The evening sky stretched calmly above Arcadia Academy, its soft amber glow fading gradually into deeper shades of violet as the final traces of daylight slipped quietly beyond the horizon. A gentle breeze passed through the open courtyards, carrying with it the familiar scent of polished stone and distant greenery that had always defined the academy grounds.

Yet for Luca, the return felt far less comforting than usual.

He walked beside Seraphina in silence, the quiet rhythm of their footsteps echoing faintly against the stone pathways as they crossed the open grounds and moved toward the main academic buildings. The peaceful atmosphere of the academy contrasted sharply with the chaos and uncertainty of the past few days, yet the tension between them lingered quietly beneath the surface.

Neither of them spoke.

Neither seemed certain where conversation should even begin.

The unresolved weight of what had occurred during the mission remained present, pressing gently upon the space between them, making even the simplest words feel unnecessarily complicated.

They entered the main building and proceeded through the familiar corridors, their footsteps softened by the polished floors as the evening quiet had already begun settling across the academy. Most students had already returned to their dormitories or gathering halls, leaving the passageways largely empty, the distant glow of enchanted lamps casting long shadows along the walls.

Luca remained composed outwardly, though the steady rhythm of his heartbeat betrayed the subtle unease building within him.

The briefing.

The explanation.

And perhaps...

Unspoken consequences.

They soon arrived before the Dean’s chamber, the large wooden door standing firmly closed as always, its surface bearing the engraved insignia of Arcadia Academy.

Seraphina paused briefly.

She inhaled slowly.

Then exhaled.

Her composure returned fully.

She turned slightly toward Luca, her expression calm yet serious as she spoke quietly.

"Follow my lead."

Her gaze remained steady.

"Do not say anything unnecessary."

Luca nodded in understanding.

He did not need clarification regarding what she meant by unnecessary.

He was fully aware.

Seraphina raised her hand and knocked gently upon the door, the faint sound echoing softly within the quiet corridor.

A calm voice responded from within.

"Enter."

Seraphina pushed the door open slowly as both of them stepped inside.

Luca’s gaze lifted instinctively—

Then froze.

Several figures stood within the chamber.

Far more than he had expected.

Familiar presences.

Powerful presences.

Individuals who did not normally gather in one place without significant reason.

Surprise escaped him before he could restrain it.

"What are all of you doing here?"

The atmosphere inside the Dean’s chamber felt heavier than usual, as though the very air carried the weight of decisions that shaped the fate of nations. The spacious room, normally filled with the quiet scent of aged parchment and polished wood, now seemed charged with an unseen tension, the presence of several extraordinary individuals gathering within the same space transforming the familiar office into something far more imposing.

Luca’s eyes widened slightly as recognition struck one figure after another.

Standing near the large window was a majestic woman whose presence alone seemed to command the room effortlessly. Long golden hair flowed gracefully past her shoulders, each strand reflecting the faint glow of evening light as though woven from liquid sunlight. Her crimson eyes, sharp yet calm, observed everything with quiet authority that needed no announcement.

Empress Celestia Dragonair.

Not far from her stood an elegant woman dressed in refined attire, her long white hair cascading gently down her back while a delicate veil concealed the lower half of her face, covering her nose and lips without diminishing the quiet power radiating from her presence.

The Tower Master.

Beside the grand desk stood an elderly dwarf, his thick beard and long hair braided carefully, the heavy rings threaded within his beard glinting faintly in the light. His sturdy build and composed posture reflected the silent strength of one who had shaped empires from stone and iron alike.

Elder Thrain.

Behind the desk itself sat the familiar figure of the Dean of Arcadia Academy, his unkempt white hair and long beard resting against his robes as his sharp eyes studied the two newcomers carefully.

For a brief moment, silence filled the chamber as all four figures directed their attention toward Luca and Seraphina.

Then—

The Tower Master moved.

Quickly.

Her composed demeanor momentarily giving way to unmistakable concern as she closed the distance between herself and Luca with surprising urgency.

"Are you alright?" she asked immediately, her voice calm yet unable to fully conceal the worry beneath it.

Her eyes moved across him carefully, as though searching for hidden injury.

"You are not wounded?"

Luca blinked faintly at the sudden concern before answering quickly.

"Ah... no, I am fine."

He paused briefly.

"No injuries." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

A faint cough interrupted the moment.

"Ahem."

Celestia brought her gloved hand lightly toward her lips, her composed expression unchanged as she spoke calmly.

"Perhaps," she said with quiet authority, "we should first hear what they discovered."

