The Headmistress’ Office was on the top floor of the administration building. Albedo was walking behind Lucian and Raphaeline, with an awkward silence between them all.

Albedo’s jacket was still scorched on one side, and small smears of blood dotted his shirt. Lucian wasn’t much better. His lip was split, and his sword arm hung stiff at his side.

Finally, once they reached the top floor, they arrived at an ornate door with a golden onyx sigil on it that opened up with a hiss, entering her Office.

As they entered the room, it was like entering a different world. The ceiling was enchanted with magic, stretching upwards into a dome of glass, through they could see a night sky that never set, despite it being midday outside.

Stars shimmered, casting ethereal light upon the polished obsidian floor. Bookshelves coiled around the walls like a massive spiral staircase, stretching into impossible heights. A single massive desk rested at the far end, and behind it stood the woman who had just stopped a Diamond Rank spell with a gesture.

Raphaeline Cortezia.

Her violet hair flowed behind her like liquid silk, black wings folded neatly behind her back, and her crimson eyes watched the two students.

“You may sit,” she said, her voice like a melody hummed beneath moonlight.

Lucian and Albedo obeyed wordlessly, sitting across from her desk. She studied them both for a few seconds before speaking.

“You’re lucky I arrived when I did,” she said softly, “Crystalline Judgment is not a technique meant to ‘teach a lesson.’ It is an execution.”

Lucian opened his mouth. “Headmistress, I,”

She raised a single gloved hand.

“Lucian Arclight,” she said, voice level, “You fought bravely. You are improving. But this is no longer your conversation.”

Lucian blinked, stunned. “…Ma’am?”

“I’ve arranged for one of my aides to take you to a personal infirmary. You’ll find a training regimen there, adjusted with your Gift in mind. Follow it. You may go.”

Lucian hesitated, eyes flicking to Albedo, but nodded and stood, “Yes, Headmistress.”

He gave Albedo a small, silent nod and walked to the side door that opened as if waiting for him. When it shut, Raphaeline’s posture relaxed by the smallest margin.

She turned her full attention on Albedo.

“I know who you are, Albedo Neverwinter.”

Her voice was not threatening. Not even accusatory.

Albedo didn’t even react, his mind was already racing with all the possibilities of what Raphaeline meant with that statement.

Still, the Headmistress continued, circling the desk until she stood in front of it, close enough that he could feel the gravity of her presence.

“I looked into your background after the entrance exam,” she said plainly. “Commoner. Orphaned at six. Raised your sister alone. Minimal resources. No formal training. No noble heritage.”

Her crimson eyes glowed slightly.

“And yet, here you are. Top rank in Myth Class. Possessor of a Soul Weapon. Fighting toe-to-toe with someone five entire ranks above you…and landing a hit.”

She paused.

“Tell me, do you know how rare that is?”

Albedo remained seated and responded in as calm of a voice as he could possiboy produce.

“I imagine it’s happened less than ten times in the history of the Academy.”

“Three,” she said, crossing her arms beneath her chest, “And two of them died immediately afterward.”

She let that sit in the air.

Then, she walked behind him, not threateningly, but as if measuring him, her eyes seemingly able to see through the very essence of his being.

“I’ve been Headmistress here for 43 years,” Raphaeline murmured, “And in all that time, I’ve seen exactly seven students whose talent and drive made me personally interfere in their education. Lucian Arclight is the seventh.”

She stepped back in front of him.

“You are the eighth.”

Albedo’s eyes finally flickered with surprise, but he said nothing.

Raphaeline’s crimson eyes sparkled faintly, lips curling into the faintest smirk,” You’re efficient. You know your limits, but you still push. You have incredible battle instincts.”

She paused.

“I like that.”

She turned and walked back to her desk, leaning against it lightly.

“I’m offering you something few receive, Albedo Neverwinter,” she said, “Private training. Under me.”

Albedo raised a brow. “Why?”

“You’re a mystery,” she said truthfully. “And mysteries… are either dangerous or invaluable. I intend to find out which one you are. And if you prove the latter, then I will ensure no one, not Skye, not William Frost, not the Abyss itself, can touch you.”

She met his gaze again.

“The one person who didn’t die with your talent? He became Kadian Lewis, I’m sure you’ve heard of him.” Raphaeline said.

“Of course, The DawnBringer, the Greatest Swordsman who ever lived.” Albedo responded.

“And that’s the level of talent you can posses, but you need to be pushed to the very limits. You will report to the Lunar Wing on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting next week. We begin at midnight.”

Albedo frowned slightly, “Midnight?”

“I am a nocturnal creature,” she said simply. “And your Physique, Crimson Moon, was it? I believe training at night will allow me to truly see its potential.”

Albedo raised and eyebrow as he heard that final sentence. She knows about the Crimson Moon Physique and he didn’t know how. Despite how much she helped Lucian in the novel, Raphaeline remained one of the most mysterious characters all throughout.

“Don’t be alarmed,” she said, waving her hand. “I didn’t pry into your soul. But I didn’t become the Headmistress for no reason. Let’s just say I have an eye for talent.” Raphaeline said, and Albedo swore he saw her eyes glow for a second.

