Lucifer: Godless Reawakening-Chapter 265: Sudden letter

"Hey, William?"

William groaned in his sleep as his annoying roommate shook him awake.

"What is it? Let me sleep." He had barely slept the whole night, revising the material again and again so he would be prepared for what was to come.

Since today was a day off, he had planned to sleep in.

"It’s a letter from Delimore County. Addressed to you."

William frowned. "Father?" He slowly rose from the bed and took the letter from Loid.

Usually, it was his old man who wrote to him, but the handwriting on the envelope was different this time. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"I believe this was sent using Express Mail. See this stamp here?" Loid said, pointing at the red eagle mark in the corner of the envelope.

Express Mail was used only in emergencies because of its high cost.

The sight alone made William’s anxiety spike.

Without hesitation, he tore it open and pulled out the parchment.

Loid stepped back, not wanting to pry. He sat on the bed and waited in silence.

The pink-haired boy noticed that as William read further, his frown deepened. The news was clearly bad.

"I need to go," William said suddenly after finishing the letter.

Loid stiffened. "W-What? Why? Where are you going?

William did not respond. He left the room at once.

This might have been the first letter he had ever received from his stepmother.

They were not close. Not hostile either, but distant, like polite relatives who shared a roof and nothing more.

That was why, the moment he read the sender’s name, unease crept into his chest. And the contents of the letter confirmed his fear.

His father had vanished.

Stepping out of the male dormitory, William moved toward the main building when a voice stopped him.

"Hey?"

He paused and turned. Emma was walking toward him, her brows slightly drawn together. "What happened?"

William took a slow breath and handed her the letter without a word.

Emma read it carefully. Her eyes widened a fraction before she looked up. "Is there a chance this is a trap?"

"Highly unlikely. My new mother worships Father. She would never lie about something like this just to trick me."

Emma hummed softly. Even if it were fake, she knew he would still go. There was no stopping him.

"Then let’s go. Why are you heading that way?"

William blinked. "To inform the Headmaster. But Emma, why are you coming with me? You’ll miss the exam too."

Her eyes narrowed at once. "You don’t actually think I would let you walk into that hellhole alone, do you?"

He had expected this. It was not as though he would have left without seeing her first. Still, he tried.

"Emma... this is about your academics. I..."

He trailed off.

The look in her eyes silenced him. He knew what he was saying held no weight. He knew he mattered to her more than any examination ever could.

His shoulders slumped. "I’m sorry. I just couldn’t think straight."

Emma let out a quiet sigh and gently pulled him toward a nearby bench first.

Once seated, she gently pulled his head against her chest and wrapped her arms around him.

William closed his eyes and circled his arms around her waist.

It was strange. Whenever he truly needed someone, Emma was always there.

She did not need comforting words. Her presence alone carried a quiet assurance. Something about it told him that everything would be fine. That he would find a way. That this was not the end.

He let out a slow breath. "What do you think happened to him?"

Emma’s voice remained calm. "Whatever is going on there, I know one thing. Father would not fall so easily. If it comes to survival, who knows better than you how resilient he is?"

William gave a faint chuckle. "That’s true." His father had been a militant. A man shaped by harsh battlefields and harsher realities. Those experiences had forged him into someone unyielding.

Emma ran her fingers gently through William’s hair. "Don’t worry. He is safe, wherever he is. And right now, as the eldest, your role is to stay calm and handle this responsibly."

William tilted his head up to look at her. "First you tell me to stay calm, and then you place such a heavy responsibility on my shoulders."

Emma giggled. "I have to maintain the balance. I cannot let you slack off too."

William chuckled and stood up. "Well, I do feel better now."

Emma opened her arms playfully. "Are you sure? Mommy can pamper you a little more."

He shook his head, though a faint smile lingered on his lips. "As tempting as that sounds, we should hurry."

Emma dropped the teasing tone and nodded. "Let’s just hope the old geezer doesn’t make this difficult."

