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Chapter 14: The Unexpected Turn

Professor Alistair was in the midst of delivering a lecture. His words, as if by some unseen force, began to materialize on the board. 'The more you hone your magical abilities, the more proficient you become,' he stated. He went on to explain the numerous applications of the First stage of magic. 'Essentially, you can augment your five basic senses, and in doing so, you will begin to perceive your elusive sixth sense.'

At this point, a student raised his hand, curiosity piqued. 'Do we actually possess a sixth sense?' he asked. Professor Alistair responded, 'I suppose you're unaware, but yes, we do indeed have a sixth sense. However, it's quite elusive and difficult to grasp. You'll understand more as you progress in enhancing your in First stage of magic.'

Resuming his lecture, Professor Alistair said, 'Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Once you've developed and refined your sixth sense, the study of seeing through illusions will be introduced. If you excel in this area, you may even be able to create your own sense and establish your own rules. But that's a discussion for another time.'

In the midst of this, Zet stole a quick glance at Lillian, his gaze making her feel somewhat uneasy. Noticing his stare, Lillian responded with a friendly smile and a wave of her hand. Zet quickly averted his gaze elsewhere. Lillian was left wondering about his strange behavior, but she decided to dismiss it as unimportant.

Jean posed a question to Lillian, 'Is something bothering you?' Lillian responded with a dismissive wave, 'It's nothing, just a fleeting thought.' Jean, shifting the topic, remarked, 'So, that's Prince, huh? It's hard to believe that in just a single day, he's managed to steal the spotlight. I even received a notice instructing me to refrain from discussing the incident that occurred in the hall.'

Lillian, curious, asked, 'What exactly transpired that day? I wasn't present.' Jean shrugged, 'I'm not entirely sure myself. We were all advised not to mention it within the academy's premises. It must have been a significant event for us to be told to remain silent. The fact that no one else is discussing it implies that everyone else received the same notice. What a Bitch.'

Lillian admonished Jean, 'You shouldn't speak so ill of the Principal.' Jean scoffed, 'Who cares? I'm certain she must have received a substantial sum to keep such an incident under wraps.' Lillian pondered, 'I suppose the Principal does want to curry favor with the King, but I don't necessarily think that's a bad idea.'

Jean, taken aback, asked, 'Are you trying to lecture me?' Lillian calmly replied, 'Just consider this - if you were to make a mistake and your father asked the Principal for assistance, wouldn't that be similar to what the King is doing?' Jean retorted, 'Do you honestly believe I would do something foolish? I was born for greatness, why would I stoop so low? I'm well aware that you're siding with Prince.'

Lillian, surprised, asked, 'Where did that accusation come from?' Jean, in a fit of anger, kicked Lillian to the ground, shouting, 'Are you mocking me? Why are you talking back?' The surrounding crowd was taken aback, watching as Lillian fell and Jean continued his tirade.

Professor Alistair, noticing the commotion, asked, 'What's happening here? Why are you on the ground, Lillian?' Jean sneered, 'Heh, serves you right. Don't try to act superior, Lillian. Stand up, you're not making any sense here.'

Zet, having witnessed the unfolding events, attempted to rise to his feet, only to be halted by Elias. With a puzzled expression, Zet swiveled towards Elias, questioning his interference. Elias, in response, merely shook his head, offering no verbal explanation.

Overwhelmed by frustration, Zet sat back down, his anger palpable. He confronted Elias, 'Why are you preventing me from intervening? Didn't you see what just transpired?' Elias, maintaining his calm, reminded him, 'Don't instigate anything further. We are still within the confines of our classroom. This is a matter between them.'

Zet, however, was not easily dissuaded. 'You better not obstruct me next time,' he warned. Elias, visibly annoyed, retorted, 'Why are you so eager to defend her? You've only just met, haven't you? Don't pretend to be her ally.'

Zet, taken aback, questioned, 'Am I supposed to just stand by and watch?' Elias, with a hint of resignation in his voice, replied, 'Do you have any other option? Mind your own business. Those two have a history that dates back to their childhood. They don't know you. It's best if you just observe.'

Suddenly, Lillian rose to her feet, apologizing, 'I'm sorry, I fell. I guess I'm not feeling very well today.' Zet, now thoroughly confused, turned to Elias, 'Why isn't she defending herself?' Elias, with a hint of finality in his voice, responded, 'Perhaps because she was relying on his support. It's in your best interest to stay out of their affairs. And I'm serious about this.'

Jean, with a stern voice, instructed, 'Now, sit on your bench. As I've mentioned before, no talking back.' Lillian, understanding the gravity of the situation, responded, 'I understand.' She made sure to maintain her composed appearance throughout the conversation.

