Near the dorm entrance, Alden stood quietly, feeling a little awkward.
He had only co out because he realised—after getting all the way to his room—that he'd left his ManaSync at the restaurant.
But just as he was about to head out again, he spotted Amyra and Nyx standing outside.
No—staring at each other.
Their expressions couldn't have been more different. Nyx wore that sa soft smile, while Amyra looked like she was trying very hard not to murder soone.
Alden scratched his cheek, unsure what to do. He didn't want to interrupt sothing that looked personal. But heading out now would make it seem like he was eavesdropping—or worse, creeping around at night.
Damn it.
So he did what any sane person would do in this weird situation—he activated his stealth skill and quietly waited in the shadows, hoping they'd finish soon so he could slip out unnoticed.
From what little he'd seen, Amyra looked... drained. Like she'd been holding back the entire night. He felt a bit bad for her. She really just wanted a peaceful dinner and a chance to talk. But Nyx had unintentionally bulldozed through every attempt.
Still, he didn't think Nyx ant any harm. She reminded him of a kid trying to make friends in the most awkward way possible. Amyra, on the other hand, might've just been too eager, too desperate to make sothing work. The result? A train wreck.
He sighed.
At least he'd sohow befriended two of the most unpredictable people in the academy—Amyra, the cold, talented "villainess", and Nyx, a walking enigma backed by soone with almost imperial-level influence.
He wasn't trying to spy. He didn't even try to listen in. But still… he was curious.
Eventually, Amyra turned and started walking toward the entrance, her expression unreadable—except for the faintest hint of a smile.
Alden slipped out from the shadows, pretending to be on his way out.
Amyra raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Alden. Didn't you already head in?"
"Yeah", he replied smoothly, "I was just going to get so fresh air. Couldn't sleep."
It wasn't technically a lie. Kind of.
"Oh, I see." She gave a small nod. "I'll get going then. Good night."
"Good night."
She walked past him.
Sothing about her felt different now. Lighter. As if she'd co to a decision.
He wasn't sure what it was, exactly.
_
He exited the dorms after his little chat with Amyra.
Nyx was nowhere to be seen.
She was just there when Amyra entered, but now she was gone.
Alden just ignored it and made his way back to the restaurant.
Thankfully, one of the staff mbers had collected and given his ManaSync at reception.
So he got it back as soon as he reached it.
After quickly receiving his ManaSync, Alden exited the restaurant.
He checked the ti.
It was 11:00 PM already.
He just walked back to the dorms slowly and peacefully.
Just then–
He heard a rustling sound.
What the hell is that?
Alden turned, looking all around him. But no one was present there.
It must be an animal or sothing.
He just dismissed it.
He suddenly recalled all the haunted stories Aziel had told him about.
He rembered this spot. The cursed garden.
Apparently one of the staff mbers had died in this place long ago.
It was said that their ghost still roams the place.
Alden carefully walked step by step. Without reacting much.
He had seen enough horror movies to know that overreactors are the first to die.
Just then, he heard another rustling sound from ahead of him.
Sothing jumped out of the bushes.
Alden still couldn't sense what it was clearly.
Then he saw it–
Pure white fur glistening in the night sky.
It was a cat.
And not any cat but an injured one.
Alden quickly caught the cat in his embrace before it hit the ground.
Just as Alden tried to release it, he heard the sound of footsteps.
He focused in the direction of the sound.
"Did you find it?"
"Master is going to be mad if we don't find it soon."
What the hell?
Are they after this cat?
He looked at the cat in his arms—white fur, blue eyes, and far too calm for an ordinary animal.
Sothing wasn't right.
The n were clearly after it. But they weren't calling its na or sounding concerned. Their tone was cautious. Urgent.
They're not owners. They're hunters.
Alden narrowed his eyes.
And if they're willing to chase it this late, inside academy grounds, without drawing attention… this isn't just a pet.
He wasn't sentintal about animals.
But this situation? It reeked of secrecy. Hidden value.
No one chases a stray this hard unless it's worth sothing.
He tapped his fingers against the fur lightly.
Either this thing is dangerous… or important.
Either way, leaving it ans walking away from sothing that could affect later.
That was the real reason.
So he made the logical choice: secure the unknown variable before soone else did.
Just then his eyes fell on the cat's collar. He felt mana coming from it.
