Chapter 227: The Attack

Chairman’s Office, Astralis Arcanum

The Chairman’s office was quiet.

Stacks of documents covered the desk—political reports, supply requests, border tensions, academy logistics. The weight of the world seemed to sit between the three people in the room.

Caelum sat behind his desk, one hand pressed lightly to his temple as he reviewed paperwork.

Across from him, Lucen sat in a chair, arms folded. Seris stood beside Caelum’s desk, silent and attentive, though her eyes betrayed the same lingering thought that had hung over the academy for months.

Caelum sighed.

“It’s been more than two months since Zane disappeared.”

Lucen gave him a sideways look.

“You’re still on that?” he said. “Even after you made the public statement declaring him dead?”

Caelum didn’t look up from the document in his hand.

“I had to,” he said calmly. “Rumors were turning against the academy. Some claimed we sacrificed him. Others said Astralis Arcanum caused the disaster. I needed to stop that before it grew worse.”

He paused.

“And you know how strong he is.”

Lucen’s expression shifted slightly.

“I saw his brother’s strength,” Caelum continued. “And he is even stronger than that. Someone like him…”

He lifted his eyes slowly.

“…could still be alive.”

Lucen was quiet for a moment.

“I want to believe that too,” he admitted. “But if he is alive… why hasn’t he returned?”

Caelum leaned back.

“I don’t know.”

Seris remained silent, but deep down she was hoping the same thing.

Lucen broke the tension.

“At least his statue is almost finished. People really donated that much just to honor him.”

Caelum gave a faint nod.

“It’s the only way they can thank their savior.”

Lucen nodded.

Then—

The office door burst open.

A guard rushed in, breath unsteady.

“Chairman! Emergency!”

Caelum straightened instantly.

“What happened?”

The guard stepped forward and presented a sealed letter with trembling hands.

The wax seal bore the royal crest of Valdoria.

Caelum’s eyes widened.

“…The King’s seal.”

Lucen leaned forward slightly.

“The King never sends sealed letters directly to Astralis Arcanum,” Caelum murmured. “We aren’t under the kingdom’s authority. If he used his personal seal…”

His voice lowered.

“…then something serious has happened.”

Seris stepped forward, took the letter, and dismissed the guard.

After the door shut, she broke the seal and began reading.

As her eyes scanned the contents, her face slowly drained of color.

Lucen stood.

“What is it?”

Seris swallowed.

“The Crown Prince of Solvanyr… has been found dead in his chambers.”

Caelum’s gaze sharpened.

“How?”

Seris continued reading.

“His chest was torn open by a bloodied, broken golden claw found at his side.”

Silence fell.

Lucen’s expression hardened.

“The Golden-Clawed Leo Tribe,” he said quietly. “The ruling tribe of Gravundar.”

Seris nodded.

“Solvanyr kingdom claims this was an assassination by Gravundar kingdom. They launched an overnight military assault at the border.”

Caelum stood slowly.

“Solvanyr and Gravundar already have a fragile peace.”

Lucen cursed under his breath.

“And Solvanyr views humans as superior,” he muttered. “They’ve been looking for an excuse.”

Seris grimly nodded and kept reading.

“If this drags on, Sylwenora—the Elven Kingdom—will intervene to protect Gravundar. They have centuries-old alliances.”

“And Solvanyr has allied kingdoms of its own,” Lucen added. “This could escalate fast.”

Caelum’s eyes darkened.

“A continental war.”

Seris continued.

“And if a world war begins… Malgrith, the Kingdom of Demons, may take advantage of the chaos to attack Valdoria kingdom or Aetherveil kingdom.”

Lucen exhaled slowly.

“Chain reaction.”

Caelum looked at Seris.

“What does the King request?”

Seris looked up.

“He is summoning both you and Vice-Chairman Lucen personally. To help mediate peace between Solvanyr and Gravundar.”

The room went silent.

Caelum’s jaw tightened.

“So the academy will be left without its Chairman and Vice-Chairman.”

Lucen stood up fully and stretched his shoulders once.

“We still have Aldren ,” he said. “He’s as strong as me or even stronger . He can protect the academy until we return.”

Caelum looked at him.

“…Yeah, right.”

Lucen gave a small nod.

“He’s always busy with magic research in his magic department , but he’s reliable in a crisis.”

Seris nodded as well.

“Professor Aldren Sagewell can maintain the academy’s defenses,” she said.

Caelum exhaled slowly.

“Very well. Prepare for departure.”

Seris straightened.

“Yes, Chairman.”

Outside, the world was beginning to shift toward war.

And Astralis Arcanum was about to stand without its two strongest guardians.

Seris bowed once and turned to leave.

“I’ll inform Professor Aldren immediately.”

Caelum nodded.

“Do that. He needs to know before we depart.”

The door closed behind her.

A few minutes later, it opened again.

Seris returned—this time accompanied by an elderly man.

