The academy gradually quieted behind Valdred and Noctis as the vice principal led him away from the main districts beneath the drifting night sky. At first the route seemed reasonable enough. They crossed several elevated academy pathways lined with ward lanterns while distant student chatter echoed faintly between towers and courtyards, and Noctis simply followed behind with both hands tucked into his coat pockets while occasionally glancing around the sleeping academy grounds.
Then Valdred turned into a side road.
Then another.
Then a narrow alley between two old academy archive buildings.
Noctis narrowed his eyes slightly but continued following.
Several minutes later they descended a long staircase leading beneath one of the outer academy sectors while dim ward crystals embedded into the walls illuminated old stone corridors stretching farther underground. The air became colder the deeper they went, and eventually they emerged into another section of the academy entirely before climbing a different staircase leading back upward toward an isolated courtyard lined with overgrown trees and crumbling walls.
Noctis finally looked at Valdred suspiciously. "How far away is this treasure vault?"
Valdred continued walking without looking back. "Far enough that students do not accidentally wander into it."
"That does not explain why we've gone up three staircases and down four others."
"It is a secure location."
"You just made us walk through an underground tunnel that smelled like mold and dead dreams."
Valdred snorted softly. "That tunnel is older than the academy itself."
"That somehow makes it worse."
The vice principal ignored him and continued walking beneath the moonlight while Noctis followed behind through another quiet section of academy pathways rarely visited by ordinary students. The farther they traveled, the more absurd the route became. They crossed abandoned courtyards, slipped through narrow stone corridors hidden behind ivy-covered walls, descended another staircase that seemed unnecessarily long, then climbed a different one immediately afterward.
At one point Noctis finally stopped halfway up the stairs and stared at Valdred in disbelief.
"We spent ten minutes walking down a staircase only to spend another ten minutes climbing a different one."
"It confuses intruders."
"It confuses me."
"That means it works."
Noctis muttered something under his breath about sadistic architects while continuing upward beneath the dim wardlights.
Nearly fifty minutes after leaving Valdred's residence, the vice principal finally stopped walking.
Noctis looked ahead.
Then blinked slowly.
An old wooden outhouse stood quietly at the edge of an isolated courtyard beneath the night sky while weak lanternlight flickered against warped boards and a crooked roof that looked one strong wind away from collapse.
Noctis stared at it silently.
The night wind moved through the surrounding trees.
Valdred stood calmly in front of the structure.
A terrible realization slowly appeared across Noctis's face.
"No way."
Valdred said nothing.
Noctis pointed directly at the tiny building. "The treasure vault entrance is not inside an outhouse."
Valdred still said nothing.
Noctis narrowed his eyes further. "Right?"
The vice principal finally turned toward him with a tired wry smile while a bead of sweat slowly rolled down the side of his face beneath the moonlight.
Noctis became silent.
"…Really?"
Valdred sighed before stepping toward the outhouse door. He raised one hand and knocked three times against the wood.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Then he paused.
The courtyard remained completely silent aside from the distant rustling of leaves overhead.
Valdred knocked again.
Five times this time.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.
Noctis stared at the building with visible disbelief while the vice principal calmly grabbed the old handle and pushed the door inward.
The moment the door opened, brilliant light erupted outward.
The flash swallowed both Valdred and Noctis instantly while spatial pressure rippled through the isolated courtyard beneath the night sky. Then, moments later, the light faded completely.
Both demons had vanished.
The glow inside the outhouse disappeared as well.
Revealing the actual interior.
A wooden toilet seat sat quietly beneath the dim moonlight while warped boards lined the interior walls and a massive swarm of flies exploded outward into the courtyard with furious buzzing before the door slowly creaked shut again.
Meanwhile, far away from the academy, Bahamut descended through the night sky toward Noctis's mansion while moonlight reflected across armored black scales threaded with glowing crimson veins. The massive dragon flew far more carefully now than he had during his arrival at the academy earlier. His wingbeats remained controlled while the pressure rolling beneath him was restrained enough that the forests and roads below suffered minimal disturbance.
The fallen angels and clergymen observed the approaching estate quietly from Bahamut's armored back while the mansion grounds gradually expanded beneath them through the drifting night clouds.
The estate was enormous.
Outer walls stretched across a massive section of land surrounding gardens, training grounds, courtyards, fountains, and noble architecture illuminated beneath warm lanternlight. Long stone pathways connected various sections of the estate while moonlight reflected softly across polished rooftops and decorative water features scattered throughout the grounds.
