Chapter 584: Continental Festival 9

With only a week left before the Continental Grand Festival began, the Academy grounds buzzed with restless energy.

Top-ranking students and foreign transfers alike had little time to properly prepare for their upcoming battles.

The Academy didn’t exactly pause regular classes just because of the festival, and the foreign students were still trying to adjust to their new environment.

On paper, training and assessment for each school’s chosen representatives sounded straightforward.

In practice, however, the logistics and management behind it were far more troublesome.

Professors found themselves torn between the new curriculum—forcing students to train in areas opposite of their major specialties—and the pressure of preparing for the largest event of the year.

For the Academy’s own students, the sudden change in training styles was demanding enough.

For the foreign guests, trying to balance lessons, training, and what little free time they had to enjoy the Academy, it was almost suffocating.

Naturally, professors were at their limit.

But despite the chaos, the process hadn’t collapsed. In fact, everything had been moving along rather smoothly.

Even now, with only two days left until the opening ceremony—

“Ugh…!!!”

—smoothly enough.

A man crumpled to the ground before me, his body convulsing as his disguise burned away in white celestial flames.

His skin blistered and cracked as horns twisted violently out of his head, revealing the true form of a demonic worshipper.

Within seconds, he disintegrated into ash and embers, his last scream swallowed by the magic that consumed him.

“Is this guy really the last one for now, Master?” Lavine asked.

“Yes…”

Another one gone.

Just like the others.

We stood beneath the shadow of Gatefall Bridge, its stone arches towering above us.

The path was alive with activity—merchants, carriages, and workers all rushing in and out of the Academy as preparations for the festival reached their peak.

To anyone passing by, it would look like nothing more than a quiet, shaded corner of the bridge.

They would never guess that a man just died underneath it just now…

“I knew they were really spread out, but to the point that even a foreign professor was part of their cult? But then a baker, a farmer, a doctor, a student, some random boomer, a blacksmith, and even now a gate guard…” Lavine grumbled, kicking a pebble toward the ashes that remained. “Sigh… seriously, Master, just how widespread are these cockroaches in society now?”

“Even I don’t know how far they’ve sunk their roots,” I admitted, sheathing my blade. “But we can at least conclude it’s deep enough to fool the church…”

Lavine puffed her cheeks in irritation. “I guess even people favored by the Goddess would have a hard time seeing through a soul that constantly deceives.”

I nodded.

She wasn’t wrong.

Not even someone like Emilia, who could perceive the darkness of the soul itself, could see through them.

Of course, that was likely because these bastards avoided her at all costs, keeping their distance from anyone who could expose them.

For reference, I’d already informed Emilia and even the principal about what was happening behind the scenes.

Both were fully aware of the demonic worshippers’ movements now.

Emilia’s immediate conclusion was simple and terrifying: a purge needed to happen.

And it needed to happen quietly.

Meanwhile, Principal Leilah… well, how should I put it? She probably only has a few days of sanity left.

You could practically see the stress carving wrinkles into her forehead every time the festival was brought up.

Understandable, though—when you suddenly announce an event this massive out of nowhere and now have to juggle it on top of a hidden infestation spreading like wildfire beneath your school… yeah, even someone like her would break under the weight.

But honestly… she should’ve known a factor like this could happen again.

The academy already had a history of demonic worshippers loitering around in the shadows.

The grand festival alone was stressful enough in a managerial and logistical sense.

But then add the fact that this particular event invited foreign nationals from across the continent—making it not only larger but longer—and suddenly you’ve got yourself an open border of trouble constantly flowing in and out of the academy.

Not even the most diligent guards, or the most capable ones, could keep track of everything happening.

Me quietly eliminating the ones hiding before they could actually make a move somewhat eased the principal’s mind.

Knowing someone else was taking care of them in silence, alongside the paladins the church had dispatched, gave her at least a sliver of reassurance.

Still, the fact she decided to go through with such a massive event despite all the risks, all the potential consequences… that has to mean it carries a weight beyond just simple prestige.