He imdiately activated his Eyes of Supre. He saw sothing.
Sothing that sealed his decision.
He activated his Spirit Domain.
His senses expanded as he felt everything around him vividly.
Two n were walking in his direction.
Alden ducked into the shadows, keeping the trembling cat tightly in his arms.
The cat, as if it understood the situation, didn't even let out a single sound.
His Spirit Domain kept pulsing, feeding him precise details.
The two n weren't just walking around—they were scanning the area, actively searching.
This isn't so casual pet retrieval. Who the hell are these guys?
They looked strong.
How did they get inside?
Students were not allowed to bring any outsiders.
Are they perhaps academy staff?
Or do they work for so professor?
It doesn't matter.
Alden slowed his breathing as he coated his steps in shadows, muting even the sound of his steps.
With Spirit Domain guiding his every movent and his stealth skill at full activation, he slipped between the trimd trees and quiet pathways like a wind.
"Anything?" one of the n asked.
"No… But I felt sothing just now. Like a mana ripple."
Shit.
Alden slipped behind a thick column near the outer wall and froze.
They were mages.
Probably decent ones if they noticed even the faintest shift in his shadow elent activation.
He pressed his back against the stone, waiting until the footsteps faded into the distance.
Don't panic. Move smart, not fast.
He didn't take the main road back.
Instead, he followed a long arc through the eastern path that circled the side of the dorm complex.
The route was darker, quieter—and less patrolled.
Eventually, the dorm building ca into view.
No alarms. No shouts. No sign of pursuit.
Only when he entered the dorm did he finally exhale.
Alden kept the cat hidden under his cloak as he entered the elevator.
Once he reached his room, he slipped in and locked the door behind him.
He stood there for a second, catching his breath.
Then he looked down at the cat in his arms.
"…What the hell did I just get myself into?"
The cat blinked up at him, those intelligent blue eyes shimring again—almost like it understood.
It owed softly.
Alden didn't say anything and just walked back to his bedroom.
He sat on his bed as he took out a healing potion from his storage ring.
"Here, drink this; it's a healing potion."
The cat drank it without hesitation, as if it understood everything.
Soon its injuries started healing.
Alden wasn't sitting still.
His hands were stretched out behind him, ready to summon his sword as he looked at the cat.
"Who are you?" He asked in a cold voice.
The mana signature of the cat was familiar. Because he felt it was similar to soone.
Cipher?
"No need to be so guarded." The cat said, voice smooth, feminine. "Is there Shadow Boy?"
Alden visibly tensed.
So it was Cipher… or soone connected.
What's she doing inside the academy?
And more importantly how–
"How do you know who I am?"
"Well, it wasn't that difficult to get your identity." The feminine sound ca again.
"Cipher?" Alden still had to make sure.
"Close enough," the voice replied. "But I'm not Cipher."
"But don't worry; I'm not your enemy. If anything, I'm grateful to you for saving ."
Alden narrowed his eyes.
"Then who are you?"
The cat sat upright.
"Who are you?" Alden asks cautiously.
"I'm the best detective of Obsidian Exchange."
What the hell?
Wasn't Cipher the best?
Is she another extra?
Because I don't know of any talking cat being ntioned in the novel.
Just then—
The cat's body started to glow in white light. So strange runes started floating around her body.
It looked like a strange language.
A transformation?
Alden didn't interfere.
You never interrupt a transformation.
There was a golden rule of the fantasy world after all.
Never disturb soone while transforming.
Alden waited.
A silhouette ford.
It was humanoid and feminine. Her chest swelled—
So… magical girl?
Sure.
Just what I needed.
Finally, the glow faded.
Standing before him was a beautiful girl, of similar age as him, with glowing platinum hair and cyan eyes that sparkled with mischief.
"Hello, Shadow boy." She looked at . Her cyan blue-coloured eyes glowed mischievously with a smile matching her eyes. "Or should I say Alden Draven?"
"I am Cipher's daughter."
Her tail peeked out from behind her, swaying lightly, and her cat ears twitched…
Alden didn't care. His mind was focused on the big revelation.
What now?
Cipher's daughter?
Did she even have a daughter?
"I'm Vanyaa." She gave a small wave.
Alden stared with an unreadable expression.
What the hell did I just invite into my room?
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