CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER: 42 LOSING YOUR BLOOD IS REALLY PAINFUL.

It had been two months since Vivian had suddenly vanished from the dungeon during the midterm exam.

But he wasn’t the only one who disappeared that day, two other students, Asmit and Subha, had also gone missing.

However, their disappearance didn’t stir nearly as much commotion as Vivian’s.

The empire was in an uproar.

The heir of one of its most prestigious ducal families had vanished without a trace, and to make matters worse, the professor overseeing the examination had disappeared on the very same day.

Unease spread among the citizens like wildfire. If someone of Vivian’s status could vanish so easily within the academy’s walls, they whispered, then what about our children? What about those who depend entirely on the empire for safety and guidance?

Though the empire faced immense pressure, it was the Akron Academy that bore the heaviest burden.

The incident had shaken its foundation and tainted its once-unquestionable reputation.

Inside Akron Academy, the dean sat slumped in his chair, his weary eyes fixed on the empty courtyard beyond the window.

Not a single student could be seen, the academy had closed its gates until the mystery was resolved.

"Haa..." He let out a bitter sigh, rubbing his temples as frustration welled within him.

"How could this happen..." he muttered under his breath, his voice thick with regret and exhaustion.

Yet beneath that, there was rage, a deep, self-directed fury for failing to see the signs and prevent the tragedy.

If he had investigated Professor Garhard Retrakes properly before appointing him, he might have noticed something, some hint, some sign, that revealed the man’s true nature.

But because of his negligence, three students had vanished under his watch.

And what made it even worse was the fact that one of them was someone he had personally vowed to protect.

"I’m sorry, Vikel... I couldn’t keep my promise."

The dean sighed heavily, the weight of guilt pressing down on him like a mountain.

No matter how much he tried to rationalize it, he couldn’t escape the truth, the fault was his.

But he wasn’t the only one drowning in sorrow.

Far away in the imperial palace, another heart was shackled by grief, that of Marinate Hamsborn, the eldest princess of the Arya Empire.

After being summoned back by her father, the Emperor, she had shut herself in her chambers the moment she returned.

For two long months, her doors remained closed. Not once did she step outside, not even to feel the sunlight.

She had even refused food for several days, her once-bright eyes hollowed by despair.

It was only after the Emperor himself came to console her, speaking gently, pleading like a father rather than a ruler, that she finally broke down and ate a few bites, tears streaming down her face.

However, the same pattern continued even after her father left.

Though she hadn’t spent much time with him, the brief moments they shared had been enough to pull her into a sea of despair.

She could no longer see, nor hear, it was as if her entire world had collapsed.

"...Viv... if I had been with you... this wouldn’t have happened..." she whispered, her voice trembling before breaking into sobs once more.

At first, she had approached him with ulterior motives, to exact revenge on Charlotte.

But as time passed, her heart had betrayed her intentions. She had grown attached to him.

As time passed in the academy, she realized that the gaze he directed toward Charlotte would never be directed toward her.

But it was alright—so long as he looked at her, even for a moment. She had already given him her heart. It was her first time loving someone so deeply, someone other than her parents.

"Viv... I fell in love with you," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling. "But now... it feels like a curse."

She continued to sink deeper into despair.

Meanwhile, in the Indrath Empire, there was someone who had lost even more, Edward, Vivian’s younger brother.

He sat by the lakeside, his empty eyes reflecting the still surface of the water. The calm ripples before him only deepened the silence inside his heart.

Just a few months ago, he had laughed with his brother, joking that he wouldn’t feel a thing even if Vivian were to disappear.

Back then, it had been nothing more than careless words, he could never have imagined that such a day would truly come, that he would be left to shoulder this unbearable grief alone.

He had turned eleven just a few days ago, yet unlike previous years, there was no celebration.

How could there be?

Joy had long since vanished from this household, replaced only by silence and sorrow. Edward himself hadn’t even realized his birthday had already passed.

"Haa..." He let out a weary sigh, lifting his gaze toward the pale sky.

"You shouldn’t have left the house, brother..." he murmured.

As the words escaped his lips, a thin stream of tears glistened down both cheeks.

’If brother hadn’t left that day... we wouldn’t have to bear this pain.’

The thought echoed in his mind, filling his young heart with bitterness.

His tears had mostly dried after two months of endless crying, but the ache in his chest refused to fade.

"Edward."

The gentle yet heavy voice broke through his thoughts. He didn’t need to turn around to see who it was, he already knew. It was his grandfather.

Vikel walked forward and stopped in front of his grandson, forcing a small, cheerful smile.

"Hey, what are you doing, boy? Aren’t you going to spar with this old man?" he said, trying to sound playful, though his eyes betrayed the heaviness he carried.

"Grandpa... I’m not in the mood right now. Just leave me alone," Edward replied quietly, not even glancing up at him.

"Come on, Edward. You should come with me and enj—"

"Enjoy?" Edward’s voice cracked as he suddenly cut him off, his hands trembling.

"How can I enjoy anything, Grandpa? Brother’s been missing for the past two months! We don’t even know if he’s alive or dead! So tell me, how can I enjoy?"

He clenched his fists, his eyes reddening as he glared at the ground.

"Don’t you feel the same? Stop pretending everything’s fine and just... just go!" he shouted, his voice breaking at the end.

Vikel stared at his grandson for a long moment before letting out a deep sigh, a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of his years and the sorrow buried within them.

Slowly, he lowered himself to the ground and sat beside Edward.

"It’s hard to bear the grief of losing your own blood... especially when you’ve grown old," he murmured, his tired eyes fixed on the sky.

A faint breeze brushed past them, carrying his next words softly into the air.

"But it’s even harder," he continued, "to find peace when you know, or at least believe, that your blood might still be alive somewhere out there."

"But holding onto your grief for too long... it can turn against you, Edward," he said suddenly, pointing at him even as his own words came out in murmurs.

"Haa... what am I even saying?" Vikel exhaled, rubbing his face.

"I might be old, but I’m terrible at this. I’ll say it simply." He turned to Edward, his voice steady now.

"Whether Vivian is alive or not, we don’t know. But one thing’s certain, whoever is behind this will pay. And we will make them pay."

He paused, searching Edward’s face. Then he leaned closer and asked quietly, "When the time comes and we get our revenge, don’t you want to take your share?"

Edward finally turned his head and met his grandfather’s gaze.

"So if you want your share, you need to be capable," Vikel said, locking eyes with him. "If you stand here every day sulking, how can you take revenge?" His tone sharpened as Edward’s eyes began to burn with resolve. "Wake up. Grow stronger. Then you can pay them back for what they did."

He finished the lecture with a hard, almost proud expression.

Edward stared at him for a beat, every line of his face set. "Yes, old man," he said, voice low and fierce.

"I will pay them back for messing with my brother. Let’s go." With that he turned and began marching toward the training ground, steps quick and determined.

Vikel watched him go and felt a sliver of relief.

The boy was convinced, at least for now. But a knot of worry tightened in Vikel’s chest.

What about the others? How could he face his son, or his daughter‑in‑law, when shame gnawed at him for failing to protect Vivian?

He had calmed Edward, but he still had to find words to calm the rest of the household. He didn’t know what to say.

He sat there a moment longer, staring after Edward until the young man disappeared from view, and the silence pressed down again, heavy, unresolved.

"Losing your blood is really painful."