"Privateo!"

  Professor Redwood's voice echoed as he tapped his e against the ground. Shadows surged forth, crawling over the windows and door, sealing us in.

  Ah… an advanced spell for noise celtion.

  I immediately eled my mana, ready to activate my Lazarus Bde, but as my eyes locked onto him, I sensed no bloodlust—only .

  "In a day's time, during the Polemos, they will rig everything against you," Redwood spoke.

  I narrowed my gaze.

  "You’ve done well—sying that temple protector aroying that svery wing."

  He knows? A cold realizatioled in. He knows I killed his son… but how?!

  I had ensured Marcus’s death was untraceable. The moment he died, I had se myself—

  "I don’t bme you, Reaper, for killing my son," Redwood tinued, his voice steady. "Like his mother, he took over a family business I refused to i."

  I remained silent, studying him, searg for deception. His heartbeat, the rhythm of his blinks—everything was steady, posed. But if my past life had taught me anything, it was that even the smallest habits could expose everything in an exge of words.

  "And what makes you believe I’m the Reaper?" I asked. "Why waste time telling me about 'them' rigging the Polemos?"

  Redwood exhaled, his grip on his e tightening.

  "After trag my son through my shadows, I found an underground sve ring," he said. "The sves were freed, and in the ter of it all, I found my son’s corpse. Nearby, I discovered traces of blood—yours."

  I stiffened but kept my expressioral. Blood?

  "From that, you simply pared the magicules in the blood to those everyone submitted when enrolling here, didn’t you?" I said, watg him carefully.

  Redwood smirked slightly. "You’re more ing than you let on, Mr. Ashford."

  I scoffed. "So what do they have pnned?"

  "They will be using magihang potions against your party," he revealed.

  I frowned. "And?"

  "I have pulled some strings. You and your party will be peting in a five-man team."

  "Five-man team?" I echoed. "Alex old me about this."

  "That’s because the Kily ged the format," Redwood expined. "And I have personally arranged for Princess a to be on your team."

  "What?" My voice was sharp. Purely politics, huh?

  "And where do you stand in all this?" I asked.

  "I stand for her side," he replied. "But know this, Mr. Ashford—I am your ally. Wheime es, I will aid you."

  He nodded solemnly before tinuing.

  "I seek her revenge nor hatred for my son’s death. But I do grieve, as any parent would." He paused. "And as a parent, I must tell you this—your father, Irwin Ashford, is near Academy City. He seeks an audieh Prince Lucas."

  Father?

  "Sides are shifting, Ryn," Redwood said. "Which side will you be on?"

  I smirked. "I make my own side."

  With a fliy hand, I unleashed a slice of purple magic, dispelling the shadows blog the exit—only to find that we were no longer ihe .

  We stood atop the academy’s rooftop.

  I narrowed my eyes. "You used transfiguration magic earlier, didn’t you? I assume our little versation was being interrupted."

  Redwood let out a knowing sigh. "Indeed. Lucas has caught onto our versation."

  I gnced back at him before letting out a smirk. Elnora and Lilli stood nearby, watg Redwood cautiously.

  Without another word, I enveloped us in my purple aura, mimig Elnora’s teleportation spell—whisking us away toward Evastor’s office.

  As we teleported away, I could smell a sensation.

  I could se. Bloodlust.

  Professor Redwood stood still in the fading light of our teleportation, whispering to himself, "I will protect him, Talia."

  Before I could process those words, the world blurred, and we nded inside Evastor’s office.

  Books filled the space, some stacked haphazardly on tables, others floating mid-air as golden inscriptions glowed along their spines. In the ter of it all, Alex stood, flipping through an a grimoire.

  "A-ALEX!" Lilli’s voice rang out. She rushed forward, her expression torted with worry. "Where have you been the past day?!"

  Elnora joined in, arms crossed, her voice sharper. "You vanished without a word. Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

  Alex let out a tired sigh a down the book. His white dress shirt was tattered, his tie missing, blood staining the fabric. Dark circles framed his weary eyes.

  I frowned. "You look like absolute crap."

  Elnora’s eyes widened. "A-Are you bleeding?" She yelped, already summoning healing magi her palm.