Even the fallen angels looked impressed.
Nocthyrael especially.
Her crimson eyes moved slowly across the massive mansion while silver hair drifted through the night wind around her shoulders. Seeing the estate personally felt entirely different from the fragmented images inherited through blood memories.
This place would become her home.
No—
more than that.
This would become the place where she lived beside Noctis permanently.
Their home.
Their room.
Their bed.
The thought alone made warmth spread through her chest beneath the cold night air while she unconsciously held onto the armored plating near Bahamut's back more tightly.
Bahamut gradually descended toward the rear courtyard while the mansion grounds expanded beneath them. Unlike his landing at the academy, however, the dragon carefully controlled his descent while massive wings beat softly enough to avoid tearing apart the estate grounds below.
He did not dare damage Master Noctis's mansion.
Otherwise Noctis would definitely become annoyed.
The dragon hovered briefly above the courtyard before lowering himself gently onto the stone landing area while controlled wind pressure swept softly through the surrounding gardens and lanterns flickered beneath the movement of his wings.
The landing still shook portions of the courtyard slightly simply because Bahamut himself was enormous, but compared to the devastation at the academy earlier, the descent felt remarkably restrained.
The fallen angels and clergymen began dismounting afterward.
Some jumped down lightly from Bahamut's armored back while others landed more elegantly beneath the courtyard lanternlight. Hannah practically skipped the final distance while Eva hopped down gracefully beside her beneath flowing crimson hair.
Marcus simply dropped from the dragon with enough weight to crack portions of the stone beneath his boots.
The clergymen descended more formally.
Then Adrian stepped forward.
The Abyssal Hierarch calmly walked into empty air itself while ring-shaped formations materialized beneath each step he took. One glowing platform formed after another beneath his feet while he descended slowly through the courtyard space as though invisible stairs existed beneath him alone.
Several fallen angels quietly observed him.
The descent felt dignified.
Majestic.
Even Bahamut opened one eye briefly while Adrian continued his slow approach toward the courtyard floor beneath drifting crimson scripture.
After everyone dismounted, Bahamut rose slightly before lumbering toward his usual resting place near the edge of the rear courtyard. His massive claws scraped lightly against the stone while his armored tail dragged behind him, and moments later the dragon simply collapsed into place with a low crash before crossing his front legs and lowering his enormous head comfortably onto them.
"Alright brother," Bahamut rumbled lazily. "They are your responsibility now."
The fallen angels and clergymen exchanged confused looks.
Brother?
Then suddenly several immediately sensed another presence nearby.
A strong aura spread quietly through the courtyard while a figure emerged from the mansion entrance beneath the warm lanternlight spilling from inside the estate.
Everyone turned.
A wolf beastman walked calmly toward them while silver-gray fur reflected portions of moonlight and fitted armor almost identical in design to the fallen angels covered his body. Twin daggers rested against his waist beneath restrained but extremely dangerous pressure.
The fallen angels immediately recognized him.
Blood memories surfaced almost instinctively.
This was Rengar.
Noctis's battle companion.
Rengar stopped several meters away before giving a calm nod toward the group. "Welcome to the mansion. I am Rengar."
Nocthyrael stepped forward first while the others followed shortly afterward in greeting.
"We know of you," Sophia said calmly beneath the drifting courtyard wind.
Rengar nodded once. "Master Noctis informed the mansion staff of your arrival already. Rooms are currently being prepared for all of you. From now onward you may live here freely. Food, lodging, and accommodations have already been arranged."
The fallen angels and clergymen quietly observed the mansion behind him while warm light spilled from tall windows and polished hallways visible beyond the entrance.
This no longer resembled the frontier.
Or the Church.
Or even the academy.
It felt like entering the domain of nobility.
Rengar turned afterward and gestured toward the mansion entrance. "Follow me."
The group entered the mansion beneath warm golden lighting while servants and escorts already waited respectfully throughout the entrance hall. Marble flooring reflected chandelier light overhead while decorative paintings, elegant staircases, and polished furniture filled the massive interior.
The servants froze briefly after seeing the sheer number of newcomers entering the mansion.
Especially the seven vampiric women.
Then they quickly bowed respectfully.
Rengar calmly introduced the mansion staff while the fallen angels and clergymen introduced themselves in return beneath the elegant atmosphere filling the grand hall.
Then Nocthyrael suddenly stepped forward.
"Where is Noctis's room?"
Rengar blinked once. "Why?"
