I WAS Humanity's HOPE-Chapter 29: House

Richard slumped forward at the polished wooden desk, idly tracing the faint runic inscriptions etched into its surface. Across the class, Meredith’s voice droned in a distant, monotonous hum—more a fixture of the room than a living person. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

A few rows ahead, some of his classmates tapped their quills against notebooks or fiddled with the edges of their robes, stifling yawns.

"...and that, class," Meredith said, her tone as flat as ever, "is precisely why the weakest Fireball spell suffers from unpredictability at longer ranges. The magical matrix becomes unstable if rushed—even the smallest slip in chanting can make your Fireball fizzle at long range or detonate right at your fingertips."

She paused, giving an air of finality to her lecture.

When she turned to write on the blackboard, chalk squeaking under her practiced hand, Richard felt a flicker of wry amusement. Hard to imagine that this was the same Meredith who would cower behind him whenever their mum was displeased about her behaviour.

"So," she continued with a small sigh, "I expect each of you to study the improved incantation I’ve placed on the board. Take careful note of the runes because if you mess it up, you’ll end up with a bright flash of sparks that does nothing but scorch your eyebrows. Or worse."

A short, pudgy student two seats down from Richard gulped audibly. Richard couldn’t help a faint smirk.

Meredith set the chalk aside, surveyed the class as if she was weighing them up.

Richard caught her gaze for a fleeting instant and smiled.

She cleared her throat.

"Right. That’s enough for Fireball theory. We’ll move on to practicals later this week." A wave of excited murmuring broke across the room; even a dull topic brightened at the promise of spell-casting. "However," Meredith added, raising her voice so it cut through the chatter, "there is another matter we should discuss before you leave today."

She stepped away from the board, folding her arms. "Tomorrow morning, you’ll all have to attend a dungeon exploration. It’s an E-Rank!"

Meredith waited for the gasps to quieten before continuing. "It’s not that much harder than an F-Rank, and it’s admittedly well-suited for beginners—so please refrain from hysterics or heroics. To make sure nothing goes wrong, you’ll be paired with seniors a semester ahead of you. They’ll lead the expedition, but you must play your part responsibly. No improvising, no straying from the group, and certainly no unapproved spells. Am I clear?"

A ripple of anticipation coursed through the class.

Richard merely eye-rolled.

Sure, an E-Rank Dungeon sounds more dangerous than an F-Rank, but at the end of the day, it’s not much different...

Richard’s mind strayed back to his own earliest forays. He remembered the nerves, the sweat on his palms when he first set foot in those echoing corridors and labyrinthine passages.

The flicker of excitement he felt now was tempered by countless memories—some triumphant, some... less so. And yet, there was a warming sense of déjà vu being with this fresh wave of hunters... Or is it mages? I can’t get my head around that.

He chanced a look at Nadia, who was sitting next to him.

Oh? She’s excited.

Judging by his unofficial girlfriend’s smile, she clearly had something in mind.

Meredith allowed the conversation to bubble for a moment, her own lips quirking into the faintest approximation of a smile. Then she tapped her fingertips on the desk at the front of the hall. "Remember, E-Rank or not, dungeons are unpredictable. Treat this as a real mission. Teamwork first. Follow instructions from your seniors. And do try not to blow each other up in an attempt to show off." She gave a pointed glance to James, who at least had the decency to look sheepish.

"All right," Meredith concluded, "I’ll be handing out briefing notes at the corridor desk. You can collect them on your way out. Class dismissed."

A wave of scraping chairs and excited exclamations swept the room as students began piling their notes into satchels and heading for the door.

Richard lingered, letting the crowd thin.

"Aren’t you coming with?" Nadia asked, adjusting the strap of her bag.

Trevor and Oren, who had made their way up to them, also looked bewildered at Richard.

"No, don’t wait for me," he said, gesturing at his sister, then turned to Nadia. "I’ll call you later."

The trio nodded in understanding and made their way out.

Once the others had pushed through the exit, Meredith was free of her teaching façade.

