Chapter 167: Selene’s Curiosity

The early light crept into Astralis Arcanum’s teacher residence, brushing the curtains of Zane’s room with a faint gold sheen.

Inside, the room was finally back to normal—without any barrier or any projection screen floating—just quiet normal room.

Eira floated lazily projected from Zane’s technowatch on table moving one corner to another, humming as Zane rested in mid-air, legs folded in a perfect lotus pose above the bed. His long grey overcoat drifted beside him like a loyal shadow.

Zane’s purple eyes opened slowly, glowing faintly for a moment before dimming back to their usual calm depth. He descended onto the bed without a sound.

“Good morning, Boss…!” Eira chirped.

“Morning,” Zane replied, stretching his arms.

He rose, walked toward the window, and pulled it open. Crisp, cool air flowed in, carrying the scent of morning dew and faint academy chatter in the distance. He inhaled deeply.

“What’s my schedule today, Eira?” he asked casually.

Eira tapped the side of her tiny translucent head—pretending to scroll through imaginary documents.

“Well, boss… today is that meeting. The one Chairman and Vice-Chairman mentioned. They’re meeting the other academy heads and senior staff about the Abyssals and future planning and stuff.”

Zane stared at the sky. “Hmm…”

“And,” Eira added, “William is doing fine with the kids. Explaining the functions of system and all.”

Zane let out a small smile. “Your previous boss—when you were Eirenyssa—must be confused and fuming right now. His connection with the artifact suddenly cut… he must be losing his mind.”

Eira twirled mid-air. “Oh, he definitely is. From what I know about Sylas, that guy must be scheming something else already.”

Zane crossed his arms, leaning on the window frame. “Speaking of which… Eirenyssa should’ve reached that place by now. Your realm—Everion.”

Eira’s expression stiffened slightly, but she nodded.

Zane exhaled softly. “Anyway… enough of that. I should freshen up.”

He stepped away from the window, ruffling his black wild hairs.

“We’ve got a meeting to get through.”

Eira floated behind him like a little assistant.

“Right behind you, boss!”

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Zane stepped out of the washroom, freshened up, sleeves rolled, wild black hair over head. His long grey overcoat settled neatly over his shoulders as if it fitted itself.

Eira floated beside him, swinging her tiny legs in the air.

“All set, boss?”

“Mm.” Zane stretched lightly. “The meeting still has some time.”

He paused.

Then his eyes narrowed—not in alarm, just quiet acknowledgment.

“…Some presences are approaching Astralis Arcanum, probably those people from other academy for meeting” he said calmly.

Eira tilted her head. “Powerful?”

“Strong enough,” Zane replied. “With the speed they’re traveling… they’ll reach here in about an hour.”

Eira puffed her cheeks. “Ugh…this meeting going to be boring?”

Zane shrugged lightly. “Probably,but I am still looking forward to meeting those new people.”

Then he gave a small smile—the kind that spelled trouble for whoever underestimated him.

“Well, until they arrive… let’s teach my students.”

Eira brightened. “Yes, boss!”

Zane slipped his hands into his pockets and walked toward the door, expression calm, posture relaxed…

—

The student cafeteria buzzed with the usual morning chaos—clattering plates, sleepy chatter, the smell of fresh bread and sizzling pans.

On one corner table, Ron sat beside Lia, while Jax devoured a stack of pancakes opposite him, Selene quietly stirring her tea.

Selene’s eyes drifted across the room. Students laughed, argued, and ate like any other day.

“…Everyone looks completely normal,” she murmured. “They really don’t remember anything from yesterday.”

Ron nodded. Lia nodded too.

Jax nodded while still chewing loudly on pancakes.

Lia exhaled. “I still can’t believe so much happened… and after just one night, it feels like nothing changed. Yet we got something incredible…”

Before she could finish, a small pop echoed—

And William suddenly appeared between them, standing on the table with his tiny cane.

“You all are unbelievably annoying,” he said, pushing his monocle up. “How many times do I need to tell you—everything that happened is completely real.”

Before he could continue, Jax nearly choked on his pancake. He slammed a hand on the table and half-stood, trying to hide William behind his back.

“H-hey—get down! What if someone sees you?!” he hissed.

Selene sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Jax… think. If people can’t see the status window, and he’s part of the system, of course no one else can see him.”

William smirked proudly, tapping his little cane.

“That’s exactly right.”

Jax froze mid-panic. “Oh.”

Lia covered her mouth to hide a laugh. Ron just shook his head.

Selene set her cup down and looked at Jax carefully.

“Hey… are you okay?”

Jax didn’t even look up. With a pancake halfway to his mouth, he replied casually,

“About what?”

