The day after the duel was quiet and cold. The Academy did not waste time. Roran sat on the edge of his bed, his chest wrapped tight in bandages, feeling the hollow ache where his Mana Core used to be.
Master Kratos himself, the stern physical trainer, came to Roran's room. He stood stiffly by the door.
"Roran Ashborne," the Master said, his voice flat. "Due to the irreparable damage to your Mana Core, you are officially expelled from the Royal Dawn Academy. You failed the requirement to maintain a functional path to knighthood or magic."
The words were just sounds; the true pain had already happened.
Liam burst through the door, his eyes red. "This isn't fair! Tarian cheated! He used excessive force!"
Master Kratos just sighed. "He may be punished, but the result is final. The Ashborne family will be notified." He placed a rolled document on the desk and left, closing the door softly.
Roran looked at Liam, who was shaking with anger and sadness.
"I'm so sorry, Roran," Liam mumbled, tears finally spilling. "You worked so hard. You made it to Circle 2! That was amazing!"
Roran reached out and put a hand on his friend's shoulder, a gesture that meant more than any word. "Thank you, Liam." He paused, looking directly at his friend. "Thank you for everything. You were the only one who didn't look down on me. You're a good friend."
Liam quickly wiped his face. "Where will you go?"
Roran just pointed to the wooden desk where the Master had left the official papers. Tucked beneath them was a thick, sealed letter bearing the crest of the Ashborne Duke Estate.
"Looks like I'm going home," Roran said, his voice thin.
The journey back to the Duke's estate was a long, silent trip by carriage. Roran held the letter tightly the whole way. He didn't need to open it; the formal crest and the quick delivery told him everything. It was a summons.
What will happen? he thought, watching the world fly by. Will my father banish me? Will he just ignore me like he did before?
The Ashborne Estate was not just a home; it was a fortress. It was built high on a hill overlooking the capital, a massive castle of white stone and gold flags. Every window seemed to stare down at him, asking him why he was so weak.
The carriage stopped beneath a massive stone archway. Roran took a deep breath. I faced an S-level monster before I died. I can face my father.
He stepped out, his thin student uniform looking out of place among the heavily armored guards.
A tall, thin man with a perfectly ironed uniform and silver hair approached him. This was Mr. Finch, the family butler. He was a man Roran had seen hundreds of times, but who now looked like a strict judge.
"Young Master Roran," Mr. Finch said, his voice completely empty of feeling. "Welcome home. His Grace, the Duke, is expecting you immediately in his private study."
Mr. Finch did not ask about his injuries. He did not ask about the duel. He simply turned and led Roran through the long, echoing halls of the castle. Every wall held paintings of Ashborne heroes: Grandmasters, Archmages, legendary Mages, all of them strong, all of them successful.
Finally, they stopped outside a huge, carved wooden door.
"The Duke is inside," Mr. Finch whispered, and then, without another word, he walked away. Roran was left alone.
Roran pushed the heavy door open.
The study was vast and dark, lined with more books than the Academy Library, and dominated by a huge mahogany desk. Standing behind that desk was Duke Ashborne, Roran's father, Mana Circle 8. He was a mountain of a man, with powerful, piercing eyes and hair the color of midnight. He wore a simple, dark green military coat that made him look like a general ready for battle.
Roran walked forward and stopped in the middle of the room. He did not bow; he stood straight, trying to make his thin body look larger.
His father did not move. He only stared, and the silence stretched out, heavy and painful.
Finally, the Duke spoke, his voice deep and calm, like the rumble of distant thunder. "I received the report from the Academy. They say you failed your exam. They say your core is destroyed. Why did you lose that duel, Roran?"
Roran felt the old shame try to push him to his knees, but the brave heart that had guided his training held him up. He looked his father in the eye.
"Father, I lost because I am weak. I am incompetent. I am a disgrace to the Ashborne name," Roran said, the truth cutting like a knife. He paused, feeling the cold emptiness in his chest where his magic once lay.
"But I did not give up," Roran continued, his voice steadying. "I worked until I bled. And even now, with my Mana Core shattered, I will not stop. I will find a way to make myself strong again. Even if it is impossible, I will try."
Duke Ashborne watched his son, his expression hard. Suddenly, without warning, the air in the room grew thick and cold. The Duke released his kill intent aura, filling the massive study instantly. It was a suffocating, heavy wave of raw power. Roran felt an immense, invisible pressure slam into his body, far greater and more terrifying than the S-level monster's poison. His legs buckled, and he collapsed, kneeling against his will. He struggled to breathe, every muscle shaking violently. He was drowning in fear.
But then, his unique power pulsed. His MAGICAL POWER: brave heart beat like a steady drum in the crushing silence. Using every ounce of his will, Roran forced his spine to straighten a single inch. He fought the overwhelming fear and slowly, agonizingly, lifted his head to meet his father's eyes.
The Duke watched Roran's struggle for a long moment. Then, the immense pressure vanished as quickly as it came. The Duke's terrifying gaze softened back to a serious look.
"Good," the Duke said, a hint of something unreadable in his voice. He reached over and took a map off his desk. "Go and rest for today. You will need your strength. Tomorrow, we go somewhere. Be prepared."
He gave Roran a curt nod of dismissal, and Roran, completely stunned by the outcome, quickly backed out of the study. He had prepared for a beating or a banishment, not a journey.
Where are we going? Roran wondered, the uncertainty suddenly more exciting than frightening.