Rhine Academy

In the southern region of the Mingxi Empire, an immense giant stood silently.

The unmatched institution known as the “Cradle of Geniuses” loomed quietly—unchanged from how it looked ten thousand years ago.

Its pristine walls gleamed like polished jade, wrapped around by the colossal roots of a sky-reaching tree. It wasn’t so much a wall as it was a living fence.

The air was thick with life magic, pale green particles drifting lazily in the breeze and scattering through the campus.

At the heart of it all stood a massive golden tree, from which the entire academy stretched outward like a web of branches.

This was the [World Tree]—Yggdrasil.

The great tree that bore the weight of all Tanggrelia, both sheltering and being sheltered by the world.

Knock, knock.

“Headmaster… Are you in?”

“How many times do I have to say this? Don’t call me ‘Headmaster’—use my name. I have a name, you know.”

“Alright, alright… Mr. Rhine.”

A woman slowly pushed the door open.

The office door creaked open to reveal a man reclining with his legs crossed, a cigarette in his mouth, and a small, very questionable book in hand—his eyes glued to the pages like it was some sacred relic.

The moment he spotted the guest, he stashed the precious material at lightning speed and immediately assumed a stiff, serious posture.

“You… didn’t see anything, right, Miss Lize?”

“If I told people that the legendary, one-of-a-kind Headmaster of Rhine Academy spends his days holed up reading smut in his office… I bet their reactions would be priceless.”

“Come on now—Lize-chan~! If the lovely young ladies heard that, they might start seeing me differently~”

The green-haired girl massaged her forehead. She knew this old bastard’s personality way too well.

He was like a stingy old turtle. A miserly, greasy turtle.

“Headmaster, about my research funds?

Didn’t you promise to allocate me ten million last week?

Funny, I haven’t received a single coin.”

“So where did the money go, hmm? I’m dying to know—”

Lize smiled sweetly as she looked at Rhine, who was very obviously trying to bluff his way through.

Her smile only grew brighter… and colder.

“Well… you see… we’ve been recruiting new students lately, and the World Tree maintenance fees aren’t cheap… The budget’s tight, y’know.”

“Lize, you’re a devoted, principled educator.

Surely, you wouldn’t let petty finances get in the way of your great academic mission, right?”

“Money is cold.

Our work is noble!

To explore the unknown is to sing the song of courage!”

“…I want my money,” Lize replied flatly.

“My research into the [Abyss] is at a critical juncture.

All I need now is funding.”

The moment she uttered “Abyss,” even the smug Rhine straightened up, seriousness flashing in his eyes.

He let out a long sigh.

“Lize… Are you still hung up on what happened three years ago?”

“I just want to prove—

That on that day, I was right!”

“Even if it cost your most brilliant student their future?” Rhine said calmly.

“Headmaster Rhine,” Lize responded,

“Isn’t it written clearly in the first principle of alchemy?”

“All things in this world… have their price marked in secret.”

“To ensure Tanggrelia’s survival, sacrificing one person—

So what?

Even I… if it meant saving the world, I would gladly give my life.”

Rhine watched her leave, sighing again.

“Even if the road you walk is paved with corpses?” he murmured.

“A paradise that can never be reached… and yet you’d wager everything just to see it?”

“…Such a tragic ideal,” Rhine said, his calm gaze turning to the sky-piercing trunk of Yggdrasil.

Scene shift: Xi Family Manor

It was as if a storm was about to descend.

The room felt frozen, the temperature seemingly plummeting to zero.

A faint sheen of frost covered the antique floorboards.

Anyone would feel the chill in the air.

Smack!

A dull, worn-out bank card was slapped onto the table by Sui Ming, the sound crisp and ominous.

“Well?

Which one of you did it?”

The boy’s cold gaze fell on two culprits—one black, one white.

No emotion. Just executioner’s focus.

“It was her! It was all her! I didn’t do anything—I’m just an innocent little crow!

You have to believe me!”

“Hey! What happened to ‘through thick and thin’?

To ‘till death do us part’?

Where’s the loyalty?!”

“Every man for himself when the storm hits. Can’t blame me.”

“Y-You—!”

Sui Ming, ignoring the performance, silently picked up a small piece of paper and scribbled something.

“…What are you writing?” asked the crow.

“Oh, just a small note.

Deciding what I want to eat tonight.”

“Braised dragon tail… crow soup…

Oh, and maybe some steamed crow wings.

Kinda sounds tasty, don’t you think?”

The crow nervously tapped White Ling with its wings.

She was still defending herself:

“I only tasted a tiny bit… really! Just a nibble!”

CLANG—

“…Oops. Dropped my knife. Please stay calm and remain in your positions…”

“RUN, YOU STUPID DRAGON!!”

“I KNOW!!”

After the chaos—

“So… where’s my money?

Where’s my damn pension fund?”

Sui Ming glared at the two now-mummified hostages, tied up like dumplings.

Then he started sharpening his blade in front of them.

The metallic edge sparked faintly against the whetstone.

Cold sweat trickled down Bai Ling’s back.

Was she really going to end up… braised tonight?

“Explain.

Why, exactly, is my account missing 150,000 Fals?”

He tossed a few more logs into the large pot.

The white blade shimmered ominously—he was starving.

“Alright, alright! Let’s cool it!”

The crow casually slipped out of the ropes.

“Look at you!

Arms like twigs!

Legs like brittle bamboo!

How are you supposed to compete with spoiled trust-fund brats?!”

The crow gave his thigh a patronizing pat, like he was examining a broken appliance.

“At worst, I’ll take a side road.

They can’t all chase me at once, can they?”

“Hehehe…”

The crow suddenly flashed a wicked grin.

“So… because I’m such a kind and charitable little bird,

I took the liberty of spending that money…

To buy you some upgrades.”

“…Using my money, right?”

“That’s… not important.”