I Tricked a God V2. Chapter 24 — A Damsel in Distress

In the Capital, ti flowed differently, and Kael did not realize it at once, but only when he could no longer rember where one day ended and another began. The sheer number of responsibilities that had fallen onto his shoulders was consuming nearly all of his ti.

In the mornings, he went to the Academy, helping the youths of Lasthold study the language of the Empire. After that, he moved on to additional lessons, where he and Lieutenant Valeria discussed the material for the next lecture together. And by evening, duties awaited him at the tavern, where he had to keep track of everything at once—from the dining hall to supply deliveries, constantly switching between people, numbers, and decisions.

And only recently did Kael suddenly realize that an entire month had passed since their arrival in the Capital…

✦ ✦ ✦

At that very mont, Kael was kneeling in the middle of the temple, blending into the murmur of the communal prayer.

The sheer scale of the temple felt oppressive.

The ceiling stretched upward, narrowing at the end like a blade, while dense rows of frescoes stretched across the stone walls, layered atop one another. Light broke through the red stained-glass windows, falling onto the floor in elongated stripes and painting the space in muted crimson hues.

At the center, priests paced in circles. Their layered red robes concealed their figures, while their tall headdresses stretched their silhouettes upward, making them almost identical. Their faces were hidden behind veils, and from beneath them ca smooth, drawn-out chants.

Their voices seed to rise toward the ceiling and grow stronger, sending a soft vibration through the crowd below.

Hundreds of people kneeling on the floor picked up the chant, repeating the words of the prayer. So spoke more quietly, others louder, but together it blended into a single hum filling the temple from floor to ceiling.

Kael remained motionless, his knees pressed against the cold stone and his back held straight, more humming along to the rhythm than truly praying. His mind was elsewhere entirely.

“Even though Valeria looks intimidating, she’s actually quite a caring woman…” the thought flashed through his mind, and Kael smiled faintly. But imdiately after, his lips continued moving along with the others, almost soundlessly repeating the prayer.

In his mind, he once again replayed today’s conversation with Lieutenant Valeria.

Just an hour earlier, during preparations for tomorrow’s lecture, she had suggested that Kael begin attending the regular lectures at the Imperial Academy. Over the past month, so of the youths of Lasthold, including Violet, had developed a fairly solid grasp of the language’s basics.

“If Violet and the others replace ... I won’t have to wait another two months...” Kael muttered inwardly, considering the proposal.

His thoughts drifted to Elder Cornelius’s recent offer.

“I wasn’t planning to stay stuck in the Academy for the entire academic year anyway. So it’s a good idea… If I pass the exams ahead of schedule, I’ll be able to fully focus on increasing my strength and influence.”

His knees pressed slightly harder against the cold stone, and he grimaced faintly, montarily losing the rhythm of the prayer, but imdiately steadied himself, once more blending into the collective hum.

“The theoretical exams won’t be a problem. But there’d be no cheating his way through the practical exams.

The murmur of the prayer still ford a steady backdrop, preventing his thoughts from scattering, and Kael, without changing his posture, continued going over everything he had managed to learn during his ti in the Capital.

Conversations with students surfaced in his mind: the structure of lectures and practical lessons, the way the material was taught, and the requirents imposed on students. Then ca the fates of graduates, who either entered military service, binding themselves to its obligations, or beca apprentices in guilds, where there was far less freedom than it seed at first glance.

Shifting his gaze toward the frescoes depicting bloody battles, he ntally summarized:

“The ideal solution is to beco part of the Scholars’ Guild while also earning several additional specializations. With that status, I’ll have the opportunity to pick and choose which Guild assignnts to take without the mandatory monthly quota.”

He gave an almost imperceptible nod to himself, as though finally making up his mind, and almost imdiately moved on to the next thought.

“Dorian is handling the tavern and the new workers well… There isn’t much money, but it’s enough to live steadily. With a foundation like this, I can finally begin training.”

His fingers twitched for a second, and he instinctively touched his neck, running his fingers across the skin as though searching for sothing no longer there.

