The old man turned to the students and instructors who were now gathering outside. "I apologise," he said sincerely, addressing the instructors. "I increased the difficulty of the test. It wasn't part of the original plan. But I believe... everyone should pass by default."
Mr. Arnold furrowed his brow, ready to question him, but after seeing his expression—serious, weary, and unwilling to speak further in front of the students—he held his tongue.
Instead, Mr. Arnold turned to face the group. "Then all of you passed the test," he announced with authority. "Tomorrow, we leave the Secret Realm. Until then, get some rest. Return to the camp and prepare."
The students began to filter out of the ancient building, their bodies exhausted, but their expressions a mix of confusion, relief, and unspoken questions. Among them were Ronan, Orin, Tavin, Elenor, Elias, Oliver, Andera, Amelia, Eldrin, Kellan, and Selyra.
Outside the building, a tall figure stood waiting, arms crossed — Auron Aldercrest. His gaze locked onto Tavin and Andera as they approached.
"How were your tests?" Auron asked, his tone neutral but curious. Andera smiled faintly. "Brother, we all passed." Auron blinked in mild surprise. "Everyone? No one failed?" he repeated, a note of disbelief in his voice. "That shouldn't be possible, he thought silently. There should have been at least one or two failures."
Still, he said nothing more, simply nodding. "Then congratulations." Trailing at the end of the group, Elenor, Orin, and Ronan emerged. The sky had deepened into twilight, painting the clouds with hues of lavender and gold.
"How are you doing, Elenor?" Ronan asked gently. Elenor turned toward him. "I'm fine," she said. But her voice had an edge, a lingering question. "But back in the illusion, you said those were your memories... What really happened while I was in the Dimensional Rift, training?"
Ronan hesitated, his gaze distant. "A lot happened," he said after a moment. "How about I tell you later?"
Elenor puffed up her cheeks, her eyes narrowing in playful frustration. "Aa—Aa! I want to know! I want to know now, now, now!" She turned to Orin with an exaggerated pout. "You were there, too, Orin! Tell me what happened."
Orin raised his hands in surrender, chuckling. "Don't drag me into this." Ronan sighed, defeated. "Alright, alright, I'll tell you. You really behave like a spoiled child sometimes, you know that?"
Elenor grinned, unapologetic. "Yes, I know." "That was sarcasm," Ronan mumbled, half-laughing. She beamed, grabbed his hand, and tugged. "Let's go. Let's find a quiet place to talk." She looked back at Orin. "You're coming too, right?"
Orin shook his head, glancing toward another part of the camp. "I've got something to discuss with Elias and Amelia. I'll catch up with you later."
Elenor, still holding Ronan's hand, nodded and pulled him away toward the far edge of the camp, near a grove of whispering trees.
At a distance, Tavin watched them go. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were heavy with longing.
Ronan... his closest friend. Yet they now seemed like two figures drifting on different currents. He wanted to go after them, to talk, to laugh as they once had—but his feet didn't move. The pressure from his cousins, from the expectations of the noble Aldercrest family, weighed him down like invisible chains.
He walked silently, shoulders tense, flanked by Andera and Auron. His sigh was barely audible. Inside the building, the instructors and the old man remained.
Mr. Arnold turned to the old man. "Valmire... why are you really here? After retirement, you rarely interfere with academy matters."
Mr. Valmire looked thoughtful. "I came for three reasons. First, Serena. Second, Tavin. And third... As for the last one, Ronan." He thought, "Perhaps I shouldn't have interfered."
He continued. "Serena has great potential. Dual attributes: Fire and Water. Rare, powerful... but she's too rigid. She needs to become more adaptive, more fluid. That's the key to her growth. Before she enters the world beyond these walls, I wanted to test her once more."
He paused, letting his words settle. "She did improve. Not as much as I hoped, but enough." "And Tavin?" Ms. Rose asked.
