《The Devil WithInn》 Chapter 1 Reincarnation, They Said. 1 Warning: This whole book consists of swearing. Like, A LOT of swearing, and mild gore and violence as well. If these bother you in any way, please stop reading... T_T ========================================== Early morning in Akihabara, Japan In the middle of the busy streets, multiple heads were turned as the crowd''s attention was caught by an enchanting goddess. This goddess'' features were very eye-catching to male and females alike. Her white ivory skin looked so pure and unblemished like it never met any problem or hardship. Her long black hair was silky and reached down until her hips, making her look immortally youthful and yet delicately pretty like an elf. She had long slim legs and they were perfectly complemented by her favorite tattered denim shorts. And these shorts was partnered with a loose plain black shirt that hangs at the ends of her shoulders making her look more ethereal and her skin brighter than usual. Her delicate collar bones that were peeking through the shirt added to her appeal and making her look innocent, yet seductive at the same time. Like her body, her facial features were also delicate, and innocent, enough to make strangers subconsciously want to protect her. She had cute round green eyes that looked bright and pure which completed her ''innocent and delicate'' look. And it was enhanced more with her near perfect oval face and her pinkish red lips that looked plump and soft. But it seems like the reason why the crowd''s attention was centered towards her was not because of her skin, body, nor looks. Instead, it was because of her lips. Because they were all trying very hard to register the words coming out of those very lips. "---fucking sons of demons! You fucking think this is some kind of bloody joke?! FUCK YOU! FUCK THIS!WHAT THE FUCKING HECK DID YOU WANT ME TO DO?! CRAZY ASS BASTARDS! YOU ALL KNOW I''M SHITTY IN DIRECTIONS! WHY THE HECK DID YOU DO THIS SHIT TO ME?! YOU THINK THIS IS FUCKING HILARIOUS, HUH?! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW FRIGGING PISSED I AM RIGHT NOW! AND WHAT?! YOU WANT ME TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOU WHILE I''M HERE?! ARE YOU BLOODY SERIOUS IN ASKING ME THAT?! HUH?!" There was a short pause before the goddess broke into a laugh of disbelief. "THIS FUCKER IS ACTUALLY ASKING ME TO DO SOMETHING! TELL YOU WHAT, ILL DO IT! I''LL FUCKING DO IT IF YOU RIP OFF YOUR DICK AND INSERT IT INTO YOUR GAPING ASSHOLE! YOU ACTUALLY THINK YOU CAN ORDER ME AROUND?!" There was another short pause as the streets suddenly became quiet, trying to register what the ''pure and innocent'' looking goddess just said. Everyone''s reaction was, "..." "HOLY MOTHER FUCKING SHIT! NOW I GET IT! YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES PLANNED ALL THIS SHIT, DIDN''T YOU?! DIDN''T YOU?!!" Another pause happened and the crowd was still stunned. This time, Inna was now walking in circles and screaming in the middle of an event in Akihabara. Because of the ruckus she''s making, more people can''t help but look her way too. "SO IT WAS YOU, BOB? WHAT THE FUCK BOB? YOU FUCKING PLANNED THIS SHIT FOR A MANGA? WHAT THE FUCK MAN? I TOLD YOU I''M NOT BUYING ANY SHIT FOR YOU ANYMORE! LAST TIME, I BOUGHT HE**** MAGAZINES FOR YOU BECAUSE I FUCKING FELT SORRY FOR YOUR VIRGIN PIECE OF ASS! SO MUCH AWKWARDNESS I ENDURED FOR YOU BRO AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME, YOU TWAT? TRICKING ME TO BUY A MANGA? YOU CAN''T EVEN FUCKING READ JAPANESE, YOU DUMB FUCK! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH IT? MAKE IT INTO A COLORING BOOK?" She shouted again, feeling angrier with every second that passed by. But her shout only met with silence on the other end of the phone which angered her more. Fuck! This incident wouldn''t have happened if her friends didn''t know that she was in Japan! She just wanted to separate from her parents just for a day to buy from a famous boutique in Harajuku. But she didn''t know how to ride the trains and she didn''t know their stops as well. So she asked her friend who lived in Japan for years before. But knowing that man''s loose mouth, minutes later she soon regretted it. Chapter 2 Reincarnation, They Said. 2 Somehow, it got spread around in her group that she was in Japan. It would''ve been okay if her group was filled with normal sensible people who possessed a mature outlook in life, especially now that they are in college. But her group was filled with men. No, ''boys'' to be exact. It was filled with man-boys who started blasting the chat group with requests for hent**''s and f****lights. Suddenly, they started asking autographs for celebrity women as well. And Inna thought it was actually a sensible and normal request. It''s pretty normal for a fan to ask for autographs from foreign stars. So she decided to consider one of these requests. Until she searched the stars and knew their identities. They were stars, alright. Just not the kind of stars she needed to know about. They began flooding the chat group continuously that her phone buzzed every second. After dimming down the heated discussion in the chat, she looked through the window, only to realize that she totally missed her stop. In fact, she missed a lot of stops. "Shit." She cursed and looked at the previous messages sent by her friend. After scanning through the directions, she didn''t see any instructions on what to do when missing a stop. That was when she realized she fucked up. She had no idea what to do after a missed stop. She tried calling her friend and sending him messages for help but for some reason, his phone can''t be called and he didn''t reply. Maybe he turned it off out of fear of being chewed alive for tattling on me. So she just figured to get off the next stop. She''ll probably know what to do when she''s not in a moving train anymore. Better get off than go further away. But when she did, she regretted it. Because when she got off, she absolutely had no idea where she was. The station kind of looks deserted, save for the two grannies chatting loudly by the side. Sadly, she can''t understand nor read fluent Japanese, only bits and pieces. She tried reading the signs there but aside from knowing the station name, her head was blank. She tried asking the old people but they looked at her funny. She knew she was directionally challenged and it has been a proven fact in college. But at least, she knew that she can survive if she can ask around. But the people here are scary, especially the old ladies raising their eyebrows at her. She swallowed her fear, and tried again to ask, using body language and hand gestures to explain her situation. But after being stared at blankly, she was at her wits end. So, trying her luck, she decided to ask her friends for help. "Guys, help!!" "What''s wrong??" "You need help choosing mags?" "I recommend the mags with a young cover girl." "Eww, that''s your thing huh? I''m calling the cops!" "Pedo-alert! Pedo-alert!" ''It''s nice to see that at least one out of the fourteen people online in our chat group care about me.'' "Guys, help!! I''m fucking lost again!" "Didn''t you just get directions from Aki? Why''d you get lost?" Bingo, so he told this guy. "LOL. Stuart, you''re talking to the famous Inna Lovenhart who can''t find the bathroom even in her own house!" "THAT WAS ONE TIME." "Once, twice... doesn''t matter how many times. All that matters is that it happened. LOL." "GUYS, SERIOUSLY, I NEED HELP. I NEED TO GO TO HARAJUKU AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE I AM." "Chill, Nana. Missing stops is a normal thing. I''ve tried that last year when I was in Japan. You''re going to Harajuku right? Can you picture the station you''re at?" She did what Kevin asked and took a picture of the station name, then sent it. "Okay, I got it. I''ll send you the directions in a while." ================================================================ Now, for some reason, because of those ''directions'', she ended up in Akihabara. "I see. So Kevin and Bob were in it together. And Stuart was the one who leaked the info." She muttered to herself darkly. Those fucking minions better get themselves ready. After hearing that Inna was also silent, Bob tried testing the waters. He spoke slowly, his tone is like coaxing an unreasonable child. "Now, now, Nana. Breathe in, breathe out. I''m sorry for tricking you but just do this for me, please!" "Who knows, you might even find the anime event there fun! Please just get me this manga with the mangaka''s signature and I''ll make it up to you!" "I-I''ll¡­ I''ll treat you to fried chicken for a month!" He hastily added. "Bob, fried chicken isn''t enough to exchange for your life!" "Any food expenses I make, for the next month, you better shoulder it! Buffets included!" "Noooooo....." Bob groaned sadly. "Hmmmm? Do i hear complaining?" "No! I-it''s a deal!" He agreed with slight hesitation. "Name?" "Bob Leslie Jr., ma''am!" "Not you. The name of the fucking manga, you dumb fuck." After getting the manga''s title and the author''s name, Inna began weaving through the crowd, oblivious to the incredulous expressions of the people who heard her outburst. Going deeper towards the event, she received a pamphlet that showed the different sections of manga and entertainment shows based on genres. She decided to go to "Reincarnation", the genre Bob wanted, which was deep into the crowds of people. Nearing the center where the Reincarnation genre is, she heard a loud commotion. She looked around and saw that a huge crowd had formed towards one of the big stalls. She was really curious about it since people seemed to go crazy from looking at it. And judging from the sudden cheers and yells, it looked like someone was hyping them up. Ah, it must be a publicity stunt thing. Chapter 3 Reincarnation, They Said. 3 She tried to suppress her curiosity but when more people approached the spot, she can''t take it anymore. She tried her best to squeeze in to go as near as she can. But despite trying, she was still quite a distance away. She can''t see clearly but she can hear them well through the speakers. "Minasan~ my tomodachi here has just built a portal that can make you reincarnate to another world! We will be choosing one person to test it out! C''mon~ let''s see who will go and be reincarnated!" The crowd filled with otakus and fans screamed in delight. Meanwhile, Inna remained unfazed. What? Pshhh, Reincarnation, they said. Like that''s going to happen in real life. Inna felt like she just wasted her time being curious and wanted to leave. So, she turned around, ready to fit through the small openings to get out. However, before she could squeeze out of the crowd. She felt a burning stare in the back of her head that made the hair of her neck stand on end. "We''ve chosen one already! But this girl doesn''t seem to believe us! Haiz~ after all the hard work we put through to make this device, I feel like we should prove her wrong! Right, tomodachi, Ryuusei-kun?" "Mm." He nodded in agreement. Inna suddenly felt goose bumps. I have a bad feeling about this. Inna began to sweat in her palms but she refused to believe it was her. Because to be honest, she''s sure she''s not the only non-believer since she knows lots of people don''t believe in reincarnation too. "Miss Black Shirt with Denim Shorts? Please come up to the front!" After hearing this, she looked around unconsciously. "No, no! Miss, it''s you! The one looking like a fairy! Black hair, pretty face, and green eyes!" Inna turned around and saw that everyone was looking at her with envy as they parted to make a path for her. At the end of the path, she saw a foreign looking man-child with blonde hair, cheerfully smiling at her. He has quite a baby face. In fact, he looked nothing older than 18 but at the same time, he gave off this mature adult vibe that felt like he lived twice the age of what he looked like. "Miss? It''s you. Please come forward." His brown eyes seemed to have a hint of impatience as he urged her forward. Inna was unable to think clearly so she simply obeyed. When she snapped out of it, she was already standing in front of a huge weird looking circular ring that looked so futuristic and sci-fi like. She looked at the man ''controlling the device'' and saw that he had the same vibe as the other guy. They both wore lab coats and had the same brown eyes and foreign looking man-child faces except the man by the device had black hair while the man in the microphone was blond. They can even pass off as brothers. The black haired man, Ryuusei, and the blonde haired man looked at each other, their eyes holding a kind of meaning. Ryuusei looked at his wristwatch then gave him a thumbs up before pulling down a lever. This made the machine crank up some buzzing noise that sounded quite intimidating. "Uhm, this won''t hurt right?" "I mean, it''s just for show, right?" "I-it won''t really send me to a faraway place, right?" "... Right?" Inna bombarded them with questions because she really felt nervous and scared of the machine. The blonde man just smiled sheepishly and whispered, "Eh, actually it''s the first time we tested this so, uhm, to answer your questions, we don''t know." She felt her blood run cold at the statement. She looked towards the towering device and heard it release some creaking noises that made it seem like it was about to collapse. But from the close distance she had with the machine, she strangely felt a suction force. It was like a wormhole sucking her in. Because of this, she was a bit convinced that she actually might get reincarnated. But she still wanted to escape! The machine just gives her bad vibes. So, she took a step back, planning to dash out. But with her back facing the blonde man, she wasn''t able to see the glint in his eyes as he said quickly, "Don''t be shy! Here, I''ll help!" He strongly pushed her towards the machine, making her tumble forward. She was shocked with what just happened. She looked back to cuss at the man, only to see nothing but bright white light. Suddenly, she felt pain in her whole body, like tiny pins piercing her, making her wince. The pain gradually increased until, after a few moments, she felt a blast of something all around her before everything turned black. Chapter 4 Such Reincarnation. Much Wow. 1 Amidst her drifting consciousness, Inna heard almost indiscernible whispers by her mind. "Inna.....Go.....lu....on y.....ney. May.....G....less...an...gu...d.....uo." After what felt like hours, Inna finally opened her eyes. And the first thing she did was check herself. Seems like she''s intact and unharmed. She breathed a sigh of relief at that. Then she realized that she passed out standing! Holy shit, that''s amazing as fuck. After being amazed for a second, it dawned in her that she''s actually in a different world. The skies in this world was tinged with red and orange. It was a strange yet beautiful sight. It reminded her of an eternal sunset. Her surroundings were filled with unfamiliar plants. The area near her were mostly covered in a strange grass. They weren''t green but instead, purple in color. But the space beneath her feet was reddish bare land, like it was cleared away for a pathway to be formed. Looking to the front, she just realized that she was standing in a queue along with thousands different people. The line seems to be moving quite fast so she subconsciously took step after step while looking around. She looked to the back and saw the same sight, a long line of people behind her. But some had their eyes closed, like they''re still asleep. Trying to look at the very back, she was surprised that she can actually see the end of it. At the very end, she saw a huge circular hole that seemed to be ten meters tall. Almost every second, it seemed to spit out a person and that person would immediately line up. Looking around quickly once more, she fell deep in thought. Oh god, is this real? I actually reincarnated? Is this shit still real life? She pinched herself multiple times trying to see if she was dreaming. But after feeling the stinging pain, she was finally convinced that she''s not dreaming at all. Is this how it feels when you''re reincarnated? Wow, so I go to a different world and then what? I wonder if I have any cheat moves or something. They usually have those. Holy shit, this is so exciting. She kept walking giddily and didn''t notice that the line stopped. Good thing she stopped herself before she bumped into the person in front. If I''m reincarnated, it''s best to gather information first. She saw that the person in front of her was a little girl, about 12 or 11 years old. She had long jet black hair that was braided simply and a simple white robe. "Hello? Uhm, what''s your name?" She asked in a sickly sweet and friendly tone. The girl in front of her was startled and slowly turned her head. "Mei." She murmured. Her cute slanted brown eyes looking at Inna with confusion. Ah, Asian? Chinese descent, I think. "Well, hello, Mei, I''m Inna." She held out her hand for a handshake. The girl just stared at her hand, confused. Feeling awkward, Inna retracted her hand with a shaky smile. "Well, Mei, do you live in this area?" Mei looked at Inna strangely. "No. I came from LongXia continent." Inna was confused on what she heard. Did she reincarnate too? Or is LongXia a part of this world? "So, do you know where this is?" "Hel Halja." Chapter 5 Such Reincarnation. Much Wow. 2 Hel Halja? What the fuck is that? Latin? "Why don''t you know?" Mei looked at her strangely again, like she can''t understand why Inna doesn''t know such a simple thing. "Well, I never visited here. It''s my first time. So, you can''t blame me for not knowing." Inna shrugged. Mei furrowed her brows. "It would be strange if you visited twice." She muttered low enough for Inna not to hear. "Sorry, I don''t know much about this world. You might not believe me but...." Inna contemplated, before deciding to just let the truth out. "I''m actually from a different world." "I''m from this planet we call Earth. And I was sent here through a reincarnation portal." Inna whispered, looking very serious. But the child tried very hard not to laugh. She looked at Inna like she was stupid but kept her mouth sealed. "Help me out here, I feel like I''ve been reincarnated to this world for a purpose." Inna kept her serious expression, looking at the child with utmost sincerity. Mei can''t keep it any longer. She laughed and laughed until she can''t even breathe right. "Hey! I''m telling you the truth!" Inna felt greatly insulted. She just told the kid her biggest secret but she actually laughed! Mei took a few more seconds before she composed herself. She continued facing forwards, following the motion of the queue. "Haaaaaaaahh...." She exhaled, ending her laughter. "If you reincarnated, then I did too." She chuckled. "Inna, let me ask you. What do I look like?" "Uhm, a kid?" Inna was confused of her question. "Okay, and what do you think my age is?" "11? Or maybe 12?" "Well, actually, if you combine those numbers, that''s my real age." Inna took a few moments before her eyes bulged. "Holy shit, 23? That''s another level of baby-face! And you''re short as fuck." Mei shook her head, "I didn''t say add them together. I said ''combine''." Huh? Isn''t that the same shit? "My real age is 1112." BOOM! Her mind stopped working. Dafuq is 1112? She''s kidding right? "People in my country live longer the stronger they are. And for those who were one of the strongest, they will stop physically growing depending on their strength. My limit is 1112 and I stayed in this appearance all my life." Mei smiled at Inna like how a wise elderly woman would. Inna took a longer time digesting this. Until she pinpointed on one detail. "You said your limit is 1112?" "Yes." "So you''re saying..." Inna didn''t want to finish the thought. "Yes." She smiled dimly. "Inna, you didn''t reincarnate." The child said slowly while looking back at her. "You died." Chapter 6 Such Reincarnation. Much Wow. 3 W-what? "What the fuck?! Are you serious right now?" Inna stared at Mei''s back with an incredulous expression. "I''m DEAD?! How am I dead?!" Inna looked at herself and then at the child. Her eyes filled with horror and confusion. Was it because of that shitty portal in Akihabara? Is that why I saw the white light? Is that what they meant by ''I see the light''? Holy shit, I''m dead. I''M ACTUALLY DEAD. "Looks like you still don''t believe." Mei mumbled. When the line paused for a moment, Mei turned around and tried to grab Inna''s hand. Inna was startled but she waited for the grip of Mei''s hands. But after a few blinks, she just felt nothing. "What happened?" She looked down to see that Mei''s hand passed through hers. Holy shit. How the fuck. "We may look alive here, but we are simply nothing but souls in reality." Mei smiled dimly as she looked at her hand. "This place is Hel Halja. A place for the departed souls. Some believers even call this place ''Hell'' for short. The people who live here are called Reapers. Usually they can''t be seen by the humans but departed souls can see them. They escort us, the departed souls, towards this queue and helps monitor us to stay on the queue. But I doubt anyone would stray off." She turned around and continued to follow the moving line while she continued talking. "From what I know, this queue serves as a sort of ceremony for the dead. We have to cross the 40 floors of hell by walking in this line. And at the last floor, we will see a castle where we await judgment there." The line stopped again, so Mei faced Inna. "How come you don''t know this?" She looked at Inna with a strange expression. "What do you mean?" "When I was asleep, a Reaper, I think, was in my dream. He had a black robe on and everything about him, aside from the deep voice and the yellow eyes, are hidden." "He placed his hand on my head, then, I immediately knew everything here. And I assume everyone else knows it as well because they didn''t make much of a commotion, unlike you." "What? I didn''t dream of some Reaper." Inna was utterly confused. "What''s happening? Is it something bad?" She wanted to ask more but she knew that Mei was just as clueless as she was. She wanted to speak more but Mei turned around as the line started moving. They both grew silent, lost in their own thoughts. After what felt like an endless loop of walking, Inna was beginning to feel tired. She looked around, expecting others be to the same, but she saw that everyone else wasn''t tired at all. Their movements were the same all throughout. No gasping for breath, no uneven footsteps, and no tired groaning. How the fuck are they not tired?! All this walking felt like I''m climbing Mt. Everest ten times! Along with feeling tired, she felt hungry too. She needed her daily fix of nuggets and she wasn''t even able to eat that before she died! Greatest shame of her life! Fuck the Minions! It''s all their fault! They bring nothing but trouble! If I get out of here, I''m going to haunt those fuckers forever. She cursed and cussed her friends but she soon felt that all her anger made her hungrier. She looked down at her stomach and slightly cried. I''m sorry I failed you, my dear stomach. Wait a minute.... Why am I hungry? Can dead people even get hungry?! Just as she was considering in testing out if the purple grass here was edible or not, she noticed a trail of light that appeared from a distance. She squinted her eyes and soon saw a butterfly fluttering towards her. She was mesmerized by its beauty. It was light blue in color with black lines on its wings and seemed to be shrouded with a thin sheet of light. Whenever it moves, small glittering lights would sprinkle downwards making it look so pretty. But right now, the only thought Inna had was, ''Can I eat that?'' As if sensing her thoughts, the butterfly seemed to hesitate in going near Inna. But it seemed to have come up with a decision and landed on her hand. Inna was amazed by the act. ''HOLY SHIT, I FEEL LIKE A DISNEY PRINCESS.'' Chapter 7 Butterflies In My Stomach 1 With her excitement, she wanted to let Mei see. She planned to grab her but she remembered that he can''t so she just shouted her name again and again. "Mei! Mei! Look! Mei! A butterfly!" But Mei kept walking like she didn''t hear her. When the line stopped, Inna moved closer, so close that her mouth was right behind Mei''s ear. "Mei!" She whispered loudly. Mei was startled and immediately turned around. "What do you want?" "Look!" "What''s that?" Mei had a blank look on her face. "Huh? A butterfly! Duh." "Butterfly? What''s that?" "What? You don''t know butterflies?" Inna was greatly shocked. Every child knows a butterfly when they see one! "Sorry, I don''t." Mei still had that blank look on her face. "I don''t even know you. Who are you?" Huh? What''s happening? Is she joking right now? Before Inna can ask her, the line began moving again. Suddenly, she saw people with black cloaks passing by their sides. Their faces and figures were hidden but the oppressive aura they emitted wasn''t. Out of instinct and fear, Inna covered the butterfly on her hand, forming her hands into a small cage. Then she straightened her arms to lower her hands, acting as natural as possible. These people briefly stopped one by one at the people in the line, like a sort of inspection. Everyone else didn''t seem to notice nor mind them. It was like their minds are in a different world. When a person approached her, she slightly clenched her fingers together. She can feel the slow flutter of the wings by her palm but she tried to remain calm and natural, trying to follow the blank look everyone else was doing. No matter how curious she was, she just kept looking straight while thinking of her happy place. After a few moments, she felt footsteps near her. And at the corner of her eye, she saw bright yellow eyes staring straight at her face. Like a wolf hiding in the bushes, observing its prey. He scanned her face and her eyes so closely, that surely he can see her pores too! Luckily, he only watched her face and not her arms nor hands. Still, she broke out in cold sweat the longer he stared. But eventually, he moved on to the others. It seems like the person was utterly convinced. Wait a minute. Black cloaks and strange yellow eyes.... Are they what Mei called the Reapers? Those people who stays here? She didn''t know why she hid from them, but one thing she does know is that the butterfly would''ve been found if she didn''t. And she didn''t want the poor butterfly to be found out. After all, she was saving it to eat later. Chapter 8 Butterflies In My Stomach 2 When all the Reapers were out of sight, Inna finally released a sigh of relief. After checking the butterfly in her hand, she continued walking. She kept walking and walking that she felt like there was no end at all! Just how long is this path?! Feeling bored and hungry, she was about to ask Mei if there''s any consequences in eating butterflies, like poison or something. But suddenly, she felt a force as she walked through. Like the feeling of passing through a thick squishy wall. And when she looked up, a huge castle appeared out of thin air. It was a silver castle that seemed to sparkle under the red light of the sky. It was beautiful and not mention, huge! Probably the taller than the tallest skyscraper in the world! Holy.... It wasn''t there before! How could she miss something that huge? From what she remembered from what Mei said, there''s supposed to be a castle at the end of 40 floors. Does this mean that she''s ''awaiting judgment'' next? While pondering, she began to notice something blue forming on top of the heads of the people in front of her. It seems like a sort of halo thing. After a few second, Inna saw a number appearing on top of Mei''s head. 999? What''s the number for? She looked up and sure enough, she got 1000. She looked behind her and saw a huge gap of a mile between her and the rest of the queue. Does this mean 1000 is the limit? What for? She tried to think of reasons but she knew nothing at all. She felt minute movement in her hands and her stomach churned involuntarily. Ahhhh, I''m really hungry. And tired. And bored. And hungry. Just as she was about open her hands, she saw that she was nearing an open doorway with black cloaked men at its sides. She immediately resumed her facade from before, straight arms and a blank face. The Reapers were holding on to the handles of the huge double doors, but their faces were constantly scanning the people in the queue. A few seconds passed and she finally reached the doors. She curiously peered at the entrance but she got confused by what she saw. The doors might be open but she wasn''t able to see anything inside aside from total darkness. She looked at Mei worriedly as she entered the doors but Mei didn''t seem worried at all. Suddenly, as soon as she stepped foot towards the doors, she disappeared out of thin air. Inna began to get scared. Will she see her again? She was her first friend in this place so she held a sort of special place in her heart. Minutes later, she felt a compelling force that urged her to enter. And without her control, her body started to move towards the doors. In every step, she wondered what will happen once she enters. Will she end up in heaven? Or maybe, in hell? But little did she know, that her judgment would be the most crucial event recorded in all the history of heaven and hell. Chapter 9 Butterflies In My Stomach 3 When she took another step towards the darkness, all her surroundings suddenly brightened up. The hall showed white marble walls and pillars with golden linings. The hall looked empty except for the blood red carpet in the middle. But nevertheless, the hall was shining like a cove of treasures in a hidden kingdom. And as she walked, she saw at the end of the hall, a high platform similar to a throne of a king. And someone was sitting in that throne with an imposing and regal aura. Only, his face was shrouded in darkness. But it can be seen that that ''someone'' is male with long silver hair that forms a pool of white beneath his feet. He wore an inner robe of plaint black silk that shines with his every movement and an outer robe of deep red with intricate designs lined with black and gold. By the sides of this man were multiple Reapers, their black clothing a great contrast towards the room. And nearest to the King was a Reaper that carried a tray of strange looking fruits. Looking at those fruits, Inna remembered her hunger and she looked down towards her hands which still has the blue shiny butterfly. "Kneel." A melodious deep voice echoed throughout the whole room. Although monotonous, it was Inna''s first time hearing a voice so mesmerizing, melodious, lovely, light, and deep all in one. It made others want to keep hearing it forever. As soon as the command was said, Inna''s knees buckled. She fell towards the floor heavily, yet she didn''t feel pain. But apparently, that didn''t stop her from instinctively flinching. Everyone seemed to notice her flinch. Especially the man on the throne. Because when he saw it, his posture became rigid. Suddenly, without any time for Inna to recover from her fright, she heard the doors slam loudly. So loud, it sounded like a bomb exploding. She let out a small scream and instinctively opened her palms to cover her ears. The butterfly escaped from her hands and immediately darted away from her. It fluttered its wings and went towards the man on the throne. When it reached him, it hovered near the man''s face and kept flying in circles. When Inna saw it, she hurriedly screamed. "NO! MY FOOOOOD!" Everyone was startled by her outburst, due to many reasons. Especially the one carrying the tray. He was about to go near the king to offer the fruits. But her outburst made him lose balance and the fruits that were carefully stacked, fell in every direction. It rolled down the platforms and reached the hall''s carpet. Inna was still staring at the butterfly until it landed on the man''s forehead. In a split second, the darkness in the man''s face was cleared and his stunned and confused expression was shown before it was once again shrouded in darkness. The Reapers gasped and immediately knelt and bowed towards him. Inna also saw the brief second he showed his face. And that second was enough for the memory to be burned in her mind. He had an ethereal, immortal beauty that can surpass any actor, model, or anyone in the world. In fact, he''s so beautiful that she had a hard time convincing herself that what she saw was real. He had piercing violet eyes that looked mysterious, grim, and powerful. He held a gaze that looked towards the world like it was nothing to him. His forehead had three diamond red marks that kind of forms a peculiar flower. It was, in all reality, the most perfect face she had ever seen. All features were like it was sculpted by God after laboring for centuries. And she was thankful that she actually was able to see it even for just a split second. Inna was left mesmerized by the face she saw while everyone kept kneeling. The man was preoccupied with the butterfly like he was trying to decipher something. He probably didn''t notice the attention he was getting. Or maybe he was just ignoring them. She felt something bump towards her knee and she finally snapped out of her trance. Looking down, she saw a purple apple with a black bottom. It was the size of her fist and looked absolutely juicy, like an overgrown grape. Her hunger resurfaced again and without any second thought, she placed the whole thing in her mouth. Chapter 10 Butterflies In My Stomach 4 "Your excellency! The soul ate something!" The Reaper previously holding the tray screamed. This seemed to break the trance everyone else was in. They all whipped their heads towards Inna. Inna, who was already chewing, found it hard to swallow when multiple creepy yellow eyes were all staring heavily at her. In fact, it was also quite hard to chew. Her mouth was so full of the sweet juicy fruit, making her look like a squirrel storing food in its cheeks. She slowly chewed while looking around. "Restrain her." That mesmerizing monotonous voice appeared again. Before Inna can continue chewing, two Reapers flanked her sides, grabbing her arms. They both grabbed her jaw and the top of her head to keep her from chewing further. She felt like suffocating but she found it weird. She''s dead, so she doesn''t need to breathe, right? Fearing that they would make her spit out the delicious fruit, she swallowed everything in one go. Since she''s dead anyways, she can''t die again from choking or suffocation so, might as well force it down her throat. After Inna''s show of swallowing it all down, the Reapers began to slightly tremble. They made a mistake! After all these centuries of servitude, they actually made a random soul swallow a Clearing fruit! Hel Halja''s fruits are known for their purification effects. What''s more, it can be consumed by anyone because they are not regular fruits to be digested but food for the souls! And the fruit with the most powerful purification effect is the Clearing fruit! It is also the tastiest and the rarest fruit in all the lands! And this little soul actually ate it whole! By eating the fruit, her sins must be being purified right now! They not only gave her a Clearing Fruit, but they also interfered with the King''s judgment! These offences are too great! The King will definitely erase their existence! Bodies filled with fear and remorse, all the Reapers kowtowed on the ground, their heads banging on the marble floor. The two together with Inna also kowtowed, their hands holding Inna''s head, forcing her to bang her head to the floor as well. "Holy Hell!" "What''s wrong with all of you?!" "All I did was eat that fruit because I was hungry!" She exclaimed out loud, causing all the Reapers to stiffen. "Release her head." The King''s mesmerizing voice echoed throughout the room. In a second, the Reapers quickly withdrew their hands. No longer feeling the weight, Inna looked up towards the direction of the King. She saw the King''s black head turn ever so slightly towards the butterfly that was still hovering. Then, the next second, he touched it and it crumbled into dust. He then turned his head back to Inna. "Inna Lovenhart. 18. Female. Place of Death: Planet Earth, Country Japan. You died in an explosion in Akihabara due to a malfunction of a faulty machine." Inna widened her eyes at that. Explosion... Malfunction.... a faulty machine... died... "I have lived through all your memories and know of your sins. You learned how to curse at people on age 8 and you have cursed at people nearly 3,649,203 times in a span of 10 years. You are atheistic, believing there is no God that helps people. Other sins are not notable to mention." He paused and suddenly the pressure on Inna''s knees vanished, making her able to move about and stand. "You have eaten a fruit from my Kingdom which nullifies any judgment I give. Not only that, you have somehow prevented your purification of worldly attachments throughout your pilgrimage of the floors of Hel. Thus, enabling you to have your memories, behavioral patterns, habits, emotions, subconscious state, mental thoughts, and instincts, intact in your soul. This shows why you look tired, feel hungry, can flinch even without pain, can instinctively cover your ears, and can feel anger even after you have died. With all these in consideration, my final judgment shall be..." He trailed off. He stood up and with a flick of his sleeves, a golden ancient-looking weighing scale appeared. It looked like it had a halo together with it as it glowed and floated mid-air. The King touched the scale''s center beam with the tip of his pale index finger. And suddenly, the balance tilted to one side and then to another, like there were things placed on top of the golden plates of the scale. When the scale reached a balance, the King withdrew his finger and faced Inna. "You shall be imprisoned." Chapter 11 What Happens When You Die After Dying 1 "Ch.....W...a...up." Multiple faint eerie voices entered Inna''s mind. "Ch.....ild....Wa...ke...up." Those voices held a tinge of desperation. "WAKE UP!" Inna''s eye shot open. Her blurry vision met with the sight of a damp stone floor. The sound of a pair of footsteps echoed throughout the dark stony hallways as Inna tried to recover her senses. W-what happened? Where am I? ''You shall be imprisoned'' She remembered those words from the man on the throne. After his statement, the Reapers beside her once again tightly grasped her arms and suddenly, her whole world turned black. Well, that''s all she remembered so far. She must''ve been passed out when they dragged her here. She tried raising her head ever so slightly to look around. But the small action made the Reapers stiffen, stopping their footsteps. "Is she awake?" The Reaper on her left said, his deep gruff voice held a hint of panic. "Impossible." The Reaper on the right said, his voice light yet filled with confidence. "The King has personally used his divine power on sealing this soul until she arrives to the deep dungeon." "I felt her move." The left Reaper grumbled, not believing. "Why don''t we report it to the King?" "She must''ve moved because we''re carrying her." The right Reaper sighed in irritation. "Stop being so paranoid! We''ve made too much mistakes this time! We shouldn''t bother his Excellency anymore. This is the 1000th soul so he''s taking a break for now." After knowing that one move will lead her to that ''King'' again, she behaved herself. From raising her head slightly before, she was disappointed to see that all she saw was dark stone walls and a dark hallway. She couldn''t do anything anyways, so she just let them drag her away for the meantime. But after a few moments, she felt pain in her head. When the pain disappeared, eerie whispers echoed inside her head. The whispers consisted of different kinds of voices; a child, a man, a woman, and elderly but they were combined in once voice in a very creepy way. "Escape... escape..." It demanded. This made Inna confused. Huh? Where is this voice coming from? "Hurry....hurry.... Go... right...." Right? I saw no pathways except going straight! "Hurry... right...." Is this thing friggin'' blind? Does it want me to crash into a wall? "Hurry... to.... the....wall...." Wait, don''t tell me it expects me to pass through it Harry Potter-style? I am not a wizard! "Hurry... Hurry..." Besides, how the hell am I going to escape? These two Reapers are holding me! "I''ll.... hold.... them back... you go.....NOW!" The whispers demanded again and she felt her body bring out a surge of energy. Suddenly, the hold on both her arms weakened, enough for her to shake them off to escape. She immediately ran and didn''t even look back as she went towards the wall to the right. I''m dead anyways, so I wouldn''t die from colliding myself to the wall, right? She clenched her eyes and ran with her arms protecting her head. Let''s do this Harry Potter shit! She ran and ran until she felt like she''s passing through a thick wall of jelly. She pushed through it and when she opened her eyes, she saw a straight passageway filled with white floating wisp-like things that lit up the whole path. She walked slowly, trying to absorb what just happened. Holy shit! I actually did it! I mean, wow, dis is some Harry Potter feels right here. Wow. She kept walking forward as she tried to make sense with what just happened. Okay, so i escaped. So, what now? Am i supposed to just follow this path? She waited for an answer but she met with silence. She decided to just keep walking while waiting until the path finally ends. When she saw something shining in the far distance, she felt relieved. She thought there''s no end to this path but it seems there is after all! She walked faster, giddy to know what''s at the end. But a few moments after, she decided to do a full sprint! Because she actually heard loud voices from the path behind her! And those voices were catching up to her really really fast! After sprinting like her life depended on it, she finally stopped at a dead end. At the end of the path wasn''t the light of the outside but actually a door! It was a white marble double door with golden linings and design of vines. It reminded her of the design in the hall she was at before. It looked so out of place with the stone walls and dark aura. Feeling that something wasn''t right, she looked back and in the distance, saw two pairs of yellow dots looking straight at her. Fuck a duck with a truck! This is bad! She desperately banged her shoulder on the doors multiple times, trying to do those moves from action movies that instantly opens doors. But it was useless, it didn''t even budge a single inch! When she began to feel tired from the banging, she looked back and forth, from those yellow eyes drawing closer to the white door, at a loss of what to do. Suddenly, her head ached again, and the multiple voices once again entered her mind. "The door..... is already.... open...." Inna''s face held a ton of disbelief. She banged that hard ass door for a thousand times and it just said this now?! Feeling a bit furious, she grasp both golden handles of the doors, and harshly turned it. Indeed, it easily opened. Going inside the room, she saw a magnificent sight. It was a really huge indoor pool! The pool''s floor was made of white marble as well as the walls and ceiling. There was a huge white floating light in the middle of the pool and nothing else seems to be there except the vast amount of water. It reminded her of an infinity pool. The pool''s water is also very peculiar. The water is transparent but it glows under the light. And even though it is still, it sparkles more brightly than stars at night. She was so absorbed by the beauty of the water that she didn''t notice a dark shadow at the far corner of the pool. Well, it didn''t make any move nor sound so it can easily be missed, unless one went near. She was about to sink her feet in when she heard deafening screams. She panicked because she knew the Reapers have caught up. In fact, they were already about a few hundred meters away. She looked around, trying to circle the whole room, looking for an exit. But just as she was about to notice the black shadow by the distance, she was distracted by a scream, "The King!" She can feel her body turn cold from that scream. Is he here? Did he come to take her away? Where can she hide now? She looked around while incessantly cursing herself and everything else she can think of. Looking by the doors, she saw that the Reapers were by the entrance already, their narrowed eyes filled with anger. Panicked, she looked at the pool, and suddenly, she had a crazy idea. She didn''t need to breathe since she''s dead, right? She was at the farthest and most inconspicuous part of the pool which was perfect. So without any hesitation, she prepared to dive into the pool, planning to hide there. But just as her body was about to come into contact with the water, she looked to the side and saw a man, loosely dressed in black robes, his pale but sculpted chest peeking through. His eyes were closed and his beautiful face was serene like he was dead to the world. But what startled her most was the familiar face he had. The King? Chapter 12 What Happens When You Die After Dying 2 There was a searing pain in his head as he opened his eyes in surprise. The Demons have awakened once again! With a blink of an eye, he got out of the water and his clothes were now dry and clean. He tried to decipher what the demon''s restlessness meant. Closing his eyes again, he felt a trail of demonic energy and used his senses to probe around. He felt faint prints of this energy on the door, and throughout the whole pathway coming from the corner. Did a demon escape? But why would they have come here? This is the place they would most definitely avoid. He felt the aura around and he finally noticed two trembling figures just outside the door. They were kowtowing in fear, their heads almost buried on the stone floor. "What happened?" In a flash, the King appeared in front of the kowtowing Reapers. One of the Reapers, Shi, spoke while still bowed down. "The 1000th soul under our care has escaped, your Excellence." The King was once again surprised. "Escaped? How?" "W-we don''t know, your Excellence." Shi stuttered. Sensing that it will be bad if they were blamed, Shi Yi decided to narrate everything. "We were properly escorting the soul back when Shi noticed it slightly moved. I thought it was due to us carrying it that it moved and we wouldn''t want to implore for your help and waste your energy, your Excellence, so we figured it as nothing of importance. But we didn''t expect her to be awake already. Just as we were about to head left, there was a sudden burst of energy that paralyzed and blinded us, making us unable to move. We felt her escape but due to the effects, we weren''t able to move for the meantime. But after a few moments, it was gone so we immediately followed after her at full speed. But she was already too far deep inside the passage ways. We saw her struggle in bashing the doors before she gave up and opened it. She entered and we planned to stop her but we sensed your presence, your Excellency, so we opted not to enter." The King digested these words carefully. "Rise." The two Reapers immediately stood up but their heads were bowed in respect. "She was awake halfway through your way to the dungeon?" Both Shi and Shi Yi nodded. "There was an energy that blinded and paralyzed you?" Both Shi and Shi Yi nodded again. "She was able to see through the illusions in the lowest floor? The ones I personally made?" Both Shi and Shi Yi nodded again. "She was able to open these doors without any external help?" Both Shi and Shi Yi nodded again. The King was confused. Waking up, paralyzing and blinding Reapers, breaking complex illusions, and breaking multiple barriers and seals, this soul is truly mysterious. No soul could have done all these without any backing, especially a newly harvested soul. But then again, that soul''s circumstances are also peculiar. She was immune to the pilgrimage purification and she ate the Clearing fruit. If there is a backing behind her, he must find out. It might endanger the kingdom. This is a far worse issue than he thought. "Where is the soul now?" "In the pool, your Excellency." Shi replied with a hint of remorse. No. Not again. "She jumped towards the pool?" The King said with dread. "Yes." Both of Shi and Shi Yi nodded again. Suddenly, an oppressive aura exploded around them. They hurriedly knelt with one knee, their heads bowed. "Do not let anyone else enter this part of the castle again." Two deep voices sounded out above them. Two voices?! This is! The Divine skill of Duplication! Only one can use this skill! We''ve been speaking to the Original King! They slammed their heads on the floor, heavily bowing before the two figures. "Esteemed deity! We have erred!" "Take my copy to the courts to continue judgments. I will deal with this matter personally." A figure that looked so identical to the King elegantly walked out of the room, followed by the slightly trembling figures of Shi and Shi Yi. After a moment, they disappeared without a trace. The lingering demonic presence gave the King dread and nostalgia. He walked towards the pool and saw that someone did trigger the spell in the pure waters. "This is bad. We cannot let another lost soul go rampant in the worlds. It caused a great commotion the last time there was." The King muttered darkly, his gaze looking at the pool meaningfully. And that soul just had to go to the Reincarnation pool! Chapter 13 What Happens When You Die After Dying 3 Inna regained a little bit of consciousness. It seems that she fell asleep moments after she dived. But she didn''t understand how she was able to fall asleep. It was a death and uhm, ''dying after death'' situation after all. In fact, it was strange, like she was forced to sleep as soon as she sunk in the pool. And now, for some reason, she feels awake but she can''t move her body or her eyes. It was like sleep paralysis. But she noticed that her ears were working just fine because near her, she clearly heard panicked voices. "Ram, w-what are we going to do?!" A youthful panicked voice echoed under the eerie silence. "Iris, why did you do that?!" A deep angry voice boomed. "How would I know this will happen?" An arrogant female voice entered Inna''s ears. "She''s the one who was stupid and didn''t dodge. This isn''t my fault at all! You guys should blame her!" "B-but...b-but..." The youthful voice had a slight tremble. "Drop it, Jul. It already happened. We should worry about what we will do next." The deep voiced ''Ram'' said with a sigh. "B-but how are we going to hide this?!" ''Jul'' squeaked. "We weren''t supposed to go this far!" "Let''s just leave her alone. She''ll be good meat for the beasts here. Just let them tear her apart." ''Iris'' arrogantly said with a ''humph''. "Yeah, that''ll work." Ram agreed. "They''ll leave no traces and no one is brave enough to wander around here anyways. And even if they are, they wouldn''t take much notice from a corpse. We should go now." "Heh, stupid until the very end. Just like your mother." Iris sneered, her voice a mere whisper but Inna''s sensitive ears picked it up anyways. Soon, their footsteps could be heard as she felt their presence all slowly disappear as well. What the hell was that? Who were they? Did they just... kill someone? There were multiple questions in Inna''s mind but they remained unanswered. Soon enough, she felt tingling sensations until she realize that she can finally move. She opened her eyes and looked around. It was night and the sky was covered by tall domineering trees that surrounded Inna. And by a closer look, it looks like she''s in a forest filled with normal grass. And by normal, she meant that they weren''t the purple grass in Hel Halja. She tried standing up but she felt her body was extremely heavy at the moment. She looked at her body curiously only to see it covered with chain mail and a breast plate. She had a metallic armored skirt and her belt was filled with needles and a long sword. By her right thigh she saw a dagger. Her right hand was gripping a dagger and both her forearms had small hidden blades in the metal clothing. And by her side, she saw a bow and a container filled with a few handmade arrows. It looks like she was heavily armored with weapons. In fact, she felt like one of those cool warriors or assassins in a game. The ones ready to kill anytime. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that she was taller and leaner. Her arms and legs were also a bit muscled and her senses were heightened more. It''s like everything was an improvement of her previous self, except her chest now, which was a bit worrying. She felt her face around, trying to feel if she disfigured it or there were bruises in it. But she felt that it changed considerably. Her eyes were quite larger than before and her nose was in a different shape. Her lips were a bit thinner and she felt that her jawline became sharper. She also felt a few tiny scars in her neck that confused her. She was still left in a daze as she tried to make sense why her face and body changed. But suddenly, an idea popped in her mind. This is! Reincarnation, right?! I''m not wrong this time, am I?! I did it?! Holy shit, finally! So, this is what happens when you die after dying? You live? She chuckled to herself at that. A few moments after, she felt her body become lighter and figured that she can finally move. She stood up and tried out some basic movements to adjust herself with her new body. It seems that her new body is lighter and swifter than her old one. Hmmmm... Next time, when she dies again, she''ll surely try to remind herself to try and kill herself again to escape! Chapter 14 Finally Reincarnated! 1 After a while, she was finally able to fully adjust from the changes in her body. She decided to sit back down on the grass to decide on a game plan. She read multiple books about reincarnation back in the summer, ranging from American to Asian. And most of them usually inherit their past lives'' memory. Since she''s reincarnated into someone''s body, she must have their memories as well, right? She tried to think but nothing came to her mind. She tried rummaging her memories to see if something was inserted but the longer she focused, the more hungry she felt. She scrunched her eyebrow together and focused more, hoping she would get enlightenment. Pffff! She heard a gassy sound erupt near her and she opened her eyes while laughing. Okay, I think that''s the signal to stop. "So, no past memories, huh?" She grumbled. It means that she will need to ask people around about this world and if people who knew her before will approach her, it''s best to use the ''amnesia flag'' to avoid being found out. She discarded the thought of obtaining past memories and decided to move on. In the books she read, usually, those with no memories are from books with gaming reincarnation theme. So without any hesitation, Inna immediately screamed, "Status!" "Menu!" "Status Menu!" "Settings!" "Options!" "Uhm.... Observe!" "Appraise!" She screamed random gaming lingo at the top of her lungs, hoping that anything would happen. One after another, nothing happened so she began to lose hope. "Maybe it''s not a gaming reincarnation thing." Her mood plummeted, until an idea came into her mind. "Oh! But what if it''s a magic thing?" She held out her hand, imagined her spell, and focused really hard. "Fireball!" Nothing. "Lumos!" Nothing. "Open Sesame!" Nothing. She tried every spell she can think of and nothing happened. It seems that there''s no magic here either. She was about to stand and walk around when she heard some rustling. She looked around and saw orbs of light surrounding her from a distance. Oh! So my Lumos actually worked?! She positively thought of that possibility until she heard a mighty roar. One by one, thirteen tiger-like beasts came out from the shadows. Their eyes tinged bright yellow that shines brightly under the cover of the night sky. The moonlight showed their bodies, pure yellow fur with stripes of black at their bellies. Their fangs were huge and sharp. It reached until their jaws. Inna was scared out of her mind. It seems like her shouting at the top of her lungs had attracted a pack of these beasts! Stupid ass! She forgot she was in a foreign forest! She looked around hoping to shout for help. But the beasts all circled her menacingly. They let out low warning growls whenever Inna moves. Filled with fear, she was about to tear up. Dying soon after being reborn, what kind of fucking joke is this?! Just as she was lamenting on her bad luck, a beast decided to lunge at her. The shriek she had was stuck at the back of her throat as she saw the beast in mid-air. Just as she was about to accept her death, her whole body felt cold, like cold water was splashed onto her. She felt her mind clear up in a snap, her emotions stable into nothingness, and her empty eyes had a hint of a murderous glint in them. Her hand sheathed the dagger she had and grabbed the sword by her hip and slashed. In a flash, the beast''s head went flying as its body fell halfway through its lunge. Blood sprayed from the beast''s neck soaking Inna''s arm. Inna looked at the rest of the beasts like they were nothing in her eyes. With the smell of their own kind''s blood, the beasts became enraged! All twelve of them lunged at her at once! Inna bent her knees, on guard and in combat position. In an inhuman speed, she sheathed her sword and grabbed the two daggers on her body. Then, with quick and nimble movements, all twelve of the beasts were beheaded as soon as they drew near her. Soaked in blood, Inna flicked her daggers to get rid of the blood before sheathing it. In a second, Inna blinked and she gasped. "Holy shit." She gasped again. "How the fuck..... Did I do all this?!" That was so cool! That was amazing! I was like whoosh! And they were like, dead! She walked around the corpses, trying to make sense with what just happened. These beasts were as tall as her hip! And were as big as a car! And she just killed thirteen of them! How the hell.... Chapter 15 Finally Reincarnated! 2 After being proud of her achievement, Inna decided to walk around the forest. After minutes of walking aimlessly, she saw a lake at a far distance. She walked towards it and decided to wash off the blood from the beasts. She checked her body to see if she has any water containers but it seems that she only carried weapons on her. Desperate and thirsty, she scooped the water with her hands and drank it. After a few mouthfuls, she noticed her reflection from the water illuminated by the moonlight. She really did get reincarnated. Her face was definitely different. Although the face she had was quite pretty and tanned, like a model with bronzer and highlight, it still couldn''t compare to her previous face. Her face now kind of looked like a younger Lara Croft, with her dirt filled face and her brown hair tied in a ponytail. Her eyes were still green but it had bags beneath it, like the owner never had a proper day''s rest. She leaned down to wash the dirt and blood on her face. Just as she was about to finish, she stopped because she heard a noise across her. "Neat! A lake! We should build camp here, Rod!" Inna heard a giddy youthful voice along with a rustling of leaves. "Ugh, I can finally have a bath." A sharp womanly voice followed next. "And I''m saying this ahead of time, but you guys better not peek! Especially you, George!" "Hey, we still need to discuss our plan, Ren...quest... para... difficult... the role... do it?" The third voice lowered his voice halfway, making Inna miss what he said. The woman, ''Ren'', spoke in a lowered voice as well as she replied . So to hear better, Inna drew closer, her feet submerged in the water. She squinted her eyes to see them but she still can''t make out what they look like with just the moonlight as the only source of illumination. She silently went deeper into the waters, her waist now fully submerged and halfway through the lake. But before she can look at them one more time, her foot landed on a slippery rock and slipped. Splash! "Who''s there?!" She heard multiple swords being unsheathed and an arrow buzzed past her, missing her cheek by a close margin. "Wait, wait, wait!" She steadied herself as she exclaimed. She placed her arms in the air and spoke slowly, "I''m lost." "Yea, well, hello Lost. Mind telling us what you were doing creeping up on us?" The woman, Ren, said seriously as she pointed her arrow at Inna. "Uhm..." Inna was wracking her brains for an excuse. She can''t think of anything so she decided to just blurt out something. "I was bathing." "Bathing? Do you bathe with full armor?" The youth looked at her strangely and muttered, "Weirdo." "No! My face! I was bathing my face!" Wut.... Wut did I just say? The four people looked at each other, clearly not buying it. ''Ren'' decided at that moment to let go of another arrow. Inna let out a shriek as it passed by her cheek again, only this time, it left a small cut. "Sorry! I meant to say that I was washing my face! Please don''t kill me!" She squeaked. "Renee, stop." The silent one by the far right finally spoke. His deep voice was laced with a stern command. "But..." Renee protested but it was ignored by the silent one. The silent one lifted his palm with a glittering stone on top of it and suddenly, bright light illuminated from it. Inna was finally able to see them properly. There were four people all in all. Three were men while one was a woman. The woman has a tall, tanned body that resembled Inna''s current body. She was clothed with a black cloak and her armor seems to look thinner and lighter than Inna''s own armor without the breast plate. She had a rugged but pretty face but it''s hard to appreciate because of the murderous glint in her eyes as she held the bow and arrow steadily, ready to shoot at any time. The three men were similar to her in stature. They were all tanned, tall, and muscular. The man in the far right was the silent one. He was sitting on a huge rock but it can be clearly seen that he was on guard with his sword unsheathed beside him. He had a more muscular body than the rest, some of the veins were even peeking out from his arms. His muscular body was clad in full body armor that looked heavy but sturdy for defense. He had a strong jawline with a bit of a stubble. His black hair was short and unkempt. His face can be considered a manly one but his eyebrows seriously needs a threading. His brown eyes also held a tinge of murder as he inspected Inna as well. The man in the far left was a downgraded version of the man in the right. He was muscular but not that muscular. His face is manly but not that well developed. His full body armor wasn''t focused more on defense unlike the silent one, but more on being able to move faster. Inna also realized that with his black hair and brown eyes, it made him look like they were related with the silent one. Feeling Inna''s stare, he held a sword that he gripped tightly. The man in the center, well, he can be seen as the weakest of them all. He was muscular, yes, but in the lean side. He also had a feminine and delicate face which plummeted his manliness by about, a lot. He wore a blue plain robe that looks oddly like her sleeping robe back in her ''alive'' days. He had no weapons on him but he had a stick and a backpack which is filled to the brim. It even looks like it''s about to burst from being filled. After seeing them, Inna looked at the woman and coughed lightly, "Uhm, sorry for startling you. I really am lost. I was just wandering around. Then when I was washing my face, I hear your voices but I couldn''t see well so I wanted to get close. But then I tripped and then this happened." The silent one stared at Inna intently, trying to see if she''s lying. When he found nothing strange about her face, he nodded towards Renee and the leftmost man and suddenly left. Renee hesitantly placed her bow down and looked at Inna with a warning glare. "If you do anything strange or unusual, expect to have an arrow through your neck next time!" Inna gulped as her hands trembled in the air. She was raising them for so long that they were seriously aching. "Can I, uhm, put my hand down now?" "Weirdo." The youth muttered again before turning around and gathering sticks. Chapter 16 Finally Reincarnated! 3 The remaining man looked at Inna strangely. After a moment, he decided to approach her. He went to the waters and grabbed her hand to guide her. "Sorry for that. We were on guard because we never expected someone to be in the Miasma forest tonight." He said with a smile. "Miasma forest?" Inna asked. "You don''t know the Miasma Forest?" "Nope." "We''re standing on it right now. This is the Miasma Forest near Tarnil. Tarnil is a border city which is separated by the Miasma Forest towards the other countries. No one usually enters the Miasma forest because it''s filled with ferocious beasts and it''s also well-known for poisonous plants as well. Well, aside from adventurers. In fact, mostly adventurers live in Tarnil because they get good money from the resources here in the forests. The quests and missions also pay good money too depending on the risks involved." He said these as he guided Inna towards the campfire made by the youth. "Here, keep yourself warm. By the way, my name is Roderhin but most people call me, Rod. I''m a swordsman." He handed out a blanket before sitting beside her, placing his blanket on his wet pants. "Thank you. My name is Inna. I''m a swordsman?" She said but it ended up being more of a question to herself. Rod didn''t seem to notice as he began pointing at the people he was with. "The female there is Renee. And as you might have guessed, she''s a ranger." He pointed towards a direction heavily guarded with bushes. Guess she must be taking a bath now. "Is she a forest ranger?" Inna scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. "Forest ranger? What''s that?" Rod said with confusion as well. "They are people who are employed to protect forests, parks, or the countryside." "Did that wrench just call me a lowly forest soldier?!" Renee screamed at her in the distance. Rod erupted into laughter. "No, no, no. Rangers use long-ranged weapons. At first, I thought you were one when I saw that you had a bow on you." "How come you don''t know what a Ranger is? Or even what Miasma Forest is? Even children knew of this back in the town." "Actually, I have no idea at all. Today, I woke up here and I don''t remember anything. Even I have no idea how I got here." Here goes my excuse to everything. "I think I might have partial amnesia." After hearing her speak, they all stiffened. "A-am--nee--sha? W-what''s that?" Rod said with a shaky smile. "I-Is it a c-contagious disease?" What..... Do they not know what amnesia is? "It''s not contagious. It just a temporary disease that made me forget some of my memories before." Inna looked at all of them strangely when they all sighed in relief. Great, I''m supposed to be the one with no memories but here I am, explaining things. "So it''s like a curse that locks some of your memories?" The youth appeared beside Inna, making her squeak in fright. "Curse? What curse?" "Wow, you don''t even know what a curse is. It really made you forget a lot, huh." He muttered. "By the way, the name is George." He held out his hand for a shake, but before Inna can hold it, he withdrew it. "A curse is something casted to have a negative effect on you. Common curses are usually used for pranks and stuff while the rare high level curses can make someone crazy or even kill. They are usually casted by witches and warlocks to people who offends them." "Oh, so it''s those kinds of curses." She mumbled but George was able to hear it. "You mean, you remember some other type of curses?! Tell me! Tell me!" George tugged at Inna incessantly. He read about the different kinds of curses from different books but the books he had were limited. So, knowing new things without spending for a book, he was really excited! "It''s really hard to explain all of them. I guess I''ll just mention the simple ones. And they don''t really do much aside from making the other person angry beyond relief." Inna said sheepishly. "Awwww, even though it doesn''t do anything, tell us! It might give us a clue on who cursed you with this ''ameeeshia''!" "Okay, if you insist." Inna said while trying to gather her thoughts. "So my favorite curse word is ''fuck.'' You can use it anytime. From being too angry, to being too sad. Or when you''re in a dire situation, or when you''re happy! But it''s fun to alternate it into ''shit'' as well. Now, there are also curses that depends on the person you''re cursing. When you''re mad at a man, you call them ''asshole'' or ''bastard.'' But when you''re talking to a lady, you can call her a lot of things but my most favorite is ''bitch.''" Inna whispered with a straight face. "Those are some of my most basic words in secretly cursing at people. You can always mix it up or combine them." "Wow. Okay, okay. So..." He pointed at Rod. "He''s a bastard." And he pointed at Renee at the far distance. "And she''s a bitch!" After hearing him repeat it many times, Inna couldn''t help but laugh out loud. Oh man, the guy is too innocent. Chapter 17 Edseria 1 After laughing, she continued talking to George and Rod about various common things. They were cooperative in making her "remember" the things she forgot. She learned that the country they lived in is the country Edseria. Tarnil is one of the border towns of Edseria and is next to the country of Anemoly. There were only 2 large countries and they are constantly at tension with each other. Minor countries are usually quiet and does not really provoke much attention from these two major countries. Inna also learned that some words that came from her world, like amnesia and her cursing, cannot be understood by the others. It was because she is able to speak and understand their language not because of them using her language, English! Their language is called Eridoan and the reason why she''s able to say and understand it must be because the body she got already understood the language and subconsciously translates it to its equivalent English. After all, the only change in this body was the soul, not its brain. Also, it can directly translate her English to perfect Eridoan as well. Speaking it is easy, but she realized that her foreign words has no equivalent meaning to the Eridoan language which makes translating them difficult. Thus, it ends up being said in English. This leads to the others not understanding the amnesia thing and suspecting it to be an unknown contagious disease of some sort. After a few chats and jokes, Inna decided to ask. "So, why are you guys here?" Rod''s smile stiffened and he scratched his head. "Actually, we were supposed to be on this hunting quest. But the target is really sneaky and dangerous. We have yet to see it." "Yea, we searched it''s domain but it looks like it''s in hiding. It usually comes out at the break of dawn so we decided to camp for the meantime." George said while looking at the campfire. Suddenly, we heard rustling of leaves and the two men immediately stood on guard. Inna was left on the floor, staring intently at the bush. And then, the silent one came out. "Oh, so it was just you! Wow, you scared us there for a second!" Rod said as he released a breath he was holding. George heaved a sigh of relief as well. "Oh, by the way, Inna, I haven''t introduced you yet to him. This is my older brother, Rhinol. People call him Rhino but we call him Nol." He snickered. "By the way, just word of advice, unless you want to see the insides of your body, don''t call him Rhino. He''s a really great swordsman. You won''t even know you got hit before you die. Also, he''s a man of few words. Don''t take it to heart if he doesn''t reply." "Nice to meet you, Nol." Inna said with a smile but he just looked at her then grunted. He nodded at Rod and Rod faced Inna, his face apologetic. "Sorry, my bro needs to discuss with me some battle plans. Just make yourself comfortable and ask George anything you don''t understand or remember. We would really like to help you with as much as we can." He gave Inna an apologetic smile. With that, he turned and followed his brother. Inna looked at the group and found it heavily unbalanced. They had two swordsmen and a ranger that uses a bow and arrow. Coming from gaming experience, there should be a non-combat support profession from their group as well, like a buffer or a healer. So, that leaves her to George. She looked at George curiously. "Are you a support for this group?" George looked at her, surprised. "Oh, I didn''t tell you yet? I''m a priest." In a second, it dawned in her what she just did. LOL, I just made a priest curse at people without knowing. Chapter 18 Edseria 2 But it turns out, the priest he was referring to was a healer in this world''s vocabulary. He''s the healer of the group which actually makes sense now. George puffed up his chest as he bragged about the times when everyone was in trouble and only he was able to save them. But his stories were cut short because Ren soon returned from her bath. "You''re still here?" Ren asked in annoyance. Her hair was still damp from the lake so she busied herself drying it. "Where did the others go? Why''d they let you, of all people, guard her?" Ren looked at George with a sneer. "Oh, relax Ren. The brothers are together talking about the quest. You should talk to them too. Though, I can roughly tell what they are planning already." George said as he rolled his eyes. Renee huffed and left, but not before shooting Inna a warning glance. "Sorry, Ren really hates strangers and outsiders. She rarely trusts and sees anybody since she always goes with us." "It''s alright. I understand her view." Inna stretched her hands to move it closer to the fire as she felt her body become warmer. Feeling curious, she decided to ask. "George, what is your quest about?" Hearing silence, Inna decided to withdraw the question. "I mean, if you''re not allowed to tell me then it''s okay. I understand." She felt George shift at her side and curiously looked at him. But he was just strangely staring at her face. Like he wanted to say something but he doesn''t know how or if he should even say it. "George?" Inna probed. George seemed to snap out of it as he blinked furiously and he shakily laughed it off. "Ha ha sorry, I was just..... In a daze. But I noticed you had a tiny wound on your face. Would you mind if I heal it for you?" "Nah, it''ll heal on its own. I don''t want to bother you." "No, I insist. Being in this forest, you''ll never know when you''ll get it infected. Or worse, poisoned." Inna gulped. "Are you sure it won''t be a bother?'' He shook his head. "It won''t." He placed his hand on her cheek and caressed the wound. It felt ticklish yet with little dull pain. Then, he murmured some words before warmth surrounded his palm and it spread towards the tiny slash on Inna''s cheek. After a few seconds, the warmth disappeared and George slowly withdrew his hand. "There! All done. Smooth and pretty. With no chances of scars." He said with a hearty grin. Inna felt her cheeks again and she really did feel that her skin became smooth and no traces of the wound can be seen. It fell silent once again. Inna closed her eyes as she decided to make herself more comfortable around the fire. "You asked about our quest?" George spoke slowly. "Un." "Well, it''s just your regular hunting quest, really. We look for a beast, and then we kill it. We get the materials from the beast, then we sell it." Inna can tell that George was answering vaguely but knowing the cautious nature of their group, she really couldn''t blame them. After all, she was the one who appeared out of nowhere. "Say, how do you get quests?" Inna decided to stray away from the specifics. George sighed in relief and decided to answer the question more comfortably, "It''s pretty easy. Just go to the City Hall. There''s a room used solely for quests. It had multiple quest boards as well as quest related announcements." "Quests are divided into three different types: Hunting, Gathering, and Scouting." "Hunting is killing the beast and giving something as proof that you''ve killed it. Usually, fighters take this quest, like the swordsman and the shadows." "Gathering is getting gemstones, plants, or any resources that can be gathered. Fighters rarely take this quest since it''s pretty easy so magic-users usually accept these." "Scouting is surveying or getting information while being hidden. Like scoping out a pack, or to find out how many beasts are near the border. It''s usually taken in by Shadows due to their superior stealth." "Sometimes, some quests are combination of either two or all types. So, it''s best to form a party to increase the chances of success and to cover up one''s weaknesses." Chapter 19 Edseria 3 Inna took time to digest this new bit of information. And she was curious in one point. "Shadows? What are the Shadows?" George sighed and took a stick and began drawing a chart on the huge area of dirt in front of them. "Okay, since you''ve got this ''ah-mee-sha'' thing, I''ll explain from the start." "So, in this world, there are two major abilities that can be mastered. One is by innate talent, which is Magic. And one is by training, which is Combat." "Those who do Combat or Martial Arts are generally called Fighters. These Fighters have 3 classifications: Swordsman, Ranger, and Shadow." "Swordsmen are those who carry swords and blades. They have explosive strength and great defense in close combat." "Rangers are those who carry any long-ranged weapons like bow and arrows, needles, slingshots, and blow darts. They have improved eyesight and hearing making them able to widen their range. But they can also work in short range combat as well. Their reflexes are far quicker especially with their hands." "Shadows are those who are good at concealment. They usually use hidden weapons and their stealth and speed are far more superior to the others." "The Fighter ability can be learned by any person with a healthy body. Also, Fighters do not have an accurate way to measure their strength since they each have different techniques which can overturn the power rankings but these ranks are used as an estimation instead." "In the power rankings of a Fighter, it starts with the Starter rank. Each rank is divided into 3 stages: early stage, middle stage, and peak stage. Then it follows to the Low rank, Intermediate rank, and then High rank. Once a Fighter reaches a breakthrough in High rank peak stage, they are advised to specialize in their chosen fields. This will make strengthening easier and faster rather than trying to learn all fields which will take more time and the progress in each field will be slower." "For a swordsman, they can choose to be a Knight, which uses a shield in one hand, or a Warrior which can use two swords or one broad sword. Knights have high defense ability while a Warrior focuses on destructive attacks." "For a Ranger, they can choose to be an Archer, which uses bow and arrows from long distances but usually shoots single arrows. Or they can choose to be a Shooter. Shooter usually uses needles, blow darts, and projectile blades for short distances and can shoot multiple weapons in one go." "For a Shadow, they can choose to be a Thief which is known for their speed used for quick escape. Or they can choose to be an Assassin which is known for their stealth used for assassinations." "After specializing, they will proceed towards the ranks of a Senior, then Expert and then Master. Master rank is the highest rank known in the world and so far, in the written history of the world, only 3 were able to reach these ranks before they died in old age. The Master Warrior is an ancestor of Edseria while the Master Archer is an ancestor of Anemoly. The Master Assassin has always been living like a hermit so no one knows where he is, or how he died." "Now, for the innate talent of Magic, it is quite rare. Only a handful of people possess magic but it is not valued much because magic-users cannot use direct attacks. But Fighters usually partner up with magic users because of their support. They can do three types of magic." "Magic users can enhance things. Those who practice this type of magic are called Mages. They can enhance equipment, gems, or their bodies itself. It''s great support because they can cast a spell at their feet that can make them faster than another at escaping. Or they can embed enhanced gems into their armor to give it a certain spell that can increase its durability. These enhancements can be temporary or permanent depending on the power used and difference in levels. But aside from enhancements, they can use the opposite of enhancements which are curses." "Curses cannot instantly kill but they act like poison, negatively affecting a person slowly. These curses can be placed in equipment, gems, or bodies. Those who practice this type are called Witches or Warlocks. Once a curse is used on an enhanced item, the prevailing spell will depend on how much magic power was used and what level that magic power is. Same with enhancements, they can be temporary or permanent depending on magic and levels. For these curses, there is a type of magic that can cure it as well." "Exorcism is a different art where it nullifies both curses and enhancements. Curse users usually try to learn this in order to cure the curses they use. It can also be used for purification and healing which is very handy. Its power and success in removing curses and enhancements depends on levels as well. And those who practice this type of magic is called Priestess or Priest, like yours truly." George winked. Chapter 20 Edseria 4 "Like the fighter, the rank begins with the Starter rank, then Low rank, Intermediate rank, and High rank. But Magic users do not have any specialized fields so they proceed directly to Senior rank, then Veteran rank, then finally, Sage rank. Similar to the Fighters, there are 3 stages each rank: early, middle, peak." "Just to let you know, I''m an Intermediate Priest in Middle stage." He puffed out his chest in pride before continuing. "Low-leveled magic users can temporarily enhance things at a set time interval. Also, the higher the level, the longer the temporary enhancement. While those high-level ones from Senior rank and above can use permanent enhancements, but only on non-living things.Permanent enhancements on living things can only be done by a God. Which is called a divine blessing." "No one has even done a permanent enhancement on someone before. Few have tried but they always expired at a certain time. The only Sage recorded in history tried once, but the longest enhancement he was able to do was a mere 5 years. And it held the record for the longest spell ever existed." George held an expression of awe as he explained. His greatest dream was to be a Sage and to achieve that dream, he doesn''t care how he does things at all! Inna looked at the neat diagram he laid out. Then she looked at her body clad with different types of weapons. "Is it possible to learn all three classes as a Fighter? Or all three classes as a Magic-user?" "Yes. Although the learning process and strengthening is very slow, most adventurers learn two or all to avoid any unwanted situations. After all, some adventurers like to go solo rather than party up. But the problem with Fighters learning more than one class is when they specialize. Most has to choose one class and stick to its specialized field. It''s because it''s very rare for people to be able to specialize two classes. It usually results to a clash when being trained. Also, specializing two or more makes the progress so slow, it will usually take you decades to reach the next stage and centuries to get the next rank. This is the same case with Magic-users. If you choose to learn all three, it will be too time consuming and the yield is too little that it''s not worth the time and effort. So, I wouldn''t really recommend sticking to all three whether you''re a Fighter or a Magic-user." Inna looked at George as he rolled up his sleeves to avoid getting dirt on it. And she remembered that back when she was in the water, George had a fighting stance with his stick. He also have a strangely lean muscled body which strikes her as odd if he was just a Priest. "Can a Magic-user be a Fighter?" Inna blurted out as she stared at George''s exposed biceps. "Oh, naughty naughty." George winked. "Quit staring at these pieces of meat." He said while flexing. Inna just rolled her eyes at that. George gave a chuckle before replying. "Magic-users can become fighters too. But then again, it comes back to the main topic of focusing on one aspect to strengthen. It''s very hard to strengthen both magic and combat skills without proper training and soon, to rank up further, you will have to choose which you prefer to strengthen more. Since the higher your rank, the harder and longer it gets to rank up. For me, I''m an Intermediate Shadow at early stage. But if I were to choose, I''d pick the Priest to strengthen. After all, magic is about talent. Not everyone can do Magic, but everyone can be a Fighter." George said as he put down the stick and dusted his hands off. "Now, are we good? You understand everything right?" Inna nodded. "Good, because this knowledge is known by children as early as 5 years old. If you don''t know that, people will just think you''re incredibly stupid." George snickered. "What age do they start training?" Inna was actually curious. If they knew this when they were 5, then when do they actually start to do it? "They start training from age 5 and when they are 10 years old, they usually reach the Starter rank in early stage. But those who are more talented reaches a higher stage when they''re 10 years old." They start holding swords and reading books at 5 years old..... Meanwhile, at 5 years old, I still wet my bed. Chapter 21 Tragic Departure 1 Minutes later, Rod and Nol emerged from the bushes. Behind them was Renee who was smiling weirdly. George walked over to them and spoke in hushed tones. Rod excused himself from the group as he went to Inna. "You can''t imagine how hard it was to plan with a brother who refuses to speak more than two words." Inna chuckled. "So, what''s your plan? Will you be heading out soon?" She looked at George in the distance, placing things back in his huge backpack. "Yea, we''ll be clearing this camp in a while. It''s about time for the beast to come out." Rod said as he put out the campfire. Inna was already dry so she folded the blanket neatly before handing it to Rod. "Guess I''ll have to leave?" Inna said with a smile. Rod stared at her before saying, "Well, if you want to? But really, it''ll be helpful to have another pair of hands to help us with the quest we are doing." Inna''s eyes lit up at that. Oh my gosh, my first quest! "I''ll join! I''ll do it!" She said with enthusiasm. Rod smiled wider as he shared a look with Nol. Nol nodded slightly and Rod looked again at Inna, his eyes excited. "Okay, so if you want to help, you need to know about the quest." Rod was about to start when a hand grabbed his shoulder. "Rod..." George trailed off as he stared at Rod with a warning. "George, she agreed to it. She said she''ll help. If you don''t believe me, ask her. You wanted to help, right?" Rod stared at Inna strangely. Inna was hesitant with how they were making a scene about it. But she really did want to help because they were generous enough to approach her. So Inna nodded slowly, slightly scared of George''s reaction. George stared at her, with the same expression as before. Like he wanted to say something but he can''t. After a moment, George gritted his teeth and roughly removed his hand from Rod''s shoulder. Inna was heavily intrigued by George''s weird behavior. "Inna? Are you listening?" Rod waved a hand in front of her face. This broke her out of her trance as she blinked furiously. "Hmm?" "As I was saying, we accepted this hunting quest weeks ago. But the beast we were hunting was so slippery. Anyone who tried to hunt it either never saw it or never returned. And we were short on money so we had no choice but to take this quest. Don''t worry, if this becomes a success, we''ll split the earning once we finish." Rod said with a broad smile. "The thing is, the beast is called the Golden Bear." When Rod saw that Inna''s face was blank, he knew that she must have no idea what that is. So, he explained, "It''s called the Golden Bear because its fur is gold in color. It''s not literally a Bear made out of Gold. And the reason behind the gold color is because of its attribute. Its attribute is lightning so its power comes from lightning. So our plan is to enter its cave at dawn. This will be the time where it tries to go out of its cave. So, we plan to meet it halfway through in one of the cave passages. This way, it won''t be able to call out any lightning from the skies. Whoever meets it inside the passages, needs to stall it for a few minutes until the rest of the team arrives." "Now, the problem is... there are 3 passage ways in the cave. And we have only 4 members and 2 can''t be left alone. We can''t have Renee fight 1-on-1 in an enclosed space since she''s a Ranger. All the more, we can''t let George fight alone as well since he barely knows any offensive attacks." George scoffed at Rod but Rod silenced him with a glare. The exchanged wasn''t seen by Inna because she was busy analyzing their plan. "So, what''s the division?" "Well, Nol will be going solo since he can handle it. I''ll be going with Renee as per her request. She really doesn''t want to be in a closed space with George. For.... special reasons." Rod snickered while George just glared at him. "You''ll be with George. Don''t worry, there''s less risk for you since he''s a healer." Rod beamed. Inna nodded, saying that she understood. After patting her head, Rod went towards Renee to discuss something while George began packing everything up quickly. Chapter 22 Tragic Departure 2 Soon, the rest of the team, along with Inna, walked quietly along the forest. As they walked further in, she felt that the forest became eerily quiet. In the middle of the silence, Inna scanned the area and saw a small cave by the distance. As they walked closer, it turns out that the cave was a huge one, ranging from about 4 meters tall 5 meters wide. This must be one of the cave openings! A few minutes ago, Rod said to her that there were three different cave openings that will lead to the same space underground. And the closest one they will encounter will be for Inna and George. She felt her heart thump loudly while looking at the cave. She felt it was strange, like she feels like there was something that''s about to happen. But she shook it off, thinking that she must''ve been just too nervous. After all, this is her first quest. She looked at Rod beside her and he looked at her with a reassuring smile and a nod. Then, Inna and George separated from the team, silently going near the huge cave, while the rest went on their own ways. With just the two of them, it became more silent. Inna was uncomfortable with the silence because it made her feel more scared. But no matter how much small talk she made along the way, George just stared at her with the same look he had before. A look that said that he wants to say something but can''t. Giving up, Inna just quietly walked towards the cave entrance. "So, we''ll go in here?" George nodded. He began rummaging through his backpack and a moment later, he took out a palm-sized crystal and murmured something. The crystal began to light up, but it seems that George adjusted it to make it not too bright. He then handed the crystal to Inna. "Here, so that it''s easier for you to see." With the crystal at hand, Inna and George began walking towards the cave. Inside the cave, Inna felt creeped out as she goes further. The hair on her arms were on end and the darkness beyond her makes her frightened beyond relief. Because it looks like something is going to pop out anytime. Like a ghost or something.... She looked towards the walls of the cave and saw fragments of what looked like broken glass. She looked forward and saw something shining. Slowly, they made their way to it. But as soon as the light shined on it, Inna screamed. "AHHHHHH--" She dropped the stone as it lighted up a skeleton with a ruby ring beside it. George immediately clamped Inna''s mouth, stopping her scream halfway. Then George looked at her. "Calm down. It''s dead. It''s just bones. Nothing more. We need to hurry up." George whispered. Inna nodded as George removed his hand. She slowly inhaled and exhaled, calming herself down. After a few moments, they continued walking. When Inna was about to get tired from walking aimlessly, she heard a low growl. She had goose bumps from the fright of the growl. But the situation didn''t give her enough time to recover because following the growl was another weird piercing sound that echoed throughout the walls of the cave. After that strange piercing sound, she felt a gust of wind. And in that gust of wind, she heard the five words. "Sorry. I had no choice." She looked back as soon as she heard that familiar voice. Only to see empty space. George was gone! Chapter 23 Tragic Departure 3 Another low growl echoed in the cave. This time, it was louder and clearer. And before Inna can react, two familiar bright orbs suddenly appeared. Inna slowly backed away, feeling that those bright orbs are staring intently at her, following her every move. But before she can take a huge step back, the thing pounced at her, throwing her out of the cave in an inhuman speed. She landed outside of the cave opening. Her body filled with numerous gashes from the tiny sharp rocks. "GRRRR!" The snarling beast went out of the cave, its eyes staring intently at Inna. With the sky nearing dawn, it gave her enough light to see the Golden Bear. But even the silhouette is enough to completely shock her! Rod said it was a Golden Bear, but he never said that it was 3 meters tall! Inna looked at it in fear. It had the golden fur and yellow colored eyes, and its claws were as long as her legs! She tried to stand up, but as she tried to move, the Golden Bear swiped at her. She raised her arms, protecting her head. This made the bear''s claws rip the flesh in her arms. She tried dodging its following attacks but it still left her wounded. Am I going to die after all? Wait, didn''t they say to stall for a few minutes until they arrive? Where are they now? Where did George go? She felt movement in her right and saw the team, with George, fully immersed in looking at the Golden Bear. ''Finally.'' She breathed a sigh of relief. But while the Bear continued to shower her with slashes, she saw the team enter the cave entrance quietly, not even giving her much of a glance. What are they doing? Why are they going inside? Wait a minute, did they trick me?! They just wanted the things inside the fucking cave?! Not the scary ass bear itself?! Did I just become the bait? Those motherfuckers!! Inna felt anger rise up in her stomach, but before she can lash out, it was doused with coldness. Her mind became clear, as her emotions became as still as water. With the same murderous glint in her now empty eyes, she dodged another attack completely. When she regained her proper footing, Inna drew out two blades. Inna and the Bear was caught into a fierce battle. It was so fast that an inexperienced outsider would only be able to see their afterimages, and the increasing injuries both parties suffered. Inside, Inna was quite shocked on how fast this huge bear was moving! It seems that it was just toying with her when she tried dodging its attacks earlier! Just as Inna was about to deliver a double slash combination, her arms completely lost any feeling. She was unable to move them, making her drop her weapons involuntarily. She furrowed her brows as she blankly looked at them. The Bear seemed to notice and stopped its attack. It tilted its head and for some annoying reason, it had a huge smirk. Inna with her blank look, just kept looking at her arms that laid limp by her sides. Soon, she felt that the numbing feeling was slowly coming from her legs, making her sit on the ground. She looked at the bear and saw it huff triumphantly as it stared at her. And at the bear''s side, she noticed some movement. It was the team slowly coming out of the cave, one by one. Each hand grasping huge sacks that were filled to the brim. But the most disturbing fact, was that on their faces were greedy grins as they look at the amount of loot each of them had. All of them had the same goofy grins and sparkling eyes, except for one. Chapter 24 Tragic Departure 4 George stopped in his tracks to look at Inna, sitting on the floor, beaten and battered. She was staring straight at them, her eyes empty and her face expressionless. He didn''t expect this reaction from her. It would''ve eased his guilt by a bit if she were to get mad at them, to scream at them, or even cry at them. But for some reason, he felt even worse looking at her empty expression. It looked like her soul had been sucked dry and what was left was the body. He felt his eyes sting so he looked away. He truly felt bad as he dragged their loot. He felt guilty for doing this to her. But he had no choice. Rod needed a scapegoat to lure out the Golden Bear. It was the only problem we had in that quest. And she came at the right time. She appeared out of nowhere like a blessing. She was oblivious to everything, dumb, and easily trusts people. She was the type that can be easily fooled. Plus, she was a stranger to them, so there wouldn''t be any lingering feelings. It fit all the requirements they needed for a scapegoat so they had no choice. He actually quite liked her after getting to talk to her. And he actually defied orders and tried warning her subtly, but she didn''t seem to notice. In the end, he did all that he could. And he did say to her, that he will become stronger, no matter what. But how can anyone be strong without any money in their hands? He had to do this. He has no regret in doing this. And if given the chance again, he will still choose to do this to her. Because it''s either her or him. There was no other choice. Rod noticed George''s quick glance at Inna and momentarily placed his loot down. He grasped his shoulder and muttered. "George, don''t think too much about it. She''s bound to get tricked anyways. She''s too naive. We''re doing her a favor by ending her life earlier. It saves her the future pain of multiple betrayals." Renee snickered quietly as she made her way past them. "Besides, if it wasn''t her, it would''ve been one of us in her place. The world isn''t so kind that it can pamper a naive idiot forever after all. It was either her or us. Think about that. We''ve told you this before. The rule of surviving is simple. It''s either you die, or the others will." Rod patted his shoulder before removing his hand. George mulled over Rod''s words as he dragged his loot behind him. Chapter 25 Friend or Foe? Meanwhile, Inna''s legs completely lost any feeling. And the longer she stared at the team, the more agitated the bear became. One thing it hated the most was being ignored! So without any more smugness, it growled loudly before lunging at Inna. But when it was about a feet away from her, Inna''s eyes suddenly held a domineering aura that made the bear feel fear. It twisted its body to avoid crashing into her and landed forcefully on the space beside her. Inna''s oppressive aura shot forth and as she gazed at the bear, it involuntarily let out whimpers. It didn''t understand how the human made it feel fear. It was an instinctive reaction. Knowing that it couldn''t defeat the woman despite being hit by his paralyzing poison, it decided to abandon this woman and switch prey. At the right moment, Renee accidentally stepped on a twig as she tried to drag her loot. The Bear scampered away from Inna and faced the team, its mood became worse after shamelessly cowering. It roared loudly before pouncing on her. But before the bear can touch her, George nimbly grabbed her out of harm''s way. "Everyone! It switched targets!" George announced. "Impossible! It''s known to latch on one prey at a time!" Rod screamed in disbelief. From what he knew, Golden Bears will not switch prey until they completely devoured it! "I don''t know what happened but he have to run! Leave half of the loot! It''ll be too heavy!" George screamed as he continuously dodged the bear''s persistent assaults. He released Renee before he grabbing his sack of loot. After Renee grabbed hers, the whole team started running while the bear was in pursuit. While all of this was happening, Inna just fully laid down on the ground, her armor filled with dirt and grime. She was now fully paralyzed by the poison. Her wounds are probably infected by now and her blood has been flowing slowly, turning into a pool of blood beneath her. In a second, Inna felt the coldness in her body gone as she gasped. God, it fucking hurts! Back when she was in that weird state, everything felt numb for her. But when she came back, all the pain from her multiple wounds came back at her at full force! She wanted to scream from the pain but her voice won''t come out. Her throat felt constricted, barely making her breathe. Then, she remembered that she can''t move any part of her body. The only moveable part she had was her eyes which she used to stare at the direction where the team went. ''I swear to god, if I see those backstabbing bastards again, I''ll castrate all of them and let that bitch eat it!'' It''ll be lucky if they died, because she''ll be able to meet them in Hell! Those shitass motherfuckers actually dared to trick her for money? Which book said that the first people they meet when they reincarnate are good guys?! She vows to slap that friggin'' author to death! She continued her curses as she laid under the open sky. She noticed a tinge of orange from the clouds and knew that it''s already dawn. In her estimation, about an hour has passed. And in that hour, she just kept cursing them in her mind. In fact, she was actually amazed how she never ran out of curses. Laying down on the dirt, she heard rustling from the leaves and felt tiny vibrations from the ground before hearing a distinct voice. "Oh? What''s this?" Chapter 26 Chasing After Her 1 The King opened his eyes. He was in a meditative stance, his legs crossed and his back straight. He looked at his body and saw he was covered with a heavy amount of dust. He tried to move his arms to dust himself, only to hear his bones creaking. Every small movement he made resulted to cracking noises, considering that it''s been in that meditative form for centuries. He exhaled as he slowly tried to stretch his taut bones and muscles. It''s been too long since he used this body. Being in this body was taxing for him, since it made him unable to use most of his divine ability. But he had no choice. It was the rule of the heavens not to use too much divine abilities in a physical world. It will tip the balance too much if the others along with himself were unable to control their emotions and abilities. After a few minutes of light movements, he was finally able stand up properly. He looked around the room he was in. It was a room with similar designs to his palace, the same marble walls with golden linings. He recognized this place. His other bodies all lived in seclusion so its location was somewhere no one would ever visit. Right now, he was inside Heaven''s cliff, the eastern side of the Miasma Forest. Heaven''s cliff is a perilous path from Anemoly to Edseria, hence people from Anemoly do not have the courage to wage war to Edseria and vice versa. He decided to quickly get out of the room, eager to get the lost soul back so he can return as soon as possible. Outside, he was at the bottom of a very deep chasm, looking up at the small opening showing the sky. But with one step, he easily floated above it in a second. His feet floating as he stared at that chasm like it was nothing. Perilous path they said... If the thousands of people who lost their lives in that chasm saw his effortless escape, they would be vomiting blood in anger. Now standing on the edge of the cliff, the King was about to start his blind search. He knew that finding her in a short amount of time is impossible with the human body he had and his weakened abilities. But he had to, because he hated being around heavy sinners. He used most of his life watching the deeds they had done. So much that no one would know their minds better than he did. But he was at a loss on how to start searching. After all, the only way for him to fully recognize a lost soul is from their incompatibility with the original soulless corpse. They would have their previous habits, emotions, way of thinking, and actions. They would also be unable to know the corpse''s past memory and common knowledge in the world. But their words would be what the original owner''s language was with a few exceptions. As long as there is someone who started acting strangely, he will have a lead. Knowing this, he was about to travel to the kingdom of Anemoly to start searching when he felt a faint demonic energy in the western direction. A Demon? Here? Impossible! He immediately bolted to the direction but halfway through, it was abruptly cut. He sped up, his brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what happened. High demons were all either exterminated or imprisoned! He tried searching for that faint demonic presence again to know where it was, yet it never resurfaced.He was unable to pinpoint the exact location as well, so he was only able to guess its general location. Arriving, he stopped running and walked around, trying to find the source of the demonic energy. It was in the area, he knew that. So, quietly, he began to walk around. In Hel Halja, this same soul also had faint prints of demonic energy around the Resurrection room. He was not sure what it really meant but he had a guess. A stray demon might have latched onto her or possessed her to escape! But what he can''t fathom is that, how did they get out? He might be weakening but the seals imprisoning them where still as strong as ever. While thinking, he began to hear miniscule noises from a distance. It seems that it came from humans. He felt another presence and realized it came from a magical beast. For some reason, he decided to wait and see. He sat by a huge boulder near a tree. Minutes later, he saw a group of adventurers panting as they emerged from the bushes. The group was able to trick the beast into going in a different direction, but they knew it wouldn''t trick it for long. They decided to stop and catch their breath after passing through the thick bushes. But as they stopped, they saw a man in red robes sitting on a boulder, looking eerily attractive and elegant under the moonlight. But they had no time to look at him closely because they felt the beast catch up to them. Rod stared at the team and all of them had a silent agreement. They would bypass him to use him to distract the bear! With that plan in mind, they decided to rest for a short while. When they felt the thumping of the ground from the beast''s paws, they knew it was time. They looked behind them just to make sure, before running again. This time, they changed directions and aimed for the man in red! Chapter 27 Chasing After Her 2 They passed through him and hoped that he would be able to at least stall the bear for a short while. Actually, the King already knew of their tactic. Most adventurers would do anything and use anyone to ensure their own benefit of survival. That''s how it always was in this world. He decided to play along, feeling in the mood to mess with them. A few seconds passed, and the bear erupted from the bushes, bending the trees that hindered its size. It gazed at the team, not even minding the red robed man. And it immediately ran to chase. But when the bear passed by the King, he felt a very faint scent of the same demonic print. He abruptly grabbed the 3 meter bear with one hand. This made the bear stop itself from running and turned to look at the man in red. It was about to lash out, but when it met the eyes of the man, it whimpered instead. Why are there so many scary humans today? It felt wronged. It was just sleeping peacefully. They were the ones who woke it up! It hated being woken up! The King let go of the bear as soon as it whimpered. But gave it a sharp stare to keep it in place. The bear didn''t dare to move nor escape, because it knew, that if it did, it wouldn''t exist anymore. "Apologies, Fauna. I will be intruding." He muttered before his eyes glowed golden. He floated up the sky to meet eye to eye with the bear and he used what divine ability he can get to read its recent memories. He saw a dark cave, and two people with an illumination stone. One is a man another a woman. After a moment, the man looked at the woman sadly, before he disappeared into thin air. The next moment, the woman was poorly dodging attacks from him. This made him furrow his brows. She was able to outrun Reapers who were a thousand stronger and faster than this huge bear, but she can''t even dodge its attacks? Not long after, he saw her look away, her expression filled with relief, and then the next second, was filled with fury. And another second passed, where her expression was blank. This made the King more confused. Does she have split personality disorder? But he relived her life and knew nothing of the sort. He then saw the woman''s arms turn limp and she laid there. He can tell that the bear was lunging at her but when he was in mid-air, he saw her eyes turn golden. This made his breath caught up in his throat. What is the meaning of this? Was she possessed? But they wouldn''t be this ''alive'' if she was possessed. In fact, it would use the body to wreak havoc, not act kind and stupid. Was it latching on her? But it wouldn''t show itself no matter what. When the body it latched itself onto dies, the demon can roam free after. Then it might not be a demon? But the demonic presence itself is the same. He had no clue anymore. But he was fairly certain about one thing. She had something with her. Something dangerous. He just doesn''t know what, how and when it joined with her. He read the rest of its memories but it was filled with it chasing the team he saw earlier. Satisfied, he released it from his intimidation. After the oppressive aura was gone, the bear immediately scampered off to where it last smelled the team. It didn''t want to go back empty-handed after being humiliated twice! Reliving its memories might seem like it consumed a long time, but actually, it all just happened in a second. This made the bear happy that it was still able to track the team down. But as for the King, that single second just earned him a lead. He dashed towards the direction where the woman, Inna was supposed to lay. He made sure to conceal himself so that she wouldn''t notice his presence. But when he arrived near the cave, he saw no bodies on the ground. He knew she was there because there was still a pool of blood in a spot a distance away from the cave. The King knelt near that spot to touch her blood. Fairly warm. She was here minutes ago? No, ten minutes at most. He looked around and saw no other bloodstains except the one he examined. He felt it was strange. If she was alive, she would''ve left bloodstains when she moved. And there were no healers at her side. He realized that after meeting this soul, it''s the first time that he had this many unanswered questions. It actually made him quite baffled and impressed at the same time. He decided to look around one last time, and tried to feel the whole western forest for any human souls. But he wasn''t able to notice anything strange at all. He just felt the 4 souls from the team of adventurers he just met. Now that he found them, he realized that in the bear''s memory, there was a man with her in the cave. And, from what he saw earlier, that man was with the team running away from the bear. Then, it must mean that they met her! With a newfound lead, the King decided to trace their soul patterns to find out where they are. In a few seconds, the King arrived near them, just as the bear was prepared to launch an attack. Chapter 28 Chasing After Her 3 "Save us!" Renee screamed when she saw the man again. At first, they didn''t recognize the man in red. They never had a clear view of his face because they were busy focusing on survival. But they were stunned when they saw him closely. He looked absolutely enchanting! He had long black hair that flowed and shined freely like silk. And his gray eyes looks absolutely mesmerizing and mysterious. One could lose oneself in his gaze alone. He was clothed with red robes that made him look like an Immortal, devilishly alluring. But, for some reason, as they looked at his red robes, they felt that it was familiar. The team looked at each other as it registered in them. That man! He was that man in red! The one sitting by the boulder! He''s alive?! He was able to escape but he returned. He must be strong! "Save us! We''ll do anything!" Renee screamed again but for some reason, her dazed eyes were stuck to his face. The man raised an eyebrow at their ''request''. They had no second thoughts about using him but now they ask him to save them? Shameless! Truly shameless! Nevertheless, he decided to comply for now. The bear froze when it saw the man again. But before it can even recovered its senses, the King leaped gracefully and gently touched the bear''s forehead with his finger. "Sleep." The King muttered. The bear felt a cooling sensation coming from his finger that spread towards its whole body. Soon, the sensation felt so relaxing that it immediately fell asleep. The team looked at the King with their mouths agape. One finger! He knocked it down with just a single finger! They looked at the man in awe, completely forgetting the fact that they used him as a scapegoat. Nol was the first to recover his senses as he tapped Rod. "Let''s go." They all nodded and was ready to sneak out when a voice suddenly spoke up. "Move one step and I''ll make sure you''ll all regret it." The murderous tone it had made the whole team freeze in their spots. The King approached them and was about to ask something when he noticed 4 other familiar auras present. But apart from being momentarily stunned, he acted normally. "Sit." He ordered. The team was filled with fear so they obeyed willingly. "You." The King pointed at George. "You were with a woman in a cave?" George looked at the rest of the team, asking for advice if he will admit the truth or not. But it seems like the rest of the team had another plan up ahead. "Respected Sir." Renee spoke sweetly, batting her eyelashes in a seductive manner. "Your purpose must be for little Georgie here." She giggled lightly and approached the man. "Why don''t you let us go....." She trailed off sweetly before continuing. "... and we''ll give you little Georgie here?" She tried reaching out to touch his arm but he held her back with a stare. "Never touch me." He said with disgust. He flicked his sleeves at her as he backed away. This made her retreat back to the team, her ears were tinted with red from embarrassment. She was confident of her seduction skills and her body but this man didn''t even change his blank look nor even look her way. "I have no need for such dealings. I can easily force you to cooperate. Besides, even if you give him to me, and you all leave, it will still result to your deaths." He said while looking at the four Reapers behind them. The Reapers knelt down in his presence, waiting to see if their King would bestow a momentary pardon for the humans they were assigned to harvest. "10 minutes from now." The King said, looking at the numbers changing above their heads. "You will meet a pack of Lightning Tigers as you try to escape." The team didn''t believe him, but after a few minutes, they felt multiple eyes watching them from the distance. It made them feel on edge and made them believe in his words a bit. "So, now, do you still wish to escape? Or do you wish to save us all the trouble and cooperate?" Chapter 29 Chasing After Her 4 The team looked at each other but George was still left dumbfounded of what just happened. He was unable to cope with what they just tried to do. The team he was with ever since he was young, the team he treated as his family, and the woman whom he loved for almost 10 years, easily abandoned him to save their own lives. Just because a strong stranger was asking for him, they easily offered him in a silver platter in exchange for their own necks. He can''t believe they would actually do this to him. He endured a lot of hardships for them. A lot of wounds, and a lot of sacrifices. After all, they''ve been a team for almost 20 years, from when they were orphans to when they became adventurers. But.... easily... so easily... And by the woman he loved... His eyes stung. He wanted to cry. But he felt that if he did, it would make it seem as though he was weak, and that he was making a big deal about nothing. He looked at Renee in disbelief. But he only saw her blushing while gazing at the man. He looked at the rest of the team but the brothers averted their eyes. He had no choice but to hide his bitter feelings. "You. Come here." The King pointed at George. George complied and hastily made his way to the King. The King grabbed his head and closed his eyes, so that they wouldn''t see the change of his eyes'' color. George''s memories from about two hours ago were being re-lived by the King in a second. And after a few moments, the King withdrew his hand. "You met a girl named Inna. She had black hair, green eyes, wields multiple weapons, and claimed to have ''amnesia.''" The King relayed the key information he gathered while George nodded in surprise. "After leaving her, do you have any idea where she might be?" The team looked at each other while Renee broke out into soft laughter. "It''s impossible for her to be alive." "Why?" The King was intrigued and ended up staring at her. This made Renee become flustered. "Ah, uhm, s-she was inflicted with the Golden Bear''s paralysis poison so, she wouldn''t be able to move at all for a whole day. And given that she''s in the Miasma Forest, a beast is bound to find her unmoving body and devour her sooner or later." The King scrunched his eyebrows. There would be multiple bloodstains if she was devoured by a beast. And since the scene was spotless, save for the original pool of blood, he''s positive that someone helped her. But he''s not sure who that someone is. Just to make sure that he didn''t miss anything, the King read everyone''s memories. Since what the woman said matched, it means that they really don''t know anything else apart from her appearance and her mannerisms. Especially her knack for swearing left and right. He planned to let them go and let the Fates kill them. But a voice suddenly spoke up. "Wait! Don''t let us go! We can be useful!" Renee screamed. "Ren..." Rod''s voice held a warning. This woman wants us to continue to be in danger for the sake of a little crush? "And what possible use do you have left?" The King said, not hiding his disdain. Renee wracked her brain for a reason. "Uhm, warming your bed?" Renee asked shamelessly. The Reapers kneeling immediately stood up and in a blink of an eye, their claws were an inch apart from Renee''s neck. Their eyes held contempt and rage. This shameless woman! Towards the King! Such blasphemy! But the rest of the team were unaware of the Reaper''s presence. After all, only the dead can see them. Renee, on the other hand, only felt a heavy murderous aura directed at her. This made her scared and unable to move. Meanwhile, the King looked at her in disgust. "Then I have no use for you at all." Chapter 30 Kill or Capture? "Wait!" Rod spoke up desperately. He knew that if he didn''t, Renee would''ve died. "You must be searching for Inna? We can help you!" The King looked at Rod with an eyebrow raised. "And how can you help?" "Do you wish to kill her? Or capture her?" Rod asked back. "Capture her." Killing her would be improper towards the original body. And as a King, he vowed that he would never kill a human, no matter how the circumstances permits it. He would let the Fates take its course. After all, they will all die sooner or later. And when they enter his kingdom, he can play with them whenever he wants. "Then we can help with that!" Rod said firmly. "We know her better and we know of her mannerism and attitude." "It''s better if it''s us because when you hire people to simply look for her with a sketch of her face, they would just be looking at what she looks like. It''s better for us to look for her because we actually met her personally and we observed her for a considerable amount of time. Hence, if she were to disguise herself, others wouldn''t notice but we would be able to easily see through it." "Besides, she also has deep hatred for us since we tricked her and almost killed her." "We can use her hatred to be able to know if it really was her." "Also, it will be easier since we are 4 people who actually met her." Rod looked at the King with a cunning smile, proud of the ideas he came up with. Renee''s eyes sparkled when she heard this. It means that she can have an excuse to stay near this enchanting man until they found that woman, which might probably be already dead anyways. The King, upon hearing Rod''s ideas, was also quite convinced with his logic. Also, this saves him the trouble of doing it by himself. He''d prefer not to move much in this body since he still hasn''t recovered. He looked at the Reapers who still had their claws aimed at Renee''s throat. "A year. I will grant you a momentary pardon of death, for a year. If you cannot find her, then your lives will immediately be forfeited. To these terms, do you all agree?" The King ordered with an imposing aura. The team found his choice of words weird. But if it gets them to live for a year more, they don''t really care even if he starts clucking like a chicken. They looked at each other before nodding, "Agreed." The Reapers upon hearing this, retracted their claws and murderous eyes. They went to the King and bowed respectfully. "The King grants these souls a year of momentary pardon. These servants acknowledges the King''s decree and it shall be carried as what has been agreed upon. They will not meet with any unfortunate events that will cost their lives for the duration of the promised year.These servants will report this decree to the kingdom and to the heavens. A year from now, we will return for their souls, esteemed deity." Upon hearing their announcement, the King nodded in acknowledgement. The Reapers then got up and turned into black mist. Afterwards, the King looked at the team. "Dedicate a year of your lives in searching for her. Do not kill her but capture her alive." "If you ever find her, report immediately to the royal capital, Anemolia, in the Kingdom of Anemoly. Go to the royal castle and tell the guards to send this message to the Emperor." "Omnia mors aequat." "What does that mean?" Renee chimed in. "What that means does not concern you." The King spat. "Just pass that message and they will let you in." "Once you''ve entered, you will see me there." "Also, you have free control on what methods you wish to pursue. All I need is her alive." After speaking, the King pointed at George. "And I will be taking him as hostage. I have another use for him." "What?!" Renee screamed. She wanted to be that hostage! Renee wanted to protest more but Rod shut her up with a glare. The King pretended that he didn''t hear her. He touched George''s forehead with his finger before muttering, "Sleep." George immediately felt the cooling sensation before he slumped and fell asleep. The King grabbed the back of his collar, dragging his body on the ground like how a criminal would to a hostage. Actually, there was no need for the King to have a hostage. But the King had other plans for the youth. He doesn''t fully trust the adventurers'' capabilities so to ensure more success, he had another plan in mind. He knew that the youth ''connected'' more with Inna so he will be a great asset for his ''other'' plan. He gave one last look at the remaining people before he turned around, ready to leave. "Wait!" Rod stopped him. "How are we going to cross the borders? The two ways are both deadly. One is to pass through the Heaven''s cliff which is impossible. The other is to pass the Poisoned Path filled with deadly corrosive plants and poisonous beasts. Only fully prepared people can pass there. That is if they don''t get eaten by packs of beasts." "Choose the Poisoned path." The King muttered, his voice held a tinge of disinterest and impatience. "I have great confidence that you all will be momentarily immune to those poisons and no beasts will cross your path. And ease your future worries and heed my words, you will be able to live smoothly for a year." The King said before he leaped towards the direction of the kingdom of Anemoly, leaving the team at awe with his powerful display of ability. The King now had a lead in his search. He knew of her appearance from the adventurers. But the problem is her body''s name. Her name is Inna, but the body she possessed must have a different name. He needed to know it so that, in case those adventurers are unable capture her, he can pressure the body''s family to force her to be found and be brought to him. To do that, he needs to start his search in Anemoly for any daughters missing. Then he will travel to Edseria to do the same as well. If after a year and there will still be no news, he will have to use drastic measures to find her. And for that, he needs to meet with someone powerful enough to make it possible. Chapter 31 Can I Trust You Now? 1 A hand. From the darkness, she saw a hand reaching out to her. Its skin was ghastly white and it looked bony and creepy. In a second, blobs of dark ink-like substances started to drip on the hand. It started to cover the arm towards the hand. Curious, she reached out to touch it. But she found that the hand was too far away. Moments later, she found her body slowly moving closer towards it. Slowly, the hand reached out to her as well. The black liquid seems to be connected to the darkness behind the outstretched arm. When she was finally able to reach the hand, the black liquid covered the whole arm and sucked Inna in. She was trapped in a box filled with darkness and felt a hand gripping her throat. Soon, within that space of darkness, multiple whispers echoed. "Don''t¡­.let¡­. them¡­ catch¡­. you¡­." "If¡­they¡­. get¡­ you...it¡­.will¡­ be¡­.over¡­" These whispers were repeated again and again, sometimes she heard it by her ear, but sometimes she heard it far away. Sometimes the whisper is a man, sometimes a woman. Sometimes it becomes a child giggling, or an elderly wheezing. This made Inna''s mental state unstable. Her paranoia and anxiety was at an all-time high. She felt breathless and was trying to calm herself down. But after a few moments, she had a panic attack again. And this time, it was the most serious case she had. She began wheezing and felt light headed. Then, she heard a slow chuckle near her ears before a clear androgynous voice spoke. "One seems to have awakened early, Ab--" But before she knew it, she already fainted. ================================================================ "Did she die?" A young male in white asked in a hushed tone. But before he can react, he cried in pain. "Ow! Ow! Ow! You didn''t have to do that!" "Don''t curse the girl to die!" A middle aged man bellowed in anger. He had great pains transferring her without anyone detecting so she better not just waste his efforts! "Why don''t you go back already? You finished your assignment here so there''s no point in dawdling much longer!" The young man pouted and turned to leave, but not before muttering, "Rude old man." The middle aged man froze and looked at the young man in fury. "What did you say?! Did you just call me OLD?! I''M NOT YET OLD! YOU ROTTEN BRAT! COME! I''LL TEACH YOU SOME MANNERS! THAT STINKING MOUTH OF YOURS!" The man started screaming insults and curses at the young man. His growing anger fueled his voice further in getting louder by the minute. But the man just looked at him, stuck his tongue out, and dashed out of the room. "COME BACK HERE, YOU BRAT!" The man once again continued hurling insults. The sound of his voice became louder and louder until somebody wasn''t able to take it anymore. "OH MY GOD, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Inna screamed in irritation. She was extremely agitated from being woken up. It was heaven for her a few minutes back. She loved the feel of the soft fluffy bed and the warm comforters she had. And she just found the most comfortable position when she was rudely awakened by a really loud voice. She hates being woken up abruptly! She always had 7 alarms with 5 minutes in between to make her ''gradually'' wake up. And even with that, she''s still going to be grumpy as fuck. Even her roommates knew not to mess with her when it''s morning! Yet this fucker just decided to scream at her ear when she was sleeping! "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING AT THIS TIME OF DAY? DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH? WANNA FIGHT?" "I CAN USE THIS PILLOW TO CHOKE YOU! WANNA TRY ME?" Inna glared at the man as she sat up and grabbed her pillow. She slowly got off the bed and got into her fighting stance. "You? With a pillow?" The man snorted, clearly not believing. "Don''t underestimate me, old man." Inna warned with a smirk, her confidence at its maximum. This stance has been trained for 3 years by the countless sleep-over pillow wars that she survived from! Many perished in their conquest for survival in those pillow wars. And many have tried to polish their skills but they all perished together under her own hands. Her pillow fighting skills can finally be used! She took pillow fights seriously and the boys always laughed at her for it. That''s because they never tried having one with her roommates! If they only knew the hell she lived through¡­. Her roommates were all athletes and were strong as fuck! When they throw a pillow, it can be classified as a nuclear weapon! "Don''t underestimate my 3 years of battle experience!" She hollered before dashing towards the man and climbing on his back. She hooked her legs on his waist as she bashed his head with her pillow. "Hah! Hyah! Take that!" She screamed as she kept bashing him on the head. The feathers from the pillow leaked out and blinded the man, making him go in circles, utterly confused on what was happening. The girl he tried very hard to save¡­ ¡­ is now attacking him with a pillow¡­ ... with an intent to kill¡­ ¡­ because he was screaming¡­. ¡­ and she woke up? What the heck? Chapter 32 Can I Trust You Now? 2 "STOP!" The man screamed before coughing violently. The feathers from the pillow accidentally entered his mouth and chocked him momentarily. "I''ll stop when you''re dead!" Inna said firmly. "I GIVE UP! SPARE ME!" He pleaded. God only knows how many decades ago he last uttered such words of defeat. Inna paused her one-sided battle. "Pshhhhh, see, you should always keep this in mind." Inna said condescendingly while still hooked on his waist from the back. "Never underestimate a woman with something in her hands. She can always turn them into weapons." She said as she bashed him one more time before getting off and dashing towards the bed. My dear hubby, I missed youuuuuu~ She laid down on her stomach as she tried to hug the bed with her arms spread apart. She had a contented smile as she closed her eyes. Meanwhile, the man took one good look at her and began regretting his actions. Why did I even save this crazy woman?! I should''ve left her to get eaten by beasts! After a few toss and turns, Inna figured out she won''t be able to fall asleep again so she sat on her bed and stared at the man. "Okay first of all, who are you?" "That should be my question. Who are you?" "Answer me first. You lost earlier." Inna said with a smug smile. The man sneered before complying. "Solomon Bertrand." "Inna." Solomon looked at her get up. "What were you doing in the Miasma forest?" When Inna heard that question, all the memories came flooding back in her mind. Oh yeah, she''s not in her room anymore! She forgot she actually died, and then reincarnated¡­ And then after she reincarnated, Rod, Nol, Renee, and George, her first friends in this world, tricked her for money. And decided to just leave her to die. Her anger welled up as she clenched her fists. Those greedy shits better know what''s coming to them! They don''t trick her without expecting any consequences! She stared at her fists and noticed the rips and bloodied cloth and metal in her arms. Wait, wasn''t she injured? Did she die? Is this heaven? She then sneaked a glance at Solomon. If this is heaven¡­. Omfg, did she beat up an angel? She stared at Solomon strangely. Solomon felt weirded out by her stare and decided to ask her. "What is it? Why are you staring at me like that?" Inna suddenly asked out of the blue. "A-are you an angel?" What the heck? What''s up with this woman? Is she really crazy? Did he just pick up a crazy suicidal beggar? Suddenly, Inna laughed. "No no. Too impossible. You''re too old to be an angel! You''re most likely a dead person''s soul as well." "Probably died of old age." Argh! This! This woman! "YOU--" "Don''t make me get my pillow again!" She cut him off with a threat. Solomon swallowed his words and tried to talk gently. But he just ended up spitting his words out. "I. Am. Not. Dead." "I. Am. A. Human." "I. Am. FORTY FOUR YEARS OLD!" He snapped. "Middle aged! Not old!" "But¡­" Inna inspected him slowly. He had a towering height similar to a basketball player. And he wearing a white robe that fell on his feet which made him look taller and more intimidating. His face looked smooth from afar but it actually had faint traces of wrinkles, especially the area near his brown eyes. Just from looking at these, one wouldn''t associate him as an old person. But the dead giveaway was his hair! His long black hair had multiple white silver streaks that greatly contrasts its color. So, to prove her point, Inna pointed at his hair. "Your hair is as long as mine. But you still can''t see the white strands in it?" "So, your eyesight is also bad? Tsk, tsk, tsk. You''re really getting old." Inna sighed in fake dismay. "You!!" He pointed at her in anger. A moment after, he swallowed his anger with great difficulty. "My hair is partly white. I see that. But that is a natural result from using too much magic for forty four years and counting." "Forty. Four. Years." Solomon hissed through his teeth to emphasize. Inna rolled her eyes at him but didn''t comment anything. "Now, Inna, I''ll ask you again. What were you doing in the Miasma forest?" Solomon stared at her with a curious gaze. "I was on a quest. I''m an adventurer." I think¡­ He looked at her armor and to the left side of the room where the stack of different weapons he removed from her whole armor were all located. Sure enough, she was an adventurer! Chapter 33 Can I Trust You Now? 3 "How did you end up in that state? You were close to death''s door when I found you!" Inna bit her lower lip, trying not to lash out with curses from the get-go. After a few moments of calming herself, she finally spoke. "I met these team of adventurers by the river. I was lost so I decided to go with them. We talked a lot and I sort of felt a sense of friendship with them. So, when they started talking about the hunting quest they had, I decided to help them. They told me this bullshit of a plan that sounded right. They said that the Golden Bear only comes out at dawn, and it had the lightning attribute so it''s best to not let it out the cave so there would be no chances of calling lightning. And to trap it, they found that there were three cave openings that all reach towards its lair. They all assigned people by each cave entrance, and I was partnered up with a healer that I thought was my friend. They said this shitty excuse about the nearest cave being ours and they had to leave to go to the other caves. I thought they were telling the truth, so I went in with the Shadow healer and didn''t think twice about their disappearance." Inna took a deep breath to compose herself again. Meanwhile, Solomon was trying to decipher her strange words. Ball Sheet? Sheet Tea? He was about to ask but Inna started to talk again. "So, after a while, when we were inside the cave, we heard this growl. Soon, the Shadow healer used his skill to run away and I was left and attacked by that humongous bear." "While I was attacked, I saw them by the corner of my eye." "I thought they were going to save me. But turns out, they just went inside the cave to loot it. Then, they ran away." Inna kept the matter about her beating the bear and making the bear retreat. She didn''t want to tell too much. Who knows, this ''Solomon'' might be another ''George.'' Solomon thought over her words. "Judging from the fact that you trusted them easily, you''re not fit to be an adventurer." He shook his head. "It''s a hidden code for all adventurers." "Never trust anyone with everything unless you have a hold on them." "Their survival matters first." "It''s every man for himself." "The moment they treated you, a stranger, warmly, was enough of a warning. No one is that kind inside the Miasma Forest. Other adventurers would even sacrifice their own teammates just to live, so why would they waste effort and resources on a stranger?" "And to think you don''t even know what a Golden Bear is." He looked at her and snorted. "No one in the Fighter class is ignorant when it comes to the Golden Bear. It''s like a forbidden fruit for them." "It''s common knowledge that the Golden Bear is a High Rank beast and it treasure sleeping a lot. And to be woken up at dawn would give it the worst mood. I don''t know which stupid adventurer would wake one up unless they wanted to die early." "And, lightning attribute my ass. Even if it had that, whether its outside or underground, it can still call and form lightning anytime. They probably got this idea from its poison. The Golden Bear has a special paralysis poison that''s similar to being stunned by electric currents. It''s quite difficult to nullify unless the Priest is more or less high rank." "Also, the Bear likes golden things, hence, the name ''GOLDEN'' bear. It steals and kills just to collect anything that is gold or resembles gold. That''s why your ''friends'' took fancy towards it. It''s like an instant gold mine when they find one. And aside from gold, it uses jewels and gems as its food source so it has plenty of those as food storage. But sometimes, it eats humans too." "But the chances of taking the gold is very slim. The bear''s claws and teeth are so strong, it can easily cut through any metal or stones. It also has great speed and is quite clever. Its ears and eyes are especially exceptional. It can hear from a distance of a kilometer and can see farther than that. So when it finds a target, it can easily chase after it. Also, they are usually slightly sadistic." "Now, here''s the stupid part for you, and the main reason why nobody wants to go near a Golden Bear. It''s because they only focus on ONE prey at a time. So, when you enter its sight, it won''t stop until you''re devoured. And then it will go after your friends." "So, I don''t understand how you would volunteer on helping them out. It''s basically asking to be killed. But then again, you trusted them. Which is kind of your own fault." "So, which group of adventurers are they from?" Solomon was curious. There were multiple ruthless teams out there, but barely anyone can successfully loot a Golden Bear''s cave. And from what she just said, they actually succeeded. "I don''t know their group name. But I do know their individual names. Rhinol, Roderhin, Renee, and George." When Inna started saying their name, Solomon finally understood. "So it''s them..." "The Loners." Chapter 34 Can I Trust You Now? 4 "The Loners?" Inna looked at Solomon incredulously. "Please don''t tell me their group name is ''The Loners''" Solomon looked at Inna and chuckled lightly. "Of course not. I called them that years ago. They tried robbing me when I was in the poor suburbs area. Sucks for them though. They ended up dancing the whole night under a curse." "I called them The Loners because they were one of the orphans that were kicked out by an orphanage when it closed down. But even though they were able to settle separately with kind families, the families were poor so they decided to be ''alone''. Ironically, the ''loners'' all met together and teamed up. Hence, the name, ''The Loners,'' suits them." "Guess they decided to be adventurers after being criminals, ey." "So, now I get why they tricked you. They always had a knack for stealing and looting. They think that the more money they had, the more comfortable they will live. I guess that''s their mentality ever since they were kicked out for the orphanage." "But to think that you''re still alive after taking on a Golden Bear. Now that''s a miracle." "When I saw you, you were lying in a pool of your own blood. Your arms and legs were filled with huge claw marks and actually had missing flesh. Your face was pale as a sheet and aside from the face, everywhere else were either bloody or seriously wounded." "How did you find me?" Inna asked the man, curious. "I was actually in the area picking poisonous flowers for some delicious spicy soup when I heard a ruckus. I went there and saw that you were fighting with a huge bear. I wasn''t able to see much because you were almost moving at the speed of light. I must say, ur attitude isn''t becoming of an adventurer but your skills are undoubtedly impeccable." "I thought it was just the same old brawling in Miasma forest so I didn''t think into it." "But when it got quiet, I got curious on who won so I quickly finished my goal and went there." "And I saw you half dead and the bear gone. And as a Priest myself, I couldn''t really bear to see you die while I was there so I took the liberty and healed you in a jiffy. Then, I planned to leave you there since you were not dead. But then I heard growls from afar. And I didn''t want you to die since I wasted the effort to save you, so I sent you back here with my teleportation stone." "But you know, when I look back on how you acted when you woke up, you really don''t seem like an adventurer." "Most adventurers, with the slightest stirring in the room, would wake up and would go to an offensive stance almost immediately." "They were like a soldier always ready for battle. But you were more like¡­" Solomon trailed off. "More like what?" Inna narrowed her eyes. "Like a drunk monkey that possessed a crazy beggar." "Hey!" Inna screamed. "So what if I act like that? Everyone acts differently every once in a while." "Hmmmm¡­ I wonder, are you really an adventurer?" Solomon asked with narrowed eyes filled with suspicion. "Yeah, I am!" I think¡­ "Then do you have your identification card?" "A what?" "Identification card. You should be registered in the City Hall before you are allowed to take up quests." "Ah¡­ uhm¡­ w-what does it look like again? It''s been so long since I took it out. Hahahaha." Inna laughed nervously. Solomon found it strange but he already knew this woman is ''crazy'' strange so he didn''t comment on it much. "It''s a rectangular card." Inna immediately stood up from the bed and started patting herself. But since she was clad with armor, it made huge ''clang'' ''clang'' sounds. Annoyed with the sounds, she began peeling off the metal layer of her armor. With a huge ruckus, she clumsily threw the pieces of metal in the side as she started patting herself again. Meanwhile, Solomon stared at her in amazement. He had never seen a woman act like a primitive monkey before so he was really amazed. Most women would mind their conduct towards elders and men, in general. Even female adventurers know of a certain degree of etiquette. Also, adventurers would never willingly take off their armor in front of another person. Much less a woman in front of a man! But her¡­. She just knows how to act like a crazed wild animal who disregards any form of propriety. Chapter 35 Can I Trust You Now? 5 Suddenly, they both heard a sound of something hitting the ground and both of them looked at the floor where it fell. Inna breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she grabbed the card and handed it to him. "Here, the card." Solomon took it and was quite startled to see what was written in the card. "So your name is Ingrid Lidden? Inna must be a nickname?" He asked. Lidden¡­ Lidden¡­ where have I heard that name before? Inna was confused but she remembered that it isn''t actually her body so she just nodded. "Mixed talent? Both Combat and Magic aptitudes?" He stared at the heap of weapons and back at her. "You don''t look like a magic user to me." "Well, you don''t look middle-aged to me." Inna spat back. "You¡­.. Enough with my age!" Solomon sighed. "Are you really a magic user?" He asked seriously. "I think? Actually, I never used magic before." Inna answered truthfully. She figured she would lie about it like other mangas she read. But when she thought it through, there was no use lying at all! If she were to say she knows magic, he might ask for a demonstration. Then, if she can''t demonstrate, she''s gonna be in trouble! Most of the main leads were able to fluke it out because it was a book. But this here right now for her is reality! And she''s sure as hell not gonna lay down her life just for a chance of a shitty fluke. So, she figured to better lay it out early. "So, you focused on combat skills even though you have apitittude for magic?" "Yeah." I guess. "Kid, this is too much of a waste." He sighed. "Do you want to be my disciple? I can teach you magic." Solomon smiled, trying to look kind and considerate. "Nope." Inna said immediately. "Wha- why?! You obviously need a teacher!" "I don''t trust you." Inna said truthfully. "You just said now that adventurers don''t easily trust people. And after being tricked once, I obviously won''t trust anyone unless I truly get to know them." "And I have a feeling that you have another ulterior motive behind this." Inna narrowed her eyes at him. Solomon sighed. "Okay. If this gets you to trust me, then I''ll lay it all out." "I saw what happened. I saw you change from an angry piece of a battered mess to an expressionless killing machine. In that state, you were practically invincible. No injuries seem to faze you, and nothing seems to be running from your mind aside from killing the opponent. Your combat skills soared as well. I saw the difference with how you dodged half assedly and how perfect you dodged when you were in ''that'' state. But what made me more curious was your detachtment towards everything else. It was like watching a soulless doll move. And it intrigued me so much so that I wish to study this matter." "I''m actually a Researcher of matters regarding the Souls, a Soul Researcher for short. And I just wanted to closely study your soulless state. I won''t do anything strange apart from testing somethings and some detailed check ups. Don''t worry, it can be a give-and-take relationship. I study your soul, and you study under me as a disciple." Inna narrowed her eyes. "And what makes you think being your disciple is something I want?" "Because I''m the 2nd strongest magic-user in history." He said matter-of-factly. "Second to the deceased Sage, of course." "And, I''m also quite knowledgeable with Combat skills as well. And I have vast resources that can help you become stronger faster. So, what do you say?" "Why does it feel like you''re the one begging me to take you in as a teacher?" Inna snickered. Solomon''s kind smile stiffened but it didn''t disappear. "I am willing to go as far as this to quench my thirst of knowledge. So, there is no such thing as pride right now. Begging, if it allows me to continue my research, then I will gladly do it again and again with honor." "Pshhhh, fine." Inna sighed. "I''ll trust you this once." "But if I get hurt in one of your experiments, I''ll cut the agreement off! Even if you''re the 2nd strongest or even the strongest, you can''t study shit with a soulless corpse, so don''t try me." Solomon nodded profusely. "Of course, of course. There would be no pain involved. Just observing andmeditations and measurement for the force, its presence, the strength, its vitality. Its actually quite easy. We just need to¡­" He began to discuss some jargon that Inna didn''t understand so she ignored him and went back to bed. And she actually found it easier to sleep now. Chapter 36 I Got The Magic, Magic, Magic 1 When Inna woke up from her nap, Solomon told her that they were going to another room. "Now before I start teaching you, we need to measure your abilities first. Since you focused much on Combat, its levels should be naturally higher than your Magic." "The measurement will be done by an Evaluation Stone that I specially crafted. Its accuracy is the best in the country." Solomon grinned in pride. He stopped by a mahogany double doors that looked elegant and sleek. He muttered something before Inna heard a clicking sound. Then, Solomon opened the doors to usher her in. Inna silently entered and when she looked around, she saw nothing but white. The room was adored with white walls, white ceilings, and a white tiled floors. It looked empty save for the floating transparent looking stone in the middle of the room. The stone was an arm''s length and a hand''s width. Its form looked like a shard and it was rotating while floating 5 meters off the ground. When Inna and Solomon drew near, Inna noticed that there were shining symbols and drawings on the floor and around the walls as well. It looked near transparent and one could easily miss them if they were not careful or observant. "Those markings are what we call seals. These seals are for security purposes. It''s to prevent people from stealing the stone." "Believe it or not, an Evaluation stone of this precision is actually very valuable. Actually, it''s the most valuable one in the whole country." "Aside from the current power, it can also measure the innate talent of the individual. Anyone would give up everything to know which class they are most suited and how much potential they had. " "After all, it would consume too much time and effort to focus on one type of class that will only level up until the High level. Too much time, effort, and money would be wasted along the way as well. And in either Combat or Magic, the key factor for their training can be efficient and effective, is to have a firm understanding and grasp on their own capabilities and talents. " "So, consider this a privilege from being my disciple." Solomon puffed up his chest with pride. Nearing the stone, Solomon uttered something and suddenly the floor started to rumble. The white tiles started to form a sort of staircase that reached the stone. After they both climbed the stairs, Solomon looked back at Inna. "So, all you need to do is to extend your hand and touch the surface of the stone." Inna did as she was told and suddenly, she felt warmth by her palm. The warmth travelled from her palm to her whole body before it returned to the stone. There was a sound of a bell and suddenly, she saw letters floating in mid-air. ****************************************************** Name: Ingrid Lidden Age: 17 years old Aptitude: Mixed Talent Combat: Swordsman class = High level early stage Ranger class= Intermediate level peak stage Shadow class = High level middle stage Magic: Mage class = Starter level early stage Priestess class = Starter level early stage Witch class= Starter level early stage ****************************************************** Solomon''s eyes popped out of its sockets! S-starter level? Early stage? She''s worse than a ten year old! A ten year old is at least Starter level PEAK stage! He expected her to be at least, low level early stage in any class. That''s usually the lowest level to those weird people who chose to be fighters instead of pursuing magic. But this! This exceeded his expectations in the worst possible way! Inna saw Solomon''s reaction and she raised an eyebrow at him. Solomon coughed to calm himself. "You''re really talented in fighting! To think that you''ve reached high level before your twenties! And to be able to reach two of these classes and still develop the third class until its almost high level! Truly amazing! A genius indeed!" Solomon tried to soften the blow by praising her. He really was surprised by her great talent in being a fighter. Such talent, in her age, can be found in only one out of a million of people. But the matter about her magic had a much deeper impact. Because anyone can be a great fighter by how hard they train their skills, but only few can be great magic-users. His excessive praises actually sounded pretty genuine in his ears, but it made Inna look at him suspiciously. She''s a college student that had been bombarded with lots of rejection letters from universities, job openings, and men. And she knows he''s doing the, "you''re a really great person with great capabilities, but you''re not the one we want" pattern. "Just spit it out!" Inna hissed. Oddly intimidated by her glare, Solomon started to nervously stutter. "You see¡­. You''re a great fighter¡­ a genius even¡­.. But, you know, I''m a man of Magic. And¡­. W-well¡­.yea, you can do magic...since you''re a m-mixed talent¡­ b-but your power at the moment..... is w-worse than a ten-year old." Worse than a ten-year old.¡­ Those words echoed throughout her mind. But her reaction was different from what Solomon expected. Chapter 37 I Got The Magic, Magic, Magic 2 "OMG, YOUR DISCIPLE IS WORSE THAN A KID! HAHAHAHHAHA!" She started laughing hysterically. "The s-second strongest m-man''s¡­" She began laughing loudly again. "H-has a disciple¡­." "W-who''s worse than¡­.. a t-ten-year old!" "Oh man, good luck teaching me!" She slapped his back while wiping the tears from her eyes. He was confused at her reaction. Shouldn''t it be her that should be sad? Suddenly, it dawned in him. Whether she was talentless or not in magic, it wouldn''t affect her at all! She''s already an exceptional fighter! The one who would be affected, is him! He is known around the world to be the one of the strongest magic-user! And if the others heard that his first disciple that he begged to take in, was a talentless magic user¡­. It would be the biggest humiliation he will ever receive! He''ll be the laughingstock of the world! And so he has no choice but to teach her everything from scratch! And who knows how long it will take her to be at least intermediate level?! If he''s lucky, he''ll make it in 20 years! But he really will be an old man by that time! Solomon silently lamented at his choice. If it wasn''t for the sake of research, he wouldn''t have taken her in! But then, while Inna was still snickering, there was another ring of a bell. This made Solomon snap out of his misery. How could I forget! Her Innate Talent! The shock must''ve been too much for him that he actually forgot the most important thing. With his fingers crossed and silently pleading the heavens for a miracle, he muttered an incantation. Another ring echoed throughout the room before the floating letters started to move around. ****************************************************** Name: Ingrid Lidden Age: 17 years old Optimal Aptitude: Mixed Talent Combat Innate Talent = Fighter Specialization = Error. External Chaotic Variables interference. Secondary Talent = None. Talent level Limit = ¡ñ!¡ð@¡ñ%¡ò*¡ð&¡ñ^¡ò Magic Innate Talent = Triple Magic User Secondary Talent = None Talent level Limit = Unidentified. External Chaotic Variables interference in calculations. ****************************************************** Huh? What happened to the results? Solomon scrunched up his brows. Innate talent Fighter? External Chaotic Variables? What''s up with the Talent Limit? What are those strange symbols? Among the results, the only thing Solomon actually understood was the ''Triple Magic User.'' The rest made him feel like rubbing his eyes to see if what he''s seeing is actually real. "Hey...." Inna said softly. Her eyes were glued towards the Fighter section. But before Inna can ask about it, Solomon spoke up. "I think the magic array is contaminated. Or malfunctioning. Or it caught your craziness. I''ve never seen results like these before." Solomon said while intently staring at the results. "If we were to try and decipher these, I''d say, you''ll be good with anything you choose to focus on in the Fighter class. And the same case for the magic as well." Then, trying to ease the atmosphere, he smiled at her, showing the slight wrinkles near his eyes. "And to think I''ll live to see another fellow Triple Magic user flourish." Suddenly, Solomon''s eyes was filled with determination. "I don''t care anymore if you''re illiterate in magic! With my brains, my training, and my resources, I''ll make you become one of the strongest, like me!" "And of course, I would need to study this matter carefully as well. It must be related to that ''soulless'' state that you had." With that, he happily hopped off the stairs and ushered Inna back to the room. Inna wanted to ask a question but then, he dashed out the door with eyes greedy for new information. Having no choice, she climbed on her fluffy bed and stared at the white ceilings. On her arrival here, she wasn''t actually able to notice the small details in her stay. Now that she was left alone to relax, she finally looked closely at the room she was in. Her room was actually really huge. Three vans might probably fit in the room. It was designed like one of those western Victorian bedrooms with the brown and white tones, giving it an antique looking touch. The furnishings all looked expensive and high quality. She had a dresser, a tall closet, a table and two sofas with a coffee table at the side. Her white bed is the size of a king sized bed and it even had a canopy that made her feel like a princess. The only thing that ruins the room''s beauty was the stack of weapons, and clumsily discarded armor scattered by the side of the room. But even when tried to get her mind off things by looking around the room, she can''t help but contemplate about the results. She was sure of what she saw. Although for some reason, she wasn''t sure how Solomon was unable to see it, but she saw it clearly. In the Combat section, by the Talent level limit, there was a Latin word. And she remembered those moments when Bob taught her a bit of Latin. The floating word shown by the stone was "Mors." Which roughly means¡­. Death. Chapter 38 I Got The Magic, Magic, Magic 3 In the following days, Inna was regularly visited by Solomon in her room. In the first few days, they would end up bickering for hours before they can finally have a decent conversation. But slowly, they got used to each other''s irritating attitudes and presence and learned to coexist. Solomon would usually deliver her meals and stay in her room until the afternoon. There, he would give Inna some handwritten books about the common knowledge behind magic. Then he would sit by the couch to further explain the things that were written in the book. With his guidance, Inna was actually able to grasp the basics and small theories behind their "Magic." And aside from magic, he also taught her a bit about world history. Apparently, this world is centered on a religion called Eriden. Eriden is believed by the whole world and is the only religion accepted and believed by the masses. The Eriden church was also the reason as to how their common language, Eridoan, was made. In fact, Eridoan is what they call the ''language of the world'' since, aside from a few smaller countries, everyone else only speak Eridoan to honor their beliefs. Eriden is a religion that believes on one Supreme God. And this lone god has noble servants that acts as his eyes and hands. They grant divine punishments and miracles in order to preserve balance in the world. They are what the people call the Immortals. They are called that because it is rumored that they never age and have been there since the beginning of their world. One of the reason why Eriden was whole-heartedly accepted by the masses is because Eriden gives an explanation on this world''s beginning. According to its religious history, this world was created by the Supreme God. He had created many animals and plants with his abilities. He formed everything he can think of and made them beautifully. Now, he wanted to make a being that can take care of his creations while he rested. He figured to make a being similar to himself. That ''being'' was the first magic-user in history. They call that being, ''Mana.'' Mana was granted the God''s ability to create as an independent entity with free will. But the condition is that he can only create things that have died. This way, the number of plants, animals, and things in this world, will not change but there will still be a sense of cycle between life and death. But after a few decades, Mana saw this kind of life as boring. So he defied the God and secretly created another being like himself. But he was unable to fully duplicate himself and ended up making another inferior being entirely different from what he imagined. It was a woman with a set of features different from him. He called his creation "Chi." After spending centuries with Chi, Mana saw the beauty of creating new things and the feeling of pure dominance over his creation. And so, he began creating more and more beings. He was completely addicted that he created so much and it starts to disrupt the original creations. And he didn''t stop with just men and women. He used the different animals and plants as his inspiration and made ''modified'' and ''better'' versions of it. And he claimed to have ''improved'' all the creations God has made. These gave birth to magical beasts and magical plants. But the magical beasts were far superior to the original animals and it resulted to these inferior animals getting eaten and preyed upon until extinction. As a result, it heavily disrupted the balance in the world. When God knew of what happened, he was angered. As revenge, he immediately stripped Mana off of all his abilities. The same thing happened to Chi and the rest of the humanoid beings Mana created. Some had no abilities left while others only had a few traces. The Supreme God didn''t punish the magical beasts, but instead kept them so that the powerless and the weak humans would feel how the other normal animals felt of being hunted down and killed. But the Supreme God wanted to lengthen their suffering so he blessed some people, who had not harmed any animal nor plant, with small abilities. For those who were left with these blessings, they realized they only had three types of abilities. Enhancement, to let them live better; Exorcism, to let them survive longer; And Curses, to let them protect themselves and one another. While those whose abilities were all taken away and did not receive a blessing, they had no choice but to strengthen their own bodies to survive. And thus, centuries after, this world became what it is now today. The Fighters and Magic-users now lived in civilized cities and kingdoms in harmony. Except that because of the rareness of magic-users towards the population, there are many cases of racism and discrimination towards those who are not gifted. In Anemoly, most of the people treat both equally since most of its citizens believe that it''s best to know a bit of Combat and also, if possible, of Magic as well. And they acknowledge and respect the fact that it is entirely the choice of the person to pursue which they want. Other smaller countries believe of these as well since they value harmony and respect more than power. But in Edseria however, they highly value Magic-users that becomes a national obsession. Magic is seen as a noble ability and is exclusive to the ''special'' and ''talented'' people. They even claim to be ''more loved'' by the Supreme God than the rest. So, most of the current noble families were granted the title of being a ''noble family'' due to having descendants with magical abilities. In fact, the rare commoners that are magic-users are immediately adopted by these families to further increase their social standing and power. As a result, they firmly believe that magic-users are superior to fighters. And that Fighters are only for the talentless. Hence, the magic-users there are quite arrogant, prideful, and full of themselves. They treat Fighters as barbarians and lacking of intellect. Also, it is heavily frowned upon when they choose Combat instead of Magic. That''s why Solomon wasn''t able to fathom how she was able to choose fighting instead of casting magic considering that she was an adventurer in Edseria. And to think she has maintained being one for 3 years. And in her identification card, she wasn''t even hiding the fact that she''s a mixed talent or even the fact that she came from Edseria. Chapter 39 I Got The Magic, Magic, Magic 4 For the next 2 months, Inna fell into a peaceful routine. In the morning, she now goes out to eat in the dining hall together with Solomon. They talk about various topics like the weather, her thoughts, and interesting things about the world. At first, Inna found it awkward, but as they did it every day, she was able to loosen up and start talking like she did back in the university. And, although Solomon wasn''t able to understand some of her words, he still listened to her actively, feeling amused by her expressions. They used to bicker two months ago but now, they began to act familiarly, like a family. After breakfast, Solomon would send her to his study. There, he would begin his Spartan training. He would bombard Inna with information and expect her to either memorize or take note of all of it. After his discussions, he would stack book after book for her to read and take note of. Some of these books were handwritten by him, and some were as thick as her forearm. He would then tell her to read them at her ''spare time.'' After giving her the books, he would give her an hour for a break either for her to read the book or do other things. Sometimes Solomon would ask a maid to serve tea and they spend the break leisurely. And then, when an hour had passed, he would make her do practical demonstrations of what she just learned from his morning lecture until lunch. When lunch arrives, they often eat together just like in breakfast. Then, Solomon would leave her be to spend the rest of the day training at her own pace while he does his own work. Sometimes he would visit her to take her to various rooms for tests regarding his research. There was once where she was scanned by a spell that can see through soul strength, also there was a time when she was asked to lay down on a pentagram to see if there are any abnormalities with her, and there were multiple cases of him checking her pulse and her state of mind. Sadly, ever since then, her ''soulless'' state never appeared again so he lets Inna train by herself in the afternoon to see if she can accidentally trigger it to appear again. Because of this, she was able to steadily master enchantments and curses at a fast rate. Now, she can even make some spells on her own after she got a good grasp on the foundations of enhancing, healing, and nullifying magic. Although what she made was just common spells like washing herself, making things dry, or making her voice louder than usual, it was still a superb thing for her! It''s because she accidentally found out something amazing from trying to make her own spells! That is, if she uses some Latin words, that she learned from Bob, in the incantations, she can make a better spell or even modify an existing one! And what''s more amazing is that it makes the spells exclusive only for her since she''s the only one who understands Latin! But although she was able to easily modify simple mage and priestess enchantments, she found curses are a bit complicated to use and modify since their foundations are very delicate. One wrong step and it would go out of control! She tried multiple times to modify them, but it ended up with horrible consequences. And there was this horrible incident that made her completely give up on curses for the moment. Usually, when she modifies an enhancement, the duration time would be longer and the effect would usually be a bit stronger. But when she tried cursing a flower in the garden to wilt using Latin words instead of Eridoan, she ended up wilting the whole garden. Her mouth twitched at the destruction. She expected the result to be like her enchantments. Longer and a bit stronger. But it wasn''t just ''a bit'' stronger. It was way too strong! It was the very first time she tried it so when she saw the huge damage it had on the whole wide expanse of the garden, she was shocked and lost control of the magic. As a result, it began spreading like it was alive. In the end, the destruction got worse and after a few minutes it began to spread towards the mansion. So the maids had to call Solomon in the middle of the afternoon to dispel it. When he dispelled it, he was shocked with the power but he wasn''t angry at her. Instead, he wanted her to do it again because he was curious on how it became like that! But the problem is, the gardeners and maids were the ones harboring hatred for her. They were the ones who worked hard for years to maintain its beauty and to think that it''s been ruined by a brat that just moved in, their hearts weren''t so easily calmed. So, in order not to offend more people, she postponed curse-making in the meantime and focused on following the existing curses that she was taught. After magic training, she goes towards the library to read books about combat. Although she had great power in fighting, she realized had no idea how she was able to strengthen herself since it was the previous owner who trained her body to the fullest. But although her "soulless" state is leagues better than her in fighting, she wasn''t really in control of that side of her so she thought that it''ll be better for her to actually know a bit of fighting to survive. She figured to strengthen her foundations first. So, in order to at least grasp the foundations, she began training from the basics as well. She does stretching, kick-boxing, and sparring with some guards that she befriended. Sometime they would give her tips and sometimes they would give her bruises instead. Also, she used her knowledge of yoga to train for her flexibility, and whenever she''s free, she would swing her swords and daggers around wildly just so she can get used to the feel of it in her hands while moving. Once she got used to the foreign pieces of metal in her hands, her body seemed to flow smoothly in every move she made. And after two months of practice, she finally moved like how an adventurer would. But after these two months, she noticed that Solomon barely joins her for breakfast and he simply just gives her books to read and learn from before disappearing. There was even a whole day where she was unable to see him at all. Somehow, she felt a bit lonely so one afternoon, she decided to visit him in his study. She knocked on the door when she arrived. "Come in." A weak voice sounded at the other side of the room. She entered and saw a weird sight. Chapter 40 Going to Hell 1 Solomon was seated behind a wide desk with a near-death expression. But what she found weird wasn''t his expression but the things on his desk that seemed to decorate the entire room as well. On that wide desk were mountains upon mountains of papers that can be twice as tall as a human being. But it doesn''t stop there. There were more bundles of paper of the same height by the floor. In fact, there were so much that it covered most of the floor in the room. Solomon barely glanced at her because his hands and tired eyes were relentlessly scanning and signing multiple papers in the speed of light. "Master?" Inna called out softly, the word seemed natural despite coming from herself. They once had an argument of how they would address each other. She wanted to just simply call him ''old man'' but he blew a fuse at that. He complained that since she was a disciple, it would be rude towards society if she were to call him by anything other than ''master''. After all, he is her teacher in the end. So, she had no choice but to agree and get used to it. "Inna? You''re here? What''s wrong?" He asked weakly. This time he lifted his head to look at her. His face looked like he just faced death and barely survived. His hair was unkempt and his elegant and strong aura was nowhere to be seen. His eyes had bags underneath and his cheeks are sunken. His complexion is deathly pale and his gaze sometimes becomes unfocused. "I should be asking you that. What happened here?" Inna eyed the paperwork and his haggard look. He placed down his pen with a sigh and covered his face with his hands. Then, he furiously rubbed against his face to try and wipe off the fatigue he is feeling. "It''s my work. The school year is starting and I''m looking through all eight hundred thousand of applicants that are entering the academy. So, I''m terribly sorry for not being able to teach you much this time. Looks like I''ll be busy for a few more weeks." He sighed. "School year? Academy?" Inna furrowed her brows in confusion. It''s her first time hearing this. In fact, it''s her first time hearing that he had such a serious job. She always thought he was one of those creepy researchers who made money from their discoveries and fully devoted their lives in researching. "You don''t know?" Solomon leaned back against his chair as he looked at her in confusion. "Was I not able to tell you where you are?" "Nope." "Really?" Solomon widened his tired eyes in disbelief. "Sorry, it completely slipped my mind. Still, I can''t believe you wouldn''t ask something like that. Two months ago, you were technically taken in by a stranger but you actually never asked where you were." Solomon looked at her like she was stupid. Well, even if Inna asked, she felt that it really wouldn''t make a difference to her anyways. After all, everywhere is a foreign land for her. Inna simply shrugged nonchalantly, like she didn''t care. "So, where am I?" Solomon sighed again. This kid is too naive. She actually didn''t question him all this time! What if he was a wicked man? Hah~ No wonder those Losers were able to fool her easily. "You''re in Eldora Academy''s school grounds. Specifically, we are in my private lodging, the Sun Breeze Mansion." "If we''re in school grounds, why do you have a private lodging?" Inna furrowed her brows deeper. "I''m the founder, owner, creator, and current headmaster of the academy." Solomon said weakly. He wanted to brag about it but his energy is too drained to even speak smugly. "What is this Eldora academy?" "It''s the most famous Academy in Anemoly." He muttered. "Are you not even ashamed of saying that?" Inna snickered. "It''s true!" Solomon groaned weakly. He''s not really in the mood to bicker at a child. "Look at these student applicants for the new semester! These are just the applicants for the first week! And application lasts for two weeks!" Inna saw the worn out look on her Master and decided to tone down on the teasing. She knew his attitude by now. Usually he acts like a child around her, and she normally thought that''s how he usually is. But she found out, by sneaking around, that his attitude is actually different towards others. She realized that he would sometimes act like a child just so that she can actually feel comfortable in talking to him and being around him. But on most of the times when he''s not with her, he regains his regal and powerful aura as he assumes a cold and domineering attitude towards other people. Inna was actually touched by his thoughtfulness. He knew that she was a bit uncomfortable in the new environment so his acting of being goofy made hear unknowingly relax and made her express herself more freely. Chapter 41 Going to Hell 2 "What do you teach in the Academy?" "What else can be taught? Combat and Magic, of course." Hearing this, Inna''s eyes twinkled with curiosity. "Combat? ¡­ and Magic?" She looked at Solomon with bright sparkly eyes. Immediately, Solomon knew what she was thinking. "OH NO NO NO NO NO! YOU ARE NOT ENTERING!" God only know how much chaos she''s going to bring in his academy. And how many headaches he''s going to suffer from it. "Why not?!" She grumbled. "Because you are a crazy ill-mannered wild animal!" Solomon hissed. His academy is a prestigious one so it was mostly filled with Anemoly''s nobles that had great upbringing or genius commoners that had commendable talent. But if he released this kid from her cage and made her go to his territory, he was afraid she''d end up bickering with them! Or worse, fighting them! And what''s worse, a member of the royal family is coming as well! So, he really can''t take any chances! "HEY! I CAN BEHAVE!" Inna argued back. "Behave, my butt!" "You''re not going and that''s final!" After hearing his words, for some reason, Inna felt like she was talking to a father trying to protect their daughter. "Now, now¡­ let''s not be hasty." Inna decided to show how she can be behaved. She began to act in a prim and proper manner, similar to those Englishmen she saw in TV shows. She lifted her chin and cupped both her hands in front of her stomach like a choir boy. "Such barbaric attitude is unbecoming of a headmaster such as yourself." "Barbaric attitude? BARBARIC ATTITUDE?! IT''S YOU WHO''S BARBARIC!" Solomon almost busted a vein while cringing at her sad imitation of a noble woman. "Now, now... Hush, your blood pressure might spike up again. We wouldn''t want such a tragic thing to happen now, would we milord?" She continued her facade, this time with a British accent. "Blood¡­.. Pressure? BLOOD PRESSURE?! ARE YOU CALLING ME OLD?!" Solomon''s fatigue seemed to have disappeared and was now replaced with bottomless fury. "Now, now¡­" Inna continued while withholding laughter. But after a few moments, the dam broke and she broke out into a fit of giggles and snorts. Feeling oddly amused by her strange laugh, Solomon forgot his anger and started to laugh as well. Soon, the entire study was filled with the sounds of their crazed laughter. The sounds became louder that it leaked out to the hallways. The maids who were about to enter to serve tea heard the sound and suddenly their jaws dropped to the floor. Master Solomon is actually laughing! He is laughing! After 10 years, he finally laughed again! The maids then heard another high-pitched laughter that sounded like a mutation between a child and a pig and knew that the other person inside the room was none other than that weird brat! Hearing their laughter, the maids saw Inna in a new light and began highly respecting her. To think that her strangeness would bring back their master''s laughter. They couldn''t be more thankful that Inna arrived 2 months ago! In the end, they couldn''t hold it in their hearts to keep hating her for the garden incident. So, when the laughter died down, the maids knocked before entering and serving the tea. Then, they kindly smiled at Inna before retreating silently. Inna raised an eyebrow at their strange behavior but didn''t comment. "Still, the answer is no." Solomon said firmly. "Besides, why do you need to go to school when I am teaching you personally?" Inna sighed. "It''s ''because'' you''re teaching me, that''s why." "You said the school year is starting so, you need to prioritize all these," Inna gestured at the towering stacks of papers. "Rather than this." She then pointed at her. "It''s been fun and all, but I don''t think leaving me with stacks of boring books for me to read without any pictures and guidance, can be called ''teaching.'' Because I''m sure as heck, I didn''t learn jack shit of what I just read yesterday or the past following days." "The only way I can learn, is to actually be taught something. It means ''guidance,'' not ''figure it out yourself'' treatment. Or else it''s going to end up becoming like that garden incident. I might lose control of the spells. And who knows, one day, this whole Sunny whatever mansion would suddenly disappear from the world." Solomon contemplated for a moment. It is true. There were lots of businesses he left unfinished and meetings he postponed in the academy. And now to add the fact that someone from the royal family is entering, it''ll make him busier with safety planning and maintenance of the academy''s security. And he knew deep inside that once the school year starts, he wouldn''t be able to have that much spare time to see Inna, much less teach her. He knew that. Since in all the previous years, because of the very same work, he couldn''t even take care of his own son properly. So, Solomon sighed as he made a decision. "Fine. You can go." Chapter 42 Going to Hell 3 "YES!" Inna''s eyes sparkled as she grinned widely. "You know, just think of this as like, one of your obligations as my Master. You get to teach me how to socialize with others and befriend some strong people! And who knows, maybe when I fight with someone there, my "soulless" state would actually appear! Wouldn''t that be killing two birds with one stone?" When Inna mentioned ''fight,'' Solomon''s face became a few shades paler than usual. "You can go but I have certain conditions!" He quickly squeaked out in fright. Dear God, if she ever fights with someone, I''m disowning her. "No fighting. With anyone, anywhere, anytime. Or even ANYTHING." "WHAT? How am I supposed to improve if I don''t fight?!" "The school has its own ways. It has practical examinations and other ways to make you improve. SO DON''T RANDOMLY PICK FIGHTS WITH PEOPLE." "If you can''t hold yourself back, better avoid people altogether. Be a loner. Truthfully, I''d be thankful if you become one. That way you won''t start offending random people since you have no idea what powerful backing each of the students in the school has." "What do you mean powerful backing?" "I told you Eldora Academy is an elite school. That''s why most noble families with talented relatives and descendants choose the school. In fact, the Academy''s students consist of 90% nobles with strong social status and the remaining 10% are either talented adopted magic-user nobles or famous genius commoners who has great potential for growth. So, if you end up offending any one of them, you''ll either get your butt kicked, or your life forfeit." "But what if they strike first? Will I just stand and die?" She furrowed her brows. "If it''s an official challenge with a respectable witness, then it''s allowed in the school for the sake of gaining experience. But other than that, no fighting!" Inna hesitated slightly before she slowly nodded. "Another condition is that¡­" Solomon seemed to hesitate. "Do not.... tell anyone your nickname. Use Ingrid instead." "Huh?" Inna narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Why?" Solomon coughed sheepishly. "I might have accidentally told an annoying and persistent old man that¡­." He trailed off while gauging Inna''s reaction. "¡­ my son''s fianc¨¦ is a woman named Inna." Inna coughed violently from surprise. "First of all¡­. You have a son?!" "Yes. He''s about the same age as you." He saw Inna''s look of disbelief. "Why does it seem like you don''t believe it?" "I really don''t believe it! I mean, who would... you?" Inna laughed. "And what do you mean by ''me''?" Solomon hissed. "When I was a teenager, you''d be surprised by how many women would fall on my feet! My beauty was well renowned during those times!" "Okay, okay, chill." Inna chuckled. "So, if you really had a son, why haven''t I seen him?" "What do you mean ''if''? I DO HAVE A SON!" Solomon felt his anger rising again. This girl really knows how to pick a fight in every word she says! "He''s not here because he''s training." "And, why isn''t he training with the ''second strongest man in this world''?" "It''s because this ''man'' is not that good with Combat!" Solomon hissed. "And this son of yours is supposed to be my fianc¨¦? Care to explain why that happened?" Inna raised an eyebrow as she glared intensely at him. "I panicked okay?!" Solomon whined. "That annoying old man was the Emperor''s adviser! He was one of those higher ups in the society that shouldn''t be offended!" "And why did you have to make that declaration?" "Yesterday, he invited me to his house to discuss matters about the attendance of the royal family in the academy. But then, the conversation took a weird turn and next thing I know, he offered his ugly and ill-mannered daughter to my son! That time, my son was nearby so I called him for help. But I kid you not, when my son looked at her, he immediately used a teleportation scroll to vanish into thin air! This behavior angered them greatly! And I was left to face their wrath!" Solomon sobbed dramatically. "And what does this have to do with using my name?" Inna raised an eyebrow. "He forced me to hand over my son to his daughter as compensation! So I had no choice! I had to tell them that he''s already taken!" "But he asked me which woman it was so I panicked. I tried thinking different names but the old man began to be suspicious so I was unable to think any female name other than yours!" "And what, that man instantly believed you?" Inna did not believe that that man would back down that quick. "I told him that you are living in my mansion and that you are my disciple so he can''t reach nor touch you. Then I called the servants I went with, and he casted a truth curse on them to make them tell the truth. And he asked about you. The guards supported my earlier statements and even told that man heaps of praises about your ''skills'' and ''beauty''. Since the guards confirmed that I wasn''t lying, he had no excuses to make me stay and make a fit." "So, along with the nickname thing, you must not also tell that you are my disciple." "For two reasons. One, for you not to be found out by that scary geezer." "And two, it''s embarrassing to know that my disciple is weaker than a toddler." Solomon looked at her without hiding the sadness he felt. Feeling childishly irritated, Inna flicked a stack of papers and the huge tower crumbled down, scattering the papers everywhere. It created a domino effect and soon enough, Solomon was buried in a mountain of papers. "AJSBSHSJSNJZJSBZJ!!!" Solomon intelligible scream resounded beneath multiple papers that buried him. Then, there was a bright light before the papers started moving and stacking itself back. Solomon gasped for air. "You childish brat." Inna stuck her tongue out before crossing her arms. "And before I forget, there''s one last condition." He glared at her. "No special treatments for you." "Your problem, your solutions." "The only special treatment I can give you is your admission to the academy and that''s it. And I''m already losing a bit of face just by doing that so don''t expect anything more." Solomon huffed. "Yea, yea. Since if you lose too much face, the thickness of that face would gradually thin out. Wouldn''t want that happening, huh?" Inna snickered. Solomon simply snorted at her as he crossed his arms. "A week from now, the entrance tests would be ending. Since you''ve got a direct admission from me for the Magic class, you wouldn''t take that test. Or else you wouldn''t even pass the first level with that poor aptitude of yours. So, at the end of the week, you must pack your things and go here to my study when you''re ready. We''re going to do one last check before you leave. And finish all the books I gave you within this week because those books can''t be taken out of the mansion at all costs." Chapter 43 Going to Hell 4 During the last week of her stay, Inna decided to make the most out of it. Knowing that the books she took for granted were actually really precious and ancient books that came from her Master''s personal collection, she suddenly wanted to read them. So for the past few days, she crammed. She buried her face in the books, rarely going out to eat or even train. She didn''t want to waste time so she began using spells inside the room to immediately try the new ones she discovered. And over the days, the room''s beauty rapidly deteriorated to the point that it looked like it was bombed by a grenade then ransacked by thieves. On the last day, Inna decided to try a spell that was written in one of the oldest looking books. It looked like something similar to ''Lumos.'' Feeling like a true born wizard, she grabbed an arrow from her heap of weapons to act like a wand on her hands. She stood on her bed and used the blankets as a makeshift robe as she calmed the mini fan girl within. Then, as if she was truly a wizard in Hogwarts, she waved her hand as she chanted the spell from the book. It sounded gibberish for her, but apparently, it was an older version of the Eridoan language. "Khraktur. Nguno. Ganri. Biseron. Ganri Gaea Junhrieda Homii ¡­" She waved her makeshift wand while chanting, totally feeling the moment. And just like how she modified other spells, she decided to add her own word in the end for originality. "Lumos!" She pointed her wand at the room''s wall. Suddenly, bright light came out from the arrow she pointed at and she can''t help but grin. In fact, she felt absolutely ecstatic after seeing the familiar Harry Potter-like effect. But, in a split second, the light in the tip of the arrow expanded then, in a blink of an eye, it exploded violently. It released a massive amount of energy that blasted her away from her bed. Her back hit the wall roughly, making her fall into a heap on the floor while her eyes were momentarily blinded by the bright explosion. She felt ringing in her ears and she shook her head to try and get rid of it. After a few seconds, she heard multiple hurried footsteps before the door was forcibly opened. "MISS!" Five young maids screamed in unison. They looked at her and then the room alternatively. Their jaws wide open and none of them uttered a single word anymore out of shock. Hearing their voices, Inna recovered from her daze and immediately stood up and tried dusting her robes. But when she looked down, she noticed that her white robe became completely black from soot. Wait, soot?! She looked around her room and saw another identical room in the distance. And she didn''t fail to notice the sudden disappearance of one of her room''s wall. It''s gone! Holy shit, the wall is gone! I can see the other room! The rest of the room was covered in black soot and even if she didn''t look at a mirror, she knew that she was covered from head to toe as well. Thankfully, when she inspected her things and the precious books, they were still intact, save for the black dust all over on them. She grabbed the book that she got the spell from, and tried to read it again. It was supposed to be an Illumination Spell! Not a friggin'' grenade! She tried to read it again and again to find what''s wrong. But then, she was interrupted when she heard a squeak near the door. "Miss¡­ this¡­" A young maid was absolutely dumbfounded with what just happened. To think that the room they cleaned yesterday was suddenly blackened with dust! This was every maid''s nightmare! Inna looked at the doorway to see five young maids hugging themselves in fright and sadness. "Miss¡­" One seemed to have recovered early. "We heard an explosion and we thought there was an attack so we rushed here to save you but¡­" A young maid trailed off awkwardly. Inna laughed awkwardly in response. "Sorry¡­. I was, uhm, practicing magic." She smiled sheepishly while closing the book. Since she didn''t see a single clue, she decided to just give up on it and ask her Master later. "Miss¡­ these black dust¡­" Another young maid, probably the youngest, looked around in sadness. "And the wall¡­" She was close to crying. They will probably not sleep tonight trying to clean everything up! Chapter 44 Going to Hell 5 Inna laughed awkwardly again. Goddammit! It''s just like the garden incident! "I guess I''m sorry?" "Ah, no, we are not blaming you miss!" All the maids suddenly exclaimed. They bowed deeply but they began to whisper among themselves. "Should we clean this up now?" "It''ll take a whole day! We still have kitchen duty!" "Should we tell the Master?" "But he said not to disturb him at any cost. Unless it''s life and death!" "Then, should we just leave? But it feels wrong as a maid to leave this as is." Feeling the awkwardness and confusion from the group of maids, Inna decided to break the tense atmosphere. "So, hey, why don''t you make yourself useful and¡­." Inna looked around before eyeing the empty sack that Solomon gave her as a ''bag.'' She can''t believe that she''ll be using a sack as a luggage. To think that this country has magic, but uses sacks as ''bags.'' Truly a sad, sad world. "Help me pack." Inna said before gathering the books she read for the past week and went to a corner to read. She didn''t want to touch the sack at all because it made her feel like she''s a homeless hobo with it! The maids stood upright and hurriedly followed her order. They carefully grabbed the things she had which consists of only her weapons and a few robes and shoes that she used inside the mansion. The maids wanted to ask where she kept her other things but they were shocked when Inna spoke up. "No use looking for the rest of my things. That''s all I have." The maids lowered their heads and instead, tried their hardest to make the weapons bundled as organized as possible and to make the robes folded as neat as they can. After a few minutes, a familiar elderly maid went to Inna''s room. She was slightly shocked with the open door but she still entered inside. But, as soon as she entered, her saliva got stuck in her throat as she tried to fathom the state of the room. "Hack, Kah, kuh." The elderly maid choked slightly at the sight. "What happened here?!" She looked at the younger maids for an answer. Frightened by the intimidating stare of their superior, they sneaked a glance at Inna for help. Inna looked up from the book she was reading and decided to reply simply. "I was practicing magic." The elderly maid cringed at the response. Magic again?! She knew that she said that she would respect her and would try to give her a second chance after the garden incident, but she''s making it really hard for her to be likeable. But in the end, the elderly maid still swallowed all the ranting she was about to unleash and replaced her frown with a smile. "Master has called for you Miss Inna. He is waiting by his study." Inna stacked all the blackened books neatly in the corner before she faced the young maids. "Bring the hobo sack--I mean, my things to the study first. I''ll just be changing and will go in a while." The young maids, with the sack at hand, excused themselves to head towards the study. Then, they were followed by the elderly maid closely. As soon as they were out, Inna closed the door. She took off her blackened dirty robe and changed into her ''battle gear'' from back when she was in the Miasma forest. Originally, she had no idea where to put where but the guards she befriended in the mansion happily helped her out with her problem. Now, she''s able to assemble her armor easily like combining Legos. After changing, she grabbed all the books she had gotten and proceeded to the study hall. She knocked on the door before forcibly entering with no regard to anyone. Then, she dumped the stack of books by the side like they were nothing and dusted her hands. "Hey, be careful!" Solomon stood up from his chair to inspect the books. But his face became pale when he saw the state they were in. "What did you do?!" Solomon cried out. His precious collection were all blackened like they were burnt! "Relax. It''s just soot. It can be cleaned up." Inna shrugged nonchalantly. Solomon was about to glare at Inna when he noticed her appearance. "You¡­" He had no words. Is this girl even a girl? Her hair was sticking up everywhere and her face and armor were so dirty that she actually looked like a deranged beggar on the streets. "You look like you just went to war and something exploded in your face." "Speaking of explosions.