Professor Alistair, after a long lecture, concluded, 'That's enough for today. We will continue our discussion tomorrow.' Elias, noticing a change in Zet's demeanor, asked, 'Are you still upset?' Zet, still harboring feelings of discomfort, replied, 'Yes, I'm not feeling great about the whole situation.'

Elias, trying to lighten the mood, suggested, 'Don't overthink it. How about we grab something to eat at the inn after the Academy?' Zet, still feeling remorseful, declined, 'I don't want to. I'm still feeling bad for her.' Elias, with a sigh, proposed, 'If you really want to, why not talk to her?'

Elias, with a hint of sadness in his expression, added, 'Okay, then. I'll try to introduce you to her.' Zet, surprised, asked, 'Really?' Elias cautioned, 'Don't get your hopes up. I'm just saying that because I knew her in the past. We do have a history.' Zet, grateful for the gesture, thanked Elias, 'I appreciate that. Thanks again.'

Elias, changing the subject, asked, 'So, are we going to the inn then?' Zet, finally agreeing, responded, 'Yes, why not.' Elias led the way, with Zet following closely behind. Upon reaching Lillian, Elias greeted her, 'Hey, it's been a while, hasn't it?' Lillian, with a smile, retorted, 'You came here to show your ugly face to me, huh?' Elias, lowering his voice, admitted, 'Yes.'

Lillian, expressing her displeasure, said, 'How shameful. I was happy not to see you. Now my mood is ruined.' Elias, apologetic, responded, 'Sorry about that. But I'm not here to say hello. Zet wants to be your friend.' Lillian, surprised, greeted Zet, 'Hi, Prince. I didn't know you wanted to be friends with me?' Elias, sensing it was time to leave, said, 'Now then, I should get going.' Zet, overwhelmed by the situation, remained silent.

Zet questioned Lillian, 'If you don't genuinely mean that word, why express it?' Lillian, with a puzzled look on her face, inquired, 'What exactly are you implying?'

Zet then referred to a previous conversation, 'The harsh words you uttered to Elias, you didn't mean them, did you?' Lillian responded with a dismissive laugh, 'He is a fallen noble, why should I bother conversing with such a lowly person?'

Zet, who had the ability to sense emotions, found a discrepancy. The words Lillian was uttering didn't align with her emotions. He wondered, 'What's happening here? Am I not interpreting this correctly?' He confronted her, 'You can't deceive me.'

Lillian, taken aback, responded, 'That's unexpected. I suppose you've caught me off guard. But how?' Zet, not wanting to deviate from the topic, said, 'Let's not change the subject. Regardless, it's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can establish a good rapport in the future.'

Lillian was left pondering, 'He can see through my lies, huh? I can't believe there's someone who can penetrate my facade.' Meanwhile, Zet took a seat next to Elias. Elias remarked, 'You arrived quicker than I anticipated.' Zet inquired, 'What do you know about her?'

Elias replied, 'She is a woman I find hard to trust. Whenever I converse with her, I sense that something is off. I prefer not to associate with such individuals.' Zet, understanding Elias's perspective, responded, 'I see now.'

Zet found himself once again observing her. She was engaged in conversation with others, yet she was the only one who truly stood out. Her radiant smile was a beacon, drawing everyone's attention towards her. Suddenly, Jean approached Zet, breaking his concentration. 'Isn't she beautiful?' he asked. Zet, taken aback by the unexpected question, responded, 'Why do you ask?'

Jean, seemingly unfazed by Zet's surprise, replied, 'You've been watching her, so I thought I'd hear your thoughts.' He then extended his arm in a gesture of camaraderie. Zet, after a moment's hesitation, accepted the handshake. 'Jean Aethereal, of the house of Aethereal,' Jean introduced himself.

'I am Zet Regel, the prince,' Zet responded, maintaining his composure. Jean, with a friendly smile, said, 'Let's get along well. And if you ever wish to, you're always welcome to visit my house.'

Zet politely declined the offer, 'No thanks, but I appreciate the invitation.' Jean seemed to take this in stride, responding, 'I see. Well, you've just had a bit of bad luck.'

Confused, Zet asked, 'What do you mean?' Jean, with a confident smirk, replied, 'You just happen to be in my class. I was born for greatness, and I intend to be at the top.'

Unfazed, Zet retorted, 'I won't lose to someone like you.' Jean, seemingly pleased by this response, said, 'I must say, you've got some guts. Don't disappoint me now.' With that, Jean took his leave.