“Before the real lectures begin, my soul will finally be evaluated and examined. Which ans it’s ti to create the Soul-Veiling Amulet.”

The thought had not even fully settled when, in the next mont, a dull bell rang through the temple.

The sound was heavy and resonant, and, echoing off the vaults, seed to spread through the entire space, making the air tremble faintly. A second strike followed, then a third, and with each new toll, the hum inside the temple seed to intensify, layering over the chants.

Kael felt a chill run across his skin.

It was a strange sensation—not fear and not anxiety, but rather an instinctive reaction, as though sothing had touched his perception for an instant while remaining beyond understanding.

The chants did not stop, but grew deeper and heavier, falling into rhythm with the bells.

And at that mont, a male voice cut through the temple.

It sounded as though it ca from everywhere at once rather than from a single person, rolling through the temple and echoing in his chest: “The God of Blood and War blesses you!”

The crowd responded instantly.

Their voices rged into a single cry, sharp and synchronized: “Glory to Him!”

Kael recited the words along with the others, not breaking the rhythm, and, like everyone around him, touched his chest while slightly bowing his head.

At that very mont, he set his mana in motion, beginning to release part of it outward.

Small amounts of mana flowed from the others as well—thin, almost imperceptible streams separated from their chests, rising upward. It was nothing forceful or violent, but rather resembled a voluntary offering.

The mana slowly rose toward the ceiling, stretching into pale threads and gradually dissolving into the air, as though absorbed by sothing invisible hidden beyond the layers of stone and frescoes.

The streams of mana had not yet fully dissolved beneath the vaulted ceiling when that sa voice once again cut through the temple, calr now, yet carrying the sa weight: “Glory to Him.”

One of the priests separated from the circle, stepping forward. His movents were asured and practiced, as though he had perford them countless tis without the slightest deviation.

Taking up a massive brush, he leaned toward a bucket standing nearby and, slowly dipping it into thick blood, turned toward the stretched canvas.

For a mont, the temple grew quieter.

Then, with a sharp, confident motion, he dragged the brush across the fabric.

The line landed heavily, drawn with force, leaving behind a thick trail. Another stroke, and a familiar symbol took shape upon the canvas—the rune of “Humility.”

“Today’s prayer reminded us how important humility is,” the priest said without turning around. “Rember that.”

The blood on the canvas stirred faintly, as though still alive, and in the next mont, it ignited.

The fla was dense and deep crimson, and it did not simply engulf the fabric—it seed to consu it from within. The canvas burned away in a matter of seconds, leaving behind neither ash nor trace.

Imdiately afterward, a reverent silence settled over the temple.

People began to rise, first individually, then almost all at once, straightening their backs and rubbing their knees. So exhaled in relief; others exchanged glances with their neighbors, already slipping back into ordinary conversation.

The prayerful hum quickly gave way to ordinary noise.

Part of the congregation moved toward the exit in silence, as though carrying out a familiar ritual, but most had already begun animatedly discussing the service, exchanging remarks and returning to everyday matters.

Kael rose together with the others, unhurriedly brushed the dust from his knees, and headed toward the exit, falling in with the flow of people.

Crossing the temple’s threshold, he exhaled slowly, tilting his head back slightly, and muttered quietly, “I should’ve stayed at the Academy a little longer… Then I wouldn’t have had to sit through this farce...”

He paused for a second, glancing back, his gaze drifting across the massive doors and the crimson glow beyond them, after which he ntally added, already without any irony: “I’ve served the Gods enough in my lifeti…”

But those thoughts were quickly pushed aside by the noise beyond the temple’s threshold.

A market stretched out just beyond the temple exit, and the difference was imdiate. Voices, footsteps, the creak of carts, and the clink of coins gradually returned to him. The slls of spices, roasted at, and raw leather rolled in waves, overpowering even the remnants of church incense.

Most of those standing by the stalls were beastfolk, who spoke cautiously among themselves. They watched over the goods while their masters attended the daily prayer.