¡­" Inna laughed nervously. Chapter 45 Going To Hell 6 With this, Solomon suddenly had a bad feeling. He looked questioningly towards the elderly maid still in the room. The maid knew the signal so she began to explain. "The maids heard an explosion in Miss Inna''s room. It completely destroyed the one of the room''s wall and covered both rooms with a thick layer of soot. Miss Inna stated that she was practicing magic and thus resulted to the explosion." Solomon felt anger rising as he looked at Inna. "DESTROYED?!" Those rooms cost him a fortune! They were made with reinforced magical materials that can be infused with spells! "What spell did you use to make such an explosion?!" "Illumination." Solomon furrowed his brows in confusion, his anger replaced by curiosity. "What medium did you use?" "Medium?" "Illumination spell needs a medium. I taught you before that some spells needs a medium to work. What medium did you use?" Inna was confused at first, but then she remembered her makeshift wand. "I think I used an arrow." "What?!" Solomon looked at her in disbelief. "Are you stupid?!" "Wait, don''t answer that." Solomon sighed in dismay. "Don''t use pointed surfaces for such magic! The thin material of the arrow is not compatible with the magic. So once it flows in it, it won''t be able to contain it thus it breaks." "Once a medium breaks, the contained magic will go out of control and explode." "Remember that clearly! Dear heavens, I don''t want you to go around blasting stuff in my school!" "Yea, yea." Inna rubbed her dirty hands on Solomon''s white robe. "You! So filthy! Go back and take a bath!" He quickly retreated back as if he was burned. "Also, meet me in the evaluation room after. We need to check your progress." Solomon shooed Inna away as the elderly maid escorted her to the indoor pool for her bath. Well, it looked like an indoor pool but it''s actually just a ''bathtub'' for the old man. Such extravagance is really intimidating. After dipping on the pool and cleaning herself, she got out of the waters and used her own drying spell. When she was dried, she tried to look around for her armor but she can''t seem to find one. All she saw was a bathrobe so she decided to wear it for the mean time. She looked around once more and after a few minutes she heard the door open and close. Then, she saw white clothes floating in midair. "G-ghost?!" She thought and she was getting ready to flee. But when she looked closer, she saw the magic particles floating and realized that it was held up by magic. Thank God! That almost gave me a heart attack. Knowing that it was harmless, she inspected the floating clothes. There were undergarments, a corset-looking cloth belt, white ballet flats, and a white simple robe floating. It looked like one of those pretty Chinese robes that she saw in dramas. It had golden linings near its hems and had a silky and smooth texture. It looked like it was made by high quality cloth. She grabbed the undergarments while she cringed. To think that they don''t have bras and panties in here¡­ Back then, she had a fright when she took her first bath. When she began taking her clothes off, she saw her ''supposed'' underwear. Their undergarments looked ancient! To cover her chest, she needed to bind it with a stretchable cloth which made her chest look near flat. To cover her bottom, she had these string panties which looked so kinky that she cringed so hard. According to the maids, these were used mostly by fighters so as not to hinder them in fighting. The normal undergarments were too constricting in movement hence fighters, especially adventurers, had these kinds. But in her opinion, she''d rather prefer the ordinary ones. The normal undergarments were mostly used by magic-users, idle fighters, and citizens. For the chest, it was a thin cloth that covers the whole chest and is tied with strings at the back like a halter crop top bikini. For the bottoms, it was just regular loose shorts that looked like a mutation between boxers and granny undies. She was envious of those ''normal'' underwear because they cover so much than the other one.So, eyeing the ones she has now, she was quite thankful now that she was finally given those. She put on the weird bikini top and shorts before wearing the white robe and her shoes. Then she went out of the room and proceeded to the evaluation room. She knocked twice then waited for Solomon to undo the security seals. After a few clicking sounds, the doors opened and she went in. "Much better." Solomon commented when he saw her. She looks much like a lady now than she ever did in the past two months. Inna rolled her eyes and confidently said. "I know, I''m pretty." She blinked innocently. Solomon''s face scrunched up in disgust. This woman is just shameless! Chapter 46 Ultimate Closet Tsundere Moment #1 "You know what to do so let''s finish this quickly." After going to the same process, Inna looked at the floating words. ****************************************************** Name: Ingrid Lidden Age: 17 years old Aptitude: Mixed Talent Combat: Swordsman = High level early stage Ranger = High level early stage Shadow = High level peak stage Magic: Mage = Starter level peak stage Priestess = Starter level peak stage Curses = Starter level peak stage ****************************************************** Given her current ''stats,'' her fighting ability is really better compared to others! Well, well, well, a stage increase in Ranger and Shadow, and 2 stages in all magic! In just 2 months! Ain''t that neat! Inna grinned in pride and looked back to see Solomon''s reaction. Only to see his eyes almost tearing up in sadness. He taught her with all his might¡­ His blood, sweat, and gallons of tears¡­ His treasures, time, and effort¡­ He gave her all the precious books he had¡­ He gave up hours of sleep just to make those handmade books¡­ In order for her to have an easier translation of difficult topics¡­ He thought that a miracle would happen as long as he believed! He wanted to create a heaven-defying growth in her abilities! Or at least make her reach Intermediate level early stage! "Ugh, I know it''s too good to be true." Solomon inwardly wept. It''s really impossible for her to jump 2 levels in just 2 months! Most people would take the shortest time of 5 years for 1 level! But, at least she had half of a level increase¡­ But, even with that, her power now is still truly sad... "Just like a ten-year old." Solomon sighed. "I really hoped it was an error in the crystal last time. But¡­. After seeing it again¡­" Solomon gazed at the floating words sadly. "I can''t help but cry at my bad luck." He sighed again. He must have killed millions in his previous life to get this much misfortune! Hearing his remarks, Inna felt irritated by his sighing. "Stop sighing or else you''ll end up with more white streaks in your hair." With this, Solomon stopped sighing and instead, grumbled his complaints angrily. After a moment of venting, he glared at her and spoke. "Go to the study and get your things. Let''s meet at the front door when you''re ready. Meanwhile, I''ll prepare your carriage. There''s a considerable distance between the mansion and the academy''s school building so you''ll be needing one." "No teleportation scroll?" Inna asked with hope. "Are you crazy?! Teleportation scrolls requires hard work and takes a long time to make! I would need 4 days straight to make a single one! Why should I waste it on you?" "And besides, no one can and should use teleportation inside the academy aside from me and my son." Inna raised an eyebrow at that. "He steals the scrolls from the sealed chambers without me knowing. Goes to show how much talent he has so I don''t stop him." Inna snorted. More like he can''t. "So, if you appear there out of the blue, it''s going to be linked towards me as well. And that''s basically saying that, either you''re my disciple, or you are a thief. " "But a ''thief'' is unlikely since everyone knows that no one can steal from the ''second strongest man.'' So they''ll surely think you''re my disciple." "And my disciple means that you''ll be found out to be ''Inna the fianc¨¦.'' And I''ll get complaints about favoritism and such which can make me lose my credibility and face." "And remember what I told you, no Solomon''s ''disciple'', no ''Inna'', and no special treatments. So the answer for those scroll would always be a ''no.''" Solomon emphasized slowly before leaving the room. So much for wishing to try teleportation. Inna sighed in dismay as she followed suit. After Solomon enabled the security seal behind them, they went their separate ways. Inna went to the study again to get her hobo sack. She looked around to find it but she only saw a small black leather pouch in the long desk. She tried looking around again for the dirty sack. But no matter how hard she tried, she wasn''t able to see anything. Seeing the black leather pouch placed in an obvious place, she can''t help but sneak a glance at it ever so often. It''s like Pandora''s Box! She''s really curious about what''s inside but she wondered if she''s even allowed to peer through it. After a few moments of hesitation, Inna started to reason with herself in her mind. But, he placed it in such an obvious place¡­. And who wouldn''t get curious, right? He placed it smack dab in the middle of the table¡­ That place is basically a lighthouse in the study¡­ So it''s his fault if it''s accidentally opened. With this in mind, Inna quickly grabbed the pouch and opened it roughly. But after a few blinks, she was disappointed because all she saw was darkness. In disbelief, she tried placing her hands inside it and she gasped in shock when she felt something. Her hand felt like it was in another space. And a very vast space at that. She dipped her hand deeper, her whole arm now inside the pouch. She moved her arm around and felt something hard. She poked it and flicked it, sometimes caressing it softly to try and guess what it was. Suddenly, it made a soft ''clang'' sound that made her curious so she decided to grab it and took it out. In her hand, she saw a familiar metallic armor that looked like worn-out arm braces. Wait, arm braces? But, this scratches! Isn''t this mine? And it''s actually been cleaned! She took stuff out, one after another, and saw that her stuff were there along with numerous high class and high quality robes, hair pins, jewelries, and numerous high quality shoes. It''s enough to almost fill the whole study! The fit and the designs of the clothes, footwear, and accessories were all inclined to her taste and measurement! It''s obviously all for her! And they were all new! Suddenly, Inna felt warmth in her heart as she snickered. "Heh, no special treatment, he said." Chapter 47 Ultimate Closet Tsundere Moment #2 Inna placed back all the stuff she took out and went out of the room with all smiles. It took her quite some time to toss them all inside so she quickened her pace in the corridors to make up for the lost time. When she arrived at the front door, she saw her Master trying to avoid her eyes. She stared at him with a smug grin and if only he would look at her, he would see the hidden fondness she had for the old man. After a few seconds of her staring a hole at him, he casted a quick glance at her then spoke while looking at the carriage. "Remember my conditions. And¡­ be careful." He coughed and signaled some servant men to open the door of the carriage. She was not shocked that the carriage was a simple one. After all, she needed to be low-key. It looked so simple that it''s like a simple brown box small wooden carvings. The wooden wheels were also of the same color and the brown horses attached towards it looked ordinary as well. It wasn''t flashy with its designs nor does it look really extravagant. But nevertheless, it still had this sort of simple elegance. She boarded the carriage carefully. But before she went in the open doors, she looked back and did a small bow filled with her gratitude. And in her most serious voice that held all the gratitude she can give out, she spoke. "Thanks for everything, Master." After a few seconds, she felt awkward with the sudden seriousness so she quickly went in and closed the carriage doors. Then, after shaking off the feeling, she discreetly looked through the window, wanting to see her Master''s reaction. But she found his back turned and was facing her so she wasn''t able to see anything. A few moments of disappointment, she heard a loud cough before she heard his voice. "Ehem, you''re making it seem like we''re never going to meet again. You''re still in the same campus." He ''humph''-ed and lightly stomped his way inside the mansion. Inna mulled over his words as the carriage started to move away from the front porch. Yea, it''s not like we''ll never meet. Inna straightened up and peered at the window fully. She saw the whole mansion with its Victorian beauty and suddenly felt a bit sad. But she''ll surely miss the days she spent in that mansion. And she''ll surely miss annoying that old man. Slowly, the carriage sped up and minutes later, the mansion disappeared from Inna''s view. Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Solomon tried hard to avoid the gaze of an obnoxious old lady. The elderly maid smirked heavily at his obvious behavior. "You''re making it seem like you''ll never going to meet her again. She''s still in the same campus." The elderly maid repeated his words which greatly irritated Solomon. Solomon tried hard not to blink, his eyes were starting to water and he knew that if he blinked, they''re going to drop. That''s why he didn''t want to face Inna at that time. God only knows how she would hold it against him when she saw it! So, instead of facing her and letting this old lady see as well, he simply walked away faster. But the elderly maid wanted to tease him more so she followed him. "And I''m sure I didn''t see it wrong. You actually gave her a Veteran-level spacial pouch. That would normally take you 12 days to make. And a lot longer now since you''ve thousands of papers to sign, Mr. Headmaster." "Well, unless¡­" The elderly maid widened her smirk. "¡­ you sacrificed sleep for a week just to finish in time?" She gestured at his tired looking eyes and pale face. "Wha-what are you talking about?! Nonsense! I just finished the paperwork early and because I had time, I researched the things about her soul! Especially the weird symbols!" Solomon quickened his pace. "And it just so happened I saw an extra pouch lying around!" "What extra pouch? I remember clearly, 15 years ago, that you only made 3 pouches. And they were all white! Don''t be fooling me now just because I''m old, Solman!" "Granny Zai! Don''t call me that! I''m not a child anymore!" When he heard his old nickname, Solomon looked back at the elderly maid in irritation. But he regretted it because the movement made the ''water'' in his eyes to start dripping down. The elderly maid widened her eyes in shock. "Oh my¡­" She hastily grabbed her handkerchief and offered it to him. "Ever since you were a child, the times you''ve cried can be counted by my fingers. And to think, all this for a little brat who brought you nothing but trouble." She laughed lightly, the wrinkles near her eyes creasing which made it more visible. Solomon grabbed the handkerchief and roughly wiped his eyes. "I''m not crying. Who said I''m crying? And even if I''m crying, who said it''s for that brat?" "I''m just so happy that she''s finally gone that it just came out! Its tears of joy! So it doesn''t count as crying! My peaceful life was thrown into disarray ever since she came here! 2 months of no rest! She killed the whole garden, and she destroyed a room in this mansion in a span of 2 months! Imagine that! With her gone, I can finally work in peace!" The elderly maid raised her eyebrow but she kept her knowing smile. That smug smile irritated Solomon to no end. "I''ve taken care of you ever since you were a child, my dear. And I know when you''re lying." "Truthfully, I''m going to miss her as well. She brought fun days in this mansion, just like your son. It''s too bad he left, because they''d surely be a perfect match." She laughed lightly before walking away. Solomon watched her aged back as he snorted and protested weakly. "I said I wasn''t crying." Chapter 48 Entrance Academy 1 After a few minutes of looking at nothing but trees, Inna felt so bored that she accidentally fell asleep halfway through the trip. Soon, she woke up just as she felt the carriage stop. Then, she heard knocking from the doors. Inna sat up and stretched, yawning audibly. "Did we arrive already?" "Yes, Young Miss." A plain-looking servant opened the doors. Inna used her hand to shield her drowsy eyes from the glare of the sunlight as she slowly un-mounted the carriage. When she had both feet on the ground, she blinked away the sleep in her eyes as she observed her surroundings. She saw a scenery of what looked like an ancient town. Small brick houses, streets with stone floors, little sidewalk shops, and townspeople walking back and forth. Some of them were carrying a huge load of things while others looked busy as they hurriedly walked past her. It was like they didn''t even notice her sudden arrival, as though they were used to it. Inna turned back to ask the servant. "Uhm, where is this supposed to be? Where''s the school?" "The school''s marketplace, Young Miss. Since Eldora Academy requires students to live on campus, there was a need for a market to sell necessities and such. Thus, some merchants decided to live here to sell their goods and service. They cover everything from food and simple garments to luxury weapons and gems. In fact, the Master said that the campus itself had to be akin to a small town for the students to live comfortably and focus more." "Also, Master has given me an order to stop the carriage here and let you continue on foot towards the school''s entrance ceremony." "The gates of the Academy is at the top of that mountain." The servant pointed at a mountain with a small white arch pillar at the distance. "From here to foot of the mountain would be about six miles away. And from the foot of the mountain towards its top would be about nine miles." Inna''s eyes bulged. Six miles! Nine miles! She can''t even walk for a mile without panting! And that''s just on flat ground! Now, she had to walk for six miles and hike for nine?! "Don''t worry." The servant comforted her when he saw her doomed expression. "The academy has a proper pathway towards its main building at the top." Inna breathed a sigh of relief at that. "You will see a staircase of 250,000 steps leading towards the top." But Inna withdrew the sigh almost immediately. T-two hundred fifty thousand steps?! "And, Master has ordered me to give this letter to the young miss after I finish giving directions." The servant bowed as he offered a small envelope towards her. "Well then, this servant shall take his leave, Young Miss. May the Supreme God favor you." He got on the front of the carriage and sat beside the coachman. The coachman gave a small bow before he jerked the horse''s reigns and they began to leave. Inna grumbled as she opened the letter. ''If there were no delays, then the carriage must have arrived on the time I expected it to. And that means that the entrance ceremony will start in two hours. Do not be late, or else you''ll get locked out and humiliated in front of thousands...'' Inna angrily ripped the letter as soon as she finished reading it. "TWO HOURS! THAT OLD FUCK WANTS ME TO COVER FIFTEEN MILES IN TWO HOURS STRAIGHT?!" She stomped on the pieces of paper angrily as she screamed. She earned confused stares from the merchants but she didn''t care. She just kept herself busy by venting her anger. And a few seconds after, she finally got tired. She panted heavily as she tried to think things through. In the end, she decided to just proceed instead of complaining. There was nothing else she could do. After long excruciating series of her speed walking and cursing under her breath at the same time, she finally saw the foot of the mountain. It was densely packed with trees except for the white elegant staircase in the middle of the vast land. The staircase was as wide as a house which made Inna feel more intimidated. "Stairs." She glared at the glistening staircase. "My greatest enemy." She thought she got rid of them in university! With the elevators and all, there was no need for stairs. But, who asked her to reincarnate to such a degenerated place! She really hated this world now. She physically trained in the mansion, yes. But only on two things, fighting-based and yoga. Fighting, she had no problem. She gets into cat fights lots of times so she''ll embrace any technique she can learn to use for future reference. Yoga, it''s her favorite. Less movement, more stretching and flexing. But hiking? N-to-the-O. She groaned and complained as she plopped her feet towards the stairs like a spoiled child. She was about to take it slow when she heard a ring of a bell. Then she remembered! TWO hours! It means that there would just be two rings all in all, one in every hour, according to their tradition on telling time. Because, since this word is degenerate, of course they wouldn''t have clocks and watches. She actually read in one of the books in the mansion that they tell the time according to this special plant. It was a common plant that can be found anywhere but its constitution is strange. It grows rapidly and strangely, it doesn''t need water to do so. Also, at the peak of its growth, it mysteriously dies by itself. Researchers decided to use its unique duration of growth and death as a measurement of time and named it using the Eridoan language. But Inna wasn''t able to read the original words since it immediately translates into ''hour.'' So, this must mean that she spent an hour walking six miles! Holy cow! Now she only had another hour left for nine miles or 250,000 steps. Inna grumbled again but she picked up her pace and decided to climb faster. She only has one hour! After a few minutes climbing in a moderate pace, she looked back and saw that she was actually quite a distance from the bottom.But when she looked up, it looked like the distance she climbed didn''t even change the distance ahead by much. So, she decided to pick up her pace again. But this time, she went at a pace where she thought she would normally have trouble breathing. But after a few minutes in maintaining that fast pace, she was shocked that she wasn''t even out of breath. Heck, she feels lively instead! Like everything was just a warm up! Suddenly, Inna paused and smacked her face with her palm. She''s such an idiot! Why didn''t she realize it sooner?! This must be because it''s not her body! The body she now had is a trained adventurer after all! UGHHHHH, it would''ve saved her so much anger and frustrations if she realized it sooner! When she realized it, she no longer grumbled and decided to actually try to push her body to the limit. Honestly, she was curious on how fast this body can go! She went on a full on sprint to the point that it looked like she was tap dancing as she climbed the stairs. Just as she was about to reach the end of the staircase, the leaves at her left rustled and startled the heck out of her. As a result, she missed the final step, and fell forwards, her face flat on the ground. But she quickly got up and dusted her white robes. "Oh my god, I hope no one saw that." Inna mumbled in embarrassment. What the hell was that anyways?! She stared at the direction where the sound came from and saw a tall tree with huge branches and dense amount of leaves at the side of the stairs. Suddenly, she heard the same rustling of leaves again before an arm popped out of nowhere and waved. "Hello!" Chapter 49 Entrance Ceremony 2 The cheerful deep voice sounded like a man. "Hehe. Nice fall." The mysterious man laughed heartily. "This is new. No one usually uses the stairs nowadays. So it''s quite alarming that there would be someone here." The man continued to speak as he hid by the branches. Inna wanted to speak as well but he beat her to it. "Yea, no one usually goes here. That''s why this is my hiding place! The other students would usually buy those low grade teleportation scrolls at the market. They''re pretty cheap you know! About 1 silver coin each. Some even just cast their own low grade teleportation. Well, given that they are strong enough." The man chuckled. Then, he continued his one-sided conversation as he talked about the weather and the leaves. Meanwhile, Inna was still hung up on his words. ''No one uses the stairs.'' ''No one goes here.'' ''Buy teleportation scrolls at the market.'' Inna was actually surprised at the fact that she can actually get so angry to the point that murder seemed so logical and reasonable in her eyes. "THAT DAMNED OLD MAN! HE ACTUALLY MADE ME CLIMB FOR NOTHING?! I SWEAR TO GOD I''M GOING TO PULL ON THAT FACE OF HIS UNTIL HE BECOMES A BULLDOG! OLD GEEZER! I HOPE YOU AGE FASTER!" Inna started screamed various curses at the top of her lungs which startled the man greatly. He stopped his monologue and decided to watch her instead. He was actually amazed at the words she was spouting. About 80% of them, he didn''t even know the meaning of! And that''s really surprising because he prided himself as one of the most outstanding and well-educated nobles among Anemoly. He was even able to read almost all the books in the Royal Library! Inna didn''t notice his curious gaze as she slowly finished up her ranting. She breathed deeply to calm herself before she walked towards the white arched pillars found near the end of the staircase. Back when she was at the town, it looked small. But now, standing before it, it was actually really tall, probably about 10 meters in height. The lone arched pillar''s design reminded her of those ancient Greek pillars except that this pillar had different carvings on it. This arched pillar had ancient Eridoan writings in its body and some Latin symbols as well. And at the arch, there were letter carvings that formed the word "Eldora Academy." And below it were Latin words that sounded like a familiar slogan in her time. "Scientia Potentia Est." Science? Is power? Or maybe something similar to that. Behind the pillar was a small inconspicuous house that struck her as odd, but she chose not to comment on it. She didn''t really fully understand the ways of this world yet. Maybe there''s a teleportation spot there or something? Inna completely ignored the weirdo by the tree as she entered. Suddenly, she felt a strong force sucking her in, and when she continued to walk, it felt like she was passing through a thick invisible wall of Jello. And when she reached the end of that Jello wall, she saw the scenery in her eyes change. Instead of a small house, she saw a crowd that consisted of thousands of people in similar white robes packed densely in the open space. In the far distance, she saw a floating podium and a banner in mid-air that said, ''Welcome Students!'' in Eridoan. She decided to go in for a closer look so she weaved her way through the crowd. Just as she was about to overtake the dude by her right, she felt a firm hand grasp her arm. "I wouldn''t go there if I were you." She looked at the hand and found it eerily familiar. Wait, wasn''t this the hand that was waving at her by the trees? Don''t tell me¡­. The man was following her? "STALKER!" She cried as she swiveled and quickly tried to hit his crotch with her knee. Luckily, the man had quick reflexes so he immediately grabbed her leg and restrained it from moving. "I''m not stalking you! I''m a new student here as well!" He half-whispered to her while coaxing her to not attract attention. Inna glared at him but she only did it for a second before she was startled by his looks. He was certainly¡­. charming... He had this kind of playful air around him but at the same time, he makes you feel like he wouldn''t hurt a fly. He had jet black hair that was styled messily and still had a few leaves stuck to it. And he had sky blue eyes that literally makes him look so good! Like words can''t describe how black hair and sky blue eyes are the best combination for him! And to partner the perfect combination, his face was porcelain white and his lips were pale pink! Jesus! He''s like a child between a hot American model and a Korean Idol! The man, seeing Inna in a daze at his looks, suddenly had an urge to tease her. So, he got closer and grabbed her leg tighter. He got so close that his arched nose almost touched hers. If the others would see their position, they would immediately get the wrong idea! After all, he was still holding her leg up at his side while their faces are practically close to touching. Inna was unable to move when she saw his baby blue eyes staring straight through her. And she was near trembling when she noticed it going closer and closer. Suddenly, there was a loud sound. "Prrrrrrrttttt!" And a few moments after, someone shouted. "Hey! Who farted?!" Chapter 50 Entrance Ceremony 3 "It''s not what you thi--" Before Inna can explain herself, the surrounding students burst into an uproar. "IT''S HIM! HE DID IT!" "IT WASN''T ME! IT WAS HER!" "WHY ARE YOU PASSING IT TO ME?! IT''S OBVIOUSLY YOU!" "NO IT''S NOT! I''M SURE IT WAS YOU!" The man near Inna tried holding back his laughter. He then swiftly covered Inna''s mouth and pulled her away from the boisterous crowd. He went to a safe spot before the place was covered with a stinky smell. A few seconds after, similar resounding sounds were heard throughout. "Prrrrt!" "Pshhhhhft!" "Prrrrappppp!" "Prrrrrrrrrrrrft!" And in just a second, the whole crowd started fighting amongst each other as the stink became unbearable. "IT WAS YOU!" "NO! IT WASN''T ME! IT WAS HIM!" "I DIDN''T DO IT! MAYBE IT WAS HER!" The noise mostly consisted of students screaming for their innocence and blaming someone else. It got so noisy that the ringing of the hourly bell was almost indiscernible. Soon, an old man can be seen to be floating towards the podium. He wore light metal armor above his white robe and had a full set of white hair on his head. He crossed his arms as his icy grey eyes focused on the pandemonium below. He looked at the students that were almost ready to go on an all-out brawl and frowned deeply in disapproval. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" The old man bellowed. His voice was so loud that it reached Inna who was now at the very edge of the crowd near the gates, along with the man. The students, upon hearing the authoritative voice, immediately quieted down. The stinky smell also already dissipated so they were able to calm down faster. After a few calming moments, they all simultaneously greeted the old man. "Greetings to Grand Elder Fang!" Meanwhile, the man still held on a struggling Inna as he tried to coax her into keeping quiet. "What just happened?" Inna whispered as she wrenched the hand on her mouth away. Then, she looked blankly at the students present, wondering what truly caused the incident. "I did warn you not to go there." The man snickered lightly before he finally can''t take it and went on a full blown laughing fit. His laughter held a great contrast to the silence of crowd so Elder Fang raised an eyebrow at him. "Young man, what is so funny?" The man, noticing the unneeded attention, quickly sobered up. But the laughter in his eyes still didn''t die down. He bowed slightly and cupped his hands in front of him. "Nothing, Grand Elder Fang. It is just laughable that all this commotion was caused by natural phenomena." "What do you mean by ''natural phenomena''?" The man was about to answer when suddenly another student spoke. "IT WAS BRIAN! HE WAS THE ONE WHO FARTED!" "WHAT?! IT WASN''T ME! I HEARD IT NEAR MAURICE!" "WHY ME?! I DIDN''T DO IT! I THOUGHT IT WAS JENNA!" Suddenly, another round of shifting the blame happened and some students were even starting to get rough. Meanwhile, seeing as the situation was about to go out of control, Elder Fang was close to exploding. "SILENCE!" He released a surge of his magical aura that only Veteran stage magic users had. "I cannot believe that the upcoming students of the esteemed Eldora Academy would create a ruckus just because of a thing as simple as a fart!" "A fart is a natural thing! There is nothing to be ashamed of! It proves that you are healthy! In fact, it would even be worrisome if you were unable to fart at all!" The man beside Inna snickered again and truthfully, Inna also snickered as well. When she recalled what just happened, she realized that the situation was indeed hilarious. Also, seeing the old man saying ''fart'' again and again with such a serious and dignified expression is enough to make her laugh her ass off. But she withheld the urge. "Now for those who did fart, it''s okay to admit it. Do not be ashamed. As upcoming students of Eldora Academy, we should be understanding and supportive of our fellow students. We shouldn''t embarrass nor single them out. We should accept them and be with them instead." "So what if the fart is smelly? Every once in a while we experience that! So learn to let the matter go, dear students." Elder Fang passionately continued his overly zealous speech about being a ''true'' student in the ''prestigious'' Eldora Academy. At the same time, the students heavily bowed and profusely apologized to the other students they blamed. And although some were still pissed, they can''t do anything under the watchful gaze of Elder Fang. Meanwhile, Inna inhaled sharply, trying to keep the laughter in. After some deep breaths, she finally reigned her laughter in. She then turned around to face the man. "What did you actually do?" She asked him with a curious gaze. "Heh. Just some spell I made myself. I call it the Gas Illusion spell." He said with a wink. "Or Farting spell for short." Inna raised her eyebrows. So it was actually a spell! "How did you activate it? I didn''t hear you chant at all!" "I don''t need to activate it. I had it set on a timed activation. Twenty minutes before the start of the entrance ceremony." He puffed up his chest. "Is it a spell for mages? Or is it a curse?" "It''s a curse actually. Anyone who stepped into the covered area of the magic circle will be involved in the fake smelly fart. And those who inhaled most of the smell will suffer from too much gas after a few hours." "Wait, wait, wait." Inna scrunched up her eyebrows. "Magic circle? You wrote a magic circle?" The man looked at her strangely. "Yea? What about it?" "How did you do that?!" "Only High stage magic users can draw magic circles with timed activation!" "Simple. I can do that because I''m a High level warlock." He shrugged nonchalantly. Wat..... Chapter 51 Raghnall The sGeniuss 1 Inna stared at him incredulously. High stage magic users were usually in their late twenties! That''s what she heard according to Solomon! The man felt her disbelieving stare and he can''t help but feel smug. "I''m Raghnall, the ''Genius'' Mage. Nice to meet you." He winked at Inna before gently flicking her nose. Inna got out of her trance and blinked. "Wait, genius Mage? But aren''t you a warlock?" Everything about this guy just confuses her! "I am. And I am also a mage. It''s because I am so very much talented that I can do both." He smirked. Inna scrunched her face up in disgust. "Overconfidence much?" "It''s not overconfidence if it''s true." He countered smugly. "Now, since I told you my name, you tell me yours." Inna instinctively answered. "Call me Inn--" But halfway, Inna stopped herself. She remember that wasn''t supposed to use ''Inna''! "Inn? Like those places for lodging? With the food and adventurers?" "That''s a weird name¡­." He trailed off, masking his amusement. "Ingrid. My name is Ingrid." Inna stiffly said. "Oh, it''s INN-grid! I get it. So, what should I call you? Inny? Griddy? Ninny?" "Ninny sounds more fitting." He snickered. Inna glared at him and was about to retaliate when she felt the crowd started to get restless again. "Whatever." She weakly countered as she tried to see what was going on. "They''re taking out the evaluation stones." Raghnall answered the question in her mind. "All of those who passed were told during the entrance exams that their evaluated power levels will correspond to their respective classes. So, it''s quite nerve wracking for them." "After all, if you enter the lowest ranked class, then you''ll be at the bottom of the food chain." "And you''ll most likely die before you graduate." "But, Eldora''s standards are too high so it''s unlikely that there will be someone in the lowest ranked class." Inna gulped. It''s not unlikely at all! Suddenly, as if feeling her rising anxiety, the students became more restless. Inna curiously looked around and saw two identical floating crystals, each by Elder Fang''s side. They both looked similar to the crystal in the Sun Breeze mansion, except, it didn''t glow as bright nor was it as big. "Now, students please make your way towards the crystals and we will begin sorting you all out to your respective classes!" After Elder Fang''s instructions, a staircase made of soil suddenly erupted from the ground. It was high enough to reach the crystals that were floating in midair. Soon, students slowly made their way up with nervous expressions. And as various students got their results, Inna began hearing repetitive words amongst the crowd. "Why are they saying the names of the flowers?" Inna repetitively heard the flowers, Anemone, Lotus, and Chamomile, being announced. "In the Combat department, the classes are named after trees. While in the Magic department, the classes are actually named after flowers. These flowers also symbolizes the nature of the class as well as the proficiency of the student." "For those who aspire to be stronger Mages, if they have more than enough talent, they go to the Pansy class, which is the top class under Mages." "Second to that class would be the Heather class and then the Anemone class. These flowers are chosen because they embody the ''Mages'' ideology. They enhance and protect. Pansy enhances memory and information comprehension, while Heather and Anemone are known for their protective powers against diseases and many other things." "For those who wanted to be stronger Warlocks, the highest class they can go to is the Oleander class. Second to that class is Jequirity class, and then the Belladonna class." "These flowers were chosen because of one common thing. They are all beautiful but poisonous plants which is a befitting symbolization of the curses done by witches and warlocks; beautiful, but deadly." "For those who wanted to focus on being a Priest, the highest class is the Lotus class, followed by Gerbera class and then the Chamomile class." "And as I''ve mention, they were chosen because they embody the meaning of being a Priest. The Lotus grows in mud yet its flowers remain clean, a great symbolism of purification. Another would be Gerbera which has the ability to purify the air around itself. While Chamomile has magical healing properties that doesn''t have any side-effects." "And of course, the most famous elite class, the Rose class which embodies a ''Genius'' student. Why? Because the Rose can be a charm that gives protection from evil, is medicinal, and it has poisonous thorns that can kill a grown man in seconds. So, this would mean that the student in this class is proficient with at least 2 jobs." "And an example of that ''Genius'' student is right here." Raghnall winked. Inna ignored his wink but not his words. She may not know most of the plants, but one thing was for sure. Roses didn''t have poison! She was about to ask him about it when she suddenly remembered something. "According to Eriden, Mana made magical beasts and magical plants as better versions of the originals." Those were the words she heard Solomon say. So, this must mean that the flowers back in her world are different from the flowers here. The flowers here must really have magical abilities. While deep in thought, Inna felt a tap on her shoulder. "Hey, almost everyone''s done." "So, it''s my turn now. Watch me shine." He grinned childishly, his boyish features becoming more charming. Inna pinched her thigh to stop herself from being entranced. He may be cute but his personality is ''bleh.'' But..... Argh, beautiful people are beautiful people after all. It can''t be helped. She walked beside him as they made their way towards one of the stairways. Raghnall shot her one last wink before swiftly climbing the stairs. After reaching the crystal, he held out his hand and waited for the crystal to show off his current power. After a few moments, there was a small chime before the floating words then showed themselves. Chapter 52 Raghnall The sGeniuss 2 ****************************************************** Magic: Mage = High level peak stage Warlock = High level middle stage Priest = High level early stage ****************************************************** Everyone gasped at the words. All High Levels! What kind of monster is he?! Elder Fang was pleasantly surprised as well. "Young man, how old are you?" Raghnall smiled at Inna''s shocked look before he faced Elder Fang with a slight bow. "Eighteen, Grand Elder." Elder Fang''s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Eighteen! And a Triple High level magic-user! Such talent in such a young age! Only the noblest of all families can produce such an amazing offspring! "And what is your name?" "Raghnall, Grand Elder." Elder Fang wanted to hear which noble family he belonged but it seemed that Raghnall had no intentions to continue. "Huh? Just Raghnall? No surname?" "I am simply a humble commoner, Grand Elder. My surname is insignificant before the noble ones." A commoner?! Elder Fang felt faint after having suffered too many shocking events. An eighteen year old commoner that is also a triple high level magic user! Since he''s a commoner, he must have achieved everything through training alone! No special tutors! No special potions! And No special books! He is simply a genius above all geniuses! "Hmmm¡­. I see. Ah!" Elder Fang suddenly remembered the commotion on the last day of the exams. "I did hear of a genius commoner that stirred trouble among the applicants in the final day of entrance exams." Elder Feng mused. "It seems you must be that eccentric genius boy who defeated the exam administrator instead of taking the written test." "I am honored for Grand Elder Fang to call this lowly man, a ''genius.''" Raghnall said with a humble smile while trying to hide the laughter in his eyes. God only knows how he hated those exams! He''d rather break the bones of a person than answer questions all day! "Well then, with this talent, you will surely be in the Rose class." Elder Fang waved his hand, and like a magic trick, a floating rose suddenly appeared by his palm. Raghnall received the rose from Elder Fang and slowly climbed down the rocky stairs. When he reached the ground, he immediately approached Inna and whispered. "See? The old man called me a "genius." I totally owned that stage! Now, your turn!" He didn''t forget to obnoxiously wave the rose around her face as he whispered. Inna swatted his hand away and rolled her eyes at his childish behavior before she made her way to the crystal. After climbing the stairs, she did what everybody else did and placed her hand on the crystal. After a soft chime, the floating words showed themselves. ****************************************************** Magic: Mage = Starter level peak stage Witch = Starter level peak stage Priestess = Starter level peak stage ****************************************************** Everyone stopped talking because their jaws all dropped to the ground. They all stared at the words incredulously. Starter Level! Someone was actually able to enter Eldora Academy with just a starter level power! "What happened? Why is she so weak? Is the crystal broken?" "I thought only the talented can enter Eldora Academy?" "Yeah, millions of applications were dropped because their aptitudes were too ordinary." "Then how come she''s here?" "I''m close to High level but even I had trouble entering!" "Guys, maybe she''s talented at being weak?" "Or maybe she bribed someone inside the academy!" Numerous murmurs and complaints resounded among the whole student body as they began insulting Inna. "I can''t believe she would be so shameless to enter this Academy!" "She must have cheated in the exams!" "Even my ten year old brother can beat her!" "This aptitude is just too shameful that it physically pains me to even look at her!" "Shhhh! Maybe she''s a really important noble and the school was bribed to take her in!" Someone amongst the crowd whispered. With those words slandering the school, Elder Fang finally exploded. "WHO SAID THAT?!" "ELDORA ACADEMY WOULD NEVER TAKE BRIBES! EVEN IF THE ROYAL FAMILY WERE TO OFFER THE KINGDOM, ELDORA ACADEMY WILL STAY TRUE TO THEMSELVES! IT WILL FOREVER BE THE GREATEST RULE! NO ONE CAN ENTER UNLESS THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY FOR IT! SO, TELL ME..." Elder Fang then turned to face Inna. "WHO LET YOU IN?!" Elder Fang roared in disgust. Meanwhile, Inna was shocked by their hostility. She didn''t know that they were so touchy about power levels! Heck, she didn''t even know that this academy is only for the talented! If she knew, then she never would''ve wanted to even be with these snotty, spoiled, overconfident brats with their noses up in the air and sticks up their asses! "Now, look here you little old fucker¡­" Inna was about to give them a piece of her mind when a bright light glowed by Elder Fang''s side. When the light dimmed down, a man with a thick full body armor and multiple blades by his waist appeared. His short spiky black hair had a few noticeable white streaks and the skin peeking out from his armor was overly tanned. He had rugged yet chiseled features and had a strong sharp jaw. His deep blue eyes held a scary aura and his stoic facial expression was very much like a military man. He held a sword on his left hand and a piece of paper on his right. "Elder Azai! What brings you here?" Elder Fang was surprised with his sudden arrival. "Did the entrance ceremony of the Combat department finish early?" Elder Fang grinned welcomingly at the man, completely forgetting his anger at Inna. Elder Azai grunted in reply. "Un. They were unsatisfactory. Too weak. The top students can''t even last a minute to spar." His deep voice held a tinge of mockery and disappointment to which Elder Fang laughed lightly at. "Of course, of course. I couldn''t even last half an hour fighting you, so a minute is too high a burden for those freshmen." "No. She can do it." Elder Azai stared intensely at Inna as though he can see through her soul. "W-what?" Elder Fang was startled. Was Azai talking about this tiny girl? No, it''s impossible! She has the weakest magic in the whole academy! Ah! He must be joking! Elder Fang laughed hard at that. Hearing the Grand Elder laugh, the rest of the students decided to follow suit. "Oh my, I never knew Elder Azai can joke sometimes. It is truly quite amusing indeed." Elder Fang patted Elder Azai''s metallic shoulder guard as he ended his laughing fit. Elder Azai was unfazed by Elder Fang''s strange behavior as he held out his right hand. "There''s a note from Bertrand." Upon hearing the word ''Bertrand,'' Elder Fang immediately sobered up. His posture became rigid and his face serious as he took the paper away from Elder Azai''s hands. "What is this about?" Chapter 53 Inna The sGenius?s Elder Fang slowly read the words inside the letter. "A special recommendation from the Headmaster?" He mused. "A charity work for the academy?" He got more confused. "She was picked up by the streets by Bertrand?" Elder Fang looked disbelievingly at Inna before he recited the words in the letter with a doubtful tone. "No one taught her magic and I, as a Triple Veteran level magic-user who deeply loves magic, cannot swallow the fact that a potential magic-user does not even know the simplest of magic. So because of my benevolent heart and generosity, I decided to let her in the academy''s Magic department." When Inna heard this, she couldn''t help but sneer inside. What ''benevolent heart''? What ''generosity''? What the fuck is he talking about? The old man practically made her look like a beggar that he picked off the streets! Elder Fang didn''t see the gradual darkening of Inna''s expression as he continued to read. "But although her current aptitude in magic might smother you with disappointment, trust my words when I say that her potential is great. She just needs proper guidance and a teacher." "And to my dear students in the Magic department..." Elder Fang decided to make his voice louder so that all the students can hear. "She may be from the streets but do not underestimate her. Because although her aptitude in Magic is utterly disappointing, her aptitude with fighting people is exceptional. I wish to keep the talented students safe and unharmed in any way as they study in this Academy. So, I hope you listen to my words." Elder Fang finished reading and he gazed at Inna sadly. "I see! I see! She was picked up as a charity work for the school!" One of the brave students exclaimed and hearing his words, the other students giggled and snickered under their breaths. If only there weren''t two elders in front of them, they would''ve shamelessly laughed hard at her. Elder Fang smiled mockingly at Inna and seeing this, the students sneered at her as well. "Knowing the Headmaster''s love for Magic, it''s understandable how he would suddenly do this." He then looked at Elder Azai. "Elder Azai, I understand. Thank you for personally sending this letter." Elder Azai grunted in reply and looked at Inna. "You." Inna raised an eyebrow. "Come to the Combat department when you settle. Let''s spar." He looked at Inna with a curious gaze. But Inna wanted to groan in annoyance in reply. She just walked up thousands of steps and when she finished, she ended up standing for hours. She have had enough of moving around! All she really wanted to do was to lay down on her bed! "Elder Azai, I believe there is no need for her to go to the Combat department. After all, she still has multiple obligations to do in the Magic department. Such as settling in her dorm room and having her preliminary class meeting." Elder Fang said in a polite manner but Elder Azai ignored him. "Do not make me wait." He stared at Inna before another bright light flashed and he disappeared. After he no longer saw Elder Azai, Elder Fang sighed in irritation as he looked at Inna. The Eldora Academy actually decided to let in such untalented individual! Originally, he wanted to complain about it to the Headmaster because this will surely taint the glorious reputation of the school! But since it is the wish of the Headmaster¡­ Elder Fang tried to hard hide the disdain from his eyes as he summoned a flower and roughly shoved it to her. "You. You''ll be in Lily class." Inna gingerly took the Lily as she descended down the stairs. But she failed to see the rest of the students gasp in horror. Lily Class! Everyone knew of the famous Lily class! Back then, when Eldora''s popularity was at its peak, there were too many students so they created the Lily class. It was a class opposite of the Rose class. While the Rose embody all three professions, the Lily embody only sympathy and innocence of the world, or in harsher words, stupidity. The Lily class was used for those who failed certain subjects or those whose talents and growth were one of the worst among the school. No freshmen were usually sent straight to the Lily class because the freshmen are usually quite talented. But as they study, some students do not perform well, and some become emotionally or mentally unstable, so once any of these happen, the student will be dumped in the Lily class. Now, that was not the frightening part. The frightening part is the heavy bullying the Lily class receives from the Rose class. Or every other class for that matter. Some students even suspected that the reason why it''s called the "Lily" class was because Lilies were always offered during ''funerals.'' It''s like a way of saying that the school didn''t care whether they die or not! With this idea, most of the bullying escalated to the point that almost every year, a student mysteriously dies from that class. And those who didn''t die, either became crazy or became slaves to other students. And for a freshman to be placed into the Lily class, it was the first in the academy''s history! "Wow, you just made a record of the shortest time to achieve being the biggest target of the whole school." Raghnall muttered under his breath as Inna approached him. But although it was faint, Inna was able to hear him. She rolled her eyes as she reached him. "Sorry, we can''t all be ''Geniuses'' like you." Raghnall laughed lightly. "Right, of course. I''m one of a kind indeed. Well then, I look forward to meeting you more often when I bully you." He wanted to pat her head but Inna stepped away from his annoying hand. "Bully me? Sorry, I''m afraid I''ll end up bullying you instead." Inna countered back smugly. "Oh, so you do want to meet me more often?" Raghnall smirked as he twisted the meaning behind her words. Inna didn''t know how to reply to that so she decided to change topic. "What''s with this Lily class anyways? Why are everyone freaking out?" "I never heard of it being said before." "Is it a special class? Like, a hidden super rare class?" Inna''s eyes twinkled. Chapter 54 I Love My Bed 1 "Well, that''s another way of seeing it." Raghnall smiled in amusement. Inna''s eyes still didn''t lose its shine as she excitedly interrogated him. "So, what''s the class like? Are there lots of girls? Or guys? There are dorms, right? Are the classes also the name of our dorm houses? Like, do we have those ''houses according to the class'' kind of thing?" "Boring. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes." Raghnall counted with his fingers while Inna grinned at her lily. "Ugh, look at the loser. She''s already so happy with being in the lowest class." A female student holding a Lotus flower sneered. She was together with few other students holding the same flower as well. "That''s what you would expect from a charity case. Just give them your scraps and they''ll be on cloud nine." The girls giggled lightly before walking away. Hearing their words, Inna''s face scrunched up in confusion. "What did those bitches say?" "Lowest class?" She figured that Raghnall knows more about the school than others so, Inna looked at him for an answer. "They''re right. Lily class is indeed the lowest class in the academy. They stuff all the misfits there, like the crazy and unstable people." Inna looked at him in disbelief as she pointed at her face. "But why did they put ''ME'' there?!" "Do I look crazy and unstable to you?!" And without a moment''s hesitation, Raghnall answered with a straight face. "Yes." Hearing his reply, Inna slapped his arm using the lily. "You just met me an hour ago! You judgmental prick!" Raghnall rubbed the spot where she hit him. "Hey! Don''t go hitting me out of the blue!" "I had my reasons!" "First of all, you were climbing the stairs to go to the academy. No one did that for like, the past decades. Anyone with common sense would know that they can buy the teleportation scroll, fighters and magic-users alike." "And secondly, as soon as I said those to you by the gate entrance, you started talking to yourself, screaming nonsense about ''balls,'' ''sheets,'' ''teas,'' and ''mothers.'' And you mixed them with words that sounded gibberish. And, I don''t know what your definition of crazy is, but you pretty much act like one from mine. So, can you really blame me for thinking that?" He raised his eyebrow, daring Inna to rebut him. After hearing his reasoning, Inna was actually convinced that she really seemed crazy. She was so used to being confined in the mansion, only talking to Solomon and the servants, that she forgot that their world and its views are very different from hers. Inna coughed awkwardly at that. Feeling slightly better from her awkwardness, Raghnall decided to explain more about the class to her. "Well, if it makes you feel better, the weakest people in the whole academy are dumped there too." Inna glared at him. "Hey, no doubt about it. You are weak. And you better accept that. In fact, I can crush you with a single word so don''t go glaring at me like that." Raghnall raised an eyebrow as he continued. "And usually, no one was sent there on their first year. Well, until you arrived." "So, congratulations! You made history! Now, you''ll either get beaten up by other students or, most possibly, die by the end of the year so, nice knowing you!" Raghnall patted her shoulder as he turned to leave. But Inna whacked the back of his head with the lily. "Don''t kill me off just yet!" Raghnall turned around as he cupped the part where she hit him. "Woman! Stop swinging that lily around like a weapon! Do you know how much force you put on that thing?!" He rubbed his head as a little tear leaked out from his eyes. Inna ignored his childish outburst as she questioned him again. "Why did you say that I''ll die?" That part actually scared her for real. Because she didn''t want to die again! Nope! She just escaped death! It would be totally lame to die again in such a short time! "Didn''t you see it earlier? What those girls did are just the tip of the iceberg. People from the lily class are bullied almost every day. It''s like everyone''s past time. Since most of the Lily class consists of commoners or low-class nobles, some higher-class nobles even torture them until near death. Of course, there would be ''accidents'' in these tortures that will lead to death. But usually, the perpetrators remain unscathed because, considering their families'' background, no one would dare to tattle. So, they have this ''Silence Pact'' going on. Hence, the deaths have been deemed as simply ''mysterious'' deaths." "Some students that survived despite the torture, slowly broke. They became unstable and crazy. While some sold their dignity and became slaves just to be able to live a bit more comfortably. But some of them, after a year or two, would ultimately choose killing themselves." "Well, actually, it''s been ages since someone last entered that class so pretty much almost everyone forgot about it as well, even the teachers. And most likely the previous remaining students are probably dead by now so you''re probably the only one there at the moment." After Inna finished digesting what she heard, Inna looked at Raghnall curiously. "How do you know all this?" Raghnall''s eyes widened slightly. From all the questions she could ask, he didn''t expect her to ask that at all. "My master was a graduate from this school. And like you, I''ve been picked up too. By him." He smiled dimly as he got lost in his own thoughts. Just then, a bell sound echoed towards the whole place. "Students." Elder Fang''s voice followed after the bell. "Now that the class selection is finally finished, please hold on tightly to your flowers as they are your keys and symbols of authenticity in order to enter your lodgings." "I would require you to recite the word, ''Kra-ana'' using your flowers as mediums. These will activate the teleportation spell embedded in it. And soon, you will arrive in the gates of your class dorms. There, a teacher will guide you on the house rules and such. This starts your journey as freshmen of Eldora Academy! May we meet again, dear Magic students." Elder Fang flashed the students a smile before his body was covered in a bright light. And just like what happened with Elder Azai, he disappeared after the light faded. And moments after, screams could be heard from students attempting to activate the spell in the flowers. Some successfully tried it as soon as Elder Fang left so the place only had a few students left. "I doubt you''ll be able to do it." Raghnall murmured as he looked at Inna. Inna raised an eyebrow at that. "Is that a challenge I hear?" She roughly held out the lily near his face, wanting to show him he''s wrong. "Kra-ana!" She expected her body to be enveloped in light just like the other students who did it before her. But even after a few seconds, nothing happened. Inna looked at the limp lily in her hands with panic in her heart. "Hey¡­" She shook the limp lily before looking at Raghnall sadly. "Do you think I broke it when I kept hitting you?" Chapter 55 I Love My Bed 2 Raghnall looked at the pitiful-looking flower, sympathy leaking out from his gaze. "You have no mercy at all. Look what you did to the poor plant." Inna ignored his mock pity as she tried it again and again. "Kra-ana!" "Kra-ana!" "Kra-ana!" She did it multiple times until she felt her throat hurt. Still, nothing happened. Suddenly, she heard laughing from a distance. "Did that girl really think that she''ll be able to do it?" "Maybe she''s thinking that if she says it louder, it''ll make it stronger." Two male students laughed at they stole glances at Inna. "Such is the thinking of idiotic beggars. They didn''t even figure out that this was one of the tests in Eldora." "Indeed, I heard that there was a hidden time limit. And if someone is late, he''ll surely be in the bad side of the teacher!" Inna raised an eyebrow at their direction. "Hey assholes, instead of gossiping like girls, it will do you good to focus on your own shit. You didn''t even leave yet so quit acting so high and mighty." She flipped them off with her tongue sticking out. The male students didn''t know what the gesture meant but seeing Inna''s smug face after, it still made them irritated. They audibly huffed in anger. "We are both Intermediate ranks!" "Yeah! We were just loitering so that we can see you fail miserably. I mean, if other low ranks had trouble doing the spell, what more for a mere starter rank?" They laughed together before they casted the spell again. Inna was beginning to get annoyed at them, but what made her snap, was the fact that as soon as they stopped laughing, their bodies were covered by the same light before they disappeared. "What. The. Fuck. Is. Wrong. With. This. Stupid. Flower?!" Inna angrily shook the lily flower in her hand as she hissed out the words. Raghnall felt sorry for her so he decided to help out. "Here, give it to me." Inna shoved the limp lily to him before looking around to find something to vent on. Raghnall closely examined the lily and he found something that made him furrow his brows in confusion. "Ninny." He called out for Inna. "Ninny, there''s a problem." Inna found a wooden stick so she was busy angrily drawing circles on the pile of dirt that she saw, all the while mumbling curses. "Ninny, seriously, there''s a problem." Inna looked up from her drawings when she sensed an urgent tone in Raghnall''s voice. "What is it?" "I''m not sure who but someone nullified the teleportation spell in your lily." Inna immediately dashed towards her flower. "What?! Why?! Who did this?!" "I''m not entirely sure¡­. But if I should guess, I feel like Elder Fang doesn''t like you that much so¡­.." Inna understood what he meant. The old man must have erased the spell! He did this to humiliate her! "It''s not just a feeling, I know he doesn''t like me at all!" Inna grabbed the lily and was about to throw and stomp on it but Raghnall stopped her. He firmly grabbed her wrist and spoke. "You''ll still need that for identification. You can''t enter the dorms without it." Inna reluctantly loosened her grip at the poor flower. "Then, what will I do? I have no idea where this is, and I have no idea where I have to go." Raghnall felt sorry for her and was about to offer her to stay with him at the Rose class. But, knowing the people there and their attitudes towards the Lily class, he decided against it. So he just stared at his vibrant rose, deep in thought. After a few seconds, he finally thought of something and smiled. "Okay, I know of a way to solve this. It''s just that, I need something in return." He always wanted to ask this but never had the chance to say it without making it seem like he''s being overly familiar with her. Inna looked at him questioningly. "And what is that ''something''?" "Take me with you when you spar with Elder Azai." Inna didn''t think it was a big deal so she agreed immediately. "Sure, why not? Heck, you can even replace me and spar with him yourself." Raghnall''s eyes glistened in excitement. "No, I''m contented in seeing Elder Azai beat you to a pulp." Inna glared at him but he simply laughed. "Actually, he''s my idol in fighting. Since I was born a magic-user, the people around me always kept saying how better life is when they have magic." "Although Anemoly, now, is known for its view of equality between combat and magic, but back then, there were a lot who believed that magic is for magic-users while fighting was for non-magic-users." "They believed that for those who can do Magic, they should just stay put and learn it so that there will be less competition and more opportunities for people that can''t learn magic to become fighters. It''s like saying that since you can learn magic, you should train your magic. Fighting is only for the untalented because they can''t learn magic." "And it actually makes sense. Most people see it as a ''fair'' way of doing things. So even though it made multiple magic-users constricted with their choice, they still chose to follow it to avoid criticisms." "But Elder Azai was different. He disobeyed their beliefs entirely." "Imagine, someone was trained by the most powerful Priest in history, the Sage Priest, but that someone decided to abandon his training halfway to become a fighter. Now, most people would find it such a waste and would even deny that there would be a fool like that in the world." "But it was soon proven wrong since there is, in fact, a fool like that in the world." "And his name was Azai." "Because although he was trained for years by the Sage himself, he became a fighter halfway. And because of that, he garnered harsh criticism around the country and even towards the other countries. They began to call him, ''Azai the Fool.'' But you know what he said to those people who asked him why he didn''t pursue magic?" "He simply answered back with, ''What does that have to do with you? It''s my life, so it''s my choice.''" "And that inspired everyone to go for the choice they actually wanted. It was a spectacular thing. Most magic-users dropped out of academies and trainings and became what they truly wanted to be, a fighter. Thus, Anemoly after two decades, slowly became what it is now today." Inna looked at the adoration in the bright blue eyes of Raghnall. And for some reason, she was reminded of her past ten years ago. It was when she too idolized someone so much, that it eventually changed her life. "Well, that''s cool. I never knew he was such a cool guy. So you''re saying that you want to be like him? A fighter?" Raghnall smiled sheepishly. "Well, I''m not really sure. For now, let''s just say that I just want to observe your sparring." "Okay then, but first we should really get into the dorms now or else there won''t even be a sparring." Inna sighed. "No problem! Just give me a few seconds." "Oh, and give me your stick too." Chapter 56 I Love My Bed 3 "Wait. I have the map of the school that I took from one of the teachers. Let me search for it in just a sec." Raghnall looking through his hobo sack and pulled out a dust-filled paper. He spread it out on the ground as he grabbed the stick. "Trekna. Rosa. Hibrenos. Transa. Ferron. Liliendo." He muttered as he started drawing a magic circle filled with ancient scribbles equivalent to the words he said. As the stick moves, a faint light glows along with it which made Inna gasp in amazement. "Rosa. Intrena. Liliendo. Spella. Null. Kra-ana." Raghnall tossed his rose to the circle and before it can hit the ground, it floated upwards. "Toss your lily too." Hearing Raghnall''s instruction, Inna threw her lily to the circle. It floated beside the rose and both plants began to emit a faint glow of red and white. Raghnall closed his eyes and began murmuring words that was too fast for Inna to catch. Then, after a few seconds, the glow in both plants dimmed, and soon, the magic circle dimmed until it disappeared. The flowers fell slowly to the ground as Raghnall opened his eyes. "Yep, we''re good to go." He grabbed his rose and quickly muttered the spell. "Kra-ana!" Then, both their bodies were shrouded by light. And when Inna blinked, she realized they were already in a different place. "Holy shit! That was amazing!" Inna looked around the changed scenery in complete amazement, her smile and eyes were wide and filled with glee. "Is this your first time teleporting?" Raghnall asked behind her. Inna quickly nodded, but then she realized something was strange after seeing a house with a huge lily sign. "Didn''t you use the spell on your rose? Why are we here in the Lily dorms instead?" She turned to look at him. "Actually, the magic circle I did there was duplicating enhancing spells. Since teleportation are spells done by Mages, fellow Mages that are skilled enough can alter or copy them." "And since you''ve got yourself a genius mage such as myself¡­" Raghnall wiggled his brows. "I simply looked at my rose''s spell, copied it, then nullified the original spell, then placed my own copied spell but with slight alterations. I changed the ''expected place'' so that it will lead us here, in the Lily dorms instead of the Rose dorms, using the magical imprint in your lily." "And then, I enhanced the spell further so that it can carry two people, since originally, only the holder of the flower can be affected once the spell is triggered." Inna raised her eyebrows in bewilderment. "So it''s something like ''Cut and paste'' with additional stuff?" Now, it was Raghnall''s turn to be confused. "Cut and paste?" Inna realized that her words were once again foreign to him but she had no energy to discuss the whole history about it. So, she just covered it up with another question. "Why didn''t you just copy the spell then alter it in my lily instead of going through all the trouble?" "It would surely be easier but these flowers are fragile mediums. At most, they can only be casted with magic twice before they lose their vitality. So when the lily was casted with a nullifying magic, its vitality was already slowly being sucked out." Raghnall gestured towards the limp lily in Inna''s hands to prove his point. "And mine should also start to lose its vitality right about now." He looked at the wrinkles in one of the rose''s petals. "Continuing on casting spells with it will only make it turn to dust. And, without the flower, you''ll be unable to enter the dorms. Hence, I did what a genius would do." He had a smug expression on, so Inna raised her hand that was gripping the lily. It was to let him know that if he says ''genius'' one more time, she will wipe that irritating expression along with his face. His face immediately straightened up and he coughed awkwardly. "Well, since you arrived successfully, I should take my leave." He quickly turned around and walked away while he opened the map in his hands. But, after a few steps, he turned back around and stupidly grinned at Inna in glee. "Also, don''t forget the promise you made!" Inna rolled her eyes at his excitement and shooed him away with her hands. When he disappeared into the dense mass of trees, Inna finally observed the place she was in closely. The place looked like an isolated space in the forest. It had trees surrounding it in a circle and inside the circle was heaps of tall grass that made the place feel like it was abandoned. Behind her was a white mansion that had a huge lily sign in its front. It looked like one of those Victorian mansions that were meant for nobles, but because of the tall grass and the dirty white color of the walls, this one looked abandoned. In fact, if it was at night, it would totally look like a haunted house. But, despite the tall grass, there was a clean stone pathway in the center of the field, leading to the front porch of the house. She followed the path towards the front porch and waited by the door. Then, she remembered something. Wait, isn''t there supposed to be a teacher waiting after she teleports? Did the teacher get tired of waiting for her? Confused, Inna reluctantly knocked on the door. When she didn''t hear any response, she really thought that the mansion was abandoned. But suddenly, the door slightly opened with a loud and long creak. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Chapter 57 I Love My Bed 4 Out of instinct, Inna immediately jabbed the ''thing'' with her fist before running away screaming. Holy shit¡­. Dafuq did I just see¡­.. She felt breathless and her heart was still hammering in her chest. This time, she really was scared shitless! Before, when the door slightly opened, a head of black hair slowly peeked out of the door. And in the gaps of the hair, was pale skin and scary hollow eyes that looked as dead as her! And in an instant, she was 100% sure it was a ghost! In fact, it looked near identical to the ghost in the Ring! So following her instincts, she immediately fought then ran out. She looked back at the door, only to see it still slightly ajar. She wanted to run back to Raghnall and just stay in the Rose dorm. She just can''t handle this! She was even close to crying! She''d rather be bullied than see ghosts! But after a few minutes, the ghosts didn''t seem to chase her at all. In fact, it looked like it was never there in the first place. She breathed a sigh of relief as her heart finally calmed down. Since there was no reaction, she convinced herself that what she saw wasn''t a ghost at all. Probably a prank or her hallucination. So, she tried to go near the door once again, all the while encouraging herself with a small pep talk. "Okay¡­. We can do this¡­" "Inna, you''ve already died..." "So, you don''t need to be scared of ghosts¡­" "I mean, what can they do to you? You already died." "We can do this Inna¡­" "Think of Casper the Friendly Ghost¡­" "He was a friendly ghost¡­" "But holy shit, he''s still a ghost¡­" "Okay, okay. We are going cray cray here." "We need to calm down now¡­" "Breathe in, then out¡­ in then out¡­" "You know, maybe it wasn''t a ghost¡­" "Yea¡­ It was probably a hallucination¡­ yea¡­" "Yea¡­ I was probably seeing things¡­ yea¡­" "Pshhh, what ghost? I aint afraid of no ghosts¡­" Now an arm''s length away from the door, she suddenly heard someone groaning in pain. She flinched and hastily drew back a couple of steps. After a few moments of another pep talk, she finally mustered up some courage and kicked the door fully open. She heard a ''bang'' sound before a scream. "Aaargh!" She froze on the spot in fear. "Twice! To actually hit me twice!" "What wrong with children nowadays?!" The voice grumbled more complaints. Meanwhile, Inna furrowed her brows in confusion. Did the ghost just speak? DID THE GHOST JUST ACTUALLY SPEAK?! NOPE. NOPE. NOPE. I''M DONE. I DIDN''T SIGN UP FOR THIS SHIT. She turned around and was ready to dash but a stern voice stopped her. "If you flee, I''ll make sure that you''ll be charged for assault and attempted murder towards a teaching staff!!" Wait, what? Inna slowly turned around and saw a man with a white robe, leaning on the doorframe clutching the back of his head and his swollen left eye. "Assault? Attempted murder? Teaching¡­staff?" The man''s words still didn''t fully register in her brain. But the man didn''t seem to care about her confusion as he continued grumbling. "Such an ill-mannered brute. Why are you even in this department! You should''ve been hoisted over to the Combat section. You''ll fit in there quite naturally, like a tree in a forest. You even get to punch whoever you want. They might even thank you for it, you sadistic brute." The man grumbled. "Now where was that ice bag¡­" He continued grumbling to himself as he turned around. But when he felt that the crazy magic user didn''t follow him, he looked back. "What are you dilly dallying there for?!" "Huh?" "Don''t you ''huh'' me, you brute! You must have come here for a reason! Come inside so I can teach you a thing or two about proper manners! Especially on how to greet superiors properly!" Inna hesitantly made her way inside as she saw the man disappear into a corner while clutching his injuries and groaning in pain. So¡­ he''s not a ghost? She looked around the halls and saw that it was neat and tidy, although the walls looked dirty because of its faded yellowish white color. She continued to walk by herself, until she found a big room. She figured it must be the living room since it had no doors, just open walls, and was easily accessible through the halls. The living room looked very homey, except, it didn''t have any television that Inna was used to seeing. Instead, it had paintings around the walls and a fireplace that had messily stacked books on top of it. The room also had 2 brown couches across each other and 2 brown seats at the other end with a brown antique coffee table in the middle. It looked like it was designed so that people would actually face and talk with each other. Seeing the fluffy looking couch, she shamelessly made herself at home and laid on the couch comfortably. "It''s great to see the assailant make herself at home in the victim''s house." A familiar voice suddenly spoke. Inna sat up and looked at the direction of the voice. She saw a man placing bags on his eye and at the back of his head. Those were probably ice bags since she saw it leave a bit of water on the man''s face. "Hi?" Inna awkwardly said. "Yeah... Hi. So not nice to meet you." The man said dryly before sitting on the couch across her. "Now, to what do I owe this great displeasure of seeing you?" Chapter 58 I Love My Bed 5 The man glared at her with his tired looking dark brown eyes. He looked like he was in his mid-thirties and had really huge dark bags under his eyes. It made his eyes look more lifeless and adding the fact that his long black hair was messily in front of his pale face, it''s no wonder she mistook him as a ghost. "Do you know what you just did to me earlier?" The man hissed as he showed her his swollen eye. "I''m really sorry. I-i didn''t know what came over me! I thought you wer--" Inna started to explain but he cut her off. "Upon hearing some knocking, I expected to see a guest. NOT A PUNCH TO THE EYE!" He angrily roared as he winced from the pain. "And while I was trying to recover from what just happened, you actually had the audacity to hit the back of my head with the door!" Inna finally figured out why his head also had a second bag of ice on it. "Well, I was scared! I thought you were a ghost!" "I mean, look at you! You look like a walking corpse!" Inna gestured at his whole being as though she was trying to prove her point. But the man glared at her again with only his unharmed eye. "I wasn''t able to sleep properly for the past month! I had too many things to do to actually care about what I look like when answering the door of my own house!" "And to think, when I finally had some rest after so long, some lunatic arrives and punches me in the eye!" "And guess what? It didn''t stop there! That same lunatic bashed the back of my head! So tell me, right now, what can you possibly expect me to do aside from reporting you? Hmmm?" The man raised his eyebrow as he stared at her with anger in his eye. Inna didn''t know how to answer the question without fueling the flames so she just slowly placed the half dead lily in the table. Seeing it, the man''s eyes almost bulged out of its sockets. "Oh dear heavens¡­.." He inwardly wept. This monster is actually a student in his class. He sighed long and loudly in despair. Seeing that she won''t be leaving anytime soon, he decided to relax so he leaned back towards the sofa. He faced the ceiling but all the while muttering complaints towards the heavens. After he safely secured the ice packs on the back of his head and on his eye, he closed his other eye and spoke without facing her. "Name." Hearing the surrender and despair in his voice, Inna can''t help but scrunch up her face in irritation. Why does all the old people in this world hate her? Nevertheless, she still answered. "Ingrid Lidden." "Age?" "Eighteen." "Freshman?" "Yea." "And why do you have a lily?" "Because I was given one, duh." The man really wanted to throw the ice bags at her. "No student has ever been placed in the Lily class on their first day before." "Well, it''s because of my aptitude." "Hmmm?" The man became curious, so he wanted her to elaborate further. "I''m only a Starter rank peak stage." Hearing this, the man sat up straight, making the ice bags fall off entirely. "18?! And still just a Starter rank?" He gasped in disbelief. "Why are you even here?! The Academy would never let such a stupid weak student inside! Even the lower academies wouldn''t even accept someone so weak and uneducated! And to be honest, the Lily class wouldn''t accept such a weak and dumb student either!" Inna had enough of the words ''weak'' and ''stupid'' being used to describe her. "Listen up, you creepy codger. I didn''t know jackshit about Magic until about 2 months ago, so don''t go telling me I''m weak and dumb. Or else I''ll show you ''weak'' when I bash your other eye until it comes out of your mouth!" Inna''s sharp tongue made its appearance. Hearing her threat, the man''s eye suddenly started hurting as he remembered the pain. So he picked up the fallen ice bags on the ground and placed them back on his injuries but not before muttering, "Yea, totally not weak at all¡­" After holding the ice bag in place, he finally talked while looking at her. "Haaaaaaaahhhhhh¡­. Since you''re a new student, I should''ve done proper protocol." "Apologies for not being present when you teleported. I never expected that I would get someone in the Lily class hence, the lack of preparations." "My name is Ulima. I am the assigned prefect of the Lily dorms. I''m also both a teacher and a researcher in the Magic department. I specialize in Magical Theory. I discuss the theories behind magic, its composition, origin, and of course, it''s functionally. I go into technical details and uncover distinct phenomenon in magic usage and magical output. An example would be the selective restriction of magic towards ancient words of Eriden that seemed to be linked towards its trigger and its output of power." "E--" She was about to say ''English please,'' but she remembered that they were supposed to be speaking in Eridoan now. "E?" Ulima stopped and stared. Having to think fast, she just went with whatever popped in her mind. "Eeeooowwww¡­" Ulima deeply furrowed his brows at her. What up with her now? Is she making cat noises? Weirded out by her, he began to speculate that something was indeed strange about the situation. Maybe the real reason why she was sent here in the Lily dorms was not because of her aptitude¡­ ¡­ but because she''s actually crazy! Chapter 59 I Love My Bed 6 "Ahem. Well, next, I should be showing you your room. But since no one comes to the Lily class, and no one is here right now, you can pretty much pick whatever room." "But, just not the rooms in the first floor. Everything here, in the first floor, is mine. I stash my research notes and books anywhere here so don''t touch anything, understand?" He glared at her in warning. Hearing his instructions, Inna nodded obediently. "Come. I''ll take you to the second floor." He stood up and guided her through the hallways where they soon climbed up a set of stairs. When Inna reached the second floor, it just consisted of a hallway filled with doors. "Since you love ghosts so much, I would love to tell you the stories behind each room." Ulima''s tone was filled with delight and a hint of sarcasm. Before Inna could refute, he began talking. "First room on the left, the girl sobbed loudly before she killed herself. So, you''ll hear frequent sobbing near the bedside." "Second room on the left, the man stabbed himself in the heart and before dying, he used his blood to write his grievances but he died halfway through." "So, at night, avoid the space in front of the bed. Blood will begin to appear there and it would look like someone was using it to continue to write. Also, if you step on it or ruin the bloody writings, he might try to choke you in the middle of the night." "Well, he won''t actually kill you so it''s all good." Inna''s face lost all its color. It''s not ''all good'' at all! "The one beside it once belonged to a female student who got pregnant during her stay in the academy. The partner didn''t want the baby so he cursed her to make her miscarry. The girl died along with her child during the miscarriage, but at random times of the day, you''ll hear lullabies and sometimes, even a baby crying softly inside the room." "The room across it belong to a psychopathic student. He used to catch stray animals from the forest and he sliced them opened to hang in the walls and sometimes even in the ceilings. So, at night, you might see blood seeping out of both the walls and the ceiling." "On the second room on the right, a crazy male student kidnapped and mutilated a female student by chopping her body in half to offer her to the God in exchange for strength. Now, I don''t know how he got that idea, but it didn''t work. He killed himself days after because after his failed ceremony, he started seeing the upper half of the female student crawling towards his bed." "And if you stay there, the same thing happens. The bloody woman would crawl slowly towards the bed, leaving a trail of blood and stink." Inna shuddered from the mere thought of it. "Also in the first room on the right, there was a woman there who loved the man in that room, the fourth one on the left. So every night, you''ll see the door on the right suddenly open and close. And then, same thing happens to the door on the room on the left, it opens and closes as well, then after a few moments, you''ll see her standing in front of the bed and just staring at you sleep." "Well, if you were a woman in the bed, she''d get jealous and go all crazy on you. Sometimes, she''ll immediately pin you down to choke you. But she doesn''t really kill you so--" "OKAY! STOP! STOP! STOP! I HAD ENOUGH! I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU SAY ''IT''S ALL GOOD,'' I''M GONNA BASH YOUR FACE WITH THAT ICE BAG!" Inna screamed as she felt her soul almost leaving her body. She had to admit, the horror stories are interesting and all, but she didn''t want to acknowledge that it actually happens in the place she''s going to spend countless nights in! And by the way he vividly explains, it seems that this asshole doesn''t want her to stay in any of the rooms at all! "I''ll take the one at the end of the hall!" Inna dashed across the hallways and opened the door before Ulima can even say anything. He followed her as well as he clicked his tongue at his failed attempt of scaring her away. "Hey, you know, that room actually ha--" "LALALALALALALALA! I CAN''T HEAR YOU! CAN''T HEAR YOU! LALALAAAAA!" Inna covered her ears and began dancing around while screaming to distract herself. Meanwhile, Ulima looked at her weirdly. What''s happening to her? Now, she''s actually¡­. dancing? Was his speculation actually true? Is this girl really nuts? Inna didn''t notice his weird gaze as she immediately twisted the knob in the door and opened it. Once she saw the huge fluffy bed that seemed to cover half the room, she didn''t think twice before diving towards it. "HUBBY! I MISSED YOU!" She began rolling and bouncing around on the bed, laughing with glee as she made kissy noises on the blankets. Seeing her strange actions, Ulima nodded to himself slowly as if he just confirmed one of the mysteries in this world. I knew it. She''s crazy. Now, time to ditch this troublesome lunatic. Chapter 60 Getting Stoned "Well, now I''ve done everything a teacher could do. So, I''ll take my leave." Ulima was about to turn and dash when Inna spoke up. "Wait, wasn''t there something like a preliminary class meeting?" Ulima looked at her like she was stupid. "If you want, you can have your class meeting, whatever, with the remaining students here. Though, they''re all going to be transparent and a bit dead." He spoke while brisk walking away from the room. Every time he goes back here, he can''t help but remember the horrifying times he experienced. When he was a new teacher about two years ago, he was told to occupy any room for his research. And every time he occupied a room in this floor, something horrific happens to him! It happened so often that it deeply traumatized him! Actually, those things he said to Inna weren''t just to scare her¡­ They were his real experiences! And the worst for him, was when he was mistaken as a woman and choked near death! Who was he kidding with the ''won''t actually kill you.'' They can and they will! If he didn''t have the ability to defend himself, he would''ve been turned into one of them! Never again will he return here! That lunatic is on her own now! He quickly went back to his room, but not before activating the seals that blocks off anything and everything aside from air and sound from entering. No one can beat him from his fear of ghosts, not even Inna! But that''s a secret he''ll bury deep within his grave. Meanwhile, Inna was trying very hard to focus on the positive things. Like her bed. Because right now, she''s setting her priorities straight. Fuck the ghosts, sleep is bae. So, burying her whole body in the covers, she curled up in a fetal position as she tightly closed her eyes. She tried to ignore her imaginative mind and evened out her breathing. After singing a few songs in her head, she finally drifted off to sleep. But it didn''t take long before she was forcibly woken up. The incessant sound of something hitting the windows made her abruptly sit up from her bed. *Clink* *Clink* She trembled in fear and confusion. "What the fuck is making that sound¡­." She mumbled sleepily before looking around for a weapon. Then, she remembered that she had that black pouch thing that she tied on the side of her belt. So she pulled out a dagger from it and got out of the bed. She looked around the room, and since it was still probably midmorning, she noticed that the room was well lit in the morning because of the wide windows. In fact, from the bed, it''s easy to see the whole room. *Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink* Inna almost had a heart attack from the sudden barrage of sound. What the fuck is making this noise?! A machine gun?! Another wave of ''bullets'' resounded within her room, but this time, it ended with a different sound. *Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**Clink**CRACK* Upon hearing the cracking noise, Inna immediately looked at her windows. With the dagger raised up in the air, she instinctively went on a defensive stance before tip-toeing towards the windows. But before she can react, she saw a small shadow breaking through the window. Then, after she blinked, she felt something hit her forehead so hard she thought her skull cracked. "FUCK!" She cried in pain as she fell to the ground while catching the ''shadow'' in her hand. Feeling dizzy, she shook her head to get rid of it as she inspected what was on her hand. She tried to see what it was but her vision was still hazy from the hit. She decided to feel it instead and she found out that it was a bit bigger than her hand and had an irregular shape with rough edges around it. After a few seconds, her dizziness subsided and she finally saw the thing. It was a huge rock. Someone threw a huge rock at her. "Hey." Before Inna can process what happened, she heard a faint voice near her. She looked around the room but saw nothing. Ghosts! That was the first thing that appeared in her mind. It must be the work of those ghosts! She clenched her shaking hands, hoping to find a strange comfort in holding a weapon. But she only felt the rock. She looked around and saw that her dagger was thrown quite a distance away from her. She must''ve thrown it when she fell. "Hey! Here! Look here!" Inna found the voice quite familiar but she wasn''t sure because it was very faint. "Pssst!" Suddenly, at the corner of her eye, she saw movement. And without further hesitation, she threw the only weapon on her hands back to the window where she saw a certain ''something'' moving. "OW!" This time, the voice no longer held any faintness at all. Hearing the loud voice, Inna was now so sure that she heard it before, and it surely wasn''t some ghost! She immediately made her way to the window and looked out. Because of the tall grass, she wasn''t able to see anything from her first look. Then, she heard a groan of pain below. So she looked down. But when she did, her face paled at the sight of blood. Chapter 61 Masochist? Raghnall was clutching his bleeding forehead while he was sprawled out on the tall grass below. "Oh my god! I''m so sorry!" Inna screamed by her window. Hearing her voice, Raghnall blinked a few times before glaring at her. "You woman! Are you crazy?! You almost killed me!" He huffed as he stood up and dusted himself off. "You hit me with a rock first!" Inna pointed at the small bruise on her forehead. "And can you compare that to mine?!" He felt the blood trailing from the wound so he knew it was way worse than her small bruise. He muttered the spell he used minutes ago and he immediately floated towards Inna''s window. "You are cruel." He sneered as he passed by her to get inside the room. Inna rolled her eyes at him as she carefully made her way to the bed without stepping on the broken glass of her window. "So? Why''d you make all that racket?" Raghnall muttered another spell, and his wounds emitted a faint light before suddenly disappearing. "I wasn''t making a racket. I was trying to call you discreetly! I waited for hours by your window! I even lost count of how many times I threw those pebbles! But you never answered!" "So, I had to improvise." "And that''s why you threw a huge ass rock?!" "Yes! If you won''t answer with a pebble, better throw a bigger rock! Though, I never expected the windows to be this weak. The other dorms'' usually wouldn''t break with just a measly rock." Inna looked at him like he was stupid. "And why didn''t you just go to the front door like a normal person?!" "Because I don''t want to." He whined childishly. "The Lily dorms are scary. Who knows what''ll happen once I go in." "Besides, it''s a very famous spot for being the top scariest place in the whole Anemoly. Because multiple people confirmed that there really are gho¡ª" Before Raghnall can continue, Inna harshly threw a pillow at his face. "Okay, shush! Not a word! Let''s imagine this place as a happy place, okay?" Raghnall was about to rebut her but seeing Inna''s glowering eyes while smiling, he swallowed all the words he was about to say and just nodded meekly. "So, why''d you come looking for me?" Not it was his turn to look at her like she was stupid. "Uh, hello? The promise? Sparring? Does any of the two ring a bell?" Suddenly, Inna remembered! ''Come to the Combat department when you settle. Let''s spar.'' Those were Elder Azai''s words before he left. And it completely slipped her mind! ''Do not make me wait.'' Oh shit. She just slept. "What time is it?!" "It''s time for you to go." Raghnall replied dryly. "It''s going to start half an hour from now. And the travel time to there is about twenty minutes by foot. That is, if you don''t do unnecessary things." Raghnall gave her an impatient look. With only ten minutes left, Inna didn''t think twice before using her black pouch to pour out all her weaponry and armor. Looking at the stack of metals that suddenly appeared in her room, Raghnall couldn''t help but widen his eyes. Did this girl really want to join the Magic department? Why does it seem like she''s more prepared to be in the Combat department? But then, Raghnall caught sight of the black spatial pouch that Inna was using and it looked eerily familiar to him. Veteran-level spatial pouch? With a Sun insignia in its magical array? "Hey¡­. Why do you have tha¡ªwhoa!" He was about to ask when he suddenly saw her strip out of her robe in a hurry. Being a man with morals, he immediately shut his eyes close and covered them with his hands for double security. "Woman! What do you think you''re doing with a man in the room?!" Inna was focused in hurrying up so she really didn''t give a damn even if there is a man or even a monkey in the room. Heck, she wore bikinis in public so she''s got nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, her undergarments now actually shows less skin than her usual two-piece bikini. "Stop being such a sissy." She grumbled as she changed into her inner leather armor. Then, she quickly clasped on her metal armor and all the hidden weapons on her. It took her quite some time to secure the weapons without it poking her skin. Then, she sheathed her other weapons while carrying a bow on her hand. "Hey, virgin, I''m done. Stop closing your eyes now." Inna rolled her eyes at his innocent response. When Raghnall opened his eyes, he saw a completely different woman. This woman looked fierce and strong, like a true born warrior that suffered multiple hardships. The combination of black hair, green eyes, and tan skin made her look fiercer and sexy under those glistening silver armor. And yet, she still had that gentle and calming presence around her. Aside from the fact that the face was the same, he wouldn''t even think that this woman now and that crazy woman he met by the gates would be the same! "Wow. You''re not the Ninny I know." Raghnall couldn''t help but mutter in amazement. Meanwhile Inna just raised an eyebrow at his behavior. She just changed her clothes and he''s already mushy? Does he have a thing for armored women? A closet masochist perhaps? Chapter 62 Rag Doll Inna ignored him as she opened the door to leave. After snapping out of his daze, Raghnall followed her shortly. "You know, word of advice, a magic-user''s robe really doesn''t suit you. Its whiteness contrasts with your¡­ craziness." He commented. "You should dress like this more often. It really brings out your appeal and surprisingly makes you seem less crazy." Inna ignored him as she made her way outside the dorms. He tried a couple more times to strike a conversation but Inna tuned him out. "Ninny. Hey." Inna still ignored him. "Ninny." She just kept walking and walking towards the dense pack of trees. "Ninny! Ninny! Hey!" Raghnall started shouting as he followed her. He kept at it until Inna couldn''t take it anymore. "WHAT?!" "You''re going the wrong way." Inna coughed awkwardly as she stopped walking. "We are supposed to go here." He pointed at his now opened map. "So, we should leave on that side." Raghnall gave her the map as he pointed to the direction behind him. Inna still stubbornly ignored him as she tried to hide her embarrassment. But despite her straight face, he saw the tips of her ear turn red which made him chuckle under his breath. After that embarrassing moment, Inna spent the whole trip in silence. Raghnall didn''t have any interesting things to say so he stayed silent as well. But not before giving Inna his opinions on how great she looked with armor on. Truthfully, Raghnall really thought she looked better with it on. It looked natural on her. The robes she wore back then made her look like a child wearing her father''s robes. It didn''t look like it belonged to her at all. In fact, he didn''t even look at her as a woman at first. He looked more of a man to him. Not because of her clothes, but because of the way she behaved. A female magic-user would usually be more reserved or graceful. After all, they need not to do much but draw circles and say things. And most females wouldn''t even take up Combat if they had the talent for magic. Since in order to appeal to men, the noble women and commoners alike, tend to show their delicate and pretty side. They are trained to show good manners, learn the right way of speaking, proper etiquette, and the right way to avoid fighting. They always had to look proper and decent for the men. While the men on the other hand, well, to summarize, they really act like her; rash, rowdy, and reckless. Although there are some exceptions, guys around their ages still exhibit one of these things. But her as a female fighter, Inna''s personality can be justified. Although very very few in numbers, female fighters really do act like men, but they are usually less egotistical about their strength. And although they''re not as vocal and vulgar as Inna, they still behave quite manly compared to the female magic-users. Indeed, with a robe on, she looked more like a guy despite having a pretty face. But with the armor, everything just clicks. "Can you stop ogling me?" Inna couldn''t help but get secretly flustered by his stare. I mean, if a handsome man who looked like an American-Korean model hybrid were to stare at you for a long time, who wouldn''t get flustered? But despite that, she managed to keep a straight face. "I know I''m pretty but control yourself." Raghnall snorted in disdain. What a waste. Looks are amazing, but the attitude is appalling. "Despite changing into armor, you''re still the same old ninny. Once a Ninny, always a Ninny indeed. No wonder the nickname suits you, Ninny." After hearing the word ''ninny'' for the thousandth time, Inna was at the brink of exploding. "Can you stop with the ''Ninny this'' and ''Ninny that''? My name is Inna!" She blurted out but when she realized what she just said, she immediately took it back. "I mean, Ingrid! Ingrid Lidden!" Raghnall raised an eyebrow at her earlier statement. Inna? "So, you''re saying¡­." Inna gulped. He probably wouldn''t know about the ''son-fianc¨¦'' thing right? I mean, he said he was a commoner so he probably wouldn''t know upper class stuff. And besides, it''s not like he''s an undercover prince or noble, right? It''s only in books that she learned of those things happening, but she couldn''t rule out the possibility. "¡­ your ''nickname'' is Inna? But I like my nickname of you more! It suits you better than lame old ''Inna''! Seriously, whoever called you ''Inna'' doesn''t have a good taste in naming at all! It sounds so lame and boring. Strange as well. Who calls someone ''Inna'' nowadays? I don''t think anyone had ever had that misfortune of having such a sad excuse of a nickname." Inna couldn''t help but sigh in relief. But she had to admit, after hearing the rest of what he had to say, she felt like socking him in the gut. "And what? Like you''re any better? Your name is Raghnall? What does that even mean? I never heard anyone with a name like that. It even sounds like a ''rag doll.'' Now that you mention it, why don''t I call you that? I mean, it''s just like you. It''s all made up of useless pieces of shit combined to be a bigger sorry excuse of a thing." Who wouldn''t take offense when someone makes fun of your name?! Inna spat on the ground and stomped angrily as they made their way to a huge arched gate. Trailing behind her, Raghnall had absolutely no idea what caused her to get so prickly. Her unwarranted hostility really surprised him to the point of being speechless. And besides, hearing her words, he was at a loss of what to reply with! "Ragdoll, huh¡­" He caught up to her after a slight jog. "Hey! That''s a great idea! You call me that, while I call you Ninny! It''s like our exclusive names for each other!" He grinned at her but Inna ignored him. "C''mon! We can be partners in crime! ''The Ninny and the Ragdoll,'' it has a nice ring to it." Inna sighed in surrender. She was confident with her comeback but he wasn''t even offended with what she said. The only way for him to be truly offended is when she gets physical with him. Like throwing rocks at him. Or slapping him with flowers. Now that I mention it¡­. Just a few hours ago, she met this man for the first time. But, all she can remember doing to him is her claiming he was a stalker, trying to hit him in the crotch, hitting him with a lily twice, throwing a rock at his head, blatantly ignoring his presence, and always lashing out at him with mean words. Has she always been this mean to him? Chapter 63 Excuse me? While Inna was contemplating on being nicer to him, Raghnall tapped her armor. "Hey, we''re here. Stop spacing out. After all, you''re going to spar with the amazing Elder Azai in a few seconds." Inna snapped out of her daze. She looked up and saw a huge arch pillar in front of them. It was about ten meters tall, and looked pretty much similar to the arched pillar in the academy''s entrance. Well, except for the fact that instead of the academy''s name, it had ''Combat'' written in it. Raghnall chanted something before grabbing Inna''s hand and running, dragging her along. While running, Inna saw at the corner of her eye a small transparent looking clock that suddenly appeared. "What''s that?" Raghnall looked at her strangely. "The time?" Inna looked at him with amazement. "You can look at the time using a spell?" Raghnall looked at her strangely again. Then, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, making Inna bump into him. "Ow! Why''d you sto--" "We''re here." Raghnall stepped aside to show Inna the stage the fighters used to have mock battles and sparring matches. Inna peered and saw¡­ Nothing. Well, except for a man with plain robes holding a broom and sweeping. Confused, Inna decided to approach the man. "Uhm, excuse me?" The man stopped sweeping and looked at Inna strangely. "You are excused?" Inna was shocked of his reply. Is this dingus joking? Raghnall saw that Inna was beginning to act crazy again so he decided to intervene. "Sorry, she just arrived here in the academy today. Forgive her lack of sense since she came from the streets. I hope you would understand." Raghnall held a sheepish grin while looking at the man. The man nodded and gazed at Inna in understanding. "By the way, I heard that there would be a sparring match for Elder Azai here?" The man nodded while he continued sweeping. "May we ask what happened? Why is there no one here?" The man stopped sweeping and looked at Raghnall. "Elder Azai was called in by the Headmaster at the last minute. So the Elder announced to the public to postpone the match until further notice." The man replied simply before continuing to sweep. Raghnall felt like crying. "Hey, so, no fighting today? That''s good." Inna sighed in relief but Raghnall looked at Inna in tears. "No it''s not good! It''s not good at all! Noooooo! My idol! My amazing idol!!!" Raghnall whined like a child. "I wanted to see him beat you up! He''ll probably knock your sanity back!" Annoyed by his childish wails, Inna spoke threateningly. "You''ll get to see someone being beaten up soon!" Inna warned with her fist. Raghnall immediately stopped his act and smiled brightly. "Now, now. Let''s not be rash here, Ninny." Then he gave her his best version of the ''Smolder.'' "You wouldn''t want to hurt this beautiful face, would you?" Looking at his expression, Inna froze in her place. Dammit, he''s right. He''s too handsome to get hit. But she''ll never admit that! "Pssshhh. On second thought, I don''t want to dirty my hands in punching filth." She lowered her fist and turned around. After opening the map on her hands, she decided to go back to the Lily dorms on her own. Raghnall kept smirking at her while he made his way to his dorms too. Both their dorms had similar paths except for a crossroad at the end so Raghnall ended up following Inna. But he decided to walk behind her. "Hey." Inna stopped in her tracks and turned around. "I''ve been curious about that time spell thing ever since." He looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "You don''t know how to check for the time?" Seeing Inna''s blank expression, he already knew the answer. "It''s a spell I learned when I broke through to low rank. Its chant is, ''Timre. Cloccus.'' Not sure if you''ll be able to do it though. Since you''re¡­. you know." He gestured at her. "But the people that can''t use magic usually just buy items that are embedded with that spell. Some are rings, bracelets, or usually on things they keep to their body all the time. It makes it more convenient." Inna nodded in understanding. "Well, speaking of time, I''m sure you haven''t heard of the announcement that on the 12th hour, we''ll all gather for lunch." Inna looked at him in confusion. "Why am I always excluded in announcements?! Before it was the sparring, and now it''s the lunch?!" Raghnall sighed. He already knew the answer to that. "The sparring was probably very recent since even I didn''t know about it. But for the lunch, it might be because you''re in the Lily class. Every house has a linked speaker that would relay all the announcements the academy had to give. But only the Lily class had theirs unlinked to the academy." "Why?" "For two reasons. One was to avoid them being bombarded with verbal harassment by private linked announcements from different classes. This is because a class, under the permission of their dorm prefect, can privately link an announcement towards another class if there is a need to." "And two, they were not allowed to join any festivities nor special interactions. Well, unless they were able to improve with their studies or until they were stable enough. The Elders said that it might help motivate them into working harder to be better." "That''s ridiculous!" Inna snapped. They''re not helping in anything! They''re just basically isolating the Lily class! Raghnall shrugged helplessly at her outburst. "That''s the way this school works. If you''re not strong enough, smart enough, and prepared enough, you''ll have trouble surviving." Inna was lost in thought as she tried to figure out how to solve this isolation issue. If she won''t even be included in these, she''d most likely miss out on a lot of things that can help her learn. Like class trips! Class trips are the ones that she always looks forward to in classes! There was once where they all went to Singapore for their business course! It''s too much of a waste if she can''t explore now that she''s actually in a different world. Well, she could always explore alone, but she''ll most likely die early. Inna sobbed inside. Huhu, she misses her college and their class trips! Then, Raghnall spoke up. "Since I''m such a good person, I can link it myself if you want. After all, what can a genius ''not'' do?" Inna rolled her eyes when he started to brag. But truly, she wanted his help. "I have a feeling that there is a condition behind this again." Raghnall chuckled lightly. "Of course. But first, you''ll have to ask your dorm prefect for permission. Don''t tell him it''s me but say that you''ve found an expert in the school. I mean, technically, you''re not wrong." He huffed with pride. "As for that condition, you''ll have to owe me a favor. And as for what favor, I''ll have to think about it." He winked. Chapter 64 Right? After a few minutes of walking, they reached the crossroads. Inna was to take the left path while Raghnall goes to the right. But before they left, Raghnall screamed at her. "Bye Ninny!" Inna was about to just keep walking and ignore him. But then, she recalled that ever since she met the guy, she''s been nothing but hostile. She felt kinda bad about it. "Bye Ragdoll." She mumbled it quietly, but it seems that he was able to hear it because he beamed at her before he turned and left. When Inna arrived at her dorm, she immediately ran towards her room and locked herself inside. She quickly changed back to her robes while keeping an eye open for any creatures that might make themselves known. Then, she started to remember the stories Ulima had said to her about the other rooms. So, to get her mind off of things, she decided to practice the spell for checking the time. She held out her hand towards the floor and felt the warmth of the magical energy in her hand "Timre. Cloccus." She saw a small spark and slowly, small bright particles began to form on thin air. But after a few seconds, like a fart, it let out a small ''pffsss'' before it disappeared. Inna tried it again and again until she heard the hourly bell ring. She still didn''t know the time so, she figured to find Ulima in the first floor to tell her what hour it was. She went down the stairs and searched the first floor for his room. She was actually quite shocked that the rooms in the first floor weren''t as dirty and messy as she thought. Save from the few scattered books here and there, everything was neat and tidy. But there was a small layer of dust on it, although barely noticeable. She walked around the first floor and was about to give up when she stumbled upon a long hallway that had a door at its end. It looked eerie, like a forbidden room in a mansion kind of vibe. But since Ulima never said anything about forbidden rooms, it must be harmless. She knocked on the door but her hand wasn''t able to touch it as she knocked. Strange. It looks like it has a protective layer around it. She kicked it and punched it but it simply bounced off her attacks. She placed her ear on it, and although it was a bit of distance away, she heard some shuffling inside. "Hey! Ulima! I know you''re in there! I need to ask you something!" Inna screamed. After a few moments, the transparent protective barrier began to have ripples in the middle. And when Inna stepped back, Ulima slowly emerged from the ripples. Inna can''t help but gasp with awe. It was like a scene out of a movie. Like CGI effects became reality. "What do you want? I''m busy at the moment so I would appreciate it if you would be quick." Inna snapped out of her amazement. "What time is it?" Ulima looked at her strangely. "11th hour. Why? Do you need me to feed you lunch?" He answered sarcastically. "Not feed. I need you to give me something." He didn''t expect Inna to make a request out of the blue like that. "And why should I give you anything? You gave me nothing but a black eye and a bump in the head." He raised an eyebrow to show his irritation. He wasn''t proficient with Priestly magic so he doesn''t know how to heal his wounds. He can only wait for his body to heal his injuries naturally. So he''s extra grumpy because of the added hindrances in his work. "I can have the unlinked speakers in this dorm linked back to the academy." Inna offered but Ulima''s face immediately became dark. "Why''d you think they cut it off in the first place?! Besides, I don''t even need those speakers. I''m a teacher. Any announcement the academy makes, I am aware of it beforehand." Ulima looked at her like she was stupid. "The one who gets to use it is you. So no." Inna looked at his eyes to plead him for it but she noticed the bruising in his eyes were more evident than before. In fact, the swelling made his eye look a bit bigger than the other. Staring at his eyes would be a bad move for her now. It might make him more agitated and might even remind him about her punching him. So, she looked away. Staring at the ground, she realized that the first hours she was in the academy, she already broke Solomon''s rules for her. No fighting, and no telling of her name. She actually beat up her teacher, and threw a rock at a fellow student. Well, at least Raghnall''s injury was healed immediately. Wait. Healed? Like a flash, Inna immediately stared at Ulima with great confusion. "Why do you still have that?" Inna asked as she stared at his swollen eye. Ulima was startled of the sudden change in Inna so he was confused. "W-what do you mean by ''that''?" Inna drew closer as she tried to see if the eye really was still swollen. "Why''d you still have those bruises? Can''t you just heal them right away?" Suddenly, she had an idea. "Hey, how about this. I get someone to heal you, and you give me something in return?" Ulima narrowed his eyes at her. "What is this something you speak of?" Although he''d very much wanted his injuries to disappear like a dream, he wasn''t someone who''d easily trust offers. "I need something that can tell the time." Ulima looked at Inna in confusion. "Just that?" It''s simply a low grade spell for Mages! Is this kid insulting him? He can do a million of those spells in his sleep! "Oh? Not enough? Then, I''d like to link back the speaker in this dorm." Ulima raised his eyebrows. Just that? It''s quite hard for a near Veteran rank mage to owe someone a favor. And she just want those small things? This deal is too much on his favor! Well, not that he''s complaining. "Okay, deal." He said quickly before Inna can add more conditions. "Wait here." Ulima entered his study again and after a few seconds, similar ripples appeared and Ulima came out with a small necklace in his hand. The necklace was quite simple but still pretty. The only design it had was the teardrop shape of the black stone. "It''s a black diamond shaped into looking like a tear. It''s not as durable as regular diamonds so it can only be permanently enhanced by 4 spells at most before it disintegrates." He tossed the necklace at Inna. "I''ve already placed the spell there." He turned around and went back inside his room. Inna looked at the glistening black stone on her hand with pure delight. She never saw a black diamond before but now, she''s in love with it. In fact, she actually loves anything that''s black! So, quickly, she went up her room and wore it with a smile. After another session of admiring the stone, she tried the spell again and again to see if it works. When she tested it for the last time, she saw that the time was 11:30, or in this world''s way of reading it, thirty moments past the eleventh hour. Since she needed to walk from the dorms towards the main academy, she decided to leave thirty minutes early. She grabbed the map she got from Raghnall and was about to leave when she noticed that the glass shards from the broken window was cleaned. In fact, the window glass was repaired back to how it was. Strange. She knew for sure that both Raghnall and her left the window broken when they left. Hmmm, Ulima probably fixed it¡­.. Right? Chapter 65 This B*tch Better Be Prepared 1 Inna followed the map and made her way towards the main building of the academy. When she reached the similar huge arched pillars that had the same letters and markings from the first gate she entered, she knew that she reached her destination. She entered the gates slowly, trying to absorb the beautiful scenery as she walked. The campus looked majestic and foreign. There was a wide expanse of grass filled with small flowers by the sides of the pathway. At the end of the pathway, she saw the building of the academy. Their architectural designs on the miniscule details closely resembled the Greeks but also had a mix of the British designs of the Victorian era. The open hallways had the reoccurring designs of arches along with the windows in the academy''s walls. The academy''s building was really huge and now that Inna drew closer, she realized that it kind of resembles the Mysore Palace in India. Except it had Greek-looking pillars and had no vibrant colors, only pure white brick walls. On the map, Inna realized that it didn''t include the map of the school. It was just the general locations of the campus. But, since they''re going to have lunch and it was a gathering of lots of people, she figured to just walk around and see the noisiest place she can find. After all, after her 18 years of experience being lost at new places, she figured that the noisiest place in a school, would always be the dining areas. So, she walked around the open hallways of the academy. Her footsteps echoed around as she walked in the academy. She casted the time spell again to check the time. Ten minutes left. Oh shit. Okay. We can do this. She began brisk walking around and after making a sharp left in a corner, she saw a small group of female students walking calmly while chatting. They had the similar white robes and looked fairly young so Inna assumed that they must be freshmen like her. She tried to quietly follow them from quite a distance but Inna didn''t know that the girls immediately noticed her. "Ugh, why is she even here? Who told her to come?" A girl whispered to her friends. "I thought that the Lily class didn''t have a linked speaker? How does she know about the lunch? Did someone tell her?" "I don''t think anyone would even go near such a weakling. In fact, I think everyone''s afraid that she''ll probably latch onto them and hug their thighs." "Yeah, weak trash always do that to survive. So, I don''t think anyone would even speak to her. After all, no one would want such heavy baggage." "Then, who told her?" "Wait. I remember I saw her talking with this guy back at the entrance ceremony and they were always together. It was probably that handsome commoner that got into the Rose class." "What? Rose class? Someone from the Rose class befriended a Lily class? I don''t understand why a genius would entertain trash." "He''s probably too kind to tell her to leave him alone." The rest of the girls nodded in agreement. "If only he wasn''t a commoner, he would totally be the perfect guy. Kind, strong, and beautiful." A girl sighed dreamily. The rest of the girls giggled with delight at the thought. "To think that a man like him would involve himself to such a failure." "Ugh. Look at her! It''s frustrating to see her walk around this school like she belongs here. Everyone struggled to make it here! Even though I''m a noblewoman, they didn''t give me any special treatment at all! Instead, I had to endure weeks of barely sleeping to jam everything for the entrance test! And now they tell us that a nobody entered because the Headmaster felt pity for her?" "It''s totally unfair! Ugh, it makes me want to cringe every time to see her!" "Ugh, why doesn''t she do us all a favor and leave by herself? She obviously doesn''t belong here. If possible, I''d force her to leave." They all sneered as they discreetly glanced at Inna. Suddenly, a girl exclaimed. "Ah! You want her to leave? I have an idea." The girl giggled in delight before telling the rest to huddle slightly. She whispered her ideas to their group as they all grinned in agreement. Inna raised an eyebrow when they stopped and huddled. She didn''t hear what they said since she was quite a distance away. She was just attentively following them. After a moment of them huddling, they resumed to walk and talk like normal while Inna followed. Inna felt that their pace was obnoxiously slow. Feeling impatient, she checked the time and saw that she had about five minutes left. Argh, why can''t these women walk faster?! Just because they have little feet doesn''t mean they have to take little steps! It''s like they''re intentionally stalling for time. Suddenly, as she was grumbling, she heard various loud noises that became louder the more she followed the group. She noticed them stop by the loud double doors and they began whispering among themselves again. Inna looked at the white crystalline double doors that seemed to shake slightly from all the noise inside the room. That must be the dining area where they were supposed to gather. But Inna was still unsure so she figured to just wait until someone opens the door so that she can confirm it without embarrassing herself. After a few minutes of waiting, she saw the group finally enter. When they opened the door, she saw a glimpse of a number of students sitting by long tables. It was like a scene from Hogwarts. But the atmosphere was brighter and cleaner since the whole room was filled with white walls, white tablecloths, and white chairs. The group left the doors open so Inna found it strange. From what Solomon said to her, the academy immediately closes their doors by seals as soon as a certain event in the room officially starts. The assigned teachers of the event enchant the time the doors were to stay open and the time for them to close. This is in order to encourage students not to be late. And to humiliate those who are always late. And when she checked the time¡­ Holy shit, one minute left! So, without any hesitation, she speedily ran to the door. But when she was about to pass the door, she didn''t expect something to happen. She felt a sudden force that smashed her forehead. And considering her speed, the pain was similar to being hit by a basketball in the face. She staggered back as she clutched her throbbing forehead. What the fuck was that?! Chapter 66 This B*tch Better Be Prepared 2 She held out her hands as she tried to feel the space in front of her. After a few steps, she felt a hard wall by her palms. Using all her strength, she pounded her fist on it but it still didn''t budge. Then, she noticed that everyone seated near the doors began to look her way. They looked at her strangely as she pounded on air. They weren''t able to see the magic array until some drew close and noticed its aura. Then, they whispered around the information they got. While snickering, the group that she followed began to make their way to the other side of the invisible wall. They crossed their arms and arrogantly smirked at her. "Hmph. Such a simple spell yet she can''t even dispel it." One of the girls sneered. "If she can''t even enter this room, does she even deserve to be in this school?" "Psshhhh. She never deserved to be in this school in the first place!" "Then, why is she still even here?" Another girl spoke up with contempt. "Well, she''s too pitiful that the benevolent Headmaster had no choice but to take her in!" "Ugh, disgusting. She was probably acting pitiful for the Headmaster to do that. Such a shameless lady." "Using pity can''t make you deserving for things that weren''t supposed to be for you!" Other students watching the scene nodded their heads in agreement. Using pity to get their way is truly despicable! They all worked hard to be able to get in Eldora Academy. They trained until they vomited blood just to cultivate their power so that they can pass the strict requirements for the admission! But this beggar just showed her pitiful self and she immediately gets accepted! The other students understood the girls'' reasoning so they too looked at Inna in contempt. Hearing their words, Inna glared intensely at the girls in annoyance but the girls were unfazed by it. Instead, they started laughing haughtily. They felt secure because of the barrier one of the mage girls casted and the fact that there is literally just thirty seconds left until the doors are sealed. Hearing their laughter, Inna was so furious that her eyes started seeing red. Her poisonous mouth began to shoot words like a machine gun with unlimited bullets. "Bitch you think this is funny?! I never asked to die and be brought back here just to live in your shitty world! If I had known idiots like you live here, I would''ve stay back in Hell!" "News flash motherfucker! Your world is worse than my world! In fact, I particularly hate your world for not having any fried chicken! How hard can it be to catch a chicken and fry it? You don''t even know simple shit like that, you degenerates!" "What''s that? You''re chicken is five feet tall? Another shitty thing I hate in your fucked up world! You know, your creepy-ass animals are all wacked and looked like it has been fed steroids every day! Meanwhile your plants looked like it was born with identity crisis! Roses with poison?! Seriously?" "Also, just saying, but your underwear is shit! Granny panties and thongs? And no underwire bras? No wonder you''ve got saggy boobs! I mean look at those!" She pointed towards another girl in the group. She really did have big breasts but they sagged so much that it reached the middle of her stomach. The girl blushed in embarrassment and anger. "They''re so saggy that I can hear them ''flop'' when you walk!" The girl was about to retort angrily but Inna didn''t give her the chance. "You all basically live like cavemen here and your attitude is like one too!" She pointed at the girl in the center of the group. "And my god, don''t get me started with your hair and all that god-awful dandruff you''ve been spraying on the floor! Why''d you think it was so easy to follow you? Your dandruff can practically lead the way!" The girl glared at Inna as her ears turned red from embarrassment. She knew she had an itchy and flaky scalp ever since she was a child. It was her biggest insecurity. Her manor was greatly concerned over it so they asked countless doctors to treat it but it never disappeared. "Ever heard of a ''shampoo''? Nah, looking at your oily stiff hair, I don''t think you degenerates ever learned the word." Inna sneered as she flicked her luscious shiny black hair. It made the the students, male and female, look at her healthy hair in amazement. Actually, this was also Inna''s first concern in coming into this world. When she stayed at the mansion, she found out that they wash their hair with homemade soap! They use hard soap for both the body and the hair. Like, what the fuck? Who does that? She had no choice but to make use of her thrifty DIY skills and teach everyone in the mansion how to make and use the fermented rice shampoo recipe she learned from History class. And, with pride, she continued to show off her long and bouncy hair by running her fingers through it like she was in a hair commercial. Seeing the angry and embarrassed faces of some of the girls, Inna confidently stood straight, dominance oozing from her aura. "And also, I''m staying here because I want to survive in this shitty world you live in! You say I''m not strong enough? You love to flaunt your power? Why don''t you come here and I''ll show you power?" "Fuck magic if you''ve got fists! So what if you''re good at casting and I''m not? I''ll just have to stab you in the throat to solve that problem!" "But you guys are too chicken to even face me upfront! Heck, you guys are like 5 while I''m only one! So who''s acting shameless now?" "And what''d you say? Acting pitiful? You little missies don''t even know what''s the difference between a lettuce and a cabbage so don''t go lecturing me on who''s pitiful!" Inna huffed as she kicked the door in anger. "Motherfuckers. Y''all annoying as fuck." After her rant, the dining hall was filled with silence. In fact, it was so silent that they can faintly hear each other''s heartbeats. By this moment, the whole student body heard Inna''s outburst. But all of them were speechless at what she just said. Mainly because they didn''t understand the first half of her words. And the half that they did understand was just about funny and embarrassing things about the group of girls. So, like a domino, after one started laughing, it soon became a laughing fest in the dining hall. Inna and the girls both thought that Inna was the one being laughed at so Inna grew more pissed while the girls haughtily snickered. And on cue, after the thirty seconds were up, the doors started to close. Inna didn''t want to be squished between the doors and the casted barrier so she took a few steps back. Just as she was about to give up on staying for lunch, she heard a familiar voice from a distance. "Ninny!" Chapter 67 This B*tch Better Be Prepared 3 The doors closed with a ''bam'' while Inna looked at a panting Raghnall. "Where''d you been? Did you run? You''re panting so hard." Raghnall collected himself and tried to even out his breathing. "I''ve been... looking¡­ every.... where¡­ for you! I thought¡­ you were¡­ in the Lily dorms! Why¡­ are you¡­ here?!" Raghnall hissed as he bent and leaned on the wall for support. "Oh? Am I not supposed to be here? Dear god, does everyone not want me here?!" Inna raised her voice, her earlier fury still didn''t die down completely. Hearing her angry tone, Raghnall was greatly startled. Why''s she so touchy now? What did he do wrong this time? "No, no. I thought that you didn''t know how to check the time and where the place was. So, I figured to go to your dorm to guide you." He actually waited for an hour for her in the Lily dorms. He tried calling out for her and throwing stones in her window. But after an hour where she didn''t respond, he felt worried that she might''ve been taken by other students or was lost. So, he decided to go around the different dorms and places in the school to search for her. He took up so much time that he was shocked when he saw that it was about ten minutes before the twelfth hour. So, he actually ran straight from the Lily dorms to here in just ten minutes to avoid being late. He was about to move past Inna to enter the doors but he noticed that they were already closed. He blinked furiously as though he didn''t believe what he was seeing. "Yeah. They''re closed. We''re late by a minute." Inna huffed. She''s most likely going to have to miss lunch this time. Suddenly, as if on cue, she heard her stomach grumble in complaint. The sound was so loud that it echoed slightly through the corridors. "What was that?" Raghnall''s irritation disappeared as he held in his laughter. Another similar sound rang again in Inna''s stomach. This time, it was much louder, like her stomach was now full-on scolding Inna for not eating. "Is my¡­ haha¡­ l-little N-ninny hungry?" He cooed while holding back his laughter. Inna ignored his mocking actions as she turned and desperately tried to pry open the doors. To her utter disappointment, besides a few rattling in its handles, the doors didn''t even budge an inch. "What''re we going to do? Should we just leave?" Inna looked at Raghnall for an answer. Hearing her question, he looked at the sealed doors with a thoughtful gaze. "Normally, for late students, I heard that they would need to wait until the one in charge, like the teacher, would open the doors. But seeing that there''s no reaction, the teacher probably didn''t arrive yet." Raghnall then looked at Inna. "Do you know what this means?" Inna looked at Raghnall''s cunning eyes and she immediately knew what he was thinking. "Since the teacher didn''t arrive, he wouldn''t know we''re late!" She mischievously grinned. That was one of the hidden rule in their college. As long as the professor is not yet inside the room, no one is officially late! And even if he is inside the room, as long as you''re able to sneak inside without him knowing, then you''re not late at all! "The only problem now is to find a way inside before the teacher returns." Raghnall suddenly squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest. "Say no more. The ''Genius'' is here." He was not entirely sure if it will work but he figured that it won''t hurt him to try. He held out his hands and placed them on the double doors. He chanted out the spell as he closed his eyes in concentration. "Krestum. Graber. Handrel. Ope. Niye. Seleatum. Disrel. Pieta. Avre!" Bright white light covered Raghnall''s hands before it became slithering vines that began to creep into every space of the door. It was absolutely enchanting to look at. The silvery vines beautifully coiled and moved around the door like they were alive. Every movement it made sprayed a bit of magic dust around and Inna inwardly gasped at the sight. It looked like those Barbie transformation scenes! Only, the one transforming is the door¡­ Then before Inna knew it, the bright vines began to multiple and soon fully covered the whole door in bright light. And after a few tense moments, a clicking sound was heard before the bright light slowly faded away. As if blinded by the light, Inna stood dazedly at the door. Her face had a permanent look of amazement and awe at the beautiful image the spell made as it was casted. She was absolutely mesmerized by the flashy effects. But who could blame her? It was the first time she ever saw something that actually looked like real magic! All Solomon taught her was the basic theories, history, and simple magic spells that looked like parlor tricks in a magician''s show. In fact, even after two month of studying under him, she never had those shiny and shimmery glow effect. Instead, she was taught spells where their results show immediately. And before she knew it, the spell was already done. Raghnall saw her becoming unresponsive and waved a hand in front of her face. "Hello? Are you there? Ninny?" This snapped Inna out of her daze. "W-what was that?" Inna''s voice shook as she blinked furiously. "That, my good friend, is a High rank Nullification spell. Pretty, right? Priests usually have pretty magical effects in their spells compared to Mages and Warlocks. But to be honest with you, aside from aesthetics and showing off, its pretty much useless and even borderline annoying when used." "Anyways, since its open, shall we go?" Raghnall asked her but she returned back to being unresponsive. Did that small spell really amazed her to that extent? Raghnall shook his head slightly as he chuckled. He should really find time and show her some of his favorite spells. Seeing those, she''d surely think that this spell would look dull in comparison. Chapter 68 This B*tch Better Be Prepared 4 Then, Raghnall felt his spell weaken as the original sealing spell was resisting the nullification spell he casted. Hmmm, we''ve got about 3 minutes left. Seeing that Inna was still unresponsive from her daze, Raghnall decided to flick Inna''s forehead. "Ow! What was that for, you fu--" "Stop zoning out. I can only keep the spell active for three minutes. Veteran ranked sealing spells are too strong to fully nullify." He cut her off as he made his way to open the double doors. Grabbing the handles, they easily opened under his touch. The students near the door stopped their chattering as they looked at the moving doors. They saw it opening and their shock couldn''t be concealed in their faces. Some even rubbed their eyes because they couldn''t believe what''s happening! They never heard of anyone opening a sealed door in their first day here! Those seals in those doors were enchanted by the Headmaster himself! That''s basically tampering with the academy''s seals! In fact, no one, no matter how brave, ever tried to defy the laws in this academy! The students all gaped and tried to see who was behind the doors. They were curious on who could the culprit be. And when they saw Raghnall, the genius commoner, they all gasped in amazement and began whispering among themselves. The Triple High Ranked magic user! Such a powerful way to show his dominant aptitude! The weaker students were getting ready to curry favor with such a strong individual. After all, with such a powerful friend, no one would dream of messing with them in this academy! Meanwhile, Raghnall ignored the greedy eyes of the students as he quickly tried to make his way inside. But to his surprise, he didn''t expect Inna to suddenly grab the back of his collar and drag him back out. "Keuk!" Raghnall''s eyes almost popped out of its sockets as he choked. "Wo¡­man! Let¡­. Go!" He gasped out in short breaths as he tugged onto his collar roughly, trying to avoid death. It seems that Inna didn''t know that, in her panic, she unconsciously used too much strength in grabbing him. After finally noticing his violent reaction, Inna immediately let go. "Oh shit, sorry. I pulled too hard." Raghnall nodded in understanding as he desperately gasped for air. The students couldn''t help but widen their eyes more at what they saw. The trash¡­ easily dragged¡­ their powerful idol¡­. Choking him near death¡­. Just like that... ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Raghnall''s earlier show of power was now forgotten. Instead, what remained in the minds of the students, was the pathetic image of him being dragged and choked by the weakest student in their batch. But the two were oblivious to the student''s reactions. After he was finally able to breathe normally, Raghnall readjusted his collar as he looked at her like she was crazy. "What the heavens, woman?! You gave me a fright! Why''d you even do that?! " Inna looked guiltily as she lowered her head in embarrassment. She really didn''t do it on purpose! She just suddenly remembered the main reason why she got late in the first place! "There was a barrier that some wrench casted on the path when you enter. Be careful." Inna murmured as she tried to search for those culprits among the crowd of students. Suddenly, she heard a soft laugh beside her. "A barrier? So that''s what is was! The presence of the spell was so weak and insignificant, I almost missed it." He held out his hand and he felt the familiar feeling of a thin low class unstable barrier. "Pshh. This thing? This small thing is so easy to break, I can even break it with a small flick." Raghnall smirked smugly as he readied the position of his fingers. He proudly looked back at Inna as he released his finger filled with a portion of his power. *Crack* The loud sounds of something shattering soon followed the cracking sound. The cracking sound attracted all the students'' attention, including those that are quite a distance away from the doors, and soon they made their way towards the commotion. Then they saw what happened. An Intermediate rank barrier spell! He shattered an Intermediate rank barrier spell with just a flick! The students all looked at each other, the same thoughts running in their minds. High ranked people are too strong! Meanwhile, the group of girls who casted the spell all stood up in anger and embarrassment. A flick! All five of them had to pour in most of their power in that barrier! But their effort in joint casting the spell was destroyed in just a flick! And hundreds of students were here as witnesses! So humiliating! "Miss Alana, we''re terribly sorry! We didn''t know that the genius would break rules to help that trash! We thought that they won''t be able to do anything once the doors were sealed!" The group of girls looked at their idol in embarrassment as they pleaded. Originally, they wanted to take care of the trash to vent their annoyance at her! But they also wanted to show their good points to their idol by getting rid of her using their great abilities! They knew that their Miss was also annoyed at that trash that got a free pass in this academy! The Miss herself even has to swallow her embarrassment and take the test twice! But this girl just entered with no tests and with a very weak aptitude to boost! By showing off their power and humiliating the trash, they would surely help her vent some of her anger and they might even get into the good graces with her, one of the most prominent figures in the country! Their idol, Miss Alana Berlidna, Anemoly''s most beloved and important daughter! But to think that their planned show only made them look weak¡­ They began to plead and make up excuses so that their idol wouldn''t think badly of them. But seeing that their idol didn''t even spare them a glance but instead was staring at the genius commoner with the trash, the girls felt hatred forming in their hearts. That trash! It''s all because of her! We''ll never forget this humiliation! Chapter 69 This B*tch Better Be Prepared 5 Seeing that the barrier was now broken and she can finally enter, Inna dashed towards the long tables and began searching for those girls. Heh, these bitches better be prepared for what''s coming. Feeling oddly intimidated by her aura, the students unconsciously parted for her to pass. In a few seconds, she found their group in the middle of the table. It was quite a considerable amount of distance from the entrance but it had the best view of the doors. At the same time, Raghnall was surprised when he saw her suddenly disappear in a flash. What''s she planning to do now? Casting a high rank agility and speed spell on himself, he decided to follow her to see. Meanwhile, Inna grinned at herself as she used her full speed to reach the girls. When she almost reached them, the girls all stopped talking to each other and looked at her afterimage with panic. Inna smirked at them after seeing their expressions. She finally felt like she had the upper hand. The girls backed away when she stopped just right in front of their group. The, the girls tried to hide their fear as they discreetly hid behind one another, pushing a single girl from their group to be their shield. "Wha--" The rest of the girls hid behind the unfortunate girl nearest to Inna. She was the one who Inna said that had the ''saggy'' boobs. The girl was secretly frightened to death by Inna''s bloodthirsty expression but she willed herself to be brave. She didn''t believe that a mere trash can hurt her so she puffed out her chest in arrogance. "Man, now that I''m closer, it looks even worse than I thought." Inna referred to her saggy breasts as she snickered wickedly. Feeling that there''s going to be something interesting that''s going to happen, the whole student body shifted their whole attention on the confrontation of the girls. This time, they almost surrounded the table the girls were at. Some chuckled loudly when they heard what Inna said.Hearing their laughter, this made the girl remember Inna''s degrading words about her and she turn red from embarrassment. "Y-you! Yo-you''re just jealous!" The girl''s face was as red as a tomato as she furiously stomped her foot and pointed at her. She wanted to say more but Inna cut her off as she loudly laughed at her statement. "Oh man! You think I''m jealous? Me? Why should I be jealous of your saggy lumps of fat? I''d rather be flat than drag around those deadweights." Inna sneered. The girl instinctively covered her chest as she fiercely glared at Inna, pure hatred emitted in her eyes. "What? Can''t take an insult?Why do you even start a fight when you can''t take it? Is everyone in this school as dumb as you girls are or is it just your group?" Inna smiled sweetly at the girl. Her sweet smile was oozing with hidden sarcasm and wickedness. She kept that sickly sweet smile as she continued talking. "You''re saying I don''t deserve to be here? Saying I''m pitiful? Shameless? That I''m weak? I''m a trash? Huh? You itching to get rid of me?" Inna taunted the girl as she slowly walked towards her. When she was close to her, she leaned forward and looked at her in the eye. Since the girl was a bit on shorter than her, she leaned down slightly that their noses were almost touching. "You want to get rid of me?" She laughed lightly. "Try Me. Bitch." She spat out the words as she smugly smirked at them. The girl couldn''t take it anymore. Her head was full of anger so before she could realize it, her hand already shot out in full force to slap Inna. Weirdly for Inna, she saw the move in slow motion. In a second, it looked like everything suddenly slowed down around her. Then, Inna felt that familiar coldness spread throughout her body. It felt like her ''soul-less'' state according to Solomon. But she felt that this time, it was a bit different than usual. To be exact, it felt like the feeling she had was incomplete. Instead of feeling her mind clear up and her emotions becoming nothing, she just felt like her body started moving without her permission. It was like her mind was still her, but her body was no longer hers. In a flash, Inna grabbed the girl''s hand in mid-swing. She straightened the arm and twisted it hard until it made a few cracking sounds. Then, she raised her other hand and was about to slap the girl with her full force as well. It all happened in merely a second that everyone didn''t even had time to be shocked. But just as her palm was about to touch the girl''s cheek, a hand grabbed Inna''s wrist roughly. Chapter 70 Decapitation Is Cool! "Ingrid! Stop this!" Raghnall''s shout was filled with a complex mix of emotions. Shock, fear, nervousness, and fury. In fact, he actually didn''t know what he should feel. He was certainly shocked with what he just saw. But he was also afraid of how wild and unpredictable Inna was acting right now. But despite of his fear, he was still nervous for her and the possible consequences of her outburst to the school. And, at the same time, he can''t help but be a bit furious at those girls for what they did. He didn''t know the whole story but he could guess from the bits and pieces he heard from their conversation that it was about Inna getting picked. Knowing the attitude of these students, they probably tried bullying her because they thought she was weak and wouldn''t possibly fight back. But sadly for them, she fought back fiercely. Yet although he knew that he should be relieved that she''s fighting back, the strength she''s using to do so is too much for her frail and weak opponent. He had no choice but to stop her because if she landed that hit, she probably will be expelled. Or worse, be held under trial and killed for murdering a noblewoman. The list of possible punishments he can think of were all grave and life-threatening that he can''t help but be worried. Thank god he arrived in time. When Inna heard his voice, the coldness in her body slowly disappeared. She silently let go of the girl''s wrist as she tried to take her hand away from Raghnall. Then, she blinked a few times before trying to see if she can now control her body. She felt like her whole body was now numb and it began to have this itchy and prickly sensations that she really hated. Because of the numbness, she wasn''t sure if she truly has full control of her body so she decided that some yoga stretches and poses were the best way for her to make sure. So, under the curious gazes of everyone around her, she took a few steps back before trying to do the standing splits. Then she did a crescent lung pose, the Utthita Parsvakonasana, and then the Malasana pose. Then, she did the Crane, the Firefly, and then to finish, the Standing Scorpion pose which is her favorite. After finishing up the yoga stretches, she finally felt in control of her body again. The prickly sensations were now gone and she can feel that familiar warmth in her body. And she was quite surprised to see that the elasticity of the robes she had was able to withstand her complicated poses. She was so focused on getting rid of the numbness that it never occurred to her that it might possibly rip halfway. In fact, she was so focused that she didn''t even notice the weird stares she received from the students. Speaking of the students, right now, they were all rooted to the spot, looking at her with incredulous stares. Everyone was speechless at what they just saw. On one second, this trash became a violent woman who could crush bones with a single twist of her hand. And on another second, she began to do weird poses in front of them like a possessed person. They all looked at one another in confusion. Why did she suddenly do that? From fighting to¡­.. Posing? What? They can no longer understand what was happening! Inna, oblivious to their stares, looked at the girl in front of her, only to see her on the floor in a crying mess. Her tears flowed endlessly and her snot dripped down her nose. But she didn''t seem to notice them as she sobbed loudly and inelegantly. She actually looked quite pitiful with her body curled up while she clutched her arm in pain. The girls hiding behind her now had fear shown in their faces as they went to this other woman for protection. The more Inna looked at them, the more she felt an odd sense of satisfaction in her heart. When you pick a fight, you should better get ready to get hurt as well. And after seeing the sobbing girl''s arm bent in an awkward angle, it finally dawned in Inna what she did. The girl was supposed to slap her, but like a badass, she totally smashed her! She actually grabbed her arm and broke it! In a single twist of her hand! She mentally patted her back for a job well-done. Well, it could''ve been much better if she was able to slap that girl back. She wanted to give her a taste of her own medicine. But it seems that some asshole interrupted them. She looked at this ''asshole'' with confusion and annoyance in her glare. "Why''d you stop me?" Raghnall swallowed nervously as he shakily combed his hair with his hand. It was a habit he does when he''s nervous or terrified. But now, it''s probably because of both. "I¡­. I had to. Yo-you''re hand¡­" Raghnall breathed in and tried to hide his anxiousness. "The f-force you used when you tried to slap her was enough to break her neck into two. Maybe even enough to decapitate her! Learn to control your strength first before you start hitting people, Ninny." Raghnall sighed as he tried to relax. The hand that he used to grab her wrist was in reality actually really sore. And aside from that, it was also shaking uncontrollably. He tried clenching his hand to hide it but it still didn''t stop his hand''s shaking. His hand probably was only barely able to endure the force and momentum from her arm''s force. To stop her, he had to hurriedly cast a high rank strength and speed enhancement spell on his hand to make it sturdy and fast enough to actually stop her hand before it can hit. But having to cast it in a hurry, the spells were unstable and to his surprise, they were actually shattered by Inna''s force alone. The recoil from the instability, the forceful shattering of his spells, and the strong force from Inna''s swinging hand was all absorbed by his hand''s muscles. This resulted to him unable to stop its shaking and the soreness of the muscles. Also, with having to do five high ranked spells in a span of just a few minutes, he began to be mentally tired as well. For now, he simply wanted to resolve this matter quickly, relax, and eat lunch peacefully. "My slap can decapitate her? That''s so cool." Inna grinned widely at her hand in amazement while the students behind her all gasped in horror. What did she just say?! It was ''cool''?! Decapitating someone with a slap is COOL?! Then the students looked at one another in anger. They were so angry that they almost voiced out their thoughts. Who said this trash is weak?! No--Who said she was ''trash'' in the first place?! They will surely skin that lying person alive!! That girl-- no, that DEMON there is NOT trash! She''s a psychopath! A wolf in sheep''s clothing! Chapter 71 The Beauty Guru Is Triggered At the corner of her eye, Inna saw someone approach the weeping girl. She looked at the person and was a bit startled to see a girl standing beside the weeping one. The reason why she was startled was because of the girl''s face. She takes ''cakey'' makeup to a whole new level. The girl had a thick face full of ugly makeup that made Inna cringe back to her intestines. For a modern reference, it was similar to a geisha''s look. But saying that it would be ''the same'' with the geishas'' would only insult them. It''s more like a clown fucked with a geisha and made a hybrid baby. Inna''s beauty guru side was triggered. Whatever she placed on her face made it look about five shades paler than her neck. In fact, that girl basically looked like she dunked her face in a bowl full of flour. And my god, her cheeks, lips, and eyelids were bright red, and they looked like they were written on with neon red markers. Circles were ''written'' on her cheeks while her eyelids and lips were fully colored with the stuff. It resulted to her brown eyes looking smaller than usual because of the flashy eye shadow. And do not get Inna started with the blending. It''s practically non-existent! There''s absolutely no effort in blending the colors. The bold and bright red in her face was all just a single color. And it greatly contrasts with the sickly whiteness of her face. And it really looked like the circles of her cheeks were made by a stamp. Her face looked so horrific that Inna suddenly had the urge to bleach her eyes. And if that girl''s face wasn''t scarring enough, she actually partnered it with an ugly hairdo as well. Her hair was about a foot long and it was so huge that if Inna didn''t know that this world was not as advanced, she would''ve thought that the girl was wearing a fake black wig. Her hairdo was made into this intricate braids around her head that seemed to be stacked up on one another. It looked like one of those ancient traditional Chinese hairstyles. And found in her hair were countless golden jewelries and hair pins that peeks out of it. Most people, in this world, would probably find her hair to be noble and elegant.And the golden jewelry are supposed to show off her wealth and high status in society. But in the eyes of Inna, her head just simply looked like a pin cushion. Inna saw the pin cushion girl looking at the sobbing saggy boobs girl with annoyance in her eyes. Behind that pin cushion was the rest of the groupie girls looking at her with a mix of admiration and desperation. Inna didn''t think much of it. But when the pin cushion held out her hand towards the sobbing girl, Inna decided to move. She dashed towards the pin cushion''s side. "What are you doing?" Inna glared at her. "Hmm? Who are you to question me?" The pin cushion said in a haughty tone as she raised her white eyebrow at her. Well, Inna actually had to squint her eyes to see if she really had an eyebrow. "Oh great. Another stuck up brat." Inna groaned in annoyance. She was about to grab the pin cushion''s wrist to stop her from whatever she was planning to do. But then, she felt another hand grab her shoulder. "Let her be. She''s a Priestess. She''s going to heal the poor girl." She heard Raghnall''s serious voice behind her. Then, he began to whisper to her. "If she''s healed, the teachers wouldn''t know what happened nor can they hold it against you without any evidence." While they were whispering, the pin cushion girl looked at Inna with a slight glare. "Are you really going to be this cruel to this young lady? You broke the bones in her arm yet you won''t even let anyone heal her? What kind of a person are you?" She spat at Inna before looking at the writhing girl beneath her. "Look at her! Her arm is already broken! She and her friends simply did a small prank on you. They didn''t even physically harm you! They just made a barrier in the door! It was a harmless joke!" "Yet you decided to get back at them by breaking her arm? And what''s more, you actually will forbid people to heal her? Such cruelty! I am ashamed to be in the same space with such a cruel person!" Hearing her words, the other students began to nod their heads in agreement. Indeed, it was just a harmless joke! The girls didn''t even harm that trash! But for revenge, she actually broke her arm? That''s unreasonable! And not letting anyone heal her is too much! Truly a cruel woman! Inna clenched her fist as she heard that pin cushion twist the truths in the story. To be honest, she actually wanted their whole group to taste pain. But since she overdid herself in the first one, she figured it would probably be better to not let things escalate too much or else the teachers might expel her. So, she was going to agree with the healing. But that girl spoke up before she can! And now, everyone seems to sympathize with the sobbing girl on the floor, forgetting the things she and her group just said to Inna earlier. Looking at the students'' sympathetic gazes at that girl, Inna can''t help but feel a bit wronged. Raghnall sighed in exasperation as he pinched the crease between his brows. This has gotten complicated. Chapter 72 Just A Commoner? Meanwhile, seeing that her work in shifting the student''s thinking was effective, Alana snickered to herself. These bunch of idiots are slaves to authority after all! No matter how wrong the person was, as long as she uses words to make it seem like they were innocent, everyone would believe her! After all, her family is the highest ranking noble aside from the Royal Family. Everyone had no choice but to believe her or else they''ll be questioning her authority! With that kind of ability, Alana looked at Inna mockingly. This is the difference between a goddess like her who was meant to stand above men and a peasant like that trash whose only role is to be trampled on. Inna was getting pissed at her mocking gaze so she wordlessly flipped her off. And she was planning to back that gesture up with shooting off her mouth. But Raghnall''s grip on her shoulder tightened. "Don''t do anything for now. Please." He begged her with a whisper. Then, he closed his eyes in irritation before making eye contact with Alana. But he was surprised to see that she was now staring intensely at him. Did she recognize me?! Raghnall felt his heart palpitate at the thought. No, that''s impossible. His face was almost never shown in public so no one would even know him through his face alone. He discarded that ridiculous thought with a laugh but the anxiety he had still didn''t subside. Swallowing his fear and nervousness, he focused his attention in trying to appease the situation instead. "Miss, please proceed with the healing. My friend here has never hindered you in any way so it is a bit impolite to claim that she never agreed for it. It''s also quite harsh to condemn her for being a cruel person because of such a simple misunderstanding. She was simply unable to cut in when you were talking because she believes it to be impolite towards a young noblewoman such as yourself." Raghnall tried to undo the effects of Alana''s earlier words by twisting the truth again. And to top it off, he even offered her a business smile. He himself knew that his smile is a weapon so he made sure to use it well. And, just as he expected, Alana was so mesmerized by his smile that she was unable to keep calm. She ended up coughing awkwardly in reply while trying hard to avoid his eyes. Yet despite it being a weapon meant only for her, the rest of the students were greatly affected as well. The female students looking at the show couldn''t help but stare at Raghnall in shock. His smile was like a flower blooming over the sunrise. It was so bright and beautiful that they weren''t able to focus on anyone but him. The smile¡­ the face¡­ So handsome¡­. They all looked at him dazedly, admiration almost dripping out of their eyes. That smile should be illegal!!! It''s really too beautiful!!!! However, the male students glared at him with deep contempt and envy. They couldn''t help but curse his parents for making such a talented child with good looks. Since he''s so talented, why can''t he be any uglier? The world really is unfair! Suddenly, a male student was fed up with the ladies'' excited giggling that he began whispering around. "He''s just a commoner!" "Don''t delude yourselves!" "No matter how powerful he is, he''s still a beggar compared to us!" Hearing the word ''commoner,'' the ladies snapped out of their trance and inwardly wept. All of them knew that he''s just a low-class commoner but it''s still hard to accept that fact in their hearts. After all¡­ He''s absolutely perfect¡­. but¡­.. He''s just a commoner. They reluctantly averted their eyes from his smile as they remembered the great difference in their status. Most, if not all of them, are girls with noble lineage. Some are daughters of high class noble families while some are daughters of famous rich merchants. And they knew very well of the society''s unspoken rule. If they were to have a relationship with a commoner, albeit adopted by a noble family or not, it would be disgraceful and degrading of their noble blood. They would be publicly humiliated and scorned by their fellow nobles. And they might even be kicked out of their family and their titles would eventually be stripped away. And sometimes, to avoid such a thing happening, their own families might be forced to kill the commoner''s family and maybe even the commoner himself. With such cruel ways, the ladies had it instilled in their minds that no matter how charming, how powerful, and how perfect¡­ A commoner is and will always be a commoner. Meanwhile, hearing such contempt and hatred, the other commoners among the students secretly sneered in their hearts. Just because we''re not from a noble lineage they belittle us? As expected of these stuck up nobles. Raghnall was unaware of the trouble his simple fake smile caused. His eyes were glued to Alana as he gestured for her to continue her plan to heal the girl. Snapping out her trance, Alana silently proceeded with the healing. After a flash of bright light, the students knew that the show was now over so they began to go to their own tables. Raghnall released his hand on Inna''s shoulder and he went to grab her clenched hand instead. He used his thumb to caress it comfortingly as he tried to unclench her hand. Then, he pulled her away from the dispersing crowd in order to find their seats. "You should really learn to control your strength. You almost killed two people today." Raghnall muttered as he felt her hand relax in his grasp. "Two? That girl and¡­. who else?" "Me! Did you forget you almost choked me to death?!" He went back to his playful self. He glared at her with mock anger as he tried to cheer her up. Chapter 73 Lets Eat? But Inna just bit her lip as she still can''t shake off the feeling of unfairness. Raghnall noticed her lack of response so he gave up on cheering her up. Instead, he figured to just ask her what''s wrong. Inna looked at the ground with a frown. "They were the ones who picked a fucking fight. They were the ones who started it. But why is it that when I fought back, they tell me I''m freaking cruel? When they fight back and the villains cry, the victim ends up looking like the bad guy. What the actual fuck? Just because she cried she''s the good one? And besides, I never would''ve hit her if they never started it." "And they said they simply made a barrier? A harmless joke? They were obviously slandering and humiliating me! It''s the same with placing dead rats on a girl''s desk and carving cruel nicknames in it. It may not hurt her, but it''s going to isolate the person from the rest. Then, it will start affecting her attitude and then she''ll start seeing everyday as hell. She might even suffer from anti-social behavior and severe anxiety. Now tell me, is that any better than beating a person up?" "A thousand venomous words may not be visually strong but each word will be a punch if you let it get to you. So, even though they didn''t do any physical harm, there''s still damage done isn''t it?" As she continued talking, Inna remembered her days back on Earth. She knew it all too well how it was like to grow up with low self-esteem and to find herself alone in a sea of people. Being rejected, called names, and being seen as having a pitiful existence were just one of the few things she experienced. If she wasn''t saved by that person, then she wouldn''t be the person she is today. Now with this happening again, with her pride being trampled on, she can''t help but feel bitter and open up old wounds. After hearing her complaining with a heavy voice, Raghnall just nodded along. Actually, he was at a loss of what to do because there was a heavy suffocating atmosphere that surrounded them as Inna ended her monologue. His eyes darted back and forth as he tried to think of a way to lighten up that heavy atmosphere. He tried to backtrack what she just said and now had a reply ready. But his mind shut down as soon as he saw her face. Her eyes were glossy and her mouth was curved into a deep frown. Her lips were lightly trembling and it looked like she was about to cry. So right now, he was full-on panicking inside. Is she going to cry? Oh god oh god oh god help! Do I have a handkerchief? No, I don''t carry those around. Should I use my robe? But my other spares are at the Rose dorms. I''ll end up going around with a wet patch on my robe. Should I just leave her alone? No, that''s worse! Seeing her face again, his panic reached its maximum level. He really didn''t know how to comfort a crying girl well! So, he spat out anything that came into his mind. "Ah¡­ uhm¡­. food¡­Let''s eat?" Inna stared incredulously at Raghnall. Here she was pouring her sentiments and that''s all he can say? At least an ''I agree'' would suffice! But strangely enough, his stupid statement made Inna relax and the tense aura around her was slowly dissipating. She shook her head as she involuntarily let out a small laugh. "Okay, okay. I''m hungry too." Raghnall breathed a sigh of relief as he guided Inna towards finding a vacant and comfortable seat. Meanwhile, it didn''t occur on Inna''s mind that she''s been holding hands with Raghnall until they arrived in a vacant table. She was about to sit when she felt a tug by her hand. She looked at their joined hands before quickly withdrawing it like it was scalding hot. Then, she rubbed her hand on her robe like she just touched something filthy. "Ew. You got sweaty hands. Gross." She scrunched up her face in disgust. Raghnall merely raised an eyebrow at her comment before mimicking her in cleaning his hand. "You were the one clinging to my hand." His smugness made Inna annoyed. "You were the one who held it first." Inna shot back. Raghnall merely smiled at her before silently sitting down. Inna followed suit as they sat beside each other. Their table was at the most isolated place in the room. They were at the end of the last table by the corner of the room. Since these were five long tables that spans from one side of the room to another, most students would either occupy the middle tables or the foremost part of the table which would be nearer to the elevated tables meant for teachers. Now, of course, in this academy, social propriety is still upheld. They were called the unbreakable and unspoken rules. And in the lunchroom, social hierarchy is also still being implemented. The place you''re staying at will be the telltale sign of your standing in the hierarchy. Chapter 74 Social Hierarchy The High class nobles usually occupy the middlemost table or the third table as a sign of hierarchy. And depending on their own ranking within their class, they can sit on the foremost to the hindmost of the third table. To show their special privilege, the table was made out of gold and its table cloth was red with intricate golden linings. Their food was also multiple times better, and their silverware were more beautiful and expensive. Their seats were colored royal red with golden carvings and it was the most comfortable seat in the whole room. That was because they had cushions all around it. In fact, they all had a headrest, a backrest, an armrest, and a feathered silk pillow as well. The middle class nobles follow these high rank nobles so they usually occupy the middle tables surrounding that third table which are the second and the fourth. And also, depending on their own ranking within their class, they can sit on the foremost to the hindmost of the third table. Their table was made to be a bit less extravagant and showy like the high class nobles yet still presents their privilege. Their tables were silver in color and it had a tablecloth that was pure white mixed with silver patterns. Their food was similar to the high class nobles but a bit fewer in variety and their silverware looked expensive yet not as much as the higher class. Their seats were pure white and it looked very comfortable. The only difference it had with the high class was the absence of the armrest and the pillow. Now, the place were Inna, Raghnall, and the rest of the commoners were sitting was at the side tables, or the first and fifth tables. There, they can sit anywhere they like since there''s no ranking between commoners. Their tables and chairs were very simple. They were all made of sturdy wood and their table cloth was just plain beige. Their food was minimal but still very satisfying. Their chairs were designed like common chairs with no cushions nor armrests but it''s still comfortable to sit on albeit a bit hard. Seeing the obvious difference in treatment, Inna couldn''t help but roll her eyes. She could already see the divisions without even having anyone to tell her about it. "The social hierarchy here is so clear." Raghnall looked over and saw that she was staring at the other tables. Since there were not much commoners that were able to enter this academy, there were not much people in their tables. This made the inner hierarchy look even more prominent. "Don''t mind them. It''s their privilege from being born in a noble family. The whole country has this sort of division so it''s not that surprising that it''s here as well. Though in my opinion, they shouldn''t belittle those that are below them. Seriously, even the Royal Family frowns upon their conduct." "Royal Family? You mean, the King and Queen? They don''t like the social hierarchy?" That''s ironic. They are in the top of that hierarchy. Inna looked at him in confusion. Raghnall widened his eyes slightly when he noticed his slip of tongue. "Ah.... y-yes. I think you meant the Emperor and his First Lady Empress. The Royal Family is known to have good relations with commoners. But they can''t rebuke the noble families from their arrogant behaviors because these families are vital foundations of the country." "Wealthy merchants are needed for the country''s economy while the government and military officials are needed for the stability and protection of the country. Also, prominent figure heads in those families, like the Veteran ranked or Sage ranked, are needed for the country''s fame and prestige. They can''t afford to offend any one of them. If they do, it might lead the family to betray the country or may even leave it." "And with these troubles, then add the burdens in running the country, they''re unable to find the right chance to change the country''s widespread social discrimination." Inna looked at Raghnall with suspicion in her eyes. "You sure know quite a lot about this despite being a commoner, huh?" Raghnall averted his eyes and tried to make it seem like he''s looking at the food on the table. There was a slight tremble in his voice as he tried to focus on the food. "W-well, I''m a fan of reading and you know, there are lots of records of the Royal family in the local libraries and uh, I also heard from the whispers of the common people as well. I just put two and two together and arrived in that conclusion." Inna squinted her eyes as she stared at him in suspicion. Actually, Inna didn''t believe jack shit about him being a ''commoner'' yada yada. She may not know the difference between a commoner and a noble, but she knows that he acts way too proper and he''s way too knowledgeable about lots of things. And the way he acts and talks about those things is how a well-educated person would. And this is coming from the fact that in this world, she learned from Solomon that only the wealthy can have proper education in their childhood. The commoners attend a local school which only teaches them the necessities like agriculture and fishing. The rest are taught personally by parents and experiences. They can enter the local library but the books there are lacking and they have a small selection of topics so most don''t even bother going. Instead, they train in their spare time. And if they are talented enough when they are of age, they can enter Eldora Academy, the only prestigious academy that accepts commoners. So, after having been talking to him, she''s doubtful whether he really is one or not. Chapter 75 Meat Before Marriage But then again, it''s his business, so she decided not to be nosy and just let him be. Seeking a way to divert Inna''s attention, Raghnall hurriedly used a magic spell to grab the food in the middle of the table. Without asking Inna, he began loading her plate with vegetables and his with meat. Breaking her heavy stare, Inna raised an eyebrow at the salad he suddenly placed on her plate. "I don''t like vegetables." She whined childishly as she glared at him. Raghnall widened his eyes in surprise. "Why don''t you like them? Weren''t you trained to eat them from a young age?" What. "What do you mean ''trained''?" Raghnall looked at Inna strangely. "Didn''t they feed you this ever since you were young?" "Yes, but I never ate it. I just threw it to the ground. That''s how much I hate them." "Why? Girls are supposed to always eat vegetables to keep themselves healthy and lean." Raghnall looked at Inna like it was an obvious thing. "Wha--WHY?! I mean, don''t get me wrong but having eaten fast food, I can speak for all the women out there that we would be more than happy with being unhealthy once in a while." Hearing this, Raghnall grew more confused. "Fast food? Unhealthy? No, no, no, girls are expected to always be healthy. After all, they''re supposed to give birth to children. An unhealthy lady wouldn''t find a great man to marry." Raghnall said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. Meanwhile, Inna was dumbstruck. Oh my fucking god. What the fuck is this world. Discrimination because of strict social hierarchy, permitted bullying, and now, sexism¡­ This is just like Earth but a hundred times worse. "And let me guess, the man should be the head of the household? He should be the one earning the money? And the girls should stay in the house, make a sandwich in the kitchen, and take care of children?" Raghnall nodded enthusiastically and he looked at her as if he''s proud of the fact that she finally learned something in her empty head. At the same time, Inna was at a loss of what to say. So, this world is a strict patriarchal society? Ugh... no wonder¡­ Inna eyed the thick slab of steak in front of Raghnall. It looked so juicy and appetizing that she can''t help but drool. Then, before Raghnall can slice through his steak, Inna bit into it like a dog. "Woman! What are you doing?!" Inna smiled while biting the steak and letting it down on her salad. "Heh, I already got my saliva on it so it''s mine. Thanks for the steak." She smiled, the meat juices from biting the steak was messily dripping around her mouth making her look like a sloppy eater. She wiped her mouth using the table napkin near her plate but not before Raghnall was mortified when he saw what happened. He couldn''t grab the steak back and eat it since she already bit into it. He actually chose the biggest cut out of all the steaks on the table. And to think, he lost it just like that. He glared at her victorious smile with sadness and hate in his eyes. And, begrudgingly, he casted another spell in search for another good steak. "You know, you''ll never find a decent man with the way you''re acting." He said gloomily as he eyed Inna eating her stolen steak that was way bigger than his new one. "I''m not planning to find a man anyway. And I most definitely am not planning to have children. So, I''ll keep being unhealthy, thank you very much!" Raghnall sighed after hearing her resolute tone. "You''re just like those female adventurers in the outskirts of towns. Living life constantly fighting and alone." "Do they get to eat meat?" "Yes." "Then, I''ll gladly be those female adventurers." Raghnall nearly smacked his face with his palm. "They get to eat meat but they rarely meet someone who are willing to marry them." He tried to emphasize the ''bad'' part to her but she just looked at him straight in the eyes. "I''m good as long as there''s meat. Meat before Marriage." Inna proudly said as she stuffed her face with the meat. She let out a groan as the flavor exploded inside her mouth. Oh god, it''s so fucking good. To think that women weren''t allowed to eat meat this good. She will never understand their society''s logic. Seeing Inna eating steak with no table manners nor etiquette, Raghnall can''t help but laugh inside. She was definitely the strangest person he ever met in all his life. She speaks a funny language. Her reactions are fresh and unexpected. And she''s always unpredictable! She never cares what people may think of her and she speaks her mind. She doesn''t abide by the society''s unspoken rules and their customs. She doesn''t even act like a proper lady. She''s like a released arrow. Straightforward and strong. Yet, somehow, it feels comforting to be with her. And for some reason, despite knowing each other in just a few hours, he felt like she would never ever betray him. Nor will she deceive him. And that''s coming from the fact that his status is one of the most famous in the country so there are multiple people looking to curry favor. They used multiple traps, one after another, as they deceived and betrayed his trust in order to fulfill their selfish desires. And after being betrayed and backstabbed by multiple people in his life, he learned to be careful of people, to read them fully before approaching them. And he was so used in placing his guard up around people, even to his own family. But after talking for mere hours, he noticed that he unconsciously lets his guard down around her. He felt safe and secure in her presence. He felt that he didn''t need to pretend to be kind, nor did he have a need to put on acts about liking the person''s company. Instead, doing those to her just felt natural to him. And he was actually shocked when he became aware of it. He didn''t know why, but to think that he can trust her so naturally, it actually makes him scared. Chapter 76 Drama Expectations As Inna and Raghnall finished their meals in silent bliss, the students started becoming restless. "It''s been more than an hour. Are we not going to do anything else here?" "Are we just here to eat lunch? Is that all or are we supposed to do something else?" "Yeah. If we''re not going to do anything, why don''t we just go back to our dorms?" "Idiot! The doors are still sealed. The assigned teacher is the only one that can open it." "But that guy earlier just opened it! If he can do it, why can''t we?!" "Because he''s a Triple High Rank, stupid! And he was only able to open it in just a few moments!" Everyone started becoming impatient when minutes passed and there was no call nor announcements from any teacher or faculty. With their boredom at its peak, the students began to loiter around the room. Then, they started interacting a lot with the rest of the students who felt the same degree of boredom as they did. Some were pleasantly talking while some were constantly picking on other people that are weaker than them in either power or rank. Inna even saw a student stealing the food placed on the end corner of the high class table. It seems that everyone have found something to relieve their boredom, including Inna as well. After all, what better way to curb boredom than to eat? She tore through the tower of steaks as she finally learned that food grabbing magic spell from Raghnall. Shoving one after another, she just loved that juicy goodness erupting as she chews it in her mouth. She was so addicted to the steak that she lost count after eating about three of them. And the steaks were similar to the size of her whole hand but it was fairly thin, about nearly two inches thick, so she bit into them easily. And she didn''t even felt the need to worry about overeating because she takes pride in her fast metabolism and her bottomless appetite. So, she bit down steak after steak worry-free. And by the speed of how she devoured them, she looked just like a competitive eater desperately wanting to win! But sadly, it didn''t even register in her mind that the body she''s currently ''occupying'' didn''t have the same characteristics she used to have. And hours later, she''ll soon regret not realizing that fact. Meanwhile, Raghnall just stared at her with shock as he saw the steaks in the tray slowly disappearing. How in the world did she do that? Her mouth is like a suction that it''s like she''s almost inhaling the steaks. And with the steak juices all over her face, she looks like a rabid animal or maybe even a cannibal. Now, he regrets teaching her that grabbing spell. After seeing her eat her twelfth slice, he finally couldn''t take it anymore. "Okay, you''ve had enough, you meat addict. You''re eating like a pregnant woman." He forcibly snatched the steak hanging from her mouth and threw it carelessly behind him. Then, he casted a low rank nullification spell around her to avoid her using that grabbing spell again. "Wha--why''d you do that for?!" Inna glared at him with a messy face filled with red juices. Raghnall turned a deaf ear at her complaints as he tried to look for an unused napkin around the table to wipe her dirty face and hands. After nagging at him for a while, Inna realized what he was going to do so she just sighed in defeat. She decided to let him do whatever he wants since she felt a bit guilty of downing more than three steaks at once in their table. Since their world rarely sees a woman eating one steak, what more of a shock would it be for him when he saw her eating a dozen. So, she obediently stayed still as she looked at him looking around. Then, when Raghnall finally got one, he looked at her closely and noticed that it wasn''t just her face that was messy. Her pure white dress had a huge stain from her chest to her lap!! And even if he were to use all the napkins in this table, those stains wouldn''t be easily removed! "Do you have a spare robe? The one you have on right now makes you look like you just mangled an animal open and decided to make a feast of its insides." Inna grinned at his creative example. "Actually, tha--" "Don''t say it''s ''cool.'' You said that last time we were talking about decapitation, you psycho." He grumbled as he focused on cleaning the area near her mouth. But much as Inna would love the company of a very handsome and alluring man wiping her mouth clean, she was starting to feel pain from the roughness of his ''wiping.'' So she smacked his hand away. "Are you scrubbing my lips off?! You''re wiping too hard!" Inna complained as she tried to dodge his other attempt at wiping her mouth. "I can''t help it! Those juices are stubborn! Even after wiping them, there''s still a red tint left behind." "THAT''S MY SKIN TURNING RED FROM YOUR SCRUBBING!" Inna roared as she snatched the napkin away from his hands. "Never mind! I''ll do it!" She threw the napkin behind her as she chanted one of her original spells. "Puru! Puru! Purus!" She chanted cutely and in a quick second, her whole body glowed in white light before it disappeared after a blink. And as soon as it disappeared, Inna''s face and robes were as clean as they were before she even ate. Raghnall''s eyebrows were raised at its highest as he gazed at her clean state in shock. "How did you--" "Its called ''magic,'' Rag doll." She smugly said as she reveled in the pure amazement found in his expression. She made this spell so of course she''ll be proud about it and use it at any chance. But, well, the reason why she didn''t use it beforehand¡­. Who would pass up on a scene where a handsome guy is looking at your mouth intensely as he wipes the food off of it?! It''s basically a scene out of a drama! Though hers didn''t turn out the way she expected it to¡­ Chapter 77 Grouping Up 1 Just as the students'' noise was at its peak, the doors of the room suddenly opened with a loud bang. Elder Fang hid his hands in his sleeves as he calmly flew towards the elevated tables of the teachers. The students immediately quieted down as they scampered towards their own respective seats. Elder Fang stood on the makeshift stage with grace and prowess as he exhaled loudly. If it wasn''t for the small beads of sweat dripping down his face, the students would''ve thought that nothing was wrong. Since the Elder was here, the students immediately stood up and bowed to give their respect. "Greetings to the Grand Elder!" The students greeted the Elder with fervor, along with a confused Inna who was forced to follow as per Raghnall''s instruction. Elder Fang released another huge sigh before speaking. "Everyone please be at ease." All the students immediately straightened up and returned to their seats. "Apologies for the delay. The Headmaster has called me in for an emergency meeting so I was held up for quite some time." Seeing the anxious gazes of the students, Elder Fang cleared his throat before continuing. "But no worries. It does not involve the rest of you. And although we are a bit behind schedule, we will proceed as planned." Gazing at the empty plates and trays in the room, Elder Fang proceeded to speak. "Since all of you have now finished eating, we will proceed to the sacred temple for prayers. As you all know, we normally require students to pray on the seventh hour at every seventh day of the month. But there are also special masses that are granted for special events. One of these special events are what we will be having now which is the initiation of new students entering this school." "But before we proceed to the sacred temple, it would be best to proceed in groups to easily monitor the students, to avoid getting lost, and to avoid unruly behavior." Hearing this, students sneakily began looking at each other. They began to plan their teams in their heads while some began communicating with their friends through their eyes. "To ensure that everyone belongs in one, there should be five people in each group. And since it is encouraged for students to mingle and build relationships in this school, I will grant you the liberty to make up your own group." As soon as Elder Fang finished speaking, the students began running towards their desired partners. Others began shoving while the rest began kneeling and begging people to be part of their group. The only stationary people were the high class nobles and the known powerful top class students. And that''s because they were the ones being pursued by other students. Inna looked at everyone with a strange smile. "Well, this is familiar." She giggled as she remembered her high school years. Despite crossing over different worlds, some things never change after all. Raghnall briefly looked at the few people who were discreetly giving him glances. It seems that they wanted to ask him to be in their group, but were somehow hesitant. "You''ll be part of my group, no objections." Inna demanded as she grabbed his arm. Raghnall looked at her with a smirk. "Aw, I''m finally wanted." Inna just simply glared at him in reply then she proceeded to watch the pandemonium taking place right now. There was a student that has been betrayed by his friend just to complete a group with a high class member. There were also middle class students suddenly fighting with their magic to show off their strength in hopes that a high class student would accept them. Some started hollering when they lacked one member and some started hitting one another to get into that slot. Meanwhile, Inna and Raghnall were the most composed lower class students in the whole room. Well, that was until a few minutes ago. "Excuse me, Mr. Raghnall but with all due respect, the likes of her does not deserve to be grouped together with you." The one eyeing Raghnall the most began to make her way towards them. The rest of her group followed as well. They were only four but they were all either strong or high class nobles. And with one missing member, they wanted someone deserving of their group''s abilities. Hearing the disdain in their tone, Inna''s eyebrow shot up. Should I get ready for the bitch slapping event number 2? She snickered in her mind as she slowly and discreetly cracked her knuckles. Raghnall saw her movement and inwardly gulped. Better resolve this quick. She''s starting to act crazy again. With this, Raghnall faced the woman that just spoke up. "Apologies but I have chosen who I will be with. And that would be with this girl beside me. Deserving or not, that has nothing to do with this. Besides, we are simply going to the temples, so why do we need a strong group?" Raghnall''s tone was respectful but he was flat out rejecting the noblewoman. "Do you really think we''re carefully grouping up just because of a small trip? Nonsense. Not everyone knows this but this grouping will actually be the decided groups for the class-change matches after the prayers had been offered. So, if you''re grouped up with a weakling, you would be dragged down from your prestigious Rose class eventually." The woman sneered as the rest of her group nodded in agreement. "As for our group, we are all Intermediate rank peak stage of different professions. We have two priestess, one mage and one witch. And all of us are in the top classes in these professions. Surely you would reconsider?" She boasted as she looked at Raghnall with expectant eyes. But Raghnall just quickly scanned them before shaking his head. "It''s best for you to look for someone else. I''ve already been captured." He grinned as he showed his arm that has been nearly crushed by Inna''s tightening grasp. The woman looked at the hand that was tightly grasping his arm before fully looking at Inna. "How shameless. She''s so weak that she''s actually clinging unto him for dear life." She snickered. But Raghnall immediately wanted to shut her up. She''s not tightly squeezing his arm because she''s worried¡­ She''s tightly squeezing his arm because she''s extremely pissed off! Argh, his bone is going to get crushed at this rate! Chapter 78 Grouping Up 2 Inna decided to look at that woman straight in the eyes. "You needy bitches better back off. He said he''s taken, so he''s taken. If you can''t even understand that, then you must be stupid. Who cares if you''re strong when you can''t even take a hint?" Hearing Inna''s sharp words, the woman gritted her teeth and raised her hand, ready to slap her. Seeing the sudden action, Raghnall immediately stiffened and tried to move Inna behind him but Inna didn''t budge. "Better think twice in doing that." Inna looked at the woman''s raised hand with amusement in her eyes. "Last time someone raise a hand towards me¡­.." She trailed off as she playfully smirked. "Let''s just say that the next time someone does, I''ll make sure that even healing spells won''t help her." Unknowingly, Inna''s eyes showed a hint of bloodlust. The woman sensed the real threat in her voice so she lamely dropped her hand. Then, she simply huffed in annoyance instead. "You think you''re so strong." The woman looked at Inna with a mocking gaze. "But get this¡­ No matter how good a fighter you are, magic users can defeat you in different ways without even you knowing." She sneered before she flicked her sleeves and ushered her group away. Inna furrowed her brows at her words. Then, she heard a voice by her side. "They tried cursing you with a dormant ''Blinding'' curse." A Dormant what? "A what?" Raghnall sighed before gingerly trying to pry her murderous hand from his arm. "A dormant ''Blinding'' curse. The curse will remain dormant until the caster activates it. And my guess is that they''re planning to activate it when it''s the time for the class-up battles." So they''re planning to blind her to make her lose and humiliate her in the battles? Inna''s eyes darkened in rage. She was about to chase those women back when she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. "Don''t worry. I''ve already nullified it as soon as they left. Even if they try to activate it, they won''t find the spell anywhere in your body." Raghnall patted her shoulder in reassurance. "Now that''s over, we need to find the rest of our teammates." He looked around and tried to ask other students. But despite being one of the strongest people in the batch, once they knew he was partnered with Inna, they hurriedly gave excuses to decline. Suddenly, Inna noticed that the students were becoming too rowdy. There were some students who began shouting at each other saying that the other doesn''t deserve to be in the group. Some began rolling in the ground, pulling each other''s hair out as the rest of the group laughed at them. Then, a pair guys suddenly started punching each other out of nowhere. Hearing the other student''s scream, they were apparently fighting to be in the same group with the high class girl they had a crush on. Seeing their physical fight, others began mimicking them as well thinking it was a great strategy to show off their explosive power. And in a few minutes, stray punches and blows were hitting students one after another. If it wasn''t for the fact that Raghnall immediately casted an Invisibility spell on them and hid themselves in the walls, they would''ve been caught up in the chaos. Elder Fang was a bit startled with how it quickly escalated. One second, he saw people merrily chatting with each other, having friendly competitions, then in another second, the brutal fighting finally happened! He looked around and when he saw that blood was being drawn, he decided to act quickly. "Everyone. Stop!" His voice echoed loudly in the room but it ended up being drowned out from the loud chaos being ensued. He decided to cast a volume enhancement spell this time. "EVERYONE! STOP!" The students stopped their actions half-way, but they looked at each other with animosity in their eyes. How did this chaos even start? Seeing a student''s mocking gaze, another student couldn''t take his mockery so he decided to swing his fist. The chaos was starting again so Elder Fang had no choice but to use an immobility curse. Everyone''s body became as immovable as a statue as they stopped their fights midway. "I am greatly disappointed in all of you." Elder Fang glared at all of them. "I gave you your freedom to choose so that you can build relationships and friendship towards one another. But you''ve done nothing but the opposite of what the academy had hoped of you! Truly disappointing!" Then, for some reason, Inna felt his eyes on her despite her being hidden due to Raghnall''s invisibility spell. "I thought this batch wouldn''t be any more disappointing now that we''ve unknowingly allowed a weak nobody to enter through a backdoor all for charity. But now, seeing all of you, I''ve been proven wrong!" "Seeing your show, I''ve changed my mind! I''ll be randomly grouping you up myself!" Chapter 79 Grouping Up 3 His words held suppressed rage and disgust but for some reason, Inna felt that his eyes held a bit of mischief and joy. She couldn''t put her finger on it, but her intuition is telling her that it''s like he''s been planning for this. After all, she noticed that the start of the fighting was too sudden and quite fishy. She looked at Raghnall in suspicion. "Do you think he did it on purpose?" Raghnall looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "Did what?" "Create chaos. Like the students fighting and all." Raghnall looked at Inna like she grew a third head. "And why in the world would he do that?" "I dunno. But somehow, all of this feels like a show. I mean, it just felt too¡­. unnatural¡­ how the fights all started." Raghnall furrowed his brows and looked at her with slight confusion in his eyes. "I think you''re thinking too much. No matter how much I think about it, if you give these greedy monkeys the chance to make connections with either the strong or the higher class, they would react the same way. I''m actually quite surprised no one died." Inna looked at him with a glare of disbelief. "Now you''re just exaggerating." "No, really, last year, someone fainted from being beaten black and blue. And when they finally calmed the crazy students, they found that he can no longer be healed and he died naturally." "Wait, how did you know the things about last year? I thought the happenings inside the academy should be kept in a tight leash?" Well, that''s what Solomon warned her about. Raghnall''s eyes widened slightly. "Hahaha¡­. N-no matter how hard they try to keep it a secret, people will always know them, one way or another." Inna just rolled her eyes at his poor attempt of an excuse. But she didn''t see any need to dwell on it so she decided to just let it go again. Then suddenly, she felt her body moving against her will. Her feet started walking while her arms were clipped to her sides. "Holy shit. What the fuck is happening?!" She felt herself slowly walking backwards towards an unknown direction against her will. In a panic, she looked at Raghnall for help. Seeing her helpless and confused expression, he almost laughed out loud. Looking at her so frazzled was like looking at a cute cat being confused on what she just sniffed. "Ninny, relax. It''s because of a curse. Actually, since you kept chattering, you didn''t hear Elder Fang''s instruction. He''s casting a ''Puppeteer'' curse to solve the problem. It''s a kind of curse where you can control a person using strings infused with magic. My guess is that he''ll use the strings in the curse to connect the strings your limbs towards four other people. But since he claims it to be random, then he must have connected you with other randomly chosen people in the same string and you''ll probably meet towards a certain common point." Inna barely heard what he said because she was full on creeped out by the freaky thing happening towards her. Her eyes were wide and filled with panic while her mouth was agape in shock. Her eyebrows were furrowed as well as her whole face was fully drained of color. Raghnall stared at her hilarious expression for so long because he wanted to imprint her expression in his mind. That''s so that he can laugh at it later. But, soon, he sensed the curse''s presence in his body as well. "See? It''s happening to me too." He said as his body started moving backwards as well. He expected that the spell was easy to manipulate so he tried to go to Inna''s direction. But for some reason, the direction he way moving was the opposite way where she was going. