Chapter 19
Once again, Dorian and his three lackeys lingered in a corner of the courtyard, away from the crowd. Dorian stood waiting, while one of his lackeys glanced at him, barely containing his anticipation before finally opening his mouth.
“Sir Dorian, we found the information you requested on that filthy commoner!”
Dorian’s eyes widened, his lips twisting into a devilish grin.
“That was fast. Don’t waste time—tell me everything.”
“We found out that commoner only have a sister, and both their parents are gone.”
Dorian’s eyes narrowed, a leering grin spreading across his face. He licked his lips, savoring the possibilities. “A sister, huh? That makes things… very convenient.”
“And where is that commoner sister currently at?”
“She’s working at a bar,” another one of the lackeys replied, lowering his voice. “It is located east of the city near the slums.”
Dorian’s grin widened further, fingers tapping together thoughtfully. “Perfect. Contact the Black Wolf Mercenary Group. I want everything arranged quietly. And if anyone so much as gets caught… they’ll pay the price.”
The final lackey bowed his head. “Yes, Sir Dorian. We will contact them immediately.”
Dorian nodded in satisfaction, turning his gaze toward the black-haired boy lingering in the distance. A dark gleam flickered in his eyes as he gloated silently
‘Just you wait, you filthy commoner. This is the consequence of going against me.’
I rubbed my eyes, still staring at the projection in disbelief. I even pinched my cheeks, but sadly, this was reality. The words seemed to mock me silently.
Round 17: Caelith — Lyra
Just moments ago, I was saying I’d be fine during the second half—but damn, did fate decided to fuck me over. I had no idea how I was supposed to win against her, though that didn’t mean I wasn’t about to give up the fight.
I tried looking for Lyra in the massive crowd, but to no avail. I guess she didn’t even bother going up to check her opponent's name.
I scratched my chin, trying to piece together my next move, when Kaelon’s eyes shifted toward my name on the projection, then back to me with an empathetic look.
Kaelon let out a low whistle. “Shit, man, they’re really out here to get you. You actually have to fight against that monstrosity.”
“You think?” I replied flatly.
“Honestly, if I were you, I’d just forfeit instantly—save myself from being turned into a clown show.”
I stayed quiet, watching as the crowd began to disperse. Some students hurried off to train, while others lingered in groups, whispering strategies or sizing up their opponents.
“Well, I’m going to squeeze in some last-minute training before the next hour,” Kaelon said, stretching his arms. He glanced at me. “What about you, Caelith?”
“I’ll pass,” I answered, taking one last look at the projection, “I… I’m going to stay here until the exam starts.”
Kaelon shrugged. “Suit yourself. See you in an hour.”
Kaelon disappeared into the training ground as I made my way back to the corner. I plopped onto the ground, leaned against the wall, and rested my head, letting out a quiet sigh. Closing my eyes, I decided to take a short break before the exam began.
“Taking a nap in the middle of our training now, are we? You’re getting real bold lately.”
An unfamiliar woman’s voice echoed around me as I felt a sharp flick on my forehead. Slowly, I opened my eyes—only to find the courtyard gone, replaced entirely by an unfamiliar place.
I tried moving my body, but strangely enough, I couldn’t control any of my movements. In front of me stood a woman with silver hair that shimmered like moonlight, her red eyes were calm yet sharp. For some inexplicable reason, the moment I saw her, a deep pain and sorrow welled up inside me, even though we’d never met before.
‘Just what are these dreams trying to show me…’ I pondered, but another sharp flick assaulted my forehead, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Are you just going to keep staring at me?” she asked, her voice patient. “Pick up your sword. We still have the entire day.”
My body responded on its own, picking up the sword lying next to me on the ground. I could only watch as it raised the weapon and assumed a ready stance.
“Now, come at me.” She raised her sword as well.
Without warning, I lunged forward, swinging the sword with all its strength. The woman effortlessly sidestepped my attack. My body redirected the sword swing, but she casually parried it away.
CLANG
“Your left side is completely exposed,” she said calmly, delivering a swift kick that forced my body to stumble back. “And you’re still only swinging with your arm, not your whole body.”
“Again.” She readjusted her stance.
I immediately dashed toward her again, thrusting my sword toward her body—but, just like before, she easily blocked it with the flat side of her weapon.
