Chapter 37 — The Approaching Danger
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Kael Grenfort:
My breathing quickened. My insides felt like they were burning. I couldn't wake up. This was clearly a dream...
"Hey!"
Someone was calling me.
"Hey!"
After this noise, my eyes slowly began to open.
"Hey, what's your name? Are you going to sleep or not?"
"Damn it... I thought I was alone in this room," I said, looking at Nolan standing before me, scratching his head.
Yes. Fate had placed me in a room with none other than Nolan. What luck.
I had been with him since yesterday, and it felt like the boundary between us had vanished.
I looked at him with sleepy eyes.
"Why are you staring like that?"
"Nothing. Just... nothing."
"Don't think I'm scared of you just because you got first place. You'd be wrong," he said, turning his face away.
"I don't think that at all," I said, looking at him strangely.
"Last night, when I was finally about to fall asleep, you started groaning. That's why I hate sharing a room with someone."
I just stared at him like he was an idiot.
"Fine, fine. Don't bother me anymore. Even if you can't sleep, that's your problem," he said, walking toward his bed.
"Alright, you do you. Not my fault. You should have slept earlier."
"I didn't ask for your advice," he said, lying down and turning to face the wall.
"Well, classes start in two hours. I'm leaving. If you fall asleep, I won't wake you."
"Did I ask you to?"
"Fine, fine," I said, getting up and heading to the washroom.
Standing in front of the mirror under the dim light, I stared at myself for a moment.
Then I spun the ring, and my appearance returned to normal.
Eh, I'm still good-looking anyway.
I examined my face from every angle in the mirror.
Ahem. No one as handsome as me exists, I thought with a cheerful smile, then twisted the ring back to Criss's form.
Hmm, this isn't bad either.
But I'm still different.
I stood still for a few seconds, staring.
Huff. I took a deep breath. That dream — if I wasn't mistaken, her name was Matilda. A woman who worked at the orphanage in my childhood. But her face...
I brought my hands to my face.
No... thinking about this now is pointless.
Forget it, I said, washing my face, walking through the hall, and returning to the room.
I put on the training clothes — uncomfortable clothes.
Then I headed out for a run.
Ten laps today, I decided, and began running around the training ground.
Strangely, no one was here this early. I had expected many people training, but the field was empty. Perhaps the older students weren't here yet. And what could you expect from eight-year-olds? They probably have no sense of responsibility.
Maybe it's just too early...
My breathing began to grow heavy.
The ranking system explained in class yesterday... Now I feel more connected to this world after learning about it.
I stopped and took deep breaths. Damn it, I need to increase my speed and endurance faster, I said, and started running again.
The power levels, according to the textbooks:
Warrior... Commander... General... Ruler... Immortal.
Those were the ranks mentioned in class. But something inside me told me there were even higher stages beyond these.
And all these ranks are divided into three parts — beginner, intermediate, and peak.
Sedrik, my father, is at intermediate General level.
I stopped running.
Ohhh, my dear legs.
Ahh, finally, I said, returning to the dormitory.
I feel like drinking coffee.
I have some, after all, I thought, pulling a box of ground coffee from the cabinet. I put the coffee in a cup and poured water over it.
It might be a bit bitter, but that's exactly how I like it.
Probably one of the few habits left from my past life...
But where do I boil the water?
I walked into the hall and checked a few rooms — where was the kitchen?
Hmm, fine. I'll boil it myself. This will be good practice, I thought, returning to the room.
I began heating the bottom of the cup using fire magic.
---
A short while later.
I took a sip of the coffee.
Ohhh, bitter taste, but calming. I really like it.
---
Class time.
What classes do we have today?
First period — history of magic... Boring. Then physical training and swordsmanship. That part might be a bit more interesting.
After that, there will be basic guidance for the mana core. I've already formed my core, so I don't need that class. So after the second period, I'll go meet Dzao.
I rested my head on the desk. A bespectacled teacher was lecturing. He was saying something, but the words weren't registering in my ears.
Hmm, did Nolan even come? I thought, lifting my head and looking around.
I turned around and saw that girl again — staring at me with that strange look.
