That night, in the garden of Venessa Academy.
Kayle and his group had returned to Alofis in the evening. After reporting back, they each retreated to their dormitories for rest. The academy itself felt strangely empty. Because of the bizarre weather and the Crown Prince's sweeping purge against corruption, much of the empire was under lockdown. Students who had left on assignments often could not return in time, and many had failed to complete their tasks. Only Kayle's group—and a handful of others whose missions were unrelated to combat, such as Jin and Shawn—had managed to return safely.
Now it was New Year's Eve. As tradition demanded, the remaining students gathered in the garden to welcome the new year together. The air was filled with chatter and anticipation. The garden, famous for its elegant design and serene atmosphere, was also well known as the "Confession Place," where countless love confessions had been made.
Students from the knight and mage departments, mostly juniors, filled the grounds. Only the fourth-year students were absent, still occupied with their graduation assignments. Tonight, uniforms were cast aside—everyone wore casual attire, adding a festive, almost noble air to the gathering.
At the center of the garden, in the most prominent seat, sat Silvia. She had claimed the space for herself, her brother, and her closest friends. Dressed in a sleek black designer suit with a silver phoenix embroidered across the left breast, she looked ethereal—like a living fairy descended among mortals. The flickering lantern light reflected off her pale skin and striking features, leaving every eye in the garden fixed on her.
Whispers spread among the students—boys and girls alike—yet Silvia sat cross-armed, an impatient scowl on her face.
Silvia, growing impatient, checked the time. "What the hell are those idiots doing?" she thought. "I told them to be here before 11 PM, and now there are only 30 minutes left! I swear I'll put them all in a living furnace for a week, and Kayle, he's going to be locked up in my room!" An annoying expression was on her face.
Suddenly, a handsome third-year student named Simon, dressed in a dashing red suit, approached her.
"Hey, look, Senior Simon is going to talk to Senior Silvia," a boy said.
"What do you think will happen? Will she accept his confession?" another whispered excitedly.
"Shut up, you idiots," a voice said from behind them.
"Who are you calling an idiot?" a boy shot back, turning around.
He froze when he saw who had spoken. Standing behind them were Jin and Shawn, Silvia's classmates, looking sharp in brown and sky-blue suits.
"S-Sorry, senior Jin," a first-year student from the knight department said.
"You're first-years from the knight department, aren't you?" Jin asked, an amused smirk on his face.
"Yes, senior."
"Then it makes sense you don't know anything about Silvia," Shawn added, shaking his head.
"What do you mean by that, senior?"
"Over the last three and a half years," Shawn explained, "more than a hundred male students from both departments have confessed to Silvia."
"What? Seriously?!" the first-years gasped in unison.
"Yes," Jin confirmed. "And every single one of them was utterly rejected. In the entire history of this academy, only one other person has received that many proposals: Sara."
"I can believe that," one of the boys said. "Senior Sara is the daughter of the Head of the Vaviniya clan and one of the 'Six Flowers of the Empire'."
Their attention snapped back to the main event. Simon stood confidently before Silvia.
She looked up at him, her expression one of pure annoyance. "What? Why are you blocking my view?"
Simon took a deep breath. "Senior Silvia, I have something I need to tell you."
"What is it now?" she asked, her voice lazy. She already knew where this was going.
He dropped to one knee. "Senior Silvia, from the first day I saw you, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind. I love you. Please, give me a chance!"
The entire garden seemed to hold its breath.
"Oh my god, he actually did it!"
"What do you think she'll say? I'm dying to know!"
"Look at senior Silvia's face," Shawn advised the first-years.
They did, and they were shocked. Her expression was a cold mixture of anger and utter boredom.
Then, Silvia spoke one word. "No."
The garden fell silent. It was a brutal, public rejection. Simon's face paled, but he didn't move. He just stared up at Silvia, who had already dismissed him and was scanning the crowd for her friends. Humiliation turned to anger.
He clenched his fists and bit his lip. "But why, senior? You've been rejecting everyone for three years. It's not like you're seeing anyone."
