Chapter 400: Chapter 400 – Jinxed Peace!

Night had descended gently upon Arcadia Academy, draping the grand campus in a tranquil hush that seemed almost sacred. The once lively courtyards now rested beneath a silver wash of moonlight, their stone pathways faintly gleaming as if preserving the warmth of the day that had just passed. A soft breeze wandered lazily between the academy towers, brushing against tall windows and carrying with it the distant murmur of rustling leaves.

The sky stretched endlessly above, deep and velvety, scattered with quiet stars that flickered like distant promises waiting patiently to be fulfilled.

Luca lay upon his bed, his hands resting loosely behind his head as his gaze remained fixed upon the ceiling, though his thoughts wandered far beyond it.

The room was dimly lit by the faint glow of moonlight slipping through the curtains, painting soft shadows across the walls. The calmness of the night seemed to cradle his mind, gently easing the tension he had not even realized he had been carrying for so long.

His eyes remained still, yet thoughtful.

“That should do it… for some time“, he murmured quietly within the solitude of his room.

His expression softened slightly as Selena’s distant violet eyes surfaced in his thoughts, the quiet weight hidden beneath her composed words still lingering in his mind.

I hope she thinks about it… and slowly resolves whatever burden she has been carrying alone.

A quiet exhale escaped his lips as he allowed his body to sink deeper into the comfort of the mattress.

“These past few days…” he muttered faintly, his voice barely above a whisper, “have actually been… good.”

The words felt almost unfamiliar.

Calm.

Peaceful.

Simple.

He let the thought settle, almost as if testing whether such a reality was truly allowed to exist in his life.

I didn’t even realize how exhausted my mind had become, he admitted inwardly.

For so long, his days had been filled with hidden dangers, unpredictable deviations from the original storyline, looming threats of forces that moved quietly in the shadows, and the constant pressure of knowledge that no one else possessed.

Every step forward had required caution.

Every choice carried consequences.

Every change risked altering the fragile balance of the future he had once known.

And yet… these recent days had been different.

There had been no immediate crises.

No looming catastrophes threatening to spiral beyond control.

No desperate battles fought on the edge of survival.

Only moments of quiet normalcy.

Moments he had almost forgotten could exist.

His gaze softened as memories from the past few days drifted gently across his thoughts.

Walking alongside Aurelia beneath the open sky, the warmth of her presence carrying a comfort that words could not fully describe.

There was something grounding about simply being near her, something steady and reassuring that reminded him that not every moment in this world needed to be a struggle.

Even their quieter conversations, filled with small pauses and unspoken understanding, had felt meaningful in a way that did not require grand declarations.

Then there was Astra, whose innocent curiosity and bright energy had brought an unexpected lightness to the days that followed.

Explaining simple things to her, watching her reactions, observing her attempts to understand a world still new to her… those moments had felt strangely peaceful.

Almost therapeutic.

As though her presence reminded him that not everything in this world was burdened by darkness.

A faint, almost amused breath escaped him as another memory surfaced.

Eric’s exaggerated expressions and endless enthusiasm had brought a welcome dose of levity to otherwise ordinary academy routines.

Even simple conversations with him often carried an unpredictable charm, effortlessly pulling Luca out of the heavy spiral of constant calculation and planning.

And Sylthara…

Patiently explaining concepts to her, watching her quiet determination to understand, observing the way her mind carefully pieced together information… there had been a quiet satisfaction in simply guiding someone forward without the pressure of looming danger.

Those moments had felt… normal.

Peacefully normal.

Even the sparring sessions with Kyle and Aiden had been enjoyable in a way Luca had not anticipated.

There was a refreshing honesty in crossing blades without hidden stakes, without life-or-death consequences hanging over every exchange.

Just skill.

Just improvement.

Just friendly competition sharpened by mutual respect.

Moments where strength was not born from desperation… but from growth.

His gaze remained fixed upon the ceiling as a faint, thoughtful smile ghosted across his lips.

If only things could remain like this more often…

A life where time could pass quietly.

Where bonds could deepen naturally.

Where laughter and effort were not constantly overshadowed by unseen dangers waiting patiently beyond the horizon.

For a brief moment, the idea almost felt possible.

Almost.

The silence of the room seemed to cradle that fragile peace.

And then—

Ding!

The soft, crystalline chime broke gently through the stillness.

Luca’s eyes shifted slightly as a faint glow illuminated the surface of the small communication crystal resting upon the desk beside his bed.

The glow pulsed softly, signaling an incoming message.

He exhaled quietly, reaching out lazily before activating the crystal with a faint touch of mana.

The message formed in delicate strands of light above its surface.

His gaze sharpened slightly as he read the sender’s name.

“Professor Seraphina…?”

A faint crease appeared between his brows.

Curiosity flickered briefly within his expression as his eyes moved across the message.

“Meet me tomorrow first thing in the morning outside the Dean’s office.”

The simple instruction lingered in the air, its meaning carrying far more weight than the brief words suggested.

Luca allowed his hand to fall back onto the bed as he stared quietly at the ceiling once more, the calm tranquility of moments before now touched by a faint ripple of unease.

Of all people…

Professor Seraphina rarely called students directly without reason.

And the Dean’s office…

That was not a place students were summoned lightly.

His arms stretched loosely outward across the bed as he sank deeper into the mattress, exhaling slowly as though releasing the fragile peace he had just been enjoying.

“…Am I really a jinx?” he muttered quietly to himself, his tone carrying a faint trace of dry amusement mixed with reluctant resignation.

Just when calm seemed possible…

Something always stirred.

The night remained quiet.

Morning arrived quietly over Arcadia Academy, the early light of dawn spilling gently across its towering spires and vast courtyards, illuminating the ancient stone with hues of soft gold.

