5:15 PM
Garin: Karez.
Karez: Yes?
Garin: Can you explain how you managed to stay with the Lavalik clan until you were seven?
Karez: Alright...
Karez's mother, Lara, gave birth to her first son without her husband, who had passed away the previous evening under mysterious circumstances. She named her son Karez. After giving birth, her health deteriorated significantly. The doctor told her she wouldn’t live more than four years. However, as time passed and Lara saw that her son could control magnetic powers, she fought the illness for three additional years in every possible way, always trying to hide the fact that Karez could control magnetism.
Karez: Mom.
Lara: Yes, Karez?
Karez: Why does Grandpa yell so much when he talks to you?
Lara: He just gets annoyed quickly.
Karez: Alright... Why does your face have blue spots on it?
Lara (smiling): I fell down the stairs yesterday.
Karez: Be careful, Mom.
Lara: Alright, my dear. Do you want to go to the park with your aunt?
Karez: Of course!
Lara was often scolded and sometimes beaten by her father to ensure she wasn’t hiding Karez’s ability. Since Karez had never used his power openly, they couldn’t confirm whether his ability was magma-related or not. However, in reality, Karez had used his power, but Lara kept it a secret. She didn’t want Karez to be ostracized—he was her son, after all. The only person who knew about Karez’s ability was Lara’s sister, Katelin.
With each passing year, Lara’s health worsened until she became bedridden and unable to move. However, Karez stayed by her side in the room the whole time, delaying the clan’s discovery of his powers even further.
Karez: Mom, you’ll be okay, right?
Lara: Of course, Karez. Your mom is strong.
On Karez’s seventh birthday, his aunt Katelin told their father, Karez’s grandfather, that Karez could control magnetism. She revealed that Lara had been hiding his powers, hoping he would at least reach adulthood before being cast out of the clan. It turned out that Karez’s grandfather had asked Katelin about Karez since she spent the most time with him after Lara. Katelin answered him.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Katelin: Maybe some money would help you get the answer, Father.
Karez’s grandfather was stingy but he handed Katelin a sum of money just for the truth he wanted, and she revealed everything. Lara was brutally beaten in front of her son, and Karez was cast out of the clan and placed in an orphanage.
As any child would, after seeing his mother beaten and bleeding and being separated from her, Karez couldn’t stop crying. He cried continuously for four days until he fell asleep, only to wake up and cry again. But on the fifth day, Karez woke up silent. He didn’t scream at all. Karez was exhausted from crying. At that moment, the innocent child Karez learned how to hate.
In the end, they discovered that Lara's illness was due to her son's magnetic power. After they got separated, her condition returned to normal.
After the attack on Limitless Academy and the kidnapping of the Lavalik clan, the people of Anastasia Kingdom felt uneasy. They didn’t know what would happen next or if the kingdom could truly protect them, especially after the assassination of one of the five great academy directors, Satil. However, the majority of people had confidence in the kingdom, as it had always emerged victorious in every disaster.
The Royal Meeting Room
Advisor: Your Majesty, how do we maintain control after what has happened? The people are very worried. This hasn’t occurred in 200 years.
King: Don’t worry, Choi. The people will, of course, feel fear and anxiety, but our history will reassure them a little. Satil was an important figure; his seat remains empty, as we can see before us. To restore the discipline of Limitless Academy and the calm of the other academies, we must choose a new director for the academy from among these candidates. They are the only ones capable of taking on such a position.
The secretary begins distributing documents containing information about the candidates to those present.
Advisor: Y-Your Majesty, why isn’t Chul among the candidates?
King: Dan, what do you think Chul’s principles and ideas are? If he were to take on such a position, it would harm us greatly. We want obedient animals from this academy.
Dan: But, Your Maj-
King: Dan, if you utter another word, you will be buried alive, just like your father.
Unknown Location
???: master, Alex has been killed, and Grace and Alvis have been captured.
The Master: No matter. They weren’t of much use. We only needed to eliminate the old man.
???: So, who’s next?
The Master: Ultra Academy.
Five days later, a new director was appointed to Limitless Academy—Director Euron. Everyone believed the situation had calmed down, but just five days after Euron’s appointment, the director of Ultra Academy was assassinated.
The assassination of another director from the Five Great Academies heightened the fear among the people of Anastasia Kingdom. Even the King of the Kingdom of Ogrulia intensified security around their Great Academy and other institutions. However, it seemed the danger was closer than ever.
Four Days After the Ultra Academy Director’s Assassination
5:30 AM
Langst: Director Euron.
Euron: I told you not to speak to me so formally. We’ve been friends for a long time.
Langst: You’re the director now. What we were doesn’t matter anymore.
Euron: Alright… What is it you need?
Langst: I need a day off today.
Euron: A day off? But you know how tense things are. If something happens, you need to be here.
Langst: The other teachers are here. They’ll be sufficient if anything occurs.
Euron: But—
Langst: Director… please.
Euron: F-Fine… You can go. One of the staff will cover your duties for today.
Langst: Thank you.
7:00 AM
Leo: Huh? Where’s Professor Langst?
Staff Member: Langst took the day off. I’ll be your instructor for today.
Sai: What...
Kinto: This is going to be even more boring…
Langst left the kingdom and continued his way until he reached a place with an abandoned house. He knocked on the door five times, and it opened.
?: Welcome, Langst. Come in.
Langst entered to find that the house was spacious and clean inside.
Langst: Is he awake, Fiorai?
Fiorai: He just woke up.
Langst sat on a chair, and five minutes later, another man entered the room and sat on a chair as well.
?: How are you, Langst?
Langst: I’m fine, Rivan.
Rivan: Rivan? You haven’t called me by that name in a long time.
Langst: It’s more fitting today since this… is the last visit.
Rivan: What?! You disappear for two years, and now you’re saying this?
Langst: I’ve come for the last time. I don’t want the kingdom to grow suspicious of me.
Rivan: I see...
Langst: Your words...
Rivan: Do you believe me now? I told you this would happen. The assassinations of the directors… what’s coming will be even harder, What's coming is tiring
Langst: What about Yarasou?
Rivan: If he reads that book, he’ll come to me. But it seems he hasn’t finished it yet. Don’t you want to read it too?
Langst: After you were exiled from the kingdom…
Rivan: …
Langst began to cry and said:
Rivan, you fool. If only you had listened to me in that moment…
Rivan: L-Langst…
Yarasou’s Residence
Yarasou (thinking): I stopped reading this book, but now, with two directors murdered… Rivan, I don’t want to believe your words...
Yarasou resumed reading the book. Upon reaching a certain page, he was shocked by its contents and said:
W-What… Does this mean that...