Nocthyrael lifted her chin proudly beneath the chandelier light. "Because I am Noctis's wife. Naturally my room will be with his."
Silence spread through the hall instantly.
Several servants looked stunned.
Even Bahamut outside slowly opened one eye toward the mansion.
The fallen angels exchanged glances while the clergymen remained unusually quiet.
Rengar slowly turned toward the others. "Is this true?"
The fallen angels nodded one after another.
The clergymen nodded too.
Only Claire remained silent.
She neither confirmed nor denied it.
Rengar closed his eyes afterward.
"Master," he called mentally.
Several moments later Noctis's voice responded.
"Rengar, what is the matter?" Then suddenly, farther in the background, Noctis's voice sharply complained, "Hey Vice Principal, seriously where are we going now?"
Rengar frowned slightly in confusion but continued professionally. "Master, one of the new arrivals claims to be your wife."
Noctis immediately answered without hesitation. "Yes. Is it Nocthyrael? She is my wife now. Treat her with respect and bring her to my room. She is the new mistress of the mansion."
Then suddenly his voice rose again somewhere else entirely.
"Are you serious?! Another staircase?! The last one took ten minutes climbing upward and now we're going underground again?!"
Rengar remained silent.
Noctis refocused moments later. "Sorry, Rengar. But yes, treat her as the mistress of the house."
"Understood, Master."
Rengar was just about to end the connection when Noctis suddenly spoke again in disbelief.
"Wait… this is an outhouse. Vice Principal, the treasure vault entrance isn't actually here, right?"
Rengar immediately disconnected the connection.
He absolutely did not want to know why Master Noctis was standing inside an outhouse with the vice principal.
The wolf beastman slowly reopened his eyes beneath the chandelier light before turning toward Nocthyrael respectfully.
"Miss Nocthyrael," he said calmly. "Master Noctis has instructed that you be brought to his room."
Then he turned toward the servants and escorts throughout the hall.
"From this moment onward, Miss Nocthyrael is the Mistress of the Mansion. Master Noctis's wife."
The servants and escorts immediately bowed deeply toward her.
Nocthyrael stood proudly beneath the warm mansion lights while satisfaction and happiness spread quietly through her chest.
This place was now her home.
And she belonged beside Noctis.
The spatial pressure surrounding Noctis and Valdred gradually settled after the transfer formation activated inside the outhouse, and the blinding light engulfing them moments earlier slowly faded into the dim crimson glow of ancient crystals embedded high along towering underground walls. Cold air drifted quietly through the enormous subterranean structure while layered suppression formations hummed continuously beneath the stone floor and along the surrounding pillars, causing faint vibrations to travel through the corridor beneath their feet.
Valdred stepped forward first without slowing while the lower edge of his coat shifted lightly behind him through the underground draft. Noctis followed several steps behind while his crimson eyes moved slowly across the surrounding architecture beneath the dim vault lighting.
The treasure vault was massive.
Ancient demonic corridors extended deep into the underground darkness beneath colossal stone pillars engraved with abyssal scripture and war records from forgotten eras. Rotating formations floated slowly overhead while countless sealed chambers spread throughout the underground structure behind reinforced barriers layered with suppression runes powerful enough to distort portions of the surrounding air.
Some distant chambers radiated dangerous aura pressure even through multiple sealed gates.
Noctis observed the surroundings carefully while their footsteps echoed softly throughout the underground pathways.
The atmosphere felt ancient.
Not merely old in age.
Old in presence.
Like the entire structure had accumulated centuries of demonic aura from the countless dangerous relics sealed beneath the academy.
"Different sections contain different categories of treasures," Valdred explained while continuing through the underground corridor beneath the crimson crystal light. His voice echoed faintly against the massive stone walls surrounding them. "Weapons, armor, bloodline relics, forbidden tomes, corrupted holy artifacts, sealed demonic treasures, and various other things the academy prefers students never interact with."
Noctis slowed briefly beside one distant corridor where violent aura pressure leaked faintly through several rotating suppression formations.
"What's over there?"
Valdred did not even turn around while continuing deeper through the corridor. "Something you're not allowed to touch."
"That sounds interesting."
"That sentence alone is why the academy has reconstruction budgets."
A faint smile spread across Noctis's face while he resumed walking behind the vice principal through another underground passage lined with sealed weapons suspended behind floating barriers.
Eventually Valdred stopped beneath a massive stone archway engraved with layered suppression scripture before folding his arms across his chest beneath the dim crimson lighting.
"You may select three treasures."