The academy stirred slowly, students emerging from their dormitories as the first bells of the day echoed faintly in the distance, their sounds mingling with quiet conversations and the rhythmic steps of those making their way toward lecture halls and training grounds.

Luca descended the dormitory staircase with measured calm, his steps steady, his posture straight, his mind far more focused than the tranquil morning atmosphere might suggest.

The black academy uniform rested neatly upon him, its deep shade contrasted elegantly by the fine gold trims that traced the edges of the collar and sleeves, marking his standing as a student of Arcadia Academy.

His eyes remained sharp as he stepped out onto the stone path, the early sunlight briefly catching against the dark strands of his hair before fading as he continued forward.

Professor Seraphina said first thing in the morning…

His thoughts moved carefully, each possibility forming and dissolving as he walked.

If she called me this early… then whatever this is must be urgent.

The academy grounds stretched peacefully around him, yet the subtle tension beneath his calm demeanor did not fade.

As Luca turned into one of the inner corridors of the academy’s main building, the quiet sounds of footsteps echoed faintly along the polished floor, accompanied by the soft whisper of fabric as students passed by in small groups.

What could it be?

Possibilities surfaced briefly within his thoughts.

Administrative matters seemed unlikely.

Disciplinary action… even less so.

And yet…

Being called personally by both Professor Seraphina and the Dean suggested something far beyond routine academy affairs.

His pace slowed slightly as he approached the familiar corridor that led toward the administrative wing.

Standing near the tall wooden door at the far end of the hallway was a figure he recognized instantly.

Seraphina stood with her usual composed elegance, her presence calm yet quietly commanding, as though even the air around her understood its place in her presence.

Her long hair rested smoothly behind her shoulders, untouched by the restless movements common to others, while her eyes remained steady, carrying their usual depth that revealed little yet seemed to observe everything.

Luca approached without hesitation.

“Morning, Professor,” he said politely, his tone calm yet respectful.

Seraphina gave a small nod in acknowledgment, her gaze briefly assessing him as though confirming something silently before speaking.

“Let’s go,” she said simply.

Her voice was neither hurried nor overly formal, yet the quiet firmness within it suggested that time was not something to be wasted.

She turned toward the heavy wooden door and raised her hand, knocking twice in a measured rhythm that echoed softly through the silent corridor.

A faint voice from within granted permission to enter.

Seraphina opened the door, stepping forward as Luca followed closely behind, the atmosphere shifting almost immediately as they crossed the threshold.

The Dean’s office was spacious yet cluttered, lined with tall shelves overflowing with ancient tomes, scrolls, and neatly stacked documents that carried the scent of ink and parchment aged by years of constant use.

Behind the desk sat the Dean himself.

An elderly man with long, slightly tangled grey hair that fell loosely past his shoulders, accompanied by an unkempt beard that suggested little concern for appearances beyond necessity.

His sharp eyes lifted slowly from the document resting before him, their gaze heavy with experience and tempered by the weariness of someone who had long carried responsibilities few others could understand.

He studied Luca silently for a brief moment before gesturing lazily toward the chair placed opposite his desk.

“Sit,” he said, his voice rough yet steady, carrying the quiet authority of someone long accustomed to being obeyed without question.

Luca complied calmly, taking the seat without unnecessary movement as Seraphina remained standing beside him, her posture relaxed yet attentive.

The Dean leaned back slightly in his chair, the wood creaking faintly beneath the shift of his weight.

“There is a mission,” he began without preamble, his tone direct, uninterested in circling around the matter unnecessarily, “one that you will have to undertake.”

The words settled heavily within the room.

Luca’s gaze sharpened subtly.

“A mission?” he repeated, his voice composed yet carrying quiet curiosity.

The Dean’s eyes narrowed faintly as though measuring his reaction.

“It is not a simple assignment,” the old man continued, folding his hands together as he rested them upon the desk. “It will be very dangerous.”

The word was spoken without embellishment.

No dramatization.

Only fact.

Luca remained silent for a brief moment before asking calmly,

“But…why me?”

The Dean exhaled slowly, the sound almost resembling a quiet growl of reluctant patience.

“There are not many within the second year who possess sufficient capability for this task,” he said. “A few stand above the rest… but circumstances limit our options.”

His gaze shifted briefly toward the window before returning to Luca.

“All third-year students have already been deployed on an ongoing mission,” he continued, his tone unchanged. “That leaves a limited number of individuals who can be entrusted with something of this nature.”

His eyes sharpened slightly.

“And among those remaining…”

His gaze settled directly upon Luca.

“You are the most suitable.”

The silence that followed was not empty.

“This mission requires discretion,” the Dean added, his voice lowering slightly. “No one should know where you are going.”

“No one should know what you are doing.”

“This matter must remain strictly confidential.”

Each word carried weight that extended far beyond simple instruction.

Luca’s thoughts moved quietly beneath his calm exterior.

A mission secret even from the academy’s students…

Serious enough to require discretion…

Something significant was unfolding.

The Dean leaned back further, observing him carefully.

“You must think this through,” he said again, slower this time. “The specifics of the mission can only be disclosed if you accept it.”

The implication was clear.

There would be no partial involvement.

Either he stepped forward fully…

Or he stepped away entirely.

For a moment, Luca said nothing.

His thoughts shifted carefully, weighing possibilities, risks, consequences.

Slowly, he inhaled.

Then exhaled.

“…I will do it,” Luca said calmly, his voice steady, the decision carried not by recklessness, but by quiet resolve.

The Dean nodded once, neither surprised nor overly impressed.

As though the answer had already been anticipated.

Luca’s gaze shifted briefly toward Seraphina before returning to the Dean.

“Will I be going alone?” he asked.

The Dean shook his head slowly.

His eyes moved toward the woman standing beside Luca.

“She will accompany you.”

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