She tilted her head.

“Still. Whatever secrets you have, keep them. I will not dig, unless you give me reason to.”

There was a brief silence.

Then Albedo stood, nodding.

“I’ll be there.”

“Good,” she said.

As he turned to leave, her voice followed him.

“Oh, and Albedo?”

He paused in the doorway, turning slightly as he looked back to her.

“Protect your sister. No matter what.”

He stared for a heartbeat longer… then left.

And behind him, in the starlit office, Raphaeline’s expression turned unreadable. Her fingers brushed across a glowing orb embedded in her desk.

A dozen floating glyphs appeared, readings, images, names.

And at the center: Gwendolyn Neverwinter

“Eternal Destiny….I only hope I can keep her safe,” Raphaeline whispered.

Then the orb dimmed.

***

LATER THAT DAY!

Albedo had just gotten off the SkyRail and was on his way home, walking alone as his thoughts returned, again and again, to the final words Raphaeline had left him with.

“Protect your sister. No matter what.”

That alone wasn’t unusual. Anyone with a heart might say that to an older brother. But Raphaeline wasn’t someone to say something for no reason.

The tone of her voice, the way she stared at him, everything pointed to 1 thing.

Gwen was important, important enough to catch Raphaeline’s eye before she had even awoken, and that was scary.

Because in the original Novel… Gwendolyn Neverwinter didn’t exist.

There was no entry in any of the records he recalled. Not a single scene. Not a line. Not a death.

His family had been slaughtered when he was six. But in the Novel? The character of Albedo Neverwinter never existed, meaning there was no-one to save baby Gwen in the attack.

Albedo noticed the Imperial Policemen Killian had provided standing near his house, and he acknowledged them before heading inside.

He looked around, spotting Gwen curled up on the couch, fast asleep with a book in her lap, her silver hair cascading.

Albedo stood silently at the entrance for a long moment, his hand still on the door. Then, he shut it quietly behind him, but not quiet enough as she still woke up.

“Mmm… ‘Bedo…?” Gwen mumbled, eyes still half-shut as she sat up slowly, “You’re back…”

He nodded, removing what remained of his jacket and tossing it over the back of a chair, “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s okay…” she rubbed her eyes and yawned, looking him over. “Your jacket. Are you okay?”

“It’s fine, it was just a Combat Class at school.” Albedo said, “You should’ve been in bed by now, it’s late.”

“I wanted to make sure you came back,” she mumbled, leaning into his side with a sleepy smile.

Albedo looked down at her.

His sister. The only family he had.

“What is it… that you are?” he thought, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

The questions circled in his mind like ghosts. He needed answers. And he knew exactly where to start.

“System,” he whispered in his mind, “Is there an Appraisal Feature?”

The interface flickered in front of him.

[ Query Registered! ]

[ Appraisal Skill Available ]

[ Unlocking the Appraisal Skill will consume your next System Reward ]

Albedo looked at Gwen who had already drifted back asleep in his arms peacefully, and he remembered Raphaeline’s voice again.

“Protect your sister. No matter what.”

His decision was made instantly.

“Proceed.”

[ Skill Confirmed: You have unlocked Appraisal! ]

[ Appraisal – This version of Appraisal allows for detailed analysis of a persons status, with information such as their Race, Gifts, Physiques, and more. Information blocked by divine or abyssal forces will appear as redacted or obscured. ]

A new prompt appeared before his eyes, floating silently.

Target: Gwendolyn Neverwinter

Begin scan?

“Yes,” Albedo said aloud this time, barely a whisper.

The interface flashed.

[ Name: Gwendolyn Neverwinter ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Mana Rank: None ]

[ Mana Technique: None ]

[ Gift: Unawakened ]

[ Mana Physique: Eternal Destiny Physique ]

Albedo’s eyes immediately locked onto Gwen’s physique, immediately checking its description.

[ Eternal Destiny Physique – A Physique tied to the powers of Fate & Destiny. It grants the wielder dominion over the flow of time, the threads of Destiny, and the rejection of Artificial Fate ( Magic ). Those blessed with this Physique subconsciously reject the ‘script’ written for them and others, causing anomalies in the timeline. They become a living contradiction – both a protector of fate and a breaker of it.

Core Powers & Traits:

– Wielder exists out of sync with the linear timeline. No-one can manipulate their past, present and future in any way, and they have a constant 5 second pre-cognition of incoming threats.

– All projectiles are slowed when in her vicinity.She can mark her allies to rewind their time if they take fatal damage within a certain time period.

– Has a near maximum affinity to supportive Magic ( Light & Nature, Beast Taming, Illusion, Control, etc ).

– At maximum power, can weave fate for herself or allies, changing a person’s background or destiny on a whim. Can see through time into the past and future.

– All attacks will hit ( if they are dodged or miss, destiny is rewritten to make them hit )

– Immune to Abyssal Energy.

– Gifted Beasts and Magic Creatures instinctively respect or submit to the Physique’s wielder.

After reading the Physique and it’s description, Albedo only had one thing to say,

“Is my sister the Final Boss?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep