CHAPTER 263: CHAPTER 262- CALM BEFORE STORM

"That concludes the training," Adrian announced, his voice steady as he looked over the group of students before him—faces flushed, clothes damp with sweat, chests rising and falling after a long day.

The sun had already dipped low, its light stretching across the field. They had been at it since morning, and now, at last, it was time to rest.

Eight hours, Adrian thought, was enough for their bodies to recover. The evening belonged to them—to ease their minds and steel themselves for what awaited tomorrow.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he swept his gaze across them, his tone turning firm.

"Tomorrow will be no different from a battlefield," he began. "You will need to strategize. You will need courage. Sometimes, you might have to hide... or run. And remember—your safety comes first. Not your pride, and not your school’s name."

His eyes settled on Elana. "Until you are safe, I will be fine."

The girl flinched—those were the same word...her cheeks turned faintly red.

Adrian let out a quiet breath. "I trust you, all of you. In these weeks, I’ve seen how you think, how you make decisions, how you adapt when things change. And because of that, I can say without hesitation—you are the best students I could have asked for."

Aries shifted awkwardly at the rare praise, her cheeks faintly pink.

Brendon’s chest swelled with pride.

Altia’s eyes widened, sparkling with surprise.

Allen fought to keep his lips from curling into a smile, trying to look serious.

Confidence rippled through them—except for Elana, whose mind was already heavy with worry for tomorrow.

"Go," Adrian said at last. "Eat well and rest in your rooms. No wandering, understood?"

The students nodded, bidding him good night before walking off.

Aries noticed Elana still hadn’t moved. "I’ll wait for you in the cafeteria," she said softly.

Elana gave a brief nod before Aries followed the others.

Adrian, however, remained in place. He knew the silver-haired girl had something to say.

She approached slowly, stopping a few steps away. "You’re still not going to tell me what’s going on?"

He sighed, but before he could answer, she added, "Am I not that trustworthy?"

Adrian placed a hand on her shoulder, his gaze steady. "Do you know how much my students mean to me, Elana? How much does their safety matter?"

She stayed silent, watching him closely.

"And yet," he continued, "knowing danger is near, I’m still letting them enter this contest. That takes courage. And I can only take that risk because of one reason..."

Her lips pressed together, eyes dropping to the ground.

Adrian’s grip on her shoulder tightened slightly. "Because I know who will be leading them. I’m trusting you with them, Elana."

He gave her a faint, warm smile.

"You are my courage, Elana."

Elana’s heart gave a faint flutter at those words, and she lifted her gaze to meet his.

A quiet moment stretched between them—not awkward, but warm. It eased something tight in her chest.

"I’m sorry, Professor... for being so difficult," she said softly.

Adrian’s voice was calm, almost gentle. "I understand. I involved you, but I didn’t tell you everything. I know that must be frustrating."

She hesitated, then asked in a low voice, "Professor... you won’t be putting yourself at risk, will you?"

A small chuckle escaped him. "Elana, we live in a world where danger is always nearby. The trick is knowing when to advance... and when to retreat."

Her hand reached for his, this time with a firm grip. "Then please... focus more on retreating, Professor. I can’t lose you."

The determination blazing in her eyes caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily without words.

Just then, a voice cut through the moment. "Are you two done?"

Elana’s shoulders jerked at the sound. It was the headmistress.

Quickly, she released his hand and bowed slightly. "Good night, Sir."

Adrian gave her a small smile and a nod, watching as she hurried off—avoiding Ariana’s eyes as she passed.

The Headmistress stepped closer, her tone carrying a quiet warning. "Having an affair with a student is prohibited, Adrian. It’s not only against the rules—it’s a criminal act."

Adrian let out a slow sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "She needed emotional support, Ariana. Don’t twist it into something it isn’t. Our connection is... pure."

Ariana folded her arms, one brow arching. "For you, maybe. But that girl? I highly doubt her thoughts about you are all that pure."

He gave a small shake of his head, a sign of surrender, before steering the conversation away. "Have you eaten yet?"

Ariana’s lips curved faintly. "No. I was waiting for you. Let’s go."

The two of them began walking side by side toward the main building, the cool evening air brushing past. Their steps matched naturally, though their words stayed light—casual chatter about nothing in particular, both of them avoiding any mention of tomorrow while within earshot of others.

Inside the cafeteria, the warmth of the lights and the faint clatter of dishes surrounded them. Once seated, their meals steaming in front of them, Adrian leaned forward slightly. "You told Uncle Victor not to come tomorrow, right?"

They had both made sure to contact their families earlier. No reasons were given, only the firm insistence that the situation was dangerous and they should stay far away.

Ariana nodded, a small crease in her brow. "Yeah... now all I can do is hope he actually listens to me."

Adrian reached over, taking her hand in his. "Don’t worry. If they do come, I’ll make sure they’re the first ones I get to safety."

She nodded again, though her eyes didn’t quite lose their unease. Picking up a piece of meat with her fork, she asked, "How many of those teleportation bullets do you have now?"

A grin tugged at Adrian’s lips. "After I delivered the artifacts to Forgelet, she handed me seventy bullets. More than enough to get Uncle and Aunt out of here if I need to."

Ariana chewed slowly, thinking. Then she asked, "And how many people can one bullet transport?"

Adrian didn’t miss the direction her thoughts were going. "Ariana... each bullet can only take two people at most. And tomorrow, there’ll be over a thousand visitors."

The weight of that truth hung between them for a moment. She didn’t answer right away, her fork resting midair.

He gave her hand a firmer squeeze. "We can’t save everyone. The only way for maximum people to walk out alive is if we take care of the Acolytes first. So focus on eliminating the threat... not just on rescue."

Her jaw tightened slightly, but she gave a slow, understanding nod.

Now, it all depends on how the enemy approaches.

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.