“Are you ready to set out?” Daniel asked, turning to Nina.
“Of course! I’ve already packed everything,” Nina replied confidently.
“And with so many people, how are you planning to take them all?” Daniel asked.
“Leave it to Whitey,” Nina said with a grin. “Headmaster, you wouldn’t believe it—Whitey’s power has grown tremendously over the past few years. Carrying a few hundred people? Piece of cake.”
Daniel smiled but said nothing.
Meanwhile, Snow Eagle, standing nearby, seemed a little sullen.
Sure, everything Nina said was true.
Over the years, following Nina, Snow Eagle’s power had grown considerably. With the help of liquid mana drops and the high-end magical beast dishes prepared by Sif, not improving its strength would have been nearly impossible.
Carrying a few hundred people would indeed be easy.
But being treated like a glorified carriage? That was still a bit upsetting.
“Well, since you’ve got it all arranged, let’s get going,” Daniel said.
Snow Eagle transformed into its spell beast form, and members of the Coven climbed onto its back. Meanwhile, Daniel boarded a ship crafted from the Tree of Origin, accompanied by Nina, Ryze, and a few others. Slowly, they set sail.
…
In De’an City, a man wrapped in layers of clothing tried to blend into the crowd, attempting to leave unnoticed.
At the city gate, in addition to the usual guards, several mages stood watch. Each bore an identical insignia—the mark of the Death Legion.
The man kept his head down, moving among ordinary travelers. To his surprise, he managed to slip past the gate without issue.
Once he was clear of the city, he discarded his coverings and let out a deep sigh of relief. Finally, he had escaped.
“Going somewhere?” a voice suddenly asked from behind him.
Startled, the man spun around, recognizing the figure behind him: Rose, the head of the Death Legion.
“Who are you? I don’t know you!” he stammered.
“Don’t know me?” Rose said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“For weeks now, while I’ve been away from De’an City, someone has been spreading lies about us and attacking Death Legion members. That wouldn’t happen to be you, would it? Quite the effort, I must say. You even managed to hire some skilled mercenaries…”
Rose’s sharp gaze locked onto the man, her curiosity growing. She couldn’t fathom why he had targeted her organization.
A grudge? Perhaps. But if it was such a deep-seated hatred, why run away now?
His contradictory behavior puzzled her.
“Others may not know, but I do! Death Legion expanded from Riverside City, part of Crossbridge Academy’s influence!” the man spat.
Rose’s eyes narrowed. “You know about Crossbridge Academy?”
“Of course! I even know that the headmaster of Crossbridge Academy is a man named Daniel. He’s nothing but a…”
The man’s voice quivered with rage, but he stopped short of finishing his sentence.
“In short, he’s a greedy bastard! Everything I had—my businesses, my livelihood—was taken by him! You’re loyal to Crossbridge Academy now, but mark my words, you’ll end up just like me!”
The man’s fury stemmed from his experience with the Rhine Tavern, which he once managed under Crossbridge Academy’s jurisdiction. As Riverside City expanded, he had not only been excluded from profiting but was forced to relinquish many of his holdings. This led to his removal from managing the Rhine Tavern, fueling his hatred for Daniel and Crossbridge Academy.
Unable to confront the academy directly, he had turned his frustrations on the Death Legion, one of its affiliated organizations in De’an City.
Rose shook her head.
“You don’t believe me?” the man sneered.
“Fine! Just wait and see! One day, you’ll fall just like…”
Before he could finish, Rose silenced him with a cold, deadly glare. His eyes widened in terror as he felt the overwhelming weight of destruction in her gaze.
To Rose, this man was little more than a deranged fool.
Her father? Behaving like this?
Unthinkable. Even if someone offered him endless mana stones, he wouldn’t stoop so low.
Perhaps… it was time to return and see for herself.
Her father should have returned to Riverside City by now.
She had kept the promises she made to him all those years ago.
These cities now belonged to the Death Legion.
Still, she couldn’t help but wonder how everyone else was faring.
…
Back in Riverside City, the changes were evident.
Before Daniel had left, he had outlined plans for the city’s expansion, designating a vast area for development. Over the years, this space had been gradually filled by incoming residents.
On this day, nearly every household had placed jars and basins outside in their courtyards, as if participating in a sacred ritual.
As the bells of Crossbridge Academy rang, people gathered with their families in their courtyards, gazing eagerly at the sky.
It was time for the Holy Rain, an event that occurred once every three months.
Bathing in the rain was believed to enhance physical health and strengthen the body.
For those without magical talent, the rain brought a fleeting warmth to their bodies, leaving them stronger. For those who could wield magic, the rain provided a tangible boost to their mana reserves.
This unique phenomenon was orchestrated by Crossbridge Academy, contributing to Riverside City’s growing population and the influx of people from surrounding areas.
…
In a lakeside pavilion, Green watched the raindrops ripple across the water’s surface. Fish swam to the surface, drawn by the rain.
Over the years, Green had gradually taken over the management of Crossbridge Academy. Isolde and Rowan had also excelled in their respective roles, making significant contributions.
“Acting Headmaster Green! There you are…”
A young girl approached.
Green turned. “What’s the matter?”
“Rowan sent me to find you. This year’s three ’lucky ones’ have arrived at the academy.”
Green nodded. Each year, as part of a plan Daniel had devised, three rare spirits would randomly bond with three young individuals of the right age, improving their constitutions.
Every five years, however, a spirit capable of enhancing magical talent would appear.
“This year is one of those special years,” the girl continued. “Rowan wants to know if we should intervene. When the talent-enhancing spirits appear, things always get chaotic. Should Crossbridge Academy step in?”
Green paused, remembering Daniel’s instructions.
“This is Daniel’s design. We should follow his guidance. However, keep things within a controllable scope.”
“You mean we shouldn’t interfere with normal competition, but we must stop any foul play, right?” the girl asked.
“Exactly. These spirits exist to foster new talent for Riverside City and Crossbridge Academy, not to provoke unnecessary bloodshed,” Green explained.
He hesitated, then added, “It’s already been five years… Maybe the headmaster will return soon. I don’t want him to come back to chaos.”
The girl smiled. “Maybe he’ll be so impressed with your work that he’ll remove the ’acting’ from your title and make you the official headmaster!”
“That won’t happen,” Green said firmly. “That position belongs to him alone.”
Green knew how much effort his uncle Daniel had poured into transforming Crossbridge Academy into what it was today—a sanctuary admired by many.
Riverside City had grown into a small kingdom of its own, spanning thousands of miles.
All of this was thanks to Daniel.
Green saw himself not as the head of the household, but as its caretaker, waiting for the family to return.
He wondered how Rose and the others were faring.
And as for Nora…
Crossbridge Academy now rivaled even Karea Academy.
Surely, it was a place worth returning to.