“Lady Liora… exactly how long are we supposed to stay here?” one of the professors inside the academy asked. He glanced toward the battlefield before adding, “We could step in and assist them. They seem to be struggling against the enemy. If we interfere now, we might be able to turn the tide in their favour.”
However, Liora shook her head without hesitation, “No,” she said firmly. “All he told me was to protect the children because the enemy’s main objective is to take them. Our job is to ensure that doesn’t happen, and that means staying right here.
As for them struggling… they are not. It may look that way to you, but that’s only because this is their first time fighting opponents stronger than them. Naturally, they will face setbacks, but that is how they grow. They need to experience this, to push past their limits and understand what it means to fight against someone superior.”
The other professors exchanged hesitant glances before eventually nodding in agreement.
Although they had always believed that only the Principal could be fully trusted, watching the chosen ones engage in battle gave them some reassurance that they could trust Liora.
Meanwhile, Liora clenched her teeth in frustration, her fingers tightening into fists.
She couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. Her own son—was being beaten so easily, as if he were nothing more than an insect.
He was fighting back, that much was clear, but it wasn’t enough. His movements were sharp, his strikes calculated, but he wasn’t at the same level as the others. Unlike them, he hadn’t reached the necessary threshold of power, and as a result, he was struggling to hold his ground.
“Tsk, if only that woman were here right now,” Liora scoffed under her breath, her annoyance flaring up. She was, of course, talking about Maelona—the woman who had, for some inexplicable reason, locked herself away in her room ever since they returned from the Wood Elf village.
Liora had tried to get her out. Aria had tried as well. They had called for her, banged on her door, and even attempted to force their way in—but Maelona remained adamant. She refused to come out.
“Tch. She must still be terrified from that day,” Liora muttered to herself while watching as Aria loosed an arrow, striking Alaric dead on.
Maelona had never been a fighter. That much was common knowledge. She rarely ever lifted a weapon, let alone participated in actual combat, even though she was the one who taught Aria…. And yet, on that day, something changed. She became unusually serious, stepping forward to fight for the first time… only for her courage to crumble in the face of a monster that nearly bit her.
Since then, she had shut herself away. Aria and Liora both suspected that the fear of that encounter had gotten to her, that the memory of being so close to death had rattled her deeply. Perhaps she was simply taking time to regain her composure.
To cool her nerves.
And yet, despite that explanation making sense, something about the situation still felt… off.
Liora narrowed her eyes. ‘Maybe I should inform Aether about this,’ she thought to herself.
Why Aether?
Because something was going on between him and Maelona.
Liora wasn’t the best at understanding emotions, but even she could see it. The way Maelona looked at Aether… it wasn’t the gaze of a mother looking at her son-in-law. No, it was something else entirely.
Something deeper~
‘This is going to be interesting,’ Liora mused, a small smirk curling at the edge of her lips.
Just then—
BOOOMMM!!
Something came hurtling through the air. Liora’s instincts kicked in immediately. With a swift, fluid movement, she jumped, twisting her body midair before delivering a powerful kick. The object was sent flying backwards.
She landed gracefully, her gaze snapping toward the professors, guards, and servants standing nearby. All of them were staring at her, wide-eyed, their faces frozen in a mixture of awe and disbelief.
“What?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“N-Nothing!” one of the guards stammered, looking away awkwardly.
Meanwhile, outside the academy—
“Fuckkk… he is really strong,” Thalia muttered under her breath, her teeth clenched as she locked hands with the massive hooded figure before her. They were locked in a struggle, pushing against each other, muscles straining as they wrestled to determine who was stronger in raw physical strength.
Aqualina, on the other hand, was darting around, trying to find an opening. Her blade danced through the air as she slashed at the creature’s body, yet not a single strike seemed to have any effect. No matter how deep she cut, the monster remained unfazed.
“Just what the hell is this thing made of?” she hissed through gritted teeth, frustration creeping into her voice as she continued her relentless assault.
“Hurry the hell up, woman!” Thalia growled, veins bulging along her arms as she fought to maintain her grip. A single thought kept repeating in her mind.
‘This thing… just what kind of monster is it…?’
