"How many people did the class lose? Fifteen? And three of those were from the first-class alone?"

A sigh from Instructor Rosario. He rubbed his potbelly for a moment before continuing.

"It’s unfortunate, but your studies must continue. You’ve already spent fifteen days resting. As cadets with such potential, you should be eager to resume your training. Your mid-sem is only a month away."

His gaze swept the hall briefly before a cheerful smile crossed his face.

"Your experience serves as the perfect opportunity to teach you exactly what happened during the raid."

"Unfortunately for you, this was no ordinary quest. The monsters’ biology had been altered. Citadels naturally attract the kin of their Lord within a certain territory, but in your case, that kin was a human, a black mage. As a result, the spiders reacted to the malevolent energy left behind by the previous Lord."

When he spoke, a cadet’s hand went up immediately. Her left hand was broken, patched and bandaged, but raised all the same. The look on her face was of someone who had no intention of ending up there again. Rosario loved seeing it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

"What’s it, Marie?"

"Did you say the monsters’ biology was tampered with? What exactly happened to them?"

Rosario stroked his chin. This belonged in Magic Theory, not a Phenomena class. Moving onto another Instructor’s field wasn’t something he was fond of.

But he smiled anyway. For the sake of studies, it didn’t matter what he did. These cadets had to learn, and he intended to ensure that.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

He excused himself and stepped out. When he returned, Instructor Abigail was with him. She was just as confused as the cadets, but arguing with Rosario about studies, she knew better. It would only make her day worse.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The moment Marie repeated the question, Abigail answered without hesitation.

"The spiders you fought were cursed. Someone placed a curse upon them, forcing them to absorb malevolent energy even without a Lord of their species. Many of you likely encountered smaller spiders, which were meant to be their original form, but the curse accelerated their growth at an alarming rate."

A cadet who hadn’t stopped writing since the lesson began leaned forward and asked.

"Who placed the curse on them? Was it the black mage?"

Abigail shook her head in disagreement.

"It remains uncertain, but the black mage was a summoner who controlled a poisonous creature that could not be killed unless both of their heads were severed simultaneously and burned. I’m certain anyone who fought it must have realized that as well."

A student to her left immediately hurried their words.

"Are you saying someone deliberately placed the curse on them? Were we sent there to die?"

Abigail let out a painful sigh.

"That’s not something I can confirm or deny. The Citadel was abandoned. A cult may have performed a ritual there, or perhaps someone deliberately set a trap for you all."

Rosario stepped in the moment Abigail opened her mouth, clarifying before she could finish.

"The incident is currently under investigation. I can assure you that the case will be handled sooner rather than later. You will be notified when that occurs."

With his arms folded across his chest, Lucius got the instructors’ attention and asked.

"How did the black mage get into the Citadel? Isn’t the first stage supposed to be brainless?"

Abigail nodded in certainty.

"When a mage absorbs their solution prematurely, the resulting energy that transforms them into a black mage resembles the malevolent energy found within Citadels. This energy is known as dark energy, and across various institutions — and even other kingdoms — it is often referred to as blasphemous energy. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Malevolent energy and dark energy share one trait: they strengthen both creatures and monsters. This is why most black mages seek out abandoned Citadels to hide. It is the influence of the creatures they have contracted, which grow eager to take control of their hosts’ bodies."

Her head tilted slightly as she locked eyes with Lucius.

"Is your question answered, Lucius?"

Lucius responded positively.

Instructor Abigail held for more questions, but none came. And almost eagerly, as though her free time had been waiting long enough, she excused herself.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Rosario took the class back, steering the lesson toward the dangers within citadels, what made a true lord, and how soldiers responded to their leadership.

—

The moment class ended, Raine was on her feet. She’d been quiet throughout, and for good reason, her mind had barely been on the lesson.

She left the hall in a hurry and made her way toward the Archive Hall. Plenty of people clearly wanted at least a moment of her time, but she paid them no attention as she went.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

She arrived at her door before long, heart thumping with anticipation. She rested her hand on the handle for a moment, allowing herself to hope that opening it would give her exactly what she wanted to see.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

And as if the Goddess herself had chosen to smile upon her, the moment she opened the door, her eyes found exactly who she was looking for. Dark short hair, shorts with a sleeve, and braces resting across her shoulders.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Relief flooded through her as she watched Ren sitting there, helping herself to her personal snacks without so much as a second thought.

On any other day, she would have had plenty to say about that, but instead, she crossed the room quickly and wrapped Ren in a tight hug from behind.

"Why did you take so long, Ren?"

Ren freed herself from the embrace, held Raine firmly by the shoulders, and broke into a wide grin.

"Calm down, would you?"

Almost immediately, Raine’s expression shifted, a frown replacing whatever warmth had been there a moment before.

"Did you ask me to calm down? I’m even more angry now. Do you know what my anger looks like? I’d be giving you a serious telling-off for leaving me for over three weeks."

As soon as the words left her mouth, a man’s voice sounded from the side of the bed.

"I don’t think that’s what she meant, Raine."

Her head turned steadily toward the voice. Golden hair, golden eyes, and a sharp smile, dressed in a neat black shirt with a cravat, his gaze drifting to her with ease.

Her expression went flat.

"I didn’t expect to see you here, Leomaris."