'Urgh.'
I groaned internally, rubbing my face.
Whatever Siersha had done was still affecting .
It wasn't enough to make lose control, but it left an unsettling discomfort crawling under my skin.
[]
I groaned, leaning my body against the wall.
'Was her condition supposed to be this serious?' I knew she was supposed to have adverse effects, but this much?
Wasn't she supposed to be the calm type?
[]
'…..'
[]
'She started it.' If she hadn't forced , I never would have done anything like that.
Giving a dose of life energy and using it to control ...
Why?
What was she trying to gain?
I didn't know why she would do such a thing.
'She's dangerous.' []
'Then you should have stopped .'
[]
'…Christina?' []
I see.
My gaze drifted around.
Why is this place so beautiful?
Even though it looks like an ancient palace, it's still more breathtaking than any I've seen in the human domain.
'Makes wonder who it belonged to.' I mused as I turned a corner—
And collided with soone.
"Urgh, look where you're going!"
A midget girl yelled, glaring at .
Her hands moved to rub her head that had slamd into my chest.
I raised a brow as I asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for Siersha," Zenith grumbled, avoiding my eyes.
She huffed and tried to walk past , but I stepped in her path.
"She's not here."
"Move."
"Co with ."
Before she could protest, I grabbed her wrist and started pulling her away.
I wasn't letting that crazy vampire corrupt my little midget daughter.
"What happened to her?" she asked, her ember eyes narrowing.
"She is having her period cramps," I lied effortlessly.
"Liar. Vampires don't have periods," she grumbled, still letting drag her.
I paused.
Then turned to her, tilting my head. "How do they get pregnant, then?"
Her eyes slitted like a cat's. "Why do you wanna know that?"
"Fine. Don't tell ." I turned away—
And imdiately froze.
Epione.
She stood just ahead, her soft silver hair catching the dim light.
"What's going on?" she asked, glancing between us.
"Epione~" Zenith bead as she rushed towards her.
She hugged the girl, squeezing her. "How have you been?"
Epione stiffened but let her. "I'm fine."
"You should hang out with us more," Zenith pouted. "You've been avoiding us ever since our classes changed."
"It's not like that." Her voice was quiet, her eyes holding a distant glimr as they t mine. "Are we going to the garden?"
"Yeah," I said, gently patting Zenith. "Co with us."
She frowned. "Why?"
"I need information," I said, eting her gaze. "About Lumi."
Her eyes brightened. "Just ask ! I know everything!"
I started with the most basic question. "Who was she?"
Her reply was instant. "A scholar. She lived about… three thousand years ago."
I nodded. "That voice said only her husband could solve Mary's murder. Why?"
"I don't know," she replied, shaking her head.
"But from what I have heard from rumors, it's because this riddle was made for her husband only."
"....I see."
[]
'I don't know.' There was just sothing about this place… sothing familiar.
"You know," Zenith suddenly said, "this palace is based on hers. Basically a replica, I confird it a while ago."
"No wonder it looks so good." My gaze swept over the surroundings again.
"Was Mary important?" I asked.
Zenith hesitated before whispering, "Lady Lumi's sister."
A dull ache spread in my chest, but I ignored it.
"....I see."
Glancing to my side, I noticed Epione looking at .
No.
She was looking at my horns.
"Do they look bad?" I asked, offering a small smile.
"Can I touch them?"
Zenith reached up before I could answer—
But she was too short.
"..…"
"..…"
"Shorty—"
"Shut up!" she yelled, storming off.
I love teasing her.
She is way too easy.
"Ruh-Ibtin." "Hm?"
I turned to look at Epione as she mumbled sothing.
Her crimson eyes t mine as she whispered again, "Your horns are made of Ruh-Ibtin."
I tilted my head in confusion. "Uh, what?"
Instead of answering, she picked up her pace, leaving behind.
Dumbfounded, I scratched my chin.
What the hell was that?
[]
I sighed and kept walking.
The halls were eerily empty, not a single student in sight.
After a few minutes, we reached the garden.
'....'
As soon as I walked inside the garden, my heart started to beat faster.
I looked around.
Fireflies drifted lazily above the flower beds, their golden light flickering like tiny stars.
The garden stretched far into the distance, but I couldn't move.
A strange sense of nostalgia washed over , thick and suffocating.
"Himl?"
Zenith's voice snapped out of it.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." I forced myself forward.
The night made visibility low, but I could see everything clearly.
A weird sense of nostalgia continued to hit , making more uncomfortable.
My heartbeat never stopped rising.
Placing my hand on my heart, I sighed.
Zenith was playing with the fireflies while Epione stood close to a large oak tree at the center.
I started walking towards her.
The nostalgia started turning into blurry mories.
...I rember this place.
I don't know how, but I rember—.
—Proposing to her. Right here.
I stopped right beside her.
She looked at . "You're shaking."
"I'm fine."
I whispered, wiping my sweaty forehead.
"There's sothing written on the tree," she pointed ahead.
I followed her gaze—
And froze again.
"That's Lady Lumi's writing."
Zenith inford from behind.
But.
I wasn't focusing on her.
Slowly, I started reading those words engraved on the tree.
"Break the cycle, and I return to ash. Let it reset, and I suffer eternally. Choose, Kaveh, but know I would wait a thousand resets for one more dawn with you."