"Is something wrong with me, Lilith? You've been staring strangely since yesterday."
"Oh, sorry, Criss. I didn't think it would bother you. The energy coming off you is very similar to someone I know. Are you two related?"
"Who are you talking about, Lilith?"
"There was someone..."
"Kael Grenfort."
"No, I've never met anyone by that name. As for what you said..."
"People can look very similar to each other. It could be a coincidence," I said with a smile.
"Ah, thank you, Criss," she said.
The bells rang.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
Class ended.
I started walking toward the door. Just as I was stepping out, someone was standing behind me.
"Good acting," they said, and turned into the hallway behind me.
"Hey, who was that? Lilith?" I called out.
"Lilith, are you here?"
She appeared to be ahead of me, then disappeared among the other students.
I ran forward a bit, but I couldn't find her.
This was clear — there was something strange about her. Well, she might not come to the next class. I heard she had an injury on her knee. Perhaps if those injuries had healed, she would have entered this school in first place? I wondered, walking to the window.
A large carriage stopped in front of the school, and a girl named Carmilla — from this year's senior batch — stepped out.
Her silver hair fell to her shoulders. She stepped out calmly. Many students around instinctively turned to look at her.
So, this is Carmilla — as beautiful and elegant as others described.
The older students are starting to arrive. Is this good?
From what I've heard, her current rank is intermediate Commander level. That might sound like a dream, but it's true.
Interesting. I want to compete with her. I need to grow stronger faster.
Carmilla picked up her suitcase and walked toward the girls' dormitory.
"She's one of the most talented students in the school's history," said Nolan, who had appeared beside me.
"Oh, you're here."
"I want to surpass her."
"Isn't that impossible? For someone like you," I teased.
"Take that however you want. I will definitely surpass her — in achievements..."
"Good luck on that path."
Carmilla...
---
After the second period.
I left. Now, time to go to Dzao.
Will he hear me if I call?
"Master Dzao!" I shouted in the middle of the empty field.
"Master Dzao!"
"Old man!"
"What did you say...?"
He appeared before me.
"I was calling you, Master Dzao."
"Tsk."
"Well, what do you want?"
"I know there must be a serious reason for you to write both of my names down. Doesn't that make others suspicious?"
"Follow me," he said, and opened a portal in front of him, stepping through it.
I followed him inside, and we appeared in his office.
After I entered, the portal slowly closed behind me.
He walked around the desk, sat down, and put his feet up on the table.
"What was your question?"
"I just told you."
"Say it again."
"Ugh... in short, you used both my current and former names at the same time. I think there must be a serious reason behind that. Won't that make others suspicious?"
"They're already suspicious. What difference does it make now?" Dzao said.
"Yes, by the way — take this. Your father left it behind. He said it's the payment for the first semester. I don't need it. Just make sure you leave this place as a stronger person," he said.
I took the money. No harm in having extra money, I thought, furrowing my brow and putting it in my pocket.
"Don't change the subject. I want to know."
"Well, you won't let it go. Fine, I'll tell you."
He lowered his feet from the table.
"First reason — the one I told you before."
Then he stood up.
"Second reason — I had a friend once. Later, we fell out, and for several centuries, we've been enemies. His granddaughter placed 10th, so I made her drop to 11th — to keep her out of the top ten."
He began walking toward me.
"And the third reason — the most important one..."
His eyes opened wide.
"I thought it would be more interesting."
What the fuck. The words slipped out of my mouth without thinking.
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know."
"Wait, wait — you're saying, no, the most important part..."
I turned around and began pacing around the room, looking up at the ceiling.
"You're the director, right?"
"Yes."
I twirled my index finger in the air.
"And you used your authority to settle a personal grudge."
"So?"
I just stared at him.
"Nothing. You're a great man," I said sarcastically.
"Not interested."
"And you did this because you thought it would be more interesting — what the hell, you're insane," I said again, sarcastically.
"Well, if you've got your answers, don't bother me," he said.
"No, I know this is..."
He covered my mouth with his hand.
With his other hand, he gestured for silence.
Shhhhhhh.
"Someone's coming. Hide," he said, handing me a cloth. I quickly draped it over myself, and he walked over to the window.