Alice Draken… for the first time in a long while, she felt fear.
As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't deny it.
Ever since losing her original body and being forced to live as a human, she had crossed blades and clashed with countless so-called strong ones in this short span of time. Heroes, villains, magicians, monsters—none of them had made her heart waver.
…But what she felt just moments ago was different.
It was a long-forgotten sensation, buried deep beneath arrogance and habit.
Her instincts screamed at her to run.
The ethical choice—the one demanded of her as both a hero and an educator—was to report this immediately, to call a higher-ranked hero and wash her hands of the matter. That would've been the right decision.
But she couldn't do it.
Because of the Everdusk Stone.