"I am not obligated to answer you," Silvia said coldly. "Now leave."
His anger flared. "Is it because of Kayle?" he shouted.
The festive air in the garden instantly turned frigid. Jin and Shawn both slapped their foreheads.
"And now he's finished," Jin muttered.
"What do you mean, senior?"
"Rule number one at this academy," Shawn explained grimly. "Never, ever disrespect Kayle's name in front of Silvia or Sara. Otherwise, you will face their wrath."
An immense wave of furious mana erupted from Silvia, crashing down on Simon. Her blood-red eyes glowed like volcanoes about to erupt. Simon was forced to both knees, struggling to breathe under the suffocating pressure.
Silvia rose slowly from her seat, her voice a low, dangerous growl. "What did you say? Say his name again. I dare you. You aren't even one-hundredth of the man he is in looks or intelligence, and you have the audacity to speak his name?"
Simon was desperate to run, but he was pinned in place by her power.
"Jin, stop her!" Shawn hissed. "Or she'll get in trouble with the Headmaster!"
"Silvia, stop!" Jin shouted. "He understands his mistake. And you, Simon, apologize to her now!"
With visible effort, Silvia reined in her power. "If you ever dare to speak his name like that again," she seethed, "I won't be so merciful."
The pressure lifted. Simon scrambled to his feet and fled without a backward glance. Silvia sat back down, her composure returning.
Just then, Sara arrived, another stunning beauty in a black dress that contrasted with her usual violet. She ignored the stares from the crowd and walked directly to the sitting area. The two of them locked eyes.
"What a headache," Silvia muttered. "Why do all the unwanted people keep coming to me?"
"Who said anyone was eager to come near you?" Sara retorted, sitting on the opposite side of the sofa.
A moment later, James and Nana arrived together. Nana was radiant in a light blue and white dress with a shining necklace, while James looked handsome in a black blazer and white shirt. They looked very much like a couple.
"What the hell took you so long?" Silvia immediately yelled at them. "I told you to be here at eleven!"
"Please don't scold James, it was my fault," Nana said quickly. "It took me longer to get ready than I expected."
"How could it be your fault, Nana?" Silvia said, eyeing her brother suspiciously. "I'm sure he was asleep in his dorm."
"Hey! I was preparing for tonight!" James protested.
"Hmph. Whatever. Where is Kayle?. He didn't come here with you." Silvia asked.
"Nope. Nana and I came straight from our dorms," James replied.
That idiot, Silvia thought. I really am going to lock him in my room.
On the other side of the garden, a trio of popular first-year girls—Daniela Ximen, Camila Walter, and Ines Fiera—stood with their friends, their eyes scanning the crowd.
"Where is senior Kayle?" Ines asked wistfully.
"He's not here yet," another girl replied. "I don't think he's come."
"Oh, gosh, I was waiting to meet him," Camila sighed.
"You're not the only one," Daniela said. "Every girl here is waiting for him. I heard some were even planning to confess to him tonight."
"Really? Like how senior Simon confessed to senior Silvia?" A girl said.
"Wait, what? When did that happen?" Camila demanded.
Another girl quickly recounted the entire dramatic episode.
"Wow, that's huge! I wish we'd been here to see it," Daniela said.
"Senior Simon comes from a noble family, though," Ines mused. "I doubt he'll let that go."
"Simon can't do anything to Silvia," Jin said, appearing behind them.
"Hello, seniors," the girls greeted him and Shawn.
"Senior, what do you mean he can't do anything?" Ines asked.
"Don't you know?" Jin said, as if stating the obvious. "Silvia is Professor Olivia's personal apprentice and is known to be close to Crown Prince Ash himself. Now, tell me, who in this academy would be foolish enough to cross her?"
"You're right, senior," Camila said, impressed. "With that kind of backing, no one would dare."
"Senior Jin," Ines asked, changing the subject, "where is senior Kayle? We can't find him anywhere."
"Don't know. Why do you ask?" Jin replied.
"Well, he's the only one from your group who isn't here, so I was just curious," Ines replied innocently.
