Chapter 435: Chapter 434- Strange movement

A young man with sharp eyes and a shaved head asked in a heavy voice, “Was it really okay, Headmistress? To let Professor Adrian put a student against that Golem?”

Ariana hummed as she looked up from the report she was reading. Everyone else in the room shifted their attention to the man as well.

Marcus continued, “Golems are strong sentinels. The Towers use them to guard border regions. And to put that against a student… I believe that raises some concern, Headmistress.”

Ariana let out a long breath. “Alright then, Marcus. Why don’t you tell me the best method to assess those who are going to face real world danger in a few months?”

The students would graduate after the final exams, stepping into the field as Tower recruits or guild members. Either way, they would eventually face real risk with no guaranteed backup.

“With all due respect to Professor Adrian,” Marcus said, “I believe he should have followed the protocol instead of deciding the threat level based on Student Elana’s past performance.”

Gilbert frowned and asked for permission to speak. Ariana, despite wanting to say something sharp, nodded and let him handle it.

Gilbert turned to Marcus, his tone calm. “You joined the academy this year, so you might not know this, Instructor Marcus, but Professor Adrian has always been Elana’s mentor. If he believed his own spells could truly have challenged her, he would have used them. But no one knows her potential better than him. That’s why he chose something you consider dangerous.”

Marcus’s brows tightened. “And what about the rule? Should we ignore it completely?”

Rylie exhaled quietly. “Instructor Marcus… do you even know anyone from the third year? I suppose not. Then please stick to the rules.”

His frown deepened, but before he could say another word, Rylie leaned slightly closer and murmured under his breath, “Shut your crap unless you want to get kicked out.”

Marcus stiffened in shock. Following his line of sight, he found a silver-haired demon sitting nearby, glaring coldly at him.

He immediately fell silent.

Ariana shook her head and returned to the report. After a moment she asked, “Drokon.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The tall man with the thick moustache responded at once.

Ariana lifted her eyes. “Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary around the eastern and southern sides of the hill?”

The guard-in-chief blinked, thinking, before his brows drew together. “Nothing too glaring, but my men mentioned seeing several tourists visiting those places recently.”

Ariana hummed. “Those sides are nothing but barren land and forest.”

Gilbert asked, “Do you suspect something, Headmistress?”

Ariana chewed her lower lip and leaned back in her chair.

After everything the academy had suffered these past months, she no longer had the luxury of taking chances. Paranoid or not, she would rather be overly cautious than regretful.

“Drokon.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Ariana shot him a look that made the big man straighten instantly. “Suspend the construction work for now and deploy your soldiers around the hill. I want no one near it unless they belong to the academy. If you think you need additional support, contact the Tower. Understood?”

The weight in her voice made everyone realize the situation was far more serious than they had assumed.

The chief nodded firmly. “I understand.”

….

Annabelle was nervous. Of course she was.

Twenty-four years old, and she had never been on a single date.

She had never bothered with romance until now. Her Darling always treated her like a child—someone precious, someone who belonged in his family—never someone he might look at romantically.

So when he suddenly asked her out, the feeling was… indescribable.

She took her time changing into the dress Ruby had gifted her weeks ago, back when Ruby had quietly sensed something like this was coming.

It was a white one-piece dress with a rim of soft pink floral patterns and a line of buttons running down from her collarbone. The fabric hugged her slim waist, and the skirt—ending high on her thighs—left her long legs in full view.

She looked beautiful. She just didn’t believe it while staring at her reflection.

And yes… Annabelle had pushed Adrian out of his own room so she could prepare in peace.

By the time Adrian returned—after wandering around for nearly half an hour—he knocked on the door.

*Knock.*

Annabelle drew in a long breath, walked to the door, and hesitated with her hand on the handle. After a moment, she gathered herself and opened it.

“Hey…” Adrian began with a light smile—only to freeze the moment he saw her.

With her dark hair neatly braided and a soft touch of makeup, she looked breathtaking.