“Not bad,” she said, a small smile playing on her lips.
I continued to attack her, but none of my strikes managed to land. She casually dodged each one without a sweat on her face.
Then, a sudden flurry of strikes rained down, each one aiming for my openings, forcing my body to twist and turn desperately just to keep up.
“I can tell your mind is overthinking. What I’m trying to teach you isn’t like the swordplay you see from other swordsmen. Relax, let your body move on its own.”
Watching her sword techniques, a thought struck me—her movements were strangely familiar, reminding me of the white-haired man from my dreams. But unlike his, hers wasn’t rigid or mechanical; each motion held a fluid elegance, as if she was one with the sword.
There was no time to dwell on it, however, as before long I found myself back on the floor, gasping for breath. She stood over me, staring down with one hand tucked behind her back.
“Don’t tell me that’s your limit already.”
Slowly, my body began to rise, my hand gripping the sword tightly, using it as support as my body straightened and assumed the stance once more.
“That’s the spirit,” she said softly. Her red eyes gleamed as she took her stance. “Now continue—attack me with the intent to kill.”
The sparring—or perhaps torture—lasted the entire day, only coming to a stop as the sun began to set. I saw myself collapse to the ground, utterly spent, every muscle screaming in protest. She approached me, kneeling down beside me this time with a warm smile, and gently ruffled my hair.
The instant her hand touched me, a strange warmth spread through my chest. It reminded me of my mother—not exactly the same, but close enough that I could feel the same faint thread of affection.
“You did well today. I wasn’t expecting such progress—you’ve improved tremendously,” she said, her voice still gentle as she ruffled my hair.
“Why not call it a day? Let’s go grab something to eat, shall we?”
Before I could react, a sharp pain struck my left cheek, jolting me awake. My eyes fluttered open, and I immediately realized I was back in the courtyard. I touched my left cheek and noticed Kaelon standing nearby, watching me with a raised eyebrow.
“What the fuck was that for?” I groaned, still rubbing my cheek.
“I’ve been trying to wake you up, but you seemed to be having that beauty nap, so this is the next best way,” he said, a teasing smirk on his face. “The second half of the exam is starting soon. I must say, I’m flabbergasted that you actually decided to take a nap before that.”
“None of your business, man,” I snapped back, stretching my stiff muscles and trying to shake off the lingering fatigue.
‘Urgh… why does my body feel like it’s dying…’ I frowned, trying to recall the dream from moments ago, but I couldn’t quite remember specific details. At this point, I decided to just accept that I couldn’t remember anyone from those dreams.
“Okay, how long are you going to sit there dawdling like that? Come on, the exam is starting,” Kaelon urged.
“Yeah, I heard you,” I sighed, following closely behind him.
The moment we arrived, the testing site for the second half of the exam came into view—a massive arena at the center of the courtyard. Rows of students had already gathered, their nervous chatter filling the air.
The professors stood in the middle of the arena, but my eyes were drawn to a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. He had sharp golden eyes, dark hair that framed his face neatly, and a tall, lean build that gave him an air of authority.
Who’s that? I thought, noticing how the professors seemed to bow their heads slightly while speaking to him.
Professor Lucian turned around and cleared his throat, silencing the chatter.
“Ahem. Attention, everyone. We have a special guest who will also be observing the fights. Please welcome the Headmaster—Thalor Pendragon.”
Applause erupted across the courtyard, some students cheering while others simply clapped in respect.
“Holy shit! The headmaster’s actually watching the fights?” one exclaimed.
“I heard he never bothers with these things,”
“Shit… I’m even more stressed now. I can’t be making a fool of myself down there for him to see,” a third muttered.
‘That’s the headmaster?’.
I was expecting the headmaster to be some frail old man, not someone who looked that young. But with mana existing in this world, I supposed anything was possible.
My thoughts must have somehow reached his ears, as he abruptly snapped his head to my direction, almost giving me a heart attack before turning back, acting like nothing happened.
The headmaster raised one of his arms, and before long, the applause died down.
“Thank you, everyone, for the warm welcome,” he greeted. “I’m looking forward to seeing how each of you performs today, and I wish you the best of luck. I won’t hold you any longer—let me hand things back to Professor Lucian.”
Professor Lucian nodded.
“We will now begin Round 1. Please step into the arena when your names are called.”