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Why am I going away?!" He exclaimed as he tried to nullify the spell on him. But it seems that his rank was a bit lower than the spell and somehow, he can feel someone interfering with his spell. This soon resulted to his nullification to be disrupted, dissipating the concentrated magic in his palm. Within a minute, people were neatly grouped together. They were located in different sections in the room. And all of them were back to back towards each other, others not even knowing who their teammates were. And Inna was part of these ''others.'' Feeling the back of her other teammates, she tried to check who they were. Hmmm, the one beside her had a skinny arm so it must be a girl. And the one on the other side of her was quite short, that person''s shoulder was a few inches lower than her own. Suddenly, she felt the weight in her legs and arms finally disappeared and she was able to control her body again. With her curiosity at its peak, she didn''t waste time and immediately turned around to see her newfound teammates. Chapter 80 Grouping Up 4 Weak. That was the first word that came to mind when she saw them. The one beside her was so scrawny to the point that she mistook him for a girl at first. His back was hunched and his eyes kept looking from one side to another in a creepy way. In fact, he looked like a boy who had severe paranoia and was severely malnourished as well. On the other side beside her, the girl was short and unnervingly pale. In fact, she looked like she had some chronic incurable illness. Her breaths were short and quick and every once in a while, she coughs loudly. And her coughs had those disgusting sounds of mucus in her throat. The remaining other two teammates weren''t any better. One was trembling so much just from meeting her eyes and the other was silent and shy. She was kneading her hands in front of her while lowering her head so much that all Inna can see was the top of her head. Inna''s face scrunched up when she saw them. Not that she''s picky with power and all but¡­ One look and she can already see that she''s teamed up with a bunch of wimps. This is far too coincidental, isn''t it? She looked at Elder Fang who strangely had a satisfied smile on his face. "Now, these will be your groups for today. And possibly, for the following days if need be." Some students groaned in frustration while others cheered happily with the teams they got. The loudest team was Raghnall''s team. They consisted of that woman who approached him, that pin cushion girl, that saggy boobs, and another new girl who seemed to be love-struck at Raghnall. Inna''s team and Raghnall''s team were in opposite sides of the room so she was barely able to see any member from his team. But she did, however, see Raghnall. Over the distance, she tried to catch his attention. When he finally saw her, she mouthed to him her message. ''I. THINK. THE. OLD. GUY. PLANNED. THIS. BE. CAREFUL." But for some reason, because of the Eridoan language, she simply looked like she was having trouble chewing a huge bone. But she tried again and again just to get her message through. Raghnall saw her making some chewing gestures and was shocked to the core. Why''s she doing that in this situation?! Although he was filled with confusion, he looked at her crazy antics again before finally bursting into laughter. Anytime, anywhere, he can always expect her to come up with crazy stuff! Meanwhile, the one coming up with crazy stuff wasn''t amused at all. What the fuck?! Why the fuck is he laughing now?! Inna glared at him. I was warning him because that old geezer might have tricks up his sleeve, but he just laughs at me?! Whatever. I don''t care about him. Inna crossed her arms angrily as she turned her back on him. Then, she heard that old man''s voice again. "As I have told you, the reason why we are going in groups is for easy monitoring. But since you lot are hundreds of students, even when grouped together, it will still be quite difficult to monitor all of you closely. So, with this in mind, the academy has appointed an equivalent number of people to be able to achieve what we wished." Elder Fang finally removed his hands from his sleeves only to show that one of his hand was bandaged like it was injured. The students gasped in surprise when they saw it but Elder Fang simply ignored them. Using his healthy hand, he began to write a complicated written seal to open the doors again. As they opened, one by one, hundreds of men and women with grey robes began walking inside the room. They looked far older than the students inside the room, and they also looked far stronger than them. And upon looking closely, each had pins that had strange flower carvings around it near the side of their chests. These men and women had a dignified air around them as they walked towards the teacher''s elevated platform. Before they reached it, they kneeled in respect and cupped their hands in front of them. "Greetings to the Grand Elder!" Elder Fang looked at how they delivered themselves and nodded in satisfaction. These are what the students in the Eldora Academy should be! Dignified, Strong, and Respectful! Elder Fang coughed lightly as he tried to answer the hidden questions in the all of new students'' eyes. "These are your ''Watchers'' for today. They will be responsible for leading the group as well as making sure that there would be no trouble nor friction between all of you." Elder Fang looked at the grey robed people and spoke. "Stand." They all simultaneously stood up and faced the crowd of students. "Each of them are on their fifth year in this Academy so do treat them with respect. They are your seniors, after all. And if anyone were to have funny ideas, keep in mind that these Watchers are all high ranked in a certain profession. Aside from one of you, the rest wouldn''t stand a chance." Elder Fang stared at Raghnall with pride. After all, it''s not every day that someone would see a Triple High ranked. In fact, in the whole world, he only knew two other people that were able to reach it. The Headmaster¡­ And the Emperor¡­ Chapter 81 Are You Pregnant?! "These Watchers are assigned to a group of their choice. Whether you get chosen by a great Watcher or not, it doesn''t make a difference since they are simply there to monitor you." Then, Elder Fang looked at the girls who were swooning at some of the handsome Watchers, his voice having a bit of a warning. "Furthermore, aside from greetings and introductions, excessive contact and chattering towards them would be heavily frowned upon." Elder Fang looked at the Watchers who were all in a neat formation before him. "Go. Select your groups." The Watchers bowed once before walking towards the students. Some already had a team in mind while others decided to just choose whichever they feel like. Slowly, each group now had a Watcher. Still observing Raghnall''s team, Inna wasn''t even surprised when some female Watchers were nearly arguing who would be in charge of their group. Then, taking her eyes off of his group, Inna looked around and saw that everyone was already actively chatting with their Watcher. Everyone except for her team. It''s because they had no Watcher at all! Is this part of that oldie''s plan too? Inna started to get suspicious again. But this time, she was more confused than worried. Why the heck would he even do this? I mean, not being monitored is actually a good thing! Back in her days, the guys would kill to go on school trips where teachers weren''t watching so Inna couldn''t figure out what Elder Fang was planning. Meanwhile, Elder Fang didn''t even see that Inna''s group had no Watcher. In fact, he never once laid his eyes on them since he pretty much couldn''t care less about the people at the bottom of the food chain. Instead, he was surveying the actions of the rest of the students. "It seems that everyone has said their introductions." He said as he eyed the numerous students bowing and shaking hands. "We''ll be leaving in a few minutes so please prepare yourselves to leave. We would require all of you to follow me in a line along with your teammates. Also, listen well to your Watcher''s instructions." The students began arranging themselves with the help of the Watchers. And minutes later, almost everyone were already lined up. Just when Inna was about to rejoice about not having a Watcher in her team, the set of double doors suddenly opened with a bang. "Sorry! Sorry! Heavens! I''m actually late!" A man erupted from the open doors. He had a disheveled look. His dark brown hair was sticking out in odd ways and he had were numerous cow licks as well. And behind his round glasses, his grey eyes had dark circles underneath and it looked even more prominent from his unusually pale skin. His lips also looked quite pale and chapped so he continuously licks them. He looked like what a scholar would usually look in the ancient times. Nerdy, weird, and sickly. The man hurriedly brisk walked towards the teacher''s platform. He pushed up his round glasses that was about to fall off from his nose and he tried to make his crumpled and untidy grey robe look more presentable. When he noticed everyone''s eyes was on him, including Elder Fang''s, he immediately knelt down while cupping his hands in front of him. "Sorry, I''m late! I overslept!" The man said as he nonchalantly yawned at the end. Elder Fang almost puked out blood from his statement and behavior. Overslept! This student was late for such a big responsibility because he ''overslept''?! And to think only elite students can be assigned for this role?! Who the gods is this kid?! "Rise. Student, please state your name and class." The man rose to his feet while scratching the back of his head. "My name? Uhm¡­. I think it was Ridnel? Or was it Ronda? Or did it start with an L? Linda? Lidnel? No, no I don''t think so. Maybe it started with an A? Aidnel? Anda? Or an H? Hidnel? Honda? No, I sound like some weird contraption¡­" The man furrowed his brows deeply. He looked really focused as if he''s trying to solve the world''s hardest puzzle. "Uhm¡­ I think...I forgot¡­. Sorry¡­" Elder Fang angrily looked at the man while widening his eyes slightly in disbelief. "Are you making a fool out of me?!" The man looked at Elder Fang with confusion in his eyes. "A fool out of you? I-is there a fool inside you?" "WHAT?" This time, Elder Fang was speechless from pure confusion instead of anger. In fact, his confusion filled his whole mind, momentarily making him forget his anger. Little did he know, the man was more confused than him for all the wrong reasons. "Wait, I''m confused. By fool, you mean a stupid person? According to multiple studies, you can''t have a stupid person inside a body. If there''s one inside you¡­.. Then, does that mean¡­" The man looked at Elder Fang with innocent eyes filled with fascination and expectation. "Are you pregnant?!" Hearing this, Elder Fang was about to explode. His face turned red and the veins in his forehead was now bulging out. But then, after seeing something that caught his eye, he strangely calmed down and even offered the man a genuine smile. "Such a great joke you''ve made. Eldora''s students should also have a superior sense of humor after all." He laughed lightly and patted the man on his shoulders. Upon seeing the sudden change in the old man, Inna couldn''t help but be astonished. Why the fuck did this not happen to me? He''s always grumpy ever since I saw him despite me not doing friggin'' anything. But this guy did lots of disrespectful shit and he gets a smile? What the fuck? Inna was in pure disbelief. But then, it soon dawned in her the sole reason why Elder Fang became amicable. It was the thing in his chest. Or more specifically, it was his ''pin.'' Because the pin he had pinned by the side of his chest, was a carving of a flower that most people would recognize almost immediately. In short, he has a Rose pin. Chapter 82 Am I Fat? Elder Fang didn''t give the man enough time to react, fearing that what he would start saying weird stuff again. "Oversleeping is normal for a Rose class student. They''ve been working hard to be stronger, after all. Now, go and choose a team." He smiled warmly as he lightly pushed the man towards the direction of the students. The man didn''t seem to notice the sudden change in Elder Fang as he looked around, trying to spot a group that might catch his attention. He saw a familiar figure and was about to approach that figure when a woman approached him. The woman was glaring at him with her amber eyes and as she walked, she angrily flipped her dark orange hair back. It showed the Oleander Flower pin on the left side of her chest as she tried to somehow intimidate the man before her despite being shorter by a foot. "Where do you think you''re going Frode?" The woman sneered. "Well, hello Hera. I''m going to that person over there." He gestured at the group that was quite a distance away. "It''s Rira, not Hera. And don''t bother. They''re my assignment. I chose them as my group so you better not have any ideas of stealing them away from me. I know how to kill a stupid fly like you in a minute." "And besides, everyone else already had a Watcher assigned in theirs. Better avoid trouble and find that one lame group that wasn''t chosen by anyone." Rira huffed before she turned around and made her way to her team with love-struck eyes. The man furrowed his brows while being in deep thought. Frode¡­. Is that my name? He was genuinely confused as he walked around. Meanwhile, the rest of the students followed their Watchers'' instructions and formed a straight line. Seeing that the students were now starting to position properly save for Inna''s group, Elder Fang decided to say a few words before they start the tour. "Just a few reminders. If you ever leave your team, you will notice that there is something that will immediately pull you back towards them. It is a spell I made for Watchers to know which one is starting to have different ideas and decides to stray off." "If one of you ever decide to leave your group, even by just a few meters, it is considered a violation according to school rules. And an appropriate punishment will be given for those who break those rules. Understand?" The students nervously looked at their teammates before nodding in agreement. "Also, some of you might be wondering why we aren''t using teleportation to go there instead. This is actually one of the golden rules of the Academy. By saying that it is a golden rule, it means that it is a rule that the Headmaster would like for all of you to treat seriously." "Teleportation is heavily forbidden inside the Academy grounds. The earlier teleportation from the given flowers were needed for you to go into your dorms without getting lost and wasting time. Aside from that instance, there would no longer be any means of transportation aside from walking. Floating or flying in any kind can only be done by the faculty and staff inside the academy." "In fact, even if you try, the seals hidden inside the academy will hinder you from creating these spells. And trying to defy the seals might make you end up being disabled and unable to use magic." Elder Fang looked at all of them in the eye as he smiled sinisterly. Even if they were having ideas to break rules, he knew that once he threatens them regarding their abilities becoming affected, they would behave like obedient dogs. Coughing lightly, he finally decided to start the tour. "Students, be on your best behavior as we leave for the Sacred Temples." The rest of the students visibly gulped and still remained frozen after hearing the Elder''s threat earlier. But then, seconds after, due to their Watcher''s urging, they finally began to move. They obediently followed Elder Fang as he guided them out of the room. On the other hand, Inna''s group was the only one left unmoved and utterly confused. Are they supposed to follow? Or wait until the weird guy finally notices them? Inna looked around, wanting to ask her questions to anyone from the group. But then, she noticed that ever since they turned around, her teammates didn''t even bother talking, much less introducing themselves, so she didn''t know their names at all. Nevertheless, she felt weird just standing there and staring at random things so she decided to talk to all of them ambiguously instead. "Are we going to follow them?" "¡­." Inna''s words dissolved into air. "Are we supposed to wait until that weird guy staring at the wall on the other side of the room finally notices us?" "¡­." Silence¡­ "Am I fat?" "Y-yes¡­." Chapter 83 Did You Blackmail Her? Inna''s gaze immediately shot towards the direction of the voice and her eyes met the top of a girl''s head. The girl slowly looked up and when she saw Inna looking, she immediately turned red and quickly lowered her head. But then, after a few moments, the girl realized what she just said. Her body turned cold as her face paled while showing an expression of pure horror. "Ah..uh¡­ I¡­I''m¡­. S-s-s-s-s-sor-r-r-rry! I-i-i-i d-d-didn''t m-m-m-me-e-e-a-a-n¡­" She stuttered heavily as she wrung her shaking hands together. Inna furrowed her brows, trying to understand why the girl''s reaction was like she was deathly afraid of her. "What''s your name?" She asked the girl with a soft tone but the girl jumped slightly after hearing Inna speak. "I¡­..I¡­.I''m¡­.. M....M-M-May¡­." "Last name?" May slightly looked up to peek at Inna through her eyelashes before quickly lowering it down. "I...C-c-comm¡­..moner¡­." Ah¡­ Just like Raghnall¡­ It must be a rule in their society not to give out last names unless they''re nobility. Inna slowly made her way to May, her shoes making soft thudding noises that strangely matches May''s thundering heartbeat in her chest. "Well, hello May. Nice to meet you." Inna held out a hand for May to shake but after a few seconds, May still kept her head lowered and her hands wringed. Seeing her current state, Inna decided to just let it slide and lamely lowered her outstretched hand. "Hey, no need to be so afraid. I won''t hurt you." Inna decided to appease the meek girl but over the distance, she heard a faint snort. "Yea right. Says the girl who just broke someone''s arm with a single twist for no reason." She glared at the direction of the voice and she saw that scrawny guy raising an eyebrow as if challenging her to prove he was wrong. Inna ignored him and instead, focused on the girl in front of her. "Hey, don''t believe that guy. He''s inhaling drugs so better keep away from him." She said as she referred to the guy''s thin body and sunken cheeks. May didn''t seem to hear her as she clenched her intertwined hands. After a few seconds of trying to encourage herself, May slowly raised her head. Her long jet black hair covered a part of her face but despite that, Inna can clearly see her childish looking face and the cute doe brown eyes that was slightly slanted by the ends. In addition to her being a bit on the shorter stature and her weird habits, Inna felt as though she''s looking at a lost child. "I¡­uhm¡­. I wanted to¡­ answer¡­ 2nd¡­but¡­. You suddenly¡­. Fat¡­ fast¡­ It¡­. Seem¡­ You¡­. Fat¡­" She said in phrases but Inna understood her immediately. So she was supposed to say ''yes'' to waiting for that weird guy but I asked the other question too fast. Inna chuckled as she slowly reached out and patted her head. May flinched at first, but after a few pats, she became like a cat as she started raising her head to be petted more. Suddenly having found courage, May bravely looked straight at Inna. "H-have we met before?" Inna froze as blinked furiously. Girl, don''t ask me that. I don''t have this body''s memories! How the hell am I supposed to know?! Maintaining her composure, she smiled slightly. "Well, probably." She said ambiguously as she decided to quickly change the topic. "Ah! I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Ingrid L--" Wait, should I say the last name? Or am I supposed to be like the commoners? Before Inna could decide, she heard a shout nearby. "Hey! Hey! You guys! You''re my team right?!" The weird man ran to them while beaming. "Hi, hi! Nice to meet all of you! I''m uhm¡­. Frode?" Inna''s face scrunched up when the man placed his sweaty hand on her shoulder as he tried to catch his breath. The cloth near her shoulder soon started becoming slightly damp from his sweat. "Quick! Quickly! Go line up! The last group is about to leave the doors!" The man ignored Inna''s disgusted face as he went to the back and lightly pushed everyone to walk quickly towards the last group. And when Inna saw who the last group was, she unconsciously smiled slightly. Her saving grace is finally here! Raghnall actually requested to let their group be last for the excuse of ''being surrounded by people is annoying'' so the girls happily complied with his request. After all, being in the last group, they can get away with many things. Like, excessive contact and chattering. Especially when the Watcher herself is the one doing it. But in reality, he just wanted to check on Inna''s group. Since their positions earlier were very far apart, he wasn''t able to see her whole team aside from her. So, out of curiosity, he wanted to see who was on her team and which Watcher was in charge of them. So, when he saw Inna running towards them, he immediately excused himself from the two chattering ladies and went to meet her. "Hey." He said with a smile. But when Inna arrived, she immediately furrowed her brows while showing an annoyed expression. "Dafuq?! Why are those bitches here?!" Inna glared at the saggy boobs girl and the recent enemy, the ''you-don''t-deserve-him'' girl. At the corner of their eyes, they noticed Inna''s piercing eyes and they reciprocated it back at her. "Whoa, relax. Don''t cause any more trouble. They''re actually in my team." Raghnall pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. Inna''s face looked dumbfounded at what he said before it turned serious. She looked at him straight in the eye. "Then you better stay away from me. Because I swear to God, if they as much as blink at me, I don''t think I can hold back." Inna intensified her glare and the two girls slowly averted their eyes and tried to make themselves busy with other things. They wanted to report to their Watcher in the far front of their team but she seems to be talking with another female Watcher. "If I do that, then who''s going to be your friend?" Raghnall pouted as he tried to look cute. Inna stopped glaring and looked at Raghnall with a slight smile. "I already made a new friend so, good riddance." Raghnall looked genuinely shocked at her words. "Wha-How?! Is it a man? Is it as handsome as me?! Is he better and stronger than me?!" Inna rolled her eyes at his melodramatic words. "It''s not a ''he,'' it''s a girl. It''s the cute girl with black hair and short legs." "You''re describing pretty much half of the female population in this school." "Uhm, that girl at the very left who''s running to us. She''s my newfound friend." Inna had a proud expression as she pointed at May who was panting while trying to walk quickly. Raghnall furrowed his brows when his eyes landed on a delicate looking girl who looked like she was on the verge of collapsing just because of walking. She looked so weak and fragile which was a big contrast to Inna''s personality. In fact, the little girl looked like the type to be persuaded to do anything with just a little force and coercion. So, in all sincerity, he raised an eyebrow as he gazed as Inna suspiciously. "Wait....." "Don''t tell me..." "Did you blackmail her to be your friend?" Chapter 84 Why Does He Not Know His Name? Inna slapped his arm angrily. "Hey! I know how to make friends! I''m not like you! I don''t grab people out of the blue like a kidnapper!" She pointed out as she recalled the first time they talked to each other. While also reminiscing, Raghnall showed her his signature smirk. "Do you stare at them in adoration too like what you did to me?" ¡­. Touch¨¦. Inna had no way to rebut his statement since technically, she liked his face at first. So, childishly, she just stuck out her tongue in response. Raghnall smiled when he saw that she didn''t deny his claim. Most women claiming ''modesty'' would, but this girl honestly admitted it with no shame. He was supposed to tease her more but with her unexpected response, he saw no enjoyment with continuing. Instead, he just ended up laughing. Then, at the corner of his eyes, he noticed that one by one, her teammates arrived behind her. Realizing his main purpose, he immediately inspected them. But after a few seconds of looking, he couldn''t help but instinctively scrunch up his face. He pulled Inna to his side as he whispered to her ears. "Uhm, not meaning to be offensive but they''re all¡­.." Inna already knew what he was going to say. "Weak?" "Yeah. It''s like they grouped all the low achievers in the batch into one team." "Yeah, I thought so too. And I think it''s another one of that old man''s tricks. I mean, this is too coincidental to call it ''random.''" Raghnall nodded in understanding. Indeed, it seems like Elder Fang still harbor contempt towards her despite the warning he was given. Raghnall was still deep in thought when he suddenly felt an arm snake around his shoulders. "Hey, Mirzo!" His face turned pale at the familiar voice. He knew this voice from way back in his childhood years. He knew this familiar way of addressing him. Heaven''s sent, it can''t be him! It shouldn''t be him. Holy heavens, it really shouldn''t be HIM. That''s impossible. He should''ve graduated years ago! Raghnall reluctantly looked back and he paled even more when he saw that annoying yet familiar smiling face. Holy hell¡­. It really is him. Favian Frode. He couldn''t be caught now so he decided in the only way he can get out of this. "H-hello? Uh, who are y-you?" He pretended not to know him as he slowly maneuvered himself away from his reach. "Whaaaat?!" He screamed lightly. "Cruel! How cruel! How do you not remember me?! We went to--mmppphhh!!" Raghnall immediately covered his mouth as he laughed nervously. "Ha ha ha ha¡­ I must''ve forgotten. It was such a long time ago. You met me in the streets right?" Frode was about to shake his head but feeling Raghnall''s grip tighten on his mouth, he reluctantly nodded. Inna saw their weird exchange and became more suspicious of what Frode just said. Mirzo. It sounded like a name but at the same time, the way he said it was like a nickname. She was about to ask but seeing Raghnall trying to ignore it, she decided to just bring it up later. "So you two know each other?" Inna asked instead. Before Raghnall can react, the Watcher nodded enthusiastically. Seeing that he can''t pretend not knowing him anymore, he decided to tell her but still kept Frode''s mouth shut. "Yeah, he was actually one of the students who went outside of the campus for their yearly mission. We met by chance in the streets." Raghnall smiled but his smile held a warning for Frode. "Why''re you covering his mouth then?" Inna was suspicious of how he was preventing Frode from answering nor doing anything. "He tends to spout stupid things so it''s to keep him in check." He maintained his composed smile as he placed him in a headlock while covering his mouth. Seeing their intimate exchange, Inna couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow in suspicion. "How did you two meet for you guys to get so close? And is he a commoner too?" Raghnall nervously gulped but aside from that action, his face was composed and his voice was normal. It didn''t look like he was panicking except for the fact that inside, his heart is now palpitating. "Nah, he''s from the high class Frode Family. Wait, why are you so curious about him, Ninny? Don''t tell me¡­" He gasped for dramatic effect before continuing. "Do you secretly like him?!" Raghnall smirked as he smoothly tried to change the topic. But Inna knew what he was trying to do so she diverted it back again. "Yes, I do. So please continue. How did you two get so close?" She said nonchalantly, not minding the stiffening of Frode''s body and the reddening of his neck and ears. Raghnall saw that his attempt of a change of topic was a failure so he had no choice but to talk. "Ah.. uhm¡­ He had this mission in this city. And I was in that city. And he bumped into me because he doesn''t know where he was supposed to go. And i accompanied him. And well, you know, the usual things happened. I introduced myself, and he introduced himself and then, you know¡­. We just got friendly with each other." Inna wanted to smack him from what she just heard. It''s so fucking vague that not knowing would''ve been better! She glared at him, but suddenly, she noticed one thing about what he said. "Did you say that he introduced himself?" Hearing her question, Raghnall found it weird for her to pick up on that precise detail but he decided to humor her with an answer. "Yep." Inna narrowed her eyes at him with suspicion "Then why does he not know his name now?" Chapter 85 Theres Crazy And Theres Stupid "Because he''s stupid, that''s why." Raghnall confidently said as he gazed at Frode''s clueless expression. He felt that Frode finally got the hint so he released him from his headlock. Frode stood up with a dissatisfied frown as he straightened his robe and glasses. Why can''t he just say the truth?! It''s like he''s embarrassed to be my friend! He glared at Raghnall before crossing his arms while huffing. At the same time, Inna gazed at him with frustration. After listening to his reply, it''s clear that he''s obviously hiding the real reason! "What?! Stupid?! That''s not even possible! There''s no way a person can be that stupid to forget his own name! Can''t you come up with a better excuse?!" Raghnall laughed sarcastically at her outburst before his face grew serious. "Ninny, if there are crazy people like you, then there are stupid people like him." ¡­. What the fuck did he just say?! Inna''s veins were about to burst. "Okay¡­ First of all¡­" "I. AM. NOT. CRAZY!" "Second, I will insist on the fucking fact that being stupid isn''t a reason to forget your own friggin'' name!" Frode curiously looked at Raghnall and Inna with confusion in his eyes. From what he heard from his friend''s statement, this girl is supposed to be crazy? Without any form of discretion, he began to observe Inna as she spouted more words of complaint. He looked at her body language, her clothing, her footing, and finally, her face. But all the signs of a demented person or a mildly crazed person doesn''t seem to show up as he observed her. Is she really crazy? Or was his friend wrong about his assumption? To test his friend''s claim, Frode stroked his chin as he began going through the multiple books he read about being demented and crazed. While he was doing so, Inna ended her long speech about the reasoning on how stupidity isn''t a valid excuse for forgetting their own name. And of course, Raghnall and the rest only understood about a quarter of what she just said. Well, it''s actually due to the fact that as soon as she started screaming, Raghnall immediately tuned her out with magic without her knowing. Sensing that she was finally done, Raghnall nullified the deafening curse he casted. "So you understand now? There''s no way that that kind of reason is possible!" "Then, tell me, what kind of reason can a person give that completely justifies forgetting his name?" Raghnall challenged Inna because truthfully, he also can''t think of any other reasons as well. Well, aside from the truth of course. Hearing the challenge, Inna tried to think of possible things that can make a person actually forget their own name. She tried to think but she can''t even find a plausible excuse. To think that she studied for 15 years and she can''t even find a reason why people forget their names¡­ Ah WAIT! Amnesia! The iconic and clich¨¦ plot twist in dramas¡­ Amnesia¡­ That''s the only logical explanation¡­ Unless¡­. Wait¡­ There was an instance aside from amnesia where technically, ''she'' didn''t remember ''her name'' either! It was at that time! It''s possible! Wait, a minute, if it''s possible¡­ then he¡­ No way¡­ So if he also can''t remember his name, does that mean¡­ There''s a small chance that he might be¡­. But there''s a bigger possibility of amnesia and it''s actually more logical! Hmmmm¡­. I guess the only way to find out is to ask. "Uhm¡­ How should I say this without being rude¡­." Inna murmured before deciding to just go with it. "Did you ever hit your head?" Raghnall smothered his laughter as he saw Inna ask Frode seriously. Despite hearing his sniggering, Inna decided to continue her line of questioning. "Like a severe trauma in the skull? One where you were preferably in a coma? Like, after being hit in the head, you sleep in a very very long time?" Frode had his eyes widened in awkwardness as he gazed at Inna with confusion. Still, obediently, he honestly tried to answer all her questions. But when Inna saw Frode answering all her questions with ''no''s'', she tried to re-analyze the situation closely. She realized that even if he was injured or may have suffered amnesia, someone would surely tell him or call his name immediately as he woke up. Then he would be saying, ''who are you?'' Then the people would then try to fill in the gaps in his memories, including his name. That''s what usually happens in dramas... So, it should be in a situation where there was no one who knew who ''he'' was! And left with only one possible choice, Inna can''t help but giddily ask him. "Did you also¡­ reincarnate?!" Raghnall and the rest of her teammates who heard her instantly coughed as they choked on their own spit. They all looked at her with eyes wide with disbelief and surprise but Inna ignored their exaggerated reactions. Instead, she focused her eyes on Frode''s face and his smallest reactions. But a few seconds after hearing his silence, she decided to elaborate. "Did you like, arrive in Hel Halja with the Reapers and all? They''re the ones with the cloak and the creepy yellow eyes! Did you also go through the walking in a straight line thing and reaching this tall castle? Then, then after that there was this handsome kingly guy who judges you using fancy words and such? Did you also see blue butterflies and purple grass? Oh wait, if you really did reincarnate, did you also jump in that pool?" After being bombarded with strange questions, Frode didn''t know how to react so he just looked at Inna straight in the eye. For the first time, he held a serious expression as he looked at Inna, then at Raghnall. With a sympathetic gaze and a comforting pat on his friend''s shoulder, he softly spoke to him. "I''m sorry for doubting you. I can see now why you said those words earlier." "She''s definitely crazy." Chapter 86 I’ll Let You Hit Me Inna almost slapped the shit out of that man. She was seriously excited to find someone who suffered the same fate! But to think that the insensitive prick would instead call her ''crazy'', she felt like crushing something with her bare hands! But he was some big-shot high class rich kid so she decided to vent it in something else. And, since Raghnall was the closest and the safest to hit, she instinctively lashed out on him. But before she could do it, Raghnall felt the impending doom so he decided to immediately run away from her. But he didn''t realize that if he left, it would result to someone else becoming the victim. So, because Frode was behind him and he was a tad bit shorter than Raghnall, his shoulder received the destructive blow from Inna. Then suddenly, the two teams heard the sound of something popping before a shrill voice of a girl sounded out. It all happened in a blink of an eye that everyone who witnessed it hadn''t truly processed what happened. And that includes Inna as well. What the fuck just happened? I didn''t even use much force but to think that it would result to something destructive like this?! She looked at her hand with wide eyes before looking at Frode clutching his shoulder in pain. Raghnall saw the surprise in Inna''s eyes and decided to act quickly. He casted a healing spell and popped Frode''s dislocated shoulder back in place before the rest of his teammates could figure out what''s happening. Then, he casted a ''spatial cube'' spell on the three of them as he slowly approached Inna. "Woman! Are you deliberately trying to kill people?! How many times should I tell you to keep your strength in check?!" Then he went over to Frode to see if he had any problems aside from the dislocated shoulder. Seeing that there was nothing else, he breathed a sigh of relief. He then gazed at Inna seriously. "Remember! This guy is a Watcher! ''YOUR WATCHER'' to be exact." Raghnall pointed at the clueless man as he began to slightly raise his voice. "And please, for heaven''s sake, remember his background! HIS PRECIOUS BACKGROUND! He''s not the same as the common people! He''s a high class noble!" Feeling that Inna still didn''t get it, he figured to hiss the words one by one. "HE. IS. A. HIGH. CLASS. NOBLE." "If you harm him, the academy can expel you immediately, no questions asked." Raghnall sighed heavily again as he massaged his temples. He never tried anything as draining as taking care of her. He truly felt like an overworked servant. In fact, he felt like he worked harder than any of the servants in his manor. And that''s saying a lot considering his background. After a few seconds, he looked over and saw Inna''s cute pouting sad face so he decided to end his lecture. Inna saw that he was finished his nagging so she figured it was her turn to speak. "Look, I was supposed to hit you!" Raghnall looked at her incredulously. Hit me?! HOW IS THAT ANY BETTER?! He was about to lash out but then he remembered that she didn''t know his background at all. So, technically, he''s the safest to hit since he''s a commoner. With that realization, he sighed again. "Can you stop that instinctive response of hitting me?! I swear, not even my parents have hit me as much as you did in just a span of a few hours! You''re lucky I got these boys to shield me." "These ''boys''?" Inna looked at him with confusion. As a reply, Raghnall raised up the sleeves in his arm and began to flex it, revealing taut and solid muscles. "Yep. These boys." He smirked at her while Inna''s face scrunched up. "You are disgusting." But despite saying that, Inna stared at them. I mean, it wouldn''t hurt to look now, would it? She said to herself as she discreetly stole glances. But no matter how discreet she was, Raghnall already knew what she was doing so he inwardly laughed to himself. Suddenly, Inna realized, after watching Raghnall closely, that he always tried saving her in difficult situations despite being friends for mere hours. She felt warmth in her heart as she softly smiled. She looked back in her first day in college when she felt that same warmth. It was when she met Bob and their group for the first time. After meeting them, she felt like there was actually a group of people in the same world that can accept her for being eccentric, crazy, and frank. They made her feel like she didn''t have to wear a mask around them, nor does she need to watch her words and actions. She felt like they truly accepted everything about her, the good and the bad. Those feelings and that warmth she felt before is strangely the same with how she felt now with Raghnall. Now, she realized that she can truly trust this arrogant but beautiful man. Then, as if something finally sunk in, Inna drowned in her thoughts as she gazed at Raghnall with a serious expression. "I may not act like I did, but I truly get it. I''ll try to hold myself back from lashing out. I have a bit of anger management issues but I''ll persevere. I mean, if I don''t, I''ll most likely get expelled from this school or be ganged upon by those pesky stuck-up people, right?" Ragnall was slightly surprised from the sudden shift in mood but nevertheless, he was fairly happy with the things she said. "It''s just that¡­ uhhh... If I bottle it all up, there will surely be a time where I can''t take anymore.... So, if I ever feel like I am close to bursting, what should I do?" Inna looked at Raghnall for help before lowering her head. Back in her days, whenever someone pissed her off, she actually still thinks before acting. But then, if they deliberately picked a fight with her, she would always retaliate. Because she knew that if she lets it go, more people would end up picking on her, thinking that she wouldn''t fight back. That''s why in the schools she studied in, almost everyone knew her either as a violent person or someone that occasionally gets into fights. But truthfully, all she wanted was people not to mind her. To just leave her be and let her live her life. But there are just some people in those schools that loves to pick fights on the ''weak-looking'' ones, or the one who had ''issues'' in their lives. They label and they make fun of those people both in secret and out in the open. So, with all these people, Inna couldn''t really enjoy a peaceful school life. Raghnall saw her distressed expression so, as a comforting gesture, he softly patted her lowered head. "Then, at those times¡­." "If you really really can''t hold back your anger anymore¡­" "And if you''re really close to bursting, then..." "I''ll let you hit me with all you''ve got¡­" Chapter 87 Favian Frode 1 Inna looked up at him in surprise. "What if you''ll die? I mean, not to brag but, just like you said, my slap can decapitate people." Raghnall gulped before looking at her with eyes filled with arrogance. Yet within it was a hidden trace of apprehension as well. "W-well, I''m sure I won''t die. I mean, not to brag but, I''m better than you in everything but brute force." He mimicked her words as he puffed up his chest. Meanwhile, the forgotten Frode was brooding at the corner. For heaven''s sake! When will they end their flirting?! Frode decided to just stare a hole through Raghnall''s head as he continued chatting with Inna. Let''s see if his dear friend will remember him anytime soon. After a few minutes, Raghnall finally sensed that he had a third person inside the space. Looking over at the dark corner, he saw Frode with a brooding expression. "Oh yeah¡­ You were there.... Ha ha¡­" He coughed awkwardly as he gestured for him. "C''mere. Ninny wants to apologize properly to you." Frode raised an eyebrow. Ninny? There''s no way that''s a name. Is that¡­.. A pet name?! When did his good brother [1] give girls pet names?! As soon as he arrived near Raghnall, Frode looked at him straight in the eye. "Who are you and what have you done to little Mirzo?" Raghnall rolled his eyes at Frode before ignoring his genuinely confused glare. "Ninny, you know what to do." Inna reluctantly nodded as she faced Frode with a serious expression. "I''m sincerely sorry for dislocating your weak bony shoulder just from a single slap of my hand. It was supposed to be for Raghnall but he ran away. You were behind him and you were too slow to react so I accidentally hit you instead. Also, I''m sorry for making you look weaker than you already are in front of your assigned team." Raghnall almost smacked his forehead with his palm. This is not an apology at all! But despite the weird phrasing, Frode didn''t seem to mind it as his face immediately brightened up. "Of course, of course. I accept such a sincere apology!" Then he patted Raghnall in the shoulder. "You''ve found a really nice friend, Mirzo!" Raghnall looked at his stupid friend and contemplated to just leave the two idiots together. They would seem to be a better match. One was crazy while the other was stupid. In the end, he just sighed. "Favian, you better watch your words. Stop calling me ''Mirzo'' here. My name is Raghnall! I can''t believe you still can''t remember that!" Favian? Raghnall? Remember? Frode frowned as he heard the words. Suddenly, as if a switch has been flipped, Frode blinked furiously before he turned his frown into a straight line. His goofy childish aura was nowhere to be seen, instead, a calming and powerful presence was in its place. His back became properly straight, his shoulders was slightly pushed back, and his chin was raised in an elegant manner. He fixed his hair into a more manageable hairstyle and the way he pushed up his glasses looked regal. His grey eyes held a dark sense of clarity and seriousness while his expression was stoic and unreadable. In fact, it looked like he grew up in just a span of a few seconds. And now, in front of them was a full-fledged adult with proper mannerisms and etiquette, and actually had common sense. "Apologies. I''ve been caught up in some problematic homework for the past two nights. Due to that, I''ve unknowingly switched back in exhaustion. Indeed, it''s truly been a long time, Raghnall." Favian placed his left hand on the right side of his chest as he softly bowed before Raghnall. Since this was their society''s form of formal greeting, Raghnall did the same. Meanwhile, Inna was at a loss of what to make out of the situation. "Uhm¡­. What''s happening? Why is he becoming like that all of a sudden? It''s scary how he''s normal now." Seeing her flustered expression, Raghnall decided to elaborate. "Uh, so, Ninny, not everyone knows this but Favian has¡­. Quite a¡­. uhm, ''special'' constitution." "Raghnall¡­" Favian''s tone held a warning as he looked at Inna with an unsure face. Raghnall patted his shoulder in reassurance. ''We can''t fool her, she''s too sharp. She''ll surely know about it sooner or later. So, to avoid further complications, it''s better to just tell her beforehand.'' He communicated with him telepathically using magic. ''Or you could just say that you don''t want to be pestered by her so you decided to just tell her to avoid further trouble upon yourself.'' Hearing the exasperation in Favian''s voice, Raghnall smiled ambiguously at him before facing Inna. "This is the main reason why I had to set up this spatial cube. This spatial cube is a space created by magic, similar to a spatial pouch. No one can see, hear, or even feel what we are doing here unless the caster, which is me, wished for it." "That''s because, aside from certain people, other people can''t know about it specifically. Other students had their hunches but they all just categorized it as a sort of ''weird'' behavior." "Now, about his constitution¡­" "A few seconds ago, you were asking why he can''t even remember his name, right?" Inna nodded enthusiastically. After all that speech about ''stupidity isn''t the cause,'' she was truly eager to know the truth! "And I bet you also wondered why he''s in the Rose class despite being that stupid." Inna nodded. She couldn''t forget the obvious preferential treatment of Elder Fang towards him being a Rose class. "Well, his unique constitution is all about his mind. Most people who knew about it called it an ''innate'' curse because he had it since he was young. Basically, he has two ''minds.'' One has memories of himself and his life, while the other has a vast knowledge of everything related to magic and magical abnormalities. The latter is extremely strong and knowledgeable since it can immediately learn and memorize spells even though it only saw it once. But it''s down side is that it does not know of worldly knowledge." "Now, the only way to switch control of their ''single body'' is for Favian himself to ''want'' to switch. It means that if he deeply wants to remember things about himself, he would switch from being a ''magical genius'' to ''a nobleman.'' If he wants to remember things about magical spells and such, he would switch back to being a ''genius.''" Inna tried to analyze what he said. "But wait, why did he recognize you if he''s supposed to ''not know himself?''" "That''s because we first met when he was in his ''genius'' self. Then, I became acquainted with his ''noble'' self. Usually, we call the genius, ''Frode'' and the noble, ''Favian'' to avoid confusion when we talk." "So, if that''s the case, you could''ve told him his name years ago. What''s the reason why he didn''t remember his name today?" "I''m not sure of it myself but every time Frode comes out, he forgets everything about himself, including his name and his things. It''s like his mind purposely destroys any information about himself as a person. So, all the time, someone has to remind him for Frode to actually know. Actually, if you see his room, everything there has a label, and he leaves notes to himself beforehand to avoid the ''genius'' to become more stupid than he already was." "And, let me guess, he forgot to leave a note about his name and such?" "No, I didn''t. It''s just that I saw the note about being a Watcher first and my stupid self decided to run out before reading the other notes beside it." Favian sighed in annoyance as he recalled it. Then, he looked at Inna with a serious expression. "Please do keep this a secret, uhm¡­. Ninny?" Chapter 88 Favian Frode 2 Inna''s face scrunched up instinctively. I don''t need another weirdo to call me that weird ass nickname. "Please don''t call me that. My name is Ingrid. Call me Inna, for short." "Ah, okay, Inna. Please keep this matter a secret. I''m the direct heir to the Frode Family. So, if my other relatives who do not want me as the heir were to know this secret, they would surely take advantage of it to kill me. Because according to traditions, if I die, the Frode Family will have to hold a battle for succession. This will bestow anyone in the family the right to become the heir, no matter if you were just a distant relative or part of the main family." "And that''s why most of my relatives eagerly wait for my death. The Frode Family is a mix of a military family and a merchant''s family. My mother is a military tactician and was titled as ''General'' by the emperor. She holds half of the military power of Anemoly. My father, on the other hand, is a merchant. He built an empire on jewelry making alone. And his stores are one of the most sought after by the noblewomen and commoners alike. In fact, he earns millions of gold coins while he sitting and handling family matters. Hence, the money in our treasury is always increasing. In fact, the family is having trouble keeping all of it so we usually do charity for the needy. Or invest it in this Academy." "So, it''s pretty clear that anyone is capable of doing anything to get their hands on the family''s vast amount of wealth and the enviable strength of having thousands of military combatants under their command." Inna nodded in understanding. Power and money, what else could they ask for? That''s how it has always been in her world, and it''s not surprising how it''s also like this in their world. After all, human greed is always present anywhere. While deep in thought, Raghnall decided to cut their conversation short. "Hey guys, Rira''s been trying to dent the spatial cube for quite some time. So I think it''s best for us to get out now." Both Inna and Favian nodded in agreement. But, as if noticing something, Inna curiously looked at Favian''s current demeanor and asked hesitantly. "Hey, aren''t you going to be¡­. Uhm, stupid again?" Frode looked at her from the corner of his eye and shook his head. "Too troublesome. I''d have to ask Raghnall to retell all the information I needed because I don''t have the notes now. It would take too much time and effort on his part. Besides, Rira knows about my weird behavior so she''s used to it." "But the others?" "I couldn''t care less about them. They''re new students. They would probably just pass it off as something ''weird.'' And since I''m a Watcher, they wouldn''t dare question me about it." Inna nodded in understanding. After all, her team looked like they wouldn''t even dare to ask anyone their name. All of a sudden, Inna noticed the tinted walls of the cube suddenly disappearing. And similar to her ears being unclogged, she was finally able to hear the loud background noise. Especially a loud female voice by her side. "Raghnall! My dear! Why did you leave me?!" Inna''s face scrunched up in disgust at the sickly sweet voice. Looking at the direction where it came from, she saw a gray-robed woman holding her arms out as she tried hugging Raghnall. Raghnall cleverly dodged to one side as he laughed nervously. "I was just reprimanding a friend of mine. She made a little mistake that involved her Watcher in charge." Rira was annoyed that he dodged her hug but was even more annoyed that no matter how blatant her advances are on him, he doesn''t seem to show any interest. After hearing what he said, she immediately looked at the people he talked about. In her gaze, she saw a tan skinned woman who looked like she''d rather wrestle a bear than fight with magic, and a familiar man who had the same grey robes as she did. Ugh, it''s that weak loser and the weirdo. "Why do you even acquaint yourself with her? You''re better than that. Besides, if she made a mistake, it''s her Watcher''s responsibility to reprimand her." Meanwhile, Inna''s team who saw what happened simply looked at Rira like she was crazy. She broke his shoulder with a slap! How do you expect the victim to reprimand the assailant?! But because of their fear and lack of a backbone, they all just kept silent. On the other hand, Raghnall''s expression darkened as he heard her words but he held himself in check. "Miss Rira, with all due respect, I do not need you to choose my friends. A ''Watcher'' should do her job properly in monitoring the students." Rira''s face stiffened upon hearing Raghnall''s words but she decided to ignore the disdain in his voice. "Aw, does that mean that you want me to just concern myself about the team and not your friend?" She giggled cutely as she tried to grab unto his arm. "Don''t worry, I''ll give you all the attention you want." Raghnall''s face scrunched up in disgust and discreetly tried to pry his arm away from her. Meanwhile, Favian''s face held a disgusted expression and decided to stop her from degrading herself further. "Rira, the group in front has been moving for quite some time. I think you need to start moving as well. You wouldn''t want your team to be left behind and you to be scolded for irresponsibly handling them, now would you?" Rira looked at Favian and realized that he changed. "Oh, so you''re the less annoying Frode now. Well, hello there. Why don''t you mind your own business?" She spat as her hold on Raghnall''s arm tightened. Exasperated, Raghnall decided to just drag her back to where his other teammates were. But, not before telepathically sending Favian a message. ''Don''t switch back until I say so. Frode still calls me Mirzo.'' Chapter 89 What is Mirzo??? When Raghnall and his team began to move, Inna''s team moved along with them. But for some reason, along the way, it seems that Rira used her influence as a Watcher to get two teams to come in between Inna and Raghnall''s team. In fact, she even placed Raghnall in the forefront as she kept a keen eye on him. Inna was truly disgusted by the clingy attitude of Rira. Back in her world, that kind of clingy-ness would only be justified if they were actually together. But if they''re not, that''s just plain desperate. Meanwhile, the rest of the team proceeded in silence all throughout the trip. They simply followed Favian as he walked along the line in silence as well. No one seemed to be brave enough to break the peace so everyone was forced to endure the deathly quiet air. Minutes passed and Inna began to feel uncomfortable with the silence. The whole walk was actually the longest time she spent not talking. In fact, even she was surprised that she could handle minutes of being silent without being pissed at someone. But as those minutes increased, her discomfort increased as well. Until finally, she was now unable to endure it. So she tugged lightly at Favian''s gray sleeve in front of her. "Hey." Favian ignored her as he kept walking. She tugged again twice. "Hey. Hey." Favian stopped slightly and looked back at her with an eyebrow raised. "What do you want?" "Hi. So, I''m bored." "Well, good for you. Why don''t you focus on walking?" "But I want to talk! It''s so weird not to talk for twenty min--moments!" Favian expression darkened as he sighed in annoyance. "Once we enter the sacred grounds, talking is strictly forbidden. We are to offer prayers and wishes as we walk towards the sacred temples. Only an insensitive idiot would talk during that time. And you''ll be heavily punished by the Grand Elder. Do you really want that?" Inna absorbed this new bit of information. Hmmm, seeing that he is still talking, we probably didn''t arrive in that ''sacred grounds'' yet. With that in mind, she grinned broadly. "Well, we''re obviously not there yet." "But we will be in a few moments." "Well, we can waste those ''moments'' by talking." "Don''t you have anything better to do than talk?" "Nope." Favian sighed again as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Fine, let''s talk. What do you want?" "What''s ''Mirzo''?" "Mirzo? You don''t know what that means?" He was slightly surprised and suspicious as well. After all, everyone in Anemoly knows that word! It was either she was stupid, or she never lived in Anemoly. Well, it''s not his fault she didn''t understand it. She wasn''t supposed to hear it in the first place. Inna narrowed her eyes when she heard his tone. "Well, seeing your confidence, do you actually know what that means?" "A-ah? Mirzo? I don''t know as well. T-that''s why I was asking you!" Favian feigned ignorance as his walking pace slightly hastened. "Your stupid self called Raghnall ''Mirzo'' so I thought you also knew. After all, you share the same bodies." "But we don''t share everything we know." He replied flatly as he tried to make his expression look blank. "Well, if it helps, I don''t think it''s a name. It sounds too bizarre to be one. So, it must be like a nickname of some sort." Favian nervously gulped but since his back was to Inna, she wasn''t able to see his nervousness. "Well, don''t believe the ramblings of my stupid self. Even I couldn''t figure out the meaning behind some of his words. It seems that it''s just something between him and Raghnall." "Really? Why don''t we ask your--" "We''re entering the Sacred Grounds. Shut up." Favian said quickly as he gestured at the huge arched open gate in front of them. Inna pouted in annoyance. Ugh, just as she was about to figure it out! Fuck, why is the timing so bloody awful?! --------------------------------------------- All throughout the journey within the Sacred Grounds, the students kept to themselves and were obedient towards the traditions. It was slightly unnerving how the place was so silent that the students'' breathing can be easily heard from afar. As they walk, the students placed both their hands on their chest and bowed their heads as they began to pray for their well-being and future in the academy. Some prayed for strength and many wished for guidance. But one student was simply sight-seeing. Inna was the only student who held her head up high and had her hands to the side. The rest of the team behind her were startled to see her not following the tradition, but they were too scared to call her out for it. So, instead, they bowed their heads deeply and simply prayed that they would no longer be together with such a freak. On the other hand, Inna was enjoying looking around as she saw the people in front looking all solemn and such to pray for their ''god.'' Since she was atheistic, she normally wouldn''t really care less about their made-up ''gods.'' But now, after all the shit that''s been happening to her, she''s willing to keep an open mind. Although, not fully trusting the fact that there is a real god. Because she''s the type of person that if she sees it, she would only ''half'' believe it. She wouldn''t ''fully'' believe it until she is given a proper explanation. Well, the only exception were ghosts. Fuck seeing it. Fuck the explanation. Real or not, it doesn''t matter. She''d rather believe and not see it than not believe and end up seeing it. Her fear was actually due to a line in a book she read when she was a kid. It read, "If you still do not believe in them, then they would find a way to make you believe. Because the more you don''t believe they exist, the more they would want to show themselves to you." So, fuck no, not taking any chances. --------------------------------------------- After a few seconds of walking, the annoying feeling of boredom began creeping up in her mind again. So, looking for a way to ease it, she decided to play a little game of ''I Spy''. Eager to get it started, she looked closely around the area to find her targets. But as she looked, she realized that it was quite alarming to see that it actually resemble a lavish garden. It had multiple plants like roses, lilies, lavenders, and many more. In fact, it looked like a pretty grave for the rich dead people. The place had a vast amount of space and was mostly filled with numerous plants and vines. But despite its size, the pathway can easily be seen and followed because of the presence of the red tiled path. It gave a huge contrast on the soil and plants surrounding it that it can easily get a lost person''s attention. As Inna and the rest walked, there were pillars and marble sculptures that flanked them on both sides. Passing by multiple ones, each statue had sorts of different iconic poses and they all had varying expressions. One of Inna''s favorites was a statue of a man clad in full armor with his shield on his side and a sword held up high. His eyes held a strong sense of determination and wrath while his mouth was opened as though he was letting out a battle cry. Across that statue was another statue she liked, but it had the opposite feel. If the former statue had a feeling of war and blood, the latter had the feel of tranquility and power. The said statue was of a beautiful man who had a book opened in one hand, and a staff on the other. He stood in a tall and proud manner, his robe and hair sculpted to make it as though it is still swaying with the wind. It looked eerie yet enchanting at the same time. Inna gazed with awe as she absorbed the beauty of the place with her eyes. It looked like that place she once read about in stories. AH, OLYMPUS! If it were to have a passageway, it would totally be like this, surrounded with marble statues and pillars flanked on each side. It would have various kind of plants and vines that would creep upon the statues to give it a more ''ancient feel'' towards it. And possibly a fountain in the middle. It would look regal, solemn, and totally greek-like. It would look even more fitting if this pathway was actually towards the top of a tall mountain! Her fascination with the statues occupied her mind for a while. But after a few minutes of walking, she began to get bored again. So, she finally started her game of ''I Spy.'' I spy with my big cute eyes, something¡­ beautiful. She looked at a puddle that showed her reflection and she patted herself as a reward for successfully finding it. She kept the game rolling as they walked for a few more minute, unknowingly insulting almost every person she can see. Suddenly, the line stopped moving, making Inna and the rest of her team stop as well. Curious with the sudden stop, she went on the tip of her toes as she tried to see what''s happening. Chapter 90 Eriden = Chair Then, in the forefront of the line, she saw a similar looking arched pillar that was about five meters tall. And upon closer inspection, she noticed that the space between the arched pillars were distorted and moving, like there was a sort of portal or barrier. Then, she saw Favian and the rest of the Watchers turning around in perfect synch to face their assigned groups. "Beyond these pillars is the Sacred Temple. Please maintain its solemnity as we enter. If any rude and unwanted behavior were to occur, the perpetrators will be punished accordingly. " After their announcements, the Watchers ushered their teams in the portal. One by one, they were soon transported inside this huge cathedral looking ''temple.'' And when Inna entered the portal, she couldn''t withhold her gasp as she looked around. The temple was absolutely stunning! White walls, white ceiling, and such great artistic paintings! It had this familiar feeling from its designs, starting from its arched windows, high ceilings, to its vast amount of space and walls filled with murals. After thinking deeply, Inna noticed that it incorporated the designs of ancient churches back in her world. Yet at the same time, it held its own originality with the magical floating lights and the paintings all around it. Actually, because of the numerous wall paintings, the temple eerily resembled the Sistine Chapel. Except that the paintings surrounding all the walls in the temple are alive. Like the ones in Hogwarts, they move and act out their scenes like videos. When she noticed it, she couldn''t help but gasp in astonishment. But given the fact that Eriden is their world''s only accepted religion, the paintings were all about Eriden''s version of the creation of their world. All throughout on the left walls of the temple, it showed the scenes of the creation of Mana, the original animals, and plants. On the right, it showed the power-crazy Mana, Chi and the other humanoid beings Mana created, the magical beasts, magical plants, and it even showed the extinction of the original beings. Then, at the concave ceiling, there were paintings of the clear blue sky and in those clouds lay a man in white robes whose face was hidden by the sun. If she''s not wrong, that must be the Supreme God. All around him in the concave, there were numerous white cloaked figures that had their faces hidden in the shadows. It was particularly eye-catching because the painting of the Supreme God and those figures were the only unmoving paintings in the whole temple. With her curiosity piqued, Inna tugged at Favian''s robe. But, it was either he was ignoring her, or he didn''t feel it because no matter how often she tugged, Favian seemed to ignore her. Irritation was starting to blossom in her so she roughly tugged his robe. Then as she did it a second time, she heard a faint ripping sound. Schhhhrrrrkkk! Favian stopped walking and stared wide-eyed at his ripped sleeve. It was just a little rip but his hidden perfectionist side was greatly disturbed by it. "What. Do. You. Want." He hissed out as he glared at her. Seeing his furious expression, her mind blanked out and she ended up nervously stuttering. "H-hi." Hi?! Did she just rip his sleeve to say ''hi''?! Favian curled up his top lip as he growled out. "If you don''t have anything worthwhile to say, why don''t you just shut up and follow?" He huffed as he turned and tried to catch up on the line. Inna soon followed after him and after her astonishment melted away, she finally regained her thoughts. "Hey, I actually have something worthwhile to say." It seems that Favian was scared that she''ll do something worse than ripping his robe so he immediately placed his sleeves in front while he looked back for her to explain. "Who are those white cloaked guys in the ceiling?" He looked at her strangely again. Why does she not know the common knowledge in Anemoly? Is she really what he thinks she is? Anoutsider? "They are the Immortals or Guardians. They are made from a part of the Supreme God and they are tasked to personally handle the creations. Although they are supposed to be like Mana, watching over the creations and such, they do not have free will and are soulless. Despite that, they are loyal to the Supreme God because they are a part of Him." "Legends says that all the Immortals are unfeeling, and emotionless. They are cold and ruthless and strictly governs their domains without being seen by anyone. And some said that they are like mere puppets but their powers are unimaginable." Inna looked at the ceiling''s mural again and suddenly, a face appeared in her mind. The King¡­. Inna didn''t know why but when Favian started describing the Immortals, the King''s enchanting face popped inside her mind. Unfeeling¡­ Emotionless¡­ A puppet¡­ Unimaginable power¡­ Those words pretty much described his whole aura. Despite being lost in thought, she continued walking and followed Favian as they drew near to a mass of seats. The seats were common wooden seats in the highest possible quality. Most of it were colored white, about occupying the vast area of the temple by more than a half while two long columns were colored red. Slowly, after being instructed by their Watchers, team after team sat in the rows of white seats while the Watchers sat at the red ones. After her whole team had sat down, Inna finally noticed that the temple had an altar that greatly resembled the one in the ''churches'' in her world. But in the altar, aside from the simply white clothed marble table, there was also a huge and tall chair that towered over the whole temple. The chair was made of marble and because of its size, it looked like it can fit a Titan or two. In short, it really was huge. It spans the whole width of the temple, which can fit about millions of people. Its height was something noteworthy as well. If Inna were to compare it to the things back in her world, the chair''s height is about half a skyscraper high. And, if Inna guessed right, this must be the representation of their Supreme God? She knew that the Christians have crosses for that... But to think that the followers of Eriden had¡­ a chair? Chapter 91 Class Change Battles 1 "It''s a Throne." Favian suddenly spoke up making Inna jump in surprise. He found her looking at the chair intensely while having a confused face so he decided to speak first to avoid anymore ''accidents'' from happening. "We know that the Supreme God is always with us but we are not worthy enough to be able to see him. We build thrones in all temples to show that we await his arrival. And the throne is also there to remind us that he watches over and governs us all. It is a throne that will remain everlasting and unreachable." Inna nodded in understanding as she pursed her lips together. Then, at the corner of her eye, she saw some movement by the altar. Elder Fang made his way towards the altar as he hid his injured hand inside his sleeves. Facing the numerous amount of students before him, he activated his volume enhancement spell. "Everyone, we will now commence the Rite of Acceptance. Please kneel and recite it together with me." After seeing everyone slowly kneeling, Elder Fang dimmed the magical lights. Now that everyone had their knees on the ground, Inna had no choice but to follow suit. She looked left and right, wishing to just imitate everyone''s actions. When she saw them place both their hands on their chests as they bowed their heads, Inna did the same as well. Then, when all students had their heads bowed, Elder Fang started to speak. "As the Supreme God watches over us¡­" And before Inna knew it, everyone else began reciting statement after statement with Elder Fang. She wasn''t informed of this sort of Rite so she tried her hardest to blend in. "¡­ We promise to be brave..." "Brave!" "Determination will be in our veins¡­" "In Veins!" "¡­ Be not like Mana, led astray¡­" "Mana ashtray!" Favian''s face scrunched up as he heard the lunatic beside him spouting nonsense. He really needs to ask Raghnall about this girl. She''s too strange to be trusted. Or maybe he could bring it up to the Headmaster himself. After all, there are big chances that she might be a spy from an opposing noble family, or even from the neighboring country! That''s because she''s too uneducated to be able to be admitted in the prestigious Eldora Academy! And she knows too little about the common knowledge in Anemoly and even in the academy! He simply had to observe the way she always asks, the peculiar way she talks, and the crazy way she behaves to know that she''s definitely suspicious! Menawhile, oblivious to Favian''s thoughts, Inna continued her strategy of echoing whatever she heard until the recitation of the students ended. She thought that she was able to get away with it, but sadly, the teams in front of her were secretly laughing at her. In fact, as soon as it ended, they began to whisper to themselves. "Can you believe that she can''t even memorize the prayer for the Rite of Acceptance in Eldora Academy?" "I learned that ever since I was a kid! Everyone who wanted to enter this academy memorized it by heart already! To think that she can''t even say a straight line!" "I know right? It took me everything I had not to laugh at her poor attempt in covering it up. What does a ''Mana Ashtray'' even mean?" "I hope the Headmaster will soon see that picking up a stray cat won''t make it grow into a tiger. She obviously isn''t fit to be here if she can''t even do something so simple." Inna was about to lash out when she felt a dull pain in her chest. Then, all of a sudden, the pain transformed into something constricting. It felt like something was squeezing her chest real tight that whenever she inhaled, it causes a faint stabbing pain near her heart. Seeing the pale complexion of Inna, Favian became alert. "Are you okay? Do you need some healing?" Inna furrowed her brows at the odd pain in her chest. After a few painful breaths, she saw that the pain gradually began to fade away so she shook her head at Favian. "I''m okay. Just had trouble breathing, that''s all." He was unsure if he should believe her since he saw small beads of cold sweat appearing on her forehead. But when he saw her complexion getting better and better, and he saw her body relaxed, he figured that she''s probably alright now. So, after one last check, he decided that it was probably nothing. So he turned his attention towards the altar and began to listen as Elder Fang spoke. "Students, please rise." The kneeling students quietly rose in unison. "Now that your prayers have been offered and the Rite of Acceptance has been completed, we will now commence the Class Change Battles." "The Class Change Battles is a competition that can change your fate in this academy. As you have experience a few hours ago, you have been bestowed magical flowers. These flowers represented your respective classes and also reflected your abilities and capabilities. Now, there can be possible errors on how your class was chosen. You can be stronger than a Heather class, but you''ve been assigned in Anemone class due to your rank in power." "And we all know that power ranking is not a hundred percent accurate in figuring out who is stronger and weaker. A witch can be in Oleander class but only know of one high rank spell. And because of that, she can easily be defeated by a witch in a Belladonna class who knows multiple intermediate rank spells." "Strength doesn''t only come from power. The number of spells you know, the quality of these spells, and the way you utilize these spells can make you better and stronger. In fact, it can even change the tide of the match. Hence, to truly know a person''s strength, it would be best to engage in real battles." "And thus, on the first day of admission, Class Change Battles are held." The students began to murmur amongst themselves, their excitement was barely contained. When the students'' noises started to rise, Elder Fang raised his uninjured hand to silence them. "Students, although these ''battles'' are mere sparring sessions in disguise, take each match seriously. After all, this will be the only chance you''ve got to change your class." Chapter 92 Class Change Battles 2 "So, prepare yourself physically and mentally as we make our way towards the training grounds." Elder Fang made a gesture with his hand and all the Watchers immediately stood up in unison. They were like soldiers as they moved. Quick and sharp. Elder Fang came down from the altar and went to the exit first. Then, when they saw that he was gone, the Watchers guided the teams into the same line they had arrived with before silently going out. After a few more minutes of walking around the campus, they finally arrived in a light brown dome-arena. Its stony walls were made to curve, probably done using magic, and were shaped to resemble half of a complete sphere. It looked like a huge boulder because of the absence of windows but surprisingly, the area was cool and breezy. Upon entering inside, Inna was actually shocked to see that the area was huge. Like, seriously huge. By what she saw, she can roughly estimate its diameter by about, a hundred and fifty meters and its height was about, sixty meters tall. She was also quite shocked about their architectural designs because they were almost as good as her own world. Her shock was actually coming from the fact that their world is a degenerate in most aspects, like bathing and hair care. Well, it must be possible because they have enchantment magic. They were probably using it to support the whole thing and make it bend the way they wanted it to. So, after analyzing it closely, it actually makes sense that the architectural aspect of their world would be great though, not as great and secure as her world''s. Because she''s sure as hell, that if the magic fails, the whole thing will surely fall apart because it got no cables and stuff that''s keeping it together. Inside, it was strangely well lit and well ventilated despite having no windows. Also, she saw huge stony stairs-like chairs surrounding the dome. She almost mistook them for stairs because of the way they were cascaded. They truly retained the arena-like arrangement of the chairs that it reminded her of that famous Colosseum back in Rome. The Watchers ushered the students to the center of the dome where Elder Fang was waiting as he floated above all of them. "Here, we hold our annual ranking matches and our Practical Lessons. Those who are Witches and Warlocks should make themselves familiar with the area. After all, they''ll be the ones who would be visiting this place often." The students proficient with curses all nodded their heads in understanding. "Now, I will be telling you the technicalities in this event. As you all know, it''s been tradition to have team battles in this event. A team will have to battle another team. This will help you learn cooperation and make you adapt to your role in a team, whether it would be support, or being the vanguard. Use your spells to your advantage and read your opponents moves and spells well to be able to win." "When a team defeats another team, the Watchers assigned would give their verdict on who performed well enough to be ranked up and have their class changed. On the losing team''s side, if they were unable to defeat a student from a lower class, it is possible for them to be demoted to another class as well. The decision will all be in the hands of your Watchers and myself, included." "In fact, in some extreme cases, if someone were to act so badly, expulsion can be made possible." Inna saw Elder Fang''s gaze stop at her for quite some time before continuing on looking around. "The rules are simple. No physical blows allowed. Physical blows imbued with magic enhancement spells are okay. But pure Combat skills are absolutely forbidden in these battles." "Second, no deaths allowed. If a student kills another student in any way, the perpetrator will be dealt with accordingly. Depending on the situation, it could result from expulsion to imprisonment." "Third, weapons of any kind will be prohibited. Any form of weapons you have now would be confiscated and any form of a storage space you have would have to be turned over to your Watchers before any matches start. And do not give me the excuse that you are able to create your own space. Only a small percent of high rank mages are able to utilize spatial magic. Unless you are that talented, you ca--" Rira raised her hand in glee, catching Elder Fang''s attention. He stopped himself and raised an eyebrow at Rira''s sudden gesture. "Miss Grindle, for what reason are you raising your hand at this moment?" Rira''s smile widened as she grabbed onto Raghnall''s arm. Seeing the gesture, both Raghnall and Elder Fang frowned at her sudden familiarity but due to different reasons. "Miss Rira Grindle, as I have told you beforehand, please refrain from unnecessary contact." "My deepest apologies, Grand Elder. It is just that my excitement got the best of me." She said apologetically but she still didn''t let go. At this time, everyone''s eyes were already on them. "Well, what important business do you have to interrupt me?" "Well, my team is heavily concerned about the third rule, Grand Elder." Elder Fang raised an eyebrow. There were never cases of anyone having any trouble with the rules before so deep inside, he was greatly perplexed. "And what might have caused them to be heavily concerned?" Rira walked and dragged Raghnall slightly to the front. "Well, Grand Elder, you see¡­" Chapter 93 Class Change Battles 3 "We have a student here that can use spatial spells. His name is Raghnall and he''s the famous newbie genius who''s able to qualify for the Rose Class." Elder Fang''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Spatial¡­. Spells? Are you certain?" Rira grinned smugly at the female Watchers that were glaring at her direction before answering Elder Fang. "Yes, I am quite certain, Grand Elder. I saw the spatial cube that he made. I thought it was some low-grade spell since he''s just a newcomer so I''ve been trying to dent it for a few moments yet not a single scratch was seen. It seems pretty sturdy and powerful to call the spell a simple fluke. Therefore, I concluded that he must be proficient with spatial spells." Hearing Rira''s words, Raghnall almost hit himself as he finally realized his stupidity. He was supposed to be laying low. What the hell happened that it actually turned out this way?! His father will surely kill him when he finds out! Raghnall was about to deny it when Elder Fang suddenly spoke up. "I see. Since he is able to use spatial spells, he would need a handicap to make the battles fair. His abilities will be temporarily sealed and he can only use two spells in each match. No more and no less." Rira nodded in understanding and when she saw Elder Fang''s frown deepen as he stare at her, she realized that she was still holding on to Raghnall''s arm. Now feeling intimidated by the Elder''s deep frown, she immediately let go and stood in an appropriate distance away from Raghnall. Then, lifting his frown, Elder Fang looked at Raghnall from above. "Boy, I will personally be monitoring you in every match. Since you are the only newcomer assigned in the Rose class, which is the pinnacle of all classes, you would surely not be able to change classes unless you are demoted. Thus, the Watchers wouldn''t necessarily have the need to monitor you. Hence, I would be observing you to see if you would obey the rules I set. Remember, only two spells. Do you understand, my boy?" Raghnall bowed his head as he spoke with a tone full of respect. "Yes, Grand Elder. This commoner understands and will obediently abide towards the rules you have set upon this commoner." Elder Fang nodded in approval then he waved his hand to tell Rira and Raghnall to return back to their team. When they were settled, Elder Fang coughed lightly as he tried to continue what he was supposed to say before he was abruptly cut off. "Ahem. To continue, the Watchers will be the ones choosing your opponents. They will take the diversity of classes in each team into consideration. And such, the battles would be fair and at the same time challenging. We would be having two matches in each round. Each match has a time limit of 2 moments. If the teams are unable to provide a victor, it would result to a draw. Then, that would mean that both teams would remain in the same class they originally were assigned to." "If I haven''t emphasized it enough, only those teams who were able to win would get the chance to rank up. Being in a draw means that their classes would be unchanged and if the team suffers a loss, there would be a chance that they would be demoted." "And the number of students who was able to change their classes last year were only two people out of four hundred students, so I wish all of you luck!" "Now, let us begin the Class Change Battles!" Elder Fang slowly lowered himself to the ground. Then, he held out his hand and four Watchers knelt down in perfect unison. The teams together with them was confused on what to do at first. Having no other option, they decided to just imitate their Watcher''s actions and knelt as well. At the same time, the rest of the remaining Watchers ushered their teams towards the stone chairs around the battling area. After everyone finally sat down, they noticed that the four Watchers began to form into two groups, one on the left and one on the right. These two groups had two teams each who stood across each other. The atmosphere was tense around them as they sized up their opponents and tried to come up with battle plans together with their allies. After the Watchers repeated the rules to their assigned team, they stood beside Elder Fang while observing their assigned team. They clasped their hands behind their backs as their eyes narrowed in concentration. "Through your Watcher''s decision, your teams will be the first to fight! Everyone get yourselves ready!" Elder Fang eyed the four teams as he announced. "Under the Supreme God''s guidance, we shall commence the match to officially¡­ start!" As soon as Elder Fang ended, different kinds of spells were casted one after another. Inna looked over enthusiastically as she tried to follow through with the spells they were using. "Hrisht?" "Kuros?" "Nibra?" Because of the distance, she can barely hear their full incantations despite being able to clearly see them. Truthfully, her mouth actually watered at the thought of various different spells in front of her, waiting for it to be ''tested'' by her, to see if there were any Potter-worthy spells to use for her satisfaction. But it''s just too bad that she''s unable to follow what the words in the incantations are. So, she simply sat broodingly while she watched the matches. But then she realized, since it was her first time actually seeing such intense magic battles in real life, she might as well enjoy what she''s seeing! In a second, sparks flew¡­ In another, mist gathered¡­ Then suddenly, screams were heard¡­ And she saw some blood was splattered¡­ Chapter 94 Class Change Battles 4 Finally, before the 2 minutes were up, both matches finished nearly at the same time. The match on the left had their opponents totally beaten into a pulp. The winning team''s ace was a mage who had a bit of background on Combat. Because of that, their offense was truly strong. On the other hand, it seems that the losing team had mediocre members and a slow priest so the rest of the team members weren''t healed in time. Thus, it ended with the team members suffering from mental and physical fatigue due to being wounded. Since the only way to prove a loss is when the members are no longer able to continue, the fight was a bit dragged out by a few seconds before the loss was declared. On the other hand, the match on the right had a shocking outcome. The winning team''s ace was the ''weak'' warlock in the team. But although his rank in power was the lowest in the team, he knew of various spells. And to partner it off, his ability to adapt his mind to the situation and to be able to find suitable spells in the nick of time is astounding. Ironically, the losing team was actually stronger than the winning team in about two stages. But their downfall was mainly due to a witch who apparently only knew one offensive spell. And that ruined the whole harmony of the team since they only had mages and priests that had no Combat ability at all. When the battle ended, Inna listened as she heard the teams'' respective Watchers began announcing the names of those who were able to rank up and those who were demoted. Then, at the few following battles, Inna paid close attention to every detail that was happening in the field. But after losing count on how many battles that followed after the first, she gave up on watching and she ended up dozing off instead. After a comfortable sleep, Inna woke up when she felt some tapping on her shoulders. She jumped and immediately sat abruptly, trying to find the person who disturbed her sleep. But she ended up seeing May''s wide brown eyes looking at her with a strange expression. In fact, everyone near her held the same strange expressions on their faces. "Hmmm? Why''re you all staring? Do I have something on my face?" She looked at Favian for an answer since he was seated beside her. Favian held the same strange expression. It kind of held a mix of disgust, surprise, confusion, and disbelief. "Are you aware on how you act when you sleep?" Inna furrowed her brows at that. "No. How would I be aware? I''m asleep. Duh." Favian sighed and pulled her closer to him so that he can whisper to her. "Were you aware that while you slept, you had your mouth wide open? You were practically gurgling your saliva! And not to mention the racket your snoring makes! Are you even a woman? How could you act like this in public? Also, you''re too carefree! No one would actually guess that the famed ''charity case'' would be so relaxed in these battles!" "And why should I ''not'' be relaxed?" "Because it''s the best time for you to change classes! It''s the best time to get rid yourself of the Lily Class!" After hearing from his fellow Watcher, he finally figured out her whole ''identity'' and how she was able to enter the academy despite being the ''weakest'' of all the newcomers. In fact, Favian noticed that the team he was assigned to was the weakest lineup in the whole batch of newcomers. But, he didn''t really care about them much. After all, whether they win or lose has nothing to do with him. "Yeah, I know that. That''s why I''m relaxing. I don''t need the stress of worrying. It''s an easy win. Hehe." The rest of her team who heard her words cried silently in their hearts. It''s not easy at all! Can''t she see that we''re the weakest team here? Hearing her words as well, Favian couldn''t help but frown at her overconfidence. "Did I hear you wrong? Easy ''win''? Win? And how do you plan on doing that? Just so you know, cheating can be punishable with expulsion!" "Wha¡ªNo! I''m not going to cheat! You really think that bad of me?! I have a ''legal'' battle plan! First, I''ll¡­" Inna was about to brag her plan to him when he suddenly cut her off by abruptly standing up. "No time for your explanation. You team is being called now." Favian alerted the rest of the team as they made their way towards the stage. Three other teams joined them as they faced Elder Fang. Inna noticed that one of these teams was Raghnall''s team so she gave him a little wave. He returned the wave discreetly, trying to avoid Rira or that lovesick girl from seeing his action. God know what those crazy girls will do once they get jealous. After going to the same procedure of kneeling, the Watchers were supposed to lead their groups to their opponents. Inna looked at the other two groups and began to size them up, trying to guess what their specialties were and possibly even their weaknesses. But, when they began to move to face their opponents, Inna failed to notice Favian''s pale face. Since Favian didn''t lead them anywhere, the whole group stayed in place while waiting for their opponent to stay across them. But after a few moments, the rest of the group became a pile of shivering mess as they looked at the group approaching them. Inna, finally noticing their reactions, furrowed her brows. She followed their line of sight and looked straight ahead trying to figure out what spooked them so bad. And she finally figured it out. Oh fuck. Chapter 95 Class Change Battles 5 She saw Raghnall walking towards her direction with a hesitant and apologetic expression. The rest of his team followed suit but they all held expressions of glee as they stared at Inna. Especially that saggy boob girl and that miss ''undeserving.'' Inna glared at Favian fiercely. "What the fuck is this?! Why are they our opponents? Aren''t you supposed to choose them? Wasn''t it supposed to be ''fair''?" Favian''s pale face grew a few shades paler that his dark circles are now very visible under his glasses. "Y-yes. But¡ª" "Why the fuck are we against them, then? The difference between us is like heaven and hell!" "Uhhh, according to what the Grand Elder told me, it seems that there is no other choice. The other teams are well partnered up and their diversity of professions also match well. If we were to exchange both teams, both matches would be greatly imbalanced. So, they decided to make do with this arrangement, so that they can at least minimize the ''damage'' done. This happens sometimes so it''s nothing new. It''s just that... good luck." Favian said as he looked at her with pity. Then, he proceeded to stay beside Elder Fang together with Rira. Inna looked at the opposing team nervously before looking at her own team. I guess I''d have to go with Plan B. She called her teammates over and began to relay out her plan. "Okay, guys. It''s still unsure if we can win. Let''s aim for a draw instead. Let''s drag out the fight for two minutes¡ªah, I mean moments." The scrawny girly boy looked at her with annoyance. "''Unsure if we can win?'' It''s totally sure we will ''lose!'' Better forfeit this battle, it''ll save us some time!" Inna glared at the boy. "There''s always a chance. If you want to be Mr. Negative, do it on your own. You don''t have to include us or be a douchebag about it." "I need you to tell me your professions and specialty spells now." May looked at Inna shyly before speaking out. "I''m a m-m-mage. I u-u-usually use s-s-speed enhancement s-spells and b-barrier spells." Inna stared at the trembling guy beside May, waiting for him to speak next. The small guy slightly hid behind May before he finally spoke. "A-ah, I-I-I-I''m a P-p-p-pries-s-s-t. I-I¡­. H-h-healing sp-p-pells." Then, Inna looked at the person beside him. Knowing that it was her turn, the sickly girl had a coughing fit before she was able to speak. "Ahem. I''m a Priestess. Healing spells are my specialty." The whole team looked at her in surprise. This sickly girl can heal people?! She can''t even heal herself! The sickly girl glared at all of them as she replied. "I might look like this but I get the job done. I can''t heal myself because my condition can''t be treated. It was with me ever since I was born so deal with it." Inna nodded in understanding and decided to move on to the rude scrawny girly boy. "Before I say anything, I have a question." Inna raised an eyebrow in surprise then she nodded for him to continue. "Why is the weakest one in the group acting like our leader? Do you see us as someone weaker than you that you feel superior to us? Remember, Eldora Academy is an Academy for Geniuses. Only those who had great aptitude can enter. That means that usually people that are in the low rank middle stages of their professions are never able to step foot in the academy. In fact, from what I know, ever since it was built only you were able to enter despite being heavily below the standards. All of us here, in this team, may be on the Chamomile class or on the Anemone class, but don''t forget, we are about one level higher than you!" Inna furrowed her brows at the guy''s sudden animosity. He always had this attitude with her ever since they grouped up. Inna tried ignoring it but being confronted like this now, she felt like she had to speak up in her defense as well. "I''m not acting as the ''leader'' in this group. I''m just helping the team to actually communicate! We don''t even know each other''s names much less our professions! How are we going to devise a plan if we don''t work together?" "Besides, I''m a judgmental person, I know that but you have to try and understand where I''m coming from. To be honest, your appearances and behaviors would totally give anyone the impression that you guys were all just some spineless cowards who only had magic tricks up your sleeves!" "And me, do you even know me? I''m originally a fighter. If we see people like you, it''s almost instinctual for us to think we''re stronger! So, can you blame it all on me now for thinking like that?" Or that''s what a fighter would normally think, right? The other members looked at each other before nodding in understanding. Although they had the abilities, their personalities can''t reflect it. They were either too insecure, scared, paranoid, shy, or indecisive about everything. Inna didn''t notice it but there was a seed of change that started to sprout in their hearts. They took her words seriously and decided that if they were to be called ''geniuses'' in their own towns, then they should start acting like one. Confident, humble, brave, and headstrong. That''s what they''ll aim to be. Hearing her words, the scrawny guy also sighed in surrender. "I''m a Mage. I specialize in strengthening spells and invisibility. I used to always be the support in the party of adventurers. Sorry if I''ve been so on edge. Being in a family of adventurers, we usually let the strongest take control. You could say that along with that and the paranoia from trying to survive for years while taking those hunting quests, I already got used to only following and trusting the strongest of the group. Since, you know, they actually have the ability to do the things they spout out." Although Inna couldn''t fully relate, she can more or less know what he meant. After all, it''s wiser to trust an experienced professional than a newbie who just arrived. Since his family are adventurers, she can already imagine what it would be like for him to spend every day trying to survive. He probably had too many near-death experiences that he had trouble trusting others who weren''t strong and reliable enough to actually finish a ''quest.'' Inna patted his shoulder in understanding as she smiled lightly. "Sorry for underestimating you as well. All of you." Inna gazed intensely at the eyes of the members with heartfelt sadness. But then she started feeling awkward after a few seconds. Trying to break the awkward silence, she decided to introduce herself. "As you all might now, I''m only a starter rank in all professions but my specialty is actually Combat. Since direct Combat is prohibited, the plan is just simple. I''ll be the offensive player in this team. The rest of you, you know what to do." The team nodded in understanding, finally figuring out her clever plan. Feeling assured that they understood what she meant, Inna looked across her to survey the opposing team as they finished talking. Her eyes scanned them and they soon met with the smug faces of the annoying women. She returned those smug faces back to them as she smirked. Heh, you think you can beat us easily? Not on my watch, bitch. Chapter 96 Class Change Battles 6 "Everyone get yourselves ready!" Elder Fang''s voice resounded throughout the dome. Inna felt his mocking gaze lading on their group and she glared at him in return. But when she did, she found that he was no longer looking in her direction. Well, that didn''t stop her from continuing on glaring. "Under the Supreme God''s guidance, we shall commence the match to officially¡­ start!" As soon as Elder Fang''s voice left their ears, Inna nodded towards the ''Buffers'' in her team. They both nodded back and began to cast. Meanwhile, the ''Healers'' stayed behind the ''Buffers.'' They decided beforehand to call the two mages as ''Buffers'' and the two priest and priestess as ''Healers'' so that it''s easy for Inna to command them. "Buffers, after casting on me, cast and maintain the barrier on yourselves! Healers on standby, act when I need backup!" Inna commanded fluently. Saying those orders actually brought her back to her gaming addict phase. She remembered her late night battles, waiting for new items and areas. She remembered cursing at her teammates and them cursing back at her. Then, hilariously, they would end up shooting each other instead. That was the good old days. Seeing sudden movement in Raghnall''s team, she broke out of her reverie and began to cast her own spell on herself. It was only an original spell that makes her weigh lighter than usual. As soon as she felt her spell take effect, she felt the strengthening and speed enhancement spells take effect as well. Feeling energized, Inna positioned herself on the ground like a runner. And before anyone could even react, she shot out faster than the speed of light. Her movement caused a huge sonic boom that it destroyed the area around her. The ground below her was heavily dented while the flying stones from the destruction turned into ashes because of the force. Everyone was speechless, including Elder Fang. How did she do that with just those measly students?! Raghnall''s team was momentarily frozen in shock as they tried to find Inna. Because what they saw was her kneeling on the ground in a strange position before she suddenly disappeared in a blink of an eye. Then, before anyone can react, the girl with saggy boobs was violently thrown towards the walls of the dome. Blood splattered everywhere as the girl''s mouth bled incessantly. The pin cushion girl, Alana, widened her eyes in surprise before healing the girl immediately. "Watch out! She must be invisible!" Inna heard Alana scream despite the wind pressure clogging her ears. Bitch thought she was invisible! She wanted to laugh out loud but she decided against it. Who knows what would happen once they find her and figure out that she''s actually just running all over the place while waiting for an opening? Alana girl looked around warily and suddenly, her eyes lit up like she just remembered something. "Raghnall! You! You can find her, can''t you?! Her spell couldn''t be that powerful for you not to find it!" They all looked at him for hope. Raghnall scratched the back of his head as he sheepishly looked at them. "Uh, I know you think I''m omnipotent and all but seriously? Do you really think she''s invisible?" Seeing how unsure Raghnall was, the rest of the team grew uneasy as well. "There''s no other explanation!" Alana demanded as she kept on a look out for any possible signs of Inna. "What do want me to do then? Look for her? I''d need to cast a spell for that so, I would only be able to cast one more spell after. Do you really want me to use it for a detection spell?" Raghnall continued his helpless fa?ade as he raised both his hands and shrugged. Because of the dire situation and the fact that their teammate was taken out in a blink of an eye, the girls nodded in unison. "Attach the enhancement in our space so that we''ll all be affected by it." "Well, casting it on the ground is great and all but if someone were to stray too far away, they will no longer be affected. After all, it''s just a magic circle on the ground." Raghnall smiled slightly as he began casting. "And girls, don''t blame me if it doesn''t show anything." "Sisna. Irgin. Oculus. Hirsth. Ein. Zicht." Then, he moved around as he drew a magic circle around them. But halfway through in his drawing, the miss ''undeserving'' suddenly felt chills behind her. She''s been keeping silent because she felt as though she was the next target. She observed everything closely and even tried to enhance her eyes so that she can see Inna but to no avail. When she heard that Raghnall was finally casting a spell, she immediately relaxed and let her guard down. But she later on found out that it was the worst mistake she could ever do. Because before she can even squeak, her body flew towards the other side of the room. She felt some of her bones crack and the sudden bursts of pain all over her body made her faint almost immediately. "Brielle!" Meanwhile, the remaining two girls screamed in terror when they saw her state. They didn''t expect this at all! They thought they were weak! They thought that she only knew combat! How could she be good at Magic too?! That''s impossible! Chapter 97 Class Change Battles 7 "Finished!" Raghnall''s voice was like their salvation. When they knew that the magic circle was complete, they felt their eyesight improving as they looked around. But no matter how hard they looked, they were only able to see Inna''s teammates looking at them in fear. "Alana, what should we do?! Arie and Brielle are gone!" The infatuated girl was no longer looking infatuated, instead, she had pure terror in her eyes. "Nira, relax! Aren''t you a witch? Shouldn''t you be able to do some damage to her?" Alana girl replied in an annoyed tone. Since she was a priestess, all she can do was heal and possibly nullify spells. But she can''t nullify whatever spell Inna had because she can''t even see her! "My spells need a target to lock on! I''m not good with magic circles or wide range spells!" Suddenly, they looked at Raghnall for help again. Raghnall looked at them in surprise. "Really? You''re all relying on me now? Aren''t you afraid that you''ll get demoted at this rate?" "Just hurry and do something about it! We won''t get demoted unless we win!" Raghnall shrugged helplessly as he used up his final spell. He really didn''t want to help them but what he simply wanted was to drag everything out until the two moments were up. Since there was only half a moment left, he decided to try and make things more interesting. He casted a barrier around them and trapped the moving Inna in it together with them. Inna stopped momentarily in shock as she tried breaking the walls of the barrier. When Alana suddenly saw Inna a few meters opposite to them, her heart almost leaped up in joy. "Nira! Ready!" Nira nodded at her as she tried casting a blinding spell. But Inna was almost marked by the magic so she ran around in panic. SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT She felt herself slowing down and she looked behind her to talk to her teammates. "Buffers, what''s happening?!" The scrawny guy and May looked at her with panic in their eyes. "Someone''s nullifying the magic we''re casting!" Inna noticed that her teammates no longer had the barrier around them as well so the opponent must have nullified it too. While running blindly, she tried to find the source of the nullification spell. Then, she met with Alana''s eyes and her moving mouth. Her! It must be her! Inna''s speed enhancement and strengthening had completely faded and now, they were able to clearly see her movements. The only spell on her was the original spell she made so she decided to jump around to maximize its effectiveness. I need to get rid of that pin cushion girl! Inna clenched her fists as she used Raghnall''s barrier as a trampoline to maneuver around the area. She decided to build momentum as she jumped around. But just as she was about to launch herself in full force, she suddenly felt that same piercing pain in her heart. The pain was starting to get unbearable and she fell on the floor clutching her chest. Then, she felt a burning feeling in her throat as though there was something stuck in it. The burning pain, along with the stabbing pain in her heart made her knees go weak and her face to give off cold sweat. She felt her body turning ice cold and uncomfortable that was partnered with a dizzy sensation. When she dropped to her knees clutching her chest in pain, Raghnall''s eyes widened as he realized that her body was pale and trembling. He was about to go to her side when Nira glared at him. "What are you doing? Let me handle it! We need to finish this fast!" Nira started casting while Alana decided to approach her. Alana wanted to restrain her with what little mage magic she can make while she was still visible. After a few excruciating seconds, Inna looked up when she felt someone approach her. Her eyes locked with Alana''s mocking eyes as she started casting some spell. As soon as Alana finished, Inna felt small shackles made of stone on her ankles and wrists that was bound to the ground. Alana, feeling mighty confident of her restrains, decided to squat down to look at Inna square in the eyes. "You know, I truly despise those who try too hard. Why don''t you just learn your place? Or much better¡­ leave this place. Knowing you''re here tarnishes the school reputation, and might even tarnish mind. After all, I can only attend the best of the best academies. With you here, you lower this academy''s worth." Inna wanted to reply but she felt something uncomfortably stuck in her throat. "What? You can''t even reply now? Where''s your loud mouth? Where''s that overconfident attitude? Where''s tha¡ª" Before Alana could finish, she felt a sudden surge of wet gooey things being smacked towards her face. It flowed from her face down towards her neck then her robes. There was so much that the hem of her robe was completely drenched in the thick gooey mess. And it didn''t seem like it was stopping so she stood up and screamed in disgust. The students on the bleachers couldn''t believe what was happening as well. Their eyes almost popped out of its sockets as they all stood up in surprise and disbelief. In fact, Inna was in disbelief as well. Holy fuck. Did I just vomit on her?! Chapter 98 Pregnant?! "WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?!" Alana screamed again in disgust as she looked at her high quality robe being stained with orange fluids added with questionable chunks of ''something.'' But no one minded her outburst since their eyes were glued at Inna. Since, she was making quite a scene. She just kept vomiting then stopping at random intervals to gasp for air. Her vomit was so much that it made a puddle beneath her and soaked her robes. Favian was about to rush to her side when Elder Fang glared at him to stay put. Elder Fang raised five fingers and folded each one as each second passed. Favian immediately understood what he meant. There are still five seconds left before the match officially ends. Before that, no Watchers were allowed to enter the match. During these five seconds, Raghnall and Inna''s team were petrified. They were unable to move because of the sudden events happening. Raghnall was looking at Inna in disbelief and he was unable to think straight. He was confused on whether to laugh or get worried. When Elder Fang''s last finger went down, Favian used his superior speed to dash towards Inna. When he arrived beside her, he placed a comforting hand on her back as she heaved. "Are you okay?" Inna wasn''t able to answer him as another batch of vomit surged up her throat. "Hey! Can you hear me?! HEY! STAY CONSCIOUS OKAY?! INN---mph!" Raghnall covered Favian''s mouth in a flash. "She''s fine! She just needs to get all the steaks out of her stomach. She ate too much earlier." Hearing his explanation, Favian suddenly felt stupid for worrying. He actually thought she was on the verge of dying! Or something even worse! He thought she was pregnant! Nevertheless, he still tried to help her by trying to relieve her symptoms through a healing spell. Inna was covered in a bright white light as she felt the pain on her throat and chest started to get better. Her mind was no longer dizzy though she still had that urge to vomit. After vomiting three more times, the space around her was fully filled with orange bubbly juices and chunks of chewed up meat. And the smell was near unbearable. "Holy¡ªWoman. What did you eat?! It smells so bad!" Inna glared at him as she wiped her mouth with her hand. "I can''t really give a fuck about what I ate right now!" "Well, you should! It''s the whole cause of this!" Inna glared at him and decided to wipe her dirty hand on his robes. "You!!!!" She noticed that both men beside her were using some sort of levitation spell that made them float about two inches above the floor, unable to touch the ground that was filled with her vomit. Feeling oddly irritated by that, she also wiped her other dirty hand on Favian. "Hey! What did I do?!" Inna glared at them and was about call them ''sissies'' when she suddenly felt another batch of vomit surge up her throat. She vomited again while clutching her stomach in pain. Oh god, when will this end?! When Inna ended vomiting, she raised her head to speak but then everything seemed to move around her. Her eyesight became unfocused and hazy so she tried to blink a lot to try and focus it. But then, the next thing she knew, the whole world turned black. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raghnall saw her suddenly closing her eyes and her body immediately turned limp that his heart almost leapt. He grabbed her body regardless of it being covered with her vomit. The smell and disgusting vomit didn''t even register in his mind when he caught her before she fully fell on her own vomit. While steadying her to his side and nullifying Alana''s restraining spell on her, he tried to feel if she was still breathing. She looked really pale and her lips were in an odd pale color as well so he got more worried. He placed a finger towards her nose and when he felt the even breaths she was releasing, he sighed lightly in relief. "Favian. I''ll take her to the Lily Dorms. She needs to rest there. Also, try to ask Elder Fang if he can send a physician to check on her." Favian nodded in understanding and left to talk to Elder Fang. The rest of the students looked curiously as Raghnall lifted her limp body and carried her towards the dome''s exit. Then, they shifted their attention towards Favian who''s now talking with Elder Fang. "A physician you say? Why?" Favian wanted to slap the Elder for his stubbornness! Is he really asking him ''why'' she needs a physician?! Didn''t he see her vomiting and fainting?! Favian kept his inner thoughts as his face was devoid of any expression. "She''s vomiting and had just recently fainted. According to her fellow student, he said that she ate too much and from constantly moving around in top speed during the battle, I guess it somehow made the food she just ate to resurface in her throat and induced her vomiting and fainting. To avoid possible complications, her fellow students suggested that we were to let a physician check up on her." "So she simply gorged too much food. It''s not such a big deal. Just let her rest. No need to ask a physician over unless it was something life threatening. Our physicians are too busy to entertain such a minor problem." Elder Fang spoke with such conviction that Favian already knew that it would be useless on trying to coerce him into doing it. So, he just sighed and made a mental note to switch and visit Inna later. At least his other ''self'' has a bit of medical knowledge from some medical books he memorized. Upon seeing Favian giving up on the idea of calling a physician, Elder Fang decided to address the confused students. "Do not worry students. She merely ate too much that she was unable to keep it down. We shall continue with judging the matches." "Since both teams were unable to defeat each other in the limited time frame, I declare that these two matches are both draws!" The members in Raghnall''s team scrunched up their faces in disgust and embarrassment. They were supposed to be the strongest team! Why did they end up with a ''draw''?! Meanwhile, the reaction of Inna''s team were the total opposite. They all smiled in joy as they heard that they wouldn''t be demoted! After all, if they were to be demoted, they would end up in the Lily class! And no matter how much they admired Inna, they wouldn''t want to suffer along with her in that wretched class! Chapter 99 Disgusting! Inna opened her eyes as she groaned in discomfort. Her throat felt so dry and her stomach hurts like hell. "Fuck¡­" She tried to sit up but she felt something rise up on her throat again. "OH NO NO NO NO NO! YOU PLACE THAT DISGUSTING THING HERE!" She heard a familiar voice as a bucket was shoved towards her. Looking up at the person who gave it, she saw Ulima pinching his nose as he looked at her in disgust. Inna involuntarily vomited and the force of it made it splash around the bucket and land on Ulima''s hand. The bucket shook slightly from Ulima''s trembling as he stared at his hand with pure disgust. "Hold the bucket yourself! I''ll need to clean this smelly thing off my hand!" He screamed as he gently handed her the bucket. Then, he retrieved a cloth hanged from a chair and proceeded to wipe and dunk his hand in water continuously. "What happened?" "Some kid went came knocking on the door while carrying you. I took him inside and he went to your room directly which I find quite perplexi¡ª" "BUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPP!" Inna let out a huge and long burp as she patted her stomach satisfyingly. Meanwhile, when he realized that he just cut off by a burp, Ulima''s face scrunched up in disgust. "You¡­. I seriously doubt if you''re even a woman. Who burps in public like that?!" "Wait, what do you mean ''in public''? Who the hell holds in their burps?!" Ulima didn''t want to entertain such a ridiculous and obvious question to he decided to move on. "And then, he told me that during your match in the Class Change Battles, you suddenly vomited and fainted. Then, to let you rest, he decided to bring you in here." "I see." Inna suddenly felt pain in her throat and noticed that it was incredibly dry. "Can you hand me some water?" Ulima took a glass of water from a floating tray before giving it to her. While drinking, Ulima continued speaking to her. "Then, he told me you were sick from eating those rat steaks and I believe it was twelve steaks? What kind of girl eat so much? Even the female adventurers I knew would take precaution in eating those disgusting steaks!" Inna spat out the water as she tried to comprehend what he just said. "RAT STEAKS?! WHAT THE FUCK?! DID YOU SAY RAT STEAKS?!" Inna screamed as another surge of vomit formed in her mouth. Now this time, the reason was no longer her overeating. "BUCKET! HOLD THE BUCKET!" Ulima screamed in reply as he realized that Inna let go of the bucket to drink the water. After vomiting in disgust, Inna felt so weak that she accidentally let go of the bucket and roughly laid down on the bed. The bucket crashed to the ground but in Ulima''s relief, it didn''t tilt and splash its contents. Ulima carefully approached Inna''s bedside as she laid there weakly. Since he was a mage, he had no healing abilities. He was actually thankful that the lad who carried her here healed him fully. But one good thing about not having healing abilities is the fact that he held an acceptable degree of medical knowledge. He looked at her symptoms and her pale face and had a guess on what she was suffering from. "Hey, did you feel pain in your chest before you vomited?" Inna nodded, too weak to reply. "Any dizziness? Burning throat? Uncomfortable stomach pains?" She nodded again. "You should drink water first. You vomited too much that you must be dehydrated. That''s what caused you to faint earlier. So, if you don''t want to faint again, drink up." He offered her another glass of water and Inna slowly rose to drink it. After drinking two glasses, she laid back down again. "Okay, so from what I know, West Molian rats have a small dose of poison within their system. They usually use it to corrode the hard to digest things like bones of their prey. When they are taken and cooked into, let''s say steaks, their poison in the steaks isn''t usually enough to affect humans. But since you just ate a dozen of them, that little poison, multiplied by a dozen affected your stomach and made you suffer stabbing pains in the heart and throat. While the other symptoms are probably just from you eating too much." Inna nodded in understanding as she reached out to take more water. After a few minutes of just laying down in silence, she felt a bit better and the discomfort in her stomach was gradually getting better. Seeing the color come back from her face, Ulima decided to leave to let her rest. "I''ll just be in my room in the first floor." Ulima was about to move when Inna''s voice made him stop. "Where''s Raghnall?" Ulima turned around to answer her. "He was called back by Ms. Grindle to attend the closing ceremony of the first day. It is usually just a ceremony where they give you your blue robes as proof of being freshmen and class pins to know which class you belonged. You''ll probably received yours later on. In fa¡ª" "Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrttttttttttt!" Ulima looked at Inna in disbelief. First he got cut off by a burp, and now a fart?! "That''s it. I am thoroughly convinced that you are not a woman. You must be an animal. No one would be this undisciplined and unmannered in public!" Inna giggled as the discomfort of her stomach was eased by the farting. Suddenly, she felt a faint scent of a strong odor wafting around the room. Ulima immediately ran out of the room as soon as he smelled it. "Ugh... Disgusting!" Chapter 100 What Does Mirzo Actually Mean? Inna felt a whole lot better after seeing Ulima''s reaction that she laughed out loud. After a few minutes, she let out a series of farts that she didn''t know she was actually holding. And after letting them all go, she suddenly felt so much better that her stomach visibly became smaller. But when she sensed that the air was starting to become toxic because of her numerous farts, she suddenly had a strange idea. Minutes later, just as she was finished with it, the door of her room suddenly busted open. "I heard you were sick?!" That familiar voice made her almost fall on the floor with shock. "What are you doing here?!" "Is that how you address your master?!" Solomon inspected her state as he looked at her with an annoyed stare. "It hasn''t even been a whole day and you''ve already caused something to happen! I suddenly got wind of news that you vomited and blacked out because of overeating! How could that even happen to you! I fed you well this morning, didn''t I? Why''d you consume so much rat steaks for lunch?! And I never starved you within the past two months! How did you get the sudden voracious appetite?" Inna looked at him sheepishly. "Well, the steaks were good. Your food was too sweet and less savory. The steaks were more to my taste." Solomon looked at her with an eyebrow raised. His was too sweet? His gourmet and high-class food was too sweet?! Granny Zai was right, they were truly the same with his son! They can''t even appreciate good food and instead, chooses that weird rat steak! Seeing Inna''s weak demeanor, Solomon decided to let the matter go. "Anyways, if I guessed correctly, you''d still have a mild case of food poisoning from those poisonous rats. Let me have a look." Solomon approached her and placed his hand on her back. In soothing circling motions, he began to murmur his spells. Suddenly, bright white light began to coat Solomon''s palm as it transferred towards Inna''s body before disappearing immediately. "There. I''ve neutralized the poison so there won''t be any more effects on our body. All you need to do is to replenish the fluids in your body. Learn to drink more water nowadays." Inna looked at him in gratitude as her heart warmed. This guy¡­. Saying he wouldn''t grant special attention¡­ Yet he came all the way here just because he heard I was sick¡­ "Thank you, Master." She said it with such heavy and heartfelt emotion that even Solomon was choked up. But after a few seconds, he lightly shook his head to snap out of it. He needs look strict here! He''s the Headmaster of the Academy she''s ruining! "What have you been up to this whole time? Did anything happen during the entrance ceremony?" Inna looked at Solomon with a puzzled expression. "Not really. My power was measured then I was sent here! That''s pretty much it." "And?" "What do you mean ''and''?" Inna narrowed her eyes. Does he expect something bad from her? "Did you make any friends? Or did you make enemies instead?" "Wha¡ªI have a friend! And I don''t have enemies!" Or not yet. Technically speaking, they''re not enemies when we only fought once, right? The second time was a legal battle so it doesn''t count! Speaking of enemies and friends¡­. "Master, what does ''Mirzo'' stand for?" Hearing her question, Solomon stiffened almost instantly. He looked at her with shock and terror in his eyes while his mouth hung ajar. Inna was also quite shocked to see such a huge reaction from him. "From who did you hear that from?! TELL ME!" Whoa¡­ Chill¡­ "I, uhm..." Inna was absolutely frazzled by his sudden outburst. He looked like his life was on the line as he stared at her with desperation. "DID YOU MEET HIM? DID YOU DO ANYTHING TO HIM? YOU DIDN''T, RIGHT?" Oh shit¡­ Did I do anything to him? Let''s see¡­ Let me list down my sins¡­ So, I tried hitting him in the crotch¡­ Kind of whipped him with a flower¡­. Hit his head with a rock¡­ Insult his name¡­ And lashed out at him in every chance she got¡­ Made a promise to physically abuse him¡­ Oh, and let''s not forget¡­ I wiped my vomit on his robe¡­ Yep¡­ That''s about it¡­ So of course, the answer to Solomon''s question would be¡­ "No, of course not. I heard it from someone along the way to the main building. He kinda called his ''friend'' that. And I was just curious on what it meant." Solomon''s body visibly relaxed and he let out a huge sigh of relief. "Never go near anyone who''s called ''Mirzo.'' And I mean ''NEVER.'' You''re too dangerous. Who know what would happen to him if he gets acquainted with the likes of you." Inna scrunched up her face in annoyance. "Stop beating around the bush. What does ''Mirzo'' actually mean? It''s not a name, is it? It''s too bizarre to be a name." Solomon shook his head as he found a chair to sit on. He positioned the chair at Inna''s bedside as he placed his elbows on his knees and tried to massage his temples. "Please, as you master, listen to me. Don''t go near him, okay? Your master''s life is at stake here! If you harm him and he tells his father... Dear heavens, not only me, but the whole academy would be in a tight spot as well¡­" He sighed again in distress before looking at her with a serious expression. "I don''t know what the culture in Edseria is, but in this country, ''Mirzo'' is a title that''s heavily respected. No one would dare to offend someone with such title." With this, Inna looked at Solomon curiously. "Why? What does it mean?" "Mirzo is a title for¡­." Chapter 101 Solomons Visit 1 "A prince¡­ or more commonly, a candidate as heir for the throne. When a candidate has been chosen, he will be named as the crown prince and will be the only one to be called as ''Mirzo.''" Inna''s eyes widened in surprise. So, does that mean that Raghnall is¡­ royalty? Oh shit. Did she just abuse some big shot? Solomon continued his explanation, failing to notice Inna''s pale face. "Well, there are instances that it is used as a mildly insulting joke. ''Mirzo'' is usually used as a joke to refer to spoiled rich boys. That''s because most usually act arrogant and unrestrained as though they were ''princes'' of the country." With this, Inna''s face recovered some color but she grew more confused instead. So¡­. Is he royalty? Or is he just a spoiled rich boy? "But enough about that, I came here for a much more important purpose." Solomon cut her train of thought as he began chanting. His finger was covered in white light and he began to write in mid-air a familiar word. "What are you doing?" Inna looked curiously at the familiar floating letters. After a second, Solomon put down his hand and looked at her seriously. "I am not sure if you still remembered that time. But, two months ago when you first arrived, I had your innate talent checked in my evaluation stone. It showed some weird results that I''ve never seen before. And this was the result under the talent level limit of your Combat ability." Solomon gestured towards the floating latin word. "After months of researching deeply into it, I finally figured out what it says!" He looked at her in glee and pride. He finally was able to gain a small step forward in his Soul Research. "It says ''Mors!''" Inna''s face was thoroughly unimpressed. Her eyes were blank as she stared at him. "And?" "Wha¡ªWhat do you mean ''and''?!" He spluttered out in disbelief. He had to search thousands of books just to decipher the strange writings! The language the words were made of were very foreign in their country! It was like an ancient hidden language! In fact, the people who knew about this strange language is so few that they can only be counted by a single hand! Yet she didn''t even look surprised! "Didn''t you hear me?! Those writings means ''Mors''! To be able to read it, it''s such a great finding!" Inna couldn''t really understand why he''s so proud of the fact that he could read the Latin word. She already knew what it was the first time she looked at it. Heck, she even knew its meaning. And now he''s here bragging about being able to read it after two months? Inna is once again reminded on the fact that she actually travelled into a different world. Sometimes she forgets the fact that they weren''t on Earth. After all, since she travels a lot, she''s gotten used to seeing bizarre places. And the actual reason why she was able to easily adapt was that she actually treated it as though she was just in vacation. "Never mind about that then. Besides, I still need to look into the reason why it appeared anyway." Solomon sighed in defeat and decided to just change the topic to avoid further embarrassment on his part. "So, how''s your first day here? Any thoughts about your master''s precious academy?" Inna looked back into the events that happened to her today. During her whole experience, she truly had fun in attending a new school. Although there were some irritating pests, overall, she had a great time learning things and meeting new people, no matter how weird or mean they were. It made her think back on her high school days; spending a day going around campus, meeting your new classmates, fooling around, and getting into arguments. So, overall, she had a wonderful day. Well, except for one thing¡­ "Hmmm¡­ Everything''s really going great as far as I know. Well, except for some annoying pain in the asses but they''re manageable. Oh, and of course, let''s not forget. It seems that someone I never offended hates me in the academy." Solomon raised his eyebrows in surprise. Though he has a clue on who it was. "Someone you never offended? Who is it?" "That Elder Fang. He seems to hate my existence. Heck, he''s been haunting me ever since I entered the Academy. Are all Elders these...¡­ opinionated?" "No, of course not. It''s just that Elder Fang is known to be very¡­. ''protective'' of the school. Well, it''s mainly because he''s the oldest Elder in the academy. He was there when Eldora Academy was just in its earlier years. But most of the time, his words may seem cruel but he doesn''t really mean any harm. He''s just a bit obsessive on the things regarding the academy since he treats it as though it''s his baby. And even I have a bit of trouble regulating his behavior and views." "And speaking of regulating his behavior, earlier during the day, there was a report regarding him breaking school protocol. I had him punished accordingly but it seems another report came in that he''s been oppressing some students. But there weren''t any clear evidence on that matter so I had no way to bring it against him. Do you perhaps know the students he''s been oppressing?" Inna gave him a flat look as she pointed at herself. "Me." Chapter 102 Solomons Visit 2 "No. You don''t count. Aside from you, were there anyone else?" Inna began caressing her chin as she tried to think back. Did that old gerbil target anyone else? Hmmmmm¡­. "Well, he usually picks on the weakest people. It seems like he hates seeing ''weaklings'' in ''his'' precious academy." Inna''s mocking tone made Solomon frown. "I see. Well, I guess I have to ask someone to observe him closely for a while. It seems that he still didn''t learn his lesson after being punished that badly. And if you ever see him breaking the rules, feel free to report it to me immediately." Solomon looked at her with seriousness but hidden within his gaze was also a bit of concern and apprehension. Since Inna was the weakest, he''s obviously going to target her so who could blame Solomon for being a bit worried? Inna nodded and began to feel awkward with his stare. What ''no special treatment''? It''s like he''s saying that she can tattle to him like how a daughter would to her father! Inna giggled in her mind as her heart warmed. "Speaking of breaking the rules¡­. Did you break any of the rules we''ve established before you left? Solomon narrowed his eyes at her. His stare was so piercing that Inna subconsciously looked away in cold sweat. Seeing the action, Solomon narrowed his eyes more that Inna had no choice but to speak out. "Ha. Ha. No way. Ha. Ha. Why would I even break them? There''s no way I would, right? I mean, I''m very obedient when it comes to rules. I was never a rulebreak¡ª" "You broke one of them, didn''t you?" Solomon sneered as his piercing stare intensified. He crossed his arms as he looked at her with an ''I knew it'' look. Inna laughed awkwardly as she tried to form coherent sentences to deny it. But seeing that it was hopeless, she sighed in defeat. "Okay fine, I did break some of them." Solomon was satisfied that she finally admitted it so he retracted his stare and leaned back on his chair with a triumphant smirk and a smug expression. "What did you mean when you said ''some''? Please do enlighten your Master." Inna furrowed her brows as she thought back. She thought that she only broke the ''no fighting'' rule but once she backtracked, she realized that she basically broke almost all rules! "Ah¡­. By some, I meant¡­. Almost all of them? Ha.ha.ha." She laughed awkwardly as she felt his piercing stare again. "And which of ''them'' are you talking about?" Inna gulped. He''s going to be pissed. In fact, she can already feel his anger building up. "I¡­. uhm¡­ No fighti¡ª" "YOU FOUGHT WITH SOMEONE?!" Solomon stood up in his chair immediately, making the chair stagger and fall back roughly. "WHO DID YOU FIGHT WITH?!" "I-I don''t really know. I m-mean like, I know them but I d-don''t know their names! I actu¡ª" "Did you fight with them without even knowing their backgrounds?!" "Well, they don''t usually have the time to introduce themselves when they''re busy being a bitch, now do they?" Inna''s sarcastic tone made Solomon angrier. "How many did you fight with?" Inna gulped at that. "Physically? Or Verbally?" Solomon glared at her statement. "Both." "Uhm, verbally, I think five? Well, some were friendly arguments hahaha¡­" Solomon waited for her to continue but when he saw that she had no plan to, he decided to probe into it. "And physically?" Inna grinned sheepishly, but it still held a degree of pride. "One. And I totally owned that bitch. Broken arms and all." Hearing her say ''broken arms,'' it was now Solomon''s turn to have cold sweat. Seeing his pale face, Inna decided to appease him. "Don''t worry! She''s been healed! Everyone treated it as nothing! So, it''s okay!" Since the students didn''t have a huge reaction, then it mustn''t be someone who''s had a very powerful standing in society. When Solomon realized this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. "But that doesn''t change the fact that you fought with someone! What would you do if it became a huge issue?! You would suffer from prosecution and imprisonment if your opponent''s background was influential enough! And it would also reflect in my Academy for letting you in!" Seeing Solomon acting up again, Inna decided to appease his troubled mind. "Don''t worry. I already promised Raghnall I wouldn''t act up like that. I can more or less keep it in. And if ever I can''t, he willing to offer ... a ''helping hand.''" Upon hearing a familiar name, Solomon stiffened slightly. He hand trembled and his eyes were wide with disbelief. His eyebrows were so high up in his forehead as he stared at her with surprise. "You promised¡­ him?" Inna found his reaction strange but she didn''t comment on it as she nodded. "And¡­ he said¡­ he''s going to¡­ ''help?''" Inna nodded again. Solomon coughed awkwardly as his mind started reeling. Inna was weirded out by his change in behavior so she decided to quickly change the topic. "But the fighting this time actually gave me a great experience! And I think you''d be happy about it too!" Solomon snapped out of his thoughts as he grew curious on Inna''s words. "A great experience? What can possibly make me happy about you fighting with my beloved student?!" "It happened." Chapter 103 Solomons Visit 3 "What do you mean?" "I mean, ''IT'' happened! That thing you call my ''Soulless'' state!" Those words Inna used were enough to pique his interest. He looked at her with sparkling eyes as his thirst for research fodder rose. "And? And? And? What happened?! Did you feel anything? Any pain? Any discomfort? Was it the same as before? Or were there weird happenings?" Inna was a bit startled with him bombarding her with questions so she paused slightly before answering. "Well¡­ ''It'' was different than before. When you asked me before how it felt back when I was still fighting that Golden Bear, I told you that my whole body would grow cold and numb. Then, my mind would unusually become clear and my emotions become still despite feeling multiple emotions before. It''s like being doused with cold water. It suddenly happens and truthfully, it feels like a switch has been flicked inside me. And according to what you''ve seen, my face has this blank expression and my eyes look empty, right?" Solomon nodded enthusiastically. "Well, when I fought with that girl¡ªtechnically, it wasn''t even a fight since she wasn''t even given the chance to land a blow¡ªbut nevertheless, when I fought with her, I thought I was in that state. I felt that same coldness spread throughout my body. But then, instead of my mind and emotions becoming still and clear, my body simply moved on its own. It was like I lost control of my body." Solomon sat back down as he tried to make sense of what happened. "So, it was like your transition was incomplete?" Inna nodded. "Yeah. It''s like my mind was still ''me'' but my body was being controlled." Solomon was deep in thought as he tried to digest this new tidbit of information. "Souls¡­ People often mistake it as a sort of a religious belief. It is because they were never able to see it, nor feel it unlike the heart which we can feel beating. Souls are in our whole being yet at the same time, a different entity altogether. It doesn''t need a body, instead a body needs a soul. Most people would associate ''souls'' as personalities. There has been cases of multiple personalities living in a single person yet no one has ever successfully proven that they had multiple souls inside the body. After all, the traces of one''s soul is invisible to the naked eye. In fact, the foundation of knowledge regarding souls were unstable to begin with. Despite that, people still believe in its existence. After all, if there are no ''souls'' how can there be life in our bodies? How does life start in us? How does it explain¡ª" "Okay, cut the philosophical shit please. Just get to the point." Solomon glared at her from being rudely cut off. "All I''m saying is that it''s not possible to be alive once the body leaves the soul. So, I guess instead of calling it a ''soul-less'' state, it''s more likely that it''s another soul inside you. But then again, it''s like a soul, but at the same time not. It''s too ''empty'' for it to be called a soul." "And regarding what you experienced, it seems that its ''incomplete'', right? Is it possible that it might be because you were merely ''reacting'' towards what you perceived as a minor threat?" "I''ve been watching you train from time to time with my guards and well, it usually didn''t appear during those times no matter how intense the training was. It must be reacting in your state of mind? Like, if it senses a threat, you body merely ''reacts'' to it, hence ''it'' comes out subconsciously? Inna furrowed her brows as he continued to speak. "Though this all purely conjecture since I have no way to prove this until I find enough evidence for it." But nevertheless, it still made Solomon quite happy to receive new fodder to nurture his research. "But just because you experienced that doesn''t mean I''ll let you off the hook. What other rules did you break?" Of course¡­ Inna sighed in dismay. She thought she could get away by making him happy, but alas¡­ he''s too adamant about his academy. "I told someone about my nickname." Solomon uncrossed his arms as he looked at her in shock and nervousness. "Who did you tell it to?! Did anyone hear you getting called with that name?! Did you tell someone among the high class nobles?" "Relax¡­ I only told two people. And neither of them called me with that name. And¡­. Among the high class nobles¡­uhm, yeah, I think so¡­" Frode family is high-class, right? Solomon can already feel his body temperature lowering to a dangerous degree. He slumped over his chair as his soul began to seep out of his mouth. "I''m dead. That man will surely find out. He''s going to harass me again. My son. My poor son. He''ll be forced to marry an ugly girl for the rest of his life. And I''ll have to accept her as a daughter-in-law. I''ll have ugly grandkids¡­. Ugly grandkids¡­" He wept inwardly. News would surely spread fast if that family was a sucker for gossip! "From what family was that person?" "Frode Family." With this, Solomon''s attitude had a sudden flip. "What?! Frode family? The only one who''s from the Frode family is my dear Favian! So you told him? He''s the one you said was a high class noble?" Inna nodded. "Well, why didn''t you say so! Favian is a good boy. He can keep a secret or two. Sheesh, you got me worried for nothing. And who was the other person? Didn''t you say you told two?" "Well, I told Raghnall and he didn''t specify his family name because he ''claimed'' he''s a commoner." Solomon''s eyebrows were raised in surprise. A commoner? Chapter 104 Shameless Solomon "And you are sure you only told just those two?" "Yeah. Positive." "And they didn''t call you ''Inna''?" "Nope. They never did. As far as I can recall." Inna''s sure and resolute tone made Solomon slightly relax. Although he still had his doubts, he couldn''t help but believe her when she looked at him with clear eyes. But one thing did make him curious. "If they didn''t call you Inna, what did they call you?" Inna looked hesitant to answer so Solomon narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Did she lie to him? But he didn''t know that the reason why Inna was hesitant was because Favian just called her ''you'' or ''hey'' while Raghnall has that weird ass nickname that she''ll never acknowledge. "Why can''t you answer?" Solomon probed into it as he used his eyes to intimidate her. Inna swallowed her pride as she slowly talked. "Ninny." Solomon didn''t expect the answer so he asked her again in disbelief. "What¡­. did you say?" "One calls me ''Ninny'' while the other just calls me ''hey'' or ''you'' or whatever." Inna spoke fast and nonchalantly as if the word never bothered her. But deep inside, she cringed so hard at the nickname. Solomon''s face contorted into a weird expression as his eyes turned into slits and his mouth turned into a disgustingly sweet grin. "Ahhhh, youth. Hehe. Calling each other names on the first day. Hehe. It seems that little Inna here has found a new boy friend. Hehe. Hehe." Solomon held back his excitement as he snickered in delight. That Favian boy is a sweet talker indeed! To think he works this fast! Meanwhile, Inna felt goose bumps rising as she cringed in disgust. Okay¡­ Raghnall might be handsome as fuck, but his arrogant attitude is just really really appalling. She''d rather swallow a brick than be teased with him. Inna decided to change the topic quickly to avoid vomiting again. "That''s all the rules I broke. Just two out of four. I never told anyone that I was your disciple." "And don''t be hypocrite as well, Master. You were the one who broke the ''no special treatment'' yourself. I never asked for your help ever, but you still helped which technically, isn''t my fault." Solomon''s face turned back to normal as he looked at her with irritation. "Such an ungrateful disciple! I decided to visit and heal you from rat poison and this is what you say?! You should be sorry for making your Master worry! Who told you to eat like a starved beggar?!" Inna grinned at him when she heard him words. "Oh, so you went here because you were worried about me?" Solomon''s eyes widened as his ears involuntarily turned pink. His anger was subsided and what replaced it was pure embarrassment. He coughed awkwardly as he looked away. "W-what are you talking about? I was worried about the s-school! Yeah! I was worried about my academy! Who knows what kind of rumors would spread that might harm its reputation! They might tell the outside world that our food here is terrible!" Inna gave him a flat look saying that she''s not believing the excuse he''s giving. But with Solomon''s stubbornness, she just decided to let it go or else they''d end up arguing about it for a whole year. "Ahem." Solomon coughed as he recovered his wits. He looked at her now with the most serious expression Inna has ever seen him wear. Getting creeped out, Inna asked him hesitantly. "W-why are you looking at me like that? Your face looks really weird right now." Solomon held his serious and strict expression as he stared at her. But deep inside, his eyes were in slits due to glee. "Since you''ve obviously broken the conditions I set, then it''s only natural that I would have to make you leave." Inna''s head quickly turned to face Solomon, a mask of disbelief in her face. "What?! Why?! It''s only been the first day!" Solomon looked at her with the same expression but now, his eyes could no longer hide the glee behind them. "Well, of course I would make you leave. You were able to break the rules in less than a day! You even fought with someone! Why would I make you stay after what you yourself just told me?" Inna felt frantic as she tried to find a reason that will let her stay. After all, if she didn''t stay here, she''ll die of boredom in the mansion! She''d rather go to school than stay at home with nothing to do! "But it worked out well, didn''t it?! I mean, you got some research material, right?!" "But that doesn''t mean that it''ll be the same the next time it happens! Who knows, you might not even know that you''ve killed someone because of that ''soulless'' state you have! After all, if you can fight a Golden Bear on equal footing, then you can surely overpower those weak magic-users who aren''t that proficient in Combat!" "I-if... If you make me drop out, I w-will¡­" Inna tried to find a better excuse. "I will proclaim to everyone that my name is Inna and I am your chosen disciple! You''ll be pressured from that Adviser guy! A-and... a-and... t-then... your son would have to marry the ugly girl that you kept talking about or else he''ll end up marrying me!" Solomon paused as he tried to think her words through. Is she threatening him? Really? She''s forty years too early for that! Inna thought she finally had the upper hand but she was soon greatly disappointed because she saw a smug grin form on Solomon''s face. "Meh. You''ll be the one suffering if you were to marry my son, anyways. So, with great pleasure, please do! So that he''ll stop pestering me! I''d even give you your own mansion for you both to live in! And besides, if I were to simply spread that you''ve already done it with my son, then the Grand Adviser can''t complain if you two were wed. Simply killing two birds with one stone." Inna''s jaw dropped to the floor as she heard his twisted statements. This old man is too shameless! Utterly and undeniably shameless! Chapter 105 Inna Wins Another Round! Inna glared at him before looking away to sulk. She puffed up her cheeks as she avoided eye contact. To add on to the cuteness, she crossed her arms childishly. Usually, this ''technique'' would work on a lot of people since she looks cute doing it. But she kept forgetting that she was in a different body so the only thing Solomon saw was a childish and stubborn brat imitating a Hunting Squirrel. These were brown squirrels who had hidden sacks on their cheeks but had a devil''s reputation for being a known killer. They actually hide the edible parts of the dead corpses, of the animals they killed, inside their cheeks. And he actually saw a huge and uncanny resemblance of such a deadly animal in Inna. "You should get a Hunting Squirrel as a pet. I think you''ll get along perfectly. If it doesn''t eat you, of course." Inna''s face scrunched up as she heard his words. What the fuck is a ''Hunting'' Squirrel.....? Seeing that her ''charm'' wasn''t working, Inna was about to surrender. But then, as she uncrossed her arms, her elbow felt something by the other side of the bed. It was strangely in mid-air when she felt it hit her elbow. She looked over and she saw her most brilliant ''idea'' floating peacefully above her covers. Ah! That! I still have that! While Solomon was still planning out on how to go about kicking her out of the school, Inna was slowly planning in her mind. And when Solomon finally had the procedure in his mind, Inna suddenly stood up and thrust her hand towards his face. Her speed was abnormally faster than Solomon''s since he barely had any Combat experience. So, he was unable to react in time. Solomon winced and prepared for an impact but he just felt a small ''whoosh'' passing towards his face. He looked at Inna in confusion as he tried to make sense on what was happening now. "What are you doing? Are you going crazy again? I thought we fixed that crazy attitude of your---" "Don''t move!" Inna screamed as she pointed her half-clenched hand on Solomon''s face. Solomon was a bit startled by her sudden scream. "Did you finally snap?! What do you think you''re doing?!" "I''m threatening you! Isn''t that obvious?" Inna raised an eyebrow as she smirked. Meanwhile, Solomon was still utterly confused. Uhhh, threatening him with what? Inna seemed to ignore his confusion as she continued to talk. "You don''t really want to suffer, right? So, why don''t you just take back what you said about me leaving? Hmmm?" Solomon was still really confused on where she suddenly had the courage from. It''s like a sudden flip in her emotions! "What can you even do to me?" He huffed arrogantly as he tried to follow Inna''s crazy way of thinking. "Is that a ''no''? Do you really want to see yourself suffer?" Inna smirked as she thrust the thing in her hands forwards. Solomon instinctively tried to move back but he was too slow. The ''thing'' on Inna''s hand suddenly covered Solomon''s face. At first, Solomon felt nothing but air. But on the moment that Inna thrust her hand, he felt that his face was inside of ''something.'' And after a second, he breathed in and smelled something absolutely horrid and disgusting. He tried to hold his breath but the memory of the disgusting stink made him gag involuntarily. This made him inhale the horrible scent more and more until it became a cycle of retching and inhaling. After few torturous seconds, he finally found his voice. "M-ma¡­.a-ake¡­ i-it¡­ s-sto¡­.op¡­" Hearing his chocked up plea, Inna withdrew the sphere of collected ''air'' from his face. "So? Now are you willing to agree?" She smirked as she saw Solomon gasping for air. After regaining his sanity, Solomon fully glared at her. "You! You evil, vile, and disgusting woman! What is that?!" He pointed at the almost invisible sphere of ''air'' on her palm. "Hmmm? Oh, this? This is the product of my pure genius!" She said proudly as she waved it around his face. Seeing the sphere, he recalled the few seconds of torture he experienced being trapped in such a toxic environment. Solomon was thoroughly traumatized by it so he took a step back and shuddered in fear and disgust. In fact, the memory of the smell still lingers in his nose and he''s unable to get rid of it no matter how hard he rubs his nose. He looked at Inna''s hand cautiously as he spoke. "What kind of spell is that?! Why is it so disgusting?! Were you planning on suffocating me to death?! Were you actually planning to kill me?!" Solomon became frantic as he tried to check what spell that ''thing'' was from. But no matter how hard he tried to recall, he can''t seem to remember anything that had an effect so disgusting to even comprehend. And that means¡­ if he didn''t know the spell used¡­ he won''t be able to dispel it! In fact, even if he tried nullifying it, it might even make the spell worse if it fails. With no chance to dispel and nullify, he''s completely defenseless against such magic! And what''s worse, he''ll be at the mercy of this little crazed demon! Seeing him so frazzled and hysteric, Inna couldn''t help but let out a huge laugh. But her laughter was prickling Solomon''s pride as he heard her. "Stop laughing! I''m serious! What is that?!" Inna wiped a tear that appeared from too much laughing. She sobered up as she looked at him with amused eyes. "Promise me first you won''t kick me out. Or else¡­" She held out the sphere again and tauntingly waved it near his face. Shuddering from the thought of suffering from that torture again, Solomon quickly agreed. "Okay! Fine! I won''t kick you out! Happy?" He glared at her but Inna returned his animosity with a sweet smile of her own. "Yep." Heh.... Inna, 2 Solomon, 0 Chapter 106 Is He Planning To Kill Me?! "Now tell me, what is that monstrosity?!" Inna looked at the sphere and grinned. "Do you like it? I made it myself. Hehe." "Obviously only you would do such a horrid thing!" Inna''s smile widened when she heard his praise. "Why thank you. I call it my ''Homemade Stink Bomb.'' It''s basically using a spell to manipulate air currents into a spherical form. I tested it after seeing that dome you had in the academy. I mean, if you can bend rocks into half a sphere, why can''t you do it on air, right?" Inna presented her ''sphere'' towards Solomon with pride. After calming down, he chuckled despite of himself. He really doesn''t know what to make of her. She''s either too smart or too stupid to actually use a spell for such a purpose. "And, what makes it so deadly if it''s just air being compressed?" Inna''s eyes turned into slits as they glinted mischievously. "Heh. Because it''s not just air that''s inside." "Huh?" "It''s a collection of farts." Solomon choked on his saliva as his eyes widened in disbelief. "A WHAT?!" Inna decided that she could probably use it later so she kept the sphere beside her before looking at Solomon with amusement in her eyes. "Yep. Farts. My farts. I think there are about¡­ eight different farts inside this thing." Solomon felt faint as he slumped in his chair. Dear heavens¡­ why is this girl so disgustingly crazy? He glared at Inna as he remember the varying stinks he smelled back when his face was smothered with it. "You! Would it kill you to actually act like a normal woman?! Or at the very least, a NORMAL PERSON?! WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD TRAP THEIR FARTS IN A SPELL?!" Inna giggled in delight after seeing his exasperated expression. She actually did the same thing way back when she was in High school. Whenever she farts, she cups it in her hand and ''gives'' it to her seatmate. All just to see their reactions once they realized it. And she had to admit, among all the reactions she had for the past years, Solomon''s was the funniest. "DON''T YOU EVER DO THIS AGAIN TO ANYONE! THIS IS UNCIVILIZED AND UNCULTURED BEHAVIOR! YOU SHOUL¡ª" Inna had a feeling that he was going to rant and vent for a while so she decided to make herself busy. She wanted to store her sphere in that pouch she had but when she woke up, the pouch wasn''t on her belt. Then, she remembered that they had to surrender it before they were to start the battles so it must be with Favian still. Since she had nothing else to do and she was feeling much better, she was about to ask permission to leave when she suddenly saw Solomon casting magic. And in the next second, the ''stink bomb'' she had by her side was rudely snatched away by a ray of light. "Hey! Thief!" She was about to chase after it when Solomon''s glare pinned her in place. "I''ll be confiscating this! Don''t even think of making more of these things! No more ''homemade stink bombs''! I don''t want to see something this traumatizing existing inside my academy! Do you understand?!" Inna reluctantly nodded as she teared up inside. My babyyyyy~ Solomon dumped the horrifying thing inside his white pouch before taking a sheet of paper out of it. Inna glanced curiously at the paper. "Since you''ve obviously failed in the Class Change Battles, you''re going to be stuck in this class for a year before you can have another chance to change classes again. And I already predicted you losing so I''ve made a schedule for you." Solomon handed her the paper with Eridoan writings on it. Just as expected, Inna saw the weird letters shift around as it translated itself to English. "It''s not strange for a Lily class student to receive a special schedule since¡­ well¡­ lunatics and crazy people usually stay here. I had to give them a specific schedule where there wouldn''t be much students on each class. It''s to minimize possible damage done by both the other students and them. And their corresponding schedule also caters to their current power. So, for you, since you''re¡­. you¡­. I''ve taken into consideration your ''power'', or the utter lack of it, and made a schedule for you to follow. All of them are general and basic classes. Since you don''t have any preferred profession, I''ve opted for the general classes and since you''re not that strong, I''ve added in the basic classes as well. Now, if you were to skip any of these lessons, trust me, I will know. And if word got out to me that you skipped a class, then say goodbye to the academy." Inna looked at him with wide eyes. "Wha¡ªso if I skip one class I get kicked out?! That''s so unfair!" "So what if it''s unfair? The only solid reason you wanted to stay was to ''learn,'' right? Or was I wrong about that?" Faced by Solomon''s narrowed his eyes, Inna couldn''t help but reply hastily. "Of course! Of course! I wanted to learn! Haha. I will follow this schedule like a hawk! Surely! I promise!" Inna even made a small salute to show her sincerity. Solomon, feeling satisfied by her reply, stood up from his chair and slowly walked out the room. But before he can leave, he turned around to talk to her one last time. "Take care of yourself more. Don''t eat too much next time. Also, take this opportunity to rest up because tomorrow will be a very¡­ very busy day." Inna was puzzled by the amusement behind his tone until she finally read her schedule for tomorrow. What is this?! Seven subjects?! From the 6th hour to the 20th hour?! What the fuck?! Is he planning to kill me?! Chapter 107 First Day of Classes 1 I hate life. I hate magic. I hate this world. I want to go back. Inna groaned in annoyance as she laid her forehead on top of the cool surface of her wooden desk. It''s been just a few hours since her classes started but she already felt like skipping classes for the rest of the day. But sadly, she can''t because of a certain someone. Remembering yesterday, she groaned again. She so badly wanted to sleep to kill time but she can''t because she already slept for about twelve hours last night. In fact, she planned to sleep more but Ulima shook her awake when it was four in the morning. Then he rudely shoved her blue robe and class pin unto her lap before running away quickly. Because of the rude awakening, Inna became cranky the whole morning. She always hated being woken up abruptly because it affects her mood the rest of the day. Someone must have told Ulima, judging from the way he ran away immediately. And since she was already fully rested, she had trouble sleeping again. So, she had no choice but to prepare slowly for her classes on four in the morning. But not before cursing and grumbling about it for almost an hour. Suddenly, a bell sound interrupted her thoughts as it echoed throughout the room. The teacher in the front of the room stopped his sentence mid-way as he sighed. "That''s all for today. For the Anemone class, please read chapters 2 and 3, it''ll be about the origins of enhancement magic. For the Belladonna class, please read chapters 4 and 5, it will be about the essence of curse magic. And for the chamomile, their chapters would be 6 and 7. Those would be about discoveries on the advancement of healing magic. We will be tackling those topics next meeting. Class diss¡ª" The teacher was about to dismiss the whole class but when he locked eyes with a student at the far back end of the room, he sighed in dismay. "For the Lily class, please review chapters 1, 2, 4, 6, and write a detailed understanding of what you have read. The writings should fill up two papers at the very least. I expect it on my desk tomorrow as soon as class begins. Class dismissed." The students all stood up in unison as they excitedly went to leave the room. But, before leaving, they all shot disgusted and mocking glances at Inna as they walked. Inna ignored their actions as she fished out from her spatial pouch the note and schedule Solomon gave her. "This will be your schedule starting now. They will all be basic and general subjects. Supposedly, the student from the lowest classes (Anemone, Belladonna, and Chamomile) will take on one of these subjects once a week. It will deeply depend on their individual schedules. So, you might mix with some of them in the class. Also, if it wasn''t already obvious enough, all schedules in Eldora Academy are personalized and greatly fitted for the student''s power and consideration for growth. Hence, you will be taking all general classes until I''ll be able to see which profession you''ll be more talented at. When you show some signs of talent, I''ll lesson your study load but if otherwise, then you''ll have to stick with this schedule indefinitely." Inna wanted to crumple the note on her hands but she controlled herself as she took out her schedule. Inner peace¡­ It''s just like college... Same obnoxious people, same unreasonable professors, and same classrooms. Feeling calm, she carefully hid the note back in her spatial pouch as she peered at her schedule. Fundamentals of Magic ¨C the 6th hour to the 9th hour Essential Body Foundations for Magic ¨C the 9th hour to the 10th hour Magic Laws and Theories over the Centuries¨C the 10th hour to the 12th hour Lunch ¨C the 12th hour to the 13th hour Spell Casting (Lecture) ¨C the 13th hour to the 16th hour Spell Casting (Practical) ¨C the 16th hour to the 17th hour History of the Old Eridoan Language ¨C the 17th hour to the 18th hour Anatomy and Physiology of Magical Beasts and Plants ¨C the 18th hour to the 20th hour Ugh¡­ Just looking at it makes her tired already. In college, she rarely had more than 3 subjects¡­ But now¡­ it''s more than double¡­. And she actually had two subjects that had a full three hour lecture! She inwardly wept as she stuffed the schedule back in place. After doing so, she looked around, only to see that all the students already left the room and the professor was already raising his eyebrow at her, urging her to leave. Inna grumbled in annoyance as she went out. She checked the time with the spell. "Five moments past the ninth hour." She walked leisurely as she looked around the rooms of the ground floor of the academy. She wasn''t really pressed for time despite her very sticky schedule. That''s because there is a ''thirty moments past'' rule that they uphold. If you arrive not on time, but not after thirty minutes as well, then technically, you''re not considered late nor skipping. So, as if trying to delay her doom, Inna walked around as she tried to familiarize herself with the way towards the room for the subject of Essential Body Foundations for Magic. When she saw its subject symbol which was a flexing muscular body with a hole in the middle of its chest, Inna knew she had the right door. And, after waiting until it was a moment before the ''thirty moments past'' rule expires, she finally pushed open the door. But as she did, her eyes locked unto a pair of very familiar ones. Chapter 108 First Day of Classes 2 Why the hell is he here? Inna glared at the sky blue eyes that stared back at her. But after a few moments, she heard a cough behind her back, making her lose the mini-staring contest. "Would you please excuse me, Miss. I have a class to teach." A teacher clad in a white robe raised an eyebrow at Inna as he impatiently tapped his foot. Inna realized that she was blocking the doorway so she quickly apologized and decided to find a vacant seat. She sat from the other side of where those annoying blue eyes were. And she knew it was a good choice because she can already feel the poutiness and amusement emitting from the stare she''s receiving. Despite its piercing stare, it only took her a few minutes where she was finally able to stop herself from being so distracted. In those few minutes, the teacher was preparing for his lecture. And as soon as he was started his lecture, Inna took out her notebooks, which were actually papers weaved together, and her quill pen. And, with these on her desk, she tried to take down notes like a good student. But, the keyword there was ''tried.'' She glared in hatred at the teacher in front of the room as her pen moved non-stop. That''s because she barely can keep up with the words the teacher was spouting off. He was basically spouting twenty words per second! Inna''s glare intensified as she felt her hands start to feel funny. Fuck Eminem, this guy''s the new Rap God. After a few minutes, she felt her hand cramp up and she decided to finally end her suffering. She slammed the quill pen down as she stifled a scream of pain. Cramps! Fucking cramps! I''ll never again write notes in this class! EVER! Inna grumbled her complaints as she tried to massage her cramped hand. While she was busy nursing her hand cramp, she didn''t notice a figure crawling on the ground, slowly making his way to her seat. When the chair beside Inna started to creak, she finally noticed Raghnall on the floor beside her. "What are you doing?" Inna hissed out, trying to suppress her groans of pain. Raghnall flashed her a hurried smile before carefully sitting down on the seat beside Inna. "I was crawling because the teacher might notice me, especially now that I''m transferring from one side to the other." Inna raised an eyebrow at his reply. "But, why are you even here? Don''t you have your own classes to attend to?" Raghnall grinned. "Our classes are mostly optional. Usually we get a test before class and if we pass it, then we''re given the choice to stay or not. And since, your truly, is a genius, almost all classes are optional for me." Inna''s ears perked up at the word ''almost.'' "Almost all classes? Does that mean you have one where you failed? The self-proclaimed genius has failed something? Can you even be called a genius with that failure?" Raghnall playfully glared at her. "I''m sure you''ll fail heavily in that test even if you transferred all of my points into yours." Inna raised an eyebrow at his remark. "Oh really now? Me? Fail? I may be weak, but I''m good at cheating." Raghnall''s eyes widened as he looked at her in disbelief. "You¡ª!!! No sane person would ever admit that out loud! How could you even say that so proudly?!" Inna grinned in amusement. "You see, when I cheat, I actually learn something along the way, you know? It''s not my fault the teachers are boring. And I don''t cheat during tests all the time! Only when I need help¡­ which is like, 90% of the time¡­ But even though, what matters is that it helps me learn!" Raghnall blatantly looked at her with skepticism and Inna was starting to get annoyed by his accusing and judgmental gaze. "Look here, when I cheat, I really do learn something! I tend to retain the knowledge unlike others who study then after the test, they forget!" "Heck, I can even give you a sample!" "Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell!" Raghnall''s face became filled with confusion. "Mito-what? Power of the houses and cell? Wha¡ª" Inna ignored his reaction as she cut him off. "See? Can you at least give me some credit for that? What matters is that I learned something for the long run!" Raghnall figured that the statement earlier was one of her crazy ramblings again so he decided to just ignore it. "Well, no matter how good you are at that, there''s still no way you can score higher than I would in the test of the subject I failed." "Is that a challenge?" Inna''s tone held a tinge of excitement and confidence as she smirked. Although she didn''t know what subject they both were talking about, she didn''t care because she was simply just getting riled up due to the pent up boredom in her body. Hearing this, Raghnall really wanted to laugh. Oh, if only she knew¡­ Faced with the eager expression of Inna, he had no choice but to withhold his laughter as he replied. "Well, it''s a challenge if you actually have a chance of winning. But this? Oh no, this is just called a ''miracle.'' " Inna''s face scrunched up in annoyance. "Humph, tell you what, find a way for me to take that test! I''ll show you who can score higher than who! If I succeed, you will have to scream at the top of your lungs, ''Inna is a genius'' in the campus five times!" Inna gazed at him with curiosity and confidence in her eyes. Ha, this is better than staying in this room and listening to a rapper discuss about the human body and magic! Raghnall''s interest was piqued in her conditions. "And if you lose, what will you do?" Inna thought for a moment. "I will kiss..... a frog!" Raghnall''s eyes widened in horror. A frog is one of the most poisonous beings in Anemoly! What is this girl thinking?! "No, no! Don''t do that, you ignorant ninny!" He scolded her as he tried to think of an amusing condition. "Uhm, how about this... You dance any dance in the campus for ten minutes!" Inna found his condition too easy since she usually do that in malls. But then again, she''s sure as heck not complaining to him! "So, please do enlighten me the name of that subject that you failed on?" She raised an eyebrow as she leaned on the backrest of her seat with a relaxed posture. She failed to see Raghnall''s look of smugness and amusement rolled into one as he replied. "Anemolian Laws, Social Morals, and Etiquette." Chapter 109 First Day of Classes 3 Anemolian Laws? Social Morals?? Etiquette??? Inna laughed nervously. "Hey, you do know that I was just joking on what I said, right?" Raghnall held in his laughter as he saw her chickening out. "What? You''re taking back what you said? What happened to the confidence earlier?" Inna glared at him. "I''m not into fighting battles I can''t win." "So, you do admit that you''re dumber than me." Inna''s eyes narrowed at the word. "I never said I was dumber than you! I''m just saying that it''s unfair!" Raghnall''s ears perked up at the statement. "And why is it unfair? Girls are usually the most knowledgeable about this sort of topic. It''s been drilled to them since they were born in Anemoly." "That''s the thing! I wasn''t born in¡ª" Inna''s eyes widened as she tried to cover up her slip of tongue. "¡ªa great house! Ha ha ha¡­" Raghnall''s eyes squinted as he noticed her poor attempt of a cover up. He was about to bring it up when Inna cut him off. "Why are you here anyways?" Raghnall looked at her as if she was stupid. "Didn''t I say that most of my classes are optional? Aside from when the Veteran teachers teach us, attendance is not usually checked nor needed. And since that''s the case, skipping is something natural for us." "No, that''s not what I meant! I meant, why here! In the Essential Body Foundations for Magic subject! This is a beginner subject!" Raghnall yawned slightly. "I was bored so I figured to drop by and say hello to my crazy lil'' Ninny." Inna rolled her eyes at his endearing statement. "And how did you even find me? I don''t remember ever showing my schedule to you?" Raghnall gave her a flat look. "Do you really think I wouldn''t be able to know? Only freshmen that are in low ranked classes would have one subject of the basics. That is for them to learn things they might have possibly missed while training. Because some believe that there might be something wrong being done during training that''s why their aptitudes are quite low in the academy''s standards." "And what does that have to do with me?" "You are the lowest class and the weakest student in the history of Eldora Academy. It wouldn''t take two to figure out that your schedule will consist of all the basic and beginner classes in the whole academy." Inna still couldn''t shake the feeling of something fishy. "But how did you know that I''ll attend this class during this time?" Raghnall looked at her with a smirk in his face. "Secret¡­" "You little sh¡ª! " Inna was about to make him spill it out when she heard a rough and loud cough. ''You two¡­" The teacher looked at both of them with irritation in his eyes. "¡­ I would like it if you were to cease your loud ramblings during my lecture. It is quite rude and unbecoming of students in this academy to interrupt a teacher. I am warning you now, but if I ever see you both disturbing my lecture again, I would have no choice but to take it up to the Head Elders regarding your disruptive behaviours." Inna gulped and sat rigid in her seat as she tried to hide the embarrassment from her face. At the same time, the rest of the room proceeded to look at her in annoyance. When the teacher finally resumed his lecture, Inna ignored everyone''s gazes and glared at Raghnall. "You twat!" She hissed in a soft voice, afraid to catch the teacher''s attention again. "Another test will be held tomorrow, around the 12th hour so prepare yourself. He he he." Raghnall snickered in amusement. "I told you I was just joking! There''s no way I''m taking that test!" "But, you already agreed!" "Did you ever hear the words ''I agree'' coming from my mouth?!" "Uh¡­" Raghnall thought back in their conversation. "No¡ª" "Then there you have it! I did not agree, hence, I am not liable to whatever bets that have been made." Raghnall gritted his teeth. Dang, he wanted to see a good show but she actually outwitted him! "Well, it seems that our little Ninny here is too much of a coward to do it." "Say what you want, you bastard. I''m not budging." She muttered as she tried to busy herself by doodling on her papers. "Oh, so you''re finally admitting that you can''t do it?" Despite hearing his taunting, Inna kept her composure as she drew out little stick men on the sides of her paper. "I''m not taking a test for something I don''t even give a shit about." Raghnall finally smirked. "Oh, then, does that mean that you wouldn''t want the privilege points with it?" "Privilege what?" Inna hastily turned her head to look at Raghnall quickly. Privilege points...? "They''re points you get for taking a really difficult task. It''s like a way of encouraging students to aim higher and such. The number of points depends on the result of that difficult task and even if you failed, as long as it''s higher than the usual standards of your original class, then you''ll still earn points. So whether you fail or not in that Rose-class test, you''ll still earn them anyways." Inna furrowed her brows. "And why would I want these ''privilege points''?" With this, Raghnall placed his arm on the table as he rested his chin above it. Looking up in a mischievous manner, he smirked charmingly. "Because, my dear, if you''ll earn enough of these points¡­" Inna stared at him in anticipation and curiousity. "¡­then you''ll be able to skip classes." Chapter 110 First Day of Classes 4 Inna''s eye bulged as she stared at him in disbelief. "Wha¡ªAre you sure?!" Knowing that he caught her attention, Raghnall smiled in delight. "Yeah. Earn enough points and you''ll earn an excused absence from any class you can choose from." Inna was about to enthusiastically agree in taking the test, all bets be damned. But then, she remembered the ''deal'' she made with Solomon. "Well¡­ uhm¡­ too bad for you. I¡­ don''t skip classes. I''m a¡­ good student." Inna forced herself to say it. Hearing the strain in her voice, Raghnall furrowed his brows in confusion. Wait, why is she refusing? Good student, my foot! She definitely looks like the type who''ll skip classes! Raghnall racked his brains for a better proposition. "Ah!" He exclaimed softly. "Actually, there are other things along with it too!" Inna''s ears perked up at his statement. "Other ''privileges'' of these points include, being able to have an excused tardiness, excused homework, and I think the most important for you¡­" Raghnall grinned. "A premium meal set! A large cut of beef steak filled with a special signature citrus sauce, along with baked potatoes, 2 loaves of bread, and roasted vegetables on the sides. And for the beverage, a deluxe orange juice filled with healing powers for fatigue and even has an enchantment that can even improve your memory by a slight margin." Inna''s eyes sparkled at the mention of food. She''s actually quite hungry now since her last meal was during 5 in the morning. And that meal only consisted of bread, cheese, and fried egg. She looked at Raghnall with drool on her mouth. "Bruh, you lost me at ''steak.'' And that''s all I need to know. I''m in! Test or whatever, I need that meal!" Raghnall smiled mischievously in delight. Heh, I guess I''ll be able to see something interesting, after all¡­ And because of that, for the whole duration of the day, Inna''s mind was stuck on the premium meal set that Raghnall talked about. Even after she ate the porridge that was supposed to be her lunch, her mind was still stuck on that image of a luscious large cut of steak and the potatoes that went along with it. In fact, because her lunch was porridge, it made her crave the premium meal set more. Although the social status is used to determine your meals, they also add in your classes in consideration. Those who were in low classes like the Belladonna, Chamomile and Anemone were given a small loaf of bread but they had more meat for the men and more vegetables for the women. That''s because they are the ones who needs more growth in terms of strength. While those who were in the middle classes had two loaves of bread but only the highest classes can choose their meal and have juices. And the difference of social status is reflected in the quality of the meat, the bread, the vegetables, and the juices. All these might sound complicated, but for Inna, it was actually pretty simple. That''s because the food for the lowest of all classes is just porridge. That''s right. Plain, boring porridge. Well, actually, it''s not that boring. It had small chunks of floating vegetables in it. But for Inna, she merely ignored their existence. After carefully scooping up the white salty porridge while avoiding the vegetables, Inna felt like she just went through the most tiresome minesweeper game she''d ever played. And what''s worse was that it actually made her hungrier. So, as she finished up her last class, she still ended up daydreaming about the day where she gets that premium meal set. And when her last class finally ended at the 20th hour, she immediately ran back to the dorms for dinner. Because, in there, she can eat whatever she wants as long as she makes it herself or its readily available. And since teachers are given any food they want, Inna began to raid Ulima''s storage. After slicing 4 loaves of bread into makeshift buns, adding in 3 slices of cheese, and placing fluffy scrambled eggs as the ''patty'', Inna was finally able to make her egg sandwich. She held it like a burger and brainwashed herself into thinking that it''s actually from a fast food chain. When she finished the second sandwich, she finally felt like she''s actually eating proper food. Feeling full and energized, she felt like she can finally do some work. She cleaned up her mess before going to her room. Sitting on the chair at the side of the room, she looked longingly for the bed beside her. But, knowing that she had about three projects and tests for tomorrow, she had no choice but to silently cry inside instead. Before starting, she checked the time with her spell. "9:00." Okay, I have nine hours until 6 am. Let''s do this shit. She grabbed her self-bound notebook and flipped to a new page. "Okay, let''s start with a plan. What should I work on first?" Two-page essay about Chapter 1, 2, 4, 6 in Fundamentals of Magic One page essay about the basic postures necessary for magical energy circulation in the body A reflection paper towards the first theory of Magical Properties "Oh, and Raghnall''s stupid test as well. I need to study that." Inna groaned in annoyance. Speaking of tests, she will also have tests on Spell Casting, History, and Anatomy. But, nah, she''d rather wing it instead. Given with her workload now, there''s no way she can do everything in just nine hours, without sleeping. And when she saw that it was already ten minutes past nine, she finally decided to work on the project from the easiest to the hardest. So, she grabbed a piece of paper and proceeded to write the one page essay about the basic postures. It was fairly easy since all she needed to do was describe them. And the postures were discussed in the beginning of the lecture so she was able to take down notes. And she can just bullshit the paper halfway through. Since, you know, it''s just one page. Chapter 111 Today Is Not Her Day 1 Holy shit. Holy mother of all shit. Inna''s eyes were wide open as she looked around her room. How the fuck did this happen? She looked at the dried up drool on top of her desk. And the unfinished works sprawled in front of her. Fuck, I fell asleep! She hastily packed her things as she chanted the spell for the time. 6:05 Holy shit! She screamed internally as she finished placing all her things in her black pouch. Then she proceeded to run down the stairs only to meet Ulima by the door. He probably thought that she would''ve left the house by now because he looked startled to see her as he munched on a piece of bread. She dashed towards the door, but not before grabbing the bread that was hanging on his mouth. "Hey!" Ulima screamed in disbelief. Inna ignored him as she ran while removing the parts of the bread where Ulima bit. She may be in a hurry, but she sure as hell ain''t going hungry! After running for minutes, she finally arrived in her first class. She hurriedly opened the door and ran to her seat. She ignored the irritated glances that were thrown at her as she made her way to the back. She''s been receiving those looks for the whole day since yesterday so she learned to ignore them. After a few minutes, the professor arrived calmly. "Now, I hope all of you have read the chapters I told you to read because today, I''ll be giving a test. Now, clear your desks and ready your writing utensils." The professor smiled kindly at the grumbling students. Meanwhile, a certain someone is panicking for dear life. Inna looked at the empty seats beside her and cursed under her breath. Just when she needed that annoying genius, he decided now of all times to NOT ditch his class! Fuck! When she heard the professor shooting off one question after the other, she knew she no longer had hope. So, she simply stared blankly at the window, thinking of the things she would''ve been able to do if it weren''t for the fact that she fell asleep. After about a few minutes of staring, she slowly and unknowingly drifted off to sleep. And when she woke up, she saw at a distance, a pair of eyes glaring at her. "Miss Ingrid. Please do explain how you found the luxury to sleep in my class?" "Uh, uhm, wha?" Half asleep, Inna rubber her eyes, trying to remove the little traces of sleepiness from them. When she was finally fully awake, she saw the whole class and the professor staring at her with agitated looks. "Well, seeing that you''ve thoroughly slept through the whole lecture, I suppose you''ve already understood the topics beforehand." The professor asked with an eyebrow raised. Inna didn''t know what to say so she simply kept her mouth shut and stared at the professor with a guilty expression. "Well then, since you''ve already understood, why don''t you give the main theories behind the accumulation of Mana? How about the methods of efficiently collecting Mana and its conversion from an element into an energy absorbed by the body?" Inna''s eyes almost bulged out from the questions he''s asking. Theories? Accumulation? Conversion? Mana? Dafuq? Seeing Inna''s dumbfounded face, the professor held a smug expression as he gestured for the class to listen in. "Well, as what one would expect from a Lily class..." He trailed off as he made a mocking face. Seeing the professor''s reaction, the students snickered among themselves. "Miss Ingrid, it would do you much good to listen in on the lectures because you''re the one who needs it the most among the whole batch. Thus, I seem to be unable to comprehend as to how and why you decided to sleep on my class. In fact, I see that as offensive and disrespectful on my part as a teacher. So if I catch you sleeping one more time, I will have no choice but to report you to the Head Elders regarding your offensive behaviour. And I hope my words weren''t too complicated for a Lily class to comprehend?" Inna held in her irritation as she crossed her arms in front of her. She nodded slowly, saying she understood. Then, when the professor turned around to continue his lecture, she tried to make it seem like she''s taking down notes. She picked up her pen and wrote the curses and comebacks she wanted to unleash. She gripped her pen so hard that she heard little cracking noises as she furiously wrote down every word. After a few minutes, the class finally ended. And as soon as Inna heard the professor saying his goodbyes to the class, Inna immediately stood up from her seat, ready to dash. But it seems like that day was not her day. That''s because one student decided that it would be fun to torture her more. "Professor! Didn''t you assign that Lily class student a detailed two page written essay on her understanding on the Chapters 1, 2, 4, and 6?" Inna''s eyes shot daggers at the back of the girl''s head. Since the student that spoke up was in the front row, Inna wasn''t able to see her face clearly. But that didn''t stop her from glaring. Inna''s eyes held an expression of murder and her lip curled up in agitation. This fucker! Chapter 112 Today Is Not Her Day 2 No one is supposed to remind the professor about her forgotten report shit! The professor, upon hearing the student''s word, stopped in his tracks and turned around abruptly. "Well then, Miss Ingrid, forgive me for not remembering. I rarely give out any homeworks to do since the topics are usually easy for the lower classes so, I see no point in giving something that they already learned anyways." Inna inwardly rolled her eyes. "Now, please do submit your detailed essay regarding those assigned chapters." Hearing these words, Inna froze on the spot. Shit. What am I supposed to do?! When the professor noticed her not responding, he frowned deeply. "Miss Ingrid?" Inna shakily smiled. "I don--" "Ehem.