Left with a lingering sense of confusion, Zet turned to Elias and asked, 'What's the deal with him?' Elias, with a shrug, simply said, 'He's always been a bit of an odd one, he thinks the world revolves around him. He has more confidence than that actual king that almost surprises me every time I see him act as if he is special '

Elias interjected, 'I must confess, I harbor a deep-seated resentment for him. He is, without a doubt, the individual I detest the most.' Zet, acknowledging their shared past, responded, 'It seems you have quite a history with him.'

Elias, with a hint of unresolved tension in his voice, replied, 'Indeed, I have some unfinished business with him.' Zet, sensing Elias's palpable anger, inquired, 'Your anger is quite evident. What exactly transpired to make you despise him so intensely?'

Elias, not wanting to delve into the past, responded, 'It's a complex tale and not one I wish to recall or discuss at this moment.' Zet, feeling the need for a change of environment, suggested, 'How about we step outside for some fresh air? I believe we could both use it.'

Elias, however, had a different plan in mind. 'No,' he countered, 'we should head to the INN immediately.' Zet, puzzled, asked, 'Has the academy concluded its session for the day?' Elias, with a hint of urgency in his voice, clarified, 'No, we are actually fleeing from the Academy hurry up I don't want to them anymore.'

Zet, taken aback, exclaimed, 'What? Isn't that against the rules?' Elias, with a smirk, retorted, 'Rules are designed to be adhered to, and at times, to be broken.' Zet, amused by Elias's audacity, chuckled and followed him.

In the austere confines of the principal's office, Principal Seraphina was engaged in a tense conversation with a guest who was seated directly across from her. The guest, Lord Reginald, was under scrutiny for his recent actions. Principal Seraphina, with a stern tone, questioned him, 'Do you comprehend the gravity of your actions?'

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Lord Reginald, in his defense, responded, 'I did what was within my capacity. Apprehending those Nobles was a task in itself, and it's not feasible to eliminate them all in one fell swoop. I had to strategize their demise, and the most effective method I could devise was to capture them and banish them to Deadland.'

Principal Seraphina retorted, 'That's precisely where you faltered. You underestimated the Nobles. They might be of lower rank, but they are still Nobles. They possess family Arts and are second-stage Masters. The criminals of Deadland are formidable, I won't dispute that, but we never had to confront them as they were beyond our country's borders. The King had no interest in that land after he bequeathed it to one of the Nobles. Now, due to your actions, we are faced with a more significant issue. Over 60 Nobles have managed to escape from Deadland. If they become uncontrollable, we will be in a severe predicament.'

At that moment, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness. K, who had been hiding in the shadows, also revealed his presence. Lord Reginald, taken aback, questioned, 'Who are you two?' referring to K and the mysterious intruder. The intruder, in a calming tone, responded, 'Relax, everyone. I am here on the King's orders. Now, Lord Reginald, if you could please afford us some privacy.'

Lord Reginald expressed his understanding and took his leave, his mind occupied with a puzzling thought. He found himself questioning the nature of the relationship between the King and her. He resolved to keep a close eye on her, suspecting that she was involved in some undisclosed activities.

Meanwhile, in the confines of the office, the Principal instructed K to return. K acknowledged the instruction with a simple 'understood'. The Principal then inquired about the matter King wished to discuss. At this point, a mysterious figure removed his mask, revealing himself as Captain Aurelius. The Principal, recognizing the Captain, expressed his surprise, 'So it was you, Captain.'

Captain Aurelius then confronted the Principal with a recent discovery. 'We've found out that you attempted to assassinate the Noblemen, an endeavor in which you failed,' he stated. The Principal, cornered, admitted to her actions, 'You've already found out. I have nothing to hide now.'

Captain Aurelius, however, urged the Principal to listen before jumping to conclusions. He relayed the King's words, 'The plan was poorly executed, you should have done better. The King was aware the moment they vanished. However, he has ordered me to rectify the situation. Due to Zet's involvement, you are pardoned this time. The news will now read 'The Noble who attempted to liaise with the criminals of Deadland ended up in a conflict with them.' To prevent further losses, I, Captain Aurelius, a loyal Royal Knight of The Kingdom, will eliminate every last Noble who dared to negotiate with the criminals. That's the order.'

The Principal expressed his gratitude for the Captain's intervention. With that, Captain Aurelius vanished from the scene, making his way to the King's office. He informed the King that he had a message to deliver. The King asked if he was prepared to depart, to which the Captain affirmed. The King wished him luck and cautioned him against getting hurt. The Captain thanked the King and assured him that he would bear his words in mind. The King then inquired about the preparations, to which the Captain responded that everything was set. 'It's only a matter of time before Zet confronts him,' he added. The King, satisfied with the update, dismissed the Captain.