CHAPTER 45: SHIFTING THE BLAME

The next morning.

As soon as I opened my eyes, Berno’s voice hit me like a hammer.

"What on earth happened to make you this injured? Were you attacked by monsters?"

His sharp tone made my head throb even more than my bruises did. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the morning light, and sighed. There was no escaping this interrogation.

"...I’ll explain," I muttered, rubbing my temples.

And so, with a heavy heart, I told him everything about the dungeon. From the strange basement to the golem and the explosion.

When I finished, Berno’s expression darkened.

"So you’re telling me you voluntarily went into a dungeon and got yourself injured like this?"

"...Yes."

"Why would you go to such a dangerous place?!"

He raised his voice, and I instinctively flinched.

Ah, I didn’t mean to go in, you know? I just happened to... fall through the floor. But saying that would only make things worse.

I could practically feel his anger radiating in the air like fire.

After scolding me for a solid ten minutes, Berno finally sighed, pressing his hand against his forehead.

"From now on, you’ll commute to and from the academy with me. Understand?"

"...Wait, what?"

"I’m not taking no for an answer."

Come on, I’m not a kid!

Of course, I tried to argue, but Berno only grew sterner, and in the end, I had no choice but to give up.

"Fine..." I mumbled under my breath, earning a satisfied nod from him.

Most of my wounds had healed overnight thanks to healing magic, but Berno still insisted I wrap myself in bandages "to prevent infection."

Now, I looked like a half-mummified patient walking to school.

When I arrived at the classroom, the reactions were immediate.

"Huh?! Louis, are you hurt?"

Elena’s eyes widened the moment she saw my arm wrapped in thick bandages. Her voice carried across the room, and instantly, everyone in Class C turned their attention toward me.

Exactly what I wanted to avoid.

I forced out a dry laugh. "No, well... I was just sparring a bit yesterday. Haha."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Sparring? With who?"

"...Berno."

"The knight who’s always with you?"

"Yeah, that’s the one."

Her mouth dropped open. "No matter what kind of training it was, how could he do this to you?! That’s too much!"

I could almost see steam rising from her head as she began ranting about how reckless Berno was.

"Ahaha... right..." I said weakly, sinking into my seat beside her.

Sorry, Berno. You told me to keep the dungeon a secret—so this was the best I could do.

As Elena continued to fume beside me, I quietly turned my gaze to the window, pretending to listen while wondering what kind of trouble would find me next.

"Alright, everyone, take your seats."

Professor Dominic entered the classroom just as Elena’s outrage was reaching its peak. The chatter died down almost instantly, and everyone hurried back to their seats.

"Today," he said, placing a stack of papers on his desk, "we’ll be continuing our lecture on monster classifications—specifically, the behavioral patterns of predatory species."

A low murmur spread across the room. Monsters were always an exciting topic—at least for everyone except me.

I forced myself to sit up straight, ignoring the dull ache in my side. My body still felt heavy from last night’s injuries, but the last thing I needed was to attract more attention.

"Now," Dominic continued, turning toward the board, "who can tell me the primary difference between a common beast and a monster?"

Elena’s hand shot up immediately.

"Yes, Elena?"

"Monsters possess mana cores, Professor. Beasts, on the other hand, do not. The mana core allows them to channel magic, which makes them far more dangerous than ordinary animals."

"Correct," Dominic said with a small nod. "Ten points for Elena."

Of course. Perfect answer, as always.

"Now," Dominic continued, "let’s talk about behavioral classes. There are three main types—Aggressive, Territorial, and Passive."

He began writing the terms on the board, his voice steady and clear.

"Aggressive monsters will attack anything they perceive as prey or threat. Think of ogres, goblins, or red wolves. Territorial monsters, like wyverns or manticores, won’t attack unless you enter their habitat. Passive monsters—such as slimes—usually avoid conflict altogether."

As he explained, my thoughts began to drift.

Aggressive... Territorial... Passive...

The golem I fought last night—it didn’t fit any of those categories. It didn’t attack because I was prey, or because I entered its territory. It attacked after the dungeon appeared. Almost like it had been... activated.

Was it programmed to react to intruders? Or was it something else entirely?

"Louis."

I blinked and looked up. Professor Dominic was staring directly at me.

"...Yes?"

"Good. You’re awake," he said dryly, earning a few chuckles from the class. "Tell me, which category would a mimic fall into?"

A mimic...?

I racked my brain, trying to recall what I’d read. "Uh... Territorial? Since it only attacks when someone gets close to it?"

Dominic’s eyes twinkled slightly. "Half right. Mimics are considered Aggressive-Territorial hybrids. They lure prey in by disguising themselves as objects within their territory—so, in essence, both."

"...Ah. Right." I nodded, pretending I’d known that all along.

As the lecture continued, Dominic began detailing how monster behavior could change depending on mana density in their environment. The topic was fascinating in its own right—but my mind kept circling back to the dungeon.

What if the abandoned building was reacting to mana the same way monsters did? What if the dungeon wasn’t just appearing randomly—but awakening because of something—or someone?

"Alright, class," Dominic said, closing his textbook, "for next week, I want each of you to research a monster native to the Eastern Region and submit a short report on its hunting behavior."

A chorus of groans filled the air.

Great. Homework.

When the bell rang, students began packing up, chatting about which monster they’d pick.

Elena leaned toward me. "Louis, are you okay? You seemed lost in thought again."

"Ah... yeah. Just tired, that’s all."

"You should rest more. You’ve been pushing yourself lately."

Her genuine concern made me pause for a moment.

I smiled faintly. "I’ll try."

But deep down, I knew rest wasn’t an option.