"What do you think of him, Headmaster?"
Ava Lunacraft's voice cut through the stillness of the large office, her tone laced with concern. The aftermath of Nyx's explosive confrontation lingered between them like a storm cloud that hadn't quite passed.
The Headmaster leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin. "He's got guts—I'll give him that. To challenge a professor publicly? That takes either courage or a death wish… maybe both." He sighed, his gaze drifting toward the far wall, heavy with contemplation. "But reckless decisions, Ava... they tend to echo longer than expected. And louder."
Ava's brows knit together. "What action do you want me to take?"
The Headmaster didn't hesitate. "None. Not yet. He's unpredictable, yes—but we can't afford to lose him."
Ava raised an eyebrow, surprised by the clarity in his stance. In silence, she reached into her coat and pulled out a charred black stone, placing it on the desk in front of him with a soft clink.
"We both know," she said, voice low and serious, "if we hadn't stepped in yesterday, that boy would've lopped Professor Lewis's head clean off."
The Headmaster didn't argue. His eyes fixated on the stone—burnt, cracked, still faintly warm with residual mana. His expression shifted for just a heartbeat before returning to its neutral state.
Ava continued, carefully. "His mana… it wasn't just violent. It was wrong. I couldn't even detect the full range of it. Whatever he's become—it's not something we're used to dealing with."
A beat of silence passed. The weight in the room thickened.
"We'll observe him," the Headmaster finally said, his tone calm but definitive. "If he creates another variable, we'll take appropriate action. Until then... keep watching."
He paused, then added with calculated care, "As for Professor Lewis—tell him to take some time off."
Ava's eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't respond, but she knew what "time off" meant: suspension. She didn't understand why the Headmaster was shielding Nyx so openly, but she didn't push it. Not yet.
A sudden knock at the door broke the silence.
A moment later, a guard stepped in, ushering Nyx into the room. The boy walked in with his usual nonchalance, casting a brief glance around the office—reading the tension like a seasoned killer walking into a den of lions.
Nyx stepped inside, hands buried casually in his pockets, that signature half-lidded glare dancing between boredom and defiance.
"You called, Headmaster?" he asked, tone dry as ever.
The old man didn't answer right away. His eyes scanned the boy in front of him, gaze sharp enough to cut through stone.
"Why do you think I called you, Nyx Vaelthorn?"
Nyx gave a small shrug. "Either I'm getting expelled… or you're gearing up to hand me some long-winded punishment. Toss-up, really."
His voice was calm, but his stare didn't waver. He met the Headmaster's gaze without flinching, the air between them thick with unspoken tension.
The Headmaster's eyes narrowed. "You attempted to kill a professor. Even if we decide to sweep it under the rug, the rest of the world won't. You know why, don't you?"
Nyx's lips curled into a faint smirk.
"I've had stalkers tailing me ever since 'they' died."
He didn't clarify who they were—but the venom in his tone made it clear.
"Back then, I didn't get it. Why keep tabs on some broke kid with nothing to offer? Now I know. Doesn't change much. I've got more eyes on me? Cool. Let 'em watch."
He took a slow step forward.
"It's not like I started the damn fight. I didn't cast a single spell. Didn't even draw my blade. If anything, I showed restraint. But somehow, I'm the villain?"
The Headmaster's voice was low but firm. "Villain or not, your actions have consequences—ones that go far beyond your understanding."
Nyx's smirk sharpened, cocky and cold.
"I chose my path the day I carved open that bastard in front of the whole city."
His voice dropped, a growl beneath the words.
"Do you really think a few shadows creeping behind me are enough to knock me off it?"
The Headmaster's silence was deafening. For a brief second, something passed in his expression—uncertainty, maybe. Then he rose from his chair with the slow, deliberate weight of command.
"I warned you," he said simply.
"Whether you listen… is no longer my concern."
Before Nyx could speak, an unseen force slammed into his chest.
With a sudden burst of pressure, he was flung backward, the doors behind him bursting open as he was tossed clean out of the office.
---
"Well... that was a hell of a display of arrogance," Nyx muttered, dusting himself off as he walked away from the office like nothing had happened. His stride was as lazy as ever, like he hadn't just been yeeted out of a room by invisible force magic.
As he rounded the corner, he caught sight of the familiar group ahead—and two unfamiliar faces walking alongside them.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Since when did those two start tagging along?" he asked, tilting his head toward Theo and Reina, who were sticking a little too close to Samantha for his liking.
Samantha, looking noticeably more animated than the drained mess from yesterday, walked up and promptly socked him in the arm.
Not hard, but enough to say, 'Don't start with me.'
"They said they wanted to join us. Y'know… in our activities," she said, mimicking air quotes with a raised brow and a slight grin.
Nyx grunted. "Should've asked for a background check first."
"What happened inside?" Valon asked, one eyebrow arched suspiciously.
Nyx yawned, stretching his arms behind his head like he hadn't just gotten spiritually bitch-slapped by the Headmaster.
"Some old bastard gave me a lecture. You know how it is. Same script, different geezer."
He turned away, already walking off.
