I was sitting in the Dean’s office. Luckily, I managed to convince the Dean that Aurelia had no part in this, as she merely stopped the fight. However, I wasn’t able to explain myself.

The silence in the room stretched out painfully, broken only by the occasional sound of papers shuffling on his desk. The air was thick with tension. I sat patiently in this stiff leather chair, but Vernon didn’t even glance up from the documents he was reviewing. He was making me wait on purpose, no doubt.

I wasn’t nervous, but this wasn’t exactly where I wanted to be — sitting across from one of the most powerful people in Beyond Phantasia. I had hoped to avoid him, but I guess it was inevitable. The actions recently haven’t been feeling like me.

Finally, the dean set down the papers, adjusting his glasses as he leveled his gaze at me. Vernon Law wasn’t the kind of man you ignored. He had this aura, this power that made the room feel smaller, like his mere presence filled every corner.

"Lucien Crow," he said slowly, his voice deep and measured, "you’ve been here for not even a month, and already I’m hearing about you… again. This time, it’s because you’ve punched Gallagher Evans…again. I want to know why."

I met his gaze, not looking away. "He deserved it."

Vernon raised an eyebrow. "Deserved it? And what, exactly, makes you the judge of what he deserves?"

"I’m not judging anyone," I said, keeping my voice steady. "Gallagher's been running around like he owns the place, picking fights and throwing his weight around because he knows no one can stop him. I’m more inclined to ask why the school continues to do so."

Vernon’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and sighed, taking off his glasses. "Gallagher Evans. Yes, I'm aware of his… behavior. But you punching him — again — isn't going to change anything. You should know by now that this academy has rules and politics. And unfortunately, there’s only so much I can actually do about students like him."

"So, what, he just gets to keep doing whatever he wants?" I asked. “Isn’t Silvion supposed to be the top academy?”

"More or less," Vernon said, unbothered. "His family has connections, there are... limits. You're not stupid, Lucien. The academy is no different. It’s not a fair system, and I’m not a miracle worker. I’m just a pawn in the grand scheme of things."

The most powerful man in Beyond couldn’t act on his own accord? That didn’t make any sense. No, it made none at all.

Vernon’s gaze hardened, almost like he knew exactly what I was thinking. “The truth is, I can’t let you run around punching nobles, no matter how justified you think it is. It makes things… complicated. There are entities, people, that not even I can compete with by power alone. I understand your frustrations, but you need to lay low.”

[Error. Error. Error. Body Desyncing…]

My heart began to thump, and before I could stop myself, the words spilled out. I couldn’t control my voice or my body.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I leaned forward slightly, meeting his stare with my own. "Complicated? You think I wanted this? That I asked to be dragged into all of this? I didn't come here to play politics or fight anyone’s battles. But I'm not just going to sit around and let people like Gallagher do whatever they want."

Just what? Why can’t I move?

Vernon didn’t immediately respond. He just studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

"Lucien," he said finally, leaning forward himself, "you were accepted to this academy not because of your grades or your status. In fact, you shouldn't even be here, and we both know why."

It wasn’t me. It felt like someone else had taken the reins from my grasp, steering my actions before I could even think. I wasn’t in my own thoughts anymore.

I stayed silent. I could feel it, the heaviness of the past pressing down on my shoulders again. Verita. That single word was enough to shatter any sense of peace I’d managed to build since arriving at Silvion.

"The massacre of Verita," Vernon continued, his voice steady but low, "is no secret to me. You were one of the few survivors, but that was because of luck. You were young, and it was something not even I could prevent. I gave you that letter of recommendation out of pity."

I exhaled slowly, my throat tightening. He wasn’t wrong. The destruction of Verita was something I’d never be able to erase, no matter how much I tried to push it down, tried to forget. It was etched into my skin like a scar that refused to fade.

"You survived the chaos," Vernon went on, his eyes piercing mine, "and that’s the only reason you’re here. Silvion Academy doesn’t offer its doors to just anyone. But let me remind you: you're not a fighter, Lucien. Not like you think you are."

I sat back, biting back the retort that was bubbling up. He wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t a soldier, and I wasn’t some kind of noble-born warrior here to make a name for myself.

[Resyncing…]

[Resync Complete.]

"I didn’t come— ."

I gave a small gasp, my body finally returning to my control. Slowly, I scanned the room, flexing my hands, scrunching them into fists, just to make sure I was back in control again.

"Lucien?" Vernon asked, noticing my change in expression.

“It’s nothing, Dean. I believe it’s best that I don’t act up, but I would implore you to take better care of your students.” I swiftly responded. “I don’t believe you sent me here out of pity.”

Vernon sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose before releasing a heavy exhale. "Consider this your final warning, Lucien. One more incident, and I won’t be able to protect you. "I’ve managed to keep things quiet for now, but there are consequences that not even I will be able to resolve."

I nodded. "I’ll keep my head down."

"Good," he said, standing up from his chair. "You’re not here to fight, and I won’t let you fall into that trap. Focus on graduating and being able to live a fuller life."

I stood, too, nodding again.

As I turned to leave, Vernon’s voice stopped me.

"And Lucien," he added, "remember, I can only protect you for so long. Choose your battles wisely."

I left his office and sank down onto a bench outside.

My mind buzzed with everything he had said: the Massacre of Verita, Gallagher, Vernon, the academy’s politics, the status screen — it all felt like too much. There were too many variables outside the game that I still didn’t understand.

“Just what happened to my body?” I murmured.

It felt like a completely different person had taken over, and I was just on autopilot. Even the status screen was glitching. Was it possible that this really was just a game? This… this was really getting more complicated. I needed to be smarter about how I approached things from now on.