Since Annabelle mostly wore oversized shirts indoors, Adrian had almost forgotten that she had… grown up in more ways than one.

Standing there now, she looked like a proper young woman. A beautiful one.

“I… feel I should be honoured that you agreed to go out with me,” Adrian muttered, and Annabelle’s shy smile bloomed instantly.

“Are we leaving right now?” she asked.

Adrian glanced down at himself. Same black shirt, same formal pants, same long coat. “Should I change?”

Annabelle stepped closer and wrapped herself around his arm. “No, Darling. You look quite handsome.”

He gave a crooked smile at her blatant bias. Still, it was only a small outing, nothing worth overthinking. He stepped out with Annabelle clinging to his side.

Naturally, there was always a chance someone might see them. Which was why he fired a bullet into the air, bending the light around them.

Then another.

And a third.

Only after the third one did they slip out of the academy unnoticed.

Normally, he would have asked her to climb out the window, but not today. Today she was a lady on a date, and a lady deserved gentler treatment.

“You’ve been using that artifact less and less these days, Darling,” Annabelle said as they walked down the hill with their arms hooked.

Adrian drew the golden revolver—the one that had once been his answer to every problem he faced.

But after encountering beings like those Acolytes, the golems, and others who shrugged off the bullets with ease… he knew he needed something more.

“I’m focusing on clean sorcery these days,” he replied, slipping the revolver back into his Inventory.

Annabelle let out a soft hum. “Considering how busy you always are, do you even get time to train?”

Adrian hummed, “Mana control doesn’t require me to sit somewhere and meditate. It isn’t that rigid.” He lifted his hand, and a faint bluish flame slid across his palm like living silk.

“Even now, I’m channeling mana to train my control.”

Annabelle blinked, genuinely impressed. “How do you do that? Whenever I try to channel mana on its own, something breaks. And if it doesn’t, I end up burning myself.”

Adrian gave a thoughtful hum. “You need to work on your emotional balance first, Bella. Emotions play a huge role in independent magic. If your emotions fluctuate too much, they either give you a sudden burst of power… or completely backfire.”

Annabelle groaned softly. “Daaaarling… you know I’m an emotional person. How am I supposed to control that?”

Adrian chuckled. “Maybe try meeting more people first. Social interaction with strangers helps you develop a few important senses. For example, Ariana has a terrifying sense of tolerance now—thanks to all the nonsense she’s endured from the students’ parents.”

Annabelle immediately snuggled closer, burying herself against his arm. “Asking someone like me to be more social… you’re being unfair right now, Darling.”

Adrian ruffled her hair gently before saying, “Forget about it. Let’s think about dinner instead.”

By the time their conversation drifted elsewhere, they had already reached the foothill and stepped into the market.

Early evening had turned the place into a warm, glowing spectacle.

Golden lanterns hung from rooftops and shop signs, casting soft halos across the cobblestones. The shop exteriors shimmered under strings of tiny lights, each window bright with its own color and scent—fresh bread, spiced tea, sizzling skewers.

A tall tree stood in the center of the plaza, its trunk wrapped in ribbons of light, branches dotted with delicate glass ornaments that swayed whenever the breeze touched them. Children circled around it, their laughter rising like bells.

Couples walked hand in hand, leaning close as they whispered to each other. Street vendors called out lazily, offering roasted nuts, sweet pastries, and steaming bowls of broth. Somewhere deeper in the street, a musician plucked a soft tune on a lyre, adding a gentle rhythm to the evening.

It was lively, warm, and filled with the simple chaos of people enjoying life.

Adrian noticed the crowd immediately. There were far more visitors than last year.

And for once, relief settled in his chest. After everything Runebound Academy had gone through recently, he feared the town would lose its flow of tourists.

But seeing this place so alive… It eased him more than he expected.

Just then, Annabelle tugged his hand and pointed towards a specific shop, “Darling…how about we go there?”

Adrian followed his gaze and was surprised.

It was a fortuneteller’s shop.

°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.

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