Whether it’s personal to her or tied to the academy itself remains unclear.

Even in the game, the reasoning behind the festival was never fully explained—it just was.

Of course, the chances of this entire fiasco being nothing more than a political chip weren’t zero either.

It could very well be her way of flaunting her “genius” students, advertising the academy as the greatest on the continent once more, and burying all those messy little scandals from the past under a mountain of fireworks, applause, and cheering crowds.

[Act 4 – Chapter 3: The One Beyond]

[Act 4 – Chapter 4: The Demon’s Deceit]

[Act 4 – Chapter 5: Lightbringer]

All three happen in sequence during the Grand Continental Festival.

A three-day celebration meant to bring together the most promising young talents from every academy across the continent… yet, beneath the cheers, banners, and fireworks, the shadows moved restlessly.

Chapter 3 begins at the very opening of the event.

On the surface, it plays out as a ceremonial start—a parade of nations, speeches of unity, the exchanging of pleasantries between rival academies.

But in truth, this Chapter serves as the first stage of revelation. Here, Lucas begins to notice the cracks.

Subtle inconsistencies.

Whispers in the halls. Strange movements among professors and students alike.

The holy sword, ever silent until now, finally stirs with a faint call, guiding Lucas toward the truth buried beneath the pomp of the festival.

Chapter 4 then unfolds during the second day, Lucas takes action, rallying his closest companions, determined to confront the evil lurking behind the academy walls.

Yet every lead he follows, every dungeon he rushes to clear, proves to be nothing more than a carefully crafted diversion.

All the dungeons he had quietly conquered so far—every trap, every “victory”—had been nothing more than smoke screens.

Illusions meant to drain his strength, delay his sword’s awakening, and blind him from the true purpose behind the festival.

By the time the truth is unveiled, it is already too late.

The ritual has been long underway, its roots extending like veins through the academy’s very foundation.

Lucas and the heroines strike back with everything they can muster.

They expose and slay the mid-boss—Sloven Gates, but even after his defeat, it becomes painfully clear…

The summoning was never meant to be stopped head-on.

It had been prepared at a distance, hidden in layers of misdirection, so that by the time Lucas and his allies understood the truth, the Demon King’s arrival was already assured.

Even in the game, the summoning was never designed to be stopped.

No matter how careful the player, no matter how thoroughly they scoured the map, the demonic worshippers’ true ritual site remained hidden until the very end.

It wasn’t a flaw in design—it was a deliberate inevitability.

The story demanded it.

And then, as though following the script of fate itself, the worst-case scenario would arrive on the festival’s final day.

Asmodeus—the Demon King—descended.

The final boss of the arc.

His arrival tore through the grandeur of the festival, shattering peace and plunging the academy into chaos.

For three days the academy had been a beacon of cultural unity, hosting duels, feasts, and celebrations.

But on the last, it would become a battlefield where the very foundation of Lumen trembled.

It was a catastrophe etched into history.

Students and professors alike were dragged into battle, their screams filling the once-proud halls.

Entire wings of the academy collapsed, fire and demonic corruption spread unchecked, and the once-impenetrable bastion of knowledge looked ready to fall.

Yet within that calamity… was also the spark of hope.

Because this was where Lucas would ascend. This was where the world, both in the game and now in reality, would finally witness the birth of the Hero.

What seemed like the academy’s darkest hour would become its brightest legacy.

Yes—it was a fairly standard arc in the game, one that prepared the stage for the epilogue Chapters.

A stepping stone.

A trial by fire to temper Lucas and his companions before pushing them toward the greater conflicts beyond.

But for all its familiarity, it remained one of the most impactful Chapters—because it transformed Lucas from a promising youth into a figure worthy of the title “Hero.”

By quietly eliminating some of the key hidden figures beforehand, I’d already shifted the balance ever so slightly.

The chaos would still erupt, but perhaps fewer innocents would die, perhaps Lucas’s growth wouldn’t be hindered by distractions that never mattered in the long run.

