Chapter 246: Chapter 246 : Atonement

On the 8th floor of the Phoenix Spire, nestled within Zenith Academy’s most exclusive wing, lay the private apartments reserved for the top ten first-year cadets. Lavish, grand, and exuding a regal atmosphere, these spaces were considered the epitome of elite privilege.

Inside one such apartment, the spacious living room was unusually quiet. Five figures sat on the velvet sofas: Charlotte, Seraphina, Ethan, Alden, and Ava. None of them spoke.

The air was heavy—thick with unspoken guilt, regret, and tension.

And the reason for that suffocating atmosphere?

A silver-haired boy sat cross-legged at the center coffee table, calmly munching on snacks like the emotional weight in the room didn’t concern him at all.

Alex.

He casually picked up another piece of buttered breadstick, dipping it into sauce with perfect precision, completely ignoring the awkward silence.

Then, without even glancing up, he smirked.

“Alright, alright… so,” he said, breaking the silence. “Who’s gonna start first?”

The others blinked.

“Start what first?” Charlotte asked, confused, her voice uncertain.

Alex finally looked up, resting his chin on his palm.

“I mean… start groveling. Y’know, apologizing for leaving me to die.”

The room went still.

Everyone’s breath hitched.

Seraphina’s lips trembled. “We… we’re sorry—”

Before she could finish, Alex burst out laughing.

His laugh echoed off the marble walls, rich and unbothered.

“Come on!” he said, snickering. “Do you guys really think I’m an idiot?”

His eyes scanned their faces.

“I already know none of you had a clue what was going to happen that day.”

Then he turned his gaze to Ethan, feigning a pout.

“Except for the lizard man over there.”

Ethan’s entire body froze. Shame washed over him like a wave. He tried to speak, but his throat clamped shut. No words came.

Seraphina stepped in, voice shaky. “Alex… he’s also suffe—”

But Alex raised a hand.

“Oh, come on, Miss Seraphina,” he cut her off, voice cold. “Don’t start with that crap about how *he* is suffering, not being able to meet his mother and all that melodramatic nonsense.”

He narrowed his eyes at Ethan.

“Mr. Protagonist had people to support him. You. Ophelia. God knows who else.”

Seraphina flinched, tears welling in her eyes.

“And all of you,” Alex said, sweeping his hand around the room, “had someone to cry for you. Someone to hold your hand, whisper encouragement, tell you things would be okay.”

A blanket of shame settled over the room.

Alex’s voice lowered.

“But what about me?”

Silence.

He looked down at his hands, slowly closing them into fists.

“A crippled little sister… who waited for me every weekend in the hospital, no matter how tired or hungry she was, hoping I’d show up with her favorite snacks and a stupid grin on my face.”

They all looked up as his voice cracked slightly.

“But if I had died that day… she would have died too. A miserable, slow death. Rotting from the inside out because of th corruption, alone, forgotten.”

Alden spoke softly. “So… you were the one who cured her?”

Alex let out a short, humorless laugh.

“Or what? You thought it was a miracle? Some divine intervention?”

He looked Alden in the eyes.

“Sorry, my friend. There are no miracles in this world.”

He sat back, crossing his arms.

“Long story short—I’m not mad at all of you. I’m just… bitter. And I needed to get it out.”

Tears silently slid down Seraphina’s cheeks. Ava wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her dress. Charlotte looked down, her knuckles clenched white. Ethan looked like he was about to shatter.

“So yeah,” Alex said with a smirk. “I want you all to feel bad. That way… I can start to feel good.”

He grinned wider. “And seeing you all cry is kinda working.”

He turned to Alden, smug.

“Except for you, you bastard. You haven’t cried yet. Cry for me, damn it.”

Alden gave him the middle finger.

Alex’s eye twitched. “Tch. Rude son of a bitch.”

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Charlotte stood up.

She slowly walked toward Alex, then bowed deeply, lowering herself as far as she could.

Her voice was steady but filled with emotion.

“Whether it was my fault or not—I don’t care,” she said. “What you did for all of us… You fought a battle for us that could have killed you.”

She raised her head slightly, eyes locking with his.

“You saved us when we were surrounded by despair. You gave us hope when we had none. If not for you… we would’ve died horrible, meaningless deaths.”

Her voice cracked.

“So, you deserve the highest gratitude we can offer. And more than that… I am proud, proud , to call you a friend.”

She closed her eyes.

“In the future… if you ever need it, I will lay down my life for you. That’s my promise as the First Princess of this Empire—Charlotte Evans Avaloria.”

The room stood still. Then Seraphina walked beside her, also lowering her head.

“I offer you my deepest gratitude,” she said. “Not just for saving my life… but for saving my mother. My sister and now me.”

She bowed.

“So forgive me for underestimating your pain. And know this—when the time comes, I will lay down my life for you, too.”

Alex blinked, stunned for a moment.

——–

Ethan, Ava, and Alden followed the others’ lead. Without hesitation, they lowered their heads and bowed deeply.

“I will also lay down my life, no matter what,” Ethan said solemnly.

Ava nodded. “Me too.”

Alden clicked his tongue but lowered his head anyway. “Tch. You already know.”

Seeing all five of them bowing before him, Alex couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I don’t know… now I’m starting to feel a bit like a king.”

