The Grand Council Chamber was quiet.
Great Elder Neil sat in his chair at the head of the long table. Bruno stood near the entrance, maintaining his usual composure.
Earlier, Neil had sent a group of scouts to deliver Mason Grace's uniform. He had instructed them to be accompanied by their head scout, Brooke, to ensure everything went smoothly.
He had expected them to return with nothing more than a routine report.
Then came the words that changed everything.
"Great Elder… Lord Chad is dead."
For a moment, Neil forgot how to breathe.
His fingers stopped moving. His eyes remained fixed on Brooke, as though he had misheard the words.
"Lord Chad…" he repeated quietly.
He exhaled.
"Chad Grace is dead?"
"I'm afraid so, sir."
The room seemed to grow colder.
Neil stared at the scout, but his thoughts had already begun to drift elsewhere. The words echoed inside his head, refusing to make sense.
Chad was dead.
Impossible.
Brooke continued speaking.
"When we arrived at Mason's village to deliver his uniform, we discovered that the entire place had been devastated. It looked as though the village had been raided during a war. We questioned the survivors and gathered what information we could."
Neil didn't respond.
"We were told that the attack was carried out by someone connected to our side. We suspect the attacker may have been a demon sent by the Demon King, although we haven't confirmed it yet."
The scouts continued explaining what they had discovered, but their voices gradually faded into the background.
Neil could no longer hear them.
He was still sitting in his chair, yet his mind felt as though it had left the room entirely.
Chad Grace.
One of the strongest Lords in the kingdom.
A man who had survived countless battles.
A man who had continued fighting despite the terrible condition of his own body.
Gone.
Neil slowly clenched his fist beneath the table.
How could this happen?
He raised his head again.
"Are you certain?"
Brooke swallowed.
"Yes, Great Elder. We have every reason to believe the report is true."
The wind brushed against Neil's white hair as it slipped through the slightly open window.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he spoke.
"You may leave."
Brooke hesitated.
"But, sir, we haven't finished—"
"Leave now."
His voice was quiet, but it left no room for argument.
The scouts exchanged uncertain glances before bowing.
"Yes, Great Elder."
As they turned to leave, Neil spoke again.
"Bruno, open the door for them."
Bruno obeyed without a word. The scouts walked out, and Bruno remained beside the doorway until they had disappeared down the corridor.
He turned back toward Neil.
"I'll give you some time alone."
Neil lowered his gaze.
"Thank you, Bruno."
Bruno was about to leave when Neil spoke again.
"Bruno."
He stopped.
"Gather the Lords. I want an emergency meeting immediately."
Bruno studied him for a moment.
"Understood."
He stepped outside and gently closed the door.
Neil was alone.
And for the first time in a long while, the Great Elder had no idea what to do next.
He stared at the table, his thoughts circling around the same unbearable truth.
Chad was dead.
His fist struck the table.
"How?"
His voice trembled.
"How did this happen?"
He shook his head, refusing to accept it.
"No… no."
Then a memory surfaced.
A conversation from the past.
A moment when Chad had stood before him, uncertain about the future.
"What do you think about joining Legion Academy, Chad?"
"I don't think I'm fit for that, you know? It's not my field."
"Oh, I know you are. I know you have the potential. Joining the academy would give you more opportunities to protect your village, your hometown, your loved ones, and your family. Think about it."
Neil closed his eyes.
He remembered how Chad had eventually accepted.
He remembered the confidence he had placed in him.
And he remembered the terrible secret he had failed to reveal.
His expression tightened.
"It's my fault…"
He lowered his head.
"If I had never recruited him, perhaps this wouldn't have happened."
His voice grew weaker.
"If I had told him the truth about his condition earlier…"
He couldn't finish the sentence.
For the first time since becoming Great Elder, Neil felt the full weight of a decision he could never undo.
A knock came at the door.
"Great Elder," Bruno called from outside. "The Lords have arrived."
Neil took a slow breath.
"Let them in."
The door opened.
Lord Ackman entered first, followed by Lady Nerissa. Lord Kelvin came in last, his expression carrying a trace of irritation.
They had been summoned without explanation, and none of them knew what had happened.
Neil looked up at them.
"Sit down."
The three Lords took their seats.
Kelvin leaned back in his chair.
"What is this about, Great Elder? We rushed here as soon as we received your message."
