Ray felt a rush of mana emerge from Norman as something emerged from deep within him. A power so old that Ray had no way to judge its age. The power spread outwards, putting pressure on something Ray hadn't sensed yet.

A pink barrier around the base, likely the defenses Professor Revelia was talking about. And then the defenses caved as an outside force pierced through. A spiral of purple mana entered as another portal formed, attracting the attention of the Xnarthan.

Mage Warrior Erkland opened fire at once, but he was too late. A force, subtle but powerful, spread through the base as a single thought entered his mind: a sword is coming. And it came. A sword fell on the group, splitting them in two before anyone there could react. A voice pierced through the quiet.

“I must say, the Emperor's disciple was quite easy to kill. I expected him to be some great genius with all his bravado. Oh, well, what else can you expect from the Empire.”' A middle-aged woman said, emerging from the new portal.

‘Mother.” the Shadow Princess stated, marking her identity. The Rebel Queen, Tier 29. The Xnarthan portal started to shut down, but then a Satyr woman emerged from the rebel portal. The Xnarthan portal recoiled, the mana shuddering as she pointed her staff at it.

Ray looked on with fascination as he felt her emotions. An ocean of anger, worry, and determination. An ocean that led to the portal losing its ownership to the Satyr. What just happened? Ray did not know one could even do that.

‘Ray, I am sorry. I do not have the power to pull you through. I fear I misled you, the Trial is not something that can just be ended easily, the System interfered the first time, but this time it might not. The only recourse you have is to find a Fae stone…’ the cat said as Ray felt the power wane.

The first to go were the emotions. And then came his own. The first few were easy to calm, the guilt was explained away, but the horror remained. The fact that he hadn’t even hesitated… Ray took a deep breath, calling himself, this was not the time.

The Rebel Queen had already disappeared into the other portal with most of the rebels, leaving them alone with Marcus.

“So, Ma was able to connect you to the rebels” Ray stated, sighing. At least this was over now.

Marcus actually looked a little worried as he turned to Ray and said, “No, when I went there, she was currently meeting with an old man. And Ray, it did not look like a peaceful meeting. I thought he was going to kill her. I left without disturbing them, but…"

Ray felt as if the floor had caved in. Ma was gone too?

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Academy Dean

Rassi looked at the paper in his hands with great interest. A request to take charge of a barony. The request would usually be accepted within the hour, but this one had remained dormant for over fifteen years.

The only reason it was still valid was that his colleague at the Capital Academy would not have it another way. But what held his attention was not the barony, it was who it was intended for. Matilda Rosenmund, the person he was about to meet, and if what he suspected was right, the Scholar of Afrieal.

The connection was not hard to make. But at the same time, it was astronomically hard. The Scholar was a woman of mystery, and startling power that was presumed to be an old monster. And yet, the evidence said that she was in fact a thirty-year-old woman that had been deemed useless by the Academy.

The test had been thorough and tilted in her favor. But it had also been conclusive. Matilda Rosenmund had a grade F element. An element that drew his attention now. How she had reached Tier 15 he did not know, but she had, and it must have unlocked another facet of her power.

Rassi couldn't see any other chain of events that made sense. Now, though, he had to make sure that she would terrorize Afrieal no more. The bakery was empty, a surprising fact, but what was even more surprising was the woman seated on a table, looking as calm as a placid lake.

Rassi had to commend her strength of mind, not many would be so calm facing their death.

"So, Ms. Rosenmund, or should I say, Scholar of Afrieal, what do you have to say for yourself?" Rassi asked, going straight to the point.

"A lot, but the important thing is, do you wish to hear it, Rassi, son of Derenar?" the woman said, turning towards him, a smile dancing on her face. Rassi instantly felt that something was wrong. The smile on her face reeked of cunning.

"Why would I want to listen to the words of a criminal?" he replied, cautiously, walking towards her.

"Why else would you be here? Tell me, does the Dean of the Mage Academy often come to arrest people?" the woman said, her smile turning into a smirk. Rassi found her confidence annoying, and maybe a little terrifying. To smirk, even in this condition…just what did this woman know?