He walked toward Ava and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, helping her stand up.

“Don’t worry,” he said, his voice softening. “Your life is far too precious to be given to someone like me.”

Charlotte’s lips quivered, and Ava gave him a warm smile from the side. The heavy atmosphere began to lift, a little warmth returning to the room.

Then, with a dramatic sigh, Alex turned toward the others with a mischievous grin.

“But,” he said, pointing at them, “you guys still aren’t doing it right.”

The four looked up, confused.

“You need to bow lower. Your heads still aren’t touching the floor.”

Charlotte’s mouth twitched. “Seriously?”

A visible vein popped on Alden’s forehead.

But they all kept their composure and bowed again—lower this time.

Alex clapped his hands once. “Alright, now I’m satisfied.”

They stood up, brushing off their uniforms.

“All three of you,” Alex said, nodding to Charlotte, Ava, and Seraphina, “are forgiven.”

He paused, then turned his eyes to Ethan.

“Except for the Hero over there.”

Everyone froze.

Their eyes turned to Ethan. The silence hit like a hammer.

But no one argued. One by one, the others quietly turned and left the room, leaving only Ethan and Alex behind.

For a few seconds, the air was still.

Then Ethan finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm.

“I won’t ask for forgiveness,” he said. “But just tell me—what would it take to make amends for my mistake?”

Alex tilted his head with a smile. “You’d do anything?”

Ethan nodded. “Anything. As long as I can do it.”

Alex pretended to think, tapping his chin. Then he looked Ethan straight in the eyes.

“Then… convince your sister to sleep with me.”

Silence.

A golden aura exploded from Ethan’s body, radiant and trembling with suppressed fury.

Alex remained still, expression amused.

“What’s wrong?” he said casually. “Didn’t you say you’d do anything?”

Ethan gritted his teeth, trying to keep his voice calm. “It was my fault. Don’t drag her into this.”

Alex’s smile faded slightly. “You’re only partially to blame. I know that. The real culprit… is someone else.”

He stepped closer, his eyes sharp as blades.

“Isn’t that right, Mr. Dragon God?”

Ethan’s entire body stiffened.

’He knows… about Tiamat?’ he thought, cold sweat forming down his back.

Suddenly, a voice screamed in Ethan’s head:

[My heir! This boy is extremely dangerous. Give me permission to descend. I will get rid of him for you!]

Ethan’s eyes widened in disbelief. ’He wants to descend? No, that’s—’

Before he could respond, Alex spoke again.

“You know,” he said with a calm smile, “I’ve always wondered. If a god was powerful enough to teleport over a hundred people out of a Peak Grandmaster’s domain…”

He leaned in.

“Then why couldn’t they teleport just one more?”

Ethan’s breath caught in his throat.

“No… it was because… he was out of my range. And it would’ve alerted the Grandmaster—he could’ve stopped the teleportation.”

He tried to reason with himself, repeating the logic he was told.

But Alex laughed out loud.

“Is that the bullshit he told you?” he said. “Come on. Don’t be that naïve.”

He shrugged.

“You think a mere Grandmaster could stop a god if they didn’t want to be stopped?”

Tiamat’s voice boomed again in Ethan’s head.

[My heir! Don’t listen to his lies! Just say yes!]

But something was shifting inside Ethan. Doubts he never let himself acknowledge began to surface.

He looked up at Alex, whose smile had turned playful again.

“So,” Alex said, “I take it you’re now thinking how you’re going to convince Evelyn?”

Ethan’s aura flared again. His bloodshot eyes burned with a mix of guilt, rage, and shame.

Alex watched silently, noting every twitch, every conflicted breath.

’Let’s see,’ Alex thought. ’Will you take help from that god… or try to face it alone?’

Ethan stared for a long moment, then clenched his fists.

“Looks like this is the end of the road for both of us,” he said bitterly. “Goodbye.”

With that, Ethan turned and walked out, leaving the room.

Now alone, Alex stared at the spot where he stood, expression unreadable.

Then, a voice echoed in his mind.

[You could’ve used a simpler approach to tell him not to trust the gods blindly.]

Alex chuckled.

“Where’s the fun in that?” he said. “Besides… that was just a little payback.”

He stretched his arms, exhaling.

“And I’m sure he won’t feel guilty towards me anymore.”

[But Was that really the only way he could’ve become a powerful piece to play for you in the future?] the system asked.

Alex was quiet for a moment.

“You’re right,” he finally said. “But he lost my trust. And once trust is gone… it’s the hardest thing to restore.”

His voice turned quiet.

“Instead of trusting each other, people just become cautious of each other. And I don’t want someone like that by my side.”

[Alright. If that’s what you want.]

“Enough about that,” Alex muttered. “I’ve got someone special to meet.”

He turned toward the door and opened it.

Just outside, standing near the hallway, were Alden, Charlotte, and Ava. All three looked at him, waiting.

Before they could speak, Alex raised a hand.

“It was my choice,” he said. “And I choose not to trust him again.”

The three of them became silent, stepping aside as Alex walked past.

He reached the elevator, pressing the glowing rune that led to the top floor.

As the doors slid open, he stepped in.

And as the elevator rose, a thought floated through his mind.

’I wonder if she still remembers me.’

—–

A/N:

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