Kael slowed his pace, allowing the crowd to flow around him, and swept his gaze across the rows of stalls.

A faint, satisfied smile spread across his face when his eyes caught on one of them—a table lined with neat jars, bundles of dried herbs, and small containers filled with powders.

He slightly turned in that direction, estimating the distance, and quietly muttered, “Finally, I can get back to work.”

He headed toward the stall without quickening his pace, but halfway there he had already begun running through calculations in his head, automatically assessing the selection and potential profit.

“With the local ingredients, I’ll be able to make a more powerful mana elixir for myself…” he calmly noted, his gaze gliding over the jars and bundles of herbs, estimating their quality even from a distance.

One thought imdiately led to the next.

“I still need to visit a jeweler, as well as an inscription shop…” he added, absentmindedly sorting through his remaining money in his head and estimating what he could afford first.

He reached the stall almost at the sa ti as its owner.

The mustached man, barely reaching the stall, imdiately shot a glare at the beastfolk standing nearby and snapped, “Back to your place.”

The beastfolk flinched as though struck and hastily straightened up, lowering their gaze.

“Yes, master…” The reply ca out strained, yet unexpectedly soft.

Kael lingered on the figure for a mont, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“So it’s a woman…” the thought crossed his mind, and he involuntarily noted to himself: “They’re fairly difficult to tell apart...”

anwhile, the shopkeeper had already shifted his attention to Kael, and the mont he noticed the Academy uniform, his face visibly brightened.

His long red mustache twitched upward, curling a little tighter on its own, and, straightening his shoulders, he spread his arms good-naturedly: “What can I do for you, young master?”

Without waiting for an answer, he imdiately reached toward the counter and pointed to several neatly packed pouches set off to the side.

“I have alchemy kits for extra practice,” he added, leaning forward slightly.

His fingers lightly touched one of the bags, lifting it slightly as though presenting it for inspection.

“Students often complain that the kits the Academy provides aren’t enough,” he continued, with a faintly amused smile.

Kael glanced over the bags, lingering for a mont, and had already opened his mouth to refuse, but then gave a slight nod and asked, “What’s the price?”

The shopkeeper answered at once, “Ten silver. If you use them sparingly, they’ll last you about a week.”

Kael rely smiled ironically, glancing over the bags, and ntally noted, “Wealthy students clearly have far fewer restrictions. Money truly is a form of strength.”

None of it showed on his face. He simply pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to the shopkeeper, adding with a faint smile, “I’ll need those soon enough, but today I’m here for this.”

The man imdiately took the sheet, quickly scanned it, and his brows rose slightly.

“Interesting list…” he murmured, shifting his gaze back to Kael. “Are you from a family of alchemists?”

“What makes you say that?” Kael asked with mild interest, not looking away.

The shopkeeper chuckled quietly, shaking his head.

“Maybe I didn’t graduate from the Imperial Academy, but I’ve spent twenty years practicing alchemy.”

He lightly waved the sheet in his hand, as though emphasizing his point.

“Ingredients in alchemy are like notes in music,” he continued, narrowing his eyes. “And from these ‘notes,’ I can tell the ‘music’ will be complex. Ordinary students don’t brew things like this.”

Kael only gave a short laugh at that, not bothering to hide it.

“My family is ordinary. But I got lucky with my ntor.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not ant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The shopkeeper rely nodded approvingly, though he did not ask further questions.

“Then I hope I’m speaking to a future Magister right now,” he said with a smile, after which he sharply turned around and, thrusting the sheet at the beastwoman, barked, “Gather all of this. Quickly.”

She flinched, montarily caught off guard, but almost imdiately nodded and darted toward the shelves. Moving quickly yet carefully, she began opening drawer after drawer, selecting the required ingredients, weighing them on a scale, and carefully wrapping them in thick paper.

anwhile, the shopkeeper had already turned back to Kael as though nothing had happened and, with the sa good-natured smile, said, “All together, it’ll cost a hundred silver. But for students—a discount. Ninety silver for you, future Magister.”

