"Henny? It's really you!"
"What are you doing here?"
Erica was pleasantly surprised. She hadn't expected to run into soone she knew while wandering behind the academy's back mountain.
However, she was also a bit curious about what Henny was doing here, on this deserted mountaintop.
When Henny saw Erica, the cold aura around her instantly faded by more than half. Her eyes dodged slightly, and her voice ca out hesitant and stamring.
"N-nothing… I just ca here for a walk, that's all."
Erica didn't know that Henny had been expelled, and Henny didn't plan to tell her either, she didn't want to make Erica worry.
Still, Erica's sudden appearance surprised her. She asked curiously, "What about you? Why are you here?"
"Why haven't you been coming to the academy lately?"
At Henny's question, Erica puffed up her cheeks angrily and explained, "Father must've gone crazy or sothing. When he ca back, he locked up for days!"
"And yesterday, he went even further, out of nowhere, he decided to hire several private tutors!"
In truth, Duke Levi had also warned Erica to stay away from Viktor. It was only because of that warning that Erica learned Viktor had returned.
By royal decree, both Viktor and Henny had been declared innocent.
But that was sothing she couldn't tell Henny.
Feeling irritated, Erica kicked a small rock near her foot. The pebble rolled down the cliff, tumbling noisily against the stone face.
"I just couldn't take it anymore today. While Father's not ho, I snuck out. I wanted to co see if Professor Viktor was back at the academy."
She had planned to sneak into the school from the back mountain, but instead, she ran into Henny.
When Henny heard Viktor's na, her heart trembled slightly.
She recalled what that Professor Devon had said, "Professor Viktor most likely died in the volcano."
Henny thought of that but didn't tell Erica. It seed Erica still didn't know, and Henny intended to keep it that way.
Watching Erica breathe in the fresh mountaintop air, Henny spoke calmly, "Professor Viktor hasn't returned yet. These past few days, I've been helping to fill in for his classes."
Hearing that, Erica's expression dimd a little.
She'd really wanted to ask Viktor what exactly had happened that day at the volcano.
But after sneaking out with such effort, Viktor wasn't even at work.
She could only accept reality helplessly. "All right then, I'll head back first."
"If Father finds out I sneaked out again, he'll definitely lock up at ho and not let leave."
Henny opened her mouth, wanting to say sothing, but Erica hesitated for a mont, then added, "I'll co back again tomorrow. If Professor Viktor returns, please let know."
Henny nodded lightly in agreent.
She watched Erica smile brightly, her eyes full of hope, then quickly turn and leave.
'How nice… she…' Henny's gaze was filled with envy.
She envied Erica.
She had a noble family background, astonishing talent, and flawless beauty.
She could live carefree, full of hope for the future.
But herself?
She spent every day in fear and anxiety, living through hopeless days.
Maybe that professor had been right after all.
'Trash… only fit to stay in the garbage heap.'
In a daze, she looked again toward the direction Erica had left, but that dazzling figure was nowhere to be seen.
Henny shook her head and let out a bitter laugh at her own misery.
'Tomorrow, huh.'
'Fine.'
Then she wouldn't have to expect anything more from the future.
Everything, her life included, would co to an end tomorrow.
"Let's continue."
———
A burst of scorching flas suddenly erupted beneath Professor Devon's feet. The intense burning sensation shot up through his soles, searing him awake.
Professor Devon felt his whole body covered in searing pain.
"Ahhh!"
He woke up instantly, screaming in agony from the pain.
Then, he beca aware, his body was tied up, dangling unsteadily from the ceiling.
As the flas subsided, his vision cleared.
The first thing he saw was Viktor, sitting calmly in a chair, wearing a cold, indifferent expression.
Imdiately, fear filled Devon's eyes.
"Viktor! What are you trying to do?!"
"You'd kill over an assistant? Are you insane?!"
"Do you really want to make enemies with the Lesser family?!"
Sitting in the chair, Viktor looked at him coldly and asked lightly, "Have we not already been enemies?"
Devon froze, stamring, "N-no… not before. Believe , Viktor, there's no hatred between us."
"Then why, knowing Henny was mine, did you do what you did?"
Devon's eyes widened. "You… you already know?"
"No! Believe , Viktor, at first I just didn't like you! I never ant to take it out on that… that Hen-whatever…"
BOOM!
A fireball, fierce as a charging tiger, shot straight at him, slamming into the wall behind him.
Devon trembled all over in fright, hurriedly shouting, "Henny! I rember! It's Henny! That girl, yes!"
"I was jealous! I was jealous that a re assistant could teach Class One! Do you know? After you left, many professors were envious of that class. The instructor who leads Class One gets great pay and prestige!"
Viktor stared at him emotionlessly. "All because of jealousy?"
"How disgusting."
"Yes! Yes, disgusting! I'm disgusting, I know, I know! Please, Viktor, let go! There's no hatred between us!"