She lifted her gaze and saw Richard still waiting by the doorway, and gave the slightest tilt of her head.

Meredith exhaled, rotating her stiff shoulders. "If I have to recite that Fireball chant once more..." she muttered under her breath. Gathering her own stack of parchment, she glanced up at him with a wry smile. "You look as though you’re almost entertained, Richy."

He lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug, pushing away from the desk. "How can I not be entertained, Mer, watching you lecture on and on?"

Her smile widened a fraction. "Don’t play coy with me, dear brother. I notice those glances you keep throwing at Nadia. You barely pay any attention in class—your eyeballs seem permanently fixed on the girl’s legs."

He let out a low chuckle. "I’m sure they are."

She gave him a flat look.

"All right. Guilty as charged," he muttered, making his sister smile. "But sis, your lessons are so boring—it’s not my fault. You’ve already taught me all this semester’s magic theory, and I’m pretty sure I know everything else you’re teaching."

Meredith nodded with a sigh and gestured for him to follow as she moved outside the class.

"You know, you’re not obliged to join the E-Rank trip tomorrow. Strictly speaking, this is basic training for the novices and it’s not mandatory."

"And you know me," Richard replied with a casual shrug, "I’d die of boredom sitting at home all day watching television with Mum or listening to Dad’s endless political rants."

Meredith sent him an amused look, but didn’t press. They both knew that for him, an E-Rank excursion was hardly a challenge.

Yet they also knew that if he was to reintegrate into the official ranks without attracting undue attention, he needed to play by the rules—for now.

Otherwise, I’d be clearing S-Rank Dungeons and levelling up... I’ve fallen too far behind.

As they stepped out into the corridor, Meredith dismissed the overhead orb-lights with a flick of her fingers.

Richard watched as the last mages filtered out of the building, then looked at Meredith. She turned slightly, meeting his gaze. In the corridor’s gentle lamplight, there was a flash of warmth in her eyes.

"Try to get some rest," she said softly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Even if you’ve seen it all before, there’s still something special about venturing into unknown territory with a fresh batch of hunters."

He gave a nod. "I’ll keep that in mind."

She smiled, then pivoted, her robe swishing about her ankles, and made her way toward the staff offices.

Meredith turned around just before she left the corridor. "Will I see you at home, or will you go to Nadia’s again? And speaking of which—is she your girlfriend or what?"

"Something like that," Richard replied with a thumbs-up, and Meredith shook her head.

As her footsteps receded, he let out a long breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.

Clutching his copy of the briefing notes, Richard followed the echo of Meredith’s footsteps.

Speaking of home, wasn’t I thinking of buying a house for myself? I do have the money, and I can’t keep going to Nadia’s all the time, as dear ol’ Mer said.

Richard strolled into the plush offices of a real estate agency downtown, where polished mahogany gleamed beneath elegant orb-lights.

The receptionist, a poised woman with sleek glasses, offered him a practiced smile.

"I’d like to buy a house," he said simply, sliding into a leather-backed chair. "Something private, spacious, and preferably ready to move into immediately."

The receptionist blinked, momentarily taken aback by his blunt approach, before quickly regaining her composure.

Within minutes, a distinguished older gentleman named Arthur something something emerged, welcoming Richard warmly into his office.

After a brief conversation and a quick scan through several luxurious listings, Richard settled effortlessly on a stately manor just a few streets away from the Blackwood house.

It boasted sprawling grounds, vaulted ceilings, and much more.

"And the cost, Mr Chase?" Richard asked casually, already reaching into his pocket.

"Five-point-two million," Arthur replied smoothly, clearly expecting some hesitation.

Without a word, Richard produced his bank card, authorised the transfer, and stood, shaking Arthur’s hand with quiet confidence.

"Pleasure doing business," Richard said, smiling faintly at the man’s stunned expression.

Minutes later, he stepped outside, new keys in hand, relishing the satisfaction of finally owning his own sanctuary. It was time to live independently at last.

What was I waiting for anyway?