The auburn-haired one exhaled through his nose, still smirking.
"You know," he mused, taking a slow step forward, "I heard so interesting things about you today."
Lindarion raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
The third-year crossed his arms.
"You embarrassed Jack Valerian."
Lindarion tilted his head. "Did I?"
The blond one scoffed. "Don't play dumb. You threw him around like he was a toy."
Lindarion shrugged. "He attacked first. I just helped him find the ground faster."
A short silence.
The auburn-haired third-year chuckled.
"See, that's the problem with you," he said, eyes glinting. "You don't know when to shut up."
Lindarion sighed.
'Ah. So that's what this is about.'
They weren't here to talk.
They were here to correct him.
To remind him that first-years weren't supposed to stand out.
That he wasn't supposed to be better than them.
And that?
That was hilarious.
Lindarion tilted his head slightly.
"You all keep talking like you're going to do sothing."
His voice was calm, indifferent.
"But you don't actually seem brave enough to try."
The air shifted.
The blond's jaw tightened.
One of the other third-years stepped forward slightly.
The auburn-haired one's smirk remained—but his fingers twitched.
They were trying to stay composed.
Trying not to rember what happened last ti.
Lindarion saw it imdiately.
They were still scared.
He exhaled. This was getting boring.
"If you're done wasting my ti," Lindarion said smoothly, "I'd like to get back to training."
Then, without waiting for a response—
He turned his back on them.
A deliberate, blatant dismissal.
Lindarion had already dismissed them.
Had turned his back. Had given them a chance to walk away.
But they weren't smart enough to take it.
The blond one moved first—exactly as expected.
A sudden rush forward, a fist crackling with mana, aid straight for Lindarion's side—
It was sloppy.
Predictable.
Slow. All of the mistakes soone can possibly make.
Lindarion didn't even sigh.
He just moved.
A half-step to the side, a slight pivot—
And then he caught the blond's wrist mid-motion.
The idiot barely had ti to process before Lindarion twisted.
A sharp, clean motion—
And the blond's entire body flipped over his own arm.
He hit the ground with a heavy thud, face-first into the dirt.
His breath left him in a choked wheeze.
Lindarion didn't even look down.
Because the next idiot was already attacking.
The auburn-haired one, of course.
Unlike the blond, he wasn't just swinging wildly.
He was faster, more controlled.
A direct jab to Lindarion's ribs, his stance balanced—
It was better.
But still useless.
Lindarion tilted his body just slightly—just enough to make the attack miss by a hair.
The auburn-haired third-year's fist sailed through empty air.
And before he could react—
Lindarion struck back.
A sharp, effortless movent—his palm slamming straight into the idiot's chest.
Not hard enough to break anything.
Just hard enough to launch him off his feet.
The third-year stumbled backward, coughing.
And by then, Lindarion was already turning.
The third lackey—who had been waiting for an opening—
Finally realized he didn't have one.
His hesitation was obvious.
But Lindarion was already done.
He let out a slow breath.
And released his aura.
—
The world shifted in the training grounds.
It was no longer the sa place.
The air around them turned thick, suffocating.
The three third-years froze.
It wasn't like before—no, it was completely different from the last ti.
This ti?
It was deliberate.
A heavy, invisible force pressed down on them.
Their bodies tensed.
Their breath hitched.
Their instincts scread.
Because sothing was very, very wrong.
Lindarion's golden eyes locked onto them.
And for the first ti—
They realized they had made a mistake.
A bad one.
Lindarion tilted his head slightly.
"You just don't learn, do you?"
His voice was calm. Too calm.
The blond, still struggling to get up, visibly shuddered.
The auburn-haired one gritted his teeth.
But he didn't attack again.
None of them did.
Because they couldn't.
Lindarion took a single step forward.
And that was enough.
The blond flinched back.
The third lackey took a shaky step away.
The auburn-haired idiot tried to hold his ground.
Tried to pretend like he wasn't affected.
Lindarion saw it easily. He couldn't trick him.
The slight tremble in his fingers was visible.
The way his breath had turned just a little too sharp.
Lindarion let the silence drag.
Let them feel it.
Then—
He exhaled, pulling his aura back in.
The pressure lifted instantly.
But the damage?
It was already done.
Lindarion's lips curled slightly.
"I suggest," he said smoothly, "that you stop wasting my ti."
His gaze drifted over them.
"You won't get another warning."
Another pause.
Then—the auburn-haired idiot finally broke.
He clicked his tongue, turning sharply on his heel.
"Let's go," he muttered, voice tense.
The blond didn't argue.
Neither did the third one.
Lindarion watched the last of the third-years disappear into the distance, their retreating figures tense and humiliated.
'God finally..'
Maybe now, they'd actually think before trying sothing so painfully stupid again.
He exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
That had been a waste of ti.
He had co here to train. To refine the mana techniques he had learned.
Instead?