Then, Camila leaned in with a mischievous glint in her eye, and all the surrounding girls immediately tuned in. "Senior, can you tell us... how many girls have confessed to senior Kayle so far?"
All the girls attention turned to him for a reply.
Jin and Shawn read the faces of the first-year girls. Their curiosity about Kayle was more than simple interest; it was pure, unadulterated attraction. Jin realized that many of these girls had come to the celebration specifically to meet Kayle, and some were even prepared to confess their feelings.
"No girl has ever directly confessed to Kayle," Jin said, his voice flat.
The girls were stunned. "What? Seriously, Senior Jin? But the whole academy adores him! We even heard that many wanted to confess. So why didn't anyone do it?" Ines asked, her eyes wide.
"It's because of Silvia and Sara," Shawn explained. "They never leave his side, not even for a second. Sara has already warned the other girls not to get too close to him. Even when our seniors tried to take Kayle with them, Silvia and Sara never left him."
"But that's not fair! How can they do that?" Camila protested. "It's not like Senior Kayle is their boyfriend or their personal property. Didn't anyone try to stand up to them?"
"You're right," Jin said with a smirk. "That's why Kayle got so many love letters and chocolate packets."
Daniela tilted her head. "Wait, Senior, you said no girl has ever confessed to him. But love letters are confessions, aren't they?"
"I said no one has ever directly confessed to him. I never said they didn't try indirectly," Jin clarified. "Every time we went to the cafeteria or to class, girls would put love letters in his bag. It was such a headache that when there was no space left, they started leaving the letters in our bags with notes telling us to pass them to him. And this happened every day. So Sara warned all the girls not to do that, and they started leaving their love letters and gifts directly at his dorm. Shawn, do you remember the time we had a party at Kayle's dorm?"
"Yeah," Shawn said, his eyes distant. "It was a bizarre scene. His living room was filled with gifts, and his maid war sorting the love letters. It looked like a merchant's warehouse. Even we couldn't believe what we were seeing."
Jin smiled wryly. "It's true. Kayle's popularity has already surpassed any figure in the empire's history. You asked me how many girls confessed? Here's your answer: there isn't a single girl who hasn't confessed to him—at least once, in some form."
"Oh my God, this is something unheard of," a girl said, her jaw dropping.
"I knew Senior Kayle was famous, but I didn't know his popularity was so crazy," another girl said.
"Senior Jin, does Senior Kayle like someone? Does he like Senior Silvia or Senior Sara? What's his relationship with them?" Camila asked desperately.
"Well, we once asked him about his relationship with Silvia and Sara, but he just said that they were very close and very important to him," Jin replied. "And as for a love interest, he said he doesn't have time for it."
"So that means he likes Senior Silvia and Sara?" Daniela asked.
"I don't know," Jin said.
"He hasn't accepted anyone, which means I still have a chance!" Ines said, her face lighting up.
Everyone turned sharply to her, stunned.
But before anyone could reply, a calm voice came from behind them.
"What are you all talking about?"
The girls stiffened and turned—only to freeze on the spot. Kayle had arrived.
He stood beneath the moonlight, dressed in a full black suit. His blazer shimmered with tiny black gems that caught the light, a black shirt and trousers completing the look. His hair was tied into a neat ponytail at the back, with styled strands framing his sharp features. Twin-colored eyes gleamed like jewels. Tonight, he looked like a masterpiece sculpted by the gods themselves, radiant and untouchable.
"Senior Kayle has arrived!" a girl squealed.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Girls throughout the garden turned, their breaths stolen. Daniela, Camila, and Ines could only gape, faces flushed, hearts pounding.
Kayle walked toward them, every step drawing eyes as though gravity itself bent to him.
"Yeah, Kayle! How are you? How was your assignment?" Shawn called, trying to cut through the tension.
Kayle gave him a faint smile. "Hey Shawn. I'm fine. The assignment was a huge headache, though. What about yours?"
Not as hard as yours," Shawn said. "I did mine smoothly."
"Mine was the same," Jin added.