¡­" A cough echoed around the room. Then, a voice suddenly spoke up. "My apologies. It seems that this little one dropped her papers by the halls." Inna looked at the direction where it originated and she was shocked to see Ulima by the door clutching a thick wad of papers. She looked at his sudden appearance with confusion. Meanwhile, Ulima ignored Inna''s questioning gaze as he muttered a spell. The thick bundle of papers on his hand suddenly floated gracefully towards Inna. The professor and Inna were both equally surprised with Ulima''s sudden presence. But as soon as Inna recieved the papers, she momentarily stopped questioning it and just reveled on the fact that she was saved. After a few seconds of smiling smugly in her mind, she finally looked at the papers on her hands. And well, let''s just say that being shocked was an understatement for her at that moment. Aside from the weird fact that Ulima knew about her essay and basically every homework she had, it eerily looked like her handwriting as well. "H-how¡­" She muttered to herself. ''A little birdy told me.'' She heard Ulima''s voice inside her head as she felt the black diamond that she keeps hidden in her robes pulsate. A what? Wait, how the hell¡­. How are you in my mind right now?! ''You seem to forget that that stone came from me. Such a brief memory similar to an old lady.'' Inna pried her eyes away from her papers, just in time to see him sigh across the room as he lightly conversed with the other professor. Meanwhile, the rest of the students figured that the drama ended already so they groaned in dismay before slowly going out of the class. But Inna still stood there, clutching her papers while looking at Ulima in confusion. But how? ''Telepathy is a easy spell that can be done by anyone of any profession as long as there is a medium or contact. By using a medium or by simply touching each other, one''s magic, embedded with a message or idea, can reach the intended person, making telepathy possible. Or so what previous magical theorists claim. Hence, it''s really a simple spell. Don''t get too shocked about it. It''s embarrassing.'' Okay okay. I wasn''t referring to that. I was referring to the part on how''d you figure out i''ve got all these things to submit? ''Didn''t i tell you already? A little birdy told me¡­.'' Wait, what exactly do you mean by that? Does your birds really talk here? But before she can ask more about it, Ulima already bid his farewells to the professor and left soon after. But he didn''t forget to add a small comment before he left. ''No bread for you for the rest of the week.'' Inna''s eyes bulged at the savage comment. After a few moments, the professor finally remembered the issue at hand. "W-well, it seems like you got lucky. If it weren''t for Professor Ulima picking up those papers, you would''ve been in real trouble¡­ Now, I''ve got another class and i''m almost running late. Hurry, just give me your essay papers and leave." Inna got the two topmost papers and handed them towards the professor. Then, she silently left after discreetly placing all her papers by her spatial pouch. A bird¡­. A little birdy¡­. She recalled the words of Ulima. And still, she can''t get over the fact that the incident just now was very strange. First, why would Ulima help her? There''s no reason for him to go out of his way to make her homeworks. In fact, Inna still feels a small animosity coming from him. Raghnall? No, it can''t be him. He didn''t attend all my classes, and when he did attend, he barely paid attention. So, how would he know all of the home works that were given? Also, that guy is a gloating asshole so I doubt he''ll help unless I begged him. Solomon? No, he wouldn''t be that free to know my home works much less help me out. Favian? I don''t think so. We''re not even that close. Plus, that guy even needs notes to remember his own name so why would he even want to waste those notes just to remember my homeworks? "Agh, all this thinking is just making me more confused. So.many thinga already happened, and to think this is just the first class for the day. Why do I feel like it''s only going to get worse from here on out." Inna mumbled, deep in thought as she made twists and turns on the academy''s hallways. After a few minutes, she finally remembered to look at the time. And when she did, she saw that it was nearing 30 moments past the ninth hour. Oh shit! She was about to reach the end of the 30-moment allowance! That means she''ll surely be marked late! She spat out a curse as she readied herself to run. 2 moments left¡­. After counting from one to three, she exhaled shortly before running as fast as she could. She didn''t even look back as she whipped around corridor to corridor. The wind became more destructive behind her as she sped up and the floor where she ran unto was so hot that if Inna went any faster, she might even set it on fire. But as Inna focused on going to the next class, she failed to notice a pair of curious eyes that still caught her figure despite her running nearly at supersonic speed. The curious eyes squinted as they tried to see Inna''s face the very second before she ran off. "Who is that?" Chapter 113 Today Is Not Her Day 3 Inna slammed her hand against the table as she hissed out. "No." Raghnall''s face scrunched up in annoyance. "B-but you promised yesterday that you''ll take it!" "And I''m promising to you now! No way!" Raghnall grumpily crossed his arms as he glared at her. "But I already informed the professor! If you don''t show up, then he''ll think that I was tricking him! He already hates me enough!" Inna sighed in irritation. She just finished her morning classes and just as when she thought she could finally take a break, this annoying ''fly'' suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "I''m not that desperate to embarrass myself for food." As she was saying that, she began nitpicking the porridge on the table. Raghnall saw her actions and suddenly had an idea. "Okay, well, if you say so." He said with a hurt voice as he left dejectedly. Inna held her ground as she focused on eating her porridge. She really didn''t want to do it because he just told her ealier that the test wouldn''t just be between the two of them and the professor. Turns out, the whole Rose class will be watching, along with the other high classes who requested to take it as well. So noooo way is she going to embarrass herself in front of all of them. She already had enough from the lower classes treating her like she''s stupid, so she doesn''t need those from the higher classes to join in as well. Besides, from the way Raghnall left so quickly,he''s probably just guilt tripping me. I mean, he didn''t even try to argue or convince me. It''s too obvious. I bet he''s even expecting me to chase after him. Heck, my friends used to do this tactic back in the uni. And when I don''t chase them, they just run back and bitch about me not chasing them. So, Inna decided to just let him be. But after a few minutes, Raghnall still didn''t come back. And soon, she started feeling a bit guilty for ditching her promise. But then again, what can she do? She didn''t study for that test and she didn''t want to embarrass herself further in front of a class of genuises. Dancing in a public place? That she can do¡­ And that''s because she''s got confidence on her skills.¡­ But answering a test she had no knowledge of on front of hundreds of judgemental people? Heck no. So she still held her ground as she finished up her porridge. Then suddenly, as she sipped the last spoonful of her bland porridge, she sensed a certain mocking gaze behind her. And when she lifted her head to look back, she saw Raghnall with a Cheshire cat''s grin plastered on his face. The grin was so bright and wide that it spans from ear to ear making Inna feel quite disturbed. Meanwhile, knowing that Inna was now looking at him, Raghnall winked at her playfully. Then, he lowered his eyes to gesture for Inna to look at what he was bringing. And sure enough, when Inna caught sight of it, she felt her heart skip a beat. Raghnall was actually carrying a premium meal set! On his golden tray was a large cut of beef steak filled with citrus sauce, along with baked baby potatoes, two loaves of bread, and roasted vegetables on the sides. And he even had the beverage which was the deluxe orange juice. And if her memory served her right, according to Raghnall, that juice would have healing powers for fatigue and an enchantment that can improve memory by a slight margin, though temporarily. And as he drew closer, Inna couldn''t look away from the beautiful sight of the glistening steak. In fact, whenever she breathed, she could already taste the immaculate flavor of its savoury goodness on her mouth. So when Raghnall sat beside her with that set, the gears in her head started turning, trying to come up with an ingenious plan. But before she can push through with it, Raghnall started drawing lines in mid air. Then, after chanting a bit, the golden tray was suddenly surrounded by a thin sheet of energy. And it just dawned in Inna¡­ Raghnall actually made a friggin barrier before she could act¡­ Feeling angry that her plan failed, Inna looked at him in fake shock. "Why do you have to do that?!" "Do what?" Raghnall questioned but his face still held a smug knowing smile. "The barrier! Is it really necessary?" "Yes. It''s in case someone gets some funny ideas about stealing my lunch under my watch." "Wha--Are you implying that i''m going to steal your lunch? Why would I, of all people, steal lunches?" Inna huffed as though she was offended. Seeing her facade, Raghnall just chuckled to himself. He''s not that stupid to not figure out what she was going to do next. Seriously, anyone in the right mind would put up a barrier after seeing the wicked glint in her eyes. Inna seemed to have sensed his thoughts as she crossed her arms. "Okay, fine. I was going to steal it. But whatever." She shrugged, acting like it didn''t even bother her. "How did you even get this premium set anyways? I bet you stole it! Hah, who''s the thief now?" Raghnall slid the tray in front of Inna before answering nonchalantly. "Oh, I just pulled some strings." "Strings? How would you even have those connections in this academy?" A glint of panic showed in Raghnall''s eyes but it was soon covered up with his usual smug expression. "Well, I just talked to the cook about it. And because of my good looks and kind attitude, they gave it to me willingly." Inna cringed hard when she heard it. Never had she ever met a man so full of himself until now. She was about to question his ''excuse'' when she saw his fork hover in mid air. Then, as though trying to distract her, Raghnall started to slowly eat the meal that he placed in front of her. He started by picking up the baked baby potatoes and slowly placing it in his mouth. Then, he groaned dramatically. "Wow, this potato tastes soooooo good!" Chapter 114 Today Is Not Her Day 4 Inna glared at him as she crossed her arms. Seeing him eating the meal was painful for her so she decided to just look away. What she won''t see wouldn''t hurt her after all. "What do you even hope to achieve by doing this?" She muttered in annoyance. Hearing the tone of her voice, Raghnall knew that she was definitely affected. So, he made the fork glide towards Inna''s line of sight as he took another baby potato before speaking. "Well, I''m trying to make you realize that ''this'' is what you''ll be missing out on if ever you won''t take the test." Inna looked back towards Raghnall with her eyebrow raised in irritation. "I wouldn''t be able to even get a piece of that even if i did take the test! I''ll surely just fail it and then get nothing but embarrassment in return!" Raghnall''s fork stopped midway as he looked at her with newfound realization. "Oh yeah." He muttered. He got so used to acing tests and getting the rewards soon after that he absolutely forgot what happens when someone DOES fail a test. Obviously, that ''someone'' wouldn''t get anything¡­. Seeing his foolish mistake, Raghnall cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking. "Well, how about this. If you take the test, fail or not, I''ll still give you a premium set." Inna''s ears perked up at his statement. But she still felt reluctant. After all, she''ll be taking it in public. And when she fails, the teasing and harsh comments would most definitely increase. But then¡­ She''s been eating nothing but porridge, bread, cheese, and eggs¡­ And Ulima just banned her from eating bread for a whole week¡­ "Hey¡­ Ninny? Are you willing?" Raghnall''s voice barely entered her mind as she contemplated with a serious expression. Meanwhile, Raghnall waited for an answer of his offer but after a few seconds, not a single sound was made. He looked at her in confusion, trying to see what made her hesitate so much. And he was actually shocked to see such a serious expression on her face. And he was torn between two reactions. One reaction was to just keep gazing at her because truthfully, her serious expression is just¡­ tantalizing. He didn''t expect that she could actually look like a proper lady when she thinks. Her green eyes squinted towards the distance, the way her lip twitches, and the way her eyebrowstwitches ever so slightly, Raghnall couldn''t help but admire the fact that she truly looks like a fiery warrior when she''s deep in thought. But then, the other reaction he had was to hurry her up because lunch break is about to end and almost everyone in the lunch room had already left. In fact, since they were seated in a secluded spot that had the whole view of the room, Raghnall can already see that only a handful of students remained because they arrived in the lunchroom late. What''s taking her so long? Raghnall looked at Inna again. "So, do you accept or not?" He pried again but after a few minutes, he was just met with air so he decided to ignore her for the time being and just finish his meal. He didn''t expect her to take so long deciding. In fact, he actually expected her to accept it immediately. Judging the way her mind works, he expected her to immediately jump on board in taking the test. But it seems like she''s actually trying to think it through. Does she really hate taking tests in public? So much so that it actually exceeds her love for food? Raghnall didn''t know what to make of it so he decided to just finish his lunch instead. It took great sacrifices to get the premium set so he decided to make every bite count. So, after finishing everything except the large cut of citrus-y beef steak, Raghnall checked on Inna one last time. Sure enough, she was still contemplating which made Raghnall wonder what was currently happening in her mind. Little did he know, in Inna''s mind the whole time, she had problems elsewhere. Dinner¡­. Dinner¡­. If I''m banned from bread, then the only thing I can eat from the storage box would be cheese and eggs. Cheese and eggs¡­ I can make cheesy scrambled eggs. But, it feels like something is missing. Damn. If only I can steal some of those potatoes, then maybe i can make mashed potatoes or something. Or better yet, why not fries?! Yes, yes, yes¡­ so since they''ve got baby potatoes in the lunch set¡­. That must mean that they''ve got raw ones in storage somewhere¡­ But then¡­ the security will surely be tight¡­. Ugh¡­ Should I just leech onto some other person? But high class people wouldn''t want to associate with me. Maybe I should just make myself look pitiful then beg the chef for a bit of food? Or should I ju-- Before she can continue her train of thought, a citrus fragrance bombarded her senses. The smell actually made her hunger resurface, forgetting the fact that she just finished a bowl of porridge before. She looked at the origin of the smell and saw a defenseless hovering fork holding onto a large cut of steak. It was moving slowly and Inna''s eyes followed the movements wherein it landed by a person''s mouth. "You alive now?" Raghnall chewed slowly as he looked at her in amusement. He didn''t expect her to respond only to the meat, but he should''ve known better. After all, he is talking to the girl who downed a dozen of steaks in one sitting. Inna gulped at the sight of the steak as she nodded. "Uh-huh." Looking at the steak, she got reminded again with her dinner woes. "So will you go? We''ve got about, ten moments left before they start the tests." Raghnall said but he didn''t seem to be in a hurry as he slowly and teasingly ate each slice of his steak. Inna was thoroughly distracted by the steak, so much so that she wasn''t able to take it anymore. "Ughhhhhh, can I at least take a bite?!" "Will you go?" Raghnall avoided her question with another question. He also made his fork that had a piece of steak hover in front of her for a few seconds before eating it. Looking at the tempting steak, Inna glared at his cunning ways. "Fine, I''ll go. Even if it means looking like an idiot in front of those high class smart people." She muttered. "So can i have a bite now?!" Raghnall looked at what''s left of his lunch and saw a quarter of the steak left. Then, he had another idea. He made the steak hover using a spell and Inna thought that he was going to give it to her now. But then¡­ The steak quickly flew past her and landed near Raghnall''s mouth where he bit it fiercely. Raghnall looked at her triumphantly as if saying, ''Are you sure you still want it?'' Inna growled in frustration and seeing the steak dangling on his mouth, it only made her angrier. But then, she suddenly had a shameful idea. Raghnall was about to chew on the steak when suddenly, he saw movement on Inna''s side. And in a split second, he was staring straight through Inna''s green eyes. "Uhhhhhhh¡­.." Raghnall can only make out that sound as he saw her chomp on the piece of steak that was dangling out his mouth. Then, Inna tugged on the steak that she bit before finally breaking it off into two separate pieces. But Raghnall didn''t even notice that he got the smaller portion of the steak because he was busy inwardly freaking out over what just happened. Did she just.... On the steak¡­.. My mouth¡­.. What just happened???? Chapter 115 Let The Tests Begin! 1 Inna grumbled as she looked at the walls of the corridor in dread. "Ugh, are we there yet?" They''ve been walking for about twenty moments and Inna was beginning to feel bored. She wasn''t tired from the walking. Just bored. "Heeeeeeeyyyy, are we there yet?" Raghnall proceeded to ignore her question and kept walking. She asked that question for about ten times already so he opted not to answer anymore. After a quick turn at a corner, Raghnall stopped to look at Inna. "Okay, before we go, I need to give you some tips." "Finally!" Inna looked at him with an eyebrow raised but she urged him to continue. "Okay, so first and foremost, the professor that is teaching the subject is Professor Gnarly. And just like his name, his attitude is gnarly as well. He is the second strictest and meanest professor in the academy, next to Elder Fang. And it doesn''t help that they''re best friends in this academy. So, if you offend him, good luck to you and your future prospects in this academy." Inna''s face had a sour look. Great. Juuuuust great. This professor Gnarly sound like someone I can TOTALLY get along with. "Next, he doesn''t like anyone commenting about his... uhm, height¡­ Or actually, the lack of it¡­. Pffftttt¡­" Raghnall held in his laughter as he recalled that old geezer''s reaction only getting better year after year. "Trust me, I''ve done that countless of times so I know how much he hates it." Inna threw a confused look at him but he didn''t seem to notice as he went on. "So, no jokes or any references about his height in front of him. He''s very very sensitive about it. Next, when you take the test, just try to smile and not talk. He always finds fault in everything so you''ll have to get used to it and avoid getting offended¡­ or worse, counter-attacking." "Heck, even royalty, who received countless of lessons on proper etiquette were deemed barely passable in his eyes. So, don''t feel too bad¡­ and besides, it''ll be a fun experience!" ¡­for you and for me¡­ hehe¡­ Raghnall thought darkly. "And, lastly, there are two phases of the test. First is the written one but don''t worry, there are choices to choose from. So, if you don''t know, just pick wherever choice you feel is the right answer. The written test will tackle the Anemolian Laws and Social Morals part. And depending on his mood, he might even add a bit of questions regarding Etiquette." "The second phase is the presentation one. Its the part where you have to show the proper actions to do given his instructions. This one, well, let''s just say its the fun part." Inna suddenly had a bad feeling when he said that. This ''fun'' part is suspicious¡­ Feeling Inna''s squinted eyes on him, Raghnall immediately changed the subject. "Now since that''s done, let''s go!" He grabbed her hand and dashed towards the room filled with multiple layers of barriers. He didn''t forget to coat Inna and himself with thebarrier nullification spell as they easily ran through them. Then, when they passed through the last barrier, the magic array was activated and they immediately teleported towards the testing site. When they arrived, Inna looked at Raghnall in shock. "What was that?!" "Hmmm?" "Did you teleport us?" Inna looked around her and saw that they were in a greenhouse of some sort. The building''s walls was all glass but the outside was nothing but a heavy white fog. And inside, Inna was surrounded by different kinds of plants that are a bit huge in comparison with the plants she saw on earth. In fact, there were lots of flowers that had petals that were as long as her forearm! Raghnall proceeded to walk forward as he tugged on their joined hands. "Nah, that wasn''t my magic. It was most probably the Professor''s. Some professors are bullies to the Rose class students so they purposely use spells and seals to prevent us from entering the class. They claim it as a measure to keep non-Rose class students away but in reality, they''re obviously just testing us." "Earlier, there were about five barriers set up. They were power level specific which means that if the barrier senses that you have enough ability to surpass that certain power level then, you''re able to pass freely. If your power level falls short by a small margin, you can try and break or nullify the barrier with certain spells. Hence, if you weren''t coated by my oh-so amazing spell of barrier nullification, then, you wouldn''t be able to cross it even if you tried for a thousand of years!" Inna rolled her eyes at his bragging. Can he explain things without going all narcissistic for once? Seeing Inna''s unimpressed expression, Raghnall coughed awkwardly before continuing. "Ehem. Then, after we crossed the last barrier, it transported us to the testing site which was the Plant Sanctuary." "Plant Sanctuary?" "Yeah. This is a place where all plants that was discovered by scholars were planted as a way to document them and to further study them. Most of them look pretty and enchanting but there are those that are poisonous as well. Don''t worry though, the poisonous plants are secluded in a certain spot with an air-tight multi-layered barrier. Also, the plants'' poison making functions are sealed and regulated. They are only unsealed during the night time where no one is present in the area." "Why is this dangerous place the testing site of all places? Why not a normal room?" "Well, Professor Gnarly is fond of plants and he likes sniffing and talking to them in his spare time." Ugh, sounds like a crack head to me. Inna snickered at the thought. "So, it all works out well because he gets less stressed here than in a room. In fact, I think most students persuaded him to make this the testing site because of that fact." After speaking, Raghnall suddenly stopped walking. He turned around and looked at her with a serious face. "Remember, no jokes and no counter attacks. Just smile and be quiet. Oh and, one last, whatever he says, no matter how funny, you must not laugh. At. All." Inna nodded her head obediently like a good girl. But then, she broke out into a smile because she couldn''t help but find an uncanny resemblance of his expression to the serious face of Solomon when he told her his rules. Satisfied with the angelic smile he saw, Raghnall proceeded to walk forward, not knowing that he''ll soon be regretting it. Chapter 116 Let The Tests Begin! 2 By the distance, Inna can already hear faint screaming. And then, after walking for a few seconds, she saw a guy with a swollen eye passing by them. He was mumbling out complaints while clutching the back of his head. Inna found the scene familiar so she stopped, trying to recall the reason why. Then, it suddenly dawned in her. "Hey. Did I ever tell you about this deal I made with Ulima?" "Hmmm? I don''t remember you mentioning anything about it. Why?" "I kinda included you in it." Inna said nervously. "Hmmm?" Raghnall stopped in his tracks to look behind him. "And how was I involved?" "So, like, remember two days ago? We were talking about this thing with the speakers and all. So, I told Ulima about it and he told me he''ll link it under the condition that I had to heal him." "Heal him?" "He couldn''t heal himself." "And what does that have to do with me?" Raghnall raised an eyebrow. "Uhm, so, can you be the one to heal him?" Raghnall pretended to think about it before answering. "Well, sure. But you seriously only asked about linking the speakers? Nothing else?" Inna furrowed her brows at his statement. "Well, I asked for a spell too." Raghnall nodded his head in understanding. Good choice. Surely she asked for a great spell. After all, she''s talking about a deal with a Veteran ranked Mage here! Curious, Raghnall couldn''t help but ask. "So, what spell did you ask for?" Inna took out the pendant that was buried beneath her robes. "Oh, just that clock spell." Hmmmmmmm? Is he hearing it right? "By clock spell, do you mean... the Time checker spell?!" Inna nodded innocently as she twirled the pendant between her fingers. The action made Raghnall notice the small black teardrop pendant. "Is that¡­ black diamond?" Raghnall had disbelief written all over his face and it made Inna actually curious as to how valuable the pendant was. Fufufu, judging from his reaction, it must be pretty rare, right? Inna looked at the pendant with pride and her fingers played with it as she smiled. But in reality, Raghnall just couldn''t believe that Inna was given such a low grade pendant coming from a Veteran genius. In fact, black diamond can be easily found in entrances of caves. That''s how common it was, so he felt disturbed because it was as though she was scammed thoroughly by that professor. But he doesn''t have the heart to tell her about it because, just by looking at her now, she obviously treasures it like a gem. "Next time, if he gets injured, its okay to tell him I''ll heal him so ask for more than just two things, okay?" Inna furrowed her brows in confusion. But seeing Raghnall''s stern look, she couldn''t help but just nod her head. Seeing her obedience, Raghnall sighed in relief. Then, he proceeded to walk forward, dragging Inna along by the hand. And after a few seconds of walking, Inna can finally make out a huge arch between two stone pillars around the tall trees that surrounds the sanctuary. And without much reason, Inna was in the mood to be playful. So, she released her hand from Raghnall''s grip and, without any much hesitation, ran towards the direction of the pillars. "Last one there is a rotten loser!!!" She screamed in glee as she ran full speed. Raghnall froze as he tried to absorb what''s happening again. Last one to reach the pillars is a rotten loser? Hah! Is she actually challenging me? Amused by the thought, he smirked but instead of running, he began chanting instead. Meanwhile, Inna was nearing the pillars and man, were they huge! In fact, it''s actually twice her height! And the stone pillars looked absolutely sturdy and thick that if it were to fall apart, a piece of it would surely squash her to death. But then, as she finished looking, she found it strange that she didn''t sense anyone following behind her. So, she decided to look back and see where Raghnall is. Maybe he didn''t get what she meant¡­ Or maybe he''s really just slow in running? After all, he is a magic-user so he might not be that great at physical stuff. But when she looked back, the spot where she left him was as empty as her stomach. "Huh? Where the fuc--oof!" Because she wasn''t looking as to where she was going, Inna slammed into someone in full force and the collision resulted into a few cracking sounds. The person groaned as he staggered back while clutching his chest. "Oh my god! I''m so sorry!" Inna apologized immediately, and was about to check on the guy when she saw that the top of that person''s head looked familiar. Then, she realized that the person she ''bumped'' into was actually Raghnall. "That looked way more romantic in my mind." He huffed out as he chanted a spell to heal back his cracked ribs. "What the fuck?! Why are you even here?!" Raghnall breathed deeply as the healing spell finished mending his broken rib. "Because I thought we were supposed to meet here?" "No, that''s not what I meant! I mean, HOW did you even go here?" Raghnall smirked as he massaged his chest to check if it healed properly. "Well, you know that thing when you put your foot in front of the other really fast? Yeah, that''s what I did. I ran." Inna stared at him in disbelief. "Run, my ass! I didn''t even see you get past me!" Raghnall ''humphed'' in pride as he puffed out his chest. "Well, its because I was so fast, your incapable eyes were unable to see the magnificent me!" Inna rolled her eyes at that. This guy has got to be lying! We''re talking about a High rank magic user against a High rank Fighter here! Inna narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "And why did you decided to stand right in front of my path?" Raghnall smirked. "Well, I was there because I was ready to accept my win, and you, with open arms but who would''ve thought that you would miss me so much that you would come running to me." Inna''s face crumpled up because of that cringe-y statement. "First of all, I ''bumped'' into you. I did not ''run'' to your arms. Second, I did not ''miss'' you!" "But y''now, you ended up in my arms when you ran so it still counts as ''running to my arms.''" Though you bashed a few of my ribs. But, whatever, I''ll take what I can get. Raghnall thought as he smiled teasingly at her. But, seeing his smile, Inna just scrunched up her face again. "Tha--" "Can you guys please stop the flirting?!" Chapter 117 Let The Tests Begin! 3 Favian sneered as he stepped out of the pillars. "If you''re going to take the test, take the test. Stop dilly-dallying here by the entrance!" Raghnall raised an eyebrow at Favian''s animosity. ''Jealous much?'' He told him telepathically as he smirked. Favian just shot him a look before looking at Inna. He then pointed at Raghnall with a sour look on his face. "If you''re really curious how he did it, this blockhead just tele-mmph!" Raghnall grabbed Favian''s mouth at near supersonic speed. "Haha, don''t spoil the secret, little buddy!" Raghnall laughed but his eyes were shooting murderous daggers at Favian. ''You''ve changed.'' Favian glared as he tried to wrench Raghnall''s hand away. ''What happened to ''brothers before all others''?'' Favian couldn''t believe that Raghnall, the most unsocial and unapproachable out of the three of them, will be the one to break their oath that they just recently renewed a week ago! But for Raghnall, after recalling that ''stupid'' oath, he simply rolled his eyes as he released the squirming Favian. ''I didn''t change that much. I just found something more interesting to do than be with you guys.'' Then, Raghnall didn''t give Favian enough time to react as he faced Inna. "Ninny, just go on ahead. Participants of the test has to wait by a certain area. So, if you see lots of people gathered around in one spot, then that''ll probably be it. Just go with them." "You''re not going with me?" Inna croaked out as she withheld her emotions. For some reason, she had a bad feeling. And Raghnall not going with her felt like her security blanket was being forcibly taken away from her. And she doesn''t like it one bit. Raghnall felt touched at her saddened tone that he actually felt bad for putting her up through this. But then, he deemed her too interesting for her not to go through with the test. Besides, his father told him to always be suspicious of strange people so maybe he''ll finally learn something about her eccentricity and her background. And it''s totally not about the fact that he feels disturbed not knowing anything about her at all. Raghnall patted Inna''s head gently as he smiled. "I can''t. Only those who''ll take the test should go. I''m merely going to watch so I''ll be somewhere in the crowd." In a sudden burst of anxiety, Inna was about to say, ''take the test with me.'' But it sounded too needy that she cringed at herself. What''s happening with her? She isn''t scared! Hah, she''s just lost in a new world! No big deal! She gets lost all of the time! And now, she''s going to take a test alone and fail! No big deal! She fails tests most of the time! Then, when she fails, people will most likely bully her! But whatever! She can take it! "I am a strong independent whamen that need no man!" She erased any traces of hesitation in her face as she strongly said it. Then, feeling empowered by her words, she marched off into unknown territory. Raghnall raised an eyebrow at the sudden outburst before looking at Favian. "What was that about?" Favian shot him a clueless look as he shrugged. "You tell me." Raghnall looked back towards the disappearing back of Inna as she stiffly marched forward. Then, he let out a short amused laugh. "She really doesn''t fail to surprise me." Seeing Raghnall''s expression soften, Favian''s face darkened as he leaned on the pillar. "Save me the love talk for later, brother. Just go on ahead towards the seats." Raghnall snickered at the darkened face of Favian. "Come now, innocent one. Don''t be jealous. I still love both of you guys more." He grabbed Favian and began to make kissy faces which disgusted him to the core. "Can you just stop the jokes and go on ahead?! I swear if I wasn''t asked to be the Keeper then I would''ve smashed that face of yours!" Raghnall stopped his kissy faces as he realized something. "Keeper? Why do they need a Keeper? I thought that old man NarNar already has barriers around to filter out those who''re taking and watching the test and those who''re trying to sneak inside?" "From what I heard, he''s tired today. He only made the outer barriers and just completely abandoned the task of making a barrier for the entrance gate. Because of that, I was assigned as a Keeper of this gate to help out and guide the people entering. And Rira is out there on the side to hand out proper punishments to those who do try to sneak in." Raghnall ignored half of what Favian said because he focused only on one thing. "That old man? Tired?" Well, that''s definitely rare. Favian nodded as though he knew what Raghnall was thinking. "Apparently, according to Rira, he barely had any sleep last night because he had to make some herbal non-magical potions for a certain someone." "Hmm? For who? Favian looked at him like he was stupid. "Who do you think?! Who do you think got punished because a certain tattletale told his dear Master which made that said Master to talk to his best friend and made that said best friend angry as hell?" Favian waited for Raghnall to connect the dots but to no avail. Raghnall was still as confused as ever. "But, why would Elder Gnarly need to make some herbal non-magical potions? Isn''t he an Elder? Why couldn''t he just heal it?" Favian gritted his teeth in frustration. "You obviously know why! That''s because a certain ''someone'' decided to punish him by using a Magic Dispersion Seal after breaking Elder Fang''s hand. You do know of that seal, don''t you?" Favian rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms in irritation. He was never this stupid before. I knew it. Being love-struck really makes a person become an idiot. Hearing the name ''Elder Fang,'' Raghnall''s eyes widened in realization as he let out a small amused laugh. "Haha! So that''s why he was late and was sweating heavily back in the visit to the Sacred Grounds! And if i recall correctly, that kind of seal doesn''t let you gather magic nor let any mana get near anything that seal is attached on. Good choice!" Raghnall snickered in delight. Looking at his sadistic brother''s grin, Favian just shook his head. "You''re beginning to resemble your father, y''now?" Raghnall''s joy immediately plummeted as he glared at Favian. "Hah! Your eyes must''ve been bitten by a Grass-lice! I''m nowhere near similar to that old man!" Looking at Raghnall''s overly annoyed expression, Favian couldn''t help but further see their resemblance. Chapter 118 Let the Tests Begin! 4 Suddenly, a gentle flute melody played around the area. "That''s the afternoon melody from the budding Chimes plant!" Favian immediately checked the time and just as he thought, there''s about a few minutes left until the tests starts. "You have to go to the seats prepared for the Rose class now before that old man lashes out again. You know how he hates tardy people. And it doesn''t help that he''s exhausted so he''s extra cranky today." Favian huffed as he lightly pushed Raghnall to the direction of the seats. "Okay, fine." Raghnall waved goodbye to Favian before slowly walking towards the prepared seats for the Rose class. Although it was a Plant Sanctuary, it didn''t only consist of plants. Its very center had a huge area that resembled a regular gymnasium. It had a rectangular flat space that''s usually used as a testing site and stone bleachers as chairs. Each stone bleacher at each side of the area consists of designated classes. Since only high rank classes are usually encouraged to watch and take the test, the classes sitting on those bleachers were the Pansy class for Mages, Oleander class for Witches and Warlocks, Lotus Class for the Priests and Priestesses, and of course, the Rose Class for the talented. Raghnall found his spot in his class and sat down comfortably. Actually, his favorite spot is always the seat nearest to the stage yet farthest from most of the other Rose class students. That''s always the golden spot for him because he hates interacting with people he finds boring and annoying. Seeing his deliberate act of self-alienation, the other Rose class students couldn''t help but sneer among themselves. "Does he think that he''s so great that he deems us unworthy to sit with? Hah, look at him! Acting all high and mighty just because he''s a Triple high rank." A Rose class student spat out as he glared at Raghnall''s back. Meanwhile, the other students together with him sneered and glared too as they began to talk to one another. "Hmph! I tried to be friendly and talk to him yesterday but he won''t even look at me! So rude! And I got so embarrassed! Guess he thinks we''re not ''worthy'' enough for his company, huh?" "What?! To think that a commoner acts so high and mighty to us! How dare he!" "He may be strong, and he may look good, but he''s still just a commoner. Just give him enough money and he''ll probably bow down to us soon! Hah!" "Heh, don''t mind him too much, girls. He''s simply just a loser who couldn''t even find friends except for that other loser from lily class." "Well, they oddly fit each other. A beggar and a charity case." Then, the students began to giggle and laugh as they continued on with their conversation. Raghnall drowned out what the rest of them were saying andjust simply focused on one thing that he heard. ''They oddly fit each other.'' Hehe. Someone said we fit each other. He felt himself unconsciously smile when he heard it but he forced his lips to go back to a straight line, trying to conceal it. That person surely has a great eye. He coughed to prevent another smile from forming as he watched Inna among the participants of the test. Inna didn''t seem to notice Raghnall''s stare as she tried to figure out what''s actually happening. After she separated from Raghnall, she just kept marching forward until she came across this huge crowd. They were wearing blue robes that were similar to hers so she figured that they''re students who would want to take the test as well. But she''s been waiting for so long that she''s starting to grow bored. Just as she was about to ask someone, a heavy fog enveloped everyone. And after a few moments, multiple screams of surprise surrounded the whole area. Hearing them, Inna began to panic. She looked left and right, searching for an exit but her vision was heavily impaired by the fog. Then, just as she was about to go full on YOLO, she felt something grab her torso and pull her up. She squirmed in resistance but it tightened in response so she decided to stop lest it''ll get tighter and she wouldn''t be able to breathe. Then, she felt a scream rising up in her throat when the ''thing'' began to whisk her at random directions. But her pride wouldn''t let her release such a girly scream so, she stayed silent the whole time. After a few moments of being oddly dragged around in silence, Inna was left positioned directly in front of a wooden table. On top of the wooden table were a stick made of charcoal as her pencil and a piece of paper. Then, Inna finally figured it out. This must be the written test! Then she frowned as she picked up the makeshift pencil. "They didn''t have to be so rough about it." She murmured as she tried to massage her sore hips from all the thrashing about. She tried to look around for a clue on what to do next but it was hard for her to see anything because the fog was still there. "We''ll now be starting the written exams." An old hoarse voice echoed beyond the fog. "Here are a few instructions before we begin." Suddenly, a part of the fog formed a figure of a hunched back old man in front of Inna. The old man had one arm on his back while the other one was caressing his long beard which looked like whiskers of a catfish. Then, the smoky figure began to talk to her as if it was alive. "Simply write the letter of the answer you deem is appropriate towards a certain scenario. A single letter answer only. If you deem that the answer was not in any of the choices, then simply write ''E'' on the paper." "Each question will only last for one moment and if there is no answer on the paper in under that moment, the number will be deemed incorrect. The answers will immediately be checked through a spell embedded in the paper. Changing of answers is also not possible." "If you were to get majority of the questions right, the fog will disperse around you and you will proceed towards the practical test. If not, the fog will throw out such disgrace of a students and will be locked up in detention cells to further learn more about our country. If I hear any complaints, your time will be doubled." "Next, no magic should be used in this exam. If I so much as see little mana being converted, into the detention cells you go. And if you try to disperse the fog, that will count as cheating and you will be thrown towards the detention cells to await further punishments. The fog is there to avoid anyone trying to cheat. And it can also detect changes of Mana around so if there is a fluctuation of Mana, there is someone trying to cast a spell." Then, the figure made up of smoke errily faced Inna as though he was looking into her eyes. "I may not be with you as you take the test, but I am able to see every move that you''ll be doing so no funny business." "And if you have any questions, reserve it at the end of the test. But I will not be entertaining questions from students who fails this test. Now, let''s begin." Then, the figure raised his hand and letters began to form from the smoke. "Question number one, figure out if this statement speak the truth or not." "The stament is regarding Anemoly''s Law number 673: Magic-users and Fighters are allowed to fight inside a city, as long as they are granted permission from the Chief Captain to do so." "And the choices are: A. All Truth B. All Lies C. Mostly Truth D. Mostly Lies." Inna looked at the floating words in confusion. What does this test mean by ''mostly''? When can she say that it''s ''mostly''? What even is this test?! Chapter 119 Catfish And since Inna didn''t know which one was which, in the whole test, she simply wrote A, B, C, D, and E in succession in every number except for one regarding eating food. The question was about uneaten food and leaving it unattended on the table. She knew how to answer that since Solomon used to always scream at her not to have food left on her plate. It''s because it''s somehow their tradition that whenever food has been taken away from its serving plate, then it shall be fully consumed. Any leftovers aside from inedible ones are deemed as being ungrateful to the provider. And also, another one of their tradition is that food should never ever be left on a table unattended. Because apparently, according to Solomon, it would be shameful and ungrateful to do that towards the gifts given by the ''Supreme God.'' It would seem as though we are ignoring or refusing to eat that food despite it being served on a table. So, she was proud that she understood at least one question in the whole test. Hence, when she looked at the number of green glowing letters on her paper, she almost laughed to herself. "You seem to be joking." The old man made of smoke muttered as he glared at her. "How could you do such a shameful thing of simply answering without thinking?!" Inna looked at the angry old man in pure innocence. "What do you mean?" Seeing the fake-ness of her expression, the old man slammed his hand on the table to show his anger. But it failed on intimidating Inna since it didn''t make a sound. "You obviously just wrote an answer as soon as the question popped out!" Inna grinned at the man as she simply shrugged her shoulders, infuriating the old man even more. "What can I say, I''m a fast reader." Speechless of how shameless she was, the old man was only able to glare at her before laughing in sarcasm. "Your tricks won''t do you any good here, little girl! Finally, it''s time to collect all your papers! Let''s see who gets kicked out of this place! Ha ha ha!" Then, he floated towards her to grab the paper away. He grinned as he started to count the number of red letters she had. But then, when he finished, his grin dropped as well as his jaw. Inna puffed out her chest in pride as she mocked him silently. He thought she was going fail, but too bad! She got thirteen out of twenty-five questions right! And all because she used her ultimate technique of the ABC''s. "H-how! I-impossible! How could you dare to simply answer A, B, C, D, and E successively?! Such a foolish thing to do!" Inna shrugged again, her proud expression made the old man feel like clawing at her face. "Who cares if it''s foolish, as long as it works." The old man held in his anger as he raised his hand. "Hmph. It was simply a fluke! Let''s see you in the next test then!" Then, the figure of the old man slowly dissipated together with the fog that was surrounding her. As the fog disappeared, Inna saw that there were barely enough people left on the testing area. But the people were spread apart from her so she wasn''t able to see who they were clearly. Then, out of the corner of her eye, a cloud made its way into the center of the area. Inna was about to walk towards it out of curiosity when suddenly, a wrinkly old foot went out from the cloud. When the foot landed on the hard ground, she saw that it belonged to a familiar old wrinkly man. He was a hunchback and had on white pristine robes with small cloud patterns that''s almost indiscernible to the naked eye. He had both his hand clasped together behind his back as he scanned the whole area. He looked quite intimidating while doing so since his eyes had that grey iciness towards it. And it doesn''t help the fact that his white hair was made into a regal bun on top of his head and that his face looked like an old strict scholar ready to reprimand the young ones. But Inna couldn''t take him seriously because of his mustache. He literally looks like a catfish with a white man bun on top. When Inna had that image in mind, she couldn''t help but let out a small snicker. But then, that caught the attention of the old man, and his beady grey eyes locked onto Inna like she was his prey. "Congratulations to those who passed." The old man glared at Inna as he addressed everyone. Then, before Inna could return his glare, he looked at the rest of the students before him. "Now that we''ve finished the first stage. It''s time for the practical exam. But before we will proceed with it, we will be having a short five minute break to help you rest and recall all that you''ve learned. Congratulations, freshmen." "And to those of you who do not know me¡­" the old man''s gaze stopped at Inna significantly before continuing on scanning the people by the bleachers. "I am Professor Gnarly and I teach the lessons on Anemolian Laws, Social Morals, and Etiquette. Hopefully, after watching today, you''ll be able to learn or be enticed to enter this Removal exam wherein, if you were to ever pass, you will be given the choice to ''remove'' my subject from your schedule. But mind this, only one person was able to pass my test on his first try, and that was Mirzo Rynne, the second prince, who took it a few years past." "So, if you wish to pass, then better study and practice hard. And I do expect quite a lot from those students who came from high class families." Then, without any warning, Professor Gnarly waved his hand and his whole body was shrouded by a cloud before completely disappearing. Meanwhile, Inna just simply stared at the show he made in amusement as two words were stuck inside her mind. Magician Catfish. Chapter 120 Chaaaaaaaaairs! The five minutes passed so fast that Inna was only able to spot Raghnall, who was eagerly waving at her, and walk to him halfway before the old man''s cloud appeared in the center stage. As usual, Professor Gnarly got out of his cloud and raised his hand to call back his cloud thing. Then, he called all the freshmen to gather in one area as he took out a small pouch. The pouch looked similar to the pouch Inna had tied on her belt except that it was a brown sack with no designs. Then, professor Gnarly grabbed something inside the pouch and after a flash of light, a long brown table suddenly appeared in front of all of them. The table was similar to the tables in the lunch room except that it was a bit shorter in terms of length. The table had minimal designs on it, the table cloth a mere white cloth, but on top of it were different kinds of silverware and glasses. By the table were comfortable chairs that looked simply yet had a sense of propriety in the arrangement. Inna, along with the other commoner students, couldn''t help but be amazed at the great array before them. But the middle and high class students simply looked over in boredom, since they''ve seen this arrangement in almost every event they go to. "Hah, look at those beggars. To think they''re that excited from seeing such a basic arrangement." A high class student beside Inna sneered. Hearing his tone, Inna looked over and saw that majority of the students who passed the first round were either from the high class or the middle class families. Since they''re all bundled up into one space, Inna decided to count in her mind how many of them actually survived. One, two, three¡­. Eight, nine, ten, eleven? Her eyebrows rose as she tried counting in her mind again but it still resulted to the same number. Wow. To think that they were so packed before, and now there''s less than a dozen remaining after the first test. And from the looks of it, one can clearly see that there were only two commoner students that were able to pass while the rest that were sneering at them were either from middle or high class families. Inna was about to retort back towards the student when Professor Gnarly cut her off with a sneer of his own. "Mind you that this ''basic'' arrangement will be judging your fate." Having the professor''s attention on him, the student gulped and finally shut up. Then, Professor Gnarly chanted some words and the chairs moved slightly backwards. "Now, students, choose your chairs wisely." The students scampered off hurriedly towards the chairs of their choice that Inna was left to gaze in bewilderment at the dust that remained. Why were they in such a hurry? It''s just a seat. There were eleven seats in the table all in all, enough for all of them. It''s not like they''re playing musical chairs or something. Then, with those thoughts in mind, she slowly walked towards whatever chair she could grab on. But a second before she grabbed on her chosen chair, someone would immediately steal it away from her. And it happen for about five times that she was nearly starting to get pissed. Raghnall wanted to scream at her to hurry up and fight for the chair at the end of the table but any interference from their part as an audience towards the test would lead to him being punished by that old man NarNar. And still a bit traumatized by the previous punishment, he obediently shut his mouth and screamed in his mind instead, hoping she''d hear him somehow. Meanwhile, Inna was still taking her time trying to find a vacant seat and when another chair was once again stolen away from her, she decided to give up with choosing one and instead decided to just wait for whatever available chair that''ll appear. There are eleven chairs after all. And it''s not like someone will sit on two chairs anyways. When the fighting finally ceased, everyone had their own chosen seat while Inna was left standing. Inna looked over the table and saw one chair available so she merrily plumped her butt on it as she dragged it forward to tuck herself properly. The chair she had was in the ''head'' position. It was the only chair located at the end of the table and she felt quite satisfied with her chair because, through its position, she can see everything that''s happening. Which makes it easier for her to simply copy whatever the others were doing without being caught looking at her sides. And well, truthfully, she also actually felt a bit superior sitting on that chair. Inna tapped on the armrest of her chair as she looked around the table. At first, she felt happy with her chair, but when she observed the other students before her, they looked at her as though she was stupid. She noticed also that the high class students who flanked her began to snicker to themselves as they used some sort of eye signals to communicate. Inna didn''t understand the reason for their reaction so she just ruled it off as probably one of those ways on how they bully people in their world. Well, that was she thought until Professor Gnarly spoke. "Now that you''ve chosen your roles in this arrangement, I do expect for everyone to be able to execute it perfectly. These are the roles you chose, so I will not be hearing complaints about foul play and the like. Now, for the sake of thespectators, I''ll be reading out the roles as it follows." "The two students that sat at the end of the table would be the common people. The four students that follows would be the middle class people while the other four students nearest to the head of the table would be the high class people.¡­" Inna thought that she was part of the ''common'' people at first since she was technically sitting at the ''end'' of the table. But when the two students on the other side of the table looked at each other in glee, she knew she fucked up. But then, when Professor Gnarly paused his announcement, Inna thought she had no role. Or maybe she had an insignificant one at the very least. In fact, she was secretly hoping that she''d be given the role of a ''spectator'' or probably as a ''judge'' or something. But apparently, this world isn''t too kind to do that. Turns out, Professor Gnarly paused his announcement because he was trying to recheck again and again if what he saw was true. Such a brave soul, ey. Look at that stupid smile. Does she think she can easily pass this test? This girl is starting to push his buttons here. To think she would choose that chair after the stunt she pulled back at the written test. He laughed maniacally in his mind but then, he noticed that he paused for too long as he saw the eyes of some students that looked at him in confusion. So, recalling the test, he cleared his throat to recover and continued. "And the student seated at the head of the table would be¡­" Chapter 121 Harisen! "¡­Royalty." Huh? Inna looked at Professor Gnarly in shock. Her role is Royalty?! Inna gulped in nervousness. No wonder everyone looked at her like that! She felt utterly stupid as she finally looked at the arrangement before her. She thought that since it was a test, everyone would have the same silverware arrangement as she did. But turns out, hers had more forks and more spoons than the rest of the table. They were in different sizes and slightly different shapes. But, looking closely, she recognized some of the utensils back in her world which made her sigh in relief. At least she wouldn''t fail that hard¡­ Professor Gnarly held in his shock when he saw her sigh. So this girl thinks she can handle it? Hmph! We''ll see about that. He faced the participants as he spoke. "Now that you''ve chosen your roles, I will now relay to you the situation and the rules in this exam. The situation would be a noble''s birthday feast. The High class students would be taking the lead in this situation and the rest must follow through with the appropriate etiquette to show. In this situation, no one should be leaving the table nor will be using magic. Idle talk must be avoided unless asked. And, most importantly, if you were to break out of your role, then you will automatically fail and be asked to remain by the audiences as a spectator instead. I will only be observing ten things on your behavior so, if I were to see five faults, then you will automatically fail. Do you all understand?" The students nodded as they answered respectfully. "Yes, Professor Gnarly!" "Good." Professor Gnarly remarked as he reached into his spatial pouch to take out his favorite item. Inna looked over to see what Professor Gnarly was doing and she was shocked to see a very familiar thing. He was holding a harisen. It was a closed giant paper fan and looking at it, it made Inna think back to her high school days. Her high school group consisted of only her and the minions, Kevin, Bob, and Stuart. They have always been together ever since their freshmen years to the point that other people began to call them, ''The Three Idiots and their Master.''And they used to get into fights to find out who in their group was the ''Master'' that others kept talking about. Then, Kevin brought a huge fan out of nowhere, saying that it was a souvenir from his cousin that just came back from Japan. He said it was called the ''harisen'' but Bob, being the overly dramatic otaku that he is, decided to call it the Paper Fan of Doom. So, with the fan, they decided to settle the fight for the ''Master'' title once and for all. And in order to do that, they played their favorite game of all time, "Rock, paper, scissors." They agreed among themselves that the winner for each round would smack the losers by the fan. And, if one of them won five times, he or she will be given the ''Master'' title. But it didn''t end great for all of them because they ended up playing twelve rounds and it resulted to them getting hit for about three strikes each. And in every strike, there was a pinch of revenge mixed into it so the strikes were actually getting stronger and stronger. At the thirteenth round, Inna finally lost it. She forcefully grabbed the fan and began smacking them all in irritation. Then, fueled by each other''s desire for revenge, it turned into an all out fight between the four of them which resulted to them ending up with detention for weeks. Inna couldn''t help but smile sadly at the memory. Ever since a few months ago, starting when she was still in Solomon''s Sun Breeze Mansion, she tried her hardest not to feel the crushing feeling of missing her friends and her life back in her own world. And she succesfully avoided it by being preoccupied with trying to survive. After all, if she were to ever find a way to return back, she should be in one piece to be able to do so. So she figured that to help her survive in this world, she needed common knowledge. And to do that, she focused on seeing new sceneries, knowing new people, and learning new things, albeit she learned most by making mistakes. But that''s the best way for her to actually stick the things she learned in her mind. And admittedly, she''s always been a curious person ever since she was small that it got her in various troubles. That''s because even when she was a child, her thirst for learning new things helped her forget the old things she didn''t want to remember. Those cold nights, and those torturous days alone. She didn''t want to remember and relive those memories she kept locked up. So, distracting herself by following her curiousity soon became her own defense mechanism against the emotions she hated feeling. But being reminded by that harisen of her fond memories, she couldn''t help but be reminded instead, of her closest friend''s absence in the world she ended up with. And the wave of sadness, that she hated feeling, flushed into her whole body like a tidal wave. Inna closed her eyes as the urge to suddenly cry made itself known. Don''t be a cry-baby. Don''t be a cry-baby. She clenched her fists as she urged herself not to let the accumulating tears drip. Fuuuuuuuuuck. You''re Inna Lovenhart! Inna Lovenhart doesn''t cry because she misses people! She''s not that soft! She''s no longer like that! She changed! She promised herself that she wouldn''t let sadness over take her again like last time. She knew the consequences and she knew it''ll be worse compared to before. So, gritting her teeth, she blinked away whatever moisture that was on her eyes and when she saw her reflection in the clear porcelain plate before her, she tried to bring herself back to the present. "--made by using the Thread Tree that has been grown by yours truly in this very Plant Sanctuary. This weapon is one of a kind so, if you were to be hit, consider it as a privilege instead. The design was exclusively made by an expert in the Imperial courts. It was designed to avoid inflicting excessive pain upon the receiver and was first regarded as the most useless weapon in the century. But due to our wise Headmaster reviving this design, this weapon has been given a brand new meaning, not to inflict pain, but to educate students instead. So, if I were to hear complaints about student abuse, then know that the Headmaster will trash that complaint without a second thought." Inna realized that she really didn''t miss much. Turns out, Professor Gnarly has been bragging about his harisen for quite awhile, judging from the bored expressions of the audiences. "Now, the reason why i''ve taken this weapon out is very simple. This will be the weapon I will use whenever I see someone committing mistakes. A single hit would mean a single mistake but I will not tell what the mistake is. You, as students, should be able to recognize it yourselves. But once I''ve hit you for a total of five times, then you must immediately leave your seat and sit by the audience instead. Is everything understood?" Inna now knew how to answer so when Professor Gnarly asked his question, she answered together with the other students in unison. "Yes, Professor Gnarly!" Seeing Inna''s enthusiasm, Professor Gnarly couldn''t help but clench his hand that was holding onto the harisen in irritation. He really couldn''t stand the sight of that girl. For the disrespect he received last time, he decided to get revenge this time. "Drona, Galen, Firo, Herad, and Ingrid, the four high class nobles and the Empress will now be presenting a toast to start the exam." Chapter 122 Galens Birthday Feast 1 The high class nobles gracefully stood up as they brought their glass filled with wine with them. Inna took the hint and did the same, trying to imitate the same grace they had on their movements. "For this situation, it will be Galen''s birthday feast." Professor Gnarly remarked as he started circling around the table. ''Galen'' smiled slightly as he heard it. Then, he tilted his head towards Inna before speaking. "For the Empress to actually hail us with her presence on my joyous celebration, I feel very much humbled." Inna wracked her brains for an answer, and thankfully, she remembered that tv drama she binged watched a year ago about a traitorous queen whose mission was to bring down the country. Using it as reference, she smiled mischievously as she tilted her head in response. "Oh, please do not mind much of my meddling. I am merely here to celebrate along with everyone for the sake of a friend. Hence, such formalities are unnecessary." Unsure whether or not those words were the right choice, she waited for the sound of the harisen hitting flesh. But it didn''t come. Phew. That must''ve meant that she answered right. Galen heard her response and almost clicked his tongue from frustration. Who knew that she actually knew how to speak like a high class lady? Since he failed in tricking the idiot, Galen decided to retreat for now and test her later. So, with the intent on moving on with the scene, he addressed the rest of the students on the table. "To all that have attended this celebration, to both the nobles and to the common people, I extend my deepest gratitude for joining me and my family. This day is a cause for a great celebration for I, Galen Valdren, the head of the Great House of Valdren which governs the West border under the Emperor, am now celebrating yet another year of living and serving our great Emperor. And with great pride, I would like to perform this toast that signifies a start of a year filled with good health and prosperity." Galen raised his glass and lightly bumped them towards his fellow nobles'' wine glasses. Inna was about to do the same when she felt a sharp sound before the pain on her arm was registered in her brain. Ow! She exclaimed in her mind as she winced in pain. She thought that the pain would just likely be similar to before, like a simple slap on the hand. But now she knew that back then, those Minions were greatly holding back! It actually hurts like a bitch! Inna immediately withdrew her glass as she felt her arm starting to throb in pain. Was she not supposed to bump glasses with them? Her unspoken question was answered when the nobles suddenly faced her with their wine glasses. They bowed deeply as they extended their wine glasses before them as a sort of offering towards Inna. Seeing this, Inna was about to do the same when she remembered in that tv drama that queens were not supposed to bow down to anyone except the king. So, with no idea what to do, she just simply raised her glass slightly. And that seemed to be the right choice as the nobles finally straightened their backs and drank their wine in one gulp before sitting back down. Meanwhile, the other students at the other half of the table simply had their right hand lay on their chest as they bowed while sitting. Then, when the toast of the other half of the table has finished, they exclaimed. "May the Supreme God grant great health and prosperity!" And after which, they sat straight and drank their wines in one gulp as well. Inna literally didn''t know what to do so she simply sipped her wine before settling it down. And although Professor Gnarly frowned at her, he didn''t do anything else which made Inna sigh in relief. Ugh, she felt like she''s treading on thin ice here. Every move she makes felt like its life threatening. Then, after everyone finished drinking their wine, another high class noble that was across Galen spoke. "You have truly been blessed by the Supreme god, sir Galen, to have the presence of our esteemed Empress in your celebration! And to have her deem you as something as close to a friend!" Galen noticed his friend, Herad, giving him an opportunity to eliminate Inna so he decided to take the path his dear friend opened for him. "Hahaha, do not jest, Sir Herad." "I do not jest, sir Galen. Since the Empress has graced us with her presence for the sake of celebrating the birthday of her dear friend, sir Galen, then our esteemed Empress wouldn''t mind if we were to request a few words of wisdom to bestow upon our host, now would she?" Inna felt that, although their words sounded like flattery to her ears, it held a sense of mischief and ridicule in its tone. And she was actually hesitant to answer because of it. When both Herad and Galen stared her down, she decided to finally answer. "Well, I am not very confident with the words of wisdom to give towards everyone here in this table for I am very much certain that there is no lack of wisdom in anyone of the seated people here. However, if you were to ask of me to dedicate something for our dear noble''s celebration, then I would have to ask you to wait since the offering of gifts hadn''t arrived as of yet." Inna smiled innocently but at the same time, she was screaming at Herad in her mind. Get owned, asshole! Herad gritted his teeth and was about to speak out again when he felt the small stinging pain of a fan tapping lightly on his side. He calmed himself down as he bit his inner cheek. He knew his mistake and that was planning on talking back to the Empress. So, he decided to let it go for now but that doesn''t mean he will give up. He refused to believe that a Lily class student would be able to pass! She doesn''t belong in this class nor in this academy! Meanwhile, Inna was oblivious to the mental screaming of Herad as she continued her facade as an Empress. She sat up straight and made her every move as graceful as she can. Then, Galen''s voice resounded over the table. "Well, it seems that my dear noble brother has been too excited due to the presence of our dear Empress. I do apologize on his behalf." Galen did a short bow in front of Inna but little did Inna know that Galen was already stabbing her multiple times in his mind. Inna smiled in response as she answered. "Dear friend, please rise. I don''t mind but I do wish his patience would be long enough to reach until the end of this dinner." Galen tried to hide the contempt in his face as he pretended to smile in gratitude. "Of course, of course. Speaking of dinner, why don''t we bring in the meal? Perhaps eating dinner would calm my dear noble brother down." Galen laughed as he snapped his fingers. The rest of the table laughed along as well, making Inna laugh lightly while hiding her confusion. Seeing that they were able to act out the first part with barely any mistake, Professor Gnarly decided for the situation to continue. So, after digging his hand into his spatial pouch, he threw something out. A flash of light appeared before Inna noticed that piping hot soups were now laid in front of them. The students at the opposite end of the table couldn''t help but exclaim out loud and for that, they each had a smack on the head. Inna was about to start and dig in when a booming sound echoed across the room. Then, there was that familiar throbbing pain on the top of her head. She endured the reflex to clutch her head as she sat rigid and frustrated. What the fuck are they supposed to do if they''re not going to start eating?! Chapter 123 Galens Birthday Feast 2 Then, Inna saw the napkin by the side of her plate. And if she remembered correctly, back in her high school years when they held a seminar for proper etiquette before their prom, she should place it on her lap before eating. Or was she supposed to place it on the collar? She couldn''t really remember clearly because it has been years since that occurred. And she didn''t actually listen much on that seminar because everyone else wasn''t listening either. That''s because they all knew that that seminar was merely a formality. No one would actually follow those rules on prom. Heck, some people were even using their own chopsticks to eat. And those napkins were left to be forgotten decorations at the table. So, going with her gut feeling, Inna grabbed on side of the napkin and flicked it before placing it on her lap. At the back of her mind, she was expecting another hit from Professor Gnarly. But instead of getting hit, everyone else seemed to follow what she did. Oh, so was she supposed to do that first and then the rest follows? Then, she realized. Ohhhhh! The one with the most authority should be the one to commence the eating! Hence, they can''t start eating unless she starts! She finally understood why all the students were smiling at her stiffly earlier. It''s because she was supposed to take the lead! Then, without further ado, Inna reached for the spoon with a large rounded bowl that was commonly used for soups. Using all the knowledge she was able to recall from her etiquette lessons years ago, she gracefully began eating, only sipping her soup by minuscule amounts. She made sure that she didn''t slouch nor did she lean too forwards that her hair would dip on the soup. When Inna finally finished her first scoop of the soup, the rest of the students on the table began to dig in in silence. They carefully watched their conduct as they scooped spoonfuls of soup and sipped them quietly. Then, the tranquillity of the meal was broken when Professor Gnarly''s angry voice suddenly echoed across the room. "Such shamelessness! Do you think I would not be able to notice?!" Everyone in the table briefly stopped their sipping mid-way to figure out what was happening. Then, Professor Gnarly''s angry voice became louder as he screamed. "You''re disqualified! Leave the table now!" Pretending like nothing was happening, Inna and the rest of the students continued to sip on their soups. They knew not to break character because they were afraid that they might be disqualified as well. Since Inna had the greatest view of the scene, she couldn''t help but furrow her brow at what happened. She didn''t see or notice anything unusual at all. "But Professor! I didn''t do anything!" The student who had the ''middle class'' role exclaimed as he feigned his innocence. He was sure that he did it discreetly! It''s impossible that the Professor would''ve seen him! "Did you actually think that I wouldn''t be able to notice, my boy?" Professor Gnarly sneered as he grab the student''s robe from behind, then he threw him near the audiences as he spoke. "If you will still feign ignorance, then let me relay every detail to you. Your spoon accidentally dropped into the soup. But you didn''t want to draw attention to yourself and your mistake by fishing the spoon yourself. So, to get the spoon back and to avoid stacking mistakes, you opted to use a small inkling of magic to have it land on your hand. And you expected no one would notice since you didn''t use much magic and you hid it when you were leaning towards the soup. Am I correct?" The student gaped at Professor Gnarly as he slowly stood up. "H-how did you..." Professor Gnarly growled at his reaction in anger. Did this little brat actually think he wouldn''t notice?! "Ha! You''re a hundred years too early to fool this old man!" Then, he casted an immobility spell which made the student unable to move from his spot. He can only stand and stare at his fellow students in shame and jealousy. Meanwhile, while all the commotion was ongoing, the rest of the remaining ten students were still obediently acting out their roles. And that includes Inna. She tried her hardest not to grab the bowl of soup and dunk it in her mouth to finally finish the soup. Then, as she tried to get scoop some more soup, she suddenly heard this slurping sound. She looked at the student who slurped and saw Professor Gnarly immediately smack the student in place. But because of the student''s shock of being hit, he ended up choking on the soup, making him roughly grab the table cloth as he wheezed out for dear life. Professor Gnarly roughly smacked the student''s back with his harisen and that seemed to help since the student breathed deeply afterwards. But then, the student stood up to thank the Professor which meant that he was breaking out of his role. So, after one smack from Professor Gnarly''s harisen, he dejectedly walked towards the bleachers. Yet despite the fast elimination of their fellow student, Inna and the others continued on with their scooping like nothing happened. But in her mind, Inna made a mental note. Okay, so slurping isn''t allowed... as well as grabbing the table cloth.... And going out of character is also not allowed... The test went on for another half an hour and Inna was able to survive the next two meals which were the salad meal and the main course. The salad was torture for her since she hated all kinds of vegetables. So, with their world''s salad being all veggies and no meat, she had to force herself to chew each leaf like a goat, all the while preventing her distaste and disgust from showing in her face as she ate. And that wasn''t the worst part of it all. The worst part for her was the fact that she was expected to finish the meal or else she would be smacked like the students on the opposite side of her who didn''t. But the struggle she had on the salad was rewarded well on their main course. The main course was similar to the premium meal she had, only that there was no juice. But she didn''t really care much on the absence of the juice since her whole attention was focused on the heavenly goodness in front of her. She eyed the meat as though it was an oasis in a desert and she nearly salivated from the smell alone. But she needed to control herself and not take in big bites since it would be unbecoming of an ''Empress'' to do so. She cut up the steak in small pieces before placing them in her mouth. She was about to groan in pleasure when someone in the middle of the table beat her to it. And that someone was awarded with a smack on the head soon after. So, Inna withheld her groan as she learned to quietly eat. Then, as she finished her steak, four people had been eliminated already. And in Inna''s opinion, the reason why they were eliminated were quite laughable. Yawning, burping, sneezing, coughing, having the inability to finishing the steak, lightly tapping their fingers on the tablecloth, drinking too much wine, laughing for no clear reason, fidgeting in their seat, looking around the table too much, and the list goes on and on. When these four people left the table, it suddenly looked so bare. All in all, there were already six people eliminated and they were all students who held the middle or common people role. So, the students left on the table were simply the high nobles and the Empress, which was Inna. Inna was already in cloud nine as she happily sneaked a look around the table. To think that she actually reached the top 5! Hehehe... she''s gotta thank those TV series and those useless etiquette seminars she wasted her time on for letting her make it this far! Chapter 124 Galens Birthday Feast 3 Aside from Inna, the table only had Galen, Herad, Firo, and Drona now. And unfortunately, the fact that Inna was still there with the high class nobles irritated the hell out of both Galen and Herad. Galen held a stiff smile as he tried to hide the sneer that was aching to come out as he ate the dessert that was served. As he ate, he felt a small nudge on his toes so he looked at across him only to find Herad staring at him with a smile. He somehow can already guess what was going on with Herad''s mind so he gave him a small indiscernible nod. This made Herod''s smile wider and sinister-looking. Then, leaving it all to Herad, Galen pretended like nothing was happening and continued on with properly eating his dessert. Meanwhile, Inna was on cloud nine as she happily ate the dessert. She didn''t expect that they had desserts at all. Guess it only makes itself known whenever there are feasts, huh. No wonder the people in this world were mostly skinny ones. They''ve been deprived of something as good as desserts. The dessert that was given to them was Frozen Cream that has some sort of nuts in it. It''s basically a serving of ice cream with nuts, except that it''s a bit bland. If she were to explain it in her words, she would say that it was like watered down vanilla ice cream with nuts. She didn''t really like ice cream with nuts because she always had this unwarranted fear of the nuts turning out to be a trapped fly or a bug in the ice cream that she''s eating. So, back when she was ''herself'', she used to always inspect the nuts if they were actually nuts before she eats the spoonful of ice cream. Also, another thing that bothered her a bit was that the Frozen Cream with nuts isn''t formed like a scoop of ice cream which she dearly missed, instead, it was like a solid white block that hid the nuts in its middle. She was almost tricked into thinking that it was plain cream since the nuts were hidden in its center but nevertheless, Inna still liked to eat it. In fact, back when it was just served, Inna was so excited at the pure sight of it that she immediately took a spoonful. But before the loaded spoon can even enter her mouth, Professor Gnarly smacked her head with the harisen so suddenly that she almost dropped the spoon from shock. Then, feeling the throbbing pain in the top area of her head, Inna was reminded that they were actually in the middle of the test. She ate so satisfyingly in the four-course meal that her mind drifted to the thought that she was just in some sort of themed restaurant. Ugh, that means she''s got three mistakes already while the rest barely has any. Okay, let''s be serious this time. She chanted to herself as she decided to mend her mistake. Using some of her previous knowledge on the Princess Diaries 2,she realized that taking a spoonful is unbecoming of a high class lady, so she carefully took small amounts and gracefully ate it with a smile. The rest followed suit. But as Inna carefully ate her frozen cream while desperately praying in her mind that there wouldn''t be any trapped insects in it, there was a loud sound that made everyone freeze. From her convenient location at the center of the table, Inna saw Firo gasp heavily as he leaned his head diagonally on the table. His hand was violently slapping the table while the other was caressing his throat roughly. Everyone tried their best to ignore him but his desperate gasps sounded too grave for them to fully concentrate on their food. The audience''s murmurs can also be heard as they tried to figure out what was happening with Firo. Then, when Inna had a better look on his face, she immediately knew what happened. Peanut allergies. His face and eyes were swollen that he looked like his face got stung by a swarm of bees. And it seems like he has trouble breathing as an effect of his allergies. Professor Gnarly immediately grabbed Firo by the collar and then he dug his hand inside his spatial pouch that he tied by his belt. Then, he pulled out some sort of leaves that was orange in color and placed them by Firo''s nose. When Firo tried inhaling, he felt his constricted throat open up and let in some air. And after sniffing the leaves for a few seconds, Firo was finally able to breathe properly. "Disqualified." Professor Gnarly announced as he let go of Firo. Utterly confused, Firo bowed towards Professor Gnarly. "May this student have the chance to ask Professor Gnarly as to the reason why this student is to be disqualified?" Professor Gnarly looked at him with annoyance in his eyes. But seeing the trembling form of Firo as he bowed, he relented and decided to answer him. "You cannot proceed further. I temporarily stopped the symptoms of your sickness through the Relaxant leaves I had but if the effect of those leaves were to wear off, those symptoms will return as worse as before. There is a high chance of death from lack of air if you were to stay and be stubborn. And I cannot give you another dosage of these leaves or else your muscles might relax too much that you''ll be immobilized for days." "Besides, you are from Lotus class, are you not? Get out and go find your prefect. Only those priests and priestesses that had reached the Senior rank can cure the effects of those persistent diseases. Thus, your prefect is more than capable to fully heal those symptoms, not me nor anyone in this sanctuary." Firo looked up, teary eyed from the missed opportunity he had but he nodded towards Professor Gnarly as he understood what he had to do. So, with heavy shoulders, he walked towards the exit of the testing area while sighing in dismay. After Firo left, the audience finally calmed down and the test continued. There were only four people left. Inna, Galen, Herad, and Drona. Drona was a silent maiden, and she never seemed to have cared about anything that has been happening on the table. It seemed like all she had in mind was to mind her own business and to simply pass. But feeling that something wrong is going to happen, she couldn''t help but finally look towards the other students. And when she did, she couldn''t help but be suspicious of the sudden smile that appeared on Herad''s face as he peered at Inna. Chapter 125 Galens Birthday Feast 4 Now that everyone finished their desserts, Inna bid goodbye to the empty plate as it disappeared from view. Then, she was about to question what the next stage of the exam was when a voice suddenly spoke to her side. "Esteemed Empress, to close this meal, this subordinate implores you to lead us in our prayers of thanksgiving towards our Supreme god for the bountiful meals that he has given us." Inna''s eyes bulged at the request as she wracked her brains forany prayer in her mind. She doesn''t have a religion and she proclaimed herself as atheistic in general so prayers are way out of her league. But despite her inner turmoil, she still held her smile as she spoke. "I believe it would be better if Sir Galen were to lead it instead. This important role of leading such a special prayer must be given to the celebrant, after all." Since she didn''t know any prayers, and she might get a mistake trying to make one out of the blue, better deflect it back. Galen was speechless as he tried to look for ways to deflect the role back at Inna. But hearing her words, it would seem rude if he were to force it now. So, with no choice left, he simply smiled and responded. "Our Empress truly is thoughtful and benevolent! For her to think of this subordinate to such an extent. Then, this subordinate will gratefully accept the role and will now lead the prayers." Galen stood up and placed both his hands on his chest as he bowed his head. Inna and everyone else soon followed suit in silence. "From nature we take, for the meals we make. We will be eternally grateful for the wonderful food the Supreme God has given to us yet eternally cursed with the feeling of sadness as we consume these food knowing that we have no way to repay nor revive back what we had taken. But we offer to the Supreme god our gratitude and our whole being and may the Immortals use it as they deem fit to make the Supreme god''s excellence and magnificence be known throughout this world." After the prayer, Galen placed down his hand and went back to his seat. Everyone else, including Inna, did the same. Then, as Inna comfortably sat on her chair, Galen spoke to her as he bowed. "Esteemed Empress, this subordinate will eternally be grateful for your presence in this subordinate''s special day." Inna looked at Galen curiously, trying to be wary of what he''s planning again. It seems like all throughout the test, Herad and him has been trying hard to compel her into commiting a mistake. But that''s probably just her being overly paranoid as always¡­ "As I have said, dear friend, there is no need for such formalities. Your hapiness is more than enough to make this Empress happy." Herad''s mouth twitched as he sinisterly smiled at Inna. "Empress, my good noble brother''s happiness would be even greater if our dear Empress would give him a very simple gift as an show of benevolence in our Empress'' heart." Inna''s eyes narrowed slightly as she cautiously looked at Herad. "And could you enlighten this Empress on the contents of this ''very simple'' gift?" Knowing that she took the bait, Herad''s smile widened. "It is as it is, my dear Empress. A simple act of kindness is what my dear noble brother asks. A gift of great words to be given towards the Emperor on how my dear noble brother''s leadership ability is the best of the best among the nobles. He has worked hard for over twenty years but I feel that my good brother has been neglected by our greatest leader, the Emperor, for he has let him remain by the West border for the entirety of these years." Uh, oh. Politics. Inna''s mind was in full red alert as she tried to think up of ways to retort. She tried to recall more about the political situation in the tv drama she''s using as reference and how the female lead in the said drama was able to overcome this dangerous political statement. If she were to decline, it would be saying that she doesn''t have a ''benevolent'' heart or she refuses to do a ''simple act of kindness'' towards the birthday celebrant. But if she were to agree, that would mean that the Empress is supporting a government official and using her connections to promote her favoured officials. And that would be against the law! Actually, she just learned that law from the first test and she''s thankful that she did. Because if she didn''t, knowing herself, she would''ve agreed immediately in order to avoid the trouble. Ughhhhhhhhh! Inna, think! What can you say in this situation?! Before she can find the right words, a delicate voice spoke by the table. "Sir Herad, cease this insensitive request of yours. The presence of the Empress in our most special day is already the greatest gift any noble could ever hope to receive. To ask for more is already the greed taking form in you." After saying what she had to say, Drona picked up her wine glass and sipped the wine slightly while trying to warn Heradwith her eyes. Seeing the warning in Drona''s eyes, Herad gritted his teeth as he tried to keep his smile in front of Inna. "Apologies, dear Empress. I have failed to be grateful. I was blinded by the greed brought forth from concern over my dear noble brother''s working situation. I hope our dear Empress has not taken any offense from my words." Inna nearly sighed in relief when she heard what Drona said. But she stopped herself since she was supposed to be an ''Empress'' as of the moment. So, the best she can do to show her gratitude was to give Drona a genuine smile from her heart before addressing Herad with a sarcastic smile on her face. "It is quite alright. I do understand your emotions hence I have not taken offense in any of the words you have uttered." Herad held in his disdain as he bowed in gratitude. Then, seeing that another attempt of theirs have failed, Galen signaled Herad to stop for the meantime. But it seems that Herad refused but instead, his eyes traveled to the direction of Drona before snapping back quickly to Galen. Galen thought about it for a short while. Surely if they disqualify Drona, then no one else would stop them from picking on the idiot next. Galen picked up his wine glass as he drank his wine, trying to block everyone except Herad from seeing the miniscule movement of his eyebrow that signaled the start of their plan. Chapter 126 Galens Birthday Feast 5 Herad stood up from his seat gracefully as he prepared himself to speak. "Now that we have finished our meals, it is now the much awaited time! My dear noble brother, will now be receiving the gifts we have kindly prepared for his special day! And to start it off, I will be presenting a message through a piece of poetry that I have stumbled upon when I have traveled together with these group of adventurers by the West border of Anemoly." "To travel is to be blind. Blind of the things one never knew, And blind of the things one shouldn''t know. Blind to the disruptions that one''s journey may cause, And blind to the blessings that one''s journey may give. Blind to the future on whether there will be a tomorrow, And blind to the past that one might forget his sorrow." Galen grinned while clapping lightly. Then, Herad grabbed unto a small pouch by his hip but then, he stopped when he recalled something. He looked at Professor Gnarly for permission to use his spatial pouch, and Professor Gnarly nodded in agreement. "Spatial Magic embedded in an object is allowed. The magic doesn''t come from the user but instead, in an object as a medium, hence it does not apply towards the rule." Professor Gnarly waved his hand, making everything on the table, the used utensils, the wine glasses, the wine, and ornaments, disappear. Then, he chanted some unintelligible words which made the table wider and also made Inna and the rest move backwards on their chairs. Herad smiled as he stood up on the widened table, treating it as a makeshift stage. Then, he once again reached for his spatial pouch. It was a brown dirty pouch similar to Professor Gnarly''s but Herad''s pouch was noticeably smaller. Nevertheless, it still functioned perfectly as a spatial pouch as Herad took out some armor, garments, and shoes. Inna furrowed her brows as she tried to make sense with what was happening. Poetry? Does she have to prepare some poetry too? Inna wracked her brain for any great poetry she could recall but she realized that her brain was empty. Should she just do the ''roses are red'' poem? Roses are red, Violets are blue, He''s an asshole, And Herad''s one too. She mentally snickered to herself as she watched Herad wear the things he took out. When the last armor has been attached to his body, Inna realized that it actually looked like it was some sort of costume he prepared. He had few armor on top of his robes that glistened whenever the light hits it. The shoes he wore matched his outfit too, along with the long headband he tied to her forehead. Then, he reached in his pouch again to take out two wooden daggers. He raised his arm as he spoke. "This present that I will be offering towards my dear noble brother would be a fighter''s dance I learned from the same adventurers. The song that will accompany this dance would be the song, ''A Bamboo on Stormy Winds'' and I hope my dear noble brother would appreciate it." Professor Gnarly snapped, and suddenly, music began to reverberate around the room. It was a fast paced music, with trumpets blaring and drums being played rhythmically. Then, Herad began to move along with the music, his daggers flowing along with his arms as he imitated a man fighting with an opponent. But his movements were unexpectedly not harsh nor rigid, instead they were flowy and rhythmic that it oddly fits with the music''s tempo and beat. When Herad''s performance ended, Galen stood up and clapped heavily. They with a hearty laugh, he praised his friend. "Wonderful! Wonderful! Such a great present to give! It truly shows the struggles you''ve experienced when you traveled with these adventurers." Inna tried to prevent her eyes from furrowing as she stared at Herad in confusion. What struggles? He simply looked like he was fighting air. And the air was actually winning. But Inna didn''t have time to dwell too much into it. That''s because she is now trying to prevent an accident from happening. Back when Galen was congratulating him, Herad made his exit as he walked over to Drona''s side. He was about to go down the table when he ''accidentally'' stumbled. He slipped off the table and his foot was about to land into Drona''s foot. And from the speed of which his foot fell, Drona would most likely have afracture on her foot. But the moment that she noticed the uncanny way of how Herad tumbled over nothing, Inna launched off her chair and ran in front of Drona. Due to her fast reflexes, Drona was pushed back and in her place was Inna, whose foot was stomped on by Herad. They landed on a heap on the ground by Drona''s side as they groaned in pain. Inna saw a crack of irritation in Herad''s surprised facade as she tried to endure the stinging pain on her toes. Then, there were two loud sounds of a harisen hitting flesh as everyone tried to reel in what just occurred. Herad and Inna were struck with the fan due to misbehavior and acting out of character. An Empress shouldn''t protect anyone less authoritative than her. Professor Gnarly glared at Herad but he kept his silence as he humph-ed. Then, he looked at Inna with a blank stare as he tried to see how these students would resolve this. "Empress!" Drona was finally able to collect herself as she checked on Inna. She looked at her injured foot and sighed in relief when she saw no blood. She was about to use healing magic, hovering her hand over the injured foot, when Inna grabbed her hand tightly. "This Empress is quite alright. There is no need to use such magic." Inna laughed slightly as she wobbly stood up. Drona knew that her foot wasn''t ''alright'' at all, but seeing Inna''s look of warning, she knew that Inna was trying hard to make her remember the rule about no usage of magic. Drona sighed as she decided to just let it be. Meanwhile, Herad gritted his teeth as he stood up as well. He casted an irritated look at Galen for less than a second before his face resumed its apologetic facade. Then, he bowed respectfully towards Inna as he begged her. "Dear Empress! This subordinate is terribly sorry for making you experience such a horrific and painful one! This subordinate would like to beg for our benevolent and magnanimous Empress to find it deep in her heart to grant this lowly subordinate pardon for his misdemeanor." Inna wanted to sneer at Herad''s facade but knowing that she''s almost going to fail if she ever makes a single more mistake, she decided to just sneer at him inside her mind. Chapter 127 Innas Song Galen stood up from his seat to bow as well. "Dear Empress! My greatest apologies! Because of my negligence, this subordinate has caused you pain and suffering! If you wish to take this subordinate''s life, this subordinate wouldn''t hesitate to accept such a befitting punishment for harming the noble Empress." Inna was about to take him up on that offer when she noticed movement from Drona''s side. She looked at Drona, only to find her bowing and apologizing as well. "Dear Empress, to protect someone as lowly as this noble woman, I truly do not deserve such honor. My incompetence on protecting myself has endangered someone as important as the Esteemed Empress. For that, I wish you would also take my life as punishment." Inna laughed lightly but inside, she was furrowing her brows. Why is she apologizing too? She saved her as a thanks! Now, from how they all act, it seems like Drona did something wrong too¡­ But despite her thoughts, she still withheld her image as she spoke in a light and soft manner. "Rise, dear friends. It was my choice to do it hence it is my fault for doing it. Bear no faults in my own choices and ease your minds." "The Empress is truly benevolent and magnanimous!" All three of them simultaneously spoke as they stood up straight. Then, wanting to break the awkward silence that came after it, Drona decided to continue like nothing happened. "Then, shall we continue with the festivities?" Galen nodded in delight. "Please do, please do! Although such an unfortunate thing happened, the great Empress has pardoned us so we can add this to our wonderful reasons for us to all celebrate!" Then, Galen and Herad took their respectful seats. On the other hand, Inna slowly walked towards her chair again. But every time she stepped on her injured foot, there seemed to be a sharp pain coming from her toes that spreads up towards her ankles. Feeling complacent about it, she simply thought that she landed her foot on a wrong angle and figured it to be just a minor sprain. So, despite having that injury, Inna tried her best to hide it by avoiding on limping. As soon as they were all seated, Drona gracefully got on top of the table as she spoke. "This noble lady will be presenting a message towards Sir Galen through a verse of a song that I have made just recently." "Be careful on what you say, The world will hear and they will see, How dark and ghastly one could be. Be careful what you do, Though eyes cannot perceive, our hearts can, So we know behind a smile is the wickedness of a man." Galen''s eyes held in a storm as he forced himself to act cheerful and clap merrily. He knew the meaning behind those words but he acted like he didn''t as he praised her. "Wonderful! It truly reflects the... humanity in people!" Drona didn''t seem to care about his strained and forced praise as she decided to prepare herself for her dance. She simply showed her small handkerchief that she always carries around before she spoke. "This present that this noble woman had prepared for sir Galen is a rare dance that''s only taught within the circle''s of chosen Molian priestesses. The song that will accompany this dance would be the song, ''Teardrops on a Winter Night'' and I hope sir Galen would appreciate the piece." Drona bowed deeply then she prepared herself to dance by doing her starting pose. Then, the music began to play. It was a calm and peaceful melody, comprising most of flute sounds and string instruments. But although the song felt serene, it still held a sort of fast tempo as Drona''s body began to bend in beautiful angles. She held elegant and graceful movements that seemed to touch the hearts of the audience as they held in their awe. Then, the tempo began to get faster and Drona''s movement became sharp and precise as her face held an expression of anguish. Inna felt so entranced by the dance that she almost forgot they were in a test. Heck, she actually felt the emotions Drona was trying to portray. Unless Herad who simply looked like he was showing off. When Drona finished, the audience couldn''t hold it in anymore. They stood up and cheered in glee as they sang praises on Drona''s dance. Professor Gnarly was also impressed that he didn''t stop the audience from their noise. Galen copied their expressions as he also sang praises on her dance. But, when Drona bowed and wordlessly went down the table, the audience seemed to calm down slowly. That''s because they all knew who was coming next. Inna gracefully stood up, trying to push the pain she''s feeling to the back of her mind. Then, with a shaky smile, she tried to hide her panic as she got up the table. But as soon as she was on top, the first thing she saw was Raghnall''s worried look. He was directly in front of her and when he noticed her stare, he mouthed and gestured to her what he really thought. ''GET DOWN FROM THERE.'' ''YOU''RE HURT!'' But Inna didn''t understand because he once again, looked like he was chewing a bone. So, disregarding his worried look, Inna simply passed his worry off as being overly dramatic. In fact, she shouldn''t be focusing on him, but instead on the message she''s about to give. Uhm¡­ a poem? A song? Inna''s mind was in turmoil as she tried to remember any poems or songs she''s heard of that would be appropriate for the occasion. But her mind was blank. She suffered from a mental block as she looked around the intimidating amount of people. Then, suddenly, she remembered something. And she wanted to laugh at herself for being so stupid. She obviously knew what to do. So, with that thought in mind, she turned towards Galen with a bright smile. "For my dear friend, this Empress will be presenting a message through a verse of a song that is out of this world! This song will be sung by generations to come and by nobles and commoners alike! This is a song that is of great importance to me." The audience murmured to themselves as they look at Inna in disbelief and ridicule. Like an uneducated Lily class could ever hope to have something like that! But Inna didn''t let the belittling stares get to her as she started her song. Chapter 128 Innas Dance "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday to you!" "How old are you? How old are you? How old, How old How old are you?" Inna decided to do some clapping as well to accompany her singing in acapella. Then, she started beat boxing and hyping up the crowd as though she was in a concert before screaming something. "Yeah! Let''s do a remix!" "Happy Birthday to you! How old are you? Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! How old are you?" Meanwhile, everyone listening couldn''t believe what they were hearing. Galen wanted to snicker as he continued listening to Inna''s pitiful song. She calls that a song? That ''song'' basically just comprised of seven different words! The audience looked at each other in confusion, trying to remember where they have heard the familiar tone. Although the last part was appalling to say the least, the beginning of the song actually resonated within their hearts. They oddly remembered their childhood years when she sang the first part. But the last part, or the ''remix'' part as what Inna calls it, it was simply cringe worthy. But once they looked past behind Inna''s barbaric movements and illiterate song, they were actually curious with how she was able to come up with various kinds of noises as she sang. Inna finished her song with her favorite beat box solo and soon calmed herself down. She discreetly wiped all the saliva, which she made on her hand that covered her mouth, on the back of her robes. When she finished, she saw a student at the very corner clapping. And that made her smile. Well, at least one person found it great. But before she can react, the audience gave her a synchronized applause that sounded similar to the clap she did while singing the ''Happy Birthday'' song. And she couldn''t help but stare at awe at the showcase of perfect unison in their clapping. Then, Professor Gnarly raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop and calm down. When the last person placed down their hands, Inna blinked furiously, escaping from her mesmerized trance. She realized that she still needs other stuff to be done! Urgh, and she almost forgot she was in a test again! So, gathering herself, she regained her poise and elegance as she laughed cutely behind her hand. "Apologies, Sir Galen. I might have been¡­ too excited over the song." Galen thought she was going to get hit with the harisen from her eccentric and rough performance but not expecting the outcome, he could only force himself to smile and heartily laugh. "No, no. It is quite an honor for the Empress to enjoy herself in the festivities. So, please don''t worry and just continue on, dear Empress." Galen bit the inside of his cheek as he casted a brief look at Herad. Shouldn''t it be working now? Herad seemed to understand what Galen was thinking so, to answer, he shook his head slightly. Not yet. Seeing the action Galen couldn''t do anything but mentally brood as he continued to smile fakely at Inna. Meanwhile, during their exchange, Inna finally had an idea on what her dance will be. "The present that this Empress has prepared for her dear friendis a rare dance that has never been seen by anyone of this world. It cannot be easily done and replicated as well unless one has the special abilities and physical capabilities that is needed in this dance." Inna was about to dance when she heard Galen''s confused voice. "Apologies for the interruption, esteemed Empress, but does this dance not require any accompaniment of music?" Inna''s eyes slightly widened as she recalled. Oh shit, she still needs music. But what music?! She doesn''t know the music in this world! It''s not like she can just say ''Bodak Yellow'' or ''anything.'' And she''s pretty sure that repeating music is forbidden since that''ll be like copying the person''s presentation. So when time passed and she still wasn''t able to think of any music that they might have in this world, she decided to just push the responsibility of finding one towards Galen. "Dear friend, why don''t you be the one to choose? After all, it is your present." Galen couldn''t help but genuinely smile in delight as he heard the words. Knowing a Lily class commoner like her, she wouldn''t be able to know most of the music produced in Anemoly. They were played mostly for the high ranking people or for the high class society after all. So, he decided to find the hardest song he could remember. "If my dear Empress wishes, then this humble subordinate would happily oblige. The song that I offer to the Empress would be the song, Drunken Lovers at Twilight." The audience held in their gasps as they murmured and looked among each other. The Drunken Lovers at Twilight''s melody is the slowest song there is. Because of that, it is the hardest song to dance unto because of its slow tempo. Since most dances need a fast pace or a certain rhythm to entice the audience''s attention, then most dances would look boring and ugly when partnered up with that music! This is obviously a plan for her to fail! Galen ignored the knowing glare of Drona as he focused his sights on Inna. With a finally genuine smile on both his and Herad''s face, they both waited patiently for the show to start. Meanwhile, Inna began warming up in place. She raised her hand and bent it slightly to release some tension. Then she moved on to releasing tension jn her feet when suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on her toes again. It seems like after resting during Drona''s presentation, her foot still didn''t seem to heal even the slightest bit. It became numb earlier so she didn''t have much problem at the start. But to think that the pain would actually return now. She finished her warm up and decided to temporarily disregard the pain on her toes. She pushed the thought of pain at the back of her mind as she tried to think of ideas where she can avoid further injuring herself. But, she found out that there will be some cases in her dance that putting weight on her injured foot wouldn''t be avoided. Hopefully, her dance would somehow turn out alright. Chapter 129 Innas Tragedy 1 A few seconds after, the music began to play. It was a sweet and soft melody, like lullabies sung to infants. But it actually reminded Inna of a time when she walked on the beach at a quiet night. The hypnotic sounds of the waves crashing and the whispers of the breeze almost made her want to ditch the exam and just simply sleep. The song was relaxing, calming, and yet, oddly uplifting. In fact, hearing it, Inna couldn''t help but smile as she relaxed. Soon, she noticed that the pain in her toes gradually turned numb. A few seconds passed of her just simply listening intently to the music and she finally figured out the patterns and the rhythmn in the song. Then, when she felt that the time was right, she decided to start her dance. In sync with the slow rhythm of the music, she inhaled as she started her slow and calm movements. She started the ''dance'' with her favorite pose, Padmasana. Then, after closing her eyes and slowly breathing in and out, she made silky and elegant movements as she proceeded to the Ardha Matsyendrasana pose. Yes, her dance is just a simple routine of yoga that she does every day back when she still lived with Solomon in the Sun Breeze Mansion. Her ''dance'' consisted of poses that started easy but ended up to her having to lift her whole body using only her hands. She took great care not to let her weight shift on her injured foot as she proceeded to do pose after poses. In her dance, she stays in a certain pose then she inhales and exhales for a few seconds before shifting to another pose. The only thing that makes her yoga routine be passed off as a dance was due to her making her transition between poses looking like an actual dance move. Like she''s some sort of acrobat. She got rid of necessary and hesitant movements as she moved, making her ''dance'' looking precise and ''planned.'' Then, she also made sure to match the music to her movements. By following the rhythm of the music, she knows that there will be a sudden shift in the note, so she uses that time to break off her original pose to go unto the next. Since the music gave out a calming feeling and was very slow in its rhythm, it helped her dance looked more beautiful and exotic towards the people watching. Everyone, including even Professor Gnarly, had to stare at wonder as they tried to figure out how she could possibly bend her body at strange angles with no effort at all. Although most of the audience didn''t like Inna, they couldn''t help but admit that her ''dance'', despite being strange, it was oddly tantalizing as well. They saw her do moves that made them wonder whether she truly had bones.... ... or whether she was actually human! Overall, for the Molian students who never ever saw nor done yoga their whole lives, they treated Inna''s dance as the strangest yet most beautiful and most calm dance they have ever seen anyone do. Most dances would bring forth strong emotions like anger, grief, happiness, and fear. But in Inna''s dance, they simply felt at peace and relaxed looking at her while listening to the music. When Inna finished her last pose, she slowly stood up straight and fixed her robe. She was about to bow to officially end her makeshift yoga dance when suddenly, she felt a wave of dizziness in her head. Her vision became unfocused as she slowly felt herself getting weak. Next thing she knew, everything went black and she fell harshly on the ground. Every one sucked in a breath as they looked at Inna with shock in their eyes. The sight of her limp figure on the stage made them furrow their brows. Wasn''t she just alright a few seconds ago? They all wondered as they looked at each other for some kind of explanation. Meanwhile, on the stage, Drona scrambled to Inna''s side as she tried to make sense of what just happened. Being a Priestess, she grew up learning about different kinds of illnesses so she was confident in her skills in pinpointingwhat was wrong with Inna. But this time, she couldn''t figure it out. She was dumbfounded by that fact so she decided to recheck again and again. But the symptoms she saw were simply just Inna being immobile and asleep. She would''ve considered Inna being casted with both an Immobility curse and a Sleeping curse but since the test prohibits magic, the chances were highly unlikely. She was about to give up. But then, she saw little movement by the corner of her eyes. And when she looked towards its direction, she saw Herad and Galen exchanging brief glances before a shadow of a smile appeared on both their faces. Then, she realized¡­ She may not know what caused it, but now she knew who caused it¡­ Feeling a bubbling anger in her, Drona was about to lash out to them, not caring for the test, when she felt a rough grip by her arm. She looked at the hand that grabbed it and was shocked when her eyes met with Inna''s. "Dear friend, I apologize for worrying you. I was simply dizzy from the exhaustion my dance brought upon me. So, there is no need for my dear friend to worry about it. Don''t mind me and continue on with the celebrations. These symptoms are persistent but they will never win." Looking at Inna''s determined eyes, Drona knew the meaning behind those words. She wanted her to continue and act like nothing happened. She didn''t want her to break character, instead she wanted her to continue on with the test. And she also told her with full confidence that Galen and Herad won''t pass from their exam anyways. Drona was stubborn so she shook off what Inna told her and instead, she decided to nullify the immobility curse and sleeping curse that she suspected was present in Inna''s body. She wasn''t sure if they were the cause, but she felt that it wouldn''t hurt to try and see. She was about to chant when Inna''s body started to tremble. Then, catching Drona by surprise, Inna sat up despite her whole body trembling. "See? Nothing to worry about, dear friend. This Empress is perfectly fine." Inna forced herself to resist the heavy force on her body that''s resisting movement as she slowly pushed herself off the stage. Luckily, with whatever''s left of her strength, she was able to do it gracefully and ladylike still. When she successfully stood up, she smiled, putting on a show of being fine, as she made her way down and to her seat. But in truth, she gritted her teeth the whole time she walked towards her chair. Seeing the wobbly figure of Inna who was trying hard to cover up her suffering, Drona knew that it was now too late to help her and that if she were to be also stubborn about it, Inna will only find another way to stop her. So, with a look of defeat, Drona went back to her chair as well. Then, when both were seated, Galen and Herad both secretly smirked at them. Chapter 130 Innas Tragedy 2 Inna rested on her chair for a few seconds, gritting her teeth as she tried to keep her heavy eyelids from closing. Then, when she felt the strain on her body lighten by a small margin, she inhaled sharply before standing up once again. She forced her back to be straight as she slowly smiled. Surprisingly, her smile was devoid of all the suffering she was enduring. She was able to completely hide the pain she felt as she tried to move her body that seemed to ignore her brain''s instructions. And, with great effort, she drew closer to Galen. When she was a meter away from him, Inna decided speak. "Dear friend, it seems that this Empress'' health is not well. It would be best for me to take my leave and rest. Though, I do feel terribly sorry for leaving in the middle of the celebration." Galen tried to hide the glee in his eyes as he spoke with a worried tone. "Dear Empress! That is just truly catastrophic! For our Empress to be feeling unwell, it must be due to all the racket of the festivities. Do you wish for my noble brother to give you some assistance?" Inna wanted to sneer when she detected the eagerness in his voice. But knowing that Professor Gnarly was still watching, she decided against it and simply smiled at Galen instead. "No need for such an arrangement. This Empress isn''t that unwell to need assistance of two other hands. Besides, I am sure your noble brother have some much more important matters to attend to. After all, to bring down a lion, one would need more than two hands. But to bring down something stronger, one would have to resort to hidden arms." Galen mentally furrowed his brows when he heard her last phrase but he didn''t let his confusion show on his face. Despite not understanding what she meant, he shrugged off whatever meaning was implied on her words as he simply laughed lightly. And when Inna saw his reaction, she knew he didn''t understand how she mocked him. So, she couldn''t help but sigh. Ever since before, the ''high class'' students kept telling her she was dumb. But to think that that ''high class'' guy can''t even understand what she meant¡­. Meanwhile, Professor Gnarly had his eyes narrowed as he was able to fully understand what Inna implied. She was basically telling everyone how Galen and Herad were working together to bring her down. But seeing that they couldn''t due to someone ''stronger,'' they decided to bring down that stronger person, which was Drona, instead by using ''hidden techniques'' or in other words, cheating. Yet despite knowing that fact, Professor Gnarly refused to end the test. That''s because he was actually curious on how far that wounded idiot was willing to go. He never had lily class students try to take the exam. And that''s due to either of the two reasons. One, they would be too weak to enter the multiple barriers he made. Or two, since lily class students focus on getting stronger and usually dream of transferring to the low tier classes once they were deemed acceptable in strength, they wouldn''t find his subject worth their time. After all, there wouldn''t be any physical nor magical lectures. His subject may seem like an easy one to pass, but in truth, his subject is the nearest replica of what it would be like to participate in the real world. That''s why all students when they reach the high classes will have to take his class. And just like in the test now, there will be no mercy nor will there be someone to always help them when they''re out there in the real world. In fact, being able to keep calm and make sound decisions are what made people have the ability to survive in the real world. Hence, this test teaches them exactly how that will be through the guise of a simply feast. After all, even the meals in Anemoly are a battlefield in order to curry favor which might even save their lives one day. That''s why Professor Gnarly couldn''t help but be actually impressed at how she was able to endure all of it and how she was able to prevent her actions from going out of her role despite the heavy curses that befell upon her. To think she was such a strong willed person. Too bad that, together with that strong will, is an impulsive behavior that''s utterly disappointing. Meanwhile, feeling the force on her body getting stronger, Inna decided to act quickly by addressing everyone around her. "Dear friends, this Empress will now retire back to her mansion." With that, she quickly yet gracefully walked away from the table, signaling her forfeit of the right to continue to participate in the exam. Watching her wobbling figure, Raghnall sat at the edge of his seat, worried for her. When she first fell, he wanted so badly to go to her and heal her but Professor Gnarly pinned him back with a warning glare. So, he simply sat back down, his nerves on high end as he looked over at Inna''s limp body back then. The whole time, he was thinking that if only he could go back in time just to withdraw all the nonsense he fed her with. He never imagined for it to end up like this. Last time he took the test, the other students were simply preoccupied with not making any mistakes. He didn''t think that it would turn out into an all out battle in Inna''s exam. He screwed this up. Just because he wanted to know more about her, he ended putting her in danger. His selfishness ended up hurting someone again. Actually, he just wanted to see Professor Gnarly''s reaction when Inna starts acting weird. That old man is good at making hilarious faces when mad. But now, he felt nothing but regret and guilt as he saw her trembling figure walking. Then suddenly, as his worried eyes followed Inna''s every step, everything felt as though it was moving at a snail''s speed. He saw Inna''s body suddenly stiffening before he found her slowly falling to the ground. Without even noticing the look of anger on Professor Gnarly''s face or even thinking of the punishment that he''ll get for intervening, he dashed out of the bleachers just in time to catch Inna before she hit the ground. Chapter 131 Innas Tragedy 3 Raghnall clutched Inna close to him as he comfortably sat on the ground to position her properly on his arms. Then, he tried to check her current state. Seeing her color rapidly drain away leaving a pale flush on her face and a faint purple hue on her lips, Raghnall immediately knew the cause. It looks like she was poisoned. And to make it worse, it wasn''t the only thing affecting her! Juddging from her stiff limbs that were difficult to bend and her eyes tight shut, it seems lile the toxic poison also had a high rank immobility curse and intermediate rank sleeping curse attached towards it. No wonder she struggled in moving earlier! It''s because the curse was preventing her from doing so! To think that she could still act out her role and talk normally despite having those high tier curses¡­. Is she really human?! Despite the gravity of the situation, Raghnall still couldn''t help but be amazed at how she was still able to fight the curse for such a long time through her strong mentality alone. Only few people with really strong wills in Anemoly can ever hope to achieve such short immunity. And to think that Inna, the most eccentric girl he''s ever seen, was one of those rare people. Ending his amazement there, he forced himself to look at the present as he watched her tragic state. Raghnall chanted the best nullification spell he can give her and sighed in relief when he saw that the curses was slowly being erased. Inna''s body became less stiff than it was before as he felt her relax on his arms. But when the pale pallor of Inna still persisted, he knew there was something wrong. It seems that the poison is still inside her system. Raghnall broke into cold sweat as he tried again and again to heal her using the best healing spell he knew. But sadly, the poison never disappeared and Inna was still as pale as before. Raghnall knew the consequence of not draining the poison out of the body immediately. And because of that, he felt devastated. Although he''s a Triple High Rank magic user, poison is still one of the weaknesses he has along with everyone else. Most poisons can be healed immediately but some rare poisons can resist healing magic and are known to persist in the victim''s body, slowly sucking out their life. Raghnall gritted his teeth as he carried her body off the floor. "And where do you think you''re taking her, young man?!" A booming voice echoed around the area as Professor Gnarly stormed towards Raghnall. "You are disrupting this exam! For you to come here despite knowing the consequences, you''re as brave as always, huh, little Ragboy." Raghnall narrowed his eyes as he pulled Inna tighter towards him like he was afraid that the old man would forcibly steal her. The minute action was still caught by Professor Gnarly''s eyes as he glared in anger. "Seeing that you''re not apologizing nor moving away, are you really aware that you''ll be held under lockdown on a detention cell for disruption of official examinations?" Raghnall gritted his teeth as he turned around, his back facing Professor Gnarly. "Hah! Let Mana curse me for my actions, I don''t care. A student is hurt and as a person that has the ability to heal her, I see no faults in stepping out to ease her pain. Besides, you shouldn''t focus too much on me, old man. You should be keeping a closer eye on your participants instead, lest someone dies in the end. Well, seeing that this incident has escaped your notice, it seems that your eyesight is as faulty as your height." Hearing the taboo topic about him being pointed out, Professor Gnarly''s face turned red from anger as he screamed out. "SUCH ATTITUDE! THIS DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOR IS TRULY UNBECOMING OF A STUDENT IN THIS ACADEMY! I''LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I WILL BE BRINGING UP YOUR RUDE BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS ELDER FANG!" Not bothering to even care about Professor Gnarly''s screaming fit, Raghnall walked away from the testing area and with a fairly fast pace, he silently made his way towards the gates where Favian was. But he noticed that, before he reached the gates, Inna already stirred in his arms, about to awaken. Then, Inna''s closed eyes slowly fluttered open as she started at Raghnall in confusion and panic. "What¡­. happened?¡­why are you¡­ here?¡­why ¡­ are you¡­ carrying me?..what¡­ about¡­ the test?" Raghnall held a worried expression as he heard the fatigue in her voice. Feeling the regret bubbling up in his heart again, he held in a breath as he explained. "Well¡­ you collapsed again after you left the stage. I didn''t want you colliding with the ground again so I took it upon myself to catch you. And when I did, I noticed that you had an immobility curse and a sleeping curse casted on you so--" "Wait, is that why¡­ I was feeling¡­ weird? Like¡­ how my whole body¡­. felt so tired¡­ that¡­ even my¡­ eyelids¡­ were heavy?" Raghnall nodded as he continued to explain. "Actually, it was expected for you to immediately be unable to move and be asleep as well. But, your strong mentality made you able to resist the curses for quite awhile." "Though, when you''ve reached your limit earlier, you still got affected by it fully in the end. That''s one of the reason why you collapsed again." Despite feeling weak, Inna still furrowed her brows as she pointed something out. "Wait¡­ what do you mean¡­ by ''that''s one of the reasons''?" Raghna sighed as he repositioned her in his arms. Inna felt dizzy with the action so she ended up leaning her head against his shoulder. Raghnall was startled by the sudden action but he didn''t show it. Instead, he kept himself calm despite his screaming in his mind. But then his excitement was cut short when he realized that it wasn''t the right time to be happy. He needed to explain to her about the poison. So, with a grave expression, he looked at her straight in the eye before speaking. Chapter 132 Innas Tragedy 4 "Well, you see. It seems that a toxic poison somehow managed to enter into your body. And we''re on our way to look for Frode. He probably has knowledge on how to remove the poison fully. Don''t---" "Wait, what?!" Despite her weakness, Inna was still able to exclaim in shock. Her head straightened as she peered at Raghnall in panic. Even though she was in a different world, she knew that the meaning of the word ''poison'' was still as bad here as it was in her world. So, to think that that ''poison'' was inside her, she couldn''t help but feel fear. "Then why¡­ aren''t you... running?! We need¡­ to cure it... immediately!" Inna started to become restless as she widened her eyes at him. Seeing the fear in her eyes, Raghnall continued speaking, wanting to reassure her. "But if my guess is correct, most of it has already been erased from your system through the multiple healing spells i''ve casted on you. So, only about a few traces of it remains in your body." "Even though! I''m not¡­ taking any¡­ chances! We¡­ need to¡­ hurry!" Inna gritted her teeth as she tried to tear herself away from Raghnall''s hold. She wanted to walk for herself since it''ll probably be faster than him. But Raghnall grasped her tightly in response. "No! Just, calm down okay? You shouldn''t be moving much. The poison, regardless of the amount, would still spread faster if you keep moving. Why do you think i''m walking this slow? If it wasn''t for the fact that the poison might spread when I inevitably move you around while running, you would''ve arrived beside Frode in nearly a second." Hearing this, Inna immediately stopped her struggling and silently relaxed back in his arms. But, she still couldn''t fully shake off the panic she felt. "Are you¡­ sure?" Hearing the distress in her voice, Raghnall tried to quicken his pace. Oh, how he wished that he could teleport her¡­ But he knew he couldn''t because the magic particles that will enter her body to enable teleportation might react badly with whatever poison is in her. Although there''s a possibility that it wouldn''t react, he didn''t want to take any chances as well. "Yes, I''m sure. That''s probably why it acted up violently after your dance. You were moving your body in different angles so much that it might have spread quickly and soon reacted with the curses that were in your body as well, making the curses active and ending up affecting your body." Inna leaned her head back to his shoulder as she sighed in relief. She relaxed after hearing his words, making her weak body limp. So, it all makes sense now. But now that she was reminded of her dancing, she chuckled softly as she closed her eyes. Then, with an amused smiled she spoke with her hoarse voice. "You know¡­ technically¡­ I danced¡­ in public.¡­ So, even if¡­ i lost¡­ the bet,¡­ I still¡­ fulfilled¡­ the conditions." Raghnall smiled as he chuckled in disbelief. "Are you seriously talking about this right now? Yeah, yeah. The bets are off so, why don''t you keep those pretty eyes closed and sleep until we meet with Frode." Inna nodded, the action felt by Raghnall''s shoulder which made him smile involuntarily. Thank the world she closed her eyes. If she didn''t, she would''ve caught sight of Raghnall''s red ears and surely she''ll make fun of him for it. Listening to the fast yet even pacing of Raghnall''s footsteps, along with the sounds of the movements of plants through the wind, Inna slowly drifted off to sleep. Moments later, Raghnall saw Favian leaning against the same pillar and he carefully picked up his pace. Favian furrowed his brows at the sight of Raghnall walking briskly towards him. Then, his eyebrows made more wrinkles as he saw Inna in his arms and the disgusting happiness radiating off of Raghnall as well. "What do you want know? I swear, if you''re just going to rub your flirting in my face, then you better--" "I need your help." Raghnall quickly said as he stared at Favian seriously. Favian was a bit baffled from the sudden shift in Raghnall''s mood. He looked so happy a few seconds ago but now, he seemed deadly serious. And another weird thing was that¡­ To think that he, of all people, would ask for his help¡­ Fearing that the situation might be grave, Favian couldn''t help but feel panic as he spoke. "What? What''s wrong?!" Raghnall gestured to Inna before speaking in a hurry. "Something happened during the test. She collapsed after she danced and a few moments after that. On the second time, I went to her and found out that she had two curses branded on her. One was a high rank immobility curse and the other was an intermediate rank sleeping curse. The curses were attached to a poison in her, and from what I saw, it seems that the poison, once sufficiently spread apart, activated the curses immediately. So, I nullified the two curses and used about five high rank healing spells on her. But--" "Wait wait wait. Slow down. So, she was poisoned then it triggered the curses? But why did she collapse twice then? She got poisoned twice? And wow, five high rank healing spells? Are you even human?" "She collapsed twice because she resisted the curses! It seems that she has partial immunity but that''s beside the case! I need you to get rid of the remnants of the poison immediately! And if you can, try to identify what poison was used." "Why didn''t the five healing spells work in getting rid of the poison then?" Raghnall glared at him. Why does he have so many questions?! "Due to the five healing spells, I was able to avoid the worst at that time since it seems that I was able to erase most of the poison that spread around her body. But seeing that she''s still weak and pale, now I''m not all too sure whether the amount of poison left in her would still be lethal or not. It seems that the components left in that poison is resistant to my healing spells so I need your help." "My help? Do you mean Frode''s?" "Yes! Whatever! Just go do it!" Chapter 133 Stuffed Toys "Why me though? Why not ask the other professors? They know how to treat poisons better than I do." "Did you forget?! She''s a Lily class! No one would want to heal her!" Favian blinked in realization as he peered at the weak looking Inna. She usually acts so energetic and strong so he eventually ended up forgetting the fact that she''s actually from that Lily class; the abandoned class. Favian sighed in pity as he softly patted Inna''s head. Seeing her with her eyes closed and her expression peaceful as she slept, she actually looked resembled a harmless cub. But, with a conflicting expression, Favian withdrew his hand as he spoke. "Sorry, I can''t." Raghnall''s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at his dear good ''brother.'' "I want to lend out a helping hand, trust me I do. But I''ve got Keeper duties. If I leave, I might get in far worse trouble than you." "It''s an emergency! She needs you!" Favian scrunched up her brows as he looked at his dear childhood friend straight in the eye. "First of all, it is YOUR emergency. Just because I met her and she''s your friend doesn''t mean i''m willing to risk my track record for her. I need to graduate! I''ve been in this academy for five years already and I have never had complaints or punishment written in my records so sorry to say, but I''m not going to break that with just a strange weirdo that even you, her self proclaimed friend, don''t even know where she came from." Raghnall gritted his teeth as he glared at Favian. Though, in the back of his mind, he knew Favian was right. After all, he only met Inna once and there''s little information on her background as well. Where she came from, from whom did she learn her strange antics, her strange words, her strange mannerisms and actions, and the reason behind the little knowledge she had on Anemoly and its tradition¡­ He didn''t know any of those¡­ It seemed all too foolish for Favian to risk getting marked as a rule breaker now that he''s close to graduating. He''s worked hard for it for five years and for Raghnall to ask him to risk it would be too selfish of him. After all, in order to graduate in the Eldora Academy, regardless of whether they are in Combat or Magic, they needed to take a recognition test. But the test is one of the hardest tests in all of Anemoly. Only true experts or those who trained hard to strengthen themselves in the academy can pass. So, in order to prepare themselves for the test, students are assignedto classes that corresponds to their strength. By being assigned to a certain class, the students are enrolled to selected subjects that are perfect in challenging them and making them learn more thus strengthening them. Though, students can also request to join a harder subject if they deem their subject too easy. And when they become too strong for their class, they can transfer up towards the higher classes by issuing a formal battle with a student from the said higher class. And when they reach the level of Rose class, they are now eligible to partake of the recognition test. But most of the Rose class would still take years of strengthening themselves and numerous failures in order to be able to finally pass the recognition test. But, there was only one exception to that rule. A student who was able to surprise the whole nation by passing the recognition test after only a year of studying. That was the Headmaster''s son. And to think that he was simply ten at that time! But sadly, the kid wasn''t able to properly graduate after the test since the behavior in the academy would be considered as well. If a student had a track record of misbehavior, he would have to spend a year to reform himself inside the academy by doing academy service. And so, Raghnall understood why Favian refused to jeopardize his record for someone he barely knew. So, he decided to compromise. "Okay fine. How about this? I''ll stand in for you while you take her." Favian''s eyebrows shot up as he looked at Raghnall in disbelief. "Do you really think they''ll allow that?" Raghnall softly pushed Inna towards Favian as he stared at him in all seriousness. "I don''t want to waste anymore time than this. I''ll use an illusion spell to pretend to be you. I''ve been together with you ever since you picked your nose that I pretty much can replace your existence anytime of the day." Favian rolled his eyes at his childhood friend''s exaggeration as he gently carried Inna. "Fine. But you still have to watch out for Rira. That girl''s eyes are like a Ranger''s. She''ll sooner or later see something is wrong." Raghnall''s mask of seriousness soon turned into one of annoyance. "Can you just go now?! I''m sure she wouldn''t complain even if she were to find out! That girl is like a sap to a tree, sticky and disgusting. But for my sanity, I''ll be making sure that she''ll never ever find out that it''s me. Now, go hurry." Favian nodded. He walked a few a meters with Inna in his arms before he stopped again in worry. "Make sure to stay out of trouble okay? I swear if you get into trouble while using my image, I''ll end our friendship right there and then. Yet somehow trouble seems to always follow you aro--" "JUST. GO!" Raghnall gritted out as his patience ran thin. Favian''s face was full of shock as he never expected Raghnall to raise his voice at him. He couldn''t even remember the last time Raghnall expressed such deep annoyance towards him. But he knew not to make a big deal out of it as he wiped off the surprise from his face. He may not agree with the fact that Inna''s presence is affecting too much of Raghnall''s sanity, but he knew that his dear good brother treats her as close as a fellow brother so it would also be insensitive of him to try and separate them. With a quick inhale of air, Favian began brisk walking as fast as he can while making sure that Inna wasn''t affect much by the movements. Seeing Favian''s back now a long distance away, Raghnall decided that it was time to calm himself down. He no longer needed to panic. After all, he trusted his good brother so he knew she was in good hands. When he can no longer see Favian''s back, he began to chant the Illusion spell he will use to pretend to be Favian. And soon after his chanting finished, his whole body was covered in a white mist. Then, when the mist thinned out, Raghnall''s figure began to show itself. And now, he looked exactly like a body double of Favian. Raghnall decided to adjust his voice as well since Favian''s voice is a bit higher than his. So after a few vocalizations, he finally found the right pitch. Then, with that pitch, he chanted a spell again to temporarily change his voice. And when it was done, Raghnall decided to test out his voice. "Ma.¡­Me.¡­.Miiiiiiii¡­." It eerily resembled Favian so he held in a laugh as he repeated the words he always wanted Favian to admit way back when they were still in their teens. "I like having stuffed toys in my room." Chapter 134 Apologies Again Favian finally arrived at the Lily dorms. He huffed in relief as he looked over at the annoying brat on his arms. He really didn''t get how his supposedly "unsociable" brother became so attached to this strange girl he''s currently carrying in just a short amount of time. Back when they first met, it even took Favian about a month before Raghnall voluntarily spoke to him. And to think this girl did it for a mere few days. Did he saw Aril in her? Is that why he wanted to help her so bad? So that he can make up for his past wrong doings? Is that it? Favian sighed at the sad thought as he looked at her in pity. Then, he slowly walked towards her dorm, offering a gentle knock on the door. After a few moments of someone shuffling for the door, Ulima''s disheveled look slightly startled Favian. "What do you want? I''m busy with some--" Ulima was about to lash out in annoyance when he saw the devil on Favian''s hands. "What did she do this time?" He gave the sleeping Inna an exasperated look as he question Favian. "I need to take her to her room now. It''s urgent." Favian muttered as he barged inside the dorms rudely. He didn''t know who Ulima was because Ulima wasn''t wearing his professor''s robe so Favian assumed that he must be someone who was sent to clean up the place. In his defense, Ulima looked unkempt and slightly dirty as well. And he was wearing a brown robe that most workers in the academy wear for either working or casting spells that have messy outcomes. Hence, he thoroughly mistook him as a cleaner. And so, he knew better than telling a cleaner that somebody''s been poisoned. Who knows, it might spread throughout the academy that ''he'' was the one who poisoned her. He knew how twisted rumours would get once passed down from person to person so he learned to be careful. "Hey!" Ulima squeaked out in shock but after being rudely ignored by Favian, he just gave up and followed Favian up to Inna''s room. He sneaked a glance at Inna and her sleeping face as Favian carefully carried her up the stairs. Seeing her sleeping so peacefully on Favian''s arms was certainly a weird sight for Ulima. He was never used to her being calm and staying put in one place. Well, unless she''s eating. Meanwhile, Favian calmly directed himself to her room that he was able to pinpoint according to Raghnall''s instructions that was sent through telepathy. And when he opened the room, the intense waft of dispersed magic particles immediately alarmed Favian. Did someone recently casted multiple spells in here? That''s impossible. Inna was out the whole morning. Unless, someone sneaked in and practiced their spells? Despite being suspicious, Favian figured that there wasn''t any time to spare so he decided to just shrug it off. It''s not his business anyways. So, with the highest degree of caution, he slowly lowered Inna on her bed. Then, he turned around to ask Ulima, who he sensed was by the door, something but Ulima spoke before Favian could speak. "What''s happening? As the prefect professor in charge of the lily dorms, I demand an explanation! It''s worrying enough thata grown man know of her room''s location without any aid needed, now the said man wouldn''t even utter a single word of reason!" Favian''s eyes widened as he finally realized his mistake. The prefect of the Lily dorms! Only one man would be crazy enough to take that responsibility! The hermit professor Ulima! The one who was famously known for not stepping out of his house unless he had classes to teach! Such stupidity to actually mistake the great magic theorist for a cleaner! Favian placed his left hand on the right side of his chest as hebowed but he only did it in a span of mere seconds. After the formal greeting, he immediately reached out from his white spatial pouch to get paper and pen. With both on hand, he started to write on Inna''s desk on the side of her room as he explained himself to Ulima. "Thousands of apologies, Professor Ulima. A student under your dorm has been poisoned and it is urgent for me to try and get rid of it. The poison''s identity is unknown and the quantity and location is unknown as well save for the fact that most of the poison has bren dissolved by healing spells. Though, there might be a chance that it is not that grave, I fear for it to be a serious case hence, I rudely barged into the dorms." Ulima''s eyes held disbelief as he peered at Inna''s sleeping form. She didn''t look that sick to him by the distance but when he drew closer, he finally saw the clear picture. Inna''s face was pale and white as a sheet and her lips were faintly dyed with a hue of purple. She looked fairly sick but it didn''t seem that serious under his eyes. "Why don''t you just call the Healers? If that still didn''t work, why didn''t you call a physician instead? Those old man can cure sicknesses that magic couldn''t even do. Surely they can cure this poison." Favian stopped writing his notes as he peered at Ulima with an exasperated look. "Apologies again for the rudeness, Professor Ulima, but with all the respect I can muster through my words, she is unfortunately from the Lily Class. The only help she''ll be getting is a prepared space behind the academy to bury her dead body." With that, Ulima finally realized the reality of the situation and he was speechless because it technically was true. The Lily class were deemed abandoned after all. No one would dare to waste their time trying to save the students that''s been deemed broken or useless in the academy of geniuses. In fact, the best thing Lily class students could do was to leave. If they leave, they can still be technically considered better than the rest of the average people. But then again, they''ll be deemed forever ''second-rate'' and a ''failure'' of a genius. But that still is better than being dead and buried behind the academy. Though, just a few decades ago, he was told that the people outside of the academy strangely had this strange concept of students recieving great honor for dying inside the academy. It probably started when, in order to avoid shame, their families spread false ideas about how their children were able to die from being too eager to learn, and that they were ''geniuses'' or the ''best of the best'' that the Supreme God had decided to take them early, fearing that they would cause a great shift in the world''s balance.And now, this idea of glorifying the action of dying inside the academy has left the previous lily class students with no escape route. After all, if they were to leave, it would bring great dishonor and shame to themselves and to their families. But if they were to stay, all they could ever hope for is to live to see another day. Chapter 134 To Be In Lily Class Favian finally arrived at the Lily dorms. He huffed in relief as he looked over at the annoying brat on his arms. He really didn''t get how his supposedly "unsociable" brother became so attached to this strange girl he''s currently carrying in just a short amount of time. Back when they first met, it even took Favian about a month before Raghnall voluntarily spoke to him. And to think this girl did it for a mere few days. Did he saw Aril in her? Is that why he wanted to help her so bad? So that he can make up for his past wrong doings? Is that it? Favian sighed at the sad thought as he looked at her in pity. Then, he slowly walked towards her dorm, offering a gentle knock on the door. After a few moments of someone shuffling for the door, Ulima''s disheveled look slightly startled Favian. "What do you want? I''m busy with some--" Ulima was about to lash out in annoyance when he saw the devil on Favian''s hands. "What did she do this time?" He gave the sleeping Inna an exasperated look as he question Favian. "I need to take her to her room now. It''s urgent." Favian muttered as he barged inside the dorms rudely. He didn''t know who Ulima was because Ulima wasn''t wearing his professor''s robe so Favian assumed that he must be someone who was sent to clean up the place. In his defense, Ulima looked unkempt and slightly dirty as well. And he was wearing a brown robe that most workers in the academy wear for either working or casting spells that have messy outcomes. Hence, he thoroughly mistook him as a cleaner. And so, he knew better than telling a cleaner that somebody''s been poisoned. Who knows, it might spread throughout the academy that ''he'' was the one who poisoned her. He knew how twisted rumours would get once passed down from person to person so he learned to be careful. "Hey!" Ulima squeaked out in shock but after being rudely ignored by Favian, he just gave up and followed Favian up to Inna''s room. He sneaked a glance at Inna and her sleeping face as Favian carefully carried her up the stairs. Seeing her sleeping so peacefully on Favian''s arms was certainly a weird sight for Ulima. He was never used to her being calm and staying put in one place. Well, unless she''s eating. Meanwhile, Favian calmly directed himself to her room that he was able to pinpoint according to Raghnall''s instructions that was sent through telepathy. And when he opened the room, the intense waft of dispersed magic particles immediately alarmed Favian. Did someone recently casted multiple spells in here? That''s impossible. Inna was out the whole morning. Unless, someone sneaked in and practiced their spells? Despite being suspicious, Favian figured that there wasn''t any time to spare so he decided to just shrug it off. It''s not his business anyways. So, with the highest degree of caution, he slowly lowered Inna on her bed. Then, he turned around to ask Ulima, who he sensed was by the door, something but Ulima spoke before Favian could speak. "What''s happening? As the prefect professor in charge of the lily dorms, I demand an explanation! It''s worrying enough thata grown man know of her room''s location without any aid needed, now the said man wouldn''t even utter a single word of reason!" Favian''s eyes widened as he finally realized his mistake. The prefect of the Lily dorms! Only one man would be crazy enough to take that responsibility! The hermit professor Ulima! The one who was famously known for not stepping out of his house unless he had classes to teach! Such stupidity to actually mistake the great magic theorist for a cleaner! Favian placed his left hand on the right side of his chest as hebowed but he only did it in a span of mere seconds. After the formal greeting, he immediately reached out from his white spatial pouch to get paper and pen. With both on hand, he started to write on Inna''s desk on the side of her room as he explained himself to Ulima. "Thousands of apologies, Professor Ulima. A student under your dorm has been poisoned and it is urgent for me to try and get rid of it. The poison''s identity is unknown and the quantity and location is unknown as well save for the fact that most of the poison has bren dissolved by healing spells. Though, there might be a chance that it is not that grave, I fear for it to be a serious case hence, I rudely barged into the dorms." Ulima''s eyes held disbelief as he peered at Inna''s sleeping form. She didn''t look that sick to him by the distance but when he drew closer, he finally saw the clear picture. Inna''s face was pale and white as a sheet and her lips were faintly dyed with a hue of purple. She looked fairly sick but it didn''t seem that serious under his eyes. "Why don''t you just call the Healers? If that still didn''t work, why didn''t you call a physician instead? Those old man can cure sicknesses that magic couldn''t even do. Surely they can cure this poison." Favian stopped writing his notes as he peered at Ulima with an exasperated look. "Apologies again for the rudeness, Professor Ulima, but with all the respect I can muster through my words, she is unfortunately from the Lily Class. The only help she''ll be getting is a prepared space behind the academy to bury her dead body." With that, Ulima finally realized the reality of the situation and he was speechless because it technically was true. The Lily class were deemed abandoned after all. No one would dare to waste their time trying to save the students that''s been deemed broken or useless in the academy of geniuses. In fact, the best thing Lily class students could do was to leave. If they leave, they can still be technically considered better than the rest of the average people. But then again, they''ll be deemed forever ''second-rate'' and a ''failure'' of a genius. But that still is better than being dead and buried behind the academy. Though, just a few decades ago, he was told that the people outside of the academy strangely had this strange concept of students recieving great honor for dying inside the academy. It probably started when, in order to avoid shame, their families spread false ideas about how their children were able to die from being too eager to learn, and that they were ''geniuses'' or the ''best of the best'' that the Supreme God had decided to take them early, fearing that they would cause a great shift in the world''s balance.And now, this idea of glorifying the action of dying inside the academy has left the previous lily class students with no escape route. After all, if they were to leave, it would bring great dishonor and shame to themselves and to their families. But if they were to stay, all they could ever hope for is to live to see another day. Chapter 135 Healing Her With a cough, Ulima recovered from his speechless state and he looked at Favian who was busy writing notes which he plastered around Inna''s desk using a special kind of magic. Then, he peered at the pale Inna and he spoke again. "If you''re not going to send someone, then don''t tell me you''ll be the one healing her?" Hearing the disbelief in Ulima''s tone, Favian sighed as he paused writing. "I will see to it that she will be cured in the end." Ulima didn''t trust those words so he scrunched up his face in anxiety. "Are you sure you can? You''re merely a student of by which, what is your name and class?" Favian started to write again as he replied to Ulima. "I am Favian Frode, from the Rose class. I am currently on my fifth year in this academy. In terms of medical knowledge, I may not know much but i''m confident that in the field of poisons, my memory is all that is needed." Ulima''s eyes bulged at his name. Dear heavens! The Frode family! The ultimate noble family that is deemed to be the most powerful next to the Emperor''s! Why is he even concerning himself with that undisciplined brat?! "If you would excuse me, Professor Ulima. I would need some privacy in healing her. My methods are¡­ considered as my family''s greatest secret. If you were to know of it, execution under the Emperor''s command would be the most minimal punishment my family can give." Ulima''s knees trembled at the thought. With the influence of the Frode family and their close relationship to the Emperor, he didn''t have an inkling of doubt in Favian''s words. He just quietly went out, closed the door behind him, and dashed back to his room to continue his unfinished research. In the meantime, Favian didn''t have to look to know that it successfully scared Ulima off. So, with a sigh, he relaxed and finished up the last note. Then, after sticking it on top of the desk, he rechecked the placement of each note. Name, family, friends¡­ check. Inna''s situation, Raghnall''s explanation¡­ check. Other important schoolwork stuff and deadlines¡­ check. After checking that all the notes that filled the top of Inna''s desk were correct and complete, he closed his eyes and readied himself for the switch. "Frode, I need your help." While Frode was busy with Inna, Raghnall, who was back in the Plant Sanctuary, was anxious to death. He tried to keep his anxiety at bay but with the inactivity happening on his side, the urge to teleport to the Lily dorms to check up on her was simply just increasing. Then, when he was about to go for it, there was a sudden uproar from the testing site. Since there was quite a distance between him and the testing site, he can only hear murmurs on his side. Then, by the distance, he saw Rira making her way towards him. "What''s happening?" Raghnall asked Rira through impersonating Favian''s voice. Hearing nothing wrong, Rira looked at him with a blank stare as she gestured to the uproar. "That old man called for a short break. Something about reporting something. Said he''ll be back in awhile." Raghnall nodded in understanding as he leaned on the pillar. "So, what brings you here?" Rira leaned on the side of the opposite pillar, sighing as she looked at the site of chaos. "The students were getting restless and annoying. Said that the Professor shouldn''t have allowed a Lily class to participate. Along with stuff like she was the harbinger of chaos and bad luck. And that the only reason she could participate was that someone strong escorted her in, which is technically not against the rules. After all, those who can take the test are those that are strong enough to do so. And having strong people backing you up is still a form of strength so I couldn''t blame that idiot girl though. After all, you gotta stick to the strong ones to get the upper hand in life." Raghnall, still pretending to be Favian, nodded his head in agreement. It has always been like that in their world, and no matter how much the world changes, that fact will never change. "Speaking of the strong ones¡­" Rira trailed off as she stared at Raghnall with a crafty smile on her face. "How''s my little baby?" "Uhhhhhh¡­" Raghnall was at a loss for words. Little baby? Did Favian¡­ have a child with her??? The utter confusion and shock that Raghnall was feeling was so immense that it directly showed on his face. Seeing it, Rira furrowed her brows as she crossed her arms angrily. "So, it''s going to be like this? You won''t ever tell me? I thought we were friends! C''mon! Just spill something!" Raghnall wracked his brain for any appropriate response that he could ever give. He didn''t know about this! So, Favian kept it a secret all along? So without thinking much, he just gave her an ambiguous answer. "Uhm¡­ she''s good." Rira looked at him liked he just grew another head. "She?! Why in the world are you referring to him as a ''she''?!" Raghnall tried to keep his composure as he laughed nervously. "I was just messing with you. Ha, ha. Of course, he''s a he." Rira stared at Raghnall intently as though she was trying to figure something out. "Are you¡­ okay? Guarding the gates didn''t make you crazy now, did it?" Raghnall coughed awkwardly as he tried his best to copy Favian''s signature smile. "I''m just bored watching nothing but plants for who knows how long. Can''t blame me for poking fun when bored." Rira had a look of understanding and her suspicious glance soon turned into one of sympathy. "Yeah, it is pretty boring being a Keeper for such a minor exam." Raghnall nodded along, internally glad that she changed the subject. But he relaxed too soon. "Well, the only interesting thing that happened was with my little baby. C''mon, tell me what he did!" Now that the baby subject has been brought back, Raghnall still couldn''t figure out what to make out of the situation. He''s really not a fan of babies and the fact that his dearest friend apparently had one is enough for him to consider breaking off their friendship. But seeing that Rira was eagerly awaiting for a response, he had no choice but to take a wild guess. "Uhm, he knows how to talk now?" Chapter 136 Glistening Shoes "What?! What are you even talking about?" Rira casted an irritated look at Raghnall. "Are you really against talking about him to me?" Raghnall was really lost in the conversation so he decided to just keep his mouth shut. "Oh come on! Don''t be like that! He must''ve passed by this gate to leave! So it''s impossible for you to miss him! Especially when he was carrying that idiot." Huh? Then, it suddenly clicked inside Raghnall''s head. Ohhhhhhhh, so her ''little baby'' wasn''t a literal baby that she had with Favian. It was actually him! Raghnall cringed at the realization as he tried to hold in his disgust from coming out of his face. How shameless is she to claim him as her little ''baby''? He is no one''s little baby! Raghnall expression darkened as he abruptly stood up. "I have nothing to say to you nor am I obliged to say anything about my dear brother to you. Who do you think you are?" With her pride hurt, Rira angrily stood up as well, as she tried to make sense as to why Favian suddenly had a change of mood. "What''s up with you today?! I was just asking about my little baby! You don''t have to give me that attitude!" Raghnall, still disgusted by the endearment, walked away briskly while ignoring her. Seeing his rude action, she realized what he was doing so she ended up shouting in anger. "Are you kidding me?! Just for asking about him, you''re ignoring me?!" But, Raghnall just drowned out her frustrated screams as he made his way to the testing site. After a few minutes of walking at a fast pace, he finally reached the place. Back when he was guarding the gates, the noise he heard from there weren''t much so he figured that it must''ve been just a small commotion. But now that he''s actually nearer, he realized that it was no way near a small commotion. Screaming here, shouting there. People pushing each other towards the stage, people throwing objects at one another. To say that the situation was chaotic would be an understatement. The students from the audience were standing up and were screaming at the three remaining contestants. Their screams were something about accusing them of cheating and of being a fraud. The Keepers that were assigned for crowd control were doing their best to appease them but nobody seemed to listen to them. Instead, some students decided to scream at them for being incompetent due to the fact that a Lily class student was able to enter the exams. They held in their complaints since Professor Gnarly was present but now, since he was gone to report something, everyone''s mouth has now been let loose. They began to condemn Inna for being the demon of bad luck. And then, one began to say that Rose class students weren''t much of a big deal if they weren''t even able to heal a Lily class student. A Rose class student took offense and decided to retaliate back by saying that Oleander class curses aren''t much of a big deal when faced with Rose class students'' willpower. Other Oleander students treated it as an insult and decided to throw shade again. Saying that their curses are at the very least, better than the healing spells that can''t even heal people completely. Lotus class students heard the conversation and decided to step in, defending their dignity as healers. They began to say that they were the lucky ones since they actually help save a life rather than mages who can''t do anything but watch and help with meager stuff like boiling water. The students from the Pansy class heard the comments and felt insulted. So, they joined in the fight as well, making the commotion bigger and bigger until almost all students were involved in the fight. Then, it escalated so much that some students even got so worked up that they decided to push the other students which made them push back. Soon, it became a riot of people pushing each other that some students began to fall down the bleachers and into the floor. Seeing the physical fight, the Keepers had no choice left but to cast an immobility curse on all of them and used another spell to move them back towards their seats. Raghnall looked around at the chaotic place and he shook his head in dismay. Last time he visited the Plant Sanctuary, it was a vibrant place filled with different kinds of plants and insects that made melodious noises. The whole sanctuary exuded serenity and it was one of his most favorite places in the whole nation. Whenever he gets to visit this place, he always took a nap by the center of the whole sanctuary. But now that he returned, he couldn''t do it anymore because his napping spot has been cleared out and was made into a testing site for the students. Recalling all those, Raghnall sighed again with a heavy heart. He looked at the angry faces of the students that were screaming and at the indifferent faces of the students who didn''t care wether other students were to harm themselves. To think that it was reduced into something like this now¡­ A place of cheating¡­ A place of selfishness¡­ A place of greed¡­ A place of chaos¡­ Then, thinking that Rira must''ve left in anger by now, he was about to return back to the gates when he saw a movement that caught his eye. Abandoning the thought of leaving, Raghnall stood in an inconspicuous area as he tried to look at the person that caught his eye. Under his watch, he saw Galen and Herad were both smiling gleefully while Drona discreetly glared at them. The action that caught his eye was actually the faint glistening of Herad''s shoes when he took a step forward. He didn''t understand why the shoes that was made of grey cloth would suddenly shine. If it weren''t for the fact that Herad was wearing light armor on top, the glistening of his shoes whenever he took a step would''ve been unnatural. But since he was, the glistening would normally been disregarded since his armor was also glistening. But now, Raghnall was able to notice its weirdness quickly amongst the chaos. And for some reason, he couldn''t help but think that it''s something that he should really look into. Chapter 137 How It All Happened Raghnall casted an invisibility spell as he tried to go closer to them. But he stopped midway when he remembered that he was still wearing Favian''s face and body despite being invisible. So, if ever someone nullified his invisibility spell, they would see Favian''s face first which would give out the wrong message and it can even get him into trouble. Speaking of trouble¡­ If he were to leave his post, does that mean that ''Favian'' is going to get into big trouble? Having that sudden thought in his mind, he pondered on it for a few seconds. But then, he realized that since Professor Gnarly announced a break, that can also mean that ''Favian'' could also take a break too, right? After all, Professor Gnarly''s probably at the office complaining about his disrespectful behavior so it will also take awhile for him to come back. That old man can speak for hours on end if given the chance to start. So, with that in mind, Raghnall decided to forego with his original plan. But this time, to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, he decided to remove the illusion spell on himself, making him turn back to looking like himself again. Then, with soft footsteps, he made his way to Herad. Herad on the other hand was staying still. His hand crossed in front of him as he smiled excitedly. Just the three of them! Surely Professor Gnarly would pass them three! It''s almost been an hour since the tests had started so the test would definitely end by now. When the thought of passing one of the hardest exams in Eldora with only one try, Herad couldn''t withhold his excitement as he peered at his dear brother. "Galen, do you know when Professor Gnarly would arrive?" Herad said excitedly as he smiled. Galen couldn''t help but smile as well as though Herad''s excitement was contagious. "In a few moments, I hope. From what I remember, there hasn''t been any event similar to our case so I cannot say for sure." Herad nodded as he agreed. He was about to ask another question about a different topic when he felt a pair of eyes staring intently at him. He tried to discreetly look for the source. But other than Drona glaring daggers at them, he didn''t find anyone who was staring at him. Then, when he was about to walk to search for those eyes amongst the rowdy crowd, he felt something that swung on his leg before he fell unceremoniously on the ground. He clutched at his shin as he laid on the ground, in pain. He wasn''t able to get a scream out as he tried to subdue the stinging pain. After a low tier healing spell, the small bruise soon returned to normal and Herad pushed himself off the ground. He looked at the place where he tripped and he saw nothing that would do any damage to his shin. Then, it suddenly dawned in him. The person must be using an invisibility spell! So, with that in mind, he casted a vision enhancement spell as he tried to look for the invisible person. But sadly, despite Herad''s effort, it was already futile to try and spot Raghnall because he immediately went back to the inconspicuous area at the time when Herad was casting a healing spell. Raghnall only had to confirm something anyways so he didn''t see a need to stay longer and risk getting caught. And just as he thought, it was Herad and Galen that poisoned Inna. How? That was a question he used to ask to himself when he knew abt the two wicked men back when the test was still ongoing. How were they able to affect Inna? How were they able to cast the curses without being reprimanded? How were they able to poison her as well? He used to always bombard his mind with these questions as he carried Inna towards the gates. But on the moment that he used his leg to trip Herad, he immediately knew how it happened. The strange glistening of his shoe, the inactivity of Professor Gnarly, the confidence of Herad and Galen, and the poison on Inna''s body. He can finally connect them all with one single word. Needles. The strange glistening of Herad''s shoe at the moment he took a step was due to the fine needles that were embedded on its sole. And when Herad was clutching his shin, Raghnall was able to investigate the fine needles for only a second. But within that second he was able to confirm that the needles had magic spell embedded on them. Well, not magic ''spells'' but more like ''curses'' instead. These were the Immobility and Sleeping curse that was previously found on Inna. And it wasn''t a violation of the rule to use that kind of magic since technically, the magic was embedded on a medium. Hence, Professor Gnarly turned a blind eye towards it. And that was also the reason as to why they didn''t fear of getting caught cheating. It''s because they technically didn''t cheat! And that wasn''t just all¡­ If Raghnall''s guess was correct, those little needles were coated also with some kind of poison. And the moment that the poison and cirses were administered was probably on that time where Inna and Herad collided. And if memory serves him right, Herad was supposed to fall onDrona but Inna, out of a sense of responsibility, decided to protect Drona. And thus, instead of Drona, it was her that was stabbed by the poisoned and cursed needles as her and Herad collided and fell unto one another. And for Herad to cover up the pain of the needle piercing the skin, the fall and her foot injury was more than enough to do the job. Hence, Inna wasn''t able to notice the tiny prick of the fine needles when they collided because she probably focused on the pain on her foot as it painfully twisted slightly. Then, with the poison now gathered on her foot, Inna at that time started to dance. And because of her strange dance which involved bending her body in different angles and exerting herself to maintain the position, the poison must''ve spread around her body along with the curses. And thus, it now lead to her being examined by Frode and Raghnall having nothing to do but hope that his dear brother can somehow remove all of the poison in her body. Chapter 138 Postponed? Looking at the time, Raghnall felt that he left his post for too long. He didn''t want Favian to actually get in trouble because of his selfishness so he decided to return back to the gates. But before he had a chance, he noticed a familiar cloud hover over the center of the field. And then, from that cloud, a loud booming voice erupted. "Cease this abomination at once!" Professor Gnarly''s irritated voice echoed throughout the whole area. The students, startled at the pure anger in his voice, began to straighten up. The fear and panic from their eyes were evident as they scrambled back to their respective seats. Professor Gnarly looked at the misbehaving group of children with deep annoyance in his eyes as he went out of his cloud. "I left for a few moments and this is what happens?! This is utterly disappointing! To think that in my class, a class for law, social morals, and etiquette, you lot would show such behavior!All of you will be banned from taking my exam for the next two months! And in these two months, I will have an exam every other day to straighten all of you up!" Then, as soon as Professor Gnarly finished, he immediately casted a spell. And when he stopped his casting, a pillar of white and glowing symbols suddenly erupted around him. Those floating symbols circled him in a swift manner that it looked nearly like a tornado. And after a few seconds, the floating symbols dashed out and made their way to every student in the vicinity. The symbols was plastered to the students'' legs, heads, arms, torso, and even their feet. And after it stuck to their skin fully, the mark slowly dimmed down until it can no longer be seen by the naked eye, making the students panic at the sight. But Professor Gnarly decided to appease them as he explained the foreign spell to them. "A Marking curse. That''s what you call that kind of spell. It is something that only the caster or someone more powerful than the caster can nullify. With that, I''ll be able to know who isn''t allowed to take my test because of this preposterous behavior. So, there will certainly be no way for anyone in this room to ever take the test until the mark gets removed after two months." Raghnall snickered at himself as he casted his best invisibility spell. Since he was quite a distance away and he immediately recognized the spell that old man was casting, he had enough time to cast a spell unlike the rest of the students. The good thing about his invisibility spell is that his presence is completely masked. Even the smallest magic particles around him are hidden. But, if someone casted a clairvoyance spell that is stronger than his spell, then he''ll absolutely be found out. So, he just prayed to the Supreme god not to let that old man use it. Meanwhile, the symbol that was supposed to fly towards his stopped midway and twirled around, as if trying to find him. Then, after a few rounds of twirling around, the symbol lost its glow and it disappeared in thin air. When Raghnall saw that it was gone, he heaved a sigh of relief. That was close. If he were to get marked, that would obviously give him out. Trying to calm his heavily beating heart, he looked towards the center of the area to figure out what was happening next. In the back of his mind, he couldn''t help but notice that the situation now was funnily similar to what happened in the entrance ceremony when he met Inna. And with that thought, he let out a small laugh. Seriously. Wherever that girl goes, chaos surely follows. Meanwhile, Professor Gnarly faced the three remaining contestants that he made sure were not marked by his spell. He looked them up, trying to see if his choice was the right one. Then, he sighed with great dismay. One had too much ego. One had too much greed. The other one had insufficient grit. But then again, because of the disturbance in the exam and the involvement of a student audience, he had to abide by the rules. So, clearing his throat, he had no choice but to announce his decision. "Now that everyone has decided to settled down, I would like to say a few words to address this problem." "Since there has been a major disturbance in the exams, as per written in the rules, I would have to stop the exam despite it being ongoing and fail all of the students taking it. But since the perpetrators are both now unrelated to the said exam, it would be quite unfair to these three innocent students if i were to fail them immediately. Hence, after asking for permission from Elder Fang, I found it wise to postpone it instead to continue on another day. But this time, the audience would simply be just me and Elder Fang to avoid a repeat of what happened." The crowd nodded in agreement with Professor Gnarly''s choice. And the three students, Galen, Herad, and Drona, couldn''t help but smile in happiness. That means that they didn''t fail it yet! There is still hope! But then, Professor Gnarly cleared his throat again to catch everyone''s attention. He looked over towards the three gleeful students with a sarcastic sneer. "But I would have to warn you. Elder Fang is stricter than I am when it comes to exams so don''t get too happy as of yet. Also, I will be announcing the time and day of the exam through your dorm''s speakers. And if you are unable to attend on time, it would be an immediate failure." The three gulped audibly after hearing it, the hidden glee in their eyes slightly dimming down. But they still bowed in gratefulness as they spoke together. "We are thankful for Elder Gnarly''s benevolence!" Elder Gnarly barely took a glance at them as he addressed the crowd. "Now, I officially announce this test to have ended and request all students to please leave the premises. I will no longer entertain any questions and I will seal off this domain after a few moments." With that, the students slowly got up by their seats and began to leave as they mumbled subtle complaints about the markings. And while the students were leaving, Raghnall took it as a signal to go back to the gates again. So, with a hastening spell, he dashed towards the empty gates as he casted his illusion spell. While he was pretending to be Favian, he noticed that the two, Galen and Herad, didn''t leave the area yet. The rest of the higher class students were already passing through the gates to leave but he failed to see those two leave. What are they up to now? Chapter 139 Karmas a B*tch 1 After a few moments, Raghnall saw two silhouettes by the distance. And sure enough, he saw the two men he''s been waiting for, smiling happily as they calmly talked with each other while slowly walking. Behind them was a pissed off Rira that seemed to be glaring at the two. Then, she suddenly hastened her pace as she walked passed the two men, all the while glaring at them. She didn''t even try to mask the annoyance in her expression as she blatantly moved past them. Then, she walked towards Raghnall''s side as she vehemently whispered. "Those two slowpokes have been talking for ages now! They''re the last ones in here and I''ve been following them since forever! And they walk too slow as well! Can''t you kick them out?! We''re supposed to be done here moments ago! And we''ve only got a few moments left until that old man seals this place!" Raghnall furrowed his brows as he looked at Rira. "Why don''t you go on ahead and leave then?" "Have you forgotten? We can''t leave until everyone leaves! So, do something! You''re supposed to be the Keeper of this gate here so why are you not doing anything?" Rira looked at him strangely and it made Raghnall sweat a little in panic. Heavens! He almost forgot he was supposed to be Favian. She didn''t notice, did she? Hiding his anxiety, he couldn''t help but cough lightly as he replied. "What do you want me to do, then? It''s uhm.... i-improper for a Keeper to just violently kick them out." She didn''t seem to notice his strange behavior as Rira huffed.Then, she glared while crossing her arms as she spoke. "Make them leave! I don''t care what you do! I have a class after this and I don''t want to be late again! And that old man is going to lock this place up! If it were to be sealed, we would have to beg that old man to have it open again. And you know how cranky he gets whenever that happens! I don''t need to listen to another lecture about punctuality!" Raghnall peered over to the two men''s direction and saw that they actually stopped a distance away. They talked for a short while then one laughed to whatever the other guy talked about. Seeing the action, it made Rira''s anger soar. "Those little--argh! Frode! Go and do something! Hurry!" Rira pushed Raghnall towards the men''s direction as she crossed her arms angrily. Raghnall sighed as he looked between Rira and the two men before helplessly making his way towards the two guys. Just as he was nearing them, he stopped midway when he overheard what their topic was. "---finally, that little dumb wrench had her use! To think we were able to extend our test for a day! Hah! Now, we can take our time reviewing!" Herad laughed heartily while Galen smiled in agreement. "Her getting injured not only helped us get rid of her, but we also got to have a bigger chance of passing on our first try, which might make us legends along with the second prince. Today''s not a bad day, hehe." Galen spoke as he merrily hummed after. Herad continued the conversation, oblivious of the darkening gaze behind them. Then, when Herad was about to talk about something else, he felt a sudden distortion of the magical particles around him until suddenly, he can no longer see anything. In a panic, he tried to look around but all he saw was pure darkness. What''s happening? Why did it suddenly turn dark? He felt as though he was blind, seeing only nothing but pure unending darkness. He felt uncomfortable with the dark abyss he was seeing that he wanted to scream. But no words came out. It felt like his mouth refused to open and his lips felt like they were contained with pure metal. Why can''t he make a sound? What happened to Galen? Is he still here? Since he couldn''t see, he planned to feel around his surroundings using his arms and hands but he found out that he also couldn''t move them as well. With that fact, his fear escalated. Very much so, that he felt faint and nauseous from it. Can someone tell him what is actually happening?! Herad screamed in his mind. Then suddenly, he felt his arms and legs move. They moved without his instructions. His body began to imitate the movement of him walking. Then, he felt his mouth start to move as well. It felt weird for him. It was like someone else was controlling his body. His mouth began to talk about random topics, like the weather, plants, food, and many else. And whenever he was finished speaking, he could hear Galen replying to his talking. He wanted to scream to Galen to save him from whatever has been happening to him. But, instead of a scream of help, what came out of his mouth were words of appreciation about plants. Giving up, he figured to just cry inside his own mind since he couldn''t do so with his body. Then, after a few torturous moments, a sudden flash of light suddenly enveloped the darkness and he felt the heavy weight on his body starting to ease up. Then, with newfound hope, he screamed at the top of his lungs. "GALEN!" Then, in a flash, his sight came back and he was finally able to see his surroundings. He was in a familiar place filled with trees and grass. He tried to look further beyond but despite the help of the sunlight, the density of the trees made him unable to see anything farther than a few meters away. But, he didn''t dwell too much on it as he shifted his focus onto Galen, who was right in front of him, and what happened earlier. "What just happened?!" He spoke hurriedly as he tried to check his body for any changes. But there wasn''t anything. In fact, the only thing he noticed that changed was the fact that Galen was oddly quiet. He was utterly confused about what happened earlier so he figured to ask Galen about it. "Hey, did you notice something weird about me earlier? I felt a sudden fluctuation in the magic particle around me so I must''ve been on a spell or a curse." "But, who would even do something like that?! Controlling a high rank in a Mage class? That can only be done by someone stronger! But then again, why would anyone even do that?" He was about to continue on but then he abruptly stopped. Because he couldn''t help but find Galen''s silence strange. So, he decided to finally look at Galen closely. But as soon as he took a step forward to do so, he felt something colliding with his face. Chapter 140 Karmas A b*tch 2 Herad staggered back as he looked at Galen in disbelief. Did he just¡­ No, that''s impossible¡­ "DID¡­. D-DID YOU JUST¡­ PUNCH ME?!" Herad screamed in disbelief as his trembling hand clutched his jaw that still ached from the punch. His eyes tried to look for an explanation as his muddled mind struggled to understand what was happening. Meanwhile, instead of answering, Galen just proceeded to form a fighting stance as he raised his fists. Herad, still in utter disbelief, couldn''t help but scream again. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS, GALEN?!" But before he could react, Galen lunged at him. Punch after punch, Herad''s anger began to rise, smothering the confusion he had. And with his rage coming to a peak, he punched Galen back, making him stagger backward in shock. Herad wiped the blood that trickled on his chin as he began to chant. But before he could finish, Galen lunged again, this time, his punches were far stronger than the last. Herad, after having been interrupted, figured to just rely on his physical strength which is, in his opinion, far superior to Galen''s. Since he had a year of additional strength training due to coming from a family consisting mostly of Warriors, he knew he had the upper hand. So, ignoring the throbbing pain around his face, he delivered blow after blow of punches that made Galen take a step back every time. And just as he was about to deliver the final blow, he saw Galen blink furiously as he croaked out. "What are you--" But it was too late. Herad''s clenched fist collided with Galen''s cheek and a snapping sound was hear before it all went quiet. Herad huffed out as he looked at Galen''s disfigured face. And sure enough, he saw Galen''s broken jaw hanging open awkwardly. Galen screamed in pain as he pointed angrily at Herad. Then, he tried to speak but to his shock, the words that came out were simply unintelligible. With no choice, he grabbed a wand and made some sounds before waving it around furiously. In each motion of the wand, magic particles activated and began to light up. And soon, words began to hover in mid-air as Galen continued to write. Then, when he finished he glared at the stunned Herad with pure rage in his eyes. Herad held a mix of emotions as he was too confused about what to make out of the situation. So, he decided to just simply read on what Galen was writing. "WHAT''S GOTTEN INTO YOU? WHY IN THE HEAVENS DID YOU PUNCH ME?! LOOK MY JAW IS BROKEN!!! I CANT CAST ANY SPELLS UNTIL IM HEALED BY SOMEONE! AND IF I DO GET HEALED, RUMOURS WOULD START SPREADING THAT I, GALEN OF THE HIGH CLASSES, WAS DEFEATED EASILY BY THE LIKES OF YOU!" Herad furrowed his brows as he angrily pointed at him. "YOU punched ME first! I wouldn''t have retaliated if it weren''t for that!" Galen glared as him as his response floated. "Liar." Herad stalked closer as he angrily pointed at his face that started to swell. "Do you see this? This is from YOUR punches! Unless of course, you think that I somehow did this on myself?!" "Of course. Someone like me would never resort to barbaric methods such as fist fighting." Herad felt annoyed to the brim, so much so that he began to rant. "Oh, you think you''re so noble, huh? You think that you''re way above everyone else in here, huh? That, even though we''re in the same class, you still feel superior after all these years just because of you''re from a pure Mage class family, huh? Well, why don''t we have a duel in two days time? That would be enough to find someone to heal your pathetic jaw. And then, well finally see who''s the better one among us. But just so you know, you''ve always been the most annoying, stuck up, spoiled, and delusional noble that still thinks he could beat or be someone as great as a Mirzo. Well, sadly, the reality is here to tell you that you''re nothing more than a rich man who gained his power from memorizing spells that were given to you by your father and depending on others to finish the work for you." Galen was at a loss for words so he simply huffed and turned his back around Herad in anger. Then, he softly tried to cradle his jaw that ached endlessly. Herad, seeing his actions, decided that it would probably be the best time to leave. He didn''t want to stay and risk killing the guy out of anger. After all, his record is still clean in the academy. But with anger still in his mind, he still wanted Galen to know one thing. "Just so you know, I never wanted to be friends with you. If it weren''t for the fact that our fathers were close friends, I would never even associate with the likes of you. Manipulative and yet, purely dense and delusional." Herad let out a small laugh as he began to walk away. A few steps further, he finally noticed that they were in the East Protected Forest of the Academy. It''s where they usually conduct spells that have a high chance and area of destruction. And thus, by its name, it has a protective barrier around its surroundings so as not to let destructive and unstable magic particles to leak out during training. And usually, only the Rose class and some few students from the High classes are able to enter this area. So now, after cooling down from the earlier drama, Herad began to wonder how they even got here in the first place. It was truly strange. Who would manipulate his body? For what reason did that ''someone'' send them here? And why did Galen start punching him out of nowhere but then, later deny it? And why here in the East Protected Forest? Who can even do such a feat? His head was filled with questions as he navigated himself towards the exit. But at least there was one thing he was very sure of. No doubt, this was surely done by someone terrifyingly powerful. Chapter 141 Whos Bullying Who?! Meanwhile, this terrifyingly powerful ''someone'' is gasping for air as he sat on a tree behind him to catch his breath. Because of earlier, he used too much magic and now the accumulated heavy demand for energy recoiled back towards him, nearly draining the reserve energy in his whole body. Now, he barely had enough energy to walk. So, with just the simple act of sitting down, he''s now panting hard as he clutched his aching chest. Thankfully, he still had enough energy for his heart to continue beating and for his body to function minimally, though it was only enough for him to keep living and survive. But now, to solve this problem, all he needed to do is to just get another source of energy. So, placing his arm on the tree''s exposed root beside him, he chanted a very long spell between breaths. He felt the alarm bells ringing inside his head as his internal energy slowly drained, but he ignored them. He continued on with the spell until he felt near fainting. And then, soon enough, the root glowed. Then, it began to wrinkle up before completely turning into dust. And simultaneously, Raghnall breathed deeply as the absorbed Mana from the tree began to naturally convert into energy inside his body. And after being absorbed fully, it thankfully recovered a bit of his own. So, after adjusting to the sudden spike of energy he felt, Raghnall huffed a breath before fully standing up. Then, he shook his head slightly, trying to get rid of the dizziness he felt. Thank god he was taught that trick by his father. Or else, his body would end up being unable to use magic for half a month. That''s because he has to wait for his energy to recover. But the body''s natural absorption and conversion of mana to energy are so slow that it might take him months to be back in shape. Well, he shouldn''t have done so many spells at once in the first place. Although better than the rest, he knew that his body could only convert little energy from natural mana. And if he were to convert it using the spell, which just sucked the only the reserve energy that he had left, he knew he would be comatose for weeks if the spell were to fail. And that even if the spell was a success, if the converted energy still wouldn''t be enough to supply his reserve energy, then he still would''ve stayed put from exhaustion and lack of energy. And then he''d have to wait for days until he could start walking. So he knew that casting so many spells was a really bad choice. And he also knew that he shouldn''t attempt to do something so risky again. But he still couldn''t help but feel recklessly proud at his earlier stunt. Then again, who wouldn''t be? He controlled two high stage mages with puppeteer curses¡­ He teleported them as soon as they left the gates¡­ And he still managed to have spare energy to control one more for a short period wherein he was able to dislocate Galen''s jaw! And all done in perfect timing that Rira didn''t even notice anything. She probably just thought that Favian went to escort the two before finally leaving. Hah! No guy in this world would be able to do such a feat! Still, despite the great pride he had in his work, he couldn''t help but still feel unsatisfied with it. Compared with what they''ve done, he even thinks that what he did to them was still very much lacking. He should''ve beaten them himself. Breaking their bones... Hearing them cry¡­ Crippling them until they can no longer utter a spell¡­ And then, hear them beg and apologize in front of her. Only then, will he be satisfied. But sadly, he couldn''t do such a thing. Because if he did, then he''ll surely be kicked out of the academy. And if he''ll be kicked out, he would no longer be able to see her craziness. So, he''d rather behave¡­. Well, for now. After all, there are other ways to make those two suffer. And with that thought, he felt momentarily eased. So with a charming smile on his face, he merrily exited the forest. Then, after a painstakingly long trip towards the other side of the campus, he finally arrived in the lily dorms. Though, he didn''t expect the trip to be so long that it was already mid-afternoon by the time he saw the dorm in the distance. He shouldn''t have teleported Galen and Herad towards that far place. But then again, if he didn''t, those guys might, someway or another, find their way towards the lily dorms. And although Raghnall knew it was a stupid thing to worry about, he still couldn''t help it. He couldn''t take the chance. And that fact bothered him more than necessary. What''s going on with him? Why does he feel protective all of a sudden? After seeing her all pale and looking near death, the shock must''ve muddled his mind. Because of that, he suddenly wanted to help her with everything he had. But he didn''t know where that feeling of doing everything for her suddenly came from. He didn''t know the true source of his desperation¡­ Is it a trauma from back then? Did he just see Aril in her? Or is it something else? Something that he doesn''t dare to admit... The thought really bugged him to the point that he almost didn''t even notice that he was already about to collide with the dorm''s door. Seeing the woodsy texture drawing dangerously near, he blinked furiously to finally disconnect himself from his thoughts. Then, with furrowed brows, he sighed loudly. He shouldn''t be thinking about this right now. He came here to visit a sick person so he shouldn''t look all gloomy or serious. Instead, he should show her a smiling face so that she''ll feel at ease. So, with another sigh, he cleared his mind as he straightened his back. Then, with a more relaxed expression, he slowly knocked on the door. A few seconds after, he heard soft shuffling on the other sidebefore the door was opened by a small margin. "Who''s there?" Ulima peeked behind the door. His glare looking daunting and frightening. But it didn''t seem to affect Raghnall as he answered softly. "Raghnall, sir." Ulima took a second glance at Raghnall. "And what does a Rose class celebrity need in this lowly Lily dorm?" "And just so you know, I don''t tolerate any forms of bullying among my students. So, if you are here just for that, better leave, boy." Raghnall tried to hide the incredulous expression that almlst formed when he heard the last statements. Me? Bully her?! He almost screamed in frustration as he tried to keep the tears from forming. Tell that to her! She''s the one who''s fond of bullying people! Seriously, the first time he secretly visited her here, he got a bleeding forehead from a stone she threw at him through a window! So, who''s bullying who now?! Chapter 142 How Is She? 1 Raghnall was going to squeak out a complain when he saw little traces of magical particles near Ulima''s eye. He squinted, trying to figure out why they were there. Then, within a second of noticing the movement patterns of the magical particles, he immediately recognized the spell. Illusion spell. That''s probably what he''s using. Although he''s not entirely sure if it is that, or maybe a spell that is a bit similar¡­ He needs to confirm it first¡­ But then again, why is he using such a spell? Raghnall squinted as he stared intensely at Ulima''s eye. Is he¡­ concealing his original face? Or is he someone pretending to be Professor Ulima? Meanwhile, Ulima felt so flustered with Raghnall''s intense stare that he couldn''t help but shy away from it. But then, he felt a gentle caress on the side of his face that made him flinch greatly. He staggered back as he trembled in shock. With a hand pointing at Raghnall, and the other covering the spot that was caressed, he screamed with widened eyes. "Y-you! W-why did you?! L-listen! I-i have n-no interest towards a m-man''s c-caress!" Raghnall''s eyes squinted as he looked at Ulima in confusion. Then suddenly, as Ulima''s words began to register in his head, he turned deep red in embarrassment. "N-no! I d-didn''t... I...Oh gosh¡­ Uhm, I d-don''t like¡­ uhmm¡­ I l-like women!" Ulima''s disbelieving glare made Raghnall realize that his actions must have lead to a deeper misunderstanding! So, with his mind in full panic mode, he tried to ease up the misunderstanding. But he got too flustered that his mouth and mind couldn''t seem to cooperate with each other. "Uhm, it''s true. Seriously. I¡­ uhhh¡­ I just... Illusion¡­ spell¡­" The last two words that Raghnall mumbled made Ulima raise an eyebrow in shock, momentarily forgetting his earlier shock. "Wait, what do you mean by ''illusion spell''?" Raghnall breathed deeply as he tried to calm himself down in hopes he can speak a straight phrase. "I was just.¡­ wondering why¡­ uhm¡­ there were magical particles on your face¡­ So uhhh¡­ I¡­had to touch it to confirm for sure¡­" Ulima looked at Raghnall in wonder as he grew more curious. Hmmmmm¡­. He''s able to see even these small magical particles? Although it''s one of the most basic skills of a magic user, most can only see the large particles that appears once the spell has been cast or when the spell isn''t concealed or is unstable. But the thing is, Ulima knew he concealed his spell very well. In fact, to make sure, he had to cast two spells. One is for the compression of the particles while the other is a spell that creates a magic limiting area near where his illusion spell was located so that he can minimize both the size and number of these magical particles. Hence, no one in the faculty was even able to notice... So, with great confidence, he can say that only those who trained intensely or someone who is at a finger''s distance away from him would be able to see those small traces of those magical particles. And, to be able to do that, he had to read tons of books and train himself for three years to even detect a single small magical particle. And not only that, in order to guess a spell, one would need to look into the movements and patterns of a small number of particles. And that would require more training and immense memorizations of these movements or an expert''s guidance. The things he didn''t have the chance to have, hence his ability was limited. But he really wanted such an ability! It would be very helpful in battle and in running away! Just imagine.¡­ immediately recognizing the first spell of your opponent is a great advantage already! Ughhhhh, he wants that ability so muchhhh! But, he knew that to do such a feat, one would need a special eye. And from his knowledge, only those who trained under the Sage was able to successfully have this special eye through immense training. And those people are so few that they can be counted with a hand! Just¡­. who is this boy? Ulima was about to ask the question that''s been bothering him when Raghnall spoke first. "Uhm... Why is there a need for an illusion spell on your face? Are you really Professor Ulima? Or are you pretending to be him for some kind of ulterior motive?" Raghnall stepped back as he prepared himself for confrontation. If he was really an imposter, he has to end it in one go to check on Inna quickly. Only the heavens know what happened to her under the time the imposter was in the dorms. Startled by the question and sudden murderous aura emitting from Raghnall, Ulima couldn''t help but let out a huge laugh as he couldn''t believe the ridiculousness of the situation. One after another¡­ Ever since that brat came here, he''s always had eventful days. In fact, he can''t even recall the number of times he''s been shocked to his core and to think it''s only been a few days. And when his laugh had ended, he breathed deeply as he casted a nullification spell. Then, he looked towards Raghnall while pointing at his eye. "I was trying to hide this." Raghnall''s stiff body relaxed as he saw the spell being nullified but then, seeing the light purple ring around Ulima''s eye, he couldn''t help but release a snicker. Ulima raised an eyebrow at his reaction. "It is quite impolite to laugh at your elders, boy." Raghnall apologize immediately after hearing Ulima''s offended tone. "Apologies, professor Ulima. It was just that¡­ It is such a rare sight to see." Ulima humphed as he crossed his arms. And with slight spite in his tone, he muttered under his breath. "This is what happens when the academy lets in a barbarian inside." Hearing those words, it suddenly dawned on him. Is he referring to Ninny? Oh right! He was supposed to heal Ulima as per her orders. So it was her doing all along¡­ Well, at this point, he''s no longer shocked¡­ Guess he''s not the only one she bullied when she arrived. With that thought, he tried to hide his laugh with a cough before speaking. "Ummm... I was actually approached by that ''barbarian'' to heal you." Ulima''s eyes widened in glee but he tried hard to keep a calm uninterested expression. "Took you long enough. I thought that little runt was going to wait until my injuries actually heal before letting someone heal me." Then, still trying to hide his happiness, he calmly opened the door wider and stepped to the side to allow Raghnall enough space to enter. "Come in then¡­ Let''s start the healing immediately." Raghnall stepped inside and he actually felt the gleefulness of Ulima in waves as the man cheerfully guided him to a chair in the living room. When they were properly seated, Ulima clasped his hands together as he spoke. "Why don''t we start then? I''m quite curious whether you can actually heal this bruise or that she just sent you to try and test some healing spells on me." Raghnall raised an eyebrow as he smirked. "Well, although I''ve only known her for a short period of time, I can say for sure that she''s not the type of person to scam people.¡­" "But, I do know someone who''s awfully good at it." Chapter 143 How Is She? 2 "Hmmm?" Ulima felt that the conversation suddenly took a weird turn. And he didn''t know why but there was a sudden change in the atmosphere around him that was truly frightening. Meanwhile, the gears in Raghnall''s mind began to turn. "Well, a bruise like that is no big deal. But, is that all you want to ask from someone great such as myself?" Ulima scrunched up his eyebrows in confusion. Does this kiddo know who he''s talking to? "This isn''t the right time to joke around, boy. Why don''t you just start and get it over with?" Raghnall sighed in dismay as he clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Well, I''ll do it in one condition." "It seems that you do not know the mechanics of this exchange, my boy. She asked something from me, a Veteran Mage and in return, she promised for someone to heal me. Now that I''ve granted what she wanted, it''s time for her to grant hers through you. So, you do not have any right to ask me anything more." Raghnall chuckled softly. "Well, I wasn''t only talking about healing your eye¡­" Ulima furrowed his brows, utterly confused about where the conversation is going. But Raghnall just smirked wider when he saw the growing confusion on Ulima''s face. "You see. I can heal your eye. But any injuries after healing you¡­ well, I can''t heal those anymore, now can I?" Ulima finally figured out the meaning behind the conversation and he was astounded of this boy''s audacity. "Are you threatening me, boy?" Raghnall''s eyes shone with amusement as he chuckled. "It is not a threat. Just a mere clarification." Ulima scoffed at the innocent act Raghnall was using. "Hah, I didn''t live for decades for me not to know what a threat is." He straightened up as he looked at Raghnall straight in the eye. "And what makes you think that you can actually harm someone like me?" Raghnall smiled widely as he casted a spell. And Ulima couldn''t help but stiffen up when he saw him do it. But when he heard the spell, he immediately recognized it and relaxed. It was a mere harmless telepathy spell. Ulima scoffed at himself for being slightly afraid of what this little boy would do. ''That''s it?'' He sent the thought through the spell, not hiding the smugness in his tone. Raghnall shook his head and laughed slightly. ''Why are you doing this, my boy? You do know that once you lay a hand on a teacher, I have the right to retaliate given the situation. Only a fool would spontaneously pick a fight with a teacher.'' Raghnall leaned back on the chair, showing a relaxed expression. ''It''s because you see, I have a very dear friend that''s been cheated. I felt like she didn''t get the best out of the deal, so I decided to do it for her.'' Raghnall shrugged nonchalantly as he continued sending his thoughts. ''And besides, you can''t harm me.'' Ulima''s eyebrow shot up in surprise at the strong confidence he had. ''And what makes you think that I can''t?'' ''Well, aside from the fact that it will be known throughout the academy that the great Professor Ulima was beaten by a kid, the fact that you''ve asked another kid for help in healing your wounds would also be leaked. Is this really the image of a Veteran ranked Mage you want to give to the people who knew and idolized you?" Ulima''s eyebrow twitched in annoyance. That girl! Did she send this boy to cause trouble for him again?! Ever since she came here! It''s always one after another! Humph, but his pride won''t let him give in so he stood his ground. ''Hah, a broken reputation is none of my concern. Besides, most people have known me to be a recluse so the other''s opinion of me wouldn''t really weigh that heavy on my mind. So, if you were to harm me, I wouldn''t even hesitate to retaliate back with everything I''ve got.'' Raghnall''s expression showed that he truly didn''t believe Ulima. Everyone in this academy is obsessed with their reputation so it''s highly unlikely for him not to be bothered. But he wanted to end this early to meet with Inna so he decided to just cut to the chase. ''Well, would you still harm me if you were to know who I am?'' Ulima scoffed at his obnoxious tone. He was tired of hearing those statements from him so he was about to make a snarky comment when suddenly, Raghnall''s next words made him swallow it all back. He slumped in his chair as he sighed at him in defeat. He severed the telepathic link of the spell, not wanting Raghnall to accidentally hear the creative profanities he''s screaming in his mind. "Okay, okay, okay. What do you want? I admit it was an unfair deal but I just want to clarify that she''s the one who wanted only those things! It''s not my duty to give stuff to her when she didn''t ask for it! And what you''re doing right now, it''s just plain blackmail, my boy. Let that sink into your conscience." Raghnall shrugged nonchalantly. "Blackmail or not, I just need two things." Ulima narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "And what are these two things?" "I''ll tell you once I heal you. Now, since you have no choice but to obediently obey, let me see your condition." Raghnall placed a hand on his eye as he began muttering a spell. Then when he removed his hand, his eyes glowed a deep yellow and he scanned every part of Ulima''s body. There were red patches in Ulima''s eyes and the back of his head that indicated swelling. And some were also found around his knees. Raghnall nullified the spell and decided to check his outer appearance. Ulima had a look of a tired and worried old man. He must be fatigued or overly worried about something. Is he worried for Ninny? Raghnall smiled internally as he continued to check for any other abnormal conditions. While Raghnall was checking his condition, Ulima couldn''t help but feel confused. "Aren''t you going to just heal my eye and extort from me? Why are you doing all these?" Raghnall looked at Ulima in confusion. "Although I am giving you no choice but to grant my conditions, to make it not that unfair and to ease your irritation, I might as well do a whole body healing. It''s great training. And besides, I don''t want to do something really bad that I might get hated or scolded for. Someone I know would be really disappointed." A little light lit up in Ulima''s eyes as his expression softened in relief. But still, in the back of his mind, he was worried over the two things the boy wanted from him. Chapter 144 How Is She? 3 Although his body felt superb, Ulima still felt his soul separate from his body as he reached down in the deepest parts of his pouch to hand down the thing Raghnall demanded from him. And upon receiving it, Raghnall couldn''t help but smile triumphantly at the sight of Ulima crying by the couch. With a short goodbye, Raghnall made his way up to Inna''s room all the while hiding the thing he got from Ulima inside his spatial pouch. When he reached the door to her room, he knocked a few times. He heard shuffling inside and when the door opened, an exhausted Favian ushered him in. The fatigue can be seen in his hunched back and tired face. Seeing the state he was in, Raghnall couldn''t help but worry. "How is she?" Favian sighed as he slumped at a nearby chair. "She''s... fine. I''ve gotten rid of the majority of the poison. The remaining amount will be excreted by her naturally in the next few hours. So, she''s now recovering from my treatment." Raghnall heaved a sigh of relief. But then, he saw the rugged look of his friend that he can''t help but be curious. "How did Frode cure her to the point that you would look like that?" Favian rubbed his palms on his face as he sighed loudly. "Some of the earlier memories are a bit hazy since Frode was the one who was in control so I''m not really sure much about the details." "From what I can recall, he used some sort of magic to, I guess, scan her body? Then, he got a knife from our pouch and he tried to make a small cut on her foot. But somehow, she suddenly defended herself by kicking us away and scrambling to a defensive stance." "I thought she was awake so we tried to explain to her what he was doing but the strangest part was that her eyes were closed and she was still snoring!" "Frode tried to use magic to immobilize her but she reached down in her pocket and pulled out a dagger. Frode tried to finish the cast quickly but she kept attacking him ruthlessly to the point that he had trouble breathing much less finish casting the spell. So, he had no choice but to call Professor Ulima for help. Their plan was for Professor Ulima to immobilize her while Frode would keep her occupied." "And after a few torturous moments of us trying not to die, she was finally paralyzed on the ground. So, Frode laid her down back to the bed and he began to make little shallow cuts on her foot. Then, with a bowl he prepared, he placed it right below the wound as he began chanting a spell." "At first, deep red blood flowed through the wounds but after a few blinks, the blood turned orange then yellow. And when it returned back to red, Frode stopped the spell and used a healing spell on the cuts he made on her foot." "Then, with the weird liquid on the bowl, he added some medicinal plants from our pouch that I didn''t even notice was inside there. Casting a spell to form them into powder, he stirred them together and the weird liquid turned rosy pink.And he tried to make her drink it but suddenly, she was able to break the immobility spell and she began to attack us again. Frode probably felt irritated beyond relief so he decided to switch." Just by recalling it, Favian could no longer contain his irritation as he spat the words. "So, imagine the amount of work we had to do to calm this rampaging ape in order to let her drink from the bowl." Raghnall''s eyebrows were fully raised as he listened through the whole story. "So, how''d you let her drink it?" Favian glared at Raghnall before speaking. "Professor Ulima suddenly had an idea so he left me here with this lunatic as she tries to kill me. And after a few moments of desperately holding on to dear life, the Professor came back with a steak." Raghnall bursted out laughing. "I think I can guess what happened now." Favian glared at his so-called ''friend'' as he continued to narrate. "Yeah. She immediately stopped and started murmuring about a smell of some ''Porterhouse'' and ''Filet mignon'' that apparently, ''taste fucking amazing''. And then, she woke up with a bright smile." Raghnall bursted out laughing again, but this time his knees went weak and he ended up slapping the ground in amusement. But Favian didn''t share the same amusement as he crossed his arms in annoyance. "If something happens to her again, don''t bother calling me. This is by far, the most excruciating thing I have ever done in the near two decades of life given to me. So, consider her forever banned for any medical help from me." Favian huffed in annoyance and stood up in order to get himself some water. He badly needed to rest and having Raghnall and ''that'' girl in the same room as him wouldn''t let him relax even for a moment. But before leaving, he looked at the ground where Raghnall, who was still breathless from laughing too much, laid on. "She drank the liquid Frode prepared for her so she''s sleeping deeply. But she''ll probably wake up in a few minutes once her pale face returns some color." Raghnall nodded as he got up from the ground. "Yeah, I''ll wait for her to wake up. You should really get some rest." Favian nodded and was about to close the door when Raghnall suddenly called his attention. "Oh and uh, if you see someone crying below, just¡­ don''t mind him." Favian held a confused reaction but Raghnall just smiled as he said. "I just asked something from him kindly." Favian snorted in disbelief as he shook his head. "You were always bullying people, ever since we were children." Raghnall laughed lightly as he replied. "I wouldn''t call it ''bullying.'' It''s more of a friendly exchange." Favian raised an eyebrow curiously. "Exchange? What could you possibly get from anyone in this academy that you don''t already have?" Raghnall reached down into his pouch to get the thing he got from Ulima. Then, he showed it to Favian. Favian''s eyes bulged in surprise. "Are you¡­. Seriously? In such a short time?" Raghnall was confused on what Favian meant. "What do you mean in such a short time?" Favian gestured at the thing in his hand and pointed at Inna. Then, finally Raghnall realized it. "Oh no, no, no, no!" He flushed as he repeatedly denied it. "This¡­ it''s just a gift! Nothing more!" Chapter 145 Finals @@ It almost time for our finals so I''ve been trying to salvage whatever is left from my grade by trying my best to study for the upcoming tests so I hope you guys could understand that I won''t be able to update today nor the next two weeks... But the good thing is, I might update 5 chapters (not in one go but probably daily) next next week after our finals! Yay! And the update schedule will most likely be regular since it''ll be our break! Double yay!@@ Chapter 145 Are You Okay? 1 Moments after Favian left, Inna began to stir in her bed. Raghnall''s body stiffened as he impatiently waited for her to wake up. And when she slowly opened her sunken eyes, Raghnall released the breath he didn''t even know he was holding back. "Khou Rai Oyi Liefeng?" Inna failed to hear what Raghnall said because of a pounding headache that suddenly echoed in her head. The headache was so intense that she instinctively clutched her head in pain. "In?a? Rai Oyi Koye?" She failed to hear him again through all the pain. But then, in an instant, the headache disappeared and the sudden change made her eyes unfocused. "In?a? In?a?... Inna?" She blinked furiously as she finally realized that Raghnall had been calling her since before. "Uhh¡­ huh?" She croaked out as her eyesight adjusted. "In?a? Are...Oyi... okay?" Raghnall''s worried tone and foreign words made Inna feel more disoriented with whatever was happening. "Uhm¡­ sorry, what did you say?" Raghnall stood up from his spot to grab a glass of water by the side of her desk. He offered the water to her as he spoke. "I was asking how you felt but you suddenly looked like you were in pain." Inna slowly sat up as she grabbed the water from him. Her body ached from the action but she felt really thirsty that she ignored the pain. Raghnall assisted her gently as he sat beside her. "Well, I was actually going to chant a healing spell the moment I saw you in pain but your expression changed so quickly I was quite startled." "So, I''ll ask again just to be sure. Are you okay?" Inna nodded slowly as she finished the glass of water. "Yeah. Just felt a bit of a headache earlier. So, how is my condition now? Did Frode or Favian or whoever he is right now, got the poison out?" "Frode got most of it out and the rest can be excreted normally. Though, I do remember him complaining about your behavior during the whole treatment process." Raghnall chuckled as he recalled Favian''s story. Inna furrowed her brows in confusion. "My behavior?" Raghnall chuckled again as he took the glass of water from her hands. "Don''t you remember? You were trying to kill them in your sleep and then you stopped when given a piece of steak!" Raghnall let out a guffaw but he figured it would be rude so he covered it up halfway with a cough. "Ehem. Sorry." Inna looked at him strangely as she tried recalling. The killing part, she figured must be from her ''other'' self. But the steak part? She doesn''t remember anything about it. Though, she did remember having a dream about being in a fancy restaurant. But she found one thing strange. Why does Raghnall seem amused instead of being weirded out? She just unconsciously tried killing his friend! "Why are you laughing? Don''t you find it¡­ strange¡­ for me to do that?" Raghnall''s amusement drained off his face when he sensed suspicion in Inna''s tone. "No? Not at all? The steak part was totally so you." Inna proceeded to look at him with a strange expression that made Raghnall feel uneasy. He shouldn''t have known that she had this secret side of her that unconsciously took over when she was asleep. So, her trying to kill his friend while sleeping should be really strange for him. But why isn''t he weirded out about it? Raghnall saw the rising suspicion in Inna''s eyes and he couldn''t help but question himself on what he suddenly did wrong. But feeling that his conscience is clean, he set the glass of water down at the table behind him as he tried to change the topic. "So¡­. Uh¡­ how are you feeling now? Most of the poison is out of your body so you just need to rest for a few moments before you''ll be back to normal." Inna sighed as she withdrew her expression. She found it strange that he didn''t react much about her acting strange but then again, she shouldn''t worry too much about it right now. She''s recovering so she should just clear away all annoying things and figure them out later. Stressing herself isn''t good for now. Besides, from the sudden change in topic, she knew not to look too deep into it because, even if she tried, he''ll probably just keep dodging it anyways. Somehow she just figured him to be that type of a person. So, with no choice, she decided to just go with the change of topic. "I see. Well, aside from feeling quite weak, I don''t feel anything wrong as of the moment." Inna tried lifting her arms and the heaviness she felt was something akin to sore muscles. "So, where''s Favian or Frode, or whoever he is right now?" Raghnall let out a small sigh of relief as he answered. "He probably went down to rest." Inna nodded in understanding as she leaned back on her bed. "What happened while I was asleep anyways? Any news on the exam?" Raghnall looked at her with a disapproving gaze. "Ninny, ninny, ninny. Don''t worry about that stuff anymore. Why do you even care about that stupid exam? The bets are off anyways and to be honest, I only suggested it to you because I figured it would be amusing. But now, it''s the least of your worries, y''know." Then, as if he just remembered something important, he looked into Inna''s eyes. His own dripping with seriousness and sincerity while he looked at her with an apologetic expression. "And I guess it must be too late for me to say, but I really am so so sorry for putting you in the face of danger. I didn''t think that this small idea would threaten your life so much. Back when I took the test, there wasn''t much happening so I thought it would be harmless. But then all this happened and I don''t even know what to do to make it up to you." Inna couldn''t help but let out a small smile from his words. "Calm down there, boy. It''s all good. Besides, it''s not your fault. It''s those who poisoned me that was at fault. And I have a pretty clear idea on who they are." But before Inna could say who they were, Raghnall beat her to it. "Herad and Galen?" Inna could only swallow the words she was about to say as she looked at him in confusion. "How''d you know?" Raghnall just shrugged. " I had to cover for Favian leaving and just happened to hear them talking about it. But don''t worry about them anymore. They got the punishment they deserved." "Huh? How?" Raghnall patted her shoulder as he smiled brightly, but inside, he''s actually panicking on what excuse to use. "Uh, Professor Gnarly¡­ uhm, found out about it and decided to punish them. So, don''t worry about them and worry about yourself instead." Inna knew he was lying. In fact, it was pretty obvious from the way he stuttered and the way he smiled too brightly. She knew he was hiding something. Feeling frustrated from all the secrets and questions, Inna fell silent as she hugged her knees on the bed and placed her head on top of it. Raghnall saw the strange gesture and somehow he felt worried. He was about to ask her when he suddenly felt a sharp stinging pain on his shoulder. "What was that for?!" Chapter 146 Are You Okay? 2 Raghnall shrieked in pain as he clutched the spot. Actually, it didn''t really hurt that much but the surprise added a lot to his reaction. Inna looked at her hand that just hit Raghnall and just as she expected, she saw it trembling. She clenched it into a fist and then released it again but it didn''t seem to stop her trembling. She really got weak, huh. That slap was what she could muster with all her power but it probably just felt like a breeze hitting him. Hah. What happened to decapitating people with a slap. She chuckled softly as she continued to observe the trembling of her hand. Raghnall saw her gestures and he felt worried for her so he decided to ask her calmly this time. "Hey, what was that for?" Thinking she was probably disturbed by her trembling, he grabbed her hand and decided to release some magical energy from his hand so that she could absorb it. He hoped it can at least try to stop hers from trembling so much. The little energy made Inna''s hand feel cool and relax and she couldn''t help but look with wonder at the glow it made as her hand continued to absorb the small particles. "I¡­ I just... I don''t know.¡­ Well¡­ you said it was okay to hit you when I couldn''t take it anymore. And well, I guess I felt like I couldn''t take it anymore?" Raghnall looked at her in confusion as he asked her with a soothing voice. "What do you mean?" "I was just¡­ irritated with all that''s happening, I guess. I mean, looking back, I just realized that I actually had a chance of winning the thing you know?" Raghnall sighed as he reached out his other hand to pat her head. "I told you not to worry about the exam. You shouldn''t get too attached to it anyways. It happens all the time. There will always be cheaters in this world who is willing to do anything just to win. If you ask me, I''d rather lose doing the right thing than win by the wrong means." Raghnall squeezed Inna''s hand gently as he spoke. "Besides, you wouldn''t be able to take that subject soon anyways. It''s a requirement for those who reached the top classes. And from your aptitude, I doubt you''ll be able to evenenter the testing grounds without my help." Inna curled up on the bed, her eyes still lacking the previous shine Raghnall got used to seeing. Raghnall didn''t know why she was so strange and down today. Is it the effects of the medicine? He was about to ask her what''s wrong when Inna suddenly mumbled softly. "It''s not about the subject, you know. I just wanted to prove you wrong." "I just wanted to actually achieve something. I just wanted to be good at something, you know." Because in the numerous months where she was in the Sun breeze mansion, Solomon just kept telling her how she was so weak as a magic user. All jokes aside, she actually wanted to improve, hence she was looking forward to entering the Academy. But, in the end, even the academy looked down on her skills in using magic. Weak. Useless. Failure. She lost count on how many times those words have been said to her in just a single day. And even if she tries to tune them out, it''s impossible to not get affected by their words. So, she wanted to feel like she was at least better than someone in something other than fighting in this world. Seeing her disappointed expression, he couldn''t help but feel his heart squeeze a bit. So, to try and cheer her up, he put on a smile as he spoke. "You do know that you''re good at fighting, right? Why are you even looking for something more to be good at when you''re already a goddess in that area? Asking for more would be too much, you know? I mean, if the Supreme God were to grant you any more talent, world domination would just be at your fingertips!" Raghnall dramatically exclaimed as he tried to get a laugh out of Inna. Seeing the exaggerated scene, Inna smiled warmly in reply. But in the back of her mind, she didn''t feel any better because she knew that the ''goddess'' he proclaims that fights well isn''t her but the ''thing'' inside her. Seeing that she didn''t fully brighten up with his stunt, Raghnall sighed and just caressed her head as what he would do to a baby. Then, seeing a little bit of color come back from her face, he suddenly remembered something. "Well, actually, there''s something else that you''re good at." Inna curiously looked over at him. "And, what''s that?" Raghnall grinned as he continued. "You''re truly good at getting me into trouble." Inna gave him a flat look as she slapped his hand, that was still caressing her head, away. "You say it as though you''ve never gotten into trouble before I was around. Hah! Judging from your attitude alone, I doubt that." Raghnall chuckled and he felt glad that the spark was slowly returning in her eyes. "Well, I never got into really major trouble. Because when I do something bad, I always had someone to help me get away with it." "So, it''s actually a first for me to get punished for something I didn''t directly do to the person." "Guess the saying I heard from Favian is true." Inna raised an eyebrow at that. "What saying?" "Women always bring misfortune to men." Inna gasped at the implication but before she could retort, Raghnall continued to speak. "And since technically, you are my first girl friend that I ever had, I can prove that saying to be true." Inna choked on all the complaints she had because she was flustered with his words. Jesus Christ! For a moment there, she actually thought he was referring to her as a ''girlfriend.'' And her heart actually skipped a beat from shock. God, she''s can''t believe she''d be so stupid to actually even consider the thought. After realizing her own ridiculousness, she laughed lightly at herself for getting flustered alone. Meanwhile, Raghnall felt relieved that she was finally laughing. Laughter really was the best medicine he can hope to give her. But just as he was about to make more jokes, Raghnall felt a disturbance on the space near the door of the room. And before he could react, Ulima appeared with a small smirk on his face. "Raghnall, from the Freshmen Rose Class, you''ve been called to the Elder''s Office. Elder Fang is expecting your arrival in ten moments." Chapter 147 The Lily and The Rose Raghnall groaned in annoyance. Heavens! He actually almost forgot about that! He coughed awkwardly when Inna sent him a worried look. "It''s nothing to worry about. I told you, I always had someone to help me get away with it." He whispered to her in comfort as he gently pried his hand away from hers. The gesture made Ulima widen his eyes in surprise as he looked between the both of them. Are they¡­? The Lily and the Rose, huh. Miracles really do happen. Ulima mused as he inwardly smiled. Then, guess this crazy lunatic might survive longer than the previous ones that used to live in this dorm. Meanwhile, Inna scrunched up her eyebrows as she faced Raghnall. From his phrase alone, she no longer believed Raghnall''s ''commoner'' ruse. But although she''s hella curious as heck, she knew that there''s no use asking him because he''ll most likely just avoid the question. So, she just accepted the fact that he must be someone who has quite an influence backing him up. And she made a mental note to try and ask Solomon about him one day. Inna sighed as she looked at him, a small tinge of worry found deep within her eyes. "Are you sure you''ll be okay? You''re going up against two of the most annoying old fossils, y''know." Raghnall snorted as he slowly walked away from her bed. "Hah! They''re no match against my abilities. After all, you''re talking to a Genius here." This time, it was Ulima who snorted as he rolled his eyes. "Only a foolish young man would claim that two Elders at Veteran ranks are no match against him." Raghnall smirked as he patted Ulima''s shoulder. "If that is so, then what would you call a man who was outsmarted by that same foolish young man?" Ulima opened his mouth to retort but he held himself back when he realized what Raghnall was implying. Although he wanted to defend the fact that ''he'' was not, in any way, outsmarted by that boy, he knew it would be pathetic to do so. So, he simply straightened up and changed the topic. "Please refrain from touching me inappropriately. I am still part of the faculty in this academy so please do treat me with authority in my own assigned dorm." Ulima humphed as he tried to preserve whatever face he had left. Just as Raghnall was about to leave the door, he made a sound of surprise as he swiftly turned around. "Ah! I almost forgot. Where''s Favian?" And coincidentally, a voice answered at a distance behind him. "I''m here. Just woke up from my nap." Raghnall turned to see a sleepy looking Favian leaning by the walls of the hallway. "Hey, can you--" Just from the few words, Favian''s sleepy face immediately darkened. Raghnall chuckled at the action. "Come on, Favian. It''s nothing dangerous this time." Favian narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Raghnall walked over to his dear friend and patted his shoulder gently. "I just need you to help her go to her next classes after she feels a bit better. And help get her an excuse for being tardy in her Spell Casting subject. That''s all." Favian looked at him weirdly. "You memorized her schedule?" Raghnall just chuckled in reply. "Come on, this will be the last favor. I promise. And don''t worry, I''ll send you a giant stuffed toy as a gift later." Favian immediately turned red at the statement. "You--! How many times do I have to tell you?! I d-don''t sleep with stuffed toys!" Raghnall snorted at the obvious lie. He knew that his dear friend had a sack of stuffed toys hidden under his bed ever since they were children. And just a few weeks past, Favian''s father told him personally about how his son would have trouble sleeping without one. So, to tease him, he whispered near his ear. "When did I ever say that you sleep with them? I only said I''m giving you one." Favian realized his mistake and he turned redder than before. Looking to change the subject, he decided to just answer Raghnall''s request. After a few seconds of internal grumbling, he glared at his friend. "Fine, I''ll watch over her until she attends her class. That''s what you''re actually worried about most, right? Her getting attacked without you around." He clicked his tongue. Knowing his friend already understood him, Raghnall smiled brightly and patted his head in gratefulness. Meanwhile, while the two men were talking, Ulima suddenly felt nervous as he looked at their exchange. He looked towards Inna, who was trying to return back to napping, in worry. "Uhm, that boy over there. I think Raghnall is his name. Are you sure he only likes women?" Inna''s eyes shot open at the strange question. Excuse me, what the fuck? She looked at Ulima with a face that clearly showed how weirded out she was feeling right now. "How did you come up with that question?" Ulima pointed at the scene between Raghnall and Favian. It seemed that Raghnall said something that made Favian turn as red as a tomato. And he whispered another thing that made Favian turn an impossibly deeper shade of red. Inna choked on her saliva as she looked at them. The scene could really make one imagine some fantasies! Then, without knowing why, she felt a laugh bubbling up inside her as she answered Ulima. "I have no idea. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn''t? Though, it doesn''t really matter." She smiled as she watched Raghnall pat Favian''s head. Kevin used to do that with her before. He did it so often that people would think that they were a thing. But she knew that Kevin and her other besties treat her as a man ever since then. Suddenly feeling a wave of melancholy, Inna sighed. She really missed her group. The minions, most especially. They were the ones she relied on about everything. And they protected her from everything as well. Even from herself. She sighed. Is she ever going back? Ulima noticed her sudden shift in mood so he figured she must still be feeling sick. Thinking that he must''ve been disturbing her rest, he quietly excused himself as he closed the door behind him. Still, he couldn''t help but smile lightly behind the door. Doesn''t matter, huh. Ahhhh, a youth''s love is a wonderful and pure thing indeed. Chapter 148 Raghnalls Punishment 1 Raghnall sighed as he neared the doors of the office. His annoyed and blank face heavily contrasted his earlier demeanor as he slowly opened the door. "Finally, the little troublemaker has arrived." Professor Gnarly sneered on his seat as he sipped his cup of tea. Raghnall looked around the dull office and clicked his tongue in annoyance when he saw that Elder Fang was missing. It seems like this is going to take awhile. Raghnall ignored Professor Gnarly''s offensive tone as he respectfully did his formal greeting. "Greetings to Professor Gnarly." But after that, his expression was blank and disinterested. "Oh, how the times have passed, yet nothing much has changed. Still, you always cause a lot of trouble in this academy whenever you visit." Professor Gnarly snickered as he rose from his seat to go near Raghnall. Meanwhile, Raghnall held in his blank and disinterested face as he sat by one of the chairs in front of Elder Fang''s office, successfully getting away from the professor. But the Professor hasn''t given up on rubbing on Raghnall''s face the fact that he knew exactly who he was. "How many years has it been exactly? And what have you been up to lately? Still locking yourself up in the Royal Library?" Raghnall stared at Professor Gnarly, all pretenses stripped off. "Look, I''m not here for small talk. Can''t we just finish this already? You know who I am and frankly, I don''t care. Where''s the Grand Elder?" Professor Gnarly snorted in annoyance as he went back to his previous seat. "He will be here in a while. Though, I''m quite amused on how he hasn''t recognized you at all." Raghnall eased into his seat as he looked at Professor Gnarly. "Only a few would recognize me, Professor Shorty. After all, like as you''ve said, I always lock myself in the Royal Library and have had the habit of using my Father''s illusion spells from time to time. Though I''m amazed you immediately recognized me, it holds you no good to rub it in my face." Professor Gnarly gripped his teacup tightly when he heard the insult but he willed himself to be calm. The boy is going to be punished so there''s no need for him to give that boy the satisfaction of seeing a reaction from him just because of these small insults. But he did want to show off how he recognized the little runt. After all, knowing the boy''s identity is like holding that boy''s world in the palm of his hand. In fact, he might get something out of it if he plays his cards right. "Three things gave you away, actually. The first two were your high tier spells, and the fact that you''ve casted high tier healing spells one after another. No normal ''commoner'' can ever hope to do that even if he trained for decades." "And the third one would be your name. I''ve seen your name in the logbooks of the Royal Library back when the Emperor has given me access for a day after I did him a favor. Truthfully, I just thought that it was a fairly common name in Anemoly but when you saved that young girl, it suddenly clicked in my head that it might not be as common as I thought. So, since I figured out your identity, it must be a bad thi--" Raghnall didn''t really care if he was found out because he''s just in the academy for the sake of his father anyway so he just shrugged nonchalantly. "So what if you know? It''s not going to change anything. Since you do know that it is forbidden to spread my identity unless you want to face the anger of my father." Raghnall smiled mockingly at the smug Professor. Professor Gnarly was at a loss of what to say because he didn''t expect the boy to not care so much about it. If he were in that boy''s shoes, he figured that he''ll beg the person who knew his identity to keep it a secret. After all, his father has been known to have numerous enemies. Yet, saying that his father would go after him felt like a lazy threat instead. A lazy yet somehow effective threat, nevertheless. "I¡­ did not say anything about spreading it. I''m just simply showing you that it is futile to hide things from someone like me. I have an eye of a hawk!" Raghnall resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he ignored the old man. He knew the old man was going to ask for a few favors. Most of them usually do upon knowing who he is. In fact, it happens so often that he''s grown tired of taking each of them seriously every time. So, he learned to care less about it. It''s not like they''re brave enough to spread it anyways. Professor Gnarly knew he can get nothing out of Raghnall anymore so he just figured to enjoy his tea silently. Moments after, Grand Elder Fang finally open the doors to his office. His forehead had numerous beads of sweat and he looked exhausted but he still managed to smile and welcome his friend and Raghnall. He sat on his seat as he fixed the things on his table. While doing so, he hid his injured hand beneath the desk as he began speaking. "Apologies, we''ve had a few discussions regarding the incident of someone being caught passing through the walls of the Combat department towards the Magic department so it certainly took up a lot of time." When Elder Fang finished tidying up, he looked up to see Raghnall and his eyes looked at Professor Gnarly in confusion. "Is this the boy you told me about?" Professor Gnarly nodded as he looked at Raghnall haughtily. Elder Fang looked at Raghnall up and down before exclaiming. "I recognize this young boy from the entrance exams! The one from Rose class, the genius commoner." Professor Gnarly snorted in response but he kept himself silent after. "But to think you''re sent here for multiple misdemeanors." Elder Fang sighed in dismay as he tried to search for the note of complaint from Elder Gnarly. And while he was doing so, he decided to voice out his disappointment "These kids are always wasting their talents with their attitudes and them thinking that they''re the best even when they obviously have a lot to learn. A genius yet full of ignorance, I say." When he finally found the note, he looked over the list. "Now let''s see. Rude behavior towards a teaching staff, disruption of an official exam, and a personal verbal attack towards a teaching staff that shows insubordination." "Three major offenses, huh. And what do you have to say about this, young man? Have you truly done these offenses?" Actually, he was supposed to use a lie detection spell for this sort of interrogation but after being cursed with a Magic dispersion seal, he can only hope that the boy is telling the truth. Chapter 149 Raghnalls Punishment 2 "I admit to these misdemeanors." Raghnall admitted with no remorse nor regret in his face that startled Elder Fang quite a bit. Normally, most students would weasel their ways out of this situation by either lying or justifying their actions but to think he would just admit it so blatantly¡­ Elder Fang really likes his honesty! But alas, with these offenses, he can''t do anything to at least lighten up his punishment. "Since you have admitted these to be true, are you aware that there are corresponding punishments entailed?" Raghnall internally groaned as he felt his patience wearing thin. "Yes." So, just hurry up already. He''d rather do something fun, like annoying a certain someone than spend another moment in this office with them. Elder Fang sighed as he continued. Well, if he couldn''t make the punishment lighter, he could always make a similar alternative that might benefit him. After all, this talented boy would be a wasted asset in the academy if he wouldn''t use this chance to take advantage of him. "Raghnall from the Rose class, this is my official statement as the Grand Elder and the Head of the Magic Department. From these misdemeanors such as your rude behavior towards teaching staff, disruption of an official exam, and insubordination, by the Academy''s rules, I have decided to give you the choice. Will you undergo detention for three days, or would you be willing to do community service for three months starting tomorrow? Which do you feel would be more fitting?" Raghnall internally groaned in annoyance. Detention means he''s going to be locked up for three days along with students that also have detention. He didn''t want to spark trouble in there nor fight. But community service would just be becoming a lackey for professors and the Grand Elder. And he didn''t want to do that for three months. Also, it seems like the Elder Fang would most likely take advantage of him since that old man can''t use any magic as of the moment. So far, he dislikes both punishments so he decided to make one instead. Though, in actuality, it''s less of a punishment for him and more of a reward. "I would like to decline of both punishments because I deem them too¡­ simple for my case." The two Elders both furrowed their brows upon hearing Raghnall''s shameless remark. Professor Gnarly was about to speak out when Elder Fang held up his uninjured hand to signal Raghnall to speak. "Please do enlighten this old man on what kind of punishment you deem would fit your case that is far better than the ones decided by the Academy itself?" Raghnall finally showed a sincere smile as he voiced out his thoughts. "I know that the Grand Elder has been worried over the state of this academy now that we''ve recently had the new batch of freshmen students enter Eldora Academy. And along with that batch are very¡­ memorable people." Elder Fang narrowed his eyes at the strange path the conversation has shifted upon. "Where are you going with this, young man?" Raghnall coughed lightly, trying to hide his smile as he continued. "Well, as I have said, one of these very memorable people would be the first charity case our dear Headmaster has brought to us. And, it''s been known throughout the whole country that Eldora academy only accepts the greatest of all geniuses. And with the sudden appearance of this¡­ charity case¡­ her weak abilities and her inability to reach even the lowest standards of Eldora academy might endanger the reputation of our dear academy. And if news got out, surely it will cause a riot regarding the Academy''s ''hypocrisy.''" Elder Fang roughly stood up from his chair as he stared down at Raghnall with an irritated gaze. "Boy! Out with it! Are you threatening us?!" Raghnall shook his head slowly as he continued. "No, no. In fact, as reluctant as I am to say this, I have a solution to the problem. Truthfully, I don''t really want to do it. But then, since this is a punishment, I guess I will have to unwillingly offer my services for the betterment of this Academy." Now, Elder Fang was utterly confused from his statements. "What is this ''solution'' you speak of?" Raghnall grinned in his mind when they took the bait. "With my triple high rank and commoner status as a testament to my self-teaching ability, I am willing to offer my services totrain the weakest student in this Academy, the freshman student from Lily class." Elder Fang promptly sat down when he finally realized what the boy wanted. He looked him straight in the eyes as he answered. "No, that is not a suitable punishment at all!" Raghnall wasn''t fazed by the strong rejection of Elder Fang. Instead, he decided to counter back with a strong convincing message. "It may not be the punishment you want, but it is the punishment this academy needs." "I''m only going to offer this once. If our dear Elder would not accept, that Lily class girl will forever be in starter rank and would most likely only experience slow growth being in the academy. And news about her will most definitely go out, one way or another, to the outside walls if one of the graduates were to spread it once they leave the academy which will heavily tarnish the school''s reputation." Elder Fang furrowed his brows as he thought about it. Technically, the young man is right. Since her presence is truly controversial, people would obviously be curious about it which would end up them talking about it. Thus, it can''t be avoided that there would be graduates with loose mouths that might spill the information one way or another. So the ideal solution would be that she should be strong enough by the end of the year so that when the graduates finally leave, they wouldn''t retain that impression that she''s still a weak student and undeserving of the status as a student of the Eldora academy. But the Lily class girl, judging alone from her Starter rank, even if she spends about five years in the academy and have the growth speed of the most renowned genius, she will most likely still be below the admission standards of the academy. Now, to solve this, a great personal mentor would really help. But he is sure that no one in the faculty would offer their service to do such a fruitless, unproductive, and grueling task that might even give them a bad reputation for being a horrible mentor if the Lily class girl is un-teachable or slow. So, it would turn out that only this man would be willing to do so. And he doesn''t fall behind much on the criteria as a mentor. After all, him being a commoner yet a triple high rank at such a young age, he must have had a secret method on strengthening up without using many resources. But the problem of allowing this would be the fact that he is disregarding the rule on following the Academy''s set punishments for certain misdemeanors. But then again, the boy did say that it may not be the choice that would adhere to the rules, but it is truly the choice that the Academy is deeming as a necessity as of the moment. Elder Fang ground his teeth together as he finally came to a conclusion. "It seems there is no other choice. In consideration for the betterment of the Academy, with Professor Gnarly as witness, the punishment will be as what Raghnall of the Rose class had proposed." Raghnall held in a victory shout as he tried to contain his excitement. "But¡­ under one condition¡­" Chapter 150 Raghnalls Punishment 3 "THE FUCK?! TOP SPOT?! Are you joking right now?" Inna couldn''t help but scream as she stopped in her tracks. Raghnall, who was trailing behind her, made a gesture for her to be a little quieter. "C''mon. It''ll be fun! Plus, there''s a prize as well!" Inna turned around and glared at Raghnall as she spoke. "The last time you said something in the lines of that, I was almost killed with poison! And to think you were apologizing about it hours ago¡­" She huffed in disappointment as she checked the time. Okay, she has about twenty minutes left until she''s officially late. And the place is at the other end of the building which will probably take her about five minutes if she ran like usual. But that''s not including the time she''s going to spend getting lost. "Raghnall, I don''t have time for this. Just tell me later, okay?" Raghnall hurriedly grabbed her arm just when she was about to sprint. "HEY WAIT! I can''t meet you tonight. I have¡­ homework piled up." Inna furrowed her brows as she looked at him straight in the eye. "If you have homework to do, why are you even wasting your time with me, right now?" Raghnall sighed as he spoke to her seriously. "Just¡­ listen to me, please." Inna sighed as well when she noticed Raghnall was serious this time. Hearing the urgency in his voice, she decided to hear him out for a few minutes, at least. When Raghnall saw that she was finally willing to listen, he let out a small smile. "So, remember when I got called out? Well, one thing led to another and now I''m supposed to teach you how to fight." Inna furrowed her brows as she looked at him weirdly. "And how did that arrive at me being in a top spot of that tournament whatever?" Raghnall sighed again as he tried to explain again for the second time. "It''s the Yearly Assessment Tournament. It''s held to measure how much the students in the academy have grown in a year of studying. It''s also a good way to change classes, you know. Besides, all students in Eldora Academy are bound by the rules to take it every year. So, whether you like it or not, you''re still going to participate anyway." Inna huffed in frustration, showing how fully stressed out she is from the sudden pressure she''s feeling. "I get that part. But what I don''t get is why I have to be on the TOP spot! I mean, did you even have a good look at me?! I can barely fight a twig with magic! How do you expect me to win against people like you?" Raghnall snorted as he replied. "Okay, first of all, no one is as strong as me. Let''s establish that fact first. Secondly, the Rose class will be in a different department. And unlike the others, the Rose class won''t divide the freshmen and the old students. So, others are lucky because they''re only going to end up fighting their own batch. And lastly, I''m the one teaching you so no need to worry at all!" Inna rolled her eyes at his arrogance. "Even if I were to agree, it''s impossible for me to train with you. My schedule is packed. And you should know that judging from the fact that you waited for me outside of my classroom door earlier. Seriously, how the heck did you know my schedule?" Raghnall huffed in frustration as he agreed. That''s the thing he forgot about. Her schedule. But if one is determined, one will force a way! "I know. So, uhm, how about we train for a short while every day? Like, for only an hour or two at most." "By the way, I knew your schedule because of this." Raghnall tapped her forehead lightly as he chuckled. Inna looked at him in confusion, trying to understand what he meant. "My forehead?" Then, when she finally realized her stupidity, she quickly took back what she said. "Oh shit, no, I meant my mind! You read my mind!" Then, another realization came in. "Holy shit, you actually read my mind, you dick?!" Raghnall couldn''t help but release a small laugh at the swift changes of her expressions. But Inna wasn''t amused at all. "What happened to the right to privacy?! You can''t just keep reading minds, you asshole!" Raghnall cut his laugh off when he tried to make sense of what she was saying. "Uhh, I don''t understand. Though reading minds can suck up quite a large amount of energy, everyone can read minds all they want when they cast the spell. It''s your fault for not having any barriers put up." His tone made Inna more irritated. How the hell did he expect her to know about these barriers? And does that mean he can read her mind anytime? Inna was about to burst out some complaints when Raghnall,sensing his impending doom, suddenly decided to change his attitude. "B¡­ but if you really don''t like me doing that, I can... avoid¡­ it out of respect." He grinned shakily while Inna glared at him in frustration. "I swear if you ever do that again¡­" Raghnall held both his hands up as he nervously chuckled. "Y-yeah, no more mind reading. I get it. So, can we go back to the topic now?" "I''ll just ask for an hour, or two at most after your classes." Inna looked reluctant since she seriously didn''t want her sleeping time to be drastically delayed because of this arrangement. Seeing her hesitation, Raghnall decided to add a few words to convince her. "You see, the reason why I forced this as my punishment is because I don''t want you to get picked on for being weak anymore. And as I''ve implied way back, in this academy, if you don''t find a way to strengthen up soon, you''ll just going to be eaten by those stronger than you. And although you''re superb at fighting, there are some instances that official fights would prohibit combat. So, let me help you toughen up at least in the magical aspect, okay? It doesn''t hurt to get stronger after all." He looked at her, pleading, as he tried his best to look pitiful and convincing. Inna sighed as she looked at this handsome man''s effective ways of manipulating her. She couldn''t look away from his pretty blue eyes so she could only glare at them. "I''ll... think about it. And I''ll tell you tomorrow whether we''ll push through with this stupid thing. But no promises so you better look for another way of punishing yourself." Inna huffed as she tried to quickly get away. She covered her flaming cheeks as she tried to look as seemingly unaffected as possible. She''s only got ten minutes left and she knew staying would make her lose her composure one way or another with Raghnall''s tricks. Raghnall didn''t chase her anymore. Instead, he just smiled lightly at the fact that she''s trying her best to look unaffected as she walked away with red cheeks. Chapter 151 Alana Knows In the dark corner, hidden from sight, a group of ladies sneered at Inna and Raghnall as they conversed. "Hmph, look at her sticking to that man from the Rose class. She really knows how to use people well, huh." Arie sneered as she glared at the two. She will never forget the embarrassment she suffered from that idiot. If only she could have her hands on her, then she''ll surely show that idiot a living hell. "Hah, what does he even see in someone like her?" Brielle decided to join in and complain as well. "Exactly! Does he have a thing for weak women? To think that someone as handsome and talented as him would choose to go together with someone so weak. Maybe he feels superior being next to her that''s why he''s always with her." Nira sneered as she crossed her arms. She refuses to believe that her handsome boy would ever like someone like Inna! That''s too impossible! He should be liking women like her instead! Women with thin and delicate bodies, white skin, and a pretty face with makeup. Not that girl with tan skin, muscular body, and a face that looked like it was never even touched by a brush ever. Brielle laughed sarcastically as she replied "Indeed, that can be the only reason. I mean, seriously, that girl doesn''t act ladylike, doesn''t know proper manners, and doesn''t even look like she''s a woman at all with her muscled body. A woman should look delicate, innocent, and pretty. Just like Lady Alana here. She''s truly the epitome of a high-class noblewoman." But despite the praises, Brielle can only awkwardly bite her inner cheek as Alana ignored her. Instead of listening in to the girls'' usual complaints, she narrowed her eyes as she stared at the man''s face intensely. She knew that man. That''s what she felt ever since before. Ever since they first met. She knew that man from somewhere. His voice is familiar as well as his way of talking. But she couldn''t really recall who he was because she''s only heard him speak for a few times. And at those times, her thoughts were probably elsewhere. But she''s certain that she met this man before. And if that''s the case, he must be lying about being a commoner. Because, with her status, she has never had the misfortune of meeting commoners with the exception of her caretakers. And just with that thought, she couldn''t fathom how someone, who might be a possible nobleman, would interact with a barbarian like her. Unless they are related? But he''s too touchy for them to be related. And she''s too different, especially in talent alone. Alana sighed when she still couldn''t recall who he could possibly be. It''s at the tip of her tongue, but somehow she still couldn''t piece the puzzles together. Meanwhile, when the rest of the girls heard her sigh, they all panicked inwardly. Their great noblewoman is sighing! Quick! They have to make her jolly again or else their fathers would be devastated that they made the daughter of their boss sad. "Lady Alana! Do not worry! She''ll surely leave soon! I''ve already talked with our other friends from the lower class to pressure her into leaving. They''ve been spreading some rumors about her and are doing well in making other people hate her as well." Brielle offered with a comforting smile but Lady Alana still had the same look on her face, a look of confusion and frustration. This time, Arie decided to speak up in an attempt to comfort Alana''s worries. "Don''t worry, dear Lady Alana. My friends at the lower classes are really good at doing stuff behind the scenes. They''ve already made the professors believe that she was a slacker that''s why she''s still weak so they''re determined to give her lots of more homework from now on. Also, they''ve been switching her magical mediums for faulty ones so that her spells would flunk. So, her Spell Casting Professor would have no choice but to make her do the spells again and again. And he might even ask her to retake the subject." Nira was about to speak up as well but when she saw a glimpse of the cutesy yet pitiful face Raghnall was making to Inna, she couldn''t help but grit her teeth in jealousy. "Why don''t we just beat her up somewhere? Or much better, why not just kill her off and dump her body somewhere hidden? That''ll save us all the trouble." Brielle and Arie looked at each other with widened eyes as they tried to process what Nita just said. Become a murderer? No thanks! They''re not going to soil their pretty hands for someone like her. Arie chuckled as she tried to appease Nira''s anger. "The school forbids unauthorized fights, Nira. So, if you were to even try and harm her with a spell, the professors would be able to sense it immediately. So, we can''t do something as flashy as that. We have to make do with these little things." Nira, still irritated, didn''t want to give up the option of personally beating her to a pulp. So, with as much hatred as she can muster, she asked. "Then, why don''t we just issue a proper duel with her? I''m sure that one spell would be enough to kill her." Secretly laughing at Nira''s simple-mindedness, Arie decided to reply again. "Why would we issue a duel when the opponent is obviously beneath us in power? I don''t know about you but from what I gathered from the students who stayed for more than a year here, to ask a duel with someone is an act of testing yourself. So, if you ask a duel for someone weaker, it''s quite like you''re devaluing yourself, is it not?" Nira finally understood their point and she slowly calmed down. "So, we''re just going to do nothing but wait until she leaves then?" Brielle sighed as she replied. "We''re not going to do ''nothing.'' We''re just going to tell others to do it for us. After all, it''s never been our style to do the hard work. We''d rather delegate it to someone who''s more fitting with it and let them do all the work while we have fun watching the fruit it bears. Am I right, Arie?" Arie chuckled in agreement. Meanwhile, Alana was still ignoring the three as she focused on Raghnall. Since Inna left less than a moment ago, Raghnall was just staring at her back while she walked away. And when Inna was out of sight, he got something out of his spatial pouch and disappeared. But just as he vanished, Alana finally had an idea on who he was. "It can''t be¡­" She whispered to herself as she tried to deny the thought. If he is who she thinks he is, then that idiot is truly one lucky girl! Lucky but totally undeserving! How dare she get close to that man? It should be her, not that idiot, who should be with that man! A high-class individual should be together with another high-class individual! That''s the way it''s supposed to go! Then, she suddenly had an idea. And with a menacing smile on her face, Alana chuckled. But surely if that idiot disappears, and that man would recognize who Alana is, he''ll surely go to her instead of that idiot, right? Chapter 152 Another Rule Broken The night was quiet as Inna made her way back to the dorms. She wanted to revel at the peaceful scene before her so she made sure that she walked slowly. The sounds of the night and her footsteps were oddly relaxing for her that she couldn''t help but smile. So many things happened one after another that she couldn''t help but appreciate a slow and peaceful walk once in a while. The slow pace made her feel as though she somehow had stopped time. It felt like she was taking a break from everything. The moonlight was her only guide towards the familiar pathway to her dorm yet the lack of light didn''t faze her at all as she continued to walk straight. Then, when she saw that she was already near the Lily dorms, she slowed down her pace a bit more. With a snail''s speed, she walked towards the door. But just before she could reach it, she heard rustling on her side. The smile she was wearing immediately vanished as she felt fear take over her. Then, she quickly looked at the spot where she felt the rustling came from. Okay. Relaxation time is now officially over. At the back of her mind, she was yelling at herself to stay calm. It must''ve been just the wind. She chose to ignore it and decided to make a sprint for it to the door instead. But just before she bolted, she heard a harsh whisper. "Hey!" Utterly startled from the sudden sound, she tripped on her own foot and harshly landed on the ground. "Ow!" She heard the rustling again and when she looked towards the same direction, she saw a silhouette of a man approaching her. She hurriedly tried to stand as she looked at the silhouette intensely. "Who the fuck¡­" She muttered as she dusted off her butt. The man chuckled as he looked at her frazzled state. "Calm down, little girl. You look like you''ve seen a ghost." Inna recognized that voice! When the moonlight finally hit his face, Inna slapped his arm. But he dodged it in time that she was only able to hit his sleeves. "Trying to harm your master as soon as you see him, huh?" He grumbled as he narrowed his eyes on her hand that tried to hit him. Inna rolled her eyes at his remark. "If you weren''t being so creepy about it, then I wouldn''t hit you, old man." Solomon''s eyes twitched at the remark but he held his temper in. He didn''t come here for that. "So, a report just came in. And apparently, someone was late for an hour in her spell casting lessons." He raised an eyebrow as he looked at Inna for an explanation. Inna''s eyes widened then she groaned in annoyance. "Urgh, can''t you let a sick person rest?" Solomon furrowed his brows as he looked at her in confusion. "What sick person? And what does that have to do with this?" Seeing his confused reaction, Inna realized that he probably had no idea on what happened. She sighed and told him the whole story, starting from Raghnall inviting her to her being cured by Favian. Though she didn''t include the banters she had with Raghnall. "So, because I was just poisoned, cursed, and mentally fatigued, surely it would be justified that I should rest and that my tardiness wouldn''t count because of a valid reason?" Inna used her miserable tone as she tried to gather pity from Solomon. But Solomon was focusing more on one thing. "Did you say that your ''soulless'' state awakened once again? Despite you being unconscious? That''s strange. Most of the studies we''ve conducted showed that the physical body capabilities, including the mental capabilities, are the limits of the soul''s capabilities as well. So, if your body was resting and your consciousness was unaware, it shouldn''t have noticed or sensed anything that might have triggered your ''state.''" While Solomon was mumbling away with his research mumbo-jumbo, Inna just gave him a flat look. Wow. She was poisoned and probably almost died but he''s more concerned about the fact that her other self came out. When Solomon was still absorbed in his own world, Inna decided to use that opportunity to sneakily go inside the dorms. But before she can even take a step forward, Inna suddenly felt like there was a cold sheet that was draped all over her body. "What the hell!" She yelped and looked at Solomon in surprise but she was startled when she saw Solomon''s eyes turn a pale shade of blue instead of his usual brown eyes. He looked her up and down for a few times before blinking furiously, making his eyes turn back to brown. "It seems the poison is fully out of your body now. But I see a little amount of venom still in your system. Inna''s eyes widened at the word. "Venom?!" Solomon chuckled at her reaction. "Don''t worry. That must be from the antidote that you said little Frode made. Judging from the magical pattern, it should be the Dandelion''s roar. It''s venom from the fangs of the Dandelion petals that is known to nullify most poisons in general but the effect to the body once ingested includes emotional instability and muscle numbness." "Hmmmmm, that little boy sure knows his plants well." He chuckled. Inna looked at Solomon curiously as she felt that coldness disappear. "How did you do that? The blue eyes thing." Solomon tilted his head in confusion. Then, he finally realized that she was talking about the spell he just casted. "It''s a simple spell though, you have to be at least a Senior Priest to cast it. It helps me scan your body for any unusual magical patterns. Usually, depending on the patterns and the intensity, I can detect whether there is poison, venom, or a spell casted on the person I''m observing. It''s helpful when detecting those hidden venoms that don''t show any signs. Usually, the spell coats the person I''m observing with my own magical energy so that it''ll be easier for the particles to go inside and react with the person''s own energy." Inna nodded as her eyes glittered with amazement. "I can teach this to you but then again, you''d have to be a Senior Priestess. And I don''t think I''d be alive when that time comes." The glitter in Inna''s eyes disappeared as she heard his statement. "Yeah, yeah, I''m weak. Blah, blah, blah, what''s new?" Solomon snorted as he answered in sarcasm. "Nothing''s new. You''re still causing trouble everywhere you go. I swear, no matter how I see it, it feels like my son just duplicated himself and turned into a woman." "You really can''t stay out of trouble, huh." Inna smiled weakly at the statement. Chapter 153 Why Is He Training Her?! "Whatever. Anyways, it''s getting cold in here. Why didn''t you just enter the dorms and wait for me there like a normal person? It''s way more sensible and less creepy than waiting for me in the bushes." Solomon rubbed his palms on his face as though Inna just reminded him of something that has been stressing him. "I was just¡­ planning to visit for a short while. My plan was to just go here to tell my dear troublesome disciple to pack her things to leave for tomorrow then after I had to go back to my office to continue to sort out those nasty paperwork and also that issue about someone from royalty getting into trouble." "But since you were poisoned during an official exam under the Academy''s supervision, I can''t just ignore that. Something like cheating and harming a student in my academy during an exam is already a huge blunder on its own so I might have to talk with Gnarly about that matter." Solomon sighed when he realized that another thing is once again added to his never ending list of worries. "Heavens, I feel like the one of the Academy''s guards running around here and there just to make sure no one gets into trouble." Inna patted his back comfortingly. "Why don''t you just delegate the task to the people who works for you? Isn''t that easier? No need to be so hands-on about it." Solomon shook his head slowly as he stared into the distance. "I¡­ can''t. I once made a huge mistake in the past by letting others do my work for me. And that¡­ resulted to numerous evil acts being secretly approved by the people I thought were trustworthy." "And before I realized, it resulted to me losing the trust of my son as well." "I know I could never make up for what I did, or what I didn''t do to be precise. So, at the very least, to avoid having a repeat of it, I''m making sure that I would be involved in everything that''s happening in this academy, both the good and the bad. Even though it''s going to increase my workload by a hundred-fold." Inna was truly intrigued by his story. She has never seen Solomon look so pained yet so concerned at the same time. It must''ve been a really devastating thing for him to have his own son lose his trust on him. She wanted to know more and she wanted to comfort him but she knew that dwelling too much or being nosy isn''t something that would be appropriate on that time. Because if he looked this pained just by recalling it, talking about it would probably make him feel way worse. So, Inna had no idea what else to do except to just pat his back awkwardly. Then, a cold gust of wind suddenly made its way towards them and the prickling cold made Inna involuntarily shiver. Sensing the vibrations from her hand through his back, Solomon immediately snapped out of his thoughts. "It''s cold out here. You should go inside and rest now." Inna didn''t want to bring the topic up but she had to be sure. So, she muttered slowly under her breath. "Uhm, so what about my tardiness?" Solomon blinked as he realized that he actually forgot about that. Feeling somewhat embarrassed for himself, he coughed before muttering in the same manner as Inna. "Ahem. Don''t worry about that anymore. Since you couldn''t help it, I''ll overlook your tardiness for now. So you should really rest for now. You still have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow." Inna nodded and was about to do her formal bow towards her Master when she suddenly remembered something. "Uhhhhhhhh, speaking of a busy day, I''m thinking of undergoing some training." Solomon''s eyes widened as his face contorted into an irritated expression. He looked greatly offended with what Inna just said. "Why would you want to train with someone else if you already have me as your Master?! Is this some kind of betrayal? My first discipline is actually leaving me to train under someone who''s most likely incompetent?" Inna rolled her eyes at his statement but inside, she couldn''t help but sigh in relief when she saw that Solomon is back to his usual mood. "It''s for the Yearly assessment tournament. Y''know, the thing you forgot to mention to me when I entered this academy?" Solomon clicked his tongue at her sarcasm as he crossed his arms in front of him. "I did not forget to tell you anything, missy. I purposely hid that from you because there''s no way you are entering that kind of tournament. You''re too¡­ underdeveloped to participate." Inna raised her eyebrow at his statement. "What do you mean ''underdeveloped''?!" Solomon sighed as he gave her a flat look. "By the Academy''s standards, those in the High classes are in the High ranks of their chosen fields. Those in the Middle classes are Intermediate rank peak stages while those in the lower classes are from Intermediate rank middle stage." "You see, those people are already considered geniuses outside this Academy since the ordinary growth of the people their age would be in the low rank middle stage. That''s a three-stage difference." "Meanwhile, we have you here who is only in the starter rank peak stage of all professions. And to be honest, that''s the average growth rate of ten year old children." "So, just imagine a ten year old out to fight genius eighteen year olds, who''s strength can already classify as someone in their mid-twenties, in an all out fight. Not so great to hear now, is it?" Inna grittedher teeth in frustration but she had to admit that he was right. With her capabilities now, never mind the top spot. Even just winning a single match would be impossible for her. But then, he''s only talking about her ''current'' capabilities. "That''s all the more reason why I need someone to train me! Obviously you can''t because you''re busy running this academy and truthfully, it''ll be a little bias if you did. So, I found someone else that''s willing to do it and I can guarantee you that he''s capable. He''s from the Rose class!" Solomon furrowed his brows as he looked at her in amazement. "How in the world did someone from Rose class get acquainted with you? Did he or she take pity of you? Is that why he or she offered to train you?" Inna frowned deeply in response. "Hey, I can make friends! And yeah, it might''ve been out of pity and it might seem like he was forced to do it but that doesn''t change the fact that he offered." Solomon narrowed his eyes when he heard the word ''he.'' So, it''s a man? He suddenly felt a bit worried for Inna. Most of the people in the Rose class are usually selfish and stuck up brats so it''s rare for someone to offer their help. "And who is this ''he'' you speak of?" Inna answered immediately. "Remember that guy I told you about before?" "Who?" "Raghnall." Solomon choked on his saliva as he tried to reel in his shock. Why is he, of all people, training her?! Chapter 154 Bye My Dear Beloved Inna felt disturbed by Solomon''s unusual reaction. "What''s with you?" Solomon took a moment to compose himself as he tried to hide his shock. He wore a poker face as he tried to think of an excuse. "Nothing. I think I''m just showing signs of a cold." Inna gave him a weird look that showed how she didn''t fully buy it. But she didn''t think much from it anymore since the weather is kinda cold nowadays so, it''s possible that he''s coming down with a cold. So, she figured to just continue. "But, as much as I want to undergo training, I''m not sure if I should do it. I''m already having trouble with the shitload of lessons you''ve given me, so adding one more thing would probably suck my brain juice dry." Solomon sighed. He arranged those lessons to be helpful for her. They were the most basic lessons he can give her. And all of them are essential in forming a proper magic user. So he had no choice but to ram it in a single schedule so that hopefully, by the next year she won''t be too behind. But if she really wants to undergo training, then she''s going to have to squeeze the training hours in her already strict schedule. And it''ll result in having less time for her to rest which is not good in the long run. What can he do in this situation? Solomon tapped his chin as he contemplated. From the way he''s acting while staring off to space, Inna knew he was thinking of a proper response to her situation. So, she decided to give him time and just wordlessly looked around the darkening surroundings. Then, after a few moments, Solomon sighed again. "I have an idea." Inna looked at Solomon curiously as she gave him her undivided attention. "I''ll stop your Spell Casting lessons." Inna''s eyebrows shot up as she looked at him with surprise. "What?! A-are you sure?" Inna didn''t expect him to choose that option. She was so sure that he was going to tell her to be a ''proper'' student and that if she were to train, she should be the one finding time for it. Solomon nodded and for some reason, he felt warm when he saw Inna''s smile slowly start to form. But then, Inna''s face grew serious in a moment as she stared at him. "Wait, which one are we talking about? The lecture? Or the practical? I need to know which so that I can adjust how much happiness I''m supposed to feel right now." Solomon snorted at her remark but he couldn''t control the smile forming from his face. It seems like her happiness is strangely contagious. "C''mon! Tell me! Which one is it?" Inna urged hurriedly. "Both." Hearing the word, Inna couldn''t help but squeal in excitement as she did a small victory dance. "Yeahhhhh! Four hours of classes canceled! And just right after lunch too!" Solomon looked at her weirdly when he saw her reaction becoming too happy. Did this little idiot just forget the reason why he''s canceling the lesson in the first place? "Just because I canceled these classes doesn''t mean it''ll be free time for you, you know? It''s going to be the time I''m giving for you to train with¡­ your trainer." Inna''s smile slowly turned into a frown at the realization. Oh. Yeah. She sighed in dismay but she knew how to be grateful so she held back her disappointment. After all, she really didn''t expect him to cancel a three hour and one hour lesson for something like training that''s not even coming from him. So, she couldn''t help but ask him. "Why''d you cancel that lesson though? I mean, I''m truly grateful for it. Believe me. But, why?" Solomon smiled mysteriously as he answered. "You have very great luck if you''re able to convince him to train you." Inna furrowed her brows at his statement. "What do you mean? You make it seem like Raghnall''s such a big shot. Just who is he then?" Solomon looked at her with innocent eyes as he played dumb. "Huh? No idea. I was just saying that you were lucky to have a Rose class student to train you, that''s all. So, listen well to him and don''t make me regret canceling a lesson for you." Inna was still unsatisfied with Solomon''s explanation because she''s truly confused whether he''s just weaseling or not. Inna was about to insist on who Raghnall really was but Solomon suddenly raised his hand. In an instant, numbers suddenly glowed and floated near his hand. Thirty minutes past eight. She read the time that it showed. "So, it''s pretty late and I still have two dining table''s worth of paperwork so I have to go sort them out now. I''ll inform the professor for your cancellation first thing tomorrow morning so tell¡­ your trainer¡­ to start immediately." Inna growled internally when she realized that he just unknowingly evaded her upcoming question. And when she saw Solomon ready to teleport, she knew that asking him now would just be useless because he''ll surely just keep silent until he teleports, make up a lame excuse or probably just change the subject. Just recalling all the times Raghnall and Solomon used these ''tactics'' on her just to avoid telling her something is enough to make her exhausted. So, after waiting for Solomon to finally leave, she sighed in frustration. And with a slightly slouching back, she slowly went inside her dorm house. It''s already 8:30 and with all that happened, the only thing she wanted right now was a good night''s rest. She had three papers due by tomorrow but she figured to just wake up in the middle of the night to make them. She''s just far too tired to even try and start her papers. But then, as she wordlessly walked up the stairs, she felt her stomach grumble and she abruptly stopped. Dinner. She groaned in annoyance. Guess it has come to a point where Inna had to choose between the two things she held dearest in her world. Food? Or Sleep? After much deliberation, Inna held in her tears as she sadly thought. Bye, my dear beloved... Dinner. Chapter 155 Barbaric And Idiotic Man-lady But just as she was about to resume climbing up the stairs, she heard a faint shout before Ulima suddenly appeared before her. "So, how''re you feeling now?" Inna looked at him with a weird stare. Uhm, this is new. When did he care so much about her? Inna didn''t want to be rude and leave him hanging so she casually replied back. "I''m good. The uhm, poison''s out." "Oh, that''s good." Ulima coughed awkwardly as he tried to look authoritative towards Inna as he spoke. "By the way, I''m just telling you this in case your boyfriend isn''t informed but the visiting times in the dorms are only until by the 11th hour. So, absolutely no staying over, you got that?!" Realizing what he''s implying, Inna''s eyes widened as she immediately flared up like a tomato. "Wait, what?!" She stared at him with an incredulous expression as she raised her hand to stop Ulima from speaking any further. "Okay, hold up!" "First of all, I don''t have a boyfriend. Never had since birth!" And death¡­ If she got into the technicalities. "And second, why the fuck are you telling me this? If I did have one, I''m not that indecent to actually do it in the dorms! Or to do it in the first week of just meeting!" This time, it was Ulima''s turn to get all flustered. "B-but, I thought... You...Him¡­ Oh good heavens¡­ the poor boy¡­" Ulima finally realized the situation. The boy must be in a one-sided crush¡­ Though, he can never understand why someone like that boy would choose this¡­ Barbaric and idiotic man-lady. He coughed to release a bit of the awkwardness he was feeling inside. "Ahem, okay so he''s not your boyfriend or whatever. But the rule still stands! No one is allowed to visit from the 11th hour onwards!" Inna rolled her eyes before shooing Ulima away. "Okay, okay. I get it. Now go! I need to rest." When Ulima left, Inna gingerly patted her cheeks to hopefully reduce her redness. Heck, that phrase was enough to make her lose all trace of sleepiness in her body. But she knew she needed rest so she continued to walk towards her dorm room. When she arrived, she launched herself straight to bed, all the while smiling from ear to ear. But she''s not smiling because of the ''boyfriend'' thing. Absolutely not. She''s smiling because she can finally have a good nap. So, when she felt the wave of drowsiness come back to her system, she closed her eyes and readied herself to sleep. But suddenly, she heard a voice in her head that suddenly made her eyes shot open. ''Aren''t you going to eat dinner?'' Ulima''s voice echoed throughout her mind as she sat on her bed, stunned. She shook her head, thinking that she might be imagining things but Ulima''s impatient voice spoke up in her head again. ''No, it''s not your imagination. I''m using telepathic magic right now to talk to you. Like I did before. The stone, remember?'' She can even hear Ulima sigh in her mind which she found kind of weird and disturbing. ''Now, answer me. Aren''t you going to eat dinner?'' Inna sighed as she replied to him. NO!!! I DON''T WANT TO HAVE DINNER!!! I AM TIRED!!! LET ME REST!!! PLEASE!!! She heard a crash downstairs along with a stream of screams and she opened her eyes in surprise. Oh shit, she thought too hard. Inna can hear grumbling in her mind before an angry voice replied. ''YOU! I WAS JUST ASKING! YOU DON''T HAVE TO SCREAM IN MY HEAD! Heavens, your voice is still ringing inside and it''s giving me a headache!'' ''Whatever, just¡­ from now on, you can take whatever food you want from the storage box. I keep it regularly stocked weekly so make sure that you leave enough food for me to actually be able to eat every week. Also, I rarely have any vegetables in there but judging from your preferences, I doubt it''ll be a problem.'' Inna squealed in delight as she grinned heavily. She was about to ask why he was suddenly okay with sharing his food when Ulima cut her thoughts off. ''I give you access to the storage box in exchange for one thing.'' Inna furrowed her brows as she clicked her tongue. She knew that it was too good to be true. There''s always a condition. She sighed as she tried to reply to him. This time, she tried to avoid thinking too hard about her message. What''s the condition? Inna can hear grumbling on the other side before she heard a faint mumble. She couldn''t decipher what he just said so she asked him to say it louder. Ulima grumbled again before he softly spoke. ''As long as you keep that Rose class boy away from him.'' Inna raised an eyebrow at the weird statement. She didn''t expect him to say that at all. Why? She couldn''t help but ask. There was silence on the other end. And after a few moments of Inna patiently waiting, she finally heard Ulima''s voice. ''Just tell him I held up my side of the deal now.'' Inna just grew more confused after hearing what he said. What deal? And why mention Raghnall? What kind of deal do you guys have? She asked and asked but no matter how much she waited, there was no longer a response. It seems like Ulima already stopped his telepathy spell. Inna gritted her teeth as she grew more and more annoyed at the increasing number of people ignoring her questions and hiding more secrets. First, it was Raghnall, then Solomon, and then now she had Ulima dodging questions left and right. Is it their tradition to hide shit from girls? Is that it? Inna huffed as she tried to calm herself down. It''s okay. She''s going to have a four-hour class with Raghnall until the end of the year anyway. So, surely she can get something out of him someday. And if push comes to shove, she can always barge into Solomon''s office to demand answers if no one would really tell her. So, with that thought, she successfully calmed herself down. Then, she comfortably eased back into her bed as she closed her eyes. And a few moments after, her breaths evened out as she eventually fell into a deep and peaceful sleep. Chapter 156 No Ghost, Please. Inna woke up with a start. She didn''t remember the dream she just had, but one thing was for sure, she was enjoying that dream and some loud motherfucking sound just went and ruined it for her. It sounded like a chair being scraped back against the hard rough floor. Letting out a small inaudible groan as she shuffled slightly in her bed, she tried to look for that sound that made her wake up by listening instead of searching with her eyes. She knew looking around was useless. That''s because her room was now in total darkness, save for a small beam of moonlight that came from her window. And she couldn''t be bothered to light the candles. After a few seconds of listening intently, she heard a few noises that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. "Marghmmmhmm.¡­ Ommmmmphhh¡­" She heard a few crunches and along with it were constant noises of someone chewing. Oh god. She can hear someone eating in her room. Lord, Jesus, God, whatever, please don''t let it be a ghost. Don''t let it be a ghost eating some human meat or whatever. No ghost, please. Please. Inna clenched her eyes shut as she fought back the staggering urge to run. She tried to calm herself down by thinking of it as just a dream she''s probably having. But when she discreetly pinched herself and the stinging pain came soon after, she knew it''s real. And her fear grew worse. She was ready to bolt, ready to just fuck it and run out while screaming. But when she heard the familiar clinking of plates, she grew confused and curious rather than scared. The ghost is using plates? She didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry at the ridiculousness of the idea. A ghost? Using a plate to eat? Must be a very noble ghost? Or probably a very well-mannered one? Wait, can ghosts even touch things? Then, Inna gasped silently as she realized. Unless the ghosts here can! Inna recalled back to Ulima''s stories where he talked about a ghost attacking someone in a room. If they can attack people, that must mean that they can touch things! Oh, wait, oh shit, THEY CAN ATTACK PEOPLE. With that realization, Inna knew she shouldn''t be rash about her decisions. She wanted to run away but the ghost might chase her around. And chase scenes with ghosts were the most horrific and the scariest scene in any horror movie. So, she''d rather not expose herself to a memory that will probably haunt her for the rest of her¡­ second life. Inna closed her eyes, then opened them. She repeated those movements a few times before slowly exhaling. Okay, so she''s going to have to sneak around and quietly leave the room. But if all hell breaks loose and the ghost notices her, she''s definitely going to make a run for it. She waited for the right time to move. She noticed that the ghost just kept eating something in her room. But she didn''t want to look in fear of accidentally meeting eyes with it so she relied on the sounds it gave instead. The ghost was eating in the area near her desk. So, with that info in her mind, she knew that she had to sneak away towards the other side of the room. With her heart beating loudly and her mind reeling, she slowly moved out of her bed. One foot, over the other. She kept chanting in her mind as she slowly crept off her bed and walked towards the farthest possible area she could stand on. Then, she practically plastered her back on the walls of her room as she slowly and silently walked towards the door. After what felt like an hour, she finally reached the door. She internally sighed in relief. She has been staring at the door the whole time because she was deathly afraid to look anywhere else. And now that the door is just at an arm''s reach, she couldn''t be any happier. So, to finally end this torture, she reached her hand out towards the door with a solid plan in her head to make an exit immediately. But then¡­ URRRRRPPPPPPP! Inna was so startled by the loud sound that she instinctively looked towards the direction where it came from. And she saw a small form sitting on her chair by her desk, eerily giggling. Fuck the duck in a motherfucking truck. Her legs started to tremble in fear as she tried to erase the sight in her mind. But she couldn''t because she''s too aware of the fact that someone was in fact IN her room. She refused to look earlier because she wanted the security she felt when she could still deny it; that she could still say that she didn''t see anything and blame it wholly on her imagination. But when she saw that petite form giggling on her chair. She knew denial is no longer applicable. The ghost is now a solid truth in her mind. It''s real and it''s there. Giggling away. Though she couldn''t see well from the lack of lighting, being moonlight her only savior, it still didn''t help hide the form of a small girl and her shaking shoulders. Ohshitohshitohshit! Inna''s heart began to hammer at her ribs, her palms began to sweat, and her eyes began to water as she tried to keep her composure. She counted sheep in her mind, the only thing she could think of to calm herself whilst still being quiet. But while counting, she constantly looked at the form of the girl, hoping that if she blinked faster, the girl would hopefully just disappear and never come back. When she felt herself starting to calm down, she inadvertently sighed in relief. But Inna''s sigh made a loud whooshing noise that made the girl in her desk stiffen. It seems that the girl was midway in another round of eating, judging from the horrid sounds of chewing. The sound Inna made interrupted her meal but Inna hoped that the girl would just ignore it and continue eating. God, she has never wished for someone to continue eating so bad. But to Inna''s horror, the girl began to slowly move her head towards Inna''s direction. Chapter 157 Her Infiltration 1 "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Inna screamed the loudest scream she ever made as she scrambled get out of the room. She didn''t dare to wait for the girl''s eyes to meet hers as she ran out of the door for dear life. Meanwhile, hearing Inna''s scream, the girl by the desk was so startled that she instinctively wanted to scream in reply too. But the bread she stuffed in her mouth earlier was in the way and instead of successfully screaming, she accidentally swallowed a big gulp of it instead. The lump of chewed up bread blocked her airways as she tried to even get a sound out. But the only sound she could release was a heaving sound, indicating that she was actually choking. She grasped her throat in panic as she tried to push her way into breathing. But the more she did it, the more panicked she became. She fell towards the floor as her body grew weak from the lack of oxygen. She started banging her hand on the floor as she tried to call someone, anyone, for help. Inna heard the banging and her fear escalated beyond what she could ever manage. Confused, afraid, and with adrenaline now leaving her body, she started to feel woozy that she had to lean by the door to actually stay upright. "What''s happening?!" She heard Ulima''s scream a distance away. Oddly enough, his voice didn''t sound like it was on the lower floor. In fact, it sounded like he was outside of the dorms instead. Inna rubbed off the stray tears on her cheeks that leaked out when she ran for dear life earlier. "HELP! THERE''S A GHOST!" Inna screamed as she tried to steadily stand. But she was still feeling a bit faint from the fright that she flopped back towards the door. It made her press her ear towards it and she was about to change position when she heard the heaving and hacking sounds. Is someone choking inside? Wait, can a ghost even choke? She furrowed her brows as she decided to listen more intently. The banging on the floor and the sounds all point to the signs of someone choking. Curious, Inna couldn''t help but open the door a little to see if a ghost could really choke or not. And lo and behold, the ghost was indeed choking. The girl was now kneeling on the floor, right on the spot that the moonlight illuminated. With the minute lighting, Inna figured that she can finally be able to make out the form and details she missed because of the darkness before. Inna squinted and tried to get a closer look, only to realize¡­ The ghost is actually a PERSON! She''s nowhere near dead looking or even remotely transparent! With that thought, she immediately went back into the room as she scrambled towards the person''s side. She pounded on the girl''s chest as she tried to look for something that might help. But after scanning her room and trying to remember all the things she stuffed inside her spatial pouch, she didn''t find anything useful to help a choking person. But then again, she didn''t even know what could be useful to help since she has no experience with helping them in the first place. Still, she knew the number one most effective way of helping. And that''s calling for help. "ULIMA! I NEED HELP!" Near the yard, she could hear Ulima yell back. "I''M NOT GOING THERE! YOU DEAL WITH YOUR GHOSTS ON YOUR OWN!" Inna glared at the direction where she heard his voice coming as she screamed again. "COME UP HERE! SOMEONE NEEDS HELP!" "I DON''T WANT TO!" Ulima''s swift reply came immediately as soon as Inna ended her scream and it took Inna a lot of strength to not scream profanities at him left and right. "SOMEONE IS CHOKING HERE! AND I DON''T THINK SHE''S A GHOST!" Inna tried again using an urgent tone. This time she learned to be more specific. Ulima immediately teleported inside the room and gasped lightly. But he didn''t leave a single second wasted as he punched the girl in her stomach. When his fist collided with the young girl''s stomach, the bread that was lodged inside her throat shot out of her mouth and the girl grew limp in Ulima''s arms. Inna looked at the little girl and Ulima alternately in horror. Then, she placed her trembling hand on her mouth as she stuttered. "O-oh m-my f-fuck¡­ Did you just¡­ kill her?" Ulima glared at Inna as he snorted. "She just fainted from the lack of air but she''s fine. The thing that blocked her throat is already gone so she should be up in no time." He gently picked the unconscious girl up as he settled her on Inna''s bed. Inna looked at the messy bed, now with the little girl''s form on it, and she couldn''t help but frown. To think she was sleeping peacefully there just moments ago... What''s with today? She just wanted to rest but it didn''t even take long for another thing to happen. With all these frustrations along with the sudden fatigue that came after being thoroughly scared for her life, she couldn''t help but sigh loudly as she sat on the floor of her room. She just wordlessly watched Ulima as he began to inspect the girl for possible complications. But when she felt the floor starting to feel like it was freezing her to death, probably from the cold breezes that the open door was giving to the room, she stood up and went to sit on the chair by her desk. Momentarily, she forgot about the earlier incident as she watched Ulima work like a doctor, poking and checking here and there. But then, it suddenly dawned into her as she tried placing her elbow on her desk. Her elbow came into contact with a very familiar item. She squinted hard to try and make out what it was. And when she touched it gingerly and sniffed it slightly, she knew it was a sandwich. A sandwich with¡­ apple jam? She tried tapping blindly on her desk to try and find more food and her nails came into contact with a plate. And when she pulled that plate slightly towards her, it''s heaviness already indicated that the plate must''ve had lots of food on top of it. Meanwhile, after Ulima checked the girl''s neck for a pulse again, he was worried over the overall state of the girl, and most importantly the possible bruise he might have given her, so he decided to chant a spell that can give light to Inna''s room to help him inspect. When the spell was finished, Inna couldn''t help but get startled from the sudden bright light that bombarded her senses. Her eyes tried hard to adjust and return back to normal as she peered at the girl laying on her bed. And when her eyes finally found its normalcy back, she finally saw who was lying on her bed. And she couldn''t help but stand up in shock. Chapter 158 Her Infiltration 2 "May?!" Inna couldn''t help but scream as she scrambled to the girl''s side. She never expected that the ghost that was eating inside her room was that cowardly May who trembles at anyone that looks at her. Inna looked at Ulima as she tried to express her shock but she ended up being more surprised instead when she saw no trace of any bewilderment in Ulima''s expression. In fact, instead of bewilderment, what she saw was just exasperation and fatigue. Did he¡­ know this already? How? And whoa, she didn''t notice until now that Ulima was fully healed. Raghnall must''ve healed him already. But despite that discovery, she still couldn''t let go of the feeling that Ulima knew something about May being in her room. Inna lifted an eyebrow at Ulima as she looked at him for an explanation. "What the hell is happening? Why is May here? And why the hell was she creepily eating in the dark? And is she okay?" Ulima sighed as he finished checking her. It looks like May had no other complications. "She''s fine for now. She''ll probably wake up after a few minutes or so. And, believe me, I had no idea that she stayed here when you were sleeping. I gave her food and thought that she would eat it quietly in the couches but never did I think that she would come up to your room." Inna''s expression softened a bit when she heard the tired tone of Ulima. "Okay, I get it. But I thought visiting hours are over? Why is she here at¡­" Inna chanted the spell to look at the time. "Ten moments past the First hour?" Ulima looked at May and he sighed again. "This girl¡­ is very stubborn. I did tell her to leave as soon as she finished eating. But she didn''t want to for some reason. Told me something about her dreams. That she was supposed to be here. Now, look at what her dreams got her. She almost died." Inna couldn''t help but look at Ulima strangely as she heard a sense of endearment in his tone. "How do you two know each other?" Ulima''s eyes widened slightly as he gazed at Inna. "It''s¡­ it''s a long story¡­" Inna raised an eyebrow as she retorted. "I''ve got time." Ulima sighed. He knew he had no choice anymore. "Don''t tell anyone?" He asked her in a tone that Inna hasn''t heard from him, ever. Inna nodded wordlessly as she urged him to explain. "May¡­ she''s my... niece. Her mother is my half-sister. Actually, students were not allowed to have any relationship towards any member of the faculty unless they are from the Rose class but the headmaster, he¡­ made an exception. Well, I''m grateful for him because it was such a short notice but that man still agreed to let her in." Ulima nudged May''s head affectionately as he sighed again. "This little runt originally didn''t want to enter Eldora academy. But just recently, she''s been having these ''prophetic'' dreams, as what she would call it, and she just suddenly wanted to enter. Her mom tried to talk her out of it and I had to explain to my sister that it''s prohibited for them to enter with me being here unless she''s able to reach the Rose class. But she was being so stubborn and she kept telling her mother that she needed to be there because someone might need her help one day." Ulima''s face scrunched up as he looked at his niece with playful annoyance. "Both my sister and I were apprehensive with her joining the academy, but since this girl is so stubborn about it, I just told my sister to let her try the exams." "Actually, May has superb magical abilities. The only problem she has is that she stutters during chanting which changes the spell altogether. And to make it worse, her stuttering becomes utterly chaotic when there are people watching her. Still, her power ranking may be low, but the number of spells she has in her pretty little mind couldn''t even compare. Her memorization abilities are out of this world, especially when it comes to enhancing spells. So, the chances of passing the entrance exams were high, but the chances of being in the Rose class was inexplicably low." "So, I thought, well maybe it''ll make her give up. But nooooo, this little runt went and wrote to the Headmaster saying something about her dreams and whatnot and to validate her admission into the school. She even told her that she''s willing to be in lily class just to enter the academy." "I was so sure that the Headmaster would decline it. But the next day he called me over, which scared the living daylights out of me. He told me to tell him more about his niece and I did. Well, it became a sort of interrogation. But he told me to bring my niece for him to meet him the next day. And so, I did and well, the Headmaster gave her a task to list all the spells she knew. Now, I had no idea how he knew but our amazing Headmaster knew immediately of her talent and after seeing her list, he approved of her admission, much to my dismay." "And so¡­ here we are¡­" After hearing his story, she still didn''t know the connection of May and her being in her room. In fact, the only thing Ulima explained was how May was accepted into the Academy. So, with impatience in her tone, Inna crossed her arms as she spoke with an annoyed expression. "And what does that have to do with her eating in MY room? She scared the heck out of me! I thought she was a ghost for crying out loud! One more second and I would''ve completely beaten her up!" Ulima snorted at her remark. Yeah, sure. She''s so totally going to beat up a ghost by hiding behind her door. Chapter 159 Her Infiltration 3 Inna saw the way Ulima was looking at her and she felt greatly offended because she knew immediately what he was thinking. "Okay fine, I was scared but that doesn''t mean that I wasn''t planning on beating her up! What if I was just having... a warm up behind the door, you know." Ulima snorted at her lame excuse but said nothing further. Meanwhile, Inna just huffed as she tried to change the subject to the one that was actually more important. "So, why is she HERE of all places?" Ulima knew it was going to be another long story so he decided to sit on the side of the bed and made himself comfy with it. And so, with his eyes checking any movement from May, he spoke. "So, I told you how she was allowed to enter this Academy. And just like how you did, she also attended the proper ceremony of being a freshman. And she was admitted into the Anemone class, the lower class for Mages because of her power ranking. And so, it was supposed to be that she would attend the preliminary class meeting and then pick a room in her dorm." Ulima laughed sarcastically as he reminisced. "But this little runt sneaked out as soon as her meeting ended to visit the Lily dorms, which was quite near in comparison to the other dorms. And she went to disturb me, who by the way had no proper rest for a month." "When she arrived, she started talking about having a dream that she should be occupying the room at the end of the corridor on the second floor of the lily dorms to practice for her spells. Actually, I would''ve just treated it as one of her random ''dream'' ramblings again since her mom and I were sort of used to her ''gift'' but the way she described and maneuvered her way towards the second floor as though she knew the entire layout of the house was truthfully disconcerting. But that still didn''t make me believe into her words much." "I mean, for all I know, she must''ve asked from her mother what the layout was. That''s because my sister used to be a physician in this Academy and she was one of the rare ones who would secretly help the Lily class students." Then, still seeing no sign of consciousness, Ulima steered his gaze away from May and towards Inna. "And so, when you decided on that same room, I didn''t protest much because I was thinking that May was probably just joking. But then the next day, while you were in class, this runt sneaked into your room during her break to practice magic." "Actually, I''m surprised it took you this long to notice it. The amount of leftover magical particles in this room is crazy." But then Ulima paused as he realized something. "Oh wait, I just remembered you''re in starter rank. You can''t even recognize concentrations yet." He coughed awkwardly as he tried to ignore Inna''s annoyed look. "Well, thankfully, your class schedule and her class schedule didn''t overlap or else this girl would''ve been found out immediately. But actually, I tried to tell her to practice somewhere else, like for example her dorm room, but she just said that the rest of the rooms here were haunted, which was quite surprising by the way because I never ever told her about these stories because I feared that she would be too scared to come visit me." "And she also said that if she did practice outside or in her own room, she figured that she would get too nervous and anxious on whether someone would see her or hear her so she''d surely mess up her spells all the time." Inna scrunched up her face as she found one thing confusing. "And she''s not anxious that I might HEAR or SEE her given the fact that it is MY room?" Ulima sighed. "I don''t know the reason why or how but she''s somehow okay with you so she didn''t really mind the fact that she was practicing in your room." "But still, to think that she would be found out this way." Ulima sighed again, this time his shoulder sadly slumped as he gently patted May who started stirring. Then, he stared at Inna with tired eyes as he spoke. "Although it is quite shameful of me to ask of this, but please just forgive this stupid niece of mine. She''s using this room as a sort of comfort place where she could express herself because ever since she was young, she just couldn''t figure out how to get along well with people. And somehow it led to her being closed-off and afraid of them." "Besides, she''s just occupying the room whenever you''re gone just to practice her magic. Well, except today. But that''s because she came to her dorms late only to find that there''s no longer any meal leftover for her so she figured to go to me for food. " Inna was about to speak when the sound of a very soft voice suddenly echoed. "S-sorry." May whimpered as she peered at Inna with sad eyes. It seems like she just woke up and she must''ve heard a bit of what Ulima had said. Seeing May on her bed, whimpering and down, Inna got reminded of a cute little kitten shivering alone in the cold when she looked at May. So she couldn''t help but feel her heart squeeze when she heard her speak. In fact, whatever Inna was supposed to say got lost into the void of her mind as she tried to appease the sad May. "Oh nononononono, gurl, it''s okayyyy." She cooed, hoping it would help ease the sadness in May''s eyes. But instead, it made May grab onto Ulima as she tried to rub off the tears that were forming involuntarily. "I-I''m s-sorry. I¡­ will l-leave n-now." May sat up slowly as she tried to get off the bed but with the sudden action, she became dizzy and she couldn''t help but flop back to the bed. Ulima hurriedly asked her what was wrong but May just timidly told him that she just felt dizzy. Seeing their exchange, Inna couldn''t help but sigh. She truly felt bad for making that little munchkin sad. In actuality, she didn''t really have a problem with May being in her room. But the least they could''ve done was inform her about it. She almost had a fucking heart attack when she thought that a ghost was inside her room so it''s only reasonable that she''s mad, right? So, with that thought, she approached May with a friendly smile. "Don''t worry, May. I''m not mad or angry at you. Oh no, not at all. I''m just angry at your uncle for not informing me of something as crucial as this." The irritation in her tone was practically dripping. "But I''m really not mad at you. It''s actually just the shock that was taking control. After all, who wouldn''t be shocked when they wake up and find a stranger in the dark, right?" "And, actually, I''m okay with you being in my room to practice and such since it didn''t really bother me much. But please refrain from sneaking up on me like that. It''s really not good for my heart in the long run." May nodded slowly as she loosened her grip from Ulima. "I''ll just¡­ I''ll be more careful about it." Seeing that her stuttering disappeared, Inna couldn''t help but smile in relief. "And if you can, tell your uncle whenever you''re here so that I can know as well, okay?" She looked reluctant as she peered at Ulima but she nodded obediently after a second. Seeing that his niece was okay, Ulima patted her head affectionately while he spoke to Inna. "I''ll be sending this little troublemaker back to her dorms now. It''s way past lights out and she still has early classes tomorrow." Inna nodded as she picked up the plates and the food on her desk. "Yeah, you do that while I clean these up. And, I''ll be doing some homework after this so can you keep the spell running? I''m too weak to cast a good illumination spell." Ulima nodded and after casting a teleportation spell, he disappeared along with May, leaving Inna''s room suddenly cold and silent. Chapter 160 She Ran Away! 1 Fuck fuck fuck. Inna clenched her teeth while she laid down on Raghnall''s lap. With her body rigid and unmoving, the only way she could ever show her deep frustration was to glare at him. Raghnall chuckled as he shrugged. "Now, now. I only placed your head on my lap because the back of your head might get dirty when you try to break free." Inna rolled her eyes and proceeded to glare at him. "Hey now, no need to look so murderous. It''s not my fault you can''t break it. So, until you can overcome this low-rank spell, I''m not allowing you to take a break." It''s already been a week since she started training with Raghnall but she regretted every second of it. She thought that since they were friends, he would go easy on her. But hell noooo¡­ This beautiful little shit immediately started drilling her with challenges that almost drained the life out of her. Catching him using a blindfold while he''s using a speed enhancing spell¡­ Memorizing a book of spells within ten minutes¡­ Casting those said memorized spells while being tickled¡­ Trying to go through barriers by manipulating magical particles while being distracted by food¡­ It was by far the most frustrating and tiresome week she ever had. Now, what he''s doing at the moment was testing her will power. Since she was able to overcome the curses for a short period of time back when she was poisoned, he wanted her to improve her immunity in case she couldn''t nullify the curses using a spell. So, he casted an immobilization curse on her whole body except for the upper half of her face to test her. But this fucker wasn''t even supposed to test her today because¡­ IT WAS THE MONTHLY PRAYER DAY! It was supposed to be the day where everyone takes a break! There were no classes and no duties to attend to and most of the people are either resting in their dorms or praying to the Supreme God. The day was in a sense, a holiday for the whole nation. She learned from Raghnall that apparently, in this world, there were only six months in a year and sixty-one days in a month. And within those sixty-one days, the seventh day is treated as a day dedicated to prayer. The only thing she found similar was that one week was still seven days; it''s just that there were eight to nine weeks in one month. But still, to think they only had one day for a break. At first, she was shocked since how the hell was she supposed to work for like, the whole year and only have six days to rest? But now, what she wants at the moment was to just make the most out of her break. Yet a certain someone was currently robbing her of that right. "Mmmph!!! Mph! Fphhhh!" Inna spoke through her clamped mouth that just refused to cooperate. After trying to move her mouth for a few minutes, she sighed and gave up. It''s really just too early for this fucking shit. She growled internally as she closed her eyes in defeat. She got woken up and forced to get out of her house at four in the morning only to get ambushed by this little fucker. To say that she was pissed was an understatement. But she can''t even complain because she''s stuck with this stupid spell. She sighed again. Since this is obviously going to take long, she might as well catch up on her sleep. So, with her eyes closed, she figured to just take a short nap instead of wasting what''s little left of her energy trying to break the spell. Raghnall saw her eyes were closed and he couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows in surprise. Is she seriously sleeping? Right now? ¡­when she''s supposed to be using all she''s got to break free? Or did she just lose all her motivation on fighting for her all-day break? Raghnall noticed that her breathing was slowly becoming even and he couldn''t help but sigh. If she''s going to sleep now, she might get a cold from the chilly weather. Well, they''re out in the open at the lawn with only trees surrounding them at the fourth hour of the day so the chances of her catching a cold would be high right now. So out of concern, he grabbed his spatial pouch to try and search for something that can cover her up. He tried his hardest not to move much since Inna''s head was on his lap but after finding nothing that could be useful and feeling Inna shiver slightly from the cold gust of wind that suddenly passed them by, Raghnall couldn''t delay anymore. He softly lifted Inna''s head and placed her gently on the grass as he went inside the house to search for a comfy blanket. But little did he know¡­ Inna opened her left eye as she tried to look around whether she was successful or not. Dang, she felt bad for taking advantage of Raghnall''s kindness but she seriously needed a break. Well, at least she''s using what she learned in practice. She closed her eyes as she tried to detect the magical particles that belonged to Raghnall''s body. He''s still searching on the second floor, huh. Using all of her might and desperation towards running away, she thought again and again on how she badly wanted her break and she used the power of her thoughts, and her physical prowess as well, to force the spell to break. And after a few moments, just as Raghnall was going down the stairs, she can finally feel her legs moving. Her hands were stick stuck to her sides and unmoving but she''s willing to take whatever she can get at this point. So, with the strength and mobility of her legs back, she hoisted herself upward and within a heartbeat, she ran as fast as she could away from her dorm. Raghnall felt his spell was halfway broken and when he peered from the window, he wasn''t surprised when he saw that Inna disappeared. And instead, a cloud of dust was in her place. Raghnall clicked his tongue as he clenched the blanket he had on his hand. Really, he doesn''t know whether to feel pissed at Inna tricking him or to feel proud that she was able to actually get away with it. So, with a sigh, he placed the blanket back to its original place as he went to chase after her. Chapter 161 She Ran Away! 2 Within a few minutes, she was able to completely break the curse while she ran. So, Inna was able to steadily sprint, making her faster and more agile. She ran for a good solid fifteen minutes before she stopped to catch her breath. From the looks of it, it seems like she''s at the forest on the other side of the campus behind the magic department''s buildings. She peeked behind her to confirm whether Raghnall gave chase. And she sighed in relief when she saw no one in sight. Leaning on the tree behind her, she tried to reach in her pouch to look at the school''s map. But just as she was straightening the map, she can hear violent rustling a distance away, along with a melodious laugh. "I can do this all day, little Ninny!" Oh fuck! How did he find me?! Inna shoved the map back into her pouch, not having the time to spare to actually read nor plan where she''s going next. With a deep breath, she sprinted away from her spot and she continued to run blindly in a straight line. Raghnall saw her form by the distance and decided to pick up his pace. Although his lungs felt like dying, he knew that resting for a second would widen the gap between him and her again. So, with a grunt, he picked up his pace as he stared intensely at his target. Like a predator to its prey, he eyed her without ever taking his eyes off her. Inna squealed in fright when she sensed that Raghnall was closing in on her. Shitshitshitshitshit! She tried picking up her pace but when she saw a huge wall by about half a mile away, she abruptly stopped in shock. Oh mother of fuck! A dead-end?! She looked from side to side, contemplating whether she should go left or right. But on the second that she made the decision, she heard a voice behind her that made her freeze in fright. "I have to admit. I didn''t expect you to trick me." Raghnall''s cheerful voice echoed as he appeared behind Inna. Inna clicked her tongue as she cursed under her breath. Fucking hell, she forgot he knew teleportation spells. Scared to see his reaction, she refused to turn around to look at Raghnall. "Well, that''s what you get when you''re mean." Inna grumbled and as soon as she got the last word out of her mouth, she got into her running stance and she began to run. This time, she tried to throw Raghnall off by making sharp turns. Hah, surely he can''t teleport now since he''s not sure where she''s going. Heck, she''s not even sure where she''s going to end up. But as long as she can get away from that dictator, she''s good. Meanwhile, seeing Inna run without any hitch on her speed, he couldn''t help but laugh slightly. "Ahhhh, the talent in this girl." She didn''t even notice that he was silently casting an immobilization curse on her after he spoke. And when it completed after she spoke, she was able to break it in a second without even noticing. "Heavens, I don''t think she even knows what she did. To break a spell that fast with willpower alone. She''s one in a million, indeed." But that ''one in a million'' girl still needs to be taught a lesson. After all, no one tricks him like that and ends up getting away with it. So, with a smile and a small huff, he once again tried to sense her magical particles. And after mapping out her direction, he couldn''t help but snort. This girl was actually trying to throw him off by running in zigzags! He sighed in disappointment. She really needs to learn a whole lot more. Unless he''s stupid, there''s no way she can throw him off if he''s following the magic particles she''s unknowingly emitting. Seeing that the distance is becoming wider, he tried chanting another teleportation spell to the farthest area where he can sense her trace to at least try and reduce their distance. His ability to sense the magic particles was limited to a certain radius so he can only teleport as far as his senses can go. And teleporting takes a lot of energy from him as well since he has to expend more energy to counteract the backlash of multiple trigger spells that hinders him from casting it in the first place. Good thing he''s as talented as the teachers in the Academy in this regard. But, since this was his second teleportation spell, if he would still continue to run around and waste energy, he can only cast one more teleportation spell before he gets completely drained. Better save it and use it wisely. When he teleported successfully, he looked around and noticed that they were just simply circling around the forest. And with a disappointed sigh, he knew immediately that Inna was running blindly. And he couldn''t help but agree at the fact that her sense of direction was indeed worrisome. To think that she can''t even go out of the forest, how will she survive if someone dangerous did chase her? So, with that thought, he closed his eyes as he tried to locate her again, fearing that she must be feeling frightened after getting lost while running away. But when he noticed where she was and what she was doing, his eyes held a certain panic as they shot open and he couldn''t help but curse under his breath. On the other hand, Inna cursed as well as she punched the wall in frustration. Fuck! She screamed in her mind as she punched. But the wall didn''t budge even a little bit. She ran so hard but she still ended up in another dead end! She tried to read the map she had in her pouch but she had no idea where exactly she was in the forest! All she currently saw were just trees and trees and more trees! And a huge wall! She wanted to turn back and start running again, hoping that she''ll go back to the same familiar building of the magic department.But she knew that Raghnall was hot on her tracks so if she were to turn around, they''d end up meeting one way or another. She punched the wall again, venting out her frustration. What the fuck is she going to do next?! She can''t jump over it since it''s about five meters tall. Her jump, although impressive because of her physical abilities, can only reach two meters at maximum. She knew that because she tried doing it in her room one day and she ended up busting the roof when she shot out of it. Good thing there''s magic! So the damage done to her room, instead of taking a few days or a week to finish, it was fixed in just a minute. And the huge bump she had on her head was healed by Raghnall in just a minute as well. Speaking of Raghnall, Inna started to panic when she realized that Raghnall would soon arrive to get her. Shitshitshitshitshit, she stopped for almost a minute already. He''ll be here soon! So, in her terrified state, she hastily punched the wall to try and break it, hoping that if it did break, she can just continue running away and think of a plan later. She prayed and prayed for it to break as she dealt one blow after another. Then suddenly, just when she felt that her energy was drastically low, the wall spoke to her. "Hey! Can you stop that? I''m trying to take a nap!" Inna stopped her swing mid-way as she stood with her jaw on the floor and her eyes as wide as her fists. "D-did the wall just talk?" Chapter 162 She Ran Away! 3 Trying to confirm whether it was true or not, Inna punched the wall one last time. And just as she feared, the wall spoke again. "I don''t know if you''re an idiot, or you''re just an optimist but the walls of the academy are casted with self-regenerating barriers. So no matter how many punches you land, unless you hit it with one huge and powerful blast, it''s not going to do a thing." Inna''s eyes glittered when she heard it talk again. Wow, this is so cool! A wall is actually talking! This reminded her of her Dora the Explorer days! "How do you even talk without a mouth, Mr. Wall? Can you get me out of here? Do you need me to answer a riddle?" She listened intently for a reply but she failed to hear the voice whisper. "An idiot it is, then." Inna furrowed her brows when she didn''t hear any reply. "Mr. Wall?" "Up here." The deep and brash voice spoke again. Inna instinctively followed the command as she looked up, but the glare of the sun prevented her from seeing properly. In confusion, she couldn''t help but ask again. "Mr. Wa--" "The wall is not talking, little idiot. I am. Up here." The voice spat harshly but there was hidden amusement in its tone. "Oh." Inna muttered lamely as she reddened from the realization of her stupidity. Good Lord, just because there''s magic, doesn''t mean inanimate objects will start talking like a Disney movie! Oh my god, this is what happens when she doesn''t get to have proper sleep for a week! While trying to reduce her redness by covering her cheeks, Inna instinctively took a few steps back as she tried to see the top of the wall without having the sudden glare of the sun burn her eyes off. But after moving, she sensed something that made her look at the direction behind her instead. Raghnall''s magical particles! Fuck, he''s near! Inna abandoned the thought of trying to get a good look at the owner of the voice as she ran back to the walls. "Hey, I-I know it''s really sudden but l-like, can you help me go over this thing?" She tried to hold back the panic in her voice but it still leaked out when she stuttered. Anxious for a reply, she started tapping her foot on the ground as she tried to sense where Raghnall was. Then, suddenly, she felt something land on her head. Curious, she grabbed it and she was surprised to see a black rope. "Use it to climb up. Don''t worry, I''m holding the other end." After hearing the voice, Inna spared no heartbeat as she grabbed onto it and climbed as fast as she could. When she reached the top, she figured that she''ll finally be able to see the owner of the voice so with a curious mind, she boldly stared at the man who helped her up. And well, her jaw almost dropped at the sight of the man before her. If she were to describe him in two words, it would be... astonishingly beautiful. In fact, he looked like every girl''s wet dream. If Raghnall was an American model plus Korean idol hybrid, this guy was an Arabian model with a dash of Brazilian hotness! While he peered at her, Inna, on the other hand, couldn''t help but stare back with awe at the mysterious gray eyes that locked with hers. His misty gray eyes held an impression of laziness into them as they drooped slightly but she didn''t miss that glint of wickedness and mischief hidden in his eyes. And the small smirk formed by his pinkish lips brought out more of his devilish aura. And despite knowing that she really shouldn''t be staring for so long, Inna couldn''t help but admire his chiseled oval-shaped face that had a perfectly defined jawline as well as the cute mole he had right below his left droopy eye. The rest of his facial features looked entirely well-crafted by the gods, not a single proportion of each feature in any way flawed. And even his tan skin absolutely completed and complemented his whole look. So Inna couldn''t help but gulp from the sudden pressure she felt. Damn, what''s with all the hot people attending this Academy? Just what do they drink in this world to produce these kinds of looks? Inna sighed internally as she remembered her old appearance. Ugh, she missed her beautiful body too! If she was in her own body, she wouldn''t be as self-conscious standing in front of him as she was now. "So, are you going to stand here all day shamelessly staring at my gorgeous face? I mean, not that I blame you but It''s really quite amazing how bold you are to do so." Aaaaaand, her admiration went ''poof'' in an instant. Motherdang it, it''s like meeting Raghnall all over again. Inna grumbled in her mind and she sighed in dismay. "I guess whatever they''ve been drinking, that kind of personality comes along with it, huh? Maybe it''s a packaged deal or probably a side effect or something." She muttered under her breath. "Hey? Little idiot? You listening? Are you actually planning to go down? The sun''s going to be scalding in a few more moments so if you want to get burnt, go ahead but I''m leaving and I''m taking that rope with me." The tug on the ropes on her hand was enough to snap her back to reality. "Huh? Ah! I''m going down! I''m going down!" Inna screamed as she clenched tightly on the rope. Just as she was about to slowly climb down, she heard a scream. "Ninny!" Inna looked behind to see Raghnall by the gaps of the trees from a far distance. Since she''s on top of the five-meter wall, she could easily see from far distances and now, she can see Raghnall''s incredulous expression clearly as well. "Oh shit. He looks pissed." Inna couldn''t help but mutter out loud as her hands trembled. Oh god, oh god, she needs to get down to the other side immediately! With that thought, she ignored the curious look of the man beside her as she hurriedly tried to climb down the wall using the rope. But about halfway through her journey, she felt something move the rope she held before she found herself falling rapidly. Chapter 163 The Worst Personality Motherfuck! She peered at the limp rope she had in her hand as she fell. Did that asshole from above just let go of the rope?! She looked at the ground that was fast approaching in disbelief. And just as she thought she would feel her bones colliding with the ground, that same familiar sensation bombarded her senses again. Cold. It felt like her blood froze as her mind was cleared of any fear and panic. Her expression turned blank just like the emotions she was feeling. Just as she was a few feet away from the ground, her body, at an inhuman speed, twisted itself as she let go of the rope she held. Then, she made a perfect forward roll. The action softened her landing immensely that she didn''t even suffer from any pain as she tried to stand up. Then, she gasped out as her body returned back to normal, making her feel the shock and fear she originally felt back when she was still falling. She clutched her chest as she tried to calm her erratic heart. Oh god, that scared the heck out of her. Her legs trembled and her hands were clenched into a tight fist as she glared at the man on top of the wall with a mix of fury, disbelief, and fear but the sun''s glare made her look away almost immediately. "Ninny!" She heard a familiar scream by the other side of the wall and she knew it was time for her to bail and hide somewhere. Who knows, that asshole might even help Raghnall go over the wall. Meanwhile, the ''asshole'' was at awe at Inna''s superb reflexes. Originally, he let go of the rope to tease her and he was going to grab the rope again at the last minute. But he didn''t expect her to actually let go and quickly do a maneuver within a mere second that made her safe from harm. So feeling a mixture of both awkwardness and amazement, he could only stare at her back as she hurriedly ran away. Still, he couldn''t help but find her speed and the way she runs both outstanding and yet familiar. Was she that girl he saw running in the corridors? Just as he was about to chase after her, he heard a familiar voice scream. And as he expected, the owner of the voice made his appearance through a teleportation spell. "Where is she?" Raghnall demanded as though he could already see he was there without even confirming. Well, he has always been gifted with a heightened magical sensitivity so it was no surprise to him that Raghnall immediately spotted him. But being who he is, he couldn''t help but tease his dear old friend. "Wow, that''s what you ask from a dear friend you haven''t seen for days? Not even a small ''how are you'', little Mirzo? Or even a hello?" Raghnall sighed in annoyance as he chanted a floating spell. Slowly, his body began to float and they soon meet eye to eye. "Rhys, I''m not here to joke around. Where is she?" Rhys waved the black rope in front of Raghnall''s face as he chuckled. "Where do you think?" Raghnall covered his hands with his face as he let out a small frustrated scream. "Oh god, why did you help her?! You know it''s forbidden for students to cross the border!" "Meh, I did it last time and nothing much happened." Raghnall massaged his temples as he tried to resist the urge to smack him in the head. "It''s because you''re you! She''s not! If Master Azai found her¡­" Rhys couldn''t help but widen his smile at the interesting reactions he was able to bring forth from his usually nonreactive friend. "Don''t worry, Master Azai is out right now. It''s the Prayer Day, remember? Everyone in the Combat department is either sleeping or on the training grounds." Hearing that, Raghnall released some of his worries as he slumped in relief. And Rhys couldn''t help but find his friend''s ever-changing expressions amusing. "By the way, who''s was she? Didn''t think you''d be desperate enough to actually chase after a girl." Raghnall rolled his eyes at his remark. "She''s none of your business. But why did you even allow her to pass? You''re not the type to chat up a girl much less help one." Rhys bundled up his black horse tail rope as he kept it inside his golden spatial pouch. "She seemed¡­ interesting." Upon hearing his tone, Raghnall''s eyes darkened and his tone held a warning as he trailed off. "Rhys, if she gets into any trouble in that side¡­" "Shhh, don''t worry. If she does, I''ll say it''s my fault and have my father answer to them." Raghnall clicked his tongue in frustration when he heard his nonchalant reply but he knew that Rhys''s words were to be trusted. And although he didn''t want to admit, at least he knew now that Inna was in safe hands. "So, are you willing to tell me now who that girl was?" Raghnall looked at the direction where she must''ve ran and sighed. He was silent for a moment before he finally decided to answer vaguely. "Don''t mind her. She''s just some crazy person that needs to be taught about a lot of things about magic." Rhys curiously looked at the direction Raghnall was looking at while trying to recall the girl he just saw a few moments before. "Well, she''s pretty¡­ strong to be a magic user." Raghnall sharply looked at Rhys with an eyebrow raised as an amused expression began to form in his face. "Well, look at the pot calling the kettle black." Rhys rolled his eyes but a smile couldn''t help but form as well. "Hah, I''m not strong at all! I can barely fight against you, Mr. Perfect." Raghnall puffed up his chest as he laughed proudly at his statement. "Well, that''s true!" But Rhys wasn''t done yet. "Though, in terms of looks, I obviously win." Raghnall stopped his laugh midway as he looked at Rhys in disbelief. "What?! No. I''m obviously better looking than you." Rhys clicked his tongue three times as he held up his finger to silence Raghnall. "Of course not. I''m better looking AND I''ve got the best personality among the three of us... or four of us if you don''t count Favian and Frode as one." Raghnall clenched his teeth as he spoke. "Hah! In terms of personality, you are one of the worst! Don''t go tricking yourself." Rhys laughed happily at how wrong Raghnall was. "No, if we talk about bad personalities, I give that top spot to you! I mean, have you ever seen yourself when we were kids? You set a girl''s hair on fire when it accidentally touched you! She didn''t even do anything to you except pass by!" Raghnall''s eyes widened as he recalled the memory. And he couldn''t help but bury his face in his hands as he reddened. Okay, that happened when he was having those ''moody'' days where everything just annoyed him. And it was just a temporary thing! But of course, Rhys never forgets the ridiculous things they did back when they were young. Chapter 164 The Combat Department 1 "Hah, your silence means you admit." Rhys laughed again and Raghnall couldn''t help but smile as well. "Okay, okay, I can at least admit that we''ve got the same bad personalities. Do you even remember the time when you brought a wild swan into that banquet and it started attacking everyone? You''re as bad as me, Rhys. Admit it." Rhys laughed hard at the memory as well. He hated being forced to attend those kinds of banquets so the swan was great revenge for him. When their laughter ended, Raghnall sighed as he looked at the vast area on the other side of the wall. He can''t go over the wall for now because he can''t get into any more trouble than he already had. He knew that the moment he passed through the walls, with the great concentration of magical particles in his body, it''ll trigger an alarm. After all, the barriers were made to detect students from the Magic Department if ever they had the plan to sneak out towards the Combat department or out of the Academy. Fortunately, Inna was undetected with crossing it since the concentration in her body was lower than the usual admission standard of Eldora Academy. But once an intermediate magic user was to cross, it''ll alarm all teachers in the vicinity. Thankfully, she''s still in starter rank. But to think she would go over the wall to go to the Combat Department. If those hot-headed students would meet her, it would surely lead to trouble. So with that in mind, he looked at Rhys with a worried gaze. "Hey, all jokes aside, can you do me a favor?" Rhys sobered up as he curiously looked at Raghnall. "Is this about that girl who ran away earlier? What do you want me to do?" Raghnall felt his energy depleting towards a dangerous level so he decided to slowly descend. "She''s just starter rank in magic and she''s supposed to have training with me today. But the little brat just ran away to the Combat department. And to make matters worse, she''s really good at getting into fights and even initiating ones. So, can you go get her for me instead? If she doesn''t oblige, feel free to tie her up or trap her in a spatial cube or something. And I know you''ve got questions but I don''t think I can answer them now so can you just go do this for me obediently?" Rhys looked at Raghnall, who was slowly descending, incredulously as he held up his hand. "Okay, hold up, hold up. You say she''s just in Starter rank? And training with you? Are you actually teaching someone? On Prayer Day? And what? She ran away from you? What in the heavens are you talking about? Are you being serious right now? Hey! Don''t ignore me! Hey! I don''t even know her name!" Raghnall pretended not to hear him as he reached the ground. And Rhys was about to go down the wall, over to his side, to demand some answers but Raghnall swiftly ran away. "You! I didn''t agree yet! What makes you think I''ll actually do it?! Hey! Answer me!" He banged at the barrier in irritation. If only this stupid barrier wouldn''t alert all the teachers, he would''ve run to him and demanded answers. Still, he didn''t expect that the reason why the girl easily passed through it was because she was only starter rank in magic. To think that for a moment he actually thought that she destroyed the barrier with her punching earlier. Now he felt stupid and insulted. So, with an irritated grunt, he glared at the direction where Raghnall went before jumping off the wall. The audacity of that guy. He bailed at him during their training and now he''s going to ask him to babysit?! If that guy wasn''t his friend, he would''ve been long gone by now. Rhys roughly scratched his head in irritation as he tried to search around for Inna. Ugh, to think that the day just started and he''s already in a bad mood. At the same time, Inna stumbled upon a huge open gate. And after trying to catch her breath and checking left and right, she figured to sneak inside to hide. Besides, she felt safer being inside a place where people would be rather than being out in the forest alone. But when she entered the open gates, she had trouble holding in her amazement as she peered around. In the center of the vast area was a huge Japanese-inspired traditional mansion that had familiar shoji-looking walls. It was a single-story building but Inna knew that the building was wider and more vast than what it seems. The whole building was elevated so Inna had to carefully go up the wooden floor and she tried to be as discreet as possible as she went in to look for a place to hide and rest. She quietly searched for a vacant room as she sneaked around. And she''s actually shocked at how her footsteps made no sound even when she treaded on a wooden surface with her shoes on. After checking and observing a room that was convenient, she saw that it was empty and she couldn''t help but smile in glee. The room was perfect for hiding! It was at the corner and looked inconspicuous and it didn''t seem that anyone would enter the room since the whole place was eerily quiet for the past few minutes. Guess they must be sleeping as well¡­ When she entered, she saw a laid out futon and she couldn''t help but be surprised at the fact that they actually had something similar like a futon in this world and be thankful that she can finally have a well-deserved rest. So with a smile on her face, she shamelessly laid down on the futon and grabbed the blanket that came along with it. But just as she was about to drift off, she suddenly heard a huge ruckus by the room beside her. Inna groaned as her face held a disgruntled expression. What the fuck are they doing now? Her senses were on high alert as she tried to listen in on the violent sounds that were being leaked through the thin walls. It sounded like a mixture of someone was hitting flesh with flesh along with flesh hitting the soft mat of the floor. Inna furrowed her brows in confusion. She found the sounds to be strange so she decided to go closer to the wall to hear better. She could hear the voices of two men as they exclaimed. "Ah¡­ Ow¡­ Gently!" "Sorry, I''m trying¡­" "Ah! Stop! Too strong!" "Ugh, I can''t control it. And your legs, keep them bent." Chapter 165 The Combat Department 2 Inna blushed as she hastily crawled back to the futon. She buried her red face on the blanket as she tried to just process what she heard. What the fuck was that???? She heard groans that''s for sure. And they sounded like they were¡­ She refused to finish her thought as she buried her red face deeper in the blanket. Then, she heard a loud explosive thud and a string of screams that made her look at the wall instinctively. She was about to go near the wall when the sounds suddenly stopped and the only thing remained was silence. Inna couldn''t help but furrow her brows in curiosity as she discreetly moved and pressed her ears on the walls, hoping to detect even the smallest sounds. Why did they suddenly become quiet? They were so loud earlier. Did they leave? Inna still couldn''t hear anything so she decided to press her ears closer. But when she did, her foot that supported her weight while she crouched by the wall slipped on the blanket beneath her and she ended up plastering her face to near permanency on the walls. And to her misfortune, the paper thin walls ripped from the sudden shock and pressure resulting in her whole head going through the gaping hole. The sound of the paper ripping made everyone in the adjacent room stop whatever they were doing to stare at Inna''s head that was awkwardly poking out of the wall. With eyes closed from dizziness, Inna groaned in pain as she felt her whole head throb. Then, she slowly opened her eyes to look around, hoping that the ruckus hasn''t attracted any attention. But she didn''t even have to move her eyeballs to know that multiple people were already staring at her with surprise on their faces. Five men. She would''ve never guessed that there would be five men with widened eyes inside the room given that the room was so silent a few seconds ago. She shakily smiled at them, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere as she tried to quickly pull her head out of the hole. Meanwhile, the men looked at each other with confused expressions as they tried to process what happened before them. A few moments ago, they were wrestling with each other, trying to give one another tips for the upcoming match they''ll be having in a few days. And when Orion lost, they did the usual post-battle meditation to help relax their body and heighten their senses before they have another mock battle. And in the middle of it, to their surprise, there was a girl''s head that suddenly appeared by the wall. The men all stared at Inna as she struggled to remove her head from the hole. Then, after a second of silence, the men all burst into laughter. They laughed and laughed until they became a gasping mess. Meanwhile, Inna turned bright red from the embarrassment. Never mind being scared at the fact that she was found out, she''s too busy beating herself up with embarrassment. Another problem was that Inna couldn''t remove her head without exerting extra effort. And she''s afraid that her ''extra'' effort might break the whole wall instead. So, with a sigh, she slumped in defeat as she closed her eyes to at least try to not see the men that were laughing in front of her face. She hoped that the action could at least lessen the immense embarrassment she felt inside. But she was shocked when, as soon as the guys'' laughter ended, she felt hands patting her head gently. "Don''t worry, little girl. I''ll get you out." A deep yet soft voice spoke by Inna''s side. Inna tried to look up to see who the guy was but she wasn''t able to because he pressed lightly on Inna''s head to make her lower it instead. Then, with a small grunt, the guy punched a small hole above her head and he gingerly guided and protected her as he tried to push her head back. Inna breathed a sigh of relief when she finally was able to remove her head from the wall. And she looked up to thank the man, only for her words to get all jumbled up from the sight. Back when she was trapped, she wasn''t able to see much apart from the torso and below of the men. But now that she can finally look up, she tried hard to stop herself from drooling as she looked at all the eye candy in the room through the big gaping hole of the wall. The men were undeniably buff. Like, Superman and Aquaman kinda buff. And good lord her eyes can''t seem to stop staring. Their muscles glistened from the sweat that covered their deliciously tanned skins. And she can see it clearly because they were all topless. In fact, the only clothing they had on was blue shorts that could be passed off as loose boxers in her world. Most of the men had toned and defined abs while others had those thick muscles that emitted raw power. Holy shit, this is like Magic Mike in real life! The men noticed Inna staring at their bodies so they couldn''t help but secretly flex whenever Inna''s eyes happened to pass them by. After all, it''s their pride and joy; the proof of their hard work and training. And it would be a waste if it''s not appreciated well enough. Then, Inna finally looked at the guy who helped her and she suddenly had the urge to block her eyes from the bright kind smile the guy was showing her as she looked at him. He looked like the kind of guy who''d be a gym instructor in her world. The ones who are kind and patient and would always encourage others to try and ''break their limits'' while guiding them with a smile. He had curly brown hair with matching brown eyes that seemingly sparkles when he smiles. His features were sharp and strong but the dimples he had on his cheeks softened his whole appeal. The guy chuckled after seeing Inna''s dazed expression and he decided to snap her trance by asking as to why she had her head stuck in the wall. "It''s the first time I saw someone had their head stuck in a wall like that. How did that even happen?" Inna stuttered as she tried to find the right words to answer him. But the guy continued to ask when he saw that Inna had trouble articulating her thoughts. "But then again, why is a sweet girl like you here?Last time I checked there were no girls in the Oak class dorms. Are you from a different class? You here to visit someone?" Inna laughed shakily as she tried to rack her brain for an answer. She could lie and say that she was just visiting but what if he asks the name of who she was visiting? Making up a name out of the blue would totally make her lie so obvious. The guy realized that Inna must''ve found it uncomfortable to talk through the hole in the wall so he decided to put off his questions for later and instead, he ushered her to their room. "Uhm, it must be weird talking through the hole so why don''t you come around into our room? Oh, I''m Orion by the way." Inna contemplated her choices as she thought. Okay so she could leave now and escape, but she might be labeled as a suspicious person and get chased by these group of burly muscular guys. Or she could risk it and stay with them, hoping that she could trick them into thinking that she''s from a different class or something. Chapter 166 The Combat Department 3 Inna found blending in to be easier and less tiring so she decided to enter Orion''s room. Now, as she stood inside a room with five men, she couldn''t help but remember the days where they had sleepovers at their shared dorm room. Well, technically it was Stuart''s but Kevin, Bob, and Inna slowly claimed it as theirs as well. After all, he had a whole corner room originally to himself and usually that room was famously known, aside from being special and expensive, to be spacious that it can hold up to six people so Inna and the two minions never felt shame when they invited themselves in from time to time. But being the only female, the only way Inna could ever enter was to sneak in. And miraculously, she was never caught despite how often she decided to sleep over. But she never would''ve guessed that, despite her perfect art of sneaking back when she was alive, she would one day get caught in such an embarrassing way; with her head stuck in the wall. With that realization, she can only hide her face in shame, secretly grateful that the minions weren''t there to see her fail. If they were, she can already see their faces contorting into obnoxious expressions as they tease her about it. Orion saw that Inna was starting to redden so he couldn''t help but release a throaty laugh. "Don''t worry. We won''t tell anyone." Hearing Orion, the other guys snickered as they recalled the ridiculous event. Orion coughed to signal them to stop laughing before he spoke. "So, what brings you here? And care to explain how you got stuck?" Inna breathed deeply as she tried to control her redness and nervousness. "I, uh, I got lost and I uhh--" "Man, Orion, we don''t wanna know that stuff! What we do wanna know is this young lady''s name." On the left of her, a man that had black hair with facial features that eerily resembled Ezra Miller looked at her with glistening dark brown eyes as he spoke with a wide smile. "Hey, I''m Irizo by the way. I was the one who won against this guy earlier. The loud explosive sound you heard earlier was me flipping this guy to defeat." He pointed at Orion as he puffed his already huge chest. Inna decided to reply while internally thanking Irizo for momentarily changing the subject. "Oh, I''m In..Nana. Call me Nana." They reminded her so much of her old gang that she somehow wanted them to use her nickname. Besides, if she wanted to hide, saying she''s Inna or Ingrid would be a bad idea anyway. Meanwhile, to her left, a man huffed in ridicule as he glared at Irizo with his grey eyes. He held features similar to Orion''s, only that his hair was a darker shade and his eyes were a bit slanted. A twin? Inna couldn''t help but look between the two guys. Then she noticed that his eyebrows seemed to furrow as he spoke with irritation in his tone. "Shut up, baby zozo. You only won because my brother was teaching you while doing it. If he wasn''t so preoccupied with babying you, he would''ve easily flipped you twice." All the men except Irizo laughed at that while Irizo just rolled his eyes and diverted his attention back to Inna. He inched closer to her enthusiastically as he fluttered his eyelashes. "So, Nana, say, what kind of food do you like?" Orion narrowed his eyes at Irizo as he growled out in warning. "Irizo, you have a¡­" Irizo held up both his hands as he chuckled. "Hey, I''m just being friendly with our guest here. I''ve been stuck with only men for the past week so could you blame me if I wanted to talk to the other gender for a change?" Orion wanted to reply back but the chuckles of the men around made him slightly nod in understanding. Meanwhile, after giving it much thought, Inna answered with conviction. "Steak!" The men made a grunt as they all agreed. "Steak is truly the essence of a warrior! I can never understand why those magic women eat those grass looking things. Meat is for the strong!" Irizo inched closer to her again as he asked another question. "What kind of weapon do you prefer? For me, I prefer the broadsword. Despite them being heavy, they always pack the greatest punch!" Inna seriously thought about it before answering. Uhm, in the games she used to play, she was always the blader or the one with two swords so¡­ "I guess I like having two blades or knives." Orion seemed to have taken an interest in the conversation when he looked at Inna with an eyebrow raised. "I never would''ve guessed, huh. Usually, most people would be afraid to take up two weapons to combat since proficiency in one blade is already difficult enough, but to think you would prefer two rather than one... That''s surprising. Well, as always, one can never judge a sword''s sharpness by its shine especially when we''re now in the Combat Department of the prestigious Eldora Academy." Orion''s ''brother'' chuckled as he agreed wholeheartedly. "Yeah, especially you." He gestured at Irizo. "To think you''d be more proficient in being a Shadow despite your loud mouth." Inna furrowed her brows as she looked at Irizo in confusion. "You''re a Shadow? But why do you like broadswords then?" Irizo raised an eyebrow in protest as he spoke. "What? Just because I''m a Shadow doesn''t mean I can''t like broadswords. What I''m good at doesn''t necessarily have to match what I like, you know." Inna''s eyes widened at his answer. Well, he actually has a point. Just because you''re good at something doesn''t mean that you''ll like everything that relates to it. After all, it''s okay to like something you''re not good at. Inna felt comforted by the words and she couldn''t help but release a wide genuine smile at Irizo as she spoke apologetically. "Sorry, I get what you mean." She didn''t know why but she felt that the words he said were the words she longed to hear someone say to her ever since she decided to start studying in Eldora. Facing all the criticisms about her not being strong enough or not being good enough in learning magic, it felt like someone was actually saying ''It''s Okay'' at her for a change. Like, it''s okay for her to like magic despite being the absolute worst at it... Irizo was momentarily dazzled with Inna''s wide and pure smile. He didn''t expect her to suddenly do that so he couldn''t help but smile back. But somehow, despite her its brightness, he can feel a sense of deep sadness hidden behind it as well. And somehow having the sudden urge to comfort her, his arms instinctively moved and before he knew it, he already had Inna in his arms. Inna''s eyes bulged out as she tried to process what was happening. She looked around in shock, trying to see if the sensation of someone''s thick sweaty arms around her was really real only to see Orion and the other three guys with their jaws on the floor as they stared at Irizo in disbelief. The tightening of the arms around her made Inna snap out of her shock and she struggled to break free from his embrace. Irizo sighed and whispered in her ear to calm her down. "Sorry, you looked like you needed it. And don''t worry, I mean no malice in this." Inna relaxed in his arms as she heard his whispers. He sounded honest and Inna felt touched by the gesture so she smiled and softly patted his back in return. After squeezing her comfortingly one last time, Irizo was about to let go when he heard a familiar shrill scream that made him instinctively stiffen in fear. "IRIZO!!!!! YOU FLIRTING MANIAC!!!! ARE YOU CHEATING ON ME?!" Chapter 167 Innas Match 1 Inna suddenly felt a murderous aura quickly approaching her and commanded by her instincts, she immediately dashed to a corner just in time for her to see an axe come in between her and Irizo. She looked at the owner of the axe in surprise and was startled to see a woman with red flaming hair glaring at her with her dark brown eyes which held a mixture of fury and envy. Her face was pretty and slim but because of the expression she held along with the small scars she had on her jaw, she had a rough and tough aura instead. Though in contrast with her face, Inna noticed that her body was actually greatly toned despite being covered by light leather armor. Inna''s eyes widened as she looked at the dangerous huge metal axe that made a huge split on the floor mats. Then, she looked at the guys for any explanation but the guys seemed to be as startled as she was as they furrowed their brows. Irizo can feel the cold sweat dripping behind his neck as he tried to appease her anger. "H-hey, Greia, relax." Greia whipped her head to glare at Irizo as she held a crazed glint in her eyes. "Relax? RELAX?! YOU''RE ACTUALLY ASKING ME TO RELAX?! I''LL RELAX YOUR FACE OFF!" She screamed in rage as she lifted her axe. Then, in a swift movement, the axe came crashing down on Irizo but in the last minute, Irizo dodged it as he jumped backwards towards the other corner of the room across Inna. Orion snapped out from his surprise as he felt the resonating vibrations of the constant merciless attacks of Greia. He swiftly stood up and grabbed the handle of the axe mid-swing. "GREIA! STOP THIS!" Orion''s thundering shout echoed throughout the room and the repressed anger in his tone made everyone freeze. Greia couldn''t help but tremble in fear as she heard him but the sight of Inna made her abandon her fear and her anger resurfaced again. She tried to continue to swing her axe but the tightening grip of Orion made her only struggle in vain. "Greia, you have no right to come barging in and start destroying Oak class property!" Greia gritted her teeth as she glared at Orion''s hands that held her axe. "Let go! I have to teach this cheating flirting maniac a lesson!" Irizo squealed in fright as he held up his hands before him. "I wasn''t cheating, little Grey! I was just comforting a friend!" Greia growled, clearly not believing him. "Comforting, my foot! You were obviously flirting again! I know for a fact that the Oak class doesn''t have any female students! I''m not stupid, Rizo!" Listening to the banter of the troublesome duo, Orion sighed and he looked at Inna apologetically before furrowing his brows at Greia. "Griea, you can''t just¡­" "And it''s all because of YOU!" Orion was rudely cut off when Greia decided to abandon her axe and instead, chase after Inna with a clenched fist. Feeling the irritation coming back again, Orion grabbed Greia''s armor as he hurled her away from Inna. With the great force, Greia harshly landed on the closed room across theirs. "GREIA! STOP!" Orion''s booming stern voice made Greia glare at him but she knew better than to misbehave when he''s already that annoyed. But that doesn''t mean she''ll keep quiet about it. "Why are you stopping me?! They were the ones who did ME wrong! You just don''t hug a person who''s engaged like that! And I don''t believe that ''friend'' lie just one bit!" Orion massaged his temples as he sighed deeply. He looked at his twin, Arian, for help with the situation but he just shrugged cluelessly. Hoping to help even a little, Arian grabbed the axe and made sure it was in a considerable distance away from the crazed woman. Orion sighed in irritation again as he looked at the axe. "Greia. Calm down. She''s just a friend." Greia was about to retort when Orion shut her up by narrowing his eyes. "She''s. Just. A. Friend. You do know that the dorms can allow visits, right? She doesn''t have to be in the same class. If you can''t trust Irizo, then trust me. I have no reason to lie." Greia''s glare softened but she still held suspicion in her eyes as she gazed at Inna. "Friend, huh? Then, surely I would know of this friend since I was always together with Irizo since we were children." The sarcasm in her tone was so thick it was practically dripping. Orion noticed where she was looking and he clicked his tongue in warning. "Greia, stop. She''s MY friend." Greia still held disbelief in her eyes when she saw how hard they were trying to protect her. "Well, if she''s really your friend, surely she''d be a good fighter too, no? So, how about we spar? Unless of course, she''s too scared to do it? Besides, if you want to be friends with my Rizo, then you have to get through me first!" Inna looked at her incredulously. What the fuck is up with this toxic obsessive bitch?! She looked at Orion for help and he discreetly nodded in understanding. "Greia, you can''t just pick a fight with anyone at any time." Greia glared at Orion, her patience running thin. "You''re awfully persistent in protecting her that it''s starting to get suspicious. Should I inform Marya about her man possibly cheating on her too?" Orion''s anger soared when his beloved partner, Marya, was mentioned. "Don''t you dare drag her into this small thing! She has nothing to do with this!" Orion shut his eyes as he tried to reign in his anger but he still couldn''t help but speak harshly. "But even if you were to tell her, she wouldn''t become as dramatic as you are now! Because unlike you, she can actually trust her partner to live his own life and endure being apart without going crazy and obsessive every minute like some insecure mother!" Ohhhhhhh shiiiiiit¡­ Orion is savage! Burn, bitch, burn! Inna reigned in her laughter as she tried to keep a straight face but she couldn''t help but let out a snicker. Greia gritted her teeth and she didn''t know what to reply to what Orion just said. But when she heard Inna''s snicker, her anger spiked to hide her shame. "Hoooh, look at her laughing. She must be confident, huh? Why don''t you come out and spar with me then? C''mon! I''m sure you''re not a coward since you''re laughing over there!" Inna didn''t like the tone of her voice and she was about to retort when a loud crash suddenly echoed throughout the rooms. "Hey, Onion! How in the world did this happen?!" Orion stiffened as he slowly turned towards the direction of the familiar obnoxious voice that was, for some reason, angry. "Rhys¡­" Rhys removed his fist from the damaged wall as he frowned heavily. "Why is my room smashed up? You know I hate people touching my things or even going near my room!" Orion hastily grabbed Greia away from Rhys''s room, the place where she crashed into. He actually forgot that the room across was Rhys''s so he could only blame himself for the mishap. "Rhys, sorry, I--" "And who the hell is that girl? Why is she being so annoying? Care to explain what actually hap--" Rhys stopped midway when he finally caught sight of Inna. Oh-hoooo¡­ Lucky him. He figured to go back to his room to get changed before searching for her but to think she''d suddenly showed up herself. He couldn''t help but smile in glee. That means he didn''t have to waste energy chasing after her then. Meanwhile, Orion saw that Rhys somehow recognized Inna so he couldn''t help but ask in curiosity. "You know Nana?" Rhys saw Inna trying to sneak out stealthily so he dashed to her side and wrapped his arm on her shoulder to try and keep her in place. "Yeah, she''s my¡­" Chapter 168 Innas Match 2 "¡­ special private tutor during break days." Wut da fuk? Inna whipped her head towards the direction of Rhys as she gaped in shock and confusion. Rhys just ignored her reaction as he raised an eyebrow at Greia, irritation clear in his tone. "So, care to fill me in on the details as to why some crazy chick is here causing damage to MY room?" Hearing his words, Greia was about to lash out when suddenly, she felt strong arms hugging her from behind. "Little Grey, why don''t we step out and have a little date, hm? Just us two, okay?" Greia struggled for a few seconds but eventually, she relaxed and laid her head on Irizo''s shoulder as she looked up at him. "I''m still mad at you. You have to carry me. Hmph." Finding her sulky side as cute, Irizo chuckled as he effortlessly carried her bridal style out of the manor. But just before he left, he gave a wink at Orion to tell him a quick thank you and that he''ll handle the rest. Orion nodded in reply and when the two were gone, he furiously rubbed his palms on his face as he sighed. Rhys didn''t seem to like the fact that his question was just ignored so he repeated it again but with double the anger in his tone. "So, again, why was that crazy chick causing damage to MY room?" Orion saw Rhys''s annoyed expression and he grimaced. Good thing Irizo knew better than to let Greia stay. Who knew what Rhys would do to her if Irizo didn''t have his quick thinking. "Just some love quarrel on those two. But it seems like Irizo finally had the backbone to take it elsewhere." Orion held out his hand for Arian to hand over the axe. Arian hurled it at him at full force and Inna was about to squeak in panic when Orion caught it by its handle without even flinching. Then, Orion uttered some words before stashing the axe in his brown spatial pouch while grumbling. "Good heavens if only he took her away sooner rather than cowering by the corner, it wouldn''t have to end up like this. I swear, on the field, he''s merciless but when it comes to her, he becomes a wimp in an instant." Inna couldn''t help but feel bad when she saw Orion grumbling to himself. The stress waves he was emitting was so strong that it seemed to affect the other men in the room too, except for Rhys, the guy keeping her hostage. Rhys once again peered at his damaged room and he clicked his tongue in distaste. Still not letting go of Inna, he held out his hand and he began to cast a spell. "Figere. Fixus. Fixare. Corrigere." A shower of golden particles started to pour out from Rhys''s hand and as it touched the broken pieces of the floor and of the room across, it started to make things float and fix itself. When the whole area was fixed, the golden particles slowly dissolved into nothing. And Inna couldn''t help but look at the disappearing particles with awe. That was so lit! She never saw that kind of sparkly fixing spell that can fix a broken wall so fast. If only she can learn that spell, then she wouldn''t be reprimanded again and again by Ulima for every little thing that she breaks. In an instant, everything was fixed as though it was never damaged in the first place. Satisfied with his work, Rhys planned to return Inna back to Raghnall when he noticed something very disturbing about Orion''s room. "Onion, why is there a huge gaping hole in the wall connecting your room and the guest room?" Inna reddened immediately at the mention of it. Fuck, guess he wasn''t able to fix it because he didn''t see it. Orion and the rest of the guys instinctively looked at Inna before coughing awkwardly to try and stop themselves from laughing. Rhys saw the action and looked at Inna suspiciously. His grip on her shoulder tightened as he asked. "Care to explain?" Inna squirmed as she tried to get away from Rhys''s tightening grip. "Ow, you''re hurting me, you brute. Just let go and I''ll speak okay?" Rhys held wariness in his eyes but he softened his grip lightly before whispering. "Not a chance. You''re obviously going to run away." Sensing the waves of distrust from him, Inna hissed between her teeth as she replied in a low voice that only Rhys could hear. "I won''t. It''s just that it''s so weird sticking close to someone you literally just met a few moments ago. And speaking of moments ago, I''m still pissed at you for letting go of the rope, you asshole." Rhys chuckled at the unexpected ferocity of her tone as he slowly released her. Truthfully, he never expected her to be so¡­ wild. Like a tiger ready to lash out at anyone that ever crosses it. What he actually expected was the usual characteristic of a female magic-user he was used to seeing: feminine, snobby, and delicate. But she was nowhere near any of the three. At the same time, Inna rubbed the part where he had gripped the hardest, trying to check if she''ll have a bruise later on. Then, after confirming that no bruise would form, she crossed her arms as she faced Rhys with a twitching eyebrow. She spoke through gritted teeth and broken phrases trying but failing to prevent the annoyance she still felt to seep out of her words. "I got lost. Went in here. Heard a loud bang. Was curious. Decided to check. Accidentally slipped. Face went flat on the wall. Wall ripped. Head went through. End of story." Despite the lack of words she used to describe the story, Rhys still laughed hard as he imagined the scenario. He finally understood why the men around him were trying to suppress their laughter. And although she felt annoyed, Inna''s ears still reddened when she heard his laugh. In a flash, she swiftly sat down on the ground and bent her knees as she buried her face in her hands to avoid them seeing her turn into a full blown tomato. Rhys looked at her turning red. He couldn''t help but find it amusing so he was unable to control the small laugh that unknowingly came out. Seeing Inna desperately trying to hide her redness, Orion and the guys finally couldn''t help but release a small laugh at her cuteness as well as they sat near her. Orion slowly patted Inna''s head as he ended his laugh with a smile. "I guess even an expert can be clumsy at times too." Hearing the word ''expert,'' Inna instinctively looked up. Her embarrassment was now momentarily replaced by confusion. "Expert?" Orion looked at her with an eyebrow raised as he continued patting her head. "Aren''t you? I mean, you must be an exceptional tutor to even have the great and almighty Rhys as your student, huh?" Orion whispered to Inna as he chuckled. Rhys overheard what he said and he secretly smiled as he came up with a small plan in his head. He spoke with mischief hidden in his tone all the while looking at Inna with an innocent smile. "Well, she''s veeeery talented, indeed." Feeling that something was wrong with the way he said it, Inna suspiciously looked at Rhys as she tried to decipher the hidden message in his tone. What in the actual fuck is this guy planning now? Rhys seemed unaffected by her wary gaze. Instead, his smile seemed to widen by the second as he continued to speak. "She''s a really great and talented teacher! An expert of all experts! If you wish, do you want me to lend her to you?" Inna gritted her teeth as she tried to weasel herself out of the weird direction the conversation seemed to be going. "Ha,ha,ha. This guy is so funny and generous with his praises. Ha,ha,ha. I don''t deserve such words to be said to me. Ha, ha, ha. Truly generous, indeed. " Inna found the right moment to pat Rhys''s head harshly, discreetly applying as much force as she can, before continuing with her facade. "But, we should get going, no?" God only knows what will happen if she stayed any longer. Chapter 169 Innas Match 3 Rhys seemed like a sadistic troublemaker and from the way he''s been acting towards her, he didn''t look like he''s going to help her sneak out or run away from Raghnall. In fact, it seemed like he was having fun toying with her instead. So, she knew better than to stay. But then, just as she was about to stand, she felt a hand grab her arm and she was pulled down harshly. She had no choice but to sit back down on the same place she sat. And due to her surprise, she instinctively looked at the owner of the hand only to see Rhys smiling stiffly at her. "Oh, look at my dear tutor! She''s finding a way to escape because she always gets shy whenever I compliment her, haha." The laugh at the end may seem nonchalant to the others but to Inna, it simply sounded wicked. Inna held in her frustration as she faked a laugh. "Ahahaha, what are you saying? I''m quite a busy girl so I really do have to take my leave now." Feeling her trying to fight his hold on her, Rhys''s hand tightened slightly as his smile grew wider. "What are YOU saying, my dear teacher? Did we not agree for a whole day''s training?" While hearing his words, Inna''s mind was currently in chaos. What the fuck does this piece of shit want from her?! The heck did he mean by ''tutor''? And why the flying ducks does she have to give him a whole day training?! Jesus Christ, she should''ve listened to her mother when she said not to go with strangers. ¡­ even if they helped her climb a five-meter wall. Too overwhelmed to reply, she just smiled stiffly at Rhys. And when Rhys saw that she was completely at a loss on what to say, he smiled in amusement. "But since you''ve met some of my dorm mates, would you mind if they join in on the training as well?" Inna''s eyes held daggers as she glared at Rhys. Oh, this little shit! Why would he try so hard to keep up the act?! Did this crazy bastard want her to get into trouble?! She was about to retort when someone cut her off before she could even speak. "Oh no no no! It''s alright! We''re alright! We couldn''t possibly impose ourselves on a dormmates'' special training! Just watching would be enough for us!" Orion''s humble voice rang along with the grunts of agreements by the rest of the men in the room. Rhys laughed lightly, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he replied while patting Inna''s shoulder. Then, he rested his hand on his shoulder, serving as an anchor to prevent her from running away. "Well, if you wish to just watch, why not make it more interesting, hm?" Orion and the rest of the guys all looked at Rhys curiously and Inna suddenly had a bad feeling. "How would you like to see us spar?" Inna immediately grabbed the hand that was resting on her shoulder and she gripped it so tight that she was sure that a bone would snap. But she didn''t expect for Rhys to be stronger than he let on. He was able to easily withdraw his hand before it could happen which slightly startled Inna. Then he chuckled. "Well, looks like my teacher is eager. So, why don''t we go to the training grounds now?" Before Inna could react, Rhys grabbed her shoulder and hoisted her up along with him. Inna was about to shake his hand off when Orion suddenly spoke up. "Ah, the older batches are occupying the training grounds as of the moment so they''re most likely full or heavily crowded right now. That''s why we were training in my room." Rhys clicked his tongue in annoyance. Then, he suddenly had an idea. "Well, we can always have it in the front yard. I''ll just fix whatever damages we''ll make." Rhys grabbed Inna along as they walked towards the front. Inna looked around to plan her escape but Rhys stopped any plans she was making through his whispers. "If you don''t go through with this,I''ll report you and you''ll be dragged back forcefully to the Magic department. Then, you''ll be forced to have community service for a few weeks which includes cleaning the whole of the Academy." Inna gritted her teeth as she vehemently whispered back. "Are you actually blackmailing me?!" Rhys just smiled at her as he continued to walk in silence. Feeling ticked off, Inna was so ready to just dash out, the punishments be damned. But seeing Orion''s and the rest of the guys'' glittering eyes of excitement and expectation behind her, she couldn''t find it in her to disappoint them. Because if she were to escape, aside from being reported and suffering punishments, she''d feel like she''s going to kill their happiness so she just obediently followed. Well, she could always rely on her other ''state'' to fight that asshole, Rhys. But the only thing she can''t figure out was the fact that Rhys seemed nearly obsessed with messing with her, to the point that she felt as though he''s giving her no choice but to follow whatever sadistic things he had planned. And that''s why Inna couldn''t help but feel her stomach drop in every step she took. Meanwhile, Rhys was in a good mood. Unlike earlier where he was in a foul mood because of Raghnall. And to add on to his irritation, someone actually had the audacity to touch his room when he returned. That''s why he couldn''t help but vent it on the root of it all, that Nana girl. But then when she mentioned about him letting go of the rope, he was reminded of her earlier maneuver. He knew that without the perfect coordination, power, and speed, it would''ve been impossible for her to do that maneuver without hurting at least her foot. So seeing her uninjured,he couldn''t help but end up becoming interested in her and her abilities. And his curiosity doubled when Raghnall refused to tell him anything more specific about her. And what better way to know more about her abilities than to fight with her himself? Besides, the academy''s been too boring for him nowadays¡­ So, it wouldn''t hurt to have a little fun here and there, right? Chapter 170 Rhys Vs Inna 1 In a few short seconds, Inna and the rest finally arrived. Rhys released Inna from his grasp as he stood across her. "C'' mon, little idiot, it''s just a little spar. Besides, it''s been a while since I had someone to fight with." He whispered as she softly patted Inna''s head. But then, a sad smile escaped from his usual expression and when he realized it, he hid it immediately by looking away. Then, after he composed himself, he went to his position across Inna. "We won''t be using any weapons since we''re just having a friendly match. And since Onion and the rest want to see my tutor''s fighting prowess, I''ll let her have the first hit." Listening to him, Inna knew that she has no more chances of escaping so she just sighed in defeat. Okay, let''s get this over with. She stared at him from head to toe, trying to assess his capabilities. Raghnall did say that she could decapitate people if she used her strength so she''s not entirely sure how much she should adjust to avoid that happening with him. After all, he might be annoying as hell but she''s not that cold-hearted to actually kill him because of it. Judging from his physique, he''s not that muscular if she compared it to the burly and macho guys that were by the sidelines. He was more on the lean and toned side rather than the overly muscular side. And now that she looked at him closely, his height was considerably smaller compared to Orion and his men. In fact, he looked to be only taller than her by half a foot, unlike Orion who easily towered over her with about a foot higher. With that realization, she figured that he must be considerably weaker in structure. Since not much ''meat'' is protecting his bones, Inna knew that she should be careful. After fully assessing him, Inna decided to just rely on her body''s strength and speed. Using her ''other'' state might end up blasting the guy in pieces and she''s not willing to take any chances. So, with those in mind, she held up her hands like a boxer and ran towards Rhys. And when she was in a considerable distance, she immediately launched her fist to his face. Rhys, although a bit startled, was able to dodge her attack and he sidestepped her other attack while trying hard to see the pattern of her movements. But he could only grit his teeth in frustration when he realized that the idiot was attacking him with random moves. First, she punched. Then kicked. Then she opened her palm and tried slapping. Then she began using her elbow. Then she tried going for a headbutt. To Rhys who kept dodging, it just looked like she had no plan whatsoever and was just blindly attacking in hopes that one of her attacks would hit him somehow. Although the speed and the force she put in her attacks were quite frightening, her techniques are just¡­ sad. Will she do better if she had a weapon on hand? He couldn''t help but wonder as he dodged her blind attacks incessantly. When Inna saw Rhys was successfully dodging all her attacks, she knew that she had to take it up a notch. Actually, a part of her wants to just have a straight punch through his face. But then the rational side of her took pity on the guy because of his beautiful face so she was truly conflicted. But when she saw his eyes starting to daydream and his mouth starting to frown, the violent side of her won. She leaped back as she tried to reassess Rhys and to rethink her strategy. As much as she wanted to land a punch on his face, he''s undeniably quick to dodge. Back then she didn''t have a plan because truthfully, her expectations were kinda low because of how Rhys looked like. But just as Orion had said, one can never judge a sword''s sharpness by its shine. And they were in the Combat Department for God''s sake! Surely he''s a genius along with the others as well! Inna sighed as she just realized her mishap. Hearing her sigh, Rhys thought that Inna was tired from attacking him. So, with a smile, he figured that it should be his turn now. "I''ll be starting now, Ms. Nana." He said with a smile as he dashed to her side. Before Inna can react, he was already behind her and out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hand that was outstretched and flat, ready to strike. It eerily looked like a sharp blade by how quick he moved his hand and Inna couldn''t hide the panic in her face as she saw it slowly approaching the side of her neck. Using all she got, Inna twisted her body to avoid the slash from Rhys''s hand just as it was about to graze her neck. Then, she leaped back again as she clutched her neck in shock. Holy fuck. Holy motherfucking fuck. Okay, so he can literally move at the speed of light and here she was thinking that she can land a blow at him half-heartedly. Trying to reign in the shock and fear she felt, she clenched her trembling hands into fists. Just a friendly fight. It''s just a friendly fight. Inna repeated the words in her head as she went into her fighting stance. He didn''t strike her with the thought of injuring her, right? She didn''t want to address that though so she just willed herself to be more serious. She might not have learned much from Solomon when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, but she learned a thing or two from the teachings of the guards from the Sun Breeze Mansion as well as some of the wrestling moves she learned from watching television. So recalling what they taught her, along with Raghnall''s teachings on how to detect fast enemies without relying on her eyesight, Inna relaxed and slowly closed her eyes. And while doing so, she could hear the gasps of shock that emanated from Orion and the guys by the sidelines as they tried to make sense of what Inna was doing. Chapter 171 Rhys Vs Inna 2 Ever since they were children, from the teachings of their families, the sight was by far the most important one among all the senses when it comes to fighting. After all, without sight, how can they see and attack their opponents? And usually, that would be the case for those who are unable to detect the presence of magic. But since Inna can detect it, being both a magic-user and a fighter can enable her to close her eyes and still be able to ''see''. It''s because, as what Raghnall have taught her, closing her eyes can eliminate all distractions. But aside from helping her focus on the movements of her opponent, it can also make her fully aware of the magical particles of her opponent in a certain radius, helping her detect instances where they begin to cast spells. So, Inna had no qualms about closing her eyes. But it seemed