Of course, Asmodeus and the demonic cult weren’t the only factors in play.

There were other threads that tangled around me even now: Cristo and Hajey, who’s purpose was pretty clear.

And then there was Big Sister Bom—and the master who had yet to show his face.

That old man, why is he hiding himself?

I could scour the academy for days, and still, I would come up empty-handed. Finding him directly was close to impossible.

But knowing his personality… he wouldn’t remain hidden forever. He’d come to me, eventually

Maybe I should just flirt with Seo in public to bait that old man out.

He’s already practically acknowledged me as his future grandson-in-law, but there’s no way that overprotective fossil would sit back and watch me do whatever I wanted with her out in the open.

A kiss might be enough to send him flying out of hiding… and well, I’m sure Seo wouldn’t mind either. Two birds with one stone.

“Ugh…! Master, why are you smiling…?”

Lavine’s small, exasperated voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned, and there she was—her fairy-like body perched casually on my shoulder, her delicate wings brushing lightly against my cheek.

“What?” I asked flatly.

“Please don’t smile like that,” she said, frowning, her little arms crossed. “You looked dangerous. Like you were planning something terrible. Or worse—something maniacal, right?”

“No not really…?”

“Liar!”

I hadn’t even realized I’d let my thoughts slip out that far.

A dangerous smile, huh? Maybe she wasn’t wrong.

I guess I let my emotions bleed through a little more than necessary.

“Well, in any case, it’d be best if nothing unexpected happens now,” I muttered, brushing her off with a sigh.

I turned my back to the cliff, crouched slightly, then leapt down in one smooth motion, the wind rushing past me as I made my way toward the academy grounds again.

Since I didn’t have any classes for the day, I figured I should check up on the girls.

I’d left them training together for a while, but I’d never actually taken the time to observe their progress myself.

Knowing them, it could’ve gone either way—they were talented, sure, but talent without direction could only take you so far

I just hoped Seo was as good a teacher to them as she’d been to me.

It didn’t take me long to reach the entrance of Killian Hall.

But just as I was about to step inside—

“Young Master Riley, I presume?”

I halted mid-step, my eyes narrowing.

A man stood a few paces ahead, dressed in a flaxen tuxedo-like suit, though the cut and his posture leaned more toward that of a butler.

His every movement carried a calculated elegance, from the way his hands were folded behind his back to the slight bow he offered me.

“You are?” I asked, my voice flat.

“My apologies for the sudden interruption,” the man replied smoothly. “My name is Roberto Perti, a humble servant of the Brilliance household. I am here to deliver a letter for the Young Master, from my lord.”

With practiced grace, he approached, each step silent, before extending a golden-embossed envelope toward me. His gloved hands held it as though it were some priceless artifact.

“The lord has instructed me to inform you,” Roberto continued, his tone polite but firm, “that you have one day to consider whether to accept the contents of this letter. Should you choose to discuss the matter further, my lord will gladly receive you.”

Then, with another smooth, courteous bow, the man turned—and vanished from sight in an instant.

I clicked my tongue. For a mere butler, he was… quite fast. Not someone to underestimate.

My gaze dropped to the envelope in my hand.

The seal gleamed with the unmistakable crest of the Brilliance family, its design gaudy, almost suffocating in its extravagance.

Gold trim, intricate script, the sort of theatrics only a house desperate to flaunt its supposed superiority would resort to.

My brows knit together in faint irritation. I’d known I would have to meet this man eventually, but I hadn’t expected it to be now.

Rose’s indifference toward the Brilliance family must already be grating on him enough to force his hand personally.

As for the contents of the letter? I could already guess.

A slow smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

“Pointless,”

With a thought, sparks crackled along my fingertips.

A faint hum filled the air as arcs of blue lightning danced across the golden envelope.

In the next moment, the letter burst into flames, reduced to ash before it ever had the chance to stain my time.

There was no point in interacting with trash.

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