CHAPTER 281: CHAPTER 280- I NOTICED

"How can he do this?!" Ariana roared, her eyes burning with rage.

The weakness and drowsiness she had shown just moments ago were gone. She searched the crowd desperately, but he wasn’t there.

"He is not here," Ruby said, her voice low and heavy, eyes narrowed.

Elana trembled, her head snapping from side to side in frantic worry.

They had all been teleported to the academy—the only place Adrian must have thought safe. More than three hundred people now filled the campus, murmuring in confusion, still shaken from what had just happened.

"Professor?! What is the situation?" Rylie shouted, rushing toward Gilbert. His face was pale with shock and concern.

Blood trickled down Gilbert’s forehead, but his voice stayed firm. "The venue was attacked by the Acolytes. We were surrounded... and then someone teleported us here. Inform the administration at once. Tell the Tower what has happened. And clear the common hall—these people need a place to rest."

"I’ll send the nurses there as well," Rylie answered quickly. "Please, go to the hall with everyone else."

Elana fell to her knees, covering her face with her hands. Her voice broke, "Why can’t he trust us?!"

There was no doubt. Adrian had stayed behind. But in his condition... it wasn’t courage, it was suicide.

Ariana clenched her teeth, her anger and pain twisting her face. "I’m going back for him—"

"In that state? You’ll faint halfway there," Sarah snapped back.

"Don’t stop me!" Ariana warned sharply. "I’m not in the right mind to argue right now."

But then—

"Hello?! Adrian?" Ruby’s voice cut through the rising tension.

Everyone turned.

Ruby clutched the long-distance artifact in both hands, her voice trembling as she called again, "Adrian?! Please, answer me!"

Only static crackled back. Still, it was enough to remind her—the connection was alive.

Ariana snatched the artifact from her, her voice breaking. "Adrian, talk to me! I beg you... say something, anything!"

It was a rare sight. For Allen, it was the very first time he had ever seen tears gather in the Headmistress’s eyes. And he can understand how she must be feeling right now.

Elana held her breath, praying silently.

BZZ

Another burst of static.

Then—

A voice.

Not his, but a woman’s.

[He is safe.]

Ruby and Ariana exchanged a glance, their voices overlapping as they called out, "Annabelle?"

Sarah flinched at the name.

Allen’s eyes widened. Is she... really the one I’m thinking of?

Elana’s voice trembled as she asked, "I-Is he safe?"

[Yes, he is. He just passed out from exhaustion.]

Those words washed over them like a tide of relief.

Elana’s legs gave out, and she sank to the ground, her strength abandoning her.

Aries placed a steadying hand on her shoulder, offering silent comfort.

Ariana exhaled deeply, pressing a hand to her chest, her eyes closing. In her heart, she thanked the gods for sending Annabelle at the right moment.

Ruby quickly asked, "Where are you? What about the Acolytes?"

[They are dead. I am already on my way to the academy. You are there, aren’t you?]

"Yes, we are." Ruby’s lips curved into a relieved smile. "Thank you, Anna... thank you for protecting him."

[Why would I need to be thanked for saving my Darling?]

The words froze the group.

Elana flinched.

Altia gasped.

Sarah’s lips parted in disbelief.

D-Did she just... call Adrian her Darling?!

Aries grinned, "Eh, did the Professor score another baddie?"

Ruby chuckled, "Just bring him here, and don’t take any detours, okay?"

[I really wanted to have some alone time with him...but his condition is not good. He had an overdose so have a medical team ready.]

Ariana hurriedly spoke, "Yes, I will. Just bring him here as soon as you can."

...

The academy’s administration quickly moved to restore order amidst the chaos.

The entire common hall was cleared and rearranged, turned into a wide resting space where the rescued survivors could catch their breath. The large chandeliers above flickered in the dim light, casting long shadows across the hall as people huddled together in groups, still shaken.

The nurses were the busiest of all, rushing from one survivor to another, checking wounds, bandaging injuries, and whispering reassurances to those who trembled in fear.

The air smelled of herbs and salves, sharp and medicinal. Yet, under Ariana’s strict instruction, the head nurse—whom she trusted above anyone else—was kept away from the hall. Instead, a bed was prepared in the infirmary, clean sheets laid and tools arranged. It was waiting for the one person Ariana already knew would need it.

Outside the hall, runners had already sent urgent messages. The Tower had been informed of the attack, and by now, reinforcements might already be on their way.

For the time being, the students were ordered back to their dormitories under strict supervision. The rescued students, however, remained in the common hall. They needed constant observation—hidden wounds or delayed signs of trauma often revealed themselves only after the body finally relaxed.

Meanwhile, in Ariana’s office, a quieter atmosphere settled. Ruby, Ariana, Duke Nolan, and Sarah were gathered there, away from the noise of the hall.

The curtains were partly drawn, letting in streaks of setting sun that painted saffron lines across the polished floor. The nurse had just left after completing her examination.

Both Sarah and Ariana had been prescribed a strict course of medicine for the next two weeks. The toxin they had inhaled clung stubbornly to their blood, and only steady doses would slowly cleanse it. They had been firmly instructed not to exert themselves, no matter the situation. Even simple strain could worsen their condition.

"Thank you for responding to Elana’s request and being there, Sir Stronghart," Ariana said, her voice carrying genuine respect.

If not for him holding the dragon at bay, maybe far less people would have been present in the common hall at the moment.

He had stood before the beast like an immovable shield, protecting everything behind him.

Nolan rubbed the back of his head, his expression almost sheepish. A humble smile tugged at his lips. "I never imagined things would turn out this dire. I thought my daughter was just being overly cautious—but thankfully, I’ve never taken her words lightly."

His tone was light, but his eyes carried weight. He remembered well the chaos on the road. Nolan had realized on his way that the situation was far worse than anyone had anticipated.

He would have reached the venue much earlier, but the path had not been clear. Several obstacles—creatures and beings that clearly did not want him to arrive—had stood in his way. By the time he cut through them all, the city was already ablaze in confusion.

A long pause settled in the room. The soft crackle of the lantern on Ariana’s desk was the only sound until Sarah finally spoke.

"So..." she began, her voice edged with tension, "are we going to pretend it didn’t happen?"

The words drew every gaze toward her, except for the duke’s. Nolan had already guessed what she was going to say.

The violet-haired woman didn’t hesitate. Her eyes were steady as she continued, "Maybe others didn’t notice it, since they were farther away. But I—and the few who stood near him—clearly saw it."

Her voice tightened, pressing against the silence.

"We saw Adrian... using a staff to teleport us away."

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