that Rhys didn''t like her doing it. He clicked his tongue in annoyance as soon as he saw her closed eyes. That girl truly learned from Raghnall, alright. Seeing Inna, he was reminded of his bitter past where, whenever he fought with Raghnall, that guy would always close his eyes before fighting him. He knew it was part of a strategy but it was still hellishly annoying because, for the people who didn''t know any better, they see it as Raghnall not taking him seriously or giving him a handicap. And so, whenever Raghnall wins, the people always see him as a joke in the end. So, with Inna closing her eyes, he was reminded of those memories and he couldn''t help but grit his teeth in frustration. Wrong move, little girl. At first, he just wanted to test her out a little. But now that she reminded him of something annoying, he couldn''t help but want to punish her a little. He smirked and silently casted a timed spell. Three moments. Just three moments until the spell he casted will activate. He''s going to give her those moments to try and actually defeat him. But once the time runs out, then he will no longer be kind. Inna felt a sudden fluctuation in Rhys''s surroundings and she furrowed her brows in confusion. Was he seriously casting a spell? Wasn''t this supposed to be a physical match? Was that fucker actually cheating by using a spell? After a second, the fluctuation disappeared and she no longer sensed any magic being used. Huh? Did he change his mind? Inna was tempted to open her eyes to confirm but then, she no longer had a chance. That''s because, in just a second, Rhys shortened the distance between them and with the same hand, he tried to slash her again. But Inna saw him coming and after bracing herself, she roughly grabbed Rhys''s robes and threw him over her back. Rhys was momentarily shocked at her action. He couldn''t believe the fact that he actually wasn''t able to evade her grab. She''s fast! Faster than before! It must be because her reaction time improved from her closing her eyes. Rhys gritted his teeth as he twisted his body in mid-air in order to land on his feet. His hands were now clenched into fists as he once again dashed towards Inna. He was determined to avoid her grab and land a blow to her side. But when he closed the distance between them, Inna suddenly seized his torso and flipped him on his back. Thankfully, before his head could get in contact with the ground, he was able to break free and move away from Inna. Orion and the rest of the guys just realized what she was doing and they couldn''t help but cheer for her noisily. Rhys knew what she was doing as well. The little raccoon was actually wrestling with him! He clicked his tongue in irritation again. Wrestling¡­ One of the things he hated the most¡­ Sticking close to each other''s body and rubbing each other''s sweaty skin all the while smearing sweat on the ground¡­ Disgusting¡­ Rhys refused to go along with her wrestling moves as he continued his usual attacks. He dashed towards her, ready to punch only to be met with a grab on his arm and being swung full force to the ground. It went on and on and luckily, he was able to break free before he met with the ground. Inna was starting to get frustrated as well. After having so many close shaves, who wouldn''t be? So, she decided to ditch the wrestling bit and instead, she went for the classic punch and kick style. But Rhys wasn''t aware of her change of technique so when he dashed again, he expected her to grab him hence, he readied himself with a counter attack. So when Inna lunged, he thought he was going to be grabbed by the torso and was about to maneuver himself to dodge it when a fist suddenly connected with his face. Everyone fell silent. Rhys¡­ was hit¡­ in the face¡­ Despite the vast area of where they fought, everyone felt the sudden drop of temperature. Orion and the guys looked at each other and gulped. They instinctively took a step back as they warily looked at Rhys''s shaking form. Inna felt the harsh collision of her fist to Rhys''s cheek and the pain made her open her eyes in shock. "Oh fuck, I forgot that punches hurt!" She frantically shook her hand, hoping it would somehow lessen the ache in her knuckles. Then, she blew on it as she tried to check on Rhys. He flew a few feet away from her but he was still standing, only that he had his face turned to the side, exposing the place where she hit him. Upon closer inspection, she saw his shoulders trembling. And when she looked at the spot on his face where she landed her hit, she stared at her red knuckles, unable to accept the fact that she was actually able to hit him after he dodged all her attacks before. She wanted to say sorry because she knew that she placed all her strength in that one punch. Anyone who would collide with it would''ve felt like he collided with a tank. But the words were lost in her throat when she saw him smiling. "Oh boy, how long has it been¡­" Rhys laughed but it held no humor in its tone. "To think someone would touch my face¡­" He smiled at Inna, his eyes shining with mischief and a hint of something else that made Inna unconsciously gulp. Rhys felt the strange yet familiar metallic taste pool in his mouth and trickle down his lips. He spat it out and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his blue robe as he tried to prevent his smile from getting any wider. It''s been a while since he was able to taste his own blood. "My tutor truly is very amazing, isn''t she?" Rhys smiled towards Orion and the guys, but the empty eyes that stared them down made them freeze in fear. Orion recognized the look in Rhys''s eyes and he could only pray that Nana could win against him without having any of her limbs broken. Because when he''s like that, Orion knew that Rhys was utterly and undeniably angry. Chapter 172 Rhys Vs Inna 3 Inna readied herself for any form of attack as she took on her fighting stance. She knew well that being affected by emotions like fear, or by overthinking could affect her reaction speed so she decided to ignore Rhys''s frightening stare as she calmly closed her eyes. She tried hard to ignore the heated stare boring a hole through her forehead as she decided to focus on the match instead. Okay, since he''s pissed, he''d obviously attack first. Hoping that she was right, Inna waited for the magical particles she saw in his body to move towards her. But seconds after, there was still no movement. Just as she thought that Rhys was giving up on making the first move, she was startled when he suddenly dashed to her side with his fists ready. Inna dodged the incoming punch easily and she tried to land a punch herself. But Rhys seemed to have picked up his speed seeing how he was now able to easily dodge the punches she threw with all her strength. Inna couldn''t help but click her tongue when she realized that her punch earlier must have been a fluke. Because if it wasn''t, Rhys would''ve at least had trouble with dodging or keeping up with her attacks but it seemed like that wasn''t the case at all. Tired from her punching and him constantly dodging, Inna decided to use her legs for once. Using the momentum she had while dashing around, she tried to land a powerful kick towards Rhys''s side but he effectively blocked it with his arm. Then, before Inna could react, he grabbed her foot and pulled her towards him. He launched his fist to hit her shoulder but despite her foot being held firmly, Inna was able to quickly dodge it through twisting her body to the side. And when Rhys''s punch met with only air, Inna decided to grab his arm before he could retract it. Then, with her other hand formed into a fist, she launched it straight to his face. Rhys''s face scrunched up in frustration as he let go of her foot to quickly evade her punch. This girl seemed to have a grudge on his handsome face. Inna felt the grip on her foot disappear, and now that it''s free, she dashed immediately to Rhys, hoping to land another blow. She launched an array of attacks to the point that she felt like one of those Tekken game characters that had combo after combo of moves. But sadly, not one of her attacks was able to hit Rhys since he either evaded them all or simply blocked them. Well, the same goes for Rhys as well. He actually tried to land powerful blows too but Inna was as slick as a snake. Just when he thought it would hit, she would always find a way to slither out of it. Inna and Rhys were both starting to get impatient and mentally tired so, hoping to get a second''s rest, they decided to increase the distance between them by backing off to a safer distance. Inna huffed out a breath as she opened her eyes to make her mind rest for a while. It actually takes a lot of concentration to focus on Rhys''s magical particles so she''s slowly being mentally drained. It didn''t help that her attention span was as short as a goldfish''s so concentrating too much on one thing for a long time would surely tire her. So, she decided she''ll open her eyes this time while fighting. But when she looked at Rhys to attack, she couldn''t help but stop and widen her eyes when she saw what he was doing. The douche was actually copying her! Rhys''s closed eyes twitched when he saw how little the magical particles were in Inna''s body. He knew that closing his eyes would increase his abilities. And usually, he never would have done it because he hated using one of Raghnall''s moves. But he found her a worthy opponent so he decided that he had to give his all as well. Well, he''ll give it his all for about only a moment. He just needed one moment. Then, he''ll be able to end the fight. Because if he won''t, Master Azai might return and he''s so going to get into big trouble when he sees him fighting without any permit. So, he had to end it immediately. Inna clicked her tongue when she double checked on whether he really did close his eyes. What the fuck, Mr. Copycat. She couldn''t help but find it unfair that he could use it too. After all, she already had trouble fighting him with his eyes wide open so, what more if he''d close them?! Inna knew he''d be a better fighter with his closed eyes so she decided, with her own eyes closed, to be the one to attack him first to hopefully have some advantage. But just like before, they ended up in a stalemate. Punch, dodge, kick, block, and the sequence just continues on forever. The only difference was that this time, it was more on Rhys attacking her and her constantly dodging and blocking as though her life depended on it. Inna started to panic. She didn''t find any openings on him and even if she did, she''s too busy evading to land even a pat on him. Her mind was already tired as it is but now the added stress of being unable to fight back was taking its toll on her movements. And just when she thought it couldn''t get any worse, she suddenly felt a huge surge of magical particles surround him. She wanted to open her eyes but he was in the middle of attacking her that she felt that it would be unwise to do so. So, instead, she decided to put some distance between them first. Rhys seemed frozen in his spot which made Inna internally sigh in relief. But then, in a snap, the magical particles she saw in Rhys''s body suddenly disappeared and she couldn''t help but panic. She tried to open her eyes to see if Rhys was actually still there but when she did, she felt an immense murderous aura directed at her. She turned her head to find its origin but before she could even see clearly what or who it was, her body turned as cold as ice. Her eyes that once held shock now only held nothingness as her mind cleared with any thoughts of confusion and panic. Her expression turned blank, save for the murderous aura that enveloped her whole being. Rhys in his hidden state couldn''t help but falter in his attack when he felt a deadly aura greater than his. And just as his attack was about to land, he suddenly saw his life flash before his eyes. Chapter 173 Rhys And Inna 1 Blinking furiously, Rhys instinctively withdrew his attack as he frantically dashed back. He stared at Inna''s frozen form and he strangely felt cold sweat dripping down the back of his neck. What''s happening to him? He felt his legs and hands tremble slightly as Inna started to move. Was he actually scared? He clicked his tongue at the ridiculous notion as he willed himself to stop shaking. He looked at Inna and he couldn''t help but notice that there was something off about her. And he was about to go closer to examine what it was that was emitting such murderous intent when suddenly, in a blink of an eye, Inna appeared before him with a raised fist ready to hit him. Rhys was startled for a moment before he was able to dodge it just in the nick of time. But Inna didn''t end her attack with just a single punch. She followed it with arrays of cleverly timed kicks and punches. She moved as though she had hundreds of years of expertise as she easily attacked all the openings Rhys was showing her. He let out a grunt as he struggled to dodge. Midway through, he gave up on dodging, seeing that it was increasingly becoming impossible for him to keep up, and instead he started blocking her attacks. Every hit he blocked felt like a hammer hitting his bones. He didn''t know where the sudden increase in strength and speed came from, and it''s making him feel somewhat unnerved. He was supposed to end the fight now! But instead, he was the one backed up to a corner. After repeatedly blocking her attacks, Rhys felt tired and his hands were thoroughly swollen and numb. He thought she would''ve stopped or at the very least, get tired by now but she was the same as always, not even decreasing the amount of killing intent she was emitting. He gritted his teeth in frustration. He didn''t like the feeling of being cornered or being overpowered. If only he didn''t promise Raghnall that he''d protect her, he could''ve been able to land a clean hit. And if only he didn''t have the punishment seals in his body made by his dearly beloved master to prevent him from going wild in the Academy''s premises or trespassing again, he''d probably be on par with her. He felt that it was such a waste that he couldn''t help but click his tongue in irritation. He knew he had to end the match soon. He feared that Master Azai would come back any moment now so he had to make his decision. But truthfully, he didn''t want the fight to stop. He found fighting with the current her actually fun, though greatly frustrating. The intensity¡­ the desperation¡­ the raw power¡­ the fear¡­ and the killing intent she was giving as they fought¡­ It was all too perfect¡­ She''s the best opponent he''s had in a long while. If only she''d been this serious in the beginning, he could''ve had more fun. And now that they''re actually getting started, he had to regrettably end it. Rhys sighed sadly but he knew he had no choice. So, he swallowed his pride and raised his hand, admitting defeat. "Okay! I concede! Was that match good enough for you guys? Did you learn lots?" Rhys looked at the guys by the side as he spoke nonchalantly. But the guys just looked at him with wide eyes as they screamed in chorus. "WATCH OUT!" Rhys suddenly felt the air knocked out of him. He blinked as he tried to process what happened. He felt two hands crushing his neck as he struggled to break free. With all of his might, he looked down and just as he thought, blank eyes stared at him with no remorse. Rhys felt robbed of his air as he desperately tried to breathe. He didn''t know why Inna was doing this to him since he technically ended their match with her win. And Rhys didn''t have the luxury to think about the reason as he tried to focus on actually breathing. He felt Inna''s hands tighten for a moment before it somehow loosened by a tiny margin. He looked down to see what caused it and was surprised to see Orion and the guys desperately trying to move Inna''s arms. But Rhys was still choking to the point that he saw black spots in his vision. He was starting to get desperate for air when suddenly, he felt something break in his mind. Like a wall hit by a hammer¡­ Every second, the crack seemed to have grown bigger and bigger and just when Rhys was about to faint and the crack was about to fully crumble the wall, the pressure on his neck was gone and he fell to the ground in a heap. He coughed and coughed as he tried to understand what happened. Meanwhile, Inna felt the coldness leave her body and she looked at the mess she made. The guys were all looking at her with conflicted emotions as she tried to process what she just did. She looked at Rhys coughing and she peered at her trembling hands. Oh god, did she just¡­ No, that wasn''t her¡­ But why did¡­ She couldn''t think straight anymore. She felt her legs starting to tremble out as she tried to hold back tears of disbelief. She wanted to apologize. She wanted to talk to Rhys and ask him if he was okay. She wanted him to know that it was never her intention to take things too far. But no words came out of her mouth and she was left blankly staring at Rhys''s coughing state. When she saw that Rhys finally caught his breath, she was about to approach him to apologize when suddenly, his form started to tremble. She felt unsure about what was happening to him. Was he crying? Or was he scared of her approaching him? She didn''t know what to do while he was trembling so she decided to just approach him slowly. But before she can even get a word of comfort out, a loud guffaw suddenly echoed around. Then, in a second, she felt warm arms wrap around her tightly. She was so surprised by the sudden turn of events that she just stood there awkwardly as Rhys just hugged her. He laughed and laughed for moments on end and when he finally stopped, he released Inna while wiping tears from his eyes. Then, he looked at her with twinkling eyes full of joy as he smiled at her. "I like you." Chapter 174 Rhys And Inna 2 Inna shuddered in disgust as she roughly unwrapped his arms around her. "Did I choke you too much that your brain got damaged?" Rhys just laughed cheerfully as he let her go. "No, no. I''m perfectly fine. Well, except for my throat hurting. But¡­ it''s just¡­ It''s¡­ nothing. I''ll...tell you later." He winked at her as he started to cast a healing spell for his bruised neck. He touched it lightly and winced at the slight pain. "Man, your grip is something else, huh. Never had a girl choke me before. It was usually the other way around." Knowing the meaning behind his words, Inna scrunched up her face in disgust as she took a step back. Rhys saw her grossed out face and he couldn''t help but laugh lightly. Then he noticed Orion and the other guys just gaping at them by the side. Rhys didn''t feel like explaining himself so he just decided to dodge the questions they''ve been subtly asking him with their wide eyes by talking about something else. "So, now you know how good my tutor is, right? Orion and the guys nodded slowly and they finally regained their senses. They heavily panicked when they thought that Inna was going to really kill him but turns out they didn''t need to worry at all! It was probably just part of their training ¡­ "O-oh yes! Man, she almost gave us a heart attack there. We all thought she was going to do it for real so we rudely interrupted the match." Orion laughed and Arian and the others followed suit. Their laughter shook off the tense atmosphere. Thankful that they misunderstood, Inna laughed stiffly as well. "Ha,ha¡­. Yeah¡­ I wasn''t really going to¡­ kill him. Ha,ha,ha. I mean, as a¡­ tutor teaching her uhm¡­ student, you gotta make them feel like it''s the real thing to bring out the best in them, right?" Orion''s eyes glittered with respect as he nodded frantically. "Indeed! Indeed! I guess I still have a long way to become a teacher, huh? Still, the way you fought earlier was amazing!" Arian chimed into the conversation as he patted her back softly. "Exactly! Your speed, your power, and your counter attacks¡­ they were just AMAZING! I mean, the punch that you landed was such a clean and powerful hit that I almost felt my jaw crack when I saw it hit." The other guys surrounded her as they nodded in agreement. "That kick you made earlier, I can even feel the wind disturbance from where I''m standing!" "Yeah! At first, we thought the way you fought was weird, but I guess that''s how you warm up huh?" "Yeah! Yeah! Guess expert have their own strange ways to get into the zone¡­" Inna just stiffly laughed at them as she checked Rhys''s neck. Fortunately, the bruises were now gone because of the healing spells. But what Inna didn''t understand was the fact that he seemed pretty cheerful about it. Was he actually aware that she was totally going to kill him if it weren''t for the fact that Orion and the rest were able to stall for time for her to calm down? Back when she was strangling him, she had no control over her actions at all. She was screaming at herself to stop but it felt like she was screaming inside her head instead. Thankfully, the coldness withdrew from her body just before Rhys could faint. Rhys saw her worried look and he couldn''t help but smile. Actually, he himself thought he''d be pissed after what happened. But then, if it weren''t for her, he wouldn''t have been able to dent the seal that his Master had made. So, he''s greatly happy right now. The seal was originally used as punishment to suppress his magical abilities so that he won''t use it for making trouble. And sealing his magic meant that he''d be unable to use at least Intermediate tier magic spells. The best he can do was use magic for menial tasks like cleaning up and reducing his muscle strain. But because of her making a huge crack in the seal, he''s now able to tap into most of his magical ability that leaked through the seal. Although the ability he had now couldn''t be on par with his original self, at the very least he''s able to cast Intermediate tier spells which includes the very important healing spells he missed so much. Usually, the only reason that his seal can be broken was when the condition was fulfilled. And his cruel of a Master decided that the only time he''d ever need his magic would be when he''s a second away from death. A second away¡­ Sometimes it made him think whether his Master truly cares for him or he was just being forced to train him and was now looking for a way to get rid of him without incurring the wrath of his father. But since Inna stopped before he was a second away from death, the condition wasn''t technically fulfilled, hence the seal wasn''t fully broken. And he''s eternally grateful for that¡­ Because it was the perfect loophole for him. He gets to have half his power back, and the presence of the seal was still there. Since if it did get broken, his master would''ve definitely felt it disappear and he''d cast another one again. So, he could say that her attempting to kill him was a blessing in disguise and he couldn''t help but hug her in glee. He can finally use magic to cool down his body when they''re training for half a day outdoors in the sweltering heat of the sun. He can finally cast a spell to heal all sorts of muscle pain he''s been having from the annoying abuse of his Master. And he can finally cast a spell to disappear whenever those annoying Mahogany class girls get a hold of him. He doesn''t have to suffer from the abuses anymore! Just remembering it made Rhys want to hug Inna again. Before he was skeptical about her but now he really really likes her! Aside from the fact that she saved him from his abused life, she''s actually everything he could ever want. Strong, fast, and a heavenly good fighter that can do magic as well! In fact, by far, she''s the most worthwhile opponent he ever fought with ever since he arrived in the academy. Though she''s still weak in the magic area, that can be fixed if she continued to train with Raghnall. And of course, he noticed it just moments ago but her reactions when he teases her were so cute as well. The way she gets pissed and when she panics¡­ It made him want to just continue bullying her. Now he knew why Raghnall wanted to teach her magic. He just wanted an excuse to have this interesting girl to be by his side. He''s so obvious. Chapter 175 Rhys And Inna 3 But then again, he couldn''t blame him. Although she had some weird word usages and tendencies that he couldn''t seem to understand, there''s just something about her that was just¡­ intriguing. Normally, he would be wary of people he barely met that''s why he''ll either pull pranks on them to figure them out or he''ll observe them closely. A bad trait he still had ever since his childhood¡­ But somehow, he had that strange feeling that he could trust her. And the last time he had that feeling, was when he saw Raghnall when they were kids. Suddenly, he felt a strong magical disturbance by the distance. He hurriedly grabbed Inna''s hand as he gave a quick excuse to the others about continuing their training elsewhere. Orion and the rest didn''t seem to notice the strangeness in their actions as they happily bid them goodbye. Rhys managed to drag Inna to his favorite secret hiding spot which was actually a cliff at the heart of the mountain forest west of the Oak dorms. Then, panting hard, he let go of Inna and sat on the cliff''s end as he tried to calm his erratic heartbeat. Half of the reason why he''s breathless was because he was scared. The other was because he was trying his hardest in dragging Inna who was grabbing everything she can reach in order to stop him from taking her further into the woods. Inna looked at him with visible confusion. There was a hint of fear and nervousness in her tone as she asked. "What was that for? Why did you bring me here? Are you going to¡­" Rhys sighed as he tried to spy on the Oak dorms from where they were. He couldn''t see who it was but he can feel that it was most certainly Master Azai. Seeing that they were at a safe distance, he decided to relax and appease Inna while casting a healing spell on Inna''s splintered hands since she basically grabbed every tree in existence just to stop him from dragging her further. "No, I''m not planning to do anything to you. Sorry if it was abrupt but we had to escape. A very important¡­ professor¡­ was teleporting inside the dorms and I had a feeling it was someone¡­ you wouldn''t want to meet." Inna raised her eyebrows in shock. She didn''t expect him to help her hide when just moments ago, he literally blackmailed her by threatening to expose her if she wouldn''t fight. Seeing the disbelief in her expression, Rhys sighed as he gave her a flat look. "I know what you''re thinking and you really didn''t think I would do that, did you? To think you would actually call my bluff and think that I was really blackmailing you... Seriously... If I wanted to expose you, I would''ve done it the moment I saw you in the Oak dorms." He rolled his eyes as he patted the space beside him to gesture for her to sit down. Inna narrowed her eyes in suspicion but she sighed and eventually gave in when she saw Rhys patiently smiling at her while tapping the spot incessantly. "I don''t understand you at all. Earlier you were this asshole that had anger issues who blackmails people to make them do what he wants. And now, you''re just¡­" Rhys leaned back in a relaxed pose as he titled his head to face her. "I''m what? Sweet? Charming? Endearing?" Inna scrunched up her face as she spat. "No. Annoying." Rhys raised both his eyebrows in shock. Then, a second later, he couldn''t help but burst into laughter. "Okay, I have to admit I had that one coming. But you see, I''m only an¡­ ''asshole''¡­ as you would put it, assuming from your tone that it''s a derogatory word, if I''m in a bad mood. And it just so happens that after someone asks a favor from me without even giving me details about it, I arrive in the dorms and see my whole room smashed. Now, who wouldn''t be a little angry from that, little idiot?" Inna glared at him when she heard his nickname for her and she was about to spit out some insults when Rhys stopped her with a finger on her lips. "Tut-tut. I''m speaking. Okay, where was I¡­" "Oh yes, I was angry from people messing up my things. Then, I saw you and I somehow had the urge to vent my anger on you. Too bad. Wrong place, wrong time, I guess. Besides, you were just too cute getting riled up with a few of my pranks." Inna didn''t seem to appreciate the compliment he gave her as she crossed her arms in irritation. "Oh, and what explains you letting go of the rope I was using to go down that wall? Don''t tell me that the rope slipped off your hands and that it was an accident?" Rhys laughed and then he spoke to her in such an obvious tone. "What? Of course not. I did it because it was fun. I wanted to see how you would react." Inna tried hard to stop herself from instinctively hitting him. "So, you decided to let go of the rope that was still being used by someone you just helped seconds ago to see how they would react to falling down? What the hell is wrong with your brain?! Are you actually crazy?!" "I have no idea why ''hell'' is brought into this topic but let me just say that you''re the one who''s crazy for trusting a stranger that offered a rope to you out of the blue." Inna curled up her top lip as she growled out. "I was desperate, okay?!" But Rhys countered her growl with a charming smile. "And I was bored. So, see? All is justified in the end." Inna groaned out in frustration. This guy! He was by far the most frustrating guy she ever talked with. It''s like he''s saying that he absolutely had no faults! Inna didn''t want to stay for a second longer so she shifted her legs to leave when Rhys suddenly spoke. "But I''d have to thank you for curing that boredom. It''s been so long since I''ve actually had a proper fight. My master has been doing a neglect play on me recently so I was pretty lonely." He batted his long eyelashes as he pouted. Inna grimaced at the beautifully disgusting sight and it made her momentarily forget that she was planning to leave. But after a few seconds, she remembered and she hurriedly stood up. Rhys didn''t want her to leave so he grabbed her sleeves as he spoke. "Hey... I might''ve been joking when I said you were my tutor but now, I kind of want it to be real." The sudden seriousness and sincerity in his tone made Inna freeze and stare at him curiously. What with the sudden mood swing? And was he saying what she thinks he''s saying? Rhys looked at her intently, the earlier amusement was completely gone in his expression. "Can you be my tutor?" Chapter 176 See You Again 1 "You can come in at any time! Just during prayer days are fine! I''m even fine with paying you any amount! Just name it!" Inna looked at him, unsure on how to reply. "Ah.. uhh¡­ w..why?" She can only spit that word out as she tried to figure the reason for the sudden offer. Why is he asking that? What''s with him all of a sudden? What''s this about being his tutor?! She can''t even fight properly without relying on her ''other'' state, so how the heck does he expect her to teach him?! Rhys didn''t seem to notice her inner turmoil as he replied. "What do you mean ''why''? Isn''t it obvious? You''re a strong fighter! Probably one of the best I know! And I''m a Combat student. Why wouldn''t I want to get stronger?" Inna sighed. It''s not her. That ''strong fighter'' he wanted isn''t her. She looked at him straight in the eye with a somber smile. "No thank you. Besides, I''m still a student in the Magic department so I wouldn''t have that much leisure time to actually come here much less teach someone. And judging from what I just did, I doubt I''ll ever be free during prayer days." Inna mumbled the last phrase but Rhys still heard it. Then, he realized his mistake. Oh yeah, he forgot that Raghnall was teaching her because she''s still in Starter rank. Wait a minute. "How did you even get into Eldora Academy with only starter rank?!" Inna gulped nervously as she tried to remember the excuse Solomon gave. "I met¡­ the headmaster and he just wanted to give me a chance to learn." Rhys raised an eyebrow at that. "The Headmaster? You met¡­ the Headmaster¡­ and he gave you the chance to learn? Just like that?" Wait, is she possibly¡­ Inna nodded but somehow, she felt unnerved by the way Rhys was looking at her. "Is there something wrong with that?" Rhys was cut off from his thoughts when she asked. He gave her an ambiguous smile as he spoke while rubbing his chin. "Nothing. Nothing." Inna tried to look for a way to change the subject before she might end up giving something away so, looking at him rubbing his chin, she asked. "So¡­.. you must be completely healed now?" Rhys noticed the sudden change in topic but he decided to go along with it with an amused smile. "Yes, yes. One healing spell is enough for my injuries. Though, honestly, I didn''t expect that you''d be able to get a clean hit on me." Inna remembered her sucker punch and she chuckled lightly. "That sure pissed you off good." Rhys furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at her incredulously. "I wasn''t pissed!" Inna snorted, clearly not hiding her disbelief. "Yeah, right. You were basically cutting me in half with the amount of anger in your eyes." Rhys laughed lightly when he heard her disbelieving tone. "Wait, speaking of eyes, my eyes are straining by constantly looking up so can you sit back down?" When Inna wordlessly sat back down beside him, he had on a satisfied smile as he continued to talk. "So, to clarify, I wasn''t pissed off. I was just¡­ mildly irritated at--" Inna scoffed. "THAT''S ''mildly'' irritated? Yeah, right." Rhys sighed. "Okay fine, I was pissed. I was pissed because you were actually hiding your capabilities! I thought you weren''t that good of a fighter so I felt I had to adjust to avoid you looking like a fool. But to think you actually know how to fight and you''re even especially good at it! It made me feel somehow stupid for being tricked, y''now." Inna didn''t expect his answer so she just stared at him wide-eyed. From Inna''s lack of response, Rhys felt that the conversation somehow died so he awkwardly scratched his head as he tried to think of another topic. "So¡­ what''s your name again?" When she heard his question, Inna burst into light laughter as she realized the ridiculousness of the situation. The guy beside her basically saved her and endangered her in the span of seconds, blackmailed her, fought with her, and was almost killed by her¡­ But to think that he doesn''t even know her name¡­ In a fit of laughter, Rhys couldn''t help but smile as he looked at her being a laughing mess. After a few seconds, Inna calmed down and she looked at Rhys with an amused expression. "I can''t believe I almost killed you and you don''t even know my name." Rhys chuckled as he looked back and realized how incredibly ironic it was as well. "Well, I did hear something like ''Nana'' but I''m not sure if it''s really your name or just a nickname." Ah¡­ He probably heard it from Orion back then. Inna mused and she decided to just use the name for now so, she nodded at him in affirmation. "Yeah, it''s my name. Just call me that." Rhys smiled as he tried the name on his lips. "Okay, Nana." Inna didn''t know how to continue the conversation anymore so she just decided to look over the view in front of them in silence. Since they were basically sitting on top of a cliff in the middle of the mountain, Inna expected the view to be just filled with trees. But she was pleasantly surprised when she saw a beautiful sight. The hues of red, yellow, and orange all blended perfectly together in the sky as the sun slowly hid behind the trees from the horizon. She couldn''t tear her eyes away from the picturesque breathtaking sunset. Looking back on the past days she spent on the academy, she just realized that it was actually the first time she ever sat down and relaxed and the first time she watched the sunset as well so she couldn''t help but sigh contentedly. Rhys heard her sigh and he couldn''t help but follow suit as well. "Aside from the fact that this is the best place to hide in the whole campus, it''s also the one with the best view of the sunset. It truly helps calm someone down, huh." Inna detected a hint of sadness behind his words and she gave him a curious look. Rhys didn''t seem to notice as he leaned back, showing a relaxed state. And he continued to speak to her while looking at the sunset. "Hey, so¡­ since you don''t want to be my tutor¡­ how can I see you again?" Chapter 177 See You Again 2 Inna widened her eyes. She absolutely had no clue how to answer his unexpected question. "Uhhhh, why... do you even want to see me again?" Rhys was silent for a moment as he contemplated. "I¡­ don''t know." Hearing the sincerity in his voice, Inna let out a small chuckle. "Don''t tell me that you actually like me?" She joked and was about to laugh it off when Rhys''s reply made her freeze. "Yeah, I do." Inna coughed awkwardly as she muttered. "Okay, I think I really did hit your head too hard..." Rhys smiled with amusement in his eyes. "Maybe¡­" Then, he looked back towards the setting sun. It was now almost fully concealed behind the trees, signaling the start of the night, and he once again reminisced on the events that just happened during the day. "So, you really don''t want to meet with me anymore? Well, I understand. Of course, you don''t like me. I did some pretty awful stuff." Inna can''t help but feel pity when she saw him hunch his shoulders. Then, after much hesitation, she sighed and she hoped she''s not going to regret her decision. "Of course, I¡­ like you¡­ a bit¡­I think¡­" Rhys brightened up. "Then, you mean--" "But not in that way!" Inna hurriedly added as she raised her hands slightly. "Right now, the ''like'' i mean is the ''I guess you''re okay though a little psycho but you''re pitiful and I don''t want to hurt your feelings since you can be pretty nice'' kind of like. You get me?" Rhys furrowed his brows as he tried to process what she just said. Inna sighed when she saw that he had no clue on what she meant so she decided to just say it simply. "I mean, though I can''t¡­ uhm... like you back¡­" Inna cringed lightly at the phrase as she willed herself to continue. "¡­we can always be¡­ friends?" Rhys looked at her with apprehension. Well, this is new. No one really asked to be his friend before. Most people usually just impose themselves on him ever since he was young. And after years of experiencing such shamelessness, he learned to distance himself and read people along with their hidden intentions towards him. Even Raghnall and Favian didn''t ask to be his friend back then. They actually became friends naturally by fighting with each other. And the irony wasn''t lost on him. Raghnall and he always had the itch to compete on everything and anything. And the main reason for that was due to their families being on almost equal standing when it comes to magical abilities. Well, if they didn''t become good friends as the years passed, he could even say that they were each other''s bitter rival. Thankfully, Favian was always there to mediate or stop their fights before they take it too personally. But to think someone he bullied would offer to be his friend. Rhys laughed hard as he reached out to pat her head. Inna flinched lightly when she saw him move his hand but when she felt his soft hands giving gentle pats on her head, she relaxed slightly. "Sure." Rhys''s laughter reduced to a chuckle as he ended his laugh. Truthfully, he was so sure of himself that she''ll accept his confession. But much to his dismay, he certainly didn''t think that she''d reject him. Well, that makes him like her even more. If she did just blindly accept it, his opinion of her would certainly lower. After all, he never believed the tales of those young women who fell in love at first sight. He had known stories who started with that fictional idea and ended with the people being tricked or conned by their respective partners. Hence, he always believed that the feelings of love start with individual interest and will then be cultivated from mutual understanding and compassion developed through time. And so, for her to accept his feelings despite not even knowing much about him aside from the fact that he''s strong and he loves picking on people, then it would ultimately mean that she''s just like those shallow girls who want men by their looks or power despite them having the worst attitudes or behaviors. And he would''ve immediately warned Raghnall about her. But although his earlier confession was just a test, the growing interest he had for her was something he admittedly can''t deny. She was genuine. She was straightforward. She was real. And he couldn''t help but commend Raghnall for being able to find someone like her in the sea of stuck up self-entitled delusional women in the Magic Department. So, with a smile on his face, he looked at her with a bright expression as he mumbled. "Friends... Can we¡­ really be friends? Despite everything?" Inna nodded slowly and his smile must''ve been contagious since she didn''t even notice that she was already curving her mouth upwards. "Yes. My gosh, don''t look so happy about it. It just makes you look so pitiful." Rhys laughed as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, who wouldn''t be happy when they just made a friend?" Then when he noticed that the sun has fully set and the darkness was looming in, Rhys sighed, his bright demeanor suddenly morphed into a depressed one. He looked at the darkening sky as he mumbled to himself. "Just realized that you''re also in the magic department¡­ I guess you''ll have to leave now that it''s near night time." Inna heard his mumbles from her heightened senses and she couldn''t help but look at him curiously. "Don''t you consider Orion, Arian, and the rest as friends? You all live in the same roof, after all." Rhys looked at her like she was stupid while he hunched over and rested his chin on his hand. "Just because we''re in the same dorm doesn''t mean we''re friends." "But you looked friendly with them?" "It''s because there''s not one rude bone in that Onion so he''s always kind to people. But it''s only the kindness of an acquaintance at best. They''re kind when I''m there, they don''t really care when I''m not. If you call that friendship, then everyone in the Combat department is my friend then." Inna scrunched her face up as she looked at him with confusion. "What do you mean by that?" Rhys sighed as he looked away, afraid that Inna would see the mixture of loneliness and irritation in his eyes. "It''s just like I said. When I''m there, they feel obligated to be friendly. But not once did I ever cross their minds in my absence. They go on and invite each other to either hang out and train, but never did they ever invite me on their own volition. I have always been an afterthought, an addition that they can live without. And I''m well aware that it was because of the weight of my name that makes them uncomfortable whenever they invite me or even when they''re around me. And I understand that. I really do, hence I don''t give anymore effort in trying to be friends with them. Seriously, what''s the use if they''re only going to get uncomfortable every time I''m there? I find it better just to be alone than to be with people who are always wary and calculative of their actions around me." He ranted as his eyebrows furrowed greatly, showing the repressed irritation and sadness he felt as he talked. Then, when he slightly calmed down, he finally looked at her and decided to conclude everything he said with one simple statement. "To put it simply, I just don''t belong." Chapter 178 See You Again 3 Then, he immediately looked away as he tried to calm the raging emotions he felt inside. He didn''t know why he was telling her all this. He never intended to rant that much. But somehow, once he started, his mouth didn''t seem to want to stop as he expressed what he truly felt. And soon afterward, he realized that he actually felt good when he finally released the thoughts he''s been harboring ever since he came to the academy. It must''ve been because the people he usually turned to were all on the other side of the wall now. Meanwhile, despite the intense emotions she felt behind his words, Inna could only understand the first half of his rant. Yet somehow she still was able to get what he was trying to convey. And when he finally said his last statement, Inna couldn''t help but instinctively wrap her arms around his neck tightly. "I.. I know this is inappropriate but¡­ but¡­" Oh god, she didn''t know why she felt a huge wave of sympathy coursing through her. But when she thought of it deeply, she finally knew why. She saw it in his eyes, his tone, and his expression. Even if they literally just met a few hours ago... Even if it was just for a moment¡­ She somehow saw herself in him. And she couldn''t help but give him the thing that she herself wanted the most. Comfort. Although alarmed from the sudden action, Rhys didn''t seem to mind her hug. Instead, he was about to hug back, but he somehow felt that it was an inappropriate thing to do so he opted for patting her head instead. He stroked and patted it, and had fun messing it up that he nearly forgot what they were talking about in the first place. He felt all his irritation and loneliness go away and when he was just about to stop and let go, he noticed that her brown locks seemed to have curled itself into his fingers and he couldn''t help but think of it as cute. Heh, even her hair hugged his fingers. Rhys wanted to speak up and say that he was okay with it. After all, he''s been isolated most of his life if he doesn''t count the times he''s met up with Raghnall and Favian. So, with a somber chuckle, he spoke with an even voice. "Oh c''mon. It''s not such a big deal. I''m used to it. Anywa--" But he wasn''t given the chance to finish because Inna was quick to cut him off. "Uh... we''re friends, right? So, I will¡­ visit you¡­ I''ll come and find a way to visit you if I have some spare time, okay?! Let''s... hang out and teach each other some fighting moves, okay?!" Inna hugged tighter after every pause she had and Rhys couldn''t help but chuckle at her attempts of comfort. It''s very charming that he can''t help but smile. "Okay, okay. I''ll look forward to that." Truthfully, Rhys''s neck was starting to feel sore from bending down from her hug but he didn''t mind it in the least as he continued to stroke her hair until she let go. Seeing that she wasn''t letting go soon, he decided to continue the conversation to avoid him having to deal with the awkwardness of hugging in silence. "Well, to be honest, I kind of feel bad for taking and you not receiving so, what can I give back to you?" Inna finally let go then, she looked at Rhys with confusion. "What? I don''t need you to give me anything. I don''t want it to seem like I became your friend just because you''re giving me something in return. That''s just weird." Rhys looked at her with shining pitiful eyes as he spoke sadly but with a hint of playfulness behind it. "But I don''t want to be a selfish brute who asks my friend to visit me, make time for me, and teach me without giving at least something in return." Inna tried hard to avoid looking at his tantalizing grey eyes as she stood her ground. But after a few annoying pokes from Rhys, she finally relented. "Okay fine. Just¡­ well¡­ Just give me food whenever I visit? I think that''d be acceptable." Well, whenever she did come over to any of her friends'' houses, she goes straight for their fridge so she found it to be the one thing that wouldn''t weight too much on her conscience. Rhys''s face scrunched up almost immediately at the mention. "So you just want vegetables?" Instantly, Inna grimaced. "Fuck no." Rhys''s titled his head as confusion showed in his expression. "Isn''t that what you women eat in the Magic Department? Something about that belief of absorbing the mana from the magical plants." Inna understood why he thought that way but she still couldn''t hide her disgust when it came to leafy greens. "I¡­ don''t eat.. those. I''d rather have meat." Rhys was speechless. He didn''t expect her to choose that. But the absence of his response made Inna feel that she was being too shameless so she decided to withdraw her earlier statement. "Well¡­ I''m okay with¡­ anything you can give. Ehe." Rhys snapped out of his shock when he noticed Inna becoming meek. "Oh no, no, no. It''s alright. I can have it arranged." Then, he gave a small laugh while muttering under his breath. "Interesting." Reaching into his pristine spatial pouch, he grabbed a bag of his favorite sweets and a golden bangle. "Here you go." Inna looked curiously at the items on his hands. "What''s that?" Rhys placed the bag filled with sweets on her lap as he slowly offered to her the golden bangle. Inna gingerly picked it up as she examined it. The golden bangle was a thin one, about half an inch thick and it''s size also matched its light weight. Due to its small size, Inna couldn''t help but find it beautiful and feminine, especially when she noticed the intricate details on it. The bangle had a breathtaking design of ivies circling around it that made the illusion of ivies wrapping around the wearer''s hand. In the middle of the bangle, Inna saw a red gem as big as her nail which glittered under the moonlight. Looking closely, it had a design of a rose engraved into it. Judging from the size and shine of the gem alone, she can already tell that it must be one hell of an expensive bangle. Inna couldn''t seem to pry her eyes away. It was her first time seeing a bangle that stunning and luxurious near her. Then, she carefully held it with two hands, trying to distance it away from the looming cliff in case she might accidentally drop it. Rhys noticed her being so engrossed and impressed over its designs that he couldn''t help but smile in pride. "You like it? I made it myself. And I''m giving it to you." Inna whipped her head to look at Rhys in shock. "W-what? I can''t possibly receive such a¡­ beautiful and expensive thing. I-I''m sorry but I think I''ll have to pass. Fucking hell, if I lose this thing, I wouldn''t be able to live with myself." She muttered at the end as she observed the chining bangle. Then, ignoring her inner desire to keep something so pretty and luxurious, she slowly and carefully pushed it back to Rhys''s hands. But he just grabbed her hand that held the bangle mid push and he laughed lightly. Though Inna didn''t know why, she noticed that his eyes held relief as he stared at her. "Okay, what if I say it''s something to commemorate our friendship? Will you still return it?" Inna gritted her teeth in frustration when she heard it but she was still stubborn about returning it. "But¡­" Rhys didn''t seem to take no for answer as he added another statement. "And returning it means you''re rejecting my friendship." Inna let out a groan of annoyance as she playfully glared at him. "When you put it that way, I can''t possibly return it!" Then, Inna sighed as she stared at her hand that was still being held by Rhys. "You''re not giving me a choice at all, are you?" Rhys pushed her hand along with the bangle back to her with a cheeky smile. "Nope." Chapter 179 Best Example Of An Asshole "You really have a habit of blackmailing people, huh." Inna remarked as she carefully wore the beautiful bangle on her wrist. Rhys laughed and he couldn''t help but agree with her. "I''m afraid to say that it has become a habit nowadays." Then, he stared at the bangle with a glint in his eyes as he spoke. "But seriously, don''t feel too bad about taking it. It''s something that can let you enter and leave the Combat Department easily once you show it by the main gates. Just think of it as a guest pass of some sort." Inna raised her eyebrows as she admired the ivy designs that seemed to wrap prettily around her wrist. "Well, why didn''t you say so! I wouldn''t reject something that''s useful!" Rhy joined her in admiring the bangle on her wrist while he spoke. "Just¡­ don''t show it to others in the combat department aside from the guards. And go straight to the oak dorms, okay?" Inna found the conditions he set out strange but she didn''t think much into it. He probably didn''t want it to get exposed much since it might get stolen by someone. Well, luckily her sleeves were long enough to cover her wrists so the only way they could be seen would be when she either raises her arms or her sleeves. Then, when she moved her hand slightly, the bangle started to dangerously slide out of her wrist. Fortunately, she noticed it just before it could completely slide off and she quickly brought her hand and the bangle towards her chest in fear of it falling. Feeling her heart hammering out her chest, she sighed in relief when she saw that the bangle was safe. "Oh my god, that was close. Hey, is there any way for this thing to¡­ shrink a bit? I''m afraid that if I so much as flick my wrist, the thing might go flying off to the other side of the world." Rhys furrowed his brows as he tried to recall its mechanism. He made it years ago and almost forgot about it so he had trouble recalling which trigger made it shrink. Giving it a try, he held her wrist as he tapped on the red ruby''s engraved rose which he himself crafted. "Scrincan." The ruby reacted to the magic poured in by Rhys making it glowed brightly. And much to Inna''s amazement, the ivies started to convulse and move, soon compressing themselves as they fit around her wrist snugly. Rhys checked to see whether it was too tight or just the right size but seeing Inna''s bright happy smile, he figured that it must be just the right size. "So, if you want it to remove it, just trigger the spell inside it. The word for making it bigger is ''streccan'' and in a second, it''ll go back to its original size." Inna nodded obediently and she decided to try it out. "Streccan." The red gem glowed bright and the ivies started to elongate and move back to their earlier position. "Scrincan." Just as Inna expected, the red gem glowed brightly once again and it shrunk back into place. Barely holding in her excitement from the magical effects, she squealed in delight. Oh sweet mother of all, this is the first time she ever had such a cool effect on jewelry. The black diamond necklace she had from Ulima seemed like a rock by the side of the road if she compared it to the thing she currently had on her wrist. When he saw her face lit up from such a simple spell, Rhys couldn''t help but chuckle. "Since I gave you that, better visit me soon, okay? It''s been a while since I had so much fun. And I feel like it''s been forever since I had someone to talk to and tease. Though I had to admit, we started off in the worst possible way." Inna laughed as she agreed. She couldn''t even believe that all of the events and the thrills she had only happened in a single day. And seeing them right now, she couldn''t help but laugh again at the ridiculousness of how her day concluded. Rhys tried to hurt her. And she tried to kill him. But look at them being friends at the end of the day. Just the thought of it was enough to make her laugh for weeks. Noticing the bright glare of the moonlight, Rhys knew that Inna should get back to the other side. Although he knew that, he still didn''t want to end what they had right now so he decided to just draw out their conversation until she herself decided to leave. "Hey, Nana." "Yes?" "Say my name." "Rhys?" "Nana." "Rhys." "Nana." Inna furrowed her brows. Where was he going with this? "Yes, Rhys?" Wracking his brain for a question, Rhys looked at her with innocent eyes as he asked her with a serious expression. "What does ''asshole'' mean?" Inna choked on her saliva as she tried to keep a straight face. "Uh¡­. why are you asking?" Rhys replied with a glint of curiosity as he recalled the time she said it. "You always call me that. And I have a feeling that I should be offended when you do but I don''t know what it means so I can''t be sure." Inna gulped as she shakily smiled. Would he be pissed if she really told him the real meaning? She decided against it and instead chose to play a prank on him instead. Well, it''s not like he''ll learn what it means from someone else so she decided to have her small revenge from him teasing her. With an amused smile, Inna began to explain what it was while trying to hide the laughter that was dying to come out. "Actually, ''asshole'' is a term I give to handsome powerful men. And so when I saw you, I immediately knew you were an asshole." Rhys looked at her suspiciously as he spoke. "Are you sure it''s not a derogatory term? I always feel some malice whenever you say it. Inna''s eyes widened as she sputtered an excuse. "Ah¡­ uh... that''s because I was pissed at you! Anything I say will have malice when I feel angry while saying it." Rhys saw that her excuse was plausible so he didn''t question it further. Instead, he smirked as he focused on something else. "So, by calling me that, that must mean¡­ you find me handsome and powerful?" Inna shakily smiled at him, witholding the laughter she so badly want to release, as she spoke. "Yeah, you''re the best example of an asshole." Chapter 180 Raghnall Vs Bangle Rhys puffed up his chest in pride but Inna just snickered. She felt the laughter she''s been holding about to burst but before she could let it out, she suddenly shivered from a cold gust of wind that passed by them. She wrapped her hands around her as her teeth clattered. Looking around, she realized that the moon was actually now high in the night sky. And since they were surrounded by trees, the winds were now as cold as ice that she couldn''t help but shiver involuntarily. Her thin robes did nothing to keep her warm so she began rubbing her palms together to generate even the smallest of hear. Rhys noticed her shivering and he sighed. He knew that she had to go back. The forests here were known to be extremely cold during nights and he knew that if she stayed longer, she''ll most likely catch a cold. So, he stood up from his position and offered his hand to help her up. Inna took his hand and she dusted herself off when she was steady on her feet. Rhys felt the pinpricks on his face from the icy chill of the wind. Then, he gestured for Inna to follow him as he walked. "C''mon. You have to leave now. The winds here at these times are cold and violent so it''ll be dangerous if we stay here any longer. Don''t worry, i''ll sneak you back to the walls." Inna nodded and followed him wordlessly as she tried to stop herself from shivering. And after about an hour, Inna was finally able to return back. She waved goodbye at Rhys who was on the top of the wall as she ran towards the direction of her dorm. According to Rhys, she was currently near the East Protected Forest of the Academy. And if she were to follow the map she had, she''ll arrive in her dorms in no time. Inna carefully treaded the forests, trying to be careful to avoid her getting lost. Then, after about three hours or so of walking, getting lost twice, and figuring out where the right path was on her own, she finally saw the familiar house. She ran towards it, excited to finally attack her bed when she noticed someone by the porch. She stopped mid-run as she cautiously tried to see who it was. Then, when she saw the familiar face illuminated by the moonlight, she couldn''t help but gulp nervously. It was Raghnall! She almost forgot that she actually ran away from his training. Inna silently walked towards him as she readied her sickly sweet smile that she hoped would make Raghnall forgive her. But just as she was about to speak, Raghnall beat her to it. "You ran away from me." He said in a sulky tone as he huffed. Hearing it, Inna laughed nervously as she tried to appease him. "W-well, I''m back now, aren''t I?" Raghnall turned his back to her as he crossed his arms. "That doesn''t change the fact that you ran away. And you actually stayed out for a whole day." Inna sighed as she squatted in front of him. She knew it was going to take a while so she decided to make herself comfortable. "But I''m back and I''m now more motivated than ever to start training!" The forced positivity in her voice made Raghnall click his tongue. She waited for him to reply but it seems that he''s just blatantly ignoring her. She continued to talk, hoping it could lessen his sulkiness. "Did you know that I can already fight with my eyes closed? I did amazing with applying what I learned, right?" Still not replying, Inna sighed as she looked at him seriously. "Hey... One whole week with only about four to six hours of sleep¡­ do you think I can still function normally without giving myself a break? I want to be strong, yes. But I don''t want to ruin myself along the way. Besides, I''m only asking for one day per month. Can''t you give me that at the very least?" Raghnall sighed when he heard the hidden sadness and exhaustion in her voice. Well, he had to admit that what he''s doing isn''t certainly helping her. He was too obsessed and in a hurry for her to get stronger. He just didn''t want her to¡­ end up the same as before. And he didn''t realize that what he ended up doing was suffocating her instead which was endangering her body. With guilt in his mind, he finally turned around to acknowledge Inna. "I¡­ understand. And I apologize for asking too much from you. You were obviously tired and stressed out from all the things you had to do and I failed to see that since you were always so¡­ cheerful whenever we meet. And instead of helping, I was only adding more to your stress by forcing you to train. I guess a break once in a while won''t hurt." Inna smiled and she reached out to pat his head. But before her hand could even come in contact with his hair, Raghnall grabbed it roughly. "What''s this?! Where did you get this?!" Inna struggled to release her hand but her efforts were futile. Raghnall''s grip was far too sturdy for her to shake off. She looked at him incredulously as she spoke. "What''s with you?! I just got it from a friend!" Raghnall''s grip tightened as his expression darkened. Then, his other hand grabbed the bangle and he suddenly uttered a spell. "Streccan." Inna gasped in shock and she swiftly countered his spell with another spell. "Scrincan!" Then, using all the power she can muster, she roughly shook off both his hands and withdrew a few steps back as she cautiously stared at him. "What the heck are you doing?!" Was Raghnall trying to remove the bangle from her?! Raghnall clicked his tongue in annoyance as he stared at the annoying bangle. Then, he looked at Inna impatiently while pointing at the bangle. "Hurry and take it off before someone sees it!" Utterly startled and confused, Inna had trouble following his command. She held on the bangle tightly as she looked at him suspiciously. "Why?!" Raghnall looked conflicted and he started to sputter. But he soon decided to just answer her vaguely. "Just because!" Hearing his halfhearted answer, Inna was starting to get angry. "If you won''t give me a solid reason, then I''m not taking it off! It''s something important that was given to me by a friend and I''m not someone who would remove it for a reason of ''just because''!" Raghnall gritted his teeth in frustration. Why was she not listening?! Does she not know what that thing was?! He really didn''t want her carrying that around. Nothing good ever comes from wearing it. It''s bound to just cause trouble. But if she wouldn''t take it off without a valid reason¡­ Then if he told her everything about it, would she take it off? Raghnall was about to explain his actions when a loud shout made both him and Inna jump. "Can you lovebirds fight tomorrow?! Someone is trying to sleep and your incessant quarreling is making me want to throw a knife at your throats! And you Mr. Raghnall! Visiting hours are over! Get out and go back to your own dorm! And if I hear your voice still there, I''ll be calling your prefect over and you''ll have to answer to him!" Ulima''s cranky voice startled both of them as they instinctively looked at the house in shock. Hearing Ulima''s warning, Raghnall had no choice but to leave. So, with gritted teeth, he looked at Inna seriously. "If you''re not going to return it, or throw it away, you should just keep it hidden inside your pouch where no one can see. That thing is more trouble than it''s worth. Trust me. So hide it at all costs." Then with those last words, he turned around and walked until he disappeared into the dense mass of trees. Chapter 181 Just What Is That Bangle? Watching the direction where Raghnall just left, Inna began to wonder what issue he had with the bangle. She stared hard at it, hoping that the more she looked the more she''ll be able to understand why he had such an adverse reaction to her wearing it. But no matter how hard she stared at it from every angle, she just couldn''t make sense of Raghnall''s outburst. Was the bangle really something that''ll bring her trouble? Did Rhys lie about him personally making it? Was it a stolen item? Or maybe a cursed thing? Was it previously owned by a vengeful rich noble? Oh no, will the ghost of the owner come to claim it or something? She was beginning to get scared of her own thoughts. Well, maybe she should just keep it in her pouch just to be safe. And it''s not like it has any use in the Magic Department besides being a pretty bangle. So she decided to adhere with Raghnall''s words and after expanding it with the spell, she gingerly placed it inside her spatial pouch. At the same time, Raghnall was staring at the top of the huge wall that separated the two departments as he slowly walked near it. He went back to his dorm briefly to cast an illusion spell to make others believe that he was sleeping in his room. Then, he quickly went to the border wall where he knew Rhys was waiting on top of it. After casting a floating spell, Raghnall was finally able to see Rhys face to face. Rhys was previously laying down and looking at the stars but when he saw Raghnall at the corner of his eye, he sat up excitedly and he greeted him with a smile. "Hey there, asshole!" Raghnall furrowed his brows as he heard the uncanny word and he couldn''t help but ask. "Asshole?" Rhys smiled cheekily as he nodded. "Yeap, you''re an asshole too. Though I''m much more of an asshole than you. I''m like, the best asshole there is." He then puffed his chest as though to emphasize. Meanwhile, Raghnall looked at Rhys weirdly. "Who told you this? And what does that word even mean?" Rhys placed his hand behind him as he leaned on it. He looked nonchalant but he held a boastful tone in his voice that made Raghnall''s eye twitch. "Nana said that it''s a word used to address handsome and powerful men. And she told me that I''m the best example of it." Raghnall hid the surprise he felt from his friend''s words. Nana? Is that his¡­ nickname for her? Does that mean that they''ve talked and got friendly with each other while she was on the other side? Raghnall''s hand clenched in irritation but he didn''t let it show on his face and tone. "Oh, so it was ''Nana'' who told you, huh. You two must be so close now." Despite hearing a hint of venom in Raghnall''s tone, Rhys''s bright smile didn''t seem to diminish in the least as he started telling Raghnall about his fun day. "Hey, hey, hey, did you know that she tore through one of the walls in the oak dorms using her face? Talk about a thick face, am I right?" Rhys was finally able to release the huge guffaw that he wanted to release when he knew of what happened. Then, without giving Raghnall the chance to react, he began to talk rapidly again. He was like a child telling his parents excitedly what he did during the day and Raghnall couldn''t help but lightly smile, easing his irritation, as he looked at his old friend. "And, and, I told them she was my tutor and I sparred with her! It was so much fun! She was actually able to help me weaken the seals in my magic! And that old man Azai probably didn''t even notice it! She''s just amazing, I swear!" Raghnall''s smile immediately dropped after hearing Rhys and he looked at him with a dark expression. "What¡­ did you say? You FOUGHT with her?! I can''t believe you would fight with someone I asked to PROTECT! And what?! She weakened the seals without Master Azai knowing? If I remember correctly, those seals can only be affected when death is involved. Does that mean¡­" Rhys smiled playfully as he answered his unasked question. "Yep. She almost killed me. Well, she ''choked'' me, just to be specific. And she did it enough to actually affect the seal. Cool, right? Never had a girl choke me before. It was an eye-opening experience, I tell you. It might even become a new fetish of mine." Rhys joked and laughed nonchalantly but Raghnall seemed to fail to find the humor in the situation. Noticing Raghnall''s unamused expression which was mixed with disbelief and rage, Rhys pouted. "C''mon. I didn''t hit her at all. In fact, she was the one landing blows on me. Well, I did plan to finish the fight before someone important arrives by knocking her out." Raghnall clenched his jaw and the waves of rage from him made Rhys a bit nervous. "But you know that I''m aware that there are painless ways of knocking someone out, right? So, back then I had everything under control. Well, until she tried killing me which I had to admit was very unpredictable. Oh, and Master Azai coming back. That was also unpredictable." Filled up with rage and irritation, Raghnall was about to burst when Rhys cut him off quickly. "BUT I WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE WITH HER! We went to the forest to hide! I swear she wasn''t seen! Heavens, you really should control your temper, asshole." Raghnall''s swallowed all his rage when he heard that Inna wasn''t caught. Rhys was known to be reckless and irresponsible at times, but once he promised to do something, he''ll really do it without fail. But the thing he hated the most was being ordered around so back then, Raghnall wasn''t sure whether he''ll actually protect her or just pick on her. And now, he''s glad that his friend actually tried protecting her despite the way he ordered him to. Meanwhile, during Raghnall''s silence as he tried to calm his emotions, Rhys was reminiscing of the events that happened with her and he couldn''t help but chuckle. "You know, it''s been a while since I''ve had this much fun. From the few days being here, I can already say it''s boring but somehow when she arrived, it made the academy somewhat interesting. She even offered to be my friend! How cute is that?" Raghnall''s eye twitched as he heard Rhys''s words but he hid his irritation behind a blank expression. "You say that she wanted to be friends? But you don''t obviously see her like that, do you?" Despite Raghnall hiding it, Rhys was still able to sense his displeasure and he couldn''t help but form a small smile. "So, I take it that you saw what I gave her?" Raghnall stared at him as he tried his best to ask him in an even voice as though he wasn''t seemingly affected. "So, care to explain the sudden decision to give that to her?" Rhys shrugged as he shifted his position to a squatted one. "I took a liking to her, simple as that." Raghnall sat on air as he sighed in annoyance. "And what could possibly make you like that strange girl?! I thought you hated women." Rhys smiled as he recalled Inna and their earlier interactions. "Well, she is certainly strange. But it''s a good kind of strange. She''s a good strange girl. Plus, she''s different from the women I''ve come to hate. You and I both know what type of women I detest the most since you detest them all the same. But she''s the complete opposite of them so I see no reason why I shouldn''t like her." Raghnall stared at Rhys hard, trying to see whether his affection was truly deep. But no matter how he looked at it, he can never understand Rhys''s rash decision. "You say that you took a liking to her? But giving her a courting bangle means more than just ''taking a liking.'' It''s basically claiming her instead." Rhys snickered at the sour face Raghnall instinctively made for a second. And he was able to finally confirm his suspicions. "Sorry, sorry. I guess you were aiming for her as well?" Raghnall didn''t like the knowing condescending smile that spread across Rhys''s face so he just gave him a mysterious smile in return. "Just be careful with her. She''s quite¡­ unpredictable. And you know I''ll always support you and your future prospects." Chapter 182 Modor A man in his red fiery robes peered at the wilting lilies as he stood in the middle of his courtyard''s garden. They stood out far too much to his liking and greatly contrasted the beauty of the exotic garden that was given to him despite his refusal. This exotic garden he''s been accustomed to seeing these past few days were filled with various flowers and shrubs that seemed too bright for his tastes. And their vibrant colors shows the great vitality they had in them and the great care given to them, except for the lilies by the forgotten side of the garden. The lilies were dull and wrinkled, indicating the process of wilting. Some of them drooped towards the ground while some still stood upright, as though they are refusing to bend towards the will of the world. And the man couldn''t help but admire these lilies despite their grotesque appearance. Because these wilting flowers, although dying from thirst, were still trying their hardest to survive by stealing the other''s nutrients as they sway along the chilly night. "Come out. I know you''re there, Modor." The man caressed the lilies with his fingertips before slowly turning around to meet the dark blue eyes of the man he expected most to see. Modor smiled as he stepped out of the shadows. His long silky hair was black as night as it floated with his every movement. But despite the elegance of his beauty, the aura around him was light and playful. He had his hands clasped behind his neck in a casual manner and with a slight hop in his steps, he drew near to the man. "Aw, you''re no fun at all, Sal. I was going to sneak up and surprise you but you went and ruined it all with your heightened senses. Can''t you just play along and pretend to be surprised for once?" The man furrowed his brows when he heard the name that Modor used to refer to him. "You and I are both Kings that were given proper names used to address us. So use it." Modor snorted as he sarcastically spoke, intending to annoy the heck out of the man. He began to obnoxiously walk and jump around him as well while he spoke so that he would hopefully get a great reaction from him. "Oookayyy, Saleziel. Whatever you say, Saleziel. Are you happy now, Saleziel? It''s so tiresome to say everything all the time, Saleziel. Three syllables in a name are far too long, Saleziel. I always make it a rule where having more than two syllables in a name denotes for it to have a nickname, Saleziel. See, Saleziel? I might one day accidentally bite my tongue just by saying your name, Saleziel." Hearing his name being uttered incessantly with that infuriating tone, Saleziel finally had enough. He glared at Modor as he slowly walked close to him. "You. You''re really the only one I can''t stand in all the Heavens." Modor saw his exasperated expression and he couldn''t help but giggle in delight. Hearing the glee in Modor''s giggle, Saleziel clicked his tongue in irritation which made Modor giggle again. Now that Saleziel was in his alter ego, Modor was really excited to see more of Saleziel''s reactions since he barely had any back in his real body. "How does it feel to reside in a body you haven''t used for centuries? Actually, it''s been so long since I saw you use an alter ego. Why''s that?" Saleziel glared at him and it made Modor chuckle. "Still hating humans, I see. Still, I can''t fathom the fact that you hate humans but you''re in charge of them. They''re partly in your domain and in mine as well ever since ''he who shall not be called'' was¡­ you know¡­ Besides weren''t you also o--" He didn''t know whether it was Mordor''s pestering or his tone that caused it but Saleziel suddenly felt the irritation in him start to bubble up and before he knew it, he suddenly bursted. "I don''t need to explain myself to you! But my hatred isn''t just something unreasonable! If you were in my domain, you''d be able to see how dirty they''re willing to become just to cling on to their short lives!" Modor widened his eyes at the sudden outburst and before he knew it, he was bent over, laughing as hard as his puny human body can ever possibly endure. "Oh man, that was a shock. You haven''t adjusted at all, have you? Look at you being all cute screaming like that. It''s already been more than a week but you still didn''t adjust well with the human emotions of your alter ego, huh." Saleziel''s mouth twitched in annoyance as he tried to calm himself. He thought he adjusted well these past few days but since there was no one to provoke him, he couldn''t be truly sure. But now that Modor''s here, the little control he had over his emotions somehow snapped and he realized that he really couldn''t handle human emotions well. Modor finally ended his round of laughter with a deep exhale. "Well, that''s what you get for not using it often. And don''t underestimate human emotions. They''re a hundred times more expressive and irrational than ours. Back in our real bodies, it''s easier to hide and dampen it but in this form, you just can''t help but express it." If he were to give an analogy it''ll be like the difference in reactions when giving cookies to a kid and to an adult man. So, Modor started to seriously instruct him with a smile. "So, just try to relax and breathe deeply before you try to speak about anything. Some emotions get too overwhelming as well so make sure you calm yourself with a few breathing techniques, okay? And you should go out more and observe or talk to people. It helps stabilize and normalize your reactions so that you''d know the appropriate way to react." Saleziel sighed as he heeded Modor''s words. As much as he disliked Modor, he knew he had to listen to him since he''s been in his alter ego the most amongst all Kings. But in the middle of calming down, he looked at Modor''s dark blue eyes and he recalled something instantly. He recalled the blue sparkling messenger he sent in Hel Halja which surprised him. The little thing that started this whole chase. "Why was your messenger there in my domain while I was handing out judgments?" He grounded out as he stared at Modor with curiosity and animosity. Modor didn''t seem fazed by his animosity or the sudden question. Instead, he gave him a casual but oddly mysterious smile. "Don''t worry, Sal. It''s just the Fates doing their job." Saleziel narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure out what Modor was up to. "No ''fate'' ever interfered with my domain unless there was an emergency. That soul was no emergency! In fact, it instead led to a calamity! Tell me, Modor, what exactly is happening here? Why was one of your butterfly messenger there? And why did it have the message of ''Help'' resonated to my original self and not to the clones?" Modor''s eyes widened and much to Saleziel''s surprise, he suddenly laughed out loud. "Oh no, sorry, that one bit was because the little thing was scared of being eaten. Sorry about that. But I can assure you that everything will be better if you leave it all to the Fates." Saleziel wanted to drill him more questions but he knew that Modor wouldn''t ever budge when it comes to his domain. So, with a sigh, he reigned in his emotions as he faced Modor. Modor saw his conflicted expression and he couldn''t help but smile sadly. He really hated the fact that he can''t help but that''s just how he was anointed to be. "You know full well my lips are sealed. But soon, you''ll once again ask for my help about this lost soul. And I can only answer your questions when that time comes. So, until then, just try to adjust to your human body, okay?" Saleziel gritted his teeth but he understood him so he nodded. He knew he couldn''t do anything and he wasn''t allowed to know anything more. Leave it all to the Fates, as always. So, without so much as a goodbye, he retreated back to his manor that was a great distance away from the garden. With a smile, Modor watched his back get smaller and smaller. Then when he no longer saw him by the distance, with the use of his ability, he closed his eyes. And just as he predicted, he started to see everything that was about to unfold. Little girl, don''t let him catch you just yet. Chapter 183 A Kings Guardian Saleziel felt Modor''s presence vanish and he stopped his stride momentarily. "Shi San, Shi wu." The two reapers immediately appeared behind him with grace in their movements. Then, they both knelt on one knee as a sign of deep respect and servitude. "Anything to report about the man that was held hostage?" Hearing Saleziel''s question, Shi San answered with his head bowed down, not daring to look at the King of Souls. "He seems to be cooperative and calm, Esteemed diety. He didn''t cause any trouble to the Emperor''s servants that served him in the past days. So far, his only wish was to be moved towards a room with a better view." Then, Shi Wu added what he observed as well. "There''s been no suspicious activity towards the people he''s interacted with as well. Though, from recent days, he''s become quite too friendly with one of the palace maids." Saleziel slowly nodded as he listened intently. Then, he waved his hand lightly to gesture for the Reapers to stand. "A friend wouldn''t hurt. It might help him feel less¡­ caged. Just continue to monitor him in the unlikely case he''ll try something. But don''t touch him in any way. If he tries to escape, report to me immediately. Remember, only when the deadline is up, can you take his soul." The Reapers made a grunt indicating they understood his orders. Then they gracefully stood up and bowed before disappearing into thin air. When both Reapers were gone, Saleziel continued to slowly walk towards the empty manor, a place given to him by Anemoly''s Emperor. His manor was actually the Emperor''s most well-hidden estate known only to the current and previous Emperors. Though, in a normal human''s eye, it was much less of an estate but more of a religious shrine dedicated for Kings like him. It was because the Kings were revered as Immortals in the Eriden, the current religion of the world he''s in. And he was able to garner the help of the current Anemolian Emperor due to a great tradition and agreement they upheld for thousands of years. Centuries ago, the Anemolian royal family was chosen to be something like a King''s Guardian. In fact, in every world made, there would be a bloodline chosen by the Fates, that will receive the role of a King''s Guardian. And the duty of a King''s Guardian is simple. Once a King descends into their world through an alter ego, they help them with worldly affairs that needed massive human intervention. The Kings rely on them since the Kings or any heavenly figures for that matter are prohibited from interfering too much on human relations to avoid tipping the balance of the world. Hence, they use the King''s Guardian to help with their work. And these chosen Guardians would always gladly agree since, as part of the agreement, the Kings would make sure that there would be peace in their nation. But to avoid imposters from parading as Immortals or Kings, a certain phrase would be passed down from generation to generation on that chosen bloodline. And once a King visits and uses that phrase, then the Emperor would know that he was a real Immortal. And when the King leaves, a new phrase will be given by the King and will be once again passed down from generation to generation. But a King rarely comes to visit so some rulers in the bloodline would never even have the chance of hearing someone ever using the phrase in their whole lifetime. So when the Emperor of Anemoly finally heard someone use it, through his joy, he somehow overdid his welcoming, having prepared to set up a feast in honor of his name. But Saleziel turned him down quickly, saying that he wished for the Emperor to respect the secrecy of his presence. Hence, the Emperor just settled on giving him a whole oversized manor, which was as big as a football stadium, filled with differently design rooms and furnishings along with thousands of servants. But much to the King''s disappointment, Saleziel immediately told the King to remove any human from his sight. So, only the overgrown manor remained. Actually, the whole manor used to be just a humble home built to be a place for Heavenly Kings to simply reside in. But the numerous rulers of the following generations saw it as unbefitting of such a powerful being. Hence, they enhanced the manor more and more while hoping to please the King. And as time passed, the manor just grew and grew from all the pampering and money spent by the Anemolian Emperors. Now, in Saleziel''s eyes, it looked simply like a tool intended to gain favor of a powerful being. The lingering emotions behind almost every object were just screaming of greed and lust for power and wealth. He remembered when he first arrived a week ago. When the Emperor showed him the manor, it was everything that could be expected coming for a rich bloodline. It was about three storey high, with approximately sixty rooms inside it. Though, surprisingly, the architecture was quite good. It had a great feel of a Victorian Mansion with its linings and intricate details on its outer appearance. But inside was a chimera of designs, each hall were designed differently but the things at every room and hall all share the same quality. They were all made from precious and expensive materials that can make a poor man shrivel up in anger at how unnecessarily lavish they were. But sadly, as the days passed, the beauty of the mansion was lost to Saleziel. Because in his eyes, he can only see the abuse and the death of slaves from past centuries and the greed and expectations the rulers had as they built the manor. And so, he could never calm down whenever he''s in it. Hence, he preferred to stay by the gardens instead of inside the manor. And the only time he''d ever enter was when his fragile human body needed to sleep. But since he knew that the best way to get used to his human emotions was to trigger them, he decided that his first step to help him adjust to his body''s emotions was to stay in the manor longer than usual to try and control himself towards things he disliked. And after trying out more methods, Saleziel finally got used to his human emotions. And by that time, only half a month was left before the Yearly Assessment Tournament. Chapter 184 Making Her Move Knowing that the tournament they''ve been waiting for was drawing near, Inna couldn''t help but feel melancholic as she recalled the days of her suffering. After that incident of her running away and refusing to remove the bangle, she trained so hard with Raghnall that it somehow felt like he was taking his revenge on her slowly. He had her running laps around the dorm with a blindfold¡­ She had to eat her lunch using magic and no hands¡­ And she even tried to cast spells with a gag on her mouth. She didn''t know how the heck she was able to do all of them but somehow, through Raghnall''s guidance, she was able to perform them easily that she even felt that she could actually win the tournament. But one thing that irked her was the looks Raghnall shot to her bangle every time he sees her wear it. But aside from the night where he first saw it, he no longer freaked out and pestered her about removing it despite her wearing it every time they train. But Inna still somewhat respected his words so she didn''t wear the bangle anywhere outside the dorm''s vicinity. But she still wore it at any chance she gets inside the dorms because who wouldn''t want to wear such a pretty bangle? And that''s the best compromise she can give to Raghnall who refused to tell her anything about the bangle or the reason why he wanted her to remove it. So, as the days passed, she didn''t worry about the whole bangle issue anymore. Instead, her worries are being placed elsewhere. In fact, in the past few days, what she''s more worried about was the increasing craftiness of the way she was being bullied. Back then, they were just talking bad about her and doing minor stupid things like trying to hit her ''accidentally'' or pouring liquids on her. And if it were to be back in her own world, she''d be thoroughly pissed. But now that she''s got magic, she couldn''t really care less. Hitting her made them the one being bruised instead from her using enhancement magic to increase the sturdiness of her already sturdy body. And the weird liquids that they poured on her to stain her clothes and wet her hair were easily taken care of by her cleaning spell. But all of a sudden, Inna noticed that things quickly escalated into a nearly intolerable level. They literally harass her at any chance. Some would cast curses on her secretly like making her blind, asleep, cold, or even suffocated. If it weren''t for Raghnall''s training, she wouldn''t be able to break free from the curses they frequently send her way. But she couldn''t break them all the time so sometimes, she used her acting skills and her skilled mouth to act normal which irritated and confused the caster beyond relief. But it didn''t stop on just that, some would even use magical circles to set up spell traps on where she would walk. Fortunately, Inna mastered the ability to sense magical particles so she''d immediately know that there''s a magic spell in the area when she sees a huge concentration of magical particles. So when they see that magic doesn''t work, some would even go so far as to try and sneakily push her off dangerous places like the stairs. Thankfully, she was able to move fast enough to steady herself before she could fall down. And from all the sudden harassment happening around her all at once, Inna couldn''t help but feel like someone was behind it all. So when she first realized it, she tried telling professors about it but it seems like they don''t like her very much either. And much to her frustration, the professors ruled it off as either her trying to ruin someone''s reputation, or she was just trying to annoy them with lies. Ulima tried to help her by trying his best to investigate it but he told her not to keep her hopes up. After all, although the last occurrence was years ago, bullying someone from the Lily class can be something considered normal to the students. And even if she were to find out who that so-called mastermind behind all it, there''s nothing she can do except know his or her identity. But the real ''mastermind'' wasn''t fully involved in Inna''s harassment. Alana was currently stuck in her room, grumbling as she clutched on her lower abdomen. She clenched her teeth as she rolled around on her bed. If it wasn''t for her Blood Week starting, she would''ve been able to see the fruits of her efforts. She tasked her ''friends'' or more like her followers to coerce other students to play a secret game. The game was simple. Whoever can make the idiot lily girl cry will win the game. And the prize was a favor that Alana would grant with her assets. And since Alana was one of the most influential families in Anemoly, sure enough almost everyone from their batch began to join in on the fun. But on the morning of the start of the game, Alana suddenly had her bleeding. So, she had no choice but to abide by the rules she knew well. After all, unmarried women were prohibited from meeting with men whenever they are on their Blood Week since some men are sensitive to blood mixed with potent magical particles that came from the woman''s body that was scattered into the air. And once exposed, they sometimes go into either a wrathful or lustful frenzy. Women, however, due to them slowly getting used to the exposure, can withstand it. Though, there will be instances where they sometimes get affected as well especially when their health is weak. So, with the order of her prefect, Alana was locked inside her room for a week, only having female friends send her meals and her necessities. Suffering from the pain of her painful bleeding, Alana gritted her teeth. She decided to sleep to distract herself from the pain. But the moment she closed her eyes, she just started remembering him. Raghnall. The past months, she''s been trying to get him alone. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to know why he was here. She wanted to get to know him better. But that girl¡­ That idiot girl just wouldn''t seem to let him go! She''s always with him! Tailing him! Following him! Smiling at him! And even touching him! She doesn''t deserve someone like him. She doesn''t deserve to be even near him. But when she found out that they''ve actually been meeting in the Lily dorms every day after lunch, Alana knew that she could no longer stand still. Just a few more days¡­ When the week ends, she''ll finally be able to make her move. Chapter 185 A Trip To The Village "What? You want to go out with me?" Inna narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she peered at Raghnall. Then, she couldn''t help but groan lazily as she asked. "Why? Aren''t students prohibited to go out of the academy unless they get a permit from their prefect to buy something from the marketplace?" Raghnall smiled as he patted her head, a gesture he somehow kept doing during their training that Inna eventually got used to it. "Today is special. It''s been a tradition that a week before the tournament, the students are allowed to go down the mountain and head to the village to have fun. It''s the Academy''s way of saying that they need a well-deserved break for their hard work in training." Inna tried to recall the carriage ride she had when she headed to the Academy after leaving the Sun Breeze Mansion but she never saw something that could be called a village aside from the marketplace. And it was as though Raghnall read her mind when he suddenly answered her unspoken question. "But the village is quite far from here. And it''s also a bit further than the marketplace so it might require some time to get there. Hence, I''m asking you now while it''s still early." Inna furrowed her brows as she checked the time. "Uhm, the thirteenth hour is not early." Raghnall shot her a flat look as he gestured to her current situation. She was shamelessly sprawled out on her bed as she casually spoke with him. "It''s really early compared to the previous times you woke up from your ''nap''. I''ve seriously been trying to wake you up for half an hour and thank the heavens you actually woke up before I had to resort to pouring water on you. I really can''t fathom how someone can sleep for more than twelve hours straight after being told that the next day will be free." Inna rolled her eyes as she sat up from her bed. "And I can''t fathom how someone can complain about having too much sleep." Raghnall raised an eyebrow as he leaned on the wall facing her. "Oh? Then, would you want that I would train you so much that you''d sleep forever?" Inna snickered as she fixed her white sleeping robe that was wrinkled from all the tossing and turning around she did in her sleep. "Please do. Sleeping forever sounds heavenly." Raghnall laughed as he hoisted himself off the wall. "Wear something comfortable to move around. I have lots planned for the two of us." Inna was about to raise a question but Raghnall cut her off, hoping to answer what she would possibly ask. "No armor." Inna gave him a disgruntled look of surprise. "Wha--no! I was going to ask if it''s okay to just wear the regular uniform robes. I don''t really know what else to wear." Raghnall quickly hid the distaste in his face that instinctively came out when he heard her request. He didn''t want her parading around with a plain uniform together with him! Not only will she be ridiculed and be seen as ''poor'' for being unable to wear other garments, but it will also jeopardize the reason why he wanted to go to the village with her. He wanted her to treat it as a private rendezvous. Not simply just some walking-in-the-street sightseeing. So, Raghnall crossed his arms as he stared at her intently. Then he spoke with a stern tone, his words leaving no room for discussion. "No armor. No uniform. Wear something casual if you want just not those two that I mentioned." Inna crossed her legs as she groaned in annoyance. "But I really don''t know what to wear¡­" Raghnall sighed as he approached her. He held out his hand as he gestured for her black spatial pouch that she had by her bedside table. Inna missed the signal of the gesture he made so she just cluelessly looked at his outstretched hand. Then, she gave him a forceful high-five. Raghnall withdrew his aching hand as he looked at her incredulously. "What the hell are you doing?!" Inna bursted into laughter at his expression. For the months that they''ve been training, Inna''s been teaching him a few words along the way. He''s been overly curious about her expressions so she didn''t find any harm in teaching him some. But to hear them come out from Raghnall''s mouth every time was both strange and amusing. Though, the only people who''ll probably understand it would be her, Raghnall, and Rhys. Because during the times she visited Rhys, she''s just been eating lunch with him while talking and teaching him those words as well. Though, she never told them the truth behind the ''asshole'' word. She decided that she''ll take the meaning to her grave. That''s because Raghnall and Rhys have been calling each other assholes whenever they end up meeting and Inna wouldn''t want the entertaining exchange to ever end. She laughed again at the thought. Raghnall, on the other hand, casted a quick spell to heal his sore palm. He didn''t know why she suddenly slapped his hand away so he felt truly wronged and hurt. "You don''t have to slap my hand like that. I was just trying to help you choose what to wear." Inna finally ended her laughter and she looked at him with amusement dancing in her eyes. "Sorry, sorry. You looked like you were asking for one so I couldn''t help but do it." Then, Inna reached out to grab the spatial pouch she kept by her bedside table before throwing it at Raghnall with a playful shout. "Catch!" Raghnall didn''t have time to react and the pouch harshly hit him square in the face. Then, it slowly plopped down to his open hands. He scrunched up his face as he stared at Inna with a pout. "You''re a really abusive woman, you know that?" Inna laughed again as she slid to the side of her bed to wear her shoes. "Abusive but pretty." Raghnall snorted but he couldn''t help abruptly speaking out his thoughts. "That''s true." Not expecting the abrupt reply, Inna felt her cheeks redden slightly so she covered it off with a laugh. Then, in a jokingly manner, she spoke with a sweet and playful tone as she batted her lashes. "Stop, you''re making me blush." Raghnall couldn''t help but laugh at her ridiculousness and Inna laughed along after a moment. Then, when their laughter ended, Inna gestured to her spatial pouch on his hands. "So, you''ll be picking what I''ll wear?" Raghnall nodded as he softly caressed the spatial pouch on his hands. Back then, he didn''t expect the harsh color but when he now had it in his hands, he knew why the color was black. It was to hide the seal of the creator. But Raghnall didn''t seem to mind it as he dipped his hands inside without any hesitation. He wanted something that would suit her. Something that''s not overly feminine but still beautiful nonetheless. So with that in mind, he pulled out a simple pale pink outer robe that looked nearly white. It had small and simple embroidered designs of roses and vines that coiled at the hems of the sleeves and pooled on the bottom part near her feet. Along with the robe, he pulled a red belt out which fits perfectly with the colors of the rose and a pure white plain inner robe made of light material. Then, he pulled out matching pale pink shoes along with a small cute pale pink pearl jewelry set. He slowly laid them out on the bed as he returned the pouch back to Inna. Inna peered at the selection with approval. "Though I would''ve loved to look a little less like a dead body from all the paleness of the robe, it''s not bad. I like it. Though is there anything black inside there?" Raghnall furrowed his brows as he crossed his arms with dissatisfaction written all over his face. "There are black robes but I''m not letting you wear them. We''re going to be strolling the streets until night so with you wearing black, there will be a big chance of me losing you if you run out on your own." Inna understood his sentiments so she stood up and grabbed the robes. The outer robe reached until her ankles but from how flowy the cloth was, it seemed like her movements wouldn''t be restricted much. The inner robe was light as well though it still held enough thickness to protect her from the chilly evening. While she was busy admiring the robes Raghnall picked for her, he slowly walked towards the door to leave. "Don''t bring your spatial pouch. It might get stolen by some pickpouchers without you noticing. Just tell me later what you want to bring and I''ll place it in mine. And please change fast if you don''t want to arrive at the village at night." When Raghnall saw Inna nodding, showing that she heard and understood him, he opened the door to her room and left. Chapter 186 Calm Before The Storm 1 Raggnall told her that usually there would be a veteran tier barrier that would prevent all students from ever leaving the academy''s premises that included the marketplace below the mountain. But since the day was a special one, the Headmaster temporarily nullified it to allow the students to roam free, though he still prohibited teleportation to avoid students from causing mischief then getting away easily. And so, Raghnall and Inna had no choice but to walk all the way there for nearly an hour. When they finally arrived at the village, they couldn''t help but be amazed at how crowded the place was. Hundreds of people about their age, wearing all their best and colorful garments, filled the streets of the village as Inna and Raghnall toured around. Some were familiar to them while the others looked slightly older and more mature. Inna surmised that they were probably upperclassmen. And looking at the busy street before them, Inna could really say that the village was certainly a lively one. It was obvious that the villagers have been anticipating the arrival of the students from the Academy judging from the colorful paper lanterns decorated around the streets and by the walls of their houses. And the more she looked around, the more she felt as though instead of reincarnating, she time traveled instead. The houses throughout the whole village were made from a mixture of maroon bricks and dark wood that made Inna recall the olden towns from her history books. And each house seemed nearly identical with each other, but they had varying number of floors and decor around them. There were also some strange looking structures that looked out of place in Inna''s eyes. But according to Raghnall, it seems like they were specialty shops. And also he told her that sometimes houses and some shops might look the same since some people live in their shops so, to distinguish one from the other, usually a small hanging signage would be shown near to its front door. And each signage has a corresponding symbol to show what the store was or what it sells. With that piece of information, Inna couldn''t help but play a small guessing game with Raghnall to figure out what each symbol she saw meant. But as she looked around, she failed to see the path ahead of her which had a small irregular stone jutting out from the road. And so, before she knew it, she already tripped and fell to the ground. After laughing for a short while, Raghnall helped her up gently while casting a spell to heal the scratches on her knees and on her palms which she used to support herself from completely laying flat on the floor. Apparently, the streets they were walking on were made from stone so there would be instances where little pieces would be jutting out. Hence, Inna tripping while walking was something Raghnall both expected and anticipated. Inna dusted herself off as she tried to control her face from turning red. Her tripping made a few students stop to turn their head and observe but Inna''s embarrassment didn''t stem from the fact that she fell in public. It was because Raghnall was straight out laughing at her from falling in public. So, unknowingly pouting, she slapped his arm lightly as she tried to hide her shame. "You do not laugh at someone who just fell, asshole. You help them right away." Raghnall snickered as he tried to hold in his laughter. "Thanks for the compliment. And, you see, I was about to but then, it''s just that your face..." He couldn''t finish because he suddenly busted into a fit of laughter. When she fell, her eyes were comically wide open and her mouth was agape. Her whole face scrunched up and it was by far the most hilarious way he''s ever seen someone fall. Inna huffed when she saw Raghnall was still laughing after healing her. So, with a small stomp on his right foot, Inna angrily walked away from him. Raghnall exclaimed in pain from the stomp and he was about to apologize again for laughing when he saw her walking away. He hurriedly caught up to her as he chuckled. "Okay, okay. I''m done, I swear." Inna ignored him and proceeded to walk faster. Feeling troubled, Raghnall looked around to find anything that''ll cheer her up. And when he found something that caught his eye at a near small sidewalk jewelry shop, he walked over to buy it. Inna felt Raghnall''s presence vanish behind her and in a panic, she tried to look around in fear that she might be lost. But when she looked behind her, she just saw him by a small shop. He seemed to be buying something and in her curiosity, she can''t help but walk over to see what he was buying. Raghnall grabbed the item as he paid it. And when Inna arrived beside him, he hid it behind him. "Hey, what did you buy?" Inna asked as she looked at the items on sale. It seems that the shop was selling cute handmade jewelry for women. There were earrings, necklaces, hairpins, rings, and many more. While Inna was scanning the items, Raghnall slowly decided to use the item he bought. He softly gathered all her hand in one hand. When Inna felt his hand on her hair, she slightly drew back from surprise. But Raghnall calmed her down with his words. "Don''t worry. I''m just using what I bought." Inna was curious about what he exactly bought so she behaved herself. Then, she suddenly heard small chimes from what seemed like small bells near her ears. "Done." Raghnall announced with a smile as he stepped back to admire his work. It was his first time tying someone''s hair into a ponytail so he was not too sure if it''ll look good but he was surprised at himself. He did quite well tying the white ribbon hair tie on her. Inna tried to catch a glimpse of what it was but every time she moved, the annoying sound just kept ringing by her ears. "What is this?" Raghnall tried to hold his laughter again as he saw her twirling around, making the bells ring incessantly. "It''s a white ribbon hair tie with two small golden bells attached to it. That way I''ll be able to know where exactly you are from the sound of the bells." Inna scrunched up her face as she tried to hurriedly take it off. But Raghnall grabbed both her hands before she had a chance. "Now, now, you wouldn''t actually remove a gift I bought for you with my own hard-earned money now, would you?" Inna gritted her teeth when she noticed the shopkeeper openly judging her. But then she saw something glisten by the corner of her eye and an evil smile unconsciously slipped out of her. Chapter 187 Calm Before The Storm 2 "Uh, are you sure you''re aware that this is a necklace, not a headband?" Raghnall grumbled as he constantly adjusted the thing on his forehead. He really wanted to take it off but a single glare from Inna was enough to make him abandon the thought. "Now, now, you wouldn''t actually remove a gift I bought for you with your own hard-earned money now, would you?" Inna mocked him with his own words. Then, as an addition, she decided to sarcastically compliment him. "Well, it looks good on you." Inna snickered as she looked at him through her shoulder. He looked absolutely ridiculous that Inna couldn''t help but feel satisfied whenever she looked at it. Back when they were in by the small sidewalk shop, what caught her eye was a necklace with a personalized name pendant. It looked handmade so she thought that it was customizable. And she was right! It was a necklace that can be customized to have a certain word of the owner''s choice as its pendant. Apparently, the shop keeper, using magic, can bend the metal wires to form a certain word. And with an additional fee, he can even make the words glow using magic for a period of time. So, after tricking Raghnall into giving her money, she bought it and decided to choose a very cute word for her revenge. The word ''Servant'' glowed brightly on his forehead under the night sky as they made their way around the town. Numerous students peered at both Inna and Raghnall as they walked past them. They both looked so ridiculous that even the local villagers turned their heads at the sight of them. To the eyes of others, they certainly looked crazy. A girl with incessantly ringing bells that rang ridiculously loud as she moved, which annoyed the people around them, was walking side by side with a man who wore a necklace on top of his head with the word ''Servant'' glowing brightly. As they walked, Inna saw her and Raghnall''s reflection by a shop''s window and she couldn''t help but laugh out loud. They certainly seemed crazy. But at least Raghnall looked more retarded than her. And to think they went around town shopping, eating, watching magical dance performances, and playing some magical shop games with their current ridiculous selves. Inna could only chuckle as she wondered what they must have looked like and what the people around them must''ve thought as they continued to merrily prance around the town. Raghnall tugged on their joined hands, signaling her to stop walking. They''ve long held their hands together ever since Raghnall nearly lost Inna in the crowded audience of one of the magical dance performances they''d watched. And to Raghnall''s relief, Inna didn''t seem to mind him doing it since she felt that it was her fault for venturing away from Raghnall even for just a short while. So, she figured that it''d be more practical to actually grab onto him to avoid her getting dragged somewhere again by the crowd. So, as natural as breathing, they held hands as Raghnall guided her to a huge and bustling shop. "A restaurant?" Inna observed the shop''s signage excitedly as she patted her stomach. They''ve been eating a few snacks here and there at some stores so Inna wasn''t that starved. But they''ve never got an actual full meal so Inna was heavily excited and curious to see what different meals she could taste from the restaurant. Raghnall smiled as he tugged on their hands again. "It''s dinnertime so I figured you must be famished. C''mon, I''ve got a table waiting for us with all the food on their menu. It''s on me." Then, he lightly guided her in entering the restaurant. But looking at Raghnall from behind, Inna sighed as she recalled his words. All on him, he said¡­ And to think he was proclaiming himself to be a commoner back when they first entered the academy. He really just abandoned his act completely, huh. Inna smiled weakly as Raghnall talked to a man with an apron. The man acted like a waiter as he politely guided Raghnall and her to the second floor. And as they walked, Inna noticed that the whole area was packed. She couldn''t help but look at Raghnall in amazement as she gestured to all the people. "How were you able to get a table when it''s this packed?!" Raghnall gave her a small wink as they approached their table. "Let''s just say I know some people." But her question was answered when she saw a huge painting of Favian and what seemed like to be his family together with him in the restaurant''s wall. Inna chuckled as she eased onto her seat that was offered by Raghnall. "Okay, Mr. Mysterious. I know it''s Favian who helped you. Is this his family''s?" Raghnall shook his head. "He used his own money to help the owner continue his business. The owner was about to get bankrupt but Favian saw something in him so he decided to help him out. And after just a few years, this place became the best restaurant in the village that some travelers even visit this village just for their food." Inna widened her eyes in amazement. "Guess Favian had a knack for business, huh." Raghnall nodded in agreement. Inna was about to open a new topic for some chit chat when she felt intense stares directed at her. She looked behind to find the source but with how packed the second floor was, she had trouble pinpointing who exactly was staring at her. When she gave up on searching, Raghnall finally noticed her unease. "What''s wrong? You feeling okay?" Inna shook her head slightly as she spoke. "I feel like someone''s staring at me. It''s weird. I can''t find who it is since the place is quite crowded. But I know it''s somewhere behind me." Raghnall softly tapped her hand that rested on the table hoping to reassure her. "They''ll most likely look away when you''re looking for them like this. Don''t worry, I''ll try to look. But if ever you can''t take it anymore, we can always leave." Inna smiled thankfully as she tried hard to ignore the sinking feeling in her gut that came from the animosity of the stares. She had a feeling something bad was going to happen. But she chose to ignore it since this was one of the rare days where she can actually have fun. She didn''t want to be a party pooper on their rest day. Meanwhile, Raghnall tried to peer at the direction where Inna felt she was being stared at. And just as he suspected, he saw Eldora Academy students in one table by the corner staring at her back menacingly. Raghnall clicked his tongue in irritation and seeing Inna''s obvious discomfort, he decided to do something about it. He discreetly grabbed eight needles from his pouch and after casting various spells, the needles suddenly darted into the direction of the students. The students were too focused on Inna that they were unable to focus on the approaching needles to their eyes. When the needles were already dangerously close, they finally saw them but it was already too late. The needles were about to pierce their eyes. But just at the last moment, the needles fell limp and a small cloud of magic suddenly erupted. Then, a voice simultaneously echoed inside their minds. ''Look again and I''ll drill holes through all your eyes, mongrels.'' They immediately turned their heads away at the warning. And seeing them do so, Raghnall felt a satisfied smile creep up his face. Then to celebrate, he grabbed a bottle of his favorite wine that was already prepared on the table. After filling his cup, he got Inna''s cup and was about to pour the wine when he remembered something, making him stop. "Uhhhhhm, sorry, I forgot to ask. Do you drink wine?" Chapter 188 Calm Before The Storm 3 "You get what I mean? Like, can you imagine eating pasta with chopsticks?! IT''S RIDICULOUS! That''s the same thing with chocolate ramen! YOU JUST DON''T COMBINE TWO GOOD THINGS HOPING IT WILL STILL MAKE SOMETHING GOOD! Hey! HEY! Are you still listening?" Inna waved her hand frantically in front of Raghnall as she paused her drunken rant. But she didn''t even let him give enough time to answer as she went on again about her odd discoveries and ideas. Her hooded eyes tried to focus on him while she tried her best to talk probably without slurring. "Like, Stuart said it wasn''t that bad. But boy believe me when I told you that I gagged the moment I tasted it. I also couldn''t believe they got green tea ramen. What the heck is up with Japan? But hey, y''now, I love this thing. What do you call this thing?" Inna swayed a little as she tried to reach for the plate in front of her. But her arms were swaying so much that it missed the plate by a large margin so Raghnall decided to take it instead and carefully placed it in front of her. He sighed when he saw the mess Inna was making while trying to put the piece of chicken in her mouth. He knew that it was useless talking to a drunk person but he couldn''t help but answer her. "It''s breaded garlic milk chicken baked in flower oils. It''s a famous dish in this restaurant." Inna didn''t seem to hear his answer as she focused hard on trying to bite the piece of chicken that seemed to always get away from her grasp. But it seems like her hand was going against her. It was not letting her have the chicken. She wanted the chicken, dammit! Stupid hand! Because of her anger, she bit her hand hard but when she felt the stinging pain, she instantaneously screamed. She still didn''t realize that her hand wasn''t the one responsible for making her unable to eat. It was because she was swaying left and right in her seat that made it seem like her hands were doing it themselves. Raghnall erupted into laughter when he saw her bite herself but when she did it again, enough to draw blood, he decided to take action. He went to Inna''s side and grabbed her hand, preventing her from biting it. "Okay, that''s enough now." He casted a healing spell on her slightly bleeding hand as he tried to appease her. When Inna finally calmed down, he finally let go of her and returned to his seat. But when he turned his back, Inna abruptly grabbed the wine bottle and took a big swig. When he noticed, Raghnall immediately grabbed the wine bottle before she could drink anymore. But when he shook it with his hands, he realized that the bottle was now empty. "You--! You just drank Tiger''s Bane! A whole bottle of it! Do you realize that?! Just one cup was enough to make you disoriented but now, you actually drank the whole bottle!" He believed her when she said that she drinks wine. But he didn''t expect her to go down with just a cup. Tiger''s Bane was one of the most lethal and strong wines, enough to tame a tiger with just a bottle hence the name. But for someone who bragged that she had a high tolerance when it comes to drinking, it was surprising for Raghnall to see her go down with just a cup. Normally it would take him about two bottles to actually feel drunk and he thought that Inna would be the same as him but boy, was he wrong. So, he could only bite his tongue as he endured the pains of taking care of a drunk. "Inna, come now, drink some water." He signaled for the waiter to bring in a glass of water. And after a few moments, the water finally arrived. But no matter how hard Raghnall was convincing her to drink some water, Inna had trouble understanding him. All she saw was the world spinning around in circles and Raghnall mumbling some stuff. Then, suddenly, everything started becoming clear. Too clear. Her senses became overly heightened and sensitive that the people talking quietly behind her began to sound like they were screaming instead. And to Raghnall who was just speaking across her, he sounded like he was screaming right by her ear. And she didn''t know why but it suddenly made her angry beyond relief. "HEY! WHY DO YOU KEEP SHOUTING? HAVE YOU NO RESPECT?!" Raghnall''s eyes widened with shock at her loud holler that echoed across the whole place. And in a second, the restaurant was silenced and they instinctively looked around to see the origin of the noise. Raghnall sighed loudly as he felt a headache form. He shouldn''t have trusted her with drinking. She was a pain back when she wasn''t drunk but now that she was, she''s in a whole different level of being a pain in his life. But why can''t he find it in him to stay away from her? He sighed again as he tried to calm her down. But the more he tried to appease her, like a baby unreasonably crying, she just kept getting louder and louder until finally, Raghnall had no choice but to clamp her mouth shut with his hand. Using his magic, he moved his chair to sit beside her and he leaned her head on his shoulder. "Inna, for the love of all that is living, please shut up. I don''t want us to be kicked out by a place that Favian partly owns." He whispered to her ear at the lowest possible volume he could muster. Inna seemed to calm down under his grasp and she now spoke calmly through his hand. "But¡­ but everyone was screaming at me¡­ even you were screaming¡­" Her voice held a hidden whimper as her eyes started to water. And when Raghnall heard it, he couldn''t help but internally panic. Was she seriously about to cry?! Seeing the water in her eyes, he tried to rack his brain on what to do. But before he could try something, a few loud obnoxious voices distracted him. "Well, I''ve never seen a woman show such a disgraceful behavior in public." "I never expected it from a student from that prestigious academy." "That girl?! A student from THAT academy? How are you so sure that they weren''t just lying?" "I heard it from a few girls as I came in. Something about a crazy student with bells on her hair partnered with a man with a necklace on his head were an embarrassment to their academy." "Seriously, do they teach students to behave in such an unruly manner in that academy?" "Maybe the academy doesn''t accept geniuses but crazy people instead." "Hah! No wonder that troublemaking royal brat got tossed in there. At the table behind Raghnall, the two men laughed loudly. And unbeknownst to them, their action started to turn the wheels of fate. Chapter 189 The Storm 1 Hearing the two loud men slander their beloved academy, the four male students at the corner grumbled with anger. But they felt too scared to go against the two loud men who looked like skilled adventurers. The one who first spoke was a buff man who looked like a strong fighter from the armor and weapons he had taken off and displayed by his side while the one across him looked like an experienced magic user despite his small physique because he had these wise domineering eyes that seemed as though he had seen every unfortunate incident the world had to offer. The students knew that going against them would be unwise. After all, even if they are known to be "geniuses" of their age, they lack the experience and the expertise to dare to fight against those who looked like they had lots of them. So, with a frustrated huff, they all kept their comments to themselves. But, a few minutes later, they soon abandoned the thought of keeping quiet. And it was all because of a certain someone worsening the situation. "Hah?! What did those dipshits just say?! Are they calling me crazy again?! Why the fuck do you guys keep doing that?!" Inna struggled under Raghnall''s hand. And after exerting much effort, she finally broke free from his grasp. And then, before Raghnall can grab her, she charged towards the table of the two men. She slammed her hand hard on their table and it shook with great force, making all their food and drinks spill and splatter to the ground. "Hey!" The fighter and the magic user abruptly stood up as they tried to avoid getting themselves and their equipment wet or stained from the mess before them. "Hey yourself, bastards!" Inna looked at both of them with a drunken glare. "I tell you I''m not crazy!" She menacingly pointed her finger as she drew closer to the fighter. She would''ve been intimidating if it weren''t for the fact that she was swaying unsteadily while doing so. "I''m not crazy! I just don''t belong here! Just because I''m fucking different doesn''t mean I''m crazy! If it weren''t for those minions¡­ ugh, those fucking minions, I love them but they seriously need to learn how to take care of themselves, y''know?! Like, they can''t even do their own laundry! And even use a hair dryer! A HAIR DRYER! WHICH JUST DRIES HAIR! I knew how to use it when I was ten, y''know?! They were so clueless before that it was like they were just born when they met me! You get what I mean?!" Inna grabbed the collar of the fighter''s leather outer robe tightly as though she was about to hit him. But she peered at him with sadness and loneliness in her eyes. "YOU DON''T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING! Those guys¡­ They must be crying right now¡­ I mean, who wouldn''t cry, y''know? They lost their mother hen." Then suddenly, Inna hugged the man as she sobbed. The fighter raised both his arms in shock as he tried to process what was happening. "Oh god, my baby chicks are out there in the world while I''m here in this stupid place. MY BABY CHICKS! MY LITTLE MINIONS!" Inna cried uncontrollably in the stranger''s arms as she held on to his inner leather robe for dear life. Meanwhile, Raghnall wanted to pry her off the man as soon as she began hugging him. But he had a feeling that if he were to interfere with her drunken talk, she''d go into a frenzy so he decided against it. But when he saw her grabbing a bottle that looked eerily like the deadly drink, Hunter''s Demise, after her uncontrollable sobbing, he knew he should immediately intervene. In a flash, he grabbed the bottle that was on Inna''s hand to prevent her from drinking more. "Inna! Stop this! You know you can''t take anymore!" Inna tried to move the bottle but the sturdy grip of Raghnall made her unable to do so. She tried to remove his hand with force but the alcohol seemed to slowly affect her strength, making her as weak as a twig. After a couple of seconds of playing a small game of tug of war with Raghnall for the bottle of deadly wine, Inna suddenly felt weak and drowsy. Her hand had trouble maintaining its grip and Raghnall was finally able to pry the bottle away from her. He sighed from exhaustion as he tried to support Inna who was starting to fall asleep. Raghnall was about to apologize to the two men that Inna disturbed when the fighter suddenly exploded. "So, she''s your woman? Such a crazy monster, that girl! Can you do us all a favor and keep that girl under control?! Or better yet, just throw her into the Miasma forest! That''ll teach her some manners!" The man screamed at Raghnall as he tried to wipe Inna''s snot off his robe. The magic user who kept silent throughout the exchange could no longer endure and exploded as well. "This is what happens when a man gives a woman too much liberty! Women are not supposed to drink like men! To think that there would be lady drunkards in the esteemed Eldora Academy. How disgusting. This just goes to show how GREAT they are at teaching their students. They can''t even teach them basic manners, huh." The four students could no longer hold in their anger and they began to speak up one by one. "Don''t you dare lump us students with her!" "She is no student at Eldora Academy! She''s just someone the Headmaster picked up!" "She''s no genius at all! She doesn''t deserve the right to be called a student from the Eldora Academy! She''s only a charity case! A beggar who tries hard to be someone she can never become!" "She''s the weakest student admitted in Eldora''s history! She''s even weaker than the chairs you''re all sitting on! In fact, that idiot''s only in Starter Rank despite being an adult! She''s just a disgrace to the Academy''s reputation!" The two men, after hearing such animosity from the four students, were unable to react from shock. But then, after a few seconds, the students'' words finally sank in and they erupted into laughter while their eyes held a mocking gaze. The rest of the people dining on the second floor laughed along as well with that same mocking glint in their eyes. With her sleep ruined from the noise, Inna was now wide awake as she witnessed everyone laughing at her. Chapter 190 The Storm 2 Now that she''s completely woken up, Inna shook her head vigorously as she tried to shake off the sudden pounding headache she had. She didn''t understand what was happening with her body anymore but she still tried her best to understand what was happening around her. Since she was only able to sleep for about a moment before her drowsiness completely disappeared from the screams of complaints that bombarded her ears, she was able to hear pretty much every bad thing they''ve said about her. And at first, she just planned to just ignore them and leave to avoid causing a bigger scene. But when she saw everyone laughing at her, her pride wouldn''t allow her to leave as though she was trying to escape. It''s both embarrassing and degrading! It''s as though she''s some sort of loser! So, despite her unsteady movements, she still made an effort to stand straight as she glared at the people who were laughing at her. She made sure that the emotions that were boiling in her were being clearly shown, making the glare in her eyes sharp with anger despite having traces of drunkenness in them. And as she swept through the people around her with her intense glare, one by one they slowly stopped their laughter. It left the room so quiet that she could hear a pin drop. Then, she faced the fighter with the same glare as she spoke furiously. "What''s wrong with a girl drinking, you dick?! What makes me so different from you guys aside from having no dick?! I''m still the same human being, jesus christ! I''m perfectly free to make my own decision and do my own thing! So don''t you start yapping about how women shouldn''t fucking drink!" The fighter was irked by her statement but now that everyone''s attention was on him, he didn''t know what else to say to thoroughly debase her so he figured to just point at the flaw he found in her statement. "My name is not jesus christ!" Inna was too furious to even mind what he said as she pointed at the direction of the four students who all haughtily looked at her. She pinned them to silence with the same glare she had as she began to shout. "As for the four of you! Boo-hoo for you not being able to have my good fortune to stumble upon the Headmaster! Stop being so jealous and butthurt about it! It''s not my fault I''m lucky!" After releasing it all out, her throat started to feel sore so she decided to stop screaming. But despite her lowered volume, the emotions behind her words were of the same intensity. "And you keep talking about me being weak as if it''s going to affect me, heh. Dude, I''ve literally lost count on how many times I''ve been called that by people I barely even know. You think you guys are the only ones who call me that? It''s been such an everyday occurrence that you could say I''m immune to it. But for argument''s sake, I''ll just say that the ''weakling'' title you keep giving me isn''t even valid anymore. I mean, it''s been a year! Try to keep up with the present, dorks." The four students gritted their teeth in irritation. To think that this low-life would actually have the audacity to talk back to them! One of them couldn''t endure his annoyance anymore. Feeling irked seeing her confident pose, he decided to make a snarky comment with an overly condescending tone, hoping it would somehow diminish the confidence she had. "Heh, you''re just all bark no bite. No matter how hard you train, you obviously can''t beat someone with actual talent." Inna snorted as she slowly walked towards the man. Despite her unsteady drunken gait, she still emanated a menacing and confident aura. "Oh-ho? Try me, bitch." The student decided to meet her halfway as he tried to show a brave front. Then, with a smug smile, he raised an eyebrow at her as though he was taunting her. "You want me to try? Heh, fine. Although it feels degrading to do this, teaching you a lesson would be rewarding enough." Hearing his strange way of speaking, Inna looked at him with a confused expression. "What are you talking about?" Raghnall felt like it was time for him to intervene so he hurriedly grabbed Inna''s hand as he whispered to her. "I think we need to leave now." Inna was startled at the urgency in Raghnall''s whisper so she couldn''t help but vehemently whisper back. "Why?!" But before Raghnall could answer, the student pointed at Inna and began to speak haughtily. His following words soon answered Inna''s question. "By the name of Garnel Haber, a student from the Heather Class in the Magic Department of the Eldora Academy, I hereby announce an invitation of challenge towards¡­ this idiot¡­ for an official duel! Witnesses who approve of this duel, please say ''Agree''." The three remaining students all smiled in excitement as they nearly exclaimed the word. "Agree!" The student huffed in confidence as he smiled smugly at Inna. "Since we have three witnesses, the duel is now made valid. What''s left is for the other party to accept the invitation of challenge." Inna looked at the student with a thoroughly confused expression. Then she alternately looked at the student and Raghnall as she tried to think of what to do next while hoping that Raghnall would give her an explanation. Raghnall rubbed his palm on his face as he tried to suppress the rising irritation he''s feeling that was mixing with his regret as well. "It means that¡­ he wants to fight with you. Students aren''t allowed to use magic to fight unless they issue a formal invitation of challenge and validate the duel so he''s doing that now." Inna smiled maniacally as she looked at Raghnall. "I see. Good. Veeeeery good. And what do I do next to actually start fighting?" Raghnall sighed deeply. "Don''t you want to refuse it, even just a little bit?" Inna looked at him with an incredulous expression as though the thought never even crossed her mind. "Why should I? I''m trying to prove a point here so it''ll be weird for me to back out now." Raghnall looked at her long and hard as he felt the bubbling regret rise in his heart. He should''ve run out immediately after he speculated what the student was about to do. Issuing an official duel meant that he can no longer intervene with whatever happens during the duel. Because if he did, he''ll be punished yet again for disobeying the Academy''s rules. He can intervene discreetly but in this situation, there are far too many witnesses for him to try and cover his intervention up. So, if something unlikely were to happen, he''d could only stare at them. But then again, death is a natural result of any duel. He knew that all students in Eldora were aware of that fact though sometimes they end before things get too serious. So, he can only hope that nothing bad would happen to Inna. He had confidence that she can win but there might be a chance that she wouldn''t win unscathed. But seeing the excited yet stubborn smile on her face, he knew that she wouldn''t change her mind about fighting the guy. So, with only a defeated sigh to express the inner turmoil he''s feeling, he calmly replied. "Just¡­ answer him the same way he invited you but say that you''re accepting the invitation." After a few silent seconds of recalling his words, Inna accepted the challenge with a wide smile. "By the name of Ingrid, a student from the Lily Class of the Magic Department of the Eldora Academy, I hereby accept the invitation of challenge of¡­ this idiot... for an official duel." Chapter 191 The Storm 3 As soon as Inna said her last word, the student, Garnel, immediately casted a spell. In an instant, Inna felt the familiar feeling of an immobility spell as it slowly made her arms stiff and unmoving. But through Raghnall''s training, she''s now able to break such spell easily, given that the spell isn''t High tier and above. And since Garnel is a student in Heather class, he''s most probably just in the Intermediate tier at the peak stage. Hence, Inna easily broke the spell with her willpower. Though, the action made her headache resurface since she was using a lot of her mental energy. So as soon as she was able to move again, she casted a spell as she reached into her spatial pouch. Then, in an instant, using the low tier floating spell she casted and her own physical strength, she launched all the arrows in her storage in nearly superhuman speed. The student only had a second to react as he narrowly dodged each and every one of them. But the last one scratched his cheek and he couldn''t help but shakily touch the wound. The disbelief in his face was evident when he realized that his blood was shed first in the duel he thought he''d win easily. "H-how did you¡­ Did you just break my spell?!" Despite the pain she''s feeling from the tremendous headache she had, Inna huffed in smugness as she smirked at him. "Feeling scared now oh, Mr. Talented?" Garnel gritted his teeth in frustration as he refused to believe that someone like her would be able to break a spell that he casted. Those arrows¡­ Galen examined the arrows that were stuck in the wall closely. They looked homemade and worn out as if they''ve been used frequently¡­ If she had those in her storage, then she must be a Ranger. But then¡­ if she''s a Ranger, why would she go to the Magic department?! Unless¡­ With a snort, Garnel tried to look for a plausible explanation that can save his reputation amongst the whole crowd. "Those arrows¡­ they must''ve been just illusions! Yes! Only the last arrow must have been real! The only that scratched me! So you must be a Witch, then! Hah! To think you would use such underhanded tricks...And you must''ve also known about an intermediate tier nullification spell! That''s why you were able to break it! But casting a spell that''s higher in tier would drain a lot of your power so you most likely could only use it once." Completely convinced of his explanation, Garnel laughed at Inna as he haughtily spoke to her. "Well, I would expect no less from a lily class. Using trickery and curses¡­ Being a Witch suit you immensely." Meanwhile, Inna''s pounding headache seemed to get worse as the seconds passed. She was no longer able to even comprehend whatever Garnel was saying as she just clutched her head. Determined to not let the pain hinder her, she gritted her teeth as she started casting a spell. But when she saw Garnel taking a sword out of his own spatial pouch, she knew that there wouldn''t be enough time to finish casting it. So, she decided to abandon her spell and instead, she took a sword out from her spatial pouch as well. "Hoh? I''d recognize that sword anywhere. Every Edserian Adventurer would have that sword. Now, why does that little girl have something like that?" At the corner of the room, the fighter mused as he suspiciously stared Inna down. He crossed towards Edseria a couple of times so he could recognize that special sword even at a far distance. And from those times he was at Edseria, one thing was for sure... Only adventurers born from Edseria could ever possess a sword like that. That''s because the blacksmith behind that sword was a racist pig, after all. So, if she had that sword, she must be someone from Edseria! "But, why would someone from the other side be here?" The fighter couldn''t help but think out loud. Hearing his mumbling, the magic-user beside him snorted. "She must''ve stolen it from a dead adventurer who crossed the border. Don''t think too much into it. She''s from Lily class after all." The fighter nodded slowly in agreement. What his friend said was more convincing than his idea of her being an Edserian Adventurer who''s able to cross the dangerous path going to Anemoly. But, a few seconds of spectating the fight, his idea was starting to feel more possible. After all, with their swords now drawn, the girl seemed to have the strength and movement of a fighter as she overpowers the man heavily. Swing after swing of their swords, Garnel was in a state of disbelief as he tried his best to defend himself. He couldn''t even catch a proper breath, much less cast a spell, as he tried to block the heavy blows Inna was giving him. For such a small girl, her swings were impossibly heavy! He realized that he would never win with just his sword against her. Because although he didn''t want to accept it, she was a great swordsman.Though he didn''t understand why she wasn''t in the Combat Department instead. But one thing is for sure, he''s better at her in magic. So, with a plan forming in his head, he clashed his sword with Inna then he raised his leg to kick her foot. Inna dodged the kick but it made her footing unstable. Garnel took advantage of her instability to try and slash her hip. To dodge it, Inna had to leap back to widen the distance between them. That gave Garnel enough time to mumble a chant as he reached into his spatial pouch. Inna didn''t seem to notice his strange actions as she charged towards him with a determined expression. She had a plan to overwhelm him with a single slash, one of the tactics Rhys taught her every time she visited him or when he visited her by sneaking into her dorms unbeknownst to Raghnall. The tactic helps disorient the opponent which will affect the way they''ll react or counterattack. So, with that plan, Inna swung her sword with all her might. But just as Garnel blocked her attack with gritted teeth, she felt a sudden chill down her spine before a sharp pain overpowered it. And when she instinctively looked down to her abdomen, she saw Garnel''s hand that seemed to grip something invisible. And she saw her pale pink outer robe stained with red which seemed to ironically match the color of her belt that was beneath it. Then, in probably the longest second of Inna''s new life, she let go of her sword as she stared at the growing red stain on her stomach. Did he just... stab her? Chapter 192 Innas Plight 1 Then, when she closed her eyes, she realized what it was. She sensed the shape of a small dagger that was coated with a heavy layer of magical particles which Garnel seemed to be gripping. And so, it didn''t take a genius to guess what he did. Probably from the brief chance she gave him when she distanced herself from him, he got the dagger from his pouch and quickly casted an invisibility spell without her notice. So, when she charged towards him, he pretended to block the attack but in actuality, his other hand already had the dagger pointed towards her, stabbing her in the process. "God fucking dammit." Opening her eyes, she gritted her teeth in both from pain and frustration. She thought she''d be okay given that she''d trained for months on both proper combat and magic. And along with the addition of her body''s really high skill in combat and the fact that she had her ''other'' state, she felt confident that Garnel would never be able to touch her. But to think that she''d be stabbed that easily. Well, she wouldn''t have been damned stabbed if it wasn''t for the blasting headache she''s having. It made her senses and mind shift their focus from the ongoing fight towards the pain instead. And now, as Inna clutched her stomach to try and stop the bleeding, her mind and senses shifted themselves towards a new kind of pain. She cursed again and again under her breath as she felt the sharp pain every time she breathed. That motherfucker with his dirty little tricks... Freeling her frustration skyrocketing, she glared at Garnel with intense hatred in her eyes. Yet despite being faced with such an expression, Garnel simply chuckled as he harshly withdrew the dagger. "Hey, all''s fair in a duel as long as the opponent is down." Still unrelenting to withdraw her intense glare, Inna held in a scream as her legs gave out from the pain and shock. She wasn''t able to hear Raghnall''s screams of panic behind her as she tried to support her weakening body with only one hand. With her hands slowly weakening from the lack of blood, she tried to hold back her own panic as she felt the pressure she placed on her wound starting to lighten. Then, with her hand now powerless to stop it, the blood starting to slowly flow down her stomach, showing a ghastly red trail on her clothes. As she stared helplessly at the blood spreading to the roses on her robes, Inna''s whole body started to lose its heat. Her face became as pale as paper and her vision started to get blurry. Then, she vaguely felt Raghnall''s arms around her and she wanted to press herself against him for warmth. But for some reason, her body wouldn''t move. "Why are you still alive?" Suddenly, she heard a crazed grating voice of a woman inside her head that kept speaking to her. The tone used as she spoke was one filled with hatred as though Inna was the sole reason why she was suffering. "You--! If only you weren''t born!!" Blinking her eyes rapidly, visions of a poorly lit stone chamber suddenly flashed before Inna''s eyes. And the voice started to get louder. "WHY?! WHY?! YOU RUINED IT ALL! JUST WHY?! WHY ARE YOU--" Inna suddenly felt like she had the wind suddenly knocked out of her as she gasped loudly. Then, in an instant, her whole body became as cold as ice as that familiar feeling of her thoughts draining into nothingness took over her. With a blank face and a newfound strength, she pushed herself off of Raghnall as she stood up and walked towards Garnel, all the while staring intently at him with no emotion in her eyes. The sudden blankness of Inna''s face as she slowly came near him somehow creeped Garnel out so much that he began to feel goosebumps forming. "You...want¡­kill me?" The quiet whisper of an unknown voice suddenly came out of Inna making everyone who was near enough to hear it shocked and confused. Garnel heard it as well but rather than surprise taking over him, somehow the innocence he found in her tone and voice made him feel wary instead. And before he could even blink, Inna suddenly appeared in front of him. The whole room was filled with gasps as they saw the feat. Raghnall also looked at her with the same amount of surprise as he tried to figure out what was happening with her. He wanted to heal her with a healing spell so he started casting it as he placed pressure on her wound earlier. But before he could even finish casting the spell, he felt the wound under his hand suddenly close up by itself. It startled him greatly that he froze and he wasn''t able to stop her from going near Garnel. Now, seeing her sudden swift run wherein she almost looked like she teleported, Raghnall knew that something was different¡­ Different and terribly wrong¡­ But just as he was about to go near Inna to investigate, he saw her tilting her head to one side. Then, it all happened in a blink of an eye. Inna''s pupils started to dilate and her hand shot out to roughly grab Garnel. Then, she proceeded to lift his whole body up by his neck easily with not so much as a sway or tremble in her movement. Seeing the abrupt action, screams of shock and panic erupted around them. "Wha--!" Garnel was unable to let out any more words as he felt the sudden presence of a great pressure tightening his airways. "You¡­ should not¡­" Her eerie whispers continued as Inna just kept staring straight through Garnel''s eyes that watered from the lack of air. Then, she loosened her grip on his neck lightly as her mouth slowly spoke in a hushed tone. "I protect¡­" Then, reaching into her own spatial pouch with her other hand, she reached for a dagger. And she raised it in front of Garnel. "Balance¡­ maintain.." In one swift movement, she swung the dagger across Garnel''s neck, slightly staining the hand that was strangling him with a red hue. Then, she dropped Garnel''s limp body on the floor as she stared at her own hands. This time, instead of a blank expression, she somehow had a hint of confusion that showed as she saw her trembling hands. "Mas--?" Her words were cut off as a loud noise suddenly erupted. "Monster! She''s a monster! A murderer!" Chapter 193 Innas Plight 2 The three students all cried out in anger as they tried to intervene but the crowd held them back, fearing that if they did charge towards her, they would meet the same fate. But they didn''t bother silencing them as the students poured out their emotions through their screams. "She''s a killer!" "She killed him!" "Murderer!" The students cried out one by one as they fiercely fought against the people that held them down. Upon hearing the words being uttered, Inna blinked furiously as the heat of her body returned. But seeing the sight before her, it immediately left her again as she felt her body shiver in shock and disbelief. "W-what did I just¡­" Looking at the limp body of Garnel before her, her legs gave out as she scrambled to get away from his body. "N-no¡­ I d-didn''t mean t-to¡­" She looked at her stained hand and the other hand that still held the dagger, the shock still nowhere near diminishing. Then, seeing her hand and the dagger tainted with Garnel''s blood, she held in a scream as she hastily threw the reddened dagger away from her in disgust. She¡­ killed him? She actually¡­ killed someone? She refused to look at Garnel''s limp body, trying desperately to delude herself into thinking it wasn''t her. But as she moved her gaze away, her sight instinctively focused on the bloodied dagger that looked like a sinister weapon of a murderer. The accusing cries of the crowd around her started to become unbearable but it was drowned out by her inner thoughts that were far louder inside her head. No, it wasn''t her. It wasn''t her, right? It was her other self! She had no control over her! Then, as she looked at the dagger more, she remembered the wound he gave her. She instinctively clutched her stomach but much to her surprise, the pain she thought that would surface from her touch didn''t come. And when she poked around her stomach some more, she realized that she no longer had the wound. What the¡­ Her surprise has shifted as she stared at her stomach. This time, her thoughts grew wild as she filled her head with questions. What was happening?! How did her wound suddenly disappear?! And why did her ''other'' self kill Garnel?! And why was her ''other'' self able to speak?! For the past year, nothing this extreme had happened. Her other self had always been powerful yet as blank as a sheet. But what made such a difference now? Why was she able to speak? And what did she mean by her words? Faced with these stacked up shocking developments and newfound questions, Inna no longer knew what to think, do, or say anymore. All she could focus on was what she felt. She stared at Garnel''s body that seemed to have stopped bleeding. Nevertheless, the pool of blood beneath When the shock slowly diminished, she was slowly starting to feel something else. And that was fear.¡­ An immense tidal wave of fear directed at no one but herself. Raghnall snapped out of his shock when he saw her fearful eyes. He never saw her this frightened before. Even when he tried to spook her with some ghost pranks, which she claimed was her biggest fear, she''d always hide her fear behind her wit or anger. And so, seeing such a grave and frightened expression on her, he knew that what she needed the most right now was comfort so he couldn''t help but hastily go near her. And when he knelt beside her, it was like she knew immediately that it was him as she hastily turned to look at him with widened eyes filled with panic. "I¡­ I.. I d-didn''t¡­" "Shhh¡­" Raghnall patted her head softly, hoping it would appease her slightly. "Calm down. Calm down. It''s okay." He spoke to her with a comforting voice but it didn''t seem to do anything to Inna and her raging emotions. "I k-killed¡­" Raghnall''s eyes furrowed as he shook his head. "No, no. We can''t say for sure." Before Galen fell limp on the ground, he felt something was amiss but he wasn''t entirely sure. After all, he could be seeing things due to his shock. But to comfort Inna and to confirm his suspicions, he decided to go near Garnel''s limp body to check. But before he could take a step, Inna harshly grabbed onto his sleeves as her eyes started to water. "I-it¡­ it wasn''t m-me..." Raghnall patted her head again as he gently pried her fingers from his robes. "I know, I know." Then, before Inna could grab him again, he went to Garnel''s side. And even without him checking his body, Raghnall already knew that he wasn''t dead. The subtle yet clear rise and fall of his chest was an obvious sign of life. So, after heaving a sigh of relief, he casted a short low tier healing spell, one that would help with Garnel''s blood loss. But it seems like his goodwill was misinterpreted as the three students all exclaimed in shock. "Wha--! What do you think you''re doing to our dear brother?!" The three students now began to struggle relentlessly at the crowd who still tried their hardest to hold them down. But in a second, a student was able to find his chance and break free from their hold. Then, now free and filled with rage, the student immediately rushed to Inna as he took out a sword from his own spatial pouch. Inna saw him coming but she didn''t have enough energy and motivation on her to fight him so she just remained on the floor, staring as he quickly approached her. And truthfully, Inna wanted to receive whatever punishment he intended for her to have because she felt that she deserved it after killing someone they loved. But when the student raised his sword to swing at her, she felt the familiar coldness slowly creeping inside her body and she couldn''t help but tremble. Nonononono! Not again! Chapter 194 Innas Plight 3 Coldness immediately flowed into Inna''s body despite her fervent resistance as she felt her burning emotions starting to freeze as well. Then, in a blink of an eye, her whole demeanor calmed down as she held the same familiar emptiness in her eyes that made the student hesitate in mid-swing. But due to the momentum of his movement, he wasn''t able to stop his sword from moving so it continued its motion of slashing towards Inna. And just as the sword was a hair''s breadth away, Inna suddenly threw herself to the student as she easily disarmed him by hitting his wrist. It easily made him loosen his grip on the sword. But then, still having its momentum, the sword swirled by a great distance before piercing through the other side of the wall across them. The audience screamed in panic as they tried to get away from the sword, fearing that another one might come flying in the same direction. Then, Inna proceeded to grip his wrist tighter, and with just a small yet sudden twist, a loud popping sound was heard before a scream of agony echoed throughout the whole room. It drowned out the screams of shock from the crowd which was noticeably growing in number due to the people from the first floor trying to check out what the commotion was. Letting out a small whimper at the end of his scream, the student held tears in his eyes as he leaped back to give some distance between them. Then, swallowing the urge to cry, he clutched on his dislocated shoulder as he glared at her with intense hatred. "You--!" But before he could say anything more to her, Inna dashed to his side in a flash, covering their distance in a mere millisecond. Then, still holding a blank expression despite being glared at with so much hatred, she harshly grabbed the student by the neck as she lifted him up. Seeing the familiar arrangement, the student began to have flashbacks on what happened with Garnel and he couldn''t help but panic. He desperately gasped for air as he clawed at her hands frantically. But since his shoulder was dislocated, making his other hand useless, the single hand he used to claw at her was ineffective in making Inna budge. Then suddenly, a soft groan resounded across the room. But before the people could notice that the groan belonged to the ''dead'' student, Garnel, the doors of the restaurant suddenly flung open as an authoritative cry rang out. "What is with the commotion?!" Two men clad with uniform golden armors marched their way inside the restaurant as they scanned the whole area. Seeing that nearly all the people were gathered to the second floor of the restaurant, they quickly made their way towards the center of the crowd. It seems like the noise was getting too unbearable for the thin walls of the restaurant to contain. Hence, the crowd''s cries, which was now combined with the guests'' from the lower floor, began to be heard outside of the restaurant. And when these two men heard the loud and obtrusive screams, they immediately knew that something was amiss. The crowd immediately parted to give way to the two men who oozed a strong aura as they swiftly marched towards the scene. And when they finally arrived, Inna suddenly felt the coldness withdraw from her. She was left staring at her hand who still grasped the student''s neck but she no longer gripped it tightly with the intention to kill. Meanwhile, the student was nearly fainting, having black spots in his vision before the guards arrived on the scene. But when the strong grip of Inna abruptly disappeared, he started to slowly feel better as he gasped fervently for air. And when he felt that his voice could now return, he screamed at the top of his lungs. "HELP! SHE''S A MURDERER! SHE''S GOING TO KILL ME!" His screams made Inna snap out of her thoughts as she looked at the direction where the two armored men stood. She tried to explain hastily but the panic she felt made her stutter and tumble on her words. "N-no, I d-didn''t! I w-was... H-he was¡­ I--" But Inna knew that no matter how she''s going to deny their cries and accusations, the fact that they saw her trying to strangle the student to death was enough reason for them not to believe her. While she continued to stutter, the two men quickly dashed to her side as they held her immobile with their hands as though she was a criminal. Inna felt too emotionally and mentally tired to even fight back so she just let them do it. Then, addressing the crowd who seemed satisfied with the results, they began to announce. "Since we don''t have jurisdiction in this village, although being caught in the act, we, the royal guards will take the suspected criminal to the appropriate officials." Inna closed her eyes as she sighed dejectedly. She always thought that her ''other'' self was a great power-up of some sort. She thought that she''d be able to have an easy life by relying on it every time someone tries to kill her. She thought that it was a blessing of some sort that can help her avoid dying again. But to think that in exchange for protecting her, she''d have to kill someone. And many would argue that technically it wasn''t her killing them purposely, but even though she switched, it truly felt like it was her. She sees the same things her ''other'' self can see... She hears the same things her ''other'' self can see¡­ She can feel the same things her ''other'' self can feel¡­ The only thing that''s different was that she''s no longer able to control what she''s doing. And that no matter how much she screams in her head to stop and switch, it just seemed like she''s talking to air. So, seeing the blood drip down as she slashed Garnel''s neck was traumatizing to her. Because she felt it. The feel of the dagger slashing through his skin and the small splash of blood that stained her hands. And now, despite her vehement revulsion, it forcibly switched with her to strangle the student. As if it had its own mind¡­ As if it had its own plans¡­ As if it was just spectating through her eyes... And Inna finally snapped out of the silly delusion she unknowingly had. She realized that the ''power-up'' she took her pride on was never under her control. But it seemed more like ''it'' had the control over her. Chapter 195 Raghnalls Lily "Release her." A voice that seemed to hold a hint of anger echoed around. The two guards curiously looked over at the direction of the voice. And when they saw a familiar face, they couldn''t help but jump slightly in surprise. But nevertheless, aside from being personal guards, they were tasked by the Emperor to protect the village so, they couldn''t possibly release such a dangerous person with no proper reason. Hence, with conflicted looks on their faces, one of them decided to ask. "But for what reason should we release her, sir?" Raghnall''s voice exuded anger as he stared at the two royal guards while replying. "She did nothing wrong." The royal guards both raised their eyebrows. "But we saw her strangle a man with her bare hands! Even an unlearned beggar by the street, given such a scene, would think that what she did was completely wrong!" Raghnall walked towards Garnel who was still pretending that he was still dead. Then, with a strong grip on his clothes, Raghnall harshly pulled him up as he made him face the guards. Still not realizing that Garnel was alive, the crowd gave shouts of disapproval as they commented on Raghnall''s merciless act of toying with someone''s corpse. But they soon shut up when Raghnall began to raise his voice slightly. "TELL THEM." Garnel shivered in fear from the suppressed anger he can hear in Raghnall''s voice as the grip on his clothes tightened. The two guards were now utterly confused with the sudden development. One of them decided to speak his mind as he addressed the crowd. "Can someone dare explain the whole context of this situation? I see that there''s more to it than what we just saw. And so, I fear that we would not be able to serve justice if we don''t know the whole story behind all this." The crowd''s screams slowly deteriorated into hushed whispers as they all began to shy away from the responsibility of telling the story. Raghnall soon ended their silent debate when he shook Garnel''s body fiercely. "Why not ask from the perpetrator himself? I know you''re awake now. Quit acting dead like a coward." Seeing that Garnel was stubborn about continuing his act, Raghnall clicked his tongue in irritation. "Unless of course, you wouldn''t want the whole world to know that you were beaten by someone from the Lily class? The weakest girl from the history of Eldora academy actually beat a mage from the Heather class? If that isn''t humiliating, I don''t know what is." Garnel gritted his teeth as he endured the humiliation. He''d rather play dead and have Inna convicted than admit that he was beaten in a duel by some idiot! But of course, Raghnall was unfazed by Garnel''s stubbornness. He somehow already knew that the idiot in his hands would hold onto his pride for dear life. So, with no choice in his hands, he figured to just threaten the guy. And so, after casting a telepathy spell, he began to speak in Garnel''s mind. ''If you don''t speak in ten counts, I''ll continue what she failed to do to you.'' Garnel stiffened slightly under his grasp but he still continued to play dead. ''Hah, you can''t harm me! The academy prohibits fighting outside official duels!'' Raghnall couldn''t help but admit that the stubbornness he had was admirable. But then again, that''s all he had left¡­ stubbornness. ''Your older brother is Galen, right? How is he doing by the way? Heard he had to stop attending the academy after he had his tongue mysteriously cut off a day after his defeat in a duel with Herad. I wonder who could make such a feat.'' Garnel began to sweat at the hidden implications behind Raghnall''s words. ''You¡­ how could you possibly know about that!'' Knowing that Garnel was about to crack soon, Raghnall painstakingly walked slowly towards the two guards as he replied to him. ''I wonder¡­'' Garnel gritted his teeth as he refused to believe the implications he''s suggesting. ''Impossible! It was Herad who was suspected of doing that crime! That was why he was expelled! The professors even saw my brother''s tongue in his room!'' Raghnall smiled slightly as he stopped in his tracks. ''Ah, Herad... Man, it''s been nearly a year. So, you actually think Herad was the one who cut off your brother''s tongue? But if it was Herad, why would he even do that despite winning the duel?'' Garnel was silenced as he mulled over Raghnall''s words. He never even thought of that! There''s absolutely no motive behind the action! But still trying to convince himself, he tried to think of an explanation behind it. ''He¡­ he obviously thought that winning wasn''t enough! He just wanted to ruin my brother''s life!'' Raghnall was starting to get ticked off from Garnel''s impenetrable stubbornness. So, he couldn''t help but make his involvement more obvious in hopes it could finally make Garnel realize what Raghnall was capable of doing. ''I hope your brother had fun with his broken-but-now-healed jaw and his partly cut tongue. But when his tongue grows back after a year or two, he''d surely forget about the great times he had, right? So, I made sure to give him a lily to commemorate such wonderful events. To be honest, I do have quite the habit of growing and taking care of lilies so I hope he preserved it well.'' In an instant, Garnel''s body turned cold as a shiver ran down his spine after digesting his words. The lily! How did he know about that?! It should only be him and his brother who would know of such a thing! After all, he found that lily in his brother''s room the very morning his brother had to leave! And he was the first one to find it, with his brother being the second, before they tossed it away somewhere, thinking nothing of its presence. Now seeing Raghnall in a new light, Garnel''s stubbornness completely dissolved and was completely replaced by fear mixed with fury. "YOU! YOU CUT MY BROTHER''S TONGUE!" Garnel exploded as he squirmed to get away from Raghnall''s hold on his clothes. The crowd all gasped audibly in shock as they widened their eyes in disbelief. The three students who saw Garnel''s outburst couldn''t help but gape as well. And almost everyone had the same thought in their minds as they looked at each other with disbelieving eyes. He wasn''t dead?! Chapter 196 Raghnalls Favorite Person Is Here! Garnel realized that he unknowingly cried out his inner thoughts and he immediately slapped his mouth shut with his hands as regret washed over him. Hell''s wrath! He messed up! With a sigh, he knew that continuing his act was already pointless. So, he could only hide his face in shame as he squirmed slightly under Raghnall''s grasp. "Still not willing to tell them what happened?" The irritation in Raghnall''s tone made Garnel snap his head back up as he narrowed his eyes at him. "I''ll tell only when you put me down!" Raghnall clicked his tongue as he lowered Garnel until his feet touched the floor. But, he didn''t let go of his clothes which made Garnel scrunch up his face in silent complaint. Raghnall ignored the face Garnel made as he tugged on his clothes as a warning for him to start talking. And when Garnel felt the harsh action, he gritted his teeth for a few seconds before he finally spoke. "Okay, fine! I challenged her to a duel and she ALMOST beat me! I just¡­ fainted¡­ in the middle of the match! Obviously, the victor isn''t deci--" When Garnel felt Raghnall''s grip on his clothes tighten, he decided to retract his words hastily. "I, uhh, we were fighting and s-she slashed me in the n-neck. I guess it wasn''t deep enough to k-kill but I ended up uhm¡­ fainting¡­ from shock." But despite Garnel giving the two guards the gist of the story, they still didn''t seem to find the connection between what they saw and what he just said. "And what does your duel have to do with her strangling someone?" Garnel looked at the corner of his eye to peek at his friend in confusion. From seeing the action, Raghnall knew that he was probably still unconscious when the student started attacking her so he decided to be the one to talk about it instead. "The guy she strangled was a friend of this guy here." He gestured at Garnel before continuing his explanation. "With this guy fainting at the right timing, everyone here all stupidly thought that this guy died. And although deaths in duels are not uncommon, his dear friends over there thought it would be right to call MY dear friend a murderer. And they somehow deluded themselves into thinking that they were righteous idiots. Thus, one of them decided to get revenge by attacking my dear friend. And so, in an appropriate act of self-defense, my dear friend had no other choice but to retaliate. Hence, forming the scene you tumbled upon." While hearing Raghnall''s explanation, they examined the whole crowd''s reaction to verify if what he said was truly correct. And when they saw the guilty faces made by the three students along with the nodding gestures of some of the people in the crowd, they knew that what Raghnall was saying was the truth. "It seems that we were wrong. And although the place and time were not really right for a duel, we should still honor it as such since it must''ve been validated by witnesses, no? Henceforth, given that the only trace of violence was done by the student who attacked her outside of the duel, she is hereby deemed free of all charges. And in her stead, we will be taking the student instead." And after saying the last few words, they decided to let go of their grip on Inna. But once they did, they hurriedly gripped her again as they stopped her limp body from dropping to the ground, face flat. Noticing the sudden loss of voluntary motion in her body, they both looked at her in disbelief. And their eyes widened even more when they saw the huge pool of an unknown substance that seemed to form directly below Inna''s bowed head. "Is she¡­ Is this¡­ Wha¡­" Finally noticing Inna''s lack of response, Raghnall harshly flung Garnel to the side as though he was a rag cloth. Then, he walked towards Inna hurriedly, trying to check what was wrong. But when he drew near, he couldn''t help but let a snicker out, breaking his tough-guy character in an instant. She''s asleep! At a time like this, this ninny is actually asleep! Raghnall couldn''t help but sigh in relief as he smiled widely. Here he was, trying to stop her from getting put to jail and she ended up sleeping. Well, he couldn''t blame her. After all, far too many things happened in a span of a single day. They''ve toured around the village and now, she ended up fighting a duel she never wanted. It must''ve caused her to be exhausted emotionally, physically, and mentally, and to add more, she drank a lot of the Tiger''s Bane as well. So, he really shouldn''t be surprised that she''d suddenly fall asleep. But just as he was about to order the guards to let go of her, a familiar loud voice suddenly filled the whole restaurant that made Raghnall stiffen almost instinctively. "Hey! Is there anyone by the name of Raghnall eating here?! His favorite person wants to see him!" Raghnall whipped his head to the direction of the voice just in time for Rhys to arrive on the second floor by floating. "Found you! Hey, asshole, I thought we were going to spend the free day toge--" Rhys stopped his sentence mid-way as he stared at Raghnall''s face. "BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAAHHAHA!" He bursted out laughing as he pointed his finger at the ridiculous thing Raghnall had on his head. "What is that?! HAHAHAHAHHA only Nana could ever make you wear a necklace crazily like that! Speaking of which, she must also be he--" He finally noticed the unconscious Inna who was being grabbed by the two guards. "Huh¡­ That''s¡­ surprising¡­ So, what''d I miss this time? Why is my teacher being held by royal guards?" The royal guards snapped out of their thoughts when they heard the innocent question. And after remembering what they were supposed to do, they slowly and carefully let go of Inna while making sure that she was supported properly by Raghnall. Then, with a small respectful bow, they silently made their way to the student who Inna initially strangled. And after a few troubles of making the kid cooperative, the royal guards saluted elegantly before leaving with the student restrained by their grip. Chapter 197 Raghnall Walks Out?! And as soon as the royal guards disappeared from sight without so much as a word of goodbye, Raghnall couldn''t help but comment sarcastically. "Look at them leave without even saying a single word¡­ you scared them off asshole." Hearing his teasing tone, Rhys laughed heartily. "Well, I am pretty terrifying, if I do say so myself. But are you sure it''s not you who scared them? They probably still remembered what you did to them when they were still lowly palace soldiers. After all, anyone would be traumatized after being magically controlled by someone ten years younger, then forced to kiss their partner in front of the palace gates." Raghnall snorted as he hoisted Inna comfortably on his arms. "Why are you even here Rhys?" Rhys beamed at Raghnall innocently. "What do you mean? Of course, I''m here for the break! I''m a student from the Magic department just like you guys!" Raghnall gave him a flat look that showed how much he believed in his lie. Then, with a matching flat disbelieving tone, Raghnall spoke to him. "The time you were a student from the Magic department was years ago, Rhys..." Rhys winked at him as he smiled playfully. "That''s what I told you! I''m also a student from the Magic department! Just not currently!" Still holding the flat look, Raghnall sighed. "So you snuck out again without telling Master Azai?" Rhys nodded enthusiastically as he giggled. "Now that I had most of my magic, sneaking out is waaaay easier. I mean, you didn''t even notice I was sneaking into the Lily dorms whenever you were gone!" "What?!" Raghnall growled out as he stomped his foot harshly. Rhys laughed lightly before patting his shoulder reassuringly. "Don''t worry, don''t worry. I just snuck in there to talk. Nothing more. I''m not like that¡­. Well, not anymore¡­ But anyways! Since you''re already here in our usual restaurant, why don''t we get some drinks like the old times?" Still feeling pissed at Rhys for visiting Inna behind his back and at himself for not being able to notice Rhys sneaking in, Raghnall could only snarl at the invitation. "I''m not drinking with someone who does things behind my back!" Hearing the sudden animosity which Rhys couldn''t comprehend the reason for, he pouted at Raghnall in complaint. "But... If I did tell you, you will obviously toss me back to the other side! And besides, I really didn''t do anything! We just talked and did some sparring! And you should be grateful that I taught her some things to help with her coordination in mixing magic with combat! You didn''t even bother teaching her the basics in body enhancements!" Raghnall was now thoroughly pissed when he realized that Rhys was criticizing his teaching abilities. "I didn''t teach her because she never needed it in the first place! She''s plenty strong in the combat area! Her weakness is Magic! Why''d you think she was in the Lily class in the first place?!" Rhys really didn''t understand what got Raghnall so riled up. But when he saw a faint tint of redness on his ears, he finally figured out the reason why. "You... you drank already, didn''t you?" Although still feeling irritated, the sudden question startled Raghnall. "What?" Ignoring Raghnall, Rhys took a step closer as he took a small sniff at him. "I can smell it. A Soldier''s Cry? No, it smells mixed. AH! THE GREAT SORROW AND TIGER''S BANE!" Stepping back, Rhys shot him a dirty look as he crossed his arms. "You actually drank without me! Low move, asshole. Low move. What happened to the promise of being drinking buddies?! The promise that we''d only show our drunk selves to us three?!" Suddenly, he felt completely drained as he peered at Rhys. And he let out a small sigh to express it as he spoke. "I drank but I''m not drunk." Rhys continued to look at him with a dirty look as he spoke. "Drunk or not, Tiger''s Bane has a reputation for being unpredictable. Meaning, even if you haven''t even drunk much, its bizarre effects can still affect you. That''s because the small magic particles inside the wine constantly change depending on the person''s current state and can manifest itself in whatever ways. So, it''s more like gambling what effect you''ll get in each cup." "Some gets headaches, sudden outbursts, lethargy, and even drowsiness while others can get violent, aggressive, and can even result in paranoia. Hence, it''s known to be really lethal." "Also, the effects of Tiger''s Bane can also be delayed, which I think is the reason why you''re only feeling it now. And the great thing about this drink is that the more powerful you are in magic, the more likely you''ll be unaffected by its strange effects but it''s still wine so of course, you''ll still get drunk if you consume above your threshold. But for those who are not that gifted, the more they drink, the more intense the effects with manifest in them and it can also make the effects longer." Hearing all the sudden facts thrown at him, Raghnall raised his eyebrows in surprise. He knew that Rhys loved drinking wines a little too much than an average person but he never knew that he''d know so much about their effects as well. He was about to ask him how he can sober up when Inna suddenly stirred in his arms. She snuggled her head closer to Raghnall''s neck but Raghnall noticed that the current position she moved in seemed to be uncomfortable. And so, Raghnall shifted Inna in a more bearable position, making Inna''s bells clang incessantly. Hearing the loud noises, Rhys finally noticed the bell ribbon Inna had on her hair and he couldn''t help but laugh. "Isn''t that those thing non-magic users give to small children and animals so that they don''t lose them? Why does she have such a thing?" Raghnall unknowingly let out a small smile as he answered him. "She tends to run off somewhere when she''scurious about something so I''m just making sure I don''t lose her." Rhys raised an eyebrow as he peered at Inna with a soft smile. "Yeah, she''s quite adventurous despite being so dense at times." Raghnall didn''t like the look Rhys had on his face as well as his tone so he couldn''t help but show his displeasure on his face. Rhys noticed it and his soft smile soon morphed into a teasing one. "What''s with the jealous face, asshole? You afraid I might steal her away?" Rhys made a blatant act of trying to grab Inna into his arms and the motion got on Raghnall''s nerves. She''s sleeping! And he actually wants to have a childish tug of war with him knowing that it might wake her up?! He swiftly moved her away from Rhys''s reach as he glared at him vehemently. Being the target of such a fierce glare, Rhys was in shock. It was the first time in a while that Rhys saw Raghnall glare at him so intensely that he instinctively raised his hands to show that he''s not going to do anything more. "Hey hey hey, easy there! You don''t have to be so protective!" Raghnall huffed angrily at Rhys before he turned his back on him with Inna on his arms. "We''re leaving. I feel like the longer we stay here, the higher the chances of you disrupting her sleep. She just had a very long eventful day and I don''t want you ruining her rest." Then, with brisk long strides, he hurriedly walked out of the restaurant with Inna still sound asleep on his arms. The crowd began to slowly dissipate once they realized that the whole fiasco was over. And they began to resume their previous activities all except for Rhys. Still standing at the same spot, Rhys stood there, dumbfounded, with his furrowed brows which were partnered with a now sour mood as he watched his dear friend walk away from him. It''s just the wine talking¡­ Rhys huffed as he tried to convince himself not to get offended. Chapter 198 Whats Her Name? 1 "As great as the Emperor of Anemoly was in welcoming us, I can''t believe he won''t lend us even the smallest of carriages!" Renee whined. She felt the mud on her leather boots begin to harden as she walked. The dirt that came along with the mud covered her dry skin making her face contort with annoyance. Rod didn''t seem to be fazed at the amount of mud that accumulated on his legs as he continued to walk across the forest. He brushed off some stray branches as he spoke. "That man in red most likely told the emperor not to give us one. He probably thought that we''ll use it to run away after pretending to search for awhile. Well, he''s not wrong." Rod laughed lightly as he proceeded to walk along with the group until the dense trees slowly thinned out. And at the end of the forest, they saw the village they''ve been looking for. "Why are we even going to this small little village? If we''re planning to escape, why not go to a smaller country?" Rod grabbed a small white damp cloth in his sling bag which he used to clean his muddy legs. Then, halfway through his cleaning, he answered her. "This village near Eldora Academy is after all the nearest to the border. This is probably the farthest we can go from the royal capital. We already somewhat ''searched'' all the parts that were near to the capital so if we start another search in this town, we can make it seem as though we''re still searching in other parts of Anemoly that are near the borders. And then, after a few days of pretending to search, we can run away undetected to Edseria where that guy won''t find us. We can always pass through the Poisoned path like last time. It didn''t do us any harm last time so I bet it wouldn''t affect us much the second time we pass through it as well." After Rod thoroughly cleaned his legs, he gave two other damp cloths to Nol and Renee for them to follow suit. Nol followed obediently while Renee hesitated for a full moment. "What if he''s got people spying on us? What makes you think that that really handsome guy wouldn''t chase after us once we try to escape?" Despite her serious tone, Renee couldn''t help but giggle at the end. Oh, how she wished he''d chase her¡­ She''d never been so hung up on a guy before but she knew that her type had always been handsome men who were strong and confident. Hence, she dated quite a lot of adventurers back then. But she''d usually immediately break up with them whenever they ever lose in a fight. After all, she wouldn''t want to have a loser as a partner. And just as she was about to lose all hope to find her ideal man, the man in red suddenly appeared with all his regal aura. He was truly a powerful man! Both in ability and in his connections as well. After all, how many people can make the Emperor bow to them?! She''s never even heard of such a thing happening until she saw it herself! With that kind of power, he''s the best candidate she could ever find to make her experience the best life of luxury. And so, with that, she''s not going to let the moment slide. She''s going to get him to fall for her whether he likes it or not. Rod noticed the greedy glint in Renee''s eyes and he couldn''t help but huff in ridicule. He knew what was going on in her head. He''d been with her for so long that it''d be impossible for him not to get it. She''s planning on using men again for her own selfish desires. She was so lost into her own thoughts that Rod knew that answering her question was just pointless. But the blatant curious stare of Nol made Rod still answer. "I''ve checked nearly a hundred times and I can confidently say that we''re not being followed. Back when we were in the capital, Anemolia, I made a few tests to see if someone was following us or keeping an eye on us but all resulted to negative. And besides, the moment that guy knows we bailed, we''d probably be days away from him. That''ll give us enough time to hide in Edseria." Nol slightly nodded in silent understanding as he continued to wordlessly walk. Rod began to lead his team to the entrance of the village but they were slightly startled by the bright eye-catching lights at the gates. The brightness made their eyes, which already adjusted to the darkness of the night, squint heavily. "What¡­ Are they in the middle of their festival now?" Renee shielded her sensitive eyes from the light as she asked Rod grumpily. Rod and Nol both blinked a few times before rubbing their eyes gently. Then, looking back at the gate again, Rod nodded. "Either a festival or some sort of event. These lanterns are usually held up to signify celebrations. So, we might have to hurry. In situations like these, the inns are usually full. Let''s just hope we can have at least one room to comfortably stay in for now." Rod began to speed up his walking as he tried to look for the signage of an Inn. Renee and Nol dutifully followed suit as they too searched for the same signage. And when they finally entered an Inn, they hurriedly rented two rooms to stay the night in. Rod also took advantage of them booking a room to ask the innkeeper about the current event. After properly settling in their rooms, Renee entered Rod and Nol''s room as they started to plan what to do next. "So the whole town''s not exactly celebrating something but more like they''re just honoring the yearly event that''s held in that prestigious Eldora Academy. Something about the students going out of their campus to have fun before a tournament. Well, it doesn''t really concern us much." Then, a loud sound suddenly erupted within him and Rod bursted out laughing. "Well, just as what my stomach had said, I guess the only thing we could do is to have something to eat. So, let''s find some tasty food and relax for now. And we''ll start the searching tomorrow." (End Of Chapter) _____________________________________________________________ Previous Announcement: Time Out!!! _____________________________________________________________ Okay soo I just noticed that I had a huge plot hole in my plans (something abt a sequence of events in the future that don''t match up).... Sooooo I''ll be taking my time in mending it as I review the other 190 chapters to make sure it wouldn''t affect anything (wish me luck huhu) No updates today but I''ll update twice tomorrow or thrice the day after tomorrow! (depends on how long it''ll take to mend it...) So, a small spoiler to help u guys get by for now: the next chapter will be about Inna, Raghnall, and Aril, the identities of some characters will be revealed in the tournament arc, and a few characters will come back to the limelight! Sorry for the inconvenience! I''ll really try to fix this as fast as I can (but all the story events are already planned ahead and kinda like connected already so if I change one thing, I gotta change a heck lot of things huhu) Here''s a small mini extra: What If Raghnall, and Rhys went to Inna''s world? (Arriving) I: Now, I tried my best to tell you everything you need to know so please do remember my words and don''t ever stray away from me, okay? I tried my best to teach you guys... English... so use them when you talk to people, okay? (Raghnall and Rhys nods in unison) (A few minutes later.) Ra: (points at a street light) That is tree! Rh: (points at a man in a jacket) That is hobo! Ra: (points at a skater boy who fell) That is noob? Rh: (points at a handsome buff man across them) That looks like asshole! I: (sighs) Okay, stop. Just... don''t say anything, please. I feel like you''ll get sacked by someone if you guys continue this. (Then, Inna decided to buy a few snacks and told the two guys to wait. Minutes later, a few curious girls went to them and started a conversation.) (Inna saw the girls and she hurriedly ran back to the guys in panic. She had no confidence that they could hold a conversation.) (Rhys saw that she was near and tried to show off his ''English skills'' in hopes to get praised.) Rh: Nana! I know what this is! (Inna had a bad feeling.) Rh: This is... slut! (Rhys was slapped...) Chapter 199 Whats Her Name? 2 "What''s happening?" Rod furrowed his brows as he and the rest of his group tried their best to blend in among the small crowd that gathered outside the restaurant. He heard from the innkeeper that that place was the best when it comes to food. But on their way there, their hearts nearly leaped out of their chests when they saw royal guards coming out of the establishment. The team immediately recognized the position of those royal guards by a mile away. After staying for a few weeks in the royal palace, they knew, from the glint of the golden armors those guards wore, that they were the special force of the Emperor, the only guards who can receive orders straight from the Emperor himself. "What are they doing here?!" Renee whispered vehemently as she tried to hide her face. Then, after taking a second peek, her eyes widened in panic. "What if they''re assigned to spy on us?! What are we going to do now?!" Rod discreetly tilted his head to the side in an attempt to cover up his face as well. Nol soon took the hint and followed suit. Looking at the two guards, Rod began to voice out his thoughts. "They''re usually deployed to protect royalty so why are they here? Are they under the Emperor''s orders? Or are they on vacation?" One of the royal guards felt a sudden intense stare directed at him and he instinctively looked for its origin. Fortunately, Rod was able to quickly look away before the royal guard could notice his stare. "But, I don''t think they''re guarding royalty. That''s because before we left the capital, almost all the members of the royal family, except for the third prince, were present and busy in the palace. So, I doubt they''d find time to visit this small village. And I believe that the third prince is out somewhere for training. So, the royal guards here must be here under the Emperor''s orders. And I don''t think they have any vacation nor breaks. They are the Emperor''s personal guards, after all." Renee furrowed her brows in worry as she spoke. "So, do you think they''re here to keep an eye on us?" Rod''s forehead began to crinkle as he became lost in his thoughts. Then, after a few seconds of silence, he let out a small exhale as he spoke. "I''m not too sure about that. There''s a chance that their business here is unrelated to us, but we can''t deny that there''s also a chance that they''re here to make sure we really are searching for her." Rod caressed his chin as he began to think of the best way to approach the situation. "But then again, if they really are here for us, we can always pretend that we''re actually doing what the Emperor asked us to do, which is to search for her in the village. And after a few days of ''searching,'' we''d just have to tell them that there''s a chance that she''d be in another distant country and that we''d need to go through Edseria for transit. But once we reach Edseria, we''d shake them off and hide." While Rod was voicing out his thoughts, Nol took a curious peek at the royal guards. And to his surprise, behind one of the royal guards, he saw a teenager with an ashen face and a frightened expression. It seems like only Nol was able to notice the child because, from both Renee''s and Rod''s angles, the child was hidden behind the royal guards'' armor. Nol tapped Rod gently as he grunted. "They''re not here for us." Startled, Rod looked at Nol in confusion. "And what makes you think that?" Nol cocked his head to the side as he gestured at the child that was now in full view after being held and dragged by the arm by the royal guards. "Is that kid the third prince? Wait no¡­ He has magic nullification chains on his arms. A criminal?" Renee muttered as her eyes followed the direction where the kid was dragged to. Rod squinted as he tried his best to understand the situation. "I don''t think he''s done any great crimes. Most probably just a magic scuffle among those students from the academy. Well, I wouldn''t be surprised. Some of the students there have big heads and even bigger egos." The crowd outside the restaurant saw that the drama was most likely over now that the troublemaker was apprehended. And so, they began to slowly leave to continue with their own lives. The team all sighed in relief when the royal guards were finally out of sight but they all now hesitated to go inside the restaurant. With the huge ruckus, surely the restaurant would be affected. Normally, they would close for a few hours to try and mend the damages from the fight. If the fight ended up with major damages, some would even take days if they couldn''t find a magic-user to fix it. And the most worrying part for them would be the chances of the royal guards coming back. And so, in case the restaurant decides to close and in case the royal guards decided to return, they scanned the nearby area for any other food establishment they can eat from instead. But luck was not on their side. When they saw another restaurant, it seemed to be fully packed, with some guests outside probably waiting in line for their turn to enter. "Are we seriously choosing this place over that other restaurant? This one looks like they get their meat from dead animals rotting at the side of the road! I mean, look at the dirt on those walls! People are probably going here because they don''t have enough money to go to that famous place." Rod shushed Renee and her whining as he began to contemplate. If they choose the other place, they could be safe from those royal guards but they''ll be waiting outside for god knows how long and the quality of their meal isn''t assured to be good. But if they choose that famous restaurant, there''s a big risk of the royal guards coming back and a big chance for them to wait a few hours if ever the restaurant closes, but then again, the quality of their meal is top-notch. After a few seconds of contemplation, Rod couldn''t seem to reach a decision. But when another loud grumble from Rod''s stomach erupted, Rod finally decided to make his way to the previous restaurant''s entrance. The decision made Renee squeal in delight and she hurriedly tried to see if the restaurant was still open. Seeing that there was no signage indicating its closure, she giggled excitedly as she urged the two men to hurry along. But as she grasped the handle of the door, it suddenly opened, making the door collide harshly on her face. Chapter 200 Whats Her Name? 1 "As great as the Emperor of Anemoly was in welcoming us, I can''t believe he won''t lend us even the smallest of carriages!" Renee whined. She felt the mud on her leather boots begin to harden as she walked. The dirt that came along with the mud covered her dry skin making her face contort with annoyance. Rod didn''t seem to be fazed at the amount of mud that accumulated on his legs as he continued to walk across the forest. He brushed off some stray branches as he spoke. "That man in red most likely told the emperor not to give us one. He probably thought that we''ll use it to run away after pretending to search for awhile. Well, he''s not wrong." Rod laughed lightly as he proceeded to walk along with the group until the dense trees slowly thinned out. And at the end of the forest, they saw the village they''ve been looking for. "Why are we even going to this small little village? If we''re planning to escape, why not go to a smaller country?" Rod grabbed a small white damp cloth in his sling bag which he used to clean his muddy legs. Then, halfway through his cleaning, he answered her. "This village near Eldora Academy is after all the nearest to the border. This is probably the farthest we can go from the royal capital. We already somewhat ''searched'' all the parts that were near to the capital so if we start another search in this town, we can make it seem as though we''re still searching in other parts of Anemoly that are near the borders. And then, after a few days of pretending to search, we can run away undetected to Edseria where that guy won''t find us. We can always pass through the Poisoned path like last time. It didn''t do us any harm last time so I bet it wouldn''t affect us much the second time we pass through it as well." After Rod thoroughly cleaned his legs, he gave two other damp cloths to Nol and Renee for them to follow suit. Nol followed obediently while Renee hesitated for a full moment. "What if he''s got people spying on us? What makes you think that that really handsome guy wouldn''t chase after us once we try to escape?" Despite her serious tone, Renee couldn''t help but giggle at the end. Oh, how she wished he''d chase her¡­ She''d never been so hung up on a guy before but she knew that her type had always been handsome men who were strong and confident. Hence, she dated quite a lot of adventurers back then. But she''d usually immediately break up with them whenever they ever lose in a fight. After all, she wouldn''t want to have a loser as a partner. And just as she was about to lose all hope to find her ideal man, the man in red suddenly appeared with all his regal aura. He was truly a powerful man! Both in ability and in his connections as well. After all, how many people can make the Emperor bow to them?! She''s never even heard of such a thing happening until she saw it herself! With that kind of power, he''s the best candidate she could ever find to make her experience the best life of luxury. And so, with that, she''s not going to let the moment slide. She''s going to get him to fall for her whether he likes it or not. Rod noticed the greedy glint in Renee''s eyes and he couldn''t help but huff in ridicule. He knew what was going on in her head. He''d been with her for so long that it''d be impossible for him not to get it. She''s planning on using men again for her own selfish desires. She was so lost into her own thoughts that Rod knew that answering her question was just pointless. But the blatant curious stare of Nol made Rod still answer. "I''ve checked nearly a hundred times and I can confidently say that we''re not being followed. Back when we were in the capital, Anemolia, I made a few tests to see if someone was following us or keeping an eye on us but all resulted to negative. And besides, the moment that guy knows we bailed, we''d probably be days away from him. That''ll give us enough time to hide in Edseria." Nol slightly nodded in silent understanding as he continued to wordlessly walk. Rod began to lead his team to the entrance of the village but they were slightly startled by the bright eye-catching lights at the gates. The brightness made their eyes, which already adjusted to the darkness of the night, squint heavily. "What¡­ Are they in the middle of their festival now?" Renee shielded her sensitive eyes from the light as she asked Rod grumpily. Rod and Nol both blinked a few times before rubbing their eyes gently. Then, looking back at the gate again, Rod nodded. "Either a festival or some sort of event. These lanterns are usually held up to signify celebrations. So, we might have to hurry. In situations like these, the inns are usually full. Let''s just hope we can have at least one room to comfortably stay in for now." Rod began to speed up his walking as he tried to look for the signage of an Inn. Renee and Nol dutifully followed suit as they too searched for the same signage. And when they finally entered an Inn, they hurriedly rented two rooms to stay the night in. Rod also took advantage of them booking a room to ask the innkeeper about the current event. After properly settling in their rooms, Renee entered Rod and Nol''s room as they started to plan what to do next. "So the whole town''s not exactly celebrating something but more like they''re just honoring the yearly event that''s held in that prestigious Eldora Academy. Something about the students going out of their campus to have fun before a tournament. Well, it doesn''t really concern us much." Then, a loud sound suddenly erupted within him and Rod bursted out laughing. "Well, just as what my stomach had said, I guess the only thing we could do is to have something to eat. So, let''s find some tasty food and relax for now. And we''ll start the searching tomorrow." Chapter 201 Whats Her Name? 2 "What''s happening?" Rod furrowed his brows as he and the rest of his group tried their best to blend in among the small crowd that gathered outside the restaurant. He heard from the innkeeper that that place was the best when it comes to food. But on their way there, their hearts nearly leaped out of their chests when they saw royal guards coming out of the establishment. The team immediately recognized the position of those royal guards by a mile away. After staying for a few weeks in the royal palace, they knew, from the glint of the golden armors those guards wore, that they were the special force of the Emperor, the only guards who can receive orders straight from the Emperor himself. "What are they doing here?!" Renee whispered vehemently as she tried to hide her face. Then, after taking a second peek, her eyes widened in panic. "What if they''re assigned to spy on us?! What are we going to do now?!" Rod discreetly tilted his head to the side in an attempt to cover up his face as well. Nol soon took the hint and followed suit. Looking at the two guards, Rod began to voice out his thoughts. "They''re usually deployed to protect royalty so why are they here? Are they under the Emperor''s orders? Or are they on vacation?" One of the royal guards felt a sudden intense stare directed at him and he instinctively looked for its origin. Fortunately, Rod was able to quickly look away before the royal guard could notice his stare. "But, I don''t think they''re guarding royalty. That''s because before we left the capital, almost all the members of the royal family, except for the third prince, were present and busy in the palace. So, I doubt they''d find time to visit this small village. And I believe that the third prince is out somewhere for training. So, the royal guards here must be here under the Emperor''s orders. And I don''t think they have any vacation nor breaks. They are the Emperor''s personal guards, after all." Renee furrowed her brows in worry as she spoke. "So, do you think they''re here to keep an eye on us?" Rod''s forehead began to crinkle as he became lost in his thoughts. Then, after a few seconds of silence, he let out a small exhale as he spoke. "I''m not too sure about that. There''s a chance that their business here is unrelated to us, but we can''t deny that there''s also a chance that they''re here to make sure we really are searching for her." Rod caressed his chin as he began to think of the best way to approach the situation. "But then again, if they really are here for us, we can always pretend that we''re actually doing what the Emperor asked us to do, which is to search for her in the village. And after a few days of ''searching,'' we''d just have to tell them that there''s a chance that she''d be in another distant country and that we''d need to go through Edseria for transit. But once we reach Edseria, we''d shake them off and hide." While Rod was voicing out his thoughts, Nol took a curious peek at the royal guards. And to his surprise, behind one of the royal guards, he saw a teenager with an ashen face and a frightened expression. It seems like only Nol was able to notice the child because, from both Renee''s and Rod''s angles, the child was hidden behind the royal guards'' armor. Nol tapped Rod gently as he grunted. "They''re not here for us." Startled, Rod looked at Nol in confusion. "And what makes you think that?" Nol cocked his head to the side as he gestured at the child that was now in full view after being held and dragged by the arm by the royal guards. "Is that kid the third prince? Wait no¡­ He has magic nullification chains on his arms. A criminal?" Renee muttered as her eyes followed the direction where the kid was dragged to. Rod squinted as he tried his best to understand the situation. "I don''t think he''s done any great crimes. Most probably just a magic scuffle among those students from the academy. Well, I wouldn''t be surprised. Some of the students there have big heads and even bigger egos." The crowd outside the restaurant saw that the drama was most likely over now that the troublemaker was apprehended. And so, they began to slowly leave to continue with their own lives. The team all sighed in relief when the royal guards were finally out of sight but they all now hesitated to go inside the restaurant. With the huge ruckus, surely the restaurant would be affected. Normally, they would close for a few hours to try and mend the damages from the fight. If the fight ended up with major damages, some would even take days if they couldn''t find a magic-user to fix it. And the most worrying part for them would be the chances of the royal guards coming back. And so, in case the restaurant decides to close and in case the royal guards decided to return, they scanned the nearby area for any other food establishment they can eat from instead. But luck was not on their side. When they saw another restaurant, it seemed to be fully packed, with some guests outside probably waiting in line for their turn to enter. "Are we seriously choosing this place over that other restaurant? This one looks like they get their meat from dead animals rotting at the side of the road! I mean, look at the dirt on those walls! People are probably going here because they don''t have enough money to go to that famous place." Rod shushed Renee and her whining as he began to contemplate. If they choose the other place, they could be safe from those royal guards but they''ll be waiting outside for god knows how long and the quality of their meal isn''t assured to be good. But if they choose that famous restaurant, there''s a big risk of the royal guards coming back and a big chance for them to wait a few hours if ever the restaurant closes, but then again, the quality of their meal is top-notch. After a few seconds of contemplation, Rod couldn''t seem to reach a decision. But when another loud grumble from Rod''s stomach erupted, Rod finally decided to make his way to the previous restaurant''s entrance. The decision made Renee squeal in delight and she hurriedly tried to see if the restaurant was still open. Seeing that there was no signage indicating its closure, she giggled excitedly as she urged the two men to hurry along. But as she grasped the handle of the door, it suddenly opened, making the door collide harshly on her face. Chapter 200 Whats Her Name? 3 "Ow!" Renee clutched her nose as she glared at the culprit. She wanted to give it a piece of her mind when she noticed that the ''solid'' thing that collided with her face was someone''s back. Did this idiot walk backwards in going out the door? Renee was about to scream foul words at the stupid idiot but the words got stuck on her throat when she saw him turn around to face her. Beautiful¡­ That was the first word that popped inside her mind as she looked into his striking eyes. His eyes held the color of the ocean and it glowed even more brightly under the night sky. She felt so mesmerized by them that she couldn''t help but want to stare at them forever. That was until she heard a loud and annoyed cough. "Sorry miss, but I need to get going. Would you mind moving away?" Renee snapped out of her admiration when she noticed the irritated expression the man held. Then, the man tried to sidestep and move past her. But Renee, burning with desire, decided to block him as she tried to put on her cutest expression. And despite the increasing irritation displayed on the man''s face, she remained unfazed as she giggled. "Why are you in such a hurry, pretty boy? Why don''t you just slow down and¡­ enjoy yourself, hmm? How ''bout it?" Renee winked at him as she oozed an aura of seduction. But the man didn''t even bat his eyes as he strongly refused her silent invitation. "Excuse me, miss. I need to pass. I am very much occupied at the moment. If you would just move aside¡­" The man shifted something that he carried in his arms and Renee finally realized that he was actually holding something while he was talking to her. Curious, she decided to observe what it was. But all she saw was a pale pink robe that had those ugly red indiscernible designs on her torso. But when she looked further up, she noticed the pool of brown hair and the familiar form of a slender neck. Wait, is that a woman? He''s carrying a woman! Renee clicked her tongue in irritation. Just what kind of woman would be able to catch such a hunk and make him carry her?! Was she possibly more beautiful than her?! Getting more curious about it, Renee tried to get a good look of the woman''s face. But it seems like the little wrench had her face buried on the man shoulder. The only thing she was able to see was that weird ribbon that had golden bells tied to her hair. Wasn''t that kind of ribbon used for animals and children? Animals had it tied around their necks while children had theirs tied on their wrist... Now, what kind of woman would actually wear such a weird accessory as a hair tie in public? Renee suddenly had the urge to make fun of the woman''s choice of jewelry. But before she could even get a word out, the man clicked his tongue loudly. "It seems I have no choice but to be rude, huh." The man muttered as he tried to move past her. Renee instinctively moved to the same direction to block him but the man didn''t seem to care as he shoved her shoulder to pass through her. Renee took a few steps back in shock as her face morphed into an expression of rage. "You disrespectful brat!" She had her hand outstretched as she turned around to hit the man but she was startled to see that he was already quite a distance away. She gritted her teeth in irritation before screaming. "IT WOULD DO YOU GOOD TO RESPECT WOMEN, YOU--MPHHH!" Rod hurriedly covered her mouth as he whispered furiously at Renee. "It would do YOU good to remember to keep your voice down! The royal guards might return at any moment! We don''t need you drawing more attention than necessary!" Renee gulped in nervousness as she felt Rod''s grip on her mouth tighten. She nodded slowly under his tight grasp, indicating that she understood him. Rod''s furious face soon changed to his usual down to earth smile as he slowly let go of her mouth. "Now, why don''t we just go inside and eat? My stomach''s killing me and I''m sure you guys are hungry too." He chuckled lightly as he entered the restaurant. Nol followed suit but he paused lightly when he stood beside Renee. "You know full well about his temper so don''t get on his nerves." Renee sighed as she nodded gently. "I know. It''s just that¡­ I forgot for a moment. Don''t worry. From how tight he gripped my jaw, I wouldn''t forget anytime soon." Nol made a brief grunt of understanding as he followed Rod inside. After a moment of massaging her jaw, Renee stepped inside the restaurant as well. A waiter began to approach Rod with a bright smile. "Apologies, sirs and madam. The first floor is currently packed and the second floor was¡­ supposedly packed as well." Rod furrowed his brows at the waiter''s statement. "Supposedly? What do you mean by supposedly?" The waiter''s smile slightly wavered as he tried to answer Rod''s question without leaking out the irritation he felt. "Well, the second floor is mostly used for reservations. And all the tables are currently reserved¡­ but¡­ it seems like after that little¡­ scuffle earlier, some of the guests left their tables in a hurry and we''re not entirely sure if they would still come back or not. Hence, the owner is still contemplating if--" The waiter suddenly stopped and stiffened. His face showed different emotions as time passed but then after a few seconds, it returned to his usual bright smile. "Apologies. The owner just told us that two tables are now available." Hearing the good news, Rod couldn''t help but release a bright smile. "I see! That''s great! Then, please guide us to a table for three!" The waiter bowed slightly as he told the team to follow him. Then, the waiter showed them their table on the second floor with a bright smile on his face. He gave them the menu he held on his hand as he waited for their orders. Once the team finished giving out their orders, the waiter soon left. While waiting for their food, the three decided to get comfy in their seats. So, Rod and Nol decided to remove the swords strapped to their waists since it was hindering them from sitting freely. Then, they both laid it on their side of the table as they sat comfortably on the cushioned seats. Renee was the only one who didn''t bring her weapon so she simply rested her chin on her palm as she tried to sit comfortably on the squishy chairs. Then suddenly, they heard a certain man mutter behind them. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. "To think I''d live long enough to see three Edserian Adventurer swords in Anemoly in the less than an hour." Chapter 201 Whats Her Name? 4 Rod stiffened as he heard the man mutter. Three Edserian Swords? He had one... Nol had the other¡­ That makes them two¡­ So, who''s the third one? Curious, he couldn''t help but eavesdrop further. And just as he wanted, the man behind them started to mumble more as he downed cup after cup of wine. "Are they here to cause trouble again? Heavens, I went to this small village hoping to have some peace and quiet before taking up the next quest but to think we''d get involved into something troublesome. And I still can''t fathom how a woman could act so unruly. Her man shouldn''t have let her drink. See? I told you. Nothing good ever comes out of women drinking. It''s common knowledge that women have lower tolerance towards alcohol and they have poor control of their emotions as well so making then drink is like being with an infant that vomits everywhere; it''s messy and burdensome to look after." Then, a different voice spoke up behind them. "She didn''t look that drunk to me. I mean, she was able to fight that other student well. And she was able to break a spell with willpower alone which was quite impressive, to say the least." Then, Rod and the team couldn''t help but jump slightly when the man behind them slammed his hand harshly on the table. "She''s drunk! I''m sure of it! If she wasn''t, how could you explain the strange words she was spouting, hmm?! Deep-sheet? Fhawk? Fhawk-ing? Bastards? She even called me jesus christ! Never in my life have I been called by that name! And you tell me that she''s not drunk? If she''s not drunk, then she''s just plain crazy!" Hearing the foreign words, the team instinctively stiffened. Did they hear him right? Someone was actually using the strange words, ''bastard'' and ''fuck'' in a conversation? Only one person would ever use such words in a sentence. ... Inna ... Is she possibly here?! In this small village? Impossible! With widened eyes, the three looked at each other, unable to accept the possibility. "It must''ve been someone else, no? It''s impossible that she''d be able to cross the Poisoned Path with her mauled by the Golden Bear, and it''s even more impossible for her to cross Heaven''s cliff!" Renee whispered fiercely as she tried to deny the possibility. No matter how they look or analyze it, there''s no way she could''ve escaped to Anemoly! It would''ve been more likely if she escaped to Edseria instead! Tarnil was a million times nearer than Anemoly. Rod knew that Renee had a point. The circumstances Inna was in truly made it impossible for her to make it to Anemoly, much less to this small village. But¡­ Those strange words¡­ Only Inna would ever use that... And they trusted that fact because, back when they were in the palace, George told them all about what he knew about Inna. And apparently, Inna taught him some of her strange cursing languages. ''Bastard'' is the word to curse a man. ''Bitch'' is to curse a woman. And according to George, Inna''s favorite word to use was ''fuck'' which she also interchanges with ''shit'' from time to time. So, with that information, there''s a big chance that the woman that the man behind them talked about was Inna. But then again, it truly was impossible for her to cross either of the two paths and go to Anemoly. Unless of course, someone helped her¡­ Not knowing the answers to his unending questions, Rod felt restless as his thoughts bothered him greatly. Seeing both of their perplexed faces filled with inner conflict, Nol grunted in irritation. "Ask them." He spat as he poured fruit wine in his cup. Their faces and their confusion were starting to get irritating for him so he couldn''t help but be frank. "You won''t get anywhere unless you ask. So, just ask." Snapping out of his thought, Rod chuckled lightly as he patted Nol''s arm with a small smile. "Okay, okay. I''ll ask. You guys wait here." Rod gently got up on his table but before he decided to leave, he gave them a small playful glare. "Don''t eat my share, okay?" Renee snorted as she looked at him with an incredulous expression. "Like hell, we will. You''re the one good at stealing food here, Rod." Then, with an amused smile, Rod chuckled as he made his way to the table behind them. When he arrived, the two men halted their conversation as they both looked at Rod with curious expressions. "Uh, can we help you, good sir?" The man who looked like an experienced magic-user asked meekly as he held a friendly smile. On the other hand, the man across him, who looked like an expert fighter, sneered at Rod with suspicion in his eyes. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. "You here to cause trouble?" Rod was unfazed by the fighter''s animosity as he spoke with a bit of shyness in his tone. "Ah, uh¡­ No, it''s not my wish to cause any commotion. It''s just that¡­ my team and I couldn''t help but overhear what you guys were talking about¡­ I know it must be rude, dear sirs, but you''ve talked about something quite intriguing for us. And so, we couldn''t help but approach you, good sirs, to ask for more details in hopes you''d be able to help us." The fighter took another cup of wine before he turned to fully face Rod. "What''s this about?" Rod saw his gesture as a sign for him to go on so he began to ask him some questions. "Well, let''s start with the sword. I''m an Edserian Adventurer and we bring this sword with us as proof of that. And I hear that there''s another one who had the same sword? Was she perhaps the perpetrator for the trouble caused earlier?" The fighter snorted as he recalled the commotion earlier. "Well, she probably just stole that sword but yeah, she''s the one who started the whole thing. When that woman was drunk, she suddenly started a scene and she dragged us into it. Then, some students got irritated and picked a fight with her. They held a duel, yada yada¡­ And then, another student hit her and the royal guards came in and took the child. That''s pretty much the gist of it." Rod furrowed his brows as he listened on. He tried to find more clues that''ll prove whether it really was Inna but the vague statements the fighter used did no good to Rod. When the fighter finished his story, he decided to be straightforward and ask the question he''s been dying to ask. "I see. So, uh, what''s her name?" Chapter 202 Her Name is... 1 The fighter looked at Rod with suspicion in his eyes. "And why do you want to know?" Searching his brain for an excuse, Rod began to come up with a story. "Well, we are actually hired by a noble family from Edseria to find their lost daughter. She went missing for nearly a year and we searched everywhere in Edseria but we still can''t find her. So, we decided to search in Anemoly instead. From what I could understand, I think she purposely ran away to pursue the love of her life since her father wanted to arrange her marriage with someone else. She''s known to be using a strange language, something she probably made up on her own. It probably stemmed from her loneliness and boredom since her father and mother were far too busy to take care of her. She also has a rebellious attitude and a very reckless way of doing things. And seeing how you describe the girl in your story, they resemble each other quite well." Although most of the things he said were made up, Rod made sure he put on a genuine expression while he spoke. He was hoping it would convince the two to just spill the beans already. When the two men heard Rod''s story, they finally understood the reason why Rod approached them and so, they decided to be more cooperative. The fighter furrowed his brows as he tried hard to remember.But he can only barely remember what happened aside from the strange words the girl used and the fact that she called him with a weird name. "Well, we didn''t really have the time nor the right instance to introduce each other''s name so I have no idea who she is." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. Rod furrowed his brows as he tried to suppress his growing impatience. "Didn''t she say it at one point during their duels? Usually, they would introduce themselves before they start, right?" The fighter roughly caressed his cheek as he tried to recall again. But back when the duels were starting, they were both busy cleaning his wet armor and weapons from the spilled drinks and food splatter that Inna caused. Hence, they both weren''t really paying attention at the start of the duel. After all, some measly quarrel is certainly not that important when it comes to their equipment. That''s because, as an adventurer, the weapons and armor are their life and thus, it was their top priority to prevent them from being damaged, soiled, and or deteriorated. So, with a shrug, the fighter answered Rod nonchalantly. "Nah, both of us didn''t pay attention much because we were busy with our own worries." Seeing the disappointment on Rod''s face, the magic-user somehow wanted to help him out but he can only vaguely remember the name of what her man called her. After all, the only time they interacted was when the woman suddenly approached them but they were far too surprised to notice insignificant little details. Nevertheless, he still decided to tell Rod what he could recall. "I just remember the fact that it sounded strange when her man screamed it out loud. Something like an exotic name. Something... Na? I think it has the syllable ''Na'' in it. Rina probably? Or was it Nina? Rana? Dana? I''m not entirely sure." Then suddenly, the magic-user remembered something. "Oh! Why don''t you ask that guy two tables back? The handsome one who''s drinking by the corner of the room. I saw him talk with her man familiarly so he must know what her name was." Rod widened his eyes as he looked at the man they were referring to. The man was certainly handsome, probably even the most handsome one in the whole restaurant but the longer Rod looked, the more he felt that the man was oddly familiar in his eyes. Seeing that he''s going to handle a handsome man, he wanted to call Renee in for support. But when he recalled what she did earlier, he decided against it. So, after politely thanking the two men, he made his way towards the handsome man drinking by the corner of the room. "Excuse me, good sir. I would like a bit of your time, please." The man looked at him with hooded eyes as he squinted, trying to see who Rod was despite his shaky vision. "Sure, I''ve got all the time in the world after my little buddy ditched me to take care of the woman that I have a crush on." Rod tried to hide his grimace with a smile. With impatience coursing through him, he''s totally not in the mood to listen to the sad ramblings of a drunk man. Thankfully, the man sobered up really fast after drinking a few cups of water. "Apologies, I was just sulking. So, what do you want again?" Rod put on his usual friendly smile as he asked. "I heard from the two gentlemen over there about the incident earlier and they were kind enough to tell me that you were well acquainted with the drunk women who speak of strange words." The handsome man raised an eyebrow as he scanned Rod from head to toe with suspicion clear in his eyes. "And? What of it?" Rod knew that the man was skeptical of him and he understood his reaction. But he didn''t have enough patience to coax it out of the man so he planned for a more direct approach. Seeing that the man personally knew Inna, the lie involving her family would surely seem suspicious, especially the part of her eloping with a man. So, to seem more realistic, he decided to make up another story. This time he assumed a neutral role as no longer pretended he knew Inna. Instead, he pretended to be genuinely curious about the whole incident. Luckily, he left his sword by the table which helped solidify the role he made up for himself. "My friends, along with myself, are actually just a group of local writers who wished to write about the happenings. It was such a climactic event that we couldn''t help but be curious as to what caused the whole duel, and such. Most people we''ve talked to have just been saying that it was the girl''s fault and that she should be the one imprisoned. But although we haven''t seen the whole event, from the testimonies of some witnesses, we somehow felt that it wasn''t the girl''s fault at all! And so we wanted to write the whole truth so that the people wouldn''t misunderstand her and further ruin the Academy''s reputation. But in order to do so, we just wanted to know the name of the girl since no one seemed to care enough to actually remember. Oh and if you have anything to add as well to the story, feel free to tell me more." Rod widened his friendly smile as he hoped in his heart that it was enough for the handsome man to believe him. Ugh, lying sure is tough. Chapter 203 Her Name Is... 2 The handsome man seemed to have bought Rod''s lie as an expression of understanding showed in the man''s face. But there was still a hint of uncertainty in the man''s eyes as he questioned Rod. ''"You say you are a writer, yes? And that you were with a group of the same profession?" Rod nodded eagerly in affirmation to the man''s questions. The man continued, his eyes darting around as if searching for someone. "Then, you wouldn''t mind if I ask where your ''group'' of writers are?" Rod swallowed the irritation he felt that came from his impatience. He wanted to get this over with so he can eat! But to think that this handsome man wouldn''t believe such an elaborate and well-made lie that he thought hard for. He could only inwardly huff in disappointment. With a plan ready in his head, Rod gestured towards their table where Renee and Nol sat. "There they are. The woman is Renee and the man across her is my brother, Nol." The man looked at the muscular Nol with rising suspicion in his eyes. "Not to be rude or anything but that guy, Nol, right? He doesn''t look like the type to be wielding a quill. He looks more like the type to wield a sword." Rod pretended to lightly laugh as he perfectly covered up the problem through some quick thinking. "That''s because he does wield a sword. He''s supposedly our protector whenever we''re out traveling and he''s really strong so we owe our lives to him. And you may be thinking that we can''t really call ourselves a group if it''s just Renee and me who writes but actually, we were supposed to be three but my other friend is just finishing up a certain assignment in the palace. So, we went ahead instead." The handsome man''s eyebrows both raised in surprise as he looked at Rod. "The palace?" Then the man sorted, the disbelief oozing in his gaze. "How the hell did you get called in the palace? The emperor has lots of writer in his beck and call. Stop lying." Rod chuckled lightly as he reached into his pocket to pull out his trump card. "Well, as proof of the emperor''s favor unto us, would this do?" He slid a small golden circular medallion that held the Emperor''s royal crest. Upon seeing it, the disbelief in the man''s face completely washed away and it was replaced with shock instead. He tried inspecting the medallion for chances of it being counterfeit but it proved to be genuine. "I see, I see. But why are you here in this small village?" Although he truly believed their identities now, he still couldn''t help but be curious about their actions. Meanwhile, Rod was nearly at his wit''s end as his patience was running thin. Can this annoying idiot just say the name already?! But in his head, he understood that the man was being extremely cautious so he had no choice but to endure. "Originally, we were en route towards¡­ Edseria. But we decided to stop for a little while to rest and replenish. And lo and behold, we stumbled upon an interesting story to write about!" Rod tried his hardest not to show the inner annoyance that was dying to come out of him as he smiled. Seeing that the man didn''t seem to have anymore questions, Rod assumed that he must be fully convinced by now. So, testing the water, he decided to ask one more time. "So, as I''ve asked before, can you please tell us the name of the girl? And if you wish to add anything more about the story, please do. Details about her attitude, personality, or even appearance would help us immensely in understanding and writing about her." Since the handsome man didn''t seem to find any problem with their story, he decided to trust them. And so, with a cheerful and proud tone, the man began to finally give Rod what he desperately wanted. "Okay. Her name is Nana." But he didn''t give Rod enough time to show his relief as the man began to shoot off words so fast that even Rod had trouble processing them all in his mind. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. "By the way, when you describe her in your writings, capture her beauty into words well. She''s got these brown locks that just makes her look so pretty and feminine and her piercing green eyes are so tantalizing that you just can''t help but stare at it for the longest of times. She just looks so beautiful and feminine but dear heavens don''t let it fool you! She''s way stronger than hundreds of men. Add that okay? Make sure you include that she''s really good at fighting! Although she always got this blank look on her face but that''s probably because she''s concentrating on the fight and she''s most likely trying to drown out all distractions by clearing her mind and emotions. That''s how you can really spot a good fighter, y''know? So, despite what everyone says about her, she''s not weak at all! It''s true that her magic power ranking is not that high but unlike those ignorant magical fools, she has the ability to fuse magic and fighting really well so it doesn''t really matter. Oh! And include also that she completely obliterated her opponent in the duel despite him being a mage of Intermediate tier peak stage. Tell them that she finished him with a single move!" Rod felt exhausted just by listening to the man so he decided to butt in before he could say more about her. "Okay, okay. Thank you for your cooperation. Well, I''m quite starved now so I''ll be taking my leave." And with perfect timing, Rod''s stomach grumbled in protest. The man finally decided to stop his rambling as he nodded in understanding. "I see, I see. Alright. Although I still have tons of things to add about the story, I trust in your ability since you were, after all, able to be graced by the Emperor''s presence. Just make sure that she doesn''t look bad in the situation, okay?" Rod nodded hurriedly as he clutched his stomach. Then with a short goodbye, he walked back towards their table with a wide smile. Renee and Nol knew immediately the meaning behind his smile. It''s the smile he always gets whenever he got what he wanted. And so, when Rod sat back down to his comfortable chair, Renee immediately asked him. "So, what''s her name?" Still not breaking the smile he held, he answered with a merry tone. "The girl they''ve been describing is named Nana. From the guy I talked to earlier, he said that she has brown hair and green eyes. And apparently, she''s a great fighter." Upon hearing Rod''s description, Nol furrowed his brows when he realized something. "They''re too alike." Rod nodded as he agreed. "Indeed. So, if this ''Nana'' is actually the ''Inna'' we''ve been looking for, I guess we wouldn''t have the need to escape and hide. If we surrender her to that red-robed man, surely he''d let us live our lives freely." Renee snickered as she commented with a maniacally evil tone. "You really forgot about George, huh?" Rod''s eyes widened in realization and he chuckled awkwardly. "Well, it''s been so long, after all. And I''m sure he''s pretty comfortable there in the palace. I wouldn''t want him to be deprived of living luxuriously." Renee saw through Rod''s lies easily. But she just shook her head as she smiled in amusement. Rod knew that Renee didn''t believe what he said but he didn''t really care much. Him not liking the innocent kid wasn''t such a well-kept secret anyway. "I just need to send a letter to the palace about our findings and then we can just rest easy for the following days." Renee and Nol nodded. And a few seconds after, their food was finally served and Rod smiled in excitement. Yay, he can finally eat. Chapter 204 Raghnalls Story 1 Raghnall tried his best to lower the volume of his footsteps as he trod back to the Academy. He figured to just leave the village quickly in case Rhys gave chase or another weirdo, who can''t seem to take a hint, comes up and tries to talk to him again. But as selfish as it is, he still didn''t want to return her to her dorm and end their little trip with such a bad note. So, looking for a peaceful place, he decided to go to his favorite spot in the whole academy. As soon as he entered the campus, he immediately uttered a teleportation spell that sent him to the place he always went to whenever he felt down. He stared at the beautiful place with a small smile. His most favorite spot was a garden fit for the highest of kings. It held nearly every beautiful flower known by man. And in the middle of the sea of these colorful flowers was a pond that held the clearest water he''s ever seen. It was so clear that it looked near-transparent and whenever the moonlight strikes its waters, the pond glows and twinkles making the whole garden look majestic and enchanting. And to complete its beauty, a white marble statue of a beautiful woman stood tall and proud in its center. And at the most inconspicuous place of the garden, there stood a small elegant pavilion made with the same material as the statue. Raghnall slowly approached the pavilion as he breathed in the pleasant smell of the flowers. But he paused slightly as he admired the lilies that surrounded the pavilion. Then, feeling the slight stirring of Inna in his arms, he made his way to the pavilion that held a long cushioned seat. There, he slowly lowered Inna to the chair as he pulled the other similar chair across it to be near her. After a few seconds, Inna began to stir again and after a few twists and turns, she slowly opened her eyes. "What happened? Did I just... Fall asleep?" Raghnall chuckled as he leaned his elbow over the seat''s armrests. "Yeah. I had to carry you from the village until here so you better be grateful." Then, as if to exaggerate, he slumped on his seat and groaned in exhaustion. But he soon abruptly stopped his act when he noticed that something was wrong. He suddenly heard a series of sobs and he immediately stiffened. Completely alarmed, he could only sputter his words as he tried to wipe Inna''s tears with his sleeves. Inna didn''t know why she was crying as well. She just suddenly felt so¡­ down. Then, the tears just started to form and fall. And she didn''t even react in time for her to wipe them off or cover her face. She just stared on the ground before her as her tears began dripping down and uncontrollable sobs started to come out from her mouth. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. Seeing Raghnall was busy panicking in comforting her, Inna suddenly had the urge to apologize. "I''m sorry. I''m such a mess. I don''t know why. I''m sorry." Raghnall''s heart squeezed at how her voice cracked while apologizing and he couldn''t help but gently pat her head. "There''s no need to apologize. It might''ve been from the drink that''s making you feel like this. Don''t worry. Just let it all out." Inna nodded as her damp eyes glistened with gratitude. Then,seeing that Raghnall''s sleeve was starting to get too wet from her tears, she felt ashamed and decided to reach into her spatial pouch to grab a handkerchief. But she accidentally brushed her hand on something moist and metallic and she instinctively drew her hand back. But when she did, she saw her fingers tainted with a red hue. She flinched when she saw the blood on her fingers but confusion took over her as she reached into her spatial pouch again. Feeling a sudden sense of determination despite the dread she felt, she slowly took out the item that held blood and was slightly surprised to see that it was the sword she used before she was stabbed. Raghnall noticed the surprised expression on Inna''s pale face as she looked at the sword. And he somehow felt like he had the need to explain its presence. "I¡­ uhh¡­ I picked it up before I left. I thought it was important to you since it looked like it had a family crest. Sorry, I shouldn''t have picked it, huh." Inna finally tore her eyes away from the sword as she somberly smiled at Raghnall. Then, with the same smile, she stared at her bloodied finger. "I¡­ I almost tried to kill someone. I... I just... couldn''t stop myself¡­" Raghnall felt that something was terribly wrong with her tone so he gently lifted up her chin. "No. You hesitated. I saw it. Before you swung your hand, they stopped for a fraction of a second. Because of your hesitation, you didn''t kill him. Trust me." Inna''s eyes held a hint of relief but her somber smile still remained unchanged. "Well, if I wasn''t able to... ''hesitate'' for even just a short time, then the slash on his neck would''ve been so much deeper." She knew how dangerous she was. Or how dangerous the ''thing'' inside her was. And she no longer trusted herself and guarantee the safety of the people around her. Who knows when she''ll suddenly switch and kill the people she cared about most. Seeing the same fearful look Inna had back then, Raghnall sighed. He really wanted to replace her miserable look with a happy smile but he had no idea how to do so, hence he can only sigh in dismay. "Why is this still such a big deal for you? He didn''t die. We established that. But it would''ve been better if he did. That''ll send a great message to those students who''re annoying you. And besides, its a duel. There will be times that the opponent will be killed in a duel. It''s nothing new. And even adventurers have killed someone one way or another." Raghnall sighed as he hesitantly continued. "Even I¡­ killed someone." Chapter 205 Raghnalls Story 2 Inna didn''t seem to mind what Raghnall just said. She was far too lost in her thoughts for her to react or even reply. Instead, she took another glance at her hands before she started to uncontrollably sob against her wishes. Why does she have to feel this way? Why does she have such a thing inside her? Why does she have to live with that inside her? She never wanted to be here. She never wanted to have all this. She just¡­ Right now, all she just wanted was to go back to her fun trip in Japan. It''s already been nearly a year since she''s been brought back from the dead. But as much as she tried to enjoy her life here, it can never compare to her life with her minions, with her friends, and with her family. Her life here might seem great with all the strange magic she could do, but after staying for nearly a year, the realization that she''s alone, that she doesn''t belong, and that she was entirely different was starting to get to her. So, she tried her best to belong. She tried her best to adapt so that she wouldn''t feel like such an outsider. And through Raghnall''s guidance, she was able to do it. But then, looking at herself now, she realized to see that she changed far too easily and quickly. And truthfully, that horrified her. She didn''t want to go on anymore. She didn''t want to reach to that point where she gets too used to living in this world that she abandons her old self. With that thought, she''s now far too scared to continue with her current life. Because she just can''t help but think, what if she''ll soon get used to these duels? What if she''ll adjust to its common occurrence of death? What if she''ll be like Raghnall, talking about dying and killing someone with such a normal tone as though it''s such an everyday thing? What if she''ll change so much that she becomes someone that can no longer feel remorse after killing someone? What if she''ll start losing her own humanity then? What if¡­ she soon turns into something similar to that ''thing'' that was inside her? Emotionless, blank, and ruthless¡­ Someone who wouldn''t bat an eyelash in killing someone she despised. The thought alone was horrifying for her. As much as she hated the person, she was never the type to wish death on him. She doesn''t want to be like them. To see murder as a regular thing. To see hurting others as justified. To see humans as mere objects. But staying in this world, despite her wishes, she can feel her mind slowly yet unconsciously being reconstructed into a numb killing machine who''s only goal is self-preservation. And she felt that the longer she stayed, the faster she''ll be changing into something she doesn''t want to be. Seeing the increasing ghastly look on her face, Raghnall was lost on what else to do. She didn''t seem to be listening, probably too absorbed in her own thoughts. So, he could only attempt to comfort her with a small side hug. He then placed his cheek on top of her head as he comfortingly caressed her arm with gentle circles. His other hand reached inside his own spatial bag to pull out a handkerchief. Then, with it, he gently wiped Inna''s tears. After a long stretch of time, Inna finally calmed down. The last of her tears were caught in Raghnall''s handkerchief as she breathed out her last sob. Then, rubbing her eyes, she looked at Raghnall with a soft yet tired gaze. "Hey, I''ve always been wondering but¡­ why?" Raghnall furrowed his brows as he stared at her with confusion. "Why, what?" Still tired, Inna leaned her head on his shoulder as she replied. "This¡­ all this... Why are you doing all this for me? Why do you care so much about me? You''ve stuck to me since day one in the academy. But why?" Raghnall raised an eyebrow at her question. How was he supposed to answer such a question? But, still dwelling on her words, he looked towards the direction of the pond. And his eyes landed on the beautiful white marble statue in its center. With a soft yet sad smile, he asked her. "Do you see the statue by the pond?" Despite the confusion Inna felt from the sudden change of topic, she felt her curiosity take over her and so, she followed his eyes. She looked at the direction where he was looking and nearly gasped at the beautiful sight of the garden. She''d never seen such a great array of colorful flowers in one place! She didn''t even notice it before since she was preoccupied with her thoughts. But now that she finally calmed down, she realized that the place she was in was actually really beautiful! But then, she remembered that he talked about a statue in a pond so she looked a bit further. And she audibly gasped at the beauty of the statue. The beauty of the woman looked ethereal, like a goddess. Her body stood tall and proud as she held a long staff with a big sphere in its topmost part. The sphere held three rings that looked like orbits on a planet. In her other hand, she held an open book. It looked like it had something on top of it but because of the distance, Inna couldn''t clearly make out what it was. Then, while Inna was busy admiring the statue, Raghnall continued to ask her. "Is she¡­ beautiful?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. Inna immediately replied with no hesitation. "Very. She''s very beautiful." Then, without even so much as a warning, Raghnall changed the topic again. "I¡­ Although I can''t imagine what you must be feeling right now, whether it came from the effects of the wine or your true feelings, I can somehow understand. The first time I... killed¡­ someone was¡­ indirectly done. He¡­ he was my friend and I¡­ I was¡­" Raghnall swallowed the lump in his throat as he tried to suppress the urge to stop talking. He didn''t like talking about it. He didn''t like opening up old wounds. But if it meant making her feel better and for him to find even a small amount of closure in retelling the story, then he''d willingly recall the memory he so badly wanted to forget. Chapter 206 Raghnalls Story 3 "So... When I was just about ten years old, something¡­ happened and it reached a point where I just ran away from home. I hid inside this academy and stayed in the Lily dorms for almost a year. And throughout that whole year, I literally just leeched off the dorms. I took a room for myself, took food whenever I liked it, and basically just boldly pretended that I belonged there. But despite my shamelessness, the prefect of the lily dorms didn''t protest much. Well, after knowing who my father was, the prefect really couldn''t voice out his thoughts so it was not that surprising. Oh, and if I remember correctly, the prefect at that time was the one assigned before Ulima. You were very lucky that that old prefect wasn''t the one in charge now." He patted Inna''s head gently as he reminisced. "Unlike Ulima, that old man was greatly apathetic towards the happenings and the emotions of the students in his dorm. That''s mainly the reason why the lily class students were quickly seen as easy targets. I think all the trouble started when he became the prefect. Now knowing that the prefect didn''t care for the lily class students anymore, some saw it as a chance to get rid of the ''weaklings'' in the academy while using their self-righteousness as an excuse." "I had to admit that it was pretty horrific. No one was able to stop the numerous students from their acts because the Headmaster was far too busy, most likely buried in his paperwork, while the rest of the professors took the neutral ground. They were afraid that they might offend a noble''s child. Some secretly agreed towards the sentiments of the students wherein they believed that the ''weaklings'' of the academy should be kicked out of the school instead of being given a second chance." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. "And so, the whole academy became a really frightening place for those who were underachieving." "But despite the danger, I still hid in the Lily dorms because it was the most inconspicuous place my ten-year-old brain could ever think of. And while I was there, I made a¡­ friend. He was about nine years older than me at that time and it during his first week being transferred to the lily class that we became friends. Well, actually, we didn''t really start off as friends. We were more like¡­ forced roommates?" "His original roommate at that time was actually a well-known ''punching bag'' in their dorms. In fact, every night, students from higher classes would just barge into their room to fight with him or beat him up. And only when they were finally satisfied that they would leave. After experiencing it once, my friend, Aril, didn''t want to get caught up in such a troublesome situation again so one day, he snuck out before night time would come. He figured to just discreetly occupy a room that was empty and stay there until the students leave. But he didn''t know I was staying in the room he thought was available. So, we both got the biggest surprise of our lives when I teleported straight inside the room, right in front of him." Raghnall chuckled lightly as he recalled Aril''s freaked out expression. "Both of us screamed at the top of our lungs, each thinking that the other was some kind of ghost. The students who were beating up Aril''s roommate got freaked out by our shrilly and frightened screams that they hurriedly scrambled out of the room. And because of that incident, an absurd rumor was being passed around, saying that my room held a malevolent ghost, and so everyone steered away from it." "Taking advantage of the rumor, Aril happily imposed himself in my room. He proclaimed it as his ''safe place'' and he made sure to sneak inside every night. Though, if someone noticed him back then, it would certainly give out the wrong idea." Raghnall smiled with an amused expression as he stared at the pond in the distance. "At first, we minded our own business. I didn''t mind him staying because I understood his predicament. And truthfully, I wanted to help them out. But I knew that if I tried to save his roommate, there''s a chance that they''d recognize me. Then, my whereabouts would be leaked to my father. I couldn''t let my father know so I figured that the least I could do was to help one of them." "Then, I went on with my own life, holed up in my room reading all the books I could read about anything related to either combat or magic. I remembered that back then, I only had one goal in mind. And that was to be stronger in every possible way. So, while I was busy reading and doing some self-training in my room, Aril was busy doing his own thing as well. After all, he was still a student in the Academy so he busied himself with homework and the like. And we continued that silent agreement of being unofficial roommates, neither invading each other''s own world." "But, as days passed, we began to get closer. It started with Aril curiously asking me what I was doing while I was training to him asking help for his homework. The more we talked, the more I got to know him better. I always thought he was a timid guy who was hell-bent on self-preservation from the way he latched on to my room. But turns out, he was a very cheerful and funny guy. He''s always full of energy as he talked and he can always think up of these absurd jokes that can make me laugh for days. He''s very optimistic as well. Despite the bruises he gets from people hitting him, he can always smile it off. He can always make light of his situation, as though it was just nothing for him." "Chatting with him was very enjoyable and truthfully, I felt healed whenever we talked. Because of him, I was able to learn to smile again and I realized that sometimes, a little smile can really help lighten all the heaviness inside even if you''re in a bad situation." Then, just as he finished saying it, he smiled at her before gently ruffling her hair. "So smile, okay?" Chapter 207 Arils Death 1 Inna didn''t have the energy to smile as brightly as before but she tried a little, for him. And although it was quite a somber and a nearly emotionless one, Raghnall was satisfied with the smile she gave. So, with another small pat on her head, he continued on with his story. "So, as the weeks passed, we naturally grew closer. Then, it came to the point that his visits were no longer limited to sneaking in every night. He started visiting during the day too, usually during his breaks or just simply his spare time. On prayer breaks, we spend the whole day holed up in the room talking about our dreams and what we wanted for the future to be like. Then, without my knowing, he began to discreetly slowly move into my room by leaving his stuff one by one. And the next thing I knew, after about three weeks or so, he already transferred his bed across mine and all his things were neatly placed at the other end of my room. I didn''t even notice how often he stayed with me until he told me that every time he visited, he would always leave one of his belongings behind." "Truthfully, I was amazed at how smooth he was able to execute such a thing since i''m usually overly cautious of people. It''s a habit I''ve picked up since childhood that I made me more observant and careful. But to think he was able to do such a feat¡­ Well, this just goes to show how comfortable I was with him." "And that officially sealed our ''roommate'' status. So, now that we were roommates, we tend to spend most of our times together. At first, it was all fun and games. We felt like children who just had our first sleeping party. I remembered that back then, on our first official night as roommates, we literally spent the whole night just talking about random things. Although we didn''t ask each other about anything too personal, we felt like brothers who were separated at birth. We talked about books, stories, growing up, our habits, likes, dislikes, and various more random stuff that were too numerous and weird to mention. Talking with him, he made me learn about various stuff he knew from being a commoner, like how to farm and how to make a book using animal skin. And in return, I was able to offer some guidance on some problems he had regarding theories on magic." "From that day on, Aril and I became more comfortable around one another. And from how tightly knit we were then, I could no longer imagine the days back when we remained in a single room without uttering a single word to each other. Every day, we relied on each other''s company for comfort. We spend our times together just laughing and talking and we had such a great time that it was as though we didn''t have any problems in our lives." Then, Raghnall paused and the fond smile he had on as he spoke suddenly dropped. "A-and so, because of that, I failed to realize that Aril had a troublesome life outside the dorms. Well, he''s always been really great at hiding stuff. In fact, it took me so long to even realize that he¡­ he was having a hard time. It took me so so long that when I did, it was a-all t-too l-late." Raghnall sucked in a breath as he tried to stop himself from stuttering. As he talked about it, the emotions he bottled up years ago suddenly resurfaced, making his mouth quiver so much that he had to strongly purse his lips to stop it. Then, after a few relaxing breaths, he continued. "Aril¡­ he¡­ Well, originally, he had trouble with his studies. So, since he was staying with me, I tried helping him by explaining some mechanics behind topics I knew about. With my help, he was able to answer the questions in his mind that hindered him from progressing. And so, day after day, he was able to grow stronger and his true talent was starting to show." Raghnall shakily smiled as he tilted his head, making his cheek rest softly on top of Inna''s head. "He... He had the gift of ''seeing.'' He''s able to see even the smallest magic particles in the air. But the thing is, he had trouble understanding what he was seeing. Being probably the only one in the whole academy with that rare gift, of course, no one would be able to release his real potential. Well, there could''ve been one person but¡­ she was no longer there." Raghnall paused as he sighed. The sigh felt heavy on his chest as he willed himself to continue despite his heart filled with sadness. "And so, with a bit of my help, he was able to realize and use his talent in its fullest. And when he was able to use it to his advantage during his classes, it was inevitable that Aril would become stronger." "And well, it was also inevitable that the people around him would notice him becoming stronger." "Y-you mean¡­" Inna couldn''t help but gasp out. She intended to just listen intently but with the sudden turn of events, Inna couldn''t help but let her emotions get the best of her. Hearing her trembling gasp, Raghnall shakily smiled as sadness enshrouded his eyes. "T-the students from higher classes... I didn''t know that t-they started to target Aril. Because he showed great progress, his professors were thinking of letting him take removal exams for their subjects. And if he were to pass them all then he''d have a chance to get remeasured for his power levels. And if his power level increased then he''d finally be able to get out of lily class." "The students overheard one of the professors talk about it and, since it was quite a rare event, the word quickly got passed around. Then, it reached the ears of some¡­ frightening people." Raghnall gulped as he shakily let out a breath. After nearly eight years, he can no longer remember who they were. But he always and will continue to remember what they did to Aril. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. The scars, the bruises, the blood¡­ He remembered every detail that every time he blinked, he can see it vividly as if he was still there, staring wide-eyed at his body. Chapter 208 Arils Death 2 Noticing the long pause Raghnall took, Inna peered up at him curiously. She saw him closing his eyes tightly as his forehead creased. She didn''t know why but seeing him so pained and so vulnerable made her so bothered that she wanted to reach out and pat his cheek comfortingly. But she held herself back and decided to pat his head instead. And when he felt the sudden patting, Raghnall opened his eyes in surprise. Then, when he saw her concerned eyes, he smiled slightly at Inna in gratitude. And after a few more pats, he finally found the strength to continue on. He grabbed her hand that patted his head gently and he held on to it tightly as he continued his story. "These frightening people... They were those kinds who hated lily class students. They felt that it was up to them to¡­ ''weed'' out the school from ''undeserving'' people. Because, for them, only the strongest should get to the academy for ''geniuses.'' And if they kept such ''weaklings,'' then the academy''s reputation for only having the best of the best students would be tarnished. And the value behind the title of being an Eldora student wouldn''t be as prestigious anymore." Inna noticed Raghnall''s grip on her hand tighten as he continued to speak. "But I can never understand why they would think that. The academy had its own standard of geniuses. Like Aril, there are people with hidden talents. And there are people with abilities that cannot be measured by things like tests and numbers. That was the reason for class change battles and removal exams in the first place. Magic is never about the amount of power you had in you. It was about how you can use that power to your advantage. Even if you were a veteran mage, what would it do in a fight if the spells you learned were only household spells like dusting your pillows and fixing the roof of your house? That is why Magic was never about the power levels but the spells you know and how you use them. For example, a starter mage with only a speed-enhancing spell can use that spell again and again, to dodge attacks and deal attacks slowly but surely." "But those idiots only see the ranks as the only basis for strength. Hence, they had that kind of twisted belief. And to add to it all, some of the professors even support such sick ideology." Inna winced slightly when Raghnall''s grip turned painful. When he noticed her flinch, he immediately let go and apologized. Inna shook her head, showing him that she didn''t mind as she urged him to continue. "So, when those people knew of Aril''s great progress, they felt enraged. They didn''t believe it at first. Since after Aril was sent to the Lily class, in just a month he suddenly had great progress in his homework and in-field spell casting and sparring sessions. And they felt threatened because they hated the idea of sharing classes with someone that was previously from the lily class." "And so, they began harassing Aril¡­" "At first, it started with trivial things like ordering their ''friends'' to verbally abuse him. Aril was pretty strong-willed so a little trash-talking wasn''t much of a big deal to him. And these ''friends'' probably figured out that verbal harassment wasn''t that effective so they resorted to a more blatant form of bullying. They began to take his things, break his writing quills, and throw his books in the trash. But Aril must''ve been indifferent to such blatant bullying that it resulted to them taking a much more drastic approach." Raghnall sucked in a breath as he began to tell her the part he dreaded the most. "The dates of the removal exams were nearing in and those demons must''ve started panicking. Seeing that their earlier techniques weren''t effective, they decided to just drop all pretenses and started to harass him publicly themselves. They bump his shoulders, hit the back of his head, kick his shin, and throw stones at him whenever they happen to see him or pass by him. They did so much awful things to him that I couldn''t believe I wasn''t able to notice the bruises that covered nearly all of Aril''s body nor the weariness in his eyes despite him laughing as we talked." "I can''t believe I was so stupid!" Raghnall spat out in a sudden burst of anger as he slammed his fist on the chair. It made a loud cracking noise but he ignored it. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. "I¡­ I didn''t even question why he winced every time he laughed or why h-he always groaned in pain in the middle of the night! I¡­ I d-didn''t think much of it back then because h-he acted just like his usual cheerful self. I¡­ I never had the faintest clue that he was s-suffering at all! My idiotic self just kept thinking that everything was fine and okay even though there obviously was something wrong! If only I noticed sooner¡­ If only I didn''t b-brush it off¡­ I¡­ I t-tell you¡­ it''s m-my f-fau--" "Raghnall! Stop! You''re bleeding!" Inna screamed out as she grabbed his hand that was clenched tightly into a fist. The chair had multiple cracks around it but the hint of blood in the middle made Inna alarmed. She hastily pulled his hand towards her as she inspected it and just as she thought, the skin of his knuckles was peeling off as blood started to drip. "Fucking hell, there''s no point in hurting yourself! Quick! Cast a healing spell!" Hearing her panicked voice, Raghnall finally snapped out of his trance as he stared at his knuckles in surprise. He didn''t even feel the pain. He was far too focused on his story to even realize that he was already hurting himself. After casting a quick healing spell, he stared at his hands with a sad and tired gaze. "Sorry, I¡­ I got too caught up. You must''ve been surprised, huh. Sorry¡­ sorry¡­" Raghnall''s voice was only a mere whisper as he apologized to Inna. And she didn''t know why but the sight of Raghnall to her right now was just heartbreaking. He didn''t look like the confident, smug, arrogant, and charming Raghnall that always seemed to have everything figured out. Someone who always had control over every situation. Instead, he looked like a lost little boy, still grieving over someone he loved dearly. Chapter 209 Arils Death 3 After a calming huff of air, Raghnall tried his best to continue telling the story without stuttering. "So... Uh... Where was I¡­ oh yeah¡­ Aril... He was too good at masking his problems with his usual cheerfulness so I wasn''t able to realize what they were doing to him. And so, just like a fool, I continued to be oblivious to the signs of Aril being abused. But then, day after day, I began to see changes in Aril. In just a few weeks, he transformed from a healthy young man to a young man who seemed to have had his life sucked away." "He grew thinner with his cheeks nearly sunken in. His robes started to become too big for him that it would drop down from his shoulders. But before I could get a good look at the state of his body, he would always hastily fix his robe and flash me an amused smile. But I no longer trusted his smile because, despite the bright smile he wore, he had visible dark bags under his eyes that showed how exhausted he was. It was as if he was starved and kept awake for weeks!" "My gut feeling at that time was telling me that something was wrong so, it was at that moment that I started to observe Aril closely. And I finally noticed that not only his appearance but his behavior changed drastically as well. He used to be more headstrong and full of energy, so much so that he could spend sleepless nights but still be energetic enough to dance for a whole night in the room. But at that time, he no longer held that vibrance he once had. He barely even raise his voice or make jokes. He only listened to me every time I would make one and he wouldn''t laugh as much as before anymore. And the change that greatly bothered me was the fact that he would visibly flinch every time I would tap him just to get his attention. His eyes would go out of focus often, his hands would tremble periodically, and he would even stutter from time to time." Raghnall sighed, trying to ease the heaviness he felt in his heart. "Aril changed drastically but he still tried to pretend as though he didn''t. He tried to be cheerful and loud as he was before but I knew that it was getting hard for him to keep up the act. So, I approached him to ask him about it. And after much coercion, he finally relented and told me everything that happened to him. And in the middle of his story, his sleeve dropped and the result of what they did to him was now exposed for my eyes to see. And the second I saw it, I had to hurriedly take out a bucket because I vomited like there was no tomorrow." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "His¡­ h-his skin was¡­ bruised¡­ scarred¡­ burned¡­ and¡­ I¡­ I can''t even describe it all into simple words¡­ It was like they tortured his whole arm!" "Aril said it wasn''t such a big deal but I knew better than to believe those words. Those students obviously had malicious intent! So I forced him to tell me everything. And when he did, it took everything from me not to storm into their dorms and cut off their own arms!" "THOSE BEASTS JUS--" Inna flinched slightly from Raghnall''s sudden change of tone. And sensing her flinch beside him, Raghnall immediately realized that he was raising his voice so he stopped. He buried his face on his trembling hands as he sucked in a breath. Then, with his face still buried in his palms, he continued to speak. This time, his normal tone returned. "They¡­ they ambush him each time his class ends. They drag him to the forest and just hit him until they were satisfied. Aril tried to fight back at first but they were about four people and he wasn''t even strong enough to defeat one of them. And so, he gave up after the third try. He just let them do whatever they wanted because he knew that the lesser he struggled the faster they would leave." "But as days passed, his unresponsiveness must''ve made them more irritated and so they began to do worse things than hitting him. They would make him eat disgusting things like soil, grass, bugs, and even tree branches. He¡­ he had no choice but to obey just to get things over with. He didn''t kick up a fuss because he didn''t want them to have the satisfaction of seeing his reaction. But the less fuss he made, the worse they get." "They began to leave marks on his body. Using sharpened pieces of wood, they would start slashing his arms with little writings as though they were just writing on paper. It would lead to his arm covered in wounds and blood. Then, they even had the audacity to pour vinegar on his wounds. Aril, being a mage, didn''t have any way of healing himself apart from the minor healing spells I taught him. And that spell can only heal a minor cut, not hundreds of them at once, so it wasn''t a wise decision for him to use it then. And so, he told me that he''d always try and heal himself outside the dorms so that I wouldn''t notice his wounds bleeding. But judging from the numerous scars just in his arm alone, he must''ve had trouble with healing them. They were probably far too numerous for his capacity to heal. If only he''d relied on me sooner, I could''ve helped¡­ I could''ve done something..." Raghnall sighed deeply before continuing, regret dripping in his tone as he spoke. "Aril is strong, I can tell you that. But he''s also the type to keep things to himself. The type to choose to bottle things up and endure than ask people for help. And it didn''t help his situation at all. Instead, it just only made it worse." Chapter 207 Arils Story 1 Inna didn''t have the energy to smile as brightly as before but she tried a little, for him. And although it was quite a somber and a nearly emotionless one, Raghnall was satisfied with the smile she gave. So, with another small pat on her head, he continued on with his story. "So, as the weeks passed, we naturally grew closer. Then, it came to the point that his visits were no longer limited to sneaking in every night. He started visiting during the day too, usually during his breaks or just simply his spare time. On prayer breaks, we spend the whole day holed up in the room talking about our dreams and what we wanted for the future to be like. Then, without my knowing, he began to discreetly slowly move into my room by leaving his stuff one by one. And the next thing I knew, after about three weeks or so, he already transferred his bed across mine and all his things were neatly placed at the other end of my room. I didn''t even notice how often he stayed with me until he told me that every time he visited, he would always leave one of his belongings behind." "Truthfully, I was amazed at how smooth he was able to execute such a thing since i''m usually overly cautious of people. It''s a habit I''ve picked up since childhood that I made me more observant and careful. But to think he was able to do such a feat¡­ Well, this just goes to show how comfortable I was with him." "And that officially sealed our ''roommate'' status. So, now that we were roommates, we tend to spend most of our times together. At first, it was all fun and games. We felt like children who just had our first sleeping party. I remembered that back then, on our first official night as roommates, we literally spent the whole night just talking about random things. Although we didn''t ask each other about anything too personal, we felt like brothers who were separated at birth. We talked about books, stories, growing up, our habits, likes, dislikes, and various more random stuff that were too numerous and weird to mention. Talking with him, he made me learn about various stuff he knew from being a commoner, like how to farm and how to make a book using animal skin. And in return, I was able to offer some guidance on some problems he had regarding theories on magic." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "From that day on, Aril and I became more comfortable around one another. And from how tightly knit we were then, I could no longer imagine the days back when we remained in a single room without uttering a single word to each other. Every day, we relied on each other''s company for comfort. We spend our times together just laughing and talking and we had such a great time that it was as though we didn''t have any problems in our lives." Then, Raghnall paused and the fond smile he had on as he spoke suddenly dropped. "A-and so, because of that, I failed to realize that Aril had a troublesome life outside the dorms. Well, he''s always been really great at hiding stuff. In fact, it took me so long to even realize that he¡­ he was having a hard time. It took me so so long that when I did, it was a-all t-too l-late." Raghnall sucked in a breath as he tried to stop himself from stuttering. As he talked about it, the emotions he bottled up years ago suddenly resurfaced, making his mouth quiver so much that he had to strongly purse his lips to stop it. Then, after a few relaxing breaths, he continued. "Aril¡­ he¡­ Well, originally, he had trouble with his studies. So, since he was staying with me, I tried helping him by explaining some mechanics behind topics I knew about. With my help, he was able to answer the questions in his mind that hindered him from progressing. And so, day after day, he was able to grow stronger and his true talent was starting to show." Raghnall shakily smiled as he tilted his head, making his cheek rest softly on top of Inna''s head. "He... He had the gift of ''seeing.'' He''s able to see even the smallest magic particles in the air. But the thing is, he had trouble understanding what he was seeing. Being probably the only one in the whole academy with that rare gift, of course, no one would be able to release his real potential. Well, there could''ve been one person but¡­ she was no longer there." Raghnall paused as he sighed. The sigh felt heavy on his chest as he willed himself to continue despite his heart filled with sadness. "And so, with a bit of my help, he was able to realize and use his talent in its fullest. And when he was able to use it to his advantage during his classes, it was inevitable that Aril would become stronger." "And well, it was also inevitable that the people around him would notice him becoming stronger." "Y-you mean¡­" Inna couldn''t help but gasp out. She intended to just listen intently but with the sudden turn of events, Inna couldn''t help but let her emotions get the best of her. Hearing her trembling gasp, Raghnall shakily smiled as sadness enshrouded his eyes. "T-the students from higher classes... I didn''t know that t-they started to target Aril. Because he showed great progress, his professors were thinking of letting him take removal exams for their subjects. And if he were to pass them all then he''d have a chance to get remeasured for his power levels. And if his power level increased then he''d finally be able to get out of lily class." "The students overheard one of the professors talk about it and, since it was quite a rare event, the word quickly got passed around. Then, it reached the ears of some¡­ frightening people." Raghnall gulped as he shakily let out a breath. After nearly eight years, he can no longer remember who they were. But he always and will continue to remember what they did to Aril. The scars, the bruises, the blood¡­ He remembered every detail that every time he blinked, he can see it vividly as if he was still there, staring wide-eyed at his body. Chapter 208 Arils Story 2 Noticing the long pause Raghnall took, Inna peered up at him curiously. She saw him closing his eyes tightly as his forehead creased. She didn''t know why but seeing him so pained and so vulnerable made her so bothered that she wanted to reach out and pat his cheek comfortingly. But she held herself back and decided to pat his head instead. And when he felt the sudden patting, Raghnall opened his eyes in surprise. Then, when he saw her concerned eyes, he smiled slightly at Inna in gratitude. And after a few more pats, he finally found the strength to continue on. He grabbed her hand that patted his head gently and he held on to it tightly as he continued his story. "These frightening people... They were those kinds who hated lily class students. They felt that it was up to them to¡­ ''weed'' out the school from ''undeserving'' people. Because, for them, only the strongest should get to the academy for ''geniuses.'' And if they kept such ''weaklings,'' then the academy''s reputation for only having the best of the best students would be tarnished. And the value behind the title of being an Eldora student wouldn''t be as prestigious anymore." Inna noticed Raghnall''s grip on her hand tighten as he continued to speak. "But I can never understand why they would think that. The academy had its own standard of geniuses. Like Aril, there are people with hidden talents. And there are people with abilities that cannot be measured by things like tests and numbers. That was the reason for class change battles and removal exams in the first place. Magic is never about the amount of power you had in you. It was about how you can use that power to your advantage. Even if you were a veteran mage, what would it do in a fight if the spells you learned were only household spells like dusting your pillows and fixing the roof of your house? That is why Magic was never about the power levels but the spells you know and how you use them. For example, a starter mage with only a speed-enhancing spell can use that spell again and again, to dodge attacks and deal attacks slowly but surely." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "But those idiots only see the ranks as the only basis for strength. Hence, they had that kind of twisted belief. And to add to it all, some of the professors even support such sick ideology." Inna winced slightly when Raghnall''s grip turned painful. When he noticed her flinch, he immediately let go and apologized. Inna shook her head, showing him that she didn''t mind as she urged him to continue. "So, when those people knew of Aril''s great progress, they felt enraged. They didn''t believe it at first. Since after Aril was sent to the Lily class, in just a month he suddenly had great progress in his homework and in-field spell casting and sparring sessions. And they felt threatened because they hated the idea of sharing classes with someone that was previously from the lily class." "And so, they began harassing Aril¡­" "At first, it started with trivial things like ordering their ''friends'' to verbally abuse him. Aril was pretty strong-willed so a little trash-talking wasn''t much of a big deal to him. And these ''friends'' probably figured out that verbal harassment wasn''t that effective so they resorted to a more blatant form of bullying. They began to take his things, break his writing quills, and throw his books in the trash. But Aril must''ve been indifferent to such blatant bullying that it resulted to them taking a much more drastic approach." Raghnall sucked in a breath as he began to tell her the part he dreaded the most. "The dates of the removal exams were nearing in and those demons must''ve started panicking. Seeing that their earlier techniques weren''t effective, they decided to just drop all pretenses and started to harass him publicly themselves. They bump his shoulders, hit the back of his head, kick his shin, and throw stones at him whenever they happen to see him or pass by him. They did so much awful things to him that I couldn''t believe I wasn''t able to notice the bruises that covered nearly all of Aril''s body nor the weariness in his eyes despite him laughing as we talked." "I can''t believe I was so stupid!" Raghnall spat out in a sudden burst of anger as he slammed his fist on the chair. It made a loud cracking noise but he ignored it. "I¡­ I didn''t even question why he winced every time he laughed or why h-he always groaned in pain in the middle of the night! I¡­ I d-didn''t think much of it back then because h-he acted just like his usual cheerful self. I¡­ I never had the faintest clue that he was s-suffering at all! My idiotic self just kept thinking that everything was fine and okay even though there obviously was something wrong! If only I noticed sooner¡­ If only I didn''t b-brush it off¡­ I¡­ I t-tell you¡­ it''s m-my f-fau--" "Raghnall! Stop! You''re bleeding!" Inna screamed out as she grabbed his hand that was clenched tightly into a fist. The chair had multiple cracks around it but the hint of blood in the middle made Inna alarmed. She hastily pulled his hand towards her as she inspected it and just as she thought, the skin of his knuckles was peeling off as blood started to drip. "Fucking hell, there''s no point in hurting yourself! Quick! Cast a healing spell!" Hearing her panicked voice, Raghnall finally snapped out of his trance as he stared at his knuckles in surprise. He didn''t even feel the pain. He was far too focused on his story to even realize that he was already hurting himself. After casting a quick healing spell, he stared at his hands with a sad and tired gaze. "Sorry, I¡­ I got too caught up. You must''ve been surprised, huh. Sorry¡­ sorry¡­" Raghnall''s voice was only a mere whisper as he apologized to Inna. And she didn''t know why but the sight of Raghnall to her right now was just heartbreaking. He didn''t look like the confident, smug, arrogant, and charming Raghnall that always seemed to have everything figured out. Someone who always had control over every situation. Instead, he looked like a lost little boy, still grieving over someone he loved dearly. Chapter 209 Arils Story 3 After a calming huff of air, Raghnall tried his best to continue telling the story without stuttering. "So... Uh... Where was I¡­ oh yeah¡­ Aril... He was too good at masking his problems with his usual cheerfulness so I wasn''t able to realize what they were doing to him. And so, just like a fool, I continued to be oblivious to the signs of Aril being abused. But then, day after day, I began to see changes in Aril. In just a few weeks, he transformed from a healthy young man to a young man who seemed to have had his life sucked away." "He grew thinner with his cheeks nearly sunken in. His robes started to become too big for him that it would drop down from his shoulders. But before I could get a good look at the state of his body, he would always hastily fix his robe and flash me an amused smile. But I no longer trusted his smile because, despite the bright smile he wore, he had visible dark bags under his eyes that showed how exhausted he was. It was as if he was starved and kept awake for weeks!" "My gut feeling at that time was telling me that something was wrong so, it was at that moment that I started to observe Aril closely. And I finally noticed that not only his appearance but his behavior changed drastically as well. He used to be more headstrong and full of energy, so much so that he could spend sleepless nights but still be energetic enough to dance for a whole night in the room. But at that time, he no longer held that vibrance he once had. He barely even raise his voice or make jokes. He only listened to me every time I would make one and he wouldn''t laugh as much as before anymore. And the change that greatly bothered me was the fact that he would visibly flinch every time I would tap him just to get his attention. His eyes would go out of focus often, his hands would tremble periodically, and he would even stutter from time to time." Raghnall sighed, trying to ease the heaviness he felt in his heart. "Aril changed drastically but he still tried to pretend as though he didn''t. He tried to be cheerful and loud as he was before but I knew that it was getting hard for him to keep up the act. So, I approached him to ask him about it. And after much coercion, he finally relented and told me everything that happened to him. And in the middle of his story, his sleeve dropped and the result of what they did to him was now exposed for my eyes to see. And the second I saw it, I had to hurriedly take out a bucket because I vomited like there was no tomorrow." "His¡­ h-his skin was¡­ bruised¡­ scarred¡­ burned¡­ and¡­ I¡­ I can''t even describe it all into simple words¡­ It was like they tortured his whole arm!" "Aril said it wasn''t such a big deal but I knew better than to believe those words. Those students obviously had malicious intent! So I forced him to tell me everything. And when he did, it took everything from me not to storm into their dorms and cut off their own arms!" "THOSE BEASTS JUS--" Inna flinched slightly from Raghnall''s sudden change of tone. And sensing her flinch beside him, Raghnall immediately realized that he was raising his voice so he stopped. He buried his face on his trembling hands as he sucked in a breath. Then, with his face still buried in his palms, he continued to speak. This time, his normal tone returned. "They¡­ they ambush him each time his class ends. They drag him to the forest and just hit him until they were satisfied. Aril tried to fight back at first but they were about four people and he wasn''t even strong enough to defeat one of them. And so, he gave up after the third try. He just let them do whatever they wanted because he knew that the lesser he struggled the faster they would leave." "But as days passed, his unresponsiveness must''ve made them more irritated and so they began to do worse things than hitting him. They would make him eat disgusting things like soil, grass, bugs, and even tree branches. He¡­ he had no choice but to obey just to get things over with. He didn''t kick up a fuss because he didn''t want them to have the satisfaction of seeing his reaction. But the less fuss he made, the worse they get." "They began to leave marks on his body. Using sharpened pieces of wood, they would start slashing his arms with little writings as though they were just writing on paper. It would lead to his arm covered in wounds and blood. Then, they even had the audacity to pour vinegar on his wounds. Aril, being a mage, didn''t have any way of healing himself apart from the minor healing spells I taught him. And that spell can only heal a minor cut, not hundreds of them at once, so it wasn''t a wise decision for him to use it then. And so, he told me that he''d always try and heal himself outside the dorms so that I wouldn''t notice his wounds bleeding. But judging from the numerous scars just in his arm alone, he must''ve had trouble with healing them. They were probably far too numerous for his capacity to heal. If only he''d relied on me sooner, I could''ve helped¡­ I could''ve done something..." Raghnall sighed deeply before continuing, regret dripping in his tone as he spoke. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Aril is strong, I can tell you that. But he''s also the type to keep things to himself. The type to choose to bottle things up and endure than ask people for help. And it didn''t help his situation at all. Instead, it just only made it worse." Chapter 210 Arils Death 1 "Well, I sorta understood him though. He hid everything from me because he didn''t want me to get involved. And if I were in his shoes, I would''ve done the same but only to a certain extent. But he¡­ he took it too far¡­ He endured all of it and didn''t even reach out to me when he knew I could help him. Instead, he tried his best to look unaffected by it whenever I was around. But in just a few days, even I can tell that the physical, mental, and emotional stress its been giving him was starting to eat away his health and his mind. From what he told me, he''s been unable to focus in lectures, and unable to cast spells without feeling dizzy." "And to top it off, just when he was at the brink of exhaustion, those sick demons just went and decided to light a metal stick on fire and started to brand him with whatever words or symbols they could think of until his skin was¡­ hideously mangled and filled with their marks. I-it was horrifying to look at¡­ But to think that Aril just smiled nonchalantly as he showed me such a sight. That guy, I dunno whether to call him stupid or brave but he didn''t let such things truly affect him." "I asked him how he was able to have such strength that he''d be able to smile despite the situation he was in and he answered with a wistful tone." "He''s doing it for his dream. His family was in debt and so his sister was taken away to work as a maid in a nobleman''s house. At first, he was going to be taken away too but when he fought back, the nobleman saw that he had talent in magic and so he gave him a proposal." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "If he were to graduate from Eldora Academy and be a teacher of the nobleman''s son, then he''d return his sister and even give them a place to stay in his manor. He was even willing to offer him a weekly salary. The nobleman was willing to pay for everything to get him to study in Eldora so as soon as Aril passed the test and entered the academy, the nobleman would write letters for him almost every week to remind him of their arrangement as well as to inform him of his sister''s well being. Aril trusted the man immensely because he was a kind master. It was just that Aril''s parents took advantage of his kindness and proceeded to borrow money again and again for useless reasons only for his mother to run away with the money. And Aril knew that the reason why his mother ran away from them was because she was tired of how they always lived mediocre lives. She was far too envious of noblewomen that she aimed to be like one. And so, Aril''s dream was to graduate Eldora Academy, work as a teacher, and save enough money so that he could give his family the comfort they deserved." "And so, if he were to give up, then he felt that he''d be letting down his whole family and his kind benefactor who gave him a second chance in life. So, he persevered to take the removal exams and be reassessed. Because if he were to move up from Lily class, then he''d be one step closer to his dream." "But¡­" Raghnall took a deep breath to compose himself as he willed his bottom lip to stop quivering. "W-when the days of the removal exams were near¡­ I had enough watching the diminishing liveliness of Aril day after day and so I finally decided to go out to teach those demons a lesson. I didn''t want them ruining the most important week for Aril so I decided to put an end to the bullying on that day. And so, when they proceeded to forcefully drag him to the forest, I was already there, waiting for the right time to strike." "And so, when they held that flaming metal rod, I dashed to them and successfully stole the rod. Then, with a furious roar, I shoved the flaming metal rod to their eyes and I watched them writhe in pain as they fell on the ground. I-it felt great to see them so pained that it shocked me greatly. At that time, I didn''t like the fact that seeing them in pain felt satisfying." "My mother was a pacifist and she always instilled in me the value of mercy and compassion. She believed that no one is truly evil and that with a few words, it would be easy to find the good in the people we thought were evil. And so, I never saw hurting people, no matter how bad they were, as satisfying. And so, I should''ve felt bad and I should''ve stopped as soon as they fell on the floor. But anger came over me and I couldn''t stop myself from casting a few curses." "After seeing the startling amount of curses I was casting one after another, Aril stepped in to stop my violent episode. He covered my face as he hurriedly ran straight towards the dorms. I was startled at first but when we went back to our room, I finally understood why he did that." "He knew I was hiding from people and so he covered my face as he ran through the campus. I was just a measly ten-year-old at that time so picking me up and dragging me was a breeze. H-he¡­ he didn''t ask me any more questions about why I was able to cast multiple spells despite my age, why I was hiding my face, or why I kept silent about my personal matters. In fact, instead of getting curious about me, he just looked genuinely relieved that we didn''t happen to meet anyone while he ran. And so, I asked him if he wanted to ask me anything and readied myself to answer. I wanted to come clean to him so that he would hopefully depend on me after knowing who I was. But instead of asking, he just calmly smiled at me." "He denied my offer and he told me that he wanted to respect my choice of keeping my identity a secret. He said that he''d rather not know if knowing it would change our friendship. And so, I shut my mouth because I knew it would. After all, he would probably feel intimidated by such title I carry and he will sooner or later find out about my father and be greatly weirded out by it. And so, instead of asking me personal questions, he began asking random questions again as if we were back to our old days." "But as we laughed merrily in our dorms that day, I didn''t know that what I did triggered the anger of a much scarier group of people... And that''s... that''s where everything turned for the worst." Chapter 211 Arils Death 2 "The students who I wounded were just simply little goons that were tasked to terrorize him. Turns out, there was a group of people from prestigious families that were behind Aril''s bullying. And when they found out that their little lackeys were wounded, they grew angrier at Aril." "And so, on the night, before Aril''s planned renewal exams, these masterminds showed up at the Lily class dorms. I was by the food storage area at that time trying to get my dinner when I heard their numerous thundering. At first, I was confused since usually at those times, students would be leaving, not trying to enter. And so, curiously, I drew closer to the door to find out who they were and I was able to get a good look at their faces¡­ and their numbers." "They were as many as the numbers on my age at that time. Some of them were most likely upperclassmen because they were tall enough to cover the windows as they peered through it. They all held furious expressions as they tried to peek on the inside of the dorms, probably checking for signs whether the prefect was still awake or not. Well, it was way past lights out and the visiting times were supposedly over but then again, the prefect didn''t care much of the lily class so people were able to come and go once they break the seal of the doors. Hence, when they saw no traces of the prefect in the room, they started to break the door seals using brute force." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Raghnall took a deep breath before continuing. He seemed to have trouble holding in his anger as he remembered the scene. But Inna somehow felt that the anger wasn''t directed at the people he was talking about but instead, it felt like it was directed towards himself. "I knew what they were after¡­ They were obviously there for Aril and they were surely planning to hurt him. But seeing about ten people constantly banging on the door with angry expressions, I¡­ I panicked." "Hell, I was just ten at that time. And imagine my fright when I saw them all trying to break in. I had no proper training for combat or even any experience with any physical fights. I was trained for magic ever since I can remember and have been sheltered since then. But with my magic alone, I knew that I can take on five or six people. Yet still, ten was a bit too much for me. And they were all from high classes as well. Sure, I was stronger than every one of them in terms of ranks but if they gang up on me, even I could make a mistake that will cost my life sooner or later. So I decided to go ask my father for help." "I thought that was the best solution because at least I knew that my father could end it all. And so, I finally used my teleportation spell. I haven''t used it ever since I ran away because I knew that it was a spell that would certainly make my identity obvious. But at that time, I didn''t really care anymore because saving Aril was my first priority." "And so, when I arrived at the familiar manor, I swallowed my pride and hurriedly went to where he most likely would be. And just as I thought, he was there in his office, wearing his nightly robes, buried in his paper works as though the country would run without him." "I tried to hurry and explain everything to him but he had his tired eyes stuck to the papers, not even looking in my direction. When I started to scream furiously, he just sighed, saying that he had no time for me while still looking at his papers. To say that I was pissed was an understatement. It took me so long to actually convince him to look up from his papers and when he did, he just waved me off to play somewhere saying that he''s far too busy to ''play'' with me." Raghnall clenched his fist as he gritted his teeth in anger. "I¡­ At that moment, I just¡­ I gave up on my father and decided to just do it myself instead. I no longer cared what would happen to me, I just wanted to make sure that Aril was alright." Raghnall sighed as he tried to relax his tense jaw. He didn''t want to talk about this moment but he knew he had to for the sake of finding even the smallest amount of comfort that would help him move on. "I¡­ So, yeah¡­ I gave up on my father and decided to return back to the dorms. I immediately went to my room to check up on Aril and w-when I arrived, I¡­ I¡­ I can''t¡­ I''m sorry." Raghnall buried his face on his hands as he tried to stop the tears that just unconsciously formed on his eyes. "Let me just¡­ I''m sorry. I¡­ a moment please..." Inna reached out and patted his back softly as she spoke. "It''s okay. Take your time." Raghnall exhaled loudly as he finally raised his head. "I¡­ I saw... The lights were out, with only the moonlight illuminating through the windows of the room as the source of brightness. Aril sat by a chair, his back to me as he looked out the window. I stood there, confused. I thought that they went here to hurt Aril but when I inspected the room, it didn''t seem to look like there was a fight or even any struggle." "Out of my confusion, I began to optimistically think that maybe the men gave up and just left. I failed to notice how Aril was eerily silent despite my abrupt arrival. And so, with an optimistic view, I approached Aril to check whether he was okay." "B-but when I called out to him, there was no response coming from him. He just continued to face the window as his back faced me. I felt that something was wrong so I figured to go to his side immediately. And when I did, the sight of the pool of red below him began to be visible and it greatly startled me, making me panic as I tried to turn him around to face me." "A-and¡­ I¡­ I looked at Aril''s face and was horrified at what I saw. The tears at that time just bursted out and I immediately tried to cast all the healing spells I could think of, hoping it would help him recover." Inna''s hand tensed up on his back as she hesitantly asked. "What¡­ what happened to him?" Raghnall looked at Inna with anguish in his eyes as he recalled the ghastly sight. "H-his¡­ His eyes... T-they took his eyes¡­" Chapter 212 Arils Death 3 Inna gasped audibly as she stared at him with wide eyes. Raghnall furrowed his brows as he tried hard to hold back the tears forming once again. His heart was squeezing so tight that he had to physically exert effort to actually have the words out of his mouth. "He¡­ he had h-his eyes c-closed, with b-blood dripping down his cheeks as though they were t-teardrops. I¡­ I tried my b-best to heal his eyes but I can''t heal something that was¡­no longer there¡­ nor can I make it appear out of the blue. The only way to heal him back was to g-get his eyes back with them being in perfect condition. And even with that, it can''t even be a guaranteed full recovery." "And so, after I forcibly dampen my shock and disbelief, I tried to do the most logical thing that popped into my mind¡­ I began to ask him to explain what happened." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "I tried, again and again, to ask him but Aril just faced me with a tired face as he smiled sadly. And I was quite disturbed by his expression. Despite the fact that his eyelids were shut tight, I could feel in that moment that Aril just¡­ gave up. He looked like he didn''t want to try anymore. He didn''t want to hide it, nor did he want to act all happy. He no longer wanted to be optimistic about anything, and instead, he just kinda¡­ stopped caring, in a sense. And I can easily tell it from his limp shoulders and his empty smile. It was as though he was telling me that he was tired of it all, of all the things happening around him and to him. With one look, I could tell that Aril just simply gave up on everything, even on himself." "And I didn''t feel comfortable seeing that kind of Aril. It felt wrong like he wasn''t supposed to be that kind of person. And so, I tried to comfort him, saying that everything was going to be alright." Then, out of the blue, Raghnall snickered humorlessly which slightly startled Inna. "A small ten-year-old kid trying to comfort a grown man... It would''ve been a comical sight if we weren''t at that situation during that time." Raghnall released another snicker that held the same amount of nonexistent humor than the previous one. Then, after ending it with a small dry sigh, he continued on with his story. His face held a wistful expression as he internally struggled to get the words out of his mouth. "I tried my best to make things seem better... t-tried to make him smile¡­ I tried everything to remove the emptiness in his expression but it didn''t seem to work. Instead, Aril just continued to smile blankly with his eyes closed. He didn''t even bother to wipe the blood trickling down his cheeks as he continued to face the window." "Given that kind of reaction after so much of my efforts, I began to get pissed and so I pleaded him with anger in my tone to tell me what exactly happened. I told him that if he didn''t, I would go to those wicked people and ask them myself, not caring whatever they would do to me." "That seemed to get a rise out of him as he abruptly turned around to face me. He shook his head furiously as he tried to grab on to my shoulders. He had trouble finding them at first but after using his magic to sense the magical particles around him, he was able to grasp them tightly and shake me slightly." "I was startled with the¡­ desperation¡­ I felt in his actions. So startled that I couldn''t help but ask him what was wrong. And he¡­ He just started shaking his head again and again and the lack of ''wordy'' responses was starting to get on my nerves. And so, I told him to speak up and to tell me what exactly happened..." "B-but when he did¡­" Raghnall took a moment to compose himself by burying his face yet again on his hands. Then after exhaling loudly, he continued to speak with his face still buried in his hands. "It¡­ it was intelligible. H-he was no longer able to speak. A-and I finally realized why he tried hard to keep silent... He was hiding the fact that, aside from removing his eyes, they cut off his tongue as well. And when I tried to cast healing spells on it, I realized that they even burned off the wound, making it impossible to be healed since the healing process was sealed off." Raghnall sighed once again, his heart heavy as he tried to approach the most dreaded part. "A-and when I heard the gibberish reply filled with him just half-screaming syllables, my heart just broke so much that I burst into tears in front of him. It was such an ironic moment because even after all he''s been through, he was the one comforting me." He let out a snicker as he leaned back on the chair they were in. He still hid his face with his hands as he continued to talk. "Aril... he''s the kindest guy I''ve ever met and I swear to you that guy never deserved such treatment. If only I was strong enough at that time, I would''ve avoided such a tragic situation. He wouldn''t have to suffer like that. I could''ve ended it if I was strong enough." Inna was about to argue with him, saying it wasn''t his fault. And that he shouldn''t blame himself because he had no choice nor control over the situation. But before she can even get a word out, Raghnall continued on with his story. "After I cried my heart out, Aril began to tap his head as a sort of gesture. I figured that he was telling me to communicate by reading his mind so I immediately casted the spell. And so, we sat there in the room in silence as the voices in our minds began to speak." Chapter 213 Arils Death 4 "Aril smiled lightly as he explained what happened but the words he began to think of made me want to just shake him silly. How can he seriously say such things as though they were nothing?! The way he was telling the story, it was as if it didn''t happen to him! It made me so frustrated that I couldn''t help but clench my fists the whole time." Raghnall''s hands on his face stiffened as he spoke. Then, with a great sigh, he subtly pressed on his eyes as he wishes for tears not to form while he spoke. "They¡­ those ten men w-were¡­ th-they barged into the room and just immediately grabbed Aril. And he just let them. He didn''t struggle or anything because he didn''t want to make their anger worse and possibly implicate me as well. But by not struggling, it made them become more wicked with their ideas. They pinned him down and threatened him again and again for him to be subservient to them, giving him the choice of whether to be their slave and continue being in Lily class or to go against them and take the removal exams." "And they heavily emphasized that if he were to take the exams, they will make sure that he''ll be unable to utter any spell again which would make him get kicked out from the academy." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Aril he¡­ he wanted to take the test. It was his only way out of Lily class. So, rather than becoming a slave, he chose to be strong and defy them, saying that he''d never be someone else''s servant because he had a dream. And he will fulfill his dream whether he''d have to cross the paths of hell to get it. All for his family. All for his sister." "And so, the men did what they vowed to do when Aril refused to do their bidding. Aril tried to cast a spell to protect himself but they gagged him with a cloth before he could let any word out. No longer being able to speak, Aril made his eyes do the talking as he glared at them with all his might. He showed them that he''s not giving up. And that despite everything, he will take that test." Raghnall pressed harder on his eyes as the urge to cry increased in him. "And one of the men soon grew annoyed at the way Aril looked at him so he figured to rip out his eyes using his vare hands. Then, the man used magic to preserve and keep it, treating Aril''s eyes as though it was a medal of victory." "Then, with his eyes no longer intact with his body, the men laughingly mocked Aril as he writhed in pain. Aril screamed, again and again, disbelief and misery mixing in his cries of pain." "And another man among the ten men grew tired of Aril''s screams. And so, he decided to shut him up. He ordered the men holding Aril to forcibly open his mouth and take out his tongue. Then, one of those¡­ wicked people just grabbed a knife and cut his tongue in half. He did it at such a snail''s pace that it was as if he was making sure that Aril deeply felt the pain of the knife slicing through his tongue. Then, the man took the cut part and caressed his face with it." "Then, one of them took out a m-metal rod and lit it on fire. And he proceeded to burn Aril''s tongue to seal the wound, making it impossible to heal unless the closed off wound was to be removed by further cutting the tongue. And, as Aril screamed from the searing pain, the ten men simply just peered at him with wicked and satisfied smiles." At this moment, Inna could no longer hold back her gasp of horror as she covered her mouth with her hands in disbelief. What the fuck... How could someone so evil do that?! Raghnall didn''t seem to notice her reaction as he continued on with increasing quivers in his voice. "The whole t-time Aril tried to struggle relentlessly but their grip on h-him was so strong that he wasn''t able to make them move an inch." "I could''ve been there. I could''ve helped him. If only I tried to fight the men off, he wouldn''t have to¡­" Raghnall sniffed as he rubbed his eyes. He can tell that the tears were already forming but he still refused to cry. He didn''t want for Inna to see him cry. He didn''t want to appear weak ever again. And so, he pressed on his eyes as though he was sealing off the tears as he continued to speak. "After hearing his story, I¡­ I felt so frustrated that I¡­ I told Aril I would get revenge for him and take his eyes back. I knew I shouldn''t have left him at that time. The time where he needed comfort and assurance the most since he just lost everything, even his dream. But I was far too absorbed by my emotions that I let it control me and my judgment. I was too angry to think of anything else other than revenge. I kept thinking back to how stupid I was, relying on my father when I could just have done it myself, even if it would cost me my life." "And so, with a vow for revenge, I teleported to the dorms where the men were most likely at. I searched for them with my invisibility spell. When I found all ten of them, in a fit of rage, I casted spell after spell until all ten of them would be asleep and unable to move for a week. I¡­ I myself even thought I would''ve done something more wicked but my mother''s teachings just¡­ it just made me instinctively choose a more pacifistic way and I hated myself for that. It seems like no matter how bad the situation got, I can never let go of my mother''s teachings that she instilled in me." "And so, with them immobile, I began to search for Aril''s eyes. It was quite difficult to find because I had to go through five dorm rooms and search every nook and cranny to find where they possibly stored it. And by the time I found it, it was already early morning." "And when I saw the rays of the sunlight seeping through the room I was currently in, I knew that I left Aril alone for far too long. And so, I decided to hurry and return back, casting another teleportation spell that nearly drained me of everything." "B-but when I entered our room, I¡­ I couldn''t believe what I was seeing." Raghnall inhaled laboriously as tears began to leak out, soaking his hands that desperately tried to hold them off. "A-aril was¡­ h-he was... d-dangling in the middle o-of the r-room... with a r-rope on his¡­ he¡­ was d-dead... he... k-killed himself¡­" Chapter 214 Raghnalls Guilt 1 Inna gasped loudly as she whipped her head to face Raghnall. Disbelief and shock were written all over her face as she tried to come into terms with what Raghnall just said. She didn''t personally know Aril but with how Raghnall talked about him, it felt as though she knew him well. And so, hearing about the news, tears just involuntarily formed and she couldn''t help but feel her heart clench. And when she saw that Raghnall was hiding his tears by covering his face with his hands, she couldn''t help but give him a side hug as a form of comfort and support. She never saw Raghnall this torn up and hurt. And she never ever expected to see such a weak and fragile side of him. So, she felt a deep wave of sympathy seeing one of the strongest figure in her mind crying and vulnerable in front of her. Inna continued to softly pat his shoulder as Raghnall tried to control his sobbing. He tried his best to keep his noise at a minimum, only letting out little short sobs and sniffles. Then, when he felt that he could speak clearly again, he continued. "H-he¡­ I¡­ I-it¡­ it was m-my fault¡­ I-I k-killed him... It w-was definitely m-my fault! He¡­ I killed him¡­ I was the one who killed him¡­ If only I didn''t--" Inna gripped his shoulder hard as she glared at him with annoyance and concern in her eyes. "No, it wasn''t! Don''t blame yourself when you had no choice! It was the--" Before Inna could finish her outburst, Raghnall immediately cut her off with his own outburst. "YES, IT WAS! I HAD a choice¡­ I had the choice to stay with him and comfort him¡­ talk to him¡­ convince him¡­ But I let my emotions get the better of me and just left him there all alone¡­ In the back of my mind, I knew that I should be there with him through his darkest moment. But I wasn''t¡­" Inna grew more annoyed as she had both of Raghnall''s shoulders in a tight grip. She shook him slightly as she tried to get through his head. "It. Wasn''t. Your. Fault. It was a natural reaction to want to get back at those assholes! And it''s an understandable mistake for you to get controlled by your own emotions! Heck, I get controlled by my emotions almost every second of my life! But know this¡­ IT. WASN''T. YOUR. FAULT. You weren''t the cause of everything! It was those assholes who harmed him! It was those assholes who bullied him! You were just simply protecting him!" Inna tried to convince Raghnall to change his mindset about the whole ordeal. She grabbed his hands and slowly peeled them off his face so that she could stare into his eyes. She wanted him to see her sincerity and seriousness as she spoke but when she peered at his eyes, she was taken aback from how unfocused and hazy they were. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "It''s my fault¡­ I know it is¡­ You''re only saying that because you weren''t there¡­ you didn''t know everything¡­ I¡­ I WAS THE CAUSE OF EVERYTHING! If it wasn''t for me leaving Aril alone to tell my father, then I would''ve been able to save Aril and he would''ve been still alive¡­if it wasn''t for me enraging the bullies, they wouldn''t have sought out revenge and Aril wouldn''t have had his tongue cut and burned... if it wasn''t for me teaching Aril, he wouldn''t have been bullied¡­ I¡­ I was the cause¡­ I killed him¡­ I killed him¡­ it was my fault¡­" Inna growled in frustration as she sternly glared at him. She was about to give him a piece of her mind but Raghnall didn''t give her a chance to speak. "I¡­ The moment I saw his¡­ lifeless body¡­ I knew I made a mistake¡­ I tried to find it in me to look for a reason why he would do such a thing. I grew too used to him being able to endure every bad thing that happened to him that I somehow expected that he could rise from it again after a long time. But seeing his body¡­ hanging¡­ I¡­ the shock I felt was¡­ unimaginable. I tried to look for clues¡­ Tried to find another reason that must''ve threw him finally over the edge..." After a small sniffle, Raghnall gently wiped the tears that were slowly leaking as he continued to talk. "And I found a letter that seemed to have dropped below his body. I picked it up, thinking it was something he must''ve written before he¡­u-uhhh¡­ s-so I hurriedly read it. But it was a letter from the nobleman his family held a huge debt to. Well, actually, from the seal, it looked to be from a nobleman''s but the handwriting in the letter seemed far too feminine to be one. So, I figured it must''ve been from his sister." "In the letter, aside from the usual conversation between two siblings, it was written that his sister and the nobleman''s son decided to wed together about a year ago. She hid it from him because she didn''t want him to worry or deny their relationship. She knew how overprotective he was with her so she decided to do it without his knowledge. But she made sure to tell him how happy she was being together with her husband. Even the nobleman gave his blessing on their wedding, and he treated her with no discrimination nor prejudice despite her lowly status." "Now she was pregnant but apparently her pregnancy is giving her complications. It was because the child she was carrying is feeding on her own energy far too much than a regular child. It was usually a sign that the child is immensely talented with magic. But, with his sister being a non-magic user, she had trouble keeping up with the intense demand for energy. So, because of that dire situation, she had to choose between keeping her baby by letting the child feed on her or saving herself by removing the child inside her early on. But then, she emphasized in the letter that the reason why she wrote to him was not because she wanted him to help her decide. No, she already decided to save the baby. The letter was simply used to inform him of her choice. She knew him well so she figured that he would obviously talk her out into choosing the baby. So, she ended the letter with a short goodbye and an apology, knowing that they could never be able to meet again." Chapter 215 Raghnalls Guilt 2 "With his sister now possibly gone, Aril lost his only motivation in life.A future of comfort with his sister was the only thing that kept him sane and strong in the academy. He was doing everything for her, remaining in this academy, taking all the beatings, and enduring all hardships just so that he''ll be able to graduate and give her a good life. But with the realization that she''s now gone, he was lost on what else to do in his life. He must have felt as though he no longer had a purpose in the world." "With his tongue and eyes ruined, he knew that he''ll be kicked out of the academy sooner or later. They robbed him of his talent and his magic, making him be deemed nearly useless in the academy. He knew that he no longer had any chance in remaining in the academy. Much less leave the Lily class to be in a higher class." "And so, he must''ve felt that expulsion was the only thing waiting for him next. Then, once he''s kicked out, he''d have to go back to the nobleman. And with his sister now gone, he had to pay off the remainder of his debts alone. Although he knew that the nobleman was a kind man, he also knew that he was a great yet stingy merchant. He wouldn''t let such a huge debt go away easily, even if it''s from the brother of his son''s wife." "So, he''d have no choice but to find a way to earn that great amount of money. But since his eyes and tongue were no longer useable, he knew he''d just be seen as useless in the society. He surely wouldn''t find a normal job and the nobleman would be hesitant in giving him a job. After all, he''d most likely just hire someone more bodily abled to do work than Aril." "He must have felt trapped¡­ h-he must''ve felt like he had no way out¡­ He... he surely felt as though he had no future anymore¡­ That''s probably why he¡­" Raghnall''s face twisted into a sorrowful expression for a second but when he saw Inna''s eyes on him, he stopped himself and quickly showed a blank face with a sad smile. He didn''t want to show such a pathetic side to Inna even with such a serious situation. It just felt¡­ shameful for him. But Inna just became more annoyed when she saw him masking his expression. "This¡­ what you''re doing¡­ it''s not a good thing you know. You have to learn to let it all out or else you''ll never be able to move past it. If you don''t let it out, it''ll always remain deep inside you. So, don''t just keep it in. Please." Inna gazed into his eyes as she pleaded him. Raghnall knew what she meant and he understood her. But he''s far too conscious of her to just start bawling so he just nodded his head slightly as he smiled at her with gratitude. "I... Thank you¡­" Then, Raghnall sighed deeply as he peered at the vast pond. His eyes swept through the whole area until they landed on the beautiful statue. "There¡­ I-I said it¡­ That was the first time I''ve killed someone though indirectly. He might not have deserved it but life''s unfair and we just have to deal with it." Inna furrowed her brows as she expressed her distaste. "Hold on. That wasn''t your fault! Why are you even saying you killed Aril?!" Raghnall sighed as he stared at the statue intently. "The one who handed the sword is as guilty as the one who used it to kill... I gave him the sword. I was the source of all the reasons why he did it. So, it can be said that I was the one who killed him in the end." Inna''s face contorted into an expression that held both rage and disbelief. "What?! No, that''s not how it works. You should be blaming those guys who bullied him instead! THEY were the ones who pushed him over the edge, not you. So don''t treat it as though you were the ones who killed him! And He¡­ as harsh as it sounds, he killed HIMSELF. He did it to himself! He had a choice not to--we always have a choice not to! If he had debts, he could have realized that you could''ve helped him out! He could have tried hard before deciding selfishly that he wouldn''t be able to do it! That''s where the problem lies! Deciding the future on your own without even realizing that it can be changed! If only he learned to rely on you more, he wouldn''t have done what he did. He would''ve just asked for help, be vocal, or be desperate. His pride or his kindness, I can''t tell which, but either must have hindered him from asking help. I tell you, the situation wouldn''t have been so tragic if he just asked help. So, just ask help to the right people." Raghnall stared at Inna intensely as he digested her words. The conviction and emotion behind her words made Raghnall feel as though she held the same experience too. And from how convincing she spoke, he slowly began to change his mind. "I see¡­ If only he asked for help¡­ if only he asked¡­ if only¡­" Raghnall caressed his eyes as he spoke, then he felt the heaviness on his heart lighten a bit. His eyes held a glimmer of hope as he stared at her with sadness and desperation. "I-Is it really¡­ not my fault? I caused all of it, didn''t I? I¡­" Inna sighed harshly as she used both her hands to gasp Raghnall''s face firmly. "Wake. UP. It''s not your fault. It never was. How many times do I have to repeat it for it to go through your thick skull?! You never caused anything! You were just helping! It''s like you''re saying that the man who invented the sword is to blame for every murder that happened from using it! You never caused anything! Heck, you were just ten years old as well! So, believe me, I will say this again and again for as many times as you need it so that it''ll go through that thick skull of yours. It''s. Not. Your. Fault." "But--" "It''s. Not. Your. Fault." "But I--" "It''s. Not. Your. Fault." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "It--" "It''s. Not. Your. Fault." "Liste--" "It''s. Not. Your. Fault." "No, just li--" "It''s. Not. Your. Fault." Inna stared at him intently as she gripped his face tighter for every time she repeated the line. Raghnall chuckled humorlessly at her weird actions but for some reason, he felt a huge weight off his shoulders after she spoke. He felt a sense of lightness as if he was liberated from something that shackled him down. And feeling the lightness of his heart, he finally felt as though he was no longer to blame for Aril''s death. He released a soft smile as he gently hugged Inna, his gratitude emanating in waves. Chapter 216 Raghnalls Guilt 3 Inna hugged him back in relief when she felt that her words finally got through Raghnall''s thick delusional skull. Feeling her arms wrap around him, Raghnall gripped her tighter as he spoke, his voice no longer quivering. "You''re really a wonder, you know that? After nearly eight years, it''s the first time I felt this... weird feeling¡­ How do you do that? Did you cast a spell on me?" Inna chuckled under his embrace as she gently patted his back. "It''s called talking, boy. Talking about it can help you get it all out and may even get you the closure you deserve." "And trust me when I say this but I bet Aril has already forgotten everything." Hearing the strange confidence in her voice, Raghnall softly let go of her. His confusion visibly showed in his face as he asked her. "What do you mean by that?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Inna smiled weakly as she remembered her times when she was a just a soul walking the red pathways of Hel Halja. "I''m sure of it. He no longer blames you nor anyone else. He''s at greater peace not remembering anything." Raghnall didn''t know why but the certainty in her voice made him believe her and he felt better and better. But, still, thinking about the strangeness of her words, he furrowed his brows in greater confusion. He didn''t understand why Inna sounded so sure of what she was saying so he wanted to ask her more about it. But when he looked into her eyes, he noticed that she was far too engrossed in the thoughts inside her mind that he felt that if he did ask, his words would just be drowned out. So, he decided to just let it go and rule it off as one of the many crazy things she does. With Inna still engrossed in her memories and Raghnall still slightly bothered over her words, they both sat in silence for a few moments. Then, a gust of wind swept over the fields of flowers and Raghnall suddenly felt something stuck in his eye. He rubbed them slightly until he felt that it was gone. Then, he suddenly remembered something. "Well, even if Aril''s death wasn''t my fault, everyone else''s is." Inna snapped out of her thoughts as she looked at him in surprise. "What?" Raghnall gently caressed his eye as he held a soft yet sad smile. "I actually¡­ I have a unique ability¡­ Just like him. But for Aril, it was his eyes. For me, it was my body. You could say I''m a Mana Eater. My body can absorb Mana from living things and convert them into magical energy. It''s something I inherited from my mother but it''s not that amazing as it sounds. As of now, I still can''t absorb a lot since I haven''t trained for magic for¡­ eight years. But¡­ anyways, that''s another story." Raghnall closed his eyes as he tried to compose himself. He noticed that it was easier for him to talk about it now. He no longer felt the heaviness he previously felt. And so, after a short sigh, he was able to form a small smile as he spoke. "So, even after the Academy cleaned up the whole room and my father nearly forcing me to return home, I remained there in the same room, still having Aril''s eyes in my hands. I¡­ at that time, I blamed myself immensely. So I made a promise to always remember my mistake." Raghnall caressed the skin below his eyes as he looked at the beautiful array of flowers before them. "I used my ability to absorb Aril''s eyes, making his mana turn into my own. At first, I thought his eyes would simply deteriorate and turn into energy inside my body but unexpectedly, instead of that happening, his ability transferred to me and I was able to see what he was able to see. At first, it was magical. I was at a loss of words at how beautiful everything was. But then, every time I used the ability, I always remember him, and I remember what happened." "And I wanted his eyes to see, thinking that it would do something¡­ I wanted his eyes to see the suffering of those who made him suffer. So, ignoring my father''s warning, I decided to take revenge." Raghnall''s lips turned into a tight line as he contemplated in telling Inna. He didn''t want her to be scared of him, but he wanted to prove to her that sometimes, killing people can be the best comfort and the only option left as the right thing to do. And so, even if she were to end up killing someone, as long as she didn''t do it in cold blood or to someone innocent, then it''s completely justified. "I¡­ fifteen of the students that I knew were involved¡­ I¡­ I had to do it for Aril¡­" Inna''s eyes widened as she looked at him with disbelief. "You¡­ y-you killed them all?" Seeing the disbelief in her eyes, Raghnall felt himself panic at the thought of Inna being terrified of him. "I¡­ Wait¡­ I did it for Aril! They¡­ they ruined his life! If that''s how it was, I ruined their lives as well! Pain for pain! That''s how this world always has been. I took their eyes, took their tongues and left them for a day. Just as how they did to Aril. And they ended their own lives, just as how he did." Inna looked at him, disbelief was still evident in her expression. It''s ''how the world always has been''? She''s been in this world for a year and she somehow had the feeling that it was like that. But to think that she''d hear it from Raghnall''s own mouth as he justified torturing fifteen people in the name of revenge... She just couldn''t wrap her head around it. And truthfully, she felt a sliver of terror as she looked at Raghnall in a new light. Chapter 217 Innas Dilemma "Don''t you feel any guilt at all?" Raghnall raised his eyebrows as he peered at her. "Guilt? Well¡­ back then, I did. I felt it immensely that I haven''t been able to forgive myself for the past ten years. But it''s different now." Raghnall smiled innocently as though all remorse just flushed out of his system. "Didn''t you say that Aril''s death isn''t my fault? That the fault lies in the main cause of it all? Well, in that case, it''s their own fault. If they didn''t harm Aril, then I wouldn''t have to do anything. And besides, didn''t you say that everyone always had a choice? Well, they had the same choice as Aril had. With their tongues and eyes gone, they could have asked help from their friends, right? Or they could have tried hard to live on their own, right? Unlike Aril, they all had no debts. Unlike Aril, they all had a complete, noble, and rich family. Unlike Aril,they didn''t suffer from countless injuries and horrifying memories of being bullied. But they still chose to follow what Aril did. So, technically, they had a choice, did they not? It was just that they chose to end their lives then and there." After hearing what he had to say, Inna couldn''t find any words to retort back at Raghnall. She was too shocked at his way of thinking that she barely even let out a squeak. She didn''t know where to start in pointing out the absurdity in his reasoning. Well, she felt as though she was to blame for his views. After all, he used the same points she made while comforting Raghnall as the basis for his reasoning. And although he had a point, ethically speaking, for her, it just doesn''t feel right. But she had no idea how to tell him that. Because she knew, he had the right to have a different view on things and have different opinions on what the ''right'' thing should be. So, with a heavy sigh, she just held her mouth shut. Raghnall felt that his words somehow made Inna unsettled. He saw her face contort into a small unsure grimace and he couldn''t help but be slightly hurt by it. He shouldn''t have told her. Feeling regret starting to seep through, he decided to just shut his mouth and stare at the statue. Inna saw him being fixated by the statue again and she couldn''t help but ask him. "Uh, if you don''t mind me asking, why are you so attached to the statue?" Raghnall snapped out of his trance as he looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean by the statue?" Inna gestured at the beautiful statue by the center of the pond. "That. I noticed that you look at it almost every min--moment." Raghnall smiled lightly as he gazed at the statue again. "Actually, that woman was the reason why the lily class was founded. My respect for her knows no bounds. She was the very first teacher in that class. And back when it was still a new class, it was heavily respected as the class of the talented eccentrics. She had a great knack for finding people with unique talents among the sea of students in the academy. And originally, the lily class was a special class that was greatly hands-on towards their students. Their schedules were customized because they had specialized requirements in order to improve their power levels. But when she¡­ disappeared, it just turned the lily class into something¡­ horrific and toxic. And this time¡­ it was all¡­ my fault." Raghnall mumbled the last few words quietly, making Inna unable to hear them as his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Meanwhile, with after digesting that interesting bit of information, Inna couldn''t help but feel respect at the beautiful woman. She thought that it was simply one of those statues they place on ponds to beautify it but to think it used to be such an amazing person. But, she recalled the strangeness in his words that she couldn''t help but be curious about. "What do you mean she ''disappeared''?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Raghnall sighed as his eyes hardened. "She¡­ died. In¡­ an accident." Inna waited for him to elaborate more but it seemed as though that was all he was willing to say. So, taking the hint, Inna didn''t pry anymore. After a few seconds of both of them just staring at the statue, Raghnall started to feel uncomfortable with the silence. So, he decided to ask Inna a question that''s been bugging him for the longest time. "Ninny¡­ where exactly did you come from?" Inna''s eyebrows shot up in shock at the sudden question. "W-what? What made you ask that?" Raghnall gave her an obvious flat look as he cocked his head to the side. "I think you should be more surprised at the fact that I DIDN''T ask you that sooner. It''s pretty obvious¡­ After all, you''re not that well¡­ acquainted¡­ with y''know, common knowledge¡­" Inna didn''t know how to retort to that so she just huffed in annoyance. But inside, she was panicking at what to reply to his question. Should she just make up a lie? Say something about having amnesia again or like, being born in a country that''s supposedly part of this world? Or should she get it out of her system and just say the truth? But¡­ if she told him the truth, can Raghnall really be trusted? Well, so far, looking back on his actions in the past year, she can say that Raghnall is trustworthy. She didn''t even know why such a question popped in her mind. And thinking about it, even if she did lie, it''ll be quite obvious. After all, as what Raghnall had said, she wasn''t that informed with the common knowledge so, if she were to spout bullshit, Raghnall could immediately sense it. On the other hand, if she told him the truth, aside from him seeing her as a legitimately crazy person, she couldn''t really find any possible bad consequences. Instead, she''ll get the chance to finally talk to someone about her situation. And besides, there''s a hundred percent chance he wouldn''t believe her anyway. So, with a decision in mind, she finally answered him. "I¡­ uhh¡­" Chapter 218 Innas Story 1 "I¡­ well, let''s just say that I came from a faraway place." Raghnall raised an eyebrow as a complaint about her vagueness. "How far away?" Inna didn''t want to talk anymore about it but for some reason, probably due to the minute alcohol still in her system, she still answered him. "Just a place called¡­ Earth?" Her statement sounded like a question at the end, showing her uncertainty as she answered. But Raghnall didn''t seem to notice her tone as he bombarded her with more questions. But after listening for a short while, her mind ached from all his questions that she winced in pain. When she finally couldn''t take it, she stared him down as she cut him off with a question of her own. "Why do you want to know all of a sudden?" Raghnall gave her an obvious look as he sighed. "Didn''t I tell you that you should be more amazed at the fact that I just asked now? I mean, you--" "I answered you when I told you where I came from. So, why are you asking more questions?" Raghnall gave her a sulking look as he whined. "Do you really not want to tell me more?" Inna sighed as her gaze softened. "It''s not like I don''t want to tell you but it''s more like I want to know why you suddenly wanted to know more about me. Back then, even when I talked about these things, you''d just listen and not question it any further. You just take what I give and I do the same, y''know?" Without much thinking, Raghnall bursted out the real reason he had in his mind. "Well, it''s different back then. If you asked me a year ago, I would have respected anything you''d have told me. Now, I realized that I like¡­" When he saw Inna''s eyes show a hint of fear, he finally realized what he was about to say and he immediately stopped himself. After a short pause to compose himself, with a small tremble of his lips, he smiled before continuing as though nothing happened. "¡­ listening to other people''s stories. A-after all, I told you a bit of mine earlier so it''s about time you tell me a bit of yours." His smile didn''t seem to reach his eyes as he finished. He didn''t know why but seeing the fear become replaced with relief in Inna''s eyes after he spoke made him have a heavy feeling in his chest. Meanwhile, Inna didn''t seem to notice his change of attitude. Instead, she wanted to laugh at herself for actually thinking he was going to confess to her. My god, how embarrassing. She actually thought that was the case and panicked for a moment. Damn, what''s gotten into her? Why would she even think that a handsome and talented guy like Raghnall would like her enough to confess? She must be getting delusional because of the alcohol. There''s no way he''d actually do that. He''s most likely only with her because he found her intriguing and he''s too kind to leave such a cute, pretty, and weak little lamb alone. Inna snorted in amusement at the thought. Raghnall took her amused snort as a sign that she didn''t believe what he said so he tried to convince her. "I''m serious! I just want to know about your life in that place called¡­ Earth?" Inna almost bursted out laughing at how he pronounced the word. He totally copied her uncertainty back when she said it! "It''s not ''Earth?'', it''s ''Earth.''" Raghnall raised an eyebrow in confusion but he still followed. "Earth. Okay. Earth. As I said, I just wanted to know about your life on¡­ Earth. And I''m especially curious about how you were as a child. Were you always like this ever since then?" Inna narrowed her eyes at him as she clarified one thing. "What do you mean by ''this''?" Finding her question ridiculous, Raghnall gave her a flat look as he quipped. "By ''this,'' I meant you and your craziness. I can only imagine the number of enemies you''ve accumulated over the years if you were the same crazy animal back when you were just a child." Inna rolled her eyes at him before chuckling. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, little ragdoll. I''m wasn''t a crazy animal when I was a kid. On the contrary, I was quite a shy, gentle, and cute little doll. I wa--" Raghnall''s loud snort of disbelief cut Inna off. "You? Shy? Gentle? Are you sure?" Inna pulled a face at him and before Raghnall could react, she slapped his arm playfully. "Do you want to know or not?! Because it seems to me that you''re not interested, seeing that you''re doubting everything I say." While he caressed his slightly throbbing arm, Raghnall chuckled lightly before he conceded. "Okay, okay. I''ll stop with the commentaries. So please, continue." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Inna shot him a warning glare, daring him to cut her off again, as she resumed. "As I''ve said, I was a shy, gentle, and cute little doll. And I do have to admit that I am incredibly different from how I was before, save for the¡­ cute part." Raghnall snickered and was about to comment something when Inna gave him a warning glare that made him instantly stop and straighten up. Then, she continued on. "Anyways, yeah, I was a timid child, okay? That''s mainly because in my whole childhood, I''ve always been by myself so I never got used to people being around me." Raghnall didn''t expect this kind of story so he could help himself and asked a question. "You''re all alone? Your whole childhood? What about your parents? Were they not there with you?" Inna was planning to end her little story session there and to change the topic because she felt as though he''ll see her as strange if she were to continue on. But for some reason, she wanted to tell him more. Well actually, she just wanted to tell someone, anyone, of her story. Maybe it''s because she''s starting to become afraid of the fact that no one else would ever know the real old ''her'' for the rest of her life in this new world? And that maybe she''s afraid that if she were to die in this new world, no one would ever know her as Inna Lovenhart but instead would just see her as Ingrid Lidden? Or maybe it''s the alcohol still affecting her reasoning again? She didn''t know the real reason behind the feeling she felt but nevertheless, she felt like talking more about herself even though she knew that she should stop. So, with a deep breath, she decided to end her internal battle as she chose to follow what she felt. Chapter 219 Innas Story 2 "I became an orphan when I was just a baby. I was told that when I was just months old, both my parents died in an accident. Something about a bus falling off a cliff during a storm." Inna saw Raghnall looking at her sadly and she knew what he was going to say so she interjected immediately. "It didn''t affect me much, don''t worry. I never knew them so I never really had any attachments to them. I guess the only thing that I still feel for them would be the fact that it''s such a waste that I wasn''t able to know what they look like and how they were like. But, y''know, what''s done is done." Inna shrugged but even with her nonchalance in the incident, Raghnall still felt sadness and pity for her. Deep down, although he barely shows it, he really loved his family. And to imagine a life where he never would have known who they were was¡­ horrifying for him. He''d probably feel like there''s always a missing piece in his life forever. So, despite Inna trying to convince him otherwise, he still couldn''t help but feel sad for her. "Anyways, apparently because of the crash, their bodies were unrecognizable and the ID''s they had on them were the only distinction that they were who they were. The authorities tried their best to search for more but because of the storm, it was far too difficult and dangerous. But miraculously, out of the numerous people that were on that bus, I was the only one that survived that crash.¡­" Inna snorted humorlessly. "A bus filled with adults and the only one that survived was a couple of months old baby. Funny, right?" "Your parents must''ve shielded you from everything. They probably did everything they could to protect you, even if it means dy--" "Stop. Just stop. As much as I would want to have that idealistic and optimistic view, that wasn''t the case. I knew that wasn''t the case. My current parents knew of them. I was an accident baby. A fucking accident. They didn''t plan for ''me'' to happen. But you know what they were planning to do? They were planning to give me away to some stranger. Why? Because I would interfere with their lives." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Inna inhaled sharply as she tried to remember the words she overheard when she was just three. "They weren''t married. Heck, they weren''t together. It was just a one-time thing. My father had a wife, my mother had a job. Having ''me'' in the middle obviously wouldn''t make it pretty. So, having the chance of me disappearing through a ''natural'' cause must''ve been such an appealing thing for them." "Well, jokes on them, they ended up dying though. But they still got half of their wish come true, huh? I was placed in an orphanage after the accident but the people who my original parents promised me to was still able to adopt me from there. Such a great coincidence, right?" Hearing the sudden bitterness in her tone, Raghnall furrowed his brows. "From who did you hear those details from? And how can you say that was the case for sure?" Inna crossed her arms before her as she narrowed her eyes at Raghnall. Now, she''s really regretting talking about her life. "My current parents. The ones that got me from the orphanage. And I can say it''s true because I overheard my current parents talk about it before." "But I thought you felt that it was such a waste for you not to have met them and know what they looked like or how they were like?" Hearing her words thrown back against her, Inna sighed as she dropped her arms. "I know. And I hate myself for it. But as I''ve said, what''s done is done. They''re gone and I have to look at the present than focus on the past. Nothing''s going to change even if I brood over that fact again and again. But I still can''t help but get pissed, though." Raghnall was about to express his confusion when Inna cut him off with a deep sigh. "I don''t expect you to understand what I feel so don''t try to understand how it would feel like for me. Instead, can we like¡­ not focus so much on this? It''s making me want to just shut up and sleep." Raghnall, after much hesitation, nodded his head slowly as he apologetically promised her that he''ll no longer interfere. Although not believing him fully, Inna thanked him with relief written in her gaze. "Okay, so apparently my original parents had no other relatives, with both of them being the only child and their parents, which were my grandparents, were dead as well. My father had a wife but she expressed that she''d never accept me into their family. And besides, it would be weird if I were to go with her anyway since I was a baby born from an affair. Hence, they placed me in an orphanage." "Well, to answer the questions in your mind that you are probably dying to ask¡­ No, I don''t have any memories about the orphanage and I''m only telling all of this from what I heard and told to me by my current parents." Inna gave Raghnall a sharp look as Raghnall smiled sheepishly. She knew that he was dying to ask that since it was written all over his face. "So, the parents that adopted me were actually from rich families. And that was also the reason as to why they decided to adopt me. Both my parents had an arranged marriage, neither possessing feelings for each other. At first, I thought that their avoidance and neutrality among each other was because they were just shy in expressing their feelings. But as I grew up, I began to realize that they absolutely had no feelings for each other. Turns out, they were both the only child in a family that runs several businesses and in order to keep both businesses running and prosper, they decided to fuse the two companies together through the arranged marriage. Thus, they were practically forced into marriage, without even knowing their differences and similarities." "Well, actually they knew they already had one thing in common. Their love for work and for money. In fact, they didn''t care for anything else.¡­ And you might be wondering why they decided to adopt, right?" Raghnall instinctively nodded. "Well, their families actually had a contract. In order for my parents to inherit each of their own families'' companies, they had to fulfill two conditions. One was to get married. The other was to have a child." Chapter 220 Innas Story 3 "And so, once they had me, they got what they wanted. With them now both handling the merged companies, they obviously had no time to take care of a baby. So, I was left in the hands of nannies. But my parents decided, in fear of corporate spies and thieves, to replace my nannies every few months. So, as I grew up, I''ve long forgotten the faces of the countless nannies that took care of me and they must''ve forgotten me as well since I really wasn''t able to connect with them in the first place. To them, I must''ve just been ''work'' while for me, I just saw them as someone I should be obedient to. So, for the years of me growing up, I barely even spoke. In fact, if I remember correctly, according to my parents, they even thought I was mute or didn''t know how to speak." Inna snorted at the ridiculousness. "I told you I was a quiet child, right? Well, now you know. That''s how quiet I was. Even my own parents didn''t realize I knew how to speak. And that''s because I didn''t have the need to talk at all. Save for the nanny, I was always alone in the house. My nannies don''t even bother making small talk to a child. With their jobs being hard enough as it is, I think a silent child would be way better than an annoying one. And they knew they were going to be employed for only a few months so it wouldn''t help them to be attached anyways." "And so, yeah, do you believe me now when I say I was a timid child?" Raghnall nodded wordlessly, seemingly engrossed in the story that he wouldn''t dare to make a sound. Inna chuckled lightly at his behavior before continuing. "When I reached about 3 years old, my parents decided for me to start being homeschooled. They wouldn''t want the burden of getting me to and fro school so homeschooling was the most appealing choice for them. So, my life back then was just like a pampered little princess who didn''t need anything else in life. I remember that even my teacher wouldn''t talk to me anymore outside of the class or lectures she had. It felt too much like everything was a business transaction. All the human relationships I had were just platonic, cold, and bland. And so, my only comfort for the next following years were the connections I had with the characters on my television." Inna held a fond smile as she remembered all the shows she watched back then. No matter how childish or grave the story was, she loved every character. And that''s because she wanted to be like them. She wanted their stories, their lives-- their whole being. Because she didn''t want herself. "But when I was about 5 years old, my parents noticed my strange addiction to television. It''s laughable actually¡­ Of all the things they could notice about me, the first thing they saw were the bad things." Inna snorted sarcastically before continuing. "I was watching so much shows that I hardly had any sleep. My nanny at that time probably tattled on me. At first, they were okay with it. I only got away with a small scolding from my mother. But for some reason, my grandparents caught a whiff of the news so they blew up on my parents and demanded for me to attend a school that has to be outside of the house. It was so that they could pry me away from the television." "Well, at first¡­ I was excited at the thought. Too long I''ve been looking at the world through a small electronic box, y'' know? I wanted to know what it was like to be a schoolgirl; what it was like to have friends, teachers, or just people around me. I was excited for it, but that doesn''t mean that I was able to adjust well with the change." Inna sighed shakily as she recalled her five-year-old self trembling at the doorstep of her new classroom. Everything back then was new to her. She could still hear the loud cries of children running through the playground, the chatter of their parents in the waiting shed, and the ringing of the school bell in her mind. It was as though her mind itself couldn''t let go of the new experiences she encountered that it cherished every single detail by incessantly recalling it. But the most unforgettable moment for her was when her teacher opened the door to her classroom. Different curious eyes of all shapes and colors were staring at her intently, making her tremble even more. And as she stared back at them, different visions flashed through her mind, one of her being surrounded with friends, and the other being back to her room alone with a blanket wrapped comfortably around her. So, with a sudden surge of panic and anxiety filling her mind, torn between staying and making friends or running away, she did what every child would be horrified to do during their first day. She peed herself. She peed herself and ran away with her pee still running down her legs. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. And what''s worse, she got lost looking for the exit. And so, she practically marked the whole school with her pee. Inna snorted as she recalled the embarrassing incident. Like heck, she''s going to tell Raghnall that. So, purposely omitting that fact, she continued. "So, I¡­ Obviously, I had trouble fitting in. I had to enter the school in the middle of the school year after all so everyone else had their group of friends. Though, the reason why I didn''t fit in wasn''t really because of them. Actually, there were lots of friendly children that tried to talk to me. The problem was actually, me. I was scared of them. I mean, who wouldn''t be when I never had anyone to talk to aside from the television ever since? And so, whenever they tried to talk to me, I just keep distance and pretend I didn''t hear them." "And that¡­ that triggered the start of my most horrible school life." Inna sighed shakily as she once again recalled her childhood. That incident was the start of everything¡­ It was through that incident that she became how she was now... So, even with such scarring memories, she''s still thankful because she can finally become someone who''s true to herself and someone who''s not afraid of judgment. Even if the rest of it was all an act. Chapter 221 A Horrible Childhood 1 "Because of my evasive and silent character, many soon grew tired of trying to befriend me. In no time, their friendly facades dropped and instead, turned into faces filled with irritation and annoyance that was apparently directed towards me. At that time, I was oblivious to the change. I was far too focused on trying to change myself--trying to gather the courage to say hi to at least one of them--that I didn''t notice that they already had a misconception about me in their minds." Inna shakily exhaled as she gently traced lines on her wrist with her thumb, a habitual gesture she always made whenever she recalled those times. "I was just a five-year-old naive little girl that had the worst social skills man could ever have. But in their minds, they formed me into a snobbish spoiled little princess that would only talk to someone she deemed ''worthy'' of her attention. Can you believe that? They''re still children but annoying judgemental assuming little shits were already bred into society. That''s how you know humanity''s a lost cause." Inna huffed in disdain as she waited for Raghnall to agree with her. Although not fully getting the context, he could one way or another understand her sentiments so he slowly nodded in agreement. Seeing the gesture, it made Inna smile lightly in satisfaction. "Right?! They totally assumed I was a spoiled princess just from the fact that my parents were rich and influential. And because of that assumption, the whole class turned against me. And it was so fucking frustrating on my part because just when I actually was able to gather up my courage to say a simple greeting, those little fuckers just sneered at me! Do you know how horrifying that was to me?! The first time I spoke to someone else and their reply was a fucking sneer!" Inna calmed herself down when she felt her voice starting to get louder. After a few breaths, she finally collected herself and continued. "I pitied myself back then. I was such a weak awkward sensitive little shit that just let others trample on her. After that sneering incident, I became discouraged to reach out to them. I got more reclusive and they got worse as well." Inna sighed sadly. She combed her hand through her hair as she tried to properly remember and organize her memories. "It uhh, started with a few girls from my class just whispering whenever I turned my back. They weren''t much at first. They were just the people from my class that knew about that ''spoiled princess'' rumor, after all. But after a few weeks, the rumor must''ve spread because literally from the moment I entered the school campus, they start whispering like crazy, men and women alike. To be honest, I felt like a celebrity in one of those school dramas, y''know? Like the moment when a ''Queen B'' enters the room kinda-shit¡­ But¡­ well, the first time it happened, I found it amazing-- the feel of finally something familiar happening just how I saw it on the television was exciting for someone who''s addicted to tv shows. But when it happens nearly every day, it soon grew to be annoying and stress-inducing for me." Inna grew too immersed as she told her story that she failed to notice Raghnall''s look of confusion as he mulled on some words she used that made no sense to him. But Raghnall didn''t dare to question her about it. Right now, he just wanted to listen quietly to give her a sense of release and comfort. Because right now, he felt that what she needed most isn''t understanding but for someone to listen and accept her story. "I had everyone''s eyes on me every time. And coming from the kid who never got used to human attention, having all that attention directed towards me was really unnerving. And so, on the course of that year, my memories were filled with people just whispering and sprouting ridiculous rumors behind my back. In fact, I don''t remember the others but the most ridiculous rumor I''ve heard about me was that apparently, I was a vampire princess that sucks the blood of anyone who comes near me and that I attacked the last person who said hi to me." Inna bursted into light sarcastic laughter when she recalled the ridiculousness of it. "Those little children who were about two years older than me actually thought I was a vampire. My god, children are stupid I swear. Well, that applies to me as well. I can''t believe I tried to check if I had fangs after learning about that rumor." Inna recalled the time that she checked, for a straight week, signs of fangs growing by her teeth. Her parents and nannies gave her a strange look all the time. And looking back on it, Inna cringed hard after laughing. "Damn, I may be a smart kid to have accelerated two levels but when it comes to being in a society, I''m as dumb as it gets back then, huh." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Raghnall gave her a confused look and Inna just remembered that they had a different system in their schools here. "Apparently, in that school I was from, my parents insisted on the school to let me take grade advancements tests despite the fact that I was only homeschooled for a couple of years. Although skeptical, that school agreed and well, being the amazing me with nothing else fun to do at home but to watch TV and study, I aced it with flying colors. In fact, I aced it too well they made me skip two levels and allowed me to enter late into the semester. So, who''s the genius now, huh?" Inna playfully puffed out her chest as she boasted. Raghnall snorted at her poor display of humility. "Just two levels? For being homeschooled for a couple of years? I passed the threshold of the standard magical power levels for 15-year-olds back when I was just six. That''s equivalent to skipping 6 years of formal magic education, little girl. Two years can''t beat six." Raghnall proudly puffed up his chest as he boasted as well. Then, he tapped on her right temple as he spoke condescendingly. "So who''s the genius now?" Inna rolled her eyes at him as she swatted his finger. "Whatever." Chapter 222 A Horrible Childhood 2 Inna gave Raghnall a small glare before continuing as though she didn''t hear what he said. "Anyways, I was a smart kid. The smartest and the cutest in that class--sush!" Inna quickly destroyed Raghnall''s plan. He was surely going to argue with her about it again judging from his scrunched up face expressing his complaint. So, she shut him up before he could even have a chance. "And aside from those two qualities, I was also the youngest. That''s most likely why it didn''t take long for the whispers to transform into a more¡­ direct approach." Inna paused for a short while as she felt all the playfulness from before leaving her. She sighed tiredly. The heaviness of all the emotions hidden behind those memories was starting to get to her. "They¡­ at first, it started with the usual whispers¡­ then whenever I cross paths with any one of them, they would harshly shove my shoulder as they passed me by. I didn''t think much of it on the first time it happened, but as days passed, it reached the point where my shoulders would be horribly bruised at the end of the day." Another sigh escaped from Inna as she remembered the hard pains she had to endure while she hid the bruises from her nanny. Back then, she didn''t want to stop going to school even though those things were happening to her. That''s because she felt more like a normal human being in that school unlike when she was at home. Being all alone all the time at home made her feel as though she was nothing more than a doll, a decoration used by her parents in order to get what they want. And so, being the naive little shit, she hid everything from them. "The bruises¡­ they were bearable, to say the least. And so, it didn''t really bother me much aside from when I try to carry things. And I guess when they saw how unaffected I was with their actions, they surely felt unsatisfied. After all, their goal was to make a rise out of me." "And so, when they realized their shoving did nothing much. After a few weeks, it changed into something else. Their actions got bolder, actually. They started messing with my things, my locker, my chair, my tables--everything that was owned by me, they marked it." "They carved morbid words into my things, ripped them apart, and dirtied them with god knows what. In order to tune them out, I focused immensely on studies and so, in the span of just a year, I became the smartest in our grade. And being the smartest, the teachers started to take notice of me and because of that, their bullying of me decreased in fear of being caught by the teachers." "And so, for about a year, their actions degenerated back to whispering and messing with my stuff. They didn''t dare to be flashy about it so they stopped the carvings and public displays of violence like their shoving. And in that year, a new transfer student came in as well." "I¡­ forgot her name¡­ But that transfer student was apparently a daughter from my parents'' business partners. I was told by my parents to befriend her or get on her good graces so that I could actually have a friend in school. The teachers must''ve told them that, huh. But even if my parents told me that, I still didn''t have the courage to walk up to someone and be sociable." "But when I met her, I didn''t have the trouble of befriending her because she took the first step. She talked to me and acted like we were the best-''est'' friends in the whole wide world. Now that I looked back, she was annoying, actually. But hey, beggars can''t be choosers." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Inna snorted in sarcasm. "So yeah, she acted like she''s so considerate to me and that I should be grateful that I met someone like her. Back then, my delusional mind actually thought that that''s how friendship works so I glorified her and thanked her immensely for being my friend. The good thing though was that everyone else was afraid of her so she was a good bully-repellant." "But then, after a few months, her attitude towards me started to change as well. She got more demanding, more domineering, and more spoiled. Whenever I had something she didn''t have, I''d be forced to hand it over to her for the sake of friendship. Heck, there was a time where she cut my hair so short because my hair was apparently longer than hers by an inch. And that was the last straw. I screamed at her and declared that I would end our friendship right then and there. Man, that psycho of a woman will never get a boyfriend, I swear." Inna sneered as she recalled her horror when she saw her lustrous straight black hair fall on the floor back then. Dammit, talking about her hair made her miss her beauty, her face, and her own body. "Anyways, I can''t even remember her face nor her name but I think I thought of her as ugly back then. But I didn''t wanna be rude, y''know so I just kept silent. But since we''re always together, we''re bound to be compared sooner or later. And when she cut my hair, I had to go to the hairdresser''s to have it fixed. And they cut my hair so good that it brought out more of my beauty, y''know? And I wasn''t kidding when I say that I''m a beautiful and cute kid. Literally, children of all ages would love me." Raghnall snorted this time, his face contorting slightly from him cringing but he held his protests in as he listened intently. Pretending that she didn''t hear him, Inna continued on with her story. "Damn, I still remember when I entered the classroom and everyone literally stared at me. I had that, ''bitch I''m pretty af so y''all better think twice about bullying me again'' kinda vibe. But when I locked eyes with that psycho, that vibe kinda got lost into oblivion and I was back to being an awkward anti-social girl again." "Then, whispers erupted once again but for the first time, it wasn''t about me being a spoiled princess, a vampire, a weird alien thing, or any of those ridiculous rumors. It was about how I looked good with my new hairstyle. And of course, the guys in class were the loudest among those whisperers. And with their loud voices, they literally almost announced to the whole class on how I was way prettier than that psycho girl despite being the same rich princesses." "Of course, that absolutely made psycho girl more psycho and she began to run up to me and scream at my face on how I was nothing more than just a fake princess and all. And I feel like I gotta remind you that I was just about 7 at that time and she was like, about 10. But damn, the words that came out of her mouth was something even an adult would be afraid to say." "Back then, I didn''t understand the words so I wasn''t really affected but when the teacher entered the room and heard her¡­ Well, saying she was pissed was an understatement. She actually dragged that psycho girl towards the principal office despite knowing that her parents are one of the rich families in the neighborhood." "And that psycho girl, in her desperation and jealousy towards me, screamed out parting words that made the regained peacefulness I had when she arrived vanish." Chapter 223 A Horrible Childhood 3 "SHE''S ADOPTED! THAT LITTLE WRENCH IS ADOPTED!" Inna winced slightly as she recalled the horror she felt when she first heard those words. She paused her little story-telling, hesitating whether to continue and divulge everything or to play it off as nothing. This was the point where her scars would be revealed. She never told anyone about this, not even her parents. Well, especially not her parents. But seeing the genuine concern and curiosity in Raghnall''s eyes, she felt far too cruel to back out from the story now. So, with a small cough to clear her throat and muster up some resolve, she continued on. "At¡­ first, I didn''t think much of it. After all, it''s not like she lied about it. I really was adopted and I was never told to keep it a secret anyway. But then, I failed to realize that that phrase alone changed their view of me so much." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. But she still felt unsettled talking about such a sensitive topic so she began to gently traced lines on her wrist with her thumb again. And after releasing a big huff of air while doing so, she smiled dimly as proceeded to talk. "And just like back then, the whispers started again. The following days, different stories suddenly erupted about how I was a charity case, how I was adopted from a beggar''s family, and how I lived a fake Cinderella life. They talked about the fact that I was a fake princess, that I don''t deserve everything I had, that I only had a pretty face, and that the reason why I was studying in this school instead of being homeschooled was that my parents needed to dump me somewhere while they work. They also said stuff about my parents regretting taking me in an--" Raghnall''s eyebrows shot up in disbelief as he exclaimed. "That''s not true! How can they say such cruel things?" Inna jumped slightly in shock from his sudden outburst. And seeing her startled expression, Raghnall apologized immediately to which Inna brushed off with a small yet sardonic laugh. "Well, the reason why these rumors were so ''cruel'' was because someone carefully planned them to directly attack me." With an idea of the identity of the perpetrator coming into mind, Raghnall narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he drawled out slowly. "That psycho girl¡­" Inna nodded as she continued to tell her story. "Yeah, it''s pretty obvious who it was. After all, she''s the only one who would have the guts to do that. And so, it doesn''t take a genius to know that it was her who conjured them up and spread it around. Heck, it spread around pretty fast as well because, apparently, she already had ''friends'' in our class that seemed to do her bidding. And with them on her side, whatever shit she had on me would be spread in no time at all." But despite having the right idea, Raghnall still looked at Inna with confusion. "I had a feeling it was her but¡­ was she not punished since she was dragged away by your teacher? How can she cause trouble so easily again?" Inna snorted. "Her parents probably came to her rescue and intimidated the principal into letting the issue go. After all, she was just given a stern warning and was let go pretty quickly compared to what was written in their school rules." Raghnall nodded slowly as he finally understood. He speculated that it might be so but he didn''t think that Inna''s country and his country, despite being so different, held so much in common, especially when it comes to the human''s nasty need to oppress and be above others. So now, he was even more curious as to how the story would unfold--as to how Inna turned from such a shy little girl into the crazy shameless one he knew now. And as if sensing his hidden curiosity, Inna decided to continue on with her story. "And so, as soon as the next day arrived, she was able to easily have the rumors spread across the different levels of the school with each level nearly having their own version to the story. Heck, even teachers were gossiping about it as well. It was, after all, a big issue." "The child of the ones who owned the biggest corporations in that city was adopted." Inna held a sarcastic tone as she emphasized that statement as though it was an interesting headline in the news. Then, after a humorless snort, she continued to talk. "They must''ve seen it as a big scandal. And it was only a matter of time before the media would sniff this story out. So, with all these half-truths out and spreading like fire, I knew I had to do something about it before it spread outside the school and hurt my parents'' reputation. But¡­ that wasn''t my only motivation of ending the rumors, y''know. And I hate to admit it but I had to end it because¡­ it hurt me, as well. But not in the way you''re thinking of." "I already knew I was an orphan way before. I found out about it by myself before I entered that school. How? Well, I overheard my parents talk about it as they argued about how they didn''t want the public to have the opportunity to know about me and make me a target to get to them. And well, knowing I was adopted wasn''t quite a shock. After all, they barely acted like decent parents so I pretty much was numb towards it. I just saw it as a title, an accessory title I can ignore because truthfully, it''s not like it can really change anything in the present." "But what hurt me was the fact that it made people define me differently than before." Inna unknowingly clenched her hand into a fist but her other hand continued to draw lines on her wrist, albeit this time, it was no longer gentle but instead slightly erratic. "What''s wrong with not being the biological child? Am I still not the same child as I was before? Heck, even if my parents had children, who''s to say they wouldn''t treat him or her any less than they have treated me?" "I tell you, even if I was just a measly kid, I had enough sense from watching all those TV shows to know that being adopted shouldn''t make people view you any different than before. It''s just not right¡­ Many would argue that they were just children and that they didn''t know what they were doing nor thinking. But even so, their parents, or even the teachers as well, should''ve made them understand how it is. They should''ve taught them to hold a different kind of mindset, a mindset that''s not shallow and narrow in the first place. Heck, it should''ve been passed as common sense. But it''s just maddening how this shallowness was even coming from the adults that were supposed to be the one teaching the children in the first place." "The teachers and parents of the different children began to greet me differently. They, too, joined along with the whispers which I found quite irritating and heartbreaking at the same time. I thought my enemy at that time was just the students. I thought that the rumors wouldn''t really affect me much and that I can still rely on my teachers whenever shit hits the fat, y''know? But in a week, I saw how they began to treat me differently¡­ I saw how they changed and began to behave like everybody else--whispering while I had my back turned on them. That was when I realized that I had no one else in that school that thought of me as the ''me'' before. I wanted them to see me as ''me'' or even the ''spoiled brat'' they thought I was. But no matter what I do, or what I say, or whatever version the rumor came to be, I always ended up being the ''unwanted adopted child.''" "Every day. Every. Fucking. Day. They were constantly reminding me of my adoptive status¡­ And it hurts¡­" Inna blinked furiously as she tried to keep her emotions at bay. "¡­ because I knew that no matter what, the title of ''adopted'' would always change the way they see me." Inna sighed with a heavy heart as she leaned on Raghnall''s side. Talking about this stuff physically tired her out so she decided to close her eyes in the meantime as she talked. "And for the second time, it was me against everyone yet again." Chapter 224 Her Biggest Scar 1 ********** AUTHOR HERE! JUST A WARNING ABOUT A POSSIBLE TRIGGER EVENT FOR THE READERS WHO ARE SENSITIVE TOWARDS CERTAIN EMOTIONALLY HEAVY TOPICS AND METHODS OF RELEASE. IF YOU FEEL ANY DISCOMFORT, PLS SKIP THROUGH IT INSTEAD OR DON''T READ IT. ********** "But this time, it didn''t take long before their methods escalated into extreme ones. And it''s most likely due to that psycho girl''s influence. They probably felt assurance from the fact that a ''real'' heiress was backing them up and so, their whispers turned into a more blatant malicious teasing." Still closing her eyes, Inna caressed her wrist again comfortingly. The repetitive motion was now noticed by Raghnall and he couldn''t help but be silently curious as to why she was doing it. But he pried his curious eyes away when Inna continued to speak. "I¡­ I knew I had to put a stop to it. My parents would soon know one way or another and I fear that they wouldn''t welcome the news well. I didn''t want to be a burden to them nor have them see me as one. And so, after delaying it for a couple of days out of fear, I gathered up all the courage I had left and decided to confront the psycho. I called her out to meet at an empty classroom and when she arrived alone, I immediately went up to her and told her to stop everything that she was doing, the teasing¡­ the rumors¡­ all the manipulation¡­ I sternly told her to stop with the most serious face I could make without giving away the trembling of my limbs and the quivering of my voice. But instead of listening, she just pretended like she was never involved in the whole thing. And after a huff of fake disbelief, she just turned around and completely ignored me." Inna snorted in disbelief as she recalled the scene. "I knew it was futile. I knew how stubborn she was. How deeply rooted the jealousy she had of me. But I was desperate for it all to end. And so, to please her selfish and psychotic self and ego, at the same time end everything, I knew exactly what to say." "What should I do to make you stop? I asked her that and the moment I did, she immediately turned around with a bright amused smile on her face. Then, as she walked painstakingly slow towards me, she chuckled lightly. She began to speak about how futile my efforts were. That even though she would stop, it doesn''t mean that the people would stop as well. She began to ridicule my intelligence, doubting whether I really was that famed genius kid my parents would always brag about in front of her parents." "She circled me while peering wickedly at my trembling timid body. She continued to rattle on and on about various other insults she threw at me but I tuned her out. But I soon had enough of it and decided to just cut her off sternly by repeating my question again." She knew the part that going to come next so, in preparation for what''s to come, Inna shifted her position so that her back was facing Raghnall but she still had her head leaning on his side. She shifted because she suddenly had the urge to hide her face from him but she didn''t want to be obvious about it. So, with her eyes now wide open and staring at the garden before her, she continued. "Despite being rudely cut off, to my surprise, that psyc-hoe just smiled and shrugged at my question. Then, using such an innocent tone, she started to speak again. This time, she did it with a bit of a condescending tone as though she was speaking to a stupid kid." Inna clicked her tongue in annoyance at the memory. "She told me that the solution to my problem was just a simple thing. Since the rumors were mostly just about me being an adopted child that no one wanted, I just needed to prove that what she was saying was wrong. That I wasn''t an unwanted child. That I was just like my parent''s legitimate child. That I was greatly loved and cared for by my parents. I just had to prove that and ''maybe'' the rumors would die down and the teasing would stop." "I didn''t know what she was letting on but she made sense so I couldn''t help but agree to her. But after trying to think of ways to prove it, I ended up with just an empty mind. After all, even if I had proof, how would they believe me? I''d most likely have to involve my parents so that they''d believe me. But if I did, I knew it will surely just blow things out of proportion so I decided against it." "And so, with nothing in my mind and being the naive little shit that I was, I admitted to her that I didn''t know how to make everyone believe me even if I had evidence. I admitted that I didn''t want to bring my parents into the issue as well. And it was as though she expected my answer because she immediately giggled in amusement at my reply. ''I have an idea how,'' she offered and then, she placed a ''comforting'' hand on my shoulder as she leaned close to my ear to¡­ uhm¡­ whisper something." "It''s simple. Why don''t you just cut yourself? Hmmm?" "S-she said those words in the coldest tone I''ve ever heard someone use. And I... I froze¡­ I didn''t know what to do. I-I actually had chills run down my spine when she leaned back to sweetly smile at me as though nothing happened. It was as though she just simply talked about something casual, like the weather. In fact, I thought she was joking--well, I hoped back then that she was joking. But I knew she wasn''t when she continued to talk about her ''idea.''" "I''m not saying you should but just think about it! If you plan to cut yourself secretly and they notice, then that means they care, right? But if they don''t, then that just means they don''t care. Tell me the result tomorrow. That''s all I''m asking. And even if they didn''t notice, you can still lie to me about it. After all, I wouldn''t know it, right? It''s a great method, I tell you. You just need to show a scar to prove you did it and I''ll stop all these rumors." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Inna spoke in a sickly sweet tone filled with suppressed ridicule as she imitated how that psycho talked to her back then. Then, as if that woman was currently right in front of her, her face contorted into the ugliest face she could make that was filled with both spite and regret. A face she would never wear unless she felt pure hatred emanating inside her. Thank god she was facing away from Raghnall. Chapter 225 Her Biggest Scar 2 "The little shit basically manipulated me into thinking that d-doing¡­ doing something like that is¡­ i-is a better choice! And of course, me being the little clueless kid that I was, I believed her. I agreed to what she offered. And I failed to see that evil glint in her eyes as I basically fell into her trap." "As soon as I went home, I did it. A simple slash on the finger. And I went to my parents to show them. But both of them were on their phones so it took them long before they started to notice me. And when they did, they called in for the nanny to clean and treat my wound instead." Inna blinked furiously as she tried to hold back the emotions welling up inside her from the memories she kept hidden. "I¡­ I t-thought that they didn''t have that much reaction because the wound was small and it closed up pretty fast. And so, the next night, I tried again. I cut my palm with a knife I was able to get from the kitchen. But before I could show it to them, both my parents had to leave for an emergency meeting, leaving me with my nanny who took care of the wound wordlessly." "I thought to myself that they probably didn''t notice me at that time because they left before they could see me. And so, I told myself that I''ll d-do it properly next time. But the next time I did it to my other palm, they still called for my nanny to treat me and then they ended up leaving soon after to fix some issues in their company. They didn''t even¡­ speak a word of goodbye... They just immediately went out the door and left." Inna sighed as she buried her head deeper into Raghnall''s side. She didn''t want to talk about this but she couldn''t understand why she felt like she really should. "Back then, if I didn''t go to school, I would''ve passed off their behavior as the norm. I thought, maybe that''s how they show affection. They try to earn as much money as possible to give me a great and comfortable life. I was comfortable with the distance as well since they just let me do whatever I wanted." "But at that moment, I finally opened my eyes and felt that maybe I was wrong. And I began to think¡­ M-maybe they never really cared for me to begin with... Maybe I really w-was an unwanted child, after all. Maybe, I was just¡­ unneeded." "Those words haunted my mind for numerous days. I desperately tried to prove my own thoughts to be false by cutting again and again but I soon gave up on showing it to my parents since they always disappear after getting me from school. And so, instead of doing it to prove something, it just became a habit of release." "Every time something happens in school, a simple cut on the finger was enough to make me forget about it. The deeper the cut, the number I felt with everything that was happening around me. I didn''t know why and it certainly was strange. But I was far too consumed by my self-destructive thoughts to think rationally about my situation." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Inna flinched slightly from the memory as her hand instinctively grasped her wrist. "But, even though my hands and wrists were full of scars, I wasn''t able to lie to that psycho. How could I when, at that time, the confirmation that my parents didn''t care for me was the undeniable truth. That fact can be read on my face like an open book. And so, that psycho most likely had fun watching me getting ganged up on and bullied in nearly every single day." "The b-bullying persisted for weeks but I no longer had any courage to talk to her m-much less fight against h-her. Th-the only thing I w-was thankful for w-was the fact that it d-didn''t seem to leak... the f-fact about me b-being adopted. B-but other than that, I w-was too exhausted to care about anything else. A-all I r-remember was¡­ hiding in the c-comfort rooms for n-nearly the whole d-day¡­ w-wanting to just¡­ d-disappear¡­ and go to a place where there w-was... no one except me in it." "I... in those weeks¡­ I was just¡­ s-seven¡­ but I just wanted everything to e-end¡­ right then a-and there¡­ I w-was horrified of the future¡­ what if I g-get thrown out¡­ what if it g-gets worse¡­ will I have to live with this t-treatment for y-years and years to c-come? I was s-scared¡­ I was s-so so scared a-and tired¡­ so much s-o¡­ I just w-wanted to¡­ I¡­ I just¡­ wanted¡­ to¡­ I...I''m s-sorry. C-can I just¡­ b-breathe¡­ for a m-moment¡­" Inna gasped out as she clutched her chest. She tried to calm herself when she felt the dizzying impact of a panic attack starting. Her heart started pounding against her chest and she felt her visions starting to turn hazy. But she didn''t want to worry Raghnall so she clenched her eyes shut as she tried to endure and reign it all in. She didn''t want to look weak. Not right now. She''s strong. She got this. She can get through this like she did last time. There''s nothing to get anxious about. There''s nothing to panic for. She''s strong. She''s like her. She is Officer Astria. The bearer of fucking justice. Chanting those phrases she used ever since she was a child, she soon slowly learned to calm down. And after a few more deep breaths, she finally was able to compose herself enough to continue on. "S-sorry¡­ Pretend¡­ that d-didn''t happen..." Inna huffed out as she removed her hand from her chest. Raghnall wanted to ask her what was wrong and start to chant a healing spell but Inna didn''t seem to want his help. But then, he suddenly caught a whiff of the scent of blood. And when he traced the cause of it, Raghnall felt panic in his heart when he saw that Inna''s hand was clenched around her wrist so tight that it started to bleed. Certain images flashed into his mind--images that all consisted of Aril''s lifeless eyes staring at him as his cold body swung slowly, with blood dripping from his neck. He quickly shook his head as he tried to get rid of the images but even after they all went away, he couldn''t stop his hands from trembling in fear just from remembering. But this time, instead of dwelling on his feelings of remorse and hatred at himself for what happened with Aril, he was far more worried about the present¡­ on what was currently happening to Inna. And so, without a word nor a warning and despite his trembling hands, he quickly pried her hand away from her wrist and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he guided her head to rest on the side of his chest. He didn''t know how to comfort her, and he knew that she didn''t want to face him. And so, the only thing he could do was to hold her hand and share his warmth with her, hoping it''ll make her feel that she wasn''t alone--that he was there, listening to her even if he didn''t fully understand some of the words she was uttering. When she was pulled in, Inna protested at first by stiffening. She refused to move in fear that she might accidentally face him and meet his eyes and he might see the ugly expression she was wearing. But feeling the warmth emanating from his palm while he held her hand and gently guided her head to rest on his chest, she stopped her futile resistance and instead, just relaxed into him with a heavy sigh. Chapter 226 Her Biggest Scar 3 She was tired of remembering. But now, she finally understood. Now that she has died and was now living another person''s life, she finally understood. Her past self, her naivety, her cluelessness¡­ Her childhood¡­ All of those were what she truly hated in her past. She didn''t hate the people that bullied her. She didn''t hate that psycho girl who manipulated her. No, she didn''t hate them anymore. In fact, she even nearly forgot what they look like and what their names were. The hatred she felt was never about them. It was all on her. On how of an idiot she was back then. Her hatred stemmed from regrets. Regrets that made who she was. And the anger came from the fact that she could never erase nor change those regrets because they were already part of who she was no matter how shameful they might be. And so, what she''s doing now¡­ what she''s trying to aim by telling Raghnall¡­ she''s basically just releasing her regrets. All memories that made her who she was. Everything about her. This was the moment when she finally realized¡­ Damn, so this is what it feels like for it to finally dawn in her that she''s dead. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Like an old lady accepting her impending death, she''s sharing all her regrets in life as though she''s afraid no one will remember her after her death. Heh, it''s quite accurate but ironic at the same time. She''s selfishly releasing them so that Raghnall can accept it all. So that he can accept her regrets. So that he can accept¡­ her. Even if he understood nearly nothing of what she was saying. Because she knew that after this, she''d have to be someone else again. She''d have to be Ingrid Lidden, the girl found in the Miasma Forest. She''d have to be Ingrid, that Lily class student who didn''t deserve to be in the academy. She''d have to be Inna, the talentless when it comes to magic. So today, she''s releasing her regrets. Because, staring at the statue in front of her, she knew that the identity of Inna Lovenhart was now nothing more than a statue. A remembrance of her life before that was planted in a new foreign land. Always present but it no longer held its significance and life. And so, she vowed that after this day, she''ll instead try to live her new life as though she was truly reborn. But for now, she''s going to revel at the past--at her origins. So that she won''t ever forget where she came from. And so, with a newfound direction, she smiled lightly as her eyes teared up. Her shoulders began to tremble and she began to sniff which greatly alarmed Raghnall. "D-do you want to¡­ stop? I-I can understand. I''m sorry to ask you of this. I really am. I feel so guilty right now because I swear every time I ask you something it seems to only hurt you more and more. I''m really so--" Inna hushed him with a small chuckle as she shook her head. Then she turned around as she wiped away her tears. "No, no. Don''t be. I''m grateful, really. Just¡­ let me have my moment. I''m feeling weirdly emotional and sensitive right now. All these thoughts just keep popping up and it must''ve been the alcohol that''s triggering all these¡­ maybe I''m just in the mood to be dramatic tonight." Raghnall nodded in understanding as he patted her head. "Okay, I understand. It''s just that¡­ you can stop if you want to, y''know. I can live without knowing your past." Inna snorted at the lie. He obviously was the kind of person who''d do everything just to quench his curiosity. Still, she appreciated his effort as she willed herself to continue. "Now¡­ where was I¡­ okay. It was at those times that I was¡­ at my lowest.