CHAPTER 44: VISITORS AND DISCHARGED

The next day was busier than anyone could have imagined.

Officials, priests, and mages poured into the academy one after another, each group demanding answers.

The officials from the Empire arrived first. Their armor gleamed under the sun, crests shining proudly on their cloaks. Their expressions, however, were sharp and calculating. They bowed politely before firing off questions in rapid succession.

They wanted details about Hector and Charles—their strength, their abilities, and the corrupted mana crystal embedded in the Boss Monster. They asked about the structure of the dungeon itself. Every word carried the tone of strategy, not concern.

Then came the priests from the Temple. Dressed in robes embroidered with golden threads, they walked in with heavy, somber steps. The first thing they did was offer prayers for the fallen students. But their next words cut into a different matter altogether. They asked whether the culprits had spoken about the Goddess before their deaths. Had any sacrilege been committed? Did they reveal any divine revelations in their final breaths?

Finally, the envoys from the Magic Tower entered. Their sleek robes shimmered faintly, layered enchantments humming with passive mana. Their eyes were cold, curious, detached. They questioned like scholars conducting research, scribes trailing behind them while recording every detail.

What color had the mana around the corrupted crystal been? Did anyone feel a disturbance in space? Did the monster show signs of intelligence beyond its rank?

Yet, no matter the approach, some questions remained the same across all sides.

What happened?

How did the Boss Monster break through to the next rank?

And most importantly—what did the corrupted crystal inside the monster feel like?

Over and over, the questions repeated. Each of the survivors answered truthfully as instructed, their voices carrying the same tale again and again. By the time the sun began to sink beneath the horizon, it felt as if they had told the story a hundred times. Every word lost its weight, as though carved into their tongues by force.

By evening, the air in the infirmary was suffocating.

Amon, still bandaged but able to walk, quietly slipped out. The ward was too heavy—filled with whispers, scratching quills, and the sharp gazes of people who had never raised a sword yet judged every swing unseen.

From what they explained, the corrupted crystal not only pushed the monster into a higher rank but also became its weakness. Once the crystal embedded itself into the monster’s body, its entire existence depended on it.

But with the crystal destroyed, there was nothing left to study.

Amon walked outside, letting the evening breeze brush against his face. The sun dipped toward the horizon, painting the sky with warm colors. His expression softened into calm.

He had heard the news: the dead students’ bodies had been returned to their families. Compensation had been promised by the academy, though no gold could truly ease such loss.

A memorial had been held in the Grand Orientation Hall, the same place where the opening ceremony had once taken place. Friends and families of the deceased had gathered there to mourn.

’If we weren’t injured, we would have attended too,’ Amon thought bitterly.

----

The following day, Amon and his friends were discharged from the infirmary.

"Finally free!" Amon declared happily the moment he stepped out.

Seraphina and the others gave him a look as if they were staring at an idiot.

Arnold had already left earlier, while Aisha had gone her own way. That left Amon with Seraphina, Eliana, and Marcus as they exited together.

The hallway was crowded with students, their eyes following them, whispers trailing behind.

Of course, the stares weren’t for Amon. They were for Seraphina, Eliana, and Marcus—the noble trio. Amon was treated like air, as always.

’You’ll get to know me soon enough,’ Amon thought darkly. On the surface, however, his face wore a carefree smile.

Marcus noticed that happy grin and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Amon ignored him and turned to Seraphina, who walked elegantly beside him. Her long blonde hair flowed gracefully down to her waist, her golden eyes calm and steady, her fair skin glowing softly. Somehow, she looked even more beautiful than before.

"Hey, Sera," Amon asked curiously, "did you... become stronger? And, uh... more beautiful too?"

Seraphina met his eyes, her expression composed. But the tips of her ears flushed a faint pink.

"Yes... I’ve entered the Mana Initiate rank. That’s probably why you feel I’m stronger..." She paused slightly before continuing. "...And perhaps... more beautiful."

Both Amon and Marcus froze, shocked by her straightforward words.

"What? When did you break through?" Amon asked, surprised.

"During the fight with the Boss Monster," Seraphina answered calmly.

Amon immediately recalled the memory of her powerful strike that had split open the monster’s torso. She had indeed looked stronger after that moment, even while heavily injured.

"Why are you so surprised?" Eliana’s mischievous voice chimed in. "Even Arnold broke through. Don’t you know?"

Amon’s eyes widened further.

"What? Arnold too? That bastard actually broke through" he muttered, stunned.

Beside him, Marcus gritted his teeth in frustration.

Amon noticed it and smirked wickedly.

"Haha, looks like the second position for the strongest first-year might go to Arnold now. Poor guy who used to hold it." His tone dripped with fake sympathy, though his face gleamed with delight.

That was the last straw for Marcus.

Seraphina sighed, already predicting what would follow.

Eliana’s long pointy ears perked and twitched in amusement as her lips curled mischievously.

"You bastard!" Marcus shouted. "Did you just say Arnold is stronger than me? So what if he broke through? Once I enter Mana Initiate, I’ll surpass both him and Seraphina!"

His heavy breathing, clenched fists, and fiery gaze locked onto Amon.

"And you—so weak—how dare you speak to me like that?"

But Amon wasn’t the type to back down.

"Hah, you’re right. I’m weak. But at least I’m getting stronger. Unlike someone who’s slipping from the top spot."

Eliana burst into quiet chuckles, clearly enjoying the clash.

That was enough to push Marcus over the edge.

"You! I’ll kill you—" he started, but before he could finish, Amon had already bolted.

"Catch me if you can!" Amon shouted as he dashed toward the dormitory.

Marcus blinked, then roared in anger. "Coward!" Without hesitation, he chased after the fleeing boy.

"Hahaha!" Eliana laughed so hard she had to clutch her stomach.

Seraphina sighed once more, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "You really shouldn’t enjoy this," she said gently.

"Come on, what’s wrong with it~?" Eliana replied, clearly not planning to stop.

Seraphina simply shook her head. Despite the incident and the heavy atmosphere in the academy, somehow, with Amon around, the group had already begun to laugh again.

Amid all the chaos, one thought crossed Seraphina’s mind.

’I’m the only normal one here...’

Or so she believed.