Kael only laughed softly at that, inclining his head slightly.

“Thank you.”

He gave a casual wave of his hand, and several neat stacks of coins imdiately appeared on the counter.

While the shopkeeper began counting them, sorting through the silver with his fingers, Kael was already ntally calculating sothing entirely different.

“The new elixirs will contain around seven hundred units of mana…” he calmly noted, running through the formula in his head. “If I’m careful, I’ll be able to make around twenty-five of them…”

His gaze briefly passed over the arranged ingredients.

“In terms of silver value, they’ll be worth around a hundred seventy…” he added, almost imdiately working out the numbers. “That’s fairly profitable, though for now the tavern remains the better source of inco.”

He let out an almost imperceptible breath, without changing his expression.

“Lately, I’ve beco too fixated on earning money. The elixirs aren’t ant for profit, but for personal use...”

✦ ✦ ✦

At that mont, while Kael calmly waited for his purchases, three people stood a short distance away from the stall amid the flow of the crowd.

One of them was Seiran, his silver hair tied back in a tight bun. His narrowed gaze was fixed directly on Kael, carefully tracking his every movent.

“So he’s an alchemist?” he said quietly, without taking his eyes off him.

Beside him stood a beautiful girl with soft facial features, black curls, and deep blue eyes. She briefly followed the scene at the stall before calmly replying, “Then he’s not a combat mage. Good news.”

The third let out a quiet chuckle.

A short, bald young man whose scalp was covered in dense runic tattoos. He leaned forward slightly, grinning broadly: “Sounds like you’re afraid of him, Lidia.”

The girl snorted without even looking in his direction and, crossing her arms, replied evenly, “Don’t talk nonsense, Bert. There are three of us against one.”

Seiran quietly clicked his tongue, still not taking his gaze off Kael.

“Enough. We’re not here for that.”

Lidia was already about to say sothing, the corner of her lips twitching into the hint of a smile, but in the next mont she narrowed her eyes slightly. Shifting her gaze to the side, she remarked, “Looks like we jumped to conclusions too quickly.”

“What are you talking about?” Bert frowned, following her gaze.

At that mont, Kael had already left the alchemy stall and headed toward the next stall. Stopping at the jeweler’s stall, he briefly pointed at a piece of violet crystal, then at a set of tools lying nearby.

Bert leaned forward slightly, peering more carefully.

“I doubt he’s both an alchemist and a jeweler. So he’s buying them for soone else…”

Seiran nodded, calmly taking note of the details.

“I told you he was one of the combat-oriented ones,” he said quietly. “Even though Valkeris was caught off guard, this guy still managed to throw him off balance for a mont.”

Bert nodded, saying, “Doesn’t matter. The paralyzing magic circle is already in place.”

Lidia rely laughed and said, “Now all that’s left is to wait for the right mont.”

✦ ✦ ✦

anwhile, Kael had no idea he was being watched.

Calmly moving from stall to stall, he spoke with rchants unhurriedly, asking about details, checking prices, and selecting the things he needed. Sotis he limited himself to a brief exchange, while elsewhere he lingered a little longer, asking questions and morizing prices for the future.

The market gradually grew livelier, the noise growing louder and the crowds growing thicker, yet Kael moved through it effortlessly, without ever breaking stride.

Only about an hour later did he finally head toward the market exit, muttering sothing under his breath while going over his purchases in his mind.

As he walked, his gaze fell to his spatial ring, checking its contents, and he gave a crooked smirk: “Barely any money left…”

The corner of his mouth twitched, and for a mont, a sly thought flickered through his mind.

“If only Gilsh had paid for the jeweler’s tool set...” he muttered almost soundlessly.

But in the very next mont, he gave a short shake of his head, as though driving the idea away.

“What am I even thinking about…” he snorted to himself, continuing on his way. “What matters is whether he can carve the right crystal for . The tools are my gift to him.”