"Anyway. I'm starving. Let's move."
"Oi! That's it?" Valon barked, quickening his pace to catch up.
"You get summoned by the Headmaster and come back acting like it was a tea party?"
Nyx didn't look back.
"If it was, the tea tasted like crap."
And just like that, the group followed, falling back into step behind their walking chaos magnet—some out of habit, some out of curiosity, and a few… with growing concern.
---
The clatter of utensils, low chatter, and the scent of roasted meat filled the inn's dining room—familiar, warm, almost too peaceful.
Then Nyx dropped the bomb.
"I'm leaving the academy."
Silence.
Forks froze mid-air. Chews halted halfway. Every head at the table turned slowly toward him like he'd just announced he was defecting to the demon army.
Samantha was the first to snap.
"What?" she blurted, eyes wide. "What do you mean you're leaving?"
Nyx didn't even look up from his plate. He casually tore a piece of bread in half and tossed it in his mouth before answering.
"I mean I'm done. No throne. No title. No proving anything to anyone."
He waved his fork lazily.
"I didn't join this academy to climb some ladder or play noble politics. So why pretend?"
His words hung in the air like smoke—calm, but heavy.
Theo looked like he'd been slapped with a frying pan. Even Valon was staring like Nyx had sprouted horns.
Reina said nothing, but her fingers tapped rhythmically against her glass.
Nyx finally looked up, raising an eyebrow.
"What?"
He gestured at their stunned faces.
"I'm not asking you all to come with me. I'm just saying I'm leaving. Why the hell are you looking at me like I just burned down the capital?"
Samantha's voice was tight, almost hurt.
"Because it's sudden. You're at the top, Nyx. You earned that spot."
"And now I'm walking away from it," he said bluntly. "So what?"
"You can't be serious right now."
Valon's voice was sharp, louder than he intended. His fist slammed against the wooden table, rattling the plates as he glared at Nyx like he was staring down a traitor.
Samantha didn't yell. Instead, she quietly placed a hand on Nyx's lap, her fingers gentle—but her eyes pleading.
"Nyx… think this through."
Nyx leaned back, arms draped over the edge of the bench like he was lounging at a tavern, not tearing the foundation out from under his group.
"Chill, guys. I ain't dying or some shit," he said with a shrug.
"I'm just leaving the academy. That's it."
He looked around the table, then jabbed a thumb toward the window like it represented the outside world.
"You really think I'm gonna gain anything here by playing study-buddy, killing random beasts, and completing babysitting missions for some dusty professors? Nah. Outside, I can at least focus—on what actually matters."
No one responded immediately. The weight of his words sank in slowly, dragging silence behind them.
Then—Reina stood.
No dramatic speech. No words. She simply got up, brushed imaginary dust from her skirt, and walked away. Not cold, not angry—just quiet. Distant. Watching him like a puzzle that hadn't quite clicked yet.
A few seconds later, Theo rose as well.
But instead of leaving, he stood still for a moment, then sat back down, eyes fixed on Nyx.
"Are you still going to teach me swordsmanship, Sir Nyx?"
Nyx blinked at him, utterly unimpressed.
'Huh? This hopeless guy's seriously a simp.'
His stare could've lit a tree on fire.
Then he exhaled through his nose and muttered, "…Okay."
Theo nodded like it was a sacred vow. A quiet smile tugged at his lips as he leaned back in his seat again, strangely content.
Then Samantha's voice cut through the lingering tension.
"Can we get some time alone?"
Valon didn't protest. Theo didn't argue. One by one, they filtered out of the inn, leaving only Nyx and Samantha behind in the soft lamplight.
She didn't speak immediately. Just sat beside him, staring at the grain of the wooden table like it might offer better answers than he could.
"Where are you going to go?"
Nyx stretched his arms over his head before replying, casual as ever.
"I'll hang around the forest for a bit, maybe clean up a few things. Then… probably head to the capital."
He glanced at her. "Why?"
Her voice was softer now.
"Is that your final decision?"
Nyx didn't hesitate.
"Yeah."
Then came her quietest question—barely above a whisper.
"What if I ask you to stay?"
She couldn't meet his eyes. Not yet. Nyx didn't miss a beat.
"Then I'll drag you with me."
She looked up, confused—caught off guard by the bluntness. Nyx tilted his head slightly, grin tugging at one side of his lips.
"What? I ain't travelling alone. Either I drag you three along or you tag along willingly. Pick one. No chance for refusal."
A beat passed. Then Samantha scoffed, a laugh slipping out despite herself.
"Huh? Aren't you full of yourself, Nyx?"
But she was smiling now.
He shrugged, eyes steady.
"I ain't leaving you here in this shit. Come on. Tag along."
He said it like it was nothing—just a casual throwaway line. But Samantha understood what it meant. And for once, she didn't argue. Didn't challenge it. She just nodded—softly. Grateful
Then, in the corner of his mind, the System chimed in with an amused tone.
[Wow. You're literally breaking a genre here.]
'I ain't the one who follows the rules anyway,' Nyx thought, smirking to himself as the light outside the window dimmed and the world beyond began to call.