Mr. Valmire nodded. "Tavin received the blessing of the Water God. That alone makes him an exceptional candidate for the Luminal Covenant. But I don't want him to join them—not yet. He's not ready. I wanted to observe his heart. His character. See where he stands."
Bulsa folded his arms. "And Ronan?" A heavy silence followed. Mr. Valmire finally spoke, his voice quieter than before. "He broke into the Ruins of Aerion. Released the prisoners held within. Reached the final chamber."
Mr. Alaric's eyes widened. "What? How did he survive the soul attack from that Goddess Statue?"
Mr. Valmire exhaled. "He told me the spirits of the prisoners... protected him. They shielded him from the curse." Ms. Rose leaned forward. "And you tested him afterwards?"
Mr. Valmire gave a slight nod. "I wanted to see the strength of his soul. I exposed him to the illusion of the temptation of a Master Tier mage. Power, praise, vengeance, everything he might want... yet he resisted." "Incredible," Mr. Arnold whispered.
Mr. Valmire looked toward the door where Ronan had exited minutes ago. "He believes... punishment should not outlast death." No one spoke for a while. Each of them was lost in thought.
"He has a strong will," Alaric murmured. "Stronger than most nobles I've seen," Bulsa added. Ms. Rose smiled faintly. "He's a troublemaker. But the kind we need."
Mr. Valmire looked at each of them. "The world outside will not be kind. These children will either crumble under it... or rise. I just want to see which ones are worth believing in."
Before Mr. Valmire could continue, he paused, turning to Ms. Rose. His eyes, usually sharp and assertive, now shimmered with guilt. He bowed his head deeply.
"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I dragged Elenor into this." Ms. Rose blinked, taken aback. "What are you doing, sir? You don't have to—"
Mr. Valmire raised his hand, a gesture that gently silenced her. "I should also apologise to all of you," he added, turning to face the others in the room.
From the corner, Mr. Arnold crossed his arms, a faint scowl forming. He and Mr. Valmire had known each other since their academy days, and he wasn't in the mood for flowery confessions.
"Oh, can you drop the act?" Mr. Arnold snapped. "Just say what happened." Mr. Valmire sighed but didn't object. "Do you remember the sword spirit I brought in a few years ago? The one I sealed here?"
Mr. Arnold's brow lifted. "You mean that sword spirit? The one you couldn't subdue even when she was unconscious?" A low growl escaped Mr. Valmire's throat. "You don't need to go into that much detail."
Mr. Arnold raised a brow. "So what happened?" There was a long pause. Mr. Valmire exhaled heavily and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ronan took her." The room fell into stunned silence. Mr. Arnold straightened, eyes widening. "He what?"
Ms. Rose stepped forward. "Wait, how did he even subdue her? That spirit was one of the most resilient beings we've ever encountered."
Mr. Valmire shook his head slowly. "I don't know. He just… gave her a cold stare. And then she signed a soul contract. Obediently."
"What?" Mr. Arnold blurted again, utterly baffled. "You mean that brat gave her a look and she—? That doesn't make any sense." "It doesn't," Mr. Valmire admitted, pulling something from his coat.
In his hand was a rusted, lifeless blade—its once furious spirit now long gone. "He gave her a new sword." Ms. Rose stared at the blade, then at Mr. Valmire. "We can't just leave him alone with that kind of power. He's still a student. Weapons embedded with spirits are dangerous even in the hands of Masters."
Bulsa, who had been silent up to now, finally spoke. "Either way, we need to talk to him. If he refuses to return the sword, then we have no choice."
"No choice but to teach him how to wield it properly," Mr. Valmire finished with a nod. "He's already claimed her. Taking the sword away now could do more harm than good."
Mr. Valmire paused again, glancing down. "One more thing... the things you saw earlier. Those weren't visions or illusions. Those were Ronan's memories. He never agreed to share them with anyone. He was furious that you all saw them. So, if possible... don't mention it."