Lost in thought, Kael leisurely left the noisy market and stepped onto a calr street, where the flow of people noticeably thinned and the voices no longer rged into a continuous hum. Walking toward ho, he did not quicken his pace, continuing to think through his plans for the near future.

But at that mont, sothing suddenly slamd into his shoulder from the side.

The impact ca unexpectedly, throwing him off balance for half a step, and almost imdiately after, a sharp feminine cry rang out.

A girl practically stumbled out from behind him.

Kael managed to notice only a flash of black curls and a faint, pleasant scent before she stumbled forward and slid across the stone pavent.

He imdiately lowered his gaze.

The girl jerked her head up and, without getting up, hurriedly blurted out, “Gods! Please forgive , I didn’t an to bump into you!”

She jerked, trying to spring to her feet, but imdiately dropped back to her knees, grimacing sharply in pain.

She froze for a mont, then raised her gaze toward Kael, and tears instantly welled up in her deep blue eyes.

Her lips trembled, her voice breaking into a hoarse whisper, “An Academy student… I’m dood…”

Kael rely smiled faintly at that, without changing his calm expression, and, crouching down beside her, quietly asked, “Are you hurt?”

The girl sniffled, as though afraid to answer him, and began trembling slightly.

Even in such a state, with tearful eyes and skin lightly sared with dust, she looked very attractive. A sharp nose, full lips, high cheekbones, and thick brows—her features were striking, undiminished even by her tears.

“I… I was just hurrying ho…” she muttered haltingly, growing even more frightened. “Please, forgive …”

Kael only raised his brows slightly and replied with mild surprise, “Relax, it was just an accident,” and glancing at her reddened ankle, he added, “Besides, you’re the one who got hurt here, not .”

At those words, disbelief briefly crossed the girl’s face. Then, trembling faintly, she suddenly leaned forward and gently took hold of Kael’s hand.

“Thank you. Thank goodness you’re a kind person…” she breathed out, squeezing his hand a little tighter than necessary.

Lifting her gaze to him, she added more quietly, almost in a whisper, “Sorry for my reaction. Honestly… I’m afraid of students from the Imperial Academy.”

Kael slightly raised a brow, studying her carefully.

“Why?”

The girl squeezed his hand a little tighter, and a tremor passed through her fingers.

“I work as a waitress…” she began quietly, lowering her gaze. “And guys wearing uniforms like yours often harass … Or they start causing trouble, and afterward the tavern owner takes it out on …”

She sniffled, struggling to keep her voice steady.

“And things are already hard enough for in the Capital… I only recently ca here from the provinces…”

At those words, sothing flashed in Kael’s amber eyes, and he narrowed them slightly. But only for a mont, quickly returning to his usual expression.

As though suddenly realizing what she was doing, the girl jerked sharply, loosening her grip.

“Oh… sorry! You don’t need to listen to all this…”

Kael let out a quiet breath, inclining his head slightly.

“Living in the Capital isn’t easy,” he said calmly, then added sympathetically, “It must be hard for you. So your reaction makes perfect sense.”

The girl looked briefly caught off guard, then quietly laughed, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.

“I’m Lidia…” she said more steadily now, lifting her gaze toward him. “Can I ask your na?”

“Kael,” he answered without pause. “And you don’t need to be so formal.”

At those words, Lidia visibly grew embarrassed, a faint blush rising to her cheeks, and for a second she glanced away, as though gathering her thoughts.

“Sorry for being so bold, Kael…” she said quietly, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. “If you aren’t in a hurry, of course…”

She hesitated, unable to continue, only pressing her lips together more tightly.

Kael tilted his head slightly, watching her carefully, and asked with mild interest, “Do you want my help?”

The girl froze for a mont before awkwardly nodding.

“I think I seriously injured my ankle…” she murmured, carefully shifting her foot and imdiately grimacing. “I have healing ointnts at ho… If you could… It’s not far…”

She faltered again, unable to finish the sentence.

Kael smiled faintly, accepting her condition without comnt.

“Where’s your ho?”