He was draped in layered, earth-toned robes woven with faint ancient runes that shimmered only when the light caught them just right. A long silver beard flowed to his chest, and though he leaned slightly on a gnarled wand-cane, his posture held quiet strength. His weathered face carried a gentle, thoughtful smile, but his piercing blue eyes were anything but old—they were sharp, observant, and fully awake.

Aldren Sagewell.

Head of the Magic Department.

He stepped inside with unhurried calm.

“What has happened,” he asked in a neutral tone, “that both of you must leave so suddenly?”

Lucen leaned back slightly in his chair.

“This news will spread anyway,” he said. “Might as well tell you directly.”

He explained everything—

the dead crown prince, the broken golden claw, the overnight war between Solvanyr and Gravundar, the risk of the elves joining, the looming threat of a full-scale continental conflict, and the king’s request for both Chairman Caelum and Vice-Chairman Lucen to personally mediate.

As he spoke, Aldren’s expression shifted from neutral to surprised.

When Lucen finished, Aldren exhaled softly.

“Oh heavens… so much has happened in so little time.” He stroked his beard once. “Then yes—you should leave quickly. If this escalates further, the entire region could fall into chaos.”

Lucen looked at him directly.

“You can act as Vice-Chairman in our absence, right?”

Aldren gave a small, almost amused smile.

“Although I had hoped to remain in peaceful retirement from administrative burdens…” he said, voice calm, “in these circumstances, I will take the role.”

He straightened slightly despite the cane.

“You can rest assured. I will protect the academy… in both of your stead.”

Caelum studied him for a moment, then nodded once.

“Thank you, Aldren.”

Lucen gave a short nod as well.

“Keep things stable until we return.”

Aldren inclined his head.

“Go resolve the world’s problems. I’ll make sure your academy still stands when you return.”

Not long after, preparations were made.

And soon—

Chairman Caelum and Vice-Chairman Lucen left Astralis Arcanum.

—

One week after Caelum and Lucen departed.

The training gym of Astralis Arcanum echoed with dull, rhythmic impacts.

A young man with cream-white hair was doing pushups with brutal intensity. Each repetition hit the stone floor hard enough to make a faint thud. Sweat dripped from his bare upper body, tracing lines down his arms and chest before splashing onto the ground below.

His amber-reddish eyes burned with restrained anger and frustration.

Ron Volkov.

He is still student of Astralis Arcanum.

Student of Zane Creed.

…Not anymore.

He finished another set and stayed down for a second longer than necessary, breathing heavily.

He’s really gone…

The Chairman had already made the public announcement.

Zane Creed had died saving the world.

Ron pushed himself up and stood, fists clenching tightly.

“…Damn it.”

For a moment he just stood there, jaw tight, eyes unfocused. Then the tension slowly left his shoulders. He exhaled and walked toward the showers.

Some time later, wearing fresh clothes, Ron headed toward the drinks section near the gym exit.

A familiar figure sat there, elbows resting on his thighs, staring at the ground and spacing out.

Jax Harl.

Ron placed a hand on his shoulder. Jax flinched slightly before looking up.

“Oh… hey, Ron.”

Ron grabbed two chilled nutrient drinks from the counter and handed one to him. “Here.”

Jax took it and started sipping through the straw as they began walking.

Evening had settled over the academy. The twin suns were lowering toward the horizon, staining the sky orange and deep red. Classes were over. Students were heading back to dorms.

There was a quiet heaviness in the air.

Jax finally broke the silence. “It’s weird, right? So many things happening lately…”

Ron nodded. “Yeah.”

“You heard Solvanyr and Gravundar went to war?” Jax asked.

“Yeah. Chairman and Vice-Chairman left to deal with it,” Ron replied.

Jax looked surprised. “Then who’s in charge now?”

“Professor Aldren,” Ron said. “He’s acting in their place.That’s what I’ve heard.”

They walked a few more steps.

Then Jax slowed.

“…What’s that?”

Ron followed his gaze.

In the distance, near the academy perimeter—

A faint purple glow.

It was small at first. Then it grew. And grew.

Ron’s instincts screamed.

Jax suddenly shouted, “Dodge—!”

They both dropped instantly.

A massive purple fireball tore through the air above them and slammed into the ground behind.

BOOM.

The explosion blasted outward, sending both of them flying across the courtyard. They rolled across the stone but managed to stay conscious.

Smoke filled the air.

Through it, shapes appeared.

Large arcane cannons stationed outside the academy walls.

Dozens of hooded figures advancing.

And above them—

Three purple-robed figures floating in the sky, radiating pressure so intense that Ron felt sweat instantly break across his skin.

His chest tightened.

Those guys… are strong.

Then the academy alarms blared.

A sharp, piercing sound across the entire campus.

Seris’s voice echoed through magical amplification arrays.

“Attention! This is an emergency!”

Her voice was steady but urgent.

“All students and professors, Astralis Arcanum is under attack!”

A brief pause.

“I repeat—we are under attack!”

Ron and Jax stared upward, shock freezing them in place.

“…What?” Jax whispered.

The violet light in the sky intensified.

And the attack had begun.

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