For a brief moment, the entire plaza fell silent.
All eyes turned toward the glowing runes beneath Kael's feet—bright lines of magic that confirmed his return just before the exam deadline.
The tension in the air slowly shifted to murmurs and exchanged glances.
"You cut that one close," Kalden remarked, his tone calm but not exactly friendly.
Kael gave a faint smile, sweat still clinging to his brow. "Close... is still on time."
Professor Sylvia stepped forward, her sharp gaze locked on him. "And what exactly were you doing, Mr. Ashford?"
Kael straightened his posture, still catching his breath from the long journey. "Since I went on a solo path and got a little lost on the way back," he said simply.
A few students nearby scoffed, clearly not buying the excuse.
"Right. Solo. More like chasing treasures. Does he think he is a hero?" one of them muttered.
