Killian still felt like there was no reason to believe it was over yet.

It was only the second day since he arrived at a hospital owned by the academy, which was situated only a town away.

Yet his tendrils hadn’t been at peace.

He glanced at the television. The wires behind it still sparked from the sudden disconnection. The flames the nurse had attacked with were not a simple ball of fire.

It had a revolting intensity to it. An intensity that repulsed his Void.

Killian sighed, leaning on the door’s frame. "I bet the academy will be filled with people who casually used the Fire element so pure it feels like the Holy Fire."

And he had to be in the middle of the academy while acting as normal as possible. "I really entered a den of wolves. Is this place supposed to protect me from the angel or send me closer to them?"

That was a question he had been asking himself since he set foot in the closest land to the academy’s town and had to sleep with his eyes open. All his senses were alert.

Not to add that now, he, as the Grim Warden, trended on media platforms as a newbie that survived an S-tier realm while searching for his sister. It even earned a #sibling-s-tier-cute tag on social media.

"If I hadn’t sent S-Rank Helen in there, it wouldn’t have been called an S-tier realm." He sighed, running his hand through his hair.

Even if it boosted his sister’s accomplishment, it made him the center of attention. Again.

Behind him, there was a soft knock on the window. Killian back-stepped into the room, closed the door gently, before getting his Void-Bat from his inventory.

The only people who knew they were here were the hospital’s workers and George. And they would all use the front door.

The knock came again, having a distinct beat. His arms relaxed as he rushed to the window. "I was getting worried about you..." he dragged the curtains open and smiled. "Lady Helen."

Lady Helen stood mid-air, enveloped by a crystalline translucent bubble-like shield that moved as she did.

She smiled warmly, leaning towards Killian. "And for you too, Killian. But you seem alive."

Killian shook his head, stepping back so she could float in. "Dramatic entrance as always." He remembered the television documentaries about her. "So did the Knight get a scratch on you?"

He could clearly see nothing but a small bandage on her head but he asked to tease, and to be sure that she was completely okay.

Lady Helen stepped in the window plane and so easily glided in after pushing herself a little. She arranged her hair as she descended, popping the bubble.

"Her wind attacks were nothing to the current of my waves."

Killian hummed, watching her intently. She was either insanely strong or underexaggerated her performance. He had every reason to believe it was the former though.

"How many days did it take to kill... Did you kill her?"

"Of course." A frown embedded itself on Helen’s face. "Did you think I’d be so merciful to a Knight that killed my dragon?"

Those words dropped heavily on Killian that he froze, watching the S-Rank Warden’s face for traces of sadness or grief but the Lady had a rather satisfied expression.

"Oh... I’m sorry about that."

"It’s fine." Helen assured. " He was my summon so I’d just work on creating another. He died accompanying his Mistress to a battle. He died proud."

She strolled to the bed in the middle of the room where Quara laid. "I am here to fulfil my last end of the deal."

She turned to Killian, adding. "It has been a most interesting trip with you, Grim Warden. I just found out you were the most sought for newbie in the entire realm."

A smile had formed on Killian’s face during the first half of her statement, but the last part made his head lighter and his vision blurred at the edges.

’Most sought for? In the entire realm? WHAT?’

Bright light shone from Helen’s palms. She placed them on Quara’s chest, and the light spread over Quara’s body.

Helen winced lightly, and raised a brow. "Was there another Knight after the one we met?"

Killian walked towards her. He scanned his sister’s body once, then turned his head to the S-Rank. "Yes." He wondered if there was a reason she asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"Where are they?" Helen took her hand off Quara, almost as if it burned.

A small line of smoke went above Quara’s body, causing Killian to switch on the AC on impulse. "They are dead. I killed them."

Helen nodded once. "It might take a while since they are already dead, but it seems her fate has been tied to one of the knights."

That meant one thing to Killian. He had to get to 300% capacity first to keep that knight dead, and break that chain.

"I understand." He said flatly.

Helen exhaled, stretching her arms and limbs. "I guess all is well that ends well with me."

Killian raised a brow, noticing she used the same quote as the philosopher with her own twist. A card was flicked into his palm.

"Inform me when you become a B-Rank Lower Warden. I have a position for you within my team." Helen winked. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Killian looked at the card, the gold edges and the expensive font her name and company’s name was written in. Many Wardens never got to see an S-Rank warden in person or get to speak to them.

But he had done all that as well as getting a personal invitation to join her group. His eyes drifted to his older sister and then back to the card.

"You wouldn’t mind if I only come after my older sister is retired, do you? I really wanted to join her group and only her group."

It was merely a childhood dream at first, but he needed to stay close to his sister while that angel targeted her.

Helen’s expression flattened for a second before she huffed. "I will still be in business long after that anyway. But don’t waste my goodwill." The translucent bubble-like shield covered her frame.

Her feet left the ground. "Oh, and a little birdie told me. Your group will stop by."

"Hmm?" Killian pulled a blank as she floated away. He turned to the door.

"What group?"

-----

[End of Arc 1 - The Anomaly]

[Thank you for staying with me! If you want to read ahead, check out the Privilege Chapters.]

[Next Up!]

[Arc 2 - Academy Trials and Outlands]