Noctis slowed beneath the underground crystal glow before raising three fingers toward Valdred while the rotating suppression formations overhead reflected faint crimson light across his black gloves.
"Three?"
Valdred answered with a slow nod and closed eyes while the corner of his mouth lifted faintly beneath his exhausted expression. For the first time since arriving beneath the academy, the vice principal finally looked mildly satisfied with himself, as though he believed he still retained control over this negotiation.
"Yes."
Noctis stared at him several moments while the low hum of the suppression formations continued throughout the underground corridor around them.
"I brought back thirty-eight elite combatants."
Valdred immediately opened one eye again before dragging a hand down his face beneath the crimson crystal light.
"Noctis."
"Nineteen fallen angels. Nineteen converted clergymen. One former archbishop. Three inquisitors. Three templar knight heads."
"We already discussed this."
"And now we are discussing the reward for it."
Valdred resumed walking through the underground chamber while muttering something under his breath about disastrous students and ruined retirement plans. Noctis followed beside him while ancient weapons floated silently around them beneath layered suppression barriers.
"You already receive enough special treatment."
"I also prevented a frontier catastrophe."
"You erased a hidden Church fortress with a giant crimson sword visible from neighboring territories."
"It solved the problem."
Valdred shot him a flat look while passing beneath another rotating formation array embedded into the ceiling overhead.
"You say that as if the method wasn't insane."
Noctis casually spread both hands while continuing through the chamber. "The Church planned to destroy the frontier stronghold and sever the portal routes. If I failed to act, the losses would have been catastrophic for demon society."
Valdred remained silent.
Noctis continued walking calmly beside him while inspecting the surrounding relics.
"One former archbishop alone qualifies as a strategic military contribution."
Still silence.
"No ordinary student has ever returned with nineteen fallen angels."
The vice principal's expression visibly tightened.
"No ordinary student has ever converted an entire high-ranking Church command structure."
Valdred finally stopped walking before slowly turning toward Noctis beneath the underground crimson lighting.
"How many treasures do you think you deserve?"
Noctis answered immediately without hesitation.
"Forty."
Valdred stared at him in complete silence while the suppression formations overhead continued rotating slowly through the underground chamber.
"No."
"Thirty-eight."
"No."
"Thirty."
"No."
"Twenty-five."
"Noctis."
"Twenty-three."
Valdred pinched the bridge of his nose while faint aura pressure leaked from his body and caused several nearby suppression formations to flicker slightly.
"Twenty-two."
The vice principal remained motionless for several long seconds beneath the dim underground glow before finally exhaling heavily.
"…Twenty."
Noctis immediately smiled while the crimson reflections from the rotating formations shifted faintly across his face.
"Vice Principal, your wisdom continues to impress me."
"My patience is approaching death."
The two continued deeper into the treasure vault afterward while the underground atmosphere gradually became heavier around them.
Ancient demonic armor floated behind layered barriers while several nearby weapons radiated enough residual killing intent to make the surrounding air feel sharp against the skin. Some relics still carried traces of old battlefield aura from long-forgotten wars between demons and the Church.
Noctis inspected many of them carefully while evaluating compatibility mentally.
The fallen angels would not necessarily benefit most from ordinary weapons.
Crimson Arsenal already allowed them to forge and reshape blood weapons through their own power.
Relics would serve them better.
Bloodline enhancement.
Authority specialization.
Evolutionary amplification.
The clergymen, however, could still benefit heavily from external weapons and armor.
Valdred occasionally explained the history of certain treasures while they walked.
"That sword belonged to a demon general who died during the Seventh Holy Crusade."
"That armor consumed three previous wielders before the suppression arrays stabilized it."
"The spear over there reacts violently to holy aura."
Noctis listened while continuing deeper into the underground vault beneath the ancient crystal glow.
Eventually they entered another chamber where the atmosphere itself felt unstable.
Holy power and abyssal corruption mixed unnaturally throughout the surrounding space while blackened suppression chains covered portions of the walls beneath multiple rotating containment formations.
At the center of the chamber floated an ancient silver staff wrapped in sealing chains darkened by centuries of corruption. Black-red veins spread throughout the holy engravings covering the relic while distorted holy aura leaked intermittently into the surrounding space beneath the layered suppression field encasing it.
Noctis gradually slowed while observing the floating staff.
Valdred noticed immediately and stepped beside him beneath the unstable holy-abysmal pressure filling the chamber.
