“All of you can return to your posts.
“Neo Hargraves, come with me,” Charlotte said.
She summoned her phoenix.
Neo climbed on its back with her.
The beast’s body, despite being covered in flames, was not burning Neo.
It was warm.
They reached the mansion of top of clouds and entered the study room.
The principal called the puppet maids.
“Prepare tea for us.”
“Understood.”
The puppet with silver eyes brought them tea.
Neo drank it quietly.
“Let’s settle the important topic first.
“How much time do you have left?” Charlotte asked.
“A few minutes at best.”
Neo raised his palm.
Sparks of condensed red lightning flickered around his body.
Although dead, the Death could not embrace him.
He was manifesting the Death, which came for him, outwardly and stopping it from pulling him into the Underworld.
Charlotte opened her mouth.
“The life-element and holy-element can’t heal you since you are technically dead.
“The elixirs won’t work either.
“We’d need to reverse time of your physical body and return it to the state before it died. Only then can we heal you.”
“What are you trying to say principal?”
“I can recommend a healer with time-element to heal you.
“But what do I get in return?” Charlotte asked as she sipped the tea.
“I’m sure it’s Academy’s job to provide healers to the students who’ve returned from S-rank mission?”
“It is. But what can you do if I refuse?”
Neo smiled as he heard her.
He could see where Elizabeth had gotten her habits from.
“What do I need to pay to be healed?”
“Don’t leak the news about what happened inside the Window.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you mean, principal.
“Is it possible that you saw something unethical and now you are trying to bury the news?”
Her expression worsened.
Neo knew exactly what she wanted and he was trying to act oblivious.
“Lucas’ attack. I want you to keep quiet about it.”
“Oh, you mean how he backstabbed me?”
Neo faked a sad expression.
“I must say, I was quiet scared back then.
“Do you know how I felt when the heir of Zeus Clan tried to kill me?”
Charlotte’s eyebrow gave a slight twitch.
She had seen how Neo’s forced Lucas to run away with tail between his legs.
Scared?
It was like saying a lion was afraid of a hyena.
It was impossible.
‘He knows he has the upper hand in the negotiations,’ Charlotte thought.
If Neo was a normal demigod, she could’ve threatened him.
Unfortunately, he was the little brother of Henry Hargraves, and it seemed her disciple fancied him.
Charlotte could not let him die.
Or else, there would be consequences.
Neo understood this.
A sigh escaped Charlotte’s lips.
“I’ll be upfront.
“If you reveal Lucas’ betrayal, the Academy will be forced to take strict action against Lucas.
“The Zeus Clan won’t take it lying down.
“At best, they’ll crush Hargraves Corporation to take revenge.
“At worst they’ll declare the Academy as their enemy and demand us to spare Lucas in order to stop a war from breaking out.
“There will be enormous damage to both sides.
“But we can avoid that if you keep your mouth shut,” Charlotte said.
‘I doubt a war will happen,’ Neo thought.
The Zeus Clan did not put too much importance on Lucas even though he was the heir.
There was a slight chance the Zeus Clan would protect Lucas to save their image.
However, it did not matter.
Henry would protect Neo.
Knowing how strong Henry actually was, Neo was not worried about any God Clan.
Besides, there was a high chance Elizabeth would take his side too.
“What if I refuse your offer, principal?
“I’m Immortal. I can just revive after I die.”
“So you won’t accept the deal—”
“Oh, I will. But I want to change the terms of the negotiations.”
Charlotte went quiet after hearing his words.
Neo smiled when he saw her confused expression.
He did not want the academy to punish Lucas.
He did not want to kill Lucas either.
After dying multiple times, Neo realized death was not scary to everyone.
Living, even though the times were difficult, was more painful to some people.
Lucas was one of those people.
Neo would turn Lucas’ life living hell.
He would take his revenge with his own hands and not through someone else’s help.
He would make sure Lucas regretted making an enemy out of him.
“If you don’t want to be healed, then what do you want?”
“Give me the corpses of those who died in the mission.”
Charlotte’s face stiffened.
Each student that died had a high-profile background.
Especially Leonora. She was once in a century genius. The Poseidon Clan had high expectations of her.
The families’ of the deceased had demanded the corpse of their children.
“It is nearly impossible to deny the families since they already know the corpses of their kids were brought back.”
“That’s not my problem, is it?
“You fulfill your side of the deal, and I’ll fulfill mine.”
Charlotte’s brows creased.
She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
In the end, she chose the lesser evil.
“Fine. I’ll do as you want.
“But I need to know why you want the corpses.”
A heavy pressure hit Neo.
Charlotte spoke in a chilling voice.
“I’ll kill you with my own hands if you are planning to devourer those corpses.”
“I won’t do that.”
“Then what is it?”
“….”
“Necromancy?”
“…”
Charlotte believed she was right when Neo did not object.
Neo, on the other hand, let her misunderstand his intentions.
He had no plan to reveal the existence of the resurrection ritual.
“Since we’ve decided to go ahead with the deal, please let Nathan keep the corpses for now.
“I will take them from him.”
Neo stood up.
“I’ll be taking my leave.”
“Wait, take this.” Charlotte threw a badge towards him. “Go to professor Daniel in mediation hall and get yourself healed.”
Neo nodded.
He was about to leave when Charlotte spoke again.
“And keep our conversation secret. Especially from Eliz.”
“Understood.”
“Send him away,” Charlotte spoke to the maids.
A portal appeared beneath Neo.
He smiled just before he was teleported away.
“It was good doing business with you, principal.”
Charlotte frowned after hearing those words.
She had completed a successful deal with Neo. It was the truth.
However, Neo’s smile made her uneasy.
She felt as if she had somehow made a loss.