinked, the scene around me shifted. Light flooded my vision, and the sky stretched


    overhead, with the gleaming yellow sun casting its warm rays upon the altar.


    ''Where in the...''


    Standing next to the altar was a man garbed in white, the same eye from before etched at the


    center of his robes.


    He stood with the ck chalice in his hand.


    "Oh, Seer...! bestow upon us your protection!"


    "Bestow upon us your protection!" "Bestow upon us your protection!"


    "Bestow upon us your protection!"


    Loud cries echoed from beneath. When I turned my head, a sea of people appeared prostrating


    before the altar.


    They all wore white clothes simr to the man at the center.


    ''Some sort of cult...?''


    No, I looked around.


    It felt different from a cult. This felt like a full-blown religion.


    Just where in the world...


    Lowering his head to nce at the chalice, the man at the center of it all suddenly raised it


    into the air.


    "I, the third Cardinal of Salvion pay homage and seek your approval. Your approval to


    consume your sacred blood for the sake of my people."


    ''Blood?''


    "Your sacred blood will be offered for the salvation of my people-our people-the people of Eryndor! With it, I will carry upon your name and pass it down to our descendants!"


    The Cardinal brought the chalice higher in the air as his voice raised.


    "For Eryndor!"


    He shouted.


    "For Eryndor!"


    "For Eryndor!"


    The others mimicked.


    The cries were deafening.


    I watched the scene unfold in confusion, unable to understand what was happening. But soon,


    the Cardinal''s actions brought my attention back.


    Lowering the Chalice, he brought it to his lips and took a sip of the contents within.


    "Ahh...!"


    He immediately let out


    scream.


    Following his scream, his eyes turned ghastly white.


    "Ahhhh!"


    His scream tore through the air as his entire body began to tremble. The hair on his body


    started to wither, and his face grew pale, as though the blood was draining the life from him.


    "Aahhh...!"


    His screams continued to resound in the space.


    They felt agonizing, giving rise to an intense sense of difort.


    " ||


    But soon, before I knew it, his head had turned to face my direction. I stood frozen on the


    spot, staring back at the Cardinal who looked straight at me.


    "S-seer..."


    My heart pressed at my throat as he addressed me.


    "Oh, S-seer..."


    His tone was filled with reverence, and every hair on my body rose.


    "...I-s that you seer?"


    The Cardinal extended his hands toward me as if he intended to make contact. But just before


    he could, he came to a stop.


    "Ah..."


    His face grew ashen as his eyes flickered.


    "T-this."


    He looked mortified, lifting his gaze to take a look at me once more. His lips slowly parted,


    and words came out of his mouth.


    "I¡ª"


    "Uh...!?"


    I snapped out of it and brought my hand away from the altar.


    "Huff... Huff..."


    Feeling my heart, which was beating out of my chest, I took deep and heavy breaths as


    stumbled away from the altar.


    Thump!


    "Huff... Huff..."


    I tried to make sense of what I had seen, but before I could, I realized that I had already stood


    up and was facing the chalice directly.


    There, I saw a red liquid.


    "Huff... Huff..."


    With heavy breaths, my gaze remained fixed on the liquid.


    This...


    The reality of the situation hit me.


    The liquid within the Chalice...


    It was my blood.


    Oracleus''s blood.

 Chapter 392: In the depths of the mine [3]

    Chapter 392: In the depths of the mine [3]


    ?


    Tak, tak-


    Leon''s footsteps drew nearer again.


    He was close.


    But I couldn''t react at all as my eyes remained fixed on the liquid within the chalice.


    ''My blood...''


    I licked my lips. I struggled toe to terms with the reality of the situation, but there was no denying what I saw.


    This really was my blood, and a realization suddenly hit me.


    ''No wonder people worship gods in this world. Just like the blood of... Mortum. There''s the blood of other gods scattered throughout the world.''


    The religion most likely stemmed from those who consumed the blood of one of the gods.


    And in this case...


    "


    ||


    I reached out to grab the chalice.


    The surface was cold beneath my fingers, and as I nced down, my reflection stared back at


    me.


    Tak, tak-


    Leon''s footsteps drew nearer to me.


    I closed my eyes, the traces of my reflection lingering in my mind.


    Tak-


    Leon''s step sounded right behind me and I ced the chalice back down. Without looking back, I took out a couple of vials and filled them with the blood.


    "This should be enough...''


    I then moved to the side and allowed Leon to head for the Chalice.


    || ||


    His steps finally stopped.


    With hollow eyes, he stared at the liquid in silence. I stared at him from the side, half- expecting him to drink the blood, but...


    Ssh!


    "....!"


    He directly spilled the liquid of the contents of the Chalice onto the altar.


    Vooom!


    Instantly, the altar lit up.


    A strange glow manifested over it as the surroundings started to shake.


    Rumble, Rumble-


    Shocked, I looked around in confusion. Just what in the world...?!


    The statues behind shifted, slowly turning to face our general direction as the fires within their palms grew brighter.


    Rumble!


    A bright glow manifested over the Chalice as Leon''s expression finally showed signs of changes.


    "Ukeh...!"


    The Chalice grew brighter and before I knew it, Leon brought the Chalice directly to his heart. "Ueekh!!"


    Leon let out another scream as his body squirmed.


    Pulsing with life, blue lines formed all around his body, highlighting the veins on his body. Rumble, rumble-!


    The surroundings shook as Leon''s body started to change.


    His skin started to peel off while the chalice merged with his body, pulsing as though it was his own heart.


    I could do nothing but stare at the scene in silence.


    .....It felt important.


    "Ahhhh!"


    His screams continued to pierce through the space.


    They grew progressively weaker with each second that passed alongside the glow that formed around his veins.


    ''Is it over...?''


    I wasn''t entirely sure what had just urred, but with the Chalice now gone and the glow on Leon''s body fading as well, I assumed it was all over.


    And indeed...


    Thump!


    Shortly after, Leon''s body fell to the ground, his eyes closed. Leaning closer to him, I ced my finger over his nose.


    "He''s still breathing...."


    I sighed in relief when I noticed that he was still fine.


    In hindsight, it was a needless worry considering how the future Leon was still alive. However, I couldn''t dwell on the thought for long as the surroundings started to shake once


    more.


    Rumble-


    In the distance, an opening appeared, revealing what appeared to be a small tunnel with a long flight of stairs.


    ''Is that...?''


    My heart eased upon seeing the stairs.


    I had been thinking about how to get out of this ce. Thankfully there was a way out.


    Looking around, I picked up Leon and tossed him over my shoulder.


    I wasn''t worried about him waking up anytime soon. He looked out of itpletely.


    Taking a look at my surroundings my gaze fell on the altar that stood beside me. Cracks had formed around its body, expanding with each second as it slowly started to break down. I nced at the carvings for a few seconds before looking away.


    "The people of Eryndor..."


    Mumbling the words that I had overhead in the vision, I walked towards the exit.


    Rumble!


    As soon as I stepped past the altar and headed for the exit, the entire ce shook violently. Large chunks of the ceiling crumbled, crashing down as the ground quaked beneath my feet. In a matter of moments, everything was consumed by the falling debris, sealing it all away.


    I never once looked back while moving up the long flight of stairs.


    It was dark, but in the distance, I could see faint traces of light.


    I moved towards it.


    Tak, Tak-


    For a few minutes, all I could hear was the faint sound of my footsteps. I focused on them as


    they rhythmically echoed in my mind.


    It felt somewhat rxing to hear.


    ....Especially after everything that had happened.


    There was... a lot that I needed to think about.


    But most of all, I knew that things weren''t over. There was still something that I had to do.


    Rumble-


    Coming out of the exit, the path behind me crumbled.


    I looked around to find myself out of the mine. It was sunny outside and I could hear the


    frantic voices of the miners in the distance.


    They were all probably shaken by the explosion that had urred.


    Thud.


    I dropped Leon on the ground before heading back towards the entrance while disguising


    myself once more.


    ''I... I deserve it! Should I take the strange liquid that I found? Maybe then I can...''


    The words from the diary reappeared in my mind. A thought urred to me as I lowered my


    head and stared at my hand where several vials appeared.


    The liquid that the previous Julien was talking about... it wasn''t this, was it?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ||


    I didn''t need to dwell on the answer for too long as I already knew it.


    ''Right...''


    "What the hell happened?!"


    "Did you hear the explosion? What in the world happened?"


    "Are there any injuries?!"


    The entrance of the mine was in chaos. Miners and guards frantically rushed in and out of the


    mine as they tried to figure out the situation.


    "What about the young master?! Where is he...!"


    "Ah, he entered with his retainer and the girl from the Verlice family...!"


    "Oh, no!" "Hold on for now! Nobody goes in! We will send a search party soon! For now, stay here and


    don''t move!"


    I walked past the miners and back into the mine. I scanned the surroundings before heading towards a familiar path.


    .....I knew exactly where I needed to go.


    ''He should be around here.''


    I could feel a faint presence in the distance. It was right by the fork road that led to ce


    where the explosion urred.


    "Was he really not here? Or did he die?"


    A curious head peeked and looked around the remains of the ce. It was none other than


    Julien who chewed on his fingernails.


    I had long lost the necessary words to describe him.


    All I felt was repulsion and disgust.


    ''I really did take the body of such a person...''


    I took a deep breath before retrieving one of the vials. I was a little hesitant while staring at it,


    but after a brief thought, I tossed it to the ground.


    Tink!


    "Uh...?"


    Julien noticed the vial almost immediately as his head turned towards it.


    "What''s this...?" Heading towards it, he picked it up before looking at it. He tilted his head a couple of times


    before opening it and sniffing it.


    Immediately his expression changed.


    He probably felt something from it.


    Whatever the case was, I finally knew what the strange liquid he was talking about in the diary


    was. It was none other than my blood...


    ....And he used his own brother to test it.


    I thought about Julien''s observation of the effect of the blood on his brother. It only


    mentioned his strength increasing by a little.


    However, I knew best that was the furthest thing from the truth.


    Linus... Julien''s brother...


    He definitely gained something from the blood.


    But what exactly did he gain...?


    "Haa."


    I took a silent breath while taking my eyes away from Julien. I wanted the effect of the third


    leaf to end, to send me back, but it didn''t.


    It was clearly still not time for me to return yet.


    Still, I didn''t want to linger here for a moment longer. The sight of the Julien behind me


    repulsed me. Especially when I noticed the crazed and maniacal look on his face as he looked


    at the blood contained within the vial.


    "Yes, with this I can be stronger... Maybe I can be better... Swordsman. I''ll be a


    swordsman..."


    I closed my eyes before heading away.


    Julien wasn''t necessarily at fault. He had been manipted into bing what he was now


    and even if I wanted to help, it was toote.


    He was far too gone with his obsession.


    ''Hm? There''s someone else here...?''


    I felt a presence but it was quite far and deep.


    Most of the miners were outside, waiting for the guards to arrive and check on the situation.


    For there to be someone else here...


    I headed out and turned toward another one of the paths.


    I wasn''t sure for how long I walked, but soon a faint voice echoed in the distance.


    "Hello...?"


    It was soft and trembling.


    "I-is anybody there? I... I don''t know where I am... H-help!"


    I paused for a moment before changing my appearance.


    "A-nyone? Wh-what''s going on? What is h-happenin¡ª"


    The words stopped the moment she took notice of me. Her entire body shuddered and I


    frowned.


    "Stupid bitch."


    I tried my best to imitate the current Julien''s pitch while speaking.


    Evelyn trembled upon hearing my words. She was clearly ovee by fear, but as soon as she


    heard my voice, the trembling stopped. The previous fear that was clouding her body


    disappeared and what reced it was a cold look.


    "Hey, where are you going!?"


    "...."


    She didn''t answer and just walked past me.


    I followed right behind her.


    "Answer me when I''m talking. Who do you think you are?"


    In the meantime, I tried my best to copy how the previous Julien talked. I felt like I was doing


    a really good job at it.


    "Bitch, answer when I''m talking!"


    ***


    Bang-


    Evelyn was startled by a sudden explosion.


    The noise was deafening, and fear gripped her. Without thinking, she sprinted deeper into the


    mine, her heart pounding in her chest. She ran until her legs burned, pushing herself as far as her stamina would allow.


    But when she finally stopped, gasping for breath, a terrifying realization dawned on her...


    She was lost.


    "A-ah, no." Evelyn''s body shook.


    ...She was scared. Looking back, she didn''t know how to return.


    She was... lost.


    "H-hello?"


    It was dark, and it was silent. Evelyn hugged her body while her lips trembled.


    "A-anybody?"


    It was so scary.


    Biting her lips, she clenched her teeth. If not because that guy forced them into hiding...!


    Evelyn''s eyes grew moist.


    "Hello...?"


    She reached out again.


    "I-is anybody there? I... I don''t know where I am... H-help!"


    But nobody answered.


    The darkness and silence around her seemed to swallow her slowly, intensifying the fear that


    she felt.


    ''Someone..''


    "A-nyone? Wh-what''s going on? What is h-happenin-"


    "Stupid bitch."


    A sudden voice broke through her pleas.


    When Evelyn raised her head, a familiar-looking face appeared. For a moment, her chest grew


    light, but shortly after, her expression changed, and the fear that she previously felt


    vanished.


    What reced it was a cold and unyielding sense of disgust.


    It was so intense that she found herself walking past him.


    "Hey, where are you going!?"


    He tried to call out for her, but Evelyn didn''t bother replying.


    "Answer me when I''m talking. Who do you think you are?"


    ....He followed right behind her, and as they walked, he continued to taunt her and throw


    insults at her.


    Evelyn felt her blood boil with each word that came out of his mouth.


    "Bitch, answer when I''m talking!"


    But she promptly ignored it. Strangely, she no longer felt scared.


    If anything, she just wanted to find the way back as fast as possible. She couldn''t stand his


    voice any longer.


    "Stupid cow, it''s that way! Can''t even get your stuff right."


    His insults continued, forcing her down the right path. She just didn''t realize it. Her anger


    surpassed all reason.


    "Walk faster you idiot."


    The insults continued.


    It pushed her forward.


    ...And whenever she went the wrong way, the insult would only grow.


    "Ah, you idiot! That''s the wrong direction. Next time you mess it up I''ll beat you and Leon."


    It made her frustrated.


    She wanted to beat him up.


    But...


    She couldn''t.


    Especially when she realized he was guiding her out.


    Right, he was guiding her out... But how does that make sense? Evelyn turned her head to look


    at Julien. From his handsome features to his jet-ck hair and brown eyes...


    The person before her was indeed Julien, and yet...


    Why did he feel so different?


    Right, he felt a little different than the Julien she knew.


    His eyes were different.


    They felt different. But in what way? Did he change? Whe-


    "Oy, hurry up!"


    "....!"


    Evelyn''s head flicked away as she found herself unable to look at him.


    "Go!"


    He continued to hurl insults at her, but the more he insulted her, the less angry she became.


    She soon came at peace with them, and strangely enough, she slowly found the insults to be


    forting.


    In this strange silence...


    It didn''t make her feel so alone anymore.


    ...And soon, she caught a glimpse of a faint light in the distance.


    ''The exit...!''


    Her eyes lit up at the sight.


    And the moment they did, she stopped.


    A figure appeared in the distance.


    It was... Julien.


    "Uh?"


    Evelyn blinked her eyes and looked back.


    "....!"


    To her shock, nobody was behind her.


    ''What the...''


    She blinked her eyes slowly, unable to process the situation. When did he...


    As if sensing her gaze, Julien turned his head to look at her. His expression crumbled as


    mumbled disappointedly,


    "You didn''t die?"


    "...."


    ||


    Evelyn bit her lips.


    ''W-wasn''t he...? But how?''


    Her mind was still confused, unable to process the situation. She could''ve sworn Julien had


    been with her the entire time.


    And yet... Nobody was behind her.


    Julien was in front of her and his eyes were different. The Julien before her was the Julien that


    she knew.


    Her heart sank.


    ''So it was all my imagination?''


    Maybe...


    But why...?


    Why had he felt so real?

 Chapter 393: In the depths of the mine [4]

    Chapter 393: In the depths of the mine [4]


    ?


    "Walk faster you idiot."


    I couldn''t quite remember how long I walked. All I thought about was ways to insult Evelyn and make her continue forward.


    The more I cursed at her the less scared she felt.


    It was funny to think about.


    "Hurry up! You''re useless."


    It wasn''t hard to mimic how the previous Julien spoke. It was rather easy if I had to say so myself.


    "Ah, you idiot! That''s the wrong direction. Next time you mess it up I''ll beat you and Leon." I raised my voice whenever she went in the wrong direction.


    Evelyn would flinch, but she would quickly move in the right direction shortly after. It wasn''t long before we finally managed to reach a familiar path and I sighed in relief at the sight of it.


    "Looks like you''re not worth for sh-"


    As the words were getting out of my mouth, I blinked once. That was all it took for my surroundings to change.


    By the time it did, a group of unfamiliar people appeared before my eyes.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ.."


    "Ukh...!"


    "Stay close! They wouldn''t dare blow up the mine! We''re safe here. I''ve called for reinforcements. Damn it...! This was an ambu-"


    All noise ceased as I felt over a dozen eyes stop in my direction.


    "-it."


    I pursed my lips and looked around.


    ....I suddenly felt like throwing up on the spot.


    I more or less understood what was happening. The third leaf had ended and I was back. Unfortunately, I came back right after the troops had retreated into the mine.


    ''What wonderful timing.''


    I wanted to curse the third leaf.


    However, I had no choice but to maintain my cool as I took several steps forward and headed for the exit of the mine.


    "You...!"


    Finally realizing the situation, the soldiers hurriedly stood up.


    I started to run then.


    "Get him!"


    Thankfully, everyone appeared to be injured to some extent. Especially their captain. He felt extremely threatening.


    To the point where I doubted I''d evenst a few minutes against him.


    He was thankfully injured.


    Still, it didn''t mean that I was out of the clear just yet.


    "Huff...!"


    Rushing past the tunnels of the mine, I looked to my right and left. I had arrived right where I had left Evelyn.


    If everything was the same as it was in the past then the exit was...


    "Found it."


    I locked sight with the path that led to the exit. But the moment I did, my steps slowed down. "Uh...?"


    It was then that I realized the path ahead of me waspletely blocked.


    When did...?


    nk, nk-


    The nging of metal reverberated behind me, signaling the arrival of the guards. Their armor clinked with each step, growing louder as they closed in.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    Pushing several guards to the side, the captain from the other team looked at me with a smile.


    I stepped back, pressing my back against the wall.


    The captain looked around.


    "You have nowhere to hide or run."


    So he said.


    His tone was low, and his presence was terrifying. It was to the point where it made me


    shiver.


    "Ho."


    I swallowed silently, pressing my back against the wall behind me.


    "This is perfect..."


    All of a sudden the captain stopped. He looked at me with a smile as he looked behind him.


    "Right, with you here things are a lot easier for us. We just found our perfect hostage."


    "Hostage? Your n is to use me as a negotiation chip?"


    The captainughed all of a sudden.


    "That''s right! Who would''ve thought we''d get such a windfall?"


    Loosening his joints, he approached me once more. I stared at him and lowered my head for a


    brief moment.


    To be honest...


    I was dragging this out.


    ...I just wanted to see what he was thinking. Did he have some other ns that we weren''t


    aware of or anything like that?


    He didn''t.


    Now that I knew there was no longer a point for me to stay.


    "I like the sound of your n. It would definitely work if used correctly."


    "Hm?"


    "But..."


    Raising my head again, I locked eyes with the captain who frowned. I could tell he felt something amiss with the situation.


    But it was toote.


    A purple orb appeared in my mind as my body started to be transparent.


    ".... You neglected to factor in the fact that I was never trapped to begin with."


    "...!"


    Realization hit the captain, but it was already toote.


    "Stop him!"


    ...Slowly, I sunk into the rubble behind me.


    "No!"


    His voice faded shortly after.


    ***


    "Are you saying that the young master is inside?"


    Captain Thalric closed his eyes and tried his best to control his expression. In front of him,


    Leon nced towards the mine with a frown.


    "....It''s a possibility. I''ve tried to look for him but he''s nowhere near in sight."


    "I see."


    The Captain frowned while his expression slowly started to crumble.


    Clench.


    His grip over the device used to explode the mine tightened. All he had to do was channel his


    mana into it for the explosives nted within the mine to detonate.


    He was just one step away from burying the Viscount''s main force...


    One step.


    "Here I thought he had changed. But as expected, people don''t change so easily. I should''ve


    seen thising."


    The disappointment and anger in his voice was palpable.


    Leon could feel it from where he stood. He wanted to tell him that Julien had indeed changed.


    That he was a different person because he was, but... Leon knew he couldn''t say such things to


    the Captain.


    He could only remain quiet while silently cursing at Julien.


    ''Why did you have to disappear now of all times?''


    Leon looked behind him to see Evelyn stare at the mine with a nk expression.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Evelyn didn''t answer immediately.


    She looked lost, almost in a daze. Worried, Leon reached out for her.


    "Uh? Ah...!?"


    It was only then that Evelyn snapped out of it as she turned her head to look at Leon.


    "What''s wrong? Is something the matter...?"


    "No, you just looked out of it. Are you okay?"


    "Ah, that.."


    Evelyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    "I''m okay. I was just reminded of something that happened in the past."


    "Oh."


    Leon turned to face the mine.


    He didn''t have a lot of fond memories of the mine. He also didn''t have bad memories. He used


    to treat the ce as some sort of ce where he could rest after being forced to be


    Julien''s test dummy.


    ... It was a ce he used to take naps and rest.


    And it was also the ce... where he received the Chalice.


    His memories of the situation were rather blurred. He didn''t remember much. All he could


    remember was seeing the ceiling of the mine break down above him, knocking him out


    unconscious.


    By the time he woke up again, he was out of the mine with the Chalice inside of his body. Even now he didn''t really know what had happened.


    However, it was here that his fate had changed. If not for the Chalice... Leon didn''t know if


    he''d still be alive.


    "Haa."


    Leon closed his eyes.


    "Captain!"


    All of a sudden, several soldiers rushed to their side.


    "We couldn''t find any traces of the young master. He''s nowhere near in sight. How should we


    proceed?"


    Captain Thalric remained silent as he turned his attention towards the mine.


    Although Leon couldn''t detect any obvious shift in the Captain''s expression, the simmering


    rage radiating from him was undeniable. It was as if the air around him grew heavier with


    each passing moment.


    .... It was to the point where Leon felt that he had no choice but to step back.


    Being in the same space as the Captain felt suffocating.


    "Captain...?"


    The soldiers weren''t faring that much better either.


    They all felt suffocated by the Captain''s presence. Eventually, forcing himself to calm down,


    the Captain turned his attention away from the mine.


    "Stop everything at once. Spend more time looking for the young master. If he''s stuck in the


    mine we would''ve known by now by the soldiers of the Raimsal family. I''ll inform the family Head of the situation. If no-"


    His words stopped halfway as his head turned to face the mine again.


    He wasn''t the only one as Leon, Evelyn, and pretty much everyone present turned their heads


    to stare at the entrance of the mine.


    It was then that they spotted a faint figureing out of the mine.


    11 ||


    As though he was a ghost, he calmly walked out of the rubble before stopping.


    Feeling the numerous gazes that were directed at him, Julien frowned and subconsciously


    touched his face.


    "Is something the matter?"


    || ||


    Even his voice was the same.


    "....Oh god "


    Leon was the first to snap out of it as he realized what had happened.


    He almost had the impulse to cover his face as his expression strained.


    ''He really did enter the mine.''


    It was already obvious before, but it was clear now.


    As if not sensing the strange looks that the people were giving him, Leon turned his head to


    point at the mine.


    "I had to do something inside. You can go ahead and do as you please now. They''re all quite


    injured."


    Then, as if nothing had happened, Julien patted his clothes before heading towards Leon and


    Evelyn.


    The two of them were the quickest to snap out of it.


    By now, they were already used to Julien pulling stuff like this. It had be the norm by this


    point.


    "You, stop."


    It was right when Julien was about to reach them that a hand stopped him. Julien frowned and turned to face the Captain, but before he could say a word, the Captain


    grabbed his shirt and yanked him forward, pulling him close until their faces were inches


    apart.


    |||||


    "What sort of shit are you pulling?"


    His tone was low, and his expression was indifferent.


    However, his presence was suffocating.


    "You''ve wasted a lot of our precious time with your little stunt. You could''vepromised


    the entire operation. How are you going to answer this?"


    "...."


    Julien''s face appeared unfazed by the situation.


    It was as if he had expected something like this to happen.


    The Captain interpreted Julien''s silence as indifference, and his stern expression began to


    crack, revealing the frustration simmering beneath the surface.


    "As expected, you didn''t change at all. Everyone is raving about how strong you''ve be,


    and how much you''ve changed, but you''re the same irrespon-"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "I''m sorry."


    The Captain''s voice stopped all of a sudden.


    Blinking his eyes, he looked at Julien who looked straight into his eyes.


    "I''m in the wrong, and you''re right."


    lence filled the space as all eyes fell on Julien.


    "..."


    A strange


    Did he just...?


    "Whatever you''re saying, you''re right. I take responsibility for all of this."


    Julien pressed his hand against the Captain''s hand and loosened himself from the grip. Fixing


    his clothes, he lowered his head slightly.


    "...You can report this to my fatherter. I''ll ept whatever punishment he has for me."


    The reality of the situation was that Julien understood how much trouble his actions had


    caused.


    It wasn''t something he could control, but it was still his fault.


    ....As such, it was only right that he apologized.


    But...


    "...Now that I''ve got the apology out of the way, let me make one thing clear." Julien''s brows knitted together, his voice dropping to a more threatening tone as he swiftly


    snatched the device from the captain''s grasp, leaving the man momentarily stunned.


    "You work for me. Not the opposite."


    Click!


    He channeled his mana onto the device.


    "You don''t get to berate me in front of my vassals."


    Before anyone could react, the terrifying explosion reverberated from behind them.


    BOOOOM-


    On this day, the gold mine copsed. Viscount Raimsal''s soldiers all perished without putting up any resistance. ...And the Evenus Household began to rise beyond the scope of a Barony.

 Chapter 394: The Evenus County [1]

    Chapter 394: The Evenus County [1]


    ?


    "So you entered the mine while everyone was busy pushing back the Raimsal soldiers. You dyed the entire operation, risking the lives of the soldiers, and ended up threatening Captain Thalric, is that correct?"


    "........"


    When he put it that way, it really did sound bad.


    "Yes."


    I nodded while looking around at the familiar office space. I was currently in the Family Head''s office as he sat opposite me, filling several papers with a stoic expression.


    Shortly after detonating the explosives within the mine, we headed back to the Family Estate. Our mission was over.


    It took a while to get back to the Estate, and by the time we arrived, the ce was extremely quiet.


    News of what had happened had yet to spread.


    I was inclined to believe it was all due to the Family Head who appeared to be at peace with the situation.


    Scribble Scribble~


    He was acting as though we didn''t just deal a devastating blow to the Viscount.


    As if sensing my thoughts, the Family Head opened his mouth.


    "It''s not over until it''s over. We have yet to deal with the other Baronies that are attacking ournd. However, news of the mine''s copse should''ve reached the Viscount by now. He will most likely try to reach out to us soon."


    Bttzz-


    Not a second after he said those words, something buzzed.


    "That was faster than I thought."


    The Family Head finally put down the pen and leaned back. As he did, he pressed his finger on the table and a face appeared in front of him.


    ''What kind of hair...''


    "....Aldric."


    A haggard voice echoed quietly within the room.


    The Family Head didn''t so much as nod in acknowledgment. Looking at him, I could see it in his eyes.


    He... wasn''t treating the person that had just appeared with much regard.


    "Viscount."


    His tone was light, but it carried an air of indifference that made it seem as though he was speaking to his own subordinate.


    If I could notice it, so could the Viscount whose face looked defeated.


    "...You''re very ruthless, aren''t you?"


    "I am?"


    The Family Head tilted his head.


    "...As far as I''m concerned, I destroyed my own mine. The cost of maintaining it had be unsustainable, especially since most of the gold had already been extracted. My n was to level the mountain and convert the area into agriculturalnd for the farmers."


    Whatever he said was total bullshit.


    However, it didn''t really matter if it was bullshit or not. It was hisnd so whatever he did with it was his concern.


    "For your soldiers to have died in such an ident, I can only grant you my condolences. However, that begs the question. What were your soldiers doing in mynd?"


    The Family Head''s eyes squinted, a small frown appearing on his face as the room grew tense.


    On the opposite side, the Viscount remained silent.


    ||


    ||


    He just stared at the Baron wordlessly. He was eventually able to get his words out, but his voice came out in a soft whisper.


    "Y... You already know."


    "I do...?"


    The Family Head continued to pretend to be oblivious to the entire situation.


    I sat in silence while watching the entire interaction. By now, it had been clear to me that he hadn''t just called me here to talk about what had happened.


    No...


    He called me here to show me something.


    This.


    "Cut the crap, Aldric. I''m here to discusspensation. How much do you want? I don''t want to waste any more time talking to you.""


    "Compensation?"


    "I give..."


    The Viscount clenched his teeth, clearly struggling to get his next words out. It took several breaths for him to calm down, and when he did, he eventually managed to mumble a few


    words,


    "You''ve won, Il-lost. Just tell me how much you want."


    || ||


    The Family Head suddenly frowned upon hearing his words.


    ''What...? Did he expect the Viscount to put up a bigger fight?''


    His main force had beenpletely wiped out, and while he still did have a lot of soldiers,


    they weren''tparable to our force.


    ....His options were limited.


    Perhaps marypensation was his easiest way out.


    But apparently, Ipletely misunderstood the reason for the Family Head''s frown.


    "I think you misunderstood something, Viscount."


    Aldric suddenly leaned forward, his expression adding to the tension that lingered in the


    room.


    "You may think I answered your call because I was willing to negotiate with you, but that''s


    where you''re wrong."


    "....Uh?"


    The Viscount''s face changed.


    Aldric continued, his tone lowering.


    "I didn''t answer your call because I am willing to negotiatepensation with you. I... simply answered because I wanted to exin to you the situation."


    "W-what-"


    The Viscount grew flustered, but before he could get any word out of his mouth, the Family


    Head spoke. And...


    "I will being for yound."


    Each...


    "I will being for your title."


    Word that...


    "...I will being for your vassals."


    Came out of his mouth...


    "I will being for everything that you have."


    Felt like a dagger that pierced deeper and deeper into the Viscount''s heart.


    By the time he was done, the Viscount''s face had grown extremely pale. He wanted to say something, but the Family Head quickly ended the conversation, plunging the room into an


    ufortable silence.


    Click.


    Unknowingly, my lips grew dry as I reyed the words in my mind.


    ''I will being for yournd.''


    ''I will being for your title.''


    ''...I will being for your vassals.''


    ''I will being for everything that you have...''


    To say I didn''t expect this was wrong. He had made his intention quite clear long before. It


    was just that I didn''t expect him to be so... suffocating.


    "Do you have a problem with how I''ve handled things, Julien?"


    Hearing the Family Head''s voice, I raised my head.


    Meeting his line of sight, I shook my head.


    "No."


    I had no qualms with the way he handled things. In fact, it made me respect him. This was


    how I liked to handle things.


    ...He was true to his greed.


    "That''s good because things are just getting started."


    Bang-


    The door flew open shortly after.


    A figure rushed in.


    "Baron!"


    It was one of the vassals. He didn''t even spare me a nce before rushing to the Baron.


    "We''ve got several guests trying to force their way in. I am trying my best to stop them. What should I do?! They seem quite adamant in wanting to meet you and I can''t push them back!" As if expecting such a situation, the Family Head beckoned forward with his hand.


    "Let them in."


    "In...? But-"


    "It''s alright. Let them in. I''m giving you permission."


    "Understood!"


    The vassal quickly left. Then, shortly after, he came back with several figures. In particr, a


    chubby man with squinted eyes stood out from the rest.


    He worevish clothing, a clear disy of his wealth. His expression was friendly, almost


    sycophantic, as he gazed at the Family Head.


    "Haha, Baron Evenus."


    His face froze at the sight of me but he soon recovered, pausing by the end of the door.


    Fixing his hair, he spoke in a respectful tone.


    "...First of all, I''d like to congratte you on your recent victory. You fooled all of us,


    including myself. I didn''t expect all of this to be a ruse from you. I''m quite frankly surprised by your wit and ingenuity. If-"


    "Shut down your bank for the next three days and I will consider working with you once more


    then."


    "....!"


    The chubby man''s face grew stiff.


    Shortly after, he rapidly raised his head.


    "That''s impossible!"


    Before he had any words to say, the Family Head continued.


    "I know the Viscount has left quite arge sum of money in your bank. For three days, shut


    down your bank so that he doesn''t gain ess to his money. If you don''t do that then I''mn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    afraid we''ll have to stop any further coboration between the two of us."


    "T-that..."


    The chubby man stuttered.


    His entire body was trembling as he tried his best to meet the Family Head''s gaze.


    "Baron... you understand that what you''re asking is suicide, right? If we shut down for three


    days then we''ll lose all of our amassed reputation. People will start flocking away from us, thinking that we''re unreliable and-"


    "I''m not arguing with you. I''m giving you a choice. Whether you take it or not is not up to


    me."


    "But-"


    "Like I said, I''m not arguing. Think about your losses carefully. Will maintaining a


    rtionship with me be more beneficial to you now than the loss of reputation you will


    sustain?"


    Suddenly pausing, I felt the Family Head''s gaze pause on me. Following his eyes, the chubby man also looked at me.


    His entire body trembled at the sight and his face stiffened.


    A sudden realization urred to me as I looked at the calm Family Head.


    ''I''m being used, aren''t I?'' Beside berating me, and showing me his actions, he had a third goal in all of this.


    He... wanted to use me as a bargaining chip. While I wasn''t fully aware of what was going on,


    it was clear to me that the Family Head was using my reputation to convince the man in front


    of me to agree to his ridiculous request of shutting down the bank for three days. The intent behind his actions was quite clear to me.


    ...The Family Head wanted topletely cut off the Viscount''s funds. This was so that he


    could prevent him from hiring any mercenary in the short term.


    It would make his invasion a lot more smooth and quick.


    ''How scary...''


    The more I learned about the Family Head, the more I came to fear him and respect him.


    It made me question.


    How in the world did someone like him birth someone like Julien?


    ''No, perhaps... only a man like him can birth someone like Julien.''


    I closed my eyes and leaned back on my chair. For the next few minutes, the chubby man


    discussed details with the Family Head. In the end, an agreement was made between the two


    of them which was then swiftly signed.


    nk-


    By the time I opened my eyes, it was just me and the Family Head again.


    I turned my eyes to face him.


    He met my gaze.


    "Do you know who that was?"


    "....I don''t."


    "Emirates Bank Vice Manager Kan Murray. He oversees one of thergest banks in the area,


    with their influence extending across several counties."


    "Oh."


    He sounded like an important person.


    "Not too long ago, after they learned of our ''situation'', they came to collect the outstanding


    debt we had with them that was due in ten years time. Their real goal was Leon."


    "Uh...?"


    I frowned while learning of the situation.


    In short, he was saying that the bank came to threaten them with the debt while we were


    being besieged by the three baronies and the Viscount. That...


    "That debt better be worth more than 40 million. Otherwise, it''d be a loss..''


    Leon was worth at least that much.


    "I paid back everything."


    ||


    I raised my brow.


    .....I slowly started to get where he was getting at.


    "Now that the debt has been repaid, they hold no leverage with us. We''re equals, and so they


    can''t hold anything against us. Especially when we start taking over thends of the Barons


    and Viscount, which we will and they know it. That''s also when they''ll lose four massive


    customers."


    "Ah."


    I started to understand.


    "Is that why they came here?"


    "Yes, they wanted to fix our rtionship with us. They had no choice but to if they wanted to


    remain in business. The banking industry is rather harsh. You never know when you get


    swallowed up." "...Right."


    I knew this much from my past world.


    Still, I once again found myself shuddering at the Family Head''s actions. It was as if he was in


    total control of everything, holding everything at the palm of his hands.


    For just how long had he been nning this...?


    And was the reason for why he wanted to show weakness in the Household because of this? To


    purposely lure the Emirates Bank into collecting their debt?


    I secretly swallowed.


    ''At least, he''s not that much different from me in the regard that he''s willing to work with those that


    they previously were against. Just like Owl-Mighty, and Peb-''


    "For the next three days, we''ll wage a full-out war against the Viscount and the Baronies.


    Once we''re done with that, it''ll be the Emirates Bank next."


    "Uh?"


    I blinked my eyes while looking at the Baron.


    Did he...?


    "They''ll be the next thing we''ll swallow after the territories."


    That''s when I understood.


    The two of us weren''t the same at all.


    He...


    Wasn''t someone that was willing topromise.


    He was someone that took everything that he could take.


    A man who embodied greed itself.

 Chapter 395: The Evenus County [2]

    Chapter 395: The Evenus County [2]


    ?


    "What do you mean they''re shut down!?"


    Viscount Raimsal''s voice reverberated loudly within the estate as he frantically ruffled his hair into a mess.


    "A-ah, it-it''s... we can''t get in touch with them. We''ve received a notice from them telling us that they''ll be closed for the next three days. We tried to contact them but it was to no avail."


    "How is this possible?!"


    Viscount Raimsal''s saliva flew out of his mouth.


    ring at his poor vassal, he threw the papers on his desk aside.


    "This shouldn''t be possible! It''s illegal! Get in contact with the Megrail family and Central! I''m filing a formalint."


    "But sir...!"


    The vassal tried to say something, but he was promptly shut down by the Viscount.


    "Now!"


    "Yes....!"


    In the end, the vassal had no other choice but to quickly leave the estate which was filled with tension and chaos.


    nk!


    "Huff... Huff..."


    The Viscount''s heavy breath reverberated throughout the room as he slumped back on his chair with bloodshot eyes.


    "H-how did ite to this...?"


    His voice was haggard and his face was pale. It almost seemed like he had aged several years in a span of a few breaths.


    ...And that could very well be the case.


    He was on the verge of losing what he and his ancestors had worked hard for.


    And all of this stemmed from the fact that he had once coveted a gold mine.


    "Ah."


    The Viscount covered his face in desperation.


    Was there even a way for him to solve the situation?


    Though the vassal didn''t finish his sentence, the Viscount knew exactly what he was trying to say. That filingints with the Royal family and Central was a lost cause. By the time


    they got back to him, Baron Evenus would''ve already taken everything from him.


    With no funds, no troops, and no help, the Viscount was trapped.


    "...I-is this really how everything ends?"


    The Viscount bit his lips.


    He didn''t want his family to end. Not like this. Especially not at the hands of Baron Evenus.


    Clench.


    As his face turned red, a thought urred to him.


    "Ah, that''s right... There is a way."


    His face grew fanatical as he quickly opened up the drawer next to him.


    nk!


    "I... never really nned on using this, but you''ve pushed me to his point, Baron. Don''t me me for what I''m about to do next."


    With bloodshot eyes, the Viscount rummaged through the drawer and retrieved a smallmunication device that was nestled by the very end of the drawer. It was ck in color and the moment the Viscount nced at it, his heartbeat rose.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    He could hear and feel the beat of his heart drum in his mind.


    "Haa..."


    His breathing quickened.


    ''I''m only supposed to use this when I have no other choice. Father told me to not contact them unless I absolutely had no choice... and when I did, I''d lose everything! Still.. I''m already on the verge of losing everything. What''s the point of holding back anymore?''


    The Viscount clenched his teeth once more.


    "I''d rather this happen than Baron Evenus take over."


    Click!


    He pressed onto themunication device and mumbled,


    "I need help. Please send someone over."


    Done with the message, he tossed themunication device onto the table and slumped on his chair as he nkly stared at the ceiling.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    There was no turning back from this point.


    From this point forward, he''d lost control of his County.


    Someone else would take over. He was going to be nothing but a puppet for them. But it was necessary. He... was willing to be a puppet if it meant that he could destroy the one that was responsible for all of this.


    "Baron Evenus...!"


    The Viscount''s face twisted as he turned to look at themunication device he had thrown on the table.


    It rolled across the table for several seconds beforeing to a stop, revealing a four-leaf clover symbol.


    "Hehehe."


    The Viscountughed, leaning back on his chair with a dazed look. He was no longer breathing heavily and his expression had long calmed down.


    He just sat there in silence for an unknown period of time, his lips curling from time to time.


    Eventually, lifting his head, he mumbled,


    "....I really had no ch-!?"


    Swoosh!


    A figure appeared in front of the Viscount before he knew it. He was donned in ck, making


    it hard to see his face.


    "You...!"


    The Viscount was startled at first, but his expression soon turned ecstatic.


    "Haha, you''re finally here!"


    He jumped up from his seat and weed the hooded figure.


    "...You must be the secret helper my father talked about. Perfect, perfect."


    The Viscount rubbed his hands together.


    "If you guys are as powerful as my father said, then you must understand my current


    situation, correct?"


    "...Correct."


    A deep voice replied back.


    "You''re on the verge of losing your territory due to your conflict with Baron Evenus. He lured your soldiers into the mines and detonated them. To make matters worse, the Emirates Bank has closed, and you''ve lost your funds. Viscount Verlice is taking care of the Barons who


    attacked the territory of Cleomia."


    "Yes, yes, that''s correct..."


    The Viscount repeatedly nodded his head.


    Although he didn''t show it on the outside, he had already broken into a cold sweat. News of


    the Emirates Guild shutting down shouldn''t have yet spread.


    The fact that they already knew this disyed just how powerful they were.


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    The Viscount''s breathing grew rougher because of this.


    ''Right... If I can use them then dealing with the Evenus Barony will be no problem. Right, I might lose


    my territory but I''ll be backed up by someone so powerful...''


    Flicking his head to stare at the hooded figure, the Viscount tried his best to keep his


    expression steady.


    "Perfect, since you already know of my situation, I won''t waste time with useless chatter. I


    want you to-Ukh!"


    Pfttt-


    The Viscount''s eyes suddenly widened, a sharp pain piercing through his chest. He staggered


    back a few steps, struggling to lift his gaze.


    "W-wh..."


    He struggled to understand what was happening.


    Looking down at his chest which was stained with his own blood, he stumbled back over to his


    desk.


    Thump!


    A cold voice followed shortly after.


    "...In light of the events following the impending copse of his family, Viscount Raimsal,


    ovee by the guilt of failing his people and ancestors, chose to end his own life. Rather than allowing his people to endure prolonged suffering, he chose to end things in the quickest


    and most honorable way."


    "A-ah... Aukh...!" Blood spilled from the Viscount''s mouth as his vision grew blurry.


    Even now, he couldn''t understand what was happening. His father... he had clearly told him


    these people would help him.


    Why...?


    Why did they instead kill him?


    Had his father lied? How is this possible?!


    Pftt-


    Blood continued to spill from the Viscount''s mouth as he slumped down on the ground.


    Tak.


    A pair of boots halted in front of him as he summoned thest of his strength to lift his gaze.


    There, a hooded figure loomed, staring down at him with cold, unreadable eyes.


    "


    ||


    He was silent at first, but the silencested only for a short moment as he spoke,


    "Had it been any other house, we would''ve helped you. Unfortunately..."


    The hooded figure shook his head.


    ".... You chose to attack the wrong ce."


    Wrong ce...? Are you saying the Evenus Household is under your protection?


    Them...!?


    "Ukh... akh!"


    The Viscount wasn''t satisfied with this answer. He tried to speak, but he had long lost his


    breath. All that came out of his mouth was his own blood.


    Eventually, his vision grew dark.


    ''No, no...''


    Despair quickly overcame his mind, but it was toote.


    He took hisst breath shortly after.


    A strange silence befell the room after his death.


    Staring at the Viscount in silence, the hooded figure walked over to the recording device and


    clicked on it.


    "Done."


    -Right, good job.


    A warm voice replied shortly after.


    -Take care of the rest. Make it look like it''s a suicide.


    "Understood."


    The hooded figure replied with a tone of indifference. He was just about to turn off the


    communication device before stopping.


    "Lord..."


    In fact, he was also curious as to why he had been ordered to kill the Viscount.


    As the Leader of the Branch stationed around the area, he knew about the situation quite well.


    From what he had gathered, the Raimsal County held significant potential. If properly cultivated, they could be a formidable asset to the organization-a weapon that could be sharpened and wielded with the intention of backstabbing those it had earned its trust. While the Royal Family was also under their control, not all Houses were.


    The County could''ve been a great sword they could utilize to stab several Households in the


    back.


    It was for that reason that the Branch Leader struggled to understand themand.


    Especially since he knew that Baron Evenus had nothing to do with them.


    At least... as far as he was aware.


    Not only members were aware of each other.


    -Are you confused about my orders? About why I told you to discard such a potential asset?


    "...Yes."


    The Branch Leader truthfully answered.


    A lightugh came out of the recording device.


    -Well, there are multiple reasons if I have to be honest. After what happened recently,


    Central no longer appears interested in taking them in. Even if we do end up helping the


    County make aeback, it''ll take a few years for it to return in the same position as it was


    before the entire situation.


    "Oh."


    The Branch Leader nodded faintly.


    That made sense. He had also thought about this case and could agree. However, if they


    yed their cards right, they''d also be able to shorten the time it took for them toe back


    into the same position. Especially if they swallowed the Evenus Barony.


    ''... It feels like there''s something more that I''m missing.''


    Though he felt that was the case, the Branch Leader remained quiet. He was sure the Lord had


    its reaso-


    -Well, that''s the surface answer.


    "Hm?"


    The Branch Leader lowered his head, frowning slightly as he felt a sudden change in the


    Lord''s tone.


    -The real answer is different.


    Despite just hearing the voice from themunication device, the Branch Leader felt every


    hair on his body rise as his expression changed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    -You see... There''s someone important within the Evenus Barony. Far more important than


    you, or anyone beside the Leader. It''s been a while since I''vest seen him, and it''s about time


    he returned.


    "....."


    The Branch Leader struggled to keep his breath in check as the Lord''s tone lowered further.


    -...Make sure to handle this smoothly. Don''t give any more trouble to the one I chose.


    Click.


    Themunication device closed shortly after, leaving the Branch Leader drained for breath.


    "Huff... Huff..."


    Resting his hand over the table, his chest heaved up and down uneasily.


    The one I chose...?


    The words the Lord had mentioned repeated in his mind over and over again until his


    expression changed. "That....!"


    Realization finally dawned on him.


    "The Lord..."


    The one who had never shown any interest in anyone for the past decades.


    He...


    Had finally chosen his sessor.


    The Low Seat of Dawn.

 Chapter 396: The Evenus County [3]

    Chapter 396: The Evenus County [3]


    ?


    Breaking ¡ª [Viscount Raimsal Commits Suicide! A note was discovered, detailing his recent failures in the conflict against the Evenus Barony. Ovee with shame, the Viscount took his own life to spare his people from further suffering. As stated in the letter, Baron Evenus will assume ownership of thends formerly held by Viscount Raimsal.]


    News of the conflict between the Evenus Household and Viscount Raimsal made waves across the Empire.


    It took the Empire by storm.


    Not only did these events unfold swiftly, but the fact that a Barony managed to triumph over a Household significantlyrger than itself sparked widespread interest among the people.


    Who didn''t like underdog stories?


    Furthermore, the Evenus Household had also risen to fame quite recently due to two individuals.


    The Twin Stars of the Evenus Household.


    "Wow, it looks like I might have to move to the Evenus Barony. Things will start to prosper there."


    "Opening up a business there might be a good idea."


    "We should hurry up before it''s toote. I''m betting a lot of people are already jumping at the opportunity."


    Merchants, business owners, and citizens started to flock and move towards the Evenus territories.


    Not only did they have two of the most promising youths in the entire Empire, but they also showed extreme promise with their recent conquest of the Raimsal County.


    But if things weren''t heated enough...


    Another news article came out.


    Breaking- [The Kaliak, Mainz, and Hindua Baronies have officially fallen under the jurisdiction of the the Evenus Household. With the aid of the Verlice Household, the Evenus Barony has yet again managed to expand theirnds.]


    Just like the first article, this new article spread like wildfire.


    It shed light on the other conflict that was urring within the Evenus Household.


    Not only were they fighting against Viscount Raimsal, but they were also being attacked by three different Baronies.


    The sudden piece of news sent the citizens into uproar.


    .....And the uproar only grew once they learned of the fact that the Evenus Barony had emerged victorious in that conflict as well.


    By now, the fame of the Evenus Household had reached every corner of the Empire.


    There was no one citizen that was not aware of them.


    A single Barony had managed to defeat one County and three Baronies.


    Many titled this as the Miracle of the Evenus Household.


    .....And a new figure emerged to prominence, alongside his new title.


    The Hand-Aldric Evenus.


    The mastermind behind everything and the Family Head.


    Despite the turmoil beyond its borders, the Evenus Barony estate remained unusually quiet.


    The Family Head''s office was especially quiet.


    A lot of the matters had been settled, and he was now just reaping the rewards of his efforts. This had been many years in the making, and finally, he could breathe in peace.


    At least... for a few minutes.


    To Tok-


    The silence was disrupted by a knock at the door. Lifting his head, the Baron looked towards the door with a frown.


    "Come in."


    nk!


    One of his vassals entered shortly after.


    They had a solemn look on their faces as they walked in with a letter in hand. From the air of solemness the vassal held the letter, Aldric understood it was an important letter.


    "This is...?"


    Aldric was initially confused, but his expression quickly shifted as he recognized the insignia imprinted on the letter.


    It depicted a three-headed Cerberus, restrained by a single individual with a leash.


    ''Central...''


    The atmosphere grew tense.


    "You may go.


    Picking up the letter, Aldric dismissed the vassal before sitting down on the table where he set the letter.


    || ||


    He stared at the letter in silence for a few moments, then slowly pulled out a small silver knife and carefully slit it open.


    To: Aldric Evenus


    This letter serves to formally inform you of Central''s interest in your potential involvement. A delegate will arrive within a few days of your receipt of this letter to discuss your possible enrollment in the organization.


    We eagerly anticipate the possibility of cooperation between your Household and Central. Your recent feats have made us in awe of your...


    The letter was neither short nor long.


    However, after the first few sentences, Aldric no longer paid attention to the content. It was needless ttery he was not interested in reading.


    He was also not in the mood for them.


    §´§Ñ§â. §´§Ñ§â.


    As his finger drummed over the wooden table, his brows slowly started to tighten


    "Central..."


    He mumbled, his fingers stopping.


    "....They''vee faster than I expected."


    ***


    11


    .....


    11


    I held my stomach while staring at the news article presented before me. Leon, who sat next


    to me, also showed a simr reaction as he struggled to keep his breakfast in his stomach.


    "What are you guys doing?"


    Evelyn, who sat not far from us, looked at us with a weird look.


    ".... What is wrong with you two?"


    Coming closer, she looked at the paper on the table and picked it up.


    "Isn''t this the recent news article that came out? What''s wrong with it?"


    She then started to read it aloud.


    "The rise of the Evenus Household. From an unknown Barony to the hottest topic of recent times. How did such a small Barony manage to rise so fast? Was it the brilliant mind of the


    Family Head, or the birth of the Twin St-"


    "....!"


    "!!"


    Evelyn stopped while looking at us.


    Her brows tightened as she lowered her head to stare at the paper.


    "...or the birth of the twi-"


    "!"


    As if we were in sync, our faces changed at the same time. We had moved past the gagging


    stages but it was still painful to hear.


    Evelyn looked at us with a weird look. Then, suddenly understanding the crux of the problem,


    she repeated the same words several more times.


    "Twin Sta-"


    "Okay, that''s enough."


    "H.."


    Leon''s cheeks inted as the food he so struggled to keep in his mouth threatened to spill out


    of his mouth.


    It was only when Evelyn saw this that she finally stopped.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me, right? It can''t be that bad, can it...? The nickname doesn''t even


    sound that bad. You guys are being so immature. You''re both nearing your twenties. How can


    you two be acting like this...? Why are you guys..."


    "Just stop talking."


    I held out my hand to stop Evelyn from speaking.


    She was like a machine gun. Words just continued to spill out of her mouth with no end in


    sight.


    It had to stop.


    Ever since the mine incident, she stopped being so reserved with me. While she was still not


    exactly close to me, she seemed to have thrown away the reservations she had against me.


    ''I think she just stopped regarding me as the previous Julien.''


    She was now treating me as a different person entirely.


    I wasn''t sure what brought the sudden change... perhaps the third leaf, or maybe not, but


    whatever I did, I regretted it.


    Bring back the old Evelyn.


    "Ugh."


    My head hurt as much as my stomach did.


    Evelyn frowned while looking at the two of us, but she got the message after seeing how


    much Leon was struggling. That was when we finally got our moment of peace as we both sighed in relief.


    .....At least, that was what I thought at first.


    "Did the Family Head tell you guys about what is happening soon?"


    "Hm?"


    "....?"


    Leon and I both looked at her in confusion.


    Seeing the confusion on our faces, Evelyn looked a little surprised.


    "Wait, don''t tell me you guys didn''t get told, right?"


    "About?"


    "....The fact that your Household was just invited into Central. From what I know they''re


    sending delegates to your House today. In fact, they should already be here, talking to the


    Family Head."


    "Eh?"


    I blinked my eyes and looked at Leon who also seemed confused.


    Why weren''t we made aware of this?


    "Did you guys not notice the changes in the Household at all? The decorations and the new


    clothes the maids and servants are wearing...?"


    "...Now that you mention it, I did notice a few changes here and there."


    "Right, so you didn''t..."


    Evelyn covered her face with her hand.


    I scratched the top of my head.


    "You can''t really me Leon and me for this. We were busy training for the past few days."


    The two of us had holed up at the back of the Household in order to train. There were a lot of


    moves that I wanted to try out on him.


    In exchange for that, I had to help him with the footwork.


    It was a fair deal.


    ...And it was for that reason that we had no time to pay attention to our surroundings.


    ''So that''s what happened.''


    A lot of things started to make sense.


    However, after a brief realization, I stopped caring. Whatever the situation was, it had


    nothing to do with me.


    In a few days, we were set to return to the Academy.


    I started to miss the ce.


    "Julien."


    While I didn''t get the vacation that I wanted, this was still good enough for me.


    "...Hey."


    I had managed to train in peace like I desired and learned a few things about the previous


    Julien. All in all, this was a fruitful trip.


    "Hey!"


    "Eah?"


    I was suddenly startled out of my thoughts as Evelyn''s face appeared a few inches away from


    mine.


    I blinked a few times, and once Evelyn was sure she had my attention, she leaned back


    slightly, her gaze unwavering.


    "....What was that for?"


    "It''s what I''d like to say. I was speaking when you suddenly zoned out of it."


    "Right..."


    That did happen.


    "In any case, my father will being to the estate."


    "Hm?"


    My body suddenly grew rigid as I flicked my head in her direction. "Your father?"


    "Yes. That''s why I''ve been trying to get your attention."


    All of a sudden, Evelyn bit her lips and I started to have a bad feeling.


    "He told me a couple of days ago. There''s a chance that he''sing here to represent Central,


    but there''s also a chance that he might bring up... You know..."


    Evelyn avoided my eyes as she struggled toplete her sentence.


    .... And I didn''t need her to. I fully understood what she meant as my expression fell.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "There''s a chance they might try to engage us.''


    Given how much they had helped recently, this was a very real possibility and the thought


    made my heart sink.


    ''I need to stop this.''


    Things would be extremely messy if the two of us were set to be engaged.


    We needed to find a way to stop this before it happened. Thankfully, Evelyn appeared to be on the same page as me. She was just about to open her


    mouth when a voice called us from behind.


    "Young Master, Leon, and Miss Verlice."


    We all grew stiff at once.


    "....The Family Head is calling for you to his office. There''s something he''d like to discuss


    with all three of you."

 Chapter 397: The Evenus County [4]

    Chapter 397: The Evenus County [4]


    ?


    Three figures sat in silence.


    Neither party spoke as Aldric looked at the white paper in front of his desk.


    It said;


    -Viscount Evenus


    The words were etched in gold.


    Aldric stared at the paper for an unknown period of time. By the time he raised his head, he felt two gazes on him.


    One belonged to someone he knew, Viscount Verlice, while another belonged to a man with long white hair and handsome features. His eyes were extremely deep, and despite his young appearance, he was the oldest person in the room.


    Wearing sleek white clothing that perfectly matched his hair, he sat back on his chair with a rxed expression as he crossed his legs together.


    A faint smile tugged at his lips as he nced down at the paper in front of Aldric''s desk.


    "....I think you''ve had enough time to process the piece of news. Let me be the first to congratte you on your promotion."


    "Congrattions, Viscount Evenus."


    Viscount Verlice added from the side with a smile.


    He was also quite happy with Aldric''s promotion. He had benefitted quite a lot from Aldric''s ns.


    While he didn''t gain anynd, he gained a lot of money.


    ...And that was all that mattered to him. He already had enoughnd. He wasn''t interested in more of it.


    Morend wasn''t necessarily a good thing.


    Sometimes, it was just added trouble.


    He was more than content with marypensation. His goal was to enrich and invest in his already existingnd rather than developing a new one.


    "Thank you."


    Aldric''s expression didn''t show many changes despite the words of congrattions.


    He was more wary of the man who sat alongside Viscount Verlice.


    ...I didn''t expect him toe of all people.''


    The situation was outside of his expectations.


    Nheless, he had no choice but to keep himselfposed.


    "I figure you''re not just here to congratte me on my promotion, right?"


    "Haha, you''re correct."


    The man in whiteughed while passing over another letter.


    "I''m sure you already know why I''m here. I''d like to formally invite you to join Central."


    ||||


    Aldric lowered his head to look at the letter passed onto him.


    He didn''t open it and just looked at the man in white.


    "....A lot of people will be displeased by your choice. Are you sure you want to invite him?"


    Joining Central was no easy matter.


    There were a lot of candidates each year, and there was no guarantee one could join the already existing council. Each candidate was a high-ranking noble with a certain amount of influence.


    The Ramsail County was one such example.


    Despite trying for so many years, they were still unable to join Central. The same was true for many other noble Households.


    ...And it was for this reason that Aldric was confused by thetter.


    Was Central so eager to recruit him that they were willing to face bacsh from the other noble households vying for inclusion?


    If so...


    He pressed the letter back.


    "I''ll join."


    They had shown how much they valued him, and he epted.


    His immediate eptance took the Viscount and the man in white aback. They didn''t expect him to agree so readily.


    "....Do you not need time to think?"


    "No, I''ve already made my decision."


    Central was a good way for him to further increase his influence. Aldric was a greedy man. If he could get more, he would get more.


    His way of thought was that simple.


    ....Unfortunately, after everything that had happened, he''d need several years or even decades to get more.


    He was a patient person, but if he could get something faster, he''d choose the faster option.


    And Central was the best option for him currently.


    || 11


    The room grew silent as all parties stopped talking.


    Aldric stared directly at the man in white. Despite his gaze being suffocating, he remained cool-headed and calm.


    Eventually, a smile tugged at the man''s mouth.


    "Alright."


    He leaned forward.


    "If that''s the case, we can discuss the terms of your eptance. One must pay a price to join Central. You can say that it''s one way participating members contribute to the organization. This could involve mary fees or other forms of negotiation. We are quite flexible in this


    regard."


    The next few minutes were spent talking about the fees that Aldric would have to pay in order


    to join Central.


    This was a rathermon situation and Aldric didn''t mind it too much.


    Especially since the price he was going to pay was well worth the perks he would receive from


    joining Central.


    ....The discussion was rather efficient.


    Aldric agreed to essentially all the terms presented and soon a paper was signed between the


    two.


    "Perfect."


    The man in white stood up, extending his hand towards Aldric.


    "....It''s with great pleasure that I wee you to Central."


    "Thank you."


    Aldric simrly stood up to shake his hand.


    While Aldric didn''t smile, there were faint traces of joy on his face.


    "Oh, right..."


    As if remembering something, the man in white nced around the room before settling back


    into his chair.


    "I heard that your son and his escort are both present. If you don''t mind, I''d like to take a chance to meet them. I watched their performance in the Summit and I''d like to say that they''ve done a great job. It''d be my pleasure to meet the future stars of our Empire."


    "....That''s alright."


    Aldric simrly sat back down. cing the paperwork away, he nced towards the door. "I''ve already notified them before. The two of them should be on their way here right at this


    very moment."


    He had long expected for such a request.


    To Tok-


    And as expected...


    A few minutes after his words fell, the three heard a soft knock on the door.


    "Come in." Aldric''s soft voice echoed throughout as the door opened shortly after to reveal three figures.


    Julien stood at the center while Evelyn and Leon stood by his side. The moment they entered


    the room, the expression of each person present changed.


    Evelyn''s face stiffened at the sight of her dad.


    Leon''s face stiffened at the sight of the man in white.


    .... And Julien''s face only showed subtle changes. He was the one who appeared to be the


    calmest out of the three.


    "It''s good that you three are here. We were just talking about you."


    Aldric stood up and gestured for the three to sit down on therge sofa positioned a bit


    further away from the desk.


    The three looked alright with the arrangement.


    However, Leon''s gaze couldn''t help but shift towards the man in white from time to time.


    His face was extremely stiff, and from time to time his head would flick in Julien''s direction. It


    was almost as if he was desperately trying to get his attention. Unfortunately, Julien was too busy thinking about other things to pay attention to Leon.


    ''... Considering how they were talking about us and Evelyn''s dad is present, I''m afraid that my worst


    fears areing to light.''


    The more he dwelled on the situation the more his heart sank.


    ''I need to find an excuse to stop this nonsense.''


    He turned his head to meet Evelyn''s. As if she had the same thoughts as him, she nodded her


    head.


    "Father."


    She was the first one to speak, addressing her father first.


    He was a tall man with sharp features. Unlike Evelyn, he sported a pair of sses that lent him


    a schrly air. His attire was dark, ented by faint purple outlines. As Evelyn called for him,


    The gently tilted his head and smiled.


    "What is it, Evelyn? Is there something that¡ª"


    "I don''t wish to get married yet."


    11 ||


    The room grew silent right after her words. Julien pressed his lips.


    He didn''t expect her to be so direct. However, there was no going back. They had already


    made their bed.


    ".... You don''t wish to get married yet?"


    "Is that not why you''re here? To engage me with Julien?"


    ""


    At her words, Viscount Verlice was taken aback.


    In all honesty, no. This wasn''t the reason he hade here. He was here on behalf of Central


    to negotiate the Evenus County''s entry into the organization.


    The thought of engaging Julien with his daughter hadn''t crossed his mind yet.


    ''However, now that I think about it... It wouldn''t be a bad idea if it happened.''


    ....The reason talks broke down in the past was due to Julien''s behavior andck of maturity.


    He also didn''t show any promising future which resulted in the breakdown of the talks.


    But things were different now.


    ''He''s handsome, his father has a promising future, is very talented, and Evelyn doesn''t seem to hate


    him as much as before...''


    If the thought hadn''t urred to him before, it certainly did now as he turned to look at


    Aldric. He was also lost in thought.


    From his point of view, a marriage between Julien and Evelyn would be quite beneficial.


    Not only was the Verlice territory rich, but it was also next to theirs. If the two were to ally


    themselves through marriage, then...


    A change urred in his eyes.


    ''Oh, no.''


    As if realizing that her words had backfired, Evelyn started to panic.


    ''....This, my father, is actually considering it.''


    She knew him well enough to know this.


    ''Oh, no...''


    On the other hand, while Julien didn''t know Aldric all that well, he was no fool. He could see


    he was actually thinking about it.


    ''This is bad.''


    His mind started to work on overdrive.


    ''...He probably won''t buy my excuse of wanting to focus on my training and all that. I could just


    disappear from the Empire, but that would be inconvenient. I need an excuse to get him off my back for


    now. Something like.... A new target?''


    A bold idea sprung up in Julien''s mind all of a sudden.


    ''Right!''


    He almost had the urge to smack his fist on his palm.


    ''I''ll just pretend like I''m in love with someone else and that if it''s not her then I won''t be engaged with


    anyone. It''ll have to be someone impossible, but worth my admiration...''


    A person appeared in his mind.


    He didn''t really have to think too much about who.


    Lifting his head, he took a deep breath. Then, staring directly at his father, he mumbled,


    "Actually, about an engagement... I''d like to have one."


    "....!"


    Leon''s head flicked up all of a sudden as the room grew silent. All eyes fell on Julien.


    Thump. Thump.


    Leon rapidly tapped his thigh against Julien''s as his eyes grew bloodshot.


    ''No, Julien...''


    Flick, flick.


    His gaze flicked between Julien and the white-haired man.


    Thump. Thump.


    Leon''s bumping became more pronounced.


    However, Julien ignored him as he cleared his throat and Aldric opened his mouth.


    "You want to be engaged? ...Do you have a candidate?"


    "Yes."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Leon recalled a certain scene in the past and his face grew pale.


    "....Who is it?"


    "Delh V. Rosemberg."


    Julien replied tly.


    "....She''s the one I''d like to get engaged with."


    Thump!


    Leon slumped onto his chair as he turned to look at the white-haired man who had a sudden


    shift in his expression.


    ''Ah..''


    Leon wanted to bury himself in the ground.


    ''Why...? Why now of all times?''


    Leon''s expression twisted as he scooched away from Julien. Of all ces to do this, he had to


    do it right when he was present.


    By him... He meant;


    Orson Rosenmberg.


    Delh''s father and Central''s Head.


    "Ah."


    Leon closed his eyes and stopped thinking.


    He could only silently pray for Julien.


    ''Rip, bozo.''

 Chapter 398: Return to Haven [1]

    Chapter 398: Return to Haven [1]


    ?


    The moment the words left my mouth, the entire room changed.


    It suddenly felt incredibly difficult to breathe.


    ''What''s going on?''


    Confused, I looked around. Evelyn was looking at me with wide eyes and open mouth. Leon was sitting with his eyes closed and hands pressed against his chest.


    He looked like a corpse ready for burial.


    ''The hell is wrong with him?''


    The Family Head was looking at me with the usual expression he always wo-No, though subtle, I could see subtle shifts in his expression.


    He almost looked ufortable.


    When I turned to Evelyn''s father, I noticed that he wasn''t looking at me but rather the white- haired man.


    ''Right, he must be the delegate from Central.''


    I hadn''t paid much attention to him since he didn''t have much of a presence. He was quite handsome and looked to be in his twenties.


    It was only now that I was taking a closer look at him that I noticed a weird change in his expression.


    ... Is he high ranking within Central?''


    In all honesty, I didn''t know too much about Central.


    A lot of their information was rather sealed. Only key members knew the ins and outs of the ce.


    All I knew was that they were the organization in charge of putting the Megrail family in check.


    But still...


    There was something off about the situation.


    Why...?


    "Keum."


    With a subtle cough, the Family Head gathered my attention once again.


    "Julien."


    His tone was somewhat soft.


    Softer than I had ever heard him use before. It felt a little off-putting and made me realize just how wrong the situation was.


    ''Just what in-''


    "Are you sure you want to be engaged with Miss Rosemberg? Do you understand the massive difference between the two of you? Not only in age but in power?"


    "I do..."


    I nodded hesitantly.


    For some reason, it felt as though I was burying my own grave.


    A thought urred to me as I turned my head to face the white-haired man. All of a sudden, I was reminded of one key and crucial piece of information about Central.


    About its current Head...


    ''Ah.''


    My heart sank.


    It couldn''t be, right?


    The Family Head extended his hand in the white-haired man''s direction.


    "Let me introduce you to Orson Rosemberg. The current Head of Central, and the adoptive father of the person you wish to be engaged with."


    ||


    ||


    I opened my mouth, but no words came out.


    Only tears.


    ....There were a lot of things that I wanted to do at this very moment, but couldn''t. In the end,


    the only choice I had was to seal my emotions.


    Locks appeared in my mind as my mind cooled.


    "I see."


    Finally, I was able to get the words out as I stared at the man before me.


    ''So he''s Delh''s father.''


    I lowered my head to greet him.


    "It''s my pleasure to meet you."


    My words were met with a strange silence.


    When I lifted my head, a pair of deep eyes stared back at me. I felt my world slowly start to


    crumble apart as I started to get sucked into his eyes.


    However, strangely enough, I was able to remain calm.


    .....I had experienced something simr before.


    ''Right, from Delh...''


    What I was currently experiencing was a milder version of what she had used against me.


    "Oh?"


    A change urred to Orson''s face as he looked at me. He seemed surprised by the fact that I


    was able to resist his gaze.


    "....Not bad."


    He even threw apliment at me.


    I was a little taken aback by this but thanked him nheless.


    "Thank you."


    "Mhm."


    He nodded faintly before leaning back on the chair.


    "You''re just like your father. You hardly show any changes to your expression in spite of the


    situation that you''re in."


    No, not quite...


    I had to seal my emotions to achieve this.


    I had already died inside.


    "....It runs in the family."


    "Well, my adoptive daughter isn''t so different. She also hardly shows much of a change in her


    emotions. But her situation is a little bit different than yours."


    "Right..."


    I knew all about her situation.


    ...I even knew about what had happened to her in the past.


    Rattle~


    The chains locking my emotions rattled.


    This situation was really outside my scope of predictions.


    I knew that Delh''s father was the head of Central. That much was something that pretty


    much the entire world knew.


    It was just that... I really didn''t expect her father of all people toe and recruit from Central. It was not something I could''ve ever predicted considering how high his standing


    was.


    ...And chances were, he would''ve never have shown up here had the situation been normal.


    However, when I thought about it, the situation was not normal.


    Leon and I existed.


    The reason why he showed up here was because of the two of us.


    ''If that''s the case then I don''t need to be too worried.''


    He was also probably aware of the fact that I had done it in order to dodge the entire


    engagement with Evelyn.


    I rxed once my thoughts paused there.


    "Delh is quite beautiful if I may say so myself. I can understand why you would wish to be engaged with her. Unfortunately, I''m not s this engagement is possible. I''m not the type of parent that would engage my child without their consent. If you wish to get engaged with my daughter, you''d need her consent and given her situation..."


    He stopped there, his meaning was clear.


    ''Delh isn''t capable of feeling emotions so give up. She''ll never give you her consent.''


    "...I understand."


    I nodded faintly and secretly sighed in relief.


    ''I can still live.''


    "If you can get her consent then I don''t see a problem with you getting engaged with her. But


    that''s easier said than done. Many have already tried. Princes from the four Empires, and


    high-ranked sessors. You''re one of many."


    That...


    I wasn''t surprised in all honesty.


    Delh''s looks were alien. She was... the embodiment of perfection. It would be weird if


    someone didn''t get infatuated by her looks.


    "Well, then."


    All of a sudden, Orson pped his hands and stood up. Wearing a smile, he looked around the


    room before extending his hand to shake the Family Head''s.


    "I figure this is time for me to leave. It was a pleasure meeting you, and wee to Central. I


    look forward to working with you in the future."


    He then turned his head to face Evelyn and Leon.


    ...He cast them a quick nce before nodding his head. Shortly after, he left alongside


    Viscount Verlice.


    nk!


    The room fell silent shortly after his departure.


    As that happened, several eyes fell on me. I massaged my face and kept my expression firm.


    Sitting down on one of the sofas, I picked up a teacup and took a sip of it.


    "...Good tea."


    "It''s empty."


    || ||


    ***


    nk-


    Leaving the Evenus Estate, Orson didn''t once look back. Throughout the entire time, he had a


    faint smile on his face.


    He thought back to the interaction with the Evenus Household firstborn and felt the urge to


    laugh.


    ''...How cute.''


    Orson could see right through the entire situation.


    It was clear that neither the Verlice family firstborn nor the Evenus family firstborn wanted to


    be engaged, which resulted in such an absurd situation.


    "Haha."


    The more Orson thought about it, the funnier he found the situation.


    All of a sudden, he felt the urge to call his adoptive daughter. The moment he stepped into the


    carriage, he did so.


    Click-


    -Yes?


    Delh appeared right above themunication device.


    Her deep ck eyes stared right through the projection as her brows furrowed slightly.


    -... Is something the matter, father?


    "Hmm, I just came back from a work trip. I wouldn''t normally call you in such situations, but


    as your father, I do have to ry to you what happened."


    Delh frowned but didn''t answer.


    That was when Orson went straight to the point.


    "I''ve been asked for your hand in marr-"


    -Reject it.


    There was no hesitation in Delh''s voice as she said such words.


    Orson fully expected her to reply like that and wasn''t mad about the fact that she had cut him


    off.


    "I already have."


    -Oh, good.


    Delh nodded faintly. Then, suddenly lowering her head, she went out of frame for several


    seconds beforeing back.


    Orson frowned immediately.


    "Are you eating chocte?"


    -Uh?


    Delh''s eyes widened.


    She looked shocked.


    How does he know?! She shook her head.


    -Mnwo.


    But she couldn''t fool anyone. Her lips were covered in chocte. Not only that, but her mouth


    was also full.


    Orson helplessly closed his eyes.


    Her addiction was one of her biggest ws.


    He had tried many times to help her in the past, but it was all useless. He had even gone as far


    as banning all ces from selling to her, and yet... she still found ways to eat chocte.


    It was a problem that constantly left him with headaches.


    ''Whatever, I''m in a good mood today.''n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "In any case, I only called you to tell you about the request. The offer wasn''t even serious to


    begin with. It was just a ruse by the two parties to stop their parents from engaging them


    together." -Ah.


    Delh didn''t appear all that interested.


    She just nodded along with his words.


    "But I do have to say, the two do make quite a good match. One is the daughter of the Verlice


    family while the other is the firstborn of the Evenus fa- "


    Thump!


    A low thump echoed from themunication device. When Orson turned his head, he saw


    Delh looking at him with a nk look.


    "...What happened?"


    -Uh? Ah..


    Delh quickly snapped out of it and picked up whatever she dropped. It was chocte.


    -...I dropped this. "Righ-" Orson suddenly froze.


    ''Did she just drop her chocte and then show it to me...?''


    For as long as Orson had known Delh, he had never seen her drop her chocte bar. She


    treated it as though it was her own baby.


    No, not just that...


    Ever since the ban, she had always hidden the bar away from him. Even when it was obvious


    that she was eating one, she always kept it out of his sight and pretended like she didn''t have


    it.


    ''What is...''


    -The... engagement. He asked?


    "Ah, uh.. Yes."


    Orson nodded faintly, unable to understand what was going on.


    -Oh.


    Thump!


    A low thumping sound echoed once more.


    Orson looked at the projection with a dazed expression.


    "You dropped the chocte?"


    -Yes.


    || ||


    He waited for her to pick it up.


    ...She never did.


    Orson scratched his head.


    ''Is she sick...?''


    But even when sick she...


    -You rejected the engagement?


    "...Yes."


    -Okay.


    Delh nodded.


    Then...


    Click!


    The call ended.


    Orson sat in silence shortly after, staring at the empty space before him with a nk look. He


    reyed the scene from before over and over again. However, the more he thought about it, the more confused he became.


    In the end, he just stopped thinking.


    He...


    ...felt that this was the best decision for his mental health.

 Chapter 399 Return to Haven [2]

    399 Return to Haven [2]


    "....." Shortly after ending the call with her father, Delh stood in silence while her eyes grew ck. A chocte bary on the ground beneath her, but she didn''t so much as nce at it. Her father''s words reyed in her mind over and over again. ...And gradually, her eyes darted towards her hand. That was when her eyes locked onto her finger and she pursed her lips. Rubbing the ring with her thumb, she stood like that for a minute with a lost look. "...." She only snapped out of it when she recalled something. Hastily, she turned her head to look around. Where is it...? Where? Where....? "Ah." Suddenly, it all came back to her. In an instant, she vanished from where she stood and reappeared in her office. Without wasting a moment, she strode directly to the nearest drawer.


    nk! Delh rummaged through it before picking up a small book that read;


    [Julien Observation Diary] Delh dipped her fountain pen into the ink before flipping through the pages. Flip! Flip! Her gaze eventually fell on a certain bullet point. [¡ñ He likes girls with long ck hair, and ck eyes, and is older.] There... Delh brought her pen over the bullet point and crossed it two times. Scratch~ Scratch~ Then, once satisfied, she nodded. "Good." Shortly after that, she dipped the fountain pen back into the ink and flipped over to the next page. Flip! The tip of the pen pressed against the paper as she wrote another bullet point. Sribble~ As she wrote the new bullet point, she thought about her father''s words and the pressure on the paper eased. She was making fixes to the previous bullet point. A more urate version of the previous bullet point. [¡ñ Wants to be engaged with me. He must like me.] "There." Delh nodded her head in satisfaction. This was the evolved and more urate version of the previous bullet point. wless, and urate.


    She didn''t purposely forget about how her father had told her about the engagement being a ruse. That was useless information. "Good." Satisfied, Delh closed the diary. ck! ....How observant she was. *** "Did you pack everything...?" "There isn''t much that I brought." I looked down at my luggage. Besides clothes, there wasn''t much with me. All the important things were in my ring. "Hm, okay." Leon on the other hand had a lot more things with him. He had several servants help him bring the stuff to the carriage. The worst part was that none of the servants even offered to help me at all... It was as if I didn''t exist to them. ''I''m supposed to be the Young Master here. Why is he getting treated better than me...?'' I already knew the answer but the disparity between our treatments was far too ring. To make matters worse, I could even see the servants sigh in relief. They were clearly happy about the fact that I was leaving. ''Damn, Julien.'' I silently cursed while heading for the carriage. As I arrived, a thought urred to me. "....Will Evelyn being with us?" "No. She left with her own one. Something about not being able to stand being with the two of us for several days." "Hmm. That was probably her polite way of saying she can''t stand you." "....?"


    Leon blinked his eyes before turning back to look at one of the attendants. They were all standing by his side. "Look around you." "...." nk! I entered the carriage without saying another word. I had lost the fight before I could even fight it. Still... "I still beat you." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "....Uh?"


    Clench. Leon''s face tightened. I imprinted his gaze in my mind and leaned back on the carriage. It felt good to be a winner.


    *** Bang¡ª


    mes engulfed the surroundings as a white figure emerged from within the mes. Kiera''s red eyes shone within the mes as her gaze locked in a certain direction. Immediatly, her eyes started to shift. They slowly started to turn ck. A ck film squirmed from beneath her feet, covering the surroundings as her figure started to fade from the tform. Swoosh! A powerful gust of wind shot in her direction shortly after. However, before it could even reach Kieara, it was swiftly absorbed by the ckness that surrounded her. "...Heh." Aoife looked toward the darkness, her eyes clear blue. Blinking once, her eyes changed to a different color. They turned entirely ck.Then... without hesitation, she sprinted toward the ball of ck that had covered Kiera. Swoosh! Her figure blended within the darkness as she looked around. It took her no longer than a few seconds to spot Kiera within the darkness. Aoife''s figure blended within the darkness, materializing before Kiera who appeared unfazed by her appearance. Aoife extended her hand forward, reaching out for Kiera''s exposed body in a swift and decisive move. She nned on ending the fight before Kiera could react. ".....!" Aoife''s expression changed the moment she brought her hand forward, but it was toote. Kiera''s figure shattered. A hand then stretched out from the very fabric behind her, grabbing her by the back of her neck. "....Ukh!" Aoife was immediately startled. Especially when she noticed that the hand released her shortly after touching her. Aoife wasn''t all too pleased by the fact that Kiera didn''t follow up on her attack especially since she started to feel her body be heavier by the second. She had clearly been affected by something. "Haa... Haa..." Her breathing grew heavy. Flicking her head to look around, Aoife kept herposure. A bright light shot out from her body, shattering the darkness that surrounded her. Tzzzz¡ª


    A hissing sound reverberated through the air as the darkness around her writhed like living creatures, recoiling and slithering away from her presence.


    Aoife looked around her with an expressionless look. This had been her n from the very start. "....Huff." But still, the damage that she sustained in the process wasn''t light at all. Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward but the moment she did, the ground beneath her sunk Swoosh! "....!" Aoife''s expression fell as she felt herself slowly sink onto the ground beneath her. Her eyes grew entirely white as the glow around her pierced even brighter. Tzzz! The darkness hissed once more, and the sinking sensation slowed down. But only for a brief moment. To Aoife''s annoyance, she was still sinking down. ''Damn it.'' Aoife clenched her teeth and looked in Kiera''s direction. Bringing her hand up, a sword levitated in front of her. Twisting her hand in one motion, the tip of the sword faced Kiera''s direction. "...." "...." The two sides stared at each other in silence, no words exchanged. It was just when Aoife was about to release her attack that a voice fell. "Stop! The practice session is over! Dispel all your skills immediately or I will do that for you! Don''t make me repeat myself. Dispell all your skills!" The darkness surrounding Aoife dispelled and her eyes returned to normal. Thud! Kieranded on the ground opposite her. Her expression was calm, but when paying close attention, Aoife could see the trembling in her hands. ''....Did she overreach?'' It made sense to some extent. Especially since Kiera had started to materialize her domain unlike her. It took a heavy toll on the body since the mana required for the domain to materialize was quite heavy. Aoife was about to talk to her when Professor Hollowe''s voice reverberated. p, p! "May I have everyone''s attention, please!" He had a thin smile on his face as he looked around. "I''ve watched all your fights, and I''m pleased with your progress so far. Your next task is to create a detailed feedback sheet. I want each of you to provide constructive criticism to the person you faced, highlighting areas they can improve and suggesting ways to get better."


    Aoife frowned, ncing at Kiera who didn''t say much. She had been a little silenttely, but Aoife wasn''t one toin about such things. ''A quieter Kiera is a better Kiera.''


    "....Is that the case?" "Sort of¡ªuh!?" Stunned, Aoife hastily turned her head to see Kiera''s face pressed next to hers. "I''m just a little tired. I can talk if you want." "No, that''s... Wait, you can understand what I said?!"


    Aoife looked startled. Then, after a little thought, she started shuddering. No, not like them... Kiera seemed to have understood her thoughts once again as her face twitched. "Bitch, you whispered the words. I didn''t read your mind. We''re nothing like those two." "Ah." Aoife appeared relieved. But only for a few seconds as both hers and Kiera''s expressions froze. "Ah." Kiera''s face fell as she bit her lips. "...We did it, didn''t we?" "Yes." Aoife nodded slowly, trying her best to keep herselfposed. ''This... This wouldn''t have happened if those three weren''t gone for so long. Now that I''m spending so much time with Kiera, it''s starting to be easier to read her face.'' Aoife felt her stomach churn. She really didn''t want to be like those two... "Keum." A sudden cough gathered Kiera''s and Aoife''s attention as they hastily turned their heads. It was there that they spotted Professor Hollowe looking at them, alongside pretty much the entire ss. "Care to tell us what you two were whispering to each other?" "....." "...." Neither Kiera nor Aoife said a word. They understood the situation all too well. Saying anything would just make the situation worse for them. Silence was the only answer. ...And indeed it was as Professor Hollowe didn''t give them more trouble. Of course, he did say a few words to them. "I''m not going to lecture you too much, given that you two are the highest ranked in the ss. But if I were you, I wouldn''t be so rxed. In fact, I''d be using every spare moment to train." "...." Aoife pursed her lips as Professor Hollowe turned his head to face the ssmates. "....You two may currently be the highest ranked, but you''re far from the strongest." It was then that Aoife''s eyes fell on several familiar figures. Figures that she had brought to the Academy at the request of her father and family. "Don''t ck off. Otherwise, you''ll find yourself out of the top ten."

 Chapter 400 Return to Haven [3]

    400 Return to Haven [3]


    Click¡ª


    I opened the familiar door. A room I had spent the better part of the year appeared before my eyes as I closed my eyes and caught a whiff of the scent that lingered in the air. "Hm?" I frowned slightly. The smell felt a little off. ''....I guess the maids came early knowing that I''d be back today.'' Thump! I dropped my luggage to the side and headed for the bed. It had been a while since I had been here, and while everything felt familiar, it also felt slightly unfamiliar. ''It''s been a year since I''ve been in this world...''


    It was a lot of time, and things had changed quite a bit. ...Unlike before, it no longer felt as though the entire world was against me. I could finally feel rxed in this room. "Huam." Massaging my face, I unconsciously let out a yawn. ''I guess I''m tired.'' It waste into the night and the trip to the Academy had been a long one. The Evenus Household was unfortunately too poor to send us through teleportation. ...We had no choice but toe with a carriage. "Hm?" I had just moved to the bed when I stopped. "....?" Looking down, I stared nkly at the floor as my mind wentpletely nk. I stood in a daze for several moments before snapping out of it and picking up the object lying on the ground.


    "...." I stared at the object in silence before mumbling, "Chocte...?" It was hardly eaten, and the sight of it confused me. "Is this mine? Did I leave it behind before going?" Considering how small the amount that had been eaten was, it was a logical conclusion. I wasn''t that much of a fan of choctes. "No, it would''ve melted by now if it was mine. A maid...?" Perhaps one of the maids had dropped the chocte bar by ident while they were cleaning. That sounded like the most logical conclusion. "Yeah, it''s probably that." I looked at the floor and cleaned up the small stain it left on the wooden floor. ''I guess it''s not that big of a deal.'' The maids had been consistently cleaning my room without making any mistakes. I could forgive this much. Thud. I tossed the chocte into the trash and slumped onto the bed. ....There was another possibility that crossed my mind when I slumped over the bed. The possibility was that the chocte belonged to Delh. However, I was quick to dispel such a notion. "Delh wouldn''t drop chocte on the ground." Let alone a hardly-eaten one... *


    The next day. To Tok! To Tok¡ª


    I woke up to heavy knocking. "Huhh..." Groggily opening my eyes, I sat up and looked at the door. To Tooook¡ª


    "It''s you, isn''t it?" "Wake up." Leon''s indifferent voice echoed from behind the door. I ruffled my hair in annoyance. He wasn''t like this before... To Toooooook¡ª


    "Wake up. ss starts soon." "Oh." I quickly sobered up after hearing his words. ''Shit, I almost forgot.'' It had been such a long time since I hadst gone to ss that I had gotten used to waking up a littleter than usual. Shaa! I threw the nkets aside and dashed to the bathroom, quickly washing up before slipping into my uniform. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The process took no longer than ten minutes. To Tok! To Tok¡ª


    The entire time, Leon wouldn''t stop knocking. "Hurry u¡ª" nk! I opened the door before he could finish his sentence and red at him. "What are you doing?" "....Fulfilling my duties as your knight." 17:21


    He then lowered his head and bit his lips.


    He almost looked pitiful. "As you said, I''m weaker than you. What use do you have for a weaker knight than you? And since I wanted to be helpful to you, my master, I figured I''d do this. Am I doing a bad job? If so..." "Oh?" I had the sudden urge to smack him on the head.I could feel the sarcasm dripping from his voice. ''...I guess he''s still salty about what I previously told him.'' "Haa." I let out a long breath and patted him on the shoulder. "Alright, I''m sorry." "....?" Leon raised his head, his eyes filled with bafflement. He probably didn''t expect me to react in the way that I did. "You''re right, I shouldn''t have said what I said. You''re a great knight." "....?" "Amazing knight." "...You can stop." "My source of life." Leon''s face started to wince. He quickly shook his head. ''S-stop.'' Shake, shake. "You''re my precious knight, and I wouldn''t know what I''d do without you." ''S-stop...!'' Shake, shake, shake. "You''re the light that shines in the darkness. You''re¡ª" "....!" Leon pressed his hand against the nearby wall, hunching over as he tried his best to keep his face straight. "Uh? Are you ok¡ª" "S-stop..." Leon''s face winced at the sight of me. I stopped after seeing the state that he was in. He had probably had enough. I finally let go of his shoulder. "....Are you still going to wake me up like this in the morning?" "No." Leon weakly shook his head. "Alright." I smiled in satisfaction and moved away from him. I had just taken one stop when Leon suddenly raised his head and wiped the saliva from his mouth. My face changed all of a sudden. "You..." I suddenly had a bad feeling about the situation. Before I even had the time to get my words out, Leon opened his mouth to say.


    "Twin sta¡ª!" "!" We both turned away at the same time. This damn nickname... *** "Good morning." "...Good morning." Amell greeted his fellow ssmates as he entered the ssroom. It had been a month now that he had entered Haven, and he was able to settle down rather quickly. ''It''s a little different from our Empire, but it''s not too bad.''


    Their educational system was worth learning from. It gave Amell a whole new perspective on how things worked around here. Of course, his main goal wasn''t to learn from this ce. ....His goal was to get closer to his brother and slowly let him learn about his past. It was a decent n. A n he nned on following until the end of the year, but... ''He''s not here again '' Amell was left disappointed by Leon''s absence. It didn''t take much digging to understand why he wasn''t present. Still, it made things a little more troublesome for him. "Over here." A soft voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Lifting his head, Amell locked eyes with Agatha, her silver hair swaying gently as she waved at him from her seat.


    "I saved your seat." "...." Amell smiled and sat down next to her. "Hello." He greeted Aoife on his way. She sat right behind them as she returned their greeting with a nod. ....Amell sat down and waited for the ss to start. Today''s ss was [Magic Theory and Spell Unification]. The Professor in charge was Myers ymond. A Tier 6 Mage. The higher one went in the years the more powerful the Professor. "We''ll start off where we left offst lecture. Magic Theory is all about the unification of the runes that are present within the magic circle. If you pay close attention..." Amell took notes of the lecture while paying close attention to what was being said. 17:22


    Scribble~ Scribble~ The ssroom was eerily quiet, with only the Professor''s voice and the faint sound of scribbling breaking the stillness.


    Such was the norm in the ssroom until...


    Creeeak! A gentle creak shattered the silence as all heads raised. ''That...!''


    Amell''s heart skipped a beat as a figure he had been longing to see for so long appeared before his eyes. He stood beside Julien, whose hazel eyes held a depth that seemed to draw one in. Julien''s posture was straight, and the indifference on his face mirrored the same expressions Amell had often seen at the Summit.


    ...It felt a little intimidating. "...." The moment the two appeared, all scribbling stopped as all eyes fell on the two. The faces of a few changed their appearance, a pair of light yellow eyes in particr as they fluctuated briefly before bing still again. A noticeable tension lingered in the ssroom at the appearance of the two. However, they weren''t the only ones shocked by the situation. Leon and Julien looked around, their expression stiffening at the sight of several familiar figures. How in the... Their shock was only suppressed by the Professor''s stern voice. "Please take your seats. The ssroom has already started." "I apologize." "....Thank you." Julien and Leon calmly walked up the flight of stairs before settling down on the empty spots left in the ssroom. Julien sat right next to Aoife while Leon sat next to the empty spot to Amell''s right. "Hello." Leon greeted Amell who hastily greeted back. "Hello." "...Hi~" Agatha also waved. Leon blinked his eyes, slightly taken aback by their enthusiasm but just nodded. "Hoo." In the meantime, Amell took a deep breath. He was nervous. ''How should I approach him? Should I do it after ss...? If so how sh¡ª'' "What''s happening?'' 17:25


    Amell''s thoughts were broken by a soft whisper behind him. It appeared toe from Julien who looked at Aoife with a frown. His gaze was intense. To the point where Amell almost felt like he would attack Aoife at any second. ...And yet, Aoife appearedpletely unfazed. "Out of my control. My father''s orders, I couldn''t refuse." "You couldn''t at all?" "Yes." "Couldn''t you at least have told me? Since when did they join us?" "With what? I don''t have your contacts." "Uh..."


    Julien''s frown deepened as he mumbled, ''Now that you mention it...'' "It''s not a big deal anyway. Focus on the ss." "...It is a big deal." Listening to the conversation, Amell was slightly surprised. He hadn''t expected Julien to be this talkative. From what he had heard, Julien was somewhat of a loner who hardly spoke. What he was seeing was quite different from what he had heard. "Hey, please be quiet over there." All of a sudden, the Professor''s voice rang and Aoife stiffened on the spot. Julien remained calm, but his face twitched a little. "Pay attention to ss." "Sorry." "...I apologize." Aoife and Julien both apologized at the same time. The Professor nodded and went ahead and started teaching again. As he did, Aoife lowered her tone. "You, get away from me." "...Uh?" "You got me in trouble." "For what? I was just asking you a few things." "Do thatter." Flick. Flick. "Hm?" Suddenly sensing something from Leon, Amell turned to face his direction. That was when Amell noticed Leon alternating his gaze between the Professor and Julien. Then... Right when the Professor''s eyes were facing the board, he scrunched up the paper in his hand and threw it directly at Julien''s head. "Quiet down." Swoosh! "Ukeh....!" A weird sound came out of Julien''s mouth as the paper struck him directly in the head. Leon''s timing and precision were impable. The instant Julien made a noise and the Professor turned his head, all he saw was a piece of paper bouncing atop Leon''s head, who had deliberately turned to re at Julien.


    "Stop that, I''m trying to study." "U-Uh?" "Julien Dacre Evenus." The Professor''s loud voice echoed loudly within the ssroom, startling everyone out of their sessions. Julien''s eyes widened at the situation as he flicked his head between the Professor and Leon who had his back turned against the Professor and wasughing in silence. "Kakaka." Kiera wasn''tughing in silence. Having witnessed the entire situation from the start, she pped her thigh andughed.


    "That... Professor." Julien tried to exin himself, but the Professor wanted none of it. "....This will be yourst warning Julien. The next time I see you disturbing the ssroom again, I will have you kicked out." "But¡ª" "Are you talking back?" "I...." Julien bit his lips as his eyes turned bloodshot. Leon on the other hand struggled to breathe as his face was entirely red. "Good." The Professor turned around and started the lecture once more once he realized Julien was no longer speaking. "...." Having witnessed the entire situation from the start to the end, Amell had lost all words. He... Didn''t know how to react. The elite image he had built of Havenpletely crumbled in just a few minutes of Leon and Julien returning. "This..."

 Chapter 401: Linus Evenus [1]

    Chapter 401: Linus Evenus [1]


    ?


    I wasn''t even ten minutes into the lecture when I got in trouble with the Professor.


    "Huff... Huff..."


    My chest boiled as I stared at Leon''s back.


    All of a sudden, I started to regret so much. So... so much.


    ''Forty million? I''d sell him for less... Hmm, actually, not less. About the same. But I''d sell him!''


    If someone asked me right now if Leon was for sale, I''d sell him in a heartbeat. No discount but for well-spent money.


    Either way, they were the ones getting screwed.


    "...The runes within the spells each contain a certain property that enables them to function. There''s a reason why stronger spells have a lot more runes. It needs more of them in order for the spell to remain intact. Otherwise, the spell would break."


    Despite the scolding, the lecture continued.


    I tried to pay attention, but I could hardly understand what was happening. There was a lot of key information that I had missed out on due to my absence.


    ''I''ll have to start studying again.''


    The thought felt daunting, but I had no other choice but to do so. "Hm?"


    As I lowered my head, nning on writing notes, I sensed a gaze.


    That was when I met a pair of light yellow eyes. They stared deeply at me, unflinching and indifferently.


    I couldn''t detect a single hint of emotion in them.


    ''Caius.''


    I frowned slightly.


    ''....I didn''t expect him to be here as well.''


    I only thought it was Amell and Agatha, but looking around I could see that there were more people.


    In the far right of the ssroom, Kaelion sat by himself.


    As if sensing my gaze, he turned his head and met my eyes. He stared at me for a few seconds before nodding and shifting his attention back towards the lecture.


    ''Crazy...''


    I didn''t know how to feel about the situation.


    This was out of my control and felt like a lot of trouble.


    ''More importantly, why would the Empires send their best prospects here? Wouldn''t that be the equivalent of giving the Nurs Ancifa Empire leverage against them?''


    ....It made no sense at all.


    And yet, there was no denying the situation.


    I could only brush the thoughts away and focus on the lecture one more. Unfortunately, the confusion, added to myck of understanding of what was happening made it impossible for me to follow along the lecture.


    In the end, I spent a major part of the lecture just nkly staring at my notes.


    By the time the lecture ended, I had only written a few words on the paper in front of me.


    "The lecture will end here now. Make sure you study well for the uing examinations, and... make sure you''re notte for your next lessons."


    Thest words were targeted right at me and Leon.


    I hardly paid attention to them as I once again turned my attention towards Aoife who had started to pack up.


    "For how long will they stay with us? A semester?"


    "...No."


    Aoife closed the book in front of her while neatly arranging her notes.


    "Then?"


    "... Indefinite amount of time."


    Aoife replied in a t tone.


    "Indefinite? What...? How does this ma-"


    "It doesn''t."


    Aoife cut me off before I could finish my sentence.


    "The first to push this were those from the Verdant Empire. Apparently, the Emperor and Empress personally came to make this happen. My father was more than happy to take the agreement. I''m sure you know why."


    "Yes... But what about the rest?"


    I looked towards Kaelion and Caius.


    Aoife''s expression changed slightly at that. Eventually, she shook her head.


    "I want to know that too."


    cing her notes into her notebook, Aoife stood up and moved past me. I didn''t try to stop


    her and just watched as she left the ssroom.


    A shadow cast over me shortly after.


    I didn''t even bother looking at him.


    "Go."


    "...I didn''t say anything."


    "You don''t have to."


    "Why?"


    "...Because I''m too busy thinking about how much I should sell you for."


    "Uh?"


    "Fifty million? Sixty...? I won''t go below forty..."


    ***


    "Help!"


    "Someone...!"


    "M-monster! Someone!"


    Screams of despair echoed in the distance while everyone frantically ran away.


    The scent of burning wood lingered in the air as a pair of hazel eyes looked down at him.


    They were cold and indifferent.


    Crackle~ Crackle~


    A fire raged behind him as his clothes fluttered. He stood amidst the raging mes, his lips


    slowly distorting into a smile.


    "You should''ve seen thising from miles away."


    His voice was faint, drowned amidst the crackling and screams.


    Yet, the mockery in his tone was unmistakable, cutting through the chaos around them.


    "...You guys are worthless. You''re worthless. Regardless of how much you try or know, you won''t be able to beat me. I-"


    To Tok-


    "Uha...!"


    Linus was startled awake by the sudden sound of someone knocking on his door.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    His breath was heavy, and sweat poured down from the side of his face. Looking back, his entire sheets were drenched in his own sweat as Linus realized what had happened.


    ''....Another nightmare.''


    How many times has it been?


    Linus had long lost count of the number of times he had seen the same nightmare over and


    over again.


    There... He saw Julien.


    He stood before him while the estate burned behind him.


    .... And he was without a doubt the one responsible for all of it.


    Clench.


    Linus''s expression twisted.


    The Nightmare... it felt all too real to be fake. Linus knew that what he was seeing was the


    future. He was certain of it.


    Especially since this was exactly the Julien he knew.


    ...This was something he''d do.


    ''I can''t allow for it to happen.''


    Linus''s worries only grew once he saw just how powerful Julien had be. He was slowly


    starting to be the person in his nightmares.


    It was for this reason that he enrolled himself in Haven.


    ... It was so that he could stop all of this before it was toote. He needed to get stronger.


    Being one of the top rankers in the first years was still not good enough.


    His brother...


    He had gone beyond that.


    To Tok-


    "Linus?"


    The door knocked again and a soft voice echoed from behind.


    "Huuu."


    Linus took a deep breath and turned to the door.


    "...I was sleeping."


    "Thiste? It''s the afternoon."


    "I know. I woke up early to train."


    Linus took off his new clothes and switched for new ones. His body was still sticky from the


    sweat but this had to do as he opened the door.


    nk!


    A thin figure with short yellow hair and blue eyes appeared.


    "Linus...?"


    Jacob called out, taken aback by Linus''s haggard appearance. However, his face soonn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    scrunched up.


    "...You stink."


    "I know. I went to sleep right after training."


    "The hell?"


    "I was that tired."


    "Doesn''t make it right."


    "I know."


    Linus ruffled his hair and headed back inside. Jacob followed him in. Pausing, Linus looked


    back.


    "Why did youe here? sses are over. You don''t usuallye at this time."


    "Um? Oh, right!"


    As if remembering why he hade, Jacob''s eyes brightened, and he rushed over to Linus,


    grabbing his hand.


    "....Eh?"


    Stunned, Linus tried to retrieve his hand back but Jacob''s grip was too strong.


    It was then that Jacob spoke,


    "Your brother...! He''s back! Hahaha."


    There was a sparkle in his eyes as he spoke. On the other hand, Linus''s entire body froze.


    Brother...? He''s back?


    Right, his father had indeed mentioned it a couple of days ago.


    So he...


    "That''s right! He''s back! You seem surprised. Didn''t he tell you? Whatever, whatever, please


    introduce me... I watched the entire Summit and-"


    ''This...''


    Linus gazed at Jacob, but his words faded into the background. Even though he was looking


    directly at Jacob, his mind was elsewhere.


    He was thinking about something else.


    His brother...


    ''Ah.''


    Linus bit his lips.


    ''He''s finally here...''


    ***


    Click-


    The lights turned off, shrouding the room in utter darkness.


    A pair of red eyes gleamed beneath the darkness as a figure sat in the middle, her entire body


    trembling.


    "Hoo."


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Kiera could feel the beat of her heart drum loudly within her mind.


    ....It was all she could hear within the darkness.


    She felt scared by the darkness that surrounded her from all sides, hugging her body tightly


    while depriving her of any air.


    Despite everything, the trembling body, the suffocating feeling, and the difort, Kiera


    was able to remain seated without giving up.


    She just sat in the darkness while her heart beat loudly in her mind.


    Kiera sat for an unknown period of time.


    The trembling of her body grew the longer she stayed in the darkness as she secretly


    swallowed her saliva.


    ''A few more seconds...''


    "H-hoo."


    Each breath felt suffocating as anxiety started to gnaw at her.


    Sweat poured down from all sides as she brought her teeth closer together.


    ''Just a little...''


    Her entire body started to shake.


    Her eyes widened.


    "Kh."


    A sound escaped her lips as her mind started to grow faint.


    The silence and darkness started to overwhelm her.


    Kiera clenched her teeth as hard as possible.


    ''More...!''


    "Ukh."


    Her toes curled inward.


    The anxiety gnawing at her started to overwhelm her mind.


    "No, that''s it...! No-kh!"


    Swoosh!


    mes erupted in the room as Kiera waved her hand. Instantly, the room lit up as Kiera


    slumped down on the floor.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Her chest rose and fell in a continuous manner as she breathed heavily.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    She was exhausted and her mind was faint.


    However, this was necessary.


    In order to get stronger... She had to embrace the darkness. She couldn''t feel scared by it.


    Otherwise, she would stop growing from there.


    She... had no other choice but to get used to the darkness.


    "Haa..."


    Taking another deep breath, Kiera slowly stood up, using a clean towel to wipe her face and


    hair.


    As she stood up, she turned to face the table.


    She lifted her head and focused on the wall above the table, where her eyesnded on a


    multitude of papers and notes, all interconnected with red wires.


    Pictures of figures appeared on the wall. Her aunt, Professor Bucm, and several other


    notable figures.


    Eventually, her gaze settled towards the middle where a single image appeared.


    It was...


    The image of a four-leaved clover.


    ...The organization linked to her mother''s death and to which her aunt also belonged. The one


    ce she needed to get rid of in order to get her revenge.

 Chapter 402: Linus Evenus [2]

    Chapter 402: Linus Evenus [2]


    ?


    "Sigh..."


    Aoife sighed upon returning to her room. Dropping her stuff onto the table, she slumped over her bed and dazedly looked at the ceiling.


    Her thoughts were a jumbled mess in all honesty.


    She didn''t show it on the outside, but Aoife didn''t know how to react when around Julien.


    ....Ever since the incident with the Angel and learning of Julien''s secret, Aoife felt ufortable with him.


    Especially since there was a chance she was just wrong.


    ''The reason why he has a weird pte doesn''t just have to be because his body is possessed, right...?''


    Leon was the same.


    However, unlike Julien, Leon only showed such tendencies from time to time. It was rather easy to tell when.


    ...It mostly happened whenever he saw something shocking or had that dazed look on his face.


    Otherwise, he usually was normal.


    Julien was the only one that was different.


    Be it when he was dazed or not dazed, he couldn''t eat salty food. Sweets were the same. He couldn''t stand them.


    It made the situation harder for Aoife.


    Especially since she knew about his past.


    ''He''s certainly different than how his attendants describe him.''


    Julien was arrogant.


    However, he wasn''t as arrogant as the reports she had received depicted him to be. He was just prideful in his own way.


    The more Aoife looked at the reports the more she found them to be different than the Julien she knew.


    "Haa."


    It was frustrating.


    The evidence was right before her eyes.


    And yet...


    She didn''t have it in her to report him or confront him about it. Why was that...? Aoife bit her lips.


    ''He''s helped me out a lot...''


    With the acting and all of that.


    Aoife felt burdened by the debt that she owed him. And the more she thought about the debt she owed him, the more she realized how different he was from the reports.


    "Should I just drop the matter for now?"


    Aoife massaged her face.


    Quite frankly, she didn''t believe she was the only one who had noticed the abnormalities with Julien.


    Leon most likely knew, and perhaps Evelyn...


    ''He''s changed about five times.''


    There were also the words that she had previously said.


    In hindsight, she was probably the one who knew the most about what was happening. The


    fact that she hadn''t taken any action until now gave Aoife hope that perhaps the current Julien wasn''t a threat after all.


    "...I hope that''s the case."


    She didn''t want things to escte beyond herfort level.


    However, as the Princess of the Empire, she had her own responsibilities. And it was her duty


    to report anything that was abnormal and potentially threatening to the Empire.


    "Yeah, it''s my duty..."


    And yet.


    "...I''m failing at it."


    And will probably continue to fail.


    ***


    ''This should be it.''


    It had been a while since I had been at the Academy. Naturally, I forgot a few things. Like... where As''s office was located.


    ''...It should be obvious, and yet, it''s not.''


    Delh''s office was a lot easier to find.


    She just lived at the very top.


    Anyways...


    "I think it''s this one."


    I hesitated before knocking.


    To Tok-


    "Come in."


    A warm, and familiar voice I hadn''t heard in a while echoed from behind the door. I sighed in


    relief then.


    ''Looks like I found the right ce.''


    nk!


    As sat on one of the sofas scattered around the room.


    Upon entering, I noticed that the space was far more organized than Delilha''s. The books were neatly arranged on the bookshelf to one side, and the room was adorned with paintings and vases, all thoughtfully ced throughout.


    I had been once before so I wasn''t all that surprised.


    "You''re finally here."


    As addressed me, pointing at the seat opposite him.


    I sat down and made myselffortable.


    He had called me in advance, telling me that he wanted to talk. Even now, I still didn''t know


    what he wanted to talk to me about.


    "First things first."


    As retrieved a book and a card from out of thin air.


    My brows jumped up at the sight of them.


    "These are..."


    "Yes, your remaining awards. This here is a manual that I personally selected for you."


    He handed me a thick manual.


    "It''s a red-ranked manual. A lot better than the one you currently use."


    I tried my best to keep myself from feeling too excited. But it was hard. Manuals were ranked; Green, Blue, Orange, Red, and ck.


    The current one that I used was blue-ranked which was the standard for low-ranking noble families.


    Orange was for mid-ranked noble families while Red was for high-ranking noble families.


    ...This was a qualitative leap.


    "Thank you."


    I took the manual and gently ran my fingers over the leather-bound cover. It felt smooth beneath my touch, its craftsmanship unmistakable.


    "This manual should help you quickly get to Tier 5 and unlock your domain. I''ve noticed that you''re still stuck in the ''Concept'' stage. Are you perhaps struggling with your domain?"


    "Not entirely..."


    My ''Conceptualization'' was flowing smoothly.


    I was now able to smoothly control all six orbs and could control them to the point where my


    body wouldn''t get injured upon using them.


    However, there was indeed a problem.


    "....My ''Concept'' has a lot more depth than I thought. Just when I feel like I''m close to


    reaching the end of it, I find something new that I need to further develop."


    In that regard, I was referring to the ''Orb Merging''.


    There were six orbs, each capable of merging together. As if that wasn''t overwhelming


    enough, thebined orbs could be fused again into a single entity.


    .... New emotions continued to appear one after another in the process.


    But at the same time, I also felt that it was a hint itself.


    So long as I could figure it out...


    "I see."


    As nodded faintly.


    "It looks like you still need a little time. But it shouldn''t be too much of an issue for you. I''m


    sure you''ll have this figured out by the time you reach the threshold of your next tier."


    "I hope so." "Putting that aside, here''s your other reward. The money has been deposited in the ''Popr


    Bank of Lens''. You can collect your money over there."


    "...Thank you."


    As handed me a small ck card which I received.


    It was nice and slick and made of metal.


    "Just give the card when you enter the bank and they''ll give you all your money. It''s an easy


    process."


    "Okay." Sounded easy enough.


    I happily put the card away alongside the manual before shifting my attention back to As. I


    was sure the rewards weren''t the only things he wanted to talk to me about.


    And sure enough...


    "Now that we have that out of the way, let''s talk about more serious matters." As''s expression suddenly changed, turning cold as the surroundings fluctuated and a thin


    barrier formed around the two of us.


    I kept my expression firm while this happened.


    There was no point in getting flustered.


    He was on my side... for now.


    "Good."


    As interlocked his hands together and locked his yellow eyes on me.


    "... There are a few things that I need to talk to you about. Firstly, I''ve started rumors about


    you being my sessor."


    "Hm?"


    The piece of news surprised me.


    Didn''t he...


    "They''re just rumors for now. I''ve neither confirmed nor denied them. This way, you won''t


    have anyone too stronging after you."


    "Anyone too strong...? Are you saying tha-"


    "That''s exactly what I''m saying."


    As cut me off.


    "...You''ve now be a target for several people within the organization. Those that aren/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    going to target you are all strong and well-trained. They''ll most likely attack when you least


    expect it so you must keep your eyes peeled at all times."


    "Right..."


    There were a lot of things that I wanted to do at this very moment.


    However, all I could do was silently agree while cursing in my mind. Just when I thought


    things were getting easier for me...


    "Don''t worry too much. So long as you stay within the Academy, nobody strong enough will


    come to bother you. Nothing escapes my eyes. Those that do get to you are because I let them


    in."


    "If you can''t handle this much, then you don''t deserve to be my sessor. Furthermore,


    this isn''t all that bad for you..."


    "...?"


    As suddenly smiled.


    I didn''t understand his smile at first, but his next words allowed me to get a better


    understanding.


    "We have a system within the organization for those that hold certain positions that allows them to have subordinates. In your case, if you manage to defeat those that attack you... you have the power to make them join your side. You won''t have to worry about their loyalty since


    the emblem will stop them from betraying you." ''Emblem...?''


    Could he be talking about the tattoo?


    The thought urred to me quickly but I kept it to myself. I felt like this was something that I


    was supposed to know.


    "I see."


    Outside of that, this was interesting.


    ''So he''s saying that as long as I beat those thate after me, I gain ''ownership'' of them?''


    That...


    I quite liked this system.


    "You should use this opportunity to gain as many followers as possible. It''s only when you


    have arge enough following that you''ll be able to have a foothold within the organization.


    You can''t always hope for me to shield you from the rest."


    "...Yes."


    I nodded in understanding.


    "Good."


    As seemed satisfied with everything.


    "That''s all that I needed to say."


    He waved his hand and the barrier shattered.


    "....You''re free to go. Make sure to always be alert. You never know when something might


    happen."


    "Right."


    I pressed my lips together and walked out of the room.


    "Huu."


    I took a deep breath the moment I left the room. It felt strangely suffocating in there despite


    As trying his best to help me.


    Honestly...


    I still struggled toe to grasp his real identity.


    ...He had apletely different feeling from the As in the vision. Both were intimidating,


    but there was something about the As within the vision that felt different.


    It was hard to exin and I gave up after a while.


    Taking out the manual, I couldn''t wait to start practicing it as I rushed back to my dorm.


    I picked a quieter road that had the least amount of cadets on my way there. I was a bit of a celebrity so walking without a disguise was quite troublesome.


    Thankfully, I faced no trouble on the way back and reached my room.


    nk!


    Coming in, I prepared to start practicing when a certain figure appeared inside.


    She was pacing around the room, seemingly looking for something.


    "Where...? Here?"


    It looked important.


    .....I wonder what she''s looking for.''

 Chapter 403: Linus Evenus [3]

    Chapter 403: Linus Evenus [3]


    ?


    "Are you looking for something?"


    11


    ||


    Delh had known for quite a while about my presence. I didn''t think someone like her wouldn''t notice my sudden appearance.


    But despite being aware, she was too preupied with something else.


    I narrowed my eyes and set my rewards aside.


    ''Where...? Maybe here?''


    Overhearing Delh''s mumbles, I moved closer to her. She looked quite desperate for whatever she was looking for.


    That...


    "Did you forget something here? If you did then the maids probably took it away?" "....!"


    Realization dawned on Delh after she heard my words.


    Though her face didn''t change very much, it grew a little pale.


    What exactly did she forget?...And wait, why was she even looking at it in my room?


    A thought struck me as I recalled the chocte bar from the previous night and my face turned strange.


    "You, did you lea-"


    "It wasn''t me."


    "I didn¡ª"


    "No."


    I pursed my lips and chose to remain quiet.


    It was definitely her.


    Delh wasn''t the greatest of liars. Still, I decided to drop the topic. It was also then that Delh took notice of the manual in my hand and her interest piqued.


    "Red ranked?"


    "....Yes."


    "It''s good."


    She extended her hand and I handed her the manual.


    Flip, flip-


    With a few casual flips of the pages, her brows rose.


    "....This is very good. Suits you well."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Is that so? As gave it to me."


    || ||


    Delh stopped for a moment before handing the manual back to me.


    "Okay. You can practice it."


    Shortly after that, she sat down and crossed her legs.


    11 ||


    I stood for a moment, unable to understand.


    "What...?"


    "Practice. I''ll help you."


    "Eh?"


    "The manual isn''t easy to learn. Go. I''ll teach you until you can use it by yourself."


    11 ||


    Blinking my eyes, it didn''t take long for me to understand her intentions. Taking off my zer, I sat down on the ground and opened the manual.


    A hand pressed against my back shortly after.


    "Take a deep breath."


    Delh''s cool voice whispered from behind.


    I concentrated on her words and opened the manual while taking a deep breath.


    "ce your hand over the manual and channel your mana."


    I did as told.


    Flip! Flip-


    The book opened abruptly, the pages flipping over repeatedly. I stayed still while information flooded my mind.


    "Ukh...!"


    It hurt quite a lot and almost shattered my concentration.


    "Guide the mana just like how it''s being shown in your mind."


    Delh''s voice served as a gpole that kept me grounded.


    "It will hurt a little but don''t mind the pain. It''s supposed to hurt you."


    It didn''t really hurt.


    "Better."


    I focused on her voice.


    It was all I could hear as my surroundings turned quiet.


    "Keep the flow smooth. You''re starting to get better."


    Her voice was soft and crisp.


    ...Softly guiding me as I adapted to the new manual.


    It felt reassuring.


    "Like that."


    I started to pick up more things.


    "Yes."


    From the sound of her breath.


    "...It''s smoother. Keep it like that."


    To the soft touch of her hand.


    "Focus."


    A warm current ran through my body.


    "Nearly there."


    The energy enveloped every inch of my body, surging through me like a torrent of warm and


    peaceful energy.


    My head began to feel light, almost weightless under its overwhelming presence.


    "Ah."


    And that was when I saw it.


    ¡ö Exp EXP + 0.1%


    The all too familiar notification.


    ...Followed by another one I quickly discarded while being slightly taken aback.


    ''Why did...''


    ***


    ''No one seems to recognize me.''


    Leon sat on one of the benches scattered throughout the campus and looked around. He could


    see many new faces walking around the Academy.


    Many of whom were first years.


    They looked rather lively, talking with one another without a care for the world.


    It made Leon envious.


    ...They didn''t have a tyrant of a boss like him.


    "May I sit here?" Suddenly, Leon heard a familiar voiceing from beside him.


    He turned his head and was surprised to see that it was indeed someone that he knew.


    11


    ||


    He kept his expression firm and faintly nodded his head.


    "Thank you."


    ''He''s grown quite a lot from thest time that I''ve seen him.''


    The cadet in question was Linus, the second young master. Leon thought about revealing his


    identity to him but after a little thought, decided to keep quiet.


    His rtionship with Linus was not bad but it wasn''t close either.


    He always kept to himself.


    ...He wasn''t very talented inbat, but he was quite smart.


    He took after his father in that regard.


    "Judging from your uniform, you must be a second-year, right?"


    "....I am."


    Leon answered after a little thought.


    "I see. You must have it rough."


    "Rough?"


    "Hm, yes. With all the work that you have and all the incidents that happenedst year."


    Incidents...?


    Leon thought about it for a few seconds before nodding his head. There had been quite a lot of


    identsst year.


    "It must be rough on you. I heard that it happened a lot to you guys. Do you think that you


    were being targeted?"


    "I''m..."


    "Or maybe someone purposely set up the incidents against you?"


    Leon frowned.


    Where was the conversation going?


    || ||


    All of a sudden, Linus stopped and turned his head, looking directly at Leon. His expression


    was calm and so were his eyes.


    It was almost as if he could see through his disguise.


    "It''s been a while, Leon. How have you been doing?"


    No, he had seen right through his disguise.


    ||


    ||


    Leon''s expression remained stoic as he stared back at the second young master.


    He was only a little surprised by the fact that he had been caught. Linus was smart after all.


    Something like this wasn''t unexpected from him.


    "You haven''t answered me."


    "....I''m doing well."


    "I''m d you are, Leon."


    Linus showed a smile as he leaned back on the bench.


    "I''ve been meaning to talk to you for quite some time, Leon. It''s just that I never really got


    the time to do so. I''ve been quite busy myself."


    "....I see."


    Leon kept his words short.


    He didn''t know where the conversation was going.


    No, he knew.


    "For how long are you going to y dumb?"


    "...."


    "You and I know it. Julien is the one responsible for all the incidents that have happened. You


    of all people should know this. I don''t understand why you''re protecting him."


    Because he''s not the same Julien.


    And... He''s someone worth following.


    Leon answered in his mind.


    "...Is it because you owe it to the family for rescuing you in the past? If that''s the case you


    don''t have to do that. You''ve already brought great honor to the family. You can consider you


    debt repaid."


    ||


    ||


    "That''s also not it? Then is it because you''re scared of Julien?"


    ""


    "Still not speaking?"


    Linus massaged his face.


    "Well, alright."


    He didn''t pressure Leon any longer. This was a dead conversation anyway.


    "Since you don''t want to talk, I''ll take my leave. However, before I do, I want you to


    reconsider your thoughts on being Julien''s knight. He''s not worthy of your talents. He''ll only


    lead our family to ruin if you don''t keep him in check."


    ''I''ve seen it myself...''


    Linus mumbled quietly in a voice that Leon just barely managed to get.


    "?"


    But before Leon could ask for any rification about what he meant by his words, Linus had


    already turned around and left.


    Leon could only stare at his departing back from the bench as his brows tightly knit together.


    ''He''s figured something out or knows something...''


    But what...?


    What exactly did he know?


    ***


    The days continued to pass by.


    There was no big event following my return to Haven. Things were rather normal for the next


    few days.


    I woke up, tried to catch up with the world that I had missed, and trained.


    It was a fairly uneventful week.


    ...The only thing I couldn''t get used to were the new additions to the ss.


    Bang-!


    An enormous dummy, about twice my size flew across the training room before shattering


    against the nearest wall.


    The entire ss grew quiet as all eyes fell toward the figure responsible for all of this.


    With two piercing yellow eyes, Caius stood with a cold look as he held his hand facing the direction of where the training dummy had been thrown.


    The Professor in charge stood with a nk look before recovering.


    "T-that... Time, twenty seconds. Caius Aetheria first ce!"


    ||


    ||


    Nobody said a word the moment the result of the session was announced.


    How could they when everyone struggled so much to leave a single dent on the training


    dummy while Caius downright shattered it?


    Even I only left a single dent on the dummy.


    And that was with me using my domain.


    ''Has he gotten even stronger than before?''


    ...He was already strong before, but now? He felt even stronger than before.


    And as if sensing my gaze, he turned his head to face my direction. Our eyes met for a brief


    moment. It was then that I noticed a subtle fluctuation in his eyes.


    However, it was only brief as he looked away from me.


    I felt no emotions in his eyes at that moment.


    He held no resentment against me. No fear. No... nothing.


    ...He felt like a robot, almost. ''What in the...''


    "Everyone may have your attention please."


    Bringing me out of my thoughts was the Professor who pped twice to get our attention. He


    was a tall man with short brown hair and blue eyes. His looks were neither great nor bad.


    About average.


    In spite of his average looks, his body radiated with power as he held up a sheet in his hand.


    "I''ve been told to give you guys the piece of news before the ss ends."


    He leaned his head back while squinting his eyes.


    "...It''s to inform you guys about the uing ''Gathering of the Seven Churches''."


    "Hm?"


    I suddenly paid close attention to the Professor''s words.


    "It will be held next week at the Academy, and attendance ispulsory. The Seven Cardinals from the Seven Churches will be arriving to lead the event. It''ll be a closed event, meaning that there will be no outsiders. If any of you have any affiliations with any churches, please let


    me know in advance. It''ll help for the arrangement." The surroundings grew loud upon the announcement. Everyone started whispering to one another, talking about the event. Almost everyone in the


    Academy was affiliated with one of the seven gods.


    A lot of the noble families followed a certain god, hence why they had certain followings.


    I didn''t quite know what God the Evenus family followed, but I knew exactly what god I


    followed.


    I didn''t wait for the Professor to head to me as I directly walked up to him.


    "Hm? Ah, Julien."


    He recognized me immediately as he held the paper in his hand.


    "Are you affiliated with any of the churches? If so-"


    "Oracleus."


    I mumbled, the words spilling out in a hushed tone.


    "...I''m affiliated with the church of Oracleus."

 Chapter 404: Gathering of the Seven Churches [1]

    Chapter 404: Gathering of the Seven Churches [1]


    ?


    "You''re affiliated with the church of Oracleus?"


    I realized my mistake almost immediately. I wasn''t sure what I was thinking, but the words


    just flowed out of my mouth before I could even think properly.


    "....Is that what it is? Alright, I will start¡ª"


    "Actually, it''s not the case."


    "Um?"


    Lifting his gaze, the Professor looked at me.


    "That''s not the case?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Yes."


    I nodded faintly while putting on a troubled look.


    "...That''s the church that my Household worships. In reality, I follow another god." "Oh!"


    A look of realization shed on the Professor''s face.


    "I understand. There''s no need to worry. It happens quite often."


    "Yes, I apologize."


    "That''s fine, that''s fine."


    The professor scratched off what he had written for me, and pressed the pen over the clipboard.


    "Who is the god you follow then?"


    "....Sithrus."


    "Sithrus? I can see that."


    Chuckling, the Professor wrote the relevant information on the paper and then dismissed me.


    "You will receive an invitation in the next few days. You may leave now. Enjoy your day."


    "Okay."


    I didn''t linger any longer and left shortly after that. Leon caught up to me not long after, looking at me with a frown.


    "Which god did you select?"


    "Sithrus."


    || ||


    Leon''s steps came to a pause. Noticing the subtle shifts in his demeanor, I turned to look at him.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "...."


    Leon still didn''t answer.


    He wore a troubled frown on his face before shaking his head.


    "Actually, that''s fine."


    "...?"


    "The Evenus Household is affiliated with Mortum."


    Mortum...?


    Though I suspected it... It still came to me as a surprise. There weren''t many hints that suggested for this to be the case.


    "The Household has been following Mortum for quite a long time. For you to suddenly change god, it will look suspicious. However, it isn''t strange for some family members to switch gods. It''s just rare."


    "You don''t think it will cause me trouble, right?"


    "Hmm."


    Leon thought for a moment and then shook his head.


    "Not for now. You just need to be careful."


    "....I see."


    I nodded faintly.


    If it were up to me then I''d choose Oracleus in a heartbeat. I wanted to understand these churches and their followers further.


    I already understood that the reason they worshipped the gods and knew of their existence was because of the blood.


    ....In that case, did they have more of the blood? And what would happen when one consumed the blood?


    In Mortum''s case, they''d heal again.


    But what about in Oracleus''s case?


    ''....I still have a little bit of the blood I collected from the Chalice. Maybe I can give it a tryter.''


    Linus, Julien''s little brother did get served the blood before.


    However, as far as I knew, he only had a small increase in strength. The same was true for


    Julien.


    But...


    ''Maybe there''s more to it than I know.''


    In particr, I thought back at a particr scene I had witnessed during the third leaf. It was during the time Julien detonated the explosives. In the moment when he did and ran away, I distinctively remembered seeing his body get covered in a strange ck film.


    I hadn''t been able to think about it much considering the situation that I had found myself in,


    but thinking about it now, it was strange...


    Why did I not have such a skill myself?


    It didn''t feel like curse magic. It felt more like an...


    Innate skill.


    ''Is it possible that the previous Julien had a different innate skill than what I had...?''


    The thought pressed at my chest.


    However, I quickly pushed it away as I noticed Leon''s back moving further away from me.


    "Hey, wait up. Why are you in such a hurry?"


    "Hm? Because we''rete."


    "For...?"


    "Progression Analysis."


    "Oh, shit."


    I suddenly closed my eyes and groaned.


    *


    Every year the cadets would be tested twice to measure their rate of progress if a cadet failed


    to meet the expected ''statistic'' they would be held for a year or downright expelled.


    It was a test I had already undertaken twice before and didn''t exactly look forward to considering how it went the previous times.


    ....It was nhelesspulsory and so I had no choice but to attend.


    Karlson Hall.


    "Gather up everyone."


    There weren''t any changes to the Professor in charge of the Analysis.


    It was still Professor Kelson.


    ''...He''s also here.''


    The assistant professor who had given me a lot of trouble the years prior. The sight of him


    didn''t arouse many emotions in me, but seeing how he couldn''t look me in the eyes did feel a


    little pleasing.


    In just a little over a year, I had managed to be stronger than him.


    I''d also feel some shame had I been in his position.


    "Most of you are already aware of how these tests work. We take your measurements to see your rate of progress in the following years. We can also determine what is your weakest areas and whatnot. In general, these are the tests that your professors use in order to guide you in


    the right path."


    The speech went on for a little over five minutes as she exined the entire situation.


    This was mainly for the new students who weren''t aware of how the system worked.


    "Like usual, we will be dividing you into groups of three. The groups will be the same as in the


    previous years but with new additions."


    Names started to get called out.


    "Ravenscroft Luxon, Ellert Leon, Megrail Aoife...


    Alongside the names, she''d point out to a certain Assistant Professor.


    "Evenus Julien."


    I didn''t need to be told where I nodded to go as I headed toward the familiar Assistant


    Professor.


    He continued to avoid my gaze as I walked up to him. I didn''t make things difficult for him and simply stood in silence while the group started to fill.


    It was when I was adjusting my mindset for the uing Progression Assessment that a


    certain figure walked in our direction.


    His presence was neither overbearing nor small.


    Walking in steady steps, he headed toward the group in silence while his eyes appeared


    completely still.


    He didn''t even nce at me once as he headed into the group.


    Staring at him, I frowned.


    ''There''s something off about him. He looks like apletely different person...''


    He used to be the center of the attention.


    ...He thrived being the center of attention. He was also someone who would openly challenge


    me, wearing a calm smile in every interaction that I had with him.


    And yet, he waspletely different now.


    He didn''t talk much.


    He always wore the same expression.


    ...And he seemed like apletely different person.


    ''Surely it isn''t because he lost to me, right?''


    Even Leon wasn''t that affected. Within the next day, he looked pretty much recovered.


    I had to remind him multiple times in order to get him depressed.


    ....In Caius''s case, I didn''t need to remind him at all.


    ''What sort of...''


    "Pay attention, we will be starting now."


    The Assistant Professor''s voice brought me out of my thoughts. He walked towards the first


    testing area where three orbs appeared.


    "This is the Mana Resonance Assessment."


    His voice was low and husky.


    "All you need to do is ce your hand over the orb and channel your mana within. There we


    will be able to assess your mana purity, control, and intensity. First up..."


    The Assistant Professor turned his head to face my direction.


    "....Julien."


    ***


    "Your final score is 5.67. Congrattions."


    Amell opened his eyes and rxed his jaw. As the cuffs loosened from his wrists, he stood up


    from the chair.


    His legs spasmed a little but he was overall fine.


    .....That should be a good score.''


    He had just taken the mental score and he was currently the first ranked within his batch. The


    closest one to him was a score of 4.02, an entire grade beneath his.


    Amell was quite used to pain.


    He had been relentlessly training since he was a child.


    ...He had spared no effort to be as strong as he was now. His mental strength was one of


    his greatest aspects.


    Especially since his ''Concept'' relied heavily on it.


    ''I wonder how much he''ll get.'' Amell''s gaze fell on Leon who stood not far from him.


    Leon sported a frown as he looked at the machine used to examine the mental scores. Thinking that perhaps he was afraid of the pain, Amell walked up to him and tried to put on a


    smile.


    "It''s not that bad. I''m sure you''ve taken the test before. The pain is only momentary."


    "...Hm?"


    As Leon turned his head, he blinked his eyes a couple of times.


    Then, realizing what Amell had said, Leon shook his head.


    "No, I know that. I was just thinking about something else."


    "A way to beat your previous score?" "...No."


    Leon shook his head.


    Pursing his lips, he nced away. Towards another team.


    "I''m just thinking about a way to avoid him after he gets his score."


    "He...?"


    "Yeah."


    Leon bitterlyughed.


    "The first time he took the test, his score was 5.04."


    "?"


    "The second time he took the test, his score was 8.23."


    "....!?"


    Wait, wh-


    "This is the third time.."


    Leon held his head, his face wincing.


    "...That monster. He''s going to give me hell."


    ***


    Bremmer.


    The influence of the Seven Churches was far-reaching. Not only did they hold influence within the Nurs Ancifa Empire, but throughout all four main Empires and more. Massive churches, built in devotion to their gods, towered throughout the city. Each church held a fair number of devotees, with some churches beingrger than others.


    Amongst the seven churches, the Church of Oraclues was fairly popr. However, in terms of


    power and devotees, they were by far the weakest.


    Currently, within the Cathedral in Bremmer.


    "It''s almost time."


    A thin light cast upon a man dressed in white as he stood before a small podium.


    The church was silent as his voice echoed faintly throughout.


    ...The church was entirely empty, with one man other than the man in the white present


    within the room.


    d in matching white robes adorned with intricate golden embroidery, he was the current


    Cardinal of the church.


    Cardinal Ambrose.


    "Preparations for the gathering have been made."


    The Cardinal spoke, his voice low as he respectfully addressed the man in white.


    "I, alongside our apostles will be leaving in the next few days."


    "Mhmm."


    The man in white answered with a thin nod, his gaze locked on the stained ss above him. In


    particr, his gaze was fixed on the thin eye that looked back at him.


    ...The eye of the Seer.


    "The program will follow the same one that we have given in previous times with the apostles


    lectu-"


    "I will being as well."


    The Cardinal''s face changed abruptly as the man in white cut him off. The Cardinal''s eyes


    widened as he tried to open his mouth.


    However, he was promptly cut off before he could say his piece.


    "This is non-negotiable. Please ready a carriage for me as well. I will be participating in this


    year''s Gathering."


    "But-"


    "Do not speak further."


    Though faint, the man''s voice carried through the entire church, shattering the Cardinal''s


    voice as his face paled.


    Taking a few steps back, he raised his head before respectfully lowering it.


    "Understood."


    He left promptly after that.


    The silence that took over shortly after his absence was shattered by the single sound of a


    page-turning.


    Flip-


    A book appeared in front of the man in white.


    It was an old book.


    ...One that appeared to have been passed down for centuries.


    The man in white stopped before a certain page.


    There, an illustration appeared. It depicted a young man with thick ck hair, deep and


    intense hazel eyes, and features that stood out at a nce. It was face vastly different from


    those of the modern depicted version of ''his'' face.


    Beneath the illustrations were a few words.


    [The second face of Oracleus - Depicted by the Ancient of Eryndor.


    -The Ancients who im to have met the god himself.]

 Chapter 405: Gathering of the Seven Churches [2]

    Chapter 405: Gathering of the Seven Churches [2]


    ?


    Mana examination test 4.718


    Physical examination test - 3.139


    ||||


    I look


    ed at my score without saying a word. The score for my mana examination score was expected. I was currently level forty-seven, only three levels away from reaching level fifty which was Tier 5.


    ....The only score I was a little behind was the Physical examination score.


    This was a score that I somewhat expected.


    I was a mage and my body was weak. Furthermore, with the fact that we weren''t allowed to use our ''Concepts'', this was my true physical examination score.


    It was neither great nor bad.


    It was just that...


    "Stop there, Caius. Your examination score is 4.910."


    ''....This is ridiculous.''


    Caius.


    His metrics were off the chart.


    Not only did he beat me in the physical examination test by arge margin, but he also did it for the mana examination test.


    He was now on the verge of reaching Tier 5.


    ''What kind of monster is he...?''


    He was even more overpowered than Leon who was a [Body] user.


    "That is it for thest cadet."


    The Assistant suddenly paused, his gaze just briefly moving toward my direction before flicking away.


    "We will now be moving towards thest test."


    A familiar object came into view in the distance-a simple chair, firmly anchored to the ground. The Assistant Professor proceeded to take out two metal cuffs.


    "You''re already familiar with these cuffs. These will be what will be used to measure your mental strength. Being able to persevere during times of pain is an important aspect you should all learn to achieve as that will help you when the timees for you to enter the Mirror Dimension for real."


    The Professor nced at the scores and then looked at Caius.


    "You go first."


    I frowned a little but then let it go. I didn''t feel like he was targeting me likest time. Caius did achieve the highest score so he was deservedly first.


    And... I was also curious.


    He was an Emotive Mage as well.


    Without a doubt, his score was going to be high.


    But how high exactly...?


    Click. Click.


    "I will be starting the exam soon."


    The Professor moved to the side.


    "0.1"


    "0.2"


    "0.3"


    The familiar count began.


    Everyone focused on Caius who sat expressionless


    I too stared intently in his direction.


    ''Exactly how long will youst?''


    "0.7"


    "0.8"


    "0.9"


    "1.0"


    Caius didn''t so much as flinch throughout the first phase.


    "2.0"


    Not even the second.


    "3.0"


    ...And the third.


    "4.0"


    And the fourth.


    I could hear murmurs and whispers beside me as all attention was fixed on Caius. Not only was


    his performance impressive, but the fact that he had yet to disy any sign of difort was what truly had the attention of the cadets.


    Even I, by this point, had started to struggle.


    ''....So weird''


    His performance was so great that it almost felt off-putting.


    Something felt wrong.


    "5.0"


    And that feeling only grew once he reached the next phase and still disyed no changes to


    his face.


    ''Is he hiding it?''


    ...Even if he was, his body would show it.


    And yet, it wasn''t trembling at all. There was no sweat and hisplexion was the same.


    "6.0"


    All noise ceased when the count reached the sixth phase.


    Hardly anyone could believe what they were seeing. I even felt several gazes pause on me as


    Caius still remained unfazed by the sixth phase.


    "7.0"


    The seventh phase came.


    His body still showed no sign of pain.


    "This is ridiculous."


    "...How is he still holding out like that?"


    "Is he faking it? Did the machine break?"


    By now, everyone was whispering to one another. The nces that were thrown my way were even more evident as they all started topare my performance with his.


    ...At this point of the count, I had almostpletely failed.


