As we moved toward the academy, the scent of blood, the fragrance of ash, and the aroma of dense mana usage became overwhelming. The air, which had felt refreshing just minutes before, now felt suffocatingly heavy. Beneath the exact same sunrise, the world brought vastly different air and emotions to different places. Lysandria hesitated, but I didn't. It might be new to her, but I had seen sights like this before.
As we reached the academy castle, a terrifying roar echoed like thunder from the sky. It wasn't a being I had fought before, nor a being I was scared of, but a being I had once vowed to protect. Yet one thing was certain: it was a dragon! Not certainly Nyx, but not impossible, either.
"Nyx!" I shouted.
Lysandria twitched her ears, eavesdropping on my shout. She exchanged a quick glance with me and asked in a polite, calm tone, "Nyx? Is that roar... is it her? The pet you have?"
I didn't answer for a moment. Realizing I couldn't hide it any longer, I replied, "It's not confirmed yet, but there's a chance."
Her mouth hung open for a moment, as if struck by something frightening, or as if a chain of mysteries had suddenly clicked into place. The mana around her intensified as she dashed forward, accelerating so fast that she surpassed me. Seeing this, I tried to increase my speed as well, but before I could draw on my power, she stopped and chanted a spell. A thick root erupted from the ground, snagging my feet and tripping me.
Taking advantage of the moment, she grabbed me by my collar and shouted, "Do you even know how big of a political nightmare this will cause?! If a prestigious noble kid dies, neither you, nor I, nor our families will make it out alive! Did you even think twice before bringing her to the academy?!"
She lowered herself until her knee pressed heavily against my chest. Her eyes seemed doubtful, yet certain of her actions. She placed her second knee onto my right arm, using her left hand to pin me down tightly. It was an effective lock that rendered my arms completely powerless as her body began to actively drain my mana. She sat slightly on my right side, locking down my dominant hand.
I could hear her sweating body, her heavy gasps, and the beating of her heart. As mana continued to be sucked out of me, my hands began to tremble and tears welled in my eyes—tears devoid of emotion.
Seeing this, she took a deep breath, pulled out her dagger, and brought it near my throat. "I don't want to hear your story."
I asked her softly, "Why are you breathing so heavily?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, she paused. It was her biggest mistake. I whipped my legs around her neck, locking her throat in a tight chokehold. As she began to suffocate, she tried to cast a spell, but I squeezed harder. Her eyes turned bloodshot and tearful until she finally went unconscious, collapsing over me.
Looking down at her, I whispered, "To save your reputation and keep my vow to the principal, I will fight. I'll fight this last battle, and then I'm abandoning the wars I've been fighting in this world for no reason."
As she lay unconscious on the ground, completely unprotected, a system message from the Curse Weaver flashed in my mind:
[Make a barrier around her.]
Taking heavy breaths after the quick showdown, I replied, *Did you actually grow feelings for her?*
[She is a young girl, and on top of that, a modest princess.]
I replied, *I never wanted to hurt her in the first place. She carries an innocence and modesty I've always respected... but pardon me, I don't know barrier magic.*
[Curse Weaver is currently trying to find the trainer who taught you...]
Then she ordered me: [Attack her in the belly or face.]
Startled by the sudden shift from protecting her to harming her, I asked in confusion, *Does killing protect your kingdom, your people, and your family?*
[Curse Weaver exclaimed: You gentleman, do as I say. Believe in me like you always do.]
I pulled out my Anti-Magic Sword and stepped toward her. My hands began to shake more violently than they ever had before. I stopped halfway, whispering, "Forgive me... I made a vow to never hurt an innocent or a child."
Curse Weaver urged: [Stop right before touching her, but do it now!]
Gathering all my courage, I swung my sword down. Right before the blade made contact, a sudden shift occurred in the air, and her body vanished into thin air. I was completely confused, yet immensely relieved.
Curse Weaver messaged again: [It's one of her innate powers. Now, move toward Nyx.]
I kept moving until I reached the mountain peak overlooking the entire academy grounds. A heavy wave of fatigue washed over me—a hollow, gnawing sensation of starvation. I told myself to keep pushing, forcing my body to give its absolute best, just like in the old days when food and sleep didn't matter.
When I looked down at the academy, I could hear screams of agony, cries of helplessness, the clashing of iron, someone laughing, and others weeping. There was no sign of hope left—only despair.
Blood painted the walls, corpses littered the ground, and the air carried a nauseating stench of vomit, mud, and gore. The flowers that were once symbols of peace lay crushed and soaked in red. Inside the student hostels, survivors cowered behind trembling barriers.
And in the center of the courtyard stood the dragon.
It was a mighty dragon, its feet shrouded in a mysterious black mist. Pitch-black hexagonal scales armored its entire body, its eyes burned a demonic red against black sclera, and its unfurled wings were the ultimate statement of dragon superiority.
Every cell in my body told me this was Nyx, yet I refused to accept that the cute, kitten-like dragon I knew possessed such a terrifying, predatory form.
I wanted to strike from a distance using archery, waiting for my heart rate to calm down so I could fight harder later. But a question held me back: *Am I really meant to save all these people? They aren't my relatives, my blood, or even my civilization... It's just my own stubbornness to keep a promise.*
As I hesitated, a figure breathing heavily rushed past me, yelling into the wind:
*"I, Lysandria, heir of the Elven Kingdom, command you to protect and cover me!"*
Before my mind could even process it, my body answered on instinct—rushing down toward the academy as if possessed by something else, fueled by sheer willpower and straining every muscle to its limit.