Selene exhaled. “About finding out you’re… half demon. That has to be connected to your mother.”

Jax shrugged, still chewing. “Maybe. So?”

Lia leaned in, confused. “You just learned something huge about yourself, but you don’t seem bothered at all.”

“Nope,” Jax said, grabbing another pancake. “I’m cool with it. Actually, it sounds kinda awesome.”

Selene frowned. “So… your mother was a demon, right?”

“Well, my dad’s human,” Jax said, waving his fork lazily. “So yeah. She’d be a demon.”

Ron raised a brow. “And you’re just… happy about it?”

“Of course!” Jax grinned. “Half demon? That sounds sick.”

Selene hesitated, then asked the question lingering in everyone’s mind.

“Don’t you want to find her?”

Ron added quietly, “She’s alive…?”

Jax paused only for a second before stuffing another bite into his mouth.

“She could be.”

They watched him, waiting for more.

He finally swallowed and continued, voice calm but strangely detached.

“But honestly? I don’t care about my mother. I’ve only ever known my dad. No memories with her, no attachment, no reason to look for her. So… yeah. I don’t care.”

He wiped his mouth, stood up, and stretched.

“Anyway, let’s go. Professor Zane’s lecture is starting soon. If we’re late, he’ll bury us alive.”

Ron blinked. “Wow… he really does care.”

Lia laughed softly. “More than anything.”

Selene sighed but smiled. “Hopeless idiot…”

And the four of them headed toward class.

—

At the teacher cafeteria, across the academy grounds…

Zane sipped his tea calmly, eyes half-lidded as Eira floated beside him.

He had heard every single word, carried through the subtle mana threads he’d set around the school.

“…Hoh,” he murmured. “So Jax isn’t one of those protagonists who cry about finding their long-lost parents.”

A faint grin tugged at his lips.

“Interesting. I’ll check where his mother is later.”

He took another sip, amused.

“This will be fun.”

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The classroom buzzed softly as students settled into their seats. A moment later, the door slid open.

Zane stepped inside, grey coat fluttering lightly behind him.

“Morning,” the students greeted in unison.

Zane nodded once. “Morning. So—how are you all after that dungeon incident?”

Silence.

Not a single student answered.

“Hm. Quiet, huh,” he muttered, almost amused, as he moved toward the board and began addressing a question one of the students had raised.

Selene sat beside Lia, notebook open but eyes wandering. Jax lounged beside Ron, lazily spinning a pen between his fingers.

While Zane spoke, Selene activated something only the four of them possessed.

Analyze — Level 1.

A basic system skill William had explained earlier: it can’t show many thing but able to show simple information.

She glanced at Maera, curious.

A small blue window flickered open in front of her eyes:

—

[STATUS WINDOW]

Name: Maera Stormheart

Race: Beastmen

Power Rating: D+

Class: Warrior

Note: A genius beastmen warrior, a good spaaring partner and a dangerous threat if made her enemy.

—

Selene nodded quietly.

“She really is strong,” she whispered to Lia. “Last night proved that much.”

Then, driven by curiosity, her gaze drifted toward Zane—who was currently explaining a spell formula to a confused student.

I always want to know about professor Zane’s strength.

She activated Analyze again.

The window didn’t open normally.

It shuddered—like something resisting being seen.

Then:

—

[STATUS WINDOW]

Name: Zane Creed

Race: Human ( ?&%&@? )

Power Rating: ?????????

Note: You can’t run from him. You will die.

—ERROR—

—GLITCH DETECTED—

The screen distorted violently, the text scrambling.

—

Selene froze.

A bead of cold sweat slid down her neck.

What… is this…?

Her pulse hammered. Her fingers trembled. The window kept flickering—

“Selene…?” Jax whispered, noticing her pale face.

Her breath caught.

Zane’s voice cut across the room.

A hint of concern laced it—just barely noticeable.

“Selene Raynhart? What happened?”

Selene jolted.

“N-nothing, professor!”

Zane studied her for a moment, his purple eyes narrowing slightly.

“…Are you alright, kid?”

She swallowed, mentally activating Tranquil Veil.

Calm washed over her mind like warm water. Her heart steadied.

“Yes, professor,” she said, finally composed.

Zane nodded faintly, though something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

Using tranquil veil to calm herself down in this situation without anyone knowing, good…

He nodded mentally and said “Good. Anyway—today’s class is a special one for mages.”

He flicked his fingers.

Two magic circles appeared mid-air—one on his left, one on his right—both spinning simultaneously in opposite directions.

“Parallel Thinking,” he said.

“And Dual Casting.”

The circles pulsed with light.

The class leaned forward, breath held.

The lesson was just beginning.

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