Chapter 388: Chapter 388 – A New Student!

The evening had begun to settle gently over Arcadia Academy, casting long shadows across the wide stone courtyard where the group stood. The sky above had deepened into a warm mixture of orange and violet, the last rays of sunlight reflecting faintly against the tall academy towers and the glass windows that lined the distant halls.

A light breeze moved through the courtyard, carrying the faint sounds of students somewhere in the distance finishing their evening training sessions.

Against that calm backdrop, Elowen finally straightened as she answered the question Luca had asked.

Her long green hair shifted softly with the wind as she stepped forward, her relaxed smile making it clear that she had already anticipated the reactions that were about to follow.

“I’m planning to admit Sylthara into Arcadia Academy,” she said casually.

For a moment—

No one reacted.

Then the words fully registered.

Kyle blinked.

Aiden’s brows lifted slightly.

Selena’s usually calm expression shifted ever so faintly.

Even Luca looked mildly surprised.

“Sylthara… into the academy?” Kyle repeated, glancing between Elowen and the elf in question.

Sylthara herself looked just as surprised as everyone else, though there was also a faint spark of curiosity in her golden eyes as she looked toward Elowen.

Elowen folded her arms loosely as she continued speaking.

“Sylthara may already possess tremendous power thanks to the essence of the World Tree, but raw strength alone is not enough to guide someone who carries that kind of responsibility.”

Her tone grew slightly more serious.

“She needs experience.”

“Not just the strength of battle, but the experience of living in the world beyond the forests.”

Her gaze moved toward Sylthara with quiet approval.

“She needs to understand people, cultures, politics, magic, history… everything that shapes this world.”

Elowen smiled faintly.

“And what better place to learn all of that than Arcadia Academy?”

The reasoning was simple.

And logical.

One by one, the others slowly nodded in agreement.

It made sense.

Sylthara possessed immense potential, but the academy was the one place capable of refining that potential properly.

Kyle scratched the back of his head thoughtfully before another question occurred to him.

“Wait,” he said suddenly. “But how would that even work?”

He pointed toward the academy buildings behind them.

“1st semester has already ended.”

Kyle tilted his head.

“How exactly is she supposed to get admitted in the middle of the year?”

Elowen’s smile widened slightly.

But instead of answering immediately—

Her gaze shifted.

Toward Seraphina.

And the moment she did that—

Everyone else followed her line of sight.

Seraphina stood calmly with her arms folded, looking as composed as ever despite suddenly becoming the center of attention.

For a moment she said nothing.

Her eyes slowly moved toward Sylthara.

Then she spoke.

“As long as she is strong enough,” Seraphina said calmly, “and capable of passing the required theoretical examinations, it isn’t impossible.”

Kyle immediately clicked his tongue.

“That makes no sense.”

He gestured toward Sylthara.

“The theory she’s supposed to learn is taught inside Arcadia.”

Kyle raised his hands in disbelief.

“How exactly is she supposed to pass the tests before even studying here?”

Seraphina didn’t answer.

Instead—

Her gaze slowly shifted.

Toward Luca.

And before Luca could even begin to question why—

A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

Elowen had moved beside him without him noticing.

She draped an arm casually across his shoulders like an older sister claiming a convenient solution.

“Hahaha!”

Her cheerful laughter echoed lightly through the courtyard.

“Isn’t my dear junior ranked number one in theory?”

Luca blinked.

Elowen continued as though the problem had already been solved.

“I’m sure he can teach her enough so that she can at least pass the entrance evaluation.”

Luca slowly turned his head.

First toward Kyle.

Who nodded as though that was the most obvious thing in the world.

Then toward Aiden.

Who also gave a quiet nod.

Selena did the same.

Sylthara…

Sylthara was looking at him with hopeful eyes.

As though the outcome had already been decided.

Luca’s mouth opened slightly.

“…Eh?”

He looked from one face to another again.

Everyone looked perfectly confident.

As if this responsibility had always belonged to him.

Finally—

Luca sighed.

Then he nodded slowly in resignation.

One by one, the small gathering in the academy courtyard slowly began to disperse.

The evening sky had already deepened into a darker shade of violet as the last streaks of sunlight disappeared behind the tall towers of Arcadia Academy. The courtyard that had briefly been filled with conversation and reunion gradually emptied as the students went their separate ways, each returning to the familiar rhythm of academy life.

Goodbyes were exchanged lightly.

