The mont the mages were dismissed, I wasted no ti.
I moved quickly through the palace corridors, my heart still racing from the events of the day.
There was a lot to process—too much, really—but I pushed it aside, needing to focus on what lay ahead. I hadn't gone far when I saw him.
Master Jared stood in the hallway, his tall fra unmistakable.
His long, dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, giving him a stern, almost forbidding appearance.
As soon as our eyes t, I knew this wasn't a chance encounter.
He had been waiting for .
"Master Jared," I said, nodding in greeting, trying to sound calm, though I wasn't sure I succeeded.
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"The Emperor received the results of your mana test," he said without preamble, his voice steady but carrying a weight that made my stomach drop. "He's ordered that you be monitored closely. If there's any further developnt, he is to be notified imdiately."
I swallowed hard, nodding. "Understood."
But Master Jared didn't leave. He stood there, studying with those sharp eyes of his.
I could feel the scrutiny, the way he was assessing not just my words but the intention behind them.
Finally, he spoke again.
"Why didn't you make an official report about the portal you saw in the forest?"
The question hit like a punch to the gut.
I should've expected this, but I hadn't, and now I had to explain myself.
I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully.
"I didn't report it because… because I wanted to protect my family. I wasn't sure they'd be safe if I did. If I had told the Emperor, he might have ordered the forest to be quarantined. Soldiers would've combed through the area, and who knows what would have happened? My family lives near there, and I couldn't risk drawing attention to them."
For a mont, Master Jared said nothing. He simply stared at , his expression unreadable.
I felt the weight of his silence, the way it pressed down on , making question if I had made the right decision.
Then he spoke, and his words were like a blade, cutting through the air.
"What you did was selfish," he said, his voice cold and direct. "You put the entire kingdom at risk."
I flinched but held my ground. He was right, of course.
I had thought of my family first, of their safety above all else, but that didn't change the fact that my actions could have endangered everyone else.
I could feel the guilt gnawing at , but I didn't back down.
"I understand," I replied, eting his gaze. "And I'm sorry. Truly, I am. But I would do it again if it ant protecting them. I would give every last drop of blood I have to serve this kingdom, but when it cos to my family, no one cos above them."
Master Jared's eyes flickered with sothing—surprise, maybe, or respect. I couldn't tell.
He studied for a long mont, then nodded slowly, as if seeing in a new light.
"Very well," he said, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving standing there, my heart still pounding.
As soon as I stepped out of the palace, I felt a strange sense of relief, like the air outside was sohow lighter, easier to breathe.
The conversation with Master Jared still played in my mind, but I pushed it aside for now.
I had other things to think about.
I walked across the courtyard, trying to clear my head, when I noticed soone approaching.
A girl, maybe a year younger than , with bright eyes and an eager expression.
She moved with purpose, clearly intent on talking to .
I recognized her from my previous class, though we had never spoken before.
"Hey, you're Levi, right?" she asked, a little breathless as she reached .
I nodded, though I didn't slow my pace.
"Yeah."
She hurried to keep up with , her steps quickening as she matched my stride. "I heard you beca a two-star mage faster than anyone else in our year. That's really impressive!"
I barely glanced at her, just enough to see the way her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
She was pretty, in a way that was hard to ignore, but I wasn't in the mood for small talk.
"Thanks," I said, my tone flat.
But she wasn't deterred. She continued to chatter on, her voice bright and bubbly, like this was the most exciting thing that had happened to her all day. "I've been in your class for a while, but we've never really talked before. I guess I never had a reason to, but now everyone's talking about you.
It's kind of crazy how fast news spreads, isn't it? I an, one minute you're just another mage in training, and the next-"
I stopped abruptly, turning to face her. She nearly stumbled, catching herself just in ti.
"Do you want to fuck?" | asked, my voice cutting through her words like a knife.
She blinked, her mouth opening and closing like she wasn't sure she'd heard correctly. "What?"
"You heard ," I said, my gaze steady on hers. "Do you want to fuck?"
For a mont, she just stared at , her cheeks flushing with a mix of shock and confusion.
It was clear she hadn't expected this, hadn't prepared herself for anything beyond a simple conversation.
She had probably imagined this mont differently—a chance to talk to the new star of our class, to get closer, maybe even beco friends.
But now, she was standing there, caught off guard, unsure how to respond.
I waited, my expression blank, giving her ti to process what l'd said.
This was probably the last thing she'd anticipated, and part of felt a twisted satisfaction in watching her struggle to find her footing.
"So?" | pressed, my voice low and unwavering.
She blinked again, as if trying to snap herself out of whatever daze she was in.
"Are you serious?"
"Very."
She hesitated, her eyes searching mine for sothing-maybe a sign that l was joking, that this was all so elaborate prank.
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