"Ahh, she almost destroyed my back,"

Levi winced, rubbing the sore spot where he had collided with a rock while deftly dodging spells. Not only had he rolled into the hard surface, but he had also accidentally ended up in a rather unpleasant situation. Irina had to use some of her magic to lessen his pain and carry his stinky self back to her home, wash his clothes, dry them using magic, and even coerce him into taking a shower.

"Big brother, you smell like dad's fart,"

Luna couldn't resist making a comment, her innocent observation not bothering the unshaken Levi. Meanwhile, Tyson swore off never eating anything radish ever again.

"By the way, if you use this magic, make sure to deceive others by saying it is ice magic,"

Irina warned Levi. Mirror or True Magic wasn't common knowledge, and for good reason. Not everyone possessed the ability, and there was no need to broadcast its existence to the world. Since the mirrored objects bore some similarities to ice magic, passing it off as such would keep suspicions at bay.

As Levi strolled toward the dorms, the central eye on his shoulder surveyed the alleys and stores just as he did. It could provide information on the status of any living being, giving Levi a rough estimate of their strength. So far, they hadn't identified anyone suspicious since Noel.

Yet, gauging someone's strength didn't necessarily reveal their intentions. Noel's stats appeared normal, and Levi had only managed to glimpse at the brother's stats during their fight.

[Majin]—a status that clung to the brothers' names. What was peculiar was that Noel's brother didn't possess an actual name; "Brother" seemed to be his identifier.

Since Noel's demise, Levi lacked a regular store for his shopping needs. Despite amassing some funds from his academy job and hospital work, they wouldn't cover the expenses of high-end shops. A single mana potion alone cost more than his current savings.

Passing through the academy gates, attracting a mix of admiring, obsessive, and resentful gazes, Levi maintained his composed demeanour. A tall, armoured figure with purple hair and black eyes stood behind a tree, catching Levi's attention.

'Why is that knight here?'

Levi locked eyes with Kuma, Blake's knight, who gestured for Levi to approach. Like an obedient dog, Levi walked toward the tree.

"You must be pretty bad at playing hide and seek. I could see you from a mile away—"

'Shit.'

He immediately realized his mistake. Levi glanced around, realizing the bizarre looks were directed solely at him, not at Kuma. A highly trained assassin and knight like Kuma, concealing his presence, should have been invisible to students unless they possessed considerable strength. Levi's enhanced eyesight, not shared by others, inadvertently revealed Kuma.

"By the way, why are you here?"

Levi questioned, curious as to why Kuma guarded the tree.

"Please follow me. My lord awaits you,"

Kuma responded, stepping out from the trees. Levi followed, maintaining a discreet distance. He sensed what was about to unfold.

'Reward Time.'

Kuma led Levi to the headmaster's quarters, where a renovated room greeted him with new flooring, shelves, a chandelier, and levitating tulip plants.

'I kind of liked the old office. Why did he renovate it?'

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Duke Amon and Roman stood by the window, holding diamond wine glasses filled with the reddest wine Levi had ever seen. Roman smiled, while Amon regarded him with a look, sipping the wine as if it were vodka.

"Do you drink?"

Roman offered, but Levi declined.

"You must know why I called you here."

Roman looked at Amon, gesturing for him to speak as well.

"Ahem, your bravery and skills saved Blake, and you have my gratitude, as well as that of my family. The Soron family owes you one, and I am a man who doesn't like to have debts."

Duke Amon's typical response elicited a sigh from Roman. Though powerful, Amon, too, had his limits, but he genuinely wished to repay Levi.

"What do you want? Money, treasures, or any art book you desire. Say the word, and it will be yours,"

Amon declared, perhaps exaggerating a bit. Despite his power, he had constraints, but he sincerely wanted to express his gratitude as a father.

Contemplating what he needed most, Levi thought for a mere 0.1 seconds before responding, "Can you give me two hundred million Dale?"

Amon, slightly surprised, wondered if that was all Levi desired. To Levi, money held more practical value than the limited selection of treasures or relics.

"That's all you want?"

"Yes."

Approaching Levi, Amon handed him a pendant with the Soron family logo.

"What you asked for is modest. Should you need anything later, use this pendant. Ask me for anything, even if you find yourself in trouble."

Amon patted Levi's shoulder, who accepted the pendant with a slight bow.

"Thank you for the... gifts."

"You deserve this. No need to thank me. And I'm glad Blake has a friend like you."

Levi didn't deny their friendship. He didn't feel the need to provide unnecessary explanations. He simply smiled and left the room.

Once outside, Kuma bowed, expressing his gratitude. Levi awkwardly smiled and walked down the hall. As Kuma entered the room, Roman noticed a puzzled look on his face and inquired.

"Did Levi catch your eye?"

"No... his eyes caught me." A trained assassin like Kuma would remain invisible to first-year students, even if he hid behind a tree. Only two students had managed to notice him.

"He is strong, not as much as the elite ones, but he could definitely give them a run for their money. Especially his eyes; they would probably make the Toxotai burn with jealousy."

Roman chuckled. "That is true. Though I wonder if the Toxotai would also reward him for his act—"

Roman let it slip. Amon and Kuma immediately turned towards him with curiosity. Kuma locked the door as both approached Roman.

"What did you say?"

Both stood before him, burning with curiosity. Even Amon's tough act had crumbled, making him resemble a cat eagerly awaiting its catnip.

Roman sighed, realizing the mess he had created.

******

"What should I actually buy with that much money?"

Levi mused, envisioning the items he could acquire. While he couldn't remember all of them, some were undeniably cool, useful, and notably absent from the main characters' inventory.

Lost in thought, he spotted a familiar figure leaning against the wall, staring blankly at the noticeboard. Levi contemplated taking another route, but this seemed to be his only path.

'It's just air in human form... that makes it even harder not to notice.'

Levi cleared his mind, focused ahead, and continued walking down the hall.

"Why did the headmaster call you?"

Levi turned to see Irene, her eyes locked onto his. He could have ignored her, but it would only raise more suspicions.

"Just to ask how I was doing?"

Levi provided a quick answer and resumed his journey.

"Then why did the knight from the Soron have to escort you?"

Irene persisted, prompting Levi to quicken his pace

.

"Hey, don't ignore me."

Levi continued to ignore her, but both were soon practically running down the hallway. Irene, faster than him, positioned herself in front of him with an annoyed expression.

"You need to work on your speed."

Irene didn't even break a sweat, while Levi was left breathless.

'You're just a speed monster.'

Levi refrained from saying it aloud and decided not to run away this time. There was no point. Irene's eyes revealed desperation and curiosity. She had questions, and Levi was the only one with the answers.

"Let me ask you again. Why did the knight of Soron escort you?"

"Well, he didn't have anything better to do, I guess."

Levi knew his lie wasn't convincing, but with Irene having seen him, there was little he could do to extricate himself from the situation. Irene had caught on, and all he could do was irritate her.

Annoyed, Irene sighed, deciding not to pry further into the matter. However, she now had confirmation of one thing.

'There is definitely something going on between him and Blake.'

Her curiosity regarding how this connection had formed burned within her, and now, she approached him for a different reason.

'At this distance, I can even feel it.'

"Did something happen to your back?"

"Yeah, just cracked it while training."

"Who healed you?"

...

...

"I tried , but in the end, Professor Ryan healed me."

Irene was onto something. The moment Levi hesitated to answer, she sensed it.

'He is hiding something from me... like everyone, just like before. But not today.'

Determined, Irene decided to squeeze the truth out of Levi because her heart and mind told her that she might finally find a clue.