Chương 33: Beyond the Academy Gates

The academy felt different after the return from the Mist Forest. Not quieter. If anything, it was louder. Students gathered in corridors between lessons, their conversations overlapping until individual voices became indistinguishable. Some spoke about the forest. Others argued about the beasts they had encountered. A few had already begun exaggerating their stories. Leo listened to none of them. He walked through the eastern corridor with his hands in his pockets, his expression unchanged.

Beside him, Amon was talking. Again.

"I still say I could have beaten that horned beast without Alice's help." Alice glanced at him.

"You were lying on the ground."

"I was resting."

"You were unconscious."

"Temporarily resting." Masha laughed. Leo's lips curved slightly.

"You two haven't changed." Amon looked at him.

"And you have?"

"No."

"Exactly." They continued walking. The forest was already beginning to feel distant. The wounds had healed. The camp had been dismantled. The teachers had filed their reports. The students had returned to their ordinary schedules. Life had resumed. But something had changed. Leo could feel it. Not inside the academy. Outside it. He noticed it whenever he looked toward the city beyond the enormous gates. There were more guards than before. Carriages belonging to nobles had begun arriving at unusual hours.

Merchants stood near the outer road, speaking quietly among themselves. Something was happening in the kingdom. Nothing that concerned him. At least, that was what Leo told himself. Amon suddenly stopped.

"Wait." Leo turned. Amon was staring toward the main courtyard.

"What?"

"Look." Several instructors had gathered there. Among them stood Professor Gareth. Beside him was a man Leo had never seen before. He wore a dark blue military coat with silver embroidery. A long sword rested against his waist, but unlike the academy instructors, he carried no magical staff. His posture alone suggested that he was accustomed to battle. Students slowly gathered around the courtyard. Professor Gareth raised his voice.

"Everyone, listen." The conversations faded. Gareth waited until the courtyard became quiet.

"The academy has received an official invitation from the Royal Capital." A murmur spread through the students. Amon leaned toward Leo.

"Royal Capital?" Leo nodded slightly. Gareth continued.

"In three weeks, the capital will host the Arcane Convergence." Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Several students immediately reacted. Masha's eyes widened.

"I've heard about that." Alice nodded.

"It's held every five years." Leo looked at her.

"What is it?" She seemed surprised that he didn't know.

"It's a gathering of young mages, knights, scholars, and craftsmen from across the kingdom. The academies participate as well." Amon grinned.

"So… a competition." Gareth heard him.

"Among other things." The professor's expression became serious.

"This year, our academy has been invited to send a delegation of students." That changed the atmosphere. The students began whispering excitedly. Gareth raised one hand.

"Do not misunderstand. This is not merely a tournament." The courtyard quieted again.

"The Arcane Convergence includes magical demonstrations, controlled duels, alchemy, artifact theory, field exercises, and several academic examinations." He paused.

"And because the kingdom has recently increased its cooperation with the Royal Capital, representatives from several noble families will also be present." Amon's smile disappeared.

"Nobles…" Masha elbowed him.

"Don't start."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were about to."

"I was thinking."

"That's worse." Leo ignored them. His attention remained on Gareth. The professor continued.

"Our academy will hold internal selections." A student immediately raised his hand.

"How many students will be chosen?"

"Twenty." Another voice shouted.

"When?"

"In ten days." The courtyard erupted. Ten days. Not enough time for anyone to become dramatically stronger. Which meant the selection would reveal something more important. What they already possessed. Gareth turned toward the unfamiliar man.

"This is Commander Roland Veyne of the Royal Knight Corps. He will supervise part of the selection process." The man stepped forward. His gaze passed over the students. It stopped briefly on Leo. Only for a moment. Then moved on. Leo noticed. He didn't react. Roland spoke.

"I don't care how powerful you believe yourselves to be." His voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be.

"I care about whether you can remain useful when your opponent does something you did not expect." Silence.

"Strength without judgment is simply another form of weakness." Amon folded his arms. Leo glanced at him. For once, Amon wasn't smiling. Roland continued.

"The selection will not reward brute force alone." Then he stepped back. Gareth dismissed the students. The courtyard exploded into conversation. They left the courtyard together. Amon was the first to speak.

"Ten days." Masha looked at him.

"You're worried."

"Of course I'm worried." She smiled.

"At least you're honest." Amon sighed.

"I thought the forest was supposed to be the dangerous part." Alice looked toward Leo.