    I remembered almost losing my consciousness.


    And yet...


    11


    "....


    ||


    Caius remained unfazed.


    "7.5"


    Even the Assistant Professor looked startled and taken aback by the situation. He didn''t know how to react as he alternated his gaze between the measuring device and Caius. He had a face that seemed to say, ''Is the device not working? Why is he showing no reaction? this doesn''t


    make sense.''


    He wasn''t the only one that made such an expression.


    Pretty much half of the ss was showing simr looks to his.


    Perhaps I was too. I wasn''t sure.


    My attention was focused elsewhere.


    Towards the two faint yellow eyes that stared in my direction.


    Unknowingly, Cauis''s attention was directed straight at me. His eyes were deep and


    indifferent, like that water of calm and untouched well.


    "8.0"


    Even with the count reaching the eighth phase, he looked the same.


    .....I felt differently.


    His gaze felt pressuring.


    "8.1"


    But I didn''t shy away from it.


    I stared directly at it as the count increased in the background.


    "8.2"


    He got near my record.


    ...He was now just a tiny bit away from beating it.


    I pursed my lips as the Assistant Professor opened his mouth. Just as the words were about to leave his mouth, Caius moved.


    He gently closed his eyes and removed the cuffs from his wrist.


    "...!?"


    His sudden action startled the crowd and Assistant Professor who didn''t know how to react.


    Massaging his wrists, Caius''s expression remained the same. From the way he was behaving,


    it became clear to everyone that he could''ve still gone further.


    The fact that he didn''t continue puzzled everyone.


    Everyone but me as my eyes narrowed.


    ... And soon enough, my guesses were proven correct as the Assistant Professor announced the


    final results.


    "Caius Aetheria."


    He announced, his eyes shifting to the recording device.


    "Final score, 8.24."


    || ||


    The surroundings turned quiet.


    All eyes turned in my direction.


    Closing my eyes, I tried my best to ignore the stares as I secretlyughed to myself.


    ''8.24...''


    It wasn''t a bad score.


    A great score in fact.


    Especially since... It was exactly 0.01 higher than my score.


    Thinking about how he had been staring at me the entire time, I knew this was no ident. He


    had done this on purpose.


    But why?


    Why would he do this...? Was it just to challenge me? Or was there more to it?


    I wasn''t sure, but by the time I opened my eyes, he was standing right before my very eyes,


    cuffs in his palms.


    11


    "1


    11 ||


    The silence between the two of us onlysted for a few seconds until he directly handed me


    the cuffs.


    "Your turn."


    He said, his tone deadpan.


    "....It''s your turn."


    ***


    The uing Gathering of the Seven Churches was a big event. One that would host the


    second-greatest power within the Empire.


    ...The Seven Churches.


    One might even argue that the Seven Churches held more power than the Royal families


    themselves due to how far-reaching their influences were. Not only did they have devoted followers in the noble houses, but several key members were also followers of certain gods.


    Nothing needed to go wrong with the uing gathering.


    "......"


    Delh''s current struggle was the safety of the students and the Academy.


    There weren''t many things that she could control. Despite being strong herself, she couldn''t


    fend off entire organizations by herself.


    ...Especially not when the organizations were a lot more powerful than her.


    || "1


    Thinking about it, Delh still had no real lead about the Inverted Sky.


    She had been trying for many years, and yet, she barely had much to work with besides the


    emblem and the asional information she received from low-ranking members. It had been given her a headache for quite a while.


    ...She did find a breakthrough not too long ago.


    And that breakthrough came in the form of Julien who possessed the tattoo belonging to the


    Inverted Sky.


    It was also for that reason that she interacted with him.


    She wanted to see if she could have a breakthrough in her search through him.


    However, the more Delh interacted with him, the more trouble she had associating him


    with them. He seemedpletely clueless about them.


    In particr, he wasn''t even aware of what the tattoo on his arm symbolized until she told


    him.


    It was small details like this that made it more difficult for her.


    ''But it can also be acting...''


    Julien was good at acting.


    She had seen him act.


    He was great.


    "...."


    Delh pursed her lips.


    It was a very troublesome situation. Especially since the more she found herself interacting


    with Julien, the more he reminded her of the past.


    ....He felt so familiar with the kind man she had once met.


    Her image of him was blurry.


    She had been young back then. Starved. And it was dark.


    Delh couldn''t recall that much.


    However, his hand was warm.


    He was kind.


    ...He felt so familiar with Julien. Perhaps she didn''t keep him close just because of his


    rtionship with the Inverted Sky.


    His reminder of the kind man was possibly the reason.


    But...


    ''It can''t be him.''


    The kind man, after all, came when she was young.


    Julien was younger than the kind man.


    "....


    Delh closed her eyes and emptied her thoughts. Now was not the time for her to think about


    the kind man. She had more pressing matters to attend.


    Like...


    Organizing for the uing gathering.


    She couldn''t afford for any incident to ur. Especially not after all the incidents that had


    urred in the past.


    She was still getting heat from that.


    Thankfully, it was only the first years who were implicated. There had been no problems with


    the other years. Delh took a deep breath and started to fill out all the paperwork.


    First, the budget needed to be allocated ordingly. Next, security preparations needed to be made, and finally, space needed to be allocated ordingly.


    ...She couldn''t allocate more space to other churches or that would make it seem like they''re


    favoring them, which would in turn give them a massive headache.


    Delh''s brows furrowed as she started to fill out the paperwork.


    11


    Several hours into the process, lh stopped.


    *Puff*


    Steam rose from her head as she leaned her head back.


    Gaze: I want freedom.


    If things weren''t bad enough, Delh soon heard a knock on the door.


    To Tok-


    Without waiting for her approval, a figure entered the room. Her wavy brown hair was disheveled, and her sses slid down the bridge of her nose. She lookedpletely worn out


    as she stepped inside. "Jennifer..."


    Delh sat up.


    "Um."


    With a casual nce, Jennifer looked at Delh and dropped over a dozen documents on her


    table.


    Delh''s eyes shook at the sight of the files.


    "...I can''t do this anymore."


    Jennifer haggardly spoke.


    "I know I''m supposed to be your assistant until your old assistantes, but this is too


    much!" Jennifer exasperatedly said, "I have barely slept in the past few days with how much work there is to do. I''ll die at this rate! Get your old assistant back!"


    Delh''s fluttered as she looked at the document in front of her and then Jennifer.


    Her expression didn''t change much but she soon nodded her head.


    "Okay."


    "Good."


    Jennifer nodded in satisfaction.


    Then, as if recalling something, she took one of the papers and pped it on the table.


    "Another thing. You have to handle this."


    "This is...?" Delh took the paper and nced at it.


    Jennifer gave a tiredugh.


    "The recent scores for the Analysis Progression for the Second years."


    "...Oh."


    Delh understood as she raised her head.


    "Why are you telling me this?"


    Progression Analysis scores were normal and she didn''t have to go through them. It was


    usually not something she''d check unless the machine broke.


    Could that be the case?


    "Look at the score."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Jennifer pointed towards a certain section. "...This is the score of one of your most recent students."


    Delh blinked once again, lowering her head to stare at the score.


    Her expression stiffened shortly after.


    "This..."


    Delh mumbled absentmindedly.


    How could...?


    She blinked once again to make sure she was seeing correctly. Once she was sure, her mouth


    opened slightly.


    "Oh."


    A small noise escape her lips as her eyes wondered toward the score once more.


    9.88


    -Julien Dacre Evenus.

 Chapter 406: Gathering of the Seven Churches [3]

    Chapter 406: Gathering of the Seven Churches [3]


    ?


    "You fell for his provocation?"


    "No, not exactl-Ukh."


    I winced as I held an ice pack to my head.


    It hurt.


    "Hm."


    We were currently in the infirmary. Unlikest time, I didn''t sustain any serious injuries but I still had to be checked just for precaution.


    And my head did hurt quite a bit. I had overexerted myself more than I had originally intended.


    "So you really did fall for it..."


    Leon stood next to me with an all-knowing look.


    I thought about rebutting him when I stopped.


    Could it be said that I fell for it? Hmm... maybe I did when I thought about it. Nheless, it did help me push myself further.


    There was a real chance I wouldn''t have had such a high score had I not been provoked. "Ukh...!"


    I groaned yet again.


    My head hurt yet again.


    ''I was so close.''


    But the part that hurt the most was the fact that I had been so close to reaching the highest score; 10.


    I was just shy of 0.18 points...


    It felt so close and yet, thinking about the pain that I had experienced back then, I realized that it would take a miracle for me to reach further up.


    ... It was simply impossible for the current me.


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath, rxing my shoulders in the process.


    "I think I''m doing better now."


    I addressed the doctor who nced at me from the corner of the room and grunted. He didn''t seem at all pleased with my appearance, grumbling things like, ''If this is how things are going to go whenever you have a Progression Analysis, then it''s better if you don''t take it...''


    Leon nodded along, in full agreement with what the doctor was saying.


    ''Right, right.''


    "....


    I shook my head and tossed the ice pack to the side.


    Then, standing up, I bid the doctor goodbye while holding my head which was still throbbing.


    Leon followed from behind.


    "What are you going to do right now? We still have another ss."


    "I''ll pass."


    sses weren''t exactlypulsory.


    At least, not for the second year. We could choose to skip sses if we wished. Not that it was rmended.


    "I''ll go back to my room and rest for today. I don''t think I''ll be able to focus now. My head hurts too much for me to focus."


    "Okay."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Leon didn''t say anything after that and left.


    He was the one who had brought me to the infirmary. Now that his job was done he could go back to ss.


    ||||


    I stared at his departing back for a few seconds before heading back to my room.


    The path wasn''t very far.


    ...It was about a five-minute walk from where I was.


    Reaching the familiar building, I moved up the stairs and headed for my room.


    Click!


    I had just opened it and taken a step in when I noticed something on the floor beneath me.


    "Hm?"


    It was a small red letter with a golden emblem in the middle. The moment I caught sight of the emblem, my body stopped.


    "This..."


    I bent over and picked up the letter.


    As I did, my eyes focused on the emblem that stared back at me in the form of an eye. I had


    seen the symbol before and thus recognized it.


    And it was for that reason that I was surprised. ''Why is this here?''


    I held the letter in my hand for a few seconds.


    Then, stepping out of my room I looked towards the right and left side. However, it was empty. There was no one present.


    I didn''t expect much to begin with and headed back into the room where I closed the door behind me.


    It was there that I moved for the desk and opened the letter.


    Riip-!


    My eyes widened the moment I looked at the contents of thetter.


    Especially since...


    It was a direct confirmation of my participation from the church of Oracleus.


    Dear Julien Evenus.


    We would like to extend our sincere gratitude for selecting the Church of Oracleus for the uing gathering. Your name has been added to the list of participating guests, and we look forward to weing you to the event.


    The letter was short but it was straight to the point.


    But...


    "How does this make sense?"


    I hadn''t selected the Church of Oraclues.


    Furthermore, I had only selected it today. How was it possible that I had received a letter of


    confirmation so fast?


    Was there some sort of mistake?


    "No, there has to be."


    The confusion of the situation made me forget all about the headache that I felt and I directly rushed to the Academy logistics department, in hopes of understanding what was going on.


    However...


    "There''s been no mistakes. The Church of Oracleus is indeed your selected program."


    "What? But.."


    "Oh."


    The receptionist, a young girl with blonde hair and thin eyes pointed at the paper in front of


    her.


    "...It does say right here you were signed up for it a few days ago. Unfortunately, because of this, you won''t be able to make any changes to your selection."


    "What?"


    Few days ago...?


    When?


    I never recalled signing up for anything before today. How was it possible that I was signed up


    for the church of Oracleus? This didn''t make sense. No, something didn''t make sense at all.


    "Any possibility that it''s a mistake?"


    "Mistake?"


    The receptionist raised her head and blinked repeatedly. She then shook her head.


    "Normally, I would say it''s possible, but this time it isn''t."


    "...Eh?"


    "Look over here."


    The receptionist pointed towards the paper.


    "It says right here that the church itself approved of your admittance."


    The church itself?


    I froze, staring at the stamp on the paper.


    "....!"


    My shock was only amplified by the receptionist''s next words.


    "Someone very high up personally approved of this."


    ***


    ||


    Caius nkly stared at the ceiling of his own room.


    It was cold, but he continued to leave the windows open. The curtains bloomed as the chill from the weather seeped deeper into the empty room. Despite having spent the past month here, the room still felt entirely unfamiliar to him.


    ...But such things were of no real concern to him.


    The current Caius had a sense of detachment from everything.


    He couldn''t feel a thing.


    His body and mind were both numb and the recent Progression Analysis had proven his point.


    The reason why he didn''t react at all during thest test was because he truly felt nothing


    from it.


    ...After his fight with Julien, he had lost the ability to feel anything.


    Emotions or pain.


    No, that wasn''t quite right.


    He could still feel them, but not to the same extent as before.


    They felt mild at best.


    ... It was for that reason that he stopped at 8.24. Though he could''ve pushed further, he knew


    that going any further would hurt his mind.


    He stopped there, thinking that he had done just enough to win.


    But...


    ''Final score, 9.88.''


    Once again, he had lost


    This time, even more miserably than before.


    He could still recall the shocked and surprised expression everyone wore as Julien''s score was


    being announced. Even the Assistant Professor looked shocked, his voice trembling.


    And by the time it was all over, all eyes were on him.


    His body shook, but he was conscious.


    It was quiet.


    So quiet...


    "....."


    Caius blinked his eyes slowly.


    ''Useless''


    A voice rang in Caius''s head.


    ''... If you can''t even use your Emotive Magic, what are you useful for?''


    It was all that he could hear.


    ''I''ve heard those from the Aetheria Empire are sending their people to Haven for an exchange. You can


    go as well. There''s no point in keeping you here if you''re crippled. Maybe you''ll learn something from


    them.''


    The words didn''t hurt.


    ... In fact, they elicited no feelings from him.


    Caius just epted the verdict and ended up all the way here as a result. In fact, he preferred


    such an arrangement.


    He wanted to get away from such an environment.


    ...He wanted to fix himself.


    The doctors and anyone who visited him told him it was impossible. However, Caius didn''t


    take their words seriously.


    He knew it was possible.


    ...And that was why he was here.


    For he believed that the one who took his emotions could also help him get them back.


    It was why he personally handed the cuffs to Julien.


    ... It was his own way of showing respect to him. In fact, he had been trying to do so for quite a


    while. However, for some strange reason, all his attempts were met with frowns.


    How strange...


    Did he do something wrong?


    Julien''s reaction was especially big after he handed him the cuffs.


    "Hmm."


    He had to think of a better way to interact with him.


    As things stood, he was failing.


    Taking a deep breath, Caius closed his eyes and rxed his mind.


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of


    pain."


    ***


    I was never able to resolve the situation.


    I tried contacting the Professor who had taken my signature, but he was also helpless on the


    matter. Once my name was in the system, there was no change.


    That was when I thought of escting the matter to As but thinking about how he was


    rted to Sithrus, I decided otherwise.


    Delh was the next person I thought about.


    And I did go to her.


    Unfortunately, going to her and getting in contact with her was almost impossible.


    She was never in her office.


    The matter gave me a massive headache but what else could I do?


    In the end, I could only ept the situation. And it wasn''t like I wasn''t curious. Who exactly


    signed me up for this, and what was their goal? Could it be that they knew something...?


    ''No, that would make no sense.''


    Then what?


    I wasn''t sure.


    Throughout the next few days, it was all that I could think about.


    I could hardly focus on the lectures as a result. Thankfully, I was rather diligent with my


    training and thus was unaffected.


    However, outside of that, everything was a mess.


    Even Leon started to notice my changes but he remained quiet.


    It was like this that the day of the gathering came.


    The entire campus was flooded with students. Many new faces outside of the Academy


    Campus while they waited for the delegates of the Seven Churches to arrive.


    I stood amidst the masses with a disguise on while Leon and the others were the same.


    "......How long until theye?"


    Kiera''s disguise was that of a young girl with red hair and brown eyes. Taking a closer look she


    looked like Aoife, but a little bit different.


    But just a tiny bit.


    Enough to annoy Aoife who looked nothing like her usual self. She had long brown hair with


    freckles on her face. Her eyes were green in color.


    "You seriously didn''t think this through did you?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Kiera nced at Aoife.


    "Hmm. I guess it''s nothing."


    "Thought so."


    Though


    she was annoyed at first, Aoife managed to recover as she looked around. There were


    a lot of gazes that were directed at Kiera''s gaze.


    Suddenly, Aoife''s expression changed.


    I had a sudden bad feeling and moved away.


    Oblivious to the situation, Kiera shifted her attention away from Aoife. That proved to be


    fatal as Aoife suddenly rushed towards her, grasping her hand.


    "Uuh?! The f-"


    "A-are you Aoife?! Oh my god! I''m such a big fan!"


    "Ah?!"


    Flick. Flick. Flick. Flick.


    Aoife''s voice was loud enough to attract the attention of the surrounding students.


    Kiera''s face paled at the realization.


    "Oh shit."


    But it was toote.


    Before Kiera could do anything, the surrounding students rushed towards her.


    "Princess Aoife!"


    "Princess...!"


    It was a good thing that I had moved far enough from the scene as I turned my head to look at


    Leon.


    "No."


    "...No."


    We simultaneously shook our hands in agreement.


    ...We didn''t hate each other to that extent.


    At least, I didn''t think we did. I was just about to open my mouth and say something when the


    world around me froze entirely.


    ''Ah.''


    I lost sudden control of my body and my voice refused to leave my mouth.


    It was a familiar sensation, one I hadn''t experienced in a long time. Slowly, my heart sank as


    the reality of the situation set in.


    I was...


    Having a vision.

 Chapter 407: Gathering of the Seven Churches [4]

    Chapter 407: Gathering of the Seven Churches [4]


    ?


    Everything grew still.


    As if my soul had been ripped away from my body, I lost all control over it. The surroundings started to change, and I found myself standing in the middle of an alley.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    My breath was heavy.


    My lungs were on fire.


    And my vision was blurry.


    I felt everything.


    ''What''s going on...?''


    "Uekh....!"


    A groan escaped my lips as I hunched over and leaned my hand over the wall. The dizziness was starting to affect me as my head repeatedly turned back.


    "Huu... Huu."


    I felt a vivid paranoia w at my mind as my head repeatedly moved on its own, flicking towards the right where an empty road appeared.


    Where was this...?


    The surroundings felt a little familiar.


    From the looks of things, I wasn''t at the Academy. Where?


    ''Am I running away from something? Is something chasing me?''


    I didn''t experience any emotions during the vision. Even as I relived the incident, the only sensations I felt were the physical effects of the exhaustion.


    However, I could more or less make out what was happening. "S-shit."


    A curse escaped my lips as they parted on their own.


    "...Damn it."


    My jaw clenched tightly.


    "How did things turn out this way? It shouldn''t have..."


    Frustration and despair were clear in the tone of my voice as breathing started to be


    more difficult. The pain in my chest intensified as I looked back once more.


    Still nothing...


    "Haa... Haa.."


    I took heavy breaths, slowly trying to recover my stamina.


    I observed everything in silence and strained my ears to better understand what was happening. I tried to look for any clues or anything of the sort.


    Right now, I understood nothing.


    The only thing I could make out was that I was running away from someone.


    But who...?


    Who was I running away from?


    ...And why did I sound so defeated?


    "Kh."


    My jaw clenched once more as my body pulled away from the wall.


    Flick.


    My head once again flicked to face behind.


    There was still nothing.


    ...Or at least, it didn''t seem like there was anyone. However, I felt the hair on my body rise as I hastily turned my back.


    My entire body grew rigid as a person cloaked in white appeared.


    "T-that...!"


    I stepped back, staring at the person in white with widened eyes.


    Their features were hidden beneath the cloak, making it hard for me to see. Their cloak was


    also entirely white, leaving behind no clues of their affiliation.


    "Where do you think you''re running?"


    The voice was deep, belonging to a man.


    I felt my stomach flip at the sound of his voice.


    "...You must pay for your sins."


    Sins?


    What sins?


    I strained once more, trying to pick up any hints or clues.


    This wasn''t enough.


    Far from enough!


    "I..."


    My mouth opened, my voiceing out hoarse.


    "...Didn''t do it. He did..."


    "He did?"


    The voice grew deeper, evident anger disyed in the tone.


    "Do you think we''re stupid? You were the only one present in the room. And..."


    "Ukh!"


    The man in white''s movements were rapid.


    He didn''t even give me the time to react before snatching my hand and pulling it up.


    "What are you-"


    I was never able to get the words out.


    Staring at my hand, the man in white pulled my sleeve down to reveal several bandages that


    covered the arm.


    He didn''t even give me the chance to say anything before pulling down the bandages,


    revealing my forearm, devoid of any tattoo or mole.


    "....It looks like you''re fully healed."


    He appeared calm by the fact that he found nothing.


    Sweat trickled down the side of my face as the man silently stared at my forearm. His gaze was


    so intense that it paralyzed my entire body, leaving me in a passive state.


    Eventually, he reached out and calmly wiped the skin of my forearm, revealing a tattoo that


    had been hidden beneath a thinyer of makeup.


    "Ah."


    My breath left my body.


    Though I couldn''t see his features due to the cloak, I could feel a trace of a smile forming on


    the man''s lips.


    "....I knew it."


    His voice grew lighter.


    "You were working for those guys."


    "Ukh!"


    An intense pain washed over my body as the man''s grip on my wrist tightened. I tried to


    struggle but it was to no avail.


    The man was simply stronger than me.


    Eventually, his gaze turned to face me, his eyes directly meeting mine as he looked through


    my soul.


    I felt my lungs dete at the sight of his gaze.


    It felt so...


    Horrifying.


    ''No, I need to focus.''


    In spite of it all, I knew that I had to remain focused. I couldn''t let the intensity of my gaze


    distract me from the situation. I needed to find out more information.


    This wasn''t enough.


    What was happening? Who was the man in white? Why was he chasing me? How did he figure


    out about my tattoo, and-


    !....!!


    My mind shook as the surroundings started to fade.


    ''No, no...!''


    I realized that the vision wasing to an end.


    However, this was far from enough!


    ....I still knew nothing.


    ''Not yet! Not yet! Just a little more!''


    As the world around me started to fade, I used every little bit of my concentration to remain


    focused on the conversation. Even as the world around me grew ck, I strained my mind to focus on the faint words that were leaving the man''s lips.


    ''Come on...!''


    The anxiety gnawed at me, but I persisted.


    I knew there was more for me to hear.


    I had to hear more.


    This was far from enough.


    ''Kh!''


    An intense pain washed over my head as I strained to listen.


    It hurt like crazy, but I had no choice.


    And eventually...


    "...I had a hard time understanding how you managed to kill him, but now it all makesn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    sense."


    I managed to hear it.


    "You used their hel-"


    "Julien!"


    Light entered my eyes as a pair of gray eyes stared directly at me.


    I blinked my eyes a couple of times.


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    Leon wore a frown on his face as he looked at me.


    How did I currently look in his eyes?


    I took a deep breath to calm myself down.


    "....I''m fine."


    I wasn''t.


    But I had to act like I was.


    "You don''t look fine?"


    "I was just practicing my domain. I overexerted myself."


    "...Ah?"


    "Look."


    I brought my hand forward.


    "My mana is exhausted. You can check for yourself."


    "What...? Ah? Seriously?"


    Leon appeared speechless. I couldn''t me him. Who in their right mind would practice their


    domain while waiting for the delegates of the seven churches to arrive?


    Well, not me.


    I was just looking for an excuse.


    "...It''s been taking quite a while and I was getting bored."


    "But that''s..."


    "Diligent?"


    "Hmm."


    Leon''s frown deepened. He was actually thinking of a way to refute myment.


    I left him on his own as I took another deep breath to cool my mind. There were more pressing things that I needed to think about.


    ''I killed someone...? And from the looks of things, someone really important. Why else would they send


    someone so strong to chase after me?''


    But who?


    Who did I kill exactly? And why would I do that?


    ''Is it possible that I got framed?''


    Yes, that was a possibility.


    However, when I thought about the man in white who knew about my tattoo, there was a


    chance that I had been forced into killing someone due to the organization.


    There was also another thing that I had taken notice of.


    And it was the fact that the man in white appeared familiar with the ''Inverted Sky''.


    ''....I knew it.''


    ''You were working for those guys.''


    The familiarity of how he spoke about those guys made it clear that he was rather high up.


    Central...? Or...one of the churches?


    If it was Central then I needed to figure out who was high enough to know about them and had


    a grudge against them


    ...And if it was the churches then I needed to figure out which church was against the Inverted


    Sky.


    Or more specifically, the Church of Sithrus.


    ''Yeah, that''s a direction.''


    My train of thought wasn''t exactly sound, but it was a start.


    Right after the inauguration of the ceremony ended, I nned on directly finding out the


    information that I needed.


    ''For starters, I''ll directly ask As if there is a mission that I need toplete.''


    If there was, and it involved killing someone, it would make things a lot easier for me. At least


    that way I''d be able to find more information on the situation.


    More information was better than no information.


    Even if the information wasn''t the most pleasant of things.


    Thump!


    A loud ''thump'' woke me from my thoughts. As I raised my head, several figures appeared in


    the distance, all wearing different color robes while holding ontorge sticks that held


    different symbols.


    "They''re here."


    I quietly mumbled, quietly holding my breath.


    The delegates of the Seven Churches had arrived.


    ***


    Trrr-


    Severalrge carriages rolled onto the Academy grounds, each one embellished with


    distinctive decorations and emblems.


    Following the carriages was a long line of disciplines.


    They all wore different colored robes, each marked with their representative emblem.


    Within one of the carriages.


    "....We''re almost here."


    An aged voice sounded from within. It belonged to a man dressed in all white, his turbid eyes looking absentmindedly outside of the window.


    Sat opposite him was Cardinal Ambrose, his tone low and respectful.


    "Yes, we are. We should be stopping in a few minutes. I''ve already informed those of the


    Academy. The cadets should be greeting us soon." "Mhm, that''s fine."


    The man in white responded.


    "....I will not be attending the initial ceremonies. I''ll be attending the confessional hearing.


    Perhaps I might do some myself."


    "Eh?"


    A look of surprise shed across the Cardinal''s face.


    The confessional hearing was a one-on-one meeting between a high member of the church


    and its devotees.


    It was something that was held at each gathering, often delegated to the priests.


    Rarely would anyone ranked above that get involved.


    And yet...


    "You wish to take part of it yourself? Did I...?"


    "You did not."


    A hazy smile formed on the aged man''s face.


    Shifting his gaze from the window, he turned to face the Cardinal, his cloudy eyes flickering


    slightly.


    "...It''s been a long time since Ist held such a gathering. It''ll be a nice change for once."


    As his smile widened, he closed his eyes.


    "I''ll be seeing you soon..."


    His chest heaved up and down unevenly, unable to hide the excitement he felt.


    ''...My god.''

 Chapter 408: Reflection [1]

    Chapter 408: Reflection [1]


    ?


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    The drums echoed loudly throughout.


    They surged through the Academy grounds, echoing loudly and rattling the surroundings. Behind the drums came long lines of people in varied robes, heads bowed as they carried incense sticks and banners.


    The smell of incense spread throughout, causing my nose to momentarily scrunch up.


    "...."


    I wasn''t the only one bothered by the smell as several cadets showed simr reactions.


    And yet, nobody said a word.


    ....We weren''t allowed to say a word.


    No disrespect was allowed for the walk of the Seven Churches.


    All we could do was stand in silence, watching as the disciples walked past while the tendrils of smoke from the incense curled through the air.


    ''It looks no different from the religious walks I''ve seen back on earth.''


    Be it here or in the past, gods were worshipped.


    It was just that...


    I was one of the presumed gods.


    It was a thought that ran through my mind on several asions, making the entire thing feel a little weird to me.


    ''Well, at least I''m the only one who knows that.''


    Things wouldn''t be as nice if people knew. "Hm?"


    In the distance, several carriages appeared, drawing everyone''s gaze. Adorned with golden patterns and various emblems, they were unmistakable. With just a nce, I knew these


    carriages carried the delegates of the seven churches.


    The Cardinals.


    Ranked just second to the Pope, they were some of the most powerful figures throughout the Empire and as my gaze fell on the Carriage of the Church of ''Oracleus'', I felt a pair of eyes stare in my direction.


    ''Hm?''


    I suddenly felt my body grow weak.


    It felt as though someone had ripped my consciousness out of my body for a split moment, making me lose sight of myself.


    The sensation was only brief, disappearing right after the carriages moved past. "Haa..."


    But it still left me shaken as I looked in the direction of the carriage.


    ''What the hell was that?''


    I looked down at my hand.


    ...It was trembling.


    "What?"


    ***


    -Should we let him in or get rid of him?


    A muffled voice echoed within the quiet space of As''s office. He sat on his desk with a cold and detached expression.


    "How strong is he?"


    -He''s fourth tier, at the materializing stage.


    "...So almost tier 5."


    As quietly mumbled while leaning back on his chair.


    Ta, ta-


    His fingers quietly tapped onto the wooden table as he fell deep in thought. There was a situation. A member belonging to the Nocturne Order, the sister organization of the Inverted Sky which operated in the Aetheria Empire, had infiltrated the ce.


    It was just one member for now but As was sure there were more.


    ...The two organizations belonged to the same person and yet weren''t exactly the same.


    They had a different hierarchal system than the Inverted Sky, and they weren''t exactly on the best of terms.


    "They''re probably here to collect Caius, or kill him.''


    As could tell at a nce what their objective was.


    But there was an issue with the entire situation.


    And that was that...


    "They didn''t talk to me at all beforeing here."


    It was aplete disregard for his authority.


    Genesis...


    As''s expression turned colder.


    "Fine."


    He quietly stood up from his seat.


    "....Since you have no regard for me, I''ll have no regard for you. Good thing I know the perfect


    person to handle this."


    His mind was made up.


    Checking his pocket watch, he headed out of his office. There were a few guests that he needed


    to tend to.


    ***


    The walksted for a total of thirty minutes.


    We were only permitted to leave once thest disciple had passed the spot where we stood.


    ''What should I do?''


    I looked around me.


    Unlike before, it was quite loud outside with all the students talking to one another while heading away from the ce.


    I nced to my right and spotted Leon talking to another cadet.


    As if sensing my gaze, he turned to face my direction and excused himself before heading in


    my general direction.


    "You''ve keep acting weird since earlier. What are you doing?"


    I shrugged.


    "....I don''t know. What are we supposed to do now?"


    "We''re supposed to go to mass. It should start in an hour. Do you know where the one you will


    be attending is?"


    "I know."


    I had been told the ce beforehand.


    It was in the Rottingham Hall which was about ten minutes away from where we were.


    The schedule indicated that the mass was tost about an hour before the confessional hearing began which was the main event of the entire gathering.


    I wasn''t looking forward to it but it waspulsory.


    ''But before any of that, I need to find As. I need to find a way to pry some information out of him.''


    I had only one thought in my mind and that was to find more information on the situation. I couldn''t afford to be seen as a murderer.


    Therefore, after a little bit of thought, I decided to bid Leon goodbye and head in a different direction from where I was supposed to go.


    ''...I don''t think they will notice if I''m a little bitte.''


    There were more pressing and important matters that I needed to attend.


    "First things first..."


    I rummaged through my pocket and took out themunication device that As had given


    me. I thought for a moment before finally contacting him.


    "I have something that I want to ask."


    I took a quiet breath and waited for a reply.


    It came within a minute.


    -Come find me.


    A location was sent shortly after that.


    ''He''s not far from here.''


    ...And unlike Delh, he was also reachable. That made things a lot easier for me as I decided


    to go to the location that he had sent over through text.


    As I made my way between the buildings, heading toward the destination, I caught a glimpse


    of my reflection in one of the ssroom''s ss windows.


    "Umm?"


    My steps came to a sudden stop.


    Blinking a couple of times, I frowned and moved my head closer.


    ''What is the...''


    There was something off about my eyes.


    The color...


    They felt a little bit lighter than the usual hazel color they had. They almost seemed... red?


    ''Is it the ss?''


    I ced my hand over the ss and tilted my head to see if there was a difference. However,


    regardless of how hard I tried, the color of my eyes remained the same.


    "This...!"


    Shocked, I took out my pocket watch and looked at the ss ne within it.


    "Eh?"


    Hazel eyes.


    There was no problem with my eyes.


    "So it was the ss."


    I felt relieved by the thought and raised my head to look at the mirror.


    ''As expected, it was just the mir¡ª''


    I stopped mid-sentence as my entire body turned rigid.


    "........"


    There, my reflection stared at me.


    Its eyes were red and its expression was twisted.


    I kept my cool while staring at the reflection.


    And then...n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Bang!


    I flinched as the reflection smacked the ss.


    ''Give me back my body!"


    His screams echoed loudly in my mind as I took a slight step back.


    ''Give it back!''


    He shouted again, this time louder than before.


    ''...I''ll take it back!''


    I felt my breath get stripped from my lungs as his face twisted further, sending chills down


    my body.


    But he was gone as fast as he arrived.


    By the time I blinked, he was gone.


    What stared back at me was the sight of my very own reflection.


    Along with it were a few words of my own;


    ''...Didn''t do it. He did...''


    ***


    "....It''s nice to see you again, Lord."


    A tall man with short graying hair and a thin mustache greeted As. He was dressed in a red


    cassock, a long golden ne hanging from his chest. The pendant bore the symbol of


    Sithrus an open palm.


    "It''s been a while, Cardinal Stein."


    As warmly greeted the Cardinal back, extending his hand in an offer of assistance which the


    Cardinal promptly refused.


    "Ah... I w-woudn''t dare."


    He had someone else help him down the carriage.


    As retrieved his hand and didn''t say much. It was hard to tell how he felt about being


    rejected. Behind the smile of his, nobody truly knew how he felt.


    "I assume all preparations for the mass are ready, cardinal?"


    "Yes, yes. All is ready."


    "Mhm, that''s good."


    Spreading the influence of Sithrus was always important.


    The Mass was a great way to inspire the cadets to be devoted believers of Sithrus. Only in


    such a way would they be able to fulfill their goals...


    "....Lord?"


    "Yes?"


    Hearing the Cardinal''s hesitant voice, As turned his head.


    "How may I help you?"


    "That..."


    The Cardinal frowned subtly, evidently troubled by the question he was about to ask.


    Eventually, however, he managed to muster up the courage to speak,


    "Are the rumors true?"


    "Rumors...?"


    "Yes, t-the one about your sessor."


    "Ah."


    As had a look of realization, chuckling lightly.


    "It''s possible, why?"


    "That..."


    With a deepening of his frown, the Cardinal suddenly asked,


    "...I was just looking through the list of attendees for the second year and I found that he''s not


    present in the list. Is he not a followe-"


    "Tut."


    As ced his finger over his lips and the Cardina found himself stripped of his voice.


    "....!"


    It was a shocking turn of events.


    Especially since the Cardinal himself was also strong.


    And yet, under the suppression of As, he feltpletely powerless.


    The smile on As''s face remained warm.


    "What ''he'' does is none of your concern. As my ''possible'' sessor, what he does is my


    responsibility. What he does is not something you should worry about. Is that clear?"


    "A-ah, yes."


    The Cardinal hurriedly nodded his head, his body trembling as he felt cold sweat run down his


    back.


    "Good."


    As appeared satisfied by his behavior and nodded faintly.


    "Off you go. There''s a mass you need to attend. I will be joining you in a bit. I hope everything


    flows well."


    "Y-yes, yes. Everything will go well."


    Hurriedly lowering his head, the Cardinal nodded several times before leaving. As stared at


    his departing back with a warm smile on his face.


    ||


    His smile continued to stay warm until a few seconds passed. And that was when his face


    turned cold.


    ''Looks like the rumors are spreading quite a lot. It''s not like I didn''t expect it, but the


    situation is a lot worse than I previously thought.''


    As was already aware of several members of the Inverted Sky present within the Academy.


    Their motives were quite clear.


    They were the ones he had warned Julien about.


    "The situation is also a lot more troublesome than I thought...''


    The fact that Julien hadn''t selected Sithrus as his god made things quite troublesome for


    As. It gave a valid excuse for the members to openly target Julien.


    But more than that, As f und


    ''Why did he select the Church of Oracleus?''


    f frowning.


    As knew all about his family situation.


    They were believers of Mortum.


    ...His allegiance with Oracleus didn''t quite make sense. Something was off. Especially since he


    had selected ''Oracleus'' of all gods.


    ''The Seer.''


    The most enigmatic and mysterious of the seven gods.


    ....The one god who had never shown himself, and the one god Sithrus was wary of.


    ''Why him?''


    As''s frown deepened as he became lost in thought. Just then, he sensed a familiar presence


    behind him. Turning his head, he saw Julien approaching in his direction. Hisplexion


    appeared a little pale but As didn''t put much thought into it.


    "Good, you came at a good time."


    He had indeed told Julien toe to him.


    There was a task that he needed to give to him.


    Julien''s steps came to a stop and As opened his mouth.


    "There''s something that I need you to do."


    Julien''s face didn''t change, almost as though he had seen this situationing from miles


    away. Oblivious to the changes, As continued,


    "....There''s someone that I need you to kill."


    ***


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 Chapter 409: Reflection [2]

    Chapter 409: Reflection [2]


    ?


    A constant ringing sound echoed in my mind as I headed toward the location that As had given me.


    I thought back to the figure I had seen in the ss and had a sudden idea of what was going to happen.


    My already ringing mind buzzed with even more intensity, and the words I had once heard in the vision rang in my mind once more.


    ''...Didn''t do it. He did...''


    Piecing everything together, I understood exactly what the vision was trying to tell me. Julien... He was the one who was responsible for getting me into that situation.


    Someway, somehow, he took over my body and killed someone of importance, getting me into trouble.


    A faint taste of metal lingered in my throat as I swallowed subtly, my throat suddenly felt dry. "Haa."


    I took a deep and steady breath to keep myselfposed.


    The situation shocked me, but I had been expecting it for some time now. The shock died down rather fast as I started to think about my options.


    ''If the scenario ys just like I think it will y out, then I need to find a way to prevent Julien from taking control of the body.''


    ...I already knew what I had to do.


    But there was a problem with that option.


    And it was the fact that I''d need to reveal that there was another entity residing within my body.


    Furthermore, I needed to find someone capable enough of sealing the Julien that resided within my body.


    Only then would I be able to avoid the scenario presented in the vision?


    But who?


    Who could I tell about the situation? Furthermore, they needed to be capable of helping me. ''Maybe I can try to find a way to make it seem like someone is trying to possess me...?''


    That seemed to be quite a dangerous n. If it backfired then it might just destroy everything that I had worked so hard for.


    Then what?


    "Ah."


    A thought urred to me.


    If there was one person that already had an idea of my situation and could help then there was


    one.


    ''Evelyn.''


    My heart skipped a beat.


    ....She was the one person that was capable of handling the situation.


    Just like what she did with the Angel of Sorrow, I knew she was capable of doing the same thing with me.


    So long as I asked for her help...


    "Ooof."


    I already felt a massive headache building up.


    The thought felt daunting but what other option did I have? She already had a good idea, and this would only confirm her theories


    What mattered to me was my own safety.


    For that reason, after a little bit of thought, I decided to speak to her after I met up with As.


    My thoughts eased after that and I headed for the location As sent me.


    I thought I had a clear path forward in tackling the vision, when...


    "...There''s someone that I need you to kill."


    As''s words reached my ears.


    Even if I didn''t want to, my body grew stiff. Especially since a notification shed across my vision right after that.


    [¡ô Main Quest Activated: Murderer]


    :Character Progression + 401%


    : Game Progression + 17%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1 + 21%


    : Cmity 2 + 13%


    : Cmity 3 + 17%


    It was a quest notification.


    ...The timing at which it arrived was somewhat questionable. Nheless, I remainedposed and didn''t show any outward reaction.


    I merely nced at the window for a few seconds before shifting my attention back to As.


    "I understand."


    I was surprised by how calm my tone was.


    Especially since the situation made the entire scenario confusing. It went from ''Julien'' taking over and killing someone important to being ordered to kill someone important.


    Which one of the two was it?


    "Who exactly do I have to kill?"


    I continued to be surprised by the calmness andposure that I exhibited while addressing


    As.


    Was it that I had gotten so used to curveballs like this that I no longer felt shocked by them?


    I didn''t know how to feel about the thought.


    "A priest. His name is Johan Opersia. He''s around tier 4, in the middle of the materializing stage which puts him ahead of you. However, I have faith that you will be able to kill him."


    "...Okay."


    So long as they were the same tier as me then I wasn''t too worried.


    I highly doubted I''d be able to fight someone higher-tiered than me especially when they had


    a full domain at their disposal.


    "Is there any information that I need to know about my target?"


    For now, my goal was to gain as much information as possible. I needed to fully understand who I was dealing with and whether they''d cause a situation just like in the vision.


    "What other information would you like to know?"


    "....The impact their death will have. Their talents, spells, and relics. Where are they from?


    Why do I have to kill them? Wh-"


    "Stop there for a second."


    As held his hand forward.


    "I understand your concerns so I will answer a few questions now. Your target isn''t from this Empire. He''s from one of our sister organizations."


    "Sister organizations?"


    I pretended to be oblivious to what he was talking about but I already knew where he was getting at. I had already been told this information by the Faceless Man.


    "Mhm, we have sister organizations. They''re about the same in size as the Inverted Sky and operate in different Empires but that''s not what''s important. They''ve currently set different targets on one of the cadets in the Academy."


    "Ah."


    I had a clearer picture of the situation.


    "They''re targeting one of the transfer students...''


    Who?


    Who exactly were they targeting?


    "It''s Caius."


    As answered as though he could read my mind.


    "...They''ve been eyeing his talent since the Summit. They nned on converting him into one


    of them but his loss foiled their ns. Furthermore, his sudden transfer made things even


    more difficult."


    "Couldn''t they have asked for Caius? Why must theye here? Also, why send someone of


    the same strength to get Caius? As far as I''m aware, not many people can beat him in the same


    tier."


    As smiled, his smile seeming very cold.


    It was enough to make me shudder.


    "The Academy has tabs on all the strong people. That''s why it''s impossible for them to go for


    Caius. The moment they make a move, the Chancellor will sense it and intervene.


    Furthermore, your target has a very specific skill that specializes in capture."


    "So that''s the case."


    It all made more sense.


    However, there were still things that I wasn''t quite sure about.


    Like...


    "Why didn''t they say anything to you? I thought-"


    "That''s the problem, Julien."


    As blinked his eyes slowly, his eyes turning slightly paler.


    "They didn''t tell me anything. They thought it was appropriate for them to act without my


    permission. I''ve even tried contacting them but they aren''t responding. And since that''s the


    case then..."


    As stopped but the intent behind his words were clear.


    I inwardly cursed at the situation.


    ''Why do things have to be so annoying? If only they talked with each other then this mess wouldn''t


    have even begun in the first ce.''


    "Before I forget." As rummaged through his pocket and took out a small piece of paper and pen. He then


    proceeded to scribble a few things on the paper before handing it to me.


    "This is?"


    "List of locations where you can fight without being worried about being found out."


    "Hm?"


    I lowered my head to stare at the paper.


    There were a total of three locations.


    "Security is quite tight today. It''s quite a struggle to find spots that escape the security''s


    reach. Of course, even though security is tight, when I''m here, it''s nothing to worry about.


    The Chancellor won''t be giving you any problems. The spot I''ve listed has several high- ranking members overlooking the area which is why they''re deadspots. They''ll overlook


    anything that happens there."


    "I see."


    I gave the paper a quick look once more, memorizing all the names before burning it. I wasn''t surprised by the fact that As was capable of achieving this much.


    The Inverted Sky was an organization that had control over the Royal Family itself.


    ....What was a little Academy to them?


    Still, there was one thing that was bothering me about the entire situation.


    "If I do end up killing the target, what then?


    "Are you worried about the response of the Church?"


    "Yes."


    The man in white...


    I still couldn''t forget about them. Especially their terrifying strength. Who were they?...And


    who did they work for?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "You don''t need to be too worried about the Church''s response. We will handle that side."


    Will you?


    I wasn''t so sure about that.


    In any case, I looked directly at As.


    "There''s one more thing that I wanted to bring up."


    "What is it?"


    "....I spotted a suspicious man in white not too long ago. He looked to be around tier 7 or


    higher, I''m not entirely sure. Do you happen to know them?"


    "A man in white?"


    As frowned, musing over my words while quietly mumbling to himself, ''That''s not exactly


    the best description, but if he''s that strong then it shouldn''t be too difficult to make a


    guess...''


    Eventually, he raised his head to look back at me.


    "There''s a few targets thate to mind. In particr, the followers of Clora, the Godess of Elements. They all wear white, and they would also have several powerful Temrs guarding them at all times. If there''s anyone that fits that description it would be them."


    Clora...


    ''Right, their group did indeed wear white during the walk.''


    I remember quite clearly now that I was thinking about it.


    It was then that I had a sudden thought.


    "My target... Is he "


    "Yes, he''s also a follower of Clora. At least, on the surface."


    "Ah."


    I pressed my lips.


    The situation was bing more and moreplicated. But still, I managed to find out


    most of the information that I wanted.


    Now was the time for me to find a way to reject the mission.


    I was just about to open my mouth when As spoke over me,


    "Before I forget, another reason why I assigned you on this mission is because there''s a


    chance that you might be targeted as well. No..."


    Asughed, his eyes squinting with a cold glint.


    "Who am I kidding? You''re definitely going to be targeted. Those guys definitely know about


    the rumors. They will undoubtedly send some people to target you."


    || ||


    "But like I said, you don''t have to worry. So long as you''re within my range, no one can harm


    you. I won''t stop those that you can stop yourself, but you won''t have to worry about anyone


    too stronging your way. I can promise you that much."


    He sounded so confident when he said those words.


    It was enough to make me want to believe in them. Had it been before, perhaps I would''ve.


    But things were different now.


    I had seen the vision.


    ...I wasn''t safe.

 Chapter 410: Reflection [3]

    Chapter 410: Reflection [3]


    ?


    The smell of burning incense lingered in the air.


    "Thank you all foring. I''m Cardinal Francis, and I will host the mass."


    Cardinal Francis stood by therge auditorium, staring at the numerous cadets sitting


    opposite him. Garbed in a white tunic, he faintly smiled.


    "I would like to first thank those from Haven who allowed this Mass to happen. Without their help and contribution, none of this would''ve been possible..."


    Though quiet, his voice managed to reach every corner of the room.


    The eyes of several students shone at the presence of the Cardinal who he appeared like a ray of sunshine amidst the darkness that lingered across the dimly lit surroundings.


    By his side, on either end, stood men d in white, gripping their nes tightly. They were the priests of the Church of Clora.


    They all stood in silence while watching the Cardinal speak.


    Among them, a slender man with narrow slit eyes and brown hair blended nicely among the priests.


    He listened to the entire mass attentively.


    However, if one observed closely, one would notice his gaze asionally drifting toward a specific cadet seated at the front of the mass.


    With his blonde hair and pale yellow eyes, Caius was easy to identify.


    ''....So that''s the target.''


    Johan already had enough information on the target.


    He knew everything that he needed to know in order to capture him. Though he wasn''t stronger than a mere cadet, he was confident in capturing him.


    That was after all his specialty.


    As his eyes flickered, a weird tingling sensation curled around his hand. He looked down to see small ck tendrils curling around his arm.


    ''Not yet...''


    He ced his other hand over his hand.


    ''...Not yet.''


    He mumbled quietly, pushing himself back into the row and paying attention to the mass


    once more.


    ''There''s another target that I need to look out for.''


    ***


    "....Hmm."


    Massaging my face, I sat on one of the benches scattered across the Academy campus. As of right now, I was supposed to be in the middle of attending mass.


    ...It waspulsory and I was probably going to get into trouble for missing it but I didn''t really have the luxury of thinking of such matters.


    ''What exactly happened in the vision?''


    I was currently torn on the situation.


    I didn''t know which scenario was the correct one. Julien taking over my body and killing someone important, or me killing the target set by As.


    ''Logically speaking, it should be the first option.''


    In the vision, I had clearly heard the words ''he did...''


    Furthermore, it was unlikely that I would get into trouble for killing someone that the cult wanted me to. With their influence, and As''s help, it shouldn''t be possible for me to fall under such a scenario.


    ....And yet, As had also mentioned that those from the church of Clora wore white.


    ''Is it possible that something went wrong with the mission?''


    "Ah."


    A possibility ran down my mind.


    ''Both scenarios happened. I killed the priest, and Julien took over my body. He was the one who killed the priest.''


    Given how I got caught and got into trouble, Julien did the killing in one of the areas that As hadn''tbeled as ''safe''.


    A clear picture of the entire situation was painted in my mind.


    Although there were a few bits and pieces that didn''t make sense, this was the most usible scenario.


    "Mhm, this is good."


    I stood up from the bench, feeling a lot more reinvigorated.


    Now that I had a direction, I knew exactly what I needed to do. I wasn''t so lost anymore and I didn''t waste another second.


    I extended my hand forward and a figure appeared over my arm. Another one appeared right beneath my foot.


    "Owl-Mighty, Pebble."


    "What is it?"


    "....Why did you call for us?"


    Pebble looked sleepy as it licked its own paws. The more I looked at Pebble the more it


    seemed to act like a cat.


    On the other hand, Owl-Mighty''s eyes felt a lot more deep than they had been before.


    It was almost a noticeable difference.


    ''Did Owl-Mighty have a breakthrough?''


    That was interesting...


    "I need your help. I want one of you to monitor a certain person.


    "Monitor?"


    "...Yes."


    The two were the perfect eyes for me.


    "I want to know their exact location at all times and what they''re doing. It should be possible,


    right?"


    "Hmm, yes."


    Owl-Mighty answered in its usual deadpan tone. That was when I looked at Pebble.


    "I need you to stay with me."


    I couldn''tmunicate with Owl-Mighty and Pebble if they were too far away from me. The same couldn''t be said for them. For some reason, the two couldmunicate with each other


    regardless of the distance.


    This was good for me.


    I could use one of them to ry the information back to me.


    "Wait, why are you choosing him?"


    Pebble suddenly protested, pointing at Owl-Mighty.


    "Because Owl-Mighty can fly."


    "Uh? But I can fit into tight spaces."


    "...Yes, but you''re also easier to spot."


    The fact that Owl-Mighty and Pebble weren''t real animals was not that hard to see if one focused hard enough. Although I didn''t think either one would get spotted, Owl-Mighty was


    the safer option.


    "That makes no-"


    "It does." "B-"


    "Yes."


    Pebble tried to protest but Owl-Mighty promptly shut all its attempts down. I thought Pebble would start a fuss,unching itself over to Owl-Mighty like it usually did, but to my surprise,


    Pebble just lowered its head in defeat.


    ''Fine...''


    Pebble mumbled quietly, kicking the floor with its foot.


    "....?"


    The scene left me stunned.


    Since when...


    "It learned its ce."


    Owl-Mighty spoke from next to my shoulder as its eyes squinted.


    "...Pebble will no longer trouble us."


    Owl-Mighty proceeded to pat me on the head with its wings, its beak curling in what seemed


    to be a smile.


    "I''ve taken care of the trouble."


    "???"


    The hell...


    I didn''t even know how to react.


    Fwap-


    I only snapped out of it when Owl-Mighty started to p its wings. I blinked my eyes a couple


    of times and quickly gave Owl-Mighty a picture of the man that As had told me to kill.


    "He should be in the Birmin Hall alongside those that worship goddess Clora. They all wear white so you''ll know exactly where to go if you go up high enough. Wait until the mass is over


    before following him. Keep me updated on the situation."


    "Okay."


    Owl-Mighty pped its wing and started to fly away from the spot. I watched as its figure slowly started to blend with the sky before turning my attention to the grief-stricken Pebble.


    "Are you okay?"


    "....No."


    Pebble''s voice looked to be full of grievances.


    ''How the mighty have fallen...''


    ...In terms of power, Pebble was actually the strongest of the three of us. Its form wasn''t supposed to be that of a cat, but because its soul had been weakened so much due to whatn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Aurelia had done back in Ellnor, it could hardly put up a fight with Owl-Mighty.


    ''Not to mention that back when he was sealed, he was still just a newborn.''


    Pebble''s life was rather pitiful.


    Not only was Pebble suppressed by a little girl, but by a tree as well.


    Its pride had probably been utterly crushed.


    "You''ll recover soon enough."


    Iforted Pebble while looking at my hand.


    "The stronger I get the more you''ll recover. The situation will reverse when that happens,


    don''t worry."


    Not only that...


    But I would also get stronger.


    After all, the stronger he became, the stronger [Step of Supression] would be.


    ...It was just barely at its base form.


    ***


    Creaak-


    A wooden door creaked as the gentle ''click'' of a heel resounded throughout the confines of a


    small room.


    Delh''s steps paused right after entering the room, her eyes falling over a figure that sat on


    the opposite end, his murky white eyes vacantly staring around the room.


    "Hm?"


    Sensing her presence, the Pope turned his head.


    "Ah."


    He smiled.


    "It looks like you sensed my presence, Chancellor."


    || ||


    Delh didn''t answer and just stared at the elderly man with a nk look. She had sensed his


    presence from the moment he had entered the Academy grounds and had been keeping tabs on him ever since.


    His strength, while waning, was something that was enough to make her wary.


    He wasn''t stronger than her, but he could certainly cause a lot of trouble if he had the


    intention to.


    Perhaps noticing the strange tension that lingered on Delh''s face, the Popeughed.


    "Haha, there''s no need to be so tense Chancellor. I''m not here to make trouble."


    "...."


    Delh remained silent.


    It was only after she was sure that there was nothing wrong with the surroundings that she


    spoke.


    "What is your purpose?"


    Her tone was blunt, devoid of any respect or reverence.


    She was a non-believer.


    It was all too boring for her.


    And for that reason, she had no need to talk herself down under such figures. #


    "My purpose?"


    The Pope smiled gently.


    "...It''s nothing big. I''m only here to check up on Ambrose and see how he''s going to do."


    "Then why hide your presence?"


    "That would bring a lot more trouble than is needed."


    |||||


    Delh''s eyes narrowed.


    She didn''t buy his words at all.


    "If you wanted to do it more quietly, you could''ve told us about your presence. We would''ve


    kept your presence a secret. Furthermore, it would''ve helped us prepare better."


    Delh''s eyes started to grew darker.


    They spun quietly, seemingly trying to suck the Pope in.


    "...I know."


    The Pope remained unfazed, his tone growing gentler.


    "I am sorry for that. It''s just that..."


    Closing his eyes, the Pope leaned back on the chair.


    "I don''t have much time."


    Delh cocked her head.


    "I''m going to die soon."


    ||


    ??


    Her eyes returned to normal.


    "Do you-"


    "This is probably thest time I''ll see Ambrose perform the mass. I didn''t say anything in


    advance since nobody knows this. Not even Ambrose. By the time the Summit is over, I''ll..."


    The Pope stopped, but his words were clear. Deliah''s face changed subtly.


    She didn''t seem as wary as she was before. Of course, just because she was less weary didn''t


    mean that she could just leave him alone.


    "I''ll be keeping an eye on you."


    As those words left her mouth, her gaze drifted toward the right corner of the room and her


    frown deepened.


    She then shook her head and made her way out of the room.


    "....Don''t overstep your boundaries."


    nk!


    The door clicked shut, leaving the room in a hushed, motionless silence.


    ||


    ||


    Closing his eyes, the Pope leaned his head back.


    His hands were trembling.


    ...But it wasn''t out of fear.


    No, it was out of excitement.


    Soon...


    He was going to meet ''him''.


    He couldn''t wait.

 Chapter 411: Meeting Again [1]

    Chapter 411: Meeting Again [1]


    ?


    Standing before the gathered members, d in robes of deep indigo, Cardinal Hamsia raised a Chalice in the air.


    "In his name, we seek not only the gift of immortality but the wisdom to embrace our


    evesting journey."


    His voice echoed throughout the dimly lit room.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In unison, the cadets and priests chanted softly, their voices harmonizing.


    "Mortum, grant us life beyond the grave,


    In shadows and light, our souls you save.


    Through time''s endless weave, we rise and we bend,


    With your boundless power, our spirits transcend."


    Leon and Evelyn stood next to each other while reciting the chants they had been taught since childhood. Having learned the entire chant from a young age, they knew every line by heart.


    This wasn''t the first mass they had attended.


    .... It was also the same for majority of the cadets involved as none of them struggled to recite the words of the Cardinal who lifted the Chalice even higher in the air.


    "With each offering, we affirm our bond with the eternal. Embrace the gift of immortality, not as a burden, but as a sacred journey."


    "Mortum, keeper of the unseen door,


    Guide our steps on this timeless shore.


    With every breath, we seek your embrace,


    In the dance of the cosmos, we find our ce."


    Evelyn and Leon once again chanted.


    That was when the Cardinal brought the Chalice down and took a sip of the liquid.


    "I offer this first sip to the god himself, Mortum. May you bestow upon us the gift of health and eternal life."


    Following his words, the room stirred as the cadets started to move, forming one long and single line that led to the Cardinal.


    It was now their turn to take a sip of the liquid.


    "I don''t know about this..."


    Evelyn murmured quietly as she stood in front of Leon while the line before her shortened. Leon blinked his eyes a couple of times and cocked his head.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "...I don''t feel like this is very hygienic."


    "We''ve done this many times before."


    "Yes, but when we were kids. Now that we''ve grown, I don''t know, it kind of feels weird to drink from the same cup as everyone does."


    "If you put it that way..."


    Leon also frowned.


    However, that was all he could do. It wasn''t like he could just move to the side and reject taking a sip from the Chalice. It was something that happened each mass and represented one of the many murals found about Mortum.


    "May the next person step forward."


    Before they knew it, their turn had arrived.


    Although Evelyn appeared on the fence about the entire situation, she still took a sip of the liquid and left.


    Leon stepped forward right after she left.


    He stood face to face with the Cardinal who smiled gently at him and brought the Chalice forward.


    "May you be blessed with the blessing of Mortum."


    Leon nodded faintly and shifted his attention towards the Chalice. He hadn''t paid much attention to the Chalice since the start but now that he was closer to it, his expression couldn''t help but change subtly.


    ''Isn''t this...?''


    Although it wasn''t an exact replica of it, the Chalice... It was a clear imitation of the Chalice he had.


    This...


    Leon''s eyes shook as he raised his head to look back at the Cardinal.


    "What''s wrong?"


    The Cardinal blinked his eyes, tilting his head as he brought the Chalice forward. Leon was quick to snap out of it as he lowered his head and took a sip of the liquid.


    It was just regr wine.


    And yet...


    Something within his chest stirred the moment he took a sip of the liquid.


    He couldn''t exin what it was, but it felt warm. Leon held the feeling back and moved back towards the back of the room where Evelyn was.


    The warm sensation that coursed through his body intensified with each second that passed and sweat started to pour down from the side of his face. Though he didn''t show it on the outside, Leon was inwardly panicking.


    ''I need to find a way to get out of here. Something is of¡ª''


    Cr Crack-


    A loud cracking sound reverberated throughout the entire room.


    All heads turned, shifting towards the source of the sound...


    The Chalice.


    "Ah!"


    "Look!"


    One of the cadets pointed at the Chalice. It was then that everyone noticed the massive cracks that had appeared all over the Chalice.


    "How could this be?!"


    The Cardinal''s face underwent huge changes upon noticing the cracks on the Chalice. Long gone was his calm exterior. What reced it was a flustered look as he brought the Chalice


    away and ced it on a nearby table.


    Cra Crack-


    Even more cracks formed as the seconds passed.


    Everyone watched in horror as the Cardinal tried to do something about the Chalice. However,


    in spite of his best attempts, the cracks only grew with each one of his attempts at mending


    the situation.


    Hurriedly flicking his head to look at one of the priests, the Cardinal shouted,


    "Someone get the-"


    But it was toote.


    Bang!"


    The Chalice shattered into hundreds of pieces, spilling the wine all over the ce.


    "No, no...!"


    Pale in the face, the Cardinal looked at the remains of the Chalice with a horrified look as he hurriedly scraped and collected the broken pieces.


    "How could this be!? This is an artifact that has been passed down for generations... How


    could it suddenly break down like this? How is this possible!?"


    His despair-stricken voice echoed throughout the area.


    The priests by this side were also showing the same shocked expression as the Cardinal.


    Only they knew just how important the Chalice was.


    Leon looked at the entire situation with a lost look. The warm sensation that coiled around his chest had grown stronger than ever, but even then, he still couldn''t understand what had


    happened.


    However, if there was one thing that he understood, it was that...


    ''I''m the cause of it.''


    He...


    Was the source of the chaos that had currently taken over the area.


    "Ukh."


    A sudden throb to his chest broke Leon out of his thoughts as he hurriedly ced his hand


    over his mouth and hunched over slightly. His face grew paler and his body grew a little


    weaker.


    "Leon?"


    Evelyn, who was the closest to him, naturally detected the abnormalities with Leon as she


    started to look worried.


    Leon held his hand to stop her from approaching.


    "Kh... I''m fine."


    He wasn''t, but he had to be fine.


    He couldn''t show any suspicious movement.


    Who knew what would happen if they found out he was the one who had caused the entire


    mess?


    "Should we go?"


    Evelyn''s suggestions were what helped him cool his mind.


    He looked around and saw that several cadets were already leaving. With the priests too preupied with the Chalice, and the Professors present also leaving, Leon nodded faintly.


    He had to get away from his ce.


    "Let''s go."


    And so they did.


    "Urkh."


    "Are you sure you''re fine?"


    Even as they distanced themselves from the site of the mass, the pain in Leon''s chest


    persisted, intensifying until his face grew even paler.


    Evelyn forced Leon to stop as she took a closer look at his face.


    "You''re sweating a lot."


    She ced her hand over his forehead.


    "Oh, god! It''s hot!"


    Evelyn moved away, her expression tightening.


    "You''ve got a fever! Why did you-"


    "....I found you."


    A cool voice broke Evelyn out of her thoughts. When she turned her head she saw Julien


    coming in their direction from the distance.


    Leon also raised his head and looked at Julien who frowned at the sight of him.


    "What is wrong with you?"


    "He has a fever."


    Evelyn answered in Leon''s stead.


    "...It looks like he does."


    Julien didn''t doubt Evelyn''s words. Leon''splexion said it all.


    Evelyn once again looked at Leon with a worried look before addressing Julien.


    "Can you bring him to the nurse? I''ll go-"


    "Actually, I have something I want to talk to you first about."


    "Eh?"


    Evelyn blinked her eyes, clearly surprised by Julien''s words.


    "You want to talk to me about something?"


    "Yes."


    Julien replied in a very serious tone. His tone was enough to make Evelyn understand that he


    wasn''t joking around.


    However, turning her attention towards Leon and seeing Leon''splexion, she shook her


    head.


    "Whatever it is, we can talk about itter. It''s best if we bring Leon to the-"


    "No, go."


    Leon stopped Evelyn mid-sentence.


    "But-"


    "Go talk with Julien. I''ll stay here."


    "That-"


    "I''m going to be fine. If it''s just a fever then it''s nothing since I can just take some pills to heal


    up."


    In reality, Julien appeared at the right time. Leon couldn''t go to the infirmary. He understood


    best that this wasn''t something the Doctor knew how to handle.


    He wasn''t sick nor was he dying.


    .... His body was just acting weird after having drunk from the Chalice.


    The chance of the Doctor knowing what was wrong with him was almost zero. Furthermore, it


    could even make things moreplicated for him.


    Leon couldn''t afford to let that happen.


    This was why Julien''s appearance was godsent for him.


    ''Take her and go.''


    Leon implied with his words.


    Julien didn''t reply but pulled Evelyn by the sleeve.


    "Hey, wait!"


    "Let''s go. Leon doesn''t want to go to the nurse." "But he''s sick!"


    "So? The best that can happen is that he''ll die..."


    Leon''s mouth twitched upon hearing Julien''s words. This... Was it really that hard to be nice to


    him?


    No, never mind that...


    "Ukh."


    Leon held his head with both hands.


    He needed to address this issue first.


    ***


    "Hey! Where are we going? Don''t go too far from Leon! If we go too far and something


    happens to him then it''ll be on you. He''s clearly sick and-"


    "I know, I know."


    My ears were on the verge of bleeding as I pulled Evelyn alongside me.


    ''Machine gun... She''s really a machine gun...''


    I really, really, really, really missed the old evasive Evelyn. This Evelyn just wouldn''t stop


    talking.


    "Did you not see how pale his face was? And the sweat! God, the sweat. The back of his shirt


    was drenched in sweat, and if you paid close enough attention you''ll notice how his body was


    also trembling on certain oc- " "This ce is good enough."


    I looked around before finally letting go of Evelyn. She finally stopped speaking as she looked


    around.


    We were in a more isted part of the Academy, at the back of one of the Academy buildings.


    It was only when I was sure that there was no presence near us that I spoke,


    "I need your help."


    "...?"


    Evelyn looked confused. Her expression seemed to say, ''My help? What for...?''


    I pursed my lips and took a deep breath. Before she could say any words, I spoke,


    "....I need you to enter my mind." Evelyn''s eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "There''s someone I need to deal with..."

 Chapter 412: Meeting Again [2]

    Chapter 412: Meeting Again [2]


    ?


    ||


    "....


    Evelyn''s face flickered with a series of emotions. Her eyes first widened in shock, her body trembling as she instinctively stepped back. But soon, the sharp surprise softened, slowly giving way to quiet eptance.


    I could tell from the way her expression settled back to normal that she had alreadye to terms with the fact that I was no longer the Julien she once knew.


    It was hence why her voice came out rather calm,


    "Let me guess, he''s trying to regain control? Or causing some sort of trouble?"


    ||


    "I


    I didn''t answer.


    I wasn''t sure how to answer.


    However, my silence was enough for her.


    "You want my help holding him down? Keep him froming back?"


    "....Can you do it?"


    "Hmm."


    Evelyn''s brows furrowed tightly as she fell into deep thought. She was probably considering whether to help me out or not.


    I knew she could do it.


    I had seen her do it before. To some extent...


    What truly mattered was whether she was willing to help me-now a stranger to her-seal away the Julien she once knew.


    This was the reason why I was on the fence about asking her.


    Our rtionship wasn''t very deep. Why would she help me screw over someone that she knew much better than me? And even used to care for?


    ....But what choice did I have?


    I had no choice but to ask her since she was the only one who could help me.


    "Fine."


    But contrary to my expectations, she agreed to help me


    I was a little surprised by her agreement, and as if understanding my confusion, she went on to exin.


    "Don''t get me wrong. I''m not helping you because I trust you. I''m helping you because I trust Leon. He seems to trust you quite a bit. That''s why I''ll help you. And... I still feel like something is off with you."


    Evelyn bit her lips while mumbling, ''I just don''t know how to put it. Feels like I met you before...''


    11


    ||


    I remained quiet from that point.


    I knew exactly what she was referring to by that.


    ''...I''m surprised she''s so perceptive.''


    It looked like she still clearly remembered the previous incidents that had happened when I used the third leaf. I was sure my disguise was perfect but it didn''t seem like my acting had been on point.


    Furthermore, she had been quite young back then.


    To think she''d still remember all the details...


    ''I''ll need to be more careful.''


    Regardless, all that mattered to me was the fact that she was willing to help me.


    "Hold out your hand."


    As I listened to Evelyn''s words, I followed her instructions and held out my hand. She grasped it and locked eyes with me.


    "Let me say this upfront: I am not a Cleric. My knowledge is limited, so depending on the situation, I might not be able to help at all. In fact, there''s even a chance I could make things worse. I''m only telling you now to give you fair warning. Are you okay with that?"


    "Yes, I know."


    This was one of the risks that I had taken into ount when getting in contact with her. Had it not been for what had happened before, I would''ve been hesitant about calling her. However, it really looked like I had no choice in the matter.


    This was my only way out of the situation.


    "Alright, then."


    Evelyn shrugged, pressing my hand against her.


    "Don''t tell me I didn''t warn you."


    Her eyes sparkled as faint lightning arcs danced around them. Her hair stirred as if a wind had risen up, sending a jolt of electricity coursing through my body.


    My entire body jolted under the shock and my mind soon grew dark.


    Tak-


    By the time I regained consciousness, I was surrounded by darkness.


    It embraced every part of my body as I looked around.


    "There''s nothing.''


    ....It wasn''t so different from the world within the Angel of Sorrow. And as I turned my head,


    Evelyn appeared beside me.


    Her expression was a little pale.


    "Are you¨D"


    "I''m fine."


    Evelyn cut me off, raising her hand subtly and locking her eyes toward a certain direction as


    her expression tightened.


    "I can feel it. He''s not far from here."


    Evelyn moved on her own, taking a step towards the darkness.


    ||||


    I stared at her back before following her from behind.


    Tak, tak-


    Within the darkness, the sound of our steps echoed quietly as we walked in silence, neither one of us saying a word. Evelyn seemed transfixed by something as she moved in a trance. I didn''t know for how long we walked, but soon, a faint light appeared in the distance.


    It was dim, but within the darkness that surrounded us, it looked blinding.


    "He''s there."


    Evelyn''s steps slowed down for a few seconds before hurrying once more.


    I picked up the pace as well and followed her from behind.


    As we drew closer to the light, its source began to take shape. It wasn''t long before a clear image emerged before us, and we both stopped at the same time.


    "Ah."


    "This..."


    A broken mirror.


    What appeared before us was a mirror filled with countless cracks.


    It stood within the darkness, pointed right at us, revealing our reflection.


    At least, that''s how it appeared at first. Soon after, a smile spread across my reflection as it


    raised an arm, wrapping it around Evelyn''s reflection.


    "You''re here."


    A cool voice reverberated throughout the darkness.


    As the gaze of my reflection shifted towards Evelyn''s, the smile slowly faded from my


    reflection.


    "...It''s been a while Evelyn. You haven''t forgotten about me, right?"


    "Hee."


    Instinctively, Evelyn took a step back as her face grew pale.


    Her reaction brought a smile to my reflection''s face as he let go of Evelyn''s reflection and


    quietly moved forward.


    Evelyn took another step back.


    Bang!


    He smacked his fist against the mirror, causing Evelyn to flinch.


    "Get me the fuck out here you bitch!"


    He screamed, his face twisting and his scream piercing through the silence.


    "Get me out now before I kill you!"


    ***


    "Khh...! Kh!"


    In spite of Leon''s expectations, the pain in his chest only grew worse with time. He thought


    he''d be able to handle it, but he was wrong.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    It came and went in waves, each time bing more powerful.


    ''I won''t be able tost at this point.''


    Leon understood the severity of his situation.


    Without hesitation, he looked around and decided to leave his spot, rushing towards the


    dorms which weren''t far from where he was.


    "Ukeh!"


    His chest throbbed once more, halting him on the spot.


    "Haa.. Haa..."


    Unknowingly, as he looked down, he noticed a long silver string moving down from his


    mouth. This... Wiping his mouth, Leon rushed forward once more.


    It took him a total of three minutes to arrive at the dorm where he immediately rushed up the


    stairs and dashed towards his room, closing the door behind him.


    nk!


    "Arkgh...!"


    A scream escaped his lips the moment he entered the room.


    ''Hot, hot, hot....!''


    Leon felt a sudden itch spreading across his body. He began to strip off his clothes, leaving


    only his underpants on.


    Sizzle~ Sizzle~


    Steam started to rise out of his body shortly after that.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    A strange pulsing noise followed, perfectly in sync with the beat of his own heart. Leon


    nced down and noticed every vein in his body had be visible, standing out beneath his


    skin.


    The veins glowed with a faint blue hue, all converging toward his heart, where a dark,


    shadowy Chalice seemed to rest at its center.


    His face changed.


    "This..."


    He had seen this scene before-more than once, in fact.


    He understood the meaning behind it all too well, which is why the sight before him now left


    him so utterly shocked.


    "The wine..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Leon mumbled, unable to hide his shock.


    ".... It actually contained real blood."


    Mortum''s blood.


    "That..."


    Leon''s entire expression shifted. This was the first time something like this had ever


    happened at such an event, and he couldn''t make sense of what was going on.


    ''Real blood?''


    But how could it be?


    Leon had been to several such events in the past and he had never experienced a situation such


    as this one.


    Something was off.


    How could they serve real blood?


    ....And what was the reasoning for the Chalice suddenly exploding?


    Leon had so many questions and yet no answers to them. To make matters worse, the pain


    came back again. Leon had no choice but to quietly focus on withstanding the pain by taking


    deep and steady breaths.


    Sizzle Sizzle~


    Steam continued to rise out from his body throughout the entire process. Gradually, the pain began to fade, and the glow on Leon''s body diminished as well. The


    processsted only a few minutes before everything finally cooled down.


    "Hoo."


    Leon was finally able to breathe as he flopped onto the floor.


    Though his breathing had steadied, it remained rtively heavy. He needed a few minutes to


    fully recover.


    By the time he fully recovered, a cool sensation washed over his body as he pressed his hand


    against his chest and pulled the Chalice free.


    "As expected..."


    He looked at the liquid contained within the Chalice and swallowed his saliva.


    "...It really was Mortum''s blood."


    The Chalice had a special power.


    Although Leon remained uncertain about how the Chalice worked, he knew it triggered a


    unique "reaction" whenever he consumed Mortum''s blood. It created a special liquid that


    could be consumed.


    He referred to it as the "Nectar," and each time he ingested it, his strength surged


    tremendously.


    ''....I wonder if it''ll have a different effect if I consume a different blood.''


    The thought weirded out Leon for a second before he shrugged and drank the nectar.


    Swoosh!


    His clothes fluttered as power surged through his body.


    Leon''s muscles bulged, and he felt his strength starting to rise rapidly.


    It was a euphoric sensation that left him breathless, but it faded quickly, and his body soon


    returned to its normal state.


    "Huu."


    Taking another deep breath, Leon prepared to stand up.


    However, just as he did, his body froze.


    "...!"


    His intuition tingled, sending shivers down his spine as sweat began to trickle down the side


    of his face.


    His breath started to grow heavy as he raised his head to look outside the window.


    "Oh, no..."


    He pulled his sight away and hastily stood up.


    Suddenly, he had a horrible premonition.


    And...


    He was sure it wasn''t about him.


    "Go, I have to go."


    Leon wasted no time, quickly getting dressed before dashing out of the room. Even after


    leaving, his intuition continued to scream at him, warning him of an impending crisis.


    He didn''t know what it was, but Leon was sure.


    Julien...


    Something bad was going to happen to him.

 Chapter 413: Duality [1]

    Chapter 413: Duality [1]


    Chaos erupted from the moment the Chalice shattered. The Priests all picked up the broken pieces of the Chalice as they tried their best to find ways to mend it back together.


    But it was useless.


    ¡­.There was no fixing the artifact.


    It was broken beyond repair.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    The Cardinal watched the chaos in silence. His expression was hard to read, but if one looked closely, they¡¯d notice a certain flicker in his eyes.


    ¡°Cardinal, what do we do?¡±


    All of a sudden, one of the priests approached him. The Cardinal looked their way and shook his head.


    ¡°I do not know. I will contact His Holiness to determine what to do. For now, collect all the remains of the Chalice before I give you further instructions.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The Priest left shortly after that, repeating the Cardinal¡¯s orders.


    As the Cardinal watched the Priest disappear from view, he turned and walked in the opposite direction. Upon reaching his personal quarters, he entered and locked the door behind him.


    Click!


    The room wasn¡¯t anything grand. It had the basic necessities such as a bed, a table, a small window, and a wardrobe.


    It was a room assigned to him for the short stay.


    ¡°¡­.It¡¯s been done.¡±


    His voice gently traveled through the empty room. It was unknown to whom he was speaking as there was no one present.


    It wasn¡¯t until the very fabric of space began to warp, and a hand emerged from the Cardinal¡¯s shoulder that it became clear.


    ¡°You¡¯ve found the holder?¡±


    A faceless head materialized beside the Cardinal¡¯s left shoulder, gently resting over it.


    The Cardinal maintained his expression.


    ¡°We¡¯ve narrowed it down.¡±


    ¡°¡­.So you still haven¡¯t the holder?¡±


    ¡°Alm¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The hand withdrew from the Cardinal¡¯s shoulder as the faceless figure moved toward the bed. It sat down, crossing its legs and resting a hand thoughtfully on its chin.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little tied up on some matters, but I take it that you have a list of people whom you suspect is the ¡®holder¡¯ of the Chalice.¡±


    ¡°¡­.Yes.¡±


    The Cardinal nodded.


    ¡°I should be able to find the target by the end of the day.¡±


    ¡°You can?¡±


    Despite the faceless figure¡¯sck of features, the Cardinal could almost sense a wide, sinister smile forming. A shiver ran down his spine, and his body suddenly tensed, frozen in ce.


    However, he was able to quickly recover as he mouthed,


    ¡°Yes, we already have done the test with the Chalice that you have given me. There was a reaction. I¡¯vepiled a list of everyone who touched their lips to it, and I¡¯ve taken note of thest person to do so. Now, all that¡¯s left is to confirm whether the reaction came from thest person or someone prior. It shouldn¡¯t take long to get the results.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    The faceless figure happily interlocked its hands together.


    ¡°¡­.You¡¯re doing well. All you need to do is now find the Holder of the Chalice. As promised, I¡¯ll reward you handsomely for your achievements. Feel free to do as you wish. If anything troublesomees, you can contact Dawn.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The Cardinal nodded his head slowly, trying his best to hide his excitement.


    It was just as he lowered his head that he noticed the room had grown silent. Lifting his head again, he saw that the room was now empty.


    The faceless figure had disappeared out of thin air.


    ¡°Huuu.¡±


    Letting out a long breath, the Cardinal rxed his shoulders.


    His back was soaked with sweat, and his arm trembled uncontrobly. Despite his strength, he struggled to breathe properly in ¡®his¡¯ presence.


    He felt¡­


    Suffocating.


    ¡°I should¡ª!!¡±


    As the Cardinal turned around, a figure came into view, causing his entire body to stiffen.


    ¡°Before I forget¡­¡±


    The faceless man quietly rested his head on the Cardinal¡¯s shoulder while hanging his other hand by his neck, his tone lowering slightly.


    ¡°¡­.Keep an eye out on the Church of Oracleus. I feel the presence of someone that shouldn¡¯t be here. I¡¯m afraid things will beplicated if he interferes. Be on the watch out, okay?¡±


    By the time the words reached the Cardinal, he felt his shoulder lighten as the faceless figure disappeared once more.


    This time for good.


    ¡°Haa.


    Plopping onto the bed, the Cardinal wiped his sweat-covered forehead.


    ¡°¡­.Y-yes.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Where are they¡­? Where¡­?¡±


    Leon scanned his surroundings, his face pale. Though his strength had increased, his body was still drenched in sweat, and he felt sluggish from the ordeal he had just endured.


    Still, he pushed the sensation down and frantically looked around the Academy grounds.


    ¡®Where are they? Where did they go¡­?¡¯


    His intuition wasn¡¯t helping him at all.


    ¡­.All it did was send rm bells into his mind, sending shivers down his body. He felt the hair at the back of his neck raise as his mouth grew dry.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time his intuition had spiraled out of control like this.


    It had happened several times in the past, and each time, he¡¯d face serious trouble. He understood that this was such a case.


    The only problem was that the one in danger wasn¡¯t him but someone else.


    ¡°Where did they go?¡±


    To make matters worse, he had no idea where to look for them. He had already contacted them using hismunication device but neither one of the two answered.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    Leon looked around frantically.


    The cadets were just now leaving the mass, flooding the Academy grounds and making things harder for him. Just as Leon was about to despair at the situation, he spotted a certain figure in the distance.


    Although she was currently disguised, Leon was already familiar with her disguised looks.


    He headed right for her.


    ¡°Aoife¡­¡±


    Aoife froze for a second before shifting her attention towards him.


    ¡°Leon?¡±


    She seemed relieved once she managed to recognize him. Thinking back, she was probably worried about Kiera¡¯s revenge for what she did to her a while back.


    Not that it mattered since there were more pressing issues at hand.


    ¡°Have you seen Julien and Evelyn?¡±


    ¡°Julien, and¡­?¡±


    Aoife blinked her eyes a couple of times, confused for a moment. Her expression seemed to say, ¡®Did you just say Julien and Evelyn?¡¯


    ¡°Yes, they had something to talk about but I lost sight of them since I had to do something. It¡¯s a bit of an emergency.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Aoife frowned, taking out hermunication device.


    However, she soon shook her head.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just as clueless as you. But it looks like they aren¡¯t the only ones that disappeared. I am looking for Kiera as well. I can¡¯t seem to find her.¡±


    ¡°Kiera?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aoife nodded.


    ¡°¡­She was supposed to meet me here, but it¡¯s been over ten minutes. Do you think something happened to her?¡±


    ¡°For Kiera¡­?¡±


    Leon frowned.


    Soon, however, his brows shot up as his ¡®intuition¡¯ kicked in again, prompting his entire body to freeze once more.


    This¡­


    Leon looked at Aoife.


    ¡°¡­I think, she might be in trouble.¡±


    ***


    Bang!


    ¡°Are you listening to me?! Let me the fuck out!¡±


    Julien¡¯s screams echoed through the void, loud and dripping with malice. Evelyn bit her lip as she stared at the figure trapped behind the mirror, a mix ofplicated emotions washing over her face.


    Bang¡­!


    ¡°Hey, bitch! Are you even listening to me?!¡±


    Julien¡¯s face was twisted, filled with anger and rage as his eyes turned red at the sight of us.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    I could only shake my head at the sight of him.


    He looked so miserable.


    ¡®¡­He¡¯s also not very bright.¡¯


    With the way he was behaving, it¡¯d be weird if Evelyn felt tempted to help him. Just by looking at her, I could see rage mixed in her emotions.


    The more he spoke, the colder her eyes became.


    He¡­ was trying his best to keep himself sealed within the mirror.


    ¡°Oy!¡±


    Bang!


    The mirror wobbled, and my eyebrows shot up in surprise. More cracks began to form, spreading across the surface like delicate webs, threatening to shatter itpletely.


    It looked like it was on the verge of shattering.


    Evelyn¡¯s face also showed signs of change as she looked in the mirror.


    ¡°This is moreplicated than I thought.¡±


    Evelyn mumbled, studying the mirror up close. ¡®Bang, bang¡¯. In the background, Julien continued to shout, but we both made an effort to ignore his words as Evelyn walked around the mirror.


    Gently, she pressed her hand against the back of the mirror.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Evelyn pursed her lips, her expression turning grim.


    Pulling her finger back she looked at me.


    ¡°¡­This is not good.¡±


    My heart sank.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Evelyn pulled back from the mirror.


    ¡°First things first, I can¡¯t really do anything about the situation. I thought that he was sealed using some sort of spell, but that¡¯s not the case.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°¡­.It looks like you¡¯re not aware of it.¡±


    Evelyn pointed at the mirror.


    ¡°The mirror is what¡¯s containing Julien¡¯s soul. The absence of a basic mana rune means it¡¯s not a spell¡ªit¡¯s something else entirely.¡±


    ¡°As in?¡±


    ¡°¡­The effect of an artifact.¡±


    I felt my eyes widened at her words. The effect of an artifact?


    ¡°Whatever artifact was used must have sealed Julien inside. Its effect is wearing off, and if you want to fix this, you¡¯ll need to use the artifact again to reinforce the seal.¡±


    Pinching her chin, Evelyn moved to the side and cast a quick look at the mirror again before mumbling, ¡°Judging from how it¡¯s a mirror, the artifact might also be a mirror. Do you have anything like that? If you use it again then you will be able to fix the mess.¡±


    ¡°¡­.Oh.¡±


    I nodded absentmindedly while moving in front of the mirror.


    ¡®The artifact might also be a mirror?¡¯


    Her words lingered in my mind, echoing loudly as I thought back to one previous experience.


    A mirror artifact¡­


    I had nevere across one in my life, but I knew of one.I happened toe across the conversation right after the second y. During the time Kiera¡¯s aunt appeared.


    ¡®Right, Kiera¡­¡¯


    Although I couldn¡¯t feel the beat of my heart, I could imagine it beating loudly within my mind as several pieces started to fall together.


    As if noticing my change in expression, Evelyn tilted her head.


    ¡°Do you have any idea?¡±


    ¡°¡­.Sort of.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good.¡±


    Evelyn stepped back from the mirror.


    ¡°If you can take the mi¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kiera has it.¡±


    I mumbled, cutting her off. Evelyn¡¯s brows jumped up, ¡®Eh? Kiera¡­?¡¯ she mumbled in surprise while looking at me weirdly. She was probably curious as to how I knew and what part Kiera had in any of this.


    ¡­.I honestly didn¡¯t know.


    However, one thing was certain¡ªI needed to find the mirror she had if she even still possessed it. Without it, there would be no way to reinforce the seal.


    But that was easier said than done.


    Even the Inverted Sky had trouble finding it. How would I be able to convince Kiera to give it to me?


    ¡°Uhg.¡±


    I ruffled my air in annoyance.


    ¡­The situation was turning messier and messier by the second.


    ¡®Do I have to look for Kiera now? Will I even be able to make it in time before something hap¡ª¡¯


    Crash!


    ¡°Hip!¡±


    A sudden sharp sound of ss shattering echoed through the void, making me jump in rm. Lifting my hand, I hand emerged from the mirror, reaching directly for my throat.


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    Before I even had the time to react, it grasped it directly.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    A pair of bloodshot eyes stared back at me.


    ¡°¡­Go you.¡±

 Chapter 414: Duality [2]

    Chapter 414: Duality [2]


    ?


    "!"


    It felt like I had beenpletely deprived of control over my body. The instant his hand touched my throat, I found myself unable to resist in any way.


    "I got you."


    His dry and cold voice reached my ears, sending shivers down my body.


    "Ah!"


    Evelyn yelped from the side. Electric bolts shout out from her body as she quickly shoots them towards the mirror, but...


    Swoosh!


    It was useless.


    ...The mirror absorbed everything.


    If anything...


    Cra Crack-


    More cracks formed all around the mirror.


    "Keep attacking bitch. Looks like you''re finally useful for something."


    "Ah, this..."


    Evelyn''s eyes shook. She looked lost. A magic circle rapidly formed at the palm of her hand but she wasn''t sure whether to use it or not. She alternated her gaze between me and the mirror. ''Don''t do it.''


    I gave a slight shake of my head, hoping she''d understand. She did, as her brows knitted together and her face turnedplicated.


    It couldn''t be helped.


    There was no point in being reckless in this situation.


    "Tsk."


    Julien clicked his tongue while his grip over my throat tightened.


    "She''s never been useful in her life. Just when I had hopes."


    He turned his attention towards me, a smile forming at the corner of his lips.


    "...You look exactly like me. It almost feels creepy. No, never mind. What am I even talking about? This is my body we''re talking about. No shit you look like me."


    "Kh..."


    I tried to struggle a few words out of my mouth but it was no use. His grip over my throat was too tight. I couldn''t get any words out.


    Furthermore, although he was still stuck inside of the mirror with the exception of his arms, I had lost total control of my body. Despite my best attempts at trying to set myself free, I couldn''t move at all.


    "It must''ve been nice, right? Taking over my body and acting like me? I bet everyone looks at you like the better version of myself, right? While I''m stuck here in this darn thing you


    stripped me of everything. It must''ve been nice..."


    Julien''s eyes flickered and his expression twisted.


    "You seem rather calm despite the situation you find yourself in. Why is that?"


    Because I''m not scared...


    The words never left my mouth but I could tell that he understood. That was all it took for his anger to surge.


    "You, how fucki-Ukeh!"


    His face spasmed and his grip over my neck loosened. With his other hand, he covered his face while maintaining my grip over my neck, despite it having weakened.


    "What did you do to me?"


    "....N-nothing big."


    With his loosened grip, I could speak. The edges of my lips curled up as my voice started toyer.


    "M-maybe you didn''t know, or maybe you did considering that this is your body, but I''m an Emotive Mage. So long as I can get a word out, I can directly influence your mind. Just like..." I raised my hand and pressed it against his outstretched one.


    "Now."


    ".....!"


    Julien''s face underwent a significant change.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But it was toote.


    "Akgh!"


    A scream escaped his lips as his grip over my neck loosened.


    Thump!


    I copsed to the ground, quickly ncing at Evelyn. She didn''t need any instructions. A spell formed in her hand, and she immediately hurled it toward the mirror. But this time, instead of striking the mirror, the spell wrapped around it, creating a protective barrier.


    Since she couldn''t affect the mirror directly, she conjured another barrier,yering it over the first.


    This second shield would serve as an extrayer of protection that would block Julien even if he managed to get out of the mirror.


    "Ugh."


    Evelyn''s face grew pale the moment she threw the spell.


    She had clearly expanded a lot of her energy creating the spell.


    Thud.


    Dropping to the ground, she started to breathe heavily. I was doing better than her, taking a few breaths before recovering and standing up.


    Bang!


    Amid the tension, the mirror trembled, sending out a loud, echoing bang that reverberated


    through the voice.


    "Get back here!?"


    What followed after was Julien''s hoarse and crazed voice.


    ".... You useless bitch, get me out of here! Give me my fucking body back!"


    Bang, bang-!


    "Give it back!! It''s mine! It''s mine...!!"


    Bang!


    Evelyn made an effort to ignore his screams and looked at me.


    "Haa... I don''t know for... haa... how long the spell willst. Your best... haa.. bet is to find the artifact and deal with the situation. I''m at my limit with this."


    "...Yeah, I figured."


    I was already thinking of a way to talk to Kiera about the mirror. Did she know where it was?


    Even if she did, would she lend it to me?


    I pursed my lips. I was honestly unsure if she would but what other choice did I have?


    Looking at the mirror and the cracks that formed all around it, I knew that I couldn''t waste time hesitating over the matter. I had to find Kiera and figure out a way to get her to give me


    the mirror and help me.


    ''But for now, I need to get out of here.''


    The ce was already feeling too stuffy for me.


    Bang!


    "Where do you think you''re going?!"


    Sensing that we were preparing to leave, Julien grew increasingly frantic. He began pounding


    on the mirror with greater intensity, his voice turning more hoarse with each desperate shout.


    "Stop!"


    The desperation was palpable in his voice.


    Bang, bang-


    I moved my gaze away from him and looked towards the barrier that Evelyn had set up around


    the mirror.


    "You said it won''tst for long, but dod you have a specific amount of time?"


    "....No."


    Evelyn shook her head with aplicated expression.


    "It couldst an hour, maybe two. Or it could stop him for only a few minutes. If it were a spell


    sealing him, I could reinforce it, but as things are, once he''s out of the mirror, he''ll be able to break through the barrier quickly-if he knows how. That''s why I can''t put an estimate to it."


    "I see."


    So we needed to hurry up and find Kiera.


    "Understood."


    I felt an increased sense of urgency in the situation.


    Without any further dy, I stretched my hand forward and Evelyn grasped it.


    Bang, Bang-


    "....Come back here! Are you listening to me!? Come back here!!!"


    Julien''s twisted and hoarse voice continued to echo in the background while a familiar


    sensation coursed through my body, making every muscle in my body tingle. Before I know it,


    my eyes red open and light entered my eyes.


    "Ugkh."


    "...Ooof."


    I struggled to adjust to the light as I squinted my eyes a couple of times. It was a little


    overwhelming after being surrounded by the darkness for so long.


    ''Did Julien live in such a world for so long...?''


    ....His desperation made sense.


    Not that it mattered much to me. He was a threat that I needed to deal with. I had no


    sympathy for him.


    "Are you going to find Kiera directly?"


    Overhearing Evelyn''s words, I nodded faintly.


    "Yes, although I don''t necessarily know where she is right now."


    Even though I didn''t know where she was, I didn''t think finding her would prove very difficult.


    My only problem was finding a way to convince her.


    "Okay, then."


    Evelyn still seemed a little shaken up by what she saw. Though she tried her best to keep


    herselfposed, she couldn''t hide the faint trembling of her shoulders and pale face.


    Reading the room, I nned to step away from her when all of a sudden, I felt the corner of


    my lips curl.


    ''Uh? What in th¡ª''


    "Nice..."


    My mouth opened on its own as my head turned to look around me.


    "....It''s so nice."


    ***


    "Still nothing?"


    Ten minutes had passed since Leon began searching for Julien and Evelyn, but despite


    checking severalmon areas, they still couldn''t find them.


    "....No, nothing. I can''t even find any trace of Kiera."


    Aoife''s brows were furrowed tightly as she scanned the surroundings.


    The situation felt a little odd to her.


    Where did Julien and Evelyn go? And what about Kiera? Weren''t the two of them supposed to


    meet here by now?


    ''Did something happen to the three of them?''


    No, that didn''t quite make sense. The security was extremely tight due to the Seven Church


    gathering.


    The chances of something happening to the three of them weren''t very big.


    ..... But it''s also not impossible.''


    It was after all an Academy.


    They were an educational institute. Their strength could hardly measure up to a powerful


    noble house.


    ''Still, if something did happen, I''m sure there would be a reaction by now. Since that''s the


    case then-''


    "Ah!"


    Overhearing the strange noise that came out of Leon''s mouth, Aoife turned her head to see him staring into a certain direction where two figures wereing.


    She blinked a couple of times before finally looking relieved.


    "They''re here."


    Although Aoife was still puzzled by how the two of them had disappeared together, given


    how strained their rtionship was, she felt relieved that her concerns had turned out to be


    unnecessary.


    No big problem had urred at the Academy.


    "Where have you two been? We''ve been looking for you all over the ce?"


    Aoife was the first one to approach.


    Leon stood behind her.


    "You were looking for us?"


    Evelyn looked surprised at first before turning her head to look at Leon.


    "We weren''t far from the ce you left us off. We went to look for you but you were gone."


    "That..."


    Leon scratched the back of his head.


    "I left only for a short moment. I came back but I couldn''t find you."


    "....Whatever."


    Evelyn shook her head before recalling something.


    "Right, do you guys know where Kiera is?"


    "Kiera?"


    Aoife looked a little surprised. However, she soon shook her head.


    "No, I''ve been looking for her as well. She seems to have disappeared after the mass."


    "She did?"


    Evelyn''s brows furrowed tightly as she mumbled, ''That''s a little troublesome...''


    Troublesome?


    "Why? Do you need something from her?"


    "Uh? Ah, no."


    Evelyn pointed her thumb back.


    "Not, me but him."


    It was then that Aoife shifted her attention to Julien who looked at her with a strange look. It


    was subtle, but enough to make her feel ufortable.


    ''Is it just me?''


    Evelyn didn''t seem to notice though.


    Dismissing his expression, Aoife asked him,


    "Is it urgent?"


    "....You can say so." Julien replied calmly, his eyes flickering slightly.


    "There''s something I have to do with her help."


    He turned his head toward Leon, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.


    "...Something that involves getting rid of an annoying pest."

 Chapter 415: Duality [3]

    Chapter 415: Duality [3]


    ?


    ''Veltrus, shaper of Earth and Sky, breath of life, the creator of all.''


    nk-


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    Kiera entered her dorm room. Her face was pale and her breathing was rough. Entering the room, she turned on the light and wabbled her way in.


    She felt dizzy, her vision swaying from side to side as if she were on a boat caught in the midst of a stormy sea.


    Kiera felt drunk and lost.


    || ||


    She didn''t say a word and simply scanned the room with her eyes.


    ''His presence is elusive, barely leaving his name etched in the canals of history. His blood begets fire but his fire rages on. From within his mes arise his creations.''


    A faint voice whispered in Kiera''s mind as she made her way toward her bed. Sweat poured down from her face as images shed across her mind.


    They were posters.


    Posters that the Cardinal himself held while pointing at them.


    ''It is not his blood that we seek, but his creations. The Chalice of collection...''


    Bang!


    Kiera shoved the bed to the side.


    "The Extractor of Containment.''


    Her eyes instantly locked onto one of the wooden nks beneath the bed. It was slightly looser than the others.


    She quickly loosened the nk further and moved it to the side, revealing a small ck box.


    Kiera trembled at the sight of the box.


    ...It had been a while since she hadst seen it.


    ''Oracle''s Eye.''


    || ||


    Reaching out for the box, Kiera''s hand started to tremble.


    The Cardinal''s words echoed once more in her mind as she carefully lifted the lid of the box. ''... Andstly, the Astral Mirror.''


    Click!


    "These are the four holy relics of creation. Veltrus''s masterpieces and the key to stopping the expansion of the Mirror Dimension.''


    Nestled within a fold of red cloth, a simple, cracked mirrory inside the box. It seemed ordinary at first nce, yet...


    "It''s the same."


    It was the same as the image within one of the posters the Cardinal disyed during the


    mass.


    "A-Ah."


    ....It was only now that it fully dawned on her.


    The reason for her aunt''s obsession with the mirror and why she would even go as far as kill her mother for it.


    Kiera knew it was important, but...


    She didn''t know it was one of the four holy relics of Veltrus.


    The Astral Mirror.


    ***


    ''So this is how the outside world looks like....''


    Julien blinked his eyes and calmly observed his surroundings. Although there were many things that he wanted to do, he kept his cool and looked at Leon.


    ''... Is this how he normally looks like when someone isn''t putting him in his ce?''


    Leon... How could he describe him?


    He looked different than how he knew him. He looked rxed, and there was no tension on his face.


    ....He looked so different than the Leon he was ustomed to.


    This didn''t sit well with Julien.


    How could a knight of his look like this? Who would he intimidate like this? And how would a rxed knight even protect him?


    ''This won''t do. I''ll have to fix him back into shape soon.''


    But there was a time and ce for everything. Julien held himself back knowing that this wasn''t the right time for him to do so.


    He first needed to get used to his body again.


    "So, are you going to look for Kiera?"


    Turning his head, Julien looked at Evelyn. His lips twitched, forcing whatever words he was about to shout at her down.


    He didn''t quite know who Kiera was, however, he had been paying attention to the conversation before.


    ''Mirror...''


    She was the one in possession of the special relic that sealed him into that space.


    Clench.


    Julien secretly balled his fists.


    ''So long as I get my hands on that Mirror I''ll be able to reverse the situation.''


    It would only be when he was sure he had full control of his body again and got rid of the pest


    that he would finally reveal himself.


    Before then...


    "Yes, I''ll try to look for her."


    Julien held himself back.


    ***


    ||


    11


    Faint cracks emerged in my vision, stretching across the mirror that stood in front of me,


    reflecting the endless darkness that surrounded the space.


    "....It really is dark around here."


    Not only was it dark but it was also quiet.


    Eerily so.


    At least, that was until a certain voice echoed in my ears.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Why did you let yourself be taken over."


    A pair of deep yellow eyes gazed in my direction. Blending into the darkness, Pebble looked


    up at me from the ground.


    "If you had asked for my help, I would''ve been able to help you."


    "I know."


    Pebble didn''t need to remind me of this.


    I had willingly chosen to let myself be taken over. Although I still hadn''t tried it yet, I was


    confident in taking the body back anytime that I wanted.


    ....The resistive force that was ced on me wasn''t very powerful.


    With the aid of Pebble, I was confident in getting out whenever I wanted.


    It was from the moment that I realized this that I willingly let myself be taken over. I wanted


    to find some time to properly study the ''seal'' that kept Julien in check.


    Perhaps I could find more clues about my situation by looking into it...


    Like for example who had been the one to seal Julien? I had previously thought I had simply


    taken over Julien''s body, but that no longer appeared to be the case.


    Someone purposely sealed the old Julien before allowing me to take over.


    The idea made my heart race.


    ''Who? Just who did this?''


    The truth felt closer than ever, yet remained just out of reach. There was something that I was


    missing.


    A clue that would give me an idea of the one responsible for all of this.


    "Are you not worried about what will happen now that someone else is controlling the


    body?"


    "....Um?"


    Pebble seemed genuinely curious when asking this.


    It really did look like Pebble was worried about what my body would do now that I was no


    longer controlling it.


    The concern made me smile a little.


    "You don''t have to worry too much."


    "Why?"


    "....Do you know how long it took for Leon to figure out that I wasn''t the real Julien?"


    "No?"


    "Pretty much within a few moments. It was right after I took the entrance examination. All he


    did was look at me before pointing his sword at me."


    "He pointed his sword at you?"


    "Oh, yeah. He almost tried to kill me."


    I could still vividly recall the cold expression he had back then as if he was ready to devour me


    whole. I was somehow able to bullshit my way into him thinking that I was stronger than


    him.


    Which I now was...


    Still, it was the fact that he noticed immediately that set me at ease.


    If he could figure it out back then, I was certain he could do it now. As long as he was there, I


    had no reason to worry about what was happening in the outside world.


    || ||


    Pebble looked slightly puzzled by what I had shared, but there was no time to linger on the


    past.


    Looking around, I stretched my hands.


    "We don''t have much time. Let''s figure out if there''s anything worth learning. In the


    meantime, contact Owl-Mighty and tell it to go to Leon."


    "....Eh?"


    Pebble blinked its eyes in confusion, opening its mouth to mumble, ''But didn''t you say that


    he would figure it out...?''


    "I did, I did."


    "Then...?" "Have you seen his face?"


    "Leon''s?"


    "Yes."


    "What''s the first thing thates to your mind when you see it?"


    "That it looks stupi-ah."


    Realization dawned on Pebble, and I smirked.


    "See?"


    "Okay."


    Without asking anything further, Pebble closed its eyes and connected with Owl-Mighty.


    "Ah, wait."


    It was right when Pebble was about to make contact with Owl-Mighty that I recalled


    something and stopped him.


    "There''s something else that I need you to tell Owl-Mighty."


    "....Something else?"


    "Tell Owl-Mighty to pretend it doesn''t know me."


    "What are you nning?"


    Pebble frowned, clearly curious about what I nned on doing.


    "Just do that for now."


    I just smiled and turned my attention to the mirror in front of me, slowly reaching out to


    touch its surface with the palm of my hand.


    "Perhaps..."


    The instant my hand met the mirror, a cool sensation washed over my mind, sending a shiver


    down my spine.


    "...I might not have to use the Mirror to take care of this situation."


    And my world shifted.


    ***


    nk-


    Julien entered the room that was supposed to belong to him. While he was unfamiliar with his


    surroundings, it didn''t take a genius to understand how the Academy was structured. Additionally, he had a basic understanding of his body''s actions while he remained trapped in


    the mirror. Though he didn''t know the situation perfectly, he had time.


    But first things first.


    "....He hasn''t been cking off."


    Julien balled his fists and then rxed them, sensing the untamed power pulsing within him.


    It was unlike anything he had ever had before. If he wanted to, Julien felt like he could shatter


    the table with just a light tap. "Not bad, not bad..."


    His lips curled into a nasty smile.


    "This is a lot better than I thought. Hahaha."


    Laughing quietly, Julien shifted his attention towards the main desk where he spotted several


    books and newspapers. He calmly walked towards the table and picked up one of the papers.


    "The Rise of the Twin Stars of the Evenus Household."


    The Twin Stars...?


    ''It doesn''t sound too bad.''


    Julien frowned as he stared at the paper, which disyed an image of him and Leon engaged


    in battle on a grand stage.


    The image contained colors, and there he could see Leon''s eyes which had turnedpletely


    ck while his had turned yellow.


    "Yellow?"


    Julien''s frown deepened and he hurriedly turned to face the nearest mirror. He was relieved to


    see that his eyes were normal. "....Why are my eyes yellow?"


    Suddenly, Julien grew curious. Why were his eyes yellow? Was it some sort of skill? Picking up


    the paper, Julien went through it. It took him no longer than a few minutes of reading to


    finally grasp why his eyes had turned yellow.


    "Concept?"


    This wasn''t the first time he had heard such a term.


    He had heard it before, but wasn''t it something that was supposed to happen once one was


    about to create a domain?


    "Could it be?"


    Julien''s eyes widened in realization as he felt his heart speed up.


    Just as he was about to test the Concept, a cold breeze swept into the room from behind him.


    Frowning, Julien turned around and spotted a figure standing by the window.


    "...!"


    His entire body froze at the sight of her.


    Every hair on his body stood on end as his breath caught in his throat.


    ''Who...?''


    Julien inwardly mumbled, feeling the muscles in his body grow stiff. ''... Who in the world is this?''

 Chapter 416: Obsession [1]

    Chapter 416: Obsession [1]


    ?


    Every hair on Julien''s body stood on end.


    The moment Julien saw the figure standing before her, he was left breathless. Not only


    because her looks eclipsed that of anyone he had ever seen before, but because her presence felt overwhelming.


    He tried to find his voice, but a heavy weight bore down on him, leaving him momentarily paralyzed.


    Julien could only remain silent while she stared at him from the other side of the room.


    ''What does she want? ...Did she figure something out? How can that be?''


    All sorts of thoughts ran through Julien''s mind as sweat poured from the side of his face. He had purposely kept the conversation short with the others in order to not arouse any suspicion.


    Was even that not enough?


    "Do you have it?"


    Her voice, soft and crisp, filled the room.


    Julien could feel the sweat trickling down his back as he processed her words. Have it? Have what...?


    Still, the fact that she didn''t downright say anything about him meant that she might have not figured anything out.


    "That''s good. That''s good.''


    Julien felt a flicker of relief as he gathered himself.


    Lifting his chin to meet her gaze, he shook his head.


    "I don''t."


    "....You don''t?"


    A strange tension suddenly plunged the entire room.


    ''Eh?''


    This took Julien aback.


    ''Crap, did I answer wrong?''


    His chest felt heavy once more. In spite of all of this, he managed to keep himselfposed.


    ...This was despite his legs feeling like jelly.


    Julien had no other choice but to keep himselfposed.


    "I see."


    Delh lowered her head, her voice softening.


    The tension that lingered across the room vanished, leaving Julien confused.


    ''Is it me or does she look disappointed?''


    He blinked his eyes to make sure he wasn''t seeing things. However, taking note of her slightly dropping shoulders and expression, he realized that she really did seem disappointed.


    But why?


    What could make her so disappointed?


    ''Did that bastard have some sort of important task that he needed to do for her?''


    Julien didn''t feel good about the situation. Her reaction only made things a lot more troublesome for him.


    ''But I have to say, she really does look pretty...''


    He had noticed it before, but now that she seemed less imposing, Julien found himself drawn to her appearance in a way he couldn''t ignore.


    From her flowing ck hair and striking eyes to her perfectly symmetrical features, she resembled a being from another world, her beauty so wless it felt almost otherworldly.


    It made Julien feel a little tingly.


    ''....She''s even better looking than Evelyn.''


    He started to feel tempted.


    It was unfortunate that she was too strong for him to tame.


    Perhaps in the future...


    "Do you need anything else?"


    But such thoughts were only for the future. For now, Julien needed to take care of a few important things like getting adjusted to his body again.


    "Hm...?"


    Delh blinked her eyes, probably surprised by the question as she mumbled, ''Do I need anything else? No, probably not...''


    "Then why are you still here?''


    Julien frowned but held his words back.


    Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, he shifted his attention back toward the newspaper and books on the table.


    ''Concept.''


    He once again started to think about the words written on the paper.


    ''....I should be capable of it as well, right?''


    From the newspaper, he was a tier 4 mage, on the verge of reaching tier 5. Though Julien didn''t fully grasp the depth of his newfound abilities, he felt confident he could wield them¡ª especially this intriguing ''Concept'' that the ''parasite'' disyed with his body.


    ''But how exactly do I-''


    Julien''s thoughts came to a halt as he sensed a presence next to him.


    ''She''s still here?''


    His muscles tightened as he slowly turned his head, finding her face just inches from his, her eyes fixed on the paper he had been studying.


    ''...Wow.''


    Once again, Julien found himself captivated by her presence. His heart suddenly raced, and his mouth went dry all at once.


    Licking his lips, he lowered his head to see her fair hand moving across the papers and books.


    Seeing howfortable she seemed next to him, a thought crossed his mind.


    ''Is it possible that the rtionship between the parasite and her isn''t'' normal?''


    The thought made his heart skip a beat. All sorts of thoughts ran through his mind as the


    edges of his lips gently curled up.


    He suddenly felt the need to test his theory.


    Julien subtly shifted his gaze to her hand, feigning an attempt to reach for the same paper she


    held.


    He did so in a casual manner, enough to make his hand brush with hers.


    His thoughts were simple. If someone like her was fine with-


    "Don''t touch me."


    A cold voice suddenly echoed across the room, paralyzing Julien on the spot. Stiffly turning


    his head, a pair of obsidian ck eyes stared directly at him.


    "Ah."


    Julien felt the air around him vanish, leaving him breathless, unable to form a single word.


    On the other hand, Delh''s gaze seemed cold. Touching the edge of her hand, she frowned


    while looking at him.


    Julien just barely managed to force a few words out,


    "It was an ident."


    "....Hm."


    Delh merely nodded, taking a step away from him.


    She appeared a little different than before. Her expression was colder and in general, she


    looked a lot more distant.


    ''So I was wrong.''


    Her reaction told Julien all that he needed to know.


    And this made Julien happy.


    After all, this meant that he could tame her himself.


    Julien secretly licked his lips.


    ''One day...'' Holding his impulses back, Julien''s face rxed. Turning his head to face the mysteriousdy,


    he was suddenly surprised to see that she was gone.


    "Eh?"


    As though she was a ghost, she vanished from his sight.


    The sight left him confused, however, he was quick to rpose himself. Although he didn''t


    know where she was, there was a chance that she was secretly observing him from the dark.


    He couldn''t allow his mask to slip just yet.


    Not yet...


    "Concept."


    He mumbled quietly, taking a seat on the chair next to the table. Opening up a book rted to


    it, he flipped through the pages.


    "Let''s see..."


    How exactly can I use it?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Fwap-


    "........!"


    Julien was suddenly startled by the pping sound of wings. Turning his head, a pair of deep


    eyes met his sight.


    ....Julien felt his entire body grow cold at the sight of those cold eyes.


    Before he could get his words out, the Owl spoke.


    "I''vepleted my mission, master."


    ***


    Delh stood in silence in her office. Her expression was stiff while she stared at the palm of


    her hand.


    || ||


    Staring at it, her brows tightly knit together.


    The feeling of repulsion still lingered in her mind. It hadn''t been the first time for her to feel


    like this in the past, but this was the first time she felt like this with Julien.


    He never really made her feel repulsed in the past.


    In fact, it was the opposite.


    She wanted to...


    So why now?


    ''Because he didn''t have chocte?''


    No, this wasn''t the first time he didn''t give her chocte. It had happened before and she


    never really felt anything about it.


    Disappointed at most.


    ...So what suddenly made her feel so repulsed?


    Delh thought about it for a few more minutes before eventually settling for an answer.


    "Eyes."


    Yes, his eyes felt different.


    ...They no longer felt the same.


    Why?


    Delh blinked her eyes, unable to understand the sudden change. Unfortunately, she didn''t have too much time to dwell on the matter as hermunication


    device vibrated.


    Btzz-


    "...Hm?"


    Staring at the message, her expression changed and she disappeared from the spot.


    ***


    "This is not what I expected."


    As soon as my vision cleared, I was taken aback by the sight that greeted me. It was a familiar


    estate that I had been to not too long ago. It stood within the void, quiet and devoid of any


    life.


    ".... Isn''t this the same ce your family owns?"


    "It is."


    I faintly nodded my head, ncing at the estate before me. It was a replica of what I had seen


    when I had been there.


    It almost made me feel like I was back except for the fact that there was no sky.


    Everything was still surrounded in ck.


    "Let''s go in."


    Licking my lips, I decided to head into the building. Although I was confident in Leon figuring


    something out while I was inside of this world, there was no actual guarantee he would notice


    a thing.


    That was the worst-case scenario.


    ...Fortunately, I had backup ns. Nheless, I still didn''t have much time to spare


    considering that someone had the quest that was currently ongoing.


    The current Julien stood no chance against a Tier 4 opponent.


    He would die the moment he met him.


    "Hm?"


    As I entered the estate, the first thing that caught my attention was the open doors leading to


    the backyard. Beyond them, I could see the training grounds in the distance. What truly captured my attention were the numerous swords scattered across the ground.


    There were many of them, and as I approached the backyard, I noticed dried blood sttered


    across the ground. It was everywhere.


    "What in the..."


    I crouched down to pick up one of the swords, and my surprise deepened when I noticed how


    worn the hilt had be as if it had been gripped countless times.


    ''Don''t tell me he has been practicing the sword all this time...''


    Was his obsession with the sword that intense?


    But why...?


    Why was he so obsessed with the sword?


    "....How powerful is the Inverted Sky to manipte him to this extent?"


    It did dawn on me that the young Julien had been manipted into bing obsessed with


    the sword, but I didn''t expect it to be to this extent.


    Even when he hadpletely lost his physical form, he continued to train with the sword.


    From the dried blood on the ground to the many worn-out swords strewn about, it felt as if


    all he did was practice with the sword.


    This didn''t feel natural.


    "This feels like the work of an extremely powerful Emotive Mage."


    Only someone like that could instill such a profound obsession in another person.


    But who? Who exactl-


    "I found something."


    Pebble''s voice broke me out of my thoughts.


    Lifting my head, Pebble stood in the distance holding onto a strange rectangr ck object.


    From the distance, it looked like a strange device, but the moment I moved closer to it and


    took a good look at it, my entire body grew stiff.


    "This.."


    I reached out for the device, grasping it in my hands.


    As I felt the cool metal in my hand, a slight tremor ran through my fingers when I tapped the


    screen, which lit up momentster, revealing a home screen that was both familiar and


    strange.


    "H-ha."


    I took a deep breath to calm my mind.


    I tried to, but my breath betrayed me. "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    It was no use.


    ....I couldn''t calm myself down.


    From the familiar model to the same background, and apps.


    This phone...


    It was the same one I had back before dying.

 Chapter 417: Obsession [2]

    Chapter 417: Obsession [2]


    ?


    "Haa."


    I took a deep and steady breath to calm my trembling mind. The shock from the situation settled down rather quickly as I analyzed the situation calmly.


    "This is without a doubt my phone.''


    From the model to the wallpaper-A simple white background with a quote in the middle that read; "Efforts Never Betray you."


    It was a quote that came from a book I particrly liked.


    "Do you know what this is?"


    Unknowingly, Pebble had climbed over my shoulder and looked down at the phone in my hand with a curious look.


    "....It''s strange. So bright."


    Pebble reached out to touch the screen with its paw.


    "!"


    It disyed a surprised expression the moment it noticed the screen change with just the touch of its paw.


    "It changed. How peculiar..."


    "Right."


    I waved Pebble''s paw away from the screen and started to fiddle with it.


    ''Why is my phone here? And why would Julien of all people have it?''


    .... No, before any of that.


    I tapped onto the screen again and pressed on the images app.


    Would my old photos be there?


    I wanted to see them.


    ''Password?''


    A keypad appeared right after clicking the app. I was surprised, considering that I had never ced such a restriction on my phone before.


    ...And since I hadn''t done this before, I didn''t know what sort of password I needed to input. ''This...''


    Frowning, I stared nkly at the number pad for a few seconds. Then, after a little bit of thought, I decided to try something.


    I wasn''t certain if it would work, but since this was the keycode I typically used when needed, I hoped it would do the trick.


    Click!


    And it did.


    || ||


    As the screen unlocked, granting me ess to the phone, I felt a brief moment of disorientation, unsure of what to do next.


    As I scrolled through the pictures I hadn''t seen in so long, my lips began to tremble. "Haha."


    I tried my best to keep myselfposed, but couldn''t.


    From the familiar yet distant face to the work documents I hadn''t looked at in ages, and then... my brother''s face appeared.


    He looked nothing like me-his soft brown hair a stark contrast to my dark ones, and his face carried a gentleness that mine never did, nowhere near as intimidating.


    "...H-haha."


    Why did my chest hurt?


    I squeezed my cheeks and shook my head.


    Then, shifting my attention to one of the videos, I clicked on it.


    -Are you recording?


    A familiar voice reached my ears.


    It was one that I hadn''t heard in such a long time.


    ".....


    I pressed my lips tightly to stop the trembling.


    -I... am.


    -Good.


    The video was dark.


    However, I could still distinctly recall the scene.


    A few mes lit up within the darkness, revealing a small cake resting between two hands beneath it.


    -Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to Emmet. Happy birthday to you...


    A song followed right after.


    I almost lost myself in the sight, imagining myself in the situation.


    My chest squeezed.


    -What are you doing? Why aren''t you blowing the candles?


    -Ah, right.


    I thought about blowing but stopped myself.


    I didn''t want to blow it.


    ...Blowing it would mean I wouldn''t see him again.


    I...


    -Hooo!


    "Ah, no."


    Darkness plunged the phone, and the video ended.


    All that was left was a dark screen.


    I bit my lips, scrolling up to look at the next video.


    -Good evening everyone-teachers, parents, friends, and most importantly, my fellow ssmates.


    "Haha."


    I looked to my right, toward Pebble while pointing at the screen.


    "This... Look at this."


    Pebble remained quiet.


    I didn''t really care and continued.


    "This was his high school graduation speech. Look at him. He was all nervous about making a


    speech just before. Haha."


    He had made me practice the speech over and over again. He kept going on about forgetting


    his lines, saying stuff like, ''I don''t remember the lines. I think I forgot them. Help me! I''m


    going to die!''


    "H-ha."


    It suddenly started to be difficult to breathe.


    ....Pursing my lips, I shook my head.


    The video had ended. I couldn''t get enough.


    I wanted to see more.


    And so I did.


    -Stop recording me! Why are you recording me?


    -Mary is a littlemb~ Mary is a littlemb~


    -Here, here. Listen to this joke.


    -Look at that cow!


    -This is too bitter! Arkh!


    "H-hah."


    The more I watched, the more suffocated I felt.


    I couldn''t breathe.


    I wanted to, but couldn''t.


    It was as if the videos were stripping me away from my breath.


    "Ah, shit."


    And yet...


    I couldn''t stop myself from watching them.


    -I want that. Can you get me that?


    Something warm trickled down the side of my cheek, slowly tracing a path down my skin.


    My eyes started to sting.


    Probably because I was forgetting to blink.


    But I didn''t want to blink. It... had just been so long.


    -I''m scared.


    I suddenly paused at one of the videos.


    ''Why don''t I remember this one?''


    Noel''s face was pale, and he sat on the opposite side of a wooden table.


    -Why did you have to leave?


    "Ha?"


    No, that''s...


    -What am I supposed to do brother?


    His voice was frail.


    Weak, almost.


    I could hardly recognize it.


    Taking a closer look, his face was also pale, and his cheeks were sunken.


    "W-what? What? Why is he...?"


    -W-hy did you leave me brother? I...


    Tears streamed down Noel''s face as he hugged his face with his arms.


    -...I can''t live like this anymore.


    No, what...


    -I want to die.


    I lost my breath.


    I was suddenly reminded of a certain vision in the past.


    It couldn''t be that...?


    -But I can''t die.


    "Uh?"


    I looked towards the screen.


    There, Noel took out a knife.


    "Ah!"


    I almost jumped out with fright. However, before I could even do a thing, he stabbed himself


    in the neck.


    -Spurt! ".....!!!"


    The very words that I was about to scream never left my mouth. I felt entirely stripped of my breath as I stood up abruptly.


    My entire body felt weak, my teeth chattering as I stared at the gruesome sight disyed on


    the screen.


    Noel, he...


    -...I can''t die.


    "H-hu? What?"


    I looked at the screen.


    Extending his hand, Noel retrieved the knife from his neck.


    -Spurt!


    He then stabbed himself again.


    "Ha!"


    My eyes widened at the sight.


    -Spurt!


    But he didn''t stop.


    -Spurt! Spurt!


    He stabbed himself repeatedly, blood sttering across the screen as I shook my head in


    disbelief.


    No, what, stop...


    The words just refused to leave my mouth.


    -Ahhhh!!


    A scream echoed across the screen as Noel''s eyes turned bloodshot.


    -Die! Fucking die...! Die! Let me fucking die!!!


    He continued to stab himself.


    My arms shook, the weight of the phone growing heavier by the second. It felt like it was


    slipping from my grasp, sinking lower and lower as I fought to hold on.


    -Die!


    "A-ha."


    Noel''s rampage didn''t stop. He continued to stab himself while blood sttered all over him


    and the screen.


    My chest squeezed tightly.


    But I couldn''t do a thing.


    I was stuck, watching all of it unfold before my very eyes.


    I didn''t want to look, yet I couldn''t tear my eyes away from the scene before me. In particr,


    his wounds which were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    "T-that..."


    -D-damn it, Damn it...


    Dropping the knife, Noel covered his face with both of his hands. His body trembled while he


    started to sob.


    -...I can''t keep this up.


    I know.


    -I want to die, but I cannot die.


    My lips shook.


    -Y-you told me, you would save me.


    I... what?


    -You told me, you would look for me.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Look for you?


    ¡ª....I did everything you asked me to do. I yed along. I showed you the game like you told me to. I...


    had Camille make the artifacts like you told me to. I....


    Noel''s eyes flicked to face the camera, his eyes turningpletely bloodshot.


    -Fucking did everything you told me to do!!!


    Wait, wait, wait, wait...


    -Where the fuck are you!? Ah!? You told me you would save me! Where are you!? I can''t keep doing


    this anymore!


    Noel''s scream reverberated loudly.


    It pierced through the screen, reaching me directly.


    -...You lied! You lied to me! You aren''ting to save me. If you did, you would''ve done so before! But


    you didn''t! And yet... And yet...


    Noel suddenly bit his lips, his screams lowering as his chest trembled, his voice growing


    hoarse.


    -Why do I keep doing what you tell me to do?


    Drip!


    A warm streak ran down Noel''s eyes as he retrieved a small mirror.


    Moving towards the phone, he picked it up and inched his face closer to it.


    His face was now stained with tears.


    ¡ª....I don''t understand. You never tell me anything. Y-you told me this was for me. For me, but... I''m


    miserable. Come back.


    Biting his lips, Noel''s voice trembled.


    -...I may not be able to d-die, but I can still feel pain. H-ha.


    Noel swallowed hard.


    -When they take my blood. I feel it. I''m like a tool for them. A tool to keep them alive... You said you


    would save me from them. Pl-lease hurry. I... can''t do this anymore.


    I stood frozen, gazing at the video as I tried to process Noel''s words.


    My mind was nk, but at the same time, several pieces started to fall together.


    -...I don''t know why you want me to record this video and put the phone inside the Astral Mirror, but


    I''ll do it. What other choice do I have? I''m stuck, and you''re gone... J-just..


    Blood began to seep from Noel''s lips as he bit down too hard. -Don''t forget your promise. Y-you need toe save me. I can''t hold much longer. Brother.


    Noel took onest look at the mirror before it fell down and the screen turned ck.


    ||||


    A still silence took over the space as the video came to an end.


    "Hey."


    Pebble''s voice reached me from the right, but I couldn''t pay attention.


    As my lips trembled, realization dawned on me.


    "The reason why I''m here, into this world, and the one behind everything that is happening to me is...


    me.''


    Oracleus.


    The one who sees the past present and future.


    I had seen it all back then. ...Everything that I was doing, was for Noel.


    To keep the promise.


    To save him.


    || ||


    My mind nked, and I lowered to stare at the phone.


    It all suddenly started to make sense to me.


    ''I don''t know why you want me to record this video and put the phone inside the Astral Mirror, but I''ll


    do it.''


    Noel''s words echoed in my mind once more.


    I understood now.


    "I..."


    The phone turned off.


    "...Wanted my current self to see it. To make me understand."


    I knew...


    I had nned.


    I...


    ....had seen.


    -The Seer.

 Chapter 418: Obsession [3]

    Chapter 418: Obsession [3]


    ?


    My mind suddenly felt clear.


    11


    ||


    Rather than being shocked, surprised, or overwhelmed by the realization, I only felt a strange rity wash over my mind.


    It was strange, but it almost felt like everything was falling into ce.


    ''So this is how it is...''


    I closed my eyes and took a small breath.


    "There''s still a lot of things that don''t make sense, but I''m sure I''ll understand soon enough.''


    I nced at the phone in my hand. I felt tempted to rey the video, but thinking back to how gruesome it was, I decided against it.


    ...The message was already clear to me.


    What I truly wanted to know was where Noel was.


    He was still alive, I was sure of it. Somewhere out there, he was waiting for me to save him. But from what?


    ''He did say ''they''.''


    Could he be referring to the other ''Gods''?


    "Hmm."


    The more I thought about the situation, the moreplex it seemed to me. I just didn''t have enough information to figure it out.


    But that was fine.


    ...I was clearly not yet ready to hear everything.


    "Hoo."


    I took another deep breath and switched off the phone.


    As I did, I felt a pair of eyes staring at me from my right side. I turned to see Pebble looking at me with an intense look.


    "....You have a lot of secrets, human."


    I smiled.


    "I know."


    A lot of the secrets were some that I only just came to learn about. There were plenty more that I still needed to unearth.


    However, the picture started to form inside my mind.


    I could see the light at the end of the long and dark tunnel.


    Just a little bit more...


    ....Just a little bit more before I figured everything out.


    "Yeah, just a little bit more."


    Brushing my hair back, I put the phone away and picked up one of the worn-out swords scattered across the ground.


    Swoosh! Swoosh-


    They felt rather light.


    I swung it a few more times before casually ncing at Pebble''s way.


    "How is the situation with Owl-Mighty going?"


    "....He has made contact with the target."


    "Mhm, perfect."


    I nodded and swung the sword a few more times.


    "I guess I have to wait now."


    Swoosh! Swoosh-


    It was almost time.


    Almost time for me to take my body back.


    ***


    || || "....


    Julien swallowed nervously as he gazed at the Owl before him. Although it appeared to be an ordinary owl, he felt a heavy pressure emanating from it. The intensity of its stare left him feeling paralyzed.


    He was only able toe to himself after hearing its words.


    ''Master...?''


    Was it just him or did the Owl just call him...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Master, are you okay?"


    "Hm? Ah. I am."


    Julien hurriedly put on a facade and nodded faintly.


    "....I was busy studying this."


    He casually pointed at the book he was reading. The one about ''Concepts''.


    "Oh."


    The Owl gave the paper a brief, uninterested nce before perching itself calmly on the wooden desk.


    "I havepleted the mission that you have asked me toplete."


    Mission?


    Julien held his question back and just nodded.


    "Report to me on it."


    "Yes."


    Owl-Mighty nodded curtly, almost acting like a butler. The sight of the bird''spliance brought a thin smirk over Julien''s lips.


    ''....I wonder how that parasite managed to get a servant like this? The bird looks quite useful.''


    "The target remains inside the Church of Clora. I''ve observed him watching Caius on multiple asions, but he hasn''t made a move yet. I suspect he might take action soon."


    Caius?


    ''Who is Caius?''


    ...And who exactly was targeting him?


    Julien felt his head throb a little at the sudden piece of information but kept his face straight.


    "I see."


    "...Have you gotten a look at his strength?"


    "Yes, it''s as reported. Tier 4."


    "Tier 4?"


    Wasn''t that the same as his current body?


    Julien suddenly felt his body twitch. He... wanted to see the capabilities of his new body.


    Could he deal with a tier 4? Surely he could...


    ''No, not yet.''


    Just barely, Julien managed to hold himself back.


    He needed to figure out this entire ''Concept'' system before testing his powers through real


    combat.


    "Yes, the target is Tier 4. For now, their only target is Caius. They have yet to show any


    interest towards you, master."


    "Me?"


    Julien blinked his eyes, hisposure faltering slightly.


    However, Julien was quick to rpose himself as he nodded himself.


    ''I see, so I''m also one of the targets.''


    The itch Julien previously felt intensified.


    He found himself slowly clenching his fists.


    Yet again, he had to force himself to calm down.


    Not yet...


    "Is there anything else?"


    "No."


    The Owl replied.


    "This is all for now."


    "Mhm, I understand. You may go."


    Julien pretended to be casual as he leaned back against the chair. He silently drummed his fist


    against the wooden table.


    He had half-expected the Owl to fly away, but to his surprise, it stayed, its eyes fixed on him


    with an unwavering intensity.


    The Owl''s gaze made Julien grow nervous.


    ''Did it figure something out?''


    "Why aren''t you leaving?"


    "...Leave?"


    The Owl blinked.


    "Where?"


    Where...?


    ''Does it not just leave once he''s done?''


    Julien frowned but kept his cool.


    "Yes, go and continue monitoring the target. Come back to me if you notice anything else."


    "Understood, master."


    The Owl spread its wings, preparing to take flight. Just before it left, it shot a brief, almost imperceptible nce at Julien''s hand. The gesture was subtle, but Julien caught it, lowering


    his gaze to where the Owl had directed its attention.


    ''Hm?''


    That was when he noticed an inconspicuous ck ring resting on his finger.


    ''A ring...?''


    Julien was surprised.


    He had already noticed the ring before but didn''t pay much attention to it since it looked like


    a regr ring.


    Could there be a secret to the ring he didn''t know about?


    Julien''s curiosity sparked, but before he could voice his question, the Owl had already


    disappeared, leaving him with only his thoughts and the lingering gaze on his hand.


    "Ah."


    Julien frowned in annoyance.


    He felt curious about the ring, but without properly knowing what it did, he didn''t want to


    carelessly test it.


    "I''ll worry about itter."


    There was something else he was more curious about.


    Tak-


    Rising from his seat, Julien calmly approached the in mirror mounted on the wall, his


    reflection staring back at him.


    Holding onto the book about ''Concepts'', Julien nced at his reflection while reciting,


    "There are three steps to forming a Domain: Intent, Concept, and Materialization. Intent is deeply personal, shaped by the bearer''s own experiences, and once formed, it cannot be


    altered."


    Pausing, Julien closed his eyes and thought back to the newspaper.


    ''An Emotional based Intent.''


    That''s how the newspaper described the parasite''s Intent-one that directly alters his


    physical attributes through the emotion he chooses to embody. Each shift in eye color signifies a distinct emotion, triggering corresponding changes in his body.


    Closing his eyes, Julien suddenly saw six orbs appear in his mind.


    ''Ah, I see them.'' Julien took a step forward, walking towards the six orbs that floated in front of him. Beneath


    them, he could see the different names belonging to each orb.


    Rage, Fear, Joy...


    Throb!


    They throbbed as he neared them.


    Julien felt his entire body tingle upon feeling the throb.


    He reached his hand towards the red orb.


    ''Rage''


    "A ''Concept,'' on the other hand, is the evolution and refinement of the Intent, transforming it


    into something more structured and adaptable, ultimately reaching the point where


    Materialization bes possible." The Orb throbbed once more.


    Julien felt his entire body quiver as the muscles beneath his skin squirmed and popped, power


    surging through him like a storm.


    "Haha."


    Julien started tough, feeling a euphoria from the sudden increase in strength.


    "Yes, this... Haha."


    Opening his eyes, Julien caught a glimpse of his eyes which were slowly turning red.


    The power in his body started to umte and as he clenched his fist, he almost felt like he


    shatter the wall with a simple tap. "Now this..."


    He looked down at his arms which were bulging.


    "....This is what I call power."


    Julienughed again and closed his eyes.


    He started to feel invincible. So much so that he suddenly had the itch to target the person


    whom the Owl was targeting.


    ''I wonder who would win between the two of us if we fought?''


    Seeing the six orbs that appeared in front of him, Julien prepared to fully integrate with the


    red orb that stood in front of him.


    He wanted to see just how powerful he would be once he fully integrated with it, and...


    Cr Crack!


    ...What would happen if he integrated with the other orbs?


    ''This is gra-''


    "Uh?"


    Julien let out a weird sound all of a sudden.


    As Julien stared at his outstretched hand, coated in a thick, viscous red liquid, his mind went


    nk, and he suddenly lost all control over his body.


    "Kh...!"


    The orbs before him suddenly throbbed and trembled. ''W-what?!''


    Julien was suddenly engulfed by a wave of pain as his chest constricted, and his muscles


    tightened.


    "Kha! Ukah!"


    The red coating on his hand began to shift, transforming into a deep purple hue, and Julien


    was abruptly engulfed by a wave of weakness. It felt as though every ounce of energy had been


    drained from his body.


    ''W-what is going on?''


    Panic started to spread over Julien''s mind the orbs around him shook.


    He looked at them in horror, watching as they all turned purple.


    ''A-Ah...''


    As Julien took a step back, the weakness gripping his body intensified, threatening to pull him


    down further.


    His chest burned and his mind shook.


    ''s eyes widened as he watched the orbs before him suddenly drop to the ground


    Ssh, ssh-


    The orbs burst upon hitting the ground, scattering droplets of purple liquid everywhere.


    Before Julien could react, the purple droplets began to wriggle, transforming into slender hands that emerged from the ground and reached out toward him.


    "T-that...! Ah!"


    Juline tried to move back, but the hands grasped his ankles tightly.


    He found himself unable to move.


    11


    ||


    Before he could do anything else, even more hands appeared, reaching out for his body, and


    pulling him down.


    "L-leave me alone! Ah...!"


    Julien attempted to move, but his body wouldn''t respond. More hands materialized, grasping


    for his shoulders, neck, and every exposed part of him. In an instant, he was engulfed by a


    mass of purple hands. He was stuck.


    He was...


    "Ah!"


    His eyes abruptly opened.


    Light returned to his eyes and his reflection appeared in front of him.


    That was when he saw it.


    His eyes...


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    They were purple.


    ...And from one of his eyes, several dozen purple hands emerged, wing desperately to


    escape. "T-this..."


    Julien''s mind nked at the scene.


    But soon, he realized what had happened.


    "...Intent."


    He had...


    Found his own intent.

 Chapter 419: Obsession [4]

    Chapter 419: Obsession [4]


    ?


    "Uekh!"


    Julien covered half of his face with his hand while he hunched over. Purple hands began to w out of his eye while a searing pain invaded his mind.


    The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt but the power that came along with the pain was something that Julien couldn''t get enough of.


    ''More... I want more...!''


    Julien raised his head to stare at his own reflection.


    His eyes...


    They were both purple and as hands wed out of his right eye, something sshed on the ground beneath him.


    It was a purple film that expanded with every second.


    ....The purple film slowly started to cover the ground around him, turning it into a dark purple hue.


    From the shifting purple film, twisted faces and wing hands emerged, screaming and grasping for anything within their reach.


    "H-ha... Ha."


    A strainedugh escaped Julien''s lips as he witnessed the sight with a strange smile on his face.


    ''More...! More!''


    Julien felt like he could cover every inch of the room.


    He had the sense that if he went through with it, he''d aplish something the parasite had never been able to reach.


    While the parasite had managed to develop a ''Concept,'' Julien felt he could progress to the Materialization stage.


    This was his body.


    ....His experience wasn''t inferior to an annoying parasite. The degree of control he had over it was also far greater than that parasite''s.


    His mind felt lucid and he started to feel invincible.


    It only made sense that he achieved better than the parasite.


    ''Right, it only makes sense I''m better.''


    Thud!


    Julien copsed to his knees, his back hunched as more and more hands wed their way out from his eye, each one pulling him further into agony.


    "Arkkh...!"


    Saliva flew out of his mouth as the purple film beneath him expanded further.


    "M-more! Arkh...!"


    His chest felt like exploding.


    The veins at the side of his head bulged while he lost his breath.


    He could hardly breathe.


    He felt suffocated.


    And yet...


    "Akh.. h-haha."


    He found joy in the pain and suffering.


    This was nothingpared to the suffering he had undergone within that world. The imprisonment he felt was just as suffocating if not worse.