Kayle looked at the girls. "You girls are from the first-year mage and knight departments, right?"
"Yes, yes, Senior Kayle! You remember us?" Daniela said.
"Of course I do. We met a few months ago in the auditorium, right?" Kayle said.
"Yes, I'm glad you remembered us. It's nice to meet you, Senior. I hope your assignment was easy," Ines said.
"Thank you for the warm words," Kayle said with a smile.
Then, he saw Silvia and Sara standing behind the girls, their faces a mask of furious anger. Kayle quickly grabbed Jin and Shawn and pulled them towards the two girls.
"Hey, Kayle, why are you dragging us with you? I don't want to get caught in your love triangle," Shawn complained.
"Me neither! Leave me alone! Look at their faces; they'll eat you alive!" Jin said.
"Just shut up and help me. I don't want to be a fish in a catfight," Kayle said, pulling them with him.
Kayle, Jin, and Shawn stood before Silvia and Sara.
"What were you doing, Kayle?" Silvia asked, enraged.
"Nothing! I just overslept because of exhaustion, so I couldn't come early," Kayle explained. "But I'm not very late. There are still five minutes left before the new year."
"Do you think that's a good reason for being late?!" Silvia yelled. "I've been waiting for an hour, and you're saying that's all you have to say? You seriously want to be locked up?"
Kayle pinched Jin and Shawn. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" they yelled. Kayle nodded to them, signaling for them to help.
"Ah, Silvia and Sara, why don't you let it go?" Jin said. "We still have five minutes left, so it would be great if we enjoyed the night instead of arguing. Wouldn't it?"
"Yeah, I think so too," Shawn said. "We should forget about the past and have fun tonight."
Silvia and Sara were silent for a few seconds.
Then, Sara grabbed Kayle's left hand. "Let's go. We don't have much time left."
Silvia grabbed his right hand very tightly. "Ouch, Silvia, it hurts!" Kayle said.
"Bear it," Silvia said. "It's your punishment for making me wait. Now come with me."
"Ah, excuse me, Seniors," Camila said from behind.
They all turned around. "What now? What do you girls want?" Sara asked.
"Senior, can we also come along with you?" Camila asked.
"Why do you want to tag along with us?" Sara asked.
"You know, Seniors, this is your last New Year's Eve in the academy, so we won't be able to celebrate with you all again. So could we please come with you?" Ines said.
"Okay, you guys can come," Kayle said. "The sitting area can hold ten people, so you can all come. And Jin and Shawn, you guys too."
Silvia and Sara pinched his hands very tightly. "My sweet Kayle, how good of you to think about our juniors," Silvia said, smiling sweetly. "But shouldn't you have asked me first before making that decision?"
"Hmm, my lovely Kayle, when did you become so considerate of our juniors when you've been avoiding them this whole time?" Sara said, seductively rubbing his cheek.
"Hey, take your hand off his cheek, Sara!" Silvia scolded.
"Both of you, please be quiet!" Kayle pleaded. "They just want to celebrate with us, and I promise I'll just sit with you guys. And everyone's eyes are on us, so please..."
"You guys can come. Now, hurry up," Sara and Silvia said.
The girls' faces lit up with bright smiles, and they all took their seats on the sofas.
Kayle sat in the center. On his right were Silvia, James, and Nana. On his left were Sara, Camila, Daniela, Ines, Jin, and Shawn. Both Silvia and Sara were holding his hands tightly, and everyone was watching the academy's clock tower.
The countdown began.
"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!"
"Happy New Year!" all the students shouted in unison. Fireworks erupted, filling the sky with hundreds of colors. The whole city of Alofis watched the spectacle.
"Happy New Year, Seniors," Camila, Daniela, and Ines said.
"Happy New Year to you all as well," they replied.
"Happy New Year, Nana," James said.
"Happy New Year to you too, James," Nana replied.
"Happy New Year, Silvia and Sara," Kayle said. He pulled two black boxes from his blazer and gave them to the girls. "Here, these are for both of you."
