Chapter 428: Chapter 427- Strength of a warrior

What was on Ariana’s mind?

She couldn’t tell.

Fear had settled quietly in her chest—thin at first, then tightening with each passing hour. The revelation alone was staggering: Adrian had suddenly regained the memories of his first wife, and without hesitation, he admitted he still wanted her.

The confession had fallen on her like a stone dropped into a still lake—no violence, just ripples spreading endlessly, refusing to fade.

She sat in her office now, arranging files with hands that moved on instinct while her mind replayed every word from yesterday. Adrian was nervous—he tried not to show it, but she knew. He feared her answer. And she feared the truth she would eventually have to give.

She wouldn’t lie to herself. For a moment last night, she had imagined a life without him—not out of anger, not out of spite, simply… a possibility. And in that possibility, she had seen nothing.

No light. No hope. Only a hollow darkness stretching out like an endless corridor.

That single minute of imagining life without him told her everything. It reminded her how deeply she loved him—how her entire world had quietly wrapped itself around him without her ever noticing when or how. A life without him felt like air being stolen from her lungs.

And that frightened her more than anything else.

So she knew—inevitably, she would forgive him. Inevitably, she would accept Raven into this family. Because that woman had been there for Avirin when no one else was. Raven had given his life direction, comfort, meaning.

Ariana believed Adrian’s bond with her was built more on responsibility than on love… but that didn’t change the fact that he wanted Raven near.

To avoid future storms, Ariana would have to swallow this truth sooner rather than later.

“Haah… Why was it so easy with Ruby, but not with someone I don’t even know? Is this how people normally react?” she murmured to the empty room. She didn’t have an answer—nor did she have anyone she could safely ask.

She sighed, closing the last file and stacking the papers neatly. Enough thinking.

The third-year exams would begin soon. She wouldn’t be involved in the assessments, but she would have to monitor the event. A distraction might help.

Collecting the files against her chest, Ariana stood up, pushing her chair back gently. Her steps toward the door felt steady, but her heart carried all the tremors she wouldn’t allow to reach her face. She was the Headmistress after all.

However, the moment she opened the door, the mask she had so carefully fixed onto her face slipped away.

“Huh?”

Standing right there—wearing an uncertain expression, clutching a stack of documents—was the very man she had been thinking about nonstop.

“What are you doing here?” Ariana asked, her voice steadier than her heart.

“I… I was about to knock,” Adrian replied, scratching his cheek with a sheepish smile, “but then I wasn’t sure if I should.”

Early morning… that smile was quite dangerous for her heart.

She cleared her throat sharply. “Professor Adrian, during working hours, we should maintain a professional relationship.”

Adrian nodded immediately. “You’re right. Let’s save any… personal matters for after school hours.”

Ariana hummed, pretending to accept that with cool indifference, then stepped out. Adrian fell into stride beside her, as naturally as breathing.

“Are you staying in the monitoring room?” he asked. “It would be better if you delivered a brief motivational speech to the students. They’re quite nervous, you know.”

Ariana groaned softly. “You know I’m not good at speeches…”

Adrian chuckled. “That’s why I came prepared.”

He extended a neatly rolled parchment toward her.

Her eyebrows lifted as she took it. A quick glance was enough to tell her he had put far more effort into this than necessary. “You’re… well prepared, aren’t you?”

Adrian smiled, softer this time. “You’re their idol, Ariana. Someone they respect—someone whose approval matters to them. Even a small speech from you will help steady them.”

Ariana held his parchment for a moment longer, feeling the warmth of his sincerity seep through the paper.

Heaving a sigh, she said, “Alright, I will do it.”

Adrian just smiled and led her to the gymnasium.

….

Several nervous faces waited inside the gym as the students stood tightly lined up.

Not all of them would be tested today, but everyone stayed—some out of curiosity, others out of dread—to witness what awaited them.

There were juniors too, from second and first year who came to witness the second stage of the exams.

Some to cheer and some to observe.

“I am super nervous,” Aries muttered, leaning slightly toward her friend.

Elana exhaled a controlled sigh. “Me too.”

That shook Aries. “You know… it sounds ridiculous hearing that from you.” She shook her head and whispered, “If this test can even challenge you, then we might all be doomed already.”

Elana breathed out softly, her gaze sinking. She couldn’t tell her that her concern wasn’t the test at all, but something far heavier—something that had been clawing at her thoughts since a few nights now.

The only reason she’d managed to show up at all was because of the Professor… and the conversation they’d shared.

What troubled Elana wasn’t her own performance. It was the Professor’s reputation. She feared he would step in for her—risk himself for her—and she couldn’t bear the thought.

“Ah, here they come,” Aries whispered.

Elana and many others turned toward the gym entrance.

Two familiar figures walked in side by side.

The instructors immediately straightened, their posture snapping into disciplined lines as the Headmistress entered—her eyes sharp, her presence commanding.

The only person Elana truly respected in this academy besides Professor Adrian… was her.

Ariana was a role model in every sense. In a society where women were expected to become nothing more than caregivers, women like Annabelle and Ariana tore open the path forward—proving they could be more, do more, matter more.

Ariana stopped before them, standing tall with her back straight and her arms folded behind her. Her eyes swept across the students—steady, unreadable.

For a brief heartbeat, her gaze met Elana’s.

Then she began, her voice firm and resonant:

“This is the second step toward your graduation. You’ve cleared the first obstacle and stand now at the midpoint.

All of you must be excited… and anxious about how you will perform today. After all, many of you did not join the Runebound Academy simply to acquire knowledge. For many, this academy is a thread—a lifeline—leading you to your destination.”

Runebound Academy accepted anyone who possessed skill and knowledge, regardless of their background. Noble heirs stood shoulder to shoulder with students who had no family names at all.

And many of those nameless students were here for one reason: to earn a future. A job. A chance to lift their families, their friends, and themselves out of obscurity.

For some, this academy was a dream.

For others… it was a stepping stone—one link in a chain pulling them toward the life they wanted.

Ariana’s words settled over them like a quiet storm, and every heartbeat in the gym felt just a little louder.

After a brief pause, she continued, her voice steady and unyielding:

“Regardless of your ambition or your reason for being here… today, you will not only show what you have learned. Today… you will show what a true warrior ought to be.”

She didn’t release a single drop of aura, yet the entire gym felt swallowed by her presence. A quiet pressure. A force that made spines straighten and lungs tighten.

Even in the stands, the juniors turned completely quiet, drawn by her words and the passion in her tone.

The first year students were completely stunned by the atmosphere, somehow the pressure building a little but in a good way.

“For today,” Ariana said, her gaze slicing through the air, “forget about your dreams. Forget about your fears. Fight like a gladiator whose only purpose is to win. No turning back. No hesitation. No fear… only true strength.”

Students inhaled sharply, many of them straightening as if pulled upright by her words alone.

Eyes once clouded with anxiety now flickered with something steadier—determination… hunger.

That’s right.

This was the moment they had been preparing for. They needed to give everything they had, show the extent of their potential, and let the outcome follow.

Every lesson, every bruise, every drop of sweat and blood—they meant nothing if they couldn’t display it here.

Show their strength.

Show who they were.

After a brief pause, Ariana voiced, “Now, only the six top students stay here, the rest can join the juniors in the stands.”

The contest was about to begin and a certain silver head must ensure that while not messing things up, she still aces the exam and makes her Professor proud.

’You can do this Elana…’

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. I had a female Principal in my school…Ariana’s headmistress persona is inspired by her. Drop a comment.

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