    He poured all of that experience into whatever was developing before him.


    At this moment, for some strange reason, he felt like he could aplish anything. He didn''t know why but he took advantage of it.


    ''Yes, I want more...!''


    A crazed look shed across his face and the film expanded further, slowly inching towards the walls and moving up.


    Sweat poured down from the side of his face.


    "J-just a little. Just a..."


    Pftt!


    Julien quickly sped his hand over his mouth, feeling something warm and wet trickle through the gaps between his fingers.


    Drip! Drip..!


    ''Ah.''


    Looking down, Julien caught a glimpse of the red that stained the ground and the realization


    hit him.


    He... had reached his limits.


    "H-haha."


    Rather than being disheartened, he justughed.


    ''Yeah, this is good. This is good.''


    He closed his eyes.


    Julien felt it.


    ....He was close to reaching the ''Materialization'' stage.


    "This domain thing...."


    Heughed again,


    "...It''s a lot easier than I thought."


    Was he just that talented?


    No, it felt more than just talent.


    It felt more like an umtion of all his resentment and anger while trapped within that world, suddenly manifesting before his very eyes.


    With his body having reached the prerequisite to form a Domain, it all came flooding out at


    once.


    To Tok-


    A sudden knock on the door jolted Julien out of his thoughts. In spite of the pain that was currently invading his mind, Julien managed to help himself up and head for the door.


    To Tok-


    Whoever they were, they seemed relentless.


    "Coming,ing."


    Julien rubbed the back of his head while reaching out for the doorknob to open the door.


    nk!


    11


    "....."


    That was when a familiar figure appeared.


    "....Here."


    It was none other than Linus. He appeared to be holding onto a letter which he quickly handed


    to him. It had the family stamp on it, showing that it had been directly sent by the family


    head.


    "....Read this on your own. It''s important."


    Usually, letters were used when sharing confidential information. Otherwise,munication devices were the norm.


    The fact that it had been personally handed to him also showed just how important it was.


    Julien reached out for the letter and nced at it before looking back at Linus.


    He didn''t even look at him in the eyes.


    ''Scared...?''


    Taking a closer look, he could see Linus''s shoulders shaking. It almost gave off the impression


    that he was scared, but Julien could see no fear in his eyes.


    It was more like...


    ''He''s holding himself back.''


    Julien suddenly felt the corner of his lips pull.


    ''Isn''t that cute?''


    "Thank you."


    "...."


    Linus''s brows furrowed.


    He looked like he wanted to say something, but held himself back. Julien noticed this and


    cocked his head.


    "Is there something wrong?"


    "No, nothing."


    Linus took a deep breath to calm himself down. He forced a smile and raised his head to


    finally look at Julien.


    That was when their eyes met.


    "....H-ha."


    Julien observed Linus''s chest tremble the moment their eyes locked. He couldn''t miss the


    deep-seated hatred lurking in Linus''s gaze, visible even as his brows furrowed tighter.


    Julien continued,


    "Are you sure?"


    He innocently blinked his eyes and gestured for Linus toe in.


    "...It looks like you want to tell me something. Come on,e in."


    "No, I''m good."


    "I insist Linus. It''s been so long since-"


    "No, stop."


    "Oh,e on. We haven''t seen each other for so long. Why don''t youe in."


    "No."


    "I won''t take n-"


    "I said no!!"


    Linus suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing through the air and plunging


    the entire surroundings into an eerie silence.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    Linus''s chest rose and fell rapidly as he locked eyes with Julien. He shook his head in


    frustration, his expression tightening before he clenched his teeth.


    "You don''t listen, do you?"


    He took a step forward.


    "... You never have. Never did. And never will," Linus spat, his voice dripping with contempt.


    "I don''t know how you managed to fool the entire Academy into believing you''re some kind


    of prodigy worth praising, but I know the real you."


    He pointed his finger directly at Julien.


    "You''re a fucking scum. Whatever mask you''re wearing, that shit won''t fool me. I know what


    you''re capable of. I''ve seen it all!"


    Linus forcefully pointed at his temple.


    "You''re going to burn everything down. You''re a monster! You haven''t changed. You''re just acting like you have. I''ll rip that mask off you if it''s the-Uklh!"


    Before Linus could continue, a hand shot out and grabbed his face.


    "Urkh! Akh!"


    He struggled against the hold, but the grip was far too strong for him to break free.


    "Ho."


    Julien silentlyughed, his facade crumbling as he looked at Linus.


    "You''re right."


    A deep smile marred Julien''s features as his eyes turned purple.


    As Julien locked eyes with Linus, purple hands began to emerge from his right eye, wing


    their way out.


    "...I haven''t changed. I''m the same me."


    Laughing, Julien brought Linus''s face closer.


    "You came at the right time. I was in desperate search of someone to help me practice this


    new ''Concept'' thing."


    Linus''s eyes widened.


    However, before he could put up any resistance, his body grew limp.


    nk-


    He was shortly after pulled into the room, plunging the corridors of the dormitory into a


    strange silence.


    ...A silence that was shattered by the single sound of a step.


    Appearing at the far end of the corridor, Aoife held her mouth with her hand.


    "This..."


    What did she just see?


    ***


    "You''re saying that the current Julien is possessed?"


    "Yes."


    Leon eyed the peculiar Owl perched on the wooden bench beside him. After scanning his


    surroundings a couple of times to ensure no one was watching, he leaned in slightly and spoke


    again, his voice barely above a whisper.


    "....I already know this much."


    "?"


    The Owl looked confused.


    Its gaze seemed to say, ''You knew? How? I didn''t tell you?''


    Leon shook his head.


    The changes were quite obvious to him. Not only were his ''eyes'' different, but so was his


    general demenour. He tried a little too hard to be indifferent.


    However, despite his best attempts, he''d break on several asions.


    Julien wouldn''t do that.


    One of his greatest qualities was that he could maintain a poker face in any situation.


    Furthermore,


    ''... He couldn''t even tell I was speaking to him through my eyes.''


    Julien just nodded faintly at him.


    It was then that Leon understood everything. He thought about acting up on his suspicions


    but held himself back. He wanted to observe the situation better.


    And it wasn''t like he was one hundred percent sure his assumptions were correct.


    At least, that was until now.


    With the Owl telling him directly, Leon was sure of his previous hunch. Especially since he


    knew the Owl belonged to Julien.


    He..


    "Hoo"


    Leon took a deep breath and looked at the owl pitifully.


    "That sick monster.''


    The Owl cocked its head but Leon didn''t say anything else.


    ''Is that why my intuition was ring up so much?''


    He had more or less guessed this part. It was just that he didn''t think the situation was over


    just yet. There hadn''t been many times in the past where he had felt such a strong ''kick'' from


    his innate skill.


    Leon understood that this was merely the start.


    Something worse was going to happen, and he had to be ready for that.


    ''At least I now know what the source of the situation is.''


    Leon wasn''t quite sure how to feel about that.


    If his guesses were correct, the one who had taken over Julien''s body was probably the old


    Julien. It also started to make sense why he had asked to contact Evelyn privately. "They probably tried to find a way to solve the situation, but it evidently didn''t work or backfired.''


    Leon tapped his fingers rhythmically on the wooden bench, lost in thought. The deeper he delved into the situation, the more he felt a headacheing.


    He couldn''t necessarily ask for help considering how delicate the situation was. Furthermore, with the gathering of the Seven Churches still underway, everyone was being


    closely monitored by the academy staff.


    He couldn''t move carelessly.


    "What should I do? What should I¡ª" "Keep watch of him." "Hm?"


    Leon turned to face the Owl.


    Finding himself staring into its deep eyes, Leon paused momentarily.


    "Keep w¡ª"


    "Yes, he wants you to keep watch of him. Prevent him from doing anything stupid with the


    bod-"


    "Wait, wait."


    Leon held up his hand to stop the Owl.


    "Are you in contact with Julien?"


    "Yes."


    "Ah."


    Leon''s lips trembled for a brief moment. Collecting himself, he frowned.


    "Wait, that doesn''t make sense. How are you-"


    "It doesn''t matter how. Just know that I am. He told me to tell you this information."


    The Owl suddenly expanded its wings and pped them once, floating into the air.


    "....I have other things to do, human."


    "Wait!"


    Despite Leon''s effort to reach out to the Owl, he could do nothing but watch as it silently


    vanished from his sight.


    "Damn it."


    Leon cursed silently while holding onto his forehead.


    ''That Owl... It has definitely learned the wrong things from Julien.''


    He felt like strangling both.


    "Hoo."


    And just when he thought things couldn''t get any worse.


    "Hi."


    A pair of grey eyes appeared next to him.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 420: An unexpected gain [1]

    Chapter 420: An unexpected gain [1]


    ?


    A few moments prior.


    ''Where the hell did she go?''


    Aoife pursed her lips while climbing up the stairs of the dorms. She had been trying to look for Kiera the entire time, and this was the second time she had returned to the dorms.


    ''.... If she''s not back then I have no idea where she went.''


    The only other way she would get to meet Kiera would be if she waited for her at the Confessional hearing, but Aoife didn''t really have the time for that.


    She had to attend her own hearing.


    In any case...


    "She''s not far from my dorms. It sh¡ª


    "You don''t listen, do you?"


    A loud voice halted Aoife on the spot. It was an unfamiliar voice, and hearing it, she frowned.


    ''Is someone fighting in the dorms?''


    This put her in a little bit of an awkward spot.


    In order to get to her dorms, she needed to pass directly through the corridor where the voice came from. In fact, on this floor, other than Julien and a few others she knew, there shouldn''t be anyone else.


    So who exactly was screaming?


    "...You never have. Never did. And never will."


    The voice continued to shout, the venom and hatred palpable enough for Aoife to feel.


    "I don''t know how you managed to fool the entire Academy into believing you''re some kind of prodigy worth praising, but I know the real you."


    The real you...?


    Aoife suddenly felt extremely curious.


    ''No, I can''t do this."


    Her curiosity was starting to get the better of her. Aoife had to purse her lips tightly to suppress her curiosity.


    A couple of possibilities ran down her mind.


    In particr, she was suddenly reminded of one of the thoughts that had been digging into her mind for quite some time. A topic that she chose to deliberately turn a blind on since discovering it.


    It couldn''t be that...?


    Aoife held her breath. She didn''t want to jump to conclusions, but there was no denying what she saw.


    ''What do I do?''


    Aoife paced around the corridor. From time to time, she would peek to nce at Julien''s strangely quiet room.


    However, it was that very quietness that stirred an unsettling feeling within her.


    ''He''s not going to....?''


    "What are you doing?"


    "Hiiiip!"


    Aoife jumped up from her spot, almost hitting her head against the wall in front of her. "Haa... Haa... You!"


    With heavy breaths, she looked at Kiera who was looking at her with a frown.


    "The hell?"


    She almost looked offended.


    "I''m not that ugly, am I?"


    "No, hmm, maybe? No, that''s not the point... Where the hell were you?"


    ||


    Kiera was quiet for a second.


    Then, ncing at the door of her room, she pointed at it.


    "My room."


    "Uh? But I-"


    "I wasn''t feeling pretty good so I was in the bathroom for a while before going there."


    She then raised her hand to disy a small bag that seemed to be filled with medicine.


    "See?"


    "Ah."


    Aoife came to an understanding.


    Then, as if recalling what was happening, she nced at Julien''s door once more. Kiera looked at her and frowned.


    "You."


    She pulled Aoife back.


    "What?"


    Aoife raised her head and saw the serious look on Kiera''s face. Her seriousness left her unsettled. This was one of the few rare times where she had seen her look so serious.


    What could it be? Did she figure something out?


    Aoife almost felt relieved and was just about to speak when Kiera talked over her.


    "You can''t stop, can you?"


    "Uh? What are you-"


    "If you''re not stalking today, you''re stalking tomorrow, and if you''re not stalking tomorrow you''re stalking today. What is up with you and you''re stalking?"


    "...."


    Aoife blinked her eyes a couple of times.


    "Ah? No, I-"


    "Tsk."


    Kiera clicked her tongue and shook her head.


    Before she could get any other word out, Kiera turned around and headed for her room. On her way, she mumbled, ''So creepy. Seriously.''


    "Ah, wait!"


    ***


    Bang-


    "Ukh!"


    Linus smashed against one of the walls of Julien''s room. His face winced in pain.


    He tried to resist, but it was useless. He was simply... too weak.


    "What exactly did you say you saw?"


    A hand gripped his throat tightly.


    "Uekh!"


    It prevented him from saying anything. Raising his head, a pair of purple eyes met his sight.


    They were a familiar pair of eyes.


    They were different in the color he was used to, but that gaze...


    Ah, that gaze of his.


    ''It''s the same as in the nightmare.''


    Those cold and crazed eyes.


    Clench.


    Something started to boil in Linus''s chest. He wanted nothing more than to tear apart the


    man who stood before him.


    It was unfortunate that he could do nothing but stare.


    His brother was simply too strong for him. He could hardly put up any resistance.


    "Ah, I like that look of yours."


    "Kh."


    ...He waspletely overwhelmed by him.


    Not only that.


    Looking around, Linus felt his entire body weaken as the surroundings turned a deep shade of


    purple. From Julien''s eyes, several hands began to morph, wing their way out as if they


    were emerging from the depths of hell itself.


    It made every hair on his body rise.


    ''What sort of skill is this....?''


    A heavy sense of dread washed over Linus. It felt as though the hands were reaching for him,


    trying to drag him into the very hell from which they belonged.


    ''No, this...''


    His face grew pale and he lost control over his body.


    He didn''t know what was happening, but he could feel the energy within his body get sapped


    away.


    "Haaa."


    On the other hand, Julien''s face was twisted in euphoria, his eyes half-lidded as he leaned his


    head back, reveling in the sensation that was coursing through his body.


    ''So this is how it works.''


    His sense of euphoria only grew as he noticed his energy slowly replenish.


    He finally caught a glimpse of one of his Concept''s abilities: it allowed him to drain the


    energy of anyone within its range, replenishing his own in the process.


    To make matters better, Julien knew this was far from the full ability of his Concept.


    There was still more to unravel.


    "Kh...!"


    Snapping him out of his state was Linus who grew limp over his arm. In spite of that, he still


    showed signs of struggle.


    That...


    It pissed Julien off as he raised his left fist and smashed it on his face.


    Bang-!


    "...Ukh"


    "Don''t bother resisting. Just stay still. You should already be used to the difference in our


    strength. Things aren''t that much different to how they were in the past."


    "...."


    All Linus could do was re at him.


    ''I shouldn''t havee here.''


    If only he didn''t have to hand him over the letter...


    Linus clenched his teeth tightly. He had grown used to getting beat up by his own brother.


    This little pain was nothing to him. He was already prepared for what was toe as he


    simply closed his eyes and waited for his brother to do his thing.


    But...


    "Ho, look at you."


    Julien released his grip over his throat.


    "Uh?"


    Opening his eyes again, Linus saw Julien sitting on the chair opposite, his legs crossed.


    What...?


    He was a little taken aback by the situation. ''Is that it? He''s not going to hit me?''


    "I''m going to kill you."


    "|"


    Linus''s chest pressed tightly. Lifting his head to directly stare at him, Linus swallowed


    deeply. He... He wasn''t joking.


    He could feel it.


    An overwhelming sense of dread caused the very hair on his body to rise, making his legs


    falter.


    "You''re out of your mind. We''re within Academy grounds. And... and if fath¡ª"


    "What about father?"


    Julien cut Linus off.


    "....Do you really think he would care if one of us dies?"


    Julien let out a smallugh.


    "The two of us know what kind of person our father is. Your death will be meaningless to him.


    On the other hand..."


    Turning his head, Julien spotted a newspaper lying on the wooden desk. He grabbed it and


    carelessly tossed it onto the ground.


    ck!


    Linus lowered his head and cast a brief nce over the headline of the paper.


    [The Rise of the Twin Stars of the Evenus Family]


    "....Unlike you, I have worth. He won''t care if I kill you. Why would he care if my worth is more


    than yours? He''s already lost one son, what would it matter if he lost two?"


    "But-"


    "The Academy? Who even cares if they find out? What are they going to do? Expel me?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Julienughed once again, his face slowly starting to twist.


    "I''ve already lost everything. Although I have control now, who is to say I will lose it again


    soon? If that''s the case, I may as well just burn everything down in order to make it so he


    won''t bothering back."


    "What are you...?"


    Linus looked lost. He couldn''t understand a single word his brother was saying.


    I have control now? He won''t bothering back? Just what was he talking about? Noticing his confusion, Julien didn''t bother exining. His thought process was simple. If he couldn''t find a way to take his body ckpletely, then he nned on destroying everything the parasite had built so far so that he would regret ever taking his body.


    But before any of that happened, he had to see if he could fully take control of his body.


    "That mirror thing. I''ll have to look for it.''


    Lowering his head to stare at his brother, Julien waved his hand.


    "Get out of my sight."


    ||


    Linus didn''t say a thing and blinked his eyes.


    Didn''t he just say he would kill him?


    "Are you not leaving?"


    "...."


    "You aren''t? Oh, is it because I told you I would kill you? Ah, I was joking. You don''t need to


    take it seriously."


    As if a switch had been flipped, Julien''s expression softened, transforming into something


    friendly. The wild look that had consumed him moments ago faded, and his eyes squinted with a calm, almost disarming warmth.


    He almost looked like apletely different person.


    However, Linus didn''t fall for it.


    He just stared at Julien who sat on the opposite end with his eyes slowly shifting from purple


    to their usual hazel hue. He could tell that he was no longer nning on killing him.


    Linus didn''t feel any relief.


    This hadn''t been the first time he had disyed such behavior in the past. Usually, whenever something like this happened, Julien would tend to do something big. It


    made Linus grow rmed.


    However, he didn''t want to stay any longer.


    Just being in front of him felt suffocating.


    11


    Without saying a single word, Julien helped himself up. He nced at Julien onest time


    before staggering out.


    His lip was bleeding and his entire body was weak, but he was nheless alive.


    And that was all that mattered.


    At least now, he was sure.


    .....He had to grow stronger. Whatever the consequences were, he had to grow stronger. Only


    then would he be able to kill his brother.


    Even if it cost his own life.


    nk-


    The room plunged into silence shortly after he left.


    Julien emptily stared at the door before his face twisted and he whispered,


    "Get the fuck out. Get the fu-"


    His words stopped halfway.


    Gradually, his eyes changed and his expression eased.


    Looking around the room, Julien nced around the room and settled his gaze on the mirror


    that stood on the opposite end of him. Staring at it directly, his eyes slowly started to turn


    purple.


    "This..."


    His expression morphed into one of surprise and shock.


    "...What in the world is this?"

 Chapter 421: An unexpected gain [2]

    Chapter 421: An unexpected gain [2]


    ?


    The mana inside of my body drained.


    Staring at the reflection in the mirror, I didn''t know what to make out of the sight that greeted me. In particr, those purple eyes of mine.


    ''What sort of...?''


    I closed my eyes to feel my Concept.


    However, I was shocked when I realized that I wasn''t using it.


    Instead, there was something else within my mind.


    Something more...


    Sinister.


    "Ukh."


    Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my chest. Though it wasn''t intense, it left me slightly breathless, and I noticed my body felt unusually weak.


    The muscles in my arms and legs trembled subtly as my vision felt slightly blurry. "This."


    I frowned, trying to understand what had happened.


    Thud.


    At that moment, Pebble appeared,nding softly on the ground and ncing around with curious eyes.


    "Looks like you got into a fight with someone."


    "...A fight?"


    It was then that I noticed as I raised my head.


    One of the walls bore arge crack, and faint traces of blood stained the floor beneath it. Not far from it was a small paper that read; [The Rise of the Twin Stars of the Evenus Family]


    ''Don''t tell me it was Leon?''


    "No, if it was Leon, then he would''ve incapacitated me. It''s someone else."


    But who exactly could it be?


    I scanned the room for any clues that might exin what had happened. It didn''t take long before my eyesnded on a letter, neatly ced atop the wooden desk.


    "This is...?"


    I picked up the letter, turning it over a few times in my hands. It was pristine, untouched, which meant it had likely just arrived. As I flipped it again, my eyesnded on the insignia stamped on the seal.


    "Ah."


    "The Evenus Household.''


    A possibility ran through my mind.


    "...Julien''s younger brother?"


    Or at least, someone rted to the Evenus Household. The contents were especially important given how the Baron had directly written a letter instead of using amunication device.


    One wouldn''t use a letter unless they wanted the information to be hidden.


    Communication devices could be spied upon with the right relic.


    "Hmm."


    I frowned, gripping the letter tightly. After a quick nce around the room, I sat down, broke the seal, and carefully opened the letter. While I still had more questions about what had happened in the room, I was more curious about its contents.


    What exactly was so important for the Baron to contact me directly?


    "........!"


    Opening the letter my eyes widened.


    Swoosh!


    "Ah!"


    Before I could even process the contents, the letter ignited in my hands, disintegrating into the air in a sudden burst of me.


    By the time I snapped out of the shock, I slumped back in the chair, blinking repeatedly, unsure of what to make of it all.


    "This..."


    I suddenly forgot all about the other Julien and just nkly stared at the ceiling of the room for a good minute before recovering.


    By the time I did, my gaze fell on the ashes of what used to be a letter.


    The lingering words from the letter echoed in my mind, making me purse my lips as my throat suddenly felt extremely dry.


    ''It has to be a joke, right?''


    ....And yet, thinking about it now, it made so much sense.


    Especially when I thought back to how I thought their eyes looked simr.


    Leon...


    He was royalty, wasn''t he?


    ***


    "Wait, I wasn''t stalking."


    "Sure you weren''t."


    "No, I really wasn''t. I was actually looking for you."


    "Ah, that would make sense. But then why were you looking at Julien''s room?"


    "That..."


    Aoife felt her lip twitch. How could she exin what she saw? No, she could, but... could she really? Would Kiera even believe her?


    ''Ugh!''


    Aoife ruffled her hair.


    "What? You look constipated? Do you have something to say? You want to borrow my toilet?"


    "I-"


    Bang!


    Kiera and Aoife turned their heads sharply toward the source of the sound, their eyes widening as they saw a figure emerge from Julien''s room. His face was ghostly pale, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.


    He looked around, meeting their gaze before lowering his head and walking past the two of


    them.


    Staring at him, Aoife''s expression changed while Kiera''s brows furrowed.


    ''He looks familiar,'' she mumbled in a low voice.


    Smack!


    "Ah."


    Suddenly recalling, she smacked her fist against her palm.


    ".... Isn''t that Julien''s brother? Wait, did the two of them fight or something? His lip looked


    pretty busted."


    "Maybe, but yeah, that was his brother."


    Aoife was taken aback by Kiera''s awareness; she typically seemed so indifferent to such matters. In fact, Aoife doubted Kiera could recall the names of more than ten people in their


    own ss.


    For her to remember...


    It felt so...


    "Creepy."


    Aoife winced as she hugged her shoulders.


    As if noticing her reaction, Kiera lowered her head and frowned at her.


    "What?"


    "What is the name of the student that sits next to you?"


    "Someone sits next to me?"


    "See?"


    Aoife hugged her shoulders again.


    "Goosebumps."


    "Fuck off."


    Annoyed, Kiera raised her hand in preparation to smack her when Aoife''s face changed.


    "-Eh?"


    Abruptly halting, Aoife turned her attention to the far end of the corridor. There, she spotted


    a small lock of ck hair peeking around the corner. As if sensing her gaze, the figure flinched


    and then vanished from sight.


    ''What the...''


    Taken aback, Aoife didn''t know how to react.


    Kiera''s gaze didn''t make things easier for her.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It didn''t seem like she had noticed the lock of ck hair like she did.


    Aoife was just about to exin herself when the door to Julien''s room opened and the two of


    them turned their heads at the same time.


    Sensing their gaze, Julien turned his head and met their eyes.


    Aoife held her breath for a few seconds until Julien shifted his attention towards Kiera.


    His expression showed subtle changes the moment he stared at her. Just as his lips parted


    open to speak, he held himself back and walked past the two of them.


    "I''ll see youter." These were thest words he said before disappearing out of their sight.


    Kiera and Aoife stared at his departing back for a few seconds before looking at each other.


    "Odd."


    Kiera mumbled first while Aoife kept her attention fixed on Julien.


    He appeared to be the usual Julien, a stark contrast to the one she had witnessed moments earlier when he dragged his brother into the room. Yet, remembering the condition his brother had been in when he left, Aoife felt uncertain about what to make of the situation.


    Unfortunately, she didn''t have too much time to dwell on the situation as she yet again caught a lock of ck hair in the distance.


    "?"


    Her expression stiffened at the sight. She nced back in the direction where she had first noticed the lock of ck hair before refocusing her gaze toward the front.


    Aoife brows furrowed tightly.


    "When did..."


    ***


    Candles danced in the dim room, their flickering light casting shadows as the fragrant scent of


    incense wafted through the air.


    His face was calm and the room was quiet.


    He basked in the heavy scent of incense that lingered in the room before finally opening his


    eyes and looking down at the small shadows that wiggled beneath him.


    ''It''s almost time.''


    ....He could sense his target''s every movement and right about now one had started to move.


    ''I should start with the one I need to kill first.''


    That was his current priority. Capturing someone was a lot easier than killing them. For that reason, he nned on killing


    his target first before capturing his other target and fleeing.


    The Priest wore ordinary white robes, and as he stood up and left the premises of the room,


    coming out wearing one of the Academy uniforms, his face, and expression werepletely different than back when he was in the room.


    He looked like a regr cadet.


    ||||


    A momentter, a figure dressed in white priest robes, identical to the ones he had worn


    moments earlier, stepped out from behind the room. Even his face and expression were the


    same.


    They exchanged brief nces before parting ways.


    Without drawing much attention, both slipped into the crowd that had gathered for the


    confessional hearing.


    From a distance, a pair of eyes darted back and forth between the priest and the cadet before


    moving towards the priest.


    Fwap!


    As the Owl darted in the direction of the priest, the cadet turned around and looked in the


    Owl''s direction, the corner of its lips curling up faintly.


    ***


    The Confessional Hearing was the main event of the Gathering.


    It was when the cadets would have a one-on-one talk with the priests, talking about their sins


    and goals with them.


    ....Just like the Mass, it waspulsory and Julien couldn''t afford to miss it.


    Especially not when he had already missed the mass.


    More importantly, the earlier he got there, the better for him. It would mean he wouldn''t


    have to wait long before getting it over with.


    Pebble walked next to him, jumping on top of his shoulders before disappearing from sight. The Academy was rather crowded at this time, and Julien merely took a nce at his


    surroundings before changing direction and deciding to take a different road to the


    confessional hearing.


    The road he took was deserted, with no one around.


    No one was present besides a single cadet who walked in the opposite direction.


    Julien frowned at the sight of the cadet.


    Something is off.


    For some strange reason, rm bells were going in his mind and his steps slowed down.


    ''What''s going on?''


    Then, lifting his head to stare into the distance, his pupils constricted.


    Before he knew it, the world around him had turned dark.

 Chapter 422: Trap [1]

    Chapter 422: Trap [1]


    ?


    Without thinking much, Julien kicked the ground and dashed back, narrowly avoiding the thin ck film that threatened to swallow him whole in just a few seconds.


    At that moment, Johan, with his curly brown hair had a peculiar look on his face as he tilted his head.


    ''No, you don''t.''


    He brought his hand forward, stopping Julien mid-motion.


    His movements were smooth. By the time Johan''s hand raised, Julien came to an abrupt halt and his body propelled into the void that surrounded Johan.


    Swoosh!


    "....."


    In the otherwise quiet surroundings, a sudden gust of wind carried an unsettling scent, thick with a hint of bloodlust. Julien felt himself being pulled into a void of ckness as if crossing the threshold into another world.


    It slowly enveloped Julien from all sides, shrouding his world in ck.


    This...


    Julien looked around in horror.


    The power topletely fill the surroundings...


    This was no ''Materialization''. This was a full-blown domain!


    The darkness wrapped itself around Julien like a suffocating shroud, sending chills through his mind and veins. His body stiffened as a result, overwhelmed by the density of mana around him.


    Something tried to dig at his mind, but Julien was able to remain rtively calm, locking his emotions down at just the right moment.


    With this, he was able to avoid the first danger.


    Johan appeared on the opposite end. His face looked calm, as though he had expected Julien toe out unscathed.


    Facing the paralyzed Julien, Johan sliced the void and Julien felt a cold and invisible chill head for his waist.


    "!"


    Julien''s blinked, his eyes turning red.


    The muscles in his body popped and squirmed as he freed himself from the cold sensation and he tensed his back, thrusting his fist forward.


    Boom!


    The void around Julien trembled violently, distorting reality. His pupils reflected the alternating shes of the Academy road and the void as it tried to repair itself.


    "Ukh."


    A trickle of something warm slid down the side of Julien''s mouth as he locked eyes with the man standing before him. The man''s curly brown hair and simple smile gave off an air of carefree nonchnce as if he had expected him to react like that.


    Julien lowered his head, his gaze settling on his fist. A deep, gaping wound marred his knuckles, so severe that he could see the stark white of his bones beneath the torn flesh. This much damage?


    Shit.


    Julien''s mind went on overdrive, his heart beating intensely.


    Every hair on his body rose at that moment as he came to a horrifying realization.


    ''He''s Tier 5, not Tier 4!"


    This piece of information was different from what As had told him.


    ''Damn it!''


    Julien didn''t have much time to dwell on why his opponent was stronger than he had anticipated.


    Without holding back, he furiously worked the mana inside of his body, working every muscle and organ to its utmost limit.


    In the span of a single breath, Julien''s eyes shifted from scarlet to green, merging into a brilliant yellow.


    His frame expanded, muscles surged with power, and his momentum spiked.


    Without hesitation, his body blurred, closing the distance in an instant as he appeared before Johan, driving his fist forward with overwhelming force, the surrounding voice vacuuming around his fist, allowing him to catch a glimpse of the outside world.


    Swoosh!


    In that instant, Johan''s deep blue eyes darkened to pitch ck, and the surrounding void seemed to ripple like fabric, coiling around Julien''s fist.


    Julien half expected the attack to be some sort of way for his opponent to absorb the brunt force of his attack, but he was wrong.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''No...!''


    The moment the void wrapped around his body, Julien felt the familiar chill digging into his body, and the power of his fist slowed down.


    Julien''s eyes flickered and he clenched his teeth tightly.


    He exerted every little power within his body.


    Boom!


    A muffled explosion echoed through the surroundings, the void rippling violently in response to the sheer force of the impact.


    The noise was well-contained within the dark voice, preventing it from spilling to the outside


    world.


    Still, a few more sensitive people noticed the strange peculiarities.


    "Go, tell the security to check out the situation."


    "On it."


    The voice slowly started to rebuild itself back up. Julien stood in the center, but he could hardly move a single step. His chest was heaving up and down repeatedly while the skin of his


    fist was torn off, exposing more of his body.


    His clothes were in tatters, while his hair was a mess.


    To make matters worse, his thigh had a deep gash over it that started to bleed out onto the


    ground beneath.


    ''Reflection...''


    Julien''s expression tightened as he stared at the ck fabric covering Johan.


    Drip! Drip...!


    Blood trickled onto the ground as he took several deep breaths.


    Julien''s expression remainedposed in spite of the situation. The locks in his emotions, in particr, ''fear'', rattled wildly as he forcefully stopped the emotion from clouding his mind.


    The situation was severe.


    His opponent...


    He was stronger than him.


    Johan''s expression showed a subtle change, his squinted eyes opening slightly. Without any dy, he brought his hands together, twisting the space around Julien.


    In an instant, everything returned to normal, the void repairing itself as though it had been


    there from the start.


    Julien, however, felt the weight of exhaustion crash over him like a wave. It was as if all his power and mental strength had been drained at once. His vision blurred, and a heavy drowsiness began to cloud his mind, pulling him deeper into a haze of fatigue.


    11


    ??


    Julien felt his heart squeeze, and he forcefully bit his tongue, awakening him from the


    drowsiness.


    Unfortunately, he had lost precious time doing so.


    Johan had already started his next attack, his lower leg pulsing faintly, exposing what appeared to be a small bone. Immediately after, he thrust his hand forward.


    A strong and powerful wing gale shot forth, sending Julien scattering back as cuts appeared


    all over his clothes and skin.


    Since the start of the ambush, Johan didn''t give Julien a single moment to breathe. His goal


    was simple.


    To end the fight as soon as possible.


    Since the start of it all, only a few seconds had psed.


    Tensing his right arm, a faint glow appeared over the palm of Johan''s hand, reflecting a red bone. Fire erupted from out of his hand, and he immediately shot it in Julien''s direction.


    Swoosh!


    It covered the entire void, engulfing it in bright raging mes.


    || ||


    The mes danced within Julien''s pupils as they grew bigger by the second, but Julien''s expression remained calm. Unknowingly, the chains that were sealing his emotions had shattered, and he was simply remaining calm without the help of the spell he had created.


    He then brought his hand forward as it slowly changed color and lifted it up.


    Swoosh! Over a dozen hands protruded from the ground,pletely engulfing and sealing Johan. The mes that were headed Julien''s way extinguished rather quickly after that.


    The world became dark once more.


    Cr Crack!


    That was until the hands shattered, revealing Johan who looked slightly pale. In spite of that,


    his clothes were undamaged and his hair was still well-kept.


    "Huff... Huff..."


    Julien felt his heart sink at the scene.


    However, he still remainedposed as he closed his eyes.


    His mind clouded with the image of a battlefield-a nightmarish scene filled with blood- soaked earth and countless corpses strewn about like broken dolls.


    The gruesome vision fueled his rage, igniting something deep within him as his breathing


    became heavier, his gaze growing more intense.


    "Rage."


    Julien mumbled, pressing his hand over his forearm.


    His chest boiled and his head felt light. Immediately, the muscles in his body expanded further, and further power umted in his body. A faint tingling sensation apanied


    the increase in power, but Julien ignored it.


    ''Increasing size and power?''


    Johan merely shook his head and swiped at the air. He was already aware of Julien''s power and


    thus he understood how it worked. The more he felt an emotion the more powerful his power


    was.


    Still, in Johan''s eyes what Julien was doing was counterproductive.


    What was the point of turning into this raging hunk of meat if he couldn''t even hit him? Pity


    shed across his eyes as he watched his attack move towards Julien.


    His attack blended nicely with the dark surroundings, preventing Julien from properly seeing


    it.


    Soon enough, the attack came, cleaving his entire body in two.


    Swoosh!


    "Hm?"


    Johan''s brows immediately furrowed tightly upon seeing Julien''s body severed in two. It was


    then that he understood, but it was toote.


    Materializing a few meters away from him, a pair of hazel eyes met his sight.


    "Fear."


    A powerful voice drummed in his mind, forcing his face to go pale and his legs to grow numb.


    For a brief moment, he lostplete control of his body.


    !....!''


    Opportunity!


    Without any consideration for his body, Julien pressed his arm over his forearm and muttered


    two words at the same time, ''Joy'', ''Rage''.


    Unlikest time, he did this for real.


    Julien''s body swelled unnaturally, the strain causing the muscles in his legs to tear with


    audible snaps. Blood seeped from the deep cuts that marked his skin, each movement


    exacerbating the pain.


    Blinking, a pink orb appeared in his mind.


    Julien''s muscles tightened considerably and the bleeding came to a sudden stop.


    His fist, already mangled and barely holding together, stiffened at just the right time. Yet,


    despite the excruciating agony, he remained focused.


    Swoosh!


    He shot towards Johan who was just snapping out of it.


    "Uh?!"


    In the instant that he recovered, Johan stepped back, the void wrapping around him like a


    ck nket.


    That was when Julien''s fist came forward and directly smashed against it.


    Thump!


    A muffled sound echoed.


    "Arkgh!"


    Julien let out a guttural scream, his voice echoing through the surroundings as his fist twisted


    at an unnatural angle. Blood poured from the mangled hand, seeping from every crack and


    wound, staining the dark void beneath.


    His attack...


    It had been directly reflected on him.


    "Kh!"


    Julien gritted his teeth in spite of the pain. Staring at Johan who could only see his eyes, he


    pressed his foot against the ground.


    Swoosh!


    The gravity around the two intensified, and the dark nket surrounding Johan fell onto the


    ground, exposing his body.


    But that no longer mattered to Johan as he managed to regain his bearing.


    Staring at Julien who was now very close to him, Johan flicked his hand up, causing Julien''s


    already broken arm to twist once more.


    He half-expected Julien to scream or show an opening but in response to his actions, he got nothing.


    || ||


    Julien''s face was like a block of ice.


    "Fear."


    Once more, a voice fell down on his mind, drumming loudly within it. It left him paralyzed for


    a split second, and that was all Julien needed as he flicked his other hand.


    A faint purple magic circle shot directly towards Johan who didn''t have enough time to dodge


    it.


    His vision grew blurry, and he started to feel sleepy.


    "This...!''


    Realization quickly dawned on Johan who bit his tongue and forced his eyelids open. By the


    time he snapped out of it, Julien was already upon him. Mustering every bit of his strength, andpletely ignoring the pain that invaded every part


    of his body, he pushed forward and pounced on Johan.


    At that moment, there was nothing in his mind.


    He relied solely on his experiences and judgment.


    This was not the same as the tournament.


    Any mistake could prove fatal.


    There was no one that was supervising him this time.


    If he didn''t act quickly, he was going to die.


    He couldn''t die.


    No, I won''t die.


    Julien''s mind shook as his momentum grew,pletely overwhelming Johan who for the first


    time showed signs of panic. Staring at his bloodthirsty opponent, fear seeped into the deepest


    parts of his mind.


    ....An artificial fear.


    One that came from the very depths of his soul and was not forced upon him.

 Chapter 423: Trap [2]

    Chapter 423: Trap [2]


    ?


    Julien''s growing momentum started to give rise to a natural fear in Johan''s mind as he hurriedly circted his mana, extracting every little bit of power in his body.


    Pop!


    Johan''s muscles popped and cracked, his shirt ripping apart and his eyes turning bloodshot. The void that surrounded him shrunk exponentially, wrapping around his arm tightly.


    Then, he threw a punch, one that sucked the void around them, exposing the outside world again.


    Johan was very confident that anyone beneath Tier 5 couldn''t defend and take on his punch.


    If his opponent took on the punch directly, all his power would be reflected back to him directly, shattering every inch of his bones, or even worse.


    ''Yes,e!''


    His excitement only grew when he noticed Julien prepping up to meet his own fist.


    Boom!


    Julien''s fist shed directly with Johan''s.


    Cra Crack!


    Apanying the explosive sound was a cracking noise as Julien''s other arm shattered.


    Blood seeped out from his mouth as his hand recoiled back. In a physical matchup, Julien came out beneath.


    But that was fine.


    Because...


    He was never there to begin with.


    "Uh?"


    Johan''s eyes widened in shock as he watched Julien''s body morph into what appeared to be arge chunk of the pavement which exploded into thousands of fragments, torn apart by the sheer impact of his fist.


    Panic surged in Johan''s eyes.


    Swoosh!


    Lips parting, he turned around to see Julien''s figure appear right behind him.


    Johan clenched his teeth and opened up his palm, thrusting it in Julien''s direction. Swoosh!


    Fire erupted, shooting directly at Julien.


    To Johan''s shock and pleasant surprise, Julien didn''t dodge. The fire engulfed Julien''s body directly, only showing faint traces of his burning silhouette.


    ''I got-!''


    Johan''s heart jolted all of a sudden.


    Feeling a faint presenceing from behind, he didn''t hesitate to turn around once more and once again thrust his hand in the opposite direction.


    ''It was another illusion!''


    He clenched his teeth.


    Just as he turned and unleashed the mes in the opposite direction, his heart sank in horror. A pair of eyes were locked on him-cold, deep, and indifferent, as though he were nothing more than an insignificant speck.


    But most importantly.


    They seemed to belong to a cat.


    Before Johan could understand what was happening, a pair of burned hands emerged from behind him, grasping at his mouth and neck.


    "Haa..."


    A hot breath ran down Johan''s neck as Julien''s lips parted.


    "Sadness."


    "....!"


    Johan suddenly felt an overwhelming tension building in his chest, intensifying with every second that passed, growing heavier and more suffocating.


    ''s-stop...! Stop! Sto-p!''


    The more the sensation swelled, the more Johan felt his head throb.


    Bam, bam!


    It was as if someone was hammering his mind with a sledgehammer, increasing the power with each swing.


    Bam, bam-!


    It took his breath away, stopping any words froming out of his mouth. He could only shout for Julien to stop in his mind.


    ''s-stop! Stop!''


    But Julien couldn''t hear his thoughts.


    How could he?


    .....Right at this very moment, tears were streaming down his slightly burned face while his hand trembled as he felt slight tremors of pain run down his body.


    The pain was intense, and it was this pain that stopped him from regting his powers.


    He just continued to pour his emotions into Johan who started to tremble.


    ''Stop! M-make it stop!''


    His eyes started to turn white.


    The pain in his mind reached levels where he stopped thinking.


    His entire body started to spasm, trashing and squirming in Julien''s arms. There was something clearly wrong with him, but Julien didn''t notice it.


    He thought that he was still struggling.


    So he injected more.


    And more.


    And...


    Bang-!


    Julien felt a warm ssh of liquid hit his face. He didn''t register what had happened until the body he had been cradling slipped from his grasp and thudded to the ground.


    Thud!


    "....''


    Julien lowered his head to look at his arms which were covered in blood.


    Beneath him a headless corpse appeared, still leaking blood.


    "Ah."


    That was when it all registered in his mind and he took a step back, his muscles faltering due


    to exhaustion. He tried his best to resist, but even then, his body failed him.


    Thud.


    Julien fell down on his butt.


    11


    ||


    He was exhausted, and yet he was breathing normally.


    His mind was so numb that he could only just faintly process what had happened. All he knew


    was that the entire fight hadsted no longer than half a minute at best.


    It was incredibly quick.


    But...


    He had killed a Tier 5.


    Someone who had developed a domain.


    ||||


    nkly staring at the headless corpse in front, Julien''s lips trembled.


    ''I did that...?''


    Emotive Magic did that?


    How?


    How could...?


    "Uekrh!"


    Julien felt a sudden throb in his head. It smashed directly at his mind, almost as though a


    heavy hammer had directly pounded against it.


    It felt excruciating.


    Julien flinched and hurriedly shifted his attention towards his hand where his ring rested.


    "P-pills..."


    He mumbled, channeling the little bit of mana that he had left.


    "P-pills..."


    He mumbled again, his consciousness fading.


    ''Ah, no.''


    He couldn''t let his consciousness fade. Not yet. If he did then he would be in big trouble.


    He couldn''t.


    He...


    Thud!


    Julien slumped down on the ground, his consciousness fading away, slowly being reced by


    another.


    He wed the ground, putting up a desperate struggle, but it was futile.


    He...


    Slowly lost consciousness, giving space for another.


    ||


    An eerie silence enveloped the surroundings as Julieny motionless on the ground for several


    minutes.


    Gradually, his eyelids began to twitch.


    Twitch. Twitch.


    The moment Julien''s eyes opened, his expression changed.


    "The hel-akh!"


    Abruptly sitting up, he winced in pain.


    "Arkh"


    Julien''s scream reverberated into the air while he hurriedly scratched his face and arms, only


    for the pain to increase further.


    "F-fuck, make it stop! M-make it stop!"


    Julien tumbled across the ground, writhing in agony with every roll. Each movement only


    intensified the pain, sending sharp jolts through his body.


    "Kh."


    He bit down hard on his shirt, muffling the ams that threatened to tean/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Stop, make it stop! What did that bastard do!?''


    out of him.


    ...He had only lost control for a tiny bit before gaining control of it again. And yet, by the time


    he regained control, all that met him was pain.


    "Argh!"


    The pain was unbearable, leaving him gasping for air, his chest tightening as though he were


    suffocating.


    Each second stretched on, amplifying the agony until it felt unbearable.


    "S-stop, mak-"


    "Why aren''t you using your pills?"


    A voice suddenly cut through his screams. In his agony, Julien managed to turn his head to see


    a silhouette staring in his direction.


    ''A cat?''


    Its eyes were deep, and standing not far from him, it looked at him with a concerned look.


    "If you take the pills you should be able to be fine."


    ''Pills? What pills?''


    ...Pills aside, what was this cat? Was it the same as the Owl? Another one of the parasite''s


    pets?


    No, that didn''t matter right now.


    "W-where?"


    All he could think about was making the pain stop.


    "P-pills? W-here...?"


    "Eh? Aren''t you supposed to know?"


    || ||


    Julien clenched his teeth and red at the cat who frowned subtly. Then, turning its head, it


    looked right at Julien''s hand. Following its gaze, Julien caught sight of the ck ring on his


    finger.


    "That, again?''


    He had noticed it before when the owl looked at it. He didn''t pay much attention to it out of caution, but now he didn''t have the time to think about being careful.


    ...ring at the Owl, Julien clenched his teeth to suppress his pain before shifting all his


    attention towards the ring where he quickly channeled his mana.


    He wasn''t entirely sure what it was for, but judging by its appearance, it seemed like


    something that could help him acquire the pills he needed.


    ''A relic, it must be a relic.''


    Closing his eyes, he channeled his mana into the ring.


    "!"


    The instant he activated it, a powerful suction force erupted from the ring, pulling his


    consciousness out of his body.


    He didn''t even have the time to react before he felt his consciousness get snatched away.


    A faint breeze swept over the Academy grounds, carrying with it the distant sound of


    approaching footsteps, growing louder with each passing second.


    Licking its paw, Pebble turned around and entered the bushes,pletely fading into one of


    the many bushes.


    Rustle~


    ''My job is done.''


    Shortly after, a few voices echoed.


    "Over here!"


    "....There''s someone over here!"


    "Quick!"


    ***


    The world was white.


    In one moment Julien found himself suffering from excruciating pain and in the next


    moment, he found himself within this strange white world.


    || ||


    Looking down, he could see his own reflection.


    He lookedpletely unharmed.


    "I''m not hurt?"


    He didn''t feel any of the pain he previously felt.


    In fact, he felt incredible! However, the ecstasy didn''tst for very long.


    Frowning, Julien looked around. All he could see was white-an endless stretch of white.


    "Where am I? Where are the pills? How do I get out?"


    It was eerily quiet around him.


    All Julien could hear was the faint echo of his own voice.


    "Hey!"


    He shouted at the top of his lungs, his anger starting to umte.


    "What am I supposed to do? Anyone!!"


    Julien''s eyes darted around, his brows furrowing even more. Memories of the past year


    flooded back, making his chest tighten with unease.


    He felt trapped again.


    No, not again...


    Just as he was about to speak, the ground beneath him rippled unnaturally, sending a cold


    shiver up his spine.


    "....!"


    Before he could react, Julien felt his feet sink into the ground, sending ripples radiating outward.


    "What the..!!"


    Julien squirmed and tried to free his legs, but it was useless.


    "Ah!"


    Everything he did only made him sink faster.


    "Urkhg! Akh!"


    mming his hand against the ground, Julien sent more ripples spreading outward. They


    stretched endlessly throughout the white world, onlying to a stop when another ripple


    appeared.


    Tak-


    The faint echo of a footstep reverberated, halting Julien for a moment as a shadow cast over


    his body.


    As he raised his head, his eyes grew wide at the sight that greeted him.


    "You-"


    "This really was quite difficult to set up."


    A faint voice echoed before he could get his words out.


    "There were quite a few hups here and there, but everything went as I nned. This might


    not fix everything but I''m sure I''ll be able to solve most of my problems for now."


    It was Emmet who lowered his head to get a closer look at Julien, whose body was sinking


    deeper into the ground.


    His stunned expression was a sight to see.


    "You might not be familiar with this ce, but it''s a very dear ce to me."


    Emmet extended his hands, ncing at the world of white around them.


    "Wee to the trials of forgotten minds."

 Chapter 424 Trap [3]

    424 Trap [3]


    The Mirror. To fix my condition, I needed to use the Mirror. The one that Kiera was in possession of. Collecting the mirror should''ve been my priority. I knew that, and yet, when Kiera appeared before me, I stopped myself from asking her for it. I understood that it wouldn''t be easy to get her to give it to me. It was something precious to her, and I knew she didn''t fully trust me yet. But that was fine. I had another thought in mind. While it wasn''t a permanent solution, it would help me buy valuable time. It was a bit of a gamble, but what if...? ''What if I use the ring on Julien?'' The Ring of Nothingness.


    As an artifact bound to my soul. One that only I could use it. If anybody tried to use it, they''d be subjected to the ''trials of forgotten minds'' that I had undergone in the past. Once someone entered, it was almost impossible to get out. The only problem was whether it would work on Julien considering that we both shared the same body. There was also the very real risk that it wouldn''t work, making everything that I nned go for naught. But it was worth a try. ...That was when the n came to fruition. Allow Julien to take over the body. Use Owl-Mighty to nt a seed of interest in regards to the ring as well as an idea of what ''wills'' were.


    Take the body back when the target was ready toe for me.


    Purposely lure the target into one of the three secluded areas that As had mentioned before. Kill the target, and get injured in the process. Lure Julien into using the ring to heal himself. Andstly... "Wee to the Trial of Forgotten Minds." Have him enter the ''Trial of Forgotten Minds''. "T-this..." Julien''s eyes trembled as he stared at me, but once he processed the situation, they turned bloodshot, and he lunged at me.


    "It''s you again! Damn you!" "....Not here." I merely took a step to the side and dodged his attack. "!" Julien''s face twisted further at that. nting his foot down, he twisted his torso and punched me again. But like before, I dodged. Swoosh, swoosh! His punches were easy to dodge.


    They were predictable and weak. I had fought people a lot stronger than him in the past. Furthermore, he was a mage, not a [Body] user. His punches were extremely slow. "Argkh! Stop dodging!" Seeing me dodge every one of his attacks, Julien grew restless. "You fucking rat! Stop moving! I''ll kill you!" His screams reverberated loudly within the world of white. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª


    A pathetic sight. That was how I could describe the situation. It was a pathetic sight. Swoosh! "Haa... Haa.. Rat!" Despite his curses and punches, I didn''t bother to fight back. He just wasn''t worth it. Dodging another attack with a quick ''swoosh,'' I extended my finger and tapped his forehead lightly.


    Thud! Julien fell onto the ground. "Urkgh! Argkh...!" Saliva spilled from his mouth as he held his throat with both hands. His eyes shook intensely while his body trembled. "H-help!" I felt a tangible fearing out of his eyes. It only made sense considering how I didn''t hold back when touching his forehead. I didn''t even give him the courtesy of using my voice. He needed to suffer.


    However, the fact that his head hadn''t exploded was because I held back. Not that he would die... "Y-you..." In spite of his fear, Julien continued to re at me from the ground. "...S-stop." He reached his hand forward, grasping onto my ankle. I looked down to meet his bloodshot and crazed eyes. He looked back at me with an intense hatred. One strong enough to make me understand just how much he wanted to kill me. But at the same time, I could see something else within his eyes. Something like; ''Helplessness.'' Right, he looked helpless. "I..." From his frail voice to his shaky eyes. "M-my body... Hiek. Give it b-back. It-It''s mine..."


    His grip over my ankle increased. "I... I... W-want it back." "...." For the first time since seeing Julien, I saw hints of despair and helplessness in his eyes. He truly did want to get his body back. He probably couldn''t stand being stuck by himself any longer. I understood his pain, but... "I''m sorry." I snatched my ankle away from his grip. "...You lost the right to your body the moment I took over it. I have something to do and I need this body for it. You can hate me, but you brought this upon yourself." Julien wasn''t a good guy. I had seen firsthand just how unhinged he could be. It was why I felt no sympathy for him. At the same time, I knew this was all an act. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But even if it was real, I didn''t n on giving this body back. Not now, nor ever.


    *** Under the faint breeze of the day, two gray-eyed figures sat quietly on one of the Academy benches. The atmosphere between the two held subtle tension as neither party spoke. Leon sat quietly on the bench with his brows furrowed while sneaking nces at Amell''s way. He just sat next to Leon with an awkward look while scratching the side of his cheek and thinking of ways to make small talk with him. He would open his mouth from time to time but would close it right after. Leon picked up on all of this and felt weirded out. ''What is he trying to do?'' Could it be that he was trying to challenge him again after what had happened in the tournament? Did he find it too awkward to ask for a rematch? Leon scratched the back of his head.


    ''This is a bit of a troublesome situation.''


    However, if that truly was the case, Leon didn''t n on outright rejecting the request. Amell was strong, and having a sparring partner like him could prove to be a valuable opportunity.


    Especially one aspetent as he was. ''Right, if I want to be stronger than Julien, I have to do this.'' Clench.


    Suddenly thinking about Julien, Leon''s fist balled together tightly. Recalling the most recent humiliations that he had suffered at Julien''s hands, Leon felt the need to be stronger quickly. He couldn''t allow Julien to walk all over him like that. ''Right, I have to take this opportunity.'' Taking a deep breath, Leon turned his head to address Amell. "Do you¡ªEh?" But just as Leon turned his head, he was shocked to find that Amell was no longer sitting beside him. He had disappeared without a sound.


    What? Where did he...? Leon''s head flicked all around in order to look for Amell, but he was gone. He vanished as swiftly as he had arrived, like the faint breeze that lingered in the air.


    "That..." Leon blinked his eyes, utterly confused by what had happened. Unfortunately, before he could properly understand, he heard the faint sound of wings pping and an Owl appeared next to him. "...." It stared at him in silence, holding onto a round orb in its mouth. "A recording device?" Leon blinked his eyes and reached his hand forward. The Owl dropped the orb onto Leon''s hand. "This is a recording that will be usefulter. Julien asked me to give it to you. Something happened to him, and he''ll probably be questioned when he wakes up. When that timees, you can pass this along. It will resolve the entire situation. It''s a recording of the target moving in a different direction." "Uh?" Leon looked at the recording device in confusion. No, before that. "Something happened to Julien?" "Yes." Owl-Mighty answered in a t tone, and Leon frowned.


    "What happened?" "He got attacked." "....!?" "And he won." "He won?" "Yes, but he''s injured." "...." Leon took a deep breath. "And his opponent?" "Dead." ***


    At the same time, As''s Office. "Guard Captain." As answered themunication device. Upon hearing the contents of the call, his expression grew more serious. Holding onto themunication device more tightly, his voice lowered. "He was assaulted?" As pretended to be surprised. However, this was all within his expectations. ''So he really did take care of the situation.'' Just as As was feeling proud, the voice continued, ¡ªCorrect. His condition is quite bad. He appears to be in aa. "Coma?"


    Cra Crack! Faint miniature cracks formed across the recording device. While on the outside he remained the same, the atmosphere around him changed greatly. ¡ªWe have yet to identify his opponent. His entire head has been blown off. It''ll take a while topletely determine his identity. "Anything more?" ¡ªHm, yes. It appears as though the opponent Julien faced was capable of fully creating a domain. I fear he was in the fifth tier. The surroundings suddenly trembled. More cracks appeared on themunication device as As closed his eyes. "Fifth Tier? Are you sure?" ¡ªYes. The lingering mana traces left on sight suggest that to be the case. "I see." As nodded his head gently and rxed his grip on themunication device. He shared a few more words with the Guard''s Captain before he ended the conversation and walked towards the door. Although the windows were closed, the papers settled on his desk scattered while the chandelier swayed. "You really wanted him dead, didn''t you?" As chuckled. He could more or less understand what had happened. While his information was correct, there were a few things that he had neglected to think about. Like how threatened Genesis felt by Julien''s presence. Indeed, while all the organization belonged to the same person. It wasn''t as if their rtionship was harmonious. There waspetition between the four organizations. Everyone wanted to be better than the other to get his attention. It was clear that Julien''s presence had left Genesis threatened. He wanted to get rid of him before he''d be someone strong enough to shift the bnce between the seats. ...That was why he had gone so far as to give his subordinate a special pill that boosted his strength significantly, though it came at the cost of shortening his lifespan.


    ''It''s the only exnation as to why his strength was far higher than I had calcted.'' And it was also why Julien was able to kill him. While his opponent was in the fifth tier in terms of mana density and quantity, he wasn''t fully in the fifth tier. Just shy away from it. That little bit of leeway was probably what made it possible for Julien to kill him. "Or maybe not." Julien had given him many surprises in the past. Perhaps... He really could defeat a Tier 5 user.

 Chapter 425 Suspect [1]

    425 Suspect [1]


    Haven medical facility. "How is he doing?" As, the Chief Guard captain, the Doctor, and several other Professors gathered together outside of the medical ward where Julien was being treated. "His conditions are stable. It shouldn''t take too long for him to regain consciousness."


    "That''s good."


    One of the Professors sighed in relief upon hearing the Doctor''s evaluation. He was a rtively short professor with balding hair and thick brows. He immediately turned his attention towards the Chief Guard Captain. "What happened? How could something like this be under your watch?" "I''d like to know that too."


    The Chief Guard Captain replied, his tone extremely serious.


    "It''s strange. It''s as if we''ve hit a blind spot."


    The Chief Guard Captain started to exin, "The entire fightsted probably no longer than half a minute, and by the time the stationed guards arrived, it was already over. But that''s what I find strange. Given their abilities they should''ve been able to arrive at the ce within several seconds. Furthermore, I find it hard to believe that nobody was able to pick up on the mana traces that were released." "...Are you suggesting that they were in cahoots with the assant?" TheProfessor asked with doubt in his tone. There were many things that he didn''t understand. What was the aim of ambushing Julien? How could it be possible to have the guards in cahoots with the assant? Just how powerful would they need to be to pull this off?


    "It could also be possible that the assant used some sort of device to hide his mana traces for long enough to dy the guard''s reactions." As spoke softly as he reclined in one of the metal chairs, leaning backfortably with his eyes half-closed.


    The Chief Guard Captain looked at him for a brief second before nodding faintly. "That''s also another possibility. We''re still investigating. This is what we have for now. I''ll inform you once we have more ideas on the situation. For now, we''re sealing all information from leaking. It would be best if the public doesn''t know of this information for now. Especially since there''s an important event happening right now." "I''m in agreement." As faintly nodded his head, his half-opened eyes closing. It was then that he asked, "Do you have any ideas as to who the possible assant is?" "...." A strange silence followed after As''s question. It was enough to make him open his eyes, revealing his deep yellow pupils. Meeting his gaze was the Guard''s Captain, a man with thick ck brows, deep-set brown eyes, and short, jet-ck hair. A long scar ran down the side of his face, adding to his menacing appearance.


    In spite of his appearance, his presence was stillpletely overwhelmed by the warm-looking As. The Captain swallowed silently before speaking, "We still don''t know which side is the assant." "Hm?" "....All we know is that a fight urred. We don''t know which side was responsible for the ambush." The room seemed to freeze as a powerful tension descended, thick and stifling. As and the Guard Captain locked eyes, neither flinching.


    Despite the eerie calm in As''s gaze, there was an unmistakable intensity.


    It was as if the sun itself burned behind his eyes, a fire raging just beneath the surface, threatening to consume everything it looked at. His lips parted open, his voice gently echoing out. "Are you suggesting that Julien is the one who assaulted?" "¡­I am not. I''m merely suggesting it''s a possibility,"


    The Captain said, his tone even. "Considering that the other person involved has shown strength approaching the fifth tier, it''s unlikely Julien can defeat him outright with his current level of power. The only usible way I can think of¡ª" "¡ªis through an ambush." As directly cut off the Captain, a thin smile spreading across his lips. The tension that lingered in the room subsided as his eyes closed again. "Well, I see. Your words make sense. We can''t immediately jump to conclusions. Do you have any possible idea as to who the other person involved is?" "We have some ideas." "I''m sorry but we won''t be disclosing for now. We''ll do so once we are certain about their identity. It''s standard protocol." "Understandable." As appeared to be rather agreeable. After those words from the Captain, he no longer asked any questions and the surroundings fell silent. That was until the Doctor frowned and thought, "What about the Chancellor? It''s strange that she isn''t here. Do you know where she is?" "The Chancellor?" Raising his brow, the Captain mused for a brief moment. "Now that I think about it, I''ve already ryed the information to her. Given that she isn''t here she most likely ignored it or hasn''t seen it yet. I''m not sure which one it is." "....Hmm." Opening his eyes, As nced toward the room where Julien was resting. As he did, a faint crack appeared on his otherwise calm expression.


    It was subtle, but not enough for anyone to notice. Staring directly at the wall, he let out a subtle breath before closing his eyes again. ''Maybe I''m just seeing things.'' Yeah, maybe he was. *** The Academy was rather efficient. All news rted to Julien''s ident waspletely sealed, preventing anyone from figuring out what had happened. Given how fast the situation had also been, and how secluded the area was, no rumors circted across the Academy campus. However, an incident did ur. One of the Priests¡ªPriest Johan Opersia of the Clora church went missing. Given that he was one of the Priests responsible for conducting the Confessional hearing for the Church of Clora, this situation quickly escted into a significant issue.


    As a result, all Confessional hearings were immediately put on hold. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "One of the priests went missing?" "...Yeah, that''s what they said." "How does that make sense?" Aoife came out of the dorm rooms with Kiera. The two were just about to head over to the confessional hearings when its cancetion was suddenly announced. There wasn''t much information regarding why it was canceled besides the fact that one of the priests had gone missing. The entire academy was now looking for the man in question. Aoife turned to look at Kiera. "What do you think?" "How should I know?" Kiera shrugged, a licorice stick hanging by her lips. Nibbling on the stick, she casually looked around before taking it out. "I don''t really mind, to be honest. I''m not really into this stuff. I might as well do other things. If anything, this is just saving me time." "Um." Aoife didn''t refute her statement. She had been at a confessional hearing in the past, and it was rather boring. All they would do was talk with one of the priests and share some embarrassing secrets before repenting to the gods.


    In her eyes, it was a total waste of time.


    The fact that it got dyed was good in her eyes. Well, to some extent. "Even so, it''s not like it''s canceled. We''ll still have to attend it soon enough." "....Yeah." Kiera clicked her tongue while mumbling, ''Fucking annoying bullshit.''


    Lifting her head to gaze at the sky, she casually flicked the licorice stick aside. Aoife frowned but decided to ignore it. While it was littering, it was also just a stick. Plus... She could already imagine what would happen if she started to nag at her. And so, Aoife decided to remain quiet. She wasn''t in the mood to fight with Kiera. At least, not now.


    Perhapster.


    These thoughts ran down her mind until her eyes caught sight of a faint lock of hair peeking from one of the trees in the distance. "Um?" Aoife''s brows furrowed tightly. Again? ''No, the hair color is different. The hair looked red.'' Red...? Aoife looked to her right where Kiera was. She half-expected her to notice something, but she just seemed lost in her own world. When Aoife turned to look at the tree once more, the lock of hair was gone. Aoife stood quietly for a brief moment before walking ahead. ''Surely, I''m not seeing things right?'' ".....!" Aoife''s head flicked to the left. That was when she felt a presence and she immediately dashed in that direction. "Uh?" Her abrupt actions caught Kiera''s attention as she looked surprised. "What is this bi¡ª" Swoosh! But before Kiera could finish her words, Aoife jumped into one of the bushes and shouted. "Got you!" She pulled out a bunch of sticks and leaves. "....." "....." A strange silence followed suit shortly after that. Turning her head, Aoife saw Kiera look at her with widened eyes. Her expression seemed to say, ''Has this bitch totally lost it?'' Aoife tried her best to ignore Kiera''s expression and shifted her attention back to the sticks and bushes in her hand. ''I could''ve sworn I had caught something.'' It... just disappeared before she could fully grasp it. But what could it be? Aoife brows tightened considerably. She had been feeling a presence ever since the dorm rooms before. And yet, whenever she tried to investigate, she would find nothing. Just what sort of¡ª


    "Eh?" A certain high-pitched voice snapped and caught Aoife''s attention. Lifting her head, Aoife noticed a figure appearing in the distance. Her purple locks danced under the faint breeze that lingered in the air and her expression appeared troubled as she reached out from behind one of the trees. Before Aoife couldprehend the reason behind Evelyn''s troubled expression, her mouth fell when she saw Evelyn pull out her hand from behind the tree, holding onto a small hand.


    Soon, a small head peeked out from behind the tree, revealing a young girl with soft red hair, wide watery eyes, and chubby, rosy cheeks.


    ''A kid...?'' The sight left Aoife stumped. How could a kid appear in the Academy, of all ces? Aoife couldn''t understand what was happening at all. To add insult to injury, a sudden hot, searing pain red up in her right arm. When she nced down, her heart skipped a beat.


    "This...!" A faint glow manifested from within her skin. In there, she could see her bone. It glowed a faint red hue. Aoife''s mouth opened and closed several times as she struggled to process the sight before her. She knew exactly what it was, but that very fact that she knew made her mind grow nk. "H-how?" Aoife''s lips trembled as she took a step back. Staring at her hand, and then the little girl in the distance with whom she suddenly felt a connection, Aoife''s chest shook. Taking a step back, she pressed her hand against her arm. It felt hot, and information flowed into her mind. ''T-this... It really is a bone. But when...? When did I receive the bone?'' ...And who exactly was the kid in front of her?

 Chapter 426 Suspect [2]

    426 Suspect [2]


    In a vast white void, a magnificent pce stood. "I''m done." Owl-Mighty appeared from out of thin air, softlynding on the wooden desk where Pebble was resting. The two looked at each other before looking away. At the same time, I faintly heard Pebble mumble, ''Stupid tree.'' Owl-Mighty didn''t even bother giving Pebble any attention before speaking, "I''ve handed him the recording device. I''ve also ryed to him what you told me to say. If his intellect is the opposite of how he looks, he should be able to understand." "Good. That¡ªEh?" I paused, lifting my head to get a better look at Owl-Mighty. Did Owl-Mighty just say... "What?" "No, I mean... That was kind of harsh." Leon did look stupid, but¡ª


    "Didn''t you also say that?" "Yeah, but I''m..." Pausing, I realized that I couldn''t find a proper way to argue back. Owl-Mighty had a point here. "Hmm, I guess you''re right. I''m sorry. In any case, he''s pretty smart despite his looks. You shouldn''t worry too much." "Okay." We were currently within the Pce inside of the Ring of Nothingness. From here, I could see Julien struggle in the ''Trials of Forgotten Minds''. ¡ªGet me out of here! ¡ªI''ll kill you! That body...! It''s mine! I''ll take it back!


    His desperate pleas and curses echoed in my ears as I sat down, calmly watching everything unfold before me. I knew that this was not a permanent solution, but just a temporary measure to keep him from taking control of the body once more. However, I had bought myself some valuable time. Time that I could use to convince Kiera to help me. ''...I also need to find an excuse for how I found out about the mirror.'' She would definitely grow suspicious if she knew that I knew. Perhaps, she might even think I was working for the same organization her aunt was. Which I was... But still... ''I''m not necessarily working with her.'' "Haa." I leaned back on the chair and nkly stared at the ceiling above me. "Let''s think of something more positive. At least, with everything that I''ve done, the quest should bepleted, right?" Everything flowed rather smoothly.


    Not only was I able toplete As''s mission, but I was also able to handle the Julien situation and find a way to not incriminate myself in the process, thuspleting the quest. This was three birds with one stone. It certainly wasn''t easy, but it was worth it. ''I have bought a lot of valuable time for myself.'' And that was all that mattered to me. Thepletion confirmation had yet to arrive, but it always tended to be a bit slow. One example was what had happened back at the Summit. It took a few days to almost a week for the quest window to pop up. It wasn''t a big issue. ...I could wait. ''Well, I have no choice but to wait.'' My ''Concept'' was still not fullypleted. It was almost there, and I just needed a little bit more time. A week would be enough. Coupled with the rewards that I would receive from the quest, I was confident I''d be able to enter the fifth tier. Furthermore, I was still not out of the waters just yet. If Leon failed to do his part then rather thanpleting the quest, I''d fail it. Thankfully, I didn''t think Leon would fail something so simple. He was not as strong as me, but he waspetent. For that reason, I wasn''t too worried. "Since that''s the case, I should now just focus my entire attention on materializing my Domain." Either way, I still couldn''t pull my consciousness out of the ring. I was going to be stuck here for at least several more hours to maybe a day. Thankfully my life wasn''t in any danger. I could consolidate my Domain right this very moment. ...And that was exactly what I did. I knew that I was close. All that I needed was just a little push in order to fully form it. ''Right, a little push.'' "Hooo." Letting out a deep breath, I closed my eyes and sunk deep within my consciousness. The world around me disappeared, and only darkness met my sight. But the darkness didn''tst for long. Throb! Six orbs appeared in front of me once more. Red, Green, Azure, Purple, Pink, Blue; Rage, Joy, Sorrow, Affection, Fear, Shock. The orbs throbbed in silence while I looked at them. Closing my eyes, I waved my hand, and the red orb shot into the sky. Immediately, the dark void was illuminated by a bright and hot ball of fire that overlooked everything from above. It acted and looked exactly like the sun. ''More.'' I didn''t stop there. I shifted my attention towards the green orb. I raised my hand and then brought it down, letting the orb fall to the ground.


    Ssh¡ª!


    The orb sttered down, scattering all over the dark void. In an instant, grass sprouted beneath my feet, spreading and stretching out into the distance beyond my sight.


    My feet sank into the ground, a soft tickle nudging my ankles. Azure was next. I pushed my hand up. The blue orb throbbed before shooting up. Ssh¡ª


    A blue tinge dyed the dark void above. A sky appeared. What came after was purple. Sttering to the ground, purple flowers sprouted all over, adding vibrancy to the surroundings. It added a nice contrast to the world. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Then came pink. Yet again, more flowers sprouted. It made the surroundingse alive. I gazed at the spectacle unfolding before me, then turned my attention to the blue orb as it sshed down, creating a small river that flowed gracefully alongside the grass.


    It was a sight worth painting. But it was far from over. ''There''s six main emotions, but those aren''t the only emotions.'' There had been one thing that had been troubling me for quite some time since the formation of my ''Concept''. There existed six main emotions, fear, anger, sadness, joy, surprise, and love. I had expected the orbs to disy simr names, and yet... What I was shown was different; Rage, Joy, Sorrow, Affection, Fear, Shock. Why? Why was that...? The question had been guing me for quite some time. However, that was no longer the case. ''I think I now know the answer.'' Emotions weren''t just limited to six emotions. That much I already knew, but each main emotion contained branches that expanded further. Rage, Wrath, Fury... They all belonged to Anger. Just like Sorrow, Despair, and Guilt belonged to Sadness. Each primary emotion represented an abstract concept of more specific feelings, such as rage or sorrow.


    ...The clues had always been present. I just never put the pieces together. But now I understood. "...." Lifting my head in silence, and staring at the beautiful scenery that greeted my sight, I closed my eyes. When I opened them up again, a change urred. The entire world... They invaded every inch of the space, throbbing each time my gazended on them. The orb just quietly lingered in the air before blending with the background of the world. "Ah." The moment the orbs merged with the background, my head felt remarkably light. It was as if my connection to the world around me had suddenly intensified.


    It was as if... I could control everything. Like I had be one with the world. ''Is this how it feels to be inplete control of a Domain?'' I licked my lips as I surveyed my surroundings. Clenching my hand, the grass beneath me faded, and a surge of power coursed through my legs.


    The process was quick. It took less than a second, and the strain on my legs no longer felt unbearable. ...It felt as though I could control every single fiber in my leg. I was now sure that I wouldn''t sustain any injuries if I used the green orb. Within this world of mine, I could use it however I wished without any repercussions. The same was true for the other orb. In this world, my body was invincible. Closing my eyes again, the power faded from my body and the beautiful scenery appeared once more. It was all quick. By the time I thought of releasing the energy, it dissipated. "Ah, so this is why it''s nearly impossible for a tier four to defeat a tier five. This is a considerable step up." I suddenly started to question if the person I had defeated was truly in the fifth tier. ''Perhaps, they¡ª'' "Urkh...!" But I didn''t have the time to do so. Suddenly, a powerful throb surged through every inch of my mind. In spite of my mental strength, I was still unable to fully hold back my groans as my legs faltered. ''What in the...!'' The situation left me shaken, but before I could fullyprehend what was happening, my surroundings began to change.


    "....!" 17:18


    Disregarding the pain that was invading every inch of my body, my eyes widened at the sight that greeted me. In particr, at the sight of the purple hands that crawled from the ground beneath. The hands reached out into the air, trying to grasp whatever was above them. They seemed desperate, and the nts and grass started to wither. "What? What is going on...?" I attempted to stand, but my legs felt rmingly weak. Despite the chaos unfolding around me, I focused on staying calm. Something unexpected was urring within my domain, and I didn''t know what it was. Or at least, not at first. But soon... Soon I came to realize what was happening. "....?" Stretching my hand forward, I felt a familiar feeling coarse through my body. It lingered silently in the air, making my body weak but it strangely didn''t feel diforting. In fact, it almost felt like I could control it. And so I tried... Bringing my hand forward, the desperate hands reaching out for something above froze on the spot. "...." I stared at the sight in silence while pursing my lips. Clenching my fist, the hands gradually retracted into the ground, disappearing from sight. "Ah." A weird sound came out of my mind all of a sudden. Blinking once, the scenery disappeared. What reced it was arge purple hand that stood behind me. Around it were several dozen other hands, joining together to form a throne made of hands. I instinctively sat down, overlooking everything in the distance. I felt something flicker in my eyes as I leaned back on the chair. A strange power coursed through my body. A power that felt both foreign and familiar. ....And that was when I understood. This was another ''Concept''. A Curse rted ''Concept'', and a ''Concept'' that wasn''t supposed to belong to me. This was...


    Julien''s ''Concept''.

 Chapter 427: Suspect [3]

    Chapter 427: Suspect [3]


    ?


    Evening, at a certain location.


    The room was tense.


    Several individuals sat around arge oval table. The atmosphere around the room was still with the Guard Captain and several other individuals standing.


    Breaking the silence was the Captain.


    "After careful investigation, we believe we have found the second individual involved."


    Pressing down on a small cube settled on the desk, an image of an individual appeared for all to see.


    Dressed in priest robes, his face looked average. One that someone would forget after not seeing for a week.


    "Priest Opersia. "


    The expression of several figures tightened.


    They were the delegates of the Church of Clora, from the Cardinal to the more important Priests. Everyone was present.


    That included members of the other churches.


    "...Given that his head waspletely blown off, we couldn''t identify the individual right away. However, considering his absence and the height of the corpse, we have strong reason to believe he''s the other person involved. Several details match with the individual in question."


    "That is to say, you''re almost certain that it''s Johan, correct?"


    A faint voice quietly echoed through the room. It came from a man dressed entirely in white, his face obscured by a soft, white hood that cast shadows over his features.


    His presence felt calm, yet something about him felt extremely overwhelming.


    But that was to be expected from a Keeper of the Holy Light; the most elite guard designated to the Cardinals of the Seven Churches.


    The Captain nodded faintly.


    "Correct."


    "I see."


    The Keeper quietly mumbled, his expression hard to read.


    "In that case, please hand over the assant. We will take over from this point forward." "Assant?"


    As spoke up from the opposite end, his expression just as calm.


    Raising his head, the Keeper met As''s gaze.


    "Yes, Julien. It is quite clear that he''s the one responsible for this."


    "What makes you think so?"


    ".... There are several reasons. Firstly, it is unlikely for Julien to defeat Johan. Following the mana traces detected in the scene, it is clear that he has already reached the fifth tier. In that sense, a cadet of the fourth tier can''t defeat someone who has already fully developed a Domain, let alone explode their heads. An ambush is the only way for something like this to ur, which is what likely happened."


    "Julien is one of the most elite students within the Academy. Given his injuries, it is also possible that he was the one that had been attacked."


    "Mhm, that''s entirely possible but if Julien had been the one who had been ambushed, then the chances of him being alive are slim to none."


    "Ha."


    As chuckled faintly.


    "You really don''t have much faith in the cadets from our Academy."


    "Quite frankly, I don''t. In fact, I don''t have faith in your Academy at all."


    As the Keeper''s voice fell, the tension lingering in the room intensified. In spite of all of this, As remained calm.


    "How so?"


    "...It''s quite simple, really."


    The Keeper spoke, his voice falling further.


    It was to a point where it almost sounded raspy.


    "How is it possible that your Academy was incapable of responding to the situation on time? I understand that the entire conflict urred in less than a minute, but that''s plenty of time for your people to make it there. And yet, they only managed to respond a lotter. It''s almost as if... someone had purposely interfered."


    If the tension wasn''t thick before, it now felt incredibly dense.


    The faces of many figures tightened as the Keeper and As talked to one another.


    "It could be negligence on the Academy''s part, but I find it hard to believe. This has clearly been nned, and since Johan does not have ties with the Academy at all, he can''t have set it up. And if that''s the case..."


    Pressing his hand against the table, the Keeper leaned his body forward.


    "...He''s not guilty."


    A suffocating silence followed right after his words.


    As, who was facing the brunt of his pressure, didn''t say a word and just calmly looked at him.


    Before he could get any word out, the Keeper spoke once more,


    "Hand him over while we''re asking nicely. It would be a pity if the rtionship between the two of us would sour over something like this, right?"


    ||||


    Faintly lowering his head, As''s eyes cocked up to look at the Keeper.


    His expression had not once changed since the start of the conversation, but if one knew him


    well, they''d understand that the calmer he was, the scarier he was.


    It was just as he was about to speak when the door to the room abruptly opened.


    Bang-!


    "....."


    n?u


    "Who...!?"


    All heads turned in the direction of the door where a figure stood.


    With her long and silky ck hair, deep ck eyes, and features that would enchant anyone at


    the sight, Delh appeared. In her grasp were several figures that she threw down.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    "This..."


    The eyes of the many people present widened at the sight that greeted them.


    Before they could get any word out, Delh''s cold voice pressed down over the heads of


    everyone present.


    "I''ve located the traitors. You can ask them anything."


    Her presence was so overwhelming that even the Keeper''s presence felt like nothing.


    However, he was also the first one to snap out of it.


    "Traitors?"


    "Yes."


    Delh nced his way, her deep obsidian eyes pulling him in.


    For a brief moment, the Keeper found himself inside a deste world, one that resembled the Mirror Dimension but was far grimmer, filled with an overwhelming sense of despair. Within the deste world, ck and gray hands emerged from the ground, wing their way toward him, desperately reaching out as though trying to pull him down to the depths of hell


    with him.


    "Hmph."


    With a grunt, he snapped out of it.


    He gave the Chancellor a deep look before shifting his attention towards the people she had


    thrown to the ground.


    Their eyes were trembling, clearlypletely overtaken by fear.


    Not only that, but their eyes were somewhat hollow. It was as if they had lostplete


    control of their minds.


    It was a strange sight that left everyone momentarily stunned.


    That was when Delh spoke,


    "Ask them anything. I''ve made it so that they will speak the truth."


    11


    "1


    Beneath his hood, the Keeper pursed his lips.


    ''How ruthless.''


    He could see that the people in question had already lost the function of the better half of


    their brains. Whatever the Haven Chancellor had done, she had fried their brains to a point


    where she rendered them useless.


    In that state, they were sure to speak whatever they knew.


    The Keeper understood this.


    "Very well."


    As such, he didn''t decline the offer.


    Moving away from the table, he walked over to the ''traitors'' and calmly analyzed them. They


    were all wearing Haven guard uniforms, and they all appeared to be somewhat strong. With just one nce, the Keeper could tell that it would take them only a few short breaths to


    reach the location where the conflict had urred.


    This made the situation all the more suspicious.


    Raising his head, he looked at the Chancellor who had her sight fixed on the traitors.


    Her expression was difficult to read, but the Keeper could sense a suffocating power


    simmering beneath the surface, ready to spill over at any moment.


    For that reason, he didn''t dy.


    He stopped his gaze over one of the traitors in question.


    "Who do you work for?"


    "...."


    His question was followed by a short silence. Following which, the traitor in question


    twitched. He blinked his eyes once and then raised his head to look at the Keeper.


    His eyes were empty, devoid of any thoughts.


    He was like a puppet, and soon his mouth opened,


    "The In-"


    Snap!


    His head snapped back before he could fully get the words out. It all happened so abruptly


    that nobody was able to react on time.


    Especially when...


    Snap, snap, snap-!


    The situation urred to the other traitors in question.


    With a loud ''snap'', their heads flicked back, killing them all instantly.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    A heavy silence followed after the asion, several eyes falling on the Keeper who stood


    frozen on the spot.


    "This..."


    All of a sudden, one of the Priests opened their mouth.


    However, just as they were about to get their words out, the Keeper raised his hand.


    "No, it''s okay. I already have a grasp as to who is responsible for all of this."


    He lifted his head to look directly at the Chancellor.


    This time, he didn''t let himself get sucked in her eyes. Instead, his gaze was the one who


    appeared pressuring.


    "The Inverted Sky. That''s what the traitor was about to say."


    "...."


    Delh stood quietly, the darkness within her eyes growing darker and darker with each


    second that passed.


    "I''m sure everyone in this room is aware of the organization in question. I wouldn''t fault you


    if you didn''t know about them considering how they always hide like rats, but for those that are aware, you should know about their trademark symbol."


    Suddenly raising his arm, the Keeper disyed his forearm.


    It was thick and devoid of any markings.


    He pressed his other hand directly on his forearm. As he did, he shifted his attention towards


    Delh.


    "A four-leaved clover."


    Thud!


    Suddenly kicking one of the traitors to flip them over, he pulled their sleeves down before


    casting a unique spell on them.


    "These rats have a distinct method of concealing their symbols, known only to a select few who can cast the specific spell to reveal them. Of course, I''m one such person." Pulling his hand away, a four-leaved clover tattoo appeared on the arm of the traitor for all to


    see.


    "Ah!"


    "This is!"


    "Could it be?"


    "Mhm."


    Studying the tattoo, the Keeper shook his head.


    "Naturally, we''re referring to high-ranking members, as low-ranking onesck the skills


    needed topletely hide the markings."


    Standing up, the Keeper patted his hands and looked at the Chancellor.


    "I''ll say this to you now so that you are prepared. I''ve already done the testing on the corpse


    you''ve found. The results came out negative. He... does not possess a marking."


    A faint smile spread across the Keeper''s lips all of a sudden.


    Drawing closer, he asked in a faint voice, "What are the chances that Julien possesses it?"


    The tension in the room thickened to a suffocating degree, making it difficult for everyone to


    breathe.


    At this very moment, the only ones unaffected were Delh and the man in white.


    To Tok-


    Breaking the tension was a subtle knocking sound, gathering the attention of all thosen/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    present.


    As the Keeper, Delh, and everyone in the room turned their heads, a woman came out from


    behind the door, subtly startled by all the gazes. Collecting herself, she looked around the room before speaking,


    "Julien has just woken up. His condition is stable."


    "Ah."


    The smile on the Keeper''s face widened.


    Facing the young woman, he asked,


    "Is his condition good enough for visits?"


    "...Yes, there should be no problem." "That''s good to hear."


    The Keeper turned to look at Delh before extending his hand towards the door.


    "Shall we?"

 Chapter 428: Suspect [4]

    Chapter 428: Suspect [4]


    ?


    "Hmm."


    Pinching my brows, I suppressed the pain that invaded every inch of my head. It wasn''t so


    much about that I couldn''t handle the pain, but it was more like it felt ufortable. It made it hard for me to think properly.


    "....This is annoying."


    nkly staring at the ceiling, I knew that I was in the medical ward of the Academy.


    Fortunately, there were no wires attached to my body.


    That...


    ...Just the thought gave me PTSD.


    ''Yeah, good thing that the medical facilities here are much more advanced than the ones on Earth.''


    Not only did I not have to constantly smell the smell of alcohol, but I also didn''t have to listen to the annoying ''beep'' that would continuously sound during my stay.


    It was so bad that the sound continued to linger in my mind even when I dropped everything and left the hospital.


    "Haaa."


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.


    Clenching and unclenching my fists, I pressed my lips tightly.


    ''Let''s give it a try.''


    Scanning the room to ensure no one was around, I blinked once. Instantly, a thin ck film spread from beneath me, stretching into every corner of the space.


    The room was neither big nor small.


    It was about half the size of my room in the dorms.


    In a matter of a few seconds, the film stretched throughout the entire room, covering every inch of it.


    Besides the bed that I was resting on, everything faded from sight.


    What remained was a pitch-ck darkness that faded when six orbs appeared.


    Throb!


    They throbbed at the sight of me, and as I weakly raised my hand, I mimicked what I had previously done inside the ring.


    Ssh-!


    Grass emerged from beneath me.


    Arge sun hovered in the sky. Flowers bloomed. A river flowed.


    In a matter of seconds, my entire worldview changed. What used to be a medical ward now changed into a stunning scenery that would captivate anyone whoid their sight on it. "§¯§Ñ§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    While the scenery was indeed beautiful, it also took a better part of my mana.


    I could feel it drain from my body rapidly.


    By the time I managed to fullyplete it, the entire world shook and trembled. The pain inside my head intensified to a point beyond difort and I had no choice but to cut off my connection with the domain.


    Crash!


    Everything shattered at once, breaking into multiple fragments that scattered throughout. "Haa... Haa... Haa..."


    Sweat poured down from the side of my face while my chest rose and fell repeatedly.


    "Hmm... Haa... That... It''s still quite early."


    Taking deep breaths, my face squeezed.


    My mana capacity was still too low for me to fully utilize a domain. While I could use it for a few seconds, that was essentially useless.


    Utilizing the ''Concept'' would be a lot more efficient.


    "I... guess I''ll have to wait until I reach the fifth tier."


    Only then would I be able to utilize the Domain without any problems. Still, this wasn''t bad


    news.


    ''Reaching the fifth tier shouldn''t be a problem. I should be able to do so any moment now. So long as Leonpletes his stuff.''


    Then, once I received the rewards from the quest, I''d be able to jump onto the next stage.


    My entire body tingled with excitement at the thought of reaching the next stage. I had been waiting for quite a while and couldn''t wait.


    The moment when I was fully capable of utilizing my domain would be the moment when my strength would reach a whole new level.


    "Yeah... It should be-"


    I paused all of a sudden. Turning my head to look toward my right where a small drawer was, my face twitched.


    "When did..?"


    I was stumped at first, but soon I found myselfughing as I covered my face and eyes with the palm of my hand.


    "....Seriously?"


    I didn''t take a good look so I wasn''t sure about how many there were, but there were at least over a dozen opened chocte bars. In each one, I could see a single block of chocte.


    ...A single block of chocte.


    "How does this...?"


    At this rate, couldn''t she just have given me one whole bar? What even was the point of giving me one for each bar?


    To Tok-


    A knock suddenly shook me out of my thoughts. Lifting my head to look in the direction of the door, I was just about to open my mouth to speak when the door opened on its own.


    nk!


    My mood immediately plummeted as several figures I didn''t know appeared.


    ''What''s going on?''


    Their presence alone felt suffocating, and before I could even get my words out, a man dressed entirely in white entered the room.


    "...!"


    I felt my entire breath leave my body at the sight of him.


    ''Why is here?''


    Didn''t Leon...?


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    The steady, yet powerful beat of my own heart drummed loudly within my mind as I shifted


    around the bed, helping myself up.


    ''Ah, did he fail? How is it possible? Why is this guy here? No, why did he appear now? Didn''t he appear


    later? Why? What''s...!?''


    "Ah, looks like you''re awake."


    His voice sounded different from what I remembered.


    Nheless, his presence and pressure felt extremely suffocating. That part didn''t change at


    all.


    Especially his white clothes.


    They were the exact same as they were in the vision.


    "...Hm?"


    The man in white suddenly posed, his head tilting.


    "Do you recognize me? Your face seems a little pale."


    My mouth grew dry, sealing my lips together.


    I tried to open my mouth, but as if glued together, my lips refused to budge.


    "...That''s because he just woke up."


    A cold voice followed shortly after.


    When I turned my head, Delh appeared, her expression different from how I was used ton/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    seeing her.


    She felt foreign to me at this moment.


    Behind her was As, his calm demeanor contrasting sharply with the heavy tension in the


    air, making me acutely aware of the storm brewing just beneath the surface.


    "Maybe you''re right."


    The man in white nodded.


    Then, shifting his attention towards me once more, he carefully approached me.


    "How are your injuries? Are you feeling better?"


    "...A little."


    I carefully said, managing to pull my lips apart.


    "My head hurts a little, and..."


    Looking around the room, pointing at all the people present with my eyes, I didn''t hide my


    difort.


    "...the fact that there are so many people here isn''t making things easier for me."


    "Ah, you''re right."


    The man in white looked back and dismissed everyone. Of course, Delh and As remained.


    Soon, the room turned quiet.


    ...But strangely enough, the silence felt even more diforting.


    "There''s no need to be so tense. I''m only here to ask you a few questions. We''re trying to get


    to the bottom of the situation."


    "Yes."


    "That''s great."


    The man in white appeared pleased.


    Without waiting for me to say anything else, he continued.


    "Let''s start off easy. How much of the incident do you remember? Can you describe to me


    what happened? I want to hear your side of the story."


    "I understand."


    Swallowing, I opened my mouth and recounted everything that happened. I didn''t miss a


    single detail and exined the entire situation. From how I had been ambushed to how I had


    managed to defeat him using my Emotive Magic.


    "Oh? So that''s how you managed to reduce him to that state?"


    "....Yes."


    "That''s quite the powerful Emotive Magic that you have. To be able to do that to someone...


    It''s impressive."


    He turned to look at Delh and As.


    "You guys have quite the impressive cadet at your disposal. I did see it in the Summit, but


    seeing it firsthand truly gives me a grasp of how talented he is."


    "Thank you."


    I thanked the man in white, but despite my gratitude, my heart sank further with each word he


    uttered. His seemingly kind exterior only intensified the suffocating feeling creeping over


    me.


    The only reason why I was able to remain calm was because Delh and As were present. With the two presents, I wasn''t worried the man in white would try anything.


    "The Inverted Sky."


    "Pardon...?"


    My body nearly flinched at his unexpected words. I fought to maintain myposure,


    meeting the gaze of the man in white, whose tone starkly contrasted the tense atmosphere


    that lingered around.


    He tilted his head, his tone growing lighter.


    "I said, Inverted Sky. Have you heard of them before?"


    11


    In that fleeting moment, I almost nced at As, but I managed to rein myself in.


    Instead, I fixed my gaze on the man in white, nodding my head in acknowledgment.


    "Yes, I have."


    "Oh? So you have?"


    The man in white appeared intrigued.


    "Yes."


    Swallowing, I continued,


    "...I''ve encountered them before. In fact, I have been attacked by them on a few asions."


    "Attacked?"


    "Yes."


    "...."


    The man in white suddenly grew silent.


    Drumming his fingers on his thigh, he turned his head to nce at As and Delh. The


    tension in the room crackled as he gauged their reactions, searching for anything from their


    expressions.


    Unfortunately for him, their expressions never changed.


    "Is he telling the truth?"


    "Yes,"


    As answered.


    "...He isn''t lying."


    "Mhh."


    Though I couldn''t see it, it felt as if the man in white narrowed his eyes. Things were perhaps


    not going the way that he had expected to.


    Still, I didn''t rx for a second.


    If anything, I only grew more tense.


    ''I''m sure he isn''t here just to ask me questions about the Inverted Sky. He must know something which


    is why he''s questioning me. No, perhaps it''s something else...''


    My mind went on overdrive as I started to think about all the possible reasons for his visit.


    Eventually, however, an idea urred to me.


    ''Since he''s brought up the Inverted Sky, that must mean that he realized that they''re the ones behind


    the situation. If that''s the case, he might know of a way to check if someone is from the Inverted Sky or


    not, and since the Priest came from a different Empire...''


    Ah.


    It all suddenly made sense to me.


    Drawing in a cold breath, my muscles suddenly tensed, a wave of unease washing over me.


    ''What do I do? How do I get out of this....?''


    I didn''t even bother looking at Delialh or As.


    I understood that I wasn''t in any danger right now. Since both of them already had an idea of


    my ties with the Inverted Sky, I didn''t think they''d let him check like that.


    If anything, they were probably here to dy things.


    ''Yeah, they''ll dy but what then...?''


    Would I be forced to go on a run?


    Recalling the vision, I swallowed dryly.


    ''Shit.''


    Things were slowly starting to turn for the worse.


    In spite of everything that I had done, the events were following that of the vision.


    ''No, but how does this make sense? What happened to Leon? Shouldn''t he...?'' "Well, if they aren''t lying and you were indeed attacked by members of the Inverted Sky, it


    should be unlikely for you to be a member of their organization. That''s good news!" Suddenly sounding cheerful, the man in white looked directly at me.


    I felt my skin crawl at the sight of his gaze as he reached out his hand towards me.


    "Now then..."


    He mumbled, his hand moving toward my right hand.


    "Shall we check?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 429 Suspect [5]

    429 Suspect [5]


    It covered my entire vision. It was all I could see. The hand reached out for me.


    The more it moved, therger it grew. It felt stifling. Suffocating. I couldn''t breathe. "Don''t move. I''m just going to check something real quick." Ah. I tried to move back, but it was as if invisible ropes bound me in ce. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t move at all. A cold chill ran down my spine as the man in white''s hand inched closer.


    Just what in the... ck! It all stopped when a hand reached down to grasp the approaching hand. "Chancellor?" Surprised, the man in white turned around. "Is there something that you''re unsatisfied with? I''m merely doing a quick check." "....."


    When I raised my head, I saw Delh standing there, her hand gripping the man''s wrist, stopping him from reaching me. Her expression was cold, and her presence seemed to suffocate the room.


    She stood silently while staring at the man in white. Eventually, her lips parted open as her soft voice whispered out, "He just woke up." "Yes, I know, but the check won''t do much harm to him." "It doesn''t matter." Delh''s eyes darkened to an even deeper shade of ck, and the atmosphere shifted.


    It felt as though the air itself was pressing down, making it hard to breathe. Everyone in the room could sense the overwhelming tension radiating from her.


    Her gaze alone made her words seem like an order that one couldn''t refuse. "You may carry out your testster when he''s fully healed, but now is not the time." "Bu¡ª" "Just like you don''t trust the Academy we don''t trust you. Unless he''s fully healed and it is under our supervision, you will not be allowed to approach the student." A cold chill ran down the room. The surroundings grew so intense that I found it hard to keep my head raised. We were talking about three powerhouses. It was nothing short of a miracle that I could still cling to consciousness beneath the crushing weight of the pressure emanating from their bodies.


    "Alright."


    Thankfully, the man in white relented, pulling his hand back. It was only then that Delh let go of his hand. "Since you insist, I won''t be checking now. I''ll do so once the cadet fully recovers." Though I couldn''t see it, I could feel the trace of a smile form beneath that hood of his as he looked at me. "...I do apologize for barging in so suddenly when you just woke up from such an ordeal. I''m just a little bit... how do you say? Impatient? Yeah, I''m a little bit impatient considering that one of the people involved is a member of the church. If they''re indeed the ones who have assaulted you we would have to go through a lot of internal investigations." Chuckling, the man in white stood up. "At the same time, you must also understand that I''m the one in charge of protecting them. If something happens to them the responsibility lies on me. I hope you don''t me me for my ''impatience''." He made sure to emphasize the word ''impatience'' quite a few times while speaking. I didn''t know whether he was purposely doing it to send me a message or to Delh. Either way, I could understand what he was trying to hint at. ''I won''t bother you now, but I will be bothering you soon.'' "No, you won''t be checking him at all." "Hm?" Just when I believed the atmosphere couldn''t possibly grow any tenser, Delh''s voice cut through his voice, freezing everything in ce.


    Even As appeared surprised as he turned to look at her. "What do you mean by this?" The tone of the man in white was no longer light and friendly. His tone dropped to a low murmur, and the slight tremor in his voice betrayed the rage he was struggling to contain.


    "You must¡ª" "He''s not guilty." Deliah extended her hand to disy a familiar-looking orb-like device. ''Recording device?'' I recognized the item almost instantly. It was the same recording device that I had given to Leon. Then... ''She had it all along?'' I raised my head to look at Delh. She didn''t once look at me. At this very moment, she felt like apletely different person to me. It soon became clear to me. Right now, she was the Chancellor of Haven; The One Beneath the Zenith. An existence that overlooked the entire world. I swallowed dryly. "This is...?" Confused, the man in white looked at the recording device. Without giving him a moment toprehend the situation, Delh pressed the orb, and instantly, a small projection flickered to life.


    It was a bird-eye view of the Academy, disying the cadets beneath. Delh pointed towards a certain section. "This is the Priest Opersia." Indeed, looking at the recording, everyone saw the priest emerge from one of the areas that he was assigned to. Leaning closer, the man in white kept his gaze fixed on the recording device. It seemed like he was trying hard to see if there were any problems with the recording. However, seeing that there were no irregrities with what he was seeing, he faintly nodded his head. "That does indeed look like him. But how does that¡ª" "Look here." Delh traced her finger back, revealing a scene where another figure emerged from the same room as the priest.


    Unlike the priest, this individual wore attire that allowed him to blend seamlessly with the cadets, and his appearance was markedly different from the priest''s.


    "This..." Finally, a change urred to the man in white as he leaned closer. "As you''re well aware, the second assant was wearing clothes simr to his. The clothes may have been damaged, but they''re undeniably the same. I''m sure you were aware of the fact that his clothes were different, right?" "...." It was the man in white''s turn to remain quiet. "Look at the path where the two are heading. It''spletely different. One is heading in the same direction where Julien was found, and the Priest is heading in a different direction." "....It does seem like that. But we don¡ª" "Keep watching." The footage continued. Instead of following the other person, it followed the Priest who walked around the Academy for quite some time before moving towards a more secluded area where his entire figure faded into particles. ....It was then that the entire room grew silent. Delh didn''t speak. As didn''t speak. The man in white didn''t speak. Everyone stood in silence, staring at the footage in silence. That was until Delh spoke. "Is that enough?" "....It''s enough." The man in white answered, his tone fading. "You can hand over the evidence to meter and I will be handing it over to the other Keepers." "Um." Delh retrieved her hand back, cing the recording device away. The tension that once lingered in the room faded with the disappearance of the recording device. It finally felt like I could breathe again. "It looks like I owe you an apology." Turning around, the man in white looked at me. Though his gaze didn''t feel as intense as it once was, the moment his eyes traced down my forearm, it felt as though a thousand ants were crawling down my back. That was when I understood, ''He''s still suspicious of me.'' I balled my fist under the nkets beneath.


    Still, I managed to force a nod. "It''s okay." "...Mhm, we''llpensate you for what we did. Don''t worry too much. For now, I hope you rest well." He tried to press his hand against my shoulder but suddenly stopped when he felt Delh''s gaze. "Right." Pulling his hand back, he quietly left the room. As followed him from behind. From beginning to end, As remained silent. He just stood still watching everything unfold. When the two finally departed, only Delh was left in the room.


    She didn''t say anything and just looked at me. I stared back at her, but just when I was about to open my mouth, I stopped. ''...She feels different.'' I wasn''t quite sure how to put it, but she felt a little colder than I was used to. The way she looked at me was different than it had been before. ''Did something happen? Why is she looking at me like that?'' Considering all the choctes that she had left, I''d assume she was okay. But... ''No, something is up.'' My heart sank when I realized I couldn''t think of any way that I couldn''t possibly cross her. No, there was one way. ''Oh, no.'' It was during the time when Julien took over. My heart sank. ''What did he do...?'' nk! Before I could make sense of it all, the sudden sound of the door closing echoed through the room, plunging everything into a tense, unnerving silence. Lifting my head, I realized that she had left. "Haaa."


    Holding my head, I sank down on the bed. The sheets were damp from my sweat and my head spun. Turning my head, I reached out for one of the choctes and plopped it in my mouth. "...Salty." *** Outside the medical ward. "A few delegates will being overter. You may send the recording to them when they arrive. I''m sure you won''t do it, but I must warn you in advance. If any sign of tempering is found, the entirety of Haven will be implicated." Though the Keeper''s voice was light, the gravity behind his words was enough for Delh to feel. In spite of this, she didn''t show any reaction. She merely nodded her head. "Okay." She had checked beforehand. The recording was solid. There were no signs of tampering. She had even arranged for someone to check on them beforehand. Everything came up clean.


    "Then it looks like the investigation is over."


    Bringing his hands up, the Keeperughed. "Who would''ve thought everything would be solved so easily? If you had the recording why didn''t you show it beforehand? Could it be that you had forgotten?" "....Maybe." "Maybe? Well, considering how much work you must have I don''t me you. I''d also be forgetting a lot of stuff if I had the same workload as you. Thankfully I don''t. My job is rather carefree, you see?" "...." Squinting her eyes, Delh looked at the Keeper. She didn''t trust a single word of his. The more cheerful he appeared, the more it became clear he was concealing his true intentions.


    Thankfully, in this case, he didn''t hide his real intentions for very long. "Say...." Pausing for a moment, the Keeper leaned closer to Delh as he whispered, "...I really like the show you put on. Waiting until the veryst moment before showing me the recording. Be truthful. Is it really true that you forgot about it, or were you testing someone?" A sudden unnerving smile spread across his lips. One that Delh could see through his hood. "Who was it that you were testing? Me? Julien? Or..."


    Turning to look at As, his eyes squinted.


    "...Him?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 430 Aoifes Will [1]

    430 Aoife''s Will [1]


    Two days passed since the incident. In the final two days, I found myself confined to the medical ward, subjected to an array of pills and various medical ointments.


    The injuries were a lot more severe than anticipated but thankfully with the magical properties of this world, even such injuries healed up rather quickly. ''I guess today is myst day here.'' nkly staring at the white ceiling above me, I sighed in relief. This ce was starting to feel quite stuffy. I couldn''t wait to get out of this ce. Plus, I really just wanted to go back to normal sses. Anything but here. I had already been bedridden for too long. nk¡ª


    As the door to the ward creaked open, a haggard-looking Leon stepped inside, visible ck circles appearing beneath his eyes. "What the..." His appearance threw me off. "Did you miss me that much?" "No." A cut-straight ''no''. Not a single trace of hesitation in his voice. I... almost felt hurt. ''Something worse.''


    ''Worse? Wait...'' n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''You''ll see soon when you go back.''


    Without realizing it, we were both speaking with our eyes. Leon''s shoulders also seemed to rx a little when he saw that. However, he didn''t appear rxed for very long. Sitting down, Leon leaned forward and held onto his forehead while mumbling, ''It hurts. It hurts so much. I want to die...''


    Wow. All of a sudden, I didn''t feel like going back. Leon was a rather patient person if I had to say so myself. For something to render him into this state... All I felt were goosebumps. "Is this your stuff?" Leon pointed towards a small bag where my clothes were. I shook my head. "No." "Nice." He bent over and picked it up. "Tell me when you''re ready to go." "...I''m still sick." "That''s fine, you can rest in your dorms." "No, but¡ª" "They won''t let you stay here any longer. You have to go back." The more Leon spoke the less I wanted to go back. There was something about his gaze that made me feel reluctant. It screamed, ''Come. You must suffer with me. You have to. You have no choice but to. Come. If I die you die.''


    What kind of knight was this? He was supposed to protect me from danger not bring me to it! "You''re fired." "You can''t do that." "You''re for sale." "....I''ll cut off my hand." "Fuck you." "Fuck you." "Arkgh!" I ruffled my hair into a mess. He had an answer for everything I threw at him. "Ah, you know..." "Do you want me to call the doctor?" "Fine." I ruffled my hair again. On second thought, how bad could it be? Either way, Leon was usually the type to exaggerate over simple things. And even if it was bad, I could probably lock myself into my room and avoid all the chaos. ''Yeah, I''ll just do that.'' "Hmm." Helping myself off the bed, my face winced a little. The lingering pain from my injuries had yet to subside. "You''re still hurt? How heavy were your injuries?" "Enough to keep me here for several days." "Right." Leon nodded faintly. "You look like your usual self. It seems like you managed to resolve everything with him?" "Temporarily." He was still stuck in the ring, but who knew how long it would take for him to free himself from it? I had to get my hands on the mirror.


    "...I''m going to be fine for now. I can''t say for the future." "Mhm. You can figure things outter, but I''m not sure if getting this injured is worth it." "That''s a different matter." From the very start, I had nned on getting injured. That was so I could force Julien into using the ring. The only problem was that I never nned on getting this injured. My opponent ended up being a lot stronger than anticipated and I had almost lost my life in the process. ''Thankfully, I managed to survive and even escaped the grasp of the man in white.'' Yeah, that was all that mattered. For a moment I thought that the situation had turned sour, but everything resolved itself in the end. I still wasn''t sure why Delh had dyed things for so long but she must''ve had her own reasons. Whatever they were... ''What matters is that everything is resolved. Since that''s the case I can now wait for my quest reward toe.'' It could be today or tomorrow or even next week but I was sure it wasing. The rewards that would push me to the fifth tier. I couldn''t wait. Creaak¡ª


    Overhearing the sound of the door opening, I raised my head to see Leon looking at me. "Let''s go." "...Yes." Lowering my head, I nodded my head and left. It was finally time to leave the medical ward. *** Dorms, Common Room. "Holy shit. Does this thing not have a stomach?" "...Guys, help me out over here." "Clean your mouth." Aoife dabbed the little girl''s mouth with a tissue as she clenched the spoon tightly, shoveling cereal into her mouth.


    Milk spilled all over the desk. "Fuck, I''m not cleaning up. I''m done." Kiera threw the wet towel in her hand. "Haik!" Only for it to directly hit Evelyn in the head. "Oh, shit." "....Why did you do that?" Pulling the towel away, Evelyn red at Kiera who took a step back. "Ah, shit... Ehr. I didn''t mean to do that. I was aiming for Aoife." "Uh?" Aoife turned back to look at Kiera. "You were aiming for me?" "Ehr..." Kiera''s face twitched. Fuck, I wasn''t supposed to say that... Seeing that the situation was turning out for the worse for her, Kiera''s eyes fell on the little girl they were taking care of and shifted the topic towards her. "Anyways, why is she still here? Did you not find her parents yet? It''s been two days! We can''t be taking care of her forever. Especially not when all she does is eat!" "Hey, keep your voice down." Aoife red at Kiera while trying to dab the mouth of the little girl who moved her head away. "Umm!" "Stop, your mouth is dirty." "....!" Aoife held the girl by the head and spread the tissue all over her face. "Hwelp!" Despite her protests, Aoife continued to wipe her face. "Mwo!" "Wow, shit." Kiera looked rather impressed by the sight. "Domestic abuse right here." Aoife didn''t even entertain her words. Shaking her head, she looked around helplessly. The situation was rather weird. Two days had passed since they had found the little girl. For some reason, Aoife felt a strange affinity with the little girl. She felt connected to her, making it impossible for her to leave her alone. Furthermore, she was also adorable. The little girl was simply adorable, with her soft, plump cheeks, wavy blonde hair that framed her face, and gentle blue eyes that sparkled with innocence, she looked like the cutest thing in the world. Enough to even appeal to Kiera who was usually indifferent to such things. ...The only thing Aoife found weird was her hair color which would change from time to time. It used to be red but now it was blonde. Regardless, she was cute in whatever hair color she had. Of course, just because she was cute didn''t mean that she could keep her. She probably had parents who were looking for her. ....It was just that they couldn''t find them. Whenever they tried asking where her parents were, she would just look at them with a nk look. "....?" The fact that the Academy couldn''t find anything spoke volumes to the situation. It couldn''t be that she just popped into the Academy from out of nowhere, right? ''What am I supposed to do?'' Aoife looked at the table which was filled with all sorts of snacks. From choctes to cereals and all the stuff they could get from the Academy store. Normally this wouldn''t be a big issue, but... ''How much does she eat?''


    Over the past few days, they had bought so much from the store that they were now limited from buying certain goods. The little girl was like an endless hole that sucked all the food that was given to her. ''Where does the food even go?'' ...All she seemed to be capable of doing was eating. Her appetite was so big it was giving everyone massive headaches. "Wait, I have an idea." Evelyn, who had been helping the entire time, had a sudden thought. Looking around, she dashed to her room beforeing back a few minutester. Holding onto a small rectangr device, she waved it in the air. "What if the only reason she eats so much is because she has nothing else to do?" "Eh?" "....Oh?" Kiera and Aoife both turned to look at her. "Hear me out." Evelyn pressed onto the device. "What if she''s too distracted to eat? Wouldn''t that maybe solve the situation?" Ding Ding~ A low chime rang out from the device. ¡ªFighter of evil, fighter of love! With the power of friendship, herees Justice Man~ "The hell...?" Staring at the device, Kiera held onto her arms while rubbing them. "You, I didn''t know you were into that shit." "... I''m not." Evelyn ignored Kiera and handed the device to the little girl. "Here, have a look." "...?" Initially, the little girl didn''t appear interested at all. However, after the initial confusion, her big eyes widened.


    Tossing the food in her hand she went on to grasp the device. ¡ªAll evil shall be eradicated from this world! For Justice Man will save us all! As she blinked her big eyes, she became absorbed in whatever was being disyed on the device. ¡ªJustice Man leaves no evil behind!


    "....." Her big watery eyes flicked as they reflected the projectioning from the device. The three girls looked at each other in shock and surprise. "It worked."


    "Holy crap." "....You''re a genius." Kiera and Aoife both looked at Evelyn as though she was their savior. Coughing, she turned her head. She looked a bit shy. Click! It was then that the door of the dorms opened and two figures walked in. Upon staring at the entrance, the girls all tilted their heads as they saw Julien appear. He looked somewhat battered. "The hell happened to you?" Kiera was the first one to speak as her eyes squinted. "Did you fall down the stairs? Is that why you were gone for the past few days?" ncing at them Julien was just about to answer when he suddenly froze on the spot. His eye fell on the little girl. As if sensing his gaze, the little girl''s eyes quivered before she lifted her head. She stared back at him. Her big eyes blinked and soon a smile blossomed on her face. Before anyone could process the situation, she spoke, "Fake daddy." The atmosphere froze over. All eyes fell on Julien.

 Chapter 431: Aoifes Will [2]

    Chapter 431: Aoife''s Will [2]


    ?


    "Don''t look at me like that."


    When I turned my head, Leon took a step to the side. When I looked up front, Aoife looked away from me. When I shifted my head Evelyn equally avoided my gaze. And just when I thought things couldn''t get any worse, Kiera opened her mouth.


    "Holy shit."


    She covered her mouth, and herrge scarlet eyes widened.


    "... You knocked up another girl?"


    "!!"


    "..........!"


    "Another!?"


    The girls all covered their mouths. They all took steps back, shielding the little girl away from


    me.


    "You-"


    "She''d have to be human for her to be my daughter."


    Aoife, Evelyn, Kiera, and Leon all stopped for a second.


    "Human?"


    Seeing their equally surprised looks, I calmly walked toward the little girl and sat down on the opposite side of hers. Immediately, she reached her hands towards me as if trying to say, ''y! y!''


    Ignoring her for a moment, I scanned the room and frowned.


    "Yeah, she''s not human."


    I was sure of it now that I was close to her.


    "Her entire body was made out of mana. I''m surprised none of you caught that." "Eh?"


    With Aoife and the others showing surprised looks, their eyes widened when they took a closer look at her and confirmed my words.


    "Why didn''t I notice this before?"


    I didn''t really me them. Unless one paid close attention they wouldn''t really notice. Taking my attention away from them, I leaned towards Theresa.


    "Theresa, who are you with?"


    Blinking her big eyes, Theresa cocked her head. However, shortly after, she turned her head and pointed directly at Aoife.


    "Her."


    "Ahi?"


    Aoife''s face paled.


    Pointing at herself, she looked at Theresa.


    "Me?"


    "Um. Um."


    Theresa nodded her small little head.


    She then picked up the spoon by her side and scooped the cereals from her bowl. Amidst the confusion everyone was feeling, I had a gist of what was happening.


    "You''ve formed a will."


    "A what now?"


    Aoife and the others lookedpletely lost. I didn''t borate quite yet and kept my gaze on Aoife.


    "How many bones do you have?"


    "Bones? Why are you asking?"


    "Did you receive a bone recently?"


    "Eh? How did you-"


    Aoife''s eyes widened all of a sudden as her head flicked towards Theresa.


    "You, you can''t be saying that..."


    "Yes, it''s exactly that."


    I pointed at Theresa.


    "She''s the reason you have the bone."


    "What are you guys talking about?"


    Kiera alternated her gaze between the two of us before settling it over to Aoife.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "You received a bone?"


    "....Yes, I only just found out recently."


    "Wait, wait."


    Kiera waved her left hand while pinching the middle of her brows.


    "You got a bone without even knowing how?"


    "...Yes."


    Aoife helplessly smiled while raising her hand.


    "I didn''t mention it since I''m still trying to understand how it happened, but..."


    Tensing her arm, a faint red glow manifested, illuminating the outline of the bone beneath


    her skin.


    "Here."


    "Holy shi-Um!?"


    A hand covered Kiera''s mouth before she could get her words out. With both eyes widening


    she looked at Evelyn who was the one responsible for covering her mouth.


    Evelyn merely nced at Theresa who was happily eating her cereals.


    "She''s a kid, don''t swear."


    Kiera frowned but soon calmed down.


    Only then did Evelyn move her hand away.


    "Fine."


    I shifted my attention towards Aoife who was looking at me.


    "How did you know that I received a new bone?"


    "Because of her."


    "Her?"


    "Yeah, you can say she''s a special existence."


    I brought my hand over the table and tapped it lightly. In an instant, two figures appeared.


    They were Pebble and Owl-Mighty.


    "Eh?"


    "Wait, isn''t this...?"


    Since there were times when I showed them off the other didn''t look particrly surprised. Of course, they were more surprised by the fact that they popped out of nowhere.


    Theresa''s eyes lit up at the sight of them. Immediately she let go of her spoon and raised her


    hands.


    "Come!"


    "Hiss!"


    Pebble''s back arched at the sight of her, and it immediately let out a long, menacing hiss. Pebble''s sudden actions took everyone by surprise but I didn''t bother and started to exin, "As you can see. Just like Theresa, they both arepletely made out of mana. While they may look like a regr cat and owl, in reality, they are far from that. You can say they are


    ''wills''."


    By now, everyone was paying close attention to my words.


    Whatever was happening between Theresa and Pebble in the background, nobody cared.


    All eyes were on me as I started to exin to them what ''wills'' were. From how they had to be essed through mutual consent between monster and human to the advantages it brought. I essentiallyid out everything that I had learned from Owl-Mighty and Pebble over thest


    year.


    By the time I was done, a strange silence followed.


    "...Are you serious?"


    The first one to speak was Evelyn who looked at Pebble, Theresa, and Owl-Mighty with shock.


    "You''re saying that they''re monsters who willingly became your bones and retained their


    consciousness?"


    "Yes,"


    I shifted my attention to Aoife.


    "If I had to make a guess, you probably have no more than two bones, is that correct?"


    "... Yes. My family has several bones reserved for me for when the timees."


    "I figured."


    There were several reasons why not a lot of cadets had bones, including Aoife and those


    belonging to high-ranking houses.


    .... Aside from the fact that bones were extremely expensive and rare, one of the biggest


    reasons was that everyone was greedy.


    They all wanted the best possible bone avable.


    And there was nothing wrong with that. I was the same as them.


    In Aoife''s case, the Megrail family could provide her with the best bones. With their wealth,


    providing something of the same caliber as Pebble was possible.


    The only problem was that the higher the grade a bone was, the stronger the will inside was.


    I knew first-hand just how powerful a remnant will within a bone was.


    Just thinking about it gave me a headache.


    Thankfully, all worked out in the end, but I came dangerously close to bing a vegetable.


    Had it not been for the first leaf, I probably would''ve.


    There were risks when absorbing a bone. Especially a very strong one.


    To create a will, one had to take an even greater risk.


    This was probably why there was so little information on ''wills''. It was simply because there


    were not many that survived to tell the tale.


    ''At least, that''s what I''m assuming.''


    It could also be that the information was sealed away or kept secret by those who discovered


    it in order to hoard the advantage.


    Whatever the case was, it didn''t concern me.


    "Wait, there''s something else that I''m curious about."


    With Evelyn speaking, I shifted my attention to her and noticed that she was looking directly


    at Theresa.


    "From the moment that you came into the room, she seems to already know you. You also


    know her name. How....?"


    "Ah."


    Right, yeah, there was that.


    "Do you remember the Angel of Sorrow?"


    "You don''t mean..."


    "Mhm."


    I nodded faintly while looking at Theresa.


    "That''s her."


    "!"


    The surroundings grew quiet. All eyes shifted towards Theresa who jumped out of her seat


    and started to chase after Pebble who ran away from her. Aoife looked to be the most surprised by the revtion as her mouth hung open. "Theresa was originally a human. But after being trapped for so long in the Mirror Dimension


    and within the statue, it''s possible she turned into a monster herself. During the time when


    we managed to help her, she must''ve deposited her bone in Aoife when she was being controlled by her."


    A look of realization shed across Aoife''s features as she bit her lips.


    Her face softened a little at the sight of the little girl who was trotting around themon


    room, chasing after Pebble.


    I didn''t know how much she knew about Theresa''s past, but I could tell she knew a little.


    "I see, so that''s how it happened."


    Recovering, Aoife sat down on one of the sofas and let out a long breath.


    She looked exhausted.


    But that was until she seemed to recall something.


    "Wait."


    Her head flicked up to look at me.


    "You said that she was made up of energy, right?"


    "Yes, more or less."


    "Then..."


    Aoife''s head turned to look at all the wrappers and snacks that were left on the table.


    "Are you saying that we don''t need to feed her?"


    "!"


    Coming to an abrupt halt, Theresa looked at Aoife and then me. A small tail dangled from her


    hand as Pebble swayed side to side, looking utterly listless.


    Poor him.


    "Since she''s made of energy, I can just feed her using my mana right? In fact, she shouldn''t


    need to eat at all.''


    Shake. Shake.


    Her little head shook.


    I could clearly see her pleading, ''No, I want to eat. Let me eat.''


    But...


    "It''s decided! We''ll cut down on her food."


    Thump!


    Theresa fell to her knees, her eyes growing just as listless as Pebble''s.


    Holding onto her face, she mumbled,


    "...Evil has arrived."


    ***


    Late night.


    "How is the investigation going?"


    "...The recording device hasn''t been tampered with. It appears like Priest Opersia was indeed


    the one responsible for all of this."


    "Goodness."


    Cardinal Ambrose of the church of Oracleus showed a look of surprise while listening to the


    report on the situation.


    "How could such a thing ur?"


    "...We do not know yet. We''re still investigating."


    "Then what about the Confessional hearing?"


    "It will be dyed for a few more days."


    "Goodness."


    Shaking his head, the Cardinal looked behind him. The situation was a little problematic.


    They had already dyed the Confessional hearing for two days.


    Any longer and it would interfere with the other programmed ns the Cardinal had.


    As one of the key leaders of one of thergest churches in the Four Empires, his schedule was


    packed. He attended countless rituals and met with numerous nobles regrly. His schedule was not flexible.


    This was extremely inconvenient for him.


    In fact, it was almost impossible.


    He felt the need to contact the Academy and tell them that they were going to pull out but just


    when the thought crossed his mind, a calm and aged voice reached his ears.


    ''Don''t worry, go. I''ll take care of things from this side.''


    "This...!"


    The Cardinal''s head flicked back.


    His expression changed but just barely managed to stop his words when the voice spoke


    again.


    ''Don''t worry. I am not as busy as you. You can leave things to me. I''ll let the Priests handle the Confessional hearings. I''m sure this is what the other Churches will do.'' "But what if..."


    ''I''m here, you don''t need to worry too much. Tell the Academy you will be leaving tomorrow.''


    Staying quiet, the Cardinal hesitated for a brief moment before asking,


    "Are you sure?"


    ''I''m sure.''


    Behind that voice, an aged figure appeared. As the soft glow of the moonlight filtered through


    the window and enveloped his body, he smiled.


    ''I''ve never been so sure.''

 Chapter 432: Aoifes Will [3]

    Chapter 432: Aoife''s Will [3]


    ?


    nk-


    It was just as I opened the door that I stopped and looked behind.


    "...Why are you following me?"


    "I''ve got something to ask."


    Leon stepped into the room before I could even say anything. Looking around, he made himselffortable on the living room sofa.


    ||


    ||


    There were so many things that I wanted to say at this very moment but held myself back. Tossing my zer aside, I poured myself a cup of water.


    "Do you want some?"


    "....Sure."


    "I was only asking."


    Taking a sip of the ss, I sat down on the opposite sofa and leaned back.


    "What is it that you want to talk about?"


    Leon nced at the cup in my hands for a brief moment before shifting his eyes away.


    ''...I''m actually thirsty, though.''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Though luck.''


    "Tsk."


    "Did you just click your tongue?"


    "Why did you tell them the information?"


    "Hm?"


    "Don''t y dumb."


    Leon''s eyes narrowed.


    "...You shared some pretty important information and you''re not the type to do something like this."


    "Eh?"


    What did he take me as?


    "Why do you think-"


    "You''re willing to sell me for forty million. Of course, you have no integrity."


    || ||


    Fuck, I couldn''t argue back.


    "See? What is your intention?"


    Massaging the back of my neck, I put the ss cup down. I didn''t like it when Leon saw right through my intentions.


    "If I didn''t tell them then things would''ve been quite troublesome. Although you guys may have not noticed that she was made out of energy, I''m sure others would''ve. When that happened, things would be rather troublesome."


    "....You have a point."


    Leon''s brows knit as he eventually nodded his head.


    "Still, if it was just that you would''ve just told Aoife. You must have another reason for telling everyone."


    "Keum."


    I brought my fist in front of my face and coughed.


    This guy...


    He was too perceptive.


    "I''ll be frank, I need some dummies."


    "........"


    I held my hand forward.


    "Hear me out, even I am not entirely familiar with how ''Wills'' work. I''ve only learned about them in the past year and I know there''s a lot more that I don''t know. So I was thinking of using them to learn a bit more about wills."


    Leon''s eyes narrowed further but I wasn''t lying in this regard.


    I truly was using them as testing dummies to learn more about wills. I wasn''t forcing them to learn it and it was also a nice way to have them help me.


    It had been a while since I had been with Pebble and Owl-Mighty and I had a feeling that I merely scratched the surface of what a ''Will'' could do.


    ...I had a feeling that there was a bigger secret that I was yet aware of.


    Sharing the information with others would help me learn more about this ''secret'' that could


    help me be stronger.


    My only doubt was whether I had shared it with the right people.


    "They are after all the ones who end up killing me in the future.''


    ...But then again, considering what I had seen in the future, my death was supposed to happen


    and it was something that ''I'' had nned.


    At least, that was how it seemed to me.


    Whether it was true or not I wasn''t sure.


    "Haa."


    As Leon let out a long sigh, he reached out and grabbed my ss of water to take a sip.


    By the time I realized this, it was already toote.


    "That''s..."


    "How difficult is it to create a Will?"


    Whatever.


    "It''s not that difficult. You just need to find the right bone. Oh, and it should be in ordance with your mental score. Don''t choose a bone that you can''t handle."


    "I know that much."


    Leon ced the cup down.


    Pinching his brows, he stood up after a while.


    "All I have to do is find the right bone, right?"


    "Yes,"


    "Okay."


    Leon nodded. It looked like he had an idea of what he was going to do.


    "I''ll let you know once I get one, then."


    Without waiting for me to say anything, he grabbed his stuff and waved his hand. He left right


    after that.


    "Hmm."


    Seeing that the room had suddenly grown quiet, I stretched my back and closed my eyes.


    ''While I wait for the quest rewards to arrive, I''ll just practice.''


    EXP +0.01%


    With the addition of the new manual given to me by As, notifications started to flood my


    vision.


    It had been a while since I had seen this level of growth and it felt exhrating.


    ''At the rate that I''m growing, I might reach the fifth tier before I even get the quest reward.''


    The thought made meugh.


    ***


    Coming out of Julien''s room, Leon headed for the stairs and walked back to themon


    room.


    "So?"


    Greeting him there were Aoife, Kiera, and Evelyn.


    The three were still there.


    Leon''s steps came to a sudden pause before he opened his mouth.


    "That fucke-"


    "Watch it."


    Evelyn abruptly cut off Leon before he could get his words out. He was surprised at first but


    when he saw her point at Theresa who was lying down with her back facing the ceiling.


    She seemed to have lost all will to live.


    "We can''t use his nickname while she''s here."


    I don''t think that''s an issue at this moment... Leon mumbled inside of his mind while


    nodding.


    "Nickname?"


    Kiera and Aoife both looked interested.


    Leon didn''t borate. He couldn''t tell them that when it was just Evelyn and him they''d refer


    to Julien as ''fucker'' instead of his name.


    "You were about to say fucker, weren''t-"


    Everyone red at Kiera who struggled to read the room.


    Clicking her tongue, Kiera stopped speaking.


    ''Fine, fine.''


    "So? What did he say?"


    Aoife asked, taking a scoop of what looked like in yogurt. Her eyes squinted and she let out


    a ''uwa'' of the light. She clearly enjoyed the yogurt.


    Kiera looked at her weirdly but Aoife promptly ignored her.


    "It''s as he said. So long as you find a bone you can create a will. Of course, you must first


    convince the will to follow you in order for that to happen."


    "Is that it?"


    "....That is it."


    Leon''s face twitched. He couldn''t quite tell them the truth. It would make things rather


    awkward if he said that Julien was trying to use them as guinea pigs.


    "Keum."


    He unconsciously coughed.


    "Why do I feel like you''re hiding something?"


    Kiera''s eyes narrowed.


    Leon kept a straight face.


    "What can I be hiding?"


    Kiera''s eyes narrowed further.


    Fortunately, Leon was able to keep his face straight. No matter how hard she stared at him,


    his face didn''t change at all.


    She eventually relented.


    "Whatever. I''ll trust your words for now. Not that I can try it right now since I don''t have any


    bones that I can use."


    "...Same."


    Evelyn replied, her head lowering.


    "Our house has got a few but none of them fit what I want. I can only wait until I find the right


    one."


    "I just can''t afford one."


    Kiera shrugged while mumbling, ''My house is in shambles and shit.'' Only for Aoife to look at


    her weirdly.


    "It''s not because you spend all your money on useless stuff, right?"


    "What are you on about?"


    Kiera''s head flicked to face Aoife.


    Aoife didn''t flinch under her stare and shrugged.


    "No, seriously. You buy a lot of unecessary stuff. From those sticks to all those cleaning


    supplies and extra clothes, since you end up tossing a new one each time you wear them. It''s


    no wonder you can''t afford a bone. If all of my budget goes on them I''d also not be able to get -one."


    "Nah, nu-"


    Kiera pursed her lips mid-sentence. Her thoughts probably drifted towards her unnecessary


    expenses.


    Frowning, she looked down at her hands.


    That was when she noticed they were trembling.


    "W,wait, it can''t be..."


    ***


    Late at night.


    Delh sat in her office seat while sorting through several documents that her assistant,


    Jennifer had given her in advance.


    The chaos that ensued after the assault had quickly died down with them blocking all news


    but the sudden dy of the Confessional hearing was giving her a headache.


    If it were up to her then she would''ve allowed the hearing to start already but given how


    sensitive the matter was for the Churches, it still had to be dyed for a few more days. At


    least, until it was confirmed that the priests weren''t being targeted.


    ''Who was it that you were testing? Me? Julien? Or... Him?''


    Tak-


    Delh dropped the pen as it rolled over the wooden desk.


    Her obsidian ck eyes turned murky as she looked at the pen.


    The silence surrounding her felt stifling.


    Almost suffocating as her entire presence seemed to blend with the darkness around the


    room.


    Her thoughts couldn''t help but drift towards the Keeper.


    ''He''s dangerous.''


    While she could deal with him with power alone, she felt like he could see through everything.


    Not only did he figure out her intentions but she was also sure that he highly suspected Julien.


    In fact, Delh knew that he wasn''t done with him.


    Perhaps he wouldn''t touch Julien for now but who was to say he wouldn''t do soter?


    So long as he found the right leeway...


    Brrr-


    At that moment, Delh''smunication device vibrated.


    The sender was her assistant.


    It first started with a;


    -Where is your other assistant? I can''t do this anymore. I''m dying. Help me. You cruel bitch. Evil


    monster.


    It was a lot of curses.


    Curses that Delh promptly ignored as she shifted her attention toward the second part of


    the message.


    -The Churches have agreed to move the Confessional hearings but the Cardinals will have no choice


    but to leave tomorrow due to prior schedules. The Confessionals will be done by the Priests.


    The piece of news didn''t shock Delh very much.


    She somewhat expected this considering how busy she was as well. Had she been in their


    position she would''ve also left.


    And yet...


    ''Why do I feel so uneasy?'' Delh''s lips pressed together. Staring at the message, her unease grew.


    Why...


    Did this feel like the calm before the storm?


    "Huu."


    Delh''s chest deted as air escaped her thin lips. Leaning back on her chair, she reached out


    for her drawer where her stash of chocte bars was.


    That would at least calm her unease.


    "...?"


    Or so she thought.


    "Eh?"


    Leaning forward once more, Delh opened the drawer and rummaged through it.


    To her utter dismay, she realized,


    "Gone."


    All her bars were gone.


    "Where co-"


    Her thoughts paused after a brief moment as realization dawned on her.


    Her bars...


    Julien had kidnapped them!

 Chapter 433: Conquest [1]

    Chapter 433: Conquest [1]


    ?


    "The next morning.


    With the Confessional Hearing postponed, all cadets were given a few days off. As a result, themon room in the dorms was unusually crowded.


    However, if there was one thing that particrly stood out, it was...


    Ding Ding~


    The continuous chime that rang in the air.


    What followed after was a small voice.


    -Don''t let evil prevail! Let all evil be vanquished! A pure world is a good world!


    "Pure world. Good world."


    Theresa had a problem.


    -No Evil shall live under the same sky as me!


    "No Evil!"


    She had developed an addiction.


    An addiction that led her to stay up all night. Despite being made of energy, ring ck circles formed beneath her small eyes as her face glued onto the device in front of her. "....Evil bad."


    Without her food, Theresa found a new alternative to be entertained.


    She thought life would continue this way.


    But she thought wrong.


    "Nn? Theresa, can you lower the volume? People are trying to study here."


    Evelyn was the first toin;


    "What are you even doing up this early...? Ung! Don''t tell me..."


    The realization suddenly hit Evelyn.


    Click-!


    Aoife came down the stairs. Brushing her silky long red hair, she frowned.


    "She spent the entire night watching the show."


    "What...!?"


    "Just look at her eyes. They''re all red."


    "Now that you mention it..."


    "Who was the one in charge of tucking her to bed?"


    "It was Kier-"


    nk-!


    The door of themon room burst open.


    "Damn it, Theresa! I told you to go to bed after ten minutes! Why are you still up!"


    "So it really was her..."


    "Yup. She forgot didn''t she?"


    "That''s it! No more show for you."


    And so the device was snatched from Theresa''s hands.


    Perhaps because she hadn''t slept all night, or perhaps because she hadn''t expected them to


    have such reactions, it took a moment for Theresa to process the situation.


    She stared nkly at the recording that was now in Kiera''s hands.


    First food.


    And now...


    The man of justice. The fighter of all evil.


    Super flying hero dog. The sidekick who helps the man of justice fight all evil.


    They... were no longer there.


    Who was going to save the world now?


    ...Is, this, the, end...?"


    Theresa''s knees trembled.


    Thump.


    And she knelt on the ground.


    Despair was written all over her little face.


    "Oh, this is bad. She''s been watching so much drama that now she''s be too dramatic."


    "It''s really bad. Kiera, damn it! This was supposed to be your task."


    "I know! I know! I told her to turn it off and go to bed after ten minutes. I didn''t expect her addiction to be this bad. With how dramatic she''s being, she might as well be an actress at this point."


    "Well..."


    Aoife covered her mouth, trying her best to hide the tremble in her lips.


    ''I know a thing or two about that...''


    Thump!


    A loud thumping sound brought everyone out of their thoughts.


    When they turned their heads, their eyes fell on Theresa who knelt on the ground on all four.


    Thump. Thump. Thump.


    "Evil..."


    Theresa''s fists came thumping against the floor as she wailed in despair.


    "...has prevailed."


    ***


    "So... Can anyone exin exactly what happened over here?"


    The first thing that caught my attention when I returned to the girls'' residence was Theresa


    who was sprawled on the floor with a lost look.


    It was as if the world had crumbled on her.


    "Leave her be, Julien."


    "No, that''s..."


    I couldn''t exactly leave her like that. She looked like a middle-aged man who was going


    through a mid-life crisis.


    Just what sort of trauma did she experience to be like that?


    "We''ve banned her from watching her show."


    All my doubts were cleared by Aoife.


    "She spent the entire night watching the show so we decided to confiscate the remote from


    her."


    "Ah."


    If that was the case...


    "Should we not have done that?"


    "No, you did good."


    It was about time we handled Theresa''s addiction.


    "We can''t spoil her too much. Someone needs to regte her."


    "I''m d to hear that."


    And so the incident came to a close.


    Without much thought, I headed for the nearby desk and took out my books. With me having


    joined the Academyte, it was time for me to study.


    I had a lot to catch up on.


    ***


    ||||


    Theresay on the floor, staring nkly at the ceiling. The world seemed to have lost its usual


    color, and everything around her felt dark and bleak.


    "...What am I living for...?"


    Life seemed utterly meaningless at the moment. Evil presided over every corner of the ce


    she thought was her new home.


    Oh, how wrong she was.


    "Get up from the floor. It''s dirty."


    Blinking her eyes, Theresa slightly turned her head. Fake Daddy. Or so she called him. He was


    the light that had pulled her away from the darkness.


    ...He was the one who brought her out of the ce she once called home.


    Her fake daddy.


    He was sitting by himself at a desk scribbling something with his pen.


    "Up you go. Your little protest has been going on for too long. It''s alreadyte in the


    afternoon. Get up."


    Her life used to be bleak before he came.


    For the past two days, her hair and cheeks had endured numerous attacks she couldn''t escape


    from. From morning till night, she''d be under the evil clutches of whom she now referred to


    as the three demon kings.


    That was until he came.


    ''Stop that, can''t you see she doesn''t like it?''


    ''...Just because she is made out of energy doesn''t mean she doesn''t get annoyed by what you do.''


    Life had been good since then.


    His face was scary, but he had always been good to her.


    He was her fake daddy.


    ...And yet.


    "Justice Man." "No."


    "...Please."


    "No."


    That very same fake daddy had betrayed her. He had joined the Demon Kings''s side.


    And so. Theresa did what she knew best to do.


    || ||


    Cross her arms and pout in protest as shey on the floor.


    "You know I can just lift you up, right?"


    "?"


    "I will if you don''t get up now..."


    "...?!"


    "I''ming."


    "...!"


    What a formidable foe.


    Seeing that he really was going to move, Theresa gave up and stood up. Pouting once more,


    she sat down on the sofa and crossed her little arms.


    After that, this well-respected youngdy continued her one-sided protest.


    "...Hmph."


    Of course, she had to let it be known that she was protesting.


    "...Hmp-!!!"


    The protest took an abrupt halt when snot came out of her nose.


    "Do you need a tissue...?"


    || ||


    Theresa shook her head.


    As if she was going to ept charity from the enemy.


    "Do you really not want it? It''s going all the way down your chin..."


    "..."


    Theresa hesitated.


    No, she had to be firm about this. She couldn''t let herself be corrupted by evil.