Silvia and Sara took the gifts. "Hmph, you prepared one for her too?" Silvia said. "My Kayle has become very caring."
"It's not like that, Silvia," Kayle said. "Sara is also a friend, and she was there for you, taking care of you, so I had to do something for her."
"Hmph, just finding excuses to give her gifts and get close to her," Silvia muttered.
Both girls opened the boxes. Inside were two necklaces. One was a black diamond necklace, and the other was a blood-red diamond. These were two of the seven pieces that Aeon had been collecting. As they held the necklaces, they began to shine brightly in the moonlight.
"Oh my goodness, Silvia, Sara, those are very pretty necklaces!" Nana exclaimed. "Just look at them shining in the moonlight. I've never seen such pieces of diamond in my life."
"Yeah, Seniors! Not even my mother has something this beautiful," Daniela said. "It must be the work of a great designer. I'm so jealous."
"Yeah, Seniors, you're so lucky to have these," Ines added. "I can guarantee not even the Empress has something this valuable in her collection."
"And they match your eye colors perfectly," Camila said.
"Well, my eye color is dark violet, but this black diamond radiates the same dark violet color in the moonlight," Sara said, her eyes sparkling. "I love it."
"Mine is the same," Silvia said. "This blood-red color matches my eyes and my mana. This is the best gift I've ever had! Thank you, Kayle."
"I'm glad you like them," Kayle said with a genuine smile.
All the other students began to approach them, drawn by the shining necklaces. In a few seconds, a huge crowd gathered around them..
"Wow, Silvia and Sara, those are beautiful necklaces! Kayle gave you those?"
"They're shining like stars!"
"They must be worth a fortune. Are they enchanted?"
"No way—those aren't ordinary diamonds. They look divine."
"Kayle gifted them? Then is this… a double proposal?"
"It means Kayle proposed to both goddesses of the academy at once!"
"Oh my God, this news will blow up the entire capital! Kayle, you're very good at hiding things!"
"Well, if it's Kayle, we can expect this from him."
"Kayle, you sly devil… gifting both goddesses at once?"
"Unbelievable. Only Kayle could pull this off."
"No, guys, these are just New Year's presents," Kayle explained. "I also bought some things for my friends. Don't jump to conclusions."
But the crowd didn't move. So Kayle, seeing an opportunity, slipped through them and left the garden. Ines, seeing him go, also followed him.
Kayle was walking down the quiet hallway of the main building when he felt a presence behind him. Ines was following him, keeping her steps light and careful. Of course, Aeon already knew—he had noticed her from the moment she trailed him. Without stopping, he passed the reception counter and exited through the main gates. Only at the stairs outside did he halt and turn.
"Why are you following me, Ines?" Kayle asked, his voice calm but direct.
Ines hesitated at the gates, then slowly walked closer. "Senior Kayle… I want to say something to you."
"Okay, I'm listening," Kayle replied.
Ines hesitated, her hands twisting. "The... thing is, Senior Kayle..."
"Don't hesitate, Ines. Tell me freely. It's just the two of us here," Kayle said gently.
"Senior Kayle, please promise me you won't tell anyone about this. Oh, it's not like I don't believe you. It's just..." she stammered.
"I promise," Kayle interrupted softly. "Whatever you say will remain between us."
Ines took a deep breath. She unzipped the back of her dress, exposing her back to him. There, a grotesque mark was visible, resembling tree roots that grew upward from her backbone, spreading across her spine to her collarbones and breasts.
"It's just as I thought," Aeon's thoughts raced, his hands clenching. "She's been cursed, just as it was written in the original story. And this isn't a simple curse, but an ancient one, known only to a handful of people in this era. These roots, growing from her backbone, will eventually devour her entire body, eating away at her spirit and turning her into an empty shell. Once she's a lifeless corpse, the caster will absorb all her internal mana with a reverse curse."