She had always prided herself on her strength. She had faced countless enemies before, crushed them beneath her fists. And yet, no matter how much power she exerted, no matter how hard she pushed, she couldn’t move this creature even an inch.
And the worst part?
It hadn’t even started using its powers yet.
“Well, that will be amazing~” Thalia grinned, her eyes gleaming with excitement, as if she was enjoying the fight more than anything else.
Just then—
“AARRRRHHHHH!!!”
A piercing scream echoed through the battlefield.
Aqualina immediately halted her attacks, her body tensing. She turned back, eyes widening in shock as she saw Alaric standing there, gripping a wolf’s tail. The creature’s body was limp, its once-proud fur now soaked in blood, dripping onto the ground in slow, heavy droplets.
“LET HIM GO!!!” Aria’s voice rang out in pure fury as she leapt toward Alaric, an arrow already nocked and fired in his direction.
Alaric merely chuckled, a cold, twisted smile stretching across his face. “As you wish.”
With an effortless shrug, he tossed the wolf’s body directly into the path of Aria’s arrows.
Her eyes widened in horror.
Before anyone could react, the arrows—meant for Alaric—pierced through the wolf’s body instead.
The lifeless form hit the ground with a sickening thud.
Aria landed immediately, her breath shaky, her heart pounding. “Kaelen?” she called out, her voice laced with fear.
She rushed to his side, her hands trembling as she examined his body. A slight wave of relief washed over her when she saw that the arrows hadn’t struck any critical points. Swiftly, she pulled them out, discarding them to the side.
The wolf’s body began to shift, its form twisting and morphing back into that of a human.
Kaelen lay there, his body wounded, his skin smeared with dirt and blood.
“Are you alright, Kaelen?” Aria murmured softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She gently nudged him, her fingers brushing against his cheek. Her gaze flickered to Alaric, wary of another attack—yet he made no move. Instead, he merely stood there, watching them with nothing but disdain and disappointment in his eyes.
“Cough… Cough…” Kaelen weakly gasped, blood spilling from his lips as he slowly forced his eyes open.
“You are the most pathetic Chosen One I have ever seen in my life,” Alaric spoke, his voice devoid of emotion, cold and detached.
Alaric’s expression remained blank as he tilted his head slightly. “Why did Arcane even choose you?” His voice held nothing—no anger, no mockery, just a simple, empty statement as he watched Kaelen’s broken form tremble.
Kaelen’s vision blurred. His head throbbed, his chest ached, and his body felt unbearably heavy. He could barely process Alaric’s words, but the meaning behind them cut deep.
Pathetic?
Was that what he was?
He clenched his fists, his fingers curling weakly against the ground. If only he had more power… If only he had been stronger… He could have taken Alaric down with ease. And yet—
Yet he was helpless.
“How dare you call him pathetic!”
Suddenly, a cold, emotionless voice rang out.
Everyone flinched.
Aria stood up, her posture unnervingly calm, her expression void of emotion. With gentle care, she placed Kaelen down on the ground before rising to her full height.
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes glinting with something dark, “Pathetic? Him?” she repeated, her voice low and controlled. “A boy who is doing everything he can to meet everyone’s expectations… is pathetic?”
She took a step forward, and the air around her shifted.
“No matter who mocks him. No matter how many people laugh at him. No matter how much pain his own mother put him through… he still pushes forward. He doesn’t stop. He never gives up.” Her voice hardened, venom lacing every word,
“He is fighting. He is doing everything he has. And yet you dare to call him pathetic, Alaric?”
Alaric grinned. “Well, well… Here comes the infamous Slut Chosen One,” he sneered. “The woman fucking around with a mere servant. Tell me, how is it? Is it good, slut? Selling your body like that?”
As he lifted his hand, the air around him turned. He was no longer just standing there—he was exerting his power, controlling the very air itself.
But Aria…
Aria only grinned.
“Oh dear, if only he knew you spoke those words,” she murmured darkly, her tone dripping with amusement. “He would kill you before I even had the chance to lay a hand on you.”
Then, her expression turned smirk.
“I cannot afford to let that happen now, can I?”
Her eyes burned with an unsettling intensity.
“Your death belongs to me.”