    "Well, suit yourself. The tissues are next to me if you need them."


    What a powerful bewitchment.


    As expected of the man she once used to deem as her fake daddy. Even when corrupted, he was


    powerful.


    "!"


    But that was when it suddenly hit her. Sitting up straight, she adjusted her clothes in order to


    look as professional as she could.


    With a determined look, she took a deep breath and took a step forward.


    "Are you here for the tissues?"


    Shake. Shake.


    "Then...?"


    "I will free you."


    "Free me?" "Yes."


    "Okay...? And how are you going to do that?"


    "I will conquer them."


    Brushing her hair back in an adult manner sheposed her face to look more mature.


    "When I do that, will you allow me to watch Justice Man?"


    A look of realization suddenly crossed the corrupted fake daddy''s face.


    "Ah, I see now. Well..."


    He fell into deep thought.


    "...Hmph!" "Alright, fine."


    Riip-!


    Ripping a page from his notebook and scribbling a few things on it, the corrupted fake daddy


    handed her the page.


    What''s this?


    "If you manage to get all the girls to sign this page in agreement, then I''ll give you the


    remote back. Ah, get Leon''s as well."


    A quest!


    A Demon King subjugation quest!


    What an unexpected turn of events.


    "...Is that okay?"


    Nod. Nod.


    Theresa retrieved the paper with both hands. She didn''t expect to be sessful, but it seemed


    like the corrupted fake daddy hadn''t been fully corrupt.


    A look of solemnity reced her pouting face.


    So, in the end, it hade to this. She had known for a long time such a day was going to


    come, but she hadn''t expected it toe this early.


    ...The day that she would subjugate the Demon Kings. "Huu."


    Theresa took a deep breath, calming her trembling heart.


    She could do this.


    She knew she could.


    And so, she took a step forward. A step toward her great conquest.


    "Ah, Theresa wait."


    "!"


    "Here. Your snot is drying up. Let me wipe it for you before it''s toote."


    But who would''ve thought she''d experience a setback the moment she took her first step?


    *


    ''No journey starts off smoothly. All great heroes face setbacks.''


    A quote Theresa learned from Justice Man over the past few days. As if to justify the setback


    she faced during the start of her quest.


    Theresa stood in front of a familiar door. The words [Evelyn] were imprinted right on that


    very door. It had been a room she had frequented often over the past couple of days, but today...


    Today the door looked towering. As if it would swallow her whole with one wrong step.


    To Tok-!


    Through her hesitation, she managed to knock on the door.


    "Nn...? Theresa?"


    Ha. The first Demon King had appeared.


    "Is there something you need from me?"


    "...Sign."


    Theresa handed the piece of paper.


    "Sign...? What for?" "Freedom."


    "Ah?"


    Evelyn, who was staring at the paper, suddenly looked up.


    "Freedom?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Nod.


    "Freedom."


    Theresa reiterated.


    "What would a child like you know about freedom?...Wait a second."


    But that was when Evelyn suddenly noticed the words written on the paper. She read them out


    loud.


    "Theresa ''show'' permission slip. By signing this, I agree to grant Theresa the privilege of


    watching Justice Man again... Hey."


    Evelyn looked at Theresa.


    "Is this the freedom you were talking about?"


    Nod.


    "Freedom."


    "Oh? So freedom is being able to watch Justice Man?"


    "...Um. Freedom. Human right."


    Evelyn suddenly smiled, as if finding the situation amusing.


    Theresa''s eyes narrowed.


    Evil witch.


    "Ho~ When did you learn about Human rights?"


    "...Give me back what''s mine."


    "Mhhh."


    Evelyn ced her finger over her chin and pondered. But she eventually shook her head.


    "I don''t want to~"


    Theresa clenched the paper.


    "Why." "...How long did you sleep for?"


    "I will sleep."


    "You haven''t answered the question. How long?"


    ""


    "Exactly."


    "So...?"


    "I won''t sign it. You need to sleep. You can''t stay up all night watching Justice Man. Especially


    someone as young as you and who is still growing."


    "!"


    Theresa''s expression cracked and so did something within her.


    As expected of a Demon King. They were a tough nut to crack. But it wasn''t as though she was


    unprepared.


    She had spent the past two days studying and analyzing each of the Demon Kings. She knew


    everything she needed to know about them. Their habits, their hobbies, their way of speaking, and...


    Their weaknesses.


    "Sniff... Sniff..."


    "Eh..? Eh! Theresa!?"


    "Snifff..."


    "A,are you crying?"


    Flustered, Evelyn rushed to Theresa and wiped the tears that were falling from her cheeks


    with the sleeves of her cardigan.


    "Hey... Hey, I''m sorry. I''m sorry Theresa."


    "Sniff..."


    "Oh, no."


    Evelyn''s eyes trembled. She hadn''t expected Theresa to suddenly cry like that. She was


    extremely flustered.


    "W... ah, fine! Fine! I''ll sign it! I''ll sign it!"


    "R,really?"


    Theresa immediately stopped crying as she looked up with hopeful eyes.


    "Yes! Yes! Give it here. Let me sign it."


    After handing the paper to Evelyn, Theresa tried her best to stop her lips from curling up.


    "Ukh."


    Oh no.


    Theresa covered her mouth with both hands. She had almost blown her cover with herugh.


    "Here you go... Don''t cry anymore. Okay?"


    "Um."


    Theresa retrieved the paper and stared at the signature.


    What an extraordinary signature.


    The ink, gracefully etched on the paper, glowed beneath the ceiling lights, casting an


    otherworldly aura that enveloped her surroundings.


    If she could, she''d bask in the afterglow of the signature, but she knew she was pressed for


    time.


    Evil waited for no one.


    And so...


    She continued on her quest.


    The first Demon King had been conquered.

 Chapter 434: Conquest [2]

    Chapter 434: Conquest [2]


    ?


    "Haaa."


    I rubbed my face.


    They had only been with Theresa for two days. Just how much did they spoil her in those two days? For her to nkly stare at the ceiling for the entire morning until now... I was both shocked and impressed.


    ''Well, at least, she now has a goal to work on.''


    Thinking back about her face which seemed to have finally seen hope again, I shook my head.


    They really were... a bad influence on her.


    "Now then..."


    I once again shifted my attention to the long pile of books and notes in front of me. Seeing just how much I had to catch up, my stomach churned.


    There were at least over a dozen different papers that I had toplete and several books that I needed to read.


    It would take me at least a couple of days of full focus for me topletely catch up.


    Still, I had no choice but to learn it all.


    If I didn''t want my grades to slip then this was my only option. Furthermore, this was all important stuff.


    ''Plus, my progress in the physical and Domain aspects is also going well. I can spare some time studying.''


    In fact, I much preferred things to be this way.


    It served as a nice breather for once.


    Or so I thought...


    Drr!


    A sudden vibration brought me out of my focused state. Shifting my attention down to my


    pants and taking out amunication device, I paused when I saw the message written on it.


    ||


    ||


    Eventually, with a long sigh, I stood up from my seat and left.


    ''Is it really that hard for me to have some time to study?''


    ***


    Bang!


    "I''m quitting!"


    Papers scattered in the air while someone shouted.


    "I can''t take it anymore. The amount of work that I''m doing is simply inhuman. You previously told me you had another assistant. Where is he? Why isn''t he here? I can''t do this anymore. I hardly get more than three hours of sleep every day."


    On the receiving end of the shouts was Delh who signed another paper.


    This had been the third? The fourth breakdown that her assistant has had so far? It was the norm.


    She would throw curses at her before picking up the papers and going back to work.


    This was how it usually went.


    However...


    "I''m done! Goodbye!"


    nk-


    This no longer looked like a regr breakdown of hers. She really did quit on the spot. That is a bit troublesome... Delh thought while staring at the piles of papers stacked on her desk.


    She calcted in her head how long it would take for her toplete everything and her expression changed.


    Too long.


    Thankfully, she was prepared.


    To Tok-


    When one assistant left, another one came.


    "I''m here."


    Julien entered the room.


    But just as he did, his expression changed subtly. Then, shifting his attention towards her, his eyes shook.


    "You, don''t tell me..."


    "Yes."


    Delh pressed the papers forward.


    "I need help."


    "...Ah."


    Julien''s knees trembled. It looked like they were about to give up on him. Delh''s face rxed upon seeing such a sight.


    ''It''s him.''


    The foreign feeling she had once felt from him was no longer present.


    Her expression didn''t change, but it became more rxed.


    And so, after putting up a struggle, Julien eventually sat on the opposite end of her desk and started helping out with her paperwork. He didn''t necessarily have to fill up any of the papers but by now he had pretty much memorized her signature and was just signing the stuff that Delh was supposed to.


    Scribble Scribble~


    In the otherwise silent room, the only sound was the soft scratching of their pens gliding over


    the many sheets of paper spread before them.


    The atmosphere appeared harmonious at first, but...


    Growl-


    It all shattered by a subtle yet piercing growl.


    Delh''s body froze while Julien''s head remained fixed on the papers in front of him. It was as


    if he didn''t hear the sound at all.


    Flick!


    Instinctively, her head flicked to the side.


    But...


    Growl-


    Her stomach betrayed her once more.


    11


    Neither of them spoke for a while until Delh heard the faint crinkle of a wrapper being opened. When she turned her head she saw Julien hand her a familiar-looking chocte bar.


    The entire time, his attention was focused on the paper in front of him.


    It was as if he had moved instinctively.


    Scribble~


    With one hand holding out a chocte bar toward her, he used his other to fill out the papers


    in front of him.


    His attention was entirely on the papers.


    "?"


    Delh blinked herrge eyes before looking towards her right and left. And then, brushing her silky long ck hair behind her right ear, she leaned her body forward and took a bite of


    the chocte.


    So good-


    Delh''s eyes squirmed with delight.


    The taste. She couldn''t do without it.


    More.


    nk!


    Leaning forward again, she took another bite.


    And then another, and then...


    ''Hm?''


    Finally snapping out of focus, Julien raised his head.


    "!"


    Immediately, his entire body froze at the sight that greeted him. Staring at the soft coral lips


    that dug into the chocte in his hand, his eyes shook.


    He suddenly felt his mouth grow dry.


    What in the...


    Unknowingly, he licked his lips.


    Her face was just a few inches away from his, and while he was already used to her appearance, now that her face was so close to his, his eyes couldn''t help but be glued to her


    face.


    He started to notice things he hadn''t before.


    From the length of hershes to the wless smoothness of her skin, the depth in her dark


    eyes, and the soft color of her lips.


    ||


    As if noticing his gaze, Delh looked up.


    Taking a bite of the chocte, she blinked herrge eyes while the tip of her tongue licked her


    lips.


    That was when something within Julien kicked in and he leaned forward as well.


    Tissue in hand, he dabbed the side of her lips.


    "You''ve got something here."


    Delh''s face didn''t change.


    She just epted it. "Over here as well."


    And he just kept going until he realized what he was doing. It was just something engrained


    into him since young.


    "...Ah."


    By the time he did, Delh''s attention was focused entirely on him. Her deep ck eyes looked deeply at him while he struggled to find the right words to say.


    Eventually, just as he was about to exin himself, Delh opened her mouth, her face


    unusually serious.


    "Did you develop another Concept?"


    The atmosphere froze over.


    ***


    "What''s this...?"


    Kiera nced at the piece of paper L had handed her. Theresa''s permission slip? Just what


    sort of thing was this? She thought but quickly dismissed it with her hand.


    "I don''t have time. Go bother someone else with your non-"


    "Freedom."


    "...What?"


    Kiera looked back at Theresa.


    Theresa was staring at her with an expression of utmost seriousness. Pushing herself into


    Kiera''s room, she headed for the nearest table.


    "Hey, what!?"


    Her actions left Kiera utterly baffled.


    Not that Theresa minded as she smacked the paper on her desk and pointed at it.


    "This. Freedom."


    Her aggressive tone reminded Kiera of those delegates from the other noble houses who used


    toe to her house in order to do business.


    They were really serious and aggressive.


    "Watching your show is freedom?"


    Nod. Nod.


    "Human right."


    Kiera rubbed her brows, feeling a headacheing.


    But then, she thought of something and a smile graced her lips.


    "...And all humans deserve freedom?"


    "Yes."


    "But what if the human did something bad? Like killed everyone you knew?"


    "...!"


    "...And what if that criminal broke your device?"


    "Do you still think they deserve freedom?"


    Theresa''s expression gradually crumbled.


    Breaking her device?


    "Such Evildoer needs to be vanquished at all cos...!"


    Theresa caught herself before it was toote. Her eyes opened wide at the realization.


    Ah!


    She had almost slipped.


    Theresa squinted her eyes and red at her opponent.


    What terrifying deception.


    "What in the fucking..."


    Kiera was so taken aback by Theresa''s expressions that she hadn''t even noticed that she had


    sworn. Not that she cared since she tended to swear as often as she breathed.


    Theresa looked into her eyes and pushed the paper.


    "Now. Sign."


    "I... Didn''t you hear what I said-who''s idea was this?"


    "Fake Daddy."


    "That fucker...? Oh, right. I mean, that guy?"


    This time. Kiera noticed it, but it was a little toote for her to correct herself. She still did try


    to correct herself, but Theresa had already heard her words.


    ''Fucker?''


    "Never mind that. If it''s that guy, then everything makes sense. Only he woulde up with


    something like this. And I thought we all agreed... Wait a second."


    Kiera snatched the paper, and her face crumbled.


    "Evelyn signed it...?"


    "Um."


    "What in the... Haa..."


    Kiera looked at Theresa.


    "Don''t tell me you pretended to cry in front of her to get her to sign this?"


    "...!"


    What an astounding perception!


    "So you really did do that..."


    Theresa looked away and kicked the ground.


    "The answer is no."


    "!"


    "Go back. I still have things to do."


    "Sniff...?"


    "That won''t work on me. You know full well I take joy in watching children cry."


    "Whoops."


    Perhaps realizing her slip of the tongue, Kiera covered her mouth.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "That came out wrong..."


    Or did it?


    Fortunately for her, Theresa''s mind was too preupied with other things to pay attention to


    her words.


    Since the skill ''gain sympathy through tears'' had failed, she had to change her approach.


    Thankfully, she hade prepared. She hadn''t spent thest couple of days idly.


    Theresa clenched her fists.


    In all honesty. She was hesitant. She had been saving this weapon for a while, now. All for the


    right asion. But when she thought about it, she realized. There was no better asion than


    now.


    And so.


    "Come."


    She nudged Kiera with her little arms.


    "What...? Are you still not giving up?"


    "Come."


    Theresa nudged again. "Alright, fine. What is it."


    In the end, Kiera gave up and moved closer to Theresa. Walking closer to Kiera, Theresa


    whispered something in her ear, and soon after, Kiera broke into a smile.


    "Are you serious? Will you really do it? Will you really p that bit-her?"


    "...Yes."


    "You should''ve said so before."


    Snatching the paper from Theresa, she swiftly signed it.


    "Kakakaka."


    And sheughed like a witch.


    Theresa snatched the paper from Kiera''s hands.


    Her lips curled into a hazy smile as she gazed at the second signature on her paper. She soon


    broke into her own fit ofughter. "Kakaka."


    And so.


    In the quiet space of Kiera''s room.


    An adult and a child erupted inughter, their voices echoing like that of a deranged witch.


    "Kakakakakaka."


    "Kukukukuk."


    The second Demon King had been conquered.

 Chapter 435: Conquest [3]

    Chapter 435: Conquest [3]


    ?


    I felt my entire body stop.


    A pair of deep ck eyes stared directly at me, sucking me right into them. Thankfully,


    Delh didn''t have any intention of doing any harm to me and I was able to pull myself from them quickly.


    Still, I could feel a strange tension linger in the room.


    "...It''s faint, but I feel something else."


    Delh''s face moved closer.


    I tried to move my head back but found myself unable to do so.


    Delh''s head cocked.


    "Curse?"


    Surprise shed across her eyes. Then, as if realizing something, she pulled her head back. It was only then that I found myself able to move again.


    "There''s still such a huge gap in power between us.''


    Just a look from her was enough to render mepletely helpless.


    It was scary.


    "Since when?"


    "....Not long ago."


    I answered truthfully. There was no point in denying anything. While Delhcked any innate skill or spell to detect lies, she had her own way of seeing through someone. I knew that lying wouldn''t work with her.


    "I was developing my own domain when I found out another one."


    Of course, just because I wasn''t lying didn''t mean that I was telling her the whole truth.


    I couldn''t reveal the other Julien to her.


    Or maybe I could...?


    ''She might already suspect something, but I don''t know how she''ll react when she learns the truth.''


    I decided to put the situation on hold for now.


    At the very least, I had to take care of this situation first.


    "You found another one? Just like that?"


    "Yes."


    Delilha''s eyes felt piercing. I knew that she didn''t exactly buy my words and I didn''t me her. Developing a second intent wasn''t actually impossible. It was possible.


    When someone''s intent shattered, if one was lucky enough, they''d be able to develop a second intent.


    One that waspletely different than the first one.


    That was the


    way for


    neone two develop to develop two intents.


    ver, having two


    ''Concepts'' at the same time?


    ....It was almost unheard of.


    This was why I could understand Delh''s expression.


    The only thing I could do was pretend to be clueless to some extent. Not that I wasn''t. I was actually still surprised by this development.


    Tap. Tap-


    Delh drummed her fingers over the table as she leaned back on her seat.


    Her obsidian ck eyes never once left me the entire time.


    It felt ufortable.


    "Try it on me."


    "....What?"


    I abruptly raised my head. Did I hear wrong?


    "Try it on me."


    With Delh saying it a second time, I knew I hadn''t heard wrong the first time. The shock that I felt, however, calmed down after a few short seconds.


    ''Right, I''m sure that even if I do try it on her she won''t feel a thing.''


    If anything, this would prove to be a good opportunity for me.


    With her knowledge, she could definitely help me understand better what was happening to me and ways for me to improve my current domain.


    My train of thought stopped there.


    I had already made up my mind.


    Closing my eyes, six orbs appeared. Laying my eyes on the orbs, I felt a slight change from how it was in the past.


    I was now connected to the orbs.


    It was as if they could move at my will.


    I pressed my hands together.


    Ssh!


    The six orbs sshed down into the void, coloring the entire world with all sorts of colors. A familiar scenery appeared in front of me and when I opened my eyes again, Delh appeared within the scenery.


    Her deep eyes looked around with a trace of surprise.


    Rumble-!


    That surprise, however, didn''tst very long. All of a sudden the world started to shake.


    "...Kh."


    Sweat poured down from the side of my face as the mana inside of my body drained rapidly. I estimated that I could hold on for at most half a minute.


    "Let me help."


    A cool voice reached my ears in the midst of the struggle.


    A warm current entered my body shortly after and the surroundings stabilized.


    "...Is this your regr domain?"


    Delh''s voice tickled my ears as she stood behind me, her hand pressed against my back. Taking a deep breath, I looked ahead.


    "Yes."


    "It''s not bad."


    "Here."


    The warmth that was invading my body surged, and to my shock, a white ball formed inside of my body. It was foreign and something that I couldn''t control but it pulsed every second,


    injecting mana into my body.


    ''Is that mana?''


    "With this, you should be able tost for a while."


    Delh pulled her hand away from my back.


    By the time it took for me to blink, she was in front of me once more, admiring the


    surroundings.


    ".....''


    I was equally mesmerized by the surroundings.


    This time, everything felt real. As if this wasn''t a Domain but the real world.


    I brushed my hand across the grass, feeling each slender de glide against my fingertips.


    The wind rustled through my clothes, and the sun''s warmth radiated down from above,


    grounding me fully in the moment.


    ''Is this how it feels to fully develop a domain?''


    ....Moving past the point of Materialization and reaching the end point?


    It felt...


    ''Powerful.''


    "You''re almost there. As you reach the fifth tier you will be able to fully utilize your Domain."


    Delh''s words brought me out of my daze.


    Looking at her and meeting her eyes, she stepped back.


    "Okay, now


    Try...?


    ."


    "Use your Domain on me."


    "I..."


    I opened my mouth to say something but stopped myself. Shifting my attention to the white


    orb within my body, I carefully moved the extra mana inside of my body and lowered my


    head.


    ''Let''s give it a try. I''m also curious.''


    "Hoo."


    Turbid air flowed out of my mouth as my entire body rxed.


    Throb!


    The white orb within me throbbed, sending a surge of mana pulsing into my body. My face paled slightly under the sudden influx but I managed to keep myposure in check.


    Rumble-


    The whole world rumbled as orbs began to materialize, emerging one by one from the very fabric that held everything together.


    They were small, about the size of a golf ball, each holding a distinctive red color, but just as they appeared, theybined with one another, forming bigger and bigger orbs.


    Rage, Anger, Wrath, Fury, Resentment...


    Rumble, rumble- The surroundings quaked, and the ground beneath me split apart.


    Lava flowed out from the ground beneath and the sky dyed red. Power unlike I had ever felt


    before flowed into my body and my frame grew bigger.


    Unlike in the past, my body felt no strain.


    The power just continued to umte and my frame grew bigger with each second that


    passed.


    Pulling my fist back, I tensed my back and clenched my fist.


    Then...


    I punched out.


    Booom!


    The air exploded.


    ***


    "Ummm."


    Dread painted Theresa''s features as she looked ahead.


    So, the time had finallye. The time for her to face the third, and most powerful non


    King.


    To Tok-!


    Her hand came knocking on the door.


    Click-!


    The door opened, and her gaze fell upon a familiar lock of red hair.


    "Theresa...? What are you..."


    Theresa went on the offensive immediately.


    Wam!


    She smacked the paper on her leg, holding onto a small tub with the word ''yogurt'' imprinted


    at the top with her free arm.


    "Sign, or..."


    Theresa slid her thumb across her neck.


    The meaning was clear.


    "..."


    Wordlessly staring at Theresa, Aoife bent down and picked up the piece of paper. Reading the


    contents of the paper, her eyes gleamed with a certain shine.


    "You want me to sign this?"


    Nod. Nod.


    "...and if I don''t sign, you will what exactly?"


    Nudging at the tub on her hand, Theresa once again slid her thumb across her neck.


    "Death."


    As if that wasn''t enough. She did it again.


    "No, more."


    "Ho, ho...?" "What''s... so funny?"


    "Hmm I wonder."


    Theresa frowned. Aoife''s expression was too nonchnt. Did she really think she wouldn''t do


    it?


    "Hmph."


    Theresa opened the tub of yogurt and took out a spoon.


    She took a scoop.


    "Oh my."


    Aoife''s eyes trembled at the sight. This didn''t escape Theresa''s sight as she took a scoop and


    neared it toward her mouth. She smirked.


    Scared, aren''t you?


    "Theresa..."


    "Sign?"


    "Eh... I''m not..."


    Still hesitating? Fine.


    Theresa''s lips curled and she brought the spoon to her mouth.


    "Warn-"


    Her words stopped the moment the yogurt touched her tongue.


    And the curl on her lips flipped.


    "Blegh..."


    St!


    With her mouth hanging open, the yogurt slid from her tongue all the way to the floor, her


    face wincing in disgust.


    "Hahahahaha."


    Holding onto her stomach, Aoife''s body curled as she startedughing hysterically. Soon, she


    started to p her hands.


    p. p.


    "Hahahah. Did you really think you could ckmail me with that?"


    But if that wasn''t bad enough, Aoife rushed back into the room and took out arge device


    that made a ''click'' with each press. A paper appeared right beneath the strange machine.


    Removing the paper, Aoife flipped it over to show Theresa.


    "...!"


    When Theresa caught sight of what was disyed on the paper, her face crumbled.


    "Look at this. Hahahaha. Look at the face you''re making. Are you sure you still want to


    ckmail me when I have this?"


    "...No."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The situation had been reversed.


    But as if that wasn''t humiliating enough, Aoife took the yogurt and the spoon from her hands


    and started eating it right in front of her.


    "Well, thanks for bringing me my snack. I really do like this."


    It was a first for her, but Theresa was at aplete loss for words.


    This...


    Had she just been defeated?


    "...How could it be..."


    Her face was ovee with despair.


    Thump.


    And she fell to her knees once more.


    She had underestimated the might of the strongest Demon King.


    "Sniff... Sniff..."


    "Stop that. It doesn''t work on me."


    Eh...?


    Theresa stopped, and her mind nked. That''s because this time her tears were real, and not


    a ploy.


    "If you want to cry, you can do it to Evelyn. She''ll probably fall for it."


    "...No."


    Theresa wanted to exin, but Aoife wouldn''t let her.


    "Oh, looks like she already did? Fair enough. Not surprised."


    "Not fak-"


    "Oh? You even got Kiera to sign it? Impressive."


    As if giving up on her, the tears that had been welling up in Theresa''s eyes all dried up.


    "Well, if that''s all... I''ll go and enjoy my yogurt."


    nk-!


    Theresa watched powerlessly as the door came to a close.


    But as if that wasn''t enough, right as the door closed, it opened up again and Aoife passed her


    a tissue.


    "While you''re at it. Clean up the mess on the floor."

 Chapter 436: Conquest [4]

    Chapter 436: Conquest [4]


    ?


    Boom-


    The surroundings quaked.


    A powerful gale of pressurized wind spread out from the spot I was in as my fist collided against Delh''s open palm.


    It all grew silent shortly after that.


    The wind died down, and the energy from my fists faded right as it smashed against Delh''s fist.


    The world around me stilled.


    When I raised my head, Delh stared back at me.


    "This is your first Domain, correct?"


    She lookedpletely unfazed.


    Not that I didn''t expect it.


    ''Yeah, there''s no way something like this can faze her.''


    "....Yes."


    "Okay."


    Delh withdrew her hand, stepping back to put some distance between us. As the warmth from the surroundings filled the air, I exhaled deeply, feeling my body gradually settle back to normal.


    When I looked up, the scenery had returned to its normal state.


    "Not bad."


    Delhmented from where she was.


    "With your current progress, you should be able to fully turn this into your own Domain." "Thank you."


    "....Show me your other Concept."


    "Okay."


    Throb-!


    Something gripped my eye all of a sudden. It was a strange tickling sensation that felt more like an itch than a tickle. When I raised my head, Delh''s face appeared not far from where I


    was.


    Surprise shed her vision as my right eye started to feel incredibly heavy.


    I could hardly keep it open.


    Soon, my entire right eye turned dark. I couldn''t see a thing from it.


    "Ah."


    Breathing also started to be more difficult.


    However, within the darkness, I could see faint purple dots. I didn''t know what they were but


    it felt like I could control them. But there was something else that was bothering me.


    ''My legs are starting to feel weak.''


    A wave of weakness washed over my body, forcing my legs to wobble.


    Moving back, I sat down on a soft surface.


    An unusual warmth encircled my arms and legs as I sat down. When I nced down, I saw thin purple hands gripping my arms, binding me to a chair woven from the same hands.


    "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..."


    As my chest heaved up and down, I looked up.


    Delh was still there.


    A frown marred her features.


    The purple dots on my right eye became more prominent. To the extent that they started to fill up my entire right eye.


    But there was another problem.


    My right eye was starting to be heavier and heavier.


    As a result, my head tilted forward.


    ''What in the...''


    I didn''t understand what was going on but a part of me knew that it had to do with the purple dots in my right eye.


    So...


    I went ahead and got rid of them.


    ''Go.''


    Within the dark world that surrounded me, I shifted my entire attention to Delh. A strange alleviating feeling coursed through my body as the purple dots within my right eye started to fade.


    The weight on my right eye also started to lighten up and I could move my head back up. When I did, the sight that greeted me took my breath away.


    Delh remained in ce as purple hands emerged around her, clinging tightly to her body. Each purple fleck that faded from my right eye brought forth another hand, gripping her even


    tighter.


    The white orb within me throbbed and pulsed rapidly as its size grew smaller.


    More hands emerged from beneath Delh.


    The hands clung fiercely to her, shoving each other aside to climb higher, tightening their grip. As more of them emerged, the white orb within me shrank, fueling the relentless advance of the purple hands.


    In the span of a few seconds, her entire body was drowned out by the hand.


    Only her head remained.


    Delh looked unfazed the entire time and just as the hands clung to her neck, her lips parted


    open.


    "Enough."


    Everything came to a sudden standstill.


    Be it the hands, and me.


    I could hardly lift up a finger as the space around me froze.


    A suffocating pressure enveloped the surroundings, making it hard to breathe. Thankfully,


    the pressure wasn''t directed towards me, otherwise, I would''ve been in big trouble.


    "....I''ve seen enough."


    Cra Crack!


    The space shattered like broken ss, giving way to Delh''s office.


    When I raised my head back up, she appeared on the opposite end, sitting on her desk with a


    calm look. Her slender fingers drummed across the wooden table.


    "The extent to which you developed your other Concept is surprising."


    "...Is that so?"


    I was also surprised by this.


    I wasn''t the one who had developed the Concept. It was the other Julien. I was just using what


    he had developed.


    The fact that he was able to develop the Concept to this extent in such a short amount of time


    was extremely surprising to me.


    It made me question some things.


    Like...


    Was Julien really untalented? Or was it that his obsession with swords made him untalented?


    If it was thetter then Julien was a more monstrous genius than I thought.


    "It''s not at the same level as your other Concept, but it is also not asplex."


    "Complex?"


    "Yes, you should be aware of it yourself."


    "Hmm."


    I leaned back on the chair.


    If she was talking aboutplexity then my first Concept was indeed harder to understand


    and controlpared to the second one. There were so many patterns andbinations that


    I needed to understand before using them.


    That was unlike the other Concept which was pretty straightforward.


    To some extent, it was simr to Leon''s Concept.


    Of course, only in rtion to the ''dots'' part. In regard to everything else, the two Concepts


    werepletely different.


    "Hmm."


    Raising my head, Delh looked to be in deep thought.


    With her hand pinching her chin, her delicate brows furrowed. A strange silence filled the


    room.


    That was until she raised her head and looked straight at me.


    "Have you... Ever thought aboutbining the two Concepts?"


    ***


    ''A hero never gives up in the face of adversity. They rise to the asion and be stronger under it.''


    - Justice Man.


    Theresa couldn''t give up like that.


    Not after suffering such humiliation. She wouldn''t let herself. Staring at the door that led ton/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    the third Demon King, she red at it fiercely.


    It wasn''t over yet.


    "What''s going on here?"


    Right on cue. The Henchmen entered themon room.


    ||||


    Patting her clothes clean, Theresa stood up and puffed her chest up. She then walked to Leon


    with confident strides and nudged his clothes. At the same time, she handed him the paper.


    "What is it?" "Sign."


    "What for...?"


    "Show."


    Theresa didn''t feel the need to lie to the Henchman.


    "Oh? Just that...? Sure."


    He was as easy as they came. Swiftly taking out a pen, the henchman signed the paper. Nodding in satisfaction, Theresa


    carefully rolled the paper and tucked it in her pocket.


    Good.


    Her confidence which had previously been shattered, started to return.


    As expected of the Henchman.


    He was as stupid as his face.


    Even so, things were far from over. She had yet to handle the biggest hurdle.


    What exactly could she do to make her sign the paper? The third Demon King. She was a tough


    nut to crack.


    Sitting down on the sofa, she pinched her chin and fell into thought.


    "Hmm."


    What exactly could she do...?


    Her mind was nk. Whatever strategy or skill she had at her disposal seemed useless and


    meaningless at the moment.


    "What''s wrong, Theresa? Is something bothering you?"


    "...Yes."


    She was indeed stumped. Her mind just couldn''te up with any measure against the third


    Demon King. Leon sat down next to her.


    "Tell me what''s bothering you?"


    "Aoife."


    "...And what exactly did she do?"


    "Didn''t sign." "Ah... I see what''s going on."


    The Henchman leaned back on the sofa.


    "Hmmm. I think I have a way."


    11 ?"


    "You don''t believe me?"


    Shake. Shake.


    "Am I that unreliable?"


    Nod...?


    "Then I won''t say anything."


    Shake. Shake.


    "Reliable. Reliable."


    "Hee... look at you changing the narrative so quickly."


    Leon pinched her in the nose causing Theresa to squint in difort.


    "S,stop."


    "You need to pay for disrespecting me."


    "M,mercy!"


    "Am I reliable?"


    "R,reliable."


    "Look at you lying so openly like that."


    "Ah...!"


    Theresa''s arms yed around as the Henchman, evil as he was, squeezed her nose tightly.


    "Alright, I''m now satisfied."


    Leon patted his hands and then proceeded to pat the child''s head.


    "You want to know how to convince Aoife to sign, right?"


    Nod...


    "Well, to be honest. It isn''t that hard."


    "...?"


    Leon stood up from the sofa and walked up the stairs that led away from themon room. A


    question mark popped above Theresa''s head as she looked at his fading back. Where is he


    going?


    She didn''t have to wait for long as he returned with a bottle in his hand.


    It contained a strange yellow liquid. She recognized it.


    "Do you know what this is?"


    "Drink."


    "No, what drink is this?"


    "Beer."


    "Good. Do you remember what happened thest time Aoife drank this?"


    "!"


    "What do you think will happen if she drinks it again?"


    "...!"


    In other words, they were going to poison her. So long as the third Demon King got the beer in


    her system, she would sign it?


    "So how about this? I''ll help you again, but you must promise me something in exchange."


    Theresa hesitantly looked at Leon. What was this guy plotting? She squinted her eyes.


    "Don''t look at me like that. I''m not going to ask for much. Just... make sure to brush your teeth two times a day. It isn''t that hard... Eh. Maybe it is."


    Taking note of Theresa''s twisted face, Leon let out a hollowugh. As expected, this was a lot


    harder than he thought.


    It couldn''t be helped though.


    The girls, for some strange reason, had be incredibly attached to Theresa and he


    couldn''t stop them from nagging all day long at her. So long as he could get Theresa to brush


    her teeth, he''d be able to free himself from a couple of nags.


    Surprisingly, Theresa eventually nodded her head.


    "...Fine."


    "Oh?"


    Leon was pleasantly surprised. He hadn''t expected her to agree. It had to be noted that getting Theresa to brush her teeth was twice as hard as getting Kiera to stop swearing for a couple of minutes. Basically, an impossible task.


    "You promise?"


    Nod. Nod.


    "Really... You''re really going to do it?"


    Nod...!


    "Really?"


    "...Hurry..."


    "Ha."


    Leon smiled happily.


    "I guess the fucke... Keum, I mean Julien did end uping up with a useful suggestion for


    once."


    And so. Having happily convinced Theresa to brush her teeth twice a day, Leon hopped to Aoife''s room.


    Staring at Leon''s departing back, Theresa''s face twisted menacingly. Lowering her head and


    staring at her hands, she mumbled.


    "...I have sold my soul to the devil..."


    A stupid looking one.

 Chapter 437: Conquest [5]

    Chapter 437: Conquest [5]


    ?


    "Combining the two Concepts?"


    Julien tilted his head. From his expression, one could see he was confused by the suggestion. "....Is that even possible?"


    And rightfully so.


    How could two Concepts be merged? While the thought did cross his mind before, it was only for a vague moment. He didn''t really think it was possible.


    And yet...


    Here he was, sitting in front of one of the strongest humans in the world, asking him if he ever thought about merging the two.


    Could it really be possible?


    "I don''t know."


    Delh shrugged her shoulder, dampening all of Julien''s previous thoughts.


    His face grew ck for a moment.


    "Then why did you...?"


    "I was curious."


    Indeed, it was all curiosity on her part. She was curious.


    Curious to see if it was possible to merge two Concepts. Was it possible? Delh had no idea since there were no real precedents in the past. No one stated it was impossible, hence why she gave the suggestion.


    Julien''s ''Concepts'' were already quite powerful.


    She wanted to see what would happen if he tried to merge his two Concepts.


    Just how powerful would he be?


    "Hmm."


    Julien''s face tightened into a frown as he lowered his head, a faint ripple of energy stirring in the air. Delh''s fingers paused mid-movement.


    Lifting her brow, she stared intently at Julien.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''He''s trying.''


    It was a pity that she couldn''t see what was going on in his mind.


    Delh was quite curious to see the merging process.


    She could only settle for the subtle changes that were currently happening around him. They weren''t anything major, but Delh knew that he was trying something.


    And so...


    She sat in silence while watching him.


    ||


    From the subtle changes in his expressions to the faint pulses he would asionally let out. Delh imprinted all the changes in her mind.


    At first, nothing changed.


    It all seemed quiet.


    Delh''s expression remained unchanged as she looked at him.


    She was waiting.


    Waiting for him to do something, and she didn''t have to wait for long.


    Swoosh-


    A faint breeze drifted through the room, sending the curtains billowing gently. Julien''s hair shifted slightly, and his clothes stirred in the soft gust.


    The changes were subtle, but Delh could pick them up.


    A strange mana pulse traced the office room. One that faded rather quickly alongside the breeze.


    11


    ......


    The world grew eerily still shortly after that. Enough to make Delh frown.


    Is this it? Did he fail?


    Yes, it would make sense if he fai-


    Then, Julien''s eyes opened.


    The moment he did, Delh stopped her breath.


    His gaze.


    There was something about that gaze... orck thereof.


    It was empty.


    As if she was looking at an empty vessel.


    It was so hollow that Delh felt like she was staring at a mirror. The surroundings felt extremely suffocating, as if tworge hands pressed down against her throat, squeezing tightly.


    Of course, this was merely her imagination.


    Julien was still too weak to do anything to her.


    ...But the sensation was there. And that was enough for Delh.


    ''He''s caught a glimpse of something.''


    How much? She didn''t know.


    However, lowering her head to stare at the small hole that appeared as a result of her forceful tap, Delh found herself pursing her lips.


    ''Not bad...''


    Julien''s face pale considerably a few seconds after opening his eyes. His gaze, which appeared empty a few moments ago, regained its usual spark and after a couple of deep breaths, he managed to collect himself.


    Delh felt the corner of her lips pull.


    "So?"


    She asked, her tone soft.


    "What did you see?"


    "....H-ha."


    Julien didn''t answer immediately.


    Holding onto his chest, he licked his lips and shook his head.


    "I don''t know."


    He answered honestly.


    "...It was empty."


    He couldn''t find the right words to describe what he saw besides ''emptiness''. Right, because


    that was all he felt and saw.


    It was a suffocating emptiness that pulled him down.


    One that...


    "Okay, that''s enough."


    Delh pressed her hand against the table, snapping Julien out of his thoughts. When Julien raised his head, he saw her standing up.


    "Let''s go."


    "....Go?"


    "Yes."


    Julien cocked his head, evidently confused. Weren''t they just...? However, before he even had time to understand, Delh''s body shrank by a few centimeters. She now looked to be about


    his age.


    What in the...?


    Julien''s confusion only grew when she opened the door of the office.


    "Let''s go."


    "What, where?"


    Julien stood up and Delh paused, turning her head back to look at him. With a serious


    expression, she answered,


    "....Collect what you stole from me."


    "????"


    ***


    "Hahaha. I knew you''d understand me, Leon."


    Aoife cheerfully said as she smacked her bottle against Leon''s.


    "I thought you didn''t like drinking. What prompted the sudden change?"


    "Well, you know... With how things are looking up right now, I thought we could celebrate a


    bit."


    "Weird, but okay."


    With unfocused eyes, Aoife smacked her bottle against the couch. A bit of the liquid spilled


    out from the can, sshing against the surface of the couch.


    "Haaaa! I needed this!"


    "..."


    Unbeknownst to her, peeking through the narrow gap in the door that separated the kitchen


    from the living room was a lonesome figure. Watching everything with a cold gaze. Go on. Drink. More. Fall. Theresa had lost count of the many times she had cursed her.


    She didn''t have to curse for very long. Within a couple of minutes, Aoife''s demeanor started


    to change.


    "L,Leon?"


    "Yes...?"


    "Why are there two of... Hic! Y,you?"


    Smack-!


    Aoife pushed her hand forward, identally pping Leon''s face in the process.


    "Uah!? What was that for?"


    "Oh? Ah!? Hihihihihihihi."


    Smack-!


    She smacked him again.


    "That''s enough!"


    "Hihihihihihihi."


    "Damn it... I''m starting to regret this."


    "Ah? Why?"


    "Just take a look at yourself."


    It''s time.


    Theresa took a deep breath. Her heart was thumping madly, but she knew it wasn''t time for


    her to be nervous. She then fixed her clothes and took her first step.


    "Hihihih. L,Leon, why are there three of you?"


    "Eh... no? Get away from me!" "Hmm? Theresa? What are you doing h,here?"


    Theresa took another deep breath. Debuff or not, the third Demon King was as terrifying as


    theye. Just a glimpse of her gaze made her legs feel like jello... the beautiful, squishy, and


    bouncy jello...


    "Slurp."


    Theresa wiped away the saliva that dripped from the corner of her lips. Her mind had


    wandered away for a moment.


    She red at the Demon King.


    What powerful bewitchment.


    "Theresa...?"


    Unfolding the paper in her pocket, she handed it to Aoife.


    "Sign."


    "What''s... Hic! this?"


    "Sign. Make me happy."


    "Oh?"


    Aoife cocked her head as she carefully studied the paper in her hand. Flipping it sideways, she


    cocked her head once more.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    Theresa could feel her own heart beating unsteadily as she rigidly stood on her spot. Would


    this method work? Would she sign it? Will she finally get her freedom back...? All sorts of


    thoughts ran through the child''s mind at that moment.


    And...


    "Ha. Sure. Sign. Why not?"


    Aoife looked around.


    "Pen... where can I get a p-"


    "Here."


    Theresa beat her to it as she swiftly handed her a pen with trembling fingers. She then pointed


    at the exact area she wanted her to sign.


    "Sign."


    Could this finally be...?


    "Oh... Hic."


    The pen pressed against the paper.


    Theresa licked her lips which had gone dry. She stared as the pen left a small mark on the


    paper. Her toes curled inward at the sight.


    Go on.


    Just a little more.


    Just a little...


    "Bleergh!"


    "...Uh, ah?"


    Time seemed to have stopped at that moment.


    It all happened so suddenly and so unexpectedly that Thersa barely had any time to process


    what had happened.


    No.


    Even if she had the time, she probably wouldn''t have been able to.


    "Bleergh!"


    Blink. Blink.


    || ||


    Her little mind seemed to have gone in overdrive as Aoife hunched over and...


    "Bleeergh!"


    Puked all over the sacred quest paper.


    "Ah, I''m suddenly regretting doing this. Aoife, puke over here."


    Leon rushed over with a small bucket which Aoife quickly took before puking her heart out.


    "Bleeeeeeargh!"


    The world looked bleak at that moment. Lowering her head and staring at her paper which


    was covered in vomit, Theresa opened her mouth.


    ||||


    But no words came out.


    Life had finally hit the young girl''s heart.


    "Come here. Let me bring you to your room. Ugh. Off we go."


    It wasn''t long before she was standing in themon room by herself.


    "Hick... Hick..."


    She made noises but no tears came out of her eyes. Aoife''s previous words had traumatized


    the young girl''s heart.


    And then...


    Click.


    The door opened.


    When she raised her head, Theresa found a familiar figure entering the apartment.


    "What''s going on here... what the..."


    It was fake daddy. The man corrupted by evil. He looked around in utter bewilderment.


    Beside him was a tall young girl with long ck hair. The sight of her caused the Henchman''s expression to grow stiff.


    "What''s with all the mess here, and why are you here by yourself?"


    Walking toward Theresa, Julien bent down on one knee, meeting her gaze. Theresa''s nose


    scrunched up as she pointed at her paper.


    "...That..."


    "Hm?"


    Julien casually looked in the direction where she pointed before finding the paper.


    "Is that...?"


    "...Um."


    "Why is it like that?"


    ||||


    With a pair of hollow eyes, Theresa lowered her head. What she didn''t notice was the abrupt


    shift in Delh''s expression as she looked at Julien. "Did you teach her?"


    "What? Ah, no. That''s..."


    He scratched his head. ''How am I going to exin this?'' he muttered silently to himself.


    "I''ve only just learned it myself. How can I teach it to her?"


    "...Really?"


    "Why is this even a question?"


    "She looked just like you..."


    "Haa. I think I know what''s going on. Let me see. Oh?"


    Julien blinked, his eyes hovering above the paper which was covered in vomit.


    "You''ve managed to get everyone to sign?"


    "...Un."


    Theresa lifelessly nodded her head. Holding her back as if she were an old man, she sat down


    on the floor, reminiscing about the past when she was oh so close to defeating the three


    Demon Kings.


    "...the good old days..."


    Julien and Delh exchanged nces. She whispered to him,


    ''You really didn''t teach her?''


    ''I don''t think so...''


    Even he was starting to doubt it.


    "Well..."


    Riiip-!


    "?"


    "Let''s change the rules of the game. How about this."


    Julien turned his head and pointed his thumb at Delh.


    "If you can get her to sign, you''re good to go. How about it?"


    Theresa epted the piece of paper with a vacant look. Her mind seemed to race through all


    sorts of thoughts before her face bloomed into arge smile.


    Seeing her reaction, Julien turned to face Delh and was prepared to fill her up on the


    situation when...


    "She spends a lot of time watching the-"


    "I ept.


    "1


    He barely got a word out before he caught sight of Theresa handing Delh a bar of chocte,


    the exchange suspiciously resembling a drug deal. One that was exchanged for a signature.


    "Done."


    Theresa stared at the paper with shining eyes. After staring at Theresa for a couple of seconds,


    Julien raised his head to look at Delh.


    "You, this isn''t the first time you''ve met her is it?"


    "...Um?"


    Delh cocked her head, opening the bar and taking a bite. Blinking herrge eyes she shook


    her head.


    "No."


    "What? When did you...?"


    "Aoife came to me."


    "She did?"


    "Yes."


    "Ah." It all made sense.


    No wait.


    "Then why didn''t you tell them she was not human?"


    "I thought they knew."


    "Ehh..."


    ''She has a point'', Julien mumbled to himself.


    "...Couldn''t you have at least struggled a little?" "Hm? Why?"


    "No, never mind."


    "Here."


    With the shine remaining in her eyes, Theresa tapped on the fake daddy''s leg.


    "Missionplete."


    And held onto the paper up high. As if to show off her achievement.


    "Yes. I saw."


    "...So?"


    "Well, it''ste now."


    "But..."


    "Go to sleep for now. Starting tomorrow, you''ll be allowed to watch Justice Man again, is that


    okay?"


    Pinching her chin with her hand, Theresa relented.


    "Well, fine."


    She rolled the paper and gently caressed it. She could concede this much. After all, she was


    indeed feeling a little tired.


    "Alright, go to bed."


    "Um."


    Trotting back to her room, Theresa suddenly paused. Thinking for a moment, her little legs


    trotted back to where the fake daddy was, and she nudged at his clothes.


    "Yes?"


    "Thank, you."


    Theresa bowed her head.


    "Hmm."


    Then, as if that wasn''t enough, Theresa recalled something and bowed even more.


    "Thank you... fucker."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 438: Confessional Hearing [1]

    Chapter 438: Confessional Hearing [1]


    ?


    "Pftt... Kh."


    Aoife held onto her mouth, trying her best to notugh. She wasn''t doing a very good job at it.


    "Weren''t you drunk?"


    "...I was until I puked it all out."


    "Oh."


    That''s a thing? I wasn''t too sure since I never really got drunk to the point of puking in myst life.


    "My head hurts, though."


    Walking up to themon room desk she retrieved several pills and shoved them down her mouth.


    "This also helps."


    "Right..."


    I shifted my gaze away from her and onto the floor where a young girly, her eyes nk while she stared at the ceiling.


    Gaze: Betrayal alwayses from those you trust the most.


    Right, yeah. There was that... I took my gaze away from her. It wasn''t really her fault since I could pretty much guess what had happened, but seeing the looks everyone was giving me, I decided to hold onto giving her the rewards for now.


    These damn...


    "Hm?"


    It was right in the midst of my thoughts that I noticed something.


    ''Where is Delh? I could''ve sworn that she was just here a few moments ago.''


    Frowning, I looked around themon room but she was nowhere in sight. When I turned to Leon, he just shook his head at me.


    ''Don''t ask me.''


    ''What? I didn''t even...''


    Hold on.


    I paused, taking a step back.


    ''Has our eyemunication transcended to a new level again?''


    To be able to guess my thoughts like that...


    "What? Why are you making that face, Leon? Are you also drunk? Here, take some pills."


    Closing my eyes, I decided to ignore what was happening around me. For my mental health, this was for the best.


    ''Since she left, I''ll just head back to my room.''


    While I was curious why she decided toe with me and suddenly leave, I didn''t dwell on the situation for too long. Perhaps she had something urgente up. Feeling tired, I went up the stairs and arrived before my room.


    Click!


    "Huam."


    As I let out a small yawn, the trace of a silhouette appeared by the end of the room. "Ha."


    Why didn''t I think about it before?


    I paused mid-step, noticing Delh seated on my chair with her back to me. Shaking my head,


    I slipped off my zer and hung it on the side.


    "So you were here. No wonder I couldn''t find you."


    Strangely, she didn''t respond. Usually, she would respond immediately.


    What exactly was she so absorbed with that she didn''t even notice me? I tried to call out for her again.


    "Delh?"


    "Uht."


    Her shoulders trembled as a weird sound came out of her mouth.


    Uht...?


    I looked at Delh. She seemed as expressionless as ever, but... what exactly was that sound?


    I squinted my eyes.


    "Delh."


    "...Yes?"


    "Can you look at me?"


    "I am."


    Her head slowly turned to face my direction. There didn''t seem to be any difference in her. So,


    I slowly rxed and continued.


    "Right, you said that you wanted to-"


    "Uht."


    Her shoulders trembled once more, and her head flicked away. I paused before opening my


    mouth again.


    "So... As I was-"


    "Uht."


    "..saying..."


    "Uahut."


    Uahut?


    "If you want tough, justugh."


    "No, it''s fine."


    Smacking her face with both hands, Delh let out whatever she was holding back before returning to her usual expressionless self. I sat down next to her.


    "It''s about Theresa, isn''t it?"


    Her head flicked away from me again.


    Right, that was all I needed to know. She had indeed seen the entire thing. Still, I was surprised. I didn''t think Delh was capable ofughing. It felt rather fresh.


    "Okay. I''m good."


    Delh reached out for her chocte and took a bite. Then, she handed me one.


    "Want one?"


    "....Fine."


    I reached out to grab a cube when Delh suddenly paused. Then, with her eyes squinting, she moved the bar back. Her action left me surprised.


    Wasn''t she...?


    "Eh?"


    "Before that."


    Delh''s entire demenour changed, suddenly feeling rather intimidating. My mouth grew dry


    at the sight of her. What happened? Why is she acting like this?


    Before I could figure out her thoughts, she extended her hand forward and coldly spoke,


    "Give it back."


    Give it back...? What-


    "Give me back what you stole from me?"


    "Ah?"


    ***


    It waste into the night when Delh returned.


    The gentle ''click'' of a heel resounded as she appeared in her office. Her hands pressed against


    her stomach, and she held onto several wrappers. Within the wrappers were single cubes of


    chocte.


    With a satisfied look, Delh dropped the wrappers on her desk.


    Yes, this is how it should be.


    Delh nodded in satisfaction.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was a bit of a struggle to collect them all back but they were finally back to her. Although


    she had indeed left them for Julien back then, she had run out of them.


    As a result, they automatically became hers again.


    Delh didn''t waste a second and reached out for one cube and immediately plopped it in her


    mouth.


    ||


    "...."


    Her eyes squinted in delight.


    The soft and chewy texture. The warm and...


    "Oh."


    Opening her eyes, she recalled something. Heading for her desk, she sat down and opened up


    her drawer where she took out a familiar-looking diary.


    Flipping it open, she dabbed her fountain pen and started writing on it.


    Scribble~


    A flicker of satisfaction crossed her features as the pen glided across the paper.


    "Done."


    By the time she was done, she happily nodded.


    The book was bing more and moreplete.


    [? He likes feeding me.]


    ***


    The next few days passed by in a breeze.


    With everything held on pause, nothing eventful urred and everyone was able to have a


    few days of rest.


    Early in the morning.


    To Tok-


    I woke up to the sudden sound of someone knocking on the door. Checking the time, I


    groaned. The days of the festivities were over. Today was the day when the Confessional Hearing would be held.


    With it having been dyed for a few days already, the major members of the churches were no longer present. ording to the announcement, it was going to be done by the Priests in charge.


    I didn''t particrly care so it didn''t affect me much. The same couldn''t be said for those who


    were extremely religious.


    To Tok-


    Ignoring the knock, I sat up and headed to the bathroom to wash my face.


    Feeling the cold water trace down my face, my mind refreshed. Pushing my hair back, I


    nced at my ring and closed my fist.


    "The mana consumption is nothing to joke about.''


    In order to keep Julien sealed into the ring, I needed to constantly inject mana into the ring.


    The moment that I ran out of mana was the moment where the effect would die down and he


    would take over once more.


    This was also why this wasn''t a permanent solution but just a temporary one.


    I needed to be on the constant lookout for my mana.


    To Tok-


    I still ignored the knocking and started to get changed.


    "Get out."


    A muffled voice reached me from the other side of the door.


    It was Leon.


    "Hurry up."


    I continued to take my sweet time.


    Yes, I was doing this on purpose. "....Fucker."


    I slowed down further.


    Buttoning my shirt from the bottom up, I went over them once more, fastening each one from


    top to bottom. Yes, it was all about the order. I couldn''t mess up the order.


    "Hurry."


    Bending down, Iced up my shoes.


    I tried a couple of knots until I got the one that I was satisfied with.


    "I will throw you out of the-"


    nk!


    Only then did I open the door. Greeting me was Leon whose face was cold and indifferent.


    "Morning."


    I walked past him and made my way down the stairs.


    ''It''s good to have a knight.''


    With what had happened recently, Leon was forced to stay next to me when apanying


    me. Since it was his job, this wasn''t something he could disagree with.


    I took full advantage of the situation and had him apany me all the way to where the


    members of the Church of Oracleus were gathered.


    "....We''re finally here."


    The best part of it all was the fact that Leon didn''t even belong to this church.


    He had to go back to his own ce which was on the other side of the Academy. Feeling his


    re, I lowered my head and thanked him.


    "You may go."


    "What a great morning."


    I stretched my back and turned my attention toward the grand building that loomed in front


    of me. While it wasn''t supposed to be a church, from the outside it looked like a grand


    cathedral made out of dark stone.


    The Milton Hall.


    Looking around, I made my way into the building.


    "Wee."


    A few priests greeted me at the building''s entrance, their familiar robes flowing as the scent


    of incense lingered in the air.


    Behind them was a long hall with wooden doors by each side.


    ''Is that where the hearing will be?''


    As far as I was aware, the hearing was a one-on-one meeting with one of the priests of the


    church.


    I greeted the two priests at the entrance and handed over my student ID which they took a quick look at.


    Their expressions shed for a brief moment before they pointed toward a certain room.


    "Over there."


    "....Thank you."


    While I did notice the peculiar looks on their faces, I didn''t think much of it. After all, I was


    quite famous after what had happened at the Summit.


    "This one?"


    Arriving by the door that they had pointed at, I looked around to make sure it was the right


    one before reaching out for the knob and turning it.


    nk!


    I was met with the sight of a dimly lit room, about a quarter the size of mine, sparsely decorated and filled with the intense scent of incense. As the candles flickered on the side, my attention fell on the aged figure that sat in the middle of the room.


    He was garbed in a strange white cassock, and his presence felt strange.


    It was...


    "...What?"


    I looked down at my hands, noticing the faint tremble in them. My expression changed but by


    the time I realized that something was wrong, the door smacked close.


    nk!


    My body froze on the spot and the figure turned his head, disying his murky white eye.


    "I knew I wasn''t wrong."


    His voice spread across the room, gently tickling my ears. As his head turned, a tear traced


    down his cheek.


    Drip!


    Extending his hands in my direction, his voice shook.


    "I knew I''d see you... My g-god."

 Chapter 439: Confessional Hearing [2]

    Chapter 439: Confessional Hearing [2]


    ?


    A lump formed in my throat.


    It kept me rooted on the spot.


    "...I,it''s you isn''t it?"


    His murky eyes flickered, gaining a certain rity that made every hair on my body rise. His presence was undeniable.


    Although he looked old, he felt extremely powerful.


    ''Who is he...?''


    No, I could guess who he was.


    But... Why? Why was he here?


    It was then that I recalled the first few words he spoke, and my expression tightened.


    ''I knew I''d see you... My g-god.''


    I took a step back.


    Impossible!


    How did he know? It makes no-


    "My L,lord...?"


    Standing up, the man smiled. His hands continued to shake as he approached me. I wanted to move away and run away from this ce, but I found myself stuck once more. I couldn''t move my body at all.


    He eventually appeared before me, and his entire body shook.


    "Yes, yes, it''s you..."


    Drip! Drip..!


    Tears traced down his cheeks as he looked at me.


    "Oh, Seer. It''s y-ou. Y-you''ve graced this one with your presence."


    His aged hands touched my cheeks.


    My stomach churned and my toes curled, however, I kept myposure.


    ''Right, this isn''t the time for me to panic.''


    The fact that he knew my identity was quite shocking, however, seeing the craze in his eyes, I knew that I couldn''t act out of line. I first needed to get more information from him.


    And to do that...


    I needed to acknowledge my identity.


    That of Oracleus.


    "Back off."


    Finally opening my mouth, my voice came out rather detached.


    Immediatly, the Pope snapped out of it.


    "A-ah, how could I?"


    His expression turned into one of shock and his body trembled as he took a few steps back.


    "What have I..."


    "What is your identity?"


    I didn''t let him wander into his own mind and directly asked him a question. His body immediately froze.


    "W,who I am...? My Lord do you..."


    "I do not."


    "Ah."


    His face immediately deted while he started to mumble, ''How could it be? I''m...'' Looking around the room, I secretly swallowed my saliva before heading for the chair where he previously sat. Seeing that he didn''t move at all, I sighed in relief and sat down.


    It was only then that I spoke again.


    "Are you the current Pope?"


    The Pope''s head flicked up.


    "Yes, I am!"


    He immediately looked rejuvenated.


    "I am indeed the current Pope. So you do know..."


    Tears welled up in his eyes once more.


    Honestly, I had no idea how he was so convinced that I was Oracleus. But the fact that someone of his strength didn''t restrain me, despite the clear gap in power, made it clear he was almost certain.


    That was what made me curious. Just what made him so certain?


    "It''s not hard to figure out given your clothing."


    "Ah."


    The Pope''s face deted once more.


    It was weird. Seeing someone so old acting like this. Then again, he was meeting his so-called ''god''. One could say this was to be the expected reaction.


    "Tell me... How did you know?"


    I ced my desk on the armrest next to me and propped my chin on my fist.


    "How did you know about my identity."


    "...How?"


    The Pope''s clouded white eyes flickered briefly. Then, regaining hisposure, he raised a hand, revealing an old, weathered book.


    "With the Old Testament, of course "


    He flicked the book open, flipping through the worn-out pages and turning towards a certain page which he immediately showed me.


    His excitement grew as he pointed at the image disyed in the book.


    "See? This is you!"


    "This..."


    My expression almost faltered.


    In spite of my best attempts, my mouth couldn''t help but tremble at the sight that greeted


    me. But how could I remainposed?


    After all, the image disyed in the text differed from what I had expected.


    Not Emmet, but Julien.


    ''How is this possible?''


    How could...


    ''Wait, could it be?''


    A thought suddenly crossed my mind and I paused. Raising my head, I stared directly at the


    text beneath the image disyed and everything started to click.


    [The second face of Oracleus - Depicted by the Ancient of Eryndor.


    -The Ancients who im to have met the god himself.]


    ''So that''s how it is.''


    Rather than being shocked or surprised, all I felt was relief. That was because I understood


    what had brought upon this situation.


    It was me and the third leaf.


    This wasn''t a mystery that I needed to solve. A veil wasn''t covering my eyes.


    "I see."


    It all made sense to me.


    "....That is indeed me."


    "A-ah."


    My confirmation seemed to be a sort of revtion for the Pope who trembled on the spot. His


    murky white eyes regained some rity while the wrinkles on his face shifted.


    "I knew it... I knew it was you... From the moment that I saw your image, I knew that..."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Stop."


    He tried to reach for me once more, but I raised my hand and stopped him. There were still a few things that I wanted to understand. Drumming my finger over the armrest of the chair, I thought for a moment before speaking,


    "Who else is aware of this book?"


    "Who else...?"


    The Pope blinked in confusion. Then, as if understanding, he quickly shook his head.


    "Nobody, nobody. This testament is a well-kept secret by the Popes of each generation."


    "... By each Pope?"


    "Yes, each one."


    "Are your predecessors still alive?"


    "No, no, no. Of course not. A Pope will onlye into position when the other one dies. Only


    one person will ever know about the testament at a time."


    "I see."


    It was relieving to hear, but it also made sense. Considering how nobody else acted the same


    way he did, it meant that only he knew.


    This was good. ''Who knows what would''ve happened if the image had spread to the world.''


    But still, there was something else that I wanted to figure out. Narrowing my eyes and staring at the illustration printed on the paper, I pursed my lips. It


    was well-drawn but it wasn''t entirely perfect. After all, it was merely a drawing. Some areas


    were different.


    Pointing at the image, I turned to look at the Pope and asked, "How were you so sure that this


    was me?"


    While there weren''t many people that looked like Julien, there were a few that bore some resemnces. In particr, Aldric; Julien''s father.


    How did they not mistake him for Oracleus?


    "My Lord?"


    I thought the Pope would have an answer, but instead, he acted all confused.


    The sight made me frown.


    However, just as I was about to speak again, he raised his hand.


    "Isn''t it obvious?"


    He asked, his tone light.


    "....We share the same blood."


    "The-"


    A chill swept over me as I felt it-an all-too-familiar tremble that had crawled under my skin


    the moment I stepped into the room. Slowly, I lifted my head, and there they were: a pair of


    murky white eyes staring right back at me.


    Taking a step in my direction, the Pope smiled.


    "You can feel it too, don''t you... my Lord? The resonance that we share through your blood.


    There''s no mistaking the feeling. From the image to the blood resonance. You..."


    Holding his trembling hands forward, the Pope knelt.


    "....Are Oracleus. My one and only Lord."


    I tightened my grip on the armrest.


    Taking a few deep breaths, I remained cool-headed while all sorts of thoughts ran down my


    mind.


    ''So that''s what the feeling was. This is news to me, but most importantly. He has my blood? How did he manage to get it? And is he the only one that has it? There''s no way there should be that much blood around. It would make sense if it was Mortum who is immortal, but I died a long time ago. How


    could he have my blood?''


    It was a confusing situation.


    One that only brought more questions to my mind. In particr the question about my blood.


    If I had really died... How was it possible for there to be so much blood around? Was it just


    unique to him, or...?


    A harsh, hacking sound suddenly broke through my thoughts.


    "Cough! Cough¡ª!"


    Startled, I looked over, only for my shock to deepen at the sight before me.


    With his hand pressed against his mouth, the Pope hunched forward, blood seeping through


    the gaps of his fingers.


    "Cough...!"


    His face paled while he staggered back.


    "What''s going on?"


    "...Cough! It''s..."


    Holding his hand forward, the Pope stopped me from approaching. No, it wasn''t just a gesture


    to stop me from approaching-it felt like he had sealed the space around me.


    I was suddenly stuck in ce, unable to move.


    "Cough!"


    His rough coughing echoed for several minutes before it finally subsided, leaving him slightly


    hunched over.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    His breath was rough and when I looked at him again, he looked to have aged a few years. The


    sight threw me off.


    ''Is he sick or something...?''


    "Are you "


    I was just about to ask him when heughed.


    "H-he, he... It looks like I don''t have much time left."


    My brow raised.


    "...M-my Lord."


    The Pope raised his head, his eyes even murkier than before. Seeing the look on his face, I held


    the words that I was about to say back.


    "M,my lord... D-do you know the other reason why I''m so sure you''re Oracleus?"


    Forcing a smile, the Pope took a few deep breaths before saying,


    "Because the blood isn''t killing you."


    "?"


    "T-to us mortals, the blood is like a poison."


    The Pope lowered his head, eyes fixed on his blood-stained hands, and coughed a few more


    times, each cough sounding more haggard than thest.


    "...D-do you know the average lifespan of a Pope?"


    He didn''t wait for me to answer before speaking.


    "It''s five years. F-five years. T-that''s how long we have of our life right after your blood is


    transfused into us. But look at you."


    Holding his hand up once more, the Pope''s entire body trembled.


    "I can feel the blood in you. And yet... Y-you look unharmed. W, when I t-took it, my eyes


    turned like this. Wrinkles formed everywhere, and... Cough!"


    Blood sttered onto the floor as the Pope struggled to stay upright, barely managing to


    keep himself from copsing face-first. My heart sank at the sight of him.


    Not because I felt sorry for him, but because I could tell what was going to happen next.


    "Kh."


    Weakly moving his hand forward, the Pope''s face trembled.


    He looked straight at me with his mouth open. It seemed like he had more to say but his body


    refused to listen to him.


    Resignation shed across his face after realizing that he didn''t have much time left. I then watched as his murky white eyes cleared up all of a sudden and he stood up. When I looked at him, he lookedpletely different from before.


    His eyes were clear, the wrinkles on his face were fading, and his hair was turning ck.


    What in the...


    The sight shocked me, but before I could understand what was happening, he moved closer to


    me and slit his wrist.


    Spurt!


    Blood splurted all over me and a powerful burning sensation flooded my mind.


    "Urkh!"


    Tzzz! Tzzz!


    Steam rose from my skin the moment the blood touched it, hissing softly as it sizzled on


    contact. I tried to move but as though I was rooted in ce, all I could do was watch as the blood continued to drip onto me. The Pope''s voice responded in my ear shortly after.


    Unlike before, it was clear and devoid of any weakness.


    "Each generation passes down the blood-Your blood-through this method. Before each


    Pope is about to die, we carry on this ceremony. I may be dying, but there''s nothing more


    fulfilling than returning what belongs to you, My Lord."


    As the burning sensation grew, a strange sensation washed over my mind. Power coursed


    through my body and a powerful glow manifested over the four clover leaf.


    I wished I could concentrate more on it but the pain was preventing me from doing so. It was a


    pain reminiscent of the first time I came into this world.


    When I appeared in that unfamiliar room...


    It was overwhelming.


    Thump!


    What truly brought me out of it all was arge ''thumping'' sound.


    Struggling to keep my eyes open, I looked down at the Pope''s body. He appeared gaunt,


    almost skeletal, as though every drop of life had been drained from him.


    It was a sight that drew the air out of my body.


    "....Ah."


    And the surroundings turned quiet.


    The only sound that entered my mind was the sound of a notification and a few words I had


    once heard.


    No, spoke...


    ''..Didn''t do it. He did...''


    I pressed my lips together, letting the silence envelop me entirely.


    "Fuck."

 Chapter 440: Confessional Hearing [3]

    Chapter 440: Confessional Hearing [3]


    ?


    I covered my face with both hands. The weight of reality was crashing hard on me. ''What do I do? What am I supposed to-''


    My thoughts came to an abrupt halt as my hands started to tremble uncontrobly. The strange heat from before grew even more piercing.


    Tzzz!


    Steam rose in the air and my body continued to heat up.


    I didn''t understand what was going on but the pain made it hard for me to properly think at the moment.


    And I didn''t want to think.


    Especially not when notifications continued to sh across my vision.


    ¡ö EXP + 1%


    ¡ö EXP + 3%


    EXP +7%


    ¡ö EXP + 2%


    I was floored by the number of notifications that popped up in front of me. There were so many of them that they covered my entire vision, preventing me from seeing properly.


    However, it was thanks to them that I realized there was something beneath the pain. Something...


    Euphoric.


    Stifling a groan, I held on the side of the chair. Faint miniature cracks formed while I gritted my teeth tightly.


    I could feel the sweat trickling down the side of my face.


    However, I continued to hold on.


    I had a vague idea of what was happening and as a result, I didn''t panic.


    "This shouldn''t hurt me. I will be fine.''


    Tzzz!


    With steam continuously rising from my body, the room started to grow damp. My clothes and hair were damp, but the thing I feared the most at the moment was the thought of someone entering the room at this moment.


    For that reason, I kept my mouth shut.


    I couldn''t let out a single sound.


    I just continued to withstand the pain in silence. I didn''t know for how long I''d have to withstand the pain, but I knew I just had to.


    I... just had to.


    Tzzz!


    Unknowingly, so much steam had formed around the room that my vision fogged up. It almost felt like I was in a sauna. From the heat to the suffocating feeling that came with each breath that I took.


    "Hoo."


    I took deep and steady breaths, slowly adjusting my mind to the pain and it gradually started to be bearable.


    Taking a few more steady breaths, I managed to tear my mind off the pain and onto the situation before me.


    "Fuck."


    My heart sank the moment it fell on the body beneath me.


    Seeing the shriveled-up corpse in front of me, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was dead.


    "Why?"


    I pressed my lips tightly while brushing the notifications that were still shing in my vision away.


    "....Aren''t I supposed to be your god? Why would you...? Ah!"


    A thought urred to me.


    ''Right, there''s that!''


    Fiddling with my ring, I retrieved a small vial that contained a certain red liquid.


    I looked at it with aplicated look, but seeing the situation that I was in, I knew that I had to use it.


    ''Yes, it''s not a waste. So long as I can get out of this situation then...''


    "I''m not letting you die like this."


    I popped the vial open, leaned forward, and pressed my finger gently under the Pope''s chin, tilting it up as I poured the blood into his mouth.


    Immediately after pouring the blood, I moved back, expecting an immediate reaction, but...


    ||


    Nothing.


    All I was met with was a strange and still silence.


    "Wha... what?"


    For a moment, I thought I had given him the wrong blood. However, looking down at the vial and tracing my finger over the insides, I knew that wasn''t the case.


    I could tell this was the right blood.


    ''Why didn''t it work?''


    My heart sank into my stomach. Feeling a lump in my throat, I looked down at the Pope''s corpse, the reality of the situation hitting me harder than before.


    I didn''t even have it in me to curse.


    ¡ö EXP + 2%


    EXP + 4%


    The continuous sh of notifications wasn''t helping either. They felt more like a distraction,


    adding to my stress.


    However, I didn''t want them to stop.


    I let them distract me.


    Staring at my experience bar which was filling rapidly, I watched as my level progressed


    further and further with the seconds that ticked.


    [Lvl 47] --> [Lvl 48] --> [Lvl 49]


    The notifications only began to taper off as the progress bar inched closer to the barrier marking the fiftieth level-or, more precisely, the gateway to the fifth tier.


    81% --> 84% --> 88%


    The bar continued to move higher and higher with each minute that passed, but the slow


    down was noticeable.


    It was as if the hurdle to the next tier required a lot more mana.


    89% --> 91% --> 92%


    ''No, more.''


    I sat down and gripped the side of the chair with all my strength.


    Crack!


    At this point, I didn''t even care that it shattered under the force that I exerted. All I could


    think about was the experience bar.


    ''More, more...''


    93% --> 94% --> 96%


    ''Ah, almost there.''


    I clenched my teeth tightly, forgetting about my surroundings for just a brief moment.


    97% -->98% --> 99%


    ''Just one more... One more...!''


    My entire body tingled with anticipation.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    I was so close to reaching the fifth tier. It had been so long since I had been stuck in the fourth


    tier that I started to grow impatient. Even in the situation that I was in, I couldn''t hide my


    greed, and...


    100%


    "Ahh."


    A cool sensation ran through my entire body.


    It directlybated the heat radiating from within my body, alleviating a lot of the pain, and


    my mind, which had previously been foggy, suddenly started to clear up.


    Everything seemed to fade in that moment.


    All I could see was the all-too-familiar scenery. It was... beautiful.


    From the faint breeze that lingered in the air to the grass, flowers, and trees. The sight was


    intoxicating.


    Or at least, was.


    Standing still, I watched as the beautiful scenery started to wither right before my very eyes.


    Leaves drifted to the ground, trees started to wither, and the grass wilted.


    In a matter of seconds, the scenery was reduced to nothing.


    || ||


    I watched everything in silence before the scenery shifted away and I found myself back in the


    room.


    As much as I wanted to observe my domain, I knew that I didn''t have much time.


    Lowering my head, I stared at the Pope''s body.


    "How exactly do I deal with this?"


    All the excitement drained away, reced by the heavy weight of the situation I was facing.


    My heart sank once again, and my lips pressed together.


    Right as my mind worked in overdrive, another notification shed across my vision.


    My mind nked then.


    Why?


    "H,how is this...?"


    Because it didn''t make sense.


    [Foresight] --> [Eyes of the Seer]


    ***


    The Seven Churches extended their reach across all Four Empires and even beyond their


    borders. Their influence was vast, and some might argue that their power rivaled-if not surpassed¡ªthat of any single Empire.


    One of the main reasons for this was their numerous devotees and followers which included high-ranking members of each Empire, and another reason was the Temrs.


    The Temrs were a ''holy'' based military order that served the purpose of protecting the Seven Churches. Composed of devotees from all Seven Churches, their iconic red cross, split into seven red lines, emzed in their chests served to disy their neutrality amongst the


    Seven Churches.


    At the helm of the Temrs were the Keeper of Holy Light, the most elite guard unit, in charge of guarding the Cardinals and Popes of the seven churches.


    Beneath them were the Sergeants, and further down were the...


    Inquisitors.


    To Tok-


    "Come in."


    A soft voice echoed from the other side of the wooden door.


    The door opened, and a figure came in.


    "Ah, if it isn''t a familiar face." Holding onto a teacup, a man with dark hair and deep brown eyes smiled. Wearing a brown


    coat, Inquisitor Hollowe ced the teacup down and stood up.


    With a warm smile, he greeted the man who had just entered the room.


    "It has been a while, Keeper Matthias."


    "...It has indeed been a while."


    Entering the apartment, Keeper Matthias nced around, looking rather impressed.


    "Not bad. It looks like your treatment here is quite good."


    "Oh, yeah, it''s not bad at all."


    Holloweughed while sitting back down.


    He looked rather carefree.


    Keeper Matthias didn''t stand in the ceremony and sat down on the opposite end. A teacup was


    ready at his seat. As though Hollowe had anticipated his arrival.


    "Doesn''t seem like being a Professor is hard."


    "Haha, how about you give it a try?"


    "...I''m happy with my job."


    "I would like to say that I''m also doing my job right now."


    "Well fair enough."


    The two engaged in casual conversation for the next few minutes, their voices mingling in the


    air. The atmosphere felt light and harmonious as if they were old friends reconnecting after


    years apart.


    That was until Inquisitor Hollowe ced his teacup down and asked,


    "So, what brings you here?"


    The atmosphere changed then.


    It became...


    A lot more formal.


    "...The other Cardinals have already left. Realistically speaking, you shouldn''t be at the


    Academy. What is it that made you stay?"


    "That''s a secret."


    Matthias smiled while answering.


    "A secret?"


    "Mhm."


    That was all he said.


    However, this was enough of a hint for Hollowe to understand the situation.


    ..... Looks like not all Cardinals left.''


    Or at least, someone of importance was still staying within the Academy. Hollowe brought


    the teacup to his mouth and took a sip.


    He dropped the topic there.


    "So, is there anything that I can help you with, Matthias?"


    "...There is, actually."


    "Oh, please ask."


    "I want to know about your recent findings in your stay at the Academy." Hollowe''s hand came to a brief halt, a flicker of a smile ying at the corners of his lips.


    "Right, there was that." "....Hm?" Matthias raised his brow.


    "Don''t tell me you were so immersed in your job as Professor that you forgot your main job as


    inquisitor?"


    "Hahaha, of course not."


    Hollowe rose and approached a nearby desk. He retrieved a small key, inserted it into the


    drawer, and with a satisfying ''click,'' opened it to pull out a brown leather book. He patted the


    cover a couple of times before heading back to his seat.


    "I haven''t been neglecting my job at all, Keeper."


    Staring at the worn-out pages of the book, Matthias smiled. He indeed had not been idle


    during his stay at the Academy. "That''s a relief."


    Leaning back on the chair, he asked,


    "Tell me what you''ve found so far."


    "It would be my pleasure."


    Opening up the book, Hollowe began to speak.


    "It''s as we suspected. There are a lot of traces of the Inverted Sky within the Academy. There


    are quite a lot of incidents in rtion to them."


    "Yes, I''m aware."


    "....Here''s the thing."


    cing the book onto the desk, Hollowe leaned forward, his smile fading.


    "The number of incidents that ur within this Academy is quite abnormal, even for the


    Inverted Sky. I have reason to believe that they have some sort of motive to be here, and I have


    two guesses for this."


    "Oh?"


    "First, the Academy hosts a lot of talented students. Perhaps they want to recruit students into their organization or kill the promising ones."


    Matthias nodded. However, the next second, he paused.


    "That does indeed sound like something they''d d-"


    "That''s why it''s not that."


    "What?"


    "...It would be a little bit too obvious in my opinion. Looking at the pattern of events, they all


    seem to be centered around the first, now second years. It''s differentpared to their seniors who go through their Academy days unharmed." Amongst the most obvious observations that Hollowe had during his stay at the Academy was


    how the now second years were always at the center of most troubles.


    One or two times could be a coincidence.


    But three? Four...?


    Hollowe was no fool.


    "Could it be a coincidence? The second years are quite talented."


    "Probably, but the incidents started before they were even famous. That''s why I''m almost


    certain of it."


    Hollowe drummed his fingers over the book.


    "...They''re purposely targeting a few second years because they must want something from


    them. Something precious. Precious enough to attract the attention of the Inverted Sky."


    "Could it be...?"


    The Keeper''s face shifted.


    "I don''t know."


    Hollow shrugged his shoulders and leaned back.


    "It could or could not be the case. However, given the pattern that I''m seeing, it does indeed


    seem to be the case."


    Licking his lips, Hollow pressed the table.


    "One of the cadets within the second year is in possession of one of the Holy Relics, and given


    the most recent incident-Please wait."


    Hollowe raised his hand to stop the Keeper who was about to stand up. Thankfully, Matthias


    was more calm than he expected and held himself back.


    Seated down, his presence almost felt suffocating.


    Hollowe went ahead and continued,


    "There''s something else I''ve been wondering about the incidents."


    "....Like?"


    "How is it possible for so many incidents to ur? Sure, the Inverted Sky is a lot more


    powerful than a mere Academy, but should I remind you who currently lives within this Academy?"


    "You don''t."


    A figure appeared in Matthias''s head as he shook his head. He couldn''t forget her suffocating


    presence even if he wanted to.


    "Wait."


    Frowning, Matthias raised his head.


    "Are you suggesting that¡ª" "No, she''s innocent. I''m sure of it."


    Hollow flipped through the pages of the book in front of him. "There''s a higher chance of her wiping the world than her helping the Inverted Sky."


    "Then...?"


    "Here."


    Hollowe flipped the book to the other side and pressed his finger over the page where an image appeared.


    Matthias''s expression immediately grew stern.


    "How sure of this are you?"


    ".... Not very, but he seems like the most probable candidate. From the fact that he has enough


    power and influence to make it happen to what I''ve managed to observe over the past few


    months.


    Hollowe flipped the book back to his side and nced at the image disyed - A dashing


    man with long blonde hair and eyes that seemed to suck one into them.


    "As Megrail."


    Hollowe mused, staring intently at the picture.


    "He''s the most probable spy from the Inverted Sky."

 Chapter 441: Confessional Hearing [4]

    Chapter 441: Confessional Hearing [4]


    ?


    "As?"


    Matthias''s brow raised at the unexpected name.


    He suddenly recalled the time he spent with him in the medical ward and frowned. Was he really?


    "...I''m not entirely sure. It''s just my guess from what I''ve managed to observe."


    Hollowe answered tly.


    "The fact that so many incidents urred when the two of them were in power makes me question their entire system. As is quite well known for his capabilities while Delh is more known for her strength. If there''s a fault in the system then it is highly likely linked with As."


    "Oh?"


    A look of interest shed across Matthias''s face.


    "So that''s the reason why you believe that he''s likely connected with the Inverted Sky?"


    "For now, yes."


    Hollowe answered with a small nod. Picking up the teacup, he took a small sip before crossing his legs.


    "I''ve been trying to investigate him for the past few months but he''s as clean as theye on the outside. He''s got the perfect image, and considering his background, it''s a little difficult for me to fully investigate him."


    "Do you need my help?"


    "That won''t be necessary. Considering thetest incident, it''s highly likely that he will remain low for now."


    "Then are you just going to wait until he does something?"


    "There''s no need for that."


    Hollowe took another sip of his tea.


    "...Just because I can''t target him doesn''t mean that I don''t have a direction to head." "Oh?"


    "You see, there''s a certain student that I''m very curious about."


    Hollowe ced the teacup down, a faint smile tugging at his lips.


    "He''s someone that I like quite a lot. Our personalities mesh quite well." "Mesh well, you?"


    A strange look crossed Matthias''s face.


    It only grew worse as Hollowe continued to speak.


    "Especially his sense of humor. That is something that I can-"


    "Was there such a monster in this ce?"


    "Tsk."


    Hollowe lowered the teacup and clicked his tongue.


    "...We both know you''re the problem."


    "No, I''m not."


    Matthias shook his head. While the two of them had vastly different roles, they both came from the same Temr institute. The two knew each other quite well, and Matthias was well- versed with Hollowe''s sense of humor.


    It was something he dreaded. Not just him but everyone within the institute.


    For there to be someone who had the same sense of humor...


    ''Goosebumps.''


    Matthias felt goosebumps.


    Tak-


    cing the teacup down, Hollowe sighed.


    "Going back to the topic in hand, I believe that I''ll be able to find a breakthrough if I investigate him further."


    "Why do you believe so?"


    "Because he''s at the center of most of the events that have urred."


    Hollowe answered firmly.


    "Most incidents always seem to find a way with him, which should be enough of a clue. At first, I thought it was because he was the possible holder of one of the Holy Relics, but now I''m no longer certain of that fact."


    "...You aren''t?"


    "No."


    Hollowe shook his head.


    "I fear the real reason might be different than what I expect it to be, and that''s what worries


    me."


    "Could it be?"


    Picking up the hints in Hollowe''s words, Matthias''s face turned serious.


    "Yes."


    Hollowe closed his eyes and leaned back.


    "Seeing how much he''s been interacting with As, I fear that he might be directly rted to the Inverted Sky himself."


    "A spy, I see. What is their name?"


    "You should know him well by now."


    With a bitterugh, Hollowe raised his head to look at Matthias.


    "...It''s Julien of the Evenus Household."


    ***


    [Foresight] --> [Eyes of the Seer]


    I struggled to make sense of what I was seeing.


    ''Is my mind still foggy from the experience? Am I hallucinating?''


    Rubbing my eyes, I looked at the notification that stood in front of me. My expression shifted when I realized that I wasn''t seeing things.


    My innate skill...


    It had really upgraded.


    But how was this possible?


    "This is the first time that I''ve heard of Innate skills changing.''


    "No, wait."


    Now that I thought about it, spells also couldn''t be upgraded. I was the only one that was capable of pulling such a move. The fact that my innate skill changed shouldn''t reallye as


    a surprise to me.


    ''Right, why am I even surprised?''


    Perhaps it was more likely due to the fact that I didn''t see any experience bar in the innate skills, making me think that it was impossible to upgrade them, but it looked like I was


    wrong.


    "No, that''s not it either..."


    Lowering my head to stare at my skin, which waspletely red, I had a vague idea of what


    truly had caused the upgrade.


    "It''s the blood."


    The blood was assimting with my body, injecting the powers that once belonged to me,


    Oracleus.


    "...Wait, so does that mean that the more blood I consume the more likely my foresight will


    evolve?"


    Realization dawned on me right then.


    If there was one thing that had been bothering me for quite some time was the vagueness of


    my ''foresight'' skill.


    There was no real specific time for when it came, and while I had managed to catch a glimpse


    of its potential back when I first came to this world when I had relieved my death in the Mirror Dimension, such power never revealed itself again.


    "The current upgraded version of [Foresight] is [Eyes of the Seer]. If I take more blood will the skill upgrade further? Will I reach a point where I gain the powers of the one whom


    everyone refers to as a god?"


    The thought drummed wildly in my mind.


    It was a dangerous thought, but the more I thought about it, the more likely this seemed to be


    possible.


    ''Right now, I do have a little bit of Oracleus''s blood in my ring. Should I use it?''


    I hesitated for a moment before shaking my head.


    ''No, maybe now''s not the right time.''


    Finally, I shifted my attention towards the Pope''s body and my shoulders started to feel


    heavy.


    "What do I do?"


    I had tried reviving him using Mortum''s blood, but that didn''t work. I didn''t understand why


    but that was the least of my problems.


    "How should I handle this?"


    Should I just go out and tell them that he died?


    Seeing all the blood scattered on the ground and the slits on the Pope''s wrist, I knew that this


    wasn''t feasible. They''d immediately start questioning me and I saw no way out of the entire


    situation.


    ''Running away?''


    Iughed bitterly at the thought.


    All of a sudden, I was reminded of the vision I had not too long ago and I understood that


    running was pointless.


    "This is fucked."


    It was a despairing situation.


    One that I couldn''t find a way out of.


    "Let''s calm down for a second."


    Slumping down on the chair, I cooled down my emotions and took deep and steady breaths.


    Drumming my finger against my cheek, I thought about all the possible oues of my actions. From involving As to other more crazy ideas.


    However, regardless of how much I thought about it, they all ended up with the same end in


    my mind.


    ...My death.


    A pulse of anxiety rose up within my chest.


    Tapping my foot against the floor, I looked all over the empty room. I searched for something. Anything that could help me get out of the situation, but regardless of how hard I


    thought, my mind was nked.


    There was no way out.


    There...


    My head abruptly lifted as my ears pricked up.


    Sensing movement from the other side of the door, my heart jolted awake.


    ''Oh, shit.''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    I scanned the room, feeling a lump form in my throat. As my body tensed up, my face changed


    drastically when I noticed the door knob twist.


    I immediately stood up from the spot, and then...


    Click!


    A gentle click resounded across the room.


    "Is everything all right over here?"


    ***


    ''This room is taking longer than anticipated.''


    Priest Marian stopped before a certain room.


    Room [E07].


    Checking the time, Marian found that the hearing was taking longer than it usually did. They


    were now several minutes above the expected time.


    Of course, Marian was well aware of who was staying in the room.


    He was one of the only few who knew.


    Still, he decided to check.


    Bringing his hand forward, he pressed his hand against the knob of the door, gently turning it


    to the right.


    Click!


    With a gentle click, he opened the door and peeked inside.


    "Is everything all right over here?"


    "....Pardon?"


    Looking into the room, Marian was met with the sight of an empty but clean room. Within the


    room stood a young cadet who looked his way with a confused look.


    "Is something going on?"


    "...."


    Frowning, Marian looked around.


    "Is it just you in the room? Where is your confidant?"


    "My confidant?"


    Julien blinked for a moment beforeing to a realization.


    "Oh, he''s gone. He told me to wait here so that''s what I''ve been doing."


    "He told you to wait here?"


    The frown on Marian''s face deepened. However, when he thought about who the person in


    question was, his brows started to loosen.


    ''Yes, his holiness may have received some urgent message. That is not unnatural.''


    Furthermore, what could a cadet even do to the Pope? Smiling, Marian was just about to open his mouth when Julien spoke.


    "He told me to wait here and that soon someone wille to rece him. Are you the one?"


    "Eh?"


    Marian''s face froze.


    "He said that?"


    "...Yes. He said that someone wouldeter to do the hearing. I would assume it''s you


    considering that you''vee."


    "No, but-"


    "Aren''t you a priest? Great, let''s get ready."


    Julien sat down and urged him forward.


    "I''m ready to confess my sins."


    "I, ah..." Pursing his lips, Marian sighed.


    ''Well, it shouldn''t take too long.''


    Looking behind him, he entered the room and approached the cadet. There was something


    strange about the room he couldn''t quite ce his finger on, but he decided to ignore it while


    facing the cadet who stood up and gestured at the seat. "Please."


    "...Thank you."


    Marian sat down and made himselffortable.


    "Do you know how this will proceed?"


    "Yes, I''ve already done the first part with the previous priest." "....Alright."


    Marian closed his eyes and leaned back.


    "Please confess your sin."


    "Haha, yes. I have several."


    "Go on."


    A strange silence ensued after his words. It was an unfitting silence that made Marian frown.


    "Are you not going to-"


    By the time he opened his mouth, a hand pressed against his face and his eyes shot open.


    What the!?


    But it was toote.


    Staring at the deep hazel eyes staring at him from behind the hand, all he could make out was


    a faint, yet hoarse voice.


    "This is my first sin."


    Julien murmured, his lips trembling slightly as the room around him shifted, revealing an


    entirely different scene with blood sttered everywhere and a figure lying motionless on the


    floor.


    m!"


    "...I''m sorry Priest."


    Marian''s mind grew nk.


    "I just want to live."

 Chapter 442: Eyes of the Seer [1]

    Chapter 442: Eyes of the Seer [1]


    ?


    "There''s no going back now."


    Staring at the Priest who was seated on the chair in front of me, I stepped back and tooka couple of deep breaths.


    His eyes were hollow, and his expression was ck.


    I scratched the side of my neck.


    "This might not necessarily get all suspicion away from me but it might buy me some valuable time for me to better figure out the situation.''


    Turning my head to look around, my eyes fell on the Pope''s body. Tapping onto my leg, I bent over and ced the body within the ring.


    Right after that, I cleaned up the room before changing. It was good that I kept some spare clothes in the ring.


    In the current state that I was in, going out would be a massive giveaway.


    I needed to bepletely clean before going out.


    Of course, that was far from enough to get me out of this entire situation. The first thing I needed to understand was how many people were aware of the Pope''s presence.


    Thankfully, finding the information wasn''t that much of a problem for me.


    "But before that..."


    I shifted my attention towards the new skill; [The Eyes of the Seer]. Staring at the skill, I felt a strange feelinge over me.


    ''How does this skill work, exactly?''


    I was curious about my new skill.


    How exactly did it work? Would the upgrade version be different in the sense that I could now control the visions instead of them appearing randomly?


    If that was truly the case then...


    "I must try."


    I didn''t have much of a choice considering my situation. If I could catch a glimpse of the inevitable future then I could find a means to get out of this situation.


    "Yes, it''s worth a try."


    Closing my eyes, I calmed my beating heart.


    The thought of being able to catch a glimpse of the future at will felt exciting. Most visions were vague and unexpected, leaving most of the time at a loss for what to do. However, things would be different if I could have more visions of the same scene.


    It would give me more insight into the situation and prevent scenarios like the one that had just happened from repeating.


    "Hoo."


    Cooling my mind, my mana circted and I activated the skill.


    A sudden calm washed over me, cooling my mind. A strange numbness settled in my head shortly after, and it suddenly felt as if I were floating. It was a weird experience that took me by surprise but what was even more surprising was the duration of it.


    It onlysted... a few seconds beforepletely fading.


    "Hm?"


    When I opened my eyes again, I realized that I was back in the room.


    ''What the...''


    Nothing happened?


    Clenching and unclenching my hand, I realized that, unlike when I was experiencing a vision, I had full control over my body.


    This could only mean that the skill failed.


    "Why?"


    Covering my mouth, I tapped my foot against the ground. All sorts of thoughts swam inside my mind as I tried to figure out exactly what went wrong, but regardless of how much I thought about it, I couldn''t figure out an answer.


    "There must be some sort of trigger that I have yet to find about that will help me use the skill."


    But what exactly was that trigger?


    I thought about spending some time to figure out the answer but stopped myself when I reminded myself of my current situation.


    ''Not now.''


    There were more important things that I needed to take care of at that moment.


    Shifting my attention towards the Priest, I tapped onto his back a couple of times before pressing my finger against his forehead; ''Immersia.''


    "Hm, hm."


    The Priest''s eyelids eventually opened.


    "H-huh? Where is this...?"


    The priest looked confused at first but when his gaze fell on me, rity quickly returned to his mind. He immediately tried to struggle but stopped right as he moved.


    "I don''t suggest you move."


    "You-Ah?!!"


    With an audible ''gulp'', the priest stopped moving. Looking around, his eyes visibly shook, tracing down the numerous thin threads that covered the entire room.


    "You, you... You killed-"


    "Let''s not talk about that."


    I smiled, cutting the conversation while at the same time tightening the threads that covered the entire room.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not actually nning on killing you."


    I wasn''t entirely sure what to do with him, but one thing was clear: I needed information, as much as I could get. And I wasn''t nning to go easy on him to get it.


    "Killing you would do more harm to me than good. For now, I''ll just ask you some questions and all you have to do is answer me."


    "....W-what makes you think I''ll speak?"


    The priest replied, his re shooting directly at me.


    It was a threatening re that had no effect on me. I had been red at by way more powerful


    people in the past.


    "If you don''t speak, then I will be forced to make you speak."


    "Ah?"


    The priestughed.


    "Are you saying that you will torture me for answers?"


    "No, no, no."


    I shook my head, moving closer and pressing the palm of my hand against his head.


    "I''m not good with torture, but I can do a lot more than that."


    My fingers tightened around his skull, stifling a groan from the priest. Before he could cry out,


    I focused, whispering a single word in my mind: Sadness.


    His body immediately stiffened on the spot and tears streamed down the side of his cheeks.


    "H-hic. W-what have..."


    "...I know. You must''ve cared a lot about the Pope."


    "P-pope?"


    "Mhm, I too am saddened by his sudden passing. How could he die like this?"


    Drip! Drip!


    ''Rage''


    "What do you know!?"


    The priest''s voice suddenly bellowed throughout the room. As his eyes turned bloodshot, spit


    flew out of his mouth.


    "....You''re the one who killed him! How dare you even mention his name!? How dare you!?"


    His screams were so loud that they practically engulfed the entire room. I wasn''t too worried


    about people overhearing his shouts.


    This was, after all, not real.


    Bang-!


    All of a sudden, the door to the room burst open and several figures entered.


    "What is going on!?"


    One such figure was a tall andnky priest. The same priest that had greeted me at the


    entrance alongside the priest before me. With short ck hair and a long nose, his sharp eyes


    scanned the room.


    "Uh!?"


    The moment his gaze fell on the priest before me, his expression changed drastically.


    "How dare you!?"


    He pointed at me.


    "Seize him!" The figures were swift. In just a few breaths, theypletely seized me. I did put up a


    struggle but under theirbined forces, I was eventually defeated.


    That was when the priest was finally freed.


    "Are you alright? What happened?"


    "Urkh! This bastard!"


    Swoosh!


    Standing up, the priest kicked me directly in the chest.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    His kicks were relentless and filled with power.


    "How dare you!? How dare you!? How dare you!?"


    ''Rage.''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Rage.''


    With each kick, his rage seemed to amplify, making the strikes hit harder and his voice rise,


    raw and furious.


    "How dare you!?"


    His eyes were bloodshot, and with every shout, flecks of spit flew from his mouth, each word dripping with uncontained fury.


    "...How dare you kill his holiness!! You bastard!"


    Bang!


    The kick sent me reeling toward the other side of the room, crashing against the wall. The


    sound of bone breaking resounded throughout, but that was far from enough to satisfy the


    priest who lunged at me.


    "I''ll kill you-Uekh!"


    "Stop!"


    He only stopped when the other priest hugged him from behind and held him back.


    "Let go! Let go, Kyle! I''ll kill him! Let me kill him!!


    "Stop! Calm down! Fill me in on the information beforehand! Calm down!!"


    ''Kyle, so that''s his name.''


    Regardless of what Kyle shouted, the priest didn''t budge, his rage still directed at me. I knew


    this was enough.


    ''Sadness.''


    "S-stop! Stop..."


    The priest''s tone changed all of a sudden and his rage settled down.


    "...H-he, H-he..."


    With tears dripping down his cheeks and covering his eyes, he finally stopped his charge.


    "What''s going on? Be calm. Fill me in on the situation."


    "Hick... H-he."


    As his lips trembled, the priest pointed at me.


    "H-he killed him. His h-holiness... he killed him."


    "W-what?"


    A look of shock shed across Kyle''s face as he let go of the other priest.


    "W-what did you say?"


    "Hiek.... H-he killed him. I... I saw it with my own eyes."


    "No, no, it can''t be."


    Kyle took several steps back.


    "How could this be? His holiness is strong. How could he die at the hands of a cadet?"


    "I... I don''t know b-but I saw it with my own eyes."


    "No, I refuse to believe this. There''s no way he could''ve died like this. Someone else must''ve


    done this."


    "Who else?!"


    The priest suddenly shouted.


    "....The only people who know about his holiness''s presence are me, you, Cardinal Ambrose,


    and Keeper Matthias. Who could''ve done this?!"


    "B-but..."


    "Are you suggesting that one of us nned it? Kyle, you know that''s impossible. If the Pope dies, Cardinal Ambrose will never be able to be Pope himself. Keeper Matthias is bound


    by the holy chains, and the two of us are far from capable of pulling this off. It''s him! It has to


    be hi...m."


    Suddenly pausing, the priest raised his head and looked around. Finally, he noticed the several other figures that were present in the room.


    "Wait, why are they here?"


    "Hm?"


    Kyle blinked his eyes.


    "What do you-"


    "There''s no way they should be here. We had an agreement that the only ones that can enter


    this room were either me or you. Why would you...?"


    The priest''s eyes widened all of a sudden as his head turned in my direction, meeting my gaze


    as I leaned against the side of the wall.


    His eyes widened further at the sight of me.


    "Y, you... Y,you..."


    "A pity you noticed so soon. You were so caught up in your rage that you didn''t notice a thing.


    Anyways... Keep going with what you were saying. Are only four people who know about the


    Pope''s presence in the Academy?"


    I spoke through Kyle''s mouth.


    As the priest''s head flicked back, realization dawned on him and his eyes shook.


    But it was toote.


    I had already gotten all the information that I needed.


    Snap!


    With a snap of my fingers, the world fractured, copsing around me. Blinking, I found


    myself back in the room, my hand still pressed firmly against the priest''s skull.


    As I withdrew my hand, an eerie silence settled over the room.


    "Alright."


    I lowered my head to stare at the priest who was still passed out. Just as I was about to do


    something, someone knocked on the door.


    To Tok-


    "Marian? Is everything okay?"


    It was the other priest.


    Kyle.

 Chapter 443: Eyes of the Seer [2]

    Chapter 443: Eyes of the Seer [2]


    ?


    Tik, tik-


    The pocket watch ticked.


    It was; 5:30 P.M.


    ''...He should be the only person present.''


    Rather than panicking, I remained coolheaded while ncing at the door. Recalling the words that the priest had shared in his dreams, I knew that priest Kyle wouldn''t have other people enter the room.


    The two of them were the only ones who were aware of the Pope''s presence.


    ''How should I go about this?''


    I alternated my gaze between the two priests.


    ''Should I just kill them?''


    If the two of them were to suddenly disappear, it would pull most suspicion towards the two Priests.


    That would buy me a lot of time.


    Furthermore, given my strength, they wouldn''t suspect me.


    "Although the two priests are also quite weak themselves..."


    Still, they were two and they had a higher chance of doing something to the Pope than me. If anything, the two could''ve brought the Pope elsewhere.


    "They should also be the only few who are aware of the fact that I was escorted to the Pope.''


    Hopefully.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    I knew they''d figure out that the Pope had an audience with me, but what I needed right now was time, and this would help me gain that valuable time.


    ''Alright.''


    To Tok-


    The door knocked again and the Priest''s voice echoed again.


    ''Tick, tick.'' The pocketwatch continued to tick.


    It was; 5:31 P.M.


    "Marian?"


    With a soft ''click,'' the door swung open, and a figure stepped inside. I fixed my gaze in his direction, briefly shutting my eyes. In an instant, the room shifted, and my appearance transformed along with it.


    "Oh, so you''re here."


    His expression rxed at the sight of me.


    "....Why were you taking so long?"


    "I was tending to his holiness."


    "Is that the case?"


    Kyle shifted his attention towards where the Pope was. His face rxed further.


    "Ah, you should''ve told me in advance. I was getting worried since you weren''t¡ª"


    Xiu!


    I clenched my hand and the threads snapped down. With a ''thump,'' the priest''s body fell face t against the floor. I tapped against the side of my neck and ced the body into the ring.


    Following this, I shifted my attention towards the other Priest and did the same thing.


    "....There''s no going back."


    My heart was at my throat.


    Killing them was the only way for me to ce the bodies inside of the ring. Otherwise, it would''ve been impossible.


    But I had no choice but to do so.


    This was the only way for me to get rid of the two bodies. Furthermore, with the two bodies in my ring, they wouldn''t be able to trace them.


    It would essentially make them go on a wild goose chase.


    ''Okay, what next.''


    I looked around the room.


    The room was practically spotless, the scent of blood that had once hung in the airpletely vanished. The only w left behind was the chair, fractured in several ces.


    After a little thought, I decided to put the chair in the ring with me.


    Just in case.


    "This should be it."


    ''Tik, tik''


    It was; 5:33 P.M.


    ncing around the room, and making sure that there was no other evidence left behind, I lightly waved my hand. A figure appeared shortly after.


    "I need your help."


    "1


    Owl-Mighty nced around the room before resting over my extended arm.


    "Does it have to do with the bodies that you just put inside of the ring?"


    "Yes. I need your help replicating them."


    "That is not difficult."


    Swoosh-!


    As Owl-Mighty waved its wing, two figures materialized next to me. Looking at them, they looked identical to the two Priests. I observed them from the side and couldn''t help but lower


    my head in defeat.


    "..... How is it?"


    "It''s good."


    As expected of Owl-Mighty. Despite all my training to master the ''Veil of Deceit'', I was still nowhere near creating the wless illusions he could produce.


    If one looked at mine closely, they''d be able to notice subtle imperfections.


    The same couldn''t be said for Owl-Mighty who could create perfect replicas with just the


    wave of its wing.


    I was still far from reaching his level.


    "What next?"


    "....I need you to stay around this area for a while."


    "Do you need me to sustain the illusions?"


    "Yes."


    Outside of this room were small devices that recorded everything that happened. If I came out


    of the room by myself despite the two other priests who had entered as well, a lot of suspicion would fall on me.


    For that reason, I needed to make it seem like I came out of the room alongside the two other


    Priests.


    Which was why I had Owl-Mighty create two illusions of them.


    With them now beside me, I reached for the doorknob and twisted it open.


    "Let''s go."


    ''Tik, tik!''


    It was; 5:35 P.M.


    A long and empty hallway greeted my sight. The silence that greeted me right aftering


    out of the room felt unsettling.


    ''Where is everyone?''


    I quietly pursed my lips and looked around. In the distance, I could see the exit of the building. It wasn''t far, and yet, the corridor seemed to stretch for an eternity.


    Tak-


    The soft click of my shoe echoed through the space as I began to walk forward. Holding my breath, I walked in the middle of the two priests who escorted me out of the


    building. The entire time I kept my expression firm and glued to the door in the distance.


    All sorts of thoughts gnawed at my mind as I pressed forward. They added to the anxiety that


    was eating away at my chest.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    The beat of my heart drummed loudly in my mind while I pressed on.


    Sweat trickled down the side of my face.


    One step, two steps, three steps.


    The door appeared a few meters away from me.


    Tik, tik.


    The tick of my pocketwatch continued to echo in my mind.


    It was; 5:36 P.M.


    The two Priests eventually stopped and I turned to look at them. Or more specifically, Owl-


    Mighty.


    ''Stay here for a while. Leave the ce only after I give you the signal.''


    ''Okay.''


    Nodding at the two priests, I opened the main door and exited the building.


    Swoosh!


    A strong gust swept in through the door, sending my hair streaming back in wild waves.


    Seeing the Academy campus once more, my chest, which had grown heavy a few moments


    prior finally started to lighten up.


    "...This is the first step done."


    I chewed on my lips before turning in a certain direction.


    I already knew what I had to do.


    Just as I was about to take a step in that direction, a familiar light-hearted voice broke


    through the heavy silence, drawing my attention.


    "Ah, cadet. If it isn''t you."


    A chill shot down my spine, locking every muscle in ce.


    My legs nearly buckled beneath me, and my breath shook.


    There, half-hidden in the shadows, stood a figure cloaked in pure white, their face obscured


    beneath a hood. The empty gaze beneath it seemed to bore into my soul, locking me directly


    in ce.


    In spite of the hood covering his features, I could see it.


    I could see the smile that lingered on his lips as he looked at me.


    Why...?


    Why is he here?


    "It''s been a while. How are you doing?"


    He approached me with a friendly tone.


    And yet...


    Yet...


    Each step he took crushed the air around me, an invisible weight pressing down on me,


    It was as if the very gravity shifted with his appearance, pinning me in ce and leaving my


    chest tight, making each breath harder than thest.


    It felt suffocating.


    "Oh? This looks like the building designated to the ones from the church of Oracleus. Are you


    a follower of his?"


    "....Yes."


    Forcing a reply, I swallowed silently.


    "I... just came back from the Confessional Hearing."


    "Oh? And how was that?"


    "It was good."


    "That''s good to hear."


    As the conversation continued, his tone grew lighter, almost casual, like he was speaking to


    an old friend. Yet, the friendlier he sounded, the deeper my unease grew.


    ''Has he caught onto something?''


    No, but how was that possible?


    It shouldn''t be possible for him to catch onto something so quickly.


    ''Yes, it''s more likely that he''s here for me in regard to the previous incident than what happened to the


    Pope. He still suspects me that I''m from the Inverted Sky."


    While the scenario was still not good, it was far better than the other scenario in which he


    knew I had done something to the Priest.


    ....Anything was better than that-


    "Hm? Do you smell that?"


    Cutting my thoughts off, the Keeper raised his head and sniffed the air. I tilted my head at his


    actions. What is he...?


    "...You don''t smell it?"


    "Smell what-"


    "The smell of blood? Do you not smell it?"


    ||||


    My face squeezed and whatever response I had vanished from my lips. Opening my eyes


    slightly, the faint smile tugging at the Keeper''s lips seemed to winden.


    Tik, tik.


    Why could I still hear the tick of my pocket watch?


    It was; 5:39 P.M.


    Sniffing the air, he eventually settled his gaze towards me.


    "So strange."


    He mumbled.


    "...Why does the smell seem toe from you?"


    Tilting his head, the Keeper''s voice grew lighter.


    "Did you kill someone recently?"


    Pain flooded my mind as my nails dug deeply into my hand. As my core tightened, the Keeper ced his hand over my shoulder, keeping me in ce.


    "What''s with theck of response? Don''t tell me you really did kill someone."


    The Keeperughed before retrieving a small circr object from his pocket and showing it to


    me.


    "Just about ten minutes ago, I received a message saying toe over here. You see, there''s a very important individual residing within that building." The Keeper pointed at the building behind me.


    "His identity is very very precious and only a select few know that he''s present. And as you


    know, given his identity, anything suspicious that happens gets directly reported to me."


    || ||


    Tilting themunication device towards my side, the Keeper read the message aloud, "Priest Marian has entered the Confessional room. He has yet to respond to me. I will be


    going to check it out now. If you do not hear a reply within the next few minutes, something happened to the two of us."


    My mind spiraled as the words echoed loudly within my mind.


    Putting themunication device away, the Keeper retrieved a small pocket watch.


    Tik, tik-


    "Would you look at that? Five minutes have indeed passed since then."


    It was; 5:42 P.M.


    "Kh!"


    A hand pressed directly against my neck before I even had the chance to reply.


    It was then that I saw it.


    That I saw the eyes that hid beneath the hood.


    They were a deep green hue. A poisonous green hue.


    When his lips parted once more, my body trembled, a chill running down my spine as his voice


    reached my ears, hoarse and ragged.


    "You wouldn''t happen to know what is going on, right?"


    It was an image that burned itself into my memory; straight from a nightmare.


    One that brought a series of notifications across my vision.


    And one that faded shortly after as I suddenly found myself back in the confessional room.


    "Uh?"


    As I surveyed my surroundings, my gazended on the priest''s body slumped in the wooden chair at the center of the room. What... When?


    Staring at the body which was still breathing, I took out my pocket watch and checked the


    time.


    Tik, Tik-


    It was; 5:18 P.M.


    How was this possible?

 Chapter 444: Eyes of the Seer [3]

    Chapter 444: Eyes of the Seer [3]


    ?


    "Wha.. haa... the hell happened?"


    Feeling my rough breath and looking down at the Priest''s body in front of me, I didn''t know what to make out of the situation.


    Tik, tik-


    Lowering my head to stare at the stopwatch - 5:19 P.M. ¡ª a thought crossed my mind.


    ''Did I travel back in time?''


    .... It would make sense considering how time had shifted back by about half an hour.


    Everything that I had experienced felt so real from the hand at my throat to the tension that I felt when trying to get out of this ce.


    "No, wait."


    That was when it finally hit me.


    Shifting my attention towards my status window, my eyes fell on a specific skill. "...!"


    My eyes immediately widened when I noticed the skill appear in gray; [The Eyes of the Seer]. From its color, I knew that the skill was in some sort of cooldown. I didn''t know for how long, but at the very least, I was now sure of one thing.


    ''So that''s the case.''


    What had happened a few moments prior was all because of the skill.


    "Rather than time travel, it''s more like I caught sight of the future."


    A possible scenario that would ur had I gone through with my original n. The thought made me break out into cold sweat.


    ''...I was so close to losing everything.''


    Fiddling with my hands, I paced around the room, adjusting my mind ordingly and calming myself down. After a little while, my gaze fell on the priest who sat by the chair.


    Considering how he was still passed out, I didn''t worry too much about him doing anything and started to search his body.


    "It''s here."


    That was when I finally caught sight of amunication device and pulled it out.


    ''I was too hasty. I should''ve known better.''


    Given the abruptness of the situation, I didn''t think about themunication device. It never really crossed my mind since my n was to get rid of the two of them. However, it was now clear to me that themunication device was important.


    Tzzz-


    A notification shed suddenly shed across the device.


    -Is something happening? What is taking you so long?


    It was a message from the other priest.


    -....Marian?


    -I will being to the room if you don''t answer me soon.


    "As expected, he''s about toe."


    Tik, Tik-


    It was; 5:20 P.M.


    I still had just about ten minutes before he woulde to me.


    ''No, by then it will be a little toote.''


    Without hesitation, I started to type a message on themunication device. However, just as I was about to send the message, I stopped.


    "Wait, this is not it."


    My main source of trouble wasn''t the two priests.


    The one that I was troubled with was the white-robed man. He was like a source of impending doom that was breathing heavily down the back of my neck.


    It was as if he was watching every step that I made, waiting for me to inevitably slip before taking me away.


    "Even if I do manage to get out, it feels like he''ll stille for me."


    If so, what could I do?


    ...I needed to find a way to get him off my back.


    "But how?"


    How exactly can I do that?


    Clench.


    Clenching my teeth, I bit onto my lips and massaged my chin. All sorts of ideas surfaced through my mind as I tried to think of a way to get out of this situation.


    I had a lot of ideas, but all of them seemed fruitless before the Keeper.


    It felt as though he could see through everything.


    "How? How can I-"


    My steps paused and I looked down to my hand.


    Finally, a thought crossed my mind and I felt a lump form in my throat. Eventually, biting my


    lips with even more force, I put themunication device away.


    "This is crazy. This is absolutely crazy. But..."


    What if?


    ***


    Tik, Tik-


    It was; 5:28 P.M.


    "What is taking him so long...?"


    Priest Kyle checked the time and frowned. It had been a while since Marian had left and he had yet to contact him. Was there some sort of situation?


    "I''ll wait for a little bit more."


    Kyle stood at the entrance of the building for a further few minutes, contacting Marian in the process. He was hoping he''d receive an answer soon enough but that answer never came.


    His heart slowly started to sink.


    ''Did something really happen?''


    The two of them were currently in charge of a very important mission.


    Although ten minutes of nomunication seemed like nothing, for a mission as important


    as theirs, it was a lot of time. Priest Kyle understood the gravity of the situation and decided to send a message to the Keeper.


    [Priest Marian has entered the Confessional room. He has yet to respond to me. I will be going to check it out now. If you do not hear a reply within the next few minutes something happened to the two of us.]


    The message was clear and straightforward. It was just a safety precaution in case something happened inside.


    If something really did happen, it would be best if the Keeper was alerted.


    "Okay"


    Once he was done sending the message, priest Kyle directly made his way toward the room


    where the special guest was staying.


    Tak-


    The corridor was long and each step quietly echoed throughout.


    Moving with careful, deliberate strides, the priest finally arrived at the designated room,


    stopping just before the door.


    To Tok-


    "Marian?"


    He silently called out after knocking on the door.


    A strange silence followed after his knock. It was an unsettling silence that made him hesitate. Holding onto themunication device tightly, he ced it in his pocket before


    opening the door.


    Tik, tik-


    It was; 5:33 P.M.


    " ["


    Kyle''s eyes shot wide open the moment he set his eyes inside the room - Sitting in the middle of the room was the cadet who looked at him with a calm expression. Beneath him were two bodies. One belonged to Marian while the other one belonged to his holiness.


    They both looked dead.


    Especially the Pope. He... "W-what?"


    The priest''s body shook.


    Alternating his gaze between the two bodies and the cadet, Kyle''s expression changed


    dramatically.


    "W... What did you do?"


    Kyle unsheathed his sword.


    Shing!


    "What did you do!?"


    His voice billowed throughout the room. While he wasn''t very strong, it should be enough to


    deal with a second-year cadet.


    Albeit...


    We were talking about the strongest of the four Empires.


    ''No, wait. I need to quickly let''


    "Don''t bother."


    A calm voice filled the room. Kyle''s expression changed as he raised his head.


    "....You were about to contact the Keeper, right? Don''t bother. You won''t have a chance to use


    it before I kill you."


    The cadet raised his hand and threads suddenly shot out of the room.


    Kyle''s expression shifted and he dodged. Seeing that the situation had turned out like this, he


    stopped thinking about themunication device and charged at the cadet.


    "The Keeper should be here soon. I''ll just have to resist for ten minutes. Even if I can''t defeat him, I


    should be able to resist for that long!''


    Tik, tik-


    It was; 5:35 P.M


    Swoosh!


    Kyle leaned forward, narrowly dodging the threads that shot down from above. Though


    incredibly thin and nearly invisible, he managed to track them, each threadced with faint


    traces of mana that glimmered just enough for him to sense.


    Being famous wasn''t exactly a good thing.


    It enabled people to understand how their skills worked and Kyle understood Julien''s skills well.


    That was why he wasn''t surprised by his thread skill and was in fact even able to bypass them


    and get near him.


    Just as he dodged, a chill crawled up the back of his neck. Instinctively, Kyle nted his foot firmly, pivoted, and swung his sword in a swift arc behind him, aiming to intercept whatever


    wasing from behind him.


    nk!


    Sparks flew in the air as Kyle was forced to take several steps back.


    As his chest rose and fell he looked at his sword where a dent had formed.


    "This..."


    He could hardly contain his surprise. It had to be noted that his sword, while not exactly a


    powerful relic, was still quite sturdy. Made from a rtively rare metal and monster bone, it


    would take a lot of power to dent it.


    For the cadet to dent his sword with his threads...


    "This is bad.''


    Sweat trickled down the side of Kyle''s face.


    His palms felt sweaty and panic started to settle in his mind.


    ''Can I evenst ten minutes....?''


    At the rate that the fight was going, he wasn''t so sure he could evenst that long. However,


    he didn''t have much time to dwell on his situation. Feeling a faint trace of a mana movement


    up ahead, his expression tightened and he quickly jumped to the right side.


    Xiu! Xiu!


    Small holes formed on the ground where he once stood as threads appeared from out of thin


    air.


    ''So quick!''


    Kyle''s expression shifted, his eyes scanning every corner of the room.


    He was trying to shift the situation in his favor.


    The urge to bolt nearly overtook him, but he resisted, realizing that rushing for the exit would


    likely y right into the cadet''s hands. Instead, he steeled himself, and his mind raced with


    all sorts of possibilities.


    Eventually, an idea formed in his mind.


    A bold and reckless idea, but what else could he do?


    Clenching his teeth, Kyle shifted his attention around the room before the right side of his


    chest started to glow.


    Bone skill; Sun''s re.


    A bright light instantly shot throughout the room, blinding his vision. Hastily closing his


    eyes, Kyle darted forward. Towards where the cadet was.


    He had imprinted and memorized theyout of the room in advance so he knew where to


    head.


    "Haa!"


    His speed was fast. In moments, he arrived before where the cadet was, and without wasting


    his breath, he shed down.


    Spurt!


    His de connected with something solid, followed by a wet, sickening stter across hisn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    clothes. A metallic scent of blood filled the air, clinging to him.


    ''Did I do it?!''


    tion filled the priest who blinked his eyes a couple of times in order to recover his sight and


    when he did, he looked down to see the result of his actions.


    "....!"


    Only for his breath to leave his body shortly after.


    "W-what?"


    He took a step back, his hands trembling as he stared at the scene ahead - Priest Marian lying


    on the chair with a deep gash over his body.


    "....H-how could, how could?"


    Wasn''t the cadet over there? How could this...?


    "Pftt."


    A certain chuckle filled the room and Kyle''s head flicked down towards where Marian''s body


    used toy. It was there that he finally realized he had been tricked as Julien appeared on the


    ground, a mocking smile marring his features.


    Tik, Tik-


    The clock ticked.


    "You!"


    Kyle''s eyes turned bloodshot.


    An uncontroble rage that made him lose his cool. Without thinking, he raised his sword and


    shed down directly at Julien.


    Swoosh!


    His sword drew a straight arc down, directly aimed at Julien''s neck.


    Julien''s gaze remained locked on the de, unnervinglyposed, not even a flinch crossing


    his face.


    In that tense moment, as the sword''s tip hovered mere inches from his neck, a force suddenly


    yanked Kyle''s body sideways, flinging his body to the nearby wall.


    Bang!


    "Uekh!"


    As the wall caved in, blood spewed out from the priest''s body.


    Thud!


    Sliding down the side of the wall, rity returned to the priest''s mind as he raised his head.


    "Cough...! Cough!"


    ''W-what...? What the hell happened?''


    Lifting his head, he looked up to see a white figure standing by the entrance of the door. His


    eyes widened at the sight.


    "What do we have here?"


    Tik, Tik-


    It was; 5:41 P.M.

 Chapter 445: Posessed [1]

    Chapter 445: Posessed [1]


    ?


    A few moments prior; Hollowe''s residence.


    After Hollowe''s words, a strange silence followed. Keeper Matthias eventually broke the silence by shaking his lowered head.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "....No, I was just thinking of something."


    Matthias covered his mouth to hide his smile. He could still distinctively recall the events that transpired back in the medical ward. In particr, he recalled As''sck of reaction when he tried to reach out to Julien.


    The one who had gone up and stood for Julien was the Chancellor.


    ''What an interesting situation.''


    Was As''sck of reaction because he didn''t care, or was it that Julien wasn''t really a spy?


    It was an interesting thing to think about.


    He raised his head and looked at Hollowe.


    "How certain are you that he''s a spy?"


    "...Not entirely certain. It''s just an idea for now." "Just an idea, huh?"


    It sounded a lot like he had more than just an idea.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "There''s no real proof so what can I say?"


    Hollowe took a quiet sip of his drink and lightly shrugged his shoulders.


    "Well, it won''t be too difficult to tell if he''s in cahoots with the Inverted Sky. I''m sure you have the technique that will be able to find out their Emblem. How about you try using it on him?"


    "I tried but it''s not possible."


    "Howe?"


    "He''s protected by two fierce creatures. The moment I get close to him they''ll start bearing their fangs at me."


    "....I figured."


    Hollowe wasn''t particrly surprised by this piece of information. He had seen firsthand just how protected Julien was.


    He seemed to have this certain charm with people even though he usually kept people away from him. They just naturally gravitated his way even if he didn''t try.


    ...His charm had certainly done a number on him as well.


    Thinking thus far, a smile graced Hollowe''s lips.


    ''What a dangerous kid.''


    Thankfully, Hollowe didn''t have to worry too much about being too charmed by the kid. It had been a while since Hollowe had perfected the ability to sever emotional ties when the moment demanded it.


    This detachment had made him the top inquisitor of his year. He could forge connections, gaining others'' trust with ease, yet, no matter how close he became, he could turn on them without hesitation if the circumstances called for it.


    ''I hope I''m wrong though.''


    Of course, if he could, he wouldn''t wish to turn on people but this was his job, and he was very good at his job.


    "You seem to find this situation amusing, inquisitor. You don''t look very surprised by the situation."


    "Truthfully, I am not."


    Hollowe began to exin to Matthias his observations for the past few months that he had been at the Academy.


    "So you''re saying that he''s also close to the Chancellor?"


    "Yes, it seems to be the case from what I''ve seen."


    "Hmm, that does match up with what I saw."


    Matthias frowned.


    "However, if he''s close to her, then there''s also a chance that he''s not part of the Inverted Sky. Considering the Chancellor''s nature, she wouldn''t want to associate with such people."


    "That''s where you''re wrong."


    Hollowe corrected with a simple wave of his hand.


    "....While that may be the case, she''s also the type of person who would do anything to get rid of them. There''s a chance she also came up to a simr conclusion as me and is trying to get closer to him so that she can get to As."


    "Oh?"


    Matthias''s ears perked up. This was a rather interesting piece of information. His smile widened as a lot of things started to clear up in his mind.


    ''I guess that confirms what I previously saw in the medical ward. He really was testing him.''


    A faint chuckle escaped his lips. This was interesting. This entire poisonous game that was happening within the Academy grounds. It was so very interesting.


    "I''d be careful if I were you, though."


    "Hm?"


    Raising his head, Matthias looked at Hollowe who had an unusually serious expression.


    "I can see it from your face that you''re interested in joining this poisonous game of theirs but


    I suggest otherwise. You might never know and be swallowed up before you know it."


    "Swallowed up?"


    Matthias lowered his head, his deep green eyes piercing through the hood.


    Me?


    He almost wanted tough but held himself back. He didn''t take Hollowe''s words to heart. The Chancellor and As were indeed powerful individuals. However, Matthias believed he stood on equal grounds with them in terms of power and background.


    If anything, he was more confident in being a part of this game than a mere cadet. Not that he wasn''t aware of the risks of it.


    Trr-!


    A sudden vibration brought Matthias out of his thoughts.


    Retrieving a smallmunication device, Matthias nced at the message. His brow raised


    shortly after and he stood up.


    "It appears as though something hase up."


    "Anything that I can help with?"


    "Hm, no. It''s something that only I can handle."


    Matthias pocketed themunication device and made his way to the door alongside


    Hollowe who opened the door for him.


    "Since that''s the case, I''ll stay here. I wish you the best of luck."


    "Thank you."


    Matthias stepped out and calmly walked toward the designated location.


    Tik, Tik-


    It was; 5:35 P.M.


    He still had some time left so he decided to take his time. If he didn''t receive a message in the


    following minutes, he knew to hurry.


    Time ticked.


    As Matthias calmly headed towards the destination, the clock continued to tick.


    5:36 P.M.


    5:37 P.M.


    5:38 P.M.


    5:39 P.M.


    5:40 P.M.


    "...I guess something really did happen."


    Matthias looked at the building that loomed over him. His eyes narrowed and his demenour


    shifted. Without wasting a single second, he entered the building and stopped before a


    specific door.


    His expression changed faintly upon noticing the movement that was happening behind the door. He reached out for the door and opened it.


    "...."


    The sight that greeted him wasn''t one he''d expect to see. With a flick of his hand, a body flung


    to the side of the wall.


    Bang!


    Stepping forward, Matthias calmly processed his surroundings.


    "What do we have here?"


    His steps paused upon noticing the Pope''s body. Taking a deep breath, he managed to remain


    calm while alternating his gaze between the three other figures.


    "Two dead, and two alive...''


    The scene was clear to Matthias.


    Judging from the sword mark on Priest Marian''s body, he had been in by a sword. Knowing


    full well that the only one who could use a sword in the room was Priest Kyle and thinking


    back to the scene he had witnessed, the scene was clear in his mind.


    ''Priest Kyle went rogue.''


    ....At least, that was how it looked like.


    "Hahaha."


    Augh suddenly escaped his lips.


    What a scene. What a scene. Eventually, his head turned to look at Julien who was sprawled on the ground. The sight of


    him made him smile.


    "It''s a beautiful scene that you''ve crafted. It almost makes me want to believe that this is


    what really happened."


    The Keeper took a step forward, his expression and demenour shifting to a more serious one.


    Suddenly, the room was plunged into an unbearable tension.


    "...But like I said. Almost. Do you think I''m stupid?"


    Raising his hand, Julie''s body suddenly lifted from the ground. His expression changed but he


    was left helpless under the Keeper''s actions and soon his grip closed firmly around his neck,


    leaving Julien suspended in the air.


    A deathly silence filled the room.


    One that was broken by the Keeper''s rough and hoarse voice.


    "I know you did all of this."


    His grip over Julien''s neck tightened.


    "I don''t understand how you managed to kill His Holiness, but I wouldn''t be surprised


    considering your affiliation."


    With a slight motion of his finger, Julien''s hand snapped upward.


    The Keeper moved Julien''s right hand closer, pressing lightly against his wrist. Bits of skin began to ke away, drifting to the ground and unveiling a hidden tattoo¡ªa four-leaf clover


    etched into his skin.


    "Ah."


    His eyes fell on Julien.


    "What do we have here?"


    His voice was calm, almost amused. He had seen this scenarioing from miles away. His


    hunch was correct.


    "....I guess we now have an answer as to how you''ve managed to defeat His Holiness. If it''s


    them then I''m sure they can figure something out."


    Once again, a faint chuckle escaped the Keeper''s mouth as his grip tightened further. It was so


    tight that Julien could hardly get any words out despite his best attempts.


    "Stop struggling. It''s over. I''ve caught you."


    His voice wasced with a tone of finality.


    Staring at the panicked hazel eyes in front of him, Matthias shifted his attention towards


    Priest Kyle. While he was injured, he was still alive. If he could get him to testify about what


    had happened, followed by the reveal of the tattoo, there would be no ce where Julien could escape.


    Like a rat who had fallen into a trap, he was done.


    There was nothing else that he could do.


    Nothing els-


    "Hm?"


    The Keeper''s brows suddenly knit as he noticed the faint trace of a smile appear on Julien''s


    face. He''s smiling...? Why would he be-


    "What''s going on here?"


    A voice echoed from behind and the Keeper''s head flicked back.


    "....Huh?"


    His meticulously groomed blonde fluttered silently, matching his pale yellow eyes that


    shimmered like two balls of fire that flickered with a strange intensity As''s figure appeared standing behind the door, his unusually calm expression showing cracks.


    Behind him were several figures.


    Of which was none other than the Chancellor who stared at the scene with her deep obsidian


    eyes.


    As her gaze shifted from the bodies sprawled across the ground to Julien, still caught in the


    Keeper''s grip, her eyes darkened even more. An intangible and almost suffocating pressure


    permeated every corner of the room.


    "Ukh..! Ukh!"


    Faint noises started toe out of Julien''s mouth. It looked like he was struggling to say


    something.


    The Keeper kept his grip firm.


    In spite of the situation he found himself in, he remained calm.


    ''Was this your n?''


    He almost wanted tough, but was quickly stripped away of it when he heard a faint


    snapping sound and priest Kyle''s eyes turned ck.


    He looked to be deprived of all thoughts.


    ''Emotive Magic?''


    When?!


    That distraction was enough for his grip over Julien''s neck to loosen, allowing his voice to


    finallye out.


    "W,what.. W,what are you d-doing to me?"


    When all eyes fell on Julien, his eyes shook while he stared at the Keeper.


    "...H-help. He... is trying to pu-t something in my body! He...!!!"


    Julien''s face suddenly twisted, turning pale white as his body started to tremble. It all


    happened rtively fast but Delh was quick to move, snatching Julien from the Keeper''s


    hand.


    Her movements were so quick that he hardly had the time to react as she settled Julien''s body by the side of the wall where it eventually calmed down.


    Eventually, his eyes snapped open and his face started to twist.


    "Fucking bastard! I''ll kill you!"


    Julien''s demeanor had shifted entirely, catching everyone off guard. Even Delh''s face


    betrayed a flicker of surprise as she moved her head back while he continued to scream at the


    top of his lungs.


    It didn''t seem like the situation had registered in his mind just yet.


    "I''ll fucking kil¡ª"


    In that instant, someone appeared beside her, swiftly striking the back of Julien''s neck and


    knocking him unconscious with a single blow.


    k!


    When all eyes fell on As, his expression fell. Bending over to touch Julien''s head, his brows


    furrowed tightly.


    "....I''m afraid he''s been possessed. Call a Clericter to check."


    Gradually, As''s head turned to face the Keeper who stood still the entire time. All eyes


    flickered in his direction.


    ''Ah.''


    Matthias looked at everyone in the room before settling his gaze over to As.


    It all clicked for him then.


    The one that Julien was trying to frame.


    It wasn''t Priest Kyle.


    No.


    ....It had been him the entire time.

 Chapter 446: Posessed [2]

    Chapter 446: Posessed [2]


    ?


    The air felt cold in the academy''s underground chambers. A situation had urred. Several high-profile figures stared at the small metallic door before them. They were all the senior figures of the Academy.


    "How is the situation going?"


    The Chancellor''s crisp voice quietly echoed throughout. While her tone was low, it carried through the air and reached the ears of all present.


    "We should be getting the results soon enough."


    As replied with his back leaning against the side of the wall.


    "How were you able to tell that he''s been possessed?"


    "Didn''t you notice his behavior change?"


    "....I did, but that''s far from enough to tell."


    "He did also say something about him trying something."


    "Oh, yes."


    Delh did recall overhearing such wordsing out of Julien''s mouth before entering the room. Still, her eyes narrowed faintly. Something didn''t quite add up to her. She nheless remained quiet and waited for the final results toe.


    "Ah, it looks like this is the room where everyone is in."


    As everyone waited for the Cleric toe out of the room, Inquisitor Hollowe entered the room. With a simple smile, he took off his brown top hat.


    "I heard all about the incident. Given the nature of what happened and my position, I''m afraid I''ll be on the opposing side this time."


    Everyone was well aware of Hollowe''s true identity and didn''t say anything.


    Hanging up his coat, Hollowe greeted everyone else within the room and shifted his attention towards the small metallic door.


    "I''ve been told a Cleric has been called. Something about him being possessed? I hope that''s not the case."


    "We''re still figuring it out."


    As replied, giving Hollowe a subtle look.


    "Ah, I see. I guess I''ll make myselffortable over here."


    Hollowe proceeded to make his way towards a nearby seat and sat down. Then, closing his eyes, he stayed silent until he recalled something. That was when his eyes finally opened again.


    "Right, I forgot to mention this. Sir Ivan Khoniek is on his way to the Academy on behalf of Matthias. He should be here within the next few hours."


    While his words were light, they brought a sudden tension to the room. Sir Ivan Khoniek was a figure everyone knew. Delh knew, As knew, and almost everyone within the Empire knew.


    There were seven monarchs within the Nurs Ancifa Empire, and he was one such figure.


    Monarch of the Undying me - Ivan Khoniek.


    "....Yes, it''s best if hees."


    Contrary to how Hollowe expected As to react, he still appeared calm on the surface. In fact, he almost seemed to want this to happen.


    "In light of what happened, we do need to have a talk with him with regard to what we''ll have to do with Keeper Matthias. Several of us have witnessed what he''s done. Furthermore..."


    As''s head suddenly turned toward the metallic door, which opened shortly after to reveal a small, chubby figure d in dark robes embroidered with intricate gold designs. Coming out of the room, the Cleric held his head down.


    The atmosphere sank.


    "What is the situation?"


    Moving toward the Cleric was Herman Chambers, the Head of Recruiting. He was one of the few people allowed into the room and one of the people who had been present during Julien''s entrance examination.


    ||


    The Cleric didn''t reply immediately and looked around the room, making sure that all eyes were on him. Only then did his lips part open as he shook his head.


    "I''m afraid your initial assumptions are correct. He''s indeed been possessed."


    "What? Are you sure that¡ª"


    "I''m sure."


    Herman was directly cut off by the Cleric who stepped to the side and allowed people to catch a glimpse of the passed-out Julien who was tied to a chair.


    "As you''re well aware, given my job, I''ve dealt with a lot of simr situations in the past. Telling if someone is pretending or not is easy for us, but just in case, we do have specific relics that tell us two souls are residing within one body."


    Flicking his wrist, a small cylindrical device appeared in his hand. It was entirely coated in ck with a faint light at the tip that glowed a purple color.


    "This is the relic we typically use to confirm whether someone has been possessed or not. The color over here indicates high levels of curse magic from within the cadet''s body alongside the presence of two distinct traces that shouldn''t belong to the same body."


    Following the Cleric''s exnation and disy of the relic, all people present understood the reality of the situation.


    Julien had really been possessed by an external soul.


    "What now?"


    Delh''s voice echoed quietly. It was only then that people took notice of her presence. While her presence usually dominated an entire room, she had been awfully quiet, making people momentarily forget about her.


    ".....I''m not sure. The soul within Julien''s body is rather resilient and I can''t bind it down easily. I will need some time to properly assess the situation before acting."


    "How long would that take?"


    "A day at most. I just need to find the correct spell to use."


    "Will you be able to solve the situation?"


    "Like I said, I''m not sure. I might be able to bring the real Julien back, but I''m not entirely confident in retrieving the other soul out of his body. I will need to investigate further."


    "Okay."


    Turning around, a gentle click resounded across the room as Delh turned around and made her way out of the room. It looked like she was going for the cell where the Keeper was being


    detained.


    "Ah, Chancellor, wait up."


    "Let''s follow along."


    The others followed right behind her with the exception of two people. Hollowe and As. The two were the only people who remained within the Academy chambers.


    "Possession, huh?"


    Hollowe stood up and grabbed his coat, putting it on while also straightening it to make sure


    there were no wrinkles.


    "I''m rather surprised this happened. I originally thought you had seen wrong, but turns out


    you have a really discerning eye. It''s surprising though."


    cing his hat over his head, Hollowe paused, his back facing As.


    "....To be able to tell Julien was possessed from the limited amount of information you had.


    It''s almost as if you knew in advance."


    A strange tension suddenly engulfed the room, plunging it into an unbearable and suffocating


    silence.


    As As''s eyes narrowed slightly, Hollowe turned around with a grin, exaggeratedly pointing both his index fingers in As''s direction. He almost looked silly.


    The tension in the room shattered instantly.


    "So what I''m saying is, why don''t you quit over here and be an Inquisitor? I''m sure


    you''ll make a great one~!"


    ***


    "It sucks that I can''t really tell what is going on outside."


    Laying down on the ground, I stared at the empty and dark sky above me. Following the


    events that had transpired back at the Confessional Hearing, I was left in the dark. Thest thing I remembered was getting knocked out unconscious by As.


    "...What a pain."


    The fact that I didn''t know what was happening outside was a pain but this was also not


    entirely bad for me.


    ''Yeah, but only if everything goes smoothly.''


    There were a few things that I couldn''t properly ount for in my n given the time


    constraints. In particr, the tattoo.


    The tattoo was a real issue.


    Thankfully, I knew that As was also aware of this issue and found some way to cover it up.


    However, for how long could he hide it?


    "No, more than that. How long do I have to wait before getting the body back?"


    One of the issues with what I did was that I had released Julien from the influence of the ring.


