Even after that incident, events at the Academy didn’t pause at all, as there were too many things going on. The Academy rely acknowledged the incident, contained it, studied it and moved on to continue their plans.
Zephyr Academy had existed for centuries, and in that ti it had endured wars, schisms, failed ascensions, corrupted prodigies, and more than one attempted infiltration by forces that believed themselves clever enough to slip past its wards. If the institution halted every ti danger brushed against its walls, it would have collapsed long ago.
So when Albedo returned to campus three days later, the towers still floated serenely, students still crossed skybridges with books tucked under their arms, and the bells marking class transitions still rang with perfect, unbothered timing, not at all worried about what he was up to.
Normalcy, carefully maintained. That did not an people hadn’t noticed. The mont Albedo stepped through the Academy gates, conversation stuttered.
Everyone had heard about the incident, and basically every student and professor involved with it were the talk of the town.
Eyes turned. Whispers rippled outward like concentric circles in water.
"That’s him."
"Is he really Mid Athyst now?"
"It’s crazy how fast he got stronger, he’s basically stronger than most second years now,"
"Mate these Freshn are crazy, all of them are top of the line geniuses, even the weakest in the top class is already Gold,"
Albedo ignored all of it with practiced ease.
Elara walked beside him, close enough that her shoulder brushed his arm with every other step.
"You don’t have to escort to every class," Albedo murmured quietly.
"Yes, I do," Elara replied without hesitation.
Albedo sighed, but there was no real irritation in it. By the ti they reached the main lecture hall, the rumors had already beaten them inside.
Professor Kayle stood at the front of the room, posture immaculate as ever, silver hair pulled back neatly, eyes sharp and observant. The beautiful Professor paused mid-sentence the mont Albedo entered.
The pause stretched just long enough for every student to notice.
Then Kayle smiled.
"Ah," she said calmly. "Good. You’re awake."
"Yes, Professor," Albedo replied, inclining his head respectfully.
"Excellent. Take your seat."
That was it.
No dramatic announcent. No explanation. No indulgence of curiosity.
And sohow, that made it feel far more official.
The class resud imdiately, though the tension lingered like static in the air. Albedo felt it, felt the subtle probing of senses, the way mana brushed lightly against him as students unconsciously tried to gauge the truth of the rumors.
He didn’t bother hiding it. His presence was different now.
Deeper and denser. Athyst mana carried a weight that was impossible to fully suppress, and even restrained, it settled around him like quiet authority. Several students shifted uncomfortably as they beca aware of it.
Kayle noticed too but didn’t decide to comnt.
The lecture proceeded as normal, advanced mana theory, resonance stability, the long-term consequences of forced breakthroughs, but about halfway through, Kayle changed direction.
"There is another matter," she said, turning from the board to face the class fully.
The room stilled.
"The final sester examinations will begin in one month."
A collective groan rippled through the hall.
Kayle raised an eyebrow. "You have known this since the start of term. Even for transfer students, you were alerted of this,"
"That doesn’t make it hurt less," soone muttered.
Kayle ignored the comnt.
"These exams are not ceremonial," she continued. "They are not designed to flatter your strengths or accommodate your weaknesses. They are ant to determine whether you are fit to advance, or whether you require further refinent at the current level,"
Her gaze swept the room, lingering for a fraction of a second on Albedo.
"Accordingly," Kayle said, "I suggest you all enter what you might call... study mode."
Groans intensified.
Albedo, however, felt sothing else entirely.
A flicker of mory from his past life about what happened in the Novel during Final sester Exams.
Noble Professors and Rigged evaluations.
In the original tiline, the conspiracy had unfolded quietly. Noble Professors had subtle biases in scoring and even went as far as to manipulate various exam environnts.
Selective difficulty spikes designed to elevate certain noble-line students while suppressing others, including Lucian, and now that he was here, this would definitely include him.
Albedo’s fingers tightened slightly around his quill.
"...So," Elara murmured beside him, "exams."
"Yes," Albedo replied absently.
Morgana leaned forward from behind. "You okay?"
"Yes," he said automatically.
But his thoughts were already racing.
If the conspiracy existed once, how much worse would it be with him now involved, and being the top student. He was also far stronger than Lucian was at this point in the Novel.
The circumstances were so different now it would be impossible to predict.
Kayle dismissed the class shortly after, leaving them with a stack of assigned readings and a warning that practical assessnts would ramp up quickly over the coming weeks.
As students filtered out, several approached Albedo.
So offered awkward congratulations. Others asked if he was "really okay." A few simply nodded, expressions unreadable.
Albedo answered politely, briefly, never elaborating more than necessary.
When the hall finally cleared, Elara exhaled slowly.
"...That was a lot."
"It was manageable," Albedo replied.
Morgana folded her arms. "You’re being stared at more than usual."
"That will pass."
"Will it?" Elara asked quietly.
Albedo paused.
"...No," he admitted. "Probably not with already being Athyst rank,"
They walked together toward the next lecture, sunlight spilling through the arched windows as floating runes drifted lazily overhead. For most students, the looming exams were the only thing on their minds.
For Albedo, they were sothing else entirely. A variable that he had to attend to and figure out a way to outsmart.
They would definitely put more resources for their plan to succeed, and he’d need to take them on alongside the others now.
Albedo arrived at the next lecture and sat down, looking at the Professor, who was one of the Professors who rigged the exams in the Novel, and reminded himself to stay alert of him.
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