Side by side, they walked toward the Headmaster’s office.

William was not particularly hopeful that the old man would cooperate. Still, it did not matter. He would go regardless.

They soon arrived and knocked on the door.

A few moments later, it opened to reveal a familiar bespectacled man.

"What are you two doing here?" David, the vice-headmaster, asked with a frown. "Shouldn’t you be preparing for your exams?"

"We need to meet the Headmaster," William said. "It’s an emergency."

David’s frown deepened. He glanced over his shoulder. After receiving a small nod from inside, he stepped aside and opened the door wider.

Emma and William entered.

A subtle scent of incense and oakwood filled the room. They approached the large desk at the far end, where an elderly man sat waiting, already wearing a frown as though prepared to deny whatever request they were about to make.

None of that stopped William from speaking.

"I will be leaving the academy for a few days. My father may be in danger. He was recently assigned to Island Gahtua and, according to this letter, he disappeared without warning."

As he finished, William stepped forward and handed the letter to the old man.

Edward’s eyes widened slightly as he heard the news. Not because of the island, but because of the man involved.

The Count was in danger?

He was well aware that Gahtua Island was suffering from severe devil pollution. Still, Count Delimore was practically a one-man army. A warrior whose abilities had surpassed even Commander Dawntress.

Edward took the letter and skimmed through it.

The sender was not someone who would lie about such a matter.

William continued, "That is why I am going there to assess the situation myself. Naturally, I will not be able to attend the exams."

David’s frown deepened at once. Edward, however, did not hesitate for long.

"I understand," the Headmaster said calmly. "Once you return, a private examination will be arranged for you. But make sure you are back before the physical assessment begins."

There was still a week before that. William calculated quickly. He would return by then.

Just as the matter seemed settled, the Vice-Headmaster interjected.

"I hope you are not planning to follow him, Student Emma. This is William’s family emergency, not yours. Unless you intend to fail your exams, you should return to your room and prepare."

Emma’s eyes turned cold.

What a repulsive man. She should never have saved him during last year’s ambush.

Before she could respond, Edward spoke.

"It is fine, David."

The Vice-Headmaster stiffened. "Headmaster?"

Edward did not even spare him a glance. Instead, he addressed the two students.

"Return within a week. Both of you will be allowed to take your written examinations then. You are dismissed."

The decision was final.

Even after the two students left, David remained where he stood, his gaze fixed on Edward, waiting for an explanation.

The older man sighed, leaning back slightly in his chair. "Do you truly believe those two need this academy to make a name for themselves? Or to secure a position in this world, if they ever choose to work under someone at all?"

He shook his head slowly. "One is the sole heiress of one of the leading Towers. The other is the successor of an entire County. Beyond their status, both are exceptional warriors in their own right. Creating unnecessary obstacles for them, especially when they request leave for a legitimate reason, serves no purpose."

David’s jaw tightened. "We do not practice favoritism here, Headmaster."

Edward’s brows rose slightly. "Do we not? Think carefully before you answer."

David inhaled sharply, but no rebuttal came. His silence was answer enough.

Edward let out another tired breath. "William is becoming increasingly important to the balance of this world. Whether you acknowledge it or not, that is the truth. Extending small considerations to someone like him is not favoritism. It is foresight."

He stood from his chair, his robes settling around him.

"Stop viewing him through a lens of suspicion and resentment, David. You may find that it blinds you more than it protects you."

With that, Edward walked out of the office, leaving the scent of incense lingering in the quiet room.

David remained motionless.

His fist tightened slowly at his side, knuckles paling as his thoughts churned.

’This is bad...’

His expression darkened.

’If both of them leave, the whole ambush would become pointless...for them and...for me. Emma’s presence alone was enough to ensure certain movements.’

He turned slightly toward the window, staring out at the distant training grounds.

’I need to inform them. Plans must be adjusted. They cannot move against the academy while she is away. Not yet.’

His jaw clenched harder.

’If they miscalculate now, everything will collapse.’