    He was no longer stuck there, meaning that he now had control over the body. While I could wrestle control back if I wanted to, I knew that a Cleric was soon going to visit, potentially using some sort of method to temporarily seal Julien.


    If I took over during the process, I''d be the one to get screwed over.


    For that reason, I couldn''t just wrestle the control back.


    "You don''t have to worry too much about that."


    Pebble, who was sitting on top of a small rock, calmly licked its paw.


    "I can do quick checkups on the situation without getting caught. You can get your body back


    now if you want to."


    "I can?"


    "You''re currently trapped inside a small room, tied by ropes. There''s no one inside."


    "Wait."


    I frowned.


    "That doesn''t sound like a good opportunity."


    This felt more like my body was being prepared for the Cleric to proceed with whatever he was


    going to do with my body. If anything, this was probably the worst time for me to return back


    into my body.


    "....I think I''ll wait until the Cleric takes action before taking my body back."


    "Suit yourself."


    Pebble continued to lick its paws. The more I looked at Pebble, the more I noticed it acting


    like a cat. It felt almost creepy when I thought about it. Was this really the same creature that


    made me go into aa for almost an entire year?


    "What?"


    Pebble''s head flicked in my direction.


    I stared at Pebble for a good minute before shifting my head away.


    "Nothing." I quietly mumbled. "Nothing at all..."


    What a poor excuse of a Dragon.


    ***


    The next day.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Oh, it looks like Julien is absent," Aoife mumbled while looking around the ss.


    "He is?"


    Kiera turned her head and looked around the ss to see if Julien was present but no matter


    how much she looked, he wasn''t there.


    "I guess you''re right."


    "I don''t see him as well."


    Evelyn replied, dark circles forming beneath her eyes. Yesterday had been her turn to handle


    Theresa and she hardly got any sleep.


    ''Julien is missing?''


    Overhearing the conversation from the front row was Amell who sat next to Leon. He had just


    managed to find his seat when the conversation entered his ear.


    Although he found the piece of news a little strange, there was something more pressing that


    he had to handle.


    Like...


    ''How should I get closer to him? This is turning out to be a lot more difficult than I expected.''


    ...Trying to find a way to interact with Leon.


    Amell had been trying for the past few days but each time he found himself failing or the conversations never ending up going anywhere. Never before had Amell struggled so much to handle a task.


    It drove him crazy.


    "May I have your attention, everyone? I have an important announcement to make."


    A somber voice suddenly echoed across the room, gathering the attention of all the cadets


    present. When Amell raised his head, his gaze fell on the Professor. She was a plump middle- ageddy with sharp sses and a stern demenour.


    As her deep hazel eyes scanned the ssroom, she spoke,


    "Julien will not be participating in the ss for the next few days. A situation urred that


    will prevent him from participating. This is as much as I''ve been told. I''ll update you further when I get more information."


    Seeing how somber her tone was, Amell understood that something serious must''ve happened to Julien. The silence that followed after made him understand that everyone in the


    ssroom understood as well.


    Or at least, that was what he thought at first.


    "Is that it?"


    That thought was shattered by Kiera''s voice.


    Blinking his eyes, Amell turned his head to see that practically the entire ss didn''t look


    interested at all in the piece of news.


    What the...


    "Oof, thank god. I really thought it was going to be a pop-up quiz."


    Kiera sighed while wiping the cold sweat that had formed on top of her forehead. Her words


    were followed by subtle murmurs that went along the lines of, ''Did she say Julien won''t be


    here for a while?'', ''Why does it feel like I''ve heard this before?'', ''Good thing it''s not a pop-up quiz. I didn''t study at all.''


    The more Amell heard the words of his ssmates the more he was dumbstruck.


    Was Julien this hated by the entire ss?


    Turning his head, Amell looked at Leon who was busy writing something in his notebook.


    Amell leaned closer to him.


    "Are you... also not worried?"


    "Hm?"


    Raising his head, Leon turned to look at Amell.


    "Worried about?"


    "You know, the piece of news. Judging from how serious her tone was it looks li-"


    "Ah, that."


    Leon waved his hand, looking rather disinterested.


    "You''ll get used to it."


    "Eh?"


    "Just focus on the ss. Julien tends to do this from time to time. He was gone for half a year


    or somethingst year."


    "Half a year?"


    "Mhm, right. It''s nice and quiet, isn''t it? Enjoy it while he''s gone."


    Amell''s mouth opened and closed several times. Turning back, he saw everyone show the


    same looks of disinterest as Leon and found the words strip out of his mouth.


    .....Just what sort of ce is this?


    The more Amell got to know this Academy, the more their prestigious image crumbled in his


    eyes.

 Chapter 447: Regaining control [1]

    Chapter 447: Regaining control [1]


    ?


    With winter approaching, the temperature within the Academy grounds started to be colder. It was cold enough that water vapor would form in the air upon breathing out.


    "How is the reaction from the Church of Oracleus?"


    Mist hung in the air as a figure with long, flowing blonde hair and piercing green eyes spoke. His features looked youthful, as though he was barely in his twenties. He looked like any regr cadet within the Academy.


    Yet, to those with trained eyes, he was nothing like a cadet. He felt more like a contained storm, capable of tearing everything apart instantly with just a thought.


    -They''re strangely calm.


    A calm and crisp voice replied. It belonged to Ivan''s secretary.


    -Their silence is quite unsettling. I''m afraid this is merely the calm before the storm.


    "Hmm, I also feel the same. I wouldn''t me them if that was the case. Especially considering how their Pope has passed away."


    Ivan''s throat hitched and with a few coughs, he managed to clear it.


    "... Have you tried contacting Cardinal Ambrose?"


    -Yes, I''ve tried but I got no reply.


    "It doesn''t seem like he trusts."


    -Given the nature of the report he received, it only makes sense that he doesn''t trust us. "Right, of course."


    Ivan''s expression remained calm but his eyes grew ck for a brief moment. The world around him grew gray, losing all trace of color. He only snapped out of it when he heard his secretary''s voice from themunication device.


    -From what Hollowe has reported, it appears to be a deliberate setup against us. Most likely, the Inverted Sky is behind it, aiming to drive a wedge between us and one of the Seven Churches while simultaneously removing one of our Keepers.


    "I figured that much."


    Ivan had already understood this point in advance. This was highly likely a targeted situation that was aimed at them.


    It was also why he had no choice but to personallye and resolve the situation himself.


    They simply couldn''t afford to deprive themselves of a powerful asset such as Matthias. It would be a rather big blow to them. This entire situation had blindsided them, leaving them with hardly any time to properly assess the situation.


    "Oh, it looks like I''m here."


    Ivan paused, his expression falling on the building in front of him, and turning off themunication device. It was neither grand nor small, but by looking down, he could feel the presence of several powerful figures beneath him.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Looks like this is the ce.''


    He calmly entered the building before walking down a narrow flight of stairs. Along the way, he would stop on asion to confirm his identity. The security was quite tight.


    Eventually, he managed to make his way toward the containment room where he didn''t hesitate to enter.


    "I arrived a littleter than expected. Do excuse my tardiness."


    Upon entering the containment room, his gaze fell on the most overwhelming presence.


    "Ah, Delh. It''s been a while. You seem to have gotten stronger since thest time I saw you. Not bad."


    His tone was that of a senior speaking to his junior. After greeting Delh, he greeted the others before turning to stare at the tainted ss.


    As his eyes narrowed, a haggard and chained figure appeared on the opposite end of the ss. "You guys didn''t hold back, huh?"


    "Given the nature of his strength and the scene we witnessed, we couldn''t afford to hold back."


    "No, yeah. I don''t me you."


    Ivan waved his hand in dismissal at Delh''s reply. As he stared at Matthias behind the ss, the smile wiped off his face and his demenour gradually shifted to a more serious one. A crushing pressure suddenly held down the people in the room.


    Delh was the only one that seemed unaffected.


    "I''d like to have a moment with him if that''s possible."


    "....You may."


    Delh nudged her head towards Herman who forced a nod and proceeded to unlock the door of the containment room. ''That was easy.'' Ivan thought, retrieving the pressure and entering the small room.


    Tak-


    It was the gentle sound of his step that awoke Matthias from his daze. As he looked up, Ivan''s step paused. Matthias looked extremely haggard, with ring ck circles sunk deep into his


    eyes.


    "You don''t look so good."


    "....I didn''t have much sleep."


    Even his tone was hoarse. He clearly didn''t have a great time.


    Ivan lowered his head to meet Matthias''s deep green eyes.


    "Tell me exactly what happened."


    "....What about?"


    "You don''t have to worry about the people outside. Nobody will hear a thing. Just tell me everything that led up to this point."


    || ||


    After hesitating for a moment, Matthias''s head lowered and he started to speak.


    "It was a trap."


    Matthias''s jaw clenched.


    "From the moment I came in, Marian had already been stabbed in the stomach, and the Pope''s body was on the ground. At first nce, it looked like it was Kyle who had done this, especially since he also had his sword drawn towards the cadet. I had no choice but to act in order to stop him from killing the cadet. Of course, from the moment I entered, I knew from the start the scene was all a setup."


    "....Since you knew, how did you end up in this situation?"


    "Ah, this."


    Matthias looked down at the cuffs in his hands and he smiled bitterly.


    "Because I didn''t take into ount the fact that the setup wasn''t made for Kyle, but it was


    made for me."


    Even after a day had passed, Matthias continued to rey the scenario in his mind over and over again. The more he sorted through the scene, the more he felt a strange feeling permeate


    through every corner of his body.


    It was an unknown feeling he couldn''t quite put into words.


    "It was... It was almost as if he could read me like a book."


    "Read you like a book?"


    "...Yes."


    Matthias forced a nod.


    "From the time it would take for me toe to how he was confident I''d be able to figure out that this was a setup, and how I''d spare Kyle to question himter. Everything yed out his


    way."


    Matthias''s lips faintly trembled, and his thoughts paused at the sight that greeted him the moment he lowered his head to stare at his hands.


    Ah, what?


    His hands... They were trembling.


    Why? What, how? How could...?


    Holding onto his breath, Matthias forcefully calmed the trembling while leaning back against


    the wall.


    "It was almost as if he had foreseen everything."


    "Foreseen?"


    Ivan''s brows knit together at the unexpected words that came out of Matthia''s mouth as he


    nodded his head, repeating the same words.


    "Forseen, yeah."


    And with a tone that anyone could hardly hear, he mumbled,


    ''... Like a Seer.''


    ***


    The scent of incense lingered heavily in the air, curling through every corner of the chapel. A


    man dressed in white knelt on a small red cushion, his head bowed in silent prayer before the


    statue that loomed in front of him.


    ''May you guide his soul towards a peaceful slumber.''


    His soft mumbles echoed quietly through the chapel as light pierced through the windows up


    above, casting a dim glow over his body.


    ... May his soul continue to serve you in all your glory.''


    Cardinal Ambrose''s mumbles continued to echo throughout the Chapel as the incense continued to burn. He knelt in that position for hours on end, mumbling the same prayer over


    and over again.


    Despite his aged appearance, he didn''t bat a single eye. He only stopped at the single toll of a


    small bell.


    Dong! Dong-


    His head raised up.


    "May you rest in peace."


    This was hisst prayer for the deceased Pope.


    The time of mourning hade to an end.


    Helping himself up, the Cardinal bowed down to the statue once and headed to the backroom.


    As the wooden door creaked under his pull, a small dimly lit room greeted his sight.


    The Cardinal cast his sight around the room and settled his gaze over the wooden desk.


    A small piece of papery there, apanied by a torn envelope, edges frayed as if hastily


    opened.


    It was a letter.


    A very precious letter he had received not so long ago.


    It was short, and it read;


    I write this to tell you to not interfere, Ambrose.


    My death was under my will.


    It was all for our Lord.


    "...So this is your choice?"


    Ambrose studied the contents of the letter carefully. Then, with a small sigh, he ced the


    letter above the candle and watched it catch fire.


    As the embers of the paper scattered in the air, Cardinal Ambrose''s eyes closed.


    "As you wish, your Holiness."


    ***


    nk-!


    With the door of the confinement room closing, Ivan came out, his expression a lot more


    somber than when he had first entered. Coming out of the room, he didn''t say a single word


    while Delh stood in silence while watching his expression.


    She was studying his face to see if she could read something. Unfortunately, his face was nk.


    Delh couldn''t read anything from his expression. What exactly went inside that room? And


    what did they talk about?


    With a subtle narrowing of her eyes, Delh leaned against the side of the wall.


    This entire situation wasplicated, involving many external forces. If she didn''t thread carefully then the Academy would be implicated as well.


    To Tok-


    The sudden sound of the door knocking brought Delh out of her thoughts.


    As all eyes turned towards the door, the Cleric entered the room, his expression unusually


    somber. Casting his eyes around those present, he spoke,


    "The preparations are ready."


    The room was instantly plunged into a suffocating silence. Without waiting for anyone to say


    anything, the Cleric left the room and led everyone towards another room where Julien appeared.


    Sitting on a wooden chair with his eyes wide open and a gag in his mouth to prevent him from


    speaking, a faint purple magic circle appeared beneath him. It glowed a dim white hue while heavy curse energy lingered in the air.


    Positioning himself next to Julien, the Cleric pressed his hand against Julien''s shoulder.


    "If you have anything that you want to ask, do so now. Otherwise, I will start."


    "...."


    His words were met with a short silence.


    Seeing this, the Cleric nodded his head and raised his hand to begin. Right as mana flowed


    towards his fingers, a voice cut him off.


    "I will st-"


    "Wait."


    Stepping forward was none other than Ivan. A suffocating tension suddenly plunged over the


    room as Ivan ignored the stares and walked up towards the tied-up Julien and stared right


    into his bloodshot eyes.


    "You."


    He spoke, his tone low. "Who are you really?"

 Chapter 448: Regaining Control [2]

    Chapter 448: Regaining Control [2]


    ?


    "What are you doing?"


    Ivan''s unexpected actions caused all those present to momentarily frown. As the group''s more quiet one, As''s words attracted the attention of all those present.


    Pausing, Ivan didn''t look back and kept his gaze fixed on Julien.


    "What am I doing? I was just asking a simple question."


    "....Are you trying to dy the Cleric?"


    "Dy?"


    Ivan''s brow rose. Then, ncing around and seeing the numerous stares directed in his direction, he pursed his lips.


    ''Hmm, it really does seem like I''m dying things.''


    But he still didn''t back down.


    "I''m just curious."


    Ivan pointed at the Julien that sat before him. His re was quite fierce, and he looked utterly unfazed in spite of the number of powerful people present in the room.


    "You im that he''s been possessed and that Matthias is the one responsible for this, but have you ever thought of questioning him?"


    "Questioning the possessed soul?"


    With a dryugh, As shook his head.


    "The one that we found Matthias nting inside of Julien''s body?"


    His calm expression cracked faintly to disy a rare hint of sarcasm.


    "....And what makes you think we would trust any of the words that woulde out from a possessed soul? If it''s someone that you nted, then what''s stopping them from saying things that would shift things in your favor?"


    "That''s only on the premise that it is someone that was nted from our side."


    "And was it not? I''ve witnessed Keeper Matthias''s actions firsthand. If not for him, who could''ve nted the soul into Julien''s body?"


    "That''s what I''d also like to know."


    Ivan smiled, behind his body faintly to stare at Julien. As''s brows furrowed tightly at his actions but before he could do anything, Ivan raised his hand.


    "Don''t worry, I''m only just watching. I won''t do anything."


    In spite of As''s suspicion, Ivan really did do nothing but observe Julien. His actions were strange and by the time a few seconds had passed, As moved up next to him and pressed his hand against Ivan''s shoulder.


    "Have you seen enough?"


    "...Mhm, I have."


    Ivan nodded faintly and then stepped away.


    He didn''t insist on watching any longer and from the fact that there were no traces of manaing out from Ivan''s body, it did seem like he did nothing.


    However, it was his cooperative behavior that made As frown.


    ''What is he nning?''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As''s eyes flickered faintly before settling back to their usual calm. That was because he noticed the Cleric make his move.


    "I will begin the ritual now. If everyone could take a step back."


    Listening to his words, As looked at Ivan who raised both his hands and moved back. Standing right in front of Julien, the Cleric positioned himself right before Julien and in the middle of the magic circle that was inscribed on the floor.


    A tense silence followed as all eyes fell on him.


    Closing his eyes, the Cleric drew a deep breath and pressed his hand against the floor.


    A wave of pure mana pulsed in the air and the magic circle gleamed brightly.


    "Please guard me."


    Taking a step forward, the Cleric pressed his hand against Julien''s forehead. Immediately, Julien''s body shook as he tried to resist, but his resistance merelysted a few minutes before settling back down.


    Shortly after that, the room grew silent.


    All eyes fell on the two figures in the middle of the room.


    ***


    Rumble-!


    "Something is happening."


    Pebble''s voice rang quietly within the estate as Julien''s eyes snapped open. When he shifted his attention toward the estate, he noticed that it was shaking. His brows came to a slight


    furrow.


    "Have they already started?"


    "....Yes, I can feel that arge spell has been drawn up around you. It feels powerful. We should get out of this ce before it''s toote."


    "Okay."


    Emmet agreed and stood up.


    However, it was right as he stood up that a notification shed across his vision and his body


    stopped.


    [? His Holiness the Pope died, and Keeper Matthias was able to figure out your identity.]


    The notification was followed up by another.


    It was written in all red.


    [¡ô Main Quest Activated: Murderer]


    : Character Progression + 401%


    : Game Progression + 17%


    Failure


    : Aoife K. Megrail 7% --> 28%


    : Kiera Mylne 19% --> 32%


    : Evelyn J. Verlice 9% --> 26%


    "Wait, what...?"


    Seeing the sudden increase in the percentage of the cmities, his mind fell into a daze. Why


    did the percentages increase? No, I''ve seen this before.


    "I failed?"


    Mumbling such words, Emmet felt himself go into a daze.


    How? How could...?


    "No, this makes no sense."


    It took a moment for him to process everything and when he did, a boiling rage simmered


    through his chest.


    Emmet''s jaw clenched.


    "Why?"


    He quietly spat through his clenched teeth.


    "Despite everything I have done..."


    Why...?


    "Why did I fail?"


    It didn''t really make sense to him. While he had indeed misinterpreted the vision due to how vague it had been, he was still able to turn things around. Not only that, but he also managed to find some sort of way to justify the ''Julien'' that was inside of his body.


    ''... It says that the reason why I failed is because Matthias found out about my identity.'' Indeed, in order to paint a picture that would frame the Keeper, Emmet had no choice but to


    fall under his grasp. It was then that his tattoo was exposed.


    In hindsight, Emmet realized that this was going to bring him trouble in the future but what


    other choice did he have?


    It was either this or be framed for the Pope''s death.


    He''d be as good as dead if that urred.


    This was the only viable option.


    "Human." Bringing him out of his thoughts, Emmet raised his head to see Pebble standing by the


    entrance of the estate within the mirror world.


    Rumble-


    As the trembling around him grew, Emmet understood the gravity of the situation. Taking a


    deep breath to calm his thoughts, he ran towards Pebble''s direction.


    While the situation sucked, he had other priorities.


    He could think of the reason for his failureter. Right now, he had to get the body back at all


    costs.


    And so, he quickly dashed out of the mirror world.


    Rumble!


    Thankfully, he was able to make it out of the space safely without any problems. Coming out


    of the mirror space, a dark void greeted him.


    It was a suffocating and unsettling void.


    Looking around, Emmet looked at Pebble who was staring in a certain direction.


    "It''s over there."


    Pebble pointed.


    "Uh? Where?"


    Emmet was confused at first, however, squinting his eyes further, he could make out the trace of two silhouettes in the distance. He could also feel a weird powering from there. After a little hesitation, Emmet decided to walk in the direction of where the figures were.


    His steps were the only ones that echoed within the dark space. Pebble''s presence had long


    faded.


    "Listen to me, you''re making a mistake! I''m the real body!"


    A familiar repulsive voice filled the space the closer Emmet inched toward the two figures. By


    the time he was close to them, he could hear the voice loud and clear.


    It was strained, almost hoarse as he shouted,


    "Ipetent bastard! What the fuck are you doing!?"


    Purple chains materialized around Julien, wrapping tightly around his arms and torso,


    suspending him mid-air.


    He struggled, every twist only tightening his bonds, while his gaze burned with fury as he


    locked eyes with the figure before him¡ªa short, round figure cloaked in dark robes.


    "I''ll fucking kill you!!"


    Julien''s shrills of desperation echoed loudly within the space as his eyes turned bloodshot. A


    clear look of desperation and anger marred his features.


    "Get me the fuck down before I fucking kill you with my own two hands!"


    The entire time, the man in ck remained calm. He lookedpletely unfazed by Julien''s


    words.


    Pressing his hands together, the chains surrounding Julien grew in size, wrapping over his


    mouth and muting himpletely.


    "Mhm! Hm!"


    His desperate attempts at cursing could still be felt heard through the void.


    ''Is he the Cleric?"


    As Emmet stopped in the distance, the Cleric suddenly turned his head.


    "Looks like you managed to find us. This is good. It''ll save me quite a bit of time."


    His tone was even, almost calming amidst the chaos that surrounded them. Emmet almost


    felt a sense of relief wash over him at the sight of the Cleric as he pursed his lips and quietly


    spoke,


    "Are you here to save me?"


    "...Yes, I am."


    The Cleric put up a friendly smile.


    It was a smile that seemed to wash Emmet''s worries away, prompting him to take a step


    forward. "The spell that I''ve cast will contain him for a while, unfortunately, it won''t be able topletely get rid of him from your body. The degree of attachment to your body is a lot


    more than I originally anticipated. I''m afraid that you''ll have to be stuck with him for quite


    some time."


    "....What?"


    Emmet pretended to look surprised.


    In fact, he wasn''t surprised at all. This was originally Julien''s body. Emmet was the real


    ''parasite'' in the body.


    This was why Julien''s degree of attachment to the body was high.


    It was his, to begin with.


    "Whoever ced the soul into your body, their skills were quite high. Not only is this soul


    incrediblypatible with this body, but it''s also firmly in ce within this mind-space. You


    will need the aid of an incredibly powerful artifact to regain full control of your body."


    "....Do you not possess such an artifact?" "Unfortunately, I do not."


    The Cleric shook his head, looking rather disappointed.


    "I''m not ranked high enough to be able to do such a thing. Sealing this soul momentarily is


    the best that I can do. You will need toe to us periodically in order to reinforce the spell."


    "I see."


    Emmet nodded in understanding. Seeing his troubled expression, the Cleric smiled. "Don''t worry. Given your connections, you should be able to find a way to regain full control


    of your body."


    "You think so?"


    Emmet raised his head to look at the Cleric.


    Seeing the expression on Emmet''s face, the Cleric smiled before nodding.


    "Yes, please don''t worry. All you have to do is-"


    "How long are you going to pretend for?"


    "Eh?"


    Pausing, the Cleric raised his head. Blinking his eyes, he looked at Emmet whose expression


    had turned incredibly cold. It was enough to take him aback.


    "What? Why are-" "There''s not many things that I''m talented in, but if there''s one thing that hardly anyone can


    beat me in, it''s this."


    Emmet pressed his hand against his temple.


    "My mental power."


    Fiercely ring at the Cleric, Julien looked around the void before settling his gaze over the


    Cleric.


    A powerful tension gripped the surroundings as Julien''s tone lowered further.


    "Let me ask you again. Who are you?"


    11


    ".....


    A heavy, unnatural silence nketed the room, thickening the air as if it were holding its


    breath.


    Then, a faint, chilling chuckle resonated through the space. Right before Emmet''s cold


    expression, the Cleric''s form began to change.


    His body stretched upward, inch by inch, limbs elongating and filling with a certain grace, while his hair flowed down his shoulders, growing longer with each passing second. His face morphed, eyes sharpening, mouth twisting into a faint smile directed his way.


    "I''m surprised you were able to see through my disguise." Even his voice had changed, turning a lot softer and well-mannered.


    Before long, a figure appeared before Emmet. Clearing his throat, he introduced himself. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Ivan."

 Chapter 449: Regaining Control [3]

    Chapter 449: Regaining Control [3]


    ?


    Ivan...? I frowned. The name felt unfamiliar yet familiar at the same time. However, I didn''t have much time to dwell on it considering the situation that I was in.


    "You aren''t showing much of a reaction. Do you perhaps not know who I am?"


    "...Should I?"


    While I wasn''t entirely familiar with the person in front of me, I more or less had a hunch. Few people could enter my mind space without alerting Delh and As who stood outside.


    "Mhh, I guess not."


    The man called Ivan said, shaking his head faintly.


    "In fact, it doesn''t even matter if you don''t know. That''s not important, is it?"


    As he said those words, his eyes paused on the trapped Julien. With the chains biding his body, he was still showing a struggle.


    Staring in his direction, I shook my head.


    "No, it isn''t."


    I already knew all that I needed to know. Since it was highly unlikely that he was from the Inverted Sky or the Academy, the only possibility that crossed my mind was that he was some sort of higher-up sent in order to free the Keeper.


    Given that the Keeper was already strong enough, this person''s ability was probably even higher.


    ''Perhaps he''s Tier 8 or even higher...''


    If it was higher than I was possibly dealing with one of the Seven Monarchs.


    Surprisingly, the thought didn''t panic me.


    I was feeling a lot calmer than I anticipated. Was it because I had been spending so much time with Delh?


    Who knew?


    "I''m curious about something."


    While I relished the calmness of my mind, Ivan started to speak once again. As he alternated his gaze between Julien and me, a faint smile appeared on his face.


    "Between the two of you, which one is the real one?"


    "Pardon?"


    My brows came to a furrow.


    Was he able to tell something? Was it Julien who had told him? Or was it something else that led him to believe this?


    "At first I was confused at how you could be possessed given that Matthias isn''t capable of executing such rituals, but now that I''m here, I think I have an idea."


    I suddenly held my breath.


    What did he find out?


    His next words made my heart pause.


    "You were possessed to begin with, weren''t you?"


    |||||


    My silence seemed to give him an answer as a faint smile tugged at his lips.


    "Yes, that would make sense."


    He snapped his fingers and the chains binding Julien shattered.


    "Huak!"


    Immediately, he dropped to the ground, falling on all fours. As his chest rose and fell, he raised his head to re at us.


    "Wow, calm down."


    Ivan seemed to relish Julien''s expression.


    "I''m not here to harm you, don''t worry. In fact, I can even help you."


    "....huh?"


    Julien''s expression paused and his head turned to face Ivan. My fist silently clenched at the


    scene.


    "This is not good.''


    I started thinking of all the ways to escape this situation.


    Yet again, things had turned out in a way that I hadn''t expected. While I knew that someone from high up was going toe, I didn''t expect them to be bold enough to do something to me in the process of the Cleric''s ritual. Especially now that I am aware that As and Delh are both present.


    ''With all attention focused on me, it''s highly likely that he did something to the Cleric to get to me.''


    It was a bold n considering who he was dealing with, but it looked like he seeded.


    Thankfully, I knew he couldn''t do anything to me.


    Still, that was the least of my worries.


    "You...? Help me?"


    Overhearing Julien''s haggard voice, I noticed that he had finally calmed down and processed the situation. It didn''t take a genius to understand that this Ivan man wasn''t on my side.


    Hope kindled in Julien''s eyes as his eyes flicked in my direction.


    "Will you really help me?"


    "....Of course, I can."


    Ivan''s smile grew and he turned to look at me.


    Addressing me, he alternated his attention between the two of us. Holding his chin, he started to talk,


    "If my guess is correct, this person right here is the real Julien. You''re merely a proxy that was used to infiltrate this Academy for the Inverted Sky. You were also probably ordered by the Inverted Sky to kill the Pope and framed Matthias to shift the me on him. After all, given your strength, it seems unlikely that you can kill him, no?"


    From how confident he seemed with his words, I almost found myself believing his nonsense. It was just that it was so far from the truth that it almost seemedughable.


    "Then again, it''s not like I can tell the Pope killed himself and that the one that likely nted my soul into Julien''s body was most likely myself.''


    His made-up conclusion seemed less made up than mine.


    ''How troublesome.''


    "Judging from your silence, I''m not far off from the truth, right?"


    "....I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    In this case, the most appropriate thing was to deny my involvement in the situation and


    continue to feign ignorance.


    "What is the Inverted Sky?"


    "Ha."


    A chuckle escaped Ivan''s lips while he looked at me.


    "Yes, of course, you''re not going to admit it. It only makes sense you wouldn''t but¡ª"


    "Hey, do you know what''s the Inverted Sky?"


    Cutting Ivan off, I addressed Julien directly. If looks could kill, he''d probably have killed me


    many times over.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "What he said. Something about the Inverted Sky. Do you know anything about it?"


    "...No."


    I raised my brow.


    ''Looks like he isn''t as stupid as I thought.''


    In his anger, he was still able to remain rational enough to understand what was happening.


    I''d originally thought he''d spill the beans, but he didn''t. That made things somewhat more


    annoying to deal with.


    It was just a pity that...


    Snap!


    With a snap of my fingers, Julien''s eyes suddenly turned listless. The changes were caught by


    Ivan but I spoke before he could say anything.


    "Let me ask again, do you know anything about the Inverted Sky?"


    Julien remained silent at first, his mouth trembling slightly. However, it was a few seconds


    after that his voice rang.


    "Yes."


    His voice was quiet, but it rang loud enough for the two of us to hear.


    Only then did I look at Ivan whose smile faded from his face.


    "What did you do to him?"


    "....Nothing of real importance. I''m sure someone of your stature can tell that he isn''t lying."


    One of the main features of the Ring of Nothingness was that it could turn anyone who was subjected to the ''Trials of Forgotten Minds'' into bing a loyal servant who would do anything that the wearer asked of them.


    While Julien''s mind hadn''t eroded to the point where he would listen to all I had to say, the past few days in which he had been in the ring were enough for it to affect him.


    ''... It''s a pity that I can''t maintain this for long.''


    My original n was for him to stay in the ring long enough for him to be my puppet,


    but the circumstances made that impossible.


    Furthermore, I also didn''t think I could fully convert Julien using the Ring.


    There was something that was preventing me from doing so. Nheless, this was good


    enough.


    || ||


    A strange silence engulfed the space as Ivan''s eyes narrowed.


    I proceeded to ask Julien another question.


    "Were you the one who joined the Inverted Sky?"


    "....Yes."


    "Hmm, so am I part of the Inverted Sky?"


    "Not to my knowledge."


    I shifted my attention towards Ivan. While his answer wasn''t exactly what I wanted, I didn''t


    tamper with his words since I was sure he''d be able to tell if I forced him into telling lies.


    11


    "....."


    Ivan''s eyes were incredibly narrow and his expression was hard to read.


    I stopped asking Julien any more questions, knowing that my link with him was growing


    weaker. In the end, Julien''s eyes returned to normal and his head snapped back up.


    "What happened?"


    His eyes flicked in my direction.


    "What did you do to me?!"


    And his voice bellowed in the space around us as he red at me.


    "You did something to me, didn''t you? How dare you!?"


    "Shh."


    I pressed my finger onto my lip as Ivan stared in Julien''s direction. Snapping my fingers again,n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Julien''s head flicked down. Keeping him conscious was a risk. I couldn''t let him speak


    anymore.


    "...."


    Perhaps seeing just how unstable Julien was, Ivan started to doubt his previous conclusion. However, in the end, his eyes regained their rity as he shook his head.


    "Never mind, the truth doesn''t matter."


    "Hm?"


    It was my turn to frown.


    The atmosphere grew suddenly oppressive, closing in like an invisible weight. When Ivan


    turned to look at me, a trace of vitality seemed to drain from his eyes, leaving them dim and


    lifeless.


    "Whether I''m right or wrong, it doesn''t matter. What matters is what you''ve done to Matthias


    and the Pope. Regardless of your origins, you''re the one who was responsible for this entire mess. I know you are."


    Pressing his hand against his chest, he calmly spoke,


    "My job is to clean up this mess and make the one responsible for all of this pay the


    consequences of touching us. The moment you touched Matthias was the moment you messed up."


    As his voice stopped there, the pressure that surrounded me felt even more suffocating. And that was despite my high mental strength.


    I felt my expression change at the sudden turn of events but still forced myself to remain


    calm.


    "As and Delh are both present outside. Are you sure it''s safe for you to act given those circumstances?"


    "...It doesn''t matter."


    Ivan dismissed my words with a wave of his hand.


    "Regardless of how much the two can care for you, they won''t be able to stop me if I want to


    do something. But don''t worry, I''m not here to kill you. I''m merely here to grab your soul. I''ll be able to get the answers that I want once I do."


    My eyes constricted at the sudden piece of information, but before I even had the chance to do


    something, Ivan raised his open palm and I felt a powerful suction force.


    It was incredibly powerful and sucked me directly into it.


    In mere moments, I had already found myself next to him. I hardly had any time to react


    before finding my face near the palm.


    .... And just as I thought things were about to turn for the worse, the suction force stopped.


    "Tsk."


    What followed after was a faint click of the tongue as Ivan raised his head to look up. His gaze


    eventually fell on me as he shook his head.


    "Count yourself lucky."


    His figure faded shortly after that.


    I stared at the spot where he was previously present with an open mouth.


    Just...


    Just what in the world happened?

 Chapter 450: Regaining Control [4]

    Chapter 450: Regaining Control [4]


    ?


    A few moments prior.


    Mana pulsed in the air while the purple circle beneath the Cleric glowed a purple hue.


    It pulsed throughout the room, causing the clothes of the several people present to flutter. "Please guard me while I''m in the process of sealing the parasitic soul."


    As the Cleric''s voice fell, his eyes closed and his figure turnedpletely rigid. He was so still that it almost felt like he had turned into a statue.


    The surroundings turned quiet and no one said a word. Be it As, Ivan, Herman, and Delh, nobody said a single word and fixed their eyes on the two figures at the center of the room.


    That was until Ivan broke the silence,


    "How long do you think it will take for him to finish? Seeing howplicated the operation is, I suppose it might take a few minutes."


    11


    His words were met with a strange silence and several stares. Of those stares, As lingered over his body for a few more seconds than the others.


    With gently knitted brows, Ivan''s eyes squinted.


    "Yes?"


    Noticing the peculiarity in As''s look, Ivan turned his expression to face him directly.


    "Do you have any idea, perhaps?"


    "...It shouldn''t take more than a minute."


    As answered in a t tone.


    His words prompted Ivan to raise his brow.


    "You sound confident."


    "I am just making a guess."


    "That''s an interesting guess."


    As shrugged and shifted his attention back to Julien and the Cleric. Ivan kept his gaze fixed on As for a few seconds before shifting his eyes away.


    At the same time, his eyes flickered a strange hue. It was so subtle that hardly anyone noticed.


    Not even Delh who seemed unusually absorbed by the scene in front of her.


    Time continued to tick, and the silence that filtered through the room felt thick.


    All eyes remained glued on the two figures at the center.


    The circle continued to pulse with the mana spreading throughout the entire room. As the mana continue to pulse, the room became more and more dense.


    It started to feel warm, almost like a sauna. And yet, none of the people in the room felt a thing.


    Time once again continued to tick, and no changes urred. As the brows of several of the people present furrowed, As''s lips parted open.


    "A minute has passed."


    The eyes of everyone present shifted in his direction. Ignoring the stares, As looked directly at Ivan.


    "A minute has passed."


    As repeated, his tone lower than before. The warmth that pervaded the room moments prior suddenly faded, reced by a certain coldness that felt chilling to the bones.


    Ivan''s expression flickered faintly and he eventually closed his eyes.


    Opening them back up again, he smiled.


    "You''re right. A minute did indeed pass. I guess it shouldn''t take much longer for them to be finished."


    And just as his words faded, the magic circle pulsed with even more power. A powerful wave of mana swept the entire room all of a sudden, reaching every corner of the ce.


    The hair and clothes on those present fluttered, and the Cleric''s eyes shot wide open.


    "Uh, ah!?"


    He looked startled, but before he could get any words out, his body flung back several meters, crashing against the side of the wall.


    Bang-!


    Cracks formed in the area where his body crashed as his body slumped down on the ground. Holding onto the ground, the Cleric coughed several times. His condition didn''t look so good.


    Nheless, nobody paid any attention to him as they all turned to look at Julien who was still slumped down on the chair.


    "Did it work?"


    "...Is he- !?"


    A figure appeared before Julien as she pressed her hand against his forehead. Itsted several seconds before a visible look of relief marred her features.


    Shortly after, Julien''s eyes opened.


    As they did, his pupils constricted slightly as he mumbled, "...Where is this?"


    ***


    My memories were a little bit blurry. All I could recall was Ivan suddenly clicking his tongue before disappearing.


    I didn''t really understand what he meant by that, but shortly after he left, my consciousness faded and I found myself waking up to a pair of bright lights.


    They were so bright that they burned my eyes but when I fully regained my sight, several familiar figures met my sight.


    It was only then that I assessed the situation and calmed down.


    ''I''m back. I got my body back.''


    I only felt relief for a short moment until a certain figure entered my sight. My entire body


    turned rigid shortly after that.


    He nodded faintly as our eyes met.


    "It looks like it worked."


    "...Yes, it did."


    As replied shortly after. I had just opened my mouth to speak when I felt something get shoved in my mouth.


    "!!!"


    I didn''t even have time to process the situation when a wave of sweetness engulfed my taste buds. It made my face wince for a brief moment, but I quickly recovered when I saw the figure


    standing before me.


    Her eyes swam all over the ce but me.


    To make matters worse, I noticed the expressions of several figures before I froze.


    All with the exception of As who had his eyes closed and had an expression that seemed to


    say, ''Is something wrong? Nothing is wrong. I''m used to this.''


    He looked dead inside. Yes... he really did.


    His image seemed a far cry from the usually calm and transcended one he had.


    It looked a little out of ce.


    However, I didn''t really have much time to think about it since I felt something else get


    shoved into my mouth.


    "!!!"


    I was just about to protest when a faint voice reached my ears,n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "...It''s okay."


    It''s okay?


    I raised my head to look at Delh. Her next words almost made me spit everything out.


    "I know you like it. After all..."


    She paused, mumbling in a tone that only I could hear, ''...you want to be engaged with me.''


    ***


    A faint breeze brushed through the empty Academy. It was night and not a soul appeared. With strict curfews in ce, none of the students dared to even entertain the idea of going out


    at night.


    Tak-


    The faint sound of a step echoed throughout. It gently rang throughout as a figure with long hair walked in a calm manner.


    He looked no older than the cadets, and yet, his presence felt suffocating.


    "Wooo~"


    Whistling carefreely, he walked towards the residential building. It was arge lodge made


    out of ck stone that seamlessly blended with the night sky.


    As themps shone down on the pavement, Ivan calmly entered the residential building and


    made his way towards his room.


    Click-


    With a ''click'' his door opened, and as he entered, the whistling stopped.


    "...Looks like I have a guest present."


    An expectant smile formed on Ivan''s features as he lowered his head and closed the door


    behind him.


    Taking off his shoes, he entered the apartment and turned the corner where a figure greeted


    him.


    11


    Sitting on the red sofa with a cup in his hand and legs crossed, As twirled the cup gently.


    "You pulled a rather surprising stunt today."


    Although As''s voice was calm, it held a certain pressure to it that made the entire room feel


    suffocating.


    It was unfortunate that he was dealing with Ivan who waspletely unfazed by the


    pressure.


    He made his way towards a nearby wooden table and poured himself a drink.


    "And what might this stunt you''re talking about be?"


    "...Do you think I only had an idea?"


    As shook his head.


    "I saw everything that you did in there. Why do you think I allowed you to keep it going for so


    long?"


    Ivan''s hand paused.


    "You saw?"


    "Everything."


    "Hmm."


    Turning around, Ivan gently took a sip of his drink. The bitter taste of the alcohol traveled


    down his throat as his eyes narrowed.


    "That''s rather odd. Here I thought I was being rather discreet. You''re quite a lot stronger than


    I originally anticipated. It''s almost as if... you''re purposely hiding your strength."


    The tension within the tool heightened further as the two figures stared at each other.


    As took a small sip of his drink.


    Feeling the slight burn at the back of his throat, he smiled.


    "You think I''m purposely hiding my strength?"


    "Are you not?"


    "Hah."


    As chuckled before finishing the drink in his hand and cing it on the desk.


    "I think you''re mistaken over here. I am not hiding my strength, nor am I trying too hard to


    hide my allegiance."


    Extending his hand, As rolled down his sleeve to disy his forearm. Ivan''s pupils constricted at the sight that greeted him.


    His shock, however, merelysted a few seconds before it all settled down.


    Gently closing his eyes, he leaned back on the wooden table.


    "I didn''t think you''de openly like that. I''m really surprised."


    "Normally, I wouldn''t."


    As stood up, patting his ck zer. As he raised his head, his pupils turned a shade


    darker.


    "But you touched something that you shouldn''t have."


    "Uh, what?"


    Ivan frowned. However, it didn''t take him long to understand.


    "Julien?"


    "...So you do know."


    "No, I''ve learned it just now."


    He really did, but it wasn''t much of importance. Ivan was quite excited at the moment.


    He was learning a lot of very important information.


    This was good.


    Very good.


    So long as he-


    "Dawn, do calm down. There''s no need for you to get this worked up."


    Ivan''s entire body froze on the spot. It was as if the very air around him had been stripped


    away and he lost function of all muscles.


    As something touched his right shoulder, Ivan rigidly turned his head to see a faceless figure


    staring back at him.


    "Hi-"

 Chapter 451: The ring trembles [1]

    Chapter 451: The ring trembles [1]


    ?


    It almost felt as if time had stopped.


    Ivan''s breath caught at his throat as his eyes involuntarily trembled.


    ''W,what?''


    An unfamiliar yet familiar feeling crept up down his back, forcing the hair on his body to rise. The feeling was something he had felt before but had started to forget with the passing of time.


    He thought he''d never feel it again, and yet...


    Gulp.


    His stomach started to churn and his palms started to grow sweaty.


    ...W-what is going on?''


    Despite Ivan''s best attempts at trying to remain calm, he couldn''t.


    The faceless figure beside him seemed to strip away all sense of rationality from within him. "You look nervous."


    His ears tickled at the sound of the voice. The tone was soft, and yet, it made Ivan''s legs buckle faintly.


    ''How is this possible?''


    This made no sense at all.


    As one of the Seven Monarchs, Ivan had seen all that there was to see. He was at the pinnacle of humanity, and rarely anything could arouse such emotion from him. It was impossible!


    Especially since the higher one''s tier, the more powerful their mind was.


    That was unless...


    ''An Emotive Mage?''


    That was when it all clicked in Ivan''s mind.


    ''Yes, this is the only exnation.''


    The reason why his body was reacting the way that it was. It was because a powerful Emotive Mage was influencing his mind.


    Upon reaching such thoughts, Ivan was able to seal all of his emotions and calm down forcefully.


    "Oh?"


    This was enough to surprise the faceless man.


    "....As expected of one of the Seven Monarchs. You''re indeed quite capable."


    Pulling his hand away from Ivan, the Faceless Man moved away and headed for where As was. With the Faceless Man''s presence, As immediately stepped to the side and stood next to the red sofa where the Faceless Man sat.


    Ivan stared at the Faceless Man without saying a word.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "There''s no need to be so tense."


    The Faceless Man said, dismissively waving his hand forward and shattering the tension that lingered in the air.


    Ivan closed his eyes briefly and sat himself down.


    Though he appeared calm, a strange difort crept into his mind. It was an unsettling


    feeling, like being dragged down into a murky, poisonous pond.


    While the Faceless Man had no face, a smile seemed to form on his face upon noticing how obedient Ivan was being.


    "Don''t think too much. In this situation, there''s no point in thinking too much."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    Ivan asked, his brows furrowing tightly.


    Unfortunately for him, the Faceless Man didn''t answer him and merely leaned back on the chair while crossing his legs.


    He nced at As.


    "You were being quite hasty there, weren''t you?"


    "...I apologize."


    As lowered his head in apology. Ivan''s fist clenched silently upon witnessing the scene. A certain thought entered his mind.


    ''Could he be the leader of the Inverted Sky?''


    As was quite powerful.


    As far as Ivan could tell, he was quite high up in the rankings.


    There could only be a few people that could make him behave like that. The more Ivan''s thoughts drifted in that direction, the tighter his fists became. A certain title lingered in his mind all of a sudden, and his heart started to pound.


    "The one who walked among us.''


    "Uhm?"


    As soon as the name crossed his mind, the Faceless Man turned his head and looked at him. It was almost as if he could read his mind, and Ivan felt the chill from before return.


    It engulfed his mind and made his muscles stiffen.


    ''it''s fake. Don''t fall for it.''


    He immediately tried to repeat what he had done before, but to his horror, he realized that it wasn''t working. His heartbeat only grew faster with each second that passed and his mind grew more and more flustered.


    ''It''s.. It''s...''


    "Are you feeling alright? You don''t look so good."


    Seeing the state Ivan was in, the Faceless Man leaned in with a look of worry, but his actions


    only made Ivan feel more frantic as he moved away.


    His vision started to blur all of a sudden.


    "Come now, let me check."


    Just as he stood up, a certain voice pressed his right ear and a hand squeezed down his shoulder, rooting him in ce.


    "!!"


    Ivan felt himself lose control of his entire body. His mind squirmed with panic, and his eyes rigidly turned to face his right where a Faceless figure appeared.


    Wasn''t he just...?


    How?


    That was when the words from before rang in his mind, ''Don''t think too much. In this


    situation, there''s no point in thinking too much.''


    He didn''t understand then, but now he did.


    ...Before him, whatever he did, it was useless.


    "Hmm, your heartbeat is abnormally fast."


    Ignoring Ivan, the Faceless Man tilted his head while musing over the situation.


    "You''re sweating quite a lot. Your face is pale, and your pupils seem dted."


    Turning his head to face Ivan directly, the Faceless Man shook his head.


    "I''m afraid this is serious."


    Ivan opened his mouth but found the words unable to leave his mouth. His entire demenour shifted, and just as his face changed, the Faceless Figure''s hand phased through his chest


    from the back and grabbed the bottom half of his face.


    "You, sir... Are experiencing something called fear."


    "!!"


    Phasing through his body, the Faceless Man stopped right before him. His Faceless features


    started to bend unnaturally, forming a broad and creepy smile that sent chills down Ivan''s


    entire body.


    "Do you find me scary?"


    Clench.


    Ivan''s face tightened as his teeth clenched tightly.


    He didn''t really feel threatened by the Faceless Figure.


    He could tell that he couldn''t really do anything to him, but it was something else that was


    bothering him.


    It was invading his mind, slowly eroding it with each passing seconds.


    Ivan knew it, and yet...


    He found himself unable to extricate himself from it.


    Just what sort of sorcery was this? In all his years of life, he had never experienced anything


    like this before.


    Pat. Pat.


    Feeling a gentle pat on his cheeks, Ivan saw the Faceless Man distance himself away from him


    and sat back down on the chair.


    "Well, while what you''re experiencing is not exactly a disease, it is still rather troublesome.


    In the state that you''re in we can''t really have a proper conversation, can we?"


    || ||


    "Alright, okay."


    Sitting back down, the Faceless Man shrugged his shoulders.


    "I am indeed at fault here. Let me fix you right now."


    As he lifted his hand and pressed it downward, the massive purple circle visible only to the


    Faceless Man within Ivan''s body began to shrink. Almost instantly, Ivan felt his breath


    steady, and the sweating ceased.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Astonished, Ivan looked at the Faceless Man in front of him.


    ''It really was Emotive Magic...''


    But to be able to influence him to this extent, what sort of level had he reached? Ivan had met


    many Emotive Mages in the past, but none of them were at this level.


    They were terrifying, but Ivan had ways to deal with them.


    However, the same couldn''t be said for the figure that stood before him. He seemed to have


    reached a level that was above his own understanding.


    "Good, it looks like you''re back to your normal self."


    With a light tone, the Faceless figure leaned back on the chair.


    "....So, I don''t know where to start."


    The Faceless man looked at Dawn.


    "I never really intended toe here to intrude. I only came here to speak with Dawn before I


    was presented with that scene. Normally, I''d turn a blind eye, but taking into consideration


    the reason why you''re here, I''m afraid I''ll have to step up."


    With a shake of his head, the Faceless Man sighed.


    "It''s a bit troublesome to stop in, but I''ve never really seen Dawn this worked up before. It''s a


    nice change of pace."


    Raising his hands, a gentle snapping sound echoed throughout.


    Snap!


    All of a sudden, Ivan''s body turnedpletely still and his eyes went out of focus. A powerful


    silence descended the room shortly after as Sithrus turned his head to look at Dawn.


    "What do you think?"


    "....Erasing his memories of the event will not work. He will still be reminded of the Keeper


    that is imprisoned."


    "So no erasing."


    Sithrus leaned his cheek against his propped-up fist.


    "Then? Kill him?"


    "No."


    As''s words made the smile on Sithrus''s face widen.


    "Of course not. That would cause unnecessary chaos and suspicion on you."


    As faintly nodded his head.


    "Kuh."


    Bringing his hand over his mouth, Sithrus withheld a chuckle.


    "Of course it would. What was I even thinking in suggesting this? So silly of me~"


    || ||


    As remained silent.


    He was ustomed to how Sithrus behaved. He was a man with a thousand faces. It was hard


    to tell what his real personality was.


    At moments he was lighthearted when he was serious, and at moments serious when he was


    happy.


    His face never revealed how he felt inside.


    ...And that was what made him so scary. Because it was impossible to read his thoughts while


    he could read your thoughts with a mere nce.


    ".....


    A threatening silence suddenly plummeted over the room and As felt a faze on him. When


    he met the gaze back, he was met with a serious expression.


    "You know, before we deal with any of this, I''m really curious now."


    "How may I help alleviate your curiosity?" "....By telling me about this disciple of yours."


    Interlocking his fingers together, Sithrus cocked his head faintly.


    "What about him makes you go so crazy?"


    ***


    || ||


    The silence felt stifling.


    It was dark, and yet, I found it hard to sleep. All I could think of were the words that Delh


    whispered not too long ago.


    ''After all, you wanted to be engaged with me.''


    I felt my face slowly wince.


    My head simrly started to throb.


    "It''s not like I didn''t expect her to know, but..."


    I really didn''t think she''d take it so seriously. And the way she was acting? Surely...?


    "Hua." Squinting my eyes, I didn''t know what to make of the situation. I had been so surprised and


    taken aback back then that I wasn''t even able to deny her words.


    But did I like her?


    Er... Could I even afford to like someone at this point in time?


    I had been so preupied with finding my brother that I hadn''t really thought about it.


    However, if I really had to pick someone, then she... "Ah, fuck."


    I ruffled my hair in annoyance.


    This really was messing up with my mind.


    Especially with the notification that shed in my vision.


    That...


    It really was annoying.


    Lvl 1. [Love] EXP + 7%

 Chapter 452: The ring trembles [2]

    Chapter 452: The ring trembles [2]


    ?


    ''What about him makes you go so crazy?''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Upon hearing the question, As remained quiet for a few seconds. What exactly did he see in Julien that made him act like that?


    The answer wasn''t hard to figure out for him.


    It wasn''t just Julien''s talent that attracted him to take him in as his disciple. For someone who had lived for as long as he had, he had seen plenty of talents.


    Julien was amongst the top, but talent wasn''t enough to move him.


    No, it was something else...


    "His desperation."


    Yes, his desperation.


    That was what moved him.


    Sithrus''s features remained unchanged, and yet, it almost felt like his brow raised. There was also this clear feel of amusement that exuded from him.


    "Hm? His desperation? That''s a rather interesting answer." "Yes."


    As lowered his head.


    "It''s his desperation."


    The first time As had met Julien, he was a far cry from being the strongest talent of the four Empires. While he was talented in Emotive Magic, he was severelycking in every other aspect.


    There was a reason why his previous nickname was; ''The Weakest ck Star.''


    He was called that because he was truly the weakest ck star.


    And Julien fully understood this aspect of himself. He knew that he was the weakest, and yet, in spite of knowing it, he antagonized everyone to push himself further.


    "His desperation is what makes him push himself to the point of injury and exhaustion. He won''t stop until he''s achieved his goal."


    Even now, Julien was the same.


    While he didn''t seem as desperate as he was back then, feeling a lot calmer than in the past, it was that calmness that As appreciated.


    He had now reached a point where he knew when to stop.


    He was desperate, but he now knew his limit.


    "Qualities such as these are what makes him stand out from the others. There are talents out there who will listen to anything that I say without any objection. They don''t think question, but just follow orders."


    Almost like puppets.


    "However, in the end, they''re merely useful at receiving orders instead of providing orders. To be a Seat, you need to be able to give orders. Think for yourself. I''ve taken Julien in since I believe that he knows what he''s doing. The current situation is a result of his actions. While I still don''t understand how he was capable of killing the Pope of the Church of Oracleus, he was still able to shift the situation in a way that made it seem like he was one of the victims."


    As still didn''t fully grasp what had happened. However, based on all the information he had received-along with the message instructing him to be at a specific ce and time to witness the scene he deduced that Julien was either responsible for the Pope''s death or had yed a significant role in it.


    And that was a significant achievement considering the rtionship between Sithrus and Oracleus.


    "Yes, the Pope. I did hear about his death."


    Leaning against the chair, Sithrus propped up his face with his fist.


    "It''s one of the reasons why I came here. His death is quite significant. You could even say it''s a great achievement, but..."


    It was the sudden ''but'' that plunged the room into a sudden state of tension.


    One that even As couldn''t remain unfazed with as his body stiffened. Slowly turning his head, he saw Sithrus''s empty stare looking directly at him.


    "...Do you really think this is a coincidence?"


    It was enough to make him stutter.


    "P-pardon?"


    "Do you really think Emmet would allow something like this to happen? Do you-"


    Pausing, Sithrus shook his head and shifted his attention away from As. As he did, he shook his head while mumbling, ''No, maybe you don''t. None of you understand him like I do. Anything he does has a purpose.''


    As''s brows furrowed upon hearing Sithrus''s mumbles.


    This hadn''t been the first time he had heard such words from Sithrus. For some reason, since knowing him, he had always been wary of Oracleus.


    It almost felt like an obsession.


    Like something was chasing Sithrus''s back. It was enough to make his obsession turn into paranoia.


    Whenever something happened, he would always mumble, ''Is this your doing? What are you nning? I know it''s you.''


    But not once did Oracleus ever show up or show hints of being present.


    Was he really overthinking or did Oracleus have a hand in all the situations like Sithrus had


    mentioned?


    "There''s no need to doubt me."


    Sithrus casually waved his hand to dispel As''s thoughts.


    "You''ll eventuallye to understand, Dawn. While Emmet might''ve never been strong, he sees things that we don''t. Be it the past present or future, he can see it all. But that''s not the most bothersome part of him. No. If it was just that, then it would''ve been manageable."


    A powerful silence plunged the room as Sithrus stopped speaking.


    It was a tense and stifling silence that made one capable of hearing the sound of their own heartbeat.


    "The most bothersome part is the fact that he can influence all those realities. He may be dead, but that doesn''t mean he''s gone. There''s no way he''s gone."


    ''Especially not when his brother is still alive,'' Sithrus quietly mumbled while leaning his head


    forward a little.


    "It''s impossible. He''s here. I know he is."


    As swallowed quietly while staring at Sithrus. His current presence felt suffocating, almost unbearable. It was always like this whenever it was about Oracleus.


    Thankfully, it didn''tst too long.


    "Anyways, as I was saying. Be careful."


    Shifting his attention back to As, Sithrus''s tone became lighter.


    "Investigate the Pope''s death carefully. I want all details reported to me after you''re done."


    "Understood."


    This wasn''t much of a problem for As.


    "Good."


    Satisfied, Sithrus stood up from his seat and walked over to Ivan. Pressing his hand against


    Ivan''s head, he mumbled,


    "His strength is not bad. I''d say he ranks quite high in this world. Getting rid of such a character will lead to quite a bit of trouble. Since I also can''t erase his memories of the event,


    we''ll just change them."


    A faint and powerful pulse of mana swept over the room.


    As''s clothes fluttered while a white glow manifested over Ivan''s body. His blonde hair


    fluttered back and his face turned pale.


    Sithrus remained unmoved while his faceless features showed no hints of emotion.


    The processsted half a minute. By the time he was done, the room returned to how it was


    before.


    "Good."


    Nodding in satisfaction, Sithrus looked at As.


    "There are two more things that I wanted to say."


    "....Please."


    "I''ve lost connection with the sword."


    "Hm?"


    "The smell. It''s gone."


    Raising his hand, a white pulse spread out from Sithrus''s hand. It gently spread throughout


    the entire Academy before fading.


    "I can''t sense it anymore."


    "How could...?"


    "That''s what I''d like to know."


    As''s brows furrowed. He knew exactly what Sithrus was talking about. Sithrus had warned him in advance about the presence of the sword within the Academy. Originally, he had been ced in this Academy due to the presence of another artifact, but it


    wasn''t long after that another artifact appeared. Given the timing of its appearance, it was clear that one of the first years was in possession of the sword. Furthermore, given how it had also made it to the capital during the Four Empire Summit, further narrowed down the list of potential possessors.


    In As''s mind, Leon was the prime suspect.


    As a swordsman, it only made sense that he was the one in possession of the artifact, and yet,


    he had never truly found anything from him.


    And just when he thought he had found more leads, the scent disappeared.


    What did this mean?


    "There''s not many things that can hide the scent of the sword. It''s either an artifact or the


    sword is broken. Given how hard it is to break the sword, it''s most likely the first option."


    "But what kind of artifact is capable of doing this?"


    "I''ve got a few in mind." Sithrus casually waved his hand and tossed a book in As''s direction.


    "I''ve made a list over here. Investigate the first years and see if any of them are in possession


    of these artifacts. If they are then..."


    Sithrus stopped there, but the meaning of his words was clear. Understanding this, As


    quietly lowered his head and nodded.


    "Good."


    Sithrus nodded in satisfaction. It was then that As suddenly felt a shift in surroundings as a


    broad smile manifested over his faceless features.


    "Now, onto the second thing."


    It was a creepy and unnerving smile that brought chills down the room.


    "....I think I''ve found Noel''s whereabouts."


    ***


    Throb!


    A sudden throb shook me out of my thoughts. When I looked down, I noticed my ring


    trembling uncontrobly.


    "What''s going on?"


    Immediately, I dove my consciousness into the room in hopes of understanding what was


    going on, but the moment I entered, the sight that greeted me shook me.


    Rumble! Rumble-


    The pce that stood within the ring trembled.


    From the pirs that held the structure to the very ground.


    "What?!"


    Stunned, I didn''t know how to react to the sudden situation. I only snapped out of it when I


    saw Owl-Mighty and Pebble rush out of the pce and head to me.


    "Human."


    Owl-Mighty''s voice was calm.


    "....Something is happening to the box."


    "Box?"


    Blinking my eyes, it took a moment for me to understand what it was trying to say, but soon it


    hit me.


    "The sword!''


    I didn''t hesitate to rush into the trembling building.


    Rumble!


    Rushing into the building, the rumbling became more pronounced. For a brief moment, I


    almost lost my footing but I kept going. I wasn''t worried about being buried in the pce in


    case it copsed since I could just bring my consciousness out of the ce.


    I was, however, worried about the sword.


    While I was still unaware of what it did, I knew that it was incredibly important.


    I couldn''t allow anything to happen to it.


    nk!


    Opening the door that led to the backroom, my eyes immediately fell on the box that held the


    sword.


    ka! ka! ka!


    Jumping from side to side, the wooden box started to crack and split apart. It only grew worse


    with the passing of the seconds and just as Iid my eyes on the box, it fully tore apart,


    revealing an intricate-looking sword.


    A powerful pulse of mana spread through, sucking the air out of my lungs and pushing me


    back.


    "Wha...!?"


    Right as the sword escaped the box, a bright glow enveloped the sword. It left me blinded for


    a brief moment, stinging my ears. I even felt a couple of tears trace down my cheeks as I


    forced my eyes open.


    It was then that I saw it.


    The sword...


    It hovered right in front of me. Almost as if it was alive.


    Opening my eyes wide, I silently swallowed my saliva as a thought urred to me.


    "What if..."


    I reached out to grab the sword with my left hand while looking down my right forearm. Right


    where a four-leaf clover tattoo appeared.


    "What if?"


    I pressed down on one of the leaves.

 Chapter 453: The ring trembles [3]

    Chapter 453: The ring trembles [3]


    ?


    I didn''t know if it would work.


    Thinking about it, I had only ever tried the third leaf on humans.


    But what if...? What if I could use the third leaf on objects? Would I be able to go to the past


    and see what had happened with it? Would I learn more about the sword?


    I wasn''t sure, but it was worth a try.


    It was for that reason that I pressed onto the third leaf.


    But...


    11


    All I was met with upon pressing the third leaf was silence.


    I waited for a few minutes, hoping for something to happen, but nothing happened.


    "Maybe it''ll happen soon?"


    I wasn''t disheartened. Considering how in the past two asions it took a little bit of time for the third leaf to disy to me the past, I just thought that with time I''d be able to relieve the hidden past of the sword.


    ''I''m curious as hell.''


    Thinking about it, I knew nothing about the sword.


    All I knew was that it was precious and was used to kill me in the future.


    ''... Knowing its capabilities will help me understand why it is so precious and why it was used to kill me.''


    That was all I really wanted to know at the moment and hence why I decided to wait patiently for the effect of the third leaf to appear. I thought I''d appear soon enough. Perhaps in a few hours, or even half a dayter, but...


    Standing within the confines of the pce within the ring, nothing happened.


    Even as the next day approached.


    "Nothing?"


    I was disappointed by the oue, but not surprised.


    After all, I was already mentally prepared for such a result. It would make sense considering that I had tried it on an object instead of a human.


    "I guess it doesn''t work."


    ... Or perhaps objects took longer.


    Whichever it was, I could only sigh to myself and go out of the ring space.


    A blinding light seeped into the room as my eyes fluttered open, forcing me to squint against the sudden brightness. As my vision adjusted, I took in the surroundings of the medical ward, the faint scent of rubber hanging in the air.


    The room was silent, save for the soft rustle of the curtains as a faint breeze drifted in, causing them to billow gently like ghostly silhouettes.


    "Right."


    Recalling my position, a long sigh escaped me.


    I was to remain in this ce for as long as they could ensure that the ''soul'' within me was contained.


    About that...


    ''Things aren''t looking so good.''


    While Julien was indeed sealed, it wasn''t to a high degree. Due to Ivan''s interference, the original spell that was supposed to seal him was only halfpleted.


    The chains that were currently binding Julien were rather weak, and it felt like they could break at any second.


    Ideally, I''d ask them to redo the spell, but with everything that had happened, I wasn''t so sure this was a good idea.


    ''In the end, I still bought myself some valuable time.''


    What I really needed to do was get Kiera to help me with the Mirror.


    Only then would I be able to truly have some breathing room.


    "Well, I''ll leave it that for now."


    For now, I just wanted to go back to my own dorm. Of course, I knew things wouldn''t be so simple. The Pope was dead, and Ivan and the Keeper were both aware of my involvement.


    I was still confused as to why Ivan suddenly left, but I didn''t really have much time to dwell on that matter.


    I needed to think of a way to sort out this situation.


    "But how exactly can I-"


    To Tok-


    A sharp knock echoed through the room, followed by the door creaking open. A figure stepped in, his long blonde hair catching the light as his golden eyes softened upon meeting mine. His very presence exuded a serene calmness, and the faint smile tugging at his lips felt oddly


    reassuring.


    "Looks like you''re feeling better."


    "....A bit."


    "That''s good."


    As walked towards the nearby chair and took a seat. As if he could sense my worries, his lips parted open as he spoke,


    "I''ve already handled everything. You don''t need to worry."


    "....Uh?"


    Handled everything?


    What was he...?


    "Ivan won''t give you problems and Keeper Matthias will be released next month. The Church


    of Oracleus has been silent regarding this matter so neither you nor Keeper Matthias will face


    any trials."


    "Yes...?"


    The Church of Oracleus has been silent?


    Could it be that they were aware of what had happened?


    If so...


    "But-"


    "You don''t need to worry too much about your identity. I''ve also handled that matter. You


    should thank our leader for that."


    "....Ah."


    A sudden lump formed in my throat.


    Recalling the scene that I had witnessed with the sword, my heart almost leaped out of my


    chest. Could it be...?


    "He handled all the troublesome matters. I''ll take care of the rest so you don''t have to worry


    and just rest."


    Pausing, As looked directly at me. Or to be more specific, through me.


    "....Regarding the soul within your body. I won''t ask since it doesn''t necessarily concern me,


    but can you handle it?"


    "Ah, yes."


    I nodded slowly.


    Even if Kiera didn''t help, I had my own ways to handle it.


    "That''s good."


    Appearing satisfied, As stood up from his seat and prepared to leave. Just as he arrived by


    the door, his feet came to a sudden stop.


    "Ah, right. I almost forgot."


    His head slowly turned in my direction.


    "We''ve found the whereabouts of Mortum."


    ***


    Scribble~ Scribble-


    A gentle scribbling sound echoed within the silence, its rhythm steady and soothing as it


    echoed softly through the room.


    Pausing, Hollowe dipped the pen into the nearby ink.


    Just as the pen was about to touch the paper again, a soft voice quietly echoed.


    "You''ve been quite busy, Hollowe."


    "....Sir, Ivan." Halting his movements, Hollowe looked up and immediately lowered his head to address the


    approaching figure.


    "It is a pleasure to see you."


    Ivan''s every movement exuded an effortless grace, like that belonging to a top noble. Yet an


    oppressive aura clung to him like a shroud. It was a weight so heavy that it seemed to seep into the air, suffocating anyone who dared to meet his gaze for too long.


    "You don''t need to be so formal with me, Inquisitor. The two of us have known each other for


    quite some time."


    ".... It''s only appropriate."


    "Well, alright."


    Ivan waved his hand and sat down.


    As he did, his eyes paused on the letter Hollowe was writing.


    "Are you writing a report on the situation?"


    "Yes, I have been asked to report all the details of the situation. Especially given the final


    verdict of the situation."


    "Mhm, I see."


    Ivan sighed.


    "I tried my best, but given the produced evidence, this was the best I could achieve. Thankfully the Church of Oracleus has been rather quiet. Within a month, we can get Matthias


    out. That''s all that matters."


    "Yes, we''re truly fortunate for that."


    With a faint smile, Hollowe began to write again.


    His movements were smooth, and the ink glided across the papers.


    Scribble~


    Ivan remained quiet while Hollowe started writing again. He simply closed his eyes and


    relished the quietness of the room.


    "What do you think?" Eventually, he broke the silence, prompting Hollowe to stop.


    "About...?"


    "Matthias''s involvement. Do you really think he''s guilty?"


    "No, I don''t think Matthias is guilty."


    "Then are you saying that a mere cadet is capable of killing a Pope and subjecting Matthias to


    such an unfavorable situation?"


    Hollowe remained quiet for a brief moment before cing the pen down.


    "I don''t know. Truthfully, I''d like to think its impossible, but after hearing Matthias''s words,


    perhaps it''s possible."


    "Oh? What did Matthias say to you?"


    "He said that it felt like he could see."


    "Hm?"


    Ivan raised his head, meeting Hollowe''s as he frowned.


    "He said that it felt as though he was being read like an open book. As though he knew in


    advance what his every move would be."


    Hollowe''s tone was serious, and just for a brief moment, the room turnedpletely quiet.


    Neither side said a single word.


    Eventually, however, Ivan stood up and the tension shattered.


    "I guess that''s that. I think it''s time for me to return."


    "...You will be returning? So quick?"


    "Yes, I have several things to handle."


    "Ah, that''s a pity."


    Carefully dipping the pen in the ink and cing it on the holder, Hollowe stood up and bowed.


    "Thank you for bestowing upon us your presence. I will never forget your favor."


    "Don''t worry about it."


    Ivan dismissively waved his hand and turned around.


    "I''m just doing my job."


    As thest echoes of his words lingered in the air, his figure dissolved into nothingness. A


    heavy, oppressive silence descended over the room, broken only by the faint creak of the chair


    as Hollowe leaned back.


    "Haa."


    With a tired sigh, he reached for the pen once more, the quiet scratch of its tip against paper


    the only sound apanying his solemn expression.


    "It''s as you''ve predicted, Sir Ivan..."


    He mumbled,


    "...Your clone has been brainwashed."


    ***


    -Was there any reaction?


    Holding onto themunication device, As''s face turned weird. He thought back to the


    moment he revealed to Julien the news about Mortum.


    Forck of better words...


    "He looked confused."


    ''Mortum? The god? He''s alive?''


    These were the exact words he had said upon hearing such words. The confusion on his face


    also looked genuine. -Confused?


    "Yes, I''m quite sure."


    -Hmm, I see. Perhaps I was overthinking things.


    As''s eyes narrowed faintly upon hearing such words. He was still confused as to why he had


    been asked to tell Julien of such an event.


    Could it be that he suspected Julien of being rted to Oracleus?


    -It never hurts to try anyway.


    As Sithrus''s tone grew light, As''s head turned to face a certain direction. There he could


    feel a powerful silhouette leaving.


    "Ivan has just left the Academy premises. The situation looks to be resolved."


    -I''m d to hear that.


    Sithrus replied, his tone carrying hints of amusement.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    -...It''s unfortunate that you don''t have much time left. I''m afraid it won''t be long before the


    Academy will be put under heavy scrutiny. Try to find the artifacts before then.


    "Pardon?"


    As showed hints of surprise upon hearing those words.


    "Is something going to happen soon?" -Possibly. Sithrus replied bluntly.


    -I''m quite far so I couldn''t exactly tell but Ivan''s body felt more like a very well-made clone


    than a real person.


    Well-made clone?


    As''s brows furrowed. Howe he couldn''t tell?


    -I wouldn''t be surprised if you couldn''t tell, Dawn. After all, only in the Mirror Dimension


    can you fully utilize your powers. Had you been in your normal form, you would''ve been able


    to tell instantly.


    "....Yes, but if it''s a clone, howe you let it be?"


    -Why?


    With an amused chuckle, Sithrus replied,


    -They''ve gotten a little arroganttely. I just wanted to y with them for a bit.


    "Could it be...?" Sithrus''s next words made As''s entire body freeze.


    -They certainly won''t forget me after all of this.

 Chapter 454: Sudden Interview [1]

    Chapter 454: Sudden Interview [1]


    ?


    "You''re free to go." "Eh?"


    "What''s with that look of yours?"


    "No, it''s just that..."


    I''m free to go?


    Like that? Just free...?


    "You think that you should be staying here more?"


    I hesitantly nodded my head.


    "...Yes."


    Usually, I would stay for a bit longer than the time that I had currently spent. Furthermore, with everything that had happened, surely there was more to check, right?


    "What for?"


    "For my injuries?"


    "Which are?"


    "Eh..."


    Opening my mouth, I was left stumped.


    Thinking about it, what were my injuries? In fact, was I even injured in the first ce? Checking my body to see for any injury, I realized that I wasn''t injured at all.


    I was as healthy as I could be.


    Then...?


    "The only issue you had was with a foreign entity taking ce in your body, right? That''s not something that I can handle and since the Chancellor and the others are not here, what is the point in keeping you here? That is unless you want to stay here..."


    As the Doctor''s eyes narrowed, I shook my head.


    "No, no."


    I desired nothing more than to leave this ce. By now, I was frequenting this ce so much that it almost felt as though it had be my second residence.


    I couldn''t let that be true.


    "Okay, go. I''ve got other things to do."


    "Yes."


    Without further thought, I picked up my stuff and returned to the dorms. The distance wasn''t far, about a five-minute walk.


    It was dark outside, and a faint breeze wafted in the air.


    ''I wonder if they''ll leave things be for now?''


    The fact that I was possessed was now something most of the higher-ups within the Academy were aware of, and although it was currently contained, it was still notpletely taken care of.


    I was worried they might try somethingter.


    The thought only made me reinforce my thoughts about hurrying up and getting Kiera to lend me the mirror.


    Creak!


    As I opened the door of the residence, I saw faint lightsing from the nearbymon


    room.


    "People are still awake at this time?"


    Surprised, I checked the time.


    Sure enough, it was; 02:53 A.M.


    "Who''s awake at this hour?"


    Curious, I decided to get a better look. Either way, I had to head to my room which was in the same direction. A thought urred to me as I drew closer.


    ''Surely it''s not Theresa, right?''


    I did recall her being quite addicted in the past.


    "Ah, fuck! This is too much!"


    My steps came to an abrupt halt when I heard a familiar voice shouting in frustration. It was none other than Kiera.


    "Eh? What is she doing awake at this hour?"


    Kiera wasn''t the type to stay awake at this hour.


    Something didn''t add up with the situation. Curious, I decided to get a better look.


    "...I want to die."


    The closer I got the more hysterical Kiera''sints became. It also made me more curious. What exactly was torturing her so much?


    Why was she...?


    "Stop shouting. I''m trying to focus."


    As another voice suddenly rang, my brows jumped up a little.


    ''Aoife?''


    She was also awake?


    What in the world were the two doing up at his hour?


    "It''s easy for you to say."


    "...It''s not. I just don''t waste timeining like you do. The more time you wasteining the harder it is to focus."


    "She''s right, you know."


    "Ah, fuck."


    A third voice sounded and my confusion only grew from there.


    ''Evelyn? Why is Evelyn also there...?''


    Was there some sort of event that I wasn''t aware of? Unable to hold my curiosity any longer, I


    decided to directly enter themon room.


    "You two wouldn''t get it. For you it might be easy-"


    As if sensing my presence, all three stopped talking and turned their heads in my direction.


    "Oh, you''re here."


    "Uh, oh."


    "How was your vacation?"


    Compared to the reaction that I was expecting, it felt rather lukewarm. It was almost as if they weren''t surprised by the fact that I was there.


    This felt even more odd to me.


    "What''s going on here?"


    When I got a better look, I was surprised to see the numerous books that were stacked at the top of the table. Seeing how messy the table was, I could tell that the three of them had been


    studying for quite some time.


    This made me even more surprised.


    "What? Why do you look so shocked?"


    Turning to look at Kiera and then the books, I didn''t need to open my mouth to express my


    thoughts.


    "Tsk."


    With a click of her tongue, Kiera leaned back on her chair.


    "It''s not like we have a choice, alright? Do you think I want to be here with these two to study?


    I''d rather die."


    "Hey."


    "You were the one who begged us."


    "Shut up. I never begged."


    "Really?"


    As Aoife raised her brow, she suddenly retrieved a recording device. The drowsiness in Kiera''s


    face snapped away and her back turned upright.


    "Holy fuck, you recorded that?!"


    "Nope "


    Aoife shook her head, a small smirk tugging at her lips.


    "But you just admitted to begging us."


    With a ''kaka'' that seemed oddly simr to Kiera''s, Aoife turned to Evelyn and high-fived her.


    She too let out a familiar, ''kaka''.


    What the fuck? What did the two of them go through over the past few days to be like this?


    "I swear to god."


    Kiera raised her fist, ready to swing it. But just as she raised it, her eyelids dropped and she


    soon lowered it, mumbling something along the lines of, ''Too tired for this shit. See what I''ll


    do to you tomorrow.''


    With a ''huaaa'', Kiera stretched her body and slumped head first on the table.


    I looked at the scene for a few seconds before shaking my head. Besides looking tired, Kiera


    also looked pretty depressed.


    ''Should I cheer her up?''


    "Hey, Kiera."


    "Uhm?"


    Leaning her head to the side, just enough for her eye to face me, I clenched my fist in


    encouragement.


    "Cheer up. There''s a lot worse things you know?"


    "Like?"


    "Being trapped inside an underground hole of water."


    "Eh? What does that...?"


    "I just mean well."


    ||||


    A strange silence fell over the room. Seeing the looks that everyone was giving, I frowned.


    What''s with the atmosphere?


    "Fuck."


    Covering her face with both hands, Kiera''s eyes turned bloodshot.


    "Fuuuuuuuck."


    Raising both hands up, she looked up.


    "I can''t deal with this shit. No, fuck. Kill me."


    Shaking her head, Kiera grabbed her stuff and directly left themon room. I stared at her


    departing back with a stupefied look. What just happened?


    But if that wasn''t enough, Evelyn followed right after her.


    As she passed me, I heard her soft mumble, ''That was too much even for me'' as she shook her


    head in disappointment.


    The hell?


    "Pftt."


    A snickering sound brought me out of my confusion. It came from Aoife who was the only one


    remaining in themon room.


    "...Huk. That was pretty funny. Not bad."


    "???"


    Funny?


    What was funny?


    "Pft-! You should''ve seen Kiera''s face. If only I could''ve saved a picture of her face when you


    told her the joke."


    "Eh? Joke? What joke?"


    I told a joke? When?


    "Huk. Don''t worry, I thought it was funny. You don''t need to be embarrassed."


    Amidst my confusion, Aoife stood up and grabbed her stuff. Walking past me, she covered her


    mouth again.


    "Khk.... I didn''t know you had that in you. Anyways, you should sleep."


    "Yes?"


    "We''ve got an interview to attend tomorrow?"


    "Uh?"


    Taken aback, I fell into a short daze. By the time I snapped out of it, Aoife had already left.


    "Interview? What sort of...?"


    It was then that it hit me.


    ''Being trapped inside an underground hole of water.''


    ''I just mean well.''


    "Ahhhh."


    I bumped my fist against my palm.


    "...So that''s what they were talking about."


    I shook my head.


    "No wonder they didn''t like it."


    It was all about the delivery.


    All about the delivery.


    ***


    The ''interview'' was a simple event organized by the Academy in order to get the first years to


    familiarize themselves with the second years.


    Given that in the past each year didn''t have much of a rtionship with the other, the


    Academy figured it was best to do this in order to improve the rtionships with the cadets.


    This was why they organized an interview.


    It was just a friendly event for the first years.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Hey, Linus. We should hurry up. The interview will be starting soon."


    Fixing his tie, Linus looked towards the door of his dorm. Several cadets were waiting for him


    there.


    "Yes, I''ming."


    Shifting his attention back towards the mirror, Linus fixed his tie. As he did, he made sure to


    cover the faint purple marks on his neck. They were still there.


    His teeth clenched tightly at the sight of them.


    ''He''s no different than how he was in the past.''


    Thinking about the events that had transpired not too long ago, Linus''s eyes narrowed.


    "No, he''s even worse."


    He seemed to resemble more and more the same figure in his nightmares. From his cold and


    indifferent gaze to his unhinged and crazed expression.


    Linus bit his lips as he thought about what had happened in the room. From how he had been


    so easily taken by him and almost killed.


    The entire time, he was helpless.


    He could hardly put up a fight.


    .... And it was that thought that made him angry with himself.


    ''I have to hurry up and get stronger.''


    He didn''t have much time left, and the gap between him and his brother was only growing


    each moment.


    Linus knew he had to be stronger faster.


    But how exactly could he do that?


    It would be great if he could be the year''s ck Star, but that was impossible.


    This year''s ck Star...


    He was a monster. Someone whose talent far outssed his.


    The gap in talent between the two was enough to make him feel despair.


    So how?


    How could he be stronger?


    "Linus?"


    "Coming."


    Snapping out of his thoughts, Linus forced a smile. Then, shifting his attention towards the


    entrance of the room, he rushed to where his ssmates were.


    In either case, he was going to see his brother again soon.


    He really wanted to see how people perceived his brother within the Academy.


    Could he still maintain that facade of his?


    Linus thought he couldn''t.


    And he was proven right shortly after in the interview.


    ...But not in the way that he expected.

 Chapter 455: Sudden Interview [2]

    Chapter 455: Sudden Interview [2]


    ?


    It was the next day before I knew it.


    I woke rather early. Not intentionally as Leon was the one who woke me up, he said something along the lines of, ''How was your vacation?''


    I almost had the urge to smack him right then and there. If only he knew what I went through. Surprisingly, he didn''t ask much with regard to what happened. The same was true for the others.


    Had they reached a point where they were used to stuff happening to me?


    Or was there more to it?


    In any case, I was soon led into arge room.


    If I could describe the ce with one word, it''d be ''chaotic''.


    "Hmm - A little to the left, please. Yes, that."


    We were in the makeup room, and everyone looked to be putting on some sort of makeup.


    The one who seemed to be the most excited was Evelyn who hovered around the others while chirping about what they could do better and what looked bad. She was oddly excited about this.


    "Is she okay?"


    "...Truthfully, I don''t know."


    Leon shook his head while looking at Evelyn.


    He then added; "She''s changed quite a bit since returning from the Household and meeting Theresa."


    "I can see that."


    "Aoife. Your face is a little pale, give it a bit of sh and pop some color. We don''t want you looking like a corpse out there."


    "This bitc-"


    "Kiera... Sigh. What am I going to do with you? Remove that scowl from your face or we''ll really look bad in front of the cameras."


    "I swear..."


    "Theresa. Well, you''re a child so it doesn''t matter."


    "Wait."


    I also suddenly noticed it.


    "Why is Theresa here?"


    "The girls asked for her to be let in the interview, and nobody had anything against it." "Oh."


    I absentmindedly nodded my head upon hearing Leon''s words. If it was allowed then what else could I say?


    "...And you."


    Evelyn paused and frowned. She looked stumped. My eyes widened when I turned my head in the same direction she was looking at.


    ''What is she doing here?''


    Standing before Evelyn was a young girl with glossy ck hair that cascaded just to her shoulders. She appeared to be around Evelyn''s age, and her dark, shimmering eyes seemed to absorb all the light around her.


    Evelyn raised her thumb.


    "Your makeup looks good. Well done. I''m proud of you."


    "...I still haven''t put on my make-"


    "Hai. It''s so hard being the group''s stylist. What...?"


    Seeing how quiet the room was, Evelyn turned around. Only then did she realize that everyone was looking at her with even looks.


    "What is it? Why are you all looking at me like that?"


    She seemed to shiver under their collective gazes, and I continuously flicked my head between Leon and Delh.


    Yes, Delh.


    "What is she...?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Don''t ask me."


    Leon answered in a deadpan tone.


    "I don''t know anything. I will not know anything. Nor will I ever."


    He then walked towards Evelyn and dragged her out of the room.


    "Eh?"


    I stared in his direction, stupefied. I only snapped out of it when a voice called out for me.


    "Julien?"


    "...Uh, ah."


    It was Delh.


    She somehow made her way behind me before I knew it. Unable to hold my curiosity, I asked, "What are you doing here?"


    "Supervising."


    "In this form?"


    "Mhm. It''s less noticeable."


    Was it really?


    Doing a double take on her, she really did seem to think so.


    ''Is she not aware of her looks?''


    While Aoife, Kiera, Evelyn, and most of the cadets were quite good-looking, Delh still stood out quite a lot. Even if she looked different due to having be smaller, the invisible


    pressure that came out of her body was hard to ignore.


    This was probably why nobody had approached her.


    ''Well, whatever.''


    Nobody could do anything to her anyway.


    Rummaging through my pocket, I took out a chocte bar.


    "Here, take this."


    "Ah...?"


    Delh''s feet slowed the moment her gaze fell on the chocte. Looking around, she reached out for my hand took the bar, and snapped a piece off. I cocked my head at her action.


    "You only going to eat one?"


    "You eat it."


    "Yes?"


    "Take it."


    "Oh."


    Though I was confused, I eventually ended up eating the candy.


    It was a little too sweet for me.


    *


    "Thank you very much foring. I''m Dyrk Connoway. I''ll be leading the interview today."


    A man who looked no older than fifty came to greet us the moment we came out of the room and onto the stage where the interview was going to be held. He had short ck hair neatly arranged into a middle split, and he wore a set of square sses.


    My first impression of him was that he seemed to be quite extroverted as he shook hands with


    all of us.


    "I''ve heard a lot about the five of you. It''s a pleasure finally seeing you here. We will begin the interview in a couple of minutes while we wait for the other groups to attend. Please make


    yourselvesfortable for now."


    "Thank you."


    Everyone replied politely to the man. In total, there were over a dozen cadets that were going


    to be interviewed. Those from the first year, those from the second year, and those from the


    third year.


    Each year had several groups.


    Of those, Leon, Evelyn, Theresa, Aoife, and Kiera formed one group.


    I wasn''t included nor was I participating in the interview. With the groups already having


    been made, there was no room for me.


    Which was good.


    I didn''t really want to be in the interview.


    But what attracted his attention, and the attention of the staff was L who bowed her head


    the most. About 60% degrees.


    "How cute."


    "Look at how cute she is..."


    I could hear the whispers of the staff next to me as they all took in the sight in front of them.


    Then...


    "Who is she?"


    "She''s really pretty."


    "Is she also a student? Eh? But she doesn''t seem to be wearing a uniform?"


    "They''re all pretty but, she''s..."


    Everyone finally caught sight of Delh who was standing a little further back. Her looks were


    undeniable as everyone found their eyes drifting in her direction.


    "Cough."


    Coughing, I locked eyes with the staff, and it was only then that they realized their mistake,


    hastily returning to their work.


    How troublesome...


    I turned to look at the girls who were huddled together like baby chicks.


    "Are you guys ready for the interview?"


    "Yeah, sort of."


    Aoife nced at me before she scowled.


    "...Leon lectured all of us this morning." "Ugh. I can still hear the sound of his yapping in my ears."


    "That''s kind of rude, Princess"


    "But am I wrong? Also, why are you calling me Princess?"


    "Are you not?"


    "Still..."


    Seeing how Aoife and Kiera were bickering, it didn''t seem like I needed to be worried about


    them being nervous. I was kind of d.


    The less nervous they were, the less likely they would slip up and make any errors. Although


    they weren''t the only group that was being interviewed, a single misstep could be quite


    troublesome.


    Actually, it didn''t really matter.


    I wasn''t participating.


    "Excuse me."


    Right then, someone tapped me on the shoulder. Turning around, a girl with long ck hair


    and a mole right underneath her right eye met my gaze.


    She seemed unfamiliar.


    Who...?


    "Excuse me? Is there something wrong with my face?"


    "Ah, oh. I''m sorry."


    Shit, I got caught staring.


    I quickly made up an excuse.


    "I was spacing out for a bit. I didn''t really get much sleep."


    "Haha, that''s very understandable. I also have those days."


    The girlughed for a bit. She looked a little younger than I was, and her expression seemed


    peculiar.


    "Do I know you from somewhere?"


    I asked out of curiosity. It felt like I had seen her before, but I couldn''t quite ce where.


    "Me? Well, I don''t think you would. This is after all the first time the two of us are meeting."


    The girl waved her hand at my question.


    "That makes sense."


    But who exactly was she?


    "Who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" "Ah, right."


    The girl extended her hand.


    "Elizabeth Smith, the third year ck Star."


    "Eh?"


    No wonder she felt vaguely familiar.


    So she was the famous third-year ck Star. I had heard rumors about her but never properly


    seen her due to her Guild Affairs.


    Typically, starting from the second year and on, the cadets would spend less time in the


    Academy to participate in the respective Guild that they belonged to.


    The Guild they belonged to typically selected them through the Draft that happened each end


    of the year.


    ''I missed mine during the time I spent home.''


    But I was quite d.


    After all, I didn''t really want to be part of a Guild.


    "I heard that you didn''t join a Guild. What are your thoughts about joining one?"


    "Well, I''m not sure."


    I was able to quickly discern her intentions.


    ''Is she here to recruit me into the Guild she''s in?''


    If so...


    "Not sure? I think you should consider it. If you join a Guild you''ll be able to enter the Mirror


    Dimension whenever you-"


    She paused halfway through her sentence and looked up. Her face stiffened.


    "Excuse me?"


    "Julien."


    And then a voice reached my ear.


    When I turned around I saw Delh standing right behind me.


    When did she get here?


    "Yes? Is there something you need?"


    "No."


    "Then..."


    "I was curious."


    Curious?


    "Yes."


    Delh nodded and just stopped talking.


    I blinked my eyes, unsure of how to proceed.


    Elizabeth also looked awkward and a strange silence fell over. She seemed to want to say


    something, but whenever her mouth opened, she would close it.


    "The interview looks to be starting. If you''re willing to join a Guild please tell me. In any case,


    I have to go now. It was a pleasure to meet you." Then, as if she felt too pressured by something, she excused herself.


    Delh''s head turned, tracing her retreating figure. Then, turning her attention back to me,


    she said,


    "She got scared."


    "I think so too."


    I turned my head to look at Delh who stared straight at me. As she blinked her eyes, she


    said,


    "You have a scary face." "Really? This is the first time I''m hearing this."


    Whenever someonemented about my face they''d say something along the lines of; handsome, indifferent, and stuff like that.


    Never once heard scary.


    And it wasn''t.


    Delh was the one who had scared her away.


    Delh tilted her head slightly while closely examining my face. Then, she tilted it to the


    other side, and once more to the opposite side before finally breaking into a smile.


    "Maybe?"


    "...Very helpful."


    I waved my hand at her.


    "Alright, whatever. You were kind of useful this time so it doesn''t matter."


    "Mhm."


    Delh extended her hand, and I knew in an instant what she wanted.


    Rummaging through my pocket, I handed her another chocte bar. She then unwrapped the paper and handed me a piece.


    I looked at the piece in my hand.


    "No, I already had one. You can-"


    "Your face is less scary when you eat chocte."


    "Is that true?"


    "Yes,"


    "Ah..."


    That was something new.


    "I''m going."


    "Good luck."


    Staring at her retreating figure, I shifted my gaze to the chocte in my hand before cing it


    in my mouth.


    "Um."


    It was still too sweet, but...


    It didn''t taste so bad.


    Also, my face wasn''t scary.


    ***


    The interview was formatted like a Talk Show. One host, Dyrk Connoway, interviewed the


    guests with some questions about their personal lives, thoughts on some matters, and light


    banter.


    There were a total of six groups. Two from each year.


    "Is everything ready?"


    Dyrk asked one of his assistants as he read through the script for tonight''s show.


    "Yes, everything is ready. All the guests are seated, and we''re just waiting for you."


    "Okay. Tell them that I''ming."


    With a light sigh, Dyrk ced the script down and massaged his forehead.


    "What''s the projected viewer rating for this?"


    "...0.1%"


    The assistant replied after some hesitation.


    "That low?"


    "They''re only students and there is no fighting. This is already being quite generous."


    "What about the second years? Didn''t they juste from the Summit? Shouldn''t there be a


    lot of views because of them?"


    "About them... It''s true that they''re hot right now, but their fame stillgs behind some of the


    other groups here. In particr, the third years. Their umted achievement is not


    something the first and second years canpete with."


    "Is that so...?"


    Dyrk closed his eyes.


    "...Okay, focus on them more. We need to squeeze out as many views as possible."


    The interview was going to be broadcast to the Empire. There was no real hype around it, and


    it would be a miracle if people were interested in watching.


    For Dyrk, who had taken on the project, this was a huge blow.


    "I also heard this year''s Summit winner isn''t participating."


    "Ah, don''t remind me."


    With a bitter smile, Dyrk shook his head and shrugged. Adjusting his sses and suit, he


    straightened his back before taking his first step toward the studio.


    "We can only hope that something happens today."


    He closed his eyes and put on the most brilliant smile he could muster.


    "...And even if nothing exciting happens, we can make it happen. Who knows, maybe we can


    make something out of this segment."


    And with these words, he left.

 Chapter 456: Sudden Interview [3]

    Chapter 456: Sudden Interview [3]


    ?


    The lights shed onto the set.


    Behind arge wooden table sat Dyrk, and across from him, on multiple sofas, were six distinct groups of gorgeous people.


    ''As expected of the most elite cadets in the Empire. Their looks are nothing to scoff at.''


    "Their looks can make anyone jealous, don''t you think? It makes you question if we truly belong in the same world."


    A man said next to me all of a sudden.


    Surprised, I turned my head to see a hand extended in my direction. What''s up with everyone


    and their hands? It felt like everyone wanted to shake my hand.


    "Nice to meet you. I''m Jack Bannali, the writer for the show." "Oh."


    I shook his hand back.


    As we let go, he asked,


    "You''re the cadet who won in the Summit, aren''t you?"


    "Yes, I am."


    "You''ve got an interesting group."


    "Group?"


    A smile yed on his lips, and just as I turned my head, I witnessed Evelyn receiving a p on her hand from Theresa, who shot her a re. Meanwhile, Kiera, who had been watching the scene, burst into a lightugh and pped the sofa beside her.


    "...I don''t know them."


    "Hahaha. It''s nice to see such a cheerful group. It''s been a while since we''vest seen one like theirs."


    "Oh?"


    What did he mean by that?


    Noticing my confusion, the man''s eyebrow arched as he asked,


    "Right, you''re still in your second year. Let''s just say that the cadets from the other academies don''t get along like this."


    You call that getting along?


    "Well, you''ll understand what I mean with due time. For now, I just wanted to introduce myself. Couldn''t help but to after seeing those clips..."


    rmed, I looked at him.


    "Clips? What clips?"


    The only thing I got in return was a smile.


    "So you don''t know...?"


    Covering his mouth, he suddenlyughed.


    "Haha. This is going to be fun."


    ***


    Within the audience seats several cadets sat down. There were over a hundred cadets, all belonging to different years, sitting to watch the interview.


    "Look, isn''t that your brother?"


    As Linus took a seat, one of his ssmates pointed in a certain direction.


    It was there that Linus caught sight of a familiar figure. Standing with his arms crossed, his figure looked imposing.


    He didn''t do anything, and yet, his presence alone seemed to draw the eyes of many.


    "Is he not participating in the interview?"


    Overhearing the question, Linus suddenly looked at the stage. It was there that he realized his brother wasn''t moving.


    ''Ah, I see.''


    Was this his method of avoiding suspicion?


    By not participating, he didn''t have to worry about exposing himself.


    "That''s a pity. I wanted to see how he usually acted. I thought the whole purpose of this event was to let us get to know our seniors better."


    "...Bummer."


    "Well, there''s still the others."


    Seeing how disappointed his ssmates were, Linus shook his head.


    If only they knew...


    "Oh, it''s about to start!"


    "Quiet down."


    As their words fell, the lights dropped.


    Turning his attention towards the stage, Linus leaned back. His eyes drifted to Julien in the meantime who seemed to have noticed his gaze and turned his head to meet his gaze.


    ||


    "1


    || ||


    The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Julien turned his head away.


    "Thank you everyone foring today."


    The interview then began.


    ***


    The show began on time.


    The once bustling studio, filled with dozens of staff and involved parties, fell into silence. The expressions of the ones standing backstage changed, and a palpable tension filled the air.


    Nobody seemed nervous. At least, on the outside.


    I couldn''t really tell.


    The studio lights above shed, moving around and hovering over every one of the groups


    present.


    At the same time, Dyrk, the presenter, entered the stage as he stopped in the middle and started reading cue cards.


    "Wee everyone. I''m your host for today, Dyrk Connoway and I once again wee you


    to my show."


    Without a doubt, he was quite experienced at this, handling the introductions and opening sequence masterfully and smoothly.


    A lot of jokes were thrown around, making some of the people backstageugh. Personally, I found a lot of them to be funny and evenughed at a few, but I kept getting weird looks from the people around me when I did so.


    From the beginning of the interview, it was evident that some of the groups had been trained to handle these types of interviews. They answered politely and even exchanged jokes with the MC. The previous tension seemed to fade at that moment, and what reced it was a strange silence as some people seemed satisfied with what was happening.


    But...


    The same couldn''t be said for me.


    As entertaining as the interview was, it felt a littlecking. It was fun, yes, but... to be honest,


    if I had the option, I''d switch it for some other channel. It just wasn''t engaging enough to


    keep me from switching to another channel.


    I wasn''t the only one that seemed to have noticed the problem as some of the writers near me


    frowned.


    "Now, let''s start with the second years. This group over here. May you select two representatives for this. It doesn''t matter who. Just pick whoever you want."


    Dyrk''s voice suddenly attracted my attention as the lights of the studio suddenly dimmed.


    The girls turned to look at Leon who sat by the edge of the sofa with an impassive look.


    Feeling their gazes, he pointed towards two people.


    "Oh? So it will be Kiera and Aoife?"


    Wait, what?


    "We will y quick-fire questions. While one reads the question, the other has to answer as


    fast as possible. You have ten seconds to answer."


    Dyrk pointed toward the right where arge clock appeared.


    "Every ten seconds the clock will buzz. Once it buzzes, you will have no choice but to go to the


    next question, or the clock will continue to buzz until you get back on track."


    He then turned his attention back toward Kiera and Aoife.


    "So then. Which one of the two will ask the question, and which one will answer?"


    "I will ask, and Kiera will answer."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Aoife''s reply came quickly as she picked up the set of cards. She started giggling the moment


    she caught a glimpse of the first question.


    Just why is it the two of them...


    I couldn''t help but nce at Leon who evaded my gaze.


    Are you crazy?


    "Let''s begin with the rapid questions! Let the clock start!"


    Tik-!


    The handle of the clock began to move and Aoife asked the first question.


    "What''s your name?"


    Kiera raised her brow as if to say ''Did you really just ask me that?'', and Aoife shrugged back as


    if to say, ''What? It''s what the question is asking.''


    No words were exchanged, and yet, I somehow knew what they were saying.


    "Girls, you have five seconds left to answ-"


    "Aoife K. Megrail." Aoife''s face abruptly changed at the answer, but before she could say anything, she was cut


    off by Kiera who suddenly smirked.


    "That''s my-"


    "Next question."


    "Eh, n-"


    Buzz-!


    "What? Wai-"


    Buzz-!


    "F...fine."


    Frowning, Aoife threw the first card away and began reading the second card.


    "Tell me something funny."


    "Oh, oof, there''s many."


    "Hurry up. There''s not much time "


    "I love beer. I''ve got a raging addiction to alcohol and I can''t live a day without it."


    "Eh?"


    Aoife''s eyes widened.


    "Why are you-"


    Buzz-!


    "I..."


    Despite wanting to protest and not continue, Aoife could only clench her teeth and read the


    next question.


    "An embarrassing story about yourself..."


    "Oh, this is kind of fun."


    "You... Watch yourself. Don-"


    "One time, I remember going to a shop. I ordered a few drinks."


    "Wait, Kier-"


    "When I went to pay, I realized that it wasn''t a shop but someone''s house."


    "!!!"


    Buzz-!


    If I could describe Aoife''s current expression with one word, it''d be ''terrifying''.


    "Something that made youugh a lot..."


    "My face whenever I look in the mirror."


    "Uh?"


    Kiera covered her face and sighed.


    "It''s hard to look at."


    "Ah."


    Aoife''s face underwent another series of changes. However, just as she was about to speak again, the buzzer sounded.


    Buzz-!


    "No! I''m not ha-"


    Buzz-!


    "H-"


    Buzz-! "Fine."


    Buzz-!


    Buzz-!


    Aoife red at the clock, and extended both arms as if to say, ''I didn''t even speak!''


    Buzz-! "...!"


    As I stared at the spectacle that was unfolding right before my very eyes, I couldn''t help but


    nce at my sides where the producers and writers were.


    It was a sight that left me at a loss for words.


    Clutching their stomachs, several of them nced downward, their faces turning red as their


    shoulders trembled.


    Even the first years and third years in the audience were having a hard time as some of them


    could hardly suppress theirughter.


    I noticed a few writers exchanging nces, their eyes reflecting a certain gleam, as they


    directed their attention toward Kiera and Aoife. It was as if they were looking at some


    treasures.


    "Next question please."


    Oblivious to what was happening around them, Kiera urged Aoife to continue. She seemed to


    be thoroughly enjoying the situation as she sat up straight and ced both her hands on her


    thighs.


    "Come, we don''t have all day. Shoot. Fire. I''m ready. Take your best shot."


    "You..."


    "Quick!"


    "F,fine... Oh? Finally, a normal question."


    Aoife''s expression finally eased, and a smile graced her lips. Kiera frowned at the sight.


    "What would you do if you woke up smart the next day?"


    So a philosophical question?


    I sighed in relief when I heard the question. Finally, one that Kiera couldn''t exploit.


    "That''s not possible."


    "Eh, why?"


    "My brain isn''t capable of doing that."


    I spoke too soon.


    "...Uh?"


    Buzz-!


    "Wait a sec-"


    Buzz-!


    "No!! I hate this g-"


    Buzz-!


    Aoife looked around her helplessly, settling her gaze over to Leon, Evelyn, and Theresa with a


    hopeful look. Sadly, none of them even cared to look back at her as they feigned ignorance.


    In the end, Aoife''s gaze settled on me.


    "Do something."


    And I suddenly found myself at the center of attention as the cameras turned to point in my


    direction. For some reason, the clock didn''t buzz meaning that it was being allowed.


    Great.


    "Help me!"


    "Wait, why are you asking me?"


    "Tell her to stop."


    "Julien, don''t interfere. You should understand exactly why we''re doing this."


    "You shut up!"


    Aoife''s head flicked my way as she fiercely red in my direction.


    "You better help me or I''ll reveal to everyone your dark secret."


    My hair stood on end.


    "Wait... Aoife. Let''s be calm about this."


    "No, I''m not having this."


    "Wait. Wait."


    I pushed my hands down to motion her to calm down.


    "Calm down. We can settle this peacefully. You''re not in your right state of mind at the moment."


    "I''m calm. I''m really calm. Never been so calm in my life."


    "I... I don''t know if I can interfere."


    The rules said I couldn''t, so...


    Aoife crossed her arms and sat back.


    "Uh? Is that so...? Do you really think I won''t tell everyone about how you often go to the


    mirror and randomlyugh at your own jokes?"


    Aoife covered her mouth, but it was a little toote for that.


    ||||


    My face suddenly felt hot. Not only were the other groups staring at me, but even the staff


    beside me were looking at me.


    "Pftt."


    Evelyn couldn''t contain herself any longer and burst intoughter, breaking the silence. Her


    laughter triggered a chain reaction, causing more people to join in fits ofughter.


    The only one that didn''tugh was Aoife who averted her gaze away from me.


    "Ah, so... So, like-" "Kiera."


    My voice came out rather t.


    "Yes?"


    "...Destroy her."


    "You''ve got it."


    The fits ofughter became even louder.


    ?


    "I,if you had to cpare me to an animal, w, what would that be?"


    "A rat."


    Kiera suddenly licked her lips, and as if that wasn''t enough, she continued.


    "Like a dirty, nasty, hairy ra-"


    "That''s enough!"


    Aoife abruptly stood up and she threw the cards in the air, forgoing all decorum.


    "I can''t take this anym-"


    Buzz-!


    "And that marks the end of the round. Thank you very much both of you."


    Even Dyrk struggled to contain hisughter as he stood up to mediate between the two of


    them.


    "Now, now. This is all fun and games. There''s no need to take this so seriously, and it''s not


    like it''s over."


    He passed a set of cards to Kiera.


    "Uh?"


    "It''s now your turn to ask the questions."


    Both Kiera and Aoife blinked, and then Aoife''s face blossomed into a smile as she took her


    seat.


    "Is that so...?"


    She twiddled her hair, putting on a nonchnt air.


    "Well, if we must..."

 Chapter 457: Sudden Interview [4]

    Chapter 457: Sudden Interview [4]


    ?


    "Let''s take a short break."


    Dyrk said as he turned his attention away from the recording devices.


    The other groups moved away from their seats, nearing the break area as they took a break themselves.


    The same was true for Leon and the others who approached me without looking me in the eye -well, all except Leon, who was shaking from head to toe.


    That bastard.


    "So, ehm..."


    "Save it forter."


    I shut Aoife up before she could speak any further.


    Gulping down the water, Evelyn suddenly looked around us and nudged with her chin.


    "I think we stood out a little too much. Everyone is staring our way."


    "Don''t bother with them."


    "Well, I''m not particrly bothered, but it''s not like I can ignore it when they are looking at us like that."


    "If you don''t like these types of stares, then next time, don''t stand out so much."


    "That''s not possible."


    She then pointed at her face, and then Aoife''s, and then Leon''s, and then Kiera''s, and then mine...n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Okay, I get the point."


    But those weren''t the stares that I was talking about.


    I had noticed it mid-way through the first half of the interview, but as the situation progressed, the gazes at which the audience stared at me seemed to be more and more


    odd.


    Not that I couldn''t understand their sentiments.


    We all came back from the Summit, showcasing all our skills to the world. The image they had formed about us was probably different than what they were currently seeing.


    But...


    "Well, whatever."


    They were bound to find out anyway.


    And it wasn''t like Kiera''s personality wasn''t already known.


    "What do you mean by whatever?"


    Evelyn cast me a hesitant nce.


    I shrugged.


    "Nothing, just keep doing whatever you''re doing. They seem to like it so whatever. Just don''t involve me."


    Their normal behavior was attracting a lot of attention. So long as they didn''t cross any lines, which they knew better since Leon had lectured them the entire morning, they could do as they pleased.


    "Well, you should''ve said so from the start."


    Energetic, Kiera stretched her fingers. Her gaze slowly settled over to Aoife who visibly frowned at the sight.


    "I''ve got a little bone to pick with a certain someone~"


    "What? What? Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "You know exactly why I''m looking at you like this."


    "No, but... I was just doing what you did to me."


    "And that''s fine... that''s totally fine. You can do that. No problem." "Then..."


    "It still pissed me off."


    Kiera raised her hand and Aoife stepped back behind me.


    I was instantly surprised, and tried to back away, "Wait, hold on."


    "Julien, hold her back. Think about my reputation. I''m supposed to be the Princess of this Empire. How would people think of me if they see me like this?"


    "Fight then?"


    "I can''t do that. It''ll make me look like a hooligan."


    "Hooligan? Wait, you''re talking about me?"


    Kiera pointed at herself before frowning.


    "Nah, fuck that. Get pped."


    "No, go away."


    Aoife clung to my back, her face next to my hip. I tried to push her away, but she clung to me


    like some sort of octopus.


    "Aoife, let go. Everyone''s looking..."


    "No, what nonsense. If I let go she''ll attack me. You might as well get pped instead of me." "No, why... How does that even make sense?"


    "I don''t care! We''re both in it together. I die, you di-Hiek! You, what are you doing?"


    Like a ghost, Delh appeared next to Aoife and poked her on the side of her ribs, forcing her to let go with a small shriek.


    When did she get here...?


    I hadn''t even noticed her before she suddenly appeared beside Aoife.


    In any case.


    "Thanks."


    I thanked her, and she returned a nod. Then, with a t expression that failed to hide the expectation hidden within, she asked,


    "Was it good?"


    "...What was?"


    "The chocte."


    Ah.


    So it was about that.


    Her gaze trailed to the side, and she again, asked.


    "...Was it good?"


    "Ah. Well..."


    Should I tell her it was a little too sweet for my taste?


    In the end, I chose against it and nodded.


    "It was good."


    With a casual nod, she walked away. As she turned, just then, I swore noticed the faintest of


    smiles spreading across her lips.


    But it was hard to tell as it disappeared within moments.


    Was I imagining things?


    ***


    "Let''s make some changes to the program."


    Jack Bannali said all of a sudden. As the main writer and nner of the show, it was well


    within his authority to be able to make changes to the show on a whim.


    Typically, sudden changes would prompt the team and the staff to panic, but that wasn''t the


    case today.


    Simply put, they all understood the reasoning behind his actions.


    "Those second years. They''re quite fun, aren''t they?"


    Dyrk said as he took a sip of his water bottle.


    "Fun? Just that...?"


    Jack let out a smallugh.


    "They were more than that! They were everything that I needed them to be, and then some."


    "You''re not wrong. They were quite easy to work with even for me."


    "I could see. Unlike the other teams that forced banter, it seemed toe wlessly with


    them." Holding no expectations for the second years who they expected to be all serious and indifferent, the two of them were pleasantly surprised with what they witnessed. At first, they


    just wanted to introduce them and ask them about their experiences at the Summit and how


    they felt about it.


    But things were different now. The girls had captured the attention of everyone in the studio


    with their witty, and funny answers.


    Their chemistry was obvious for all to see.


    Dyrk thought the same as heughed brightly.


    "Hahaha. That group. They probably didn''t even mean to be funny. What we saw, is what they


    are. There''s no fakeness in them, unlike some of the other groups."


    "Yeah. That''s probably it."


    With a nod, Jack Bannali suddenly turned his head to face a certain direction andughed.


    "No, it isn''t probably. It''s exactly how they are."


    "Oh? Where are you looking at?"


    Curious, Dyrk looked at where Jack Bannali was looking, and then he caught sight of them. Recognizing Aoife, and Kiera, he saw them run around Julien who looked around helplessly. Next to them, Leon was pointing his finger at Julien while silentlyughing.


    Evelyn on the other hand was holding her head as though she was feeling a headache.


    Dyrk too let out a smallugh.


    "You know it''s genuine when they act like this even without the recording devices on them."


    "Mhm. The Summit winner isn''t too bad. He''s got quite the chemistry with the group."


    "Yeah, I also noticed. I previously thought he''d be the most boring, but his reactions are..."


    "Yeah... Hmm."


    Jack Bannali caressed his chin as he pondered. Then, casting a nce toward one of the people


    in charge of recording, he ordered.


    "Hey, have one of the recording devices directed his way."


    "Excuse me?" "Make sure you keep the recording device focused on him and record his reactions."


    "Oh. Oh. Yes, understood."


    Though flustered by the sudden orders, the cameraman shifted the recording angle and


    directed it toward Julien.


    "Make sure you keep recording him the entire time. Take in all his reactions."


    "Understood."


    "Good."


    "Do you have something prepared?"


    Dyrk curiously asked, ncing at the recording device and the manager in the distance.


    Jack nodded his head, a smile tugging at his lips.


    "You''ll seeter."


    Dyrk''s eyebrow arched upward.


    "I''m starting to grow curious now."


    ***


    At the same time, in the third-year break room.


    "The second years seem to have all the attention."


    A cadet with short brown hair and blue eyes said. He was rather tall, and he had arge build


    that towered over everyone in the room. His current attention was focused on the young girl sitting by the sofa.


    Although she looked harmless at first nce, none of the third years dared to look at her in


    the eye.


    "Uh? Ah... yeah."


    Elizabeth nced up a little and nodded.


    "That''s true."


    "...Are you fine with that?"


    "Why wouldn''t I be?"


    "No, it''s..."


    Elizabeth raised her hand to stop the cadet from speaking.


    "They''re our juniors, and they''re quite talented. While it''s true that we might lose a chance to


    stand out, it doesn''t really matter. This broadcast won''t have many views so it doesn''t matter anyway." Poprity was important for people belonging to Guilds.


    With all the third years belonging to a Guild, they needed to take care of their own poprity.


    Poprity was what helped them get better deals with the Guilds and sponsors. This was a lot


    of money.


    Money that they couldn''t do without.


    After all, resources were important.


    "That''s true."


    Upon hearing Elizabeth''s words, many of the third years rxed.


    Seeing this, a faint smile spread across Elizabeth''s lips as she continued, "Think about it as a small loss for our small juniors. If you manage to recruit one of them into


    your Guild, who knows what might happen?"


    With a softugh, Elizabeth took her attention away from the first years. It was there that her


    smile slowly started to fade and her expression turned serious.


    Recalling the woman with soft ck hair and obsidian eyes, her eyes narrowed.


    "Who is she?"


    She hadn''t felt so threatened by someone in a very long time.


    Slowly lowering her head, Elizabeth nced at her wrist. A faint glow manifested shortly


    after as she pressed on the four clover leaf that appeared.


    As she pressed on the leaf, she started to speak in her mind,


    ''I need someone investigated.''


    ***


    The breaksted no more than fifteen minutes before the program started again.


    But there was an evident change in the programpared to the first half. Unlike before,


    where the spotlight was on all the groups, it now leaned more towards the second years. They didn''t even try to hide it as they tantly kept their focus on them.


    The focus was now directed toward Theresa as Dyrk started asking her questions.


    "Theresa, you just turned eight, is that correct?"


    "No."


    Theresa shook her head, herrge eyes blinking slowly.


    "Eh? No...? Then how old are you?"


    "Hmm."


    Theresa''s delicate brows furrowed for a brief moment before she looked down on her fingers


    and started counting. One, two, three, four...


    By the time she got to five her eyes started to spin.


    "She''s eight."


    Aoife answered in her stead.


    "Oh, I see."


    Dyrk nodded, a little confused. Nheless, he continued.


    "Then, Theresa. You''re quite young. Considering how you''re not yet a student, how do you


    find life at the Academy?"


    I flinched at the question, and so did Leon and the others.


    "About that... Can we change the question?"


    Aoife suddenly interjected. Evelyn hurriedly nodded her head beside her, casting a wary


    nce in my direction.


    I waved my hand at the girls and ced both hands on my throat to signal them to change the


    topic quickly.


    ''Shift the focus away. Quickly!''


    "Yes. Yes. Let''s change the question. Theresa is quite shy so it''s best if we don''t involve her."


    "Hm?"


    Their odd reactions were taken in by Dyrk, who seemed even more eager.


    "...Theresa, you don''t have to worry. Talk."


    "No... It''s fin-"


    "No freedom. No human right."


    Smack.


    My forehead stung as I smacked it.


    ''I knew this was going to happen...''


    Leon had told me that he had managed to bribe Theresa, promising to grant her ess to


    Justice Man if she behaved today. However, it seemed the deep-seated resentment she harbored was too big.


    Worried that her words may have caused some misunderstanding, I nced at Dyrk, but the moment it did, my worries subsided as his lips curled upward in amusement. The same went


    for the writer and audience around us.


    "Oh? No freedom? No human right? What happened? If you have anything that you want to


    share with us, now is the time for you to let the world know."


    "Hahaha, she was joking. Joking."


    Evelyn hurriedly covered Theresa''s mouth as she struggled in her grasp.


    "Ouch!"


    In the end, all it took was a single bite from her to force Evelyn to let go. With a frown


    covering her delicate features, Theresa crossed her arms while arrogantly looking around her. "...They took away my freedom. My rights. My beliefs. My identity." ''Someone stop her!''


    ''We''re trying!''


    ''Not good enough!''


    I conversed with the girls using hand signals, but none of them managed to stop Theresa who


    continued her rant.


    "Made me sell my soul to the devil."


    In the end, we all just gave up.


    "Is that true?"


    "No."


    Aoife shook her head.


    "All we did was take her show rights because she spent too much time watching Justice Man.


    She now sees all of us as some sort of superviins."


    "Pft."


    Unusual sounds echoed from the audience area as some of the cameramen struggled to stifle


    theirughter.


    "H,ho? I,s that so?"


    Even Dyrk was struggling to keep his faceposed as his gaze hovered over Theresa who


    shook her head.


    "No. They lie."


    "Theresa..."


    "Hmph!"


    "This is why I said having Theresa on was a bad idea.''


    I nced at Delh who looked at the spectacle with an indifferent expression. With how indifferent she looked, I couldn''t quite tell what she was thinking.


    "I''m sure things are rough for you Theresa. You have our sympathies."


    Nod.


    "I ept."


    "...W,well. Let''s move on to the next group.


    Stifling hisugh once more, Dyrk flipped his card over and finally directed his attention


    toward another group. He started asking them questions to which they responded rather well,


    and professionally.


    Then, he shifted toward another group and asked them different questions before eventually


    returning to the girls.


    "Ho, ho. We''re finally back with you."


    He flipped one of the cards away, at which point his hand paused. The corner of his lips curled,


    and I suddenly felt an ominous premonition.


    "...If you had to describe Julien, the current Summit winner with one word, how would you


    describe him?"


    The studio went quiet all of a sudden and I felt multiple gazes directed my way.


    Wait, hold on?


    What?


    Why was I suddenly involved in all of this?


    "Did I hear correctly?"


    As Kiera''s voice fell, I heard a certain trembling in her voice. That... It almost seemed like she


    was excited.


    No, not just here.


    Leon''s eyes were sharp, and his back was straight. Never before did I see him so attentive.


    I turned to look at them, and pointed at them in warning, ''Don''t do anything funny.''


    But my warning seemed to have fallen on deaf ears as smiles bloomed on each of their faces.


    Even Delh seemed to enjoy this as her I felt her gaze from the left.


    "Tyrant."


    Theresa started.


    "Oh, that''s a good one."


    Evelyn nodded beside her.


    No, that''s...


    "Since it''s used, I''ll go for psychopath?"


    ...?


    "Not a bad choice. Since I can''t swear, I''ll go for rat."


    What...?


    I rigidly turned my head to meet Aoife''s gaze. Pressing her hands together, she mouthed,


    ''Sorry, but I''m just going to y along.''


    "No, don''t-"


    "Demon."


    ''I give up.''


    The girls had already made their minds up to y along with Theresa''s antics. There was no


    point in threatening them.


    I thought it was going to end with all the girls calling me a demon in one form or another, but


    things took an unexpected turn when it became Leon''s turn.


    All of a sudden, it turned quiet and I raised my head.


    I met his gaze and he nodded at me.


    Were you...?


    Opening his mouth, words flew out of Leon''s mouth at the speed at which a machine gun shot.


    It was so fast that I felt my world spin.


    "Buffoon. Clown. Delusional. Cow. Exploiter. Corrupt. Two-faced. Ugly. Arrogant.


    Pretentious. Spinless. Obnoxious. Ungrateful. Ungrateful. Ungrateful. Ungrateful. Ungrateful. Ungrateful. Ungrateful."

 Chapter 458: Sudden Interview [5]

    Chapter 458: Sudden Interview [5]


    ?


    ||


    The entire audience was silent, staring at Leon with widened eyes.


    I too looked at him with stupefied eyes.


    Just...


    "Ungrateful. Un¡ª"


    "Leon, stop it."


    Aoife said all of a sudden.


    "Hm?"


    "I know you''ve been exploited by Julien, but the task was to say one word. You''re way over the word limit."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "....Oh."


    Leon bit his lips, looking all sad.


    What the fuck?


    "I get it. I''m sorry."


    "It''s nothing. We all get you."


    Kiera waved her hand dismissively. She seemed to understand him.


    "It doesn''t look like you have a single person supporting you. How do you feel, Julien?"


    Suddenly directed a question, I was a bit taken aback, but I quickly rposed myself before answering.


    "Honestly? I''m not surprised. They''ve never quite liked me from the start."


    "No, wait..."


    Feeling a little bad, Aoife waved her hand. The others followed right after.


    "We were joking."


    "Yeah."


    "Right... We were, right?"


    What''s with the hesitation?


    "Is that so...?"


    I looked at Theresa who flicked her head away from me.


    "Her reaction seems to say otherwise."


    "Yeah, but her situation is a bit different. She hates everyone, so you aren''t being left out on


    that one."


    "That''s true."


    I nodded after contemting Aoife''s words. She wasn''t wrong. Currently, Theresa hated all of us. Not that I was worried. She was probably going to get over her phase within the next couple of days or so.


    Or at least, I hoped it would be the case.


    "You guys seem to have quite the chemistry."


    Dyrk said after alternating his gaze between me and the girls. He seemed to be studying us with keen interest.


    "How long have you known each other? For you to have such chemistry with them, you must''ve worked with them for quite a long time."


    "About that..."


    How should I answer this? I didn''t know what he was talking about. Chemistry? What chemistry? They were all bashing me.


    I was about to answer the question when Aoife beat me to it.


    "A year technically, but considering how he tends to disappear whenever he wants, we''ve probably known him for about a month."


    The entire studio fell silent at her words, with the gazes of the people around us bing even more apparent. Not that I could me them. I too would''ve been surprised if I were in their position.


    "Known him for about a month?"


    "Yeah."


    Aoife nodded, crossing her arms and sinking deep into the sofa.


    "There was a time when he disappeared for an entire half a year. Ah, that was right before the Summit too."


    "Why is that?"


    "Well, I don''t know. He never tells us why he disappears and we don''t really ask."


    As Aoife continued speaking, I felt the gazes of those around me change. From surprise, to


    what felt like pity. Yes, pity. When I turned to see where those stares came from, I was surprised to see that they came from the other cadets.


    It suddenly clicked then.


    ''Do they think I have some sort of chronic illness?''


    "No, I''m not sick. I just... have things to do."


    "Wow."


    Dyrk directed his gaze toward me.


    "I hope you get better."


    "Wait, I''m not-


    "Eish. I understand. You might not want to talk about this. I''ll switch the topic for you."


    With an exasperated look, Dyrk switched the topic.


    "You may not realize it now, but I''m sure you''ll get an earful from our viewers when this episodees out. For now, let''s switch to thest and final segment."


    The lights around us dimmed, and a recording device was wheeled in.


    "Our daily lives!"


    The recording device came alive.


    "For thest segment, we will now disy short clips of the groups here and their daily lives. We asked each group a few days ago to send whatever they had, and this is the umtion of the clips that we have been sent."


    Hold on. I blinked, struggling to understand his words. This was the second time this had been mentioned to me, and it was also the second time that I struggled to understand what


    was happening.


    Clips? What clips?


    Why was I totally clueless about this?


    "Who should we start with first? Hmm. How about the first years? This looks entertaining."


    A video started ying on the television all of a sudden. On it were the members of the first years. They were a male groupposed of four young men. They were all handsome, and in the clip, they showed several funny clips of what they did in their daily lives, and a little bit of banter here and there.


    I wasn''t going to lie and say it was boring. It was fun. Very fun.


    Unlike before, I actually felt that this segment was extremely interesting. Yet, for some


    reason, I couldn''t enjoy it.


    My mind kept wondering about the clips, and what our clips were going to be about.


    Leon had most likely taken it upon himself to do the clips considering how the others didn''t look like the type to be interested in doing these things. It made sense, but the thought scared


    me.


    Just what exactly was he going to show?


    Time seemed to pass both fast and slow as clips after clips were shown. The backstage atmosphere had markedly shifted from its earlier gloomy and tense state to a more pleasant


    one.


    And then it came.


    Our clip.


    "The second clip is up next! Let''s see what we have. I''m rather curious."


    He wasn''t the only one that seemed keen on watching the video. The people in the audience,


    and even some of the other teams seemed to look forward to the clip.


    I was too, but at the same time, I felt very apprehensive.


    Click.


    The video started.


    "Check. Check. Is the video working? Check?"


    The first one to appear in the video was Evelyn who extended her hands to touch the camera.


    But she was promptly pped away by another hand as Leon''s voice echoed through the


    speakers.


    As expected, Leon was the one in charge of this.


    "Evelyn, don''t touch the recording. It''s working. I''m recording."


    "Oh... Is that so...?" Licking her lips, Evelyn took a step back and twirled her hair. Then, casting a quick nce at


    the camera, she shyly waved.


    "Hey..."


    "What?"


    "What are you doing?"


    "I''m... I''m kind of shy. I didn''t expect there to be so many people watching."


    "There''s only me watching."


    Evelyn rolled her eyes.


    "y along, will you?"


    "I don''t have time to y along. We only have a couple of minutes to shoot this video."


    The camera shifted away from Evelyn.


    "Hey! Wait! Let''s re-do it!"


    "No! Get away from me!"


    "Vice Director!"


    Leon''s refusal and the obvious tussling that was happening behind the camera caused some


    of the people around tough.


    The heavy pants of both Evelyn and Leon echoed through the speakers as they continued to


    tussle against one another.


    "L,Leon! Let me!"


    "I said no!"


    The camera ended up resting on a nearby counter which was directed toward the far end of themon, near the corridor leading up to the dorm room as Evelyn and Leon started fighting in the background. And if one looked closely, they''d spot a small figure hiding behind the very


    wall the camera was pointed to.


    ''Just what is she doing?''


    "Hey!? What''s with all the noise? Can you keep it down?"


    nk-!


    Kiera rushed down the stairs with a frown. Twirling her pinkie in her ear, she scowled and


    red in the direction of Evelyn and Leon while briefly ncing at the recording device.


    "It''s three in the afternoon, and I''m trying to sleep so keep it d-"


    "Boo!"


    "Mot******! S***! F*** me!"


    The video bleeped continuously as Kiera jumped up in the air, and shouted.


    "Where did this gremlin-looking midgete from?!"


    Wait, hold on...?


    Laughter rippled through the room as all eyes turned toward Kiera, who sank into the sofa in


    an attempt to hide her face. On the other hand, a small smile graced Theresa''s lips as she


    arrogantly looked around and nudged her head whenever someone met her gaze.


    ''You saw that didn''t you? That was me,'' was what she was trying to imply with her gaze. This


    was all caught by the recording devices around.


    The clip continued.


    "Kiera, you know better than to swear in front of a child?"


    Aoife was the next one toe out of her room as she started to berate Kiera who was


    clenching her heart.


    "What? I almost died from a heart attack. Have some damn sympathy for your ssmates."


    "Oh please. As if you''re going to die from something as little as that. You''ve been up against


    scarier opponents."


    "Like what?"


    "Like Julien whenever he tells a joke."


    "Ah."


    With a look of sudden realization, Kiera casually nodded her head and returned to her usual


    nonchnt look.


    "If you put it that way, then you''re right."


    Hold on a second...


    "That''s that."


    Having dealt with the situation, Aoife seemed to be pleased with herself and turned to head


    back into her room, when all of a sudden she jumped up in the air.


    "Mot******! S***! F*** me!"


    The video once again bleeped as Aoife started throwing curses.


    "When did you get here?!"


    Her anger was directed toward Delh who had appeared behind her out of nowhere, a


    chocte bar in her hand. Nonchntly eating one, she tilted her head.


    "I''ve always been here. Why?"


    "No, you scared me."


    "Oh."


    With a nod, Delh returned her attention back to the chocte.


    I stared at the scene with wide eyes.


    What in the hell is she doing there? Turning my head, my eyes met with Delh''s. Strangely,


    her face was a little red.


    "Hold on a second. Wait a second. Hold up. Pause."


    Massaging her forehead, Kiera looked at Aoife.


    "...Are you just going to ignore what just happened? Let''s set aside the fact that you


    completely copied every word that I said, but should I remind you of the words you literally


    said to me a couple of seconds ago?"


    "No, that''s-"


    Kiera started to directly quote Aoife''s words.


    "Kiera, you know better than to swear in front of a child?"


    "Oh please. As if you''re going to die from something as little as that. You''ve been up against


    scarier opponents."


    It was now Aoife''s turn to sink into the sofa as her gaze wandered away from the projection.


    Theughter continued to spread in the studio.


    "Keum."


    Aoife turned her head away from Kiera.


    "You''ve got no proof of any of that happening."


    "No, I actually do."


    Kiera''s eyes briefly shifted toward the recording device that rested on the counter.


    "Uh?"


    Aoife blinked, and it was then that she suddenly noticed the camera that was pointed at them.


    Her face instantly flushed red and she dashed toward it.


    "Hell no!"


    Two arms desperately clung to Aoife''s leg as she made a dash for the camera.


    "Kiera! Let go! I''m telling you as the group''s leader! You better let go or this won''t well end


    for you!"


    "Do your best!"


    And so. Another fight broke out.


    "Let go you bit**!"


    "Over my dead body!"


    In the span of a couple of minutes, two fights had broken out and one could still hear the


    muffled sound of Evelyn and Leon fighting at the back.


    "L,leon?!"


    "No means no!"


    "Akh!"


    To make matters worse, Delh and Theresa watched the spectacle with interest from the


    back as Delh slowly ate her candy. From time to time the other cadets woulde down to


    watch what was happening before fleeing the scene.


    It was a mess.


    A terrible mess.


    Click.


    The clip ended shortly after that.


    A brief silence hung in the studio as everyone''s attention was on the girls who had practically


    sunk into the deepest pits of the sofa with the exception of Theresa. Then, a lot of people broke into smiles and lightughter as the girls sank even deeper into the sofa. Staring at the scene, I didn''t have it in me tough. I was at a loss for words. I really didn''t


    know what to say.


    Damn it! I was gone for just a few days and this was the end result?


    What sort of situation was this?


    ''No, never mind. I should be d I was gone. If not I would''ve been implicated."


    I sighed in relief when my thoughts paused there.


    Trring-!


    Then, I felt mymunication device vibrate in my pocket, and I excused myself for a


    moment.


    -So, is everything done? How''s the situation?


    It was Leon.


    Eh? Leon? Wasn''t he...?


    "How are you talking to me?"


    -I recorded the message beforehand.


    "Huh? Why would you?"


    -I thought you might not like clip.


    The clip was fine. It didn''t implicate me anyway.


    Not sure he would think I would not like it.


    -I mean the second clip.


    "Eh?"


    Second one?


    My mouth suddenly paused.


    There was another one?


    And then I turned around to see my face disyed on the screen of the recording device.


    Before I knew it, a curse escaped my lips.


    "Oh... fuck."

 Chapter 459: Sudden Interview [6]

    Chapter 459: Sudden Interview [6]


    ?


    There was no word I could use to describe my current mood.


    The studio was wrapping up with the staff moving the chairs and equipment around the set. They''d nce my way giving the asional nod whenever they passed me.


    Letting out a breath, I could see my own soul slipping out of my breath.


    Putting on the friendliest expression I could muster, I walked up to the writer.


    "About thest clip..."


    "Do you want me to delete it?"


    The writer asked with a faint smile on his face. I raised my brow. Could I really get it deleted?


    "If possible... That''d be pretty helpful."


    "Sadly, I''m a mere writer. I''m not very helpful."


    I clicked my tongue. At least don''t get my hopes up. Although I already knew it wasn''t possible, a small part of me held on to the slight hope that it might just happen. But yeah, who was I to hope?


    "Don''t worry."


    The writer patted me on the shoulder.


    "The clip was funny. You don''t have to worry about the audience turning on you. As embarrassing as it was for you, it made for great entertainment. Even the other teams couldn''t help butugh at it."


    With another pat on my shoulder and a few more words of encouragement, he left directly, leaving me standing all alone on the set.


    It wasn''t until a few seconds after that Leon and the others approached me.


    11 11


    There was a strange silence between us.


    A strange silence that I broke.


    "I thought I wasn''t going to be involved in all of this."


    || ||


    The silence continued.


    Looking down at my hands, I clenched them tightly. For some reason, Theresa hid behind Evelyn who stepped behind Aoife who hid behind Kiera who flinched while mumbling, ''The fuck? Are you using me as a meatshield?'' while also hiding behind Leon.


    I nodded silently.


    Yeah, this is how it should be.


    I turned to look at them, Leon specifically.


    Immediately, they all flinched.


    "Stay back."


    Leon extended one hand forward while the other was raised defensively as if shielding his family from harm.


    It was a funny sight, but...


    "Didn''t you call me a tyrant? A dictator?"


    Shake. Shake.


    They all shook their heads, but all it did was make meugh.


    "You did."


    "Let''s talk about this."


    Leon tried his best to mediate between us, but it was useless. I wasn''t in the mood to listen. At least, at first. But soon enough, I stopped.


    That was because I noticed the girls look at one another before eventually settling their gazes on Leon who had his back turned against him.


    Although I couldn''t quite tell what they were whispering to one another, I could tell what they were thinking.


    "They''re nning on sacrificing Leon?''


    My expression turned odd.


    I would''ve done the same had I been in their position.


    How ruthless.


    "Julien, I know you''re angry about the clip, but if you think about it, it''s not too bad."


    Shifting my attention towards Leon who was still trying his best to mediate between us, I shifted my attention towards the girls.


    "Haa."


    With a sigh, I waved my hand.


    "Go."


    Their eyes lit up immediately and without saying anything else they all dashed away from Leon who was still oblivious to the situation.


    "If anything, the clip only improved your reputation. Now nobody thinks that you-Uh?"


    Of course, he did eventually realize.


    But by then, it was already toote.


    They were all far gone.


    "That..."


    Leon''s face paled, and I shook my head, cing my hand over his shoulder.


    "At this point, even I feel bad for you."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At the same time, I quietly mumbled; ''Sadness.''


    ***


    "Did you get that?"


    Dyrk spoke while ncing toward the backstage area. He had caught a glimpse of another amusing scene, causing his eyes to glimmer with delight. The more he looked at them, the more they felt like a treasure trove to him.


    They were brilliant!


    He could already imagine the audience''s reaction upon the episode''s airing.


    His entire body trembled with excitement.


    ''Yes, this is what I was looking for.''


    He originally didn''t have much hope for the program, but this...? This was beyond anything he


    had expected.


    "Make sure to send the clip to the editorster. Try to edit as fast as possible and make no


    mistake. I want this program to episode in two day''s time."


    Yes, two days.


    This was how long it would take for the program to be aired.


    While he didn''t know how well it would do, with everything he had witnessed, he was


    confident he''d at least get more than two percent.


    Yes, two percent.


    ''All I ask for is two percent.''


    Anything more than that and he''d be over the moon.


    But that was unlikely.


    Anything above two percent was only something big-budget ys, tournaments, or


    interviews would receive. But interviews?


    Unlikely.


    "Two percent..."


    ***


    Linus walked out of the audience with a dazed look on his face. He was so out of it that he looked like a walking corpse. However, in spite of his current state, nobody really said a


    thing.


    His current demeanor wasn''t a scene the cadets weren''t used to.


    After all, this was usually how most people looked like when finishing an exam.


    The only problem was that they hadn''t finished an exam. In fact, most of the cadets were


    talking with one another with a certain excitement in their eyes.


    Linus''s behavior naturally attracted the attention of the few cadets near him.


    "Linus? Are you okay?"


    ||||


    But in spite of their best attempts at talking to him, all he managed were half grunts and


    nods. Seeing this, the cadets around him eventually left him alone.


    He was clearly out of it for some reason.


    And that was true. His brain was far from functional.


    "That...''


    All he could think of was the interview.


    He could hardly make out what he had seen.


    ''.... Is that really my brother?''


    Linus couldn''t believe it. Especially thest clip that they showed. It made everyone roar withughter. From the


    production staff to the audience.


    Nobody could stopughing.


    Even Linus almost felt the urge tough. The clip was that funny.


    It was just that... his disbelief managed to suppress theughter that was about toe out.


    The man on the screen seemed so different than the Julien that he knew. So much so that it


    almost felt like they were twopletely different people.


    But he had seen Julien first hand.


    He knew that he was the same.


    And yet...


    "The brother that I know would''ve never behaved like that even if it''s fake.''


    His pride and ego wouldn''t allow him to do that.


    Linus knew all too well.


    But could it be possible that he managed to pull away from his ego? That was the only


    exnation Linus could think of.


    Still...


    "Ukh!"


    Lost in thought, Linus wasn''t paying attention to where he was walking and identally


    bumped into something hard.


    "Ah, so-"


    He was just about to apologize when he lost his words.


    Raising his head, his gazended on a man with long silver hair neatlybed to the side.


    The man stood slightly taller than him, exuding a calm demeanor. As their eyes met, the first-


    year ck Star-Jacob R. Stein-narrowed his own in response.


    Linus swallowed whatever words he had to say and simply lowered his head.


    "...Tsk."


    What he heard after was a clear tongue click.


    "Watch where you''re going."


    Jacob''s voice was soft, yet Linus felt an invisible pressure emanating from him. The sensation


    was vaguely reminiscent of his brother''s presence, prompting Linus to click his tongue in


    irritation.


    "Do you have a problem?"


    Overhearing Jacob''s words, Linus raised his head and shook his head.


    "No."


    He wanted to end things there and was just about to walk away when a hand pressed against


    his shoulder.


    "No, you certainly have a problem with me."


    Linus licked his lips and took a deep breath to calm himself down. He was quite good at this.


    With a softening of his features, he lowered his head and tried to apologize.


    But...


    "I''m sorr-"|


    p!


    Linus''s eyes widened as his head flicked to the right.


