Within the library of Rune Academy, Lena leaned back, a book cradled in her arms, her mind consumed by thoughts of Celia’s reaction upon learning she was her mother.
Shock, anger, disappointment…
Surely, Celia would demand to know why Lena had given birth to her only to abandon her for so many years. She would undoubtedly tear apart their existing relationship, perhaps even refusing to see her again. Would the revered Silverbloom Senior, her most cherished idol, become her most despised person? Would such a stark contrast plunge her into despair, or would she feel betrayed, giving rise to a new hatred?
Lena gripped the book in her hands until her knuckles were white, utterly devoid of answers.
“Ahhhhhh—!!”
Just then, a girl’s shriek and the shattering crash of tables and chairs echoed from the first floor. Lena’s gaze shot up, finding a student in uniform sprawled on the ground, books and papers scattered around her, her small face a mask of shock and terror.
Before her stood a male student, disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, his fists clenched tightly. His clothes were in disarray, and a palpable aura of deranged madness emanated from him.
The surrounding students cast their gazes over, but completely bewildered by what had happened, they remained frozen, making no move to intervene.
“Y-you, what’s wrong with you?!”
The girl scrambled backward, attempting to escape the crazed student’s sight. However, this action inadvertently drew his full attention.
His veins bulged as he raised his fist high. He closed the distance to the girl, and without a word, he swung a heavy punch at her!
Tier 4 magic coiled around his fist, his intent clear: to kill this junior student with a single blow. He held nothing back.
The students nearby had never witnessed such a scene. They remained stunned, none stepping forward to offer assistance.
The girl’s face paled as she shielded herself with her arm. Though she had also mustered the magic within her, her Tier 3 cultivation was no match for this student.
The fist drew ever closer. In the nick of time, her arm was seized, and her body shifted slightly to the side. It was this minuscule distance that allowed her to evade the punch.
“Thud—!”
A dull impact resonated through the first floor of the library. A web of dense cracks spiderwebbed across the floor, and the slight tremor jolted the students back to their senses.
Having failed to land his strike, the frenzied student straightened, poised to attack again. But the other students would not allow him to have his way.
Various magic arrays illuminated the library. Disregarding the potential damage to the bookshelves, they unleashed binding spells upon him.
In the blink of an eye, the student who had moments ago effortlessly shocked them all was now bound to the ground, unable to move. He could only glare fiercely at the girl, his face contorted with malice.
Once rescued, the girl clutched her chest and rose from the floor. A faint floral scent caused her to turn her head, looking at Lena, who had saved her life.
“Thank you…”
Upon recognizing Lena’s features, a flicker of awe crossed the girl’s eyes. However, realizing that the woman before her possessed no magic, this admiration quickly morphed into shock and confusion.
Lena merely nodded at her thanks, paying little mind to her reaction. Her immediate concern lay with the bound student on the ground.
Seeing that he was incapacitated, the other students around them cautiously gathered closer. Their hushed conversations drifted into Lena’s ears.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Too much pressure, probably had a mental breakdown.”
“Too much pressure?”
“Yes, if his assessment scores are last again this semester, he’ll be expelled from the academy. And I heard his relatives don’t treat him well. Who knows what will happen to him if he’s expelled.”
‘Hmph, I hope we don’t end up like that someday…’
Some students recognized him, speculating that he had suffered a mental collapse from the unbearable pressure. Lena, however, observed him closely for a moment before sighing and shaking her head.
The academy’s arrogant rules placed immense pressure on its lower-tier students, and the more fragile among them often succumbed to this stress, leading to desperate acts of madness.
Even during her own time studying at Rune Academy, she had witnessed several students driven to such extremes.
*Clap—*
A crisp clapping sound echoed from behind the crowd, drawing everyone’s attention. Immediately after, several individuals, clearly mentors and brave ones, pushed through the throng, arriving at the front.
“Alright, everyone, please continue with your studies. We’ll handle things here.”
After casting a high-level spell to re-bind the student on the ground, the mentors led him out of the library’s first floor. One woman, clad in a magic robe, remained behind. She cast a pitying glance at the student before her gaze settled on the floor.
The intricate network of cracks made her mouth twitch, a clear sign of her distress.
