Time flowed quietly, and half a month of peaceful academy life slipped away without a sound.
Until this day, a hurried summons shattered Isay’s rare peace, requiring him to go immediately to the top-floor meeting room of Starry Academy.
When Isay pushed open the heavy doors of the meeting room, the solemn atmosphere almost hit him in the face.
All the senior teachers of the academy sat around the long table, along with their core disciples. It was the highest-specification gathering at Starry Academy.
From Clea’s lineage, Sarah, Dio, Emma, and Sven were already seated.
However, Isay’s gaze was instantly locked onto a figure that had just stepped through the door.
It was Rhea.
She was still wearing the signature uniform of Lunar Academy. Her posture was straight, and her short silver hair made her face seem even more cold and detached.
But almost the moment she entered, her eyes precisely bypassed the crowd and landed straight on Isay.
That look was complex and difficult to decipher — there was concern, confusion, and even a faint, hard-to-detect trace of joy and anticipation…
Isay immediately felt like he was sitting on needles, his scalp tingling slightly.
‘So many people are watching…’
He wailed internally, ‘Eldest Miss, can’t you restrain your gaze a bit? Even if you want to catch up, you should pick a time when no one is around, right?’
Clea clearly noticed the gaze that had almost solidified. She raised her eyebrows slightly and spoke with a hint of protectiveness and teasing.
“Young Master of the Alsaid family, what is the meaning of staring at my disciple the moment you walk in? This disciple of mine is timid. Six years ago, she was terrified by your sister and can’t take another scare from you.”
She skillfully steered the conversation back to the main topic, turning her gaze to the steady-looking Leon standing beside Rhea. “The two of you visiting in person today must mean that Lunar Academy has made a major discovery?”
‘Is this the newly rising genius of Lunar Academy, Leon?’
Clea sized him up covertly. ‘Well, his talent might be good, but he doesn’t seem… particularly extraordinary.’
As for his looks, he seemed a bit inferior to her own little disciple who always wanted to hide away.
What a pity. If that ultra-high elemental affinity had been born in Isay…
Rhea’s gaze slowly moved away from Isay toward Clea. She nodded slightly with impeccable etiquette. “Greetings, Dean Clea.”
Leon followed closely behind, bowing respectfully.
“We have come today by the order of our master, Dean Adam, to bring the research results concerning this object.”
As Rhea spoke, she took out the dull scale that had caused a stir in Cassipe Village from her storage item and placed it gently in the center of the long table.
Clea’s gaze was instantly drawn to it. She could clearly sense the pure and majestic magic contained within. What made her heart skip a beat was that the scale gave her a faint sense of familiarity.
“Is this the scale you obtained from that Goblin Lord?” she asked in a deep voice, her tone turning solemn.
At the same time, Sven, sitting in the corner, stiffened imperceptibly.
In his mind, the dragon soul Igneel released a near-roaring wave of thought:
‘Kid! It’s my scale! That is definitely my scale!’
‘My remains were clearly sealed by Gerald! Why is my scale out here, and why did it appear on a lowly goblin?!’
Sven suppressed the storm in his heart and replied internally, ‘Calm down! Let’s figure out the situation first.’
Rhea’s cold voice echoed in the silent meeting room. “According to the deep research and appraisal of my master, Dean Adam, it is confirmed that this item is a dragon scale.”
“A dragon scale?!”
Her words stirred up a thousand waves, and all the teachers and students present showed expressions of disbelief.
For 100 years, the only active giant dragon known on the continent, Igneel, had already been slain by the first Dragon Slayer, Gerald, hadn’t he?
How could a dragon scale still exist?
Had… a new dragon appeared in this world?
Clea’s expression was grave as she spoke slowly, confirming everyone’s suspicions and revealing the source of the scale. “Indeed, this is… Igneel’s scale.”
As a direct disciple of Gerald, she had witnessed that world-shaking dragon-slaying battle years ago and knew the terror of that dragon well.
She would never mistake the aura of this scale.
Teacher Isha couldn’t help but ask, “Dean, since Igneel was slain by Dean Gerald, why did its scale appear 100 years later and catalyze the goblin’s evolution? Could it be… that Igneel has been resurrected?”
“Impossible.”
Clea denied it flatly. “If Igneel had been resurrected, with his vengeful nature, our Starry Academy would be the first target. It wouldn’t be this peaceful. Moreover, with his massive body and terrifying strength, a resurrection couldn’t happen without any commotion.”
A terrible thought rose in her mind — the problem likely lay with Igneel’s remains themselves!
“I must immediately check the seal Teacher set back then!”
Clea stood up abruptly and led everyone quickly to her dean’s office.
Under everyone’s watch, she traced a rune in the air toward the bookshelf against the wall, and a hidden secret door slid open slowly.
Passing through a deep passage, a giant metal door over 10 meters tall, inscribed with countless complex and profound sealing runes, stood at the end.
