CHAPTER 41: THE SMILE BEHIND CHAINS

Zane stood tall before the grand gates of Astralis Arcanum, the crowd buzzing around him like a restless tide.

A line stretched endlessly before the entrance, filled with chattering voices and shuffling feet. Nobles kept to one side, standing with arrogant grace. Commoners waited patiently, some bouncing on their heels, while others whispered encouragement to themselves. The sheer diversity here was staggering—beastkin with alert ears, elves scanning the area with practiced elegance, dwarves adjusting the straps of heavy leather packs... all unified by ambition.

But Zane didn’t join the line.

Instead, he veered toward a separate set of gates—taller, more ornate, with golden inlays that shimmered in the morning light. Unlike the main entrance, this one was nearly empty, guarded by two stern knights clad in midnight-blue armor bearing the symbol of Astralis Arcanum.

The moment he approached, both guards straightened, halberds lowered slightly to block his path.

"Halt. This gate is reserved for those with a direct invitation or guests of the academy," one guard declared firmly. "State your business and present your invitation."

Zane offered a lazy grin. "Well, I’m definitely special... but not a guest."

The guards exchanged a wary glance. The second one stepped forward. "Then show your admission invitation."

Zane chuckled, the sound light and amused. "Ahahaha,You think I’m here to apply? That’s hilarious."

"Then you can’t enter," the first guard snapped, voice rising. "No Invite , no entry."

Zane sighed, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Yeah, see... I can’t do that."

He raised his hand casually and swept it in front of them. His voice dropped to a smooth, persuasive rhythm.

"You will let me pass through this gate."

The guards blinked. A moment passed. Then, both nodded in eerie unison.

"Yes... we will let you pass through this gate."

"Perfect," Zane said, patting one lightly on the shoulder as he strolled through. "Love this little trick."

And just like that, he vanished into the halls of the greatest academy in Valdoria, leaving two dazed knights behind.

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Zane stepped through the gates, the massive doors parting with a quiet hum.

The path ahead was eerily quiet compared to the chaos outside—a smooth stone walkway lined with floating crystal lanterns that shimmered softly in the daylight. The noise of the crowd faded behind him, as if sealed off by magic itself.

But Zane halted after just a few steps.

A faint shimmer floated in the air before him—barely perceptible even to the trained eye. Most wouldn’t notice it at all.

"A barrier," he muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Detection type... keyed to mana signatures. If someone without a matching signature crosses this, it’ll ping whoever created it."

He raised a hand, energy pulsing faintly from his palm as he scanned it within seconds.

"This is surprisingly well-crafted... for this world," he mused.

Then, without hesitation, he walked straight through it.

As he passed through the veil, the barrier rippled like disturbed water, a soft pulse of light running along its surface—silent to all but those connected to its core.

"There, it triggered."

Zane glanced back briefly, unconcerned. "Someone’s been alerted."

He shrugged.

"Not like anything here can hurt me. Let them come."

His boots echoed against the ground as he walked deeper into the academy grounds, unbothered by the grandeur. Towering spires of white marble stretched skyward in the distance, their tips glowing faintly with arcane symbols. Students, staff, and robed figures moved about calmly, some riding on floating platforms, others vanishing mid-step into thin air.

"Hmph, not bad," Zane muttered, eyes scanning the scenery. "Definitely better than I expected from the so-called greatest academy."

He walked deeper into the academy, the architecture growing more ornate with every step—towers of silverstone rising high above, arcane symbols softly glowing along the archways. Mages in flowing robes passed by, lost in thought or spell calculations. Students whispered incantations mid-stride, testing out mana threads in their palms. Not a single sword at the hip. No clanging armor. No martial postures.

Zane chuckled.

"Looks like I’m in the mage section... barely a knight in sight."

As he moved toward the main hall, a glimmer caught his eye—a large crystal pillar in the center courtyard. Several instructors and mages stood nearby, seemingly checking it with tools and scrolls.

Suddenly, a loud, shrill voice echoed across the courtyard.

"Hey! You there!"

A young man in an ornate blue robe, likely a senior student or assistant mage, rushed toward Zane, a bit out of breath.

"You’re not supposed to be here! This area is for verified guests only. Where is your—"

Zane raised a hand lazily.

"Yeah, yeah. I’m sure you’re important or something. But let’s skip to the part where you leave me alone."