The onlookers gradually dispersed. Lena, too, turned, intending to head to the second floor to complete her day’s work, when the woman called out to her.
“Are you Miss Lena, Starshimmer Mentor’s new assistant?”
She approached, her heels clicking, her long green hair cascading over her shoulders, exuding an air of ladylike grace.
Lena looked at her and nodded. “Yes.”
‘She’s merely an ordinary person with no magic, yet she managed to calmly save a student in such a situation. No wonder she was recommended to Rune Academy.’
“You flatter me, Mentor.”
“Mentor? I’m no mentor.” The woman sighed, producing a business card and handing it to Lena. “My profession is witch,” Winnie said.
Lena took the card, glanced at it, and murmured, “A witch?”
“Is that so strange? Has Miss Lena never heard of the profession of witch?”
“Not exactly…”
“Just like brave ones, witches are considered one of humanity’s professions. However, they are far freer, unburdened by any responsibility. Justice or evil often hinges on their whim.”
“So, you can’t fathom why a witch like me would appear in a brave one academy?” Winnie explained, seemingly to herself. “I used to be a brave one, actually, but I later found out that fighting wasn’t for me, which is why I transitioned into being a witch.”
“Miss Winnie has a kind heart; the profession of witch suits you better.”
Hearing Lena’s words, Winnie paused, then beamed. “You’re the first person to say I wasn’t suited to be a brave one because of my kindness. You know, all those other guys used to say I became a witch because I was a coward.”
At this, her tone shifted, her smile gradually fading. “Therefore, I suggest you resign from this assistant position. Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying you’re unsuitable, it’s just that Starshimmer Mentor… it’s best to stay as far away from her as possible.”
It seemed she had called Lena over specifically for this reason.
“What’s wrong with Starshimmer Mentor?”
Lena’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly asked, but unfortunately, Winnie offered no answer to her query.
“Miss Lena, you only need to know that this is for your own good. It’s best not to ask too many questions about the rest.” Reaching out, Winnie patted her shoulder.
Winnie shook her head, then turned and left the library.
Watching her figure disappear through the first-floor entrance, Lena withdrew her gaze, understanding that matters concerning Starshimmer could not be rushed.
Moreover, she had more pressing matters to attend to at the moment.
Having completed her day’s work as a mentor’s assistant, she donned her silver-white mask and black robe. After taking two deep breaths, she headed to Rune Academy’s teaching building to find Celia.
She had decided to confess everything to her now.
It was late afternoon, and the early spring air still carried a lingering chill from winter. Warm sunlight was obscured by overcast clouds, and a spring breeze made the cold grow increasingly intense.
On the garden path leading to the teaching building, Dorothy encountered Celia.
Strangely, Celia also seemed to be looking for her.
Celia wore the Rune Academy student uniform, her arms cradling books. The short skirt revealed her long, fair legs, showcasing her undeniable aristocratic elegance.
“Senior!”
Upon seeing Dorothy, she stood on her tiptoes, waving her right hand high, a radiant smile gracing her face.
Her golden hair billowed in the wind, a brilliant smile adorning her face.
A few leaves and petals had fallen onto the stone bench beside the path. After clearing them away with magic, Celia pulled Dorothy down to sit beside her.
“No classes this afternoon?” Dorothy inquired.
“No, not today.”
“Then where are Aurora and the others?”
Dorothy glanced around but saw no sign of Aurora or their companions. This struck her as quite peculiar, as ever since they had met, the three of them had been practically inseparable, rarely parting ways.
‘Even better,’ Dorothy thought, ‘with Aurora and the others absent, it will be easier to confess to Celia.’
Her heart hammered in her chest, accelerating its beat. Dorothy subconsciously gripped the black robe draped over her lap, feeling more nervous than she had battling the demon with Vidona.
Hearing Dorothy inquire about Aurora and the others first, Celia pouted slightly, feeling a touch of inexplicable unhappiness. Nevertheless, she softly explained, “They went to class. Our three courses of study are a little different.”
Celia excelled in swordsmanship, Aurora in magic, and Isha in physical combat. Naturally, they couldn’t study these specialized courses together.