"This is an ancient curse called the Root Devouring Tree," Aeon continued. "It has two parts: the Root Curse, which devours a person's spirit and absorbs their innate talent, and the Tree Curse. The root curse looks like tree roots in the body; it grows from the backbone and spreads. Once it has fully covered the body, the caster activates the second seal—the Tree Seal—on his own body. The roots then feed the tree, allowing him to steal the victim's natural gifts. It is parasitism disguised as sorcery. It's just like how tree roots absorb nutrients from the ground to help the tree grow. This curse allows a talentless person to devour someone's special ability, their innate talent, just like a tree absorbs nutrients."
"Ines is a natural-born prodigy… because she carries a Mana Pool within her heart. Aeon's eyes hardened. A Mana Pool is exactly what its name suggests—an inner ocean of mana, vast and inexhaustible. For most people, mana is limited. Their bodies can only absorb a fixed amount from the world around them, some barely enough to light a spark, while others—like Silvia—possess a greater capacity, allowing them to recover faster and wield stronger elemental affinities. That's why Silvia, even before reaching the First Circle, could ignite flames with nothing but her natural reserves. But a Mana Pool is different. It is not a reservoir but an ocean—a living source. Those born with it can draw mana endlessly from nature, recovering at a rate that defies logic. Their growth in elemental affinity is not restricted by capacity or recovery speed. Such people can fight without exhaustion, their mana returning as quickly as it is spent. In every sense, a Mana Pool is a gift touched by the divine. And among all talents known to this world, it is the rarest of them all." Aeon thought.
"But this curse also has a drawback. If the caster doesn't absorb the huge amount of mana from the root seal, the tree seal will start devouring their own spirit. So the person needs to absorb the talent of the root seal bearer. And I know who cast this seal on her. He will need Ines once a month." He thought.
"What's this, Ines? This huge mark on your back?" Kayle asked, his voice filled with concern.
"I don't know," she whispered. "My family has tried everything, but no one could tell us what it is. Not even the academy professors. Some call it an illness, others say it's a strange birthmark. Nothing works—not even holy magic."
"Of course not,"Aeon thought grimly. "The curse was designed to mimic illness, so no priest or healer could identify it until it's too late."
"Ines, may I touch your back?" he asked.
Ines blushed, a deep scarlet spreading across her cheeks. "If it's you, Senior, I don't mind," she said in a low voice.
Kayle placed his hand on her back and concentrated. He tried to project his spiritual consciousness into the curse, but it repelled him. Aeon took his hand away.
"It's just as I thought," Aeon mused. "It has already taken root. I could force my consciousness into the curse, but if I do, that bastard will know."
"What do you think, Senior?" Ines asked, her voice filled with a desperate hope.
"I don't know what this is," Kayle said, lying to protect her. "It doesn't look like a curse."
"Senior Kayle, please help me," Ines pleaded, her eyes welling up with tears. "I don't know what this is, but my body sometimes goes numb, and I can't even move freely. I also have difficulty waking up from bed."
"How can I help when the professors don't even know about it?" Kayle said, his face etched with worry.
"No, Senior," Ines insisted, stepping closer to him. "Only you can save me, just like you saved Senior Silvia from death."
"How do you know about that?" Kayle asked, his voice sharp with surprise.
"I heard Senior Sara, Latty, and Nana talking about it," Ines said. "Senior Kayle, please help."
Ines's face was a portrait of pure desperation, a silent plea that he was her last hope.
"I'll try to find a way," Kayle said, his resolve hardening. "So don't worry."
Ines's face radiated with relief and happiness. She leaped at him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Senior Kayle! Thank you so much!"
"Okay, Ines, first, zip up your dress. What if someone sees you like this?" Kayle said, trying to pull away.
"Senior, my hands can't reach my back, so could you please zip up my dress?" Ines said shyly, still hugging him.
Kayle, with a sigh, quickly zipped up her dress. She let go of him, and a small, happy smile appeared on her face.
"Now go," Kayle said. "I'll meet you in the morning."
"Okay, Senior," Ines said, turning to leave.
"I finally hugged Senior Kayle," Ines thought, a blush spreading across her face. "What a tough body he has for a mage. I wish I could tear off his shirt and get a good look at his body." With that thought, she left, a renewed hope in her heart.