Nael kept his tone gentle as he asked the practical questions that now filled his mind. "What exactly happened after I passed out? How did you save me? And how long has it been?"
Mira, calmer now, nodded and began to explain. "I followed someone's information about seeing you in outer regions, and as I kept searching, I got a sudden familiar feeling and ran in that... and that happened... the explosion. I ran with everything I had. Then I found the destroyed chamber just as that monster was about to... to finish you. I used a Solar Lance to destroy it, then used my other skill to sustain your life force while I carried you out."
She paused, a look of minor confusion on her face. "It was strange. When we got to the entrance, a medical team was already set up with a field station. It was like they were waiting. They had high-grade healing potions and equipment ready. They stabilized you immediately and brought you here."
"...Someone prepared everything?" Nael asked, filing that detail away. It seemed the recruiters had been thorough in their preparations, even if their motives were self-serving.
"Yes," Mira confirmed. "Another recruiter had arranged it all. She said she wanted to save you at all costs."
'Hm... It's more like currying your favor,' Nael thought cynically, but kept it to himself.
"And it's been three days since you lost consciousness," Mira finished quietly.
"Three days?" Nael's eyes widened in genuine surprise. Three whole days. He'd been unconscious for three days.
But as the shock faded, he nodded slowly. It made sense. He'd been on death's door—shattered bones, ruptured organs, his body pushed far beyond its limits. Honestly, waking up after only three days was the real miracle. By all rights, he should have been dead, or at the very least unconscious for weeks.
"So the exam ended then?" he asked.
Mira nodded.
Nael felt a strange sense of detachment. The exam that had dominated his thoughts for so long, the goal he'd been desperately chasing, had come and gone while he lay here unconscious. He'd missed it entirely.
But somehow, that wasn't what mattered most to him right now.
"What about you?" he asked, focusing on her. "Did you reach Level 10? And... have you chosen an academy yet?"
Mira's expression shifted, becoming complicated. "I reached Level 10," she said quietly. "The Gloom Predator... when I delivered the finishing blow to it, the essence was enough to push me over."
'So she got the kill credit,' Nael thought. 'That makes sense. The Weave must have counted my contribution significantly since I was the primary fighter, but awarded her the final blow bonus.'
"And no," Mira continued, meeting his eyes with renewed determination. "I haven't decided on an academy yet. I told them I needed more time. That I wouldn't make any choice until you woke up."
"..."
Nael went silent for a few moments, his gaze drifting to the window where morning light filtered through the curtains. He let out a quiet sigh inwardly.
Then he looked back at her, meeting her eyes directly.
"Mira," he began, his voice gentle but firm. "While I'm grateful for your thoughtfulness—truly, I am—you need to understand that this is your life. Your future. You shouldn't put such an important decision on hold for my sake."
Mira opened her mouth to protest, but he continued.
"You have a Legendary Class. That's not just rare—it's once-in-a-generation. The opportunities in front of you are extraordinary, and you deserve to choose the path that's best for you, not the one that accommodates me."
He paused, letting that sink in before his expression softened slightly.
"But..." A faint smile touched his lips. "Since you've already postponed it for me, the least I can do is help you choose. And my first piece of advice? Cross those three academies off your list entirely."
Mira's eyes widened, a spark of joy and relief flooding her features. She nodded readily, almost eagerly.
"Really?" she asked, as if she'd been hoping he'd say exactly that but hadn't dared to suggest it herself.
"Really," Nael confirmed. "The Imperial Academy, the Third-ranked, and the Fifth-ranked. All of them showed you exactly who they are over these past few days. They manipulated you, lied to you, and tried to isolate you from the people you care about. That's not how mentors treat their students... that's how predators treat their prey."
He leaned back slightly, his analytical mind already working. "Besides, there are other options. Better ones. Academies that will value you for your potential without trying to control every aspect of your life."
"Such as..."
"Mm..." Mira nodded, ready to listen.
Nael chuckled inwardly before finishing his sentence.
"The first-ranked academy - the Irgali Summit Awakened Academy."
Mira's eyes widened in surprise, and she immediately looked uncertain. "The Summit? But... isn't that really difficult to get into? I mean..."
"Idiot," Nael said flatly, though his tone was more affectionate than harsh. "Did you already forget? You're a Legendary Class Awakened now. Not Rare. Not Epic. Legendary."
He leaned forward slightly, his expression serious. "Yes, their admission exam will be difficult, probably the hardest you'll face. But it won't be a problem for you. Not with your potential and what you've already accomplished at Level 10."
"But, you did-" Mira opened her mouth to protest, but Nael wasn't finished.
"And more importantly, the Summit is the best choice for you for several reasons." He began counting on his fingers. "First, their reputation. They're ranked first for a reason, not through politics or money, but through consistent results. Their graduates are among the strongest Awakened in the world."
"Second, their curriculum. Unlike academies that try to force students into pre-determined paths, the Summit focuses on helping each student develop their unique strengths. For someone with a Legendary Class, a class that's still defining itself, that flexibility is crucial. They may even have the previous Sun Princess's legacy or a way to evolve into a Sun Empress."
"Third, their teachers. The Summit employs multiple Paragons as instructors, people who've reached the absolute peak of their power. They can provide insights and training that lesser academies simply can't match."
"Fourth, resources. The Summit Academy has access to high-tier dungeons, rare skill essences, legendary equipment, and training facilities that would make those other recruiters weep with envy."
He paused, meeting her eyes. "But here's the most important part, Mira. The Summit won't come crawling to you just because you awakened a Legendary Class. They see talent like yours regularly, well, maybe not that often, but regularly enough that they won't treat you like a prize to be manipulated and controlled."
Nael's expression grew thoughtful. "Only Mythic Classes, or perhaps certain special Classes they've never encountered before, would make them actively recruit someone. For everyone else, even Legendary Class holders, they simply extend an invitation to take their entrance exam. If you pass, you're in. If you don't, you're not. It's that simple."
"That means," he continued, "when you walk through their doors, you'll be valued, yes, but you'll also be treated as a student, not as a political asset. They won't try to isolate you from your friends or control who you associate with. They'll focus on making you stronger, not on making you dependent."
Mira sat back slightly, absorbing his words. The uncertainty in her eyes was slowly being replaced by something else, hope, perhaps, and a growing conviction.
"You really think I can get in?" she asked quietly.
"I know you can," Nael said with absolute certainty. "The question isn't whether you can pass their exam. The question is whether you're willing to aim for the top instead of settling for institutions that see you as a commodity."