"That originally belonged to an ancient pope," the vice principal explained while faint traces of holy aura crackled irregularly throughout the containment field. "It was stolen during one of the old holy wars between the demons and the Church. The relic couldn't be destroyed, so it was sealed instead."
Noctis observed the blackened corruption spreading throughout the holy scripture engraved along the staff's surface.
"The abyssal corruption eventually overtook it?"
Valdred nodded slowly while the chains wrapped around the relic rattled faintly beneath the unstable pressure leaking from the staff.
"More than seventy percent."
The unstable holy and abyssal aura continued colliding throughout the chamber around them while Noctis silently evaluated the relic.
A former archbishop transformed into an Abyssal Hierarch possessing both holy and abyssal affinity would synchronize with a treasure like this exceptionally well.
Adrian.
The relic suited him perfectly.
Noctis raised one hand slightly and a swirling blood-red portal gradually opened beside him while crimson energy rotated endlessly within the dimensional opening. Valdred briefly glanced toward the phenomenon beneath the unstable chamber lighting but did not question it.
Noctis calmly reached through the suppression field, grabbed the corrupted holy staff, and placed it into the swirling blood portal before the dimensional space slowly sealed shut once again.
"One treasure," Valdred muttered beneath his breath while the two resumed walking deeper into the underground vault.
The farther they traveled, the heavier the atmosphere gradually became until eventually they arrived before another enormous sealed chamber reinforced by layered suppression formations covering nearly every visible surface.
The chamber doors slowly opened.
Ancient bloodline pressure rolled outward immediately.
The atmosphere inside felt vastly heavier than the previous chambers. Floating relics filled the enormous underground space beneath countless suppression formations while overlapping bloodline aura saturated the air densely enough that portions of the surrounding space distorted faintly beneath the accumulated pressure.
Pendants.
Rings.
Fragments.
Crystals.
Ancient bloodline relics floated throughout the chamber beneath rotating seals and containment arrays while traces of ancient demon god aura lingered heavily through the surrounding air.
Noctis gradually slowed while observing the countless relics suspended throughout the chamber beneath the oppressive atmosphere.
Relics like these suited the fallen angels far more effectively than ordinary weapons.
The fallen angels already possessed overwhelming combat capability inherited through his blood memories.
What they lacked now was individualized specialization.
Bloodline relics could provide that.
Noctis continued walking deeper into the chamber while carefully sensing the overlapping aura radiating from the floating treasures surrounding him beneath the dim crimson light.
As he moved farther into the chamber, a freezing aura gradually spread across the surrounding space until thin frost began forming along nearby suppression formations. Cold mist drifted quietly through the air while ancient freezing pressure rolled outward from a floating bracelet suspended within rotating seals near the center of the chamber.
The bracelet consisted of segmented black-red metallic bands resembling shifting eclipse rings while glowing crimson scripture flowed continuously along the inner surface like moving blood. At the center rested a sapphire gemstone radiating abyssal frost aura throughout the surrounding chamber.
Noctis stepped closer.
Valdred immediately frowned while watching him approach the relic beneath the oppressive bloodline pressure filling the chamber.
"Careful. Demon god bloodline relics reject incompatible wielders."
Noctis reached toward the bracelet anyway.
The instant his fingers touched the relic, freezing aura surged violently across his arm while cold mist spread outward through the surrounding chamber and frost rapidly crawled across nearby suppression formations beneath the escalating pressure.
Then the aura stabilized.
Valdred's expression visibly changed.
"…You're holding it."
Noctis calmly observed the bracelet while ancient bloodline resonance flowed faintly through the relic into his hand beneath the freezing mist.
"What bloodline?"
Valdred stepped closer while continuing to stare at the bracelet beneath the crimson chamber lighting.
"Bracelet of Cryzareth. It contains blood from the Primordial Ice Demon God Cryzareth."
The sapphire gemstone pulsed faintly while abyssal frost aura drifted around Noctis's fingers.
Valdred continued speaking while the freezing pressure slowly settled throughout the surrounding chamber.
"Cryzareth was an ancient sovereign-level existence associated with eternal frost, eclipse authority, and abyssal night dominion. Most people cannot even touch the relic safely without being rejected."
Noctis observed the bracelet thoughtfully beneath the drifting frost mist.
This should suit one of the fallen angels extremely well.
A smaller blood-red portal gradually opened beside him and he casually tossed the bracelet into the swirling dimensional space before the portal sealed shut once again.
Valdred stared silently for several moments while Noctis continued deeper into the bloodline chamber beneath the oppressive aura of ancient demon god relics.