    Did he just...?


    Feeling the sting on his face, Linus didn''t know how to react. The p had been so fast that he


    hardly had any time to react.


    But he was also in shock.


    What suddenly brought the p?


    "


    As Linus prepared to react, he suddenly noticed something.


    ''He isn''t looking at me.''


    Jacob... He was looking elsewhere. Where? Where exactly was he...?


    "Ah."


    Turning his head, Linus saw him-Julien stood not far away, watching them with a nk,


    unreadable expression.


    Him just standing there attracted a lot of stares, and it was also then that Linus understood


    the reason for Jacob''s actions.


    ''So he wants Julien...''


    Linus found himself clenching his fists tightly.


    In the end, he was being used as a punching bag in order to get Julien''s attention. While Linus


    wasn''t exactly strong, he wasn''t dumb.


    He could see through everything that was happening.


    ...He also understood Jacob''s nature all too well. He was arrogant, and naturally so. His talent


    was amongst the top within the first years.


    There was no one within the year that could properly challenge him.


    He always looked to challenge the strong in order to prove his strength. And seeing how


    talented Julien was, it was obvious that his target was Julien.


    Jacob wanted to challenge Julien.


    But that was...


    ''Stupid.''


    While Jacob was strong, Julien was older. As a result, his tier was higher. If the two were to


    fight, Julien would wipe the floor with him.


    That was unless...


    "Are you just going to watch?"


    Jacob''s voice snapped Linus out of it. When he raised his head, he saw Jacob directly address


    the calm and collected Julien.


    Standing where he was, he didn''t show much of a reaction to Jacob''s words.


    This prompted Jacob to frown.


    "Are you fine with what I did to your brother?"


    Yet again, Julien remained quiet.


    He seemed to be totally ignoring Jacob. Eventually, however, he turned his head and looked


    directly at Linus.


    The two made eye contact, and Julien''s lips parted open.


    "Are you fine with what he did to you?"

 Chapter 460: Dark Silhouette [1]

    Chapter 460: Dark Silhouette[1]


    ?


    Linus blinked his eyes, unable to open his mouth.


    Overhearing his brother''s question, he didn''t know how to reply. How did he feel? Of course, the answer was simple.


    He felt like shit.


    How would anyone feel about getting pped to get their brother''s attention?


    "So?"


    As Julien asked again, Linus felt Jacob''s gaze.


    Linus suddenly felt pressured. However, seeing his brother''s stern gaze, something within Linus broke and he opened his mouth.


    "Like shit. Is that what you want me to say?"


    He started to speak truthfully.


    "Why would I like it when I''m being used to get your attention?"


    Turning his head, Linus red in Jacob''s direction. As Linus''s expression twisted, he pressed his finger against Jacob''s chest.


    "I''ll just say it now so things are clear. My brother gives no fucks about me. Whatever you do to me, it''ll only make him happy. You can p me all day if you like, but it won''t bring anything to you. If you want to challenge him, how about you say it directly?"


    The words flew out effortlessly from Linus''s mouth.


    Though Linus wasn''t paying close attention, he vaguely felt Julien''s lips curl at the edges. He almost seemed proud, but how could it be?


    He had to be imagining things.


    Pressing his finger harder, Linus''s eyes narrowed.


    "Are you that scared of asking him to fight with you? Why do you need to go about it in such a roundabout way? Are-"


    "You''ve said enough."


    Linus felt Jacob''s hand mp around his wrist, the grip so firm that he struggled to free himself.


    While Jacob''s expression was calm, Linus could tell from the tone of his voice that he was currently angry.


    "You''re right, I should''ve just been more direct."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Jacob''s grip over Linus''s wrist tightened. It was strong enough to make Linus flinch.


    "Still, are you sure your brother won''t do anything if I do something to you?"


    "Eh...?"


    Raising his head, Linus looked at Jacob and swallowed his words. He had a sudden bad feeling wash over him.


    However, by the time it happened, it was toote.


    Bang!


    A fist came flying for his face.


    "Ukh!"


    Linus heard a ''faint'' cracking sound as the fist descended, forcing his head back. An intense pain washed over his mind at that moment, forcing his vision to go white.


    By the time he recovered his vision, he felt that the world had turned upside down. Moving his head, he could see his brother looking down on him from the distance. He was staring at him without an expression while a shadow cast over his body shortly after.


    Mounting Linus''s body, Jacob raised his fist while looking at Julien.


    "Are you really not going to do anything?"


    "...."


    No response.


    Jacob nodded, and his fist came smashing down.


    Bang!


    Linus felt his head recoil to the right.


    "Nothing?"


    Bang!"


    And then to the left.


    "Urkh..."


    Linus felt his mind grow nk from the impact.


    "Really? Are you just going to stand there and watch as I-"


    "Keep going."


    A cold voice rained down, and Linus felt his body grow cold. Jacob also appeared stunned as his movements slowed down.


    However, recovering rather quickly, he clenched his fist tightly and punched down once more.


    Bang!


    "....!"


    Linus heard another ''crack'', and his expression twisted. He wanted to fight back, but how could he? The difference in strength between him and Jacob was massive.


    He could only silently endure the beating that seemed to go on forever.


    Bang, Bang-


    The pain had already dug its way deep into his mind, and it seemed to never end.


    Linus wanted it to stop, but it never did.


    Not until...


    "What is going on here?!"


    He heard a faint sound in the distance.


    It seemed to belong to one of the Professors as he heard the sound of rushed footsteps. It was


    only then that the pain stopped.


    No, it was still there.


    ...It just stopped hurting as much.


    Everything else from that point felt like a blur.


    All except a familiar voice.


    "Remember this pain."


    It was Julien''s voice. Within the darkness that clouded Linus''s vision, his words dug deeply


    into his mind.


    They were words Linus would never forget.


    "...Because it''s only going to get worse from this point forward."


    Because things truly did get worse from that point forward.


    ***


    The time it took for a Professor toe after Linus started to get beat up was about a minute


    and a half. Their response was rather fast.


    Seeing that there were quite a lot of witnesses, it took them no time to apprehend the one


    responsible for beating up Linus and take him away. He was probably going to be put into


    detention for a few weeks.


    Looking down at Linus''s body and seeing his beat-up state, I pursed my lips.


    "Why didn''t you do anything?"


    Even as Leon spoke, I kept my gaze on Linus''s body.


    "I wanted to ask the same thing to you."


    "What do you mean?" "You think I couldn''t tell you were here? I know you were watching just like I was."


    || ||


    Leon''s silence spoke volumes.


    I shook my head while maintaining my gaze on Linus. I thought back to the whole event and


    sighed.


    "He''s immature."


    ".... You''re right."


    Leon said, lowering his head slightly.


    "He''s smart. Probably smarter than you and on the same level as the family head, but his


    emotions tie him down."


    "Yeah."


    There was no denying that Linus was smart.


    He was able to rank first in the theoretical exam and achieve the top votes in anything that involved theory. However, the same couldn''t be said for his practical examinations.


    He wasn''t weak, but he was not strong.


    He was...


    Okay.


    However, if anybody asked me who I was more scared of in a fight between Linus and Jacob,


    then I''d answer Linus in a heartbeat. Perhaps not the current Linus. However, a future version that was capable of controlling his emotions.


    In a sense, I had a feeling he could be someone like the Household Head; Aldric Evenus.


    Just thinking of that man sent shivers down my spine.


    Linus was definitely capable of bing someone like that.


    It was just that he was still far too immature. He let his emotions drive his judgment, which in


    turn made him act out of ce.


    "I think this will probably help him mature a bit."


    "But is it enough?"


    Feeling Leon''s gaze, I shook my head.


    "Of course not."


    "Then...?"


    I shrugged.


    "Even though I''m not his actual brother, I''m still technically his brother. I can''t just sit here


    while doing nothing."


    "Cut the crap."


    "Eh?"


    Suddenly being interrupted by Leon, I blinked my eyes in confusion. Then, as if reading my


    true thoughts, Leon spoke,


    "You''re only helping him because you want him to be famous."


    "W-what?"


    Taking aback, my head flicked in his direction.


    "What are you...?"


    "If he bes famous, then nobody will pay attention to us and that stupid nickname will


    vanish. Isn''t that right?"


    "I..."


    How did he know?!


    "You."


    Leon shook his head, almost as if he was disappointed.


    "...I didn''t expect something so brilliant from you."


    "Eh?"


    Pressing his hand against my shoulder, Leon looked at me seriously.


    "If you need anything, tell me. I''ll do my best to help you."


    ***


    Night, a few hours after the interview.


    The events that unfolded between Julien, the Keeper, and the Pope were kept confidential by


    the Academy. In order to not spread panic, it was decided that all information would be sealed


    from outside knowledge.


    There were, however, a few exceptions.


    "The Keeper killed the Pope, and tried to insert a soul inside of Julien''s body?"


    Aoife''s face turned strange upon reading the report within the confines of her room. Following the strange events that had happened over the past few days, Aoife had asked in


    advance for the report on the situation.


    Yes, she was curious.


    But more than anything, this was also part of her job.


    She couldn''t just pretend like nothing had happened. How could she just pretend to not have


    seen what she had seen and ignored Julien''s disappearance over thest few days?


    This was also part of her responsibilities as a Princess.


    "What the hell?"


    However, the more she read the report, the more her face changed.


    "This makes no sense."


    Aoife''s eyes narrowed upon pausing on a certain section.


    "A Pope just died, and the church of Oracleus is doing nothing? No, not only that, but one of


    the Keepers even tried to insert a soul into Julien''s body...?"


    The more Aoife read the report, the more incredulous her expression became.


    The series of events were logical in how they were described. The Keeper killed the Pope and


    tried to nt a soul into Julien''s body in order to frame him.


    This was logical when taking into ount the Pope''s strength.


    However, Aoife knew this was bullshit.


    Because...


    Julien was possessed even before meeting the Keeper.


    What did this mean?


    "The Keeper never killed the Pope."


    He was innocent, and yet...?


    "He was framed."


    By who? Who could''ve done that? Aoife bit her lips. She already knew the answer, but at the


    same time, found it difficult toprehend it.


    After all, there was no way Julien could kill the Pope.


    Absolutely no way.


    And yet...


    Aoife''s hold over the transcript tightened, and just as her hands started to tremble, her


    surroundings changed.


    "Eh...?"


    Blinking her eyes, Aoife raised her head and looked around.


    "What th¡ª"


    Her words came to a stop as she looked around.


    A dark silhouette stood before her. She felt his features were vaguely familiar, but at the same


    time, unfamiliar.


    His back was against hers, and he held onto a sword.


    Aoife felt incapable of moving. She was stuck, glued to the ground. She couldn''t even open her


    mouth.


    All she felt was a strange heat that seemed toe from her surroundings.


    Crackle!


    That was when she realized it.


    mes engulfed her surroundings.


    ''W-what...?''


    Stunned, Aoife looked around. Only to pause upon hearing a voice she was all too familiar


    with.


    "I... should''ve known."


    That was when she finally saw it.


    Lying right beneath the dark silhouette was a figure she had known since young. With blood


    leaking out of his mouth, and his body lying in a rubble, he looked up with a half-smile.


    The all too familiar smile appeared on his pale face as he looked up.


    Towards the dark figure.


    He was...


    ''Brother?''


    Her brother.

 Chapter 461: Dark Silhouette [2]

    Chapter 461: Dark Silhouette[2]


    ?


    The sight made Aoife''s chest drop.


    ''W-what''s going on?''


    Was this some sort of dream? It felt like it, and yet... It all felt so real. How could this be?


    Staring at her brother who was lying beneath the dark silhouette, Aoife wanted to reach forward to tell them to stop.


    However, she couldn''t move at all.


    All she could do was listen.


    Listen to her brother''s soft and frail voice.


    "...Y-ou''re a lot stronger than I thought. W-ere you hiding your strength?"


    A sense of despair washed over Aoife as she watched the scene. The sense of despair didn''te directly from her but from somewhere else. Aoife couldn''t quite exin where it came from, but it almost felt as though she was being instilled that sense of despair.


    From who?


    "...."


    As a strange silence descended on the surroundings, the dark silhouette raised his hand in the air, revealing a sharp sword.


    The sword had intricate patterns to it that Aoife had never seen before, gleaming under the mes that surrounded them.


    ''No, wait...''


    Aoife felt her chest tremble uncontrobly upon seeing the sight in front of her.


    She wanted to scream.


    Shout...


    ''Stop, don''t!''


    But the words just refused to leave her mouth.


    And then...


    Shiiing!


    The sword fell down and blood filled the air.


    Aoife''s world froze right then and there.


    Her entire body started to tremble, and before she knew it, the surroundings changed back to the one she was previously in.


    The sound of crumpling paper snapped her out of it. When Aoife looked down, she realized the report in her hand had been crushed into a tight ball.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Her breathing was rough, and sweat poured down from the side of her face.


    shes and glimpses of the vision continued to rey in her mind as her chest squeezed tightly.


    Opening her mouth, she found herself able to speak again.


    "W-what in the world was that...?"


    ***


    Pain.


    All Linus felt upon waking up was pain. Upon opening his eyes, what greeted him was a dark room. He could hardly make out the ceiling around him, and although he tried to sit up, he found his body refused to listen to him.


    "W... Where am I?"


    Blinking his eyes, he tilted his head to get a better look.


    It was there that his surroundings became clear to him.


    "Ah, isn''t this...?"


    "Oh, you''re awake."


    Click!


    Linus squinted his eyes as the lights turned on.


    "Hm."


    Turning his head slightly, Linus managed to catch a glimpse of the figure that had entered the room. Although Linus had only seen him once, he recognized him immediately.


    "Doctor?"


    S."


    "Ah, yes, yes.


    The Doctor waved his hand dismissively, shook his head, and grabbed a clipboard. Retrieving


    a pen from his breast pocket, he began jotting something down.


    From his demenour, he looked less than pleased.


    "Does it run in your family?"


    "Excuse me?"


    Confused, Linus tilted his head.


    Run in the family? What does...? Does he have some kind of gic disease?


    "No, yeah it must be."


    "??"


    Shaking his head, the doctor sighed and wrote something down on the clipboard. Linus could only stare at the doctor with visible confusion on his face.


    "You know..."


    Putting the clipboard down, the doctor looked straight at Linus.


    "...Despite this Academy having a lot of cadets who fight every day, I don''t actually get very many patients."


    Although Linus didn''t know where the conversation was going, he still decided to nod.


    "Usually, most of my days are free. This is why I like my job. I get paid quite a lot of money for


    doing nothing."


    "Oh."


    Sounded like a dream job.


    But why was he...


    "That was until he came here."


    A hateful look shed across the doctor''s face. It was enough to make Linus flinch. What in the


    world was happening?


    "Ever since he came, I''ve been busier than ever."


    With a visible clench of his teeth, the doctor looked at Linus.


    "And now...? Not even a couple of months since the start of the new year and his brother is


    here? Is this some sort of joke?"


    Augh escaped the doctor''s mouth. It was a viciousugh that made the hair on Linus''s body


    rise.


    "Do I look like a joke to you?"


    "No, no..."


    Linus hurriedly shook his head.


    "I''m not?"


    The doctor smiled.


    "Then stop getting yourself injured!"


    Bang!


    The doctor pped the clipboard down.


    "In particr, that brother of yours. I swear to god he''s going to get himself killed one of


    these days. Do you have any idea how often hees here?!"


    "...No."


    Linus shook his head.


    This was news for him.


    "Too many times for me to count!"


    The doctor held onto his hair.


    "This ce has practically be his second home, and just a few hours ago he came to drop


    this."


    The doctor rummaged through his pocket before retrieving a small letter which he tossed in Linus''s direction.


    "I wouldn''t normally be mad about this, but the fact that the nurses and the staff didn''t even bother to check his identity before letting him in is what is bothering me. You need to tell your brother to stop getting injured. No, in fact, you need to stop getting injured as well. You


    two are going to eat away at all our budget!"


    Spit flew all over Linus''s face as the doctor continued to rant.


    The poor Linus could only quietly nod his head while his entire body was in pain. He wanted


    to cry, but nothing came out.


    Thankfully, the rant didn''tst for very long.


    It was over after several minutes. After which, the doctor tossed him the letter and grumbled


    his way out of the room.


    || ||


    When silence finally returned to the room, Linus felt his mind rx.


    By this point, he didn''t even feel the pain from before. His head hurt more than the physical


    pain he felt, and turning his head, his eyes paused on the letter that his brother had left.


    ''Why did he leave me a letter?''


    Curious, Linus reached out for it and opened it.


    The letter was short, but the contents within were enough to make Linus''s expression stiffen.


    ==


    Next week, training grounds.


    Meet me there at 5 A.M.


    I wille to find you if you''re not there.


    ==


    Flipping the letter to make sure he was seeing it correctly, Linus''s face fell.


    "What in the..."


    ***n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Two dayster, Saturday.


    Tr triiing-!


    Turning off the rm and checking the time, 8:00 am, I felt like a new man.


    The morning air felt fresher, and even my apartment didn''t seem as gloomy as it usually did.


    No, I more than embraced the gloom. It was a nice change of pace.


    There was just something fundamentally different about today than any other day.


    ''Who would''ve thought I''d long for such a day.''


    It was the weekend.


    This meant that I didn''t have any sses or anything to do.


    "Haa."


    I continued toy in bed for the next ten minutes. I tried getting more sleep, but my mind


    refused to go back to sleep.


    ''I guess I''m now too used to waking up early.''


    Not that it was a problem.


    Sitting up, I went to the training grounds to train. They were strangely empty today but I


    didn''t think too much and exercised until I couldn''t.


    By then, I went back to my apartment and took a shower which I soon followed up with a good


    breakfast.


    It was all good, but...


    "....I''m bored."


    I nkly stared at the ceiling of my room.


    No matter how much I thought about it, I really had nothing else to do. Before this, my life


    had all been about training and troubles.


    But now that there were no missions, and I had already trained, I realized that I didn''t have


    anything else to do.


    Just what in the...


    "No, things can''t go on like this."


    At this rate, I was probably going to waste my only day off.


    But what could I do?


    "Ah."


    It was then that it hit me.


    "I should leave the Academy and go rx in Lens."


    Lens was the nearest city to the Academy and the closest ce I could go to get some fresh air.


    Once the idea settled in my mind, I was quick to the action. Putting on a jacket, I sneaked out of the dorms and took the first train to Lens.


    The trip was merely a few hours and by the time I arrived in Lens, the city was already bustling


    with activities.


    "Low-tiered pill! Anybody interested in buying a pill?"


    "Green ranked manual! Buy a green-ranked manual here!"


    "Buy one get one free."


    The area outside the station was bustling with activity, with stalls lined up on both sides of


    the street. It was clear that I had arrived on a day when a pop-up market was in full swing.


    There were a lot of things being offered, but none of them quite tempted me.


    I walked around for half an hour before entering a nearby pub. Compared to the outside, it was not as loud, but it was still rtively loud. Especially


    considering that everyone was watching the projections up above the disyed different


    channels.


    I nced at the nearest one before ordering one of the local beverages.


    Nothing alcoholic since I didn''t really feel like it.


    "Not bad."


    I took a sip of the hot drink, leaning back on the wooden chair as I savored the vor. It was


    smooth and mellow, with just the perfect hint of sweetness.


    Apparently, there was no sugar, but it tasted sweet to me.


    In any case, taking another sip of the drink, I felt at peace. But the peace was only momentary.


    When I opened my eyes again, my eyes fell on the nearest projection.


    nk!


    That was when I lost grip of my drink, spilling whatever remained on it on my trousers.


    But I couldn''t care less.


    Staring up ahead, my mouth opened as my heart dropped.


    "Ah... Great."


    I hadpletely forgotten.


    Today...


    Was the day the interview was going to be aired.

 Chapter 462: Airing [1]

    Chapter 462: Airing [1]


    ?


    Pubs were usually spots where folks went to unwind with a drink after a tough day at work. It was prettymon for people to swing by after work to let out all the stress built up during the day.


    Bars offered various forms of entertainment, like pool tables and the like. However, on this particr day, a lot of the eyes were glued to the projection at the back of the bar.


    And as expected, more than one nce was directed my way.


    That was because moments ago a small teaser of the show appeared, and even if it was a short glimpse, you could see my face. Still, that onlysted for a brief moment before people stopped paying attention on focused their attention back on their drinks.


    Some recognized me, but none of them really approached me.


    This was the golden rule of a pub.


    Everyone understood that. and I was thankful for it.


    As a waiter came to help me clean up, I ordered another drink. This time, I ordered some alcohol. A very powerful one.


    All I felt was numb.


    Especially when I recalled the events at the very end of the video.


    "Here you go."


    Taking therge ss, I took a big gulp of the drink.


    Frankly, the drink sucked.


    It burned the back of my throat and I wanted to spit it out, but...


    Gulp!


    I forced another chug. I had no choice but to.


    ''It''s starting.''


    The projection shed and the program began.


    The bar, which had previously been bustling, quieted down a little bit as some people turned their focus on the projection. Seeing this, I took another big sip of the drink.


    "Fuck, it burns."


    The show started. Walking into the studio was Dyrk, friendly as I had seen him back on set. Then, the cameras rolled to the other groups before stopping on the usual suspects. Leon, Aoife, and the others.


    ''Wow, how handsome.''


    ''She''s really pretty.''


    ''Ah, look at her. She''s cute.''


    The surroundings had gotten a tad bit quieter as some of those who weren''t paying attention focused on the girls on the screen, if only for a brief moment.


    ''Good thing I''m backstage. I shouldn''t be see-''


    That was what I thought until I spat my drink in my mouth as the angle changed and I could see my face very clearly on the screen... and closely.


    Beneath me a small title appeared, saying; ''Julien Dacre Evenus, Summit Winner.'' "Ah..."


    My grip on the drink tightened.


    Cr-Crack!


    Faint miniature cracks started to form on the cup as a horrible thought urred to me. Surely they weren''t going to focus on me, right?


    "It can''t be, right?"


    I was all of a sudden starting to get a bad feeling as my stomach started to drop and I secretly prayed that I was wrong.


    That whatever I was imagining was merely the fruit of my own imagination and that it was just me being paranoid.


    Please. Let me be wrong.


    Please...


    But if my prayers couldn''t help me with my cancer, how could they help me with this?


    ''Ah, fuck.''


    The show continued despite my prayers. From the introductions to the light banter between the groups and the MC until finally, the quick-fire questions began with the other groups. The attention of the people around us had long been away from the television as the noise started to get louder again. Clearly, the show hadn''t been enough to keep them captivated.


    Yes, good.


    Don''t look. Lose all interest in the show.


    That''s right.


    While this was happening I was continuously ncing at mymunication device where I was receiving a lot of messages.


    I tried to ignore them but there were simply so many of them.


    Furthermore, I was also able to see thements on the page dedicated to the program.


    It was currently flooded.


    I was so lost by the situation that I had long lost track of the program, and the only thing that snapped me out of it was the lightughter that came from around me.


    When I raised my head I finally realized why as my attention turned on the screen where Aoife and Kiera appeared. It was still the quick-fire question round, and the two of them were absolutely destroying each other.


    Especially Aoife who was taking revenge on Kiera.


    "Is it true that you take pleasure in watching children cry?"


    "Uh?"


    "Answer the question!"


    "What kind of question..."


    Buzz-!


    "Ahhh???"


    Kiera looked around her in total shock.


    "This is actually a question?"


    Buzz-!


    The buzz sounded again and Aoife pounded hard against the table.


    "Do you like to hit children, or not?! Answer the damn question, damn it!"


    "You just changed the-"


    "Answer me!"


    The folks at the bar burst intoughter at their yful antics, drawing more and more


    attention to the show.


    In real time, thements on the page started to flood, and it wasn''t even a couple of minutes after when a thread started.


    [What is a child doing in the Academy? She looks in pain. Petition to save her!]


    "What the..."


    When I nced up, I noticed all eyes were on Theresa as she openly disyed her disapproval


    of the five of us.


    No freedom, human rights, and the like...


    I had to hold myself from cursing as I browsed through the thread and read all thements demanding that we release Theresa from our evil ways, denouncing each and every girl, and... -That Julien guy looks evil. Just look at his face. He probably tortures her every day.


    -I refuse to believe someone with that face can be anything but mean. I''m fine with the girls, but just


    not him. Even the stupid-looking guy looks better.


    -That''s it! We need to start freeing Theresa from him!


    || ||


    I was speechless. Utterly speechless. The words just didn''t seem to want toe out of my


    mouth as I stared at thements in front of me.


    Why were they attacking me?


    For what? Just the way I looked? How did that even make any sense?


    "Hahahahah."


    Theughter once again pulled me from my own thoughts, and when I looked up, I was


    horrified to see my own face reflected on the screen, right at the very bottom, showing in real-time my reaction to whatever was being disyed on the screen.


    The scene in front of me left me at aplete loss for words.


    When did they get my reactions? No, in the first ce, how?


    Besides the weird threat that I made sure to report, all the otherments were rtively


    positive.


    -Has anyone tuned in to watch the interview on the UCN channel? It''s so fun!


    -Hahahaha. I''m rolling on the floor. This is too funny.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    I felt the corner of my lips curl at all thepliments that were thrown at me.


    ''They said I''m funny.''


    I saved the picture and sent to to Leon while writing; ''Look, they''re saying I''m funny. See?


    You''re the problem.''


    I was just about to send Leon another message when a new one popped up.


    [You''ve been blocked.]


    "Eh?"


    Did I just get blocked?


    For a brief moment, I had even forgotten about all thements and my reactions that were


    being disyed on the video.


    For a moment, I let my guard down. I let my guard down enough to not realize what was to


    come next and it was only when I heard a familiar sound that I abruptly raised my head and


    looked at the projection.


    "Oh, no."


    My heart dropped considerably.


    Chugging the drink down, I tossed a couple of bills on the table and sped out of the pub. But


    just as I got out of the pub, mymunication device rang.


    When I looked down I realized it was a message from Leon.


    It was a photo.


    A photo rted to the video.


    [N.1 Trending - Julien Dacre Evenus]


    ***


    "Hello?"


    Delh''s soft voice echoed across her office as she picked up hermunication device.


    Upon hearing the contents of the call, she shook her head.


    "No, I''m sorry. At the moment we have no ns for that. I''ll save your number and let you


    know if we can save time for you. Yes. Yes. Will do, thank you."


    She hung up the phone shortly after that and rubbed her forehead.


    "...Why did my work increase?"


    Delh rubbed her head. She had been working since the morning, and she hadn''t even had


    the time to eat.


    Still, despite all the work he was handling, Delh wasn''t actually mad.


    Rather...


    "Huek."


    She asionally even let out a small sound in the middle of work as her shoulders trembled.


    This went on for a couple of hours until she eventually took out her phone and started to rey a certain video.


    It was the video of the interview. Specifically, the one that yed at the very end of the


    interview.


    She had asked for it right after the interview ended, and whenever she felt tired from work,


    she would open the video and y it.


    Now being a good example.


    Click.


    The video started.


    "Isn''t it ratherte? What''s with Julien?"


    "Don''t know. Who even knows what that guy is up to?"


    Aoife, Evelyn, and Kiera were huddled together in themon room. Leon on the other hand,


    was holding onto the recording device.


    Turning her head, Aoife warily nced at the camera being pointed at them.


    "Why are you recording?"


    "Well, I''ve been told to make a video so here I am."


    "Ah."


    Aoife nodded her head in understanding.


    Then...


    Click!


    With a ''click,'' the door of the apartment swung open, and in walked a weary figure. His eyes


    were puffy, and his eyelids drooped almost shut as he entered the apartment. It was Julien. "Oh, you''re here."


    Aoife greeted him in the video with a weird look, but all she got in response was a half grunt from him. He kept walking, ignoring her and everyone before eventuallying to a halt before therge ne mirror next to the corridor leading to the dorms.


    The confused looks of Dyrk and the other contestants on the show were disyed on the


    screen at that moment.


    The girls on the other hand all held their mouths, trying their best not tough but miserably


    failing at it.


    With a short pause, Julien looked right at the mirror and stepped to the side while muttering, "After you."


    The entire studio froze and the eyes of the presenter opened widely.


    "J-Julien??"


    The same was true for the girls in the video who looked at Julien worriedly. Completely ignoring them, Julien continued to stare at his reflection in the mirror before


    nodding his head and thanking the mirror.


    "I see. I guess I''ll go first. Thank yo-Uakh!"


    His head smacked first against the mirror, and the studio erupted intoughter as Julien''s


    mortified expression filled the screen.


    "Oy, do I look like a joke to you?"


    Julien red at the mirror while holding onto his forehead. Then, with a frown, his re


    intensified.


    "I''m tired and didn''t sleep for the past day so if possible I''d like it if you could just move out


    of the way for me."


    He then stood in front of the mirror for the next minute or so, waiting for the figure to move


    away.


    "Are you not moving?"


    He started to roll up his sleeves.


    Before things could get even worse, the girls, Aoife, Evelyn, Kiera, and even Leon all rushed


    up to him to hold him back as he tried to rush the mirror.


    "Julien no! Julien!!"


    "Hold him!"


    "Someone hold him back before he breaks the mirror!"


    A crisp and pearlyugh filled the confines of Delh''s room as a smile blossomed on her


    face.


    It was a smile that could light up an entire room.


    One that no one thought she was ever capable of making.

 Chapter 463: Airing [2]

    Chapter 463: Airing [2]


    ?


    Tensions ran high in a certain studio.


    Dyrk, the presenter of the interview paced across the room while holding his fist onto his mouth.


    ''It shouldn''t be too bad, right? Two percent. That''s all I''m asking for. No, one point five percent is good too. Even one percent is good.''


    Thetest interview had aired.


    Because of the umted nerves, Dyrk decided to stay out of the studio.


    He knew the results would only show up once the interview ended. However, he couldn''t wait at all.


    He was nervous.


    So damn nervous.


    "Damn it, how much more do I have to wait?"


    Pausing, Dyrk checked the time and groaned.


    Only five minutes had passed since the interview had aired. It almost felt like an hour had passed, and yet, it was only a few minutes.


    The realization felt agonizing.


    "Should I just knock myself out so that-!"


    nk!


    With the sudden opening of the door, a figure rushed into the room. Frightened, Dyrk jumped back.


    He was just about to protest when he noticed that he was familiar with the figure.


    "Writer...?"


    "Haa... Haaa..."


    Holding onto several papers and breathing heavily, the writer of the show, Jack Bannali raised


    his head and looked at Dyrk. There was a strange glimmer in his eyes as he looked up.


    Holding onto amunication device, he raised it up.


    "This..."


    Struggling to get his words out under his heavy breathing, Jack took a deep breath before speaking at all once.


    "It''s a hit! The interview! It''s blowing up!"


    ***


    The final rating of the show ended up reaching a staggering 5.7%. This didn''t sound like much, but for a mere interview, this was a staggering number.


    Not taking into ount the fact that people who missed the live broadcast could watch it right after. The number of views was staggering.


    The cadets from Haven became the topic of discussion for all those within the Empire.


    In particr, a specific person.


    "Huek."


    Leon''s face trembled as he held onto amunication device.


    It was a strange sight.


    While his face held no expression, his body would tremble from time to time as he would let out strange sounds in the middle of the ss.


    "...Kh."


    He wasn''t the only one.


    Half of the ss was behaving in the same way.


    With all attention focused on a single figure, the strange sounds persisted throughout the lecture. They were loud enough to disrupt the lecture, but the Professor turned a blind eye to


    it.


    Because...


    "The spellposition is highly dependent on the... Hoo... different types of runes that... K- eum, excuse me. It''s highly dependent on the different types of... Ho."


    Even he was struggling to maintain a straight expression.


    Feeling theughs and stares from all the cadets, Julien''s expression remained indifferent. It almost felt like he waspletely unaffected by theughs and stares.


    Of course, that was merely on the outside.


    ''Leon, Aoife, Kiera, Professor Karlian, Kaelion? Is heughing too? Amell? Leon''s brother? Oh, right. That guy is royalty. What was her name again? Leon''s sister-inw? Andreas. Carmen.''


    Julien was currently busy memorizing the faces and names of those who wereughing. He was currently writing a kill list.


    If any of the people on the kill list ever were in mortal danger, he wasn''t going to save them. In Leon''s case, Julien was prepared tough at his death.


    ''See if heughs then.''


    Julien ground his teeth while adding name after name to the list.


    Eventually, his gaze paused toward a bright-eyed figure. With two deep yellow eyes, he was


    hard to miss out.


    Julien''s brows rose up at the sight of him.


    ''He''s notughing?''


    This was a rare sighting.


    However, when Julien thought about it, then it made sense.


    Caius didn''t strike him as a person who would spend time watching that sort of stuff. He wasn''t even present during the live interview.


    Of course, he wasn''t interested in watching the broadcast.


    As Julien was about to nod at him, he realized something.


    "Oh."


    Caius...


    He had lost all of his emotions.


    Even if he wanted to, he couldn''tugh at him.


    Thinking thus far, Julien didn''t know how to feel. In the end, he still wrote Caius''s name in the


    list.


    In his mind, he knew.


    He was probably going tough at him too.


    ***


    Swoosh-!


    The curtains ballooned, casting a faint shadow as a silhouette emerged within the spacious office. The room was spacious, with a towering bookshelf filled with leather-bound tomes dominating one wall.


    A grand window allowed light to pour in, illuminating the intricate carvings of the massive wooden desk that stood as the centerpiece.


    It was currently dark outside, but the light from the chandelier at the top brightly illuminated


    the room.


    Behind the desk sat a man with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.


    Pen in hand, Ivan held his head lowered while writing on a certain document. He seemedpletely oblivious to the silhouette that moved silently right in front of him, casting a


    faint shadow above him.


    "....Hm?"


    It was only then that Ivan stopped and looked up.


    Raising his head, a faint smile spread across his lips.


    "You''re back."


    "....I''m back."


    A voice, eerily identical to his own, echoed softly across the room. As the chandelier''s light


    spilled over the silhouette, its features came into sharp focus-standing before him was an


    exact replica of himself.


    From the hair to the eyes, and even the faint smile on his lips.


    Everything was identical.


    "I''ve received the report. It looks like things didn''t go as nned."


    Putting the pen away, Ivan stood up and walked over to his clone. Pinching his chin, he looked


    closely at it, examining it for anything out of the ordinary.


    However, as he looked deeply, he found nothing strange and nodded.


    "Alright, let''s see what happened."


    Pressing his hand against the forehead of his clone, Ivan closed his eyes.


    Vivid images flooded Ivan''s mind, reying the events that had unfolded in Haven. As the


    memories cycled through, a faint frown slowly etched itself onto his face. He felt a strange sense of difort that he couldn''t quite put into ce.


    Opening his eyes, his frown only deepened. The clone had already disappeared and the only


    person standing in the room was the original Ivan.


    "Someone tampered with the memories."


    Although not clear, Ivan could tell that certain scenes he witnessed didn''t make sense. Of


    course, while he was a little troubled by this development, he wasn''t shocked.


    After all, he had expected this to happen from the start.


    Turning his head, his eyes fell on a certain letter. He had received it early in the morning but


    never had the time to open it.


    It now seemed like an opportune time.


    Riiip-


    Retrieving a small knife, he tore the top of the letter and opened up the contents.


    "Ah, as expected."


    His expression eased upon reading the contents of the letter. All it did was confirm his


    previous doubts, and everything fell into ce.


    "It looks like there''s a chance the leader himself has made a move. Only he is capable of doing


    something like this to one of my clones."


    This was big news.


    It meant that the leader of the Inverted Sky was now within the Nurs Ancifa Empire. So long as


    they yed their cards right they could trap him and detain him.


    "I''ll need to start formatting my case review."


    Rummaging through his desk, Ivan hastily looked through several papers. However, it was to


    his annoyance that he couldn''t find what he wanted.


    In the end, he had no choice but to call his assistant up.


    "ra, get me the case review papers on my desk immediately."


    For an operation as monumental as the one Ivan was nning, he needed apelling


    argument to sway the entire association, including the Royal Family and Central. To achieve that, he had to meticulously organize his evidence and present it convincingly.


    Even as one of the Monarchs, he couldn''t justify ordering them to set up a to hunt down a


    figure whose existence was uncertain.


    He had to make sure that he could leave no way out for the opposing side.


    To, Tok-n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thankfully, his assistant was very efficient.


    Shortly after Ivan issued themand, she entered the room with the papers in question.


    ra was a new assistant that Ivan had hired just a few months back. While he didn''t actually


    hire her as that wasn''t his job, he had been rather satisfied with her.


    She was efficient and never asked questions.


    With short brown hair, thin-framed oval sses, and a dusting of freckles across her face, she


    had a slightly nerdy appearance-but one that carried its own unique charm.


    "Here you go, sir."


    "Ah, thank you very much."


    Ivan hastily retrieved the papers and started to sort through them before eventually picking


    up his pen where he began writing.


    "You may go."


    Right as he started, he waved his hand to dismiss ra.


    "Yes, understood!"


    Ivan expected ra to leave, but just as she stepped away, she stopped.


    "Ah, right! There''s something else I wanted to mention, sir."


    "Yes...?"


    Frowning, Ivan turned around.


    He didn''t quite like getting disturbed, but managed to quell his annoyance and spoke with an


    even tone.


    "You''ve received a package."


    "A package?"


    "Yes, it''s rather big. I''ve checked the contents and it looks pretty safe."


    ra held up a small wooden box, rectangr in shape and rather long. Ivan''s eyes scanned


    the box, but he couldn''t sense anything unusual about it.


    "Okay."


    Without thinking too much, Ivan retrieved the box and opened it.


    He didn''t have any expectations when opening the box, thinking that it was just amon


    gift, but the moment he opened the box, his face changed subtly.


    "....Ah."


    It was a wine bottle. A well-maintained and luxurious wine bottle.


    Ivan''s lips pressed together in a tight line as his gaze lingered on the bottle. His grip on the


    box tightened noticeably.


    After a few moments, he took a deep breath, managing to calm himself.


    "Send this gift back. Tell them I appreciate the gift, but I can''t drink alcohol."


    "Ah? But this looks really expensive."


    With a surprised look, ra took the bottle and closely examined it. Her brows jumped up as


    she read the tag ced at the very front of the bottle.


    "Wow, this Mount Eir? Isn''t that one of the top brands? It would be a pity to send this


    back."


    "It''s alright. If there''s anything that I don''tck, it would be money. I just prefer to not drink."


    "Oh, I see. A pity. A pity."


    A pity?


    Frowning, Ivan opened his mouth tosh out, but before the words could escape, he felt them


    get abruptly sucked back in.


    "... And here I thought you liked alcohol. After all, given your line of work, there must be


    things you must want to forget, right?"


    As if he had been struck by a thunderbolt, Ivan''s body froze.


    Staring at his assistant who was casually admiring the bottle, Ivan felt his mouth grow dry.


    She...


    She couldn''t know, right?


    It couldn''t be. It...


    "Well, what a pity."


    With a simple smile, ra ced the bottle in the box.


    "I guess I''ll return it now."


    Turning to look at Ivan, she smiled and dismissed herself.


    "I''ll see myself out."


    nk!

 Chapter 464: Drink [1]

    Chapter 464: Drink [1]


    ?


    What does it take to be a Monarch?


    Was it as simple as reaching the ninth tier, or was there something deeper-something darker?


    To themon folk, it might seem like a matter of raw talent or providence, as though destiny merely selected its rulers. But those who wore the crown of true Monarchs knew the unspoken truth: their thrones were built not of glory, but of sacrifice.


    To stand at the summit of the world, blood had to be spilled. Choices had to be made, choices that wed at the soul and left marks that no power could erase. For every title, for every de, there was a debt-a cost paid not in gold but in pain and anguish. Some his own, some in others...


    Ivan knew this better than anyone.


    The horrors he had endured-and inflicted-on his path to the top were memories he dared not recall.


    Alcohol was a great means to forget.


    With enough power, the alcohol could get anyone to forget. Even a Monarch was no different. While there were spells that could achieve simr effects, they weren''t quite the same.


    Ivan used to be addicted to the alcohol.


    He loved it.


    Relished it.


    It helped him forget the pain, and through such a cycle, he found himself at the peak of the world.


    He had reached a point where he could overlook the world.


    And it was also at that point that he decided to stop.


    At this point in his life, no one had the authority tomand him. How could they? He was the strongest. He was the one whomanded. He didn''t have to do the things he used to do.


    He could start anew.


    ...And the first step was dropping the alcohol, which he did.


    Nearly a decade had slipped by since those days, and Ivan had nearly forgotten the taste of alcohol. That familiar blend of bitterness and sweetness that once granted him a means of escape.


    He no longer needed it.


    "....It''s been a while."


    Leaning his head back against the chair, Ivan''s finger drummed against the wooden table. As his thoughts lingered over the wine bottle, he licked his lips.


    They were strangely dry.


    "I must be tired."


    He wouldn''t usually be this fazed by something like a wine bottle.


    When someone reaches a certain level, their mental stability heightens. It took a lot to shake a Monarch''s heart.


    But if they were tired...? That was a different story.


    The more tired one was the weaker their mental strength was.


    "I guess I really am."


    Sending a clone so far away did indeed consume a lot of mana. When putting it that way, it only made sense. Not only that but taking into ount the fact that he had been working since dawn, it was only natural that he was tired.


    Picking up his pen, Ivan looked at the case review and licked his lips once more.


    "I''ll finish this up and get some re-"


    Ivan suddenly paused.


    Flicking his head up, his eyes rested on a wooden case that rested on the sofa opposite him. "What?"


    His expression began to change then as his eyes narrowed.


    Pressing down on themunication device, he quickly called for ra.


    "Hey, ra. Did you forget to take the gift?"


    He didn''t have to wait long for the reply. It came within moments.


    -Hai! It looks like I forgot it! I''m deeply sorry.


    "It''s okay."


    Ivan moved his hand away from themunication device and leaned back. He was a little annoyed but kept hisposure.


    Picking up the pen, he resumed his case review.


    But...


    Tak-


    Dropping the pen, Ivan leaned back against the chair.


    ''I can''t work like this.''


    Despite his best efforts to concentrate, Ivan''s gaze kept drifting back to the box. It was as if the object held some inexplicable allure, drawing his eyes to it again and again, no matter how hard he tried to resist.


    It made it hard for him to focus.


    Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed.


    "I guess really am tired."


    He reminded himself to take a rest after he was done. Since he couldn''t focus, he decided to take a little break to wait for ra toe. Closing his eyes, he decided to get some shut-


    eye.


    ||||


    As the surroundings turned quiet, Ivan''s brows slowly started to knit together.


    Yet again, the bottle lingered in his mind.


    The box refused to leave his thoughts, its presence lingering in his mind like an annoying fly that he couldn''t swat away. Coupled with the heavy silence that enveloped him, the


    atmosphere grew increasingly stifling.


    Covering his mouth, Ivan tried to bring his thoughts away from it.


    But...


    "...."


    He couldn''t stop himself.


    Lifting his head to stare at the box, he felt a lump form in his throat. For a brief moment, he


    started to recall the sweet yet bitter taste he had thought he had forgotten.


    He licked his lips.


    How many times had he done so over the past few seconds?


    His hands started to itch.


    His heartbeat increased, and his lips pressed tightly.


    To Tok-


    "I''m here! I''m sorry for suddenly intruding."


    Entering the office was ra who rushed towards the bottle. She was just about to reach it


    when she paused.


    "Sir, Ivan?"


    Her worried tone snapped Ivan out of it as he lifted his head to look at her.


    "Yes...?"


    "Are you okay?"


    "Why wouldn''t I be?"


    "No, it''s..."


    With some hesitation, she swallowed her saliva and spoke,


    "You look a little pale. Are you sure you''re alright?"


    "Pale?"


    Turning his head to look at his small mirror, Ivan''s expression subtly shifted upon seeing his


    reflection. It was as ra said. His face was pale, and so were his lips.


    When did...


    "You must be tired, right? It tends to happen."


    ra''s voice echoed in the background.


    "I''ve seen how hard you work. You have been up since early in the morning for the past week,


    leaving at night. I think you should get some rest."


    "Ah, yes. You''re probably right."


    Ivan rubbed his head, shifting his focus on the case review in front of him.


    His palms felt strangely sweaty.


    "....Let me just get this done."


    "Oh, I see." ra looked worried, but she pressed her lips and stopped speaking.


    "Then..."


    Hesitantly looking at the bottle in front of her, she ced it on the table.


    "...Why don''t you have a little drink?"


    Ivan''s brows furrowed tightly as he raised his head.


    "Didn''t you hear me before? I don''t like drinking."


    His voice even rose a little.


    However, ra didn''t flinch.


    "I know, I know, but in your current state, you deserve to drink a little."


    "No! I won''t drink!"


    Ivan''s voice boomed throughout the office. This time, ra did flinch, even taking a step


    back.


    "Ah."


    Seeing the look of fear on her face, Ivan snapped out of it and pursed his lips.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Sorry, I guess I really am tired. I''m not usually like this."


    "I know."


    ra replied, her voice a soft hush.


    "...I just thought that it might help you, sir."


    "Help me? Why would it help me?"


    "Because, sometimes... It''s okay to forget."


    "Uh?"


    Ivan looked towards ra''s direction. At that moment, she sat down on the seat opposite


    while cing the box down.


    "I don''t know what made you decide to stop, but sometimes, one needs to release all their


    bottled-up emotions."


    Her voice was soothing, pleasing to the ears as Ivan listened.


    "....I''m sure someone like you has a lot of bottled-up emotions, right?"


    "Yes, of course I do."


    Ivan answered in a low tone, shifting his attention to the case review paper.


    "There''s a lot of things that bother metely, and I didn''t think you''d make it into it.


    "I see, I didn''t mean to annoy you."


    "Did you, now? It looks an awful lot to me like you''re trying to get me to drink. Do you think


    I''m stupid!?"


    Bang!


    Ivan smacked his fist against the table while standing up. His imposing presence instantly brought ra to her feet and she brought her hands forward.


    "Sir, you''re misunderstanding. You''re misunderstanding. I''m really not-!"


    "...Of course, you''d say that."


    Flicking his hand, the box floated in the air and arrived right before Ivan who tore it open and


    retrieved the bottle.


    "Why do you want me to drink it? Is there some sort of poison in it? Is that what it is?"


    "How could...?"


    Plop!


    Flicking his thumb, the cork of the wine flicked away.


    "Come here!"


    "Hiep!"


    Raising his other hand, Ca''s body flung in his direction, his hand mping on her neck.


    "W-What a..?"


    "You want me to drink it? Fine, but you drink along with me."


    "!!"


    Taking the bottle, he directly shoved it into her mouth. Ca''s eyes widened considerably as


    her face paled. She tried to resist his grip, but how could she?


    There was no way for her to resist Ivan.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    As her limbs iled weakly, Ivan relentlessly forced the wine deeper into her mouth. Crimson


    streaks began to trail down from the corners of her lips, pooling below, while her eyes rolled


    back, leaving only a chilling white behind.


    Eventually, her resistance stopped, but Ivan was so out of it that he didn''t notice it.


    "Drink! Drink! Drink it!!"


    His eyes were red as he shoved the drink down the throat. He was so absorbed in his actions


    that he hadn''t noticed that Ca had long stopped breathing.


    "Drink it! How is it? Does it ta-"


    It took him a good minute for him to realize, and only then did he stop.


    But by then, it was already toote.


    In his momentary moment of craze, he...


    Drip! Drip...!


    The faint, rhythmic sound of wine dripping onto the floor echoed eerily in the otherwise


    silent room. Ivan stood motionless, his hand trembling as he stared nkly at the lifeless


    body before him, his eyes turning haze.


    "W-what... what..."


    It all happened so fast that he still hadn''t realized what had happened.


    Once he did, however...


    Thump!


    He let go of ra''s body and slumped down on his chair.


    With a nk look on his face, his eyes fell on the bottle on his table.


    "....W-what happened? How did...?"


    ***


    Tr Trr-!


    The loud sound of the rm woke me up early in the morning. Rubbing my eyes, I checked the


    time; 3:35 A.M., and massaged my face.


    It was quite early, but this was usually the time when I started training.


    sses usually tended to start at around eight in the morning, but I liked to take the entire


    morning to train in advance and get myself read. Furthermore, today I made a certain appointment with someone.


    "He''lleter, so I''ll spend the next few hours training by myself."


    Sitting up, I rubbed my face one more time before heading to the shower, changing, and


    heading for the training grounds. The training grounds weren''t far.


    They were right next to the dorms, and I arrived in no time.


    I half-expected the ce to bepletely empty, but much to my surprise, I heard faint


    muffled soundsing from within.


    ''Wow, there''s someone so diligent?'' Surprised, I reached for the door and opened it.


    nk! nk-


    Instantly, an explosive sound reached my ears, almost shattering my eardrums as two figures


    stood in the middle of the training grounds, sparring with one another.


    I felt an intense pulse of mana sweep in my direction, forcing me to squint my eyes.


    §£§Ñ §£§à§à§ä-


    Even the ground vibrated at the sheer impact of the force behind the punches.


    However, it wasn''t the sounds that shocked me.


    No, that was fine.


    What truly surprised me were the two figures that were fighting.


    ''Kaelion? Caius?''


    Why would they...?

 Chapter 465: Drink [2]

    Chapter 465: Drink [2]


    ?


    Boom-


    The surroundings shook once more, and a wave of pressurized wind pushed in my direction, causing my hair and clothes to flutter.


    I''d have normally reacted, but the scene before me made me unable to do so.


    ''.... What are the two of them doing? No, I get that they''re training, but since when did the two start training together?''


    Staring at them and seeing their movements, I knew this wasn''t the first time they had started training together.


    I could see there was some tacit understanding between the two as they fought.


    When Kaelion pushed, Caius retreated, cushioning all of his blows. On the other hand, when it was Caius''s turn to push, Kaelion would retreat and take in all of his attacks.


    Staring at the two, and seeing all the blood sttered across the ground, a realization hit me. ''Now that I think about it... Isn''t Kaelion the best meat shield possible?''


    Seeing the blood on the ground, and seeing it move back to Kaelion who sucked it all back into his body, healing his injuries, I realized my thoughts weren''t far off from reality.


    He really was...


    Bang!


    Shifting my attention back to the fight, I noticed Kaelion crashing against the nearest wall. His expression twisted from the pain as he stumbled on the ground.


    "Haa...! Stop! Stop...!"


    Holding his hand forward, he spoke in a hoarse tone.


    "I... Haa... I can''t take it. Let me take a rest."


    On the other side, Caius stopped dead in his tracks and took a deep breath. He looked rtively unharmed besides a few scratches here and there. At first nce, it looked like Caius had dominated the entire fight, but staring at the pool of sweat beneath him, I knew he was merely putting up a front.


    He was probably extremely tired.


    ''No, even that seems like an understatement.''


    Lost in thought, I didn''t realize that the two of them had taken notice of my presence. It was strangely quiet in the training grounds, and when I looked up, I saw four eyes staring at me. "Oh."


    I rubbed my face, trying my best to think of something to say.


    Unfortunately, I wasn''t very good at it and the awkward silence persisted.


    That was until I heard Kaelion groan again.


    Helping himself lean against the side of the wall, a bitter smile formed on Kaelion''s lips. "That hurts."


    His words were directed towards the silent Caius who was still looking at me. His gaze was quite intense, finding it both ufortable and awkward.


    Thankfully, it didn''t persist for long as he raised his hand and pointed it at me.


    "Fight me."


    Just two words, but the meaning behind his words was clear.


    On the opposite side, Kaelion looked at Caius with an incredulous look.


    "...Are you serious? Are... Haa... you not tired?"


    ||||


    Caius didn''t reply and just stared at me.


    Meeting his gaze, I narrowed my eyes and shifted my focus to the pool of sweat beneath him. He didn''t really look to be in the best of state to fight.


    "Are you sure?"


    "I''m sure."


    There was no hesitation in Caius''s eyes.


    With his attention fully fixed on me, he pointed at his temple.


    "Use your Emotive Magic on me. Let me feel it."


    "....Ahh."


    So that''s how it is...


    He didn''t really want to fight me. He was clearly not in the state for that. His real intention was to test or experience my Emotive Magic.


    ''Right, given what happened to him, I''d also do the same thing.''


    What had happened to Caius wasn''t really a secret. Everyone knew about his condition, but nobody really looked down on Caius for it. After all, emotionless or not, he was still a monster.


    In fact, one could even argue he was more monstrous now than before.


    His score for the third progression analysis highlighted this.


    "...Will you...?"


    Raising my head back up, I looked straight into Caius''s eyes and nodded my head.


    "Why not?"


    I stepped forward, moving closer to him. I was also curious to see the extent of his ''condition''. If he couldn''t feel emotions, did that mean that he was immune to Emotive


    Magic?


    If that was the case, didn''t that mean he was stronger than me?


    ''I''m really curious to see if Emotive Magic can still affect someone who doesn''t feel


    anything.''


    Coming to a stop right in front of him, I furrowed my brows and asked, "Which phase do you


    want me to test on you?"


    "The first phase."


    I raised my brow.


    "....Are you sure?"


    The first phase was touch. The most powerful and intense of the five phases of Emotive Magic.


    If I didn''t hold back, then I was certain I could leave permanent damage to someone''s brain. I


    had already done this in the past.


    This was why I was a little apprehensive about his request.


    "I''m sure. Go all out."


    However, seeing how resolute he was, I could only internally sigh. Shifting my attention


    towards the silent Kaelion, I pressed my hand against Caius''s shoulder.


    "If you notice anything out of the norm, push me away from him."


    "Okay."


    Kaelion nodded while holding onto his shoulder. I felt a little more relieved upon seeing him


    nod. With him here, I could feel a little more safe about my next actions.


    Taking a deep breath, I squeezed Caius''s shoulder and mumbled,


    "Joy."


    ***


    How did joy feel like?


    Caius had long forgotten the feeling. No, he had long forgotten what any of the emotions felt


    like.


    That was why he wanted Julien to test his Emotive Magic on him. He wanted to see if he could


    feel them again.


    ...He wanted to see if he could make him remember again.


    What it felt like to feel joy.


    "Bear with it."


    As Julien''s voice fell, Caius braced himself and he felt something warm embrace his mind.


    It tickled at first, starting from his chest and moving up to his head.


    His mind started to feel light, and the colors around him heightened. His heartbeat increased


    and he felt his lips curl upwards.


    But...


    These were all physical changes.


    In reality, he still felt nothing. While his colors heightened, the changes were minimal. It all


    still felt in to him. His heart raced, but it only felt ticklish.


    Was this the extent of his joy?


    ...He hardly felt a thing.


    "Nothing?"


    Overhearing Julien''s voice, Caius raised his head and shook his head.


    "No."


    "Okay."


    Julien closed his eyes and mumbled something else, ''Surprise.''


    Caius''s heartbeat, which had started to steady suddenly jumped up. The hair at the end of his


    neck rose, and adrenaline rushed through him. The changes were more visible than before,


    but that was where they ended.


    He still... didn''t feel anything. "Nothing again?"


    Caius shook his head.


    "Alright, then." Julien looked directly at Caius. Unlike before, his expression turned extremely serious, and


    Caius felt his body tense a little.


    "Brace yourself, I won''t be holding back."


    "Go ahead."


    It was then that he heard it.


    ''Sadness.''


    It was only a single word, yet its impact was more pronounced than anything he''d


    experienced in a long time. A sharp ache began in his chest, not physical, but suffocating- like his heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.


    Warm streaks started to fall from the side of his cheeks while his lips started to tremble.


    Blinking his eyes, he realized that his vision had unknowingly grown blurry.


    Was he crying?


    The realization hit Caius directly, but he knew this wasn''t enough. This was merely a physical


    reaction to Julien''s Emotive stimulus. However, his mind was clear.


    He could move, and directly snap Julien''s neck if he wanted to.


    Of course, that was granted Julien wasn''t able to react in time. Caius knew Julien would be


    able to react.


    But that wasn''t the point.


    The point was that while his Emotive Magic worked in creating a physical stimulus, his mind


    was still clear. This meant that Emotive Magic was ineffective against him, but at the same


    time, it also looked like there was no hope in him regaining his emotions back.


    ''....Is this how it will be?''


    Caius felt a faint prickle in his chest.


    It was faint but noticeable.


    ''Will I no longer be able to feel emotions?''


    Caius closed his eyes, letting out a long breath. eptance came rather easily for him. With


    no attachment to anything, epting a certain oue was easy for him.


    Despite tears, his expression softer


    as s eyes closed.


    As the darkness took hold of his vision, a dry voice reached his ears.


    "Focus, I have yet to start."


    "Eh...?"


    Yet to start?


    Caius''s eyes flicked open as he raised his head. Just as he was wondering what he could


    possibly mean by those words, it suddenly hit him.


    If before it felt like a hand was gripping his heart, this time it felt as though the hand had


    closed in tighter, squeezing his heart with such intensity that it seemed on the verge of being crushed into a pulpy mass.


    Caius felt his breath leave his body.


    His legs started to buckle while his vision blurred even further.


    He could ignore the pain before, but this time...? He couldn''t at all. It was impossible for him


    to ignore it.


    How could he ignore it when it felt so painful?


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Unknowingly, his breathing became rougher. He had no choice but to. Caius felt like he would


    suffocate if he didn''t take in all the oxygen around him.


    Breath after breath, Caius felt his head be lighter and lighter.


    He had unknowingly started to hyperventte.


    "Haa.. Haa... Haa..."


    Wiping his eyes, Caius looked ahead. His eyes widened at the sight that greeted him. Instead


    of Julien, a whole different figure appeared.


    He was a figure he was all too familiar with, and his expression changed.


    ''F-father...?''


    How could it be? No, where was this?


    Caius tried to think straight, but his mind refused to listen to him. His chest squeezed even


    more tightly and his entire body started to tremble.


    "Haa...! Ha! Haa!"


    With trembling hands, he reached out for his father.


    He wanted to...


    "Stop."


    A cool voice cut through the silence, and at that moment, Caius felt everything freeze. His


    father''s figure began to blur and fade from his vision, slowly being reced by Julien''s as a hand mped on his forearm. When Caius turned his head, he saw Kaelion standing right next to Julien.


    His expression was firm, but at the same time, Caius could see hints of something else within


    his eyes.


    Was it fear...? But why?


    Why did he...? "You''ve done enough."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Kaelion mumbled again, retrieving his hand away from Julien who nodded quietly and turned


    his head to look at Caius.


    As Caius felt Julien''s gaze, he noticed the slight pull at the corner of his lips.


    Before he had time to process the sight, Julien''s lips parted open. "Not bad," he mumbled, "It looks like there''s hope for you."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 466: Drink [3]

    Chapter 466: Drink [3]


    ?


    Letting go of Caius, a faint smile tugged at my lips.


    ''It looks like even though he doesn''t feel any emotions, my Emotive Magic can be effective inbat.''


    The intensity required in order to be effective was quite high, but it at least proved to me one thing; Emotionless or not, one could still fall under the influence of Emotive Magic so long as the intensity was strong enough.


    ''... The only problem is that in order to reach this intensity, I would have to touch them.''


    That wasn''t exactly ideal, as shown to me multiple times in the past. In particr, the Summit. The more skilled one was, the easier it was for them to kite or move away from me. The most ideal option was for me to improve my control.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Only then would I have no trouble dealing with enough intensity from long range.


    Thankfully, now that I was back in the Academy, I knew the right person to ask for help. She had already given me a specific cube to train, but I felt like there was more that I could do to improve.


    I made a mental note to myself to ask herter.


    "Here."


    Coming out of my thoughts, I looked at Kaelion helping Caius sit down.


    Caius''s face was currently pale. His legs were trembling, and tears streamed down the side of his eyes.


    But even as the tears streamed down his cheeks, he maintained his gaze on me.


    "W...What..."


    He looked to be trying to say something, but the aftereffects of his actions were still impacting him. Nheless, even though he wasn''t speaking, I could more or less tell what he was trying to ask.


    "You''re curious to know if the previous words I told you were what I truly felt, right?"


    The one about there being hope for him.


    Caius''s eyes shook, and I knew I had guessed correctly. Since I didn''t want to leave him hanging, I just nodded my head.


    "Yes, there''s hope."


    Caius hadn''t actually lost his emotions.


    Although I hadn''t gotten a good look, what I felt from him was different. It was... simr to the skill that I had developed.


    The one where I could temporarily seal each of my emotions.


    Yes, Caius had developed something simr.


    But... His was a lot more powerful.


    ''No, rather than powerful, he developed a more finalized version of it.''


    If I started from zero, he started directly at one hundred. While I could improve the skill and


    get better at controlling it, Caius couldn''t. He had developed it at its final point.


    It was incredibly powerful, sealing all emotions, even withstanding the pure impact of my Emotive Magic.


    However, the downside to such development was theck of control over it.


    He was not stuck in a limbo where all his emotions were sealed with no hope of freeing himself from the chains that he had set himself.


    But if anything, this only proved one thing to me-Caius''s monstrous talent. He had already developed a painting while I was still stuck with a sketch.


    That was how it felt.


    Of course, the main difference between us was that I was building a foundation to draw the painting while Caius had no foundation whatsoever. Hisck of foundation was what led to the current situation.


    But this was actually an opportunity in itself.


    ''If I can study his finalized version of the spell, I might be able to develop my skill further. Not only that, but I also might be able to help him get out of this situation.''


    This was a win-win for the two of us.


    ... And I directly ryed all of this to Caius who was listening carefully. By the side, Kaelion, who was listening as well looked rather confused but at the same time impressed.


    "It sounds like a good skill."


    "...In some cases, yes. However, you would need to be good at understanding emotions in order to learn it."


    "I can tell."


    Kaelion waved his hand in disappointment. I could understand the reason for his


    disappointment.


    Thinking back about the match I had with him, the reason why he lost against me was hisck


    of mental endurance. While his body continued healing, his mind didn''t.


    If he had a skill like this then he would directlybat his weakness.


    It was unfortunate that he couldn''t learn it given hisck of talent in the emotive field.


    Or so I thought...


    "Hey."


    "Yes...?"


    "Can you teach me about emotions?"


    "Uh?"


    Feeling his gaze, I also felt another gaze. When I looked down, I saw Caius looking at me with


    simr eyes to Kaelion.


    ''Oh, shit.''


    That was when I realized.


    My training sessions...


    They weren''t going to be as quiet as they once were, weren''t they?


    *


    What am I even doing with my life?


    It was dark, with just a dim light lighting up the small room. My fingers twitched as I


    reminisced over the old high I used to chase.


    It would''ve certainly helped alleviate my boredom.


    All I could see were endless stacks of papers.


    The room felt stuffy, and my surroundings looked the same as always.


    ...What a boring life.


    nk!


    "Brother."


    The lights flicked open and my eyes started to burn.


    When I turned my head, a familiar young figure appeared by the door. He looked around the


    room before sighing.


    "Why do you always look the same whenever I see you? All I see you do is work. Do you have


    no friends?"


    Ah, Noel..


    "I don''t have any. I''m too busy working to have a social life."


    "Aren''t you twenty-three already? Shouldn''t you be at the age where you go out with your


    friends and have fun?"


    "It''s because I''m twenty-three that I have to work harder. I''ll take a restter."


    "When is thister?"


    "....When I amfortable enough with my life where I feel like the two of us won''t have to


    struggle like in the past."


    "Ha."


    Noel let out a soft sigh as he walked to the far side of the room, pulling open the curtains to


    let the light stream in, revealing the small balcony of the apartment. Opening the windows, a


    faint breeze filtered through the room.


    "It feels nice outside. When was thest time you properly looked outside?"


    "Just today when I went to work."


    "No, I don''t mean that kind of look. I mean properly looked."


    "What nonsense."


    Standing up, I moved to the balcony and tried to close the curtains but Noel stopped me.


    "....Hey, I''m outside."


    "Then get back in."


    "I like it out."


    "But I don''t."


    "There you go again being so coldhearted. I can kind of guess why nobody wants to be your


    friend."


    "Do you want me to stop funding your life?"


    "You wouldn''t dare."


    Noel red at me for a moment beforeughing. I nced his way and only after a good thirty seconds did he stop and hand me a small bottle that contained a strange green liquid."


    "Here, have this."


    "What is it?"


    "It''s good for you."


    "I don''t need it."


    It looked disgusting.


    "I don''t care. You''re drinking it."


    Twisting the white cap off, Noel shoved the drink in my hand.


    "I''ve said it many times in the past. If you don''t take care of yourself, you won''t be able to live


    long. Given how you work all the time, you must at least get the proper nutrition. You can''t


    just eat the same boring unhealthy stuff."


    "What...? I''m still young. What''s going to happen to me?"


    "Just because you''re young doesn''t mean you''re invincible."


    His words were really wise for a high schooler. In the end, knowing how persistent he could


    get, I took a sip of the drink.


    As expected, it tasted like shit.


    But even so.


    I finished it.


    "See? It wasn''t so hard?"


    "It was really hard."


    "Even if it is hard, it''s good for you. You''ve got to take care of yourself."


    "Then what about you...?"


    When I asked the question, Noel paused and looked at me.


    "What about me?"


    "Just because I work all day doesn''t mean I don''t know how you''re doing. You alwayse


    back at the same time, right after school and I never see you on your phone. You don''t seem to


    text anyone, and since you never go out, it''s safe to assume you don''t have any friends."


    ||


    Pursing his lips, Noel looked away from me and grabbed the railing of the balcony. Leaning


    back, he looked at the sky.


    "I do have friends."


    "Then...?"


    "But I also have someone that I need to take care of."


    ||||


    "He works all day, has no friends, and barely eats anything nutritious. With someone like


    that, do you really think I have the time to go out and see my friends?"


    A lump formed in my throat. I wanted to refute his words but realized that I couldn''t. All I


    could do was nkly stare at him while he continued to look up at the sky.


    "Hey, promise me something." "...What is it?"


    "Take care of yourself."


    What an annoying thing to hear from a younger brother.


    "I''m not asking you to make friends. Given your personality, I find that hard to believe is even


    possible"


    "Oy."


    I raised my hand and Noel flinched. Quickly moving back, he raised both of his hands.


    "I''m too old for you to hit me."


    "Then speak properly."


    "But am I wrong?"


    "That..."


    He wasn''t.


    But still, how could he say that?


    "I''m just..."


    Raising my head back up, I saw Noel stare back at me with a bitter smile.


    "...asking for you to stop rejecting people. People don''t get close to you because you keep rejecting them. Even if your personality is nasty, if you don''t reject them, there''s bound to be some people who will stick with you. Maybe then I won''t have to worry about you all the time.


    Can you promise me that?"


    "No, I can''t."


    Noel''s mouth opened, but he eventually closed it and shook his head. He had this resigned


    look on his face. Almost as if he expected such an answer from me?


    If he knew, why did he even ask?


    Shaking my head, I opened the balcony door and walked back in. However, just as I entered,


    Noel''s face appeared in my mind and I stopped.


    "I can''t promise I''ll ever make friends, but I''ll listen to what you said. If it''s too troublesome


    I''ll stop, okay?"


    Though I couldn''t see it, I felt a soft smile form on Noel''s lips.


    "That''s all I wanted to hear."


    He rushed into the room.


    "Promise?"


    "No."


    "But you..."


    "I''ll take my words back if you continue."


    "Hehe, what if I recorded everything?"


    "I''ll smash the recording."


    "...I was lying!"


    Two months after that, I was diagnosed with cancer.


    I was never able to keep that promise.


    "I''m here."


    As I opened my eyes, I turned toward the figure that had entered the training grounds. It was


    dark, and my vision was limited, but I could immediately recognize who it was.


    After all, I had told him to meet me.


    With a tense look, he looked around the empty ce before settling his gaze on me.


    "...What do you want? Just so you know, I set up an emergency alert. If you do anything to me,


    they''ll know it was you."


    Hearing his words, a smile spread across my lips. Rolling up my sleeves, I stood up and moved


    closer to him.


    His expression grew ever graver, but he didn''t move away.


    It was a pleasing sight.


    Stopping right in front of him, I ced my finger over his forehead.


    "Try your best to endure."


    "Uh? Uh-!?"

 Chapter 467: Drink [4]

    Chapter 467: Drink [4]


    ?


    I wasn''t even sure why I was doing what I was doing.


    What I had told Leon wasn''t exactly the truth. While the nickname did bother me, I wasn''t helping Linus because of that.


    ''Ah, fuck. Why did I even have to remember that moment again?''


    Rubbing my head with my free arm, I looked at the trembling Linus before me. His expression was pale and his eyes were unfocused.


    Whatever he was experiencing, it was probably traumatizing.


    ''... He might misunderstand this and even think I''m messing with him, but that''s fine.''


    I thought back to the time when I first came into this world.


    To the time when everything felt foreign to me and I was suddenly thrust into a precarious situation that could''ve cost me my life.


    ''Even now, I can still remember the cold touch of Leon''s de against my neck...''


    What truly helped me calm down and process my emotions was the first leaf. Experiencing such powerful and intense emotions, I was able to keep a hold of my emotions. This was differentpared to my time in the weird cult.


    I didn''t have such a weird experience, which in turn made it a lot harder for me to think properly.


    "The situation was also quite a bit more extreme...''


    In any case, I believed that the best way to help Linus keep control of his emotions was through a simr stimulus I had experienced at the start of my journey.


    ''Even if your personality is nasty, if you don''t reject them, there''s bound to be some people who will stick with you.''


    "Ah, fuck."


    Hearing Noel''s voice in my head, I scratched the back of my head once again.


    Staring at the shivering Linus, and seeing the frown on his face, I rubbed my head even harder.


    ''I can''t promise I''ll ever make friends, but I''ll listen to what you said. If it''s too troublesome I''ll stop, okay?''


    "....Leave me alone."


    ***


    Linus was apprehensive upon entering the training grounds.


    He knew that he could just avoid the message sent to him by his brother and not show up, but he also understood that with his brother''s influence, he could make his life even harder than it already was.


    In preparation for what was toe, he made some arrangements.


    If something were to happen to him, everyone would know it was Julien.


    With all preparations done, he arrived at the training area. He was confused about the location but still steeled himself and entered.


    It was dark but he could see his brother''s silhouette, sitting in the middle with his legs crossed.


    What happened next happened quickly.


    Before Linus knew it, Julien pressed his finger against his forehead and he felt his vision go nk.


    Sweat started to pool down the side of his face.


    His heart clenched, and his breathing became fainter.


    ''W-what is going on?''


    Linus''s mind became a mess.


    He could hardly think or see.


    Everything just felt so... out of ce.


    "A-ah, h-elp."


    He felt something invisible creep in from the depths of his mind, pulling at his brain and making his body grow stiff. The bottom half of his body started trembling and he almost felt his dder shake.


    He just barely managed to contain himself as a voice reached his ears.


    "You have five minutes to calm yourself down."


    Linus felt his stomach drop at the sound of the voice.


    It was low, almost like a whisper. However, to the current him, it sounded like it came straight from the depths of hell. It sent shivers down his entire body.


    "....If you can''t calm down within the next five minutes, I''ll throw you out of the training grounds naked."


    Linus''s entire body stiffened.


    Why..?


    Why would he do this to him?


    A certain emotion rose from the depths of his chest.


    He was just about to speak when the finger pressed up against his forehead pushed down


    further.


    "I''m increasing the intensity."


    "Ah-!"


    Linus felt his mind numb.


    His already fastly moving heartbeat beat even harder and he lost his breath.


    "Akh.. Arkh...!"


    Weird sounds came out of his mouth as he started to suffocate.


    ''No, no, no, no...''


    With thest shred of sanity within his mind, Linus bit onto his lips. He couldn''t understand


    why Julien was doing this to him, but he didn''t have the luxury to think about it.


    Recalling the words Julien had said to him, Linus started to panic.


    ...A-anything but that!''


    He knew his life would be over the moment people spotted him.


    Furthermore, he didn''t doubt for one second that his brother was going to keep his word. He


    knew his brother all too well.


    ''D-damn it!''


    Linus clenched his shirt and gripped it tightly.


    At the same time, he bit tightly onto his lips as something dripped down from his mouth.


    "Ukh."


    Falling to his knees, Linus pounded the ground with his fist.


    Thump!


    The pain served to help him distract his mind.


    For a brief moment, his mind cleared up.


    Thump, thump-!


    That brief moment of rity made him realize he could get out of the situation. Without a second thought, he started to punch the ground with all the force he could muster.


    "...Just... let... this pass!"


    His hands felt wet, and he had to stop several times in order to remind himself to breathe. However, in due time, he was able to clear his mind.


    Linus was able to push the creeping sensation that was controlling his mind.


    Once his mind was clear enough, he stopped punching the ground and forced himself to sit


    cross-legged while closing his eyes.


    It was there that he started to focus on his breathing.


    ''Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.''


    He didn''t know how much time had passed, but he knew he didn''t have much time left.


    ''Breathe in, breathe out...''


    He persisted.


    ''Breathe in, breathe out.''


    He had to persist.


    He couldn''t let his brother win.


    He couldn''t!?


    Linus clenched his teeth. The rage that had been bottling within his chest surged all at once,


    recing the artificial ''fear'' that his brother had imnted within his body.


    That was when his eyes snapped open and his mouth opened, preparing to shout at Julien.


    "Why are you-A-ah?"


    Linus''s words stopped right as they were about to leave.


    Opening his eyes wide, he looked around and realized.


    He was... alone.


    The training ground was entirely empty, and his brother was gone.


    But... didn''t he?


    "Wait, what time is it?"


    Taking out his pocket watch, Linus checked the time.


    It was; 8:47 A.M.


    His eyes immediately shot up as he hastily stood up from the spot. While he didn''t understand


    why his brother was gone, he didn''t have much time to dwell on that matter.


    He waste for ss!


    Without a second thought, he sprinted out of the training grounds.


    As he sprinted out, a figure appeared by the end of the corner of the room, leaning against the


    side of the wall. Cancelling ''Veil of Deceit'', Julien yawned.


    "Huam."


    It took about three hours and fifteen minutes for Linus to remove the influence of his emotive


    magic. While it sounded like a lot of time, Julien did go quite hard on him.


    His persistence was quite noteworthy.


    "Yeah, not too bad."


    Letting out another yawn, Julien took out his pocket watch and checked the time.


    That''s when his eyes snapped open and he immediately shot up on his feet.


    "Fuck!"


    Rolling his sleeves down, Julien simrly rushed out of the training grounds.


    He was alsote!


    ***


    "Sir, we apologize. We are unable to find the whereabouts of your previous assistant. We''ve


    sent out several Keepers, but we''ve yet to find a single trace."


    "....I see."


    Ivan nced at the white-d figures-Inquisitors-standing before him and gave a slight nod. As he did, his hand instinctively moved to rub his forehead.


    "It''s been days since her disappearance, and she suddenly disappeared from out of thin air.


    This shouldn''t make sense. I have a feeling there''s more to the situation. No, never mind."


    Ivan waved his hand.


    "I''ll take care of this myself."


    "But sir...!"


    "Just go. Tell the others I''ll be the one to handle this. Nobody can touch my people withoutn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    my permission."


    "... Understood."


    Seeing the seriousness in Ivan''s tone, the two Inquisitors looked at each other before


    lowering their heads and leaving his office.


    nk!


    The silence that followed right after their departure felt suffocating.


    Ivan stood still, his gaze locked on the door. From his position, he could faintly hear the


    muffled sound of footsteps echoing as they passed through his area. A strange ringing sound echoed in his mind and his eyes started to lose focus.


    He stood like that for several minutes until he finally snapped out of it.


    By the time he did, he found his palms to be strangely sweaty.


    .....This should end things.''


    Days had passed since the ''incident'' and his already terrible sleep only grew worse. He had


    done his best to cover up his actions, but there was always this nagging voice at the back of his


    mind that told him he had missed something.


    That...


    He was going to be found out soon.


    Fortunately for him, he was never found out. All investigations led to empty air and with him


    now taking over the investigation, it was safe to say that the entire situation was taken care


    of.


    "Ho."


    Slumping down on his chair, Ivan leaned back on his chair and nkly stared at the ceiling.


    His eyelids felt heavy and a strange drowsiness overtook his mind. He wanted to sleep, but he


    knew he couldn''t. With everything that had happened, he had neglected a lot of work.


    He had a lot of work piled up and he knew he couldn''t leave it any longer. Rubbing his eyes, Ivan leaned forward and reached out for his pen when his hand suddenly


    paused and his expression changed.


    Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!


    The unsteady beat of his heart drummed loudly within his mind as his eyes shook.


    A lump formed in his throat.


    "No, it can''t be..."


    As his breathing grew visibly morebored, Ivan blinked his eyes a couple of times. But he had


    a hard time as a box appeared right on his desk.


    It was a familiar box.


    ....One that he recognized in an instant.


    How could he not?


    After all, it was the same box that started this entire mess.


    "No, this makes no sense."


    Ivan stood up and shook his head, his palms growing even sweatier as he fixed his attention


    on the box in front of him. Pursing his lips tightly, Ivan was just about to reach out for the box


    when a slender hand reached out for his shoulder and a voice whispered in his ear. "You look tired. Why don''t you have a drink?"

 Chapter 468: Drink [5]

    Chapter 468: Drink [5]


    ?


    "Who...!?"


    Ivan''s head flicked back, his mana pulsing outwardly as his entire body tensed in preparation for a fight. The hair at the back of his neck rose and his fist clenched tightly.


    An unknown sense of dread gripped his heart.


    As his head flicked back, his expression changed when he noticed that there was no one


    standing behind him.


    "....Uh?"


    His brows furrowed tightly.


    ''Was I just imagining things?''


    No, how could it be? Ivan was paranoid, but he wasn''t delusional. He understood that there was something sinister happening.


    It was influencing his mind and train of thought.


    Perhaps, everything that was happening to him was a result of the influence.


    "Yes, that''s the only exnation."


    Ivan gritted his teeth and turned his head to face the front of his desk, his breath catching in his chest as he spooted a figure before him. Sitting across from him, as familiar as ever, was ra-his assistant. With her auburn hair and oval-framed sses, she was a presence he knew all too well.


    His eyes shook at the sight of her, but he quickly rposed himself.


    "Who are you?"


    His tone was even, and one could feel the temperature around the room drop.


    Swallowing quietly, Ivan stared at ra who sat in front of him. With a simple smile on her face, she giggled.


    "You already know who I am, but that''s not important."


    "Not important...?"


    "Yes, it''s not."


    ra pushed the drink forward.


    "You should drink."


    Ivan''s face froze momentarily, but it all soon hit him. All the pieces of the puzzle fell into ce and he finally realized what had been happening to him.


    "Ha, is this your goal? To get me to drink?"


    A smirk formed on Ivan''s features. The previous fear and hesitation faded away from his face as he sat down in his seat. At the same time, he started to make preparations in order to apprehend the figure in front of him.


    He could tell they weren''t physically there, but perhaps he could figure something out if he was able to y his cards well.


    It was for this reason that he decided to entertain this conversation.


    "To get you to drink?"


    Leaning back on the chair, ra crossed her arms and legs. Her entire demenour and mannerisms werepletely different from the ra Ivan knew. In spite of knowing she was no longer alive, it still threw him off.


    "Can you change your appearance?"


    "My appearance?"


    "Yes, I know you''re not her. She''s dead."


    "Killed by you."


    Clench.


    Ivan''s jaw clenched, and ra giggled. Pressing her hand against her face, her features changed. With a faint ''crack'' her features distorted. Her nose grew, her jaw sharpened and her brows thickened. Within moments, Ivan felt like he was staring at his own reflection.


    There were no ws in his appearance, and his expression tightened.


    "How about this?"


    "Go back."


    raughed, her features shrinking back to before.


    Only then did Ivan ease a little. But at the same time, his heart clenched tightly. A certain title rang in his mind, and he felt his mouth grow dry; ''The one who walks among us.''


    "Well, appearances aside. I really was trying to get you to drink."


    "....?"


    Pausing, Ivan looked at ra before his lips pulled up.


    ''As expected.''


    With him being so obvious about his intentions, how could he not find the situation funny? Since Ivan knew his intentions, he was now even more certain about his decision to not drink. The moment he drank was the moment he lost.


    He wasn''t going to lose.


    ra remained unbothered by Ivan''s smile as she leaned forward, lifting the wooden box''s lid to reveal the wine bottle inside. With a smooth twist, she uncorked it, and a rich, fruity aroma filled the air. As if on cue, two ss cups appeared seemingly out of nowhere.


    In one swift motion, she filled both cups and took one for herself. cing the cup by her lips,


    she gently asked,


    "Why do you think people drink?"


    "....Because it feels nice."


    "Feels nice?"


    Taking a sip of her drink, a faint smile spread across ra''s features.


    "Yes, you can say that''s one of the reasons. Some people really do drink for the sake of


    pleasure, but..."


    cing the cup down, ra looked directly at Ivan.


    Her eyes almost seemed to pierce right through Ivan''s soul, forcing a certain shiver down his


    body.


    "...most people drink to forget."


    Ivan''s eyes narrowed, his heart squeezing a little.


    "Yes, there''s that."


    "Did you used to drink to forget?"


    "Where are you trying to get with this?"


    Ivan''s voice unknowingly raised, the mana surrounding him pulsing outwardly with even more intensity. Seeing this, ra raised both of her hands.


    "Wow, calm down. There''s no need for you to get angry. I''m not trying to antagonize you. I''m just trying to get to know you better."


    "Ah, bullshit. Do you think I don''t know what kind of scum you are? Whatever you''re trying to do, I know you''re up to no good. I''m not going to fall for whatever nonsense you''re


    nning."


    "Haha, I''m sorry you feel that way."


    ra didn''t look at all bothered by Ivan''s words. In fact, she was relishing the sight. Because...


    of the six colored orbs that were hidden within Ivan''s body, the red one suddenly started to


    erge.


    "I was just carelessly speaking. If you don''t want to talk about your past, we don''t have to do that. It doesn''t matter anyway, right? I''m sure you used to drink to forget all the horrible things you must''ve experienced. However, now that you''re at the top, you''re no longer chained up by the very things that made you drink. You''re free. You''re the one who makes people go through what you went through, right?"


    "What?"


    What sort of nonsense was he saying? Him making others go through what he went through?


    It was true that he was free, but he never pushed anyone to do things they didn''t want.


    "I bet the ones who pushed you into bing what you are also thought the same thing. ''I


    never pushed him to do things he didn''t want to. He did it all willingly."


    Ivan raised his head, his eyes shaking.


    "What did you say? How could you know what I''m think¡ª"


    "The things others ''forced'' you to do weren''t really things you were forced to do, wasn''t it? If


    you wanted to, you could''ve quit, right?"


    "No, that... Haa..."


    Ivan''s breathing unknowingly became rougher.


    "You drank not because you wanted to forget what the others were making you do, but


    because you wanted to forget the fact that you were willing to kill all those children and


    families for the sake of bing a monarch."


    "No, that''s not true at all. I did it because if I didn''t do it, someone else would''ve done it. If it''s me, I''d at least be able to minimize the losses. Now that I''m at the top, nobody can force


    me to do those things again. I''m free. I can do whatever I want."


    "Free?"


    The tips of ra''s smile pulled further up.


    A visible look of amusement appeared on her face.


    "What? What''s so funny?"


    "No, nothing." Shaking her head, ra sipped onto the drink. The red orb within Ivan''s chest grew in size


    once more and his voice boomed throughout.


    "What is it?! What''s so funny?!"


    The windows shook at the sheer intensity and loudness of his voice.


    Pursing her lips, ra pulled her mouth away from the ss and shook her head.


    "I wasughing at the fact that you think you''re free."


    "Wha... What? I am free. What are you...?"


    "When was thest time you had some time for yourself?"


    "T-that."


    Ivan started to stutter when he tried to think about an answer. However, it was to his dismay


    that he realized his mind was nk. He tried hard to think about thest time he had some


    time for himself, but he couldn''t find an answer.


    Some time for himself... When was thest time he had some time for himself?


    Ivan tried to think but the more he thought about it, the more his mind grew nk.


    "So you can''t think of it."


    Raising his head, Ivan noticed the smile on ra''s face had grown even wider. It was now


    reaching her cheeks. It was creepy, and it almost made him want to attack her right on the


    spot.


    And yet, the moment those thoughts entered his mind, they vanished as quickly as they came.


    It was as though...


    His emotions were being carefully controlled in a way that when his anger and fear peaked, they were subdued just enough to keep him from lunging forward.


    Ivan understood this, and yet, he could do nothing about it.


    He...


    "You say that you''re free, but are you really free? You work all day, with hardly any time for


    yourself. You have no wife. You have no children. Your life is empty. No, it''s not quite empty."


    ra lowered her head and looked at his hands.


    Following her line of sight, Ivan also looked down and his expression changed dramatically.


    "W-what..?"


    Staring at his hands, all he could see was an endless stain of blood. One he felt he couldn''t wash away, and from within the blood, he could see faces. All familiar to him. From children


    to women, and to criminals he had killed.


    They all reached out for him, begging him to spare them.


    ''Help!''


    ''W-why are you doing this to us?''


    ''You monster...!''


    Ivan''s breathing became incredibly quick.


    At the same time, ra''s voice continued to echo in his ear like a soft whisper.


    "You may no longer be doing the killing, but the blood that your subordinates shed is on you.


    What you made them do is what your previous bosses made you do. You sought freedom, but


    all you did was reach the very top of the cage that you were trying to climb. If anything, you''re


    more trapped than ever before."


    "No, that''s not..."


    "Not true?"


    Ivan''s ears tickled as he heard a soft giggle in his ears.


    "Do you think it''s not true? Look around you."


    Rigidly lifting his head, Ivan felt his lungs squeeze. All he saw was his office. There were no


    changes to the ce, but all of a sudden, the ce felt smaller than ever before.


    "How often do you go out of this room? How much of the outside world have you seen besiden/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    this room in the past few years? This ce..."


    Blink!


    With the blink of his eyes, ra appeared right before him, a ss in hand.


    "....It''s your cage."


    Ivan shook his head, wanting to refute the very statement but looking around, the walls


    suddenly felt like they were constricting around him. Ivan knew it was an illusion, but at the


    same time, it all felt so real.


    From the fast beat of his heart to the soft voice tickling his ears.


    It all felt so... vivid.


    "Such life. I would want to forget it. So... why stop yourself?"


    Moving her hand forward, ra''s smile reached up to her cheeks, feeling incredibly creepy.


    "Drink."


    Let yourself forget.

 Chapter 469: Drink [6]

    Chapter 469: Drink [6]


    ?


    The gentle tune of the violin whispered in the otherwise silent room.


    Sizzle


    Oil sttered in the air as the pan sizzled.


    With rolled-up sleeves, Hollowe flipped the pan.


    "Oh, oops~"


    Letting go of the pan, Hollowe grabbed the nearby towel and wiped his cor which was stained in the oil. Even though he wore an apron, he still had some oil stter on his clothes.


    "Ah, and I really liked this one."


    With a gentle sigh, Hollowe moved away from the pan and walked to the sink.


    He was just about to turn on the tap when his pocket vibrated.


    Vr Vrrr-


    Hollowe''s eye twitched faintly, but he held back his annoyance and picked up themunication device.


    With a gentle ''click'', he ced it to his ear and listened to the message sent.


    His expression didn''t change much upon hearing the message. The message wasn''t very long either. In a few seconds, he pulled themunication device away from his ear and shook his head.


    "What a pity."


    Sizzle-


    While the pan still sizzled in the background, Hollowe went over to the living room and sat down on the single-seat red sofa.


    Apanying the faint sizzle in the background was the soft and melodic sound of the violin ying. It came from one of Hollowe''s favorite collections.


    Listening to it helped him rx.


    Closing his eyes, Hollowe embraced the darkness.


    His mind rxed, and his eyes soon opened. That was when the scenery before him changed.


    No longer was he sitting on the sofa in his apartment.


    Arge desk appeared in front of him, light filtering through from behind. A figure sat at the desk, his head hunched over it, and the pungent smell of alcohol wafting through the air. Several bottles were scattered across the desk, and the man''s blonde hair was disheveled. Behind him, several people tapped on his body, trying to wake him up. However, no matter what they did, the man didn''t budge. He waspletely out of it.


    ''Sir...! Sir, please wake up!''


    ''Sir!''


    ''Why are there so many bottles here?''


    ''Oh, no. What should we do?''


    Hollowe sat on the sofa, staring at the unfolding events without much of an expression. Despite his presence, nobody seemed to take notice of him.


    He watched the unfolding events with an impassive expression. He didn''t spare the people in the room a single nce and just stared at Ivan. Within his body, six orbs appeared. They all had their own distinctive color, each one pulsating faintly.


    It was then that Hollowe''s lips curled and he leaned his head back.


    "Haa."


    Taking a deep breath, faint, colorful tendrils emerged from the orbs and into the air before they flowed into his mouth.


    The orbs shrank rapidly, and Hollowe''s expression turned euphoric.


    As the orbs continued to shrink, Ivan''s body started trembling. This was enough to rm the people around him who hastily tried to help him, but with time, the trembling grew worse and worse.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''Hey! Something is happening!''


    ''Sir...!?''


    ''His body is trembling!''


    ''Quickly get some help!''


    ''Ukh...!''


    Saliva flowed out of Ivan''s mouth as his eyes turned white. Everyone in the room began to panic with the exception of Hollowe who was surrounded by six different colors, all entering through his mouth as his expression became more and more euphoric.


    ''Someone...!''


    Despite everyone''s best attempts at trying to calm Ivan down, nothing could be done. They could only watch his body tremble continuously.


    Eventually, his body managed to settle.


    But the damage was already done.


    ''Where is the help!?''


    ''He has calmed down! Hold him down, quickly!''


    Wiping the corner of his mouth, Hollowe nced at Ivan, whose body waspletely gray, and exhaled a breath of turbid air.


    Staring at the unfolding scene before him, Hollowe smiled before closing his eyes.


    As the darkness once again took over his surroundings, the background noise faded. What reced it was a calmer and more tranquil one.


    Sizzle~


    With the sizzling sound of the pan, Hollowe opened his eyes and saw he was back in his own


    apartment.


    The violin gently yed in the background and he stood up.


    "Ah, that was delicious."


    Walking to the kitchen, he approached the pan and stared at the steak cooking in it. With a spat in hand, he flipped the steak over.


    Sizzle!


    Oil sttered across his face, but he remained unfazed as his skin started to melt, revealing the face hidden behind it. They were soft features, one of a delicate girl with clear eyes and


    auburn hair.


    But was that really the real face?


    Wiping the side of his cheek, Hollowe''s face returned to normal as he began to hum quietly. Suddenly, a phrase he had once said in the past came to mind, and a faint smile tugged at his


    lips.


    It was something he had said as a joke, but who would''ve thought it would end up being the very thing that formed his nickname?


    Still, he didn''t dislike it.


    "You know I exist."


    "But you don''t know where I am."


    "I am everywhere and nowhere at once."


    "I am the whisper in the silence, the figure you can''t quite find."


    "I am the one who walks among us."


    To Tok-


    Coming to a sudden stop, Hollowe looked in the direction of the door and wiped his hands


    with the nearby towel.


    Rolling his sleeves down and putting the apron away, Hollowe walked towards the door and


    opened it.


    "Ah, you''re here."


    He smiled widely.


    "...Thank you for joining me for lunch, Julien."


    ***


    "You''re saying that you weren''t able to find a thing despite the amount of time that you


    had?"


    In a small ssroom, a figure with long ck hair and a teardrop mole beside her cheek stared


    at themunication device before her, a frown darkening her expression. Elizabeth''s expression was dark enough to make anyone around her move away.


    It was a good thing that she was the only one in the ssroom. She was also not very worried


    about being discovered since she had set up a sound barrier around her.


    -Yes, we have never heard of such a woman before. We''ve looked at her picture but she


    doesn''t work for the Academy.


    "Then have you tried checking with the interview crew that came?"


    -Yes, she also doesn''t seem to belong with them.


    "...How strange."


    Elizabeth''s expression darkened further.


    She couldn''t forget those cold eyes that looked down on her, making her entire body shiver.


    Even now, she had a hard time sleeping just thinking about those eyes.


    They seemed to chase her everywhere she went, seemingly looking at her from all directions.


    It sent shivers down Elizabeth''s back, making her extremely paranoid.


    ''If she''s not from the crew, and not the Academy, then who is she?''


    This woman was a variable.


    Especially considering that she was close to Julien, or as some might call him, the heir of


    Dawn. Elizabeth wanted to get closer to him to see if the rumors were really true.


    No, they were probably true, but she just had to make sure.


    He was currently one of the biggest targets within the organization. Whoever managed to


    defeat him would rece him as the next heir, but Elizabeth knew things wouldn''t be quite that easy.


    She had to approach carefully, and the woman in ck was preventing her from doing so.


    "Wait, what if...?"


    That was when something suddenly hit Elizabeth.


    "Thinking of it that way, then it all made sense!''


    Right...


    No wonder the woman in ck was from neither the Academy nor the interview staff and felt


    so strong.


    She was...


    Julien''s bodyguard.


    The one given to him by Dawn.


    "Ha, it''s no wonder she looked at me with such hostility when I approached the heir."


    It was because she was his bodyguard.


    Why else would someone so powerful look at her with such an oppressive and dangerous


    gaze? It was merely a warning from her.


    "So that''s how it is."


    Shaking her head, Elizabeth put themunication device away.


    ".... It looks like approaching the heir might be a little bit more difficult than I thought."


    Even so, Elizabeth smiled.


    She quite liked the challenge.


    ***


    "I''m d you were able toe. It''s been a while since the two of usst talked with each


    other."


    Coming into Hollowe''s apartment, I looked at the neatly arranged desk and was left quite impressed. The food looked amazing and there was a nice scent that lingered in the air. I almost felt my stomach rumble at the smell.


    Managing to stayposed, I picked up one of the appetizers and had a taste.


    ''This is insane.''


    There weren''t many words I could use to describe the taste of the appetizer. It was beyond


    what I had expected.


    "So? How is it?"


    "...I didn''t know you were such a good cook."


    "Haha, well, it''s a little hobby of mine. This alongside the music."


    "Ho?"


    Indeed, there was a faint tune ying in the background. I hadn''t noticed it at first but it was


    there. It was quite a rxing tune.


    "Do you like it?"


    "...Yeah, it''s not bad."


    I wasn''t really interested in music, but this music felt strangely fitting for the asion.


    While I still didn''t know why Hollowe had invited me for a meal, I didn''t think too much about it. Professor Hollowe was someone who I got along quite well with. Furthermore, I was also sure he had something important to talk about given how serious his tone had been when


    he asked me to meet him.


    "Have a seat, have a seat. There''s a few things that I want to talk to you about."


    Pointing at the nearby sofa, I did as he requested and sat down.


    As I sat down, he handed me a cup of water which I took.


    "Haha."


    All of a sudden, overhearing Hollowe''sugh, I tilted my head and looked at him. What''s so


    funny? Why was heughing?


    "Ah, sorry. I was just reminded of something funny."


    Hollowe waved his hand and ced the cup down. With a simple smile on his face, he looked


    at me.


    "I don''t really know why but you really remind me of someone that I know. Someone that I''ve


    known for quite a long time. From your jokes to your mannerisms."


    Holloweughed again, his tone growing dryer.


    "...You really do remind me of him."

 Chapter 470: Kasha [1]

    Chapter 470: Kasha [1]


    ?


    Remind him of someone?


    My brow raised. What was he talking about?


    "Haha, well. It''s an old story. I''ll tell you more about it when the timees. For now, I''m just here to talk about a few quick things."


    "Oh."


    Although I was a little confused about his words, I still nodded my head and quickly forgot about them. It didn''t really interest me in the first ce.


    Someone like me?


    No way.


    Nobody could be that much of a pain in the ass.


    "The first thing I''d like to talk about is the recent incident that involved you. I''ll just skip through the boring and unnecessary parts for now and just go straight to the point. The investigation has been put on hold given a few circumstances I cannot share. Added to what they''ve previously told you, you do not need to worry about anything. You''re essentially in the clear."


    "...I see."


    I breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing his words.


    Since he was present during the time when the Cleric was chaining me up, I knew about Professor Hollowe''s involvement in the situation.


    His words held weight on the matter.


    ''I don''t see a reason why he would lie to me anyway.''


    "Looks like you''re pleased to hear the news."


    Raising my head, I scratched the back of my head and put on an embarrassed look.


    "Yes, truthfully I''m quite pleased. It was stressing me out a lot."


    I was more than stressed.


    "Well, I''m d we got that out of the way."


    Hollowe smiled before taking a ss and taking a sip.


    "Now, onto the next thing."


    cing the cup down, Hollowe''s expression turned serious.


    "It is likely that we will be sending your year out of the Academy soon."


    My face fell at his words.


    Sending us out? What? Why?


    "As ofte the Mirror Cracks have been rather unstable. The Academy, alongside the Empire, has deemed it fit to send you guys out to a safer ce while they handle the current situation."


    "Wait, what do you mean the Mirror Cracks are unstable?"


    "You''ll know once you look at the Academy''s one. The situation is not good. It seems like we''ll be in for a bad few couple of months."


    "...Oh."


    I honestly didn''t understand at all what he was saying, but I didn''t see why he would lie to me. Staying quiet, I decided to check the situation for myself when I had time.


    Getting to the Academy''s Mirror Crack wasn''t hard.


    "Where will you be sending us then?"


    "About that..."


    Professor Hollowe''s expression turned a little weird. Then, covering his mouth, he sighed while mumbling,


    "It''s highly likely that the Academy will send you out of the Empire. While the ce may not be exactly safe, given your skills, you should be fine. Either way, it''ll be a lot safer than staying within Empire grounds."


    "Uh?"


    Out of the Empire?


    Were they going to send us to another Empire?


    "No, think bigger."


    "Eh?"


    Did he just read-


    "We''ll be sending you towards thend outside of all four Empires."


    My mouth stopped, and my expression changed.


    "...You will be sent to the Kasha."


    ***


    There were four Empires that existed within the world. They were the foremost powers that were yet to be imed by the Mirror Dimension, which corrupted anynd at an rming rate if left unchecked.


    Kasha; otherwise known as The Land Beyond-was anynd that was situated outside of the Four Empires.


    The Land wasn''tpletely inhabited. In fact, the poption outside the Four Empires was just as big, if not bigger.


    There existed many kingdoms outside the four Empires, all with their own hierarchy and order.


    Of course, their powers were nothingpared to the four Empires which were still capable of agriculture unlike those in thend beyond, but their power wasn''t anything to scoff at. With them constantly fighting against the ''Children'' of the cracks, their prowess was nothing


    to scoff at.


    One could even argue their individual strength was greater than that of those who lived within the Empires.


    Of course, nobody truly believed this, but nobody had faced those from the Kasha before so whether the texts were right or wrong, nobody knew.


    However, if there was something that everyone was certain of was the rtionship between the Kasha and those from the Empires.


    In a few words...


    It wasn''t good.


    Neither part could stand the other, oftentimes leading to small conflicts. Julien had read all of this in the past and hence why he looked surprised upon hearing Hollowe''s words.


    He was just about to open his mouth to speak when Hollowe smiled.


    "I know what you''re thinking. You''ll probably be filled in on the information soon, but they were the ones who proposed this idea. Not us."


    "Wha-"


    "Ah!"


    Jumping up from his seat, Professor Hollowe checked his pocket watch and moved back into


    the kitchen.


    "Forget about what I said for now. The meal is ready. Make yourselffortable!"


    ***


    Scratching the back of her head, Kiera red at the paper in front of her.


    "Ugh, shit. I''m so close to solving this problem. I know I can solve this. The answer is at the


    tip of my tongue. Damn it!"


    "Yeah, no."


    Aoife suddenly interjected all the way in the corner of themon room. Scooping from her


    tub of yogurt, she mumbled,


    "You always say that but in the end you always end up being so far away from the answer that


    it''s almostical."


    "Are you picking a fight?"


    "No, I''m just telling the truth."


    "Fuck, I''ll fight you!"


    "You''re just looking for an excuse to not study. Mid-terms areing soon. Are you sure you


    want to fight me?"


    "No, that..." "Don''t lie to yourself. You know damn well I''m right. Now get back to studying."


    Aoife scooped another spoonful of yogurt. As she did, she looked towards the sofa areas and


    spotted a figure throwing the pillows aside with a frustrated look.


    Curious, Aoife blinked her eyes and tilted her head.


    "Evelyn? Are you looking for something?"


    "Ukh, yes."


    Evelyn answered with a t look.


    "What are you...?"


    "My textbook. I left it over here somewhere but I can''t find it. Damn it!"


    "Oh."


    Thinking about it, Evelyn was a clutz. She tended to lose things here and then.


    "Have you tried looking in your room?"


    Rolling her eyes, Evelyn stopped and looked at her.


    "Yes, of course I have!"


    Throwing her hands up, one of the pillows flew out of her grasp by ident.


    "Ah, oh!"


    "Akh!"


    Hitting Kiera right in the face.


    Evelyn froze at that.


    "Oh, crap." The pillow slid down from Kiera''s face as though it was moving in slow motion. That was


    when Evelyn hurriedly moved behind the sofa. Her entire face grew pale.


    "Right, Kiera. It was an ident."


    "An ident...?"


    Grabbing the pillow, Kiera smiled.


    "idents. Well, your parents must feel the same way."


    "Right? Haha. You''ll forgive me, uh, wait?"


    Evelyn tilted her head in shock. What did she just-


    "Die!!"


    "Kyaaaa!"


    The pillow hit Evelyn straight in the face. It hit her with enough force to send her stumbling


    backward.


    "Akh! Kiera!? What the hell was that for?! Did you inject mana in the pillow? Are you out of


    your min-Kuuut!"


    Another pillow came flying toward her face.


    Holding onto two more pillows, Kiera casually walked toward Evelyn who was lying on the


    ground.


    Holding her hand out she started begging for her life.


    "T-that... You''ve already hit me hard enough. I... just let me live."


    "Crazy bitch. What are you mumbling about?"


    Throwing another pillow at her face, Kiera stood on top of Evelyn.


    Meeting Evelyn''s gaze, she t urned her There, sitting on sofa with an impassive look


    was Theresa. She had been quiet the entire time, but she was there all along.


    Meeting Kiera''s gaze, she slowly blinked her eyes.


    The entire room fell into silence at that moment. All eyes were focused on Theresa who


    brought her fist forward.


    Like an ancient emperor, she indifferently looked around the room.


    Evelyn''s breathing stopped at that moment.


    The room grew tense. Then, as Theresa''s fist slowly unfurled to disy a thumbs up, Evelyn''s expression


    brightened.


    "T-than-!"


    Only for it to crumble the next moment when Theresa''s thumb lowered.


    At that, Kiera smile''s turned wicked and her attention once again returned to Evelyn who was


    pale all over.


    "The Emperor has spoken! Kyakaka!"


    "Ah, no!!"


    Wam-!


    "Akkhhhh!"


    Evelyn''s heartwrenching cry echoed throughout the entiremon room.


    Despite her cries, Theresa''s face remained cold and immacte. As if her cries meant nothing


    to her.


    "Justice.."


    She softly mumbled to herself.


    "Want some?"


    Appearing behind Theresa was Aoife. With a tub of yogurt in her hand, she brought her spoon


    near Theresa.


    Staring at Aoife and then lowering her gaze to look at the tub of yogurt, Theresa''s eyes


    squinted. Her expression seemed as though she was looking at a bug.


    "Yuck."


    "That''s not nice. You shouldn''t say such things. There are people out there that can''t eat


    food."


    "That''s not food."


    "Picky, aren''t you?"


    Theresa didn''t answer her and turned her head away from Aoife.


    How repulsive. "Hmm."


    Aoife''s eyes squinted. After which, she smiled.


    uju


    Theresa''s head flicked.


    Her shoulders trembled at the sight of Aoife''s expression.


    "What?"


    "Hm~ Nothing."


    "Oh."


    Supporting her little body with her arms, Theresa tried to get up but just before she could two


    hands pressed her shoulders.


    "Stay with me."


    "!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sitting down next to her, Aoife leaned her head against the back of the sofa.


    "You said you wanted to watch your favorite show, right?"


    Nod...?


    "Do you still want to watch your favorite show?"


    Nod! Nod!


    Of course! What kind of silly question was this?


    "Then..." Aoife''s eyes fell on the tub of yogurt in her hand.


    "...!"


    Theresa''s expression crumbled.


    Her entire body shuddered on the spot.


    "So, what do you say?" Smiling, Aoife passed the tub her way.


    "If you can eat one spoonful, I''ll let you watch Justice Man. How does that sound?"


    "!"


    Theresa''s fingers spasmed. At this very moment, Aoife''s words sounded like whispers of temptation. A part of her wanted to refuse the temptation, ''No, don''t fall for the evil witches''


    n.'' while another said, ''With great riskes great reward. No justice is fought without hardship.''


    What a dilemma.


    No, I must resist.


    She couldn''t fall for the witch''s temptation. She wouldn''t allow herself to! Her dignity simply


    wouldn''t let her...


    Uwawawawawawa.


    Before she knew it, the spoon was already in her mouth.


    Her expression crumbled and her face twisted as the acidic taste of the yogurt reached her


    tongue.


    "Hahahahahaha."


    pping onto the sofa, Aoifeughed.


    St-!


    And the yogurt slid out of Theresa''s mouth.


    Yet again, the poor child suffered at the hands of the most powerful Demon King. nkly


    staring at the yogurt that stained the sofa, Theresa muttered,


    "...What is life...?"


    The world suddenly seemed so bleak.


    "You''re cleaning that upter."


    "You got that?"


    "..."


    "Got that?"


    "Stop nagging me."


    "Ho~ Ho~"


    Theresa shuddered all of a sudden and she hurriedly nodded her head.


    "I clean. I clean."


    "What a good child."


    Click-!


    Just then, the entrance door opened and the entire room fell into silence. Everyone hurriedly


    looked up at the entrance.


    There,ing in with a serious expression was Julien who nced around the chaos and


    walked over the sofa areas. He looked strangely unbothered.


    His actions were enough to make all of the girls look at each other in confusion.


    ''Something is up.''


    ''...Is he sick?''


    Usually, Julien would berate them and throw a look of scorn at them before leaving. The fact


    that he wasn''t... However, such thoughts left their bodies when Julien suddenly sat down next to Theresa who


    froze in her seat.


    Flick. Flick. Flick.


    Flicking her head rapidly between Julien and the sofa, Theresa very slowly and deliberately


    scooched to the side.


    Careful, very careful...


    "Hm?"


    All of a sudden, Julien frowned and brought his hand down. Theresa''s face turnedpletely


    pale.


    ".... Why is it wet?"


    When he stood up to check why the bottom of his pants felt wet, Theresa hopped off the sofa


    and trotted away.


    "Waa."


    Looking up, he saw Aoife looking at him from the side. Her face was red and her body was


    trembling. Seeing her expression, his face twitched.


    "Laugh. You canugh."


    And she did.


    "Hahahaha."


    Sheughed so hard she started cramping a minute into herugh.


    "Akh, help me!"


    Ah, I shouldn''t have voted for her.


    No, wait...

 Chapter 471: Kasha [2]

    Chapter 471: Kasha [2]


    ?


    "In a few short weeks, you will all be sent out of the Academy."


    The news I received from Professor Hollowe was quickly shared with the others in the next ss. As expected, everyone had some sort of reaction to the news. However, I was somewhat surprised to see them not be as shocked as I thought they''d be.


    As if noticing my confusion, Leon leaned closer to me and whispered, ''Not everyone here lives in a cave-like you. We kind of saw iting from miles away.''


    "Eh...?" Really?


    No, but when I thought about it, I found myself unable to argue at all.


    Wait, was this why Professor Hollowe told me the news privately?


    "Professor, if we are going to be sent out. Where will we be going and what about our mid- terms?"


    Studious as ever, Aoife was the first one to ask a question.


    With her hand and back straight, she looked like a straight ''A'' student.


    "Good question, Aoife."


    I almost winced in disgust when I saw the smile that crept up on her face when she received thepliment from the Professor in charge.


    What an easily intable ego.


    "Regarding the mid-terms, for those of you who are hoping, unfortunately, it will not be canceled."


    The expressions of many fell.


    "...The grading will be a bit different. No, in fact, this entire situation is a little delicate. After


    a lot of discussion, we''ve decided to base the grading in ordance with how you will perform during the excursion."


    "Then what about the theoretical exam?"


    "Oh, that."


    The Professor smiled. With long ck hair and a grayish mustache, Professor An had an amiable and friendly expression.


    "We''ll be having that next week."


    || ||


    ||


    The entire ssroom fell silent. It was so quiet one could even hear a pin drop. No, wait... I think I could hear something.


    ''I want to puke.''


    It was the sound of my stomach rumbling.


    With everything that had been happeningtely, I hadn''t had the time to focus on my studies. If anything, I was currentlygging behind by quite a lot. Thankfully, I knew that I wouldn''t be the only one suffering. If there was someone else who had a problem studying then it''d have to be...


    ''Uh?''


    Turning to look at Kiera, I noticed a faint smirk on her face. It felt eerily familiar to the one Aoife previously had.


    As if noticing my confusion, Leon once again moved closer to me and whispered, ''Why do you think she''s been studying a lottely? Like I said, predictable.''


    I slowly brought my hand to my chest.


    Why did my heart suddenly hurt so much?


    ''Loser~''


    Frowning, I flicked my head in Leon''s direction. I was just about to open my mouth when I noticed that he was staring at the front with an indifferent expression. Then, as if sensing my gaze, he looked at me.


    ''You need anything?''


    I narrowed my eyes and decided to let it go.


    He wasn''t worth it.


    "Now, about where you will be sent..."


    With a brief pause, all attention fell on the Professor once again. Seeing that he had the attention of all the cadets, the Professor finished,


    "...You will all be sent to the Kasha."


    "...What?!"


    Finally, the cadets showed surprised expressions. Indeed, these were the reactions that I expected from them.


    It was especially refreshing to see Aoife''s smile fade away from her face.


    The same was true for Leon who stiffened slightly. It was just subtle, but it was subtle enough for me to pick up.


    Moving next to him, I whispered, ''I bet you weren''t able to predict that~''


    As my voice reached his ears, his entire expression changed as he hastily moved his head away from them. Then, with a horrified expression, he massaged his ear.


    "Don''t ever speak like that again."


    He shuddered while scooching away from me.


    I was a little surprised by his actions at first but then understood it. Putting myself in his position, I''d also react the same way.


    "Wait, Professor. Did I hear correctly? Are you saying the excursion will be held in the Kasha?"


    "No, Aoife. You didn''t hear wrong."


    "Wha... What? How does this make sense?"


    "I''m not sure, but it was approved by your family. I thought you''d be the one to know the most about this situation."


    "Yes?"


    Aoife blinked her eyes repeatedly, lookingpletely lost. Even though I was a few rows before her, I could still hear her soft mumbled, ''What? I''ve never been told. My brother never


    told me. How does this make sense?''


    The shock in her voice was clear to see.


    She really didn''t know about the situation.


    "Okay."


    The Professor pped his hands once, gathering everyone''s attention once more.


    "For those that are confused, you''ll be given a more detailed briefing on what you will be doing there and how you will go there. For now, how about we go to the Academy''s Mirror


    Crack?"


    At that, I raised my brow.


    I had been nning on visiting the crack beforehand, but this saved me the trouble.


    The Professor reached the podium, gathered the papers, and neatly stacked them before


    slipping on his dark coat.


    "...It''s time to show you why we''ve decided to send you out."


    Just as the Professor was about to step out, his feet came to a stop as he recalled something.


    "Ah, right."


    He focused his attention on all of us.


    "Before I forget, the first years will also be present. They''ll be entering the Mirror Crack for


    the second time. Don''t mind them and let them do their thing. Oh, but not entirely. Your task


    will be quite closely rted to theirs."


    *


    The Mirror Crack within the Academy grounds was quite safely guarded. If any problems urred there were many people on standby, ready to intervene at any moment. If the


    situation got out of hand then the Chancellor or As would directly intervene.


    In short, it was very safe.


    ....Or at least, used to be.


    Wooom-


    My skin prickled slightly as a wave of cold air washed over me.


    Despite the mana that was coating my body, I felt inexplicably cold. Each breath was


    apanied by a small vapor that diffused into the air.


    "W-Why... Why is it so cold?"


    Wearing a heavy jacket, Evelyn massaged her arms.


    I was about to reply when I stopped.


    "When did you get that jacket?"


    "Uh?...Didn''t you get told in advance?"


    "What? When?"


    I looked at Leon who looked away from me.


    Ah.


    "You''re fired."


    "You can''t fire me."


    "No, I can."


    "Do it."


    ||


    I really couldn''t...


    But what if I sold him?


    "If it makes you feel better, just using what you learned back in the Crimson Shade will help."


    "I know, it''s what I''m doing."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But that wasn''t the problem.


    The problem was the mana consumption.


    ''Ah, whatever.''


    Leon was a lost cause.


    "Oh, look."


    Right then, Leon raised his hand and pointed in a certain direction.


    "It''s the young master."


    Young master?


    Confused, I turned to face the direction where Leon was pointing at and quickly realized.


    "Linus?"


    "Yeah, he''s standing with a small group."


    "No, I see."


    Linus was standing with a small group of what looked to be elite cadets. They were all


    conversing with each other, but that wasn''t really what was bothering me. Turning my


    attention back to the crack and then them, I frowned.


    ''Wouldn''t it be a little dangerous to send them in?''


    I knew the Academy had the situation under control, but given what I had gone through over


    thest year, I didn''t really feel they were that reliable.


    "You''re thinking too much."


    Leon waved his hand dismissively.


    "Don''t forget


    Mirror Cracki


    the Academy has fully tain Even if something


    does happen, there are so many powerful people to contain the situation."


    "Yes, I know."


    But still...


    "...And the Mirror Crack shouldn''t be what you should be worried about if it''s with regard to


    your brother."


    "Uh?"


    What could he-


    "Look, he''s about to fight someone."


    ***


    "You will sit this one out. You may not be weak but you don''t fit the team''s current


    composition."


    "What sort of nonsense are you spouting?"


    "I''m the team captain so what I say goes."


    "Haa... You just don''t like me that''s why you want me to sit this one out."


    "That''s not it. You are not fast. If we encounter a situation where we have to run then you would obviously be a burden to the entire team!" Jacob''s deep voice thundered throughout the small area.


    Overlooking the scene were a couple of Professors who turned a blind eye to the situation.


    This was part of their training. So long as things didn''t get physical they wouldn''t interfere. "I don''t like you, but even if I don''t like you, I wouldn''tpromise a mission that was assigned to me. My ego has yet to reach such levels, which is something you should think about since your ego seems to be bigger than your own skills."


    Listening to Jacob''s words, Linus bit his lips. His self-righteous expression was quite an annoying sight for him.


    How should I get rid of this guy? Should I do it in the Mirror Crack where nobody can see? No, maybe that''s not exactly the best idea.


    Holding back on his frustration, something he used to rarely do, Linus took a deep breath and raised his head.


    He was just about to speak when he met a pair of hazel eyes in the distance.


    || ||


    Linus frowned while Julien walked over in their general direction.


    Alongside him was another Professor who had a smile on his face.


    "Now, now. There''s no need to argue cadets. Everyone will be going. Nobody will be left


    out."


    He then pointed at Julien.


    "In order to ensure your safety, he will be the group guardian for this mission you will be


    performing. Listen to whatever he has to say. His words are like that of a Professor. Ah, but..." The Professor turned to look at Julien.


    "...Don''t interfere too much with their task. Only interfere when it is necessary."


    "Understood."


    Julien quietly nodded, satisfying the Professor who patted him on the shoulder. "Good. Hang in there. I''ll go assign the other second years their group."


    The Professor then proceeded to leave, leaving behind the stunned cadets who all turned to


    look at Julien.


    Feeling everyone''s gazes, Julien stared back at everyone before settling his gaze over to


    Linus.


    "You..."


    He pointed, his voice sounding somewhat deep.


    "...You''ll be the team''s captain."

 Chapter 472: Not because of blood [1]

    Chapter 472: Not because of blood [1]


    ?


    "Why did you do it?"


    Linus grumbled.


    "I could''ve solved the situation by myself. You didn''t need to interfere."


    Julien listened without saying a single word.


    "Is it because of what you''ve seenst time? The situation is different. If I wanted to, I could probably beat him. I just need a little bit more time. You didn''t have to interfere. Now all you''re doing is starting rumors."


    Linus continued to pile up excuse after excuse.


    "...Next time, mind your own business."


    He seemed somewhat desperate.


    "Are you even listening to me? Do you even care about what I say?"


    "Why aren''t you speaking? I told you not to interfere next time. Let me handle my matters on my own."


    ||


    "Say something! Why aren''t you speaking?"


    "Something."


    Linus''s steps came to a sudden stop when he heard Julien''s response. With open eyes, he looked at him.


    "Seriously?"


    "....You asked me to say that."


    "You''re so immature."


    "If that makes you feel better."


    Tsk-Linus clicked his tongue and looked back. Their group was following from behind, keeping a certain distance from them. Linus could feel their resentful gazes and could only silently curse his own brother.


    ''If only he didn''t interfere.''


    Did he really think he needed babying?


    No, in the first ce, why was his brother even helping him? It was strange. He wouldn''t normally do this. Was he doing this to take care of his own image?


    "Ukh-!"


    Jolting him out of his thought was a sudden, yet painful tap on his head. When Linus looked up, he saw Julien staring in the direction of the Mirror Crack.


    "Get your team ready. We''ll be leaving shortly."


    "Ah, but..."


    "Get it sorted."


    Julien then proceeded to walk ahead to where the Professors were. Around them were several other groups that were being called up one by one.


    Linus could only watch as his brother departed before turning around and staring at his group. With just one look, Linus understood that the situation wasn''t looking good.


    Holding his breath, he silently cursed.


    ''Bastard.''


    ***


    The task that was assigned to us was rather simple. ''Act as the first-year cadet''s guardians while theyplete their task.''


    Given how shorthanded the staff was, they decided to delegate the task to us. Given our current strength, which was higher than several of the first-year Professors, delegating the task to us seemed appropriate.


    "Make sure you don''t wander outside of the safe zone. Their task should be simple. Let themplete the task without interfering. Only do so when the situation calls for it. Otherwise, it wouldn''t really be much of a training task for them."


    "I get it."


    I wasn''t nning on interfering anyway.


    At least, not when it came to important decisions. There was a reason why I let Linus be the team''s captain. In that regard, I did interfere, but it wasn''t because he was my brother.


    It wasn''t because of blood.


    I made him the captain because he was smart enough to be one. Plus, if he couldn''t even solve a situation such as this, then I was simply overrating his capabilities.


    Turning over to look at Linus who was standing by himself, I quietly remained where I was.


    ''....Can you adapt?''


    "Oh, right."


    Turning my head to look back at the Professor, he pointed in a certain direction.


    "Since you''re one of the higher-ranked cadets, take him with you as well."


    When I looked in the direction of where the Professor was pointing at, my brow raised.


    "Since he''s a transfer student he doesn''t know much about how the environment within the Academy''s Mirror Crack. Furthermore, with his capabilities, I''m sure things will be easier for


    you."


    "Oh... yes."


    Though I nodded, I wasn''t sure how to feel.


    Staring at the gray-eyed figure who was looking around with a lost look, I silently hissed.


    ''Leon Jr...''


    *


    There were times when the Mirror Cracks around the world became unstable. This wasn''t a strange phenomenon, but each time it happened, serious trouble woulde.


    What did the changes entail?


    I wasn''t really aware until I stepped into the Mirror Crack.


    "Cold~"


    My skin stung.


    "...Hoo, it''s so hard to breathe."


    There was little oxygen in the air.


    "Why is it so dark?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And the usual white sun that once hung in the sky now sagged low, hiding behind the jagged peaks of the North, its feeble light barely enough to cast a fleeting, mournful glow across the


    fading world.


    It was different.


    ...But that wasn''t all.


    "Awooo~"


    Behind the walls of the supply stations, the heartwrenching, deranged howls of the ''children'' echoed relentlessly. Rumble- The walls shook as a w suddenly mped the top of one of


    the walls.


    "Block it!"


    "....Take care of it quickly."


    While the camp was rmed, nobody was panicking. The monster was a mere Junior ranked


    one.


    It was something the first years could take care of.


    "As you can see, there''s a reason why we need you second years to supervise the first years. We''re quite busy here. The monsters within this area shouldn''t be any higher than Junior ranked which is something you all should be able to handle without any problems." Stopping by one of the tents of the safe station, the Professor turned around and addressed all


    of us with a serious expression.


    "If on the off-chance that a Terror-ranked creature does show up, I''m also confident you will be able to handle it. Of course, I don''t suggest you take care of it, but you should at least be


    able to retreat without any worries."


    Terror rank?


    ...Thinking about it, I could probably handle it without too much trouble.


    If it was just holding them back that was. Defeating a Terror-ranked monster? I wasn''t so sure. It really depended on the type and how close it was to the Destroyer rank which shouldn''t be anywhere near this ce.


    ''And even if they do show up, they''ll probably be noticed by the higher-ups within the Safe Station.''


    "I''ll let you all make the final arrangements now. You have about thirty minutes before the gates of the station will open. If you need to gather some supplies or need to discuss strategies, do so now before it''s toote. Points will be deducted by your guardian if you make such mistakes."


    When all was said and done, the Professor nodded satisfactorily and proceeded to enter the


    tent.


    Staring at his departing back, I turned around to look at my assigned group.


    Counting Linus, there were a total of five members. I didn''t quite know their names but theposition wasn''t very bnced. In the entire team, there were only two mages with the


    rest being [Body] users.


    Only Jacob and Linus were multi-talented users.


    Following the two of them there was an elemental user specialized in the [Ice] element. She was a young girl with long silky ck hair that was tied in a ponytail. Alongside her was another girl with short blonde hair and green eyes. She was a [Body] user who specialized in


    stealth and speed.


    Lastly, thest member of the team was a spear user. He was tall andnky, his height


    towering over me as well.


    There was a clear divide between the group but I didn''t care.


    "You heard the Professor."


    Shifting my attention towards the current ck Star, the one who was the least pleased by the


    arrangement, I found my tone lowering.


    "...Don''t y any tricks while I''m watching. I won''t hesitate to deduct points from your team.


    If it''s just like what you said before, I''m sure you can put your ego aside when it matters the


    most, right?" Jacob''s brow raised upon hearing those words.


    He looked surprised by the fact that I had heard his words, but how could I not when he was


    being so loud?


    "Can you do that?"


    ||


    ||


    Jacob''s jaw visibly clenched, but eventually, with a low sigh, he nodded his head.


    "Yes."


    He then turned his attention towards Linus.


    "What should we do?"


    "Eh?"


    Perhaps not expecting this sort of reaction, Linus flicked his head in my direction but I


    ignored it.


    I wasn''t the team leader.


    ...And I was also impressed by this ck Star''s attitude.


    ''I guess he didn''t be the ck Star for no reason.''


    He was arrogant but he knew when to put his arrogance down. That was a very nice skill to


    have. At least, this was how it seemed on the surface.


    Whether he could keep his arrogance in check, was for Linus to find outter.


    For now, there was a bigger problem that I was supposed to handle. Narrowing my eyes, I


    turned to my right where Amell was standing.


    "...Yes?"


    Noticing my gaze, he tilted his head.


    I stared at his face for a good minute before closing my eyes.


    "As expected..."


    "...It must run in the family."


    "??"


    "Stupid looking..."


    ***


    Before being let out, the cadets were all given a small bracelet that would count the number


    of points they collected. Points were assigned based on the number of monsters they


    managed to kill and what their rank was.


    Naturally, the higher the rank, the greater the points.


    Kurukuru Ku...


    A rattling sound echoed in the air and a wave of cold air plunged through the supply station.


    Linus''s hair and clothes fluttered.


    He stood at the front while his group stood behind him.


    While they all were silent, Linus could feel their displeasure. However, despite their


    displeasure, they all stood behind him without saying a word.


    Why was that?


    There was only one reason.


    ''It''s because of him.''


    From the corner of his eye, Linus caught a glimpse of a figure. His gaze was icy, his back


    unnervingly straight. Yet, even in his stillness, there was an oppressive weight to his presence


    -one that crushed the air around them, towering over all, as if the very ground beneath their


    feet quaked in his shadow.


    His words alone silenced their protests.


    ''...Why is he doing this?''


    Even now, Linus was confused by his brother''s interference. He couldn''t understand why he


    would do all of this.


    Was it so that he could watch him humiliate himself in front of everyone? No... how could that


    be?


    If he performed badly, it would also reflect on him as his brother.


    So what was it...?


    Why was he doing this?


    "The gates have opened! You may go! The points will be tracked in real-time. The team with


    the highest score will win!"


    A voice boomed and Linus snapped out of his thoughts.


    Shifting his thoughts away from Julien, he took a quiet breath and stepped forward.


    While he still didn''t know why his brother had made him be the leader, Linus wasn''t


    nning on wasting the opportunity.


    Dashing forward, he quickly left the tall walls of the supply stations.


    He only had one goal in all of this.


    Reach first ce.

 Chapter 473: Not because of blood [2]

    Chapter 473: Not because of blood [2]


    ?


    Supply station, control tower.


    Several professors were lined up in front of arge projection that disyed over several dozen windows. In each window was a different group. Beside the projection was another projection.


    It was currently empty, but it had several numbers that ranged from one to twenty-five, which was the overall number of teams. Beside each name was a red ''o'' that indicated their score points.


    "What do you think? Who do you think will rank first?"


    Professor Heart asked.


    He was the professor who had brought the second year over.


    "Ideally speaking, it should''ve been Jacob''s team. The fifth team."


    Answering him was Professor Lambart, one of the first-year professors. His voice was sharp and concise. With short, disheveled brown hair and green eyes that glimmered behind thick, square-framed sses, he exuded an air of seriousness.


    "But..?"


    "....I''m not so sure anymore."


    As he spoke, the Professor''s gaze stopped at a specific window and closed his eyes.


    While he didn''t show it, one could see the disappointment in his gaze.


    "I would''ve been confident in their ranking if not for the sudden change in captaincy."


    "Oh?"


    Curious, Professor Heart looked at the specific window and noticed that the captain had indeed been changed from Jacob, the current ck Star, to Linus.


    "That''s surprising. Did theye to the decision themselves?" "No."


    Professor Lambart shook his head, his lips pursing together.


    "That''s the most annoying part. The changes were forced upon one of your cadets." "Mine?"


    "Indeed."


    He gave a nod and lifted his sses.


    "I''m sure you''re quite familiar with him. It''s none other than the previous Summit winner, and the previous ck Star."


    "Could you mean...?"


    "Yes, Julien of the Evenus Household."


    "Oh, great."


    Realizing what had happened, Professor Heart covered his face.


    He was lost for words.


    Julien was known for always being indifferent and partial. He wasn''t someone that would meddle in things that didn''t involve him. It was for this reason that Professor Heart wasfortable with assigning him to his brother.


    He thought Julien wouldn''t show any favoritism towards him.


    And yet...


    "That cadet of yours... He''s potentially screwed an entire team because he wanted to take care of his little brother. I previously thought he was arrogant, which can be understandable due to his achievements, but this is beyond what I imagined."


    What could Heart even say to this?


    He... didn''t know how to respond. Staring at the screen and focusing his attention on Linus''s group, he could only secretly shake his head.


    ''I''ve heard about Julien''s little brother. He''s smart, but...''


    The Professor shook his head.


    His meaning was clear.


    He was smart, but not reliable.


    This team...


    They were set for a potential failure.


    ***


    The air felt increasingly heavier the deeper they ventured into the Mirror Dimension.


    Holding onto a smallmp, Linus illuminated the path in front of him. Rotten and decayed trees lined up the path, their branches brushing against their skin.


    Because of how dark it was, everyone had to stand close together in order to avoid any ambushes from the monsters around them. Usually, one would have the ''tanker'' hold onto the light while walking forward, but Linus offered himself for the role.


    This decision prompted Julien to furrow his brows, but he didn''t say anything and followed from a safe distance.


    Amell walked beside him silently.


    From time to time, he would look at him and ask, ''What did you mean by what you said


    before? I look what..?''


    Julien would just ignore him and keep his eyes peeled forward. Even if he did sense


    something, he didn''t show it outwardly.


    It was up to Linus or his team to sense something.


    "Wait."


    Soon enough, someone within the group spoke, prompting Linus to stop. When he turned his head, Linus''s gaze fell on Jessica who held a dagger in each of her hands, emitting a faint


    green glow that highlighted her soft blonde hair.


    With a petite and small frame, she was very adept in stealth and speed-she was an assassin


    of sorts.


    Narrowing her eyes, she looked towards the front.


    "I sense something."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Get ready."


    At Linus''smand, everyone fell into position. Stepping forward, a shield materialized in front of Jacob''s hand, while Sophia, the elemental mage, raised her hand to reveal a long staff that emitted a faint blue glow.


    Beside Jacob stood Rick, his hands outstretched as he gripped a long, crimson spear tightly,


    ready.


    "It''sing!"


    Jacob''s rough voice echoed within the darkness as the ground trembled.


    Thu¨DThump! Thu- Thump! Everyone''s heart tightened at the muffled sounding from


    the distance.


    With each ''thump'' growing progressively louder, rm bells rang in their minds as they held their positions, tense and waiting.


    Opening his mouth, Jacob was about to shout when he stopped and looked back. Clenching his teeth he held his words back and looked at Linus who bit his lips and held a sword forward.


    "It''s here."


    Jacob''s calm voice rang in the surroundings as a soft blue hue appeared in the distance,


    approaching them rapidly.


    "Jacob!"


    Listening to Linus''smand, Jacob stomped the ground and shot forward, his shoulder against the shield as he let out a soft grunt.


    "Humph!"


    Hieenk!


    Shortly after he took his position, a grotesque creature materialized-resembling a horse, but with skin that seemed to melt down, exposing the bone hidden beneath.


    "Rotmane!"


    Linus recognized the creature instantly and a series of information flodded his mind. Having


    studied the monster encyclopedia by heart, he knew everything about the monster as he rapidly detailed the monster''s information to everyone.


    "Rotmane, Junior ranked beast, charges in a straight line. It''s best to avoid frontal-"


    Bang!


    A loud metallic ''nk'' reverberated throughout, stopping Linus mid-sentence. What followed after the nking sound was a heavy grunt, apanied by a powerful ''Hieek!''.


    Thump! Thump...!


    Unable to bear the full brunt of the attack, Jacob was pushed several steps back, his shoulder trembling due to the force of the impact.


    Standing not far from him was the Rotmane which kicked the ground and charged at him once


    more.


    "Careful!"


    In seconds, the Rotmane reached Jacob who was unable to lift up the shield in time. Just as the creature was about to pummel him, a figure arrived before Jacob, shoving him away in time to


    avoid the attack.


    Bang!


    Dirt flew in the air as the ground shook.


    When everything settled down, the Rotmane stood in the middle while two figures were down


    on the floor. They were both unharmed, but the teamposition waspletely destroyed.


    Linus watched all of this happen before his eyes, his mouth hanging open as he struggled to


    find his words.


    "Do something..!"


    What snapped him out of his thoughts was an angry voice, and he quickly turned his head to


    see Rick thrust his spear in the direction of the Rotmane.


    "Ah, no! That''s not-"


    It was toote.


    Hiiiek!


    Standing on two feet, the Rotmane skillfully evaded the spear, twisting its body mid-air beforending smoothly back on the ground. In an instant, it rotated its torso with unnatural speed, delivering a powerful kick toward Rick with deadly precision.


    Its movements were so fast and abrupt that Linus had no time to reach his spot.


    "....!"


    Thankfully, Sophia had been paying attention.


    Extending her staff, the temperature dropped and her staff glowed. Following this, an ice wall


    formed right in front of Rick.


    Even so, given the little time it took for her to cast, it was far from enough topletely


    block the attack.


    Bang!


    "Ahh...!"


    He still ended up being hit by it, which sent him crashing against the nearby trees, shattering


    several at once.


    The entire sequence urred in less than a few seconds.


    Before Linus knew it, the entire team was in disarray, with one cadet potentially injured.


    "Wake the fuck up!"


    Feeling arge hand seize him by the cor, Linus was shoved backward. Before he could


    react, a massive shadow loomed in front of him, followed by the thunderous stomp of something enormousing down.


    Bang!


    The ground trembled and he lost his footing, but thankfully, he was able to avoid the


    iing attack as Jacob just managed to push him away in time.


    "Humph!"


    With a grunt, Jacob lowered his body and shot forward.


    In that time, he used his momentum to charge forward; meanwhile, he concentrated his mana


    and blood, causing his arm to pop and expand.


    His presence magnified and the air around his shield funneled.


    In an instant, Jacob appeared before the Rotmane, his shield crashing against the front of the


    monster.


    BAM!


    A thunderous ''p'' reverberated through the surroundings as the Rotmane was pushed back several steps.


    Jacob didn''t relent.


    His eyes grew fierce and his calves tensed. Swoosh- With a swift motion, he thrust his left


    hand forward, and the Rotmane came to a sudden halt. Clenching his right fist, his body blurred from the spot, reappearing before the creature in the blink of an eye.


    "Now!"


    At the same time that he shouted, four other figures appeared on all sides of the Rotmane.


    Jessica raised her staff, summoning a sheet of ice that spread beneath the Rotmane. Shortly


    after which, Sophia slid under the frozen surface, her speed nearly imperceptible. As she


    moved, small, precise cuts appeared at the monster''s joints.


    "Ahhh!"


    Her movements were followed by Rick who lunged forward, driving his spear into the


    creature''s left nk.


    Spurt!


    Blood gushed in the air as the Rotmane squealed in pain. But it wasn''t over yet.


    There was still life in the monster''s eyes, but not for long.


    "Uhmp!"


    A massive shadow loomed over the Rotmane, descending rapidly as Jacob hurtled down with


    his heavy shield clutched tightly in his outstretched hands. Momentster, the shield crashed


    into the beast with earth-shaking force.


    Bang!


    Dust and debris flew in the air in the aftermath of the crash. When everything settled down, a figure appeared standing on the body of the Rotmane. He


    looked unharmed and his breathing was fine, but if there was something that wasn''t fine, it


    was his expression.


    Turning his head to look at the stupefied Linus, he was just about to say something when he


    closed his mouth.


    Eventually, turning his head in Julien''s direction, he murmured in a tone only he could hear. "I can put down my arrogance, but can you...?"

 Chapter 474: Not because of blood [3]

    Chapter 474: Not because of blood [3]


    ?


    My bracelet buzzed.


    [Congrattions. You have earned + 13 Points]


    A notification followed right after.


    ''Thirteen points, not bad.''


    This was a good score for defeating a junior-ranked creature. Not only that, but the team''s chemistry was impable.


    I could now see why Jacob didn''t want Linus on the team.


    ''He definitely didn''t reject him because he hated him. He really can put down his arrogance when it matters.''


    The more I knew this cadet, the more I liked him.


    "I can put down my arrogance, but can you...?"


    "Hm?"


    Overhearing a certain voice, I raised my head, and a pair of eyes locked in my direction. Seeing his expression, the corner of my lips pulled up. He didn''t look mad, but just disappointed. It was a funny sight to witness.


    ''...How cute.''


    Could my decision be due to arrogance?


    Was letting Linus be the team leader the wrong decision? I turned to stare in his direction. Even thought my expression didn''t change, with just one look in his direction and I could see he was struggling.


