Lying to an academy overseer was no easy feat; those small owls, barely half a meter tall, were special magical creatures bred by the mysterious headmaster of the Dark Magic Academy. They possessed strength surpassing that of high-level magical beasts, enabling them to handle disputes between apprentices below the ranks of formal sorcerers.
Moreover, in the confines of this academy, secret magical runes and alchemical eyes were hidden everywhere. Investigating the truth and even reconstructing the precise details of the recent battle was entirely feasible.
However, considering the minor conflict between low-level apprentices, it wasn't significant enough for the overseers to activate their surveillance eyes to reverse-engineer the recent skirmish. When Sene presented the emblem representing his identity as a formal dark magic apprentice, the overseer chose to let the matter go.
Sene's words provided a convenient way out for the owl. With a flap of its massive wings, the remains of Ilk's corpse—now reduced to charred pieces from the corrosive acid—were blown to either side of the path, into the white crow forest. These remnants would serve as excellent fertilizer for the underground plants thriving within.
After performing a respectful bow to the intelligent owl, Sene ignored the strange looks from the other apprentices and steadily made his way toward his dormitory building.
He had already donned the Pale Mask, a treasure from Ilk's corpse, which was indeed a magical artifact. Once it was on his face, Sene immediately noticed a clearer view of his surroundings.
The Dark Magic Academy in Morsobla City hosted between seven hundred to eight hundred apprentices at any given time. Each year, some apprentices would fall victim to various hazards, just as new ones flowed in. Among these newcomers, only a small percentage hailed from the local children of Morsobla City, while over ninety percent, like Sene, were abducted from the surface world by dark sorcerers who used various methods to drag them into the depths.
Sene vaguely recalled some details from before he was six. His golden hair and handsome features attested to his noble heritage. Even when he first arrived in the Dark Regions, he could take food from other children—an ability that stemmed from having studied basic sword techniques and breath control during his early years, knowledge inaccessible to commoners.
Over time, however, those memories faded. Apart from his surname and fleeting visions of his gentle mother, Sene struggled to recall anything else. Life within the Dark Magic Academy consumed much of his energy. Rather than dwell on the past, he preferred to focus on living day by day.
The dormitories provided to the apprentices comprised more than twenty buildings, each spanning six floors, with each floor containing eight rooms. The more powerful apprentices occupied the central buildings and higher floors, as they required a quieter environment for meditation and spell experimentation.
Some strong apprentices would even monopolize an entire floor, making the competition for dormitory space fierce during the initial days of each new academic year.
Sene's room was located on the fourth floor of the fifth building, situated at the back of the dormitory complex. Given his status as a low-level apprentice, he wouldn't have had a chance at such a prime location had it not been for his girlfriend, Lena.
Lena was his benefactor, his senior, his guide to magic—and also his girlfriend. In many respects, she was more of a mentor than a romantic partner.
Sene's aptitude with fire magic largely stemmed from the years he had spent assisting Lena with her various magical experiments.
"Creak!" As Sene activated the magical crystal lamp upon entering, dim light flooded his room.
The space measured approximately seventy square meters, which was relatively small. Due to the accumulation of experimental materials and books, along with a washroom and a small isolated experimental table, the room felt even more cramped.
Yet, returning here provided Sene with a profound sense of relaxation; it was his cozy nest.
The air was tinged with a faint acidic smell, reminiscent of the burning scent of low-level magical material—black camphor grass. Lena was not one to tidy up; in fact, during their years cohabiting, Sene had always been the one to handle household chores.
After surveying the room and realizing Lena was not home, Sene dragged his tired body over to the large bed in the center. The bed was a unique construction formed by merging two single beds together, a decision stemming from a memorable night two years prior.
Perhaps recalling certain images, Sene swallowed hard and shook his head, dismissing the thoughts.
Placing the spoils of his earlier confrontation next to his bedside desk, he sat cross-legged on the bed, before him sat a large bottle of mid-level antidote given to him by his new mentor, Mosido.
As he consumed the antidote, Sene guided his mental energy, beginning his routine meditation.
Meditation was the gentlest method of restoring both mental energy and magical power; at times, it could even substitute for sleep.
As Sene gradually entered a meditative state, his withered mental energy and magical power began to restore, and the bluish toxin lurking in his body slowly dissipated thanks to the antidote's effects.
Time passed, and when Sene finally reopened his eyes, it was already the next day.
After more than ten hours of meditation, Sene felt rejuvenated and vibrant. As he finished, he realized Lena had returned.
"You're back," Sene murmured softly.
"Mhmm." Lena nodded.
She stood by the window, a girl only about one and a half meters tall, with fiery red hair and an aura that was icily sharp.
Lena was not one for words; in fact, even after living together for eight years, their conversations tended to be brief and stilted.
Her petite stature and youthful appearance made her look like a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl. But Sene knew that was not her true age.
From the moment they had met eight years prior, Lena had maintained this appearance, and remarkably, she hadn't changed at all over the years.
Whispers from the academy hinted that she had been transformed during a failed experiment with her mentor, leaving her stuck in this youthful form.
Sene didn't know Lena's real age; he had never asked. Similarly, Lena had never inquired about Sene's surname or his childhood origins.
Everyone had their secrets and the corners of their lives that remained misunderstood by others.
Though Sene and Lena had become intimately close, it felt like they had yet to fully open up to one another.
"You're hurt?" Lena looked over at the magical short staff and Pale Mask resting beside Sene on the bed, her brows knitting together as she noticed the bloodstains on his chest.
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