Clea looked solemn. Her hands moved rapidly as she released the powerful restriction on the door.
With a heavy roar, the door slowly opened. However, the scene behind the door made Clea freeze in place, her pupils shrinking suddenly —
The space behind the door was empty, showing only cold rock walls.
The mountain-like remains of the dragon that were supposed to be sealed here had vanished without a trace!
“Where are Igneel’s remains?!” Clea’s voice trembled with a hint of disbelief. 100 years ago, she had clearly seen her teacher, Gerald, seal the dragon’s remains here in his final moments!
Isha was equally shocked and tried to find an explanation. “Dean, could it be that Dean Gerald moved the sealing site later?”
“Absolutely impossible!”
Clea’s tone was resolute. “Teacher’s life reached its end after completing the seal. Furthermore, the seal on this door was his life’s work. Within the empire, besides me, no second person could open it without destroying the seal, let alone move the entire carcass silently!”
***
Back in the meeting room, the atmosphere had become incredibly heavy and oppressive.
The mysterious disappearance of Igneel’s remains, the appearance of the dragon scale, and the catalyzed evolution of monsters…
What kind of shocking conspiracy lay behind this?
Who had the ability to complete such an almost impossible act in the heart of Starry Academy?
Seeing this, Rhea knew that Starry Academy would have to conduct emergency consultations on the matter. She rose to take her leave. “Dean Clea, this matter is of great importance. I will inform my master immediately. Sorry for the intrusion today. Farewell.”
She and Leon turned to walk toward the door.
However, just as she was about to step over the threshold of the meeting room, Rhea’s footsteps faltered imperceptibly. She turned her head slightly, her eyes casting another look at Isay — a deep gaze filled with a silent yet unusually persistent inquiry.
‘Is she… waiting for me?’ Isay’s heart skipped a beat for no reason.
Logic told him he should stay put, but his body reacted first.
He took a deep breath and tried to turn naturally to Clea. “Teacher, I… I’m going to the restroom.”
Clea gave him a meaningful look and waved her hand without saying anything.
Isay walked quickly out of the meeting room. At the end of the corridor not far away, Rhea’s figure stood quietly, clearly waiting for him.
Leon stood slightly behind her, his expression looking quite sour.
Isay braced himself and walked over. The air was filled with a subtle awkwardness.
It was Rhea who broke the silence first. Her voice was slightly less cold than it had been in the meeting room, carrying an indescribable tremor. “This past month… how have you been?”
It was just a simple greeting, but Isay felt his throat go dry. Memories of everything that had happened uncontrollably flashed through his mind, especially that chaotic kiss.
His eyes wandered, not daring to meet hers, as he replied vaguely, “Uh… pretty good, I guess. What about you?”
He could even feel the tips of his ears getting hot.
Rhea didn’t seem to mind his awkwardness and stated calmly, “Over this past month, with my sister’s help, I have begun to gradually contact and take over some of the family’s affairs.”
Isay remembered her saying she would stabilize the family before looking for Vivian.
He couldn’t help but marvel in his heart. As expected of someone favored by the dual fates of “heroine” and “villainess,” her initiative was truly amazing.
Leon, listening to their seemingly ordinary but actually intimate conversation, frowned deeper and deeper. A mixture of bitterness and resentment surged in his chest.
Rhea had never mentioned any of these daily trifles to him!
Why did this Isay hold such a special place in her heart?
According to the guidance of the “Voice” in his head, the person who should be this close to Rhea right now should have been him!
Isay racked his brain for a long time before dryly squeezing out, “That’s… quite good, then.”
He was also complaining to himself. Did this count as flirting with the “destined heroine/villainess” right in front of the “original protagonist”?
The plot was really getting more and more crooked.
Rhea took a deep look at Isay, as if her gaze could see through his current embarrassment, guilt, and all his hidden emotions.
After a moment, she spoke softly, her tone carrying an indescribable complexity. “You… take care of yourself.”
With that, she didn’t stay any longer. She turned and left with Leon, not looking back again.
Isay stood there, watching Rhea’s receding back until the flash of silver hair disappeared around the corner of the corridor. His heart was filled with mixed emotions.
He felt a sense of relief, yet also a strange sense of emptiness. He wanted to stay away from trouble, yet his eyes followed her involuntarily.
But there was no need to put so much pressure on himself. After all, hadn’t the system said so?
Rhea had already become a character he could pursue.
He wouldn’t be killed by the plot anymore, so there was no need to avoid her in the future.
After all, the opportunities that were supposed to make Leon and Rhea develop feelings for each other had been unintentionally muddied by him.
Now, aside from being a senior and junior, Rhea and Leon had nothing else between them.
It would be fine to visit Lunar Academy and interact with Rhea occasionally in the future…
It would be a good chance to look after Rhea and prevent the child from going down the path of blackening and becoming a villainess.