Kyle stretched lazily as he waved over his shoulder before heading toward the dormitories, already complaining about how the peaceful academy beds would feel far too comfortable after weeks of chaos.

Aiden nodded calmly to the group before leaving as well, his quiet demeanor unchanged despite everything they had endured together.

Selena and Sylthara walked together for a short distance before parting ways near the academy’s inner pathways, the frost mage giving the elf a few final words of encouragement before disappearing toward her own dormitory wing.

Seraphina remained behind only long enough to remind Luca that classes would resume soon, her sharp eyes briefly scanning him one last time before she turned and walked away as well.

Soon enough—

The courtyard returned to silence.

And with that silence came something unfamiliar.

Peace.

The following days passed quietly.

Far more quietly than Luca had grown accustomed to.

For the first few mornings after their return, Luca allowed himself to wake naturally rather than forcing himself out of bed before dawn as he often did during dangerous missions or urgent training periods. Still, habit remained difficult to break entirely, and he soon found himself returning to the academy training grounds shortly after sunrise.

His training during those early days remained light.

More like stretching muscles that had been pushed too far during the previous weeks than true combat preparation. He focused on restoring balance in his movements, letting his body slowly recover from the strain of constant battles, mana exhaustion, and sleepless nights.

Yet even during these quieter sessions, there was always a subtle tension in his focus.

A quiet determination.

Because Luca knew one thing clearly—

If he wanted to reach the next realm, casual effort would not be enough.

The evenings were far calmer.

Arcadia City, which lay just beyond the academy’s outer gates, offered a refreshing change from the constant tension of political intrigue and life-or-death battles.

During those evenings Luca would sometimes wander through the city streets without any particular destination in mind, simply enjoying the small things that had once felt completely normal but now seemed strangely rare.

The sound of street vendors calling out to customers.

The laughter of children chasing one another through narrow alleys.

The warm glow of lanterns hanging outside cafés and small taverns.

On more than one occasion Aurelia would accompany him on those quiet walks.

Their conversations during those moments were simple and unguarded—nothing like the serious discussions they often had during past two months. Sometimes they spoke about the future, sometimes about training strategies, and sometimes about nothing at all.

It was peaceful.

Something both of them seemed to appreciate more than they openly admitted.

During the day, Luca also spent time training with Aiden and Kyle.

Those sessions were far less gentle.

Kyle’s hurricane-style spear techniques clashed against Luca’s dual saber forms again and again, while Aiden’s precise swordsmanship forced Luca to constantly refine his control and reactions.

The three of them trained until sweat soaked their clothes and the training field bore the marks of their sparring.

It was exhausting.

But satisfying.

Whenever time allowed, Luca also met with Vincent.

The conversations with his elder brother were quieter than their usual sparring sessions, often taking place in shaded corners of the academy gardens or within the training halls when the other students had already left.

They spoke about the changes unfolding within their territory.

About how the elves had begun establishing their new settlements after leaving the destroyed forest.

About how Empress Celestia had quietly begun sending resources and support to stabilize the region.

The territory was changing.

And Vincent, as always, was already thinking several steps ahead about what those changes might mean for the future.

But perhaps the most unusual part of Luca’s daily routine during those days involved Sylthara.

Every afternoon the two of them would meet in one of the quieter academy study halls.

Sylthara would sit across from him with genuine concentration written across her face as Luca guided her through the vast ocean of knowledge required to pass Arcadia’s entrance theory examination.

World geography.

Political factions.

Historical conflicts between kingdoms.

Magical theory and mana circulation.

Even the darker topics—like the nature of cultists and the remnants of the Demon Emperor’s influence.

At first Sylthara approached these lessons with a mixture of curiosity and frustration, but day by day her understanding grew clearer.

The elf possessed a sharp mind.

And more importantly—

She genuinely wanted to learn.

The days passed.

Quietly.

Peacefully.

Almost strangely so.

Before anyone truly realized it—

Five days had already slipped by.

Late in the afternoon of the fifth day, Luca and Sylthara once again sat across from each other at their usual table inside the academy’s study hall.

Several books lay open between them, along with scattered notes Sylthara had been writing down carefully over the past days.

Luca leaned back slightly in his chair before finally closing the book in front of him.

Then he looked up at her.

“Tomorrow is your exam.”

Sylthara straightened slightly.

Luca studied her expression for a moment before continuing.

“Are you confident?”

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