¡­ It was then I realized that enough is enough. I didn''t want to live like that anymore. And so, I refused to go to school. I holed up in my house for nearly a month and whenever they would force me to go out, I''d throw the biggest tantrum as though my life depended on it. My parents soon got the hint and gave up on trying to take me to school. Instead, they contacted the school and told them I''d be having a short indefinite break and that I can just take everything I missed once I come back from the break." "And so, then began my life of monotony which only consisted of eating, sleeping, and watching television. It went on for about a month. That month was actually my birthday month as well but I spent my birthday holed up in my room with the TV on and with a blanket wrapped around me for security. I remember that on that day, there was this big thunderstorm and my parents were stuck in traffic and so, I spent that day alone and afraid. Afraid because I used to be scared of lightning and thunder." "At first, I thought it was one of the worst birthdays I''ve had. But looking back on it now, it was probably the most important and memorable one. It was because, despite the mishaps on that day, I was able to stumble upon something that changed my life forever." Inna smiled fondly at the memory. "Officer Astria, The Bearer of Justice. It was one of the best TV shows that aired its first episode on that night. I stumbled upon it by chance when I accidentally threw the remote from fright because of a flash of lightning." "It was an R-rated show because of its counts of violence and mature dialogue but I really didn''t care because the story seemed interesting." "The main character was obviously in the name of the title, Officer Astria. She was a policewoman who had to track down a series of murder cases that involved in the trafficking of drugs. She was undercover as a guest in a certain casino and she looked absolutely innocent and delicate that they didn''t even suspect her of anything. In fact, I didn''t even realize she was the main lead until minutes later when she was able to seize the drug lord running the place. That was when she took out her gun to point it at the guy''s head all the while declaring her name." "Well, after all, she really didn''t seem like a policewoman. Instead, she looked more of a model or a celebrity. But when she raised up her gun, I was really shocked by how quick she changed from an innocent lady to a policewoman who held an aura of fearlessness and strength despite her pure appearance. She fit the name so well since Astria, in greek mythology, was the goddess of not only justice but also of innocence, purity, and precision." Chapter 227 I Am Officer Astria 1 "And so, after that introductory trailer, the episode started off with a great fighting scene. The drug lord was able to escape using a trap door from his office, making Astria curse out loud. And seconds after, she found herself being surrounded inside the office by about twenty or more people. She wanted to run away but she knew she had no choice but to fight back in order to clear an escape route." "And so, quickly grabbing the two hidden guns in her thighs, one after another, she shot the enemies from the frontlines without missing a single bullet. After the first shot, some quickly dashed towards her to stop her. And when they drew near, she began to fight them head-on while keeping one hand constantly firing on the enemies by the distance. Man, it was such a great episode." Inna breathed out her amazement as she recalled it. "It was like, just barely a minute of... Bang! Bang! Whoosh! Hi-yah! Then, Bam! Everyone was dead!" Inna tried imitating the moves as she felt her inner kid resurface whenever she remembered the show. Raghnall could only watch in bewilderment at her sudden actions. "Then, after all the fighting, there was suddenly a chuckle and when Astria looked up, it was her partner, Officer Kyril who was laughing at her. She was like, ''why are you laughing?'' And he was like, ''I thought you were only going to make an escape route but it seems like the one who needed to escape was them.''" Inna giggled as she recalled the handsome actor who played Officer Kyril. He was her first crush, for sure. But at the same time, she rooted for him and Astria not only as a couple in the show but also in real life. Seeing Inna giggling away as she continued to talk more and more about her favorite show, Raghnall felt a weight off his shoulder as he finally fully calmed down. He really felt worried for her earlier but seeing how she was now, giggling and blushing at some guy named ''Officer Kyril'' despite his displeasure, he''s greatly relieved that she''s able to still smile and laugh as bright as before. After a few minutes, Inna realized that she was babbling away so she blushed furiously before apologizing. "Uh-uhm. I¡­ As you can see, that was my favorite show. Ha-ha¡­" When she turned around to check if Raghnall was bored with all her stories, she quickly turned back when she saw the look Raghnall was giving her. It was the look of fondness, relief, and amusement rolled into a gleeful expression. Why the fuck was he smiling at her like that?! The weirdo... She tried to reign in her embarrassment and control the redness of her cheeks by coughing awkwardly. But when she tried to move her hand to cover her coughs, she noticed it was held by his hand. And so, she used her other hand instead since she didn''t want to awkwardly remove it. After all, he might get the wrong idea. Inna bit her lip as a realization suddenly crossed her. But then again, continuing would make him get the wrong idea as well¡­ Bah, whatever! It''s just his way of comfort! There''s no malice at all! Besides, she really shouldn''t be so distracted. She needed to continue the other end of her story. After all, she got far too distracted with the tv show earlier so she really should finish it up or else they''ll be there until sunrise. "S-so¡­ back to the story¡­" Inna coughed again, trying to sort out her thoughts and words. "So, yeah, I ended up finishing the whole season that they released in bulk. And I fell in love with how strong, courageous, and outspoken she was. She was the opposite of me at that time. And I envied that. I wanted to be the opposite of me too¡­ And so, I copied her." "Like a child wanting to become her most famous idol, I repeatedly watched every video she was featured in, whether it be about the show or just the actress''s interviews. Then, I copied her. I copied the character ''Officer Astria'' from the way she walked to the way she would eat. I even copied her look, her tone, her manners, and even the way she held the gun." "But back then, what I first mastered was the way she talked and held the gun. It was fairly simple. Too simple that it soon quickly became a habit. And that habit ended up becoming a big part of my life." Inna chuckled. "It''s pretty obvious now, how she talks. I do it all the time... The swearing. She swears left and right. She swears to reflect anger. She swears to reflect sadness. And she swears to reflect happiness. There is no occasion at all where she couldn''t say any curse. And for me, that was the very core of her charm and personality. Despite her cutesy and innocent appearance, once she swears, she suddenly seems tough and rough. Though there were times where she seemed more to be the villain than the hero, the cussing was her way to express her emotions in their true rawness. And for me who always had trouble showing what I truly think or feel because of how timid I was, it was a godsend. I found it as a great medium to release my emotions without having to think deeply about it." "And so, once I was able to master the art of cursing, I then tried to imitate one more thing that somehow was the other foundation of Officer Astria''s whole tough and fearless persona." "The fact that she was an officer." Without knowing, Inna smiled as she recalled her ridiculousness during those days. "At first, I was perplexed. I wanted to be tough and fearless so bad but how can I possibly imitate being an officer when I was just an eight-year-old child? With that problem, I rewatched the series again and reached to the conclusion that I should learn how to use a gun. But the kind of gun that was fit to be practiced upon... A water gun." "It was a fun week, I''d say. The happiest I''ve been ever since. I''d stay in our backyard all day, training. And I was covered in mud nearly every single day from me trying to imitate some moves she made in her action scenes wherein she did great tricks with the guns. My nanny at that time was probably the most stressed one out of all the nannies that worked with me in the past. Well, I couldn''t blame her though. After all, I really changed so much after I saw that show." "I was no longer the timid child who would have trouble speaking without having a near nervous breakdown. I was no longer the kind of child that would try to endure things without even a sound of complaint. I was no longer that child that would give up easily." "Because I was no longer Inna Loven-- Ingrid. I was no longer I-Ingrid." Swiftly correcting her mistake, Inna''s smile dimmed down a little when she realized that she almost said her real name. But Raghnall didn''t seem to notice as he just kept staring at their connected hands while he listened. "I was no longer all that. Back then, I proclaimed myself to be the new Officer Astria, the Bearer of Justice. But then, I realized as well that if I were to truly be Officer Astria, I needed to live without fear and to settle my issues head-on. After all, it''s my duty to cut the root of injustice!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Inna proclaimed sternly before laughing at her foolish self. "And so, on the next day, equipped with my trusty water gun and my new cursing skills, I told my parents that I was ready to take on the school." Chapter 228 I Am Officer Astria 2 "They gave me a weird stare after my dramatic proclamation. But they probably thought that it was part of a certain school activity so they easily let the fact that I had a water gun go, along with the raincoat ''armor'' as well." Inna snickered as the childishness she felt back then began to re-ignite in her. "And so, while on the trip going to the school, I conjured up the most brilliant plan to be closer to becoming my idol. But before I could execute it, I knew that I had to make sure that all the ingredients were there and that none of my parents would be present." "And so when I arrived, I waited until my parents'' car was out of sight first before entering the gates. Then, using my stealth skills, I sneaked into the school''s kitchen to steal the two important ingredients that''ll transform my gun into the most lethal weapon ever. Well, without killing anyone, of course. And after adding those two secret ingredients in my ammunition, I made my way to my classroom." Inna snickered in amusement as the memory of the chaos she caused appeared in her mind. "I started in the heart of the problem. ''Solve the root cause before the problem bears fruit.'' That''s what Officer Astria said in Episode 2 and I swore to follow it. Hence, I planned to start in my classroom and just go wild from thereon." "And since it was the first day of the week, the teachers would normally have a morning meeting so, in the meantime, the class officers would be the one taking charge of the first few minutes of the morning to do a roll call." "I saw that as the perfect opportunity to strike. And so, looking briefly at my watch to confirm the time, I slowly made my way towards the classroom doors." "And when I reached the doors, sure enough behind it, I heard names being called one by one. I decided that the perfect timing would be when that psycho girl''s name was called. After all, I needed to make sure she was there." "And the moment I hear her voice by the door as her name was called, I first slowly and slightly opened the doors. That''s because, as much as I wanted to kick it open dramatically, I knew I wouldn''t be able to do it with my flimsy little limbs." "Then, after it was ajar, I forcefully kicked it halfway, making the doors slam harshly on the walls. And equipped with my trusty water gun on my hands, I screamed out loud." "I''m back, bitches!" Inna laughed as she tried hard to recall the faces of surprise she imagined they all held back then. "Then, I didn''t give them enough time to recover as I immediately started blasting them with my water gun. I treated it like a mission, making sure I never missed anyone just like Officer Astria. I thoroughly sprayed them with the concoction I had, the water surely touching every exposed skin. And once they realized what I was doing, they all began to run away from me." Inna released a giggle, remembering just how much fun she had back then. "Seconds later, it immediately became pandemonium as I chased after them. And as I ran around, I couldn''t help but laugh from their pitiful reactions. Some of the children that were shot were either crying by the corners or were scratching the parts of their skin where they were sprayed at. Meanwhile, the rest of the lot were screaming from the stinging pain and were scrambling to find any sort of relief. After all, what I sprayed them with wasn''t just water." Inna now laughed hysterically as she divulged her little secret. "It was water with liquid soap and the spiciest chili powder I could find in the kitchen." Raghnall gave her a dirty look when he realized just how evil the girl in his arms was. "Demon child¡­" He muttered which made Inna laugh more. "Hey, even if the powder was deadly spicy, the solution was diluted so it didn''t hurt them much. It just made their skin burn slightly and their eyes sting like heck. They most likely just overexaggerated their reactions because of their shock and panic." "And besides, I never shot anyone purposefully in their eyes. Only on parts where their skin was exposed. Well, except for one person." Raghnall raised an eyebrow in confusion but he soon gave her a flat look when he guessed who it was. "You shot that girl in the eyes?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Inna clicked her tongue playfully as she clarified. "Nah, I shot that girl in every place of her body I could shoot her with until she was drenched and choking in it. But I guess you could say I shot her eyes." Raghnall rolled his eyes at her proud tone but he decided to move on to the story before she starts bragging about her shooting techniques. He knew her well enough now to know that that''s what she''ll most likely talk about next if she doesn''t move on with the story. "And so, what happened next? Did you get caught immediately?" Inna gave him an incredulous look. "No, of course not¡­ yet. After spraying literally everyone and drenching that psycho bitch with it, I moved on from classroom to classroom. It didn''t take long before the whole corridor was filled with cries of pain and despair as the people ran around looking for relief. It was like a scene straight out of hell. And when I was finishing up the last classroom on that floor, that was when the teachers started to return. And when they arrived at the corridor where I was in, the confusion they held couldn''t be measured at all. But when they saw me come out of the screaming room with a water gun, it didn''t take a genius to figure out that I was the cause of the chaos." Inna snickered again. This time, her tone held mischief while she spoke, as though she was back there again. "But before they could even get a word of reprimand out, I sprayed them as well. I mean, do those little assholes think they can get away with gossiping about me behind my back? They''re part of the problem as well so there''s no way I''m excluding them." Chapter 229 I Am Officer Astria 3 "But apparently, most of them had a greater pain tolerance than I expected. Because even after they were sprayed, others were simply just scratching their skins while some didn''t pay heed to it at all. And so, much to my dismay, they were able to quickly recover from the shock of me spraying them. And they were able to chase after me in a matter of mere seconds." "But I was a fairly fast runner so I was able to outrun them with enough time to spare to go to the lower floors and blindly spray people I coincidentally meet and find." Inna smiled as she remembered the adrenaline rushing through her veins back then. It was at that moment that she felt truly alive. It was as though she was finally ''living'' right. And it was from then on, that she became who she truly wanted to be. "But too bad, I was caught right before I could enter the principal''s office. Oh well, at least I made a mark in the history of that school that damaged the reputation of the principal." Inna snickered evilly while Raghnall just shook his head playfully at her. "You''re really evil, y''know that?" Inna raised an eyebrow at him as she spoke. "An eye for an eye, was it not what you said? They got what they deserved." Raghnall chuckled as he nodded. "True. An eye for an eye, indeed. I can''t say I''m any different. In fact, I might be eviler than you from what I did." Hearing the hint of sadness and regret from Raghnall''s voice, Inna decided to lighten up the conversation. "Hey, don''t you dare make this into another contest. I''m more evil than you and that''s it." Raghnall snapped out of his thoughts when he heard her ridiculous comment. And he couldn''t help but release a small laugh. "Okay, okay. No contest. You''re the evilest of them all." Inna smiled as her grip on his hand tightened comfortingly. Then, when he squeezed her hand back, Inna decided to continue. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "And so, yeah, I got caught. Then things began to become more complicated and annoying. The principal and nearly every adult in the establishment reprimanded me about my actions. And on that same day, after telling all students to go home, they called up my parents to have a meeting regarding my rampage. My parents arrived in no time, but with them secretly came the media as well." "My parents told the school that they were unaware of my behavior and that they would punish me accordingly. But the principal didn''t seem to be satisfied and declared that normally, students would be expelled for such behavior." "Now, I have no problem getting expelled because I hated that school already. And so, I raised my hand to indicate I wanted to speak. The rest of the people in the room looked at me incredulously but my mother offered me the chance to speak." "Cutting off the conversation between my father and the principal, my mother reasoned out that the first thing we should''ve done was to ask the reason why I did what I did instead of immediately talking about the consequences. The rest of the people agreed and so, I was signaled by my mother to finally speak." "And vowing by the oath of honesty done by Officer Astria on Episode 4, I told them everything that led up to that day. With an even tone, I told them about the bullying, the reason why I had to take a break, and such. I even showed them the scars that I use to desperately hide using my mother''s concealer." "And while I was speaking, my mother was on tears while everyone else held a horrified look as their sights zeroed in on my scars. But strangely enough, I no longer was able to conjure tears as I told my story. It was as if I felt that I was done crying. I felt strong at that moment. And when I finished, the unexpected happened." Inna smiled fondly. "My parents, they¡­ I didn''t expect it from them because I kinda just passed them off as emotionless robots in a sense. But when I finished, they enveloped me in one of the tightest and warmest hugs I''ve ever had in my eight years of existence." "At first, I was at loss on what to do. It was my first time to be hugged by them after all. So, I was just awkwardly staying still. Then, without any warning, my rears just started flowing and I started crying like a kid. Well, I was a kid but, you get what I mean¡­" Inna giggled. "Then, my mother started to talk about how strong I was despite being just a child. She talked about how my circumstances and their lack of¡­ involvement¡­ forced me to grow up alone. And she talked sorry they were for leaving me alone and making me take on such a heavy thing all by myself. She just kept apologizing on how they took me for granted and such. They never wanted a child so they didn''t know how to take care of one. And so, they thought that giving me a nanny that knows how to take care of a child would be better than them badly taking care of me." "I understood their reasoning, I really did. That''s why I never blamed them on anything nor feel any sort of hatred towards them." "Well, anyway, when we finally calmed down, I reminded them that there was still another matter at hand by pointing at the silent principal. My father coughed to try and recover his intimidating aura as he tried to talk it over with the principal. But the principal seems hell-bent on expelling me if my father doesn''t bring out the ''bribery'' card." "And my father was about to comply when I stopped him. I''ve watched enough school dramas to know what bribing someone was and how it is bad. And as a bearer of justice, there''s no way I''ll permit that under my watch." Inna chuckled. "And so, I told them that I''d accept the expulsion." Chapter 230 Missing Her World 1 "It definitely shocked everyone in the room. After all, who in the right mind would voluntarily accept the expulsion when your parents can bail you out of it? But I knew that I needed to take responsibility for my actions. Because that''s what Officer Astria would''ve done." Inna suddenly laughed as she commended herself. "Damn, I can''t believe I was so mature back then. An eight-year-old actually knew to take responsibility for her own actions, huh. Bet you weren''t as mature as me back then, were you?" Raghnall raised an eyebrow at the taunt. But when he recalled his childhood filled with private lessons and pranks he played on his servants, he had to admit that she was right. But that doesn''t mean he''ll admit that. And so, he replied with only a simple chuckle. Inna knew she was right judging from his silence so she chuckled as well before continuing. "And although my parents couldn''t understand my decision, when they heard the resolution in my tone, they relented and decided that they would respect whatever path I chose. And so, with my head held high, I willfully declared that I will be expelled all the while calling them assho--" Inna stopped herself as she remembered that ''asshole'' totally held a different meaning in the world she''s in. "Calling them¡­ bastards. And although the principal was appalled by my language, he calmly told my parents to expect a notice of expulsion in a few day''s time and to think of ways that would help me continue on with my education-- it''s just that it should be no longer be there." "Well, I thought that would be the end of it. But when we went out of the school, turns out, furious parents were out there by the gates with their children in their hands. They were screaming and fuming with rage and mixed in with them were the media that held their huge cameras and microphones." "I remember my parents cursing under their breaths when they saw the massive number of people surrounding the school. Back then, I didn''t really understand why there were so many people and so much flashing lights directed at us. I thought that the people and the media gathered because my parents were there. But it turns out, the thing I did make a huge controversy. I don''t know why though. Maybe it''s because the whole world was bored with the same old stories, but they especially wanted to cover the news about a small event that was instigated by a child." "And so, through the ''testimony'' of that little psycho bitch, I basically became well-known as the viral sensation called Little Red Pepper. I mean, don''t get me wrong, I''m thankful for that. Really. Because I got a very great advertisement deal from this known Pepper Spray Brand which one way or another led me to meet Officer Astria as well." "But anyway, it finally came out that I was this adopted child of the two most flourishing businesses in our city. And well, it wasn''t received the way I expected. Instead of being annoyed or hassled by it, my parents seem pretty chill with it and they even held an interview to talk about me. That whole two-hour interview was basically just them praising me to the fact that it kinda became cringe and weird. They were basically showing to the world that adopted or not, I was their child. But the issue of the inheritance soon came but they easily deflected it with a simple answer." "If they were to hand their business over when they retire, it wouldn''t be to me but to someone far more capable in their family." Inna laughed aloud as she recalled the dumbfounded expressions of everyone on set. "I mean, I kind of get it. I absolutely have no intention of inheriting something I didn''t even earn. And besides, they love the company and its money-making capacity so why would they give it to someone like me who has no idea and interest in it? It''s the most reasonable decision. And they have lots of candidate nieces and nephews that can inherit it once they retire anyways. Or they can always sell it. I didn''t really care much about it." "And so, from then on, when the whole issue was settled and my expulsion was implemented, I took a year-long break to¡­ continue my training to be just like Officer Astria. My parents also took a week off work to sort things out with me. From morning until night, we just kept talking and talking, sharing our opinions and views of everything. That''s how I came to know my original parents and my short life in the orphanage. And that''s also how I came to know and understand them and their separate views in life; about their arranged marriage, their love for money, as well as their mutual respect for each other." Inna smiled as she recalled her parents. She loved them and although they mainly spent a neutral and indifferent influence in her life, she still couldn''t help but be thankful for them. "Safe to say, aside from that incident in my life, it''s been smooth sailing ever since. After that break, my parents were able to convince my grandparents to let me continue being homeschooled. Then, when I reached high school, I got into this school where I met my three irreplaceable minions." Raghnall raised an eyebrow at the sudden term. "Minions? You had servants, you mean?" Inna bursted into laughter at Raghnall''s question as she faced him. "No, no. I call them Minions from the movie, Minions. They''re named Stuart, Kevin, and Bob which coincidentally is the same with the names of the characters in the movie as well." Raghnall didn''t seem to follow what Inna meant as he still looked at her with a confused expression. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Movie? What''s a movie?" Inna froze for a moment as she tried to think of an appropriate equivalent of it instead of explaining what it was. "It''s a¡­ show. From where I''m from, we call it ''movie'' but in here, its a show." Raghnall seemed to finally understand what she meant. "So, I guess they''re your close friends before?" Inna was about to agree when it suddenly hit her. Before. That word shot needles into her heart when she heard it. She didn''t want the reminder but it seems that she couldn''t ignore it after all. She really can''t see them anymore. They''re now a thing from her past, huh. ... A part of her ''before.'' But goddammit, she missed them. Chapter 231 Missing Her World 2 "Ninny? Hello?" Raghnall waved a hand in front of her when he noticed that she didn''t answer his question. Then suddenly, Inna broke off their intertwined hands as she frantically reached into her spatial pouch. "Uhhh, what are you doing? Are you looking for something?" Raghnall couldn''t help but worriedly ask as he observed her. But Inna seemed to be far too engrossed in finding something from her pouch. Minutes after, she clicked her tongue in annoyance as she finally withdrew her hand. Raghnall saw this as a window of opportunity to finally ask her. "What were you looking for?" Inna sighed as she stared at the opening of her pouch. Her eyes held a mixture of sadness and annoyance as she answered him. "Alcohol." Raghnall stiffened as he heard the word that now traumatized him. And without even so much as a squeak, he immediately grabbed the pouch away from Inna. "No alcohol for you." Inna glared at him as she tried to get her pouch back. "C''mon. I feel like drinking so let me drink!" She whined as she tried to use the combination of her superior speed and strength to outmatch Raghnall. Raghnall knew he''d be no match with her abilities so he immediately casted a spell to trap the pouch into his own spatial cube and made it so that it would move away whenever Inna came near it. After a few seconds of wasting her energy, Inna finally surrendered while huffing in anger. "Give me back my pouch!" Raghnall clicked his tongue as he narrowed his eyes at her. "No. That''s what got us into trouble last time. I''m not letting you drink anymore. Hell, you nearly traumatized me out of drinking!" Inna rolled her eyes at his melodramatic tone but she knew she wouldn''t be able to change his mind. And so, using every girl''s weapon, she decided to turn her back on him and give him the cold shoulder. He''s had his fair share of interacting with women to know what she was doing so he simply chuckled in amusement. "It''s not going to work. I''m still not giving it back to you." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Inna continued with her silence but this time, she crossed her arms to show her anger. Raghnall simply chuckled at her action and instead of being affected, he ended up finding it cute. But moments passed and Inna still didn''t seem to be stopping her act anytime soon. Raghnall knew how stubborn she was so he knew it''ll end up with her ignoring him until the following day. And so, with a sigh, he slowly gave back her pouch. But not before checking if there really was alcohol in it. "Why do you even want to drink right now? You''re going to have a heavy headache tomorrow if you''re going to drink now. And I know I''m going to have bruises around me as well if I''m going to send your drunk self back to your dorm in one piece." Inna quickly grabbed her pouch from his outstretched hand while glaring at him. The asshole actually had the audacity to take her stuff away. Then, she wordlessly reached into her pouch again to desperately find that fruit wine she kept for emergency purposes. She got it from when she found Ulima''s hidden stash. It was already open from the start so she just poured a portion of it in a different container and stored it in her pouch for later consumption. But she seemed to have forgotten whether she already drank it or not. So now, she''s just praying she didn''t, and that hopefully it really was still inside, hidden somewhere slightly out of her reach from the pouch. But Raghnall''s words soon crushed her tiny hope. "There''s no alcohol in there. So there''s no use looking." Inna had her face scrunch up in sadness as she slowly withdrew her hand. Then, seeing that she was no longer that focused on her pouch, he asked her again. "So... Why do you want to drink now?" Hearing the full confusion in his voice, Inna sighed as she looked at the pouch before her. "You asked me if those little minions were my close friends, right?" Raghnall nodded and immediately showed relief in his face now that Inna was finally going to answer at least one of his questions. Inna sighed again but this time, she looked at Raghnall in the eyes as she smiled flatly. "Well, yes. They¡­ were. But I don''t think I''d be strong enough to talk about them now¡­ when I''m sober." Raghnall saw a flicker of a grieving expression pass her face and he felt his heart squeeze. Although she''s trying hard to hide it, he can still see the depth of sadness hidden in her eyes. And internally, he was panicking because it was the first time he found her this down. To think that this little bundle of energy would be able to show such an expression was quite shocking and strange for Raghnall. He''s been far too used to seeing her playful and cheerful self for nearly a whole year that he couldn''t help but have a mental blackout when he saw her now. And so, after trying to calm himself down, he decided to talk her sadness out of her. "If you don''t mind me asking, why is that?" Inna seemed to be lost in thought and Raghnall took it as a sign that she wasn''t willing to share. And so, he immediately withdrew his statement. "I-I mean, if you''re not willing to share, i-it''s okay! I understand! W-we all have our own pasts and secre--" But before he could continue, Inna cut him off abruptly. "Because it would hurt too much to recall all my memories with them while accepting the fact that I could never ever see them again." After hearing her reason, Raghnall''s brows furrowed when he found one thing strange. "Why couldn''t you see them again? Since you said you''re from a place called Earth, couldn''t you just¡­ go there? Then come back?" Inna found Raghnall''s naivety of her situation to be quite fresh and endearing, in a way. So, she couldn''t help but release a small smile at his innocence. But her expression was a contrast from her quivering voice as she replied. "I¡­ No... There''s no way I could ever go back." Chapter 232 Missing Her World 3 Utterly confused from her statement, Raghnall couldn''t help but pry more into it. And so, he accidentally let out his thoughts. "Why can''t you? Even if it was a faraway place, you had a way coming here. So, why can''t you just go back the same way? Unless¡­ you''ve done something and now you''re hiding?" Inna frowned when she heard his cautious tone. Then, with irritation clear in her voice, she suddenly stood up from the bench with furrowed brows as she spoke to Raghnall. "Are you suspecting me of something? Do you think I am capable of doing something bad? And why are you insisting on me leaving? Do you want me to leave so badly?" Raghnall''s eyebrows shot to the roof when he was caught unaware by the sudden twist of the conversation. And he hurriedly tried to answer any misconceptions she held, hoping it would make the hurt in her tone disappear. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "No! No, I mean I would believe it though if you did something because you know¡­ you kinda have a tiny loose screw on your head--BUT! I''m not suspecting you at all! And I wasn''t thinking of anything bad! I-I wasn''t¡­ I swear¡­ I''m just¡­ Just curious, yknow? And I''m not asking you to leave! Stay! Please stay! I was just¡­ I-I was¡­ I''m sorry. I''m really sorry." Raghnall sighed as he felt his mind go blank. He didn''t know what else to say so he just stood up and grabbed her sleeve while apologizing again and again. Then, he covered his face with his hand as he tried to regain his calm. This girl is probably the only one in the whole world that could ever make him stumble on his words like that. Or even make him apologize without a fight. Realizing that, he held on his grip tighter as he whispered. "Don''t go¡­" Inna caught his whisper and couldn''t help but feel bad for him. She was getting irritated from her own frustrations and she ended up taking it out on him. She''s pissed at the fact that she''s trapped in this world, unable to see her minions. But at the same time, she felt that hating this world would be cruel to the people living in it, like Solomon, Raghnall, Rhys, Ulima, and to everyone that made her abnormal existence feel a bit normal. But she really didn''t want to talk further unless she wasn''t sober. And so, she gently grabbed the hand that was latched onto her sleeves as she slowly asked. "Do you have alcohol?" Raghnall froze at the abrupt and unexpected question. Here he was, apologizing his heart out to her and she asked that?! Raghnall found the situation so ridiculous and strange that he couldn''t help but release a small laugh. But he smothered it immediately with his hand, fearing it might make Inna misunderstand. Inna''s glare got darker as she suddenly gripped his hand tightly. "I swear to god, I will break your hand in a flash if you''re laughing at me." Raghnall went into a fit of coughs as he tried his hardest to stop his laughter from escaping. Then, after a few seconds, he swallowed all the laughter he was holding back as he smiled charmingly at her. "You seem so obsessed with alcohol, huh. I didn''t take you for an alcoholic." Inna released her grip of his hand as she rolled her eyes. "I''m not. It''s just that I know I get chatty when I''m tipsy so¡­ If you give me, I can answer your questions to your heart''s content." Raghnall immediately withdrew his hand as he gave her an incredulous look. "Chatty? No way are you anywhere near being just ''chatty'' when you drink. You are also violent, loud, childish, unreasonable, scary, unpredictable, and--big emphasis on this one--crazy!" Inna gave him a flat look while crossing her arms. "No. That was me drunk, not tipsy." Raghnall narrowed his eyes at her as he too crossed his arms childishly. "Drunk. Tipsy. Whatever. They''re the same." Inna clicked her tongue in irritation. "Okay fine, Mr. Protective Parent. If you don''t want to give me the alcohol, I''m leaving." Inna turned around and was about to wall down the little stairs of the pavilion when Raghnall suddenly appeared in front of her with a bottle in his hand. He held a reluctant face as though he was saying it couldn''t be helped as he gingerly gave it to her. "Fine. Okay, I''ll give this to you. So, just stay. It''s the lightest wine I could grab but it still is quite strong for you so don''t drink too much." Inna took the wine bottle carefully with a grateful smile. Then, she opened it to try and smell its aroma all the while asking him what its name was. "Fairies in the Flower. Its meant for women to drink when they''re with their mothers in their homes hence the name. But men can drink it too for leisure although not many men would like its sweet aftertaste." Inna''s eyes showed surprise when she learned that it was sweet. Then, with an eager smile on her face, she hurriedly tried to take a sip straight from the bottle. "Oh! It really is sweet! It tastes like sweetened honey but less dense." Raghnall nodded as he slowly guided them back to the bench. "Yeah, its made from fermented flowers and a few their oils and poisons." Inna spat out the wine in her mouth. "Poison?!" Raghnall chuckled at her reaction. "Don''t worry. It''s in small doses. It wouldn''t harm anyone unless you drink a whole lake filled with it." Inna sighed in relief at that. Then, she continued to drink the sweet wine while talking about various stuff relating to wines. It seems that Raghnall was a sort of wine aficionado. He loves collecting them and tasting them since he claimed that it was his lifelong dream to find a wine that can make him dead drunk in one cup. And so, while engrossed in Raghnall''s talk regarding the best wines in Anemoly, Inna just kept taking sip after sip of wine until she soon began to feel chatty herself. Chapter 233 Tipsy Talk 1 Impatient that Raghnall seemed to be talking forever, Inna decided to cut him off by answering his previous questions. "I came from another world." She blurted out with a grave expression as she stared at the bottle of wine on her hand. Hearing her strange words, Raghnall immediately ceased talking as he looked at her strangely. "That fast? In just half the bottle? It''s not even that strong." Inna rolled her eyes at him as she nudged him with her shoulder. "If you want answers, I''m giving you answers. I''m feeling chatty and tipsy right now so, shoot away!" Inna chuckled as she drank a bit more of the wine. Raghnall didn''t seem to want to ask her any question since he didn''t trust her current capability in answering them truthfully. "You''re obviously drunk. How would I know that you''re answering my questions right? I mean, judging from that statement earlier¡­" He trailed off as though to prove a point to Inna. But Inna just simply let out an irritated sigh as she tried hard to convince him she wasn''t drunk. "I''m not drunk, I''m tipsy. And you shouldn''t complain because I really don''t need to answer your questions. You should be grateful I''m even doing it. So, if that''s my answer, that''s my answer. And if you doubt it being true, just consider it as me acting crazy or better yet, just consider it the ramblings and fantasies of a drunkard. And the reason why I''m actually near-forcing myself in telling you this is because you''re like¡­ close to me, y''know?" Inna stared at Raghnall with gratitude in her eyes. Then in a mere second, her eyes started to water as her voice quivered slightly. "And I hold you dear to my heart because you''re actually one of those good friends who stick through thick and thin. The ones who would do everything to help a friend, even if it means sacrificing a lot. Fuck, you''re very much like my little minions. They were so caring, so thoughtful, and so understanding of everything. They''re like, my blessings from heaven! Fuck man, they were my anchor that helped me feel stable despite every bad day I had and because of them, I never ever spent a single second of my life feeling lonely anymore. They were always there to support me through everything. The perfect wingmen, the perfect teammates, the perfect confidants¡­ And so, even if they make fun of me or trick me again and again, I''d literally die for them." Raghnall felt the sincerity in her tone and gaze and that''s when he was finally convinced that she wasn''t drunk. And it actually quite moved him a bit for her to think of him as one of her closest friends. But at the back of his mind, a small whimper resounded. Though¡­ I don''t want to be seen as just a friend¡­ But Raghnall immediately smothered the voice as he shook his head slightly. Then, Raghnall patted Inna''s head as he smiled apologetically. "Sorry, sorry. I believe you''re not drunk and I''ll try my best to believe your words. So, why don''t you tell me more about what you just said? The one about¡­ you coming from another world?" Inna sighed heavily as she rested her free hand on her chest. It was as though there was something weighing her heart down, making it difficult for her to speak. But she still tried her hardest to talk. "I¡­ Let''s just say I died in the place called Earth, the one I just told you about. And somehow, I found myself in this country alone." Raghnnal decided to accept her answer at face value as he tried to make her elaborate about it more. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "How did you... die?" Inna took a small sip from the wine before she answered. "Explosion. I got caught up in this public event and they wanted me to try something out. When I tried it, it ended up exploding, taking my life." Raghnall furrowed his brows. He found her story quite intriguing that questions just kept unknowingly popping into his mind. "And how did you end up here? In Anemoly of all places?" Inna furrowed her brows as she tried to phrase her words well without sounding like she''s crazy. "When I died, I was a soul that was in this line that leads up to a castle that had some sort of King. Then, I was judged for what I did in my life but I accidentally ate a fruit that made then got pissed so I was imprisoned. But before they could take me to prison, I escaped and I ended up diving into this pool which somehow made me arrive here." Listening to her own words again, Inna could only sigh. Yep. She sounds crazy, alright. But then again, there''s no way she could have phrased that in a way that would make it less crazy. After all, she still couldn''t even believe that it happened to her even after all these weeks. Meanwhile, Raghnall gave her an incredulous look and blurted out. "Are you sure you weren''t dreaming?" Inna glared at him, making Raghnall withdraw his statement. "Okay okay. I¡­ kinda believe you. Go on. Just keep talking about it and pretend I''m not even here. I think that''ll help piece everything together than just me asking questions." Inna sighed as she agreed. Then, trying to recall where she left off, she continued on with her story. "And so, yeah I ended up waking up in a forest alone. And I kinda internally panicked for a moment that I just did crazy stuff to calm me down." Raghnall was about to comment when Inna pinned him down with a glare. He ended up coughing instead as he tried to keep his comments to himself. "I do crazy ridiculous shit when I panic, okay?! That''s my coping mechanism so don''t judge me. I grew into that habit because I always get scared of everything after watching horror movies. And it gets especially bad when I''m alone. So y''know, I do some crazy shit like suddenly breaking out into a dance or making jokes to calm myself down. And the reason behind that is because I have never ever seen a ghost attacking a person who''s dancing or doing crazy impulsive shit. And so, from how often I do it, it soon became a habit. And now, it''s instinctual for me to just ignore the panic and do crazy shit to figure out stuff while calming myself down." Chapter 234 Tipsy Talk 2 Raghnall furrowed his brows at her as he tried to fathom what she just said. "You... Your mind works in mysterious ways, huh." Inna snorted, taking his statement as an insult while she glared at him. "Hey, I have my own strange habits and you have your own strange habits. But you never see me complain, did you?" Raghnall raised an eyebrow at her intriguing statement. "Me? Strange habits? Like what?" Inna narrowed her eyes at him as she elaborated. "First of all, when you take naps, you always scratch your butt in like every twenty seconds. Secondly, sometimes you start talking in your sleep and end up casting some weird shit. I almost died on that one practice session we had where I ended up falling asleep beside you, only to have you blast me flying somewhere. And... Oh, oh! I remember another one! You! You also have that habit of scratching your nut whenever and wherever! You know how weird it is when you talk to me and I see you scratching away? But did you see me complain?!" Raghnall reddened at her accusations but he tried to keep his dignity and composure by giving out an excuse. "I¡­ my habits are a normal thing for a guy¡­" Inna gave him a look as she echoed him. "Well, my habits are a normal thing for me!" Raghnall gave her a confused look. "Wait, what? Look, that''s not how it works. It--" Inna took a huge swig at her bottle before glaring at Raghnall. "IT''S. NORMAL." Raghnall instinctively backed off while raising his hand mid-way. "Okay, okay. It''s normal! It''s normal! I concede! So, let''s not argue over it anymore, please. We''ve been bickering almost every ten moments." Inna huffed as she put the empty bottle down. "Well, we wouldn''t be bickering if it wasn''t for your insulting ass. You''re the one who always starts it." Raghnall looked at her with widened eyes as though he couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "Me? What did I ever do? I''m only asking questions. You''re the one reacting--" "See?! You''re doing it again. You really want to pick a fight, huh?" Inna raised an eyebrow to prove her point and Raghnall couldn''t help but chuckle. He raised his hands up in surrender as he spoke with an amused tone. "Okay, fine¡­ Fine, I''ll keep quiet." And keeping to his word, Raghnall kept quiet as he looked around their surroundings. He didn''t know what else to do aside from look at the distance to distract himself from the urge to talk more. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. But Inna found the eerie silence around them sudden and strange. So much so that she soon became uncomfortable and unable to focus on anything except the silence. Then, as she mimicked Raghnall in looking around and breathing in the fresh air that held a pleasant scent of flowers, she realized that it was the first time that they actually sat side by side in silence. That''s because ever since they''ve met on that opening ceremony, Raghnall and Inna had been either bickering or teasing each other. It''s actually pretty surprising how they never ran out of topics to discuss or tease each other with for the past year despite being together nearly every day. In fact, there was even an instance where they ended up talking for a day straight! That''s quite a commendable feat for Inna since most people would either find her too loud, annoying, or vulgar after talking with her for mere minutes. And so, Inna couldn''t help but be amazed at their friendship. He¡­ he''s really just like her little minions. Only, he''s far more talented and capable compared to those three idiots. Recalling them again, Inna couldn''t help but release a sigh. She missed them. Raghnall reminded her of them in the way that they always try to pick a fight and tease her in every chance they got. And unlike the majority of her childhood, they never made her feel alone nor lonely. In fact, they almost never left her side. But she knew that the moment that weird contraption exploded, she would once again be alone. She wouldn''t be able to meet them anymore. She already died in that world from that explosion. And when she arrived in that hell-like place, Hel Halja, and she realized what happened to her, she understood that she''ll never be able to come back. And so, she just readily accepted that fact and decided to just move on and figure out her present. There''s nothing she can do, after all. She can''t change the past and needlessly worrying about the future would only end up negatively affecting her present. So, instead, she busied herself in trying to analyze her current situation. She can save the sobs for later until she knew what the hell was happening with her and what her options were in that bizarre situation. But one thing ended up towards another, and without even having the time to process everything yet, she somehow ended up diving in that pool then reincarnating. But when she regained consciousness in that forest, in her mind, her situation finally dawned in her... That she was alone in a foreign land¡­ Utterly alone¡­ And that''s when she knew pure terror. Hearing the different foreign voices speaking around her, hearing them leave, and being unable to move during that whole time made her feel even worse. But as those moments of being unmoving began to pass, she immediately learned to mask her terror with a heavy dose of delusional optimism as she tried to go with the flow and look at things practically yet positively. There was also another thing that helped her get through it without breaking down. Comedy. That always helped her calm down and not think about things too much. Making bad situations into jokes always helped tried to look at the positive things. And thinking less about it, or thinking less in general, usually helped her, feel less¡­ scared. Ignorance is bliss after all¡­ And so, she made light of her situation--of her reincarnation, all the while trying to figure out her situation. And after gathering information, instead of accepting that she was in a land that was completely detached from the world she grew up in her whole life, she tried to delude herself into thinking that she still was on Earth despite being reincarnated. She tried thinking that she was just traveling in a foreign land. After all, she''s been to nearly eighty different countries due to her parents'' various business trips and luxurious vacations. And so, she soon felt comfort in that familiar feeling of being in a new foreign land. She soon viewed it as though she was just on vacation and was just lost on her way. But her delusion slightly blurred out when those¡­ beasts attacked¡­ Even more so when she was the one who actually killed them through that weird state she switched into¡­ Chapter 235 Tipsy Talk 3 But Inna''s pretty good at lying to herself. In fact, it''s something she''s an expert at. So, she decided to look at the most positive side of things, pushing the panic, confusion, and terror at the back of her mind. She''s an expert in hiding her emotions too until her body is forced to actually¡­ believe them. Fake it ''till you make it. That''s what they always say. But the longer she did it, the more high strung and easily irritable she felt. She became impulsive and her judgment was clouded easily by her emotions. It was as if her panic was leaking out of her and covering it up more brought out her crazy impulsive side. Not that she admits she''s crazy, though. But she soon regretted deluding herself. Because she soon realized that it was a big mistake¡­ Thinking that the world was still like Earth even when it obviously wasn''t made her sense of danger become hazy. She let her guard down and she paid the price for it. Meeting that group of traitors in the Miasma forest, she thought strangers like them would readily help someone like her out. She was obviously lost and clueless on anything and everything so she hoped for their compassion just like how a tourist would rely on the locals. Well, sure they helped her for a while but from the looks of it, it was just all a plan and they didn''t even hesitate to take advantage of her. But then again, she deluded herself into thinking that maybe it was a special case. That maybe she just had the worst luck and thus she ended up accidentally meeting with a bunch of assholes. And so, the whole time she was in the Sunbreeze Manor, she began to trust people again. Although she was wary of Solomon in her own way, she had that feeling that he could be trusted. After all, who would carry a half-dead body towards their house and take care of said body until she''s healed? And so, in those times she spent in the manor, her delusion began to get the best of her and she began to think. Except for the magic, everything else seems quite familiar to her. She''s been to poor countries for her family''s annual charity and vacation and their methods were pretty much the same with the ones used here. Although some plants were unfamiliar or were weird equivalents, there were still certain kinds of stuff that can be used as an alternative. Like ginger, for example. Their ginger here would decay once triggered by a certain stimulus like touching or even breathing on it. But instead of ginger, what they use here would be ring root. It smells, looks, and tastes exactly like the ginger on Earth, just not named like one. So, it''s not that much of a change. It''s just very much like visiting a different country. And so, she used to foolishly believe that until she ended up in the Academy. Ignoring the justified hatred the students had of her, she realized that nearly everyone she knew here was only concerned for themselves. Well, save from the few she knew was kind-hearted enough to actually not hate her the moment they meet. Oh, and also Raghnall, Solomon, Rhys, and the rest of the people who helped her live her life peacefully. But in the whole year she''s endured studying in the academy, she had seen it all and some she even experienced for herself. The higher nobles would readily bring down a top-performing commoner so that they could be in that spot instead. Others would go to extreme measures such as stealing notes, giving pressure on other students, and sometimes even blackmailing. Sometimes, they''d get other people to do their jobs as long as they get what they wanted. And sometimes, the teachers would notice what was happening but would pretend to not know to probably avoid the hassle of an issue. It''s like, whatever benefitted them, they''d appreciate but whatever hindered them, they''d eradicate. And that was the everyday norm for them¡­ But then again, that kinda thing still can be found on Earth¡­ It''s just that Anemoly was just way worse and way more accepting of it. Because in here, in an official duel, someone can actually kill someone in public and it can be justified as okay. And it''s also okay to steal someone else''s goods if they fail to prove that it was theirs in the first place. Hence the reason why people had to put their own insignia in every important thing they own. And also the biggest reason why spatial pouches are very important as well. It''s like they''re saying, as long as its the other party''s fault, all''s good. Inna shivered from the thought as the flashbacks of that helpless student began to appear in her mind. Oh god¡­ she nearly forgot¡­ she almost killed someone¡­ Inna felt shivers ride up her spine just remembering. So, to drown out the memories that seemed to insistent in returning, she finally ended their silence with something that''s been bugging her ever since she talked about her childhood. "Hey¡­ I''m confused..." Raghnall sighed in relief when he finally heard something other than the smothering silence between them. "On what?" Inna looked at the flowers swaying by the garden as she smiled. "When I copy something so much that I become that thing, would everything I do still be called ''my'' doing or am I still copying?" Raghnall made a face of confusion as he tried to understand what she just said. Inna didn''t seem to mind as she just kept talking while her eyes were on the swaying flowers. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "I got too used to using Officer Astria as my own character that I no longer know if my own emotions, my own reactions, and my own way of thinking is still¡­ me. And in here¡­ in Anemoly, I¡­ my actions were just from me deluding myself because that''s what Officer Astria would''ve done." Raghnall got more confused as she continued to speak. "You are you. Everything you think or do, is you? I don''t get why you have a problem with that? And what do you mean by deluding?" Inna finally looked at Raghnall as she flashed him a small smile. "Y''know¡­ ever since I arrived here, I''ve been alone all this time." Raghnall grew cautious from the strangeness of Inna''s words and actions. She talks about one thing then jumps to another. And they''re sometimes vague, then sometimes too specific that he couldn''t follow. But when she looked at him, he almost gave her a flat look once he saw the redness of her eyes. And so, he concluded. She''s drunk. Chapter 236 Drunk Talk 1 Inna began to think aloud, not noticing that the alcohol was already kicking in. "Damn¡­ Can''t believe I''ve been alone ever since that explosion. I walked down that line straight to that castle alone. I met that handsome guy in those regal robes alone. I''ve almost been imprisoned but I was able to run away and arrive here alone. Aloooooone." Inna paused when she suddenly thought of something. Meanwhile, Raghnall tried to follow what she was saying by digesting her words phrase by phrase. But he suddenly flinched in shock when Inna started to scream out loud. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "TIL NOOOOOOOW I ALWAYS GOT BY ON MY OWN! I NEVER REALLY CARED UNTIL I MET YOUUUUU! AND NOW IT CHILLS ME TO THE BONEEEEE! HOW DO I GET YOU ALONE?! HOW DO I GET YOU ALONE?! ALOOOOONE! Man, I fucking love that song¡­." Inna laughed hysterically as she wiped a tear off her cheek. Then, after a second of calming down, she began to rant again. "You know. I still can''t believe this! Look! I''m actually here! I''m not dead! FUCK. BUT I''M ACTUALLY DEAD BUT LIKE, ALIVE, Y''KNOW?" Raghnall was really starting to worry about her mental health. The alcohol must''ve flushed off all the normalcy in her brain. But then again, this whole thing was his fault. He trusted her with the lowest dosage of alcohol he could find in his stash but it must''ve still been too much for her. Although even Molian women younger than her could drink a bottle without any problem¡­ Well, he learned his lesson. He''s never going to trust her whenever she claims to be able to do something. So, with a sigh to sign that promise to himself, he looked at Inna as he urged her to stop screaming in a weird tone. Inna didn''t seem to appreciate the interruption but when she recognized Raghnall''s serious yet mesmerizing blue eyes, she couldn''t help but obey before giggling like a high school girl. "You know¡­" Inna trailed off as she began to feel different emotions arising and clashing within her. "All my life¡­ I''ve always had trouble taking things seriously. I don''t know when it started or how it came to be but its a certain trait I had that used to always get me into trouble. Like, whenever someone would come to me, bawling their eyes out, I''d end up being insensitive because I just have this urge to laugh, y''know? But this habit¡­ I realized that--" "You do it as a form of denial." Raghnall smiled as he looked at her with solemn eyes. Out of all the topics she had talked about the whole time, this was something he that resonated deep within him¡­ Something he knew all too well. "You use laughter as a sort of escape by making light of things and making fun of people or yourself. You used it to look at the brighter side of things. Because if you can laugh about it, then there is still something good that can be worth laughing at. It makes you realize that no matter how bad the situation gets, once you laugh at a certain aspect of it, it can suddenly get better. But despite that, you know its just an illusion you made up in hopes that you wouldn''t be swallowed up by the evils or the darkness of the situation you''re at." Inna looked at him, nearly agape as he practically stole her words right out of her mouth. "D-did you read my mind?!" She couldn''t help but exclaim softly. And seeing her bewildered expression, Raghnall gently patted her head as he chuckled. "No, no. Your barriers are up pretty good now. To think that I was the one who taught you the spell a year ago but now, I can''t even beat the barriers in your mind easily anymore. Well done." He gently ruffled her hair as he felt a sense of pride and assurance wash over him. At least with this, it can decrease the chances of her getting tricked or swindled if ever he''s not around. But then, he also couldn''t help but admit that at times, he''ll get overly curious as to what she''s thinking especially now when she looked at him with an ambiguous half-smile. "Thank you." Hearing the sincerity in her unexpected phrase, Raghnall couldn''t help but redden. But he tried to hide it by laughing and quickly replying. "What''s this? You''re actually thanking me? What for?" Inna grabbed his hand that rested on top of her head and brought it to her lap as she fiddled with it. Raghnall didn''t seem to mind the contact. Well, it was more like, he welcomed it instead. "What you said... They were spot on. I looked at everything positively because I didn''t want to confront the unchangeable reality that I''m alone. I wanted so badly to see the "Earth-ness" in this world. I wanted to believe that I''m still on earth and that I can still meet my friends and loved ones. But it''s just that I''m currently taking a vacation in an unfamiliar country that had no cellular signal and so I can''t contact them as of yet. That thought¡­ It keeps me going without breaking down or feeling lost on what to do next, y''know? To delude myself into being positive, into distorting the truth of my situation to avoid suffering mentally, and into thinking that I am still strong despite all the unbelievable and contradicting things that have been happening to me¡­ It somehow just blurs out the bad things." Inna continued to fiddle with Raghnall''s hand as she now began to smile through her eyes. "So, that''s why, all this time, I''ve always tried to act as natural and as calm as possible. And that''s through acting out what Officer Astria would have done if ever she was in that situation. Thinking what she would act would release me of the burden of thinking about what I should be doing. It''s like, releasing the burden of choice and blame to someone else rather than myself." Chapter 237 - Break Sorry i had to take a short break cuz my mental health is really really not good at the moment due to an issue in our school. Will be back tomorrow if I don''t relapse. Chapter 238 - Break Sorry i had to take a short break cuz my mental health is really really not good at the moment due to an issue in our school. Will be back tomorrow if I don''t relapse. Chapter 239 - Inna? (1) "I guess I found my new favorite song." Raghnall spoke with a soft voice that was filled with awe as he held a warm smile. The playfulness from his demeanor was momentarily gone at the moment which made Inna slightly shocked. Then with his warm blue eyes, he looked at her as though he was looking at something amazing. He looked as though he was fully mesmerized by her and her singing even though she must''ve looked like a drunk hobo caroling in the streets. Then, his words finally registered in her mind¡­ "Your favorite song? Why? You don''t even know the whole thing¡­" Raghnall''s smile widened as he gazed at her with a mysterious gaze in his eyes. They held emotions that seemed to be suppressed so that Inna wouldn''t be able to figure them out. "I don''t need to. Your singing made that song to be, by far, the best song I''ve heard so I''m claiming it as my favorite too." Hearing the hidden compliment in his statement, Inna suddenly turned as red as a tomato as she instinctively hid her face behind her sleeves. Then, trying to hide her embarrassment, she decided to cry out. "S-shut up! Your praises wouldn''t do you any good!" Her voice was strong and steady at the end but there was still a slight tremble in it that made Inna curse as she turned impossibly redder. Raghnall saw the redness on her ears that wasn''t covered well by her sleeves and he couldn''t help but tug on her sleeves to try and get a better look at her hidden face. He''d never seen her this red before and to say he was curious was an understatement. He had this feeling that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and so, he tried to gently pry her hands away from her face. But Inna knew exactly what he was planning to do, and so, mustering up all her strength despite her drunkenness, she made her arms as sturdy as steel. Raghnall groaned in frustration at her immense strength despite being drunk. And hearing his frustrated groan, Inna couldn''t help but release a giggle in amusement. But then, she later regretted it because it soon made Raghnall think up a mischievous idea. With her whole face covered by her sleeves, Inna could only rely on her ears to know what was happening until she could feel the redness of cheeks disappear. But aside from Raghnall''s earlier groan, she could no longer hear anything from him. There was not even a sign of breathing near her which made her alarm bells ring. That little fucker didn''t leave her, did he?! She was about to explode into a series of swearing when she finally felt arms pressed on her sides. More specifically, the hands of these arms were located by the curve of her waist. A known sensitive spot for some people¡­ But ha! Not her. She''s not going to be affected by such a childish thing. "You little ragdoll, I know what you''re planning and it''s not gonna wo-ahAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!" Raghnall''s fingers went wild as he playfully poked her sides. Despite expecting it, it still caught Inna by surprise and she couldn''t help but let out a loud squeal as she suddenly fell into a heap on the floor. But even though she fell, she was still able to hide her face with her sleeves as she tried to protect herself from Raghnall''s relentless tickling attacks. Forming a fetal position, Inna tried hard to control her instincts to laugh. She really didn''t like the foreign feeling of involuntarily convulsing under his mercy and being forced to laugh out loud despite herself. Because as far as she could remember, she was never ticklish! Her little minions tried it on her once but she just ended up smacking them on their heads from how much it hurt. But the moment Raghnall pressed on her sides, she realized that she was after all, in a different body! And so, in just a few seconds of Raghnall smilingly tickling her to death, Inna finally could not take it anymore and so, while still giggling and panting, she cried out. "S-stop! S-stop! Ra-Rag.. I SURRENDER!" Inna screamed at the top of her lungs as she pounded on his chest for him to know she was serious. Raghnall stopped immediately when he heard her words and with a satisfied smile, he patted her head as he took a good look at her reddened flustered face with a few strands of her hair sticking everywhere. She looked absolutely messed up. So much so that it was as though she just fought with a hurricane. Taking another look, he couldn''t help but laugh merrily. "Heh, this night is truly the most memorable one as of yet. Well, let''s all just forget the previous ruckus and chaos of today and just let today be known as the day our little Ninny has finally surrendered to the Great Me. And also, additionally, let us remember on this night, the Great Me has finally gotten ahold of a secret weapon that can make little Ninny tremble in fear." Rolling her eyes at his dramatic proclamation, Inna swatted his hand that was resting on her head. But when she was about to retort something, she suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion run through her whole body and she unconsciously let out a huge yawn. "Wow, and the Great Me even has the power to put her into sleep." Raghnall remarked playfully while chuckling but Inna no longer had the energy to play along with his jokes. It was probably the longest day she ever had in her new life and it absolutely drained her. She was tired physically, mentally, and emotionally from everything that happened. More so when she was tickled endlessly by that asshole. But her exhaustion must''ve been masked by the buzz of the alcohol. And since her body was on the process of washing off that high buzzing effect, the fatigue soon began to catch up to her. And so, with a mumbled ''good night,'' Inna comfortably fell asleep despite being sprawled out on the cold hard floor. Chapter 240 - Inna? (2) Under the cold and quiet weather, a certain young man was reminiscing of his childhood memories all the while taking his time walking. He wanted to savor the night, stretching it out as much as time would ever allow. But it was already the start of the morning twilight and he knew that if he were to delay any longer, a certain someone would begin panicking for sure. And so, torn between wanting to make the moment last and hurrying to safety, Raghnall continued to securely carry Inna as he walked at a much faster pace. He didn''t want to teleport right away since its a rare moment for him to actually carry a sleeping Inna on his arms but he knew that he shouldn''t selfishly take his time as well since he wanted her to rest properly in the comfort of her own bed. And so, when he began to see the roof of her dorms by the distance, Raghnall unconsciously clicked his tongue in mild irritation. Under the quiet surroundings, the sudden sound became far too clear and loud to his liking. And worried that he might''ve woken up Inna, he instinctively looked at her to check if it somehow roused her up. And when he saw her sleeping soundly and peacefully, he couldn''t help but release a small smile in relief. He never cared for someone as much as he cared for her. That was what he realized the moment she sang for him. She was no doubt beautiful, but he had seen far too many beautiful women to call her the most beautiful in the country. She was no doubt strong, but he had also seen far too many strong women to call her the strongest in the country. But for some reason, despite her not being the ''best'' at anything especially at being a normal well-mannered lady, he couldn''t help but be weirdly drawn to her. He always believed that he would only be with a woman who had as much talent as he did-- with someone as strong as he was. Someone who was the perfect lady in anyway¡­ Rhys and he used to talk about it a lot... on who they would end up marrying in the future. Each of them had their own different standards, with Rhys wanting a more outspoken and headstrong woman while Raghnall wanting a kind, hardworking, and lively one. But for some reason, instead of choosing that kind of lady in the numerous marriage proposals offered to him, his heart somehow ended up getting attached to a barbaric, witty, and unsophisticated woman who, although had talent, was as lazy as a sloth high on powdered nuts. Raghnall snorted as he stared at her comical sleeping face with drool dripping on the side of her mouth. Even after a year of spending time with her, he still couldn''t get used to her crazy antics and shameless habits. And he just couldn''t understand why he was attracted to her when his type was nearly the opposite of her. She held no grace nor delicacy, no shame nor sensitivity, but she somehow held his heart in the palm of her hands. Raghnall sighed as he stared at her. Yet it seems like she''s unaware of it. He tried his best to make it obvious without looking too desperate but it seems like she''s denser than he expected. And so, all his actions though also done in kindness, were only seen as for kindness and nothing else. Raghnall sighed again and as he repositioned Inna in a more comfortable spot on his arms, a cold breeze enveloped both of their bodies. It made him instinctively shiver, making Inna slip slightly from his arms. Panicking, he hurriedly tried to correct his mishap, grunting while doing so. "You know you look like a small woman but for heaven''s sake, you''re actually heavy." Raghnall grumbled as he tried to reposition her into a more comfortable position for him to carry her. He had confidence in his strength but with the weather being cold partnered with the strong breezes around the area, his fingers were actually starting to feel numb. And it was as if Inna heard his complaint because her brows furrowed in the same way whenever she was pissed at him for something. Raghnall chuckled at that and couldn''t help but find it cute. Dear heavens, if he were to stall any longer, his heart wouldn''t be able to take it anymore¡­ And his arms as well¡­ And so, with a quick pace, he hurriedly tried to make his way to the front door of her dorms. But when he was at a few meters away, Inna suddenly started to squirm on his arms. He had trouble keeping her steady as she tossed and turned. And so, thinking that she was waking up, he decided to gently make her stand up while still supporting nearly all her weight. He knew that she''d feel awkward when she finds herself getting carried by him. It happened back when she ended up falling asleep in one of his training. When she woke up while being carried, she threw a fit saying that it was awkward for her to be carried. At first, he didn''t find it awkward at all, but when she told him that what if the roles were to be changed? That what if he was the one asleep and upon waking up realized that he was being carried by Favian, would he not feel awkward at all? And so, he accepted and understood her part. Hence, he tried to steady her into an upright position as he waited for her to gradually wake up. But, in a few seconds, she suddenly started to convulse on his arms. Making her shake uncontrollably while her hands clutched harshly at her chest. She looked like she was suffering, her expression turning into a pained one while still having her eyes closed and asleep. And in just a blink, she started to gasp out for air as her body continued to violently jerk. "N-ninny?!" With a shocked and fearful face, Raghnall tried to process what was currently happening but the fear and panic started to get to him. "I-Inna! N-nana! I-Ingrid! Wake up! WAKE UP!" He tried his best to rouse her awake but it seems like it was no use. Unable to catch up with how fast the situation escalated, his mind suddenly turned blank and the only thought he held in his mind was fear. And that was the first time in a while that he felt pure terror. Chapter 241 - Inna? (3) Seeing her current state worsen as seconds passed, Raghnall was soon at his highest state of panic as he tried to think of something that can help her. He looked around desperately as he tried to gather ideas that could help. But, still panicked, nothing worthwhile came into mind and so, he just tried his best to gently lower her down onto the grass below them. After all, he didn''t really have any clue other than making her lay flat on the ground for the time being. But as soon as he had her convulsing body fully flat on the ground, she suddenly screamed in anguish. It scared the heck out of Raghnall, making him step back in shock. In fact, her screams were so loud and ear-splitting that Raghnall instinctively covered his ears as he winced in pain. But Inna didn''t seem to notice at all as she just continually screamed and convulsed. Seeing her horrid state, Raghnall worriedly tried to think of ways to figure out what to do to somehow ease the pain she must have been feeling from her uncontrollable shaking and screaming. And so, muttering nearly every healing spell he could ever remember, he casted them one by one on her all the while praying for at least one of them to work and make her return to normal. But it seemed that no matter how strong or how great the spell was, it held no effect on Inna as she continued to scream. Then suddenly, Inna clawed at her chest as the volume of her screams intensified. Her screams continued one after another, barely giving her any breathing time. Her voice of agony echoed throughout the yard and finally made its way inside the dorms, making its walls shake uncontrollably. Ulima, half-asleep, couldn''t help but be jerked awake with the strange happenings and he cautiously looked around to find the source of the noise. If it was a ghost, he''d run but for some reason, he felt that the voice was eerily familiar. And so, controlled by his curiosity, he decided to search for the cause of the loud noises. As he ventured out of his room, he realized that the eerie screams were coming from the front yard. Cautiously walking towards the window, he peered outside. At first, due to the poor lighting, he only saw a woman moving strangely on the floor and a man was beside her clutching her hand. Was someone giving birth in front of his dorm?! With that misunderstanding stuck in his mind, he immediately rushed out to help the poor lady. But to his surprise, he found Raghnall''s pale face looking at him in panic. His weary eyes held both confusion and fear as he continued to cast spell after spell. Seeing such a horrible state he was in, Ulima finally realized that the one screaming must have been Inna. And so, at an inhuman rate, he ran quickly towards Raghnall as he cried out. "What''s happening here?!" Ulima knelt by Inna''s side as he tried to find what the problem was. It was his first time to see someone convulsing while clutching at her chest tightly. He tried to look at Raghnall to ask what started it when he saw that Raghnall started to look weaker and weaker. "Boy! Snap out of it! If you keep this up, it''ll be hard for your body later on! Let the professionals handle this situation!" Ulima cried out as he grasped Raghnall''s trembling hands. Raghnall jerked from the contact, not expecting Ulima to stop his casting. Then, looking at Ulima''s hand that grasped him then to his eyes, Raghnall gave him a look of pure desperation. "But if I don''t try, no one can help her! No one can unless¡­" Raghnall''s eyes lit up as an idea entered his mind. Ulima didn''t seem to notice as he continued to try and console Raghnall while thinking the next best possible action. "Calm down, boy and tell me what''s happening here¡­ why is she like tha--" "Call the headmaster now!" Raghnall cried out suddenly with impatience in his voice while staring at Ulima intensely. Ulima''s eyes widened in shock and he looked at Raghnall with confusion. "Huh?" Raghnall clicked his tongue as he tried to carry the still convulsing Inna on his arms. She stopped screaming moments before Raghnall grabbed her but her convulsions still continued to worsen. "Call. The. Headmaster. Now." Ulima still wasn''t able to recover from his shock, making Raghnall''s anger escalate. "My magic is low so I can''t teleport right now. So call the Headmaster immediately!" Ulima finally snapped out of his confusion then he looked at Raghnall incredulously. "Why are YOU ordering me around?! YOU call the Headmaster! I''ll take her in." Ulima was about to grab Inna when Raghnall quickly moved out of his grasp. "CALL THE HEADMASTER NOW!" He bellowed out as he hurriedly walked towards the dormitory. But Ulima was still unable to fathom the pure disrespect coming from Raghnall''s tone and words. "You dare order me around, boy?!" Raghnall growled out in frustration from the stubbornness and stupidity of Ulima. "CALL HIM NOW!" Raghnall''s eyes turned frosty as he used his magic to fling his spatial pocket to Ulima''s face. Ulima, upon looking at the crest, suddenly grew pale and then, without even as much as a second to waste, he wordlessly teleported to the front doors of the Headmaster''s office. "HEADMASTER!" He screamed at the top of his lungs as he banged his fists on the door repeatedly. Then, when he heard no reply, he knew he had no choice but to break some of the barriers to alert the Headmaster immediately. Because although they were both Veteran Mages, the Headmaster was an expert when it comes to casting multiple barriers while Ulima was good at the enhancement of items. With different expertise, of course, comes different strengths and weaknesses. And so he was only able to knock down the second barrier before the Headmaster immediately appeared behind him. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS, ULIMA?!" Chapter 242 - Urgent We just got our first case here of Corona virus and I''m absolutely terrified because I am literally one of the most susceptible people and turns out, the confirmed case travelled to our city. And now that I''m currently sick with fever, I am a hundred times more frightened. Hopefully this isn''t what I think it is. Let me just remind you to please pray (or hope, if u don''t pray) for my wellbeing and the wellbeing of everyone in the world today. (If you want, u can include Inna too <3 ) Thank you all and once again, for the millionth time, I''m really really sorry... Chapter 243 - Updating Tomorrow Hello, I still have not fully recovered yet but the good news is that it wasn''t the virus but just colds with fever. I feel bad for always being on break so I''ll try my best to find some time to write tomorrow <3 Thank you so much for your prayers and messages <3 Chapter 244 - Hospital results Hello, I''m having an infection in my upper respiratory tract according to the results of the lab tests. They said that my immune system must''ve turned weaker (since it was weak from the start) because of the stress of my academics (I''ve been skipping meals and only had 3 hrs of sleep at average) and so I''ll be taking a few more days to try to get better faster. Really really sorry guys! But i gotta prioritize health because I don''t want my immune system to be down for long since there''s still corona virus around in our country... Chapter 245 - Decided that Ill probably Update Weekly Sorry guys, things has been tough since we''re nearing our midterms exams! But I''ll try my hardest to update weekly! Chapter 246 - Virus Update Hello guys! This will just be a quick announcement. So, thankfully I''m still healthy but I''m known to have a weak immune system so I''ve been trying to relax for the past few days (because the week before, I literally had only 3 to 4 hours of sleep a day and my meals consisted of junk food and with the threat of the virus, I needed to somehow reset my body towards a more healthy lifestyle which was what I did in the past few days.) And so, I''m feeling a bit better now so I''ll probably start updating tomorrow :) Chapter 247 - Desperation Of A Soul (1) Meanwhile, the two confused men hurriedly made their way towards Solomon''s office to try and figure out what was happening. Raghnall was the first to arrive and he immediately pushed the door open with a somber look on his face. "What is happening to her?" Raghnall spoke with repressed worry as he stared at Solomon''s face, trying to find any clue that could help him understand the strange situation better. Ulima quickly followed suit behind him, but he entered in a much more quiet and respectful manner, bowing at Solomon before promptly speaking. "With all due respect, sir. This is also confusing me. How is she a different person than who she was previously?" Solomon, faced with questions he barely could answer, couldn''t help but to tiredly plop down on his chair as he rubbed his face with his hands. "It must''ve something to do with her soul." He mumbled while he covered his face with his hands, hoping to rub off the exhaustion he felt. Raghnall wasn''t satisfied with the ambiguous explanation so he drew closer towards him, and had both his hands imposingly rest on Solomon''s large desk. "You''ve been repeating that ever since! There''s no way we could accept that vague answer and just figure it out!" Solomon sighed as he tried to organize his thoughts and retell what his guesses were. "I don''t know everything and so I can''t guarantee the accuracy of my guesses but what I do know for certain is that it has something to do with her soul. And my guess is that the one before us now is a different soul." Raghnall furrowed his brows as he tried to analyze the situation as well. "How is that possible? Wasn''t it your research that concluded that we can only hold one soul in our bodies? How can it be that she has a different one now? And how can you say for certain that it has something to do with her soul? I mean, what if this is just like the case with Favian and Frode instead? That it''s all about the mind?" Solomon shook his head as he casted flotation spells to have the books by the corners of his room to float towards him. "No, no. It''s different from Favian''s case, for sure. That boy had two minds, yes, which makes it seem like Inna''s case now is similar. But the difference is that he had it since he was young. And when I met that boy when he was young, he can talk to his other mind to wish for them to switch. It was a voluntary switch. And Favian also held memories, although most were faint, of the times where Frode was in charge. And he claimed that he could sometimes talk to him, but those times are really rare." Solomon began to scan a book as he continued to talk. "But the thing about Inna''s case now is that¡­ It''s like she was an entirely different person. She didn''t recognize us at all. She was on guard and she looked like she had a past much more different than Inna. A much more... horrid one. Also, she talked about the Edserian tongue of the commoners as though she was one of them. And she told us of how, in her view, we were also speaking the same language. Quite strange, right? Frode never talked about having a different life. His life was a blank slate and he shared every experience he had with Favian. Although he had a vast knowledge of magic spells and such, it was all through his incessant reading of books, not knowledge from a different life." When he finished scanning the book, he frowned and decided to scan another. "Now, if I recall correctly, in my thesis, I theorized that there is one that links us all beings. And that of course, is the soul." Solomon finally found the page he was looking for and he turned the book to face Raghnall while tapping the diagram it showed. "You see, the soul is something that can be found in all. A universal commonality. This is the link we have with all there is in the world. Be it beasts, or plants, we all have souls that link together. That is how we are able to coexist." Then, Solomon began to trace the diagram which consisted of a man in the middle with a circle on his chest that signified the ''soul'' which was connected to different drawings of beasts and plants around him which also held the same circle, although in different locations. "Now, in this commonality, we are able to communicate well with each other and reach into understanding. Although most of the time, it is done non verbally. Like for example, when we communicate with plants, they communicate back to us through sudden growth, sudden blossom, or maybe even wilting. Their souls are the ones harnessing the magic within them and so, it has been proven that talking to them and uplifting their moods can greatly help in their growth. Because in that way, we create a connection with them through our souls and our soul prompts their soul to use the magic within them." Raghnall stared at the diagram as he silently listened in. At first, he didn''t want to listen to the technical ramblings of the old man but for Inna''s sake and for his curiosity, he decided to cave in. Meanwhile, Ulima was having the time of his life as he tried to catch every word that was said, even every breath that the Headmaster had taken while speaking about his research. It was a one in a million chance for him to listen to such profound knowledge! Meanwhile, Solomon coughed as he readied himself to talk further. "Now, S-salvia¡­ S-she¡­" Solomon took a deep breath as he tried to stop the stutters he held whenever he talked about her. "It was her research that greatly supported my claim. She talked about how this doesn''t only apply to plants but to beasts as well. Although most of the beasts are unreasonable once their primal instincts take control, there are times that we are able to communicate with them. S-Salvia was one of those gifted enough to be able to talk to them and she told me that the trick to talking to them wasn''t to use the mouth to talk, but instead the soul. Because the soul links us towards communication." Chapter 248 - Desperation Of A Soul (2) Raghnall furrowed his brows as he tried to link two and two together. "So you''re saying that the reason why that ''woman'' could understand us and hear us speak in her tongue is that she is speaking with her soul and us the same to her?" Solomon made an unsure expression as he tried to explain. "In a sense, yes. But it was more like, her soul is desperately trying to communicate to both of us hence it used magic as it took control over her mind and vision. Meanwhile, our souls used the same magic to make her speak our tongue in our view. So in actuality, she is actually speaking in Edserian tongue but our souls manipulate our minds to hear her words to be Anemolian. While for her, she hears us speaking in her tongue. But when given a phrase that held no direct translation towards the Edserian tongue, she hears the phrase as what it is. " "And although I speculated it before, I can finally confirm that it is the same case with Inna and her ''strange'' language as well. It must''ve been the main reason as to why we couldn''t understand most of her words while she was able to understand us." "And I guess, although this is still mostly speculation, that this theory can even be expanded towards reading and writing. There might be a chance that the reason as to why she was able to do well in her homeworks and essays despite having a different language is because her vision must''ve been manipulated by her mind through magic that was why although the books are written in Eridoan, she sees them as her own language. Meanwhile for us, as she writes in her original language, our visions are manipulated to see it as Eridoan but in actuality she was writing in her original language." Although it sounded too farfetched, Raghnall tried to digest everything he was hearing but he still held questions about the theory Solomon had. "If that is so, why do we still have miscommunications with Edseria? Why can''t we understand them in the same way?" Solomon thought hard as he stared at the diagram before him. "That¡­ I''m not sure of. Although it sounds easy, but linking souls to the point of mutual understanding of two different languages or tongues is probably one of the hardest, most complicated, and rarest phenomena in the world. It can even be passed off as a micracle within a miracle. Hence, she might be a very very special case, probably the only one in this world." "So, the best guess I could make would be that her soul did it out of desperation for survival. That reason always makes us do unimaginable things, after all. Or maybe her soul is just desperate to find something to link to so that it could be a part of the world. Either way, they''re all just guesses so I can never be certain for sure that that is the case. But I strongly believe that it has something to do with her soul in the end." Raghnall stared at the diagram again. The little drawings made memories resurface in his mind but he shook his head slightly to clear it. He wanted to know about Inna, not reminisce. "But didn''t you say that a person can only hold one soul? And that it is impossible for a fragile body to withstand having two souls occupy it, hence that is why some result to death in the womb?" Solomon sighed as he slowly closed the book. "I know. That''s why I''m as confused as you are. I don''t have the answers to everything, boy. The best I can give you will be guesses. And my guess is that for some reason there are two different souls in that small body of hers. Anything more than that remains a mystery to me as well." Her situation is quite a mystery, indeed. Solomon mulled deeply as he tried to fathom just how perplexing Inna''s situation was. He still had that Soulless state to worry about. And the fact that her reading from the Evaluation Stone was also quite strange. External Chaotic Variables¡­ ''Mors'' meaning Death¡­ Those very words haunted his mind ever since and he hated not knowing what it meant. His thirst for truth never seemed to have been quenched ever since she appeared. It was like the more he spent time with Inna, the more questions he held rather than answers. A part of him enjoyed such a challenge, but another part of him was frustrated beyond relief to see that even after reading nearly thousands and thousands of books, he still couldn''t find the answer to every question Inna''s existence threw at him. Soon, the whole room grew silent, each of them lost in their own thoughts as their minds tried to unlock the mystery behind Inna''s strangeness. But the silence was cut off when a soft knock echoed throughout the room. "Yes?" Solomon spoke up with a curious tone, expecting it to be the woman who held Inna''s body. But when an old croaky voice answered him, he realized that it was Granny Zai behind the doors instead. "Sir, may I come in? It concerns the young miss." Solomon gestured at Ulima to open the door and snapping out of his reverie, Ulima quickly complied. Granny Zai mumbled a polite ''thank you'' before sighing in dismay. "The little miss¡­ she''s eating for now but she seems to be far too on edge of everything. I am quite worried about her. She just woke up but this kind of behavior ruins the health, still, no? So, how should I go about this for her to stop being so¡­ guarded? It feels quite¡­ strange for me to act like she''s a new person when she obviously carries the same face, voice, and body as that unruly brute." Solomon smiled sadly when he saw the worry and concern all mixed in with exhaustion in Granny Zai''s face, making the wrinkles in her old clammy freckled skin more evident. "I guess the best you can do would be to just be there for her. Treat her as though she''s just another sick person I picked up under my care. Not as Inna¡­ but as someone else¡­" Chapter 249 - Desperation Of A Soul (3) Granny Zai was about to curiously ask for a reason when he saw Solomon''s face that looked like it had aged greatly over the past hours. Heavens! He nearly looked as old as her! And so, out of both concern and knowing that he was mentally exhausted, she simply repeated what she recalled he had said earlier and took it as an answer despite it being vague. "Something to do with the soul?" Solomon knew that Granny Zai was immensely curious about Inna''s situation. But he knew, from that glint in her eyes, that she wouldn''t ask further about it. Because she must''ve known, probably from her intuition as being the oldest maid in the whole manor or from her experience taking care of him ever since he was a child, that he would find ways to dodge the question whenever he felt tired and didn''t feel like answering. And so, exhausted from all the mentally-draining guesses and explanations he told and from hiding the hurt he held in his heart as he recalled his dear love, Solomon simply nodded as a reply to Granny Zai. He sunk further into his seat, feeling his old bones creak as he stared at the book before him. Salvia¡­ How he wished she was here to see Inna¡­ That feisty woman would''ve lit up knowing that there was a mystery at hand. And she would''ve monitored Inna in all the hours she could ever hope to do so. She was always far more ferocious than him in their quest for knowledge, after all. Suddenly, another knock resounded and the atmosphere of the room suddenly grew thick. Everyone in the room knew who was behind the door but they were all not mentally prepared to further face the unfathomable existence of the new Inna. There were far too many questions unanswered that they still can''t seem to decide what to feel and how to act around her. And so, Ulima after releasing a small cough, decided to bail at the pretense that he still had to prepare for his class. He bid a short but polite goodbye towards everyone in the room, bowing heavily when he faced Solomon, before finally casting a spell to teleport. Being the master of the space Ulima was in, Solomon approved of his teleportation spell as he bid him goodbye as well. Meanwhile, Raghnall was still troubled whether he should leave or not. He truly wanted to see Inna, to confirm that she really was okay. But he knew that he wouldn''t be able to take a step closer or even speak without that ''girl'' shooting daggers from her eyes and putting her guard up. Another set of knocking resounded and followed by it was the sound of Raghnall gritting his teeth as he finally made his decision. And so, agitated by his predicament and the decision he was forced to make, he angrily casted a spell of teleportation without even so much as a goodbye. Solomon shook his head when he saw the boy''s disrespectful behavior but he couldn''t blame him. After all, if he were to be in his situation, he''d be lost beyond relief as well. And so, when finally the third set of knocks resounded throughout the room, Solomon gestured for Granny Zai to finally open the door as he ushered the woman in. "Come in, child." The woman, now dressed properly in light blue plain robes, cautiously scanned the room before entering. Earlier, she felt the presence of four people in the room but now, only half the number remained. She must be wary if ever the other two would decide to come back. So, after scanning the room and checking to see if there were weapons she could use in case trouble comes, she looked at Solomon with a stern and cold face. "Can you answer my questions now?" Solomon looked at Granny Zai curiously before answering her question with another question. "How did you find your way here to my office? Didn''t I tell you to ask Granny Zai first so that she could call me instead?" The woman peered at Granny Zai with distrust as she answered monotonously. "I don''t trust any of you. What if I ask her to call you and you both actually have some sort of plan to do something to me in that room? I''d be trapped there and I would be easily caught by either of you. I''d rather I go to you and catch you unguarded instead rather than that happening." Solomon sighed when he heard her reasons. This girl¡­ just how much can she be on guard to actually be this paranoid¡­ Still, he had no choice but to be considerate about it. After all, if he were in her shoes, he''d also be cautious after waking up in a foreign place. And so, he decided not to question her reasons further. But there was one thing that made him curious though¡­ "I understand your reaction. But one thing that still puzzles me would be the fact that you were able to find this office despite having to pass multiple intersecting hallways¡­" The woman briefly looked at Granny Zai who was busying herself with cleaning up the heaps of books that were messily arranged by the corner. Then, she looked at Solomon with a blank expression as she answered. "When I noticed her leaving after escorting me, I ate minimally before I followed after her. I tracked her scent hoping that she would lead me to you and I guess I was right. So--" Solomon couldn''t help but raise his hand to stop her. "Excuse me, young lady, but did you just say you followed Granny Zai through scent?" The woman didn''t seem to find it strange as she nodded with furrowed brows. "Yes, I did. It is not that hard. She smells of tea and dust. And I''ve been trained for years to be able to distinguish scents of different people. Hence, I was able to track her down." The woman didn''t seem to find anything wrong with it. Did the adventurers of Anemoly not have such a basic skill? Chapter 250 - The Other Soul (1) "You say you''ve been trained for years to track down scent¡­ Are you a trained fighter? From Edseria perhaps?" Solomon furrowed his brows as he tried to connect his observations of her behavior and of her words. Meanwhile, the woman didn''t expect his question so she unconsciously frowned in distaste. "I''m not obliged to answer your question until you have answered all of mine." Solomon sighed as he shifted on his seat. "Very well, young lady. Come have a seat and I''ll answer whatever questions you ask of me." The woman didn''t seem to have any plans of moving as she stayed close to the door, one hand now firmly grasping its handle. "I can hear you just fine here and you can hear me fine from there so why don''t we just stay right where we are? I still don''t fully trust the both of you so I''ll be staying right where I feel safest." Solomon understood where she was coming from so he simply nodded in agreement. "Okay then, ask away." Given the signal, the woman stared at Solomon as she asked him a question. With her eyes firmly planted on him, she wanted to observe him while he answered so that she could discern whether he was lying or not. "Firstly, who are you? Both of you.." Solomon looked at Granny Zai who was trying to keep herself busy by tidying up as he answered her. "I am Solomon, and she is Zaimera but we usually call her just Granny Zai." The woman gritted her teeth with dissatisfaction as she tensely repeated her question. "Answer completely this time! Who are you both?" Solomon chuckled but it was cut short when he saw that the woman didn''t seem to like his idea of lightening up the mood by messing around. And so, covering his interrupted chuckle with a cough, he answered fully this time. "I''m Solomon Bertrand, Headmaster to Eldora Academy in Anemoly. A Veteran Priest Peak stage, Veteran Warlock Middle stage, and a Veteran Mage Middle stage. The one on my right is Granny Zai, she''s our head maid and my right hand to any matters related to the manors I own." Satisfied with the answer, the woman slowly eased a bit of tension. Then, she decided to ask another question. "How did I arrive here? My last memory was being in the Miasma Forest so how did I end up crossing it and entering Anemoly?" Solomon softly caressed his beard as he tried to think of a way to condense such a long story into a very brief one without omitting important details and without causing the woman confusion. "I saved you. I took you here. Then I¡­ took care of you until this present day." The woman wasn''t satisfied with the answer but seeing Solomon''s distraught expression, she let it go. It was because she felt as though the reason why his answer was vague was not because he was hiding things from her but instead was because he didn''t know how to effectively put it into words. And then again, she didn''t want to dwell on that much because what she really wanted to know most, for now, was where her stuff where. "Where did you hide my possessions?" Solomon raised an eyebrow, utterly confused by her question. "What do you mean by your possessions? Can you be more¡­ specific?" He didn''t know which one was Inna''s and which ones were hers¡­ The woman gave Solomon a perplexed look as she spoke. "My armor and weapons. I''ve always worn it and I don''t like the fact that it is off of me for a long time. Those were my only belongings. And of course my identification card as well." Solomon furrowed his brows in confusion. So it wasn''t Inna''s belongings but hers? So, she''s the adventurer? Then if this soul''s life is an adventurer from Edseria¡­ What about Inna? Wasn''t she also one? Unless.. they were both adventurers? Then, does that mean they shared the same life? So maybe they shared the same soul after all¡­ Maybe he was wrong and that her constitution was actually the same with Favian''s, having two minds in one body¡­ but her case just has a little¡­ variation? But if that''s the case.¡­ why can she hear us speak Edserian and we hear her speak Anemolian? Was it done by just magic? But it seems like she wasn''t aware of any spell nor does she have something enhanced with that kind of spell. Faced with a new set of confusing questions he threw at himself, Solomon''s head started to throb in pain. All these countless of questions and yet no definitive answers to solve them¡­ Solomon clutched his head as he sighed deeply. The woman''s frown deepened as her grip on the door''s handle tightened. "My things. Where are they?" Hearing the suspicion in her tone, Solomon snapped out of his reverie. He really shouldn''t be too absorbed in his own thoughts or else the lady will misunderstand him. "It must still be in your ro--" Solomon stopped himself when he remembered that the woman before him must''ve had no idea about Inna''s life, much more about the fact that she lived in the Lily dorms. "I had it stored safely somewhere." The woman narrowed her eyes at him when she noticed his change of words. She was about to question him again about it when he suddenly stood up. She readied herself in a fighting stance while the hand she had on the door handle tightened. "Relax." Solomon stated as he raised both his hands up to show he meant no harm. "I was just going to get it for you." The woman didn''t relax at all as she continued to look at him with a cautious glare. Seeing such an intense glare directed at him, he sighed as he tried to make his tone soft and harmless. "I''m just¡­ going to go to where I stored it okay? Just give me¡­ a few moments." "No." The woman spoke sternly. "I don''t trust you teleporting away somewhere." Solomon raised his eyebrows in shock as he felt a small sting by his chest. He didn''t know why, but hearing those harsh words come out from someone that held the same tone and face of his dear crazy disciple Inna somehow hurt him slightly. Chapter 251 - Hello I''ve been having panic attack after panic attacks and my usual distractions (aka my writing and drawing) aren''t working anymore. I''ve been feeling sad and empty inside but I can''t seem to pinpoint the reason. I''m afraid I might relapse so I''ve been trying to relax and destress, for now, all the projects be damned. This quarantine time is really dangerous for my mental health, so much so that I''ve almost considered self-harm. If anyone of you readers is experiencing the same things, don''t be afraid to speak out and ask for help, please. No matter how strong you are, the demons can come back so its best to have friends fight alongside you. I tried to fight alone and ended up almost making a mistake. I hope I (and you guys) would never resort to that mistake in the future. Believe in the happiness that the future holds. :) p.s. will update when I can today! I''ve been missing Inna too :''( Chapter 252 - Im Back! Eyo, I''ve been doing meditation while I was away from my internet and phone and now I''ve calmed down enough to start picking up writing again! Sorry, I just needed that short break to recollect myself and refigure things out in my life. Thank you for waiting! Chapter 253 - Leave? Or Stay? Before Solomon could ask any more, Ingrid hurriedly grabbed her armor. She tried her best to grab everything, draping them over her shoulders, elbows, and even her head. But every time she did, one item falls on the ground instead. And so, her actions became a cycle of her draping, dropping, and picking the armor up. Seeing her comical display, Solomon chuckled softly. Amusement reflected in his eyes as he observed her trying so hard to try and grab everything hurriedly. He knew that she didn''t want to be asked further questions about her name nor her family hence the obvious desperation she held to gather all her armor in one fell swoop. She was most likely planning to grab then run away. Solomon snickered, reveling the ridiculous display for a few moments before finally casting a spell to help her. The armor glowed and floated around Ingrid, making her jump in surprise as she whipped her head to look at Solomon in confusion. "It''ll keep floating and following you for ten moments. Within the tenth moment, the spell would gradually disappear and soon after, they would crash to the ground. But no worries, I don''t think it would take you more than ten moments to go to your room from here." Inna furrowed her brows as she stared at Solomon. "I''m not going back to that room. I''m leaving." Solomon raised an eyebrow at her unexpected statement. "Leaving? Why?" Ingrid gave him an obvious look as she made her way to the door. "Why else? I am one of the adventurers that live in Tarnil hence I''ll obviously be going back to Tarnil, where I rightfully belong. Being in Anemoly, much more in this prestigious Eldora Academy, gives me the impression that I''m trespassing into somewhere I shouldn''t be. Though, for all the effort you''ve done in taking care of me, I can only give you my thanks." Ingrid tilted her head as a makeshift bow before opening the door before her. But just as she took one step out of the room, Solomon suddenly spoke up. "I... uhh¡­ I do suggest you stay longer. I mean, aren''t you curious as to what the academy would look like? How the classes are? Don''t you want to learn some combat secrets from our Combat department? I''m sure Azai would love to take you in or, show you around at least." Ingrid immediately stopped at her tracks after hearing his tempting offer. Truly, it is a once in a lifetime experience for her to ever enter such a place! But¡­ was she willing to sacrifice her safety for the sake of her curiosity? Solomon saw her hesitation and couldn''t help but smirk. "Tell you what, if you rest here for about three days, I''d personally tour you around this academy on the third day. The preceding two days would be allotted for your recovery and also because I have piled up work to be finished on those days. Well, within the two days, I''d allow for you to roam anywhere, but not inside the rooms of the Academy just yet. Just¡­ take the time to take in the outer scenery for now, okay? Who knows what you''ll find?" Ingrid turned around to face him as she furrowed her brows. "I don''t need the two days of recovery. Just let me go roam around tomorrow and get what information I could hope to get so that I can leave after." Solomon sighed at her stubbornness. "Young lady, it was just moments ago that you''ve just woken up from your three-day slumber. You''re still undernourished because you''ve barely eaten and drunk anything for the past days you were asleep. And I recall you''ve barely eaten the meal earlier too with you wanting to follow Granny Zai here¡­" Solomon sighed as he peered at her stubborn face. "Trust me, you''re in no condition to roam around, much less doing it alone. You''d most likely end up getting dizzy and faint which would make us worry too much for you, y''know? So, just stay put for now and enjoy the following days that''ll pass. I''d inform the guards to leave you to your own devices but just make sure to stay within the school''s direct premises and not wander off too much." Ingrid began to consider such an offer but then again, could he really trust them enough to actually stay with them longer? What if they had other things planned and she''d end up being the clueless prey in the predator''s habitat? Solomon could already figure out what she was thinking when he saw that usual distrusting glint in her eyes. And so, before she could question him further about it, he decided to address it first. "And if safety is your issue, I assure you by my duty as the Headmaster of this academy and by my word as a man, I would see to it that no harm would come your way. If you need anything, tell the guards you see or the maids around her and I''ll see to it, as long as its reasonable, that I would do whatever it takes to get it, okay? So, are you willing to stay?" Ingrid furrowed her brows as she thought it over deeply. Recalling all his words until now, he''s been nothing but cautious and considerate with her. He doesn''t seem like such a bad guy. After all, if he really wanted her to die, he wouldn''t have spent so much effort saving her from that forest. Then again, there are some people who''d take living beings hostage to be their blood or organ farm... Ingrid sighed. She really had problems with trusting people. She was tricked far too many times through seemingly impossible means that she could say she''s lucky she was still alive. And so, afraid to be tricked once more, her mind would try to consider every possible event that would happen. But after living like that for years, it only made her more isolated than ever. Maybe this was the time where she could just live freely for once. In these three days, she could try and just enjoy each passing day without the fear of being stabbed in her sleep by thieves or being kidnapped and sold somewhere. Maybe she could restore that comfort she had years ago when things weren''t that complicated and her mind was still untainted from the evils of the world. But before she could do that, she still needed an answer for the question that''s been bugging her earlier. "Why do you do all this for me?" Chapter 254 - LATE SRRY Chapter will be a little late today! I hve a little project to finish! Chapter 255 - Such is the Will of Fate (2) Fauna looked lovingly at her little creatures around her as she began to mull. "If you cannot answer the reason why, then at the very least can you answer this? Why meet us? Why not have your messengers, the Fates, do it as they have always done in the past? Or maybe, have our dear Cherubim meet with them to relay such messages to us?" Fauna asked as she leaned on the panda beside her. The soft fur made her sigh in content as she awaited Modor''s answer. On the other side, Aves, agreeing with Fauna, uncrossed his arms as he peered at Modor with mild curiosity. "Indeed. Aren''t your little Fates well aware of their responsibilities in guiding Fate? So, of course, there is no need for you to step in unless there are drastic situations¡­ like a demonic influence, perhaps?" Aves tried to take a shot in the dark, trying to figure out what the Supreme God had planned. He knew time and time again not to pry into it but curiosity just couldn''t help but get to him. After all, as a King, he was far used to being knowledgeable at nearly everything about his domain, except for their fates. And so, it becomes frustrating for them when Fate is in the picture because they can''t seem to grasp their heads around it most of the time. Modor blinked and in that blink, he began to see the millions of possibilities that would occur through every answer he gave. Then, quickly formulating the perfect response to arrive in his desired outcome, Modor spoke with a smile. But despite his smile, his voice held a tinge of coldness. "This¡­ one''s Fate is something we, Kings, personally need to address. No angel of whatever caste or class is allowed to interfere aside from those of whom the Supreme God has tasked for deliberately. And let me remind you lest it had slipped your mind that we, Kings, are not allowed to interfere too much with another King''s domain. And questioning Fate can be seen as a sort of interference of my duty and domain which will not be taken lightly." Fauna furrowed her brows at the warning but she didn''t have the capacity in her to feel anger. Instead, she was only able to feel slight irritation from his words. "Yes, of course. We, Kings, have long been prohibited to interfere in each other''s domain unless permission was granted. But if it is in a case of a possibility of demonic influence that would harm our domain''s safety, permissions would no longer be needed, wouldn''t it?" Although he was getting tired of their probing, Modor hid his irritation well as he smiled brightly at Fauna. "My, my, ever the curious King, Fauna. Keep it up and you might beat Sal one day in being the King with the most questions." Fauna''s eyebrow twitched as she refused to get swept away by Modor''s flow. "Having all Kings personally taking charge of this one''s Fate, surely there is something at hand, here? That instance has never happened for as long as I''ve reigned, save for one. Would it be the start of yet another war?" Hearing her words, Modor smile instantly dropped and his pale blue eyes turned cold and icy. "As I''ve said King Amara, questioning Fate is breaching my domain. Do take heed of my words. Everything will reveal itself because such is the will of the fates. Have patience... that is something that was plentifully given to us when we were created, no? Learn to use it." Fauna gritted her teeth but she knew that once Modor became like this, there was no way she could get an answer out of him. Well, either way, there was never an instance where they could ever get an answer out of him anyway. "I understand. If it is what I think it is, then I must prepare for war, then." Aves sighed as he looked at the exchange between the two. "Fauna, let''s not jump into conclusions as of yet. As Modor has said, Fate will reveal itself soon enough. It is our duty as Kings to wait for the wheels of Fate to turn, not to turn it ourselves. Preparing for war would only create panic among the Reapers and unnecessary worry among the Angels." Hearing the words of Aves, Modor broke his icy stare and morphed it into a mirthful one. "Yes, yes. Why don''t you listen to Aves here? Let me do my duty while you do yours, hmm? Go tend to the habitats of your domains instead of shooting questions here and there, Fauna. That way we both could maintain the balance of the worlds." Fauna felt her irritation immediately being washed away as she stared at the animals that surrounded her. "Of course. Apologies on that matter." Aves sighed as he looked at Fauna with worry. "Our emotions are not as easy to hide and dampen as King Anima so better keep yourself in check, Fauna. Although far away from any source, the corruption of sin is not impossible on us." Fauna bit her lip as she remembered. She was one of the most expressive Kings, after all. Her King brother, Faunus, would always tell her that rash emotions could lead to sin. And sin would lead to their deaths, that was why the one seated as King Anima would differ by every few millennia. After all, the King who governs the souls would be the ones exposed the most to the toxicity of sin. Seeing that Fauna was starting to behave herself, he couldn''t help but sneak a rough series of pats on her head to show that he didn''t mean any bad blood between them before running away. She really does remind him of a little bratty sister, just like in one of the families he encountered in the human world. Small, impulsive, and flat-chested. What do they call them in Japan again? Chibis? While laughing to himself, he quickly exited the gates of heaven and went back to his alter ego in the country of Anemoly. And now that he had returned, he peered at the bowl of water in front of him as he sighed in dismay. Now, what they all had to do was to wait... Wait for Raghnall¡­ Wait for Alana¡­ And wait for Inna to come back... Then, watch everything fall into place. Chapter 256 - Sneaking Out (1) Ingrid stared at the windows of the manor with disappointment clearly marked on her face. From the day she agreed to stay until now, there had been nothing but rains and thunders. And what''s worse, her Blood Week arrived on the night she made the agreement of staying with Solomon. So, instead of being able to roam around freely, she was forced to stay indoors and lock herself up. Great, just great. She couldn''t even go home much less go around the academy because of these two annoying problems. Such an opportunity wasted, huh. Guess it really was a bad decision for her to stay. She covered herself with the thick comfortable silk blankets as she continued to stare at the sun setting. She reveled in the warmth it gave while she looked at the view outside. She could see by the distance bursts of light that must be from the magic spells of students despite the evening hours. She asked Granny Zai once why the bright lights seemed to be incessantly shining for days and she told her that apparently, there was a tournament held in a few day''s time. The lights come from students training their magic since there were no longer any time restrictions on the training grounds usage as well as no more strict curfew for the dorms. Hence, some students are trying to cram all their training until the very last minute since the tournament was drawing near. In fact, Granny Zai commented that if Ingrid would remain for just a day longer, she''d be able to see the tournament and be amazed at the great display of strength and magic prowess the students had in the prestigious school. And to be perfectly honest, Ingrid was tempted to stay for a day longer. The allure of seeing magic was too much for her to bear. Because although she knew she had the ability to be a magic-user, she never had the chance to learn. And so, hoping she could pick up a spell or two, she was actually excited to roam the academy and observe these ''geniuses'' training. But this ''brishnik'' weather¡­ She swore with her native tongue as she continued to look at the trailing raindrops by the glass with a frown. Then, she felt a sudden pain in her abdomen that made her wince but she clenched her teeth as she endured the urge to cry out. Well, her Blood week was only known to last for about two to three days and was greatly irregular so, she most likely won''t have it again until the next year. Feeling the pinpricks of pain by her abdomen again, she groaned as she hoisted herself off her bed. She stretched slightly, trying ease the pain as looked at the heap of armor and weapons she had. Then, her eyes instinctively zeroed in on her most important weapon. Her Edserian Adventurer Sword. She made her way to it, grabbing it by its scabbard as she slowly caressed the insignia on it. Lidden family¡­ the family who abandoned her¡­ If only she could get rid of that name¡­ Then, she heard a soft thud and trying to find its origin, she looked out the window. She saw a beautiful fluttering blue butterfly that seemed to have taken a liking of her window. Well, hello there¡­ She smiled slightly as she adored the beauty of such a rare butterfly. It was as big as her palm and seemed to have a halo of a pale blue light around it. It must be from its magic particles. Then, with its huge wings, it hit the glass window again. And while Ingrid was mesmerized by its strange behavior, she failed to notice that the rain began to let up. And when the butterfly began to flutter away, she finally noticed the rain had stopped. With the dark clouds soon clearing up, she could now see the orange traces of the sunset that seemed to have just ended. She suddenly felt immensely better as she hurriedly donned her armor. She was bored beyond relief being trapped in her room. She needed some sort of fresh air from the stuffy smell of blood and sweat in her room. And although she knew that being in public during her Blood Week was socially unacceptable, she really couldn''t stand being in her room anymore. Besides, Solomon, upon knowing about her predicament, gave her underwear that he magically enhanced so that it could absorb more liquid than usual. And she never had any leakage problem with it so she''s pretty confident that she could get away with sneaking around for a few minutes without her magical blood seeping out. And plus, she can just go someplace with little to no people. That way, no one would get affected by her blood mixed with magical particles in the air. And even if there were people, since her magic isn''t really that developed, it wouldn''t affect them much because her magical particles wouldn''t be as potent. And after fully convincing herself that sneaking out was acceptable, she armed herself with two daggers for protection as she gingerly opened her door. She looked left and right, checking whether Granny Zai was planning to visit her room. When she saw that the coast was clear, she unknowingly let out a grin as she dashed towards the direction of the exit. Thankfully, she was able to convince Granny Zai before to describe the layout of the manor in the guise of her wanting to tour around the manor. It was probably only possible because Granny Zai felt bad that she wasn''t able to go around the Academy, hence they made do with the manor instead. Seeing the doors that lead to the outside, Ingrid stealthily dashed towards it. She opened the door as quietly as possible, trying to see if the guards were anywhere near. When she saw that no one was around, she slowly slipped out of the door and softly closed it without making a sound. Chapter 257 - Sneaking Out (2) "Pssst¡­" Ingrid ignored the eerie whisper as she slowly walked through the corridors of the academy. There weren''t any students that seemed to have wandered off to where she was. They were all most probably in the training grounds, mastering their spells. Ingrid felt a little pout forming in her face as disappointment washed over her. She wanted so badly to peek at the magic spells over there but she knew that she should avoid crowded places for now. Heaven knows how those genius students would react to a suspicious person sneaking around trying to get a good look at them. Ingrid sighed as she looked around the large open hallways of the academy. Guess she''ll have to make do with enjoying the scenery. It''s not like she''ll ever be able to return here anyways so best take in what she can and burn it into her memory forever. "Pssst¡­" Thinking it was just the wind again, Ingrid ignored the eerie voice a second time. Despite the darkness of the night and the daunting shadows casted by the huge pillars on the corridors, she didn''t let the scary thoughts consume her as she observed every detail she saw while she walked. Surely there aren''t any ghosts around? After all, it is the esteemed Eldora Academy. Surely such vile creatures would easily be exorcised by Veteran-ranked priests, right? "Pssssssssssssssst¡­" The eerie whisper drawled on and Ingrid somehow felt that it was slowly coming closer to her. S-surely there aren''t a-any ghosts a-around? "Pssssssssssssssssssssst¡­ Nana!" Ingrid stiffened when she heard the eerie whisper once again. It seems that she could no longer rule it out as the wind since the whisper seemed to have called out something. Although still not believing it to be a ghost, she didn''t want to take any chances and so she decided to pick up her pace. Avoiding looking behind her, Ingrid scanned the area for any sort of place that was bright enough for her to feel safe. After a few seconds of desperate searching, she finally saw a perfect spot. It was a small open space that held a small little fountain. The fountain looked as though it was shining due to the moonlight that was reflected in its water. Ingrid hurriedly made her way to it, doubling her pace. But before she could leave the darkness of the corridors, a hand suddenly shot out and grabbed her. With alarm bells ringing in her brain, Ingrid''s adventurer instincts came out and she instantly counter-attacked the person''s grab by twisting to the side the hand that grabbed her. Unknowingly using all her strength, her hand tightened as she glared at the person that was hidden in the dark. The person yelped in surprise but he quickly maneuvered his arm free from her tightening grasp. "Ow. That shocked me, little idiot!" The man cried out as he stretched out his arm and rubbed the part when she grabbed. Hearing the husky voice, Ingrid knew immediately that the perpetrator was a man. And while ignoring the hammering of her heart from the shock, she went into her fighting stance as she spoke evenly and sternly, hoping it would sound intimidating. "Who are you?" The man looked at Ingrid with a dumbfounded expression as he scratched his head. "I haven''t seen you for days and you actually forget how my voice sounds like? Words can''t describe how hurt I feel right now, Nana!" He whispered as he slowly inched his way towards her. Ingrid squinted her eyes to get a good look at him but the darkness of the night proved it to be difficult. "Show yourself! Don''t hide by the shadows or else I''ll assume you''re hostile." The man slowly sidestepped to let a little bit of moonlight illuminate his face before chuckling lightly. "Me? Hostile? When was I ever hostile with you? Well, don''t count the first day we met..." Ingrid narrowed her eyes as she slowly made her way towards the open field while still facing the man before her. She knew, from her maneuver earlier, that he was a strong man and if she were to fight him head-on, he''d most likely win. And so, she figured to stay at a place she deemed safe to calm her nerves so that she could think well if ever they end up fighting. Still, his words just continued to confuse her. "Why do you act as if you know me? I have no idea who you are!" The man furrowed his brows as he also slowly walked towards the open field. "Okay, I''m really confused right now. Is this some kind of game? Is that it?" Ingrid didn''t know how to reply to that so she simply kept quiet as she continued to observe the man. "Okay, are you sure you haven''t lost your mind, little idiot?" Ingrid clenched her jaw as she spat out. "I''m not an idiot! Answer me, who are you?! And why did you grab me?" The man sighed as he decided to just humor her with answers. "Okay, okay fine. Guess I''ll play along with this stupid game." He muttered under his breath as he began to speak monotonously. "Hello. My name is Rhys. I sneaked in here because I was curious why a dear friend of mine stopped visiting me. And now that said dear friend seemed to have forgotten that handsome friend of hers. Behold the tragedy called my life." Rhys faked out a sniffle as he batted his eyelashes at Ingrid. Seeing the weird responses he gave, Ingrid cautiously took a step back. Perhaps this man was crazy? Did he just say he sneaked in here? How come a lunatic was able to enter this place? Rhy looked at Ingrid''s strange actions and he couldn''t help but furrow his brows. "But seriously, what happened to you, Nana? You just suddenly stopped visiting without any warning and whenever I asked Raghnall about it, that brat just lashes out on me. And then now, I find you here clad in armor, looking like you''re about to hunt some animal here in the Academy." He began to make his way towards her as he looked at her with both confusion and concern in his eyes. But before he could take another step, he saw her stiffen as she readied herself to strike. With his instincts as a fighter, he knew that taking a step further meant starting a fight. And so, although he was greatly confused, he decided to take a step back instead. Then, he looked at Ingrid with observing eyes as he tried to make sense of the strangeness of the situation. Perhaps he made a mistake? Maybe this wasn''t Nana but someone that looks identical? Chapter 258 - Sneaking Out (3) Rhys squinted as he tried to get a good look at Ingrid''s face and stature. Trying to test out his suspicions, Rhys began to talk about the times he spent with Nana, trying to see if all this was just a sick game or not. "You really don''t remember me, Nana? Cmoooon¡­ you promised to be my friend, remember? Don''t you recall visiting me? Sparring with me? You don''t remember farting in the middle of our lunch because you ate too much? You don''t remember eating that ''dessert'' which turned out to be just table decorations? You don''t remember--" Ingrid gritted her teeth as she cut him off. "I DON''T! Now tell me, why did you grab me?!" Rhys was starting to feel irritated at all these mind games. And he failed to hide his irritation on his face. "Seriously, what''s going on with you, Nana? Are you okay or did you finally snap?" He was about to grab Ingrid again, wanting to check if she hit her head or something. But before he could grab her, Ingrid dodged and suddenly dashed away. Rhys looked at her back with a dumbfounded expression as he tried to wrap his mind on what was happening. Did he mistake someone for Nana, after all? He had the urge to chase after her, but before he could take a step, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him. Afraid of being caught sneaking in the Magic department, he slowly retreated back to the shadows. Then, just as he was about to leave, he suddenly saw a familiar face that passed him by. That familiar face held a thunderous expression while staggering towards the direction where Ingrid went. Rhys furrowed his brows while he observed but when the familiar face suddenly stopped, he panicked. This is bad! If he gets caught by that person¡­ He cursed under his breath as he hurriedly tiptoed away from the place. It was probably a sign for him to stop and go back. The only reason he snuck out was to check up on Nana and Raghnall. He already checked the Lily dorms and met Raghnall there. And much to his disappointment, he knew from Raghnall''s annoyed face that Nana wasn''t there so he was en route to the training area hoping to find her there instead. But to think he''d meet a doppelganger on the way¡­ He recalled Ingrid''s stoic and cautious face that held a calculating gaze. It reminded him of a small cornered beast, trying to bare its fangs despite knowing that it wasn''t strong enough against its opponent. Nana never ever looked at him that way so it was quite a shock for him. She never looked at him with so much wariness and fear and it didn''t settle well with him. Truthfully, he missed that pure gaze she always sent his way as she listened to his stories. The innocent smiles she always gave as they talked and talked about the most ridiculous things together while they ate. He missed those moments where every time he had an idea, no matter how ridiculous, she''d always be more eager to try it out. And that whenever he wanted to mess with Raghnall, she''d always be up for the task. She was so different from all the people he''d met before. She never had any expectations pushed on him. She never had any motives in approaching him. She was supportive of him, of whatever he chose to do, not because she had to be but because she just wanted to be. But once his ideas go too far, she''d be the first to smack him, the first one to fearlessly scold him, to tell him no, and to make him rethink his choices. And she was also the first to steal a thick slab of steak from his plate. Rhys chuckled lightly at the memory. She wasn''t there to gain favor, to gain knowledge, to gain anything. She was just there because she wanted to be there with him, talking and eating. "Heavens¡­" He hissed out as he rested his hand on his chest. Feeling his heart thumping loudly against his palm, he muttered to himself. "That little idiot, just where did she go¡­" Meanwhile, Ingrid began to slowly stop her running when she finally noticed that the man didn''t give chase. Adjusting the cloth between her legs, she checked for any form of leakage. She had to admit, she never tried running while having her bleeding but for some reason, the usual pain by her abdomen somehow eased a tiny bit. This made her sigh in relief. But her sigh was cut short when she realized that she had no idea how to get back. She just ran blindly, making sure the man wouldn''t be able to follow her, that she failed to remember where she made twists and turns. Then, she had an idea. Hoping it would work, she began to sniff the air in hopes that she could trace the scent of her blood infused with magical particles. But, the strong scent of dew and the rain interfered greatly with her senses, making it hard for her to smell anything else. She cursed under her breath as she looked around. She didn''t know where she was but thankfully, it still looked like she was still in the direct premises of the academy building. After all, she could still see the tall towering stature of the castle-like building. And so, hoping she could somehow find her way, she convinced herself to walk around. After all, it would be like hitting two wings with one arrow. If she''d walk around, she''d be able to find her way plus, she''d also be able to observe the different parts of the academy. And with that in mind, she began to slowly walk despite the dim surroundings. Then, under the darkness, she suddenly saw a faint bright orb of light by the distance. Squinting hard, she tried to figure out what it was as she made her way towards it. Then the orb seemed to sway as if it was beckoning her and whenever she got to a certain distance, the orb seemed to move away from her. Somehow it piqued her curiosity and thus, it slowly became a short game of her chasing after the orb. Chapter 259 - The Incident By The Pavillion (1) After a few moments, she saw the orb of light slowly making its way towards a corner. Afraid she might lose it, Ingrid hurriedly tried to run after it. But she immediately stopped in her tracks, slightly shocked by what she saw. There were roses. But not just a single rose, but a small enclosed field filled with them. The sea of roses filled the whole place as the walls of the academy towers among them as though the walls were protecting the beauty of the roses from ill-seekers. As the roses'' magical particles flew around elegantly, their petals glistened under the bright moonlight from the caught raindrops. It made the place looked utterly ethereal. Walking closer towards it, she noticed that in the middle of such beauty was a pebbled pathway that led to a small white pavilion. The pavilion looked greatly enchanting as well, truly fitting in with the beauty of the roses as their vines curled on its structure as though it was part of their own body. Enjoying such a magnificent and rare sight, Ingrid breathed in the sweet smell of the roses. Then, she continued to walk towards the pavilion all the while basking in the scenery. She''d never seen such a beautiful place. All the places she''s been to were either battlefields, forests, dungeons, marketplaces and the like. There''s never been a place like this¡­ a place that seemed to have been heavily cared for. It looked like a place where someone spent a great time maintaining. It felt like someone poured out his love and soul into making this place the beauty it was today. In fact, just being there made her feel as loved, welcomed, and appreciated as the blooming roses around her. And soon, she unknowingly began to smile and fully calm down. She even almost forgot her encounter with that strange man and that bright orb. Well, until she saw that familiar orb of light once again. It was now hovering over one of the roses blooming by the pavilion''s pillar. Now with curiosity filling her up, she hurriedly made her way towards it. She was mostly curious about what it was that made it so bright and what was behind the bright halo around it as well. And so she squinted her eyes to look closer and she saw a faint outline of a butterfly''s wings behind the bright light. Then, as if the butterfly noticed her looking, it seemed to have dulled down its light as it fluttered towards her. With the light now not as bright as it once was, she was finally able to see the clear form of the butterfly. And well, she was mesmerized by its beauty. It was light blue in color with black lines on its wings and seemed to be shrouded with a thin sheet of pale blue light. Whenever it moved, small glittering lights would sprinkle downwards making the butterfly look as pretty as the roses around them. "Well, aren''t you a pretty little thing¡­" Ingrid mumbled as she observed it heavily. She''d never seen such a strange-looking butterfly. Then suddenly, as its halo of light decreased into a dim blue light, it suddenly increased in size and became as big as her palm while it lost its black lines. It¡­ transformed? Now, it looked just like a normal but still considered rare, magical butterfly. With both eyebrows raised, Ingrid somehow felt that the butterfly was familiar. Then, when it speedily fluttered away from her, she finally knew why. Her room! That butterfly was the one who kept banging on her window, wasn''t it? Ingrid suddenly broke into a laugh as she entered the white pavilion. She must be crazy. Claiming that all butterflies were the same... There''s no way that was the same one. She chuckled at herself as she found a long cushioned chair to lounge in. The whole inside of the pavilion was shrouded in darkness and since she didn''t know any illumination spell, she made herself content with the measly light coming from the moon. She made herself at home as she slowly breathed in and out. She felt sleepy and the minute pinpricks of pain from her bleeding only contributed more to her urge to sleep. And so, planning to take just a quick short nap, she slowly closed her eyes. But it seemed like her mind had a different plan. ''Are you sure you haven''t lost your mind, little idiot?'' Those words echoed in her mind as she recalled that weird man she met earlier. ''I haven''t seen you for days and you actually forget how my voice sounds like? Words can''t describe how hurt I feel right now, Nana!'' What did he mean? He acted as though they knew each other. She wasn''t able to get a real clear look at his face but she was sure, from its outline, that she never met such a handsome young man. In fact, she was never even acquainted with any Molians. She lived in Edseria most of her life so it wouldn''t make sense for her to know someone here. But he seemed so sure¡­ He even talked about the times they ''supposedly'' hung out? She furrowed her brows as she recalled. Apparently she.. promised to be his friend? And she visited and sparred with him? And apparently, she farted in the middle of lunch together with him because she ate too much??? And that she ate table decorations? She had no recollection of ever doing those things at all! The farting she''d probably understand but eating table decorations? She never even tried such luxury of eating lunch with table decorations much less have the chance to eat one! Now that she recalled it, she remembered Solomon acting weird too along with those two strange men as well! They acted as though they knew her for years! One of them even hugged her with no regard for proper social etiquette! Then, as if her mind was finally able to relax and work well, she began to recall words that she once failed to notice due to her cautiousness. ''You have been under my care for more than a year and you say that you''ve never met me?'' Solomon''s voice began to fill her mind as she began to vividly recall their first encounter. ''¡­don''t you remember? You wanted to study at Eldora Academy. We''re at my private manor that''s adjacent to the academy''s administrative office building because you had a sort of attack that seemed to have rattled both your body, mind, and soul.'' Then, she recalled that handsome man that suddenly tackled her into a tight hug and his voice suddenly started to echo in her head. ''Inna?'' ''Wha--what do you mean she''s not her?! Look at her! She''s obviously Inna!'' Ingrid clenched her head as she grew more and more confused. Just what exactly was going on?! Chapter 260 - Working on Something Hey everyone! The missed chapters will be updated slowly within today or tomorrow :) It''s because I''ve been editing my second novel and I needed to do some organizing in the plot as well! Don''t worry, I''ll finish it up soon! Thank you for your patience. Chapter 261 - The Incident By The Pavilion (3) Making a mental note to that, Raghnall couldn''t help but release a small smile. "Sorry, I don''t think we''ve ever had the chance to get to know each other? Things were too hectic when we first met and I apologize for that¡­ inappropriate behavior. I mistook you for someone else." Raghnall smiled apologetically at her, but Ingrid could see the sadness hidden behind his smile. But she didn''t comment on it since it wasn''t any of her business. "So, I hope you''d forget that little incident and we could start over. My name is Raghnall and I''m¡­ a student in this Academy." Ingrid smiled lightly as she introduced herself as well. "I''m Ingrid. And yes, I have heard that I had the same name as this ever-so-popular, ''Inna.'' Speaking of which, do we really look alike?" Raghnall gulped lightly as he gave her a strained smile. "Near identical. Despite being with her for more than a year, I still couldn''t differentiate you from her unless you started talking." Ingrid raised an eyebrow curiously. "Unless I started talking?" Raghnall nodded as his strained smile turned into a melancholic one. "Yeah. Her words are very unique. And well, she''s quite¡­ direct and barbaric? No¡­ maybe animalistic? Actually, I''m not sure how to describe her but once you know her, you''ll just... know it''s her." Raghnall chuckled as he looked over at the roses again with a mysterious emotion flitting in his eyes. Ingrid tried to process what he just said but she couldn''t help but comment on its strangeness. "I don''t think I''m happy to be mistaken as such a person. After all, one described her as abusive with another described her as animalistic¡­ I don''t know how to feel. Should I be offended?" Hearing her genuine confusion, Raghnall broke into light laughter at her statement. "No, no. That was mean of me. Let''s just say that she''s a very straightforward and kind person that''s just true to herself and to her desires. She''s honest, understanding, caring, and considerate. She doesn''t let what other people say get to her and she''s the type of person that couldn''t feel shame in any part of her body. Well, I''d say she lives her life without worries but after knowing more about her a few days ago, I realized that she''s someone with a lot more worries than a normal person could ever hope to handle. She''s good at hiding her emotions, so much so that even she doesn''t probably realize what she''s feeling. Also, she''s the type of person with barely any manners at all so she doesn''t recognize boundaries well. But that just makes her more endearing, entertaining, and interesting." Raghnall smiled as he recalled their memories together. Their first comical encounter, the first day of her classes, the exams, the training, their bickering, and their inside jokes¡­ Hell, it''s only been a few days but it felt like he hasn''t seen her for years. Could she even come back? Now that her other self was living as though everything was just normal, it didn''t seem like she''ll ever come back. Raghnall sighed as he told himself to stop his negative thinking. Nothing good would ever come out from his negative thoughts. Hearing Raghnall''s tone as he talked fondly about her, she couldn''t help but release a small smile. It seemed like that ''Inna'' girl was really loved by them. Ingrid couldn''t help but feel a tinge of jealousy as she sighed. That ''Inna'' girl sure was lucky, to have people treasure her existence this much. Meanwhile, her own family was out to get rid of her. Ingrid smiled bitterly at the thought. Then she suddenly felt a stabbing pain by her abdomen that made her suddenly hunch over. She groaned in pain as she squeaked out. "I''m sorry if it might seem inappropriate but do you mind leaving? I''d leave if I can but¡­ I can''t and I''m not sure if its safe for you to stay with me longer than you already had." Raghnall furrowed his brows as he looked at her pained expression. Flashbacks of the day where Inna writhed in pain suddenly bombarded his mind and he felt himself suddenly panic. He instinctively casted his healing spell as assurance as he hurriedly asked her. "What''s wrong?! Are you okay?!" Raghnall hurriedly tried to make her way to him but Ingrid simply raised her hand to stop him. "No, no. I''m¡­ alright. It''s¡­ I have my bleeding. Blood Week." She panted as she tried to recover from the sudden pain. It started to ease when Raghnall finished his healing spell but then, another series of piercing pain made her hunch over once again. The armor she had on her made loud noises as they collided because of her sudden harsh movements. It was by far the most painful attack she had that it even made her vision blurry. The loud sounds of her armor made Raghnall snap out of his panic. And after listening to her reasoning, he finally calmed down. "It''s okay. My body''s constitution allows me to be immune to that annoying side effects of the Blood Week. That''s because my body absorbs those magical particles you scatter into the air like it''s a snack so instead of making me go into a wrathful or lustful frenzy, it just helps replenish my mana by a small margin. But you seem like you''re in a lot of pain¡­ Should I continue the healing spells? Or would it be better to cast a pain nullification spell?" Ingrid blinked furiously as she hissed out. "Pain¡­ nullification. The healing spell¡­ makes it worse¡­ Because it tries to stop¡­ it... Making it clog¡­" Raghnall understood what she meant and he immediately casted his best Pain Nullification spell. In just a few seconds after completing the spell, he heard Ingrid''s groan of relief as she finally slumped back to the chair. "Thank you for that. I get those terrible attacks of pain all the time and since I''m not good with all this magic stuff, I usually just endure it." Ingrid gasped out as she tried to calm herself. Then, when she finally recovered, she sat up straight on her seat. When she did so, she felt the sudden gush of liquid between her legs that made her stiffen. Chapter 262 - The Incident By The Pavilion (4) Sniffing, her nose was bombarded by the strong smell of blood and she sat frozen in her seat when she realized that the blood had most probably leaked out. The cloth¡­ it must''ve already been full! Ingrid cursed under her breath as she avoided moving in her seat. Blushing from embarrassment, she looked at Raghnall with a strained expression as she stuttered. "I¡­ uh... I-i know this is.. i-inappropriate but¡­ can y-you do me a favor?" Raghnall raised an eyebrow at her sudden change in demeanor. "What favor?" Normally, Ingrid didn''t want to rely on anyone for anything, especially a stranger at that. But knowing she had no choice, she decided to just swallow her embarrassment. "My bleeding cloth. It''s¡­ full. Can you help me get one from the manor? I... I know it''s strange to ask a stranger, much more a man, for this but as you can see, if I move any more than necessary, I might leak. And besides, you''ve been to the manor yourself, right? It would be easy for you to know where my room was since you barged in it on the day I woke up." A look of understanding finally dawned on Raghnall''s face when he saw her rigid posture. He was never close enough to any woman to know about their Blood Week. So, seeing Ingrid, he never realized until now that it was such a burdensome thing for them. It also made him wonder if Inna would ever rely on him during those burdensome days¡­ "Do you need anything else aside from the cloth? Water perhaps? Or clean clothes?" He asked as he readied himself to teleport. Although he felt pretty drained from setting up the barriers, he figured he could spare two teleportation spells before going back to his dorm to rest. It was the least he could do for acting inappropriately in front of Ingrid. Ingrid thought about his question and she replied to him meekly. "Just a towel soaked in warm water. I''d need it to get the blood out of this chair. After cleaning, I''d probably return back to the manor." Raghnall raised an eyebrow as he expressed an idea that popped in his mind. "Why don''t I just teleport you back to the manor and I''ll be the one to clean up instead?" Ingrid turned red as she vehemently refused. "No, no, no. It''s quite embarrassing for you to clean up after my blood. That''s¡­ also very inappropriate as well. We have no relationship whatsoever and to let an unmarried man clean up the blood of an unmarried woman¡­ that''s just¡­" Ingrid trailed off as she was at a loss of words on how to let Raghnall understand. But luckily, she didn''t need to say more since Raghnall seemed to have gotten her point. "I see. Okay, I''ll be getting the cloth and some warm wet towel then. But¡­ it might be insensitive of me to ask this but, where would you be changing your cloth?" Ingrid thought she couldn''t go any redder but she was proven wrong when her face went up in flames. Her whole head became a huge tomato as she struggled to get a word out. "I¡­ uhhh¡­ uhm¡­ I was gonna¡­ ask you to uhm¡­ leave for a while? Or maybe turn around or something¡­ And to¡­ nullify this illumination spell¡­ so that I¡­ wouldn''t be¡­ seen." Ingrid''s voice ended with just a mere whisper as she shrunk back to her seat in shame. Raghnall somehow couldn''t help but find her reaction cute when he noticed her redness. It was as if Inna was being embarrassed in front of him. And he had to admit that it was a rare sight since Inna was rarely embarrassed in his presence. Chuckling, Raghnall nodded as he made his way outside the pavilion. Then, after casting the teleportation spell, Raghnall politely excused himself before disappearing in thin air. Ingrid was now left alone and she finally was able to fully relax. She carefully slumped by the chair as she began to patiently wait for Raghnall''s return. Then, she realized something that made her suddenly curse at herself. She forgot to tell him where the cloth was! She was only able to vaguely point out that it was in her room because of her embarrassment. Groaning in annoyance, she prayed in her heart that he''d be able to find the cloth fast despite the lack of directions. Because she felt that at any minute now, if she so much as shift in her position, the red liquid would gush out like a waterfall and taint the pavilion in red. Enduring the urge to sneeze, cough, and move, Ingrid looked like a statue as she willed herself to stay still. And she nearly leaked when the illumination spell Raghnall casted suddenly gave out. She had been waiting for quite a long stretch of time and she could slightly understand why. Her room was a big mess and to find an enhanced cloth in the middle of it all was probably one of the hardest things to do. And since she stayed there ever since her Blood Week started, the room must''ve been filled to the brim with magic particles that would hinder anyone''s senses. And so, he''d have to search for the cloth without using his magical senses. Ingrid tried to distract herself from the temptations of moving by trying to think of random things. And while Ingrid was lost in her thoughts, someone hidden by the shadows smiled in glee. The person never thought that they''d be able to see Inna in such a protected place. The person never even though the place existed if they didn''t end up tailing after her! Smiling from ear to ear, the person tightly clutched the item by their hand. They have never seen Inna alone ever since! It was by far the best time to strike¡­ But the person willed their emotions to calm down as they slowly stalked towards her. Hiding behind the shadows of the pavilion, the person slowly maneuvered their way to lessen the distance between them and Inna. And just as when the person was at the perfect distance, they began to chant. Chapter 263 - The Incident By The Pavilion (5) Alana tried to hold her smirk of victory that began to form in her mouth. She was casting a long spell and she didn''t want to mess it all up just because of a single smirk. But then, who could blame her? The hardships she endured for the past few days were finally being rewarded! Tightening her hold on her necklace that consisted of a very valuable lone curse, she tried to calm her boiling excitement. But then, it resulted in her hand trembling instead. Finally! Finally! After all those days of waiting! Of searching for her! She finally found her! That wrench suddenly disappeared these past few days and it was just in time when her Blood week ended too. Hell, she really couldn''t believe that even after turning the whole academy inside out, she wasn''t able to catch so much as Inna''s shadow! She originally wanted to trap her, torture her, embarrass her, and scare her away so that she''d never even think of returning to the academy but all her preparations were ruined because that idiotic barbarian didn''t even show up! Just thinking about all the money and connections she used for such a small thing was enough to make her blood boil in anger! Now, she only had this one spell left that will most likely expire the next day... Well, at first, she was close to giving up. If she weren''t showing up any time today, her back up plan was to just simply destroy her on the day of the tournament. But to think she''d be able to get a glimpse of Inna running when she was on the way to the training grounds to practice... Now that she finally found her, all the annoyance she felt before soon turned into excitement. Thank the heavens that she knew a speed-enhancing spell that made her able to catch up to that barbaric demon. How can she even run so fast with all those armors?! She almost lost her at one point but fortunately, Inna began to slow down. Since then, she''s been slowly trailing her until they both arrived at the beautiful rose garden. She never expected that there was such a beautiful place around the Rose dorms. But her appreciation was cut short when she felt a distortion of magic particles around the area. And much to her surprise, Raghnall soon teleported his way inside. Thankfully, she was able to enter the area and hide before Raghnall remade the barriers. Speaking of Raghnall, Alana looked around to make sure Raghnall was still nowhere in sight. It was a rare occurrence for Raghnall to be separated from Inna and so she knew that it was the right time to strike. Well, Inna was alone when she entered the area but she somehow had a gut feeling that she shouldn''t draw closer to her yet. Good thing she listened to her intuition and didn''t attack her earlier when they entered. If she did, Raghnall would''ve seen her and everything would have been ruined. And so, instead of attacking, she simply casted a spell that would mask her magical particles. Seeing that Raghnall never looked her way while he talked with Inna, she knew that he still didn''t notice her presence and that she still had a chance to strike. And lucky for her, he left her alone for the second time, giving Alana the best possible chance! In fact, it was like the world was practically telling Alana to get rid of Inna! Now, there were just five more lines of the spell and she''d soon grant that mission the world entrusted her with! But just as she was finishing the last line of her spell, there was a sudden fluctuation of magic particles in the middle of Inna and Alana. And when the magic particles soon formed the figure of Raghnall, Alana''s heart shook with hesitation. She widened her eyes in fear as she frantically tried to think straight. If Raghnall were to notice the signature of the magic particles in that spell, she''d surely be in trouble! But if she were to stop now, there might never be the chance as good as this to get rid of that idiot¡­ She trembled in panic while she tried to hide behind one of the pillars of the pavilion. Well, if it meant destroying that woman who has stolen the man of her dreams, then she''ll take whatever punishment they''ll give her! With her decision set in stone, she continued to cast the last few phrases of the curse. And so, now that the curse was near completion, it began to slowly activate as black magic particles began to ooze out from Alana''s necklace. Then, it morphed into one with the shadows as it began to behave like vines. They slowly slithered towards the sleeping form of Ingrid. But Raghnall finally finished his teleportation and in a blink of an eye, he appeared at the entrance of the pavilion. Feeling something was terribly wrong, he looked at the direction of Ingrid and despite the darkness, he was able to see the black magic particles that began to creep around her sleeping form. Wasting no time, he hurriedly tried to warn Ingrid as he ran towards her. But by then, Alana was already finished with the spell and so when the black vines were about to strike Ingrid, Raghnall had no choice but to jump in front of her to take the blow instead. The black vines forcefully struck his chest as it instantly slithered around him as though it was trapping its prey. They wrapped around him tightly that it made him unable to move, making him land on the floor with a huge thud. Then, the black vines soon seeped into Raghnall''s skin, tainting his veins black as he screamed in pure agony. Seeing the disaster, Alana wanted to scream in despair as she battled the urge to try and heal Raghnall. She was torn between staying and escaping but deep inside, she knew better than to stay longer after what she had just mistakenly done. And so, despite the sadness in her heart, she hurriedly tried to escape while holding back the sobs that began to form by the back of her throat. Oh heavens... S-she¡­ she never meant for this to happen! Meanwhile, Ingrid woke up from a loud thundering sound of someone screaming by her side. And when she opened her eyes, she was shocked to see Raghnall on the floor convulsing as dark lines began to cover his whole body. Seeing his eyes turn unfocused and his expression filled with pain, she felt panic rise up her heart. She had no idea what to do! She''s no healer! She doesn''t even have any kind of medicine with her! Heavens, s-she even had no way to know what was wrong with him! Still, she tried her best to figure things out despite her mind going near crazy with panic. She no longer cared about her blood nor her bleeding as she tried her best to lay Raghnall flat on the ground. But Raghnall suddenly started to convulse. His body turned into multiple shades paler as he began to throw up blood. With the smell of his blood now bombarding her senses, it spiked up fear and panic in Ingrid''s heart. Oh dear heavens, was he going to die?! Feeling overwhelmed from the immense panic and fear she felt, she began to feel her chest becoming tight and heavy. Tiny blotches of white began to fill her vision then, a few seconds later, she fell limp on top of Raghnall''s body as their visions both darkened into nothingness. Chapter 264 - Break Will be taking a break of writing today and tomorrow. Sorry since it''s Holy Week, I''d like to dedicate the whole day to praying for our world''s safety as well as my own health. Sorry for the inconvenience and I do hope you all understand :) (p.s. I''ll pray for Raghnall''s health too while I''m at it ) Chapter 265 - Three Updates For the Next Day Sorry, I''ve been having trouble with the internet connection lately and somehow the chapters I write disappear because of some conflict in the software and the connection and such and I''m really really pissed that can''t do anything about it for now. I''ve been trying to rewrite but it just kept crashing and deleting the chapter or progress I had. Tomorrow, I''ll be moving to a different writing platform to write my drafts instead so hopefully I can write up 3 chapters for the next day to make up the two missing chapters. Chapter 266 - The Curse (3) "So, where''s Ragh--" Inna suddenly heard a cough by her side and she looked to her side to suddenly see Solomon there. He looked absolutely horrifying that seeing him made Inna flinch in fright. It even looked like Death was behind him, waiting for him to keel over any time soon. In fact, Solomon looked like Ulima not sleeping for a week after doing god knows what. He had the same dark circles around his eyes and his skin looked dull and clammy. He didn''t have his usual mirth, instead, his eyes looked as though they were drained with life as a shadowy cast began to loom over his face. His cheeks were sunken in and he looked like double his age now. He appeared absolutely exhausted and his movements looked unmotivated as he made his way towards her. Inna was greatly surprised by Solomon''s strange behavior that she couldn''t help but instinctively look at Granny Zai. Her gaze held multiple questions but Granny Zai just sighed in reply. "Let''s¡­ start." Solomon''s voice was almost just a mere whisper as he softly grabbed the bowl by her bedside table. Inna was immensely unnerved by him that she couldn''t help but start at him with a weird expression. It felt unnatural for him not to scold her because he always does it every time they so much as lock eyes. Their norm was always him finding ways to bully her and her always finding ways to bully him back. That was their balance, their homeostasis, their¡­ connection. But now, it was like the man in front of her wasn''t Solomon. Instead, it felt like she was looking at a ghost of a man, a man who lost meaning in his life. "What happened?" Inna unconsciously asked as she looked at Solomon with a worried gaze. Solomon looked at Inna''s eyes, and after a second, he spoke softly. "Right now, are you Inna? Or Ingrid?" Instinctively furrowing her brows, Inna found the question strange but she still answered despite the confusion she felt. "I¡­ I''m both? I''m Ingrid but I prefer for people to call me Inna¡­?" Her answer sounded more like a question at the end as she looked at Solomon with a confused expression. Solomon stared back at her clear green eyes which were filled with evident worry and he sighed heavily. "I see... Sorry, I''m not feeling quite well. But don''t worry, it''s¡­ nothing. Just¡­ I''m going to help you replenish your magical energy, okay? So, just stay still, close your eyes, and try to get comfortable." Inna was about to pry into it more seeing that it wasn''t just ''nothing'' but when saw Granny Zai shaking her head, she decided to keep her mouth shut instead. Following Solomon''s instructions, she slowly relaxed into her bed as she closed her eyes. In a few seconds, she could hear Solomon starting to chant as warmth enveloped her body. She could feel her body absorbing the warmth as it flowed inside of her from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. She could feel her muscles humming with energy and her bones felt strengthened and reinforced. She no longer felt that heavy feeling before and instead, she felt as though she was floating. Then, after a moment, she felt the warmth disappear but that same energized and floaty feeling remained as she slowly opened her eyes. Knowing that she can finally move, she immediately jumped out of bed and briefly stretched. "That feels so good! It feels like I just got a full service from a spa!" Inna giggled as she energetically moved around. She never felt so alive after that. It was like, she was purified from all the burdens she had in the world. But her energetic didn''t last long when she realized that Solomon was just staring at her with a smile that didn''t seem to reach his eyes. Because of his depressing mood, her own mood had dampened as well. And so, sitting back on her bed, she looked at Solomon with a serious gaze as she asked him. "C''mon tell me. What''s wrong? Tell your little disciple here!" Solomon sighed as he rubbed his face with his hands roughly. "What was the last thing you remember?" Hearing his familiar question, Inna furrowed her brows as she looked at Granny Zai and Solomon interchangeably. "Uhhhh¡­ Granny just asked me that earlier¡­ But I''ll just answer anyways¡­ Got drunk, passed out. That''s it." Solomon furrowed his brows. "You don''t remember waking up here?" Inna gave him a playful look as she replied. "Of course, I do. I remember that it happened minutes ago." Solomon''s eyes playfully narrowed at her witty reply. But it still held that hint of soullessness that made Inna''s expression turn into worry. "Ha, ha. Very smart, brat." Then Solomon sighed as he gestured for Granny Zai to leave. Granny Zai understood what he meant and she promptly left after a quick bow. Then, when he sensed that she was no longer on hearing distance, Solomon looked at Inna with a serious gaze. "I''ll be frank with what happened here for the past few days. I think you have the right to know, after all. And I believe you alone can answer the questions it brought up." Inna gazed at him with confusion as she tried to figure out where the conversation was heading. "What do you mean by ''what happened in the past few days''? Didn''t I pass out for just a few hours?" Solomon looked at her with a troubled expression while he tried to organize his thoughts. Right now, his mind was a chaotic mess and he had trouble finding the right words to explain properly what the situation was about. And so, he decided to sit at the far end of the bed, a distance beside Inna to try and collect himself. Then, after rubbing his palms on his face and doing a fee calming breaths, he began to fill her in on the happenings that she missed. Chapter 267 - The Other Soul (4) But Solomon had no idea about what happened on the rose garden and so, he could only tell Inna the events up until before Ingrid left her room. He couldn''t ask about what happened as well because both of them were incapable of recalling much less explaining. And so, he decided to omit it until he could get details from either of the two involved. Inna listened attentively while placing her hand on her chest, feeling the beating of her heart reverberate from her palms. She didn''t know why she made the gesture but she probably just wanted to confirm that it was her. That, right now, the one moving, thinking, feeling, living¡­ That''s her and no one else.¡­ When Solomon finished, he sighed as he looked at her with a gaze filled with questions. "You do believe me, right? With the whole Ingrid incident, at first, I inferred that it must be a ''two souls'' theory, but after meeting with Ingrid and getting to know her bit by bit¡­ I''m not so sure anymore if the duality within you was stemming from the soul or from the mind instead¡­" Inna contemplated what she should say. Would it be better to tell him that she was reincarnated and such? Or would it be better to just answer his questions without spilling too much? If she were to talk about her reincarnation and such, for sure they wouldn''t believe her. After all, even Raghnall didn''t believe her. He probably just accepted it as the ramblings of a drunk person. With a sigh, Inna made a decision. She''ll just answer whatever question she could answer. The other details like Hel Halja and such would only bring confusion and lessen the credibility in her words. After all, not everyone would believe such an absurd experience unless of course, they experience it themselves. She''d only be labeled as a madwoman if she were to talk about her experiences of dying and being in Hel Halja. So with a deep gaze, Inna looked at Solomon as she tried her best to give the right answers to his questions. "Ingrid¡­ well, I believe you and I hope you can believe me too with what I''m about to say¡­" Solomon smiled as he nodded slowly, showing that he''s willing to believe her and that he''s thankful for her trying to unwind the questions that are greatly contributing to the chaos in his mind. After coughing slightly and trying to collect her thoughts on what to say, Inna began to answer his unspoken questions. "Well, you could say that there are two souls in my body. I guess you can call the first soul as the ''Original'' soul and the second to be¡­ the ''Other'' one, yeah." Solomon interjected when he tried to piece two and two together. "So, you must be the ''Original'' and Ingrid is the ''Other'' one?" Much to Solomon''s surprise, Inna shook her head slowly. Then with a small smile, she tried her best to explain. "No¡­ uhm, I''m that ''Other'' soul and Ingrid is the ''Original'' one. I¡­ I''m not sure how to explain this but¡­ I thought Ingrid was already dead so I never even thought of the possibility of switching control¡­ The likely reason why she didn''t come out sooner was because she was fatally wounded and she needed time to heal. I¡­ After she was wounded, I awakened inside her body and I was able to use it as though it was mine. I guess she''s slowly recovering now given that she''s able to fight for control over this body." Solomon furrowed his brows as he looked at Inna. He was deep in thought, trying to process what Inna had just said. Then suddenly, he had a realization. And if his realization was true, Inna was in grave danger. "You say she was fatally wounded? But if it were just simply physical injuries, there would be no reason for her soul to get affected. Anyone can heal from fatal injures with enough spells and or medicine. Unless¡­ she was on the verge of death and her soul was starting its transition to the next life¡­ That would make her soul be incomplete. Which would make sense as to why you were able to come into reality¡­" Inna creased her forehead as she tried to follow what Solomon was saying. "What do you mean her soul is incomplete? How does that justify my soul being present?" Solomon thought long and hard before answering. "A body normally would only contain one soul. Any more than necessary would usually lead to immediate death. But there are records that show that rarely, a person would be able to live but he would attain abnormalities or deformities and wouldn''t live more than twenty years. And so, it should be impossible for your body to have both of you completely without attaining deformities or abnormalities. And you said that you ''awakened'' and I assume that was the first time you took control, right?" Solomon saw her nod and so he continued with his theory. "But there were no inborn abnormalities nor deformities in Ingrid at all. So your soul being inside her¡­ there must be a trigger towards it. And so, what I can infer is that Ingrid''s soul right now, the Original soul, is incomplete. And although most of what I''m saying is simply an educated guess, I bet that your soul was able to take control by taking advantage of its incompleteness. But I do admit that I have no idea behind the mechanism of your soul suddenly appearing in the body of Ingrid. Yet one thing I do know is that, if the soul is incomplete, it will always find ways to be complete again no matter what. Do you understand what I mean?" Solomon gazed at Ingrid with a serious expression. Feeling the atmosphere of the room suddenly turning tense, Inna couldn''t help but gulp nervously as she asked him. "No... What do you mean?" Solomon continued to look at Inna with an unwavering gaze as he replied with a grave voice. "Inna, with Ingrid''s soul desperate to be whole again, it will consume anything in order to sustain it. And that means that it will try to consume yours." Chapter 268 - The Other Soul (5) Inna''s eyes widened as she instinctively tightened her hand on her chest. Hearing his words, she unknowingly trembled as fear and anxiety wracked her brain. If¡­ if that''s true¡­ Then¡­ that means her soul was going to be eaten?! Fuck! If her soul is going to be eaten, there''s nothing going to be left of her! Absolutely nothing! She won''t just die, she''ll practically become nonexistent! No more Hel Halja! No more reincarnation! Just¡­ not existing! Inna began to uncontrollably tremble at the realization. She''ll just disappear?! In.. in thin air¡­ In just any day, there''s a chance that she''ll just be¡­ gone and never to return... Tears welled up on her eyes and they began to drop on their own despite Inna''s efforts on holding them back. Solomon was startled by her crying but deep in his mind and heart, he understood her reaction. Of course, no one would be able to keep it together if they knew they were dying. The room fell into silence, both of them incapable of saying anything to break it. In the end, they spend moments just listening to the soft sobs of Inna as she tried to wrap her head on things. It was a big bomb on her. She just felt so used to¡­ living. She thought everything was okay, that everything was starting to get back to normal. She almost even forgot she was reincarnated to a different world because of how cozy and warm she felt for the past year. She was used to the everyday training she had with Raghnall, her lunch escapades with Rhys, the scolding and nagging of Ulima, the shows May put on when she trains, and the rare visits of Solomon. She was so used to it that she began to take them for granted. But now that the thought of just disappearing one day, being simply non-existent, was enough to snap her back to reality. The reality that¡­ no, everything was not okay. The reality that she was something that shouldn''t have been there. That she was unnatural. And that it must''ve been her own karma for trying to escape death¡­ Inna finally found herself able to move as she furiously wiped the tears away. "S-sorry, I don''t know what got into m-me¡­" She spoke with a trembling voice as she covered her eyes with her palms. Solomon felt pain when he saw her looking so frightened that he soon found himself slowly wrapping his arms around her as he comforted her. "Shhhh¡­ It''s okay. I understand. Your reaction is natural, don''t worry. Anyone would react that way after knowing such a horrible thing. But rest assured, I will do everything in my power to figure things out, okay? Everything, I promise. I won''t let you disappear." Hearing his confident and reassuring tone, Inna couldn''t help but hug Solomon back as she expressed her gratitude through incomprehensible mumbles against his robe. Despite not knowing what she was saying, Solomon knew in his heart what she meant so he chuckled lightly at her gesture. Then, after a few moments, Inna calmed down enough to finally let go of Solomon. "Uh¡­ I might have left some snot in there." Solomon laughed lightly. "Yes, I can feel it." "Want me to like¡­ clean it off?" Solomon smiled as he shook his head. "No need. I will be using it as solid evidence that I was able to make you cry." Seeing the usual mirth gradually come back in Solomon''s eyes, Inna felt relief wash over her but she hid it with a playful glare. "Well, too bad. Puru puru Purus!" Solomon raised an eyebrow when he felt Inna''s magic particles start to dash towards him. Then in an instant, his robe was sparkly clean as the time he had first worn it. Laughing lightly, he shook his head at Inna as he slowly stood up. "Casting a spell on me, huh. And an original one at that. You''ve got some nerve, little brat." Inna batted her eyelash innocently at him. "Hmm? Jealous of my spell? Well, too bad because I''m not teaching it to old people!" Solomon''s mouth twitched at the taboo phrase. "Brat, I''m still forty-five. Don''t call me old!" Inna rolled her eyes at him. "Are you sure you''re counting right? You look ninety to me!" Solomon huffed in anger as he turned his back on her. "I''m not going to squabble with a little brat on this. I''m far more mature than that." Inna raised an eyebrow as a teasing smirk began to form on her face. "A real mature person wouldn''t declare they''re mature, y''know. But then again, looking at you, there''d be no doubt you''re mature. After all, your appearance is a dead giveaway, oh dear elderly!" Solomon ignored the teasing brat as he began to store back into his spatial pouch the leftover ingredients that were used for the spell he casted on Inna. "To think I used these rare plants to help this ungrateful brat." He mumbled as he carefully placed them inside. Inna laughed at his childish grumbles as she fell back on the bed. It felt like it was such a long time since she laughed and joked around¡­ She''d never thought she''d be gone for a few days and that Ingrid was the one living out those days. Truthfully, she felt bad. After all, the body was never hers, but it seemed like she was the one using it most. Meanwhile, the original owner was probably just shoved away from existence and was forced to be silenced by whatever laws the world had. Inna sighed deeply as she stared at the ceiling. Since Ingrid was alive, doesn''t that mean that she''s robbing her the right to live? The thought didn''t settle well with her but she had no idea how to separate her and Ingrid as of yet. If she did try, it might end up badly like, what if they both get damaged souls and such¡­ Inna released another sigh as she sat up. Maybe she shouldn''t think about it too much for now. There were too many questions yet so little answers. And dwelling on problems she didn''t know the answers to was not her style at all. And so, with that, she finally felt at ease as she cleared her mind from annoying thoughts. But then, something suddenly popped in her mind when she saw a small red flower petal on the floor. "By the way, where is Raghnall?" Chapter 269 - The Curse (1) Solomon stiffened after hearing the name and he ended up accidentally dropping the last ingredient. With a huff, he hastily picked it up and stored it inside his pouch. "Come. I''ll take you to him." Solomon mumbled as he made his way to the door. Inna looked at Solomon curiously. She thought that he was back to his old teasing self but looking at him now, it seemed like he reverted back to when she first saw him after waking up. He staggered slightly in his steps and she could see small tremors on his shoulder. "Are we walking?" Inna asked as she tightened the cloth belt by her waist and dusted off her blue robe. Solomon turned to look at her with a grave look before shaking his head. "I used too much of my magical energy to make that spell for you to recover. And as for my remaining magical energy, I''m constantly using it to keep all the barriers of this Academy in check. So, I don''t have enough to spare to teleport myself, much less both of us, to where he is." Inna made a sound of understanding as she hopped off the bed. Then, Solomon led the way as they exited the room and walked through the long hallways of the manor. Ever since they left the room, both of them were silent, so much so that she could even hear the sounds of the wind flowing around them. With the lack of exchange between them, questions just kept piling up in Inna''s mind and she was near her breaking point. She was never this silent for so long, not even when she was sleeping. But somehow, she just couldn''t find the right topic to talk about. She''s too afraid that it might make Solomon''s mood worse than it already was. Well, once she tried to ask about Raghnall but before the name could even leave her mouth, Solomon''s movements suddenly became quick. It was as though he didn''t want to hear it. Seeing that, she figured out that somehow, the name was a taboo for the moment. So, although Inna was about to burst from curiosity and discomfort, she endured it until they arrived at their destination. And when Solomon finally stopped his walking, Inna breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the door before them. The place was considerably somewhere very hidden. It was located at the most confusing part of the manor, with multiple twists and turns that Inna had trouble following. They even once entered a hidden passage behind the library, making her doubt if they were actually going to Raghnall. It looked like she was visiting some high-class criminals from all these hidden passageways instead. Facing the wooden door before them, she waited for Solomon to enter but after a few moments of waiting, he just stood there like a statue. "M-master? Is there something wrong? Aren''t we going in?" Hearing Inna''s questions, Solomon snapped out of his thoughts and he shook his head violently like he was trying to shake his thoughts off his mind. "Yes, yes, yes. Sorry, I was thinking about something." Then, Solomon turned around to Inna as he gave her the most serious look Inna ever saw from him. "Now, once we enter, don''t go near to Raghnall until I say so, okay? His body is still unstable so I''d rather avoid any possibility of him harming someone." Inna furrowed her brows as she looked at Solomon with confusion. "Why? What happened to him?" Solomon looked like he wanted to answer her but he stopped himself. "Just¡­ I''ll tell you when you see him. Just remember what I said." Solomon spoke as he slowly began to disable to barriers enough for them to enter the room. "He''s a very special boy with a... very special constitution." Solomon then placed his hand on the door''s golden knob before twisting it slowly. Inna couldn''t help but feel her heart thump in nervousness. She didn''t know why but the way he acted made it seem like something bad was about to happen. When the door was finally fully open, Inna failed to hold in her gasp as she tried to process what she was looking at. It felt as though the place on the side of the door was a different dimension. But before she could even recognize what she was looking at, Solomon already entered the room. Snapping out of her reverie, Inna hastily entered as well while looking at everything with shining eyes. The ''room'' they were in couldn''t even be considered a room. It was more like a portal that took them someplace else. They were in a beautiful vast field filled with all sorts of tiny flowers with varying colors. The place looked utterly ethereal and tranquil, as though no human had ever set foot in this place for years until now. The skies were clear from any clouds and the sun shone brightly yet Inna felt that the warmth enveloping around her didn''t come from the sun but instead from the flowers by her feet. Petals swirled in a peaceful dance as they were carried by the gentle wind. The smell of the cold breeze mixed in with the aromatic fragrance of the flower made Inna feel light. It was as though for every breath she took, her body relaxed more but was filled with more energy. She felt healed just simply being there. And a smile began to form on her face as she merrily made her way to Solomon. "What''s this place?! It''s so amazing!" Solomon looked at her and seeing her big round green eyes filled with the shine of a curious child, Solomon couldn''t help but smile warmly. "It''s a place of healing that I made. It''s originally hidden in a faraway location but I used Spatial magic to connect the manor to this place through that door. The theory behind it is similar to a Spatial Cube but the space inside is connected to a real area rather than an area made by magic." Solomon then crouched down as he picked up a small white flower before giving it to Inna. "Also, these flowers may look small and unnoticeable, but they are the only flowers capable of emitting large amounts of the purest form of Mana. This place was mainly cultivated by my wife, Salvia, but now that she''s gone, I''ve been the one maintaining it despite never being able to use it." Inna raised an eyebrow at the strange statement. "What do you mean by ''never being able to use it''?" Solomon stood up and dusted off his white robes. He looked over towards a distance and he then patted Inna''s head. "We should get going first. He''s just right up ahead. Let''s talk there." Inna nodded and they proceeded to walk in silence, taking in the scenery of peace and tranquility. Chapter 270 - Solomons Stories (2) By the distance, Inna could make out a rectangular shape that seemed to protrude from the ground. As they grew closer, the form of the rectangular shape began to look more and more familiar. "R-Raghnall?!" Inna gasped out as she hurriedly made her way to him. Raghnall looked like he was peacefully sleeping on top of a rectangular stone that looked to be a makeshift bed. At first glance, Inna thought he was dead because he looked too pale but as she grew closer to him, she was able to see the minute rise and fall of his chest that showed his even breaths. She was able to only walk a few meters ahead before a hand harshly grabbed her arm, making her unable to take a step further. "Inna! You can''t go near him right now!" Surprised by his angry tone, Inna looked at Solomon with wide-eyes as she tried to calm her frantic heart. "B-but¡­ b-but h-he''s¡­" Solomon fervently shook his head as he pulled her back to his side. "Look." He said as he gestured towards the area around Raghnall. Prying her eyes away from his pitiful form, Inna finally realized the situation of the plants around him. Nearly every plant at a certain radius was wilted while some were still in the process of wilting. In a few seconds, the flowers bloomed once again, and in a blink, they wilted. They continued this infinite cycle of blooming and wilting, making Inna feel like the ground before her was pulsing like a beating heart. She also noticed that Raghnall was surrounded by thin vines that protruded from the ground. It covered his whole body and was near invisible if not for the light they emit. Their glow was pulsatingly in rhythm with the cycle of life done by the flowers as though they are all in sync. "You can''t go near him. Not yet. Wait until the roses have bloomed before entering." Inna looked at him curiously as her eyes silent questioned him. Solomon already knew, just by one look from her, that he wanted her to explain everything. And so, with a sigh, he did but only the ones he felt like explaining. "The roses will signify that the place is safe to cross¡­ you''ve seen the numerous flowers that filled this place, right? Well, the vines of the roses here all attach to each flower. These flowers as I''ve said are capable of emitting large amounts of the purest form of Mana. But they cannot store this for long. The flower would soon go over its limit and thus dies immediately from mana overload. And so, to prevent that, the Rose constantly takes away the excess Mana from it just enough for it to constantly bloom. This excess Mana flows from the Rose''s vines towards its bud, and once full, they bloom. And I predict that it''ll be blooming in a few moment''s time. So, in the meantime, why don''t we sit and wait while enjoying the scenery, hm?" Solomon didn''t wait for Inna''s reply as he reached into his pouch to bring out two chairs. After setting the chairs up, he ushered her to sit before following suit. Inna had multiple questions but she didn''t know where to start asking. And so, looking at the flowers around them, she asked whatever question that popped frequently in her mind. "Your wife made all of this? She''s amazing. It must''ve taken a lot of effort, huh." For once since the time they left the room, Solomon finally showed a genuine bright smile. "Yes, she is amazing, of course. I''d expect no less from the wife of someone like me." He had his nose turned up in pride as he began to share stories without Inna''s prompting. Inna rolled her eyes but she still listened to his stories with a small smile. "Isn''t she quite a unique woman? Although born from a prestigious family, she went and chose to wed an adopted noble instead. And--" Inna''s ears perked up at his statement. "Wait, wait, wait¡­ adopted noble? Was that¡­ you? Or¡­ are you the second husband?" Solomon gave her a look. "Wha--yes, of course, it''s me! I''m my wife''s only man!" Inna looked at him in a new light as she urged him to continue. "Yes, yes, I was originally an orphan, hence I knew about those Losers because I often visit the orphanage. You remember them, right? Those adventurers that tricked you¡­ Anyways, let''s stop talking about me¡­ And let me brag about my beautiful and strong wife." Inna giggled at lightly at his apparent show of affection. She could really tell how much he loved his wife because the mere mention of her made his eyes twinkle with joy. He really doesn''t hold back when it comes to his wife. And so, Inna decided to clamp her mouth shut and let Solomon brag about her to his heart''s content. "I told you she made all this, right? She''s a great researcher. Much more than I could ever hope to be. Although she had trouble with physical activities like Combat, her magic abilities made up for it as well as her vast knowledge. Anything she found different, she would study it for no end. And she would usually write about her findings during her spare time. In fact, most of the books in the library I had back in the Sun Breeze Manor were made by her." "And truthfully, I made the academy for her. She was a great teacher. The greatest I could ever find. Any student taught by her would astronomically improve in just a few days. Back when the academy was just consisting of a small unused room in our manor, she only taught orphans. But in just a few years, these orphans began to be regarded as geniuses. Salvia''s talent for teaching began to spread throughout the lands. And those students who wanted to be geniuses began to swarm in our manor to be taught. And thus, the academy was born." Solomon closed his eyes as he smiled wistfully. "This academy¡­ It wasn''t originally an academy for the geniuses. It was an academy to develop geniuses. Salvia wanted every to realize that talent wasn''t the only thing needed in the word to create a genius. It was the determination to work hard, and easy access to knowledge. She was a great teacher through and through." "But a special blessing came into our lives, the birth of our son, and I knew that having the academy as it is wouldn''t bring in much money." Chapter 271 - Few Days Break (Sorry!) Sorry, I''ll be taking a break for a few days for now because our professors suddenly decided to give us multiple group projects (which apparently is okay because we are living ''comfortably'' in our homes) and I swear its so inhumane for them to do this but we can''t complain about since we''re just students... *sighs* the life of a student in quarantine is no joke ("-_-) Since they were mostly group projects, I''d have to adjust to my group mate''s schedules (and most likely carry them if they''re useless...) which would make me busy as hell with no time to sit back and write a chappie. And so, I am once again asking for your patience :( I''ll be focusing on my studies for the next few days (at most I''d be gone for just a week, don''t worry.) I''m really sorry about this... But as always, thank you so much for reading! Chapter 272 - Extended Break Dear god, I am so fed up with all these school work shit. Just when I thought it was over, all our professors suddenly had the idea to turn our final exams into major projects instead. Now, I''ve got about 33 things to do and I''ve only been able to finish 8 of it and I am so sick and tired of looking at textbooks. And our university is shit at handling things during these times. Heck, we can''t even complain about it since they threaten to add more tasks if they find out we''re complaining in social media. This is just ridiculous.