Their journey back was an incredible one.
Firstly, it was a thousand tis more socialable compared to when they were coming back.
Polystar could not help but keep praising Sophia for her ability, and Cynthia had Vass around her like the moon sud the earth.
Unlike Soren thought—she did not push him away.
In fact, she leaned into him more.
Cynthia was not usually talkative, but with Vass, I was as if she had a lot to spill out.
Between the two of them, complents flowed back and fought, like old lovers admiring the best parts of each other.
If not that it seed she was having a good ti, Soren was a bit weirded out by the interaction.
Sophia said that after the Oath was broken, her mind only needed a while to adjust to the knowledge of her freedom, and that was why she was down.
When Soren asked how she felt anout watching her father taking his own life, she sighed and patted his shoulder.
"Soren, we are soulbound warriors—We live and we die. Losing people we love is just a normal part of the process—A scarifice we make fir the world to be a better place.
And personally, I had not seen him in a very long ti. I do miss ho, but I dont think life ends with him."
Sophia’s answer had totally surprised Soren. However, he still comforted her. "Well... if you ever want to talk about it, then i am here for you... okay?"
She nodded at him, before leaping on him in an embrace.
At the sa ti Bloodshine saw this.
Soren turned to serpent eye girl. "Shit!" He cursed.
Considering Bloodshine’s infatuation of him, Sophia was going to get in trouble for holding so.
After all, Bloodshine still challenged Cynthia for holding Soren tightly, even though she had saved his life.
Bloodshine approached, and Soren already shifted his foot, getting ready to jump in between the two once the violence began.
However, to his surprise, she embraced him and Sophia together.
Soren froze, massaging his forehead. "Bloodshine... you aren’t mad?"
She shook her head. "Why should I be mad?"
Soren wanted to say sothing, but the words would not spill forth.
He held back, simply watching both won embrace him.
For a few seconds, je kind of felt guilty, but it was okay.
Two days later, the train arrived at the Academy.
They got down, approached the South gate.
It was just as they had left it a few days before.
—Huge Soul chas standing guard on either sides.
One after the other, they imputed their details on the panel before them, and it screeched open.
They walked in.
However, to their surprise, a crowd gathered at the entrance before them.
It was a mixture of instructors and students waiting for their arrival.
They were cheers on their arrival.
Students rushed over, carrying them on their shoulders.
Instructor Vandabel walked forward, smile all over his face.
He looked proud. "You lot have made this academy a proud place. Destroying evil, and destroying the plans of a noble family that not only took advantage of the its people, bug also a cadet of this prestigious academy. "
He stepped forward as the students let Soren down. He placed a hand on Soren’s shoulder, "well done."
Soren gave a military salute and Instructor Vandabel nodded again.
And then ca the other instructors, they approached, many asking questions.
This was not the first ti Soren had managed an impressive feat and so many people gathered.
The last ti was after he managed the capture of the Shade Stealer.
However, it was different then. Back then, the only reason everyone had gathered was because of the reputation that the Shade Stealer had.
Secondly, too many very important students of high ranking parties had been involved.
aning that the instructors and students that had gathered, had not done so because of him.
Also, back then, the cadets dud not sing his praises.
What they had was look of envy abd gate when he was recognized by Instructor Vandabel.
If Soren was being sincere, this was tgd most healthy atmosphere he had even experienced with in the academy.
It actually felt really good.
Then he t Pencil and Tommy.
Firstly, Tommy was no longer in his wheelchair.
By the grace of the God of the Neuralink, he had healed and was walking again.
Soren was so happy about this and coukd not help but celebrate.
—and Pencil?
He had earned his Black tunic.
Tommy examined that Pencil had finally challenged a senior cadet and the battle was an epic one.
Pencil had a flawless victory. Soren was even more joyed.
After all, it ant that his friends could finally join his party.
This was very good. Especially because the winter gas was two days away.
But there was more goid news to co.
By the ti Soren got to his Dormitory, he got several credit alerts from his wristwatch.
Apparently, he had been credited again and again.
[Congratulations you have been credited 10,000 points.]
[Congratulations you have been credited 20,000 points.]
[Congratulations you have been credited 2000 points.]
[Congratulations you have been credited... points.]
It was labelled [Thank you from instructors]
A donation they had made to thank him for solving a problem associated with a noble family.
It was unbelievable—a dream co true.
Soren always haf yhe impression that nobles were a very private breed of people.
But before his eyes, he had been blessed by them simply for what he did.
Soren made a ntal note to go on more missions involving nobles.
After all, they had the money for gifts, a d they made his life so good.
So simple.
So fulfilled.
However as Soren closed his eyes to sleep at night, he coukd not help but rember everything that had happened to far.
From helping Sophia yo coming back to yhe academy.
His mind played it back again and again.
And slowly....
His smile changed.
"Sonething is not right." Soren muttered sitting up right.
This thought filled his head through out the night.
And as a result, he could not bring himself to sleep.
Morning arrived, and unlike he usually did, Soren decided to have breakfast in the ss hall.
Just like last ti, classes were on a low because students were allowed the privilege of having to practice their party coordination for the upcoming winter gas.
However, when soren stepped into the ss hall, he noticed people whispering to each other here and there.
Soren’s eyes quickly found Vass and Cynthia sitting together at a corner.
Is it just or did those two get closer after since after the mission?
Soren choose mot yo dwell on the thought.
After taking jis al, he dropped the tray, sitting on the sa table, just in front of them.
"Sooo-reeen." Cynthia greeted him.
"Good morning Soren." Vass also greeted him.
"Good morning guys." Soren greeted back. But before he would sit, coukd not help but pause.
"Vass... did you just..."
"Hey, have you heard?" Vass interrupted him. "There say the test for the winter gas is going to be a midnight creature."
Soren frowned, "a midnight creature? Whats that?"
"They are Eldritch creatures that feed on an individual’s soul by creating nightmares they can’t escape from."
A familiar voice had answered. It was Tommy. He sat at the table, slightly pushing Soren to make way for him on the bench.
"Wait, really?"
Tommy nodded. "But the really razy part is that I heard the instructors are not planning for the exam to be in the hunting grounds like it usually is."
Sophia and Bloodshine arrived next, both sitting at the table.
They looked even friendlier than yesterday.
"If the exams are not going to be in the Hunting grounds. Then where will they be?"
Soren asked.
"The main academy grounds." Sophia answered.
"I also heard that the exams will begin when we least expect it, so all participating cadets are advised to be on high alert." Tommy added.
Soren nodded. He was glad hos party mbers were taking the winter gas so seriously.
After all, they needed the winning points.
Everyone on this table wanted to beco a soul cha pilot. That would an that they needed quite a lot of millions to let that happen.
At least polystar was lucky to have co from a wealthy family.
Thinking this far, soren could not help but ask about him.
Everyone at the table seem to chok at the sa ti.
"Em... polystar, you say?" Tommy asked.
"Yes... polystar. You know the guy with the glasses."
"Oh, that polystar. He... had things to attend to. Noble matters." Tommy replied.
Foe a second, Soren’s eyes could not help but scan the table.
Everyone was acting a bit strange. This thought added with the feeling Soren had last night and now, he was starting to feel very uncomfortable in their presence.
Just then Polystar hurried to the table. "Guys... you won’t believe it. I have good news. A thod to win against the nightmare creature."
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