Neil remained silent.
Ackman frowned.
"Is something wrong?"
Neil lifted his eyes.
"Chad is dead."
Nobody moved.
For a brief moment, it was as though the entire room had stopped functioning.
Kelvin's eyes widened.
"What?"
Lady Nerissa raised a hand to her mouth, struggling to process what she had heard.
"Are you being honest?" she asked.
Ackman's expression changed immediately. His usual composure faltered as he stared at Neil in disbelief.
"Are you serious, Great Elder?"
Neil nodded slowly.
"I received the news myself."
"No." Kelvin shook his head. "No, that can't be right."
He rose from his chair.
"You must have heard something wrong. Perhaps Chad defeated a high-ranking demon and was injured. Maybe the report was confused."
He looked around the room, searching for someone who would agree with him.
"Chad can't die that easily. You know that. He's one of the strongest fighters in this kingdom. His strength rivals Ackman's."
His voice grew more urgent.
"Are you telling me someone simply killed him?"
"Kelvin," Ackman said quietly.
"No!" Kelvin snapped. "I refuse to believe it!"
He turned back to Neil.
"Where is he? Tell me where Chad is. I'll go there myself."
"Kelvin, sit down, please."
Neil's voice was gentle, but Kelvin didn't move.
He looked at the Great Elder for a long moment before slowly returning his gaze to his chair.
However, he remained standing.
Neil took a deep breath.
"There is something you all need to know. Something I should have told you a long time ago."
Kelvin's eyes narrowed.
"What is it?"
Neil looked down at his hands.
"Did I ever tell you about Chad's condition?"
The three Lords exchanged glances.
"What condition?" Nerissa asked.
Neil swallowed.
"His illness. Chad's magic was consuming his body. It was also damaging his soul. The process had accelerated to a point where his body could no longer sustain it."
Ackman's expression darkened.
"How long had you known?"
Neil hesitated.
"The academy's chief doctor discovered the truth after examining him. When he determined how much time Chad had left, he couldn't bring himself to tell him."
Neil paused, his voice growing heavier.
"At that point, Chad had approximately three days left to live."
Nerissa's eyes widened.
"Three days?"
Neil nodded.
"The doctor told Chad that he had two years remaining. He lied because he couldn't bear to tell him the truth."
Kelvin stared at Neil.
For several seconds, he appeared unable to understand the words.
Then his expression changed.
"You knew?"
Neil met his gaze.
"Yes."
"And you never told us?"
Neil lowered his eyes.
"I couldn't bring myself to do it."
Kelvin's hands began to tremble.
"You couldn't bring yourself to do it?"
His voice rose.
"Chad was our friend! He wasn't just another Lord whose name you could write on a piece of paper!"
"I know."
"No, you don't!"
Kelvin stepped toward the table.
"You knew he was dying, and you kept it from us. You let us continue living as though everything was normal while our friend had only days left!"
"Kelvin, please—"
"Don't tell me to calm down!"
His voice thundered through the chamber.
"Do you have any idea what this means? We could have spent those last days with him! We could have spoken to him! We could have given him a chance to say goodbye!"
Neil had no answer.
He knew Kelvin was right about that much.
Neil looked away.
"I wanted to keep Chad close so we could monitor his condition. But he insisted on attending his daughter's wedding. I couldn't force him to remain here."
"I thought I was doing what was best for him."
Kelvin laughed bitterly.
"And now he's dead."
The words struck harder than any accusation.
Neil closed his eyes.
"Yes."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Neil whispered, "I don't know why this keeps happening. Every time I grow close to someone, I end up losing them."
His voice cracked slightly.
"Is it a curse?"
Nerissa looked at him, her expression softening despite her shock.
But Kelvin's grief had already turned into anger.
He clenched his fists.
"You kept this from us. From your own friends."
He shook his head.
"I never expected this from you, Great Elder."
Ackman stood.
"Kelvin, watch your mouth."
Kelvin turned toward him.
"Watch yours, Ackman."
Ackman's eyes hardened.
"Don't mistake your grief for permission to disrespect everyone in this room."
"What I showed during the Lord Clash wasn't even a quarter of my ability. Don't provoke me."
"Is that a threat?"
"If it were, you'd know."
Ackman took a step forward.
"Then perhaps you should learn when to keep your mouth shut."
"Enough!" Nerissa exclaimed.