    Linus''s face was pale and staring at his group, his mouth opened and closed in an attempt to say something, but nobody gave him a shred of attention. He looked pitiful.


    Linus found himself closing his mouth shortly after. He seemed to have given up on saying anything.


    That''s when I started thinking about Jacob''s words again.


    ''Yeah, it''s possible that he''s right.''


    Given what I had seen, the correct decision would be to make Jacob the team captain again.


    It would made sense if I did that considering Linus''s meltdown.


    But I wasn''t going to do that.


    Turning to look in Jacob''s direction, I shook my head.


    "I can''t."


    My arrogance knows no bounds.


    I knew I was right.


    ***


    The entire event was supposed tost half a day. The cadets would usually be given more time, but considering the current situation within the Mirror Dimension, it was best if they kept things short.


    They didn''t want to expose the cadets to any unnecessary risks.


    An hour into the task, different teams appeared at the top of the leaderboard, each overtaking the other within minutes of appearing at the top. This persisted until the second hour when the leaderboards started to set and a true leader emerged.


    By the third hour, the gap between the top three teams and the rest started to widen.


    The respective teams were;


    Team [4]--> 72 Points.


    Team [7]--> 68 Points.


    Team [18]--> 66 Points.


    The three teams were neck and neck with one another. While there was a six-point difference between the first and third spots, it wasn''t hard to ovee the gap.


    Following the top three teams, the remaining teams weregging behind by quite a lot of


    "As expected, this is disappointing."


    Overlooking the entire situation from the start, Professor Lambart shook his head, the disappointment evident on his face.


    "Their coordination and movement is perfect. There''s hardly any ws that I canment on, and yet..."


    The Professor closed his eyes and shook his head once more. Turning his head, he looked at the other Professor present.


    He didn''t say any words, but the meaning behind his gaze was clear.


    Professor Heart could only force out a bitter smiler.


    "This isn''t entirely Julien''s fault. If Jacob wanted to he could''ve taken the leadership back. Julien is merely a guardian. If Jacob wants to, he can ignore hismands."


    "That would be the same as making the Summit Leader your enemy. I''m sure you understand best how the politics within the Academy works. With the exception of Elizabeth and Aoife, there''s not that many cadets that can oppose Julien. If he wills it, he can destroy the future of anyone he wants."


    "But would Julien really do that? He may be arrogant but he wouldn''t stoop to such levels?"


    Professor Lambart raised his sses and nced in Heart''s direction. His expression seemed to say, ''Did you really just say that?''


    "After what I''ve seen today, I can more or less figure out his general attitude towards those beneath him. He is arrogant and is blinded by it. I wouldn''t care if his arrogance just applied to himself, but now he''s directly interfering with the lower cadets. That''s not something I can take lying down."


    Finished saying his piece, the Professor grabbed his coat in preparation for leaving, rming the other Professor who hastily moved towards him.


    "Wait, what are you nning on doing?!"


    "What else? I''m going to be reporting this incident to the higher-ups. At least, I can''t hav¡ª"


    The Professor suddenly stopped. As his head flicked back, his expression changed when he stared at a specific window.


    "Good, god."


    He hastily moved to the projection and erged the image. Upon witnessing the scene within


    it, his expression changed abruptly.


    "Not good..."


    ***


    [Congrattions. You have earned + 3 Points]


    Amell nced at his bracelet and then the total team score; 36. Upon seeing the number


    disyed, his expression subtly changed.


    ''The team is currently ranked in the middle of the charts.''


    While this wasn''t necessarily bad, considering how time was running out and the team''sposition, Amell couldn''t help but turn in Julien''s direction.


    He stood next to him without much of an expression. He just kept his gaze on the cadets who were scrabbling around, trying to figure out how to defeat the monsters in front of them.


    Amell took this chance to speak,


    "... Wouldn''t it be best if we changed the leader of their team? At the rate they are going, they


    won''t ever have a chance at the top spot."


    "I can see that."


    Julien''s calmness left Amell unsettled. He was obviously agreeing, but...?


    "I''m not going to change it."


    "Why?"


    It was fairly obvious from what Amell observed that the team was doing badly because the current leader couldn''t handle the situation.


    The moment the other member, Jacob, took over, everything started flowing smoothly and


    the team''s coordination felt terrifying.


    It was at a level where Amell found himself impressed. Such geniuses were hard toe by


    even in his Empire.


    ''No, not quite...''


    The real genius was the one leading all of them.


    He seemed to know every little detail about his teammate''s skills and habits. He knew how to


    navigate through their ws to make them stand out.


    So...


    Why? Why was Julien suppressing such an individual?


    ''It can''t be that he really just wants to make his brother stand out, right?''


    Amell''s expression subtly changed.


    ''Preposterous. He may be arrogant, but surely he''s not this overbearing right?''


    Amell thought he knew Julien enough with what he had seen. He thought he wouldn''t let his


    personal feelings affect his judgment.


    He wasn''t like that. How could he...?


    And yet...


    The evidence was right before his very eyes.


    "They''re going to be fine."


    Julien continued to refuse to acknowledge his own faults, leading to the situation worsening


    with each hour that passed.


    At the rate things were going, Amell was afraid that Julien''s stubbornness was going to lead to the team''s low ranking which didn''t reflect their true worth.


    Even though Amell was a transfer student and wasn''t in a position to interfere, this sight still


    annoyed him.


    He had seen many cases when bad leadership led to the demise of many promising and


    talented people.


    In Julien''s case, his nepotism was going to lead to a simr situation.


    Therefore, even though he didn''t want to interfere, a part of him made him open his mouth to


    speak up on the situation.


    "Don''t bother saying anything. I know what I''m doing."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "?"


    You clearly don''t.


    Amell was about to say such thoughts when Julien spoke over him.


    "I know you''re Leon''s brother."


    || ||


    Amell felt his words fade out of his mouth.


    With wide eyes, he looked at Julien, his mouth opening and closing in repeated motions. He


    simply didn''t know what to say.


    How...?


    "I can more or less guess why you''ve decided toe to the Academy. You''re probably trying


    to get closer to Leon before breaking the news to him."


    Julien''s voice sounded definitive. As though his hypothesis wasn''t wrong-which it wasn''t-


    even though he knew nothing about their n. While it wasn''t too hard to guess, the fact that


    he still knew was shocking to Amell.


    He wasn''t even sure Aoife knew. And she was the Princess of the Empire.


    So how...?


    How did he know?


    "I won''t interfere in your matters, however, I''d like it if you also don''t interfere in mine."


    As Julien''sst words reached his ears, Amell raised his head and swallowed his saliva. His


    throat felt strangely dry.


    Then, shifting his attention towards the group in the distance which was currently on the verge of defeating another monster, he nodded his head.


    "Okay..."


    He pursed his lips.


    "Ok-!!"


    Rumble-! Rumble-!


    At that moment, a tremor rippled through their surroundings. The nearby trees thrashed


    vigorously, and the entirend quivered visibly.


    "What in the..."


    "What''s going on?"


    The cadet''s panicked voice echoed through the surroundings.


    "Be alert!"


    With no time to pay attention to the director, Jacob warned the others as he tried to keep his


    footing in check. In the midst of the violent tremors, Linus, Jessica, Sophia, and Rick fought to


    maintain their footing, desperately trying to withstand the relentless force that threatened to topple them.


    ...and it was then that it happened.


    Swoooosh-!


    In the distance, an enormous brown pir emerged, piercing the night and stretching towards


    the sky. It stood tall and thick, emanating a profound sense of dread that caused Jacob''s heart to race with anxiety.


    With just one gaze Jacob understood something, and just as his mouth parted open, the solid


    pir started to morph. It gradually split apart, fragmenting into eight distinct pirs, unveiling an imposing form nestled within their midst.


    A massive body emerged and bristly hairs sprouted from every joint and back. All sharp enough to resemble swords.


    Within the shroud of the night, eight crimson eyes radiated an otherworldly glow. They


    pierced through the darkness with intensity as they fixed their gaze on Jacob and the others.


    Jacob''s heart sank at the gaze, but despite it all, he was still able to utter a few words.


    "That..."


    For he knew the beast that was right before him. "T-terror ranked beast. Mother of all spiders."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 475: Not because of blood [4]

    Chapter 475: Not because of blood [4]


    ?


    "That''s...!"


    Amell''s expression shifted as he noticed the distant pirs, which upon closer inspection revealed themselves to be thick, sturdy legs supporting a small, elevated body.


    A strong oppressive aura descended on all of them, rooting the first-year cadets on the spot. It was quite far, but Amell knew it was looking at them.


    It had noticed their presence...


    With a grim look, Amell looked in Julien''s direction.


    "We have to help them."


    "....If we help them, they''ll be automatically disqualified from thepetition."


    Julien''s calmness despite the situation was something Amell found noteworthy.


    However, his words weren''t something Amell agreed with.


    "That''s only on the premise that we help in a situation they could''ve handled. This over here is a Terror Ranked monster. There''s no way they can handle it."


    "Pay close attetion."


    Pointing at the monster in the distance, Julien''s deep hazel eyes rippled.


    "....The mother is yet to be Terror-rank. It''s a newborn."


    "That''s a newborn?"


    Amell looked stupefied by the information, but upon closer look, it really did seem like the monster''s aura was somewhat feeble. He wasn''t wrong in thinking it was a terror-ranked monster, but it was also right to say its power was beneath it.


    In that case then...


    "If we interfere, they''ll be eliminated."


    The rules for the guardian usage were clear. They were only allowed to interfere in situations where they had no choice but to or when the team called for it. If they interfered because the opponent was impossible for the team to beat, then there would be no penalty.


    If they interfered because the team made a mistake then it would be a point penalty, and if they interfered because the team decided to not handle the monster, then it was equivalent toplete elimination.


    In the current situation, the team could definitely outrun the mother. The only issue was that they had yet to understand that they could.


    All of them were petrified by the monster''s aura.


    "W-what should we do?"


    Sophia stuttered as she looked back in Jacob''s direction. She wasn''t the only one. Pretty much everyone within the group turned in his direction.


    By now, this had be the norm.


    Linus had be an afterthought in everyone''s mind. The ''nominal'' captain for the better part of the word.


    "This..."


    Jacob''s mouth slowly parted, hisplexion growing paler with each passing second. His eyes remained transfixed on the mother in the distance, alternating towards his team members who were all looking at him with panicked expressions.


    Jacob nervously licked his dry lips, a lump forming in his throat.


    With a defeated look, he shook his head.


    "I''m getting the guardians to interfere."


    His voice emerged hoarse. As if he was someone who had smoked their entire life.


    He hated this choice, but it was a rational choice. Jacob could tell that there was something wrong with the ''mother''. This much was obvious from theck of reaction from the guardians.


    He would''ve wanted to continue, but taking into ount the team''sck of coordination and their current panicked expressions, this was the best option.


    ''Yes, this is the best option. This is...''


    Clench!


    Jacob''s fist clenched tightly.


    Even so. Despite it all. He had hoped. Hoped that there was a way for them to pull through this. He didn''t want things to end like this, and...


    "Don''t do it."


    A certain voice cut in all of a sudden, gathering the attention of everyone present. Standing by the corner, Linus looked at everyone present, his expression unusually calm.


    "There is a way."


    ***


    "There is a way."


    What fucking way...?


    The words just came out of my Linus''s mouth before he knew it.


    Something came over him all of a sudden, and he started to move without even thinking. Every action and movement seemed to have a purpose and a peculiar calmness settled over him, dissipating the lingering remnants of panic that had previously consumed him.


    The world around him faded into insignificance as his focus narrowed solely on the distant monster, its enormous presence towering over him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Don''t do it."


    His mouth parted open.


    "There''s a way. If you calm down and listen to what I have to say, then we might be able to handle this."


    Linus was in control. There was no fear or anything else that was controlling him. At that moment, he was in control of himself and every action. He felt strangely lucid. Ideas and all sorts of ways to handle the beast continued to enter his mind.


    What prompted such a change in him?


    ....And why now?


    "Will you trust me?"


    His words were met with a subtle tone of silence, and right then, a hand pressed against his


    shoulder, pulling him back harshly.


    "What do you think you''re doing."


    It was Jacob. Veins were bulging down the side of his neck as he angrily looked at him. He looked incredibly pissed, yet, under his pressuring gaze, Linus only calmly looked back at his


    gaze.


    "Is this some sort of joke to you? Do you not understand what is going on?...Or are you drunk on your power that you want to fuck us up again? Even if we do end up engaging against the ''mother'' do you think your safety will be guaranteed? No, fuck that!"


    Angrily clenching his teeth, Jacob pulled tightly on Jacob''s cor.


    "I don''t give a fuck about what happens to you, but as the captain you should be worried about what happens to your group members! If you''re trying to pull this stunt just to fix your


    bullshit mistakes then save-"


    "I can do it."


    "Uh... you what?...Did you not hear me? Do you not realize that they can die...? This isn''t some


    simtion or a vision. This is real life!"


    "I can do it."


    Linus repeated, his tone even calmer than before.


    "I know of a way."


    "Ah... This fucker."


    It seemed like Linus''s calmness left him somewhat flustered as he seemed to struggle to find


    any words to say.


    Scratching the top of his head, his face underwent a series of changes, alternating his gaze between Linus and the group members. Eventually, he shook his head.


    "No."


    Jacob wasn''t going to risk it.


    He couldn''t afford to risk it. He-


    "Pussy."


    "....!"


    Jacob''s eyes widened abruptly. He turned toward Linus, where faint popping and cracking


    sounds filled the air as Jacob''s forearm began to swell and expand.


    "What did you just say?"


    He struggled to understand if he had heard correctly.


    "Pussy."


    But he hadn''t heard wrong.


    "That''s what I called you."


    "Ah."


    The veins on Jacob''s forehead became more pronounced. It had been a long time since he''d


    felt such rage, and his face twisted with barely contained fury.


    ''Should I just kill him?''


    Jacob looked back in the guardian''s direction. His expression twisted further as he raised his


    clenched fist, but just as he was about to punch Linus, the ground trembled once more.


    Rumble-!


    Jacob''s head flicked to the right and his expression changed.


    "It''sing...!"


    Thump! Thump!


    A low and muffled ''thumping'' sound echoed in the air, shattering whatever anger Jacob previously felt. Letting go of Linus, Jacob hastily looked in Julien''s direction. He was about to shout at him to interfere when a hand pressed against his shoulder once more.


    "...I can do it."


    It was Linus again.


    However, differently from before, he was even calmer than before.


    To the point where it felt creepy. Turning around and staring directly into Linus''s eyes, Jacob


    felt his lungs lose all air.


    There was something about Linus''s eyes that felt unsettling.


    They almost felt creepy and the hair at the back of his neck involuntarily rose. It almost felt


    like the more dire the situation became, the calmer he became.


    How was this possible?


    Linus didn''t understand either, but his mind felt so incredibly clear at this very moment.


    It had never felt so clear in the past.


    ...He almost felt like he could do anything.


    With just a thought, he could recall almost everything he had learned in the past. In particr,


    the details of the current monster they were facing.


    -?[Monster Encyclopedia].-


    Monster: Mother of all spiders


    Rank: Terror


    Description:


    The "Mother of All Spiders" is a truly terrifying creature, epitomizing the sheer horror of


    arachnids. Towering above all other spiders, it possesses a body that towers above several dozen meters. Its size is immense, with a massive abdomen that resembles a swollen sac, capable of producing countless offspring. The creature''s legs are long, sinewy, and covered in jagged spines, enabling it to scuttle across any terrain with unsettling agility.


    *Unless one has adequate equipment that is able to handle poison, and the sheer strength of the beast, then it is advised to immediately use the return stone and flee. It is not a creature to


    be taken lightly.


    Weakness:


    Red colored smiley face.


    *Location varies ordingly from boss to boss.


    ¡ª ?[Monster Encyclopedia].¡ª


    Linus could recall all of it and staring at the approaching figure in the distance, he turned his


    head in Jacob''s direction once more.


    "I can do it."


    He was sure of it.


    ***


    ¡ªRetreat immediately. Go back to the Academy and keep the cadets safe! I repeat, keep the cadets


    safe!


    A voice continued to squeal from themunication device which I quickly turned off.


    "....What are they doing?"


    At the same time I turned off themunication device, Amell''s shocked and confused voice


    reached my ears from the right. His body was tense and looking at him, I could see he was


    ready to interfere at any moment.


    I held out my hand in his direction to stop him.


    "What?"


    "Don''t interfere."


    I nudged in Linus''s direction.


    "Watch."


    I could tell that something was happening and the corner of my lips pulled up slightly.


    ''As expected, I wasn''t wrong.''


    Seeing how calm Linus was acting, I knew the fruit of my training wasn''t for nothing. The


    extreme fear that I had previously subjected him to served to keep his mind calm in a situation where he would experience a simr type of extreme fear.


    ...And though he appeared calm on the surface, I noticed a faint trickle of blood seeping from


    the corner of his mouth.


    He was using ''pain'' to keep himself calm and steady.


    He was reminding himself of that time...


    ''Once you''ve faced a fear greater than anything imaginable, everything else will seem


    insignificant.''


    Thump! Thump!


    Feeling the ground shake once again, I turned to look at the approaching monster and stepped


    back. Seeing Jacob''s flustered and confused expression, I could see he was unsure of how to


    proceed.


    All he needed was a little kick to help him make his mind up.


    ...And that kick came in the form of a fist.


    Bang!


    A clean fist to his face from Linus.


    "Hurry the fuck up and listen to mymands. I don''t have time to waste on a waste."


    Linus then turned to look in my direction.


    "Don''t interfere."

 Chapter 476: Not because of blood [5]

    Chapter 476: Not because of blood [5]


    ?


    Rumble-!


    The ground trembled fiercely, and the trees shattered.


    "Ueeeekkk!"


    A cry pierced through the forest as four pairs of eyes, no ordinary eyes, but orbs that filled anyone who looked at them with dread, flickered to life in the depths of darkness.


    Like two beacons of light, they pierced through the ckness, their ominous gaze fixed upon the five figures that scrambled through the forest in panic.


    "Haaa... Haaa... How much longer do we have to run?"


    "We''re almost there."


    Jacob responded, briefly recalling the details of the surroundings.


    "Haa... I... I''m starting to get tired."


    "Just grit your teeth and continue running. Sophia and Jessica are both doing better than you so there''s no reason why you can''t keep up with them."


    "Haa... But I''m carrying Linus!"


    "Just stoppl-"


    Rumble-!


    The towering trees behind them splintered into fragments as a colossal pir violently impaled the ground,unching chunks of earth high into the air.


    "Akh!"


    "Run faster!"


    If not for the fact that he had to stay back to shield the attacks, Jacob would''ve already arrived at the designated location that Linus had marked beforehand on the map of their surroundings.


    However, ording to themands, they all had to keep the same pace for at least a couple of kilometers before the designated location, hence why he was still next to them.


    In case anything happened, he could quickly aid them with his skills.


    ''I can''t believe I''m even doing this...''


    Where did it all go wrong?


    All it took was a simple fist to his face and a few cold words from Linus and before he knew it, everyone was following his orders.


    The current Linus was different.


    He... had a simr vibe to Julien.


    No, for a moment, their figures ovepped and that was what pressured them into doing this. "Ah, fuck...!"


    Jacob clenched his teeth in annoyance.


    "Jessica, help bring Sophia forward."


    A calm voice echoed in the air.


    "Once you get Sophia, run at full speed toward the marked point. I''ll tell you what to do after that."


    "Okay."


    Jessica didn''t question themand at all. She turned to look at Sophia, who looked back at her.


    "Grab my hand."


    In order to go to the destined location faster, Jessica had no choice but to bring Sophia with her, who wasn''t very fast due to her being a mage.


    This was different for Jessica who specialized in speed.


    "I''ve got her, what... haa... else?"


    "Besides the two of you, everyone keep up at the same pace."


    Linus nces in Jacob''s direction.


    "Use your scent of bloom, the aggro skill you used a few times before to get the monster''s attention. Use it now so that Sophia and Jessica can move forward without any interference."


    "Hold on tightly Sophia."


    With Sophia clinging to her body, Jessica no longer needed to hold back. Tightening her calves, she surged forward with an impressive burst of speed.


    WOOOM-!


    Her body shot like an arrow, gracefully maneuvering through the dense forest, effortlessly avoiding each tree in her path.


    It wasn''t long before the two of them arrived on a narrownd that waspletely t and devoid of any trees.


    Jessica quickly took out hermunication device.


    "We''re here, what do we do?"


    -Have Sophia cast a simple frost spell on the ground. Leave a small trail that connects to the center.


    "Ah, frost spell? Leave a small trail that connects to the center?"


    Despite notprehending the instruction, Jessica instinctively nudged Sophia, who responded by raising her staff.


    In an instant, a cold, luminescent light emanated from the wand, giving birth to a small blue magic circle hovering beside it. From within the circle, a beam of blue light surged forth, colliding with the ground and leaving a trail of frost in its wake.


    The air around the two immediately grew cold and Sophia''s face paled considerably. Given how precisely she needed to control her skill and how she was still tired from the nonstop fighting from before, it was only natural for her to feel weak after casting a spell.


    "Is this enough?"


    Jessica anxiously asked, staring at Sophia nervously while showing Linus the image through


    themunication device. It didn''t seem Sophia could hold on for very long.


    ¡ªNo. More. It''s too thin. Have her build a small ramp at the center. About half a meter tall.


    "What...?"


    -Make it as dense as possible. Enough to withstand a powerful impact.


    "I... Okay."


    Jessica bit her lips and once again nudged at Sophia who nodded and pointed her staff toward


    the middle.


    ''She might pass out at this rate.''


    Jessica was already starting to grow concerned over Sophia''s situation, but seeing her still obediently following the instructions, Jessica swallowed her words.


    Even she didn''t understand why they were following Linus''smands, but his cold and indifferent voice made it hard for them to disobey.


    Following the instructions precisely, a ramp began to take shape, rising gradually before them. However, as they neared the end of the construction, Sophia''s magic circle faltered,


    causing the magic to wane in strength.


    Jessica immediately grew anxious.


    "Sophia, you can st-"


    -Don''t stop. Continue.


    Linus'' words carried an icy coldness that seemed ever colder than the ice in front of her. It seemed as though he held no regard for Sophia''s condition, showing aplete indifference


    towards her.


    Yet, at the same time. For some reason, Jessica felt a certain reassurance from the voice that made it hard for her to speak back.


    Thankfully, Sophia was able to persevere and the ramp fully formed.


    "What ne-"


    Booom-!


    "Oh, no."


    Jessica''s face grew pale.


    "They''re here."


    Rustle-! Rustle-!


    The bushes around them rustled and Linus, Jacob, and Rick appeared immediately after. Trailing behind them, the ''Mother'' advanced with its eight legs, each step puncturing the


    ground with terrifying force.


    "It''sing! Do something!"


    Rick''s shouts echoed loudly in the forest, and right as he stepped into the field, he almost


    slipped on the ice.


    "Huekk-Why is there ice!?"


    "There''s a trail that''s untouched follow that!"


    Jessica yelled, pointing at the untouched trail that led to the icy ramp in the middle.


    "Ah, I see it!"


    Rick was just about to jump over when a certain voice rang in everyone''s ears.


    -No. The trail is only for Jacob. Run alongside the nd. One to the left, and the other to the right. Look for a red smiley face on the body of the ''mother''. That''s its weak point.


    "Uh?"


    -Do it.


    "...Okay."


    It looked like she wanted to say a lot of things, but Jessica followed hismand, and so did


    Rick.


    "What the hell...? What is this supposed to be? Why does it look like I''m being selected as the sacrifice? Just you wait when I get out of this... I''ll make sure to skin you alive..."


    On the other hand, Jacob seemed rather hesitant, but after throwing a couple of curses under


    his breath, he rushed toward the small trail that led toward the ramp.


    Right as he positioned himself there, he asked.


    "What do I do now?"


    -Aggro the monster.


    "Uh...?"


    Jacob''s eyes opened widely as he turned to look at the ''Mother'' who towered over him. It was


    only a few meters behind him.


    "Are you out of your mind!? Are you asking me to die? Fuck, I knew I shouldn''t have trusted


    you. I..."


    -Do it.


    "Fuck. Fucking fuck!"


    Jacob clenched his teeth. His usualposed and refined demeanour was long gone and only swear words flew out of his mouth. The worst of it all was the fact that he found himself unable to refute Linus''s voice and a rosy mist suddenly enveloped the area.


    Scent of Blood - His own innate skill that allowed him to aggro any monster by just smelling


    the odor that came out of his body.


    "Hieeek!"


    The ''Mother''s'' enraged shout echoed throughout the forest and its eyes settled over Jacob


    who raised his hand and beckoned it in his direction.


    "Come."


    "Hieeek!"


    As if understanding his gesture, the ''Mother'' rushed toward him with rming speed.


    Rumble-! Rumble-!


    The ground quaked with every step, and Jacob positioned his shield forward. At the same time, he didn''t forget to curse at themunication device.


    "Oy! I don''t know what you''re nning on doing, but if that thing charges at me like that I''m


    going to die!"


    -Get on your knees.


    "The fuc-"


    -Get on your knees and position your shield over your left shoulder. Tilt it ever so slightly and cushion


    some of the force from its leg. Make sure you re-direct the attack to the ramp. Everything depends on


    how well you can cushion the attack.


    "Ah...?"


    Jacob''s eyes opened widely. But before he could even process the information, the ''Mother'' was already upon him. Or more precisely, its leg which directly shot in his direction. Reacting purely out of instinct, Jacob swiftly dropped to his knee and obediently followed the


    instructions. He positioned the shield beside the ramp and tensed his muscles as he pushed the shield up a bit.


    At that precise moment, the ''Mother''s'' leg forcefully collided with the shield, producing a


    resounding metallic nk that echoed through the surrounding forest.


    CLANK-!


    Sparks flew in the air.


    "Akh! Fuck-"


    -Redirect it.


    ''You think I''m not trying?!'' Jacob wanted to say those words so badly but he couldn''t as a


    sweet sensation in his throat stifled his voice, rendering him unable to utter them.


    The sheer force of the attack overwhelmed him, pushing his limits. Yet, he persevered, knowing that his task was to absorb and cushion the blow.


    Just as he reached his breaking point, he tilted the shield ever so slightly, causing the


    ''Mother''s'' leg to glide down the icy ramp.


    "Akh!"


    Streaks of blood trailed down his mouth, but drawing upon every ounce of strength, Jacob grit


    his teeth and propelled the ''Mother''s'' leg down the slick ice ramp.


    Whiiiing-!


    The ramp withstood the tremendous force exerted by the leg, allowing it to slide along its


    surface even after reaching the end, still carrying momentum.


    With a lot of its force absorbed by Jacob, the ramp and the ice beneath it didn''t shatter and the


    leg continued to skid down, making the ''Mother'' lose its bnce.


    The ''Mother'' other legs quickly mped onto the ground, trying to stop itself from sliding


    forward.


    "Hiaaaaak!"


    But the momentum was far too much. The ''Mother'' slid forward, and a certain calm voice


    rang in everyone''s ears.


    -Jessica. Now''s your chance. Aim for the joints of its leg.


    "On it."


    She didn''t need to be told what she needed to do. The moment she saw Jacob slide the leg


    down the ramp, she understood everything, and her body rushed toward the leg.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Cr...Crack!


    With each one of her steps the ice beneath her cracked and she reached the leg in no time.


    Bang-!


    Jessica propelled her body forward, her daggers finding their mark as they plunged into the ''Mother''s'' leg. In a swift, fluid motion, she deftly severed a section of the leg, separating it


    from the monster.


    "Hiaaaaak!"


    In response to the searing pain, the ''Mother'' emitted a frenzied cry, its instincts taking over


    as it trashed around.


    In a desperate attempt to regain stability, it instinctively reached for its severed leg, hoping


    to use it as support. However, the severed limb only served to disrupt its bnce further,


    causing it to slip and slide uncontrobly on the icy surface.


    -I found the smiley face.


    Linus''s voice echoed inside of everyone''smunications.


    -It''s on the sac. Right toward the bottom.


    -Okay. You two sneak toward it. When I say so, attack it. Jacob, are you still there?


    -Ugh... barely.


    -Position yourself.


    -What?! Psycho! Are you...Cough... going to make me take another hit? Because if you are, you can


    dream on! I can''t take any more of those... Cough.


    -Do you have enough energy to throw your shield?


    -That? I... I think I do. -Okay. Get ready.


    -Throw where? -Jessica. Next leg. Same side. Attack it now.


    -Oy...! You haven''t answered me!


    "On it."


    Jessica had already been at it before he even had to say anything to her. It wasn''t for nothing


    that she was selected in Haven. Her skillset was nothing to scoff at.


    Propelling her body forward, Jessica dashed forward, her aim sealed on the ''Mother''s'' leg.


    Bang-!


    She had just left the ground when a calm voice suddenly echoed in her ears.


    -Jacob throw your shield at Jessica. Rick, attack.


    Uh?


    Themand left Jessica stunned. Not just her, but everyone else, but she didn''t have time to


    dwell over it as the ''Mother''s'' body suddenly hunched. And that''s when Jessica suddenly felt


    dread


    The spinneret was aimed directly at her, and she could see a silvery white streak head in her direction at rapid speeds.


    Oh, shit!


    It all happened so fast that she had no time to properly process what was going on, but she


    understood one thing. If that hit her... she was going to die. To make matters worse, she couldn''t stop herself as she was in mid-air.


    A streak of something ominous tore through the air, hurtling directly towards her. Glinting


    ominously under the moonlight, it maintained its trajectory, inching closer with each passing


    moment.


    Never before did Jessica feel death so close, and just as she was about to meet the streak, something crashed against the side of her body.


    Bang-!


    "Ugkh!"


    Jessica groaned as she felt her body twist in the air.


    Boom-!


    Her body crashed against one of the trees, and she felt several bones break upon impact. Even


    so, she kept her gaze ahead and that was when she saw a thin and long silky line. It pierced


    through everything in its path.


    She nervously gulped when she stared at the line. Had it hit her, she would''ve died without a


    doubt.


    "Uaaaakh!"


    Her attention was quickly taken away by a certain scream and when she turned her head, her


    eyes opened wide as she witnessed Rick, who had been quiet the entire time, stab directly at the ''Mother''s'' abdomen.


    A green liquid quickly spurted out from the body of the ''Mother'' as it trashed around, sending


    Rick flying away.


    That''s when Jessica finally realized what had happened and she smiled bitterly.


    ''So... I was the bait.''


    Right, it made sense. She was the one whom the ''Mother'' was most wary of after what she had


    done to its leg.


    It was only natural she would be targeted.


    Rumble-! Rumble-!


    The Mother''s rampage continued, leaving nothing in its wake unscathed.


    Trees were uprooted, the ground was torn apart, and rocks shattered into fragments.


    However, the chaos was abruptly halted by a resounding ''thump'', plunging the surroundings


    into an eerie silence.


    Surrounded by an unsettling stillness, Jessica''s senses heightened, and she could feel her


    mouth growing dry.


    Slowly, her lips parted, her heart unable to calm itself down.


    "Did... we do it?"

 Chapter 477: Not because of blood [6]

    Chapter 477: Not because of blood [6]


    ?


    "Retreat immediately. Go back to the Academy and keep the cadets safe! I repeat, keep the cadets safe!"


    Professor Lambart shouted loudly into themunication device as he looked at the window in front of him, his expression filled with worry. Even though he wasn''t present to see the situation, he knew all about the monster that was slowly elevating into the projection.


    Terror-ranked creature-Mother of All Spiders.


    That wasn''t something the cadets could handle.


    He also couldn''t afford for something to go wrong under his watch. That would spell major unnecessary trouble.


    They were already busy as things were, if something were to happen to them then...


    ''I can''t let that happen!''


    Professor Lambart''s lips parted once more as he once again tried tomunicate with the team but just as the words were about to leave his lips, he realized something.


    "Did you hear me? I said retreat immediately! Retreat back and hold the mother back so that the first years can esc-Uh?"


    He had been cut off.


    Moving themunication device down so that he could get a better look at it, the Professor brought it next to his mouth again and tried to speak.


    "Hey, are you listening?"


    But...


    "Can you hear me at all? I said, can you hear me?"


    It was useless.


    "Hello? Hello!?"


    He had beenpletely cut off.


    "Can you hear me? Hello!? Heeeloo-"


    "Stop."


    A hand reached out for the Professor, stopping him. When the Professor turned around, a grim-looking Professor Heart met his sight.


    Shaking his head, Professor Heart said, "I''m afraid themunication has been cut off, and it''s likely voluntary."


    "Wha..."


    "It looks like Julien has his own ns."


    "This bastard...!"


    Bang!


    Fragments of metal scattered through the air as the Professor hurled themunication device against the nearest wall. Breathing heavily, his face pale, he turned to re fiercely at Professor Heart.


    "I knew it was a bad idea from the start! from the moment that arrogant bastard took over the situation, everything went wrong!"


    He was practically shouting at this point.


    His voice was so loud that even those outside of the tent could hear it, but the Professor''s rage had reached a point where he couldn''t care any less. Shifting his attention towards the Projection that disyed Julien''s face, his face twisted.


    "Damn it!"


    He raised his fist and thought about hitting the table but stopped himself at thest moment. "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down. He couldn''t let his nerves take over. Not when the situation was so delicate.


    Every little second mattered.


    Seeing the Professor calm down, Joshua Heart sighed in relief and started to speak, "There''s no need to be too hasty about this. While this situation is indeed back, there are two second years present. Both of them are the best of the best within the Empire. If you think about it properly, the first years shouldn''t be in any trouble. Getting them to safety should be easy for them. In fact, if the two of them worked together, defeating the ''mother'' shouldn''t be impossible.


    "I know that. Do you think I''m not aware of their skills? I know they can defeat the ''Mother'' if they wanted to.""


    Professor Lambart pinched the middle of his brows, his eyes narrowing.


    "I also know the two of them can get the first years to safety, but..."


    The Professor pointed at the projection.


    "Do you really think the two of them think the same?!"


    It was Professor Heart''s turn to look shocked. Upon looking at the projection, he realized that neither Amell nor Julien were interfering. The two of them just stood by the side while watching the first years have a full-blown meltdown.


    "This..."


    He could understand Julien''sck of reaction, but Amell''s...? Wait, could it be that he doesn''t care because these are the people of his Empire?


    Anxiety started to rise up from the Professor''s stomach as he bit his lips.


    He was just about to turn around and report on the situation when he suddenly noticed a change on the screen. He wasn''t the only one.


    "Uh?"


    Professor Lambart also noticed the change and moved closer to the projection.


    "Wait, are they...!?"


    "Ah!"


    Realization soon struck the two Professors who looked at each other in shock. Their faces pale considerably, but before they could do anything else, themunications were restored and a certain voice entered their ears.


    -Use your scent of bloom, the aggro skill you used a few times before to get the monster''s attention. Use it now so that Sophia and Jessica can move forward without any interference.


    It felt oddly calm, a soothing calmness that made those who listened to it feel just as calm, but if one paid close attention to it, hidden within the calmness of the voice was a certain coldness that made one shiver.


    The two Professors looked at each other once more.


    ''Who is this?''


    ''...Julien?''


    No, it wasn''t. Looking closer, the two Professors realized that the one speaking was none other than Linus who appeared like apletely different person.


    Amidst the desperate situation, he looked like a spitting image of his own brother.


    -Have Sophia cast a simple frost spell on the ground. Leave a small trail that connects to the center.


    -No. More. It''s too thin. Have her build a small ramp at the center. About half a meter tall.


    -Don''t stop. Continue.


    Themands were precise and clear.


    There was no vagueness in them, but theplete disregard Linus had for his teammates felt


    chilling to those watching.


    It was as if he was...


    Manipting a bunch of dolls.


    Booom-!


    An explosion followed suit and Jacob and the others reached the designated location.


    Following right behind them was the enormous mother. Both Professors looked at the scene with bated breath, sweat forming on their foreheads as they turned to look at Julien and Amell who overlooked the scene from a distance.


    But even in such a situation, the two didn''t move at all. The two professors hoped they''d do something, but the more they hoped, the more disappointed they were left.


    Amell seemed more ready to react, but he was promptly held back by Julien who had his gaze


    fixed on Linus the entire time.


    The next sequence of events all happened so fast that neither Professor could properly


    process it.


    All they could do was stare at the projection with shocked looks.


    "That..."


    "How could this be?"


    By the time it was all over, an enormous body loomed before the five cadets, four of whom


    were slumped limply on the ground.


    Linus was the only one standing.


    Staring at the creature that could''ve taken their life at any moment, he lookedpletely


    indifferent.


    And it was then that the leaderboards underwent a change.


    [Congrattions. You have earned + 84 Points]


    They shot directly for first ce.


    ||


    A tense silence filled the tent as neither Professor could utter a single word. The shock of the


    entire situation had yet to settle within their minds.


    When they did, they both stepped back from the projection while holding their breaths.


    Shattering the silence, Professor Lambart looked directly at Linus and then Julien.


    "This..."


    His gaze flickered between the two as he struggled to articte himself.


    "...H-how is this possible?"


    ***


    "They... actually did it."


    With a look of bewilderment, Amell alternated his gaze between the first-year cadets and the


    corpse of the mother behind them.


    He had witnessed the entire scene up close, and even though he knew exactly what had


    happened, he still struggled toe to terms with the situation.


    While the monster was just a little bit beneath the Terror rank, we were talking about five first


    years!


    To be able to defeat a near Terror-ranked monster during their first year... What sort of


    situation was this?


    No words could be used to describe Amell''s current shock.


    This was simply too much for him.


    ...But if there was one individual that stood out to him, then it was none other than Julien''s


    little brother.


    Linus Evenus.


    Amell''s opinion of Linus wasn''t great at the start. He had seen him mess up so many times at


    the start, thinking he was holding the team back and that the only reason he was the captain


    was because of Julien''s favoritism.


    But he was wrong.


    He had been proven wrong.


    Linus...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    From the moment the ''Mother'' came, he changed. It was almost as if he had be a


    completely different person.


    It was almost as if he became...


    Amell held his breath and looked in Julien''s direction. He stood next to him, staring at the


    ''Mother'' with a neutral look. He didn''t look particrly excited by the oue of the


    situation. If anything, it almost seemed like he expected such an oue.


    This...


    Did he have so much faith in his own brother?


    Amell secretly swallowed his own saliva and looked in Linus''s direction. The more he looked


    at Linus the more he started to resemble Julien.


    The thought made Amell frown.


    He suddenly recalled all the weird situations that urred over the past few months he had


    been at the Academy and his face tightened.


    ''If he really is like Julien then...''


    A look of pity shed across Amell''s face as he looked at the first years.


    ''...I''m starting to feel sorry for them.''


    They were in for a year of suffering.


    ***


    ''I... did it? I actually did it?''


    Still in a daze, Linus lowered his gaze to his hands. He clenched and unclenched them


    repeatedly as if testing whether this was all just a dream. But the tension in his forearms with


    each squeeze told him this was undeniably real.


    He had actually managed to defeat the ''Mother.''


    ''...Unbelievable.''


    Linus felt drunk on the situation.


    He could still recall the clear and calm sensation he had felt in thest few moments and he


    wanted to relish it.


    Never before had he felt his head be so clear.


    He wanted to experience that sensation again, but when Linus tried, he realized that he


    couldn''t.


    Wait, why couldn''t he?


    Was he tired, or was it a fluke?


    "You''ll only experience such rity when you experience fear again."


    A cold voice suddenly echoed from behind, sending a chill down Linus''s spine. His head


    snapped back, and standing before him was none other than Julien.


    With a look of indifference, his hazel eyes pressed down on Linus.


    It made the current Linus feel suffocated.


    "Wha... What do you mean?" "That rity you felt in your mind, you''ll only experience it again when you experience fear


    once more."


    "What do you...?"


    Julien pressed his finger against his temple.


    "Emotions are your weakness. You let them control you. Learn to feel them deeply enough to


    be immune to their influence."


    Linus blinked his eyes.


    Though he didn''t quite understand the meaning behind Julien''s words, he was starting to


    realize something else.


    Julien...


    Was he trying to help him?


    ....Was he the reason behind his rity? Did he know about his weakness and purposely


    tortured him in order to make him more immune to it?


    No, but...


    ''This is Julien we''re talking about. A monster. This is fake. I mustn''t fall for-''


    "Not bad."


    "...!"


    Linus''s head flicked up, but by the time he did, Julien was gone. When did he...? No, that doesn''t matter. He had heard Julien''s words. He...


    "You must be quite happy with what you''ve done."


    A hoarse, weary voice snapped Linus out of his thoughts. He turned around to see Jacob


    leaning heavily against a nearby tree, clutching his arm tightly. Was it broken?


    Linus was about to respond to him when Jacob spoke.


    "Seeing how you''re smiling, I guess you are. I don''t me you. I guess I would be too if I were


    in your position..."


    "Eh?"


    Blinking his eyes, Linus reyed Jacob''s words in his mind and hastily touched his mouth.


    Smiling? Me?


    Why?


    No?


    Feeling his lips, his face froze.


    He...


    Really had been smiling.

 Chapter 478: Punishment [1]

    Chapter 478: Punishment [1]


    ?


    Following Linus''s defeat of the Terror-ranked creature, his team shot up all the way to first ce. The gap between them and the second ce became incredibly wide, and by the end of the entire event, the team managed to rank first by arge margin.


    Because the rankings were disyed in real-time, a lot of the cadets were shocked by their sudden increase in points, andined about them possibly ''cheating'', but their words were quickly dispelled the moment the video of their achievement was shown.


    All the first years watched the scene in stunned silence, unable to say a single word.


    Even if they wanted to say something, what could they say?


    The evidence was there for everyone to see. Furthermore, with the current ck Star being present in the group, all noise ceased.


    ...At least, the surface noise.


    Secretly, everyone was talking about the clip and Linus who had managed to coordinate such a wless performance.


    Linus''s reputation within the first years wasn''t bad, however, he was never truly considered among the top cadets.


    That all changed after the clip.


    His reputation skyrocketed, and when the clip of his team defeating the ''mother'' was released in an attempt to boost the Academy''s poprity, his poprity reached even greater heights. Breaking- [The birth of the third star from the Evenus Household? What is the secret? How can they produce such outstanding talent one after another?]


    Headlines appeared all over the ce.


    Everything was great.


    ...Or at least, it was supposed to be.


    "Why am I being punished?"


    "Are you really asking such a question?"


    "But I was right."


    "It doesn''t matter. You overstepped your boundaries."


    "But I was right."


    "Aigoo, are you a child?"


    A day after the events, Julien was summoned to a meeting with the Head of the second year. Arrianna Scholes, with her curly brown hair, loosely hanging oval-shaped sses, rosy red lips, and piercing eyes, sat with both hands on her face.


    Sitting alongside her were two other Professors.


    They were none other than Lambart and Heart.


    It was Julien''s first timeing face-to-face with the Head of the second year, yet she spoke as if she already knew everything about him. No, maybe she did. It wasn''t particrly hard to know about Julien.


    He was that popr.


    "There are rules that we have to maintain, and your conduct wasn''t appropriate. I understand you wanted to push your brother, but you ended up nearly costing the lives of four cadets. In such troubling times, we can''t afford for you to y such dangerous stunts."


    There had already been multipleints being filed to the Academy.


    The clip of Linus and his team had gone quite viral, but alongside the positive publicity were multiple negative reports from several worried parents.


    "I know you can take care of the ''mother'' by yourself, but cutting themunication device directly and ignoring the Professor''smands? That''s not something that we can overlook. No cadet is above their Professor."


    Julien''s face fell.


    It looked like he had a few things to say but held himself back at thest moment.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With a sigh, he lowered his head and nodded.


    "Alright, I apologize."


    He was indeed wrong in that regard.


    "Good."


    With a satisfied look, Arianna was just about to dish out the punishment when the door of the room came to an abrupt open and a figure came in.


    "Who d¨D"


    Everyone in the room froze, their gazes locking onto the figure that had just stepped in. With long, cascading ck hair and eyes as dark and unfathomable as the abyss, Delh entered the room.


    She looked around the room before settling her gaze over to Julien.


    "Is he being punished?"


    Her quiet, yet crisp voice sounded within the confines of the room. Snapping out of it, Arianna hastily nodded her head while standing up.


    "Yes, Chancellor. I was about to tell him his punishment."


    "Oh."


    Delh settled her gaze over Julien who looked back at her with a lost look.


    ''What are you doing here?''


    Delh nudged Julien with her finger.


    "Come with me."


    "Hm?"


    Julien''s brows rose up in surprise. Arianna and the two other Professors also looked shocked,


    but Delh was quick to speak,


    "I''ll handle his punishment. I need his help."


    Without waiting for the others to reply, Delh turned around and left.


    nk!


    A strange silence filled the room after her disappearance. It was a silence thatsted a few seconds before Julien stood up and excused himself.


    He was just as confused as they were but much preferred this.


    How bad could his punishment be?


    ***


    Click, nk-


    Delh''s heels clicked through the empty corridor that led to her office. I followed closely


    from behind while keeping my lips pursed.


    We eventually reached her office, and upon entering the space, a sweet scent wafted through


    the air.


    It was the scent of chocte.


    A lot of it.


    ''Oh, no.''


    Expecting the worst, I pressed my lips tightly and stepped into the room.


    "....Eh?"


    The sight that I expected to see wasn''t there. Instead of a room filled with wrappers, I found myself staring at a spotlessly clean room. How was this possible? Was this the same Delh


    that I knew?


    No, this didn''t make sense.


    Did she hire someone to do the cleaning for her?


    "What are you doing?"


    Overhearing Delh''s voice, my brow raised. I sat down on the sofa opposite Delh''s desk


    and once again looked around.


    "...Did you hire a new assistant?"


    "Assistant?"


    Delh looked confused.


    "No."


    "Then...?"


    I looked around the room, and once again looked at how spotless it was.


    "Why is this ce so clean?"


    "I cleaned."


    "You?"


    "Yes."


    I covered my mouth.


    Of all people, I didn''t think Delh would start cracking jokes.


    "What''s so funny?"


    But maybe she wasn''t?


    "No, I''m just surprised by the fact that you cleaned up the ce by yourself."


    "Is it that surprising?"


    "Yes."


    I didn''t even hesitate with that. Thinking about the first time that I met her, this was indeed a


    huge step up for Delh. This ce looked entirely different from the mess it once was.


    "...oh."


    Delh''s brows lowered a little. She almost looked a little sad. My brow twitched at the sight


    and I pursed my lips.


    "Good job."


    "Yes...?"


    Raising her head a little, Delh leaned forward a bit.


    "What did you say?"


    "I said good job."


    Delh''s face froze for a second. As her cheeks subtly twitched, she massaged them both with


    her hands. Pursing her lips, she looked back at me.


    "Can you repeat that?"


    Uh? Why would she?


    "Repeat."


    "Good job?"


    Delh ended up massaging her cheeks again.


    "I couldn''t hear. Can you repeat that again?"


    "Are your ears okay?"


    "Repeat."


    "Good job?"


    "Hmm."


    Delh''s cheeks squished as she pressed into them with greater force. My fingers twitched all


    of a sudden. Fuck, I want to touch them too.


    "Repeat?"


    "What are you...? Weren''t you here to give me punishment?"


    Delh''s eyes suddenly narrowed and I felt my heart stop. As her nose scrunched up, she


    leaned back on her chair and reached out for her drawer where she retrieved a small diary. I felt the diary was vaguely familiar, but I couldn''t recall where I had seen it before. Without looking at me, Delh reached out for the pen and started writing. From time to


    time, she would look at me and shake her head.


    "Tsk."


    Did she just click her tongue?


    "What are you do-"


    "Here."


    Delh suddenly passed a slip in my direction.


    I nced at it for a brief moment and tilted my head. It was a simple slip that said, ''I won''t do


    it again.''


    "What''s this?"


    "Fill it."


    "As in...?"


    "Your punishment. Write the words one hundred times."


    "A hundred!?"


    "Yes."


    "What, why?"


    Delh took her sight away from her book.


    "I know you''re the one who lured the ''mother'' to your group to train them."


    "Ah..."


    All words of protest left my body and I slumped back on the sofa.


    I didn''t think anyone would find out and thought I had managed to get away with it, but Delh saw right through me. Indeed, the incident wasn''t idental. I had purposely lured the ''mother'' in the direction of the group after using Etherwave to scout for an appropriate


    opponent for them.


    I thought I had been extremely secretive, with not even Amell noticing anything strange, and


    yet, Delh somehow knew about what I had done.


    How...?


    "Are you going to write?"


    Seeing the look Delh was giving me, I lowered my head in defeat and started writing.


    Whatever, taking into consideration what I had done, this punishment was rather lenient.


    "....Okay."


    ''I won''t do it again.''


    ''I won''t do it again.''


    ''I won''t do it again.''


    ***


    Seeing Julien writing, Delh''s eyes narrowed. He was so focused on his work that he didn''t


    even notice her gaze. Scribble Scribble~


    Delh focused her attention on Julien''s face and then looked down at her diary.


    There were two new bullet points.


    [?Very impressed with my cleaning. Couldn''t stop praising me.]


    [Very stingy.]


    Delh''s eyes narrowed.


    There was something about the two bullet points that didn''t quite fit. But what exactly was it?


    They were both correct.


    Tilting her head, Delh scratched the side of her face.


    The more she thought about the two bullet points, the more her head hurt. She really couldn''t


    see what was wrong with the two bullet points.


    Eventually, Delh decided to give up.


    She would figure it outter.


    Shifting her attention back to Julien, she held her head with both hands. She just observed him


    as he diligently fulfilled his punishment.


    Unknowingly, her hand reached out for her drawer where she took out a chocte bar.


    Skilfully unwrapping the bar, she took out a small chocte cube and directly ced it near


    Julien who subconsciously opened his mouth.


    cing the chocte in Julien''s mouth, he closed his mouth and started chewing.


    "Thanks."


    At the same time, he didn''t forget to thank her as his brows furrowed and he started mumbling, ''So sweet. What sort of-'' That was when realization struck him and his head flicked up to see Delh taking out another


    cube and cing it near his mouth again. Seeing the flustered look on Julien''s face, Delh''s


    lips subconsciously pulled up as her tone changed.


    "Eat~"


    A notification once again shed across Julien''s vision.


    Holding onto his chest, Julien took a deep breath and mumbled in a tone only he could hear,


    ''You''ll be the death of me.''


    It was unfortunate that Delh was no regr human.


    Overhearing his words, Delh''s lips pulled up more. ''...I don''t mind.''

 Chapter 479: Punishment [2]

    Chapter 479: Punishment [2]


    ?


    All in all, Julien''s punishment could be considered to be quite light.


    Given the gravity of his mistake and what he had to do, it was essentially nothing.


    The days passed in session and the cadets were forced to take the theoretical examinations. The atmosphere around the Academy was quite gloomy, with many of the cadets walking around the campus like corpses.


    "This rope... Why does it look so nice?"


    "Wait, what?"


    "Ah, it fits so nicely around my neck."


    "Uh?"


    "Look at this chair..."


    "Ah! Aoife! Help...! Kiera is about to hang herself!"


    "What?!"


    "Yes, help me!"


    "No, I mean, why aren''t you helping Kiera?"


    "Uh?"


    "Hey, wait up Kiera. Let me tighten the rope for you."


    "Wow, you''re so nice~ I didn''t take you for such a nice person."


    "....I can be nice when our interests align. Now tell me. Is the rope tight enough?"


    "Could be tig-uekh!"


    "Oh, no! You''re strangling her, Aoife! Get a grip of yourself! You''re a princess. You can''t be killing another cadet in the Academy!"


    "Stop, just a little more. She''s still breathing."


    "Akh! Uekkh!"


    "Ahhh!"


    Exams birthed chaos and depression. By now, there was no single sane cadet. Everyone had practically lost their mind. So much so that when they witnessed the scene that greeted them in themon room, they all turned a blind eye to it.


    No, it was more like they were envious.


    That rope...


    Ding! Din-!


    While this was happening, on the sofa of the room, a little figure sat with her legs dangling and a device in her hand. From there, Justice Man''s voice rang in the air.


    -When someone is in trouble, you must help them! A true hero never lets someone die before their eyes!


    || ||


    Theresa paused the video and looked towards her right where Aoife and the others were.


    Currently, Kiera''s face was almost purple and foam wasing out of her mouth. Evelyn''s face was pale while she tried to help her, only for her to be tackled down by Aoife who shouted, ''Let me have this! This is all for the greater good of humanity!''


    Theresa''srge crystal eyes blinked at the sight before she focused on Kiera.


    "Arkgh!"


    She looked to be struggling a lot.


    ''A true hero never lets someone die before their eyes!''


    Justice Man''s voice once again rang in the young girl''s mind.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Ukh! Akh...!"


    Looking down at her device, Theresa pressed the projection and continued to watch the episode. At the same time, she sighed in an adult-like manner.


    There were times when Justice Man was wrong.


    "Uekh!"


    Who would''ve thought?


    *


    The exam periodsted for an entire week. With each day that passed the more troubled the cadets became. Thankfully, before everyone could have a mental breakdown, the exams finally came to an end.


    It was now the week after, and all the second years were gathered outside.


    "It looks like almost everyone is here. Who exactly is missing?"


    At the helm of the second year was none other than Arianna, the Head of the year. Overlooking the entire year, she nodded in satisfaction.


    They truly were a talented bunch.


    Swoosh!


    A hand raised all of a sudden.


    "Julien is missing."


    "Julien?"


    Arianna''s brow raised for a moment before it settled back down quickly. Actually, she knew where he was.


    She had already been told in advance.


    "Okay, that''s fine. He will be joining uster. I''m only here to discuss the uing trip to the


    Kasha."


    Indeed, the time for the cadets to be sent off had finallye. The situation with the Mirror Cracks had be even more troublesome, and all ess to the Mirror Crack had been closed


    down.


    The Academy wasn''t the only one that had done this.


    Almost all the other cracks within the Empire were in such a situation, with a lot of the Empire''s forces pushed to confront the iing wave of monsters that were attacking the


    Supply Stations.


    .....Sending the cadets to the Kasha was the best option for them.


    Not only would they be safer, but they would also learn a lot.


    "I''m sure most of you have already been briefed about the situation outside of the Four Empires and the powers that reside there. The House of Myron has decided to wee all of you during your stay, so make sure to be on your best behavior."


    Pausing, she repeated,


    "Promise me you''ll be on your best behavior."


    As the words came out of her mouth, Arianna realized something. Why did she have such a bad


    feeling about this?


    No, how could this be? The cadets were quite well-behaved.


    "The House of Myron may not be the most powerful House within the Kasha, but they''re quite respectable. So long as you don''t step out of line, nothing should go wrong. Just listen to what they have to say in your time there."


    Arianna nced around and saw the attentive and serious expression on the cadet''s faces. A look of satisfaction crossed her face. As expected, she had nothing to worry about. "I''m d that you are all taking this seriously. There will be a couple of Professors who will being with you. They''ll be there to help you guys in case something goes wrong. Of


    course, we still need to decide on a group leader."


    A group leader was necessary to lead the cadets.


    The Professors had their own individual task that they had been assigned to aplish. Their


    trip to the ''Kasha'' was no normal trip.


    It was a rather important one.


    "Let''s see."


    Pondering for a moment, an image appeared in Arianna''s mind and she nodded.


    ''Yeah, he can do.''


    "So, for the leader, I''ve decided to elect Ju-"


    "Pui!"


    11


    ||


    Arianna froze. Did someone just...?


    No, maybe she just heard wrong. Yeah, that had to be it.


    "So, as I was saying. I''ve decided to elect Jul-"


    "Hawk tuah!"


    "1???"


    Arianna''s face flicked up to see the expression of almost every single cadet present change to


    one of disgust. At this point, they weren''t even trying to hide it.


    "What''s going on here?"


    "Please change the team leader!"


    "Have mercy on us!"


    "What have we done to deserve this!?"


    With a look of utter bewilderment, Arianna looked at the second years. Almost everyone was wearing the same look of disgust while shouting pleas and curses. What''s happening?


    "Wait, calm down."


    Pressing her hand forward, she tried to calm the situation down.


    "Stop talking all at once. I don''t understand what is going on."


    It took a while for the Year Head to get the cadets to calm down, but with a little bit of effort,


    she managed to get them all to quiet down. She took the opportunity to address the nearest


    cadet in front of her.


    "You, tell me why everyone is reacting this way. Are you guys against the idea of having a leader so much?"


    "No, no, it has nothing to do with that."


    "Then...?"


    Wearing squared framed sses and brown hair that were parted in the middle, the cadet''s


    face contorted.


    "Madam, do you know what our most peaceful times are?"


    "Yes?"


    "...The time when ''he'' disappears."


    He?


    Who was ''he''?


    "Haa."


    Covering his face, the cadet shuddered.


    "Do you know what''s it like waking up out of nowhere and being told that my mind had


    almost been consumed by a special-grade monster? Do you know what''s it like to wake up and find yourself inside of a cult? Do you know what''s it like to know that death is sitting at


    the corner, waiting for me, with each time ''he''es?"


    "Wha... What?"


    "Well, I do!"


    The cadet pointed at himself.


    "No, not just me! Everyone here has!"


    "Yes!" "Screw him!"


    "He''s a jinx!"


    "I want to have an expedition in peace!"


    "Someone tie


    up and toss him newhere! We can''t afford to hav


    hees, we''ll all most likely die!"


    ome ith us! If


    "I don''t want to die!"


    Once again, chaos ensued.


    The Year Head''s mouth opened, but no words came out. She just stared at the scene in front of


    her with an open mouth. Then, recalling her previous words-promise me you''ll be on your


    best behavior-she suddenly felt her stomach churn.


    That...


    Could they really behave?


    "Burn him!"


    Wasn''t that a little too much?


    "....Princess, help us!"


    "I''ve spent too much money on amulets! They better work!"


    Amid the curses and shouts that were directed at Julien, a figure stood in the corner, staring at


    the scene with an indifferent look.


    His gray eyes overlooked the scene quietly, his thoughts hard to read.


    But eventually, Leon closed his eyes and extended his arms in an embracing gesture, as if he


    had suddenly reached enlightenment.


    "May every bone on his body break!"


    "Damn him!"


    This... What sweet music to the ear.


    "Pui!"


    Go! Keep cursing! Let your resentment pour out!


    Leon was no Emotive mage, but he almost felt like he was close to breaking through that


    barrier and bing one.


    His blood pumped with every curse that came out, and soon, his eyes snapped open. Raising


    his fist in the air, he was just about to join them when he heard a cold voiceing from


    behind.


    "What is going on?"


    Leon''s hand froze mid-motion and all noise ceased.


    Flick, flick, flick-


    All hands flicked and turned in the direction of the voice. Almost simultaneously, the faces of


    the cadets changed and Julien paused.


    Frowning, he touched his face.


    "Why is everyone looking at me like that?"


    The way they were looking at him...


    It was almost as if they were staring at something disgusting. Then, as if realizing something,


    Julien looked at Leon who stood right in front of him and he had a sudden look of realization.


    "I see, it all makes sense now."


    He patted Leon on the shoulder.


    Unfortunately for him, Leon''s mind was elsewhere. Or more like attention. Looking behind


    Julien, Leon''s eyes paused on the ck-haired girl who casually followed Julien from behind.


    Without a care for the world, she seemed to be writing something in what looked like a diary,


    raising her head from time to time to look at Julien. ''What is she...?''


    Leon took a deep breath to calm himself down. Whatever, this was none of his business. "Anyways, what is going on here?"


    Overhearing Julien''s voice, Leon calmed down and took his attention away from the ck-


    haired girl.


    "We''re about to leave for the Kasha. We''re sorting out the person who will lead the group."


    "Oh."


    Julien nodded, not looking very interested.


    At the same time, the ck-haired girl moved next to him. Scribble~ She seemed quite busy


    writing something, looking rather unconcerned. Leon scratched the side of his head and was


    just about to say something to her when his eyes suddenly paused on her diary.


    From his angle, he could see the page.


    He felt something wet trickle down the side of his cheeks.


    "...."


    Extending his hand, a sword appeared in his hand.


    "What''s taking so long for them to decide a captain? They should make you or Aoife doi-"


    Julien suddenly paused.


    Turning to look at Leon, his expression suddenly changed.


    "Wait, stop! What are you doing?!"


    Holding onto his sword, Leon pointed the sharp tip right at his eyes, slowly inching it to it.


    Julien''s face changed and he hastily moved to stop Leon.


    "Have you gone nuts?! Eh, wait... Why are your eyes bleeding!?" This trip...


    Could they really behave?


    "You''re going to lose market value if you lose your sight!"

 Chapter 480: The land behind the walls [1]

    Chapter 480: Thend behind the walls [1]


    ?


    "To rify some things, the trip will not be a leisurely one. This is not going to be a vacation. In fact, you can even say that it''s quite dangerous. Your task isn''t a simple one. We need you to figure out the situation there and report on anything strange."


    "Lately, the goods imported from the Kasha have stopped, and we''ve lost mostmunication with our internal sources. What we need you to do is figure out what..."


    Listening to the Year Head speak, I rubbed my ear. She had been talking for quite a while but the gist of the situation was that while we had been invited to the Kasha, it was done so in secret.


    The House of Myron, a mid-sized establishment within the Kasha, had agreed to smuggle us into the territory for some undisclosed deal with the Academy.


    From what I understood, the situation there was somewhatplex and we needed to pay particr attention to the House of Astrid-The biggest and most powerful House on the Eastern side of the Kasha, the area we were going to.


    ...There was a bit more, but I missed it due to the fact that I waste.


    ''I''ll just get Leon to tell me the restter.''


    Thinking about Leon, my face twitched.


    He was standing next to me, but his eyes appeared vacant and saliva drooped down from the side of his chin. It almost felt like he...


    Hadpletely lost it. No, he did lose it.


    "Hey, wake up."


    My finger snaps served no purpose at all.


    Snap!


    "Hey."


    Snap, snap.


    He was gone.


    But how?


    How did he lose it?


    ''Ah, wait...''


    Recalling a certain scene from before, it all suddenly clicked.


    ''It''s likely due to what happened right when I came. Right as he was getting cursed at by everyone around us.''


    Thinking about it, I''d also be pretty hurt had I been in his position. Good thing that I stayed away from people''s business. While my reputation at the start was quite bad given the speech I had given on the first day, one could say my current reputation was quite good.


    The same couldn''t be said for Leon.


    "That''s enough from me. I will be setting up a portal soon. Please get ready to enter. Following the fact that we can''t set up a teleportation device in the Kasha, you will all be transported to Alfina, a city within the Verdant Empire. You''ll stay there for a night before departing."


    Alfina? Verdant Empire?


    The sudden piece of news took me aback as I subconsciously looked in Leon''s direction. ''So we''re going to go to the Verdant Empire?''


    Yes, it made sense. Since the Nurs Ancifa Empire was located between the three other Empires, the only way to reach the Kasha was through one of them.


    With the Verdant Empire sitting in the east, we would need to go through them in order to reach out destination.


    But...


    ''...Something about this situation smells fishy.''


    Why did we need to stay over there for a day? This made no sense since time seemed of the


    essence.


    Unless...


    "They''re purposely making us stay for the night.''


    I could only think of one reason for this.


    That reason stood right next to me.


    "Oy, snap out of it!"


    Snap, snap-!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Oy!"


    Snap!


    ***


    Thankfully, no issues arose after Arianna made the announcement. Setting up the portal, the cadets lined up one by one and slowly entered it. Arianna watched in real-time as the cadets left.


    "Make sure you''re lined up correctly."


    "Don''t cut the line."


    "...Are you listening to me?"


    In the end, Aoife took the role of the leader. She seemed to be the one most of the cadets found reliable.


    She was the undisputed choice.


    When a vote was brought up, she got the most votes. Arianna assumed it''d be a close one between her or Leon, but she was surprised to see nobody vote for him. She wasn''t sure why,


    but she had a small inkling about the reason.


    ''It''s not because he''s Julien''s knight, right?''


    If so, just how deep was their hatred for Julien?


    Num, Num.


    "Hm?"


    Arianna''s attention was soon drawn to a faint chewing sounding from her right. She turned her head to see a figure with long ck hair and features so perfect that they could hardly be described as human, standing beside her with a chocte bar in hand.


    The Year Head''s eyes lifted in surprise.


    ''When did she...!?''


    "Please don''t cu-Oh, it''s you guys."


    Her attention seemed to be fixed on Julien and Leon who were next in line.


    As her pearly white teeth bit on the bar, her gaze never left Julien who was busy talking with Aoife. Looking at Leon, Aoife moved closer to the two of them. Close enough for her head to be mere inches away from Julien''s as the two checked Leon''s condition.


    "What''s going on with Leon?"


    "He''ll be fine."


    "Will he...?"


    "...I think so."


    For a brief moment, Delh''s eyes narrowed and Aoife shuddered. Hastily flicking her head,


    she looked around.


    "An assassin?!"


    Her sudden outburst caused Julien''s face to change.


    "...You''ve lost it as well?"


    "No, I..."


    Julien waved his hand at her and hopped onto the teleportation device. However, just as he


    was about to leave, he stopped and looked in Delh''s direction.


    Their eyes met for a brief instant before a faint smile tugged at his lips.


    That was when he entered the portal, disappearing from view, leaving Aoife alone. Scratching


    the back of her head, she still seemed confused, but eventually, seeing that she was thest one, she went on to address the Year Head.


    "All the cadets have left. There is no one left behind. I will now be joining them."


    "...Oh, yes. Stay safe."


    "Thank you."


    Following their brief exchange, Aoife entered the portal.


    A short and unsettling silence followed after her disappearance. Arianna thought about


    saying something to the Chancellor but stopped herself.


    She thought about the events she had witnessed just a few moments prior and massaged her


    head.


    "Will they be alright...?"


    Could they really behave?


    Arianna''s gut churned at the thought. She was previously confident, but that confidence had


    long been shattered.


    She was no longer sure.


    "Maybe."


    "Hm?"


    Arianna cocked her head and looked at the Chancellor.


    "Maybe? You also think they won''t be alright?"


    "...No."


    "But-"


    "I''m talking about the natives there."


    Popping the chocte bar into her mouth, Delh chewed quickly and swallowed the


    contents.


    "...Maybe they will be alright."


    Or maybe not.


    Delh was already feeling pity for them.


    "Wha..."


    Before the Year Head could get her words out, Delh faded out of sight, leaving her standing


    all alone.


    With her gaze fixed on the spot Delh was previously in, the Year Head blinked her eyes.


    "Wait, what?"


    What did she mean by that?


    Why did they need to feel bad for the natives?


    ***


    At the same time, Evenus County.


    "Congrattions Count, it''s just good news after good news."


    Standing before the Count was none other than his personal servant. With a casual motion,


    the servant tossed a small piece of paper onto the Count''s desk. His wrinkled face shifted,


    forming a wide smile.


    "....Who would''ve thought the second young master was this talented? This is happy news for


    the County. Not only do we have Julien who is the current Summit winner, but Leon as well,


    who came as the runner-up. Now that we have Linus...?"


    The servant stopped there, but his words were clear.


    Given how things were going for the Evenus County, their rise was inevitable. They were set to grow even further. Perhaps in a few years, they could rank up once more.


    Any normal person would be happy with this news, but Aldric''s reaction appeared milder.


    ... In fact, it almost felt like he was displeased with the current turn of events.


    This took the butler aback.


    "Count? Why wou-"


    "We have yet to consolidate our gains. Only a few months have passed since we managed to


    take newnd. Our soldiers are scattered everywhere, and the new recruits still need time to


    properly train."


    "Yes, I know. But that''s-"


    "Julien and Leon already have the people around our territories wary. Now that a third one


    popped up, what do you think their reaction will be?"


    "That''s..."


    "If I were them, I''d either do two things."


    Aldric raised two of his fingers.


    "Send a formal letter of alliance, or..."


    One of his fingers fell.


    "...Create an alliance to suppress the County''s growth."


    "Ah, yes, that''s true."


    The servant suddenly looked towards the desk where arge pile of letters appeared.


    "But given the numerous letters on your desk, it appears as though most have chosen the first


    option."


    "No, they haven''t."


    Sliding his hand across the table, the letters fell on the bin by the side of the desk.


    "An alliance built on blind trust is a fantasy. Each party has its own interests driving them to


    seek such a bond. A more dependable alliance would be forged through the betrothal of two bloodlines-but s, I have only two sons."


    "Right."


    Understanding the Family Head''s words, the butler''s face started to fall. What he previously thought was good news suddenly felt like bad news, and he suddenly realized how


    complicated the politics around the household were. Thankfully, the family head still appearedposed.


    "The situation is troublesome, but I can manage."


    The servant felt at ease then.


    Or at least, up until his next words.


    "We might not be able to absorb new territories, but that doesn''t mean others cannot."


    "Eh?"


    "I''ll have them absorb the territories in my stead. By the time they reach a simr stage to our current one, we should have consolidated everything. That''s when we''ll attack."


    "....!"


    Overhearing the Family Head''s words, the servant felt a certain coldness over his entire body,


    making him shudder on the spot. This...!


    While he thought he was used to the Family Head''s ns, overhearing the current one, he


    could only shudder. It seemed like under this man, the Evenus Household was bound to rise to heights even he couldn''t imagine.


    Just what sort of greed hid behind this man?


    ...And what drove him to reach such levels of greed?


    Why was he-


    "It''s worth a thought. For now, if you would excuse me. I have things to take care of."


    Aldric disyed a small letter, one that contained the Haven Academy emblem. "Yes, understood."


    Understanding that the Family Head wanted some time for himself, the servant excused


    himself and left the room. By the time he left, silence filled the Family Head''s room.


    Ripping the letter open, Evenus carefully read its contents.


    "Hm."


    His eyes narrowed.


    "...They''re sending him to the Kasha?"


    Aldric''s tone was cold and it was hard to tell what he was thinking. Eventually, his gaze fell on


    another line on the paper.


    Parental consent -->


    I.... and... hereby consent to allow my child, [Julien Dacre Evenus] to participate in the


    expedition nned by the Academy.


    "........"


    Staring at the two empty boxes at the start of the letter, Aldric''s expression subtly changed.


    "And..."


    A figure shed in his vision. One of a beautiful woman with long brown hair, and brown eyes.


    Thinking of her, his eyes grew vacant.


    ''If you were to meet the current him, would you be able to tell that he''s not our son?''


    If so...


    Would she kill him, or would she love him?

 Chapter 481: The land behind the walls [2]

    Chapter 481: Thend behind the walls [2]


    ?


    Located at the border of the Verdan Empire, Alfina was a medium-sized city with tall walls that were used to separate the Empire''snd and the Kasha.


    The overall atmosphere in the city was quite jovial and busy.


    People flocked the city streets with vendors appearing from all over. Being one of the central hubs of exports that came from the Eastern Kasha, it was only natural for there to be a lot of people.


    While the Kasha was and that was imed by the Mirror Dimension, it still contained a lot of precious and unique ingredients and tools that could only be found there. One could even argue that the entire economy of the city centered around such trades.


    ... It all looked well, or at least, that was how it looked on the outside.


    Walking past the busy streets, I noticed something.


    "Aren''t the stalls a little empty?"


    "Now that you mention it..."


    I wasn''t the only one who noticed this. Everyone else also appeared to notice this.


    However, thinking about the words that had been told to use beforehand, this only made


    sense.


    "The impact is a lot bigger than I previously anticipated.''


    I could see goods still being sold, but the prices for certain goods seemed a little too exorbitant.


    "The situation is still manageable for now."


    Walking ahead of us, Amell led us through the city streets. He was currently wearing a disguise, and so were we.


    Coming out of the portal, he started to lead us to a certain ce.


    Since he was familiar with the city, it only made sense for him to lead us.


    "A lot of the merchants here haverge stocks of goods that they''ve kept to themselves toter sell. This is normal practice since sometimes prices can be a little vtile for certain goods, with many merchants trying to make as much profit as possible."


    Sounded about right.


    "....Lately, however, with the trade between us and those in the Kasha stopping, the merchants have begun selling off their own stock to make ends meet. With supplies dwindling, prices are rising daily, and it''s fair to say that Alfina''s trade economy has ground to a halt."


    With a subtle scrunching of his face, Amell shook his head.


    "Something simr is happening to the other Empires, and if things continue like this then prices for most imported goods will increase by a lot. The effect might not be immediate, but in the long term, things will be quite serious."


    Amell''s tone sounded serious.


    I didn''t know as much as him with regard to the economics of this world, but I knew his words held some weight.


    ''But how much would that affect me?''


    I was curious, but before I had any time to think about it, we had arrived.


    "We''re here."


    Lining up before a tall building were several butlers and maids who all sported a smile that seemed far too wide for my ownfort.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Standing at the front of them were two middle-aged figures, their hands interlocked.


    At first nce, they looked like the owners of the ce, and they probably were, but the moment I stared in their direction, I felt the hair at the back of my neck rise.


    ''Oh, shit!''


    That was when it finally hit me.


    "That...''


    I looked in Leon''s direction, or, more precisely, the heavy luggage in his hand which contained both mine and his stuff.


    "Give me that."


    I quickly snatched the luggage from his grip.


    "????"


    ***


    "Wee everyone! It is a great honor for us to host all of you at our resort. Times may be difficult, but our service will be some of the best you''ll ever receive."


    Indeed, Julien''s hunch was correct.


    Standing at the front of the resort were none other than the Emperor and Empress of the Empire. Given the current situation in Alfina, the two of them had no choice but to make a trip to the city in order to better understand the situation.


    Their trip was only supposed tost a few days, but that quickly changed the moment their son, Amell, contacted them and ryed to them what the Academy was nning on doing.


    Kasha?


    They were going to send the cadets to the Kasha?


    At first, the two were surprised, but upon further thought, they realized this was actually a very good opportunity for the cadets. With their age and strength, they didn''t need to be too worried about attracting the attention of the top brass in the Kasha.


    So long as they behaved, this wasn''t supposed to be a bad trip.


    Realizing this, the two took it upon themselves to offer the Academy a suitable ce to rest before helping them sneak into the Kasha.


    With their connections, doing so was quite easy.


    ...Their offer was quickly epted by the Academy, and the cadets were soon sent over.


    Staring at the numerous cadets in front of her, the Empress pressed her lips together.


    Her real intentions in hosting the cadets were obvious.


    She just wanted to have an excuse to see her two sons, and since she was in the area, she created the perfect opportunity to do so.


    "Please make yourselffortable. The journey ahead will be a rough one so it''s best if you take some time to yourself to rest as you might not have a chance to do so when you''re there."


    The Kasha was a harsh ce.


    Unlike thends within the Empire, the Kasha had no realws and order.


    It was a gruesome ce where only those powerful enough could survive.


    Their mentality was a lot rougher, and with monsters lurking everywhere, there was no real safe ce in the Kasha besides the House of Astrid-the overlord of the eastern side.


    "I won''t take any more of your time."


    pping her hands, the butlers and maids got into motion.


    "Please hand over your luggage to the servants. You will all be assigned a personal attendant


    to make your stay pleasant."


    As she spoke, she walked purposefully in a particr direction, the Emperor trailing closely


    behind her.


    Though disguised, an unmistakable grace marked their every movement, catching the attention of several cadets, who couldn''t help but steal second nces.


    This was inevitable, as such poise had been instilled in them from a young age. Even with


    their best efforts to conceal it, it remained subtly noticeable.


    Still, besides a few second nces, none of the cadets seemed particrly interested in them.


    All except one...


    "Hi, it''s a pleasure to meet you. The two of us will be your attendants."


    The Empress looked at the two young men in front of her, and her eyes narrowed slightly as


    they paused on Julien.


    With her power, it was easy for her to see through their disguise.


    She could see his wless features hiding behind his illusion, and her smile grew.


    "If there''s anything you would like from us, please let us know. We''re here to make sure to


    make your stay asfortable as possible."


    The Empress extended her hand to reach for Julien''s bags, but he stopped her.


    "There''s no need for that. How could I trouble you for something so trivial." With a polite tone, Julien shook his head and took her hand.


    "...I can handle such a task myself."


    And kissed it.


    "?"


    "...?"


    "??"


    All noise ceased from the surroundings as the faces of several people froze, shocked by the


    scene presented in front of them.


    Who? What? What''s this?


    In particr, Leon''s expression changed the most as his eyes widened and he looked up at the


    older woman in front of them.


    His eyes turned bloodshot. ''Could it be that he likes older...?"


    Unbothered by the stares, Julien let go of the hand.


    "I''m already very grateful for your generosity in hosting us. I wouldn''t impose you on such a


    matter. If I wanted to, I would''ve made my knight handle such a task, but..."


    Julien shook his head and looked at Leon.


    "...I treat my f... f.. friends well. Yes, f.. f.. friends. Because to me, my knights are like a family


    to me. The only treatment they should get is the best treatment."


    "Mhm, right, right."


    Recovering from her shock, the Empress found herself nodding.


    Her initial impression of Julien wasn''t very great. Given that he had beaten her son in a match,


    this was only natural. Of course, she had also pulled up several reports about him and knew


    about him.


    How could she not when her own son was made to attend him?


    Reading the reports, she found herself enraged! How could her son live with such a figure?


    But looking at him now...


    "Leon, you don''t look so good. Are you okay? Should we get in so you can have some rest?


    Don''t worry, I''m already holding your bags. If you want I can carry them to your room."


    "???"


    Question marks popped up on top of Leon''s head.


    Seeing Julien''s current behavior, his stomach churned. What''s happening? Why was he acting


    like this?


    ''Have you lost your mind?''


    Leon hastily covered his mouth upon seeing the look of concern on Julien''s face.


    "...!"


    He almost felt like puking.


    ''What an attentive young man.''


    The Empress subconsciously nodded her head again upon seeing the interaction.


    Her impression of Julien was rising once again.


    She was also worried about Leon''s condition, he did look a little pale, but Julien didn''t allow


    her to do anything and started patting Leon''s back with concern.


    "Come, I''ll lead you back to your room. You must be tired."


    Leon''s eyes shook and he looked into Julien''s eyes.


    ''What has gotten into you? Stop it. It''s creeping me out.''


    ''...Just ept my help.''


    ''Why?''


    ''Survival.''


    ''Uh?''


    "Leon, don''t worry. I''m here for you."


    "...Uk"


    Leon covered his mouth.


    ''Stop!! Make this stop!''


    Julien bit his lips, worry filling his vision.


    "Don''t worry about puking on me. I can take it. I''ve known you since childhood. You''re like a


    br... br... uk... other to me."


    Staring at the scene, a faint smile appeared on the Empress''s face.


    ''What an upright young man.''


    On another note, was he also feeling sick?


    From time to time she noticed him stuttering while holding his mouth. Was he holding back


    his sickness in order to help Leon?


    "Ah."


    The Empress''s eyes shone.


    Turning around, she was just about to address her husband when she noticed the strange


    silence that took over the surroundings.


    ''Hm? What...?''


    With bags in their hands, the cadets looked in Leon and Julien''s direction with open mouths.


    As their eyes shook, Aoife, Amell, Kiera, Evelyn, and a few others dropped their bags.


    Thump, thump-!


    "H-help... I... don''t think I can do this."


    "Are we in an illusion?"


    "He''s been possessed. We''re done."


    In the corner, staring at their reactions, Caius turned to look at Julien and Leon and mimicked


    the others by throwing his bag on the ground.


    Thump!


    He then put on a shocked expression. He did it so that he could blend in with the group.


    Only that...


    "Oh no! Fuck!"


    "Another one...!"


    He made things worse.

 Chapter 482: Mysterious Woman [1]

    Chapter 482: Mysterious Woman [1]


    ?


    nk-


    Closing the door behind me, I took a deep breath and slumped down on the nearest bed. "...I might not live long at this rate."


    I was thankfully able to dodge the bullet for now, but there was no guarantee things would remain that way. I had to prepare myself for the inevitable day Leon was going to learn about his true origins.


    Once that happened then...


    "Haa."


    I covered my face with both hands.


    "It''ll be a horrible day."


    A day of sadness.


    ''No, I can''t think about such terrible things now.''


    There were more pressing matters to focus on-like the current expedition. To be honest, I still didn''t have much information about the whole affair. All I knew was that we''d be hosted by a certain Household and tasked with scouting the situation within Kasha.


    Why did the trades stop? And what was happening there? Furthermore, why couldn''t the Empires figure out what was going on?


    "No, maybe it''s because they are so busy with the current state of affairs that they can''t check."


    I knew for a fact that the Empires had enough power to check the situation within the Kasha. The only usible reason why they couldn''t figure it out was because of how vtile the problem with the Mirror Cracks was.


    "Maybe there is so-"


    "Human."


    "Hm?"


    A pair of eyes gazed at me from above as a head popped into my vision.


    "Owl-Mighty? What''s wrong?"


    Owl-Mighty wasn''t usually the type to appear out of nowhere like this.


    "Did something happen?"


    "Yes."


    I quickly sobered up upon hearing the gravity hidden in its tone. As I sat up, Owl-Mighty hopped off my chest and looked up at me from the bed.


    "There''s something off."


    "....What happened?"


    I instantly grew alert and looked around me. I didn''t feel anything. Furthermore, with the Empress and Emperor of the Empire both present, who would have the guts to do anything? If it wasn''t here then...


    "Do you feel somethinging from the outside walls?"


    "Yes."


    Owl-Mighty nodded, its deep, prating eyes seeming to pierce through the thick walls of the room, gazing intently toward the towering walls that loomed at the edge of the city.


    ''I''ve never seen Owl-Mighty look so grim.''


    While Owl-Mighty usually tended to be serious, this was the first time I almost felt something akin to ''wariness'' from the owl.


    For someone who was trying to learn about emotions, this was quite a clear sign to me that the situation was a lot more serious than I previously anticipated.


    ''Should I go and report this?''


    But how could I tell them that there was something wrong out there?


    ''Does it even matter?''


    Thinking about it, couldn''t I just say this directly to Delh? She''d probably question me for a bit, but after getting to know her better, I knew she would stop after a certain point. She''d just get too bored talking about it, or just leave me at my own devices.


    If that didn''t work, then there was also As.


    He could definitely help me out. Not only was he part of the Royal Family, but he was also a powerful seat within the Inverted Sky.


    If it was him then...


    "I can sense my true body outside of the walls."


    "....Eh?"


    All thoughts ceased the moment I heard Owl-Mighty''s words.


    "Wait, what?"


    Did I just hear correctly? Owl-Mighty''s true body was outside of the walls?


    "But how? Last I recall your main body should be in the Mirror Dimension. Don''t you have a connection with it?"


    "I do."


    "And...?"


    "I lost it."


    "???"


    And you tell me that now?


    "When did it happen?"


    "...A day ago."


    "What? Why did you only tell


    now?!"


    "Because I was trying to find a connection until now. It''s not rare for me to lose connection with my main body, but this time it''s different. Rather than losing connection, it''s more like someone took that connection."


    The more Owl-Mighty talked, the more shocked I became. I knew that Owl-Mighty had inserted a strand of his consciousness in me by using his bone. He had done this so that he


    could better understand emotions.


    ...It was a deal the two of us had made.


    Once he learned all that he needed to learn, Owl-Mighty nned on returning his


    consciousness back to its main body and breaking through to the Destroyer-Rank.


    In the process, I would still get to keep the bone while Owl-Mighty nned on using its time


    with me to develop a new one in its real body.


    Everything was proceeding ordingly, so how...?


    How was it possible for Owl-Mighty''s body to move on its own ord?


    "Something is controlling my main body, pulling it out of the Mirror Dimension. With my main consciousness residing in your body, I couldn''t put up much resistance."


    "That..."


    "That''s not all."


    Owl-Mighty turned its head to the right where a ck cat appeared. Pebble wore a simr


    grim look, his eyes fixed on thend beyond the walls.


    "You also feel it don''t you?"


    || ||


    Pebble didn''t answer, but its grim look told me enough.


    My heart sank.


    With the two of them being monsters, they could detect things others couldn''t.


    "What? What did you feel?"


    Looking back at me, Owl-Mighty''s beak opened, "My body isn''t the only one that is being controlled. I''m afraid it''s much more than that."


    "More?"


    A lump formed in my throat.


    I was just about to open my mouth to speak when the world around me darkened and my head


    started to feel light.


    ''Ah, this...''


    Familiar with the entire process, I didn''t panic.


    I just calmly epted the changes and waited for the darkness to fade.


    For I was having another vision.


    Thump!


    I felt something hard pressing against my lower body as my body stumbled down on the


    ground.


    "Ukh...!"


    A groan escaped my lips.


    ''Wait, what is this smell?'' Before I could take in my surroundings, a putrid, acidic smell assaulted my nostrils, carrying a


    sharp sting that made me wince.


    With a blurred vision, my head raised as I looked around.


    But it was hard to see.


    I could hardly see.


    ''... What is going on here?''


    Through my blurred vision, I caught sight of the sky above me. It was gray, but a softer,


    lighter shade-different from the oppressive gray of the Mirror Dimension.


    I blinked my eyes, and then...


    Half of my vision suddenly dyed red.


    !....!''


    Squelch!


    What followed after it was a familiar squelching sound as something gripped my right wrist,


    nting me in ce.


    As I blinked again, my vision gradually sharpened, bringing the world into clearer focus.


    What didn''t make sense suddenly made sense and I realized the reason for the red within my


    vision.


    ''Owl-Mighty.''


    I turned my head slightly, my gaze falling on my right wrist, where a thick root had wrapped


    itself tightly, pulsing faintly as it held me firmly in ce.


    Drip, drip!


    My skin tingled painfully as faint droplets of water drizzled from above, their rhythmic


    dripping resonating sharply in my ears.


    It was all I could hear.


    All I could hear until...


    Tak-


    The single sound of a footstep shattered the noise.


    When my head turned, a figure I was all too familiar with appeared again.


    "Ah."


    My expression changed. From shock to eptance. The process was quick, and I felt my lips


    curl in amusement.


    "Looks like they''ve got you."


    SHIIING-


    The sharp tip of a sword pointed at my face.


    I felt my breath falter as I caught a glimpse of my own reflection. There, I saw that my smile


    hadn''t faded; in fact, the amusement was even more pronounced.


    "... Why am I not even surprised? At this point, this seems like the norm."


    Leon''s sword trembled faintly and his vacant eyes faintly shook. It was then that I noticed his


    arm was bandaged, a detail I hadn''t caught before. "What? It''s not like I''m wrong?"


    Chuckling, the smile slowly faded from my face as mana began to rapidly drain from my body.


    Purple hands emerged from the ground, but before they could fully take form, Leon thrust his


    sword forward, aiming to strike me down. Just as the de was about to impale my neck, he


    froze, stopping mid-motion.


    Click, ck-n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A gentle click resounded in the air and a figure appeared not so far from where he was.


    The moment Iid my eyes on the figure, whose features became clear the closer she came,


    my heart almost stopped beating.


    Because...


    "Ah, looks like you''ve finally shown up. And here I thought you wouldn''t show up."


    She bore an uncanny resemnce to...


    "Mother."


    Julien.


    ***


    ''I''m always happy to help you. We may not have the same status, as you''re my knight, but I''ll always


    make sure to treat you right.''


    ''Come now, you look pale. Let me help you.''


    ''You see, I do this quite a lot for him. Like I said, I treat him like a b... b... brother.''


    ''I would never wish to sell him.''


    ''He''s part of my family.''


    Shaa-


    Water dripped down from the sink as Leon washed his face over and over again. His face was


    pale, and his hands couldn''t stop trembling.


    Recalling the series of events that had transpired moments prior, the trembling grew worse


    and his stomach churned.


    ".... What is he nning?"


    Fear hadpletely taken over Leon''s mind.


    Yes, fear.


    All he felt was fear upon thinking about Julien''s unusual behavior. He wanted it to stop. He


    couldn''t handle it any longer.


    "What should I do?" Leon felt a rare sense of despair.


    How long has it been since he had felt this way before?


    Closing down the water, Leon came out of the bathroom and was just about to fall on the bed


    when he heard a soft knock on his door.


    11


    He flinched, flicking his head to look at the door with trembling eyes.


    ''It''s not him, right?''


    Leon bit his lips.


    He wasn''t sure he could handle the current Julien. No, he was sure he might take some drastic


    actions if he saw Julien.


    "That, I am-"


    "I''m not Julien."


    Leon''s entire body rxed when he heard the unfamiliar yet familiar voice. It took him a few


    seconds to recognize the voice.


    Amell? What was he doing here?


    Though Leon was confused, he opened the door and greeted Amell.


    "Do you need anything from me?"


    "Ah, no... I''m just checking up on the cadets to see if they were fine."


    This was actually not the truth.


    Amell hade up to check on Leon to see if he was doing well. He had seen him looking sick


    when Julien had brought him up, and after everything that he had observed, he was able to see through Julien''s weird behavior.


    ''Does he think Leon will do something to him if he finds out about his origin? Does he have a guilty


    conciense?''


    That would exin his behavior, but how did he know? This was something that Amell had been wondering ever since Julien had ryed to him that he knew. Not many people knew.


    While the two of them had the same colored eyes, gray eyes weren''t exactly umon. There


    were many people with simr-looking eyes.


    Then...?


    ''Did he know from the start, or did he figure it out himself?''


    As Amell was busy pondering over the situation, Leon cocked his head.


    "I''m doing fine."


    "Uh, oh."


    Amell quickly snapped out of it and looked at Leon. Pursing his lips, he nodded his head.


    "I see. I hope you enjoy your stay over here. If there''s anything you need please do tell me." "Will do."


    Leon prepared to close the door when Amell suddenlyughed, putting on a friendly smile. "Haha, now that I think about it, our eyes are quite simr. I heard you were picked up by the


    Evenus family from a young age. What do you think the chances are that we''re rted?"


    "?"


    Leon cocked his head and looked at Amell.


    Besides the eyes, they didn''t look alike at all.


    "Pretty low."


    Amell''s face twitched, but he soon recovered.


    "I guess, but what would you do if we actually were?"


    "What I would do?"


    Leon didn''t think much. He already had an answer.


    "I''d sell Julien."


    "Uh?"


    What did he just-


    nk!


    Leon closed the door, leaving a stunned-looking Amell who nkly stood by the door with an


    open mouth.


    ''That...''


    He licked his dry lips.


    ''... Why does it look like he''s not joking?''

 Chapter 483: Mysterious Woman [2]

    Chapter 483: Mysterious Woman [2]


    ?


    "....Hu!"


    I snapped out of the vision with a deep and cold breath.


    When I came to, two pairs of eyes stared straight in my direction.


    "What happened, human?"


    "Human?"


    "That..."


    Holding the side of my head, I moved out of the bed and closed my eyes. The scene from the vision reyed in my mind over and over again.


    ''Did I... hear correctly? Did I say...''


    I thought back to the woman who stood behind Leon and my body involuntarily shuddered. I tended not to think about Julien''s family. They weren''t my real family and the more time I spent with them the more likely I felt they would find something wrong with me.


    Perhaps they already had, but it was such thoughts that made me avoid them.


    At least, that was how I previously approached the situation. Things had changed, but I still kept a certain distance.


    That was why I never asked about Julien''s mother.


    Who she was, and why she wasn''t present. I had assumed she had passed away given her absence.


    I thought about asking Leon, but he didn''t know either.


    Nobody seemed to really know.


    ....There was one person who knew, but he was thest person I wanted to talk to.


    Aldric Evenus.


    That man... He was simply too dangerous.


    I preferred to keep a distance from him.


    Ding!


    Bringing me out of my thoughts was a low chime that was soon followed by a notification.


    [¡ô Main Quest Activated: Puppet Master]


    : Character Progression + 531%


    : Game Progression + 17%


    Failure


    : Cmity 1 + 17%


    : Cmity 2 + 11%


    : Cmity 3+ 18%


    ...A quest notification.


    ''Puppet Master?''


    Seeing the name of the quest, a lot of what I had seen started to make sense.


    ''Yes, the first clue was Leon''s eyes. In the vision, he''s obviously being controlled by someone. Could that be someone by Julien''s mother?''


    If it were the past, I would''ve immediatelye to that conclusion, but I no longer felt this was the case.


    After what had happened with the previous quest, I no longer trusted the visions. There was a chance that the ''Puppet Master'' wasn''t actually Julien''s mother.


    There was also a chance that she was, but I couldn''t exclude the possibility that she wasn''t. I needed to thread carefully.


    Onepse in judgment and the entire scenario might flip over.


    ...I couldn''t afford to fail again. Especially since I was still unaware of the consequences that woulde from failing. I had been paying close attention to the girls, and through my observations, they all acted the same way.


    Despite failing the mission and their meter increasing, they still looked normal.


    And that only made me more anxious.


    As an old quote said, ''The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is the fear of the unknown.''


    ...It was theck of understanding that made me anxious.


    The less of something I understood, the more anxious I felt.


    "Human?"


    "Oh, right."


    Realizing that I had been ignoring Owl-Mighty and Pebble the entire time, I quickly apologized and looked at them.


    "I''m afraid you''re right, Owl-Mighty."


    "Is someone controlling my body?"


    "Most likely."


    "...How can you tell?"


    Looking at Pebble, I pointed at my head.


    "Because I see."


    "You see?"


    Pebble cocked its head, looking a little confused but somewhat understanding. It made sense


    considering all they had seen.


    "The future. I can see it."


    ***


    "What do you think?"


    "...He looks healthy."


    "Yes."


    In one of the hotel''s private rooms, the Empress and Emperor sat next to each other while thinking about Leon. Although he seemed a little sick, he looked healthy overall.


    The two of them felt d with the sight.


    Of course, this was far from enough for them. Turning their heads, they looked in Amell''s direction.


    "What do you think? You''ve spent quite a bit of time with him. How do you see him?"


    "Eh, ah..."


    Amell''s mouth twitched.


    What could he say? He had indeed seen a lot. And it was exactly because he had seen a lot that


    he wasn''t sure of what to say.


    Leon was certainly healthy, but his personality was a little twisted...?


    ''Yes, that seems fitting.''


    Amell didn''t actually me him for this.


    If he could pinpoint one person for Leon''s twisted personality, it''d be none other than Julien


    who still felt like an enigma to him.


    Still, during the times when Julien wasn''t present, the calm and collected Leon from the Summit woulde. Only when Julien was present would he be twisted.


    "Amell? Is there nothing you have to say?"


    "Well, he''s good...?"


    Amell could only force out a smile.


    That very same Julien was ckmailing him as well in some sense. He knew about Leon''s identity, and revealing it to him now wasn''t a good option considering the political turmoil it


    would bring.


    It was best to keep things quiet for now.


    "Good? Just good?"


    "....Yeah."


    "Is he doing well in the Academy? Are they treating him right? He doesn''t get bullied, right?"


    "Bullied?"


    Amell thought back to the paper ball incident back in ss where he framed Julien for throwing a paper ball. He then recalled the interview that happened a few days back and a


    series of other incidents.


    If anything, he''s...


    "No, he''s too strong to get bullied."


    "I see, that''s good."


    With a visible look of relief, the Empress pressed her hand against her chest.


    "I''m d to hear that. How about his grades?"


    "Good."


    "His love life?"


    "Err..."


    How should he know?


    "If he doesn''t have one we can take care of that issue for him. There are many candidates that


    we have in our mind."


    "...Eh." For some reason, Julien''s face appeared in Amell''s mind. He could imagine him trembling


    with bloodshot eyes while saying, ''Do it. ept it. You have to.''


    What the hell?


    Amell massaged his forehead. He hade to Haven to get closer to Leon and learn from


    them. Instead, the more time he spent there, the more he felt like he was being corrupted.


    "I think it''s best if we wait for his opinion. He might resent you if you do something like


    this."


    "Oh, yes, that''s true..."


    The Empress''s excitement immediately deted and she sighed. The Emperor beside her ced his hand over her shoulder and changed the conversation.


    "Let''s not dwell on that situation for now. We have more pressing matters to tackle."


    The Emperor focused his attention on his son.


    "...The situation in the Kasha has gotten even more troubling. The House of Myron is also


    having second thoughts about granting you ess, but we were able to somehow convince


    them to stick to the n."


    "Why are they so hesitant?" Amell asked with a frown. As far he understood, while the situation was somewhatplicated, it wasn''t anything too big.


    And yet, upon hearing the news from his father, Amell felt that the situation was even more


    serious than expected.


    "We don''t know, and that''s what worries me."


    The Emperor truthfully replied, his tone growing graver with each word.


    "A situation like this has never happened in the past, and if not for the fact that we''re so busy


    trying to handle the current crisis within the Empires, I would''ve done my best to understand


    what is happening. My guess is that the Mirror Cracks within the Kasha have gone rampant, making trade impossible."


    "...But wouldn''t it be easy to tell if that''s the case?"


    "It would be, but the House of Astrid has sealed all information on the situation on their


    side." "The House of Astrid? Ah, if it''s them then..."


    The House of Astrid, though not as influential as the Empire,manded a certain power that could not be dismissed. Meanwhile, the people of Kasha, despite their economic struggles, constantly fought against formidable monsters to ensure their survival. Their top brass were incredibly powerful. They alone had enough power to make any Empire


    weary.


    Starting a war with them wouldn''t do good for any side.


    ...And given their power and influence, it was also very easy for them to seal all information.


    "Like I said, I wouldn''t normally allow you to enter such a dangerous ce, Amell, but we


    don''t have much of a choice. We need the trades in order to sustain the current troops that are fighting in the Mirror Dimension. Don''t expose yourself to much danger and listen to those of the House of Myron. So long as you behave ordingly, nothing should go wrong."


    ''Behave ordingly?'' Overhearing thest words, Amell frowned. Why did it seem like he was hearing the word over


    and over again?


    ...And why did it feel so ominous at the same time?


    It couldn''t be that...


    "Amell?"


    "Ah, yes. I will.."


    Amell raised his head and hastily nodded his head.


    "Father, please don''t worry. I''ll take care of this matter and make sure nothing goes wrong.


    You can count on me."


    "Good."


    With a genuine smile, the Emperor stood up. cing his hand over the Empress''s shoulder,


    the two started to fade.


    "Knowing you, I know you will stay true to my words. I''lle visit again once youe back


    from the Kasha. Have a safe journey there. Take care of your brother while you''re there."


    "Thank you." Simrly standing up, Amell bowed.


    "I''ll make sure toe back safely."


    ***


    The next day.


    Early in the morning, the cadets assembled in the estate''s reception area. Their faces were


    rxed, and they appeared refreshed-unsurprising, given the top-tier facilities the estate provided.


    With their minds and bodies rxed, they seemed eager to tackle the uing task.


    "Everyone please wear these clothes. From the moment you put these clothes on, your identities will change. You will no longer be the most promising and talented cadets in the Four Empires, but simple and humble servants from the House of Myron."


    The Head Maid, a woman with short ck hair and brown eyes, handed each cadet a set of


    gray uniforms. As they took the uniforms, their expressions shifted to frowns.


    Kiera in particr looked unimpressed by the in design of the uniform.


    "Shit, so I''m going to be a servant?" "...That''s what she said."


    "No, she didn''t. She said something else."


    "Stop. Don''t make it harder than it needs to be."


    "Yup, that''s what she said."


    ||||


    Aoife''s eyes fell on Kiera''s neck. That long and slender neck of hers. She had the sudden urge


    to squeeze it.


    ''No, I need to hold back. I can''t kill her now. There''s too many people looking.''


    "Are you thinking of killing Kiera?"


    "Uh?!"


    Startled, Aoife quickly turned her head to find Evelyn already dressed in her servant attire, her


    purple hair neatly tucked back. If not for her face standing out so much, Aoife would''ve taken


    her for a servant.


    Holding onto a bag of chips, Evelyn cocked her head at Aoife.


    "...Hmm, you''re holding yourself because too many people are watching, right?"


    How did..!?


    Aoife''s eyes widened in shock. Seeing her reaction, Evelyn nodded her head.


    "As I thought."


    Satisfied, she bobbed her head once more and retrieved her hand from the bag of chips. She


    left shortly after that, leaving Aoife standing therepletely dumbfounded. At the same


    time, she heard her soft mumble, ''I''m getting good at this.'' ''What just happened? Did she just...?''


    "To ensure that you don''t stand out, you will also be given a few things to hide your true


    appearance. Please wear the masks that will be given to you."


    Walking up to Aoife, one of the servants handed her a mask that changed her appearance


    completely. Taking out a small mirror to see the changes, she tapped on her face a few times. ''It''s still not too bad.''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The mask automatically changed her hair and eye color-both currently brown. She looked


    quite in.


    Still, when all was said and done it wasn''t anything too bad.


    "Wait, why is my mask like this...?"


    And when it was all said and done, she had it better than some people.


    Turning her head to stare in a certain direction, she hastily covered her mouth.


    "Puut."


    That...


    She definitely had it better than him.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 484: Grand Wedding [1]

    Chapter 484: Grand Wedding [1]


    ?


    "How does this even make sense?"


    I looked around and saw people staring at me with raised brows. Some even looked at me with gloating looks.


    In particr...


    "Uekh!"


    "What are youughing at?"


    "You."


    I pursed my lips, feeling the wrinkles on the mask change subtly. Indeed, my mask was that of an old man. With greying white hair, deep wrinkles, and sunken cheeks, I wasn''t just old. I was really old.


    ''Ah, shit.''


    Looking around me and seeing everyone''s faces, I felt like crying. Why was I the only one made to look like an old man?


    "You have to change your voice too. Make yourself sound older."


    "I''ll kill you."


    "Oh no..."


    Leon covered his face with both hands and pretended to look scared. The only issue with his actions was theck of change in his expression. His face just seemed to drip with sarcasm at this very moment.


    "I''ll kill you."


    "You already said that."


    "I wanted to make sure you understood."


    "Has everyone put on their disguise? If you have, please line up here. We will soon send you to the Kasha."


    With a small portal appearing behind the Head Maid, she looked at us with a thin smile on her face. Despite her stern voice, she was rather friendly.


    I looked at Leon and shook my head.


    ''He''s not worth it.''


    From there, I decided to line up but my troubles didn''t stop. A hand soon pressed against my shoulder, pulling me back.


    "Uh? Oy, oldie. The fuck are you doing here?"


    "I..."


    Her appearance was different, but the tone and voice were recognizable.


    "I know we kind of look like staff, but we are actually here on an important task. If you would


    "Wait, Kiera."


    A hand pressed against Kiera''s shoulder, stopping her. When she turned around, she frowned. "What do you want?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "That..."


    Stifling augh, Aoife pointed to me.


    "Khuk... That, he''s also with us."


    "Uh?"


    Kiera flicked her head and dubiously looked at me.


    "Are you shitting me?"


    "No, look at his posture. Considering his looks, he should be more hunched." "Oh, shit."


    Kiera''s eyes widened in realization. Pulling her hand back, she wiped it using Aoife''s sleeve, prompting an ''Oy, watch it!'' from her. Unbothered by Aoife, Kiera leaned in closer to look at


    me.


    "Pftt-"


    Augh escaped her lips shortly after that.


    "No fucking way. Hahaha."


    Pointing at me, she pped her thigh.


    "Poor soul. I don''t know who you are but-"


    "It''s Julien."


    "Eh? What did you just say?"


    "That... The old man is Julien."


    Aoife repeated, staring at me with inted cheeks.


    Blinking her eyes, Kiera''s eyes started to water and her shoulders started to shake. Taken aback by her reaction, Aoife cocked her head and pulled her back to get a look at her, but soon enough, Kiera exploded.


    "Buahahaha."


    Herugh attracted the attention of all those present.


    "Buhahaha... hueee..."


    Through deep breaths, she would point at me whileughing as tears flowed out of her eyes. I just stared at the scene in silence while Leon stood behind Kiera, mimicking her actions


    without making any noise.


    That...


    "Huelp...! I... haha... can''t breathe... hue...!"


    I was unsure of which one to be pissed about.


    Leon or Kiera?


    "Huelp!"


    After a certain point, Kiera''s face started to turn purple from how hard she wasughing.


    "Haha... Hue...!"


    She looked to be in between bouts of pain and joy.


    And... it may or may not be due to me.


    "Are you okay?"


    "....Buehehehe!"


    Kiera''s eyes turned bloodshot as she burst outughing again. It was likely due to abination of my voice and my powers. Still, hidden within theughter I could see a certain


    horror.


    "Hue...! Hu!"


    ''Make it stop.''


    I looked up at Aoife who flinched at the sight of me. She shook her head, her face growing


    pale.


    "No, that''s cheating."


    I innocently blinked.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "!"


    Aoife hastily covered her mouth. With an ''oh shit'' she looked up at me and dashed away. I was


    about to follow up when I realized there was a far more valuable target.


    Flinch!


    Flinching visibly, Leon shook his head.


    ''Spare me.''


    His eyes paused on the suffocating Kiera and his face paled.


    "That''s too much. You monster.''


    "Hueh..! Haw!"


    Gripping my ankle, Kiera looked up at me with a begging look. She looked pitiful. But I held


    no pity for her.


    I was just about to open my mouth when a powerful voice bellowed throughout the reception.


    "Cadets!"


    Looking back, the Head Maid was looking at us with a sharp expression.


    It was only then that I noticed that everyone was looking at us.


    "Cease your behavior right now! You will all soon be sent to a very dangerous ce and such behavior will be uneptable! Please stop at this moment and take my final words


    seriously."


    || ||


    Looking at Kiera, I silently clicked my tongue.


    "Huaa!"


    That was when she finally stoppedughing and started panting heavily. ''F-fuck, I thought I


    saw my life sh before my eyes.'' Ignoring her mumbles, I looked back at the Head Maid who alternated her gaze between us before nodding.


    "I hope this type of behavior doesn''t continue beyond this portal. It would be okay if your


    actions only influence yourself, but you will not be going by yourself. You are all a group. One''s mistake can lead to the entire group being implicated. Not only that but the House of Myron might also be implicated. Your actions don''t just affect you."


    There was no arguing with her points.


    I understood where she wasing from and so I just merely nodded my head in


    understanding.


    That seemed to do it as she finally smiled again and continued her pep talk. From what we had to look out for to who we had to be careful of, she mentioned everything


    that we needed to know. By the time she was done, an hour had passed and it was time for us


    to finally enter the portal.


    "If everyone is ready then please go into the portal. I wish you all the best of luck."


    Woom!


    First to enter the portal was Amell who was followed shortly after by Aoife and then the rest


    of the ss.


    Following them closely from behind, I made sure to remember all the faces of those around


    me.


    Even though we had some sort of device that would tell us when someone was near, it was


    still safe to memorize the faces of all those around me.


    I spent the better part of the next minute doing that.


    Soon, it became my turn, and without hesitation, I entered the portal.


    "Best of luck. I wish you a safe trip."


    The Head Maid''s words were thest words I heard before my vision turned ck.


    *


    The Kasha; thend beyond the walls.


    ...And the forgottennd.


    "It''s the same."


    A gray, deste sky stretched endlessly over thend, draping every inch in a lifeless


    monochrome and stripping away even the faintest hint of color, leaving behind a world devoid of vitality.


    The sky was the perfect reflection of the gloom that covered the world.


    ...None of the people within had ever seen the true sky, assuming the gray and monochrome


    sky as the norm.


    Like caged beasts who knew nothing about the true freedom that was beyond.


    But a few knew of the true sky thaty beyond the gray.


    "Haa."


    A wrinkly hand reached out for the gray sky, its tips almost touching it.


    He could almost feel it at its fingertips, but couldn''t quite touch it.


    "...So close."


    To those who knew, their only thought was;


    "I want to rip the sky."


    Rip the bars of the cage that trapped them.


    *


    "Uhm?"


    The pungent smell of alcohol hit my nostrils the moment I regained my vision. I wasn''t the


    only one to notice the smell as the others showed simr expressions.


    "What is this smell?"


    "...Ukh."


    "My nose."


    It was quite powerful.


    ''Where are we?''


    As I nced around, it became clear we were in a vast hall nked by towering pirs on


    either side. The dark marble floor beneath me gleamed with such a polished sheen that I could


    see my own reflection staring back at me.


    Torches hung by the side of the pirs, casting a dim glow over the surroundings.


    The more I looked around the ce, the more gloomy it felt.


    ''Did we make it to the right ce...?''


    Just as I was wondering, the muffled sound of footsteps echoed in the distance. When I turned


    around, a group of people headed in our direction.


    Leading the group was a tall, middle-aged man with striking sharp features and a sturdy


    build. His deep green eyes seemed to pierce through the dim light of the hall, while his dark


    hair swayed gently with each step he took.


    "Wee, friends from afar!"


    With open arms and a smile, he weed all of us.


    His voice transmitted through every corner of therge hall as he spoke.


    "...It is rare for us to have such guests, and I''m pleased to see that all of you have made it here


    safely." Despite his weing appearance and smile, I couldn''t help but frown upon seeing the man before me. His power... it was well-hidden, but I could feel it.


    ''He''s strong.''


    Very strong.


    Perhaps not as strong as Delh, or As, but he definitely was at around the seventh tier or


    higher.


    ''... They weren''t lying when they said the people of the Kasha are very strong.''


    "It is unfortunate that I can''t spend much time with you guys, but there''s something that I


    have to take care of urgently. In the meantime, I''m sure you have all been briefed about our situation."


    ncing at the group of people behind him, they all stepped forward and disyed a few brooms and buckets.


    "In order to avoid suspicion from the House of Astrid, we had no choice but to have you all


    come as servants. While the sudden influx of servants may seem suspicious, I can handle that part."


    In the meantime, I reached out for a broom and thanked the man in front of me before ncing at it.


    ''It''s just a regr broom.''


    "I don''t have many rules, but of the few, I would like it if none of you acted out of ce when


    you go out. If someone asks you for money, you ignore them. If someone is dying, you ignore


    it. If a child wants some food, you ignore them."


    Before anyone had the chance to say anything, the man''s tone lowered, reaching an almost threatening level.


    "...I don''t mean it just for your safety, but for our safety too."


    The atmosphere instantly became heavy.


    "The House of Astrid has strict control over the Eastern Kasha. They''ve recently shut down all


    their doors, and despite our attempts at trying tomunicate with them, we were unable to


    do a thing. It was also then that everything started."


    Pursing his lips, the man shook his head while mumbling, ''At the rate things are going, we


    might have no choice but to take drastic measures. I hope that won''t be the case.''


    Raising his head, he took a deep breath and looked around.


    Eventually, his gaze settled over to me.


    "Hm?"


    Confused, I furrowed my brows. But before I could dwell on it, he began walking toward me,


    his steps slow and steady, until he finally stopped right in front of me.


    My entire body tensed at the sight of me and the moment he stopped in front of me, my


    his hand my


    breath caught. Slowly, I lifted my head to meet his sharp gaze, and that was when he extended way. "You must be the Professor in charge of them. I''m sorry I couldn''t wee you all properly,


    but I hope you understand. I will be leaving now, but I''ll call you back when I have time. I


    hope that is alright with you."


    It all grew silent from that point as I found myself unable to speak.


    That.. did he just?


    Breaking the silence was a low, yet audible stifled sound.


    "Pftt-!"

 Chapter 485: Grand Wedding [2]

    Chapter 485: Grand Wedding [2]


    ?


    Arten Myron, the current head of the Myron Household, strode down the long, narrow corridor of his estate, his footsteps echoing, apanied by a steady rhythm of others trailing behind him.


    His gaze lingered on the dimly lit corridors, where the flickering candles and torches cast a dim glow around. His expression fell as he noticed the faint cracks spreading across the walls of the estate.


    ''Just how far have we fallen?''


    It wasn''t long ago when the estate was thriving.


    The walls were impably maintained and polished, and the corridors were brightly lit, rendering candles and torches unnecessary.


    Not only that but looking out the window, Arten closed his eyes.


    ...And most importantly, the people weren''t suffering so much.


    ''How could everything fall to this extent? How could...!''


    Arten took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He knew very well the reason why everything had turned out like this.


    It was due to none other than the House of Astrid.


    They were the cause of it all-the copse in trade, and theplete withdrawal of their forces from Eastern Kasha. Without their powers, the monsters flooded into the cities, leaving many with no choice but to flee or face death.


    The responsibility of protecting the main city-Roana-in the Eastern Kasha fell to the major Households. They did their best, and at first, they managed to fend off the attacks. However, the entire ordeal proved to be costly.


    Resources needed to be used in order to heal the troops, but this was the Kasha.


    There was only so much they could provide.


    In the end, with theck of resources, the troops were forced to retreat.


    While they hadn''t copsed just yet, they were on the verge of copse. It was for this reason that Arten could only greet the guests for a brief moment. He had to quickly get out to help the troops fend off the monsters.


    ...Or at least, that used to be the case.


    That was until the House of Astrid changed. The House of Astrid had never been one tomand over the others. They were arrogant, but they never crossed the line.


    ...At least, until recently.


    Overnight, everyone suddenly changed.


    The change was significant, and it was what created the entire chaos within the Eastern Kasha.


    "Um, family head..."


    As Arten rounded a corner, he heard the voice of one of his vassals.


    "Yes?"


    It was his right-hand man, Lauren Myron; his second cousin.


    Standing a few feet shorter and with a rather bulky build, Lauren had to raise his head in order to look at the Family Head.


    "About the guests, why did you act the way that you did?"


    "Are you talking about the part where I mistook one of the cadets for a Professor?"


    "...Yes."


    Lauren nodded.


    This had indeed been troubling him for quite a bit. He was confused about why the Family Head would make such a mistake.


    Realizing the other vassals were simrly confused, Arten smiled.


    "Ah, that was on purpose."


    While the disguises were quite well-crafted, making it hard for him to see through them, he could tell who was who through their general power. After reaching a certain level, one could make a general assessment of someone''s strength from the mana that flowed out of their body.


    There were a few that stood out immediately to Arten, but in particr, one stood out to him the most.


    Not because of his power, but because of something else.


    His mana...


    ''Pure.''


    It was some of the purest he had ever seen.


    "I approached him after getting curious about him. I just wanted to get a better look at this cadet. He intrigued me quite a bit when I looked at him."


    He was a rare talent.


    ...Not just him, but the others too.


    ''Compared to the talents of those in the House Astrid, I wonder who''s better.''


    He only got a small feel through the handshake, but that was still not enough for him to tell.


    "What did you feel from the cadet?"


    "...What did I feel?"


    Arten thought for a moment before shaking his head.


    "Barely anything."


    "Eh?"


    Staring at his own hand, Arten shook his head.


    "...I felt barely anything."


    "Wha... What?"


    Shifting his focus away from his hand, he shrugged his shoulders.


    "There are times when I can be wrong, and those times are usually rare. However, there have been a few times when I have been wrong."


    What was ''talent''?


    In Arten''s eyes, it was the rate at which one absorbed mana. But was that really the case? In Julien''s case, his rate of absorption seemed abysmal.


    And yet... he stood out amongst his peers.


    Surely there was no way he was untalented. How could someone untalented be so strong?


    That was why Arten believed he was wrong.


    Because there was no way someone so untalented could be so strong.


    ''Well, that is unless he is desperate enough to push his body to the limit. Perhaps then...''


    "Hee."


    Chuckling, Arten shook his head.


    "I was merely curious. Whether I''m wrong or right we''ll figure out soon enough. For now, we


    have more important matters to attend."


    Taking a step forward, his smile faded and his expression hardened.


    ''....I hope everything flows smoothly. We can''t afford a single hup.''


    ***


    A crimson veil draped over the somber gray sky, casting a faint shadow on thend beneath. Piercing through the red haze was a towering ck pir, its jagged form stretching upwards before splintering into countless branches.


    Rustle~


    Beneath the looming tree stood a tall woman with long brown hair and piercing deep brown eyes. d in a sharp red zer and matching pants, her striking presence shed starkly with


    the deste, lifeless surroundings.


    As her hair fluttered, she looked up at the sky.


    "What a suffocating sky."


    It was vastly different from the blue sky of the Empire.


    ....It was almost disgusting.


    She reached her hand forward, and the tree bent toward her, its leaves softly brushing against


    her fingertips as if in recognition.


    A subtle smile yed on her lips as she withdrew her hand, her eyes scanning her


    surroundings with a quiet, yet terrifying intensity.


    "Hierk!"


    "Hueek-!"


    Surrounding her from all sides were monsters of all sorts of proportions, their hollow eyes


    and expression focused on the distant city of Roana, the capital of the Eastern Kasha.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In particr, her eyes fell on the enormous golden pce in the distance.


    "Soon."


    She mumbled,


    "...Soon."


    Withdrawing her gaze, she reached for her breast pocket and retrieved a photo.


    In there, her smile grew.


    "How many years has it been...?"


    She mumbled to herself, focusing on the tall figure within the picture.


    Thinking of him, her smile grew cold.


    "...How are the children? Are they-No, what a stupid question."


    Her hand clenched tightly as the photo crumbled under her grasp.


    "If it''s you, I''m sure they''re living in hell. After all, you''d do anything to get back at me."


    Swoosh!


    Setting the image aze, a faint purple circle appeared on her right forearm.


    Nocturne Order; High Seat - Seraphina Dorne Evenus.


    ***


    "Ukh!"


    "Kekekeke."


    "Pftt-"


    Julien gripped his broom tightly and began sweeping with uneven and forced strokes.


    ''Should I just use Emotive Magic again? What if I just make themugh at my own jokes? No, that


    wouldn''t work since they''dugh without using my powers anyway...''


    Leon walked up next to Julien and refilled the water in the bucket. At the same time, he respectfully lowered his head.


    "Professor, I''ve just reced the water."


    Kiera, who was standing not far from Leon, walked over with a frown. She looked annoyed. Is


    sheing to help me? Julien thought, his brows rxing faintly.


    "Oy, you''re speaking too loud. Keep your noise level to a bearable amount."


    She went on to point at Julien.


    "That''s disrespectful to the Professor."


    "Oh, I see-huek."


    Julien raised his broom and swung it at them. Swoosh, swoosh-! They both easily avoided


    his attacks whileughing together, ''Kakaka'', ''Kokoko''.


    Kokoko?


    Sighing to himself, Julien raised his head and looked up at the ceiling of the long corridor.


    ''Why do I have to deal with such children? What did I do to deserve this?''


    "You guys are so immature."


    There was at least one person with some sense.


    Wiping one of the windows, Evelyn shook her head while looking in our direction.


    "We''re supposed to be servants. We can''t mess around unless you want our identities to be


    exposed." "You''re right."


    "Ah, shit."


    When both Kiera and Leon settled down, Evelyn nodded her head and looked at Julien.


    "Don''t take them too seriously. Leon is usually mature but when she''s around Kiera he tends


    to be immature himself. You can''t really me him. He''s still a teen, Professor-


    Puahh!"


    Halfway through her sentence, Evelyn covered her mouth and burst outughing.


    "Even you..."


    "Ah, sorry. It just slipped. I didn''t mean to... huahahaha."


    Holding onto her stomach, Evelyn started to hunch over.


    She started to feel pain. Julien''s mind went into a dark ce at that moment.


    He started to think of all sorts of ways to hurt them. Eventually, however, he was able to settle


    down.


    Lowering his head, Julien decided to ignore all the outside noise. At some point, he was able to do so. Even when Kiera, Leon, Evelyn, and the others were messing in the background,


    Julien lookedpletely and utterly disinterested as he moved to one of the nearby windows


    and started to wipe the ss.


    As he started to wipe, Julien caught sight of his own reflection.


    The cloth in his hand scrunched up as he tightened his grip over it.


    ''How am I the only one like this? There must be some conspiracy behind this.''


    Could it be that Leon found out about his real identity?


    No, Julien shook his head. He was sure Leon would do worse if he really did know about his


    identity. There was certainly something else at y in this situation.


    But who?


    Delh? No, why would she...?


    ''It can''t be that she-No, that''s ridiculous.''


    Julien quickly shook his head and stopped dwelling over it.


    Settling his gaze towards the outside world, his expression changed subtly.


    How could he describe the world outside?


    Grim? Deste? Colorless?


    ...The cobblestone streets were mostly empty, and those that did appear were all in rags. Their


    faces were sunken, and their bodies were extremely frail. One could easily tell that they hadn''t eaten in a long time from their conditions.


    ''Just how bad is the situation over here for it to reach such extreme?''


    The outside waspletely different from the mansion that they were in. The mansion alone


    stood taller than most of the buildings outside, with it being one of the only few buildings


    that provided a source of light.


    This created a striking contrast against the somber grey sky, with the red sun casting a dim,


    filtered light over the small buildings below.


    But even then, it was still nothingpared to the massive pce that stood at the far end of


    the city.


    It was so grand and bright that it was even visible from where Julien was.


    The building stood out with its towering white pirs, a semi-domed roof gleaming in gold,


    and lights cascading around it. It exuded an air of unmistakable luxury. Although Julien didn''t know the details, based on everything he''d heard, he could make an


    educated guess about who the pce belonged to. "That must be where the House of Astrid is located.''


    The most powerful and intimidating power within the Easter Kasha.


    "Woo~"


    Whistling under his breath, a figure appeared before Julien


    ''Have a look at the Pce. Do you notice anything strange about it?''


    ''Anything strange?''


    Owl-Mighty looked in the direction of the Pce and shortly after shook his head.


    ''No, nothing. I might be able to if I can get closer.''


    ''Okay.''


    nk-


    Julien opened the window, wincing as the dry, arid air from the outside world hit him. Owl-


    Mighty hopped off Julien''s hand and flew out from the window as Julien hastily closed it back.


    Or tried to.


    "Uh?"


    Right as he was about to close the window, he stopped.


    Looking down towards the streets, his expression changed abruptly.


    "What the...!"


    His face fell the moment he spotted the familiar figure.


    Standing in front of a group of children, he held a tray filled with food.


    Julien''s face fell almost immediately.


    "...This might be mad."


    Less than an hour into their expedition, one of their group had already broken one of the rules


    of the ce.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 486: Grand Wedding [3]

    Chapter 486: Grand Wedding [3]


    ?


    What''s it like to truly be hungry?


    Growl-!


    Like an aching emptiness?


    "Food, In-need food."


    ...Or more like a knife to the gut?


    "H-help, I beg you. My s-sister..."


    No, it was more than that.


    The pain wasn''t confined to the stomach; it seeped into the mind, clouding thoughts and sapping rity away from one''s brain. Each passing moment felt heavier as if the mind couldn''t take it any longer.


    Fat would start to be used as an energy source.


    But what if one didn''t have any fat storage? What would be of them?


    They''d be skin and bones.


    "P-please, help me..."


    Kealion was all too familiar with the pain, the hunger, and the helplessness that came from poverty.


    For just one cookie, he managed to ughter his way out of the cave.


    He could still vividly remember the pain and desperation that he had once felt in the times when he was with his mother.


    That was why even despite his best attempts at ignoring the situation, he couldn''t help but feed the children.


    "Line up quietly. There''s plenty of food for everyone."


    Holding onto arge bucket of bread, he quietly handed each child a piece.


    "M-me, I want some."


    "I want."


    Despite Kaelion''s best attempt at trying to get the children to line up, the hunger made it impossible for them to listen to his words. The moment they saw food, they all rushed his


    way.


    It was only when another figure appeared that the children stopped.


    "Line up properly."


    Perhaps it was because of his demeanor, or perhaps it was because of his eyes that seemed tock emotions, the children settled down quickly as Caius turned his head to look at Kaelion.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Feeding the children, can''t you see?"


    Kaelion handed a piece of bread to another child who hurriedly shoved it under his clothes and dashed away.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Quietly staring at the scene, Caius frowned.


    Noticing the change in Caius''s features, Kaelion smiled while handing another piece of bread out.


    "It is expensive to be poor."


    "...Hm?"


    "When one can hardly worry about oneself, one does not have the capacity to be grateful." "Ah."


    Caius nodded, pretending to understand. However, he didn''t understand at all. As someone who was born rich, his experiences were far different from Kaelion''s.


    He hardly understood where Kaelion wasing from and in his eyes, all of this seemed stupid.


    They had clearly been told they couldn''t do this, and yet, Kaelion went ahead and ignored one of the few rules they had set up for them.


    Even so, Caius didn''t report Kaelion.


    Staring at the children, he felt nothing. Their skinny frames, sunken cheeks, hollow eyes, and trembling bodies left him unmoved.


    If anything, it almost felt like a waste to him.


    Giving bread to such people.


    They were going to die soon enough, why prolong their suffering? It made no sense to him.


    And yet...


    Staring at Kaelion who was usually indifferent on all matters, Caius felt his hand move on his own as he grabbed a piece of bread and handed it to the nearest child.


    "You..."


    His action took Kaelion by surprise, but soon enough, he smiled and mumbled, ''I guess his training with Julien hasn''t been for nothing.''


    "M-more."


    "Please. My sister is sick..."


    At first, Kaelion was able to keep up with the number of children. There were only a few dozen and he brought enough bread to feed a little over a hundred. He thought that''d be enough,


    but...


    "Please, more."


    "I... am hungry."


    Slowly but surely more and more children started to show up.


    Staring at the scene, Kaelion picked up the pace and handed the bread faster to the children but by the time he got to a little girl with dishevelled hair, he found his hand stopping.


    That...


    He had run out of bread.


    "Ah."


    Kaelion raised his head to look at the girl who stared at the bucket with an empty look.


    She showed no sign of sadness or anger. She just stared nkly at the empty bucket and


    turned around.


    This had probably not been the first time she had been disappointed.


    That little girl...


    She was probably used to this.


    ||


    ||


    Kaelion bit his lip.


    She reminded him of his past self. He too used to be like that, but unlike her, he did have someone to go back to. He could tell from the hollowness on her face that she didn''t have


    anyone to go back to.


    If she did, she''d have cry.


    Cry because she couldn''t give them a loaf of bread to help them.


    Kaelion knew because he had been put in a simr situation in the past. His tears hade not from the fact that he couldn''t eat, but because he couldn''t help his mom.


    "Wait."


    Kaelion pressed his hand over the girl''s shoulder and stopped her.


    She stopped and looked back at him.


    Silently clenching his teeth, Kaelion took out a few coins and tried to hand them to her. Their


    worth wasn''t much, but enough to help her buy some bread.


    Kaelion knew wealth was dangerous in this ce and so he only gave her enough for two


    loaves of bread.


    "Take this."


    "...."


    nkly staring at the coins, the young girl reached for them when all of a sudden a voice


    echoed from above.


    "Oy."


    Kaelion''s body froze for a second as he flicked his head to look up.


    There, with his body leaning outside of the window was an old-looking figure Kaelion was all


    too familiar with.


    "... You understand we''re not supposed to do this, right?"


    Julien''s cold and indifferent voice echoed from above.


    Kaelion stared at him and opened his mouth, but the words he wanted to say stopped right as


    he was about to say them. He merely shook his head and ced the coins in the girl''s hands.


    "Go, get yourself some food."


    Taking the coins, the girl turned around and left.


    Seeing her retreating back, Kaelion looked back to see Julien staring at him with the same


    expression as before.


    Kaelion''s heart sank when he saw him shake his head.


    ''... And here they say I''m the jinx.''


    Waving his hand, arge box appeared out of thin air. Kaelion''s eyes widened at the sight but


    he quickly recovered and moved forward, grabbing the falling box.


    "This..."


    Upon opening the box, his eyes widened even further.


    "...How could?"


    Food.


    He saw a lot of food in the box.


    There was far more food than what he previously had, and it all looked good. Kaelion looked


    at the box in shock. How did Julien have this on him? Where did he get it? Could it be that he


    stole them...?


    "It''s mine."


    "....Eh?"


    Raising his head, Kaelion looked at Julien.


    "That is my food. I didn''t steal it."


    "No, I..."


    "Just look at your expression. You were clearly thinking that I stole the food. I didn''t."


    "Err..."


    Kaelion could only force out a smile. He had been read like a book.


    "Anyways, you owe me a favour. Be more discreet when you hand stuff out. It''s only a crime if


    you get cau-" Julien''s words caught in his throat as his expression suddenly changed.


    Noticing the change, Kaelion turned around and saw that the children that used to surround


    him, begging him for food had disappeared.


    "What the..."


    Kaelion''s pupils visibly constricted, while Caius frowned and took a defensive stance. A


    sudden silence descended on the area as the two scanned their surroundings, trying to detect


    any sign of movement. But the longer they looked, the less they found.


    It was unnervingly quiet.


    Too quiet.


    "Let''s go back."


    "...Yes."


    Kaelion nodded slightly, about to step back when he froze.


    Tak-


    His ears twitched, and both he and Caius turned toward the small houses ahead.


    Their eyes narrowed in unison.


    Without exchanging a word, they both nodded, and Caius took a step forward. But then his


    gaze flickered toward his own shadow, his expression changing. He stomped his foot, then


    dashed back.


    Swoosh-!


    A figure materialized where he had just stood.


    Bang!


    The ground beneath him caved in, and an invisible pressure descended over the surroundings.


    Appearing before them was a man with short brown hair, piercing blue eyes, handsome


    features, and a red robe. He looked human enough, but...


    Cra crack-!


    Each of the man''s movements was stiff, apanied by unsettling cracking sounds.


    He turned to look around, his eyes devoid of life.


    Cra Crack-! Cra-


    Kaelion felt a lump form in his throat, unsure of what he was seeing.


    ...The only thing he was sure about was the strenght of the man. It was at a level he couldn''t


    ignore.


    Fortunately, he didn''t seem to see them.


    At least, not yet.


    Cra-


    The figure leaned forward, raising both hands awkwardly, while his legs twisted unnaturally.


    The sight was so grotesque, it felt as though he were staring at a puppet.


    But the man was clearly alive.


    Drip! Drip...!


    Why else would he be crying?


    Kaelion hesitated, unsure what to do. Just as he was about to make a move, Caius stopped


    him, cing a hand firmly on his shoulder.


    "W-!!"


    Before Kaelion could react, a hand covered his mouth from behind. His heart nearly leaped


    out of his chest, but he quickly calmed when he saw Julien''s aged face.


    Wait-when had he gotten there?


    ''Stay quiet. I''ve cast an illusion around us.''


    Overhearing Julien''s whisper Kaelion nodded, understanding. Julien removed his hand,


    keeping his eyes fixed on the puppet as he frowned. Pressing a hand against Caius''s shoulder,


    The gestured toward the window.


    ''We need to fall back.''


    Caius gave a slight nod, taking a step back, but then-


    Creak- Cra Crack!


    The air was filled with the sickening sound of cracks, freezing them all in ce. Julien''s expression shifted, his gaze moving to the rooftops where several figures were now


    visible, moving in jerky, robotic motions.


    They climbed onto the walls and moved around with their heads tilting from one side to the


    other.


    In an instant, they were surrounded on all sides and Julien''s expression changed as he stopped


    whatever he was doing.


    As the surroundings grew silent, Julien looked at Kaelion and raised his hand.


    ''I''ll beat you.''

 Chapter 487: Grand Wedding [4]

    Chapter 487: Grand Wedding [4]


    ?


    "What do you think?"


    "About...?"


    "The current situation. Are you not worried at all? You know, while everything looks calm right now, I''m already starting to get a bad feeling."


    "You''re right to think that way. After all..."


    Pausing, Leon mumbled, ''...that jinx is here.'' Evelyn, who heard his words, smiled bitterly.


    "I''ve been hearing this a lot but do you really think he''s a jinx."


    "Yes."


    There was no hesitation in Leon''s words. The speed and certainty in his tone were enough for Evelyn''s smile to grow more bitter.


    "...You really do hate him."


    "At times."


    Leon shrugged, mopping the floor.


    "He may or may not be a jinx but it''s undeniable that he''s been at the center of all troublestely. Whatever the case is, we''ve only just arrived, but looking at the rules ced on us, the situation outside is quiteplicated."


    "You''re not wrong."


    Entering the hallway, Amell nced at Leon and the others who stopped whatever they were doing. Since everyone knew what they looked like with their new disguise, nobody had trouble identifying Amell.


    "I''ve just done a little investigating while you guys were cleaning. I more or less know what is going on at the moment."


    Hearing Amell''s words, Aoife raised her brow.


    "You do?"


    "If the servants didn''t lie to me, then yes."


    "Don''t tell me you bribed them."


    "Whatever gets the job done."


    Amell shrugged with a smile. It didn''t even cost him that much. Just a few mana crystals.


    Since the currency in this ce was different, Amell had to pay using mana crystals¡ª condensed forms of pure energy created from mana. These crystals were not only a medium of exchange but also a valuable resource for enhancing one''s strength and abilities.


    They were usually the currency used in out-of-empire trades.


    "Anyways, the situation isplicated."


    With a grim look, Amell started to recount his findings.


    "From what I''ve gathered, the Kasha are facing a simr issue with monsters. Normally, handling them wouldn''t be a challenge for them, but one of the strongest factions within the Eastern Kasha has gonepletely silent, vanishing from everyone''s sight."


    "One of the biggest forces?"


    Aoife pondered for a few seconds before concluding, "Are you talking about the House of Astrid?"


    "Yup."


    Amell nodded, his face growing more troubled.


    "It started just a month ago, but all of a sudden they cut off all contact with the outside world and the people in the Kasha. It''s as if they''ve sealed themselves from the world, cutting all ties with the world.


    "Why?"


    "I don''t know. Nobody knows."


    Amell rubbed his forehead.


    Things would''ve been easier if he knew, but regardless of who he tried to bribe, nobody knew the answer.


    Be it the servants or anyone else within the household.


    Nobody knew.


    "Without the support of the House of Astrid, everything here has begun to deteriorate, including the trade. In the past, all goods flowed through the House of Astrid before being distributed to the four Empires. As the overlords of the region, they control everything that passes through."


    "Ah-! And wow that they''ve sealed themselves, they can''t trade!"


    Evelyn smacked her fist against her palm as she had a sudden understanding.


    However, she soon frowned.


    "Wait, if the House of Astrid had closed themselves off, can''t they just bypass them? If they don''t check I''m sure they can just-"


    "That''s the problem."


    Amell''s expression turned even moreplicated.


    "...You can say they''ve sealed themselves off from the world, but that''s not entirely true. The Astrid''s are still patrolling the surroundings, and they cut off anyone that tries to move outside of the city walls immediately."


    "Wait, what?"


    Aoife ced her mop to the side and frowned.


    "If they''ve stopped everything, why are they blocking trades?"


    "I''m not entirely sure, but even when the other Houses attempt to confront them by capturing some of their lower-ranked guards, they get no answers. The servants im the guards suddenly go mute. No matter how far they push-severing limbs, burning flesh with acid-they refuse to utter a single word. It''s almost as if they have suddenly be soulless puppets."


    "Hiss..."


    Everyone drew in a breath of cold air.


    From what Amell was saying, the situation was even moreplicated than expected. "The House of Myron has already spread the news to the Four Empires, but as you all know, they don''t really have the time to help with the current situation. Furthermore, considering the rtionship between the two sides, they are probably against the Four Empires providing a lot of help. They don''t want to be in too much debt with them."


    "So they''d rather have their own people starve?"


    "...Apparently so."


    Amell replied with a bitter smile.


    He too couldn''t understand why those of the Kasha were so stubborn and hated the Four Empires so much. It wasn''t as if they prohibited them from entering the Empires and


    bing its citizens.


    The same was true for the trades.


    They could easily trade with the Empires if they wanted to, but they simply refused. They wanted nothing to do with the Empires, and if not for the situation bing so dire, they probably wouldn''t have allowed them to enter the Kasha.


    ...They probably needed a small helping hand.


