Chapter 272: Semester Break!

The semester ended with massive exhaustion.

By the time Albedo stepped out of the return chamber and into the marble corridors of Zephyr Academy, the atmosphere had shifted entirely. The tension that had once coiled tight around the student body had dissolved into relieved chatter and hurried footsteps.

The emergency missions had concluded. All the final reports had been filed and all the grades were finalized.

Official statements circulated claiming the Abyssal Worshipper enclaves had been “successfully neutralized through coordinated student-field response.”

On parchment, it read like a triumph.

Albedo knew better than all of that. He knew that the true mastermind, Nazghul, had not been neutralized.

A branch had been pruned, nothing more. Graves was still in a position of influence while working with the abyss, so there was a-lot of problems.

Albedo arrived at the Grand Hall that shimmered beneath its painted constellations as students gathered one final time.

Faculty members stood at the front, with Alexander Graves was among them. Albedo observed him carefully.

There was no visible frustration, only calculation. If Nazghul had felt the severed tether in Shatterwood, Graves would know. The question was whether he understood who had interfered.

The Elder Professor who had announced the emergency missions stepped forward again.

“Zephyr Academy thanks you for your adaptability during these extraordinary circumstances. Final rankings have been adjusted to reflect field performance. The semester is hereby concluded.”

Applause followed. The Elder Professor gave a very basic speech and then dismissed everyone, and with that, the semester ended.

Within hours, dormitories emptied and vehicles lined the Academy Gates. Teleportation arrays activated in steady intervals. Students dispersed toward noble estates, merchant cities, frontier towns.

Albedo took the rail back to the Capital and headed home, the cold Academy air giving way to familiar warmth of home.

The moment Albedo stepped into the courtyard, a blur of motion collided with him.

“Albedo!”

Gwen. Her arms wrapped around him before he could even brace.

“I was only gone for a bit, don’t panic,” he said, hugging her, and Gwen rolled her eyes, but she was definitely smiling.

Albedo looked up, spotting Seraphyne at the steps of the house, just looking at him.

“You’ve returned earlier than expected, after I heard about that emergency mission I thought you’d return a bit later,” she noted.

“The mission concluded efficiently.” Albedo responded, and Seraphyne’s gaze lingered on him a moment longer than usual.

She could sense something, but nothing specific.

“You’ll tell me if something threatens this house?” she asked quietly.

“I will,” he replied.

Albedo stepped inside with them, and then Gwen immediately spoke, “Oh by the way, Diona isn’t here, Lucian took her out to the Crescent Coast for some time together,”

Albedo paused faintly.

“Crescent Coast,” he repeated.

“Yes! Apparently some post-exam relaxation trip. Fishing villages, ocean markets, night lantern festivals.” She leaned back smugly. “Romantic, right?”

Albedo considered this.

“Diona approved?” Albedo asked mildly, knowing Diona usually didn’t want to bother Lucian while he had alot of tasks or was training.

Gwen laughed, “She suggested it.”

That explained everything. Later, alone in his chambers, Albedo stood by the window overlooking the estate grounds. Night settled softly.

Mana lamps flickered gently along stone paths.

Nazghul’s hollow gaze replayed in his mind.

A Monarch active this early meant one thing, as was common these days, the timeline had changed a-lot from what he remembered, and his future knowledge, while still valuable, was losing some value for sure.

He would need strength not just for prediction, but for adaptation. He flexed his fingers slowly. Amethyst light shimmered faintly beneath the skin.

Perhaps it was time to accelerate privately.

The Next Morning Gwen burst into his training yard before sunrise.

“You’re not leaving again, are you?”

He finished adjusting the weighted bands around his wrists.

“Yes.”

She froze.

“Where?”

“Exploration.”

She folded her arms. “That’s vague.”

“Intentionally.”

She stared at him for several long seconds.

Then sighed.

“Are you going to get stronger again?”

“Yes.”

“Ridiculously stronger?”

“Most likely.”

She hesitated.

“…Take me next time.”

Albedo looked at her properly then, “When you awaken and train to at least Gold Rank, you’ll come with me, until now, stay here and eat your vegetables,”

She scowled, but she nodded.

Before his departure, Seraphyne called him into the estate’s private study. Sunlight filtered through tall windows.

“I won’t ask where you’re going,” she began.

“I would’ve told you but okay,” Albedo said and she gave him a look before continuing.

“But I will say this, rumors are spreading among noble circles. Abyssal activity is increasing beyond provincial reports.”

So it was not isolated. Nazghul was expanding.

“Stay alive,” she said quietly.

“I intend to.”

“And Albedo,” she added softly.

“Yes.”

“Don’t carry everything alone.”

He did not respond immediately, because the answer was complicated. But eventually, he responded

“I won’t,” he said.

With that, he left at dawn without any grandness, just wearing a black cloak over his shoulders as he left his home, heading to go out and explore and train to get stronger.

There were a-lot of places he could go, but Albedo decided to head towards the Elven Kingdom and the Sea, and explore places he hadn’t been before.

He headed to the cities teleportation circle, and took it, and was teleported to Druttan, a neutral City between various boarders that would act as a springboard for explorers.

Albedo headed to the Adventurer’s Tavern, and quickly bought an advanced map of the surrounding area.

While there were maps online, the Adventurer’s maps would always be more detailed, and specified, allowing him to make his way around with greater ease.

Looking at the map for a couple moments, Albedo decided to head west towards the Forest of Titans, a Forest filled with beasts that was perfect for Albedo to train for an extended period of time, so he walked off.

He moved towards the Forest at a slow pace, not wanting to talk to other people so he tried to avoid contact with others as much as possible, and after a bit, he arrived at the edge of the forest, summoning Havoc and Ruin as he was ready to begin training.

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