Lidia quickly lifted her head and, turning slightly, pointed down the street.

“There’s a small alleyway two blocks from here…” she said, then added more quietly, “It’s a little gloomy, but… unfortunately, I can’t afford anywhere better.”

Kael only smiled softly at that, casually asking, “An alley two blocks away… Aren’t you afraid to walk there alone? That place is always deserted.”

Lidia nodded shyly, replying, “I am, but I don’t have a choice,” and with a sweet smile, she added, “But today I’ll feel much safer.”

Kael laughed quietly, already sounding more relaxed, and added, “Don’t worry, I can’t leave a beauty like you in trouble. Helping you is the least I can do. After all, I’m partially responsible for your injury.”

Without giving her ti to object, he confidently leaned forward, slipping one arm beneath her knees while carefully wrapping the other arm around her back, and in one motion lifted her into his arms.

Lidia let out a quiet yelp of surprise, her fingers reflexively clutching at his clothes, before quickly turning her head away, hiding her face.

“You shouldn’t have… I could’ve walked on my own…” she began haltingly, clearly unable to find the right words.

“It’s no trouble,” Kael calmly interrupted her, not even slowing his pace. “You shouldn’t put strain on your ankle right now.”

Lidia’s cheeks flushed even deeper, and she only let out a quieter breath, not daring to argue, “Sorry, Kael…”

✦ ✦ ✦

At that very mont, from so distance away, two people were watching the scene unfold.

Seiran, without taking his eyes off Kael’s retreating figure, rely let out a quiet snort:

“Told you it would work. Lidia is a master of tricks like this.”

Beside him, Bert only shook his head, watching the scene with a crooked smirk before remarking, “What a fool.”

He slowly clenched and unclenched his fists, then added with faint anticipation, “Looks like he’s about to learn another lesson. In the Capital, you need to keep your guard up.”

Seiran gave a short nod, without losing focus.

“Let’s move. Let’s beat this idiot badly enough that he won’t be walking for a week.”

With those words, both quickly pulled deep hoods over their heads and pulled on black masks with narrow slits for their eyes.

Without wasting any ti, they moved out in unison, breaking off to take a different route, clearly intending to cut their target off farther ahead.

✦ ✦ ✦

anwhile, Kael calmly moved forward, carrying Lidia in his arms, and, as though no longer in any hurry, kept up a light conversation.

He asked her about her province, about how she had ended up in the Capital, and what she did now, and listened attentively without interrupting, only occasionally asking for details.

At first, Lidia answered with noticeable awkwardness, sotis stumbling over her words, but gradually she relaxed, growing more comfortable with the conversation. Her voice grew softer, more confident, and in return she kept slipping in subtle complints, as though by accident.

“You have a very calming voice…” she quietly remarked at one point, turning her head slightly away. “With you… sohow, things feel easier.”

Kael rely chuckled at that, not thinking much of the comnt, though the corners of his lips noticeably lifted.

With each passing minute, he appeared more and more relaxed, and the conversation flowed naturally, without tension.

Seeing this, Lidia’s smile widened as well.

On the surface, it was soft, warm, almost radiant.

But behind that smile, sothing entirely different was stirring inside her.

“This couldn’t be easier…” the cold thought flashed through her mind while, without changing her expression, she pressed herself slightly closer to him. “These provincials are complete idiots…”

For a mont, she closed her eyes as though from fatigue, but her lips twitched faintly.

“I can’t wait to see your face…” she continued inwardly, while keeping that sa gentle smile on her face. “Especially when I’m the one stomping on it.”

With every passing minute, Lidia’s anticipation continued to build.

She was barely listening to what Kael was saying anymore, only occasionally nodding at the right monts, while her gaze drifted ahead, judging the distance and the turns ahead.

“Just a few hundred more steps…” she calmly estimated, faintly biting her lip. “And this fool will walk right into the range of the paralyzing spell…”

Her fingers tightened slightly on his clothes.