"Tell me, how does one of Archduke Lorenthal's heirs come to reside here?" he asked, taking a seat before her. Rassi did have something he wanted to know, but he had no intention of asking it yet.

The Scholar, she was a puzzle, and so was that son of hers. An odd pair that had been deemed useless by the Academy, and yet reached heights that most Academy graduates could just dream of.

A fifteen-year-old Tier 8, it reeked of nobility, wealth, and influence. But it was common knowledge that they had none of the three. Not in any way the Empire approved of, at least.

The woman just laughed at his question, shaking her head. "I do find it hilarious when people mention that thing. Does it trouble you that I, a woman with no major claim to nobility, have reached Tier 15?"

Rassi looked at her, assessing the mana around her. An old man like him had a few tricks after all, in this case, lenses that let him see mana. Not as good as the vision some non-Humans had, but it worked.

The woman was Tier 15, but there was more to the story. The mana was new, reeking of someone that had just reached the Tier. And that broke his theory that her element had changed after Tier 15. Had she hidden her element before? But why? What did she gain from acting useless?

"I notice that you didn't answer my question." he said, ready for a confrontation.

"Would you like some cookies?" the Scholar said, presenting him with a bowl of cookies instead. Rassi took a deep breath, calming his irritation.

"No, I would like an answer to my question." he said, staring at her. The Scholar just shook her head, still smiling. The smile was irritating, it told him that despite his power, he was lost here.

"Do you not already know, oh Dean of the Academy? The Academy records hold the information you so aggressively request." the Scholar said, sipping some of her tea. Rassi was surprised by her actions. The title of Dean was an intimidating one. But here this woman was treating it like it was air. No, she was going further, she was mocking it.

"Do you intend to actually answer any of my questions?" Rassi asked.

"Do you intend to ask them?” the Scholar said, smiling slyly. “I do not remember you asking the questions you truly want answered." The longer she held this mysterious act, the more it disturbed him.

"I wish to confirm that you indeed know as much as you claim to. But if you are going to be so stubborn, then perhaps I should just arrest you." Rassi said, trying to exert his power.

"No, you will not.” The Scholar laughed, a small laugh, barely more than a snort. But it might as well have been a cackle. “ What you wish to know is too close to your heart for you to forsake." The conversation was not going as he wanted it to.

"I have waited a hundred years, I can wait some more." he said, getting up as if to capture her, she wasn’t the only one that could bluff. The Scholar just remained seated, calling his bluff.

"No, you cannot. Just give up, Rassi. The battle is lost." the Scholar said. The knowing tone, the calm, subtle superiority in her tone…he felt humiliated just sitting here. What was this woman?

The Scholar sighed, shaking her head. "But since you are so hesitant to ask, I will. What you wish to know is the thoughts of your mother. Did she blame you? Did she forgive you for not picking up her call? Not knowing troubles you, doesn't it? Is that not why you are here?" the Scholar said, her voice smug.

"The answer is yes, Rassi, I can tell you what she thought." her voice was barely more than a whisper. A manipulation. And he fell for it. The secret he had held for so long, the temptation, all of it came to head at this very moment.

"But I have my own condition. After you leave, you will go and kill the Duchess, claiming that she was the Scholar. I will provide you with enough proof that she was guilty. Not to mention here, other…side businesses.”

“I think you will find yourself in a good position to kill her. And then you will 'force' me to accept the barony and leave the Human continent, seemingly ending this chapter in history. The Emperor will be happy with your contribution. The Duke will be weakened. A lot of good, yes?"

Rassi frowned, what the Scholar asked would not just weaken the Duke, it would weaken the nobility of Afrieal. Not to mention the chaos that would ensue as forces scrambled for power. The Duke weakening was not good for the stability of the Empire.

A rush of mana attracted his attention, making him turn towards the Scholar, whose eyes were sparkling. A swirling mass of luminescent mana appeared around her, marking a huge cast occurring.

"Do you want to learn the answer, Rassi?" the Scholar said. Rassi knew the answer he was going to give before he even thought of it.

"Yes." he said, giving in as the Scholar's eyes transformed into a whirlpool of colors.