studiobondurri Chapter 72 The Blood-stained Entrance Ceremony (7)
Chapter 72 The Blood-stained Entrance Ceremony (7)
Chapter 72 The Blood-stained Entrance Ceremony (7)
When he denied being the valedictorian, Cecils eyes widened with curiosity.
Ive got a question.
What is it?
Why are you turning down the position of valedictorian? Everyone else is killing themselves to secure that spot, pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into it, but the person who actually came in first is kicking the opportunity aside to do something else.
Did you come to the entrance ceremony just to spectate?
He nodded.
Cecil crossed her arms and thought for a moment.
I dont like that. Even if its none of my business Did you know that Eternia gives a ring to the valedictorians of each department every year? Just owning that ring can make life easier anywhere you go. Dont you want it?
Fine. Youre aware that the Lady of Ganax from the Duchy of Ulyssia is attending here, right? Though she hasnt declared it openly, its rumored shes here looking for a suitable son-in-law for her family. The Ganax family has been suffering from a hereditary disease for generations, so they urgently need robust offspring.ÚpTodated novels on
He tilted his head slightly as if he didnt quite understand Cecils motives.
The boys are all dressed up, puffing their chests out trying to catch the ladys eye.
He showed little interest in Cecils words. Talk of ladies and princes felt like a story from a different world to him.
Doesnt that stir up any ambition in you? Think of the incredible benefits youd get if you represented the new students on stage. Even the most illustrious nobles dont get opportunities like this. Youd make a mark not just in the Duchy but in the Empire as well. With a little persuasion, you could even score substantial sponsorship.
Sounds great.
Whats your reason for joining Eternia? Is it not to gain respect, earn money, and live well?
To a question any Eternia student would agree with, he did not affirm.
Im content with what I have now.
It was hard to fathom his inner thoughts. Even though it must have been painful for the valedictorian title to go to someone else, he showed no regret.
Cecil gazed intensely into his eyes.
He did not radiate the air of someone whod given up on everything, nor was he cynical. It was more like he was already filled to the brim with some crusted burden inside, blocking any rise of ambition or desire for recognition.
This intrigued Cecil greatly. However, right now, she had no way to uncover what that burden was.
Well, just to make sure you didnt leave a fiance or something back home in your distant hometown, did you?
No.
Cecil scrutinized his reaction and then spoke with a faint smile on her lips.
Then thats all I need to know. The entrance ceremony will start soon.
Cecil hesitated as if reluctant to leave, but he firmly spoke up.
Go on. The valedictorian of the magic department shouldnt be caught loitering in strange places.
Hmph, all right. Ill go.
Without another farewell, Cecil turned sharply to leave. A few steps away, something else came to mind, and she turned back to add,
Well see each other around school, right?
While Matthias stood by her side, Lilith continued to sob painfully, unable to take her eyes off the masked man for even an instant.
On one hand, Matthias couldnt understand it.
Why?
He couldnt comprehend how she could harbor affection for an unknown man who lacked face, name, or status. Lilith had spoken of his distinction with high regard, but in fact, he was not the valedictorian or salutatorian or even close to the next ranks.
It was clear that he had unscrupulously unsettled Liliths heart.
Whats so special about that guy anyway?
Matthias couldnt fathom why, after so much care and assistance, she preferred to be caught up in that mans shadow.
As the sense of injustice festered within Matthias, jealousy and anger towards the man grew inside him.
***
I dont have any leads. The darkness the butler mentioned is nowhere to be found.
Even with the entrance ceremony upon them, some professors remained in the conference room, engaged in urgent discussions.
Dean Dunkels brows furrowed at the spiritology professors words, brimming with helplessness.
Luna was in a comatose state. Her butler personally sought help, describing her condition, but even with a few professors efforts, the cause of Lunas torment remained elusive.
Dunkel inquired,
Are you suggesting this could be an issue with a psy-entity, not just a spirit?
Psy-entity problems couldnt be solved immediately. The talents who could sense psy-entities were extremely rare, and all of Eternias related staff were up in the north.
Given her exceptional talent with spirit binding, its a possibility. But Eternia isnt a place where psy-entities should arbitrarily come and go, so its unlikely the trouble comes from a psy-entity.
The adjunct professor from the department of alchemy said,
It could be hallucinations due to potion poisoning. Her condition is grave like a drug addicts, regardless of what shes taken. She may have a serious potion addiction.
The terrible news deeply troubled Dunkel; a bright and diligent girl, succumbing to addictive potions, was a sentiment too bitter to swallow.
Theres another particularity thats hard to write off as just potion addiction.
Dunkel pressed at his temples and asked,
And that is?
Her magical energy is depleted. Its not that she has a low capacity or poor recovery, but no matter what we do, her magic doesnt replenish.
Dunkel swallowed hard.
Such a symptom could occur when the hierarchy of a spirit contract was reversed.
Spirits manifested their power in the world using their contractors magical energy. A contractor must dominate the hierarchy to control and subdue the spirit. Rarely, a spirit might assert dominance, drawing magical energy as it pleases, regardless of the will of its contractor.
However, for a girl with such a genius for spirit magic to make this mistake was preposterous. Furthermore, to totally deplete Lunas vast magical energy would likely spark an outbreak of a spirit. Yet there had been no unusual occurrences in Eternia.
In the midst of this, urgent footsteps echoed through the quiet corridor.
The footsteps reached the conference room door, which swung open abruptly.
The person who entered was the maid tending to comatose Luna.
She gasped for air, shouting at the professors,
Luna is gone, Luna has disappeared!