Chapter 69 : Auction
The Academy was quiet at night. Too quiet.
Moonlight spilled across the cobblestone paths, silver shadows stretching long beneath the statues and trees. Patrol lights flickered in the distance—teachers in cloaks, their lanterns pulsing faintly with mana detection spells.
And in the middle of that silence, I slipped through.
Cloak drawn low, footsteps measured, heart steady. I moved with the calm rhythm of someone who had done this before, even though my body still ached faintly from the hospital. The faint aftertaste of blood lingered at the back of my throat. But my mind was sharp, clear.
I had a goal.
The System's quests were finished, rewards claimed. My stats were climbing. My path was solidifying. And yet… it wasn't enough.
The nobles were watching. The professors were whispering. Even Emily, Alice, and the rest of the Student Council had their eyes on me.