Dorothy understood this, so after asking her question, she fell silent, contemplating how to begin. Celia, however, brought her left arm close to Dorothy, pointing at it with a touch of pride, and asked, “Look! Do you know what this is?”
Following the direction of her finger, Dorothy saw a familiar silver-white flower mark.
“This is…”
“Hehe, it’s the symbol of the Silverbloom Fan Club! I’m a member of the fan club now!”
“Ah, congratulations.”
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Dorothy, though smiling, was preoccupied and her reply remained somewhat perfunctory.
She found it difficult to focus her attention on the mark.
Not receiving the reaction she had imagined, Celia’s smile faded slightly. She lowered her arm, a hint of disappointment in her voice. “Congratulations for what? This is *your* fan club. Aren’t you surprised at all?”
“I, I actually heard about it before.”
“Ah? No wonder Senior seemed uninterested.” Placing her book on her lap, Celia propped herself up on the bench with both hands, lowering her head as she recalled something. “But it’s alright. After joining the fan club, I learned a lot about Senior’s past. I never thought such a mature and reliable Senior used to be so cute…”
Celia’s bell-like laughter eased some of Dorothy’s tension. She tilted her head, looking at Celia, and feigned confusion. “What? I don’t remember that?”
Beneath the silver-white mask, her cheeks were faintly flushed.
“Playing dumb won’t work, Senior.” Waving her index finger back and forth, Celia pulled a tiny photograph from her uniform pocket and presented it to Dorothy. “Here, look, it’s a photo.”
The photo showed the Silverbloom Sword Princess with her hands beside her cheeks, posing cutely like a kitten. Behind her was a silhouette of laughing figures, among them the small figure of Chiling.
In that era, her face was still youthful, radiating an aura of vibrant, adorable youthfulness. Yet, Dorothy’s mood grew heavier and heavier.
Not because of the photo, but because of Celia’s affection for her.
The more Celia loved her, the more devastating the truth would be when she learned it.
…
After a few moments of silence, she took the photo. Then, under Celia’s stunned gaze, she used fire magic to incinerate the photo into ash. Immediately after, she feigned a cough, pretending to be perplexed. “Oh really? Where’s a photo?”
“Senior is truly adept at self-deception.”
Dorothy hummed softly. Celia, covering her mouth with a chuckle, also felt a touch of regret. If Senior were wearing her silver-white mask, concealing her expression, Celia would have truly loved to savor the sight of her shy Senior.
She still recalled the times Silverbloom and Aurora had teased her. If she could have retorted fiercely now, she would have been delighted.
After the photo was burned, Celia blinked, falling silent.
This garden path was secluded, with few people passing by, making it feel as if they were in their own private world.
Petals, carried by the wind, landed on Dorothy’s black robe. Celia thoughtfully brushed them away, then took the opportunity to rest her head on Dorothy’s shoulder.
Greedily inhaling Silverbloom’s scent, Celia closed her eyes in blissful reverie.
Unconsciously, some worries surfaced, and her brows furrowed slightly. Then, she felt a dampness on her cheek. She opened her eyes, reached out to touch it, and found it was cold raindrops.
“It’s raining.”
Drizzling rain began to fall. She didn’t suggest returning but instead snuggled into Dorothy’s embrace, letting her shield her from the wind and rain.
Dorothy merely smiled indulgently. While gently caressing Celia’s cheek, she cast a magical umbrella, deflecting the raindrops so they wouldn’t fall on the bench.
“Senior, I saw those records you left at Rune Academy. Senior was simply too amazing when you were young; no one could ever surpass you!” Speaking of this, Celia had completely transformed into a little fangirl of the Silverbloom Sword Princess, her excitement palpable.
“Not necessarily. There will always be those who come after me and surpass me.”
“Then it had better be a very, very long time from now, so long that humanity has already forgotten brave ones.”
“Why?”
“Because I hope Senior will always be the most incredible brave one, both in my heart and in everyone’s hearts.” Celia rubbed her cheek against Dorothy’s, letting out a soft hum, not wanting any brave one to surpass Silverbloom.
Yet, whether it was her imagination or not, Dorothy vaguely felt that Celia was exceptionally clingy today.