“This is going to be hilarious…”

But in the next mont, her thoughts were cut short by Kael’s unexpected words: “It was nice eting you, Lidia.”

She flinched, as though she hadn’t imdiately understood what he ant, and sharply jerked her head around, looking about.

They still had a little way to go before reaching the alley.

Lidia quickly forced the awkward smile back onto her lips, trying to hide her confusion.

“But we’re not there yet…” she said carefully, trying to keep her voice steady.

In response, Kael only smiled broadly without slowing his pace.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be ho soon enough.”

And at that sa mont, he slightly turned his head, looking sowhere behind her, and added more loudly, “Hello! This young lady hurt her ankle—could you help her get ho? I’m a bit in a hurry.”

Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, Lidia sharply turned her head back.

Standing directly behind them were two city guards.

They were already watching Kael, and upon noticing the Academy uniform, their expressions visibly softened.

“Of course, that’s not a problem,” one of them calmly replied, stepping forward.

The second, after quickly sizing the two of them up, asked with a hint of curiosity, “Is this your girlfriend?”

Kael rely let out a short laugh at that, as though amused by the question.

“I wish,” he answered easily, without missing a beat. “But we only just t. Lidia injured her ankle, though luckily she lives nearby.”

Kael slightly nodded toward the alley without turning his head, “Right over there.”

And the mont the guards glanced toward the alley he indicated, they imdiately exchanged looks. It lasted only a brief instant, but confusion flickered across their faces.

At that mont, Lidia suddenly snapped to attention, her body tensing as she shifted slightly in Kael’s arms.

“Kael, you know…” she began, trying to regain control of the conversation.

But he was already acting.

Calmly, without any unnecessary movents, Kael handed her over to the nearest guard, carefully supporting her so the guard could take her weight securely.

“It’s very important that you take her straight ho,” he said in that sa polite tone. “I gave her my word, so I’m counting on you.”

At the sa mont, he slipped two silver coins into the free palm of the second guard. With a wink, he added, “I’m counting on you, gentlen. And thank you for your service.”

Lidia rely opened her mouth, about to say sothing, but Kael had already turned away, casually calling over his shoulder, “I hope this changes your opinion of Imperial Academy students.”

He gave her a brief wave of his hand, saying carelessly, “Good luck to you, Lidia. I hope we et again.”

And without lingering, he continued down the street.

Lidia remained there with her mouth slightly open, staring after him as though she did not fully understand what had just happened.

The guard holding her tightened his grip slightly, pulling her closer as though making sure she couldn’t break free.

Looking her over carefully, he said with a grim smile, “How fortunate for you that we crossed paths, young lady.”

The second had already stepped forward, taking the initiative, “Don’t worry, we’ll escort you straight to your room,” he added evenly, though the implication was obvious. “And we’ll make sure that’s really where you live.”

Lidia’s face instantly went pale.

Her lips trembled, but she did not say a word, only gritting her teeth for a mont.

Inside, however, beneath that mask, rage was already boiling.

“If the guards walk into our trap, we won’t get away with a re reprimand…” she raged inwardly, and in that instant, realization hit her. “That bastard! He tricked !”

It felt as though, if not for the guard holding her back, she would have lunged forward without hesitation and strangled Kael.

But now all she could do was watch as his figure calmly disappeared into the flow of the street and into the crowd.

✦ ✦ ✦

At that mont, Kael truly couldn’t care less how any of it turned out.

He calmly continued walking down the street without slowing his pace, wearing that sa easygoing smile. And only after a couple more steps did he quietly chuckle, shaking his head slightly.

“All that was missing was a love-at-first-sight confession…” the thought flashed through his mind with light irony. “If Valkeris sent her, then that’s honestly disappointing.”

The thought passed quickly.

He dismissed it just as easily, as though it were sothing insignificant, unworthy of attention, and shifted his gaze toward his spatial ring, checking its contents.

“At last, I can return to training…” he calmly noted, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Another thought imdiately surfaced, this one already tinged with anticipation: “Libero is probably starving for a new influx of mana by now…”