The courtyard had grown completely silent after everyone left.
Lucas remained standing near the stone pillar for a few seconds, staring at the dark pathway where Alyssa Drake had disappeared. The faint magical currents around the area slowly settled again, returning the campus to its ordinary appearance.
But Lucas knew that nothing here was truly ordinary.
Belgrave University was hiding an entire supernatural world beneath its peaceful surface, exactly like the events of The Order.
And now he was slowly stepping into that hidden world.
Lucas began walking back toward the dorms, his mind focused on the new quest the system had just given him.
Ding! New Quest — Enter the World of the Order.
The quest itself was simple.
Find a way to officially interact with the Order.
Lucas chuckled quietly.
"That's easier said than done."
The Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose didn't just recruit random students. They observed potential candidates carefully before extending an invitation.
But Lucas already had an advantage.
He knew many of the key people involved.
As Lucas continued walking across the quiet campus, he suddenly felt a familiar mana signature approaching from the opposite direction.
It was steady, controlled, and stronger than most of the students around him.
Lucas didn't even need to activate Mana Sense to recognize it.
A few seconds later, someone stepped into the light of the pathway.
It was Alyssa Drake again.
Lucas raised an eyebrow slightly.
"You seem to appear everywhere tonight," he said casually.
Alyssa stopped a few meters away from him.
Her expression was calm as always, but Lucas could clearly tell that she had intentionally come to find him.
"I wanted to ask you something," she said.
Lucas crossed his arms.
"Go ahead."
For a moment she studied him silently.
Then she asked,
"How much do you know about magic?"
Lucas pretended to think about the question.
"Enough to know it's real."
That answer was vague enough to avoid revealing anything important.
Alyssa's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Most people would be terrified after seeing something like that."
Lucas shrugged.
"I'm not most people."
A brief silence followed.
Then Alyssa nodded slowly.
"That much is obvious."
Lucas could almost hear the system preparing something.
And right on cue—
Ding! Quest Progress Updated — Enter the World of the Order (20%).
Lucas kept his expression neutral.
Alyssa continued speaking.
"The Order observes students who show potential," she said. "We don't invite people without reason."
Lucas tilted his head slightly.
"So you're observing me?"
"Possibly."
Lucas smiled faintly.
"Well, that's flattering."
Alyssa ignored the comment.
"There's something unusual about you," she said.
Lucas didn't respond.
Because she was right.
Alyssa continued.
"When you saw magic earlier, you weren't surprised."
Lucas sighed slightly.
"Maybe I just have a good imagination."
Alyssa clearly didn't believe that explanation.
But instead of pressing further, she said something unexpected.
"Come with me tomorrow night."
Lucas blinked once.
"Where?"
"You'll see."
Lucas already had a pretty good guess.
Still, he pretended to hesitate.
"Sounds mysterious."
Alyssa's tone remained calm.
"If you're really curious about Belgrave's secrets, this is your chance."
Lucas looked up at the night sky for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"Alright."
Another system message appeared instantly.
Ding! Quest Progress Updated — Enter the World of the Order (60%).
Lucas almost laughed.
"That was fast."
Alyssa turned around.
"Be outside the History Building tomorrow at midnight," she said. "Don't be late."
Then she walked away again without waiting for a response.
Lucas stood there for a moment after she left.
"Well," he muttered quietly.
"That was easier than expected."
He began walking back toward the dorms again, his mind already planning the next step.
If Alyssa was personally inviting him somewhere secret, there was a high chance it involved the Order's hidden facilities beneath Belgrave.
That meant Lucas was about to enter one of the most important locations in the entire university.
The Order's underground headquarters.
Lucas smiled faintly.
"Things are moving faster than I thought."
Just as he reached the dorm building, the system spoke again.
Ding! Side Quest Received — Prepare for the Midnight Trial.
Lucas stopped walking.
"Trial?"
That sounded interesting.
The system continued.
Objective: Increase your strength before midnight tomorrow.
Suggested Methods: Training, Magic Practice, or Dungeon Exploration.
Lucas's eyes slowly lit up.
Dungeon exploration.
His mind immediately returned to the hidden chamber beneath the History Building.
If one dungeon existed there, there was a good chance that more hidden locations existed around the campus.
Lucas pushed open the dorm door and stepped inside.
A confident smile appeared on his face.
"Looks like tomorrow will be busy."
If he wanted to impress the Order and strengthen his system at the same time, he had less than twenty-four hours to get stronger.
And Lucas had every intention of making the most of that time.