Devon looked utterly pathetic, like a fat pig struggling in a slaughterhouse, so ridiculous it could almost make soone laugh.
He kept babbling frantically, as if making promises, "I'll apologize! I'll apologize to that girl!"
"I'll compensate her too! I can even grant her a noble title! A young baroness, how about that? Our Lesser family has that kind of power!"
"Believe , Viktor, if you let go, there's no irreconcilable hatred between us… right?"
A hopeful expression spread across Devon's ugly face.
Viktor's cold voice cut through the air, "What was the first thing you said?"
Devon froze, trembling as he tried to recall, "'You're killing over an assistant, are you crazy?'"
Viktor nodded approvingly. "Good mory. And the second thing?"
"'Do you really want to make enemies with the Lesser family?'"
Devon wasn't stupid, he suddenly realized what was about to happen.
At that mont, he completely abandoned his dignity and begged desperately, "No! Viktor! That was just speaking without thinking!"
Viktor stood up, his long coat shimring faintly with a dangerous red glow.
"You don't like because you know ."
"And since you know , you should always rember what kind of man Viktor Clavenna is."
Devon's whole body trembled uncontrollably. He was terrified now.
'Madman. Viktor, he is a complete madman!'
"Viktor! Don't, don't!"
BOOM!
A scream like a pig being slaughtered burst from Devon's mouth, mingling with the sound of cracking bones.
He felt every limb shatter, the pain unbearable.
He remained conscious only because Viktor had layered magical restraints over his mind, ensuring he could feel everything, but never faint.
"You said we hadn't made enemies before," Viktor said quietly.
"That's fine."
Then, Viktor smiled, a bright, almost dazzling smile.
He leaned close to Devon's ear, voice soft as a devil's whisper. "Now, we're enemies."
"Kill ! Viktor! Just kill !"
Devon's voice was raw with pain. He wanted to die, anything would be better than this agony and humiliation.
But now, even death was beyond his reach.
"Soone else might take your life," Viktor said, pulling out a white handkerchief and wiping his hands firmly. Though he hadn't even touched Devon, his hands still felt filthy.
After wiping them clean, he tossed the handkerchief onto Devon's face, covering that mucus-streaked, tear-stained ss.
He released the restraints. Devon imdiately fell unconscious.
Silence filled the room once more.
Viktor narrowed his eyes and walked out of the mage's tower.
With a teleportation spell, he appeared outside the academy. Looking up at the darkening sky, he took a deep breath.
The magical elents around him seed slightly disturbed.
Just then, Vega's voice echoed in Viktor's ear.
"There's a hidden magic array beneath the academy. Soone put it there on purpose."
"Maybe the demons' doing."
Viktor wasn't surprised at all, so Vega didn't continue.
It knew Viktor would handle everything. The bird simply opened its beak again and asked another question.
"If that girl really has had her consciousness corrupted by a demon, what will you do?"
Viktor thought for two seconds, then answered, "Henny's a very capable assistant. With her handling things for , I feel at ease."
"She's a fragile little ghost, but she doesn't deserve to keep living pitifully."
Vega ruffled its feathers on Viktor's shoulder. "I like the way you put that."
———
Night fell swiftly, like a curtain being drawn. Countless tiny, glittering gems climbed across the dark sky.
By the ti Erica returned to the manor gates, the house was already brightly lit inside.
Her heart skipped a beat. Could her dear old father already be ho?
"Don't be scared, don't be scared. If I act cute enough, Father will definitely forgive ."
Erica took a deep breath and was just about to step into the courtyard, when suddenly, the main doors opened.
Her father, Duke Levi, was walking out with a beautiful woman with purple hair. He was smiling politely, his manner refined.
"Uh???"
Erica froze.
Her dad was already sixty, where had this strange woman co from?
Was he planning to… have a second spring?
Erica puffed up her cheeks in protest. She absolutely couldn't allow that.
She did not want to suddenly end up with a stepmother out of nowhere.
Just as she was about to rush forward, she overheard their conversation.
"I hope Duke Levi will keep an eye out for those 'filthy things.'"
"I understand the gravity of this matter, Miss Kefra. I'll use every resource I have to investigate."
Erica froze on the spot. Wait, this… wasn't quite what she thought it was?
But her sudden appearance had already drawn their attention.
Duke Levi glanced at her, raised an eyebrow, and introduced with a strained smile, "Miss Kefra, this is my youngest daughter, Erica. You must be eting her for the first ti."
Kefra looked at Erica, her beautiful brows lifting slightly as her eyes narrowed into a seductive smile.
"Yes, it's our first eting, but…"
The corners of her lips curled up. The next instant, she was already standing right in front of Erica.
Her movent was so fast that Erica couldn't even catch a blur.
"Pretty girl," Kefra said softly, "can you tell , where exactly did you go today?"
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