Neither man listened.
Kelvin pointed toward Neil.
"Chad is dead, and all you can do is tell us to calm down! As if that will bring him back!"
He shook his head in disgust.
"This is all nonsense. All of it!"
Neil remained silent, accepting every word.
He knew he deserved the anger.
But when Kelvin reached for his twin axes, Ackman immediately moved to intercept him.
"Don't even think about drawing that weapon."
Kelvin's hand tightened around the chains binding his axes.
"Move."
"Put it down."
"Make me."
Ackman's own hand moved toward his weapon.
"If you take another step, I'll draw mine."
"Then draw it!"
"Both of you, stop!" Nerissa shouted.
The room fell silent for a moment, though the tension remained.
Neil slowly rose from his chair.
"Kelvin, please. Listen to me."
Kelvin turned toward him, his face twisted with grief.
"Oh, now you want me to listen?"
Neil stopped.
"When you had the truth, you kept it from us until after he died. And now you want me to listen?"
Kelvin reached for the badge attached to his academy uniform.
"Chad was one of the reasons I joined Legion Academy."
He tore the badge from his shirt and held it in his palm.
"I respected this institution because of people like him."
His fingers closed around the badge.
"But I don't think I belong here anymore."
He placed it on the table.
"I'm leaving."
"Kelvin—" Nerissa began.
"That's final."
He turned and walked toward the door.
Ackman didn't attempt to stop him this time.
Kelvin opened the door and disappeared into the corridor.
The sound of his footsteps gradually faded.
Nobody spoke.
The badge lay on Neil's table, a small reminder of the damage the truth had caused.
Neil slowly sat back down.
"Let him go," he said when Ackman looked toward the door. "I won't force him to stay."
Ackman exhaled, his anger gradually subsiding.
Neil looked at the remaining two Lords.
"The entrance tournament will be postponed until the beginning of next month. This month will be dedicated to honoring Chad's memory."
Nerissa nodded slowly.
"What about the students?"
"The news must remain within the academy for now. Only those who need to know should be informed. I don't want rumors spreading among the junior scouts or civilians before we understand what happened."
Ackman folded his arms.
"And the attack on the village of Cinderval?"
"Investigate it thoroughly. I want to know who attacked that village, why they did it, and whether the Demon King was involved."
Neil paused.
"Until we have confirmed information, nobody is to make assumptions."
He glanced toward Chad's empty seat in his mind, remembering the man who had once stood before him with so much left to accomplish.
"I have other matters to attend to."
Ackman studied him.
"Great Elder, I know you made a difficult decision. Perhaps you believed keeping Chad's condition secret would spare him unnecessary suffering."
Neil said nothing.
"But you should understand why Kelvin is angry," Ackman continued. "Chad was his friend. Learning that he died without ever knowing the truth is not something he'll accept easily."
Nerissa nodded.
"I agree. I don't blame you entirely for what happened, but I can't blame Kelvin for his reaction either. He has lost someone he cared about deeply."
Neil looked at them, gratitude briefly softening his expression.
"Thank you for understanding."
He rose from his chair.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some time alone."
Ackman and Nerissa stood.
"We'll handle the arrangements," Ackman said.
Neil nodded.
The two Lords left the chamber, leaving him alone once more.
For a while, Neil remained motionless.
Then he looked toward the window.
Outside, the academy continued as it always had, with scouts moving about and instructors preparing for the coming tournament.
To them, the world had not changed.
But for Neil, everything felt different.
Chad Grace was gone.
Kelvin had walked away.
And somewhere beyond the academy walls, the enemy responsible for the attack remained at large.
Neil slowly clenched his fist.
Chad…
He remembered the confidence in the man's voice when he had spoken about protecting his family. He remembered the way Chad had accepted his invitation to join the academy, believing it would give him more opportunities to protect the people he loved.
And he remembered the lie that had robbed Chad of the chance to understand how little time he had left.
Neil lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
The words were barely audible.
But there was nobody left in the room to hear them.
He stood, walked toward the window, and stared into the distance.
His grief remained, but beneath it, another thought began to take shape.
The attack on Mason's village could not be ignored.
Chad's death could not simply be recorded and forgotten.
And whatever had brought the village invasion might only be the beginning of something far more dangerous.
Neil's eyes hardened.
"Whatever happens next," he whispered, "this will not end here."