I frowned.
My heartbeat pounded against my ribs.
"What's 'Kaveh' an?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Warrior. Madman." Epione's gaze t mine. "Lover, too."
A mad lover?
Ah.
I let out a hollow chuckle as I whispered,
"....Qais."
Zenith hesitated before rubbing my back. "You don't look good."
"I don't."
I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself.
My eyes returned to the engraving.
"I don't feel like continuing this exam, Zenith."
She frowned. "Himl—"
"Will it stop," I murmured, "if I kill everyone?"
*******
Aimar's golden eyes followed the group of boys sprinting ahead of him.
He didn't know much about them,
Just that they were in the sa class.
"Move faster!"
A voice snapped from behind him.
Aimar turned, his gaze eting the towering figure of Dexter Hadid—the eldest son of the Von Castia branch family.
With his massive fra and long, blackish-brown hair, the guy looked more like a minotaur than a student.
"What are you staring at?" Dexter growled, raising a hand to slap Aimar.
Aimar tilted his head ever so slightly—just enough to evade it.
Dexter's face twisted with humiliation.
His anger flared, and he imdiately turned to one of the boys beside him.
"Zoki! Hold this fucker in place!"
The brutish boy glanced at them, then scowled. "Now's not the ti! We need to get rid of the body before anyone finds a trace!"
Dexter clenched his fists but forced himself to calm down.
Like Zoki said, now wasn't the ti.
With a grunt, he shoved Aimar aside and moved forward.
The six of them—minus Aimar—were ready for battle.
Then, a shadow dropped from the second floor.
Aimar shoved his hands into his pockets as Elijah landed gracefully, his sword poised parallel to his body.
"You're not going to fight?"
A voice echoed beside Aimar.
A boy, identical to him, casually popped a piece of popcorn into his mouth.
"No." Aimar's voice was soft. "Let them handle it."
The boy nodded, watching as Dexter stepped forward.
"Step aside, redhead," Dexter sneered at Elijah. "Don't waste our energy."
His group began flanking Elijah, positioning themselves for the attack.
Aimar looked up.
Elijah's teammates weren't moving.
"They're confident in him," the boy murmured, crunching on his popcorn.
Aimar gave a short nod.
"Move," Dexter warned Elijah one last ti.
Elijah lowered his stance. "Just charge already."
Zoki lunged first, his axe crackling with energy.
"An artifact?" Elijah muttered, spinning to avoid a spike aid at him.
Zoki slamd the axe into the ground.
The floor ruptured, jagged stones shooting toward Elijah.
He moved passed them effortlessly.
A spiked chain lashed toward Elijah.
Elijah pivoted, his sword humming through the air—
—A single arc—
—The chain snapped, broken links scattering.
The wielder barely had ti to react before Elijah's blade cut across his chest.
Then—
"ARGH!"
Electricity surged through his body.
Eliminated.
A teleportation circle glowed beneath him, whisking him away.
Elijah didn't pause.
Another attacker lunged, dagger poised for his ribs.
Elijah twisted—
His elbow slamd into the boy's throat.
A sickening crack.
No scream.
Just silence.
The sa thing repeated itself.
Dexter's roar shattered the tension. "Kill the Verdant trash!"
Zoki charged again, slamming his axe down.
The floor vibrated violently, throwing Elijah off balance.
Another boy seized the opportunity, his dagger flashing toward Elijah's lungs.
A grin stretched across his face—
Until—
An arrow buried itself into his back.
"Agh—!"
Electricity surged.
Another one down.
Elijah's gaze flicked up.
Pasithea stood in the distance, lowering her bow.
Dexter's face turned an ugly shade of purple. "These insects…"
Zoki quickly approached him. "We need to retreat."
"No—!"
"We can't win," Zoki snapped. "We need more people!"
Dexter's hands clenched, but after a long, furious breath, he nodded.
They turned—
"Elijah didn't give you permission to leave," his voice rang out.
Dexter snapped. He spun, ready to attack.
But—
"Let them go."
Aimar stepped in front of Dexter.
Elijah's eyes narrowed. "And why should I?"
"Unless you want to fight ," Aimar said, tilting his head.
Silence.
Then—
Elijah sheathed his sword and turned away.
Aimar turned arround. "Let's go."
Maybe it was because he planned everything.
Dexter burned with humiliation, but for now, he swallowed it.
He followed Aimar in silence.
"Why save them?" The boy walking beside Aimar asked.
"..."
Aimar remained silent.
As they reached a secluded area, Aimar abruptly stopped.
Dexter frowned. "What now, lesser?"
No response.
He sneered, reaching out. "I'm talking to you, you little—"
A sickening crack echoed through the space.
Dexter blinked.
Confused.
He looked down at his hand—
Or rather—
What was left of it.
Most of his flesh was hanging on the broken bone.
Aimar turned.
Before Dexter could scream—
A blade—solid yet unseen—rushed through their bodies.
A clean, rciless cut.
One by one, their chests split open.
Teleportation circles flared beneath them.
And they were gone without knowing what actually happened.
"Hahaha!"
The boy beside Aimar burst into laughter.
"That was so random, bro!"
"Shut up."
Aimar flexed his fingers, watching his points climb.
Zero to a thousand.
Just like that.
The first killer was identified.
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