"What about you?" Leo glanced at her.

"What?"

"The selection."

"I'll participate."

"That's all?"

"What else should I say?" Amon laughed.

"That's Leo for you." They continued toward the dining hall. Halfway there, Alice slowed down. Leo noticed.

"You aren't coming?"

"I forgot something."

"What?"

"My book." Masha stopped.

"I'll come with you." Alice shook her head.

"No. You two go ahead." She looked at Leo. Then at Amon.

"I'll meet you there." She turned and walked away. Leo watched her disappear around the corner. Amon shrugged.

"She's probably still thinking about the forest." Masha nodded.

"Probably." Leo said nothing. Alice returned to the eastern wing. She didn't go to the classroom. She went to the library. The large wooden doors opened with a quiet creak. Inside, sunlight fell through the tall windows and formed pale rectangles across the floor. She walked toward the reference section. But before reaching it, she stopped. Someone was standing beside one of the shelves. A young man. Black hair. Academy uniform. A stack of books beneath one arm. He looked at her and smiled.

"Miss Alice." She recognized him.

"Daniel." Daniel bowed slightly.

"I heard about what happened in the forest." Alice's expression hardened.

"I'm fine."

"I wasn't asking about your injuries." He smiled.

"I meant the incident itself." Alice didn't answer. Daniel took one step closer.

"You were kidnapped."

"I know."

"And that masked man rescued you." Alice's eyes narrowed.

"Yes."

"I've been trying to understand him."

"You won't." Daniel blinked.

"What?"

"He doesn't seem like someone who wants to be understood." Daniel smiled.

"Perhaps." He looked at the book in his hand.

"I've been researching the mask." Alice stared at him.

"Why?"

"Curiosity."

"That doesn't sound convincing." Daniel laughed quietly.

"Maybe not." Before the conversation could continue, the library doors opened. Leo entered. His gaze moved across the room. He saw Alice. Then Daniel. His expression remained calm. But his steps became slightly slower. Daniel noticed him.

"Leo." Leo approached.

"Daniel."

"Perfect timing." Leo raised an eyebrow. Daniel held up the book.

"I was just discussing the masked swordsman." Leo looked at the book. Then at Alice. Then back at Daniel.

"And?" Daniel smiled.

"I think he is much stronger than the reports suggest." Leo remained silent. Daniel continued.

"Which makes me wonder why someone that powerful would bother rescuing students instead of simply disappearing." Leo shrugged.

"Maybe he had a reason."

"Perhaps." Daniel studied him for a moment. Then closed the book.

"Anyway, I'll see you at the selection." He walked away. Leo watched him leave. Alice crossed her arms.

"You didn't like that."

"I don't like people who ask too many questions." She looked at him.

"That's ironic." Leo glanced at her.

"Why?"

"Because you're the most curious person I know." Leo smiled faintly.

"I prefer observing." Alice shook her head.

"You're impossible." That evening, Leo returned to his room. He closed the door. The room became silent. He stood beside the window. The academy grounds stretched below him. Students moved through the courtyard. Teachers crossed between buildings. Lanterns slowly illuminated the pathways. Everything looked ordinary. Leo placed one hand against the window. Ten days. The selection wasn't particularly important. The Arcane Convergence wasn't either. But the Royal Capital… That was different. He had never visited it.

He knew almost nothing about the place. And that made it interesting. Leo turned away from the window. He reached beneath his bed. A small wooden box emerged. Inside was a single folded piece of black cloth. He unfolded it. The mask lay beneath. Its dark surface reflected the moonlight. Leo stared at it. For several seconds, he said nothing. Then he quietly closed the box. Not yet. There was no reason to use it. He had learned something in the forest. Power wasn't valuable merely because it could destroy something.

Power was valuable because knowing when not to use it could be even more important. Leo returned the box beneath the bed. Then sat at his desk. The Royal Capital could wait. Tomorrow, he would begin preparing. Not for the selection. For whatever came after it. Outside, the academy bells rang once. The sound travelled across the sleeping grounds. Leo closed his eyes. And for the first time since returning from the Mist Forest, he wondered what kind of world existed beyond the roads he had already travelled.

The answer would come soon. Not from a monster. Not from an enemy. But from a city. A city where people from every corner of the kingdom would gather under the same sky. And where, for the first time, Leo would have to decide how much of himself he was willing to show. End of Chapter 33.