For a brief moment after Celestia spoke, the Tower Master seemed to realize the sudden urgency with which she had approached Luca. Her composed demeanor returned almost instantly, though the faint trace of concern had not entirely disappeared from her eyes. She stepped back gracefully, resuming her usual poised stance beside the others, her presence once again calm and dignified, as though the earlier moment of worry had never occurred.

Elder Thrain crossed his arms as he leaned slightly forward, his thick brows lowering with impatience that he made little effort to conceal.

"Boy," he said in his deep, rough voice, "tell us everything you discovered."

His tone carried neither hostility nor softness, only the directness of someone accustomed to receiving clear reports without delay.

Luca instinctively glanced toward Seraphina.

She remained silent.

Composed.

Her expression gave nothing away.

Wasn’t she supposed to handle the briefing...?

He exhaled quietly, realizing there was little choice but to proceed.

Straightening slightly, Luca began recounting the events carefully, ensuring that every word remained precise, deliberate, and—most importantly—appropriate.

"We used an appearance-concealing artifact before entering the suspected location," he explained calmly, his voice steady despite the subtle tension tightening within him.

"We entered the town under the guise of travelers."

He paused briefly, choosing his words carefully.

"...posing as a couple."

A faint chill ran along the back of his neck.

Instinctively, Luca’s gaze shifted slightly toward Celestia.

The Empress observed quietly, her crimson eyes steady and unreadable.

Yes... definitely best to avoid unnecessary details...

Luca cleared his throat lightly before continuing.

"We behaved in a manner designed to attract attention," he said, maintaining neutral wording.

"We deliberately presented ourselves as an easy target in order to encourage potential cult members to approach us first."

His tone remained professional, carefully avoiding elaboration beyond necessity.

"We visited multiple locations throughout the town," he continued, "including shops, restaurants, and other public areas, maintaining the cover consistently in order to observe reactions from the locals."

"We also explored surrounding locations that could serve as possible concealment points for cult activity."

His gaze lowered slightly as he recalled the fruitless search.

"Despite thorough investigation, we were unable to locate any clear indication of cult presence within the town itself."

A brief pause followed.

"However..."

His expression grew more serious.

"We did encounter a group of thieves in a secluded location outside the village."

"The individuals were in possession of an academy-issued covert communication device."

Several of the figures in the room reacted subtly to that information.

Luca continued.

"Upon interrogation, we confirmed that the device had been taken from an injured individual they had encountered previously."

"The thieves themselves appeared to possess no knowledge regarding the cult."

"Based on their responses and behavioral analysis, we determined they were not affiliated with demonic influence."

He exhaled slightly before continuing.

"We proceeded to return to the town in order to continue investigation..."

His voice slowed slightly.

"...and then..."

He paused.

The memory surfaced clearly.

Too clearly.

Thrain leaned forward further, impatience now evident in his voice.

"Well?" the dwarf said gruffly.

"Then what happened, boy?"

"Do not stop now."

Luca drew a slow breath, steadying his thoughts before continuing, his voice calm though the memory itself remained anything but.

"When we returned to the town," he said carefully, "we encountered a massacre."

The word itself seemed to darken the atmosphere within the chamber.

"The inn where we had been staying... along with its occupants... had been completely wiped out."

His gaze lowered briefly as he recalled the scene.

"The bodies of travelers, workers, and staff were scattered across the ground floor," he continued, his tone controlled yet heavy with implication.

"There were no signs of prolonged struggle... no visible traces of a chaotic battle... only precise eliminations."

He paused slightly, choosing his words with care.

"The injuries were consistent with swift and deliberate execution."

His eyes moved briefly toward the Dean before continuing.

"There were no residual mana signatures strong enough to identify the attacker."

"No identifiable footprints."

"No traces of lingering corruption."

"It was as though whoever carried out the act had erased all evidence of their presence entirely."

A faint silence settled in the chamber as the significance of such capability became clear.

Luca continued steadily.

"We proceeded to investigate the entire structure."

"The first floor."

"The upper floors."

"Every room."

His tone remained composed, yet the gravity of the situation was unmistakable.

"No survivors were located."

"Every individual present had been eliminated with similar precision."

His gaze grew slightly sharper.

"The level of concealment indicated either extremely advanced skill... or deliberate preparation designed to prevent pursuit."

A brief pause followed.

"Eventually, we reached the room we had been staying in..."

His words slowed slightly as the memory surfaced clearly once more.

"...and—"

He stopped.

The sentence remained unfinished.

Yet the weight of what followed lingered heavily within the room.