  Alex raised a weak hand. "N-No need."

  But before he could protest further, Lilli lunged forward.

  She grabbed his shirt, quickly unbuttoning it in a panic, sing his chest for wounds. Her firembled as she ied him.

  Nothing.

  No cuts. No bruises.

  Her expression darkened.

  Then, without warning—SLAP.

  The sharp sound echoed through the office.

  Alex barely flinched, his face frozen in shock.

  Drip. Drip. Drip.

  Tears fell onto his chest.

  "H-How dare you make me worry!" Lilli sobbed, her fists trembling. "You—You... AGH! You dummy!"

  She pounded his chest weakly, her body shaking with quiet cries. Then, without another word, she turned and bolted from the room.

  "Lilli, no—Lilli!" Alex called, raising his hand after her, but she was already gone.

  Elnora immediately ran after her, her voice fading into the hallway. "Lilli! Wait!"

  Siletled between us.

  I gnced down at Alex, who remained sitting there, staring at the doorway she had vahrough.

  I sighed, crossing my arms. "Man... you really did it now, didn’t you?"

  Alex shook his head, gripping his hair in frustration.

  "I spent all day searg for Evastoing to different domains throughout Idelia—but I couldn't find him anywhere!" His voice wavered with exhaustion. "S-So I thought maybe I could get an answer from his receptionist, but she knew nothing. Then I figured maybe... just maybe, his books would help.

  He ched his fists.

  "And they led me nowhere!

  With a sharp exhale, he smmed his fist into the ground. "Dang you, Evastor!" he growled.

  I crouched beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're worried, Alex. But he'll return soon."

  Alex sighed, looking up at me. My reassurance seemed to calm him—at least a little. "I hope so. Two great dragons fighting… one of them could die."

  Before the weight of his words could settle, Alex ged the subject.

  "My little birds have picked up something."

  A pink bird fluttered into his palm, chirping softly.

  "It says that Polemos has expao parties of five," he tinued, his tone serious. "And our fifth teammate has—"

  "Already been picked?" I interrupted, smirking. "And it's Princess a?"

  Alex blinked. "Y-Yes… How did you know?"

  I chuckled. "Let's just say I have a crow giviel now."

  His expression faltered. "A-And… your father… he’s ing."

  I stiffened. "To see Prince Lucas?"

  Alex hesitated before nodding. "Well, yes… but also to see you, Ryn."

  The moment those words left his lips, old memories fshed in my mind—the beatings, the rage, the cold indiffereny past life’s father.

  I shook the thoughts away.

  "Well," I said, f a smile, "I’ll handle him."

  A sinister gri onto my face before I masked it away.

  Alex let out a sigh and stood up, dusting himself off. "I should probably go apologize to Lilli a ed up." He started jogging past me, but I grabbed his wrist.

  "What about a double date with the girls?" I suggested.

  He bli me. "T-That’s actually… a good idea, Ryn. Wow."

  I smirked and released his wrist, and the two of us ran after the girls.

  As Alex went to apologize to Lilli in her room, Elnora stepped out, closing the door behind her.

  I flicked her forehead pyfully.

  "OWH! What was that for?" she ughed, rubbing the spot.

  I grinned. "What? ’t I pi you a little?"

  She huffed, flig her fioward me ialiation.

  "Ow! That actually hurt!" I chuckled, flig her forehead back.

  She gasped. "Oh, it’s on now!"

  We exged pyful flicks, both of us ughing, until I suddenly grabbed her hand.

  The air shifted.

  Our eyes locked.

  "H-How about you and me go on a double date with Alex and Lilli?" I asked, my voice softer now.

  Elnora’s face turned bright red. She stuttered, her words lost—

  CRASH!

  From ihe room, Lilli’s voice rang out:

  "YES! I'LL GET READY RIGHT NOW!"

  Elnora and I whipped the door open, only to find Lilli on top of Alex, her tail waggiedly.

  We burst out ughing.

  As I turned back to Elnora, she tucked a strand of hair behind her elven ear.

  "So… that’s a yes?" I asked.

  She gave a shy nod.

  With that, Alex and I left the room to get dressed for our date.

  Chapter: Arc 2 – 27. Dragons Revenge