    Small enough that they didn''t need to be in a lot of debt with the Empires.


    "Ukh."


    Leaning by the side of the wall, Kiera made a face.


    "It''s always like this in the end with this bullshit politics. These bastards'' egos are even bigger than mine. If they put their pride down they could''ve probably have solved the situation a lot faster since the Empires could''ve probably helped a month ago. But it''s toote now. They did this to themselves."


    "...Their resentment with us runs deeper than you think. There''s nothing you can do about


    it."


    Amell shrugged and turned to look at Leon who was in deep thought. After a while, Leon shook his head and sighed.


    "Since the situation is like this then it''s best if we wait for a bit to better understand how the House of Astrid currently operates. Considering the situation with the monsters they might even make us fight them so we might not have that much time."


    "Oh, right."


    Turning to look at the window, towards therge walls that appeared in the distance, Amell''s


    expression grew solemn.


    "I''ve heard there''s quite a lot of Terror-Ranked monsters outside. If they do send us out


    there, I''m not sure we''ll ever have time to understand what is happening. I don''t know about


    you all but I want to go back quickly."


    "Yes."


    Leon agreed.


    This ce... despite having only spent a few hours here, it already felt incredibly stuffy for


    him. He already wanted to go back.


    "Hm?" Just as Leon turned to look at the window, he realized something.


    "Wait, where is Julien?"


    Leon turned his head to look at his right and then left. However, regardless of where he


    looked, he couldn''t find a single trace of Julien.


    Where did he...?


    "Maybe he left?"


    Kiera mumbled, pointing towards one of the opened windows of the hallway.


    "He did look pretty annoyed from what I remember. Hell, he didn''t even finish cleaning his


    window."


    Scratching the back of his neck, Leon moved towards the window Julien was working on and saw that it was only half-clean. Thinking back to how they were making fun of him, Leon


    shook his head.


    ''...I guess what Kiera said makes sense.''


    Had Leon been in Julien''s position, he too would''ve left.


    Looking down the window, Leon looked at the empty streets below and felt a faint breeze


    brush against his skin. It felt cool, and at the same time heavy.


    It was hard to describe, but it was anything but pleasant. ''It''s like a mix of the environment within the Mirror Dimension and the real world.''


    Shaking his head once more, Leon reached for the window handle and began to push it shut.


    However, just as the ss started to slide into ce, he froze mid-motion.


    "This is...?"


    Reaching his hand forward, he caught what appeared to be a blood-red leaf.


    Staring at the leaf, Leon felt his breath pause for a second. For some reason... that leaf, felt


    eerily familiar.


    But where...


    Where had he seen it before?


    ***


    Thu Thump! Thu Thump!


    A loud, rhythmic thumping sound echoed through my mind, pounding relentlessly and


    shaking me out of my daze.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thu Thump! Thu Thump!


    They were loud.


    Too loud.


    "Hm?"


    Thu Thump!


    At some point, my eyes opened up and my expression changed drastically.


    Thu Thump! Thu Thump!


    The color red dominated my surroundings as crowds gathered from every direction, their gazes fixed on the center of a sprawling open field encircled by towering white buildings.


    At the center of the field stood several figures d in vivid red, each grippingrge drums that


    reverberated with every powerful strike of their sticks.


    Thu Thump!


    ''What is going on?''


    Shocked by the situation, I tried to recall what had happened a few moments prior, and it soon


    hit me.


    "Ah."


    Just as I leaped down to assist Kaelion, a few hundred people suddenly surged out of the


    houses as if they had been waiting there all along. I attempted to fight back, but before I could


    do anything, my vision began to fade to ck.


    ''...This is bad.''


    Looking around and seeing the people around me p and jumping around, I felt my lips


    grow dry.


    However, instead of panicking, I remained calm.


    I was good at remaining calm in situations such as these.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and fully rxed myself. ''Judging from the situation, I was ambushed and brought to this ce. Everything happened so fast


    that it''s also likely that Leon and the others didn''t detect a thing. Especially since the people didn''t even


    use any mana when taking us down.''


    At least, I hadn''t felt any mana from them.


    ''... Since I''m here, I''m also sure Kaelion and Caius are here, but where are they?''


    I looked around in hopes of finding them but there were far too many people around me to see


    properly.


    ''For now, I should get out of here and look for them.''


    "Eh...?"


    With a n in mind, I tried to move when I was hit with a sudden realization.


    "This..."


    Looking down at my legs, I realized I couldn''t move at all.


    Not only that...


    Cra Crack-


    A strange cracking sound echoed in the air, and before I could process it, my hands moved on


    their own. Their stiff, jerky movements caught me off guard.


    And before I knew it, p, p!


    I started to p on my own.


    Looking at my arms, and more specifically the string attached to them, my stomach churned.


    This was bad.


    Really bad.

 Chapter 488: Grand Wedding [5]

    Chapter 488: Grand Wedding [5]


    ?


    p, p-!


    My hands moved on their own.


    I had lostplete control of them.


    In the center of the open space, drummers beat their instruments in rhythm, their


    performance captivating the crowd as confetti filled the air.


    Women adorned in flowing veils and delicate, long white strings gracefully moved around them.


    Thu Thump!


    It was a beautiful scene.


    But the scene came to an abrupt halt as the drummers stepped aside, and the dancers froze in ce.


    I too stopped pping, and two figures in veils stepped in the middle.


    Though their appearance was hidden beneath their veils, I could tell they were the stars of the shows.


    They were...


    ''Groom and bride.''


    Yes, this was without a doubt a grand wedding.


    Even though I couldn''t move my hands, I found I could still move most other parts of my body. My expression changed at the sight that greeted me.


    ''A wedding... Could this be the reason why they''ve suddenly gonepletely silent?''


    No, there was no way.


    I observed the scene intently, noticing how everyone moved with such precise rhythm and synchrony that it felt almost unnatural. From their fixed smiles to the fluidity of their movements, something about it was disturbingly wless.


    None of it felt real.


    Turning my head, I looked at my arms and drew a cold breath.


    I already had an idea beforehand, but it was clear to me now. Everyone present... they were being controlled by the same strings that were controlling my arms.


    It was just that, unlike them, I wasn''t being controlled fully.


    Why was that?


    ''Could it be that it needs time?''


    If so...


    I hastily looked around to see if Kaelion and Caius were present. The ce wasrge, with people appearing on all sides, staring at the groom and bride in the middle of the opening of the courtyard. Everyone was dressed in red, and everyone wore the same unnerving and creepy smile.


    Finding them wasn''t exactly easy, but...


    "There!''


    I found them after a few seconds of looking.


    Kaelion stood amidst a row of people positioned toward the southern side of the enormous courtyard, while Caius was stationed on the eastern side, each upying their respective ces.


    As if they had the same idea as me, they also looked around before inevitably noticing me. Their expression changed subtly.


    ''Good, it looks like they aren''t fully controlled. Partially just like me.''


    I sighed in relief and slightly shifted my foot forward.


    Flick, flick, flick-!


    That proved to be a terrible idea.


    Almost instantly after I made a move, the heads of the people around me snapped in my direction. Their unnerving stares rooted me in ce, leaving me holding my breath as an eerie silence settled over the scene.


    Flick!


    In the distance, I noticed the same thing happening for Caius and Kaelion and my legs trembled faintly.


    ......This is messed up.''


    I didn''t have much time to dwell on the situation.


    Seeing things turn like this, I clenched my teeth and checked my skill window. My expression fell when I saw that ''Eyes of the Seer'' was still gray.


    ''Damn it!''


    With no other choice, I visualized a green orb.


    Swoosh!


    In seconds, I forced my way out of the spot.


    Flick, flick!


    Heads continued to turn sharply in my direction, their stares tightening my chest with a suffocating sense of dread.


    An invisible pressure seemed to weigh down on me, prompting me to take deep and uneven breaths. Forcing myself to focus, I ignored the atmosphere and fixed my gaze on the strings attached to my arms.


    Taking another deep breath, I visualized the red orb with all my concentration and pulled down.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Snap-!


    The treads snapped, and I was finally free from the restraints.


    ...That also marked the start of the puppet''s movements.


    Cre Creak! Creak-!


    A creaking sound filled the air as the people stiffly started to move, their hands and feet pulling up in weird doll-like movements.


    There were too many for me to count and I hastily looked in the other''s direction.


    They appeared to be in a simr situation. Looking at the two sides, they both looked at me and with a look of understanding, Caius suddenly took a step forward and his eyes turned


    murky white.


    "Cease your movement at once."


    In the time it took for one to blink, the surroundings faded, turningpletely white.


    All the people stopped moving and Caius''s face turned pale. Holding onto his mouth, he looked in Kaelion and my direction.


    "L-let''s go."


    I nodded and tensed my calves, appearing right where he was in a second.


    "Are you okay?"


    "...Ukh."


    Caius held his mouth and dashed out of the white world that was his domain.


    "T-they''re weaker than the one we faced before. Be... careful. It-it''s not over."


    "I know."


    How could I not know?


    Had it been the same people from before, we wouldn''t have been able to get this far. They were all morepact, and theypletely suppressed us with their numbers. The people


    here were much weaker than them.


    Even so, their collective pressure was no joke.


    We didn''t have much time. We had to get out of this ce as fast as possible.


    "Where should we go?"


    Catching up from behind, Kaelion looked around and eventually fixed his gaze on one side of


    the building.


    "...There?"


    We were currently inside an enormous courtyard, surrounded by buildings from all sides with


    no way out. The only usible option seemed to be entering one of the buildings, but none of


    us knew theyout of the ce.


    How exactly could we get out from there?


    ''Brute our way out?''


    I quickly shook my head as soon as the thought entered my mind. Judging from the material


    of the building, that appeared unlikely.


    Then...?


    "I... don''t think we have enough time to think about what we should be doing."


    Looking back, Kaelion''s face tightened.


    "Let''s hurry up in and find our way out from there."


    "Okay."


    Though I didn''t look back, seeing Caius''s face turn pale, I could sense that his domain was on


    the verge of copsing.


    Moving down a little, I ced his hand over my shoulder and helped him forward.


    "Let''s go."


    "...Kh!"


    nk!


    Arriving at the nearest door, Kaelion smashed it open with his foot as he scanned the dimly lit


    hall. His expression froze as his gaze fell upon the long wooden stairs leading to the second


    floor.


    The air grew heavy.


    Especially at the sight that greeted us above.


    At the top of the stairs, countless heads turned toward us, their eyes eerily hollow,


    expressionless, and still-like lifeless mannequins.


    Cre Creak-


    The unsettling silence was broken only by the creaking of the wooden floorboards beneath


    our feet, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Something in the air felt wrong-


    wrong in a way that sent a chill crawling up my spine.


    "This way!"


    Kaelion pointed towards arge wooden door and rushed ahead.


    His eyes grew a deep shade of red as his entire body popped and cracked.


    Boom-!


    The door split apart under his force, and he hastily looked around.


    "Damn it...!"


    His expression fell quickly upon seeing that the room was a dead end. A heavy silence fell over


    us shortly


    after.


    Thump!


    "!!"


    One that was shattered by a loud thumping sound.


    Flicking our heads, our eyes fell on the nearby windows where several people appeared, their


    eyes widening to the point where I felt my hand shiver.


    "What now?"


    I looked around, my eyes scanning my surroundings.


    There were only two doors. The one that led to the outside, and the one that led to this room.


    Besides the stairs, there was no other way out.


    "S-stairs..."


    As my mind raced, Caius managed to force out a word.


    "Hm?"


    Looking down at him, Caius tly replied.


    "W-we can''t be surrounded if we go up. It''s.., too narrow. Huu. If we fight them there, we


    have a higher chance of making it out."


    "Oh!"


    Caius was right.


    The stairs couldn''t hold that many people. While the dolls were strong individually, they


    weren''t actually stronger than either of us. The only reason we had so much trouble with them was because of the sheer number of them.


    If we didn''t have to fight so many of them, then...


    "Let''s go."


    "Yes."


    Neither three of us hesitated.


    Keeping Caius close to me, the three of us rushed toward the stairs.


    Cre Creak-


    As expected, the stairs were filled with people, but...


    Bang!


    "Ahh!"


    They posed no real trouble for Kaelion who managed to push them back with brute force


    alone. I wasn''t idle either.


    Lifting my hand, I summoned hands from beneath the ground, rising with a violent force and


    clutching onto several of the surrounding figures.


    Bang, Bang-!


    At the same time, I tried cutting the threads connected to them, but right as I cut them, they


    sharply reattached to the dolls in a matter of seconds. ''Damn it!''


    Things would''ve been easier had it worked.


    "Kh...!"


    "Ueh!"


    Together with Kaelion''s sharp strikes and my own efforts, we just barely managed to carve a


    narrow path through the swarm, forcing our way forward inch by inch.


    The sounds of feet scraping against the floor, the sudden thud of bodies hitting the ground,


    and the eerie quiet of the unmoving gaze filled the space around us.


    We were close to breaking through.


    "Quick!"


    Bang-!


    And soon enough, an opening appeared.


    We didn''t waste a single second. The moment the opening appeared, I grabbed both Kaelion


    and Caius while a bright green orb appeared in my mind.


    A sharp pain invaded my mind, but I ignored it and just focused on my continuously


    expanding calves.


    Half a secondter...


    Swoosh!


    The air twisted and my legs felt like they suddenly exploded.


    "Ukh!"


    Thump! Holding onto my mouth to stifle the ragged breaths, I stumbled down a few steps


    before finally copsing to a stop. The pain in my calves hit me like a wave-sudden, searing


    as if they had just exploded from the effort.


    ''Ah, this is bad...''


    I could hardly move.


    Each time I took a step, one of my muscles would start to squirm.


    ....I would''ve been fine if it was just myself, but two people?''


    I clenched my teeth and silently endured the pain. Looking up, I paused when I saw Kaelion


    and Caius staring in the same direction.


    Looking back, my heart sank as I caught sight of the swarm-countless figures or more like puppets, wing and scrambling over one another in a frenzy as their limbs moved


    awkwardly.


    My breath paused, and just as I turned to shout a warning, the words froze in my throat.


    Catching sight of what they were seeing, I also stopped for a second.


    "This..."


    Kaelion and Caius both looked at me.


    "We have to go there."


    "...We have no choice."


    "But..."


    Caius and Kaelion looked behind and stopped whatever I was about to say.


    Then...


    Without waiting for a word from me, the two bent over and gripped the edges of the trapdoor,


    yanking it open. Creak-! A faint creak echoed, revealing a dark, narrow stairway of aged wooden nks spiraling down into the darkness below.


    The faint smell of damp wood and stale air wafted up, filling my nostrils as Kaelion and Caius


    hurried down.


    "Hurry!"


    "Ah, yes..."


    Stumbling forward, I rushed down the stairs as Caius and Kaelion closed the trapdoor behind


    me.


    Bang!


    "Go, quick! We don''t know how long we have!"


    Kaelion grabbed me by the shoulder and helped me down the stairs.


    Considering the state I was in, this was a big help.


    "Haa.. Haa... Haa.."


    As we descended the stairs, our hurried breaths reverberated through the narrow space, filling


    the surrounding air.


    In the silence, it felt stifling.


    But the silence didn''tst long. With a muffled ''bang'', we knew that the trapdoor above


    shattered, and the puppets wereing.


    We hurried down faster.


    "H-how long left?"


    "There, look!"


    With Kaelion pointing forward, we all took notice of a small opening that shed with a dim


    orange glow. Our eyes lit up and we moved towards the point.


    But just as we crossed the opening, it all came crashing down.


    "No..."


    11


    "Ah."


    A dead end.


    What greeted us was a dead end.


    Thump! Thump-!


    The muffled thuds of footsteps behind us grew steadily louder, each echo carving through the


    narrow space like the tick of a clock.


    My heart sank as I looked back. "This..."


    We were screwed.


    Scr-


    Tik, tik-


    A soft ticking sound pulled my attention, and my head whipped toward the source.


    In the distance stood an aged figure, his presence was clear despite the dim lighting. His long


    white beard flowed down his chest, and his hair, tied neatly in a ponytail nicely framed his


    face.


    Holding onto a pocket watch, he looked in our direction. "Time''s almost up," he mumbled, shifting his attention toward the entrance which was soon


    swarmed by puppets.


    Tik.


    Staring at the clock, he once again looked at us.


    "Come find me again after the reset."


    "Eh?"


    Reset?


    What was he...!?


    My expression froze, a chill creeping over me as Kaelion''s and Caius''s faces simrly changed.


    Around us, the puppets stopped in unison, their movements stopped as though someone had


    hit pause on the entire scene. For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by our


    shallow breaths.


    Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it a thin, glinting string descending from above.


    Before I could react, it wrapped around my arms and legs.


    "This..."


    By the time I realized what it was, I was already moving on my own.


    The other puppets also started moving, going all the way back up the stairs as I turned my


    head to look at the old man.


    "Wait! What do-"


    "Like I said, find me after the reset."


    With those words, the old man turned around and faded into the darkness.


    I tried to reach out to him but I was too exhausted and before I knew it, I was back in the


    courtyard. Back in the same position as before.


    Back to the start.


    Thu Thump!


    The drums started ying.

 Chapter 489: When the time resets [1]

    Chapter 489: When the time resets [1]


    ?


    Thu Thump!


    The drums echoed loudly.


    Standing in the same row as before, I started to p.


    p, p-!


    .....What is going on?''


    I held my breath while staring at the scene in front of me. I couldn''t understand what was happening, and as I tried to move my hands, I realized that the thread connecting to my arms had be stronger than before.


    This...


    Looking down, I also realized that unlike before a thread was now connected to one of my legs.


    ''Do the treads increase and be more powerful with time?''


    Looking around and seeing how stiffly some of the people were moving, I felt like this was the case. My heart sank at the realization.


    Raising my head again, I quickly took notice of Caius and Kaelion.


    They too appeared shocked and confused by the situation. Thinking back, the entire situation was confusing.


    ''Why did all the puppets stop at the same time? Why did we alle back here and who was that old man? I also remember him saying something about reset...''


    I thought about the scene in front of me.


    ''Was he talking about this?''


    But then...


    How could he still be moving normally?


    A lot of things didn''t make sense to me. However, I remained calm. The situation was problematic but not impossible.


    I just needed to figure out the rules of this ce.


    Considering how everything reset, there were rules that the ''puppets'' needed to follow. So


    long as I understood the rules then I''d be able to find a way out of this ce.


    But first things first...


    "Owl-Mighty, Pebble."


    Two figures appeared right before me.


    Confused, they looked around.


    "Where is this?"


    "It''s loud."


    Thu Thump! Thu Thump!


    As the drums echoed in the background, they both jumped in my direction.


    ''Okay, good. It looks like they aren''t being noticed.''


    At first, I flinched, but I soon sighed in relief when I saw no reaction from the puppets around me upon their appearance. Looking at the two of them once, no words needed to be


    exchanged between us as the two immediately dashed away.


    Owl-Mighty headed for Caius while Pebble headed for Kaelion.


    With the two of them being made up of energy, none of the puppets reacted. This was good. At the very least, this would ensure that the three of us couldmunicate.


    -Uh? This...?


    -What is this?


    As expected, the moment Pebble and Owl-Mighty arrived, they recited Kaelion''s and Caius''s words in my mind.


    "Calm down, it''s me."


    Whispering slightly, Owl-Mighty and Caius ryed the message to the two as they looked at me directly.


    Nodding my head to ensure they understood, I started speaking again,


    "If we want tomunicate between us then you can directly tell your words to the cat and owl in front of you. They''ll ry your words directly to me."


    -There''s such a thing?


    Hearing Pebble''s voice, I turned my head to look at Kaelion and nodded in his direction.


    His eyes widened slightly and his expression eased.


    ¡ªAlright, it looks like it works. None of the people around me seem to notice that I''m speaking. "Yes, there''s a chance they only react to our movements but I''m not too sure."


    Perhaps we didn''t need Owl-Mighty and Pebble.


    The three of us could just shout at one another from our respective positions but this was a gamble I didn''t want to risk.


    Furthermore, with the drums being so loud, I doubted we could even get our words across.


    "Considering what the old man said, everything here resets at a certain time. What time is it right now? Do any of the two of you know?"


    -It''s 12:09 A.M.


    Owl-Mighty''s t voice entered my mind as he ryed Caius''s words. Looking up at the sky and seeing that it had turned dark, I thought it made sense.


    "If that''s the case then the reset time is most likely mid-night."


    Give or take, ten minutes had passed since we found ourselves back in the courtyard.


    Calcting the time then this was the most likely possibility.


    -But who was that old man?


    "I have no idea."


    Replying to Kaelion, I could only shake my head.


    I was just as confused as they were. Seeing how everyone present had been controlled by the strings, us included, the old man felt suspicious.


    Was he the one controlling the people?


    ...Or was he also a victim of the strings?


    "Considering his appearance, it''s usible that he''s the head of the Astrid family. With his level of strength, there''s a possibility he can resist the strings'' control."


    I wasn''t too sure, to be honest.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If someone as powerful as him could be ced in such a predicament, it only amplified my apprehension about the strength of the mastermind orchestrating it all.


    Just how powerful were they?


    -What should we do then? The old man seems suspicious, but what other choice do we have besides going to him?


    -...Can you call for help using this Owl?


    Hearing Caius''s suggestion, I looked at Owl-Mighty.


    I thought about sending him out to warn Leon and the others but before doing that, I wanted


    to establish a point ofmunication between the three of us.


    "Yes, it looks possible."


    Or at least, it looked possible.


    Whether it was truly possible or not I wasn''t one hundred percent sure.


    I''d know after trying.


    "But even if I do, what can they do? They''d be just as helpless as us. At most, they''ll be able to


    get more reinforcements from the Academy, if they even have some to spare, but that''ll take


    time."


    -What about the House of Myron?


    "They''re probably too busy fighting monsters to care about us. And even if they did have forces to spare, I doubt they''d even care enough to help us."


    I looked specifically at Kaelion.


    "...We did break their rule after all."


    This was on us.


    Well, I didn''t really me Kaelion. In fact, I was surprised by his actions. I didn''t take him for


    someone who would show such a level ofpassion. He felt more like a snake to me. A snake


    that would do anything for his own sake.


    This event...


    It changed my perception of him by a little.


    ''I guess even snakes feel somepassion.''


    It made me think.


    Could there be more to Kaelion than I knew?


    -Right... It''s my fault.


    -It is.


    Caius didn''t mince his words.


    This was likely due to hisck of emotions but he was rather blunt with everything he said. He


    was also not one to speak a lot, unlike Kaelion.


    Feeling Caius''s gaze, he looked up at the dark sky.


    -It is worth a try. Even if they are unable to help, it might be good for us to let them know.


    "You''re right."


    Nudging my head at Owl-Mighty who understood my message, I saw it p its wing and shoot for the sky, blending directly with the darkness above.


    At the same time, I reminded, "Tell them not to make any rash movements. Say that we''re


    fine for now. I''ll update them on our situation and it is best if they inform the Professors about our situation."


    I could already tell we were going to get in a lot of trouble when all was said and done but I


    was already used to this by now.


    ''Not the first time I''ve gotten into trouble.''


    Staring at the fading owl, I sighed and looked at my skills.


    In particr, I looked at [Eyes of the Seer] which was still grayed out. It had been a while since


    I hadst used the skill, and I could still not use it.


    ''Why?''


    Just how long was the cooldown going to be?


    A month? A few months? Staring at my surroundings, I knew that I needed the skill. To get out of this situation, I


    needed to have the skill work.


    Only through the skill would I know if the old man was with us or against us.


    Not only that, but I also needed to find an appropriate method to avoid being detected by the


    puppets.


    This was why the skill was vital for me.


    ...A single wrong step and I knew we were done for.


    I couldn''t afford to take such risks.


    Then...


    "Ah."


    A thought urred to me and my body trembled.


    "That... If it''s that way then...''


    Clenching my teeth, I shot a nce at Pebble, who seemed to understand mymand and


    began moving toward me. Kaelion''s expression flickered briefly with surprise, but he quickly masked it, his gaze steady and focused on me.


    Shortly after, two items appeared in my hand as Pebble quickly caught them.


    Tik, tik-


    A pocket and a small red vial.


    Yes, a vial.


    Within the vial was Oracleus''s blood.


    My blood.


    Following the events in the gold min, I collected a few vials containing Oracleus''s blood.


    Thinking back to what happened when the Pope injected Oracleus''s blood in me, I had a feeling this might just be what I needed to break the cooldown of the skill.


    Opening my mouth, Pebble opened the vial and poured the blood into my mouth.


    Sha-


    A sharp, iron-like taste flooded my mouth, making me wince as it clung to my tonsils. My


    body began to twitch uncontrobly as a result of the taste.


    I pushed through the disgust and quickly swallowed the blood. Almost immediately, a warm


    sensation spread through my chest.


    ||


    It flooded my entire body, rendering mepletely immobile.


    Before I knew it, the world around me started to distort in a long spiral that almost made me


    lose my bnce.


    But right within the spiral, I could see something...


    A figure.


    No, it was two.


    They stood face to face with one another, their figures obscured.


    Who...?


    ''Hey, hey...!''


    The voice sounded quite high, seemingly close to a teenager. Almost like my brother, but


    different.


    Still, I could feel that the person speaking held high regard for the other person who I couldn''t


    see.


    ''What is it, Toren?''


    ''Hehe, I''ve... finallye up with a name for myself.''


    ''A name?''


    ''Yes, like an Alias.''


    ''Oh? What is it...?''


    ''...Sithrus. Yes, I''ll call myself that. Sound pretty badass, right?''


    My eyes widened as the other figure slowly turned, locking eyes with me. I froze, rooted to the


    spot, unable to move under the weight of his gaze. He scanned my surroundings with an


    unsettling calm, then nodded his head in understanding.


    Shortly after that, he cast his eyes downward, focusing on the kid with an expression I


    couldn''t quite decipher.


    ''Sithrus...? It''s not bad. It''


    "Huaa...!"


    It all ended there.


    Finding my breath again, the world returned to normal and the spiral disappeared from my


    view.


    With sweat dripping down from the side of my head and my chest moving up and down


    unevenly, I stared at my skill page and looked directly at [Eyes of the Seer].


    Indeed, my guess wasn''t wrong.


    The blood helped, but...


    ''That...''


    What did I just see?

 Chapter 490: When the time resets [2]

    Chapter 490: When the time resets [2]


    ?


    At the same time, House of Myron.


    As everyone headed back to their rooms afterpleting their tasks for the day, Aoife looked around.


    "....Has anyone seen Julien?"


    "Julien?"


    Evelyn tilted her head, simrly looking around before settling her gaze over to Kiera who scratched the back of her head.


    "Err... dunno. It''s been a bit since he left."


    "Where do you think he went?"


    "Maybe he went to investigate the situation? Well, who the fuck cares? He leaves like this all the time. You should be used to this by now."


    "Yeah, you''re right."


    At Kiera''s words, Aoife stopped and nodded. Right, right... Nothing was surprising about Julien disappearing. It was amon thing.


    "I''m more surprised by the fact that those two... err... Kyle and Camelion have disappeared." "It''s Caius and Kaelion."


    Aoife corrected Kiera who scratched the back of her head while saying, ''Ah, shit. Yeah, that...''


    She wasn''t very good with names.


    "Wait, they disappeared?"


    It was Aoife''s turn to look surprised.


    Leon looked at her weirdly.


    "Aren''t you the group leader? How do you not know?"


    "Ah, no, that..."


    Aoife''s face fell while she started throwing one excuse after another.


    "There''s a lot of students and I like can''t keep an eye on everyone. Especially Kiera, since she might do something that might get us all in trouble. If I have to babysit her then I can''t pay attention to everyone can I?"


    "Oy."


    Kiera frowned but didn''t rebuke Aoife.


    Thinking about it, Aoife''s words weren''t without merits.


    Kiera puffed up her chest.


    ''I do cause trouble, but at least I know I do.''


    Leon looked at Kiera and shook his head before looking at Aoife.


    "If you''re so worried about someone making trouble then you should''ve kept an eye on Julien."


    "That''s impossible."


    "Why?"


    "He''s stronger than me. If he really wants to leave my sight, I can''t do anything about it."


    11


    Leon tried to argue back, but when he opened his mouth, he realized that he had no words to argue against her.


    And he hated that fact.


    "See? Even you know that I can''t do anything about him."


    ||


    Leon covered his mouth, his eyes darting around the room. Just as he considered reaching out to the Professor, a movement caught his attention. His head snapped toward the nearest window, where a faint shadow flickered, and he soon spotted an owl.


    "Owl?"


    Taking a closer look, Leon realized he was familiar with the owl.


    Wasn''t this Julien''s pet?


    "That''s..."


    Coming to an abrupt halt, everyone turned toward Owl-Mighty, who stood outside the window. Without a moment''s hesitation, Leon stepped forward and pushed the window open, allowing the dry, cold air to rush in, sweeping through the hallway.


    "What are you doing here? Is Julien nearby?"


    "No."


    Owl-Mighty shook its head, ncing around the group.


    With its cold eyes, it started to speak.


    "He''s with two other people."


    "Where?"


    At Aoife''s question, Owl-Mighty turned silently, its eyes glinting in the darkness, and extending its wing, Owl-Mighty pointed toward the towering white structure in the far


    distance.


    "There."


    "Ah."


    The expression of everyone present fell at the same time.


    Closing her eyes, Aoife rubbed her face while mumbling, ''Jinx. I tried to deny it but they


    weren''t wrong. He''s a jinx.''


    Staring into the distance, Leon''s eyes narrowed.


    "Let me guess."


    He turned to look at Owl-Mighty.


    "He''s in trouble, isn''t he?"


    "....Yes."


    ***


    My mind was a jumbled mess.


    Recalling the faint vision that had just urred, my mouth suddenly grew dry.


    Thu Thump-!


    In the background, the drums continued to echo as I forced myself to keep steady.


    ''So in the end... Sithrus was someone that I knew?''


    I tried to recall the voice, but my mind was nk. I couldn''t recall such a person in the past. From the tone in which he spoke, he seemed to be rather familiar with me.


    But howe I didn''t know...?


    ''I''m almost certain my memories haven''t been manipted. No, it is more like arge chunk of my


    memories have been erased.''


    Could it be that I was the one who had done this?


    ....Or was there a different reason for this?


    However, if there was one thing that I was certain about, it was the fact that I saw myself staring at me. He... No, I... saw myself. He didn''t react, but I knew that he saw me.


    That made me think.


    ''What if in the past I saw myself like this?''


    I licked my lips.


    The thought was wild, but it made perfect sense.


    Oracleus, Emmet, me...


    I had seen the future in advance and prepared for it. Of this much I was sure. Now, I finally


    understood another thing.


    The future that Emmet saw, was the future that I made.


    "This is so confusing.''


    Everything felt like a jumbled mess in my mind, but I was starting to understand. Everything


    that I did was interconnected with the past present and future. This very much felt like


    something an ''Oracle'' would pull off.


    But even so, there were still a lot of things that I didn''t understand.


    And in this particr case, my rtionship with Sithrus.


    ''How close were we in the past?''


    This made me ious, but I knew that I didn''t have the time to dwell on this matter. There


    were more pressing matters that I needed to take care of.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, I fixed my gaze on the skill tab in front of me. In particr, towards a


    certain skill-[Eyes of the Seer].


    It was no longer gray.


    I could now use the skill.


    My chest trembled at the sight but I didn''t hastily press on the skill. I still wasn''t sure about the duration of the skill. Was it going tost until I died, or was there a fixed time limit?


    I was still unsure about this so I needed to n in advance. If there was a time limit, then I couldn''t afford to waste time.


    ''I have two options. Find an exit, or go to the old man.''


    My heart told me to look for an exit, but recalling the past few experiences, I knew that it was


    almost impossible for me to find an exit. Whoever created this entire scenario didn''t want us


    to escape.


    The old man looked like the more promising option of the two.


    At least, for now.


    ''I still have two more vials. Even if I do end up wasting the first skill, I have two other tries. I''d rather


    not use them, but it''s not like I have much of a choice.''


    I couldn''t wait for reinforcements to arrive.


    By then, who could say I wouldn''t be a puppet like the others here? Time was slipping


    through my fingers, and I had no room for hesitation.


    Turning my head faintly, I looked at my pocket watch and checked the time.


    Tik, tik-


    It was 12:12 A.M.


    Taking note of the time, I activated the skill.


    ''It''s active.''


    Watching the skill turn gray, I looked directly at Pebble and opened my mouth.


    "Tell Caius and Kelion to move in the opposite direction of before. Tell them that I need them


    to attract the attention of all the puppets."


    This was a simtion of sorts.


    I didn''t need to think about Caius and Kaelion''s safety. For that reason, I nned on using


    them as bait so that I could get into the same room as before.


    "...Are you sure, human? Won''t they think you''re ditching them?"


    "Tell them that I have a n."


    "Okay."


    Pebble didn''t question any further and dashed in Caius and Kaelion''s direction. Upon hearing


    my words, they both looked at me with frowns.


    I met their gazes and nodded my head slightly.


    ''Trust me.''


    Their frowns depended, but they eventually relented and moved forward.


    Flick, flick, flick-!


    As expected, all the puppet heads snapped toward them in eerie unison. The sight sent a chill racing down my spine, but this time, I wasn''t the one under their unsettling gazes.


    The drums came to a stop and a suffocating silence shrouded the space. Holding my breath, I watched as the people around me started to move, their arms and legs


    moving in a disjointed manner as the strings attached to them pulled them from the sky above. Like mindless puppets, they rushed in Kaelion and Caius''s direction.


    The two were still tired from before and so was I, but enough time had passed for us to fight and so, the moment Kaelion and Caius dashed in the opposite direction, two orbs appeared in my mind and the strings above me snapped as I dashed towards the same direction as before.


    Swoosh-


    My legs hurt as I moved, but I ignored the pain and smashed the door of the building open, directing my attention towards the stairs as I closed my eyes and envisioned a dark space. When I opened my eyes again, the entire space had turned dark, with the faint outline of the stairs and floor above appearing in sight. Purple hands appeared from beneath the ground, reaching for the many people present, and rooting them in ce.


    "Huu."


    Holding onto my chest, I rushed to the stairs and directly ignored the puppets.


    As my mana rapidly drained, I felt my body be weak but I still managed to keep myself


    steady while following the familiar path from before.


    Tik, Tik-


    It was 12:15 A.M.


    ''There.''


    Eventually, as my mana reached its limits, I forced my way to the trapdoor, flung it open, and


    rushed down without hesitation.


    nk!


    It was dark and I could hardly see, but I kept rushing down.


    Tik, Tik-


    It was 12:17 A.M.


    That was the time when I finally arrived at the familiar room. Entering the ce, my steps


    slowed and my breath stopped.


    Dang, da-


    "Hm?"


    A certain note yed in the air.


    It felt vaguely familiar,ing straight from a piano and it seemed toe from all around


    the room.


    Looking around, the room was almost entirely empty except for arge wooden box by the


    end of the room. Outside of that, I didn''t notice any instrument.


    So, how...?


    ''No, where''s the old man?'' Searching for the old man, my expression fell when I noticed that he wasn''t there.


    "What the-Uh?!"


    But I soon stopped and smashed my foot down, forcing myself back as I noticed the presence


    of someone behind me.


    "You''we made it quicker than I... expected."


    Standing right behind me was the same old man from before. Wearing tattered clothes that


    highlighted his enormous frame, the old man looked at me for a brief second before looking


    back.


    "What about your two friends? Did you ditch them?"


    "Ah, that..."


    I thought for a moment before lying.


    "...I didn''t."


    "Mhm."


    The old man nodded, his gaze piercing right through me.


    "Are you lying to me?"


    "No."


    I wasn''t actually since this wasn''t real.


    "If you say so."


    The old man shrugged after sparing me a nce.


    Staring at the old man, I felt an overwhelming pressure emanating from him. It was


    suffocating, making it hard to breathe, as though his mere presence was squeezing the air


    from my lungs.


    For me to feel such pressure...


    Just who was this man?


    Thump, thump¡ª


    The sudden sound of muffled footsteps filled the air from above. Turning my head, I knew


    that the puppets wereing.


    That was when I directly turned to look at the old man.


    "You asked me toe back after reset. Do you... know of a way to stop this?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Stop? You mean the puppets?"


    "Yes."


    I hastily nodded my head, looking in the direction of the stairs as sweat dripped down from


    the side of my face.


    They wereing.


    Tik, Tik-


    It was 12:18 A.M.


    "I do."


    The old man pointed at the tune ying in the air.


    "...The music keeps the puppets away."


    "Wha-"


    "I wld''ve allowed you to stay, but you lied to me."


    "Eh?"


    I hastily looked up at the man.


    Before I could understand what was happening, I felt a powerful force st me onto the side


    of the wall as my vision ckened and I found myself back where I came from.


    "Huaa."


    Taking a deep breath, my chest trembled.


    Tik, Tik-


    It was 12:12 A.M.


    I had died.

 Chapter 491: The old man [1]

    Chapter 491: The old man [1]


    ?


    ''I died.''


    ...At least, in the vision.


    Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down and reyed everything that had happened in my mind.


    "The old man is a lunatic who doesn''t like people lying to him.''


    This much became clear to me after he killed me for something like lying. Maybe he didn''t even care that I lied and just wanted to kill me?


    ''No, that''s not it...''


    Recalling thosest moments and how enraged he looked after catching me in my lie, I could tell he genuinely disliked people lying to him.


    I didn''t understand why but I noted this piece of information in my mind.


    There was something more important that I needed to take note of.


    ''...The tune.''


    The old man said something about the tune keeping the puppets away.


    I reyed the tune in my mind.


    It wasn''tplicated. In fact, it was quite easy but...


    ''Mary the littlemb?''


    "Uh...?"


    Thinking about the tune again, I felt my face change. It had seemed vaguely familiar before, but now I realized it really was ''Mary Had a Little Lamb.''


    Why would...?


    ''More importantly, can such a tune really keep the puppets away?''


    I looked around me and frowned.


    I really couldn''t see how such a tune was keeping the puppets away but the old man was clearly living without any worries in that basement of his.


    "Then again, he''s strong. That might be why he is unaffected."


    But if he was strong enough to survive this far, he probably was also strong enough to escape. That made his im seem a little bit more realistic to me.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Unfortunately, I didn''t have anything to y the tune.


    Otherwise, I might''ve tested it.


    ''What should I do?''


    I chewed my lip and looked at my pocket watch.


    Tik, tik-


    It was 12:14 A.M.


    My first thought was to recover a bit and wait until ten minutes before the reset, then head back to the old man. That way, we''d only have tost for ten more minutes before the puppets stopped and were forced back.


    Even if something did go wrong, our lives wouldn''t be in too much danger.


    At least, not from the puppets.


    Who I was really worried about was the old man.


    Who knew what other ticks he had? If he wanted to kill us, then he could do so easily.


    I had to tread carefully.


    Nibbling on my lips again, I looked at Pebble and sighed. I would''ve told Pebble to look for an exit, but getting out of the pce was the least of my worries. What I was worried about wasn''t the people within the building, but the ones outside who were stronger, faster, and more powerful.


    Even if we did manage to get out, we''d have to worry about those outside.


    That was unless Leon and the others could think of a way to solve this problem.


    ''... The old man might really be the only way for us to get out of this ce.''


    I sighed at the thought.


    "Hoo."


    Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and looked at my hand where another vial appeared.


    I didn''t really want to do this, but...


    ''I just need to make sure the old man is on our side.''


    After a little bit of thought, I opened my mouth and Pebble poured the contents of the vial into my mouth.


    Tik, Tik-


    It was 12:17 A.M.


    *


    ''W-why would you do this? I thought we were on the same side... How could you? How could you...!?!


    ''Same side? Ha...''


    ''You..''


    ''Toren, there are things I see-things so far beyond your grasp, they would tear your very soul apart if you could glimpse them. They follow me, relentlessly, through my sleep, they bleed into my daydreams, and they torment me whenever they have a chance.''


    ''But-''


    ''These sights, these truths... I never asked for them, yet they are mine to bear, dragging me into the abyss whether I wish to look or not. I am cursed to see what others cannot even imagine, and it is a curse that bleeds through every moment of my existence."


    ''...Y-you, you have gone mad, Emmet! You have gone mad!''


    ''Hmm, maybe I have. No, I probably have.''


    ''Uh...!''


    ''But in my madness, I am sane enough to know... to know that you all must die.''


    *


    Tik, Tik-


    It was 12:21 A.M.


    Dang, da~


    A familiar tune yed in the air.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Holding my chest, I looked ahead and turned around to see the old man standing behind me.


    "You''we made it quicker than I... expected."


    Same lines and words as before.


    "What about your two friends? Did you ditch them?"


    "Yes."


    I didn''t lie this time.


    "I ditched them."


    Because I knew he disliked liars.


    "Hmm."


    The old man''s eyes narrowed, and a powerful pressure enveloped my entire body, paralyzing


    me on the spot and leaving me feeling suffocated.


    "...You''re quite honest."


    Thankfully, the pressure didn''t persist for very long. After a quick nce in my direction, the


    pressure alleviated.


    "I like honest people."


    I sighed in relief upon hearing his words.


    Thump! Thump!


    However, that relief onlysted for a brief moment before I heard the muffled sound of


    footstepsing from above.


    "They''reing.''


    "Hmph."


    With a low grunt, the old man turned in the opposite direction of the puppets and headed


    toward therge box at the corner of the room. I looked in his direction with surprise but before I could question what he was doing, hisrge hands gripped the box and pushed it to


    the side, revealing another trapdoor.


    nk!


    Lifting the trapdoor open, the old man looked at me.


    "...Get in."


    "Yes,"


    Nodding my head, I checked the time.


    It was 12:23 A.M.


    As I stepped through the trapdoor, a small flight of stairs descended before me. When I turned


    around, I saw the old man follow, closing the trapdoor behind him, and plunging us into


    complete darkness.


    The darkness didn''tst long as the old man pulled out a small light, using it to illuminate the


    surroundings.


    As he did, he looked back up at the trapdoor and waved his hand.


    Crank!


    ''Telekenisis?''


    ...That looked to be the case as I heard the box above us shift right onto the trapdoor.


    "Follow... me."


    Walking past me, the old man led me down the stairs and into another door.


    Coming to a stop before the door, I could hear the sound of the piano even louder than before.


    Da Dang~


    ''It''s just like I thought. The melody is the same.''


    Crude and yet nice to the ears. This was without a doubt ''Mary The Little Lamb.''


    nk-!


    "Go in."


    As the old man opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of a small room. An old wooden bed sat against one wall, a small wardrobe stood nearby, and a piano rested in the corner. The space had a crude, unfinished feel to it, as though time had forgotten this ce.


    Spiderwebs rested in the corners of the ce as dust filled the space.


    When I looked around, I also noticed a small box.


    Da Dang~


    ''Ah, so that''s what''s making the sound.''


    I had previously assumed that someone was ying the piano but I was wrong. There was


    nobody else here.


    The box was the one responsible for creating the noise.


    "... What is that?"


    "It''s an old toy of mine."


    The old man replied, cing themp down and sitting on the bed.


    "It wards the puppets away."


    "Ah."


    Indeed, he had already told me this before.


    But...


    ''If it really wards them away, howe he''s still here? Howe...''


    As if noticing my doubt, the old man walked up to the box and picked it up. "There''s a limit to how many it can ward away at once. If we were to stand on an open field, it would only ward away a few dozen befwore no longer working. The only reason this ce is


    safe is because no more than a dozen puppets cane at once given how narrow the ce


    is."


    "Ah."


    It all suddenly clicked in my mind.


    Still, it suddenly made me question something.


    "Why does this tune stop the puppets?"


    "...I don''t know."


    The old man replied as he turned his head and retrieved an old book.


    "I don''t remember too well."


    He rubbed his head.


    "....!"


    It was just as he raised his head that I finally noticed it. Maybe it was because it was dark


    outside, but now that I stood in front of him, I saw them.


    ''Strings.''


    The overwhelming amount of strings that were attached to the old man. One, two, three,


    four... twenty, thirty...


    Just how many...?


    "Ah, you noticed."


    The old man brought his hand down to show me the strings in his hand. There were so many


    of them.


    "With each day that you spend here, a string attaches. The box and music do not help... very much when it cowmes to the strings. They all appear at the same time, every day. Just before


    everything resets."


    "Then..."


    "...You don''t have to worry."


    The old man pointed at the box.


    "So long as the box keeps ying, the strings won''t force you to move. But..."


    With a bitter smile, the old man looked at the box.


    "The box doesn''t have much time left. It''ll soon run out of energy, and when the time


    comes..."


    The old man closed his eyes, the meaning of his words clear to me.


    "I... I..."


    Making a face, the old man rubbed the back of his head.


    "...I''ve lost count of how long I''ve been here. I think it''s been about a month. Maybe two? I


    don''t know. I''ve lost track."


    "This seems to be in line with what I know.''


    From what I knew, all of this started about a month ago.


    "How did things be like this?"


    "It was eh... the wedding of the first son. He was about to marry his fiancee. It was supposed


    to be his wedding when all of this happened. I don''t remember very much. Why can''t I remember?"


    Rubbing his head again, the old man frowned.


    "Ah, fuck it."


    Waving his hand, the old man seemingly gave up on thinking. Turning to look at me, he


    crossed his arms and leaned back on the bed. His entire persona shifted to a more jovial one.


    "Anyways, I was getting quite lonely. It''s a good thing that someone close to my age hase. Hur, hur."


    With augh, the old man pped his thigh.


    However, I didn''tugh.


    Simr age?


    ...That, could he not see through my disguise?


    "Actually..."


    I was about to peel my mask off when the old manughed again.


    "How old are you? I''m... twenty-eight."


    My hand froze mid-motion.


    What?

 Chapter 492: The old man [2]

    Chapter 492: The old man [2]


    ?


    Wait, wait, wait...


    Did I hear that correctly?


    "...Hold on a second."


    Looking at the old man, I tried to see if he was wearing any disguise, but the more I looked the less likely this seemed to be. The wrinkles on his face felt real and his voice was also quite hoarse.


    ''Maybe his disguise is very good?''


    "Are you wearing a disguise?"


    "Disguise?"


    The old man looked at me strangely.


    "What disguise?"


    "Err..."


    I didn''t really know what to say.


    ''He''s definitely a lunatic.''


    "Do you think I don''t look my age? How strange."


    Picking up a mirror, the old man massaged his beard.


    "...And here I thought I was looking quite good." Really?


    Seriously?


    "What''s with that face that you''re making?"


    "Face? Am I making a face?"


    I subconsciously started to touch my face. Realizing that I wasn''t making a face, I silently cursed to myself.


    ''He really is a lunatic.''


    No, but more importantly. How did he start looking like that? Since he said he hated liars, there was a high chance he wasn''t lying about his age.


    If so, how did he end up looking so old?


    ''Don''t tell me he''s been here for much longer than just a few months.''


    My heart almost stopped at the thought.


    However, soon enough, I shook my head. There was no way this was the case. If this situation persisted for such a long time then the world would''ve known for quite some time already.


    Eventually, my eyes fell on the strings connected to the old man and my heart sank.


    .... Could it be that the strings are sapping away at his life?''


    The thought was even more horrifying than the first one.


    If the strings truly drained one''s life, then it also meant that soon enough, I would end up like the old man.


    ''Hell no.''


    Da Dang~


    Suddenly, a new melody filled the air and when I looked up, I saw the old man sitting beside the piano.


    Pressing his index finger down, he tried copying the notes from the box.


    Only that...


    Deng~


    "Urkh, that''s wrong."


    He scratched the back of his head.


    "What was the note again?"


    Dong~


    "No, that''s not quite right."


    Ding~


    "...That''s not it either."


    He was struggling.


    Struggling to y a very simple song.


    And that was when the realization truly hit me.


    "You don''t have much time left, do you?"


    || ||


    The old man''s finger came to an abrupt pause. The real tune yed in the background while he turned his head to look at me.


    "The more powerful one bes the stronger their memory. Forgetting things bes much harder for them. You''re strong. One of the strongest people I''ve ever met. How could someone like you forget something as simple as this? No, that''s not the only thing you forgot. You forgot a lot already, haven''t you?"


    I thought back to our conversations and realized this wasn''t the only thing he forgot.


    "


    I raised my hand to show the strings attached to me.


    "Ever since the strings appeared you''ve found yourself forgetting things. You''ve started to


    age, and despite your best attempts at trying to get out, you can''t. Why? With your strength it


    shouldn''t be-"


    "Because they are my family."


    The old man replied.


    "....I can''t leave them."


    His voice came out in a whisper, like the soft sound of a falling feather.


    "How can one leave their family to rot?"


    "Then can''t you just ask for help?"


    "To who?"


    "The Empires. I''m sure they-"


    "Hwe, he."


    The old man started chuckling all of a sudden.


    "Hahahahaha."


    His chuckle quickly turned into a full-onugh, and the room shook under its intense


    pressure.


    He continued for a few seconds before finally stopping.


    "The Empires? Help?"


    The old man looked in my direction with a smile.


    "Do you know what we calling the people of the Empire here in the Kasha?"


    "...No."


    "Wall Rats."


    "Wall, what...?"


    "All they do is hide behind those towering walls of theirs, keeping us out, separated from them. We''re the forgotten, the castaways of the Empires-the ones they deem unworthy of stepping foot within those big high walls that hoard all the fertilend and the warmth of the


    sun."


    "Surely that''s a lie. If someone as skilled as you tries to-"


    "To them, we''re nothing. Brutes. Savages they fear would bring chaos to their pristine walls. If we weren''t of some use to them, they''d have wiped us out long ago, without a second


    thought."


    "That..."


    "...I''ve witnessed it far too many times. They''d ruther watch us rotting than lift a finger to help. Asking for their aid would be like condemning this entire household to ruin-they''d


    milk us of every resource."


    The old man''s voice was hoarse at this point.


    "...."


    Whatever words I had for him were long gone.


    I just listened to him speak.


    "The people of the Kasha are no better. They''d twake advantage of this situation to take me


    family down. That''s why I can''t leave. I must find a way to help everyone. I have to. I must."


    ".....''


    I considered telling him that I was from the very same Empires he despised, but I stopped


    myself.


    Who knew if he''d kill me like before?


    ....I didn''t want to risk it.


    "But aren''t you scared?"


    To have endured for so long, only to find himself aging and his memories beginning to fade.


    Was he not scared?


    "Scared?"


    Looking at me, the old man blinked his eyes before smiling.


    "Yes, I am scared."


    His eyes were clear.


    "Of course, I am scared. Every day I feel my energy drop and my memories fade. I try to fight


    it, but I can''t stop it. I can''t find the one responsible for all of this."


    They were clearer than ever before.


    "But I am not scared of death."


    So clear that I could see my reflection in them.


    "Death doesn''t frighten me. What terrifies me is everything I''m losing while still breathing."


    Raising his hand to show me his trembling hand, the old man slowly clenched it.


    "I''m not going to stop."


    But you should stop.


    "Because even though I''m scared, I want to preserve the few things that are meaningful to


    me."


    Which were?


    "My identity, and my family."


    These were the old man''s reasons for living.


    Though strong enough to escape, the old man chose to stay and find a way to free everyone. As


    his strength waned and his memories faded, he fought to preserve his mind and protect his


    family.


    As expected...


    ''He''s a lunatic.''


    A crazy lunatic that I couldn''t help but respect.


    There were better strategies than just waiting here and letting his strength slowly diminish. If


    he wanted to, then he probably could''ve found a way to help.


    But perhaps...


    He had long lost trust in humanity.


    "I get it."


    Looking down at my pocket watch, I sat down on the ground.


    "...I get it."


    Tik, tik-


    It was 01:17 A.M.


    Staring at the old man whoserge back suddenly seemed frail, I closed my eyes and opened


    them up again.


    That was when my scenery changed.


    Thu Thump!


    The air resonated with the thunderous beat of drums, while my hands seemed to have a mind


    of their own, apuding the spectacle unfolding before my eyes.


    p-


    "I''m back."


    Realizing what had happened, I checked the pocketwatch and noted the time.


    It was 12:17 A.M.


    ''Exactly an hour has passed within the vision. That must be how long the skillsts for.''


    This was good news.


    So long as I didn''t die, it meant that I had one hour to use the skill. Even so, I only had one


    more vial left.


    One more time.


    That was the amount of times I could still use the skill.


    ''I need to be very careful when using it.''


    I couldn''t afford to waste it.


    "In any case..."


    I raised my head and looked up at Caius and Kaelion. I felt a little sorry looking at them


    considering how I had used them as scapegoats in the ''runs'', but now that I had a better


    understanding of the situation, they no longer needed to be used as scapegoats. "Pebble."


    Calling out for Pebble, I spoke,


    "Tell the two to rest for now and recuperate all their mana. We''ll be starting in a few hours.


    I''ll give them the signal."


    "...Human, I''m not your servant."


    Seeing the annoyed look on Pebble''s face, I only thought it was cute.


    Still, I didn''t show it and just pretended to understand its plight.


    "I know, don''t worry. I''ll make for itter."


    "Will you...?"


    "Yes, don''t worry."


    Pebble''s eyes narrowed but it soon left.


    A bitter smile formed on my lips as I shook my head.


    Eventually, I closed my eyes and started to rest.


    I was going to meet the old man soon enough.


    *


    By the time I opened my eyes, a few hours had passed.


    While my body was still not in top condition, my legs felt better and my mind was fresh. My mana had also mostly recovered.


    As I turned my head, Pebble, seemingly in tune with my thoughts, leaped from my back and


    darted toward Kaelion and Caius. They both nced at me, and I gave a subtle nod in their direction. Caius then drew in a deep breath.


    A heavy pressure bore down on the surroundings as his voice echoed in the air.


    "Cease all movement."


    With a steely gaze and unyielding posture, Caius erupted with a formidable aura. His


    indifferent eyes and cold voice bestowed upon him an imposing presence resembling that of


    an Emperor.


    The drums stopped ying.


    The people stopped ying.


    ...And the world came to a sudden halt.


    || ||


    As everything turned quiet, we started moving.


    "Same direction as before."


    We all dashed to where west went.


    nk-


    I held my breath and pushed my way into the building while greeting the long flight of stairs


    that led to the second floor.


    ''Yes, I am scared.''


    I could almost hear the old man''s words as I fought my way up.


    Bang-!


    "Ukh!"


    The stairs groaned under the weight of my steps. Pressing my foot down, the puppets stopped


    moving as the gravity changed.


    ''But I am not scared of death."


    "Go! Go!"


    I rushed past the puppets.


    ''Death doesn''t frighten me. What terrifies me is everything I''m losing while still breathing.''


    Moving past them, I saw their hollow and lifeless expressions.


    The old man''s voice grew louder in my mind.


    ''I''m not going to stop.''


    He was powerful.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Amongst the strongest in the Kasha.


    There weren''t many that could rival this man who despite looking old was young.


    "We''re here! Open the trapdoor!"


    "Get in, quick!" "Down! Go down...!"


    "Oh, right."


    I stopped for a second and looked back.


    "Whatever you do, make sure you never lie."


    "Uh?"


    "If you lie, you die."


    "Eh...?"


    "What?"


    Ignoring the shocked looks on their faces, I hurried down the stairs.


    ''Because even though I''m scared, I want to preserve the few things that are meaningful to me.''


    "You''we made it quicker than I... expected." Turning around, the old man appeared behind just like in the past.


    I smiled at the sight of him and extended my hand.


    "It''s nice to meet you. My name is Julien."


    ......


    The old man looked at my hand in surprise. Moving it closer to him, I eventually got him to shake it.


    That was also when I pressed the second leaf.


    ''What do you persist for?''


    ''My identity, and my family.''


    This was the answer a not-so-old man once told me.

 Chapter 493: The Three Idiots [1]

    Chapter 493: The Three Idiots [1]


    ?


    ''Em hungry.''


    A small skinny boy thought while looking up towards the enormous walls.


    They reached all the way to the gray sky.


    Tall.


    Super tall!


    "....Hehehe."


    Maybe if he climbed it he could touch the sky.


    ''Give food to people so no hungry. Make sky not sad.''


    He wanted to make the sky happy.


    Just like in the tales.


    Blue and bright.


    Gurgle~


    The child''s stomach started to growl and he bent over as a result.


    ''Em very hungry.''


    The child wanted to work, but unfortunately, he wasn''t very smart. If he was smart then he would have food and maybe mama wouldn''t have...


    ''Eng, I need to be smart.''


    ''Smart means I can eat.''


    ''Eat means good.''


    "Line up, please! If you want food, please line up in a single line."


    The child waited behind a very long line that connected to the walls. Big tall man wearing shiny clothes stood with arge pot, giving out food.


    ''Such nice people.''


    .....Feed even me who is not very smart.''


    With a silly smile, the child waited patiently behind the line. He waited and waited and waited until his hand started to freeze. But soon, his turn came.


    "Em turn."


    Holding out his wooden bowl, the child looked at the shiny man with a glint in his eyes. His stomach was empty, and it hurt.


    "A child?"


    The shiny man looked down.


    "Are you alone?"


    "Em is, yes."


    "Wait..."


    The shiny man looked at the other shiny man, their eyes locking as if reaching a mutual understanding. cing his finger near his temple, he quickly rotated it.


    The child tilted his head.


    ''What that mean?''


    "Will he be useful?"


    "...No, not really. He might even be a burden."


    "It''d be a waste giving it to that."


    "Yeah."


    The two men exchanged nces before turning their attention to the child. After a moment, they both looked at therge pot in front of them. They then scooped a small portion of the soup and carelessly ced it in the child''s wooden bowl.


    "There."


    "You can go now."


    "......"


    Staring at the bowl in front of him, the child blinked his eyes.


    The soup hardly filled half of the small bowl. Compared to the others, it was almost nothing.


    But...


    "Hehehe."


    A silly smile formed on the child''s face as heughed.


    "Thank you."


    It was food.


    The child felt very thankful to the two men. They were very nice. Even though he was very dumb they gave him food.


    "Hehehe."


    Holding the bowl, the child walked away.


    He walked over to a familiar empty hallway. A ce he was used to going.


    Sitting in front of a small flight of stairs, the child sat down and prepared to eat his soup when


    he stopped and looked up. There he saw a group of children looking at him.


    "Gig, Kon, Min."


    A happy smile surfaced on the child''s face upon seeing the children.


    He knew them all.


    They were his good friends.


    "...I see you managed to get some food. But isn''t that too little?"


    All three were eying his bowl.


    The child blinked his eyes and proudly showed his bowl.


    "Yes, Em got food. Hehe."


    His smile was as silly as it could be.


    The children looked at one another before looking at the bowl.


    "That, can you give it to us? We''re hungry."


    "Eh? But what about..."


    "We work. We need energy. You don''t work at all. You can survive skipping a meal. We can''t.


    Aren''t we friends?"


    "Ah."


    The child looked at the small bowl in his hands.


    ''Yes, Em is stupid. He don''t work and they work. Even though I is stupid, they stay with me. I must be


    good friend.''


    "Okay."


    "Ah, thank you!"


    "You''re such a good friend."


    "....Haha."


    As soon as the child extended his bowl, his three friends wasted no time, eagerly snatching up


    his share and devouring it.


    The child watched all of it with a silly smile.


    ''Friends are happy. So I''m happy.''


    "Hehe."


    As the children finished the food, they waved goodbye and left shortly after that, leaving the


    young child alone.


    It was silent.


    Growl~


    He was hungry.


    And he was cold.


    The child remained sitting on the staircase as his stomach growled. Closing his eyes, he


    waited to go to sleep.


    When he sleep the pain go away.


    He tried to sleep, but the pain made it hard for him to sleep.


    ''Em, hungry.''


    Growl~


    But he was used to the pain.


    Ever since he could remember, he felt this type of pain.


    But he didn''t really mind.


    Everyone around him was so nice. How could he not be nice to them when they were nice to


    him?


    Closing his eyes, the child tried to forget about everything.


    ''...It''s cold.''


    ''Can''t sleep.''


    ''So quiet.''


    ''Em hungry.'' But it was hard.


    So hard.


    "Hey, kid."


    The silence ended with a rough voice.


    "Eh...?"


    When the child raised his head, his blurred vision fell on a tall and skinny man.


    "Are you that retar-keum, I mean, are you that kid that isn''t very smart?"


    The child pointed at himself while his vision started to clear up.


    "Me? Em not smart."


    "Ah, it looks like it''s you."


    Dark ck hair.


    "...That''s good, I''ve been looking for you."


    Deep brown eyes.


    "There''s no better test specimen than you. With your help, we''ll be able to get out of this


    forsaken ce."


    The tall man.


    The more he looked at him, the kinder he looked.


    He held out his hand for the child.


    "Do you want to be smart? Strong?"


    "Smart? Strong?"


    The child nodded. Of course. He always wanted to be smart and strong. To help the nice


    people and eat food until his belly exploded.


    "...Yes, I can make you smart and strong. So long as you follow me, I''ll help you."


    "Really?"


    "Yes."


    "Hehe."


    The child reached for the hand.


    It was warm. A stark contrast to the bitter cold that lingered in the air.


    Grabbing the hand, he stood up.


    Groan~


    But as he did, his stomach growled and his face turned red.


    "Hehe, em... hungry." Staring at the child, the old man brought his hand to his pocket and retrieved a small snack he


    gave the child.


    "It isn''t much but have this for now. You''ll have plenty of foodter."


    "Really?"


    "Yes."


    "Really, really?"


    "....Yes."


    Squeezing the child''s hand, the man brought him away.


    To a warmer and safer ce.


    *


    "Julien-!" Kaelion''s face appeared a few inches from mine, prompting me to move back.


    "Uh?"


    I looked around to see that we were currently in the familiar room belonging to the old man.


    "Are you alright? You''ve been acting strange since before."


    "Ah, that..."


    Even I wasn''t too sure.


    Thinking back, I had only managed to catch a small glimpse of the old man''s memory. It was


    complete and that made me frown.


    Then again, this was understandable.


    ''He''s very strong.''


    Strong to the point where I felt he wasparable to Delh and As. It wasn''t strange for


    the second leaf to not have a full effect on him.


    But it made me think.


    As I gazed at the old man, memories of the child from the vision surfaced, causing a subtle


    shift in my expression.


    ''...I can hardly believe they''re the same person.''


    Unlike the child, the old man felt... more clear in the head.


    The child was clearly mentally impaired in the vision. Observing the man now, moving and


    speaking with rity, I couldn''t help but think of the person who had once aided the child.


    ''Is it possible that he managed to cure the child and even make him strong to this point?'' ...Or was it all an excuse to train the child?


    ''Yes, it''s possible that he was very talented to begin with and an old master took him in to make him


    stronger.''


    Though this seemed like the logical conclusion, reflecting on the various fragments of the vision, I recognized that the reality was far moreplicated.


    "Hey, you''re spacing out again."


    "Right."


    Coming out of my thoughts, I let out a short breath and pointed at my head.


    "I''m not sure. I feel like my thoughts are slowing down. I think it''s because of the strings


    attached to me."


    "What?"


    "Are you saying these strings are affecting our minds?" When both Caius and Kaelion looked at the strings, the old man spoke. "The strings do indeed affect your mind. With each reset, a new one will appear. The more you


    have on you the harder it will be for you to move and free yourself from them. Your thoughts


    will also lessen and you will start to lose your memories, essentially bing one of the


    puppets."


    "That''s..."


    Kaelion''s face grew grim while Caius''s remained the same.


    This was information that I already knew but purposely revealed in order to get the old man


    talking.


    Like before, he moved towards the piano and started ying the notes.


    Deng~


    "Urkh, that''s wrong."


    He scratched the back of his head.


    "What was the note again?"


    Dong~


    "No, that''s not quite right."


    Ding~


    "...That''s not it either."


    A familiar scene.


    Staring at him and seeing the number of wires attached to him, I knew he was barely holding


    on. Caius and Kaelion also noticed the strings and they both looked at me.


    ''What should we do?"


    ''....I suggest we rest here and wait for the reinforcements toe. We''ve found a safe spot where the puppets can''t reach us. We should be able to hold on until then.'' Listening to the two of them, Caius''s suggestion felt like the most appropriate one.


    We couldn''t escape nor could we do anything about the puppets unless we looked for the


    mastermind behind all of this.


    The only hope of finding the mastermind was Pebble. However, with no leads on who was


    behind it all, I felt at a loss for where to begin. Perhaps the old man might know...


    Dung


    "Eish, that''s also wrong."


    Or maybe not.


    Seeing him struggle to recall such simple notes left me feeling utterly at a loss.


    I thought about going over to teach him, but I stopped myself.


    ''Who knows if he might kill me for it?''N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The guy was a lunatic after all.


    "So, are we essentially stuck here with this old man?"


    ncing between the old man and then Kaelion, a bitter smile tugged at my lips.


    "...I guess so."


    Oh, and apparently.


    He wasn''t old.


    Though I refrained from saying thest part.


    After all, I wasn''t supposed to know.


    "Great."


    Kaelion covered his face while sitting down on the ground. Though I couldn''t hear his


    thoughts, it almost felt like I could see them.


    ''...He''s still worried about the children outside.''


    He tried his best to hide it, but I could see it.


    That also made me think.


    Just what sort of past did he go through to even think about the children in such a situation?


    Dang!


    "Wrong! Wrong, wrong-!"


    Smashing his hand down on the keyboard, the old man stood up from the seat and stared in


    our direction. At that moment, I felt myself lose sight of myself as his deep blue eyes locked


    in our direction.


    They stared fiercely at me before he rubbed his beard.


    "You three..."


    He alternated his gaze between each one of us and then shook his head.


    "This won''t do."


    What won''t?


    I was almost prepared to stand up when he sat crossed legged right before us.


    "At your current strength, you will notsting a few days. It has been a while since I''ve intreracting with another human. I don''t want you all to break so soon. Close your eyes. Let me test you all individually."


    "Uh?"


    "Test...?"


    "Wh-"


    "Shut up, and close your eyes."


    The old man suddenly raised hisrge hand and grabbed Caius''s head. Thump-! Right after


    touching it, Caius slumped down on the ground. Before Kaelion and I even had the time to


    react, his tworge hands pressed down on our hands and I lost consciousness.


    But just before fainting, I heard the old man''s voice.


    ''Can''t follow such simplemands.''


    He seemed disappointed.


    ...I''ve got myself three idiots.''

 Chapter 494: The Three Idiots [2]

    Chapter 494: The Three Idiots [2]


    ?


    The House of Astrid.


    The child was brought into the family at the tender age of five.


    "Take some rest and get ustomed to your new home."


    Everything felt new to the child.


    From the warmth to the colors.


    "New home?"


    "....Just rest here. Food and water will be provided to you."


    The man''s words were soothing. The entire scenario felt like a long dream. One that the child didn''t want to extricate himself from.


    "If you want to y with the other children you can do so. In here, no one can harm you."


    ||


    To the young child, this dream. This very long dream.


    It felt so good.


    Especially since there were a lot of children his age. That meant that there were many friends. But they all seem to be ying with weird stuff. Sword? Spear...?


    ''Em is not very good at those.''


    He tried to interact with them in different ways.


    "....Hi. Hello."


    The children stopped practicing and looked at the child.


    Their expression soon changed.


    "Is he okay?"


    "Maybe he''s sick?"


    "No, I think I heard it from my parents before. People like him. They call them retarded."


    "Oh, so he''s stupid?"


    "Yes."


    "Hehe."


    "They know I''m stupid.''


    The child scratched the side of his face whileughing. Despite the poison that was flowing from the children''s mouths, the child never took them at heart. No, it was more like he wasn''t mentally capable of feeling hurt by their words.


    "Hey, did your mother ditch you because you were stupid?"


    "Mama? She working a lot."


    "When was thest time you saw her?"


    "Dun remember."


    "Kek, he''s really stupid."


    "His mom really did leave him because he''s stupid."


    He just smiled at the insults.


    What else could he do but smile?


    ''Everyone here is so friendly.''


    He could also see just how different they were from the children outside.


    They smiled more.


    They were bigger and not all skinny.


    They also had families and didn''t have to work. They could y all day. And they talked to him.


    ''What a nice ce.''


    This was where the child grew up.


    As time went by, the child did not grow smarter. While the other children grew in size, he also grew but the teasing never stopped.


    "Oy, clean over here."


    "This ce is a little dirty. Get cleaning."


    "Yes, yes."


    By the time he reached the age of eleven, he became a full-time sweeper. He was no longer skinny and one might even argue he was a little chubby.


    ''I''m not cold.''


    Throughout his years in the ce, he remained thankful.


    ''I''m not hungry.''


    He cleaned where he had to clean and ate what was given to him.


    ''Everyone is nice.''


    To the child, there was no greater joy than this.


    And soon, the man from the past came to meet him again. He looked no different than before


    and the child''s hand fell on the man''s hand.


    .... Is it still as warming as past?''


    "It''s been a while since we''vest seen each other. It looks like you''re doing better."


    "...Hehe."


    The child did what he did best.


    Heughed.


    "Em very happy. Eat a lot. Have lots of friends, and not cold."


    "Is that so?"


    Raising his head, the man looked around.


    "Is that what you truly think?"


    "Yes."


    "I see. Your eyes are still not clear."


    "Not clear?"


    What could the nice man mean?


    "But that''s fine."


    He stretched out his hand for the child.


    "I''ve finally done it. I''ve developed it. I can now do what I promised you back then."


    It was warm just like thest time.


    But so were his words.


    "You make me smart? I want to be smart."


    "That''s right."


    The man smiled, pulling the child away from where he lived his childhood.


    "I''ll make you smarter and stronger. You won''t ever have to worry about food nor won''t you


    ever have to worry about the cold. Your eyes will open and you''ll be different."


    As he was pulled, the child stared at the man''s back.


    It was wide, and it felt secure.


    "This is the House of Astrid and I''m its current head. Edward Syfon Astrid."


    "Head?"


    "I am the one who feeds everyone. Who makes sure they''re warm, and who keeps them safe."


    The more they walked, the bigger the man''s back became in the child''s eyes.


    It became sorge that it almost felt like it could carry an entire boulder. "I''ve created a highly unique drug that enhances your intelligence and improves your constitution. It will allow you to absorb mana much faster than your peers, and with my assistance, you will grow at an extraordinary rate. That''s why from this moment forth, I want


    you to call me teacher."


    Teacher.


    "With your newfound intelligence, you''ll be able to assist me in helping everyone live


    happily."


    The man approached a trapdoor, which he quickly opened. Descending the small flight of


    stairs, he led the child to another room furnished with a bed, a wardrobe, and a piano.


    "This will be where you''ll stay from now on."


    The man walked forward.


    Then, he sat down on the seat next to the piano and opened the lid.


    Dang~


    He started to y a tune.


    It was the most wonderful tune the young child had ever heard.


    Da-


    Soft.


    Da, da-


    Catchy.


    Dang~ Dang~ Dang~


    And most importantly, simple.


    "I''ll have you test your skill by learning this tune."


    Taking his hands off the piano, the old man handed the child a small ck pill.


    "Take it."


    That day.


    For the first time in his life,


    The child became smarter.


    *


    "Hey, stop daydreaming-!" A powerful voice nearly shattered my eardrums as I jumped back


    in shock and looked ahead.


    "Uh!?"


    When I looked around, I realized I was standing in the middle of a white void.


    Kaelion and Caius were standing not so far from me, looking at me with weird looks.


    "Aha, look who finally decided to show up."


    When I turned my head, the old man stood not far from where we were.


    "


    .....


    "Can''t speak? What? Are you an idiot or something?"


    I was just about to reply when the old man waved his hand.


    "Whatever, it doesn''t matter."


    It doesn''t?


    "What does one extra idiot make?"


    || ||


    ||


    I did call him a lunatic before, didn''t I?


    ''He''s kind of a lunatic, isn''t he?''


    ''....I think so too.''


    Even Caius and Kaelion thought the same.


    "You know I can hear you?"


    The old man looked at us with a frown, and we all shut our mouths.


    "As expected, you three are idiots."


    For thinking you''re a lunatic?


    "Whatever, this is not why I brought you here. Like I said before, at you current skill level you


    three won''t besting more than a few days. I canst so long not because I am stronger, but because I am no idiot like you three"


    Pointing at his temple, the old man looked at us.


    "A mind cluttered with thoughts is a burden. Greed, love, emotions-all of it clouds your


    judgment. You must learns to let go of these... distractions."


    Wait, was he trying to teach us?


    "Are you saying that if we let go of all such thoughts we''ll be able tost longer?"


    "Indeed, but it''s not easy."


    I smiled then and closed my eyes.


    Suddenly, six locks materialized before my eyes, and one by one, my emotions began to


    dissipate. The surroundings started to lose color, and when I finally opened my eyes, an eerie


    calm had settled over everything.


    "How is this?"


    11


    Maybe I saw it wrong, but the old man''s face twitched at the sight of me.


    I felt proud but the feeling dissipated quickly.


    At least, until I heard his words again.


    "Idiot. I thought they were all idiots, but some were more idiotic than others. Oh, what a


    bloody curse! Here I thought I had founding some people to keep mypany, but in the end,


    I''m just going to end up taking care of two idiots and a bigger idiot!"


    I let go of the skill and looked at Caius and Kaelion who nodded subtly.


    ''I don''t know if it''s just me, Caius but I feel liberated hearing his words. I''m not the only one, right?''


    ''No. The old man has good eyes.''


    "I can hear you two."


    The two pretended to not have heard me while the old man grumbled to himself.


    He eventually calmed down and looked at me.


    "That''s a skill, isn''t it? Something you probably self-created in order to keep your emotions


    in check, right?"


    "Yes."


    He''s really sharp.


    With just a nce, he understood.


    "It requires a bit of mana to use and all it does is stop your emotions, am I right?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "....Yes."


    "That''s the problem."


    The old man pointed at me.


    "Will you be able to sustain the skill for days toe? Will you be able to sustain it while


    you''re sleeping? Eating? Shitting?"


    "That..."


    Of course, not. Why would I need to do that?


    "Then that is pointless!"


    The old man pointed his finger at me.


    "What I''m asking from you is whether you can do all of the above without relying on skill. If


    you aren''t capable of keeping your mind at utter peace, you will never be able to break to the next level."


    I listened carefully.


    "From what I can tell, you''ve just developed a domain. What do you think is next for you?" "...Consolidating the domain?"


    "Wrong! The next step is mastering your mind. Clearing all thoughts means achievingplete control over your body. This includes perfectmand of every muscle, as well as


    the ability to manage the mana flowing within you and your emotions. Once you fully clearing


    this stage you''ll reach the next stage and a whole new world will open up for you." Licking my lips, I asked,


    "Are you saying that by achieving this state I''ll be able to have greater control over my skills?


    Like Emotive Magic?" "That''s correct."


    "Ah, then..."


    "But you''re far away from reaching such a state."


    "How far?"


    "Further than you can imagine. Not just you, all of you."


    The old man looked at the three of us before sighing.


    He first pointed at Caius.


    "This idiot over here. All he thinks about is how to regain his emotions and how to be fr-"


    The old man stopped for a second before looking at me strangely. Shaking his head, he


    secretly grumbled, ''This, he''s kind of weird. Pitifully weird.'' Turning to look at Kaelion, the old man shook his head.


    "All this idiot thinks about is the children outside. It''s all he''s been thinking abouttely.


    Honorable but at the same time, messy." And then, the old man looked at me.


    His expression tilted as he tried to read my mind. I suddenly became worried. Would he find


    out about the fact that I used my skill on him? What about my other secrets? What-


    "You..."


    The old man''s gaze felt even more pressuring.


    "...A woman?"


    Eh?


    I froze.


    What did he say?


    "ck hair?"


    The old man''s gaze turned strange and I stopped.


    Wait, what was he talking about?


    No, now even Kaelion and Caius were looking at me strangely.


    "Don''t look at me. I don''t know what he''s talking about."


    "Tsk."


    The old man clicked his tongue.


    "I can understand their thoughts, but you...?"


    He shook his head, looking all shamed. His gaze seemed to say, ''From noble thoughts to this.


    This one is hopeless.''


    No, wait...


    "Let me exin¡ª"


    "I don''t have time for your nonsense."


    The old man pped his hands.


    p, p-


    All of a sudden, the world around me started to shift.


    I suddenly found myself inside a dark cave with no one in sight.


    "Kaelion? Caius?"


    It was damp, dark and cold.


    My heart started to beat fast.


    This was especially made apparent when I noticed two books sitting in front of me.


    One red, one blue.


    Picking them up, I read the titles. Or at least, tried to.


    The title for each book was nk.


    However, opening the first page, there was a small description.


    [Fast to learn, but brings a lot of pain.] [Slow to learn, but no pain.]


    "What is this?"


    Groooowl-


    Suddenly, I heard arge growling from the other side of the cave and I stepped back.


    From the pressureing from the monster, I felt my entire body shiver.


    "That, it''s very strong.''


    I wasn''t sure I could defeat it with my current capabilities.


    "Don''t worry, the monster is sealed."


    The old man appeared in front of me, his arms crossed.


    He then pointed at the books in my hand.


    "Choose one of the books and master it. When you''re done, fight the monster. If you beat it


    you pass, if not you fail."


    "Eh?"


    The old man didn''t wait for me to finish.


    "....If you fail, you repeat."


    His figure disappeared.


    "Don''t keep the others waiting for long." "Wait-!"

 Chapter 495: Obsessions [1]

    Chapter 495: Obsessions [1]


    ?


    Growl~


    I heard the loud and fearsome growl of the monster in the distance and hurriedly looked at the two books in front of me.


    ''Just what is he trying to do?''


    ....I still couldn''t understand what the old man was trying to do. Was he trying to teach us or did he have another agenda?


    "He did say this will help us, but..."


    Looking towards the distance, I felt a little skeptical.


    How was defeating a monster going to help me?


    "It looks like I don''t really have a choice, do I?"


    I saw no way out of this ce unless I defeated the monster. This was some sort of weird space that the old man had created. There was no way I could break it unless I followed his instructions.


    "Which book should I use?"


    I alternated my gaze between the two books.


    ''Fast to learn, but brings a lot of pain, or slow to learn, but no pain.''


    The answer felt almost automatic to me. I didn''t think once before choosing the red book; Fasts to learn, but brings a lot of pain.


    "...I can handle pain."


    Of this much, I was certain of.


    "Ukh!"


    As the first page turned, a sudden and intense wave of pain washed over me, nearly overwhelming my senses. It was so painful that I almost felt my entire body freeze from the pain.


    ''How could...!


    I bit my lower lip hard, the metallic taste of iron filling my mouth.


    "This is ridiculous-"


    Cra Crack!


    My bones cracked, and I felt my body shifting. An intense surge of mana erupted from deep within me, flooding through every fiber of my being.


    I could hardly breathe, let alone think.


    All I knew was the pain.


    The pain consumed every corner of my mind, shifting from the searing agony of burning alive to the sharp, concentrated pain akin to a knife''s stab. I endured every imaginable pain I could think of as power surged through my body.


    I endured.


    Endured, and endured.


    At the same time, I flipped the pages. With each page I flipped, the more painful the experience became.


    My hands moved faster.


    "Kh-!"


    And yet...


    ''When does this stop?''


    The agony seemed endless. No matter how much I endured, the pain only intensified, growing stronger with each passing second.


    "Akh-"


    Despite my high mental fortitude, I found myself screaming.


    I found this baffling, yet it was beyond my control. My body simply reacted on its own.


    ''No, no... This is too much!''


    "S-stop."


    I tried to stop it, but it wouldn''t stop.


    I screamed again, but no words came out.


    I had lost my voice.


    The pain hadpletely taken over.


    ''Ah, this...''


    I was suddenly ovee with despair. This pain... I had to make it stop.


    Growl~


    And then I heard it. The monster in the distance.


    ''Right, so long as I defeat it...''


    Looking down, I saw that I had only managed to turn ten pages but I thought this was enough.


    "Uwaa!"


    Without a moment''s hesitation, I sprinted towards the distant monster. As I drew closer, I caught a glimpse of the creature hiding in the darkness-a grotesque monster with tworge goat horns, massive arms, and an enormous, dark body. Its head resembled that of a goat but its body was more like that of a gori.


    It was a weird creature, but I couldn''t care less about it.


    Swoosh-


    I charged directly at the creature, channeling all the power I had umted from reading the red book.


    Cra Crack!


    My body crackled and howled, as threads erupted from all directions, each glinting with a


    faint purple light.


    A ck film expanded from beneath me at the same time, consuming the surroundings as my


    domain expanded.


    I became even stronger.


    "Ahhh-!"


    I attacked the monster with all I had.


    But...


    Pa!


    As my fistnded on its body, the expected reaction didn''t ur.


    Looking up and staring at the monster''s body which was unharmed, I felt a lump form in my


    throat.


    The monster raised itsrge arm.


    "Oh, shi-"


    My world turned ck.


    "-it!"


    "Hua!"


    At least, until I woke up again.


    "Haa... Haa..."


    Holding onto my chest, I hastily looked around. I was back in the cave and my body was fine.


    "What just-"


    "You died."


    The old man looked at me, his expression filled with disappointment.


    "You hardly evensted a few seconds against it. I thought you were talented but you don''t


    really seem to amounting to much."


    He sighed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "And here I thought I''d get to have a few people to talk to."


    He waved his hand.


    "Whatever, I''ll just resign myself to the fact that there''s no hope for me. I''ll turn into a


    puppet knowing that three other idiots will soon join me."


    Hearing his words, I stopped.


    This...


    I was feeling quite annoyed.


    "This is just my first try. I didn''t think the pain would be this much. Just give me time to get


    used to it. I''ll get used to it."


    "Tsk."


    The old man clicked his tongue and shook his head, mumbling to himself, ''Disappointing.


    How disappointing.''


    Fueled by my growing anger, I immediately moved towards the books and grabbed the red


    one.


    ''You think I can''t do it?''


    One thing I took immense pride in was my ability to endure pain. Failure on the first attempt didn''t matter; it likely happened because I approached the monster too hastily. I needed to


    gather more power.


    I needed to suffer more.


    ''... Yes, I need to suffer more.''


    I opened the book and clenched my teeth.


    "M-more."


    ***


    "I''m hungry."


    "....Please give me some food."


    "My brother is... dying."


    "H-help."


    "Wait a second, make a line. I have plenty of food."


    All Kaelion could see were hands. They reached out to him in all directions. Begging,


    pleading, and imploring him for food.


    The hands...


    They were all young children, their clothes tattered and their cheeks hollow. Their lifeless


    eyes mirrored the hardships of their lives, evoking memories Kaelion had desperately tried to


    bury.


    ''Help, them. I have to help them...''


    Kaelion took out whatever food he had.


    "Make a line. I''ve got plenty of food."


    but even though he had food, it wasn''t enough.


    There were too many children.


    How could he feed so many of them...?


    ''No, this can''t go on.''


    In the end, Kaelion sold all his most prized possessions to buy more food. He used it to feed


    the poor children, seeing in them a reflection of his own past.


    For how long had they starved?


    He had once endured nearly twenty days without food. The memory of that agony was still


    vivid in his mind¡ªthe gnawing emptiness in his stomach, theck of energy, and the haze


    that blurred his perception of the world.


    The world felt gray, and time seemed endless.


    The children in front of him were the representation of his past.


    Of his suffering.


    His hands started to move faster.


    "Eat well, there''s plenty of food for everyone."


    Kaelion continued to feed the children. It was an endless cycle that only came to a stop when


    The no longer had anything to sell besides his clothes.


    He... had already sold everything he owned.


    And yet, the children remained.


    "Is there no more food?"


    "Ah... I guess I was toote." "My family..."


    "I''m hungry." Kaelion covered his mouth.


    "No, I..."


    He wanted to say he had more food, but he didn''t.


    He had nothing.


    He was poor.


    ...And he was also hungry.


    But still, he couldn''t care less about himself. He had to find a way to feed the children.


    And so, after a little bit of thought, Kaelion made a decision.


    He was going to start robbing the rich.


    "They''re rich anyways. What does it matter if they have a little bit less gold? They''re the reason why


    the children are poor, to begin with. It''s time for them to give back to themunity.''


    Thus, Kaelion''s life as a thief began.


    He robbed from the rich and used the wealth to feed the poor. "Here, there''s plenty of food for everyone to eat. Come, everyone. Eat at your heart''s


    content!"


    There was nothing more fulfilling for Kaelion than seeing the children eating happily. It was


    enough to make his cold heart smile.


    But...


    Actions had consequences, and Kaelion learned this the hard way.


    "A-ah, this..."


    Coming back one day to feed the children again, he was met with a sea of blood. Limbs


    scattered across the ground as faces Kaelion had grown familiar with appeared lifeless on the


    ground. Seeing the carpet of red that formed on the ground and the corpses of the children on


    the ground, Kaelion lost it.


    Thump!


    Falling to his knees, his eyes lost focus.


    He recalled the memories of the children and their smiles as he handed them food. For once,


    he had given them hope.


    But now, it also became clear to him.


    "How could...?"


    Rather than giving them hope, he had taken their life away.


    ***


    Drip, drip-


    Rain drizzled from above as two figures stood in the downpour. The soft patter of raindrops


    mingled with the silence between them, the taller man looking down at the younger one. The world around them blurred into a gray haze as Caius kept his head lowered. "Repeat after me, I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I


    am afraid of pain."


    "Say it-"


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of pain."


    The words flowed smoothly out of Caius''s mouth.


    He was ustomed to saying those words. It was only natural for them to flow from his


    mouth without much thought.


    That, and...


    p-


    The ps that came along with them.


    "...I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of


    pain."


    "Good, now say it again. On repeat. Over and over again."


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of pain."


    "Again."


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of pain." "Again."


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of pain." "Again."


    As Caius repeated each phrase over and over again, he found himself realizing something. ''I


    am indeed a talentless shit with no emotions.'' The more he said the words the more he


    realized the truth in them.


    He indeed had no emotions.


    He had lost them the moment he lost to Julien.


    All to run away from the pain.


    In that regard, his words held some merits to them.


    He...


    "I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of pain."


    ...Was indeed a talentless trash with no emotions.


    He was...


    A failure.


    ***


    Standing within the white void, three projections appeared before the old man. He shook his


    head upon seeing Julien, a look of deep disappointment crossing his features.


    "His mental fortitude is quite strong, but his obsession is greater."


    The old man shook his head once again.


    "...How saddening."


    At the rate he was going, he wasn''t going tost very long.


    But it wasn''t just him.


    Staring at the two other projections, the old man shook his head again.


    "Idiots. They''re three idiots."


    The biggest idiots he had ever seen.


    "Argh ! I can''t watch this farce any longer."


    With a wave of his hand, everything shattered, and with soft ''thuds,'' Kaelion, Caius, and


    Julien copsed to the ground, finding themselves back in the old man''s room.


    Staring at them, the old man clicked his tongue.


    "I''ve wasted enough energy on you three today."


    He checked the time.


    "Reset will happen soon. Get some sleep and recover yourselves for now. We''ll continue this


    next time."


    Without giving them a chance to speak, the old man walked over to his bed and pulled a nket over himself.


    Within seconds of closing his eyes, he...


    "Uarrrkh-!"


    ...began snoring.


    His snores were so loud that the entire room shook.


    That night, neither three of them managed to sleep more than a few minutes.


    Simply put, his snores were way too loud.


    "Ueeekrh!"

 Chapter 496: Obsessions [2]

    Chapter 496: Obsessions [2]


    ?


    House of Myron.


    "Are you saying thatmunication has been cut?"


    Aoife''s face tightened as she stared at the Professor before her. The Professor''s expression mirrored her own, equally grim as he scrutinized themunication device in his grasp.


    After a while, he retrieved anothermunication device.


    Aoife recognized themunication device and pursed her lips. The model he had was a lot more powerful and had a harder time getting disrupted by spells.


    But...


    "It''s not working."


    Just like the first device, it also didn''t work.


    The expression of the Professor turned even gloomier.


    "Looking at how both devices are not working, it''s likely that someone is interfering with the signal. I wouldn''t have been worried if they were only capable of blocking the first device, but to even block the second? I''m afraid the situation is more serious than I anticipated."


    The Professor was quick with his actions.


    "Aoife, get all the cadets here in the next hour or so. Report to me if anyone is missing in the meantime. I will now try to get in contact with those of the Myron family. I''ll delegate authority to you for now."


    "Understood."


    As Aoife took over, she started nibbling on her lips.


    ''I don''t like where this is going. Especially since Julien is missing, whenever he goes missing things start to warp. I need to keep control of the situation before its toote.''


    Flicking her head towards Kiera and the others, she started to bark orders.


    "You heard the Professors. Help me out for now and get all the cadets here. Look in each room twice. If there''s anyone missing report it to me."


    Having said all she needed to, Aoife turned and left, leaving the others speechless as Kiera looked especially annoyed, ''This bitch, since when did I be your dog?''


    Despite her grumbles, Kiera got to work, alongside the others.


    Staring at the others, Leon also left the hall and started to look for the cadets. As he stepped into the hallway, an owl suddenly appeared before him, its eyes gleaming under the dim light.


    Owl-Mighty hopped onto Leon''s shoulder.


    "I thought you left. Did Julien send you back?"


    Leon turned his head and looked at the Owl. Following his message about Julien''s situation, the Owl had directly left. Leon thought it had gone back to Julien but seeing it here again, something must''ve happened.


    "No, it''s not about Julien. It''s something else."


    "As in?"


    Owl-Mighty fixed its gaze on Leon''s right pocket.


    "Take it out."


    "...What?"


    Confused, Leon tilted his head but the Owl''s gaze never budged from his pocket.


    Seeing the grim look in the owl''s eyes, Leon reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar


    red leaf. The Owl''s expression fell at the sight of the leaf.


    Leon noticed the changes in the Owl rather quickly and his body tensed.


    "What happened? What-!"


    Squelch~ Squelch~


    Sensing something, Leon''s head flicked down to see roottch onto his foot. His expression changed dramatically just as the owl''s voice echoed in his ears.


    "When did it...!?"


    "I don''t know when, but we''ve been caught by it."


    "Caught by...?"


    Rustle~ Rustle~


    As a rustling sound filled Leon''s ears, he felt the roottched onto his foot get pulled away by


    a mass of intertwining roots. The sensation was abrupt, and his heart raced as the owl''s voice continued to echo around him.


    "Me."


    When Leon turned around, his face tensed as he saw arge tree appear right behind him. "...You''ve been caught by my main body. Everything that you''re seeing. Its most likely an illusion."


    ***


    Tak-


    Breaking me from my sleep was a small tug that came from my lower leg. As my eyes snapped open, I noticed that a new thread had appeared.


    ''Ah, shi-!''


    "Uh!?"


    I almost jumped back when I noticed a face appear near mine.


    "Hey, calm down. I''m not going to bite you."


    It was the not-so-old man.


    Deng~


    He tapped the thread on my leg and watched it oscite.


    "As you can see, you''re still here. I didn''t lie to you. The box works."


    "...Yes."


    But my body felt heavier than the previous day.


    Not only that, but my mind also felt a little foggy. As though I didn''t feel like getting up.


    "Hmm, I''m surprised you''re the only one who woke up."


    As the old man looked beside me, I also noticed Caius and Kaelion. Covered in bed sheets, the two were sleeping with frowns on their faces.


    "Well, I''ll let them sleeping for a bit more. It''ll be a rough day for the tee of you."


    Looking at the old man who bent down and rummaged through whatever he had under the


    bed, I suddenly had a question.


    "Why are you helping us?"


    "Helping you?"


    The old man took out several unopened cans.


    They looked to be quite old.


    "Well, you can say that I''m helping you."


    He stood up and stretched his back.


    "But it''s not lwike I''m helping you for any noble reason. You can say I''m doing this for myself


    too."


    "For yourself?"


    "It''s been quite lonely these past few days."


    "....So you''re doing this because you were lonely?"


    "Haha."


    The old manughed and reached for a can opener.


    "It isn''t that simple. I''m also doing this because I might be able to finding the one


    responsible for all of this with you help."


    My brows shot up in surprise.


    "You have a lead?"


    "...For a while now."


    "But..."


    "I can''t do it by myself. That''s why helping you."


    "Ah."


    It all made more sense to me as an acidic smell suddenly filled the air, prompting my brows to


    furrow.


    When I looked at the cans, I immediately reached out.


    "Actually, about the food..."


    I waved my hand and disyed several fresher cans, alongside several species and herbs.


    "Wha-!"


    This was the first time I saw the old man look surprised and I felt somewhat proud by the fact.


    "How did you do that?"


    "...It''s a secret."


    "Tsk."


    The old man clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    "I don''t like people who keep secrets. It reminds me too much of the slippery roa-bugs from


    the other houses."


    "Uh? What''s that...?"


    I brought my hand to my ear.


    "It looks like you don''t want the food. Well, that''s alright. I guess we''ll stick with what you''ve


    brought."


    The old man''s mouth wiggled.


    "...On second thought, those bugs were more annoying."


    "More? Are you saying that I''m annoying?"


    "Haa."


    The old man forced a smile that wavered between joy and sorrow, his face as scrunched up as I


    had ever seen it.


    "...Not at all."


    I held myugh back.


    "You don''t look sincere."


    "You''re pushing too much."


    "For?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    I opened the can and started smelling the contents.


    "Huaa."


    It smelled a lot better than whatever he had.


    Gurgle~


    And as expected, even his stomach thought so.


    "You..."


    The old man wiped the corner of his mouth as I took out a spoon and prepared to add the salt.


    "Are you some sort of demon?"


    "No, why would I be? You''re the one who-"


    "Ark, fine!"


    The old man cursed while holding his stomach.


    "You aren''t annoying. You''re the most un-annoying guy I''ve ever meeting. Are you happy?"


    "I guess."


    I thought about teasing the old man more but I just held myself back. Who knew what he would do if I pushed him too much?


    But even so, who would''ve thought there''d be such a weird side to this lunatic?


    "Since you''re being so honest, I guess I don''t mind sha-"


    "Stop for a second."


    A hand suddenly reached out from behind me, stopping me from handing the can to the old


    man who sharply raised his head to look at Kaelion.


    Ignoring the old man''s gaze, Kaelion looked at me.


    "Give me your food."


    "Uh? Why...?" "I''m cooking." "You are? But this is-" "No."


    Kaelion looked serious.


    "Wh-"


    "No."


    He snatched the salt from my hand and gave it to Caius who took it without making a single


    noise.


    "The hell?''


    Kaelion then looked at the old man.


    "We just saved your life."


    "Eh?"


    Without borating, Kaelion snatched the ingredients from my hand and extended his free


    hand.


    "Do you have a pan?"


    "I do..."


    "Give it."


    "I..."


    After seeing his stare, I could only quietly purse my lips and hand him a pan. As I did, the old


    man appeared next to me while mumbling, ''Is that a relic? How did you do it...?''


    I didn''t say anything and just waited for Kaelion to finish cooking. Thankfully, we didn''t have


    to wait for long and he presented each of us a bowl of food. I wanted to say it was nd, but


    when I turned my head to see the old man''s expression, I decided to close my mouth.


    "This... This..."


    Taking another spoonful, the old man covered his face.


    "...How can something be this good?"


    He looked really happy with his meal.


    I tried again but the taste never changed.


    ''It''s still nd.''


    "Buurp-!"


    To mark the end of his meal, the old man burped out loud and I winced slightly. The smell. It


    was awful.


    "...It''s been a while since Ist eaten something so good."


    Rubbing the top of his mouth, the old man stretched his back and turned his attention


    towards us. A smile suddenly surfaced across his lips.


    It was a creepy smile that made my stomach churn.


    "Now then..."


    His heavy hand fell on my head.


    "...It''s time we continue what you guys did yesterday."


    "Ah."


    My consciousness faded right after that and I appeared before a familiar cave.


    "...I''m back here again."


    Looking around, I saw the same two books as before. I cursed inwardly, moving towards


    them. After a moment of hesitation, I decided to grab the blue book instead.


    ''No pain, right?''


    I wanted to try this.


    Growl~


    In the distance, the monster''s growl echoed.


    "Yeah, yeah."


    I waved my hand and opened the blue book. I wanted to see what the difference between the


    two books.


    ...And I immediately notice the differences upon opening the book.


    Unlike the red book, I felt no pain upon opening this one. In fact, I feltpletely fine, which


    was odd. However, if there was one thing to note, it was that the strength increase was a lot


    slower.


    The pages also felt heavier and they were much harder to turn.


    No, it was more than just slow. "This is beyond slow.''


    I couldn''t afford to waste time like this.


    Therefore, after a little bit of thought, I tossed the blue book and grabbed the red book.


    Mastering this was going to be a lot easier and faster for me.


    This was my specialty, after all.


    And so...


    "Uakh-!"


    I endured pain, unlike anything I had ever felt before.


    "It hurts!"


    I screamed.


    "Ahhh!"


    I thrashed.


    "Khhh-! Arkhh!"


    And I endured.


    All for the hope of reading all the pages of the red book.


    So long as I read them all, I''d be able to beat the monster and be done with this trial.

 Chapter 497: Obsessions [3]

    Chapter 497: Obsessions [3]


    ?


    Pain.


    What was pain?


    Was it just the physical or emotional distress that arose in response to an event such as injury


    or death? Or was there more to it?


    I wasn''t too sure myself.


    All I knew was that I''d have to experience pain in order to be stronger.


    This was the fastest method I had avable.


    Flip, flip-


    Each time I turned a page, I felt myself be stronger.


    But at the same time,


    "Ukh-!"


    I also felt an unbearable amount of pain.


    There were a total of 158 pages.


    Each page brought a new wave of pain, yet with every surge of agony, I felt my strength grow. It was as if the suffering was a catalyst for my power, serving as some sort of anchor that prevented me from going insane.


    It also made me think about pain.


    What was it, and why did I make myself go through it?


    This was obviously the fastest method and I was used to this type of abuse. I wasn''t


    unfamiliar with pain.


    In thest moments of my life, I could distinctly recall the pain I felt then-the pain with each breath and the pain of just trying to keep my eyes open.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    I could recall all of it.


    But what I could recall best wasn''t the physical pain.


    No, it was the emotional pain.


    The pain that came from abandoning my brother, my one and only remaining family.


    The pain that came from knowing I wouldn''t amount to anything besides being a regr salesman.


    The pain that came from realizing that I probably didn''t have a tomorrow.


    The pain of not being able to have hope.


    The pain of...


    ''....WW-what page am I on?''


    Flip-!


    [153]


    Ah, I was close.


    My hand shook and my vision blurred.


    As the pain intensified, I began to recall the times I had pushed myself to the brink of exhaustion. From the mental torment I endured to unlock my first spell, to the emotional suffering I inflicted upon myself to break free from the illusionary world that belonged to Pebble.


    It was also then that I realized something...


    I put myself through a lot of pain, didn''t I?


    Flip-!


    [154]


    I tried to deny it, but there was no denying it.


    All I knew was pain.


    I had suffered through so much of it that I reached a point where I didn''t mind going through


    it.


    Flip-!


    [155]


    My breathing became rouch, each gasp feeling like a desperate struggle. I felt suffocated as my muscles spammed uncontrobly.


    ''A... little bit more.''


    I clenched my fist in silence.


    A surge of unprecedented power coursed through my veins, electrifying every nerve in my body. This newfound strength was unlike anything I had ever experienced before, giving rise to a euphoric feeling.


    ...And also served as a reminder to me.


    Pain was rewarding.


    I put myself through pain because I knew that on the other side of the pain was my goal.


    ''Yes, this isn''t the wrong path.''


    For a moment, I almost doubted myself.


    But it was clear to me.


    ''... Without pain, I wouldn''t be where I am.''


    Therefore,


    Looking down at the red book, my resolution strengthened and I flipped to the next page.


    Flip-


    [156]


    I was now two pages away frompleting the book.


    Two more pages until I could finally defeat the monster and for the pain to disappear.


    As I felt the power surge back into my body, I knew I hadn''t been wrong. I knew this was the right method.


    I...


    Flip-


    [157]


    "Uaaakh-!"


    I screamed my heart out.


    Though it was all an illusion, it almost felt like all the bones in my body had shattered while


    fire surrounded me, burning every part of my body alive.


    "Ukh!"


    This pain...


    It was too much.


    How could a human go through such pain?


    Why would someone even make themselves go through such pain?


    ''No, it''s fine. I''m almost there.''


    Looking at the book in my hand, I reached for thest page. So long as I turned that page,


    everything would stop.


    ''Yes,st page...!''


    "Kh-!"


    Reaching out for it, the page felt heavy.


    Heavier than all the other pagesbined. My muscles strained as I tried to push thest and


    final page.


    Once I turned this page, everything would...


    ''No, wait...''


    Just as I was about to turn to the veryst page, I stopped.


    In a moment of rity, I realized something.


    ''...Aren''t I just repeating everything that I''ve been doing up until now.''


    All of a sudden, everything felt wrong.


    [Do you finally, realize it?]


    A voice whispered in my ear right after I stopped.


    [What is pain?]


    Suffering.


    Reaction to stimuli.


    Pain was...


    [Your obsession.]


    Ah.


    [You subject yourself to pain because it''s yourfort zone. You''ve experienced so much pain


    that it bes your first thought whenever you want to tackle a problem.]


    I thought back to the past.


    Could I have handled a lot of my previous problems in the past differently?


    Could I have unlocked my first spell without torturing myself?


    Could I have tackled the situation in the mid-space differently?


    Could I have grown stronger without pain?


    I didn''t truly know the answer, but...


    [You don''t hate yourself.]


    I don''t.


    [But pain makes you think you hate yourself.]


    I know.


    [Let go of it.]


    But I''m almost there.


    If I just turned the next page.


    [Let go of your obsession.]


    My hand shook.


    Staring at the page in front of me that was about to turn to thest page, I felt hesitant. I


    didn''t want to let it go when I was so close to the goal.


    I didn''t want to use the blue book.


    I didn''t want to wait so long.


    I...


    "Hoo."


    ck-


    I let go.


    Immediately, power sapped away from my body and I felt weak again.


    Yes, weak.


    But despite feeling weak, my mind felt clear.


    Taking onest look at the red book, I closed my eyes and tossed it to the side while picking


    up the blue book.


    Opening it, power surged through my body.


    It was slower, but it didn''t hurt.


    I could think.


    Flip-!


    *


    Time passed.


    I didn''t know how long passed.


    I just knew that a lot of time passed. Perhaps a day had passed, or even more.


    Even so, in those few days that passed, I remained absorbed in the book in front of me. Each


    page felt like a chore. As though I was reading a page with no paragraphs and just long lines of


    text, but I was making progress.


    My strength was increasing.


    ...And just like the previous book, it only had 158 pages.


    Flip-


    [158]


    "I''m done."


    Staring at thest page, I felt empty.


    That''s it?


    I finished?


    The experience was entirely different from the red book where each page felt incredibly


    agonizing to read through.


    This felt a lot easier and refreshing to some extent.


    Growl~


    Lifting my head to look into the distance, I ced the book to the side and stood up.


    Should I test the fruit of my patience?


    No, more than anything, I just wanted to show the old man that I wasn''t an idiot. That I could


    aplish the task he had given me.


    Growl~


    "Yes, yes. I''ming."


    Taking a step forward, I moved toward the monster. Just like before, it was gruesome to


    behold-the twisted goat head, the sickly, mottled skin that seemed to ripple with every movement, and its tworge horns.


    However, unlike before, I didn''t feel as pressured nor did I feel as rushed.


    I could defeat this monster.


    At my own pace.


    Growl-!


    With a deafening growl, the monster charged at me, each of its steps causing the surrounding


    cave to tremble as if it were on the brink of copse.


    Seeing itsrge figure charge at me, I waited until the veryst moment before acting.


    A green orb appeared in my vision as I lightly kicked the ground and jumped up.


    Bang!


    The surroundings trembled as the monster''s horns crashed into the spot I had been just a few


    moments prior, sending a shockwave through the air.


    "Groooaah-!"


    Recovering swiftly, the monster let out a furious howl, its head snapping toward me as I


    floated just above it, out of its reach. It was just about to move when I stepped into the air and


    my body suddenly plummeted down fast.


    BANG-!


    Landing right on the monster''s body, I heard a faint cracking sound as the monster let out a


    howl of pain. "Uaaah!"


    But I wasn''t done.


    Closing my eyes, I felt something shift beneath my feet, spreading outwards and coating


    every inch of the cave with a dark film. The surroundings seemed to dissolve, fading into the


    oppressive ckness.


    "Uke-!"


    "Quiet."


    As the monster was about to howl again, arge purple hand emerged from the darkness,


    mping its mouth shut.


    But that wasn''t the only hand that appeared.


    Momentster, several massive purple hands emerged from beneath the monster, grasping


    and mping down on every part of its body, pinning it in ce, rendering itpletely


    immobile.


    The monster tried to thrash around, but it was no use. With each passing second, its eyes grew more and more ck.


    That was when I leaped off the monster''s body, moving silently in front of it. I stopped just


    before its head, meeting its gaze as I pressed my finger gently against the top of its forehead.


    As I did, I couldn''t help but recall a certain question.


    What is pain?


    My old friend.


    The onlypanion I''ve ever known.


    My refuge, my escape, and my...


    Obsession.


    That''s why...


    I have to let go.


    Xiu!


    Goodbye.


    ¡ö EXP + 171%

 Chapter 498: Obsessions [4]

    Chapter 498: Obsessions [4]


    ?


    Tak-


    As soon as I defeated the monster, the world shifted, and before I knew it, I found myself back


    in the white void. Standing not far from me was the old man.


    Though he tried to act calm, his wiggling smile betrayed his true thoughts.


    "So...?"


    "So, what?"


    Look at him turning his head away from me.


    "Let me guess, you weren''t expecting me to be this fast, right?"


    11


    ||


    His silence was all I needed to know.


    I yet again, almost burst outughing. As much of a lunatic as this guy was, he was also quite easy to read. He was too shy to givepliments."


    Yes, shy.


    "I don''t like the expression you''re currently making." "Sorry, what?"


    I sat down on the ground and stretched my arms.


    "I''m not going to fall for it likest time. I''m not making any expression. You''re just overthinking. There''s only one thought in my mind at the moment."


    "Which is...?"


    Frowning, the old man leaned forward a bit. He seemed curious.


    "Well..."


    I dragged it on for a second before shrugging.


    "...I was just thinking about how surprised and pleased you were by my achievement. You should''ve looked at your face. You didn''t give me anypliments, but I felt them." "This punk."


    The old man''s expression fell and he raised his hand.


    I didn''t flinch and merely smiled.


    "Come, hit me."


    I knew he wasn''t going to hit me.


    I wasn''t lying about his face. He really did look quite surprised and pleased. Someone who could make that face wouldn''t just kill me for a few jokes.


    "Aigoo."


    And I was right.


    Scratching the back of his head, the old man lowered his head down.


    "...You''re luck kid. Had it been the me of the past, I would''ve killed you without my eyes closing."


    I thought back to my first vision and nodded.


    He looked like he would.


    The old man frowned upon seeing my reaction as he touched his face while mumbling, ''Is it that easy to read my expression?''


    I shook my head and closed my eyes.


    ''It''s been a while since Owl-Mighty has contacted me. Is it because I am in this space?'' Normally, I''d be able to get a feel for Owl-Mighty but it was almost as if I had lostplete connection. I was a little bit worried, but then again, it really could all be due to the strange space that I was in.


    Opening my eyes, I finally took notice of a pair of projections that weren''t far from the old


    man.


    "This is...?"


    Taking a closer look, I saw Kaelion and Caius.


    I silently whistled at the sight that greeted me.


    The two of them...


    They were having quite a hard time.


    ''No wonder they lost to me.''


    ***


    Monsters existed.


    Some were in in sight, others hid in the shadows.


    In the mind.


    p-!


    The rain poured down from above.


    It poured harshly, as though the sky were crying themselves.


    Beneath the rain, two individuals stood.


    p, p-!


    "Why did you seal your emotions?"


    "Because I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid


    of pain."


    "Good, repeat it again."


    "....I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions because I am afraid of


    pain."


    Caius mindlessly repeated the same words over and over again.


    Even as the rain stained his clothes and hair.


    All he could hear was the faint background noise of the rain, his steady breathing, the sound


    of his own voice, and...


    "Continue."


    The cruel and indifferent voice of the ''monster''.


    "I''m a talentless shit..."


    How much time has passed?


    Caius had long lost count by now.


    He just stood by the rain, repeating the monster''s words over and over again.


    He also knew this was fake.


    He knew this was an illusion.


    And yet...


    He couldn''t stop himself from repeating the words.


    Why?


    Why couldn''t he stop?


    If he just closed his mouth, what would the worst that could happen be? A harsher p? While


    painful, the ps Caius could take.


    But...


    No.


    This wasn''t the answer.


    "Why did you stop speaking?"


    p!


    It didn''t even hurt.


    p-!


    "Why did you stop?"


    It hardly tickled.


    But...


    "Have you lost itpletely?"


    p--!


    Why did his chest hurt?


    This pain... It was a little different from any physical pain he had felt in the past. In fact, he


    was sure he knew what this pain was, but couldn''t quite say it. He just felt the answer at the


    tip of his tongue.


    "Are you not going to say anything?!"


    p---!


    Caius''s head flung to the side due to the sheer force of the p.


    Turning his head and staring at the man who stood before him, Caius''s eyes cleared up a bit.


    Yet, despite looking clearly at the man, his features felt foreign to him.


    He looked...


    ''Monster.''


    Yes, he looked like a monster.


    "Why are you not speaking?! Have youpletely lost it? You do understand I can get rid of


    you like I got rid of your siblings. I can make a new one anytime that I want. You''re only alive because you have some shred of hope of seeding me!"


    Caius felt his body lift as the monster grabbed hold of his cor, lifting him off the ground.


    "As talentless are you are, I can make you better! So listen to what I have to say and start practicing. Do you understand?"


    Caius nodded.


    "Good."


    Finally letting go of Caius, the man stepped back.


    "Now, repeat after me; I''m a talentless shit with no emotions. I got rid of my emotions


    because I am afraid of pain."


    "I''m a..."


    Halfway through his sentence, Caius stopped.


    "What''s wrong? Are you-"


    "Am I really talentless?"


    "....Uh?"


    "I am better."


    "What sort of nonsense...?"


    "I am better."


    Caius repeated.


    These were the words he used to repeat to himself in the past. Despite saying them, he never


    truly felt like he was better. After all, he was a talented trash.


    It was just that everyone else was even worse than him.


    In a world of trash, he was the better trash.


    Therefore;


    "I am better."


    Was merely a way for him to reaffirm his status.


    At least, that was how it used to be in the past. But what about now? Caius thought about


    Haven; the ce that had the best talents in the entire Four Empires.


    The ce where Julien-the guy who beat him-came from. Spending time in the Academy,


    Caius understood something.


    He was better.


    Be it physical, mana, mental, or theoretical examinations, he was always at the top or near the


    top. There was no one that came close to him in all four aspects.


    Even Julien, who had defeated him was nowhere near him in those aspects besides mental.


    In that sense, Caius started questioning the monster''s words.


    Was he truly a talentless trash?


    p!


    "Why aren''t you speaking again?"


    Caius raised his head and looked at the monster once more.


    Beneath the pouring rain, his image looked terrifying, but to a Caius who knew no fear, he


    didn''t feel as towering as he once appeared.


    In fact, he was actually the same height.


    He used to be taller.


    ...The wrinkles he once had also no longer appeared, and his face became clearer in Caius''s


    mind.


    "I''ll say it one more time. Repeat after me. I''m a tal-"


    "Am I talentless?"


    "Ah?"


    Caius stared straight at the monster and his lips parted open. "There''s no one better than me in this Empire or any other Empire."


    He was at the top of everything.


    "What sort of-"


    Academics.


    "...You''ve lied to me."


    Physical, and mental. There was hardly anyone as good as him.


    "I lost, but that doesn''t make me talentless. It''s okay to lose."


    To lose didn''t mean the end.


    ....It just meant one could be better.


    Caius knew he could be better.


    He was after all...


    Better.


    "I didn''t seal my emotions because I am afraid of pain."


    Caius raised his head and got a good look at the monster in front of him.


    For the first time in a very long time, Caius managed to see his full form. And it was then that


    he realized.


    ''....I am my own monster.''


    The one pushing him the entire time.


    The monster haunting his mind.


    It was...


    None other than himself.


    Blinking his eyes, the figure in front of him became increasingly clear. The only thing that


    remained was the rain and himself.


    It was just like in the past.


    He had always been alone.


    His father had never once cared about him.


    When he trained in the air, he had been alone.


    The one to p him had always been him.


    The one speaking had always been him.


    He...


    Drip, drip-


    "Ah, I see."


    It was then that Caius understood.


    The ''Monster'' was never real.


    It was merely a means to cope with the fact that he was alone.


    It was his own truepanion.


    And...


    His obsession.


    Lifting his head, the monster appeared again.


    || ||


    Basking in the rain, Caius turned around and walked away.


    Thank you, and goodbye.


    Monster.


    *N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Tak-


    As the rain stopped falling, Caius found himself standing in the middle of a white void.


    His mind felt liberated and his thoughts clearer.


    In spite of all of this, he still didn''t feel his emotions.


    Holding onto his chest, he paused. ''When will I get my emotions back?''


    He felt like he was close to reaching a breakthrough in that regard, but at the same time, it


    also felt incredibly far.


    ...Will I ever get them back?''


    As Caius was lost in his own thoughts, he suddenly heard a voiceing from the distance.


    "That was incredibly great. Awesome. You were amazing."


    Raising his head, he saw Julien standing beside the old man, who was eyeing Julien with an


    unmistakable frown.


    That was when Julien pointed at him.


    "That''s what he wants to say, but he''s shy."


    "I knew it!"


    The old man red at Julien.


    "What? Your face said it all."


    Did it?


    Caius hadn''t been paying attention.


    "That''s nonsense."


    "Is it?"


    ||


    The old man opened his mouth, only to close it again, crossing his arms with a sigh. Julien


    nced at him briefly before turning his gaze to Caius.


    ''He''s shy.''


    He mouthed quietly, prompting the corner of Caius''s lips to pull.


    He didn''t realize it himself, but Julien noticed as his brow rose for a short moment before


    settling back.


    "Not bad..." Mumbling to himself, Julien turned his head and looked towards thest


    projection. His expression soon turned somewhatplex. The same was true for the old man


    who clicked his tongue.


    "Unexpected."


    When Caius followed their line of sight, his eyes fell on the projection they were looking at


    and his face paused.


    Because...


    ''Red.''


    All he could see was the color red.


    Standing in the middle of the sea of red was a single person.


    Kaelion.


    It was a massacre.

 Chapter 499: Obsessions [5]

    Chapter 499: Obsessions [5]


    ?


    The iron-like stench filled the air.


    It covered the ground in a red carpet.


    Tak, tak-!


    || ".....


    As Kaelion walked within the red carpet, his eyes remained unfocused as he looked around.


    Blood.


    All he could see, hear, smell, and taste... was blood.


    His hands dripped with them, and his body was simrly colored in it.


    "More, I need... more."


    To feed the children, he started robbing the rich.


    He only robbed a little, not even that much. The amount he stole from them wasn''t enough to cause them any significant harm.


    And yet...


    ''Dead.''


    The children had all been killed by them.


    How could they do this...?


    They were innocent, and yet they were still targeted.


    That was when it became clear to Kaelion.


    ''Kill''


    They all needed to die.


    Everyone responsible for the children''s deaths. They had to die.


    And so, he killed them all.


    He spared no one.


    "N-no, it wasn''t me...!"


    "I... I have a family!"


    "Why are you doing this to me?"


    With cold and unfeeling eyes, Kaelion killed the rich. He took their wealth and redistributed it. Or at least, he tried to.


    "H,help. I''m hungry."


    "...I need food."


    But even that wasn''t enough.


    The children kepting to him endlessly.


    "My m-mom needs food."


    They were all skinny, their cheeks sunken.


    Kaelion didn''t even realize it, but he himself was looking like them.


    When was thest time he had eaten a meal?


    No, how could he eat a meal when there were children who were suffering? To feed an extra mouth, he forgot about himself.


    But that was not nearly enough.


    "P-please, help."


    "M,more."


    "....I need more food."


    "Just w-wait a moment, calm down. I... have more food. Just wait..."


    Kaelion reached out for his bag of food but stopped when he realized it was empty.


    How could...


    "My stomach hurts."


    "Help..." "Ngh!


    Kaelion bit his lips and looked at the children once more.


    "A-ah."


    His expression almost crumbled when he realized there were even more than before. There was so many of them he could see no end of.


    "How could this...?"


    Why?


    Why were there so many children?


    "I''m hungry... You killed my father."


    "W-what?"


    Kaelion looked down.


    A child''s gaze met his.


    "You killed him."


    It was then that Kaelion recalled.


    This child. He was one of the children of the people he had killed.


    Wait, could it be...


    "You also killed my mom."


    "My dad lost his job because of you."


    "We are poor."


    "You made us poor."


    "Feed us."


    "No, I..."


    Kaelion''s expression changed when he felt something grip his leg. Looking down, he saw red hands emerge from the ground, reaching out for him.


    "This...!"


    Kaelion tried to move away, but even more hands appeared.


    "Feed me."


    "...Feed us."


    "I''m hungry!"


    "Food...!"


    Overwhelmed by the sight, Kaelion looked around to see the children all staring at him with


    the same lost eyes he once had. He could see his own reflection within them and his heart


    stopped.


    ''I have to feed them.''


    He didn''t want them to suffer like he once did.


    He...


    Kaelion reached out for his pocket and took out hisst remaining possession.


    "Ah, this..."


    It was a cookie.


    A crumbled-up cookie.


    ''No, not this. I can''t give this.''


    He could give everything but this. This was the cookie his mother had made.


    "C-cookie...! I want cookie."


    "Give me!"


    "No, not this."


    Kaelion held his hand forward and stopped the children.


    "I can''t give you this."


    "But I''m hungry."


    "I... my mother."


    "I''m sorry."


    Kaelion bit his lip and stared at the cookie in his hand.


    ''I can give anything but this.''


    This cookie in his hand, was everything to him. It symbolized his only hope. The one thing


    that prompted him to push himself out of that cave.


    It was the symbol of his past.


    ...A reminder of his upbringing and suffering.


    And a reminder of his mother.


    "Yeah, no. I can''t. Not this one."


    Lifting his head, Kaelion''s face turned resolute. He was just about to put the cookie away


    when he stopped.


    "What? Where is everyone...?"


    Looking around, he noticed that he was alone.


    There was no one.


    All that greeted his sight was a long carpet of red.


    "What happened? Why is...?"


    "I''m hungry."


    Kaelion''s head flicked back towards the source of the voice.


    His eyes eventually fell on a small child.


    With deep red eyes and ck hair, the child looked exactly like him. His cheeks were sunken


    and his eyes were hollow, like he had given up on life.


    11


    ".....


    Kaelion felt a lump form in his throat.


    This child...


    "...Food."


    It was none other than himself.


    "I''m hungry."


    Pausing, the child looked up, meeting Kaelion''s gaze directly before pausing on the cookie in


    his hand.


    "...Will you give it to me?"


    A trace of life appeared on the child''s face upon seeing the cookie.


    That...


    Kaelion looked at the cookie in his hand and pursed his lips.


    "This is mine.''


    How could he give away his most prized possession?


    Even if it was his younger self, how could Kaelion give it away? He didn''t want to give it away.


    He refused to give it away.


    "I see."


    As if sensing his thoughts, the young Kaelion nodded his head and his eyes turned dead once


    more.


    Turning around, he started walking away.


    Tak, tak-


    His back looked frail and his body looked small.


    Kaelion felt his chest grow heavy at the sight, but when he looked down at the cookie in his


    hand, he felt better.


    ''Yes, he''ll get his cookie soon enough.''


    Why did he have to give away his?


    Yes, it was everything to him.


    And yet...


    Staring at the cookie in his hand, Kaelion felt his mouth tremble.


    To him, the cookie was...


    A reminder of the pain he had once suffered.


    A reminder of hisst hope.


    A reminder of his mom.


    His...


    Obsession.


    "Here you go."


    "....."


    Kaelion didn''t know when, but the child was now in front of him.


    Holding out the cookie, Kaelion looked directly at the child''s eyes. He watched as life


    returned to them and his expression eased.


    This was enough.


    ''Yes, I don''t need to be reminded.''


    He was no longer starving.


    He was no longer in constant danger.


    He...


    ...Needed to let go of his past.


    His one true obsession.


    And so he did.


    "Eat up. It''s dry, but it''s good."


    Staring at his younger self taking the cookie, Kaelion felt his shoulder lighten up. Pressing his


    hand against the child''s head, he mumbled,


    "Things will get better."


    "Really?" Looking at the child, Kaelion smiled.


    "....Yes."


    Because...


    "Things may be painful now, but..."


    Kaelion let go of the child''s head and turned around.


    "...We''ll get through it. I know we will."


    Goodbye,


    My obsession.


    *


    Tak, Tak-


    The red dissipated and what reced it was a clean white world.


    Several figures appeared in the distance, all staring in his direction with different expressions.


    "Ah, well done. You were great. A bit slow but you were still great."


    "Yes, good. Quite good."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ".....


    Kaelion almost paused when he heard Julien''s and Caius''spliments. Were they really


    complimenting him?


    No, maybe not.


    "This is what this guy is trying to say, but..."


    "He''s shy."


    "You punks, stop it with that! Where in the world did you think I was ever going to say that?"


    Holding onto his face, the old man massaged his beard while mumbling, "There''s no way they


    saw through me. I even made sure to keep my expression in check.''


    With an all-knowing look, Julien looked at Kaelion.


    "See?"


    Caius looked at the old man and then Julien.


    "So obvious."


    "Right?"


    Julien held his mouth and Caius''s lips pulled up. The two were clearly struggling to keep


    themselves fromughing.


    Wait, what?


    Kaelion blinked his eyes while looking at Caius.


    He''s smiling?


    ''How? Didn''t he lose...?''


    No, before that.


    "Don''t their expressions look a bit too simr?"


    Was this a good or bad development?


    Kaelion thought it was good, but for some reason, something about the situation didn''t quite


    feelfortable to him. It was almost as if...


    ''No, there''s no way.''


    Kaelion shook his head and dismissed the thought.


    ''... There''s no way Caius will be corrupted by Julien.''


    Absolutely no way.


    "Keum."


    Bringing everyone out of their thoughts was the old man who coughed. When everyone turned


    to look at him, he stood with his back straight and hands behind his back. "You three idiots passing the test. You were quite slow, but I can ept such... speed."


    Caius and Julien looked at each other and nodded as if they had some sort of mutual understanding. The old man picked up on their exchange and his mouth twitched, but he chose to ignore it.


    "Ehm... With this out of the way, you all should be able tosting a but longer. You won''t notice the changes now, but it''ll soon be reset. You can try seeing it for you."


    p-


    The white world shattered the moment the old man pped his hands, and Julien and the


    others found themselves back in the old room.


    Right on cue, a thread suddenly manifested from above,tching onto their bodies.


    This time, it was their right shoulder. Everyone''s expression changed, and so did Kaelion''s, but right as the thread connected to


    them, their minds remained surprisingly clear.


    "See?"


    Massaging his beard, the old man sat by the stool next to the piano.


    "...What did I tell you? Now that your minds are clear you will be able tot longer and... and...


    ehm, you will alo have a easier time breaking through to you next tier. Still, that''s not the


    most imporating thing."


    Opening the piano cover, the old man pressed his finger down.


    Dang~


    "Now that all you are minds are clear, we can start thinking about getting out of here."


    Deng-


    "Eh, this is not quite right."


    Scratching the side of his head, the old man started mumbling to himself, ''How did it go


    again? Why do I keep forgetting this part?'' Staring at him, the three looked at each other.


    There was a clear glint in their eyes. After all, they were about to get out soon. How could they not be excited?


    Dong~


    "Err..."


    But...


    Dung-


    "This sounds better."


    Was the old man really reliable?


    "Oh, right."


    Pausing, the old man looked at all three of them.


    "I''m not actually old. Em twenty-eight."


    || ||


    "....


    "....Wow, no way."

 Chapter 500: The puppets [1]

    Chapter 500: The puppets [1]


    ?


    Dang~


    Da Da Da-


    Dang-Da Da-!


    A lively tune yed in the air.


    The note flowed smoothly through the air as two thick fingers gracefully pressed the piano keys.


    Dang-Da Da-!


    It was a simple tune, and yet... it yed wonderfully in the air.


    The tune continued to y for several more minutes before finallying to a stop.


    "Good, you''ve improved quite a lot."


    "Ah, master."


    Scratching the back of his head, the young child looked down embarrassingly.


    "You weren''t able to y the tune in the past but look at you now. You''re bing smarter and smarter by the day. How about it? Do you feel the changes?"


    "...I do."


    The child replied, his voice sounding a little deeper than it had been in the past.


    A couple of years had passed since the day he had been brought into the room and trained with his master. He was now thirteen and his body had undergone several changes. He was bigger than he was in the past, his framerger and his muscles bulkier.


    "This is all thanks to master.''


    The child''s thoughts were now clearer than before.


    He could speak fluently, and he absorbed all information like a sponge.


    And all of it was due to the miraculous drug his master had fed him. Without his master, he''d be nothing.


    "Tell me what the changes are. How strong are you now?"


    "...I''m not sure, but I am on the verge of developing a domain."


    "A domain by the age of fourteen? Not bad, not bad at all."


    The child, who was now a teenager smiled happily.


    "I''ve done my best."


    "You''ve far exceeded my expectations. I think it''s almost time for you to go out." "Out?"


    A look of excitement shed in the teen''s eyes.


    For the past few years, he had been stuck within the room, training and learning every single day. A day hadn''t gone by where he didn''t think about the outside world, the ce where he came from.


    He wanted to see grey skies outside.


    He wanted to feel the cold once more.


    ...And most importantly, he wanted to breathe in the fresh air of the outside world.


    "With your newfound powers, you''ll soon be facing more responsibilities, my child. It won''t all be sunshine and rainbows."


    "It won''t...?"


    "It won''t."


    The master shook his head, walking towards the teen who now stood taller than him.


    He pressed his hand against the top of his head.


    "You''re still too naive, but with your newfound intelligence, I know you''ll see through what you couldn''t see through in the past. It''s only then that you''ll take over."


    "Eh?"


    The master smiled.


    "...The day won''t be far when you be the next head of the House of Astrid."


    *


    "So the energy is about to run out of the box and it won''t be long before the puppets start to


    attack this ce too."


    "...That''s... correct."


    The old man nodded his head while fiddling with the box in his hands.


    "How long do you think the box has?"


    "A day... maybe two?"


    "What?"


    I covered my forehead, feeling a headacheing.


    "...If that''s the case what was the point in making us go through everything that we went through?"


    Sure, we were now more resistant to the threads, but what did that even matter? I was sure we''d be able tost a couple of days.


    "You wouldn''tst that long."


    "Uh?"


    "...The mental deterioration that... with each thread multiplies with each string on body. Your mind... it will be very foggy."


    "Okay."


    But I still felt like we''d be fine.


    Staring at the old man who seemed to have aged even further, a thought urred to me.


    ''Maybe, rather than ensuring that we''dst more, he did it because he can''tst very long.''


    He wanted to create hope.


    In case he wouldn''tst, he wanted for us tost.


    Perhaps, we were thest hope he had in solving this entire situation.


    ''Haha.''


    This old lunatic.


    ...He really was shy.''


    I looked around me and saw Kaelion and Caius show simr understanding looks. The old man paused and frowned before he clicked his tongue.


    "Three idiots, you are three idiots."


    Crossing his arms, the old man sat down on the ground with his legs crossed before sighing.


    "Was I hoping for too much? Why did I getting idiots like them in myst moments? Should I


    just giving up all hope?"


    With a resigned look, he pursed his lips.


    "...I should give up."


    I shook my head at the sight of him.


    So not only was he a lunatic and a shy person, but he was also a drama queen. The more I got


    to know the old man, the more entric he appeared.


    In any case,


    "What should do now?"


    "Mhm?"


    "...You said that you had an idea about the mastermind. Since we only have a couple of days left until the box runs out, shouldn''t we try to figure out how to find the mastermind or


    escape this ce?"


    "Ah, right."


    Stroking his beard thoughtfully, the old man opened his mouth as if to speak, but then


    hesitated. His eyes seemed to search the air for the right words, before closing his mouth


    again in silence.


    Looking up at us, he licked his lips and closed his mouth again.


    "No, it''s not time yet."


    "What? What do-"


    Tap, tap.


    Tapping onto the ground beside his, he closed his eyes.


    "Rest for now. I''ll let you know when it''s time."


    From that moment forward, he stopped speaking.


    I tried to say something to him, but...


    "Uarrkh¨D!"


    His loud snores drowned out my voice.


    Left with no choice, I could only sit down on the ground and rest.


    What else could I do?


    *


    When one bes smarter, the world bes different in one''s eyes.


    Everything suddenly looks more clear, and they start to pick up the underlying things they


    previously couldn''t in the past.


    "Hey, isn''t that...?"


    "Oh my god, it''s that guy. I thought he had died."


    "He''s that retard."


    People he once used to think of as nice people suddenly didn''t feel so nice anymore.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    From their words, facial expressions, and actions.


    It all suddenly became clear.


    ''... They were making fun of me.''


    But why?


    Why would they make fun of someone for being a little stupid?


    What was wrong with being a little stupid?


    "How are you doing? I thought you had died. Did you get better at cleaning? Is that where you lef-"


    "Is it fun?"


    "Uh?"


    "...Is it fun tough at those unable to think properly? Attacking someone for what theyck is


    the lowest disy of power one can have."


    A stupid person was still a person.


    And there was no greater disability than the inability to see a person for what they were truly


    worth.


    "What sort of non-"


    "I''m no longer the same as I was in the past. I can see through your words, expressions, and meanings. I am smarter than you will ever be, and the same is true for my power."


    Words flowed out of the teen''s mouth.


    The more fluently he spoke, the


    shocked the people became.


    It was a memory the teen deeply imprinted in his mind as this marked the day he changed.


    The day people learned to value him not as a stupid person, but as a smart one. "You have nothing that I want, and I have everything that you would want. I want you to keep


    watching me. Watch as I climb a spot you''ll never reach. Watch as someone you once made fun


    of bes the very thing you wished to be."


    With such words, he left.


    ...And he stayed truthful to his words.


    With the aid of his master''s pill, he was able to rise up in power very rapidly. He became


    stronger by the day, and smarter at the same time.


    He became so smart that everyone around him looked stupid.


    ''I can see it now.''


    That was also when he understood.


    ''...I can see why people used to make fun of me.''


    He didn''t know when, but he had also started tough at them like they once started tough


    at him. But that wasn''t the thing that hurt the most.


    The thing that hurt the most was the fact that he also found himselfughing at how he used


    to be.


    That hurt.


    It hurt so much.


    With brains, he started to learn of other emotions.


    He learned of arrogance, and his previous naivety dissipated. All sorts of intrusive thoughts


    entered his mind, leading to endless obsessions.


    He tried to get rid of them, but the smarter one was the more obsessed they became.


    Suddenly, he felt trapped within his own mind.


    ''I''m slowly falling apart and losing sight of what makes me... me, and it scares me. I don''t want to not


    be me.''


    It almost felt like he was looking at life through a window.


    Still, he found a way to clear his mind once more.


    He saw a light within the dark tunnel of his.


    ''...It''s close, I can feel it.''


    The tunnel to the next tier.


    The fabled Zenith.


    So long as he could cross that level, he could be free.


    If only...


    "I... don''t have much time to live." Things always happened unexpectedly.


    "I am so happy with what... you became."


    His master.


    "You''ve exceeded all my previous hopes, and I hope you''ll lead the House into an era of


    prosperity..."


    The one man who had nurtured him into what he was, died at the age of sixty-seven.


    From that point forward, he became the Head of the House of Astrid.


    That day...


    His prison sentence extended.


    *


    "Wake up¡ª"A low voice shook me out of my dreams. When my eyes opened, a long thick


    beard appeared right above me and I almost had a heart attack.


    I was just about toin when a hand pressed against my mouth.


    "Keep your voices down."


    Looking up, I saw the old man staring up with an extremely serious expression.


    My heart sank then.


    ''What is happening?''


    When I looked around, I saw Kaelion and Caius stare in the same direction as the old man with


    simr expressions to his.


    For them to act like this...


    "...It''s almost time. Get yourself ready. It''ll soon be time for you three to leave this ce."


    Before I had the chance to speak, the old man spoke over me.


    "I... don''t have much time left."


    His voice shook, but it was clear.


    "...It''ll be over once it gets me, but... this is also the best time for you to solve this."


    He lowered his head to look at me.


    "With all its energy focused on me, the puppets will not be very reacting. Free them and let


    them and bring them out of this ce."


    My eyes widened in realization.


    This guy...


    "But you- "


    "It''s okay."


    The old man smiled.


    "...I am the Head of the Household. It is my job to make sure everyone is free, even if it costs


    em life. Em have been prepared all along. I just didn''t have the people to help me. Who


    would''ve thought three idiots would showing up all of a s.. sudden?"


    He chuckled and looked at the three of us individually.


    "Em is happy to have met you all."


    For a moment, his image ovepped with that of the child in the first vision.


    He...


    "...If one needs to be stuck, let it be me."


    ...Never knew who the mastermind was.


    He had been lying the entire time.


    From the start, he nned on sacrificing himself.


    He waited until the veryst moment when all focus was on him to get us to free everyone and


    leave this ce.


    From the very first moment, he saw no hope in himself.


    He pushed his hand forward.


    Bang-


    The door sted open, and I felt a powerful force push me up.


    "Go."


    "Ukh...!"


    In thest moments, I turned around to see the old man smiling. Right then, several dozen threads manifested from above, alltching onto his body.


    Thest thing I heard before getting pushed all the way up was his frail, yet proud voice. "Free... them all, idiots."

 Chapter 501: The puppets [2]

    Chapter 501: The puppets [2]


    ?


    "Huep-!"


    My body jerked upwards and before I knew it, I was all the way up the staircase that we hade from before.


    nk-!


    Without waiting for me to react, the trapdoor closed right after.


    "What happened...?"


    With Caius and Kaelion staring in the direction of the trapdoor, I closed my eyes and pursed my lips.


    "He''s been lying to us the entire time."


    I thought back to all the moments and subtle hints that were there.


    "He never knew where the mastermind was. He only just said that to keep us with him for the short period of time he had left. For someone as powerful as him, I''m sure the mastermind will have to focus all of its attention on him. He probably bet on that moment to let us go so that we can free everyone while the connection is weakened."


    That darned old man.


    ''And I thought you hated liars. You even killed me for it.''


    Yet, here you were, lying straight to our faces.


    You darned lunatic.


    ''Still, do you really think we''re just going to do things the way you wanted us to?''


    Like he said.


    We were idiots.


    Three idiots.


    Cra Crack-!


    A sharp cracking sound jolted me out of my thoughts. I turned my head to see several figures


    in the distance, all moving toward us with their characteristic stiff, uncoordinated gait. "They''re here."


    I felt my expression stiffen at their sight.


    I recalled the nightmarish experience from before, and almost felt my heart sink. Especially when several dozen appeared right behind the first two.


    However,


    "Stop."


    With a simplemand from Caius''s voice, the puppets stopped.


    His expression faltered slightly at the sight as he looked at the scene in front of him.


    "My control seems to have gotten significantly better."


    I was surprised by his words.


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