He had spent the last few minutes reminding weaklings of their place.
Lindarion let out a slow breath, rolling his shoulders.
His body wasn't tired.
His patience was.
He glanced at the sky—the sun had dipped lower now, streaking the horizon with deep oranges and purples.
'Guess that's enough for today.'
His movents were effortless as he made his way back toward the dorms.
Each step was quiet, controlled.
Even now, even in sothing as simple as walking, the mana circulation techniques flowed through him naturally.
Not forced.
Not rigid.
Just efficient.
And the more he used them, the more he realized—
'This is going to make everything so much easier.'
—
The pathways leading back to the dorms were mostly empty.
A few students lingered in the courtyards, so finishing late training sessions, others huddled in small groups, murmuring about whatever noble drama was currently unfolding.
Lindarion ignored them.
He wasn't interested in pointless talks with them.
He had enough people wasting his ti already.
As he passed by one of the larger fountains near the main halls, he caught a few lingering stares.
So students whispered.
So pointed subtly.
No doubt about his fights today—his spar with Jack, his match with Luneth, and whatever rumors had already spread about what just happened at the training grounds.
Lindarion didn't react.
Let them talk.
It didn't matter.
By the ti he reached the dorms, the corridors were quiet.
Which was perfect.
He didn't want distractions.
He reached his door, pushing it open with an easy motion.
The room was exactly how he left it.
Simple. Neat. Uncluttered.
'Finally I'm back..'
A large, dark-wood desk against the far wall, a single bookshelf stacked with a few academy texts.
The bed—untouched since this morning.
A single window, overlooking the distant lights of the townscape.
Lindarion exhaled, shutting the door behind him.
For the first ti since morning—
Silence.
No fights.
No annoying classmates.
No third-years trying to make a statent.
It was perfect.
—
Lindarion raised a hand, mana curling around his fingers—not fire, not lightning, but sothing far colder.
The shadows in the room stirred.
They stretched toward him, twisting, shifting—obeying.
And then, with a quiet pulse of magic, they took form.
A delicate figure erged from the swirling black, stepping forward as if she had always been there.
A small girl, her fra draped in dark wedding clothes that trailed behind her like a veil of night.
Silver eyes glowed softly beneath her dark lashes, her pale hands folded neatly in front of her like a phantom.
And when she spoke—
It was in the sa knowing voice as always.
"…Young Master."
Lindarion lowered his hand, the shadows settling back into place as the summoning completed.
Selene blinked up at him.
Then, she frowned.
"You didn't summon for days, Young Master.."
Lindarion sighed. "I was busy."
Selene tilted her head slightly.
Her expression remained unreadable, but there was a weight in her gaze.
"You should still call for ," she murmured. "Even if just for a mont."
Lindarion smirked slightly. "You're upset."
Selene huffed. "I don't get upset."
He raised an eyebrow.
She crossed her arms.
"…I just don't like being forgotten."
Lindarion shook his head. "I didn't forget you."
Selene stared for a mont longer.
Then—she sighed.
"…Good."
She turned, gracefully settling herself onto his desk, arranging her gown neatly as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Her silver eyes flickered.
"So? Tell ."
Lindarion raised an eyebrow. "Tell you what?"
Selene gave him a pointed look.
"You had a long day."
She wasn't asking. She already knew.
Lindarion exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
"…Annoying, mostly."
Selene's lips twitched slightly as her mana seed to gather.
"Are people bothering the Young Master? Should I massacre them all?"
Lindarion humd. "Yes and no, don't massacre anyone..."
Selene tilted her head the mana around her calming down.
"Did you break the people that bothered you?"
Lindarion scoffed.
"I embarrassed them. That's enough for now."
Selene tapped a gloved finger against the desk.
"rciful Young Master."
Lindarion shrugged. "I'm practical."
Selene smirked slightly. "If you say so. But rember, they won't ever learn unless you actually do sothing."
'She is right…'
He sighed as Selene folded her hands in her lap.
"What else?"
Lindarion talked about everything.
The sparring. The lessons. The fact that every professor seed to have their eyes on him now.
But one thing stood out.
"…Luneth."
Selene blinked as Lindarion finished his sentence.
Then—she smirked.
"Oh?"
Lindarion frowned. "What?"
Selene tilted her head. "You don't usually ntion people by na."
Lindarion sighed. "She was interesting."
Selene leaned forward.
"She's strong?"
Lindarion nodded. "Yes, compared to others her age."
Selene's smirk widened.
"But you're stronger."
Lindarion rolled his eyes. "Obviously."
Selene gave a satisfied nod.
"Good."
She paused, then tapped her chin.
"Perhaps I should et her."
Lindarion raised an eyebrow. "You? Socializing?"
Selene shrugged. "I should know who my Young Master finds 'interesting.'"
Lindarion scoffed. "It's not like that."
Selene smirked. "Isn't it?"
Lindarion sighed.
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