The student paused, clearly taken aback.

"Wha—how dare you speak to—"

"You will walk away."

Zane’s voice dropped, calm and commanding, fingers flicking slightly in the air.

"Yes, I will walk away." Student says and then the student straightened, turned around blankly, and walked away without another word.

As Zane strolled deeper into the academy grounds, the number of students and staff gradually began to dwindle. The air grew still, the silence eerie.

He smirked.

"They’re finally taking action."

Without warning, four robed mages materialized midair, descending like hawks—robes fluttering, eyes glowing faintly with concentration. Moments later, five knights sprinted in from the shadows, boots thudding across the stone floor as they surrounded him.

The mages raised their hands in unison and began chanting—low, rhythmic incantations layered in old tongue.

Golden energy shimmered in the air, swirling into luminous chains. In seconds, the magic-bound links shot toward Zane, wrapping around his arms, torso, and legs, tightening like serpents.

Zane didn’t resist.

Instead, he smiled, watching the display with mild amusement.

The knights formed a perfect circle around him, weapons drawn and aimed at his heart, neck, and limbs. One of them stepped forward, his voice sharp.

"Who are you? How did you get inside without a permit?"

Zane tilted his head but said nothing. His grin remained, unbothered, as if they were children trying to tie down a thunderstorm.

One of the mages—clearly the leader—lowered his staff and narrowed his eyes.

"Take him to the Vice Chairman. Let him decide what to do with this intruder."

With a few gestures, the group began moving, guiding Zane through the academy’s inner pathways. Chains still clung to his form, glowing softly, but his steps remained graceful and confident.

From the corners, a few lingering students peeked out—watching the strange man being escorted away in restraints. Whispers fluttered among them.

Zane caught their curious stares, then looked up at the sky above the courtyard.

"Not bad... not bad at all," he thought, amused.

"Let’s meet the higher-up, then."

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Escorted through the inner halls of Astralis Arcanum, Zane remained silent, observing everything—the layout, the students, the placement of formations hidden behind walls, the mana residue in the air.

He noted the intricate detailing of the pillars, the way the floor changed from polished stone to enchanted glass in some areas, and the faint humming of protective enchantments laced across the ceilings.

As they moved deeper, more students appeared in the corridors. Their conversations paused. Curious eyes fell on Zane—his calm stride, his strange clothing, and the restraint badge on his chest.

Whispers followed.

"Who is that?"

"Did they catch a rogue mage?"

"He doesn’t even look nervous..."

"Is he smiling?!"

Zane didn’t look at them, but he could hear every word.

Behind him, one of the knight guards scoffed loudly.

"Stupid bastard... he actually walked into this place on his own. Won’t be long before he’s executed or dissected."

Zane’s expression remained calm, but for a fleeting moment, his gaze sharpened ever so slightly.

Then—

Thud!

The two guards walking directly behind him suddenly stumbled as if their legs gave out, crashing onto the floor with undignified yelps.

The other knights chuckled, one of them joking, "Hey, was that him? Don’t tell me he tripped you with a glance!"

They pointed at Zane.

The mage leader, frowning, stepped closer and barked,

"Impossible. He can’t use magic with that badge on him."

He gestured toward Zane’s chest—pinned to his coat was a sleek emblem, blue and white, glowing faintly with embedded runes.

"It’s an anti-caster artifact. Suppresses most of mana flow. Unless he’s—"

He stopped himself.

Zane lowered his gaze briefly to the badge, still smirking inside.

’Yeah... as if that could suppress me.’

He chuckled internally, his stride never faltering.

Finally, they arrived before an ornate double door gilded in bronze and arcane markings. Even before it opened, Zane could feel it—a powerful presence radiating from within. Not divine, not chaotic, but tightly restrained. Refined. Dangerous.

’This presence... well, not bad. For this world.’

The door creaked open with a gentle hum, revealing a large office lined with books, floating scrolls, and crystal displays showing various sections of the academy.

Standing by the tall glass window was a middle-aged man, sharp-featured with intense black eyes and strands of white streaking his otherwise raven-black hair. His arms were crossed behind his back, posture proud but not arrogant.

He turned slowly, eyes locking with Zane’s.

"Welcome," the man said, his voice calm yet edged with authority.

Zane smiled, unfazed as he stepped forward and said.

"Hello there."